1.D. Report and updates from City Councilmember serving on outside Boards; Environmental Task Force; Neighborhood Planning Oversight Committee; Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Committee;

[1.D. Report and updates from City Councilmember serving on outside Boards; Environmental Task Force; Neighborhood Planning Oversight Committee; Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Committee; ]

OK.

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ONE B, AND THAT'S REPORTS AND UPDATES FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVING ON OUTSIDE BOARDS.

THE FIRST BOARD REPORT WE HAVE IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE, SORT OF RELATED TO A CLEAN CITY RIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH? THAT'S CORRECT.

TASK FORCE MET THESE LAST FEW DAYS OR MONTHS.

AND THEY MET MONTHLY AND THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF DEBATE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT REVISING THE EXISTING WATER WASTE ORDINANCE, BUT THEY KIND OF BOGGED DOWN.

AND SO WHAT THEY WERE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL, I MEAN, THE CITY STAFF TO DO IS REWORK THE TIERED RATES AND BRING IT BACK TO THIS TASK FORCE IN APRIL.

AND THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH ADJUSTING THE BUDGET THAT WOULD BE DONE IN JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST.

AND SO THAT'S.

THAT'S WHERE THAT IS, INSTEAD OF US GETTING BOGGED DOWN ON HOW TO GET AN ANSWER.

THE STAFF HAS A LOT MORE ANSWERS.

THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO THEY'VE UPDATED THE ACCEPTABLE DEVICE LIST THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR TELLING THE SPRINKLER TO NOT RUN WHEN THERE'S RAIN OR ICE.

SO THE TASK FORCE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, SEVEN AND ZERO TO ASK THE STAFF TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO US IN APRIL AND THEY'LL DO THAT AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS THAT AGAIN.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

A GOOD REPORT.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR HOWARD ABOUT THAT COUNCIL? OK, HOWARD, THANK YOU.

NOW WE HAVE A REPORT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND THAT IS COUNCILWOMAN HAYS AND COUNCILWOMAN POWELL.

I'LL GO I'LL GO FIRST AND LET FREDA ADD IN AN EXTRA LAYER.

WE MET THIS LAST WEEK AND THERE WERE JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS THAT I REALLY WANTED THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO BE AWARE OF.

AND ONE IS THAT THE EASTRIDGE PLAN HAS GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND.

THEY HAD THEIR FIRST REMOTE VIRTUAL MEETING.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT DOES CHANGE YOUR DYNAMICS.

IT CHANGES A LITTLE BIT OF THE NUMBERS.

BUT I WOULD SAY BASED ON THE REPORT, THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE QUANTITY OF PARTICIPATION WAS LESS, BUT THE QUALITY OF PARTICIPATION WAS REALLY GREAT.

AND THEY HAVE NINE STRONG VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE WILLING TO SERVE AND START WORKING ON THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.

AND IT WAS A GREAT BACKGROUND OF DIVERSIFICATION.

A LOT JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT VOICES SPEAKING INTO THIS COMMITTEE.

AND WE WERE VERY ENCOURAGED WITH THE RESPONSE.

AND I JUST WANT TO COMMENT THAT THAT IS SO CRUCIAL BECAUSE THESE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, THEY ARE CITY FACILITATED, THEY ARE NOT CITY DRIVEN.

AND THE SUCCESS OF THEM HINGES SO HIGHLY ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTICIPATION AND PEOPLE STEPPING UP IN THOSE LEADERSHIP ROLES TO BE THE VOICE AND TO COMMUNICATE THE NEEDS AND THE DREAMS AND THE VISIONS FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND SO, AGAIN, JUST VERY, VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD STEPPING UP.

SOMETHING THAT WAS I FOUND VERY INTERESTING ON SOME OF THEIR FIRST CONVERSATIONS AND FEEDBACK OF WHAT THEY AS A COMMUNITY ARE HOPING FOR AND LOOKING FOR.

AND NUMBER ONE IS, IS ACCESS TO THE CITY.

IT'S THAT BRIDGE OF COMMUNICATION, OF ENGAGEMENT.

AND LANGUAGE IS A HUGE BARRIER.

IT'S I BELIEVE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG FREDA, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

THEY ARE WORKING TO GET A LOT OF THEIR MATERIALS TRANSLATED INTO.

THAT'S A BIG HURDLE.

AND TRYING TO GET PAST THOSE LANGUAGE BARRIERS TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO WORK ON.

[01:05:03]

THEY ARE GOING TO ALLOCATE SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PLANNING TO HAVING THOSE INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION TRANSLATED INTO SIX DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

AND THE FINAL THING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS JUST THE THE WAY EMILY AND HER TEAM ARE SETTING UP JUST ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THESE PLANS THAT I THINK A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN.

AND STEPHANIE, IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT SCREEN AND I'LL TRY AND TALK TO IT AS YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING TAB THAT EMILY POINTED OUT IS WHAT'S CALLED PROJECTS IN MOTION, BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO GET QUESTIONS, WHAT'S THE CITY DOING FOR ALL OF AMARILLO? WHAT'S THE CITY DOING TO HELP REVITALIZE OUR UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS? AND THE WAY YOU THE NAVIGATION TO THIS, YOU START OFF WITH AMARILLO .

GOV/NEIGHBORHOODPLANNING AND IT'LL TAKE YOU TO THIS PAGE.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN THAT MIDDLE ROW IS THE PROJECTS IN MOTION MAP.

AND THEN IT BREAKS DOWN THE DIFFERENT DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING SPENT IN THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE.

SO IT'S COLOR CODED, IT'S BROKEN DOWN BY WHAT INFORMATION, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE THREE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED.

AND THEN EASTRIDGE IS JUST GETTING STARTED IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER.

SO I JUST WANTED TO DIRECT OUR COMMUNITY TO THAT WEBSITE.

IT'S GREAT INFORMATION AND I THINK WOULD ANSWER A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS STARTED WITH THE PRIOR COUNCIL.

AND SO WE HAVE A GOOD, SOLID FIVE YEARS WHERE THE CITY HAS COMMITTED A DEPARTMENT, STAFF MEMBERS SOLELY TO WORKING ON THE SUCCESS OF THESE PLANS.

AND THIS IS IT'S HARD TO ALWAYS COMMUNICATE WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.

BUT I THINK THIS WEBSITE IN THIS PARTICULAR TAB DOES A GREAT JOB OF THAT.

AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT.

MENTIONED THE LANGUAGES, AND THAT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE], BURMESE, [INAUDIBLE], LAOTIAN, VIETNAMESE, SOMALI, SWAHILI AND ARABIC.

SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FOR THAT COMMUNITY.

AND THEN ALSO, I MIGHT JUST MENTION THAT THE NORTH HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, THEY DO HAVE THEIR STREET TOPPERS INSTALLED.

AND I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT MAYBE 40 STREET TOPPERS FROM NORTHWEST 1ST AVENUE ALL THE WAY TO NORTH EAST TWENTY FOURTH AVENUE.

SO THEY HAVE THOSE SIGNS INSTALLED AND THEN IN THE BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY HAVE THEIR STREET TOPPERS COMPLETE AS WELL AS THE WELCOME SIGNS COMPLETE.

AND THEN THEY HAVE ALSO THE BARRIOS NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY HAVE ALSO PUBLISHED A COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THEIR STREET TOPPER PROJECT.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

EXCELLENT.

GOOD INFORMATION.

THOSE ARE GREAT REPORTS AND IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THE NEIGHBORS ARE THE ONES I LOVED WHAT YOU SAID, ELAINE, THE NEIGHBORS ARE THE ONES DRIVING WHAT THEY WANT TO HAPPEN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE CITY'S JUST COMING ALONGSIDE TO HELP IN ANY WAY THEY CAN.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THOSE TWO REPORTS.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL FOR THE LADIES? YOUR WELCOME.

SO IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, ISN'T THE FUNDING FOR THIS COMING OUT OF THE TWENTY SIXTEEN BOND ELECTION, PROP ONE MONEY IS WHAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THIS IS BEING FUNDED NOW THAT CITIZENS VOTED FOR IT? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED AND IT'S BEING PUT IN PLACE AND FUNDED BY BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY OUT OF THAT PROP ONE BUDGET.

CORRECT? THERE'S A COMBINATION OF SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING ALLOCATED FROM BOND PROCEEDS AND THEN ALSO CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CITY GENERAL BUDGET AND THE COUNTY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THE BIGGER DOLLARS ARE THE BOND PROCEEDS.

THAT'S WHERE THE BIG MONEY IS, YOU'RE RIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

[01:10:03]

THE LAST REPORT WE HAVE ON THIS ITEM IS FROM THE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

SO WE'LL GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

THE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY COMMITTEE HAS MET MONTHLY, AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD BIT, VERY GOOD ATTENDANCE AND GOOD PARTICIPATION.

THE COMMITTEE WORKS UNDER THE PARKS BOARD, SO A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORKED OUT A PLAN TO PRESENT TO UPDATE THE BICYCLE PLAN FOR THE CITY, AND IT WAS ADOPTED BY THIS COMMITTEE AND IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PARKS BOARD ABOUT A WEEK AGO.

SO IT'S THEY KNOW WHAT PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE SAFETY COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THERE, PROBABLY NEED TO SEND A COPY TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WHAT THAT REPORT IS SO YOU CAN READ IT.

SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR THAT BEFORE NOW.

AND THEN SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED HERE JUST IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, IT MADE THE FRONT PAGE, THAT TXDOT IS GOING TO WORK ON MAKING IT SAFER TO CROSS AMARILLO BOULEVARD.

THAT STARTED BECAUSE OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT ASKED FOR POLICEMEN TO GIVE REPORTS OF WHERE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCIDENTS TAKE PLACE AND MORE WERE TAKING PLACE ON AMARILLO BOULEVARD.

AND SO WE ASKED TXDOT IF THEY WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO MAINTAIN THOSE CROSSINGS, AND SO I WOULD COMPLIMENT THE COMMITTEE FOR HELPING ON THAT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

EXCELLENT.

I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THAT DESERVES A STANDING OVATION, BECAUSE THOSE, ONE LIFE IS SAVED.

THAT'S THE WORK OF THAT CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE IS DOING WHAT THEY AGREED TO DO WHEN THEY CAME ON BOARD.

AND THAT COMMITTEE IS MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE CITY.

SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT WORK COME ABOUT.

APPRECIATE THAT REPORT, HOWARD, DO YOU GUYS REST COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THAT? SO, HOWARD, ON THE AMARILLO BOULEVARD THING THAT'S BEING WORKED ON WITH TXDOT, ARE THEY LOOKING AT LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON GEORGIA STREET, LIKE THE HAWK DEVICE ISN'T THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED? IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT? OR DO YOU KNOW? DONNY ARE YOU HERE? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? WE'RE ACTUALLY APPROVING THIS ITEM ON THIS AGENDA ON ITEM K.

DONNY, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, DESCRIBE IT AND COMPARE IT TO GEORGIA AND WHAT WE HAVE ON THE RAILS AND TRAILS.

YES, IT'S A LOT, EXACTLY THE SAME.

THEY HAVE TWO LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON ON THE BOULEVARD WHERE THEY'VE IDENTIFIED SOME PEDESTRIAN ISSUES THERE.

SO THAT IS AN ITEM THAT'S COMING UP ON THE AGENDA.

I'LL GIVE YOU A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF IT WHEN WE GET TO IT.

BUT IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME LOOK AS THE GEORGIA HAWK IS.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE PEDESTRIAN CAN PUSH A BUTTON AND ACTUALLY STOP THE SIGNAL, STOP TRAFFIC SO THEY CAN CROSS SAFELY.

YES.

AND ALSO COMPARE IT TO THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO TEXAS TECH FROM THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT [INAUDIBLE].

GOOD.

GOOD REPORT.

HOWARD IS THAT EVERYTHING? THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

OK, NO QUESTIONS FOR HOWARD? OK, I'VE STARTED WATCHING FOR Y'ALL, Y'ALL ALL HAVE TALE SIGNS WHEN YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, IT'S NOT JUST WHEN YOU TURN YOUR MICROPHONE OFF OR ANYWAY I THOUGHT ONE OF Y'ALL WAS GIVING ME YOUR SIGN.

SO I WAS WAITING FOR YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] SO YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD NOT PLAY POKER WITH YOU? OH, I'M SURE I HAVE THE SAME TELL SIGNS.

SO, I MEAN, YOU CAN READ ME JUST LIKE I CAN READ YOU.

[1.E. Update on Building Safety Department; ]

RIGHT.

OK, ITEM 1E IS AN UPDATE ON BUILDING SAFETY DEPARTMENT.

SO MR. CITY MANAGER.

RIGHT MAYOR.

WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST A BRIEF UPDATE OF SOME OF THE REORGANIZATION EFFORTS WE HAVE GOING ON IN BUILDING SAFETY, SOME OF THE PERSONNEL CHANGES WE HAVE GOING ON, SOME TECHNOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS WE HAVE UNDERWAY AND WILL BE ROLLING OUT VERY SHORTLY.

WE HAVE RECENTLY COMMISSIONED A SOME OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE TO STUDY OUR BUILDING SAFETY DEPARTMENT, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL REORGANIZATION OR FOR OPERATIONAL ENHANCEMENTS.

SO ANDREW IS GOING TO GIVE US ALL OF THAT.

WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AT AN UPCOMING MEETING IN FEBRUARY, PROBABLY ABOUT THE ROLLOUT OF OUR NEW ONLINE PLAN, SUBMISSION AND PROJECT

[01:15:02]

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

IT'S A IT'S A COMPONENT OF THE TYLER SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT WE ROLLED OUT CITYWIDE.

BUT THIS WILL BE GOING LIVE SOFT IN FEBRUARY AND FOR GOOD LIKELY IN MARCH.

AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A SEPARATE A VERY DETAILED UPDATE ON ALL OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND [INAUDIBLE] ASPECTS OF THAT ROLLOUT AT A FUTURE MEETING.

AND ANDREW MIGHT HIT ON SOME OF THE COMPONENTS OF IT, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO GIVE YOU A VERY DETAILED BRIEFING ON THAT UPCOMING MEETING.

SO ANDREW.

YES SIR SO, AS JARED MENTIONED, SOME OF THE TOPICS I WANTED TO COVER TODAY, JUST BRIEFLY, SINCE BUILDING SAFETY HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TRANSITION IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, WE WANT TO TOUCH ON THE SGRS STRATEGIC GOVERNMENT RESOURCES ASSESSMENT THAT WE HAD DONE, A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE STAFFING ORGANIZATIONAL CHART AND SOME OF THE CHANGES WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON JUST IN THE LAST MONTH, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHER UPDATES THAT WE WANT TO KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP ON, AS WELL AS OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAT ARE WATCHING.

SO THE SGR ASSESSMENT STARTED IN LATE SUMMER.

WE COMPLETED JUST THIS PAST WINTER AROUND [INAUDIBLE].

WE GOT THE FINAL REPORT.

IT TOOK IT TOOK A HARD LOOK AT OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE DEPARTMENT, SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE STAFFING LEVELS.

AND PART OF THAT, THE CONSULTANT LOOKED AT OUR DIFFERENT COMPARABLE CITIES.

HE LOOKED AT LUBBOCK, MIDLAND, ODESSA, ABILENE, WICHITA FALLS, REALLY TO GET A FEEL FOR OUR STAFFING LEVELS, HOW WE COMPARE IT AS FAR AS THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, OUR CERTIFICATION, OUR SALARIES.

NOW JUST TO GET AN IDEA HOW WE COMPETE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE ISSUES THE DEPARTMENT HAS FACED IN THE PAST IS TURNOVER A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES ONCE THEY'RE HERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY'LL MOVE TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, TO SOME OF THE TRADES LIKE PLUMBING AND OTHERS PAY A LITTLE BIT BETTER TIMES THAN THE CITY DOES.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO COMPETE WITH.

SO WE WANT TO GET A LITTLE FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMPARABLE CITIES.

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED IN THE PLAN TALKED A LOT ABOUT CROSS TRAINING, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR PLAN REVIEWERS AND OUR BUILDING INSPECTORS.

THEY LOOK AT A LOT OF THE SAME INFORMATION EITHER THEY'RE EXPECTING IN THE FIELD OR THEY'RE READING IT ON THE PLAN.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE TO LOOK AT CROSS TRAINING IN CASE WE HAVE ANY TURNOVER IN THE FUTURE.

IT MAY BE ABLE TO FILL THAT GAP, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED BASED ON OUR WORKLOAD, WHETHER IT'S HEAVY PLANNER [INAUDIBLE] IF WE HAVE A LOT OF INSPECTIONS, THAT SORT OF THING.

WE DID COMPARE THE SALARY REVIEWS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA ON HOW WE COMPARE SALARY WISE.

WE ARE LOWER IN SOME AREAS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT WITH H.R.

IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AS FAR AS SALARY SURVEYS.

ANOTHER SAYING HE TOUCHED ON AND PROVIDE A GOOD PROGRAM FOR US TO REVIEW IS OUR CERTIFICATION PAYS A LOT OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT COME TO THE CITY.

WE HAVE TO TRAIN THEM WHEN THEY COME IN SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE CERTIFICATION THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL THAT WE'D LIKE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR EMPLOYEES, MAKE SURE THEY GET COMMITTED TO GETTING THOSE CERTIFICATIONS, WHETHER IT'S PLUMBING, BUILDING INSPECTIONS, PLAN REVIEW CERTIFICATIONS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SO HE REALLY LAID OUT A GOOD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THAT ALSO HELPS TIE THE SALARIES.

SO WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE NOW THAT IF YOU DID SAY YOUR PLUMBING LICENSE, YOU GET ADDITIONAL PAY.

BUT HE REALLY TOOK A LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY AND OFFERED SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR US TO REVIEW THE BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW WE MIGHT TWEAK THAT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE US MORE COMPETITIVE.

HE ALSO GAVE US SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, WHICH I'LL TOUCH ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND THEN HE ALSO RECOMMENDED MORE INTENSIVE TRAINING ONCE WE GET SOMEONE ON BOARD, REALLY COMING UP WITH A PLAN TO GET THEM INVOLVED ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.

AS FAR AS OUT IN THE FIELD, HAVING HOURS WITH OUR INSPECTIONS REALLY CROSS TRAIN, THE GOAL OF BECOMING THE NEXT [INAUDIBLE] THERE IS COMBINATION INSPECTORS.

SO INSTEAD OF JUST SOMEONE FOCUSED ON BUILDING, THEY CAN LOOK AT BUILDING, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL.

IT REALLY HELPS.

THEY CAN GO TO ONE PROJECT AND INSPECT ALL OF IT VERSUS WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN FOR EACH TRADE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON AS WELL.

AND THEN HE TOUCHED A LOT ON REPORTING AND BASICALLY BEING MORE TRANSPARENT ON OUR WEBSITE AS FAR AS THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OUR CITIZENS AND CUSTOMERS, AS FAR AS OUR PERMITTING ACTIVITY WHERE THINGS ARE IN THE PROCESS.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE WORKING TOWARD AS WELL.

