[00:00:05]
[2. Invocation Gene Shelburne, Anna Street Church of Christ]
WHEREVER YOUR PEOPLE CLUSTER, LORD, WE MAKE A MULTITUDE OF MESSES THAT HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH.WE HUMANS ARE VERY GOOD LORD AT MAKING MESSES.
SO IN TODAY'S MEETING, THE LEADERS OF OUR CITY WILL SPEND MEGA-BUCKS TO BUY TRUCKS TO PICK UP OUR TRASH AND A NEW SCRAPER TO BURY IT IN THE LANDFILL, AND WE WILL RUN THE RISK OF UPSETTING BOTH THOSE CITIZENS WHO KNOW WHAT A ROOT BLOWER IS AND THOSE WHO DON'T WHEN THEY SEE HOW MANY DOLLARS WILL BE SET ASIDE TODAY TO REPAIR THIS EQUIPMENT TO HANDLE OUR CITY'S SEWAGE.
MUCH OF TODAY'S MEETING, LORD WILL BE SPENT TAKING CARE OF THE MESSES WE CITIZENS CREATE , BUT YOU KNOW, LORD, THAT THESE MESSAGES ARE EASY TO DEAL WITH COMPARED TO THE ONES WE MAKE WHEN WE LOSE OUR TEMPERS AND BRIDLE OUR TONGUES, FORGET OUR MANNERS, AND TREAT OTHERS WITHOUT RESPECT.
MAY ALL OF US HAVE COOL HEADS AND WARM HEARTS TODAY.
LORD, SO THAT THE DELIBERATIONS OF THIS HOUR WILL HELP CLEAN UP OUR MESSES INSTEAD OF CAUSING BIGGER ONES THAT WE'RE SURE TO REGRET. WE PRAY THROUGH HIM WHO CAME TO FIX THE MESS WE'RE IN.
THANK YOU, PASTOR. IF YOU ALL WILL JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
TEXAS FLAG, PLEASE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
PLEASE BE SEATED. WE GET TO START THIS MEETING HERE TODAY WITH
[5. Announcements]
A GOOD ANNOUNCEMENT, AND SO WE HAVE EVERY DROP COUNTS OUR CONTEST WINNERS, AND I BELIEVE THEY'VE GOT SOME PHOTOS THEY WANT TO SHOW US, AND SO, MISS CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL MOVE US INTO THAT ONE.WE'LL INVITE UP BEN [INAUDIBLE] WITH WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES.
THIS YEAR WE HAD 94 ENTRIES INTO THE CONTEST FROM VARIOUS SCHOOLS AND AGE GROUPS AROUND THE CITY.
THE COMMITTEE REALLY ENJOYED GETTING TO SEE AND JUDGE THE PIECES PRESENTED TO US.
IT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO PICK THE WINNERS AS ALL THE ARTWORK WAS FANTASTIC.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CONTEST.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WAS ABLE TO COME TO CITY COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZES, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING OUR ORGANIZATION TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CONTEST.
THIS CONTEST REALLY HELPS TO SPREAD THE PROGRAM'S OVERALL MESSAGE OF WATER CONSERVATION IN OUR CITY.
12 TOP CONTESTANTS WERE SELECTED ALONG WITH A GRAND PRIZE WINNER.
WE HAD SEVERAL TALENTED STUDENTS CREATE GIF ENTRIES.
THESE HAVE REALLY ENHANCED THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE NEW AND CREATIVE MEDIAS FOR FUTURE CONTESTS.
I WILL FIRST ANNOUNCE OUR FIRST PRIZE PAPER WINNERS.
AFTER THAT, I WILL ANNOUNCE OUR DIGITAL ENTRY WINNERS.
CAN I ASK YOU TO GRAB THAT MICROPHONE AND JUST PULL IT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? SURE. THAT'S AWESOME.
MAYBE NOT. OUR HIGH SCHOOL FIRST PRIZE CARTER ESTEBAN.
K THROUGH SECOND GRADE FIRST PRIZE [INAUDIBLE] WILLIAMSON.
[00:05:05]
OUR GRAND PRIZE WINNER, MARLEY CONTRERAS.THIRD PRIZE TO TIMIZJAH MOORE.
JERIN BRADLEY AND THIRD PRIZE, BRAXTON WILLOUGHBY.
[INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE] HAD OUR BEST MESSAGE [INAUDIBLE] GUZMAN FOR BEST ILLUSTRATION.
JOCELYN [INAUDIBLE] FOR BEST ANIMATION.
THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER WILL RECEIVE OVER $400 WORTH OF MERCHANDISE, INCLUDING WONDERLAND PARK PASSES, SOD POODLES, MERCHANDISE, PACK A SACK, TOOT AND TOTEM GIFT CARDS, DINING CARDS AND FAMILY PACKAGES PROVIDED BY SYNERGY.
OTHER PRIZES INCLUDE DON HARRINGTON DISCOVERY CENTER PASSES AMPED ADVENTURE PARK GIFT CARDS.
EVERY DROP COUNTS MERCHANDISE, OF COURSE, MITCH'S BARBECUE GIFT CARDS AND [INAUDIBLE] PASSES.
A A FINAL CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR'S CONTEST.
NEW AND EXCITING CONSERVATION METHODS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING DEVELOPED.
WE AS A COMMITTEE WILL BE INCORPORATING NEW IDEAS, NEW IDEAS AND PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ONCE THE CALENDARS HAVE BEEN PRINTED, I WILL POST A LINK TO THE CITY WEBSITE.
THESE WILL BE FREE FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THE CALENDAR.
YES, SIR. SO CAN WE GO AHEAD AND GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THESE YOUNG ARTISTS? CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS AS WELL AS THE OTHER THE OTHERS THAT PARTICIPATED, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THIS FOR US.
WE'RE GOING TO COME DOWN AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOU GUYS.
SO WE'LL MOVE THE MIC AND THE PODIUM OUT OF THE WAY, AND THEN CAN WE HAVE ANY PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, ANYONE WITH THESE YOUNGSTERS? GO AHEAD AND COME UP.
WE'LL DO THAT PHOTO HERE AS WELL.
[6. Public Comments]
WE HAVE AN ACTIVE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HERE TODAY, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN I BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE A FEW RESPONSES JUST TO KIND OF[00:10:08]
HELP COMMUNICATE A LITTLE BIT BETTER WHAT, WHAT TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK AND WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE MOVING FORWARD.SO, MISS CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM.
EVERY SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
AT THE END OF TWO AND A HALF MINUTES YOU WILL HEAR A WARNING BEEP ALERTING YOU.
YOU HAVE 30S LEFT TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS.
JUST AS A REMINDER AS TO ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
COUNCIL IS LIMITED IN HOW THEY CAN INTERACT WITH YOU ON THESE.
THEY CAN MAKE A STATEMENT OF FACT, RECITE AN EXISTING POLICY OR REQUEST AN ITEM, BE PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA, BUT THEY CANNOT ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION WITH YOU TODAY. WE HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE SIGNED UP AND THEN COUNCIL.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE ALSO HAD A TOTAL OF 29 PEOPLE REGISTER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY THAT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK, AND THOSE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU. SO FIRST REGISTERED TO SPEAK TODAY IS MELANIE MAE AND ON DECK AFTER MELANIE MAE WILL BE JESSE [INAUDIBLE].
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEN.
I JUST WANTED TO COME TODAY JUST FOR COMMENT.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA, AND JUST TO LET YOU AND OUR OUR CITIZENS KNOW THE LITERATURE THAT IS BEING DISPERSED AT OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES OR ARE MARKETING, RATHER, FOR OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
I'VE VISITED ALL THE LIBRARIES.
MOSTLY IT IS I'VE PICKED UP THE LITERATURE MARKETING FLYERS AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY MORE , BUT I WAS JUST KIND OF APPALLED AT WHAT OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY WAS PUTTING OUT FOR OUR CHILDREN TO PICK UP AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND IT IS 113 BOOKS GEARED TOWARD LGBTQ LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS.
GRANTED, IT IS NOT PUSHING IT ON OUR CHILDREN, BUT IT IS MARKETING THAT IS READILY AVAILABLE FOR OUR CHILDREN TO PICK UP, AND I KNOW THE LIBRARY PROBABLY HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF THESE BOOKS IN, AND THAT'S FINE.
I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE THIS IDEOLOGY.
I'M JUST HERE TO LET CITIZENS KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE DISTRIBUTING THIS TYPE OF LITERATURE, PROMOTING, IN MY OPINION, THIS TYPE OF AGENDA.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE ADULT NONFICTION ON HERE.
WE HAVE A YOUNG ADULT FICTION, YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS, YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION, MIDDLE GRADE FICTION, MIDDLE GRADE NONFICTION, MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVELS, AND PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS AND SOME OF SOME OF THE EVEN JUST SOME OF THE TITLES OF THESE BOOKS ARE SOMETHING YOU WOULD NOT WANT YOUR CHILDREN.
I'M A PARENT OF THREE, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T WANT MY KIDS GOING TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, PICKING UP A FLIER TO PROMOTE THIS TYPE OF IDEOLOGY.
GRANTED, WE ARE A FREE COUNTRY.
WE CAN DISTRIBUTE ALL TYPES OF IDEOLOGY.
I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THIS GROUP IS GETTING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR THIS MARKETING DISTRIBUTION. SOME OF LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THE SOME OF THE TITLES SHE'S MY DAD, A STORY FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE TRANSGENDER PARENTS OR RELATIVES FOR THE PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS.
PINK IS FOR BOYS, PRINCE AND KNIGHT PRIDE PUPPY, A RED CRAYON STORY.
SO JUST LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE THIS, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M APPALLED AT THIS TYPE OF MARKETING FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT THEY CAN READILY GO TO.
[00:15:02]
ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, MS. MAE, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU.MAYOR, CAN I MAKE A STATEMENT? YES, SIR.
RIGHT, AND THANK YOU, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WOULD EVEN BE OUT TO BEGIN WITH.
YOU KNOW, IT IS TOO CONTROVERSIAL AND WE DON'T NEED TO INDOCTRINATE OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. NEXT IS MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND MR. [INAUDIBLE].
IF YOU'LL CONFIRM, I BELIEVE YOU GAVE COUNCIL A HANDOUT.
YES, MA'AM. SO THIS IS AT YOUR PLACES COUNCIL ON DECK AFTER MR. [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE RHIANNON BIRCH.
I AM JESSE [INAUDIBLE], 5723 SOUTH [INAUDIBLE].
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY MARSHAL AND OUR SOLID WASTE GUY, MR. ALAN HARDER.
THESE GENTLEMEN ARE WORKING UNDER SOME SOME REALLY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
I KNOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE BUDGET HERE.
WE'RE DEALING WITH HOW TO SPEND MONEY, OUR CITY BUDGET, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP OUR CITY, AND I'VE REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRAYER THAT OUR REVEREND GAVE THIS MORNING. IT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO [INAUDIBLE] AND THE COLLUSION THAT PEOPLE BRING UPON OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND THEIR CITIZEN PRIDE OF TRYING TO KEEP IT CLEAN, AND WE PUT THE CITY MARSHAL IN THE POSITION OF TRYING TO ENFORCE SOME OF THESE RULES.
I NOTICED IN TALKING WITH HIM THAT HE HAS FIVE CONTRACTORS, THREE OF THE CONTRACTORS DO THE WEEDS AND TWO OF THE CONTRACTORS DO THE WEEDS AND DEBRIS AND WE HAVE 103MI² OF CITY PROPERTY THAT THESE PEOPLE WILL BE INVESTIGATING.
WE HAVE SEVEN INSPECTORS UNDER HIS TUTELAGE.
THESE RATES, I THINK, ARE WAY BEYOND THE 18% INFLATION THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND THESE RATES WERE SET BACK IN 2018, AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE CAN GET CONTRACTORS TO DO THIS JOB THAT IS UNDER THESE RATES, AND I KNOW THIS IS FRUSTRATING YOU AS NEW MEMBERS OF OUR COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THESE RATE INCREASES, BUT WE HAVE BEEN INFLICTED WITH THIS WITH THE INFLATION ON EVERYTHING AND IT'S IMPACTED THE CITY AND HOW IT'S BEEN IN OUR CITY TAX MONEY, BUT IN TALKING ABOUT THIS, I ALSO HAD A TALK WITH MR. HARDER ABOUT A PROBLEM AT THE [INAUDIBLE] AND 58TH AVENUE THAT PLACE WAS REPAIRED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO WITH A CREW OF OUR CITY'S MAINTENANCE PEOPLE AND THEY ENDED UP REPAIRING IT.
IT WAS WORKING GOOD. MR. HARDER AND I LOOKED AT IT REAL WELL.
IT'S ALREADY GOT A HOLE DUG IN THERE, ABOUT FIVE BY FIVE INCHES, AND IT'S WALLOWING RIGHT BACK OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THE CITIZENS AND WE HAD THIS SAVE EVERY DROP CONVERSATION THIS MORNING, THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS DOESN'T SPEAK WELL TO THE CITIZENS IN THE FOX RIDGE EDITION BECAUSE THEY'RE WATERING THE GUTTER.
THEY'RE NOT WATERING THEIR LAWNS, AND BY WATERING THE GUTTER, IT'S IMPACTING THE CORRUPTION THERE AT [INAUDIBLE] AND 58TH AVENUE, WHICH IMPACTS US AS CITIZENS TO HAVE TO KEEP SENDING OUR OUR REPAIR CREWS BACK IN THERE REPAIRING THAT INTERSECTION.
SO MR. HARDER NEEDS TO PUT SOME EFFORT IN CLEANING OUT THE GUTTERS FOR THE SEDIMENT AND SILT THAT'S COLLECTING FROM THAT'S IN THOSE THOSE GUTTERS, AND IT'S SLOWING DOWN THE WATER DRAINING TO OUR DRAINAGE PORTS ON ON WASHINGTON, AND THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CAN ADDRESS AND HELP MR. HARDER IN HIS NEEDS IN SANITATION AND IN DRAINAGE IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT [INAUDIBLE] AND ON DECK WILL BE [INAUDIBLE].
GOOD AFTERNOON. [INAUDIBLE] YOU GUYS? SO I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP THIS SHORT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCILMEN, CITY MANAGER, ALL YOU ALL.
I'M A LIFELONG AMARILLO NATIVE.
OF ALL THE THINGS THE CITY DOES THAT I APPRECIATE, THE BEAUTIFUL CITY PARKS ARE MY FAVORITE.
