[00:00:05]
[1. Call to Order]
WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR BUSINESS MEETING HERE TODAY.NOW THAT WE'RE CALLED TO ORDER, IF EVERYONE WOULD, JOHNNY THOMPSON HE'S GOING TO COME UP HERE.
[2. Invocation]
HE'S GOING TO GIVE US THE INVOCATION.AND THEN IF YOU'D REMAIN STANDING FOR BOTH PLEDGES AFTER THAT, PLEASE RISE.
AFTERNOON, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
OUR GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFULNESS AND THANKFULNESS IN OUR HEART.
LORD, YOU KNOW THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.
THESE SEATS THEY HOLD ARE ORDAINED BY YOU.
MAY YOU GIVE THEM STRENGTH AND BOLDNESS TO SERVE THEM ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
LORD, THESE MEN ARE EVERYONE'S ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO.
THEY HAVE TO LISTEN TO AND SOMETIMES SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL.
BUT MAY THEY LEAD BY THE DECISIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD AND GODLY COUNSEL.
MAY WE ALL BE REMINDED THAT WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN OBEY MEN.
AMEN. AMEN. IN MATTHEW 15, JESUS TELLS THE PHARISEES AND THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW THAT THEY SHOULD OBEY GOD'S COMMANDS INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE RULES SET BY PREVIOUS GENERATIONS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW ALL THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD ALL THE TIME, EVEN IF THE LAW IS CONTRARY TO YOUR COMMANDMENTS.
LORD, I LIFT THEM UP TO YOU TODAY, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
GOD, THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO PLEASE YOU MORE THAN THEY WOULD WANT TO PLEASE MEN.
WHEN THEY DO NOT KNOW THE LAWS OF THE LAND, THEY SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL.
FATHER, I ASK WHEN THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS WHAT YOU SAY THAT THEY WOULD SEEK COUNSEL FROM GOD FEARING CLERGY, THAT NO ONE UNDERSTAND YOUR LAWS, YOUR COMMANDMENTS, AND YOUR WORD.
MAY YOU BE ALLOWED TO LEAD AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME.
WE THANK YOU THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US ALL FREE WILL.
WE THANK YOU FOR GRACE AND MERCY DAILY, AND WE ASK THIS AND PRAY IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME.
YES, SIR. YOU GUYS WILL JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG; I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. CITY MANAGER, OR MISS COGGINS, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY? NO, MAYOR. OKAY, MOVING RIGHT ALONG, THEN.
[6. Public Comment]
WE ARE ALL THE WAY TO PUBLIC COMMENT.MISS CITY SECRETARY, IF I CAN TURN IT OVER TO YOU, I BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT A FEW SIGNED UP TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE ARE GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM.
EVERY SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AT.
WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY.
IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM WITH A PUBLIC HEARING, WE ASK THAT YOU MAKE YOUR COMMENT EITHER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT OR THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NOT BOTH, IN ORDER TO HELP US KEEP ACCURATE MINUTES.
IT'S YOUR DECISION AT WHICH POINT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
COUNCIL MAY RESPOND WITH STATEMENTS OF FACT.
THEY MAY ASK THAT YOUR TOPIC BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA, OR THEY MAY REFER REFER THE MATTER TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHO CAN HAVE STAFF STEP OUTSIDE AND VISIT WITH YOU REGARDING YOUR TOPIC.
SO AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH KENNETH FERGUSON.
AND AFTER KENNETH WILL BE JAMES ALLEN.
[00:05:09]
AFTERNOON, COUNCILMAN.MY SUPERVISOR ACCUSED ME OF EVERYTHING THEY CAN THINK OF.
BUT I HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY BERATED BY THREE SEPARATE SUPERVISORS AND A COWORKER.
THE COWORKER WAS TOLD BY ROB, GEORGE AND JAMES, STAY AWAY FROM ME.
ON THE LAST AND FIFTH TIME, I WAS CALLED INTO THE OFFICE WHEN THEY FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING TO WRITE ME UP ON AFTER BEING BERATED FOR A WHOLE MONTH DURING THE MAJOR TOURNAMENT.
AND THAT WAS THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I WAS SITTING WAITING FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS OF THE DAY.
I DID USE A RACIAL SLUR BECAUSE AFTER A WHOLE MONTH OF BEING BERATED, I DID USE A RACIAL SLUR AS MY PTSD CAME OUT TO A BOILING POINT, AND AFTER A FULL MONTH OF BEING BERATED BY MY SUPERVISORS, BEING TOLD NOT TO BRING THEIR NAME UP BECAUSE THEY KNEW I'D PROBABLY COME IN HERE, THAT I WAS NOT TO EVER COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AGAIN.
AND THAT WAS SAID BY GEORGE HIMSELF.
AND ON THE MATTER OF MY SERVICE DOGS, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP, CINDY, WHO WORKS FOR H.R., HAD ORIGINALLY TOLD ME THAT TIM AND TIM, WHO WAS ACTING SUPERVISOR AT THE TIME, I CANNOT HAVE MY SERVICE DOGS OUT THERE.
AFTER I CONTACTED YOU ALL A FEW WEEKS AGO.
THE VERY NEXT DAY, I WAS ALLOWED TO HAVE MY SERVICE DOGS.
CINDY BACKDATED, SAYING THAT THE DOGS WERE ALLOWED TO COME OVER A YEAR AGO.
SHE BACKDATED EVERYTHING AND ACCORDING TO MY THAT'S A BIG NO NO.
AND THIS WAS SENT IN A LETTER.
IT WAS FOLLOWED UP BY A REGISTERED LETTER.
AND IN MY KNOWLEDGE, AGAIN, THIS IS A BIG NO NO.
I HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED GEORGE AND ROB TO ALLOW ME TO USE THE INTERNET TO PLUG IN A SECURITY CAMERA TO, TO SO THAT MY DOGS WILL BE SAFE WHEN I'M NOT THERE TO WATCH OVER THEM.
THEY HAVE FAILED TO GET BACK TO ME AND HAVE BEEN SINCE.
I'VE ASKED THE NEW SUPERVISOR, SCOTT, TO LOOK INTO IT AND I'VE NOT HEARD ANYTHING, AND I'VE FOUND A SECURITY CAMERA THAT RUNS ON OVER 1000 HOURS OF DATA AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE PLUGGED INTO THE INTERNET, SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THAT AND USE IT TO KEEP MY DOG SAFE, BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST IF I'M NOT THERE, SOMEBODY'S BERATING OR HARASSING MY SERVICE DOGS, WHICH IS A FELONY.
AND I HAVE LEARNED, ACCORDING TO THE SUPERS, THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH IT.
THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING HERE TODAY.
ONCE AGAIN, I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK.
YES. WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? WELL, IF YOU DON'T MIND MY EMAIL IS EASY TO FIND.
AND IF YOU'LL EMAIL ME, THEN I'LL PUT YOU ON THE CALENDAR.
I'M A COUPLE WEEKS OUT, AND I KNOW I MADE THAT OFFER TO YOU LAST, BUT I HADN'T HEARD FROM YOU.
WELL, SO LAST TIME WAS THE FIRST TIME I'D EVER BEEN BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND I WAS KIND OF.
I UNDERSTAND, SIR, WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN.
YES, SIR. CAN I GIVE THIS SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT.
YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO HAND IT RIGHT OVER HERE TO MRS. COGGINS. THANK YOU, SIR, THANK YOU.
NEXT IS JAMES ALLEN, AND ON DECK AFTER JAMES WILL BE LINDA VAUGHN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY.
MAYOR STANLEY I LOOK FORWARD TO A COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION THAT GIVES THE COUNCIL AND CITIZENS A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONDITION OF THE WATER SYSTEM IN NORTH HEIGHTS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE IF THE CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITY NOT ADEQUATELY PLANNING AND ADDRESSING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES IN NORTH HEIGHTS, WOULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS?
[00:10:09]
THANK YOU. THE NORTHEAST COMMUNITY IS AT A POINT IN TIME THAT REQUIRES BOLD ACTION FROM ITS ELECTED LEADERS.SPECIFICALLY, WE SHOULD HEAR WHAT THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PLAN OF ACTION WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT LOCATION WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED FOR UPGRADES IN THAT FIRST YEAR? THE COMMUNITY SHOULD SEE THE FIRST YEAR IN THE TEN YEAR PLAN.
WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC BY MR. HARTMAN? WHEN DID YOU DO THE ANALYSIS TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THE TEN YEAR PLAN, WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE UPGRADES? HOW WILL THESE FUNDS BE BUDGETED? WILL THE PROJECT BE ENGINEERED AND IMPLEMENTED BY CITY DEPARTMENTS, OR WILL THIS BE BID OUT TO A CONTRACTOR? WHAT WOULD BE THE EXPECTED TIME FRAME FOR START AND COMPLETION OF WORK? THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO MAKE YOUR DECISIONS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
GENTLEMEN, THE WORK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES.
HOW LONG ARE YOU, AS LEADERS, GOING TO ALLOW SUBSTANDARD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS? THIS INVESTMENT IS LITERALLY LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NORTH HEIGHTS, WHICH BENEFITS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS ACCEPTED EXCUSES FAR TOO LONG, ALMOST 100 YEARS.
REMEMBER, ACTION OR INACTION HAS CONSEQUENCES.
HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU MR. ALLEN. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU SIR.
AND AFTER LINDA WILL BE JEFF MCGUNEGLE.
MY NAME IS LINDA VAUGHN, AND I HAVE LIVED IN AMARILLO MY ENTIRE LIFE.
DID NOT KNOW WHAT MR. ALLEN WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AN INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE.
I THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARY IF WE ARE TO SPUR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH HEIGHTS, WHICH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IS WHAT I BELIEVE THAT EACH ONE OF YOU ON THIS BOARD, THIS CITY, THE CITY MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL, I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS YOUR GOAL.
AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE HERE TO WORK FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT THE LACK OF UPGRADE TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT'S PREVENTING OR LIMITING PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT FROM HAPPENING IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS AREA.
IT'S A BIG IT'S ONE OF THE BIG REASONS TO ME, THIS IS JUST MY OPINION.
THE CITY IS HINDERING DEVELOPMENT BY NOT INVESTING IN OUR AREA.
A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IS THE NORTH HEIGHTS LINEN SERVICE.
A WONDERFUL FACILITY WITH APPROXIMATELY 50 EMPLOYEES.
A LARGE CONTRACT AS FAR AS THE METROPLEX.
A LINEN CONTRACT AS FAR AS THE METROPLEX DAILY COMING IN AND OUT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THAT KIND OF START IS IT'S A MAJOR CONCERN.
AND HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THAT IF NOT BY THE CITY PROVIDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? YOU KNOW, SMALL DEVELOPERS TRYING TO BUILD HOMES IN THE AREA.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO ENTICE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPERS TO OUR CITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S YOUR GOAL.
AND I AM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT WHAT I SEE HAPPENING IS NOT EQUITABLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OF AMARILLO, THE ENTIRE CITY IS WHAT EACH OF YOU HAS BEEN ELECTED TO BE CAREGIVERS OF.
THANK YOU MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] JEFF MCGUNEGLE.
[00:15:04]
AND AFTER JEFF WILL BE TIMOTHY INGALLS.ALL RIGHT. WELL GOOD AFTERNOON.
THIS IS CALLED THE COLOR YELLOW, AND IT'S FOLLOWS UP WITH JAMES AND MISS VAUGHN.
WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS IF I DIDN'T I TRULY DO.
OUR CITY IS SIMPLY NAMED YELLOW OR AMARILLO OR AS MISPRONOUNCED AMARILLO.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE SO MANY GATHERED HERE BEYOND THE ORDINANCE.
ONE THING THESE TWO ISSUES HAVE IN COMMON IS LIFE AND DEATH.
TODAY, MANY GATHER TO SUPPORT A GREATLY MALNOURISHED PART OF THE CITY IN A GREATLY UNHEALTHY CITY.
A CITY WITH AN UNSPOKEN STANDARD OF MEDIOCRITY OR LESS.
A CITY THAT WON'T SPEAK OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
YELLOW AMARILLO IS THE COLOR OF COURAGE, WILL AND STRENGTH.
YELLOW IS ALSO THE COLOR OF COWARDICE.
IN MAY, THIS MAN AND I'LL SAY A TRUE MAN.
HE SPOKE OF WHAT WE ARE HERE ABOUT TODAY.
HE COMPARED IT TO MY CHILDHOOD AND FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE, FLINT DETROIT, MICHIGAN.
I CLEARLY SAW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT RECENTLY PREPARING FOR THE ELECTION AND RETREAT.
I TUNED IN TO THE LAST MEETING.
THERE STOOD JAMES AND HIS YELLOW SHIRT.
THIS INDICATED TO ME, AS HE DID WITH HIS WORDS, THAT THIS MAN IS TRULY A MAN OF COURAGE, A SOLDER MAN, AS WELL AS A MAN WHO TRULY LOVES THE ALL. HE INSPIRED ME.
THE HIGHEST ACT IS INSPIRATION GREATLY.
THIS IS A MAN WHO SHOWS AND IS CULTIVATING EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP.
I KNOW IN MY HEART AND MIND HE WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES, WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
FOR ALL OF AMARILLO HAVING THIS DEEP CRISIS OF CARE, WE NEED LEADERS OF EXCELLENCE, THOSE WHO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER, INSPIRE AND EMPOWER US TO CARE ONCE AGAIN.
RIGHTEOUS LEADERS WHO BRING TOGETHER THE ALL NOT SELF-RIGHTEOUS LEADERS LOOKING OUT FOR THEMSELVES AND THOSE OF POWER WHO HOLDS THE LEADERSHIP KEYS IN THIS COMMUNITY OF 203,000.
WHO HOLDS THESE LEADERSHIP KEYS? YOU FIVE BEFORE US IN A TIME OF GREAT CRISIS.
GREATNESS. THE POTENTIAL IS THERE, BUT IS THE COURAGE, WILLPOWER, AND STRENGTH.
PS THE INVOCATION AS IS, IS SELF-RIGHTEOUS AND DISRESPECTFUL.
A MOMENT OF SILENCE IS RIGHTEOUS AND OF HIGHEST RESPECT.
I CONCLUDE WITH, AGAIN, WE ARE NOT WHO WE THINK WE ARE.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU JEFF.
TIMOTHY INGLES AND AFTER TIMOTHY WILL BE DOLORES NEAL THOMPSON.
YOU CAN BRING THEM UP. THANK YOU.
HI, Y'ALL. MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THIS IS JUST A QUICK STARTING PLACE, I THINK, TO DISCUSS A STREET SECTION THAT I LIVE ON.
WE'VE ACTUALLY SPENT, IN LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO.
BUT I HAVE TWO REALLY SIMPLE REQUESTS FOR THE STREETS DEPARTMENT AND FOR AMARILLO.
AND THAT IS SO THIS IS THE EXISTING CONTEXT ON THE FIRST PAGE, IF YOU FLIP TO THE SECOND PAGE.
[00:20:05]
BASICALLY I'M ASKING THAT YOU REMOVE THE NO PARKING SIGNS ON BOTH TYLER AND HARRISON STREET.SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO BE RESIDENTIAL WAS SO SLOW STREETS.
AND I WOULD CLAIM THAT THAT CREATES A BIG DETRIMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT INCREASES THE SPEEDS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE PLAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALKING.
AND SO THERE'S MANY WAYS WE CAN REDESIGN THIS.
AND MY REQUEST, THE SIMPLEST WAY THAT WE CAN JUST BARELY NUDGE THE NEEDLE TOWARDS A SAFER STREET IS TO REMOVE THE NO PARKING ORDINANCE SO CARS CAN PARK ON BOTH SIDES, AND IT NARROWS THE STREET WIDTH JUST A LITTLE BIT IF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO PARK THERE.
AND THEN ALSO THAT WE REMOVE THE CENTER STRIPING LANE.
AND SO IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN.
I'D LIKE TO GET THIS REDESIGN OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS.
I'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH DIFFERENT CHANNELS WITH THIS, WITH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, AND I JUST THINK A REALLY QUICK AND DIRECT BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST, SO IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.
SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
DOLORES NEIL THOMPSON AND AFTER DOLORES, MILDRED DARTON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL, I'M DOLORES THOMPSON.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ABOUT.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT OLD ROUTE 66, HIGHWAY 66, OLD NORTH EAST EIGHTH, AND AMARILLO BOULEVARD.
THERE'S BEEN CONSTRUCTION ON AMARILLO BOULEVARD FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS BETWEEN TRAVIS AND MCMASTERS, AND I REALIZED THAT THAT IS PART OF TXDOT PROPERTY. I HAVE TALKED TO MR. SCHNEIDERJAN. I HAVE EVEN TEXTED TXDOT AS WELL, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S AS FATHERS OR AS OUR LEADERS HERE IN AMARILLO YOU NEED.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT YOU ALL CAN CONTACT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THAT AREA HAS BEEN BEEN FOR TWO YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CARS COME THROUGH THERE EVERY DAY.
SO THAT AREA I THINK NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP.
I WISH THAT YOU ALL WOULD CONTACT TXDOT , PERHAPS THE CITY LEADERS, AND ASK THEM, CAN YOU HURRY UP AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT, THAT THAT CONSTRUCTION THERE? THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE IS THOMPSON PARK.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE DRIVEN DOWN THOMPSON PARK FROM THE NORTH ON NORTHEAST 24TH, BETWEEN THE GOLF COURSE AND POLK STREET, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A DESERT OVER THERE. THERE ARE DEAD TREES THERE.
SO I BRING THAT TO CITY COUNCIL.
PERHAPS YOU CAN REFER IT TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WE CAN GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THAT.
IT LOOKS HORRIBLE WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN THAT THAT AREA.
JUST. SO JUST TAKE A RIDE DOWN THERE AND SEE WHAT YOU SEE.
[APPLAUSE] MILDRED DARTON AND AFTER MILDRED TIM GASAWAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL, MILDRED DARTON 7107 UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS.
I LEANED MY HEAD IN NORTH HEIGHTS EVERY NIGHT.
I PAY MY TAXES EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING EVERY MONTH.
I DON'T SEE ANY ANYTHING MOVING THE NEEDLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE TALKED WITH A COUPLE OF THE COUPLE OF YOU, ONE ON ONE SHOOK HANDS WITH THE MAYOR.
[00:25:06]
I FORGOT WHAT I WAS SHAKING HANDS FOR, BUT I DID.BUT I THINK IT WAS ABOUT MOVING AT THE SPEED OF TRUST.
WE MOVE FORWARD FOR A WHILE, THEN WE GO BACK TO THE STARTING GATE.
WE NEED TO GO ON DOWN THE ROAD.
SEE MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MORE THINGS BEING DONE.
A BEAUTIFUL AMARILLO IT CAN HAPPEN.
IT CAN BE DONE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER AT THE SPEED OF TRUST WE TRUSTED WHEN WE VOTED.
I HEARD YOUR COMMENTS, I WAS SATISFIED.
I VOTED AND I WILL CONTINUE TO VOTE.
THAT'S THE ONLY VOICE THE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME HAVE IS AT THE BALLOT BOX.
SOME OF THEM DON'T REALIZE IT, BUT I DO.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A QUESTION ASKED IN THIS CHAMBER, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THAT SAME QUESTION TODAY BECAUSE THE LAST QUESTION WENT UNANSWERED VERBALLY, BUT IT WAS ANSWERED BY BEING NEGLECTED, OVERLOOKED.
THE QUESTION WAS, WHY ARE WE REPLACING INFRASTRUCTURE IN CERTAIN AREAS OF AMARILLO THAT ARE LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD AND WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING IN OUR OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT QUESTION STILL REMAINS UNANSWERED, BUT IT WAS UNANSWERED BY NOT DOING ANYTHING.
AND MAYOR, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A DISCONNECT IN NORTH HEIGHTS.
YOU CANNOT DISCONNECT WHAT HAS NOT BEEN CONNECTED.
NORTH HEIGHTS HAS NEVER BEEN CONNECTED.
WE'VE BEEN MADE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN PROMISES.
YEAH, WE'LL DO IT. BUT YOU'RE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
DO IT, OR JUST SAY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT.
IT'S PLAIN TO ME AND IT'S PLAIN TO TO RAY CHARLES AND STEVIE WONDER.
NOTHING IS BEING DONE IN NORTH HEIGHTS, BUT THEY RUN OVER ME TO PAY THEIR TAXES.
I KNOW WHAT TAXES ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IS WRONG.
BUT WHILE WE SIT HERE TALK, LIFE ROLLS ON.
BUT I WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS A REALITY IN REAPING WHAT YOU SOW.
AND THE VOICE OF DOCTOR CHARLES STANLEY.
YOU'RE GOING TO REAP MORE THAN YOU.
YOU'RE GOING TO REAP LATER THAN YOU SOW, AND YOU'RE GOING TO REAP MORE THAN YOU.
SO LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING, BECAUSE THE RIGHT THING IS THE ONLY THING TO DO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR STANLEY STAFF AND COUNCIL.
I RESIDE AT 1604 NORTHWEST 20TH IN NORTH HEIGHTS.
I COME TODAY TO JUST LEND MY SUPPORT TO JAMES ALLEN AND ALL OF THE EFFORTS TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
WE'VE BEEN NEEDING SOMETHING DONE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
I ACTUALLY HAVE LEFT AMARILLO CAME BACK TO AMARILLO AND THE SAME PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
I'M NOT POINTING THE FINGER AT THE COUNCIL TODAY, BUT WE SHOULD LOOK BACK AT ALL OF THE COUNCILS SINCE THE 60S, 70S, 80S, 90S, 2000.