AND THEN HE HAD THE [INAUDIBLE] THAT I HAVE HERE LAST IS ONE OF THE THINGS HE TOUCHED ON IS REALLY BUILDING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TRUST BY WORKING TO DEVELOP OUR PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE THAT CAN MEET THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUILDING SAFETY DEPARTMENT.

SO AS FAR AS THE STAFFING ORGANIZATION IN JUNE 2020, OF COURSE, YOU RECALL THERE

[01:20:05]

WAS THE OVERALL CITY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE CHANGE THAT PLACED BUILDING SAFETY WITHIN THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES UMBRELLA, ALONG WITH FIRE MARSHAL, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, REALLY TO TRY AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY OF A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK IN THE DEVELOPMENT RELATED REVIEW PROCESS.

SO THAT TOOK PLACE.

AND THEN ANOTHER UPDATE THAT OCCURRED RECENTLY THAT YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF IS OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL RESIGNED IN DECEMBER.

SO WE'VE BEEN REVIEWING THAT AND OUR NEXT STEPS AS FAR AS RECRUITING A NEW REPLACEMENT FOR A FULL TIME BUILDING OFFICIAL.

IN THE MEANTIME, JOHNNY SCHOLL, WHO SERVED AS DEPUTY MOST RECENTLY, HE IS SERVING AS INTERIM BUILDING OFFICIAL CURRENTLY.

WE ARE WORKING WITH SGR TO HAVE A MORE LONG TERM INTERIM CANDIDATE THAT IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO START IN MID-FEBRUARY, SIMILAR TO ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE.

HE'LL COME ON PROBABLY FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS AND REALLY KIND OF HELP US THROUGH THE PROCESS.

GIVE US SUGGESTIONS AS FAR AS HIS VIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL HELP US AS WE AS WE GO FORWARD TO TRY AND FIND THAT FULL TIME REPLACEMENT.

PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH H.R.

TO PUT TOGETHER A RECRUITMENT BROCHURE FOR THAT.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE WORKING WITH OUR VARIOUS BOARDS THAT WORK WITH BUILDING SAFETY, WHEREAS THE CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY AND APPEALS COMMISSION, BVA MAYBE EVEN PLANNING ZONING AS WELL TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN A BUILDING OFFICIAL THAT WE CAN INCLUDE IN THAT BROCHURE.

AND THEN WE ALSO TALKED THROUGH MAYBE MORE OF A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WHEN WE GET THE FINALISTS, REALLY GET INPUT ON THE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FOR THAT POSITION.

THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THIS POSITION AND HOW INVOLVED IT IS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.

WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES.

WE DID HAVE ONE DIVISION RECOMMENDED THE SGR STUDIED FOR A RECLASS AND THAT WAS OUR CHIEF THAT WAS REALLY OVER THE CODE ENFORCEMENT AREA HAS BEEN RECLASS TO A DEPUTY BUILDING OFFICIAL OVER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

HIS PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE THE PERMIT TECH SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE ALL THE INTAKE TAKES PLACE, CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUDGET, CUSTOMER SERVICE, ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE THINK WILL BE A BIG HELP ON INCREASING OUR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS WITH THE PUBLIC.

WE ALSO HAVE FILLED A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT INSPECTOR POSITIONS.

ONE OF THOSE HAS THE ABILITY RIGHT OFF THE BAT TO HELP US WITH PLANNER REVIEWS.

SO HE'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE CROSS TRAINS AND WORKING IN BOTH AREAS.

WE ALSO HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST POSITION THAT'S HELPING THE BUILDING OFFICIAL WITH SOME OF THOSE OVERALL STRATEGIES TO HELP MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN WE HAVE A PLAN REVIEWER NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REALLY SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE CUSTOMER SERVICE INTAKE AND INTERACTION SIDE, WHICH IS ALLOWING OUR OTHER PLANNER REVIEWERS TO FOCUS STRICTLY ON GETTING THOSE PLANS OUT THE DOOR.

SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING, HELP CUSTOMERS AND GO BACK TO YOUR PLAN.

THAT REALLY ALLOWS ONE PERSON TO KIND OF TAKE THAT ON AND THEN COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PLAN REVIEWERS AFTER THE PLANS ARE SUBMITTED.

WE THINK THAT THAT WILL REALLY HELP OUR CUSTOMER INTAKE PROCESS.

AS FAR AS OVERALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHER UPDATES.

TYLER ENERGOV AS JARED MENTIONED, IS COMING FORTH FOR A SOFT LAUNCH STARTING NEXT MONTH.

WE'LL HAVE CERTAIN CONTRACTORS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US OUT KIND OF TESTING THE SYSTEM BEFORE IT REALLY GOES FULLY LIVE.

WE'LL ALSO BE COMING BACK NEXT MONTH WITH OUR FULL PLAN OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT, OFFERING TRAINING FOR THE COMMUNITY, HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM, WHAT THE WHAT THE ABILITIES ARE, HOW THEY COMPARE TO OUR CURRENT SOFTWARE MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE ALSO WHEN OUR NEW INTERIM COMES IN, WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS AND GOALS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE IN LINE AS FAR AS OUR PERMANENT REVIEW TIMES AND BEING MORE TRANSPARENT ON GETTING PERMITS OUT THE DOOR AND MAKING SURE OUR INSPECTION TIMES ARE STAYING REASONABLE AND MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE'VE ALSO GOT A THIRD PARTY PLAN REVIEW CONTRACT IN PLACE AND ACTUALLY RAN A REVISED ONE TO COME TO COUNCIL VERY SOON.

THIS ONE'S REALLY HELPED WITH COMMERCIAL PROJECTS THAT COME THROUGH, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAD SOME TURNOVER IN THE PLAN REVIEW.

JUST ALLOW US TO NOT GET BEHIND WITH SOME OF THOSE PLANS REVIEW DOCUMENTS.

REPORTING IS SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING HARD ON IN THE FUTURE.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE STANDARD MONTHLY BUILDING REPORTS THAT YOU CAN FIND ONLINE.

WE ARE REALLY BEING MORE PROACTIVE, PULLING SOME OF THAT DATA THAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON SINGLE FAMILY PERMITS.

YOU REALLY HAVE TO GO MONTH BY MONTH TO PULL THAT DATA, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T SEE THE OVERALL PICTURE.

JUST FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR WE HIT OUR HIGHEST BUILDING PERMIT COUNT FOR

[01:25:01]

RESIDENTIAL ALMOST OVER 570 PERMITS, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST WE'VE HAD IN TEN YEARS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT, IS HOW MANY PERMITS WE ISSUED FROM SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

SO IT'S GOING VERY STRONG BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020 WITH AN AVERAGE OF FOUR HUNDRED NINETY SEVEN PERMITS.

NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING CLOSER TO HITTING 600.

SO THAT'S JUST INFORMATION THAT WOULD HELP OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MARKET LOOKS LIKE.

SO SOME OF THAT STUFF, WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE SHARING THE DATA WE RECEIVE AND THEN A COUPLE OTHERS OUTREACH.

WE WANT TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN CALLING ON OUR CONTRACTORS.

AND THOSE THAT SUBMIT PLANS.

WE HAVE A LOT THAT ARE SITTING THERE EITHER WAITING FOR A REVISION.

SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED BY US.

BUT THE CLOCK'S TICKING BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING FOR A RESUBMITTAL OR MAYBE A CONTRACTOR'S NOT BEEN SELECTED.

SO WE WANT TO BE MORE PROACTIVE, JUST CALLING AND REACHING OUT TO THEM, MAKING SURE THEY'RE STILL AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE NEEDING SO WE CAN GET IT PROCESSED, GET IT OUT THE DOOR AND JUST MAKE SURE NOTHING'S REALLY HANGING UP ON OUR SIDE OF THE PROCESS.

AND THEN ANOTHER THING WE'RE GOING TO KICK OFF, THE COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH REALLY STARTED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, IS HAVING A REGULAR ONGOING MEETINGS WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY CONTRACTORS TRADES JUST TO CONTINUE TO SEEK THAT FEEDBACK AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND THEN THE LAST THING WE'RE WORKING ON IS THE CODE UPDATE, AND IT'S GONE THROUGH THE BOARD FOR REVIEW.

NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO ALL OUR TRADES BOARDS, ASSOCIATIONS, REALLY GETTING FEEDBACK ON ALL THE SUGGESTED LOCAL AMENDMENTS AND THEN THAT'LL COME TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO BRING THOSE CODES UP TO 2018 LEVEL.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ALSO HAVE JONNY SCHOOL ON THE MEETING IN CASE YOU HAVE SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL QUESTION THAT HE CAN HELP ANSWER.

COUNCIL QUESTIONS? SO HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THE CODES HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY LOOKED AT THOROUGHLY AND UPDATED? 2015.

YES, OUR LAST CODE CYCLE WAS 2015, SO WE STARTED THAT, I THINK, AROUND APRIL OF 2014.

OK.

TYPICALLY, A CITY WOULD REPLACE THEIR BUILDING CODES WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO AFTER THE IBC NATIONAL BUILDING CODES ARE UPDATED.

IF THEY MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT, IT'S GOING TO BE CALLED EXCEPTIONS WHERE THEY JUST DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE OUT OF THAT NEW BUILDING CODE.

SO WE JUST HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN A WHILE.

JOHNNY, IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT, WITH WHAT MOST CITIES DO? YES, SIR.

ANDREW, I HAD A QUESTION JUST ON THE CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING, WHEN WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE IN-HOUSE, WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS JUST A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE HAVING TO START FROM SCRATCH AND THE LICENSING OR CERTIFICATION, ARE THERE ANY PROGRAMS WHERE THAT COULD POSSIBLY BEING DONE IN THE COMMUNITY OR? YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD THE THOUGHT OF THAT, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED THROUGH AMARILLO COLLEGE, WHERE TRAINING IS THEN NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TOO NARROW OF A SKILL WHERE YOU FIND A JOB WITH THAT, WHERE WE JUST ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRAIN OUR OWN PEOPLE, OR IF IT'S MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD OUTSOURCE TO PROVIDE MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITIZENS.

I'M GOING TO LET JOHNNY TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, BUT THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL THAT OFFERS A LOT OF THAT TRAINING, THE CERTIFICATION FOR THEM SPECIFIC APPROVED CURRICULUM THAT YOU HAVE TO USE TO QUALIFY FOR THOSE CERTIFICATIONS, I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE ANY LOCALLY THAT PROVIDE THAT.

I KNOW THEY DO A LOT OF IT ONLINE, ONLINE TRAINING.

BUT MOST PEOPLE APPLY.

TYPICALLY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND MANY SWITCHING FROM CITY TO CITY, THE ONES THAT YOU GET WITH EXPERIENCE ARE THE PLUMBERS THAT HAVE A PLUMBING LICENSE.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE WHILE THE REST ARE REALLY KIND OF CITY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ENCOURAGE THROUGH THE ICC PROCESS.

A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THAT IS WE DO HIRE QUALIFIED PEOPLE THAT HAVE BACKGROUNDS IN WHAT THEY'RE INSPECTING, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ICC CERTS.

BUT BASICALLY LIKE OUR COMBINATION PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED A YEAR AGO, WE HAVE SOME GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TWO OF THEM RIGHT NOW.

ALL OF THEM HAVE THEIR BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL AND THEIR PLUMBING INSPECTOR'S LICENSE.

THERE'S TWO TYPES OF LICENSES FOR PLUMBING.

YOU HAVE YOUR TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PLUMBING LICENSE AND THEN YOU HAVE AN INSPECTOR'S LICENSE.

ONE OF THEM WAS A PLUMBER.

ONE OF THEM WAS NOT A PLUMBER.

AND WE HAD TO TRAIN THEM AN ADDITIONAL TWO HUNDRED HOURS IN SITE ON THE JOB HERE TO GET HIM TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWN AND TAKE THAT TEST.

SO IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT'S REALLY TRAINED.

WE HAVE EVERYONE THAT'S TRAINED IN THEIR FIELD.

[01:30:01]

AND THEN WE HAVE TO DO ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND THAT WOULD GO FOR ANYBODY THAT IS HIRED ANYWHERE IN ANY CITY.

MAN, THAT'S A BIG TIME INVESTMENT.

GO AHEAD DR. SAUER.

YES.

OTHER QUESTIONS, I'VE GOT KIND OF A LONG LIST OF QUESTIONS, SO Y'ALL FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT AND JUMP IN.

ON OF MY FIRST, I THINK IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO CHANGE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A THOROUGH PLAN.

I'M SURE IT'S BEING WORKED ON.

OBVIOUSLY, SGR IS A CONSULTANT WE TRUST.

CITY HAS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

BUT I CAN TELL THAT YOU GUYS IN LEADERSHIP, ANDREW AND JOHNNY, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SPECIFICS OF THAT PLAN.

AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, JARED, IS WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THE COUNCIL IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN? BECAUSE IT IS ONE THING TO HAVE A GREAT IDEA, BUT THE VALUE IS IN THE EXECUTION OF IT.

AND SO I LIKE WHAT I SAW TODAY.

I THINK COUNCIL'S NODDING THEIR HEAD.

THEY LIKE WHAT THEY SAW, TOO.

WE WANT TO KNOW, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US TO MAKE THOSE IDEAS REALITIES? RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON ROLL OUT OF TYLER, GETTING BUY IN FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE USING THAT ONLINE PLAN SUBMISSION PROCESS AND ONLINE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.

GOING TO FOCUS ON THE REORGANIZATION, MOVING SOME PEOPLE AROUND.

WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON RECLASSIFYING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO FOCUS ON TRYING TO GET THE AUTHORIZED COMBINATION INSPECTORS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED, FILLED AND CERTIFIED.

WE WILL BE COMING TO YOU THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS WITH SOME STAFF CHANGE REQUESTS AND POSSIBLE THROUGH OUR H.R.

DEPARTMENT SOME COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS.

DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE.

DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY PROMISES TO MY TO OUR INSPECTORS LOOSELY ON A COUNCIL MEETING.

BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.

SO SOME OF IT'S STUFF WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO BE TO TAKE EFFECT NEXT OCTOBER.

BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE ON RIGHT NOW.

THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY AUTHORIZED AND COUNCIL HAS ALREADY FUNDED BEFORE WE START COMING TO YOU AND ASKING FOR MONEY.

SO WITH ANDREW, WITH JOHNNY.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, JOHNNY'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN THE TIME HE'S BEEN THE INTERIM BUILDING OFFICIAL.

AND BRINGING IN AN EXTERNAL BUILDING OFFICIAL IS NOT A STATEMENT OF ANY LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN JOHNNY BECAUSE HE'S BLOWN OUR MINDS, HE'S REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE BLOWN OUR MINDS, PROBABLY TOO, DON'T GET A BIG HEAD, JOHNNY, BUT AN EXCELLENT JOB.

AND REALLY, IT'S MORE OF A WE WANT THAT EXTERNAL PAIR OF EYES LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT SGR DID, AND ALSO TO HELP US THROUGH SOME OF THESE REORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES.

SOMETIMES THOSE ARE CHALLENGING MOVES WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY WITH THOSE.

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT EXTERNAL INTERIM BUILDING OFFICIAL IS GOING TO.

THAT'S WHAT THAT'S GOING AFFORD US.

TO YOUR QUESTION, WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW, IT'S A MATTER OF DOING IT, SO WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

AND JOHNNY, IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

OUR INTERIM BUILDING OFFICIAL IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

THE TEAM OVER THERE IS ON BOARD.

AND BUT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE GROWING PAINS ANY TIME TO MAKE SOME CHANGES LIKE THIS.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO JUMP ON BOARD.

IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE BUT WE'LL IDENTIFY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AS WE GET READY TO MOVE INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHAT ADDITIONAL HELP WE MAY OR MAY NOT NEED FROM COUNCIL.

AND IF I WAS TO JUST JUMP OUT IN FRONT OF IT, I WOULD SAY IT MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO ADDITIONAL BUILDING INSPECTORS, CONDO INSPECTORS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PREMATURE TO SAY UNTIL WE GET THESE REORGANIZATIONAL MOVES DONE.

SO ON THAT LINE, DON'T WE NEED TO I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS HAS BEEN IS THAT THE SECOND THAT YOU GET THEM TRAINED UP, A COMBINATION INSPECTOR, SOMEBODY FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY GRABS THEM UP BECAUSE WE CAN'T PAY THEM AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT SALARY TO KEEP THEM WITHIN CITY.

SO IS THAT GOING TO BE PART OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONSIDER IS HOW THEY'RE COMPENSATED? SO WE CAN SO WE CAN BUILD A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CAN GENERATE RAPPORT WITH THE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS IN TOWN SO THAT WE CAN BE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE WISE AND GETTING THINGS DONE AND TURNED OVER IN AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO IS THAT GOING TO PROBABLY BE PART OF THAT THEN ALSO? WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT THROUGH H.R., THROUGH SALARY SURVEYS.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WORK THAT SGR HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE THROUGH THE CONSULTING SIDE.

YOU HEARD, JOHNNY TALK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT CERTIFICATIONS THAT GO INTO A COMBINATION INSPECTOR.

THEY ARE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE PEOPLE TO THE ORGANIZATION.

WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING THEM A SALARY THAT DOES EVERYTHING WE CAN REASONABLY DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT LEAVING TO GO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHETHER IT'S TO AN ENGINEERING FIRM OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF INSPECTING

[01:35:03]

THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR COMPANY.

THAT SAID THE SKY'S NOT THE LIMIT.

WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A CONCRETE CEILING THAT WE CAN'T GO ABOVE.

SO WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BALANCING QUALITY OF LIFE ALONG THE SALARY.

AND I DEFINITELY THINK WE CAN GIVE THEM A GREAT TEAM TO WORK WITH.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE THERE.

AND WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO STUDY THE SALARY ISSUE AND THAT WE'RE OFFERING A COMPETITIVE SALARY TO RETAIN PEOPLE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT LEADER TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES .

AGAIN, THE PLAN LOOKS GREAT.

IT'S THE EXECUTION OF IT.

THIS IS WHERE THE VALUE IS.

AND WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT OUR SERVICES NEED TO BE MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.

AND THAT'S SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CLEARLY DEFINE FOR YOU TODAY, JARED, IS THAT WE IN THE GOVERNANCE MODEL, WE DEFINE THE TARGET AND WE ALL GET IN THE TAXI AND YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO TAKE FIRST STREET OR SECOND STREET TO GET THERE.

SO YOU'RE DECIDING THE METHOD TO GET THERE.

BUT WHAT WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT IS WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

AND SO YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO GET US TO A DEPARTMENT THAT.

WE WANT TO HAVE A REPUTATION FOR AMARILLO TO BE A CITY THAT IS VERY BUSINESS FRIENDLY, COME HERE AND BUILD, COME HERE AND OPEN YOUR NEW BUSINESS, COME HERE AND EXPAND YOUR NEW BUSINESS.

AND EVERY BUSINESS THAT DOES THAT GOES THROUGH GROWING PAINS IN EXPANDING THEIR SPACE.

