Jun 14, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting

AND I WOULD SAY BASED ON MEETINGS I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF, IT'S A LOT OF THE GROUNDWORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE ALREADY DONE.

[INVOCATION ]

[00:00:10]

BIG TIME PRIVATE PARTNER TO PICK UP THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING AND SAY, YOU GUYS HAVE BUILT THIS FOUNDATION OF RELATIONSHIPS AND WE CAN COME IN AND ACTUALLY DO THE OPERATION AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO I KNOW IN THE BEGINNING, AS WE DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT, WE WERE ENVISIONING CREATING CITY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD DO THIS.

AND AND WE HAD, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE SUSTAIN THAT AND DO WE HAVE THE EXPERTIZE TO OPERATE THIS, AND ARE WE COMPETING WITH PRIVATE BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY THAT ALREADY OFFER THE SERVICE? I MEAN, THOSE WERE ALL GOOD CONVERSATIONS.

AND WHAT I LOOK BACK ON IT NOW, I REALIZE THAT WOULD BE PART OF WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE ADAPTIVE PROCESS OF HOW WE INNOVATE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

THE MORE WE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND WE WENT OUT SAYING, WELL, COULD THIS BE PART OF THE SOLUTION? THEN WE WERE JUST GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO FINDING WHAT WE FOUND HERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY MAKING A $2 MILLION INVESTMENT AND A PRIVATE PARTNER MAKING OVER A $20 MILLION INVESTMENT.

AND YET WE STILL HAVE THE CITIZENS IN NEED PAYING NOTHING.

SO THAT IS AN AMAZING RESULT.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, IT'S BEEN SO MUCH WORK, SO MUCH WORK THAT'S HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES, SO MANY MEETINGS, SO MANY PHONE CALLS, SO MANY REACH OUTS, SO MANY DIFFERENT TIMES THAT YOU HAD TO LET GO OF OK WE'VE BUILT THAT WHOLE MODEL, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TO LET GO AND START, TAKE WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THERE AND START A NEW MODEL.

AND I JUST I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM WATCHING YOUR TEAM AND THE WAY THAT YOU'VE WORKED IT THROUGH THE ADAPTIVE SOLUTIONS PROCESS.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS JUST A COOKIE CUTTER, A SOLUTION ON DAY ONE, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

AND THIS IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM, AND YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN IT THE TIME TO PLAY OUT OVER TWO YEARS HERE.

AND I JUST THINK THE SOLUTION THAT YOU'RE GETTING IS AMAZING.

WELL, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT ONE OTHER THING, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN FLAGGED TO ME BY MULTIPLE VENDORS.

THE OTHER, THE OTHER, THE OTHER.

I GUESS THE OTHER THING ABOUT AMARILLO THAT WAS ATTRACTIVE TO THEM IS THE FACT THAT COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THIS ISN'T A CHARITY PROJECT, IT'S A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, THAT THIS HAS GENERATIONAL IMPACT ON THE QUALITY LEVEL OF WORKERS THAT WILL BE GENERATING AS A COMMUNITY.

I DON'T THINK THAT ALL COMMUNITIES UNDERSTOOD THAT.

AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AS STEP ONE IN BUILDING A BETTER, MORE SKILLED WORKFORCE HAS HAD TREMENDOUS IMPACT, NOT JUST WITH VENDORS BUT WITH OTHER AGENCIES, WITH THE STATE, AND EVEN WITH SOME FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT HAVE REACHED OUT.

I DON'T THINK EVERY COMMUNITY HAS EMBRACED THAT AS AS AS HARD AS WE HAVE.

MM HMM.

HOWARD, WELL DONE.

GOOD JOB. ALL I DID WAS MEET EVERY WEEK OR EVERY TWO WEEKS AND ASK QUESTIONS AND EVERY TIME IT WOULD CHANGE.

BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE BECAUSE IT DID CHANGE A LOT.

YEAH, IT HAS CHANGED.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? I JUST HAD ONE. THE PUBLIC WI FI SEPARATE COMPONENT OF THIS.

DO YOU KNOW, LIKE TO DATE HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT ON THAT PART OF IT? AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE OUR TOTAL ALL IN COST? WE'VE WE SET ASIDE 6 MILLION TOTAL.

WE SPENT 1.4 ON THE PUBLIC WI FI.

[PROCLAMATION ]

IT'S STILL WI FI LIKE WE'RE IN UNDER NOW.

WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE HOLDING WE HAVEN'T FINISHED CONTRACTS.

THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND.

SO I DON'T KNOW THE FINAL THE FINAL SPEND, BUT WE WON'T BE ASKING FOR MORE.

I CAN I CAN GUARANTEE THAT.

SO YOU'VE SPENT 1.4.

MM HMM. AND THEN WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL TWO, RIGHT.

AND WE ALLOCATED SIX OUT OF THE ORIGINAL ARPA.

PUT US RIGHT AT THREE AND A HALF.

OKAY. AND THAT THAT WOULD BE, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, LIKE A GOOD OVERALL BUDGET.

YOU DON'T FORECAST SEEING ANY ANY OTHER NEEDS THAN THAT? NO, NO, WE WON'T. WE WON'T WE WON'T ASK FOR ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS OUT OF THE SECOND TRANCHE.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING WE SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE BUDGET THAT COUNCIL GAVE US.

THANK YOU. OUT OF THAT 6 MILLION THAT YOU GOT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF ARPA.

EXACTLY. AND IN FACT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED OUR ORIGINAL GOALS.

[00:05:01]

YEAH. THERE ARE OTHER GOOD PROJECTS THAT WE CAN FUND.

AND AGAIN, KUDOS TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TEAM'S ADAPTABILITY THAT HAS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO PLAY OUT.

AND YOU THOUGHT, OKAY, WE DON'T HAVE TO, BECAUSE THE IDEA AT FIRST WAS WE COULD INVEST THOSE ARPA DOLLARS AND THEN WE WOULD GET A RETURN ON THOSE DOLLARS BECAUSE WE COULD COLLECT IN OPERATING THAT NETWORK, WE COULD HAVE SOME USER FEES.

AND BUT THEN THIS OPTION STARTED TO OPEN UP AND YOU GUYS WERE WILLING TO ADAPT YOUR PLAN.

AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT, HOWARD, WE'RE SPENDING LESS MONEY THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.

AND WE'RE GETTING A GOOD A GREAT PRODUCT, A MUCH BETTER PRODUCT THAN WE COULD HAVE BUILT ON OUR OWN.

JUST ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND FULL TRANSPARENCY.

HAD WE BUILT IT, THERE'S NO CHANCE WE COULD HAVE DELIVERED FIBER TO ALL THE TO ALL OF 30,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES.

NOR COULD WE HAVE DELIVERED FIVE, YOU KNOW, THE CAPABILITY OF FIVE GIGABIT DOWNLOAD SPEED.

WE CAN'T WE JUST CAN'T MATCH THAT.

AND SO, RICH, YOU TALKED ABOUT DOZENS OF PARTNERS.

WE DO HAVE DOZENS OF PARTNERS IN THE GRAND VISION OF THIS WAS EXPANDING IT OUTSIDE THE CITY.

JUST TALK FOR A MINUTE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.

SO AS I SAID, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AN IMPACT BROADBAND REGION 16 OH GOODNESS.

I DON'T WANT TO FORGET ANYONE.

AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION AND NOW TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCE AND WORKING ON A CADENCE WITH SEVERAL VENDORS.

AND WE HAVE SOME VENDORS STEPPING FORWARD THAT ARE INTERESTED IN FUNDING A COUPLE OF PILOT CITIES.

SO THE GOAL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF COUNCILS IS TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU ANNOUNCING WHAT THOSE CITIES ARE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DRIVE TOWARD HAVING THEM ONLINE AND HAVING PEOPLE CONNECTED BY OCTOBER OF THIS FALL.

AS I SAID, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING FOR THOSE STATE FUNDS AND I DON'T WANT TO BE SHOVEL READY.

I DON'T WANT TO BE TURNING DIRT.

I WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE CONNECTED AND KEEP US IN THE POLE POSITION BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK TO FUND PROJECTS THEY KNOW CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND THAT IS A THAT'S A KEY PART OF PROVING NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A PLAN, BUT WE'RE ALREADY EXECUTING IT.

SO THE RULES FOR SUBMITTING PROJECTS FOR THAT TRANCHE OF MONEY FROM THE STATE WILL COME OUT IN JULY. SO WE'LL START WORKING ON THAT IN JULY.

AND I BELIEVE THE DEADLINE IS GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN OCTOBER FOR FUNDING.

I DON'T KNOW THE DEADLINE YET.

THEY HAVEN'T PUBLISHED IT, BUT I'M GUESSING SOMEWHERE AROUND THE END OF THE YEAR AND THEN WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER FUNDS WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND JUST START REPLICATING THAT MODEL ACROSS COMMUNITIES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OK RICH THANK YOU.

PLEASE TELL YOUR TEAM HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD ALREADY TO THE NEXT UPDATE.

THANK YOU. OKAY. MOVING ON, ITEM ONE D ARE UPDATES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SERVE ON OUTSIDE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AMARILLO LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.

