[00:00:03]
>> TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO OUR FINAL MEETING WITHIN OUR OLD CHAMBER HERE.
[1. Call to Order]
OUR NEXT MEETING, FEBRUARY 25TH, WILL BE OVER AT THE NEW CITY HALL BUILDING.WE'LL GET TO DO AN OPEN HOUSE, A RIBBON CUTTING, AND INVITE ALL YOU GUYS OVER TO TRULY A WONDERFUL BUILDING, STATE OF THE ART.
EVERYBODY WHO'S HAD A HAND IN THAT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
TODAY, THOUGH, WE WILL CONDUCT OUR FINAL BUSINESS MEETING HERE.
I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN YOUR MEETING.
IF YOU WOULD, WE'RE GOING TO CALL OURSELVES TO ORDER OFFICIALLY.
I WOULD ASK EVERYBODY TO RISE.
[2. Invocation ]
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WILL ESLER COME IN AND GIVE OUR INVOCATION, AND THEN WE'LL DO BOTH PLEDGES.RIGHT IN THAT MICROPHONE, PLEASE, WILL.
>> THIS IS A VARIATION OF A PRAYER THAT CHAPLAIN PETER MARSHALL PRAYED BEFORE THE US SENATE IN 1947.
WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME. HEAVENLY FATHER, EVERY BREATH IS A GIFT, AND EVERY DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUT THAT GREAT COMMANDMENT, TO LOVE YOU AND TO LOVE OTHERS.
SAVE THIS MOMENT, OH LORD, FROM BEING MERELY A GESTURE TO CUSTOM OR CONVENTION, AND MAKE IT A REAL EXPERIENCE FOR EACH ONE OF US IN THIS PLACE, AS WE CALL UPON YOU FOR GUIDANCE AND FOR HELP.
WE HAVE FELT YOU NEAR AND BESIDE US.
MAKE US NOW TO FEEL YOUR NEARNESS IN THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY, THE UNSEEN DELEGATE, PRESENT AND VOTING.
WORK THROUGH THESE LEADERS WE PRAY, OH JESUS, THAT WHAT THEY SAY AND WHAT THEY DO MAY BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WILL FOR THIS CITY THAT WE LOVE SO MUCH.
AS ONE CHAPTER CLOSES AND A NEW SOON BEGINS IN A RENEWED BUILDING, REMIND US THAT YOU, OH GOD, ARE WRITING A LARGER STORY OF REDEMPTION AND RENEWAL.
YOU HAVE SAID IT'S MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.
GIVE US THE GRACE TODAY TO THINK NOT OF WHAT WE CAN GET, BUT OF WHAT WE CAN GIVE.
THAT A NEW SPIRIT MAY COME INTO OUR WORK HERE WITH A NEW VISION AND A NEW PURPOSE THAT YOU WILL DELIGHT TO BLESS.
WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR OWN NAME AND FOR YOUR SAKE. AMEN.
IF YOU'LL JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
GUYS, WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THERE.
>> WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO READ HERE FIRST,
[5. Proclamations]
SO WE'RE GOING TO COME DOWN THERE AND READ THE PROCLAMATION.ANYONE THAT I HAVE HERE FOR ENGINEERS WEEK THAT'S ACCEPTING THIS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
[BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] ARE YOU ENGINEERS IN PLACES YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE?
>> I'M GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ARE DEDICATED TO APPLYING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, MATHEMATICS, AND INNOVATION TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR TECHNICAL, SOCIETAL, AND COMMERCIAL CHALLENGES [INAUDIBLE] HIGHEST COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS IN THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY HAVE MADE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS AT BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL, SHAPING INFRASTRUCTURE, ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY, AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
WHEREAS THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF AMARILLO'S ECONOMY ARE MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE INGENUITY, DEDICATION, AND LEADERSHIP OF ITS LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, WHOSE WORK IS INTEGRAL TO THE STRENGTH AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS THE TEXAS SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS HAS DESIGNATED THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 16 THROUGH TO THE 22, 2025, AS ENGINEERS WEEK TO HONOR THE COMMITMENT AND EXCELLENCE OF ENGINEERS ACROSS ALL 50 STATES AND US TERRITORIES.
[00:05:02]
THEREFORE, WE, MAYOR, AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 16 THROUGH THE 22, 2025, AS ENGINEERS WEEK, AND THE CITY OF AMARILLO ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR ENGINEERS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.[APPLAUSE] APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.
[BACKGROUND] PETE, YOU WANT TO SPEAK?
>> YES, SIR. I JUST HAVE A FEW NOTES SO I DON'T FORGET SOME OF THE DETAILS.
I GET TO STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR SOCIETY AND THE LOCAL CHAPTER.
ANYTHING NORTH OF PLAINVIEW AND WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE IS PART OF OUR CHAPTER AS THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY FOR ENGINEERS.
WE COME TO YOU AS LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS.
ENGINEERS TRAINED, NOT NECESSARILY SAYING ENGINEERS IN TRAINING SPECIFICALLY ARE THESE PEOPLE OVER HERE, BUT WE COME FROM ALL FORMS THROUGH THE PATH TO BECOMING AN ENGINEER.
WE'RE WELL EDUCATED AND HAVE A CODE THAT WE FOLLOW.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE ARE HERE BECAUSE 88 YEARS AGO ON MARCH 18TH, ON A DAY THAT WAS RELATIVELY COOL LIKE THIS, EVERYTHING WAS GOING ON AS NORMAL.
LIFE WAS PROCEEDING AS USUAL, BUT A SERIES OF CHOICES IN THE DESIGN, THE CONSTRUCTION, AND THE CHOICE FOR THE HEATING SYSTEM AT THE SCHOOL CULMINATED AT 3:17, LEADING TO A SUDDEN IMMEDIATE EXPLOSION OF THE MAIN SCHOOL BUILDING, AND THE IMMEDIATE COLLAPSE, LEADING TO THE DEATH OF 300 INDIVIDUALS, PRIMARILY CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 17.
IT WAS THEN IN 1938 ON JANUARY 1 THAT THE ENGINEERING PRACTICE ACT WAS PASSED TO CLARIFY THE RESPONSIBILITY IN THE DESIGN OF SUCH STRUCTURES AND SUCH PUBLIC WORKS, TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PROFESSION, AND THE OVERALL HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELL BEING OF THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S WHAT OUR CODE IS, THAT WE COME TO YOU EVERY DAY, WE TRY TO BUILD TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC, AND THIS PROCLAMATION SHOWS THAT THROUGH PROJECTS LIKE THE POWER GRID THAT ENGINEERS HAVE CONSTRUCTED AND MAINTAINED EVERY SINGLE DAY, THE [INAUDIBLE] WATER PLANTS AND PIPELINES THAT PROVIDE WATER TO HALF A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, AS WELL AS NOT JUST OUR NECESSITIES FOR MODERN LIFE, LIKE ELECTRICITY AND WATER, BUT AS WELL AS UNIFICATION PROJECTS THAT WE CAN SEE UNFOLD THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
WE COME TO YOU AS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, WE BUILD TRUST EVERY DAY, AND WE THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE TO TAKE A PHOTO.
[BACKGROUND] YOU ALL SQUEEZE JUST AS TIGHT AS YOU CAN. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR LETTING US DO THAT HERE TODAY.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR ENGINEERS, ENGINEER, COMMUNITY THAT SHOWED UP FOR THAT RECOGNITION.
ITEM NUMBER 6 IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[6. Announcements]
MS. CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU, OR THE DEPUTY, HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY?>> THE ONLY ANNOUNCEMENT WE HAVE, MAYOR, IS JUST TO REMIND OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WILL HAVE OUR GRAND OPENING OF OUR NEW CITY HALL ON FEBRUARY 25TH, AND SO WE WILL HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING AT 10:00 A.M, AND TOURS UP UNTIL 1:00 P.M, AND THEN OUR FIRST MEETING IN THE NEW CHAMBER AT 3:00 P.M THAT DAY.
[00:10:04]
>> REALLY GOOD. WE WILL MOVE OUT OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INTO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[7. Public Comment]
BACK OVER TO YOU, MS. CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU READ US INTO THAT AND BRING UP OUR FIRST SPEAKER.>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM TODAY.
AT EACH POSTED MEETING, WE INVITE OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL REGARDING POSTED AGENDA ITEMS, OR TOPICS RELATED TO CITY BUSINESS.
EVERY SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
AT THE END OF TWO-AND-A-HALF MINUTES YOU'LL HEAR A WARNING BEEP, LETTING YOU KNOW YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS.
WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.
IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT PUBLIC HEARING, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU SPEAK EITHER DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, OR DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT NOT BOTH, IN ORDER TO HELP US KEEP ACCURATE RECORDS OF THE MEETING.
YOUR CHOICE AT WHICH TIME YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE TODAY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN AMARILLO CITY LIMITS, AND THEN YOU MAY BEGIN ADDRESSING COUNCIL.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP.
FIRST IS MISTY COLLIER, AND ON DECK AFTER MISTY, WILL BE CASSIE GREEN.
I'M A TAXPAYER IN POTTER COUNTY, AND I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PASS 10(D).
IT IS AN ORDINANCE TO SAVE OUR DATA PRIVACY RIGHTS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS CASSIE GREEN, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF AMARILLO.
I HAVE HERE AN ORDINANCE TO PROTECT OUR INHERENT HUMAN RIGHTS AND PRIVACY FOR THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO CONCERNING TECHNOLOGY.
CAN I PROVIDE THIS FOR YOU GUYS? MAYOR COLE?
>> YES. DO YOU HAVE SEVERAL COPIES?
>> BRING THEM ON UP. WE'LL GIVE YOU THE TIME BACK IT TAKES TO DO IT. I'LL TAKE THEM.
>> WE HAVE A TEAM THAT HAS CONSTRUCTED THIS ORDINANCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WANT ME TO READ OVER IT.
BUT WHAT WE BELIEVE THIS DOES IS HELPS SAFEGUARD CONCERNING CONVERSATIONAL CITIES, AND THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE'RE FAST EMBRACING.
THIS WILL HELP US, I FEEL, SAFEGUARD US, AND PROTECT OUR RIGHTS.
WE WOULD LIKE WHENEVER YOU GUYS DO CHOOSE AN ORDINANCE, TO CONSIDER THIS ONE.
>> MS. CASSIE, I APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT ITEM IS 8(E), SO AS A STATEMENT OF FACT HERE WITH YOU, WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED TODAY.
RICH IS NOT HERE WITH US TODAY.
THEY HAVE AN ILLNESS, AND SO WE'LL PUSH THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT WHAT WE WILL DO, NOW WE'RE ALL IN POSSESSION OF THIS, WE'LL READ THROUGH IT.
CAN YOU TELL US, IS THIS YOUR ORDINANCE, OR WAS THIS ONE RICH WAS WORKING ON AND YOU REDLINED IT?
>> THIS IS OUR ORDINANCE, AND WE HAVE PROVIDED IT FOR HIM.
HE'S HAD IT TO LOOK AT IF HE WANTED TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE THOUGHTS AND IDEAS FROM OURS INTO HIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY OUR VERSION OF WHAT WE FEEL WOULD PROTECT OUR RIGHTS.
>> GREAT. WE WILL READ THIS AND THEN ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION WITH MR. GAGNON BEFORE NEXT MEETING, AND I APOLOGIZE WE HAD TO PULL IT TODAY.
WE'VE GOT A FEW OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE BEING PULLED TODAY AS WELL DUE TO ILLNESS.
>> MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES EVERYONE THAT SIGNED UP TODAY.
>> DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, SIR. MR. FISHER, IF YOU COME FORWARD.
[00:15:04]
>> MY NAME IS MIKE FISHER, BY THE WAY.
BUT BEFORE I START 8G, I MAY WANT TO DISCUSS IT OR I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING WHAT IT MIGHT BE ABOUT IS THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO MENTION HERE IS I STILL DON'T HAVE MY ADC DATA.
I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS BEFORE ELON MUSK STARTED PRYING AROUND.
IT'S RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT HE'S DOING.
I FIGURED OUT TWO THEMES OF THINGS THAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I COME HERE.
LIKE LAST WEEK, I'M TRYING TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES AND IT'S LIKE THAT OLD ESPN THING WHERE THEY GO, COME ON MAN, AND YOU LOOK AT ME AND I LOOK AT YOU AND YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
OR IT'S, WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? THIS WEEK IS COMING, WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? LAST COUNCIL MEETING, LES SIMPSON, YOU SEEMED TO BE VERY ASTUTE WITH TRYING TO SAVE OUR COUNCIL MONEY, SAVE OUR CITY MONEY, AND BE RESPONSIBLE.
YOU'VE HAD ME CONFUSED THIS WHOLE TWO YEARS, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE REAL LES SIMPSON STOOD UP AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
IT'S THE LES SIMPSON THAT HEADED THE LGC THAT BUILT ALL THIS STUFF AROUND HERE THAT'S FAILED.
YOU WANT TO SAVE 250,000 FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL, BUT YOU WERE ON THE LGC WHEN WE BUILT A $25 MILLION PARKING GARAGE ACROSS THE STREET.
YOU WERE ON THE COUNCIL, YOU WERE ON THE LGC WHEN WE BUILT IT, AND THEN YOU'RE ON THIS COUNCIL WHEN WE SOLD IT.
COST FIVE MILLION AND YOU VOTED TO SELL IT FOR 1.9, I BELIEVE YOU VOTED ON THAT.
WE TOOK A $3 MILLION LOSS, AND YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
THEN I START WONDERING, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? WHY IS LES SO ADAMANT ABOUT THIS? YOU ARE VISIBLY PRETTY PISSED OFF.
I STARTED LOOKING. YOUR HOUSE, THE HOUSE YOU LIVE IN RIGHT NOW WAS OWNED BY A COMPANY CONTROLLED BY ALAN RHODES OF THE UNDERWOOD LAW FIRM.
THE LAW FIRM THAT YOU ALWAYS RECOMMEND.
THE ONE THAT YOU ALWAYS SAID, LET'S GO TALK TO THOSE GUYS.
THE LAW FIRM THAT PROBABLY BRIAN MCWILLIAMS, THAT'S WHERE HIS REAL BOSSES ARE.
THEN WE START DIGGING EVEN MORE.
WE LOOKED AND WE FOUND WHERE THE SAME COMPANY CONTROLLED BY ALAN RHODES, YOU GUYS HAVE A DIAGRAM OF IT AND A TIMELINE, AND YOU HAVE ALL THE PRAD DOCUMENTS THAT PROVE ALL THIS WAS TIED TO FREEMAN, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
WE HAVE ANDREW FREEMAN, THE SAME HOUSE THAT HE OWNED AT ONE POINT, WAS OWNED BY A REALTOR THAT'S WELL-CONNECTED.
BUT BEFORE HE OWNED IT, IT WAS OWNED BY THE SAME COMPANY OWNED BY ALAN RHODES.
THIS IS BETTER THAN OPRAH. WHO GETS A HOUSE? WHO ELSE GOT A HOUSE? DID ANYBODY ELSE GET A HOUSE IN HERE? [NOISE] I'LL CLOSE, I'LL WRAP IT UP, THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ALL THE INFORMATION HERE, THE CITY PEOPLE THAT KNOW ALL THE INFORMATION HERE, WHEN YOU WATCH AND YOU SEE PEOPLE GO TO JAIL, IT'S ALWAYS THE GUYS THAT ARE PUSHING THE PAPERWORK.
IF YOU GUYS KNOW SOMETHING, COME FORWARD.
I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S WORKING ON THIS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME FORWARD NOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO END UP GOING TO JAIL AND THESE LAWYERS, THEY'RE GOING TO WATCH YOU GO TO JAIL AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO WORK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. FISHER. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY WHO'D LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? WE WON'T LEAVE THAT HANGING OUT THERE TOO LONG.
APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND SPEAKING TODAY.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD INTO ITEM 8.
[8.A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments]
ITEM 8A, DO I HAVE ANYTHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PULL OFF FOR THE AGENDA FOR FURTHER REVIEW BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS? LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ALL GOOD.[NOISE] WE HAVE NOTICED THE PUBLIC FOR ITEM 8B.
[8.B. Amarillo Economic Development Corporation Presentation and Update from Board Chairperson]
AEDC CORPORATION OR AEDC PRESENTATION AND UPDATE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON.ALEX HAS BEEN WORKING ON SEVERAL THINGS OVER THERE.
[00:20:01]
WE WERE OBVIOUSLY READY FOR THIS TODAY AND THIS BOARD WAS EAGERLY AWAITING THIS BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART IN EDUCATING OUR PUBLIC AND ALSO TAKING THOSE NEXT CRITICAL STEPS.WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
EVERYTHING FROM PLACING THE PERMANENT BOARD TO GOING OUT AND GETTING A SEARCH COMPANY, A CONSULTING FIRM THAT COULD HELP US LOOK FOR A NEW DIRECTOR.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TURNOVER AND A LOT OF CHANGE THERE.
I WANTED TO HAVE THIS TODAY, BUT MR. FAIRLY IS SICK WITH I THINK THE FLU, AND SO HE WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, WE COULD WAIT UNTIL THE 25TH, THE FEBRUARY, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE A FULL DAY OF RIBBON CUTTING AND OPEN HOUSE AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON YOUR AGENDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS AND SEES IT THE SAME WAY I DO.
I HATE TO LET IT SIT AND LINGER FOR THE PUBLIC.
I KNOW THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG HE MIGHT BE UNAVAILABLE, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THIS WEEK.
WOULD COUNCIL ENTERTAIN A SPECIAL MEETING, PERHAPS NEXT WEEK? AND WHAT DOES YOUR AVAILABILITY LOOK LIKE? ANY OF YOU GUYS? COUNCILMAN CRAFT, WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE?
>> I CAN DO MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY.
TUESDAY 18TH, WE HAVE AEDC MEETING AT 9:00.
>> OKAY. WELL, IT MIGHT BE GOOD IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT AFTER THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU GUYS WILL BE ABLE TO GET YOUR MEETING.
I WOULD LOVE THAT TEMPORARY BOARD TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS.
DO YOU GUYS AS A TEMPORARY BODY WANT TO LOOK AND SEARCH FOR THE DIRECTOR? DO YOU GUYS FEEL THE NEED TO HAVE A PERMANENT BOARD PLACE? DO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT THAT ONE AS OUR NEXT STEP? DO WE ALSO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK TO DO THERE WITHIN THAT BODY? TUESDAY AT 9:00 AM, WHAT DO YOU HAVE COUNCILMAN TIPPS?
OTHER THAN THAT, I'M PRETTY OPEN ON THAT TUESDAY OR AS CRAFT SAID.
>> COUNCIL CHERLY, YOU'RE GOOD? OKAY. YES, SIR.
>> [NOISE] I WOULD BE GOOD THAT TIME ANYTIME UNTIL ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK.
BUT ANYTIME BETWEEN 10:00 AM AND 3:00 PM, I WOULD BE GOOD THAT DAY.
>> OKAY. TO GIVE OURSELVES A FALLBACK HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE THE BOARD, MR. FAIRLY, DEPOK, AND A FEW OTHERS WOULD BE AVAILABLE OR NOT.
WHAT WOULD BE AN ALTERNATE DAY LATER IN THE WEEK FOR THE REST OF COUNCIL? ARE WE OPEN ON THAT FRIDAY IF WE NEED IT? SHOOT FOR TUESDAY AND THEN FALL BACK TO FRIDAY IF WE NEEDED SOME MORE TIME PERHAPS WITH AN ILLNESS?
