[00:00:01]
OK I THINK WE'RE READY NOW. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. WE'RE GOING TO START OUR MEETING WITH AN INVOCATION AND HERE TO DO
[INVOCATION]
THAT FOR US TODAY IS GREG DOWELL FROM CENTRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST. THANK YOU GREG.IF YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ME PLEASE. FATHER YOUR SON HAD A SIMPLE COMMAND FOR US. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. DIRECT CLEAR SIMPLE BUT THE DEMANDS OF LOVE ARE GREAT THROUGHOUT OUR FULL AND BUSY DAY WE ASK WHAT DOES LOVE REQUIRE OF US. WHAT DOES IT REQUIRE WHEN WE ENCOUNTER A HOMELESS PERSON. WHEN A CO WORKER IS GRIEVING WHEN A SCHOOLMATE IS LONELY WHEN WE CONVERSE WITH A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PERSON. WHEN WE INTERACT WITH A CHILD. WHEN A COLLEAGUE RETIRES. WHEN A SINGLE MOM IS STRUGGLING.
WHEN WE SHARE LIFE WITH A FRIEND WHEN A COUPLE GIVES BIRTH OR WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER IS ILL. WHAT DOES LOVE REQUIRE OF US TO BE PATIENT TO BE KIND NOT TO BOAST NOT TO BE PROUD NOT TO BE RUDE NOT TO BE SELF-SEEKING NOT TO BE EASILY ANGERED TO TRUST GIVE HOPE PERSEVERES THE DEMANDS OF LOVE ARE GREAT BUT THERE IS AN OVERWHELMING JOY THAT WE RECEIVE AND WE CHOOSE TO ACT OUT OF LOVE. MAY OUR CITY LEADERS WORKERS AND THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY EMBRACE THIS LIFE. AMEN. WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS TO CELEBRATE TODAY AND READING OUR FIRST PROCLAMATION IS
[PROCLAMATIONS]
COUNCILMAN EDDIE SAUER. OK WE ARE GOING TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH MONTH. SO DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE REPRESENTING THE CHIROPRACTORS? COME ON UP. I'M GONNA LET YOU COME BACK HERE WITH US AND WE'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION. OK. WHEREAS CHIROPRACTORS ARE HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SAFE AND EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN LIKE HEALTH CARE TO PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM PAIN AND WHEREAS THE CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOCUSES ON DISORDERS OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS PROMOTES A HANDS ON NON DRUG APPROACH TO PAIN MANAGEMENT AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. AND WHEREAS THEIR EXPERTISE IN THE PREVENTION CARE REHABILITATION OF BACK NECK JOINT AND HEAD PAIN IS CRITICAL FOR TREATING PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS PAINS AND DISORDERS AND CAN SAVE THE PUBLIC FROM THE PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL TOLLS OF OTHER TREATMENT OPTIONS. AND WHEREAS AS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST PAIN CHIROPRACTORS SERVICES CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS HEAL NATURALLY WITHOUT THE NEED FOR DRUGS OR SURGERY. NOW THEREFORE WE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2019 AS CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH MONTH IN AMARILLO AND COMMEND CHIROPRACTORS FOR THE COMMITMENT AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND AND URGE ALL AMARILLO CITIZENS BY PROMOTING EFFECTIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEALS OF OFFICE THIS 8TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2019. [APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO, YOU HAVE A FEW WORDS YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? NO. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE AND WE'RE HONORED TO ACCEPT THIS FROM MY HOMETOWN OF AMARILLO. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE][00:05:05]
THIS NEXT PROCLAMATION HAS BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING AND A LOT OF HOURS HAVE GONE INTO IT. A LOT OF DEDICATION AND OUR BUTTONS ARE BURSTING WITH PRIDE. SO I'M GOING TO HAND THE MIC OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN FREDA POWELL WHO'S ALSO OUR MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL PLEASE NOTICE THAT I FORGOT MY SOD POODLE SHIRT ON. I TRIED TO BE COLOR COORDINATED SO I COULD BE READY FOR THE EVENT. ALL RIGHT HERE WE GO WHEREAS. SO LET ME INVITE THE SOD POODLES TO COME UP AND SO I'M HOPING THERE'LL BE A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY RUCKUS. I'M STILL LOOKING FOR RUCKUS TO BE SOMEWHERE. NOT QUITE A HUNDRED PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT. WHERE'S THE AMARILLO SOD POODLES HAVE WON THE 2019 TEST TEXAS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP. AND WHERE'S OUR CITY IS PROUD OF THE RECORD THE SOD POODLES HAVE EARNED AND THE FINE PUBLICITY THEY HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY BY THEIR GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AND INSPIRED TEAM PLAY.WHEREAS THE EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT OF THESE YOUNG MEN ALONG WITH THEIR COACHING STAFF HAVE PROVEN TO BE A SOURCE OF ADMIRATION AND INSPIRATION TO ALL CITIZENS. NOW THEREFORE WE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 8TH 2019 AS AMARILLO SOD POODLE DAY AND CONGRATULATE EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEAM FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS INAUGURAL SEASON AS WELL AS BRINGING HOME THE 2019 TEXAS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GIVEN UNDER OUR HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE THIS 8TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2019. THE HONORABLE MAYOR GINGER NELSON, ELAINE HAYS COUNCIL MEMBER, EDDIE SAUER COUNCIL MEMBER AND HOWARD SMITH COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOURS TRULY. SO LET'S GIVE THESE GUYS A GREAT BIG HAND. [APPLAUSE] AND I WILL ASK MR. TONY [INAUDIBLE] TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE LIKE AN HOUR? OK. MY STAFF KNOWS I LIKE TO GO A LITTLE BIT LONGER BUT I'M SORRY. I'M NOT RUCKUS. LET'S GO AHEAD AND PREACH. HERE YOU GO. WELL FIRST OFF I JUST WANT TO SAY THE REAL THE REAL HEROES OF THIS YEAR THIS THE ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR THE THE DIFFERENT ACCOLADES THAT WE'VE WON IS NOT US BUT IT'S THEM. IT'S A COMMUNITY. SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY A NICE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE]. THIS STAFF THIS GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE BACK HERE THEY WORKED HARD TIRELESSLY. YOU KNOW WE KNEW WHAT OUR GOALS WERE COMING INTO AMARILLO AND THAT WAS TO HONOR THE SACRIFICES AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU PLACED IN US TO BUILD THE BEST MINOR LEAGUE FRANCHISE IN THE COUNTRY. AND I THINK WE'VE GONE A LONG WAY TO DO THAT AND WE COULD I COULD BE MORE PROUD OF THESE GUYS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND EVERYONE THAT MADE THIS DREAM THIS STORYBOOK YEAR POSSIBLE. AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE SEQUEL. IT'S GOING TO BE JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. [APPLAUSE] GREAT JOB. THANK YOU.