AND WHAT I WANTED TO LEAVE WITH YOU GUYS TODAY IS HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL OPERATE AND BE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR THAT THE CITY OF AMARILLO DESERVES.
AND THESE ARE SOME QUALITIES THAT I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD BRING AND THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU DELIBERATE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST YOU GUYS, IT'S THE STAFF.
BECAUSE THESE FAILURES COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT A FAILURE IN OUR STAFF.
IF THAT CITY MANAGER, IF THAT'S DEPARTMENT HEAD OR IF THAT'S SUPERVISOR OR EMPLOYEE.
BUT WE ALL SHOULD BE OPERATING FROM A POINT OF THESE THINGS.
STRENGTH. PROTECTION, FAIRNESS, FULFILLMENT.
[00:30:02]
FREEDOM. I'LL SAY FREEDOM AGAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ISSUE AS WE KNOW, THAT DEALS WITH FREEDOM, AND YOU GUYS ARE DEALING WITH IT.COMMUNITY SERVICE, COOPERATION, TRUST, HONESTY AND OPEN COMMUNICATIONS.
IF YOU GUYS WOULD OPERATE WITH THESE VALUES, WE'LL BE OKAY.
EVEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN.
NORTH HEIGHTS, AS YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY STUDYING, DOES NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION FAR TOO LONG.
THIS HAS WENT ON AND WE NEED TO CHANGE IT.
I'M NOT POINTING MY FINGER AT YOU GUYS BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE NEW, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SET A NEW BAR AND A NEW STANDARD FOR AMARILLO.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU SIR.
AND AFTER EDITH, JESSIE FRIMMER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M EDITH DE TOMASO.
I RESIDE AT 1613 B [INAUDIBLE] STREET IN AMARILLO.
AND I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH A BIBLE VERSE THAT KIND OF GUIDES WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU TO DO JUSTICE, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY BEFORE OUR GOD, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, LIKE UNLIKE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMARILLO, NORTH HEIGHTS HAS HAD CONSTANTLY BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR THE WATER AND SEWERAGE IMPROVEMENTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY PAY THE SAME UTILITY TAX THAT EVERYBODY ELSE PAYS.
I REALIZE THAT THE TOPOGRAPHY IN THERE IS SOMEWHAT CHALLENGING.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT SOMEBODY WITH A CIVIL ENGINEERING DEGREE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK IF THEY COULD SOLVE THE THE PROBLEMS AT T ANCHOR, AND CERTAINLY THAT THEY CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN NORTH HEIGHTS.
TO ME, THE EXCLUSION OF NORTH HEIGHTS IS TANTAMOUNT TO REDLINING, WHICH IS ILLEGAL AND DISCRIMINATORY.
I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECTIFY THIS EGREGIOUS EXCLUSION AND MODERNIZE THE WATER AND SEWAGE SYSTEM IN NORTH HEIGHTS.
[APPLAUSE] JESSE FRIMMER AND AFTER JESSE, ALMA SWAIN.
YOU DID NOT BRING THIS UPON OUR CITY.
THE CITY GAVE IT TO YOU, AND YOU'RE THE ONES WHO ARE ASKING FOR HELP FOR.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THE ENTERPRISE MONEY TO FIND OUT IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT.
YOU'VE GOT THE BIG SEWAGE PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE DEVELOPING OUT HERE ON NORTHEAST PART OF AMARILLO.
YOU DEALT WITH THE PROBLEM DOWN ON HOLLYWOOD ROAD.
YOU'VE GOT GOT THAT BECAUSE THE FLOOD THAT YOU INHERITED.
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GUYS, YOU GOT THROUGH THAT PROBLEM.
SO YOU'VE BEEN FACED WITH A LOT OF PROBLEMS. SO I COMPLIMENT YOU ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO I HELPED ON THE SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL, TRYING TO GET THAT THING DEVELOPED INTO SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST SITTING THERE AS AN EMPTY BUILDING THAT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF OUR CITY. WE GOT THE LINEN SERVICE SET IN.
WE GOT THE WOFFORD CENTER DEVELOPED FOR THE YMCA.
WE'VE GOT THE THOMPSON PARK NOW WORKING AT A BETTER FACILITY THAN IT WAS YOU.
THE PRIOR COUNCIL TOOK CARE OF THE THOMPSON PARK SITUATION, BUT YOU ALSO INHERITED A $35 MILLION DEBT FOR REMOVING THIS BUILDING AND MOVING IT TO THE EAST SIDE OF OUR CITY.
[00:35:05]
MAKE CERTAIN THE FUNDING GOES WHERE WE REALLY KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM? AND IT'S BEEN A LONG AT REST BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED IT.IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM, BUT YOUR CITIZENS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS IT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS LISTENING TO US, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT.
EACH ONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN GREAT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU SIR. ALMA SWAIN AND AFTER ALMA, JAMIE FERRAN.
I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
I JUST WANT TO READDRESS WHAT THE LADY WAS SAYING ABOUT OUR SEWER SYSTEM.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT I'VE CALLED THE CITY OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER ABOUT MY WATER AT MY HOUSE WHEN I TURNED MY WATER ON YOU CAN SMELL THE SEWER.
I HAVE TO WASH MY CLOTHES 2 OR 3 TIMES.
I SAID, WELL, CAN YOU COME OUT TO CHECK TO SEE WHY I STILL HAVE DIRT IN MY SINK WHEN MY WATER GOES OUT? BUT TO ME THAT'S A SERIOUS THING.
AND I LIVE DOWN BY ROSS ROGERS WHERE THE SEWER USED TO RUN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO READDRESS THAT AGAIN, THAT'S A PROBLEM HERE IN AMARILLO.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO READDRESS THE THOROUGHFARE WHERE THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR TWO YEARS OR PLUS, IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO FIX WHAT THEY WERE FIXING, AND HALF THE TIME THEY'RE NOT EVEN THERE WORKING.
SO IF THEY DO NEED TO GET THAT PART CLEANED UP.
NORTH HEIGHTS IS LOCATED IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO, JUST LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER AREAS, AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO BE IN ONE LITTLE SECLUSION TO WHERE THEY DON'T DO WHAT THEY DO FOR THE OTHER AREAS OF THIS CITY. SO I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU DO A BETTER JOB THAN THE ONES WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T DO A JOB, A GOOD JOB AT ALL. SO I'M LOOKING TO YOU TO GET TOGETHER AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR OUR CITY, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
AND AFTER JAMIE, PATRICK MILLER, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.
GOOD EVENING, FELLOW CITIZENS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
JUST A FEW COMMENTS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, ON WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN GENERAL.
ALSO RELATED TO NORTH HEIGHTS AND SOME OTHER AREAS.
THAT'S A FUTURE THAT'S COMING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND WORSE FUTURES, IN FACT, THAN THAT IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES AREN'T ADDRESSED, WE COULD LOOK TO OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE FLINT, MICHIGAN AND OTHERS TO SEE THINGS OTHER THAN SIMPLY MONETARY DAMAGES THAT MIGHT SURFACE IN THE FUTURE IF THESE ISSUES AREN'T ADDRESSED.
IN MY WORK, I DEAL WITH A LAND OF NUMBERS AND MODELS AND RISK ASSESSMENTS.
THAT'S DIFFICULT TO DO IN A PRESENTATION LIKE THIS.
SO LET'S PUT THAT ASIDE AND I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO ENGAGE YOUR IMAGINATIONS FOR A MOMENT.
IMAGINE A FUTURE IN WHICH THOSE ISSUES SIMPLY AREN'T ADDRESSED.
IMAGINE A FUTURE IN WHICH CALLS FOR LOSS OF MONEY.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ANSWER FOR THIS, RIGHT? IMAGINE A FUTURE IN WHICH THE CALLS OF INJUSTICE BY OTHER FELLOW CITIZENS INCREASE AND WIND UP IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE IN COMMUNITIES PAST AMARILLO PAST THE PANHANDLE.
IMAGINE A FUTURE IN WHICH AMARILLO JOINS THAT LIST AND OTHER LISTS WHERE, INSTEAD OF NUMBERS IN THE 80 BILLION RANGE, THERE ARE INSTEAD NUMBERS OF DEATHS OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS WITHOUT ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE THAT IS COMING.
SO ALL I ASK IS THAT POLICE, FELLOW CITIZENS, MAYOR, COUNCIL, THAT YOU ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS QUICKLY, AS EFFICIENTLY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. IF YOU NEED HELP OR WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL WORDS WITH ME, I DO RISK ASSESSMENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION.
[00:40:06]
I WOULD DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP IT.FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR STANLEY ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PATRICK MILLER AND I'M A PROUD, LIFE LONG NATIVE OF AMARILLO, TEXAS.
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR CONCERNS REGARDING THE DECADES LONG NEGLECT OF OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS OF UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS AND NORTH HEIGHTS AMARILLO.
AS A FORMER ELECTED OFFICIAL, I CAN CERTAINLY EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR CURRENT PREDICAMENT, HAVING ONLY HAD A MERE BRIEF TENURE IN OFFICE, YET HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS WHICH RESOLVE ISSUES WHICH PRECEDED YOUR TIME AND THESE AFOREMENTIONED POSITIONS.
HOWEVER, NOW IS A TIME FOR PROGRESS.
DURING THE ALLOTTED TIME FOR AN UPDATE REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS, WE CERTAINLY MAY LEARN OF SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE MYRIAD ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE WILLFUL NEGLECT OF OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
FURTHERMORE, IT IS OUR HOPE WE LEARN TODAY OF A PLAN TO INSTALL OR REPAIR DROP INLETS AND RAISE ROADSIDE TABLETOP INLETS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE THROUGHOUT NORTH HEIGHTS, UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, AND OUR ENTIRE CITY.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HOPE THIS UPDATE INCLUDES A PLAN TO RESUME A COLLABORATIVE, COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ZONING IN NORTH HEIGHTS AMARILLO TO ENSURE AMARILLO RESIDENTS MAY LIVE, WORK AND PLAY, AND AREAS CONDUCIVE FOR THEIR HEALTH, SAFETY AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.
MOREOVER, WE HOPE TO LEARN ABOUT EFFORTS TO PRIORITIZE FIRE MITIGATION SAFEGUARDS BY INSTALLING NEW LINES TO INCREASE THE FLOW OF WATER AND THE PRESSURE BETWEEN FIRE HYDRANTS AND FIRE ENGINES DURING CRISES AND FIRE EMERGENCIES.
ON BEHALF OF THE CONCERNED CITIZENS OF AMARILLO, WHICH YOU REPRESENT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
APPRECIATE YOU SIR. [APPLAUSE] MAYOR.
THAT CONCLUDES EVERYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TODAY.
OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT, MRS. COGGINS. DO I HAVE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, SIR. MR. BROWN, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD.
GOOD AFTERNOON. SORRY I'M A LITTLE LATE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
THIS IS KIND OF THE SPEECH THAT I GAVE MY DAUGHTER PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO WHEN SHE ASKED ME WHY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS AS IT WAS, DIDN'T HAVE CERTAIN AMENITIES, LIKE BUSINESSES AND LIKE MOVIE THEATERS OR SKATING RINKS OR ANY KIND OF THOSE THINGS BESIDES WONDERLAND.
WONDERLAND HAD ALREADY BECAME A LITTLE PLAYED OUT TO A EIGHT YEAR OLD AT THAT POINT.
AND I TOLD HER I HAD TO GIVE HER A HISTORY LESSON ABOUT EVERY CITY USA AND HOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TIME, HOW HISTORY PLAYED A PART IN BUILDING OF CITIES.
HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE 13TH AMENDMENT, OF COURSE.
THERE WAS ALWAYS A PART OF A CITY THAT WAS INFERIOR, AND THERE WAS A PART OF A CITY THAT WAS BUILT INFERIOR INFRASTRUCTURE WISE, BECAUSE THERE WAS A SECTOR OF POPULATION THAT WERE JUST COMING INTO ITS OWN AS FAR AS FREEDOM AND LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION SPEAKS ABOUT AND JUST ABOUT EVERY STATE'S CONSTITUTION SPEAKS ABOUT.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, YOU GO BACK TO THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS.
BUSINESSES WANT A SOLID FOOTING, A SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE, A SOLID FOUNDATION
[00:45:04]
WHEN THEY'RE OUT LOOKING FOR PLACES TO THERE'S GROWTH IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.BUT WHEN YOU HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, AS WE DO IN OUR NORTH HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOODS AND SOME OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, SAN JACINTO AND EVEN EASTRIDGE AND MESA VERDE.
THEN YOU HAVE A LACK OF GROWTH AS FAR AS BUSINESSES.
AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE A LACK OF GROWTH AS FAR AS BUSINESSES, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A STIMULATING GROWTH OF FAMILIES AND AS SUCH THAT WANT TO COME TO THAT AREA. SO THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT THE COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GROWTH OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, THEN THIS IS IMPERATIVE TO GET ON TOP OF.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU JERMAINE.
[APPLAUSE] COMMISSIONER COBLE, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND COME ON DOWN.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN AMARILLO.
I LIVE AT 1307 NORTHWEST 13TH.
I COME PARTICULARLY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE H2S GAS.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. FLOYD CONCERNING THE GAS.
IT REALLY HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER.
MR. FLOYD SAID HE'S DONE THE WATER AND THE PIPELINES FOR 30 PLUS YEARS.
WHY HAVEN'T SOMEONE SAYS IF YOU SMELL IT, DON'T TRY TO TRACE IT.
BECAUSE IF YOU FIND IT, IT MIGHT IMMOBILIZE YOU.
AND IF YOU LAY THERE LONG ENOUGH, IT WILL KILL YOU.
H2S GAS IS WHAT I DEALT WITH FOR 20 YEARS.
I WORKED AT THE PHILLIPS PROCESS PLANT.
WHEN I FIRST FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS H2, GAS WAS AT BICYCLE RIDING JULY THE 23RD, 2022.
THE CHIEF OF POLICE WAS THERE.
A LOT OF US WERE THERE TO ENJOY THE DAY.
AND SO THIS MASSIVE AMOUNT OF ODOR CAME.
AT LEAST THE PLACE THAT I COULD TRACE IT TO WAS A MILE AND A HALF AWAY.
AND THAT DAY WAS ENOUGH TO BURN YOUR NOSE.
NOBODY KNEW WHAT IT WAS, BUT I DID, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR A LIVING.
WE I WANT TO CALL THE PEOPLE OVER THERE INHABITANTS.
BECAUSE CERTAINLY A CITY WOULD DEAL WITH INHABITANTS GETTING GAS, BUT NOT THEIR CITIZENS.
SO I WANT TO SAY WE'RE CITIZENS.
IT CONTINUES TO BE THE SAME THING.
IN FACT, WHEN THEY PUT IN THIS DEVICE, IT WAS TOO FAR NORTH TO DO ANY GOOD.
AND SO NOW IT'S STARTING TO BACK UP.
AND NOW, INSTEAD OF JUST BEING ON 24TH AND COMING BACK ABOUT A MILE, NOW IT'S REACHED TWO MILES INTO THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S ALONG 15TH AND MADISON IN THAT AREA.
MY PROBLEM IS, WHAT HAS THIS GAS DONE TO NORTH AMARILLO? I'VE BEEN TOLD TO BE PATIENT.
MY PROBLEM IS, I'M AFRAID THAT SOME OF OUR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BECOME PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL.
WE CAN'T DO MINIMAL AMOUNT OF WORK AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT THE MINIMAL REQUIRES.
IF YOU GO AHEAD AND COME DOWN NEXT.
MR. FEINGOLD WE WILL GET YOU AFTER HER.
AFTERNOON. WHAT'S GOING ON? HOW Y'ALL DOING? WE'RE GOOD. MA'AM. THANK YOU.
[00:50:12]
GUYS, WE HAVE KIDS ON SCHOOL BUSSES AS EARLY AS 5:30, 6:15 IN THE MORNING.I MEAN, AND THE WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? THE CONCRETE, THE HOLES AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I WOULD RATHER SEE YOU BLOCK IT OFF OR EVEN A WEEK TO GET THAT DONE.
DON'T LET US HAVE A TRAGEDY, LIKE WITH OTHER BUSSES, WITH OUR CHILDREN.
AND THEN LET'S THINK ABOUT OUR KIDS.
OUR NEXT THING. MY NEXT THING IS THANK DOLORES THOMPSON BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ALSO. I GET THESE THREATENING, INTIMIDATING LETTERS FROM THE CITY ABOUT WEEDS, BUT THEN YOU START.
I MEAN, SOMEONE STARTS TO BUILD AN OVERPASS.
THE WEEDS ARE TALLER THAN THE CONCRETE PLANKS NOW.
I MEAN, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DRIVERS, SO THERE ARE SOMEONE THAT DON'T WANT TO BE BEHIND YOU, THAT WANTS TO BE THE LEADER THAT'S GOING TO COME AND CUT IN FRONT OF YOU. OKAY.
I MEAN, IF WE CAN FINISH THE LOOP, WE CAN FINISH THAT OVERPASS OVER THERE AND WE ASK THAT WE GET THAT DONE. THOSE PEOPLE THAT USE AMARILLO BOULEVARD, THE MAJORITY OF THEM, THEY'RE COMING FROM EAST RIDGE. THEY'RE COMING FROM HAMLET, MESA VERDE.
AND NOW GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE GOING DOWN HASTINGS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT HASTINGS LOOKED LIKE.
YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS I HAVE HEARD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO WIDEN HASTINGS.
REMEMBER WE HAD A FAMILY OF FIVE THAT GOT KILLED ON THE HASTINGS.
THERE'S A NEW AREA OF HOUSES DOWN THAT STREET AND DOWN BROADWAY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IN THAT AREA AND THEY'RE IN A DUMP TRUCK, OR THEY'RE IN A SEMI TRUCK, AND HERE YOU'RE IN A LITTLE CAR. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOWHERE FOR ANYONE TO GO BUT TO HIT EACH OTHER.
AND THOSE KIND OF CARRYINGS ON, BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S KIND OF WORK NORTH AMARILLO.
I MEAN, I SEE THE WORKING OF EVERYWHERE ELSE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I GOT LOST IN SOUTH AMARILLO AND I'VE BEEN A CITIZEN HERE ALL MY LIFE.
BUT I GOT LOST BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ALL OF THAT WAS OVER THERE.
BUT I WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT IT'S OVER THERE.
SO I'M BEING NOSY AND I GO OVER THERE.
DANG. HELL, WE LIVE IN CANYON, DON'T WE? I CAN'T TELL WE'RE IN AMARILLO.
[LAUGHTER] SO YOU KNOW WHAT? COME OVER HERE WITH US.
BUILD US A WALMART, A WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD STORE.
BUILD US A STORE OTHER THAN UNITED.
YEAH, THEY DON'T EVEN SELL WHAT WE EAT.
MISS LEILA, CAN I HAVE YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN? MITCHELL. MITCHELL.
OKAY. WE KNOW YOU RESIDE IN THE CITY LIMITS, SO WE NEEDED TO GET YOU DOWN FOR OUR.
OH, DID I COME UP HERE LIKE THAT? NOT AT ALL. OH, YOU ASKED ME HOW I WAS DOING, AND I SHOULD HAVE WAITED TO ANSWER, SO I SPOKE TOO SOON.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE WAY THINGS GO NOWADAYS.
COLE STANLEY. HEY, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING HERE THIS THIS AFTERNOON.
WE APPRECIATE THAT. HEY, LOOK OUT FOR US, OKAY? DON'T HAVE ME TO COME BACK.
AND I'M UPSET BECAUSE I CRY, AND THEN I CUSS, AND THEN YOU DON'T LIKE ME ANYMORE.
I PROMISE, I PROMISE WE ALWAYS.
IF YOU COME BACK UPSET, IT'LL BE AT DON TIPPS AGAIN.
IT WON'T BE AT THE REST OF COUNCIL.
[LAUGHTER] HE'S THE ONLY ONE YOU'VE BEEN MAD AT SO FAR.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I COULD GET MAD AT YOU TOO.
I KNOW YOU THAT WELL. [LAUGHTER] I WON'T PRESS MY LUCK.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MISS LEILA.
THEN WE'LL DO, MR. SCHANKE AFTER THAT.
ALAN FEINGOLD, 2601 NORTH GRAND STREET.
[00:55:02]
FIRST, I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THE MAN IN THE BLUE SHIRT.H2S GAS IS FAMOUS AS A HAZARD FOR PEOPLE WORKING IN THE OIL FIELD.
YOU CAN ASK HALF THE FIRMS IN THE PERMIAN BASIN ABOUT IT.
BUT ONE THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS CREATE A VENT PIPE, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GO 4 OR 5 MILES WITH IT TO GET IT TO SOME PLACE WHERE IT'S LESS LIKELY TO AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN WHILE YOU DECIDE WHAT THE PERMANENT SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM SHOULD BE.
SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU DO A REVIEW, A PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE AUTHORIZED FOR FOUR YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS AGO UNDER THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE FIVE SHEETS, ONE FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER ON THAT PROJECT.
I'M JUST GOING TO DESCRIBE IT VERY BRIEFLY FOR THE PERSONS WHO HAVE ATTENDED IT.
IT WAS A PROJECT TO REPAIR OR TO REPLACE THE SLUDGE RAKES IN THE CLARIFIERS ON THE HOLLYWOOD ROAD TREATMENT PLANT.
AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT $6 MILLION WAS APPROPRIATED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT IN FISCAL 2021.
I WOULD LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROJECT TO TELL THIS COUNCIL WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT $6 MILLION.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
ANYWAY, I WANT TO SEND OUT FIRST THAT THE THE NORTH HEIGHTS NEEDS YOUR HELP.
IT'S FOR THE CHARTER, AND IT'S FOR SANCTUARY CITIES FOR THE UNBORN.
I WANT TO START WITH THE CHARTER, THAT COMMITTEE.
