READY ON THIS END? OK, WELL, HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE CITY
[00:00:05]
COUNCIL THIS WEEK. I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE.AND BELIEVE ME, IT IS REALLY A PLEASURE TO ALL BE TOGETHER IN PERSON.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR THE MEETING THIS WEEK.
HERE TO START US OFF TODAY FOR OUR INVOCATION IS DANIEL SPITLER.
[INVOCATION]
DANIEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I'D LIKE TO, ON BEHALF OF LIFE CHALLENGE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER THIS PAST YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR AND WE JUST THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP AND MAKING DECISIONS.
THE SOVEREIGN KING OF THE UNIVERSE.
I AGAIN WILL LIFT UP OUR LEADERS TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE.
LORD GOD I LIFT UP OUR CITY TO YOU, LORD GOD I LIFT UP OUR CITY WORKERS TO YOU, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
LORD GOD, WE LAY OUR VISIONS, CONTINUE TO GIVE OUR LEADERS VISION, LORD GOD, AND GIVE THEM THE WISDOM TO CARRY THAT VISION OUT.
WE LIFT UP OUR CURRENT PROJECT TO YOU OUR THOMPSON POOL PARK PROJECT, LORD GOD THAT YOU WOULD BRING THAT TO COMPLETION, LORD GOD, AND IT WOULD BLESS OUR COMMUNITY.
LORD, WE LIFT UP OUR FUTURE PRODUCT PROJECTS, OUR AMARILLO CIVIC CENTER, OUR BROADBAND INTERNET. LORD, I ASK THAT YOU HELP US MAKE RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
LORD GOD HELP US PRACTICE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP.
LORD GOD, LET US BE A LIGHT TO TEXAS.
LORD GOD, EXPAND US TO THE EAST AND THE WEST AND THE NORTH AND SOUTH.
LORD GOD HELP US TO HAVE EMPATHY FOR ONE ANOTHER GOING FORWARD.
LORD GOD, WE LAY OUR PLANS AGAIN AT YOUR FEET.
WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS OUR BUSINESS, BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER.
LET EVERYTHING WE THINK, SAY AND DO BE OF YOU AND TO YOUR GLORY IN JESUS NAME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WILL YOU JOIN US ALL IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE .
THANK YOU, YOU MAY BE SEATED. COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN AND DO A PROCLAMATION, SO IF
[PROCLAMATION]
WE BEFORE YOU SIT, MISSED SOME OF YOU, LET'S GO DOWN AND DO THAT, PLEASE.MIC] WE'RE LAUGHING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN 14 MONTHS OR HOWEVER LONG SINCE WE'VE DONE THIS IN PERSON AND OUR CITY SECRETARY HAS ANOTHER JOB THAT SHE'S DOING TODAY OVER AT THE CIVIC CENTER.
SO ANYWAY, WE NOW HAVE THE PROCLAMATION.
AND IF YOU'RE HERE TODAY WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, ANYBODY HERE? I KNOW I SAW DONNY EARLIER.
Y'ALL COME ON, GUYS. NO, SEE, THERE'S A LOT OF YOU.
[LAUGHTER] NOBODY WANTED TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO STAND UP.
WE'RE ALL SHY ABOUT BEING TOGETHER NOW, AREN'T WE? WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
AND WHEREAS THESE INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES AND SERVICES COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE
[00:05:02]
DEDICATED EFFORTS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ENGINEERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING, IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, WATER TREATMENT AND SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITIZENS. AND WHEREAS IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS, THE CIVIC LEADERS AND THE CHILDREN IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND TO MAINTAIN AN ONGOING INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS IN OUR COMMUNITY.WHEREAS THE YEAR 2021 MARKS THE SIXTY FIRST ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND THE CANADIAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, SO BE IT. NOW THAT WE, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 16TH THROUGH 22ND 2021.
AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, WE URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND THE CANADIAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN ACTIVITIES, EVENTS AND CEREMONIES DESIGNED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO PROTECT OUR NATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEAL OF OFFICE THIS DAY.
GINGER NELSON, ELAINE HAYS, FREDA POWELL, EDDY SAUER AND HOWARD SMITH, WOULD Y'ALL GIVE US A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO CELEBRATE THEM.
[APPLAUSE] DONNY, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS? THANK YOU SO MUCH, I WANT TO JUST GO BACK TO FEBRUARY 12TH OF THIS YEAR, THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12TH, WHEN EVERYONE WAS AT HOME, IT WAS COLD.
IT WAS MINUS 11 DEGREES, WIND CHILLS MINUS 25 DEGREES.
AND EVERYONE WAS WORRIED ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
EVERYBODY HAD A LOT OF THINGS ON THEIR MIND.
I CERTAINLY DID. AND I CERTAINLY HAD ALL OF THEM ON MY MIND.
OUR STREET DEPARTMENT WAS OUT, OUR DRAINS UTILITY DEPARTMENT WAS OUT, OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT PICKED UP THE TRASH AND THEY DIDN'T STOP.
EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD IN OUR OPERATIONS WAS MOVING AND GOING DURING THAT ENTIRE WEEK, BEING AT THE LANDFILL WITH 25 MILE AN HOUR WINDS AND WIND CHILLS OF NEGATIVE 25 WAS NOT FUN. BUT THOSE ARE THE TIMES THAT THESE CREWS STEP UP AND THEY DO JUST AN AMAZING JOB AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
SO SOMETHING I'M CERTAINLY PROUD OF.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY ARE THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF OUR GROUP AND ALSO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT REPRESENT THE FOUR HUNDRED AND THREE EMPLOYEES TOTAL IN PUBLIC WORKS. AND WE'RE JUST AWFUL PROUD OF THE WORK THEY DO.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY.
[APPLAUSE] OK, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PUBLIC ADDRESS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND STEPHANIE, DO WE HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS TODAY?
[00:10:05]
THEN WE WILL MOVE ON THEN AND Y'ALL BEAR WITH US.NOT ONLY IS THAT OUR FIRST DAY BACK, BUT WE HAVE AN AGENDA THAT IS GOING TO BOUNCE AROUND A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL MEETING SINCE WE'RE DOING SWEARING IN AND SAYING GOODBYE TO A COUNCIL MEMBER AND SAYING HELLO TO A NEW NEWCOMER ON OUR COUNCIL.
SO BEAR WITH US AS WE MOVE OVER TO AGENDA ITEM 3A, WHICH IS WHERE WE TYPICALLY WOULD SAY
[3.A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments;]
TO COUNCIL AT THE TOP OF OUR MEETING.IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR PACKET YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT OR THAT WE WANT TO START OFF ADDRESSING ANYTHING IN ON THE AGENDA? NO. OK, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THEN TO AGENDA ITEM THREE B.
YEAH. OK, WHICH IS THE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, SO MR. CITY MANAGER, ARE WE CAN START WITH CASIE STOUGHTON ON THAT? YES, MA'AM. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH WE'RE GONNA START WITH CASIE STOUGHTON, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE'VE GOT SOMEONE GOING TO GET HER RIGHT NOW.
OK, WELL THEN LET'S WE'LL PAUSE ON THAT.
[3.D. Update on Buy the Way, Keep it Local]
AND LET'S GO ON DOWN TO ITEM THREE D, COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS.WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE US YOUR UPDATE ON, BUY THE WAY, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
COUNCIL I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY THAT IT WAS AUGUST 2017 WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP, THAT THE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS BECAME A VERY HIGH PRIORITY AND AN ITEM OF INTEREST AS WERE PREPARING THAT FIRST BUDGET AND REALIZING WE HAD SEEN THAT SALES TAX COLLECTIONS FOR THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS HAD BEEN FLAT.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAD A YEAR WHERE WE HAD A DECLINE.
AND IT WAS VERY CONCERNING FOR AMARILLO BECAUSE WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE RELY MORE HEAVILY ON SALES TAX COLLECTIONS THAN PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS, WHICH IS TYPICALLY THE LARGER PERCENTAGE OF A GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
SO IN COOPERATION WITH AGENCIES AND WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE BEGAN A PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS JUST OF HOW CRUCIAL THOSE SALES TAX REVENUES WERE TO THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES, AS WELL AS KEEPING OUR BUSINESSES IN BUSINESS.
ONE OF THERE WERE TWO STRATEGIES REALLY INVOLVED WITH THAT, AND I THINK PART OF WHAT MADE THAT PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL WERE TWO THINGS THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED IT WITH INCREMENTAL CHANGES. INSTEAD OF ASKING OUR COMMUNITY OR SHAMING THEM FOR SHOPPING ONLINE OR SHOPPING OTHER LOCATIONS OF JUST POINTING OUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EVEN INCREMENTAL BUYING CHANGES, HOW THAT IMPACTED OUR LOCAL SALES TAX.
FIFTY DOLLARS PER HOUSEHOLD, HUNDRED DOLLARS PER HOUSEHOLD, A THOUSAND PER HOUSEHOLD, THE NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, THE ADDITIONAL MILES OF STREETS WE COULD PAVE.
AND WE BEGAN TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
IF THEY WERE GOING TO BE SHOPPING ANY WAY, THEY WERE GOING TO BE PAYING SALES TAX.
IF THEY WOULD DO THAT ACTIVITY HERE, IT WAS A WIN WIN FOR THEM INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE LOOKING NOW IT'S AT A LEVEL TWO GOING TO A HIGHER STAGE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROGRAM. I THINK IT DID INCREASE.
WE HAVE SEEN STEADILY IT WAS NOT JUST FROM THIS PROGRAM, BUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS INVOLVED. BUT WE HAVE SEEN OUR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE EVEN OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
AND NOW THE CHAMBER IS LOOKING AT PARTNERING WITH TRACER CONSULTING TO TAKE THE BUY THE WAY CAMPAIGN FROM A [INAUDIBLE] TO TRUE FUNCTIONALITY.
ONE OF OUR ISSUES WHEN WE BEGAN THE PROGRAM WAS LOOKING FOR A MOBILE APP TO ONE.
WHEN WERE ASKING INDIVIDUALS TO SHOP LOCALLY, WE WOULD SAY, WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO 100 PERCENT HERE.
LOOK HERE FIRST AND THEN IF YOU CAN'T FIND IT HERE LOCALLY, WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING TO GO FIND THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WELL, THE FUNCTIONALITY AND THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY FACILITATE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR BUSINESSES CONNECTING ON WHAT IS LOCAL, WHAT IS HERE? SO THEY CAN FIND IT HERE FIRST IS WHERE WE'RE FIXING TO MOVE RIGHT NOW.
AND WITH THIS MOBILE APP, IT WILL BE IF YOU THINK OF THE AMAZON WEB HOSTING SITE, IF YOU GO SHOP THERE, THEY HAVE DONE THEY'VE COMBINED SO MANY VENDORS AND THEY MAY BE STATE, LOCAL, INTERNATIONAL VENDORS.
[00:15:03]
AND YOU SHOP ALL AT ONE SPOT.THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE DOING LOCALLY THROUGH THIS APP, IS YOU WILL HAVE ONE PLACE TO BE ABLE TO COME AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING.
WE WILL BE HELPING BUSINESSES GET THAT INFORMATION, TRY AND FIND IT HERE FIRST AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AND CONTINUE ENCOURAGING OUR INCREASE IN SALES REVENUES HERE. YOU KNOW THAT THIS PLATFORM, BESIDES JUST THE ONLINE ORDERING LOYALTY PROGRAMS, PROMOTIONS, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND SHOPPERS. THERE'LL BE A MOBILE APP DIRECTORY FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO ALL THIS UNDER THE BUY THE WAY BRANDING.
SO I AM OBVIOUSLY VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR AND HOPING FOR OVER A FOUR YEAR TIME PERIOD. AND TO SEE AND I'M NOT GOING TO STEAL ANY MORE OF THE CHAMBER'S THUNDER, I KNOW THEY WILL BE BRINGING THIS AND AN UPDATE BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY A LOT MORE OF WHERE THAT'S GOING.
BUT I JUST I JUST WANT TO THANK SO MUCH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, GARY MOLBERG, JASON HARRISON, WHO ORIGINALLY CAME ON BOARD WITH THIS AND WORKED SO HARD, ANDREW FREEMAN WITH THE CITY THAT JUST HELPED INCUBATE THIS PROGRAM AND THE INFORMATION WE NEEDED AND THE SALES TAX DATA JUST TREMENDOUS.
MARY BAGWELL, JESSIE MELSON, REAGAN HAILS, AUSTIN MAY, WILLIAM WARE SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SO INVOLVED ON THE GROUND FLUOR AND TO SEE IT WHERE IT IS FOUR YEARS LATER AND TO BE HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO SIT ON THE SHELF.
AND AGAIN, MOVING IT FROM JUST A SLOGAN AND A RECOGNITION OF THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO TRUE FUNCTIONALITY.
IT'S VERY EXCITING. NEXT LEVEL, HUH? YEAH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS ABOUT THAT? OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD REPORT. WELL DONE ON YOUR LAST ONE.
[3.B. Coronavirus Update]
IS CASIE HERE? SHE'S RIGHT.THERE SHE IS. CASIE? LET'S GO BACK TO ITEM THREE B THEN AND TALK ABOUT A CORONAVIRUS UPDATE.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST CORONAVIRUS UPDATE WE'VE EVER HAD IN PERSON.
AND NOT ON ZOOM, IT'S INTERESTING TO BE BACK IN PERSON, SO I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
SO AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND ONE TOTAL CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.
SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR CASES IN POTTER COUNTY AND SIXTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN CASES IN RANDALL COUNTY.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THIRTY TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY NINE RECOVERIES AND WE DO HAVE SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN DEATHS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT LEAVES US WITH FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE ACTIVE CASES TO DATE.
I'M SORRY. CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW.
THE SEVEN DAY ROLLING POSITIVITY RATE IS CURRENTLY AT THREE PERCENT.
THE POSITIVITY RATE OF THE DRIVE THRU TESTING SITE IS AT TWENTY SEVEN PERCENT AND THE FIVE DAY NEW CASE AVERAGE IS AT THIRTY TWO NEW CASES PER DAY.
YESTERDAY OUR GA34 HOSPITALIZATION PERCENTAGES AT TWO POINT THREE EIGHT PERCENT.
THAT MEANS THAT JUST UNDER THREE PERCENT OF ALL HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS HAVE COVID-19.
WHILE WE'RE STILL IN STATUS LEVEL YELLOW AND WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CASES.
SO PLEASE REMEMBER, PREVENTION IS KEY, MASKING, SOCIAL DISTANCING, STAYING HOME WHEN YOU'RE SICK AND VACCINATION ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH DRIVE THROUGH DOES REMAIN OPERATIONAL.
INDIVIDUALS CAN CALL 378-6300 TO BE SCREENED AND DIRECTED TO THE TEST SITE.
THE VACCINATION CLINIC IS ALSO OPERATIONAL AT THE AMARILLO CIVIC CENTER'S ENTRANCE TWO.
TODAY WE'LL BE OPEN UNTIL 7:00 P.M.
. FOR CLINIC TIMES AND OTHER GREAT INFORMATION.
CHECK OUT THE INFORMATION THERE AT AMARILLOALERTS.COM.
AGAIN, ALL ADULTS ARE ELIGIBLE.
AND SO WE HAVE ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 18 CAN BE VACCINATED.
TO DATE, WE HAVE GIVEN SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO FIRST DOSES OF THE VACCINE AND FIFTY SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE SECOND DOSES FOR A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND FIFTEEN TOTAL DOSES.
THURSDAY, THIS COMING THURSDAY FROM TEN TO FIVE, WE WILL BE AT EASTRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH, SO COME SEE US THERE AT EASTRIDGE FOR YOUR VACCINE.
AND YESTERDAY, THE FDA APPROVED THE PFIZER VACCINE FOR ADOLESCENTS 12 TO 15 YEARS OF AGE.
THERE'S ONE MORE STEP IN THAT APPROVAL PROCESS.
[00:20:02]
AND SO TOMORROW, THE CDC'S ACIP COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS VACCINE. AND SO UPON THE ACIIP'S APPROVAL, WE PLAN TO OFFER THE PFIZER VACCINE AT THE CIVIC CENTERS CLINIC TO 12 TO 17 YEAR OLDS.AND SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT AGE DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE AGE OF 12.
SO THE SAME WALK IN STYLE CLINIC WILL BE APPLICABLE THROUGH INSURANCE TWO THERE.
SO PARENTS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR CHILDREN VACCINATED WHO ARE DOWN TO AGE 12, THEN REMEMBER THAT TWO WEEKS NEEDS TO PASS FROM THEIR LAST DOSE.
OR ONCE THEY GET THE VACCINE, TWO WEEKS WILL NEED TO PASS FOR THEIR SEC UNTIL THEY RECEIVE A DIFFERENT VACCINE. AND IF ANY PARENT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT THOSE COVID VACCINES DOCUMENTED ON THEIR SHOT RECORD, THEN JUST BRING THE SHOT RECORD TO THE CLINIC AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO SO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE STILL DOING MODERNA FOR THOSE OVER 18 AND YOU NOW HAVE ACCESS TO THE PFIZER FOR 12 TO 17.
YES. AND SO WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PFIZER DOSES OF VACCINE.
SO WE'LL BE USING THE PFIZER VACCINE FOR 12 TO 17 AND MODERNA FOR 18 AND OVER.
OK, [INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS, OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS PFIZER IS A 14 DAY WAIT FROM FIRST SHOT TO SECOND SHOT.
NO, I'M SORRY. PFIZER IS SO BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND DOSES, 21 DAYS.
OK, BUT IF YOU HAVE HAD ANOTHER VACCINE LIKE A TDAP MMR OR ANOTHER KIND OF VACCINE, IT NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS FROM THAT, THOSE OTHER VACCINES.
OK. BUT YEAH, IT IS TWO 21 DAYS BETWEEN THE TWO DOSES OF THE VACCINE.
OK. IT'S A WHOLE NEW RAMIFICATION, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT KIDS THAT ARE TAKING OTHER VACCINATIONS ANYWAY, AND SO NOW THEN YOU'VE GOT TO PLAY THAT INTO THE WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN ADULTS, RIGHT.
CASIE, WILL YOU TALK ALSO ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS AND HOW CIVIC CENTERS OPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS ARE HAPPENING ON THURSDAYS? RIGHT. SO WE OUR FIRST WEEK THAT WE DID NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS, WE NOTICED THAT WE STILL HAD PEOPLE COMING TO THE CIVIC CENTER.
AND SO WERE ABLE TO SPLIT OUR TEAM UP.
AND SO WE'LL STILL BE OPEN EVERY DAY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AT THE CIVIC CENTER.
AND SO THOSE TIMES ARE ON AMARILLOALERTS.COM.
BUT WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE CIVIC THE OUTREACH CLINICS AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS WEEK WE WILL BE IN EASTRIDGE AT EASTRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH FROM 10-5.
