Mar 10, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting

AFTER 3 O'CLOCK HERE,

[00:00:01]

[Call to Order]

[Executive Session]

OKAY, GREAT. I AM GOING TO RECOGNIZE A QUORUM HERE AT 3 P.M. AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OUR CEREMONIAL ITEMS LISTED ON OUR AGENDA.

BY THE WAY, FULL HOUSE AND REALLY GOOD HAVING ALL OF YOU HERE. SO GOING TO BE A PRODUCTIVE BUSINESS MEETING, BUT A FUN ONE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ATTENDING.

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BRADY CLARK COME UP AND OFFER THE INVITATION. WOULD YOU GUYS STAND AND THEN REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGES? AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE MADE UP OF PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, ALL DIFFERENT BELIEF SYSTEMS, ALL DIFFERENT WAYS OF SEEING THE WORLD. AND FOR ME, AS A CHRISTIAN PASTOR,

[2. Ceremonial Items]

OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR THE WORLD AROUND US. AND SO AS WE BEGIN THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON, I WANT TO READ JUST A COUPLE OF SCRIPTURES BEFORE WE PRAY.

THAT, I THINK, WILL SET THE TONE AND HELP US TO WALK INTO THIS WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE AND HOPEFULLY, THE RIGHT HEART. PSALM 133, VERSE 1 SAYS, BEHOLD HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT IT IS WHEN BROTHERS DWELL TOGETHER IN UNITY. AND AS ONES WHO SERVE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AS ONES WHO REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HERE. A REMINDER FROM THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH, CHAPTER 22 THAT SAYS THIS, THUS, SAYS THE LORD, DO JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND DELIVER FROM THE HAND OF THE OPPRESSOR HIM WHO HAS BEEN ROBBED. AND DO NO WRONG OR VIOLENCE TO THE RESIDENT ALIEN, TO THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW, NOR SHED INNOCENT BLOOD IN THIS PLACE. AND OUT OF COLOSSIANS, PAUL SAYS, AND ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS, PUT ON LOVE, WHICH BINDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN PERFECT HARMONY. LET US PRAY. LORD, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT US TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY IN SUCH A TIME AS THIS. WE THANK YOU THAT YOU HAVE ALLOWED US TO BE IN POSITIONS TO MAKE DECISIONS AND TO HOPEFULLY LEAD OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

LORD, WE PRAY FOR THE UNITY OF HEART, PRAY FOR THE UNITY OF WILL, THAT WE CAN COME FORTH AND DO WHAT'S BEST, NOT JUST FOR AMARILLO AS A WHOLE, BUT FOR EACH AND INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTED IN THIS PLACE. AND LORD, LET US BE A BRIGHT LIGHT, A BEACON ON A HILL THAT SHOWS PEOPLE.

THAT, ALTHOUGH WE DO COME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, THAT WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES, WE CAN BE BOUND TOGETHER WITH ONE HEART TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND DO WHAT IS GOOD. SO IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, I PRAY, LORD, BLESS THIS TIME AND LEAD US FORWARD IN TRUTH AND IN GOODNESS AND IN JUSTICE.

AMEN. OKAY, WE HAVE A FEW RECOGNITIONS THAT WE GET TO DO HERE TODAY. COUNCILMAN REED, I PUT ONE IN FRONT OF YOU THAT I KNOW YOU HELPED TO BRING. I WOULD ASK YOU TO READ THAT, AND THEN COUNCILMAN PRESCOTT HAS THE OTHER ONE. SO IF WE COULD, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO DOWNSTAIRS HERE, AND IF I COULD, ASK TAM BOATLER TO COME UP, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.

WHEREAS THE AMARILLO KIVA SHRINE BUILDING WAS COMPLETED

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AND WHEREAS SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1922, SHRINERS CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS HAVE PROVIDED SPECIALIZED MEDICAL CARE TO NEARLY 2 MILLION CHILDREN, FOCUSING ON WHAT THE PD CONDITIONS BURNS SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND CLEFT, LIP AND PALATE, WHILE ADVANCING IMPORTANT MEDICAL RESEARCH.

AND WHEREAS AS THE KIVA SHRINE CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF SERVICE TO CHILDREN IN THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY, ITS MEMBERS CONTINUE TO EMBODY THE ENDURING SHRINER MOTTO. NO MAN STANDS SO TALL AS WHEN HE STOOPS TO HELP A CHILD. NOW.

THEREFORE, WE, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE THE KIVA SHRINE ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY. AND EXTEND OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR A CENTURY OF PHILANTHROPY, COMPASSION, AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN AMARILLO AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. WELL, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THIS. IT TAKES 100 YEARS TO GET IT, BUT WE GOT IT FINALLY. AND I'D LIKE TO LET EVERYBODY LOOK AT IT. IT'S A NICE CERTIFICATE.

AND AKIVA WORKS HARD TO HELP KIDS, AND WE CAN ALL USE ALL OF Y'ALL TO HELP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RUDY, ARE YOU HERE? CAN YOU BRING EVERYBODY UP? CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.

[00:10:04]

THE FAMILY APPRECIATES IT.

JUST FOR ALL THE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE PROTECTING US, THIS IS FOR THEM TOO. THANK YOU.

OKAY, MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING US RECOGNIZE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NOT ONLY LOOK FORWARD, BUT THAT WE REMEMBER. RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO OFFICIALLY CALL US TO ORDER, WALK US INTO THIS PART OF OUR MEETING AND ASK MR. CITY MANAGER TO HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY. OKAY? MS. CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL TAKE US INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE.

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. DURING BOTH PUBLIC COMMENT AND ANY OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

AT THE END OF TWO AND A HALF MINUTES, A WARNING BEEP WILL SOUND

[4. Public Comment]

IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM WITH A PUBLIC HEARING, WE ASK THAT YOU MAKE YOUR COMMENT ON THAT ITEM EITHER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NOT BOTH, IN ORDER TO HELP

[00:15:02]

COUNCIL MAY RESPOND WITH STATEMENTS OF FACT. THEY MAY ASK YOUR TOPIC BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA, OR THEY MAY REFER THE TOPIC TO THE CITY MANAGER. WHO CAN HAVE STAFF STEP OUT AND VISIT WITH YOU REGARDING THE ITEM.

IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK TODAY AND HAVE NOT SIGNED UP YET, PLEASE COME SEE ME NOW AT THE DAIS. YOU CAN COME FROM THIS SIDE OVER HERE AND FILL OUT A FORM SO THAT WE CAN ADD YOU TO OUR LIST TO CALL YOU FORWARD.

AT THIS TIME, WE WILL BEGIN WITH CLAUDIA STRAVATO. AND ON DECK AFTER CLAUDIA STRAVATO, IF JASON FORD WILL MAKE HIS WAY TO THE EMPTY PODIUM. I'M A CITIZEN OF POTTER COUNTY AND HAVE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS MONUMENT AT THE CITY. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE BACK WHERE WE WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WHEN SANCTUARY CITIES WAS AN ISSUE, WHERE WE WERE MIXING RELIGION WITH GOVERNMENT. AND IT RESULTED IN A GREAT DEAL OF TIME-CONSUMING DISCORD. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT AMARILLO IS A VERY RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. WE ARE CONSIDERED THE BUCKLE OF THE BIBLE BELT. WE HAVE MANY PROTESTANT CHURCHES, CATHOLIC CHURCHES, A MUSLIM TEMPLE, SEVERAL BUDDHIST TEMPLES, AND MANY UNAFFILIATED CHURCHES.

WE ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN-ONLY COMMUNITY. WE ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN-ONLY STATE. WE ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN-ONLY NATION.

WE ARE A PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE OUR RELIGION OF CHOICE. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT, YOU CONTINUE TO SAY, THIS IS CONTINUING FROM A YEAR AGO THIS MONTH, THAT THIS TOPIC CAME UP, THAT IT'S SIMPLY A HISTORICAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. YOU CAN SAY THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED YESTERDAY IS HISTORY, OR TWO WEEKS BEFORE. EVERYBODY KNOWS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS A JUDEO-CHRISTIAN DOCUMENT.

THERE ARE CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS. EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU WERE ASSURED LAST YEAR OF A GROUP THAT WOULD DEFEND YOU, THERE ARE STILL CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS BECAUSE THE COURTS HAVE NOT BEEN CONSISTENT. IT CAN LOOK LIKE GOVERNMENT ENDORSEMENT OF A PARTICULAR RELIGION, WHICH MANY ARGUE VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT'S ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE, THAT BARS GOVERNMENT FROM FAVORING ONE FAITH OVER ANOTHER. COURTS HAVE STRUCK DOWN SOME TEN COMMANDMENTS DISPLAYS WHEN THE PRIMARY PURPOSE APPEARED RELIGIOUS, RATHER THAN EDUCATIONAL OR HISTORICAL.

THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF EXCLUSION OF NON-BELIEVERS, NON-ADHERENTS, PEOPLE THAT BELONG TO A DIFFERENT RELIGION. A GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED RELIGIOUS TEXT CAN MAKE RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT JEWISH OR CHRISTIAN FEEL LIKE OUTSIDERS. OR SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS, SIGNALING THAT FULL BELONGING IS TIED TO A SPECIFIC FAITH OR TRADITION. FAMILIES AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS, INCLUDING SOME CHRISTIANS, HAVE ARGUED THAT THESE DISPLAYS SEND A MESSAGE OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE. WE ALSO HAVE A VARIETY OF ONE-SEX INTERPRETATION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OVER ANOTHER. THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE'VE WORKED ON THIS FOR 249 YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND BRINGING IT BACK AGAIN TO AMARILLO, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT, IS JUST ANOTHER FOOLISH ATTEMPT TO CAUSE DISCORD IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I CAN SAY, AND I CONCLUDE, THAT LAST YEAR, WHEN THIS CAME UP, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CONTACTED THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE ORGANIZATION, AND THEY WERE READY AT THAT TIME TO FILE A LAWSUIT, WHICH WILL CAUSE TROUBLE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, IS JASON FORD HERE? IF NOT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DIANA RIVERA, LAINA SEBERG. AND AS LAINA MAKES HER WAY UP AFTER LAINA, WE WILL HAVE TIM

[00:20:01]

WHY DO WE NEED TO MICROMANAGE PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS MAYBE A GOOD THING.

BUT IT CAN BE USED FOR VERY EVIL PURPOSES. AND I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS WANT SOMEBODY SPYING ON YOU ALL THE TIME. SEEING YOUR CAR GO FROM HERE TO THERE. YOU KNOW, WE COULD SPY ON YOU AND FOLLOW YOU ON VACATION IF WE WANTED TO.

BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT Y'ALL ARE WANTING TO DO. AND THIS TRANSLATES NOT JUST TO CRIME. NOT JUST TO ILLEGAL. IMMIGRANTS, OR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU CAN USE THIS AGAINST WOMEN, WOMEN LEAVING THE STATE. OLD WHITE MEN DO NOT NEED TO BE SPYING ON PEOPLE. WE'VE GOT ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH THAT ALREADY. YOU NEED TO DROP IT. AFTER TIM BENSON, WE WILL INVITE UP DEB BUNSEN.

AND TIM, YOU MAY BEGIN. FIRST OF ALL, STATEMENT OF FACT, HAVE THE BOARDS FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO, ALL THE BOARDS, HAVE THEY BEEN SENT OUT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED? YES OR NO? CAN SOMEBODY ANSWER THAT? WE DON'T HAVE THAT UPDATE, BUT WE CAN GET IT TO YOU TODAY. DO THEY PLAN ON SENDING THAT OUT? STATEMENT OF FACT, YES, WE DO. YOU DO? OKAY, THANK YOU. THE OTHER THING IS THE COS. YOU KNOW, COS ARE SET UP FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, NOT A BUDGETED ITEM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST LIKE DON SAID.

THAT'S A CREDIT CARD. WE'VE GOT TO PAY BACK. SOONER OR LATER, WE'VE GOT TO PAY IT BACK. SO JUST PASS IT ON DOWN THE ROAD TO THE NEXT GENERATION, I GUESS. BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. BUT ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT, WHOEVER FINALLY GOT THE AGREEMENT TO PUT THE VENDING MACHINES IN, THANK YOU. OKAY, DEB BUNSEN, AND AFTER DEB WILL BE KIM BENSON. HI, I'M DEB BUNSEN. I LIVE IN THE CITY OF IN THE TOWN OF AMARILLO ABOUT 30 YEARS AND A PROUD FEMALE VETERAN. BEING A VETERAN, MY OATH DID NOT EXPIRE WHEN I LEFT THE SERVICE. AND I'M HERE ON SOME CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES THAT I FEEL ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT AS ELOQUENT AS CLAUDIA, BUT I DO HAVE A FEW THINGS. AS THE PASTOR SAID, WE DWELL TOGETHER IN UNITY, DO JUSTICE, AND PRAY FOR UNITY.

SO WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS... ABOUT THESE CAMERAS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLACED AROUND TOWN, THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. I'M NOT FULLY VERSED, SO EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE ON THAT. BUT HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT ALL RESIDENTS, AGAINST ALL PEOPLE CROSSING THE BORDER WITHOUT PAPERWORK? I REFUSE TO SAY ILLEGAL ALIENS. THIS IS, WE'RE ON STOLEN LAND. ALSO, I GREW UP IN MINNESOTA. MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE BEING AFFECTED BY WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPENING WHERE I AM CURRENTLY LIVING. THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING AFTER CRIMINALS. WELL, WE KNOW THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE. SO HOW, IF YOU DO THIS, ARE GOING TO PREVENT... ANOTHER MINNEAPOLIS. AND THEN, AS FAR AS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, AS CLAUDIA STATED, WE ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN TOWN. WE ARE NOT ONLY A CHRISTIAN STATE OR A CHRISTIAN NATION. WE HAVE MIXED

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. I WILL GO AHEAD AND JUST GIVE A STATEMENT ON ITEM 7.9. I BELIEVE THAT'S MOST OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE...

ADDRESSING, SO WE'LL HAVE A THOROUGH DISCUSSION ON THAT ITEM AND BE ABLE TO TELL EVERYBODY. SO IF YOU DON'T STAY FOR THE FULL MEETING, YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO. IT WILL BE STREAMED, BUT YOU'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM STAFF ON EXACTLY WHAT THAT $87,000 IS GOING FOR AS IT PERTAINS TO PUBLIC SAFETY. AND IF THAT'S NOT THE ITEM, THEN I'M UNAWARE OF MAYBE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ADDRESSING. SO THANK YOU.

MRS. BENSON. ARE YOU READY? CASSIE GREEN, YOU'LL BE NEXT IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR WAY UP TO THE EMPTY PODIUM, AND KIM, YOU MAY BEGIN. OKAY, THANK YOU.