[00:10:34]
SO FUN. OK. WE DO HAVE TODAY WE'RE GONNA MOVE[PUBLIC ADDRESS]
NOW INTO THE PUBLIC ADDRESS PORTION OF THE MEETING. JUST TO REMIND YOU HAD THREE MINUTES AT THE PODIUM TO VISIT I'M SORRY TO ADDRESS ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU'LL KEEP TO THAT TIMEFRAME CLOCK UP FRONT STARTS WHEN YOU START TALKING AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'LL WIND YOUR COMMENTS UP WHEN THE BUZZER TELLS YOU THREE MINUTES IS UP. THE RULES OF DECORUM ARE UP ON THE SCREEN. I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THOSE AND SO ANYTHING COUNCIL WE NEED TO ADD TO THAT WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER TODAY AND THAT'S MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MR. [INAUDIBLE]. CAN'T HEAR. OK MR. [INAUDIBLE]. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? BETTER THAN I DESERVE. YOU KNOW WE LIVE IN A GREAT LAND GREAT COUNTRY. WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THINGS ROLLING RIGHT. ONE POINT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS MICROPHONES. I WAS DELAYED FROM GOING TO YOUR STATE YOUR MICROPHONES COULDN'T WE COULDN'T HEAR YOU ONLINE WHEN WE'RE IN HERE JUST LIKE JUST NOW YOU KNOW YOU'VE EITHER GOT TO SPEAK RIGHT INTO IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO IT WILL COME ON TO THESE SPEAKERS BACK HERE TO WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR IT. AND WHEN I LISTEN TO YOU ONLINE I HAVE TROUBLE YOU KNOW HIGH TECH SOME OF YOU SAY YOU KNOW PLEASE GET UP THERE TO THE MICROPHONE. ACT LIKE YOU'RE A SINGER AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER. OK. I'VE REMINDED YOU PLENTY. OK. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS A POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEM IN THE AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE ON THIS PUBLIC ADDRESS. I KNOW YOU'RE YOU'RE WORKING OFF A HOUSE BILL 2840 WHICH SIMPLY SAYS THAT WE CAN THIS IS WHAT I'M REFERENCING AGENDA ITEM 1E JUST FOR AGENDA ITEMS. THAT'S ACTUALLY A COUNCIL MEMBER. THAT'S TO BE BROUGHT BY COUNCIL MEMBERS SO KEEP GOING. IT'S ON THE AGENDA. OK. I'M NOT HEAR TO ARGUE WITH YOU MR. SCHANKE. SO I'M NOT I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT. THE REASON I DON'T KNOW OF ANYBODY ELSE THAT KEEPS UP WITH THIS LIKE I DO BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY WANT TO COME UP HERE STILL A BAD TIME AT 1 O'CLOCK AND THEN TO HAVE TO FOLLOW THIS 2840 WHICH HAS IN ITS GUIDELINES THINGS I THINK YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY DID YOU ALL FOLLOW THAT WITH. MR. CITY ATTORNEY ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW LAW 2840 HOUSE BILL 2840? YES WE ARE.OK. AND SO YOU'VE CHOSEN TO HAVE IT NOW INSTEAD OF AT A TIME WHEN THE AGENDA ITEM IS DISCUSSED AND BEFORE IT GOES TO A VOTE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING AFTER WE'VE HEARD WHAT Y'ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHICH IS A KEY THING ON WHAT ANYBODY WOULD WANT TO SAY TO YOU ONCE WE HEAR WHAT YOUR POINT WOULD BE WHAT YOUR POINT WOULD BE ON AN AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE WE MAY NOT EVEN WANT TO GET UP BECAUSE YOU KNOW. BUT RIGHT NOW A PERSON HAS TO REALLY SCHOOL UP ON TODAY'S AGENDA READING MANY PAGES LIKE YOU FOLKS TO EVEN HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH A PARTICULAR AGENDA. SO WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY RIGHT? RIGHT. I DIDN'T SPOIL THAT TIME DID I? THANK YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. CITY ATTORNEY. JUST TO ADDRESS THAT I HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT 2840 AND THE LAW STATES THAT THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS.THE LAW REQUIRES THAT PEOPLE BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO SPEAK ABOUT AN ITEM BEFORE IT IS
[00:15:02]
VOTED ON. THE LAW SPECIFICALLY REQUIRES THAT THE COMMENT ADDRESS TIME COME BEFORE THE ITEM IS CONSIDERED IS THAT CORRECT? YES THAT IS ONE OPTION THAT THE COUNCIL CAN CHOOSE. WELL I THINK I MEAN THE LAW SAYS IT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE BECAUSE WE EVEN DISCUSSED SHOULD WE MOVE IT TO THE END OF THE MEETING. AND IN YOUR OPINION WAS THAT THE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW MOVING IT TO THE END OF THE MEETING BECAUSE THOSE ITEMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERED, RIGHT. THE LAW SAYS BEFORE OR DURING. OK. AND SO IT CAN EITHER COME AT THE FRONT OF THE MEETING WHICH IS IS HOW WE'RE DOING IT OR IT CAN COME AT EACH AGENDA ITEM BUT STILL HAS TO COME BEFORE CONSIDERATION OF THE ITEM. THE STATUTE CONTEMPLATES A CHANCE TO COMMENT ON EACH AGENDA ITEM BEFORE THAT AGENDA ITEM IS ADDRESSED. OK THANKS. NEW STATUTES WE HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THEM FIGURE THEM OUT. OK. AGENDA ITEM 1A IS TO REVIEW THE AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR MEETING[A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments; ]
THE ATTACHMENTS IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COUNCIL HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT AND WE NEED FURTHER COMMENTS ON? ITEM 1B IS AN UPDATE ON STATE OF THE CITY. THE CITY GAVE[B. Update on State of the City ]
THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY BREAKFAST LAST WEEK LAST THURSDAY. WE'VE HAD MORE PEOPLE ATTEND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RAINING CATS AND DOGS THAN WE HAVE IN ANY YEAR PREVIOUSLY I WAS VERY SURPRISED VERY PLEASED WITH THE TURNOUT. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CHAIRS WE HAD SET OUT IT WAS SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY PEOPLE BUT PEOPLE COUNTING THINK THERE WERE STANDING IN THE BACK MAYBE ANOTHER 50 PEOPLE SO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 650 AND 700 PEOPLE ATTENDED. IT WAS SHOWN LIVE AND IS STILL ARCHIVED ON THE CITY'S FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON THE MAYOR'S FACEBOOK PAGE ON THE CITY'S FACEBOOK PAGE. THE REACH FOR THAT VIDEO HAS BEEN NINETY SEVEN HUNDRED PEOPLE ON THE MAYOR'S FACEBOOK PAGE. IT'S ALMOST 12000 PEOPLE. SO THAT'S REALLY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO TOUCHED IT WATCHED AT LEAST A PORTION OF IT. AND I'M PLEASED THAT THAT MANY CITIZENS ARE ENGAGING. THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WATCHED THE LIVE STREAM EVENT WHEN IT WAS STREAMED. THERE WERE THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO PEOPLE ON THE CITY'S FACEBOOK PAGE AND THERE WERE THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE ON THE MAYOR'S FACEBOOK PAGE. SO YOU KNOW ABOUT 7000 PEOPLE TOUCHED IT WHILE IT WAS BEING STREAMED LIVE EVEN. SO SMART FOR THEM THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GET OUT IN THE RAIN. BUT FOR THE REST OF US THAT WERE THERE I THINK IT WAS A VERY VERY WELL ATTENDED AND VERY INFORMATIVE EVENT. THE FEEDBACK I THINK HAS BEEN POSITIVE. ALWAYS APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER BUT I APPRECIATED THAT YOU GUYS BRAVED THE RAIN AND EVERYBODY MADE IT OUT TO THE STATE OF THE CITY. ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS? I'D SAY THAT I LIKED THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT EVERY YEAR AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PURPOSEFULLY DONE THAT. AND I HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE SAME SO THAT IT'S THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO. AND I THINK IT WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR TOP PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND FOR THE REST OF THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WE GET TO SEE ON A FREQUENT BASIS AND SO I APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENT KIND OF VIEWS THAT ARE COMING UP. AND I WOULD PUSH YOU ON TO CONTINUE IT IN THE FUTURE THAT WAY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERY TIME. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR IT TO BE CONSTANTLY CHANGING TO GIVE A DIFFERENT ASPECT. AND FOR I THINK IT JUST GETS PEOPLE MORE INTERESTED IN STAYING PLUGGED IN AND STAYING INVOLVED AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'VE SEEN IT GET BIGGER EVERY YEAR. SO I THINK THAT WAS, I APPLAUD THAT VERY MUCH. SO THANKS FOR THAT FEEDBACK. I JUST APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO YOU KNOW SHOWCASE OUR TALENTED STAFF BECAUSE A LOT OF THE CITIZENS DID DO NOT REALIZE THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE IN RUNNING THE CITY OPERATIONS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT I ALSO ENJOYED THE VIDEO OF CITIZENS THAT I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT FELL IN THE AGENDA BUT I REALLY LIKED HEARING FROM OUR CITIZENS AND WHAT THEIR PASSIONS WERE AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THEY WERE INVOLVED IN AND SOME REALLY POWERFUL TESTIMONIES ON THAT OF WHAT[00:20:01]