>> I'D BE GOOD FRIDAY ANYTIME OTHER THAN BETWEEN 11 AND NOON.
>> GREAT. CRAFT, FRIDAY IS OPEN?
>> YES, SIR. ANYTIME BEFORE 3:00.
>> BEFORE 3:00. DEPUTY FREEMAN, I KNOW YOU AND I VISITED EARLIER TODAY.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY TIME TO RESEARCH A POSSIBLE VENUE? THIS WON'T BE AVAILABLE.
WE DON'T THINK AFTER TODAY, I THINK WE'RE TAKING NEXT STEPS.
>> WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS, MOST LIKELY AT THE CIVIC CENTER THAT WE CAN FINALIZE.
>> OKAY. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SPECIAL WORKING SESSION BETWEEN BOTH BOARDS.
I THINK THE GOAL WOULD BE TO RECEIVE THE PRESENTATION.
THEN BASED ON THAT PRESENTATION, WE MAY HAVE SOME NEXT STEPS, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO WANTING TO HEAR FROM THAT BOARD.
WHEN WILL YOU BE READY, YOU THINK, FOR EITHER A SEARCH FOR A NEW DIRECTOR OR TRYING TO GET THE PERMANENT BOARD PLACE NEXT? THOSE NEXT STEPS.
MY FORMER COUNCILMAN SMITH, I KNOW YOU AND I VISITED EARLIER TODAY, AM I COVERING EVERYTHING OR WOULD YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD WITH SOME OF YOUR URGENCIES?
>> ONE THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS I SEE A NEED TO GET A SEARCH FIRM TO HELP US.
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SEARCH FIRMS THAT CONCENTRATE ON EDCS.
I'D LIKE TO GET A LIST OF THOSE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AT FUTURE.
[00:25:04]
[NOISE] DON'T WANT TO HOLD THAT UP TOO MUCH. THAT'S IT.>> WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I CAN SEE WE'VE GOT MOST OF OUR BOARD HERE PRESENT, SO WE WILL NEED TO GET MR. FAIRLY'S SCHEDULE, BUT DEPOK AND HOWARD, ARE EITHER OF YOU GUYS AVAILABLE OR NOT AVAILABLE NEXT TUESDAY OR FRIDAY?
>> YOU'RE AVAILABLE. GREAT. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS AND THE AVAILABILITY ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT THIS.
I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH MR. FAIRLY AFTER THE MEETING AND I'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE THIS WORK SESSION.
WE'LL COME UP WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE FEEL LIKE BOTH BOARDS COULD POTENTIALLY BENEFIT FROM IN A MEETING.
RELAY THAT OVER TO YOU AND LET YOU FIND THE VENUE.
>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME? [OVERLAPPING]
IF THEY'RE MEETING TUESDAY AT 9:00, I THINK WE COULD MEET EITHER AS EARLY AS 11:00 IF THAT DOESN'T PUSH THEIR AGENDA.
I'D NEED TO LOOK AT IT OR MAYBE RIGHT AFTER LUNCH, ONE O'CLOCK ON TUESDAY.
IF WE GO TO FRIDAY, I WOULD SHOOT FOR FRIDAY, MIDMORNING, TEN O'CLOCK, NINE O'CLOCK, MAYBE KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE OBLIGATED AROUND 3:00.
IF YOU COULD CHECK THOSE AVAILABILITIES WOULD BE GREAT.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE COME HERE FOR THIS MEETING, AND I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT PRESENTATION FOR YOU TODAY.
BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY AND WE'LL GET IT OUT THERE FOR YOU JUST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THEN WE ARE KEEN ON MAKING THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND GETTING OUR EDC UP AND RUNNING AND FULL SPEED AHEAD.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT.
[8.C. Parks debt issuance]
MR. KASHUBA, IF YOU'RE READY, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU COME UP AND PRESENT THAT.>> MARINE COUNCIL, MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
THE ITEM WE'RE BRINGING BEFORE YOU TODAY IS SOME PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER FOR DEBT FUNDING.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE STARTED THE CONVERSATION BACK DURING BUDGET.
REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A DEPARTMENT IS FIND A BALANCED APPROACH FOR FUNDING PROJECTS USING BOTH DEBT AND ALSO CASH.
WE KNOW THAT, THAT HELPS US TO PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL STABILITY, SOME SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, AND ALSO OPTIMIZING THOSE CAPITAL FUNDS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW THAT THE DEBT PROJECTS WOULD BE THE PROJECTS THAT GENERALLY WE CAN'T FUND OUT OF OUR CURRENT ANNUAL BUDGET.
WE WOULD SAVE THE CASH FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE COULD DO THE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE MORE ON A DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL.
I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE.
HERE'S A LIST OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.
WHETHER IT'S A LIGHTING PROJECT, THE PARKING LOT PROJECTS, THE PUMP STATIONS AT THE GOLF COURSES, FACILITY RENOVATION, OR SOME EQUIPMENT.
I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THOSE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIGHTING PROJECTS, THE THREE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING AS A PART OF THE DEBT FUNDING WOULD BE THOMPSON, JOHN STIFF, AND MEMORIAL.
WE KNOW THAT WITH THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS WE'VE DONE AT SAM HOUSTON, SAN JACINTO, AND MEDICAL CENTER PARK.
OBVIOUSLY, IT INCREASES SAFETY.
IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
WE KNOW THAT IT EXTENDS THOSE PARK HOURS.
IT IMPROVES THE VISIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO USE THE PARK IN LOW-LIGHT CONDITIONS.
WE KNOW THAT IT WILL ALSO IMPROVE THE OVERALL LOOK OF THE PARK.
WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THESE PARKS, FOR EXAMPLE, THOMPSON, WE LOOK AT WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THERE.
IT WOULD BE LIGHTING ALL OF THE ROADWAYS, THE TRAIL LIGHTING, THE PARKING LOTS, THE DOG PARK, AND THEN SOME OF THOSE ATHLETIC COURTS THAT ARE UP NEAR THE FRONT OF THE PARK.
PRETTY MUCH A TURNKEY PROJECT THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE PARK.
JOHN STIFF, I KNOW WE'VE HAD INDIVIDUALS GET UP IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AND TALK ABOUT THE VOLLEYBALL COURT LIGHTING AND HOW DARK JOHN STIFF IS.
AS A DEPARTMENT, WE WOULD 100% AGREE.
WHAT WE WOULD BE PROPOSING THERE IS TRAIL LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE PARK, PARKING LOT LIGHTING, DOG PARK LIGHTING, SAND VOLLEYBALL LIGHTING, SKATE PARK LIGHTING, AND PLAYGROUND LIGHTING.
IT BASICALLY BE LIGHTING THE ENTIRE PARK IN ADDITION TO THOSE ATHLETIC FIELDS THAT ARE ALREADY LIT.
THEN MEMORIAL WOULD BE THE TRAIL LIGHTING, TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL, AND THEN ALSO THE BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL COURTS.
THAT PARK GETS A LOT OF WALKING TRAFFIC, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WILL GO WALK IT IN THE MORNINGS AND IN THE EVENINGS, AND IT'S AN EXTREMELY DARK PARK.
THOSE ARE THE LIGHTING PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE COUNSEL TO CONSIDER.
YOU CAN SEE THE BUDGETARY ESTIMATES BESIDE IT OF WHAT WE THINK THOSE PROJECTS WOULD COST.
[00:30:01]
WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT PARKING LOTS, THE THREE PARKING LOTS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH JOHN STIFF AND ALSO RICK KLEIN.THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, OBVIOUSLY, WOULD INCLUDE THE PARKING LOTS, ANY KIND OF LANDSCAPE THAT'S NEEDED, ADA IMPROVEMENTS, DRAINAGE, AND ANY IRRIGATION THAT MAY BE REQUIRED.
WITH JOHN STIFF, WE SEE A HUGE INFLUX OF CARS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WEEKENDS WHEN WE'VE GOT THOSE YOUTH SPORTS ACTIVITIES HAPPENING.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH ILLEGAL PARKING, SAFETY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY NEAR THE NO PARKING AT BELL.
WE'VE HAD SOME ENFORCEMENT ISSUES AND APDS RAISED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE PARKING, THE TRAFFIC ALONG JOHN STIFF SPECIFICALLY ON THE WEEKENDS.
THEN WITH RICK KLEIN, IT'S THAT LARGE UNDEVELOPED PARKING LOT TO THE SOUTH, IT'S JUST A BIG DIRT LOT.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, WE'VE GOT THE THREE LOCATIONS HIGHLIGHTED.
THE ONE WE WOULD PROPOSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE WOULD BE JUST SOUTH OF THE SANDY FIELD.
THE ONE AT THE NORTH WOULD BE IN THAT UNDEVELOPED SPACE THAT COULD ALSO BE USED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
THEN OBVIOUSLY, THE ONE AT RICK KLEIN WOULD BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
WE ESTIMATE THE NORTH LOT AT JOHN STIFF WOULD BE ABOUT 210 SPOTS.
THE ONE AT THE SOUTH SIDE WOULD BE ABOUT 170, AND THEN RICK KLEIN WOULD BE OVER 360 SPOTS.
RICK KLEIN GETS A LOT OF USE ON THE WEEKENDS.
WE MAY HAVE THREE OR FOUR BIG EVENTS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME, WHETHER IT'S TRACK MEET, BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, SOCCER, FOOTBALL, ALL HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR PARKING THERE.
>> ONE OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THE MEMORIAL PARK GAZEBO.
EVERYBODY THINKS THAT GAZEBO IS JUST A METAL BUILDING OUT IN THE PARK.
THIS ONE ACTUALLY HAS A BASEMENT UNDERNEATH THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY 1,500 SQUARE FEET.
IT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT ABOUT 75 YEARS AGO AND HAS SUFFERED MODERATE TO SEVERE DETERIORATION DUE TO MOISTURE EXPOSURE, WHICH HAS AFFECTED SOME OF THE REBAR CONCRETE, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THAT IN THOSE PICTURES.
THE OVERALL GOAL WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE TO ENHANCE THE STRUCTURAL STABILITY OF THAT FACILITY, BUT ALSO PROLONG THAT LIFESPAN OF THAT PROJECT.
JUST AS A SIDE NOTE AHEAD STAFF PULL SOME NUMBERS, WE HAD 135 RENTALS IN THAT SPACE LAST YEAR, WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, FAMILY REUNIONS.
IT'S HEAVILY USED IN THAT BASEMENT SPACE.
CURRENTLY, THE RENTAL RATE IS 250 A DAY, 100 OF IT IS REFUNDABLE.
WE SEE A LOT OF WEDDINGS, WE SEE A LOT OF FAMILY REUNIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN IN THAT SPACE.
A LOT OF IT IS SITE ISSUES, DEALING WITH THE DRAINAGE AROUND THE BUILDING, BUT THEN GOING IN THERE AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE STRUCTURAL CONCERNS THAT WE'VE SEEN.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ARE SOME PUMP STATIONS FOR THE GOLF COURSES.
GENERALLY, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY ON THOSE PROJECTS OR THOSE PUMP STATIONS IS ABOUT 20 YEARS.
THE YOUNGEST ONE WE HAVE IS 24 WE GOT 24, 25, 27, 28.
A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGY IS OBSOLETE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING IN DIFFERENT PARTS AND PIECES, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE VENDORS OUT THERE TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES.
ONE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THE SOFTWARE, ONE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE MOTORS AND THE PUMPS.
BUT LAST YEAR AT ARROWHEAD, WE HAD A POINT IN THE YEAR WHERE WE WERE DOWN TO ONE PUMP OUT OF THREE.
WE ACTUALLY SAW SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE GOLF COURSE BECAUSE GENERALLY WHEN THOSE PUMPS FAIL, IT'S WHEN THEY'RE RUNNING FULL THROTTLE, WHICH IS THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER.
FOR A MONTH OR TWO, WE WERE DOWN LAST YEAR TRYING TO GET THOSE PUMPS UP AND RUNNING SO WE WERE LIMPING THE GOLF COURSE ALONG.
WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE IS GOING IN AND REPLACING THE PUMP STATIONS AT ALL FOUR OF THOSE COURSES.
THEN THE LAST THING WE WOULD LIKE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON IS SOME EQUIPMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AS A DEPARTMENT IS FIND EFFICIENCIES.
SOMEBODY WITH A SHOVEL AND A BACK CODE TAKES A WHILE TO DIG SOMETHING UP, WITH THESE HYDRO BACKS, YOU CAN GO IN THERE, ISOLATE IT, DO NICE CLEAN, QUICK REPAIRS.
IT'LL ALLOW OUR STAFF TO GET THE WORK DONE A LOT FASTER THAN THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE USING.
THE SAME THING WITH THE MINI EXCAVATOR.
IT ALLOWS US TO GO IN AND MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
THE TRENCHERS AND THE EQUIPMENT WE'RE USING RIGHT NOW REQUIRES A CDL.
THE SMALLER ONES WE CAN PUT ON A SMALLER TRAILER AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO USE CDL QUALIFIED STAFF.
THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THEM.
>> MY ONLY QUESTION IS ON THE DEBT SERVICE PIECE, HOW DO YOU GUYS PLAN TO PAY FOR IT?
>> ONE OF THE IDEAS, AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT, WE'VE GOT AN ALLOCATION OF ABOUT $2 MILLION ANNUALLY THAT WE USE FOR OUR PARKS ENI.
[00:35:03]
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS TAKE A PORTION OF THAT MONEY OUT OF OUR ENI AND DESIGNATE IT FOR DEBT SERVICE.OF THAT 2 MILLION, IT MIGHT BE $1 MILLION IN DEBT SERVICE, AND THEN THAT WOULD LEAVE US ABOUT $1 MILLION FOR SMALLER PROJECTS THAT WE COULD DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AGAIN, WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE DEBT SERVICE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THOSE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS PROJECTS.
SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE A 10 YEAR DEBT SERVICE, SOME MIGHT BE A 15, SOME MIGHT BE A 30, JUST DEPENDING ON THE EXPECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY.
WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE IS JUST TAKING SOME OF THAT ENI MONEY ANNUALLY AND JUST USING THAT FOR FUNDING THE DEBT SERVICE.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE HAVE STEVEN ADAMS HERE WITH SPECIALIZED PUBLIC FINANCE TO GO OVER WHAT A POTENTIAL DEBT ISSUANCE WOULD LOOK LIKE BASED ON THE PROJECTS THAT MICHAEL JUST PRESENTED AND THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF EACH OF THOSE ASSETS, HE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
>> MR. ADAMS, IS IT BROKEN DOWN PER ITEM?
>> PER ITEM. JUST AS MICHAEL DESCRIBED PER LIFE OF THE ITEM.
FOR EACH ITEM, YOU CAN SEE, IF YOU START WITH THE 10 YEAR LIFE WE HAVE THE LIGHTING PROJECTS, THE HYDROVAC, AND THE MINI X-VAC.
FOR THE 20 YEAR LIFE, WE HAVE THE PUMP STATIONS, THREE PUMP STATIONS FOR THE 25 YEAR LIFE, THE LIGHTING PROJECTS, 30 YEAR LIFE, PARKING LOTS IN GAZEBO.
HOW THAT WORKS OUT FROM A DEBT SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DEBT SERVICE STARTS AT $1.7 MILLION A YEAR FOR THOSE SHORTER PROJECTS AND THEN DROPS OFF TO A MILLION PER YEAR, THEN A LITTLE OVER 500,000, AND THEN IN THE OUT YEARS, IT'S ABOUT 250,000 PER YEAR.
WHAT WE WOULD DO, WE WOULD WRAP THAT UP INTO ONE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION, WHICH IS THE PUBLICATION NOTICES AGENDA ITEM, I THINK 10A OR B.
>> STATE LAW REQUIRES TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION THAT YOU HAVE TO ADVERTISE TWICE IN YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND POST A NOTICE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMING THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT ISSUING CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND TELLING THEM WHEN COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER THAT, WHICH WE ARE TARGETING APRIL 8TH SO YOU HAVE AN ITEM ON NON CONSENT ITEM 10B TO CONSIDER THAT.
THIS DISCUSSION ROLLS IN WITH THAT ITEM AS WELL.
AGAIN, TODAY IS JUST A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE US TO NOTICE PEOPLE IN THE NEWSPAPER AND ON THE WEBSITE.
THERE'S NO OTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN RELATED TO THIS DEBT ISSUANCE TODAY.
IT'S JUST FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR US TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT ISSUING DEBT.
>> VERY WELL. COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN.
FIRST OF ALL, DID YOU LOOK AT TRYING TO FUND THIS THROUGH BUDGETED ITEMS THROUGH A NUMBER OF YEARS OR SEE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE.
DID YOU ALL GO THERE FIRST OR DID YOU JUST GO TO COS IMMEDIATELY?
>> NO. WHAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT IS WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE BUDGET THAT COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US THAT $2 MILLION, AND SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE $4 MILLION, SO IT WOULD OVERLAP MULTIPLE YEARS.
THAT'S WHERE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, DO WE LOOK AT DEBT FUNDING FOR SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT EXCEED THAT $2 MILLION BUDGET THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PARK CNI.
THAT'S WHERE THAT CONVERSATION STARTS.
WE ALWAYS LOOK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT CURRENT MONEY.
>> ANOTHER THING IS, I BELIEVE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT, WHICH I BELIEVE ON THIS AGENDA, THE FIRE APPARATUSES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WERE AROUND $13 MILLION.
IT WAS GOING TO BE A CO. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER 13 MILLION TODAY WITH ANOTHER CO. ALL I'M SEEING IS WE'RE TAXING THE TAXPAYERS AND TO GET THINGS, WE NEED TO LEARN TO WORK WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
I JUST SEE GOING TO TAXPAYERS EVERY TIME IT'S OLD REAL FAST I UNDERSTAND WE GOT LOW TAXES HERE.
BUT IF WE DO THIS PROJECT, WE DO THAT PROJECT, AND THIS PROJECT, BEFORE LONG, WE'VE GOT COS, WE'RE LOOKING AT 26 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD INCREASE TAXES ABOUT APPROXIMATELY?
[00:40:03]
>> THIS ITEM THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE OPERATING BUDGET.
THIS WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT ON TAXES.
THIS IS IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY APPROVED TO GO TOWARDS PARKS.
THEY ARE REQUESTING TO TAKE PART OF THAT ANNUAL BUDGET AND USE IT TO FUND DEBT FUNDED PROJECTS SO THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY IMPACT ON TAXES FOR.
>> WE WOULD JUST HAVE A CO FOR THE FIRE APPARATUS?
>> I WOULD WANT TO KNOW, DOES ANY OF THIS GO TO THE I&S SIDE OR YOU'RE KEEPING IT ALL O&M?
>> THE PLAN AT THIS POINT IS, YEAH, ALL IN THE O&M BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY APPROVED.
>> IT'S ALL BEING PROPOSED UNDER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, SO IT WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR AN INCREASE WITHIN THE TAX RATE BECAUSE YOU'RE MOVING IT OVER TO THE I&S SIDE?
>> NOT PROPOSING IT TO GO TO THE I&S. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> MICHAEL, WHERE ARE THESE NUMBERS COMING FROM? LIKE THE $400,000 ON THE GAZEBO, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVEN'T TAKEN BIDS FOR THAT.
IS THAT A GUESS? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?
