Apr 11, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting

[1. Call to Order]

[00:00:05]

1:00 SO THANK YOU FOR BEING AT OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL.

HERE TO START OUR MEETING TODAY IS REVEREND VERNON CONNER TO DO OUR INVOCATION, REVEREND.

THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. LET US PRAY.

FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS DAY.

WE COME TO YOU, DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, AND THE MOST HUMBLEST MANNER THAT WE KNOW HOW, RENDERING OUR PRAISES AS WELL AS OUR THANKSGIVING UNTO THEE.

KNOWING, DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED.

WE THANK YOU, DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, FOR GRACING US WITH ANOTHER DAY AS YOU SOUGHT TO GIVE FIT, TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN HERE TOGETHER FOR THIS QUORUM.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR EACH AND EVERY LEADER.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT'S IN THIS ROOM, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OFFICIALS.

WE THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR.

WE THANK YOU, DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE SPREAD ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

THANK YOU FOR OUR PRESIDENT, FIRST LADY, AND AS WELL AS OUR VICE PRESIDENT.

DEAR FATHER, WE THANK YOU, DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, FOR THE LEADERS THAT ARE IN OFFICE, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR ELECTION THAT'S COMING UP.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PRAY.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE BE RENDERED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM THAT WE MIGHT LEAD THIS CITY.

LEAD THIS STATE.

LEAD [INAUDIBLE].

GIVE YOU ALL THE PRAISE AS WELL AS ALL THE GLORY.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS DAY.

HAVE YOUR WAY. NOT OUR WILL, BUT THAT YOUR WILL MIGHT BE DONE.

IT'S IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY.

THANK YOU, LORD.

AMEN AND AMEN.

STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[3. Proclamations]

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION.

I'VE BEEN A REALTOR FOR 43 YEARS, SO THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME, IT HAS BEEN FOR 43 YEARS.

LET ME READ THIS.

WELL, LET ME GET SOME REALTORS UP HERE FIRST.

COME ON UP HERE [APPLAUSE].

WE GOT 2 OF 1000 HERE AND COME ON OVER HERE.

WHEREAS THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, ENACTED ON APRIL 11TH, 1968, ENSHRINED INTO FEDERAL LAW THE GOAL OF ELIMINATING RACIAL SEGREGATION AND ENDING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND WHEREAS, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING PRACTICES IN THE SALE, RENTAL AND FINANCING OF DWELLINGS BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY OR FAMILIAL STATUS.

AND WHEREAS, THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS IS COMMITTED TO THE MISSION AND INTENT OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT TO PROVIDE FAIR AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.

AND WHEREAS, OUR SOCIAL FABRIC, THE ECONOMY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT ARE STRENGTHENED IN DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.

AND WHEREAS, THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS BELIEVES ACTS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND BARRIERS TO EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY ARE REPUGNANT TO A COMMON SENSE OF DECENCY AND FAIRNESS.

ONE MORE WHEREAS.

WHEREAS THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS AND REALTORS NATIONALLY PLEDGED TO AFFIRMATIVELY PURSUE BUSINESS PRACTICES THAT WILL ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS WELCOME AND NO ONE IS EXCLUDED.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 2020 AS NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN AMARILLO TO ESTABLISH OUR COMMUNITY AS AN OPEN AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO FAIR HOUSING.

AND TO PROMOTE APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES BY PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTITIES INTENDED TO PROVIDE OR ADVOCATE FOR INTEGRATION AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.

GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEAL OF OFFICE.

SIGNED BY GINGER NELSON MAYOR, COLE STANLEY, FREDA POWELL, EDDY SAUER AND MYSELF.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M 1 OF 1000-1100 REALTORS IN AMARILLO UNDERSTAND THERE'S 1,000,004

[00:05:10]

THEY ALL BELIEVE IN THIS.

SO HERE'S THIS PROCLAMATION.

THE PRESIDENT, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.

THANK YOU, HOWARD. MAKE SOME COMMENTS [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU, HOWARD.

THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS IS DEFINITELY DEDICATED TO FAIR HOUSING, AS IS THE TEXAS REALTORS AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND ALSO RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH THE CURRENT COUNCIL AND ANY FUTURE COUNCILS IN PROMOTING FAIR HOUSING AND PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS HERE IN AMARILLO.

THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE HAVE A SEPARATE PROCLAMATION TODAY.

AND I LOVE THAT THESE TWO PROCLAMATIONS FELL ON THE SAME DAY BECAUSE THEY ARE RELATED.

YOU CAN'T HAVE FAIR HOUSING UNLESS EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, NO MATTER THEIR INCOME LEVEL, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES ARE, ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING. AND SO I LOVE IT THAT OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM IS HERE TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEK AND COUNCIL THEY HAVE PRACTICED HOW TO LINE UP HERE SO THAT THEY CAN.

SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE GREAT IF COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER IS GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION IF YOU'LL STAY DOWN, BUT IF THE REST OF US WILL MOVE ON UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL, I THINK IT'LL CREATE MORE ROOM FOR THEM AND MAKE A BETTER PICTURE IN THE END, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

AND SO YOU GUYS COME ON UP WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP.

COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER IS GOING TO STEP TO THE MICROPHONE AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I LOVE THE BRIGHT COLORED SHIRTS BECAUSE TO ME IT DOES REPRESENT HOPE.

AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU GUYS ARE THE FACE OF HOPE AS THEY FACE CHALLENGES AND TRY TO GET STABILITY IN THEIR LIVES.

AND HOUSING IS ALL ABOUT THAT.

SO I'M SO PLEASED WITH THE EFFORT YOU ALL HAVE MADE TO COME AS A TEAM IN YOUR BRIGHT COLORED SHIRTS REPRESENTING THE HOPE AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO JASON, STEPHANIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WHAT YOU DO TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO NEED A HELPING HAND IN OUR COMMUNITY.

Y'ALL COME ON UP.

SO I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S A REAL HONOR TO GET TO DO THIS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS IN THE BEING ON CITY COUNCIL IS JUST WATCHING WHAT HAS TRANSFORMED FROM A GOOD THING TO A BETTER THING TO A REALLY GREAT ASPECT OF AMARILLO.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN AMARILLO.

AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY THAN WHAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP HAS DONE HERE FOR THE CITY.

AND UNDER JASON'S LEADERSHIP, IT'S GOING EVEN THAT MUCH HIGHER.

SO IT'S A REAL HONOR TO GET TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM HAS EXISTED SINCE 1975 TO PROVIDE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH THE RESOURCES REQUIRED, PRIMARILY MEET THE NEEDS OF LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS.

AND WHEREAS, THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM HAS EXISTED SINCE 1992 TO SUPPORT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LOW TO MODERATE INCOME. AND WHEREAS, THE CDBG PROGRAM AND THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM ARE AMONG THE FEW REMAINING FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF LOW AND MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS.

AND WHEREAS, THE CDBG PROGRAM HAS STRENGTHENED AMERICA'S COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE CITY OF AMARILLO BY ADDRESSING PRESSING NEIGHBORHOOD AND HUMAN SERVICE

[00:10:05]

AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, HAS EFFECTIVELY ADMINISTERED AND CUSTOMIZED ITS CDBG PROGRAM AND HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS TO IMPLEMENT VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS IN THE AREAS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC FACILITIES AND PUBLIC WORK IMPROVEMENTS, HOMELESSNESS AND PLANNING THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN OUR CITY.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 10TH THROUGH APRIL 14TH, 2023, AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEK IN AMARILLO, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE CRITICAL VALUE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AND THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS AND THE SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS AND ASSISTANCE THAT RELY ON THESE FUNDS FOR SUPPORT .

GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEAL OF OFFICE THIS 11TH DAY OF APRIL 2023 MAYOR AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO DID YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS REAL QUICK? OKAY. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAND OFF TO JASON.

WE TALK IN NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION ABOUT WHY THE WHY WE WORK FOR THE CITY.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WE TALK ABOUT WITHOUT GOING INTO AT LENGTH IS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY THAT GET TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IN FACT, EVERY SINGLE PERSON WORKING FOR THE CITY HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE THAN OTHERS.

BUT THIS TEAM AND AND NOTHING HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT.

THIS TEAM GETS TO MAKE A VERY DISTINCT AND OBVIOUS POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MANY TIMES AT GREAT EMOTIONAL COST.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE WAY YOU CARE FOR THE WAY YOU CARE.

WHEN I SAY YOU, I'M POINTING AT EVERYONE.

I'M KIND OF POINTING AT JASON.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WAY THAT YOU CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED, THAT'S SPECIAL.

SO THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] SO THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW ME KNOW I NEVER PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE AND TALK.

SO FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S SUCH AN HONOR FOR ME TO REPRESENT THIS GROUP.

I LOVE THESE PEOPLE.

I'VE BEEN WITH THEM NOW FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THEY TRULY DO.

THEY PUT EVERYTHING ON THE LINE.

YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT THAT GIVE EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT.

THAT'S WHAT THIS GROUP DOES BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE MADE IT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC TOGETHER.

WE WERE GIVEN LOTS OF FUNDING, WHICH WAS GREAT, BUT I HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND GET THAT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I'M SO PROUD OF THEM.

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH AND BEING ABLE TO COME HERE AND SHARE THIS WITH YOU ALL IS REALLY INCREDIBLE FOR ME.

SO I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF REALLY COOL THINGS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE PAST YEAR.

OVER 3400 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WERE HELPED WITH OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THIS LAST YEAR, OVER 40 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WERE HELPED WITH EMERGENCY REPAIRS, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY.

I'VE GOT SOME INCREDIBLE STORIES.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO HEAR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES, HOMES THEY'VE HAD FOR DECADES, AND NOW THEY WERE IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THINGS START TO FALL APART.

ALSO, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF FUNDS.

ONE PROGRAM THAT I'M SO HAPPY TO TO TALK ABOUT IS CATHOLIC CHARITIES HUNGER PROJECT.

WITH APPROXIMATELY $360,000 OF FUNDING, THIS PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO ASSIST OVER 62,000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO WERE VERY MUCH IN A FOOD INSECURITY CRISIS, 62,000 PEOPLE.

INCREDIBLE. AND THEN WITH THE I'M SORRY, WITH THE COMING HOME TEAM, WE'VE NOW SURPASSED 200 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT WE'VE HOUSED, AND THEY'RE RECEIVING CURRENT CASE MANAGEMENT TO KEEP THEM IN HOMES.

200 PEOPLE THAT WERE HOMELESS LIVING ON OUR STREETS ARE NOW IN HOMES AND SURVIVING AND DOING GREAT.

WITH THE HELP OF CITY COUNCIL AND OUR OBVIOUS, AMAZING, CARING COMMUNITY, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE TRANSFORMATION PARK MOVED FROM AN IDEA TO A MONUMENTAL REALITY.

AS WE'RE GOING TO BE BREAKING GROUND ON APRIL 27TH.

SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS, APRIL 27TH AT 2 P.M.

5TH AND BOWIE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOOD. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BLAST OUT THERE.

IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE UPWARDS OF 3 TO 500 PEOPLE WE EXPECT TO HAVE OUT THERE.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE.

AND LASTLY, I DON'T WANT TO FORGET TO INVITE ALL OF YOU APRIL 13TH.

[00:15:02]

IN THE SIMS BUILDING, WE ARE HAVING OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE THERE AND HOLDING.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF OUR AGENCIES THAT HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING IN AND WE'RE GOING TO SHOWCASE A LOT OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.

SO I WANT YOU TO COME SEE THAT.

SO IT'S I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS OBVIOUSLY HAD A GREAT YEAR.

NONE OF THESE THINGS WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT WE RECEIVED FROM CITY COUNCIL, THE COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY THIS HARDWORKING, DEDICATED AND AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

I LOVE THEM. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SHARE AN AMAZING VIDEO SHOWCASING THE COMING HOME PROGRAM PRODUCED BY AMARILLO VERY OWN CHASE BRADY.

THANK YOU, TREY CHASE [APPLAUSE].

[VIDEO] IN AMARILLO, A BEACON OF HOPE SHINES FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS.

THE COMING HOME PROGRAM.

THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES LIFE CHANGING ASSISTANCE THAT GUIDES INDIVIDUALS TOWARD STABLE HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH OUTREACH.

OUTREACH TEAM MEMBERS SEEK OUT INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MEET WITH THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT, PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THOSE THAT MAY NOT SEEK IT OTHERWISE.

THEY PROVIDE LIFE SAVING SUPPLIES, ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS, AND BUILD RAPPORT TO UNDERSTAND EACH PERSON'S UNIQUE CHALLENGES.

DURING THIS TIME, THE TEAM ASSESSES AN INDIVIDUAL'S READINESS TO TRANSITION TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND JOIN THE COMING HOME PROGRAM.

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE READY TO JOIN, COMING HOME, BEGIN TO WORK WITH THE HOUSING NAVIGATION TEAM.

HOUSING NAVIGATORS ASSIST CLIENTS THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, TOURING POTENTIAL UNITS AND PROCURING ESSENTIAL FURNISHINGS. AN INDIVIDUAL MOVING INTO THEIR HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IS AN AMAZING MILESTONE.

AND AFTER SECURING SAFE AND DIGNIFIED HOUSING, THE INDIVIDUAL GAINS A POWERFUL SUPPORT NETWORK THROUGH HOUSING SUPPORT SERVICES.

CLIENTS ARE ASSIGNED A DEDICATED CASE MANAGER WHO MEETS WITH THEM REGULARLY TO ASSESS THEIR CURRENT STATE AND NEEDS WHILE CONNECTING THEM TO NECESSARY RESOURCES.

CLIENTS ARE ALSO ASSIGNED A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST WHO HAS LIVED EXPERIENCE OVERCOMING SIMILAR CHALLENGES THE CLIENT IS FACING.

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WALK ALONGSIDE THE CLIENT THROUGHOUT THEIR JOURNEY, PROVIDING COMMUNITY AND MENTORSHIP EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

IN PREP ACADEMY THE GOODWILL CAREER CENTER FACILITATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ACQUIRE JOB SKILLS AND ENGAGE IN EDUCATIONAL COURSES.

THIS PEER REINTEGRATION EMPLOYMENT MODEL BOOSTS CONFIDENCE AND EMPLOYABILITY, CREATING PROSPECTS FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

WITH AN 85% SUCCESS RATE.

THE COMING HOME PROGRAM EXEMPLIFIES AMARILLO COMMITMENT TO OVERCOMING HOMELESSNESS, OFFERING NOT ONLY A PATH TO HOUSING STABILITY, BUT ALSO RESTORING DIGNITY TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST [APPLAUSE].

[00:20:45]

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES THAT SAVE US MONEY IN THE LONG RUN BY TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE BEFORE THEY'RE IN ABSOLUTE CRISIS.