AND THEY'RE TOUCHING THEIR TOUCHING THESE BUILDING SERVICES.

THEY NEED TO BE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY AND THEY NEED TO BE WE NEED TO HAVE A REPUTATION FOR THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHO'S THE RIGHT LEADER TO LEAD THIS? WHAT DOLLARS DO YOU NEED IN THE BUDGET TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN? THOSE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.

I'VE GOT TWO MORE QUESTIONS.

ONE, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS PLAN CONVERTED TO A DASHBOARD OF SOME SORT SO THAT WE CAN GET A MONTHLY REPORT SHOWING, WELL, HERE'S WHERE, LET ME PICK SOMETHING, SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION.

AND SO YOU HAVE A BAR THAT SHOWS WE'RE AT ZERO PERCENT IMPLEMENTATION, WE'RE AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT IMPLEMENTATION.

AND YOU HAVE THE KEY STEPS IDENTIFIED ALONG THAT TIMELINE.

AND IN THAT MUCH TIME, COUNCIL CAN OPEN THAT AND SEE WHERE YOU ARE IN IMPLEMENTING THAT STEP.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WAS ON YOUR SLIDE DECK HERE THAT YOU JUST SHOWED US, THIS IS A CHANGE THAT WE THINK WE NEED TO MAKE.

THIS IS AN UPDATE THAT WE THINK WE NEED TO MAKE.

I WANT TO SEE THAT ON THE REPORT CARD SO THAT EVERY MONTH I CAN LOOK AT THAT AND I CAN HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.

COUNCIL CAN HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.

COUNCIL CAN REPORT TO CITIZENS WHERE WE ARE IN GETTING THESE CHANGES IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE THE PLANS ARE GREAT.

BUT THE REAL VALUE IS IN IMPLEMENTING THESE CHANGES.

SO CAN WE DEVELOP SOME SORT OF TOOL LIKE THAT SO WE CAN SEE A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHERE WE ARE IN IMPLEMENTATION? WE'RE WORKING [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT NOW, ANDREW CAN PROBABLY GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT.

WE'RE [INAUDIBLE] THAT.

I WOULD ALSO ADD ON.

ANDREW, GO AHEAD ON THAT.

NO, I AGREE, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT TO COME UP WITH A GOOD DASHBOARD TO TO MAKE IT STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WHAT THE PROGRESS IS.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WOULD SAY ON THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEVELOPMENT FRIENDLY, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY FOCUS ON DOING THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON BEING SOLUTIONS ORIENTED.

WE CAN'T JUST BE SAYING YES, BECAUSE MANY TIMES WHAT PEOPLE ASK US, THE BUILDING CODE OR OTHER THINGS.

SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SATISFY THE BUILDING CODE AND CITIZEN SAFETY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HELPING DEVELOPERS FIND THE CHEAPEST, FASTEST WAY TO GET TO THEIR PROJECT IN THE GROUND MAKING MONEY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, SOLUTIONS ORIENTED APPROACHES, FINDING A WAY TO GET TO AN OPERATIONAL PROJECT.

WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO BE THROWING BARRIERS.

AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T AVOID, WE WANT TO HELP THEM FIND A WAY AROUND OR OVER THAT BARRIER.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON THAT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDPOINT IN THAT WE ARE BOTH REGULATORY AND HELPING PEOPLE GET OFF THE GROUND.

SO THOSE ARE SOMETIMES SEEN AS COUNTER TO EACH OTHER.

SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON FINDING SOLUTIONS AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A GOOD JOB OF THAT.

WE'VE HIT AND MISSED ON THAT THROUGH THE YEARS.

AND IT'S SOMEWHAT THE NATURE OF THIS DEPARTMENT.

BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND THAT'S WHAT JOHNNY IS FOCUSED ON IS WHAT ANDREW'S FOCUSED ON.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S DOING IT.

I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION ON THE PLAN REVIEW, I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A DEDICATED PERSON TO WORK CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES, AND I JUST WAS CURIOUS HOW

[01:40:04]

YOU'VE COMMUNICATED THAT TO OUR TO OUR CUSTOMERS SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT CHANGE IS COMING.

THEY KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THAT PERSON TO HELP THEM ON PLAN REVIEW.

WHAT OTHER MESSAGES ARE YOU PUTTING OUT TO, ANDREW, ABOUT THE NEW SOFTWARE ROLLOUT? THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT MAINLY THAT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US SOME INFORMATION NEXT MONTH ON THE CUSTOMER, ON THE SOFTWARE ROLLOUT.

WHERE ARE WE ON COMMUNICATING ABOUT THIS CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, HOW TO USE THEM AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT THAT SERVICE? THAT ONE'S VERY NEW.

IT'S ABOUT A WEEK OLD, SO WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE BEST WAY TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO ALL OUR ALL OUR CUSTOMERS.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE AND PUT TOGETHER, REALLY FIND THE BEST WAY, WHETHER IT'S AN EMAIL BLAST TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS.

LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGE.

ALSO, THOSE REGULAR MEETINGS THAT WE WANT TO SET UP, THOSE MONTHLY WEEKLY MEETINGS, HOW EVER WE DO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY? THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE TOUCH ON HERE IS A NEW PROCESS, A NEW WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AND GO THROUGH YOUR SUBMITTALS VERSUS THE OLD WAY OF JUST DROPPING OFF OF THE PERMANENT [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT MESSAGE RIGHT NOW.

I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE AND OVER COMMUNICATE.

SO JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE SAID IT ONCE, WE NEED TO SAY IT A DOZEN TIMES AND WE NEED TO SAY IT ON A DOZEN DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. SO GETTING WITH JORDAN AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN IS FOR MANY OF THESE UPDATES, IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T HELP ANYONE IF WE MAKE THE CHANGE INTERNALLY AND OUR CUSTOMERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS IT OR THAT IT'S HAPPENING.

SO THAT IS A VERY, VERY KEY COMPONENT TO EXECUTING THIS, IS THAT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.

ABSOLUTELYBSOULTLEY.

ONE OTHER SUGGESTION, JOHNNY CAME UP WITH JUST ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, ALSO TO HELP WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE HOLD THEIR HAND A LOT MORE TO THE PROCESS.

MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO A SITE PLAN OR SUBMIT A DOCUMENT.

SO THEY COME IN AND THOSE TYPICALLY CAN TAKE 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR OR SO.

HE'S TALKED ABOUT DOING SCHEDULING IN ADVANCE SOME OF THESE MEETINGS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS SOMEBODY AVAILABLE WHEN I COME IN AND IT DOESN'T DISRUPT STAFF TIME AND REALLY BE MORE PROACTIVE, SIMILAR TO THE PRE APPLICATION CONFERENCES THAT WE DO FOR BIG PROJECTS, BUT MORE SPECIFIC TO BUILDING PLANS SUBMITTAL WHERE THIS PERSON HAS THAT DEDICATED 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR THAT HELPS THEM REALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED.

I THINK MOST OF THE CALLS THAT I GET AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, MANY OF THEM ARE PEOPLE WHO THIS IS THEIR FIRST TIME THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT'S HOW IT WAS GOING TO WORK.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE BALL WAS IN THEIR COURT WHEN THEY DROPPED IT.

AND SO I THINK I'VE SAID THIS TO THE CITY MANAGER.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DESIGN OUR SYSTEM TO EXPECT IT TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WHO'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

WE HAVE TO DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT EXPECTS NEWCOMERS AND INEXPERIENCED PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH IT WITH US.

SO, YES, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WHEN THEY DROP THE BALL.

BUT OUR ANSWER CAN'T BE, WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

WE HAVE TO ANTICIPATE IT'S OUR JOB AS THE PROVIDER.

WE HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THAT PEOPLE WILL COME THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, NEVER HAVING DONE IT BEFORE AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO WE HAD A BASKETBALL COACH WHO SAID, IF YOU PASS THE BALL TO HER AND SHE DROPS IT, IT'S YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU PRACTICE WITH HER ALL THE TIME AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER SHE'S CAPABLE OF CATCHING IT IN THE SITUATION THAT YOU THREW IT IN.

SO IT'S SIMILAR FOR US.

WE'RE THE CITY.

WE DO THESE PROJECTS ALL THE TIME, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A SYSTEM THAT ANTICIPATES IT WILL HAVE NEWCOMERS IN IT WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR YOU'RE FOCUSED ON ON MAKING SOME CHANGES THAT WILL HELP NEWCOMERS AND ALSO NOT TAKE AWAY OUR VALUABLE EXPERTS AWAY AS THEY'RE SOLVING THE NEWCOMERS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN BUILDING.

AND THEY'RE DOING MANY PROJECTS IN OUR CITY.

SO WE WANT THE SYSTEM TO ACCOMMODATE AND WORK EFFICIENTLY FOR BOTH TYPES OF USERS.

SO, MAYOR, IF I COULD ADD TO THAT.

ONE OF THE GOALS OF TYLER IS THAT WORK FLOW CHARTS WILL BE DEVELOPED, ARE BEING DEVELOPED.

SO WE'LL HAVE WORKFLOW CHARTS DEPENDING ON WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST TO SET UP TYLER TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE RIGHT SYSTEM.

SO THOSE WORKFLOW CHARTS ARE GOING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING THERE IN PROVIDING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THINGS FLOW THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO TYLER HAVING THAT BENEFIT AS WELL.

[01:45:02]

THANK YOU.

GOOD.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITY TOO FLOYD FOR PEOPLE TO GET THE MESSAGE BOTH VISUALLY AND VERBALLY.

THAT'S GREAT.

I TOOK UP A LOT OF TIME ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS, COUNCIL, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? [INAUDIBLE] MUTED.

HOWARD.

IF YOU HAVE IF YOU CAN PUNCH YOUR MUTE BUTTON HOWARD, THERE YOU GO.

YOU CAN'T READ LIPS? KELLY [INAUDIBLE]I THINK HAS BEEN SORT OF A TROUBLESHOOTER.

AND HE MAY BE A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON, IS THAT RIGHT? ANDREW? YES, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLAN REVIEWER THAT CAN HELP WITH THE PLAN SUBMISSIONS TO REALLY LET THEM WALK THROUGH WHAT'S REQUIRED, WHAT YOUR SITE PLAN NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT YOUR BUILDING PLANS NEED TO LOOK LIKE, THOSE THAT JUST HAVE NEVER [INAUDIBLE].

SO KIND OF THE NEXT STEP BEYOND [INAUDIBLE]'S ROLE.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY HIGHLY SKILLED, HIGH FUNCTIONING RECEPTIONIST TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR INCOMING CALLS AND DIRECT THEM TO THE RIGHT DESK AND KEEP THINGS MOVING.

OK, GOOD.

WELL, JOHNNY, ANDREW, WE DO APPRECIATE YOU, FLOYD, WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING GOOD CHANGES COMING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

THANK YOU.

OK, COUNCIL, WE ARE AT 2:48 AND I WAS HOPING WE COULD MAKE IT TO THE END OF DISCUSSION AND THEN TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK, DO Y'ALL NEED TO DO THAT NOW OR.

WE GOOD TO KEEP GOING? GIDDY UP.

OK, LET'S KEEP GOING.

[1.F. Discuss Tri-State Exposition Master Plan Process; ]

ITEM 1F IS TO DISCUSS THE TRI-STATE EXPOSITION MASTERPLAN PROCESS.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR, WE'VE GOT ANDREW FREEMAN, EMILY KOLLER AND OUR PLANNING TEAM THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS.

I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN SPEARHEADING AS WELL.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE ANY INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS BEFORE WE HAND OFF TO ANDREW AND EMILY TO WALK US THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS.

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I THINK THERE'S A VISION HERE THAT THE TRI-STATE FAIRGROUNDS ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY AS FAR AS ATTRACTING TOURISM EVENTS AND BRINGING IN THOSE DOLLARS FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY, BRING PEOPLE HERE THEY STAY HERE FOR.

SO THEY GENERATE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.

THEY SHOP HERE, THEY EAT HERE.

IT'S GOOD FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

THEY THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY.

WE COLLECT SALES TAX ON SOME OF THEIR SHOPPING HERE.

SO THAT HELPS PAY FOR STREETS AND ROADS AND POLICE OFFICERS.

SO THE VISION IS, HOW CAN WE BE DEVELOPING THAT ENTIRE AREA OF TOWN TO BE A TOURIST ATTRACTION AND TO PUT AMARILLO EVEN MORE ON THE MAP AS A TOURISM PLACE? I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR SOME OF OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, LIKE THE QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION AND OBVIOUSLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT OWNS [INAUDIBLE].

THEY THEY HOST EVENTS THERE, MARCHING BAND CONTESTS AND ALL KINDS OF SPORTS EVENTS, TRACK MEETS AND FOOTBALL GAMES THAT ARE PANHANDLE AREA SCHOOLS.

SO I THINK THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR BRINGING TOGETHER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE COUNTY, THE FAIRGROUNDS AND THE VENUE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE CITY AND TALKING ABOUT DO WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN, NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EXECUTED IN 12 MONTHS.

IF IT CAN BE EXECUTED IN 12 MONTHS, IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PUT A PLAN TOGETHER THAT TAKES 20 YEARS.

THAT BIG OF A PLAN AND EACH ENTITY WORKING ON THE PIECES THEY WANT TO WORK ON.

BUT EVERYONE KNOWING WE SAT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND WE CREATED A 10 OR 15, 20 YEAR VISION FOR THAT AREA OF TOWN.

AND THEN WE CAN START THE SNOWBALL EFFECT OF LET'S ALL WORK ON EACH SMALL PIECE THAT FALLS IN MY AREA, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL DISTRICT, COUNTY, FAIRGROUNDS.

AND WE CAN LOOK UP IN FIVE, TEN YEARS AND HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN IMPROVING HOW WE USE THAT AREA OF OUR TOWN TO RECRUIT TOURISM AND LARGER EVENTS.

SO WE DID THIS.

A GROUP OF CITIZENS REALLY BEFORE US, COUNCIL DID THIS 15 YEARS AGO ABOUT DOWNTOWN, CAST A VISION FOR IT.

AND WE'VE JUST TICKED OFF ITEM BY ITEM.

[01:50:02]

AND NOW A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN.

AND I THINK FROM A TOURISM POINT OF VIEW, THE TRI-STATE FAIRGROUNDS ARE RIPE FOR A SIMILAR PLAN THAT OVER 10 OR 15 YEARS, PIECES OF IT BEING EXECUTED CAN MAKE A VERY BIG IMPACT IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND IN THAT SECTION OF OUR CITY.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, JARED, I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU AND ANDREW AND EMILY CAN.

TALK ABOUT THE STEPS TO GETTING THAT MASTER PLAN IN PLACE.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH HERE, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE DOING IN A VACUUM.

WE'RE DOING IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS OUT THERE.

IT'S THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

IT'S THE VENUE DISTRICT.

THAT'S POTTER COUNTY.

IT'S AISD.

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND WE'RE WORKING WITH [INAUDIBLE] JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN CONCERT WITH THEM BECAUSE IT'S A GROUP EFFORT.

ANDREW? [INAUDIBLE] I SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLIPPING THROUGH THE SLIDES AS YOU SPOKE, BECAUSE YOU REALLY COVERED THE [INAUDIBLE].

BUT YES, THIS CONVERSATION REALLY STARTED, I GUESS, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WITH ALL THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS REALLY KIND OF THINKING THROUGH WHAT THIS COULD BE, THE NEXT BIG IDEA FOR AMARILLO.

SO IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT THAT HUNDRED FORTY ONE HUNDRED FOUR ACRES OF THE FAIRGROUNDS AND TWENTY FOUR ACRES AT AISD BUT THEN REALLY TAKING OUT ANOTHER LEVEL OF THE SURROUNDING COMMERCIAL AREA, RESIDENTIAL AREA AND REALLY LOOKING AT IT HOLISTICALLY OF WHAT THE VISION COULD BE FOR THAT AREA.

BECAUSE IT'S TIED TO THE WEST END, YOU'VE GOT THE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE EAST END, YOU'VE GOT THE EAST GATEWAY [INAUDIBLE].

THIS ONE'S KIND OF BEEN LEFT IN THE MIDDLE UNTOUCHED.

SO A MORE SPECIFIC PLANNING PROCESS FOR THAT AREA COULD REALLY BENEFIT THE OVERALL COMMUNITY OF EAST AMARILLO AND WHAT THAT CAN REALLY LOOK LIKE SINCE THE TRI-STATE EXPOSITION SEES OVER 300,000 VISITORS A YEAR, WHAT COULD REALLY GROW FROM THAT DESTINATION AND WHAT COULD BE ACHIEVED? IS A PLAN LIKE THIS REALLY WE'RE REALLY LOOKING NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS OF WHAT COULD BE DONE ON SITE INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND IT, BUT WHAT KIND OF PRIVATE SECTOR REDEVELOPMENT AND RENOVATIONS WOULD TAKE PLACE JUST ON THE NATURAL GROWTH OF THAT INVESTMENT AND SEEING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AS A CATALYST FOR EAST AMARILLO.

SO SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT HAD BEEN IN DISCUSSION ON THIS POSSIBLE PLANNING EFFORT INCLUDE THE OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN THE AREAS YOU HAVE POTTER COUNTY, AISD, THE CITY, THE AMARILLO-POTTER EVENTS VENUE DISTRICT, IN THE TRI STATE EXPO BOARD DIRECTORS.

WE'VE HAD ALL INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM BECAUSE REALLY IT TAKES ALL OF THOSE GROUPS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO CREATE THIS VISION, THIS NEW MASTER PLAN.

THE TYPICAL PLANNING PROCESS, OF COURSE, IT INVOLVES STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, DEMAND ANALYSIS OF THE FACILITIES, ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, AND REALLY CREATING A ROAD MAP TO GUIDE, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE NEXT 20 YEARS, JUST LIKE IF YOU READ THE STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN, IT'S A 20 OR 30 YEAR PLAN THAT TAKES TIME T IMPLEMENT ALL THE ALL THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES INCLUDED IN THAT PROCESS.

SO WE'RE ESTIMATING THE TYPICAL PLANNING PROCESS WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO COMPLETE.

IT WOULD BE INVOLVING PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS.

ESTIMATE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND AND PART OF THE WORKING WITH ALL THESE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY COULD BE WITH OUR PLANNING STAFF [INAUDIBLE].

BUT WE'D LIKE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE.

FINANCIALLY, WITH THEIR SKILLS BEING INVOLVED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS, JUST AS A FORM OF COMMITMENT.

SO WHAT THAT INVOLVES IN [INAUDIBLE] LOCAL IS US BEING THE LEAD AGENCY, WORKING WITH EACH ONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING FINANCIALLY TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT'S COME UP.

NOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING I DON'T THINK ANY ENTITIES PLAN IN THEIR BUDGET FOR.

SO WORKING TOGETHER TO GET IT DONE FASTER THAN IF WE HAD TO WAIT THROUGH A BUDGETING PROCESS TO FIND ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO IT OURSELVES.