>> WE HAD EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH FACILITIES ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT THOSE PROPERTY OR THOSE COSTS TO BE ON THAT PROJECT SO THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY GOOD ESTIMATES BASED OFF OF WHAT FACILITIES HAS DONE ON OTHER PROJECTS.
IT'S A GOOD BALLPARK TO START FROM.
WE THINK THAT THAT'S A REASONABLE PRICE FOR THAT PROJECT.
ON A LOT OF THE OTHER LIGHTING PROJECTS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON LIGHTING THROUGHOUT TOWN, AND SO WE GET GOOD BUDGETARY NUMBERS FROM THE VENDOR THAT WE'VE BEEN USING.
YOU'LL SEE IT BROKEN DOWN ON HERE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY 10 AND 25 YEAR.
THAT'S JUST DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF FIXTURE.
YOU'LL SEE PARK LIGHTING AS A 10 YEAR AND A 15 YEAR, THAT'S JUST BASED OFF OF THE WARRANTY FROM THE MANUFACTURER.
THE 10 YEAR LIGHTS WE WOULD PUT ON A 10 YEAR WARRANTY OR A 10 YEAR SCHEDULE, THE 25 YEAR WE WOULD PUT ON A 25 YEARS.
>> I KNOW WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT LEASING OUR EQUIPMENT, I'M LOOKING AT $4 MILLION FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT, DID WE LOOK AT INSTEAD OF A CAPITAL OUTLAY OR DEBT ISSUANCE, DID WE LOOK AT A LEASE? IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DEVELOPING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF THESE COMPANIES.
>> THE DEBT SCHEDULE YOU SEE OF THAT, ONLY, I THINK THE PARKS CAPITAL PIECE FOR THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, I THINK IS ONLY 130,000 SO THOSE TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ONLY COME UP TO 130.
>> WHAT WAS THE 4 MILLION I SAW?
>> YOU'RE LEADING RIGHT INTO THE NEXT DISCUSSION TOPIC.
WE'RE PRESENTING THEM SEPARATE AND TOGETHER SO WE'RE TALKING FIRST ABOUT PARKS, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT NEEDS.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, EVEN ON THE LEASING, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THOSE GROUPS A LOT.
ON THE FIRE APPARATUS, THE BEST RATE WE WERE QUOTED WAS A 4.79%, AND YOU'LL SEE IN A LATER ITEM TODAY THE DEBT ISSUANCE CAME IN AT 3.24%, WHICH IS SAVING US ANYWHERE $1-2 MILLION OVER THE LIFE OF THAT DEBT.
THEN ADDITIONAL LEASING OPTIONS WE HAVE LOOKED AT HAVE BEEN AS HIGH AS JUST UNDER 7% INTEREST.
WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM EVERY ANGLE.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE CONSCIOUS OF THE LONG TERM COST OF IT AS WELL SO AS MICHAEL MENTIONED, ABOUT 130,000 OF HIS PROPOSAL IS RELATED TO HEAVY EQUIPMENT, AND THEN WE'LL BRING DONNIE UP HERE IN JUST A SECOND TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ON THE ADDITIONAL 4 MILLION.
>> GOT YOU. I SAW THE TWO NUMBERS AND I THOUGHT I KNOW THAT FOR THE HYDROVAC BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE FOUR CAME, BUT THAT MAKES SENSE THAT WE'RE LEAVING ALL THAT TOGETHER.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE'RE LOOKING AT BEST RATE FROM A LEASING COMPANIES ABOUT SEVEN BUT RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A QUOTA RATE FOR THE OTHER ONE FOR FIRE APPARATUS AT 325, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE COST OF MONEY?
>> YES. EXACTLY. WE'VE HAD ON THE LEAST SIDE, I THINK THE LOWEST I'VE SEEN IS ABOUT 4.79% AT THIS POINT, AND THEN AS HIGH AS 7%.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAD A FAVORABLE COMPETITIVE SELL THIS MORNING THAT BROUGHT US AS LOW AS 3.24.
>> GOOD. JUST REAL QUICK HAVE WE SEEN A DECREASE WITH THE LIGHTING PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PARKS? THEY'RE DONE. HAVE WE SEEN A DECREASE IN INCIDENTS CRIME WISE, DO YOU KNOW?
>> THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR APD I COULDN'T ANSWER.
>> I REALIZE THAT, BUT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT KNOW.
>> NO. WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL SAFE FOR USING THOSE SPACES.
I KNOW MEDICAL CENTER, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE WALKING.
>> HAVE WE SEEN A REDUCTION, CHIEF?
>> I CAN SAY AT THIS POINT. I AGREE WITH MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S IT I'M DONE.
>> THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER. IT'S NOT THE ANSWER WE'RE ASKING FOR, BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT.
LET ME TALK TO MAYBE THE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN DIRECTED TO DO THAT YOU'RE DOING VERY WELL.
[00:45:03]
YOU'RE GOING WITHIN YOUR EXISTING BUDGET AND YOU'RE SAYING TO YOURSELF, HEY, LOOK, I CAN GET SOME THINGS THAT ARE 10, 15, 20 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCIES 30 YEAR, AND RATHER THAN TRYING TO CASH FUND THESE AND SAVE THAT MONEY, YOU COULD LOOK AT A DEBT ISSUANCE WITHIN YOUR RATE.THIS IS A LITTLE CONFUSING SO I THINK I GOT LOST IN THE VARIOUS EQUIPMENT FOR THE 4 MILLION TO CLARIFY THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR BUDGET.
>> THE 130 FOR THE HYDROVAC AND THE MINI X, BEING A CONSTRUCTION KID MYSELF, IF YOU'RE USING THAT THING MORE THAN 50% OF THE WEEK, I THINK YOU WANT TO OWN IT.
IF YOU'RE USING THAT LESS THAN 50% DURING YOUR WEEK, YOU'RE ALWAYS BETTER TO GO AND RENT THAT SO THAT'S A RAYBURN REYNOLDS FOR ME.
REASON BEING IS THAT EQUIPMENT IS GOING TO GO DOWN IN VALUE YOU'RE PAYING INTEREST ON THAT, AND YOU JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO PARK IT OVER AT THE GOLF COURSE OR WHEREVER.
DO YOU NEED A HYDROVAC THAT MUCH? YOU MIGHT NEED A MINI X.
>> OUR IRRIGATION CREWS ARE CONSTANTLY GOING FROM MAINLINE BREAK TO MAINLINE BREAK.
I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS OF JUST ONE PARK IN SPECIFIC, BUT THEY'RE JUST LITERALLY GOING FROM MAIN LINE BREAK TO MAINLINE BREAK.
THAT'S WHEN THIS WOULD REALLY COME IN HANDY WHEN YOU'RE DIGGING A SIX FOOT HOLE, TRYING TO FIX THOSE IRRIGATION REPAIRS.
WE THINK IT GETS IN THERE A LOT FASTER AND BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK A LOT MORE EFFICIENT.
WE ACTUALLY SAW THAT WHEN WE HAD SOME ISSUES AT ELWOOD WITH SOME IRRIGATION THERE, IT WOULD HAVE SAVED US DAYS WORTH OF WORK, BEING ABLE TO GO AND HYDROVAC, DO THE WORK, AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PROJECT.
WE THINK THERE'S SOME MAJOR EFFICIENCIES THAT COULD BE FOUND INSTEAD OF GUYS OUT THERE WITH A SHOVEL.
>> YOU'D HAVE SOME EFFICIENCIES THERE AND YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE IMPLEMENTING THAT EQUIPMENT MORE THAN 50% OF THE TIME?
>> WOULDN'T BE PARKED 90% OF THE WEEK?
>> IT WOULD BE WITH OUR IRRIGATION CREWS.
>> VERY GOOD. GOLF PUMP STATIONS, FOR YOU OR GEORGE DESCRIBE TO ME, THERE'S FOUR PUMP STATIONS, AND THESE ARE LAKES WITHIN THE GOLF COURSE PONDS.
>> YEAH. JAMES, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THESE? JAMES IS OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC.
HE OVERSEES A LOT OF THE OPERATION SITES OF PARK MAINTENANCE, GOLF.
HE FAMILIAR WITH IT HE CAME FROM THE GOLF SIDE OF HOUSE AND ACTUALLY HELPED WHEN SOME OF THESE WERE ACTUALLY PUT IN.
>> YES. THERE'S FOUR PUMP STATIONS EACH GOLF COURSE HAS.
THEY SET THEIR OWN PUMP STATION.
THEY VARY LIKE MUSTANG HAS 300 HORSE POWER MOTORS AND BFDS AND EVERYTHING SO THAT THEY RUN AND OPERATE OFF OF THAT.
BUT YES, THEY PUMP OUT OF INDIVIDUAL PONDS, BASICALLY, SO THEY'RE NOT TIED INTO THE CITY MAINTENANCE.
>> THEY COME IN ON A SKID. EVERYTHING WILL COME IN ON A SKID AND FROM THE.
>> SET IT WHERE YOU NEED IT MOVE THE WATER.
>> THE QUOTES WE GOT IS TO REMOVE THE OLD SYSTEMS, SET THE NEW SKID IN PLACE, WIRE IT IN AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
>> IT'D BE PERMANENTLY FIXED TO THAT.
>> IT'S JUST IN A BUILDING, THEY'RE ALL IN BUILDING.
IT IS SET TO THAT POND AND ONCE IT'S IN THERE, IT'S IN THERE, YOU CAN'T REMOVE IT.
>> LIGHTING PROJECTS, I'M A FAN OF. THANK YOU, SIR.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING A GOOD ROI ON THE LIGHTING PROJECTS.
I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE SAM HOUSTON PARK LOOKS TOTALLY DIFFERENT OVER THERE, CHANGES THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THOSE ARE LONG LASTING IMPACTS AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ARE 30 YEAR LIGHTS, BUT THEY SURE LOOK GOOD, AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE FINE.
THE OLD LIGHTS YOU HAD WORKING WAS 50 PLUS YEARS, I THINK.
THEY WOULD JUST SWAY. THE GAZEBO IS PROBABLY THE ONE I WOULD TRY TO PICK APART.
>> IT'S ABOUT 1,500 SQUARE FEET.
IT'S GOT THE MAIN ROOM DOWNSTAIRS AND THEN A COUPLE RESTROOMS OFF TO THE SIDE.
AGAIN, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE PROPOSING HAS TO DO WITH THE SITE WORK BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THE LANDSCAPE COMES RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF THE BUILDING.
WE GET A LOT OF WATER INFILTRATION.
A LOT OF IT WOULD BE THE SITE WORK AROUND IT GETTING IT PREPPED, PUTTING IN A FRENCH STRAIN OR SOME WATERPROOFING, AND THEN ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES IN THAT FACILITY WITH THE EXPOSED SPALLING REBAR THINGS.
>> WE'VE GOT A GOOD LOOKING LARGE STRUCTURE.
WE SAY THE TERM GAZEBO, BUT I THINK WHEN I WAS QUESTIONING THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I WAS THINKING 20*30, 30*30 ROUND WOOD STRUCTURE TO PROVIDE SHADE.
YOU HAVE A 1,500 SQUARE FOOT COVERED STRUCTURE, NO HEATING AND COOLING.
>> THERE IS SOME COOLING IN THERE, BUT IT'S JUST A WALL UNIT SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO UPDATE.
>> IN THE DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BASEMENT?
>> THERE'S A BASEMENT, SO IT'S 1,500.
>> LET ME GO BACK TO THAT PICTURE, STEPHANIE.
THE UPSTAIRS IS JUST AN OPEN AREA THAT OVERLOOKS THE PARK.
[00:50:01]
BUT THE BASEMENT IS REALLY WHERE WE GET A LOT OF THE RESERVATIONS, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER RESERVABLE SPACES.THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE UPPER AREA, BUT FROM THE WHITE TRIMMED DOWN, AND YOU SEE IT IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT PICTURE IS THE BASEMENT ITSELF.
YOU CAN SEE THE BASEMENT SITS UNDERNEATH.
THE TOP IS ACTUALLY A TERRAZZO FLOOR.
IT'S AN OLD TERRAZZO FLOOR, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS ON THE COLUMNS WE'RE SEEING ISSUES WITH.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE IS ACTUALLY THE UNDERSIDE OF THAT TOP FLOORS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE CONCRETE, THAT SPALLING REBAR THAT'S EXPOSED, AND A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO WATER DAMAGE.
AGAIN, THIS FACILITY IS ABOUT 75-YEARS-OLD.
BUT A LOT OF IT IS DUE TO WATER INFILTRATION INTO THAT SPACE.
>> ARE YOU PROPOSING TO DEMO THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE AND THEN REDO THE GRADING PLAN?
>> NO. WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO IS GO IN AND EXCAVATE AROUND THE STRUCTURE, PUT IN SOME DRAIN SYSTEM TO HELP IT FLOW AROUND, SO IT'S NOT RUNNING UP TO THE EDGE OF THE BUILDING.
THEN GOING IN THERE ADDRESSING THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES, ADDRESSING SOME OF THE COSMETIC ISSUES IN THE BASEMENT.
AGAIN, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WATER INFILTRATION, SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING THAT.
BUT IT WOULD BASICALLY BE RENOVATING THE INSIDE OF THE BASEMENT AND ADDRESSING THE STRUCTURAL AND OF THE SITE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSED IT.
>> WELL, SO MY HEARTBURN IS THAT'S $260 A SQUARE FOOT FOR AN OUTDOOR STRUCTURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ONE MAYBE LINE ITEM PROPOSED AND BROUGHT BACK WITH LESS OF AN ARCHITECTURAL FEEL.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE CITY SHOULD HAVE TO GO AND HIRE AN ARCHITECT HIRE MEMP ENGINEERS GO AND GET A SEPARATE CIVIL, BRING $100,000 WORTH OF PLANS BACK TO GO AND FIND A $50,000 REPAIR BID.
WHAT I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IS, CAN WE UPDATE A COUPLE BATHROOMS, SAY 10 GRAND EACH? CAN WE DO WATERPROOFING WITH AN AREA DRAIN AROUND IT AND GET THIS BUDGET WHERE IT'S MORE FRIENDLY TO OUR APPETITE?
>> WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK THE FACILITIES TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS WERE GOING TO COME BACK WITH.
>> I THINK THAT SOMETIMES THINGS LIKE THIS GET MIXED IN WITH A GOOD LIGHTING PACKAGE, AND IT FEELS LIKE EVERYTHING.
WE'RE JUST SPENDING MONEY AND LET'S JUST BORROW AND SPEND AND YOU'VE DONE GREAT ON THE LIGHTING.
I KNOW THAT IS THIS THE SAME MANUFACTURER? TOP QUALITY AND I THINK WE WANT TO SEE YOU DO YOUR JOB CONTINUE TO PUT THESE QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS INTO THE PUBLIC.
IF YOU'RE BORROWING THEM WITHIN YOUR O&M, IT'S GREAT.
I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EQUALLY AS CONCERNED ON A $50,000 COMPONENT, AS WELL AS ARE WE BUYING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE COULD RENT.
>> WE'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT.
>> COUNSEL, OTHER QUESTIONS ON THESE GUYS?
>> NO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE ON FOR THE GAZEBO, YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH MORE OF A LINE ITEM DEAL OF COST AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THAT KIND-
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WE'D CIRCLE UP WITH FACILITIES, SEE WHAT WE CAN ESTIMATE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN HOUSE AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO COUNSEL.
>> I THOUGHT I HAD THREE OR FOUR ITEMS COMING OFF THAT WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO SHARPEN OUR PENCIL ON.
I THINK IT'S JUST THE GAZEBO THAT WE COULD PULL.
AFTER GETTING THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE MINI X AND THE HYDROVAC, I THINK, I SEE THE VALUE IN THAT AND THEN THE PUMPS, I'M NOT REAL SURE. WHAT'S THE LIFE?
>> LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 20 YEARS AND WE'RE AT 24, 25, 27 28.
>> COUNSEL, IF YOU ALL ARE GOOD WITH THE DIRECTION, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS BRING THE GAZEBO BACK SEPARATE.
YOU CAN WORK THAT IN WITH YOUR GIVING BUDGET, PROBABLY, AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO DO A DEBT ISSUANCE, MISS STORES, WOULD WE BE BRINGING THIS FORWARD WITH LESS THE GAZEBO, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE AS PRESENTED?
>> WE ABSOLUTELY COULD DO THAT, MAYOR.
THE OTHER OPTION IS, AGAIN, ALL WE'RE DOING IS NOTICING TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE SOME DEBT NOT TO EXCEED AN AMOUNT, BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING LOWER THAN THAT.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MONTHS TO GET THAT READY.
WE'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK ON APRIL 8.
IN THAT TIME, MICHAEL KASHUBA AND HIS TEAM CAN WORK TO GET A BETTER ESTIMATE.
AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THESE CONSTRUCTION AWARDS TO YOU ALL SEPARATELY.
IF WE COME IN MUCH LOWER, WE CAN ISSUE LESS DEBT.
HE COULD HAVE OTHER PROJECTS THAT HE MIGHT WANT TO PROPOSE THAT ALL MIGHT WANT TO USE THAT ADDITIONAL DEBT FOR, OR WE COULD LOWER THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT TODAY.
ALL YOU'RE DOING TODAY IS SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE SOME DEBT NOT TO EXCEED THIS AMOUNT TO DO PARKS PROJECTS, AND THEN WE CAN DO ANYTHING THERE OR LOWER.
>> I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO COUNSEL.
IF YOU GUYS WANT TO LOWER THAT AMOUNT, TODAY,
[00:55:01]
THAT'S FINE WITH ME BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD WORKING BUDGET OVER THERE.BUT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT IN, COUNSEL, AND THEN LET THEM BRING BACK A BETTER VALUE FOR THAT GAZEBO, WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL.
>> I THINK I'M GOOD NOT TO EXCEED.
WITH US HAVING THE ABILITY TO BRING IT BACK DOWN IF WE NEED TO.
>> APPRECIATE YOU SIR, GOOD JOB OUT THERE.
[8.D. Fleet debt issuance]
>> MISS STORES, I'M GOING TO ASK ON THE FLEET DEBT ISSUANCE, ITEM 8D.
>> THAT IS THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT WAS ALL INCORPORATED.
>> DONNIE HOOPER IS HERE WITH OUR NEXT PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT FOUR MILLION THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION.
ADVERTISEMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO ON ITEM 10B.
AGAIN, THE SAME THING APPLIES.
IF COUNSEL DECIDES THEY CAN REVISE THAT RESOLUTION TO NOT INCLUDE THIS, TO INCREASE IT, DECREASE IT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A NOTICE.
THEN IF WE DECIDE TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE'RE NOT DOING A COMPETITIVE SEE UNTIL APRIL 8TH.
IT GIVES US A LOT OF TIME IF COUNSEL DECIDES THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT'S JUST A NOT TO EXCEED AND WE HAVE TO SAY WHAT POTENTIALLY WE WOULD BE ISSUING DEBT FOR.
THIS IS THE NEXT PART OF ON THAT RESOLUTION RIGHT NOW, IT'S FOR PARKS PROJECTS AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES IN A NOT TO EXCEED 17 MILLION AND WHAT DONNIE IS GOING TO GO OVER.
MICHAEL WENT OVER THE FIRST 13 MILLION APPROXIMATELY, AND DONNIE'S GOING TO COVER WHAT THAT LAST $4,000,000 COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED FOR AS WELL.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU BACK A LITTLE BIT TO BUDGET TIME.