IT WAS TOUGH TO WATCH BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THERE WAS LED DOWN A LITTLE ROAD WITH THE CONSULTANTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SEVERAL REALLY HARD PROPOSITIONS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THEN IN THE LAST MEETING, LET'S THROW A WRENCH IN IT AND TRY TO SPLIT UP A THE BIG PROPOSITION THAT WAS GOING TO GO ON THE BALLOT, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN CONFUSING TO EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE CITY, AND SPLIT IT INTO TWO.
AND THE DISCUSSION AROUND THAT WAS PRETTY DISAPPOINTING.
IT WAS LEFT WITH THE CONSULTANT TO SPLIT IT INTO TWO.
RIGHT. AND SO AS OF YET AS OF TODAY, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A COPY.
I HEAR THERE MIGHT BE AN EMAIL COMING THAT HAS IT SPLIT TO WHERE WE CAN SEE THE VERBIAGE.
BECAUSE AS YOU REALLY REALIZE, PROPOSITION C WOULD HAVE HAD TROUBLE PASSING JUST BY THE SIMPLE, OVERWHELMING CONFUSION THAT'S LISTED THROUGHOUT ALL OF THAT.
AND THE CHANGES TO THE PROPS MAKES IT WHERE THERE WOULD BE FIVE.
AND IN MY OPINION, THE MEETING'S NOT OVER.
[01:00:02]
OH, WELL, THE PEOPLE WILL THE PEOPLE VOTE YES ON THIS? PEOPLE VOTE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU WERE GIVING VOTERS SUCH A HARD TIME BETWEEN SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ABOUT HOW WE HAVE VOTER FATIGUE, OR THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED.LET ME HIT YOU WITH THE WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
THIS NEXT ELECTION YOU NEED TO GO FOR ONE AND A HALF YEARS.
THAT TAKES YOU TO NOVEMBER OF 26 AT THAT TIME, KICK IN YOUR TERM LIMIT WHERE YOU HAVE 4 AND 2.
3 OR 4 RUN FOR FOUR, THREE RUN FOR TWO BECAUSE.
OH AND INCREASE THE COUNCIL TO SEVEN.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT YOU GO TO 28 OR YOU GO TO 26 REALLY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE ELECTING THOSE THREE NEW COUNCIL THAT WENT FOR TWO TO GO TO 28 AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO FOR FOUR.
WE'RE NOT OUT INTO 2030 AND STUFF TO GET THIS GET THIS ACTION HAPPENING.
AND IT CAN BE DONE SIMPLE LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN JUST HAVE YOU GUYS FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS UNLESS WE KICK YOU OUT.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW THE CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE STARTED ON WHETHER YOU'RE AGAINST IT OR FOR IT.
I'M AGAINST THE TRAFFICKING AND ROADWAY THING.
THE DIXON ORDINANCE REALLY, I THINK, LACKS SOME COMPASSION AND LOVE.
IT HAPPENS AFTER THE BABY IS AWARDED.
AND I GUESS I CAN LET THIS GO NOW.
SIR. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? MR. MASSEY, COME FORWARD, PLEASE.
I JUST WAS COMING TO TALK ABOUT THE EMPOWERMENT ZONES.
BUT THEY'VE LEFT OUT THE BUSINESS CORRIDORS AND SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES, MUCH LIKE EASTRIDGE AND ALSO THE BARRIO, THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE EAST SIDE OF ROSS.
AND I THINK FOR THE EMPOWERMENT ZONES TO REALLY WORK TO WHERE WE CAN GET BUSINESSES INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES TO HELP THOSE COMMUNITIES FLOURISH.
I THINK EXTENDING THOSE AND INCLUDING THE BUSINESS CORRIDORS WILL BE GREATLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE COMMUNITIES AND JUST WANTED TO. I THINK I'VE SENT YOU ALL A PROPOSED MAP FOR EAST RIDGE.
I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE OTHERS.
BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT REDOING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIMITS ON WHERE IT CAN GO AND WHATNOT, BUT I THINK IF WE COULD JUST TAKE IT A BLOCK PAST AND NOT HAVE HARD BOUNDARIES LIKE GRAND AND NORTHEAST 24TH OR ROSS, THAT IT WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT THOSE COMMUNITIES.
APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT HERE TODAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GIVE A STATEMENT OF FACT THAT I HOPE YOU GUYS AGREE WITH.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
YOU KNOW, THE OLD SAYING THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE.
SO WE DON'T TAKE YOUR COMMENTS IN THE WRONG WAY.
WE'RE SEATED HERE BECAUSE YOU ELECTED US TO BE HERE.
SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ARE 60, 70 YEARS OLD.
YOU KNOW, MILDRED SAID YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW AND THAT IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS COUNCIL.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO SOW THE SEED AND TURN THIS AROUND AND GO THE OTHER WAY.
AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS IN 6 OR 7 MONTHS.
BUT YOU'LL SEE, I THINK IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE'VE GOT AN INTENTION TO MOVE THAT DIRECTION, TO PUT THE MONIES WHERE WE CAN TO LOOK FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
[01:05:10]
PARK AND SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN, WHICH DRIVES THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAY AND JUSTIFIES THE COST THAT WE NEED TO PUT OVER THERE.THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS WELL RECEIVED.
IT'S BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, AND WE'RE NOT FLUSH WITH MONEY, SO.
I MEAN, THE SOLUTION, HONESTLY, WOULD BE TO JUST RAISE A RATE AND JUST THROW MONEY AT IT.
YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
AND WE'VE SEEN PREVIOUS COUNCILS WHERE, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST GO GRAB A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY.
WELL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, THAT MONEY DOESN'T NECESSARILY GO TO WORK LIKE IT NEEDS TO.
SO STAFF WILL WORK ON THIS FOR YOU.
COUNCIL WILL WORK ON IT FOR YOU AND WE APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE TAKE IT IN THE RIGHT MANNER.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL PARTICIPATING TODAY.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE GOOD UPDATES FOR Y'ALL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[7.A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments]
YES, SIR. OKAY.WE WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A KEY COMPONENT HERE.
[7.B. Update on the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone Program]
THIS IS KEY TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING FOR WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GROCERY STORES, BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS.MISS KOLLER, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU.
SO I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A SHORT UPDATE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM, AND THEN REQUEST SOME DIRECTION FROM YOU ON A POTENTIAL BOUNDARY EXPANSION.
SEE IF I CAN GET THE SLIDE TO ADVANCE.
I GUESS IT HELPS WHEN YOU TURN IT ON.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A ZONE IN DOWNTOWN WHICH IS LIMITED TO SUPPORTING RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS ONLY.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROGRAM.
SO THIS WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION BY THE COUNCIL IN JANUARY OF 2023, AND CITIES ARE ALLOWED TO SET UP THESE ZONES THROUGH CHAPTER 370 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
THE SPECIFIC INCENTIVES ARE ALL OUTLINED IN THE STATE STATUTE AND INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT FEE WAIVERS, PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, AND SALES TAX REBATES FOR PROJECTS THAT GET CERTIFIED AND MEET THE CRITERIA.
WHEN THE ZONES WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2023, THE DIRECTION WAS THAT THIS WOULD BE A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM TO SUPPORT OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AREA, THAT WE WOULD TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO TRY AND JUMP START REDEVELOPMENT.
SO LIKE WE'VE CREATED THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT AS PART OF THIS REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE, THE INVESTMENT AMOUNT FOR A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER OR A BUSINESS OWNER IS MUCH, MUCH LOWER FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO TO DATE, WE'VE SEEN 14 PROJECTS COME THROUGH THE NEZ PROGRAM.
ALL OF THOSE ARE REQUESTING THE FEE WAIVERS.
AND THEN THERE'S ONE POTENTIAL TAX ABATEMENT.
MANY OF THESE ARE TIED TO THE NEW BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT.
BUT AS MR. MASSEY SAID WE HAVE HAD SOME INQUIRIES FROM PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE SOME OF THEM ARE LIKE JUST OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN BOUNDARIES.
AND THEN OTHERS ARE KIND OF FURTHER OUT, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE AS MUCH SENSE TO ENTERTAIN.
[01:10:03]
KEY COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS ALONG THE PLAN AREAS.AND, SOME IMPORTANT INTERSECTIONS AS WELL.
AND THOSE ALL SERVE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED CERTAIN OLDER COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IN CITY PLAN.
SO CONTINUING A FOCUS ON REVITALIZATION OF THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY PLAN.
THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE EXISTING PLAN BOUNDARIES IDENTIFIED THAT WOULD INCLUDE BOTH SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST 10TH, SOUTHWEST 15TH, PARAMOUNT BOULEVARD AND THEN SOUTHWEST 6TH BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND SAN JACINTO THAT WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL AREAS TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESS REDEVELOPMENT.
SO WE JUST LIKE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU TODAY ON WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER MAKING SOME BOUNDARY UPDATES AND THEN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE STAFF, JUST FOCUS ON ANALYZING THOSE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE PLAN AREAS. OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING AND INCLUDING SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS THAT WERE ALSO INCLUDED IN CITY PLAN.
AND THIS IS DONE BY RESOLUTION.
AND THEY COULD BE ADOPTED JUST BY AMENDING THE INITIAL RESOLUTION WITH NEW BOUNDARY MAPS.
EMILY IS THE ONLY INCENTIVE JUST THE WAIVER OF THOSE FEES? NO. THERE'S A PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT.
SO THAT'S JUST THE CITY'S PORTION.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A SALES TAX REBATE.
THAT ENDS UP ACTUALLY BEING A MORE VALUABLE INCENTIVE.
AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
BUT I THINK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST INCENTIVE OPTION.
OKAY. SO A LOT OF THOSE WERE PRIVATE.
I MEAN, WERE THEY RESIDENTIAL THAT THE LIST THAT YOU SHOWED THAT YOU SAID ONLY ONE OF THEM HAS EXERCISED THE REQUEST FOR THE ABATEMENT? YEAH, ONLY ONE OF THEM.
AND THAT'S WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT APPLICATION WITH THEM.
AND THEN MOST OF THE OTHERS ARE RELATED.
THEY'RE RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR REQUEST BEFORE WE APPROVE OR? SO THE DEVELOPMENT FEE WAIVER, IF THAT'S ALL THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, THAT IS A IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA IT'S A VERY I MEAN, WE CAN DO THAT IN A DAY IF WE NEED TO.
THE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, SALES TAX REBATE, THOSE ARE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES.
SO THOSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL PROCESS.
SO THAT TAKES US A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
OTHER QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS STAFF'S THOUGHT ON THESE BOUNDARIES.
I THINK THAT THE REQUEST IS DEFINITELY REASONABLE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AREAS THAT THERE PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO BE THAT MANY AREAS. IF LIKE THE DIRECTION IS TO JUST LOOK AT THOSE NEARBY CORRIDORS THAT SERVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE OTHER AREAS, I THINK I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOU AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF CITY PLAN AND THAT THERE ARE OTHER BUSINESS CORRIDORS IN AMARILLO THAT ARE IN NEED OF THIS, THEY'RE JUST NOT WITHIN OUR FOCUS AREAS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS. GO AHEAD.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE AS FAR AS SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT? I MEAN, IS IT BEEN REALLY GOOD OR WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE IT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK THAT THESE ARE NEW PROGRAMS IN PARTS OF AMARILLO THAT HONESTLY AREN'T USED TO WORKING WITH THE CITY IN THIS WAY. I MEAN, WE GET QUESTIONS LIKE, WOW, SO WE JUST TURN THIS IN AND YOU WRITE US A CHECK FOR HALF OF IT.
LIKE WHAT? WHAT ARE STRINGS ARE ATTACHED? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE ME DO? WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE? SO I THINK IT'S JUST BEEN KIND OF AN EDUCATION PROCESS.
[01:15:03]
ATTACHED AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NEW COMMITMENT BY THE CITY TO WORK ON THESE AREAS.SO I THINK WE GET A FEW THINGS VISIBLE ON THE GROUND AND ARE ABLE TO PROMOTE IT MORE.
WE'LL START TO SEE MORE SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS.
THIS WOULD REALLY HELP THEM OUT, RIGHT? YES. AND WE DO HAVE TWO PROJECTS IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS PLAN AREA THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH CURRENTLY.
OKAY. SO WE ARE WORKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO HELP DEVELOP THEM MORE OR.
YEAH. AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS EVEN PUT SOME OF THEIR PLAN MONEY INTO THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT AS A WAY TO OFFSET THE PROPERTY OWNER EXPENSES EVEN FURTHER.
SO BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT FEE WAIVERS, A POTENTIAL PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT OR SALES TAX REBATE, THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT, THE CONTRIBUTION FROM I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY NICE PACKAGE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS AREA.
WE MIGHT JUST NEED TO GET THAT WORD OUT.
YEAH, DEFINITELY. AND MAYBE HAVE SOME MORE MEETINGS IN THAT AREA.
I NOTICED HOW THE BARRIO IS USED A LOT IN SAN JACINTO.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NORTH HEIGHTS UP THERE ONCE THE REST OF THEM.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? EMILY, I THINK IN MY OPINION, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO LOOK AT THOSE CORRIDORS THAT SUPPORT THOSE AREAS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ZONED.
I JUST WANT TO SEE SOME MORE FIRMED UP BOUNDARY LINES AND MAYBE A FUTURE COUNCIL PRESENTATION.
LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING EARLIER.
OKAY, MISS KOLLER, GOOD JOB ON THAT.
I THINK MR. ALLEN WOULD AGREE WITH ME.
YOU KNOW, DEMOGRAPHICS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS CAN DRIVE CAPITALISM THAT WE NEED FROM THE PRIVATE SIDE.
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE IS A PIECE COMPONENT THAT'S THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED UPON.
YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE INCENTIVE SIDE THAT LEAVES IT UP TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS AND TO DRAW IN THAT CAPITALISM, THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT ANY OF THIS FUNCTIONS.
AND SO THESE INCENTIVE GUIDELINES ARE VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
THEY'RE STRUCTURED AND THEY ANSWER THE CRITICISM THAT WE'VE TAKEN FOR A LONG TIME OF WHY DO YOU ONLY GIVE AN ABATEMENT TO A LARGE COMPANY THAT DOESN'T NEED IT, THAT WAS COMING HERE ANYWAY? WHY WOULD WE NOT DO SOMETHING FOR OUR SMALLER BUSINESS, FOR THAT GROCERY STORE, FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE, YOU KNOW? WELL, WE ARE AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU AGAIN THAT, THAT THIS IS A GOOD PLAN AND I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE IS NEEDED.
I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. ALLEN, BUT THEN THIS PIECE CONTRIBUTES VERY WELL IN OUR PLANNING.
IT'S BEEN SLOW COMING, BUT THAT IS HOW THIS WORKS AND IT'S A BIGGER LIFT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON IT.
YOU'RE WELCOME SIR. THANK YOU.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED FROM US? I THINK WE WOULD. WE WOULD TELL YOU WE'RE GOOD WITH EXPANDING THE CORRIDORS.
AND ALSO THE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT YOU'RE OR AREAS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED.
SO WE'LL LOOK AT AREAS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OUR ADOPTED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN BOUNDARIES AND THEN LOOK AT THE NEW COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED IN CITY PLAN.
OKAY. AND THESE ARE ALL AREAS THAT ARE FOCUSED AREAS THEY'RE NEEDED AND THEY'RE IN AREAS THAT WE WOULD IMPROVE THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS IF WE HAD ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES. OKAY.
WE WILL WORK ON SOME MAPS AND A PROPOSAL AND BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
THANK YOU MA'AM. MOVING ALONG TO ITEM 7C, WE MAY HAVE MR.
[7.C. Street Department Operations and Maintenance Update]
HOOPER COMING UP HERE TO WALK US THROUGH SOME STREET PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET GOING.SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION WE ACTUALLY HAD A STAFF MET WITH THE MAYOR.
WE WERE DISCUSSING SOME ACTUAL ISSUES THAT WERE OUT ON THE STREETS LAST WEEK.
[01:20:04]
SO WE WENT BACK.WE HAD A PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND TO GET THIS PRESENTATION READY, AND I THOUGHT, GIVEN SOME BACKGROUND ON WHAT WE DO AS A STAFF IN THE STREET DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US ARE, WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR COUNCIL BECAUSE WE'LL BE ASKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STREET DIVISION A LITTLE BIT.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED.
THIS IS THE STREET MAINTENANCE SIDE.
IF YOU LOOK AT IT AS AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY, IF YOU IF YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE WHAT YOU DO FOR MAINTENANCE ON YOUR VEHICLE, YOU CHANGE THE OIL, YOU CHANGE THE AIR FILTER, YOU CHANGE TO ROTATE THE TIRES.
YOU DO ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO PRETTY, PRETTY EASILY.
THAT'S WHAT THE STREET DEPARTMENT DOES RELATED TO STREETS.
THIS IS THE MAINTENANCE SIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
THIS IS OUR STREET DEPARTMENT.
AS FAR AS OUR OPERATIONS ARE CONCERNED, WE HAVE 94 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES IN OUR STREET DEPARTMENT, AND IF YOU ZOOM DOWN INTO WHERE OUR OPERATIONS PROCESS IS CONCERNED, WE HAVE FIVE SUPERVISOR POSITIONS THERE.
EACH OF THOSE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS WITHIN OUR STREET DEPARTMENT.
JEREMIAH JOHNSON'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MINOR PATCHING AND POTHOLE PATCHING OPERATIONS OUR SUPERVISOR, RAYMOND BURR, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HE HAS A TEAR OUT CREW AND A STABILIZATION CREW THAT WORKS ALONG WITH THE OTHER CREWS.
HE ALSO DOES THE MAJOR PATCHING AND TRAFFIC CONTROL OPERATIONS FOR ALL OF STREETS.
WE HAVE ROLANDO VALDES, WHO TAKES CARE OF ALL OF UTILITY CUTS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE EVERY YEAR, WHETHER THAT'S VIA HOT MIX OR VIA CONCRETE, WHEREVER THOSE MAY BE, WHERE WE HAVE A UTILITY REPAIR THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE, HE'S IN CHARGE OF ALL THAT.
HE ALSO IS IN CHARGE OF OUR HAULING OPERATION, OUR HAUL TRUCKS.
AND THEN WE HAVE WILLIAM BURKS, WHO HAS A PRETTY HEAVY LOAD AS WELL.
HE HAS CRACKED SEALING, SEAL COAT, ALLEY SEAL AND SWEEPING OPERATIONS.
WE HAVE A SUPERVISOR POSITION THAT'S VACANT RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF UNPAVED ALLEYS, OUR STOCKPILE LOCATIONS, MOWING AND SPRAYING.
THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE BEING SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE OTHER SUPERVISORS AT THIS TIME.
OUR STREET DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR QUITE A LOT.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOME INTERESTING STATS I WANTED TO PASS ALONG TO YOU.
THAT'S WHERE YOU TAKE THAT AND MULTIPLY IT BY HOW MANY TRAFFIC LANES OR 12 FOOT LANES ARE OUT THERE.
BUT TODAY WE'LL FOCUS ON THE CENTER LINES.
AND THEN IF YOU COMBINE BOTH OF THOSE, IT'S LIKE DRIVING TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
SO IT KIND OF GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR CRACK SEALING, POTHOLE PATCHING.
AND WHEN WE SAY A POTHOLE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A THREE BY THREE AREA OR SMALLER.
A MINOR PATCH WOULD BE 10 BY 15 AND A MAJOR PATCH IS ANYTHING LARGER THAN THAT.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST PATCHES.
THIS IS NOT A RECONSTRUCTIVE METHOD THAT WE USE.
IF YOU DIVIDE THAT OUT, EACH OF THE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 44.8 MILES OF CENTER LINE ROADWAYS, AND MOST OF THOSE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS HAVE TO BE COMBINED ON ONE JOB, SO YOU CAN'T JUST SEND THEM ALL OUT TO DO DIFFERENT CENTER LINE MILES, BUT IT GIVES YOU A GOOD PERSPECTIVE OF THAT.
POTHOLE CREWS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 523 CENTERLINE MILES PER CREW.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT APWA PUTS OUT.
AND THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT UPON TO WHAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU HAVE.
THAT'S JUST WHAT THE MATCH TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE.
WEATHER IS A BIG FACTOR FOR US.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES HERE THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE IN OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
[01:25:09]
THEY USE FOR TREATING THEIR PAVEMENT IN THE WINTERTIME, AND LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS WELL.CRACK SEALING CAN ALSO BE PERFORMED IN THE WINTER MONTHS AS WELL.
JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF OUR WEATHER AND IT LOOKS LIKE MY TABS GOT MESSED UP THEY'RE STILL OKAY ON MY SHEET, BUT BASICALLY WHAT THIS WAS IS JUST SHOWING WHAT OUR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE. IN OCTOBER WE SEE OUR AVERAGE LOWS.
THIS IS ALL FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AROUND 45.
SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO A LOT OF WORK IN THE WINTER TIME.
AND AS YOU LOOK DOWN THROUGH THERE AT THE LOW TEMPERATURES, THE FURTHER YOU GET INTO THE DEEPER PART OF THE WINTER, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS FOR US TO DO WORK DURING THE DAY CONSISTENTLY. EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE DAYS WHERE WE CAN DO WORK.
WE'LL SEE A STRING OF DAYS WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, 60, 70 DEGREES IN NOVEMBER.
WE'RE OUT WORKING WHEN WE CAN.
THAT KEEPS US FROM DOING ANY WORK OUT THERE.
AND GENERALLY DURING THAT TIME, OUR STREET DIVISION IS SWITCHED OVER INTO SNOW AND ICE CONTROL.
JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET EVERY WEEK WE GET A WEEKLY UPDATE THAT COMES TO MY OFFICE.
THIS IS WHAT THAT WEEKLY UPDATE HAS ON IT.
YOU KIND OF ZOOM INTO THE BOTTOM.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOK AT THERE ARE WHAT WE ARE, HOW WE'RE PERFORMING WHEN IT COMES TO THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET NARRATIVE, THE GOALS THAT WE'VE SET FOR THE YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE BARS THAT ARE GREEN THE HIGHER THEY ARE TO THE RIGHT, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
WE SHOULD BE AT ABOUT 75% RIGHT NOW IN ALL CATEGORIES.
SO WE'RE WAY AHEAD IN SOME AND WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON OTHERS.
AND THAT'S USUALLY THE CASE THAT HAPPENS AS WE KIND OF ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
SO WHAT WE DID, I WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST CALENDAR YEAR.
IN OUR FISCAL YEAR IS OCTOBER TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
WE'VE DONE 33 MILES OF OUR MAJOR REPAIRS.
OUR POTHOLE PATCHING IS AT 168%, A LITTLE OVER 4000.
OUR GOAL IS 2400 IN A YEAR FOR POTHOLES.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST A GOAL THAT WE SET TO SAY, OKAY, WHEN WE GET TO 2400, WE'RE DONE.
WE HAD A VERY WET YEAR LAST YEAR.
SO THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF KEEPING UP WITH THAT.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE THERE.
THAT'S THE MOST TIME CONSUMING REPAIR THAT WE HAVE THAT WE DO.
SAME THING. WE'VE DONE 38.6 CENTERLINE MILES, 1.8 CENTERLINE MILES OF PAVED ALLEYS, 1,102 MINOR REPAIRS, AND ALSO POTHOLES REPAIRED.
WE'VE DONE 3,556, WHICH IS REALLY JUST ABOUT AT OUR YEARLY AVERAGE.
AND THE FAR LEFT IS THE NUMBER OF POTHOLES THAT WE'VE REPAIRED COMPARED TO OUR GOAL OF 2400.
BUT WHERE WE FALL BEHIND IS THE ALLEY SEAL.
IT'S NOT AS TEMPERATURE REGULATED AS OTHER THINGS ARE.
I KNOW WE HEAR A LOT OF TIMES THAT YOU GUYS ARE REALLY, REALLY BEHIND ON POTHOLES, AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE'VE WORKED, IN FACT, THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT WE'VE WORKED THIS YEAR TO KEEP UP WITH THE REQUESTS AS THEY'VE COME IN IS, IS PRETTY ASTOUNDING.
[01:30:04]
AND IT'S SOMEWHERE AROUND THE $300,000 MARK COMING INTO THIS MEETING JUST WITH OVERTIME, THE STREET DEPARTMENT.SO WHEN THE CALL IS THERE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET AND RESPOND TO THEM AS FAST AS WE CAN.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALLEYS AND STREETS.
OUR BEST PRACTICE WOULD BE A SIX YEAR MAINTENANCE CYCLE ON OUR PAVED ALLEYS.
WE HAVE 231 MILES OF PAVED ALLEYS.
A SIX YEAR CYCLE WOULD BE 38.5 MILES A YEAR.
WE'RE PROJECTING THAT WE'LL DO ABOUT 15 OF THAT THIS YEAR, WHICH PUTS US REALLY FAR BEHIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD BE A 15 YEAR CYCLE, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY INCREASING IT FROM WHAT IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING IS THAT IF WE COULD MOVE ALL OUR STREET CREWS TO ALLEYS TO UTILIZE OUR EXISTING BUDGET FOR REPAIRS IN THE ALLEYS, WE COULD SET THAT GOAL AT THAT SIX YEAR CYCLE AND MAKE IT 38.5 MILES.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE OUR CONVERSATION WENT THE OTHER DAY.
SO DON'T THINK THIS IS IN STONE.
THIS IS JUST WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK WITH A SOLID PLAN, COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
WE WANT TO THROW SOME NUMBERS AT YOU THAT IF WE DID DO A STREET MAINTENANCE RFP, THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PATCHING THAT IS OUT THERE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT WE THINK WE COULD DO IN A YEAR. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMEWHERE AROUND A $5 MILLION CONTRACT, AND THAT WOULD BE A ONE YEAR STREET MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER THAT PORTION OF IT, WHILE WE FOCUSED ON THE ALLEYS TO BRING THOSE BACK INTO AN ACCEPTABLE RANGE AS FAR AS THE CYCLE IS CONCERNED.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN OPTION AND OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
ONE OTHER OPTION THAT WE COULD DISCUSS AS WELL.
THEY STILL WORK VERY WELL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER POTHOLE PATCHES.
BUT THERE IS EQUIPMENT OUT THERE THAT'S MORE AUTOMATED.
IT DOESN'T TAKE TRAFFIC CONTROL.
IT HAS A SNORKEL ON THE FRONT.
IT'S ALL OPERATED FROM THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE.
AND THEY CAN TURN OUT SOME NUMBERS.
WE WERE AT 4000 TO NOW THEY'RE DOING 50,000 WHERE WE'RE DOING TEN A DAY PER TRUCK.
THEY'RE DOING 50 A DAY PER TRUCK WITH THE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS. SO THERE'S SOME OTHER OPTIONS LIKE THAT WOULD COST A LITTLE BIT LESS MONEY.
WE COULD EVEN DISCUSS THAT DURING THE BUDGET TIME.
OR IF YOU WANTED US TO BRING SOME NUMBERS BACK TO YOU AS OPTIONS AS WELL.
BUT WE REALIZE THAT AND WE KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE STREETS, TOO.
SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST, BUT I WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD TO YOU FOR A DISCUSSION PIECE SO THAT YOU COULD GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE FROM US.
DONNY IS THE BEST WAY TO GET INFORMATION.
DO YOU WANT I MEAN, YOU OBVIOUSLY WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROADS, RIGHT? YEAH. NOT SAYING Y'ALL AREN'T DOING A GOOD JOB.
BUT IF THAT'S ONE COMPLAINT WE GET, THAT'S A BIG ONE IS THE BEST WAY FOR A CITIZEN TO MAKE KNOWN MAYBE A ROAD THAT'S BAD, A POTHOLE TO CALL IN? SURE. IS THERE A WAY TO REPORT THAT? I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS EQUATE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT FIVE GUYS UP HERE.
WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, RIGHT? RIGHT. IT REQUIRES A PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERYBODY OUT THERE TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU KNOW IS THAT THE WAY I MEAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME AREAS OF TOWN THAT ARE ROUGH.
YEAH. AND POTHOLES AND THAT TYPE DEAL.
IS THAT THE WAY TO DO IT? WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
I'LL ANSWER IT A COUPLE OF WAYS.
ONE, WE ACTUALLY OUR STREET DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE OUT LOOKING FOR THEM.
WHEN THEY'RE OUT OUR TRANSIT DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB.
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY CALLING US BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT THERE DRIVING THE BUSSES AND THEY'RE OUT THERE.
WHENEVER WE HAVE POTHOLES OR SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE STREET.
[01:35:02]
SO FOR CITIZENS, YES, TO CALL US AT THE STREET DEPARTMENT OR TO SEND AN EMAIL TO SOMEONE ON THE STREET DEPARTMENT, EVEN 311 IS ANOTHER OPTION.I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON TECHNOLOGY AS WELL, AND I KNOW WE'VE SAID THAT BEFORE, BUT I KNOW IT'S IN THE WORKS NOW WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AN EASIER WAY FOR CITIZENS TO REPORT THAT JUST BEING OUT ON SITE, BEING ABLE TO TAKE A PHOTO AND SEND THAT THROUGH AN APP OR SOMETHING, I KNOW THOSE WHEELS ARE IN MOTION OUT OF OUR WHEELHOUSE AND OVER IN IT. AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING HARD ON THAT.
SO I WOULD SAY THE BEST METHOD WOULD BE TO CALL.
OKAY. SO WE I KNOW WE'RE DOWN A SUPERVISOR.
ARE WE AT CAPACITY? I MEAN, ARE THEY DOING ALL THE WORK THEY CAN DO? BASICALLY. ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH. WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO EVERY DAY.
IN FACT, LIKE I SAID, THE OVERTIME HAS JUST BEEN PRETTY HIGH THIS YEAR BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO ADDRESS THESE THINGS WITHIN THREE DAYS IF WE CAN GET THEM NOW, A MINOR REPAIR WHICH IS BIGGER OR A MAJOR REPAIR IS GOING TO OBVIOUSLY TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO GET THOSE.
HEY, DONNY, ON THE $5 MILLION NOT TO EXCEED ON THAT ONE YEAR CONTRACT, IS THAT ABSORBED THROUGH THE EXISTING? WOULD THAT BE ABSORBED THROUGH EXISTING BUDGET, OR WOULD WE HAVE TO FIND NEW FUNDS? WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND A FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT.
THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE THAT. AND LET ME TELL YOU HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER TO WE WENT BACK AND WE HAVE JUST A LITTLE OVER IT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION IN OUR BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.
HOWEVER, THAT NUMBER IS JUST FOR MATERIALS THAT'S THE MATERIALS WE BUY.
WE DON'T CHARGE OURSELVES FOR OUR OWN LABOR AND OUR OWN EQUIPMENT.
BUT THAT'S FOR STREETS AND ALLEYS.
BUT YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND A FUNDING SOURCE.
BUT WE'RE SPENDING $300,000, AND THAT'S JUST TO DATE.
RIGHT. SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE MONTHS ON THAT.
SO AND I THINK WAS THAT THE CALENDAR YEAR ALAN.
WHAT'S THAT CALENDAR YEAR ON OVERTIME.
IS THAT WHAT THAT WAS. YEAH. THAT'S IT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
WE WANT TO LOOK AT A SNAPSHOT OF THAT.
SO AT THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO ADD ANOTHER CREW I MEAN MAYBE MORE COST EFFICIENTLY.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THAT SINCE ABOUT 2018.
I THINK ONE OF THE BETTER WAYS TO APPROACH THAT IS SOME OF THE NEWER TECHNOLOGY I WAS MENTIONING A MOMENT AGO THAT TAKES LESS PEOPLE TO OPERATE, THAT I THINK WE COULD DO WITH EXISTING STAFF THAT WE HAD, BECAUSE IT ONLY TAKES ONE OPERATOR.
THIS IS AND THIS IS A TOTALLY GUARDED POSITION.
I THINK WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH EXPLORING SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT TAKES LESS PERSONNEL TO RUN.
BUT WE ARE WE ARE DEFINITELY READY TO EXPAND.
I THINK WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN, I'D LIKE TO SAY, DONNY, Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU. I'VE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND I'M SEEING PATCHWORK ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S REALLY GOOD AND REFRESHING TO SEE THAT NEW LITTLE CHUG HOLE FIX.
ABSOLUTELY, WILL. I THINK THEY PROBABLY CATCH A LOT OF BAD PUBLICITY, BUT FOR WHAT WE'RE GIVING THEM AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. THANK YOU DONNY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WILL PASS THAT ALONG.
SO, MR. HOOPER, THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO MEET WITH ME.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAVE MORE WASH OUT.
WE'RE FLOATING MORE OF THAT ASPHALT, YOU KNOW, DRIVING THROUGH THOSE FLOODED AREAS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR GOALS ARE GREAT GOALS FOR WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
PERSONALLY, I THINK OUR GOALS ARE LOW.
NOT MEANING THAT THE GUYS AREN'T GETTING ENOUGH DONE.
MEANING THAT I THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD SUPPORT PRIORITIZING ROADS AT DOUBLE THE GOAL RATE.
SO I THINK IF I WAS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DOUBLE THE OUTPUT OF WHAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE ROADS, LOOKING FOR A FIVE YEAR PLAN, MEANING WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME TIME TO GET TO THESE MILL AND OVERLAYS.
SO AS YOU DRIVE DOWN BELLE STREET OR WHATEVER STREET YOU'RE LOOKING AT, IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET THOSE FUNDED DESIGNED WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND YOU CAN REMOVE IT, MILL IT, OVERLAY IT, WHATEVER YOU'RE YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT SOME OF THOSE ROADS NEED.
[01:40:04]
WORK AND THAT WE'RE PATCHING AND PATCHING AND WE'RE JUST CHASING OURSELVES.SO IF YOUR COMPANY CAN GO OUT AND GET TWO, $3 MILLION WORTH OF WORK TURNED OUT IN BY BETWEEN NOW AND WINTER, THEN COUNCIL WOULD BE LOOKING AT FUNDING THAT AGAIN.
AND US TRYING TO SUBCONTRACT AND SPEND SOME MONEY IN THE RIGHT WAY OF PRIORITIZING.
SO. I THINK THAT OUR ROAD CONDITION IS DETERIORATING QUICKER THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED? I THINK OUR GOALS HAVE BEEN IN LINE, BUT WE DON'T NORMALLY SEE A FLOOD LIKE WE'VE HAD.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONCE IN 40 PLUS YEARS.
AND THEN I THINK WE ALSO HAVE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF RAIN OVER THIS YEAR.
SO IF WE CAN GEAR THAT UP, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION IN HAVING MULTIPLE CONTRACTS RATHER THAN GIVING ONE COMPANY A $5 MILLION CONTRACT? I WOULD RATHER HAVE, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3.
WELL YOU'RE RIGHT ON TRACK WITH WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE THINKING.
IN FACT, AFTER WE MET ALAN AND I GOT TOGETHER, WE STARTED TALKING THROUGH THIS, AND I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK AHEAD, NOT TO, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF WE DID THE WORK AND IT GOES ASIDE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, GREAT.
BUT WE PUT TOGETHER AN RFP ALREADY SO IT'S READY TO GO.
AND IT HAS MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS IN THERE.
THIS ONE COULD START AFTER THAT OR IF THIS ONE CAN'T WORK, WE GO TO THE NEXT BIDDER IN LINE.
SO IT WAS FOR MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS THINKING THE SAME LINE THAT YOU ARE.
YOU'RE NOT OFFERING A CONTRACT WITH AN IDENTIFIED PROJECT LIST TO A BIDDER.
CORRECT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT.
IT WAS MORE OF LIKE, EXACTLY LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE STREET DEPARTMENT.
WE GET A CALL, WE CREATE A WORK ORDER, WE DISPATCH A CREW, AND THEY GO TAKE CARE OF IT.
I THINK IT COULD WORK THE SAME WAY.
DON'T WANT TO BE THE GUY WHO PAVED THE ROAD AND THEN TORE IT UP.
I KNOW THE COMMUNITY'S PUSHING ON THAT.
AND, IT'S ROUGH TO DRIVE DOWN IN A CERTAIN SECTION FOR SURE.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THIS $5 MILLION GOAL? IS THAT A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE COUNCIL COME BACK IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, WHICH IS JUST A MONTH AWAY? TRY TO PUT THAT IN AS SOMETHING WHERE NO, THAT'LL GET US GOING IN THE NEXT 4 OR 5 YEARS, IF YOU'LL PUT THAT $5 MILLION IN THERE OVER AGAIN, THAT WILL MAKE A LARGE DENT, I THINK.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EVALUATE IT.
I MEAN, WE MAY PUT THAT NUMBER OUT THERE IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO.
AND WE GET INTO JANUARY AND WE'VE EXHAUSTED IT AND WE'RE DONE.
AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TO REEVALUATE AND SAY, WELL, IT WASN'T ENOUGH, OR WE MAY GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND WE'VE ONLY EXHAUSTED 3 MILLION OF IT, AND WE'D HAVE TO EVALUATE THE OTHER WAY. SO I THINK FOR US, IT'S AT THE SERVICE LEVEL THAT WE'RE PROVIDING NOW.
IT'S TAKING THAT NUMBER AND PUSHING IT FORWARD.
I THINK WE COULD GET THE AMOUNT OF WORK DONE.
AND WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
2007, WE DID SOMETHING SIMILAR, BUT IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
OKAY, AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THE PROJECTS WE'VE ALREADY GOT DESIGNED? THEY'RE COMING NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, IS THAT CORRECT? FOR THE SUMMER MAINTENANCE.
SUMMER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. CORRECT? YEAH. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $5 MILLION IN ADDITION TO COUNCIL.
SO WE ALREADY HAD $8 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS DESIGNED.
BUT WE WANT TO GET THOSE PROJECTS PUSHED OUT AND AWARDED TO THE CONTRACTOR.
BUT I WOULD HOPE THIS COUNCIL WOULD BE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE MORE MONIES AS WE LOOK OVER THE WINTER.
[01:45:05]
AND I WOULD THINK COUNCIL PROBABLY WOULD GREATLY ENTERTAIN THE TECHNOLOGY.SO IF IT'S $300,000 FOR A TRUCK.
AND THIS WAS TODAY, I WAS LOOKING TRYING TO FIND SOME PRICING ON IT.
I'VE ACTUALLY GOT TWO CALLS IN, HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALL BACK AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY A PRODUCT AS WELL THAT WORKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT WE ARE USED TO SEEING WITH HOT MIX PATCHING, AND IT IS YOU'RE CAPABLE OF USING IT IN THE WINTER MORE THAN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THINGS IN THE IN JUST THE SUMMER MONTHS.
SO WE THINK IT'S SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING INTO.
AND I THINK A COMBINATION OF BOTH WOULD REALLY HELP US OUT.
WE WOULD LOVE THAT CONVERSATION TO BE HAD AT THIS BUDGET SESSION.
WHAT WOULD YOU SO YOU WANT ME TO BRING THIS BACK TO BUDGET OR BEFORE.
OKAY. SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN MOVE IN I MEAN, BUDGET WILL START.
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MORE COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN BUDGET.
SO IF YOU'RE READY ON THE 23RD.
IF NOT, WE'LL CATCH IT ON THE 20.
I THINK WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN IN PLACE THAT WE CAN PUT BEFORE YOU.
THAT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT BEFORE WE MAKE THAT REQUEST FINAL.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU MOVING THIS DIRECTION.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER PIECE WOULD BE KIND OF THE SUPERVISORY PIECE.
DO YOU THINK WE HAVE THE STAFF THAT WE COULD ALLOCATE TO OVERSIGHT OF THESE CONTRACTS? WE DO. OKAY, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE QUALITY PIECE THAT WE DON'T JUST WANT TO TURN OUT A LOT OF WORK, RIGHT? WE WANT TO TURN OUT WORK THAT LASTS.
AND I THINK WE COULD MAKE THAT WORK.
VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. HOOPER? OKAY, MAN.
LET'S GET AFTER IT. THANK YOU.
THANKS, DONNY. LET'S GO AHEAD AT 4:50 HERE AND TAKE A TEN MINUTE RECESS.
WE'LL COME BACK AFTER THAT FOR STATE OF THE CITY UPDATE.
THAT'LL BE A QUICK ONE. HEY, DONNY.
[7.D. State of the City Event]
SO ITEM D HERE IS STATE OF THE CITY EVENT.SO ITEM 7D IS OUR STATE OF THE CITY EVENT.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE A STATE OF THE CITY ONCE A YEAR.
SO WE WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO REPORT TO OUR CITY ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
USUALLY THIS IS RAN IN A MORE PROFESSIONAL, BUSINESS LIKE MANNER.
MOST OF THE TIME IT'S DONE OR SOMETIMES IT'S BEEN DONE DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
I THINK THAT THIS YEAR WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MAYBE TAKE THE FOCUS OFF OF COUNCIL AND MAYBE WHAT COUNCIL IS DOING AND YOU KNOW, HEY, LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED FOR YOU.
WE HAVE SOME CITIZENS AND COMMITTEES AND GROUPS AND NONPROFITS THAT ARE TURNING OUT MORE FOOD THAN EVER BEFORE, AND FEEDING THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS AND NEED THE GREATEST LEVEL OF HELP.
AND SO, LIKE, IF YOU LOOK BACK ON LAST FRIDAY, THE CINCO DE JULIO.
RIGHT? SO OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY PLUS ONE, IT WAS A FANTASTIC TURNOUT.
HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS IMPRESSED.
SO BUT I WANT TO SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON WHAT WE DO IN THIS COMMUNITY.
A GOOD PLACE TO RUN A BUSINESS.
THE BEST PLACE TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY TO GROW YOUR LIFE AROUND SOME GOOD PEOPLE AND YOUR FRIENDS.
THIS IS WHAT OUR STATE OF THE CITY SHOULD BE ABOUT.
SO WE'VE INVITED AARON WATSON TO GET UP ON STAGE AND PLAY SOME MUSIC.
WE WILL BE RUNNING SOME VIDEO PROBABLY THREE, FOUR MINUTE VIDEOS SHOWING DIFFERENT THINGS FROM AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY EVENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE WILL GET A LITTLE BUSINESS DONE DURING THAT TIME.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A COUNTY FAIR, BLUE RIBBON, BOOTS AND JEANS TYPE EVENT IN MY OPINION.
[01:50:04]
SO I THINK THAT'S MORE OF WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS.I THINK THESE ARE YOUR MEETINGS.
WE WORK FOR YOU, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO THROW YOU A PARTY AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT UNDER THE WHAT WE CALL THE PAVILION, WHICH IS THE OLD SANTA FE DEPOT BACK HERE BEHIND US. AND SO IT'LL BE AN OUTDOOR EVENT.
WE'LL PROBABLY BE DONE AROUND 9:00 AT NIGHT.
AND IT'LL BE A GOOD TIME AROUND YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS MORE ABOUT IS COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE WANT TO SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE MOST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO REALLY, THIS UPDATE IS FOR MY COUNCIL TO GIVE ME A LITTLE FEEDBACK.
IT'S CONSIDERED A CAMPAIGN EVENT.