KIM BENSON, AMARILLO, TEXAS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE I CAME FOR THE WORK SESSION THIS MORNING ON THE BUDGET AND IT REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING. I CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL JANUARY 28TH, 2025 AND TALKED TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT STREAMING THE BOARD MEETINGS. TODAY, IN THE WORK SESSION, YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RELY ON THE BOARD.

TO HELP YOU IN THE DECISION MAKING FOR THE BUDGET SHORTFALLS, WHETHER IT'S ASSESSING FEES OR CUTTING PROGRAMS, WHATEVER.

BUT WE DON'T STREAM OUR BOARDS, AND YOUR BOARDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. I'VE BEEN ATTENDING SEVERAL BOARD MEETINGS IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND HAVE SEEN HOW IMPORTANT OUR BOARDS ARE, WHO YOU PLACE ON THOSE BOARDS, BUT ONE ELEMENT THAT WE'RE MISSING ALSO IS STREAMING THOSE BOARD MEETINGS. CITIZENS DON'T GET TO SEE THAT. THEY'RE NOT ADVANTAGED, LIKE I AM, OF BEING RETIRED AND HAVING THE TIME TO GO TO THOSE BOARD MEETINGS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CITY. YOU KNOW, MR. SIMPSON, YOU WERE NICE ENOUGH BACK WHEN I CAME IN JANUARY OF THAT YEAR AND PUT IT ON AN AGENDA. AND YOU INSTRUCTED THE STAFF TO DO THAT VERY THING. WHEN WE MOVED INTO THIS BUILDING, THIS BUILDING HAS THAT CAPABILITY OF STREAMING THAT. YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THE COUNCIL ROOM.

THAT'S FINE. BECAUSE IT'S SET FOR YOU GUYS, BUT ROOM 1500 HAS THAT CAPABILITY. IT HASN'T HAPPENED. I DID ASK, MR. PATH AND THE CITY SECRETARY ABOUT WHEN THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BACK DURING THE ELECTION SEASON.

THEY SAID THEY WERE WORKING ON IT. WELL, HERE WE ARE, ALMOST MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND IT'S NOT HAPPENED. SO BEFORE YOU ALL PUT THAT ON THE BOARDS, LET'S GET THE CITIZENS INVOLVED AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THESE BOARDS. YOU KNOW, WHEN PARKS AND RECREATION BROUGHT TO YOU THAT WE WERE GOING TO CLOSE THOSE POOLS, THAT BLINDSIDED US. WHEN WAS THAT DECISION MADE? IT WAS MADE IN PARKS AND REC. YOU GUYS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY DISCUSSED. I MEAN, MR. REED'S ON THAT BOARD, BUT THE REST OF YOU GUYS AREN'T ON THAT BOARD. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT IN YOUR SPARE TIME, WHEN YOU'RE BORED, LIKE ME, GO LOOK AT THOSE STREAMING VIDEOS. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT CAPABILITY.

PLEASE TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN OR INSTRUCT THIS STAFF TO NOT SLOW PLAY IT ANYMORE AND GET THIS DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. AFTER, CASSIE WILL BE MISTY COLLIER. AND CASSIE, YOU MAY BEGIN. HI, MY NAME IS CASSIE GREEN. I'M A RESIDENT OF AMARILLO. AND BASICALLY, I KIND OF HAVE THE SAME CONCERN.

CONCERNING ITEMS 7.8 AND 7.9, HAVE WE EVEN RAN THIS KIND OF AGENDA ACROSS ANY OF OUR BOARDS THAT WE HAVE SET IN THEIR STATE? I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIGITAL RIGHTS, AND I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS AGENDA. SO, THAT BEING SAID, I FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL YOU HAVE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION. AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS. I'VE BEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND PEOPLE ARE NOT OKAY WITH THESE AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU. ON DECK AFTER MISTY WILL BE MIKE FISHER. MISTY, YOU MAY BEGIN. MY NAME IS MISTY COLLIER. I'M A CITIZEN OF AMARILLO. OUR FOUNDING FOREFATHERS WARNED US ABOUT A GOVERNMENT THAT STOPS LISTENING TO ITS PEOPLE. IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THEY WROTE THAT THEY HAD PETITIONED FOR REDRESS IN THE MOST HUMBLE TERMS, YET

[00:30:02]

THE JUSTICE BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK UNTIL OUR GOVERNMENT REMEMBERS WHO IT SERVES. I WOULD ASK YOU TO NOT VIOLATE OUR FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS BY AI TECHNOLOGY AND SURVEILLANCE. I QUIT COMING TO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE I FELT LIKE MY VOICE WAS NOT BEING HEARD AND THE PEOPLE'S VOICE WAS NOT BEING HEARD. I FIND HOPE IN THE FACT THAT GOD GAVE ME RIGHTEOUS CAUSES. HE ASKED ME TO SPEAK, SO I SPOKE. EVERY SUBJECT I HAVE GIVEN TO YOU, YOU HAVE SHOWN ME A NO VOTE TO AND A WALL. BUT GOD, HE IS GOOD. NO MATTER THE VOTE THAT WAS RENDERED, GOD TOOK EVERY ISSUE AND MADE IT A NATIONAL OFFENSE. SO I KEEP SPEAKING BECAUSE OF THAT. AND WHEN IT COMES TO SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, THAT WAS SO THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH THE FAITH OF THIS NATION. AND I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN AMERICA. AND OUR FOUNDING FATHERS BASED EVERY DOCUMENT ON THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SCRIPTURE. PERIOD. HAVE A NICE DAY. OKAY. AFTER MR. FISHER WILL BE MS. YOU MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MIKE FISHER. I LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO. I WATCHED THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT, RIGHT, THIS MORNING. AND THERE'S TALKS ABOUT A LOT OF CUTS, CUTTING SERVICES, YOU KNOW, TIGHTENING YOUR BELT A LITTLE BIT. AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING.

I CAN START WITH ONE THING THAT SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY. I'VE ALREADY BROUGHT IT UP. JUST GET ON YOUR PHONES WHILE YOU'RE HERE AND GO TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO, AMARILLO.COM, ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, AND JUST ASK IT A QUESTION. I ASKED ONE QUESTION TODAY. I DIDN'T KEEP ASKING IT QUESTIONS UNTIL IT COULDN'T ANSWER IT.

THE FIRST QUESTION, WHO'S THE POLICE CHIEF OF AMARILLO? AND IT DIDN'T KNOW. WE'RE PAYING $500,000 A YEAR FOR EMMA. FOR THE PEOPLE HERE THAT DON'T KNOW WHO EMMA IS, IT'S AN AI BOT THAT WE'RE SPINNING. I THINK IT ADDS UP TO ABOUT $5 MILLION AND $500,000 A YEAR. JUST IMAGINE IF WE SHOPPED LOCAL. WE COULD JUST HIRE TWO PEOPLE TO JUST ANSWER THE PHONES ALL DAY. AND WE COULD PROBABLY PAY THEM, WHAT, $50,000 A YEAR? AND THEN WE'D STILL SAVE $200,000, $300,000. AND THEY'D PROBABLY KNOW WHO THE POLICE CHIEF IS.

ASK CHATGPT WHO THE POLICE CHIEF IS. IT GAVE ME EVERYTHING I WANTED TO KNOW. WHEN YOU GUYS APPROVED IT, WHEN HE WAS SWORN IN, BUT THE ONE THAT WE'RE PAYING 500K A YEAR FOR DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER.

AND YOU COULD INTEGRATE CHATGPT INTO THE CITY'S WEBSITE FOR ABOUT 50K A YEAR. SO THERE'S YOU SOME MORE SAVINGS, OR JUST HIRE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE. AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER'S TALKING ABOUT CUTTING COSTS, AND HE SAYS, PEOPLE, THE NAYSAYERS, DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. WHILE HE'S OVER HERE, TRYING TO... I GUESS. BUY SOME OLD, USED EQUIPMENT FROM AMARILLO NATIONAL SO THEY CAN PUT A DRIVE-UP AT CITY HALL SO PEOPLE CAN PAY THEIR BILLS.

YET, I HAVEN'T HEARD A SINGLE PERSON COME UP HERE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT NEEDING A DRIVE-UP. BUT HE SOMEHOW KNOWS BETTER THAN WE DO THAT. WE NEED SOME SORT OF DRIVE-UP. I THINK WE STILL HAVE A TEMPORARY BOOTH OUT THERE TO PROVE EVERYBODY WRONG, THAT WE NEED A DRIVE-UP. THE NEXT THING IS, IF YOU COULD TAKE 5.13 OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING COSTS. $1.846 MILLION TO UPDATE THE BATHROOMS AT THE CIVIC CENTER, AND WE ALL KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET A NEW CIVIC CENTER SOMEDAY. WHY IN THE HECK DID WE APPROVE THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE? BUT NOT ONLY THAT, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE ORDER. SO HOW CAN WE BE RESPONSIBLE? WE'VE GOT TO HOLD THESE CONTRACTORS TO THEIR BIDS. WE'RE GOING

[00:35:02]

SO IF I'M A CONTRACTOR, I KNOW I CAN LOW BID IT, GET THE BID, GIVE A CHANGE ORDER, AND WE CAN ALWAYS GO UP ON THE PRICE LATER, BUT I'LL BID LOW, SO I'LL GET THE BID. COLE, YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? I MEAN, LET'S DO BETTER WITH THE CURRENT BIDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FISHER.

APPRECIATE YOU. AFTER MS. WINSTON WILL BE JASON RODEN, AND MS. WINSTON, YOU MAY BEGIN.

GOOD DAY. GOOD DAY. I'M HERE BECAUSE I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE VOTERS REGISTRATION OFFICE HERE IN AMARILLO, TEXAS. ON MARCH THE 2ND, I WENT TO GO SEE ABOUT MY AUNT. WHEN I GOT THERE, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD PUT HER BALLOT. HER MAIL-IN BALLOT THAT SHE FILLED OUT IN FRONT OF HER MAILBOX, WHICH IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HER DOOR, SO IT'S CLOSE UP. SO WHEN SHE PUTS HER MAIL OUT, SHE SITS AND WAITS FOR THE MAILMAN TO COME TO WATCH HER MAIL. THIS IS JUST WHAT SHE DOES.

BUT WHAT WAS ODD, SHE SAID, IS HE TOOK HER BALLOT OFF OF THE CLIP AND PUT IT BACK IN HER MAILBOX. SO I JUST SO HAPPENED TO GO BY MY AUNT'S HOUSE THAT DAY TO CHECK ON HER. SHE TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED. I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD TRY AND TAKE HER BALLOT TO THE SANTA FE BUILDING. I TOLD HER THEY MIGHT NOT TAKE IT. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO BRING IT. SO ON MARCH THE 3RD, I WENT TO THE SANTA FE BUILDING ON THE THIRD FLOOR, TRIED TO GIVE THEM HER BALLOT. THEY WOULDN'T TAKE IT BECAUSE SHE HAD TO DELIVER IT HERSELF.

THEY EVEN SAID THAT THEY WOULD, IF SHE WAS IN THE CAR, THEY WOULD GO OUT THERE, BUT SHE WAS NOT WITH ME. SO THEY INSTRUCTED ME THAT I COULD GO TO THE DOWNTOWN POST OFFICE, AND THEY HAVE A SPECIAL BOX FOR THE BALLOTS THAT ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WOULD GO PICK UP. WELL, WHEN I GO DOWN TO THE POST OFFICE, THE UNITED STATES MALE EMPLOYEE, SHE SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHY.

THEY KEEP SENDING PEOPLE DOWN HERE TO THIS POST OFFICE AND TELLING THEM THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL BOX FOR THE BALLOTS.

WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL BOX FOR THE BALLOTS. ALL THE MAIL HAS TO GO IN THIS BUCKET WITH ALL THE OTHER MAIL. SHE SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE TELLING PEOPLE THAT. YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO COME DOWN. SO I SAID, WELL, THEY TOLD ME TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S POST-DATED AND THAT YOU ALL WERE PUT IN A SPECIAL BOX. BALLOT BOX AND SOMEONE WOULD COME AND PICK IT UP. SHE SAID, NO, MA'AM.

SHE SAID ALL MAIL HAS TO BE EXPEDITED IN THAT BUCKET, AND THAT BUCKET WOULD GO TO ROSS. MY CONCERN IS SOMEBODY WASN'T ON THE SAME PAGE. AND BY THAT BEING MARCH THE 3RD, THE ACTUAL ELECTION DAY, HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE PUT THEIR BALLOTS AND FOLLOWED THOSE INSTRUCTIONS? AND WHAT I NEED TO KNOW IS DID. HOW DO THE PEOPLE WHO DID THEIR BALLOTS THROUGH THE MAIL, HOW DO THEY REALLY KNOW IF THEIR BALLOTS WERE SUBMITTED? DO THEY GET A LETTER BACK SAYING THAT THEIR BALLOTS WERE SUBMITTED OR WHAT? AND THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD ASKED ME, THAT I COULDN'T GIVE THEM. SO WHAT I NEED, I NEED FOR THE CITY TO GET ON TOP OF THAT, AND I NEED SOMEBODY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS ARE.

THANK YOU, MRS. WINSTON.

APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING TODAY.

I DO WANT TO DIRECT YOU TO THE RIGHT AUTHORITY. SO, MS. CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU MIND JUST SPEAKING BRIEFLY TO WHO HANDLES THE ELECTIONS? YES. EXCUSE ME. THE ELECTIONS ARE HANDLED BY THE COUNTY ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS, AND SO YOU WOULD NEED TO REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY. YOU COULD TALK TO CHRISTY BENCH, IF IT'S POTTER COUNTY, OR YOU COULD MAYBE REACH OUT TO ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT THERE.

BUT THEY HANDLED THE RUNNING OF THE ELECTION, THE ACCEPTANCE OF MAIL BALLOTS, AND SO THEY WOULD BE THE CORRECT AUTHORITY TO SPEAK TO.

ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS. CAN YOU WRITE HER NAME DOWN FOR ME ON PAPER? I CAN. THANK YOU, AND Y'ALL HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

HELLO, MY NAME IS JASON RODEN.