SO COUNCILMEMBER SMITH OR COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT? GO AHEAD. SURE. SO I'D SAY PRIMARILY LIKE BUSINESS AS USUAL, JUST TAKING CARE OF THE CHECKLIST, DOUBLE CHECKING A FEW THINGS, GOING OVER A FEW PLANS. AND THEN THE LAST MEETING, I'D SAY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION OF RAISING THE PARKING FEES TWO DOLLARS UP TO POSSIBLY THREE OR FOUR.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GET A REPORT BACK ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU INCREASE THOSE PARKING FEES, WHAT THAT DOES TO HELP KIND OF OFFSET ANY KIND OF SHORTAGE FOR THE CARRYING COSTS AND OVERHEAD OF THAT BUILDING.

AND WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH OVER THERE, THAT'S YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE ACROSS FROM HODGE TOWN.

YES, MA'AM. SO PARKING GARAGE.

WE HAD UPDATES ON HODGE TOWN, REALLY GOOD UPDATES ON ON HODGE TOWN AND THE PERFORMANCE AND THE STATS AND AND WHERE THEY RANKED NATIONALLY AND TICKET SALES AND CUSTOMERS.

LIKE FINANCIAL UPDATES AND JUST..

FINANCIAL BUT PRIMARILY LIKE NATIONALLY, I WANT TO SAY THEY WERE SECOND IN THE NATION AS ATTENDANCE OR TICKET SALES OR POSSIBLY BOTH AND SO

[PRESENTATION ]

SO WE'RE DOING GOOD ON HODGE TOWN.

ANYTHING TO ADD. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL ABOUT LGC BUSINESS OR THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT IS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU COUNCIL.

AS THE MAYOR, PRO TEM POWELL, FOR A REPORT THERE.

[00:10:04]

THEY ARE ALWAYS DOING GREAT THINGS OVER THERE FOR OUR CITY.

SO THE ARTS COMMITTEE, THEY SUBMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MARKETING GRANTS THAT ARE GIVEN TO THE NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS YEARLY.

THE CVB BOARD APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THIS YEAR THE GRANTS TOTALED $80,450 AND THEY SUPPORTED 11 ORGANIZATIONS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

THE NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.

THE STAFF KICKED OFF THE WEEK WITH A MEDIA LUNCH, HIGHLIGHTING ALL THE GROUPS AND EVENTS COMING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDED.

THEY HAD A MUSEUM DAY, THEY HAD AIRPORT STAFF, APPRECIATION, BREAKFAST AND A WEEK LONG WELCOME TABLE FOR VISITORS, FAMILIARIZATION TOURS FOR MEETING PLANNERS, PARTNER VISITS TO HOTELS AND ATTRACTIONS.

THEY ALSO LAUNCHED LOCAL AMBASSADORS PROGRAM, AND THIS WAS PROJECT BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

THEY HAD THE ROUTE 66 PROMOTIONS TO SUPPORT THEIR EVENTS FOR THE WEEK AND THEN OUR ICONIC BOOTS.

SO THE ICONIC BOOT LABEL PIN HAS BEEN AN UPGRADE.

THEY ARE NOW RED AND METAL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC, SO I LOVE IT TO BETTER MATCH THE BRAND.

SO THE CVB GIVES OUT MORE THAN 50,000 OF THESE PINS ON A YEARLY BASIS.

2021 AMARILLO TOURISM NUMBERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THE STATE TOURISM OFFICE.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 947.3 MILLION IN VISITORS.

FOR DIRECT SPENDING, WE HAVE 8.4 THOUSAND JOBS DIRECTLY RELATED TO TOURISM, AND WE HAVE 32.5 MILLION TAX DOLLARS PROVIDED BY VISITORS. OCCUPANCY FOR THE CITY OVERALL IS DOWN YEAR TO DATE.

HOWEVER, AS OF THE END OF APRIL 2022, HOTEL REVENUE IS UP BY OVER 2.7 MILLION COMPARED TO 2021 AND 9.6 MILLION COMPARED TO 2019.

AND SO I KNOW THAT KASHION IS IN THE AUDIENCE, SO I WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO ADD FROM HER DEPARTMENT AND STAFF, BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY'RE REALLY DOING AN AWESOME JOB.

YEAH. KASHION SMITH, DIRECTOR OF OUR CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

WELCOME, KASHION. THANK YOU.

YEAH, WE'VE HAD A GREAT YEAR.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN THINGS GOING ON COMING OUT OF COVID.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS ALMOST NOW SINCE WE'VE REALLY.

CRASHED. I GUESS IT FELT LIKE A CRASH AND BURNED THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

THE RECOVERY HAS GONE REALLY GREAT AND WE'RE IN A REALLY GREAT PLACE AND I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE A FUNNY LITTLE THING, BUT OUR STAFF IS OVER THE MOON ABOUT THE THE BOOT PINS.

I GAVE A VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF 50,000 BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE A GREAT JOB INVENTORYING THOSE, BUT WE HAND THOSE OUT TO GROUP TOURNAMENTS.

THIS MORNING WE HAD A SOFTBALL TEAM GETTING READY TO GO TO A TOURNAMENT.

THEY CAME AND PICKED UP 100 TO PASS OUT TO OTHER KIDS WHENEVER THEY HIT TOWN.

SO WE DO A LOT OF MISSIONARIES AND TOURNAMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY END UP OUT EVERYWHERE.

THE BOOT STICKER PROGRAM, JUST THE THE BRANDING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN SPECTACULAR.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT OR FREDA BROUGHT UP THAT OUR OCCUPANCY IS DOWN SOME YEAR TO DATE AND THAT'S CALENDAR YEAR TO DATE.

AND WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT VERY CLOSELY AND HAD SOME PRETTY SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH HOTEL OWNERS AND IN DIFFERENT MEETINGS.

AND THAT COMMUNICATION LINE HAS BEEN SPECTACULAR IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

WE'RE REALLY LOVING THE CHANGE IN THE COMMUNICATION FROM OUR OFFICE TO OUR PARTNERS, WHETHER THAT BE ATTRACTIONS OR HOTELS.

BUT WE KNOW THAT THE HOTEL NUMBERS REALLY ARE A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ATTRACTIONS AND OUR RESTAURANTS AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT AND IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT UNEASY WITH SOME OF THE HOTEL OWNERS WATCHING THOSE NUMBERS FLUCTUATE THE WAY THAT THEY DO.

BUT WE WERE SO LOW IN 2020, I THINK I DIDN'T PULL THE NUMBER, BUT I BELIEVE WE WERE 36% DOWN FOR THAT YEAR AND THEN TO COME IN LAST YEAR AND OVER EXCEED ANY PREVIOUS YEAR, WE WERE EXPECTING THIS YEAR TO BE ONE TO HOLD ON TO.

WE REALLY WENT IN WITH THAT EXPECTATION OF OF GEARING UP AND MARKETING IN A WAY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD THOSE NUMBERS.

AND WE KNEW OCCUPANCY PROBABLY WASN'T GOING TO BE THE WAY TO DO THAT.

SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THEM IN TOWN A LITTLE BIT LONGER, SPENDING SOME MORE MONEY AND JUST KEEP THE REVENUE.

SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE GAUGING OUR SUCCESS ON THIS YEAR IS HOW WE END THE YEAR WITH OVERALL REVENUE AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO DO THAT AND EXCEED LAST YEAR'S REVENUE. SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS FOR US, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO SUMMER.

WE KNOW THOSE ARE OUR BUSIEST MONTHS.

SO ONCE WE GET BACK TO OUR SCHOOL START DATE, WE'LL KNOW REALISTICALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO STAND ON THAT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR IF WE'LL MEET THAT GOAL OR NOT.

[00:15:06]

FOR THE TEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE OFFICE, IT'S ALWAYS FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 59 AND 61% .

FOR 2021, WE ACTUALLY CAME IN AT ABOUT 40%.

SO THE EDC HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.

THE STIMULUS PROGRAMS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE CITY, THE CITY BEING OPEN, SIGNS AND PROGRAMS THAT HAPPEN DURING SOME OF THE SHUTDOWNS AND JUST THE FRIENDLY BUSINESS THAT WENT ON, I THINK IS A REFLECTION OF THAT.

BUT I THINK OVERALL THE SPENDING OF THE VISITORS WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE STILL.

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON.

I CAN TOUCH ON A THOUSAND THINGS, BUT THAT'S JUST MY QUICK UPDATE.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU KASHION. I'M CURIOUS.

JUST REMIND ME AGAIN HOW MUCH OF OUR GENERAL FUND IS FUNDED BY SALES TAX DOLLARS IS AROUND 30%.

THAT'S JUST UNDER BETWEEN 50 AND $60 MILLION.

[PUBLIC ADDRESS ]

SO IF OUR SALES TAX NUMBERS PAY FOR 30% OF WHAT WE NEED TO PAY FOR OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, THEN 60% OF THAT 30% IS COVERED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING OUR CITY.

RIGHT. THAT'S DOING THE MATH THERE.

SO THAT'S A PRETTY BIG DISCOUNT.

EDDIE'S OUR CALCULATOR.

HE'S ALREADY..

$50 MILLION WOULD BE 30 MILLION.

YEAH. SO 30 MILLION THAT OUR PROPERTY TAX PAYERS DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY AND 30 MILLION THAT OUR LOCAL AMARILLO RESIDENTS DIDN'T PAY.