SO IF IT WAS PUT TOGETHER IT'D BE GUIDED BY AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THOSE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP GUIDE THAT PROCESS WITH OUR PLANNING STAFF WORKING IN SUPPORT FOR THEM AND WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT.

AND YOU'D FIND THESE TYPICAL COMPONENTS INCLUDED IN A FINAL DOCUMENT, IT'D BE LIKE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, REALLY A GOOD INVENTORY ANALYSIS OF THE FAIRGROUNDS AND SURROUNDING AREA, LOOKING AT THE MARKET, COMING UP WITH A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLAN, CREATING RENDERINGS AND MAPS OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FULLY BUILT OUT IN THE FUTURE.

AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THOSE COSTS, IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE TO

[01:55:02]

SUPPORT WHAT THE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS ARE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE COSTS INVOLVED? AND THEN ALSO SOMETHING TO DIVE INTO FURTHER IS WHAT WOULD THE ECONOMIC IMPACT BE IF THE PLAN WAS IMPLEMENTED? BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW NOW HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE INVESTED BASED ON WHAT THE CURRENT FAIRGROUNDS IS OR WHAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN 10 TO 20 YEARS.

AND OF COURSE, ALL THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WOULD COME FROM THE PLANNING PROCESS WOULD BE INCLUDED IN AN IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX.

AND I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON WHERE DO WE GO AFTER TODAY'S DISCUSSION, COUNCIL FEEDBACK.

I'VE REACHED OUT.

WE SENT OUT THE ONE PAGE THE COUNCIL RECEIVED LAST WEEK.

IT REALLY TOUCHES ON ALL THESE TOPICS THAT WE TOUCH ON TODAY TO GET FEEDBACK.

I'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO AISD [INAUDIBLE], GOING TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS ABOUT GETTING ON THEIR AGENDA FOR A SIMILAR DISCUSSION TO REALLY GET THAT FEEDBACK OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS PLAN.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO START FORMULATING THAT IN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AND HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING THE RFQ RFP PROCESS TO REALLY HEAD DOWN THE DIRECTION OF GETTING THIS NEW MASTER PLAN EFFORT MOVING FORWARD.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

SO, ANDREW, HOW OFTEN ARE THE TRI STATE FAIRGROUNDS USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND HOW MANY DAYS.

HUNDRED AND FORTY DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR.

THERE IS A MAJORITY OF THE EVENTS GOING ON ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY VISITORS? THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR THE LATEST DATA THAT I RECEIVE COMPARED TO LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] SO COMPARING THOSE TWO VENUES, LARGE NUMBER OF VISITORS.

YEAH.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF VISITORS AND A LOT OF USE FOR THOSE GROUNDS.

SO THANK YOU.

SO, ANDREW, IS THE THOUGHT TO GET EACH OF THE PARTNERS TO CHIP IN TOWARDS THAT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND TO GET THAT INITIAL STARTUP COST COVERED? YES.

SO HOW MANY PARTNERS WERE THERE? DID YOU LIST FIVE? IT WAS FIVE, [INAUDIBLE] THE CITY AND STATE [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH.

SO EVERYONE YOU'RE ASKING FOR EVERYONE TO ANTE UP THIRTY THOUSAND, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A VERY DOABLE PORTION OUT OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL BUDGET IF THERE'S AN INTEREST.

BUT MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN OTHERS BECAUSE OF COURSE THE TRI STATE FAIR GOT CANCELED AND ACTIVITIES THE WAY THAT THE EXPO, THE FAIRGROUNDS ARE WHAT THEY WERE IN THE NORMAL YEARS.

[INAUDIBLE] WHAT THEIR BUDGET MIGHT ACCOMMODATE OF ANY DISTRICT OF DOLLARS THAT THEY SET ASIDE FOR PLANNING EFFORTS THAT MIGHT GO TOWARD THIS PROJECT.

I THINK IT'S ALSO--.

OH, SORRY.

ARE ALL OF THE PARTNERS ON BOARD? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STILL WE'VE GOT A GOOD INITIAL FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE.

WHAT THE NEXT STEP WAS, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GO THEIR BOARDS AND CONTINUE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THEIR DIFFERENT BOARDS TOWARD THE PROJECT.

SO WE'RE STILL IN THAT PHASE.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US AS A COUNCIL? I THINK JUST YOUR INITIAL FEEDBACK ON IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE A PATH THAT YOU WANT TO HEAD ON AND THEN WE CAN WORK TO FIND OUR SHARE OF THE PARTICIPATION AND CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO BRING IT BACK, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE WOULD DO LIKELY THE RFP PROCESS THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY COME BACK TO BE VOTED ON BY THIS COUNCIL AND AN ALLOW FOR AGREEMENT FOR THE FUNDING FROM THE OTHERS SO WE CAN BE THE LEAD AGENCY ON IT.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH ENTITY ON THE ON THE BOARD THAT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH ON THIS EXPLORATORY BOARD.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING BACK TO EACH ONE OF THEIR GOVERNMENTAL BODIES WITH SUPPORT FROM ANDREW AND EMILY TO PRESENT JUST KIND OF A ONE PAGER ABOUT THE WAY FORWARD AND HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO VISION LIKE THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, A LONG TERM VISIONARY APPROACH TO THIS AREA.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE IT WAY PAST WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'VE GOTTEN GOOD SUPPORT AND GOOD FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE'S PARTICIPATING, BUT THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THEIR BODIES.

SO WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET BUY IN FROM THOSE BODIES OFFICIALLY BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

BUT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD RIGHT NOW.

BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVITALIZE THAT PART OF TOWN, WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED.

[02:00:09]

I WAS GOING TO ADD THAT I THINK TWO KEY PLAYERS WILL BE THE CVB AND ALSO THE BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COMMITTEE, BUT NEITHER ONE OF THOSE, I DON'T THINK HAVE DOLLARS THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A MASTER PLAN AT THIS TIME.

SO, AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO GET THE MASTER PLAN IDEA OFF THE GROUND INVOLVES THOSE FIVE ENTITIES.

SO NOT TRYING TO EXCLUDE THE BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE CVB, BOTH IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVES THAT NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSIONS.

BUT I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE CHECKBOOKS THAT WOULD LET THEM OPEN AT THIS TIME TO SUPPORT THAT.

SO THEY'RE NOT BEING EXCLUDED.

THEY'RE JUST NOT BEING ASKED TO PICK UP THE TAB AT THIS BEGINNING STEP.

WELL, I THINK WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF AMARILLO FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND REVITALIZE IT AND MAKE IT A VALUABLE ASSET THAT GETS PEOPLE TO WANT TO COME TO AMARILLO.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THE AMARILLO NATIONAL BANK VENUE BEING USED MORE, AND IT MAY BE THE ONE THAT'S GETTING USED THE MOST ANYWAY UP TO THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE GROUNDS BE REVITALIZED AND USED AND YOU KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.

AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE AN EFFORT AND LET SOMEBODY DIRECT US AND SHOW US WHAT CAN BE DONE.

AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GO REVISIT THESE THINGS AND COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE THINGS THAT ATTRACT PEOPLE TO AMARILLO.

THANK YOU.

ANY CONCERNS, HESITATIONS? MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, IT'S GOING TO DETERIORATE MORE, THAT I THINK IT'S UNDERUTILIZED.

IT'S WHAT I THINK.

AND YOU SAID ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY ACRES.

I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG CHUNK INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

WE ALREADY HAVE A GOOD START TO SOME ASSETS THERE.

BUT HAVING A CENTRAL DESIGN AND STRATEGY I THINK WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY EFFECTIVE AND PROVIDE A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY.

SO I HOPE IT MOVES FORWARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THAT GROUP WOULD COME UP WITH THAT EVERYONE'S ON BOARD WITH.

OK, AND I THINK [INAUDIBLE] TO MOVE FORWARD, ANDREW.

OK.

[1.G. Discuss Broadband Internet; and ]

ITEM ONE G IS TO DISCUSS BROADBAND INTERNET.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT BROADBAND INTERNET SOLUTIONS REALLY AT THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS DID NOT COME WELL FROM STAFF.

IT CAME FROM TO MR. SMITH AND FROM MAYOR NELSON.

AND THEY'VE KIND OF BEEN LEADING THE SPIRIT IN THIS DEAL.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STAFF SUPPORT.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FUNDING SOURCES ON WITH TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERS.

WE HAVE IT DIRECTOR RICH GALEN ON THE CALL AS WELL.

SO, MAYOR,--.I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PASSED IT TO HOWARD FIRST.

I'M SORRY.

TO SAY I'M KIND OF DESCRIBING THINK THE HOWARD NEEDS.

IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH DESCRIBED COUNCIL MEMBER? YES.

YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THE COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? YES.

YES, I WOULD.

THANK YOU.

I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND.

THIS AS OUR COMMITTEE FOR THE TEXAS REALTOR ORGANIZATION CALLED THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.

I'M IN MY SECOND YEAR OF THE THREE YEAR TERM AND PRE COVID, I WAS IN THE AUSTIN ONE OF THE MEETINGS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, AND WE HAD A SPEAKER THERE FROM TEXAS CONNECT, AN ORGANIZATION THAT MAPS OUT THE STRENGTH OF INTERNET IN ALL 254 COUNTIES.

AND I CAME BACK EXCITED AND THEY TALKED ABOUT WHEN COVID CAME ALONG, IT BECAME REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE INTERNET IN THOSE COUNTIES.

THEY CAME BACK AND TALKED TO THE MAYOR AND SHE IMMEDIATELY WENT FOR THIS IDEA.

AND SO [INAUDIBLE] TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE IN OUR STORES, WE'VE BEEN MEETING

[02:05:04]

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ABOUT HOW TO INCREASE INTERNET.

BUT INITIALLY THE IDEA WAS TO INCREASE INTERNET STRENGTH IN THE COUNTIES IN THE PANHANDLE.

AND ONCE WE ANALYZED IT, WE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

SO WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT FIRST.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, IF WE CAN GET THAT GOING, WE CAN GIVE ADVICE TO OTHER COUNTIES.

WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE MONEY TO IMPLEMENT THINGS.

SO THE STAFF IS NOT QUITE READY TO PRESENT THINGS, BUT PROBABLY NEXT MONTH THEY WILL.

AND I WANT TO PREPARE YOU FOR BEING READY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK INSIDE THE BOX.

YOU NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

THIS WILL NOT BE USUAL THING FOR A CITY TO DO, BUT THIS WILL BE COMING IN A MONTH OR SO.

SO I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW, MAYOR.

OKAY.

HOWARD AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR MONTHS, AND I DO KNOW THAT STAFF HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT'S VERY PRELIMINARY.

AND SO WE DID WE WANTED TO GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT HOWARD AND I HAVE NOT BEEN TALKING TO THE THREE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THIS.

SO TODAY, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO PUT OUR QUESTIONS OUT THERE AND LET RICH HEAR WHAT OUR QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS MIGHT BE AND THEN GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO GO AND PUT THAT INTO THEIR PROPOSAL, THEIR CALCULATIONS AND THEIR WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.

THEN WHEN THEY COME BACK IN A MONTH OR SO, IT'LL BE AN EVEN BETTER PRESENTATION BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A PREVIEW OF WHAT OUR QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO BE.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING DIALOG BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF AND SOME OF THE OTHER PARTNERS THAT RICH HAS IN HIS PRESENTATION.

SO WE HAVE TO GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED SOMEWHERE.

AND WE FELT LIKE THE TIME WAS RIGHT TO BRING THAT TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL JUST TO BEGIN TO GET YOUR INPUT IN AND SEE WHAT SUPPORT WE HAVE FOR MOVING FORWARD.

SO THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION.

SO, JARED, IF IT'S OK WITH YOU, I'LL JUST HAND IT TO RICH.

YES, MA'AM.

ALL RIGHT.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THIS SHARED.

OK, EVERYBODY SEEING PRESENTATION? OK, YES, ALL GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, SO THE DIGITAL DIVIDE OR IN THIS CASE, THE DIVIDE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES WITH ADEQUATE INTERNET AND THOSE THAT DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE INTERNET, THAT'S NOT A NEW THING.

BUT COVID REQUIREMENTS AND THE SOCIETAL NORMS THAT ARE REALLY COMING OUT OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC ARE NOT JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, IT'S AMPLIFYING ITS IMPACT.

THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THAT'S VERY OBVIOUS.

IT'S EASY TO SEE LIKE IN EDUCATION WHERE SCHOOLS HAVE SCRAMBLED TO PUT TOGETHER SOLUTIONS LIKE ENABLING WI-FI IN A PARKING LOT SO THAT THOSE PARENTS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO A VEHICLE AT LEAST HAVE A PLACE TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO DO HOMEWORK AND HAVE THE ACCESS NEEDED FOR EDUCATION.

BUT THERE ARE AREAS WHERE IT'S LESS OBVIOUS.

WE ARE AN EXAMPLE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE MANY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR A WAY TO PROVIDE MORE AND OR ADDITIONAL SERVICES ONLINE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OUR CITIZENS.

COVID ACCELERATED THAT.

NOW IT'S OFTEN LESS ABOUT CONVENIENCE AND MORE ABOUT NECESSITY.

AND IT MAKES PARTICIPATION AND EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND SERVICES EVEN MORE DEPENDENT ON THAT INTERNET ACCESS.

AND IT'S NOT JUST CITIES.

YOU KNOW, LOOK AT SOCIAL SERVICES OR BANKING OR HEALTH CARE WHERE DOCTORS ARE PREFERRING MORE AND MORE TELEMEDICINE TO IN-PERSON EXAMINATIONS.

IN THE LAST POINT REALLY AMPLIFIES THE PROBLEM.

WE STARTED WORKING WITH CONNECTED NATION, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT THAT'S WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY TRYING TO SOLVE THIS BROADBAND PROBLEM.

AND THE FIRST DATA POINT THEY BROUGHT BACK TO US IS THE PANHANDLE IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACES IN THE COUNTRY FOR INTERNET ACCESS.

SO IT JUST AMPLIFIES THE ISSUE THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST COVERAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS, NOT JUST AS A REMINDER.

[02:10:02]

YOU KNOW, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE DEPENDENT [INAUDIBLE].

THERE ARE THINGS THAT I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF, LIKE AUTOMATED WATER METERS OR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS, PUBLIC SAFETY, EVERYONE ARE OUR POLICE CARS IS CONNECTED AND DEPENDENT ON THAT CONNECTIVITY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

XCEL ENERGY WANTS TO DO SMART METERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE CONNECTIVITY.

AISD IN ORDER TO GET STUDENTS CONNECTED.

AND IT'S GOING IT REQUIRES CONNECTIVITY.

AND RIGHT NOW, THAT'S MOBILE CONNECTIVITY THAT'S WORKING WITH THE CURRENT COMMERCIAL PROVIDERS.

THAT SETS US UP FOR ONE POTENTIAL RISK.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A DISASTER SCENARIO.

IN EVERY DISASTER ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS THE MOBILE NETWORKS OVERLOAD AND THOSE MOBILE PROVIDERS HAVE TO TRUCK IN ADDITIONAL TOWERS.

THAT'S CONCERNING WHEN MORE AND MORE OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS MOVING INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT.

BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THEY'RE GREAT COMPANIES, OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUT THEY ARE FOR PROFIT, WHICH MEANS THEIR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS SHAREHOLDER VALUE.

SO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LOOK FOR THE AREAS OF MOST PROFIT, NOT THE AREAS OF MOST NEED.

THERE WAS FIVE YEARS AGO MUNICIPALITIES HAD SOME LEVERAGE THAT SOME MEASURE OF CONTROL WHEN NEW INFRASTRUCTURE WAS BEING BROUGHT INTO A COMMUNITY.

BUT THE FCC AND STATE LEGISLATURES HAVE REMOVED ALL THAT LEVERAGE.

SO I DON'T FORESEE SERVICE PROVIDER SOLVING THIS BROADBAND PROBLEM FOR US.

AND IT'S NOT JUST OUR PROBLEM.

WE NEED COVERAGE EVERYWHERE.

OUR CITIZENS NEED FULL COVERAGE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY NEED IT, WHETHER THAT BE AISD OR EXCEL OR ATMOS.

THIS IS A COMMUNITY NEED.

WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IF IT WEREN'T FOR TWO VERY IMPORTANT CHANGES .

ONE, THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED.

AND [INAUDIBLE] IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

[INAUDIBLE] HAD A BROADBAND PROBLEM AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD A LACK OF BROADBAND PROBLEM, I SHOULD BE CLEAR.

SO THEY TOOK TO DISTRICT COURT CASE NUMBER FIVE THREE ZERO EIGHT SEVEN.

AND THAT WAS GETTING THE COURT'S OPINION ON THEM PROVIDING INTERNET AS UTILITY.

AND I CAN ABSOLUTELY SEND YOU THE COURT CASE ITSELF AND SOME GREAT WRITE OFFS ON WHAT THAT BREAKDOWN DOWN THE CASE AND WHAT IT MEANS.

BUT THE CLIFF NOTES ARE THAT THE COURT RULED THAT INTERNET AND TODAY'S WORLD RISES TO THE LEVEL OF A UTILITY.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S THAT IMPORTANT THAT YOU MUST HAVE INTERNET TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR SOCIETY.

AND TWO IF THAT MUNICIPALITY IF A MUNICIPALITY PROVIDES INTERNET WITHOUT VOICE, THEN YOU'RE NOT COMPETING WITH PROVIDERS AND YOU CAN'T ADMINISTER BROADBAND AS A UTILITY.

AND THE SECOND CHANGE HAS REALLY BEEN IN THE TECHNICAL ARENA.

IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN BROADBAND OPTIONS COME TO MARKET AND IT'S DRIVEN DOWN THE COST SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO IT'S AT A POINT NOW THAT IT'S FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

THE APPROACH WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO INVESTIGATE THAT EXACTLY A MUNICIPALLY OWNED BROADBAND NETWORK.

BUT WE'D LIKE TO EXPLORE A NEW MODEL.

AND IN THAT MODEL WE LOOK AT OPEN ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE AND CITY SERVICES, SOCIAL SERVICES AND BANKING AS A NO CHARGE OPTION FOR EVERY CITIZEN IN AMARILLO.

BUT FOR MORE EXPENSIVE SERVICES, IN OTHER WORDS, SERVICES THAT ARE EXPENSIVE TO PROVIDE BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE A LOT OF BANDWIDTH LIKE STREAMING MEDIA AND GAMING, THOSE WOULD REQUIRE SUBSCRIPTION.

AND SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO COST OFFSET THE BROADBAND NETWORK THROUGH SUBSCRIPTIONS.

IN OTHER WORDS, FULL INTERNET CUSTOMERS, TENANTS AND OTHER PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS THE CITY.

THE IMPACT COULD BE HUGE.

YOU KNOW, THE OBVIOUS IMPACT IS AMARILLO LEADS THE WAY IN BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, WHICH MEANS NO CITIZEN IN AMARILLO IS WITHOUT ACCESS TO EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE OR ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER BENEFITS LIKE NOW WE WOULD BE CONTINUALLY INVESTING IN OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE.