AND THOSE FOLKS ENCOUNTER PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT ARE IN PROGRESSIVE CRISIS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY AT THE POINT WHERE IT'S COSTING TAXPAYERS DOLLARS AND USING THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

AND THE MONEY GETTING SPENT IS A GREAT WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND BEFORE IT LANDS IN A FURTHER STATE OF CRISIS, THEY'RE USING THOSE PROGRAMS AND STEWARDING THAT MONEY IN A WELL THAT IN A WAY THAT JUST MAKES A REAL IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I LOVE THAT THEY CAME WEARING THEIR T SHIRTS AND MADE AN EFFORT FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE HERE.

THE WORK THEY DO IN OUR COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT.

I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TODAY FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS, IS THAT CORRECT CITY SECRETARY? OKAY, SO WE'LL MOVE ON THEN.

WE ARE NOW AT ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA AND WE'RE STILL SORTING OUT THE KINKS IN OUR NEW AGENDA SOFTWARE.

SO 5A AND 5C ARE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO REVERSE THOSE.

SO LET'S LOOK AT 5C.

COUNCIL IS THERE ANYTHING IN REVIEWING THE AGENDA OR ANY ITEMS FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OR THE ATTACHMENTS THAT YOU NEED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT UP FRONT? NO, MAYOR. OKAY, THEN LET'S MOVE UP TO 5B AND DO A COUPLE OF UPDATES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SERVE ON OUTSIDE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

[5.B. Updates from Councilmembers serving on outside boards and commissions]

YES, MA'AM. SO I WILL START THIS OFF AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH WILL, GREAT, FILL IN THE GAPS.

SO A COUPLE PROJECT UPDATES FROM OUR CITY STAFF HERE.

HODGETOWN, NO REAL UPDATES OVER THERE WERE DISCUSSED IN THE LAST MEETING.

HOWEVER, TODAY IS OPENING DAY, SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MOST OF YOU GUYS AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE OVER THERE FOR THE GAME TONIGHT.

UM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME THAT IS MR. SMITH? EMBASSY SUITES HAS HIRED A NEW GENERAL MANAGER, TOM WENZEL.

HE IS REPLACING MONICA PITT, WHO IS RELOCATING TO ANOTHER HOTEL.

SO WE WILL MISS MONICA.

THEY'VE RAISED THEIR PARKING RATES TO $15 FOR SELF PARK AND $30 FOR VALET, WITH POSSIBLE PLANS TO INCREASE THAT THAT THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE NEED TO SEE AS FAR AS THE PARKING MANAGEMENT THAT WE'RE DOING OVER THERE AS WELL.

WE HAVE PLANS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR OR THEY HAVE PLANS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR RESTAURANT SOON.

GOING TO A MEDITERRANEAN ITALIAN MENU, UM, OCCUPANCY OVER THERE REMAINS STRONG.

MOVING ALONG TO PARKING GARAGE AND RETAIL SPACE, JERRY DANFORTH PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON A PLAN TO FINISH OUT THE SPACE NEXT DOOR. WE ARE SPENDING SOME MONEY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SECURED OVER THERE, SO.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING AND TAKING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO DO THIS, BUT WE'RE UTILIZING THE FUNDS.

WE ALREADY HAVE TO FINISH OUT A SPACE THERE THAT WILL GIVE US A MARKETABILITY SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE POTENTIAL NEW TENANTS COME IN, THEY CAN SEE WHAT THAT SPACE COULD LOOK LIKE WITH VERY MINIMAL FINISH OUT.

WE FEEL LIKE THIS HELPS OUR REALTORS AND WE FEEL LIKE THIS HELPS US IN MARKETING OURSELVES THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE FOR THE RETAIL SPACE THAT'S DOWN THERE.

UM, WE ALSO DISCUSSED AN APPROVAL TO A PILOT PROGRAM FOR OUR PARKING LOT AGREEMENT BETWEEN LGC AND THE PANHANDLE BASEBALL CLUB AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE SOD POODLES.

THE LGC BOARD AND STAFF DISCUSSED PROPOSAL FOR THE SOD POODLES TO OPERATE THE PARKING GARAGE FOR THEIR SPECIAL EVENTS VERSUS OUR STAFF DOING THAT AND CONTRACTING WITH TEMPORARY WORKERS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.

THIS PILOT PROGRAM WOULD BE A ONE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM WITH THE LGC RECEIVING 20% OF PARKING REVENUES AND THE TEAM RECEIVING THE TEAM RECEIVING 80%

[00:25:03]

THIS HELPS US ON STAFF AND WE BELIEVE IT PROBABLY HELPS THEM IN THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THEIR OWN EVENTS.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT LGC WILL MAKE THE SAME OR MORE REVENUE WITH THE SPLIT NOT DUE TO NOT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE STAFFING.

THE POTENTIAL THERE IS TO SEE MORE REVENUE SINCE THE TEAM WILL BE MARKETING OUR PARKING GARAGE AND NOT JUST US.

WE'LL REEVALUATE THIS AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

FINALLY, OR WELL, NOT FINALLY, I GUESS, SECOND FINALLY OUR CONDO REGIME.

SO WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH THE LAWYER TO LOOK AT SEPARATING THOSE EXISTING RETAIL SPACES INTO INDIVIDUAL CONDOS.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THE ABILITY TO MARKET TO POTENTIAL BUYERS DOWN THERE, NOT JUST TENANTS.

SO WE FEEL LIKE IF YOU COULD OWN A PIECE OF AMARILLO RIGHT THERE ON 6TH AND BUCHANAN, THAT THAT IS POTENTIALLY MORE APPEALING TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, OFFICE, RETAIL PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MARKET THAT SPACE SO THAT WE CAN HELP THAT BECOME WHAT IT WAS INTENDED TO BECOME, WHICH IS THRIVING BUSINESS RIGHT THERE ON A NICE CORNER WITH ALL SORTS OF VENUE, DISTRICT BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR RIGHT AROUND OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING SOME DOCUMENTS.

WE'LL RECEIVE THOSE BACK WITH A FEW CHANGES IN OUR NEXT MEETING.

AND THEN WE ALSO WILL HAVE TO FINALIZE SOME OF THE OTHER PARKING LOT ARRANGEMENTS AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD DO MOVING FORWARD IN THE WAY OF HAVING THAT IN AN ASSOCIATION SO THAT WE'D HAVE SOME COMMON AREA MAINTENANCE AND SOME THINGS PUT IN PLACE FOR FUTURE COUNCILS AND FOR A FUTURE ASSOCIATION TO MANAGE THAT FACILITY WITHOUT THE NEED FOR STAFF AND FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO HANDLE THAT AS WE GROW AND MOVE FORWARD.

FINALLY, MRS. STORRS PRESENTED THE FINANCIALS FOR THE QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 31ST.

CURRENT ASSETS FOR LGC TOTALED $421,000.

NON-CURRENT ASSETS TOTALED $48,664,000 FOR A TOTAL OF $49,086,000.

OUR TOTAL LIABILITIES ARE $2.5 MILLION, ROUGHLY BRINGING OUR NET POSITION TO $46.5 MILLION.

REVENUES FOR THE LGC FOR THE PERIOD WERE $1,210 AND EXPENSES WERE $254,375. THE EXPENSE IN NON CASH DEPRECIATION PARKING GARAGE REVENUES TOTALED $65,751 AND EXPENSES AND EXPENSES TOTALED $174,761.

RETAIL SPACE REVENUES TOTALED $17,585 AND EXPENSES TOTALED $29,408 FOR A SUMMARY RIGHT THERE . ALL THOSE NUMBERS REFLECT THAT THIS BUILDING CAN DO WHAT IT'S INTENDED TO DO.

WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE IT AND TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THAT BUILDING THAT WANT AN OFFICE OR PUT A BUSINESS THERE, BE IT LEASE OR OWN.

SO THAT IS OUR INTENTION MOVING FORWARD.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, IF YOU'LL FILL IN ANY OF THE GAPS THAT I MIGHT HAVE MISSED OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR.

SO WE'RE MAKING ENOUGH REVENUE TO COVER OUR DEBT PAYMENTS ON THAT PARKING GARAGE? CURRENTLY YES, MA'AM.

OKAY. NOTHING ELSE TO ADD THEN, HOWARD.

WHERE IS THAT FUNDING COMING FROM? JUST. JUST FOR THE CITIZENS WATCHING.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

SO WHEN THIS WAS SET UP, WE TOOK OUT WHAT WE CALL A TI, WHICH IS TENANT IMPROVEMENT.

AND SO WE SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT AS WE LEASE SPACES, WE HAVE MONEY TO PUT WITH THAT POTENTIAL LEASEE AND THEN THEY HAVE THAT MONEY TO GO ALONG WITH THEIR OWN AND FINISHING OUT THEIR SPACE.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING SOME OF THAT TI AND WE'RE PUTTING IT INTO A SEPARATION OR A DEMISING WALL.

IT WOULD REALLY BE A PARTITION WALL, SOME LIGHTING, A DROP CEILING, A LITTLE BIT OF CONCRETE, SO THAT AS YOU WALK INTO THE SPACE, YOU HAVE A MARKETING PIECE WHERE YOU CAN SEE, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT 2000FT² WOULD LOOK LIKE AND FEEL LIKE DOWNTOWN AT THE CORNER OF 6TH AND BUCHANAN.

SO THAT MONEY IS NOT BEING BROUGHT IN IN ANY OTHER CAPACITY OTHER THAN WE'RE ALREADY WE'RE JUST SPENDING IT FOR WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.

ITEM 5B TWO IS A REPORT FROM THE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE WARFARE ADVISORY BOARD.

[00:30:01]

YES, MA'AM. SO THE MEETING WAS LAST WEDNESDAY AT 5 P.M.

AND IT WAS QUITE AN INTERESTING MEETING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL THAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY IS THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAS BEEN IN THE LIMELIGHT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND IT'S NOT BEEN NECESSARILY IN A GOOD LIMELIGHT, BUT SOME THINGS HAVE BEGAN TO OCCUR.

AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE FACT OF HIRING VICTORIA MEDLEY AS BEING THE HEAD OF ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE.

SHE HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF HELPING TO BRING SOME GREAT STABILITY TO THE ORGANIZATION.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, PROBABLY EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS THE FACT OF, AFTER ALL, THE HARD WORK OF GETTING THE TEXAS TECH VET SCHOOL HERE NOW, THEN ALL OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE WERE IN HOPES WOULD BEGIN TO TRANSPIRE ARE NOW IN FULL FLEDGE HAPPENINGS.

PART OF THAT BEING NOW THEN WE HAVE VETERINARIAN COVERAGE AT THE FACILITY AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AND THAT'S DONE WITH CONTRACT VETS.

SO WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT VETS THAT ARE FILLING UP THAT CAPACITY THAT WE COULDN'T KEEP FULL TIME VETS.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ENDED UP HAPPENING IS NOW THEN ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE WERE HAVING WAS HAVING ACCESS TO SPAY AND NEUTER OF THESE ANIMALS THAT ARE TAKEN IN.

AND NOW THEN THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.

AND ANOTHER ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT'S ACTUALLY ENDED UP HAPPENING IS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER NOTICED, EVERY TIME THAT I'VE MADE AN UPDATE ON THE SHELTER, THERE IS ALWAYS BEEN ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 9 POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN AT AT AT A MINIMUM, 5 TO 9 POSITIONS. AND AT ONE POINT IN TIME, I THINK WE HAD 7.

WE HAD 7 POSITIONS FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] THE OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT.

SO CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE FOUR SPOTS OPEN.

2 OF THEM ARE OFFICERS AND THEN THE OTHER 2 ARE ACTUALLY IN THE SHELTER.

AND SO BASICALLY THEY IN THE LAST SINCE WE LAST MET, THEY HAVE HIRED SEVEN NEW ANIMAL CARE WORKERS.

AND ACTUALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I CAN'T WELL, SINCE I'VE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH CITY COUNCIL, HAVE THEY HAD A BASICALLY A FULL STAFF.

SO THEY'VE GOT A FULL STAFF AND THAT'S MAKING THINGS RUN SO MUCH BETTER.

THEY'RE TAKING ON AVERAGE OVER 78 CALLS A DAY.

BUT NOW THEN IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR THEM TO HANDLE THE CALLS WHENEVER YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING RUN RAGGED FOR THE FEW ANIMAL MANAGEMENT OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE. AND SO NOW THEN WE'RE SEEING THAT CORNER TURN.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S A REALLY GREAT DEAL.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY IS IF THIS GIVES YOU KIND OF AN IDEA OF WHERE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE IS HEADED.

THE NIGHT BEFORE WE MET WAS THE NIGHT THAT THEY HAD THE EVACUATION NORTH OF THE CITY.

AND THIS COMES FROM KRIS SHAFFER, THE ASSISTANT AT UNDERNEATH VICTORIA.

ON THE EVENING OF APRIL THE 4TH, AMW DEPLOYED TWO TEAMS TO AID IN EVACUATION EFFORTS.

THE FIRST TWO PERSON TEAM WAS SENT WITH SUPPLIES TO THE TEMPORARY SHELTER THAT THEY SET UP AT CHAPARRAL HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH.

THEY SPENT THE EVENING ASSISTING THOSE WITH ANIMALS AS THEY SHOWED UP, THEY PASSED OUT BLANKETS, WATER, LEASHES, ANIMAL CARRIERS TO FAMILIES IN NEED OF PET SUPPLIES.

THE TWO PERSON TEAM WAS ALSO SENT TO RIVER ROAD HIGH SCHOOL, ALSO LOADED WITH SUPPLIES, AND THEY WERE TASKED WITH READYING THE SCHOOL'S AG BARN TO RECEIVE COMPANION ANIMALS. THE EVACUATION ORDERS WERE LIFTED JUST BEFORE 10 P.M.

AND AT THAT TIME BOTH SHELTERS HAD BASICALLY SERVED 40 EVACUATED ANIMALS IN SOME CAPACITY.

AND THE INTERESTING THING WAS, WAS THE WAY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SERVE THOSE 40 ANIMALS IS NONE OF THEM ACTUALLY ENDED UP IN THE SHELTER, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO SENT BACK HOME IN A IN A GREAT CONDITION.

SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THEY'RE HEADED.

AND IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH JUST BEING ABLE TO FINALLY BE FULL STAFFED, BE STABLE.

THE RELATIONSHIP THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN DEVELOPED WITH TEXAS TECH, WITH AMTECH AMARILLO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S AMTECH AND THE AND THE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN AS INTERNS FROM THERE.

AND ALSO ACTUALLY WITH THE PROGRAM THAT'S GOING ON IN [INAUDIBLE], THEY ALSO HAVE BEEN BEGUN TO START TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER GRASP OF RESCUE THE VERY NEXT DAY, WHICH WOULD BE APRIL THE 6TH.

THEY TOOK 31 DOGS AND MET PUPPY LOVE, WHICH IS A PHENIX BASED RESCUE.