SO, YES, YOU GUYS KEEP HANDING OUT THOSE RED BOOT PINS AND INVITING PEOPLE TO COME OUT.

I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE CITY OVER THE WEEKEND AND HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH A CITIZEN FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS IN OUR CITY. AND SHE WAS NAMING THEY DID THIS AND THEY DID THAT.

AND THEY REALLY JUST DRIVING DOWN I-40 AND GOT OFF WITH THEIR THEIR TWO TEENAGE BOYS.

AND I SAID, WELL, HOW LONG DID YOU STAY IN AMARILLO? SHE SAID, WE STAYED THREE NIGHTS AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS AWESOME.

SO I JUST MADE ME PROUD OF YOUR TEAM AND THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.

AND REALLY DUG INTO WHAT OUR VISION IS, WHAT WE DO, AND HOW WE REALLY ARE AFFECTING WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AT HOME.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALIZED IS WE HAVE FOR MANY DECADES MARKETED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HERE AND MARKETED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY HERE.

WE KNOW THAT'S OUR BREAD AND BUTTER.

WE KNOW WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT.

BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES JUST MENTALLY IN OUR STAFF THROUGHOUT THIS WAS TO SET THE GOAL OF WE OF COURSE, ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THE PASS THROUGH TRAFFIC, BUT WE ARE A DESTINATION AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE A DESTINATION.

SO OUR MARKETING FOCUS HAS TAKEN A HUGE TURNAROUND ON HOW WE SEND OUR MESSAGE AND WHAT OUR EXPECTATION OF THE VISITOR IS.

SO WE'RE TALKING TO THEM BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE HOUSE, AND WE EXPECT TO BE THEIR END GOAL ON THEIR TRIP.

AND WE REALLY THINK THAT IT'S WORKING FOR US.

IT'S A MARKET GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

HOW CAN WE HELP IN THAT MESSAGE? WEAR THE RED BOOTS, BUT THE RED BOOT STICKERS ON YOUR CAR.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING READY TO START SOME INITIATIVES AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE GATEWAYS.

AND THE GOAL REALLY IS TO BRING IN THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS AND HAVE THE BIGGEST BOOTS, YOU KNOW, SO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE ARRIVED WHENEVER YOU HIT THOSE, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. BE WATCHING FOR THAT AND SUPPORTIVE AND HELP CARRY THAT MESSAGE.

CHRISTY STARTED THE PROJECT BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WHICH IS LOCAL AMBASSADORS.

WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY BRANDING THOSE AS OUR OFFICE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S OUR PROJECT.

WE REALLY WANT THAT CIVIC PRIDE, SO WE REALLY WANT THE VISITORS TO FEEL.

AND HOWARD AND I HAD A DINNER LAST NIGHT WITH A WOMAN FROM BNSF THAT HAS LIVED SOME FASCINATING PLACES.

AND AFTER AN AFTERNOON WITH US AND OUT AT CROSS BAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SHE MADE SOME JOKES ABOUT LIVING HERE.

AND IT'S FUNNY HOW SO MANY OF OUR VISITORS AND SITE VISITS AND FANS THAT COME THROUGH AFTER THEY GET TO KNOW OUR TOWN REALLY ARE VERY RECEPTIVE TO ACTUALLY MOVING AND LIVING HERE. WE'RE A DIFFERENT KIND OF COMMUNITY, SO.

[00:20:03]

MAYOR, THANKS. ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SALES TAX ESTIMATES.

THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL OVER $20 MILLION OF SALES TAX IS GENERATED THROUGH THOSE SAME BREAKDOWNS OF EXTERNAL PEOPLE TRAVELING TO AND THROUGH AMARILLO AND THEN LOCAL RESIDENTS THAT WE THAT THAT REPRESENTS HALF CENT OF OUR SALES TAX THAT GOES TO EDC TO FUND THEIR OPERATIONS.

SO IT'S NOT JUST THE SALES TAX THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT GET FACTORED INTO THE CITY BUDGET.

THERE'S ALSO THE ADDITIONAL SALES TAXES THAT ARE GENERATED THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SURE. SO YEAH, WE HAVE A SMALL BUDGET, BUT WE'RE THE REASON OTHER PEOPLE THAT'S HIGH FIVING THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, KATHERINE, AND THANK YOU.

YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

ALL RIGHT. ANY REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER? NO, MA'AM, NOT HEARING ANY.

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE'RE GOING TO PULL ITEM TWO J AND TWO K.

ANYTHING ELSE, COUNSEL? IT NEEDS TO BE PULLED FOR FURTHER CONVERSATION.

KASHION ARE Y'ALL GOING TO STAY WHILE WE DO THE TWO J AND TWO K CONVERSATION? DO YOU MIND? YEAH.

YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT TO DO IT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE YOU ALL IN THE ROOM.

YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TOO.

SO CAN WE LOOK AT TWO F WITHOUT PULLING.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT WITHOUT PULLING.

SURE. IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT TWO F.

WELL I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS AND A FEW COMMENTS AND I DON'T SEE.

I WAS HOPING THAT LLOYD WOULD BE IN HERE.

WELL, WE'VE GOT JUSTIN OPAL IN THE ROOM, AND HE'S AN ARCHITECT OF THIS.

WE ALSO HAVE YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THE LOOP IN IT AS WELL.

SO WE CAN BRING JUSTIN OPAL UP HERE, JUSTIN.

MOST OF THIS WAS FLOYD WAS DEFINITELY IN THE LOOP.

JUSTIN WAS MANAGING THIS PROCESS AND WORKING WITH THE COLONIES TO HELP THEM FIND A WAY FORWARD.

YEAH, WELL, SO THE ONLY THING WAS, IS IT JUST SEEMED TO TURN INTO SOMEWHAT OF A FIASCO THAT A CITIZEN ASKED ME TO JUST MAKE A FEW PHONE CALLS.

AND SO WE MADE A FEW PHONE CALLS AND THEN SAW HOW THINGS PLAYED OUT.

AND HOW DO WE WITHOUT GETTING INTO ALL THE DETAILS AND GOING THROUGH ALL THE BLOODY DETAILS OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED, HOW DO WE GET ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PIDS HELP THEM UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW ALL OF THIS ENDS UP WORKING LIKE CONTRACTS WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE MOWING AND WHATEVER.

AND AND I THINK AT SOME POINT IN TIME WITH THESE PIDS, WHAT I FELT LIKE THAT I GOT OUT OF OUT OF THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY THE ONE WITH THE COLONIES IS, IS MANAGING WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS NEED TO BE.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND IF EXPECTATIONS ARE CHANGING, THEN IT MAY CHANGE WHAT IT COSTS THE PID TO HAVE THE THINGS DONE THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE DONE.

AND THEN ARE THEY WILLING TO THEN CHANGE? AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, BUT I THINK THAT PROBABLY THOSE THAT ARE IN THE COLONIES ARE WANTING MORE.

IT OUT OF THEIR MAINTENANCE, THEN WHAT THE MAINTENANCE IS ABLE TO PAY FOR.

[1.A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments; ]

[1.B. Discuss Homeless Services Update; ]

YES, SIR. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OF THE CITIZENS IN THAT COMMUNITY SEPARATE FROM THE PID AND THE HOA, TO GO OVER OUR PROCESSES TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

AND THAT INCLUDES GOING OVER THE BUDGET, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, THE LEGAL STEPS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE OR TAKE IN ORDER TO PROPERLY SECURE THESE CONTRACTS AND GET OUT OF THEM WHEN IT'S NECESSARY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING IN BEING ON THE JOB FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS NOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALIZED THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OF OUR PIDS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS DEVELOPING A HANDBOOK THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO EACH MEMBER OF THE PID AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY TO BASICALLY OUTLINE WHAT THE PURPOSE IS, WHERE THE HOA FALLS IN LINE, AND HOW THAT RELATES TO OUR JOB WITH THE CITY AND MANAGING THOSE ASPECTS OF IT.

BECAUSE I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT THE CITIZENS HAD SOMETHING THERE.

I WOULD HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME EXPECTATIONS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS HAVING IN THERE.

BUT MANAGING THOSE EXPECTATIONS TO THIS IS WHAT ENDS UP BEING THE RESULT OF THAT.

AND OH, THIS MONEY ACTUALLY IS MANAGED BY THE CITY.

AND THEREFORE, SINCE IT'S MANAGED BY THE CITY, IT HAS TO FOLLOW MUNICIPAL CODES AND THE RULES OF PROCUREMENT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WHICH MAKE THIS A VERY MUCH MORE

[00:25:02]

AND I THINK IF I WAS SITTING IN THE POSITION OF THE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE BOARD OF THE COLONIES OR IN THE HOLE, EITHER ONE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN PROBABLY WANTING TO PULL MY HAIR OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE'VE GOT TO WE'VE GOT TO DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS TOO, TO GET OUR STUFF TAKEN CARE OF.

AND THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING.