WE WERE SITTING IN THIS ROOM, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR OVERALL PLAN FOR FLEET AND YOU REMEMBER WE HAD $19 MILLION WORTH OF FLEET THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A NEW METHOD, DIFFERENT METHODS TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE FLEET BACK INTO COMPLIANCE, AT LEAST WITH OPERATIONS BEING EFFICIENT.
THERE WAS ONE THAT WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE LEASING, WHICH WE DID DURING THE BUDGET TIME.
WE ALSO SAID THAT TWO ITEMS WE BRING BACK TO YOU WOULD BE THE FIRE AS EQUIPMENT WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING.
THEN FURTHERMORE, IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, WE WOULD COME BACK WITH THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT LIST BECAUSE OUR CASH WAS ALREADY EXPENDED ON THE LEASE SIDE OF IT, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, ALL AS WE HAD PRE PLANNED.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CITY FLEET ITSELF.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 19 MILLION THAT I MENTIONED THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THIS YEAR TO BRING THE FLEET CURRENT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HIT THAT AND WE KNEW THAT COMING IN.
THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP WITH A LONGER TERM PLAN. DO THAT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY LEASING 177 UNITS FOR GENERAL USE FLEET, WHAT WE WERE CALLING THE WHITE FLEET, IT'S VEHICLES, PICKUPS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE BEING ORDERED PROCESS.
SOME OF THOSE HAVE COME IN, SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT COME IN, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW, AND D&M IS DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB ON THAT.
AS DISCUSSED DURING THAT TIME, WE WOULD COME BACK IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AS I JUST MENTIONED TO COME TALK TO YOU.
THIRTY ONE TOTAL UNITS IN THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION ESTIMATED.
WE HAVE SOME GOOD QUOTES ON ABOUT 80% OF THAT EQUIPMENT.
THERE'S ABOUT 20% OF IT THAT WE THINK WE'RE REALLY CLOSE ON.
WE'RE STILL WAITING THOSE FINAL NUMBERS TO COME IN.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE NUMBER WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU TODAY IS AROUND 3.8.
LEFT A LITTLE BREATHING ROOM IN THERE IF THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE ON SOME OF THOSE UNITS.
ALL THESE ITEMS DISCUSSED TODAY WOULD NEED THAT FUNDING MECHANISMS TO TAKE PLACE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE 177 THAT WE'RE LEASING AND THE 31 TODAY IS 208 UNITS TOTAL.
WE HAVE ABOUT 800 UNITS TOGETHER IN OUR ROLLING STOCK FLEET, WE HAVE ABOUT 1,200 UNITS IN OUR OVERALL FLEET, WHICH INCLUDES SOME OF THE TRAILERS, SOME OF THE SMALLER APPARATUSES THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD PORTION OF OUR FLEET WHEN YOU ADD THESE 31 TO THAT.
IT'S ALL REALLY ABOUT HEAVY EQUIPMENT, MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT.
I'LL START OUT WITH SOLID WASTE AND TELL YOU WHAT'S ON THE LIST.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE WENT BACK AND WE TOOK THE ENTIRE LIST THAT ENTIRE 19 MILLION AND SAID, WHAT'S THE WORST OF THE WORST? WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE TO REPLACE RIGHT NOW? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON THIS LIST TODAY.
THERE'S SIX SOLID WASTE SIDE LOADERS.
ALL OF THOSE ARE TWO YEARS PASS THROUGH USEFUL LIFE.
IN FACT, THERE'S 16, SO WE REALLY EVEN YOU ADD 25 TO THAT IT'S REALLY THREE YEARS PASS THROUGH USEFUL LIFE.
TRASH TRUCK IS GOOD FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS, AND THESE ARE RUNNING AT ABOUT NINE, AS I MENTIONED. A LITTLE BIT PAST THAT.
NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT THE MAINTENANCE COSTS ON THOSE, AS WE MENTIONED DURING BUDGET TIME HAVE EXCEEDED THE COST THE ORIGINAL COST OF THAT UNIT.
IT'S MORE THAN PAST TIME TO REPLACE THOSE.
WE HAVE ONE SOLID WASTE FRONT LOADER.
YOU SEE THE PICTURE OF THAT ON THE RIGHT.
THIS ONE IS AT ITS REPLACEMENT LIFE CYCLE TO BE REPLACED.
IT HAS A SEVEN YEAR LIFE CYCLE.
IT'S AT SEVEN YEARS, BUT IT ALSO HAS FIRE DAMAGE, SO IT'S OUT OF SERVICE RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO GET THAT ONE REPLACED.
WE DO HAVE SOME THAT ARE ON ORDER RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE THREE FRONT LOADERS THAT ARE ON ORDER FROM OUR PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE'RE AWAITING.
IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE TO GET THOSE MANUFACTURED.
[01:00:02]
IT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT TODAY'S CONSIDERATIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EVEN IF WE GET THIS APPROVED, WE HAVE SOME TIME FRAME BEFORE, THOSE TRUCKS WILL BE BUILT AND ACTUALLY DELIVERED TO US.WE HAVE THREE SIDE LOADERS THAT ARE IN LAST YEAR'S ORDER AS WELL.
WE HAVE 49 SIDE LOADERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW IN OUR TOTAL FLEET, THOSE SERVICE ALL THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND SOME COMMERCIAL ROUTES AS WELL.
PRETTY CRITICAL THAT WE GET THOSE REPLACED.
THAT IS A GRAPPLE LOADER BETTER KNOWN TO US.
WE CALL THOSE OUR KNUCKLE BOOM TRUCKS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT SO MUCH THAT WE TALKED TO YOU SO MUCH ABOUT.
WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE PLUS A FORKLIFT THAT FINISHES OFF THE SOLID WASTE LIST.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 12 KNUCKLE BOOMS IN OUR FLEET.
THIS ONES DEFINITELY NEED TO BE REPLACED.
IT'S WELL PAST ITS LIFE CYCLE.
I THINK THREE YEARS ON THAT ONE.
I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T PUT THE NUMBER ON THERE.
SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IN HERE IN THE MISCELLANEOUS SIDE, THERE'S 245,000 IN THERE FOR SEVEN POLICE MOTORCYCLES.
THESE ARE UNITS THAT ARE ALL PAST THEIR USEFUL LIFE AS WELL.
THEY'RE TWO YEARS PAST THAT, IN FACT.
WE HAD SOME TROUBLE LAST YEAR BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE FUNDS TO PURCHASE TO US.
WE PUSHED THEM OUT. NOW WE HAVE THOSE SEVEN THAT ARE IN HERE NOW.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE SWITCHING THESE SEVEN OVER TO A DIFFERENT STYLE OF MOTORCYCLE AS WELL.
WE FOUND ONE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS EXPENSIVE.
OVERALL, HAS BETTER SAFETY FEATURES AND WERE MANY DISCUSSIONS THAT WENT AND TOOK PLACE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHAT THEY WANTED.
WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT IF WE CAN GET THIS THROUGH TODAY AS WELL.
FOR THE STREET DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE ABOUT 896,000 OF THAT.
THAT INCLUDES A SIX YARD DUMP TRUCK, TWO, THE 15 FOOT MOWERS THAT THEY USE FOR MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THERE'S TWO FRONT LOADERS THAT ARE $187,000 EACH.
YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE OF THE FRONT LOADER ON THE RIGHT THERE, AS FOR THEIR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, AND THEN A MOTOR GRADER THAT'S ABOUT $350,000, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
THAT MOTOR GRADER IS NOT ONLY CRITICAL FOR STREET MAINTENANCE FOR ALLEY MAINTENANCE.
WE'LL USE THOSE AS WELL FOR FIRE PROTECTION WHEN WE'RE CALLED OUT TO ASSIST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH WILD LAND FIRES.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO FINISH IT OFF OUR PARKS AND GOLF EQUIPMENT.
THAT INCLUDES A COUPLE OF GROOMING MOWERS THAT ARE THREE YEARS PAST THE USEFUL LIFE, FRONT LOADER, THAT'S FIVE YEARS PAST ITS USEFUL LIFE, JUST AS THE SAME FRONT LOADER THAT THE STREET DEPARTMENT HAS OR SIMILAR, BRUSH CHIPPER, THAT'S THREE YEARS PAST ITS USEFUL LIFE, 16 FOOT MOWER, THAT'S TWO YEARS PAST FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TRACTOR.
IT'S A KUBOTA TRACTOR LIKE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S FIVE YEARS PAST ITS LIFE AND A GREENS MOWER, AND THEN TWO ROUGH MOWERS AS WELL.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THOSE AND THE TOTAL OF ALL THESE UNITS, IT'S NOT THAT MANY UNITS, ONLY 31.
IT'S 3.863 IS THE ESTIMATED COST ON THAT.
WE THINK THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF INFLATED NUMBER THAT COMES IN WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET THE QUOTES ON SOME OF THE FINAL EQUIPMENT, BUT AS LAURA MENTIONED, WE CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN.
IF IT'S 3.7, WHEN WE GET ALL FINISHED, THEN YOU CAN ALWAYS TAKE THAT NUMBER DOWN TO WHATEVER IT IS.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE WE DO.
THIS IS JUST ALL PART OF THAT OVERALL PLAN THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT FOR SIX YEARS TO GET EVERYTHING BACK ON TRACK AND I THINK WE'VE DONE WELL WITH THE LEASING SIDE, AND NOW IT'S THE HEAVY EQUIPMENTS TURN TO GET IN THE MIX WITH ALL OF IT AS WELL.
THAT'S ALL I HAD FOR YOU AND I CAN TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR I CAN GIVE IT BACK TO LAURA AND STEPHEN AND THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THAT SIDE OF IT AS WELL.
>> I THINK BEFORE WE JUMP BACK OVER, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I WILL ASK IF COUNSEL HAS ANYTHING ELSE.
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
>> TOTAL SALES REVENUES FROM EXISTING EQUIPMENT.
WE'VE GOT ALL THIS EQUIPMENT THAT'S ROLLING OFF.
WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT IN REVENUES COMING BACK IF WE SELL SOME OF THESE TRASH TRUCKS TO PRIVATE ENTITIES OR SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL OF THAT WOULD BE.
WE COULD GO BACK AND RUN SOME ESTIMATES ON [NOISE] THAT.
I JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, I CAN TELL YOU, TRASH TRUCK, $211,000 TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE.
WE BOUGHT THOSE FOR AROUND $150,000 AND YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET FOUR TO $5,000 FOR EACH OF THOSE TRUCKS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO GET $4,000 FOR THE TRASH TRUCK USED?
>> FOR EACH TRASH TRUCK, IF YOU AUCTIONED IT OFF, IS THAT IF THAT'S A QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING?
>>THAT'S A QUESTION I'M ASKING.
>> WE'VE SEEN EVEN LESS THAN THAT IN SOME CASES, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CONDITION OF THE TRUCK.
>> WE USE THIRD PARTY AUCTION COMPANY. WE HAND IT TO THEM.
THEY JUST GIVE US A CHECK AND IT GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, I GUESS.
>> I'M ASSUMING THAT'S [OVERLAPPING] CORRECT.
IN FACT, [NOISE] ALL THE LISTS THAT I'VE GIVEN YOU IS SO FAR PAST ITS USEFUL LIFE THAT WE'RE JUST NOT EXPECTING MUCH OF RETURN ON THE SALVAGE VALUE.
WE BUILD THAT INTO OUR LEASE RATES AND WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO THE END OF ITS LIFE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
BUT SINCE WE'VE EXCEEDED IT, IT'S REALLY JUST GONE BEYOND THAT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WE MAY CALCULATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET $7,000 FOR THOSE TRASH TRUCKS AT THE END OF ITS LIFE.
NOW THAT IT'S GONE THREE YEARS PAST, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT LESS THAN THAT.
>> A QUESTION ON THE PAST PAST, IT'S USEFUL LIFE, THAT RECOMMENDATION.
IF WE HAD SOMETHING THAT'S ONE YEAR, PAST, RECOMMENDED USE, TWO YEARS PAST RECOMMENDED USE, ARE YOU DOING SINGULAR EVALUATIONS OF THESE AND YOU'RE LIKE,
[01:05:02]
THIS IS ROUGH, WE NEED A NEW ONE, OR IT MAY BE IN GOOD SHAPE, BUT IT'S ON YOUR LIST BECAUSE IT'S TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS PAST IT'S LIFE?>> I THINK THE BEST ANSWER I CAN GIVE YOU TO THAT IS AT ONE POINT IN TIME, WE WERE MAKING REPLACEMENTS WHENEVER THE REPLACEMENTS WERE DUE.
THROUGH TIME AS INFLATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AS WE MENTIONED IN BUDGET TIME HAS CAUSED THIS EQUIPMENT TO GO UP IN PRICE, WE'VE JUST BEEN UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH REPLACING THEM.
INSTEAD, WE'VE HAD TO STRETCH OUT THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLES INSTEAD OF REPLACING THAT REPLACEMENT TIME.
>> ANY WISDOM IN PULLING ANYTHING THAT'S TWO YEARS OR LESS PASS ITS USEFUL LIFE OFF OF THIS AND TRYING TO GET THIS BUDGET DOWN?
>> I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE WISE.
I MEAN, WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY ON MAINTENANCE SO THAT IT'S IT'S COSTING MORE TO OPERATE THEM THAN THEY'RE WORTH.
I WAS JUST WONDERING ON THESE.
MACHINERY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
IF YOU KNOW IT GOES BACK TO WHAT COLE WAS SAYING, WE HAVE EXPECTED LIFE AND WE HAVE ACTUAL LIFE.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD EVER GO BY SEVEN YEARS OR 10 YEAR.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE EVALUATED ON A YEARLY BASIS, BECAUSE WE GOT GOOD MECHANICS AND THEY COULD EVALUATE THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
I MAY COME UP EARLIER, IT MAY COME UP LATER.
BUT THE THING I'M GOING TO GET TO HERE, HAVE WE BEEN DELINQUENT AND KEEPING UP WITH THIS OR WE JUST DON'T BUDGET IT.
[NOISE] NOW WE'VE GOT ALL THESE ITEMS AT THE SAME TIME.
>> IT'S A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF THINGS.
I WOULD SAY THAT JUST THE AVAILABLE FUNDING THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION. THAT'S ONE PIECE OF IT.
TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU JUST ASKED ABOUT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND EVALUATING WHAT THEIR WORTH IS, WE DO THAT EVERY YEAR.
BUT THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LIKE TRASH TRUCKS THAT RUN EVERY SINGLE DAY ALL DAY LONG, WE KNOW WHEN THAT TIME IS GOING TO COME.
YOU COULD PROBABLY GO THROUGH ALL THE MODELS THAT ARE YEAR OUT RIGHT NOW AND LOOK AT THEM AND SAY, THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS THAT DO NOT GET EXTREME HEAVY DAILY USE THAT WE DO EVALUATE THEM AND PUSH THEM PAST THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
>> I GUESS I'M STILL WONDERING IF THIS CAME UP, IF IT'S THREE YEARS OVERDUE, WAS IT NOT ON A BUDGET THREE YEARS AGO OR WAS IT ON A BUDGET AND IT WAS VOTED OFF OR.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE INHERITING A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S VERY OLD.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE'RE INHERITING, I MEAN, WE'VE INHERITED AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
WE'VE INHERITED A WASTEWATER PLANT THEY'RE IN BAD SHAPE.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WERE WE NOT BUDGETING PROPERLY TO COVER THESE ITEMS AT THE TIME? HAVE WE JUST LET IT SLIDE BY AND DO OTHER THINGS WITH THAT MONEY? DO YOU KNOW?
>> TO ANSWER THE LAST PART OF THAT QUESTION, NO.
WE'RE NOT DOING OTHER THINGS THAT MONEY.
THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM HAVE BEEN HERE A LOT LONGER THAN I HAVE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU HISTORICALLY ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS WHEN I CAME ON IN 2018, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS EXISTING THEN AS WELL.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED HISTORICALLY AND LAURA'S BEEN HERE A LOT LONGER THAN ME AND SHE CAN PROBABLY EITHER EXPOUND ON THIS, MAKE IT MAKE MORE SENSE AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY.
BUT THERE WERE TIMES WHERE THERE WAS MONEY THAT WAS PULLED OUT OF FLEET WAS YEARS AGO TO MAKE UP THE BUDGET IN SOME OTHER AREA.
WHAT THAT CAUSED US TO DO IS JUST SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD PICKUP TRUCKS THAT HAD A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF FIVE YEARS.
SAID, WELL, THEN WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE LIFE FOR THOSE TO EIGHT AND THAT'LL BE OUR NEW SCHEDULE, AS PICKUP TRUCKS NOW GO EIGHT YEARS.
TAKE THAT MONEY, PUT IT BACK INTO THE BUDGET, ANOTHER PLACE WHERE IT WAS NEEDED TO MEET BUDGET.
THAT HAS HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND I'LL LET LAURA TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
>> I THINK THAT THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE PLAYED INTO IT OVER THE YEARS, BUT I DO THINK DUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, COUNCILS HAVE HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR DECADES NOW AND ON WHAT WERE TOP PRIORITIES, AND I THINK THAT IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN UTILIZED JUST CASH FUNDING ALL OF OUR FLEET REPLACEMENT.
I THINK IF YOU GO A LONG WAYS BACK, THAT DID WORK, BUT AS OUR BUDGETS CONTINUED TO GET TIGHTER, AS THE TAX RATE GOT TIGHTER AS STATE LEGISLATION CHANGED.
I THINK IT PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE GENERAL FUND AND IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF INFLATION OF EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON, MORE AND MORE GOT PULLED OUT OF THE FLEET REPLACEMENT BUDGET, ESPECIALLY THE GENERAL FUND.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE BIGGEST CONSTRAINTS HAVE BEEN.
I THINK WATER AND SEWER AND DRAINAGE AND AIRPORT,
[01:10:01]
THEY'VE ALL KEPT UP QUITE A BIT.BUT I THINK A CLASSIC EXAMPLE IS LOOKING AT THE FIRE TRUCKS.
I MEAN WE HAD FIRE TRUCKS THAT COST A FEW YEARS AGO, MAYBE $800,000, AND NOW THEY'RE $1.3 MILLION, $1.5 MILLION.
THE PRICE OF ALL OF THE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT HAS GONE UP DRASTICALLY, BUT I ALSO THINK THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAS NOT GROWN PROPORTIONATELY WITH THAT OVER TIME AND COUNCILS HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING UP TO THIS POINT TO MAYBE DO DEBT ISSUANCES TO LOOK AT LEASING OPTIONS.
THAT'S WHY THIS SUMMER, WE WERE LIKE THAT WE CAN'T MAKE THIS WORK ANYMORE. IT'S NOT WORKING.
THE FLEET'S GOTTEN [NOISE] SO OLD.
I DID WANT TO POINT OUT IN DONNIE'S PRESENTATION THAT 19 MILLION THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE FIRE APPARATUS.
I THINK IT WAS JUST ACCUMULATION OF YEARS OF CHALLENGES IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
>> [OVERLAPPING] COUNSELMAN, CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT TOO? I THINK SHE NAILED IT, AND THAT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY NEXT WAS, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
THAT'S WHY WE STARTED THIS IN BUDGET.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU HAVE TO STOP THAT BLEEDING AND SOMEBODY HAS TO SAY, WE'VE GOT SOME PROBLEMS. WE'VE GOT TO GET THESE ADDRESSED, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS STOP THAT.