[00:35:02]

ANOTHER THING WHICH IS REAL INTERESTING IS THEY HAVE FOUND EMPLOYMENT AND I LIKE THAT WORD THAT WAS USED.

THEY FOUND EMPLOYMENT FOR 119 BARN CATS SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

SO LET ME KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A BARN CAT IS, IT MEANS IT'S A CAT THAT'S COME IN THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO TOUCH IT AND IT DOESN'T WANT TO TOUCH YOU.

AND IF YOU GET CLOSE TO EITHER WAY, THEY MAY NOT BE FRIENDLY, BUT A PERFECT PLACE FOR THEM TO GO IS OUT TO A BARN TO TAKE CARE OF MICE AND VARMINTS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO PLACE 119 BARN CATS SINCE JANUARY THE 1ST, AND THAT'S MORE THAN HALF OF THE ENTIRE NUMBER OF BARN CATS THAT WERE PLACED IN 2022.

SO THEY'RE THEY'RE FINDING OUT WAYS TO MAKE THINGS END UP WORKING WELL.

THEY'VE ALSO BEGUN SOME POP UP CLINICS IN THE DIFFERENT EMPOWERMENT ZONES LIKE NORTH HEIGHTS, BARRIOS, SAN JACINTO, EAST RIDGE.

AND THE WAY THAT THEY DO THAT IS THEY COME UP WITH A DATE, THEY DON'T ANNOUNCE THE DATE, BUT THEY JUST BECAUSE THEY REALLY WANT THIS TO BE COMMUNITY IN THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE THE MOMENT THAT THEY ANNOUNCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CLINIC SOMEWHERE, PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER TOWN, ACTUALLY COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICES.

AND SO THEY WANT TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THEY'RE HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE AREAS OF TOWN THAT NEED THE HELP THE MOST.

AND THOSE EMPOWERMENT ZONES ARE WHERE THAT COMES FROM.

AND SO THEY HELD ONE IN EAST RIDGE PARK ON THE 25TH AND THEY WERE ONLY THERE FOR 4 HOURS, AND 81 DOGS HAD BEEN GIVEN RABIES OR DHPP SHOTS.

79 DOGS WERE MICROCHIPPED.

APPROXIMATELY 2,500 POUNDS OF PET FOOD WAS GIVEN AWAY AND THE EVENT VOLUNTEERS CAME FROM THE TECH VETERINARIAN SCHOOL, EAST RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND AMTECH.

CITY PLANNING WAS ALSO THERE AND MPO OFFICER [INAUDIBLE] WAS ALSO THERE.

SO IT'S REALLY AN ATTEMPT TO HELP THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO THERE ARE THREE MORE POP UP CLINICS THAT ARE PLANNED.

TWO OF THEM ARE IN APRIL AND NO YOU WON'T KNOW THE DATE.

THEREFORE, THAT WOULD RUIN THE WHOLE IDEA OF POP UP CLINIC AND ONE OF THEM IS SET FOR MAY.

AND SO THEY'RE HAVING SOME REALLY GOOD SUCCESS WITH WORKING VERY HARD AT TRYING TO HANDLE THE OVERPOPULATION THAT'S OCCURRING IN THE CITY OF THOSE . MARCH THE 18TH.

THEY HAD A FREE MICROCHIP CLINIC AT PET SUPPLIES, PLUS THEY DID 35 MICROCHIPS.

AND THEY'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON THEIR SCHEDULE THAT ARE LEFT TO GO.

SOME OTHER THINGS SPECIFICALLY ON THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

THEIR UPDATE IS WITH THE VETERINARIAN PARTNERS.

AND I THINK THIS ONE IS THIS IS PART OF THE CRITICAL THING THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TEXAS TECH AND WITH WT IS HAVING A BIG EFFECT.

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE PROVIDED 20 DOGS AND 12 CATS TO THE TEXAS TECH VET SCHOOL FOR THE DURATION OF THE CURRENT SEMESTER.

AND SO THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THAT IS TO FOR THE THE FUTURE VETS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST GO THROUGH AND MAKE DIAGNOSIS AND TO THERE'S NO TREATMENT NECESSARILY PROVIDED, BUT IT JUST GETS THEM FAMILIAR WITH DOING INTAKE AND THAT KIND OF THING WITH THE ANIMALS. SO THEN THE VETS THEN NEUTERED 18 CATS FOR AMW THIS SEMESTER.

THE CATS ACTUALLY WENT TO TEXAS TECH AND THEY WERE REFERRED BACK THE SAME DAY.

SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

THE AMTECH ANIMAL SCIENCE PROGRAM, THEY HAD 6 INTERNS FOR ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE FOR THE 2022 AND 2023 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND SO THEY'LL BEGIN THEIR NEXT INTERVIEW FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S OPENINGS ON APRIL THE 25TH.

SO IT'S IT'S THEY'RE HAVING SOME GREAT RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED UP WITH THE WEST TEXAS A&M VETERINARY EDUCATION RESEARCH AND OUTREACH.

ON APRIL THE 5TH, FIVE DOGS WENT TO WT AMU TO THEIR VARO CLINIC TO BE NEUTERED DURING AN ANESTHESIA LAB.

AND SO THE VET STUDENTS WILL LEARN HOW TO ADMINISTER THE ANESTHESIA AND MONITOR IT WHILE THE FACULTY ACTUALLY PERFORM THE NEUTER.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPING ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE TURN THAT CORNER AND BECOME EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S MY REPORT.

GREAT REPORT QUESTIONS COUNCIL.

HOWARD?

[00:40:05]

I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

I'M NOT SEEING YOU, BUT. OH, THERE YOU GO BACK ROW.

YES. CLAP FOR THEM [APPLAUSE].

I MEAN, THIS IS.

AND JUST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE WT VARO, TEXAS TECH, AMTEC THOSE ARE YES, THEY'RE IMPACTING YOUR SHELTER POPULATION RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY'RE REALLY IMPACTING YOUR WORKFORCE FOR YOUR SHELTER IN THE COMING YEARS.

AND I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC LEADERSHIP MOVE ON YOUR PART TO DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

AND SO GREAT, GREAT JOB ON STAFF IN DOING THAT.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THEN ABOUT EITHER THOSE TWO REPORTS, THEN WE'LL GO BACK UP AND TAKE 5A AND REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THAT? OKAY. MOVING ON TO ITEM 6, WHICH IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[6. Consent Items]

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

ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED SAME SIGN.

OKAY. THAT MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

WE'RE NOW AT ITEM 7, 7A ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 8056 MR .

[7.A. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8056]

WE'VE GOT ANTHONY SPINELL, DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, TO PRESENT THE ITEM.

THIS IS JUST A CLEAN UP, SOME STUFF TO ADDRESS OUTDOOR ALCOHOL, ANTHONY.

IS THE BUTTON GREEN ANTHONY? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, RICH.

OKAY. YEAH, THAT ONE SOUNDS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. IS THAT BETTER? ALL RIGHT, PERFECT.

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON.

IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS AN UPDATE TO OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE 10-3-44 IT'S THE OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINER ORDINANCE.

BEFORE I GET INTO WHAT WE'RE CHANGING, I NEED TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WHAT THE ORDINANCE DOES CURRENTLY.

SO THIS IS AN OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROHIBITION ORDINANCE.

BASICALLY, WE'RE ABLE TO REGULATE OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINERS IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.

TYPICALLY THAT IS DOWNTOWN.

BUT IN TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE, IT HAS AN EXPANDED FOOTPRINT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES 6TH STREET THAT IS OUTLINED IN TABCS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE.

IT'S REALLY CONFUSING.