LATELY IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT, SADLY, AMARILLO HAS A NEGATIVE REPUTATION DUE TO THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF A YOUNG LOCAL ARTIST IN 1997, BRIAN [INAUDIBLE], WHO ALSO LOVED TO SKATE RESPECTFULLY OVERLOOKING ANY DIFFERENCES OF LOCAL OPINION ON
[00:20:01]
PAST EVENTS.LIKE IN ALL FILMS, ARTISTIC LICENSE WAS TAKEN, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NOTORIETY OF BRIAN'S STORY BEING TOLD IN FILM FORMAT ON A WORLDWIDE STAGE, AMARILLO IS NOW, UNFORTUNATELY INTERNATIONALLY REGARDED AS A HOTBED OF HATRED, PREJUDICE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST MEMBERS OF OUR CITY'S DIVERSE CULTURE. IN FACT, REGARDING AMARILLO, THE OFFICIAL WIKIPEDIA PAGE ON THE LOCAL KILLING OF BRIAN DENNEHY CURRENTLY STATES THAT IT RAISED ACCUSATIONS ABOUT THE SOCIAL TOLERANCE OF THE TEXAN CITY IN REFERENCE TO AMARILLO.
FRANKLY, I DON'T LIKE OUR CITY BEING REMEMBERED THAT WAY IN HISTORY.
THEREFORE, I PROPOSE THAT WE TOGETHER TAKE A SMALL, UNIFIED STEP TO HELP BRING HEALING TO THE COMMUNITY AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO REMEDY AMARILLO'S NEGATIVE REPUTATION IN RELATION TO THE TRAGIC EVENTS.
I AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE SPECIFIC, INCLUDING COST EFFECTIVE IDEAS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SIMILAR IDEAS DISCUSSED BEFORE, WHICH I'M NOT ASSOCIATED WITH.
MY CURRENT PROPOSAL INCLUDES EITHER OR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING RENAMING ONLY THE SKATE PARK PORTION OF JOHN STIFF PARK, WHICH CURRENT SIGNAGE LABELS AMARILLO SKATE PARK TO BRIAN [INAUDIBLE] MEMORIAL SKATE PARK, ALLOWING THE COMMUNITY PLACEMENT OF A COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENT WITH A PLAQUE NEAR THE SKATE PARK AREA ENTRANCE.
TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH SOME FURTHER WRITTEN INFORMATION TO REINFORCE WHY, WITH THE [INAUDIBLE]'S CONSENT, I'M SPECIFICALLY ASKING THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL PLEASE ACCEPT MY REQUEST THAT A FURTHER, MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION OF A BRIAN [INAUDIBLE] SKATE PARK COMMEMORATION BE PUT ON YOUR UPCOMING AGENDA.
WE WILL TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION FOR SURE.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HAND OUT.
IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY, YOU CAN TAKE IT RIGHT OVER HERE.
OKAY. NEXT IS MISS CLAY AND ON DECK AFTER KERALEE WILL BE VICTORIA HUGHES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCILMAN.
THANK YOU. MY NAME IS KERALEE CLAY.
I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT THE AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION, AND I JUST WANTED TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THE FOUNDATION CURRENTLY HAS WITH THE AMARILLO PUBLIC LIBRARY.
IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OF BUDGET CUTS, AND I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE GOING ON. FIRST OF ALL, WE DID PROVIDE A GRANT TO THE MAKERSPACE AND OF COURSE, ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT SPACE IS CONTINUED TO USE EFFECTIVELY AND WELL SO THAT INVESTMENT FROM THE FOUNDATION IS PROTECTED BUT ALSO WE ARE WORKING ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AS AN INITIATIVE AT THE FOUNDATION, AND THE LIBRARY DOES PRICELESS WORK OF BEING ABLE TO HELP THAT 0 TO 5 AGE GROUP GET READY TO READ, AND THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN A LOT OF PLACES RIGHT NOW.
OUR KINDERGARTEN READINESS RATES ARE BELOW 50%.
SO TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM THAT, I FEEL WOULD BE SHORTSIGHTED AND COULD POSSIBLY REALLY HURT OUR FUTURE ECONOMY BECAUSE THESE ARE KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUR FUTURE WORKERS AND THEY'RE COMING INTO SCHOOL NOT READY TO LEARN.
SO I THINK THE LIBRARIES ARE REALLY POSED TO BE ABLE TO HELP THAT, AND THEY'RE DOING IT CURRENTLY.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE HERE, I THINK, WHO CAN SPEAK MORE ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY, BUT SPECIFICALLY, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS WITH THE LIBRARY AND WITH CITY OFFICIALS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND REALLY THE LAST 18 MONTHS HAVE GOTTEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING A WORKSHOP WITH THE HARVARD INNOVATION AND HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE FOUNDATION WROTE A GRANT TO DELL REQUESTING WHAT THEY CALL A PRO BONO.
SO THAT IS WHERE THEY ASSIGN DELL EMPLOYEES TO AN INITIATIVE TO HELP US GET IT LAUNCHED.
WE WERE AWARDED THAT WE WERE ONE OF 15 ORGANIZATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA THAT AWARDED THAT WAS AWARDED THAT GRANT AND WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF LAUNCHING THAT NOW.
IN FACT, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING WITH DELL LAST THURSDAY.
WE HAVE OUR NEXT ONE THIS COMING THURSDAY, AND PART OF THAT GRANT IS THAT WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LIBRARIES FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SUPPLY PART OF THIS DIGITAL LITERACY PLAN, AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT FUTURE GRANTS OF BEING ABLE TO OUTFIT THE LIBRARIES WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED.
[00:25:02]
THIS DOESN'T JUST INCLUDE AMARILLO LIBRARY, BUT ALSO USING THE HARRINGTON CONSORTIUM, WHICH IS REALLY RARE THING.THIS IS WHERE THEY COME FOR MEDICAL CARE.
IT'S WHERE THEY COME FOR EDUCATION, IT'S WHERE THEY COME FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
SO I WOULD JUST INVITE YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM AND HOW THE LIBRARIES ARE IMPORTANT TO THAT AND HOW THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IS. WHAT IS GETTING AT&T TO DONATE HUNDREDS OF LAPTOPS TO US AND THE DELL ORGANIZATION TO DONATE LOTS OF TIME AND THEIR TALENT TO US FOR THIS INITIATIVE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT EXCITED THEM ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
SO I WELCOME MEETING WITH ANY OF YOU AT ANY TIME.
MRS. CLAY, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN HERE, AND I APPRECIATE THE ATTITUDE AND ALSO THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE, AND SO JUST AS A STATEMENT OF FACT, WE HAD A BUDGET WORKSHOP WHERE I ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THE NEED TO EVALUATE LIKE EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT'S NOT JUST MYSELF, THAT'S EVERYONE HERE, BUT IN THE EVALUATION OF THE DEPARTMENTS, I DID BRING UP THE LIBRARY AS ONE THAT I HAD QUESTIONS ON, AND SO IN EVALUATING EVERY DEPARTMENT, THIRD FLOOR INCLUDED, WE HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION AND A DISCUSSION TO TRY TO LEARN MORE LIKE WHAT ALL DOES OUR LIBRARY DO? IT'S NOT JUST A RESOURCE CENTER WHERE THERE'S BOOKS ON THE SHELF, AND SO YOU AND THE AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING FORWARD ENOUGH TO WEIGH DECISIONS NOT JUST ON A BLACK AND WHITE PAGE OF THIS IS A NUMBER.
LET'S CUT THIS. LET'S CUT THAT.
WHAT WE ASKED FOR IS, IS SHOW US WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PROGRAMS, WHICH PROGRAMS CAN YOU NOT GET TO? HOW DO THESE PROGRAMS FUNCTION? YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD SHORTER HOURS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND I KNOW I WAS PERSONALLY LOOKING AT LIKE MAYBE 9:00 IN THE EVENING IS NOT THE BEST USAGE OF RESOURCES.
IF OUR LIBRARIES ARE SOMEWHAT VACANT OR MAYBE NOT BEING UTILIZED BY THE MAJORITY OF OUR CITIZENS.
SO IF WE CUT THAT TO 7:00 PM, MAYBE THAT'S NOT A BIG ISSUE, YOU KNOW, ON OUR BUDGET, BUT IT IS FOR US AND MAKING SURE WE STEWARDING EVERY DOLLAR WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW I'M LOOKING AT A $470 MILLION BUDGET AND I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS $10,000 HAS TO BE SPENT, AND SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE.
IT'S AN EVALUATION, AND SO WE'RE LEARNING, AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR GRACIOUSNESS AND HOW YOU CAME IN HERE TO TALK TO US, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR SURE PEOPLE, AND ENTITIES LIKE YOURSELF AND DELL AND OTHERS THAT ARE INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE WELL STEWARDED, AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE EVALUATING AND LEARNING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS CLAY. I WOULD JUST SAY WITH THE HOURS, KEEP IN MIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK TILL 6 OR 7 AND THEY GO TO THE LIBRARY TO UPSKILL SO THAT THEY CAN GET TO THAT NEXT LEVEL. SO KEEPING IN MIND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WORK 9 TO 5, TOO.
WE HAVE READ I KNOW I'VE PERSONALLY READ EVERY ONE OF THESE.
I'VE TAKEN PROBABLY 50 OTHER EMAILS, READ EVERY ONE TRYING TO RESPOND.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. NEXT, VICTORIA HUGHES AND ON DECK WILL BE [INAUDIBLE] ST .
COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US HERE, AND I AM IN AMARILLO CITY LIMITS AND MY NAME IS VICTORIA HUGHES AND I FACILITATE A GROUP CALLED OPERATION FIRST FIVE, AND IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR HOW YOU'RE WANTING TO LEARN BECAUSE I JUST CAME TO SPEAK ON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIBRARIES AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT LIBRARIES ARE DOING, AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
THEY'RE NOT JUST A PLACE THAT HOUSES BOOKS, RIGHT? SO WE'VE BEEN IN ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMARILLO PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR SOME YEARS NOW, WORKING IN OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT GROUP THAT TACKLES TOUGH ISSUES THAT FACE FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN A HUGE PLAYER AND PARTNER IN SHARING OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRAIN.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY A FAMILY PLACE LIBRARY, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ALL LIBRARIES ARE, WHICH MEANS THEY MAKE THE LIBRARIES, A PLACE THAT FAMILIES WANT TO GO WHO HAVE CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS OLD.
[00:30:03]
SO COMFORTABLE SPACES WHERE THEY CAN PLAY AND SIT AND READ, AND WE KNOW ALL THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HAPPENING IN THOSE EARLY YEARS.SO I BROUGHT SOME DOCUMENTS HERE THAT SHARES MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES HIGHLIGHTED HERE AS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON A DOCUMENT THAT'S OUR SOCIOLOGICAL SATURATION MODEL THAT THE LIBRARIES ARE RIGHT HERE AS A CORNERSTONE OF ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE WANT TO SATURATE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRAIN OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS DEVELOPING BRAIN, AND IT'S CALLED THE FIVE BASICS, AND THE LIBRARIES ARE CORE IN THIS SOCIOLOGICAL SATURATION MODEL, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND REALLY LOOKING INTO AND HAVING INITIATIVES AROUND WITH OPERATION FIRST FIVE.
SO THEY'RE REALLY STRONG PARTNER WITH US AND THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING OF REALLY MAKING AMARILLO A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE FOR ALL FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN, BIRTH TO FIVE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE, AND I HAVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THERE, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE, ALWAYS POSITIVE AND OPEN, AND REALLY FULFILL THIS MISSION OF MAKING OUR COMMUNITY STRONG NOW FOR THE FUTURE WORKFORCE.
STEPHEN. I DO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS AND I'VE LIVED IN AMARILLO FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR LIBRARIES.
I LEARNED TO READ AT AN EARLY AGE, AND AFTER I READ MY WAY THROUGH ALL OF THE AVAILABLE BOOKS AT OUR HOME, MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY, A MAGICAL PLACE WHERE I QUICKLY EARNED A REPUTATION FOR CARRYING GREAT ARMFULS OF BOOKS THAT OFTENTIMES REACHED AS HIGH AS MY CHIN OUT THE DOOR AT EVERY VISIT.
I STILL LOVE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY WAS A SAFE PLACE FOR ME TO RETREAT, WHERE I KNEW I WOULD FIND KIND, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HIGHLY TRAINED LIBRARIANS WHO HELPED TO CURATE THE NEXT STACK OF BOOKS THAT I WOULD TAKE HOME AND DEVOUR.
I REMEMBER BEING IN AWE OF THE LIBRARY.
IT FELT LIKE A SACRED, APPROACHABLE SPACE.
THE LIBRARY OPENED THE WORLD TO ME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.
IT WAS POSSIBLE TO LEARN EVERYTHING I WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT EVERYTHING.
I READ ABOUT WORLD WAR TWO AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION.
I BECAME FRIENDS WITH OUR LIBRARIAN, MISS MARY.
I REMEMBER HER PRESENCE IN MY LIFE VERY CLEARLY.
SHE WAS KIND AND ENCOURAGING AND ALWAYS MADE TIME TO ASK ME ABOUT THE BOOKS I WAS READING AND MADE SURE TO TELL ME HOW IMPRESSED SHE WAS WITH HOW MANY BOOKS I WAS READING, WHICH IN TURN MADE ME WANT TO READ MORE BOOKS.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES DO SO MUCH MORE THAN HOUSE BOOKS.
THEY GIVE US A PLACE TO FIND COMMUNITY AND RESOURCES AND SAFETY AND SOMETIMES JUST AS SOFTLY LIT CORNER TO QUIETLY LOSE OURSELVES IN OTHER WORLDS, OTHER LIVES AND OTHER POSSIBILITIES. I KNOW THAT THE FIVE LIBRARIES IN AMARILLO PROVIDE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE TO OTHER PEOPLE HERE AND IN OUR OUTLYING COUNTIES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND READING LEVEL, AGE, RACE OR INCOME.
I KNOW THAT OUR LIBRARY PROVIDES CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ACCESS TO AIR CONDITIONING, INTERNET AND PRINTERS, ESL BOOK CLUBS LIKE THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM AND OTHER OFFERINGS THAT MAYBE MANY OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED, BUT THESE ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO'S LOOKING TO BETTER THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, EXPAND THEIR WORLDS, OR WHO JUST NEEDS A MOMENTARY RESPITE OR QUIET CORNER IN WHICH TO DAYDREAM.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL KEEP MY STORY IN MIND AS YOU WORK THROUGH THE COMPLICATED BUDGETARY PROCESS IN THE COMING WEEKS, AND THAT YOU WILL REMEMBER HOW CRITICAL OUR LIBRARIES ARE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND UNLIKE ME AND FOR PEOPLE LIKE AND UNLIKE YOURSELVES.
THANK YOU, AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS COLTON HIBBS, AND I'M NOT SEEING COLTON HIBBS.
MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES EVERYONE THAT REGISTERED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
[00:35:01]
OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY? THIS TOPIC OR ANOTHER ONE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? IF YOU'LL PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME WHEN YOU GET UP THERE, PLEASE, SIR, AND IF YOU LIVE IN OR OUT OF THE CITY LIMITS.KEVIN CARTER AND LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS.
I JUST WANT TO COME BEFORE YOU ALL TO TALK ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED FRIDAY.
OFFICER GUERRERO WAS THERE WHEN MY SON HAD A FAMILY EMERGENCY, AND OFFICER PADRON EXCUSE ME, AND YOUR PARTNER, GUERRERO, AND THEN WE HAD TWO EMS FOLKS THAT WERE AWESOME.
THE NAME LAST NAME TAYLOR AND LAST NAME SERRANO, AND ALSO THE FOLKS AT NORTHWEST HOSPITAL.
I JUST WE DON'T GIVE ENOUGH CREDIT TO THOSE FOLKS THAT DO THAT WORK, AND SO I WANT TO I WANT TO STAND UP HERE AND GIVE PUBLICLY THANK THOSE FOLKS THAT CAME. HE'S FINE, AND SO BUT I'M CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT DO THAT.
SO APPRECIATE THAT, AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP AND SAY THAT PUBLICLY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TO THAT, MAKING THAT KNOWN, BRINGING SOME LIGHT ON THAT.
I HOPE YOU NEVER NEED THEM, BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO NEED THEM, THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE WELL EQUIPPED AND THEY'VE GOT YOU AND YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, ON THE TOP OF THEIR LIST, AND THAT'S OUR HEART HERE.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? YES, MA'AM. PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR AT LEAST HEARING ME.
I HAVE LIVED IN AMARILLO SINCE 1970, AND I THINK I'VE GONE TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SINCE 1970.
I HAVE TRACED THE CAUSE OF THE LIBRARY ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1616 IN IRELAND TO A PATRIOT WHO CAME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES.
HE WAS SUCH A GOOD PATRIOT THAT THE PRESIDENT, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, GAVE HIM LAND.
I WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN ALL OF THIS WITHOUT THE LIBRARIAN, THE WITHOUT THE LIBRARY AND WITHOUT THE LIBRARIANS.
THIS IS JUST MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME, AND I REPRESENT THE GENEALOGY CLUB.
ONE OF OUR OTHER GENEALOGY MEMBERS IS HERE WITH ME, AND THIS PLACE IS VERY SPECIAL TO US , AND LIKE THEY SAID, 9:00 AT NIGHT.
I'M USED TO GOING HOME AT 9:00 AT NIGHT.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER TAKING CARE OF US.
OH, MAN. I WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A DISCOUNT IF I WAS YOU.
[CHUCKLING] THAT WAS A PRIME OPPORTUNITY.
LET ME STATE JUST FOR THE RECORD, I DO HAVE SOMETHING HERE.
NORTH AND EAST BRANCH LIBRARY CLOSURES WAS ONE THING.
OTHER CLOSURES? PEOPLE FEELING LIKE WE'RE CLOSING LIBRARIES.
LET ME JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD LIKE NO ONE IS CLOSING ANY LIBRARIES.
WE ARE NOT CLOSING ANY LIBRARIES.
WE ARE NOT AT A POINT IN OUR BUDGET WHERE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT LIKE, DO WE HAVE TO CLOSE A LIBRARY? WE ARE NOT CLOSING ANY LIBRARIES.
WE ARE EVALUATING THE LEVELS OF SERVICE THAT WE GIVE, AND ARE WE UTILIZING ALL OF THE LABOR THAT WE HAVE OVER THERE IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER? MEANING DO WE HAVE TEN PEOPLE WORKING AND YOU WOULD HAVE NO REDUCTION IN SERVICE AND NO REDUCTION IN QUALITY IF YOU HAD, LET'S SAY, 7 OR 8? THAT IS OUR QUESTION.
NOW, I'M NOT EVEN SAYING THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK UP SO THEY COULD HEAR YOU.
I CAN'T GET IN A CONVERSATION, BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
WELL, I AM CONCERNED WITH THE BUDGET CUT THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE EMPLOYEES LOSE THEIR JOB.
YES, AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE OVER THERE THAT ARE MY FRIENDS AND THEY HAVE HELPED ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO THINK THAT.
[00:40:06]
THEIR JOBS ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS OTHER PEOPLES.NOW, I REALIZE YOU HAVE A BUDGET.
I USED TO BE A BOOKKEEPER, SO I'M KIND OF AWARE OF THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER THAT TO CUT DOWN, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE'S JOBS.
YES, MA'AM, AND IF I CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP YOU SUPPORT THE LIBRARY, PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME HELP, DON . OKAY. WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
WE APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING UP.
WELL, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US, ME, MOLLY, KERALEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US, SO, AND WE REALIZE YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CLOSING THEM DOWN, RIGHT? BUT JUST REDUCING, LIKE YOU SAID, EVEN TO MOVE THE HOURS TO SEVEN INSTEAD OF NINE.
I'VE GOT A COUSIN THAT WORKS FOR AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE.
SO HOW MUCH WORK COULD SHE ACTUALLY GET DONE? I MEAN, YOU GO IN, YOU'VE GOT TO FIND BOOKS OR YOU GET ON THE COMPUTERS OR AND THAT CAN'T JUST BE DONE IN AN HOUR.
ANYONE ELSE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR AGENDA.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ITEMS HERE BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE DISCUSSION.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FOR COUNCIL THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ON THIS AGENDA? OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO ITEM 7B.
[7.B. Discuss Utility Billing and Online Payment System]
DISCUSSION ON UTILITY BILLING AND AN ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE UPON.MISS LAURA STORRS IS GOING TO COME AND EDUCATE US ON THIS.
I DON'T SEE THE CLICKER, BUT GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY CAN KIND OF WALK ME THROUGH SLIDES AS WE GO HERE.
SO WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS THAT WE ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED TO YOU ALL LAST WEEK, AND SO WE WERE WANTING TO BRING IT FORWARD TODAY SO WE COULD START GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT WE HAVE A NEW PAYMENT PORTAL FOR OUR UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR ONLINE PAYMENT PORTAL HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE BETTER OPTIONS OUT THERE. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR A WHILE NOW TO FIND A BETTER SOLUTION TO PROVIDE BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
WE WENT THROUGH A TESTING PHASE, AND NOW WE ARE READY TO GO LIVE WITH THIS NEW PAYMENT PORTAL.
WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE IT OVER ON THIS COMING MONDAY, AUGUST 7TH.
WE WILL BE SENDING OUT A BUNCH OF COMMUNICATION THIS WEEK.
WE WILL BE NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS AND OUR CUSTOMERS CAN GO TO AMARILLO.GOV/PAY, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S VERY USER FRIENDLY.
IT'S MORE LIKE WEBSITES THAT YOU GO AND ACCESS ALL THE TIME TO PAY BILLS.
IT'S A LOT BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE.
WE ARE ALSO OFFERING A $10 ONE TIME CREDIT ON WATER BILLS FOR SIGNING UP TO GO PAPERLESS. SO THAT IS AN OPTION INSIDE OF THIS PORTAL, AND SO WE ARE HOPING TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD SO WE CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO CUT BACK ON MAYBE SOME OF THE PAPER OUT THERE IN THE WORLD AND TO GO PAPERLESS.
SO THERE WILL BE A $10 ONE TIME CREDIT FOR SIGNING UP.
SO IF I CAN IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO THAT CHASE BRADY AND JOY STEWART AND THEIR TEAM PUT TOGETHER THAT GOES THROUGH A LITTLE MORE AND THEN I'LL WRAP UP. PAYING YOUR UTILITY BILL JUST GOT EASIER WITH PAYAMA.
OUR NEW PAYMENT PORTAL IS EASY TO REGISTER, SIMPLE TO USE AND OFFERS.
PAYING YOUR UTILITY BILL JUST GOT EASIER WITH PAYAMA.
OUR NEW PAYMENT PORTAL IS EASY TO REGISTER, SIMPLE TO USE, AND OFFERS A VARIETY OF PAYMENT METHODS.
DON'T HAVE A BILL CLOSE BY, JUST CALL (806)Â 378-3030 AND OUR TEAM WILL BE HAPPY TO FIND IT FOR YOU.
[00:45:02]
ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR CUSTOMER ID NUMBER, YOU'LL WANT TO VISIT AMARILLO.GOV/PAY AND PRESS THE PAY NOW BUTTON.YOU WILL END UP ON THE PAY PAGE.
CLICK ON THE REGISTER NOW BUTTON.
FILL OUT THE ACCOUNT CREATION FORM AND PRESS ENROLL.
YOU SHOULD NOW SEE THE ADD ACCOUNT PAGE.
FROM HERE, ENTER YOUR CUSTOMER ID NUMBER YOU RETRIEVED EARLIER.
YOUR BILLS WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR REGISTERED EMAIL, ELIMINATING THE WAIT OF TRADITIONAL MAIL, AND FOR A LIMITED TIME WHEN YOU ENROLL IN PAPERLESS BILLING, YOU'LL RECEIVE A ONE TIME $10 CREDIT FOR YOUR NEXT UTILITY BILL.
THE PAY BY TEXT OPTION ALLOWS YOU A CONVENIENT WAY TO REVIEW AND PAY YOUR BILL VIA TEXT MESSAGE.
ONCE YOU'VE MADE YOUR SELECTIONS, CHECK THE PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION TERMS AND ADD YOUR ACCOUNT.
YOU'RE ALL SET WITH THE NEW PAYAMA UTILITY BILL PORTAL.
OUR NEW PAYMENT PORTAL, AS MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAKE PAYMENTS DEBIT CREDIT CARDS, ACH, E-CHECKS AND THEN DIGITAL WALLET FEATURES, AND SO THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, VENMO, APPLE PAY, GOOGLE PAY, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE REOCCURRING PAYMENTS COME OUT.
AS YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, THERE'S ALSO AN OPTION TO PAY BY TEXT.
SO YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER.
IT'LL SEND YOU A TEXT MESSAGE EACH MONTH AND THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY OPT IN TO PAY BY TEXTING IN, AND THEN, AS ALWAYS, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE THE PAY BY PHONE FEATURE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE MAILED IN UTILITY BILLS.
OF COURSE, THEY CAN ACCESS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES HERE AT CITY HALL, AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS, KIND OF OFF SITE OPTIONS OTHER THAN CITY HALL TO MAKE PAYMENTS, AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM THE UNITED SUPERMARKETS.
ALSO ON THIS NEW PAYMENT PORTAL, YOU CAN GO IN AND JUST DO A ONE TIME PAYMENT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO REGISTER AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SAVE YOUR INFORMATION IN THE PORTAL, YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO A ONE TIME PAYMENT AS WELL.
SO THE EXCITING THING ABOUT THIS NEW PAYMENT PORTAL IS WE ARE GOING LIVE THIS COMING MONDAY, AUGUST 7TH WITH UTILITY BILLING, AND THAT'S THE FIRST DEPARTMENT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BRING MORE AND MORE CITY DEPARTMENTS INTO THIS SAME PAYMENT PORTAL.
SO A FEW OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ROLL OUT IN THE FUTURE ARE AREAS LIKE BUILDING SAFETY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
ALSO, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, WE HAVE AN AMI PROJECT GOING ON, AUTOMATED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM GOING IN, AND WE WILL HAVE A CONSUMPTION PORTAL THAT IS UTILIZED ONCE IT'S FULLY IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE CITY, BUT IT WILL BE INTERFACED INTO THIS PAYMENT PORTAL SO OUR CUSTOMERS CAN NOT ONLY PAY A BILL, BUT THEY CAN ALSO TRACK THEIR CONSUMPTION AND GET NOTIFICATIONS THROUGH THAT ONE AREA.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE INFORMATION TO COME ON IT.
AS ALSO MENTIONED ON THE VIDEO, WHEN YOU'RE REGISTERING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE PAYMENT PORTAL WEBSITE, YOU'LL NEED YOUR UTILITY ACCOUNT NUMBER AND CUSTOMER NUMBER, WHICH IS UP HERE ON THE SCREEN AND IT'S OUTLINED ON THE BILL.
IF A CITIZEN IS NOT SURE WHERE TO GET THAT, PLEASE JUST CALL US AT (806)-378-3330 YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US AT BILLING@AMARILLO.GOV, AND THEN AGAIN THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE INFORMATION OUT ON OUR AMARILLO.GOV/PAY WEBSITE.
[00:50:06]
THIS VIDEO WILL BE ON THERE WITH INFORMATION AND MORE WAYS TO KIND OF ACCESS THIS SYSTEM.OH, AND ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT EMAILS TO THOSE CUSTOMERS, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS COMING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INFORMATION ON AT BILL STUFFERS.
SO IN THE ACTUAL BILLS THAT ARE GOING OUT IN THE MAIL, THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM IN THERE.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A PRESS RELEASE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY MANY WAYS TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.
ALSO HERE AT CITY HALL, WE WILL HAVE A BANNER UP, YOU KNOW, IN THE UTILITY BILLING AREA.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SANDWICH BOARDS WITH KIND OF THIS INFORMATION, AND SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE INITIAL KICKOFF, AND THIS WEEK WE'RE DOING A HEAVY HIT TOWARDS OUR CUSTOMERS TO LET THEM KNOW THIS IS COMING, AND SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE TRANSITION AND CERTAINLY DO ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE PAPERLESS OPTION TO GO SIGN UP BECAUSE IT IS THAT $10 ONE TIME CREDIT ON AN UPCOMING WATER BILL, AND THEN ALSO WE WILL HAVE THIS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH JUST TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS AND, AND WITH THAT IS THERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER ON THIS? YOU GOT TWO.
THERE'S NO APP FOR THIS, CORRECT? CORRECT. I MEAN, IT'S ALL WEB BASED.
YEAH, I'M GOING TO BRING UP MY EXPERT HERE.
SHE'S OUR UTILITY BILLING MANAGER.
HI. YES. THIS IS ALL WEB BASED, SO WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL APP, BUT IT WILL CONVERT.
IF YOU ARE ON A CELL PHONE, IT'LL CONVERT TO THE PHONE.
OKAY AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION WILL BE, SO WITH THIS PROGRAM, ARE WE CAPPED ON LIKE, SAY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD TO THE LIMITATIONS AS TO WHAT OTHER TYPES OF THINGS WE CAN ADD INTO THAT? OR ARE WE JUST STUCK ON, YOU KNOW, WATER BILL AND THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE LISTED ON THERE? NO, NOT NECESSARILY.
SO IT ALL KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE INTERFACES ALLOWED THROUGH OUR SYSTEMS, BUT WE'RE ALREADY EXPLORING OPTIONS, YOU KNOW, FOR PARKS, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, BUILDING SAFETY.