>> I AGREE WITH THE CONCEPT WE GOT HERE.
NOW, A QUESTION I GOT FOR LAURA.
WHEN WE DECIDE TO CHANGE THE BUDGET, DOES THAT COME BACK BEFORE THE PEOPLE, OR DO WE JUST DO THAT AND OR TO ME?
>> ABSOLUTELY. AS YOU KNOW, STATE LAW CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO, WHICH MEANS THAT ANYTHING ABOVE A 3.5% INCREASE ON THE O&M SIDE OF THE TAX RATE HAS TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
EVERYTHING WE'RE DISCUSSING AND THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP THAT BELOW THAT VOTER APPROVAL OF A TAX RATE INCREASE.
WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AND STEPHEN CAN GET UP AND SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS, BUT I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THE PREVIEW OF IT.
TO DO THIS $4 MILLION, WE'RE LOOKING AT SEVEN YEARS OF ABOUT $580,000 PER YEAR.
THE REASON WE BROUGHT THE $4 MILLION, THERE'S WAY MORE THAN $4 MILLION THAT'S REALLY IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN MANAGE THAT WITHIN OUR EXISTING BUDGET.
NOW, THAT WILL BE A QUESTION WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS SUMMER WITH COUNSEL AS WELL.
BUT THAT WAS THE TARGET THAT DONNIE AND I WERE WORKING WITH AND WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS IS, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THIS NEEDS TO GO AN ADDITIONAL TAX RATE.
THIS IS WHAT WE CAN SQUEEZE IN, AND THAT'S WHY THE DOLLAR AMOUNT $4 MILLION OUT OF $19 MILLION.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THE $4 MILLION THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE $580,000 ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT, WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT THROUGH WITH THE LEASE, WITH THE FIRE APPARATUS, AND REALLY MAKE THIS WORK IF THAT'S WHAT COUNSEL CHOOSES TO DO.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
THE OTHER PART WAS WHEN WE TAKE A CHANGE IN OUR BUDGET AND WE DECIDE I NEED TO TAKE STUFF FROM DONNIE'S DEAL.
DO WE GO BACK TO THE PUBLIC AND LET THEM KNOW?
>> THAT IS THOSE WERE ALL DECISIONS MADE BY PRIOR MAYORS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS IN OPEN MEETINGS DURING BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
WE DID HAVE THE SAME PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ARE POSTED WHEN THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE GET APPROVED, BUT IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WENT TO A TRUE VOTE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
>> I THINK A LOT OF THAT OCCURRED, MR. SHERLYN DURING 2011, 2012, SOMEWHERE DURING THAT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN THAT WAS REALLY HARD ON EVER.
THAT'S WHEN A LOT OF THAT STARTED, JUST TRYING TO JUGGLE, FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE PRIORITIES WORK.
>> I THINK TO THAT POINT, IT STARTED BACK THEN, WE HAD TO LOWER WHAT WAS GOING TO THE FLEET, AND THEN EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, WE HAVE INCREASED THE AMOUNT THAT HAS GONE TO THE FLEET, BUT IT HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE REPLACEMENT NEEDS AND INFLATION, IS IT RIGHT? WE'VE JUST GOTTEN FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND.
>> THE ONLY THING I THINK IF WE WOULD COMMUNICATE TO THE CITIZENS WHAT WE'RE DOING, THEY WOULD BE MORE UP TO BE FOR A TAX INCREASE THEY'RE SEEING, WE'RE HAVING TO STEAL FROM ADAM TO PAY PAUL, BUT NOBODY REALLY KNOWS THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T PUT IT OUT THERE.
THAT'S MY LAST THING HERE. I'M GOOD.
>> THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE SPENT ON THIS.
IS THIS ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENTS IN THE FLEET THAT WE'VE SEEN?
>> WE ANNUALLY WELL, IF YOU WANT TO BETWEEN BETWEEN THE FIRE TRUCK APPARATUS, THIS AND THE LEASING BY FAR.
IT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT WE'VE SEEN IT DOES NOT FIX IT, BUT IT HELPS GET US ON TRACK WHERE WE THINK WE CAN KEEP WHAT WE'VE GOT SEMI MAINTAINED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T START IMPACTING SERVICES.
[01:15:03]
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING WITH THE FLEET IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO START IMPACTING SERVICES IF WE DON'T START MAKING SOME BIG CHANGES.IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, A COMBINATION OF THIS, THE FIRE TRUCK APPARATUS, AND THE LEASING ABSOLUTELY WE WOULD BE.
>> I WOULD SAY I DON'T KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I KNOW THE NUMBER OF FLEET UNITS, BOTH IN THE LEASE, FIRE AND THIS PORTION OF IT IS DEFINITELY THE MOST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND PROBABLY THE MOST IN A LONG TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN ONE YEAR.
>> [NOISE] MISS STORES, TO COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN'S REQUEST, CAN YOU DEFINE FOR ME BUDGET AMENDMENT LIKE WHAT I HEAR HIM SAYING MAYBE A POLICY ISSUE.
LIKE WE AS A COUNSEL MAY WANT TO PUT FORWARD A POLICY IF IT'S NOT ALREADY IN PLACE.
[NOISE] IF WE APPROVE SOMETHING OR IF AN EXISTING BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE HAS BEEN THERE, AND IT'S NOT DURING A BUDGET WORK SESSION, BUT IT'S DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A $500,000 OUT OF YOUR FLEET BUDGET BECAUSE WE ARE REPRIORITIZING THAT.
COULD WE HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE THAT REQUIRES A PUBLIC NOTICE OF THAT ACKNOWLEDGING WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING REDUCED, NOT JUST WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING?
>> WE COULD ABSOLUTELY LOOK AT BRINGING SOMETHING BACK IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR EXISTING POLICIES, BUT IF COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CHANGE, AND WE CAN ALWAYS, IF YOU WANT TO BRING IT IN A MORE FORMAL ACTION, ABSOLUTELY, WE COULD DO THAT.
>> I THINK MAYBE WHEN I'M HEARING COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN SAY YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT BETTER, BUT.
>> CORRECT. I MEAN, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
>> WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS MORE OF A WORKING ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ANY KIND.
LET'S SAY FIRE APPARATUS IS PRIORITIZED AND FUTURE COUNSELS ARE GOING TO PULL MONEY OUT OF FIRE.
THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO RECATEGORIZE AND PRIORITIZE THAT DURING BUDGET WORK SESSION.
I THINK THAT'S WHEN OUR STAFF AS WELL AS PUBLIC ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
THEN I THINK AFTER IT GOES OUT AND WE START ISSUING MONIES, I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S A TENDENCY FOR THE PUBLIC NOT TO REALIZE MAYBE WE REMOVED MONEY FROM FLEET OR FROM FIRE IN ORDER TO GO TO A DIFFERENT CAUSE.
WE MAY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EXPENDITURE AND SAY IT'S NOW BUDGETED, BUT HOW DID WE GET IT IN THE BUDGET IF WE WERE BALANCED BEFORE? IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU AND MR. MCWILLIAMS COULD PUT TOGETHER, I THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD ENTERTAIN LOOKING AT THAT.
BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD POLICY FOR FUTURE COUNCILS TO TRY TO ADHERE TO.
ALSO WOULD ALLOW STAFF A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORT AND KNOWING YOU'RE BUILDING YOUR BUDGET TO WORK ON FOR REALLY YEARS AND YEARS AS YOU HAVE TO LOOK OUT AND YOU'RE GAUGING AND EVALUATING EQUIPMENT? THEN AT ANY GIVEN WHIM, COUNSEL MAY TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY AND PUT IT OVER TO ANOTHER CAUSE OR ANOTHER ITEM, AND YOU'RE NOW IN A KNEE JERK POSITION.
IT WOULD GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO EVALUATE WHERE WE PULL MONEY FROM.
I WOULD THINK. I WOULD LIKE THE DISCUSSION.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S CLEARLY STATED AND COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN, YOU WANT TO ADD.
>> YOU'RE GOOD, SIR.THANK YOU.
>> YES. WE CAN LET US BRAINSTORM THROUGH WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. AS A REMINDER.
NOW ON THE LEASING, THOSE TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY, BUT ON THE FIRE APPARATUS AND ON THIS HEAVY EQUIPMENT, IT WOULD BE AFFECTING FUTURE BUDGETS.
BUT I THINK WE COULD COME UP WITH A POLICY THAT MAYBE HELPS YOU ALL DETERMINE WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE WHEN YOU APPROVE ITEMS LIKE THIS.
>> BRIAN AND I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO BRING BACK TO COUNCIL ON THAT.
>> ACTUALLY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR IS WE'RE TAKING IT FROM HIS BUDGET AND MOVING IN HERE, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR HIM OR HIS POINT TOO.
>> I DON'T WANT TO BE MISLEADING EITHER.
I THINK THAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS DID TAKE PLACE DURING THOSE BUDGET HEARINGS.
I WASN'T HERE, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I'M SURE THAT THEY TOOK PLACE DURING THOSE BUDGET HEARINGS.
>> BUT IN THIS CASE, GENERAL FUND HAS A SET DOLLAR AMOUNT EACH YEAR IN TOTAL THAT THEY PAY TO THE FLEET FOR SAVING UP FOR REPLACEMENT OF VEHICLES.
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS TAKE A PORTION OF THAT THAT THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING AND INSTEAD USE IT TO PAY THIS DEBT SERVICE TO GET MORE REPLACED THAN WHAT THAT CASH FUNDING IS. IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> IT DOES. THANK YOU, MRS. STORES. I THINK THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
I WOULD JUST REMIND COUNCIL WE HAVE A WORKING BUDGET FOR THIS REASON.
THIS COUNCIL HAS SEEN A LOT OF WISDOM IN TRYING TO WORK AND LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS.
WE HAVE ROUGHLY $3 MILLION IN A WORKING BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU'RE PROPOSING THESE THINGS, I THINK WE STILL NEED TO THINK IN THE TERMS OF PULLING OUT OF OUR WORKING BUDGET FOR THOSE ONGOING EXPENDITURES OR ONE TIME EXPENDITURES DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'RE BUYING AND TRY NEVER TO MOVE EVERYTHING OVER
[01:20:05]
TO AN I&S CONCEPT TO WHERE THEN IT ALLOWS FOR THAT OVERALL REVENUE TO INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE TAXPAYER.LIVING WITHIN THE MEANS AND ANYTIME WE NEED TO GO BACK TO OUR TAXPAYER AND SHOW THEM, THIS IS NEEDED AND WE NEED TO DO THIS AND HERE'S HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
I KNOW YOU ALL WOULD SHOW THAT, BUT IT CAN GET LOST IN THE WASH IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL.
I LIKE THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING AND I THINK THE POLICY WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
>> YES, SIR. WE CAN WORK OUT ON THAT.
>> MR. ADAMS, DID YOU NEED TO COME BACK IN ON THAT FOUR MILLION? DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? LET ME JUST CLARIFY.
THE RESOLUTION CALLS FOR NOT TO EXCEED $17 MILLION, AND IT INCLUDES EVERY ITEM THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TODAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THEN OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE COULD LOWER THAT?
>> I THINK LET'S LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
LET'S GO TO PAGE 26, I THINK. WE'RE ON 27.
>> YES. THIS IS THE COMBINED ONE, AND I APOLOGIZE.
>> ON 26, THE REASON I WANTED TO START THERE IS BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
GO TO 27. LET ME SEE IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT ONE.
HOW IS THAT BROKEN OUT, MR. ADAMS?
>> THAT IS BROKEN OUT BY THE USEFUL LIFE FOR EACH LINE ITEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE LEFT IS THE SEVEN YEAR PROJECT AND THE 10 YEAR, THEN THE 20 YEAR, THEN THE 25 YEAR, AND THE 30 YEAR.
>> COUNCIL, LET'S START WITH THE FAR LEFT HAND SIDE, FOUR MILLION TO GO TO WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
ASSUMING WE'RE NOT GOING TO PULL BACK ON ANY OF THOSE, MR. HOOPER MAY BRING YOU A REQUEST OF 3.8 MILLION TO GO AND GET ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT.
WE WOULD HAVE PRE-APPROVED A DEBT ISSUANCE NOTICE, NOT THE DEBT ISSUANCE, BUT JUST THE NOTICE.
LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE ARE INTENDING TO BORROW SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THEN YOU'D PAY $4.5 MILLION, INCLUDING INTEREST IF YOU FUNDED THE FULL FOUR MILLION.
NOW, DOES ANY OF THIS SPEAK TO I&S O&M, MR. ADAMS, OR IS THAT ALL TO BE DETERMINED?
>> NO. IT DOES NOT SPEAK TO ANY OF THAT.
>> GREAT. I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE POINT THAT I FOUND SOME COMFORT IN.
CAN WE GO BACK TO PAGE 26? REALLY, ON THIS SUMMARY, COST ISSUANCE MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT DEPENDING ON WHAT THE AMOUNT IS.
THE FOUR MILLION WE'VE DISCUSSED, THE LIGHTING PROJECTS, I'M UNCLEAR ON THOSE.
I SEE LIGHTING PROJECTS DOWN AT THE 2.5 MILLION.
THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FOR THE PARKS.
WHAT IS THE 4.6 MILLION IN THE 10 YEARS? I S THAT PARKS AS WELL, MR. KASHUBA?
>> YES. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHTS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO PUT IN.
ONE HAS A 10 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD, AND THAT MAKES UP THE ONES AT JUST UNDER 4.7 MILLION, AND THEN THE OTHER ONES ARE BIGGER, I THINK LIGHTS, AND THEY HAVE A 25 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD, AND THAT'S COMING IN AT THE 2.5 MILLION.
>> ALL OF THOSE LIGHT PROJECTS WERE WITHIN GIVEN BUDGET FROM MR. KASHUBA'S PARKS DEPARTMENT?
>> GREAT. GOLF IS BUDGETED WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, OR WE WOULD EXPECT THE GOLF PUMP STATION TO BE AN ADDITIONAL COST?
>> NO. IT'S IT'S ALL WITHIN PARK'S EXISTING BUDGET, YES, SIR.
>> QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THIS? THE PARKING LOTS ARE THE ONLY ONE WE REALLY HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT.
COUNCIL, IF YOU WANTED TO PUSH PAUSE AND MOVE FORWARD, WHAT I HEAR STAFF REALLY PUSHING FOR IS EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST, BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD A GREAT PUSH FOR THE PARKING LOTS.
ARE WE AT A PLACE WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO PULL THIS AMOUNT DOWN FOR THIS NOTICE OR ARE YOU GOOD MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS AMOUNT AND GIVING STAFF A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO JUSTIFY THE VALUE?
>> I DID WANT TO ADD ON THE PARKING LOT PROJECTS.
WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED A LOT OF PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AT OUR PARKS WHEN WE HAVE OUR ATHLETIC EVENTS ON THE WEEKENDS DUE TO THE LACK OF PARKING.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY POLICE CHIEF COULD GET UP AND SPEAK ABOUT AS WELL, AND I THINK WE COULD ALSO HAVE SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ABOUT IT AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S A HUGE NEED OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
ACTUALLY, WE HAD HOPED TO GET THEM ONLINE BEFORE THE BIG HEAVY SEASON THIS YEAR.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THIS POINT.
[01:25:01]
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THOSE PARTNERS ON HOW DO WE SURVIVE ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT THIS ADDITIONAL PARKING.I DO KNOW THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY FROM OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
>> VERY GOOD. I'LL LEAVE THEM ALONE.
THE SEVEN YEAR EQUIPMENT, THERE IS A PORTION OF THAT THAT IS IN PARKS.
THE 3.8 IS NOT PARKS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT THAT IS PARKS.
COUNCIL, ANY OTHER DIRECTION HERE BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND BRING UP ITEM 10.
LET ME LOOK HERE AND SEE WHICH ONE IT IS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHICH ONE.
>> WE'RE GOING TO PULL UP 10A AND 10B BECAUSE OUR FIVE O'CLOCK DEADLINE IS GETTING CLOSER.
WE CAN TAKE A VOTE ON BOTH OF THOSE NON-CONSENT ITEMS HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.
BUT CAN I MOVE US OUT OF ITEM 8D? DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE FLEET DEBT ISSUANCE FROM ANYONE ON COUNCIL?
>> CAN I ASK A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS FOR DONNIE, IT'S BE GOOD.
YOU'RE PROPOSING SIX SOLID WASTE SIDE LOADERS.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE USE IN THE ALLEYS.
>> CORRECT. WE USE THOSE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. THERE ARE SOME COMMERCIAL ALSO.
>> HOW MANY OF THOSE TOTAL DO WE HAVE IN THE FLEET?
>> WHAT ARE THE LIFE AGES ON THE OTHER 43?
>> THEY VARY FROM ONE YEAR ALL THE WAY UP TO SIX, SEVEN YEARS.
>> I'M GUESSING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP UP IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ON A REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE IN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE BACK AND IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE BEFORE SEVEN YEARS.
>> YES. THAT'S CORRECT AND THAT'S PART OF THE OVERALL PLAN THAT WE PUT TOGETHER WITH THE LEASING SIDE OF IT AND THIS SIDE OF IT AS WELL.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE US ABOUT SIX YEARS TO GET BACK ON TRACK WHERE WE WOULD BE ON THE REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE AND MOVING.
OF COURSE, THERE'S SOME VARIABLES IN THERE TOO, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE INFLATION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TOO.
THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, WE KNOW THAT THIS PLAN WHEN LAURA AND I WERE TALKING TOGETHER ABOUT IT, WE'LL HOLD TOGETHER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RELOOK AT ALL THE PRICES AGAIN AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
TRASH TRUCKS THEMSELVES WERE $145,000 FIVE YEARS AGO.
THEY'RE 211 NOW, $411,000 FOR A FRONT LOADER.
THOSE WERE ABOUT 325 JUST TWO YEARS AGO.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE THINGS AND MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE GO, BUT THIS IS JUST THE FIRST POKE AT TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
>> THE SEVEN MOTORCYCLES, IS THAT THE ENTIRE MOTORCYCLE FLEET?
>> TWELVE TOTAL. IT'S A GOOD PORTION OF IT.
>> THEY'RE JUST GOING TO REPLACE HALF OF THEM AND THEN [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S THE PLAN IS THAT EVERY TWO YEARS, THEY WOULD ROTATE AND WE WOULD BE REPLACING EITHER HALF OF THOSE EVERY YEAR OR EVERY TWO YEARS REPLACE THEM, AND WE NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH THAT AS WELL.
>> TO BE CLEAR, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THIS. I JUST WANT TO VERIFY.
WE'RE IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MONEY IN THE BUDGETS PREVIOUSLY TO GO TOWARDS REPLACING VEHICLES.
>> BUT NOT ENOUGH SO THIS IS JUST BEEN THIS CANS BEEN JUST KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE WAS AN APPETITE TO REPLACE THESE.
WE'RE IN A TOUGH SPOT OF NEEDING 19 MILLION OR WHATEVER TO REPLACE ALL THESE VEHICLES.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING POLICE AND FIRE.
>> WE HAVE DONE SOME THINGS AND DONNIE CAN SPEAK TO THIS.
THIS PAST YEAR I WANT TO SAY WE PURCHASED ONE OR TWO VEHICLES WITH THE REPLACEMENT.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT WAS REPLACED THIS PAST YEAR, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD?
>> SOME BIG PIECES. I MAY BE WRONG ON THAT.