OK. AND YOUR ROTATION'S PRETTY KIND OF LIKE IT'S REAL PREDICTABLE, LIKE THE FIRST THURSDAY YOU'RE SOMEWHERE, THE SECOND THURSDAY YOU'RE SOMEWHERE? RIGHT. WE TRY TO BUILD IN THAT CONSISTENCY IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE'LL BE IN AT EL ALAMO THE FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, EASTRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH, THE SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, SOUTHWEST LIBRARY, THE THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, AND THEN THE WOODFORD CLINIC, THE WOODFORD COMMUNITY CENTER ON THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT IN EVERY COMMUNITY, BUT WE DSHS IS TALKED ABOUT AROUND 30 PERCENT HAVE SOME VACCINE HESITANCY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW SAFE THE VACCINE IS AND HOW IT'S AN EASY VACCINE TO GET AND REALLY HOW THIS THIS TECHNOLOGY IS VERY INNOVATIVE, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY SAFE.
AND SO IT'S ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING VACCINES WE'VE EVER HAD.
AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ABOUT A 30 PERCENT VACCINE HESITANCY KIND OF NATIONWIDE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PHYSICIANS TO TALK TO THEIR PATIENTS ABOUT IT AND FOR US TO HAVE THESE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW SAFE THE VACCINE IS AND HOW EFFECTIVE THE VACCINE IS. JARED, WILL YOU JUST TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AS FAR AS STAFF AND QUARANTINING AND VACCINATION, HOW JUST HOW THE CITY IS HANDLING STAFF ON THAT FRONT? SURE.
OR YES, MA'AM. THE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF QUARANTINE, LOSS OF TIME, LOSS OF STAFF TIME LAST YEAR.
WENT INTO NOVEMBER OR LATE OCTOBER.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE, BUT BASED ON CDC GUIDANCE AT THE TIME, WENT AHEAD AND REQUIRED STAFF TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS WHEN IN THE WORKPLACE, WHEN THEY COULDN'T SOCIAL DISTANCE, ET CETERA. AND WE ALSO REQUIRED FACE COVERINGS OF ALL GUESTS COMING TO CITY
[00:25:03]
FACILITIES, AFTER THE GOVERNOR MADE HIS LATEST.EXECUTIVE ORDER MAKING FACE COVERINGS NOT REQUIRED BY ALL TEXANS, WE STILL REQUIRED STAFF TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS INSIDE CITY FACILITIES.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE STAFF WEARING THEM RIGHT NOW IF THEY CAN'T, SOCIAL DISTANCE INSIDE THE WORKPLACE. THE REASON WE DID THAT IS AFTER WE AS WERE COMING OUT OF THAT REALLY CHALLENGING PERIOD IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, WHERE OUR COMMUNITY WAS GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME, OUR ORGANIZATION WAS ALSO HAVING A CHALLENGE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE OF QUARANTINE BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE, WORK RELATED EXPOSURE, ETC.
WERE LOSING A LOT OF MONEY, TOO, AND WERE LOSING MONEY AND OR EFFECTIVENESS BECAUSE OUR STAFF WASN'T ABLE TO COME TO WORK BECAUSE OF QUARANTINES.
THE FACE COVERINGS ALMOST ELIMINATED WORK RELATED QUARANTINES DUE TO EXPOSURE CORONAVIRUS EXPOSURES. SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD RESULTS THAT HAVE A DIRECT FINANCIAL IMPACT AND PERFORMANCE IMPACT ON OUR TAXPAYERS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE CONTINUED DOING THAT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE PUBLIC, TAKE CARE OF OUR TEAM AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN REMAIN EFFECTIVE AND ABLE TO COME TO WORK AND NOT HAVING TO DEAL WITH QUARANTINES.
THERE WAS ALSO A SAFETY FACTOR THERE, TOO, WE'VE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS OF TEAM MEMBERS AND THAT THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN SAY EXPRESS YOUR GRIEF THAT ENOUGH.
BUT THE PRIMARY REASON THAT WE'VE DONE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH REGARD TO FACE COVERAGE RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS IS THE FINANCIAL AND PERFORMANCE IMPACT THAT WE CAN HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY BY MAKING SURE THAT STAFF IS ABLE TO PERFORM.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, COUNCIL? OK. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CASIE? CASIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JARED ANYTHING TO ADD ON CORONAVIRUS UPDATE? JUST THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS OF YESTERDAY ON GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS.
IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY IT'S A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAD. HOWEVER, WE STILL DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET. SO WE ARE EVALUATING THAT INFORMATION IS VERY SOON.
AND THE INFORMATION WAS 15 PAGES, WASN'T IT? THE EXPANDED ONE WITH 150 PAGES.
SO IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THAT CULLING THROUGH THAT.
WE HAVE OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT WORKING ON THAT, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THAT.
SO SPECIAL THANKS TO MATT, TO DEBBIE AND THE REST OF THE FINANCE TEAM.
WE WILL HAVE THAT ANALYZED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND BRING OPTIONS AND CRITERIA TO COUNCIL SO THAT Y'ALL CAN GIVE US GUIDANCE ON HOW TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT ONCE WE GET IT.
WE'VE ALSO TAKEN ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO REGISTER TO HAVE THAT MONEY DEPOSITED AS SOON AS IT'S AVAILABLE. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO FINANCE FOR TAKING CARE OF THAT.
SO WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE THE FIRST TRANCHE.
IT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 21 MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S ALMOST ANY DAY, RIGHT? YES. YES, SIR. SO THERE'S A MEETING NEXT WEEK ON MONDAY NIGHT FROM SIX TO EIGHT, A PUBLIC MEETING WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL CAN HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AS TO WHAT THE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE FOR SPENDING THESE DOLLARS.
I MEAN, TRULY, THESE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE CAN USE TO SHAPE A GENERATION.
AND SO THE COUNTIES HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THAT MEETING WITH US JUST SO THAT WE CAN ALL HEAR WHAT THE CITIZENS THINK SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED, AGAIN, SUBJECT TO WHAT THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT SAYS THE DOLLARS CAN ACTUALLY BE SPENT ON.
BUT I THINK A GOOD STARTING POINT IS JUST TO LISTEN AND LET PEOPLE SAY THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THESE DOLLARS SHOULD GO BEHIND.
SO THAT MEETING IS HAPPENING NEXT NEXT WEEK, MONDAY NIGHT, FROM SIX TO EIGHT O'CLOCK.
AND IT WILL BE TO HEAR PEOPLE'S IDEAS FOR HOW TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING THOSE ARP DOLLARS, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OK, GOOD.
I THINK THAT COVERS CORONAVIRUS UPDATE THEN.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK OVER AND DO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[1. CONSENT ITEMS]
AND THE REASON WE DID CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, BY THE WAY, WAS CASIE HAD A SCHEDULE CONFLICT, SHE NEEDED TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT DONE.SO ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION COUNCIL? IT'S ACTUALLY EASIER TO SEE Y'ALL ON ZOOM.
I'D FORGOTTEN HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO DO THE TENNIS MATCH UP HERE.
OK, I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING NEEDS TO COME OFF.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
YES, 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 CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO THAT'S A 5-0 VOTE AND WE WILL MOVE ON.
[00:30:05]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE NON CONSENT ITEMS.[2.A. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - MUNICIPAL ELECTION:]
ITEM TWO A IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION THAT WAS HELD ON MAY 1ST. THIS RESOLUTION WOULD CANVASS THE RETURNS AND DECLARE THE RESULTS OF THE REGULAR ELECTION HELD MAY 1ST, 2021.ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS READ THE CANVASING RESOLUTION AND THEN COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO CONSIDER IT. WHEREAS ON THIS 11TH DAY OF MAY 2021 CAME ON TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CANVAS OF THE RETURNS OF CITY OFFICERS ELECTION HELD IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO ON THE FIRST DAY OF MAY 2021 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE ONE, COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE TWO, THREE AND FOUR.
AND WHEREAS CITY COUNCIL HAS CANVAS THE RETURNS OF SAID ELECTION AND IT APPEARS FROM THE SET FROM SAID RETURNS DULY AND LEGALLY MADE THAT THERE WERE TWENTY THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR VALID AND LEGAL BALLOTS CAST IN SAID ELECTION AND THAT EACH OF THE CANDIDATES IN SAID ELECTION RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING VOTES.
MICHAEL. FOR MAYOR, MICHAEL HUNT, THREE THOUSAND SIXTY SIX, CLAUDETTE SMITH FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE. CARL KARAS 373, GINGER NELSON TEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY. IT IS.
WE HAVE TO NOTE ON THE MAYOR'S RACE, AN AMENDED RECOUNT PETITION WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY SECRETARY ON MAY 5TH, 2021, AND WAS APPROVED ON MAY 6TH, 2021.
WITH SAID RECOUNT TO BE CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY, MAY 11TH, 2021.
AND UNTIL THE RECOUNT IS OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED, THE ELECTION SHALL NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER ONE JASON TILLERY RECEIVED 3561 VOTES, HOBERT GUNNY BROWN RECEIVED FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED NINETY SIX VOTES.
COLE STANLEY RECEIVED NINE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY TWO VOTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER TWO JASON FOGLESONG RECEIVED FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED NINETY ONE VOTES. JOE WEST RECEIVED TWENTY TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY ONE VOTES.
FREDA POWELL RECEIVED TEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY THREE VOTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE THREE TOM SCHERLEN RECEIVED EIGHT THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY TWO VOTES. EDDY SAUER RECEIVED ELEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY NINE VOTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER FOUR, ALI RAMOS RECEIVED TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FORTY FOUR VOTES. HOWARD SMITH RECEIVED NINE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED NINETY THREE VOTES.
SHARON DELGADO RECEIVED THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY THREE VOTES.
RICHARD HERMAN RECEIVED THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED TWO VOTES.
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
TEXAS SAID ELECTION WAS DULY CALLED.
THE NOTICE OF SAID ELECTION WAS GIVEN AND HELD IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW AND THAT THE ELECTION AND THE RETURNS THEREOF HAD BEEN DULY CANVASED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SECTION TWO THAT AT SAID ELECTION GINGER NELSON RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST FOR OFFICE OF MAYOR AND WAS DULY ELECTED MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
THIS IS, HOWEVER, NOT GOING TO BE CERTIFIED UNTIL AFTER THE RECOUNT IS COMPLETE.
B, COLE STANLEY RECEIVED A MAJORITY OF VOTES CAST FOR AND WAS DULY ELECTED AS COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER ONE.
C, FREDA POWELL RECEIVED A MAJORITY OF VOTES.
CAST FOR AND WAS DULY ELECTED AS COUNCIL MEMBER PLACED NUMBER TWO.
D, EDDY SAUER RECEIVED A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST FOR AND WAS DULY ELECTED A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER THREE.
E, HOWARD SMITH RECEIVED A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST FOR AND WAS DULY ELECTED AS COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER FOUR.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, ON THIS ELEVENTH DAY OF MAY 2021.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I OR ANY STAFF MEMBER CAN ASK OR ANSWER? OK, WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THIS RESOLUTION? YES, MAYOR, WE DO.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION CANVASING THE RETURNS AND DECLARING THE RESULTS FOR THE REGULAR ELECTION HELD IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO ON THE FIRST DAY OF MAY 2021 FOR CITY OFFICES OF MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR PLACE ONE, TWO, THREE AND FOUR.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO CANVASS THE ELECTION THROUGH A RESOLUTION AS MADE IN THE MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? OK, WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.
OK, AT THIS TIME, WE REACH I DON'T KNOW, IS SAD OR IS IT EXCITING, ELAINE?
[2.B. REMARKS]
IT WAS LIKE WHEN OUR KIDS WENT TO KINDERGARTEN, I SAID IT WAS SLAD.I WAS GLAD, BUT I WAS ALSO SAD.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS FEELS LIKE TODAY.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTION THAT I HAVE HAD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS IS SIMILAR TO THAT IS DO YOU FEEL SUCH A SENSE OF RELIEF TO BE STEPPING DOWN? ARE YOU SO EXCITED? ARE YOU SO RELIEVED? AND I STEPPED BACK AND THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
AND I THOUGHT, IF YOU DON'T CONSIDER SOMETHING A BURDEN, THEN THE EMOTION YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL IS NOT RELIEF.
IT'S APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE THAT I FEEL SO PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE IN
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THIS POSITION FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, YOU KNOW, VERY FEW PEOPLE RUN FOR OFFICE AND EVEN A SMALLER NUMBER ARE ACTUALLY ELECTED.AND SO I JUST CONSIDER IT A TRUE HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO DO THIS.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE IT TO OTHERS AND HOPE MORE PEOPLE WILL STEP UP IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS I EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF FULFILLMENT AND FOR IT TO BE VERY REWARDING SERVING ON THE COUNCIL.
IT FAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS.
I WILL SAY I DID NOT HAVE ANY GRAY HAIR WHEN I STARTED.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK I CAN BLAME THAT ON BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I JUST I WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO GOD FOR OPENING A DOOR IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T THINK A DOOR WOULD BE OPENED.
AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS THAT WHEN THERE'S A CALL IN YOUR HEART, A DREAM THAT YOU HAVE, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT SEE HOW THAT'S GOING TO COME ABOUT OR A PATHWAY THAT IF IT'S GOD'S PURPOSE, HE BRINGS IT ABOUT IN WAYS THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
I WANT TO THANK MY HUSBAND, WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY BIGGEST CHEERLEADER AND WILLING TO MAKE WHATEVER SACRIFICES TO SEE THAT I ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS THAT HE BELIEVES THAT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO DO.
I WANT TO THANK THE VOTERS FOR TRUSTING ME TO REPRESENT THEM FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, ALLOWING ME TO BE THEIR VOICE AT THE TABLE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SHARED EXPERIENCES OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO US THAT NOBODY ELSE WILL SHARE EXACTLY LIKE WE HAVE.
THE NEXT COUNCIL WILL HAVE YOUR OWN UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND THERE ARE SO MANY HIGHLIGHTS.
BUT THERE WERE TWO THINGS THAT REALLY JUST JUMPED OUT TO ME WHEN I WAS WRITING DOWN MY THOUGHTS. AND ONE WAS THE MEMORY OF OPENING NIGHT AT HODGETOWN.
AND JUST THAT NIGHT, A FIRST PITCH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF JERRY DANFORTH IS IN THE ROOM TODAY, BUT JUST THE INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT HE HELPED THE CITY ACHIEVE.
AND I LOOK BACK AT THE TIMELINE OF JUST HOW WERE SO SQUEEZED IN GETTING THAT FACILITY COMPLETED. AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND WAS DONE UNDER BUDGET IN TIME.
AND I AM THRILLED THAT WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN HAVING OUR NEXT SEASON.
IT WAS VERY SAD LAST YEAR TO HAVE THAT FACILITY SITTING THERE EMPTY.
AND I THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY EXCITED AND READY TO BE BACK OUT THERE.
AND THE SECOND BIG HIGHLIGHT, I WILL NEVER FORGET BEING AT HOME ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON WHEN I GOT THE NEWS THAT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAD APPROVED AND PASSED THE FUNDING FOR THE TEXAS TECH VET SCHOOL I KNOW MY FAMILY GOT SO TIRED OF HEARING ME KEEP RUNNING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND JUST GOING, IT HAPPENED.
IT HAPPENED. THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, FOR AN HOUR, IT'S ALL I COULD SAY IT WAS.
WERE TOLD THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
BUT THIS JUST ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT, MAYOR, THAT IT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION THAT PROJECT, WITHOUT THE EFFORTS THAT YOU MADE ON THAT PROJECT, I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE.
SO THAT IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
IT IS GOING TO BE A BLESSING TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS AND JUST AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE TREASURE FOR THIS CITY.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY THE THIRD LARGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT, I WOULD SAY, FOR THIS COUNCIL IS THAT WE HAVE MODELED THAT PEOPLE, EVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT PEOPLE MAYBE DON'T ALWAYS CONSIDER PEOPLE THAT YOU ACTUALLY CAN DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE.
AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE STAFF FOR COMING PREPARED TO EVERY MEETING FOR THE SPANISH INQUISITION. [LAUGHTER] YOU HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND YOUR JOB, YOU PROVIDED ME WITH THE INFORMATION I NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DO MY JOB TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST THE COUNTLESS COUNTLESS QUESTIONS THAT YOU ANSWERED FOR ME OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, JUST WITH ALWAYS SUCH A GOOD ATTITUDE AND AS DIRECT AND HONEST AS YOU COULD BE. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE COLE STANLEY AND ALL THE REST OF
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THE COUNCIL ON THE REELECTION, AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE GOING TO BE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.I AM. I'M EXPECTING GREAT THINGS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND COLE I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND TO ALL THOSE WHO RAN.
AND I JUST I THINK YOU BRING A GREAT VOICE AND A NEW PERSPECTIVE TO THE COUNCIL.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING, TO JUST HAVE A FRESH VOICE, FRESH VOICE AT THE TABLE AND APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR OWN WORDS OF WISDOM VERY QUICKLY, BUT I'M GOING TO PASS ALONG MY BIGGEST TIP OF I THINK THE SOONER I COULD HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT WOULD HAVE HELPED TO THIS ROLE WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WASN'T MY JOB TO FIX EVERYBODY'S PROBLEMS. IT WAS MY JOB TO BE THE BRIDGE TO NAVIGATE AND HELP CONNECT THEM WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE CITY THAT COULD HELP THEM SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS, THAT I WAS THE GATEKEEPER AND THAT NAVIGATOR TO HELP THEM ENTER IN THOSE THE INNER CITY WORKINGS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT BRINGS ME TO MY LAST COMMENTS TO YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, THAT YOU KNOW YOU ARE TASKED WITH.
IMPLEMENTING THE BIG PICTURE VISION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PROVIDES TO YOU, WHICH THEN IN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS IS OVERSEEING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS, BUT I FOR MY PERSPECTIVE, MY GREATEST APPRECIATION FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER WAS JUST HOW YOU WOULD STOP FOR THE ONE.
THAT WHEN I HAD AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN THAT CALLED WITH THE PROBLEM THAT I COULD CONNECT THEM WITH YOU, YOU KNEW YOUR DEPARTMENT, YOU KNEW WHO WAS BEST EQUIPPED TO GET THAT PROBLEM WORKED ON AND SOLVED, AND THEN YOU KEPT ME IN THE LOOP, KEPT ME INFORMED AS THAT WAS PROGRESSING.
AND SO I JUST I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE FROM THE BIG DOWN TO THE SMALL OF JUST SEEING THE INDIVIDUAL AND STOPPING ALL YOUR OTHER ACTIVITIES TO SEE THE ONE.
AND SO MY FINAL WORD TO OUR CITY, TO OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, OUR CITY LEADERS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SPEAK THIS BLESSING OVER YOU.
FROM NUMBER SIX, TWENTY FOUR, TWENTY SIX.
AND THIS IS A COMBINATION OF THE NIV AND THE MESSAGE, THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU.
THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU, SMILE ON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU.
THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARD YOU.
LOOK YOU FULL IN THE FACE AND GIVE YOU PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
BLESS YOU GUYS, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR.[APPLAUSE] ELAINE, WE ALL HAVE REMARKS, SO FREDA, DO YOU MIND STARTING JUST PARTING WORDS FOR
[2.D. REMARKS:]
ELAINE AND THEN WE HAVE GIFTS FOR YOU AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GO DOWN HERE AND HAND YOU THOSE GIFTS AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU ONE LAST TIME.THANK YOU. OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN FOLLOW ALL OF THAT, MAYOR.