I DO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF AMARILLO. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY AGAINST 7.9, ALTHOUGH I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO MY SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS WELL. I BELIEVE THAT THEY BRING UP AN EXCELLENT POINT THAT WE ARE A TOWN MADE OF MYRIAD PEOPLE, AND THE IDEA OF FOCUSING ON SURVEILLANCE INSTEAD OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. IT SEEMS FRIGHTENING TO ME. IT

[00:40:01]

IT IS CONCERNING, HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE WAY FOR US TO USE OUR TIME. I DON'T THINK IT'S A WAY FOR US TO USE GOVERNMENT MONEY, AND I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE BETTER SUITED. FINDING OTHER WAYS TO DEVELOP AND FOSTER COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SEEMS TO BENEFIT EVERYONE. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES EVERYONE THAT SIGNED UP TODAY. OKAY. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? OKAY. DO I SEE ONE? DID YOU NOT? PLEASE COME FORWARD. GO AHEAD AND GIVE US YOUR NAME, AND THEN AFTER YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING, IF YOU DON'T MIND SEEING OUR CITY SECRETARY, WE'LL GET YOUR INFORMATION.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. MY NAME IS EMMA FOURNIER, AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS 7.9, AND ALSO I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. AND SO I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT JUST THE AMOUNT OF SURVEILLANCE THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING. I REMEMBER YEARS AGO THERE WAS A REAL CONCERN ABOUT THE STOPLIGHT, CAMERAS AND STUFF AND THERE WAS A WHOLE THING ABOUT IT AND I REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE. EVENTUALLY, THE CONTRACT WAS NOT CONTINUED. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING KIND OF LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN, AND I JUST AM NOT REALLY FOR IT. ALSO FOR THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, IS THERE GOING TO BE LIKE EXPLAINING WHAT THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF IT IS? ARE WE GOING TO INCLUDE ANY OTHER RELIGIONS IN? LIKE, OH, THIS IS THEIR, ALSO THEIR LIKE, YOU KNOW, CODE OF CONDUCT, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. IF IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ONE THING AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY...

EXPLANATION, I THINK THAT'S A VERY, A BIG BREACH IN SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. AND I REALLY, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE TRIED TO DO THIS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN SUED. SO I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AND GOOD TIME SPENT ON PUBLIC MONEY IF WE HAVE TO LITIGATE THIS AT ALL. AND SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM, FOR SPEAKING. APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING OVER THERE TO GIVE MS. CITY SECRETARY, YOUR INFORMATION. SO I BELIEVE WE'VE RECOGNIZED EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, MOVE OURSELVES INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, COUNCIL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED TAKEN OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? I WOULD LIKE TO PULL 5.6. SO, ITEM 5.6 ON THE ZOO LEASE AGREEMENT.

ANY OTHER ITEMS? OKAY. WE'LL REQUEST A MOTION. I MOVE TO

[5. Consent Agenda]

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. LET'S TAKE UP ITEM 5.6. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK MR. CITY MANAGER WHO HE'D LIKE TO DELEGATE THAT TO. YES, I THINK, DONNIE, WOULD MICHAEL KOSHUBA BE HERE? YEAH, I CAN TAKE IT. IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE HAVE SOME OTHER STAFF MEMBERS HERE THAT CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS. SO JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU A ROUGH OVERVIEW OF THIS. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT TODAY. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD TO GET TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, WHERE WE CAN CONSIDER THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE EMERALD AZUL AND SANCTUARY. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE

[5.6. Consider Award - Zoo Lease Agreement. ]

STEPHANIE AND HER CREW HAVE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH.

ALSO, OF COURSE, DUSTIN AND MICHAEL KOSHUBA ARE HERE AS WELL AND CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR US AS WELL. I KNOW STEPHANIE IS IN IT.

ATTENDANCE, I THOUGHT, THERE SHE IS, OVER THERE, ON THE FRONT ROW. SHE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.

BUT JUST THIS AGREEMENT REALLY REFLECTS A LOT OF CAREFUL NEGOTIATION, STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US. I KNOW WE HAD A VISIT WITH YOU IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ABOUT SOME THINGS WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD IN THIS CONTRACT. WE HAVE THAT.

A GENUINE PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH A VERY QUALIFIED PERSON THAT CAN DO THIS WITH THEIR ORGANIZATION. SO, A FEW KEY SUMMARY POINTS OF THIS. THIS IS A 20-YEAR FOUNDATION, STABLE, LONG-TERM STRUCTURE. HE GOES.

BOTH THE PARTIES' CONFIDENCE.CITIES COMMITTING UP TO $900,000 TO THIS. THAT'S

[00:45:05]

ALSO, WE WANTED TO...

TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF, DOES THIS SERVE A PUBLIC PURPOSE? WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DID, AND IT DOES. WE'VE CHECKED ALL THE BOXES ON THAT AS WELL.

THERE'S A LOT OF ACCOUNTABILITY BUILT INTO THIS LEASE AGREEMENT AS WELL.

OF COURSE, THE QUARTERLY REPORTS, ANNUAL AUDITS, COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTION RIGHTS. CAPTURE PROVISIONS.

ALL THOSE THINGS ARE OUTLINED VERY CAREFULLY IN THIS LEASE AGREEMENT, AND THEN FUTURE COOPERATION AS WELL. THE LEASE AGREEMENT ALSO INCLUDES AN EXPLICIT COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATE IN GOOD FAITH.

LONG-TERM PLANNING, TRANSIT ACCESS, ADJACENT PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABLE EXPANSIONS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY MAY WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE. SO I REALLY THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU SEE IN THAT LEASE AGREEMENT IS JUST A SMALL PORTION OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

AND WE'VE GONE BACK... BACK AND FORTH, MANY, MANY TIMES, ON WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.

THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAD TO REALLY DESCRIBE WHAT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO VERSUS WHAT A NONPROFIT CAN DO.

AND STILL HAVING OWNERSHIP OF THAT ZOO, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE BOXES WERE CHECKED AS WELL. SO I THINK WE'VE ALL LANDED IN A VERY, VERY GOOD PLACE IN OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK. TRYING TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY, TOO, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME DEADLINES THAT THEY WANT TO MEET. AS WELL AS FAR AS THE POSSIBILITY FOR SOME FUNDING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THAT WOULD HELP THEM WITH EMPLOYEE. PAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, UH...

BEEN GOOD PARTNER TO WORK WITH AND WE'RE JUST OPEN FOR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DISCUSS ABOUT THIS MYSELF. STEPHANIE UH... OR ANY OF OUR STAFF, UH... WHETHER THAT'S LEGAL OR MR KHASHOGGI COULD ANSWER ANY DETAILS, UH... TENNEPIS REALLY GOOD. WE APPRECIATE YOU. WALK US INTO THAT COUNCILMAN, READING ANYTHING SPECIFIC YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS? NO, IT WASN'T A SPECIFIC. I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AT LENGTH, UH... I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD, UH... THAT PEOPLE HERE, THE WORK THAT WAS DONE, UH...

BY THE CITY, AND, UH... OUR NEW PARTNERS. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME TO APPRECIATE AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE ANTICIPATED OUT THERE. THE ONLY OPTION WE HAD WAS GOING OUT OF THE ZOO BUSINESS, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US THOUGHT THAT WAS A SMART THING TO DO. I REALLY WANTED THE PUBLIC TO HEAR THAT THIS IS A GOOD PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ENTER INTO. THE ONE COMMON THING AND WE SAW BETWEEN DOSES. BOTH GROUPS, BOTH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE ZOO NOW, OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THOSE THAT ARE ON THE LEASE, IS THAT THEY'RE BOTH PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. I MEAN, BOTH SIDES OF THIS ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT ZOO, WANTING IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SO I THINK WE HAVE THE FORMULA IN PLACE THAT CAN DO THAT FOR YEARS TO COME. IF I COULD JUST SPEAK TO THE STAFF THAT HAVE RAN THE ZOO, SOME OF THEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. YOU KNOW, SO THE COUNCIL'S RESTRICTED BUDGET WAS THE PROBLEM. AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, LACK OF ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE FUNDING OVER THERE WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE LEAPS AND BOUNDS ON INFRASTRUCTURE. AND ALL SORTS OF VERY, VERY CORE FUNCTION. PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND FIRE. SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

IT JUST KEPT GETTING PUSHED FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT, AND SO THE STAFF WAS IN NO WAY THE ISSUE AT THE ZOO. THE STAFF HAS ALWAYS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH WHAT THEY HAVE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, THEY'RE APPRECIATED AND THEY'RE NOT BEING REPLACED. I KNOW THAT WE TRIED TO GET A COLLABORATIVE WORK, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT THERE WITH OUR NONPROFIT AND WANT TO SEE AS MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE STAY AS WANT TO, BUT THEN THE NONPROFIT OPENS UP NOT ONLY FUNDRAISING CAPABILITIES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSIONATE AND PHILANTHROPIC, THAT WANT TO INVEST FOR THOSE ANIMALS, THEIR CONDITION. THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND LEARN AND UTILIZE THE ZOO, BUT THIS ALLOWED FOR US TO NOT ONLY HAVE A REDUCTION IN OUR BUDGET, BUT THEN TO COME ALONGSIDE A NONPROFIT THAT CAN OWN THAT ZOO WITH THE PASSION THAT IT TAKES.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY MIGRATE WITHIN KIND OF THE WAY THE STAFF IS. SO I JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO FEEL LIKE THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS TO REPLACE THE PEOPLE. IT WAS IN NO WAY THAT WAY. IT WAS TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM THAT WE NEEDED. TO REACH OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES. WE SAID EARLIER TODAY IN A BUDGET THAT WE ARE NOT THE SOLUTION BECAUSE GOVERNMENT'S NEVER THE SOLUTION, RIGHT? WE PROVIDE A FOUNDATION. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, I THINK, THIS BODY TRYING TO PROVIDE A FOUNDATION TO LET THE PUBLIC SEE TO ITS OWN PASSIONS AND DESIRES. THE ZOO, I THINK, IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS. I'VE WATCHED THE STAFF TAKE SOME GOOD, SLOW STEPS IN WALKING THIS OUT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE PREPARED, THEY'RE TRAINED, THEY'RE READY. THEY HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY AT SUCCESS. AND SO I'M ENCOURAGED FOR MY CITIZENS WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THE ZOO TO SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS OVER THESE NEXT, REALLY, MONTHS, BUT

[00:50:01]

COUNCILMAN. YEAH, I THINK THAT THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS IT'S A WIN-WIN ALL THE WAY AROUND. I MEAN, IT'S A WIN FOR THE TAXPAYERS. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IT WILL FREE UP ABOUT THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. SO THAT WE WE'VE BEEN SPENDING ON SUBSIDIZING THE ZOO. AND THE OTHER WIN IS, I THINK WE WILL, WE WILL ABLE. NOT ONLY WILL WE CONTINUE HAVING A ZOO, I THINK WE WILL HAVE A ZOO.

THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND IT, THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE PROUD OF IT, OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, AND IT WILL BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS I THINK WILL BE A GREAT BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WE'RE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT WE DO HAVE SOME VERY DEDICATED PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE'RE WILLING TO STEP UP AND DO THIS. MAYBE WE CAN FIND SOMEBODY TO TAKE OVER SWIMMING POOLS. I DON'T KNOW. BUT I THINK I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM BEING SO DILIGENT ABOUT THIS. IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO KIND OF WORK OUT THE DETAILS BECAUSE IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN YOU WOULD THINK. BEING ABLE TO DO IT JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THE GROUND RULES, AND I THINK THAT PROTECTS EVERYBODY BY HAVING A GOOD, A GOOD DOCUMENT. ONE QUESTION I DO WANT TO ASK IS, UM, THE, UH, THE FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR EMERGENCY FUND? I GUESS HOW? HOW IS THAT GOING TO KIND OF WORK? BECAUSE I, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, IT'S THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE KIND OF A RESERVE. SO IF SOMETHING COMES UP MAJOR, THEY HAVE THAT AND THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD. IF THEY USE IT, IT WOULD BE REPLENISHED.

AND THAT THERE WILL BE SOME COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE ORGANIZATION RUNNING THE ZOO ABOUT USING IT. JUST SO THERE'S GOOD. I THINK THE THING THAT, BY PUTTING THAT IN, IT WAS JUST SO THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FORCED COMMUNICATION.

IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, SO THAT WE SAY, OKAY, SOMETHING'S HAPPENING, SO THAT WE CAN ATTACK A PROBLEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

BUT HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? YEAH, YOU DESCRIBED IT PERFECTLY. IT'S A RESERVE THAT'S THERE IN CASE THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT COMES UP. THAT'S AN EMERGENCY THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY. AND IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING AN INVESTMENT, THEY'RE MAKING AN INVESTMENT.

IT'S AN EQUAL, EVERYBODY'S GOT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME, IF YOU WILL. SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE HAVE A PLAN AND WE CAN GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF. IMMEDIATELY, RATHER THAN US TRYING TO FIND A FUNDING SOURCE TO GET THAT DONE AND TIME SPENT WITH THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS NEEDING TO BE DONE. REALLY, THE THE. THAT WAS A LOT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT SURROUNDED HOW WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STRUCTURE THIS. FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THE FUNDING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE FROM THE CITY AND WHAT THAT WOULD BE USED FOR, HOW IT WOULD BE USED, HOW WE WOULD BE ACCOUNTING THAT. SO WE REALLY JUST WANTED TO HAVE A $50,000 RESERVE THERE SO THAT THEY COULD, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, THEY COULD ADDRESS IT. AND THEY HOLD THE HOLD, THE RESERVE, CORRECT, AND THEN, BUT THEN THERE'S A REPORT OUT. I MEAN, THERE'S A MECHANISM, WELL, WHAT IS THE MECHANISM IN PLACE THAT, OKAY, THE CITY WOULD FIND OUT IF THEY'RE HAVING TO TAP INTO THIS? YEAH, WITHOUT.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE'VE ALL AGREED AND THIS IS ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP THAT WE DEVELOPED IS THAT THERE'S GOT TO BE COMMUNICATION ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. MAKING SURE THAT MR. KASHUBA KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE NEEDING OUT THERE, AS FAR AS WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO DO FOR PROGRAMS. WHAT THEY'RE NEEDING TO DO FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SO THAT THERE'S GOOD COMMUNICATION NOT ONLY BETWEEN THEM AND US, BUT ALSO BETWEEN US AND YOU AND THE CITIZENS ON WHAT'S GOING OUT THERE. SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER COMMUNICATION TRAIL. WE HAD AN EMERGENCY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SOME RESERVES TO GET THAT FIXED, AND WE'LL JUST TALK OUR WAY THROUGH THAT. COMMUNICATION IS GOING TO BE REAL CRITICAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP.

WELL, AND I DON'T THINK I'M WORRIED ABOUT COMMUNICATION WITH THE GROUP OF PEOPLE. BUT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THERE COULD BE A WHOLE OTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE RUNNING IT AS IT TRANSITIONS. TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT IN PLACE, SO IT'S A, IT'S A THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IT. WE HAD THAT EXACT CONVERSATION THAT REALLY, WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT US.

WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEM.

WE'RE JUST WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IF WE'RE NOT HERE AND WHAT IF THEY'RE NOT THERE. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND IS THIS CONTRACT STRUCTURED SO WELL THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME CONSISTENT AGREEMENTS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WITH NO.

REGARDLESS OF WHO IS WHO IS GOING TO BE MANAGING OR WHO'S GOING TO BE OPERATING IT UNDER THIS LEASE. AND AND THEN THE AMOUNT, SO THIS IS THE AMOUNT FOR THE NEXT. SIX YEARS, I GUESS, THE LAST FIVE AND A HALF YEARS.

