ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO OFFICIALLY CALL US TO ORDER HERE TODAY.
[1. Call to Order ]
[00:00:04]
WE'D ASK THAT YOU WOULD ALL PLEASE STAND FOR OUR INVOCATION AND OUR PLEDGES.[2. Invocation]
MS. LESLEY BROADBENT, WOULD YOU MIND COMING FORWARD AND PRAYING FOR US OR MR. LESLEY BROADBENT? WOULD YOU BOW WITH ME? GOD OF US ALL, WE COME BEFORE YOU, RECOGNIZING THAT YOU ARE GOD AND WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.YOU ARE OUR LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER, AND WE ARE YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
AS WE COME BEFORE YOU, WE CONFESS THAT WE HAVE NOT KEPT OUR EYES ON THE IMPORTANT MATTERS OF FAITH SUCH AS MERCY AND JUSTICE, LOVING YOU AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.
INSTEAD, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON THE MINUTIA OF LIFE AND FAITH.
LORD, YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE OFTENTIMES STRAINED THE GNAT BUT SWALLOWED THE CAMEL.
FORGIVE US FOR BEING DISTRACTED BY THE WAYS THAT LEAD TO DARKNESS.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU MIGHT USE US TO CARE FOR AND REACH OUT TO THE LEAST, THE LAST, AND THE LOST.
MAY YOU BLESS US WITH YOUR GRACE AND SPIRIT THAT WE MAY WALK IN THE WAY OF OUR SAVIOR.
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN.
THANK YOU PASTOR. IF YOU'LL JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND THE TEXAS FLAG AS WELL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE STATE, AND INDIVISIBLE.
THANK YOU GUYS, PLEASE BE SEATED. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE THIS MORNING.
[5. Proclamations]
SO I'M GOING TO ASK DESHUN AVERY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PANHANDLE PLAINS CHAPTER.PLEASE COME FORWARD AND ANYONE ELSE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH OUR AMERICAN RED CROSS.
AND IF YOU GUYS WILL JOIN ME DOWN THERE, WE'RE GOING TO READ THIS.
LET ME READ THE PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS EACH MARCH, THE [INAUDIBLE].
EXCUSE ME, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS RECOGNIZES THE COMPANION OF PEOPLE NATIONWIDE AND CELEBRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO HELPING OTHERS IN TIMES OF CRISIS.
AND WHEREAS THIS TRADITION DATES BACK TO 1943, WHEN FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT ISSUED THE FIRST RED CROSS MONTH PROCLAMATION.
AND WHEREAS EVERY DAY NEARLY 48 DEDICATED AMARILLO VOLUNTEERS PROUDLY WEAR THE RED CROSS VEST, SHARING A BEACON OF HOPE AND SUPPORT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
AND WHEREAS, OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE RED CROSS HAS PROVIDED CRITICAL ASSISTANCE TO 55 AMARILLO FAMILIES WHILE RESPONDING TO 50 DISASTERS, INCLUDING SHELTERS, FOOD, COMFORT DURING THEIR MOST CHALLENGING MOMENTS.
AND WHEREAS IN 2024, THE RED CROSS EXTENDED ITS SUPPORT TO THE AMARILLO MILITARY COMMUNITY BY DELIVERING MORE THAN 169 SERVICES TO SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, HELPING THEM TO NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF MILITARY LIFE. AND WHEREAS NEARLY 501 PEOPLE RECEIVED LIFE SAVING TRAINING IN FIRST AID, CPR AND AED COURSES, THEREBY ENHANCING THE CITY'S PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE IN EMERGENCY.
NOW, THEREFORE, WE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 2025 AS AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH. [APPLAUSE] WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, SIR? YES, SIR. WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
WE'RE HONORED TO SERVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE FAMILY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
[00:05:01]
THE RED CROSS HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE PAST AND WILL ALWAYS BE HERE GOING FORWARD.THE RED CROSS IS ALWAYS THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CONTINUED SUPPORT.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
GOD BLESS. [APPLAUSE] READS TOGETHER.
ARE WE GOOD HERE? WE NEED TO STEP BACK. LET'S SEE.
YEP. Y'ALL ARE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE.
AND WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE AUDIENCE AND HOW WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN CAUSES LIKE THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING US DO THAT PROCLAMATION.
MISS CITY SECRETARY AND MR. CITY MANAGER , DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR ANYTHING YOU NEED TO BRING FORWARD? NO, SIR. NO, MAYOR. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[7. Public Comment]
I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY TO READ US INTO THAT.THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE'RE GLAD THAT 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 POLICY.
EVERY SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MAY RESPOND WITH STATEMENTS OF FACT. THEY MAY ASK YOUR TOPIC, BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA, OR THEY MAY REFER THE MATTER TO THE CITY MANAGER , WHO CAN HAVE STAFF STEP OUT AND VISIT WITH YOU REGARDING YOUR TOPIC.
FIRST TODAY WE HAVE C LLOYD BROWN AND AFTER MR. BROWN ON DECK WILL BE ALLEN FINEGOLD .
OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. AND WOW WHAT AN INCREDIBLE CHAMBER. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GETTING THIS FINISHED MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TODAY, I'M HERE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE BY MR. FAIRLY ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE AEDC. AND I AM HERE TO REQUEST AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED, ALONG WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FORMER MAYORS.
I HAVE A LETTER THAT I'VE PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL REQUESTING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S SIGNED BY 17 TOTAL MEMBERS AND OF THAT A COUPLE OF FORMER MAYORS.
WE'RE REQUESTING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CLARITY. WE'RE NOT IN A PLACE THAT WE'RE WANTING TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL OR ATTACKING MR. FAIRLY'S OPINIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE HIS. WE WOULD JUST LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH WHAT WE LEARNED, AS IN MY EXAMPLE OF SIX YEARS OF SERVING ON THE AEDC AND OUR EXPERIENCES, TO THE IMPACT THAT IT MAKES ON OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S MY REQUEST. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED IN THE LETTER, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE TIME CARVED OUT AT THE THE NEXT MEETING ON APRIL 8TH TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THAT TO THE COUNCIL AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND PART THAT I WOULD LIKE TO.
[00:10:04]
COUNCIL AND TO MR. PATH YESTERDAY REQUESTING THAT THE COUNCIL LOOK AT THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE USE OF THE MEETING AS A POLITICAL TOOL BY INSPIRING AMARILLO THAT WAS OF MR. FAIRLY'S PRESENTATION. IT APPEARS THAT IT COULD BE IN DIRECT VIOLATION WITH THE BYLAWS.AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. BROWN.
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. APPRECIATE IT. CAN I [INAUDIBLE] ASK A QUESTION? JUST TO CLARIFY, SO WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO DO ANOTHER EVALUATION OF THE EDC.
WAS THAT YOUR REQUEST? YES, SIR. THAT'S MY REQUEST.
OKAY. YOU UTILIZING MANY OF THE SAME DATA POINTS AND FACTS THAT MR. FAIRLY GAVE HIS OPINION ON, AND JUST LIKE TO SHARE THE OPINION THAT I HAVE AND OTHER FORMER AEDC MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL OF WHAT WE LEARNED AND WHAT WE BELIEVE THE IMPACT THAT THE AEDC HAS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY.
OKAY. THANK YOU. MY PLEASURE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? APPRECIATE IT SIR. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU.
ALLEN FINEGOLD AND ON DECK AFTER MR. FINEGOLD WILL BE LAURA ABERNATHY.
ALLEN FINEGOLD , 2601 NORTH GRAND STREET. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT PROJECTS THAT WERE LISTED UNDER THE UTILITY SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM THAT WAS PASSED BY THIS COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER THE 19TH OF 2019.
AND I HAVE TWO PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR THAT I WISH TO ASK ABOUT.
ONE OF THEM IS PROJECT NUMBER 523229. I'LL GIVE YOU A COPY AS SOON AS I'M THROUGH.
IT IS FOR THE PRIMARY AND FINAL CLARIFIER OVERHAUL PROGRAM THAT THE CITY PASSED, AND THE AMOUNT THAT WAS APPROPRIATED FOR THIS, OR I SHOULD SAY THE PROPOSED AMOUNT WAS APPROXIMATELY $6.5 MILLION.
I WANT TO KNOW FROM THE BEST AUTHORITY THAT YOU HAVE WHETHER THAT OVERHAUL PROGRAM WAS BEGUN, AND IF BEGUN, WHETHER IT WAS COMPLETED. IS THERE ANY ONE OF YOU WHO COULD GIVE ME AN ANSWER TO THAT? OR IS THERE ANY CITY OFFICIAL THAT CAN GIVE AN ANSWER TO THAT? MR. FINEGOLD, WE'LL GET AN ANSWER BACK TO YOU OUTSIDE OF THE COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE'S ONE OTHER PROJECT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT, AND THAT WAS PROJECT NUMBER 523-223. AND IT CONCERNS RELOCATING SOME ELECTRICAL PANELS AT THE RIVER ROAD RECLAMATION PROJECT. I MEAN, RIVER ROAD RECLAMATION FACILITY.
I PRESUME THAT I COULD GET THE ANSWER FROM MR. PATH OR ANOTHER CITY OFFICIAL WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. WE'LL GET TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING.
OKAY. LAURA ABERNATHY. AND AS MISS ABERNATHY APPROACHES, WE HAVE A HANDOUT THAT SHE PROVIDED.
IT'S A REALLY BIG. TAKE ONE AND PASS IT. AFTERNOON, LAURA.
GOOD AFTERNOON. ON DECK AFTER MISS ABERNATHY WILL BE CASSIE GREEN.
MY NAME IS LAURA ABERNATHY, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF AMARILLO.
ALAN HARDER IS GOING TO BE DOING A PRESENTATION ON THAT TODAY, AND I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THAT AMENDMENT OR THAT DISCUSSION. ALSO, I KNOW THERE'S JUST BEEN LOTS OF DISCUSSION WITH THE RESIDENTS, AND I'VE BROUGHT SEVERAL RESIDENTS WITH ME TODAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY AND CITY RESIDENTS AND NOT CITY RESIDENTS.
BUT IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE FME MAPS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE CITY AND JUST MY CALCULATIONS, NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, BUT JUST MY PERSONAL CALCULATIONS, AND THEY CAN BE DOUBLE CHECKED.
[00:15:04]
WITHIN THE CITY OF AMARILLO. SO THIS IS REALLY A JOINT EFFORT ON EVERYBODY TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO MITIGATE ANY FUTURE FLOODING IN THIS AREA.JUST TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, HEALTH AND DEVASTATION AND LOSS OF PROPERTY.
YES, MA'AM, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN GOOD TO FOLLOW UP, AND I'VE VISITED WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND INTERESTED PARTIES. SO WE WANT YOU TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND FROM OUR EXPERT EVERYTHING THAT HE CAN EDUCATE YOU ON.
SO YOU'RE GETTING FACTUAL INFORMATION MOST UP TO DATE.
WE ALSO REALLY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, A WEATHER EVENT THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR PARAMETERS IS OUTSIDE OF OUR PARAMETERS AND THAT NO ONE CAN CAN PLAN FOR THAT. BUT IN THESE WEATHER EVENTS THAT WE DO HAVE CALCULATED IN THAT FLOOD ZONE, THAT WE FEEL LIKE THE GALLON PER MINUTE RATING AND THE PUMPS AND THE SIZING, THE FORCED MAIN, THAT'LL GET YOU DIRECT ALL THE WAY TO 45TH I-40 AND OUT THE OTHER DIRECTION WILL GREATLY ASSIST IN HELPING YOU GUYS FOR THE FUTURE.
YES. AND ALAN HARDER DID MEET WITH ME YESTERDAY OUT THERE AT THE TEMPORARY PUMP THAT'S OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, SHOWED ME KIND OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE PROPOSED AND WHAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND SO THAT REALLY HELPED WITH ME AND BEING ABLE TO VISUALIZE WHAT THAT PLAN IS.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT. WE'RE GLAD TO REVISIT IT AFTER THE MEETING TODAY IF YOU NEED US TO.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT IS CASSIE GREEN.