SO I'LL JUST BE I'LL JUST BE VERY, VERY BRIEF AND SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS TO YOU ELAINE MY GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION.
YOU'RE NOT JUST A COLLEAGUE, YOUR FRIEND.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WHEN WE SERVED TOGETHER IN 2017, THIS COUNCIL AS A WHOLE MADE HISTORY. BUT FOR US WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL, IT HAD BEEN AT LEAST 70 YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD A WOMAN MAJORITY COUNCIL.
SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR WISDOM, BECAUSE I, TOO, HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH AND WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT JUST APPRECIATE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND SPEAKING YOUR MIND.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, EDDY.
ELAINE. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU IN THE WAY THAT YOU THOUGHT THROUGH
[00:45:03]
THINGS AND THE WAY THAT YOU PRESENTED DIFFERENT IDEAS ON ON HOW THINGS WERE TO BE DONE AND HOW THINGS COULD BE DONE.I THINK THAT PROBABLY AS TIME GOES ON, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK BACK THAT YOU WERE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND, BUY THE WAY, AND KEEPING IT LOCAL.
AND THAT CHANGE THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE CITY IS AND TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO THE CITIZENS.
IT'S A FOREVER CHANGE AND IT MOVES US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND IT GIVES US NEW HOPE AND IT GIVES US SOMETHING TO BUILD ON.
AND THAT'S WHENEVER I THINK OF YOU, I THINK OF A PERSON WHOSE FOUNDATIONAL WHO IS WILLING TO LAY THE FOUNDATION AND START SOMETHING THAT YOUR HANDS WON'T BE ON WHEN IT'S COMPLETED, BUT YOUR HANDS DON'T HAVE TO BE ON IT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALSO ADMIRE ABOUT YOU, IS THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL THE TIME.
YOUR VOICE HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE THIS FOUR YEARS WITH YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
WERE ALL ELECTED FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND WE SERVE MEETINGS EVERY WEEK FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
WE'VE GOT REALLY GOOD THANKS FOR ASKING THE NUMBERS QUESTIONS.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS, BUT.
VERY MUCH ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND SERVING WITH YOU ALL THIS.
THANK YOU, HOWARD. SO I WOULD JUST START OFF WITH GRATITUDE FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU DECIDED TO RUN AND I THINK YOU CAME AND FILED YOUR PAPERWORK AT LIKE 4:45 ON THE LAST DAY OF.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A PREMONITION FOR ALL OF US.
JUST KIND OF WE KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO BE IN THE LOWER RIGHT QUADRANT, AND THAT WAS GOOD.
THAT WAS A GOOD VOICE TO HAVE ON OUR TEAM.
AND WE KNEW RIGHT FROM THE GET GO TO APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENCE THAT VOICE WOULD BRING.
SO MY FIRST EXPRESSION TO YOU IS JUST GRATITUDE FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE, BECAUSE I THINK PRETTY MUCH ALL OF US YOU CAN'T.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE BEING A PARENT.
YOU CAN'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE UNTIL YOU'RE ACTUALLY A PARENT.
RIGHT. AND I THINK THIS JOB HAS SOME SIMILARITIES TO THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO DO IT.
AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO PUT YOUR NAME ON A BALLOT.
AND SO YOU CONTINUE TO DISPLAY THAT COURAGE AS YOU BROUGHT YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR VOICE AND YOU HAD THE COURAGE TO VOICE THEM SOMETIMES AS THE ONLY ONE IN A FOUR ONE VOTE.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THOSE IDEAS BE VOICED AND THEN DEMOCRACY MOVES FORWARD AND THE VOTES ARE MADE. AND IT WAS AFTER THE VOTE THAT YOU CONTINUED THE UNITY ON THE COUNCIL.
AND I WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS RESPECT YOU FOR THAT.
THAT TOOK COURAGE ON BOTH SIDES TO EXPRESS THE OPINION THAT WAS THE ONE, AND THEN TO MOVE FORWARD AND TRUST US AS A TEAM TO CONTINUE TO LEAD FOR THE CITY.
SO THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED SERVING WITH YOU AND YOUR WILLINGNESS JUST TO SPEAK OPENLY ABOUT YOUR FAITH.
AND I'VE KNOWN THAT I COULD TRUST THAT IN YOUR HEART.
HOLY SPIRIT WAS THERE GUIDING YOU IN AND YOU WERE LISTENING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SISTERHOOD OF FAITH THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO SERVE UNDER TOGETHER.
WE'LL MEET YOU ON THE ON THE FLUOR I WAS NOT EXPECTING ALL THIS, NOBODY TOLD ME ALL THIS.
SO WE KNOW YOU DID NOT SERVE FOR THE GIFTS, BUT IT DOES SAY SOMETHING TO ALL OF US THAT
[00:50:07]
YOU SPENT EVERY TUESDAY HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS ON NON TUESDAYS.AND WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A TOKEN, A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE.
AND SO. A CHARCUTERIE BOARD? YES, THAT IS GORGEOUS AND PERSONALIZED WITH THE DATES THAT YOU SERVED AND YOUR TITLE, PLACE ONE AND THEN SOMETHING FUN, SO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND SOMETHING FUN.
THIS IS A BIT OF A TRADITION FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST TO DO A STREET SIGN SO Y'ALL CAN PUT THAT SOMEWHERE FUN.
TRACY, FIND A REALLY FUN PLACE TO PUT THAT.
OK? YEAH. I HAVE A SON WHO'S GOING TO BE STEALING THIS.
YEAH. IT'S LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF HAYS IS THAT I CAN SEE THIS IN THEIR ROOM IF I DON'T WATCH IT. YEAH.
VERY MUCH. OK, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.
OK, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YEAH, LET'S DO IT, LET'S GO BACK UP THERE AND WE'LL START WITH COLE,
[2.C. OATH OF OFFICE: ]
COLE. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH PLACE ONE.SO IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP, YOUR FAMILY WANTS TO COME UP AND JOIN YOU AND JUDGE HAMILTON. THERE SHE COMES.
I'LL HOLD IT. THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR ME, THEY WANT TO HEAR YOU.
LET'S START OVER. THAT'S OK, I COLE STANLEY.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
OF COUNCILMAN OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
OF COUN OF COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS.
AND OF THIS STATE. SO HELP ME GOD.
SO HELP ME GOD. IT'S OFFICIAL.
[APPLAUSE] ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? WELL, I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE CHALLENGE AND I KNOW IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE, SO I APPRECIATE THE CURRENT COUNCIL AND HOW WELCOMING YOU GUYS ARE AND ALLOWING ME TO TRY TO BRING SOMETHING AND BE AN ASSET TO THE TEAM THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ELAINE.
I LOVE YOUR CHARACTER AND I LOVE WHAT YOU STOOD FOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT I'M GOING TO LACE THEM UP
[00:55:04]
REALLY TIGHT AND RUN REAL HARD.AND SO I CAN'T PROMISE ANYTHING BUT THAT I'LL DO MY BEST AND THAT YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WITH MY EFFORT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE.
I HOPE THAT I CAN DO IT ON A DAILY BASIS AND KEEP MYSELF FOCUSED ON THE STUFF THAT MATTERS MOST. AND SO I THANK YOU GUYS AND I LOVE THE KEEP IT LOCAL, SO MAYBE I CAN CARRY THAT TORCH FOR US A COUPLE MORE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THANK YOU, GUYS. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO CAME.
COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY TO US? I SURE WILL, THIS IS MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, SHILOH.
THIS IS MY OLDEST AVERY, MY YOUNGEST ADDISON, AND MY MOM, MELISSA.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
YEAH, THANK YOU, GUYS. [APPLAUSE] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PLACE TWO.
COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND I DO SEE AT LEAST ONE FACE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT I THINK BELONGS TO HER. THE RARE ONE.
THE RARE ONE, THE ONE WE SEE SO LITTLE OF.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS A DELIGHT, DENNIS, WHEN YOU'RE HERE.
AND PATRICE, TOO, WE SEE MORE OF PATRICE.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO. OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS.
AND OF THIS STATE. AND OF THIS STATE.
SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE A LOT TO SAY FIRST.
FIRST OF ALL, I'LL JUST INTRODUCE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH ME, OK? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A SPECIAL PERSON HERE TODAY.
SO I WANT TO INTRODUCE DENNIS.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW HIM, I USUALLY SAY THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC WERE ALL SHELTERED IN.
SO IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THIS IS THE GENTLEMAN THAT INVENTED SOCIAL DISTANCING.
[LAUGHTER] AND SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE DICTIONARY AND YOU LOOK UP SOCIAL DISTANCING, HIS FACE WILL BE RIGHT BESIDE IT.
AND THEN MY WONDERFUL DAUGHTER, PATRICE IS HERE.
AND THEN THIS IS MY OTHER SON, WHICH IS OFFICER MARCUS.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE HE GREW UP ACROSS THE STREET FROM US AND I PRACTICALLY RAISED HIM.
SO I'M SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG MAN THAT HE HAS BECOME VERY PROUD OF YOU.
SO THANK YOU. AND IF IT'S OK WITH YOU, MAYOR, I'M JUST GOING TO STAND OVER HERE, AND MAKE MY REMARKS. BECAUSE I JOTTED SOME THINGS DOWN TOO THAT, I WANTED TO SAY.
SO YOU ALL YOU DON'T HAVE TO CAN SIT IF YOU LIKE, OR YOU WANT TO STAND? JUST WHATEVER. SO ANYWAY, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME TODAY FOR THE FOR THE OATH OF OFFICE FOR US COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND OF COURSE, THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING BACK SINCE COVID 19.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR ME.
AND THEN I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED MY GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELAINE HAYS. SO REALLY APPRECIATE GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH YOU.
SO LET ME JUST MOVE ON FAIRLY QUICKLY HERE.
SO I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR NEWLY ELECTED MEMBER OF OUR COUNCIL, AND THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER COLE STANLEY.
WELCOME. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL.
AND I WANT TO SAY TO MY OPPONENTS AND NOW MY FRIENDS, THAT WOULD BE MR. JASON FOGLESONG AND MR. JOSIAH WEST.
I THANK THEM FOR RUNNING A PROFESSIONAL CAMPAIGN AND FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND
[01:00:04]
TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO SEEK THE FACTS.SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S TRULY MY HONOR TO CONTINUE SERVING THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO AS YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FOR PLACE TWO. TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL AND MY NEW COLLEAGUE, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME WITH THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PRIVILEGE, BECAUSE IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO SERVE. WE MUST CONTINUE OUR WORK AND CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM TAKING PLACE IN AMARILLO.
AND SO FOR ME, I MUST PROTECT AND IMPROVE WHAT WE HAVE AND THAT IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS INFRASTRUCTURE, EXPLORE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDING FOR OUR AGING CIVIC CENTER.
I WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A BALANCED APPROACH TO SPENDING AND THAT'S KEEPING OUR PROPERTY TAXES LOW BY INCREASING OUR SALES TAX REVENUE.
PIECE OF THE PIE, AS I LIKE TO PUT IT, STRONG ECONOMIC RECOVERY, BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND SUPPORT. AND THAT MEANS WE NEED GREAT PAYING JOBS WITH BENEFITS, RESPECT FOR ALL.
LISTEN CAREFULLY AND RESPOND TO ALL CITIZENS.
AND SO I'M ASKING EVERYONE, AND THAT'S BUSINESSES THAT OUR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, OUR CITY GOVERNMENT AND ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS FOR OUR CITY.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY THRIVE, BE INCLUSIVE AND SAFER FOR EVERYONE.
SO I JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO CONTINUE TO SERVING AND TRUSTING IN ME AND PUTTING YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR, TO SAY A FEW REMARKS.
[APPLAUSE] NOW WE'LL DO PLACE THREE COUNCIL MEMBER EDDY SAUER.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
OF COUNCIL MEMBER. OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO. OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND.
OF THE UNITED STATES. AND OF THIS STATE.
AND OF THIS STATE. SO HELP ME GOD.
THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO.
IT'S BEEN A EXTREMELY HUMBLING AND HONORING EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE CITY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
AND I APPRECIATE AND AM DEEPLY HUMBLED AGAIN BY THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I REALIZE YOU'RE PLACING A LOT OF TRUST IN ME.
THAT'S A VERY HEAVY THING TO CARRY.
AND I HOPE THAT I CAN LIVE UP TO THAT HONOR.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR MY WIFE, TINA, WHO'S HERE WITH ME.
[LAUGHTER] SHE GOT ME INTO THIS TO BEGIN WITH.
NO, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEXT TWO YEARS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUITY THAT WE HAVE HAD UP TO THIS POINT IN TIME.
I REALLY HONESTLY FEEL LIKE WE ARE ABOUT TO ENTER INTO A SPRINT.
COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL TALKED ABOUT MOMENTUM AND THAT THE MOMENTUM IS REAL.
AND I ABSOLUTELY FEEL LIKE THE MOMENTUM IS REAL.
IF I SAT HERE FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES, I COULD GO DOWN A LIST OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEGUN TO COME TO FRUITION AND ARE BLOOMING OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS OF WORK.
AND I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND IN THE DIRECTION THAT
[01:05:06]
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE. AMARILLO IS MUCH MORE NIMBLE THAN I WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT THAT A CITY COULD BE. AND IT'S DEVELOPED INTO SUCH A GREAT CITY ON A HILL THAT WE'RE GETTING RECOGNITION DOWN THE STATE AND WE HAVEN'T HAD RECOGNITION FOR A LONG TIME.AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF IT.
I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT I DO GET TO SERVE AND I'M HONORED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AGAIN.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THANK YOU, EDDY. [APPLAUSE] PLACE FOUR MR. SMITH, WHILE YOU'RE COMING DOWN, I'LL SAY MY MOM WAS SO EXCITED TO CALL ME TO SAY THAT ON SUNDAY MORNING, SHE THEY WERE WATCHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT NEWS CHANNEL IT WAS ANYWAY.
KARL ROVE WAS TALKING ABOUT AMARILLO, TEXAS, AND THAT IF A CITY WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO RUN A VACCINATION CLINIC, THEY SHOULD LOOK TO AMARILLO, TEXAS.
I THINK YOU SHOULD THAT'S GREAT. LET ME PUT THIS DOWN.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE.
OF COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
OF COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND OF THIS STATE. SO HELP ME GOD.
SO HELP ME GOD. IT'S OFFICIAL.
YEAH I DO TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND I GOT A FEW NOTES, AND THIS IS A REVIEW OF ABOUT THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, I SAID WHEN I DECIDE TO RUN IN DECEMBER, MY GOAL WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT HAD THREE OPPONENTS, I'VE BEEN IN FIVE OTHER ELECTIONS, BUT I'VE ONLY HAD ONE OPPONENT EACH TIME.
MY GOAL WAS TO GET 50 PERCENT OF THE VOTES PLUS ONE.
I GOT 50 PERCENT PLUS 98 VOTES.
THAT'S FIFTY POINT FIVE TWO PERCENT.
HERE'S SOME STATEMENTS AS I WENT THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN.
IF I DID NOT HAVE THE ENDORSEMENT AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, I WOULD PROBABLY BE HEADED TO A RUNOFF IN JUNE.
IF I HAD NOT RECRUITED FIVE PEOPLE WRITE A LETTER ENDORSING ME, THEN I WOULD BE HEADED TO A RUNOFF IN JUNE.
IF I HAD NOT RECRUITED SEVEN PEOPLE TO HAND ADDRESS OVER 900 LETTERS THAT WOULD BE SENT TO MY FRIENDS THEN I WOULD BE HEADED TO A RUNOFF IN JUNE.
MY CAMPAIGN SENT A CARD OVER 21,000 PAST VOTERS ADVERTISING ME FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
IF I HAD NOT SENT A SECOND CARD TO THE 21,000, I WOULD BE HEADED TO RUN OFF IN JUNE.
IF WE DID NOT ASK PERMISSION TO PUT SIGNS IN FRONT OF HOUSES OF FRIENDS THAT I WOULD BE HEADED TO A RUNOFF IN JUNE.
MY WIFE MADE OVER 200 CALLS TO FRIENDS OF OURS ASKING, CAN WE PUT A SING IN YOUR FRONT YARD? TWO SAID NO.
THE OTHER TWO HUNDRED ANSWERED YES.
IF I DID NOT HAVE ANY CONTRIBUTORS TO MY CAMPAIGN, I WOULD BE HEADED TO A RUNOFF IN JUNE . IF THE VOTERS HAD NOT GONE TO THE POLLS THEN I WOULD BE HEADED TO RUNOFF IN JUNE.
I CAN MENTION MANY OTHER THINGS THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN THAT IF WE HADN'T DONE IT, IT WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THAT 98 VOTES IN THE FIFTY POINT FIVE TWO PERCENT.
ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MANY OTHERS, I THINK EVERYONE WHO MADE MY ELECTION REELECTION
[01:10:01]
POSSIBLE, I WANT TO CONCLUDE BY THANKING MY TREASURER, PAUL [INAUDIBLE] HE'S BACK HERE IN THE BACK. RAISE YOUR HAND.THANK YOU, PAUL. HE'S BEEN MY TREASURER FOR ALL THREE TERMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE, CAROL.
SHE'S THE HARDEST CAMPAIGN WORKER THERE IS ANYWHERE.
I APPRECIATE MY OPPONENTS WHO CONDUCTED THEIR CAMPAIGN IN A GRACIOUS AND CORDIAL WAY.
THEY WERE NOT ATTACKING IN ANY WAY.
ONE OPPONENT EVEN SENT MY WIFE AND ME ANNIVERSARY CARD DURING THE CAMPAIGN.
SO THEY WERE VERY NICE THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN.
NOTHING UGLY ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN.
I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE TIME TO SERVE ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, JUDGE.
I WANT TO THANK JUDGE LAURA HAMILTON, WHO CAME OVER TODAY TO HELP US WITH THE SWEARING IN. SHE DOES A GREAT JOB AT OUR MUNICIPAL COURT AND I'M THANKFUL TO HAVE HER.
OK, SO JUST CATCHING EVERYONE UP WHERE WE ARE ON OUR AGENDA HERE.
ITEM TWO, WE JUST WENT THROUGH ITEM TWO D.
SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO ITEM TWO E, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION THAT
[2.E CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ANNUAL SELECTION OF THE MAYOR PRO TEMPORE:]
AUTHORIZES THE ANNUAL SELECTION OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM.I'M GOING TO CALL IN OUR CITY ATTORNEY ANY COMMENTS ON THAT, BRIAN, BEFORE WE DISCUSS AND TAKE THAT ACTION? SURE.
THIS IS THE THIS IS THE REGULAR MOTION THAT A RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM, WHICH IS JUST AN OFFICE PERSON THAT WILL FILL IN FOR THE MAYOR WHEN THE MAYOR IS UNAVAILABLE.
THIS IS CALLED FOR IN THE CODE, IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND SO I WOULD GIVE IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR, TO MAKE THAT DISCUSSION AND VOTE.