THERE WERE SOME EXPENSIVE PIECES, I THINK, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE GOT PUSHED OUT FURTHER.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD ABOUT FIVE MILLION TO WORK WITH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
>> THERE WERE SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT CAME UP IN THERE AS WELL THAT I DIDN'T MENTION EARLIER.
WHEN COVID HAPPENED AND THERE WAS A PART CHAIN SUPPLY ISSUES AND ALL THAT.
THERE WERE SOME POLICE VEHICLES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE ORDERED 50 OF THOSE, AND IT TOOK THREE YEARS TO EVEN RECEIVE THOSE, WHICH THEN PUT US BEHIND BECAUSE WE WERE RUNNING OLD UNITS, AND SO THAT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THIS AS WELL, AND THERE HAVE BEEN JUST A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH INFLATION THAT EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF, BUT YOU START LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS.
THAT'S WHY WE GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING NOW.
WE CAN'T KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN.
I DON'T WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR THAT.
SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU HAVE TO STOP THE BLEEDING AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE PLAN WAS ABOUT.
>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLAN, BUT IT JUST LOOKS LIKE YOU WE'RE IN A SPOT.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE WERE ON SCHEDULE FOR REPLACEMENT OF VEHICLES? NO, PROBABLY BEFORE YOU.
>> I WOULD SAY PROBABLY SOMETIME BEFORE 2010.
>> I WOULD SAY 2009 OR '10 WOULD BE ABOUT [OVERLAPPING]
[01:30:04]
>> WE'VE ACTIVELY BEEN GETTING BEHIND EACH YEAR, AND I THINK IT'S JUST GOTTEN FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND.
>> WELL, LET ME CLARIFY THAT TOO.
WHEN THEY EXTENDED THE LIFE, THAT WAS PART OF THE PLAN AND THAT WAS MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, WORKING WITH COUNCIL, ALL OF IT WAS TRANSPARENT.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF OUR VEHICLES OUT TO GET A COUPLE MORE YEARS LIFE OUT OF THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE THEM RIGHT NOW.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FLEET OF HOWEVER MANY VEHICLES WE HAD BACK THEN, WE'VE GOT 800 NOW.
THERE WERE PROBABLY 650 OR SO, 700 BACK THEN, I GUESS, AND I COULD LOOK AT IT AND PROBABLY GET SOME ACCURATE NUMBERS, THEY JUST COMPOUNDED OVER TIME. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.
>> WHICH WAS NEVER ABLE TO GET AHEAD AND WE'RE STILL NOT.
>> ONCE WE GOT BEHIND, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO GET BACK AHEAD, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ARENA.
IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO ASK FOR MORE AND GET MORE.
>> EVEN WITH THIS BIG BITE, WE'RE STILL BEHIND.
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S EVER BEEN A MOMENT THAT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF IT OR PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS OR PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT WASN'T AWARE OF IT.
>> THE LONGER YOU KEEP THOSE VEHICLES, THE MORE REPAIRS THERE ARE, AND THE COST OF AUTO PARTS, ALONE HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF.
AS WE'RE SPENDING MORE ON AUTO PARTS AND REPAIRS, IT'S GIVING US LESS AND LESS MONEY TO PUT TOWARDS THE ACTUAL REPLACEMENT.
IT'S JUST THIS CYCLE THAT WE'VE GOT INTO THAT HAS BEEN VERY HARD FOR US TO TRY TO FIND A WAY OUT AND IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS THE FIRST REAL STEP INTO REALLY TRYING TO GET OUT OF THAT [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHAT FEELS GOOD ABOUT IT IS WE WERE ASKED TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND WE'RE TRYING TO PRESENT SOLUTIONS.
WE'VE HAD A RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE DURING THE BUDGET PERIOD WITH YOU GUYS, AND THAT FEELS GOOD TO US TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE FINALLY GET BACK ON TRACK WITH SOME OF THAT.
>> I WOULD AGREE. IT'S A GOOD PLAN.
I THINK IT'S A NECESSARY PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD INSTEAD OF JUST KEEP PASSING THIS DOWN FURTHER AND FURTHER. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU.
>> I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION ON IT FROM COUNCIL BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD, IT'S A GOOD PLAN.
CONCEPT WORKS AND YOU NEED IT.
I STILL WANT TO DRILL IN ON A $400,000 PROJECT, SEE IF IT CAN BE $200,000. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
[10.A. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8180]
I'M GOING TO MOVE US INTO ITEM 10A.GUYS, IF YOU'LL GET TO THAT POINT IN YOUR AGENDA, WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE NUMBER 8180.
WE REALLY DON'T NEED ANY PRESENTATION ON THIS, MRS. STORES.
>> ACTUALLY THIS IS RELATED TO THE FIRE APPARATUS THAT WE HAVE TALKED FOR WEEKS ABOUT.
>> YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION FOR IT?
>> BECAUSE WE CAN DO IT. I'M TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF YOUR TIME.
>> NO. IT'S FINE. BECAUSE I THINK THIS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH A LOT OF THE OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
>> WELL, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT.
>> BECAUSE THIS IS AN ASIDE, EVERY CLIENT WE HAVE HAS BEEN WHIPSAWED BY THE RESTRICTION IN FUNDING AND THE HUGE INFLATION ON VEHICLES, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE REGULAR INFLATION.
THIS IS PPFCOS FOR THE FIRE EQUIPMENT AND RECALL WITHOUT DOING A PPFCO THAT WE BID, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VENDOR LEASE.
VENDOR LEASES HAVE BEEN USED FOR A LOT OF EQUIPMENT ROLLING OVER THE YEARS FOR MANY CITIES.
IF YOU DO A LEASE, IT MUST BE ON THE O&M SIDE.
YOU CANNOT PUT A LEASE ON THE I&S SIDE.
WHAT WE TRY TO DO HERE IS REDUCE THE COST OF THOSE LEASES BY DOING A PPFCO.
IN DOING THAT, LAURA MENTIONED THE COST VERSUS WHAT WE RECEIVED A BID FOR 3.27% THIS MORNING, WE TOOK BIDS ON THESE.
COMPARED TO THE LEASE, WE SAVED 2.3 MILLION IN DEBT SERVICE, WHICH IS PRESENT VALUE $1 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 7.8% OF THE ENTIRE EQUIPMENT THAT WE PURCHASED, OR 475,000 A YEAR OUT OF YOUR ANNUAL ON BUDGET.
>> WE DO HAVE A 38 CALL REDEMPTION.
THIS IS HOW MANY BIDS YOU RECEIVED ON THIS? WE RECEIVED 12 BIDS FROM COMPANIES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THE WINNING BID IS BOK FINANCIAL, WHICH IS BANK OF OKLAHOMA, AND THEY'RE WAITING FOR ME TO TEXT IN THE AWARD IS WHILE WE MOVE THIS UP.
OF 3.2%, AND WE WERE REALLY HAPPY TO GET THIS MANY BIDS.
THIS IS WELL BELOW THE COST OF A LEASE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SIGNED, AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THIS.
THIS IS THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS THAT WE HAVE ON THIS AND YOU SEE THAT 2.6 MILLION AT THE BACK END, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE GUARANTEED PURCHASE PRICE THAT WE HAVE FROM THE VENDOR, JUST TO REMIND YOU ABOUT THAT.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE DO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY AWARD THE 12,355,000 PUBLIC PROPERTY FINANCE
[01:35:02]
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION SERIES 25 TO BOK FINANCIAL SECURITIES.>> VERY GOOD. BEFORE WE TAKE A MOTION ON THAT, I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY MY STATEMENT.
THE REASON I WASN'T ASKING FOR A PRESENTATION ON THAT ONE WAS, I THOUGHT THIS WAS PURSUANT TO A NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE WOULD VOTE ON THIS IN THE FUTURE.
THAT GOT A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR, I THINK FOR OUR PUBLIC.
ITEM 10A IS A PREVIOUS PRESENTATION THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH WITH BOTH OF OUR CHIEFS ON SEVERAL THINGS.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU GAVE THE PRESENTATION AGAIN SO THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR IT.
WE ARE AWARDING THE $12.3 MILLION IN THIS VOTE, CORRECT?
>> NO. I THINK YOU'RE FINE. THAT IS ITEM 10A.
>> WHEN WE WORKED OUT OF ORDER, I THINK WE MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE CONVERSATION.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY IT FOR ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING.
COUNCIL WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 10A, PLEASE.
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 8180 AS PRESENTED IN THE AGENDA.
>> I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, GENTLEMEN?
>> LET ME JUST ASK. I'M GOING TO SAY WE GOT A MUCH MUCH MORE FAVORABLE RATE THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THE PRESENTATION FROM LAST WEEK THAT STEVEN DID, WE WERE ESTIMATING A 3.8% INTEREST RATE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT CAME IN UNDER 3.3%.
THIS WAS GREAT AND I'VE HEARD THE RATES HAVE EVEN GONE UP ALREADY TODAY.
WE WENT OUT AT THE RIGHT TIME AND ARE VERY PLEASED THAT THIS MANY GROUPS WERE INTERESTED IN OUR DEBT.
AGAIN, WE GOT OUR AAA RATING REAFFIRMED, AND I THINK THAT IS A REASON THAT WE HAD SO MUCH INTEREST IN IT AND GOT THAT LOWER RATE.
>> IT GOES TO OUR BOND RATING.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH, THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
>> WHAT DID WE EXPECT BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT THE LEASING ARRANGEMENT?
>> THEN WE LOOKED AT ISSUING THE DEBT.
THEN WHAT WAS THE INTEREST RATE ON THE LEASING?
>> IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER $2 MILLION MORE OVER THE LIFE OF THIS ISSUANCE.
>> ANYTHING FURTHER? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON ITEM 10A.
ITEM 10B. ARE YOU BACK UP ON THIS ONE,
[10.B. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 02-11-25-3]
SIR, OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO HAND IT OVER TO MRS. STORES?>> THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSING EARLIER.
>> MRS. STORES, WALK US INTO THIS ONE.
>> THIS IS THE NOTICE. I APOLOGIZE ON THAT.
10A WAS VERY PRESSING TO GET IT APPROVED BEFORE CLOSE A BUSINESS IF POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THAT AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE A GOOD PARTNER IN GETTING THAT APPROVED, SO REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
10B IS WHAT WE WENT INTO A THOROUGH DISCUSSION WITH PARKS AND REC AND ALSO WITH FLEET.
WHAT 10B IS? IT'S JUST A RESOLUTION THAT WE WOULD ADVERTISE TWO CONSECUTIVE FRIDAYS IN A ROW.
IT WOULD BE THIS COMING FRIDAY AND THEN THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE'RE PLANNING OR WE ARE LOOKING TO POTENTIALLY ISSUE UP TO $17 MILLION IN CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR PARKS AND REC PROJECTS AND FOR VARIOUS HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES FOR OUR FLEET OPERATIONS.
WE'LL ALSO POST IT ON OUR CITY WEBSITE.
IT INFORMS THE PUBLIC IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON IT.
COUNCIL'S GOING TO CONSIDER IT ON APRIL 8TH.
ON APRIL 8TH, WE WOULD DO A COMPETITIVE SELL, AND BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE WILL FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH WE WANT TO TAKE TO ISSUE FOR BONDS.
IF WE COME BACK IN THE MEMORIAL PARK GAZEBO PROJECT, WE WANT TO HOLD OFF ON IT, WE WOULD JUST NOT ISSUE THAT DEBT FOR IT, OR IF IT CAME IN A LITTLE BIT LOWER, WE WOULD ISSUE LESS DEBT.
IT'S JUST NOT TO EXCEED 17 MILLION.
IT'S THERE OR BELOW, AND WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT ON APRIL 8TH.
THIS IS JUST A STATE LAW REQUIREMENT TO MAKE SURE OUR CITIZENS ARE INFORMED AND AWARE IF THEY WANT TO COME OUT AND DISCUSS IT.
>> VERY GOOD. QUESTIONS, COUNCIL, FOR MRS. STORES? NO. ASK FOR A MOTION.
>> MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 021125-3 AS PRESENTED?
>> MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM 10B.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> AYE. ANY OPPOSED? 10B PASSES.
THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU.
WE ARE GOING TO JUMP BACK OVER TO 8E,
[8.E. Digital dignity, rights, and privacy ordinance]
AND I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY PUSH THROUGH THE REST OF DISCUSSION, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A RECESS.COUNCIL, EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT OR DOES ANYBODY NEED A RECESS?
>> WE'RE SKIPPING 8E, CORRECT?
[01:40:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BECAUSE MRS. MENDOZA IS HERE THAT WE WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.I'VE READ THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE WRITTEN.
NOW, I HAVEN'T SEEN NECESSARILY BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING A PRESENTATION.
LET'S SEE HOW COMPARABLE THOSE ARE.
IF WE'RE GOING DOWN THE SAME ROAD, SAME DIRECTION, THE PRESERVATION OF THOSE CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES OF YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT IN ADDITION TO YOUR PHYSICAL SELF.
I THINK YOU'VE CAPTURED IT WELL.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS IN THERE THAT LEGAL MAY SAY, WELL, THAT'S NOT WITHIN THIS OR THAT, WE'LL EVALUATE ALL THAT.
THEN I WOULD ASK FOR INPUT FROM YOU.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE GETTING THAT, THEN I THINK IT'S GREAT YOU'RE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STAFF.
IF TWO WEEKS GO BY AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT INPUT BECAUSE YOU'VE PUT FORWARD THIS DOCUMENT, I'D ASK THAT YOU REACH OUT TO ONE OF US SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT STAFF IS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR PUBLIC ON THIS ITEM.
ITEM 8E, I THINK WE WILL GO AHEAD AND PULL OFF FOR THE REST OF THAT DISCUSSION, MOVE FORWARD INTO ITEM 8F.
[8.F. Ability to televise all public meetings at new City Hall.]
THIS IS COUNCILMAN SIMPSON, AND SO THE ABILITY TO TELEVISE ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS AT THE NEW CITY HALL.COUNCILMAN SIMPSON, YOU PUT FORWARD A VERY SIMPLE REQUEST.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ELABORATE ON?
>> NO, I JUST MAY BE SEEING WHAT OUR CAPABILITIES WOULD BE AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
>> THE DESIGN OF CITY HALL, THE NEW CITY HALL, WAS WITH THAT IN MIND.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STREAM FROM EVERY SINGLE CONFERENCE ROOM THAT WE HAVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERNAL CONFERENCE ROOMS, IT'LL BE FOR THE DEPARTMENTS.
THE PUBLIC FACING CONFERENCE ROOMS, THOUGH WERE BUILT IN A WAY THAT THERE'S A BIG LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE MAIN FLOOR THAT WILL SEED IF YOU HAVE CLASSROOM STYLE SOMEWHERE AROUND 50.
IF YOU HAVE, LIKE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, JUST OPEN CHAIRS, SEAT 75-100 AND THERE PROBABLY IF YOU PUT THEM ON THE WALLS.
ALMOST EVERY MEETING WE HAVE EXCEPT FOR A COUNCIL MEETING THAT'S A PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THAT ROOM, AND IT DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO STREAM FROM THERE.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER MEETING ROOMS THAT SET RIGHT BEHIND THAT CAN BE USED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION STYLE ROOM, ONE OF THOSE SEATS LIKE EIGHT, ONE OF THE SEATS 12, AND THEY'RE JUST BEHIND THAT MAIN ROOM.
THAT'LL BE THE BIGGEST ROOM THAT'S USED FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE'LL HAVE OUR CIVIL SERVICE MEETINGS IN THERE AS WELL AS BOARD MEETINGS, ETC.
THERE'S FOUR TOTAL MEETING ROOMS THAT ARE PUBLIC ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
ONE OF THOSE WILL BE USED FOR ORIENTATIONS.
IT'LL BE USED FOR PUBLIC BID OPENINGS.
IT DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STREAM THERE.
THEN OF COURSE, ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM THAT WE CAN USE OTHER THAN THE INTERNAL ROOMS, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STREAM, BUT IT WILL NOT BE USED FOR BOARD MEETINGS, ETC.
THEN YOU HAVE THE COUNCIL CHAMBER THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO STREAM.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE COUNCIL WORK ROOM THAT SETS RIGHT BEHIND THAT, THAT CAN SEE QUITE A FEW IN THERE THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO STREAM.
IF WE WANT TO HAVE BUDGET HEARINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THAT ROOM, WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL.
THERE'S A TOTAL OF THREE LARGE ROOMS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STREAM AND BROADCAST.
THEY HAVE THE AUDIO CAPABILITIES IN THERE AS WELL.
THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE MONITORS FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON A BOARD OR WHATEVER THEY ARE, SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA PACKETS, ETC., AND PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE IN THERE.
ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THEM IN EVERY SINGLE ROOM, THE ROOMS THAT WE WILL UTILIZE AS PUBLIC MEETING SPACE FOR JUST GO DOWN THE LIST OF ALL THE DIFFERENT BOARD MEETINGS, CAC, ANYTHING WE HAVE LIKE THAT, WE'LL BE IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN STREAM THEM.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> WELL, THEN I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT IS OUR PLAN AND HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS IT AND ANY OTHER THAT CAPABILITY?
>> IS THAT OUR PLAN AND HOW WILL WE BE ABLE TO?
>> WE HAVE THAT PLAN, AND SO STEPHANIE HAS BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE THAT HAS A BOARD THAT MEETS AT CITY HALL, SHE COULD SPEAK TO THAT.
THOSE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE SCHEDULED AND THEY'RE COORDINATING ALL THOSE SCHEDULES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OVERLAPPING MEETINGS AND THAT THEY CAN TAKE PLACE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I LEFT OUT TOO IS ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOCK DOWN THAT FIRST FLOOR.
IF WE HAVE EVENING MEETINGS, WHICH WE DO SOMETIMES, THAT THE ACCESS TO THE REST OF THE BUILDING WILL BE COMPLETELY CLOSED OFF AND NO ONE CAN GO WANDER AROUND THE SECOND, THIRD FLOOR AND LOOK AROUND.
DESIGN WITH THAT IN MIND, BUT STEPHANIE COULD SPEAK FURTHER.
I KNOW WE'RE SCHEDULING THEM NOW AND WE HAVE THAT IN OUR SYSTEM ALREADY.
SHE'S ALREADY TAKEN AND JUGGLING THOSE MEETINGS AROUND.
>> WE ARE GETTING THOSE MEETINGS SET UP.
NOW, THE QUESTION THAT I THINK YOU HAVE THAT WE MAY NEED TO DISCUSS OR TALK ABOUT A LITTLE FURTHER IS HOW THE PUBLIC WOULD SEE THOSE MEETINGS.
WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT STREAMING ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS, BUT WE'VE GOT THAT CAPABILITY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE SPECIFICALLY IN THAT BIG CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE FIRST FLOOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON.
THEN THAT WOULD LIKELY, AND I'M GOING TO DEFER TO IT HERE, MAY HAVE TO CHANGE MY ANSWER, BUT THAT WOULD LIKELY GO THROUGH OUR SOLUTION THAT WE USE THAT STREAMS OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS,
[01:45:02]
AND WE WOULD JUST SEND OUR AGENDAS THROUGH TO THAT ORGANIZATION AND THEY WOULD KNOW TO STREAM THOSE AT THOSE TIMES.>> IS THAT THE SWAGIT THAT HANDLES THAT.
>> ON THIS, IT'S CALLED SWAGIT.