I MEAN, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET AS MANY CITY DEPARTMENTS AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S JUST KIND OF A STEP BY STEP PROCESS BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM ARE UTILIZING DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN FEED THE INFORMATION PROPERLY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN IT. SO THIS WILL BE THE FIRST LAUNCH OF MANY MORE TO COME AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING THAT TO YOU ALL AS COUNCIL AND THEN ALSO TO RELEASE THAT INFORMATION TO OUR CITIZENS. OKAY. THANK YOU.
GREAT QUESTION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? ARE WE WAIVING LATE FEES? SO I THINK WE WILL CERTAINLY BE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WE TRANSITION THROUGH THIS, AND SO I WOULD ENVISION THAT, ESPECIALLY IF CUSTOMERS ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN OUR EXISTING PAYMENT PORTAL AND THERE'S A TIMING PROBLEM AS THEY'RE TRANSITIONING TO THE NEW ONE, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THOSE INDIVIDUALLY, BUT IT WON'T BE NECESSARILY A BLANKET WAIVING ALL LATE FEES.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE MORE ON A SITUATIONAL BASIS.
I THINK WHEN WE SWITCHED SYSTEMS BEFORE WE HAD QUITE A FEW PROBLEMS. WE DID. YES. YES.
I JUST YOU KNOW, IF WE IDENTIFY ANY CHALLENGES WITH THE SYSTEM AND WITH THE TRANSITION THAT WE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO, THAT'S GOING TO BE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, THOUGH.
WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED ANYTHING SYSTEMATIC THAT SHOULD CAUSE LATE FEES.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AND FACILITATE THAT, AND IF WE'VE CONTRIBUTED TO SOMEONE BEING LATE AND WE OBVIOUSLY ABSOLUTELY WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THAT, BUT SO IF I'M A CURRENT DRAFT CUSTOMER. IF I DRAFT AFTER AUGUST 7TH, IT WILL NOT BE PAID.
SO IF YOU ARE A DRAFT CUSTOMER THAT IS SET UP THROUGH OUR CURRENT ONLINE PAYMENT PORTAL.
THOSE WILL CONTINUE, BUT IF YOU HAD GONE ON TO OUR CURRENT PAYMENT PORTAL AND REGISTERED TO HAVE THESE REOCCURRING PAYMENTS MADE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO REREGISTER. OTHERWISE IT WON'T DRAFT, AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY THOSE ARE OUR TARGET CUSTOMERS WE'RE WORKING TO REACH OUT TO AND ALSO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM THROUGH THAT TRANSITION. IF THERE'S A DELAY IN PAYMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE EXACTLY THE GROUP THAT WE'RE WANTING TO WORK WITH.
WE'RE LAUNCHING IT SIX DAYS LATER.
THEY MAY NOT BE PAYING ATTENTION TO IT.
[00:55:08]
MAYBE EVERYBODY WILL DO IT, BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE LIKE ME.SO ABSOLUTELY, AND WE'RE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THAT.
ALSO, WE'RE GOING LIVE ON AUGUST 7TH, BUT A LOT OF BILLS ARE NOT DUE UNTIL MANY DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH BECAUSE WE HAVE DISTRICTS AND THEY BILL AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE PUSHING COMMUNICATIONS OUT, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE KNOW THIS ESPECIALLY FROM OUR LAST SOFTWARE TRANSITION.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO BE HEARD ABOUT A CHANGE, AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THOSE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AS THEY DISCOVER THAT SOMETHING HAS CHANGED AND MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED IT, AND WE'LL WORK WITH THEM ON THAT.
YES. UNLESS YOU HAVE THE SECRET IDEA OF HOW TO REACH THEM ALL.
YES, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRANSITION WAS LIKE BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH 10,000 PEOPLE THAT FORGET TO DO IT, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO SPEND ALL THAT MAN HOURS GOING BACK AND DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS INDIVIDUALLY, YOU KNOW, I JUST WONDER AND AGAIN, MAYBE IT'S SET INTO PLACE.
SO YOU CAN MAYBE A MONTH OR TWO TO FIND IT INSTEAD OF US CHARGING ALL THESE LATE FEES AND HAVING PEOPLE HAVE TO CALL US UP, YOU KNOW, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE LATE FEES BECAUSE THEY'VE REALLY DONE NOTHING WRONG.
IF THEY SET UP THE AUTO DRAFT, WE'RE CHANGING IT.
WE'RE FORCING THEM TO DO THAT.
SO IF IT CAN LESSEN THE PAIN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS MAYBE THE EXPENSE OF HAVING SPENT A LOT OF MAN HOURS DEALING WITH IT AND CORRECTING IT MAY JUST BE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT A GRACE PERIOD FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
I MEAN, IT'S WHATEVER WHATEVER YOU ALL WOULD LIKE WE CAN WORK THROUGH.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF WE WOULD HAVE I'M ASSUMING YOU WOULD HAVE ALL OF YOUR DRAFT ITEMIZED WHERE YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE ON DRAFT.
YOU COULD MONITOR THOSE AND SEE WHICH ONES ARE DUE FOR A, YOU KNOW, A LATE NOTICE, AND BASED ON THE LATE NOTICE, COULD YOU PULL ALL OF THOSE OUT AND EMAIL THEM LIKE A ONE TIME GRACE PERIOD? WE'VE WE'VE INSTRUCTED THIS THIS WAY AND WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY EASY FOR YOU TO DO IN AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, OR WOULD THAT BE THE ONE? BY ONE ACCOUNT, NO.
WE CAN PULL A REPORT THAT WILL GIVE US ALL OF THE REOCCURRING CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS THAT WILL GIVE US ALL OF THE DRAFT INFORMATION AND WE CAN CREATE AN EMAIL BASICALLY THAT WE CAN SEND OUT TO THOSE CUSTOMERS OR EVEN IF WE NEED TO SEND OUT A MAILER TO THEM AS WELL, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT WE CAN ISOLATE TO A SPECIFIC GROUP ON WHO COULD POSSIBLY BE IN THAT GRACE PERIOD.
DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH MAYBE DIRECTING THAT THIS FIRST GO ROUND SINCE WE'RE ROLLING IT OUT THIS WAY TO ITEMIZE ALL THOSE CUSTOMERS ONCE THEY'RE DELINQUENT, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY WE GO 5 OR 10 DAYS PAST THE DUE DATE WE GROUP EMAIL THEM, MAIL THEM MAYBE IF YOU WANTED TO, AND THEN ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET THE PAYMENT PORTAL SET UP IN ORDER TO AVOID A FUTURE LATE FEE? ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT? ANYBODY GOT ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THAT? OKAY. HOPEFULLY THAT'LL KEEP YOU FROM HAVING TO GO ONE BY ONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KIND OF GET THEM ALL TOGETHER AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE ONE BY ONES ON THE THIRD ROUND, I'M SURE. WE ALSO HAVE A PHONE NOTIFICATION THAT WE CAN UTILIZE RIGHT NOW SO WE CAN SEND THOSE MESSAGES OUT BY PHONE AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS.
OKAY. NOW, WE APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY FUTURE ITEMS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL HERE TODAY? NO. ALL RIGHT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR DISCUSSION.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO ITEM EIGHT, AND THAT IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[8. Consent Items]
I DO KNOW WE HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO PULL JUST FOR A DISCUSSION.SO I WOULD ASK COUNCIL, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO OFFER UP TO BE PULLED FOR A DISCUSSION? YES, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM EIGHT ZERO.
ANY OTHERS? OKAY WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO
[01:00:03]
APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA LESS 8O.I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT CONSENT AGENDA AS WRITTEN ALL EXCEPT 8O.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ANY OF THIS, COUNCIL? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, SO CONSENT AGENDA PASSES IN A 5-0 VOTE, AND WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM 8O.
[8.O. CONSIDER AWARD - DIGITAL HUMAN CONTRACT]
MISS CITY SECRETARY, I SEE RICH MOVING.IS RICH MY GUY? OKAY. RICH GAGNON IS COMING UP HERE TO TALK TO US ABOUT THIS.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE TO PULL, AND WE APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION ON IT.
IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS, I HAD MY ASSISTANT ACTUALLY GENERATE A SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT DIGITAL HUMAN IS, SO I'M GOING TO KICK IT OFF TO AMY AND LET HER DO HER INTRO AND THEN PASS IT BACK TO ME FOR QUESTIONS.
HELLO MAYOR, COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS OF AMARILLO.
I AM AMY, THE AI ASSISTANT TO THE CIO OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
NAVIGATING LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS OFTEN CHALLENGING FOR RESIDENTS WHEN THEY NEED ACCESS TO INFORMATION OR SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IF THAT RESIDENT IS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH TECHNOLOGY OR IS NEW TO OUR COUNTRY AND IS STILL LEARNING ENGLISH, HOW MUCH EASIER WOULD IT BE IF THEY COULD SIMPLY ASK A QUESTION AND GET AN ANSWER? DIGITAL HUMANS ENABLE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO GREATLY SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
LET'S START WITH A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF A RESIDENT NEEDING TO DISPOSE OF BULKY TRASH.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME? HI, SOPHIE. MY NAME IS RICH.
I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THE CITY OF AMARILLO HAS A LANDFILL.
HELLO, RICH. NICE TO MEET YOU.
YES. THE CITY OF AMARILLO DOES HAVE A LANDFILL.
IS THERE ANYTHING THEY WON'T TAKE? WHILE THE AMARILLO LANDFILL ACCEPTS A WIDE RANGE OF WASTE MATERIALS, THERE ARE CERTAIN ITEMS THAT MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR DISPOSAL.
THESE CAN INCLUDE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SUCH AS CHEMICALS, PAINTS, BATTERIES AND MEDICAL WASTE.
IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO CHECK WITH THE LANDFILL DIRECTLY OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ACCEPTABLE AND PROHIBITED ITEMS. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT IN SPANISH? OF COURSE. HERE'S THE TRANSLATION IN SPANISH.
[SPANISH] DOES THE CITY OF AMARILLO OFFER PICKUP FOR BULKY TRASH ITEMS? YES. THE CITY OF AMARILLO OFFERS A PICKUP SERVICE FOR BULKY TRASH ITEMS. THIS SERVICE ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO SCHEDULE A COLLECTION FOR LARGE AND OVERSIZE ITEMS THAT CANNOT BE DISPOSED OF THROUGH REGULAR GARBAGE COLLECTION.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE FURNITURE, APPLIANCES, MATTRESSES AND OTHER BULKY HOUSEHOLD WASTE.
IS THERE ANYTHING THEY WON'T PICK UP? WHILE THE CITY OF AMARILLO'S BULKY TRASH PICKUP SERVICE IS DESIGNED TO COLLECT A WIDE RANGE OF LARGE ITEMS, THERE ARE CERTAIN MATERIALS THAT MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PICKUP.
THESE CAN INCLUDE HAZARDOUS WASTE, CONSTRUCTION, DEBRIS, AUTOMOTIVE PARTS AND TIRES.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT IN JAPANESE? [INAUDIBLE]. HERE'S THE TRANSLATION IN JAPANESE.
[01:05:02]
THANK YOU, SOPHIE. I APPRECIATE THE HELP.HAVE A GOOD DAY. YOU'RE WELCOME, RICH.
[SPANISH] [JAPANESE] THE IMPACT BECOMES EVEN GREATER WHEN CONVERSATIONAL INTERACTION IS ADDED TO THE WEBSITE TO GIVE RESIDENTS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO SERVICES.
LET'S LOOK AT A COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE OF HOW IMPACTFUL THE COMBINATION CAN BE.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS OR MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN HELP WITH? HI, CLARA. MY SON IS STARTING COLLEGE THIS YEAR AND HE NEEDS A LAPTOP.
THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT YOUR SON IS STARTING COLLEGE.
COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT HE WILL PRIMARILY BE USING THE LAPTOP FOR? HE IS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR AND HE ALSO LIKES TO GAME.
I RECOMMEND THE DELL G16 GAMING LAPTOP.
IT OFFERS A HIGH PERFORMING 12TH GEN INTEL CORE I7 PROCESSOR AND NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX GRAPHICS CARD FOR SMOOTH GAMING, AMPLE MEMORY AND STORAGE SPACE, PLUS A STUNNING QUAD HD PLUS DISPLAY.
THIS LAPTOP WILL EXCEL IN BOTH HIS COURSEWORK AND GAMING SESSIONS.
BOOKING A SPOT IN THE PARK, REPORTING A POTHOLE, GETTING BULK PICKUP, EVEN GETTING DISASTER INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE ON FILLING OUT THE PROPER FORMS FOR ASSISTANCE ALL BECOME CONVERSATIONAL AND CONVENIENT.
NOW I WILL HAND IT BACK TO RICH TO DISCUSS THE NEXT STEPS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
HELLO, MAYOR. COUNCIL, AND SO SHOULD COUNCIL APPROVE THIS TODAY? THE PROCESS IS ACTUALLY PRETTY SIMPLE.
SO WITH THAT DEPARTMENT WILL ACTUALLY START TO MODEL.
SO INSTEAD OF DOING JUST ANOTHER WEBSITE PROJECT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT WHAT DO OUR RESIDENTS ACTUALLY NEED FROM EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS? AND WE'RE FORCING THAT TO BE CONVERSATIONAL AND IT FORCES US AS A CITY TO ACTUALLY SIT DOWN WITH RESIDENTS AND ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR PARKS? I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
IT ANSWERS GREAT QUESTIONS IF YOU KNOW GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING.
SO THIS ALLOWS US TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE WE ACTUALLY SIT DOWN WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND WALK THROUGH WHAT YOUR QUESTIONS ARE AND THEN DRIVE OUR CONTENT BASED ON WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT TO KNOW.
SO WE WOULD DO THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
BY SEPTEMBER, WE'D HAVE THE FIRST OFF OF THAT MODEL, WE WILL RUN AN INNOVATION PROCESS WHERE WE'LL ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AS WE GO THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT AND GET THEM CONVERTED, AND THEN OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE WORKING WITH DELL.
THE GOAL IS INSIDE THAT 12 MONTHS WE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PULL THAT TO OUR COMPUTE ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, HOW DO WE MAKE USE OF THE BENEFITS OF AI, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE? AND HOW DO WE EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF AI AND HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND HOW DO WE PROTECT OUR CITIZENS? AND MOVING IT ONSITE IS A BIG PART OF THAT.
IT'S OUR LANGUAGE MODEL THAT WE OWN.
WE CAN BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT ON HOW IT'S INTERACTED WITH.
SO THAT'S OUR GOAL OVER THE OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
QUESTIONS? OH, I DOUBT WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[CHUCKLING] FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
[01:10:08]
YES, IT DOES SO MUCH MORE THAN WE CAN UNDERSTAND, REALLY, IN THE WAY OF ME GETTING ON AND SAYING, HEY, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TYPE OF A WATER METER I NEED.I NEED TO KNOW, DO YOU SUPPLY WATER HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE? BY THE TIME I'M DONE WITH THAT INTERACTION, I'VE GOTTEN THE COST FOR THAT WATER METER.