HELLO. MY NAME IS CASSIE GREEN. SORRY, I'M TRYING TO WORK THE MICROPHONE CORRECTLY.
I'VE BEEN TOLD I DON'T NEED ONE, SO BUT MY NAME IS CASSIE GREEN.
I'M AN AMARILLO RESIDENT. ONE. I HAVE TWO ITEMS TO TALK ABOUT.
ONE IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, SO I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE LIMITED TO ADDRESS ME.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION CONCERNING THE CAMERAS.
CONCERNING MY QUESTION IS, I'VE PROVIDED THIS BILL FOR YOU GUYS SEVERAL TIMES, AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN ANSWERED ABOUT MY QUESTION CONCERNING HB 1631. SO MY QUESTION IS, DO THESE CAMERAS, ACCORDING TO YOU, VIOLATE THIS BILL? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT, PLEASE? MISS GREEN, WE CAN TALK OFFLINE. WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION TO YOU.
OKAY. AND THE REASON THAT THIS BILL CAME ABOUT IS WHENEVER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, IN LIKE 2019, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE GETTING TICKETS IN THE MAIL BECAUSE OF THE CAMERAS TAKING PICTURES OF PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY WOULD GET A TICKET. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, AND THE CITIZENS TALKED AGAINST IT AND THEY ROSE UP AGAINST IT, I THINK THEY TOOK IT TO STATE THAT IS WHY THIS BILL CAME ABOUT.
SO I JUST FEEL LIKE HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE A POSTER. WELL YEAH. YOU WANT TO HOLD IT? OKAY. I WANT THE PEOPLE TO SEE IT, LIKE ON THE CAMERA FIRST.
SO THIS IS CONCERNING ITEM 10 C THAT YOU GUYS WILL TALK ABOUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE POSTER THAT BESIDES THE AUDIENCE.
OKAY. I'LL TURN IT AROUND IN JUST A SECOND. GO AHEAD AND LET THE AUDIENCE SEE IT FIRST.
OKAY. SO ITEM 10 C IS CONCERNING SAFE STREETS AND ROADS.
AND I PICKED THESE ITEMS OFF OF DELL TECHNOLOGY CONCERNING CONVERSATIONAL CITY.
AND SO OKAY WE CAN FLIP IT. AND I'M JUST QUESTIONING DOES SAFE CITY ROADS I'M SORRY.
SAFE STREET ROADS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH CONVERSATIONAL CITY.
AND IF SO THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, AT LEAST ON MY RESEARCH.
AND THAT'S ALARMING TO ME. MISS GREEN, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A FEW STATEMENTS OF FACT.
AS A STATEMENT OF FACT, THE LAST TIME I PULLED THE FLOCK AND THE LPR, WHICH STANDS FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS, WE HAD ROUGHLY 80 FLOCK CAMERAS, ALL IN PUBLIC AREAS, ALL HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS, I-40, ETC. WE HAD ANOTHER 80 LPR LICENSE PLATE READERS.
I THINK WE WERE EXPECTING THOSE TO GO TO 100.
[00:20:05]
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE 30, 40, 50 CAMERAS IN A PERIOD OF TEN, 20,000FT².AND FOR THOSE PUBLIC AREAS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE PRIVATE BUSINESSES, TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN SURVEILLANCE, AS YOU WOULD SAY. WHAT I HEAR A LOT OF THE CONCERN COMING FROM IS AGENDA 2030, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, BILDERBERG GROUP. COUNCIL OF 300. I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH THE GEORGE SOROS, DAVOS, YOU NAME IT.
WE AS A COUNCIL AND AMARILLO WILL NEVER GO ALONG WITH AN AGENDA 2030.
WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BECOME A SURVEILLANCE CITY.
WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE CLOSED CITY LIMITS AND MITIGATED TRAFFIC CONTROL.
NOW, I DO SEE SOME REALISM AND AND CONCERN AS THE WORLD CONTINUES TO SAY SOME THINGS THAT ARE ANTAGONISTIC TO FREEDOM AND A FREE LOVING SOCIETY.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I CORRECT ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
YOU HAVE NO CONCERN WITH THIS COUNCIL. YOU HAVE NO CONCERN WITH THE SAFER STREETS GRANT.
THERE ARE NO HOOKS, THERE ARE NO STRINGS ATTACHED TO THE COUPLE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WE MAY GET, OR EVEN $1 MILLION GRANT THAT WE MAY GET TO PUT INTO SCHOOL ZONES FOR SAFER STREETS AND TO MITIGATE PEDESTRIAN DEATHS OR CAR CRASHES. SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOB TO IMPLEMENT THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE THERE FOR US, FOR CITIES LIKE US, AND AT THE SAME TIME, RECOGNIZE THAT THE CONCERNS WITH EVERYTHING FROM CHEMTRAILS ABOVE YOU IN THE SKIES ALL THE WAY TO VACCINE ISSUES AND YOUR FOOD PRODUCTION AND GLOBAL CONTROL ALL HAVE A PLACE IN THE PUBLIC SETTING, AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONCERNED FOR ANY KIND OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY THAT SEEKS TO BECOME TYRANNICAL AND OPPRESS ITS PEOPLE.
THE SAME WAY YOU WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH A GLOBAL ENTITY THAT WOULD BE TRYING TO OPPRESS A PEOPLE.
SO I CAN'T SAY IT ANY MORE CLEARLY THAN THAT.
WE HAVE NOT SIGNED UP AMARILLO FOR ANY SMART CITIES, ANY KIND OF DELL TECHNOLOGY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAS TO DO WITH US THAT WAY. SO JUST BECAUSE THERE MAY BE AN ASSOCIATION WITH A NAME OR A TERM AS A VERY LONG STATEMENT OF FACT, WE ARE UNDER NO COMPULSION, OBLIGATION TO MOVE INTO ANYTHING THAT WOULD EVER JEOPARDIZE YOUR FREEDOM.
AND WE HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT EVER, EVER, EVER.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'RE HEARING ME AND EVERYBODY OUT THERE IS HEARING ME SAY IT AGAIN VERY CLEARLY.
SO THANK YOU. MISS CITY SECRETARY. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK HERE TODAY? MR. FISHER? MY NAME IS MIKE FISHER. I LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO, AGAIN, I STILL DON'T HAVE MY AEDC DATA.
AND STILL MCWILLIAMS IS OVER HERE PLAYING SOME CANDY CRUSH.
I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE AEDC PERCENTAGE RATES THAT ARE GETTING 0.33% UNDER MISS LAURA STORRS OVER HERE, WHO'S THE TREASURER. BUT SHE ALSO IS OVER OUR MONEY AT THE CITY.
SO ARE WE GETTING THE. ARE WE GETTING THE RIGHT PERCENTAGE RATES WITH THE CITY MONEY? HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE AT THE CITY? AND THEY'VE GOT 80 MILLION OVER THERE AT THE AEDC.
MAYBE WE COULD BORROW AGAINST THAT MONEY. MAYBE WE COULD GET A BETTER INTEREST RATE.
MAYBE WE COULD BORROW AGAINST THAT AEDC MONEY AND THEN PAY THE MONEY BACK TO OURSELVES.
SO THAT WAY THE AEDC IS GETTING INTEREST AND NOT AMARILLO NATIONAL WHERE THAT MONEY IS SITTING.
[00:25:05]
HE'S TALKING ABOUT SAFETY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY ON POLK STREET.WHAT ABOUT SAFETY ON MY STREET? WHAT ABOUT THE THREE PEOPLE THAT DIED AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS? WHAT ABOUT ALL THESE LIARS UP HERE THAT SAID, THAT GRANT MONEY ISN'T BASED ON SAFETY ISN'T BASED ON CAR WRECKS AND FATALITIES.
EVERY ONE OF THESE GUYS GOT UP HERE AND TOLD YOU AND PAINTED A PICTURE, A NARRATIVE, AS MR. FREEMAN SAYS, TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE EVERYTHING'S OKAY.
WHAT ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD? MR. SIMPSON, WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT MINE? WHY NOT JUST TALK ABOUT THE BLOCK WHERE THE WARES ARE CONCERNED WITH THEIR BREW PUB THAT'S OVER THERE ON SIX.
YOU KNOW, THE SIX CAR, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THE WARE ZONE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT. THEY'VE GOT YOU UP HERE TALKING ABOUT THE GUY THAT OWNS THE GUY.
WHAT ABOUT MY SAFETY? WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT MINE? WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONS WHERE ALL THESE PEOPLE HAVE DIED? WHY ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT GOT SHOT ON A CITY SIDEWALK? THAT MAN DID HIS JOB. NOBODY. THEY DID THEIR JOB.
THAT MAN DID HIS JOB. I ASK YOU TO QUIT TALKING ABOUT THAT MAN.
AND WHY NOT TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I'VE BROUGHT UP FOR MONTHS ABOUT THE CITY STREETS AND THIS GRANT MONEY AND THIS FRAUD, AND THESE GUYS UP HERE LYING TO YOU ABOUT FINANCING FIRE TRUCKS.
I MEAN, COME ON, LIKE THESE GUYS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I ASK YOU TO QUESTION EVERYTHING THAT THESE GUYS TALK ABOUT.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY GOT UP HERE AND LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY SAID LAST WEEK.
WE APPRECIATE IT. I'D LIKE THAT, SIR. AM I GOING TO GET THAT TWO SECOND DELAY AT THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS? I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. AS A STATEMENT OF FACT, I BELIEVE THAT TRAFFIC REPORT WILL COME BACK IN APRIL, HOPEFULLY APRIL 8TH. WE'LL HAVE IT READY. WE'LL HAVE ALL THAT STUFF FOR YOU, SO PLEASE ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? FANTASTIC. I SEE NO ONE. THANK YOU GUYS FOR SPEAKING.
A GOOD PART OF OUR MEETING. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THESE ANSWERS AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
I'M GOING TO MOVE US OUT OF PUBLIC COMMENT. GOING TO PUT YOU INTO YOUR DISCUSSION, SECTION EIGHT.
[8.A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments; ]
COUNCIL, DO I HAVE ANYTHING FOR REVIEW? ANY ITEM THAT YOU'D GET A QUESTION ON UP FRONT? OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO 8B. MR. HARDER, IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE US AN UPDATE ON PLAYA SEVEN.[8.B. Update on Playa 7 located south of the Greenways]
YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL, FOR YOUR TIME.SO I'M GOING TO PRESENT TODAY ON THE PLAYA SEVEN PUMP STATION PROJECT.
THIS IS A PROJECT ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE.
DRAINAGE RELATED PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED IN THE FY 23-24 BUDGET AND CIP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT PROJECT. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THE CURRENT OPERATIONS AT THE LAKE. OUR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT, WHICH WAS JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED. AND DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.
THE MAIN BODY OF WATER THERE IS KIND OF THE MAIN BODY OF THE LAKE.
YOU'LL SEE SONCY RUNNING ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PICTURE, NORTH AND SOUTH.
THE GREEN AREA AT THE TOP OF THE PICTURE IS GREENWAYS PARK.
THAT IS WHERE OUR CURRENT PORTABLE PUMP THAT MISS ABERNATHY MENTIONED IS CURRENTLY POSITIONED.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THERE, JUST ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT PARK, THERE'S A SMALL BODY OF WATER KIND OF A POND THAT WAS EXCAVATED WHEN THE PARK WAS CONSTRUCTED MANY YEARS AGO.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE DRAW WATER FROM WHEN WE RUN OUR PORTABLE PUMP.
