Jan 31, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting

[INVOCATION]

[00:00:05]

CALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER.

WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH AN INVOCATION.

AND BOB SCHROEDER FROM HILLSIDE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS HERE TO DO THAT.

BOB. FATHER IN HEAVEN TODAY AS ALWAYS, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PROMISES TO US AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY.

YOUR PROMISE FOR WISDOM.

SO WE PRAY FOR THAT TODAY.

FOR EVERYONE HERE IN THE ROOM WHO HAS WORK TO TAKE CARE OF.

WE PRAY THAT IN ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL.

AND TODAY WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THOSE WHO SERVE, WHO VOLUNTEER, WHO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY WHAT IT IS.

WE JUST ASK YOUR BLESSING TO REIGN AS ALWAYS, AND YOUR GUIDANCE TODAY, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE PRAY.

AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[ANNOUNCEMENT]

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL UP A BUNCH OF OUR TEAM, ALL OF OUR VITAL STATISTICS TEAM AND THE REST OF EVERYONE THAT'S UP HERE.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP HERE AND STAND WITH US WHILE LAURA STORRS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, TALKS ABOUT THE AWARD AND WHAT WE'RE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR. BUT IT'S VITAL STATISTICS.

SO, LAURA, COME ON UP. DON'T BE SHY.

YOU DON'T BITE. WE.

GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

WE JUST WANTED TO CELEBRATE WITH OUR VITAL STATISTICS TEAM HERE.

THEY HAVE RECEIVED AN AWARD.

IT IS A EXEMPLARY FIVE STAR AWARD FOR 2022 FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.

SO THE EXCITING THING ABOUT THIS IS WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS THREE TIMES AT THE CITY OF AMARILLO, BUT THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME TO GET IT BACK TO BACK YEARS.

IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF DEDICATION FROM THIS TEAM.

THEY PROCESS, I WANT TO SAY, THOUSANDS OF RECORDS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

AND SO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES DEFINES THE FIVE STAR AWARD AS THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF VITAL STATISTICS PARTNERS WHO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAL STATISTICS AND ITS IMPACT ON CITIZENS HERE IN TEXAS.

IT HONORS PARTNERS WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE DUTIES OF BIRTH AND DEATH REGISTRATION BY ATTENDING TRAININGS AND KEEPING UP WITH THE LATEST LEGISLATION AND TRENDS.

SO SOME OF THE CRITERIA IS INCLUDED IN THIS AWARD IS CUSTOMER SERVICE GOALS, SUCH AS REGISTERING 96% OF BIRTH RECORDS AND 96% OF DEATH RECORDS IN THE LOCAL ACCEPTANCE QUEUE WITHIN ONE BUSINESS DAY FOR THE TIME PERIOD, JANUARY 1ST, 2022 TO SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2022.

SO THIS TEAM, THEY'RE NOT A LARGE TEAM, BUT THEY DO A LARGE AMOUNT OF WORK AND WE JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE WITH THEM ON ACHIEVING THIS AWARD. IT'S AN HONOR FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THIS GROUP.

SO WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK.

[APPLAUSE] YEAH. KNOW, I WAS THINKING THANK YOU.

I'LL CHECK WITH THE CITY SECRETARY, BUT LAST I CHECKED, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED FOR A PUBLIC ADDRESS.

IS THAT CORRECT, STEPHANIE? THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM 1 A REVIEWING THE AGENDA FOR THIS REGULAR MEETING AND ITS ATTACHMENTS.

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

[00:05:04]

[1.B. Discuss Airport Hotel Study;]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, WE'VE GOT MIKE CONNOR, DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT, TO PRESENT THE ITEM FOR US.

THIS IS A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE OPPORTUNITY OF POSSIBLY ALLOWING A HOTEL TO LOCATE ON AIRPORT PROPERTY.

IT'S LONG BEEN DESIRED BY PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL IN TO AMARILLO AND PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET READY FOR AN EARLY FLIGHT TO HAVE A HOTEL THEY CAN STAY IN ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT.

SO, MIKE, GIVE IT TO US.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE OR YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THIS STUDY, THE ACTUAL STUDIES.

THE REPORT IS PRETTY LONG, BUT I DID GIVE THREE COPIES OF THAT TO STEPHANIE IN CASE YOU WANT TO SEE THE WHOLE THE WHOLE REPORT.

SO PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, I PROPOSED THAT AN AIRPORT HOTEL BE CONSTRUCTED TO CATER PRIMARILY TO AIRPORT PASSENGERS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE. BUT WE DECIDED TO KIND OF WAIT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT UNTIL WE WERE SURE THAT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY HAD KIND OF A MORE STABLE FUTURE AFTER THE PANDEMIC. SO WE BELIEVE THAT HAVING A HOTEL LOCATED AT THE AIRPORT WILL PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT CONVENIENCE FOR PASSENGERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH EARLY MORNING FLIGHTS. AND GENERALLY, WE DO HAVE MORE BUSINESS PASSENGERS FLYING INTO AMARILLO THAN BUSINESS PASSENGERS FLYING OUT OF AMARILLO THAT LIVE HERE. SO WE THINK A HOTEL WOULD BE A VERY GOOD THING TO HAVE ACTUALLY ON THE AIRPORT.

HAVING IT ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE AIRPORT ENTRANCE, WHICH IS WHERE WE HAD KIND OF PLANNED TO PUT IT, WILL PROVIDE VERY QUICK ACCESS TO THE TERMINAL BUILDING WITHOUT HAVING THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE OF HAVING TO CONNECT THE HOTEL TO THE TERMINAL, WHICH WOULD COST A LOT MORE MONEY.

SO AT ONE POINT IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY DID DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED AIRPORT HOTEL IS A FEASIBLE FINANCIAL VIABLE THING.

SO HVS CONDUCTED THE STUDY.

HVS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, IS WORKING ON THE TRI STATE MASTER PLAN EFFORT AND THEY ALSO DID WORK ON THE CIVIC CENTER NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

THEY DID TAKE THE LABOR COSTS INTO CONSIDERATION AND THEIR REPORT CONSIDERS A MANAGEMENT FEE OF 3% OF THE TOTAL REVENUES.

THEY RECOMMEND A NATIONALLY FRANCHISED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE MID SCALE AND UPPER SCALE LIMITED SERVICE HOTEL WITH AN ENHANCED FOOD AND BEVERAGE OFFERING. SINCE WE'RE TRYING TO CATER TO BUSINESS PEOPLE.

THEY USED A FRANCHISE FEE OF EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT OF ROOM REVENUE TO ESTIMATE THE COST WITHIN THE REPORT AND THE FORECAST OCCUPANCY RATES ARE LISTED ON PAGE TEN OF THE REPORT THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO OCCUPANCY RATES, THEY'RE ESTIMATING AND OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE ONLY ESTIMATES.

THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE ABOUT 67% OCCUPANCY RATE AND THEN BY YEAR FOUR UP TO 76% OCCUPANCY.

THEY ESTIMATE THE HOTEL WILL STABILIZE AT A PROFITABLE LEVEL, WITH AN ESTIMATED 12.3% RETURN ON AN ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT OF $14 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE STUDY USED OUR ESTIMATED $0.25 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR THE LAND RENT, WHICH WE'RE ESTIMATING AT ABOUT TWO ACRES, AND THIS ACTUAL RATE COULD BE SLIGHTLY LOWER BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THE $0.25 IS BASED ON SOME APPRAISALS THAT WE HAD ON LAND THAT WAS CLOSER TO THE RUNWAY.

SO EITHER THROUGH AN APPRAISAL OR THROUGH NEGOTIATION WITH A PARTICULAR TENANT, WE WOULD YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE LOWER, BUT IT COULD BE THE $0.25. WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY A HOTEL UP TO ABOUT 100 ROOMS AND THE CURRENT ZONING IS L 1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. SO YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR ZONING ISSUES AT THIS POINT THAT I'M AWARE OF.

WE WOULD HOPE THAT THE HOTEL WOULD BE A BRAND THAT IS NOT ALREADY REPRESENTED MULTIPLE TIMES HERE IN AMARILLO, ALTHOUGH THE STUDY DIDN'T INDICATE A SPECIFIC BRAND OR MAKE A PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHAT BRAND MIGHT BE POSSIBILITIES ARE HILTON GARDEN INN, ALOFT, HYATT PLACE, WYNDHAM, COMFORT SUITES, BEST WESTERN PLUS, COUNTRY AND SUITES, DRURY OR CAMBRIA.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE OTHERS THAT COULD BE PUT IN.

SO THE AIRPORT WOULD LIKE TO ISSUE AN RFP TO LEASE THE LAND TO A HOTEL OPERATOR.

WE COULD SIMULTANEOUSLY DO AN APPRAISAL, BUT WE'RE NOT.

WE'RE THINKING THAT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO BE REQUIRED BY FAA TO DO THAT.

[00:10:02]

AND THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS LOCATED ON THE AIRPORT'S WEBSITE.

SO PEOPLE CAN CAN LOOK AT THAT AT THIS POINT.

WE ALREADY HAVE INTEREST FROM SOME LOCAL HOTELIERS TO BUILD THIS HOTEL.

THE HOTELS PLAN TO PRIMARILY SERVE AIRPORT PASSENGERS WITH A BUSINESS FOCUS.

AND SO, YEAH, WE'RE JUST HOPING TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE THE RFP FOR THIS.

AND WE DO WE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE MINOR AMOUNT OF ENGINEERING JUST TO CREATE DRAWINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET THE RFP GOING.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT IN A QUICK FASHION AND WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN AWARD IF WE CAN GO OUT FOR RFP WITHIN ABOUT FOUR MONTHS. SAY THAT AGAIN 4 MONTHS? YES. QUESTIONS FOR MIKE? COUNCIL. AND SO WHEN I WAS READING THE STUDY, I GUESS SO THE PROPOSED DATE FOR THE HOTEL TO OPEN WOULD BE 2024, SEPTEMBER 2024.

YES, I THINK THEY WERE THINKING DURING THE STUDY IT'D BE AT LEAST A 12 TO 15 MONTH PROCESS TO BUILD IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO IT WOULD BE ACROSS THE STREET.

YES. AND RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THE CURRENT BUDGET CAR RENTAL IS LOCATED.

IS THERE ANY LAND ON THE OTHER SIDE SO PEOPLE COULD WALK TO THE AIRPORT? THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S NOT ALREADY TAKEN THAT WOULD BE CLOSER.

LIKE I SAID, WE DID LOOK AT SOME AREAS THAT WOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO THE TERMINAL SUCH THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY CONNECT THE TWO THE TERMINAL, TO THE HOTEL.

BUT WE JUST DETERMINED THAT THAT WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO DO FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT REASONS.

THIS IS REALLY THE CLOSEST SPACE THAT IS POSSIBLE.

YOU COULD TECHNICALLY WALK IT, SO.

SO THE HOTEL WOULD PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION.

NOT MANY PEOPLE WOULD WALK THAT FAR WITH THEIR LUGGAGE.

RIGHT? RIGHT. GOOD.

SO WOULD THE HOTEL HAVE A PARKING GARAGE ASSOCIATED WITH IT AS WELL, OR? NOT A PARKING GARAGE? WE WOULD JUST ESTIMATE JUST A REGULAR PARKING LOT.

OKAY, BUT IT'S STILL A LOT.

THE NEAREST HOTEL IS BASICALLY TWO MILES FROM THE AIRPORT RIGHT NOW, SO.

MIKE, CAN YOU GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THE RFP AND THE LAND LEASE IN THE WAY IN WHICH YOU'VE GOT IT PROPOSED HERE? WELL, I DON'T HAVE THE LEASE PUT TOGETHER OR ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, BUT LIKE JUST KIND OF IN THE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS AN EXPECTED GOAL COST WISE? I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A $14 MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL.

ARE YOU GUYS THINKING WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE A GROUND LEASE HOTELIER COMES IN.

THEY PROVIDE ALL OF THEIR OWN VERTICAL INVESTMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANY CO OP ON THE ENTERPRISE OR THE AIRPORT TO PROVIDE ANY SERVICES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO, THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR INCENTIVES OR ANYTHING WOULD BE TO GIVE THEM AN INCENTIVE OF NO RENT FOR THE FIRST YEAR DURING CONSTRUCTION SO THAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO INCUR THAT EXPENSE AT THE SAME TIME AS CONSTRUCTION.

BUT BEYOND THAT, IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT LEASE.

THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DO IT.

SOME AIRPORTS DO IT.

AND IN FACT, SOME OF MY PREVIOUS AIRPORTS DID IT WHERE IT BECOMES A CONCESSION.

SO IF THE HOTEL WERE TO DO BETTER, THEN MORE MONEY WOULD COME TO THE AIRPORT.

BUT IN TODAY'S MARKET, THAT REALLY CAUSES A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND IT ALSO CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS WITH OUR DBE SITUATION.

SO WE JUST CHOSE RATHER TO DO IT AS A STRAIGHT LAND LEASE RATHER THAN GOING TO ALL THAT.

AND THE HOTELIERS REALLY DON'T LIKE THAT.

IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FROM A PAPERWORK STANDPOINT TO KEEP THAT ALL STRAIGHT AND FROM THE AIRPORT STANDPOINT SINCE I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.

BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT LINE LEASE.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT COULD BE THAT SOMEWHERE IN THAT $0.25 PER SQUARE FOOT RANGE AND THAT WAS WHAT THE STUDY WAS BASED ON.

TWO ACRES IS THAT WHAT YOU HAD BUDGETED? YES. OKAY. IS HVS HAVE THEY CONCLUDED THEIR THEIR STUDY FOR YOU OR WOULD THEY STAY ON TO MAYBE HELP IN DESIGN.

WOULD YOU NEED ANYBODY TO MOVE FORWARD OR IS IT SOMETHING WHERE YOU AND THE REST OF STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT LIKE WHAT THE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE FOR WHOEVER THE RFP IS THAT COMES TO THE CITY? YEAH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT MOST OF THAT TOGETHER.

I MEAN, A LOT OF SOME OF THE PREP WORK WE DID, OBVIOUSLY WITH HVS WILL GIVE US THAT INFORMATION ALREADY AS TO WHO POSSIBLE VENDORS ARE.

AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE MAJOR PLAYERS IN AMARILLO ALREADY.

SO I THINK WE'RE PRETTY SET ON THAT AND WE DO RFPS ALL THE TIME.

SO PUTTING THAT TOGETHER SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM.

[00:15:01]

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, MIKE.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 1 C, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION WITH THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU ABOUT THE ROUTE

[1.C. Discuss Convention Visitors Bureau and Route 66 Centennial Celebration;]

KASHION. HELLO, KASHION SMITH FROM THE CVC.

SO THIS IS AN EXCITING TOPIC AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE REALLY JUST FOCUSED ON THIS BEFORE.

SO I AM GOING TO BACK US UP JUST REAL QUICK.

KIND OF GO OVER REALLY HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.

SO 2026 IS THE CENTENNIAL FOR ROUTE 66.

AS WE KNOW, THERE'S EIGHT STATES THAT SIT ON THAT.

THIS COMES FROM A NATIONAL LEVEL.

IN 2016, THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM ACTUALLY DESIGNATED ROUTE 66 AS A HISTORIC CORRIDOR TO KIND OF OPEN THE WAY FOR SOME OF THE CELEBRATIONS AND HOPEFULLY FUNDING THAT WILL COME THROUGH AS WE GET CLOSER TO 2026, 2020 THE 66 CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS AND ACTUALLY SIGNED IN BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE END OF THAT YEAR.

AND THEN THIS PAST DECEMBER, [INAUDIBLE] WAS OFFICIALLY APPOINTED, WE'VE KNOWN FOR ABOUT A YEAR THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE OUR APPOINTEE.

GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAD ALREADY REACHED OUT TO HIM, BUT THAT WAS MADE OFFICIAL AND RECOGNIZED BY BIDEN IN DECEMBER, AT THE END OF DECEMBER.

SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.

THAT IS KEY FOR US BECAUSE THAT GIVES US SOMEBODY WITH THE OTHER EIGHT STATES TO SIT DOWN WITH THE COMMISSION AND SANCTION EVENTS AND REALLY PULL ALL OF THE NATIONAL STORY TOGETHER.

AND WE HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO.

ROUTE 66 CAN BE SEGMENTED IN PARTNERSHIPS.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL THAT COMES ALONG ROUTE 66 AMARILLO ACTUALLY OUTPERFORMS THE REST OF THE STATE ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL BECAUSE OF ROUTE 66. SO IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.

WE'VE WE'VE REALLY JUST GETTING THE CONTACTS TOGETHER, GETTING SOME COHESIVENESS, GETTING SOME ITINERARIES TO COME OUT OF THESE NEXT FEW YEARS, I THINK WILL CARRY US VERY WELL INTO THE FUTURE.

AND THEN IN 2023.

SO THIS YEAR WE ARE GOING TO START THE FESTIVITIES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BUILD UP TO 2026 AND GROW VISITATION YEAR OVER YEAR AND REALLY JUST TRY AND BLOW IT OUT OF THE, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE WATER AND JUST MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT MOVING FORWARD.

WE HAD PLANNED ON COMING IN A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN THIS.

COVID REALLY PUT A HICCUP IN ALL OF THE STATE'S PLANS.

BUT WHAT THIS HAS ACTUALLY ALLOWED US TO DO, THE ROAD FEST WAS HELD IN OKLAHOMA LAST YEAR, BUT THAT WAS A SMALL WEEKEND EVENT THAT DID NOT GO QUITE AS WELL AS THEY HAD HOPED. THEY'LL BE DOING IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.

BUT WE REALLY TEXAS, WE LIKE TO GO BIG.

SO WE'LL HAVE A TEN DAY FESTIVAL STARTING THIS YEAR THAT WILL GROW YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND I'LL LET CHRISTY COME OUT AND SPEAK TO THE EVENTS THAT WILL BE GOING ON IN THAT.

SO THAT WILL ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHT MANY DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE ROUTE THROUGHOUT TEXAS TO REALLY GIVE THAT EXPERIENCE.

2026, OF COURSE, IS THE CENTENNIAL, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY WE'VE BEEN ROAD TRIP FOR 100 YEARS.

AND THEN SO WHAT WE'VE KIND OF ALREADY WORKED ON AND REALLY WHERE WE'RE AT, WE DO HAVE THE ROUTE 66 LOGO THAT ALL OF THE PARTNERS, ALL OF THE CITIES AND COUNTIES AND PARTNERS WILL USE.