IT'S PRODUCED A WORK ORDER ON THE BACK END.
I MAY EVEN GET AN ETA SCHEDULE.
I CALLED BACK AND THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT I ASKED, YOU COULDN'T HELP ME.
SO THERE WAS A CALL BACK THE NEXT DAY, AND THEN BY THE TIME WE GET THE INFORMATION WE NEED, THERE'S DAYS AND DAYS THAT GO BY FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT WE'RE CUTTING OUT WITH THIS. SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU'RE A CITY AND YOU DON'T HAVE A RICH I'M SORRY FOR YOU [CHUCKLING] LIKE IT'S NOT FAIR, BUT I'M SUPER THANKFUL. I'M SUPER THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE A RICH AND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT AND IT WILL TRANSFORM SOME THINGS HERE AT THE CITY ON OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE. IT WILL, AND WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING, I CALL IT FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE.
SO WE'RE LEADING THE GLOBE IN THIS EFFORT AND WE HAVE VISIBILITY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DELL.
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT THAT COALITION OF CITIES, SO IT'S AMARILLO SPEAKING TO THE 60 BIGGEST CITIES IN THE WORLD BECAUSE WE'RE LEADING IN HOW WE USE TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE EFFICIENCY AND GIVE BETTER SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO RICH WITH THE DIGITAL HUMAN BE THE FACE OF THE WEBSITE.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS NOT EASY TO NAVIGATE, IT'S NOT IT'S SO CUMBERSOME.
SO THE DIGITAL HUMAN WOULD BE THERE TO ASK, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? AND THEN THEY CAN JUST SPEAK IT IF IT'S ON THEIR PHONE OR THEY CAN TYPE IT WHATEVER, AND IT WILL DIRECT.
GIVE ALL THE INFORMATION, LIKE YOU SAID, BRING UP THE FORMS IF THEY NEED TO FILL OUT THE FORMS. EXACTLY. IT'S ALL LEVELS.
THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THIS IS THIS CAN GO BEYOND JUST THE CITY AS AN ENTITY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD PARTNER WITH NONPROFITS IN THE AREA IF THERE'S SPECIFIC AREAS AND YOU COULD ASK A QUESTION LIKE, I AM A SOMALI REFUGEE, I'M A FEMALE, I'M PREGNANT, WHAT ARE MY RESOURCES? AND NOW SUDDENLY IT'S NOT JUST A CITY RESOURCE YOU COULD PLUG INTO ALL OF NONPROFITS OR YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO NOW IT BECOMES THE DIGITAL HUMAN FOR OUR REGION.
SO IT'S NOT LOCKED IN TO JUST CITY.
YEAH, AND IT'S ALSO TIED TO DIGITAL LITERACY.
THIS CAN BE AN INSTRUCTOR FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT CAN BE ONE MORE ASSET THAT WE THAT WE OFFER.
RIGHT. SO IT'S TRANSFORMATIVE.
SO ON THE ITEM TODAY, THIS 582,000.
THAT'S WHERE DOES THAT GET US? WHERE WILL WE BE AT THE END OF THIS? AND THEN WHAT DO WE YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, COMPUTER INFRASTRUCTURE NEED OR TAKING THAT ON OUT.
SO TELL ME WHERE DOES THIS GET US? AND THEN WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE FUTURE? THAT'S ACTUALLY A CONGLOMERATE. SO DELL IS THE PRIMARY PARTNER AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH THREE OTHER COMPANIES IN THE BACKGROUND.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE PIECES TO THIS.
YOU HAVE THE ACTUAL DIGITAL HUMANS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE BUILDING A DIGITAL HUMAN.
YOU HAVE THE LANGUAGE MODEL PIECE THAT GETS ENGINEERED AND THEN BEHIND THAT YOU HAVE WHAT THEY CALL THE KNOWLEDGE FABRIC.
SO AND THAT'S ONE OTHER THING TO BEAR IN MIND THAT OUR DIGITAL HUMAN, WE WANT IT TO ONLY KNOW CITY THINGS RIGHT SO THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE DRIVING TOWARD THIS GETS US THE FULL DEVELOPMENT STACK IN THE CLOUD WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON DRIVING THAT TOWARD LOCAL.
SO SINCE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUDGET SEASON, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EFFICIENCY PART.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT TO BE MORE EFFICIENT IN SOLVING THE PROBLEMS. CERTAINLY, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN INVESTMENT IN THIS.
[01:15:07]
RESOURCES TO OTHER NEEDS? VERY GOOD QUESTION.IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, THERE'S NOT A REALLY GOOD [INAUDIBLE].
THERE'S NOT A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION FROM A GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE.
SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE PRIVATE SECTOR IS AHEAD OF US ON THIS, AND WHEN THE DATA THAT THEY'RE SEEING IS ABOUT AN 82% CLOSE RATE ON ANY ISSUE THAT'S BROUGHT TO A DIGITAL HUMAN.
SO THE IMPACT COULD BE 82% OF OUR OF OUR CUSTOMER REQUESTS COULD BE FLOWING THROUGH THIS CHANNEL, AND THAT MEANS WE NEED WE CAN RE-TASK FOLKS THAT ARE TAKING PHONE CALLS TO DO OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE WORK.
THAT MEANS A 3-1-1 CALL CENTER PROBABLY WON'T HAVE TO EXPAND BE AS BIG IF WE'RE DRIVING MOST OF OUR TRAFFIC THIS WAY, WE GET THE EFFICIENCY OF HONESTLY JUST HANDLING OUR ISSUES WITH SOMETHING THAT'S AUTOMATED, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, 3-1-1.
IS A NON-EMERGENCY PROBLEM SOLVING LINE.
IT IS EVERYTHING BUT AN EMERGENCY.
YEAH. I LEARNED SOMETHING LAST WEEK THAT I GUESS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR 9-1-1 CALLS ARE ANIMAL RELATED? I THINK IT IS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE CALLS AND MAYBE THEY SOME OF THEM MAY BE EMERGENCIES, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE NOT AND COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DEFERRED TO 3-1-1 OR SOMETHING. EXACTLY, AND WE'VE WE'VE ALREADY YOU KNOW, JENNIFER HAS ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON PICKING UP ALL THE NON-EMERGENCY CALLS AND WE'RE SEEING HUGE IMPACT.
HOW MANY DOES THIS SERVE AT A TIME? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TEST.
WE'RE THE FIRST GOVERNMENT TO DO THIS.
SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW BIG WE SCALE, AND WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW BIG WE SCALE TO SERVE THE DEMAND THAT WE HAVE HERE BUT IT'S INFINITE IN HOW YOU CAN SCALE IT, BUT WE'LL WANT TO MAKE SOME FINANCIAL DECISIONS THERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BALANCE OF SERVICE VERSUS COST, BUT I COULD MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE GLOBE.
THAT WOULD BE REALLY EXPENSIVE.
SO WE'LL ACTUALLY DO SOME MEASUREMENT AS WE TEST IT, AND AS WE BRING THESE ONLINE, WE'LL ACTUALLY RUN TESTS WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO GET THAT INTERACTION WITH IT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT QUESTIONS THEY'RE ANSWERING ARE BEING ASKED AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT, AND WE'LL TUNE THE SERVICE AS WE GO FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BUILT TO THE SIZE IT NEEDS TO BE BUILT TO. ANY QUESTIONS OVER THERE, MR. CRAFT? I GUESS JUST MY ONLY CONCERN IS WITH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW TECHNOLOGY COSTS MONEY AND, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD AND STUFF, AND SO I MEAN, IT REALLY WAS A LITTLE DISCOMFORTING TO HEAR ABOUT HOW WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WHAT THE CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY THIS IS GOING TO BE ONCE WE LAUNCH IT.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE COULD SAY IF WE GET TEN CITIZENS ON THERE AND THEN IT CRASHES OUR WHOLE WEBSITE, THAT'S ONE ISSUE I HAVE WITH IT, AND SO DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, LIKE AT A BASE LEVEL OF THE CAPABILITIES IT CAN HOLD? YEAH. NO, IT CAN SCALE TO MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
OKAY. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.
THIS THIS THING CAN SCALE TO 100 MILLION PEOPLE IF WE WANT IT TO.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS HOW FAR WE GO IS A FINANCIAL DECISION AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT SERVICE LEVEL DO WE WANT TO PROVIDE IT AGAINST, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE WANT TO SPEND? AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME RESEARCH AND I'LL BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE GATHERING AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
COUNCILMAN TIPPS, YOU GOT ANYTHING? I DO NOT. OKAY, LET'S GO A LITTLE FURTHER INTO THE DATA SAFETY.
LET'S SAY YOU HAVE A BILLION ITEMS THAT YOU NEED TO FEED THIS AI.
THEY'RE OLD DOCUMENTS, SURVEYS, EASEMENTS, ORDINANCES, EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU SOME TIME TO GET THAT INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM.
NOT REALLY? NOT REALLY, THESE ARE BUILT SO THEY CAN TRAIN NIGHTLY, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT IN A DISASTER SITUATION.
SO THINK ABOUT THE FLOODING THAT IF THAT HAPPENED AND THIS WAS ONLINE, WE WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY PULLED ALL OUR DATA TOGETHER ON WHERE THE SHELTERS WERE, WHAT THE PROCESSES WERE. WE WOULD HAVE TRAINED THAT NIGHT AND THE NEXT DAY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL RESIDENTS WHAT TO DO ONCE THE SBA AND FEMA AND ALL THAT AND ALL THOSE FOLKS CAME IN AND THEY GAVE US FORMS, WE COULD PUT THOSE ON OUR WEBSITE AND THAT NIGHT TRAIN IT SO WE COULD GUIDE RESIDENTS THROUGH.
OKAY, IF YOU'VE HAD DAMAGE, WE'LL TAKE YOU TO THE SITE.
HERE'S THE FORM YOU FILL OUT, HIT, SUBMIT.
SO THEN THE OTHER THE OTHER BIG PART OF THAT IS BEING ABLE TO KEEP OUR DATA.
SO, ONE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO PUT IT IN THERE.
[01:20:01]
IT FUNCTIONS BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE PUT INSIDE OF IT, WHICH IS THE CITY OF AMARILLO DATA, AND IT CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN THAT DATA AS IT COMES IN.SO YOUR WATER USAGE, THINGS THAT WE MAY KNOW ABOUT THAT RESIDENCE ALL THE WAY TO, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT ON FILE . RIGHT, IT'S NOT GOING TO SEE CUSTOMER DATA.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE SENSITIVE DATA IN IT, AND IT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE REASON WE'RE DOING THE DOING IT THE WAY WE ARE IS WE COULD VERY EASILY RIGHT NOW JUST POINT IT AT OUR WEBSITE. THE PROBLEM IS OUR WEBSITE IS NOT BUILT CONVERSATIONALLY, AND A LOT OF THAT DATA IS OLD AND IRRELEVANT.
I'M GOING TO FIX THE WEBSITE SO IT ANSWERS THEM AND THEN WE DO AN UPDATE.
OKAY. SO I KNOW YOU ALSO TAKE CARE OF OUR CYBER SECURITY AND YOU PROTECT US.
SO SPEAK TO THAT IN THE WAY OF DOES THIS OPEN ANY OTHER DOOR THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP LOCKED? NO, IT'S THERE'S TWO THINGS I WOULD SAY TO THAT.
ONE, IT'S ALSO PART OF THE REASON I WANT IT HERE AND NOT USING CHAT GPT, RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT KEEPS THE DATA IN HOUSE, AND TWO, IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO ANY INTERNAL SYSTEMS, AND THE THIRD POINT I WOULD MAKE IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT SENSITIVE DATA ON IT.
IT'S ALL PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE THINGS.
SO NO, WE WON'T TIE THIS TO ANY INTERNAL SYSTEMS. IT IS MERELY JUST A COMPLETELY NEW WAY TO DO PUBLIC FACING WEBSITES.
VERY WELL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ONE MORE. DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK FIGURE FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION? WELL, THIS IS GOING TO GET THE WHOLE MODEL BUILT, BUT NO, NOT REALLY, BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON HOW BIG WE SCALE IT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, BUT INSTEAD OF SPENDING THAT ON DEVELOPING WEBSITE, WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING JUST A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THAT. THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WONDERING.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE $500,000, RIGHT? IT'LL BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THIS INITIAL THAN THIS INITIAL SPEND BECAUSE THE REASON THIS IS SO MUCH IS THE DEVELOPMENT WORK AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING TO USE THEIR MASSIVE COMPUTE ENVIRONMENT TO BUILD IT ONCE IT'S BUILT, IT ACTUALLY RESIDES ON SERVERS LIKE ANY OTHER APPLICATION, AND THEN YOU CAN DO THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE A STANDALONE AT THE FRONT DOOR OF CITY HALL AND HAVE A GREETER THAT CAN TELL PEOPLE WHERE TO GO, AND THAT'S JUST REALLY RUNNING ON A COMPUTER LIKE THE ONE I HAVE AT MY HOUSE.
COUNCIL ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS TOPIC? THANK YOU, RICH. WE MEAN THAT.
APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, RICH.
THANK YOU. ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? [INAUDIBLE]. I'LL WAIT.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN TIPPS TO APPROVE OR ACCEPT ITEM 8O AND A SECOND BY PLACE ONE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANYTHING ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
MOVE ON THROUGH OUR NON CONSENT AGENDA.
APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS COMING BACK.
I THINK WE'RE MAKING FAIRLY GOOD TIME 4:40; 'HAVE YOU OUT OF HERE FOR YOU KNOW IT.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ITEM 9A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PROPOSED BUDGET
[9.A. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 08-01-23-1 This item considers a resolution approving the proposed operating budget for the fiscal year 2023-2024 for the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation. (Contact: Kevin Carter, Amarillo Economic Development Corporation)]
FOR AEDC, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE COMING UP HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION.[01:25:04]
JUST MOVE THROUGH THE BUDGET IN THREE DAYS AND JUST GO ON WITH IT.WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH ROUGHLY HALF OF OUR DEPARTMENTS IN THE THREE DAYS THAT WE'VE ALLOTTED.
WELL, A LARGE PART OF OUR BUDGET IS THE AEDC, AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH THEM FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND I'VE BEEN ON SOME RIDE-ALONG(S) AND GONE AND LOOKED AT SOME THINGS AND I HAVE SOME GOOD FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THINGS OPERATE OVER THERE.