YOU CAN TELL THOSE TWO BODIES OF WATER AREN'T CONNECTED. AND I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT HERE BECAUSE IT'LL BE RELEVANT WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL SPECIFICS OF THE PLAYA SEVEN PUMP STATION PROJECT. SO CURRENT PUMPING OPERATIONS, WE HAVE A PORTABLE PUMP THAT REMOVES EXCESS STORMWATER FROM PLAYA SEVEN.
SO AFTER THE 2023 FLOODING, WE RENTED A PUMP FROM UNITED RENTALS AT THAT TIME TO DEWATER PLAYA SEVEN, WHERE OUR DRAINAGE UTILITY TEAM, THAT'S THAD DIAZ IS THE SUPERINTENDENT.
HE SAW AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY TO USE DRAINAGE UTILITY FUNDS TO PURCHASE A PUMP, JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT WE HAD RENTED FOR ACTUALLY CHEAPER THAN WHAT A ONE YEAR RENTAL WOULD BE. AND WHAT THAT GOT US WAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE THIS PUMP OUT THERE.
WE COULD TURN THAT PUMP ON AND BEGIN PUMPING TODAY.
WHAT THAT PUMP DOES IS IT RUNS A DISCHARGE HOSE UP THE GREENWAYS TO HILLSIDE.
[00:30:07]
SYSTEM IN SONCY, NEAR LEGEND AND SONCY. AND THEN IT GOES INTO WHAT USED TO BE META PARK LAKE.NOW IS I APOLOGIZE, I KEEP WANTING TO SAY JOHN WARD PARK.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. SO RECENTLY COMPLETED, AS I MENTIONED, A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT, HALFF ASSOCIATES WAS CONTRACTED IN MAY OF 2024 THE COMPONENTS OF THAT REPORT WERE TO EVALUATE EXISTING CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED SURVEY THAT ALSO INCLUDED HYDRAULIC AND HYDROLOGIC ANALYSIS OF THE LAKE AND THE BASIN.
DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION PROPOSED PUMP STATION EVALUATION FORCE MAIN ALTERNATIVES.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FORCE MAIN THAT'S JUST THE PRESSURE PIPE THAT BASICALLY TAKES WATER FROM THE LOW POINT OF THE LAKE, GETS IT UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL, SO THEN IT CAN GRAVITY DRAIN TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION. ANY PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS AND VALUE ENGINEERING OPTIONS AS WELL.
THROUGH ALL THAT PROCESS, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME BACK ARE A PUMP STATION LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF GREENWAYS PARK, SO VERY CLOSE TO WHERE OUR PORTABLE PUMP IS LOCATED RIGHT NOW.
A FORCE MAIN THAT WOULD DISCHARGE TO SOUTH SONCY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE RED LINE REPRESENTS THERE.
GOING UP SONCY, JUST NORTH OF 45TH AND DISCHARGING INTO THE SOUTH SONCY STORM SURGE SYSTEM, AND ULTIMATELY TO JOHN WARD LAKE. THIS WOULD CONTAIN TWO SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS THAT WE HAVE REDUNDANCY, UNLIKE OUR CURRENT PUMP STATIONS THAT WE OPERATE WITH A SINGLE VERTICAL TURBINE PUMP WHERE WHEN YOU HAVE A FAILURE, YOU REALLY HAVE NO RELIABLE MEANS THEN TO PUMP.
IT WOULD HAVE TWO SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS, ONE WORKING REGULARLY, THE OTHER ONE THERE IS A SPARE.
SO WE'RE LIMITED WITH HOW MUCH WATER WE CAN REMOVE TODAY FROM THE MAIN BODY OF WATER AT PLAYA SEVEN.
BY EXCAVATING A CHANNEL BETWEEN THE TWO BODIES, IT WOULD ALLOW US TO REMOVE EVEN MORE WATER THAN WE CAN NOW ONCE THAT PUMP STATION IS COMPLETED. SO THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME BACK AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHERE WE COULD PUT THE PUMP STATION. THE ALTERNATIVES FOR WAYS THAT WE COULD ROUTE THAT FORCE MAIN EVEN CONSIDER THE OPTION OF A PERMANENT FORCE MAIN GOING TO MCDONALD LAKE.
BUT WE HEARD THE CONCERNS AND AGREE WITH CONCERNS THAT WERE PRESENTED BEFORE ABOUT DAISY CHAINING LAKES TOGETHER, AND ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE NOT DO THAT, THAT THIS BE SEPARATE FROM ANY OTHER LAKE, SEPARATE FROM ANY OTHER PUMP STATION.
THE SCHEDULE. WE EXPECT TO HAVE A FINAL DESIGN COMPLETED NEXT SUMMER OF 2026, WITH BIDDING AND AWARD IN THE FALL, AND THEN CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED AND THE NEW PUMP STATION IN SERVICE WINTER OF 2027.
VERY GRATEFUL FOR RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE GREENWAYS PID.
THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY GOOD TO WORK WITH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR DISCHARGE HOSES THAT ARE RUN THROUGH THAT GREEN SPACE IN A FEW PLACES, HAVE TO GO OVER SIDEWALKS ARE A LITTLE BIT OF A NUISANCE TO THEM, BUT THEY'VE BEEN VERY GRACIOUS TO ALLOW US TO USE THAT SPACE.
SOME PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE NORTH SIDE AS WELL.
THEY'RE NEAR HILLSIDE THAT HAVE GRANTED US TEMPORARY EASEMENTS TO HAVE THOSE DISCHARGE HOSES.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS KIND OF PUBLIC APPRECIATION FOR THEM.
AND I APPRECIATE APPRECIATE MISS ABERNATHY AS WELL AND THE TIME THAT SHE TOOK TO COME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK, AND ALSO THE TIME SHE TOOK MEETING WITH ME YESTERDAY. IT WAS INFORMATIVE FOR BOTH OF US, AND I WAS WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL JUST MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AND MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR ME. SO AT PLAYA SEVEN WAS GOING TO MCDONALD LAKE.
CORRECT. AND NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT ROUTING IT UP SONCY.
SO TODAY THE TEMPORARY PUMP DOES GO TO MCDONALD LAKE.
THAT'S CORRECT. AND WHERE DOES THE WATER FROM MCDONALD LAKE GO TO.
SO IT PUMPS TO THE STORM SEWER SYSTEM WHICH GOES TO JOHN WARD PARK.
SO JUST A QUICK, QUICK QUESTION. NOT ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT ON LAWRENCE LAKE.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD PURCHASED SOME ADDITIONAL LAND.
JUST WHERE ARE WE ON LAWRENCE. ABSOLUTELY. SO JUST FINISHING UP THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT THERE AS WELL, IF YOU WANTED A MORE DETAILED REPORT, I'VE ALREADY PREPARED FOR PLAYA 7 TODAY.
WE COULD COME BACK AT A LATER TIME AND PROVIDE KIND OF THE SAME LEVEL OF DETAIL ON IT.
AND I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OVERVIEW OF PLAYA SEVEN, BUT THE 47 MILLION.
WHAT OF BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS ANOTHER FOCAL POINT IN LAWRENCE LAKE. MAYBE AT SOME POINT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE WERE LOOKING AT DREDGING, WE PURCHASED ADDITIONAL LAND. I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT PUMPS THAT WOULD PUMP AT A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT RATE OF WATER.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THINGS. SO MAYBE JUST TO UPDATE ON KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AND, YOU KNOW, PREPARING FOR THAT NEXT FLOOD, WHENEVER IT MAY BE.
SURE. ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED IN THAT CFP. YES, SIR. WE CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS, MR. HARDER. SO SPEAK TO ME ON MAYBE THE LEVEL OF THE PUMP.
[00:35:03]
THE LAKE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOWER IT TO WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE ACTUAL BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.WHAT'S THE CURRENT LEVEL THAT YOU COULD PUMP IT DOWN TO RIGHT NOW WITH THE TEMPORARY PUMP.
YEAH. I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER. THE ELEVATION, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE POND AND THE BOTTOM OF THE MAIN BODY OF THE LAKE IS ABOUT 11FT. AND THAT'S FROM THE SURVEY DATA THAT OUR ENGINEER COLLECTED.
SO THE CONCERN THERE IS IS AND THESE ARE THE PHONE CALLS THAT I TAKE.
MAYOR, WILL YOU PLEASE PUMP THE LAKE DOWN? LOOKS LIKE RAIN IS COMING.
TELL ME, TELL ME, IS IT PUMPED DOWN AS FAR AS YOU CAN GET IT? RIGHT NOW? YES, SIR. IT IS. AND SO I WENT BACK TO THIS SLIDE SPECIFICALLY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS MISS ABERNATHY LOOKED AT YESTERDAY, WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S KIND OF A LAND BRIDGE THAT GOES IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO BODIES OF WATER. AND SO THOSE ARE NOT CONNECTED TODAY.
OKAY. SO DOESN'T PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.
AND THEN WHAT IS THE WHAT'S THE RATE ON THAT THAT PUMP.
HOW MANY GALLONS PER MINUTE CAN IT MOVE. DO YOU KNOW APPROXIMATELY 3000 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I GET QUITE, QUITE OFTEN IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, SO IF YOU EXPLAIN DAISY CHAIN A LITTLE BIT BETTER, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR, INTELLECT, THEY DECIDED, WELL, WE'LL PUMP ALL THE WATER UPHILL ACROSS AMARILLO RATHER THAN LETTING IT GO DOWNHILL HERE NOR THERE. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, YOU KNOW.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO MITIGATE THAT ISSUE AND STILL PUSHING WATER ALL THE WAY TO 10TH REALLY, WHICH IS WHERE IT GOES. SO TELL US, MCDONALD LAKE WHEN IT'S CURRENTLY RAINING, DO YOU HAVE A BACKUP PLAN? YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THAT THAT LAKE FILLS UP.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE BACK TO THE SAME PLAYA 7 WHERE YOU CAN'T PUMP UNTIL THE MCDONALD LAKE RELIEVES.
YOU MEAN LIKE TODAY OR ONCE THE PERMANENT PUMP STATION IS.
LET'S JUST SAY FOR TODAY. BECAUSE I BELIEVE ONCE THE PERMANENT YOU KNOW, SOLUTION IS IN THAT NEW FORCE, MAIN IS THE ACTUAL SOLUTION WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR.
THAT'S CORRECT. BUT IN THE SLOW WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT, YOU SAID 2027.
SO LET'S SAY WE REALLY SPEED THAT UP AND WE GET IT DONE IN 26 SOMETIME.
SO ARE WE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PIPE CAPABILITIES WHERE WE COULD PUMP ELSEWHERE? I BELIEVE WE ARE, YES, SIR. SO IT IS RIGHT NOW PLAYA SEVEN IS DEPENDENT ON MCDONALD LAKE.
WE ARE KEEPING MCDONALD LAKE AS LOW AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND STILL HAVE IT FUNCTION AS A PARK AMENITY.
STILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FISHING. AND IT IS TO THE POINT TODAY, I BELIEVE WITHIN 1 OR 2FT OF THE TOP OF OUR INTAKE PIPE THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF CAPACITY THERE. NOW, IF WE WERE TO EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH THE PUMP STATION WE HAVE THERE, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN INSTALL A PORTABLE PUMP THERE.
WE DID THAT IN I FORGET WHAT YEAR THAT WAS, MAYBE 2021.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME. CORRECT? YEAH. 2021.
WE HAD TO REMOVE ALL THE WATER FROM THE LAKE TO RECONSTRUCT THE INTAKE.
AND WE USED A PORTABLE PUMP. SO IF OUR PUMP WAS TO FAIL THERE TODAY, WE COULD INSTALL A PORTABLE PUMP AT MCDONALD LAKE TO CONTINUE DEWATERING IT AND TO PUMP WATER FROM PLAYA SEVEN. AND I MIGHT ADD TO THAT MAYOR TOO, THAT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING THE PORTABLE PUMP AS A PERMANENT PUMP, IF YOU WILL, IS THE TIME THAT IT WOULD TAKE US TO RENT, GET IT SET UP, GET THE PIPING LAID, GET EVERYTHING DONE. SO WE'VE WE'VE ELIMINATED THAT STEP.