AND SO I THINK ALL THE ALL THAT TO SAY IS WHENEVER WE LOOK AT SOMETHING HINDSIGHT, WE NEED TO LOOK BACK AT IT AND SAY, OKAY, SO HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THIS BETTER WITH EVERYBODY SO WE CAN MANAGE THOSE EXPECTATIONS OR CHANGE THE FEES THAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT SO THAT THE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS CAN BE MANAGED AND WE CAN KEEP EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDING? ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO AS WELL.

AND REALLY, THIS HAS CAUSED US TO ANALYZE A LOT OF THE ASPECTS OF THE PIT, INCLUDING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND THE BID EVALUATION ASPECT WHEN IT COMES TO THE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, NOT JUST WITH THE COLONIES, BUT ACROSS THE.

OH, NO, NO. I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO WITH ALL OF THIS BECAUSE EVERYBODY ALL OF THESE OTHER ONES THAT ARE BEGINNING TO COME ONLINE OR ALREADY ONLINE, I'M SURE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN WE WERE IN THE GREENWAYS FOR 20 YEARS.

AND SO. AND YOU WOULD WONDER.

YOU COULD TELL WHERE THE CITY AT ONE POINT IN TIME, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID, YOU COULD TELL WHERE THE CITY HAD CONTROL OVER IT AND WHERE THE PID ACTUALLY HAD CONTROL OVER IT.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN IN WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

SO I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW DO WE GET HOW DO WE GET DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN KEEP EVERYBODY INFORMED ENOUGH SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S TRANSPIRING AND WHAT HOOPS HAVE TO BE JUMPED THROUGH? AND IT'S NOT A PRIVATE.

PARTNERSHIP AT ALL.

IT'S REALLY PRETTY MUCH A PUBLIC GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERSHIP AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE WORK WITHIN THAT PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE IT WORK.

EXACTLY. AND ALONG THOSE LINES IS PROVIDING A SIMPLE OUTLINE OF THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE.

COMPARED TO THIS JUST TO, AS YOU SAID, THERE IS A LOT OF A LOT MORE STEPS WHEN IT COMES TO THE GOVERNMENT BEING INVOLVED IN THESE CONTRACTS.

AND JUST I DON'T WANT TO SAY SIMPLIFY IT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M ALLUDING TO IS JUST MAKING IT MORE SIMPLE TO ANYONE THAT NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT PROCESS IS WE DO WHAT THE ACTUAL ROLE OF THE PID IS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, HOW THE HOA TIES INTO THAT AND REALLY TAKE OUT ALL THE GOVERNMENT LINGO AND JUST REALLY SIMPLIFY IT FOR FOLKS WHO IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WILL BE ABLE TO JUST GIVE US A CALL AND WE CAN GUIDE THAT WAY, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

AND THEN THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION THEN NEEDS TO TAKE THAT, DISSEMINATE IT BACK TO ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOMES, PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN THERE SO THAT THEY ALL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH OR WHAT THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH.

SO THEIR EXPECTATIONS THEY CAN UNDERSTAND.

ABSOLUTELY. AND AND THE CITY'S ROLE IN THIS IS WE DON'T GET TO MAKE REALLY ANY OF THE DECISIONS.

IT'S STRICTLY THE PID AND THE HOA, WHICH THEN MAKES IT DIFFICULT.

BUT THEY STILL THE HOA AND THE PID AND THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND THE PID, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR RULES, THE GOVERNMENTAL RULES, BECAUSE THE MONEY IS MANAGED BY THIS BY THE MUNICIPALITY.

AND SO IT JUST CHANGES THE WHOLE SCOPE OF THINGS.

AND IT'S THIS WAS ACTUALLY A NEW REALIZATION FOR ME, REALIZING, OH.

I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS, BUT.

AND ON THAT NOTE, EACH YEAR WE HAVE OUR PID BUDGETS THAT WE PRESENT TO COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER FOR APPROVAL.

AND JUST WITH TALKING WITH STAFF, IT SEEMS THAT WE JUST IN YEARS PAST HAVE MET WITH THE PID BOARD AND GOT THE BUDGET DISCUSSED AND APPROVED.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, MORE OUTREACH FROM US TO THE CITIZENS USING THE BOARD MEMBERS ON THE PYD TO NOTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD, USE THE HOA AND THEIR NEWSLETTERS AND THEIR RESOURCES TO BRING IN MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHERE IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY AND OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT SITTING WITH THE PYD, MAKING THESE DECISIONS ON IF WE'RE GOING TO RAISE THE ASSESSMENT RATE, HOW OUR BUDGET'S GOING TO LOOK FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, REALLY BRING IN MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, IS THERE? SO. AND I HOPE THAT ANSWERS.

NO, NO. IT'S JUST.

BUT REALLY, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING ALL I'M REALLY TRYING TO DO IS JUST HAVE ANOTHER FORUM FOR SOME OF THIS INFORMATION TO GET OUT THAT IT WAS JUST A DIFFICULT SITUATION. AND IF I WAS SITTING ON THE PIT BOARD FOR THE COLONIES OR I WAS ON THE HOA FOR THE COLONIES, I WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY FRUSTRATED THAT BECAUSE I

[00:30:03]

AND I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS, THAT THE MONEY IS COLLECTED AND IT'S HELD BY THE CITY AND YOU ALL SET YOUR OWN AND YOU CAN SET YOUR YOUR BUDGET HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SET YOUR BUDGET.

BUT THIS IS WHAT THE END RESULT IS, IS YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO MAKE IT WORK.

RIGHT? CORRECT. AND SURE.

AND THIS IS JASON BURR.

I'M JASON BURR. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF COLONY.

JUSTIN AND FLOYD HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS HELP GETTING THROUGH THIS.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.

I APPRECIATE LAURA STORRS HELP AND BLAIR SNOWE'S HELP.

THE THE PROBLEM THAT WE EXPERIENCED WAS NOT AN UNDERSTANDING PROBLEM.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE EXPERIENCED WAS A PROCUREMENT AND A RFP PROBLEM.

THE RFP THAT WE WERE PRESENTED WAS PURELY A.

HERE'S THE LOW BIDDER.

HERE'S THE CHOICE YOU HAVE TO MAKE.

AND IF THEY CAN'T HANDLE IT, WE'LL DEAL WITH IT LATER.

AND THEN WHEN IT CAME TIME TO.

WE KNEW THAT DAY.

THERE'S NO WAY THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF.

AND. WE KNEW THAT DAY WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM.

AND IT'S TAKEN US SIX MONTHS.

TO GET THROUGH THAT PROBLEM.

IT IS TONS OF FRUSTRATION.

IT WAS FRUSTRATING TO GO.

IT TOOK US 14 MONTHS TO GET TO THE POINT TO MAKE THE BAD DECISION.

RIGHT. AND THEN WE'RE TEN MONTHS INTO SINCE THAT DECISION'S BEEN MADE, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS COMPLETELY AGAIN.

AND I APPRECIATE JUST IN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND FLOYD ANALYZING HOW THESE PROCESSES CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AND HOW CITIZENS, NOT JUST BOARD MEMBERS, BUT HOW CITIZENS CAN HAVE A PLACE TO VERBALIZE WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE TIMELINES WILL BE AND GET DIRECT ANSWERS ON ARE THEY QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB? SO WHAT I HEAR JUSTIN SAYING IS, YES, WE ARE LOOKING TO WORK ON THOSE PROCESSES AND CHANGE ANYTHING WE CAN THAT WOULD APPLY ACROSS THE BOARD TO PIDS TO MAKE THE PROCESS BETTER.

AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF OUR PID, WE ARE KIND OF THE WE'RE THE GUINEA PIG FOR WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND WE'RE WILLING TO DO THAT.

WE'RE REALLY I MEAN, WE'VE INVOLVED QUITE A FEW PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THIS SOLVED TO GO FORWARD.

THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE WE ALMOST WANT TO SLOW DOWN NEXT TIME, BUT WE'RE AFRAID TO SLOW DOWN.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE HOLDUP.

AND SO IT'S BEEN A VERY IT'S BEEN A VERY FRUSTRATING.

OH, I CAN'T IMAGINE. YEAH.

AND SO BUT AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HELP AND EVERYBODY'S ASSISTANCE.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JASON. AND I JUST WANT TO BRAG ON YOU, JASON.

HE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN HAVING HELPING US UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO IT.

BUT WHAT YOU JUST HEARD IS THERE'S VERY SIMPLE THINGS WE CAN DO IN THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO TO ELIMINATE AND MINIMIZE THOSE CHALLENGES.

NUMBER ONE IS MAKING SURE THAT THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A VENDOR ARE THERE.

YOU ALL HAVE SUPPORTED US IN OTHER AREAS OF BEST VALUE BIDS AND HOW WE STRUCTURE THOSE BIDS.

SO WE HAVE A WHOLE TEAM WITHIN THE CITY DEDICATED TO HELP THAT FRUSTRATION BE ELIMINATED AND EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS.

SO WE'RE WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE PEOPLE WITH THE INPUT.

HOA PIDS ESPECIALLY MR. BURR AND HIS GROUP HELPING US GET TO THE POINT OF KNOWING HOW TO HOW THIS CAN BE BETTER AND WHAT WE CAN DO.

AND YOU'LL SEE A MUCH MORE AS AS MUCH MORE INVOLVED PROCESS WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THE PURCHASING PROCESS AND MUCH MORE TRANSPARENCY TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND WE APPRECIATE MR. BURR AND THAT GROUP HELPING US GET THERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL, DR.