THEY'RE DOING. AND ALSO KUDOS TO THE CITY STAFF EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN THAT.YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. GREAT. WELL I DEFINITELY THINK CHANGING THE FORMAT EVERY YEAR IS GOOD AND I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US IN THE CITY TO HAVE A CULTURE OF CHANGE NOT CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE BUT YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT CHANGE MEANS YOU'RE LIVING CHANGE MEANS YOU'RE GROWING AND SO HAVING A MINDSET THAT WELCOMES CHANGE AND A STANCE WHERE YOU'RE ALWAYS READY TO EMBRACE CHANGE KEEPS THINGS FRESH KEEPS YOU ON YOUR TOES AND SO I'M GLAD TOO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THE FORMAT AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT EVEN FOR NEXT YEAR. AND I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COMMENT ON HOW IMPRESSED THEY WERE WITH OUR STAFF AND ALL DAY LONG AS I KEPT RUNNING INTO PEOPLE AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT EXPERTS THEY WERE HOW KNOWLEDGEABLE HOW DEDICATED I JUST KEPT THINKING OF SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT STAGE THAT ARE STAFF THERE'S PROBABLY 25 PEOPLE OF THAT SAME CALIBER THAT I'M PROUD SERVE OUR CITY AND I WISH WE HAD HAD MORE OPPORTUNITY TO DISPLAY THE DEPTH OF OUR TEAM. I MEAN THEY THEY SAW THAT TEAM THAT WAS ON THE STAGE BUT THE DEPTH OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND THAT TEAM IS GOOD. AND SO MAYBE AT SOME POINT THERE'LL BE ANOTHER CHANCE TO DISPLAY SOME OF THOSE OTHER VERY TALENTED VERY DEDICATED STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE THERE ARE THERE ARE MANY OF YOU. OK. ANYTHING ELSE THEN ON STATE OF THE CITY. ITEM 1 C IS A TXDOT PROJECT UPDATE. JARED IS
[C. TxDOT Project Update ]
OUT OF TOWN TODAY ATTENDING A CONFERENCE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. SO WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF HAVING MICHELLE BONNER THE ASSISTANT I'M SORRY DEPUTY CITY MANAGER HERE WITH US TODAY. SO MICHELLE I'LL LET YOU INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER. BLAIR JOHNSON WITH TXDOT IS HERE TODAY AND IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. WELCOME BLAIR. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JUST HERE. I KNOW YOU'VE HAD SOME RECENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TXDOT [INAUDIBLE]. HOPEFULLY I CAN JUST ADDRESS A FEW ISSUES THAT Y'ALL BROUGHT UP AND CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD THIS LAST SEASON AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THIS NEXT SEASON. SO TO BE AS HONEST AS WE CAN WITH YOU OUR CONTRACTOR HAD SOME WORKLOAD STAFFING ISSUES COUPLED WITH WEATHER THIS IS THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT WE'VE HAD FOR FOUR YEARS. HE'S PERFORMED EXCELLENT IN THE PAST AND THIS YEAR HE JUST GOT OVERLOADED AND UNDERSTAFFED AND THAT WOUND UP MAKING US MISS TWO [INAUDIBLE]. SO THAT'S THAT'S A LOT OF KIND OF [INAUDIBLE]. WE [INAUDIBLE] LOOK CLEAN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SEASON. THE RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY STAFF SO THE WAY WE'VE GOT THIS CONTRACT SET UP WITH THIS CONTRACTOR RIGHT NOW IS BASICALLY WE CALL THE CITY A MONTH BEFORE AND SAY DO YOU WANT TO MOW. AND THEY SAY YES OR NO. AND THEN WE TELL A CONTRACTOR. SO WHAT THAT DOES IS IT REALLY DOES CAUSE ISSUES WITH THAT CONTRACTOR BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GUARANTEEING HIS WORK. WE'RE BASICALLY PUTTING HIM ON CALL AND SAYING I HOPE YOU'RE AVAILABLE. SO THROUGH RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY STAFF THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] THIS SPRING.AND THE WAY WE CAN SET THIS CONTRACT UP IS FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO THREE EXTRA MOWS A YEAR. AND WITH THAT WE CAN SET OUR CONTRACT UP TO SEE YOU COME IN ON THIS DATE EVERY MONTH. WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PROVIDES A CONTRACTOR A GUARANTEE OF WORK HE CAN SCHEDULE IT AND HE CAN BID IT ACCORDINGLY. SO I THINK THAT WILL ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THIS UNCERTAINTY ON THE CONTRACTING END AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SHOW UP TIMELY EVERY SINGLE MONTH AND WE CAN PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE TEETH THROUGH LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN OUR CONTRACT TO HELP REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT TO I40 AND I27. SO THAT'S ON THE CONTRACTING SIDE. I KNOW YOU BROUGHT UP SOME QUESTIONS AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. WE HAVEN'T REALLY ADDRESSED THAT IN THE PAST. WE DO HAVE A WAY TO IN OUR CURRENT CONTRACTS HAVE OUR CONTRACTOR GO OUT THERE AND MOW FOR SAFETY REASONS AND WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH MY DISTRICT ENGINEER AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF AND WE CAN PUT A MOWING CYCLE IN OUR CONTRACTS MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T WANT TO LEAD YOU ALL DOWN THE WRONG PATH AND SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOW WITH THE SAME SCHEDULE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR OTHER MOW, JUST A REGULAR MOWS AT AND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BUT I THINK WE CAN DO A LOT BETTER JOB AT KEEPING THOSE CONSTRUCTION SITES A LITTLE MORE SIGHTLY. AGAIN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT ALL THE TIME LIKE THE REST OF IT
[00:25:04]
BUT IT SHOULD BE BETTER MOVING FORWARD. I ALSO KNOW YOU HAD A DISCUSSION ON LAY DOWN YARDS PARTICULARLY ONE AT [INAUDIBLE] AND I-40. THAT IS A FAIR COMMENT. OUR ORIGINAL INTENT WITH THAT CONTRACT WAS BASICALLY JUST TO HAVE THEIR OFFICE BUILDING AND PARKING AREA AND THEY KEPT STACKING MATERIALS IN THERE AND WE DIDN'T REALLY ADDRESS IT. SO WE DO HAVE A WAY WE APPROVE WHERE THEIR SITES GO AND WE CAN BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF THAT MOVING FORWARD. AND I KNOW THE LAST THING WAS PEOPLE DRIVING OFF IN THE MEDIAN HOW WE'D LIKE TO SAY THAT TXDOT CAN HELP WITH THERE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY CAN YOU PUT THE [INAUDIBLE] WHICH ARE THIS REFLECTIVE POST THERE. AND WE TRIED THAT IN THE PAST AND THEY JUST DRIVE RIGHT PASS TILL THEY STOP AND THEN THEY GET IN THERE. SO IT REALLY IS AN EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT ISSUE.WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO ADDRESS THAT BUT WE CAN'T GO PUT UP [INAUDIBLE] SOLID EVER FOUR FEET DOWN I-40. SO IT'S REALLY ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION ON THAT ISSUE AND I THINK I'VE COVERED EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO SAY. SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP TO ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOR Y'ALL. SO I APPRECIATE THIS VERY MUCH. I DO. I GUESS HONESTLY IF I HAD KNOWN THAT THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT IT WAS KIND OF SELECTIVE THEN I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY MADE MY VOICE KNOWN THAT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KEPT HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHENEVER I INITIALLY RAN IN THREE YEARS AGO. AND SO I JUST DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS KIND OF A IT WAS AT OUR REQUEST. IT'S KIND OF LIKE I'M LOOKING AT IT THAT'S THE ENTRYWAY INTO THE CITY. AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE MY LAWN. AND I CAN'T STAND IT IF MY LONG GOES TWO WEEKS WITHOUT BEING MOWED. I'M REALLY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKS AND PEOPLE DRIVING BY AND YOU KNOW HOW DO YOU GO ON AND ON AND ESPECIALLY WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS COME DOWN. AND SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO PUSH THIS TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S JUST A GIVEN THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOW IT EVERY TIME IT ALWAYS EVEN IF THE WEEDS HAVE ONLY GROWN A HALF AN INCH IT ALWAYS LOOKS BETTER WHEN IT'S BEEN MOWED. IT SURE DOES. AND SO THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ASK AND I HAD TALKED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ASKED ABOUT THIS IS LIKE IN THOSE CONSTRUCTION AREAS LIKE LET'S GO BACK TO THE [INAUDIBLE] DEAL AND I'VE GOT A PICTURE ON MY PHONE OF IT AND THERE'S WEEDS ON THAT SIDE THAT ARE LIKE FOUR FEET TALL. YES. SO IS THERE A WAY TO PUT IN THE CONTRACT WHERE I MEAN THIS IS I-40. THIS IS BASICALLY OUR ENTRANCE TO AND IT'S LIKE ONLY THE ONLY HUNDRED AND TWENTY MILES PEOPLE SOME OF THAT 6 MILLION EVER SEE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PUT IN I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE MAY BE WHERE THERE'S A MIX THAT YOU ALL CAN SPRAY DOWN IT JUST BASICALLY KILL ALL THE WEEDS. IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? SO PROBABLY NOT HERBICIDE ON OUR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS THAT IS JUST DUE TO MOST OF OUR CONTRACTORS DO NOT HAVE THEIR LICENSE OR WILL THEY WANT TO GET THEIR LICENSE. BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS SET UP MOWING AND JUST TRY TO KEEP THOSE WEEDS MOWED DOWN AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU WE DON'T WANT TO KILL ALL THOSE WEEDS BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY BECAUSE. YOU'VE GOT EROSION PROBLEM. RIGHT.