AND SO THIS IS FUNDED WE DO HAVE AARON WATSON SCHEDULED.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO PLAY.
I THINK THE LIVE MUSIC ASPECT IS A DRAW.
I'D LOVE TO SEE 2000, 2500 PEOPLE SHOW UP.
THAT WOULD BE A RECORD TURNOUT, I THINK, FOR WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
AND THEN I LIKE THE VIDEO AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THINGS THAT ARE UP AND PLAYING FOR PEOPLE TO WATCH IN BETWEEN DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL ENGAGE WITH STAFF OVER THE REST OF THIS MONTH AND BRING STAFF IN TO WHERE THEY CAN REALLY CONTRIBUTE EACH DEPARTMENT CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE HITTING A HOME RUN OVER HERE IN PUBLIC WORKS.
HERE'S WHAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT'S DONE THAT REALLY NEEDS ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
HERE'S WHERE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GETTING STRONGER.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO TELL ME, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE OR DRIVE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION? DO YOU LIKE THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING? OR MAYBE I'M NOT EXPLAINING ENOUGH AND YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS OF KIND OF WHAT DIRECTION I'M TRYING TO GO.
AND NO, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING.
[7.E. North Heights and University Heights Infrastructure Update]
SO NO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.I THINK IT'S GOOD, MAYOR. OKAY.
WELL, AT THE RISK OF LOOKING A LITTLE LESS PROFESSIONAL THAN WHAT WE COULD YOU KNOW, WE DIRECTED THE CREATIVE TEAM YOU KNOW, COUNTY FAIR, BLUE RIBBON.
AND THEN YOU'LL GET OUR HOMEWORK.
WE WORK FOR YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU OUR HOMEWORK.
WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT IN AND TELL YOU HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND THEN WE'LL TELL YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO I APPRECIATE COUNCIL'S VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON THAT.
I'M GOING TO KEEP DRIVING THAT FORWARD.
AND Y'ALL PUT IT IN YOUR CALENDARS AUGUST 25TH AND TELL EVERYBODY WE NEED A TURNOUT.
WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS WITH JUST THE STAFF LOOKING AT US.
WE NEED YOU GUYS TO BE THERE SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, AUGUST 25TH, BACK HERE BEHIND ME 6 P.M..
AND I PROMISE YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD TIME.
WE HAVE MR. HARTMAN COMING UP HERE FOR THIS MUCH ANTICIPATED UPDATE ON NORTH HEIGHTS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE IN TWO PARTS.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF THE OF STEPS FORWARD ON WATER MAINS ESPECIALLY.
SO JUST SO I'LL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ME QUESTIONS BEFORE SHE COMES UP ON THAT.
OR WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END.
SO BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS IN BETWEEN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
OKAY. SO THE OVERVIEW STARTS WAY BACK WHEN THE CITY ORIGINALLY WAS CHARTERED.
A LOT OF THE NORTH HEIGHTS AND HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF MILLER HEIGHTS, A 1902 PLAT.
THE THING A LOT OF THIS WAS PLATTED EVEN PRIOR TO THE CITY.
SO WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE BACK IN 1902, YOU ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS PLAT, WAS GET A SURVEYOR AND MARK THE BOUNDARIES.
I GAVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A 1955 PLAT DOWN HERE AT BENNETT ADDITION UNIT ONE, WHERE IN 1955 YOU HAD
[01:55:05]
TO HAVE THE SAME SURVEY, BUT YOU ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WENT ALONG WITH THAT SUBDIVISION.WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE DEVELOPED PRIOR TO THOSE STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS HAD TO BE BUILT PIECE AT A TIME.
WHEREAS IN THE 1955 AND SUBSEQUENT SOUTHWEST, ALL OF THIS WAS BUILT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATURE RECOGNIZED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR A THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YOU HAD THIS CHALLENGE WAY BACK IN THE 1950S AND IN THE 1940S COMING OUT OF WORLD WAR TWO.
SO I'LL FLIP BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS THAT WE HAVE AREAS THAT WERE DEVELOPED IN AND AROUND THE EARLY PART BEFORE THE SUBDIVISION REQUIREMENTS WERE AND AFTER.
BUT THIS REPRESENTS THE WATER MAP SHOWS US A LITTLE BETTER.
THE RED LINES HERE REPRESENT THE TWO INCH MAINS ACROSS THE CITY.
BECAUSE WE HAD STARTING IN 1980, WE HAD A MINIMUM SIZE OF AN EIGHT INCH WATER MAIN REQUIRED, AND THEN A SANITARY SEWER HAD THAT SAME REQUIREMENT FROM THE 1980 EXCUSE ME, 1972 UTILITIES WAS SEPARATED FROM PUBLIC WORKS IN 1972.
BUT THESE AREAS THAT YOU SEE ARE TYPICALLY REFLECTING IN THOSE OLDER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT WERE PLATTED, PROBABLY PRIOR TO THE 1950S AND PRIOR TO THOSE STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THERE IS OPPORTUNITY WITH THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR THIS TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLATION.
BUT YOU CAN SEE IT JUST SOUTHEAST OF DOWNTOWN.
YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN.
WHY DOESN'T THIS EXIST EAST OF PALO DURO HIGH SCHOOL IS BECAUSE FOR A DECADE, IN THE LATE 90S, EARLY 2000, THOSE MAINS WERE REPLACED.
WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED 20 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS ABOUT 120 MILES OF TWO INCH.
AND CURRENTLY WE'VE CROSSED UNDER THE 80 MILE MARK LEFT.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT RELATED TO WATER MAINS.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE SEWER.
OH, ONE THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT OVER AT 34TH AND EASTERN, THERE'S A SUBDIVISION OVER THERE THAT'S PLATTED, MUCH LIKE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN THE WEST PART OF THE NORTH HEIGHTS AND THE UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, WHERE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WEREN'T PUT IN.
SO THIS GOES BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NORTH HEIGHTS, BUT IT IS PREVALENT IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS.
HOW THAT SUBDIVISION WAS CREATED.
SO BACK TO THE SEWER MASTER MAP.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND HERE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IS THAT SAME PROCESS.
SO ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, THOSE SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENTS ARE PUT IN WITH THE UNITS FROM THE 1950S.
SO IF YOU BUY A LOT THAT WAS PLATTED WITH THOSE SUBDIVISION REQUIREMENTS, IT HAS ALL THOSE AMENITIES THOSE REQUIRED PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT GO WITH IT. IF YOU BUY A LOT THAT WAS PLATTED PRIOR TO THAT, IT'S BUYER BEWARE.
BASICALLY, IT'S UP TO THAT OWNER.
SO OUR CURRENT PROCESS IS THAT EACH OF THOSE PROCESSES IS DEFINED BY THE DEVELOPMENT POLICY MANUAL.
OBVIOUSLY, THOSE SUBDIVISIONS, ESPECIALLY THE NORTH HEIGHTS AND IT'S PREVALENT IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS, DID NOT HAVE THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS PUT IN. SO BUT ON THE SEWER MAP, THAT LINE THAT CROSSES ON YOUR UPPER RIGHT, THAT'S THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR.
OKAY. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
[02:00:06]
GAS. SO THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR IS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT ALLOWS US TO SHIFT LOAD OFF OF THAT TO MAKE IT FUNCTION.ONE OF YOUR COMMENTERS SAID YOU NEED A PIPE THAT CARRIES IT WITH, OUT, AWAY FROM THE CITY.
OKAY, SO THAT'S JUST A HISTORY OF IT.
HEY, FLOYD CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION WHILE WE'RE HERE? SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT LINE TO THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR, THAT'S A TWO INCH LINE.
THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR IS THAT BIG? LARGE? RIGHT.
THAT'S SEWER. RIGHT? THAT'S SEWER. THIS IS MAP.
RIGHT. OKAY. IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING BECAUSE YOU'RE SWITCHING FROM RED AND BLUE.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. SO THE MAPS ARE A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT ON THE SEWER, RED ON THE SEWER.
IT'S JUST HOLLYWOOD ROADS DRAINAGE.
YEAH, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S TWO.
IT DOESN'T MEAN SIZE ON THIS MAP.
IT DOESN'T MEAN SIZE ON THIS MAP, OKAY? IT MEANS SIZE ON THIS MAP.
OKAY. HERE'S A SHOT OF THAT SAME WATER MAIN MAP.
SO NOW WE'VE ZOOMED IN TO THE NORTH HEIGHTS TO SEE WHERE THOSE TWO INCHES EXIST.
IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BOUNDARY ON THE NORTH AND THE WEST IS THE 20 INCH.
AND THEN YOU HAVE EIGHTS AND SIXES CROSSING WHERE THE FIRE HYDRANTS ARE CONNECTED.
AND ALL OF THOSE FIRE HYDRANTS, WE'VE CHECKED THOSE.
WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT THESE TWO INCH LINES ARE NOT DO NOT MEET OUR CURRENT STANDARDS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE PUT IN WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT.
BUT BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING.
SEE THE BLANK AREAS WHERE THERE IS NO SERVICE? IT GOES BACK TO THIS MANUAL OF HOW THAT'S DONE AND WHAT WE DID, WHAT HISTORICALLY, WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE IS INCENTIVIZE THE FIRST HUNDRED FEET OF WATER AND OR SEWER FOR THOSE BLANK AREAS.
OKAY THAT EXIST ON THE WATER SEWER AS WELL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM THAT'S REPLACING EXISTING LINES.
AND THEN THE EXTENSION FOR DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH IS A DIFFERENT TOPIC OKAY.
SO JUST REMEMBER AS WE DISCUSSED THROUGH THAT THAT THOSE ARE TWO AT CORE DIFFERENT.
AND THEY'RE DEFINED DIFFERENTLY IN THIS.
IN THIS MANUAL WE AGAIN WE PAY FOR THE FIRST 100FT FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL LOT THAT'S GOING TO DEVELOP.
WELL EMILY AND UNDER ANDREW'S DIRECTION.
EXCUSE ME. THAT TEAM DEVELOPED THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
AND YOU SAW THE BENEFITS EARLIER IN A PRESENTATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
SO THE NORTH HEIGHTS, SAN JACINTO AND THOSE OTHER APPROVED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ACTUALLY HAVE A 200FT PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT FROM THE CITY FOR INCENTIVES TO DEVELOP A LOT.
NOW, IF YOU'RE 1500FT AWAY, THAT DOESN'T HELP YOU MUCH.
AND SO THIS IS THIS IS HOW WE GOT TO EACH OF THESE WAS PIECEMEAL.
THE 20 INCH OBVIOUSLY WAS PUT IT WAS PUT IN PROBABLY IN ABOUT 1976, IN THAT TIME FRAME TO ADDRESS A FIRE FLOWS AT THE TIME AND HAVE A MASTER FLOW.
AND SO THOSE HYDRANTS FLOW TYPICALLY AROUND 500 GALLONS A MINUTE TO 1000 GALLONS A MINUTE.
WHEREAS IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF TOWN YOU PROBABLY GET UP TO 1300 GALLON A MINUTE FIRE FLOW.
IN WORKING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD AN ISSUE WITH WATER SUPPLY AT A FIRE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT. SO AGAIN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH, TRY NOT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.
ALMOST THE SAME DISCUSSION, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE OUTFLOW LINES RUNNING RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE.
THOSE ANGLED LINES, THAT'S THE BIG OUTFLOW LINES WHERE WE ARE SEEING THE NEED TO ADDRESS AND INSTALLED THE ODOR CONTROL UNIT, WHICH CONTROLS HYDROGEN SULFIDE.
AND IT'S PLACED RIGHT UP THERE AT NORTHEAST 24TH OR NORTHWEST 24TH.
AND IN THAT UNIT, WE WERE TESTING INSIDE THE MANHOLES, A HIGH LEVEL OUTSIDE OF IT, AMBIENT AIR.
WE WERE TESTING AT VERY LOW LEVELS, BUT YET THAT STILL IS THE ODOR.
STAFF CONTINUES TO WORK AND LOOK AND MONITOR.
[02:05:01]
THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM, SUCH AS MANHOLE REPAIRS OR ANYTHING THAT WHERE HYDROGEN SULFIDE COULD LEAVE THOSE.SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE ON THAT.
WHAT WE DON'T FIND IN THE AMBIENT AIR IS ANYTHING THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS HAZARDOUS LEVELS IDENTIFIED NOT ONLY THROUGH OSHA, BUT ALSO YOU CAN GET A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THE EPA ON LEVELS OF ACCEPTABLE OF EXPOSURE.
AND WE'RE WELL BELOW THOSE LIMITS.
AND TYPICALLY IN THE AMBIENT AIR, WE MEASURE VERY LITTLE IF NO HYDROGEN SULFIDE.
FOR DECADES, WE HAVE INJECTED A FERROUS PRODUCT, AN IRON PRODUCT THAT HAS HIGH OXYGEN LEVELS IN LIFT STATIONS TO SUPPRESS THE CREATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE AS IT MOVES TO THE PLANT.
NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR IS GOING TO GIVE US A RELIEF THAT MAKES THIS THING OPERATE FUNCTIONALLY.
AND SO THAT'S BASICALLY ON THE HYDROGEN SULFIDE.
QUESTION, IF I MAY. SO, SO THE ODOR PROBLEM IS DUE TO WHAT.
WELL HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS THE PRIMARY THING THERE.
THAT'S WHAT THE SEWER THE SEWER WASTE IS, IS GIVING THAT OFF? GENERATING. AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CONTAIN IT.
BUT WITH THIS NEW UNIT, WE'RE PROVING THAT WE CAN CONTAIN IT WITH THAT UNIT AND THE TREATMENT PROCESSES THAT WE HAD IN OVER THE DECADES, IT HAS EXCEEDED THE CAPACITY OF THAT.
YOU STILL SMELL IT. BUT WE HAVEN'T MEASURED ANY DANGEROUS LEVELS THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER AREAS OF TOWN THAT HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES? OH, YES. HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS GENERATED AT MULTIPLE LIFT STATIONS AROUND TOWN.
BUT YOU CAN GO TO OTHER COMMUNITIES ALMOST EVERY COMMUNITY YOU GO TO THERE'S A SPOT IS KNOWN AS THE SEWER PLANT OR THIS AREA WHERE THIS KIND OF ODOR EXISTS.
SO EVERY COMMUNITY DEALS WITH THIS.
AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY LIMITED TO AMARILLO OR THIS AREA.
THIS IS HOW SEWER SYSTEMS WORK THAT ARE OPERATED THE WAY WE OPERATE.
OH, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS IT.
YES. NOW, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
A POOR INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS DETERIORATED MANHOLES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ALLOW IT OUT.
NOW, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS DEAL WITH IT AS THE SYSTEM GENERATES IT.
SO OUR TREATMENT PROCESSES PROBABLY WILL BRING THAT UNDER CONTROL.
SO ARE WE DOING THAT NOW THAT THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTORS ONLINE.
THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR WILL NOT BE ONLINE UNTIL A YEAR FROM TODAY.
I CAN GET YOU A MAP THAT SHOWS YOU THE LIFT STATIONS AND THE ABILITY TO, WELL, HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE LOADS OFF OF WHAT GOES THROUGH THE NORTH HEIGHTS AND PUT IT OVER ON THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR AND GET INTO MORE TYPICAL ENGINEERING STANDARDS OF A PIPELINE.
THE ENGINEERING STANDARDS AREN'T WEREN'T AS STRICT AS THEY ARE TODAY IN OPERATION OF A WASTEWATER.
SO THEY'RE FLATTER THAN WE WOULD PUT IN THEM IN TODAY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE ONES IN 1927.
AND WHAT I HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS IS THOSE AREN'T ANY GOOD.
LIKE I MEAN, HOW DO WE TEST THEM? DO WE LOOK AT THEM? I MEAN, WE HAVE ACTUALLY RELINED THOSE IN THE PAST AND WE'VE PUT AND WE'VE HAD MANHOLE PROJECTS WHERE WE'VE SEALED MANHOLES.
WE ACTUALLY HAD HIGH INFLOW AND INFILTRATION CHALLENGES AT THE RIVER ROAD PLANT IN THE PAST, AS WE EXPERIENCED WITH HOLLYWOOD ROAD AND THE MANHOLES THROUGH THOMPSON PARK AND UP INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WERE SEALED.
NOW WE HAVE TO GO MONITOR THAT AND CHECK THAT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE.
BUT WHEN YOU SEAL IT, YOU ALSO GET CREATING MORE GASES.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE WAYS TO OFFSET THAT.
SO THESE LINES, I MEAN, IS THERE A PLAN TO REPLACE THESE.
IS THERE A NEED TO REPLACE THESE OLD LINES.
[02:10:01]
THE MANHOLE PROJECT AND THEN THE ODOR CONTROL PROJECT IS THE BEST THING TO DO THERE RIGHT NOW.IDENTIFIED IN OUR 2013 WASTEWATER MASTER STUDY.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS UPDATE THAT STUDY ON THIS ISSUE IN THIS AREA AND SO THAT AN EXTERNAL ENGINEER OR ANOTHER SET OF EYES CAN LOOK AT IT AND HELP US EVALUATE THAT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO IS HAVE A FOCUS STUDY ON THIS FROM AN EXTERNAL ENGINEER THAT GETS A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF OUR SYSTEM AND HOW THAT WORKS. OKAY, SO MINUS THE GAS I'M JUST SAYING FUNCTIONALITY.
YEAH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE HERE.
DO THESE LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED.
WELL WE KNOW ACTUALLY SOME OF THEM NO.
SO MOST OF THOSE ARE FUNCTIONAL.
SO THE NORTHWEST INTERCEPTOR LET ME ANSWER THAT.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE SOLUTION AT THE OTHER END OF THAT.
SO EACH PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
SO MOST OF THESE ARE CLAY LINES.
OKAY. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT DOES. OKAY. HEY, CAN YOU GO BACK A COUPLE THAT HAD THAT SHOWED WHERE THE HOLLYWOOD ROAD AND RIVER ROAD.
SO THE BLUE IS GOING TO RIVER ROAD? YES. AND THE RED GOES TO HOLLYWOOD ROAD.
AND WHAT HAPPENS? SO THE PROBLEM IS WHEN ALL THE ALL THIS SEWAGE COMES FROM THIS AREA, THERE'S SO MUCH OF IT THAT OVERLOADS THE SYSTEM THAT PRODUCES THIS GAS.
WELL, GAS IS CREATED WITH TIME IN THE SYSTEM, SO THE SEWAGE STARTS DETERIORATING ONCE IT GETS INTO THE PIPELINE AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM, IT GENERATES MORE GAS AS THAT DETERIORATION.
IT'S A PRODUCT OF THE DEGRADING OF THE BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT WITHIN THE SEWER.
SO THAT TIME IN THAT SEWER GENERATES MORE GAS.
AND THAT ABILITY GENERATES THE GAS.
THERE'S 50 PLUS LIFT STATIONS, PROBABLY 55, IF MY MEMORY IS CORRECT, LIFT STATIONS IN THIS SYSTEM.
SO EACH ONE OF THOSE GENERATES A HYDROGEN SULFIDE THAT ALSO GOES IN.
BUT THE GRAVITY OUTFLOW, THE MAIN OUTFLOW LINES ARE WHAT RECEIVES THAT AND TAKES IT TO THE PLANT.
IS THAT. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS MAP WHEN THE NORTHWEST INTERCEPTOR COMES ON? WELL, WE'LL HAVE MORE LOAD.
WE'LL HAVE A THIRD BASIN TO START SHOWING YOU WHERE A SEWAGE GOES THROUGH THAT LINE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU WHERE AND WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE.
WHAT LIFT STATION COULD WE CHANGE AND MOVE AND MAKE THAT LOADING WORK AND MAKE THAT SYSTEM WORK BETTER RIGHT NOW WITHOUT THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR ANY ADDITION EAST OF THAT LINE WOULD ADD FLOW TO THAT LINE, WHICH MAKES THE PROBLEM WORSE.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THE NORTHEAST INTERCEPTOR WAS SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT? I THINK IT'S THE NEXT ONE.
SO THIS MAP WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE NORTH HEIGHTS INFRASTRUCTURE.
WATER MAINS. THIS IS WATER MAINS.
SO I SEE THE ONES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THOSE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE REPLACED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.
THAT'S ACTUALLY LINES THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS OKAY.
THAT MAYOR, YOU'VE TALKED TO A RESIDENT ABOUT A PROJECT OF WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT THAT WAS STARTED IN 2018.
FINISHED? THE OTHER ONES, THE TWO ON NORTHWEST 17TH AND UP THERE AT THE TOP, ON THE LEFT.
THOSE WERE CITY CREW INSTALLED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T.
THERE WAS SOME ISSUE THAT DROVE THAT TO BE A PRIORITY, PROBABLY A NUMBER OF MAIN BREAKS.
BUT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WERE ALL MADE FOR SOME REASON RELATED TO SPECIFIC ISSUES.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THERE WAS THERE ARE AND HAVE BEEN SOME WATER MAINS REPLACED.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE. BUT JUST RIGHT EAST OF IT.
[02:15:08]
AND REPLACED. RIGHT? FLOYD. YES.I CAN. SO AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY AND WHAT'S THE PLAN TO REPLACE THESE TWO INCH MAINS? WELL, WE HAVE IN THE MASTER PLAN STUDIED WHAT RESOURCES IT TAKES TO DO IT.
IT'S A MATTER OF FUNDING AND APPLYING THAT FUNDING TO THIS PROBLEM.
AND BUT THESE TWO INCHES NEED TO BE A PRIORITY.
THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE IS GOING TO MAKE THEM A PRIORITY.
SO THAT WAS WHY THIS IS RELATED TO THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE, AS YOU LOOK AT THAT.
AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT SHANNON PRESENTS TO YOU, THAT THIS IS GOING TO CREATE A TEN YEAR WINDOW FOR US TO LOOK AT THESE AND IDENTIFY FUNDING AND BRING IT FORWARD FOR A REPLACEMENT. BUT PRIOR TO THAT, HAVE WE EVER HAD ANY SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN OR ANYTHING IN THAT NATURE? WELL, IT HASN'T BEEN A COHESIVE ONE.
AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN SUBJECT TO OTHER OTHER CHALLENGES RELATED TO WHAT PRIORITIES THAT, THAT THOSE PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAD OR PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT HAD.
BUT AGAIN, BACK TO THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE.
THIS IS THE TRIGGER THAT'S GOING TO PUT US IN THAT PLACE BECAUSE THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE AND SHE'LL COVER IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US OVER A TEN YEAR WINDOW TO REPLACE ALL THOSE SERVICE LINES ON THOSE.
WELL, WHY WOULD WE GO REPLACE THE SERVICE LINES AND NOT THE MAIN? IT'S GOING TO BE DUPLICATE COST IF WE DON'T.
SO THE MAIN THOSE TWO ENGINES WILL BE MAIN REPLACEMENTS IN THAT PLAN.
AND THEN GO FORWARD ONE SLIDE AND THEN I'LL BE DONE.
SO BACK TO THE HE SAID EMPOWERMENT ZONE UP TO 200FT.
SO ON THAT INCENTIVE, IS IT ONLY ALLOWED TO GO ON THESE, ON THESE BLUE 20 INCH OR THESE 12 INCH MAINS? IT WOULD BE FOR THAT THAT INCENTIVE WAS FOR THE UNDEVELOPED.
IT WOULD BE EXTENDING TO WHERE THERE IS NO SERVICE, WHERE THERE IS NO LINE.
WOULD YOU ALL BE EXTENDING ON TWO INCH MAINS AS WELL.
OH WE WOULD NOT EXTEND A TWO INCH.
OUR CURRENT STANDARD IS AN EIGHT INCH MINIMUM.
OKAY, GOOD. THAT'S BEEN SINCE 1972.
OUR CURRENT STANDARD IS I THINK IT WAS SIX INCH THEN.
BUT OUR CURRENT STANDARD NOW IS EIGHT INCH.
SO WE DON'T PUT IN TWO INCH MAINS IN THIS MANNER ANYMORE.
WE DON'T PUT THREES AND FOURS FOR THE SAME REASON.
AND BY THE WAY, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THAT MINIMUM STANDARD IS FIRE FLOWS ARE ACCEPTABLE.
AND SO THE RED ARE ALL TWO INCHES.
SO HOW OLD ARE THEY? MOST OF THOSE I LOOKED AT WERE PUT IN PROBABLY IN THE 1930S.
SO SOME OF THEM COULD BE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, SOME OF THEM IN THE 40S AND 50S.
BUT AFTER YOU GOT TO THE 1950S, WE HAD THE SUBDIVISION RULES.
SO THEY'RE PROBABLY PRE 1950S, BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE 1930S.
AND THEN THE BLUE WOULD BE A PATCHWORK OF THE SAME THING.
THE SIXES AND EIGHTS WERE ARE SOME OF THOSE WILL BE IN THE 30S AND 40S.
THE 20 INCH AGAIN I LOOKED AT IT ON A SET OF PLANS.
IT WAS 1976, SO THERE PROBABLY WAS SEVERE FIRE FLOWS AT PRIOR TO THE 1976 PROJECT.
AND WHAT ABOUT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE WATER PRESSURE ISSUE? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT, BUT WHAT IS CAUSING THAT? ARE YOU GOING TO GET TO IT THEN? YEAH, IT'S IN THERE.
THE ONLY THING BETWEEN THAT WAS THIS SLIDE, WHICH THIS IS A STREET THE STREET MAINTENANCE.
SO JUST ADDING TO THE MAIN REPLACEMENT.
THE SEALCOAT PROJECTS WERE DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, 2016 AND 2019, IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS.
AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T READ THAT, BUT IT HAS THE MILES OF OPERATIONAL POINT REPAIRS ALSO.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT SEAL COAT PROJECT WENT ACROSS THE CITY, AS YOU CAN SEE.
BUT PRESSURE COMPLAINTS ARE FREQUENT.
YOU CAN SEE ON HERE THAT THAT WE HAD 22.
THE BOTTOM LINE, WE HAD 22 LOW PRESSURE CHECKS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
NOW, ALL OF THOSE LANDED WITHIN THE ENGINEERING AND THE STATE STANDARDS.
[02:20:04]
MINIMUM PRESSURE OF 35 PSI FOR AN OPERATION OF A WATER SYSTEM AND 20 PSI UNDER FIRE FLOW CONDITIONS.AND THOSE ALL PASSED THAT TEST.
WE WILL BE GLAD TO CHECK ANY PRESSURE COMPLAINT OR QUALITY WATER COMPLAINT ANYTIME ANYBODY HAS IT.
SO WE'LL BE JUST JUST CALL OUR WATER DEPARTMENT, CALL US, AND WE'LL GO CHECK THOSE.
BUT WHAT WE DO, IF THERE ARE SEVERE CONCERNS, THIS IS PICTURES OF A FLUSH.
THAT'S WHAT EXTENT WE WILL GO TO TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HOUSE HAS WATER TO THE METER.
SO WE HAVEN'T FOUND ANY THAT DIDN'T MEET THE STANDARD.
AT THIS POINT, DOES THAT MEAN THE TWO INCH MAINS DON'T NEED TO BE UPSIZED? I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE TWO INCH DOES NEED TO BE UPSIZED, BUT WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT AT OUR MAIN, COMING TO OUR METER, WE HAVE SUFFICIENT WATER ON ALL OF THOSE THAT WE'RE CALLED ON. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T COME CHECK AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO COME CHECK ANY CUSTOMER.
BUT I WANTED TO HAVE A PICTURE OF THE FLUSH.
SO YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT A FLUSH WAS.
BACK TO. I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK, BUT WHERE WE HAD THE RED AND THE BLUE AND YEAH, THAT.
SO I'M READING ON THIS LEGEND HERE THAT THE BLUE IS ACTUALLY A 2.5IN LINE.
THERE ARE SOME THE BLUES ARE ANYTHING ABOVE THE BLUES ARE ANYTHING ABOVE A TWO INCH? OH, SO THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE TWO AND A HALF.
THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE THREE FOURS, BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE SIX AND EIGHT.
ESPECIALLY THE NORTH AND SOUTH ONES.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRE HYDRANT MAP THAT THEY'RE ON, THAT.
OK. BLUE IS ANYTHING ABOVE A TWO INCH ON THIS MAP OKAY.
THANK YOU. ONE OF THEM, YOU'RE PROBABLY FINDING ONE THAT IS A TWO AND A HALF.
OKAY. I'VE ALWAYS JOKED IF WE COULD GET A FIVE INCH, WE'D HAVE EVERYTHING OKAY? OKAY. SO, FLOYD, I THINK WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS PROBABLY GOING TO TRY TO MOVE US TOWARD, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN CRAFT SAID ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS WHERE'S WILL.?YEAH, HE'S BACK THERE.
WILL IS INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
WILL, I JUST WANTED TO YOU TO TELL THEM WHY, WHAT YOUR ORIGINAL JOB IS AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
I WAS HIRED IN JANUARY TO DO ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR THE CITY.
SO WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY INTO OUR KICKOFF OFF.
AND THAT WILL ALL BE LAUNCHED BY FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE THAT CURRENT DATA OF THESE ARE THE OLDEST LINES.
THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WOULD BE THE I'D SAY THE BIGGEST PRIORITY TO GO AHEAD AND REPLACE.
WHERE WOULD YOU BE IN THAT PROCESS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT ALL OF THE LINES ACROSS THE CITY.
BUT YES, WE DO KNOW WHERE ALL THE TWO INCH LINES ARE.
WE KNOW ROUGHLY WHEN THEY WERE INSTALLED.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON PRIORITIZATION.
AND THAT'S PART OF ASSET MANAGEMENT.
WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE LINES, WE HAVE THE PLANTS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SUCCINCT LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
SO YOU GUYS CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISION ON WHERE WE DEPLOY THOSE DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SCATTERED ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ADDING IS CONDITIONS.
WE HAVE SOME LINES THAT ARE OLD AND ARE STILL IN GREAT CONDITIONS.
WE HAVE OTHER LINES THAT ARE NOT AS OLD AND ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.
SO NOT ONLY WILL HE BE ABLE TO DO IT, NOT ONLY WILL HE BE ABLE TO DO IT CITYWIDE, WE CAN ALSO ISOLATE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HELP IDENTIFY THAT CHALLENGE.
IT WILL PROBABLY WILL HAVE A TEN YEAR WINDOW.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT FUNDING AND BUDGET.
[02:25:04]
HOPEFULLY IN THE BUDGET.THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE.
AND THEN I THINK WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BUDGETING.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE PUT $1 MILLION OUT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY LINEAR FEET DOES THAT TAKE CARE OF? AND THEN WHAT'S THE INSTALL TIME ON SOMETHING LIKE IT.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH KYLE AND HIS GROUP TO GET THAT TO YOU.
OKAY. SO WE'D BE LOOKING FOR THAT BUDGET TIME ISH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A MOVE ON THAT.
WHAT WILL THAT MILLION DO? AND THEN WHAT IS THE PLAN AND HOW MUCH FUNDING DO WE NEED FOR THE TEN YEAR WINDOW? OKAY. YEAH.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO.
I THINK WE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
SO I'M JUST RECALLING, DID I MEAN, DID THE PDP KIND OF DELVE INTO THIS? PDP DID A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY DELVE MORE INTO ROADS? OKAY. BUT THEY DID DELVE INTO HOW DO WE FUND LONG TERM INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING WATER AND SEWER.
BUT I THOUGHT THEY HAD SOME STATISTICS AND INFORMATION ABOUT I MEAN, MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE DETAIL OUT OF THIS, BUT KIND OF WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE AS I RECALL, THE STATISTIC WAS LIKE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THIS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.
I MEAN, THE MAJORITY OF OUR WATER AND SEWER LINES ARE BETWEEN 60 AND 90 YEARS OLD.
YES, THERE IS THAT STATISTIC IN PDP.
I CAN GO GET IT FOR YOU, BUT IT'S A LARGE PERCENT.
ALL THE PROBLEMS WE TALKED ABOUT ARE COMMON IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS NATION.
OKAY. WELL, I THINK IT'S A TWO PART THING.
NUMBER ONE IS, WHICH IS THE EASIER OF THE TWO IS ASSESSING WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THE MORE CHALLENGING OF THIS I THINK WHEN WE GET THE PRICE TAG ON THIS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET PRETTY CREATIVE IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THAT, OR THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES IN MAJOR DOWNTOWN AREAS, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR WATER MAINS BREAK, BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED DOWN FOR DAYS, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE OUR STRATEGY TO REPLACE IT? BUT I HOPE YOU SEE, WITH WILL'S POSITION BEING CREATED, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE FOR YOU AND WE'RE HERE TO BRING YOU SOLUTIONS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL, MAYOR AND CITIZENS OF AMARILLO.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO TEACH YOU ANYTHING YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW.
IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT EXPOSURE TO THINGS LIKE LEAD, THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OF EXPOSURE TO LEAD.
SO WITH ADULTS, THERE'S DEFINITELY INCREASE IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISEASES SUCH AS KIDNEY FUNCTION, DISEASES, BLOOD PRESSURE ISSUES, HEART DISEASE, AND ALSO INCREASED INSTANCES OF CANCER.
FOR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO LEAD, OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF THE PRIMARY CONCERNS, AT LEAST FROM PEDIATRIC PEDIATRIC LEVELS, IS THAT THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTAL DEFICITS WHENEVER EXCESS EXPOSURE TO LEAD LINES IS INVOLVED.
SO ALL BUILDING CODES AFTER JULY OR JANUARY 1ST, 1989 REDUCED OR ELIMINATED THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE LEAD, TO DO SOMETHING LIKE A SERVICE LINE FROM YOUR WATER MAINS TO THE HOMES.
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE THE RULE ASSOCIATED WITH LEAD BANDS ACROSS DIFFERENT STATES, THE EPA BEGAN GETTING INVOLVEMENT IN HOW DO WE HANDLE EXPOSURE TO ITEMS SUCH AS LEAD AND COPPER THAT CAN HAVE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS TO HEALTH? AND IN 1991, THEY ESTABLISHED THE ACTUAL FIRST LEAD AND COPPER RULE FOR THE THE UNITED STATES.
[02:30:09]
SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEY IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES.THOSE SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES HAD TO DO WITH CORROSION CONTROL TREATMENT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE INITIAL PLANS ASSOCIATED WITH HOW DO WE REDUCE EXPOSURE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH LEAD AND LEAD AND COPPER LINES? SOURCE WATER TREATMENT? THEIR SOURCE WATER CONSTITUENTS.
IS THE CHEMISTRY OF SOURCE WATER POTENTIALLY A CAUSE FOR ADDITIONAL EXPOSURE TO LEAD AND COPPER SOURCES? PROVIDING ACTUAL SAMPLING AND ACTUALLY STATING WHAT THAT SAMPLING LEVEL LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN ESTABLISHING SOME REQUIREMENTS REGARDING IDENTIFY WHAT UPPER LEVEL LIMITS ARE, REASONABLE EXPOSURE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WHICH AGAIN IS IS NO LONGER THE CASE, THERE IS NO REASONABLE EXPOSURE AND THEN PUBLIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.
SO AS A RESULT WITH FLINT, MICHIGAN, AND WITH THE FLINT, MICHIGAN WATER CRISIS, SUBSEQUENTLY, THE EPA BEGAN TO REFOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ON IDENTIFYING ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH LEGACY LINES THAT STILL EXIST IN SYSTEMS. SO THEY IMPLEMENTED WHAT IS CALLED THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE IMPROVEMENTS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE LCRI.
SO THE EPA ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED WHAT WAS CALLED AN LCRR LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISION IN JANUARY OF OR I APOLOGIZE IN 2021.
HOWEVER, THE RULE NEVER BECAME FORMALLY AFFECTED BEFORE THEY MADE MODIFICATIONS TO THAT RULE, WHICH BEGAN IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, WHICH ESTABLISHED WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE IMPROVEMENTS.
NOW, I'M GOING TO TAKE A STEP ASIDE HERE REALLY QUICK AND SAY, IF YOU TALK TO ANY CONSULTANT OR ANY OTHER COMMUNITY WHO IS DEALING WITH THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ACTUALLY NOT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF LEAD IN SYSTEMS, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SERVICE CONNECTION FROM YOUR WATER MAIN TO YOUR HOME. THE ISSUE IS WE HAVE A LOT OF EITHER UNKNOWN PIPE TYPES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GALVANIZED PIPE TYPES.
THE PROBLEM IS GALVANIZED PIPES THAT ARE DOWNSTREAM OF LEAD PIPE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE LEAD, AND THEN IF YOUR WATER CHEMISTRY CHANGES, IT SUBSEQUENTLY CAN START RELEASING THAT LEAD THAT IS HISTORICALLY BEEN ATTACHED TO THE GALVANIZED PIPE.
SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IMPROVED TAP SAMPLING.
THEY LOWERED THE LEAD ACTION LEVELS TO WHERE AGAIN, THERE'S NO SAFE LIMITATION.
SO I REALLY WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
SO SOME OF THE KEY DATES THAT THE EPA ORIGINALLY HAD INDICATED.
IT IS EXPECTED TO GO INTO FULL COURSE IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
BUT ONE OF THE DATES WILL NOT CHANGE EVERY COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS SOMETHING CALLED A SERVICE LINE INVENTORY THAT IS DUE OCTOBER 16TH OF THIS YEAR.
THAT'S THE ONLY FOUR ALLOWABLE LIMITS.
SO IT IS EXPECTED AND ACCEPTED THAT ON OCTOBER 16TH OF 2024 WHEN WE SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE STATE THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE LINES THAT ARE CONSIDERED UNKNOWN LINES THAT THEN STARTS THE NEXT STEP OF THIS PROCESS, THE PHASE TWO OF THIS PROCESS, THE PHASE TWO OF THIS PROCESS IS OKAY.
YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF METERS IN YOUR SYSTEM.
YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF SERVICE LINES IN YOUR SYSTEM.
YOU NOW HAVE TO IDENTIFY WITHOUT ANY JUSTIFICATION.
YOU CANNOT HAVE ANY UNKNOWN LINES BY THE END OF THIS.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR LINES ARE MADE OF TO START THAT REPLACEMENT PLAN AS THE NEXT STEP.
SO FROM OCTOBER OF 2024 TO 2027 IS THAT TIMELINE FOR WHICH YOU MUST PHYSICALLY IDENTIFY ALL OF YOUR UNKNOWN LINES AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR WHAT THAT REPLACEMENT FOR 100% OF THE SERVICE LINES THAT ARE EITHER GALVANIZED,
[02:35:01]
REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OR LEAD LINES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT BY 2027.THERE'S ALSO RULES ASSOCIATED WITH AT WHAT RATE THOSE HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
SO ON WHAT IS CALLED THE UTILITY SIDE OF THE SERVICE LINE, THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE IMPROVEMENT ACTUALLY ADDED FROM THE CUSTOMER'S METER TO THEIR HOUSE, BUT NOT INSIDE OF THE HOUSE.
WE DO NOT REVIEW OR EVALUATE ANY OF THE INTERNAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE PLUMBING, BUT IT ALSO ADDED THE CONNECTORS SO THAT INITIAL CONNECTOR SOMETIMES CALLED A GOOSENECK, ORIGINALLY IN THE LCRR, WAS NOT CONSIDERED AS IT WAS A SMALLER PORTION.
SO GOING BACK TO A POINT THAT FLOYD MADE, IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF METERS IN THAT AREA THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR IN EXCESS OF THE TIME THAT THE LEAD AND COPPER BAN BECAME EFFECTIVE, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THAT ENTIRE SERVICE LINE.
AND AT WHICH POINT, IF YOU'RE DOING AN ENTIRE SERVICE LINE, WOULD IT NOT MAKE SENSE TO REPLACE YOUR WATER MAIN, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE IN THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE WATER MAINS THAT ARE 60 TO 80 YEARS OLD? SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF START PLANNING FOR THAT RESPONSE.
SERVICE LINE INVENTORY UNDER THE LCRI.
SO AGAIN, I ALREADY STATED WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THE CONNECTOR MATERIALS.
WE MUST INCLUDE STREET ADDRESSES IN EACH SERVICE LINE AND CONNECTORS.
SO EACH AND EVERY SERVICE LINE AND CONNECTOR ASSOCIATED WITH A LOCATION OF AN ADDRESS OR A METER.
WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THAT SERVICE LINE INVENTORY FROM THE DATE WE SUBMITTED IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR HAS TO BE UPDATED ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR MOVING FORWARD UNTIL THAT TIME IN WHICH WE KNOW 100% OF WHAT OUR SERVICE LINES ARE COMPRISED OF.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE EPA IS SUGGESTING THAT CUSTOMER INQUIRIES OF INCORRECT CHARACTERIZATION.
YOU HAVE TO WITHIN 60 DAYS, GO BACK OUT AND REEVALUATE THAT.
THAT'S THE CURRENT RULE ACCORDING TO THE EPA.
SO EVEN WHEN WE SAY SOMETHING WAS BUILT AFTER 1989, IT DOES NOT NEGATE THE FACT YOU MUST KNOW 100% OF YOUR SYSTEM OF WHAT IT'S COMPRISED OF FOR SERVICE LINES. AND AGAIN, THAT LAST DATE.
SO WHEN I ORIGINALLY SAID WE HAVE 2024 OCTOBER OF 2024 IS WHEN YOUR INITIAL SERVICE LINE INVENTORY MUST BE COMPLETED ON 2027 ON JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
YOU CAN HAVE NO UNKNOWN OR UNCHARACTERIZED LINES.
SOME OF THE OTHER ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
IN TERMS OF MONITORING, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF A UNIQUE STATISTICAL EVALUATION OF LEAD LEVELS IN SAMPLES, AND THAT'S BEEN CALLED THE P90 LEVELS.
WE ARE COMPLETELY TAKING AWAY THE P90 LEVELS.
THAT'S JUST THE RULE ASSOCIATED WITH THE EPA.
SO THE NEXT STEP IN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT ONCE YOU HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
SO JANUARY OF 2027, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE THAT SAYS WE ARE GOING TO REPLACE ALL SERVICE LINES THAT FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF LEAD OR GALVANIZED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT WITHIN TEN YEARS FROM THAT DATE.
YOU MUST REPLACE THEM AT A MINIMUM OF 10% PER YEAR.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A LARGE SCALE REPLACEMENT PLAN.
I THINK I REDID ANOTHER SLIDE, I APOLOGIZE.
SO LASTLY, WHAT ARE WE DOING CURRENTLY? THIS IS KIND OF THE MEAT AND POTATOES.
WHAT ARE WE DOING CURRENTLY? WHERE ARE WE? SO IN MAY OF 2023, I ASSUMED THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES.
BY NOVEMBER, WE HAD A CONSULTANT EVALUATING OUR CURRENT HISTORICAL RECORDS REVIEW.
[02:40:06]
SO THERE'S A COUPLE PHASES TO JUST THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY PART OF THAT.WHAT THEY TRY TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO FIRST IS LOOK AT THINGS LIKE OUR WATER MAIN REPLACEMENTS, SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE HISTORICALLY, AND UTILIZE THOSE RECORDS TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER OF PHYSICAL LINES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INSPECT.