CITIZENS OF AMARILLO WOULD BE INVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE PLACE WE LIVE, AND WE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

I JUST PICKED ONE EXAMPLE.

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, DID A PROJECT IN 20 [INAUDIBLE] DEPUTY PROJECT.

THEY CONNECTED THEIR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL THEIR CITIZENS, AND THEN THEY DID

[02:15:03]

A FIVE YEAR STUDY IN 2014.

IN 2009, THERE WAS ALMOST NO VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

IT WAS LESS THAN NOTHING WAS LESS THAN FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN 2014.

THAT WAS 50, 50 MILLION.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN 2009 WAS 10 PERCENT AND DROPPED TO FIVE IN 2014.

BUT FOR ME, THE MOST IMPRESSIVE FOR THEM WAS THAT BY 2014, CHATTANOOGA HAD THE THIRD HIGHEST WAGE GROWTH FROM INSIDE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

SO THEY WERE SEEING HUGE WAGE GROWTH AND THEY DID THAT LARGELY AROUND THIS, THE STARTUP CULTURE THAT RESULTED FROM THE CONNECTIVITY THAT THE CITY COULD OFFER.

SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR NEXT STEPS IS TO COMPLETE OUR DATA GATHERING.

AS I SAID, WE'RE WORKING WITH CONNECTED NATION.

WE DO A LOT OF THINGS WE KNOW WE NEED TO QUANTIFY.

THEN COMPLETE OUR EXPLORATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES, PUT TOGETHER A TECHNICAL DESIGN SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COST OF A BUILD OUT LIKE THAT AND THE COST OF OPERATIONS WOULD BE.

AND FROM THAT BUILD A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC MODEL BECAUSE NONE OF THIS WORKS IF WE CAN'T BUILD A MODEL THAT MAKES IT ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE.

AND ALSO EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS.

I HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CIO AISD ON WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PARTNER, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY WE'D LIKE TO REALLY EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH, WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE BACK TO COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY.

QUESTIONS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, COUNCIL? I CERTAINLY THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

RICH, ARE YOU THINKING MAYBE A COMBINATION OF MAYBE FREE HOT SPOTS AND SOME SORT OF LIKE A HOME UTILITY NETWORK THAT MAYBE SOME OF IT WOULD BE FREE AND OTHERS MAYBE INEXPENSIVE? YES, MA'AM.

SO THE IDEA IS ACCESS TO THE NETWORK IS FREE.

SO ANYONE CAN GET ON THE NETWORK, WHETHER THAT BE FROM HOME OR HOTSPOTS.

BUT WITHOUT A SUBSCRIPTION, YOU CAN ONLY GET TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO OR A MEMBERSHIP, IF YOU WILL.

YOU'RE PAYING A FEE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO USE THINGS LIKE STREAMING MEDIA OR GAMING OR FULL FULL ON INTERNET.

BUT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

SO IT KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S GOT TO BE CREATED, OR IS THIS WHERE YOU CAN PIGGYBACK LIKE ON THE WATER METER SITUATION, THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SITUATION? ARE THOSE THINGS THAT KIND OF HELP DRIVE DOWN THAT COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE? BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN TO PUT THOSE THINGS IN PLACE BECAUSE IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, WOW, THAT'S A WE'VE GOT TO DO A LOT OF STUFF TO BE ABLE TO CREATE AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF HOT SPOTS ALL OVER THE CITY TO ALLOW.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF BANDWIDTH.

IT IS, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT SEVERAL OPTIONS AND WE'RE EXPLORING SOME PARTNERSHIP IDEAS, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE WE'RE PUTTING IN ANY WAY FOR OTHER PROJECTS, ALMOST CERTAINLY LEVERAGE THAT AS WELL.

SO THEY CAN BE LEVERAGED? YES, SIR.

OK.

WHAT ELSE? OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP RICH AS HE'S PUTTING THIS TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS? RICH I ALSO LIKED WHAT IT DID FOR THE ECONOMY IN CHATTANOOGA, AND TO THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER INVESTMENT THAT HAS THAT'S A SHORT TERM TURNAROUND, THAT'S FIVE YEARS THAT THEY HAD SUCH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GROWTH BECAUSE OF THAT.

THAT WOULD BE AN AMAZING RESULT.

FANTASTIC JOB OF PARTNERING WHEN THEY PUT IT OUT, NOT JUST THE CONNECTIVITY, BUT THEY PARTNER WITH THEIR FINANCIAL COMMUNITY, THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, LOOKED AT HOW DO WE FINANCE STARTUPS, HOW DO WE GET THEM INTO OUR SCHOOLS, HOW DO WE BUNDLE ALL OF THIS TOGETHER FOR AN OFFERING THAT'S VERY ATTRACTIVE FOR FOLKS IN OUR AREA TO THINK OF CHATTANOOGA AS THE PLACE TO START A BUSINESS.

SO WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR BUSINESSES IN TOWN LIKE AT&T AND [INAUDIBLE]? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES FOR THEM/ I DON'T KNOW THAT IT DOES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT

[02:20:05]

AGAINST THEM EITHER.

I THINK OF IT A LITTLE BIT LIKE WARFORD, YOU KNOW, AND IN ONE SENSE, IT IS COMPETITION BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING BROADBAND.

THEN IN OTHER SENSE IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY ARE OUR BIGGEST TARGET AS THOSE WITHOUT OR THOSE THAT CAN'T AFFORD.

SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT BOTH WAYS, I SUPPOSE.

WELL, NO, ACTUALLY, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS A LITTLE BIT COUNTS, BUT IS THIS GOING TO CREATE COMPETITION WITH AT&T OR WITH SUDDENLINK OR WITH THE OTHER INTERNET PROVIDERS? AND YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING NO, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY BE GEARED TOWARDS HELPING THOSE WHO HAVE NO ACCESS AT ALL AND CREATING ACCESS FOR EVERYBODY.

THAT'S OUR FOCUS.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO-- IT IS, IN A SENSE, COMPETITION IN THE FACT THAT WE WE ARE OFFERING BROADBAND AND IT IS CITY WIDE.

WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION LAST WEEK WITH A LOCAL PROVIDER, AND THEY, I MEAN, IT WAS CLEAR, THEY SAID WE HAVE NO PLAN TO EXPAND TO THE NORTH EAST SIDE OF TOWN.

AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THAT, THAT THE MARKET WOULD SUPPORT.

SO AGAIN, THEIR DUTY TO THEIR SHAREHOLDERS IS TO RETURN A PROFIT, SO.

I THINK THAT'S IT'S FAIR TO SAY THERE WOULD BE SOME COMPETITION, BUT OUR GOAL IS NOT TO CREATE THAT COMPETITION.

OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THE NEED FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THOSE SERVICES.

AND I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM THOSE PROVIDERS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE IN THE CITY THAT THEIR LONG TERM PLANS DO NOT INCLUDE EXPANDING INTO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR CITY THAT DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES.

WELL, THAT BEING THE CASE ACTUALLY BECOMES EVEN MORE CRUCIAL, I THINK, HERE.

I HAVE TALKED WITH AT LEAST ONE OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS JUST ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WE MIGHT HAVE COMING FROM THE STATE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE LEGISLATORS FOCUSES FOR THIS SESSION, NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE DOLLARS.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE BELIEVES THAT THEY'RE READY TO APPROPRIATE DOLLARS TOWARD ANY BROADBAND PROJECTS, BUT THEY ARE READY TO APPROPRIATE STUDY DOLLARS LIKE.

STATEWIDE STUDIES SHOWING SORT OF WHAT HOWARD WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHERE SERVICES ARE LACKING AND WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET SERVICES PROVIDED TO THOSE PLACES THAT THE MARKET DOESN'T SUPPORT A PRIVATE COMPANY MAKING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ON THE FRONT END OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

I SHOULD STATE GRANT DOLLARS BECOME AVAILABLE AND THERE ARE FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS OFFERED THROUGH THE FCC.

I THINK IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LEVERAGE TO PROVIDE A BENEFIT TO OUR CITIZENS, WE OUGHT TO BE INVESTIGATING IT.

THE QUESTION? HOWARD, ANY FINAL COMMENTS? I THINK IT'S INTERESTING, I UNDERSTAND THAT IN AMARILLO SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EITHER GIVEN OR LOANED A COMPUTER TO EVERY STUDENT.

THAT'S PROBABLY OVER 30000 STUDENTS, AND THEY PROBABLY CAN'T GET INTERNET IN MANY PARTS OF THE TOWN AND UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS A PREPARED AT LEAST ONE BUS OR TWO BUSSES THAT DRIVES UP TO A PARKING LOT OF SCHOOL AND PROVIDES INTERNET FOR STUDENTS IN THAT AREA.

AND SO THERE IS A NEED FOR THIS.

COUNCILWOMAN HAYS, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I CERTAINLY SUPPORT GATHERING MORE INFORMATION AND CONTINUING WITH THE INVESTIGATION.

IT'S A HUGE TOPIC, IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING, A LOT OF LINES TO STILL FILL IN THE DATA.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR TIME, RICH.

WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I WANTED APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD IS A LOT OF TIME AND INVESTMENT.

BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND INVESTMENT.

APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE.

YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB SINCE YOU TOOK THE HELM AT THE IT DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY AND I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY COMING UP ON YOUR FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, MAYBE

[02:25:03]

YOU JUST PASSED IT.

ON MONDAY.

OH, WOW.

YEAH, WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS PROJECT.

BUT WHO'S COUNTING? YEAH.. ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

WELL, THE LAST THING ON THIS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA IS JUST TO REQUEST FUTURE

[1.H. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager. ]

AGENDA ITEMS OR REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER.

DOES ANYONE ON THE COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION OR ANYTHING THEY WANT TO SEE ON A REPORT? YOU KNOW, THERE WERE TWO COMMITTEES THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THIS TIME, BUT PROBABLY THE NEXT TIME WE NEED TO PUT ON.

ONE OF THEM WAS THE BEAUTIFICATION AND ARTS AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE MPO.

YES, MPO SURE.

WE'LL HAVE THOSE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

THANK YOU, EDDY.

OK, LET'S TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TACKLE THE CONSENT AND THE NON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, ACTION ITEMS. EVERYONE READY TO GO BACK TO WORK? ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT ITEMS: ]

ANYTHING THERE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? IF NO, THEN LET'S HAVE A MOTION ON IT.

MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THANK YOU, THAT PASSES WITH A FIVE-ZERO VOTE.

[3.A. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7902: ]

MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE A IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE ZERO TWO.

MR. MILLER.

RIGHT MAYOR, WE'VE GOT LAURA STORRS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TO PRESENT THESE ITEMS. BUT I SHOULD SAY THAT ITEMS ABC AND D ARE ALL NECESSARY TO ISSUE DEBT FOR THIS YEAR.

THEY ARE ALL ITEMS THAT HAVE EITHER BEEN VOTER APPROVED OR DO NOT REQUIRE INCREASES IN THE TAX RATE OR OUR UTILITY RATES SO THAT THEY CAN ALL BE PAID FOR EITHER THROUGH VOTER APPROVED MEASURES OR THROUGH OUR EXISTING REVENUE SOURCES.

SO, LAURA, TAKE AWAY AND WE'LL MOVE THROUGH A, B, C AND D INDIVIDUALLY WITH A VOTE A MOTION SECOND AND VOTE BETWEEN EACH ITEM.

SO, LAURA, ITEM A.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I HAVE STEVEN ADAMS WITH SPECIALIZED PUBLIC FINANCE HERE WITH US, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISER, TO GO OVER THE SPECIFICS RELATED TO THESE ORDINANCES.

AND I ALSO HAVE BOB [INAUDIBLE], AND HE IS OUR BOND COUNSEL, AND HE'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO GO OVER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY NOT SOLD THE BONDS YET.

WE ARE LOOKING TO DO THAT LATER THIS WEEK AND EARLY NEXT WEEK.

AND SO STEVEN AND BOB ARE BOTH AVAILABLE TO GO OVER HOW THAT KIND OF WORKS, BECAUSE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN WE NORMALLY DO.

AND AS JARED MENTIONED, THERE ARE FOUR ISSUANCES.

ONE IS YOUR FINAL ISSUANCE FOR THE TWENTY SIXTEEN VOTER APPROVED PROPOSITION ONE BONDS.

WE HAVE A SMALL CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION ISSUANCE FOR THE GREENWAY'S PID TO PAY THE DEVELOPER FOR PARK AMENITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AREA.

WE CAME TO COUNCIL EARLIER IN THE YEAR ABOUT ADVERTISING FOR THAT.

AND STEPHEN, I'M SURE, GIVE US MORE DETAILS.

AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHER ISSUANCES RELATED TO TWO OF YOUR UTILITIES, ONE FOR WATER AND SEWER.

IT WAS IN YOUR APPROVED FISCAL YEAR, TWENTY, TWENTY ONE BUDGET.

AND THE RATE INCREASE TO SUPPORT THE DEBT WAS PUT IN PLACE ON OCTOBER 1ST OF TWENTY TWENTY, AND THAT WAS A THREE PERCENT PLANNED RATE INCREASE.

AND THE FINAL FOURTH ISSUANCE IS FOR YOUR DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM.

IT'S ALSO A REVENUE BOND AS PLANNED IN YOUR BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

AND THE RATE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THAT DEBT SERVICE WAS PUT IN PLACE ON OCTOBER 1ST TWENTY TWENTY.

IT WAS A FOUR PERCENT RATE INCREASE AND THAT WAS ALSO AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS BY COUNCIL BACK IN THE SUMMER, IN THE FALL WHEN THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO STEVEN ADAMS AND I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN WITH THE PRESENTATION THAT HE HAS.

AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP AND ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO ON THESE ITEMS. STEVEN.

THANK YOU.

LAURA, CAN YOU HEAR ME OK? YES, SIR.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND AGAIN, BOB [INAUDIBLE] WAS ON WITH US AS WELL.

[02:30:01]

IT'S A [INAUDIBLE].

BEAR WITH ME, A SECOND STEVEN.

OK, THERE IT IS.

AND SO IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST PAGE OF THAT POWERPOINT.

AND BEFORE WE START, I DO WANT TO SAY ONE THING THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH A RATING PROCESS.

AND SO FAR WE'VE RECEIVED THE RATING ON THE TAX BACKED DEBT, WHICH IS THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION, AND RETAINED ITS AAA RATING AND SAY WE HAD THE MAYOR, JARED, LAURA, DEBBIE, FLOYD, AND, YOU KNOW, A FEW OTHERS TO HELP WITH A PRETTY LENGTHY PRESENTATION WE WENT THROUGH WITH STANDARD AND POOR'S AND THEY'RE HYPERVIGILANT RIGHT NOW ABOUT REVENUES, EXPENSES, HOW YOUR ECONOMY IS GOING, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY NEGATIVE OUTLOOK ON PUBLIC FINANCE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF COVID AND WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE TRIPLE-A RATING, WHICH I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT.

LET ME JUST POINT OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

THE REASON THAT THE CITY OF AMARILLO KEEPS ITS AAA RATING IS BECAUSE OF ITS MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY FINANCES, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A [INAUDIBLE] TO OTHER AAA RATED ENTITIES, MOST OF THEM ARE SUBURBS.

AND SO THEY HAVE HIGHER INCOME LEVELS ACROSS BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST LIKE ONE SECTION OF A MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA.

SO DESPITE THAT FACT, WE KEPT THE AAA RATING AT THE CITY IS ON NEGATIVE OUTLOOK, BUT IT'S STILL THE TRIPLE-A RATING.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'S A VERY GOOD ACCOMPLISHMENT.

I MEAN, IT'S ONE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT.

[INAUDIBLE] TOMORROW, THE RATINGS ON THE WATER AND SEWER AND THE DRAINAGE, I BELIEVE WE WILL KEEP THOSE TRIPLE-A RATINGS AS WELL.

I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE ANALYSTS.

DIDN'T WANT TO BRING THAT OUT, AND THEN, LAURA, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE SECOND NEXT SLIDE.

SO I WANT A QUICK QUESTION, ARE THERE ARE FOUR AGENDA ITEMS, I CAN EITHER GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN LET THE COUNCIL VOTE ON THEM OR WE CAN DO THEM ONE AT A TIME.

MAYOR, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO HANDLE THAT? I THINK IT'S BETTER TO DO THEM ONE AT A TIME.

PLEASE, STEVEN.

OK, SO THE FIRST ONE THAT'S ON THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE, IS THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.

AND AS LAURA POINTED OUT, THIS IS THE LAST INSTALLMENT OR THE REMAINING AUTHORIZATION OF THAT ELECTION.

IT'S FIFTY SEVEN MILLION ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

OF THAT BONDS FOR THE STREET PROJECTS.

IT'S A-- WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WITH THE TWENTY FIVE YEAR AMORTIZATION.

AND WE ESTIMATE THAT THE TOTAL PROPOSITION, ONE TAX RATE IMPACT WILL BE ONE POINT THREE CENTS, AND I'LL GO OVER THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL IN A MINUTE COMPARED TO WHERE WE EXPECTED WHEN WE WENT TO THE VOTERS.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS A PARAMETER SALE.

WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SELL THESE BONDS TODAY BUT THE RATING AGENCIES ARE SO BACKED UP THEY COULDN'T GET US A RATING IN TIME.

WE LIKE THE RATING TO BE OUT THERE ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE WE SELL BONDS.

SO WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING IS AUTHORIZING A PRICING AGENT, WHICH IS THE CITY MANAGER OF THE MAYOR, I BELIEVE, TO APPROVE THE SALE, SO LONG AS WE MEET CERTAIN PARAMETERS.

AND IN THIS CASE, WE CAN'T SELL THE BONDS IF THE INTEREST RATE IS MORE THAN THREE POINT FIVE PERCENT.

WE CANNOT HAVE A FINAL MATURITY LONGER THAN FEBRUARY 15TH OF TWENTY FORTY SIX.

AND THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT MUST BE [INAUDIBLE] MILLION ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND SO WE PLAN ON TAKING BIDS ON THURSDAY, AND IF WE MEET THOSE PARAMETERS, THE PRICING AGENT, WHICH IS DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT, WHICH IS BEFORE YOU TODAY, WILL BE ABLE TO SIGN THE WINNING BID FOR THEM.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

LAURA.

SO WE WENT BACK AND WE LOOKED AT THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT WERE VOTED BY THE VOTERS AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT WE TOLD THE VOTERS WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE BOND ELECTION AND WHAT WE PUT UP WITH.

SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE HAD MORE ASSESSED VALUATION GROWTH AND LOWER INTEREST RATES.

SO WE ORIGINALLY TOLD THE VOTERS ON PROPOSITION ONE IT WOULD BE A TAX RATE IMPACT

[02:35:06]

OF FIVE POINT FIVE SIX CENTS.

THE ACTUAL ESTIMATED RATE IS FOUR POINT TWO SIX CENTS, WHICH IS ONE POINT THIRTY CENTS LOWER THAN WHAT WE TOLD THE VOTERS AND THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICE ESTIMATED AT NINE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN THOUSAND.