SO IS THIS? HOW IS THIS DISTRIBUTED? IS IT JUST ONE LUMP SUM, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? NO FOR THE FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH OUR FISCAL YEAR. SO WE'VE ALREADY EXPENDED A LOT OF OUR FUNDS OUT THERE AT THE AT THE ZOO. BECAUSE WE HAD TO OPERATE IT ALL THIS TIME.

SO IT'S A REDUCED AMOUNT THIS YEAR AT 150,000 THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO SPEND FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR FOR OPERATIONS OUT THERE. AND THEN NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE 250, AND THEN IT DROPS BY 50,000 PER YEAR UNTIL IT GOES DOWN TO ZERO. SO THAT'S 250, DOWN TO 200, 150, 100 AND DOWN TO 50 AND 30, 31 AND THEN. BUT BUT LIKE, 250 IS IT? DO THEY GET THAT ON A MONTH, SO MUCH PER MONTH, OR HOW IS THE DISTRIBUTION PART OF THAT? WELL, WE'LL GET THAT ALL IN ONE LUMP SUM.

FROM WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, OKAY, FINE, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT WAS AN ISSUE AT FIRST WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT. THAT THEY'VE GOT TO BEGIN CASH FLOWING THE DAY THAT THEY THAT THEY LIVE IN, AND

[00:55:02]

OKAY. THANK YOU. REAL GOOD, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN REED, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER? OKAY. WOULD REQUEST A MOTION ON ITEM, WHAT IS IT, 5.6? SO MOVED. SECOND. SO MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM 5.6. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU GUYS. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. AS A SIDE NOTE, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN KRAFT IN PLACE 1 STARTED WORK ON ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I THINK. SO IT TOOK A GOOD, LONG WHILE. WE WALKED IT SLOW, BUT I KNOW WE WALKED IT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. MOVING TO SECTION 6 IN OUR AGENDA, I DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ITEMS HERE TODAY. DO I HAVE ANY REQUESTED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS BY THE COUNCIL? I'VE GOT ONE.

YES, SIR. I THINK IT'S A... I'D LIKE TO HEAR HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON THE... ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND STREAMING THOSE? YES. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME RESOLUTION

[6.1. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager]

ALWAYS GOOD. I KNOW WE HAVE BOND COUNCIL HERE, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM MOVING BY 5 O'CLOCK. I BELIEVE THAT'S THEIR DEADLINE. INTERESTED TO HEAR THIS ONE. SO ITEM 7.1, I'M GOING TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO READ US INTO THAT ONE.

YES, AND SO WE HAVE A FEW GUESTS WITH US.

BUT FIRST OFF, WE'RE GOING TO SET THE STAGE AND PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT. I'M GOING TO HAVE DONNIE HOOPER PROVIDE YOU SOME CONTEXT ABOUT THE STREET PROJECT. THIS IS A STREET BOND WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PID. AND THEN, ONCE HE'S FINISHED, I WILL BRING UP OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE STRUCTURED FOR A POTENTIAL NOTE ON THIS, AND THEN GO FROM THERE.

DONNIE, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO, A BRIEF RECAP. I WANT TO GO

[7.1. Consideration of Ordinance No. 8236]

BUT I WENT BACK AND WATCHED AN AUGUST 10, 2023, COUNCIL MEETING THAT OCCURRED. TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND MAKE SURE WE HAD THE CONTEXT RIGHT OF WHAT WAS SAID IN THAT MEETING. OF COURSE, THIS WAS A PREVIOUS COUNCIL.

BUT THEY REALLY GAVE DIRECTION.

THAT COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION TO US TO LOOK AT ISSUING DEBT EACH YEAR FOR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS, STREET RECONSTRUCTION FOR A 10-YEAR LOOK.

IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY YEAR THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING... PUTTING MONEY TOWARD THOSE STREETS FOR 10 YEARS TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

PRESENTATION OF A REVISED PLAN WAS GIVEN TO CITY COUNCIL. FEBRUARY OF 25, FEBRUARY OF 25, THE 25TH DAY OF THE MONTH, WHERE DEBT WAS ISSUED FOR THE 25 SUMMER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

SO THAT WAS A YEAR AGO THAT WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

THEN WE STARTED, OF COURSE, AND FINISHED OUR SUMMER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. WE ALSO DISCUSSED YEARLY CYCLE FOR STREET MAINTENANCE AND STREET RECONSTRUCTION, PLANNING AND EXECUTION. SO THIS WAS ALL PART OF A BIGGER PLAN. IT WASN'T JUST COMING UP THIS WEEK. WEEK AND SAYING, HEY, LET'S ISSUE SOME COS.

FOR SOME STREET PLANS, THIS WAS MORE OF A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT BEGAN IN 2023. AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL. WE DID ASK FOR COUNCIL FEEDBACK IN 25 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. THE ONLY THING THAT CAME OUT OF THAT FEEDBACK WAS THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO FUND AN IN-HOUSE PROGRAM WHERE WE WERE DOING MILL AND FILL. INSTEAD. THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE STREET MAINTENANCE CONTRACT, SO WE TOOK THAT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PLAN. SO BASICALLY, WHAT WE DID IS WE CAME UP WITH WITH THE 10-YEAR PROGRAM GOALS THAT WE'D BEGIN OUR STREET ASSESSMENTS IN NOVEMBER.

STARTING THOSE MUCH EARLIER THAN WE HAD BEFORE, SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE PROJECTS READY EARLY, EARLIER TO GO IN THE YEAR, WE BEGAN DESIGN OF NEW MAINTENANCE PROJECTS ONE YEAR AHEAD OF PAVING AND MAINTENANCE SEASON. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN DESIGN RIGHT NOW, THAT'S ALREADY FIXING.

TO GET UNDERWAY WOULD BE FOR NEXT YEAR, AND WE DID THE SAME THING A YEAR AGO TO GET READY FOR THIS YEAR.

PROJECTS TO BE OUT FOR BID EARLY ENOUGH TO GET PLENTY OF INTEREST FROM OUR CONTRACTORS, THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHEN WE.

AND THIS HAS BEEN TYPICAL THROUGH MY MY WHOLE CAREER, IF YOU DON'T GET THE BIDS OUT EARLY BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE SPRING, MOST OF THOSE CONTRACTORS THAT DO STREET WORK, THEY'RE TIED UP WITH CONTRACTS. THEY WANT TO SECURE THOSE AND GET THEIR JOBS SET UP FOR THE COMING SUMMER SEASON, WHEN IT'S PAVING SEASON. SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE WORK FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND FOR THEIR COMPANIES. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AND GET THOSE BIDS OUT EARLY. WE WERE NOT DOING THAT. WE DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT, BUT WE ARE NOW.

AWARD STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECTS EARLY IN THE SPRING SO THAT WE CAN ALSO UTILIZE THE FULL SEASON. WHEN WE GET THAT OUT IN APRIL OR MAY, AND THE BIDS COME BACK IN AND IT COMES TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, NOW THEY CAN WORK THE FULL SUMMER SEASON AND GET THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF WORK DONE. THAT WE HOPE THAT THEY CAN DO. I WENT BACK AND SIMPLIFIED THIS CHART AND MOVED IT SO THAT YOU COULD KIND OF SEE THIS IN ORDER.

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT I CHANGED THE ORDER OF IT

[01:00:01]

THAT WOULD, OF COURSE, THEN PUT OUR PROJECTS OUT FOR BID ALL THE WAY UP, BUT WE COULD DO THAT SOMEWHERE IN MAY, AND NOW WE'RE HITTING OUR TARGETS. THEN WE WOULD START OUR SUMMER CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE PROJECT THAT WOULD RUN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE EARLY SPRING, ALL THE WAY THROUGH OCTOBER.

THAT OCTOBER DATE IS NOT EVER SET. IT'S WHEN WE START SEEING COLD WEATHER COME IN, WHERE OUR TEMPERATURES ARE NOT ABLE TO PAVE, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THE WORK, AND THAT'S WHEN WE STOP THAT PROJECT. BUT THAT GIVES US THAT FULL FOUR-PLUS-MONTH RANGE WHEN WE DO IT IN THIS ORDER. THEN IN NOVEMBER, WE WOULD BEGIN OUR NEXT STREET ASSESSMENT, WHICH THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED IN THIS YEAR AS WELL. STREET ASSESSMENT WAS FINISHED UP FOR THIS YEAR. ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND SO NOW WE GO BACK UP TO FEBRUARY AND WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS THE ASSESSMENT.

EVALUATION IS TAKING PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR'S PROGRAM, COINCIDE WITH THE REST OF THE WORK. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE JUST CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE DESIGN PHASE THAT TAKES US ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH OCTOBER. AND THEN HERE WE ARE BACK TO THE BID PACKETS COMING OUT, AND THEN WE'RE BACK TO FEBRUARY TO ISSUE THE DEBT.

AND THAT JUST KEEPS GOING YEAR BY YEAR BY YEAR. THAT'S THE 10 YEAR LOOK THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN GETTING ALL THIS DONE.

THAT PUTS US IN A VERY, VERY POSITIVE POSITION TO MAKE A TRUE... DIFFERENCE IN OUR STREETS AND THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THEM. I TOLD YOU ALL THIS IN THE LAST MEETING, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. IT'S THE BEST PROGRAM WE'VE HAD IN MY 30 YEARS OF DOING THIS. AS FAR AS A PLAN IS CONCERNED, TO TRULY MAINTAIN THE STREETS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT STRUGGLES WITH THIS.

EVERY CITY STRUGGLES WITH HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN YOUR STREETS AND WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR MONEY FROM, AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT. AND THE PUBLIC, ON ONE HAND, IS SAYING, FIX OUR STREETS. AND WE CAME UP WITH A GOOD SOLUTION AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT WE'RE HANDING THEM TODAY. I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE PCI RECAP. THIS IS WE TALK ABOUT PCIS, OUR PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX, WHAT WE GIVE WITH OUR STREET ASSESSMENT.

THIS IS JUST A GRAPH SHOWING YOU THE TREATMENT TYPES THAT WE USE AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LIFE OF A STREET. WHEN IT'S BRAND NEW, ITS PCI IS 100. IT IMMEDIATELY STARTS TRAILING OFF. YOU SEE THAT WE START HAVING TO DO SOME WORK WHEN IT HITS IN THAT 85 RANGE. THIS IS WHAT YOU OPTIMALLY WOULD WANT TO DO. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 85, 72, YOU'D WANT TO DO THAT MICROSURFACE. THEN YOU ADD A CAPE SEAL WHEN IT GETS DETERIORATED, PAST THAT, MILL AND OVERLAY. GETS IN THAT 55 RANGE, AND THEN, OF COURSE, AFTER THAT, YOU START TO REALLY SEE THE CONDITION OF THE STREETS TRAIL OFF, WHERE NOW YOU'RE DOING FULL-DEPTH RECONSTRUCTION. THOSE NUMBERS FOR DOLLARS UP THERE ARE JUST A REPRESENTATION. IT'S A DOLLAR NOW, OR YOU'RE GOING TO DO FOUR TIMES THAT IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT TREATMENT, 12 TIMES THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT TREATMENT. SO YOU'RE SPENDING GOOD MONEY NOW BY DOING THE MAINTENANCE TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF THOSE STREETS, AND YOU SEE THE TIMELY PRESERVATION JUST FLATTENS THAT CURVE OUT A LITTLE BIT. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR PCI, AND WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF THAT. MORE IMPROVEMENT IN THAT PCI AS WE GO THROUGH WITH THIS PROGRAM. SO FOR CONSIDERATION FOR YOU TODAY, THE $12 MILLION IN UPCOMING 2026 SUMMER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM MONEY ALREADY DESIGNED, READY FOR BID. WE'VE HIT OUR TARGETS FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE'RE THERE. WE'RE READY TO PUT THIS THING OUT. WE'LL BE ABLE TO HIT THE SPRING TARGETS OF GETTING THAT OUT, AS I JUST SHOWED YOU ON THE GRAPH, AND IT'LL BE READY TO GO. THAT WAS ALL DESIGNED IN-HOUSE BY CP&D AND PUBLIC WORKS.

ALAN JACKSON, WE CALL HIM THAT, ALAN JACKSON, THE CHATTAHOOCHEE BROTHERS WORKED ON THAT TOGETHER TO GET THIS DONE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT IN THIS MEETING, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THEM BEHIND THE SCENES, ALLEN AND JACKSON. $16 MILLION DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR OSAGE STREET FROM 34TH TO 58TH IS IN DESIGN PHASE. THEN, A PROPOSED DEBT ISSUANCE, IF APPROVED, WILL FUND THE PLANNED MAINTENANCE AND RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. SO I WANT TO RUN THROUGH THE LIST OF PROJECTS.

THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. THIS IS THE $16 MILLION DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR OSAGE STREET FROM 34TH TO 58TH. THAT IS A FULL-DEPTH RECONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S A LONG ARTERIAL THERE THAT WILL ACTUALLY GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SUBGRADE.

WE'LL RE-STABILIZE THE SUBGRADE. WE'LL ADD IN NEW BASE MATERIAL. WE'LL STABILIZE THE BASE MATERIAL.

IT'LL BE COMPACTED. IT'LL HAVE DENSITY TESTS, JUST LIKE A BRAND-NEW STREET WOULD.

AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND TACK THAT AND PAVE IT AND MAKE IT A NEW ROAD. AND, AGAIN, THAT'S ALL THE WAY FROM 34TH TO 58TH.

CONSTRUCTION TIME ON THAT IS TWO YEARS. WE'RE AT 30% DESIGN RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW THAT THE DESIGN IS GOING TO BE COMPLETE THIS FALL, AND WE WANT TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THAT WORK AS SOON AS WE CAN.

WE GET THE DESIGN FINISHED, TO START BIDDING THAT PROJECT OUT, TO GET THE WORK DONE ON THAT.

AS FAR AS STREET MAINTENANCE IS CONCERNED, STREETS ARE CHOSEN FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. AND WE DO THAT ASSESSMENT WITH SOME VERY COMPLEX EQUIPMENT. THAT TELLS US THE LIFE OF THAT STREET, WHAT THE THICKNESS OF THE PAVEMENT IS, WHAT THE LONGITUDINAL CRACKING IS. IS DOING, WHAT THE HORIZONTAL CRACKING IS DOING, HOW MUCH MOISTURE IS GETTING INTO THAT BASE MATERIAL, WHAT THE CONDITION OF THE BASE MATERIAL IS, ALL THESE THINGS GO INTO THAT ASSESSMENT. AND THEN WE TAKE THAT PCI CONDITION AND THE STREETS NOT NEED A FULL DEPTH REPLACEMENT, WE START EVALUATING WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO PUT ON THE LIST, AND STREETS THAT WILL IMPROVE OUR OVERALL PCI RATING. SO IF YOU HAVE A STREET THAT IS DOWN THERE IN THE THIS MILL AND FILL, MIGHT NEED RECONSTRUCTION.

WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO MOVE THAT DOWN ON THE LIST AND GO TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S GOING TO IMPROVE OUR PCI RATING BASED

[01:05:02]

A MILL AND FILL, JUST TO EXPLAIN THIS TO EVERYONE, SO YOU CAN HEAR IT. IN LAYMAN TERMS, THAT'S WHERE WE GRIND OFF THE TOP SURFACE OF THE PAVEMENT. WE PUT NEW HOT MIX ON TOP OF THAT. AND WE REMOVED THE DETERIORATED SURFACE, ALLOWING THE NEW ASPHALT TO BOND PROPERLY TO THAT. IT'S ABOUT USUALLY AN INCH AND A HALF TO THREE INCHES THICK. IT DOES RESTORE THE RIDE QUALITY VERY WELL. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR TREATMENT THAT A LOT OF ENTITIES USE, INCLUDING TXDOT AND OTHERS. IT FIXES THE MODERATE CRACKING AND RUTTING, PROVIDES NEW DRIVING SURFACE, AND THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED HAS ABOUT 30 BLOCKS. AND WE CHANGED THAT.

WE'VE BEEN USING MILES AND LANE MILES, AND I THINK THAT'S CONFUSING.

AND JERRY AND I WERE TALKING THE OTHER DAY, AND HE SAID, LET'S USE BLOCKS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR IN THEIR HEAD, AND REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY LANES IT IS, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE GETTING FOR THE WORK HERE.

SO, ABOUT 30 BLOCKS. LET ME RUN THROUGH THOSE FOR YOU. THE FIRST OF THOSE IS THIS AREA DOWNTOWN, RIGHT WHERE WE'RE AT NOW. THIS IS NORTH AND SOUTH DOWNTOWN ON THE MAJORS, COVERING NINE CITY BLOCKS, EACH ARE THREE-LANE STREETS.

THEY WILL GET MILL AND OVERLAY, AND YOU SEE, THAT'S ON ALL FOUR OF THOSE. NOW, WE HAVE SOME OTHER TREATMENTS WE'RE DOING ON THIS CORRIDOR AS WELL THAT I'LL SHOW YOU LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION.

WOLFLAND AVENUE, THIS IS 12 CITY BLOCKS FROM AUSTIN STREET TO WASHINGTON STREET. THAT IS A STREET THAT'S IN DIRE NEED OF REPAIR, AND IT HAS REACHED THE POINT IN IT THAT IT HAS TO HAVE A MILL IN IT. NO OTHER TREATMENT WOULD REALLY DO IT ANY GOOD OUT THERE, SO WE'LL BE DOING A MILL AND OVERLAY.

ON THAT ONE, BOTH STREETS ARE TWO-LANE STREETS HERE. THIS IS OUT BY PARKSIDE AND 48TH. THIS IS JUST NORTH OF JOHN STIFF PARK. DESPERATE NEED OF THAT, AND WITH THE INCREASED TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE GOING ON AT JOHN STIFF, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD SOLUTION OUT THERE. TO ADD THIS TO OUR MILL AND OVERLAY PROGRAM. AND THEN SOUTH COULTER STREET, COVERING ABOUT 15 CITY BLOCKS ON A FIVE-LANE ARTERIAL, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT'S A LONG STRETCH THERE FROM THE LOOP.

IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO ARDEN STREET. SO A VERY LONG STRETCH THERE ON COULTER. THAT ALSO, SOME OF THE THOUGHT PROCESSES IN IT, TOO, IS WHERE IS IT? TYING INTO RECENT WORK THAT WE'VE HAD, WHERE WE CAN MAKE A CORRIDOR HOLE, IF YOU WILL, TYING INTO OTHER REPAIRS WE'VE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S PROGRAM. A CAPE SEAL IS A TWO-STEP TREATMENT. YOU ALL ARE USED TO SEEING A CHIP SEAL OR A SEAL COAT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE THE ROCKS OUT THERE. THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THIS TREATMENT IS A... A CHIP SEAL THAT GOES DOWN AND GIVES YOU A BINDER.

IT SEALS SOME OF THE CRACKS THAT ARE ON THE ROAD. AND THEN ALSO WE PUT A MICROSURF TREATMENTS ON TOP OF THAT, WHICH SEALS THE CRACKS.

PROTECTS THE PAVEMENT FROM MOISTURE, RESTORES A SMOOTHER SURFACE, AND A MICRO SURFACE SURFACE IS VERY EASY TO DRIVE ON. THEY'RE VERY NICE. IT LOOKS LIKE A REBUILT ROAD, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT. MORE DURABLE THAN A CHIP SEAL, SMOOTH FINISH, 8 TO 12 YEARS LIFE ON THAT, AND WE HAVE 69 BLOCKS OF ARTERIAL STREETS THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN ADD TO THIS PROGRAM THIS YEAR. I WILL SAY THIS TOO, WITH FUEL PRICES THE WAY THAT THEY WERE.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE THOUGHT, MAN, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A LOT MORE DONE WITH THIS PROGRAM THIS YEAR THAN WE MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO MAYBE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. NOW, WITH FUEL PRICES SURGING BACK UP...

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE HOW THOSE BIDS COME IN.

BUT TYPICALLY, WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET 69 BLOCKS OF ARTERIAL STREETS DONE. SO HERE THEY ARE. THIS IS THE OTHER PART OF THE MAJORS DOWNTOWN THAT QUALIFIED MORE FOR THE CAPE SEAL, RATHER THAN DOING A FULL MILL AND FILL ON THOSE. AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT DATA THAT WE GOT IN, AND THAT'S THE NORTH AND DOWNTOWN MAJORS. WE HAVE 6TH STREET AVENUE COVERING 15 CITY BLOCKS, AND THAT'S ALL A TWO-LANE STREET. AND THAT'S A VERY LARGE, HEAVILY TRAVELED CORRIDOR THAT'S GOING TO GET A NICE TREATMENT ON THAT. ALSO FULTON, THIS WILL COVER 15 CITY BLOCKS AS WELL.

AND THIS IS OVER OFF OF BELL STREET, BACK OVER FROM BELL TO COULTER, THERE ON FULTON.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE 10TH STREET FROM T-ANCHOR. AND THAT GOES 16 CITY BLOCKS AS WELL AND TIES KIND OF RIGHT BACK INTO THE 10TH STREET PROJECT THAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW, WITH SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT'S HAPPENING ON 10TH, MORE OF THIS SIDE OF THAT, ON THE WEST OF THAT AREA.

ANOTHER CAPE SEAL PROJECT, EASTERN STREET, COVERING ABOUT 14 BLOCKS, FIVE-LANE ARTERIAL. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE MICROSURFACE TREATMENT.

THIS WILL BE EASIER TO GET THROUGH. THE MICROSURFACE IS JUST BASICALLY GOING ON TOP OF SOME STREETS, PUTTING DOWN ABOUT THREE-EIGHTHS OF AN INCH OF PAVEMENT, IF YOU WILL.

SEALING THAT, KEEPING IT FROM GETTING WATER BACK INTO THAT BASE MATERIAL, CORRECTING THE MINOR RUTS, SKID RESISTANT, PREVENTS WATER INTRUSION AND OXIDATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S A LOW-COST TREATMENT, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN SEAL COAT AND CHIP SEAL. WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROCK ON THE ROAD. YOU WILL NOT GET ROCK ON THE ROAD WITH THIS.

THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESIDENTIAL AREAS THAT WILL RECEIVE THIS, BELMAR, PUCKETT, PUCKETT PLACE, VINEYARDS, CREIGHTON PARK.

WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE FUEL COSTS DO TO US THIS YEAR. WE HAVE AN ORDER THAT WE CAN BACK THOSE UP IF WE NEED TO BACK SOME

[01:10:01]

BUT THESE RESIDENTIAL AREAS ARE AREAS THAT WERE, WHEN WE HAD A LARGE... FULL CITY CHIP SEAL PROGRAM THAT TOOK PLACE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

THESE WERE THE LAST OF THOSE THAT DIDN'T GET DONE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE DONE AS WELL. AND ADDED THEM TO THE PROGRAM. SO A SUMMARY OF THAT, 30 BLOCKS OF ARTERIALS, 69 BLOCKS IN MILL AND OVERLAY, 69 BLOCKS OF CAPE SEAL. FIVE RESIDENTIAL AREAS WITH MICRO SURFACE. SO WE HAVE MORE OF THIS PRESENTATION, NOT ONLY JUST WITH THIS SIDE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS HERE AS WELL TO TALK.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THAT PLAN, WE'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS FOR MR. HOOPER. SO, UH, OSAGE, SO WHAT'S THE HISTORY ON THAT? I MEAN, WE'RE DOING A FULL REPLACEMENT ON THAT. IS IT LACK OF MAINTENANCE? IS IT JUST FINALLY SEEN GIVING UP THE GHOST? I MEAN, DID WE NOT DO THE MAINTENANCE ON THAT? OR WHAT IS CAUSING THE WELL AS THAT AT THE TOP OF THE PRIORITY LIST? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. HISTORICALLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF STREETS THAT ARE NOT JUST OSAGE THAT ARE IN THE CONDITION THAT OSAGE IS IN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITH OSAGE WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A LOT OF UTILITY. WORK THAT TOOK PLACE BY THE OSAGE TREATMENT PLANT ACROSS THERE, SO THAT CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS OUT THERE. AND THIS IS JUST AN OLD STREET THAT HAS RUN ITS COURSE, I MEAN, IT'S JUST HAD ITS LIFE. I DON'T KNOW THE AGE OF THAT STREET, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S WELL OVER PROBABLY 30-PLUS YEARS.

AND WITH THE FUNDING, AND THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS PLAN, MR. SIMPSON, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS. IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO START CATCHING UP WHERE WE HAVE LESS AND LESS STREETS THAT NEED FULL-DEPTH REPLACEMENT, LIKE OSAGE DOES.

SO I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S A LACK OF MAINTENANCE, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT. WE DID THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE COULD, WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME, PRIORITIZING THOSE AS BEST AS WE COULD. AND THEN THE SCORING DETERMINES THE PRIORITY ON ALL THESE PROJECTS? THERE'S A SCORING, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO AN INTERNAL EVALUATION WHERE ALAN IN PUBLIC WORKS, JACKSON, WHO'S IN CPND, SPEND A LOT OF TIME, BOTH CIVIL ENGINEERS, EVALUATING ALL THAT DATA. THE DATA IS REALLY THICK THAT COMES BACK TO THEM IN THAT EVALUATION. AND A LOT OF JUST COMMON SENSE DISCUSSIONS TAKE PLACE AS WELL, BASED ON THE CONDITIONS THAT THAT ASSESSMENT BRINGS BACK.

NOW, OSAGE, SEPARATELY FROM THAT, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT OSAGE IN 2024. WERE GOING TO NEED TO DO SOMETHING OUT THERE. SO IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, NEEDING TO BE REBUILT. THANK YOU. SO, MR. HOOPER, IF I COULD, I WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT TO THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE. SO THE EXISTING PLAN PREVIOUSLY, SO IN 2023, PREVIOUS COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN CHERLIN WAS ON THAT ONE, LOOKING FOR A WAY. WHEN YOU BROUGHT, I THINK IT WAS YOU, BUT IT WAS YOU AND STAFF, WE NEED CONSISTENCY. AND SO YOU GUYS WOULD GO OUT AND IDENTIFY TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF ROAD WORK, AND THEN WE'D RUN A BUDGET, WE'D GET TO THE END OF BUDGET, WE MIGHT HAVE THREE OR FOUR MILLION DOLLARS LEFT OVER THAT WE HAVEN'T ALLOCATED FOR A CIP PROJECT, ONE-TIME SPEND. THEN YOU WOULD BE FACED TO LOOK AT, WHAT DOES THAT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS COVER? AND ANY LARGE PROJECT THAT WAS KIND OF AT THAT TIPPING POINT OF, OKAY, IF WE GO AND DO THIS, WE COULD PRESERVE THE LIFE AND LENGTHEN THE LIFE OF THIS.

BUT IF WE DON'T, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THIS ROAD IN THE NEXT ONE TO TWO YEARS.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT, BECAUSE I NEED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHY. THERE IS WISDOM IN ISSUING A DEBT AND WORKING WITHIN YOUR TAX RATE, WHICH IN 23 WE WERE ABLE TO DO. SO IF YOU'LL SPEAK TO THAT. SURE, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. I'LL ADDRESS WHAT YOU SAID. TWO OR THREE MILLION DOLLARS GETS US A CHIP SEAL ON SOME STREETS. I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY ALL IT DOES IS PUTS A BAND-AID DOWN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. GENERALLY, THAT'S GOING TO BE IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO REALLY HAVE A VERY SMALL PROJECT AND AN ARTERIAL THAT NEEDED MAJOR WORK. YOU WOULD GET A VERY TINY PIECE OF THAT DONE. SO THAT LED TO SOME OTHER CONVERSATIONS.

IT LED TO, WELL, IF WE DID AN ANALYSIS OF ALL THE STREETS IN AMARILLO, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO DOLLAR-WISE? WELL, IN 2019, I BELIEVE IT WAS, MAYBE IN 2018, I'D ONLY BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR, SO IT WAS PROBABLY 2019, WE DID A STREET ASSESSMENT OF ALL THE STREETS IN AMARILLO. AND WE SAID, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IF WE WANTED TO FIX EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED, IT WOULD BE ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T DO FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK IN ONE YEAR, YOU CAN'T HIRE WELL, YOU CAN HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO DO THAT. THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME SWALLOWING $400 MILLION WORTH OF WORK AT ONE TIME. THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THAT. THE FIRST PART IS MONEY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT STARTED THE CONVERSATION OF, WELL, WE NEED MORE OF A PLAN ON HOW WE CAN GET ON TOP OF THIS EVERY YEAR. HOW DO WE DEVELOP THAT? AND THEN THAT'S WHERE COUNCIL CAME BACK TO US AND SAID, WELL, WHAT IF WE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE WERE SPENDING TOWARD DEBT.

WHAT WOULD THAT GENERATE FOR US? WHAT IF WE HAD A HALF A PENNY ON THE TAX RATE? ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS STARTED

[01:15:01]

BUT WHAT'S THE BEST OPTION? WE HAVE TO GET THERE TO MAKE THE STREET REPAIRS SO THAT YOU CAN FULFILL YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE HERE? AND THAT'S HOW IT ALL STARTED, WAS WITH THE $400 MILLION AND WITH A PLAN. MOVING FORWARD, THAT WAS CYCLICAL EVERY YEAR, TAKING A DENT OUT OF IT. AND THE CONSISTENCY, I THINK. IF YOU JUST LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN THE PCI AND YOU SAY, IF WE JUST TOOK IT ALL IN NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO THAT VOLUME OF WORK. YOU ALSO HAVE SOME LIFE EXPECTANCY THAT COULD BE CHANGED IF YOU COULD GO AND TAPE, SEAL, MILL, YOU KNOW, MILL AND OVERLAY, WHATEVER.