MY FELLOW COUNCIL HASN'T HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY, SO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A LITTLE UNFAIR TO ASK THIS SEATED COUNCIL TO VOTE FOR A BUDGET THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL THEY WERE, THEY WERE SPENDING THE MONEY ON HOW IT WAS FUNCTIONING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S A GOOD DEAL, WHAT'S NOT, HOW DOES THE INTERNAL WORKINGS REALLY WORK OUT THERE? AND SO IN A CONVERSATION WITH MR. CARTER, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M FINE.
WE'RE GOOD WITH WITH COMING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IT'LL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELATE A LITTLE BIT BETTER ALSO TO MEET YOUR BOARD IF THEY CAN COME.
WE WANT TO WORK VERY WELL WITH THAT BOARD.
LET THEM GET TO KNOW US, US TO GET TO KNOW THEM.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK IS I'M GOING TO ASK IF I COULD HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER MOVE TO TABLE THIS ITEM SO THAT IT'LL COME UP ON THE NEXT AGENDA AND THAT'LL GIVE US NEXT WEEK TO WORK THIS THROUGH OUR SPECIAL SESSION.
YES, MAYOR, I MOVE THE TABLE ITEM 9A ON THE NON CONSENT AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE THAT FROM COUNCILMAN CRAFT AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE TABLE THAT? YOU KNOW, ONE THING I WOULD SAY AND I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE I THINK GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET SESSIONS WITH ON THE ON THE CITY SIDE HAVE I THINK, HAVE HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY IN JUST GETTING UP TO SPEED BECAUSE I THINK GOING THROUGH A BUDGET CAN REALLY DO THAT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE CITY BUDGETING AND KEVIN, JUST FOR THIS NOT ONLY THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, BUT WHAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME PERSPECTIVE IS KIND OF WHAT WHAT GOT US UP TO THIS POINT TODAY.
SO TRENDS OR, YOU KNOW DIFFERENCES OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TOO, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU JUST SEE A NUMBER STANDING ALONE, THAT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN ANYTHING. SO IF WE COULD LOOK AT MAYBE WHAT OUR TRENDS HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I THINK THAT'S BEEN PARTICULARLY HELPFUL JUST SEEING WHAT THE TRENDS THE CITY FACES AND ALSO JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT'S WORKING FOR YOU, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL, TOO.
YES, SIR. THANKS. THANK YOU, KEVIN.
SO NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS.
I WOULD ASK ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THAT ITEM WILL BE TABLED FOR THE NEXT ONE IN A 5-0 VOTE.
WE HAVE BOTH FOLKS HERE FOR OUR NEXT ITEM 9B.
[9.B. CONSIDER PURCHASE - CONCESSION TRAILER FOR SANTA FE DEPOT PAVILION Award to: Phoenix Contracting - $79,795.00 This item considers the purchase of a concession trailer for use at the new Pavilion at the Santa Fe Depot. (Contact: Bo Fowlkes, General Manager)]
IT'S A CONSIDERATION OF A PURCHASE FOR A CONCESSION TRAILER FOR THE SANTA FE DEPOT PAVILION.BO, IF YOU DON'T MIND RUNNING THAT DOWN FOR US.
COUNCIL THIS PURCHASE ITEM IS FOR THE NEW PAVILION AT THE SANTA FE DEPOT.
NICE NEW 60,000 SQUARE FOOT COVERED EVENT SPACE OVER ON GRANT, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT NEW GRAND OPENING DATED ON AUGUST 11TH.
SO PLEASE BE THERE IF YOU CAN.
THE CONCESSION TRAILER ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY AND GETS US RUNNING MUCH QUICKER ON BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE CONCESSION SERVICES AT THAT FACILITY.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME PROMOTERS AND SOME EVENTS THAT ARE UPCOMING.
SOME CONCERT PROMOTERS AS WELL THAT ARE SHOWING SOME INTEREST IN BEING OVER THERE.
THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE CONCESSIONS AT THAT LOCATION AT THIS TIME.
THIS PARTICULAR THIS CONCESSION TRAILER IS COMPLETELY DECKED OUT WITH ALL TYPES OF COOKING, REFRIGERATION, PREPARATION EQUIPMENT, AND IT'S SET AND READY TO GO.
IT CAN EITHER OPERATE OFF GENERATOR OR IT CAN HOOK DIRECTLY UP TO THE POWER THAT'S SOURCED THERE AT THE PAVILION, AND OUR CONCESSIONAIRE, OUR CONTRACTED CONCESSIONAIRE, CAN STEP INTO THAT STOCK IT, PREPARE MANY OF THE MENU ITEMS THAT THEY OFFER AT THE CIVIC CENTER, CAN OFFER IT ON SITE.
AND THIS WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO CONTAIN THE CONCESSION ASPECT ON THAT PROPERTY WITHOUT PEOPLE HAVING TO LEAVE THE PROPERTY TO GO GET SOMETHING AND THEN COME BACK.
[01:30:06]
CONCESSIONS OR FOOD ITEMS AT THAT FACILITY.THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD WITH OUR CONCESSION CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
IT IS A DEFINITE REVENUE DRIVER FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND TO GO WITH ALTERNATE MEANS OF PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES TAKES THAT REVENUE SOURCE AWAY FROM US SO WE CAN QUICKLY AND EASILY CAPTURE WHAT IT COSTS FOR US TO BUY THIS CONCESSION TRAILER ONCE THAT THING STARTS.
BO? YES, SIR? I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WHEN I WAS VISITING WITH YOU YESTERDAY AND MR. DANFORTH WAS THERE AS WELL.
WAS IT EIGHT BY 40 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IS THAT CORRECT? I BELIEVE JERRY INDICATED IT WAS 40 BY 100.
OKAY 40 BY 100, AND YOU HAD TO HAVE THAT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO MEET STATE LAW.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT BUILDING IS ITS PRIMARY SOURCE, AND THE MOST SQUARE FOOTAGE OF IT IS USED FOR RESTROOM FACILITIES FOR THE PAVILION.
THERE IS A PORTION OF IT ON ONE END THAT WILL BE DRESSED OUT AS A BAR SERVICE, BEING ABLE TO SERVE ALCOHOL, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS.
IT WON'T BE THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE WOULD WOULD DESIRE AND WANT A BAR.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TEXAS ALCOHOLIC AND BEVERAGE CORPORATION'S RULES STATE THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FOUR WALLS AND A FOUNDATION ALONG WITH OTHER AMENITIES AND SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO MIX DRINKS OR SERVE ALCOHOL.
IT WON'T BE ABLE TO SERVE FOOD, BUT IT WOULD SERVE AS A BEVERAGE SERVICE FACILITY, BUT WHY COULDN'T YOU BUILD A SOMETHING AT THE OTHER END OF THIS BUILDING TO DO THAT? I MEAN, TO ME, A TRAILER IS A SHORT TERM SOLUTION TO A LONG TERM PROBLEM.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUYING A TRAILER NOW.
GO AHEAD. WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, THE COST, JERRY, CAN GIVE YOU THE COST.
THE COST WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL.
THIS WOULD JUST BE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FACILITY.
THIS IS NOT THE FOOD SERVICE TRAILER.
THIS WOULD BE BEVERAGE SERVICE AND RESTROOM FACILITY ONLY.
NOT THE WAY WE'RE ENVISIONING IT.
IF WE WANTED TO ADD TO PRICE, WE COULD MAKE IT FOOD SERVICE, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION.
PERSONALLY, I DON'T SEE HOW I CAN VOTE FOR A TRAILER.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
SO. YOU KNOW, $80,000 FOR A TRAILER.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT TO SELL FOOD.
WHAT IS YOUR UPCOMING SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE? YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT WE'LL SAY IS THE REST OF THE GOOD SEASON HERE.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SAY AT THIS TIME BECAUSE PRIOR TO OUR GRAND OPENING, WE REALLY HAVE NOT HAD THIS THIS FACILITY ONLINE AND OFFERED AS A RENTABLE FACILITY YET.
WE WERE WAITING FOR THE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION PHASES TO BE COMPLETED, WHICH AT THIS POINT IN TIME, EXCEPT FOR THE RESTROOM AND THE BAR FACILITY, IT IS COMPLETE.
MY HEAD IS MORE IN THE WAY OF IF I SPENT $80,000 ON A TRAILER, IS THAT TRAILER WORTH $60,000, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR? DOES IT GET ME THROUGH WHAT WHAT OUR NEEDS WOULD BE NOW WHILE WE DESIGN AND THEN AND THEN BUILD? BECAUSE I DO KNOW THE OVERALL GOAL OVER THERE IS TO BUILD SOME NICE RESTROOMS AND BUILD A FACILITY THAT CAN HAVE FOOD SERVICE AS WELL AS BEVERAGE SERVICE.
SO I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO SEE THE ACTIVITY THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS WANTED TO PUT IN THAT FACILITY, AND SO I THINK I THINK YOU HAVE A MARKETABILITY THERE, BUT I'M ALSO WITH MY COUNCILMAN HERE.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU COULD TAKE YOUR 80,000 YOU GOT HERE, ADD SOME MORE MONEY WITH IT, AND YOU WOULD HAVE A PERMANENT FOUNDATIONAL TYPE OF BUILDING THAT COULD BE USED FOR DECADES TO COME.
[01:35:06]
A TRAILERS VIABILITY IS ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY IS NOT THAT LONG.DO YOU HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY ON WHAT A TRAILER WOULD BE? I THINK I LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
I LOOK AT IT IN THE RESPECT THAT WITH THE TRAILER IT CAN BE BUILT AND WE CAN HAVE IT ON HAND WITHIN TWO, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS READY TO START GENERATING REVENUE. WHEREAS WITH THIS FACILITY THAT WILL BE GOING IN FOR THE RESTROOMS AND THE BAR SERVICE.
IF IT WERE TO BE EXPANDED AND DEVELOPED ONTO WHERE YOU COULD DO FULL CONCESSIONS IN IT RIGHT NOW UNDER ITS CURRENT PLAN, I BELIEVE THE BUILD TIME IS LIKE SIX MONTHS. HOW WOULD WE IF WE OVER THERE AND WE HAVE THIS TRAILER UP AND OPERATIONAL WITHIN TWO MONTHS OR WHATEVER, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO TO THE BATHROOM IF THEY [INAUDIBLE] THE DRINKS AND ALL THIS STUFF.
I MEAN, TO ME, WE'RE GETTING A CART A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE HORSE HERE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME BLUE ROCKETS ONSITE FOR THE FIRST FEW EVENTS, I'M AFRAID, UNTIL THAT OTHER FACILITY IS BUILT, BUT CAN I ASK YOU, WITH THE CONCESSIONS, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.
YES, SIR. LIKE WHAT VOLUME OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE? AND I KNOW IT'S A DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE, RIGHT, FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE, BUT LIKE, HOW MUCH ROUGHLY WOULD WE HAVE TO DO TO RECOUP TO PROFIT THAT $80,000? WELL, LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.
OUR CURRENT CONCESSION CONTRACT HAS US RECEIVING A MINIMUM OF $400,000 A YEAR IN FEES OR PERCENTAGES CURRENTLY FROM OUR CONCESSIONAIRE.
WE JUST COMPLETED THE LAST TWO YEAR EXTENSION ON THAT AGREEMENT.
SO FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND ALCOHOL.
WE COULD EASILY REALIZE $15,000 REVENUE.
I'M SORRY. THAT'S NOT AT THE PAVILION.
RIGHT. I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE OVER AND ON TOP OF SO WE MAKE AN $80,000 EXPENDITURE.
WHAT INCREASE AND I GET THE CONTRACT SAYS IT'S A MINIMUM OF 400,000.
WHAT WOULD YOU FORESEE? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DOABLE.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, WHAT VOLUME OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES DO WE HAVE TO INCREASE? I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT'S ALREADY DONE BECAUSE WE CAN NEVER BUY THIS TRAILER AGAIN, AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO DO $500,000.
SO FOR THIS, I MEAN, TO INVEST ANOTHER $80,000, WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO FOR US TO REVENUE THAT AND GET IT WASHED? I MEAN, DO YOU IS THAT A FAIR QUESTION OR ARE YOU LIKE, MAN, I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A TRUE ANSWER FOR YOU.
OKAY. SO WITH OUR CONTRACT WITH OUR CONCESSIONAIRE, IF SOMEONE BOOKS THAT PAVILION, CAN THEY HAVE FOOD TRUCKS COME? I MEAN, ARE THEY LOCKED INTO USING OUR CONCESSIONAIRE IF THEY'RE USING OUR FACILITY, WHICH IS UNDER THE CIVIC CENTER.
RIGHT. THAT PAVILION IS UNDERNEATH THE CIVIC CENTER UMBRELLA.
ARE THEY LOCKED INTO USING OUR CONCESSIONAIRE OR CAN THEY BRING THEIR OWN FOOD? I MEAN, CAN THEY HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE CATER IT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE DO THAT IN THE CIVIC CENTER.
WE DO THAT IN THE CIVIC CENTER ON PRIVATE EVENTS, NOT PUBLIC EVENTS PER SE.
OKAY. THAT IS THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
OUR CURRENT CONCESSION CONTRACT DOES STIPULATE AND GIVES RIGHTS TO THAT CONCESSIONAIRE FOR ALL FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES ON CIVIC CENTER PROPERTY. SO IT'S EXCLUSIVE.
IF IT'S A PUBLIC EVENT, THEY GET FIRST.
RIGHT TO PROVIDE, OF COURSE, AND OF COURSE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ALCOHOL COMPONENT, THEY'VE GOT THE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR THE PROPERTY AND NOBODY ELSE CAN COME ON SITE AND SERVE ALCOHOL.
THEY CAN'T TABC BARTENDER AND EVEN PRIVATE EVENTS.
WE DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO BRING IN AND SERVE THEIR OWN ALCOHOL.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CONCESSIONAIRE.
SO IT'S A CONTRACTUAL DEAL THAT THEY CAN'T.
CORRECT. SO THIS THE TRAILER WOULD OPEN UP ALCOHOL SALES IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE'VE GOT TO BUILD THE BUILDING.
I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE THAT THEY THEY I WOULD HAVE TO DEPEND UPON MY FRIENDS AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ON THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THEY COULD SERVE BOTTLED PRODUCT. OKAY.
THAT IS READY TO READY TO GO AND CONSUME.
OKAY. SO THE BUILD ON THIS TRAILER YOU SAID IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.
SO THAT PUTS US ABOUT OCTOBER TWO AND A HALF, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS BUILD ON IT.
[01:40:01]
SO THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PAVILION'S KIND OF SHUTTING DOWN WEATHER WISE.I MEAN IT DEPENDS. IT COULD SNOW IN OCTOBER OR IT COULD BE 100 DEGREES.
WELL, ACTUALLY WE'VE GOT AN AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE WITH THE AMARILLO WRANGLERS TO BRING IN A PORTABLE ICE MAKING SYSTEM AND SET IT UP IN THIS PAVILION FOR TWO WEEKS AT THE LATTER PART OF DECEMBER FOR OUTDOOR ICE SKATING.