OF COURSE, WE TAKE BIDS THURSDAY, SO WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT WE THINK THAT THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.

WE'VE ALREADY SOLD ALL THE PROPOSITION TWO BONDS.

SO WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE TOLD WHAT WE TOLD THE VOTERS AND WHAT WE HAVE IS A DIFFERENCE OF POINT ONE SIX CENTS OR A DEBT SERVICE THAT'S TWO MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS LOWER THAN WHAT WE TOLD THE VOTERS.

WITH THAT MAYOR.

BOB AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, OTHERWISE THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

OK, COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STEVEN OR FOR BOB? OK, OK, SO ONE MORE POINT AGAIN, IS THIS FIFTY SEVEN MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, IS IT ALL IT IS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE CURRENT BUDGET? YEAH, THIS IS THE LAST OF THE VOTER AUTHORIZED DEBT FOR [INAUDIBLE] AND IT FROM A TAX RATE PERSPECTIVE, I BELIEVE THIS IS IN THE BUDGET.

ON THIS LAST FIFTY SEVEN MILLION, THE PROJECTS HAVE ALL BEEN APPROVED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS WILL BEGIN NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

AND THE TAX RATE INCREASE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LAST FIFTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS WILL GO ON TO THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE TAX RATE.

SO TAXPAYERS WILL SEE ONE LAST INCREASE RELATED TO THIS FINAL DEBT SERVICE ISSUANCE ON THE NEXT TAX BILLS.

OK.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE BACK IN 2016, WE ESTIMATED THIS AT SIX AND THREE QUARTERS SINCE.

WE'RE GOING TO GET IT DONE AND IT'S THROUGH GETTING ALL OF OUR PROJECTS DONE UNDER BUDGET AND ALSO A FAVORABLE INTEREST MARKET.

BUT IT'LL ALL GET DONE.

EVERYTHING WE SAID WOULD GET DONE IN PROCESS ONE AND TWO FOR ALMOST ONE AND A HALF CENTS LOWER THAN WHAT WAS ESTIMATED IN 2016.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COUNCIL FOR MOVING PROJECTS AROUND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INTEREST RATES AND ALSO CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

BUT IT IS A POSITIVE STORY.

THAT RATING IS A PART OF THAT BEING ABLE TO.

YEAH, THE BOND RATING WE JUST WENT THROUGH THIS BOND RATING CALLS, THEY ARE CHALLENGING WHERE THEY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF FINANCIAL OPERATION OF THE CITY AND WE MAINTAIN THAT TRIPLE-A RATING.

STEVEN, MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO IS THIS THE MOST CHALLENGING FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT WE'VE EVER SEEN AS FAR AS MAINTAINING A BOND RATING? IT IS IN MY CAREER, BUT MAYBE MY 20 YEARS IS NOT QUITE LONG ENOUGH.

WELL, IT'S MOST I'VE SEEN, TOO.

NEVER BEFORE HAVE THE RATING AGENCIES PUT OUT NEGATIVE OUTLOOKS ON EVERY CATEGORY OF MUNICIPAL BONDS, AND THEY DID THIS TIME.

SO, YES, IT'S DEFINITELY VERY CHALLENGING.

MR. CITY MANAGER, THE 57 MILLION THAT'S BEING ISSUED RIGHT NOW, I'M ASSUMING THOSE ARE PROJECTS ALL THAT ARE GOING TO BE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM, PART OF OUR CIP PROJECT COMING UP.

AND WHAT WE ARE APPROVING AND IT MIGHT JUST KIND OF GIVE A HEADS UP WHEN WE GET TO THAT ITEM.

IF KYLE COULD GIVE US SOME BIG PICTURE THINGS, NOT A BREAKDOWN OF LINE ITEM STUFF, BUT IN GENERAL, FOR VOTERS TO KNOW WHAT THIS REMAINING CHUNK OF DOLLARS, WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE APPLIED TO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY FINISHED.

WE CAN SPEAK TO LAURA AND GIVE YOU JUST WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK TO, WHAT EACH ONE OF THESE DOLLARS IS GOING TO BE SPENT TOWARDS.

AND WHEN WE HAVE A WORDING OF ANY OF THESE PROJECTS, WE WILL SAY ON OUR TRANSMITTAL LETTER AND ALSO DURING THE PRESENTATION OF THE ITEM, WHETHER IT'S WHATEVER IT IS IN THE COUNCIL AGENDA, THIS IS PART OF PROP ONE OR THIS IS PART OF PROP TWO.

SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHEN PROP ONE PROP TWO MONEY IS BEING SPENT, WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY RIGHT NOW.

WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU GOING TO GO TOWARDS, LAURA? YES.

AND IF I CAN, I'M GOING TO PUT KYLE ON THE SPOT HERE.

BUT I KNOW HE'S PREPARED FOR THIS.

KYLE.

DO YOU MIND GOING OVER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECTS THAT THIS FIFTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS IS GOING TO PAY FOR? AND IT'S THEY ARE ALL STREET RELATED PROJECTS.

[02:40:02]

BUT, KYLE, DO YOU MIND SHARING SOME OF THAT DETAILED LIST WITH US, PLEASE? NOT AT ALL.

HOT OFF THE PRESS.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT EFFECTIVELY EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THE CIP PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT LIST REALLY SINCE TWENTY SIXTEEN.

BECAUSE IN THAT IN SPECIFICALLY ON PROP ONE, WE MADE AN EFFORT TO IDENTIFY THOSE PROJECTS EARLY AND THEN STICK WITH THAT SCHEDULE.

[INAUDIBLE] WITH CONSTRUCTION PHASING, INCLUDING OUR COORDINATION WITH THE PROP TWO.

IN FACT WE KIND OF MOVED SOME PROP TWO PROJECTS UP EARLIER IN THAT PROCESS.

AND PROP ONE PROJECTS FURTHER BACK.

TOOK ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT ULTIMATELY, IT'S THE SAME SET OF STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WE'VE INTENDED TO COMPLETE ALL ALONG.

THE FIRST COUPLE THAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY SEE MOST COMING RIGHT UP WILL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD FOR [INAUDIBLE] ROAD FROM [INAUDIBLE].

WE'LL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR, TWENTY TWENTY ONE MILLING AN OVERLAY PROJECT, WHICH WILL BE THE MAINTENANCE PROJECT FOCUSED ON OUR ARTERIAL STREETS FOR THIS SUMMER.

AND THEN LIKEWISE THE FOURTH OF THE [INAUDIBLE] PROJECTS WHERE WE'VE DONE FOCUSED ON OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS.

AFTER THREE YEARS, THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH, OUR FOURTH AND FINAL QUADRANT OF THE PROJECT.

ALL OF THOSE WILL BE OUR BIDDING, RATHER OUT FOR BID RIGHT NOW.

THEY'LL BE COMING TO COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS VERY QUICKLY AND THEN FOR CONSTRUCTION THIS NEXT SUMMER.

CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN, WE HAVE WESTERN STREET, 9TH AVENUE TO THIRTY FOURTH AVENUE, AS WELL AS THE [INAUDIBLE] AREA THERE AND AROUND THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

AND THAT ARTERIAL SERVICE CORRIDOR THROUGH THERE.

AND THEN FURTHER OUT THAN THAT, WE HAVE.

WELL, FOCUSES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IN THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND MOVING PROJECTS AROUND AS WE'VE MOVED OUR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS UP IN THAT PLAN AND KIND OF MOVED SOME OF OUR ARTERIAL MAINTENANCE, LARGER MAINTENANCE AND POSSIBLE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TOWARDS THE BACK.

AND SO THOSE WILL BE UNDER DESIGN WILL BE OUR LARGE ARTERIAL MAINTENANCE PORTION, WHICH INCLUDES GRAND STREET FROM FIFTY EIGHT TO THIRTY FOURTH, BELL STREET FROM SUNDOWN TO HOLLYWOOD, GEORGIA STREET FROM LOOP THREE THIRTY FIVE INTO WHATEVER THE THAT'S ACTUALLY PENDING SOME ANNEXATION CITY LIMIT BOUNDARIES.

AND SO WHATEVER THAT BOUNDARY BECOMES HERE, UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT WILL BE THE LIMITS OF THAT PROJECT.

AND THEN LIKEWISE THE POLK STREET PROJECT YOU MAY REMEMBER WAS THE PROJECT THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE GRANT FUNDING ALL YEAR AFTER THE TA PROGRAM THROUGH TXDOT AND THE STATE AND EFFECTIVELY BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN MATCHING OUR FUNDS WITH GRANT FUNDS.

BUT WE STILL HAVE OUR FUND TO SPEND AND TO DO AS MUCH PROJECT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH THOSE DOLLARS.

SO THOSE ARE THE EXAMPLES OF THOSE PROP ONE PROJECT.

HOW IS THE POLK STREET PROJECT IN THAT LIST OF PROJECTS TOO? YES, MA'AM.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANKS, KYLE.

AND ONE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS, AS MENTIONED, WE WILL BE SELLING THESE BONDS LATER THIS WEEK AND SO AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WE CAN SEND OR WE CAN BRING FORWARD FINAL NUMBERS ON WHAT THE FINAL TAX RATE IMPACT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE-- WITH ALL OF THE TWENTY SIXTEEN VOTER APPROVED BONDS, AS MENTIONED THAT WHAT WAS ON THE PRESENTATION IS AN ESTIMATE AND WE ARE HOPEFUL IT'LL COME IN AROUND THAT OR POSSIBLY SLIGHTLY LOWER.

SO WE'LL BRING AN UPDATE TO COUNCIL AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

GREAT.

OK, SO WE'RE ON ITEM THREE A, WHICH IS ORDINANCE SEVENTY NINE 02 THAT COVERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, COUNCIL, THEN I THINK WE NEED A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.

BUT YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE 02 AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS

[02:45:03]

SERIES TWENTY TWENTY ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF FIFTY SEVEN MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR STREETS, WHICH IS PROPOSITION ONE.

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

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE FIVE THAT PASSES WITH A FIVE ZERO VOTE.

OK, SO STEVEN, IF WE COULD GO BACK AND NOW PICK UP ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY

[3.B. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7903: ]

NINE 03.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO THIS AGENDA ITEM IS FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR THE GREENWAYS PROJECT, WHICH IS A PARK PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO GREENWAY.

IT'S A 20 YEAR DEBT OBLIGATION, AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S BACKED BY THE CITY'S TAX BASE, IT'S BEING PAID BY PID ASSESSMENTS WITHIN GREENWAYS.

AND LIKE THE GA BONDS, WE WILL SELL THESE ON THE TWENTY SIXTH AND ON I'M SORRY, ON THE TWENTY EIGHT AND [INAUDIBLE] THE TWENTY FIFTH.

THE PARAMETERS FOR THIS SALE OR A MAXIMUM INTEREST RATE OF THREE PERCENT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOWER BECAUSE IT'S A SHORTER TERM THAN THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.

A MAXIMUM FINANCIAL MATURITY OF FEBRUARY 15TH, TWENTY FORTY ONE MAXIMUM PAR AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

MAYOR.

QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? OK, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE ZERO THREE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION SERIES TWENTY TWENTY ONE FOR THE GREENWAYS PID IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION, 50 DOLLARS.

SECOND.

THEN MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH.

DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE FIVE VOTES THAT PASSES FIVE ZERO.

OK, STEVEN.

THE NEXT ITEM, SEVENTY NINE ORDINANCE-- NUMBER SEVENTY NINE ZERO FOUR.

[3.C. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7904: ]

YES, THANK YOU.

THIS IS FOR THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM UTILITY REVENUE BONDS.

AND I THINK I LOST THE--.

BEAR WITH ME JUST A SECOND, STEVEN.

SLIDE.

YEAH, I THINK ACTUALLY THIS ONE, THE NEXT ONE'S A WATER AND SEWER REVENUE BONDS.

YES, SIR.

OK, THANK YOU.

SO WHILE SHE'S GETTING THAT, THIS IS FOR PROJECTS WHOSE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE 28 MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND IT WILL BE-- THEY WILL BE SOLD ON A 20 YEAR TERM.

AND THE BONDS WILL BE REPAID BY WATER AND SEWER REVENUES, AND AGAIN, THEY'RE AAA RATED.

NOW ON THIS BOND ISSUE WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY TAKE BIDS ON FEBRUARY THE 2ND, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK, BECAUSE RATINGS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BEHIND.

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE IT TOMORROW.

WE WILL CLOSE ON MARCH 2ND.

AND THE PARAMETERS ON THIS SALE ARE A MAXIMUM INTEREST COST OF THREE PERCENT.

THE MAXIMUM FINAL MATURITY OF APRIL 1ST TWENTY FORTY ONE AND A MAXIMUM PAR AMOUNT OF TWENTY EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

OK, COUNCIL, QUESTIONS FOR STEVEN ABOUT THIS ITEM? WE HAVE A MOTION? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE ZERO FOUR AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS NEW SERIES, TWENTY TWENTY ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND EXCUSE ME, TWENTY EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SECOND.

MOVED BACK COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER.

DO WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? AND ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

[02:50:06]

THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.

[3.D. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7905: ]

THE FINAL ITEM, STEVEN, IS ORDINANCE SEVENTY NINE 05 ON DRAINAGE UTILITY.

YES, THANK YOU.

SO, AGAIN, THIS IS THE DRAINAGE [INAUDIBLE] BONDS.

IT IS TO FINANCE A TOTAL CONSTRUCTION AMOUNT OF TEN MILLION DOLLARS AND IT WILL BE OVER A 20 YEAR TERM.

THE BONDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE PAID BY [INAUDIBLE] UTILITY REVENUE SYSTEMS. THAT'S WHAT WAS PLEDGED.

PARTICULAR ITEM WE ALSO ARE SELLING ON FEBRUARY 2ND AND CLOSING ON MARCH THE 2ND.

PARAMETERS ARE IN MAXIMUM INTEREST COST OF THREE PERCENT, THE MAXIMUM FINAL MATURITY OF AUGUST FOR TWENTY FORTY ONE AND A MAXIMUM PAR AMOUNT OF TEN MILLION ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

MAYOR.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR STEVEN ABOUT THIS ITEM? OK, DO WE HAVE MOTION? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE ZERO FIVE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS SERIES TWENTY TWENTY ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF TEN MILLION ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SECOND.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER-- SMITH SORRY, LOOKED AT SAUER, SAID SAUER.

ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MOTION COUNCIL? OK, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.

SO BOB, STEVEN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THESE FOR US VERY MUCH.

IT'S GREAT.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU GUYS, AND ESPECIALLY AFTER A YEAR LIKE THIS.

AND I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENTS TO OUR TEAM ABOUT THE RATINGS CALL THAT WE RELY HEAVILY ON THE COUNCIL THAT YOU GIVE US TO PREPARE THAT.

AND I WILL SAY THAT LAURA AND HER TEAM WERE VERY THOROUGHLY PREPARED ON LOTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS FOR THAT CALL.

AND IT'S SORT OF LIKE I FEEL LIKE IT'S SORT OF LIKE GOING TO THE APPELLATE COURT.

THOSE GUYS CAN STOP YOU IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND ASK YOU ANYTHING ABOUT ANY AREA OF THE CITY.

AND SO LAURA HAS TO COME ABSOLUTELY READY, DEBBIE.

AND THEY DID THAT.

AND SO GOOD JOB.

AND WE APPRECIATE THE COUNSEL AND THE COACHING THAT WE GET FROM BOB AND STEVEN TO HELP US WITH THAT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

APPRECIATE WORKING WITH CITY VERY MUCH.

INDEED.

OUR PLEASURE.

OK, GREAT.

OK, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE E, LAURA, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO FINISH ON THOSE FOUR ITEMS. NO, I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYTHING ON THEM.

OK, GOOD, GOOD.

THANK YOU.

YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

THANKS, STEVEN.

[3.E. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7906 -ADOPTING THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM (CIP) FY2020/2021-FY2024/2025: ]

ITEM THREE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE 06, WHICH ADOPTS THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

THIS ITEM AND REALLY PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE HAVE BEEN ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AT RECENT MEETINGS.

THIS IS ONE OF THEM WHERE WE WENT OVER THE CIP LIST FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AT A RECENT MEETING.

SO KYLE IS GOING TO PRESENT THE CIP FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND WE JUST NEED TO GET THAT CITY APPROVED OR MODIFIED, HOWEVER, COUNCIL WANTS.

KYLE.

THANK YOU, JARED.

APPRECIATE THAT.

I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN REAL QUICK AND THIS IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE CIP.

AS JARED MENTIONED, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THESE PROJECTS A LITTLE BIT, AND YOU HEARD I HAD A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THOSE PROPOSITION ONE PROJECTS JUST PREVIOUSLY.

BUT FOR THIS PRESENTATION, I HAD A GREAT QUESTION FROM A CONSTITUENT OVER THE WEEKEND, ACTUALLY, A VERY ASTUTE WATCHING CITY POLITICS AND CITY EVENTS NEIGHBOR ON MY BLOCK.

AND HER QUESTION TO ME AS I WAS EXPLAINING THE PLAN AND THE BOOK AND THE BENEFITS AND THE PROJECTS WAS, WILL THAT GO TO COUNCIL? WHAT ARE YOU ASKING? WHY IS IT ON THE COUNCIL MEETING? WHAT IS THIS ORDINANCE ABOUT? AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL QUESTION AND HIGHLIGHTS WHAT WHAT WE REALLY ARE DOING HERE AND WHAT I AM AT, WHAT STAFF IS ASKING OF COUNCIL, BECAUSE EFFECTIVELY STAFF DOES A LOT OF WORK TO PREPARE THIS DOCUMENT AND THEY USE THIS DOCUMENT TO GUIDE THEIR DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD.

BUT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES IS PROVIDES THE GRAVITAS OF THE COUNCIL BEHIND THIS

[02:55:04]

DOCUMENT.

AND IT REALLY DOES EMPHASIZE TO US AS DEPARTMENT HEADS WHAT OUR ROLE IS IN UTILIZING THIS DOCUMENT TO MAKE GOOD INVESTMENT DECISIONS FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING DECISIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

I LOVE THAT THE POLICY GOVERNANCE CONVERSATION CAME UP EARLIER IN THE MEETING AND THEN WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.

AND SO THAT MAY MEAN THAT THE COUNCIL, NOT ASKING COUNCIL TO EVALUATE EACH AND EVERY SINGLE PLANNING ITEM IN THIS DOCUMENT, BUT RATHER TO EMPHASIZE TO US THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROCESS AND IDENTIFYING THESE THESE PLANNING INITIATIVES AND THE PUBLIC IMPACT AND THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY AND THE WHOLE BIT.

AND THE ORDINANCE WRAPS ALL OF THAT UP IN A BOW AND HELPS BRING YOUR APPROVAL AS A COUNCIL AND TO THE DOCUMENT.

THE DOCUMENT IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN.

IT'S A ROLLING DOCUMENT THAT WE APPROVE EVERY YEAR.

AND YEAR ONE OF THE PROJECT LIST IS APPROVED IN OUR FISCAL ANNUAL BUDGET.