AND SO, WITH THAT FACTORED, WE TOOK A 10-YEAR APPROACH AND WE SAID, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IF WE TAKE OUT A 10-YEAR CO? THAT WILL TURN OVER? SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU BUILD THAT TO WITHIN YOUR TAX RATE.

ON YOUR DEBT SIDE, SO WHEN YOU ISSUE THAT, IT COMES BACK UP 10 YEARS LATER ALREADY WITHIN YOUR PAYMENTS.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S A LOT LIKE HAVING A $1,000 A MONTH TRUCK PAYMENT, AND YOU PAY THAT VEHICLE OFF IN FIVE YEARS. WELL, MAYBE THAT VEHICLE IS WORTH KEEPING FOR ANOTHER FIVE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE A PAYMENT.

BUT IF YOU NEEDED TO TRADE THAT TRUCK IN, WHICH WE DID, WE TOOK THAT APPROACH OF GOOD DEBT. BECAUSE THAT'S AN ASSET, THAT'S A HARD ASSET, THAT'S A CORE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. SO WHAT HAPPENED TO US WAS IN 2016, WE PUSHED OUT $90 MILLION WORTH OF STREETS MONIES, BUT WE DIDN'T GET TO ALL $90 MILLION. BACK THEN, IF WE COULD HAVE, IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY DONE AT LEAST TWO TIMES THE AMOUNT OF ROADWORKS. SO IN 23, COUNCIL CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN FOR THE $12 MILLION. WE DISCOVERED THAT BOND COUNCIL COULDN'T ISSUE THE MONEY TO US BECAUSE WE HAD $34 MILLION WORTH OF MONIES LEFT THAT HAD BEEN BORROWED. THAT HADN'T BEEN SPENT YET. SO STAFF PUT IT INTO OVERDRIVE AND PRIORITIZED GEORGIA AND SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO START WORKING THAT $34 MILLION PLUS. THEN WE DIDN'T GET OUR FIRST $12 MILLION.

TRANCHE UNTIL 25. SO AT THE TIME, IN 23 COUNCIL BACKED UP THAT HALF A PENNY OUT OF YOUR EXISTING TAX RATE.

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

THANK YOU FOR.

FOR SAYING THAT IT'S YOUR PLAN, BUT WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT PROVIDING A WAY AND A PATH AND AN AVENUE FOR YOU TO GET THERE. AND SO WE'RE BIG BELIEVERS IN THIS. I THINK FUTURE COUNCILS, YOU CAN'T EVER WORK OUTSIDE OF A ONE-YEAR BUDGET. BUT I THINK FUTURE COUNCILS WILL SEE THIS. COULTER IS A GREAT EXAMPLE, SOUTH COULTER. I MEAN, IT'S BEEN ON THE SCHEDULE FOR PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX YEARS, AND WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THERE. IF ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO IS JUST... RUN THE BUDGET AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, TAKE A SMALL HUNK OF WHATEVER'S LEFT OVER AND TRY TO GO GET A $10 MILLION STREET PROJECT DONE FOR $4 MILLION. WE WON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DESIGN AND TO INVEST AND THEN TO LET OUT THE BIDS. SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE IS CONSISTENCY AND THEN A GOOD ISSUANCE OF DEBT WITHIN YOUR GIVEN TAX RATE. SO THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW...

TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS WITHIN THAT TAX RATE. WE HAVE BOND COUNSEL HERE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WALK US THROUGH THAT.

BUT I NEED FOR MY CREDIT CARDERS OUT THERE TO BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT WE'RE RUNNING A BUSINESS.

IT'S NOT ANYTHING TO BE CONSIDERED. THAT WE WOULD PAY OFF THE DEBT AND THAT THAT RATE WOULD THEN LOWER. AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROMISE WE'RE GOING TO LOWER YOUR TAXES ONE DAY.

WE CAN'T REALISTICALLY SAY THAT WITH THE EXPECTATION OF INCREASED COST, INCREASED LABOR, GROWTH, INCREASED TRAFFIC, AND FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WOULD BE TRUE POLITICIANS. WE WOULD TALK OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE AND RUN OUT OF THE LEFT. SO IF WE WANT TO SAY IT RIGHTLY, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CHARGE ADEQUATELY. AND FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO FUND THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND WE ARE, AND I THINK I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO SIT ON. A VERY SMART, SAVVY TEAM HERE, AND OBVIOUSLY A PREVIOUS TEAM THAT HAS LOOKED FORWARD THIS WAY. AND HAVE A STAFF LIKE YOU GUYS THAT CAN PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE. SO WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR RESOURCES. AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I WANTED

[01:20:01]

REASONABLE BUDGET. SO I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SPURS ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL OR IF WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE INTO MAYBE THE DEBT PIECE COUNCIL. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU NEED TO ADD? YEAH, SO I AGREE. I MEAN, THE FIRST QUESTION, THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF ON THIS.

NUMBER ONE, DO WE WANT TO FIX THE STREETS? IT'S A YES OR NO QUESTION. IF THE ANSWER IS NO, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON DOWN THE ROAD AND NOT HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE OUR FUNDING MECHANISMS TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, CAN WE, AS... DONNIE POINTED OUT, I MEAN, A LACK OF INVESTMENT NOW IS GOING TO BE THAT MUCH MORE EXPONENTIALLY EXPENSE TO REPLACE THOSE WHOLE ROADS.

SO I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER WAY. I WISH THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT. I MEAN, MAYBE YOU LOOK AT THE...

AT THE BUDGET AND YOU CAN SAY, WELL, MAYBE THERE'S HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE DEBT ROLLING OFF THAT WOULD MITIGATE IT.

BUT UH, BUT AT THIS POINT IF WE'RE GOING TO CATCH UP WITH REALLY. YEARS OF NEGLECT, OR I WOULDN'T SAY NEGLECT.

YEARS OF A LACK OF INVESTMENT AT THE ADEQUATE LEVEL TO MAINTAIN THESE STREETS, SUCH AS OSAGE AND THE OTHERS.

YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE AT THIS POINT. MAYOR, I WANT TO JUST YOU SAID SOMETHING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET CLARITY ON THIS. I THINK YOU SAID THAT.

I MEAN, IF WE ISSUE THIS DEBT, IT'S WITHIN THE TAX. YES, SO LET ME NOT SPEAK BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE, BUT WE DO HAVE THE EXPERTS HERE.

AND SO IF THAT CONCLUDES YOUR OTHER QUESTION, WE'LL LET MR. ADAMS GET UP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT'S ROLLING OFF AND HOW MUCH AVAILABLE BORROWING POWER WE HAVE WITHIN THAT RATE. MR. ADAMS, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I'M STEPHEN ADAMS WITH SPECIALIZED PUBLIC FINANCE. WE'RE HONORED TO BE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

ALSO HERE TODAY FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM ARE BOB DURANCE FIELD AND PULVERIN WITH NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT, AND THEY ARE THE BOND COUNCIL, LEGAL COUNCIL, FOR THE CITY WITH REGARD TO THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST, SINCE WE MET IN DECEMBER, IS MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ISSUANCE. WE TOOK BIDS THIS MORNING AT 9.30, AND THESE BIDS WILL BE OFFERED, ARE AN OFFER TO PURCHASE.

THEIR CERTIFICATES FROM THE WINNING BIDDER. WE SOLD $29,170,000 WORTH OF CERTIFICATES TO FUND THE PROJECTS. YOU SEE THE $16.17 MILLION, THAT DEBT GOES OVER 20 YEARS.

AND IT MATCHES WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE OSAGE PROJECT, WHICH IS A 20 YEAR PROJECT. WE HAVE $12 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS, WHICH THE DEBT GOES OVER 10 YEARS. WHICH SHOULD LAST THE USEFUL LIFE OF THOSE PROJECTS. AND WE SOLD 20-YEAR DEBT FOR THE COLONIES' PID. WE'RE DOING THIS TO FUND ONE MILLION OF THEIR PROJECTS. THEY ARE PAYING THAT OUT OF THEIR PID ASSESSMENTS, AND WE ARE LETTING THEM TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY'S AAA BOND RATING. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN WE WERE HERE IN DECEMBER, ALL THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD SHOWED A 3.94 INTEREST RATE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INTEREST RATE WAS GOING TO BE AT THAT TIME. IT MOVES UP AND DOWN. BUT WE DID SELL AT A 3.43 INTEREST RATE. THAT REPRESENTS A $1.4 MILLION REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICE COMPARED TO WHAT WE SHOWED YOU IN DECEMBER. IT'S REALLY HARD TO PROJECT THE MARKET THESE DAYS.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD THAT IMPACT THE FINANCIAL MARKETS. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS. ONE, THIS COUNCIL, OR A COUNCIL IN 10 YEARS, WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL AND REPAY THESE BONDS AT THE OPTION OF THE COUNCIL.

AND THAT WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF RECEIVING A BOND RATING, AND WE DID RECEIVE ANOTHER AAA BOND RATING FROM STANDARD & POOR'S. THAT'S VERY GOOD. THAT MEANS YOU'RE SELLING THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE DEBT THAT ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION CAN SELL.

IF YOU DO APPROVE THIS AGENDA ITEM, WE WILL CLOSE ON APRIL

[01:25:02]

NOW, TALKING ABOUT THE CAPACITY AND THE TAX RATE. THE GRAY ON THIS LINE IS YOUR EXISTING DEBT. THE GREEN IS THE DEBT THAT YOU COULD BE APPROVING THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING ON THIS AGENDA ITEM. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IN 2027, THERE IS AN INCREASE IN DEBT SERVICE AND THE CITY HAS SOME OPTIONS IN DEALING WITH THAT. THAT WILL OCCUR DURING YOUR BUDGET PROCESS STARTING THIS SUMMER.

BUT YOU SEE, AFTER 2027, YOUR DEBT IS FALLING OFF, THAT REPRESENTS FUTURE CAPACITY WITHIN THE EXISTING TAX RATE, AND REMEMBER, NOT ONLY IS THAT DEBT FALLING OFF. YOU HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD GROWTH AND ASSESSED VALUATION, SO YOU'LL HAVE BOTH GROWTH AND ASSESSED VALUATION AND FALLING OFF DEBT. WHICH SHOULD CREATE SOME SIGNIFICANT CAPACITY FOR THE CITY IN THE FUTURE.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY IN THE UPCOMING BUDGETING SEASON TO HELP DECIDE HOW TO BEST USE THIS CAPACITY.

JUST GRAPHICALLY, THIS IS THE CURRENT DEBT THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW.

THE GRAY IS A 20-YEAR DEBT, THE GREEN IS A 10-YEAR DEBT, AND THE LITTLE ORANGE IS THE PID DEBT. SO THE CITY PORTION OF THAT IS THE GREEN AND THE GRAY. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS DEBT FALLS OFF IN 10 YEARS, BECAUSE THE LIFE OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT OSAGE ALSO FALLS OFF IN 10 YEARS.

THIS IS JUST A NUMERIC PRESENTATION OF THE SAME THING. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DEBT GOES FROM $2.7 MILLION DOWN TO ABOUT $1.2 MILLION AFTER THE 10-YEAR MARK. THIS IS A TAX ANALYSIS THAT WE RUN THAT WE HOPE TO WORK WITH YOU.

IN YOUR UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE.

YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW THAT IF YOU CONTRIBUTE NO CASH WHEN YOU DO YOUR UPCOMING BUDGET, THAT YOUR INS RATE WOULD GO UP 1.29 CENTS. WE DO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE CASH IN THE INS FUND. THAT COULD BE USED, IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO AT THAT TIME, TO ELIMINATE THAT INCREASE.

AND THAT'S... THAT'S A DECISION TO BE MADE LATER. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT CAST WOULD BE. WE ESTIMATE THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT $2.2 MILLION, BUT IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOUR ASSESSED VALUATION GROWS.

NOW, THIS IS IF YOU CHOOSE TO LET THE INS RATE GO UP, NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT YOUR M&O RATE COULD COME DOWN IF YOUR ASSESSED VALUATION GOES UP. THE IMPACT... ON A HOMEOWNER OF $100,000, A $200,000 HOME, TAXABLE VALUE, NOT MARKET VALUE. SO THIS IS AFTER ALL THE EXEMPTIONS. THE $226,040 IS THE AVERAGE THAT IS IN THE CITY, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A $300,000 HOME, AND YOU CAN SEE. IT RANGES FROM AN ANNUAL IMPACT OF $12.88 TO $38.65. OR A MONTHLY OF $1.07 TO $3.22, AND THAT'S IF YOU LET THE INS RATE GO UP AND THE ASSESSED VALUATION GROWS AT 5%. WELL, IT'S GOING TO GROW AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SO THESE ARE ESTIMATES, BUT WE JUST USED 5%. WE THINK IT'S A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.

IF YOUR AV GROWS HIGHER THAN 5%, THESE NUMBERS WILL COME DOWN.

THIS IS JUST THE SOURCES AND USES OF FUNDS. YOU CAN SEE THE THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF FUNDS. YOU SEE, WE'VE PAID A COST OF ISSUANCE. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE FUNDING, WE'RE RECEIVING A NET PREMIUM BECAUSE THE WINNING BIDDER WANTED A HIGHER COUPON RATE THAN THAT 4.3 CENTS. THE MARKET DEMANDED IT. IF THEY WANT A HIGHER COUPON RATE,REDUCE THE PAR AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED

[01:30:03]

QUESTION, COUNCILMAN TIPS. SO THE FIRST PAYMENT ON IF THIS DEBT IS AWARDED, THEN THE FIRST PAYMENT ON THIS DEBT WILL BE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, CORRECT? 2027. SO IN 2027, WE DO HAVE DEBT ROLLING OFF, BUT EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN, WHY IT INCREASES HERE. YOU SAID THAT WE HAVE SOME OTHER DEBT THAT... WELL, THE GRAY IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE DO HAVE TO MAKE AN INTEREST PAYMENT ON THIS DEBT IN 2027. WE DON'T HAVE A PRINCIPAL PAYMENT. WE PUSH THAT BACK, THE FIRST PRINCIPAL PAYMENT, TO 2028, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT HERE. TO LESSEN THAT INCREASE SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE A SMALLER AMOUNT TO DEAL WITH IF YOU WANT TO WHEN YOU'RE BUDGETING. SO WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEBT ROLLING OFF IN 2028? ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY. IT GOES FROM $16 MILLION, WELL, $20 MILLION, DOWN TO $14 MILLION. OKAY. AND THEN IT CONTINUES TO ROLL DOWN. SO WELL, BELOW WHAT THIS... CORRECT.

YOU HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF CAPACITY. IF YOU KEEP THE CURRENT DEBT SERVICE LEVELS AND INS TAX RATE. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU. YES, YOU'RE WELCOME.