DO WE HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WITH REGARD TO THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM? YES, I DO. I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COUNCIL MEMBER FREDA POWELL FOR THAT POSITION.
I THINK ALSO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER MAYBE EVEN ALLOWING HER TO DO THIS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS JUST AS A LEVEL OF CONTINUITY.
I THINK IT WORKED PRETTY OK ONE YEAR AT A TIME, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE CONSISTENT IF WERE TO CONSIDER MAYBE LETTING THAT BE A TWO YEAR TERM.
I THINK SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB DURING HERS, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY JUST TO KIND OF AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE ON, TO GIVE A LOT MORE STABILITY, A STRUCTURE TO THAT OFFICE. OK, THANK YOU.
SURE. OK, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THIS END OF THE TABLE? I SUPPOSE WE NEED TO ASK YOU, FREDA, ARE YOU WILLING TO SERVE? ABSOLUTELY. OK.
ALL RIGHT, THEN, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT FREDA POWELL SERVE AS MAYOR PRO TEM AND THAT BE A TWO YEAR TERM, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OK, THAT MOTION PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.
CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. [APPLAUSE] ITEM TWO F IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
[2.F. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - ACCEPTING THE TEXAS TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM GRANT - STEP - CLICK IT OR TICKET]
REGARDING THE TEXAS TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM, MR. CITY MANAGER. MAYOR, THIS IS A ANNUAL PRESENTATION.WE HAVE POLICE CHIEF MARTIN BIRKENFELD TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S THE ENHANCED OR ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM. SO, CHIEF.
COUNCIL DO QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF AND CHIEF, WE'RE GOING TO STEPHANIE, MAYBE SOMEBODY NEEDS TO WORK ON THE MICROPHONE, EITHER WE ACCIDENTALLY TURNED IT OFF OR IT WENT TO
[01:15:03]
SLEEP. I THINK WE TURNED IT OFF MAYOR.AND WE COULD HEAR. HOW'S THAT? HOW'S THAT? HEAR IF THEY'RE WATCHING THE VIDEO, IF WE'RE NOT USING THE MICROPHONE.
SO NOW WE GOT TO TURN BACK ON ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF ABOUT THIS GRANT APPLICATION? NO, CHIEF, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM TWO F.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE TEXAS TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM GRANT STEP CLICK IT OR TICKET WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROVIDING FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 11,000 DOLLARS TO THE AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF AMARILLO, PROVIDING A 20 PERCENT MATCHING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 2845 DOLLARS AND 23 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF 13,845 DOLLARS AND 23 CENTS TO FOCUS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO FUND PATROL AND ENFORCEMENT OF SPEED ENFORCEMENT, OCCUPANT PROTECTION.
AND THAT IS SEATBELT AND CHILD SAFETY SEATS, DISTRACTED DRIVING AND DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED OFFENSES.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THIS GRANT APPLICATION, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FROM THE COUNCIL? OK, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED, OK, THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.
THANK YOU, CHIEF. OK, WE ARE ON TO PAGE FOUR OF THE AGENDA AND MUCH OF THAT ITEM NUMBER THREE NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO OUR WORK SESSION AGAIN.
WE'RE DOING THIS COMPLETELY OUT OF ORDER THAN WE NORMALLY DO.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR PATIENCE ON THAT.
WE'VE ALREADY COVERED THREE A AND THREE B, SO WE ARE UP TO THREE C ON OUR AGENDA, THE
[3.C. Broadband Update]
BROADBAND UPDATE.AND I'M GOING TO START THIS ITEM ACTUALLY, INSTEAD OF STARTING WITH THE STAFF MEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO START IT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, WHO HAS REALLY DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF LEADING THIS ITEM AND HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK ON IT THE LAST YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE UP TO 11 MONTHS NOW, HOWARD, THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
SO I TURN THE MICROPHONE TO YOU.
THANK YOU. AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE STARTED THIS 11 MONTHS AGO, LAST JUNE.
AND IT STARTED BECAUSE I SERVED ON A COMMITTEES AT THE TEXAS REALTOR ORGANIZATION INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, AND THEY WERE CONSIDERING INCREASING BROADBAND COVERAGE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
CONSIDERING OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE.
AFTER THAT MEETING, I CAME BACK HERE, CALLED THE MAYOR AND SHE GOT VERY EXCITED.
IMMEDIATELY, SHE DIDN'T HESITATE AT ALL.
FOUND OUT AFTER STUDYING IT NOT ONLY THE PANHANDLE IS WEAK AND INTERNET COVERAGE, BUT.
THE CITY OF AMARILLO THIS WEAK, SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD A COUPLE OF BUSSES SET UP TO PROVIDE INTERNET SERVICE AT THEIR SCHOOLS, ONE OF THE BUSSES IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SCHOOL.
BUT WE SHE ASKED ME TO CHAIR A COMMITTEE, WHICH I GLAD TO DO, WE GOT [INAUDIBLE] TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE. RICH [INAUDIBLE], HE'S IT DIRECTOR HERE AND THE MAYOR AND I AND CITY MANAGER [INAUDIBLE].
WE'VE BEEN MEETING ABOUT EVERY THREE WEEKS OR FOUR WEEKS.
IT'S THIS JUNE AND THEY'VE COME UP WITH SOME A VISION TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT PRETTY QUICK. IF COUNCIL ALSO GOES ALONG WITH THIS.
SO I'M GOING TO CALL RICH [INAUDIBLE] TO CARRY THE DETAILS OF THIS PROPOSAL TO US.
OF COURSE, THE IT GUY BRINGS HIS OWN MICROPHONE.
I KNOW, HEY, WE'RE JUST ADMIRING YOU.
OH, COUNCIL, MAYOR, APPRECIATE THE TIME.
SO THE DIGITAL DIVIDE OR IN THIS CASE SPECIFICALLY THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET AND THOSE THAT DON'T.
BUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF COVID AND THE SOCIETAL NORMS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, I THINK HAVE GREATLY AMPLIFIED NOT ONLY THE VISIBILITY, BUT THE IMPACT OF THAT DIVIDE. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS MORE VISIBLE IN ANY PART OF OUR SOCIETY THAN IT WAS IN
[01:20:03]
EDUCATION. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE, IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH COVID AND LACK OF BROADBAND, AISD PURCHASED 10,000 HOTSPOTS.AND THIS IS ACTUALLY HEAT MAP OF ALL THE HOTSPOTS THAT THEY'VE DEPLOYED TO FAMILIES THAT EITHER ONE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS OR TWO COULD NOT AFFORD ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET.
AND I THINK IT PAINTS A PRETTY CLEAR PICTURE OF WHERE OUR PROBLEMS ARE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST EDUCATION, I MEAN, I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT I'M ACTUALLY PART OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A VERY CREATIVE IT TEAM THAT'S WORKING CONSTANTLY TO FIND NEW WAYS TO DELIVER SERVICES AND INFORMATION ONLINE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OUR CITIZENS.
BUT IN DOING SO, KIND OF CREATING TWO CLASSES OF CITIZENS, IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE ACCESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST US, IT'S SOCIAL SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE, BUT MY DOCTORS STILL GO TO TELEMEDICINE AS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. I THINK IT'S BECOMING A STANDARD.
IN BANKING. YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD AN ACCOUNT, BUT WHEN THE WHEN THE BANKS CLOSED, HOW DID YOU ACCESS IT IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE INTERNET? THAT PROBLEM ACTUALLY GETS AMPLIFIED BY THE LAST POINT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS, WE TALKED TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED CONNECTED NATION, AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY WORK WITH COMMUNITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE LOOKING AT BROADBAND PROJECTS.
THE FIRST DATA POINT THEY BROUGHT TO US WAS THAT, OH, BY THE WAY, DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PANHANDLE AS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE RATES FOR INTERNET ACCESS IN THE COUNTRY, NOW, YOU COUNTERPOISE THAT AGAINST THE FACT THAT 67 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ON ASSISTED LUNCH.
THAT MAKES THIS PROBLEM EVEN BIGGER.
WE ALSO HAVE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN 2021.
IF YOU PUT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S GOING TO BE CONNECTED, WHETHER THAT'S AUTOMATED WATER METERS OR TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS OR OH, BY THE WAY, EVERY PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLE THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY IS CONNECTED AND DEPENDENT ON THAT CONNECTIVITY TO DO THEIR JOB.
WE'VE BECOME VERY DEPENDENT ON MOBILE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU IF YOU STUDY DISASTER SCENARIOS, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S ALMOST A HOBBY, TO IT GUYS, RIGHT.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WHAT'S GOING TO GO WRONG AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT.
IF YOU STUDY THESE DISASTERS ALMOST WITHOUT FAIL, THE FIRST THING THAT THE FIRST IMPACT THAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE MOBILE NETWORK.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE ALL DO THE SAME THING.
WE PICK UP THE PHONE TO TELL EVERYONE WE'RE OK OR CHECK ON FAMILY OR TO POST ON FACEBOOK TO CHECK IN OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS HIT BY WEATHER AND PROVIDERS KNOW THIS. THEY HAVE TRAILERS THAT THEY'LL TRUCK IN TOWERS TO ADD BANDWIDTH, TO ADD CAPACITY TO RESTORE SERVICES AT THE CITY.
THAT'S JUST NOT AN OPTION FOR US.
IN FACT, THE WORSE THE SITUATION IS, THE MORE IMPORTANT IT IS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS CONNECTED AND FUNCTIONING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, SERVICE PROVIDERS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM ALONE, AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE BAD PEOPLE, THEY'RE FOR PROFIT COMPANIES, WE SAT WITH EACH OF THEM TO LOOK AT THEIR NETWORK PLANS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND THOSE PLANS REALLY ARE DRIVEN TOWARD PROFIT, NOT NEED BECAUSE THEY ARE FOR PROFIT COMPANIES. THEIR JOB IS SHAREHOLDER VALUE.
AND THERE ARE AREAS OF TOWN WHERE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE FOR A COMPANY TO INVEST IN BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE.
COUNTERPOINTING THAT IS THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY.
THE CITY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR LOCAL COLLEGE, WE ALL NEED FULL COVERAGE FOR OUR CITIZENS. IT'S A COMMUNITY NEED.
SO HERE'S THE APPROACH THAT WE'VE LANDED ON IN OUR VISION.
WHY DO IT ALONE? WE ALL HAVE SIMILAR NEEDS.
WE'RE PROPOSING A CITY LED COMMUNITY PROJECT USING SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHY BUILD IT THREE TIMES? SHARING THE COST, DOING ONE COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT INSTEAD OF MANY SMALL PROJECTS.
IF YOU LOOK AROUND, THERE ARE A LOT OF BROADBAND PROJECTS IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS YOU'LL SEE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A PROJECT AND THE CITY HAS A PROJECT AND THE COLLEGE HAS A PROJECT.
AND WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS WHY? WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? WHY WOULDN'T WE WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP COSTS DOWN AND DO THIS AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE? WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS MUNICIPALLY SHARE PRIVATE LTE AND WHAT THAT REALLY IS, IS IT'S THE SAME TECHNOLOGY YOU'RE USING TODAY ON YOUR PHONE.
IT'S 4G. ONLY ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, THE FCC OPENED UP A SPECIFIC SET OF FREQUENCIES, IF YOU WILL, A SET OF BANDWIDTH THAT CAN BE USED FOR PRIVATE USE, WHETHER THAT BE A PRIVATE COMPANY, A SCHOOL OR A GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT GREATLY REDUCES THE COST.
RIGHT, TO GET BROADBAND SPEEDS TO AN INDIVIDUAL BEFORE THIS REALLY FIBER WAS YOUR OPTION.
NOW WE CAN GET BROADBAND SPEEDS IN A WIRELESS FASHION THAT SIGNIFICANTLY DROPS THE COST
[01:25:06]
OF INFRASTRUCTURE. 4G IS FAST.SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
IN FACT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT INITIALLY ON THE TOWERS IS 750 MB'S PER TOWER.
AND IT DOESN'T COME WITH SOME OF THE HEALTH CONCERNS THAT SOME OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE HAVE EXPRESSED ABOUT 5G.
WHAT WE DID ON THE FRONT END IS WE REACHED OUT TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNER, DELL.
THAT'S WHO WE DO ALL OF OUR EFFORTS WE'RE CONTRACTED WITH AT THE CITY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEY PARTNER THEIR PARTNER IS JMA WIRELESS.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THOSE TWO VENDORS.
THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
AND THE POINT OF THIS IS WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COMPETE.
RIGHT. OUR GOAL IS NOT TO COMPETE WITH PROVIDERS, BUT RATHER TO ENHANCE WHAT THEY CAN OFFER TODAY TO THINK OF IT ALMOST AS WHOLESALE.
IF WE BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN WE CAN OFFER ACCESS TO LOCAL BROADBAND PROVIDERS AND IN RETURN THEY CAN DO THE RETAIL SERVICES LIKE INSTALLATION AND SETTING UP ACCOUNTS.
AND THAT ALSO GIVES THEM ACCESS TO AREAS THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ACCESS TODAY AND MAY NOT AND MAY NOT SHOW THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING IT THEMSELVES.
THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS WE BUILD AN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ARE SHARING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT A STUDENT AT AISD, THAT STUDENT WOULD GET A HOT SPOT AND THAT HOT SPOT WOULD CONNECT TO THIS WIRELESS NETWORK THAT WOULD GET THEM CONNECTED.
BUT AT THAT POINT, THAT TRAFFIC WOULD JUST BE HANDED OFF TO AISD.
AND NOW THAT STUDENT IS GETTING ALL THE POLICIES AND FILTERING AND ACCESS THAT THEY NEED FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALL THAT WE'RE PROVIDING IS THAT LAST MILE, THAT CONNECTION TO CONNECT THAT TO THAT TO THAT HOME, TO A BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WITH ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, IT ALLOWS US TO DO SOMETHING WE'RE CALLING COMMUNITY ACCESS, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COMPETE, BUT WE CAN OFFER ESSENTIAL SERVICES. SO ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, CITY SERVICES, SOCIAL SERVICES AND BANKING, BUT NOT THE EXPENSIVE THINGS OR THE COMPETITIVE THINGS LIKE NETFLIX, STREAMING, TWITCH OR GAMING, IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COMPETE WITH OUR LOCAL PROVIDERS.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO OFFER ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
YOU COULD ALMOST THINK OF IT LIKE WATER OR POLICE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. THE CITY OFFERS A BASIC LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR WATER.
BUT IF YOU REALLY LIKE FIJI AND WANT TO GET THAT, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME TO GO TO THE STORE AND GET FIJI EVERY WEEK OR EVEN ON A SECURITY LEVEL.
WE OFFER POLICE THAT GIVES A BASE LEVEL OF SECURITY.
BUT IF YOU'RE A BANK, YOU PROBABLY HAVE PRIVATE SECURITY.
THAT'S REALLY OUR TARGET IS JUST THE BASE LEVEL OF SERVICE SO THAT NO CITIZEN IN AMARILLO GOES WITHOUT ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
AND FRANKLY, IT'S A REALLY LOW COST ADD ON TO AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE BUILT BECAUSE IT'S LOW BANDWIDTH, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT STREAMING, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A LOT OF BANDWIDTH TO PROVIDE.
THE IMPACT IS REALLY CLEAR, FIRST.
AND I THINK IT CAN'T BE UNDERSTATED, AMARILLO LEADS THE WAY.
THERE'S VALUE IN BEING FIRST TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
SECOND, I LIKE THE IDEA OF LIVING IN A CITY WHERE NO CITIZEN IS.
EVERY CITIZEN HAS ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
IT ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS, BETTER ACCESS FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, AS AS PRIVATE SECTOR COMES BEHIND AND BUILDS OUT.
WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH LOCAL PROVIDERS AND A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE ALREADY SAID IF YOU PUT A TOWER HERE IN THE NORTHEAST, WE'RE GOING TO IMMEDIATELY START FIRING OFF OF THAT TOO, THESE BUSINESSES AND THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
SO I THINK THOSE AREAS TODAY, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO [INAUDIBLE] OR OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE INTERNET ACCESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH A SMALL BUSINESS.
IT ALSO GIVES US CONTINUAL INVESTMENT IN OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT MONEY STAYS HERE, STAYS LOCAL AND KEEPS DEVELOPING.
AND IT'S INTERESTING, AS I WAS GOING THROUGH THIS, I'VE TALKED TO CITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE DONE BROADBAND PROJECTS, THOSE THAT FAILED AND THOSE THAT SUCCEEDED.
AND THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING USE CASES THAT COME OUT OF IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT CHATTANOOGA, THEY DID A BROADBAND PROJECT IN 2009 WHERE THEY CONNECTED EVERY HOME AND EVERY BUSINESS IN OVER 100 SQUARE MILES IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.
BUT IN 2009, FIBER WAS REALLY THE ONLY OPTION THAT YOU HAD.
THEY DID THAT IN 2009 AND THEN THEY DID A STUDY IN 2014 TO SEE WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT? WHEN THEY STARTED IN 2009, THEY HAD ABOUT TEN OR FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTED IN THE CITY.
THAT YEAR, THERE WAS FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS OF VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTED IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE. WHEN THEY STARTED, UNEMPLOYMENT WAS 10 PERCENT.
[01:30:01]
BY 2014, IT HAD DROPPED IN HALF TO FIVE.BY 2014, CHATTANOOGA HAD HAD THE THIRD HIGHEST WAGE GROWTH AMONG MID-SIZED CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH MEANS THEIR WAGES WERE GROWING FASTER THAN ALL BUT TWO CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT.
I KEEP SEEING, YOU KNOW, AMARILLO AT THE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.
I MEAN, WE CONSTANTLY THE BEST, BUT WE HAVE 67 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS ON ASSISTED LUNCH.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE AN UNDEREMPLOYMENT PROBLEM.
SO THAT ONE REALLY STUCK OUT TO ME.
AND JUST THIS YEAR, THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE DID A TEN YEAR STUDY AND DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TWO POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THIS SINGLE PROJECT. IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT, I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MUST HAVE BROUGHT SOME REALLY BIG BUSINESS TOWN.
AND THEY DID. THEY BROUGHT A COUPLE, I THINK IT WAS, YOU KNOW, VOLKSWAGEN, AMAZON AND MAYBE ONE OR TWO OTHERS. BUT IT WASN'T THE BIG BUSINESSES THAT REALLY SPURRED THEIR GROWTH. IT WAS SMALL BUSINESS AND IT WAS STARTED AND IT WAS A STRONG STARTUP CULTURE.
WHICH LEADS ME TO WHY THIS MODEL WORKS.
YOU KNOW, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING IN A LEADERSHIP SESSION AT [INAUDIBLE] LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT WEST POINT WITH A GUY NAMED JAMES COLLINS.
YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF BUILT TO LAST OR GOOD TO GREAT AND GOOD TO GREAT.
HE DID A STUDY WHERE HE LOOKED AT COMPANIES IN THE SAME SECTOR, YOU KNOW, DID THE SAME THING AND LOOKED AT COMPANIES THAT FAILED AND COMPANIES THAT SUCCEEDED AND TRIED TO DETERMINE WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WHAT ARE THE SUCCESS FACTORS THAT MADE THOSE COMPANIES THAT SUCCEEDED SUCCEED THE WAY THEY DID? WELL, THERE'S ANOTHER MAN.