SO NOW WE CAN PRETTY MUCH BEGIN PUMPING IMMEDIATELY WHENEVER WE START TO SEE THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE.
AND THEN IT'S EASIER TO TO CHAIN THOSE OPERATIONS WHERE WE'RE PUMPING MCDONALD GETTING IT DOWN, GETTING IT READY, MOVING THE WATER . IT'S JUST A LOT EASIER NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS TEMPORARY PUMP IN PLACE WITH A PAD AND READY TO GO.
LET'S SAY WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE PUMPING.
WHAT'S THE LIMITATION ON THAT IF IT WAS CURRENTLY RAINING? YEAH. SO WHEN WE SEE WATER START TO FLOW IN THE GUTTER, WE DON'T WANT TO BE RUNNING OUR PUMPS BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GRAVITY SEWER SYSTEM. IF IT'S LIKE YOU MENTIONED INCHES OVER MULTIPLE DAYS, YOU DON'T SEE WATER RUNNING IN THE CURB.
THERE'S VERY, VERY, VERY MINIMAL WATER IN OUR STORM SEWER SYSTEM.
WE CAN RUN OUR PUMPS AT THAT POINT WITHOUT RISKING INUNDATING THE GRAVITY SYSTEM.
SO WHAT HAPPENED TO US LAST TIME WAS IT RAINED, YOU KNOW, CONTINUOUSLY SEVERAL DAYS.
THEN WE HAD TO GO AND RENT THE PUMP. THEN WE HAD TO PLACE THE PIPE, GET IT ALL GOING.
SO WE LOST SEVERAL DAYS OF ABILITY TO PUMP THAT LAKE DOWN, THAT PLAYA DOWN.
THEN IT STARTED RAINING AGAIN. AND YOU CONTINUED TO SEE THOSE, THOSE FLOOD WATERS.
[00:40:01]
SO. YES, SIR. THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT YOU'RE ESTIMATING RIGHT NOW IS NOT ONLY MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF VOLUME AND CONTROL, BUT ALSO YOU'RE MAXIMIZING YOUR TIME WITH BEING ABLE TO PUMP, YOU KNOW, MINUTE ONE, AS SOON AS YOU CAN TURN THEM ON THEY'RE GOING.YOU DON'T HAVE THE SETUP DOWN. DOWN. YES, SIR.
THAT'S CORRECT. AND NOT JUST WAITING UNTIL THE LAKE GETS TO A POINT WHERE IT'S IT'S CLOSE TO FULL. BUT THE WAY WE MAINTAIN ALL OF OUR LAKES NOW, WHERE WE, WE RUN THEM DOWN TO WHERE THERE IS JUST A BARELY ANY AMOUNT OF WATER OVER THAT INTAKE PIPE.
JUST ENOUGH THAT WE CAN DO OUR TEST RUNS MONTHLY LIKE WE'RE DOING, ENSURE WE'RE DOING OUR MAINTENANCE ON OUR PUMPS, KEEPING THEM AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. I ALSO MENTIONED TO YOU THAT OUR PROACTIVE APPROACH, WE REALLY ANALYZE WHEN OUR RAIN SEASON BEGINS AND ENDS, PRETTY EASY TO TO FIND THAT DATA. AND WE COORDINATED WITH THE PID AS WELL TO LET THEM KNOW THIS IS THE SEASON WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS IN AND IT'S GOING TO BE THERE. SAME THING. IN FACT, WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THAT SEASON NOW AND IT'LL STAY THERE.
WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP KEEPING IT THERE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER. SO BECAUSE WE SAW RAIN CONTINUING TO NOVEMBER. WE REALIZED THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT WOULD COST TO REMOVE THOSE DISCHARGE HOSES AND PUT THEM BACK IN TWO MONTHS DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE.
IT'S LIKE HAVING A PERMANENT PUMP THERE ALREADY. RIGHT. YEAH.
JUST JUST WITH THE ISSUE OF ELEVATION A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
YEAH. AN INCONVENIENCE. A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE IN PUMPING. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COUNCIL CAN DO FOR YOU? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD DO TO BETTER PREPARE? DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED? ARE YOU TAKING ALL ACTION THAT YOU CAN OR IS THERE A MONETARY ISSUE, SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T FUNDED, ANYTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION ON.
ANYTHING YOU STILL NEED? NO, SIR. I DON'T BELIEVE SO. RELATED TO THIS PROJECT. I MEAN, THE FUNDING IS THERE. THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT IS DONE, AND NOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH DESIGN. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL LOOK AT DURING DESIGN ARE THERE WAYS TO PHASE CONSTRUCTION.
I MEAN, I'M JUST THINKING OF THIS WHERE MAYBE THAT CHANNEL IS EXCAVATED.
OKAY. GREATLY APPRECIATED. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HEY ALAN, I'VE GOT A QUESTION. SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO DIG THIS CHANNEL, RIGHT? HOW OFTEN DO WE LOOK AT. BECAUSE WE KNOW I MEAN, I GOT TO KNOW FLOYD REALLY WELL, AFTER 2023 FLOODS, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER. SO IS THERE A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM? I KNOW WE HAVE THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IN PLACE FOR THE PUMPS NOW, WHICH IS GOING TO BE GREAT. BETTER THAN EVER. YES, SIR. BUT LIKE SEDIMENT THAT WASHES IN, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A BIG DEAL, RIGHT? WE KNOW WITH OUR WIND, ALL THIS TOPSOIL THAT'S EVERYWHERE. BUT WHEN IT RAINS, ALL THAT WASHES INTO THESE PLAYA LAKES. DO WE HAVE ANYTHING SET UP ON A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE? I KNOW WE APPROVED THE DREDGING OF THE FEW LAKES, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH THAT.
IS THERE SOMETHING IN PLACE OR IS IT JUST. ARE WE GOING TO TAKE THAT YEAR BY YEAR, AND IS THERE A WAY TO MEASURE THAT? YEAH, THERE IS A WAY TO MEASURE IT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT FOR THE DREDGING IS A BATHYMETRIC SURVEY. BASICALLY IT'S A THEY GO OUT AND TAKE SOUNDINGS IN THE WATER TO FIGURE OUT.
FIRST OFF, WHERE'S THE THE SILT NOW WHERE'S THAT ORIGINAL LAKE BOTTOM IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS WHERE WE'RE DIGGING OUT A CHANNEL, IT'S REALLY INTENDED THAT IT WILL. YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF IT WILL BE UNDERWATER AT ALL TIMES.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT FLOWS WATER.
THIS CHANNEL WILL BE MORE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE.
SO I DON'T EXPECT A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT OF SILTING THERE.
OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER? WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE.
APPRECIATIVE OF YOU, MR. HARDER. SO THANK YOU.
I DO HAVE ONE MEMBER IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HAS A QUESTION.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION, MA'AM? YES, MA'AM. DON'T RUN OFF ALAN, WE PROBABLY NEED YOU.
HEY. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, GOOD. IF YOU DON'T MIND GIVING US YOUR NAME AND YOU'RE IN THE CITY LIMITS.
YEAH. PULL THAT OVER TO YOU. SORRY. OKAY. HI, EVERYBODY.
THIS ISSUE ACTUALLY HITS HOME FOR ME. IT IS A PERSONAL ISSUE AS WELL.
SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT ON THAT MAP THAT WAS UP THERE, THE SMALL POND.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW. IT'S AT 100%.
SO YOU COULD KIND OF SEE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY. SO THE. QUESTION THE QUESTION IS, IS IT PUMPED DOWN? OH, NO, I'M JUST POINTING OUT A FEW THINGS. IF YOU JUST BEAR WITH ME. I'M SORRY. OKAY. GO AHEAD. OKAY. IT'S ACTUALLY TO THE EXTENTS OF THAT SHAPE THERE.
PREVIOUSLY IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS PUMP IN.
[00:45:09]
LIVES OUT THERE. THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON'S LIFE THAT IS MORE VALUABLE THAN ANOTHER PERSON'S, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE CITY LIMITS OR NOT. I THINK YOU CAN ALL AGREE WITH THAT.I DON'T KNOW. THE HANDOUT THAT MISS ABERNATHY HANDED OUT.
YEAH, I DON'T MIND HOLDING THIS UP FOR YOU. OKAY.
AND THE CITY HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, CONTACT THE COUNTY BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE.
AND SO WHAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE IS TAKE THIS ON, PUT IT IN OUR OVERALL PLAN AND THEN FUND IT.
AND SO WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN. WE DEFINITELY HAVEN'T PASSED THE BUCK ON THIS ONE.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE DECADES OF KIND OF BEING EITHER NOT RESPONDED TO OR, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR, IN SEVERAL PEOPLE'S OPINION, NOT TAKEN CARE OF.
CORRECT. I FEEL I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE HERE, TECHNICALLY.
SO THIS WATERSHED MAP. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR.
THE SHADED AREA IS CITY OWNED, INCORPORATED LAND.
SO IN THE PAST, WE KIND OF GOT A BRICK WALL THAT YOU'RE NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS.
YOU'RE NOT OUR CUSTOMER. BUT THIS IS YOUR WATERSHED, SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU BEING PROACTIVE, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT SO THE MEMBERS, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE SOUTH OF THIS PLAYA, THERE SOME, MOST ARE ELDERLY. IT'S GOING TO BE. HOW CAN I PUT THIS? AS WE SPEAK, THE SITE CONDITIONS AND FILL IS BEING ADDED.
SO IT'S CHANGING ALL THE TIME. I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE NUMBERS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THE THE FLOW RATE OF THE WATER, IF WE HAD ONE RAIN EVENT AT THIS TIME, IT WOULD PUT PEOPLE AT RISK. IT COULD BE A LOSS OF A LIFE.
SO I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO REACH OUT TO ME TO HELP GET THIS GOING, I AM 100% WILLING AND ABLE TO DO WHAT I CAN. WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING, AND WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD TO INVITE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE COULD DO FURTHER OTHER THAN PUSHING ON THE THE EXPEDIENCY OF GETTING THIS PROJECT DONE. THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. LIKE I SAID, I'M ON THE REGION ONE FLOOD PLANNING GROUP.
THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE. WE NEED A SPONSOR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW VALUABLE THAT IS NOW, SINCE, LIKE I SAID, SITE CONDITIONS CHANGE BY THE MOMENT.
SURE. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT AGAIN.
WELL. WILLING TO DO WHAT I CAN. YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR GETTING IN THERE IN THE TRENCHES.
WE'RE IN THERE WITH YOU AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU.
WELL, WE HOPE TO LEAVE YOU HIGH AND DRY. LET ME SAY IT THAT WAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. HARDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.
OKAY MOVING ON TO ITEM 8 C. HOPEFULLY A GOOD DISCUSSION HERE.
[8.C. Amarillo Economic Development Corporation Board of Director appointments ]
IF YOU'VE NOTICED, I HAVE A DISCUSSION AND AN ACTION ITEM COUNCIL.SO THE REASON THAT WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA WAS WE MAY POSSIBLY WANT TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS TODAY.
WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON THE AEDC TEMPORARY BOARD.
WELL, WE NEED MORE TIME TO. OH, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET A PERMANENT BOARD PLACED.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A DIRECTOR THAT WE'D LIKE TO PUT OUT THE SEARCH PARTY FOR.
SO I'VE GIVEN YOU EVERY OPTION. AND I WANT TO START WITH A DISCUSSION HERE.
SO IN HAVING A HEALTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT EDC BOARD, BE THINKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, THOSE NOMINATIONS, OR IF YOU'RE OF THE OPINION THAT TODAY IS A GOOD DAY AND WE CAN GET THIS MOVING.