COUNCILMAN SIMPSON. DO YOU KNOW RIGHT OFFHAND WHAT THE, BECAUSE THIS HAS 26, DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MUCH WE HAD OUT DURING 25? THE AMOUNT WE ISSUED? OR THE TOTAL AMOUNT.

SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR 26 LOOKS A LITTLE BIT OVER 18 MILLION. I JUST WONDERED WHAT 25 WAS. I WILL GET THAT TO YOU.

I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT OFF.

OKAY, AND THEN CASH IN THE INS FUND. YES. HOW DO WE GET THAT CASH? MAINLY, IT'S INTEREST THAT'S EARNED, SO YOU COLLECT TAXES BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PAY ON THE INS FUND. YOUR TAXES COME IN THROUGH MAINLY FEBRUARY. THAT MONEY SITS THERE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING AUGUST. IT EARNS INTEREST. IT USED TO NOT EARN INTEREST, BUT HERE LATELY, YOU KNOW, THE SHORT-TERM RATES HAVE GONE UP.

THERE'S ALSO, YOU COLLECT PENALTIES AND INTEREST THAT AREN'T BUDGETED FOR LATE COLLECTIONS.

BETWEEN THE PENALTIES, INTEREST, INTEREST ON THE LATE PAYMENTS, AND INTEREST ON THE FUND BALANCE, THAT BUILDS UP OVER TIME, AND SO IT CAN ONLY BE USED TO PAY DEBT. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN YOU USE IT TO PAY THE DEBT. AND SO ARE YOU SAYING, IF WE USE THAT MONEY TO PAY IN 2027, THAT OUR INS RATE WOULD STAY THE SAME? YES, IT COULD. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ASSESSED VALUATION COMPONENT IS, BUT WE BELIEVE YOU COULD GET TO AN INS RATE THAT IS CURRENT, WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO UP FROM THE CURRENT LEVELS. SO, PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS THIS SUMMER, WE WILL DO A REBALANCING USING THE AUDITED FIGURES FOR THIS LAST YEAR.

THE HOPEFUL GOAL IS WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME INS FUND BALANCE THAT CAN GO TOWARDS BRINGING THAT INTEREST PAYMENT DOWN FURTHER. NOW, AGAIN, WHETHER IT COVERS IT COMPLETELY, WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE SUMMER, BUT THAT IS THE HOPEFUL GOAL.

BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING IN THERE, AND ANYTHING WE HAVE WILL BRING IT DOWN FURTHER THAN WHAT'S PRESENTED TODAY. YEAH. AND IS THERE A DELAY IN PAYING THE PRINCIPAL THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT? WE DELAYED THE PRINCIPAL ONE YEAR FOR THE FIRST PAYMENT. YES.

AND IS THAT NORMAL? THAT'S PRETTY NORMAL. A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF CITIES AND SCHOOLS STRUCTURE AROUND THEIR EXISTING PAYMENTS THE SAME WAY WE'RE DOING HERE.

ONE YEAR, IN FACT, IS REALLY NOT MUCH COMPARED TO WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS. AND IF YOU'RE BUILDING A UTILITY PROJECT, YOU USUALLY DELAY THAT PRINCIPAL PAYMENT UNTIL AFTER THE UTILITY PROJECT COMES ONLINE, IF YOU CAN. AND PART OF THE THOUGHT THERE WAS IN ORDER TO LIMIT THE INCREASE IN THIS. UPCOMING, I'LL CALL IT THE BRIDGE YEAR TO GET US INTO THE 27-28.

MOVING THAT PRINCIPAL BACK ALLOWED US TO ONLY PAY INTEREST PAYMENTS INSTEAD OF INTEREST PLUS PRINCIPAL, SO IT GOT THAT PRINCIPAL INTO THE DROP-OFF THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER

[01:35:02]

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS YOUR DEBT SERVICE.

THAT'S YOUR PAYMENT THAT BREAKS DOWN ANNUALLY. THAT'S YOUR TOTAL DEBT SERVICE. FOR THAT.

SO WE'RE NOT ROLLING OFF $6 MILLION OR $5.4 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT NEXT YEAR. WE'RE ROLLING OFF $5.4 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT SERVICE. SO $5.4 MILLION WOULD BRING US TO WHAT? SO IF WE JUST HELD THE LINE RIGHT THERE, TELL ME ROUGHLY HOW MANY TENS OF MILLIONS IS THAT AN AVAILABLE BORROWING POWER? PROBABLY AT LEAST 60, PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT IF YOUR ASSESSED VALUATION GROWS. SO FOR EVERY, WHAT, MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT PENNY, WE CAN BORROW, WAS THAT 18? FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLARS, YOU COULD PROBABLY BORROW. $12 MILLION. $12 MILLION? $13, GIVE OR TAKE. IT DEPENDS ON THE INTEREST RATE, WHICH IS BOUNCING ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO LET'S SAY, IF I WANTED TO BE A LITTLE MORE ON THE OPTIMISTIC SIDE, I'VE GOT $70 MILLION. I KNOW THAT WAS IN A DISCUSSION WE PREVIOUSLY HAD. I'VE GOT $70 MILLION AVAILABLE. SO KEEP IN MIND, TAXPAYERS, WE ARE WORKING WITHIN WHAT WE THINK YOU WANT US TO DO. WE DON'T HAVE ANY LACK OF OUR TAXPAYER CONSTITUENTS SAYING, FIX THE ROADS. NOBODY HAS ASKED POTHOLE COLE TO PUT HIS SHOVEL UP.

EVERYBODY WANTS THE ROADS FIXED. I PROMISE I'M CLOSE TO YOU ON THAT. NOW, NOBODY, AS OF YET, HAS SAID, LOWER MY TAXES SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE DEBT SIDE. WHAT I'M HEARING IS TAXPAYERS SAYING, DON'T RAISE OUR TAXES. WHEN YOU ISSUE THE COS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN USE IT LIKE A CREDIT CARD. SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS WE'RE IDENTIFYING EXISTING.

BORROWING POWER, MUCH LIKE A BUSINESS, AND SO $70 MILLION THAT WOULD BE BEFORE WE ISSUE THIS 29? CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE'RE NOT TYING THE HANDS OF COUNCIL FOR FUTURE. WE'RE NOT TAKING EVERYTHING OFF OF THE TABLE WE COULD. WE'RE BUILDING INTO THE STRATEGY OF LET'S ONLY TAKE WHAT WE CAN GET INTO THE PROJECTS. BASICALLY, IMMEDIATELY, WE'LL START DESIGNS. WE'LL PUSH THEM FORWARD. SO, BOND RESERVE WAS AN AMOUNT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND REVISIT, MR. PATH, BUT I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A QUESTION OF, DO WE HAVE THE MONIES IN CASH AVAILABLE IN THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT. CAN WE OR CAN WE NOT DO THAT? BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU HAD SAID, MR. ADAMS, WAS WE BELIEVE YOU HAVE IT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO IDENTIFY IT HERE TODAY.

IDENTIFIED ON OUR QUARTERLY INVESTMENT EARNINGS OR HOLDINGS REPORT PREVIOUSLY, BACK IN THE END OF 24 AND IN 25, ROUGHLY $24 MILLION THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS A DEBT RESERVE.

AND SO WHEN I HAD CONTACTED YOU BACK, I GUESS IT WAS END OF LAST YEAR. YEAH. WE REALLY CAME DOWN TO THE MONIES THAT WE NEEDED TO RESERVE TO HOLD THAT WE COULDN'T RELEASE WAS AROUND $4 MILLION. AND I HAVE THE REPORT SOMEWHERE, BUT IF WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CASH THAT'S BUILT UP IN THERE, EITHER THROUGH COLLECTIONS OR PENALTY INTEREST EARNINGS, WHATNOT, I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON IN LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE IN THE DOCUMENT. PREVIOUS CFO HAS DELIVERED TO THINK THAT WE CAN'T DO THIS. I THINK WE CAN DO THIS AND THAT WE WILL IDENTIFY, CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY, MORE MONIES THAT ARE BEING HELD IN THAT INS FUND THAT ARE RESTRICTED. AND SO WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS CLASSIFIED CORRECTLY ON THAT QUARTERLY REPORT, AND IF THAT'S CHANGED AT ALL, IT'S NOT WITHIN $100,000 JEOPARDY. WE'RE TALKING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DIFFERENCE. SO IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN, KNOWING THAT AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK BACK AT THOSE DOCUMENTS? I DON'T THINK SO. I KNOW WE WANT TO HAVE THE AUDIT, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID BEFORE,

[01:40:04]

STARTING IN APRIL, WE WILL GET YOUR PRELIMINARY VALUES. AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, WE CAN DO THE BUDGET. WE CAN LOOK AT FUTURE PROJECTS. WE CAN LOOK AT THE PLAN THAT MR. HOOPER LAID OUT FOR THE FUTURE YEARS, SHOW ALL OF THAT TO COUNCIL, AND LET THE COUNCIL DECIDE.

ON THE CORRECT INS TAX RATE.

THAT MOVING FORWARD WILL ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS IF YOU WANT TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE PLAN THAT MR. HOOPER LAID OUT. AND I THINK YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS. AND A LOT OF DECISIONS TO MAKE AND A LOT OF CAPACITY WITHIN THE CURRENT TAX RATE TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THOSE GOALS. SO MY LAST POINT WOULD JUST BE TO CLARIFY ONE OTHER THING.

THAT'S A POINT OF MECHANISM.

IT'S THE WAY IT HAS TO WORK, ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.

LIKE WE DO THESE CALCULATIONS, WE IDENTIFY THAT RATE, BUT THAT'S HELD BY STATE LAW, CORRECT? LIKE, YOU CAN ONLY CHARGE WHAT IT COSTS TO SERVICE THAT DEBT.

CORRECT. SO COUNCIL WILL NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, OH, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR INS RATE A PENNY AND A HALF, JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO. AND I KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR THAT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HEAR THAT. WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF RAISING THAT. WE WILL ISSUE THE DEBT. WE'RE ONLY IN CONTROL OF ISSUING ADDITIONAL DEBT TO GET TO YOUR ROADS AND TO CONTINUE ON THIS PLAN. THAT DEBT IS GOING TO ROLL OFF, AND IT IS GOING TO LOWER THAT INS SIDE. AND I, FOR ONE, SEE A LOT OF BUSINESS. SAVVY AND WISDOM IN CONTINUING TO PUSH THOSE MONIES INTO INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD ASSET TO INVEST IN LONG TERM.

FOR THE GROWTH OF THE CITY, WHICH GETS TO THOSE NEW HOMES AND THOSE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'LL SEE TO GROW THE CITY. SO THAT WE WILL GET OUT OF THIS DITCH, LITERALLY, HERE, HOPEFULLY, WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. SO, MR. ADAMS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU GUYS. THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER ARE VERY INSIGHTFUL. I THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT EASY SO EVEN A DUMB CONTRACTOR CAN UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE KIND WORDS. WE REALLY ENJOY WORKING WITH THE CITY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON COUNCIL? OKAY. I HAVE A CONSIDERATION BEFORE YOU, ITEM 7.1. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8236 AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON 7.1. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. WE GOT YOU OUT OF HERE BEFORE 5, DIDN'T WE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT'S 445. LET'S TAKE OURSELVES A 15 MINUTE RECESS. WE'LL COME BACK IN HERE RIGHT AT 5 O'CLOCK.

KIND OF MOVE BACK AROUND HERE AND COUNSEL BACK UP ON THE DAIS. I JUST WANT TO TELL EVERYONE I APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HANGING IN THERE WITH US AND STILL.

LISTENING AND FOLLOWING ALONG AND HAVE STAYED. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUMP RIGHT BACK INTO OUR NON-CONSENT AGENDA.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HERE FOR YOU TODAY. ITEM 7.2 PRESENTED BY OUR FAVORITE PRESENTER, NONE OTHER THAN MR. BRADY KENDRICK. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF WARDET'S 8238. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING.

TO CONSIDER A STREET NAME

[7.2. Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. 8238]

AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED THIS AS AN ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNER.

THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A NAME CHANGE TO CHANGE THE STREET NAME TO INSPIRE WAY. TO MATCH A THEME OF STREET NAMES THEY WOULD LIKE TO UTILIZE WITH A DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN THAT AREA. THERE'S A NUMBER OF STREETS THAT ARE GOING TO BE BUILT IN THE COMING TIME, AND THEY HAVE A THEME OF STREET NAMES THEY'D LIKE TO USE, SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST. ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REQUESTING A NAME CHANGE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AN ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNER, WHICH IN THIS CASE, THEY ARE. THE REQUEST WAS REVIEWED BY THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, POTTER RANDALL COUNTY 911 DISTRICT, AND TXDOT. AND NO ENTITIES EXPRESSED OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST, AND WE FOUND THAT IT MET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCH A REQUEST. WE ALSO ASSESSED ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT A STREET NAME CHANGE WOULD HAVE ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.

THERE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ANY BUSINESSES OR HOMES THAT ARE ADDRESSED OFF OF THIS STREET.

THIS WOULD NOT BE A BIG BURDEN WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT AND CHANGE ADDRESSES FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. AS THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO BUSINESSES OR HOMES ADDRESSED OFF

[01:45:01]

FOR APPLICATIONS MADE, 51% OF ALL OWNERS ABUTTING THE STREET MUST INDICATE THEY ARE IN FAVOR OF THE CHANGE. THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE AROUND THIS STREET. THREE OF THE FOUR PROVIDED WRITTEN SUPPORT FOR THE REQUEST. THE APPLICANT DID STATE THEY HAD VERBALLY SPOKEN WITH THE FOURTH, HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT PROVIDE A STATEMENT IN WRITING TO THE CITY AS OF THE TIME OF THIS MEETING TODAY, BUT WE DO HAVE 75% OF THE OWNERS IN FAVOR OF THIS.

WITHIN THE ORDINANCE, THERE ARE CERTAIN REASONS FOR A STREET NAME CHANGE THAT AN APPLICANT CAN REQUEST.

IN THIS CASE, THEY SELECTED 46147G, SECTION 7.83, WHICH STATES NAMES. HONORING A PERSON, PLACE, INSTITUTION, GROUP, ENTITY, OR EVENT SHOULD BE BASED ON ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA, AND IN THIS CASE, BE ASSOCIATED TO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE CITY'S MISSION, WHICH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BELIEVED, BASED ON THE ACTIVITY GOING DOWN THERE, THE REDEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE KIDS, INC. FACILITY BEING THE ANCHOR FOR THAT AREA, THAT'S A LONGSTANDING INSTITUTION THAT WILL LIKELY SPUR A LOT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THAT AREA ONCE IT'S... UP AND GOING. SO. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BELIEVED THAT THE APPLICANTS REQUEST AND STATEMENT OF REASON FOR THE REQUEST APPLIED IN THIS INSTANCE. REGARDING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO SEND MAIL TO EVERYBODY THAT ABUTS THE STREET AND POST SIGNAGE. NO COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AS OF THIS MEETING TODAY. SO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.