YEARS TWO THROUGH FIVE ARE JUST WHAT AS THEY'RE DESCRIBED, THAT PLANNING DOCUMENT THAT HELPS US GUIDE OUR INVESTMENT DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD.

WHAT DO WE BRING, YOU KNOW, IDEAS OF WHAT DO WE BRING BACK TO COUNCIL, PROJECTS THAT ARE COMMUNITY DRIVEN, PROJECTS THAT ARE PRIORITIZED AND COORDINATED WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER AVENUES OF FINANCING OF THINGS TO GET THOSE PROJECTS COMPLETED AND IN THE GROUND.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN IS.

THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE DOES.

WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS? THIS IS OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ORDINANCE AND ON THE DOCUMENT.

OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 9TH.

AND WE ARE OPEN TO QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MODIFICATIONS TO THAT PLAN.

THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE STARTED EFFECTIVELY THE IMPLEMENTATION.

BECAUSE THOSE PROJECTS WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND ACTUALLY THIS WEEK, IN FACT, TOMORROW WE START ONE OF OUR KICKOFF MEETINGS FOR NEXT YEAR'S CIP PRESENTATION WITH A AN INTRODUCTION FOR SOME OF OUR BRAND NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T HAVEN'T HAD A PROJECT IN THE CIP YET.

SO, WE'RE ROLLING RIGHT INTO THE NEXT ONE.

AND THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS.

WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, JUST LIKE MY NEIGHBOR WENT OUT AND FOUND IT AND ASKED ME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

IT IS AVAILABLE OUT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND THAT IS THE ACTUAL ADDRESS.

BUT THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THAT IS CITY OF AMARILLO DOT GOV.

AND THEN RIGHT UP AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE IS THAT DEPARTMENT'S BUTTON AND YOU'RE GOING TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

AND WITHIN THAT FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THERE IS FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND THE DRAFT FIVE YEAR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM'S RIGHT THERE ON THAT PAGE AND INCLUDES EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.

SO, I WOULD LOVE TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, AGAIN, MY RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE AND APPROVE.

QUESTIONS, COUNCIL.

DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT TRACKER THAT IS PART OF THAT WEBSITE? I DO NOT.

WE HAVE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT [INAUDIBLE] THAT WE USE INTERNALLY TO TRACK THE PROGRESS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND BUT DON'T HAVE ONE THAT HAS A WEB PORTAL OR GENERAL ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC, THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TYLER SOFTWARE THAT BUILDING SAFETY ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THAT AS WELL [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL, THAT SOFTWARE WILL GIVE US SOME OPPORTUNITIES AS [INAUDIBLE] THE IMPLEMENTATION IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

AND WE ARE LOOKING TO THAT FOR A SOLUTION, JUST AS YOU DESCRIBED, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENCY ON THIS PROJECT.

GREAT AND BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST YOU HAVE PROVIDED US IT'S LIKE A SPREADSHEET AND YOU WOULD KIND OF HAVE BY DEPARTMENT, BY PROJECT COLOR CODED AND WHAT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY UPDATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT IT WAS LIKE THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN

[03:00:04]

IN A VISUAL.

THAT WAS A GRAPH, THE CHART.

YOU KNOW WHAT [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, AND THE ENTIRE STAFF OVER HERE AFFECTIONATELY CALLS THAT KYLE SPREADSHEET BECAUSE I LITERALLY CARRY IT AROUND WITH ME AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR.

WELL, I THINK IF THERE WERE A WAY TO GET THAT ON THE WEBSITE, IT WOULD BE EXCELLENT BECAUSE IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE AND IT REALLY DOES LAY IT OUT OR IN THAT FIVE YEAR VISION TO SEE WHAT'S DOWN THE HORIZON.

I MEAN, THE BOOK AND ALL THE INFORMATION, THAT'S A LOT TO PROCESS THROUGH.

BUT THAT SPREADSHEET DOES IN A PRETTY QUICK GLANCE, LETS YOU SEE WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE, YEAR ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.

WE WILL MAKE THAT A PRIORITY.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, THIS IS FLOYD.

THERE IS THAT TYPE OF DOCUMENT IN THE BUDGET BOOK, AND THE CIP BOOK ITSELF THAT HIGHLIGHTS THAT WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE BOND FUNDED PROJECTS AS WELL.

AND IN THE PRINTED BOOK, FLOYD, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU COULD DIRECT ME TOWARDS THAT? BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIND THAT AND I MUST HAVE MISSED IT.

YES, IT'S ABOUT FIVE PAGES IN FRONT OF THE TAB THAT SAYS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

THAT'S BASICALLY EVERY PROJECT IN TABULAR FORM IS REPRESENTED, IT'S BLOTTED OUT BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THEN THE YEAR OF FUNDING ACROSS THE TOP.

BUT, I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER CROSS REFERENCING AND COLOR CODING AND THINGS IN THAT SPREADSHEET THAT YOU AND I HAVE SHARED, AND I WILL SEEK WAYS TO ADD INFORMATION EITHER TO THIS EXISTING PIECE OR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KYLE? KYLE, IT WARMS MY HEART TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT POLICY GOVERNANCE, FOR YOU GUYS ON STAFF, DEPARTMENT LEVELS, TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF POLICY, GOVERNANCE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IT IS, WE HAVE OUR ROLES, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR ROLES AND WE DON'T RUBBER STAMP THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE.

AND THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

SO I'M REALLY GLAD.

THAT'S SOMEWHERE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE THERE FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT CERTAINLY WE AS A TEAM BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT.

SO, YOU MADE THAT COMMENT AND IT SAID A LOT OF THINGS TO US AND I DIDN'T WANT TO LET THAT PASS.

OK, ARE WE READY THEN TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM NUMBER.

OK, I'LL DO THAT.

AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ANYONE WHO'S ON OUR MEETING TODAY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST ITEM NUMBER THREE E, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVEN NINE ZERO SIX, CAN DO SO AT THIS TIME.

I'LL HAND THE CALL OVER TO THE CALL HOST, STEPHANIE, TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK.

GOOD AFTERNOON, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS HEARING, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE OR CLICK YOUR RAISE HAND BUTTON AT THIS TIME.

I DO NOT SEE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC.

THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.

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

YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 79 ZERO SIX, ADOPTING THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF TWENTY TWENTY TWENTY TWENTY ONE THROUGH TWENTY TWENTY FOUR TWENTY FIVE.

SECOND MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR THOSE FISCAL YEARS.

ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

[3.F. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7907: ]

ITEM THREE, F CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 79 ZERO SEVEN.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

HI, MAYOR, THANK YOU.

WE HAVE DONNY HOOPER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS HERE TO PRESENT AN ITEM THAT WAS PRESENTED IN AS AN INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.

BUT IT RELATES TO THE CHANGING OF THE SPEED LIMIT ON SONCY, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WAS INITIATED BY TXDOT.

DONNY.

[03:05:01]

THANK YOU.

SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF IT, JUST KIND OF A RECAP OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT THE SPEED LIMIT CHANGES.

REMIND YOU THAT THIS IS A SPEED LIMIT CHANGE REQUEST FROM TXDOT, AMARILLO BOULEVARD, FROM THE BOULEVARD TO I-40, 50 MILES AN HOUR TO 40.

THEN I-40 TO 34TH DOWN TO 40 FROM FORTY FIVE AND THIRTY FOURTH, JUST PAST FORTY FIFTH, DOWN TO 40 MILES AN HOUR FROM ITS CURRENT POSTED 50 AND THEN JUST SOUTH OF 45TH TO COULTER 60 DOWN TO 50.

TXDOT'S GOING TO BE SUBMITTING THIS TO TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IN FEBRUARY.

TXDOT HAS REQUESTED THAT THE COUNCIL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH PASSAGE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND CHANGE THAT TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMITS.

AND JUST TO SHOW YOU ON A GRAPH, THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE SIDE BY SIDE.

YOU CAN SEE THE AMARILLO BOULEVARD AREA TO THE INTERSTATE THERE AT 50, THEN THE GREEN AREA, THAT'S AT FORTY FIVE ON THE EXISTING.

AND YOU COMPARE IT TO THAT WHOLE STRETCH THAT'S AT 40 FROM THE BOULEVARD TO FORTY FIFTH AND THEN SO FORTH.

YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR YOURSELF, WHAT THOSE CHANGES LOOK LIKE.

SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF REMIND YOU WHAT THIS WAS ABOUT.

TXDOT DID GO OUT AND DO A SPEED STUDY IN THIS AREA AND THAT SPEED STUDY REVEALED THAT THE AVERAGE SPEEDS OUT THERE WERE LESS THAN WHAT THE POSTED SPEEDS WERE THROUGH THAT TRAFFIC STUDY, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THEM TO LOWER THAT SPEED LIMIT.

I DID GO OUT THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES MYSELF PAST THE MEETING THAT WE HAD THE LAST TIME JUST TO DRIVE IT FOR MYSELF.

THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY, AND IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE SPEECH THAT THE TRAFFIC WAS FLOWING IN WAS ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE WHAT THE RECOMMENDED SPEEDS ARE.

SO I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT ON TARGET WITH THIS.

BUT WE WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE THIS.

THANK YOU, DONNY.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR DONNY, COUNCIL? DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 79 ZERO SEVEN, CHANGING THE AMARILLO MUNICIPAL CODE, CHAPTER 16, DASH THREE, SECTION 16, DASH THREE, DASH ONE THOUSAND TWO, SCHEDULE B, MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT FOR SONCY/HOLLYWOOD LOOP 335 FROM THE CURRENT, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE, SPEED LIMIT TO 40 MILES AN HOUR ON SONCY FROM THE CITY LIMITS NORTH OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD TO SOUTH OF FORTY FIFTH AVENUE, WHERE IT CURRENTLY CHANGES FROM FIFTY MILES PER HOUR TO 60 MILES PER HOUR.

NUMBER TWO, THE SPEED LIMIT TO 50 MILES PER HOUR ON SONCY AND HOLLYWOOD ROAD FROM SOUTH OF FORTY FIFTH AVENUE, WHERE IT CURRENTLY CHANGES FROM 50 MILES PER HOUR TO 60 MILES PER HOUR, ALL THE WAY TO WHERE COULTER INTERSECTS HOLLYWOOD ROAD.

SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7907.

ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

ITEM 3G IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 7908, MR. CITY MANAGER.

[3.G. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7908: ]

HI, MAYOR, THANK YOU.

WE'VE GOT CHIEF MARTIN BIRKENFELD HERE TO PRESENT THE ITEM, THIS IS DEALING WITH REALLOCATING PERSONNEL OR ASSIGNING PERSONNEL INSIDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THIS IN NO WAY WILL REDUCE OUR ABILITY TO POLICE ON THE STREETS AND WILL, IN FACT, MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES THAT DON'T REQUIRE A SWORN POLICE OFFICER.

CHIEF, WALK US THROUGH IT.

BASICALLY, THE TIMING OF THIS IS GENERATED BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING A RETIREMENT OF A SERGEANT WHO IS IN AN INSIDE POSITION, THAT'S A LEGACY POSITION THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO CONVERT FOR SOME TIME NOW TO A CIVILIAN MANAGER OVER PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE.

SO THE TIMING WORKS OUT REALLY GOOD TO ATTRIT THAT POSITION IN ORDER TO STAY WITHIN OUR ALLOTTED BUDGETED POSITIONS AND OUR ALLOTTED BUDGET.

WE'RE GOING TO TRANSFER THAT TO A CIVILIAN POSITION.

IT ALSO LINES UP WITH OUR STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SERGEANTS IN THE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT REDUCING OUR OVERALL STRENGTH.

SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE'RE REDUCING TWO SERGEANTS.

WE'RE CREATING CORPORALS POSITIONS THERE TO STILL GIVE OUR OFFICERS A CHANCE TO GROW AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR CAREERS.

BUT WE'VE HAD TWO DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAD TOO MANY SERGEANTS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

WE WANT SERGEANTS TO BE SUPERVISORS AND NOT NECESSARILY LINE WORKERS.

AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO.

BUT WE'LL DO THAT A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME.

AND THE TIMING WORKS OUT ON THIS TO DO THAT REALLY WELL.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF, COUNCIL? OK, THANK YOU, CHIEF.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE MOTION ON ITEM 3H? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 79 ZERO EIGHT TO CONVERT ONE SERGEANT POSITION AND ONE OFFICER POSITION TO CORPORAL POSITIONS IN AND TO REDUCE

[03:10:02]

THE NUMBER OF SWORN POSITIONS THAT THE CITY OF AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT BY ONE.

SECOND BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 79 ZERO EIGHT.

ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

ITEM 3H IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 7909,

[3.H. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7909: ]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

YES, MA'AM, 3H, WE HAVE ANDREW FREEMAN HERE TO TALK ABOUT A VACATION OF SOME PROPERTY, ANDREW.

SO THIS IS FOR THE VACATION OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TEN SQUARE FEET PORTION OF A PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT IN THE CORRECTED SOUTHGATE SUBDIVISION.

THE VICINITY FOR THIS VACATION IS BELL STREET AND ARDEN ROAD.

THE PURPOSE IS FOR REDEVELOPING THIS TRACT FOR A NEW COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.

THEY'RE PROPOSING A TRUCK AND OTHER CONVENIENT STORE.

AND ONE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THEY PLAN TO HAVE ON SITE IS A TRUCK SCALE AND THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS WITHIN A PORTION OF THAT UTILITY EASEMENT STRUCTURES ARE NOT ALLOWED.

SO THE VACATION HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL UTILITY COMPANIES WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

TYPICALLY, YOU REVIEW THESE VACATION REQUESTS AND THE APPLICANT'S REQUIRED TO PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE OR IN LIEU THAT DEDICATE SIMILAR VALUE IN LIEU OF PAYING.

IN INSTANCE, THE APPLICANT HAS DEDICATED ONE POINT TWO SIX ACRES OF RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH IS THE SOUTHERN ROAD HERE ON YOUR SCREEN, WHICH EXCEEDS THE FAIR MARKET VALUE BECAUSE THAT IS VALUED AT FORTY FIVE THOUSAND VERSUS THE UTILITY EASEMENT TWELVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FIFTY ONE DOLLARS.

AND THEN THE APPLICANT'S ALSO BRINGING THE RIGHT OF WAY UP TO CITY STANDARDS AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND.

SO CONSIDERING THAT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE PAYMENT WAS REQUIRED FOR THIS.

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

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE COUNCIL, QUESTIONS? NOT HEARING ANY QUESTIONS.

AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST ITEM THREE H, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 7909, MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME.

AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO THE CALL HOST.

STEPHANIE.

IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE, OR USE THE RAISED HAND BUTTON AT THIS TIME.

MAYOR, I DO NOT SEE ANYBODY ON THE LINE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.

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

MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 7909, VACATING A FIFTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TEN SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF A PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT LYING IN THE VICINITY OF BELL STREET AND ARDEN ROAD.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7909.

ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? OK, LET'S VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE IT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

ITEM 3I IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT, NINETY SEVEN, MR.

[3.I. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7897: ]

CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR, NUMBER SEVEN EIGHT NINE SEVEN.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS ON SECOND READING.

IT WAS NOT UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED; IT WAS APPROVED FOUR ONE AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING AND IT WOULD AMEND SECTION TWO POINT SIX POINT THREE OR TWO DASH SIX, DASH THREE OF THE AMARILLO MUNICIPAL CODE TO EXPRESS A PREFERENCE FOR REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

BUT NOT TO REQUIRE THAT AND TO ALLOW COUNCIL THE FLEXIBILITY TO APPOINT SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO SERVE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION.

IF THEY FEEL AND IF THEY FIND THAT THE PERSON BEING APPOINTED HAS UNIQUE SKILLS OR ABILITIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

AS I SAID, IT WAS PRESENTED IN SOME DETAIL BY CITY ATTORNEY BRYAN MCWILLIAMS AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING AND WAS APPROVED FOR ONE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE ME OR BRYAN TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT THAT PRETTY MUCH IS THE GIST OF THE ORDINANCE.

COUNCIL, QUESTIONS?

[03:15:03]

YES, MAYOR, I HAD A CITIZEN THAT ASKED ME IN REGARDS TO THIS ITEM, IF SOMEONE SAY IF THEY LIVE IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA AND THEY WANT TO BE ON ONE OF OUR BOARDS, IS THAT IS THAT GOING TO BE CONSIDERED OR ALLOWED IF THEY ARE OUT OF STATE? MAYOR? SURE, JARED.

THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED IF THE COUNCIL FELT THAT THEY PROVIDED UNIQUE BENEFIT OR EXPERTISE IN WHATEVER BORDER CONDITION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF APPOINTING THAT PERSON WHERE THEY LIVED IN ALABAMA OR ANY OTHER STATE.

IT'S ANYTHING OUTSIDE OUR CURRENT CITY LIMITS, SO THAT'S JUST BASICALLY ANYWHERE IT COULD I MEAN, I GUESS TECHNICALLY BEING A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, I KNOW THAT'S THE EXTREME, BUT IT'S JUST SWITCHING FROM WHERE IT IS REQUIRED OF JUST WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS TO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

FOR CERTAIN AND THE WAY THAT TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING AND OUR USE OF TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING, ACCELERATED BY CORONAVIRUS AND OUR USE OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS, I MEAN, THAT ALL WEIGHS IN.

BUT YES, ANYWHERE OUTSIDE THE CITY OF AMARILLO REGISTERED VOTERS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

OTHER QUESTIONS.

OK, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT, NINETY SEVEN.

I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, LET ME BACK UP.

I'M MOVE TO APPROVE.

[INAUDIBLE] OH, IT IS, YEAH.

OH, OK, IT IS THE RIGHT ONE.

ALL RIGHT.

I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT NINETY SEVEN TO AMEND SECTION TWO, DASH SIX, DASH THREE OF THE AMARILLO MUNICIPAL CODE TO ALLOW FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY TO BE APPOINTED TO VARIOUS CITY BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS IF THEY POSSESS SPECIAL EXPERTISE OR KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION OPERATION AND OR CHARGE.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT NINETY SEVEN.

DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MOTION.

MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION REALLY JUST AS FREE TO READ THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY.

SO EVEN INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY REGISTERED VOTERS.

BUT I THINK WE HAD HAD THAT CONVERSATION, THAT DISCUSSION.

BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THE LEGALITY OF THAT.

IF SOMEONE COULD ADDRESS THAT, [INAUDIBLE] CONVERSATIONS WERE THAT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, THEY NEEDED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER, OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS THAT'S A [INAUDIBLE].

ELAINE, YOU SWITCHED TO MUTE RIGHT THERE AT THE END, CAN YOU OR MAYBE IT'S MY COMPUTER, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR, LIKE, YOUR LAST THREE WORDS.

MAYOR, IF I CAN JUMP IN.

I THINK WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS IS ASKING IS IF SOMEONE IS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO, ARE THEY REQUIRED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER? WE HAVE A PREFERENCE, WE HAVE EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE INSIDE THE AUDIENCE TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER, BUT ARE THEY REQUIRED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER IF THEY ARE WITH.