EXACTLY. AND SO WE WILL PUT IN OUR CONTRACT OUR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT MOVING FORWARD A MOWING CYCLE THAT THE CONTRACTOR WILL HAVE TO ADHERE TO. AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE'S SO MANY OF THOSE PROJECTS GOING ON THAT IT TO SOME DEGREE IT'S KIND OF HARD KEEPING UP WITH EVERYTHING. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE A LOT AND ADDRESSING ALL OF THIS. IT MEANS A LOT. IT REALLY DOES. AND THAT MAYBE WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS OUT OF THE WAY AND WE ALL KIND OF KNOW WHAT ASSUMPTIONS DO TO ALL OF US SO THAT IT'S REALLY KIND OF CLEAR THAT WE REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO. AND WE'RE PAYING FOR THREE MOWINGS AND I'M SPEAKING RIGHT NOW PURELY FOR ME IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. I'M GLAD THAT IT'S GONNA BE FOR THAT SIX MONTH PERIOD OR EIGHT MONTH PERIOD OF TIME EVERY MONTH IT'S GOING TO GET MOWED. I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST FROM THE WAY THAT IT LOOKS AND IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND INCREASE CIVIC PRIDE AND WE'RE DOING ALL THESE OTHER THINGS TRYING TO CLEAN UP AMARILLO AND TAKE CARE OF OUR TRASH AND DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THIS IS ACTUALLY SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. I AGREE AND YOU KNOW WE CAN'T THANK THE CITY ENOUGH FOR BEING A GOOD PARTNER. A LOT OF TXDOT DISTRICTS DON'T AND HAVE A PARTNER LIKE THIS THAT HELPS THEM OUT LIKE THAT. WE'RE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I-40 IS OUR PRIORITY AND SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THE WHAT YOU WERE
[00:30:06]
SAYING ABOUT AS FAR AS I-40 GOES BUT THE ONLY THING WE'RE GONNA PUT IN OUR CONTRACT THAT GIVES US AN OUT AS FAR AS EVERY SINGLE MONTH IS WE'LL JUST PUT A GENERAL NOTE THAT SAYS EXTREME DROUGHT. RIGHT. AND THAT'LL BE OUR ONLY OUT IN THAT CONTRACT.AND SO I THINK THAT IF WE SET THE CONTRACT UP LIKE THAT IT SHOULD GO FAIRLY WELL. ONE OTHER QUESTION. SORRY IF I'M HOGGING IT. DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE BUSINESS I-40? NO IT DOES NOT. SO BUSINESS I-40 GETS MOWED THREE TIMES A YEAR SO BUSINESS I-40, US 87 NORTH AND I-40 OR THE LOOP 335 THAT ONLY GETS MOWED THREE TIMES A YEAR AND THEN I-40 AND I-27 WILL BE AT MOWED SIX TIMES A YEAR BY CONTRACT AND THEN WE ACTUALLY DO QUITE A BIT IN-HOUSE AND AS WE'RE MISSING MOWS WE WERE ACTUALLY OUT THERE WITH OUR MOWERS TRYING TO KEEP UP A LITTLE BIT. OF COURSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY KEEP UP BUT I-40M I-27 SIX TIMES. EVERYTHING ELSE INSIDE THE CITY THREE TIMES. OK. SO THE MOWING SEASON IS SIX TIMES. YES. IT'LL BE MAY THROUGH OCTOBER. OK. AND SO WE'RE DOING HALF. YOU GUYS ARE DOING HALF. IS THAT STANDARD ACROSS THE STATE? DO WE HAVE THE SAME DEAL AND ARRANGEMENT THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE? SO HARD TXDOT POLICY IS THAT WE'LL MOW THREE TIMES A YEAR IN AN URBAN AREA SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO IS THREE TIMES A YEAR NOW FOR THE CITY OR ANOTHER ENTITY WANTS TO COME TO US AND SAY WE'D LIKE TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL MOWS SUCH AS YOU ALL DID THEN YOU OFTEN PAY FOR ONE MOW, YOU CAN PAY FOR ZERO MOWS OR YOU CAN PAY FOR 12 MOWS. SO OK SO THAT'S CONSISTANT ACROSS THE STATE. THE THREE MOWS PER CITY LIMIT. THAT WAS I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE A DRIER AREA OR A SLOWER GROWING SEASON OR SOMETHING THAT THAT ARRANGEMENT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT THE STANDARD ACROSS THE STATE. YES MA'AM. I CAN'T SAY THAT EVERYBODY FOLLOWS IT 100 PERCENT. YOU KNOW IT'S THIS KIND OF POLICY BUT IT IS OUR POLICY. OKAY. THANK YOU. EXPLAIN HOW IT WOULD WORK HERE WE'RE HAVING RECORD RAINFALLS. 23 1/2 INCHES SO FAR THIS YEAR. IN SOME YEARS WE HAVE NINE OR 10 INCHES. SO ARE WE TALKING MOWING ON THAT SAME SCHEDULE EVEN IF THERE'S A DROUGHT? THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. IF UNLESS IT'S AN EXTREME DROUGHT OR THERE IS NO GROWTH THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY TIME I WOULDN'T MOW IT BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE PUT OUT THERE AS FAR AS HERBICIDE EVEN IN DROUGHTS THE BEST THING THAT GROWS IS WEEDS AND THE BEST CONTROL MOB IN MY MIND AS FAR AS WEEDS GO CONSISTENTLY OVER TIME IS MOWING. THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. BUT OF COURSE IT WOULD BE UP TO Y'ALL. JUST LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT THEN ABOUT THE ACCESS ROADS BLAIR AND I WILL JUST ECHO WE HAVE A FANTASTIC PARTNERSHIP WITH TXDOT. I MEAN WE OUR CITY CANNOT OPERATE WITHOUT THE PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS DO AND YOU DO A TREMENDOUS WORKLOAD AS FAR AS THE VISION AND THE PROJECTS AND YOU KNOW YOU GUYS TRULY HAVE THE 20 30 40 YEAR VISION HAPPENING FOR OUR CITY. SO IN SOME WAYS I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THIS IS NIT PICKING A LITTLE BIT BUT IT'S JUST IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. IT'S THE THING THAT CITIZENS TALK ABOUT IF THEY'RE THINKING TECH START AND THEY'RE NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT ORANGE CONES AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE ALL THOSE ARE GROWING PAINS.