HE'S THE DEAN OF COMMUNICATIONS OR WAS THE DEAN OF COMMUNICATIONS AT USC NAMED ERNEST J.
WILSON. THAT DID A VERY SIMILAR THING, ONLY THAT WAS FOCUSED ON GOVERNMENT.
BACK IN THE 90S. THE WHOLE IDEA OF AN INNOVATION CLUSTER WAS HUGE.
EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE AN INNOVATION CLUSTER OR AN INNOVATION REGION.
ABOUT 98 PERCENT OF THOSE FAILED MISERABLY.
SO HE LOOKED AT PLACES LIKE SILICON VALLEY OR BANGALORE OR CHATTANOOGA, AND THAT DID SUCCEED. THAT BECAME AN INNOVATION HUB THAT SAW GREAT GROWTH AND THEN COMPARED THOSE TO THOSE THAT DIDN'T THAT FAILED THAT 98 PERCENT THAT FAILED.
WHAT HE BOILED IT DOWN TO IS WHAT HE CALLS THE QUAD.
IT WAS THE IDEA THAT LEADERSHIP FROM GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR, ACADEMIA AND NONPROFIT HAD TO GET IN THE SAME ROOM, DRIVING THE SAME DIRECTION IN ORDER FOR A REGION TO SUCCEED.
AND WHAT I FOUND WHEN I STUDY CHATTANOOGA IS THAT'S VERY MUCH THE REASON THEY SUCCEEDED.
NOW, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SUCCEEDED WITHOUT MAKING THE INVESTMENT IN FIBER.
BUT I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT FIBER IS NOT REALLY WHAT MADE THEM SUCCESSFUL.
IT WAS THE FACT THAT AT THE FRONT END OF THIS PROJECT, THEY SOUGHT PARTNERSHIP ACROSS ALL OF THE QUAD IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO YOU HAD ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, NOT JUST TEACHING TECHNOLOGY, BUT TEACHING THE BUSINESS SKILLS THAT YOU NEED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL STARTUP.
AND YOU HAD THE CITIES WORKING WITH WITH THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO BUILD INCUBATORS FOR THESE STARTUPS TO TAKE OFF.
AND YOU HAD FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ACTUALLY BUILDING PACKAGES AROUND THE IDEA OF STARTUPS SO THAT CHATTANOOGA COULD BE A PLACE WHERE FINANCE WAS EASY FOR A STARTUP BUSINESS.
THEY BUILT A CULTURE AND THEN THEY MARKETED IT IN THE IN THE SOUTHEAST.
IN THE SOUTHEAST. IF YOU WANT TO BE A STARTUP, THAT IS A CITY TO LIVE IN.
SO I WOULD SUBMIT THAT PARTNERSHIP IS WHAT IS WHAT DRIVES SUCCESS.
AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING IT. SO ALREADY YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE TOOK THIS TO THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHAT THERE. WOULD THERE BE INTEREST OR ARE THERE OTHER LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING? AND THE ANSWER IS YES, VERY STRONGLY, MORE THAN WE CAN ACTUALLY ABSORB IN PHASE ONE.
RIGHT. WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING TO LIMIT OUR SCOPE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INTEREST IN WORKING TOGETHER. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BENEFIT AISD AND REGION 16 JUST DID A MASSIVE FIBER.
THEY BOTH DID MASSIVE FIBER PROJECTS.
THAT'S TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF FIBER THAT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE INVESTED IN ORDER TO LAUNCH THIS PROJECT OUT OF A CONVERSATION AND SOME TIME SPENT TOGETHER.
NEXT STEPS FOR US, WE'VE DONE RFQ FOR LOCAL BROADBAND PROVIDERS.
ONCE THAT WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON FINALIZING DESIGN.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME SOME DEFINITE PARTNERS WE'RE WORKING WITH ON THE 26TH AND 27TH, WE'RE DOING A TWO DAY SESSION WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SIT DOWN AND START TO GET THE FINAL DETAILS OF THE DESIGN DONE.
ONCE THE RFQ COMPLETES, THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE LOCAL BROADBAND PROVIDERS, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S AREAS OF TOWN THAT DON'T NEED INVESTMENT. SO WE'LL DO I CALL IT DESIGN BY SUBTRACTION.
SO WE'VE DESIGNED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO DO EVERYTHING.
AND NOW WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WE CAN START TO BACK OUT PIECES, OUR PARTNERS ALSO ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
WE CAN START TO BACK OUT PIECES AND SUBTRACT THOSE OUT OF COST.
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ONCE DESIGN'S COMPLETE, THEN WE HAVE A CAPITAL COST AND OPERATING COST THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO COUNCIL. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WITH APPROVAL, WE WOULD START CONSTRUCTION.IT'S EASY TO ENGAGE, AS BOTH THE MAYOR AND HOWARD SAID, WE'RE A FOUR PERSON COMMITTEE, SO MAYOR NELSON, COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, OUR CFO, LAURA STORRS AND MYSELF, THERE'S OUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND OUR AND OUR PHONE NUMBERS.
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.
WE'RE EASY TO REACH AND WE'RE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN PARTNERING.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS FOR JUST A FEW MOMENTS.
WE HAVE SOME VIPS AT OUR MEETING TODAY.
SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT RICH HAD MENTIONED, RICH AND LAURA AND HOWARD HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM AND JUST SEEING CHECKING WHAT THE INTEREST LEVEL IS.
SO RICH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, BUT OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEIR TIME, I'M GOING TO LET THEM GO AHEAD AND MAKE THEIR REMARKS.
AND REGION 16, RAY [INAUDIBLE] IS HERE.
I THINK MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE] MIGHT BE WITH YOU, RAY, BUT I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A THREE O'CLOCK MEETING. YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE FOR.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT COMMENTS OR ANYTHING, YOU WANT THE COUNCIL TO HEAR ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, IS IT IMPORTANT TO WHAT REGION 16 IS DOING? I THINK WE WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND WELCOME.
YOU BET. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, MAYOR.
MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE] IS MY CTO, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.
I WOULDN'T STAND HERE AND CLAIM TO KNOW MUCH OF ANYTHING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.
I HAVE HIM AT WORK AND I HAVE MY WIFE AT HOME.
BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, REGION 16, WE AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY THE INTERNET PROVIDERS FOR 59 OF OUR 61 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND THE ISSUE IS WE FOUND IN THE PANDEMIC, WE KNEW AHEAD OF TIME.
BUT WE, AS WE FOUND IN THE PANDEMIC, AS WE'VE MOVED INTO IT, THE ISSUE'S NOT BROADBAND ACCESS OUT TO ANY OF OUR RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE'VE WORKED FOR YEARS AND YEARS ON MAJOR BUILD OUT AND BEING ABLE TO FINANCE THOSE WORKING WITH AT&T, WINDSTREAM, OTHER PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BROADBAND ACCESS.
ALL 59 SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BROADBAND ACCESS TO THE DOOR OF THE SCHOOL.
THE ISSUE IS FROM THE SCHOOL TO THAT FARMER THIRTY MILES OUT IN THE COUNTRY.
AT&T IS NOT GOING TO BUILD FIBER OUT THERE WITHOUT SOME RESOURCES, SOME BACKING, MAYBE SOME PRODDING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND WE DISCOVERED IN THE PANDEMIC THAT OVER 35 PERCENT OF THE KIDS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAD NO ACCESS.
I MEAN, WE'RE THERE EVERY DAY.
TEACHERS ARE THERE EVERY DAY TRYING TO PROVIDE ONLINE SERVICES.
THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS. NINETEEN PERCENT OF THE KIDS THAT HAVE BROADBAND ACCESS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS DIDN'T HAVE A DEVICE TO CONNECT WITH.
TA HAS ALLOTTED 240 MILLION DOLLARS.
FOLKS HAVE BOUGHT ALL KINDS OF DEVICES.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ONE TO ONE INITIATIVE LIKE AMARILLO HAS.
JEFF, JEFF ROLLER'S BACK HERE WAS WITH THE GROUP TODAY, BUT THE PROBLEM'S NOT DEVICES.
YOU TAKE FOR INSTANCE, WELLINGTON ISD, SUPERINTENDENT THERE, CALLED ME AND SAID, HEY, WE GOT 60. MYFI'S PAID FOR.
THE PROBLEM IS THE ONLY PROVIDER THAT TA WILL CONTINUE TO PAY THE BILL FOR THAT ON A MONTHLY BASIS IS AT&T.
WE'RE NOT WITHIN 100 MILES OF AT&T SERVICES, SO IT DOESN'T DO THE KIDS ANY GOOD.
IT'S GOT TO IT'S GOT TO BE PLANNED.
AND RICH HAS DONE IT, DONE A GREAT JOB, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER THAT HAVE BEEN ON THAT COMMITTEE TRYING TO PLAN THIS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS ACCESS FOR AMARILLO KIDS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS SOMETIMES.
WE DON'T THINK ABOUT KIDS BEING HUNGRY IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
WE DON'T THINK ABOUT KIDS NOT HAVING INTERNET ACCESS.
IS IT THE END OF THE WORLD? THEY DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS? WELL, IN THIS DAY AND TIME, IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW.
SO ANYWAY, WE'RE PROUD TO BE HERE AND WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER.
SOME OF THESE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS TRYING TO GET BROADBAND ACCESS OUT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOMEHOW PARTNERING AND BEING A PIECE OF TRYING TO HELP THE CITY WITH THAT MODEL, BECAUSE WE TRULY BELIEVE IF THE CITY OF AMARILLO DOES THAT, THEN THAT MODEL WILL BE FOLLOWED ALL OVER THE STATE, ALL OVER THE PANHANDLE AND MAYBE ALL OVER THE STATE.
MICHAEL? SURE, I CAN'T SAY HOW EXCITED I AM THAT RICH APPROACHED ME ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I'VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT FIBER FOR MANY YEARS AND IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM IN RURAL SCHOOLS, JUST LIKE MR. [INAUDIBLE] SAID. I STARTED IN A RURAL SCHOOL.
I WAS IN CLARENDON AND THEN MOVED TO DUMAS AND CANYON AND EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT I WAS IN CONNECTIVITY FOR OUR STUDENTS WAS AN ISSUE.
AND SO THE ABILITY TO HAVE THIS AS A MODEL IN AMARILLO IT NOT ONLY BUILDS OUR ABILITY TO SERVE OUR KIDS, BUT IT BUILDS OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE TO DRIVE BUSINESSES INTO OUR
[01:40:01]
COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST AMARILLO, BUT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS WELL.BUT THE THING THAT EXCITES ME IS JUST THE FACT THAT WE CAN SERVICE OUR KIDS AT A WHOLE NEW LEVEL AND WE ARE ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND FLUOR NOW.
BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHERE WE CAN BE A MODEL, YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE DALLAS MARKET IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER AREAS, UNITED STATES, AND WE ARE KIND OF ONE PEOPLE.
AND WHAT AMARILLO DOES IS GOING TO BE A MODEL FOR OTHER OTHER CITIES.
ALREADY HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT ASKING ME, HEY, HOW CAN WE DO WHAT AMARILLO'S LOOKING AT DOING SO, WE CAN PROVIDE ACCESS TO OUR KIDS.
SO I ENCOURAGE THIS COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THIS.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR NELSON, HOWARD, COUNCILMAN HOWARD, FOR YOUR WORK IN THIS.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY RICH, AMARILLO ISD FOR Y'ALL WORK.
YOU GUYS HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO BE NOT ONLY MORE SUCCESSFUL AS A CITY, BUT REALLY LEAD THE WAY. THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, AS AN IT LEADER IN THE AREA, HIRING HIGHLY QUALIFIED IT PEOPLE IS A CHALLENGE.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE TRAIN THEM AT OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND THEN THEY LOOK FOR THE HIGH PAYING JOB SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THOSE AREAS HAVE THE BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY AND THEY HAVE THE JOBS THAT ARE PROMOTING TECHNOLOGY, DOING PROJECTS LIKE THIS, PROVIDING CITY WIDE CONNECTIVITY OR EVEN REGIONAL WIDE CONNECTIVITY BRINGS THOSE PEOPLE BACK TO THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
I'M PANHANDLE KID AND I LIKE THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS, AND I'D LIKE OUR KIDS TO STAY HERE AND WORK HERE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
THANK YOU, MICHAEL. THANK YOU, RAY.
WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERS FROM DELL COMPUTERS, BRIAN [INAUDIBLE] AND CHRIS THOMAS.
AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT LOCAL, SO YOU HAVE MADE A TRIP TO BE WITH US TODAY.
OK. OK, TELL ME HOW FAR? FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE BEEN WITH DELL TECHNOLOGIES FOR 23 YEARS, A LITTLE OVER 23 YEARS NOW.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LUBBOCK, ACTUALLY LIVED IN AMARILLO FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WENT TO BELMAR ELEMENTARY.
WOW. SO, YOU KNOW, VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PANHANDLE.
I SPEND PROBABLY HALF MY TIME UP HERE WORKING WITH THE CITY, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH THE REGION CENTER, WITH AMARILLO COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
LOVE IT UP HERE. IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE.
BUT TO RICH'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN COVID HIT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY SAW A REALLY BIG DEMAND FOR DEVICES, BUT ALSO THE EXCUSE ME, THE CONNECTIVITY AND WHAT THE CITY IS DOING IN THE PARTNERSHIPS, IN THE COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH THE COLLEGE, WITH THE COUNTIES, WITH REGION CENTER, EXCUSE ME, IS SO INNOVATIVE.
I'M NOT SEEING THIS ANYWHERE ELSE, I SEE IT VERY SILOED WHERE YOU HAVE A CITY MAYBE DOING INITIATIVE OR SCHOOL DISTRICT DOING INITIATIVE, BUT NOT A COMMUNITY WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED AND IS INVOLVED, AS YOU ARE WITH THE DISTRICT, THE COLLEGE, THE COUNTY, THE REGION CENTER. IT'S JUST NOT HAPPENING ACROSS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
I'VE ALREADY HAD PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO? WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP HYPER FOCUSED ON THIS PROJECT AND THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK MAYOR NELSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, RICH, THE COMMUNITY, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO BE PART OF THIS INITIATIVE.
I THINK THIS IMPACT, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, ESPECIALLY IN THE YEARS TO COME, IT'S GONNA HAVE GREAT THINGS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE THAT.
STRETCH OUT TO THE COUNTIES SURROUNDING AMARILLO, SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I SEEE SUPERINTENDENT DOUG LOOMIS.
BUT I KNOW I ALSO SEE DICK FORD BOARD MEMBER DICK FORD AND TOO. YOU'VE GOT TWO BOARD MEMBERS WITH YOU.
WE HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS WITH ME TODAY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU ON ELECTION AND BACK REPRESENTING THE CITY OF AMARILLO. THIS THIS INITIATIVE IS BEYOND EXCITING TO US.
BUT I'M GOING TO ECHO WHAT I HEARD ALMOST ALL OF YOU SAY FROM THE DAIS THIS AFTERNOON.
THE TECHNOLOGY'S IMPORTANT, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT'S IMPORTANT TODAY.
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS WE'RE STANDING HERE WITH YOU, ALONG WITH AMARILLO COLLEGE AND PRIVATE BUSINESS, WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
WE REALLY ARE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF DOING SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL IN AMARILLO.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLY CHANGE THE WORKFORCE IN AMARILLO OVER THE NEXT DECADE TO 20
[01:45:02]
YEARS LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.AND SO I SO MUCH APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TOGETHER NOT COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER. OUR FRIEND HERE TO MY RIGHT HAS TOLD ME REGULARLY, YOU KNOW, YOU AND THE MAYOR AND YOU AND RUSSELL AND WALTER AND ALL OF THE LEADERS OUGHT TO BE MEETING MORE OFTEN BECAUSE WE SHOULDN'T BE COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE WHO WE ULTIMATELY WE ALL SERVE THE EXACT SAME RESIDENTS.
WE SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF AMARILLO.
AND WE SHOULDN'T BE IN A COMPETITION.
WE SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN I DO IT BEFORE THE CITY CAN GET THERE OR HOW CAN I GET THERE BEFORE RUSSELL GETS THERE AT AC.
WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IT TOGETHER.
AND I HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS HERE WITH ME AND ALONG WITH JEFF [INAUDIBLE] OUR CTODAY, BECAUSE I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS PROJECT.
WE BELIEVE IN THIS PROJECT, AND WE'RE HERE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT.
AND SO I'LL GIVE DICK AND KIMBERLY ANDERSON AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEN JEFF TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY. I WANNA SAY JUST REAL QUICK, BUT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS AGO, I HAD A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR. OF COURSE, HOWARD SMITH'S MY DEAR FRIEND, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, HOWARD WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LONG BEFORE HE WAS A CITY COUNCILMAN.
BUT ANYWAY. BUT WHEN I WENT TO TALK WITH YOU, I HAVE FRIENDS ON AMARILLO COLLEGE BOARD AND I'VE TALKED WITH ALL OF YOU ALL THE SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, WHENEVER A PERSON PAYS YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, I DON'T SAY THEY KNOW HOW MUCH THEY PAID, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WENT TO THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT OR THEY JUST PAY TAXES.
AND SO THOSE OF US THAT ARE ON BOARDS, WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY TO THOSE TAXPAYERS.
WE REALLY DO. AND IF WE'RE NOT ACTING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THOSE TAXPAYERS THEN WE'RE VIOLATING OUR FIDUCIARY AND I JUST APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GET ON GOOGLE AND BUT WITHOUT YOU CANNOT HAVE A YOU CANNOT HAVE A DEMOCRACY WITHOUT AN EDUCATED SOCIETY.
SO WE NEED IT. WE GOT TO HAVE WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET THESE KIDS EDUCATED.
ANYWAY, THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THANK YOU DICK FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I'M GOING TO BE VERY QUICK BECAUSE I ASKED IF I NEEDED TO PREPARE SOMETHING AND I WAS TOLD NO, YOU CAN SHOOT FROM THE HIP.
AND IT IS SO EXCITING TO SEE A CITY COME TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY THIS WAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS VISIONARY IDEA BECAUSE THIS IS INNOVATIVE.
YOU DON'T SEE THIS OTHER PLACES.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF A CITY THAT IS PUTTING ASIDE EGO, PUTTING ASIDE THE NEED FOR CREDIT AND COMING TOGETHER TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITIZENS AND FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR OUR FUTURE AND BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL SERVE, BUT ALSO CREATE NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION IN THAT AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME TOGETHER WITH THE REST OF US TO WORK TOGETHER AS WE SHOULD AS A WHOLE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, KIMBERLY.
FORD PRICE AND OTHER STATE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE WORK FOR YEARS TO SOLVE THE RURAL BROADBAND ISSUE, THOSE SAME ISSUES APPLY IN AMARILLO.