I'VE TALKED WITH BETH DUKE, WITH CENTER CITY.
THANK YOU. DOES CORKSCREW FOODS? THAT'S WHO THE CONTRACT IS WITH, CORRECT? YES, SIR. SO DO THEY NOT HAVE THEIR OWN FOOD TRUCK OR ANYTHING? NO. TRAILER? NO, THEY DO NOT.
IF IT WAS THAT GOOD A DEAL, WHY WOULDN'T YOUR CONTRACTOR THAT LEASES THE FACILITY BUY THE TRAILER? PROBABLY THE FACT THAT THE PAVILION GENERATED SO QUICKLY AND WAS BUILT SO QUICKLY AND EXPANDED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THAT CAPITAL MEANS TO PUT INTO IT THEMSELVES FOR ONLY A TWO YEAR EXTENSION TO THE CURRENT AGREEMENT? WELL, I REALLY DON'T SEE US PUTTING THAT KIND OF MONEY IN GETTING WHAT DID YOU SAY, 38% RETURN OR WHAT? WHAT IS THE RETURN ON FOOD CONCESSIONS, FOOD AND BEVERAGE? WE GET 32% OF THEIR SALES POST TAX AND ALCOHOL WE GET 43.5%.
SO PAYBACK ON THAT TRAILER IS GOING TO BE IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY IMAGINE WITHIN THE YEAR'S TIME THAT THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
OKAY, WELL, LET'S RUN THOSE NUMBERS.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO DO. SO YOU GOT 35%, 40%.
LET'S JUST PROJECT THE WEEKEND MARKET OR THE ICE SKATING RINK FOR TWO WEEKS.
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN $10,000 THROUGH THAT CONCESSION TRAILER? 10,000 GROSS, MAYBE.
OKAY BECAUSE WHAT I'M LOOKING AT AND I HAVE VERY MINIMAL FOOD EXPERIENCE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THESE NICE FOOD TRAILERS ARE HARD TO GET AND THEY'RE EXPENSIVE AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MARKET FOR THEM ON THE USED MARKET FOR SURE.
IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD BE PURCHASING THAT WE COULDN'T RESELL.
CORRECT. SO I AM LOOKING AT NOT NECESSARILY TRYING TO RECOUP THE $80,000, BUT I AM CONSTRUCTION ORIENTED AS WELL, AND I CAN TELL YOU, IF YOU SAID, HEY, LET'S GET OUR PLANS TOGETHER, LET'S RUN THIS THROUGH COUNCIL AND THEN PUT A BUILDING UP OVER THERE THAT DOES EVERYTHING WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT TO DO, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK I KNOW WHERE COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN'S GOING IS THAT'S MONEY BETTER SPENT FOR US IN THE LONG TERM? CORRECT. HOWEVER, IF YOU COULD RENT THIS, I THINK YOU'D SPEND MORE IN RENTING THIS TRAILER THAN IF YOU OWNED IT AND RESOLD IT.
I THINK YOUR ROI ON THIS TRAILER IS NOT A BAD ROI AS LONG AS YOU HAVE EVENTS OVER THERE, AND THEN I'VE BEEN PRETTY PLEASED IN SEEING WHO'S WANTING TO GO OVER THERE AND THE EVENTS THAT YOU CAN HAVE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASSUME OR ESTIMATE THAT YOU COULD SPEND $80,000 ON THIS TRAILER, WORK IT FOR 6 TO 8 MONTHS, NINE MONTHS AND RECOUP, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY HALF OF THAT AMOUNT AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SELL THIS THING FOR MORE THAN $0.50 ON THE DOLLAR WITH IT BEING FOOD AND BEVERAGE, AND OUT OF ALL THE EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE COME ABOUT BY TRYING TO INVESTIGATE THESE TRAILERS, THEY'RE NOT SITTING THERE ON A LOT SOMEWHERE READY TO SELL.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S TAKING SO MANY MONTHS AND A LOT OF THESE CASES TO GET THESE THINGS BUILT.
SO LET ME ASK THIS AND MAYBE THIS WOULD BE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO ANSWER.
SO WE'RE CERTAIN BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW FACILITY THAT'S JUST NOW OPENING.
YES, SIR. SO WHEN THE CONTRACT WITH THE CURRENT PROVIDER WAS THE CONCESSION PROVIDER, DOES THAT CONTRACT ACCOUNT FOR ANYTHING NEW WE WOULD BUILD? OR IS THAT JUST THE EXISTING WHAT WE ALREADY HAD? I MEAN, ARE WE TRULY CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO USE THE CURRENT CONTRACTOR TO DO THE CONCESSIONS AT THE PAVILION? LET ME GIVE AN ANSWER THAT MIGHT PREEMPT MR. MCWILLIAMS. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WE DID THE TWO YEAR EXTENSION, OF COURSE, THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT SIGNED IN 2017 INDICATED THE AMARILLO GLOBE-NEWS CENTER AND THE AMARILLO CIVIC CENTER, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THE PROPERTY WE HAD.
THE PAVILION DIDN'T COME UP UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
[01:45:01]
SO WITH THE TWO YEAR EXTENSION THAT WE JUST EXECUTED, WE PUT THE VERBIAGE IN THERE FOR THE PAVILION AT THE SANTA FE DEPOT AS WELL. SO IT'S COVERING ALL OF THE PROPERTY OF THE AMARILLO CIVIC CENTER, AND THAT ALSO LENDS TO THEIR HOST LIABILITY, THEIR LIQUOR LIABILITY LICENSE.YES. DID THE COUNCIL APPROVE THAT CONTRACT? I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST AN EXTENSION OF AN EXISTING CONTRACT.
YES. YEAH, WE'RE IN A CURRENT VALID CONTRACT PERIOD.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS APPROVED.
DO YOU KNOW, BO? I'M SORRY? WE'RE IN A CURRENT VALID CONTRACT PERIOD.
I JUST DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHEN IT WAS APPROVED.
WE ARE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THAT AGREEMENT AND THEN IT WILL GO OUT FOR AN RFP AGAIN.
SO WE'RE ON THE LAST YEAR OF THAT AGREEMENT.
LAST TWO YEARS, AND I THINK THE OTHER THING I'M JUST TRYING TO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A GRASP ON HOW MANY EVENTS WE DO HAVE VERSUS HOW MANY WE THINK WE CAN HAVE. SO BECAUSE, I MEAN, IF WE'RE MAKING THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT, I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T INVEST THIS MONEY AND THEN ALL THESE EVENTS THAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MAY NOT SHOW UP, AND I'M NOT DOUBTING THAT THOSE IDEAS SOUND GOOD, BUT I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT IF WE, YOU KNOW, INVEST THIS MONEY, AND THEN ALSO, I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE AND THINKING ABOUT RECOUPING THE COST.
AS YOU'RE TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A FACTOR OF SOMEONE HAVING THEIR EVENT THERE IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A CONCESSION THERE? I MEAN, IS THAT A DO YOU THINK PEOPLE STILL FIGURE IT OUT OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP US ATTRACT MORE SIGNIFICANT, MORE OF EVENTS THAT COULD ALSO HELP PAY FOR THE TRAILER? I THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE INTEREST IN THE FACILITY IF WE CANNOT OFFER SOME OF THOSE AMENITIES TO IT.
ASIDE FROM THE REVENUE THAT WE MIGHT MAKE FROM THE CONCESSIONAIRE OUT OF THIS PROJECT, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE CHALLENGED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE LACK OF RESTROOMS AND SO ON AT THIS TIME, BUT THAT PLAN IS IN PLACE AND HOPEFULLY WITHIN SIX MONTHS THOSE AMENITIES WILL BE THERE, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE CAN'T SERVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE. SO IT WOULD MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE INTERESTED.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF WE DON'T DO THE TRAILER AND THESE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, THE CHRISTMAS DEAL, THE WRANGLERS, ICE SKATING, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT, THEY YOU JUST CAN'T HAVE FOOD. THEY CAN'T BRING ANYBODY ON SITE LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO BRING ANY FOOD ON SITE.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME SOME CLARITY IN THE AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS SOME NEGOTIATION EVENT BY EVENT BETWEEN THE CIVIC CENTER MANAGER AND THE CONCESSIONAIRE TO ALLOW FOR SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE.
SO MAYBE WE COULD REDO AND I DON'T KNOW, BRIAN MIGHT SPEAK TO THIS, EVEN REDO THAT CONTRACT THAT IF A PATRON WANTED TO HOST AN EVENT OR EVEN A PUBLIC EVENT, WE COULD CHARGE A LITTLE EXTRA TO IF THEY BROUGHT THEIR OWN FOOD, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MISS OUT ON THOSE CONCESSIONS.
SO WE COULD REDO THE CONTRACT, SAY USE OUR CONCESSIONS.
I MEAN, IS THAT POSSIBLE? WE WOULD HAVE TO [CHUCKLING] ANYTHING'S NEGOTIABLE BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE PARTIES THAT ARE WILLING TO DO IT.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, BUT WE'VE GOT AN EXECUTED EXTENSION.
SO THEY MIGHT COULD BRING FOOD ON.
WE DON'T THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THAT RIGHT AT THIS TIME, BUT FOR PUBLIC EVENTS, IT MAKES US MORE MARKETABLE IF WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE AND MAYBE ATTRACT SOME OTHER VENUES TO PAVILION.
OKAY. THANK YOU, AND MAYOR, WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING, I THINK JUST MAKE SURE I GET THAT WE COULD PURCHASE THIS AND THEN IF IT GOES GANGBUSTERS AND REALLY WE NEED SOMETHING MORE THAN A TRAILER.
WE NEED A FACILITY. WE HAVE A TRAILER THAT HAS SOME KIND OF VALUE THAT WE COULD RECOUP.
IS THAT OR DID I? NO, I THINK YOU'RE GOOD.
I THINK IF WE BUILT A GOOD FACILITY, PERMANENT FACILITY OVER THERE, WE HAVE PARKED THIS TRAILER.
THEN THERE'S A RESALE FOR THIS TRAILER.
[01:50:03]
AND THEN HOW MUCH OF THAT CAN WE MAKE BACK, YOU KNOW, AFTER EVERYTHING AND THEN IS THERE AN ROI ON THE TRAILER? I MEAN, I THINK SO, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD EXPERIENCE IN THE DIFFICULTIES TO GO OUT AND PURCHASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE MORE THOUGHT IN THERE TO YOU ON THIS.OF COURSE, WE RECENTLY HAD THE RED CROSS SHELTER AT THE CIVIC CENTER AND THE TWO EXHIBIT HALLS FOR THE RESIDENTS OVER IN THE PARAMOUNT AREA THAT WERE FLOODED OUT OF THEIR APARTMENTS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THERE.
THE LIONS CLUB CAME IN WITH THEIR CONCESSION.
I DON'T THINK THEY CALLED IT. THEY CALLED IT A CATERING TRAILER.
THEIRS WAS A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER.
OURS ISN'T. OURS IS A BUMPER POOL, AND IT WAS BUILT EXACTLY, ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE THAT WE'RE WANTING TO BUILD, OTHER THAN THE FACT THE ONE THAT I'M PROJECTING HAS A 23 CUBIC SQUARE FOOT REFRIGERATOR AND A 23 CUBIC FOOT FREEZER.
THEIRS HAD A LARGE WALK IN FREEZER IN THE NORTH END.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS IDENTICAL.
THEY HAD JUST GOTTEN THEIRS AND THAT WAS THE FIRST EVENT THAT THEY'VE USED THAT FOR.
THEY PAID $150,000 FOR IT AND IT TOOK THEM OVER A YEAR TO GET IT.
SO. 80,000, AND WE'VE NEGOTIATED THIS PRICE, AND I MEAN, WE ALREADY HAVE SOMEBODY, A SUPPLIER THAT [INAUDIBLE] IT HAS GONE OUT TO BID, AND THIS WAS THE WINNING BID. ANYTHING FURTHER, COUNCILMAN? WELL, I JUST THINK ONE THING IS, I MEAN, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
I MEAN, ONE IS WE'RE PAYING THIS INITIAL MONEY AND WE DON'T I MEAN, WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE DON'T KNOW, BUT THE OTHER IT'S AN INVESTMENT WHERE INSTEAD OF SPENDING A LOT MORE TO BUILD A PERMANENT FACILITY AND THEN IF IT'S NOT AS SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO BUILD A PERMANENT FACILITY WHEN MAYBE WE DIDN'T NEED TO DO THAT BUT THE TRAILER COULD BE A HAPPY MEDIUM, PARTICULARLY IF WE HAVE SOMETHING LEFT.
IF IT'S SO POPULAR THAT THE TRAILER CAN'T HANDLE CROWDS OR WE JUST SAY THERE'S A NEED TO HAVE A BIGGER ONE, WE'VE GOT A PRETTY VALUABLE COMMODITY HERE THAT WE COULD SELL TO RECOUP THE BALANCE OF IT, AND IT'S SERVING SOMETHING, I GUESS IN MY [INAUDIBLE] I'M JUST SAYING, OKAY, I HEAR A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S REALLY GOING TO WORK, BUT HOW MANY SIGNED CONTRACTS DO WE HAVE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT TO SEE, OKAY, IS IT DO WE HAVE ENOUGH SIGNED CONTRACTS WHERE WE SAY THIS INVESTMENT IS A NO BRAINER OR IT'S A CHICKEN AND EGG KIND OF THING? OKAY.
IF WE HAVE THIS CONCESSION STAND, WE WILL HAVE MORE CHICKENS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M JUST TRYING TO KIND OF GET A GAUGE ON.
ACTUALLY, THIS IS KIND OF THE FEED YOU PUT OUT FOR THE CHICKENS.
HE DID GET ME. THAT WAS A GOOD ANALOGY.
[CHUCKLING] ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM THIS SIDE? MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS BUDGETED FOR IN THE BEGINNING OR IS THIS KIND OF AN AFTERTHOUGHT? WE HAD. I WOULDN'T SAY NECESSARILY THAT IT WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
WE ALSO STILL HAD OUR FUNDS FROM OUR SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS GRANT THAT WERE IN PLACE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE FOR FOR CERTAIN PURCHASES AND SO ON, AND SO THAT'S THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THESE ITEMS. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR NEW CAPITAL MONEY.
THIS IS JUST APPROVAL OF EXPENDING THIS MONEY FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE IN OVERAGE IN THAT ACCOUNT OVER THERE? THE SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS GRANT HAS PRETTY WELL BEEN SPENT DOWN AT THIS POINT, MAINLY FOR ACTIVITIES AT THE PAVILION AND DOING SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE WERE DOING OVER THERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET.
IT IS NOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY ORGANIZATION ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, AND WE ARE WHIPPING THIS HORSE RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING EVERY DOLLAR.