SAUER, WERE YOU DONE? YEAH, YEAH, I THINK SO.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE HAD THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK THIS THING OUT AND UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE JUST WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING THROUGH, I CAN JUST SEE IT COULD BE COMING IN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THESE THINGS IRONED OUT AND UNDER CONTROL WILL JUST MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR EVERYBODY ELSE GOING FORWARD.

YES, SIR. AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS SITUATION, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LEGAL AND PURCHASING TO REALLY DIVE IN TO SEE WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE THESE CONTRACTS IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, SUCH AS AS FLOYD JUST MENTIONED.

AND IN THIS SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE, WE ARE GOING TO BE EXPEDITING THE PROCESS TO GET THEM A NEW LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR AS

[00:35:10]

WE HAVE EVERYTHING ON STANDBY AND THE WHEELS ARE IN MOTION TO BEGIN THAT AS SOON AS THIS ONE IS DECIDED ON.

SO. GOOD. GOOD. THANK YOU.

THANKS. YEAH.

OKAY. MAYOR, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEMS J AND K.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEMS TO J AND TO K.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I.

ANYONE OPPOSED THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

LET'S NOW MOVE ON AND TAKE UP ITEM 2 J.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR. THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT JERRY DANFORTH, DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES, TO PRESENT THE TWO ITEMS. ITEM J WE'LL START.

THERE IS THE INSTALLATION OF WATER AND ELECTRICAL UTILITIES AT THE SANTA FE DEPOT.

AND SPECIFICALLY, THIS WOULD BE WHERE THE PAVILION WOULD BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT PROPERTY, JERRY.

CORRECT. WHAT WE'RE ADDRESSING WITH THAT UTILITY CONTRACT IN THE PAST, THE WAY THAT THE CITY HAS DONE IT IS THEY'VE ATTACHED TO THE FIRE HYDRANT TO PROVIDE WATER FOR THE LIVESTOCK, FOR THE FARM AND RANCH SHOW OR FOR THE RODEO.

AND WHEN THEY DO THAT, THE FIRE HYDRANTS LOCATION, THE HOSES HAVE TO BE RUN ACROSS THE STREET.

THEY. WE ARE ALSO IN THE SAME SCENARIO WITH POWER.

THERE IS NO POWER IN THAT AREA THAT'S AVAILABLE.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE VISITED WITH THE FARM AND RANCH WITH THE RODEO GROUP AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE AND THEN TOOK AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THAT PROPERTY NEEDED GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW, ACTUALLY.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT FOR A LOT LONGER BECAUSE IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTED THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE DON'T LIKE HAVING HOSES RUN OFF OF FIRE HYDRANTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY RUPTURE, FLOOD THE ENTIRE AREA AND CAUSE QUITE A BIT OF PROBLEMS. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID BASICALLY DID AN ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHAT THE BEST WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS.

WE LOOKED AT IN VISITING WITH THE RODEO GROUP ON IT.

THE WAY THAT THEY CURRENTLY SET UP THEIR TENTS AND THEIR STALLS.

THERE ENDS UP BEING FOUR ALLEYWAYS WHERE THEY NEED TO DRAG WATER DOWN.

CURRENTLY, THEY'RE DRAGGING ABOUT.

I WOULD SAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BETWEEN 204 FOOT, 100 FOOT OF HOSE DOWN THROUGH THERE, JUST WATER THEIR STOCK.

BAD IDEA.

BAD WAY TO DO BUSINESS.

SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT IS HOW CAN WE GET WATER INTO THAT AREA AND MAKE IT A LONG TERM RESOLUTION TO AN ISSUE? THAT'S BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.

WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS BASICALLY BORE UNDER THE STREET PAVERS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE SANTA FE DEPOT, CONNECT TO THE WATER METER THAT'S THERE FOR THE DEPOT ITSELF.

SO THE METRIC SYSTEM ALREADY EXISTS.

WE'RE JUST DOING A TAP ON TO THE EXISTING METER, BORING AND RUNNING THOSE.

AND THEN WE'LL OPEN TRENCH CUTTING ACROSS ALONG GRANT STREET WITH FOUR FROST FREE HYDRANTS THAT ARE CONNECTED SO THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT DRAGGING HOSES THAT LINK. AND THAT ALLOWS US TO LEAVE IT IN THERE YEAR ROUND WITHOUT WORRY ABOUT FREEZING IT OR BUSTING IT OR ANYTHING ALONG THAT LINE.

POWER WAS THE SAME ISSUE.

POWER THEY DID A LOT OF THEIR OWN POWER WITH GENERATORS.

WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT NEEDED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THERE, WE FIGURED WE DID THE CALCULATIONS ON IT.

A 400 AMP, SERVICEABLE SERVICE.

WHAT THAT NEED IS IN THAT AREA.

IT ALLOWS US TO RELOCATE SOME UTILITIES THAT CURRENTLY GO TO THE OLD BAGGAGE HOUSE OF THE DEPOT, GET THOSE OUT FROM OVER THE LIVESTOCK AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS IN THAT AREA WHEN WE UTILIZE THAT AREA.

WE'RE ALWAYS COGNIZANT AND CONCERNED WHEN WE HAVE OVERHEAD POWER LINES OVER LIVESTOCK, METAL POLES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHERE PEOPLE ARE WITH OUR WIND CONDITIONS AND STUFF THAT HAPPENS HERE. IF ONE OF THOSE LINES DROPS, WE COULD POTENTIALLY KILL OR HARM QUITE A BIT OF LIVESTOCK OR HUMANS.

SO WE'RE RELOCATING THAT AND GETTING THAT OUT OF THE AREA TO MITIGATE THAT SAFETY ISSUE.

QUESTION. AND SO, JERRY, THE FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT THAT'S COMING THROUGH THE 2021, 2022 CIP PROCESS, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, ACTUALLY, THIS IS OUT OF HOT TAX FUNDING.

OKAY. WE LOOKED AT THIS.

WE WORKED WITH LAURA ON THIS ON THIS PIECE OF IT.

THE CIVIC CENTER ALREADY HAD A BUDGET SET UP FOR IT.

THEY JUST TRANSFERRED THE FUNDS FROM OUT OF THAT BUDGET TO FULLY FUND THIS.

OKAY. SO THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM? CORRECT. COUNCILMEMBER STANLEY, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? YES, THANK YOU.

AND FREDA, I HAD THE SAME QUESTION, SO I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT.

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH COST IT IS TO TEMPORARILY SET ALL THESE THINGS UP?

[00:40:05]

THEY'VE DONE THAT.

THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO TO UTILITIES, LEASE A METER TO HOOK UP TO THE FIRE HYDRANT, AND THEN THEY PAY THE METERED FEE THERE.

THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO USE THE PREEXISTING METER AND ACTUALLY BACK CHARGE FOR THAT WATER USAGE.

AND HOW MANY TIMES A YEAR DO WE HAVE TEMPORARY NEEDS? IN THAT AREA? OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD IT AT LEAST TWICE, AND THAT WAS THROUGH THE COVID YEARS.

AND WHEN I SAY TWICE, I'M TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS.

BETH DUKE AND HER COMMUNITY MARKET HAVE USED THAT AREA.

RUNNING WATER AND POWER IS SOMETHING THAT SHE NEEDS OVER THERE.

SO THIS ADDRESSES WHAT SOME OF HER NEEDS ARE.

BUT IF SHE HAS, YOU KNOW, 3 TO 4 SHOWS OVER THERE, THEN THAT NUMBER IS 5 TO 6 TIMES A YEAR INSTEAD OF JUST TWO.

OKAY. YEAH, DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE MONEY WELL SPENT IN THE WAY OF DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO PULL HOSES AROUND.

YOU WOULD SAY THERE'S A CERTAIN ASPECT OF SAFETY WITH THIS.

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TEMPORARY ELECTRICAL ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING HORSES WITH METAL HORSE SHOES WALKING ACROSS THE ELECTRICAL CORDS, IT'S GENERALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA. OKAY.

THANK YOU, JERRY. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY OPENS UP FOR THE FOR THAT TO BE USED MORE EFFECTIVELY.

AND IT MAY ACTUALLY GIVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE EVER BEEN ABLE TO USE IT FOR.

BY DOING SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE.

YES. AND BOTH FOLKS IS HERE.

AND, OF COURSE, WE HAVE BETH HERE AND LEHMAN IS HERE FOR THE RODEO.

SO FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THAT AS WELL.

BUT WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WANTED TO USE THAT FROM TIME TO TIME.

TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD THE GROUP FROM THE BARRIO DISTRICT WANTED TO DO A CINCO DE MAYO OVER THERE.

WE HAD NO WATER, HAD NO POWER.

IT WAS A CHALLENGE, BUT IT IS A DIRT AREA.

IT WORKS GREAT FOR THE RODEO.

IT WOULD WORK GREAT FOR MULTIPLE OTHER EVENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE MOVING IN MOBILE TENTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT YOU'RE STAKING DOWN.

WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT ACCOMPLISHES THAT.

SO FOR THE CIVIC CENTER, IT WAS IT WAS A GOOD SITUATION FOR THEM.