WE ALSO A REQUIREMENT OF THIS PLAN IS DEVELOPED THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMUNICATION COMPONENT.
THE EPA GOES SO FAR AS TO SAY YOU ACTUALLY MUST CONTACT EACH INDIVIDUAL WITH AN UNKNOWN LEAD OR GALVANIZED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT IN TWO DIFFERENT METHODS OF COMMUNICATION AT LEAST FOUR TIMES.
SO AGAIN, I STATED, WE ARE CURRENTLY PERFORMING THE HISTORIC RECORDS REVIEW.
WHAT WE HAVE COMPLETED TO DATE IS THAT ALL PHYSICAL, METERED LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH GPS COORDINATES SO THAT OUR CONSULTANT COULD DEVELOP A MAP TO START THE PROCESS.
WE'VE ALSO SUPPLIED THEM WITH ALL OF THE MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF OUR HISTORY, SO THAT THEY CAN START LOOKING THROUGH THOSE RECORDS TO SEE WHICH ONES ACTUALLY IDENTIFY SERVICE LINES THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHAT THE EPA IS LOOKING AT AND THIS IS THE SERVICE LINES, NOT NECESSARILY THE MAINS.
SO WE'VE DEVELOPED THAT PROCESS AND WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED ALL OF THAT DATA OVER TO THE CONSULTANT.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE I THINK PROBABLY NEXT MONTH.
SO, I MEAN, I CAN ABSOLUTELY SCHEDULE THAT IF YOU WOULD GUYS IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT.
SO LASTLY WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL SO SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FIND THESE LOCATIONS THE THE FIELD INVESTIGATION PART OF THIS IS A REQUIREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEAD AND COPPER NOW.
YOU IT'S NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THE INVESTIGATION PRIOR TO DOING THE WORK.
IF YOU HAVE A LOCATION THAT YOU'RE ALREADY PLANNING MAIN REPLACEMENTS OR SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE EPA RULE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT EFFORT. SO THERE'S NOTHING SAYING LIKE, WE HAVE TO POSTPONE ANY PROJECT PLANNING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
IT JUST HAS TO BE IDENTIFIED AND UPDATED IN THAT ANNUAL SERVICE LINE INVENTORY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUBMIT EVERY SINGLE YEAR FROM THIS POINT, MOVING ON UNTIL WE HAVE NO LEAD OR GALVANIZED IN THE SYSTEM, GALVANIZED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT APOLOGIES.
SO UPON FIRST EVALUATION WHAT WE DID IS WE IDENTIFIED THE ESTIMATE METER LOCATION THAT EXISTED BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, 1989, WHEN THAT LEAD BAN TOOK EFFECT.
SO THAT IS DONE EITHER THROUGH INSPECTION WITHIN THE METER BOX.
IF THE METER BOX ALLOWS THAT, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE BOTH THE CUSTOMER SIDE AND THE CITY SIDE OF IT, OR WE PERFORM SOMETHING CALLED POT HOLING TO EXPOSE THE LINES AND IDENTIFY EACH OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
THE CONSULTANT HAS INDICATED THAT ROUGHLY OUT OF ALL OF THE INSPECTIONS THEY PERFORM, THE PHYSICAL LINE INSPECTIONS, THEIR REPLACEMENT PLANS HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY 20%.
SO ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH.
SO IF WE LOOK AT ROUGHLY 20% OF 54,000 LINES, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT 11,000.
THAT WILL HAVE TO HAVE A FULL REPLACEMENT.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF COST? SO NEXT YEAR WE ALREADY HAVE AND THIS WILL GO THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS CIP REQUESTING FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE LOOKING AT $5.3 MILLION TO DO THE PHYSICAL LINE INSPECTION.
THIS CURRENTLY DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY ACTUAL REPLACEMENTS.
THIS IS COMPLETING THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION SO THAT WE CAN UPDATE THAT INVENTORY THAT WE'RE SUBMITTING TO THE STATE THAT SAYS, HERE'S WHAT THIS HERE'S WHAT THIS COULD POSSIBLY COST US IN TERMS OF OVERALL COST.
THEY'RE BASING THIS OFF OF THE PROCESS OF DOING POT HOLING AT A ROUGH ESTIMATE IS $100 PER LOCATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE THE ROUGHLY $5.2 MILLION IS COMING FROM.
FROM THAT POINT, YOU START THE NEXT PROJECT EFFORT, WHICH IS THE PLANNING.
SO ONCE YOU KNOW AREAS OF SPECIFIC NEED, YOU CAN START PLANNING FOR THOSE ACTUAL REPLACEMENTS.
[02:45:05]
IF YOU KNOW, THE REPLACEMENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE THEY FALL IN ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES THAT THE EPA IS REQUIRING, YOU REPLACE IT.NOW, IF WE LOOK AT, AGAIN, ROUGHLY 11,000 SITES, 10,750, ROUGHLY ASSUMING.
THE AVERAGE COST THAT PLUMBING SYSTEM OR PLUMBERS HAVE TOLD US ASSOCIATED WITH A FULL SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT FROM YOUR WATER MAIN TO THE HOUSE ITSELF IS ON AVERAGE $5,000 PER SITE, ASSUMING ROUGHLY 10,000 SITES THAT DON'T HAVE CONCRETE WORK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE INVOLVED. ONCE YOU DO INCLUDE THAT CONCRETE WORK, WHICH ROUGHLY 750 TO 1000 MAY REQUIRE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING UPWARDS OF $10,000 PER THOSE SITES.
SO AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY 10% LINES, SO 1100 LINES HAVING TO BE REPLACED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR THE NEXT TWO TO 2 TO 5 YEARS OF THE CIP PLANNING, WE'RE LOOKING AT $11 MILLION A YEAR.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE INITIAL START TO THIS OVERALL PROCESS.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
IS THERE A FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THIS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THERE IS FEDERAL FUNDING AND THE FEDERAL FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
MOSTLY LOW INCOME OR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
SO THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FROM THE METER TO THE HOME, JUST NOT ENTERING THE HOME.
FROM WHAT THE DIAGRAM SAID, CORRECT.
THE EPA DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT THE CITY PAYS FOR THE ENTIRE REPLACEMENT.
HOWEVER, YOU CAN SAY FROM THE METER TO THE HOUSE, WE WILL REPLACE ON YOUR BEHALF IF YOU CAN'T REPLACE IT YOURSELF, AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME YOU SET UP A PAYMENT PLAN TO PAY THAT BACK TO THE CITY FOR DOING THAT WORK ON YOUR BEHALF.
OKAY, SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY OF OUR LINES? THE ROUGH GUESS ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE 11,000.
OKAY. JUST BASED ON THEIR NUMBERS.
I MEAN, THIS IS, LIKE, PRETTY APOLOGIES FOR THAT.
YEAH. THANK YOU. BUT I KNOW YOU'RE JUST THE BEARER, NOT THE BUT SO DO WE HAVE THE STAFF DO ALL THESE, OR ARE YOU HIRING A THIRD PARTY TO DO THE INSPECTIONS OR WHO'S GOING TO DO THE INSPECTIONS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND THERE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A NEED THAT WE BRING IN CONSULTANTS AND CONTRACTORS TO ASSIST IN THIS TO MEET THE DEADLINES ASSOCIATED BY THE EPA.
BUT EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY IN THE COUNTRY WILL BE NEEDING THAT SAME SERVICE.
EVERY SYSTEM AND MUNICIPALITY WILL BE SHARING THE SAME RESOURCES.
SO ANOTHER PART OF THE EPA LEAD AND COPPER RULE IS AFTER THAT THREE YEAR PERIOD OF WINDOW, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE AS THE MUNICIPALITY FOR PROVIDING PITCHER FILTERS WITH AN ALLOTTED NUMBER OF PITCHER.
THAT'S MILLIONS OF FILTERS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE.
AND THAT IS PART OF THE EPA RULE.
NOW SOME OF THAT COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RULE WHENEVER THE RULE IS PROMULGATED IN 20, IN OCTOBER, BUT AS THE CURRENT WRITTEN LCRI EXISTS, THE MUNICIPALITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ADEQUATE SERVICES TO REMOVE LEAD FROM A SYSTEM UNTIL THAT TIME, THE FULL SERVICE LINE HAS BEEN REPLACED.
AND HAVE THEY DETERMINED WHAT THE PENALTIES ARE IF YOU DON'T MEET THESE DEADLINES? NO, I JUST I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MAYBE EVEN IN A TEN YEAR PERIOD TO DO ALL THIS, I MEAN.
THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR FLOYD OR LAURA, BUT IS THERE ANY IDEA AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING $11 MILLION IN CIP ON YOUR WATER REVENUE? WHAT TYPE OF WATER RATE INCREASE WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN? YOU KNOW, A WATER FEE HAVE TO INCREASE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
[02:50:02]
I THINK I'LL ADDRESS THAT.SO OUR FUNDING PLAN, REMEMBER WE'RE WORKING ON A HOLLYWOOD ROAD PLANT.
SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER TIPPS POINT IS OUR FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS TO FUND ANYTHING.
NOW, REMEMBER, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THAT OUR GOAL IS $15 MILLION A YEAR IN CASH FUNDING.
SO THIS COMPONENT OF IT WE STILL HAVE ALL THE OTHER CAPITAL THAT WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE.
WE WILL UTILIZE EVERY TOOL WE HAVE PRIOR TO RATE INCREASES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE AT OUR DISPOSAL IN THIS TIME PERIOD IS THE COMPLETION OF THE DEBT PAYMENTS FOR THE POTTER COUNTY WELL FIELD THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2009.
THAT WAS DEBT THAT WAS ISSUED.
SO WHERE THIS SAYS 11 MILLION A YEAR, WE MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE REISSUE DEBT AND USE THAT IN WHETHER THAT'S AT THE WASTEWATER PLANT OR THIS OR CASH OR FINALLY A RATE INCREASE SO THAT THAT PLAN WITH THIS ADDED WILL BE DEVELOPED OVER THIS BUDGET AND INTO NEXT BUDGET.
BUT DON'T FORGET THAT WE DO HAVE SOME ABILITY WITHIN EXISTING RATES TO REISSUE DEBT.
THERE WAS THE 86 MILLION FOR POTTER COUNTY WELL FIELD.
A COUPLE OF YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, THERE WAS 15 OR SO MILLION ISSUED FOR A HIGH SERVICE PUMP STATION.
BUT WHAT THE PRIMARY COMPONENT OF THAT FUNDING PLAN WILL BE LOOK AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR FUNDING, NOT ONLY COMPETING FOR LEAD AND COPPER RULE, BUT OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH GRANTS AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE.
ALSO THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL USING THEIR PROGRAMS. AND THEY'RE PART OF THIS, TOO.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON A PLAN INCLUDING ALL REVENUE SOURCES AVAILABLE.
OKAY. SO WE APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS HERE I THINK THAT ARE PRACTICAL.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS HERE THAT PROBABLY ARE NOT VERY REALISTIC IN THE WAY IN WHICH THIS WOULD AFFECT ALL OF YOUR SERVICE MAINS, YOU KNOW, AND SO YOU'D BE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ORDER TO GET A TEST THAT WOULD PASS AT THE HOUSE.
BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T GET THE SERVICE, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING WE HAD A LEAD ISSUE AND THEN I THINK YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THE SUPREME COURT RULING AND SOME OF THE LEGISLATION. AND THROUGHOUT THE ELECTIONS, THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN ISSUES ON THE PRIVATE SIDE IS THE PUBLIC ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRIVATE SIDE.
AND THAT'S MANIFESTED IN THIS LEAD AND COPPER RULE THAT YOU JUST SAW SHANNON UPDATE YOU ON.
SO THERE ARE ISSUES RELATED TO THE PUBLIC ENTITY SPENDING MONEY ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
SO IT'S DEPENDENT ON HOW WE WANT TO STRUCTURE THAT.
I DO THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO STRUCTURE THAT.
RIGHT. I THINK TO WAIT AND SEE TILL THE FINAL RULE IS, IS COMPLETED BEFORE THAT ACTUALLY APPLIES.
WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE IF WE DON'T? SO I THINK IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE YEARS AND YEARS OF THIS GO ON WITH, NO ACTION.
THE MAIN REPLACEMENT IS A SEPARATE THING, BUT IT CORRELATES WITH LEAD AND COPPER.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S THE BITE AT THE APPLE.
AND IT'LL PROBABLY BE THREE TIMES THE COST OF WHAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW WHAT A NORMAL VALUE WOULD BE BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S AROUND THREE TIMES AS MUCH WHEN YOU RUN IT THROUGH A GOVERNMENT. AND SO I THINK THAT ONE, WHEN YOU COMPILE ALL THAT, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT A WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE HERE.
BUT FOR THIS COUNCIL WE DEFINITELY WANT TO PUSH FORWARD WITH REPLACING THE MAINS.
YES. AND GETTING OURSELVES CAUGHT UP ON OUR END WITH THE BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT THEN ON THE, ON THE EXTRACURRICULAR, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT FEDERAL FUNDING.
[02:55:01]
YES. AND THEN SO, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO DRIVE YOU TO, YOU KNOW, HIRE ANOTHER PERSON, START DOING ALL THESE TESTS, REALLY IMPLEMENT ALL THESE AND PUSHING TWO YEAR PLANS IN ADVANCE, KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW, YOUR ELECTION IS GOING TO DRIVE A LOT OF THIS IN NOVEMBER.PLUS YOU HAVE THE CHEVRON OVERTURN OF THAT CASE AT THE SUPREME COURT.
I THINK MORE INFORMATION WILL BE COMING, AND ESPECIALLY AS OCTOBER ROLLS AROUND AND WE FIND OUT THAT THE FACTS ON THE RULES AND ANY POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS. OKAY.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FLOYD. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 7F.
[7.F. Updates from Councilmembers serving on outside boards and commissions]
WE'VE GOT SOME SHORT UPDATES SINCE IT IS 6:15.WE HAVE COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN ON OUR CVB.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE HAVE COUNCILMAN SIMPSON ON ANIMAL MANAGEMENT.
YOU LOOK EXCITED. [LAUGHTER] Y'ALL NOTICE CASH AND HAD TO LEAVE.
OH, Y'ALL PUT THIS OFF LONG ENOUGH THAT I HAVE TO DO IT.
READ FAST. SO ANYWAY, WE DO HAVE SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD INFORMATION THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THE CVB BOARD WAS PRESENTED WITH THE 2022-23 AUDIT.
AFTER REVIEW EVERYTHING WAS UP TO GAPP STANDARDS.
NO INCONSISTENCIES WERE FOUND.
MOTION TO APPROVE AND PASSED BY THE BOARD.
AMY TARR GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE NJCAA DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL BID.
THE CVB PUT IN NOW WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE IS WE WON THE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, SO THAT IS A REAL BIG WIN FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL BE FILMED BY ESPN U.
THERE'S A FOLLOWING OF ABOUT 2000 PEOPLE FOR THE JUCO FOOTBALL.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG IMPACT FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOING TO BE A BIG DEAL.
AND FOR US TO WIN IT FOR FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO PUT AMARILLO ON THE MAP.
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO SEE IT ACROSS THE NATION.
WE'LL GO OVER TO YOU THERE, COUNCILMAN SIMPSON ON AMW, A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST TO UPDATE YOU ON.
I THINK SOME THINGS WE'D ALREADY HEARD OF, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, ONE IS THE ANIMAL SHELTER SERVICES ORGANIZATION AS IS FINISHING UP THEIR EVALUATION OF OUR OPERATIONS AND EVERYTHING INVOLVED WITH ANIMAL WELFARE MANAGEMENT AND REPORTS EXPECTED ON THAT IN EARLY AUGUST.
SO STAFF HAS GOT THAT READY TO IMPLEMENT.
AND THEN THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT 30 CAMERAS INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE THE WHOLE AMARILLO WELFARE MANAGEMENT COMPLEX, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE CAMERAS AND THE BENEFIT OF THOSE. MUNICIPAL COURT HAS BEEN HOLDING AN ANIMAL DOCKET THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
GOING THROUGH THOSE WARRANTS, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COME IN, PLEAD GUILTY.
WE'VE HAD OTHERS THAT WANT TRIALS AND OTHERS THAT HAVE NOT SHOWN UP THAT WILL HAVE TO GO FIND.
A COUPLE OF POSITIVE THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THERE IS THE I THINK WE JUST HAVE WORKED THROUGH OUR FIRST TEXAS TECH STUDENTS WHO HAVE DONE THEIR FIRST ROTATION. THAT ARE AT AN ADVANCED ENOUGH LEVEL TO DO THINGS LIKE SURGERY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST NOW SEEING THE FIRST CLASS GET TO ALMOST GRADUATION.
AND WHEN THEY GET THAT MORE, MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THOSE SURGERIES.
THEY PERFORMED ABOUT 117 SURGERIES.
THEY ARE STILL UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF VETERINARIANS.
BUT THAT'S HELPING BOTH US AS WELL AS THERE THEY ALSO ARE WORKING THROUGH A RAIDER PUP PROGRAM TO ADOPT THE DOGS THAT THEY HAVE THERE AT TECH THAT THEY USE IN THE VET SCHOOL, AND TO TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH IN THAT.
MANY OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE GOING IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT WE ARE STILL TAKING IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ANIMALS.
WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY, YOU KNOW, RELIEF ON THAT.
WE'RE STILL SEEING THAT GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
[03:00:07]
BUT THAT'S KIND OF A QUICK UPDATE ON ANIMAL WELFARE MANAGEMENT.REAL GOOD COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOR TOM OR LES.
THANK YOU. ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST COUNCIL.
[7.G. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager]
NO, SIR. NO, SIR.I'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THE ADA COMPATIBILITY THE CITY HAS.
I'VE BEEN RECEIVING SOME EMAILS FROM PEOPLE THAT SAY SOUTHEAST PARK ISN'T HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE ARE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE, WHERE WE'RE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE, WHERE OUR DEFICIENCIES ARE, AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO FIX IT. REAL GOOD.
WE'LL WORK ON GETTING THAT ONE ON.
PROBABLY NOT THIS NEXT AGENDA, BUT MAYBE THE ONE AFTER.
OKAY, THAT TAKES US INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[8. Consent Items]
DO I HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED OFF FROM COUNCIL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO. AND MAYOR, JUST REAL QUICK POINT OF ORDER FOR YOU ALL.YES, MA'AM. WE HAD AN UPDATE TO THE MINUTES.
AND SO THERE IS A PRINTOUT OF MINUTES CORRECTED.
AND THIS WAS ON THE ITEM FOR THE RESOLUTION FOR AND OF COURSE I JUST WENT BLANK ON IT.
THAT WAS JUST REFLECTING THE CORRECT FOUR ONE VOTE.
I HAD ORIGINALLY SHOWED IT AS FIVE ZERO.
SO WHEN YOU APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY, IT'S FOR THOSE UPDATED MINUTES.
ANYTHING ELSE ON CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.
I'LL MOVE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IN ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA PASSES.
WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR NON CONSENT AGENDA.
[9.A. PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 8141 This item is a public hearing and first reading to consider an ordinance rezoning Lot 20, Block 3, Estancia Addition Unit No. 1, an addition to the City of Amarillo in Section 24, Block 9, BS&F Survey, Potter County Texas, plus one-half of all bounding streets, alleys, and public ways, to change from Office District 1 to General Retail District. (VICINITY: Estancia Dr. & RM 1061 (Boys Ranch Rd.); APPLICANT/S: OJD Engineering, LLC for Estancia Development, LLC)]
ITEM 9A.WE HAVE MR. KENDRICK COMING UP HERE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 8142.
THIS IS A REZONING OF LOT 20, BLOCK THREE, ESTANCIA ADDITION, UNIT NUMBER ONE, AND THIS IS IN THE VICINITY OF RM 1060, 1061 AND ESTANCIA DRIVE.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT THIS REQUEST DOES CONFORM WITH THE CITY PLANS, PLACE TYPES FOR THE TRACT, AND ALSO THE COMPLETE NEIGHBORHOOD SCENARIO, AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FELT THAT GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE TRACT ALONG A TXDOT HIGHWAY, THAT NONRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN THIS AREA, AND IT'S ALSO THE DEVELOPER'S INTENT THAT THIS WOULD BE KIND OF BECOME A CORE RETAIL AREA THAT WOULD SERVICE BOTH ESTANCIA AND THE WESTCLIFFE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY THERE.
SO THAT IS SOME OF THE ELEMENTS WE WERE LOOKING FOR IN CITY PLAN AS WELL.
SO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT IT COMPLIES WITH ALL THOSE ELEMENTS.
WE DID RECEIVE ONE CALL ON THIS REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC.
THAT WAS JUST A GENERAL INQUIRY.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK ON ITEM 9A.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM 9A.
SEEING NO ONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION FROM COUNCIL.
I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8141 AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM 9A WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES. ITEM 9B HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
[9.B. PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 8142 This item is a public hearing and first reading to consider an ordinance annexing into the City of Amarillo, on petition of property owner, territory generally described as 168.77 acres of unplatted land in Section 70, 71, 94, and 95, Block 2, AB&M Survey, Potter County, Texas. (APPLICANT/S: Highland Park Independent School District; VICINITY: E. Hastings Ave. and Loop 335/Lakeside Dr.)]
MR. KENDRICK, IF YOU'LL TAKE US ON THIS ONE.9B IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 8142.
THIS IS CONSIDER AN ANNEXATION OF A 168.77 ACRES OF UNPLATTED LAND INTO THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU ALL AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREED SERVICE PLAN.
AND THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ANNEXATION AND THAT SERVICE PLAN.
THE APPLICANTS OWN APPROXIMATELY 556 ACRES IN THIS AREA.