[00:50:01]
SO JUST A COUPLE ITEMS FROM OUR AMARILLO CITY MUNICIPAL CODE.AS A REMINDER, MEMBERS OF CITY BOARDS SHALL SERVE STAGGERED TERMS OF THREE YEARS UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW, AND THEN APPOINTMENTS TO FILL VACANCIES MAY BE MADE AT ANY TIME, AND THEY ARE FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM.
AND SO THAT WILL FACTOR IN HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.
IT'S REQUIRED THAT THEY BE A RESIDENT OF POTTER COUNTY OR RANDALL COUNTY.
IT'S REQUIRED THAT THEY BE A REGISTERED VOTER AND THEY CANNOT BE INDEBTED TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
DIPAKK PATEL WITH A TERM THAT ENDS IN DECEMBER OF THIS CURRENT YEAR, AND JOSH CRAFT AND DON TIPPS WITH TERMS THAT END NEXT DECEMBER 2026. OUR RECOMMENDATION AS YOU CONSIDER FILLING THESE APPOINTMENTS TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO FILL YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER POSITIONS THAT TERMINATE IN 2026, THAT YOU WOULD FILL TWO MEMBERS TO FILL THOSE ROLES SERVING THROUGH 2026, OR LEAVE MR. CRAFT AND MR. TIPPS ON THAT IS THE OTHER OPTION, AND THEN FILL TWO MEMBERS TO NEW TERMS ENDING DECEMBER 2027.
THAT'S JUST SLIGHTLY UNDER THE THREE YEAR TERM, BUT THAT WOULD GET EVERYTHING IN LINE TO BE ABLE TO REAPPOINT THOSE ANNUALLY WHEN THEY COME UP AND HAVE A STAGGERED BOARD. SO YOU HAVE 54 APPLICANTS TO CONSIDER TODAY.
IF YOU'LL RECALL, WHEN WE DID OUR ANNUAL PROCESS BACK IN NOVEMBER, WE ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH OCTOBER OF 2024, AND THEN WE REOPENED THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR AEDC IN NOVEMBER CLOSED IT EARLY DECEMBER, AND THEN PROVIDED COUNCIL WITH A LIST OF. IT WAS SLIGHTLY OVER 54 APPLICANTS AT THE TIME.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE WITHDRAWAL SINCE THAT TIME.
ON THE SCREEN BEFORE, YOU ARE THE 54 APPLICANTS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING TODAY.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL TO DISCUSS.
THANK YOU, MISS CITY SECRETARY. IN WALKING US INTO THIS DISCUSSION I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH OUR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE THAT ARE SERVING ON THAT BOARD RIGHT NOW JUST TO SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN GIVE US ANY KIND OF AN UPDATE OF WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH THAT CURRENT BOARD. MAYBE IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION OF HAVE YOU PERSONALLY FELT LIKE YOU'VE KIND OF GOT YOURSELF TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S A GOOD POINT TO HAND IT OVER? ARE YOU WANTING TO STAY LONGER? LET'S START WITH YOU TWO INDIVIDUALS IN SERVING ON TWO BOARDS, KIND OF WHERE ARE YOU AT IN IT? SO COUNCILMAN CRAFT, I'LL START WITH YOU.
YEAH. SO I'M READY TO COME OFF. I'VE ACCOMPLISHED EVERYTHING AS FAR AS POLICIES.
THEY'RE DONE. I KNOW DON IS ON A COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW FOR RFP, RIGHT, RFQ, SO I'LL LET HIM SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I'M READY TO COME OFF WHENEVER. THANK YOU SIR.
SAME. WE ARE ON THE COMMITTEE TO FIND THE SEARCH FIRM THAT'S GOING TO HELP FIND OUR NEW PRESIDENT.
SO WHEN THAT'S FINISHED, I WOULD BE GOOD. NOW, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S SOME WISDOM.
I THINK THERE'S TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT HERE IS AS FAR AS THE APPOINTING IS, YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP MAY 3RD, THAT WE WAIT FOR A NEW COUNCIL AND LET THEM APPOINT OR, YOU KNOW, WE STEP OFF AND WE APPOINT THE NEW BOARD.
SO I WOULD JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE. I MEAN, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'M GOOD COMING OFF.
I KNOW, I THINK I VOICED THIS TO YOU GUYS AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT CREATES A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFLICT WITH THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE AND THEN THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON ON THE EDC. IT'S BEEN VERY UNIQUE FOR JOSH AND I, BUT I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.
I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. SO I'M REALLY GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO COUNCIL ON WHAT YOU GUYS THINK, ON THE TIMING OF WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST WITH POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, NEW COUNCIL, NEW MAYOR, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, COMING IN TO, YOU KNOW, LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE THAT.
SO I'M OPEN TO EITHER LEANING MORE TOWARDS GETTING OFF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
OKAY. AND I DO WANT TO REITERATE, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE SIX, EIGHT MONTHS OUT AT DIFFERENT TIMES BEFORE AN ELECTION.
NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN TWO MONTHS. I DO BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO STATE THE FACT THAT, LIKE, COUNCIL CAN DO ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO DO.
[00:55:03]
THEY COULD REQUEST, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY TO STEP DOWN OR PLACE SOMEBODY IN LIEU OF.SO I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO BE VERY POLITE AND COURTEOUS, BUT ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT CAN BE AT A, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISING OF THE HEALTH OF THE ENTITY.
I THINK WE CAN WE CAN BE TOO POLITE, MAYBE AT TIMES.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MY OTHER TWO COUNCILMEN, DO YOU, AFTER HEARING WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THE TWO, DO YOU GUYS FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AT A PLACE WHERE YOU'D BE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PERMANENT BOARD? YOU STILL HAVE ANY APPREHENSION, AND DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THE ELECTION CYCLE? I PERSONALLY BELIEVE SINCE DON'S ON THE HELP FINDING A DIRECTOR, I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE THAT PART ALONE AT THIS TIME. AND IF JOSH DIDN'T MIND, I MEAN, DON, HOW LONG ARE YOU LOOKING AT BEING BEFORE YOU ALL COMPLETE THAT? MAYBE. I WOULD PROBABLY. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK DOUG'S DOING A GOOD JOB OF NARROWING THOSE DOWN FOR US.
AND THAT'S JUST. YEAH, BEST GUESS I WOULD PREFER TO SEE Y'ALL SEE THAT JOB FINISHED AND IF JOSH WOULD BE WILLING TO STAY FOR ANOTHER BASICALLY IS IT TWO MONTHS? BASICALLY? YEAH. IF Y'ALL WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST FOR THE AEDC AND THE BOARD.
IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP.
AND WITH ALL THAT, I THINK STAY UNTIL WE GET IT ON COURSE.
THEN Y'ALL CAN COME OFF. OKAY. YOU KNOW. YEAH, I THINK I WOULD I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN ON THAT SINCE YOU'VE ALREADY INVESTED IN THAT AND DOING THAT, I THINK SOME CONTINUITY ON THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
AND THEN ONCE WE'RE READY, THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THEN IT'S A CLEAN BREAK OF MOVING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE NEW AEDC MEMBERS ARE DOING, OBVIOUSLY THEIR JOB NUMBER ONE, IS THIS.
ONE QUESTION ON THE QUALIFICATIONS HAVE THE APPLICANTS ALREADY BEEN CHECKED ON THE QUALIFICATIONS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DONE AFTER THE APPOINTMENT, OR WHEN DOES THE QUALIFICATION CHECK OCCUR? WE CONFIRMED VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS FOR EVERYBODY.
THERE WERE A FEW THAT WERE NOT REGISTERED VOTERS OR LIVED OUTSIDE OF POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY, AND THOSE WERE NOT PROVIDED TO COUNCIL. OKAY, GREAT.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT TOO. SO ANYTHING FURTHER? OKAY. YOU KNOW, IN MY OPINION, I THINK THE SEARCH FIRM IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE ACTUAL DIRECTOR.
YOU ALLOW FOR INTERVIEWS, YOU BRING IT BACK SO IT COULD BE 9 TO 12 MONTHS.
SO THE WILLINGNESS TO HOLD YOU GUYS ON THAT BOARD BECAUSE OF THE RFP PROCESS AND HIRING THE SEARCH FIRM, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE AS MUCH VALUE IN THAT.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN BOTH OF YOUR ABILITIES, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, BUT I THINK WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE COULD PLACE AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND WHEREWITHAL AND EXPERIENCE, I THINK THEY THEY WOULD BE FINE WITH SELECTING A FIRM.
YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE THAT FIRM DOWN TO 3 TO 5 DIFFERENT FIRMS ANYWAY.
AND I'M OF THE OPINION THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PLACE THE ENTIRE BOARD GET EVERYBODY THERE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MOVE IT FORWARD WITH A CLEAN, CLEAN SLATE, REALLY LETTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS JUST PUT THEIR HAND FULLY ON THAT PLOW VERSUS SERVING IN A TEMPORARY CAPACITY, I THINK, FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO AS WELL AS THE HEALTH OF THE AEDC, THE TEMPORARY BOARD CAN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD IN A POLITICAL SEASON.
AND SO BECAUSE OF IT BEING A POLITICAL SEASON, YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME ROCKS THROWN AT YOU.
I FEEL LIKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THAT ARE PLACED ARE A LITTLE MORE SOLID IN DOING THEIR JOB, MAKING BETTER DECISIONS, NOT WORRYING ABOUT LIKE WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN COME MAY 3RD.
NOW, SAYING ALL THAT I'M OKAY TO BACK UP AND CONTINUE FORWARD AT THE WILL OF COUNCIL.
BUT I WOULD WANT YOU TO HEAR MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE US FORWARD.
SO I MEAN, YES, SIR. JUST TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
[01:00:01]
I MEAN SO THAT'S REMOVED FROM US TOO. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST A WRITE IN CANDIDATE AND YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT YOUR PERCENTAGES. AND THEN MISS COGGINS LET ME KNOW THAT CAN'T EVEN HAPPEN.OH. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M JUST SAYING WE CAN REMOVE THE POLITICAL SIDE OF IT WITH US SERVING, IF THAT'S IF THAT IS A CONCERN. IT'S UNIQUE. AND AGAIN, YOU'VE HEARD MY HEART IN THAT SAY, NO. I WANT TO GET OFF, BUT STILL WANT TO DO WHAT'S BEST.
SO I HEAR YOU, BUT. OKAY. I WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
COUNCILMAN. YEAH. I'M STILL IN THE SAME BOAT.
I MEAN, I'M READY TO COME OFF WHENEVER. BUT IF YOU GUYS FEEL BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO STAY, THEN I HAVE NO PROBLEM STAYING FOR A COUPLE MORE MEETINGS.
AND SO WE WOULD MAINTAIN TEMPORARY BOARD UNTIL AFTER ELECTION CYCLE OR UNTIL PERMANENT.
OR I SAY SELECTION OF SEARCH FIRM IS DONE AND THEN BUT YOU GUYS YOU'RE SAYING TWO MORE MEETINGS ANYWAY AND YOU'RE MEETING ONCE A MONTH WITHOUT A SPECIAL MEETING. CORRECT. YEAH. AND MAYBE NOT TWO BECAUSE WE CAN MEET AND DISCUSS DOUG AND ALEX AND I CAN MEET, AND WE MAY HAVE A SEARCH FIRM CHOSEN, SO THAT MAY BE DONE, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF WAITING ON FOR CONTINUITY.
WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND COME TO COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, WE THAT PART'S DONE.
DO YOU GUYS WANT TO DISCUSS THAT AT ALL? DO YOU HAVE ANYONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE PERMANENTLY? ARE WE GOOD? BECAUSE DIPAKK IS THE ONLY PERMANENT BOARD MEMBER CURRENTLY, SO DO YOU DO WE NEED TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT OR ARE WE GOOD PLACING THE ENTIRE BOARD ONCE THE SEARCH FIRM IS SELECTED AND YOU GUYS COME BACK AND TELL US YOU'RE READY? I WOULD SAY REPLACE THE. GET IT THE WHOLE THING.