YEAH. THE BACKDROP IS PRETTY COOL, TOO.

YES. YEAH.

THE HISTORIC STEEPLE.

THAT'S CORRECT. TRUE? SURE, BETH. COME ON UP.

FEEL FREE TO TALK ABOUT ITEM TWO.

KAY. ALSO, THEY KIND OF ARE RELATED.

AND I KNOW CENTER CITY PROBABLY.

I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL AND ALL THE CITY STAFF BECAUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC YEAR, YOU LET ME MOVE MY MARKET TO THE SANTA FE DEPOT.

AND I'VE MADE NO SECRET ONE OF MY ONE OF MY VISIONS IS TO SAVE THAT HISTORIC BUILDING.

HISTORIAN TEXAS HISTORIAN MIKE COX SAID AMARILLO IS THE LARGEST CITY IN TEXAS THAT OWES ITS EXISTENCE TO THE RAILROAD.

SO TO ME, IT'S JUST A PERFECT GATHERING PLACE, MEETING PLACE.

AND I WANT TO COMMEND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ANTHONY SPANO FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO CREATE CAMP SINKS SO WE COULD HAVE ADEQUATE HANDWASHING AT MARKET. AND WE LUGGED WATER OVER AND BACK SEVERAL TIMES DURING THAT SEASON.

BUT I PUT ON A LOT OF EVENTS, 20 YEARS OF FUN, FAST, YOU NAME IT, BUT IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING TO HAVE AN EVENT WITH NO ELECTRICITY AND NO WATER.

I'VE DONE IT, BUT IN MY FAVORITE AND SO MANY PEOPLE CALL OUR OFFICE TO SAY, HOW DO I DO AN EVENT, THE SANTA FE DEPOT? AND I SAID, WELL, GETTING PERMISSION, IF YOU'RE A SOLID NONPROFIT, THAT'S PRETTY EASY.

BUT IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO RENT EVERYTHING AND BRING EVERYTHING IN.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING A METER AND PUTTING ON THE FIRE HOSE.

I JUST COULDN'T SEE MYSELF DOING THAT AT 630 IN THE MORNING EVER SATURDAY.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WONDERFUL PROPERTY THAT THE CITY ALREADY OWNS AND REALLY MAKE IT MORE OPEN TO COMMUNITY USE.

I HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS FOR EVENTS.

IF YOU GIVE ME POWER AND WATER, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JERRY THEN ABOUT ITEM TWO J.

DO WE HAVE MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM TWO J.

YES, MAYOR. WE DO.

I MOVED TO APPROVE ITEM TWO J ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM TWO J.

DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL ABOUT IT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

[00:45:04]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

HI MAYOR. ITEM TWO K BUILDS ON TO J.

LITERALLY, THIS WILL PROVIDE FUNDS TO BUILD A 200 BY 300 OR 60,000 SQUARE FOOT PAVILION ON THE FAR SOUTH SIDE, REALLY FAR SOUTH HALF OF THE SANTA FE PROPERTY.

JERRY, WALK US THROUGH IT AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE.

WELL, ONCE AGAIN, PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

I'M SORRY. YOU CAN'T HEAR.

WELL, PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH REGARDS TO WATER AND SEWER, I ACTUALLY ROLLED INTO THE PAVILION CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT WRCA WAS SPENDING FOR TENTS TO ACTUALLY SET THEIR STALLS UP THERE.

AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER POSSIBLE EVENTS WE COULD HAVE.

AND ONCE AGAIN, I'LL MENTION BETH, BECAUSE WHEN SHE HAS DONE HER FARMERS MARKETS OVER THERE, THE LACK OF SHADE, I MEAN, THAT'S IT'S WONDERFUL.

OVER AT THE BIVINS PROPERTY, WE'VE GOT THE OLD TREES.

BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THIS LOCATION, THERE IS NO SHADE.

SO IT WAS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE LOOKED AT AND SAID, OKAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ONCE AGAIN MITIGATE THIS ISSUE THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE? HOW DO WE HOW DO WE DO THIS? WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT OUR OPPORTUNITIES WERE WITH THAT.

WE WORKED WITH LEHMAN'S GROUP, TALKED TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS COULD POTENTIALLY BE, ESPECIALLY WITH THEM BEING THE LARGEST USER OF THE CIVIC CENTER. WE FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN IT.

BETH AND HER GROUP NEEDED TO PLAY A KEY ROLE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP UNDERSTANDING WHAT SOME OF HER NEEDS WERE.

SO WHERE WE WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH WAS TAKING A LOOK AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT THEY ACTUALLY USE CURRENTLY FOR THE RODEO, KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO EXPAND THIS YEAR AND ACTUALLY NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN WHAT THEY WERE.

AND SO WE BASICALLY RUN THE CALCULATIONS ON THE SIZE THAT THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY NEED.

IT ENDS UP BEING ALMOST A FULL CITY BLOCK.

SO WE WENT OUT, STARTED TAKING A LOOK WHAT WOULD IT COST TO BUILD A PAVILION THAT HAS A MULTIPLE USES THAT THE CIVIC CENTER NOW HAS NEW LEASABLE SPACE THAT THEY CAN USE FOR THE COMMUNITY? WHAT WE CAME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STRUCTURES THAT ARE ENCLOSED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE OPEN STRUCTURES, BASICALLY OPEN AIR STRUCTURES.

THIS THIS ACCOMPLISHES THAT.

AND IT GIVES US ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ENDED UP ON ON THE PAVILION.

IN DOING SO, WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT WHAT COULD IT POSSIBLY BE? THE RODEO IS HERE IN NOVEMBER.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN AMARILLO IN NOVEMBER.

THAT NORTH WIND CAN BE A BEAR.

SO WE TOOK IT A LOOK AT THE DESIGN OF IT.

WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT COULD WE POTENTIALLY DO, WHAT MIGHT WE NEED TO DO IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT.

SO THE SYSTEM THAT WE'VE GOT PRICED OUT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT TODAY HAS THE ABILITY FOR US TO COME BACK IN.

AND IT WAS INTERESTING HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH LEHMAN AND HIS GROUP.

HE GOES, WE'LL JUST STACK HAY BALES ON THE NORTH SIDE.

AND WHAT WOULD BE JUST FINE? WELL, THAT MEANS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, MAYBE THE WEST SIDE.

WELL, WHEN WE GOT THE NORTH WIND, THAT'S THE ONE WE WANT TO GET OUT OF THE NORTH.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. IT TURNS AROUND DURING THE WINTER.

OKAY. IN THE WINTERTIME WE LOOKED AT THAT AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WHAT THEIR DEAL IS TOO IS THE COMMUNITY AS THEY DRIVE UP AND DOWN THE ROAD TO BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THE HORSES AND THE COWBOYS AND THE LIVESTOCK.

SO DO WE WANT TO CLOSE THAT? WE HAVE THE ABILITY WITH THIS STRUCTURE TO EITHER HANG TARPS OR DO AIR CURTAINS ON IT IN THE FUTURE.

WE COULD DO THE STRUCTURAL STEEL WRAP AROUND ON IT, BUT ONCE WE DO THAT, THEN WE'VE CREATED ANOTHER BUILDING LIKE WHAT WE HAVE WITH THE ICE RINK AND WE KIND OF TAKE OURSELVES BACK OUT OF THAT MARKET.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A TEMPORARY DEAL THAT IF THE NEED PRESENTS ITSELF, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT.

BUT THE INITIAL PIECE RIGHT NOW FOR THIS IS TO BUILD THE PAVILION, LEAVE THE DIRT GROUND, NO MEAN NO CEMENT SLAB AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND PUT THE STRUCTURE UP SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE BUILDING ITSELF.

AND ONE OF THE MAJOR ONES THAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT AND I SENT THIS TO YOU GUYS, YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS IN AN EMAIL TODAY SO THAT YOU COULD SEE IT.

WE DEFINITELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT OUR LOADS ARE FOR A METAL BUILDING, BUT WE KICKED UP SOME OF THE SOME OF OUR EXPECTATIONS.

THIS IS A FREE SPAN BUILDING, SO THAT MEANS THERE'S NO COLUMNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STRUCTURE.

THIS IS JUST TOTALLY OPEN.

SO THERE'S HUGE STRUCTURAL STEEL THAT SPANS THIS.

WE ALSO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT.

OUR WIND LOADS IN AMARILLO, WE KICK THAT UP TO 120 MILE AN HOUR WIND LOAD THAT THIS BUILDING WILL BE ABLE TO STRETCH.

THIS STRUCTURE WILL BE ABLE TO WITHHOLD.

WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT WHAT DOES THAT DO AS FAR AS THE LIFT? RIGHT NOW, THE ENGINEER SAID WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO FOOT COLUMNS, SIX FOOT DEEP.

[00:50:02]

SO WE'VE COME BACK IN THERE AND TAKING A HARD LOOK AT THIS DESIGN SPEC, BEEFED IT UP SO THAT WE'VE GOT A LONG TERM ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM.

QUESTIONS. YES.

YES, MA'AM. JERRY, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

SO. ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE.

I KNOW YOU KNOW, PSB IS GOOD REPUTABLE COMPANY AND THEY'RE PRETTY DETAILED AND DOING BUSINESS THE WAY THEY NEED TO IS A GOOD COMMERCIAL CONTRACTOR.