THIS ONE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ONES THAT LISTS THE MAIN CITIES ON ROUTE 66 IN TEXAS.

BUT OUR OFFICE DID ALSO PROVIDE THIS LOGO WITH THE BANNER SO THAT IF YOU WANTED TO, AS AN ATTRACTION, AS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PARTNER, AS A COUNTY OR ONE OF THE SMALLER CITIES ALONG THE ROUTE, PLUG YOUR OWN IN AND KEEP WITH THE BRANDING SO THAT IF YOU HAVE SOME TYPE OF AN EVENT, WHETHER IT'S SMALL OR LARGE, IT CAN BE BRANDED AND THEN WORKED INTO OUR MARKETING.

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE WANT TO COME OUT OF THIS WITH IS TRULY RETEACHING THE ROUTE 66 TRAVELERS TO STAY IN TEXAS FOR MORE THAN ONE NIGHT TO SHOW THEM THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY CAN HAVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PANHANDLE.

WE KNOW THAT THOSE EXTRA NIGHTS WILL COME BACK INTO AMARILLO.

SO IT DEFINITELY SPEAKS TO THE MISSION OF THE CVC AND ALSO HOPEFULLY WE'LL CARRY THAT GENERATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES ROUTE 66 REALLY A TOOL FOR US MOVING FORWARD AND AND REALLY STRENGTHENS IT AND BRINGS BACK THAT THAT PORTION OF THAT NOSTALGIC ROAD TRIP.

WE WILL HAVE A PASSPORT WITH COLLECTOR COINS AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THE DESIGN ON THAT.

BUT THEY'RE, OUR OFFICE IS GOING TO PROVIDE SPONSOR BASICALLY TEN OF THE COINS THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE.

WE WILL ADD TO THAT IF OTHER PARTNERS WANT TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT ON THAT.

BUT THAT WILL GIVE TEN STOPS THROUGHOUT THE TEXAS PANHANDLE THAT THEY WILL NEED TO GO TO COLLECT THESE COINS.

[00:20:04]

AND THEN AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, THE ROAD AHEAD IS WORKING ON WITH THE US MINT ACTUALLY HAVING A COIN MINTED FOR THE CENTENNIAL.

SO IN 2026 THERE WILL BE AN EXTRA SPOT THAT YOU CAN PUT THAT COIN.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY COMING OUT STRONG WITH THE MARKETING AND THE TOOLS WITH THAT, THE APP, WITH THE GUIDED GUIDED TOURS.

WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING IT TOGETHER RIGHT NOW.

THIS APP'S GOING TO BE REALLY NEAT.

IT'LL HAVE THE TOURS.

YOU CAN KEEP YOUR PHOTOS WITHIN IT.

IT REALLY WILL PUT TOGETHER A MAP OF YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SEND IT TO YOU AFTERWARDS AS A KEEPSAKE.

SO WE'LL GROW THAT YEAR OVER YEAR AS WELL.

OF COURSE THE CALENDAR LIVES ON VISIT AMARILLO DOT COM THAT IS A LIVE MOVING CALENDAR WILL BE ADDING TO AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER.

WE ARE ASKING OUR OTHER PARTNERS IF THEY HAVE EVENTS AND THIS IS NOT JUST FOR THE TEN DAYS.

IT'S REALLY GOING TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING HAPPENING ON ROUTE 66 IN TEXAS.

YOU CAN PLUG THOSE IN AND IT'LL BE BRANDED IN A WAY THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS ROUTE 66 TO THE TRAVELERS.

AND THEN WE ARE GOING VERY HEAVY ON DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETING.

WE HAVE NOT REALLY FOCUSED ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETING SINCE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ALL REMEMBER [INAUDIBLE] FROM OUR OFFICE, BUT SHE RETIRED IN 2013, SO THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT I CAME INTO THE OFFICE.

ALL OF THAT TRAVEL AND A LOT OF THAT MARKETING WAS PULLED BACK ON AT THAT TIME.

AND WITH ROUTE 66 AND LOOKING AT THE GOALS OF THAT, WE THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO GO BACK IN AND ADD THAT BACK IN AS A TOP PRIORITY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.

A LOT OF TIMES THE STATE DOES SELLS MISSIONS THAT WE CAN TAG ON TO DO KIND OF THE ONE DAY SHOWS WITH SALES MISSIONS AROUND THEM.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THIS YEAR THROUGH THE STATE.

SO WE HAVE GONE BACK AND REALLY LOOKED AT WHAT WE CAN DO AND DO WELL AND MAKE A GOOD INVESTMENT OUT OF SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.

WE'RE REALLY GOING HARD WITH BRAND USA SO THAT WE HAVE THAT NATIONAL LEVEL OF MARKETING THAT'S GOING OUT INTERNATIONALLY AND THEN WE'LL ADD IN THOSE SALES MISSIONS AS THE STATE BRINGS THOSE BACK ON AS WELL.

SO THE POSSIBLE PROJECTS, WHENEVER THIS CAME OUT IN 2020, THERE WAS A LIST OF, IF YOU WILL, OBJECTIVES THAT FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND THE FED WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF CELEBRATION.

A LOT OF THAT IS AROUND PRESERVATION AND REVITALIZATION.

THE CELEBRATIONS TO MIX IN KIND OF THAT DIVERSIFIED THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION THAT EVERYBODY IS DISCUSSING TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE CELEBRATIONS.

SO WE HAVE REALLY AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THINGS AND AS WE'VE PLANNED THINGS, WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO KEEP THAT TOP OF MIND BECAUSE IF THERE IS GRANT MONEY THAT COMES OUT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO ROUTE 66 SPECIFICALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND EASILY QUALIFY FOR THOSE THINGS.

SO WE DO HAVE A ROBUST SCHEDULE THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THAT.

THINGS THAT WE WILL BE RAISING MONEY FOR, LOOKING FOR GRANTS FOR INCLUDE ROAD SHIELDS, WHICH YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE ME HERE BEFORE TOO LONG TO COME IN FOR RESOLUTION FOR THAT.

SO WE'VE GOT PARTNERS THAT HAVE BEEN HELPING US GET THAT ORGANIZED.

SO THOSE ARE THE BIG SHIELDS THAT GOES DOWN ON THE ASPHALT ALONG ROUTE 66.

WE'D LIKE TO START WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THEN MOVE INTO THE BOULEVARD AREA AND BY 2026, REALLY HAVE THAT FROM COUNTY LINE TO COUNTY LINE FOR PART OF COUNTY. SO AMARILLO IS BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OUR OTHER PARTNERS SO THAT IT REALLY IS COHESIVE AND SPEAKS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE ROUTE 66 AND WE'RE LOOKING AT CROSSWALK MURALS, TEXT APPROVED SIGNAGE.

SO THESE ARE THE BIG BROWN SIGNS THAT I BELIEVE BACK IN 2016.

WE STARTED ON THE APPROVALS BY 2017, WE HAD PUT A FEW OUT, BUT THAT PROGRAM REALLY DUE TO SOME BUDGET CUTS AND CHANGES AND THINGS REALLY DIDN'T GO THE WAY THAT WE WANTED TO.

WE'RE BRINGING THAT BACK IN, BUT THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY ALL OF THE COUNTIES ON THE ROUTE AND RECOGNIZED BY TXDOT AND AT A STATE LEVEL.

SO THAT WILL BE EASY TO PICK UP AND REALLY GET SOME GOOD SIGNAGE OUT THERE.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A NEON SIGN REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.

SO ALL OF THESE THINGS, WE ARE TRYING TO BE MINDFUL IF WE AS DIFFERENT COUNTIES GO IN AND LOOK AT THE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FROM A STATE LEVEL RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD REALLY SPEAK TO THAT, WE COULD END UP VERY WELL LOOKING LIKE WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER IN THESE GRANT SYSTEMS, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE $10,000 GRANTS.

SO $10,000 GRANT SPEAKS TO ONE NEON SIGN, MAY COVER ONE SHIELD.

SO I DID PUT IN A REQUEST FOR APPROPRIATIONS THIS YEAR.

JUST FOUND OUT RECENTLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS THAT FOR PRICE IS GOING TO SUPPORT THAT AND AMEND THAT TO THE BUDGET.

[00:25:08]

THAT REQUEST WAS MADE ON BEHALF OF ALL EIGHT COUNTIES, SO THAT WOULD BE SPLIT BETWEEN THE PARTNERS AND WHAT WAS THE REQUEST FOR? 3 MILLION, 3 MILLION.

OKAY, GOOD. GO HOME.

SO GO BIG. GO HOME. YEAH.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE ACTUALLY BROKE IT OUT SPECIFIC TO EACH PROJECT.

I BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO SPLIT IT UP PER PROJECT AND WRITE IT INTO THE BUDGET THAT WAY.

THAT WAY, LIKE I SAID, WE COULD GET ALL OF IT.

OR THEY MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO PROJECTS THAT REALLY SPEAK TO THEM AND THEY LET PASS IN THAT WAY.

IF THEY CUT IT OFF, THE WHOLE THING GETS CUT.

SO YEAH, WE DEFINITELY ASKED FOR A LOT, BUT WE THINK THAT IT IS IS REALLY IT'S THE TIME TO DO IT.

IT'S TIME FOR THIS INVESTMENT.

SO I'M GOING TO LET CHRISTY GO OVER THE SCHEDULE.

HELLO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

AS KASHION SAID, THE TEXAS ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL IS JUNE 1ST THROUGH THE 10TH.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO RUN DOWN WHAT THAT CALENDAR LOOKS LIKE.

SO FAR, OTHER PARTNERS ARE ADDING EVENTS AS WE GO, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

JUNE 1ST WILL BE THE KICKOFF AND IT'LL KICK OFF WITH COORS RANCH RODEO.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY ADDING AN EXTRA DAY THIS YEAR.

SO THE RODEO WILL BE THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

AND AS RODEO IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR HERITAGE, WE ARE SO PROUD TO INCLUDE THEM AS PART OF THE FESTIVAL.

THEY ARE ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL EVENTS ON SATURDAY AS WELL.

THAT WILL BE REALLY EXCITING, BUT I'LL LET THEM RELEASE THE NEWS ON THAT.

AND THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE AN ART WALK ON HISTORIC 6TH STREET ON JUNE 1ST.

JUNE 2ND IS GOING TO BE THE OFFICIAL KICKOFF AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT HODGETOWN AT THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT GAME.

AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO RELEASE EVERYTHING THEY'RE PLANNING, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE EPIC AND VERY EXCITING.

JUNE 3RD IS THE COORS RANCH RODEO CATTLE DRIVE.

AS YOU KNOW, IT IS TYPICALLY ON A THURSDAY.

WE'RE MOVING IT TO A SATURDAY THIS YEAR.

SO HOPEFULLY WAY MORE FAMILIES AND LOCALS CAN COME OUT AND BE A PART OF THAT.

IT'S GOING TO BE MORE OF A PARADE THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO ADD CLASSIC CARS AND ALL KINDS OF ROCKABILLY FLAIR JUST TO PAY HOMAGE TO ROUTE 66.

ALSO, JUNE 3RD WILL BE THE WORLD'S LARGEST CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT HELD HERE AT STARLIGHT RANCH.

AND THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS WILL BE HERE TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL.

JUNE 4TH, WE'RE PLANNING A LOWRIDER CRUISE DOWN AMARILLO BOULEVARD, DOWN THE HISTORIC ROUTE 66 PART.

SO BE LOOKING FOR MORE DETAILS ON THAT.

AND JUNE 7TH, 8TH AND 9TH.

THE VISIT AMARILLO IS HOSTING BUS TOURS ACROSS THE TEXAS ROUTE 66.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES ALONG THE TEXAS ROUTE TO PLAN AN INCREDIBLE ITINERARY.

ALL OF THE STOPS WILL BE HISTORIC ROUTE 66 LANDMARKS, RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO ONE DAY WE'LL GO EAST, ONE DAY WE'LL GO WEST, AND THE FINAL DAY WE'LL DO AMARILLO AND CANYON AND ALL OF OUR ROUTE 66 ATTRACTIONS.

AND THEN THE TEXAS ROUTE 66 VISITOR CENTER IS GOING TO HOST AN EVENT ON JUNE 7TH.

JUNE 8TH WILL BE AN EVENT HIGHLIGHTING THE GREEN BOOK.

AND WE ARE BRINGING IN AN INCREDIBLE SPEAKER FOR THAT.

IT WILL BE AT THE AMARILLO COLLEGE RECITAL HALL.

AND AND THEN JUNE 10TH IS THE FINALE OF THE FESTIVAL.

WE ARE HOPING TO CLOSE DOWN 6TH STREET FROM GEORGIA TO MARYLAND.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOTTEN ABOUT 50% OF THE SIGNATURES FOR THAT, AND THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE BY ALL OF THE OWNERS ON 6TH, I'VE BEEN SO PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WITH THE SUPPORT OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS FESTIVAL.

IT WILL BE FAMILY FRIENDLY.

WE'LL HAVE ALL KINDS OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, CAR SHOWS, BIKE SHOWS, KID FRIENDLY THINGS TO DO.

A CORN DOG EATING CONTEST.

NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW THE CORN DOG WAS PERFECTED ON ROUTE 66 IN AMARILLO.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THAT.

AND THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE DONE IN TANDEM WITH PARKS AND REC, THEIR SUMMER FREE FOR ALL KIDS EVENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TROLLEYS AND BUS PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH TO THEIR EVENT AND TO THE SIXTH STREET FESTIVAL.

AND THEN TO CAP IT ALL OFF WILL BE A MUSIC FESTIVAL AT STARLIGHT RANCH.

ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, BUT SOME COMMENTS.

WOW. YEAH. AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT THIS FOR AT LEAST 18 MONTHS.

[00:30:02]

IT HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU SIT DOWN, YOU HAVE IDEAS, YOU BRING PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE, YOU MAKE A TON OF PHONE CALLS, YOU DO MEETINGS, YOU FILL OUT PAPERWORK, YOU HAVE, YOU FOLLOW UP ON SCHEDULING THINGS LIKE WITH LEGISLATORS AND MAKING REQUESTS TO BE APPROPRIATED STATE FUNDS IN OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, YOU COORDINATE WITH THE OTHER SEVEN COUNTIES INVOLVED A TON OF WORK AND LEGWORK AND YOUR YEARS AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL EVENT.

SO I GUESS I JUST WANT TO SAY I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS TEAM, THE CVB TEAM, IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY, HELPING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, MANAGING THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.

YOU'RE MANAGING AND STEWARDING THEM WELL AND YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR EFFORT INTO THEM.

AND WE SEE THAT FROM HERE.

YOU GUYS MADE A MAJOR SHIFT IN YOUR ORGANIZATION IN 2020.

AND SO HERE WE SIT AT THE BEGINNING OF 2023, AND WE'RE SEEING YOU AS A MATURE ORGANIZATION DO SOMETHING GREAT FOR NOT JUST OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST FOR THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY, HISTORICALLY.

SO IT WILL HAVE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR US POSITIVELY.

BUT WOW, THIS IS FANTASTIC.

GREAT JOB.

WELL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COME OUT THE STRONGEST.

AND BY THE END OF THE CELEBRATIONS, WE'RE THE BEST BRANDED ONE.

WE REALLY DO HAVE SOME LOFTY GOALS IN THAT.

BUT I WILL SAY I HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS AND MEETINGS.

THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF, CHRISTY, HOPE, SAL AND JACKIE, THAT LEAVE THE MEETING.

THEY'RE NOT OVERWHELMED, THEY'RE ORGANIZED, THEY GET AFTER IT.

THERE'S AN EXCITEMENT IN OUR OFFICE ABOUT THIS THAT IS JUST MIND BLOWING TO ME, THAT EVERYBODY IS JUST SO ON BOARD WITH IT.

THE SUPPORT THAT IS COMING FROM SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT HISTORICALLY WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS HAD THE BEST COMMUNICATION WITH HAS BEEN BEAUTIFUL TO SEE.

BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SMALLER PARTNERS THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE AND THE BIG WRITE UPS AND THE BIG ADS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

WE I DON'T KNOW.

THERE'S A CERTAIN PRIDE POINT WITH BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE SERVICING ALL OF OUR PARTNERS THAN THAT THAT THEY'RE FEELING THAT IMPACTS.

SO THANK YOU. GREAT JOB.

YEAH, EXCELLENT.

WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING IT.

AND OF COURSE WE'VE TRIED TO PARTNER BY PUTTING IT ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND MENTIONING IT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH LEGISLATORS AND DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE $3 MILLION TOO MUCH BECAUSE I'D NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND IN CASE THEY CALLED AND LAUGHED AT ME, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS JUST ME THAT KNEW THAT.

BUT NO, I'M VERY PLEASED.

YEAH, THAT WAS A LOFTY ASK AND TO HEAR THAT EXCITEMENT COME BACK IN THE SUPPORT OF THAT, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

SO AND ALSO I FORGOT TO MENTION JUST MY THANKS.

I KNOW MICHAEL KASHUBA KIND OF HEADED UP PUTTING TOGETHER A CITY TASK FORCE FOR THE FESTIVAL PLANNING AND IT HAS BEEN A HUGE RELIEF TO ME MOVING FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

WELL, THE LEADERSHIP IN OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW IS OUTSTANDING.

YES. AND SO MICHAEL IS DEFINITELY LEADING THAT TEAM.

KRISTEN DOES A TON OF PULLING THE WEIGHT OVER THERE TOO.

SO I THINK IT'S GENIUS TO COORDINATE THOSE EVENTS.

IT JUST MAKES WHAT THEY'RE DOING HIGHLIGHTS WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY CAN HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND THAT'S FANTASTIC.

SO, YOU KNOW, BACK TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, KASHION YOU DON'T GET IF YOU DON'T ASK.

THAT'S RIGHT. SO WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR ASK MUSCLES.

THERE'S NO NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING WITH ASKING AND BEING TOLD NO, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH BEING TOO HESITANT TO ASK WHEN WE BELIEVE IN THE PROJECT AND WHAT IT'S PROMOTING AND IT'S PROMOTING THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO SIT IN THE CENTER OF THE TOP OF TEXAS.

SO YEAH, GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

YES. SO I JUST WANTED TO I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE THE KICKOFF CELEBRATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS AWESOME IN IN THE MAYOR'S ABSENCE. AND ALSO, I KNOW WE HAD AN EXTREMELY SHORT WINDOW WHERE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO POST A NOTICE OF QUORUM, BUT I THOUGHT THE EVENT WAS WAS GREAT.