WE SEE THAT AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO ON THAT THEN IT'S TIDINESS. IT'S THE MOWING IT'S THE TRASH ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD. AND SO I JUST I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IT'S NOT JUST FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR ONE COUNCIL MEMBER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONSISTENTLY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CITIZENS AS A WHOLE. SO JUST EMPHASIZING THAT TO YOU GUYS ORGANIZATIONALLY SO THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT MOWING AND TRASH ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD BUT YOU'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT OKAY IN OUR CONTRACTS CITIZENS ARE GOING TO CARE ABOUT HOW THIS LAY DOWN YARD LOOKS. SO WE NEED TO DECIDE IS IT BEST FOR IT TO BE HERE OR IS IT BEST FOR IT TO BE HERE AND WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO STAY THERE AFTER
[00:35:01]
THE PROJECT IS FINISHED AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS THAT ARE ENGAGING WITH THAT LOCATION THAT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO THE COUNCIL IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CITIZENS SO THAT WOULD BE MY OVERALL TAKEAWAY FROM TODAY IS HOW CAN WE HELP YOU GUYS AS PARTNERS YOU'RE FANTASTIC AT THINKING LIKE TXDOT ENGINEERS AND WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE THAT BUT HOW CAN WE ALSO HELP YOU THINK LIKE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO WHO JUST WANT THAT STUFF TO LOOK AS TIDY AS IT POSSIBLY CAN. AND I THINK THAT'S. GO AHEAD. I THINK THE BEST WAY IS AGAIN HE SAID IT WE'RE TXDOT ENGINEERS. I'M NOT A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. I DON'T THINK LIKE ONE. YEAH. SO I THINK THE BEST WAY IS JUST BRING YOU TO OUR ATTENTION AS YOU'LL SEE ISSUES. WE WILL DEFINITELY WORK WITH CITY STAFF TO ADDRESS THEM JUST LIKE WE DID THE LIST OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY. SO AS FAR AS ACCESS ROADS, I LOVE THAT [INAUDIBLE] HERE TODAY. I'M WONDERING WHAT DO YOU ALL HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN FOR AN EDUCATION PIECE. I SAW I WAS ON I-40 LAST WEEK THERE WAS A WRECK SOMEBODY SHOT OFF THE EDGE AND ALMOST CAUSED ANOTHER WRECK BECAUSE THE PERSON IN THE ACCESS ROAD WASN'T EXPECTING THIS PICKUP TRUCK TO ALL OF A SUDDEN JUMP OFF THE CURB AND BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM AND SO I AND I CAN SEE THE CHIEF IN THE BACK TOO I WOULD GUESS HE CAN TELL US STATISTICALLY THERE ARE WRECKS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR CITY BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE THREE MINUTES TO WAIT ON I-40 AND SO WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS THERE A PLAN IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE AT THE CITY CAN PARTNER WITH YOU GUYS ON A COMMUNICATION PIECE ON SOME SORT OF LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION IN OUR CITY ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS AND THAT YOU KNOW I DON'T DRIVE IN MY GRASS IT TEARS IT UP. I MEAN I KIND OF GREW UP IN THE FARM COMMUNITY AND THERE ARE RULES YOU YOU STAY ON THE [INAUDIBLE] YOU DON'T DRIVE ON IT WHEN IT'S WET BECAUSE IT TEARS IT UP YOU KNOW SO I CAN JUST HEAR THAT FARM PERSON VOICE IN MY HEAD SAYING YOU'RE TEARING IT UP YOU KNOW AND ONCE WE GET THAT GRASS TO GROW IT DOESN'T Y'ALL COME BACK THROUGH AND PLANT IT AGAIN. AND SO ONCE WE TEAR IT UP AS A COMMUNITY THEN WE LIVE WITH IT LOOKING LIKE THAT. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT? HOW CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB AT THAT [INAUDIBLE]. PREACH. [LAUGHTER] NO WE CAN ALWAYS DO A BETTER JOB WE'VE GOT SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY AS FAR AS EDUCATION IS CONCERNED AND THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL TO HELP US WHETHER WE'RE TRYING TO DECREASE DUIS, STUFF OF THAT NATURE. WE'VE GOT OUR END THE STREET CAMPAIGN. YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THIS BUT WE'VE HAD A DEATH AT LEAST ONE DEATH ON TEXAS ROADWAYS EVERY SINGLE DAY SINCE NOVEMBER 6 I BELIEVE IT WAS 2001 AND OUR END THE STREET CAMPAIGN IS AIMED AT REDUCING THAT NUMBER TO ZERO. ZERO DEATHS ON TEXAS ROADWAYS FOR AT LEAST ONE DAY AND BUILD FROM THERE. AND WHEN PEOPLE DO DRIVE OFF THE ROADWAY LIKE THAT IT CAUSES THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT YOU DESCRIBE THE PEOPLE ON THE ACCESS ROAD AREN'T EXPECTING THAT. SO THEY'RE HAVING TO DODGE THEY COULD DODGE INTO THE TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING TO THE RIGHT OF THEM AND IT'S DESTROYING OUR RIGHT OF WAY IT'S MAKING OUR CITY NOT LOOK AS BEAUTIFUL AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO YOU KNOW THEY'RE ARE EXIT RAMPS WHERE THEY ARE FOR A REASON AND PEOPLE NEED TO USE THEM.SO ANYTHING I'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE CHIEF TO CONTINUE ADDRESSING THIS AT SOMETHING. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL CAMPAIGNS AT TXDOT. AND SO PART OF ME IS LIKE OH ANOTHER CAMPAIGN SO NO ONE CAN LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE OH TXDOT'S TALKING AGAIN. BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET WITH THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FROM A PROMOTION STANDPOINT TO REALLY HIT IT HOME BECAUSE WE AGREE WITH YOU 100 PERCENT ON THAT. I CAN SAY THAT RIGHT BLAIR. ISN'T THERE A BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE HERE? YES. THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD USE OF THEIR TIME TO MAYBE LOOK AT HOW TO DO THAT. I KNOW YOU'RE ON IT. YOU'RE NOT? SHE WAS. I WAS. BUT I THINK THAT MAYBE THAT WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF THEIR TIME AND MAYBE YOU THINK ABOUT EDUCATIONAL. OF COURSE WE WILL ALWAYS BE A PARTNER AND WE CAN PARTNER WITH Y'ALLS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS AS WELL. I KIND OF LIKE THAT WHOLE DEAL.
WOULD YOU DRIVE IN YOUR YARD? DON'T DRIVE ON THE. THAT'S GREAT. I THINK THAT REALLY DOES IT ALL. OK. WELL LET'S KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT THEN BECAUSE I KNOW IT GETTING PEOPLE TO LISTEN AND ACTUALLY COMPLY WITH IT ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT WE SHOULD AT LEAST START BY TALKING ABOUT IT. ANY ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS COUNCIL FOR BLAIR? THANKS BLAIR. BLAIR WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE], THANKS.
[00:40:03]
OK. ITEM 1D IS TO RECEIVE REPORTS AND UPDATES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS[D. Reports and updates from City Councilmembers serving on outside Boards: Amarillo Local Government Corporation; ]
SERVING ON OUTSIDE BOARDS. AND I THINK WE HAVE A REPORT FROM OUR LGC MEMBERS AND WE ARE GOING TO LET JOHN LUTZ GIVE THAT. CAN I SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT JOHN AS HE COMES UP? COME ON UP JOHN. OKAY. SO JOHN'S BEEN ONE OF THE ONES WHO'S PROBABLY BEEN THE LONGEST STANDING AND HE HAS BEEN A STEADY HELD THE LINE WORK THINGS OUT BEHIND THE SCENES. I SO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT JOHN HAS DONE. I AM GLAD FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT BECAUSE IT'S HELPED US GET ACROSS SOME MAJOR HURDLES THAT WE NEEDED TO GET ACROSS. WE NEEDED HIS EXPERIENCE AND THE THINGS THAT HE EXPERIENCED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING TO GIVE US A BASIS FOR HOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. AND PART OF IT I THINK IS A RESULT OF WHAT HE'S ABOUT TO JUST SAY TODAY. SO JOHN THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF TO COME FORWARD AND SHARE SOME EXCITING NEWS WITH YOU OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH JOE TACO WHICH IS OWNED BY COLBY MONROE. THOSE DISCUSSIONS WERE ABOUT PLACEMENT OF JOE TACO IN OUR DOWNTOWN RETAIL SPACE. AND SO YESTERDAY WE CAME TO TERM AND EXECUTED A LEASE FOR FORTY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET OF THE PARKING GARAGE RETAIL SPACE.IT'S ACTUALLY THE NORTH EAST SIDE FACING THE CIVIC CENTER. WE CAME TO TERM ON A SIX YEAR DEAL WITH TWO FIVE YEAR EXTENSIONS. I THINK ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS AND I THINK IT SHOWS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMMITMENT FROM JOE TACO IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HANDLE THE FINISH OUT THEMSELVES. THEY ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THE FINISH OUT THEMSELVES. I CALL THAT PUTTING SKIN IN THE GAME AND I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND I'M PLEASED THAT THEY DID THAT. HOWEVER WE DO HAVE THE APPROVAL OF HIS PLANS IN TERMS OF FINISH OUT. SO WE'RE RETAIN APPROVAL OF THOSE ITEMS AND OF THE SIGNAGE. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT JUST LIKE THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WILL MAKE IT NICE. SO WITH THAT THE LEASE WILL BEGIN BASED UPON THE PROGRESS THAT THEY MAKE IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION ANYWHERE FROM MARCH 1ST UNTIL MAY 1ST. MY ESTIMATION IS THEY'LL WANT TO BE OPEN FOR THE BASEBALL SEASON WHICH WILL BEGIN IN APRIL. AND SO MY ESTIMATION IS THAT IT WILL BE TOWARDS THAT MARCH SIDE OF THINGS. WE THINK WE PUT IN PLACE A GREAT PARTNER. YOU CELEBRATED EARLIER ONE OF THE GREAT PARTNERS THAT WE BROUGHT TO THESE PROJECTS AND I THINK WE'VE BROUGHT ANOTHER HERE TODAY AND COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED. I THINK THIS REALLY SETS THE TONE FOR THE SPACE IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW THIS KIND OF ESTABLISHMENT IS ONE THAT I THINK WILL BE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER OTHER FOLKS. AND NOW THAT WE'VE SET THE TONE AND NOW THAT WE SET THE TIMELINE IN TERMS OF WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE OPEN WE FORESEE SOME ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY HAPPENING SOON AS WELL. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. DID YOU JUST KIND OF SEMI WHISPER THAT THERE ARE OTHER POTENTIAL PEOPLE INTERESTED NOW AFTER THIS INITIAL WE THINK THIS SETS THE TONE SO THAT THERE WILL BE SOME OTHER FOLKS WHO. YEAH AND THAT'S YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU HAVE A SPACE LIKE THIS PEOPLE WANT TO SAY HEY WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE FIRST AND YOU KNOW WHO ARE MY NEIGHBORS GOING TO BE. AND SO AGAIN I THINK YOU KNOW A MEXICAN FOOD RESTAURANT IS A GREAT PARTNER TO HAVE AN OPERATOR LIKE JOE TACO IS A GREAT PARTNER TO HAVE A FEELING THAT LOCATION FIRST AS IT RELATES TO BOTH THE HOTEL AND THE CIVIC CENTER. THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS TO DO SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT NOW THAT WE'VE SET THE TONE IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE WE'LL HAVE SOME OTHER FOLKS COME ALONG THE WAY AND HOW DOES THAT WHERE DO THEY BID THAT OUT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OR DO WE DO THAT? THEY WILL BID THAT OUT AND THEN WE HAVE OVERSIGHT OF THAT PROCESS. OKAY. AND JOHN I JUST ECHO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER EDDY SAID JUST APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE BECAUSE I KNOW I WORKED ALONGSIDE YOU FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND YOU AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER SO THANK YOU. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU. TRULY A TIRELESS WORKER. YES. GOOD
[00:45:04]
JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL WE HAVE MORE TO DO AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT. AND AGAIN I APPRECIATE THE ROLE THAT YOU GUYS PLAY IN THIS PROCESS. APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND WE'LL COME BACK WHEN WE HAVE MORE GOOD NEWS TO SHARE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COME BACK EVERY WEEK IF YOU WANT TO IF YOU'RE SHARING. GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. ITEM 1E IS TO REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR ANY REPORTS FROM THE CITY[E. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]
MANAGER. DO WE HAVE ANYTHING COUNCIL? OK. MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THERE[2. CONSENT ITEMS]
ANYTHING THERE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? HEARING NOTHING CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION? MAYOR I MOVE THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EVERYONE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE. ITEM 3A ON THE AGENDA[A. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7824: (Contact: Andrew Freeman, Director of Planning and Development Services) This item conducts a public hearing and first reading of an ordinance to consider designating certain areas of the City as Reinvestment Zone No. 10 for commercial and industrial tax abatement. The zone is approximately 17.10 acres in the vicinity of Northeast 24th Avenue and Folsom Road, North of lnterstate 40.]
IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 7824 MS. BONNER. YES, ANDREW FREEMAN DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HERE TO DISCUSS THE REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 10 WHICH WILL BE FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL TAX REBATES.GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. TODAY WE ARE DISCUSSING REINVEST NUMBER 10.
WE'VE HAD A REINVESTMENT ZONE DISCUSS WITH YOU ALL IN THE PAST WHEN WE DID REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER NINE NEAR THE AIRPORT SO YOU ALL REMEMBER THIS PROCESS ON HOW WE HANDLED THAT ONE. SO REINVESTMENT ZONES ARE DESIGNATED AND FOUND IN SECTION 312 THE TAX CODE. IT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS A TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE WHICH IS A DIFFERENT CHAPTER. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN DOWNTOWN AND EAST GATEWAY. THIS ONE IS ESTABLISHED SPECIFICALLY FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT WANT TO CONSIDER TAX ABATEMENTS REINVESTMENT ZONES ARE REQUIRED BEFORE YOU EVEN HAVE THE OPTION TO CONSIDER ONE AS FAR AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX ABATEMENTS. SO THESE ARE TYPICALLY USED TO ATTRACT NEW INDUSTRY AND COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES AND THEY ALSO ENCOURAGE RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT EXISTING BUSINESSES IN THE CITY. AND IN ORDER TO GRANT A TAX ABATEMENT THERE ARE FEW STEPS INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS. YOU'D HAVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF INTENT THAT ALSO INCLUDES GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO CONSIDER USING ON TAX PAYMENTS. THAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE IN AUGUST WHEN WE DID THE STATE REQUIRED TAX ABATEMENT GUIDELINES AS WELL AS A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDELINE. SO WE ALREADY HAD THAT IN PLACE. THE NEXT STEP IS YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO ADOPT A CERTAIN ZONE WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE POSSIBLE TAX ABATEMENTS GIVEN AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING DONE TODAY. AS I MENTIONED WE DO HAVE ACTIVE REINVESTMENT ZONES. THE MOST RECENT OR CLOSEST TO THIS ONE IS REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER SEVEN THAT'S THE ESTABLISHED CENTERPORT BUSINESS PARK. THIS IS ACTUALLY ACROSS FOLSOM ROAD TO THE EAST. A FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SITE FOR CENTERPORT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TODAY.
AS FAR AS REINVESTMENT ZONES ONCE THEY ARE ADOPTED THEY ARE GOOD FOR FIVE YEARS AND CAN BE RE UP FOR ADDITIONAL FIVE YEAR TERMS IF COUNCIL SEES FIT AS FAR AS THE DESIGNATION OF THE REINVESTMENT ZONE ITSELF. ONLY REAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN A DESIGNATED REINVESTMENT ZONE MAY BE USED FOR TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS. SO IT DOES REQUIRE A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY YOU'D LIKE TO INCLUDE. YOU'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO PUBLISH NOTICE IN THE PAPER AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING. YOU'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO SEND NOTICE TO ALL THE TAXING ENTITIES THAT HAVE JURISDICTION IN THAT BOUNDARY SO THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PROPOSAL. IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO BASICALLY PIGGYBACK OFF THE REINVESTMENT ZONES BEING ESTABLISHED IF THEY'D LIKE TO OFFER TAX ABATEMENT FOR THE SAME PROJECT. IT ALSO REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED REINVESTMENT ZONE AND THAT HAS TO BE DONE AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE NOTICE OF THE HEARING. AND THEN YOU ADOPT AN ORDINANCE THAT DESIGNATES A ZONE. SO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS AS WELL AS A FIRST READING AND JUST ANOTHER UPDATE ON SOME OF THE RECENT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES IN CHAPTER 312. THE GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA THAT YOU ADOPT IN AUGUST ARE NOW REQUIRED TO BE POSTED ONLINE. SO WE DO HAVE THOSE ON OUR WEB SITE. THEY ALSO CHANGE THE TAX ABATEMENT PROCESS TO WHERE IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER A TAX PAYMENT YOU HAVE TO PUBLISH NOTICE OF 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF TAKING ACTION ON IT. SO PREVIOUSLY WE WOULD ADOPT REINVESTMENT ZONES MAYBE ON A LARGER ACREAGE WHICH WILL ALLOW IT TO ALREADY BE ESTABLISHED AND THEN YOU COULD TAKE A TAX ABATEMENT REQUEST AS IT COMES IN. THIS ACTUALLY CONDENSES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SINCE WE HAVE A 30 DAY CLOCK NOW TO OFFER A TAX ABATEMENT OR CONSIDER TAX ABATEMENT. WE CAN FIT ESTABLISHING A REINVESTMENT ZONE WITHIN THAT WINDOW SO YOU CAN DO IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME VERSUS ONE BECOMING BEFORE THE OTHER IN ADVANCE
[00:50:01]
OF THAT. THE OTHER BENEFIT OF HAVING SEPARATE REINVESTMENT ZONES TIED TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT IS THE CODE ALSO REQUIRES WITHIN A REINVESTMENT ZONE IF YOU OFFER A TAX ABATEMENT TO ONE AND SOMEONE ELSE COMES IN YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE SAME TERMS. SO IF YOU START OFF ONE WITH A 10 YEAR 100 PERCENT TAX PAYMENT THE NEXT ONE GETS THE EXACT SAME TERMS. THERE'S NO FLEXIBILITY. SO BY DOING IT BY STANDALONE PROJECTS THAT ACTUALLY PROTECTS THE COUNCIL'S INTERESTS AND ALLOWS YOU TO NEGOTIATE DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT. SO AS FAR AS WHERE THIS ZONE IS LOCATED AS I MENTIONED IT'S EAST OF THE EXISTING ESTABLISHED CENTERPORT BUSINESS PARK JUST ACROSS FOLSOM ROAD AT 24TH AND FOLSOM AS INDICATED ON THE MAP THERE. AND THEN AS FAR AS CRITERIA THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED WHEN ESTABLISHING A ZONE I'VE LISTED OUT MULTIPLE HERE. THE CITY HAS TO FIND THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR THAT ZONE ARE FEASIBLE AND WOULD BENEFIT THE ZONE AFTER ITS EXPIRATION OF TAX ABATEMENT. JUST TO SHOW THAT THERE'S A REASON FOR THE ABATEMENT TO BE IN PLACE. THE MAIN ONE THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING WITH THIS ZONE IS ITEM NUMBER SIX WITHIN THE CODE AND THAT IT WILL REASONABLY LIKELY RESULT OF THE DESIGNATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RETENTION OR EXPANSION OF PRIMARY EMPLOYMENT OR TO ATTRACT MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THE ZONE THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE PROPERTY AND THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THIS. AND THEN AGAIN AS A REQUIREMENT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL. WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS NOW AND THEN HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW OR JUST HAVE COMMENTS FOR THE REST OF US? I ASKED HIM A QUESTIONS AND HE ANSWERED AGAIN. OKAY. OKAY. GOOD. THANKS ANDREW. AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST THE MATTER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DO SO IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? MR. [INAUDIBLE]. FOR, ON OR AGAINST. THAT'S QUITE A CHALLENGE. THE PART THAT I'M FOR IS IN A KIND OF GOOD GOVERNMENT OR GOOD GROWTH IN OUR CITY. THINGS THAT I'M AGAINST IS GIVING AWAY TAXES BECAUSE THE TAX THAT WE'RE GOING TO THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LOCKED IN IS ON A PIECE OF DIRT AND THEY'LL HAVE THAT FOR 10 YEARS.YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT. AND AS ANDREW SAID I MAY BE MISTAKEN, ANYBODY ELSE THAT COMES IN TO GET INTO EAST PORT WILL HAVE THE SAME BENEFIT. SOUNDS GOOD IF YOU SAY IT REAL FAST BUT THEY'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO OUR PIE. WHO OWNS THIS PROPERTY? IS THAT A? MR. CARTER. IS IT OWNED BY THE AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? IS THAT CORRECT? OR IS IT OWNED BY [INAUDIBLE]. I MEAN [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE] DOESN'T OWN PROPERTY THAT I. THE GROUP THAT OWNS EAST PORT WHICH IS. THIS IS OWNED BY THE AEDC.
THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION DIRECTED TO MR. CARTER BUT.
COMPANY CALLS EAST PORT. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. A LITTLE BIT EAST OF THERE.
ALL RIGHT. OK. WELL I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT OUT THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT SENIORS GETTING THEIR TAXES FROZEN. ONE THING I WORRY ABOUT IS BUSINESSES GETTING THEIR TAXES FROZEN FOR 10 YEARS. WE BRAG ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT THE LOWEST TAX RATES IN THE STATE. THAT SHOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR SOME BUSINESSES TO COME HERE WITHOUT CONTINUING TO GIVE AWAY THEIR PART OF THE PIE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST THIS ITEM. I SEE NO ONE. I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MAYOR I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 7824 DESIGNATING APPROXIMATELY 17.10 ACRES IN
[00:55:05]
THE VICINITY OF NORTH EAST 24TH AVENUE AND FOLSOM ROAD WHICH IS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AS REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 10. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7824. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE? CAN I MAKE A COMMENT REAL QUICK.SO MR. [INAUDIBLE] MADE THE COMMENT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT CLARIFIED WAS THAT ONCE THIS IS IN PLACE THAT EVERYBODY GETS THAT. AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU MADE THE POINT ANDREW WAS THAT THIS IS CUT UP SO THAT ONLY THAT 17 ACRES GETS THAT PARTICULAR ONE AND NOT EVERYBODY ELSE IN CENTERPORT GETS THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? TWO THINGS THERE. THIS ONE THE 17 ACRES WILL BE FOR ONE PARTICULAR PROJECT OR DEAL THAT'S BEING PROPOSED. CENTERPORT ITSELF TO THE WEST. THERE IS A LARGER FOOTPRINT IS IN ITS OWN REINVESTMENT ZONE CURRENTLY THAT HAS ONE YEAR LEFT ON IT. AFTER THAT ONE EXPIRES WE'D BE ABLE TO DO SEPARATE SIMILAR STRUCTURES. IN OTHER WORDS IT'LL BE SEPARATED AS OPPOSED TO HOW IT WAS BEFORE. YEAH. CORRECT. EACH ONE OF THOSE [INAUDIBLE] PARCELS CAN NOW BE PARCELED OUT. YES THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS IT'S ONE A DIFFERENT APPROACH. 10 YEARS LIKE YOU SAID 10 YEARS. HUNDRED PERCENT AND SOMEBODY MAYBE EIGHT YEARS 20 PERCENT. RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO TO CLARIFY THAT THIS IS THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE 7824 IS A STAND ALONE PROJECT. IT IS A STANDALONE. IT'S NOT GOING TO IMPACT WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO WITH FUTURE PROJECTS OR THE OTHER ONES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. RIGHT YES. WOULD YOU ALSO CLARIFY ON YOU MENTIONED 5 YEAR AND 10 YEAR INFORMATION WOULD YOU JUST GO OVER THAT AGAIN AND CLARIFY THAT. THE ZONES ARE ESTABLISHED FOR FIVE YEARS THE REINVESTMENT ZONES, TAX ABATEMENTS BY LAW CAN ONLY BE UP TO TEN YEARS. SO THAT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ABATE TAXES FOR UP TO 10 YEARS AT CERTAIN PERCENTAGES THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO CONSIDER. YES. THANK YOU. AND TYPICALLY ANDREW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF ABATEMENT HAVE WE CONSIDERED. AS FAR AS IN THIS AREA MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN THE 10 YEAR HUNDRED PERCENT WARRANTED BASED ON THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, JOBS, PAYROLL. THOSE KIND OF CRITERIA WHICH WE HAVE ALSO IN THE AUGUST [INAUDIBLE] POLICY TRIED TO SET THAT MATRIX. SO WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE COUNCIL MIGHT BE WILLING TO CONSIDER AS FAR AS AN ABATEMENT AND WHAT THRESHOLDS THERE ARE. SO WE HAVE A NEW POLICY WE JUST APPROVED IT IN AUGUST YES AND IT'S BEING. IT SETS OUT WITH MORE INTENTIONALITY NOT THAT THEY WERE NOT INTENTIONAL BEFORE BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE DONE INCENTIVES FOR A WHILE.
YES. TRYING TO LOOK AT DEALS THAT ARE NOT 100 PERCENT INCENTIVIZED. RIGHT. WELL UNLESS THEY HAVE A GREAT NUMBER OF JOBS HIGH LEVELS. YES. HIGH LEVEL INVESTMENT. SO REALLY THE HOME RUNS WILL BE THE LARGER 100 PERCENT. IT'S MATCHING THOSE THAT UPSIDE POTENTIAL AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WITH AN APPROPRIATE INCENTIVE. YES. AND THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE US TO DO AN APPLE INCENTIVE FOR AN ORANGE PROJECT DOWN THE ROAD BUT ACTUALLY TO MATCH THEM AND GIVES US. CASE BY CASE BASIS. I DO LIKE THE STRUCTURE OF THE STANDALONE APPROVALS. JUST HIGH LEVEL PHILOSOPHICALLY FOR JUST A MINUTE. ARE OTHER CITIES OFFERING THESE TYPE OF ECONOMIC TAX REBATE INCENTIVES? MOST LIKELY ALL OF THEM CONSIDER THEM DEPENDING ON WHAT PROJECTS ARE COMING THROUGH. DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR AMARILLO TO OFFER THESE IN ORDER TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO COME OUT TO CENTERPORT. YES I BELIEVE SO WE'D PROBABLY BE AT A DISADVANTAGE IF WE DID NOT CONSIDER THEM. AND FOR MOST OF THESE PROJECTS REALLY EVERYONE THAT I CAN THINK OF, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LIFESPAN OF WHATEVER IS BUILT OUT THERE IS? 50 YEARS 80 YEARS? COULD BE. SO IF WE'RE GIVING UP ON THE FIRST 10 YEARS WHAT WE'RE GAINING IS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAST 40 YEARS OR PLUS HOWEVER MANY THAT IS WE WILL HAVE THE TAX BENEFIT AND IT'LL GROW AS THE VALUE INCREASES YEAR OVER YEAR. THAT'S THE THING ABOUT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY ANY TAX BASE RIGHT THERE SO YOU'RE HOPING TO BRING IN THE REINVESTMENT BUT ALSO THE JOBS THAT WILL BE SALARIES BUYING HOMES SPENDING THEIR SALES TAX DOLLARS HERE PAYING FOR UTILITY SERVICES JUST RISING EVERYTHING UP AROUND IT. SO DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SIMPLIFY IT AND SAY WE GIVE UP A FEW PENNIES TODAY FOR WHAT WE KNOW WILL BE DOLLARS TOMORROW. RIGHT. AND WE'RE INCENTIVIZING KIND OF THE REAGAN ECONOMICS THE TRICKLE DOWN WHEN WE GET THEIR PROJECT HERE IT BRINGS OTHER
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ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES INTO OUR COMMUNITY NOT JUST THE PROPERTY TAXES GENERATED BY THAT DIRT FOOTPRINT OF THAT BUILDING. YES MA'AM. ANYTHING ELSE COUNCIL ON THAT? THE OTHER THING I'D SAY IS THE THING THAT I'D SAY IS SOMETIMES I THINK PEOPLE WOULD MIGHT ALSO LIKE THE TIERS THAT'S OUT ON I-40 OR THE TIERS THAT'S THE DOWNTOWN IS THAT'S A 20 YEAR POTENTIAL AND IT'S COMPLETELY WHERE IT IN THE PAST HAS FUNCTIONED COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THIS ONE IS. THIS ONE IS RELATIVELY SHORT TERM AS COMPARED TO HOW WHAT MOST PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE HEARD OF THIS FOR ME I WOULD I SEE IT AS IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KIND OF THING. IT'S LIKE HALF OR QUARTER OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME OF WHAT WE COULD BE INVOLVED WITH DIFFERENT TOOLS AND DIFFERENT STRUCTURES AS FAR AS HOW THEY'RE SET UP AND WHAT THEIR PURPOSES IS. ANYTHING ELSE? OK. THANK YOU ANDREW. SO WITH THAT ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION NEEDED FROM COUNCIL? NO. OK YEP WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE THEN. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION APPROVING ORDINANCE NUMBER 7824 PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? THAT ITEM PASSES 5-0 AND[B. RESOLUTION - NOMINATIONS FOR POTTER - RANDALL APPRAISAL DISTRICTS' BOARD OF DIRECTORS: (Contact: Stephanie Coggins, Assistant to the City Manager) The Potter-Randall Appraisal District (PRAD) has four (4) vacancies on its individual Potter and Randall County Appraisal Districts' Board of Directors. Upon the receipt of these nominations, the Appraisal District will schedule an election for governmental entities in Potter and Randall County to vote on these vacant positions, as established by State law requirements.]