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE FOR CONCRETE.

YOU JUST MENTIONED SOME PEERS.

ARE YOU SELF PERFORMING THOSE? NO, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY PART OF THE PACKAGE ITSELF.

OKAY. JUST NOT ON THEIR PROPOSAL.

NOT ON THEIR PROPOSAL, BECAUSE WE ASK THEM TO CHANGE.

THE OTHER CHANGE YOU'LL NOTICE WE ASKED THEM TO MAKE TO TYPICALLY ON A STRUCTURE THAT SIZE, YOU'VE GOT 25 FOOT SPACING BETWEEN THE COLUMNS.

YOU'LL NOTICE THESE ARE AT 20 FOOT.

MM HMM. SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE INCLUDED THAT'S NOT ON THIS BID, LIKE ELECTRICAL LIGHTING, THINGS LIKE THAT? NO, WE'RE NOT CHANGING OUT ANY OF THE LIGHTING CURRENTLY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE POLE LIGHTS THERE.

THE ELEVATION OF THIS STRUCTURE IS ACTUALLY HIGH ENOUGH THAT THE POLE LIGHTS WILL PERFORM WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO CHANGE THOSE OUT.

I THINK THAT'S AN EVALUATION.

WHEN WE START LOOKING AT OUR END USERS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD SELL, PERFORM LATER ON IF NEEDED.

WE'VE GOT THE LOAD CAPACITY OF THE STRUCTURE ITSELF TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANY ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, SHOULD WE PUT IT IN THERE.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND KEEP THAT BUDGET AS LOW AS WE CAN.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION ON THAT.

AND THIS WAS DATED JUNE 6TH.

THIS IS THE FIRST THAT I'VE HEARD OF THIS.

IS THIS THE FIRST THAT THIS HAS KIND OF COME UP TO THE COUNCIL? IT IS THE FIRST TO THE COUNCIL EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT DEAL WITH THE CIVIC CENTER.

BASICALLY, IT WAS WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED? SO BASICALLY, WE STARTED WORKING.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THIS? YOU'LL NOTICE IN THAT PACKAGE THAT THE TIMING IS LISTED THERE.

THIS IS A VERY TIGHT TIMING ON THIS PROJECT.

IN ORDER FOR US TO DELIVER THIS IN TIME FOR THE RODEO TO BE IN TOWN.

IN ESSENCE, WE'VE GOT SEVEN DAYS OF FLUFF TIME IN THIS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AS IT'S PRESENTED NOW.

SO IT'S A CHALLENGE.

IF WE DECIDE NOT TO DO THIS OR EXECUTE THIS, WE CAN STEP BACK AND REBID IT AGAIN AND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

BUT WE WON'T HIT THE TIMELINE FOR THE RODEO.

SO THE ONLY CRITERIA THAT'S TIME SENSITIVE IS JUST THE RODEO.

BUT THEN WE WOULD WE WOULD HAVE THIS BUILDING FOR MULTIPLE USES.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT OTHER THINGS LIKE SPORTING? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF DO YOU HAVE ANY INTENTION IN CONCRETING THIS IN.

WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE LOOKED AT IT.

I KNOW THAT THAT I KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT NUMBER IS, NOT KNOWING WHAT THE NUMBER WOULD BE 30 DAYS FROM NOW, BUT RIGHT NOW KNOWING WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT AROUND BETWEEN 420 TO TO 500,000 TO CONCRETE THAT ENTIRE SLAB.

THE OTHER THING THAT THAT YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, YOU NOTICE THE EAVE HEIGHT ON THAT IS 14 FOOT SIX INCHES AT 14 SIX THAT LETS ANY ANY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT CAN ROLL DOWN THE INTERSTATE CAN ROLL INTO THIS STRUCTURE.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THE FARM AND RANCH SHOW COMES, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU NOTICE, BUT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CIVIC CENTER, WHEN THE FARM AND RANCH SHOWS IN TOWN, SOME OF THE BIG EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE, THEY CAN'T GET PARKING LOT.

THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S ON THE NORTH PARKING LOT.

WHEN WE DO HAVE WEATHER, SOME OF THE VENDORS AREN'T NECESSARILY HAPPY BECAUSE THEIR CUSTOMERS CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND CHECK THAT OUT BECAUSE IT'S SNOWING OR RAINING.

THE PAVILION GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH DO THAT AND SECURE IT BECAUSE ALL THIS ENDS UP BACK BEHIND A FENCE SECURE AREA.

I'M JUST THINKING OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE MIGHT LOOK BACK ON LATER AND GO, MAN, WHY DIDN'T WE DO THAT? 20 FOOT EAVE HEIGHT WOULDN'T BE THAT COSTLY IN THE RED IRON.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT WOULD RUN, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'D GUESS MAYBE ANOTHER DOLLAR.

A FOOT. YEAH, WE'RE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT SPAN AND WE GO THAT HEIGHT, WHERE IS IT, YOUR 200 FOOT? THAT'S THE ISSUE ON THE 20 FOOT TALL.

YEAH. SO YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE MAYBE PORTAL FRAMES OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN WE STEP INTO THAT, YEAH, IT CHANGES MY DESIGN.

OKAY. THE ONLY REASON I BRING THAT UP TO THE COUNCIL IS JUST IN THE WAY OF IF YOU CONCRETED THAT FLOOR IN ONE DAY, YOU'D HAVE A MASSIVE COVER FOR OUTDOOR BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR FUTURE THINGS THAT WE DO THAT ARE FAMILY FUN.

SPORT EVENTS WOULDN'T HURT ANYTHING AS FAR AS BRINGING IN DIRT.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU DO RIGHT NOW.

YOU BRING IN YOU TRUCK IN DIRT FOR THE RCA.

THAT'S CORRECT. THAT CURRENTLY TAKES PLACE.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THIS ONE, THOUGH, COUNCILMAN, IS IS IF WE DO DECIDE WE WANT TO CONCRETE IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE EASILY.

[00:55:03]

IF YOU'RE COMING IN WITH A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, YOU HAVE TO CLEAR A BRIDGE IN AN OVERPASS.

AND AT 14/6, WE CLEAR BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES.

IF YOU'RE COMING IN WITH SOMETHING TALLER THAN THAT, WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SHEET IN THE END CAPS SO WE COULD BRING SOMETHING TALLER IN THE END CAP AND A CENTER FEED.

I DO KNOW JUST LOOKING AT CERTAIN SPORTING EVENTS, 20 FOOT EVE HEIGHT CREATES A WHOLE NOTHER REALM OF THINGS YOU CAN DO.

THAT 14/6 IS REALLY KIND OF PROBLEMATIC FROM A DESIGN POINT, FROM MY EXPERIENCE JUST IN THE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT I'M DOING.

SO WE WOULDN'T TYPICALLY BE THAT LOW, BUT WE ALSO WOULDN'T BE 200 FOOT WIDE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TAKING A BETTER LOOK AT THAT SO THAT WE WOULDN'T LOOK BACK, YOU KNOW, MONTHS FROM NOW AND SAY, WELL, WOW, WE REALLY COULD HAVE GONE JUST FOUR FEET.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY REACH OUT AND GET A PRICE ON FAIRLY EASILY JUST TO GO FROM 14, 6 TO 20 FOOT, CORRECT? YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.

CAN I ASK, MAYOR, IS THAT ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN? WELL, I THINK WE'LL SEE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS.

TIMELINE, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

SO THAT'S DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY ABOUT TIMELINE.

I, I DEFINITELY ENVISION THIS BEING AN OUTDOOR SPORTS VENUE AT SOME POINT BECAUSE I CAN JUST SEE KASHION NODDING HER HEAD.

AND I THINK, YES.

SO I THINK ADDING THE CONCRETE FLOOR IS SOMETHING I'M VERY INTERESTED IN, WHETHER THAT'S MOMMAS PUSHING STROLLERS THROUGH A MARKET, BETH, OR, YOU KNOW, KIDS THAT WE WANT TO BE DOING A VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT OR A THREE ON THREE TOURNAMENT OUTSIDE OR SOMETHING.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SPACE.

AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER STANLEY'S VISION FOR MAKING IT EVEN MORE USABLE WITH A CONCRETE FLOOR.

SO I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE NOT DELAY BECAUSE WE HAVE ASKED THE RODEO TO, AND I REALLY WOULD LOVE IT LEHMAN IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING TO THE PODIUM JUST TO TALK ABOUT HOW A FACILITY LIKE THIS IMPACTS YOUR EVENT AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ADD TO YOUR EVENT? I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR THE COUNCIL TO HEAR BEFORE WE.

. GERRI, THANK YOU. HI.

YES. HAPPY TO OFFER ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD BE VALUABLE TO THIS DECISION.

IT IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION BECAUSE IT'S NOT THIS BUILDING THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.

IT'S NOT JUST FOR WRCA.

I HOPE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND IN THIS COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS IT IS TRULY A MULTI USE OPPORTUNITY AND THAT IS ONE REASON WHY WE SUPPORT IT.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAYBE THE OVERALL RATIONALE BEHIND BOTH OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THE UTILITIES AND THE BUILDING, THE PAVILION.