AND WE I MEAN, WE WE GOT TO SEE OTHERS ALONG.

I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO POST A QUORUM FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE.

OKAY. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT BETTER IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE I REALLY DID PULL BACK ON THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T NEED THE QUORUM.

BUT LESLIE AND I DISCUSSED THAT LATER, AND I REALIZED THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO THAT.

SO WE WANT EVERYBODY TO COME OUT.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED I JUST WANTED I JUST WANT MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KNOW THAT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I SO APPRECIATE THAT.

THE GREAT, GREAT EVENT.

YEAH. KEEP GIVING US REPORTS AND LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL.

ITEM 1D IS TO DISCUSS THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

[1.D. Discuss Texas Municipal Retirement System Cost-of-Living Adjustments;]

[00:35:01]

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A REAL BRIEF HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OR INTRODUCTION, REALLY, AND THEN I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE PRESIDENT OF AMARILLO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, TOBY HUDSON, ALONG WITH LAURA STORRS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, TO LAY OUT THE DETAILS OF A SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED ISSUE THAT THAT THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE, BUT PROBABLY MORE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO RETIRED CITY EMPLOYEES.

YOU SEE AROUND. IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE ROOM, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE FROM MANY DECADES OF CITY WORK.

I KNOW THERE'S ONE FOUR DECADE PERSON IN THE ROOM ALONG WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE SPENT BIG CHUNKS OF THEIR LIFE WORKING FOR THE CITY.

SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT BACK IN 2010, THE CITY STOPPED DOING COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS FOR RETIREES.

THAT WAS A BUDGETARY DECISION AT THE TIME AND IT PREDATES EVERYONE ON THE DAIS RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE WAY STATE STATUTE IS IS THAT IF YOU EVER GET OUT, IF YOU EVER WANT TO GET BACK IN TO GETTING COLA ADJUSTMENTS IN ANY FUTURE YEAR, YOU HAVE TO.

ALSO ADD ENOUGH MONEY IN THERE TO GIVE THOSE RETIREES ALL OF THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS THAT THEY MISSED OVER WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME YOU WAITED.

SO IN THIS CASE, WE'RE LOOKING AT 12 OR 13 YEARS WORTH OF CATCH UP.

THE ONCE YOU MISS A COUPLE OF YEARS, MOST CITIES DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT CATCH UP.

NOW, THE LEGISLATURE, THERE'S BEEN MANY ATTEMPTS OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO ALLOW CITIES TO DO AD HOC COLA ADJUSTMENTS, COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.

AND AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES AT THE LEDGE.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO REALLY PUT WORDS IN ANYBODY'S MOUTH, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CITIES HAVE TO DO THE CATCH UP SO THAT THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THE CITIES THAT ARE STILL DOING COLAS TO NOT GET OUT BECAUSE IT'LL BE MORE EXPENSIVE TO GET OUT THAN IT IS TO TO STAY IN.

BUT FOR THOSE CITIES THAT DID AT ANY POINT OVER THE LAST DECADE OR MORE STOP DOING COLA ADJUSTMENTS, IT ALMOST PUTS IT OUT OF REACH.

SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT I'D LIKE TOBY TO COME ON UP AND TELL US ABOUT.

Y'ALL ALL KNOW PROBABLY KNOW TOBY HUDSON, BUT TOBY IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMARILLO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, ALSO SERGEANT WITH THE SWAT TEAM.

ALL RIGHT. DID I MISS ANYTHING, TOBY? NO, SIR. I THINK YOU GOT IT.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MOST OF YOU GUYS KNOW ME.

BUT FOR SAKE OF INTRODUCTION, I AM TOBY HUDSON.

I'M A POLICEMAN HERE IN AMARILLO.

I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

THIS ISSUE HAS HAS REARED ITS HEAD SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2011.

AND SOMETIMES IT GETS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER.

SOMETIMES IT GOES TO LEGISLATURE.

BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.

MR. MILLER COVERED A WHOLE BUNCH OF IT, BUT THE CITY OF AMARILLO HAS ALMOST 2,000 EMPLOYEES.

IT'S IT'S BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE FIFTH LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE CITY IS THE CITY ITSELF.

IT ALSO HAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200 PLUS RETIREES, CURRENT LIVING RETIREES.

THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TMRS, IS THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.

EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS BOTH CONTRIBUTE, AND EMPLOYEES CHOOSE FROM A NUMBER OF OPTIONS UPON THEIR RETIREMENT BASED ON THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES.

LUMP SUM DROPS AND MONTHLY PAYOUTS AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF FINANCIAL STUFF THAT I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.

BUT THAT'S HOW THAT WORKS.

SO STATE LAW ACTUALLY GOVERNS TMRS RULES WITH RESPECT TO CONTRIBUTIONS AND COLAS AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS.

AND COLAS IS A SHORT FOR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.

SO COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.

LIKE MR. MILLER SAID, CURRENT LAW STATES THAT IF A CITY CHOOSES NOT TO GIVE RETIREES A COLA, THEY MUST MAKE UP WHAT WAS MISSED BEFORE REINSTATING ONE.

THIS CATCH UP PENALTY IS MEANT TO DISCOURAGE CITIES FROM JUMPING IN AND OUT OF COLAS, PROTECTING EMPLOYEES AND HOLDING CITIES THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE.

AMARILLO OPTED OUT IN 2011 TO PROVIDE THOSE COLAS TO RETIREES, LEAVING 2010 AS THE LAST COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT ANY CITY RETIREE RECEIVED. WE'RE NOT ALONE.

28 OTHER TEXAS CITIES HAVE OPTED OUT AT VARIOUS TIMES, FROM THE VERY SMALL TO THE VERY LARGE.

SO WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE THAT ARE IN THIS BOAT, BUT IT'S LEFT MANY PEOPLE WITHOUT A RAISE OVER THE YEARS, THE OPT OUT, WHICH WAS CHOSEN BY A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION OR PREVIOUS COUNCIL IN THOSE CITIES, AND EVEN PERHAPS FOR LEGITIMATE FINANCIAL REASONS AT THE TIME, HAVE LEFT A LOT OF RETIREES ON A FIXED INCOME FOR LIFE.

2022 THIS LAST YEAR, THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE IS ROUGHLY 8 TO 9%, DEPENDING ON WHAT REPORT YOU'RE LOOKING AT OR WHAT STUDY THAT YOU SEE.

THAT EVEN LED TO A FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY RAISE THIS YEAR, A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OF 8.7% FOR FOR SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS.

SO EVEN THE GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF IN A PINCH RIGHT NOW AS IT AS IT COMES TO COST OF LIVING.

[00:40:08]

THOSE BILLS EITHER DIED ON THE FLOOR IN COMMITTEE OR NEVER MADE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE.

SOME OF THOSE BILLS HAD SOME STRONG OPPOSITION.

SOME OF THE REASONING BEHIND THAT WAS THAT THE BILLS WERE FILED TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE CATCH UP PROVISION, WHICH WAS DESIGNED, LIKE WE SAID, TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES AND KEEP CITIES HONEST. IT ALSO STABILIZES THE FUNDS BY KEEPING THINGS MUCH MORE PREDICTABLE FOR THE MANAGERS OF THOSE FUNDS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT MONEY IS COMING IN.

WE HAVE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVE FOR PRICE.

HE'S WILLING TO SPONSOR A BILL FOR A ONE TIME PENALTY FREE OPT IN, BASICALLY ALLOWING CITIES TO GET BACK INTO COLAS WITHOUT PAYING THE CATCH UP PENALTY.

AFTER THAT GRACE PERIOD, THE CITIES THAT CHOSE TO GET BACK IN WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE CURRENT RULES GOING FORWARD.

BASICALLY A SECOND CHANCE OR A MULLIGAN, IF YOU WILL.

IF IF THOSE CITIES CHOSE TO DO THAT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LAURA STORRS AND SOME OF THE OTHER APOA BOARD MEMBER TEAM AND MRS .

STORRS FOR ME THAT THE CITY IS PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF REINSTATING COLAS FOR RETIREES IF A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY EVER PRESENTED ITSELF.

SO I APPLAUD HER AND THE CITY FOR THAT, FOR BEING PREPARED FOR THAT.

MS. STORRS HAS ALL THE NUMBERS WITH RESPECT TO THE COSTS AND CONTRIBUTION RATES FOR AMARILLO SITUATION, AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO HER BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS ARE WAY OVER MY HEAD.

THANKS, TOBY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'LL KEEP MY PIECE VERY BRIEF.

SO IF YOU ALL WILL REMEMBER, WE DISCUSSED THE TMRS COLA AND SOME OF THE HISTORY RELATED TO IT AND SOME OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

DURING OUR TWO OR THREE DAY BUDGET WORKSHOP BACK IN JULY WHEN WE MET AND WE WERE GOING OVER ALL THINGS CITY RELATED TO THE CITY BUDGET, AND I KNOW IT'S AN INFORMATION OVERLOAD AT THAT POINT, BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE BROUGHT UP.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO GET PHONE CALLS FROM OUR RETIREES.

I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE HAD RETIREES REACH OUT TO YOU AS WELL WITH SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

AND SO DURING BUDGET, WANTED JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU ALL.

SO I WON'T GO TOO DEEP INTO THE LOGISTICS OF THIS.

BUT ONE THING AS AS TOBY MENTIONED, IF COUNCIL DECIDES THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT POTENTIALLY COUNCIL WANTS TO SUPPORT A BILL LIKE THIS, AND THEN LET'S SAY IT GETS THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE AND EVERYTHING GETS PASSED, WHAT WE WOULD THEN DO IS WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO PREPARE A BUDGET FOR THIS NEXT YEAR THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS PROVISION TO TAKE PLACE, TAKE PLACE.

NOW, AS YOU KNOW, COUNCILS AUTHORIZE BUDGETS ON A YEAR BY YEAR BASIS.

SO THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SITTING IN THOSE SEATS AT THAT TIME, WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THEM IN ORDER TO GET THESE OPTIONS THROUGH.

AND SO THE NUMBERS ARE LARGE AND IT'S I'VE WORKED WITH TMRS VERY CLOSELY TO LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT BOTH WAYS WITH THE REPEATING PROVISION AS THE STATE LAW IS IS CURRENTLY AND ALSO IF THERE WAS THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.

AND SO TMRS PROVIDES THREE DIFFERENT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.

ONE IS AT A 30% COLA, ONE IS AT A 50% COLA AND ONE IS AT A 70% OLA.

AND THEY'RE LARGE NUMBERS.

BUT ALL I HAVE ARE NUMBERS FROM THIS PAST YEAR.

THOSE WILL CHANGE BECAUSE AS CPI COMES IN EACH YEAR, TMRS HAS TO ADJUST ALL THEIR CALCULATIONS ACCORDINGLY.

AND AS WE KNOW, CPI HAS BEEN VERY DIFFERENT THAN IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT HAS PREVIOUSLY.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS TO PUT A PROVISION LIKE THIS IN.

BUT I DO WANT COUNCIL TO KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION THAT WE GET, WE WOULD WORK TO SHAPE A BUDGET AROUND THIS AND PRESENT OPTIONS TO COUNCIL IN PROBABLY THE JULY AUGUST STANDPOINT WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH BUDGET AGAIN ON WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO EXERCISE THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY ASSUMING A BILL GETS PASSED.

SO ARE THERE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER ON THE FINANCIAL PIECES? IF NOT, I THINK TOBY MAY HAVE A COUPLE MORE ITEMS TO COVER.

OKAY, I'LL LET TOBY.

OH, I'M SURE STANLEY HAS SOME QUESTIONS.

YES. DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATED TOTAL PENALTY THAT WOULD BE AVOIDED IN PERCENTAGE? SO WHAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE, AND IT VARIES BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S OPTIONS.

YOU CAN CHOOSE A 30% COLA, A 50% COLA OR A 70%.

[00:45:02]

THAT IS WHAT OUR RETIREES GOT UP UNTIL 2010 WAS A 70%.

SO WHATEVER THE COST OF LIVING, THE CPI CAME IN EACH YEAR.

THEY GOT 70% OF THAT.

LET'S JUST GO WITH THE 70% IS OKAY.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, I'M DOING MATH, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I HAVE AND THESE ARE ROUGH ESTIMATES, BUT IT WOULD TO TO PUT IN THE 70% COLA WITH THE WAY THE LAW IS RIGHT NOW.

I'M ESTIMATING BASED ON 2022 CPI.

YES, IT'S 2022 CPI.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR 2023 CONTRIBUTIONS FOR A COLA 1 1 OF 23.

THE WAY LAW STATES, IT WAS JUST OVER $9 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT IT.

NOW GRAIN OF SALT ON THAT IT'S WE'RE CALCULATING THAT BASED ON MAYBE THE BIGGEST CPI YEAR THAT I CAN THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY PROFESSIONAL.

THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S JUST A REALITY THOUGH THOSE THOSE RETIREES ARE SEEING THAT EVERY TIME THEY PAY FOR GROCERIES AND PUT GAS IN THEIR CARS YEAH. OKAY. JUST SAYING, AS WE PROJECT FORWARD, WHAT DOES PARTICIPATING IN COLA LOOK LIKE ANNUALLY FOR FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO? IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE A NUMBER LIKE THAT, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO A NUMBER LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE CERTAINLY ABLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. AND SO AND THEN WITHOUT SO WITH THE THE LAW CHANGE THAT TOBY IS MENTIONING AS WELL, IT WOULD BE WITHOUT THE CATCH UP PROVISION, IT WOULD BE RIGHT ABOUT $7 MILLION.

SO STILL A VERY LARGE NUMBER, BUT DEFINITELY LESS THAN IF WE WERE TO DO THE CATCH UP PROVISION.

AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT YOU KNOW, IT JUST IT GOES BACK AND PAYS OUT COLAS FOR 2011 ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2023.

WITH THOSE NUMBERS. AND I KNOW THESE ARE JUST PERCENTAGES.

SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S A SCENARIO 2010 ALL THE WAY TO 2022 CATCH UP AT THAT ESTIMATED CPI INDEX WOULD BE 9 MILLION. YES.

YES. AND THAT'S THEN TO GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT THAT 70% COLA FROM THAT POINT GOING FORWARD.

SO IT GOES FORWARD AND IT GOES BACKWARDS.

SO YOU BASICALLY LOCK IN AND YOU STAY AT THAT SAME AMOUNT.

YOUR RATE'S GOING TO FLUCTUATE A LITTLE BIT EACH YEAR, BUT IT WILL HOVER AROUND THAT.

AND LET ME ALSO STATE THIS.

OUR OUR CURRENT CONTRIBUTION RATE INTO TMRS OUR REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION IS 11%.

THIS COUNCIL DIRECTED US DURING BUDGET TO KEEP IT AT 11.85%, WHICH IS OUR PRIOR YEAR FUNDING NUMBER.

KNOWING THAT THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES LIKE THIS THAT MAYBE WE COULD START KIND OF WORKING UP TO AFFORD IF WE WERE TO GO BACK TO THE REPEATING COLA AT 70%, WE'RE LOOKING AT A 23% CONTRIBUTION RATE.

SO YOU JUMP FROM 11.85 TO 23% ON THE CITY'S PORTION OF WHAT'S BEING PUT IN.

SO THOSE NUMBERS CERTAINLY ARE LOWER ON LIKE THE 30% COLA.

AND AND THEY ARE, I WOULD SAY, MUCH CLOSER TO AN ACHIEVABLE AMOUNT THAN MAYBE THE 70%.

AND AND I KNOW BY ALL MEANS EVERY RETIREE WOULD CERTAINLY PREFER THE 70% COLA, BUT I THINK THAT ANYONE WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANY COLA THAT COULD GET PUT INTO PLACE BECAUSE SOMETHING'S BETTER THAN I THINK NOTHING AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

CAN WE PAUSE FOR JUST A SECOND? IF YOU'RE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND YOU ARE A RETIRED CITY EMPLOYEE, WOULD YOU BE WOULD YOU PROUDLY RAISE YOUR HAND HIGH? WE CAN SEE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PRESENT HERE JUST TO STAY ENGAGED IN THIS ISSUE AS THE CITY WORKS ON IT.

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE'VE HEARD YOU I'VE HAD PHONE CONVERSATIONS AND EMAIL CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL OF YOU.

AND I KNOW YOU'VE VISITED WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.

LAURA, JUST TO BE VERY PRACTICAL, IS THERE REALLY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ONE TIME DOLLARS HERE, SO THIS WOULD BE AN ONGOING EXPENSE THAT WOULD IMPACT EVERY SINGLE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD IF THE CITY IF IT PASSES IN THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH WE IT IS IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO, OR WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SUPPORTING THAT REALISTICALLY, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO THE CITY CURRENTLY AND DO THIS WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE? I WOULD SAY THAT I DON'T THINK THAT IS POSSIBLE.

IT WILL EXCEED THE CERTAINLY THIS YEAR, BUT.

IN LIKELIHOOD, ALL LIKELIHOOD, MANY YEARS IT WILL EXCEED THE AMOUNT ALLOWED UNDER SENATE BILL TWO.

SO IT WOULD REQUIRE IN MANY CASES, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ALL CASES BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE SMALL ONE YEAR A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION.

SO IN SOME WAYS, THIS IS IF WE AGREE TO DO THE COLA, IT'S AGREEING TO DO A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION EVERY YEAR.

[00:50:07]

YES, IF IT IF IT VARIED MUCH FROM YEAR TO YEAR, IT WOULD CERTAINLY, I THINK, TRIGGER NEEDING TO GO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS TO HAVE THEM WEIGH IN.

NOW, I DID WANT TO.

THAT'S JUST A RESULT OF THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, 2019 WHEN THEY CAPPED US AT 2.5%.

SO IT'S NOT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COULDN'T DECIDE TO DO IT.

THEY CAN DECIDE TO DO IT.

BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE PUT A RESTRICTION ON OUR LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THEY SAID, YEAH, BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT ASKING VOTERS FOR THEIR APPROVAL. SO EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND ON THE FRONT END THAT THIS IS A MULTILAYERED PROCESS.

WE'RE ASKING FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO EVEN OPEN THIS DOOR ONCE THE DOORS OPEN, IF THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO WALK THROUGH IT PRACTICALLY, THAT IMPACTS OUR BUDGET NUMBERS IN A WAY THAT WOULD FORCE A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION EVERY SINGLE YEAR IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH PAYING THIS TO OUR RETIRED EMPLOYEES.