AS WE SAID, THE PANDEMIC ONLY SHOWED US HOW APPARENT THOSE CONNECTIVITY PROBLEMS WERE AND ARE IN OUR CITY. AS I SAT BACK IN THE SEAT, I THOUGHT I WISH THEY'D PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP. SO WHOEVER'S DOING THE SLIDE, I THANK YOU.
THE SLIDE SHOWS WHERE OUR HOTSPOT DEPLOYMENT CURRENTLY SITS WITH THE CITY, WITH OUR STUDENTS. THOSE ARE ONE DEVICE PER FAMILY.
AND FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN AT HOME LEARNING WHO ARE [INAUDIBLE] OR WHO WERE QUARANTINED AS PART OF COVID, WHAT THIS PICTURE DOES NOT SHOW YOU ARE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE SITTING IN OUR SCHOOLS GOING TO CLASS, DOING THEIR INSTRUCTION, YET STILL, WHEN THEY GO HOME, DOES NOT HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION.
THAT NUMBER IS FAR GREATER THAN WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
IT ONLY IS EXACERBATED BY COVID AND THE PANDEMIC.
AND THE ISSUES OF CLOSING BUSINESSES AND THE LIKE, WITH THAT IN MIND, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, YOUR PURSUIT OF THIS PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH AISD AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AREA TO CHANGE NOT ONLY THIS SLIDE AND THE FACE OF CONNECTIVITY IN OUR CITY, BUT AT THE FACE OF OUR CITY GOING FORWARD AND ALL THE THINGS THAT COME WITH IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP VERY MUCH.
I KNOW WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM AMARILLO COLLEGE TOO I SAW DR.
RUSSELL, IS IT SHANE? YEAH. HI, SHANE. SO I HAVE SHANE [INAUDIBLE], OUR CIO AND RESIDENT PROBLEM SOLVER, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE DIDN'T NEED A PANDEMIC TO TELL US HOW IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY AND BROADBAND ACCESS WAS, BUT WHAT IT DID WAS EXPEDIENT.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT LEADS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY OR FALLS BEHIND THIS
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PROJECT WILL TRANSFORM OUR WORKFORCE.IT'LL TRANSFORM OUR ABILITY TO EDUCATE.
AND WE NEED IT NOT JUST TO SURVIVE, BUT TO THRIVE AND TO GROW FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGES.
AND WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP IN DOING THIS.
OK. BOTH YES. [LAUGHTER] AND THEN WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM THE AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION, KERALEE CLAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE, AND I WANT TO ECHO EVERYTHING WE'VE ALREADY HEARD TODAY.
I THINK WE ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
I THINK WHAT WE SEE IS HOW DO WE GET TO THE SOLUTION.
AT THE FOUNDATION, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR MONTHS ON IMPLEMENTING A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN THAT'S LOOKING AT EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
AND AS WE SPOKE TO COMMUNITY LEADERS, BROADBAND CONTINUE TO COME UP AS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. BUT AS WE DELVE DEEPER INTO EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE, THAT WAS THE STORYLINE ALL THE WAY THROUGH WAS LACK OF EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE BROADBAND WAS HOLDING US BACK IN ALL AREAS THAT WERE LOOKING AT.
I THINK THAT IN IN HEALTH CARE, WE'RE SEEING A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, FOR INSTANCE.
WELL, BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO VIRTUAL MENTAL HEALTH COULD BE A NICE BRIDGE FOR MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE HAVING.
AND WE KNOW THAT WITH THE PANDEMIC, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT MORE TO LIGHT.
AND IN EDUCATION, AS A PARENT, I TRULY HOPE WE NEVER, EVER GO BACK TO COMPLETE VIRTUAL REMOTE LEARNING. THAT WAS A CHALLENGE.
AND I COMMEND ALL OF OUR EDUCATORS AND AISD AND REGION 16 FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
BUT WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT IT STOPPING AT THE DOOR, STUDENTS ARE FALLING BEHIND OR THEY'RE NEEDING TO CATCH UP. THEY NEED BROADBAND IN THEIR HOME AND THEY NEED REAL BROADBAND IN THEIR HOME, NOT JUST A HOTSPOT THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE SAT IN THEIR CAR AS THEY ARE ACCESSING IT FROM A BUS.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE BEST WAY FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN AND AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
THERE'S ENTIRE INDUSTRIES, AS WERE TALKING ABOUT, THAT OUR CITIZENS MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IN THE FUTURE THAT WE CAN HELP GROW THE OPPORTUNITIES.
AT THE FOUNDATION, WE REPRESENT THE TOP TWENTY SIX COUNTIES.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS INITIATIVE WOULD BE PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON AMARILLO.
BUT WHAT EXCITES US IS HOW WE CAN NOT ONLY SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE FOR OUR CITIZENS HERE IN AMARILLO, BUT HOW DO WE TAKE THAT AND SPREAD IT INTO THE 26 COUNTIES? WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR, DEPENDING ON THE CONNECTED NATION'S MOST RECENT UPDATES, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM, TOO, THAT WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR COUNTIES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, THAT LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE HOUSEHOLDS HAVE WHAT THE FCC WOULD CONSIDER BROADBAND ACCESSIBILITY.
SO THAT IS A TREMENDOUS GAP IN OUR COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF AMARILLO BEING ABLE TO GROW IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND THE OTHER PARTNERS HERE ON THIS. IT'S VERY EXCITING.
AS A SELF-PROCLAIMED NERD, I'VE SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME GOING THROUGH SLIDES WITH RICH AND SEEING ALL THE EXCITING THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL LOOKING AT THIS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KERALEE.
RICH, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING BACK TO THE PODIUM.
I'LL JUST SAY, WHILE HE MAKES HIS WAY UP HERE THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THOSE COMMENTS, THAT CONNECTIVITY MAKES US MORE COMPETITIVE AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE ALL ALONG SAYING, YES, THERE'S A FIFTH GRADER OUT THERE TRYING TO TURN IN HIS MATH HOMEWORK AND WE CARE ABOUT THAT FIFTH GRADER.
BUT I KNOW THAT IN EIGHT YEARS, THAT FIFTH GRADER IS GOING TO BE PART OF OUR WORKFORCE.
AND I WANT HIM TO HAVE ACCESS TO COLLEGE AT AMARILLO COLLEGE AND W.T.
AND TEXAS TECH. AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT TRENDING AWAY FROM DIGITAL EDUCATION OR DIGITAL SERVICES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE ARE MANY SERVICES HERE AT THE CITY WE'RE DISCOVERING WE CAN DELIVER FOR LESS, WE CAN DO IT MORE EFFICIENTLY AND SPENDING LESS OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS IF WE OFFER IT IN A DIGITAL PLATFORM.
SO I KNOW WE'RE TRENDING TOWARD THAT.
AND IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO IT, BUT IT IS ABOUT MAKING OUR COMMUNITY MORE COMPETITIVE AS A WHOLE.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A BROAD PICTURE OF THAT AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT OUR WORKFORCE, HOW THAT FIFTH GRADER TURNS IN HIS MATH HOMEWORK AFFECTS WHETHER OR NOT HE GRADUATES FROM HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH AFFECTS WHAT KIND OF WORKER HE IS IN OUR WORKFORCE FOR THE NEXT 50 OR 60 YEARS. SO IT'S NOW, BUT IT'S ALSO LATER.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT APPEALS TO ME ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AS AN ASIDE, I'LL SAY I HAVE I TAKE QUITE DELIGHT IN THINKING THAT THIS PROJECT IS LED BY OUR ALMOST OCTOGENARIAN ON THE COUNCIL WHO IS A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT, MR. HOWARD-SMITH. I LOVE THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY PROJECT AND IT'S BEING LED BY SOMEONE WHO IS OLDER THAN THE REST OF US, BUT WEARS IT VERY WELL, I MIGHT ADD. [CHUCKLING] AND SO, HOWARD, I JUST WANT TO SAY I KNOW IT'S TRUE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I JUST LOVE HOW THAT SET UP.
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AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB LEADING US.AND RICH, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB PREPARING US, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK IN FRONT OF US.
THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS IS EVEN BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS YET TO BE LINED OUT, ONE OF WHICH IS HOW WE PAY FOR ALL OF THIS. WHAT WOULD IT COST? SO THERE I KNOW ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND TODAY IS OUR FIRST BITE AT THE APPLE TO ASK RICH SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND I WOULD SUSPECT THAT HE WON'T HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS TODAY.
BUT DON'T HOLD BACK BECAUSE EVERY QUESTION IS A GOOD QUESTION THAT MOVES US TO THE END AND AS WE DISCOVER WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COUNCIL SHOULD SUPPORT AND HOW IT SHOULD LOOK IN THE WAY THAT WE SUPPORT IT IF WE DO THAT.
SO ARE THERE QUESTIONS COUNCIL? SURE. YEAH, YOU WANT TO START EDDY.
OK, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 4G.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT 5G, SO THAT KIND OF TAKES THAT SEGMENT OUT OF THERE THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT ON THE CONTROVERSIAL SIDE.
JUST GO AHEAD AND VERBALIZE THAT.
WHY IS THAT CONTROVERSIAL? WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME QUESTION AS TO THE HEALTH CARE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF 5G.
OK, SO IT'S 4G, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS SPEEDY, I TAKE IT.
THAT'S DEBATABLE. YOU HAVE THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF 5G.
THERE'S 5G THEY USE IN THE SAME WAY WE USE 4G TODAY FOR LARGE AREAS AND THEN THERE'S SOMETHING THEY CALL ULTRA WIDEBAND AND THAT'S 5G YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN DOWNTOWN THAT ONLY HAS A RANGE OF ABOUT 500 METERS.
SO, YES, 4G IS SLOWER THAN ULTRA WIDEBAND.
IN FACT, THERE WAS A THERE'S A RECENTLY SEVERAL PUBLISHED ARTICLES WHERE VERIZON WAS EXPERIENCING FASTER SPEEDS ON THEIR 4G NETWORK THAN THEIR 5G.
YEAH, AND THAT'S ALSO TUNABLE.
SO THE TOWERS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN HAVE FOUR RADIOS, ESSENTIALLY, ON THEM, BUT THAT ON THAT ONE TOWER IS 750 MEGABITS PER SECOND THROUGHPUT.
SO ADDING FOUR MORE RADIOS WOULD MAKE THAT A GIG AND A HALF PER TOWER.
OK, SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET THE GIGABIT SPEED? BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS IT SAID 750 MEGABYTES PER SECOND, BUT THE CHATTANOOGA WAS A GIGABYTE DEAL.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET TO THE GIGABYTE DEAL, RIGHT? EXACTLY. THE NEXT QUESTION, SO HAVE YOU ALREADY BEGUN TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY OF THESE TOWERS AND DO YOU KIND OF HAVE A PATTERN FOR HOW THAT PLAN IS LAID OUT AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, OF COURSE, IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE HAVING A WIND TURBINE IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN, BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO THE CITIZENS OUT THERE? SO WE DID A A COMPLETE COVERAGE MAP.
SO WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY AT CERTAIN SPEED LEVELS? AND NOW WE'VE STARTED TO BREAK THAT INTO PHASES, REALLY WITH THIS DRIVING US.
SO PHASE ONE IS HOW DO WE GET COVERAGE IN THESE AREAS OF MOST NEED AND THEN BROADER COVERAGE ACROSS THE CITIES FOR SERVICES LIKE, WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SPENDING, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR JUST ON MOBILE DEVICES FOR OUR CARS.
SO BROAD COVERAGE FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE DENSE THE NEED IS, THE MORE TOWERS YOU HAVE TO PUT, BECAUSE EACH TOWER ONLY SUPPORTS SO MANY USERS.
RIGHT. SO TO KEEP SPEED HIGH, THE ANSWER IS YOU PUT UP ANOTHER TOWER AND THAT AND THAT WAY YOU KEEP BROADBAND SPEED.
SO THAT PIECE WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT THE MEETING IS, IS ABOUT.
WE HAVE A MEETING IN TWO WEEKS.
WE'RE DOING A TWO DAY DESIGN SESSION WITH DELL, JMA AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS TO START GETTING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS AND IRONING THOSE OUT BECAUSE THOSE DETAILS DRIVE COST. SO WHAT IS THE TOWER GOING TO LOOK LIKE TO ME WALKING DOWN THE STREET? I'D SAY TOWER. IT'S A 60 FOOT WOODEN POLE.
SO WE HAVE PARTNERS THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET ACCESS TO SOME OF THEIR POLES. SO SOME OF IT WILL BE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
SOME OF IT COULD BE CITY BUILDINGS OR A WATER TOWER OR SO WHEN WE INITIALLY DID IT, I DID IT JUST FROM A PURE TECHNICAL STANDPOINT, WHERE WOULD I HAVE TO PUT COVERAGE IN ORDER TO MEET BROADBAND SPEEDS FOR EVERYBODY? NOW, WE'LL START TO ADJUST THOSE INTO, WELL, WHY BUILD SOMETHING THERE IF OUR PARTNER ALREADY HAS, YOU KNOW, A POLE OR A BUILDING THAT WE CAN WE COULD BE ON.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, IT DOES.
OK. SO THAT ALSO MEANS YOU'VE GOT ORIGINATION POINTS, I GUESS MEANS I GUESS THAT'S WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COMES INTO PLAY.
THAT'S WHERE AC SEE COMES INTO PLAY.
THAT'S WHERE WE COME INTO PLAY AS THE CITY.
SO I GUESS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY KIND OF MAPPED OUT WHERE THESE NODES WOULD BE THAT
[02:00:01]
YOU. YEAH, WE'VE STARTED TO.OTHER QUESTIONS? HOWARD, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? HOW QUICK COULD THIS BE IN IN PLACE? WE'RE TARGETING STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN AUGUST ON PHASE ONE.
I MEAN, WE REALLY WANT TO BE DOING CONSTRUCTION SO THAT WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GETTING COVERAGE FOR THESE STUDENTS. THE ONLY CAVEAT THAT I WOULD PUT IN PLACE IS WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING EVERY INDUSTRY IS ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
SO A LOT OF THAT'S GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY WHAT DO DELIVERY TIMES LOOK LIKE FOR EQUIPMENT.
SO IT JUST PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON US TO GET THESE DESIGN PIECES DONE AND GET THAT BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, BUT WE'RE TARGETING WE REALLY WANT TO GET STARTED IN AUGUST AND WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT SOME SOME WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THAT IF WE HAVE SUPPLY CHAIN IMPACT, SO.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PHASING, RICH, BECAUSE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I VISIT WITH YOU AND THE COMMITTEE, THE VISION IS BIG, LIKE THE VISION IS TO OPEN THE DOOR ON A MODEL THAT COULD GO ACROSS THE ENTIRE PANHANDLE.
TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK PHASING WISE.
HOW WOULD WE APPROACH THAT IN THE CITY? I THINK THE WAY WE WOULD APPROACH THAT IS REALLY MY AREA OF NEED FIRST.
I THINK PHASE ONE IS WHERE ARE WE HURTING THE MOST? AND YOU SEE IT HERE; IT WOULD BE THESE AREAS.
HOW DO WE GET BASE LEVEL COVERAGE INTO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS AND STUDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE IT TODAY? PHASE TWO WOULD BE EXPANDING INTO INTO GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE FOR THOSE SERVICES, LIKE POLICE, FIRE, SAME THING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE SOME OF THE SAME NEEDS THAT WE HAVE WHERE THAT'S CONCERNED, THE MOBILE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
PHASE THREE WOULD BE COMING BACK TO FILL IN SO THAT WE CAN BUILD BETTER SPEEDS IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE'VE ALREADY PROVIDED BASIC COVERAGE.
AND THEN FROM THERE, ONCE THAT MODELS, BILL, AND THIS IS SORT OF THE BEAUTY OF IT, ONCE THIS IS BUILT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE, MOST OF THE EXPENSIVE BITS ARE DONE.
SO ALL OF THE CORE INFRASTRUCTURE IT TAKES TO RUN THIS NETWORK IS IN PLACE.
THEN WE CAN TALK TO OTHER PARTNERS, COUNTIES, OTHER CITIES ON IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY'D BE INTERESTED IN EXPANDING OUTSIDE THE CITY FOOTPRINT? QUESTIONS ON THIS END? DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OK, SO IN THE GOAL OF LIMITING THE CITY LIABILITIES AND MAXIMIZING THE RESOURCES TO THE CITIZENS, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THE STRUCTURE AND ITS BUSINESS FORM FOR THE CITY? WHAT ROLE WILL WE SIT IN IN THESE PARTNERSHIPS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WE'RE SORT OF THE MIDDLE OF IT.
AND THERE'S TWO TYPES OF CITIES.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A HOME RULE CITY AND THEN YOU HAVE A NON-HOME RULE CITY.
BECAUSE WE'RE HOME RULE CITY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS, ESSENTIALLY, IF IT'S NOT BANNED BY THE STATE, WE CAN DO IT.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE IN ANY WAY.
IF YOU'RE NOT A HOME RULE CITY, THE STATE HAS TO GIVE EXPLICIT PERMISSION FOR YOU TO DO SOMETHING IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
SETTING UP THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES, THIS IS REALLY WHAT'S GROUNDBREAKING AND IS WHAT IS GETTING INTEREST.
I'M GETTING CALLS FROM ALL KINDS OF VENDORS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WANTING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS THAT'S THE GROUNDBREAKING PIECE OF THIS.
NOT REALLY THE TECHNOLOGY; TECHNOLOGY IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BECAUSE WE'RE HOME OR WE CAN ACTUALLY SET UP THOSE INTERLOPERS WITH AN AISD, OR NAME A SCHOOL DISTRICT, A CISD.
RIGHT. THEY THEY HAVE TO GO ASK PERMISSION TO DO THESE THINGS AND BE AND BE PERMITTED TO DO THEM. SO WE BECOME SORT OF THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL WHERE WE BUILD OUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN WE'RE ESSENTIALLY BUILDING LEASE AGREEMENTS OR ENTER LOCAL LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
SO WE MAY BE LEASING ACCESS TO FIBER THAT AISD HAS.
AND IN EXCHANGE, THEY'RE LEASING ACCESS TOWERS AND RADIOS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE PARTNERING TO EXCHANGE SERVICES.
SO IN YOUR OPINION, WOULD YOU SAY IT'S FAIR THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS IN KIND OF A LANDLORD TYPE SITUATION WHERE WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE BUSINESS OF INTERNET? WE'D BE LIMITING OUR LIABILITIES LONG TERM ON MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES? SERVICE FAILS.
EXACTLY. AND THEN CAN YOU PIGGYBACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT IN THE WAY OF LIKE A FAILURE? DID THESE OTHER CITIES THAT FAILED IN THIS, DID THEY OWN EVERYTHING AND OPERATE AS A BUSINESS? AND COULD WE LIMIT THAT IF WE KEEP OURSELVES IN IN THE LION'S SHARE.
[02:05:02]
ABSOLUTELY, THE LION'S SHARE, SO I DIDN'T JUST REACH OUT TO CITIES.I ALSO REACHED OUT TO SOME VENTURE CAPITALISTS.
THAT WAS SORT OF THE WORLD I LIVED IN BEFORE I CAME HERE.