YEAH. THE WHOLE BOARD'S FINE. OKAY. ALL GOOD.
OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT DISCUSSION COUNCIL.
OPEN TOPIC RIGHT NOW. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'RE CONCERNED WITH ON THAT OKAY.
I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION. AND SO AS YOU SEE WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEM ON THIS ONE.
[8.D. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]
ITEM 8D COUNCIL. DO I HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST? YES, SIR. YES. MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A.OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE CITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT ON OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO WE SPENT THE MONEY WITH.
EXCUSE ME. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. OKAY, SO GOING BACK YOU WANT TO TAKE CURRENT YEAR OF 25.
YOU WANT TO GO BACK 24 AND 23? CORRECT? YES. AND YOU WANT TO PULL? SAY SO. LET'S JUST GO. JANUARY 1ST OF 23. CORRECT.
YOU WANT TO PULL A LIST OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL? CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC, OR ARE YOU JUST SAYING LAW FIRMS, OR ARE YOU SAYING ANY ENTITY THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO FOR EXPERTISE.
ANY ENTITY THAT WE REACHED OUT TO, WHETHER IT BE A LAW FIRM OR A LAWYER OR ANYBODY ACCOUNTING FIRM. SO LIKE ACCOUNTING FIRM, CONSULTANT, SEARCH PARTY, LIKE RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU WOULD BE SAYING IS LIKE, SO THE EDC CURRENTLY HAS AN RFP OUT. SO THEY'RE GOING TO HIRE SOMEBODY.
I'M WANTING TO SEE INDIVIDUAL AMOUNTS AND ENTITY NAMES.
OKAY. AND THEN IN THAT, IN THAT EXERCISE THAT YOU'RE ASKING STAFF TO DO, ARE YOU LOOKING AT LIKE OUR HYDE KELLEY ISSUE OR ARE YOU. WELL, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS COMPARE THAT WE KEEP HEARING A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE SPEND WITH HYDE AND KELLEY .
BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE SPENT LIKE 1.3 MILLION OR 1.2 MILLION OVER THE CIVIC CENTER DEAL, WHICH WAS NEVER VOTED ON, NEVER PUT IN A. OKAY. YOU KNOW. SO ARE YOU ASKING ANY ENTITY. SO YOU'RE INCLUDING LGC, AEDC, ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THE CHARTER PROPOSITION, EVERYTHING THERE, PLUS STAFF. SO IF STAFF IS DOING A DRAINAGE STUDY YOU'RE WANTING TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WAS THE DRAINAGE STUDY CURRENTLY? RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DOING A LIKE A STUDY ON LABOR RATES.
[01:05:03]
CORRECT. WE'RE DOING A STUDY RELATED DRAINAGE WITH LEGAL SERVICES.BUT I'M HEARING YOU WANT LEGAL EXPENSES, NOT JUST GENERAL CONSULTANTS.
LEGAL EXPENSES? WELL, LEGAL. I WAS I'M SORRY, I MISUNDERSTOOD.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE WANTING ALL CONSULTING FIRMS. ACCOUNTING FIRMS, LEGAL FIRMS. JUST LEGAL. YEAH, JUST.
YOU JUST WANT LAW FIRMS. CORRECT. OKAY. CORRECT.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T. THAT'LL NARROW THE FOCUS A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY, STAFF, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REQUEST IS THERE.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS FOR STAFF TO DO THAT RESEARCH, GIVE IT TO COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN NOT TO PUT ON FOR AN AGENDA ITEM UNLESS HE WANTED A PUBLIC FORUM TO DISCUSS IT. BUT JUST AS FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE COMPARE AND CONTRAST, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NOTICED THE PUBLIC WE PUT IT ON FOR WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION.
WE VOTED ON IT TO HIRE THE HYDE KELLEY FIRM. WE THEN CAME BACK, PUT IT IN OUR BUDGET, AND WE'VE OPERATED VERY, VERY TRANSPARENTLY WITHIN ALL OF THAT TO HAVE THAT OUTSIDE COUNSELOR.
AND SO I GUESS IF WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE, I'D LIKE TO SEE WERE THERE ANY LAW FIRMS THAT WERE HIRED THAT DIDN'T HAVE A LETTER OF ENGAGEMENT. THEY WEREN'T NOTICED TO THE PUBLIC OR COUNCIL DIDN'T APPROVE IT.
THIS IS DURING OUR TENURE. SO REALLY WHAT WE WOULD BE ASKING IS, IS STAFF ENGAGING WITH OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IN YOUR EXISTING BUDGET UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO 21.
I THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS WOULD BE FINE. SO 23.
YEAH. AND I THINK JUST DISSEMINATION TO ALL THE COUNCIL WILL BE GREAT.
AND THEN THAT WAY EVERYBODY HAS IT. AND THEN WE COULD SEE IF IT'S AN AGENDA WORTHY ITEM.
ANYTHING FURTHER, MR. SCHERLEN? NO, SIR. THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON IT, BUT. YES, SIR. WE HAVE THAT ONE SCHEDULED. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER REQUESTS. MOVING US OUT OF ITEM 8 D.
WE'RE MAKING PRETTY GOOD TIME. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
MAYOR? YES, MR. SMITH. MR. SMITH, IF YOU DON'T MIND APPROACHING.
YES, SIR. WELL, I'VE HAD A MEETING IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH, AND I'M NOT A MEMBER.
I'VE BEEN ACTING AS IF I WERE A TEMPORARY MEMBER.
SO WHAT YOU HAD POSTED WAS THE EXPIRATION DATES THAT YOU WERE RECOMMENDING IF WE WERE TO PLACE A NEW MEMBER IN EACH ONE OF THOSE SPOTS, OR NOMINATE THE EXISTING TEMPORARY MEMBER TO BECOME A PERMANENT MEMBER, AND DOES THAT HAVE ANY BEARING ON HOW WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED HOWARD SMITH'S TEMPORARY BOARD PLACEMENT? SO, MR. SMITH, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK TO BRYAN TO CORRECT ME IF I MISSTEP HERE.
YOUR TERM ENDED ON DECEMBER 2024 BECAUSE YOU HAD FILLED A VACANT TERM.
BUT OUR CODE ACTUALLY SAYS THAT YOU CONTINUE IN THAT TERM UNTIL YOU'RE REPLACED BY A SUCCESSOR.
OKAY. I UNDERSTAND APPRECIATE YOUR APPOINTMENT FOR ME TO TEMPORARY.
NO THANK YOU. YEAH. THANKS FOR KIND OF THE THE THE POINT OF ORDER AND KEEPING US CLEAR.
I KNOW THAT MAY NOT HAVE LOOKED CLEAR ON. DIDN'T LOOK CLEAR TO ME, BUT.
YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND. NO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE DOWN THERE.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. MOVING INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA SECTION NINE.
[9. Consent Items]
DO I HAVE ANYTHING COUNCIL NEEDS TO PULL OFF ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. WOULD REQUEST A MOTION. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANYONE NEED ANY DISCUSSION ON CONSENT ITEMS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA PASSES. MOVING INTO OUR NON CONSENT ITEM.
[10.A. CONSIDER APPOINTMENT - AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD MEMBERS ]
ITEM 10A WE ARE GOING TO TAKE NO ACTION ON AS WE ARE LEAVING TEMPORARY BOARDS.[01:10:04]
AND I'LL JUST DOUBLE CHECK WITH MRS. COGGINS AFTER GETTING ON THE RECORD WHAT MR. SMITH HAD NOTICED. AND YOU GETTING WHAT YOU NEEDED.DO YOU NEED ANYTHING FURTHER FOR OUR MINUTES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ACCURATELY? NO, MAYOR. WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE INTO ITEM 10 B.
[10.B. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8187]
ANTHONY SPANEL. THIS IS ONE YOU GAVE US AN UPDATE ON.I THINK YOU'RE READY FOR ACTION. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND A QUICK KIND OF REFRESH.
YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A DISCUSSION ITEM WE HAD LAST MEETING REGARDING AN UPDATE TO CHAPTER EIGHT FIVE, WHICH IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH ORDINANCE.
I'LL GIVE JUST A QUICK RECAP OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK AND I CAN DIVE INTO IT.
AGAIN, I'LL START THAT THIS ENTIRE SECTION WAS PRESENTED TO THE PANHANDLE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION MULTIPLE TIMES AND RECEIVED A LETTER OF SUPPORT IN JANUARY. AND EACH ONE OF THESE CHANGES EITHER HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT TO MY BUSINESS OPERATIONS OR THE REGULATED COMMUNITY.
SO THE SUMMARY CHANGES. THERE'S REALLY FOUR SECTIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
SECTION ONE IS JUST UPDATING A FEW DEFINITIONS THAT SECTION 851 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS, THE EXTENSIVELY REMODELED WILL APPLY TO EVERY PROGRAM THAT I RUN.
REINSPECTION FEE, EVERY PROGRAM I RUN AND RISK ASSESSMENTS.
OUR FOOD HYGIENE PROGRAM OUR SECTION TWO IS A FOOD HYGIENE PERMIT RATES AND IT WILL APPLY TO TWO INDUSTRY TYPES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE CENTERS. SECTION THREE IS REMOVING SOME LANGUAGE WITHIN THE CODE THAT ALREADY EXISTS WITHIN STATE LAW.
AND THIS IS SPECIFIC TO WATER AND ICE VENDING MACHINES.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST IT'S ALREADY IN STATE LAW. AND SECTION FOUR IS OUR GREASE TRAP SECTION, WHICH IS 8527, THE MUNICIPAL CODE. AND IT WILL DO TWO THINGS.
IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE TO DO. AND THEN SECONDLY IT'LL ADD A TANK T CRITERIA.
THAT THAT IS THE GIST OF THE SUMMARY AND WHAT WE'RE CHANGING HERE.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, Y'ALL LET ME KNOW AND I'LL FEEL FREE TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.
QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? NO, SIR. ANYTHING OVER THERE? NO, I KNOW THE DISCUSSION ITEM. YOU HAD SOME GOOD PHOTOS.
AND THEN JUST THE FORWARD FACINGNESS OF MAKING SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE THESE IN LINE WITH STATE LAW, BUT THEY'RE ALSO IN LINE WITH, LIKE, WHAT WE DO HERE LOCALLY AND HOW WE WANT TO SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO I THINK YOU'VE CONTINUED TO MAKE GOOD STEPS TOWARDS BEING VERY BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND MORE CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED THAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN. AND SO THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL, WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8187 AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. I GOT A MOTION FROM PLACE ONE, A SECOND FROM PLACE THREE.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
ITEM 10 C WE HAVE MISS KOLLER COMING FORWARD ON OUR SAFER STREETS.
[10.C. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8188]
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL. SO THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL ACTION PLAN.IT'S ALSO NOT A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVAL AS PRESENTED.
QUESTIONS COUNCIL ON MAYBE WHAT ALL WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE IN THIS.
AND ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, MR. SCHERLEN, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DID YOU WATCH IT? I WATCHED IT. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. YEAH. THANKS, EMILY.
THANK YOU. SO JUST TO GO BACK AND KIND OF COVER A LITTLE BIT OF GROUND, BECAUSE I MAY HAVE SOME AUDIENCE OR SOME CITIZENS THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT TO REFERENCE THAT PRESENTATION, DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO GO BACK THROUGH IT.
SUMMARIZE FOR ME ON THIS. IS THERE AN ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? IS THIS SUBJECTIVE? WE PUT THIS PLAN TOGETHER.
[01:15:01]
IT OPENS UP THE ABILITY TO GET GRANTS IN THE FUTURE.SELECT CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD POINT AT.
YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, THE STEPS YOU'RE TAKING IN ORDER TO BE QUALIFIED FOR THIS.