AND IF I MAY, JUST REAL QUICK, LET'S I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE 70% COLA.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OTHER END OF IT JUST REAL QUICK, JUST TO PUT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.

AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PAST YEAR TO DO THE 30% COLA WITHOUT THE CATCH UP PROVISION.

I'M CALCULATING IT WOULD BE AROUND $2 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

NOW THAT'S MAYBE A MUCH EASIER TO SWALLOW NUMBER THAN, SAY, $9 MILLION, $9 AND HALF MILLION.

SO $2 AND HALF MILLION.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THAT'S ROUGHLY MAYBE TWO PENNIES ON THE TAX RATE.

THE OTHER THING JUST FOR COUNCIL TO REMEMBER FROM WHEN WE HAD OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND MAYBE ALSO FOR OUR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND GOING BACK TO SENATE BILL TO WE'RE CAPPED AT THAT THREE AND ONE HALF PERCENT INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR IN REVENUE TO SUPPORT OUR GENERAL OPERATIONS.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS A THREE AND ONE HALF PERCENT GROWTH.

WE CAPTURED THE FULL AMOUNT IN THIS CURRENT YEAR.

THAT WAS ABOUT $750,000.

SO WITHIN THE COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY, THEY YOU ALL COULD AUTHORIZE UP TO $750,000, WHICH DOESN'T GET US EVEN TO THE 30%. SO THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT WOULD NEED TO GO ON TO THE BALLOT FOR THE CITIZENS TO WEIGH IN ABOUT IT.

AND THAT'S JUST WHERE WE'RE AT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN STATE LAW THAT ARE IN PLACE.

AND SO IT'S REQUIRING THE THE CITIZENS TO WEIGH IN A LOT MORE ON ON CHANGES LIKE THIS.

THAT'S JUST WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE 2.5% CAP THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE PUT ON LOCAL AUTHORITY TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF SPENDING DECISIONS.

SO I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION IN AND SUPPORTING THE POTENTIAL LEGISLATION THEN LEAVES US WITH SOME WORK TO DO ON THE OTHER SIDE.

SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROJECT.

I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO IT.

BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE YOU'VE MADE THE EFFORT TO BE HERE TODAY, YOU'RE ENGAGED IN THIS CONVERSATION.

JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME OPEN EXPECTATION SETTING ON HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS IN FRONT OF US TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THIS.

YES. [INAUDIBLE] ADD QUESTIONS, HOWARD, A QUESTION? YES. WHEN DOES THE DECISION ON THIS NEED TO BE MADE? SO IT WILL NEED TO BE MADE TOWARDS WELL, RIGHT ABOUT BUDGET ADOPTION TIME, SO AROUND AUGUST BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT INTO. WELL, LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.

FIRST, WE GOT TO SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATOR DOES, ASSUMING THIS BILL CARRIES AND IT PASSES, THEN ON THE CITY SIDE, IF THE CITY DECIDED TO TAKE THE WINDOW, WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE FINAL DECISIONS DURING THIS UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR.

BUT I THINK MAYBE THE OTHER QUESTION IS, IF COUNCIL WANTS TO SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO SHOW SUPPORT.

TOBY'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT I THINK, A LITTLE BIT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND WE'RE TALKING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME DIRECTION FROM THIS COUNCIL ON IT. SO I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO TODAY IS TO GIVE THEM SOME DIRECTION.

STAFF NEEDS SOME GUIDANCE.

THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IS HERE ASKING FOR OUR SUPPORT FOR THIS LEGISLATION.

IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT.

SO I THINK COUNCIL I'M ASKING YOU, CAN WE GIVE LAURA AND JARED SOME DIRECTION ON CAN CAN WE USE OUR RESOURCES AND INFLUENCE TO ASK THE LEGISLATURE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A COLA EXCLUSION TO THE CATCH UP EXCLUSION AND TO PASS THAT LEGISLATION? SO DO WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THAT OR DOES SOMEONE HAVE RESERVATIONS OR ANOTHER OPINION THAT THEY WANT TO EXPRESS ABOUT IT?

[00:55:05]

AND I DO CARE ABOUT OUR RETIREES BECAUSE I'VE HAD SEVERAL PHONE CALLS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT JUST THE COST OF LIVING IN GENERAL.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE WHATEVER SUPPORT THAT WE CAN.

AND I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND MAYBE, TOBY, YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE THAT, WHETHER IT'S LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR US GOING DOWN TO AUSTIN TO TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE LEGISLATORS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.

BUT. OKAY.

HOWARD, I THINK YOU HAD A COMMENT AND I KNOW JARED HAS A COMMENT.

I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE DROPPED IT AND DIDN'T CATCH UP.

BUT I'VE HAD SEVERAL CALLS AND LETTERS SAYING WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH PART OF THIS COUNCIL IS NOT GOING TO BE HERE.

SO WE MAY BE TYING THE HANDS OF THE FUTURE COUNCIL.

I CAN SPEAK TO IT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT, JARED.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO TOUCH ON.

THE ONE COUNCIL'S CONSENSUS HERE, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE FOLLOWED UP BY STAFF WITH A RESOLUTION THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION OF THIS THIS TYPE.

IT DOES NOT COMMIT OR OBLIGATE FUTURE COUNCIL TO DO ANYTHING.

IT JUST SAYS THAT RIGHT NOW COUNCIL IS SUPPORTIVE OF LEGISLATION BEING PASSED AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE CITIES TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO COLAS, BACK INTO TRACK COLAS. WHEN A COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW THE LEGISLATURE MOVES, HOW QUICKLY THE LEGISLATURE MOVES.

IF THE LEGISLATURE MOVES AND APPROVES WITH ENOUGH OF A MARGIN OF VICTORY FOR THE MARGIN OF PASSAGE FOR THE ITEM, THEN IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW POTENTIALLY THE NEXT COUNCIL TO GET BACK INTO COLAS DURING THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.

IF, HOWEVER, THE ITEM PASSES BY A NARROW MARGIN, IT WILL NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE UNTIL OCTOBER 1 OF 2023, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE AFTER THE POINT IN TIME AT WHICH ANY ANY BUDGET ACROSS THE STATE IS AUTHORIZED.

NOW, IF STATES THAT CITY STILL WOULDN'T BE TRAPPED INTO WAITING UNTIL 2024 TO DO IT, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO AUTHORIZE CONTINGENT A BUDGET WITH ENOUGH CAPACITY TO HANDLE THAT CONTINGENCY IF IT HAPPENS.

AND THEN IF IT DOESN'T PASS, THEY WOULD HAVE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOWARDS ONE TIME EXPENDITURES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

WELL, ACTUALLY THEY WOULDN'T, BECAUSE THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A SUBSEQUENT VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION VERY LIKELY, WHICH WOULD AUTHORIZE THE FUNDS.

SO MOST CITIES COULD PROBABLY AND TO AN EXTENT I'M SORT OF THINKING IT THROUGH AS I GO, BUT MOST CITIES COULD PROBABLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IT IN 2023 OR IN 2024.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A TWO YEAR WINDOW, BUT DEPENDING ON WHEN WHEN THE [INAUDIBLE] APPROVES, IT WILL WILL DICTATE THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT CITIES HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT.

YEAH. OKAY.

OF COURSE. ANY OTHER CONCERNS, RESERVATIONS, OTHER OPINIONS? I JUST. I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.

WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE EMPLOYEES WHO'VE GIVEN THEIR CAREERS TO THE CITY AND HAVE SUPPORTED THE CITY AND HAVE DONE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE.

AND I THINK IT AT THE VERY LEAST WE SHOULD SUPPORT IT GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL, BUT I COULD SURE SAY THAT I WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF REINSTATING COLA IF I WAS ON A FUTURE COUNCIL.

SO I I'M VERY MUCH GOING TO BE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS.

I THINK IT'S KIND OF CRITICAL THAT WE TRY AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED FOR THE CITY AND AND DONE SO MANY THINGS.

AND WE OWE THEM OUR RESPECT AND OUR AND OUR SUPPORT.

AND IT'S JUST AN HONOR THAT THAT THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR SERVICE SO DO I HEAR A CONSENSUS THEN TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO BRING US A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATIVE EFFORT THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION THAT [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHERS ARE WORKING ON TO EVEN OPEN THE DOOR? SO, MAYOR, BEFORE WE BEFORE WE GO THERE, MY MY QUESTION WOULD BE SALES TAX IN THE GENERAL FUND AND HOW IS THAT EQUATED IN THIS COLA? ARE YOU RELYING TOTALLY ON PROPERTY TAXES TO AWARD THIS OR IS IT ALSO CALCULATED WITH OUR SALES TAX? SO THE THE CHALLENGE WITH SALES TAX IS AS THE ECONOMY EBBS AND FLOWS AS YOU KNOW IT, IT CAN CHANGE WHAT THOSE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS LOOK LIKE FROM YEAR TO YEAR ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF IT WAS PUT ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, IT'S A KNOWN IT'S A CERTAINTY THE CITY WILL COLLECT THAT MONEY IN ORDER TO FUND PROPERLY FUND THE THE TAMARISK CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WOULD SUPPORT THESE COLAS IF WE WERE TO BUILD IT IN THE SALES TAX.

[01:00:10]

THE CHALLENGE THEN BECOMES IF SALES TAX DOES NOT PERFORM, THEN WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT OTHER ITEMS INSIDE THIS BECAUSE WE WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO FUND THIS RATE, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE IN THE GENERAL FUND TO START CUTTING BACK ON OR POSTPONING BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY COMING IN FROM SALES TAX TO SUPPORT THE REGULAR BUDGET.

PLUS THIS OPTION AS WELL.

THIS IS THAT SAME THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT IT'S A YEAR OVER YEAR EXPENSE AND IT'S AN OBLIGATION.

SO ANYTHING THAT'S AN OBLIGATION CAN'T BE ATTACHED TO SOMETHING THAT VARIES EVERY YEAR.

IT HAS TO BE ATTACHED TO SOMETHING THAT'S CERTAIN WE CAN COUNT ON.

SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALES TAX REVENUE AND PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS JUST THAT BASIC IDEA THAT SALES TAX REVENUE VARIES EVERY YEAR.

PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS GUARANTEED EVERY YEAR, AND THIS HAS TO BE ATTACHED TO THAT GUARANTEED REVENUE BECAUSE IT'S A COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING IN THOSE SEATS.

I SEE IT THAT WAY. MAYOR SO I GUESS MY MY CONSIDERATION IS, IS HOW DO WE PUT THAT IN FRONT OF OUR OUR PUBLIC IN A IN A VOTER APPROVAL ELECTION EVERY YEAR? WHY IS THAT NOT BASED IN MORE FOUNDATIONALLY INTO OUR BUDGET AND OUR OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE MORE PERIPHERAL WOULD BE UP FOR, HEY, WE'RE OFFERING THIS TO OUR CITIZENS AND IF WE WANT IT, WE GET THIS.

AND IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T.

SO MY CURIOSITY IS, IS YOU'RE GOING TO AVOID A PENALTY BY OPTING BACK IN.

BUT THEN WE WOULD POTENTIALLY OPT OURSELVES OUT AT A GENERAL ELECTION IF WE GET IT VOTED DOWN.

SO I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE THOUGHT TO THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE FULLY DISCUSSING THAT, THAT ASPECT OF IT.

I ALMOST FEEL LIKE IT'S UNFAIR TO PUT IT ON THE BACKS OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN AND RETIREES.

WHAT WAS THE LOWEST NUMBER YOU GAVE, LAURA? 2.3. 2.5, 2.5.

SO THAT'S GOING TO JUST BE A BUDGET WORKSHOP CONVERSATION.

BUT IF I WAS SITTING HERE IN A BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH YOU, I WOULD SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CUT LIBRARIES? WELL, YEAH. I MEAN, YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LAY PEOPLE OFF BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

WE'RE GOING TO LAY PEOPLE OFF IN ORDER TO MAKE UP THAT MUCH OF $2.5 MILLION IN OUR BUDGET IS PRETTY HARD.

WE'RE ONLY GOING TO GET $750,000 THAT WE CAN SHIFT BEFORE WE HIT THAT VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE REQUIREMENT.

AND THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH MARGIN THERE WITHOUT MAKING CUTS.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CUT? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT EMPLOYEES.

BUT IN BUDGET WORKSHOP, I WOULD ASK YOU IN THE WAY OF LIKE, OKAY, ARE WE OUT FOR FOR GOOD OR WHAT IS THE PENALTY FROM HERE FORWARD? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS IN BUDGET WORKSHOP AND WE DO TAKE IT TO OUR GENERAL ELECTION AND IT GETS VOTED DOWN, WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT? AND WE MAY NOT KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF LEGISLATION.

AND I THINK THAT HAS TO RELY ON WHAT COMES OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT IT'S A BUDGET WORKSHOP CONVERSATION.

I UNDERSTAND. AND I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE OVERALL BUDGET.

BUT LIKE IN THE WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS, IT'S NOT QUITE AS CLEAR CUT.

MAYBE WITH SO ARE YOU THE THE LEGISLATION? ARE YOU SAYING YOU DO NOT WANT TO SUPPORT THE WHAT THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IS ASKING FOR BECAUSE YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT WE CAN'T BUDGET GOING CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THAT LEGISLATION CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE.

SO LET ME ASK YOU, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION? LIKE HOW HAS IT BEEN DRAFTED? WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US AND AND WHAT MORE CAN WE GAIN HERE? SURE. YEAH, I CAN ANSWER A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

NOT NOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF IT.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE BETWEEN THE COMPETING THE COMPETING INTERESTS IN GETTING THIS FUNDED.

OF COURSE, THIS IS GOING TO BE A TWO STEP PROCESS.

WE CAN REALLY ONLY SUPPORT AS THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, STEP ONE, WHICH IS GETTING THE LEGISLATURE TO EVEN GIVE US THE WINDOW FOR CITIES TO OPT BACK IN.

STEP TWO IS THOSE INDIVIDUAL CITIES THEMSELVES BUDGETING FOR THOSE COLAS.

SO. REPRESENTATIVE PRICE'S CHIEF OF STAFF HAS INDICATED THE BILL IS IN THE RESEARCH AND DRAFTING PHASE.

SO HE'S PROMISED ME THAT THE EARLIEST WE'LL SEE PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE, WHICH CAN ALWAYS BE TWEAKED THROUGH THE PROCESS IN COMMITTEE AND STUFF, WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.

SO WE'RE STILL WAITING ON PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE.

THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING TO SEE AND READ VERY SOON.

AND WHEN I GET THAT, I'LL BRING THAT TO YOU GUYS OR YOU GUYS WILL PROBABLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE IT YOURSELVES.

I FEEL LIKE I'M PROBABLY PREACHING TO THE CHOIR A LITTLE BIT, BUT I KNOW EVERYBODY IS IN FAVOR OF THIS.

I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT FROM A CITY STANDPOINT, OF COURSE.

[01:05:03]

BUT AT TIMES I'VE FOUND MYSELF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK FOR CITY EMPLOYEES GENERALLY AND ALSO FOR RETIREES WHO JUST DON'T HAVE A VOICE CURRENTLY ANYMORE. THERE'S A LOT OF RETIREES IN THIS ROOM, SOME OF THEM MY MENTORS WHEN I STARTED THIS BUSINESS.

SO I FEEL VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT SUPPORTING THESE GUYS AND TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN FOR THEM.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN AMARILLO IS, OF COURSE, AS LOW AS IT IS ANYWHERE IN THE STATE, WHICH IS A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

THE PROBLEM THAT PRESENTS THE CITY IS A 2.6% EMPLOYMENT RATE MEANS THAT THERE'S LOTS OF JOBS OUT THERE AND THE CITY IS JUST ONE COMPETING INTEREST TRYING TO GET EMPLOYEES. SO I KNOW WE'VE GOT APPROXIMATELY 85 OPEN POSITIONS IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.

THAT INCLUDES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CERTAINLY.

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS GONE UP YEAR OVER YEAR WITH THE WITH A TWEAK FROM COVID.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY, IT'S BETWEEN 77 AND 81 YEARS OLD, DEPENDING ON WHAT WHAT STUDY THAT YOU READ.

SOME OF THESE GUYS HAVE BEATEN THOSE ODDS.

CONGRATULATIONS. THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A POLICE OFFICER IS BETWEEN DEPENDING ON THE STUDY YOU READ 57 TO 66 YEARS OLD.

SO THESE GUYS HAVE GIVEN A LOT TO THEIR CITY, TO THE PEOPLE OF IT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN TO GET BACK IN AND TO REWARD THESE GUYS FOR THEIR SERVICE.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST SPEAKING ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS, NOT NECESSARILY CITY EMPLOYEES IN GENERAL, BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE GIVEN THEIR SERVICE TO THE CITY.

SO I HOPE TO COMPLETE STEP ONE, WHICH IS TO GET THE LEGISLATURE TO ALLOW US BACK IN.

AND STEP TWO WILL BE UP TO YOU OR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL OR A COMBINATION OF THOSE.

SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT.

THANK YOU. IT DOES GET BACK IN.

I WANT TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE CONVERSATION YOU GUYS WERE HAVING JUST A SECOND AGO.

FIRST OFF, THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS IF THIS PASSES, IS IT GOING TO BE PREEMINENT ON A VOTER APPROVED ELECTION? IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEW THAT'S BEING ADDED TO THE BUDGET.

THERE'S NO WAY IT CANNOT TAKE PRIORITY OVER A VOTER APPROVED BUDGET.

NOW, THEN, GOING FORWARD FROM THERE, SINCE IT'S A YEAR OVER YEAR, CONSTANT THING.

IN MY LAST SIX YEARS.

THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT THAT WE NEED TO ADD TO OUR BUDGET THAT ARE BIG NEEDS IN THE CITY, AND IT'LL BE UP TO THE COUNCILS COMING FORWARD AS TO WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE HOT TOPICS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT.

BUT THE REAL REALITY IS THE FIRST TIME THIS COMES UP, IT WILL BE IT WILL BE PREEMINENT ON A VOTE.

NOW, AFTER THAT, THAT'S UP TO THE COUNCILS THAT FOLLOW.

IT'S NOT UP TO US AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT TILL WE'RE BLUE IN THE FACE.

BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S SOMETHING NEW, SUBSTANTIAL.