BUT WE DO HAVE A WONDERFUL LEGAL MEMO THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU GUYS TO HELP EXPLAIN THAT.

SO IN TERMS OF THE CHANGE, WE'RE MAKING TWO CHANGES.

ONE IS STRIKING THE DEFINITION OF I'M SORRY, MODIFYING THE DEFINITION OF A PUBLIC PLACE TO STRIKE A PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC PARKING AREA.

AND THEN TWO, WE ARE ADDING AN EXEMPTION TO PREMISES THAT ARE PERMANENTLY LICENSED BY TABC.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS DOES IS JUST CLEANS UP THIS ORDINANCE THAT SAYS IF YOU ARE A LICENSED TABC FACILITY, YOU CAN SELL ALCOHOL ON YOUR PROPERTY, WHICH IS ALLOWED BY TABC ALREADY, AND WE'RE NOT PROHIBITING THAT.

SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

AND THEN NUMBER TWO, WE DO NOT ALLOW OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINERS DOWNTOWN IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT EXCEPT IN APPROVED FESTIVALS. THE CITY CAN ISSUE A FESTIVAL PERMIT FOR OR A YEAR IN WHICH WE CAN ALLOW OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINERS.

WHAT IT SAYS CURRENTLY IS IT'S EVERYWHERE OR NOWHERE IN AN AREA THAT IS 6TH STREET.

SO IT FURTHER KIND OF SHRINKS THAT DOWN SIXTH STREET LIKE WESTERN TO MCMASTERS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE OPEN ALCOHOL EVERYWHERE OR NOWHERE DURING THESE FESTIVALS. AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO CHANGE IS ON A PRIVATELY OWNED PARKING LOT.

THEY CAN FENCE THAT IN AND CONTROL IT MORE IF THEY SO CHOOSE, WHICH IS REALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE THAN THE EXCLUSION ALREADY THE EXEMPTION FOR THE ORDINANCE.

WE DID ENGAGE THE CVB AND THEY DID LIKE THAT AND ISSUED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH IS GREAT.

I THINK THIS IS A THIS WILL BE A FANTASTIC ORDINANCE.

AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

QUESTIONS COUNCIL?

[00:45:02]

ALL RIGHT. THANK THANKS SO MUCH.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 8056? YES, MAYOR, WE DO.

I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8056 AMENDING THE AMARILLO MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 10-3 ARTICLE FOUR.

SECTION 10-3-44 TO CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF A PUBLIC PLACE, THIS REVISION WILL MODIFY THE OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROHIBITION IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BY UPDATING THE DEFINITION OF A PUBLIC PLACE.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8056.

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

ANYONE OPPOSED SAME SIGN.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

ITEM 7B IS TO CONSIDER A CHANGE ORDER ON SOME OF OUR WATER RECLAMATION FACILITIES, MR.

[7.B. CONSIDER APPROVAL – CHANGE ORDER NO. 2 FOR HOLLYWOOD ROAD AND RIVER ROAD WATER RECLAMATION FACILITIES DIGESTER MIXING SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS]

THESE ITEMS ARE TO IT'S A CHANGE ORDER 7B TO A PROJECT THAT IS REHABILITATING OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES THAT ARE IN VERY SIGNIFICANT NEED OF HAVING LARGE PROJECTS DONE TO MAKE THEM COMPLY WITH TCQ REGULATIONS.

JOHN CAN GO INTO WAY, WAY MORE DETAIL.

THAT WAS THIS ITEM FOR NOT GENIUS ENGINEERS.

BUT I'VE GOT TO SAY JOHN HAS BROUGHT A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE TO ME AND TO OUR TEAM AT THE CITY THAT WE'VE NOT HAD EVER IN MY TIME WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO AS FAR AS CONFIDENCE IN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY MANAGING OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.

WELL, A CAREER OF EXPERIENCE DOING EXACTLY THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS.

SO I WANT JOHN TO WALK US THROUGH A VERY EXPENSIVE CHANGE ORDER ON A VERY EXPENSIVE PROJECT THAT THAT HAS TO BE DONE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO.

I DON'T WANT TO OVEREMPHASIZE IT, BUT I CAN'T UNDEREMPHASIZE IT EITHER.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A FUNCTIONING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND THEN 7C IS GOING TO GIVE US THE CAPACITY, THE ABILITY, THE PLAN TO BE ABLE TO MODERNIZE OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES AND HAVE A PLAN GOING FORWARD FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO EFFICIENTLY RUN THOSE THINGS IN THE MOST BEST PRACTICE WAY POSSIBLE, JOHN.

THANK YOU. THAT'S IT.

WELL, AND I DIDN'T MEAN I'M NOT TRYING TO TO TO BLOW TOO MUCH SUNSHINE JOHN'S WAY, BUT HE HAS EARNED IT AND 100% OF THE WAY.

OKAY. AS I WAS ENTERING THE CITY, THERE WAS A PROJECT TO REHABILITATE THE DIGESTERS FOR BOTH OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.

THE PRESUMPTION WAS BASED ON THE DOCUMENTS THAT, NUMBER ONE, THAT THE PRIMARY DIGESTERS WERE ALL FUNCTIONAL.

THEY WEREN'T.

AND NUMBER TWO, THAT STAFF COULD REMOVE THE LAST 20% OF THE WASTE FROM THE DIGESTERS.

MOST THE CONTRACTOR WAS TO DO THE FIRST 80%, WHICH IS MOSTLY FLUID.

IN THE BOTTOM THERE'S A LOT OF PLASTICS AND METALS AND OTHER SOLIDS AND SOME OF IT, SINCE IT HASN'T BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED FOR A FEW DECADES, BECAME BECOMES VERY HARD, LIKE A ROCK OR SOMETHING.

AND THE REASON IT'S EXPENSIVE IS BECAUSE THIS IS A HARD TASK TO DO.

THESE ARE LARGE TANKS.

AND I'M SORRY THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN PREPARING THESE.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN HOLLYWOOD.

AS YOU NOTICE, THE GREEN SIDE IS ONE PATH THROUGH THE PLANT AND THE WHITE IS THE OTHER, WHERE YOU HAVE PRIMARY DIGESTER NUMBER ONE, FOLLOWED BY SECONDARY DIGESTER NUMBER ONE, PRIMARY DIGESTER NUMBER TWO, FOLLOWED BY SECONDARY DIGESTER NUMBER TWO, THESE ARE INDEPENDENT PATHS THROUGH THE PLANT THAT CAN FUNCTION SEPARATELY FROM EACH OTHER.

BUT WHEN NEITHER OF YOUR PRIMARY DIGESTERS ARE WORKING, YOU HAVE TO DO SOME COMPLICATED THINGS TO KEEP CLEANING THE WATER. THIS IS WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE FROM THE OUTSIDE.

JUST SO YOU HAVE A FEEL, THESE ARE FAIR SIZED TANKS.

THESE ARE NOT SMALL.

THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE PITS WITHIN PRIMARY DIGESTER, NUMBER ONE.

THERE'S A DOZEN OR SO.

SOME OF THE LITTLE GRAVEL [INAUDIBLE] IS SCATTERED ABOUT THE TANK AT LARGE.

OH, AND I HAVE A QUESTION SLIDE THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE [LAUGHTER].

AND WE ARE ABRUPTLY AT THE POINT OF ASKING QUESTIONS.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JOHN? YES, I APOLOGIZE.

I SAW THE FIRST VERSION OF THIS.