I DON'T MIND IT. YOU KNOW, LIKE IF WE CAN GET THERE, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS AN ROI.
I'M NOT AGAINST SPENDING MONEY.
[01:55:08]
LIKE TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING THAT YOU CAN SPEND THIS $80,000 AND IT'S STILL GOING TO HAVE A PROPERTY VALUE TO IT.WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, YOU CAN RESELL IT AND THAT YOU CAN GO OUT THERE AND YOU CAN TURN TACOS OUT OF THIS GUY, AND I THINK YOU CAN I THINK IT HURTS YOU TO NOT HAVE IT, YOU KNOW. SO I MAY BE A LITTLE MORE IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT I GET THE PULL UP HERE AND I LIKE IT.
YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING YOU.
SO I'M NOT REALLY GIVING A SALES PITCH ON IT AS MUCH AS I'M JUST PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK UP HERE FOR BELABORING THIS ITEM. I PROBABLY LOOKING FOR SOME LEADERSHIP FROM COUNCIL ON ON WHERE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO WANT TO GO.
OKAY, SO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN SIMPSON A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN TIPPS.
WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE JUST YET.
WHERE ARE WE ON THIS AND WHAT WOULD BE OUR RESERVATION HERE IN VOTING FOR THIS? DO WE HAVE ANY RESERVATION VOTING FOR IT? NO, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN SIMPSON.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT TEST RUN TO SEE IF THIS REALLY WORKS WITHOUT TOO BIG OF AN INVESTMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ASSET THAT'S GOING TO RETAIN VALUE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY RECOUP. SO BEFORE WE BUILD A PERMANENT BUILDING, I THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO ARE PEOPLE GOING TO USE THE PAVILION AND EAT? IF THEY ARE GREAT, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, SELL THIS, PUT THAT TOWARDS THE PROCEEDS OF MAYBE A PERMANENT BUILDING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? JUST NOT TRYING TO MOVE PAST IT TOO QUICK.
I'LL DISAGREE WITH IT COMPLETELY.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD A PERMANENT FOUNDATION WITH BATHROOMS ANYWAY.
I DON'T THINK BY THE TIME WE GET THIS THING IN OCTOBER AND IT PROBABLY WON'T BE HERE IN OCTOBER, PROBABLY BE MORE LIKE NOVEMBER, WE'LL CROSS OUR FINGERS , BUT YOU'RE GOING INTO WINTER.
I WOULD RATHER SEE US DO SOMETHING.
WE'LL KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE HOW IT GETS HOW THE PAVILION'S GOING TO BE USED.
I MEAN, A YEAR AGO AT THIS TIME, THANKS TO MAYOR STANLEY, HE MADE IT A SELLABLE PRODUCT, TO BE TRUTHFUL, BECAUSE IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT TO BE A HORSE BARN AND IT WAS GOING TO HAVE DIRT FLOORS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF AND THE MAYOR TOOK IT TO THE POSITION THAT IT IS TODAY, THAT IT IS A SELLABLE BUSINESS UNIT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY.
SO WHERE DOES THIS WHERE DO WE PUT THE THUMB IN THE DAM TO STOP THE FLOW? AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.
THAT'S WELL WE HAVE GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND.
GOOD DISCUSSION, NO? I'M STILL ALLOWING DISCUSSION.
SO LIKE, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I GUESS WHEN WE WHEN WE HAD THIS BUILDING AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAKING IT TALLER AND MULTIFUNCTION USE, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A GOOD MOVE. IT MADE THE BUILDING JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT IT MADE THE COST OF THIS GREATER MEANING.
I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE FACILITIES.
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED WE'RE GOING TO NEED CONCRETE FLOORS.
I MEAN, WE WEREN'T JUST GOING TO MAKE THE BUILDING TALLER AND LEAVE THE DIRT AND LEASE IT.
SO I SADDLED UP KNOWING WE NEEDED TO INVEST IN THIS.
SO I'M IN FOR INVESTING IN IT MORE SO THAN I AM.
ON PULLING BACK. I THINK COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN IS AS WELL LONG TERM.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I SIT HERE AND JUST WEIGH IT AS AN INVESTMENT, AND I THINK THE CASE YOU MADE AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD NOT MAKE THE INVESTMENT AGAIN, IT'S $80,000 AND WE HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE TO DO SOME TYPE OF CAPITAL PROJECT.
SO I THINK I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH MAKING THAT INVESTMENT TO HELP BECAUSE WE'VE INVESTED A WHOLE LOT OF MORE MONEY IN THAT PAVILION, AND NOT THAT THIS, BUT I CAN KIND OF SEE AND NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS TO THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE AN AMENITY THAT COULD PROVIDE A LOT OF BENEFIT IN TRYING TO RECRUIT.
[02:00:02]
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT AS WELL, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT OR IS THERE ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN DO IT, BUT BUT ANYWAY, I JUST SEE IT AS AN INVESTMENT THAT I THINK COULD PAY OFF FOR US IN THE LONG RUN.NO. LIKE I SAID, MY ONLY CONCERN WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF EVENTS ARE GOING TO BE IN THERE OR HAVING AN IDEA OF HOW MANY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BEFORE WE INVEST MORE MONEY BUT, I SEE THE BENEFIT OF IT.
SO I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I STAND.
MAY I GET A RESTATEMENT OF THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR TO MAKE SURE I HAVE IT RIGHT? YEAH, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE CONCESSION TRAILER FOR SANTA FE DEPOT PAVILION FOR THE AMOUNT OF $79,795. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON SECOND BY COUNCILMAN TIPPS, I BELIEVE.
OKAY. IF WE'RE GOOD HERE, THEN WE'LL CALL IT.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYE. SO WE HAVE A 4 TO 1 VOTE ON THAT MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION.
[9.C. CONSIDER PURCHASE - REPLACEMENT SEATING FOR GLOBE NEWS CENTER Award to: Specialty Supply & Installation, LLC - $60,368.05 This item considers the purchase of replacement pit seats for the Globe News Center for the Performing Arts. (Contact: Bo Fowlkes, General Manager)]
REPLACEMENT FOR SEATING FOR AMARILLO GLOBE-NEWS.BO, YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE BECAUSE THAT ONE'S YOU AS WELL.
[CHUCKLING] SO TEE IT UP AND LET US KNOW WHAT WE HAVE.
[INAUDIBLE] TAKE A SEAT. NOW, IF YOU NEEDED ANOTHER BREAK.
THAT FACILITY WAS OPENED IN '06.
IT'S BEEN IN OPERATION FOR 17 YEARS NOW.
WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE 77 OR SO SEATS THAT ACTUALLY ARE REMOVABLE THAT SIT ON THE HYDRAULIC PIT THAT SOMETIMES IS IN THE FLOOR POSITION FOR MORE AUDIENCE SEATING OR IT GOES DOWN TO THE LOWER LEVEL TO LOAD STUFF ONTO THE STAGE OR IT'S UP TO THE STAGE LEVEL FOR THE PERFORMANCE TO BE OUT.
COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIM THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ON THESE SEATS YESTERDAY AND WENT BY THERE, LOOKED AT IT, AND I AGREE WITH YOU 100% ON THAT ONE.
WHAT, YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT? [CHUCKLING] WELL, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A YES VOTE TO ME RIGHT THERE.
[CHUCKLING] I CAN SEE THE ACTUAL NEED THERE, AND IT'S DEFINITELY A PUBLIC SAFETY DEAL.
THE SEATS THAT WE'RE REPLACING WITH ARE ESTHETICALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO THE HOUSE.
THEY'RE VERY NICE AND COMFORTABLE.
THE CURRENT SCREW IN SEATS THAT WE HAVE, IT TAKES SIX STAGEHANDS A COUPLE OF HOURS AND A LOT OF BACKBREAKING WORK TO BRING THOSE UP, STRAP THEM ON, TAKE THEM OFF WHENEVER WE'RE DONE.
THESE OTHERS, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE GET IT DONE IN 30 MINUTES.
OKAY. THANK YOU, BO. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? NO, SIR. NO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
WE ACCEPT 9C AS STATED IN THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM PLACE THREE.
A SECOND FROM PLACE ONE TO ACCEPT ITEM 9C.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
MAYOR, CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? YES, SIR. OKAY.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE HORIZON IN THE GLOBE-NEWS CENTER THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE REPLACED SINCE SHE'S ABOUT 17 YEARS OLD, AND I MEAN, IS THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE JUST GETTING WORN OR NEEDING TO BE REPLACED IN THE FUTURE? NOT REALLY, SEEING.
WE HAD AN ISSUE OVER THERE, BUT BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, YES, OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD REPARATIONS FROM THE CHRISTMAS EVE FLOOD, EVERYTHING IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
THERE MAY BE SOME SOUND COMPONENT ISSUES OR WHATNOT THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, BUT I THINK THE FACILITY'S STILL IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE AND FACILITIES DOES A GREAT JOB OF MAINTAINING IT AND OUR STAFF TAKES A GOOD AMOUNT OF CARE OF THAT FACILITY AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR OTHERS.
THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
MOVING TO OUR LAST ITEM, ITEM 9D.
[9.D. CONSIDER PURCHASE - 2.09 ACRES OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF 2600 LINDA DRIVE]
[02:05:02]
WE HAVE MR. FLOYD HARTMAN HERE TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE.MAYOR. COUNCIL FLOYD HARTMAN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
YES. THIS ITEM IS A CONSIDERATION OF PURCHASE OF 2.09 ACRES IN VICINITY OF 2600 LINDA LANE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE, THIS IS 2.09 ACRES ADJACENT TO WHAT WE CALL LAWRENCE LAKE.
IT HAS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO OUR RECENT CHALLENGES RELATED TO FLOODING IN THE AREA.
WE DID GET AN APPRAISAL ON THIS PROPERTY AT APPRAISED AT 375,000.
THE OWNER, OLSON OFFICE WAREHOUSE HAS AGREED TO THIS PURCHASE OF $375,000.
CITY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THIS APPROVAL.
SOME THINGS THAT THIS WOULD OPEN UP.
THIS OPENS UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A COUPLE OF PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD OVER AT LAWRENCE LAKE, BUT THIS PURCHASE, IF YOU COULD, IF WE CHOSE TO EXCAVATE IN THIS AREA, YOU COULD SEE THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY REDUCE THE FLOODPLAIN APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET IN THAT AREA.
IT ALSO PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PERMANENT PUMP SITE, A LARGER PUMP SITE.
THAT IS A $4.5 MILLION PROJECT TO COMPLETE THOSE, BUT THE ACQUISITION OF THIS PROPERTY IS ESSENTIAL FOR THOSE BENEFITS IN THAT FLOODING AREA.
THIS ONE HAS PROBABLY THE EASIEST PUBLIC NEED THAT I'VE EVER WALKED TO THIS PODIUM TO DESCRIBE.
OKAY. MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE THOSE OTHER NEEDS.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS? CITY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
ANYONE WANT TO GO FIRST? CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT NEXT SLIDE? YES. OH.
THERE YOU GO. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, WE GET THAT LAND $8.5 MILLION.
THAT'LL INCLUDE PUTTING IN THE PUMP AND EXCAVATION OF ALL THAT.
MOVING THE BENNETT FORCE MAIN WOULD BE ANOTHER ONE WE RECOMMEND IN THAT PROCESS AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] PUMPS, BUT WE'LL BE BRINGING THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO YOU IN THE WORKSHOP AND THE BUDGET.
THANKS, FLOYD. FLOYD WITH THE ADDITIONAL VOLUME HERE, WOULD YOU NEED TO MOVE BENNETT OFF OF THIS TO A DIRECT FORCE MAIN? OR WOULD YOU. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO LEAVE THIS? IF YOU TAKE BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS AND YOU GET TO THE WEST AMARILLO CREEK, THE PURCHASE OF THIS COULD REPRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS, LEAVING BENNETT TO PUMP TO THIS LOCATION WITH THIS LARGER PUMP PROJECT BENEFITS BOTH LAKES.
NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT THOSE POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND THE COST RELATED TO THOSE.
SO, YES, YOU COULD LEAVE BENNETT PUMPING TO THIS WITH THE ADDITION OF THAT, AND REMEMBER, WE HAD ALL THREE PUMPS, THE TWO PERMANENT PUMPS AND THAT [INAUDIBLE] PUMP PUMPING, AND THAT GAVE US SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN LAWRENCE LAKE OVER WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO YOU WOULD STILL SEE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN LAWRENCE LEAVING BENNETT PUMPING TO THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION TO TALK ABOUT.
OKAY. IT COULD DEPRIORITIZE THE BENNETT FORCE MAIN AND ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON THIS.
ANY POTENTIAL GRANT FUNDING WORKING ON THOSE.
I OFFERED TO BUY A COW, BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT MAP FOR A SECOND? I ALWAYS GO THE WRONG WAY.
YES. WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE OF INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THIS LAKE? NOT MUCH. THE CITY ALREADY OWNS A PIECE OF PROPERTY OVER ON THE EAST SIDE.
WHEN THEY EXCAVATED THIS LAKE IN THE 80S, WHEN THEY EXCAVATED DOWN, THEY ACTUALLY HIT GROUNDWATER.
[02:10:03]
SO THE ONLY REAL CAPACITY EXPANSION IS TO THE SIDE.SO THAT PIECE OF LAND THAT WE OWN THERE, I MEAN GOING TO BE EXCAVATED OUT AS WELL.
THERE ARE SOME EASEMENTS OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE, AND THAT ACTUALLY SERVES AS A PARKING LOT TO THE CLARENDON COLLEGE CAMPUS AT THIS POINT, AND THEN THE $375,000 IS WHERE'S THAT WHERE'S THAT MONEY COMING FROM? FROM OUR DRAINAGE E&I OUT OF THE CAPITAL.
SO THAT IS THAT ACCOUNT WHERE WE DO PUMPS OR OTHER URGENT NEEDS.
AT THE TIME THAT WE BUDGETED THIS, THERE WAS ABOUT $900,000 LEFT.
SO WE WOULD USE $375K AND THERE WOULD BE SOME LEFT.
THIS IS THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE THAT I PAY IS HELPING PURCHASES.
YES, THIS IS DIRECT BENEFIT FROM THE DRAINAGE UTILITY AND THAT CAPITAL.
NOTHING? THIS SIDE? ALL GOOD, SIR. GOOD.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 9D, PLEASE.
YEAH. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF ITEM 9D, I GUESS FOR THE AMOUNT OF $375,000.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM PLACE TO A SECOND FROM PLACE.
ONE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT'S OUR LAST AND FINAL ITEM.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH US HERE TODAY AND BEING A PART OF OUR MEETING.
YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
'GOTTA HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
OH, THAT'S RIGHT. [CHUCKLING] I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR THE DAY.
WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.