EVERY BUDGET WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ROADS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SALARIES THAT NEED TO BE INCREASED.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

AND SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.

BUT THE REAL REALISTIC THING IS WE WILL VOTE ON IT THE FIRST TIME IT COMES UP.

WE WILL. IT'S JUST TOO BIG A NUMBER.

IT'S JUST TOO BIG A NUMBER.

WILL IT BE THAT WAY ALWAYS? I CAN'T SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS THAT COME UP THAT ARE A BIGGER NUMBER THAT TAKE PREEMINENCE OVER THAT AND THAT FALLS BACK INTO THE GROUP.

AND IT'S NOT UP FOR DEBATE.

AND I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF US ARE NOT GOING TO WANT IT TO BE UP FOR DEBATE REALISTICALLY.

BUT THE FIRST TIME WE GO THROUGH, YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE UP FOR DEBATE.

BUT I THINK OUR VOTERS WILL SUPPORT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY IF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT IT.

AS A CITY, WE SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

I MEAN, I HOPE YOU ALL FEEL THAT.

BUT I, I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME FROM CITIZENS.

AND I HAVE OTHER CITY LEADERS FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE AND OUTSIDE OF AMARILLO THAT COMMENT ON THE DIFFERENT CULTURE WE HAVE BETWEEN OUR CITIZENS AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS COMMUNITIES.

IT PEOPLE NOTICE THAT IT'S DIFFERENT HERE IN AMARILLO THAN IT IS IN SOME PLACES ACROSS THE NATION.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, EXPLAINING TO VOTERS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT, YOU THE FACES THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY ARE GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. I DON'T THINK IT'S A MOUNTAIN THAT WE CAN'T CLIMB.

BUT, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.

AND EVERYWHERE I GO, I TELL PEOPLE THAT I'M I'M TRULY HONORED TO BE A POLICEMAN IN AMARILLO, TEXAS, BECAUSE WE DO FEEL THE SUPPORT OF THE CITIZENS.

[01:10:01]

BUT IT MAKES ME A LIVING.

WE ARE COMPETING WITH ALL THE OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND CITIES FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES.

AND I CAN JUST TELL YOU, WE GRADUATED 5 POLICE OFFICERS LAST FRIDAY FROM A POLICE ACADEMY.

WHEN I STARTED 22 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS 600 PLUS APPLICANTS AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE 1 OF 26 PEOPLE THAT STARTED THAT ACADEMY AND SOMEHOW MADE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND DIDN'T GET FIRED TO THE POINT WHERE I AM TODAY.

BUT THE POINT OF THAT IS THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T THE SAME ANYMORE.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB.

AND THE NUMBERS ARE CUT ALMOST DOWN TO MAYBE A QUARTER TO A FIFTH OF THOSE NUMBERS NOW.

SO MAYBE 100 PEOPLE APPLY FOR THE JOB.

AND SO WE ARE SCOOPING OUT OF A VERY SMALL POND AND JUST RETIREMENT BENEFITS IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE. BUT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN SHOW THESE PEOPLE THAT THESE BENEFITS ARE THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU RETIRE IS ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, BECAUSE IT IS CERTAINLY CHANGED JUST IN MY TIME.

AND SINCE THESE GUYS TIME, I KNOW FOR SURE WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO MAINTAIN THESE EMPLOYEES AND THAT JUST SPEAKS TO THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE WE HAVE.

ANYTHING ELSE, TOBY YOU WANT TO ADD? I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU KIND OF THE PLAN.

WE'RE KIND OF APPROACHING THIS FROM A THREE PRONG APPROACH.

WE'RE SEEKING SUPPORT FROM A POLICE ASSOCIATIONS IN THESE OTHER 28 CITIES, AS WELL AS CITY ADMINISTRATION IN THOSE CITIES AND THE STATE REPS THAT REPRESENT THOSE CITIES.

SO IF WE CAN GET SUPPORT FROM ALL THREE OF THOSE, WE'RE HOPING TO GET THIS PUSH THROUGH TO COMMITTEE AND THEN TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE.

WE'RE NOT JUST SEEKING AMARILLO SUPPORT.

OBVIOUSLY. WE'RE SEEKING SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE AFFECTED.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF ALL THREE OF THOSE INTERESTED PARTIES TO GET THIS THROUGH, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DEFEATED SEVERAL TIMES.

SO AGAIN, IT JUST KIND OF GETS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER FROM WITH OTHER LEGISLATION.

YOU GUYS KNOW EVERY TWO YEARS IS WHEN THE LEGISLATURE MEETS AND THE AMOUNT OF BILLS THAT ARE FILED IS STAGGERING.

SO JUST A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE REACH THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE.

SO SOME OF THESE JUST GET LOST IN THE PAPERWORK AND THEN IT'S ANOTHER TWO YEARS UNTIL THAT HAPPENS AGAIN.

SO THIS IS OUR WINDOW, I BELIEVE, AND THIS IS OUR BEST OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PUSH TO THAT FINISH LINE.

I THINK I HEARD CONSENSUS, MAYBE SOME HESITATION, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE A CONSENSUS TO BRING US A RESOLUTION.

AND THEN I GUESS WE HAVE FURTHER DIALOG ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, YEAH, I WANT TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE CONSENSUS FROM US, JARED.

I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT YOU DO HAVE CONSENSUS.

I THINK IT ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE NOT ONLY OUR ASSOCIATION, OUR RETIREES AND THIS COUNCIL TO PUSH FOR LANGUAGE IN THIS LEGISLATION THAT THAT HAS A CONSIDERATION FOR WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AS FUTURE COUNCILS HAVE TO DEAL WITH BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES.

I KNOW I ASKED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH LAURA ABOUT THIS IF IT COULD BE DRAFTED SO THAT IT DID NOT BECOME PART OF THE 2.5% CAP THAT THE LEGISLATURE PUT ON LOCAL CONTROL AND THEN WE COULD RUN THE REST OF OUR BUDGET TO THE 2.5% CAP THAT THEY GAVE US.

BUT IT WOULD GIVE US THE FREEDOM TO SUPPORT OUR FORMER EMPLOYEES AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS BY GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEEDED.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT CONVERSATION WENT NOWHERE.

THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE SUPPORT FOR THAT IN THE LEGISLATURE.

IS THAT CORRECT? SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SITTING IN THE CHAIRS THAT I THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING IN THAT WOULD SURE MAKE IT EASIER TO ACCOMPLISH IF IT DIDN'T HAVE TO LIVE UNDER THAT 2.5% CAP.

SO I'LL JUST PUT THAT BACK OUT THERE AS I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I THINK IT HELPS US SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

AND WE'RE AGAIN, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE ABILITY TO PROTECT AND INVEST IN THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROTECTED AND INVESTED IN US WITH THEIR CAREERS.

SO. IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY REASONABLE ASK TO ME.

SURE. AND WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT TRYING TO WORK SOME LANGUAGE IN THAT.

AND YOU GUYS KNOW HOW STRONG THE SUPPORT WAS FOR SENATE BILL TWO AND THE LIMITING OF OF LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO BE ABLE TO RAISE TAXES.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A BILL KILLER.

YES. AND THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST BACK TO SPECIFICALLY CRAFTING THE LANGUAGE SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT IT IN THE BUDGET WORLD THAT WE ACTUALLY LIVE IN.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE, BUT WE'RE TRYING.

SO I'LL SAY THAT OUT LOUD THAT I STILL THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

[01:15:02]

RIGHT. SO.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM OK.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME. TOBY WE APPRECIATE YOU.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

MOVING ON TO ITEM ONE, A A QUARTERLY BUDGET UPDATE, MR.

[1.E. Quarterly Budget Update;]

OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER A QUARTERLY BUDGET UPDATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED 9/30 OF 22 AND THERE SHOULD BE A POWERPOINT.

WE'LL GET THAT PULLED UP.

THESE ARE GOING TO BE OUR UNAUDITED FISCAL YEAR 21-22 NUMBERS.

OUR FINAL AUDIT, THERE STILL COULD BE SOME FINAL AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS.

SO OUR AUDITED NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE NEXT MONTH.

OKAY. SO WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT WITH THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR WE JUST COMPLETED ON 9/30 HAS A TOTAL HAD A TOTAL BUDGET OF $200.3 MILLION AND OUR ACTUAL REVENUE WAS $241.2 MILLION.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE CAME IN $40.9 MILLION OVER WHAT OUR PROJECTED REVENUE WAS, AND THAT WAS ALL RELATED TO MOSTLY RELATED TO OU IF YOU LOOK ON THE NEXT PAGE TO OUR OPERATING TRANSFERS AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, THAT IS THE ARPA REVENUE RECOVERY THAT THIS COUNCIL HAD BROUGHT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THAT'S THAT $25.8 MILLION COMING IN.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT PROPERTY TAX WAS RIGHT ON BUDGET.

JUST ABOUT 0.3%.

UNDER BUDGET SALES TAX WAS $13.5 MILLION OVER WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED, ALONG WITH STRONG HOT TAX RECEIPTS OF $1.8 MILLION AND THEN GROSS RECEIPTS BUSINESS TAXES OF $2.3 MILLION OVER BUDGET. AND THAT WOULD BE THOSE FRANCHISE FEES.

AND WE'LL TOUCH A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THOSE HERE ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF PAGES.

SO WE'LL FIRST LOOK AT SALES TAX.

SALES TAX FOR THE YEAR WAS STRONG.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.

SALES TAX WAS UP ALMOST $7 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT A 10% INCREASE.

AND THEN OVER BUDGET BY ABOUT $13.4 MILLION, WHICH IS 22% OVER BUDGET.

SO WE SAW STRONG SALES TAX COLLECTIONS THROUGH THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR, WHICH ENDED IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THIS YEAR THROUGH JANUARY, WE'RE STILL SEEING GOOD SALES TAX.

WE'RE UP 5.19% OVER THE PRIOR YEAR AND WE'RE UP ABOUT 14% OVER WHAT WE'VE BUDGETED THROUGH JANUARY, WHICH IS OUR NOVEMBER SALES.

AND THIS YEAR, JUST AS A REMINDER, THEN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, WE DID BUDGET A $7 MILLION INCREASE IN SALES TAX.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL SEEING STRONG RECEIPTS THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX NEXT.

YOU CAN SEE HERE A TEN YEAR HISTORY OF COLLECTIONS.

YOU CAN SEE THE BIG HIT FROM COVID IN 2020, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE REBOUNDED NICELY AND EVEN OVER PRE-COVID NUMBERS.

SO THAT CAME IN AGAIN LAST FISCAL YEAR, 12.12% ABOVE BUDGET.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT PAGE THE ACTUAL MONTH BY MONTH COLLECTIONS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGH SEPTEMBER WE HAD A 12.39% INCREASE AND THEN IT WAS 26.343% ABOVE BUDGET.

AND LOOKING AT THIS FISCAL YEAR THROUGH DECEMBER, WE'RE UP ABOUT $20,000 OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, BUT WE'RE DOWN ABOUT $24,000 FROM BUDGET.

SO WE'RE KIND OF SEEING HOT TAX SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND COOL OFF, BUT WE'LL JUST KIND OF HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS OCCUPANCY AS WELL.

AND OCCUPANCY IS TRENDING SLIGHTLY DOWN, BUT OUR AVERAGE DAILY RATES ARE REMAINING STRONG.

SO THAT'S KIND OF EVENING OUT THE IMPACT THERE.

SO NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO GROSS RECEIPTS, BUSINESS TAX, ALSO KNOWN AS FRANCHISE FEES.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR, OUR FRANCHISE FEE COLLECTIONS CAME IN$ 2.3 MILLION OVER WHAT WE BUDGETED.

AND THE BIGGEST INCREASE, THE BIGGEST, BIGGEST STRONG PERFORMERS THERE WERE ELECTRICITY AND GAS.

ELECTRICITY COMING IN $1.8 MILLION OVER WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED IN GAS JUST UNDER $700,000.

AND THAT'S REALLY RELATED TO THOSE FUEL FACTORS THAT THE NATURAL GAS AND THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES USE.

SO AS THOSE BILLS FOR USERS ARE HIGHER, THERE ARE ALSO THE FRANCHISE FEES THAT COME IN ON OUR SIDE ARE HIGHER.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE CABLE WAS DOWN ABOUT 260,000 AND THAT'S JUST BEEN SLOWLY DECREASING YEAR OVER YEAR AS MORE CONSUMERS SWITCH FROM SWITCH TO STREAMING AND DROP FROM CABLE TV USAGE.

THAT BRINGS US TO OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENSES.

FOR THE YEAR, WE HAD BUDGETED $210.2 MILLION.

OUR ACTUAL EXPENSES WERE $232.7 MILLION, GIVING US A VARIANCE OF $22.5 MILLION THAT WE SPENT OVER BUDGET.

AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, THIS COUNCIL APPROVED TRANSFERS OF THAT EXCESS GENERAL FUND RESERVES THAT WAS CREATED BY THE REVENUE RECOVERY FUNDS OF ABOUT $27.8 MILLION.

AND THOSE WERE USED FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, CITY HALL, THE ST ANTHONY'S PROJECTS TRANSFORMATION PARK, PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO NAME A FEW.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE NEXT PAGE THAT OUR NET VARIANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, WHEN YOU TAKE THE REVENUE OVER IN THE OVER BUDGET ON THE EXPENSE SIDE IS WE'RE $18.4

[01:20:05]

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT BEFORE I MOVE ON TO UTILITY SALES? OKAY. SO WE'LL LOOK AT UTILITY SALES REAL QUICK.

YOU CAN SEE THAT SOLID WASTE CAME IN REAL CLOSE TO BUDGET.

THEY WERE ABOUT 2% DOWN FROM BUDGET.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE OUR WATER AND SEWER CAME IN STRONG OVER BUDGET.

IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, WE DID HAVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS FOR MOST OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WHICH BRINGS IN GOOD WATER REVENUE FOR US.

BUT OF COURSE WE ALWAYS WOULD LIKE THE RAIN AND THEN YOU CAN SEE ON DRAINAGE, WE WERE RIGHT AT BUDGET JUST SLIGHTLY UNDER WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED.

IN THIS NEXT CHART IS ALWAYS A GOOD ONE TO LOOK AT.

IT SHOWS YOU THE WATER AND SEWER REVENUE STARTED AGAINST PARTICIPATION PRECIPITATION.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DID HAVE LOW PRECIPITATION THIS YEAR AND THEN THAT ALWAYS DRIVES OUR REVENUE UP.

AND ALSO WE DID HAVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND THEN THAT 5% RATE INCREASE THAT WE PUT INTO THE BUDGET THIS LAST YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHY THE REVENUE WENT UP LIKE THAT.

LAST THING WE HAVE HERE IS A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.

YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR CLAIMS CAME IN GOOD THIS YEAR.

WE WERE SLIGHTLY RIGHT BELOW BUDGET AT $400,000 BELOW.

SO WE CAME IN RIGHT WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD.

SO THAT WAS A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD YEAR FOR THE HEALTH PLAN.

SO, NO, THAT WAS QUICK.

BUT ANY QUESTIONS? MATT, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM ONE F, WHICH IS A QUARTERLY SALES TAX UPDATE.

[1.F. Quarterly Sales Tax Update;]

ANDREW. AND WE'LL HIT THE HIGH POINTS, MAKE IT REAL BRIEF AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL WANTS ON MORE DETAIL.

YES, SIR. SO JUST BRIEFLY, WE ARE ON OUR 30TH STRAIGHT MONTH OF SALES TAX COLLECTIONS SEEING AN INCREASE.

SO THAT'S THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

BUT WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE THAT, AS YOU NOTICED IN MATT'S PRESENTATION, THAT IS SLOWLY DECLINING AND COMING STABILIZING.

SO JANUARY WAS UP ONLY 1.67%.

DECEMBER WAS IN THE 3% RANGE AND NOVEMBER WAS JUST UNDER 5%.

SO WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IT LEVEL OUT A BIT.

I DID READ AN ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT YESTERDAY FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL JUST ON US CONSUMER SPENDING TRENDS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS WITH YOU.

RETAIL PURCHASES HAVE FALLEN IN THREE OF THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.

2022 CONSUMER SPENDING OUTSPEND INFLATION.

BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE STIMULUS PAYMENTS.

PEOPLE WERE BUILDING UP SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND THEN THE CHEAPER CREDIT WITH INTEREST RATES.

SO CONSUMER GROWTH EXCEEDED PRICE INCREASES BY 2 PERCENTAGE POINTS.

NOW, THE MONTHLY INCOME SET ASIDE FOR SAVINGS THAT THEY FOUND IS 3.4% IN DECEMBER COMPARED TO LAST YEAR AT SEVEN AND ONE HALF PERCENT.

SO THAT NUMBER'S COME DOWN.

SOME INTEREST RATES HAVE CONTAINED A RISE.

THE FEDS ARE MEETING RIGHT NOW TO DETERMINE POTENTIALLY ANOTHER QUARTER PERCENT INCREASE IN THOSE RATES.

SHARE OF US ADULTS WHOSE EXPENSES EXCEED INCOME IS UP.

THOSE MAKING LESS THAN $50,000 HAVE SEEN A 7.2% INCREASE AND $50 TO $100,000 IN INCOMES AT 2.6%.

AND THEN LOOKING AT MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, 57% ARE CONCERNED WITH MAKING THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS NATIONWIDE.

UP FROM THE THIRD QUARTER AT 48%.

SO WE'RE JUST SEEING SOME OF THOSE NATIONAL TRENDS RIGHT NOW THAT MIGHT COME TO PLAY HERE IN AMARILLO.

BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, AMARILLO IS KIND OF A WORLD OF ITS OWN HERE AS FAR AS THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY.

AMARILLO SEEMS TO TO HANDLE A LOT BETTER, BE BETTER PREPARED.

WE'VE GOT A DIVERSE ECONOMY.

SO WE WILL WE WILL BE WATCHING THOSE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

IN PARTICULAR, THAT WILL BE KEY TO THE CURRENT BUDGET AND CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE TRENDS I'M ABOUT TO SHARE OF OUR CURRENT COLLECTIONS.

SO LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO SKIP LAST WEEK.

THAT ALLOWED US TO GET DECEMBER AND JANUARY NUMBERS IN HERE JUST TO SHOW YOU SOME CURRENT DATA.