IT'S A GRANICUS PRODUCT, AND WE SCHEDULE OUR MEETINGS THROUGH THEM AND WE SEND THEM AN AGENDA AHEAD OF TIME.
THEN WHEN YOU GO ON OUR WEBSITE, THAT IS ALSO, AND I CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO HOW THIS WORKS, BUT SWAGIT HELPS US LINK THROUGH TO OUR CITY YOUTUBE THAT PLAYS THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
BUT SWAGIT ALSO LINKS INTO OUR WEBSITE.
WHEN YOU GO TO AMARILLO.GOV AND YOU CLICK ON THAT VIEW CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, THAT INTERFACE RIGHT THERE IS SWAGIT.
IT WOULD LIKELY BE THAT THEY MAY HAVE SOME OTHER TABS THERE WHERE YOU COULD VIEW LIVE AN MW ADVISORY BOARD OR A PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
WE'LL BE DOING A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH INTO HOW TO PROVIDE THAT TO OUR COMMUNITY, HOW TO GET THAT TO THEM IN THE END.
BUT WE DEFINITELY ARE LOOKING DOWN THAT PATH AND LOOKING DOWN A PLAN FOR HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
>> COUNCIL, I MIGHT ADD TO THAT GERRY AND I ARE ALREADY EVALUATING TOO.
WE KNOW THAT THIS PLAN HAVE A LITTLE FLUIDITY TO IT.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE ONCE WE GET IN THERE IF IT'S WORKING OR NOT.
WE'VE ALREADY EVALUATED WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO ADD TECHNOLOGY, IF WE NEED TO DO THAT, AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VIDEO SYSTEM, THE STREAMING SERVICE, AND ALSO THE AUDIO CAPABILITIES.
IF WE SEE AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT IT'S NOT WORKING, AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WE HAVE OTHER SPACE THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SMALLER MEETINGS IN THAT WE COULD ADD THAT TECHNOLOGY.
WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY UP FRONT WHEN WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE HAD THE NEED FOR THAT, THE WAY THAT IT'S SET UP NOW.
>> BUT WOULD YOU SAY THAT A GOAL OF TELEVISING ALL BOARD MEETINGS IS A ACHIEVABLE GOAL?
>> I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE, YES.
>> BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO WORK OUT.
>> BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DEFINITELY GET TO.
>> PARTICULARLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, THERE'S WAYS WHERE IF YOU JUST WANT TO LOOK AT A PARTICULAR ITEM, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
ALL THOSE THINGS, I THINK JUST MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS, PARTICULARLY NOT ONLY THE WHOLE MEETING, BUT IF THEY WANT TO SEE A PARTICULAR DISCUSS HERE.
>> I CAN TELL YOU THIS, WE WERE TESTING SOME OF THE VIDEO SYSTEM YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT.
PANT ZOOM CAMERAS THAT WILL MAKE OUR PRESENTATIONS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND A LITTLE MORE CLARITY WHEN THEY'RE BEING BROADCAST AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW MOC MEETINGS BEFORE WE GET TO THE 25TH SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY IS WORKING, AND WE'LL DO THE SAME.
STEPHANIE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT OF DOING THE SAME WITH THE FIRST FLOOR MEETING ROOMS AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING BEFORE WE GO LIVE AND WE HAVE MEETINGS IN THEM ARE WORKING PROPERLY.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK MAYBE A NEXT PHASE IS THE SIMS BUILDING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME BOARDS THAT HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE OVER TO SIMS VERSUS CITY HALL, SO WE MAY LOOK AT EQUIPPING THOSE CONFERENCE ROOMS, OR IN THE MEANTIME, SCHEDULE EVERYTHING AT CITY HALL UNTIL WE CAN SORT THAT PIECE OUT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE 50 PLUS BOARDS AND LOTS OF SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
>> ANYTHING FURTHER ON THAT ONE? CURIOUS FROM COUNCIL, COUNCIL, WOULD YOU WANT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT'S A POLICY INITIATIVE THAT REQUIRES LIVE STREAM AND FORWARD FACING OF ALL MEETINGS, SAY ABOVE THE BOARD LEVEL? IF WE CALL A MEETING WITH AEDC, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WORKING SESSION, MAYBE IT'S NOT STREAMED AND YOU CAN'T WATCH IT, BUT YOU WANTED TO COME TO IT.
THIS WOULD BE A POLICY INITIATIVE THAT WOULD MAYBE LIMIT OUR VENUE TEMPORARILY, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF VENUE NOW.
BUT FOR FUTURE COUNCILS COMING IN, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY, WELL, DO I WANT TO STREAM THIS OR DO I NOT? THEY WOULD ALWAYS BE A REQUIREMENT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE.
ANY NEGATIVES ON THAT, COUNCIL?
>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE CAPABILITIES OF WHAT IT WOULD COST.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS SOME OF THE ROOMS, WE WOULD HAVE TO EQUIP TO DO THAT; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. YOU'D HAVE TO PUT THE STREAM EQUIPMENT IN THERE.
YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PUT AN AUDIO SYSTEM THERE AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS TOO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO OPERATE IT.
WE CAN'T JUST GO IN THERE AND FLIP A SWITCH AND EVERYTHING, COME ON AND BE GREAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO STRETCH OEI OUT TO WHERE THEY CAN.
THEY CAN'T BE EVERY PLACE AT ONE TIME.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE LOGISTICS OF THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE TRYING TO GET IT ALL CENTRALIZED.
>> I HEAR WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND I LIKE THE GOAL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON IS PUTTING FORWARD.
AS WE HAVE AVAILABLE VENUE WITH THAT AND WE CAN DELIVER ON THAT, I THINK WHAT I'M SPEAKING MORE TO IS LIKE BUDGET WORKSHOP, COUNCIL SESSION, WORK SESSION, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHERE SOMETIMES WE DON'T STREAM, AND IT CAN BE IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
WE'D LIMIT OURSELVES TO THOSE VENUES WHERE THE STREAMING IS ALREADY AVAILABLE.
I WOULD BE ASKING COUNSEL IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A POLICY INITIATIVE THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK EITHER MISS.
[01:50:04]
STORRS OR DEPUTY, IF YOU GUYS COULD WORK ON MAYBE THAT POLICY INITIATIVE?>> THANK YOU, GUYS. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ONE MORE.
>> NO. I'M GOING TO MOVE US INTO 8G.
[8.G. Sunset Committee]
THAT IS NOTICED AS A SUNSET COMMITTEE.WE FELT LIKE IF WE SAID LOCAL DOGE, WE'D HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE HERE DURING THE MEETING AND WE'D RUN OUT OF SEATS.
IN A SERIOUS CONCEPT AND IN A VERY FORWARD-THINKING UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOVERNMENT SHOULD OPERATE, I THINK THAT LOCAL MATTERS MOST BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE IMPLEMENT AND THIS IS WHERE WE ACTUALLY INTERACT ONE-ON-ONE FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR CUSTOMER AND OUR TAXPAYER THE MOST.
WITH DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS EVEN, WE WOULD BE FOOLISH TO THINK THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THE TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT THAT'S GOING TO HIT US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WHERE WE MAY HAVE OLD CODES AND STANDARDS, OLD REQUIREMENTS, OLD WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS THAT OUR STAFF IS STILL TRYING TO IMPLEMENT WHEN YOU HAVE A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS SAYING, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE, OR WE'RE CHANGING THIS, OR THIS IS A NEW METRIC.
THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THAT NORMALLY TAKES TO GO FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO GET THROUGH STATE AND TO GET DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD PROPOSE A SUNSET COMMITTEE.
WE COULD PROPOSE ANYWHERE FROM SAY 12-20 CITIZENS THAT WE COULD PUT ON A COMMITTEE FOR UP TO ONE YEAR AND WE COULD DO A PILOT FOR ONE YEAR TO SEE WHAT THE EFFECTIVENESS IS OF THIS.
THIS WOULDN'T JUST BE BUILDING CODES AND BUILDING STANDARDS, EVEN THOUGH I'M A BUILDER AND I COULD GO THROUGH AND I COULD TELL YOU JUST ONE AFTER THE NEXT OF THINGS THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT IN THERE ANYMORE.
THAT'S SO OLD AND OUTDATED, WE DON'T NEED THAT.
WE NEED THOSE INSPECTORS TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO ENFORCE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T DO BUSINESS THAT WAY ANYMORE.
BUT IT WOULD COME ALL THE WAY ACROSS.
I THINK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
I THINK ABOUT MAYBE SOME OF OUR TCEQ ISSUES WITH DUST CONTROL BARRIERS AND EROSION CONTROL AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO CHANGE.
WE COULD HAVE A CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT IS SPUN UP AND READY TO WORK ON ALL OF THOSE CHANGES AS WE SEE THEM COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
THIS WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD IN A PROACTIVE WAY OF DOING BUSINESS WITH OUR CUSTOMER BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH ONE THING.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE PUSHED AND PUSHED AND WE HAVE GOTTEN MUCH BETTER STAFF AND ENGAGEMENT ON CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AMARILLO IS A FRIENDLIER CITY TO DO BUSINESS WITH A LITTLE BIT.
LIKE, IT'S GOT BETTER, AND I LOVE THAT.
I LOVE THAT BUILDING SAFETY IS BETTER.
BUT MAN, DO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE PACE AT WHICH WE WORK AT IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S NOT ANYTHING AGAINST ANY INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT OR STAFF.
STAFF IS WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY.
MOST OF THOSE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN BEND OVER BACKWARD TO TRY TO WORK WITH OUR CITIZENS.
MOST OF THE TIME, IT IS THE BUREAUCRACY AND THE RED TAPE AND THE CONSTANT BACK AND FORTH AND THE LACK OF STREAMLINE AND BUSINESS PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE HELD TO WELL, THAT'S THE WAY WE STILL DO IT.
COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT THIS TO YOU GUYS.
THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE COMPRISED OF MAYBE THE BOARD CHAIRS THAT ALREADY SIT ON SOME OF OUR CURRENT BOARDS.
A LOT OF YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING ISSUES, THEY TAKE A LOT OF, LET'S JUST SAY DIFFICULTIES FROM THE PUBLIC IN TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
YOU COULD TAKE MAYBE THE P&Z CHAIR AND PUT THEM ON THIS SUNSET COMMITTEE.
YOU COULD TAKE YOUR LGC GUY AND PUT THEM OVER HERE, YOU COULD PULL IN, MAYBE YOUR CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY AND APPEALS COMMITTEE.
ONE THAT I RAN ACROSS JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, I HAD A DRAFTS PERSON CALLING ME SAYING, HEY, I'M HUNG UP.
I CAN'T GET MY PLAN APPROVED BECAUSE YOUR PLAN REVIEWER FOUND A CODE THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE MORE THAN 24 WIDE CURB CUTS ON OUR RESIDENCES.
I'M LIKE, REALLY, WELL, THREE-CAR GARAGE, WE DO THOSE ALL OVER.
I HAVE 30-FOOT-WIDE CURB CUTS ALL OVER TOWN, THEY'RE NOT IN VIOLATION.
WELL, THIS IS AN OLD CODE THAT THEY FOUND, AND SO LET'S JUST CALL THEM AND TELL THEM NOT TO ENFORCE IT.
WELL, IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY BECAUSE WE TELL THOSE REVIEWERS AND THOSE EMPLOYEES, IF IT'S IN THE CODE, YOU HAVE TO ENFORCE IT.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY RULES FOR EVERYBODY.
[01:55:04]
IF IT'S THE RULE, THEN WE'VE GOT TO BE BLACK AND WHITE ABOUT IT.I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STAB AT THIS ON TWO FRONTS.
ONE, WE COULD GO BACK THROUGH EXISTING CODES AND STANDARDS AND SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO IMPLEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM MAYBE TYING YOUR HORSE UP AT THE LOCAL SALON.
BUT IF WE DO, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED THAT ANYMORE.
WE CAN DO SOME HOUSEKEEPING, WE CAN GET SOME THINGS OUT.
I KNOW AS PEOPLE WOULD HEAR THIS, YOU WOULD THINK, COUNCIL IS NOW GOING FULL FRONTAL ASSAULT TOWARDS THE STAFF.
ACTUALLY, IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE STAFF, THEY WANT THEIR JOBS TO BE STREAMLINED TOO.
THEY WANT TO FIND WAYS TO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP CITIZENS GET THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT THEY CAN'T JUST IGNORE THE PROCESS.
YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, YEAH, CLOSE ENOUGH, NO BIG DEAL THAT YOU DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE PLAN.
MANY THINGS THIS WAY, I THINK COULD BE IMPROVED.
THEN BACK TO MY ORIGINAL POINT, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE MASSIVE CHANGES IN HOW GOVERNMENTS RELATE TO THEIR POPULATION.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CITIZEN COMMITTEE OF VERY SMART, WELL-RESPECTED, EXPERIENCED INDIVIDUALS FROM MULTIPLE PLACES IN TOWN AND DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE THAT ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHAT I SEE COMING IS GOING TO LAND ON COUNCIL AND FUTURE COUNCILS ARE GOING TO HAVE A HARDER TIME KEEPING UP WITH THE REQUEST, AND SO THIS BODY WOULD FUNCTION IN A GREAT DEAL.
MY IDEA, REGARDLESS IF YOU CALL IT CODES AND STANDARDS TASKFORCE, SUNSET COMMITTEE, LOCAL DOGE, I DON'T REALLY CARE, I JUST WANT 20 GOOD HARDWORKING PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO MAKE AMARILLO EASIER TO GET AROUND IN AND EVEN MORE BUSINESS-FRIENDLY, AND I WANT TO HELP THE STAFF AS MUCH AS I WANT THEM TO HELP THE COUNCIL AND TO HELP THE TAXPAYER.
THROWING THAT OUT THERE IS A DISCUSSION ITEM, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAYBE GIVE A GUT REACTION TO THAT.
>> I'M GOING TO PAUSE, JUST WALKING YOU THROUGH WHAT THE CHARGE WOULD BE AS THE GOVERNMENT COMES DOWN WITH THINGS THEY'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF AND CREATE POLICY OR GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW THAT'S GOING TO FIT WITHIN THE CITY.
>> SURE. HERE'S THE WAY I WOULD TACKLE IT.
I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD WANT TO FORM THIS COMMITTEE FIRST, AND COUNSEL WOULD HELP TO FORM THIS COMMITTEE.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF BRINGING EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS IN BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY SPECIALIZED AND THEY'RE ALREADY SELECTED.
I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF BRINGING STAFF INTO THAT MEETING SO THAT YOU GET SOME OF THAT STAFF EXPERTISE.
IF THERE'S A LEGAL REASON WHY WE CAN'T TAKE THAT OUT, THEN WE NEED TO KNOW WE'RE NOT WASTING YOUR TIME.
THEN I ALSO LIKE BEING ABLE TO ONBOARD EXPERTS.
THEN I THINK ONCE YOU GET TO THAT POINT, I'D ALMOST LIKE IT TO BE TWOFOLD.
ONE, RESPONSIVE TO CHANGES THAT ARE COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
WITH YOUR STATE MEETING RIGHT NOW, THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO WRAP UP IN ANOTHER 100-PLUS DAYS, AND GOING THROUGH THE BILLS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY IS A TASK.
MUCH LESS, HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS OR DEREGULATE SOME OF THOSE OLD RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE NO LONGER VIABLE? WITH THAT, IT'S RESPONSIVE, AND I THINK YOUR WORKLOAD MIGHT BE OVERWHELMING JUST WITH THAT.
HOWEVER, IF YOU GOT TIME, THEN WHAT WE WOULD WANT IS THIS COMMITTEE TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY, WHERE WOULD OUR TIME BE MOST WELL SPENT? DO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON ZONING? DO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON BUILDING SAFETY? DO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON ENERGY COMPLIANCE? YOU WOULD TAKE A TOPIC THROUGH THAT BOARD.
ENERGY CODE IS AN EASY ONE TO PICK ON.
IF 2026 ENERGY CODES GET PASSED, NO ONE WILL EVER BUILD ANYTHING EVER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PUT 12" OF INSULATION IN A 3.5-INCH WALL? SOME OF THE STUFF IS SO ASININE IN THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY WANT TO PUT GFCI BREAKERS ON THE OUTLETS TO THE MINI SPLIT HEATING IN AIR.
THERE'S SOME SWEET OLD LADY TRIPS THAT BREAKER ON THAT LITTLE PLUG IN THE ATTIC, AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW THAT.
SHE HAS TO SUFFER THROUGH THE HOTTEST WEEKEND OF HER LIFE BEFORE SOMEBODY COMES AND HELPS HER ON MONDAY MORNING.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS? YOU HAVE A BREAKER FOR THIS.
THIS IS NOT A LIFE SAFETY MECHANISM.
MY PASSION FOR THAT IS, THERE ARE PLENTY OF TARGETS TO SHOOT AT.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO GO SHOOT AT THE GFCI, BECAUSE I THINK THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO KEEP YOU BUSY ENOUGH.
BUT I THINK THAT DOING NOTHING WOULD LEAVE US VERY UNPREPARED FOR SOME OF THE LARGEST CHANGES THAT WE SHOULD SEE IN OUR NATION.
>> I THINK IT SOUNDS GREAT IN THEORY, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAD A TEAM OF 25-YEAR-OLD NERDS THAT MUSK HAS TO GO DO THIS,
[02:00:09]
I THINK TASKING INDIVIDUALS WITH IT.YOU GOT TO FIND THE RIGHT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE EASY.
LIKE YOU SAID, IF IT'S GOING TO BE THOSE THAT HAVE EXPERTISE IN THAT FIELD.
IN THEORY, I THINK IT'S GREAT IF WE CAN FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO DO THAT AND BECOME MORE EFFICIENT.
CLEAN IT UP, CLEAN UP THE BOOKS, BE EASIER TO DEAL WITH.
ABSOLUTELY. IF THEY CAN FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE THING.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK IT'S A BIG SWING.
AND IT COULD BE VERY OVERWHELMING.
THAT'S WHY WE WOULD WANT TO TAKE A HUGE TARGET OF WHAT THIS COULD DO AND ISOLATE IT INTO ONE SINGLE TARGET THAT WE KNOW WE CAN HIT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO REDO OR DUPLICATE SERVICES.
WE HAVE CODES AND STANDARDS APPEALS COMMISSION THAT'S LOOKING AT NOTHING BUT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, AND IT'S THICK.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GO BACK THROUGH THAT ENTIRE VOLUME, BUT I THINK WHAT WE COULD AT LEAST BE IS RESPONSIVE.
I UNDERSTAND THE CAUTION AND IF WE FEEL LIKE IT'S TOO BIG FOR US TO IMPLEMENT, THEN I THINK WE'RE BETTER TO BACK AWAY AND JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION ITEM THAT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE.
BUT ULTIMATELY, I DON'T THINK IT IS.
I THINK THAT WHERE I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS AND I'VE TALKED TO EVERYBODY, I THINK CITIZENS REALLY WOULD SEE THE BENEFIT IN ENGAGING LIKE THIS.
>> MAYOR, I HEAR THE SAME THING THAT YOU DO AS MAYBE WHERE OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IS, WHICH IS, IT GOES BACK TO BUILDING AND CODE AND PEOPLE WANTING TO BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS.
TO ME, THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN AREA THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE FOCUSING ON.
I THINK CODES AND STANDARDS AND THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS WITH YOUR CITY COULD BE THE FIRST ONE YOU LOOK TO BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF WHAT YOU AND I GET IS FRUSTRATION.