AND THEN YOU'VE GAINED A LOT OF SUPPORT. HOW MANY MEETINGS DID YOU HAVE AGAIN? HOW MANY LETTERS DO YOU HAVE? YOU HAVE COUNCIL SUPPORT AS WELL.
SO DO YOU MIND JUST SUMMARIZING THAT BRIEFLY? NO, NOT AT ALL. SO THE PLAN HAS SPECIFIC CRITERIA WITHIN IT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO MAKE US ELIGIBLE TO ACCESS THE IT'S THE SAME.
THE NAME OF THE PLAN IS SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST STEP. AND OUR PLAN DOES THAT.
AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY A 16 CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT DO DIFFERENT THINGS FOR SAFETY AROUND THE CITY OF AMARILLO, THERE ARE COST ESTIMATES WITH ALL OF THOSE. AND SO NOW THAT THE PLAN IS ADOPTED, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS WITH A VARIETY OF SOURCES.
SO IT WON'T JUST BE THE FEDERAL FUNDING WE WILL BE USING OUR MPO FUNDING.
AND YOU MIGHT SEE THINGS COME THROUGH OUR, OUR THE CITY CIP, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A LIST OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT RECOMMEND SPECIFIC SAFETY MEASURES FOR BOTH PEOPLE IN CARS AND PEDESTRIANS AS WELL AS CYCLISTS.
SO LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE. AND YOU JUST WALK ME THROUGH THIS THAT WAY WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC CAN ATTACH TO. SO OUR MPO MEETS AND THAT'S TXDOT'S MONIES PRIMARILY.
AND SO THOSE ARE GRANT MONIES. AND SO LET'S SAY THAT CATEGORY SEVEN, CATEGORY NINE OVER IN THE MPO ALLOWS FOR SIDEWALKS, SIX FOOT WIDE SIDEWALKS. AND YOU IDENTIFY IN YOUR PLAN A SCHOOL ZONE AND A WALKABILITY ISSUE.
WHERE YOU'VE GOT SCHOOL CHILDREN THAT ARE WALKING MAYBE IN THE CURB AND GUTTER AREA.
SO YOU WOULD APPLY FOR THAT GRANT, ASSUMING IT HAS SOME SORT OF MATCHING FUNDING.
AND SO THAT CATEGORY SEVEN, CATEGORY NINE MONIES COULD THEN COME IN AND HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE COST IN OUR TAX BASE FUNDED. YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. AND WE HAVE 3 OR 4 PROJECTS THAT WE EXPECT TO DO EXACTLY THAT COURSE OF ACTION WITH THOSE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
JUST TRYING TO RECAP IT. COUNCIL ANYTHING FURTHER BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8188, AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM PLACE ONE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES WITH A 5, 0 VOTE.
THANK YOU, MRS. KOLLER. THANK YOU. OKAY. ITEM 10 D IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, ANNUAL AUDIT.
[10.D. CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE - CITY OF AMARILLO ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024]
MRS. STORRS IS GRABBING HER VERY LARGE, THICK BINDER AND COMING RIGHT AROUND.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I WANTED TO START OFF JUST WITH A QUICK THANK YOU TO A LOT OF OUR STAFF THAT HAS WORKED HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS ON OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
WANT TO THANK KATRINA OWENS, WHO IS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR HERE AT THE CITY, AND AUBREY CLEVENGER, WHO IS OUR DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND ALL OF THEIR STAFF FOR YOUR AWARENESS.
THE CITY HAS 17 DEGREED ACCOUNTANT POSITIONS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK JANIE ARNOLD. SHE'S RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME.
SHE IS A CPA WITH CMMS, CPAS AND ADVISORS, AND SHE IS THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF OUR EXTERNAL AUDIT.
SO THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.
WE DO FILE IT WITH THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS.
AND WE DO TRY TO SEEK AN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING EACH YEAR.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT HERE AT THE CITY OF AMARILLO FOR THE LAST 48 YEARS.
SO THE LAST ONE WE RECEIVED WAS FOR THE AUDIT, RIGHT PRIOR TO THE ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY.
SO AS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COUNCIL, OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND OUR PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT THE THE CITY OF AMARILLO STAFF DOES PREPARE THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GAAP, WHICH IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES,
[01:20:04]
ALSO WITH GASB, WHICH IS THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, WITH THEIR STANDARDS THAT THEY PUT OUT IN THE GFOA, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION STANDARDS THAT ARE REQUIRED OF ALL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I WANT TO GO OVER THAT IS IN YOUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THIS IS ABOUT A 300 PAGE DOCUMENT. SO WE WILL NOT BE GOING THROUGH IT IN GREAT DETAIL.
TODAY, I DO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER TIPPS FOR SPENDING OVER TWO HOURS WITH US LAST WEEK, GOING IN GREAT DETAIL ON A LOT OF ITEMS THROUGHOUT THESE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SO I HAD EMAILED OUT A PDF OF THE DOCUMENT FOR YOU ALL.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WANTED TO GO OVER IS ON PAGE ONE WE DO HAVE OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENT, OPINION ON THE REPORT, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED AN UNMODIFIED OR A CLEAN OPINION FROM OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
ON PAGE FIVE, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU AND OUR PUBLIC IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ACTIVITY DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR OR THIS PRIOR FISCAL YEAR. IF YOU START READING ON PAGE FIVE, IT IS OUR MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS.
IT GIVES A REALLY GOOD OVERVIEW OF ALL OF THE ACTIVITY THAT WENT ON DURING THE YEAR.
IT TALKS ABOUT ANY DEBT ISSUANCES THAT WE DID IN THIS PAST YEAR.
IT GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AS WELL.
IT'S A GREAT SECTION. IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE READING THE FULL 300 PAGES OR SO.
THAT'S A GREAT AREA TO GO TO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY.
ON PAGE 84, WE DO HAVE A TABLE THAT SHOWS OUR OUTSTANDING COMMITMENTS.
SO AS WE LOOK AT CASH ON HAND AT END OF YEAR RESERVES AT END OF YEAR, CERTAIN ITEMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN EARMARKED FOR FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS. SO THAT'S A GREAT AREA FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GO LOOK AT AS WELL.
AND THE GENERAL FUND IS WHERE THE BULK OF THE CITY OPERATIONS GO THROUGH.
IT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS ARE.
IT IS WHERE OUR STREETS GROUP IS, OUR SOLID WASTE, OUR TRAFFIC, OUR PARKS, OUR LIBRARIES, TRANSIT, ALL OF THOSE OPERATIONS ARE INSIDE OUR GENERAL FUND, AND WE DO HAVE TO STAY WITHIN OUR TOTAL APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
AND WE DID COME IN UNDER BUDGET THIS PAST YEAR.
SO AND I KNOW I'M GOING THROUGH VERY QUICKLY IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, I CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER IT.
AND I ALSO HAVE JANIE COME UP AND SHE CAN ANSWER A FEW THINGS AS WELL.
ANOTHER ITEM THAT IS IN YOUR PACKETS IS A SINGLE AUDIT.
AND SO, BECAUSE THE CITY HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS THAT ARE AWARDED AND EXPENDED EACH YEAR, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH A SINGLE AUDIT BY OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS THAT WAS ON THAT EMAIL OR ON THE PRINTED COPY.
THE FIRST ONE IS A REPORT THAT IS ON INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.
THAT'S ON PAGE ONE. AND I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IT DISCLOSES THAT WE HAD NO MATERIAL DEFICIENCIES IN INTERNAL CONTROL THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS DURING THE AUDIT, BUT THERE WAS A DEFICIENCY THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, AND WE HAVE ADDRESSED THAT IN GREATER DETAIL ON PAGE 14 INSIDE THAT DOCUMENT.
[01:25:01]
THE OTHER THING WAS, WE HAD A DELAY ON THE REVIEW OF OUR LEASES AND OUR SUBSCRIPTION BASED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS.THERE WAS A CHANGE IN HOW WE HAD TO HANDLE THOSE FROM AN ACCOUNTING STANDPOINT LAST YEAR, AND THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND ALL OF THAT. IN THIS PAST YEAR, THOUGH, THE CITY WAS ALSO IMPLEMENTING NEW FINANCIAL SOFTWARE, AND WE'VE HAD SOME TURNOVER IN OUR UPPER LEVEL FINANCIAL STAFF.
SO ALSO IN THAT DOCUMENT ON PAGE 18, WE OUTLINE WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO TO DO BETTER IN THAT DEFICIENCY IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR. PART OF THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.
WE'RE MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH OUR PROJECT MANAGERS, ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS TO DETERMINE WHERE THEY'RE AT AND IF WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND CAPITALIZE IF AN ASSET IS BEING ALREADY USED, EVEN IF IT'S NOT COMPLETELY FINISHED, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND START CAPITALIZING IT.
SO WE'RE MEETING REGULARLY ALREADY. THAT'S GOING WELL.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO POTENTIALLY COME TO YOU ALL THIS SUMMER AND LOOK TO ADD POTENTIALLY ANOTHER POSITION IN OUR FINANCIAL AREA TO HELP WITH ALL THE LEASES AND THE SUBSCRIPTION BASED IT CONTRACTS.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THAT THESE DAYS, AND IT IS A LARGE UNDERTAKING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING POTENTIALLY TO ADD A POSITION TO HELP WITH THAT, TO HELP MANAGE THAT AND POTENTIALLY LOOK AT A THIRD PARTY THAT COULD HELP DO SOME OF THE MORE COMPLEX ACCOUNTING PIECES OF THAT. SO I KNOW THAT WAS A LONG EXPLANATION.
WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN PART OF IT HANDLED, AND WE'RE WORKING TO GET THE REST TAKEN CARE OF.
THE OTHER PIECE IN THAT SINGLE AUDIT THAT I WANTED TO REPORT IS THE IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE REPORT ON COMPLIANCE AND INTERNAL CONTROLS FOR YOUR MAJOR PROGRAMS. THAT'S FOR YOUR GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WERE AUDITED FROM A COMPLIANCE STANDPOINT.
WE DID RECEIVE AN UNMODIFIED OR A CLEAN OPINION RELATED TO THAT TO OUR FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT PROGRAMS. AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT WAS $53.8 MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT EXPENDITURES ALONE.
SO THAT WENT THROUGH A WHOLE OTHER SET OF AUDIT PROCESSES.
AND SO THAT ONE HAS ALREADY BEEN CORRECTED. BUT IT WAS A FINDING ON OUR SINGLE AUDIT.
BUT I WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS RELATED TO IT.
THERE'S A LETTER ON REQUIRED COMMUNICATION THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR INFORMATION.
IT OUTLINES SOME OF THE BIG ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR AUDIT REPORT.
IT TALKS ABOUT IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES THAT WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE AUDIT.
AND OUR AUDITORS DID NOT REPORT ANY ISSUES ANY DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO READ THOSE AS WELL.
THEY HAVE DONE THAT SERVICE AND THEY ARE PRESENTING THEIR REPORT NOW.
AND THE ACTION WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR FROM COUNCIL IS JUST AN ACCEPTANCE OF THAT AUDIT.
QUESTIONS COUNCIL? I DO HAVE A COUPLE, BUT I GOT TO FIND THEM FIRST.
OKAY. ON THIS SIDE ANYTHING. I'M GOOD. OKAY. CRAFT ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE TO FIND IT? WELL, I WAS I SAW IT IN THE ELECTRONIC COPY WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING IT, BUT THERE WAS THREE THINGS THAT TALKED ABOUT AND IT HAD FRAUD IN QUOTATIONS RIGHT NEXT TO IT. WHEN IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE DEFICIENCIES, I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHERE WE COULD POINT, YOU KNOW, WHY THAT WAS IN THERE. OKAY. SO WAS DO YOU REMEMBER, WAS IT ON THE LETTER WHERE IT WAS TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S ON THAT SAME PAGE FIRST. IT'S THAT FIRST LETTER.
THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED. AND IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS WERE MANAGEMENT OVERRIDE OF CONTROL AND PROPER REVENUE RECOGNITION AND NONCOMPLIANCE WITH GRANT AWARDS. DOES THAT RING A BELL OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT SECTION THAT IS IN THE LETTER.
[01:30:03]
YEAH WHERE'S THAT AT UNDER HERE. SO LOOK IN THE FRONT POCKET THERE. OKAY. THE LETTER THAT HAS THE MARCH 25TH DATE AT THE TOP.IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE BACK OF THAT FIRST PAGE, TELL ME IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
SO I THINK IT WAS LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THE ELECTRONIC PIECE.
BUT IT HAD SIGNIFICANT RISKS IDENTIFIED. BUT IT HAD FRAUD OUT NEXT TO IT.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHY THAT WAS THERE.
MISS ARNOLD, DO YOU ARE YOU ABLE TO COMMENT TO THAT SINCE YOU HAD WRITTEN THE LETTER, DO YOU REMEMBER MAYBE WHERE HE'S REFERRING SPECIFICALLY? IF IT'S THE LETTER AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT RISK? WE DID ADDRESS THAT AT EDC AND AT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING THE OTHER DAY.
THOSE ARE INHERENT IN EVERY AUDIT. OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
THOSE ARE INHERENT IN EVERY AUDIT THAT WE PERFORM.
WE REVIEWED JOURNAL ENTRIES FOR PROPER REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
WE REVIEW TRANSACTIONS FOR PROPER REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
THIS ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A STRONG INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT FOR THAT TO HELP MITIGATE THOSE TYPES OF RISKS ON IMPROPER REVENUE RECOGNITION, WE SPECIFICALLY TEST CERTAIN REVENUES. WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR WATER AND SEWER ACCRUALS AND CERTAIN BILLING TRANSACTIONS AS THOSE WATER AND SEWER IS USED IN YOUR DEBT COVENANT RATIOS.
AS FAR AS SOME OF OUR, SOME OF THE STANDARD REPORT LANGUAGE DOES INCLUDE THE WORD FRAUD IN THERE.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT HOW EVEN YOUR BEST INTERNAL CONTROLS, IF THERE'S COLLUSION OR, YOU KNOW, GOOD INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE WILL NOT IF THERE'S COLLUSION, FRAUD WILL STILL HAPPEN EVEN WITH THE BEST INTERNAL CONTROLS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
BUT THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT FRAUD IN ONE OF THOSE LINE ITEMS. BUT I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIND IT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING I HAD WAS HOW LONG HAVE WE USED THE SAME AUDIT FIRM? SO WE HAVE WE'VE USED CMMS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
THEY WERE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT. THEY WERE MERGED WITH A LARGER FIRM WHAT, THREE, 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, AT THE END OF 2020, AT THE END OF 2020. AND SO IT HAS BEEN A LOCAL FIRM THAT WE HAVE USED THAT HAS KIND OF MERGED AND CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S BEEN UNDER DIFFERENT. I GUESS OWNERSHIP WOULD BE THE CORRECT WAY TO DESCRIBE THAT.
SO BUT WE HAVE USED CMMS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO LIKE TEN PLUS YEARS. FIVE YEARS YOU THINK? YES. DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF A SIMILAR AUDIT FIRM, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN CLIFTON GUNDERSON, IT WAS CONNOR MCMILLAN, MITCHELL AND [INAUDIBLE], AND NOW IT'S CMMS. AND IT'S, PART OF A LARGER FIRM CALLED ATLAS ADVISORS.
GOTCHA. OKAY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION I HAD WAS DO Y'ALL TESTED INTO THE POLICY, YOU ALL LOOK INTO THE POLICY SIDE OF THINGS, OR IS IT JUST STRICTLY NUMBERS, MONEY IN MONEY OUT.
VARIOUS POLICIES? WE DO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VARIOUS POLICIES THAT WE DO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, YOUR INVESTMENT POLICY, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO MEET CERTAIN SPECIFIC POLICIES.
AND THOSE ARE LISTED ACTUALLY IN THE REPORT. YOU'RE SUBJECT TO PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.
WE TEST FOR THAT AS WELL. SO YES, ON CERTAIN THINGS WE DO LOOK AT SOME OF YOUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND A LOT OF THAT WILL COME INTO PLAY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR SINGLE AUDIT AS WELL. SO SOMETIMES YOUR POLICIES MIGHT BE STRICTER THAN, THAN ACTUALLY.
SO IN OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S OPINION, IT DOES ADDRESS FRAUD THERE, BUT IT'S ALSO.
BUT THAT'S WHERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, COLLUSION ETC.
WOULD NOT FRAUD COULD STILL HAPPEN IF YOU HAVE COLLUSION BECAUSE THAT TAKES MORE THAN ONE PERSON AND THAT BREAKS DOWN INTO, YOU KNOW, INTERNAL GOOD INTERNAL CONTROLS. RIGHT. OKAY.
BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. MRS. STORRS DID A GOOD JOB OF SAYING IT'S NOT AN APPROVAL OF THE AUDIT.
WE DON'T ACTUALLY APPROVE IT. THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY WAY THAT YOU COULD HAND US A 300 PAGE DOCUMENT ON FRIDAY, AND US TAKE ACTION ON IT ON TUESDAY. AND IF YOU GAVE US SEVERAL WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY WOULD BE SKILLED ENOUGH TO TO SAY, WELL, I'M COMFORTABLE APPROVING. SO IT IS AN ACCEPTANCE.
HOWEVER WE DO PUT A LOT OF TRUST AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC IN OUR AUDIT FIRM AND MRS.
[01:35:07]
ARNOLD, YOU AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS A WHILE BACK AND LIKE THIS SINGLE AUDIT.AND SO COUNCILMAN, I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HIRE AN OUTSIDE AUDIT FIRM WITH THE APPROVAL OF COUNCIL TO COME IN AND LOOK AT A SINGLE AUDIT AREA IF YOU HAD CONCERN IN AN AREA.
HOW MANY MONTHS ARE YOU INTO MY CURRENT YEAR'S AUDIT RIGHT NOW? WE HAVE NOT. YOU HAVEN'T STARTED? NO, SIR. THAT WILL START IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
OKAY, SO IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, YOU'LL START THE CURRENT YEAR. SO COUNCILMAN CRAFT YOU MAY BE LOOKING FOR A LITTLE ADDITIONAL COMFORT IN LIKE A SINGLE AUDIT, YOU KNOW, IN THE WAY OF JUST FINDING A AREA THAT YOU WANTED TO DRILL DOWN.
SO WHAT I'M GETTING AT THERE IS, IS YOU DO HAVE A LONG RUNNING HISTORY WITH THE CITY.
AND WE DO HEAR FROM OUR PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU NEED A FRESH SET OF EYES EVER SO OFTEN.
IT'S NEVER GOOD TO HAVE THE SAME. WELL, POSSIBLY.
BUT LIKE, THAT SINGLE AUDIT COULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A COMPROMISE IN IN PROVIDING A LITTLE MORE COMFORT OF BRINGING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IN A DOUBLE CHECK SCENARIO. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, OR ARE YOU GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION? NO, I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW LONG WE HAD THE SAME AUDIT FIRM THAT THEY'VE DONE THESE AUDITS.
OKAY. THAT'S ALL I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT. OKAY. MISS ARNOLD, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO JUMP IN ON OR CLARIFY? I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU. AND WE DO APPRECIATE.
THANK YOU THAT WE THAT WE DO PROVIDE YOUR AUDIT SERVICE.
AND I KNOW IT IS A LARGE REPORT, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO EITHER CONTACT LAURA OR I IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU AND GO THROUGH ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE YOU KNOW, REALLY HAS A VERY QUALIFIED PEOPLE ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ASKED SOME VERY GOOD QUESTIONS. BUT YOU CERTAINLY HAVE QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD WANT TO ADDRESS AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL ARE WE READY TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM OR DO WE WANT TO TAKE A BREAK? COME BACK. DO YOU NEED A RECESS? NO, I'M GOING TO TAKE IT.
ABSOLUTELY. YES, THAT'D BE GREAT. OKAY. I MOVE TO ACCEPT THIS AUDIT AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM 10 D.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, GENTLEMEN? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. MAYOR. BEFORE WE ADJOURN, MAY I REQUEST THAT WE RETURN TO ITEM 8 D FOR JUST ONE SECOND? 8D? IS THAT POSSIBLE? YES. YES, SIR. IS THAT OKAY? WELL, I DON'T KNOW, SO LET ME MAKE SURE. NO. NO WORRIES ON GOING BACK.
RIGHT. OKAY. OKAY, GOOD. GOOD. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A REQUEST EARLIER BY LLOYD BROWN, AND ALSO I JUST WANTED. THERE WAS IN THE LETTER, THERE WERE SOME OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THIS REQUEST, WHICH INCLUDE MR. BROWN, SCOTT BENTLEY, RICHARD BROWN, AND HE JUST HAD ONE COPY OF THIS LETTER, BUT RICHARD BROWN AND BRIAN HEINRICH, CLIFF BICKERSTAFF, HELEN BURTON, BRIAN BRUCKNER AND PAUL BORKHARDT, PAUL HARPOLE, HELEN MOORE, JOHN KRITZER, BOB WILLIAMS, LAURA STREET, ADRIAN MEANDER, ANDREW HALL, GEORGE RAFKIN, AND VANCE REED, WHO I THINK ARE ALL PREVIOUS MEMBERS OF THE AEDC.
OKAY, SO LET ME ASK YOU, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REQUEST WAS? I THINK THEY HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY WANT TO SHARE THAT HAS SOME SPECIFIC POINTS ABOUT METRICS AND YOU KNOW, REGARDING THE AEDC AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. SO IN, IN ALL CITY COMMISSIONS AND ALL BOARDS, I WANT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE SEATED ON THE AEDC BOARD. AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO BYPASS THAT BOARD.
SO WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION BY THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD WHICH KIND OF GIVES HIM STANDING.
THAT'S A TYPICAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US TO THEM.
I WOULD PERSONALLY VOLUNTEER MY TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS.
YOU AND I COULD SIT DOWN TOGETHER WITH THEM IF YOU'D LIKE.
SO WHAT I WOULD THINK WOULD BE THE BEST FORM WOULD BE FOR THAT REQUEST TO GO THROUGH THE AEDC AND THEN THAT BE BROUGHT, YOU KNOW, EITHER INDEPENDENTLY AFTER THEY'VE APPROACHED THE AEDC AND TRIED TO GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE OR BE BROUGHT PERSONALLY TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE WOULD PUT IT IN A PUBLIC FORUM. OKAY.
[01:40:03]
WELL, I JUST MAKE I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE THE REQUEST THAT WE DO ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT.I MEAN, WE HAVE REALLY HISTORICALLY THROUGHOUT THIS COUNCIL'S TENURE, WE HAVE GIVEN ANYONE AND EVERYONE A LOT OF PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES TO COME FORWARD AND SPEND TIME BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE AND CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE ASKING FOR A CHANCE.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THAT WE HONOR THAT, THAT REQUEST.
YOU KNOW, AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I THINK THERE IS A WAY TO DO BOTH.
I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO HONOR THAT REQUEST AND WALK IT THROUGH A PROCESS, BECAUSE HAD THIS BEEN A P & Z ISSUE WHERE SOMEBODY HAD COME IN AND SAID, MY DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL, I WOULD DIRECT THEM BACK TO P & Z FIRST, AND I WOULD HAVE THEM GO THROUGH THE P&Z BOARD IF THEY CAN'T GET SATISFIED, THEN TO COME TO COUNCIL.
AND THEN TWO, I WOULD OFFER MY PERSONAL TIME.
OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU SIR. ANYTHING ELSE? BEFORE WE ADJOURN, GENTLEMEN.
I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN. I MOVE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND. YOU'RE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.