DECEMBER 22 COLLECTIONS WE HAD SEVEN OF THE NINE INDUSTRIES SAW AN INCREASE MONTH TO MONTH, AND THEN WE HAD JUST LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, EIGHT OF NINE, WE'RE SHOWING AN INCREASE SO STRONG FOR THE DECEMBER MONTH.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER, DECEMBER COLLECTIONS ARE FROM TWO MONTHS AGO SALES.

SO THIS IS OCTOBER DATA.

FURNITURE SAW DECREASE AT 5%, ELECTRONS IN APPLIANCES DECREASE OF 3%.

SO THESE ARE JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE TRENDS BASED ON INDUSTRY.

BUILDING MATERIALS WERE UP A LITTLE OVER 5%.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE WAS DOWN 3% AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES WAS JUST A SLIGHT INCREASE.

SPORTING GOODS WERE DOWN 4%, GENERAL MERCHANDISE WAS UP 5%.

[01:25:01]

THOSE ARE THE WAL-MARTS, THE SAM'S CLUBS, BIG DEPARTMENT STORES.

PET SUPPLIES WAS UP JUST UNDER 3%.

NON STORE RETAILERS IS ONE WE KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON.

THAT'S MOSTLY THE ONLINE STORES LIKE AMAZON AND OTHERS.

IT WAS UP 15%.

SO WE'RE STILL SEEING STRONG DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES IN THAT CATEGORY.

AND THEN AS FAR AS FOOD SERVICES, FULL SERVICE SIT DOWN, RESTAURANTS WERE DOWN TWO AND ONE HALF PERCENT.

AND THEN THE LIMITED, MORE FAST FOOD ORIENTED RESTAURANTS WERE UP 11%.

SO A DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE IN THAT CATEGORY.

NOW, ON TO THE MOST CURRENT DATA THAT WE HAVE, JANUARY 2023.

SO THIS WOULD BE NOVEMBER.

BLACK FRIDAY, THANKSGIVING SALES, WE ONLY SAW FOUR OF NINE HAD INCREASES IN THAT MONTH AND THEN SIX OF NINE ARE UP FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE.

SO RETAIL COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS MONTH WAS DOWN A LITTLE OVER ONE AND A HALF PERCENT.

GENERAL SERVICES WAS WAS REALLY STRONG AT 13%.

SO THAT WAS TWO AND ONE HALF PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE DECEMBER COLLECTIONS.

FOOD WAS DOWN A COUPLE OF PERCENTAGE POINTS AND THEN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES STILL SEEING -7% CHANGE.

SO THESE ALL FLUCTUATE MONTH TO MONTH.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ALSO LOOK AT THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE.

SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING OVERALL.

SO SIX OF THE NINE ARE STILL UP.

RETAIL, GENERAL SERVICES AND FOOD BEING OUR LARGEST COLLECTIONS, 4%, ALMOST 13% AND 5%.

SO THOSE ARE STILL VERY STRONG.

WE DID SEE FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS FOR THAT MONTH.

THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE [INAUDIBLE] WENT FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

11% INCREASE WAS ONLY 2% INCREASE.

BUT OVERALL, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE VARYING TRENDS, BUT STILL VERY STRONG COLLECTIONS.

THIS IS PART OF WHAT ZACH TAX ARE CONFIDENTIAL SALES TAX PROVIDER SHARES WITH US LOOKING EACH MONTH.

IT SHOWS US THAT INFLATION RATE.

SO THE POSITIVE SIGN OF COURSE, IS THAT IT IS DROPPING WHICH IS THE GOAL OF THE FEDERAL CHANGES TO TO REALLY SLOW DOWN THAT INFLATION GROWTH.

SO IN JANUARY 23, IT WAS 6.25%.

BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE RIGHT COLUMN THERE FOR ADJUSTED COLLECTIONS, THAT'S SHOWING US.

SO ALL THESE MONTHS THAT WE'VE SEEN INCREASES WITHOUT INFLATION INCREASING THE COST OF THINGS, WE WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN A NEGATIVE COLLECTION.

SO THAT'S JUST GIVING US SOME PERSPECTIVE AS WE GO THROUGH BUDGET AND LOOK AT THESE UPCOMING MONTHS.

IS THAT GOING TO COME BACK IN LINE OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 12 MONTHS? THIS GRAPH IS JUST SHOWING A VISUAL OF THAT SAME INFORMATION.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE ONLY TIME GOING BACK TO MAY 2022, WHERE IT WAS THE CORRECT DIRECTION ON THAT SCALE IS MAY 2022 OR OCTOBER 2022, GOING BACK TILL MAY.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON EACH MONTH AS THE COLLECTIONS COME IN AND MONITORING THESE INDUSTRIES.

BUT THE MAIN ONES WE LOOK AT, WE LOOK AT THOSE ON ONLINE RETAILERS, WE LOOK AT FOOD SERVICES, ANYTHING THAT BENEFITS FROM THE TOURISM ECONOMY JUST TO KIND OF KEEP A PULSE ON TRAVELERS COMING THROUGH AND SPENDING DOLLARS HERE.

AND THEN JUST THE LAST SLIDE, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THE LABOR MARKET IN THESE PRESENTATIONS FOR THE EMPLOYED LABOR FORCE IN DECEMBER 2022, WHICH IS THE CURRENT MOST CURRENT DATA IS $130,000, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 569.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT 2.6 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHICH TOBY JUST MENTIONED IN HIS HIS PRESENTATION.

WE'RE TIED FOR NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE ONCE AGAIN WITH MIDLAND COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL ECONOMY.

REFERENCING THAT ARTICLE AGAIN, WE'RE IN A WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION AS FAR AS WE HAVE JOBS OUT THERE.

IF THERE WERE A LAYOFF, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS NOW SOME OF THESE LARGE SOFTWARE COMPANIES ARE HAVING LAYOFFS.

AMARILLO DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME ECONOMY AS AS SOME OF THE SOME OF THE OTHER STATES.

I THINK OUR BIGGEST LAYOFF WAS AIG THAT DID THE RESTRUCTURING AND THE INSURANCE BUSINESS.

THAT WAS A 400 JOBS.

BUT OVERALL, WE'RE VERY STABLE AND PEOPLE ARE STILL HIRING.

ALL THE GREAT WORK WITH ADC WITH 4000 PLUS JOBS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, JUST KNOW WE HAVE A PIPELINE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL HELP US COMBAT THIS INFLATION AND SALES TAX DYNAMIC THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW.

JUST LOOKING AT THE PAST, THE LAST TIME IT WAS AS LOW AS 2.6% WAS FEBRUARY 2020 AT 2.4% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE RIGHT BEFORE COVID HIT THAT MARCH. AND THEN IT ESCALATED UP FROM THERE.

AND THEN AS FAR AS THE NON-FARM JOBS, THE 112, 126,600, THAT WAS IN DECEMBER, IN NOVEMBER, BOTH OF THOSE WERE NEAR RECORD HIGHS FROM THE MSA.

SO IT JUST REALLY SHOWS HOW STRONG THE METROPOLITAN AREA LOOKS IN THE CURRENT ECONOMY.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, ANDREW.

WE APPRECIATE THAT. YOU DO THE SUMMARY.

KEEP THE NUMBERS FOR US.

[01:30:01]

[1.G. Updates from Councilmembers serving on outside boards and commissions]

OKAY, SO ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE MET EARLIER THIS YEAR AND BASICALLY THERE'S THE MAIN THINGS REALLY TO REPORT ARE JUST THE FACT THAT THEY HAD SOME NUMBERS FOR YEAR END AND THE NUMBERS FOR YEAR END WERE BASICALLY THAT THE INTAKE OF ANIMALS INCREASED 12% OVER 2021.

SO THERE WAS AN INTAKE OF 8,914 ANIMALS.

IF WE WERE NOW VICTORIA, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT COMPARES TO CITIES LIKE AUSTIN AND OTHER PLACES THAT ARE THREE TIMES OUR SIZE, AND YET WE'RE TAKING IN AS MANY STRAY ANIMALS AS THEY ARE.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

SO WE'RE A CITY OF 200,000.

THEY'RE A CITY OF A MILLION, AND WE'RE TAKING IN 8,900 AND THEY'RE TAKING IN 8,900.

SO THE INTERESTING THING IS WHENEVER THAT IS GOOD OUT OF THAT IS THE FACT THAT ADOPTIONS INCREASED NEARLY 47% OVER 2021.

AND I KNOW THAT'S BECAUSE CITY HAS TAKEN OVER THE ADOPTION PROGRAM AND ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLY EXCELLENT JOB AT TRYING TO STEP IN THE GAP WHERE ALL OF THAT HAS KIND OF FALLEN APART.

SO THAT PART OF IT IS GOOD.

ONE THING, JUST ONE OBSERVATION THAT I WOULD MAKE WAS A SLIDE THAT WAS PUT UP.

AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE CAN EVEN PUT UP THE SLIDES.

BUT THIS IS THE INTAKE SLIDE FOR 2022 AND THAT BIG GRAY AREA THAT'S STRAYS.

HMM. SO HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THAT 70 78% OF THE ANIMALS TAKEN IN ARE STRAYS? AND THAT GOES. THAT'S THAT'S LIKE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

THAT THAT'S WHERE WE NEED THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE THE PET POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND AND IT MAKES IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, THE CASUAL WAY THAT SOME ANIMALS ARE TREATED IN THE CITY.

AND THEN ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE IS SENT IN TO CLEAN UP THE MESS, BASICALLY.

AND I THINK IT'S IT'S ALSO ALONG WITH THAT NUMBER IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR FIELD SERVICES HAD 19,000 CALLS TO AECC.

SO, YES, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY SERVE.

19,000 CALLS, A LITTLE OVER 19,000 CALLS WENT INTO OUR DISPATCH CENTER IN THE YEAR IN 2022.

AND THAT DOES AND THAT SPEAKS TO THE STRAY ISSUE.

AND SO TRULY, YOU KNOW, ANIMAL MANAGEMENT, WELFARE IS DOING THEIR VERY BEST TO GET TO THAT 90% LEVEL OF THAT LESS THAN 10% OF EUTHANASIA.

BUT WHENEVER WE HAVE NUMBERS LIKE THIS AND WE HAVE A CITY DECIDE, THAT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE, THAT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE HIRED NEW STAFF AT THE SHELTER ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.

THEY'VE HIRED EIGHT NEW AT THE SHELTER SINCE THE LAST TIME WE HAD MET.

BUT THERE'S STILL ONE FOUR, NINE, TEN, ELEVEN.

THERE'S STILL ELEVEN POSITIONS OPEN JUST ON THE SHELTER SIDE.

SO IT'S SO IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER.

WHEN WE HAVE A 2.9% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, FINDING THE RIGHT EMPLOYEES IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT.

THAT'S MORE THAN 50 PHONE CALLS A DAY.

YES. AND WE WERE TO DISPATCH.

YES. AND WE'VE WORKED REALLY CLOSE WITH OUR DISPATCH CENTER ON GETTING, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT DOWN.

WE'VE IMPLEMENTED ONLINE REPORTING MUCH LIKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THAT THEY CAN CALL OUT TO THE SHELTER DURING CERTAIN TIMES.

SO WE'VE TRIED TO ADDRESS TAKING SOME OF THAT BURDEN OFF OF AECC, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE.

WOW. SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AT THE RESCUE PROGRAM.

SO NOW THERE'S OFFICIALLY SEVEN OFFICIAL RESCUE PARTNERS IN AMARILLO, ONE IN CANYON, ONE IN [INAUDIBLE], ONE IN BURLESON, TWO IN DALLAS, ONE IN VERMONT AND ONE IN COLORADO. AND SO THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO OF THAT 8900 THAT WERE IN IN TOOK AT LEAST 2,200 OF THEM WERE PLACED USING THE RESCUE PROGRAM.

AND SO IT'S THAT'S GOING TO BECOME ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUST YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND A PLACE TO FOR THESE DOGS TO BE.

AND CATS AND ANIMALS FOR THEM TO BE PLACED SO THAT WE AVOID THE EUTHANASIA ASPECT OF IT.

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE IT IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT THING.

AND I COULD GO DOWN THROUGH THE THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON AND NEW IDEAS WITH EVERY TIME THAT I

[01:35:08]

AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE IS DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH THE SITUATION THAT THEY'VE BEEN HANDLING, THAT THEY'VE BEEN HANDED.

QUESTIONS. VICTORIA.

MORE COMMENTS OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? JUST. THAT'S A LOT.

I THINK DR.

SAUER WAS CORRECT AND WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHY WERE HAVING THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT THEMSELVES OUT OF THIS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST RELY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RELY ON OUR OUTSIDE PARTNERS AND GET A BIGGER FOOTPRINT TO MOVE WITH THE AMOUNT OF ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED.

AS YOU SAID, WE'VE GOT OUR RESCUE PROGRAMS UP AND GOING AND WE'RE BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES AND OTHER STATES.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.

SO AND WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED THIS NEXT YEAR ON DOING SOME MORE PREVENTATIVE TYPE STUFF FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE AT SOME POINT WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE ABOUT THESE STRAY ANIMALS.

SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING TEXAS TECH, THAT HAVE COME FORTH, AND WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER SOME PROGRAMS TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN ADDRESS IT FROM A MORE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE STANCE.

SURE. OF COURSE, YOU HAVE YOUR SURGERY CENTER NOW.

THAT'S A NEW TOOL THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE.

YOU HAVE A FULL TIME DOCTOR NOW CONTRACT VETS.

AND I THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING.

THIS LAST FALL SEMESTER WAS THE FIRST TIME OUR TEXAS TECH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO NEUTERS.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT IF WE'RE ADOPTING ANIMALS OUT OR ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE BEING SPAYED OR NEUTERED, THAT WILL ONLY CUT DOWN ON UNWANTED ANIMALS.

SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED THAT THEY HAVE FINALLY IN THEIR SECOND YEAR, SOONER THAN WE THOUGHT, WERE ABLE TO START PROVIDING THAT SERVICE TO US AT NO COST TO THE CITY.

WOW. AND THAT'S HUGE.

YEAH. AND THEN YOU DON'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT ALSO THE PARTNERSHIP THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED WITH AMTECH.

AND THAT'S THAT'S AN THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN A IN A BETTER OUTCOME FOR.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX AMTECH INTERNS LOOKING AT HAVING EIGHT.

SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PLACEMENTS.

WE HAVE FOUND THAT THEY ARE COMING BACK TO VOLUNTEER.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIP.

ALONG WITH [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY THEY'VE WORKED WITH US SO CLOSELY ON MANY OF OUR VACCINE DRIVES.

YEAH, I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE VERO PROGRAM BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED AND WE APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP AT W.T.

THAT'S LEANING IN TO HELP US AT ANIMAL.

WE'VE DONE ADOPTION EVENTS WITH THEM AND SO IT'S BEEN THAT ALSO IS A REALLY SOLID PARTNERSHIP.

YEAH. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR SHORTHANDED TEAM ARE ACCOMPLISHING FOR US.

WE APPRECIATE YOU, VICTORIA.

PARKS AND REC, EDDY.

YES, MA'AM. SO THIS ONE WILL BE PRETTY WELL SHORT AND SWEET ALSO.

SO WE BASICALLY RECEIVED SEVERAL DIFFERENT REPORTS.

AGAIN, THEY'RE WORKING REALLY HARD ON THE 9TH STREET UPDATE FOR THE PARKING LOT, FOR THE TRAILS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED.

AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR THE RELATIONSHIP THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED WITH SIX PACK OUTDOORS THAT IS DEVELOPING ALL OF THE TRAILS ALL OVER THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

AND IT'S. SO NOW THEN WE'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO THAT 9TH STREET TRAIL PART.

THEY'RE FIGURING OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE PARKING LOT SO THAT IT CAN BE USED EVEN MORE.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT'S BEING WORKED ON.

THE OTHER THING THAT IS NEEDS TO BE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED, WHETHER THEY'RE THE PUBLIC OR WHATEVER IS, AS THEY CONTINUE TO FINISH THE PLAYGROUNDS AT THE DIFFERENT PARKS.

THERE HAVE BEEN OBJECTIONS OR ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED AND SOME OF THE PARKS WHERE THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, THEY'VE HAD QUESTIONS.

THEY THINK SOMETHING ELSE SHOULD BE DONE.

AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION HAS DIRECTLY TAKEN THOSE AS THEY'VE DEVELOPED THE OTHER THE OTHER PLAYGROUNDS AND HAVE COME BACK AND HAVE ASKED A LOT MORE QUESTIONS.

SO YOU'RE SEEING THAT WHAT ORIGINALLY STARTED MAYBE HAVE BEEN ONE PLAN HAS BEEN MOVED TO BETTER ADAPT TO WHAT THE PUBLIC IS ACTUALLY ASKING FOR AND WHAT THE CITIZENS ARE ASKING FOR.

AND AND ACTUALLY, STEVEN F AUSTIN, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT STEVEN F AUSTIN, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING BACK AND CHANGING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PARK.

[01:40:06]

EVERYBODY WANTS SWINGS IN THEIR PARK.

AND THE SWINGS WERE NOT IN THE PARK AT STEVEN AUSTIN, AND IT BECAME QUICKLY EVIDENT THAT SWINGS ARE STILL VERY IMPORTANT IN THE PARK.

SO THEY'RE GOING BACK AND THEY'RE REPLANNING HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THAT PARK AND THEY'RE DOING THAT.

SO THOSE THINGS ARE STILL TRANSPIRING.

I STILL THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST WAYS THAT WE COULD INVEST OUR MONEY IN OUR PARKS.

PEOPLE ARE GOING BACK TO THE PARKS AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A KUDOS TO MICHAEL AND HIS TEAM THAT THEY'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.

I THINK IF YOU WALK INTO THE PARKS NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE THE COMPLAINTS THEY HAD ABOUT HOW THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

WELL, THAT'S CHANGING.

THEY'VE GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH TAKING CARE OF THE TURF AND TAKING CARE OF THE WEEDS AND TAKING CARE OF THE EQUIPMENT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S A REAL KUDOS TO THE PARKS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE NEXT THING THAT'S GOING ON IS THAT WE APPROVED THE ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING AND BASICALLY, ARE THEY ALREADY FINISHED WITH MARTIN ROAD? I HATE TO. I'M GOING TO MAKE HIM COME UP.

WE'RE GETTING ALREADY CLOSE TO HAVING MARTIN ROAD COMPLETELY FINISHED.

YEAH, WELL, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT WHEN WE GET TO THE LEASE ITEM AS WELL.