AND FOR FROM OUR SPECIFIC USE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU JUST PASSED A MINUTE AGO ON ADAM JAY THAT THAT IS A MAJOR HELP TO PUTTING ON ANY FORM OF ACTIVITY IN THAT SPACE.

THIS ITEM THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THE COVERED PAVILION.

WE HAVE USED THAT AREA WITH A TEMPORARY STALLING SYSTEM THAT REQUIRES TENTS TO BE PLACED UP.

AND THE WAY THAT'S DONE IS THOSE TENTS CAN HAVE SO MANY STALLS UNDER THEM, AND YOU HAVE TO PUT THREE OF THOSE IN THAT SPACE. WELL, IF YOU'VE EVER ERECTED A 200 BY 150 TENT, THERE'S A LOT OF POLES AND STAKES THAT GO OUT.

THERE'S A LOT OF WASTED SPACE.

SO YOUR USER CAPACITY OF THAT AREA IS DIMINISHED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT A TENT UP.

WHEN YOU PUT THIS FREESTANDING PAVILION OVER THAT SPACE, YOUR USABLE AREA UNDERNEATH IS NOW QUADRUPLED.

SO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH IS TREMENDOUS.

I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY JUST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THAT IT WOULD BE UP PRIOR TO NOVEMBER WHEN WE HAVE THE 2022 EVENT.

BUT I WOULD BE HESITANT TO TRY TO SAY, RUSH, THAT THAT'S NOT WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.

IF IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE THAT CAUSED THAT FACILITY TO BE BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY, WRCA WOULD ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO WORK WITH THAT.

BUT OF COURSE, YES, IF THAT IS DELAYED BEYOND ABOUT NOVEMBER 6TH, IT'LL CAUSE SOME MAJOR ISSUES FOR ONSITE USE OF THAT LOCATION

[1.C. Discuss Update on Amarillo Broadband Project; ]

SO I DON'T KNOW IF I ANSWERED THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION OR NOT, BUT NUMBER ONE, IT'S AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE PROJECT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO BUILD AND WE WOULD SUPPORT IT BEING DONE CORRECTLY.

DOES IT IMPROVE YOUR EVENT LEHMAN TO HAVE THAT FACILITY?

[01:00:04]

SO FROM A QUALITY STANDPOINT, WE'RE PROUD OF AMARILLO, RIGHT? WE'RE PROUD OF WHAT WE PRESENT TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO TOWN AND TEMPORARY STALLING AND ABOVE GROUND WATER LINES THAT FREEZE AND BUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND FLOOD STALLS.

AND THAT'S NOT THE QUALITY THAT AMARILLO WANTS TO PRESENT TO PEOPLE COMING TO TOWN.

THIS VENUE ENHANCES THE QUALITY EXPERIENCE OF OUR VISITORS.

THE QUANTITY ASPECT IS WHAT I MENTIONED.

I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THE STALL CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE IS 176 STALLS.

WITH THE ADDITION OF A NEW EVENT THAT WE'VE ADDED INTO THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH IS OUR YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RANCH RODEO.

OUR STALL AND CAPACITY FOR 2022 IS 204.

SO THE LAST TIME I DID THE MATH, 204 IS BIGGER THAN 176 MAYOR SO 2022.

WE DO HAVE A CAPACITY ISSUE ALREADY.

ONCE YOU QUADRUPLE YOUR USER SPACE, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN HAVE WITH AN EVENT LIKE OURS START TO GROW.

WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN SELF RESTRICTED TO THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES THAT CAN COME TO THIS EVENT.

WHEN YOU TAKE THAT SELF RESTRICTION OFF NOW, AREAS OF THE EVENT CAN START TO EXPAND WHERE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE PAST.

MEANING MORE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CITY, MORE PARTICIPANTS IN THE EVENT EQUATES TO MORE PEOPLE STAYING IN THE CITY.

MORE PEOPLE. MORE OVERALL INCOME FOR TECH.

YEAH. OKAY.

QUESTIONS FOR LEHMAN COUNCIL.

NO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SO, GERRI, AT THE 14 FOOT HEIGHT.

CAN WE DO VOLLEYBALL AND BASKETBALL THERE? I MEAN, MAYBE I'M NOT ENVISIONING.

WELL, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS EVE HEIGHT.

AND SO SORRY TO SAY ONE MORE TIME.

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS EVE HEIGHT.

OKAY. SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU GET INTO THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING.

NO, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE QUITE A BIT HIGHER THAN THAT.

WE'LL HIT WHAT MR. STANLEY'S TALKING ABOUT IN THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING AT THE OUTSIDE EDGES.

NO, WE'RE NOT. WE'RE 14 FOOT AND IT INCREASES ALMOST A FOOT EVERY TEN FEET IS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT.

SO YOU WOULD GO FROM 14 TO 15, TEN FOOT IN ANOTHER TEN FOOT IN YOU GRADUALLY INCREASE ALL THE WAY UP.

SO IF I WANT TO MAKE THAT BASELINE TO BASELINE PASS FOR THAT LAST 2/2 SHOT ON THE CLOCK.

THAT'S WHAT I NEED.

IS THAT ARC IN THE MIDDLE.

YEAH. AND DEPENDING ON HOW YOU SET THAT UP FOR IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO BASKETBALL OR VOLLEYBALL, THE CENTER SECTION OF IT WOULD BE PLENTY HIGH. BUT IF YOU WANT TO COMPLETELY FILL THE COMPLEX LIKE MR. SANDLEY IS TALKING ABOUT, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THOSE THOSE EAVE HEIGHTS UP.

SO, MAYOR, IF I COULD YOUR 14 AND A HALF FOOT EVE HEIGHT, THAT'S PROBABLY MAYBE 11 FOOT IN THE CLEAR ON THE BOTTOM OF THAT RED IRON FLANGE AS IT COMES UP TO THAT TAPERED COLUMN.

JUST GUESSING. RIGHT NOW, I'M TAKING A LOOK AT THAT ENGINEER BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE BOAT PATTERN IS.

IF THE BOAT PATTERN IS ON THE FACE OR ON THE TOP, IF IT'S ON THE TOP, WE MAINTAIN THE 14 AND A HALF TO 15.

SO KEEP IN MIND YOU YOU HAVE IN THIS DESIGN, IF WE DO A 14 FOOT SIX EAVE HEIGHT AND I THINK IT SHOWS IT ON THE DESIGN, DON'T WE HAVE A DRAWING? YEAH.

YEAH, IT SHOWS. SO IT'S SHOWING IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR DRAWING THERE ON THAT END WALL, YOU'LL SEE HOW WIDE THAT FLANGE GETS AT THE BOTTOM.

SO MAYOR WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS ON THE INSIDE OF THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONCRETE THIS WHOLE THING IN, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE 25 OR 30,000 SQUARE FOOT OF USABLE SPACE AND HAVE 60,000 SQUARE FOOT OF CONCRETE.

WE COULD PROBABLY TRIPLE OUR COURT CAPACITY WITH 20 FOOT HEIGHT AND REALLY 25 WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

SO IF WE COULD GO 25 AND I WOULDN'T DIRECT YOU, BUT IF COUNSEL SO DIRECTED YOU TO BRING BACK PRICING AT 20 OR 25, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A BUDGET COMPARISON ON WHERE YOU'RE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK IS.

AND ON A DESIGN LIKE THIS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE WALL GUARDS, YOU DON'T HAVE WALL PANELS, YOU DON'T HAVE INSULATION, YOU'RE TALKING A REALLY GOOD RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.

ABSOLUTELY. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF IF YOU SPENT LET'S SAY IT'S TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

NOT THAT WE DON'T SINCERELY APPRECIATE OUR CUSTOMER BACK THERE.

AND I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENT THAT YOU WOULD EVEN BE WILLING TO WAIT AND FOREGO IT BEING READY THIS NOVEMBER IF IT HELPED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS THE CULTURE THAT I THINK WE'RE ALL GRAVITATED TO AND SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU STATING THAT.

SO I THINK THAT IF WE WERE WILLING TO LOOK AT 25, 20 AND THEN THIS PROPOSAL, WE AS A COUNCIL COULD MAKE MUCH BETTER DECISION ON HOW THAT

[01:05:06]

JERRY TALKED TO US AGAIN ABOUT TIMELINE LIKE YOU'VE GONE, YOU'VE REQUESTED.

A DESIGN AT 14/6? THAT'S CORRECT. AND LIKE I SAID, THE DRIVING FACTOR WAS THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT USERS.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

THINKING ABOUT BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL IN THERE WAS NOT PART OF THE EQUATION.

WE'VE TAKEN IT INTO ACCOUNT IN SOME OTHER AREAS, BUT NOT IN THIS ONE.

THIS ONE WAS MORE OF THE CURRENT CUSTOMERS AND SOME OF THE FUTURE CUSTOMERS, BUT NOT ATHLETICS.

SO TO RAISE IT UP.

MR. STANLEY'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DELIVER IT.

WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HIT THE TIMEFRAME.

THIS WAS AN AGGRESSIVE TIME FRAME TO BEGIN WITH.

BUT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER ENGINEERED BUILDING TO GET US TO THOSE ELEVATIONS.

SO AND I DON'T THINK HE'S VERY FAR OFF ON THE COST.

WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THAT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.