[00:50:01]

OH, WE THOUGHT FLOYD WAS GIVING THE PRESENTATION, SO WE REMOVED A FEW SLIDES AND WENT RIGHT TO THE QUESTIONS.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'VE GIVEN AS MANY AS 40 SLIDES IN MY CIP IN FIVE MINUTES.

OKAY. WOW.

THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

OKAY, BACK TO BUSINESS.

THIS IS A LARGE ITEM, SO COUNCIL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED.

AND I THINK SOME OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN BRIEFED INDIVIDUALLY FROM STAFF PRIOR TO THE MEETING, SO YOU MAY HAVE HAD SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THEN.

BUT DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COST OF THIS PROJECT, WHY IT'S NECESSARY, THE SCOPE OF IT? QUESTIONS ON THIS END. YES, COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES SO JOHN AND MR. MILLER DID BRIEF ME YESTERDAY.

SO IN KIND OF THINKING THROUGH THE TOTALITY OF THIS PROJECT AND FUTURE IMPLICATIONS, THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERN REALLY LIES, IS IN GETTING EVERY DOLLAR OUT OF THIS THAT WE CAN WHILE WE'RE DOWN THERE, WHILE WE'RE MAKING THESE UPDATES.

SO YOU HAD MENTIONED TO ME ABOUT SOME FUTURE TESTING, ALERT SYSTEMS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT IN, NOT THAT I NEED YOU TO GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT THAT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW IN THE DETAILS ARE YOU IN BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT COMPATIBILITY TO THIS EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE? OKAY. RIGHT NOW I'M IN WHAT I WOULD CALL THE STABILIZATION PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN COME AND STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL.

ONCE I GET IT STABILIZED, WE CAN THEN START PROJECTS TO ADD SCADA, WHICH IS A COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT HAS SENSORS THAT GO INTO ALL OF YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAN ACTUALLY SEND ALERTS TO YOUR OPERATORS WHEN SOMETHING'S GOING WRONG AND WHICH EVEN ALLOW REMOTE OPERATIONS. NOW THIS IS OLD INFRASTRUCTURE, SO IT'D HAVE TO BE RETROFITTED, WHICH IS A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT PROCESS.

MY GUESS WELL, NOT MY GUESS FROM HAVING DONE THIS A FEW TIMES.

IT NORMALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO YEARS TO DO A FULL ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVOLVED, AFTER WHICH YOU CAN DO AN APPROPRIATE PLAN.

JUST JUMPING IN THERE AND THROWING DOLLARS AT IT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE VERY HIGH PRICED PROJECTS BUT DOESN'T REALLY GET YOU MUCH SUCCESS.

IN ADDITION TO A SCADA SYSTEM, I INTEND TO DO A FULL ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS A , IT'S BASED ON A VERY LARGE DATABASE WHERE EACH INDIVIDUAL VALVE SWITCH PIPE, ETCETERA IS TRACKED BY WHAT'S DONE TO IT.

IT HAS A CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND YOU CREATE A PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AROUND IT.

FOR EXAMPLE, ON A VALVE, JUST LIKE ON YOUR SINK, IF YOU DON'T TURN THE VALVE, IT'S CALLED EXERCISING THE VALVE.

THEY FREEZE UP. SO WHEN YOU NEED THEM, YOU GET A HAMMER AND YOU BEAT ON THEM AND HOPE YOU CAN GET THEM WORKING.

AND WHAT HAPPENS ABOUT HALF THE TIME IS YOU CRACK THE METAL AND THEN YOU HAVE TO YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF YOUR EMERGENCY AND YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT.

BUT IF YOU CLOSE THEM AND OPEN THEM, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE VALVE FOR THE LARGE ONES, IT'S PROBABLY MONTHLY.

FOR THE SMALL ONES, IT MAY BE MORE FREQUENTLY.

FOR A STANDBY GENERATOR IT'S THE SAME THING.

I INTEND TO IMPLEMENT ALL OF THAT, BUT I'LL BE COMING TO YOU PROBABLY TWO YEARS FROM NOW.

IF I MAKE IT FASTER THAN THAT.

IT'S ONLY BECAUSE I HIRED A SECOND ENGINEER THAT HAS SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO MINE AND WE'RE GOING TO TAG TEAM IT.

OKAY. SO THAT THAT BRINGS ABOUT SOME CONFIDENCE.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE A PLAN AND THAT YOU'RE MEASURED IN THAT PLAN.

YOU'RE GOING TO DIAGNOSE THIS AND THEN REEVALUATE.

AND LOOKING FORWARD PAST THAT, AND IT MAY NOT BE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN ANSWER NOW, BUT LIKE JUST YOUR OPENNESS AND MAYBE STAFF'S OPENNESS TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES.

I DON'T KNOW THE UTILITY BILL THAT WE WE SPEND ELECTRIC BILL TO TO RUN THIS PLANT.

BUT THERE ARE TECHNOLOGIES THAT I BELIEVE THAT RECOUP SOME OF THOSE BIOFUELS THAT WE HAVE THERE AND CONVERT THOSE INTO ENERGY.

SO ARE THERE WAYS FOR US TO NOT JUST TAKE THIS LOSS IN THE WAY OF, WELL, WE HAD TO GO SPEND THIS MONEY IN ORDER TO GET BACK TO ZERO? CAN ARE WE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WOULD PUT US IN A POSITION TO CUT OUR COST IN RUNNING THIS THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUT US IN A BETTER PLACE TO MAINTAIN IT MOVING FORWARD? WE WILL. YOU'RE BREAK EVEN POINT WITH METHANE RECOVERY, WHICH IS THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY IN AN AVERAGE COMMUNITY HAS HAS ANY VALUE.

[00:55:03]

BUT METHANE RECOVERY IS THE ONLY THING HERE.

YOUR BREAK EVEN IS ABOUT 16 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, WHICH IS ROUGHLY WHERE WE'RE AT.

BUT THE CITY IS GROWING AND WE'LL NEED TO ADD CAPACITY.

SO I INTEND TO LEAVE SOME COOKIE CRUMBS THAT WAY.

OKAY. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS MORE THAN 40 YEARS, SO I'VE ONLY GOT SO MANY YEARS LEFT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN CAN PUT THAT IN PLACE.

SO THAT'LL PROBABLY BE MY SUCCESSOR.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CAPITALIZE ON IT.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR OPENNESS AND LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JOHN COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH? SAY THAT AGAIN, HOWARD.

NO, HE'S BEEN IN THIS FIELD FOR 40 YEARS.

OH, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. NO, I THINK I HAVE QUITE A FEW YEARS LEFT, BUT THE CITY HAS TO GROW A BIT BEFORE IT WILL BE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE TO ADD METHANE RECOVERY.

I'M GUESSING IT'LL BE IN THE TEN YEAR MARK.

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

JOHN, WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE HERE AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON OUR TEAM.

THANK YOU. OKAY DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 7B? YES, MAYOR, WE DO.

I MOVE TO APPROVE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER 2 FOR THE HOLLYWOOD ROAD AND RIVER ROAD WATER RECLAMATION FACILITIES, DIGESTER MIXING SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS TO ADD ADDITIONAL SCOPE OF WORK AND THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,304,509.40.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE ORDER.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

ANYONE OPPOSED USING THE SAME SIGN? OKAY. THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

[7.C. CONSIDER AWARD - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES AND MASTER PLANNING FOR HOLLYWOOD ROAD WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY]

TAKE IT AWAY, JOHN. OKAY? YES. SORRY, JOHN. DIDN'T MEAN TO LEAVE YOU HANGING.

THIS IS AN OVERALL STUDY.

IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO LOOK AT IT.