AND TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHEN CITIES FAIL, WHY THEY FAIL, BECAUSE THERE ARE VENTURE CAPITALISTS THAT DO NOTHING BUT INVEST IN FAILED BROADBAND PROJECTS AND CITIES, AND THEY MAKE A FORTUNE. THEY WAIT FOR A CITY TO FAIL.
THEY COME IN AND BUY THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR AND THEN THEY BUILD A BROADBAND UTILITY. MOST OF THEM THAT FAILED, FAILED BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO BE A BROADBAND UTILITY AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE BROADBAND INDUSTRY MARGINS ARE SLIPPING IN BROADBAND.
YOU KNOW, WE AS CONSUMERS ARE EXPECTING HIGHER SPEEDS AT LOWER COST.
THAT'S BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO DO.
AND AS A CITY, WE COULD DO THAT, CERTAINLY.
WE WOULD END UP CHARGING AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE THAN OTHER PROVIDERS, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THAT UTILITY AFLOAT.
SO MOST OF THE FAILURES THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED, IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO COMPETE WITH PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE INDUSTRY.
SO WE WOULD SAY THAT IF WE COULD MAINTAIN A ROLE AS LANDLORD, WE EXERCISE CONTRACTS IN THE FORM OF LEASES.
EXACTLY. KEEP OURSELVES FROM COMPETING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
EXACTLY. AND SOME OF THE LIABILITIES WOULD COME WITH THAT.
YEAH, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO OFFER FULL INTERNET.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO LEVERAGE AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN PLACE TO PROVIDE THOSE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
SO YOU COULD GET ON COMMUNITY ACCESS AND ACCESS, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS ARE GOING TO GET TO THEIR EDUCATION.
BUT EVEN OUTSIDE OF STUDENTS, AN ADULT COULD DO EDUCATION AND INTERFACE WITH THE CITY TO DO CITY SERVICES OR GET SOCIAL SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING BACK AND READING SOME OF THE HEADLINES AND YOU WOULD SEE ALL THESE SOCIAL SERVICES CLOSED FOR COVID.
AND IT MADE ME SCRATCH MY HEAD BECAUSE THE FOLKS THAT NEEDED THOSE SOCIAL SERVICES MOST THEN HAD NO WAY TO REACH THEM.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DEPEND ON OUR LIBRARIES FOR ACCESS AND THEY WERE CLOSED TOO. SO NOW WHAT DO YOU DO? SO THE IDEA IS NOT TO COMPETE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE FROM SOME OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR LOCAL PROVIDERS IS THEY WANT TO PARTNER WITH US BECAUSE THEY ALREADY SEE THAT IF THEY'RE PARTNERED WITH US AND YOU WANT TO YOU WANT THAT COMMUNITY ACCESS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT VENDOR IN YOUR HOME GIVING YOU A HOTSPOT, GETTING YOU SET UP.
AND AS YOU GROW, YOU'RE VERY QUICKLY GOING TO DECIDE.
YOU PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE NETFLIX AND YOU'RE GOING TO CALL THAT PROVIDER.
AND THEY SEE THAT AS A PIPELINE OF NEW BUSINESS.
SO MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE THE CONTRACTS.
WHEN DO YOU PROPOSE TO HAVE THOSE WHERE WE COULD REVIEW THEM? THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE DESIGN MEETINGS, BECAUSE ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE WE'LL BE SHARING.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT FIBER WOULD WE BE USING OVER AT REGION 16 AND WHAT ACCESS ARE THEY GOING TO NEED TO SOME OF OUR RESOURCES? ONCE WE DEFINE THAT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SIT DOWN, OBVIOUSLY, WITH OUR LEGAL TEAMS AND START TO DRAFT WHAT WHAT THE CONTRACTS LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD ON THIS WHOLE PROJECT.
IT'S NOT TECHNOLOGY, IT'S FINANCE AND CONTRACTS.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO GET THAT IN FRONT OF YOU, JULY, PROBABLY EARLY JULY.
AND FINAL QUESTION, YOUR PRO FORMA, SO TO SPEAK, ESTIMATED COST, YOU'RE SAYING JULY.
SO ONCE THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE, THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY START LOOKING AT THE MONEY BEHIND IT AND UNDERSTANDING.
THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT YOU SEE IN A LOT OF THESE FAILURES IS YOU GET A BIG BUNCH OF MONEY, SO YOU BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT IF YOU DON'T DO A PRO FORMA AND YOU DON'T DO THE FINANCIALS TO GO ALONG WITH IT, THIS HAS TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A ONE ON ONE.
I WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROUD OF FOR DECADES.
I KNOW, RICH, THAT I KNOW THE HIGHLAND PARK SUPERINTENDENT HAS REACHED OUT TO ME AND I VISITED WITH HIM ABOUT BEING A PART OF THIS PROJECT, HIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS WELL AS RIVER ROAD. HAVE WE HEARD FROM CANYON? I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE REACHED OUT.
WE DID. YEAH, I HAVE FOLLOW UP MEETINGS WITH MOST OF THEM.
WE'RE SCHEDULING MEETINGS AND WE'LL START TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE WOULD PHASE THEM AND THEY MAY ACTUALLY RUN IN PARALLEL.
SO I'VE ALREADY WARNED DELL AND OUR OTHER VENDORS THAT THIS ONE PROJECT COULD TURN INTO SEVEN BECAUSE WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF WE PARTNER WITH A COUNTY THAT THEY CAN'T BE WORKING ON EXPANDING THAT COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THEIR COUNTY OR THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND WE CAN DO THAT IN PARALLEL.
OKAY, AND BUSHLAND ALSO IS IN OUR CITY.
WE HAVE FIVE DISTRICTS THAT TOUCH THE CITY LIMITS AND WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM AS WELL.
YES. SO, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNEW THAT ALL FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT IT.
AND WE HAVE STRONG INTEREST FROM AISD.
IT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO THEIR BOARD EVEN AND STRONG INTEREST FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, HIGHLAND PARK AND RIVER ROAD AND STILL IN PROGRESS WITH BUSHLAND AND CANYON.
[02:10:03]
YEAH, IF I HAD TO GUESS, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE'LL END.WE'LL END UP RUNNING FIVE CONCURRENT PROJECTS.
YEAH. OK, SO RICH, DO YOU EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO COME BEFORE US, THE COUNCIL LIKE OR DO YOU THINK IN JULY.
WORST CASE. WORST CASE, MAYBE VERY BEGINNING OF AUGUST.
BUT OUR TARGET IS TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU IN JULY SO THAT WE CAN BE IN PURCHASING AND START CONSTRUCTION IN AUGUST.
AND THEN AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT PHASE ONE STARTING IN AUGUST.
SO WHEN DO YOU SEE PHASES TWO AND THREE? I MEAN, JUST KIND OF PROJECTING? I DON'T KNOW YET.
ACTUALLY, THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WEEK AFTER NEXT.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ALL THE VENDORS COMING IN FOR.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DISAPPEAR FOR TWO DAYS AND ACTUALLY START TO DO THE NOT JUST THE DESIGN, BUT ALSO LAYING IN WHAT TIMELINES LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS THE PHASES.
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN REALLY IS ON SUPPLY CHAIN AND GETTING AN UNDERSTANDING FROM THEM, HOW MUCH CAN THEY GET AND HOW SOON? THE WHOLE CHIPSET SITUATION IS REALLY STARTING TO MUDDY THE WATERS FOR US.
SO I'M HOPING I'LL HAVE A BETTER A CLEARER PICTURE OF THAT.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SUPPLY CHAIN AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE POLLS, WHAT TYPE OF POLLS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? ARE WE TALKING WOOD OR STEEL? AND I KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE CORPORATE BUSINESSES.
I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLLS.
RIGHT, PRIMARILY WOOD, BUT THEY CAN, BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE INSTALL.
I KNOW AISD WAS CONSIDERING SOME TALLER POLES ON SOME OF THEIR PROPERTY.
THOSE MAY NOT BE WOOD; THEY'LL PROBABLY BE MONOPOLES, BUT I THINK THE LION'S SHARE OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE WOOD. AND WE ARE APPROACHING, LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THE OTHER VENDORS IN TOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE POLES THAT MIGHT WANT TO PARTNER WITH US.
ARE WE TALKING 60 FOOT TO MAYBE 90 FOOT POLES OR--60 FOOT.
OUR INITIAL DESIGN STANDARD WAS A STANDARD 60 FOOT POLE.
YOU'RE WELCOME. SO WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US? YOU'RE NOT TECHNICALLY HERE WITH AN ASK TODAY, I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
NOT, TECHNICALLY. JUST WANT US TO BE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A DIFFERENT MODEL.
I'M NOT SEEING THIS ELSEWHERE, THE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PUBLIC ENTITIES AND PRIVATE ENTITIES. SO, REALLY JUST AN UPDATE.
AND ANY GUIDANCE, UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS.
I'LL HAVE ONE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.
HOW MANY CITIES DO YOU THINK YOU'VE TALKED TO? CITIES WHO HAVE DONE PROJECT CITIES WHO HAVE CONSIDERED PROJECTS THAT IS A QUESTION I'VE HAD MORE THAN ONCE FROM CITIZENS.
ABOUT 11. ABOUT 11? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH, I THINK THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE IF WE'RE STRIKING OUT TO DO SOMETHING INNOVATIVE.
AND WE'RE TRULY CREATING A WHEEL, HAVE WE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO TRY TO WHEEL, YEAH AND EITHER IT ROLLED OR IT DIDN'T ROLL, BUT--ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S THAT WE'VE TALKED TO A FEW CITIES THAT ARE IN DIFFERENT PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
SO PHENIX HAS ALREADY ROLLED OUT THIS TECHNOLOGY TO AN AREA OF THEIR CITY.
AND THEY DID THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A PRIVATE BROADBAND COMPANY, AND SO THAT PIECE THEY'VE DONE SUCCESSFULLY, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP WITH A CITY IN WASHINGTON THAT HAS ALREADY DONE THIS WHOLESALE MODEL WITH OTHER ENTITIES AND PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST BROADBAND ITSELF.
WE'RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT OUR USE CASES AND GOING OUT AND TALKING TO FOLKS THAT HAVE ALREADY TRIED SOME OF THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME YOU HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND IF YOU HAVE A BURNING QUESTION TONIGHT THAT'S KEEPING YOU FROM SLEEPING, RICH IS AVAILABLE BY EMAIL.
SO THESE QUESTIONS HELP HIM SHAPE THE PROJECT AND SO DON'T HESITATE TO ASK THEM.
IF YOU HEAR A GREAT QUESTION FROM A CITIZEN THAT NONE OF US HAVE ASKED YET.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION TO BRING TO RICH AND HIS TEAM SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN WORKING IT INTO THEIR DESIGN AND THEIR PROPOSAL.
ANYTHING ELSE THEN, RICH? I THINK LAURA STORRS IS THE WRAP UP ON THIS PRESENTATION WITH JUST ENDING ON A HIGH NOTE HERE. HOW INTERESTED THE COMMUNITY IS IN THIS PROJECT.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF THE PARTNERS, ACTUALLY, NOT ALL OF THE PARTNERS JUST TOOK A PORTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WILLING TO PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS ON IT.
THIS AFTERNOON, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LETTER THAT WE ARE VERY PLEASED WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
[02:15:03]
WE'VE ALSO BEEN APPROACHED BY THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY.I KNOW RICH HAS TALKED TO LOTS OF PEOPLE, LOTS OF COMPANIES ON THIS.
AND WE HAVE A LETTER HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT IS ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING A DONATION TO THIS PROJECT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY ON THIS MEETING.
AND SO THEY WROTE A LETTER AND ASKED IF I COULD READ IT.
SO THIS IS FROM JODY REDEKER, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF FLUOR CORPORATION COUNCIL MEMBERS.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU IN THIS WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR.
SUPPORTING AMARILLO CONNECTED IS A NATURAL FIT FOR FLUOR.
FLUOR HAS A STRONG CULTURE OF SERVING THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH OUR EMPLOYEES WORK AND LIVE . IN 2020, EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERED MORE THAN 24000 HOURS TO HELP ENRICH THE LIVES OF THOSE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH FLUOR'S FOCUS AREAS OF EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND CRITICAL HUMAN NEEDS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
FLUOR AND THE FLUOR FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN FIVE MILLION IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS IN 2020.
FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AND OVER 60 COUNTRIES WITH OVER 44000 EMPLOYEES, FLUOR HAS PROVIDED EXPERTISE AND ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY, SUPPLY CHAIN AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT THAT ARE ESSENTIAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS THAT HELP BUSINESSES GROW, ECONOMIES THRIVE AND COMMUNITIES FLOURISH.
OUR CLIENTS TRANSFORM THE ENERGY THAT POWERS INDUSTRIES.
THEY MINE RAW MATERIALS THAT DRIVE ECONOMIES.
THEY BUILD THE HIGHWAYS AND RAIL LINES THAT CONNECT COMMUNITIES.
THEY DEVELOP NEW PHARMACEUTICALS TO HELP FIGHT DISEASE, AND THEY CONDUCT MISSIONS THAT KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE AND SECURE.
CLIENTS SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, OF WHOM WE GREATLY RECOGNIZE THEIR SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
OUR SOLUTION BUSINESS GROUP IS FOCUSED ON KEEPING OUR POPULATION SAFE AND SECURE.
WE SERVE FEDERAL AGENCIES ACROSS THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT AND SELECT INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, DOE'S NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES.
THOMAS D'AGOSTINO IS THE FLUOR GROUP PRESIDENT FOR MISSION SOLUTIONS.
HE JOINED FLUOR IN 2013 AFTER SERVING MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE W.
BUSH AND BARACK OBAMA AS THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR NUCLEAR SECURITY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
TOM HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS NUCLEAR PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE WEAPONS, PROPULSION, SECURITY, COUNTERTERRORISM AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
HOW IS FLUOR CONNECTED TO AMARILLO? BY SUPPORTING OUR NATION'S NATIONAL SECURITY.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR WITH A LEGACY THAT DATES BACK TO THE MANHATTAN PROJECT IN THE 1940S. FLUOR IS TRUSTED BY THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT FOR OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE LARGE WORKFORCES TO SUPPORT BOTH NUCLEAR OPERATIONS AND MISSION DELIVERY SAFELY.
GREG MEYER, WHO IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AT FLUOR, WAS THE FORMER PANTEX SITE MANAGER AND OVERSEES NUMEROUS DOE NNSA PORTFOLIO CONTRACTS SUCH AS THE SAVANNAH RIVER PLUTONIUM PROCESSING AND TRY TITANIUM FINISHING FACILITIES LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY AND THE NAVAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY.
IF THE QUESTION WAS ASKED TO WHETHER FLUOR WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO AMARILLO CONNECTED IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ON THE STREETS FOR THE PANTEX, WHY 12 MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS CONTRACT GIVEN THE COMMITMENT BY OUR PRESIDENT TOM D'AGOSTINO AND VICE PRESIDENT GREG MEYER, ABSOLUTELY.
WE FEEL THAT THE NEED FOR COMMUNICATION FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS SO PROFOUND THAT THE BROADBAND INITIATIVES SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE ENTIRE NATIONAL SECURITY NETWORK AND THAT EVERY CONTRACTOR BIDDING ON THE NNSA'S PANTEX [INAUDIBLE] PROCUREMENT SHOULD BE CONTRIBUTING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WIN OR LOSE.
THIS INITIATIVE DRAMATICALLY IMPACTS A CRITICAL PORTION OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY, AND OUR CONTRIBUTION IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A CORPORATION THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT IN AMARILLO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT HAS HEARD ABOUT US AND IS EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF IT AND THEY WANT THEIR NAME INVOLVED WITH IT BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO TRANSFORMING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THEY RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS AT PLAY HERE.
SO WE'RE VERY HONORED THAT THEY'VE STEPPED FORWARD AND HAVE AGREED TO MAKE A DONATION TO THIS PROJECT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER LARGE COMPANY THAT WE'VE TALKED WITH PRIVATELY, AND THEY HAVE A GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY ARE WANTING US TO PURSUE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE JUST BEEN SO EXCITED AS PEOPLE HAVE CONTINUED TO COME FORWARD, THOSE IN OUR
[02:20:02]
COMMUNITY, THOSE EVEN OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY.WE'VE HAD SOME NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
THERE'S BEEN SOME PUBLISHING IN SOME NATIONAL IT MAGAZINES.
I'M NOT SURE THE NAMES, BUT AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU ALL AS YOU CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WE'RE ALSO HERE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THIS PROJECT AND WHAT WE MAY BE LOOKING AT AND BRINGING TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE A VERY BASIC WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE STARTED UP AND I BELIEVE WENT LIVE TODAY, AND IT'S CALLED AMARILLO CONNECTED DOT COM.
WE WILL BE ADDING INFORMATION TO THAT WEB PAGE AS FACTS CONTINUE TO BE COMING FORWARD SO WE CAN KEEP OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, CHECK THERE AS WE START RECEIVING QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS YOU ALL START RECEIVING QUESTIONS, BRING THEM TO US.
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A REALLY ROBUST FAQ SECTION SO WE CAN HELP GIVE SOME FEEDBACK TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING AS WE START LOOKING AT A FINANCIAL PRO FORMA AND WORKING WITH MORE OF OUR PARTNERS. WE'LL BE PUTTING THOSE OUT ON THE WEBSITE SO THE ANSWERS WILL BE THERE.
SO IT CAN CLEAR UP ANY QUESTIONS THAT CITIZENS HAVE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S AMARILLO CONNECTED DOT COM AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS. EXCELLENT QUESTIONS FOR LAURA, ANYBODY? NO? OK, LAURA. THANK YOU, RICH, WE APPRECIATE IT.
GOOD PRESENTATION, ALL VERY LONG PRESENTATION THAT A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THAT.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IN WORKING ON THAT.
OK. ITEM THREE IS AN UPDATE ON THOMPSON PARK POOL.
[3.E. Update on Thompson Park Pool]
SO, MR. CITY MANAGER.THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE'VE GOT MICHAEL KASHUBA DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO GIVE US A AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST SAY VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A LONG PRESENTATION AVAILABLE.
BUT THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES AND TO HAVE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THE KEY PURPOSE OF THIS, THOUGH, IS TO GO OVER SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'VE EXPERIENCED THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
WE KNEW WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT WE HAD NO TIME, NO ROOM TO SPARE.
AND WE'VE HAD ABOUT A MONTH OF WEATHER DAYS ON THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS GOING TO CAUSE THE DELIVERY DATE TO SLIDE A LITTLE BIT.
SO THAT'S A DIRE INTRODUCTION.
SO, MICHAEL, WALK US THROUGH IT, GIVE US THE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW AND GO TO ANY SLIDES YOU NEED. I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH 41 SLIDES, SO WE'LL BREEZE THROUGH THEM VERY QUICKLY. MAYOR, COUNCIL, MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR PARK BOARD CHAIR, JOHN ANDERSON, AT THE BACK.
SO OBVIOUSLY THIS PROJECT STARTED AS WE HAD IN 1931 POOL THAT REALLY WAS BEYOND ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY. WENT THROUGH SOME PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE DID A SURVEY AND AS A RESULT, WE HAD OVER 4500 PEOPLE PROVIDE INPUT INTO THAT PROCESS.