IT'S NOT JUST BUILDING SAFETY AS MUCH AS IT IS, LET'S SAY GREASE TRAPS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT OVERLAY MULTIPLE ITEMS. FIFTY YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THIS TO DO BUSINESS, AND WE GOT ALONG PRETTY GOOD.
YOU KNOW, NOW WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT OVERLAP.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR A SMALL BUSINESSMAN OR WOMAN TO EVEN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE PERMITS AND ALL OF THE FEES AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT INSPECTIONS AND SO MUCH.
IF ANYTHING, IF WE JUST KEEP IT FROM GETTING WORSE, IT'S A WIN.
>> BUT WE WOULD WITH THIS COMMITTEE'S INPUT DETERMINE MAYBE THE FOCUS AREA.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE LOOKING AT EVERY ORDINANCE WE HAVE AND WHICH ONES NEED TO BE CHANGED, BUT GIVING THEM SOME FOCUS IN THESE PARTICULAR AREAS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
>> I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO GUIDE THIS, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE WAY WE WOULD VISION THIS, WE WOULD NEED TO GIVE GUIDANCE OF COMMITTEE.
THERE'S 12 OF YOU, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW THESE ARE THE THREE AREAS THAT WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IN OF KNOWING THIS IS WHERE OUR COMMON PROBLEMS LIE.
THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF OUR NORMAL RED TAPE DIFFICULTIES ARE, WHICH OF THESE THREE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK ON? THEN BASED ON THAT, BRING US BACK YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR TASK.
IF THEY COME BACK AND THEY SAY, WELL, ON THESE CODES AND STANDARDS, WE THINK THAT, AS AN EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY GENERATORS OR SOMETHING THAT ARE POPULAR AND PEOPLE ARE WANTING GENERATORS AND WE'RE STRUGGLING ON EVERYONE WE TRY TO INSTALL.
THAT'S A REAL SIMPLE ONE TO GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRING YOU TO DRAW A SITE PLAN FOR YOUR ENTIRE PROPERTY TO SHOW WHERE A SMALL BOX MAY SIT ON THE SIDE OF YOUR HOUSE.
COULD THEY JUST TAKE THAT ONE ITEM, STREAMLINE THAT, FIX THE PROBLEM, AND HELP THE COMMUNITY? I THINK THOSE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
THEN I WOULD LOVE FOR COUNSEL TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT.
>> THE METRIC WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE THEIR SUCCESS BY IS STREAMLINING IT, REMOVING OBSTACLES OR UNNECESSARY THINGS TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY WITHOUT OBVIOUSLY COMPROMISING SAFETY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT ONE OF THE METRICS OF WHICH WE'LL TELL THEM THIS IS WHAT WE WANT THEM TO ACCOMPLISH.
>> I THINK THE GUIDELINE THAT I WOULD FOCUS ON, WHERE IS VERY HELPFUL FOR ME IN THE BALANCE THAT'S NEEDED IN GOOD GOVERNANCE IS LIFE SAFETY, LIFE SAFETY, AND WE NEED TO ABIDE BY THAT 100%, AND WE CAN'T SAVE $1 TO COMPROMISE LIFE SAFETY.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE MORE RECOMMENDED OR PREFERRED.
[02:05:02]
THOSE PREFERENCES, WHEN YOU MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF PREFERENCES YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY TO GET THROUGH A SYSTEM, I THINK THE METRICS PRETTY EASY TO SEE THE SUCCESS.THE REAL SUCCESS IS GOING TO BE, DOES STAFF LIKE IT? IF WE GET SOMETHING TO STAFF AND THEY SAY, OH, WE CAN WORK WITH THIS, YEAH, THIS IS FINE.
THESE THINGS WEREN'T IMPORTANT ANYWAY.
BUT YEAH, I LIKE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO REQUIRE ALL THAT PAPERWORK.
MY RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS ARE LESS THAN A NICKEL ON $1.
I'M GOING TO CHARGE YOU $20,000 MORE TO BUILD YOUR STRUCTURE.
YOUR ELECTRIC BILL WAS 200 A MONTH AND NOW IT'S $194.
ENERGY COMPLIANCE ENERGY CODE IS ONE THING THAT I'D LOVE TO GO AFTER.
>> I SAY ALL THAT TO JUST SET ONE EXPECTATION.
THE STATE CAN FORCE ADOPTION ON DIFFERENT THINGS AND SAY THIS IS WHERE WE'RE MOVING AND YOU GUYS HAVE TO MOVE.
WE THEN, AS A COMMUNITY, HAVE TO LOOK AT, DO WE RUN ANY RISK IN NOT ADOPTING THESE UPDATED CODES OR PUSHING BACK OUR BOND RATING? I GUESS IT WOULDN'T BE OUR BOND RATING.
IF WE CAN GET A GOOD COMMUNITY TOGETHER OF OUR CITIZENS WORKING ON THIS, I THINK WE CAN GAIN A LITTLE GROUND THERE.
I HOPE THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY'RE PUSHING FOR US AS WELL, BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO RUN SMALL BUSINESS IN TODAY'S WORLD.
ANYTHING FURTHER ON ITEM 8G? YOU ALL GOOD WITH SUNSET COMMITTEE OR YOU WANT TO CALL IT CODES AND STANDARDS TASK FORCE? OR YOU GOT A BETTER NAME?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY MINI DOGE.
YOU WANT US TO COME BACK WITH NAMES OR?
>> I'M JUST CURIOUS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE NAME IT.
[OVERLAPPING] NAMES FOR THIS, YES.
HERE'S WHERE WE GET A LITTLE DIRECTION.
LET'S JUST CALL IT THE SUNSET COMMITTEE FOR RIGHT NOW AND THEN THEY CAN COME UP WITH THEIR OWN NAME.
DEPUTY, COULD WE GET A LIST OF ALL CURRENT BOARD CHAIRS AND A LIST OF ALL THOSE BOARDS.
THEN LET'S GO THROUGH THAT GUYS AND LET'S SEE IF WE WANT TO COME UP WITH THREE MAIN TARGETS TO SHOOT AT AND WHICH OF THOSE BOARDS ARE APPLICABLE.
IF I SIT ON THE PID OUT AT THE GREENWAYS, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY QUALIFY ME FOR ZONING.
BUT IF I'M A SURVEYOR, I PROBABLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT I'M LOOKING AT THERE.
WITH THAT, I THINK WE COULD COME THROUGH AND WE COULD PULL SOME OF THOSE BOARD CHAIRS OR MAYBE VICE CHAIRS, WHATEVER IT IS.
IF WE GET THAT LIST, THEN I'D LIKE TO BRING THIS BACK FOR A SECOND DISCUSSION.
THEN AT SOME POINT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH TO TWO MONTHS, WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND BRING NOMINATIONS BASED ON WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING AFTER.
IF I CAN TALK YOU ALL INTO ENERGY COMPLIANCE, THEN I THINK I COULD BRING SOME REALLY GOOD ENERGY CODE EXPERTS TO THAT TABLE.
THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL, IT WOULD MORPH AND CHANGE.
YOU'RE NEVER SITTING ON THIS BOARD FOR VERY LONG.
IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY HIGH IMPACT AND A LOT OF WORK TO GET THE JOB DONE, BUT THEN YOU'RE ROLLING OFF BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT ARE COMING ON.
WOULD YOU ALSO LIKE US TO WORK ON A RESOLUTION TO BASICALLY CREATE THIS TASK FORCE AND SOME OF THE PARAMETERS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON.
>> I'M GOING TO SAY NOT YET, AND HERE'S WHY.
I KNOW I'M PUSHING THIS PRETTY HARD AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONLY ONE DRIVING IT.
I'M LOOKING FOR A LITTLE MORE BUY IN, AND I THINK I GO BETTER WITH MY COUNCIL SLOWER.
LET ME GET A SECOND DISCUSSION AND TALK THROUGH SOME OF THIS.
AFTER YOU DIGEST THIS, YOU'LL START THINKING ABOUT MAYBE IT WON'T WORK, MAYBE THIS IS TOO MUCH WORK, OR WHAT OTHER PROBLEMS ARE WE GOING TO CAUSE? I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE DISCUSSION ONE MORE TIME AND THEN PUT FORWARD THE RESOLUTION TO ACTUALLY CREATE A COMMITTEE.
>> SOUNDS GOOD. WE'LL GET YOU THOSE NAMES.
>> HEY, THANKS, GUYS. I APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY FUTURE REQUESTED AGENDA ITEMS FOR ITEM 8H?
>> LET'S TAKE A 15-MINUTE RECESS.
WE'LL COME BACK IN HERE AT 5:25, AND WE'LL FINISH UP.
[BACKGROUND] LAST MEETING IN THE OLD CHAMBER,
[02:10:01]
AND IT'S ONLY 5:24.THESE GUYS ARE LIKE, HURRY UP.
WE MIGHT ACTUALLY GET OUT OF HERE ON TIME.
[9. Consent Items]
WE NEED TO GO INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT COUNCIL SEES?
>> 9E. ANYTHING ELSE, COUNCIL? NOTHING?
>> I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA WITHOUT N AND E, PLEASE.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 9E AND 9N.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THAT PORTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN PASSED.
[9.E. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 02-11-25-2]
LET ME LOOK AT THE DEPUTY AND SEE WHO HE MAY WANT TO BRING UP HERE TO DISCUSS THIS CONSIDERATION FOR TRANSFORMATION PART.>> I THINK IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE.
>> WELL, LET ME GIVE IT BACK TO COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN.
TELL US YOUR CONCERN ON THIS ONE AND WHAT YOU'D LIKE.
>> THE MAIN CONCERN I HAD IS, I GAVE YOU A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS AT LOOKING AT LEASING CAMERAS AND STUFF, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO ALONG UNTIL WE GET A REPORT BACK FROM THEM.
DID YOU CHECK AND SEE IF THEY LEASE? IS IT CHEAPER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH MARK ZIMMERMAN.
I KNOW HE WAS GOING TO LOOK INTO THOSE OPTIONS, BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT BACK WITH THAT INFORMATION.
>> THEN I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THIS OFF UNTIL NEXT MEETING OR SOMETHING.
>> DO WE KNOW THE TIME FRAME FOR TRANSFORMATION PARK? ARE THEY ON SCHEDULED TO OPEN ON WHAT, APRIL?
>> NO REASON THAT FEBRUARY 11TH OR FEBRUARY 25TH WILL BE A PROBLEM ON THIS ISSUANCE?
>> I'M LOOKING BACK AT GERRY BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME ITEMS. SIR, DO YOU SEE ANY ISSUES ON THAT?
>> OKAY. SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE LEASING OF CAMERAS?
>> WELL, THEY HAD PRESENTED BUYING CAMERAS AS A FAIRLY BIG NUMBER.
>> I ASKED THE QUESTION, IS THERE POSSIBLE LEASE ON THIS EQUIPMENT? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU CAN LEASE THAT BECAUSE I'D HATE TO BUY IT AND NOT KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO WORK OR IF IT DOES WORK OR THAT TYPE OF THING.
THAT'S JUST MY LOOKING AFTER THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
>> YES, SIR. WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM MARK ON THAT.
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH DELAY.
THE ONLY THING THAT COMES TO MIND WAS, I BELIEVE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS REQUESTING THAT THIS WOULD INTEGRATE INTO OUR SYSTEM SOMEHOW SO THAT THEY COULD SEE IT DOWN AT MAYBE THE REGIONAL CRIME CENTER, AND SO I THINK MAYBE THAT COMPONENT OF IT MAY LIMIT, SAY, A LOCAL SECURITY COMPANY.
>> POSSIBLE WHETHER OR YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
THE OWNERSHIP VERSUS LEASE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO INVESTIGATE AS WELL.
>> IT MAY COME BACK THE SAME, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M FINE TO WAIT AND DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
BUT THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD THINK MAY KEEP YOU FROM JUST GOING OUT AND HAVING A THIRD PARTY VENDOR THAT SAVES YOU CASH ON THE FRONT END WOULD BE THAT REQUEST.
>> DO WE WANT TO MOTION TO TABLE IT OR ARE WE GOOD JUST LEAVING IT WITH NO ACTION?
>> WE'RE GOOD EITHER WAY, AND WE'LL BRING NEXT MEETING.
>> COUNCILMAN, YOU'RE GOOD TO JUST LEAVE IT WITH NO ACTION?
[9.N. CONSIDER APPROVAL - RENEWAL OF SELECTRON IVR CALL SERVICES]
ITEM 9N WAS PULLED SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T READY.MISS COGGINS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ELABORATE ON ON THAT?
>> NO. WE WILL HAVE THAT ITEM UPDATED AND READY AND FINALIZED FOR THE NEXT MEETING ON FEBRUARY 25TH.
IF COUNCIL SO CHOOSES, JUST TAKE NO ACTION.
>> WE'LL TAKE NO ACTION ON 9N THEN AS WELL.
MOVING INTO OUR NON CONSENT AGENDA.
[10.C. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8181]
ITEM 10C IS THE NEXT ONE UP.THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE HAVE MR. KASHUBA COMING BACK UP.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2025 STANDARDS OF CARE FOR RECREATIONAL CARE PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AS REQUIRED BY
[02:15:04]
TEXAS HUMAN RESOURCES CODE, SECTION 42.041B14.THE STANDARDS OF CARE ARE REQUIRED TO EXEMPT CITY YOUTH PROGRAMS FROM STATE CHILDCARE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS.
THE STANDARDS OF CARE ARE INTENDED TO BE THE MINIMUM STANDARDS BY WHICH THE DEPARTMENT WILL OPERATE THIS CITY'S YOUTH PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAMS OPERATED BY THE CITY ARE RECREATIONAL IN NATURE AND NOT CHILDCARE FACILITIES.
DURING THE JANUARY 15TH, 2025 PARK BOARD MEETING, THEY REVIEWED THE STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDED THEM FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY COST INVOLVED IN THIS?
>> NO, THIS IS JUST THE STANDARDS FOR THE AGE OF OUR STAFF, THE NUMBER, THE RATIO OF KIDS TO LEADERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST PART OF OUR OPERATION COSTS.
>> ALL OF THIS WOULD BE NORMAL, NOTHING NEW OR ANYTHING?
>> AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 8C? SEEING NOBODY, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8181.
>> I GOT A MOTION FROM PLACE 1, A SECOND FROM PLACE 3.
[10.D. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8182]
LAST ITEM, ITEM 10D, MR. BRASSFIELD.DREW BRASSFIELD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLANNING.
THIS ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE ORDAINING THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE ACT FOUND IN CHAPTER 2303 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, PROVIDING TAX INCENTIVES, DESIGNATING A LIAISON FOR COMMUNICATION WITH INTERESTED PARTIES, AND NOMINATING BEN E. KEITH COMPANY TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK AS AN ENTERPRISE PROJECT.
THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PARTNER WITH THE STATE TO ENCOURAGE JOB CREATION AND RETENTION AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS OF THE STATE.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, IT'S FOUND IN TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 2303, AND IS KNOWN AS THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE ACT.
TO PARTICIPATE, CITIES MUST APPROVE AN ORDINANCE THAT AUTHORIZES THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM, ESTABLISHES LOCAL INCENTIVES THAT MAY BE OFFERED TO BUSINESSES SEEKING ENTERPRISE PROJECT DESIGNATION, AND NOMINATES A QUALIFIED BUSINESS FOR ENTERPRISE PROJECT STATUS.
AMARILLO'S FIRST ORDINANCE WITH THIS PROGRAM WAS ORDINANCE 6915 FROM 2006, WHICH NOMINATED BELL HELICOPTER.
SINCE THEN, MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, AND THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS BACK IN 2023 FOR PRODUCER ON BEEF.
IT'S NECESSARY FOR CITIES TO UPDATE ORDINANCES TO BETTER REFLECT ALL POSSIBLE INCENTIVES AVAILABLE TO ASSIST NOMINATIONS WITH BETTER SCORING DURING THE STATES REVIEW AND ENSURE THAT THE CITY REMAINS IN COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT STATE LAW AND RULES.
TODAY'S REQUEST IS COMING FROM BEN E. KEITH, LOCATED AT 2300 NORTH LAKESIDE, AND THEY ARE REQUESTING A FIVE-YEAR ENTERPRISE PROJECT DESIGNATION.
OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BEN E. KEITH PLANS TO INVEST $4,000,000 IN A REMODEL OF THEIR EXISTING FACILITY, $1,000,000 IN PARKING LOT EXPANSION, AND 250,000 IN FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM UPGRADES.
BEN E. KEITH CURRENTLY EMPLOYS 320 EMPLOYEES, AND ALL OF THOSE EMPLOYEES MEET THE DEFINITION OF A RETAINED JOB AS FOUND IN THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
THEIR CURRENT LOCATION IS OUTSIDE OF A CURRENT ENTERPRISE ZONE, AND THEY ARE TARGETING THE HIRING OF 35% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PERSONS, VETERANS, AND ENTERPRISE ZONE RESIDENTS FOR NEW OR REPLACEMENT PERSONNEL.
AS PROPOSED, THIS PROJECT WILL MEET THE CRITERIA FOR A FIVE-YEAR ENTERPRISE PROJECT CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THEIR LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IS WITHIN THAT CATEGORY.
THEY WON'T EXCEED THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF JOBS.
OVER THAT FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL REFUND IS 1.25 MILLION, AND THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL REFUND PER JOB IS 2,500.
SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS ENTERPRISE ZONE DESIGNATIONS PROVIDED BY THE CITY, THIS PROJECT WOULD BE FOR INCENTIVES PROVIDED BY THE STATE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THEY ARE NOT REQUESTING ANY LOCAL INCENTIVES FROM THE CITY.
[02:20:01]
RECEIVING A NOMINATION AND CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL WOULD MAKE BEN E. KEITH ELIGIBLE FOR STATE SALES AND USE TAX REFUNDS ON ELIGIBLE EXPENSES WITH CAPS BASED ON THE LEVELS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.THE CITY IS ELIGIBLE TO NOMINATE OR DESIGNATE UP TO SIX PROJECTS EVERY TWO YEARS OR PER BIENNIUM BECAUSE WE FALL INTO THE LESS THAN 250,000 CATEGORY.
THE STATE AWARDS A MAXIMUM OF 105 OF THESE PROJECTS STATEWIDE EVERY BIENNIUM.
AGAIN, NO CITY FUNDS ARE BEING REQUESTED WITH THIS REQUEST.
THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT TO THE 2% SALES AND USE TAX ALLOCATED TO THE CITY, AND ANY INCENTIVES THEY RECEIVE WOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT TOO THAT WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM BEN E.
KEITH IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE PROJECT.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FROM MR. BRASSFIELD?
>> NOT ON THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, BUT HAVE ANY OF THE ONES WE'VE RECOMMENDED IN THE PAST EVER RECEIVED THE INCENTIVE AS FAR AS OTHER HAVE THE BUSINESSES WE'VE NOMINATED?
>> I THINK WE'VE HAD AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE THAT HAVE RECEIVED IT, AND WE'VE HAD A COUPLE THAT HAVE BEEN NOMINATED THAT DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST.
>> AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 10D.
DO I HAVE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WOULD REQUEST A MOTION.
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8182 AS PRESENTED.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
>> IF I COULD, SINCE WE'RE LEAVING OUR OLD ONE, CAN I GET ONE FINAL MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> SO MOVED. YOU'RE ADJOURNED. [BACKGROUND]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.