OKAY, GOOD. MY SLIDES STILL HERE.

WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THIS IS NORMALLY DONE AS A MASTER PLAN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CAUSING.

WE'RE USING THE SAME LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT'S EASIER ON THE CONSULTANTS TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT IN REALITY, THERE'S TWO THINGS HAPPENING.

NUMBER ONE, THE CONSULTANT IS GOING TO LOOK AT THE MAJOR COMPONENTS, WHICH IS A SLIDE OR TWO DOWN LISTING THEM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY THE DEFECTS AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF COST AND A LEVEL OF URGENCY FOR EACH.

AND THAT WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THE PLANTS RUNNING AND WE DO CAPITAL PROJECTS.

AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE ALREADY STARTED ASSESSING THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES, EACH INDIVIDUAL VALVE, EACH INDIVIDUAL PIPE, EACH GENERATOR, NOTING ITS CONDITION. AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER.

AND IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE ONE BIG CAPITAL PLAN, ALTHOUGH THE COUNCIL WILL ONLY GET TO SEE THE CAPITAL PLAN.

BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE A MUCH LARGER PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES THAT WE WILL ATTACK WITH STAFF AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL OF THOSE REPAIRED.

THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS, NUMBER ONE, REPAIRING SOME OF THOSE CAN CAN MAYBE TAKE OUT ONE OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

AND NUMBER TWO, IF YOU KEEP THOSE IN GOOD REPAIR, A LOT OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WON'T HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT MAJOR PIECES THAT THE CONSULTANT WILL BE LOOKING AT.

THESE ARE BIG TANKS.

IF ANY OF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO COME SEE EITHER OF THE TREATMENT PLANTS, Y'ALL WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOME AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A TOUR.

AND THESE ARE THE TASK JUST LIKE ANY OTHER THAT ARE BEING APPLIED ONLY TO THE LARGE OBJECTS.

AGAIN, THE SMALL COMPONENTS ARE BEING EVALUATED BY BY STAFF AND NOT BY THE CONSULTANT.

CONSULTANT IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE BIG PIECES.

QUESTIONS FOR JOHN.

QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY.

YES, MAYOR, THANK YOU AGAIN, JOHN.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR 40 YEARS.

CAN YOU TELL ME GARVER LLC, DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM? AND IS THIS YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONSULTING FIRM? THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO DEAL WITH THEM AND WHEN I GOT HERE THEY WERE WORKING ON A BIO NUTRIENT REMOVAL PROJECT PAID FOR BY EXCEL, BEING CONSTRUCTED AT OUR TWO WASTEWATER PLANTS.

AND THEY HAD A PROCESS ENGINEER THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER MET.

[01:00:01]

OKAY. AND SO WHAT IS YOUR HISTORY WITH THEM SO FAR? HOW MANY MONTHS SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE? OKAY. BUT WITH 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITIES TO TO CONSULT ON THIS PROJECT AND GET US THE ANSWERS WE NEED? I DO AND IN PARTICULAR THE PROCESS ENGINEER, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WASTEWATER, WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

THANK YOU, SIR.

JOHN, HOW MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE YOU WORKED AT IN YOUR CAREER? OKAY. I SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA GOING STATEWIDE.

MY CAREER SPANS ALL TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT JUST WASTEWATER.

AND THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY I'VE WORKED AT WAS GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA, WHICH HAD ABOUT A THIRD OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE IN AMARILLO.

OKAY, SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN FACT, SOME OF MY TALK, IF I ACCIDENTALLY SAY GRAND ISLAND, IT'S BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME SPEECH 12 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED THERE.

SO IT'S KIND OF DEJA VU.

BUT 12 YEARS IN IN MUNICIPALITIES AND JUST UNDER 30 AT THE STATE LEVEL.

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR WALKING BACK THROUGH THAT BACKGROUND FOR ME.

I JUST WAS CURIOUS IF WE AS A CITY, WHAT I TEND TO FIND THAT WE DO IS TRY TO SAVE MONEY IN THE NOW AND IT ENDS UP COSTING US MONEY IN THE LATER.

AND I'M KIND OF WONDERING IF WE WAITED TOO LONG TO MASTER PLAN AND GET SOME JUST A LONG TERM PLAN LIKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT TYPE PLAN WITH REGARD TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR CITY.

SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOUR EXPERIENCE AT OTHER CITIES OR MAYBE YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE STATEWIDE POSITION IN LOUISIANA, IF YOU SAW BEST PRACTICE OF OTHER CITIES, IS THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE THIS TECHNOLOGY WHERE THEY CAN CHECK AND IT NOTIFIES US WHEN OUR LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW.

AND AND DO THEY HAVE THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLANNED? I HAVEN'T SEEN A WASTEWATER.

I'VE SEEN LAGOONS, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN A TREATMENT PLANT WITHOUT SCADA IN MY CAREER.

THAT GOES PRETTY FAR BACK.

THIS IS MY FIRST ONE.

I'VE PUT IN NEW SCADA EQUIPMENT.

I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN ONE THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN EXISTING ONE BEFORE.

AS FAR AS THE STATE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, MONEY'S ALWAYS TIGHT IN GOVERNMENT.

WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER, IT WAS IN A HIRING FREEZE AND THERE WAS NO MONEY FOR ANYTHING.

AND SO YOU GO THROUGH DRY SPELLS, BUT IF YOU DON'T PUT THE MONEY BACK IN AT SOME POINT, THEN EVERYTHING FALLS APART AT ONCE, WHICH IS KIND OF THE STATE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? QUESTION? I LIKE IT HERE. YEAH.

GOOD. WE WANT YOU TO FEEL VERY WELCOME HERE.

THIS WILL BE YOUR FIRST SPRING, THOUGH, RIGHT? YES. YES.

BUT I GREW UP IN BATON ROUGE.

OKAY. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS IT'S REALLY DRY HERE.

AND GROWING UP IN A SWAMP, IT'S KIND OF HARD.

YEAH, I BET THERE WASN'T NEAR AS MUCH DUST IN BATON ROUGE AS THERE IS HERE.

BUT YOU MAKE IT THROUGH THE SPRING AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE GREAT.

NO, BUT WE HAD PLENTY OF MUD, THOUGH.

OKAY, YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MUD.

YEAH. YEAH. OKAY.

THANKS, JOHN. DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 7C? YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES SERVICES IN THE SCOPE OF WORK TO PROVIDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, RISK BASED CONDITION ASSESSMENT, PLANNING CRITERIA, MODELING, TECHNICAL EVALUATIONS, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, LAYOUT DEVELOPMENT, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING, PROCUREMENT EVALUATION AND MASTER PLAN REPORT.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE IN THE AMOUNT OF 690,000 TO GARVER LLC.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO AWARD THIS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT.

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

ANYONE OPPOSED SAME SIGN.

THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

AND IT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR ACTION AGENDA AND INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[8. Executive Session]

YES, MA'AM. PURSUANT TO TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CLOSED SESSION, THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON APRIL THE 11TH, 2023, AT 2:09 P.M.

UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY SECTION 551.072 TO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE SALE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY A PUBLIC DISCUSSION SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY'S NEGOTIATING POSITION.

SECTION 551.087 DISCUSS COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT FROM WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR THE LOCATION OR RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOR INCENTIVES THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE SAME.

[01:05:01]

IF YOU JOINED US TODAY AS A STUDENT, WE'RE VERY GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED SIGNED, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STEP UP TO THE DAIS AND ASK A REPRESENTATIVE TO SIGN OFF ON YOUR PAPER.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.