THEN ITEM 3B IS A RESOLUTION WITH REGARD TO NOMINATIONS FOR THE POTTER RANDALL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO GIVE US A LITTLE EXPLANATION. THE CITY PARTICIPATES ALONG WITH THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES IN OUR AREA TO PROVIDE NOMINATIONS FOR THE POTTER RANDALL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. STEPHANIE COGGINS IS HERE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND SHE'S GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS PROCESS. I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES COUNCIL. STEPHANIE, CAN YOU PULL YOUR MICROPHONE A LITTLE CLOSER PLEASE. THANK YOU MA'AM. HOW'S THAT? PERFECT THANKS. OK. SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND I KNOW YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE POTTER RANDALL APPRAISAL DISTRICT OR PRAD AS WE LIKE TO CALL THEM. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHING THE VALUE RULING ON EXEMPTIONS AND SPECIAL APPRAISALS. STATE LAW GOVERNS EVERYTHING THEY DO THEY ARE GOVERNED BY THE PROPERTY TAX CODE. THEY ALSO HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS HIRES THE CHIEF APPRAISER SETS THE BUDGET AND APPOINTS THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS. KEEP IN MIND THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS NO AUTHORITY TO SET PROPERTY VALUES OR TO SET ANY SORT OF APPRAISAL METHODS. SO EVERY TWO YEARS THEY LOOK TO RE-ELECT THIS BOARD. IT'S MADE UP OF 10 VOTING MEMBERS FIVE FROM POTTER COUNTY FIVE FROM RANDALL COUNTY AND THEN TWO NON-VOTING MEMBERS.YOUR TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTORS FROM EACH COUNTY ARE ON THE BOARD BY THE STATE CODE.
NOMINATIONS. MEMBERS WILL SERVE TWO YEARS. AND SO THE ONES THAT ARE ELECTED THIS YEAR WILL SERVE A TWO YEAR TERM ENDING DECEMBER OF 2021. AND THEN THE CITY AS A TAXING ENTITY MAY ELECT OR EXCUSE ME MAY NOMINATE FROM ONE TO FIVE INDIVIDUALS TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE ELECTION FOR BOARD MEMBERS A LITTLE BIT ON THE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE FIRST STEP OF KIND OF A TWO STEP PROCESS. SO WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT THE CURRENT MEMBERS. WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED IF THOSE CURRENT MEMBERS WISH TO CONTINUE SERVING AND WE'VE RECEIVED OUR NUMBER OF VOTES. SO WHEN WE GET TO THE SECOND PORTION WHICH I'LL COVER HERE IN A MOMENT WE HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VOTES THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CAST IN THE ELECTION. WE ARE LOOKING AT A RESOLUTION TODAY TO NOMINATE INDIVIDUALS TO THIS BOARD. THOSE NOMINATIONS WILL GO BACK TO PRAD AND THEN A LITTLE BIT LATER THIS MONTH OR EARLY NOVEMBER. THEY'RE GOING TO SEND US A BALLOT AND THEN WE WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL PROBABLY SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER TO SHARE THAT BALLOT WITH YOU AND SEEK ANOTHER RESOLUTION TO CAST THOSE VOTES. SO HERE IS YOUR LIST OF CURRENT MEMBERS IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK THROUGH THAT IF YOU'LL NOTICE THE MEMBERS IN GRAY HIGHLIGHT THESE ARE THE FOUR MEMBERS THAT ARE UNABLE TO SERVE AGAIN. THE OTHERS ARE WILLING TO SERVE WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR YOU, IF YOU'LL LOOK WITH YOUR PACKET YOU SHOULD HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND WE'VE WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH ACTUALLY WHO HELPED PROVIDE SOME INDIVIDUALS AND SO WE'VE GOT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN YELLOW. BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. STEPHANIE I NOTICED IN MY INITIAL PACKET THAT THE NAMES HAVE ACTUALLY CHANGED. SO THIS MUST BE LIKE AN UPDATE. IS THIS AN UPDATE OR? I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE ADDED ONE. I'M NOT SURE WHO
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WAS ON. OK WE DIDN'T HAVE THE NAMES UNTIL MONDAY FREDA AND SO THERE WERE PROBABLY BLANKS THERE TO REPLACE AND SO THIS WOULD BE AN UPDATED SO WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO BY THIS RESOLUTION. IF YOU'RE GOOD WITH THESE NOMINATIONS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STEPHANIE? STEPHANIE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THIS SLATE OF CANDIDATES AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THEM. SURE. MOTION. MAYOR I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING NOMINEE FOR THE POTTER APPRAISAL DISTRICT NOARD. AND THAT WOULD BE MISTY WADE TO REPLACE GILBERT [INAUDIBLE]. DO WE HAVE TO DO ALL OF THEM MICHELLE? OKAY. OKAY. SO ALL SO ARE ALL THESE GONNA BE THE ONES ON THE RESOLUTION.WE'VE PROVIDED IN YELLOW THE ONES THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM AND RECOMMENDATIONS THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH SOME RECOMMENDED NAMES FOR YOU BUT YOU CAN NOMINATE THE EXPECTATIONS IS IF WE CAN NOMINATE ALL 5. ALL 5 FOR POTTER AND ALL 5 FOR RANDALL. OK. BECAUSE THESE THESE ARE THE VACANCIES RIGHT HERE THEN. YES. WE NEED TO REPLACE, OK. SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO SERVE AN ADDITIONAL TERM. OK. ALL RIGHT LET ME START AGAIN. I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION. THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. OK MAYOR I MOVE TO NOMINATE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE POTTER APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD WHICH WOULD BE ZACHARY PLUMMER CINDY SPANEL, KAY LEDBETTER, LEON CHURCH AND THEN MISTY WADE TO REPLACE GILBERT GUZMAN. CAN WE DO THEM ALL ON THE SAME MOTION MICHELLE OR DO WE NEED TWO MOTIONS? YOU COULD. OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEEDED TO DO POTTER AND RANDALL SEPARATELY AND THEN FOR THE I MOVE TO NOMINATE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR THE RANDALL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD AND THAT WOULD BE DENNIS IS IT BENNY? BEENE.
BEENE. THANK YOU. JAMES BARRINGTON AND THEN TOM NOVAK TO REPLACE HENRY HAMILTON. TAYLOR [INAUDIBLE] TO REPLACE KERRY ADAIR AND THEN ALBERT HARRIS TO REPLACE DOUG SRADER. THANK YOU. OK. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE SLATE AS SPOKEN IN THE MOTION. ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE 5 0 VOTE. AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA TODAY. WE ARE HEREBY ADJOURNED. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.