THE EVERYTHING BUT THAT 168 ACRES IS ALREADY IN THE CITY LIMITS.
[03:05:01]
AND THEY ARE PROPOSING TO THIS AREA TO DEVELOP WITH A SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION, A SCHOOL, AND ALSO SOME VARIOUS RETAIL AND NON RESIDENTIAL USES AS WELL.UPON FULL BUILD OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PROPERTY IS CONSIDERED SERVED BY WATER.
CURRENTLY IT IS NOT CONSIDERED SERVED BY SEWER.
HOWEVER, PER THE SERVICE PLAN, THE APPLICANT THE DEVELOPERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXTENDING THE SEWER TO THE SITE THEMSELVES AND ALSO WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION UPON ITS DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY WOULD ALSO EXTEND WATER MAINS WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION ITSELF UPON DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
SOME OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST OVER THE COURSE OF THE SERVICE PLAN.
REGARDING EMERGENCY SERVICES, HIS NOTED THAT THIS APPLICANT'S PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN A PORTION OF AMARILLO THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED ALREADY AS NEEDING A FUTURE FIRE STATION TO COVER THE GROWING INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN THIS AREA THAT IS BEING LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE EDC PROJECTS IN THAT AREA.
SO THIS AREA FALLS WITHIN THE KIND OF THAT SAME AREA THAT THIS AREA IS IDENTIFIED.
FIRE RESPONSE WILL BE PROVIDED BY EXISTING STATIONS IN THE AREA.
REGARDING POLICE SERVICES UPON FULL BUILD OUT OF THIS, WHICH IS ROUGHLY A DECADE OR SO PERIOD FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD OF THIS SIZE, THERE WOULD EVENTUALLY BE THE NEED FOR A THREE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN THIS AREA BASED ON THE PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH UPON FULL BUILD OUT.
REGARDING SOLID WASTE SERVICES, THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO PAY $288,296 OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR YEARS TO OFFSET THEIR PRORATED COST OF SOLID WASTE SERVICE FOR THIS AREA.
BOTH THE COST OF EQUIPMENT AND CONTAINERS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THEY HAVE AGREED TO THAT AS WELL.
AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE, LIKE WITH THE LAST ANNEXATION, WITH THIS BEING LOCATED IN POTTER COUNTY DUE TO THE POTTER COUNTY VOTERS PASSING A ASSISTANCE DISTRICT BACK IN 2018, WE WILL NOT COLLECT SALES TAX FROM THIS AREA AS THEY ARE ALREADY CLAIMING THE FULL SALES TAX ALLOWED BY STATE LAW.
SO JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THAT IS ALSO THE SAME CASE FOR THIS ANNEXATION AS WELL.
WE DID SEND PUBLIC NOTICES ON THIS ITEM AS REQUIRED AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS.
AND WITH THAT I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK? YES, SIR.
FROM WHAT YOU JUST STATED, THERE'S GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIAL COST TO THE CITY AT SOME POINT IN TIME WITH A FIRE STATION WITH THREE ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS.
HOW FAST DO WE SEE GETTING A RETURN BACK ON THIS? DO YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T PUT AN EXACT NUMBER IN TERMS OF THE YEARS ON THAT FOR YOU AT THIS STAGE? I KNOW LET ME GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE.
SO THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS ANNEXATION IN PARTICULAR, UNLIKE THE LAST ONE, THERE IS A GOOD PORTION.
SO, BUT REGARDING THE EXACT TIME FRAME ON THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, THOUGH, I DON'T HAVE THAT FIGURE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD FOR YOU, BUT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET ANY SALES TAX OFF THAT, CORRECT.
SO ANY KIND OF BUSINESS IN THE AREA THAT'S IN RED ON YOUR MAP, IN THAT BOUNDARY THAT'S CURRENTLY OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS, THAT'S THE AREA WHERE WE WOULD NOT COLLECT SALES TAX FROM EVERYTHING ELSE OUTSIDE.
THE RED IS ALREADY IN THE CITY LIMITS, SO WE WOULD COLLECT SALES TAXES FROM THOSE AREAS.
AND IN THAT CASE, A MAJORITY OF THE APPLICANTS NONRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS TYPICALLY YOUR BIG SALES TAX DRIVERS, THOSE ARE LOCATED IN THE PORTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE CITY LIMITS CURRENTLY.
WELL, THEN I GUESS ALSO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A PRETTY STEEP INCREASE.
I MEAN, WITH THIS IS RESIDENTIAL.
SO WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT GETTING MUCH TAXABLE VALUE OUT OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND THE FORTUNATE THING ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, WE WILL COLLECT THOSE IN THE ANNEXED AREA.
BRADY, YOU MAY KNOW THIS OR YOU MAY NOT, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A COUNTY THAT UTILIZES THAT 2% OR TWO CENT ASSISTANCE, DO THEY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH THAT? SO MEANING FIRE IS BEING PROVIDED THROUGH THAT $0.02.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHEN WE ANNEX IT, THEY STOP PROVIDING SERVICES.
[03:10:04]
BUT THE WAY THE STATE SET UP THAT LAW, THOUGH, THEY STILL GET TO KEEP THAT TO THAT SALES TAX REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICES OR NOT.OKAY. SO COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN GROWTH WOULD PAY FOR GROWTH, MEANING THE DEVELOPERS PUTTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE PUTTING THE NEW, LET'S SAY IT'S 500 CUSTOMERS.
YEAH, A LITTLE OVER 500 IS WHAT THEY'RE PROJECTING.
YEAH. SAY IT'S 550 CUSTOMERS INTO WATER SERVICE DRAINAGE TRASH PAYERS.
AND THEN YOU'RE, LOOKING AT YOUR PROPERTY TAX.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK? JUST ONE BRADY.
WHENEVER YOU GUYS ARE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS AND STUFF LIKE THIS, DO YOU GUYS EVER TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE THIS ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO CONVEY LAND FOR FUTURE FIRE STATIONS? YES. SO THAT ACTUALLY DID COME UP ON THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR.
I KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS STUDYING THIS PORTION OF AMARILLO IN PARTICULAR.
THEY SAID THAT A PORTION LAND WITHIN THIS AREA WOULD NOT BE BE LOCATED WITHIN WHERE THEY WERE TARGETING FOR A NEW FIRE STATION IN THIS PART OF AMARILLO SAID IT WOULD OR WOULD NOT. WOULD NOT.
OKAY, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING AT SOMETHING FURTHER SOUTH IS WHAT WOULD BE THE MORE IDEAL LOCATION.
BUT THAT ACTUALLY DID COME UP ON THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK? OKAY.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 9B? THANK YOU, MR. KENDRICK.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
HAVING NO ONE WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9B.
ITEM 8142 IS STATED ON THE AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES ON TO ITEM 9C, WE HAVE MR.
[9.C. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 07-09-24-1 This item considers a resolution adopting the 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) & HOME Investment Partnership Programs.]
RIDDLESPURGER COMING UP HERE TO TALK US THROUGH CDBG.NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH CBDCS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
LET ME GET MY LITTLE THING HERE.
SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ANNUAL PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE CDBG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AND HOME PROGRAMS. THESE ARE ANNUAL GRANTS THAT AMARILLO RECEIVES.
WE ARE AN ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE RECEIVE THESE FUNDS WITHOUT APPLYING.
WE THE GRANTS ARE FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, OUR NONPROFITS DECENT HOUSING WE DO PARK AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED $1,590,799 IN CDBG FUNDING AND $697,926 IN HOME FUNDING, FOR A TOTAL OF $2,288,725.
AND REMEMBER THAT THIS IS ALL FEDERAL GRANT MONEY.
THIS IS NO GENERAL FUNDS AT ALL.
SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'VE GOT AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS HERE.
JANET VAN ALSTINE SHE'S OUR CHAIR.
TOMMIE KNOX IS OUR VICE CHAIR.
THERE HE IS. MEG DEJONG IS NOT HERE.
MARA KINOFF AND MAYA MARRUJO ARE NOT HERE, BUT KAT MASSEY IS HERE AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR US ON THIS CDAC COMMITTEE, THEY'RE JUST FANTASTIC COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THEY'RE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY TO REPRESENT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY AND DO SOME REALLY GREAT WORK FOR THEM.
AND I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS.
SAM HERNANDEZ AND SAIDA GONZALEZ.
PLEASE STAND UP. THESE LADIES WORK SO HARD EVERY EVERY DAY.
THEY WORK SO HARD. AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE THIS RUN SMOOTH.
SO THE CDAC IS SEVEN REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THEY REVIEW AND SCORE ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICE APPLICATIONS.
SO PUBLIC SERVICES ARE NON-PROFITS THAT ARE APPLYING FOR SOME OF THE FUNDING.
WE CAN ONLY GIVE A CAPPED AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICES.
[03:15:03]
I WISH WE COULD GIVE MORE BECAUSE THEN WE COULD GET MORE OUT TO OUR NON-PROFITS, BUT WE ARE CAPPED WITH THAT.AND THEN THEY ALSO RECOMMEND THE FUNDING, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY.
SO I'M GOING TO JUST GO OVER A FEW OF THESE.
THIS IS OUR ALLOCATIONS THAT THE CDAC HAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICES.
GUYON SAUNDERS, THE GSRC 37,000.
MAVERICK BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB 20,000.
AND AMARILLO CHILDREN'S HOME IS A NEW NONPROFIT THAT WE'RE FUNDING THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE $15,393 AND COMING HOME.
$119,309.92 THAT IS ANNUAL THAT WE DO FOR COMING HOME.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE UP THERE ARE THEY'VE RECEIVED FUNDING BEFORE.
SO THESE ARE GREAT NONPROFITS.
THEY DO GREAT WITH REPORTING AND DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED THEM TO DO.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW OTHER THINGS BESIDES THE PUBLIC SERVICES THAT ARE REALLY COOL.
OUR CARE PROGRAM, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THAT.
BASICALLY, IT'S CRITICAL REPAIRS FOR FOLKS THAT OWN THEIR OWN HOMES AND THEY JUST CAN'T AFFORD THESE, YOU KNOW, REPAIRS THAT THEY REALLY NEED TO GET FIXED AIR CONDITIONING, HEATER, SOME ROOF THINGS, PLUMBING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT PROGRAM.
WE'RE PUTTING SOME OF THE FUNDING TOWARDS NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS AND SOME SIDEWALK PROJECTS.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS OUR ONLY CHDO.
THAT'S THE COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.
THEY GET OUR FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THAT EVERY YEAR.
WE GIVE THEM THE THE FULL AMOUNT, WHICH THIS YEAR IS $104,688.90.
WE JUST NEED THEM TO BUILD MORE.
WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT'S OUR HIGHEST FUNDED AMOUNT $488,000.
THIS HAS BEEN REALLY POPULAR AND IS REALLY HELPING US WITH OUR COMING HOME PROGRAM TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS INTO HOMES AND THEN GET THEM STARTED ON A BETTER PATH. SO THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY, REALLY GOOD PROGRAM.
SO WE HAD OUR WE POSTED OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND WE DID THAT ON MAY 23RD WITH THE CDAC.
WE'VE HAD OUR 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FROM MAY 31ST TO JUNE 30TH.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS, AND NOW I PUT IT BEFORE YOU FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. RIDDLESPURGER? THANK YOU SIR.
WE WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 9C ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.
I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 79-24-1.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
[9.D. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE AND STATEMENT OF THE AMARILLO CITY SANCTUARY CITY FOR THE UNBORN CITIZEN INITIATIVE PETITION COMMITTEE]
ITEM 9D SHOULD HAVE MRS. COGGINS COMING UP HERE TO WALK US THROUGH WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ON THE CITIZENS PETITION.THIS FIRST SCREEN HERE JUST KIND OF GIVES SOME BACKGROUND, AND I KNOW THE CONVERSATION HAS STARTED LONG BEFORE THE PETITION PROCESS DID, BUT IN DECEMBER, WE RECEIVED THE INTENT FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT THEY WANTED TO GO COLLECT SIGNATURES.
IN APRIL, THEY BROUGHT THOSE SIGNATURES BACK TO US WITH A LITTLE OVER 10,000 SIGNATURES.
AND IN MAY WE WERE ABLE TO VALIDATE THAT NUMBER OF SIGNATURES EXISTED.
SO ON MAY 28TH, WE PRESENTED THE PETITION TO YOU.
AND ON JUNE 11TH, YOU ALL TOOK ACTION TO REJECT THAT PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
SO ON JUNE 29TH, WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM STEVE AUSTIN, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THIS IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND IN THAT EMAIL, THERE IS A CERTIFICATE STATING THE COMMITTEE'S INTENT FOR THIS, THEIR DESIRE FOR IT TO GO TO THE BALLOT AND BE VOTED ON BY OUR CITIZENS. SO THE STEP WE'RE ON TODAY IS I AM PRESENTING THIS CERTIFICATE TO YOU WITH THEIR DESIRE TO DO SO.
WE'LL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION IN THERE.
AS A REMINDER, WE WORK WITH OUR COUNTIES.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO CONTRACT WITH THEM, SO WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION FROM THEM.
[03:20:02]
WITH BRYAN'S HELP, WE'LL GET ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELECTION INTO THAT RESOLUTION, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA AT THE NEXT MEETING.THIS IS JUST A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF WHAT COUNCIL HAS.
AND THIS WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PACKET.
SO IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR OUR CITIZENS IF THEY WISH TO SEE IT.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO COVER WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT TODAY IS THE POSSIBLE BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR THIS.
THERE ARE A COUPLE SOURCES THAT DETERMINE HOW WE CAN DO OUR BALLOT LANGUAGE.
THE FIRST ONE IS TEXAS ELECTION CODE.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE THERE, EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW, THE AUTHORITY ORDERING THE ELECTION SHALL PRESCRIBE THE WORDING OF A PROPOSITION THAT IS APPEAR TO APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. SO YOU, AS CITY COUNCIL, IS THE AUTHORITY Y'ALL GET TO DETERMINE THAT LANGUAGE.
SO IT'S GOT TO BE A SINGLE STATEMENT.
AND THEN OUR CITY CHARTER AND THIS IS PARAGRAPH K FROM ARTICLE TWO, SECTION 23 THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING UNDER FOR INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM, SAYS THE FORM OF BALLOT FOR USE IN AN ELECTION HELD FOR THE ADOPTION OF ANY INITIATED ORDINANCE SHALL STATE THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE AND CONTAIN A SUCCINCT STATEMENT OF ITS NATURE AND PURPOSE, AND BELOW SUCH STATEMENT, ON SEPARATE LINES THERE SHALL BE PRINTED THE WORDS FOR OR AGAINST.
SO THIS JUST GIVES YOU THE TWO SOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO SET OUR BALLOT LANGUAGE UNDER.
THIS NEXT SCREEN RIGHT HERE IS SOME PROPOSED BALLOT LANGUAGE.
AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE BALLOT LANGUAGE THEY HAD.
AND THEN IT JUST LAYS OUT THE CAPTION THAT IT'S AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT ORDINANCE THAT'S PROPOSED.
SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS OR ANY COMMENTS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS COUNCIL FOR MRS. COGGINS, THERE'S A DEADLINE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE CALL FOR THE ELECTION.
WE HAVE TO ORDER IT BY AUGUST 19TH.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COUNCIL? IS THIS GOING TO BE THE ACTUAL WORDING HERE? IF Y'ALL ARE GOOD WITH IT, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET IT TOO LENGTHY.
WE WANT TO KEEP IT SUCCINCT AND A SINGLE STATEMENT.
AND IF WE DON'T, THEN YOU RISK IT POSSIBLY BEING CHALLENGED.
OKAY, SO THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH IT AND I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD HANDLE ON ANY GROUNDS OR NOT, BUT AS WE WERE TOLD WHEN THEY PRESENTED THIS TO US, THE MEAT OF THE ORDINANCE WAS THE TRAVEL BAN.
THAT'S WHAT THE MEAT OF IT WAS.
AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE STATING WHAT THEY'RE CLAIMING THE MEAT OF THEIR ORDINANCE IS BECAUSE WE DID TRY TO NEGOTIATE THAT OUT, AND THAT WAS A NO GO FOR THEM.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD NEED TO BE IN THE ORDINANCE IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT TO ME, THAT RAISES A BIG QUESTION BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONE ISSUE THAT WAS REALLY BROUGHT FORTH THAT THAT WAS THE MAIN THING THEY WANTED WAS THE TRAVEL BAN.
AND THE MAYOR OFFERED SEVERAL CONCESSIONS.
WHAT SESSIONS? THANK YOU. HE OFFERED SEVERAL WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THIS, AND WE WERE BASICALLY TOLD NO.
THE MAIN MEAT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS THE TRAVEL BAN.
SO IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, I THINK THAT WORDING NEEDS TO BE IN THERE, AS I MEAN, IF WE TAKE MARK DIXON'S SIX POINTS AND PUT IT IN, I MEAN, HE'S PRETTY WELL LAID IT OUT OF WHAT HE'S AFTER.
AND I THINK HIS SIX POINTS BRING IT TO.
SO LET'S GO BACK HERE REAL QUICK.
MISS COGGINS, CAN YOU FLIP BACK TO THE PREVIOUS A SUCCINCT STATEMENT? NATURE AND PURPOSE ARE THE WORDS THAT COME OUT THERE.
SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING, COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN IS YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS A NEED TO PRESENT AND INFORM THE PUBLIC THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF IT BY STATING WHAT IT DOES.
[03:25:04]
SO I THINK IN A PARAGRAPH OR IN A SENTENCE FORMAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE A CALLING TO APPEAL TO THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF IT BY DESCRIBING THAT GO TO THE ONE PREVIOUS, IF YOU WOULD PRESCRIBE THE WORDING.SO SO WE ARE A PRESCRIPTION OF SENSE HERE NEEDS TO BE A DECLARATORY STATEMENT THAT SHOWS THE PRESCRIPTION OF WHAT THIS WOULD DO. AND THEN NATURE AND PURPOSE IS GOING TO GIVE THE NATURE OF IT AND THE PURPOSE OF IT.
IF YOU GO ONE MORE, WE'LL GO TWO MORE FORWARD.
WE WOULD ASK OUR ATTORNEY TO TELL US, HEY, WHAT IS A SUCCINCT STATEMENT THAT THAT GIVES KIND OF THE PRESCRIPTION AND GIVES THE NATURE AND PURPOSE BASED ON WHAT THIS 18 PAGE ORDINANCE DOES? WE COULD GET THAT PUT TOGETHER.
EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL CAN VISIT, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO DO.
COUNCIL NEEDS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY CAN VOTE ACCURATELY.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A ROLE IN IT.
I THINK THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, TAKES IT FROM THERE.
BUT IN THAT BALLOT LANGUAGE, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU, COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN THAT YOU'RE WANTING US TO WORK TOWARDS? YES, SIR. I JUST THINK BY PUTTING IN HERE AN ORDINANCE DECLARING AMARILLO SANCTUARY CITY FOR THE UNBORN IS SELLING THE WHOLE THING FROM 18 PAGES TO ONE SENTENCE.
IT'S NOT BEING TOLD EXACTLY TO THESE CITIZENS WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY VOTING FOR.
AND TO ME, THAT IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT THE CITIZENS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON. WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT, COUNCILMAN.
AND SO WE CAN WE CAN MOVE THIS, THAT DIRECTION THROUGH STAFF AND ENGAGE WITH MR. HYDE AND LET HIM PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND THEN BRING IT BACK.
OKAY. NOW, COUNCILMAN CRAFT HAD SAID, WHAT IS THE DEADLINE? DID YOU SAY AUGUST 17TH? AUGUST 19TH 19TH IS THE DEADLINE.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TWO MORE COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT WE COULD WE COULD PUT THIS FORWARD.
WE WOULD FORMALLY CALL THE ELECTION JULY 23RD OR AUGUST 13TH.
OKAY. SO WE'VE GOT APPROVED IN ONE READING.
OR DOES IT HAVE IT'LL BE A RESOLUTION.
YOU'RE JUST SO WE'RE TRANSPARENT YOUR CHARTER ELECTION.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION ON IT.
WELL, FOR CLARIFICATION, THE [INAUDIBLE] TRAVEL BAN DO NOT APPEAR ANYWHERE IN THAT ORDINANCE.
SO I GUESS WE CAN TALK TO THE ATTORNEY AND SEE.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
100%, BUT THAT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT DOES NOT STATE THAT IT.
SO BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT STEVE AUSTIN SAID UP HERE.
YEAH. AND HE WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INITIATING COMMITTEE.
BUT IT'S WHAT STATED IN THE ORDINANCE IS WHAT MATTERS.
I HEAR YOU, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT'S STATED.
SO COUNCILMAN TIPPS YOU YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER AS WELL AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND I THINK THAT WE TRY TO WORK TOGETHER ON IT TO PUT THE BALLOT LANGUAGE DOWN TO WHERE IT SAYS WHAT IT SAYS MEANS WHAT IT SAYS DOESN'T GET CAUGHT UP IN MAYBE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD PRIOR TO.
BUT LEGAL ATTORNEY YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO NEED WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS FORWARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON THEM TO TELL US WHAT IS A SUCCINCT STATEMENT AND WHAT DOES DECLARE A NATURE OR PURPOSE, AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU COUNCIL WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS TODAY, BUT IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED. AND THEN I WOULD ASK IF COUNCIL HAS ANYTHING FURTHER COMMENT, REMARK OR QUESTION FOR MRS. COGGINS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU STEPHANIE.
YOU'RE GOOD DOWN THERE. I'M GOOD.
OKAY. WELL SINCE ITEM 9D HAS NO FORMAL ACTION I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I MOVE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
YOU'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.