BUT MARTIN ROAD, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ARE ACTUALLY STANDING VERTICAL.

THEY'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE PANEL AND THE CONCRETE PAD AND THE ENCLOSURE AROUND IT.

WE EXPECT THE LIGHTS AT MARTIN ROAD WILL BE DONE BY THE END OF FEBRUARY.

SO AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON THAT ONE FOR SURE.

SO GOOD NEWS.

YEAH, IT'S GREAT NEWS.

AND THE WAY THAT THEY'RE HANDLING GETTING IT GOING FOR ALL OF THOSE FIELDS, I THINK IT'S AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER THING THAT REALLY ADDRESSES QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE ABILITY FOR THINGS FOR OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO DO DURING THE SUMMER AND AND FOR THAT MATTER, OUR GROWN KIDS THAT ARE THERE PLAYING AT THE PARK. SO I THINK THAT PARKS HAS DONE AN EXTREMELY GREAT JOB, EXTREMELY GREAT JOB.

SO THAT'S ALL THAT I'VE GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT UPDATE.

THANK YOU, EDDY. WE APPRECIATE THAT.

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

MAYOR I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A FUTURE ITEM, AND THAT IS AN UPDATE ON BUILDING SAFETY TO SEE KIND OF WHERE WE STAND AFTER A YEAR, YOU KNOW, FROM A YEAR AGO LAST YEAR FOR THE PROCESSES AND, YOU KNOW, THE SOFTWARE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

AND I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH A FEW QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE AS WELL.

OKAY. GOT THAT, JARED? YES, MA'AM. ANYBODY ELSE.

[2. CONSENT ITEMS]

ANYTHING THERE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

HEARING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES, MAYOR, WE DO.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED SAME SIGN THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE VOTE.

DOES ANYBODY NEED A BREAK? I THINK IT'LL TAKE US ABOUT 45 MINUTES MAYBE TO GET THROUGH THE NEXT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.

LET'S TAKE A BREAK.

A QUICK 5 MINUTES AND COME BACK.

ORDER AND DO OUR NON CONSENT ITEM, STARTING WITH ITEM THREE A CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 131233.

[3.A. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 01-31.23.3]

WELCOME, EMILY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION AND IT TYPICALLY WOULD BE ON CONSENT, BUT WE'VE PLACED IT ON NON CONSENT BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE BNPC OR THE BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COMMITTEE.

AND ALSO, WE'D LIKE TO REQUEST A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY TOO AS PART OF THIS.

SO THE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM, AS YOU KNOW, ITS NEW COUNCIL ADOPTED IT IN AUGUST OF 2022 AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE RUNNING TRANSPARENT NONPROFITS THAT FAIRLY REPRESENT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS. AND IT'S INTENDED TO ENSURE A MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN GOALS BY BOTH THE CITY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS.

THE BARRIOS PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN 2018, AND I JUST WANTED TO LIST SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE THEN.

SO THEY'VE COMPLETED THE BARRIO HISTORY BOOK AND MAP, THE SOUTHEAST 10TH AVENUE UNDERPASS, MURAL AND LIGHTING THE [INAUDIBLE]

[01:45:01]

WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE SOUTHEAST 10TH AVENUE STREETSCAPE PROJECT, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT A $5 TO $6 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO SOUTHEAST 10TH AVENUE.

THEY DID THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP GRANT CALLED BEAUTIFY THE BARRIO, WHERE THEY PURCHASED POWER WASHERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT AND PAID RESIDENTS TO BEAUTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY'VE DONE THE STREET SIGN TOPPERS, THE WELCOME SIGNS, AND ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING ON CREATING A NEW PUBLIC PLAZA THAT SHOULD COORDINATE WITH THE NEW STREETSCAPE.

WE HAVE WITH US HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE BNPC IS BECKY HANDSOME IS LAURIE ROYBAL AND MR. DAVID ROSAS.

MR. ROBERT RUIZ WAS HERE AS WELL, BUT HAD TO DEPART.

AND YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHERE THERESA KENNEDY IS.

SHE HAD AN INJURY.

I THINK THAT SHE'S BROKEN HER WRIST OR HER ARM, AND THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD KEEP HER FROM BEING HERE.

SO WE WISH HER A SPEEDY RECOVERY.

SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'D LIKE TO ASK THE BNPC REPS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING OR IF NOT, JUST COME FORWARD.

DEFINITELY. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU GUYS AND WE WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.

LIKE I SAID, ROBERT WAS HERE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

HE WORKS AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT.

HE'S A FRIEND OF A GUY THAT TAKES YOU TO THE JUDGE THAT YOU GUYS GIVE TO THE COMMITTEE.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY? OK. COME UP. LET'S COME AND STAND IN FRONT OF THE DAIS AND GET A PICTURE.

SO AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO RESOLUTION 131233? YES, MAYOR WE DO. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 01-24-23-3 RECOGNIZING THE BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COMMITTEE OR BNPC AS THE RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR THE BARRIO NEIGHBORHOOD.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 0131233.

ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED.

THAT MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

ITEM THREE B IS TO CONSIDER THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT FOR THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PAYMENTUS SOLUTION AND UTILITY BILLING

[3.B. CONSIDER AWARD - CONTRACT FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PAYMENTUS SOLUTION AND UTILITY BILLING CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM SELECTION:]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE TOOL, AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR ANYBODY THAT PAYS BILLS WITH THE CITY.

MATT POSTON DIRECTOR OF FINANCE WILL WALK US THROUGH THE ITEM ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH BARRY DUNN FOR TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS. ONE IS FOR A UTILITY BILLING CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM SELECTION, AND THAT'S NOT TO EXCEED $104,500.

AND THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR NEW ONLINE CUSTOMER FACING PAYMENT PORTAL, WHICH IS PAYMENT IS THAT YOU ALL HAD AWARDED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THAT'S NOT TO EXCEED $364,938 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $469,438 THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IMPROVEMENT. WE KNOW WE'VE KIND OF FALLEN BEHIND IN THE PAST AND SOME OF OUR UTILITY BILLING IN OUR PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR OUR CITIZENS.

[01:50:05]

WE WANT TO CONTRACT WITH BARRY DUNN.

THEY HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY.

THEY'VE HELPED US WITH OUR ERP PROJECT THAT'S CURRENTLY IN PROCESS AND THEY ALSO HAVE SERVED, HAVE WORKED ON A LOT OF THESE SIMILAR PROJECTS TO THIS, AND THEY SERVE AS AN ADVOCATE BETWEEN US AND THE SOFTWARE COMPANY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE NEED OUT OF THE CONTRACTS.

SO ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MATT. WE KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT TO CUSTOMERS, AND WE JUST WANTED TO PRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HEAR THAT EXPLANATION FROM YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GETTING AND PAYING FOR IN THAT CONTRACT.

WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM.

YES, MAYOR, WE DO.

I MOVE TO AWARD A CONTRACT FOR FULL PROJECT MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW ONLINE CUSTOMER FACING PAYMENT PORTAL PAYMENTUS AND FOR ASSISTANCE AND EVALUATION AND SYSTEM SELECTION FOR A NEW UTILITY BILLING SOFTWARE SYSTEM TO BARRY DUNN IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $469,438.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO AWARD THIS CONTRACT.

ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

[3.C. CONSIDER APPROVAL - LEASE OF RICK KLEIN BASEBALL COMPLEX AND THE SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL COMPLEX IN JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL PARK:]

SOFTBALL COMPLEX IN JOHN SMITH MEMORIAL PARK.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, WE HAVE PARKS DIRECTOR MICHAEL KASHUBA ALONG WITH INTERESTED AND CONCERNED CITIZENS TO PRESENT ON THIS ITEM AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.

PARK OR MICHAEL PARKS.

MICHAEL KASHUBA DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.

OOPS, WRONG DIRECTION.

SO WHY WHY DOES A LEASE WORK IN THIS? IN THIS CASE, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK IN ALL CITIES, BUT I THINK IN AMARILLO IT WORKS WELL.

OUR ATHLETIC POLICY REALLY GOVERNS THAT WE HAVE ONE RECOGNIZED USER GROUP PER SPORT.

SO WE'VE GOT ONE GROUP THAT DOES BASEBALL.

WE'VE GOT ONE GROUP THAT REALLY DOES SOFTBALL.

MOST CITIES HAVE MULTIPLE ASSOCIATIONS, AND SO THAT WOULD MAKE A LEASE A MUCH MORE CHALLENGING.

HERE WE'VE GOT ONE RECOGNIZED USER GROUP PER SPORT.

THE FOUNDATION AND WHEN I SAY THE FOUNDATION, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION.

AND REALLY WHAT THAT FOUNDATION ENCOMPASSES IS WEST TEXAS BASEBALL, WEST TEXAS FAST PITCH, WHICH USED TO BE HIGH PLAINS, ROTARY BASEBALL AND ALSO CANYON BASEBALL. SO THAT'S THE FOUR ENTITIES THAT MAKE UP THAT FOUNDATION.

WEST TEXAS BASEBALL HAS ALREADY MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AT AT RICK KLEIN.

AND I'LL SHOW A COUPLE OF PICTURES HERE IN A MINUTE.

WE ESTIMATE OVER $100,000 OF IMPROVEMENT AT RICK KLEIN.

THEY DO ALSO HAVE SOME FUTURE CAPITAL GOALS IN TERMS OF MAKING SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S ADDITIONAL PRACTICE FIELDS OR POTENTIALLY ARTIFICIAL TURF ON SOME OF THE FIELDS.

HERE'S A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OUT AT RICK KLEIN.

SO THIS IS A LARGER OVERHEAD SHELTER THAT GOVERNS KIND OF THE MAIN GATHERING SPACE.

AND THEN WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE GONE IN AND PUT IN SOME OF THE SHADE COVERS OVER A LOT OF THE BLEACHER AREAS.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS ALREADY DONE AND WANTS TO CONTINUE WITH.

THE OTHER BENEFIT IS IT ALLOWS CITY STAFF TO REALLOCATE RESOURCES TO OTHER FACILITIES TO CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.

SO WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY WORK ON SOUTH EAST MARTIN ROAD, RICK KLEIN, JSM SOCCER FIELDS, EL ALAMO, RIVER ROAD.

WE CURRENTLY ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE TURF QUALITY NOT ONLY IN ALL OF OUR PARKS, BUT SPECIFICALLY AT OUR ATHLETIC FIELDS.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ARE THE ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING.

THIS WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL BACK IN OCTOBER.

AGAIN, THE AWARD AMOUNT WAS $7.5.

IT COVERS ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS LISTED ABOVE.

AND AS WE MENTIONED, WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

SO HERE'S A COUPLE OF PICTURES JUST BRIEFLY OF WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE LOOKING LIKE.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST LIGHT POLE TO GO UP AT MARTIN ROAD.

SO THAT'S A PICTURE OF IT ON THE GROUND.

BUT THEN YOU'VE ALSO GOT THE FIRST LIGHT GOING UP.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF MARTIN ROAD.

YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE POLES ARE UP.

THE AREA THERE, RIGHT IN THE FRONT IS WHERE THE ELECTRICAL WORK IS BEING DONE.

SO THAT'S REALLY THE REMAINDER.

A BIG PORTION OF THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT IS EXCEL COMING IN AND TYING IN THEIR ELECTRICAL, PUTTING IN THE CONCRETE, THE PANELS AND KIND OF THE SCREEN WALL. WHEN THAT'S DONE, WE'LL BE CLOSE TO HAVING THAT OPEN PROBABLY THE END OF FEBRUARY.

SO IT'S EXCITING. YOU CAN GO OUT THERE, THE POLES AREN'T LEANING, THEY'RE NOT SWAYING IN THE WIND LIKE THEY WERE WITH THE OLD WOODEN POLES.

SO THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ARE HERE AT RICK KLEIN IS THE AREA THAT'S DEFINED BY THE PERIMETER FENCE.

[01:55:02]

THERE ALSO IS AN OPTION FOR THEM TO EXPAND POTENTIALLY INTO THAT RED AREA, SPECIFICALLY THINGS LIKE PRACTICE FIELDS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS A CITY WE ARE DEFICIENT ON.

WHEN THE EAST GATEWAY [INAUDIBLE] DID THEIR STUDY ON FIELDS, WE ARE OVER.

WE HAVE TOO MANY SOCCER FIELDS, BUT NOT ENOUGH BASEBALL SOFTBALL.

SO PRACTICE FACILITIES ARE ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.

AND SO THAT AREA PROVIDES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL PRACTICE FIELDS.

AND THEN AT JOHN STIFF, IT WOULD AGAIN BE KIND OF THOSE AREAS DEFINED BY THE PERIMETER FENCING AT THAT FACILITY.

SO JUST SOME OF THE HIGH LEVEL, WHAT THE AGREEMENT LOOKED LIKE.

IT'S A TEN YEAR AGREEMENT.

AND ESSENTIALLY THE FOUNDATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL OPERATION OF THAT FACILITY.

SO THE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE, THE FIELD PREPARATIONS, THE TRASH PICKUP CONCESSION STAND RESTROOM AREAS, SPONSORSHIP, SO THEY CAN GET SPONSORSHIPS FOR THE FIELDS AND SCOREBOARDS.

THAT'S NOT NAMING RIGHTS.

THAT'S JUST THE ABILITY TO GET SPONSORS FOR THOSE THOSE AMENITIES.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, OPERATION OF THE CONCESSION, WHAT THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ARE THOSE MAJOR REPAIRS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE DONE WELL AND DONE RIGHT.

WE WOULD BE PROVIDING THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE TO MAINTAIN THOSE FIELDS RIGHT NOW.

WE WOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE PLAYGROUND AND SURFACING THAT ARE IN THE FACILITY.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD WORK WITH THE ASSOCIATION OR THE FOUNDATION TO APPROVE ANY FUTURE CAPITAL EXPANSIONS OR IMPROVEMENTS AT THAT FACILITY.

WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO JASON HERRICK, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION.

LET HIM SAY A FEW WORDS, BUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

CAN I MAKE A COMMENT WHILE IT COMES UP? SURE. SO THE COMMENT THAT I WOULD MAKE IS IF YOU HAD A THOUGHT FIVE YEARS AGO THAT ALL OF THESE ENTITIES WOULD HAVE COME TOGETHER AND FORMED A SPORTS FOUNDATION. THAT IN ITSELF IS PRETTY MIRACULOUS, WHICH IS FOR THEM TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

AS FAR AS YOUTH SPORTS AND AMARILLO THAT ALL THAT DOES IS IN AND PRECEDING JASON GETTING UP AND SAYING ANYTHING IS THAT'S THAT TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PEOPLE, THE RESIDENTS OF AMARILLO AND THAT WHENEVER THEY SEE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE AND WE PITCH IN TOGETHER AND WE CAN MAKE SOMETHING SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER, THEN THEY END UP DOING THAT.

AND SO, JASON, HATS OFF TO YOU GUYS PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER.

I THINK IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE THAT EVERYBODY DECIDED THEY WANTED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE AND MAKE THIS THING MOVE FORWARD.

GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE TIME.

I'M JUST GOING TO QUICKLY TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

I'M NOT THE PRESIDENT, BY THE WAY.

I'M JUST ON THE BOARD.

I DON'T WANT ANOTHER PRESIDENCY ON THE BOARD.

BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

SO THE THE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION TO TO DR.

SOWERS POINT, OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD WEST TEXAS BASEBALL, WHICH IS A CLUB ORIENTED PROGRAM.

WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON OUR DRAFT PROGRAM, WHICH HAS THE THE ROTARY PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN HERE IN TOWN FOR A LOT OF YEARS.

AND ALSO CANYON'S DRAFT PROGRAM THAT THEY RUN.

WE BROUGHT ALL OF THAT UNDER OUR OWN UMBRELLA AND HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON GROWING OUR DRAFT PROGRAM.

AND WHY DO WE DO THAT? THERE'S JUST NOT KIDS RIGHT NOW.

I THINK I'M GOING TO SPEAK A LITTLE OPINION HERE, BUT THEY'RE GETTING PUSHED TOO EARLY INTO CLUB PROGRAMS, AND CLUB PROGRAMS ARE JUST NOT RIGHT FOR EVERYBODY.

IT'S EXPENSIVE.

YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL TO GO DO THOSE THINGS.

AND WE NEED WE AS A FOUNDATION HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING THESE SPORTS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY IN AMARILLO AND CANYON.

AND THE DRAFT PROGRAM ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND NOT FEEL PARENTS DON'T HAVE TO FEEL THE PRESSURE OF HAVING TO GO FIND A CLUB TEAM OR SOMETHING.

IN THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE ADDED THE HIGH PLAINS FAST PITCH GROUP, NOW WEST TEXAS FASTPITCH GROUP, AND WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE SAME PROGRAM FOR SOFTBALL.

SO SOFTBALL ONLY HAD THE CLUB LEVEL PIECE.

WE'RE NOW THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE FIVE AND SIX YEAR OLD DRAFT PROGRAM FOR SOFTBALL.

AND I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST SINGLE GROWTH AREA, FRANKLY, IS WATCHING THESE YOUNG LADIES REALLY GROW IN THE SOFTBALL SIDE.

SO WE'RE OFFERING THE SAME TYPE OF DRAFT PROGRAM THAT WE'VE DONE VERY SUCCESSFULLY, I THINK, WITH THE BOYS BRINGING THAT OVER TO THE SOFTBALL SIDE AND REALLY EXCITED WHAT THAT MEANS. BUT THAT ALSO MEANS YOU NEED FIELDS AND YOU NEED PLACES TO GO PLAY AND DO ALL THOSE THINGS.

WE HAVE ABOUT 3,500 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR PROGRAM, SO IT'S A IT'S NOT A SMALL PROGRAM.

WE ARE WE ARE A BASEBALL SOFTBALL TOWN, BY THE WAY.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS IN OUR PROGRAM.

AND JUST FOR THE BACKDROP, WE HAVE ALWAYS RENTED FIELDS.

[02:00:03]

SO WE HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY RENTING THE FIELDS.

THIS JUST ALLOWS US TO MORE REALLY FROM A FROM A BOARD STANDPOINT, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ASSETS THAT ARE OUT HERE AND REALLY TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM.

AND THIS THIS ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND HAVE SOME ASSURANCE ABOUT WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO.