IT DOES SAY REGISTERED VOTERS.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE ASKING? WELL, I'M ASKING IF IT'S PREFERRED THEY BE A REGISTERED VOTER INSIDE THE CITY OR IF IT'S REQUIRED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER FOR THOSE WHO ARE INSIDE THE CITY, WHICH IS, I THOUGHT, WHERE WE LANDED ON THE LAST ORDINANCE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE COMING FROM WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED VOTERS.

I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT HOW IT'S WRITTEN IS AT LEAST MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IT WAS BEING WRITTEN AND MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT'S NOT HOW YOU HEARD IT.

I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THIS IN MY MOTION, BUT IT SAID BOARD OR COMMISSION APPLICANTS WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED VOTERS AND APPLICANTS WHO ARE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY WOULD STILL BE PREFERRED PER THIS DRAFT OF THE ORDINANCE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS OR NOT, BUT I SHOULD HAVE READ THAT.

I SHOULD HAVE READ THAT LAST SENTENCE.

SO I APOLOGIZE.

I SHOULD'VE READ THAT TOO, FREDA.

I WAS JUST LISTENING TO YOU, SO I JUST HEARD IT WHEN IT JUMPED OUT I WAS LIKE, WHOA,

[03:20:03]

WAIT A MINUTE.

SO, BRYAN, IF A PERSON IS APPOINTED TO A BOARD OF COMMISSION WHO LIVES INSIDE THE CITY, ARE THEY REQUIRED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER? IF NOT BY THIS CURRENT WRITING, CAN WE AMEND THAT? AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS OR COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL'S MOUTH, CAN WE AMEND AT THIS APPROVAL TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY WHO IS APPOINTED TO A BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHO LIVES INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO IS ALSO A REGISTERED VOTER? YES, YOU COULD DO THAT IF YOU WANT TO.

BUT DOES THIS CURRENT VERSION REQUIRE THAT? THIS CURRENT VERSION REQUIRES YOU TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER.

IF YOU LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, CHANCES ARE YOU'RE REGISTERED VOTER TO THE CITY AND YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR THAT.

BUT ALL THIS REQUIRES IS THAT YOU'RE A REGISTERED VOTER, THAT'S IT.

SO IT DOES REQUIRE THAT IF YOU'RE APPOINTED TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO, BY THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND YOU LIVE INSIDE THE CITY OF AMARILLO, YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED VOTER.

CORRECT? JUST AS A REGISTERED VOTER, BUT WE COULD WE COULD CHANGE IT TO MAKE SURE OF THAT.

IT REALLY JUST GIVES FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE A NON REGISTERED VOTER IF YOU DON'T LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY OF AMARILLO, CORRECT? CORRECT.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS? I HOPE I WASN'T BOILING IT DOWN TOO MUCH.

I WAS TRYING TO BOIL IT DOWN FOR BRYAN, NOT THAT HE NEEDED THAT.

OK.

SO I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE THAT LASTS, WHAT THE PERSON WHO TALKED TO MS. POWELL SAID, THAT BOTHERS ME A LOT, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO EVEN LIVE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

WHAT HAPPENS IF, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IS SO THE POSSIBILITY IS THEY COULD BE FROM ALABAMA AND THEY COULD BE PUT ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION, IF THE COUNCIL SO CHOSE ? CORRECT? SO WHAT IF, THIS IS JUST A CRAZY HYPOTHETICAL, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE GUY'S NAME, SOME FAMOUS BIKER FIRST NAME, LANCE ARMSTRONG? ARMSTRONG, YES.

WHAT IF HE WANTS TO BE ON OUR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY COMMITTEE.

AND WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE HIS EXPERTISE, HIS INFLUENCE ON OUR COMMITTEE.

BUT HE LIVES IN ALABAMA.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, THERE'S A HIGHER WEIGHTING THAT IS CITIZEN LED COMMITTEES, AS OPPOSED TO A PARTICULAR EXPERTISE THAT I YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT SO MUCH CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP.

AND SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT WOULD PROBABLY IT WOULD BE OVERRIDDEN BY SOMEONE HERE LOCALLY THAT MAYBE NOT HAVE AS SPECIFIC A HIGH SKILL, BUT THEY WERE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THINKING.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

WELL, ACTUALLY, LET'S CONSIDER LANCE ARMSTRONG, HIS EXPERTISE COULD BE USED WITHOUT HIM BEING A MEMBER ON THE COMMITTEE, IF SOMEONE HAD A CONNECTION WITH HIM, BECAUSE IF SOMEONE HAD A CONNECTION WITH HIM ENOUGH TO PUT IT ON THE COMMITTEE, THEY WOULD HAVE A CONNECTION WITH HIM, ENOUGH TO GET [INAUDIBLE] TO INFLUENCE THE COMMITTEE WITHOUT BEING ON COMMITTEE.

THERE'S NOTHING AGAINST NONVOTING PARTICIPATION AND MOST OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, EDDIE, IF SOMEONE HAD EXPERTISE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WITHOUT BEING A VOTING MEMBER.

YES, MA'AM WELL, I THINK FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE OF LANCE, I THINK HE LIVES IN COLORADO.

SO, COULD SOMEONE FROM COLORADO BE ON THE BICYCLE SAFETY COMMITTEE WHO LIVES IN ASPEN? THE WONDERS OF GOOGLE.

I THINK FOR ME, I WANT THE FLEXIBILITY FOR A COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO APPOINT SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN CANYON OR TANGLEWOOD OR BUSCHMAN.

I DON'T REALLY ENVISION THAT I WOULD EVER FEEL COMFORTABLE APPOINTING SOMEBODY WHO LIVED IN ALABAMA.

YEAH, BUT I DO FEEL LIKE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN BUSCHMAN ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

[03:25:01]

AND AGAIN, FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD BE DEFINITELY THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE.

THAT'S MY THINKING.

JUST SHARING IT.

OK, SO I CAN AGREE.

I DO AGREE WITH THAT, ACTUALLY, MAYOR.

SO CAN WE LIMIT IT TO THE POTTER RANDALL COUNTY AREA? CAN WE, BRYAN? ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK I WOULD FEEL WAY MORE COMFORTABLE IF, FOR ME PERSONALLY, IF IT WAS LIMITED TO POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY.

OTHER THOUGHTS, COUNCIL ? DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON IT AS IT IS? WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, THERE COULD BE THEN A POSSIBLE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.

OK, THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME WHERE WE WERE.

OK, I'M GOING TO THROW OUT THE AMENDMENT.

I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE AMEND THE MOTION TO REFLECT CITIZENS IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY ONLY.

I'LL SECOND THAT AMENDMENT.

OK, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO AMEND THE MOTION TO REFLECT CITIZENS IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY ONLY.

ANY THOUGHTS DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AMENDMENT? THE MOTION TO AMEND? NO, OTHER THAN THAT WOULD GAIN MY SUPPORT ON THE OVERALL ORDINANCE.

SO I THINK WE NEED A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT, CORRECT? Y'ALL HELP ME PROCEDURALLY.

OK YES, MA'AM, WE DO.

OK, GREAT.

ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT LIMITING IT TO POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE MOTION WITH THE AMENDMENT AS PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, SO MAYOR, IF I MAY, THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO BE VOTED ON AS IS THAT WOULD DIE FOR LACK OF A SECOND.

OK, IT WAS NEVER SECONDED.

IS THAT CORRECT? I THOUGHT IT WAS SECONDED.

IT WAS SECONDED.

SO WE JUST NEED TO VOTE ON IT AS IS.

WE NEED TO VOTE ON IT, AS IS WITHOUT THE AMENDMENT? YEAH, WHICH MEANS IT WOULD NOT PASS AT THIS POINT THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL MADE DID NOT GET A SECOND.

SO IT DOES NOT WORK.

IT DOES NOT GET TO HAVE A VOTE.

THAT DID NOT HAVE A SECOND.

SO WE REALLY--.

COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, DID YOU SECOND IT? I DID.

OK.

I THOUGHT WE DID AS WELL.

MY NEXT MOVE WAS GOING TO BE TO CHECK WITH THE CITY SECRETARY.

OK, SO I THINK WE HAD A MOTION AND IT WAS SECONDED.

IT'S NOW BEEN AMENDED, SO WE GO BACK TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION AS AMENDED.

CORRECT.

OK, SO WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON THE AMENDED MOTION.

WE JUST NEED TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

OK.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO PASS AT THIS POINT.

THE MOTION WAS AMENDED WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

SO NOW YOU'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDED MOTION? CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.

BUT NOW YOU'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDED MOTION, WHICH LIMITS THE ABILITY OF THE COUNCIL TO APPOINT SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A REGISTERED VOTER OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO A UNINCORPORATED OR INCORPORATED AREA THAT IS NOT THE CITY OF AMARILLO INSIDE POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.

[03:30:01]

BUT YOU CANNOT APPOINT SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN, SAY, ALABAMA OR COLORADO OR ANYWHERE ELSE THAT'S OUTSIDE POTTER-RANDALL COUNTIES TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO THAT MEANS LANCE ARMSTRONG IS RIGHT OUT DID I CAPTURE THAT CORRECTLY, FRANCES, IF I'M STEPPING INTO THE CITY SECRETARY'S ROLE.

YOU'RE CORRECT, SIR.

THERE WAS A SECOND ON THE FIRST MOTION.

AND THAT FIRST MOTION HAS BEEN AMENDED THROUGH A 5-0 VOTE.

NOW YOU NEED A VOTE TO APPROVE THE AMENDED MOTION.

SORRY FOR HOW BUREAUCRATIC THAT IS.

YEAH, NO, I THINK WE'RE ALL THERE NOW.

WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON IS THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT HAS BEEN AMENDED FOR POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY RESTRICTION ONLY.

OK, WITH THAT SAID, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

SO, BRYAN, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING THAT WILL BE ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAVE TO VOTE AGAIN SINCE WE CHANGED THE LANGUAGE.

IS THAT CORRECT? NO, YOU'RE DONE.

IT'S DONE.

YOU MADE A CHANGE TO IT, AND IT COUNTS AS THE SECOND VOTE.

[INAUDIBLE] ON SECOND READING AND HAVE IT BE DONE AT SECOND READING.

OK, GOOD.

SO THAT EXPLAINS COUNCIL HOW THAT WILL NOW BE RESTRICTED TO THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S GREAT.

WE JUST HAD A LITTLE CIVICS LESSON ON--.

ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDERS.

I GOT A C MINUS, BUT ANYWAY, NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, AND.

AS A TEAM WE [INAUDIBLE] TO GET THERE.

I'S A SLOW PROCESS, BUT WE'LL GET THERE.

OK, ITEM THREE J IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION CALLING THE MUNICIPAL

[3.J. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - CALLING MUNICIPAL ELECTION: ]

ELECTION FOR MAY 1ST, MR. CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR, I'M JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.

IF COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WE'VE GOT FRANCIS HIBBS, CITY SECRETARY ONLINE TO ANSWER ANY ANY REALLY DETAILED OR [INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS.

BUT THIS IS JUST CALLING FOR THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLACES ONE THROUGH FOUR.

WE ALREADY HAVE CANDIDATES SIGNED UP FOR ALL FIVE POSITIONS.

SO WE DO NEED TO CALL THIS ELECTION.

FRANCES, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? NO, MA'AM, WE HAVE TILL FEBRUARY THE 10TH TO GET THIS CALLED, SO IT'S BEST TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT DONE EARLY.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE FOR ANYTHING.

ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE MAY BALLOT HAS TO BE CALLED BY THAT DATE, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.

OK, COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR FRANCES ABOUT THIS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM 3J? YES, MA'AM.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO CALL THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON MAY 1ST, 2021.

THE ELECTION WILL BE FOR THE OFFICES OF MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS PLACE ONE, TWO, THREE AND FOUR.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO CALL A MUNICIPAL ELECTION ON MAY 1ST OR THE OFFICES OF MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE, ONE PLACE TO PLACE THREE IN PLACE FOR ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION.

OR WE MIGHT JUST ANNOUNCE THAT REGISTRATION HAS OPENED AND IF THE CITY SECRETARY COULD JUST REMIND CITIZENS WHEN THAT CLOSES.

YES, MA'AM, IT CLOSES ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH, AT 5:30 OR 5:00.

I'M SORRY.

AS FAR AS THE FILING PERIOD, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES, MA'AM.

OK, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE ITEM THREE K IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION

[3.K. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INSTALL SIGNALS WITH ELIGIBLE FEDERAL OR SPECIAL PROGRAM FUNDS: ]

APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INSTALL SIGNS WITH ELIGIBLE FEDERAL SPECIAL PROGRAM FUNDS.

MR. CITY MANAGER? MAYOR, THIS IS THE HYBRID BEACON SIGNALS OR THE HOT CROSSINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT DURING THAT [INAUDIBLE] ALLDUED TO DURING THE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE SAFETY COMMITTEE UPDATE.

WE HAVE DONNY HOOPER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, TO PRESENT THE ITEM, DONNY? THANK YOU, AND I PROMISE THIS ONE WILL BE A LOT EASIER THAN THE LAST COUPLE OF ITEMS. THIS WILL BE PRETTY--IT'S A POSITIVE STORY.

WE DID TALK A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT THE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY COMMITTEE.

THIS ACTUALLY, THIS ITEM STARTED WITH THAT GROUP AS THEY WANTED TO SEEK OUT THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IF THERE WERE ANY WAY THAT

[03:35:08]

WE COULD GET SOME SAFETY MEASURES TAKEN CARE OF ON AMARILLO BOULEVARD, THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY TXDOT THAT REVEALED THAT THERE WAS A HIGH PED-BIKE ACCIDENT LOCATION BETWEEN LINCOLN TO GRAND STREET ON AMARILLO BOULEVARD, PRETTY LONG SECTION THERE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS THA PEOPLE WERE CROSSING AND THERE WERE SOME ACCIDENTS THERE.

THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT.

THE CONSULTANT DID AGREE WITH THEM THAT THERE WERE ISSUES THERE.

THEY RAN SOME TRAFFIC STUDIES.

THE WARRANTS CAME BACK AND SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO LOCATIONS WHERE HAWKS COULD BE LOCATED THERE.

SO TXDOT I SAW SOME FUNDS FROM THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE READY TO BEGIN PHASE ONE OF A THREE PART PROJECT, THIS BEING THE HAWKS.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER PROJECTS, INCLUDING SIGNAL UPGRADES AT GRAND, MIRROR AND MARTIN ROAD AND UPGRADES TO SIDEWALKS AND RAMPS FROM LINCOLN TO GRAND.

SO IT'S A MORE INCLUSIVE PROJECT.

BUT THIS IS THE FIRST PART OF THAT I CAN SHOW YOU ON A MAP HERE WHERE THAT LOCATION IS.

IF YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE TWO ORANGE DOTS THAT ARE THERE, RIGHT BETWEEN GARFIELD AND [INAUDIBLE], BECAUSE THIS IS A BUCHANAN HERE, GRAND STREET OVER TO THE EAST, THAT LONG SECTION HERE, THAT'S WHERE THE TWO HAWKS WOULD BE.

THERE'S A LOT OF CROSSING ACTIVITY IN THOSE AREAS.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE THEY DECIDED THEY WOULD BE.

TXDOT GOING TO DESIGN AND BUILD THAT.

THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ACTUALLY FOR US TO APPROVE THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH TXDOT.

ANY TIME THEY PUT IN ANY TYPE OF SIGNAL IN THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE WOULD TAKE THE MAINTENANCE FOR THAT ITEM ONCE IT WAS INSTALLED AND OPERABLE.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING.

I KNOW THAT BEING A PART OF THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY COMMITTEE AS A LIAISON AND TO HEAR THE DISCUSSIONS THAT GO ON REGARDING ITEMS SUCH AS THIS, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ITEM TO THEM AND TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO AND WITH SOME LEGITIMATE SAFETY CONCERNS OUT THERE.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO TRY TO ANSWER.

QUESTIONS, COUNCIL.

SO AFTER WATCHING THE HAWK SYSTEM WORK OVER ON GEORGIA STREET, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS, AND ESPECIALLY YOU, HOWARD, THAT YOU ALL IN THE BIKE COMMITTEE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FATALITY THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ON AMARILLO BOULEVARD.

AND IT WORKS SO GREAT ON GEORGIA.

I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY HOW WELL IT WORKS AND HOW PEOPLE REALLY FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE WHENEVER THAT THING COMES ON.

AND WITH AMARILLO BOULEVARD BEING AS BUSY AS IT IS AND THEN LOOKING AT THAT MAP AND SAYING, WOW, YOU'VE GOT [INAUDIBLE] ON ONE SIDE, YOU'VE GOT PALADAR ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU'VE GOT MARTIN ROAD PARK OVER THERE.

I THINK IT'S CRUCIAL, ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING TO AND FROM.

SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.

THANK YOU.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? YES, WE DO, MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE HYBRID BEACON SIGNALS TO BE LOCATED IN THE 1000 BLOCK OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD EAST IN THE FIFTEEN HUNDRED BLOCK OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD EAST.

INSTALLED WITH THE ELIGIBLE FEDERAL AND SPECIAL PROGRAM FUNDS ON THE BUSINESS, INTERSTATE 40, DISTRICT FOR AMARILLO BOULEVARD.

SECOND.

MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ITEM THREE K.

FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION COUNCIL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

ITEM THREE L IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO SUBMIT THE TWENTY

[3.L. CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO SUBMIT THE 2020/21 GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM (PROJECT 4088001): ]

TWENTY ONE GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR, THIS IS A BIG WIN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

IT PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MORE EFFECTIVELY INVESTIGATE SHOOTING INCIDENTS.

NOT NECESSARILY A KINETIC SHOOTING RESPONSE TEAM.

IT IS AN ANALYTICS [INAUDIBLE] THAT PREPARES FOR PROSECUTION, SHOOTING INCIDENTS INSIDE CITY OF AMARILLO SO THAT WE CAN BETTER PROSECUTE PEOPLE WHO COMMIT SHOOTINGS IN AMARILLO .

WE'VE GOT DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, KEVIN STARBUCK, SUPPORTED BY POLICE CHIEF MARTIN BIRKENFELD.

I DON'T KNOW WHO I'M HANDING IT TO, KEVIN, IS THAT YOU'RE OUR CHIEF BIRKENFELD? EITHER WAY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS SIMPLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENT OF THIS FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER FOR THE APPLICATION TO BE FINALIZED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

[03:40:01]

THEY'VE ALREADY ACCEPTED THIS PROJECT PENDING THIS RESOLUTION.

SO WE WIN THE MONEY IF WE JUST DO THIS RESOLUTION AND WHAT IT DOES IS PROVIDE THE EQUIPMENT TRAINING NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO INVESTIGATE SHOOTINGS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER PROSECUTE AND INVESTIGATE SHOOTING INCIDENTS IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

CHIEF BIRKENFELD, IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, SIR.