AND WHAT WE SAW THROUGH THAT WAS THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTED MORE OF AN AQUATIC FACILITY, AQUATIC MODERN AQUA PARK, INSTEAD OF A TRADITIONAL LAP SWIMMING FACILITY.
THINGS LIKE LAZY RIVER, ZERO ENTRY, CHILD FOCUSED PLAY AREAS AS OPPOSED TO LAP SWIMMING.
WHEN WE ASKED THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY FELT WAS AN APPROPRIATE PRICE POINT, THEY SAID THAT 5.50 WAS KIND OF THE AVERAGE OF WHERE THAT LANDED.
WE WENT THROUGH DESIGN AND CAME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT, WHICH INCLUDED A LEISURE POOL, WHICH IS ON THE RIGHT, THE LAZY RIVER, WHICH IS ON THE LEFT CONCESSION ADMIN BUILDING, WHICH IS KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM.
AND THEN AT THE TOP IS THE PUMP HOUSE.
SO THESE ARE JUST A FEW RENDERINGS OF WHAT THAT FACILITY WILL LOOK LIKE.
THAT'S THE LEISURE POOL THERE.
AND THERE'S A PICTURE OF WHAT THE LAZY RIVER WILL LOOK LIKE, VERY HIGH LEVEL.
THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED FOR EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS.
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT THAT WENT TO WHILEY HICKS WAS SIX POINT TWO.
THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE SPECIAL EVENT SPACE AND THAT WILL START FOLLOWING THE FIRST SWIM SEASON.
SO AS SOON AS WE GET OUT OF THE POOL FOR THE YEAR, FACILITIES WILL BE ACTING AS THE PROJECT MANAGER TO MOVE THAT SPECIAL EVENT SPACE FORWARD.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE'VE SEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHALLENGES THIS YEAR, 33 DAYS OF SNOW, RAIN, ICE, I BELIEVE IT WAS OVER THIRTY FIVE INCHES OF SNOW THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY WAS CHALLENGING IS IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, WHEN A LOT OF THE DIRT WORK WHERE YOU REQUIRE ABOVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES TO GET THE SOIL COMPACTED, MASONRY WORK OVER 40 DEGREES, AND SOME OF OUR CONCRETE WORK, THAT'S WHEN A LOT OF THOSE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS I MEAN, YOU HEARD DONNY TALK EARLIER ABOUT THE BLIZZARD AND ALL THE IMPACTS OF THAT.
SO FEBRUARY WAS EXTREMELY HARD ON CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO OUR CONTRACTOR HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN IN TERMS OF EXTENDING WORK WEEKS.
THEY'VE GONE FROM FIVE DAYS TO SIX DAYS AND IN SOME CASES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THEY'VE EXTENDED THEIR WORK HOURS BEYOND EIGHT TO FIVE.
[02:25:01]
AND AS A RESULT, WE FEEL LIKE A REALISTIC COMPLETION DATE AT THIS POINT IS GOING TO BE JUNE 17TH, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT IT WOULD OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON JUNE 19TH AND JUNE 20TH.THAT WOULD BE THE WEEKEND OF THE 19TH AND 20TH.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT THOSE DETAILS WILL LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE GRAND OPENING, BUT THAT IS THE DATE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS.
SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, JUST GOING THROUGH SOME PICTURES SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.
THE LEISURE POOL ITSELF, THIS IS AT THE START OF THE ZERO ENTRY.
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE CIRCULATION LINES UNDERNEATH.
THE COPING IS GOING IN AS WE SPEAK.
AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACKGROUND, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE REBAR IS BEING FORMED ALREADY FOR THE DECK SPACE.
THE CONTRACTOR PLANS ON POURING IT THIS WEEK.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE TOLD ME. SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT POURING THE AREA AROUND THE DECK; ONCE THEY'VE FINISHED THAT AND THEY'LL START WORKING ON THE LANDSCAPING, FENCING AND REALLY STARTING TO WRAP IT UP.
THE LAZY RIVER AGAIN, THIS IS A PICTURE OF WHAT THAT LAZY RIVER WILL LOOK LIKE.
THEY WILL BE SHIFTING FROM THE LEISURE POOL TO THE COPING ON THE LAZY RIVER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE LAZY RIVER LOOKS LIKE.
WE'VE GOT A VIDEO, BUT WE CAN SHOW THAT AT THE END IF YOU'D LIKE.
THE SLIDE AREA, SO THE SLIDE IS COMPLETELY INSTALLED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RUNOUT AREA AT THE BOTTOM. THEY WERE WORKING ON THE CONCRETE POUR FOR THAT RUNOUT THIS WEEK, BUT THEN IT'S JUST EXTENDING THAT SLIDE TO WHERE THOSE RETURNS ARE, THE CONCRETE RETURNS RIGHT THERE.
FROM THE TOP, THIS IS JUST A VIEW FROM THE TOP.
YOU CAN SEE A LONG WAYS AND IT'S VISIBLE FROM A LONG DISTANCE ON THE DUMAS HIGHWAY.
AND THEN THIS IS A SHOT LOOKING DOWN THE POOL OR THE SLIDE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE POOL IN THE BACKGROUND, THE LAZY RIVER TO THE RIGHT, THE CONCESSION ADMISSION BUILDING WITH THE BLUE ROOF. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE BRIEFLY OVER HERE ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE PUMP HOUSE. THE PUMP HOUSE IS A VERY SIZABLE STRUCTURE.
THIS IS THE AREA WHERE ALL OF THE CHEMICALS WILL BE STORED.
IT'S THREE SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS.
SO IT'S COMPLETELY ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE PUMP HOUSE AND JUST THE SCALE, IT'S A BIG FACILITY. SO THESE ARE ALL OF THE PUMPS BEING INSTALLED AS WE SPEAK AND THEN UP AT THE TOP. SO THERE'S A LOWER LEVEL AND AN UPPER LEVEL.
THE UPPER LEVEL'S WHERE ALL THE FILTERS ARE, A LOT OF THE CONTROL SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO GO. AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO WORK ON THE PIPING SYSTEMS THIS WEEK AS WELL.
ADMISSIONS, CONCESSION, SO THIS IS THE TICKET BOOTH.
THEY'VE GOT THE DRYWALL UP THERE WORKING ON THE DROP CEILING AND THE ROOFS RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS A SHOT OF THE CONCESSION BUILDING OR THE CONCESSION SPACE.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE HVAC GOING IN.
THEY'LL BE STARTING THE ELECTRICALS PULLED.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF A LOT OF THE FINISH UP NOW.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE IDENTIFIED DURING THIS PROCESS WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD SOME PUBLIC ART TO THIS PROJECT.
WHEN WERE LOOKING AT IT, WE IDENTIFIED TWO AREAS THAT WE FELT WERE APPROPRIATE TO ADD SOME PUBLIC ART, ONE OF THEM BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAZY RIVER AND THE OTHER ONE BEING AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE FACILITY.
WE REACHED OUT TO SOME LOCAL ARTIST AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE ARTIST THAT HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE ARTWORK FOR THE FIRST YEAR PRO BONO.
SO WE HAVE CREATED KIND OF A STANDARD TEMPLATE FOR THIS PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN BE PICKED UP FROM ONE SITE AND PLACED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE CONSISTENT.
SO THAT'LL ALLOW US IN THE FUTURE TO ADD OTHER SITES AND PARKS, AT THE ZOO GOLF COURSES, WHEREVER WE FEEL PUBLIC ART IS APPROPRIATE.
THIS IS THE RENDERING OF AND MR. JACOB B. IS THE ONE THAT IS WORKING ON THIS.
SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE SUNFLOWERS THAT WILL GO IN THE LAZY RIVER.
HE'S CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE RENDERING FOR THE PIECE THAT WOULD GO OUTSIDE THE FACILITY. THIS PIECE WAS REVIEWED BY BEAUTIFICATION PUBLIC ART MEMBERS AND ALSO THE PARK BOARD, THE FUTURE PIECE.
THE OTHER PIECE WILL ALSO BE REVIEWED BY THAT SAME GROUP.
VERY QUICKLY, JUST TALKING ABOUT STAFFING, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO HIRE LIFEGUARDS, POOL MANAGERS, CASHIERS, A LOT OF HELP FROM H.R.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF JOB FAIRS AND OTHER THINGS TO TRY TO GET THOSE EMPLOYEES.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE STILL NEED 20 LIFEGUARDS.
IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, LET US KNOW OR STEER THEM OUR WAY.
WE'VE STILL GOT TWENTY SEVEN VACANCIES.
SO IT'LL BE DISTRIBUTED OUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT WE STILL HAVE SOME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'LL BE WORKING ON TRYING TO DO ANOTHER JOB FAIR ON THE TWENTY SECOND TO TRY TO FILL THOSE SPOTS.
AS WE LOOK AT OPERATIONS, THE WAY WE'VE BROKEN OUT OUR DAILY ADMISSION IS WE'VE GOT A FULL SESSION WHICH GOES FROM 11 TO 4:30.
THAT'S TEN DOLLARS PER PERSON.
SO THOSE THAT LEAVE THE POOL BEFORE TWO WE WILL FILL THOSE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH HALF DAY SESSIONS. WE'LL DO AN EVENING SWIM FROM FIVE TO SEVEN.
[02:30:04]
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME CREATIVE PROGRAMING IN THE MORNING.WE'RE CALLING IT THE MORNING POWER HOUR.
WHEN WERE GOING THROUGH DESIGN, WE INCORPORATED THINGS LIKE KAYAKING AS AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE LAZY RIVER. SO WE MADE SURE IT WAS BIG ENOUGH FOR THAT.
SO THE ABILITY TO DO SOME RESISTANCE TRAINING IN THE LAZY RIVER, SOME KAYAK TRAINING, JUST SOME ADAPTIVE PROGRAMING, OTHER THINGS THAT WOULDN'T FIT WITHIN A NORMAL SWIM TIME.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME FACILITY RENTALS, SO SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, THOSE RENTALS ARE AVAILABLE FROM 8 TO 10.
WE'RE NOT DOING RENTALS ON SATURDAY.
IT'LL ALLOW STAFF THE ABILITY TO DO SPECIAL EVENTS ON THOSE DAYS.
WE DO HAVE BASIC FACILITY RENTALS, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE CONCESSION OPEN. WE ALSO HAVE A MORE OF A GOLD RENTAL WHICH WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO BRING IN FOOD AND BEVERAGES. WE ALSO DO POOL PARTY RENTALS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THOSE AT 11 AND 2.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME PARTY PACKAGES THAT WOULD GO WITH THAT.
CONCESSIONS AT THE NEW FACILITY, WE'RE LOOKING AT CHIPS, CRACKERS, ICE CREAM, CANDY BARS.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND OTHER FACILITIES IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SERVE HOT FOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GRIDDLE. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THINGS LIKE HAMBURGERS AND OTHER PRODUCTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
IN LIGHT OF THE NEW FACILITY OPENING, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING SEASON PASSES THIS YEAR. PART OF THAT WAS JUST WE WANT EVERYBODY TO EXPERIENCE THE NEW POOL.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIMITED BY JUST SEASON PASS HOLDERS.
THE OTHER THING IS WEREN'T SURE AT THE TIME ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF COVID, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
SO AT THIS POINT THROUGH THIS SEASON, WE WILL NOT BE DOING SEASON PASSES, BUT WE WILL BE REVISITING IT FOR NEXT YEAR.
DAILY TIMES IN AND OUT, DO YOU HAVE ANY FLEXIBILITY THERE OR DO YOU FORESEE ANY PROBLEMS? YOU KNOW, THEY SHOW UP BETWEEN THE 2 AND 4:30 TIME.
HOW ARE YOU TRACKING THAT? SO WE ARE GOING TO BE TRACKING THROUGH OUR SOFTWARE.
WE ALSO HAVE TICKET COUNTERS GOING IN AND OUT.
SO WE'LL BE DOING MANUAL COUNTS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TURNSTILES AS WELL.
SO DOWN THE ROAD, IT WILL ACTUALLY TRIGGER OUR SOFTWARE.
SO IT'LL KEEP A RUNNING COUNT OF HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE IN AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE OUT. WE'VE BUILT IN SOME 30 MINUTE BREAKS BETWEEN OBVIOUSLY CLEANING THE POOLS AND, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE FOUR THIRTY AND THE FIVE O'CLOCK, WHICH WILL ALLOW STAFF TO GET IN THERE, CLEAR THE POOL OUT, MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR THE NEXT GROUP.
IS THAT JUST COVID RELATED, MICHAEL, OR IS THIS MAYBE SOMETHING YOU--NO, JUST OPERATIONAL, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GO PICK UP TRASH, CLEAN UP THE FACILITY BEFORE THE NEXT GROUP.
NO, I MEAN, THE FULL SESSION, HALF SESSION PLAN.
NO, WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO BE THERE THE WHOLE DAY.
BUT THEN WITH A HALF DAY, IF A FAMILY LEFT, WE WANTED OTHER PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO ENJOY THE FACILITY. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF 100 PEOPLE LEAVE BEFORE NOON, WE'LL FILL THOSE 100 SPOTS FOR THE AFTERNOON JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THAT FACILITY AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT IS THE TOTAL OCCUPANCY? 625.
625 TOTAL PEOPLE? MM HMM. ARE WE DOING THE SAME SCHEDULING AT SOUTHWEST AND--OUR POOL WILL STAY THE SAME FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST, THE SAME HOURS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS OPERATED.
SO NOT THIS--NO, IT'LL BE A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE THAN THIS.
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN GO THERE AND SEE THAT.
ONLY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE YOUR STAFFING, YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE DEADLINE COMING UP? SEASONAL HIRING IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS IS MORE AND MORE INDIVIDUALS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT 15 AND 16 YEAR OLDS.
SO AS THE SCHOOL SEASON STARTS TO END, AS THEY GET CLOSER TO SUMMER, THEY START LOOKING FOR MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ANOTHER JOB FAIR TO TRY TO FILL THE REST OF THOSE SPOTS. WE'VE GOT 21 THAT ARE ALREADY ON BOARD.
WE'VE GOT 20 THAT ARE PENDING.
AND I WOULD SEE US TRYING TO FILL THOSE LAST SPOTS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE, BUT I THINK WE'D GET THERE.
SO REALLY, THE REASON FOR DOING IT DIFFERENTLY AT THOMPSON PARK IS JUST THIS POOL'S GOING TO BE SUPER POPULAR BECAUSE IT'S BRAND NEW AND IT'S COOL AND YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO CREATE A SCHEDULE THAT MAXIMIZES THE SPACE INSIDE THERE BECAUSE WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO USE IT.
SO, MICHAEL, AS I'M SITTING HERE THINKING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT DELAYED ON SCHEDULE, AND A LOT OF THAT IS WEATHER RELATED, YOU KNOW, WHICH WHICH WE, YOU KNOW, CAN'T REALLY GET AROUND THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THINKING JUNE 17TH.
AND I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AROUND JUNETEENTH, YOU KNOW, TO DO SOME BIG THINGS AROUND THAT PARTICULAR OPENING, BECAUSE JUNETEENTH WOULD BE THE 19TH AND
[02:35:02]
THE 20TH OF THAT WEEKEND.SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO.
YES, MA'AM. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THAT OPENING CELEBRATION WILL LOOK LIKE.
I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT OPENING THE POOL FREE OF ADMISSION FOR THOSE FIRST TWO DAYS.
SO THE 19TH AND 20TH, SOME OF THE OTHER DETAILS WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH.
BUT I THINK IT'LL BE A GREAT CELEBRATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
[CHUCKLING] WE REALLY WANTED TO GET ONE, HAVE COUNCIL, BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND EVERYTHING. BUT WE ALSO WANTED, AS SOON AS WERE VERY CLEAR WITH OUR SCHEDULE AND WITH OUR PARTNER, THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, THAT WEREN'T GOING TO ABLE TO HIT MAY 31ST, WE WANTED TO GET THAT IN FRONT OF THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THERE'S AS FEW SURPRISES AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD PUSHING THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM AND THEY ARE PUSHING AS WELL.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED WITH A PRETTY CHALLENGING TIMELINE.
AND THE WINTER, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, REALLY TOOK A LOT OF WIND OUT OF THE SAILS AS FAR AS WEATHER DAYS. SO WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU AND EVERYONE WATCHING KNEW THAT WERE WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO GET THIS DELIVERED.
WE ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED.
AND BUT WE PUT EVERYTHING WE COULD INTO GETTING THERE AND IT JUST WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY WORKING ON SOME SORT OF A COMMUNICATION PLAN GOING FORWARD? YES, MA'AM. SO WE'RE WORKING ON WHAT THE OPENING CELEBRATION WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT THEN ALSO THE COMMUNICATION PIECE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I FAILED TO MENTION IS WITH OUR NEW SOFTWARE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO PRE PURCHASE TICKETS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
SO IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY EVENT OR SOMETHING ON A SPECIFIC DATE, AUGUST 27TH OR WHATEVER THE DATE IS, YOU CAN GO AND PRE-PURCHASE THOSE TICKETS IN ADVANCE. WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE TOTAL CAPACITY AS PRE-PURCHASE.
SO OF THE 625, WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PRE-PURCHASED PER DAY.
SO THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO PLAN AHEAD TO PURCHASE THOSE TICKETS.
SO THEY'RE NOT GUESSING WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET IN.
SO IT ALLOWS SOME PRE-PURCHASE FOR THOSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S A GREAT IDEA. WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT SOFTWARE, MICHAEL? IT'S PERFECT MIND, IT'S OUR NEW RECREATION SOFTWARE THAT WE'RE USING FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL BE SENDING OUT LINKS THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS WE GET MORE AND MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE GRAND OPENING AND WHERE PEOPLE CAN START TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT COMMUNICATION PLAN RIGHT NOW.
IT SHOULD GO OUT IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
OK. AND YOU SAID PERFECT? MIND, YES, MA'AM.
I THOUGHT HE SAID PERFECT I KNOW THIS IS WHAT I THOUGHT.
OK, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MICHAEL? ARE WE STILL ON BUDGET? YES, MA'AM.
OK, JUST MAKE THAT CLEAR, WE'RE STILL ON BUDGET.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS. OK, THANKS, MICHAEL.
THANK YOU. LAST THING ON A VERY LONG AND EVENTFUL AGENDA IS JUST ANY REQUESTS FOR REPORTS
[3.F. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager]
FROM THE CITY MANAGER OR STAFF FOR NEXT MEETING.NO? OK, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ OUR DISMISSAL LANGUAGE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION?
[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
YES, MA'AM. PURSUANT TO TEXAS MEETING THAT CLOSED SESSION, AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON MAY 11TH.TWENTY TWENTY ONE AT THREE FORTY ONE P.M.
UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY, SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN TO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE RESALE VALUE, REAL PROPERTY.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION. SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO EIGHT SEVEN DISCUSS COMMERCIAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT, WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR THE LOCATION, RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOR INCENTIVES CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE ADJOURNED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK TEN MINUTE BATHROOM BREAK, TOO.
I LIKE IT; I NEEDED ONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.