SO IT REALLY HELPS US ON THE SIDE OF BEING ABLE TO GO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE CAPITAL PROGRAMS. AND THEN FRANKLY, AS WE'RE JUST KIND OF MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THIS JUST ALLOWS THE MAIN USER GROUP TO KIND OF BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THE MAINTENANCE AND THE EFFORTS OF THOSE. AND THAT'S KIND OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT? THAT'S CHALKING THE FIELDS BEFORE GAMES.

THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT WAS INCLUDED WITHIN THE RENTAL FEE.

WE REALLY START TO TAKE OVER.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT MODEL.

WE HAVE SEEN IT WORK IN SOME OTHER CITIES, BUT AMARILLO WAS UNIQUE TO TO Y'ALL'S POINT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK TO GET LOTS, LOTS OF CITIES AND LUBBOCK IS AN EXAMPLE OF THEM HAVE REALLY FRACTURED THEIR PROGRAMS AND SO YOU'VE GOT ONE PARK IS RUN BY ONE GROUP AND ONE PARKS RUN BY ANOTHER GROUP.

THIS REALLY ALLOWS US TO, I THINK, BEST MANAGE THE ASSETS THAT ARE OUT THERE, MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO MORE KIDS IN THE AMARILLO CANYON AREA.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND AND HOPEFULLY MAKE THIS A A REALLY COUPLE OF AREAS THAT WE CAN BE REALLY PROUD OF.

SO QUESTIONS FOR MICHAEL OR JASON? HOWARD. GOT A QUESTION.

THE COMPANY THAT PUT THE LIGHT POLES UP, DID THEY SAY WHAT WIND VELOCITY THEY CAN HANDLE? THEY CAN. THEY CAN HANDLE THE WINDS HERE.

THAT'S PART OF THE ENGINEERING THAT WE REQUIRED THEM TO PROVIDE WAS THAT THEY COULD MEET ALL OF THE WIND CODES IN THE AREA.

OKAY. AND TO THAT NOTE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ASKED THE MOSCOW THE VENDOR TO DO IS ACTUALLY DELAY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LIGHTS FOR JOHN STIFF SOUTHWEST, BECAUSE THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO HAPPEN THIS FALL, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT ASSOCIATION WOULDN'T HAVE LIGHTS ALL FALL.

SO WE'VE ASKED THEM TO SLIDE TO THE WINTER, SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO STILL HAVE LIGHTS FOR THE FALL SEASON AND THEN WE'LL SHIFT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WINTER IN THIS WINTER COMING UP. I WENT AND SAW THE INSTALLATION OF THE FIRST POLES AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH OF THE PIER, THE ANCHOR, THE CONCRETE POST GOES DOWN INTO THE GROUND, I MEAN, 16 FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEN IT'S GOT MAYBE EIGHT FEET STICKING UP ABOVE THAT SLEEVES INSIDE THIS LARGE HUGE ALUMINUM POLE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE STAGGERINGLY STURDY LOOKING.

WE COULD JUST SET UP A LITTLE TOUR LIKE NIGHTTIME.

I WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

I WANT TO SEE HOW EASY IT IS TO TURN THEM ON AND OFF.

I JUST KIND OF WANT TO SEE THEM ACTUALLY IN THE GROUND AND WORKING.

BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR ANYBODY ELSE TO JOIN ON THAT.

QUESTIONS ON THIS END OF THE DAIS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST A STATEMENT.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND IT'S ACTUALLY A WIN WIN.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PARK REVENUE FUNDS TO, YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE TO MAINTENANCE AND KEEP OUR PARKS UP TO DATE.

BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS GREAT.

AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY AS A WHOLE IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IT TOO.

YEAH. APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, SO I APPRECIATE THE SCHEMATICS SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT FIELDS ARE BEING USED.

JUST A CITIZEN IS GOING TO ASK US WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR LIMITING ACCESS TO THE TO THOSE FIELDS? SO LIKE, ARE YOU ALL GOING TO FENCE THEM DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY'RE FENCED NOW OR.

WELL, MOST OF BOTH OF THOSE COMPLEXES ARE CURRENTLY FENCED AND THEY ARE THE PRIMARY USER GROUP RIGHT NOW.

SO RICK KLEIN THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES USING THAT FACILITY.

SO THERE'S REALLY NO CHANGE THERE.

IT'S A SECURED FACILITY AT JOHN STIFF.

IT'S THE SAME THING. IT IS FENCED.

TYPICALLY ROTARY AND HIGH PLAINS, WHICH IS WEST TEXAS FASTPITCH, WHERE AT MARTIN ROAD, BOTH OF THOSE WILL MOVE TO SOUTHWEST.

AND SO IT'LL BE ALMOST THE EXACT SAME AS IT WAS AT MARTIN ROAD.

JUST HAPPENS TO BE AT SOUTHWEST NOW.

SO AGAIN, IT'LL BE A CONTROLLED FACILITY.

OKAY. AND I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY YOU SAID IT ALREADY THAT THE CITY ONLY OPERATES WITH ONE ORGANIZATION AT A TIME.

SO IN EFFECT, THEY HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE SCHEDULING RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY DEFINITELY, UNDER THE LEASE, WILL HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE SCHEDULING AND THE USE OF THOSE FIELDS.

THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S A TEN YEAR AGREEMENT.

DOES IT HAVE SOME AUTOMATIC EXTENSIONS BUILT IN? I BELIEVE WE DO.

I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS AUTOMATICALLY IT JUST THAT JUST MAKES MY POINT.

[02:05:02]

AND THEY IN THE PAST WE'VE STRUGGLED TO HAVE FIELDS OPERATED BY NONPROFITS.

THOSE AREN'T STILL HERE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT INVESTED IN THEM HEAVILY.

SO I LOVE THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE STABILITY TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO DONATE TO THESE YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS.

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A $10,000 DONATION AND SEE THAT IT'S IMPROVING THE FIELDS, I THINK IT MARRIES REALLY WELL BECAUSE THESE CITY FIELDS ARE NOT GOING AWAY. YES, WE'RE DOING THE LEASE AGREEMENT.

WE'RE DOING A LONG TERM LEASE AGREEMENT.

BUT EVEN AT THE END, IF THAT AGREEMENT EVER ENDED, THERE'S STILL A CITY FIELD THERE.

AND SO WHATEVER YOU INVESTED INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THOSE FIELDS, I THINK AS A DONOR, YOU CAN HAVE SOME ASSURANCE THIS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE THERE.

IT'S GOING TO GET PLAYED ON.

WE'RE GOING TO WEAR THIS OUT.

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DONATE AND INVEST IN, WE'RE GOING TO USE IT.

SO, MAYOR, THAT THAT AUTOMATIC RENEWAL IS LIKE A SINGLE FIVE YEAR RENEWAL IF BOTH PARTIES ARE IN AGREEMENT.

AND I THINK THERE'S A 90 DAY WINDOW IN THERE TOO.

AND I WOULD SAY I THINK THAT THE FIELDS WILL ACTUALLY BE MUCH MORE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.

AGAIN, THERE'S LIMITATIONS ON WHAT CITY RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, SO THEY'RE LOCKED UP A WHOLE LOT OF THE TIME.

OUR INTENTION REALLY IS TO USE THE TAR OUT OF THESE THINGS.

SO WE'LL HAVE WE'LL HAVE I MEAN, WHEN WE'RE NOT PLAYING GAMES OUT THERE, WHICH IS MOST NIGHTS, MOST NIGHTS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PRACTICES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AVAILABLE AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO TO BOOK AND GO THROUGH THE THROUGH THE FOUNDATION.

SO I ACTUALLY I REALLY DO BELIEVE THESE FIELDS ARE GOING TO BE EVEN MORE MORE THEY'RE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE USE OUT OF THEM ULTIMATELY.

AND I DID WANT TO ALSO ADD, BECAUSE I THINK BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER PROJECT GOING ON WITH KIDS INC RIGHT NOW WITH THEIR FIELDS, WE'RE 100% SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO USE THEIR FIELDS TOO, BY THE WAY, AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE, BY THE WAY, USE THOMPSON AND WE'RE GOING USE EVERY FIELD IN CANYON AND WE'RE GOING TO USE EVERY WE'RE GOING TO USE MARTIN ROADS WHEN WE CAN.

SO SO ALL THOSE THINGS ARE STILL WE'RE USING THEM ALL.

AND WE'RE WE'RE MAKING AS A FOUNDATION A DONATION TO THE KIDS INC PROJECT.

WE'RE 100% SUPPORTIVE OF THEM GOING FORWARD.

THAT'S HOW POPULAR AND BIG THAT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL IS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND WE NEED EVERY BIT THAT WE CAN GET SO THESE THESE WILL BE FIELDS OUT THERE, BUT THERE ARE STILL GOING TO BE A LOT.

WE STILL WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO NEED TO INVEST AS A COMMUNITY AND YOUTH FIELDS.

JASON, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE FOUNDATION, HOW COULD THEY FIND OUT INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO THAT? WE HAVE OUR WEBSITE SET UP AND IT'S TEXASTYPSF.ORG SO YOU CAN MAKE DONATIONS DIRECTLY ON THAT SITE.

AND AND WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING OUT WITH A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ACCESS BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE FIELDS AND THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON OVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE WEEKS.

SO AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL OF ALL OF THIS IN THIS AGREEMENT, THERE'S ALSO THE CITY WILL FROM TIME TO TIME BE INSPECTING THE FIELDS, MAKING SURE THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

SO THIS ISN'T A CARTE BLANCHE.

LET THEM HAVE IT AND THEY RUN CRAZY WITH IT AND THEY HAND IT BACK TO THE CITY AND IT LOOKS LIKE A TRAIN WRECK.

THERE'S ACTUALLY INCENTIVE SET IN THERE SO THAT BASICALLY THE CITY WILL LOOK AT IT ON A TIMELY BASIS AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF. SO FOR THOSE THAT WOULD BE EVEN HALFWAY SKEPTICAL OF HOW THIS IS WORKING, ALL THOSE BASES HAVE BEEN COVERED.

OKAY, GREAT.

YOU KNOW, IN 2021, WE ASKED VOTERS TO INVEST IN OUR PARKS AND THEY SAID NO.

WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR WERE WAS THE ABILITY TO TURF THOSE FIELDS, IMPROVE THEM, TO DO NEW LIGHTING, TO DO COVERED BLEACHERS, TO IMPROVE THE VENDING AND CONCESSION AREAS, TO IMPROVE THE BATHROOM AREAS WHICH ARE ATROCIOUS AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR PARKS.

AND SO VOTERS SAID NO.

AND I'M STILL VERY, VERY SAD THAT AS A CITY WE DID NOT SUPPORT THAT INVESTMENT.

BUT I SEE THIS AS TAKING LEMONS AND MAKING LEMONADE OUT OF IT.

AND THE POINT WAS THAT ELECTION DID BRING TOGETHER THESE YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS AND PARENTS BEGIN TALKING.

AND THE FACT THAT VOTERS DIDN'T SUPPORT THE CHANGES THAT NEEDED TO BE FUNDED JUST KIND OF LIT A FIRE UNDER SOME PARENTS AND SAID, WELL, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT.

AND THE RESULT IS THIS AND YOU GUYS DOING IT.

SO I'M SAD THAT WE CAN'T FROM CITY COUNCIL, INVEST MORE IN THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S SO IMPORTANT

[02:10:03]

SO I SEE IT AS AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT.

AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FOUNDATION FOR STEPPING UP AND MAKING THE INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR KIDS.

IT'S A HUGE IMPACT FOR US, SO I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THAT MESSAGE BACK JASON, TO THE FOUNDATION AND LET'S LOOK FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE PARTNERING TOGETHER AND SUPPORTING Y'ALL'S MISSION.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, COUNCIL? DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM, THEN? YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION TO LEASE RICK KLEIN BASEBALL COMPLEX AND SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL COMPLEX AND JOHN SMITH MEMORIAL PARK FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF TEN YEARS WITH ONE AUTOMATIC OPTION TO RENEW FOR AN ADDITIONAL FIVE YEAR TERM.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE LEASE.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSE SAME SIGN THE MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE OK.

[3.D. CONSIDER APPROVAL - CONTRACT FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR HODGETOWN TO MEET THE CURRENT STANDARDS SET BY MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL (M.L.B.)]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ALL RIGHT, MAYBE WE'VE GOT DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES JERRY DANFORTH TO PRESENT THE ITEM.

THIS HAS TO DO WITH STAYING CURRENT WITH DESIGN STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN MODIFIED OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS.

JERRY. YES.

REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH MLB MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NO LONGER CONTROLS.

SO NOW WE'RE DOING DEALING DIRECTLY WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

THEY HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.

IF WE DON'T MEET THOSE STANDARDS, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL OUR TEAM FROM OUR FIELD BASICALLY WHEN IT BOILS DOWN.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS SELECTING POPULUS, THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS FOR THE PROJECT.

SO WE HAVE A CONTINUITY OF SERVICE ON THIS GOING FORWARD AND WE CAN EXPEDITE IT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM STARTING WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

ACTUALLY, THEY ALREADY HAVE STARTED WORK ON THIS.

ONCE WE GET THAT DONE, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT CONSTRUCTION IN THOSE MODIFICATIONS HAPPENING AT THE END OF THE BASEBALL SEASON THIS YEAR.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GOT.

QUESTIONS. MR. STANLEY.

YES, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

MR. DANFORTH, DID THEY GIVE YOU AN EXPECTED TOTAL COST FOR THE PROJECT? YES. WE'RE LOOKING AT $525,000, AND THAT FUNDING FOR THAT IS ACTUALLY COMING OUT OF THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND THAT IS SET ASIDE OUT OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE BASEBALL TEAM.

SO THE INITIAL COST THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR POPULOUS WOULD ACTUALLY BE FUNDED OUT OF THAT RESERVE FUND.

SO I MAY BE MISUNDERSTANDING THIS.

I THOUGHT THE $525 WAS FOR ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING DESIGN FEES.

THAT'S IT. IS THAT AND AS WELL AS NEGOTIATION WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

SO SO I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT.

DO WE HAVE A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE? A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF THE CONSTRUCTION? WE'RE LOOKING AT $4 MILLION FOR THAT.

OF COURSE, UNTIL THE DESIGN IS DONE.

I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SOLID NUMBER, BUT THEY WILL DESIGN TO THAT LEVEL.

OKAY. AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S REQUIRED.

SO I'M NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR IN OR OUT AS MUCH AS JUST KIND OF THE PATH FORWARD.

SO $4 MILLION AND WE HAVE ROUGHLY $900,000 IN THE ACCOUNT THAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

CORRECT. SO THAT LEAVES US WITH $3 MILLION PLUS THAT WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF.

DO WE HAVE A PLAN ON WHERE THAT COMES FROM AND IS IT SET ASIDE IN A BUDGET? YES, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A PLAN SET ASIDE.

I'D LET LAURA STORRS ANSWER THAT IS AS FAR AS THAT FUNDING MECHANISM, BE GREAT.

THANK YOU, SIR. SO A FEW COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO, WE BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME UPCOMING DEBT ISSUANCES.

ONE OF THOSE WAS AN ADDITIONAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE, BOND ISSUANCE.

ORIGINALLY WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT $3 AND HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO GO INTO THE PROJECT FUND TO TO MAKE ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH MLB'S STANDARDS.

THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE CHANGE THAT CAME FORWARD.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME NETTING.

WE'RE LOOKING AT NEEDING ABOUT $4 MILLION IN THE PROJECT FUND.

WE ARE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO BRING THAT DEBT ISSUANCE TO CITY COUNCIL.

AT THIS POINT, WE'RE LOOKING AT FEBRUARY 21ST.

[02:15:01]

TIME PASSES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING SO MUCH FUN.

SO LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE BROUGHT SOME DEBT ISSUANCES BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS LATE CHANGE IN THE MLB STANDARDS RELATED TO THE NETTING AND THE FOUL ZONES.

WE DECIDED TO HOLD ON THAT DEBT ISSUANCE UNTIL WE GOT A BETTER NUMBER AND WE THOUGHT WE'D BRING THAT ONE SEPARATELY GOING FORWARD.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS BRING THAT GOING FORWARD.

WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH THE TEAM AS WELL ON HOW TO FUND THAT DEBT ISSUANCE.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS MODIFYING THE ANNUAL LEASE THAT WE HAVE WITH THE BASEBALL TEAM.

PART OF THE COST, I'M SORRY, PART OF THE LEASE THAT WAS GOING INTO THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT.

PART OF THAT WILL GO TO PAY THIS UPCOMING DEBT ISSUANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADDITIONAL DEBT, ALONG WITH SOME HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DOLLARS.

SO THEY THAT'S THE PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCE FOR THIS DEBT ISSUANCE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING MORE INFORMATION, AS I MENTIONED, ON FEBRUARY 21ST, LOOKING TO DO A DEBT ISSUANCE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

SO THAT'S THAT'S HOW WE'RE PROPOSING TO FUND ALL OF THIS.

BUT THE A&E COST THAT JERRY'S GOING OVER WILL COME OUT OF THAT CASH THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON HAND.

OKAY. DOES THAT HELP? IT DOES. SO HOT TAX REVENUE BOND.

THAT IS CORRECT. SUPPORTED BY HOT TAX REVENUE THAT YOU HAVE, PLUS ADDITIONAL LEASE DOLLARS PAID THROUGH THE EXISTING LEASE DOLLARS THAT WILL BE SHIFTED FROM THAT CAPITAL ACCOUNT ANNUALLY.

INSTEAD, IT'LL GO TOWARDS THIS DEBT ISSUANCE AND THE TEAM WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

THEY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THIS IS A LARGE UNANTICIPATED EXPENDITURE ON A PRETTY NEW FACILITY.

BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO KEEP IT IN COMPLIANCE WITH MLB'S STANDARDS.

RIGHT. THANK YOU, MRS. STORRS. THANK YOU, JERRY.

APPRECIATE IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM? YES, MAYOR I MOVED TO APPROVE A CONTRACT FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES RELATED TO RENOVATIONS AT HODGETOWN TO TO POPULUS FOR AN AMOUNT OF $525,000. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH REGARD TO HODGETOWN.

ANY QUESTIONS OR FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSE SAME SIGN.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO READ OUR DISMISSAL LANGUAGE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON JANUARY 31ST, 2023, AT 3:35 P.M..

UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY, SECTION 551.087 DISCUSS COMMERCIAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR A LOCATION OR RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOR INCENTIVES THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE SAME.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'RE ADJOURNED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.