OH, ONE OTHER THING. THE APPLICANT DID PAY JUST OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO COVER THE COST OF NOTIFICATION AND THE CHANGE OUT THE SIGNS FOR THIS STREET. AND WITH THAT. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM, AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH A 6-0 VOTE OF THIS ITEM.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK COUNCIL? YEAH, MY QUESTION IS, WHO, WHO NAMED THE STREET THE FIRST TIME, AND SHOULD WE NOT GO TALK TO THEM AND SEE IF THEY'D BE OFFENDED BY CHANGING THE STREET NAME? IT'S TOO EARLY, IT'S TOO EARLY FOR JOKES. I'M JUST CURIOUS.

WELL, THAT WAS A JOKE. MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK. MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK WHO NAMED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. WELL, WE NEVER WANT TO AVOID AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MR. GRIFFITH COME AND SPEAK. MATT, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? GOOD, THANKS. MATT GRIFFITH, 4211 PALACIO. YOU PROBABLY NAMED THE STREET THE FIRST TIME. I NAMED THE STREET THE FIRST TIME, AND I GOT CALLED OUT. YES, 30 YEARS AGO, WE DID ORIGINALLY NAME THE STREET FOR A SIMILAR REASON. IT ALIGNED WITH THE THEME OF THE MOVIE THEATER. AND SO NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALIGN WITH THE THEME OF THE REST OF THE DEVELOPMENT. YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO COME UP HERE. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY'S FEELINGS IN CHECK. THANK YOU, MR. GRIFFITH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? I MOVE TO ADOPT. HANG ON A SECOND. ONE QUICK SEC.

WE'LL GET THAT MOTION HERE IN A MINUTE. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING. DO I HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LOOK TO MY LEFT. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8238 AS PRESENTED IN THE AGENDA.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM PLACE TWO. IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY, PLACE TWO. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ITEM 7.2 PASSES. THANK YOU, MR. GRIFFITH. ITEM 7.3, ONCE AGAIN, OUR FAVORITE PRESENTER. ITEM 7.3 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 8239. THIS ITEM IS A REZONING TO CONSIDER THE REZONING OF LOT 3, BLOCK 1, BIN SUBDIVISION 23, ALL OF LOT 4B, BLOCK 1, BIN SUBDIVISION UNIT 35, AND THE WESTERNMOST 495 FEET OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF LOT 1, BLOCK 1, BIN SUBDIVISION UNIT NUMBER 3, REPLAT. THIS IS IN RANDALL

[7.3. Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. 8239]

SO THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST. AS YOU CAN SEE, I 27 BETWEEN BELL STREET AND I, ACTUALLY THIS PROPERTY BETWEEN I 27 AND BELL STREET.

THIS IS A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR THAT IS ESTABLISHED AND LONG-STANDING. THE REQUEST WOULD ACTUALLY HELP REINFORCE A TRANSITION IN ZONING FROM EAST TO WEST IN THIS AREA. YOU GO FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL ALONG I-27 TO GENERAL RETAIL ON THE WEST SIDE OF BELL STREET, SO IT REINFORCES THAT TRANSITION

[01:50:01]

WITH THAT, PUBLIC COMMENT-WISE, WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY AS OF THE MEETING TODAY, AND PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND IT'S A... MAKES SENSE AND FITS THE EXISTING ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS IN THIS AREA, AND THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL WITH A 6-0 VOTE. MR. KENDRICK, WE APPRECIATE THAT.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM, COUNSEL? AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 7.3. DO I HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL CLOSE THAT PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 8239 AS PRESENTED. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF POLICE, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ITEM 7.4, MS. BECKY DYER, IS THAT WHO WE HAVE COMING FORWARD HERE? ALL RIGHT.

AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BECKY DREYER. I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR AMARILLO PARKS AND RECREATION. SO PARKS AND RECREATION RUNS MULTIPLE YOUTH CAMPS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFERS AN EXEMPTION TO MUNICIPAL REC PROGRAMS FROM CHILD CARE REGULATIONS AND LICENSING IF THEY MEET CERTAIN

[7.4. Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. 8240]

WE DO ASK PARENTS TO COME BEFORE OR AFTER CAMP TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN THAT MEDICATION, OR THEY CAN COME DURING CAMP TO DO THAT. THE EXCEPTION WOULD BE IF IT'S A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION WITH ADA.

IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD NEED INFORMATION FROM THE PARENT AND A MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION FORM FILLED OUT FOR THAT. SO WE ARE HERE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS TODAY. ANOTHER NOTE IS, WHEN WE WROTE THE STANDARDS OF CARE AT THE TIME, THE ZOO WAS STILL PART OF THE CITY. AND BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND THAT WE REMOVE THE ZOO FROM THE STANDARDS OF CARE. IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH WITH THIS ORDINANCE. AND I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE WITH REGARD TO STANDARDS OF CARE OR THE ALTERNATE OPTION WITH THE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION COUNCIL.

QUESTIONS FOR MRS. DREYER, SO THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE'LL JUST REQUEST THAT MOTION TO REMOVE THE ZOO COMPONENT.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 7.4. DO I HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, SEEING NO ONE, AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8240, MINUS ANYTHING THAT REFERS TO THE ZOO IN THE DOCUMENT. SECOND.

MOTION IN A SECOND ON ITEM 7.4. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ALL RIGHT, MAKING GOOD PROGRESS HERE.

WE'LL TAKE UP 7.5 AND BRING, WELL, NO, IT'S NOT MR. QUIGLEY. SO, THERE YOU GO. HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS AFTERNOON, SIR? I'M GOOD. MY NAME IS BRETT LAWLER. I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT. SO, THIS RESOLUTION PERTAINS TO ONE THAT WE CURRENTLY OWN BETWEEN TRANSIT AND THE CITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

ON THE 2100 BLOCK OF SOUTH FILLMORE AND 219 FILLMORE,

[7.5. Consideration of Resolution No. 03-10-26-1]

SO WE DID PURCHASE THE LAND.

PARDON ME. WE PURCHASED THE LAND WITH 80% FEDERAL DOLLARS, WITH A 20% LOCAL MATCH WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT. SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STILL HAS AN 80% INTEREST

[01:55:01]

OF THAT GOES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT THEY'VE GIVEN US, THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT, PERMISSION TO MAINTAIN THAT. 80%, WHICH IS $244,000, AND APPLY IT TOWARDS FUTURE GROWTH WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS AND SUCH.

ANYTHING ELSE? OR I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LAWLER? NO. THANK YOU. PRETTY CUT AND DRY. YEAH, PRETTY CLEAN.

OKAY, WE'VE GOT A MOTION BEFORE OR A CONSIDERATION BEFORE YOU. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 031026-1 AS PRESENTED. SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ITEM 7.6, MR. HOOPER. THIS WILL BE THE EASIEST PRESENTATION WE'VE EVER GIVEN. THIS IS A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM. IN REGARDS TO REWARD OR SPECIAL APPROPRIATION OF THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECT. THIS IS THE $20 MILLION SPONSORED BY CAROLINE FAIRLEY. AND WE HAVE A TIMELINE WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD THAT WE MUST MEET, SO WE DO ASK RESPECTFULLY THAT YOU WOULD WAIVE THE SECOND READING OF THIS RESOLUTION FOR US TODAY, SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT PRESENTED TO THEM. WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF OUR PAPERWORK DUE TO THEM, INCLUDING THIS, BY THE 13TH

[7.6. Consideration of Resolution No. 03-10-26-2]

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ON TO 7.7. SO I'LL COVER THIS ONE. MAX IS OUT OF TOWN AS WELL AS JARRETT. SO I THOUGHT MINE WAS GOING TO BE THE EASIEST PRESENTATION, BUT WE'LL SEE DEPENDING ON THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT WE GET. BUT I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS 7.7, 7.8, AND 7.9 KIND OF AN OVERALL UPDATE.

THEY'RE ALL SIMILAR GRANT APPLICATIONS. SO THIS IS FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING.

[Items 7.7 - 7.9]

TO HAVE A NEXUS TO PREVENTING, PROTECTING AGAINST, RESPONDING TO, OR RECOVERING FROM ACCIDENTS.

RECOVERING FROM ACTS OF TERRORISM, EVEN WHEN THEY ALSO IMPROVE READINESS FOR OTHER TYPES OF DISASTERS.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE ON 7.7 IS RELATED TO OUR COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM ENHANCEMENT PROJECT. IN PAST GRANT AWARDS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A TRAILER TO HELP SUPPORT THE REGION.

THIS YEAR'S FUNDING OF A REQUEST THAT WILL BE $19,500 IS TO FOCUS ON BUILDING UP THAT EFFORT.

WITH SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO TRAIN OTHER INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE THROUGHOUT THE REGION. 7.8 IS THE REGIONAL BOMB SQUAD. THEIR FOCUS AT THE EIGHTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLAR AMOUNT IS A BOMB SUIT, A BOMB HELMET AND A BURN TRAILER TO SUPPORT THEIR PROGRAM. AND THEN SEVEN POINT NINE IS FOR CONTINUING THE WORK OF THE AMARILLO REGIONAL CRIME CENTER. THE FOCUS OF THEIR REQUESTS, ALSO AT EIGHTY SEVEN THOUSAND, IS TO FURTHER BUILD OUT SOME OF THEIR LIVE CAMERA FEED CAPABILITIES. SO THESE ARE NOT CLOCK LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERAS. THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY LIVE RECORDED FOOTAGE AND IN THIS CASE, IS PLANNED ALONG THE INTERSTATE CORRIDORS, AS FAR AS WHERE THOSE CAMERAS WOULD BE SITUATED. WE WOULD OWN THE CAMERAS OUTRIGHT. IT'S FOR OUR FEEDS AND OUR ACCESS, AND THEY ARE ESTIMATED TO LAST ABOUT 10 YEARS AS FAR AS THE CAPABILITIES OF THE CAMERAS.

I'VE GOT ASSISTANCE FROM APD IF YOU ALL HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CAMERAS OR THEIR PURPOSE, AND WHAT THE... THE INTENTIONS ARE, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST TO CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THAT PROGRAM FOR OUR LOCAL,

[02:00:01]

SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? 7.7 PASSES. LET'S TAKE UP 7.8. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 03-10-26-4 AS A FIRST AND FINAL READING. SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. HI. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. LET'S TAKE UP A QUICK DISCUSSION ON 7.9. CAN I GET A CLARIFICATION ON 7.8, PLEASE? WHO WAS THE SECOND? PLACE ONE, I BELIEVE. THANK YOU. OKAY, ON 7.9, I'M CURIOUS BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS DISCUSSION. DOES EVERY WEATHER AND NEWS STATION HAVE A LIVE CAMERA ACROSS THE PANHANDLE THAT I WATCH WHEN I LOOK AT THE NEWS? THAT THEY SAY, HEY, OUR LIVE FEED HERE IS SHOWING YOU THE CLOUD COVER, OR IT'S FOGGY OR WHATEVER.

YES, SIR. OKAY. AND ARE THOSE CONSIDERED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS? I WOULD NOT DEFINE THEM AS SURVEILLANCE, BUT THEY COULD BE CONSIDERED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. THESE CAMERAS ARE GOING TO BE LOCATED WHERE? ALONG STATE HIGHWAYS. I-40, I-27? YES, SIR. THE INTERSTATES. THEY'LL LITERALLY BE EITHER IN THAT RIGHT-OF-WAY OR UP IN THE MEDIAN? YES, SIR.

OKAY. AND THEY JUST RUN 24-7 LIVE STREAM OF TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

NOW, THEY'RE NOT LPRS, WHICH WOULD BE LICENSE PLATE READERS, WHICH WE ARE FANS OF.

FROM A CRIME-FIGHTING ENTITY OVER THERE CALLED OUR AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRACK, INVESTIGATE, CAPTURE, AND PROSECUTE GREATLY WITH THOSE LPRS. THESE ARE NOT THEM? NO, SIR. OKAY. WE DO HAVE, SPEAKING TO CHIEF HOVER, A SEVEN-DAY RETENTION, WELL, MAINLY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T COLLECT THAT DATA AND KEEP IT LONG-TERM, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE. BUT IN THOSE VERY, VERY PUBLIC AREAS WHERE YOU MAINTAIN THAT DATA, YOU KEEP IT FOR SEVEN DAYS AND THEN IT'S PURGED. UNLESS IT'S PULLED OVER INTO AN INVESTIGATION AND HELD AS EVIDENCE? YES, SIR. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO COMPARE THAT TO WALMART. WHEN I DRIVE ONTO A PUBLIC PARKING LOT, TO A PUBLIC BUILDING LIKE WALMART TO MAYBE BUY A GOOD, THEY HAVE CAMERAS ALL OVER THAT PARKING LOT, I THINK. YES, SIR. AND INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING, TOO. YES, SIR. THEY DIDN'T ASK ME, DID THEY? NO, SIR. OKAY, SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE I GOT MY BEARINGS STRAIGHT BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT FOLLOWING THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA THING. SO WHERE DOES THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA CRITICISM THAT CAME INTO THE MEETING EARLIER TODAY, WHERE IS THAT FOUND IN 7.9? THERE'S NO MENTION IN 7.9. SO THESE ARE NOT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. THESE ARE LIVE CAMERAS, MUCH LIKE YOU HAVE AT YOUR LOCAL WEATHER STATION AND NEWS STATION. OKAY. WE DO HAVE FLOCK CAMERAS, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY WE HAVE AROUND TOWN? CHIEF HOVER, THAT'S NOT FAIR FOR YOU, I KNOW. I WANT TO SAY AROUND 60 OR 70. I WANT TO SAY 80. SO WE'RE 110 SQUARE MILES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S VERY, VERY LARGE. HOW MANY CAMERAS WOULD WE GUESS ON, YOU KNOW, WALMART'S A BIG PROJECT. I MEAN, THAT'S PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE ACRES AT LEAST FOR A PARKING LOT, PLUS A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT BUILDING. MAYBE THEY WOULD HAVE A HUNDRED CAMERAS, YOU KNOW, ALL THROUGHOUT THE STORE, OVER THERE, IN THAT ONE AREA WHERE I WALK INTO A WALMART. NOW, OF COURSE, VOLUNTARILY, I GO INTO A PUBLIC SPACE, MUCH LIKE I WOULD BE VOLUNTARILY DRIVING DOWN I-40. BUT THEN... I'M JUST COMPARING AND CONTRASTING.

DOES ANY OF OUR FLOCK CAMERAS INVADE ANYBODY'S PRIVATE SPACE? ARE THEY LOOKING INTO ANY BACKYARDS? ARE THEY LOOKING ANYWHERE? ARE THESE STREETS LIKE 34TH AND BELL, RIGHT? LIKE, DO WE HAVE? NO, JUST IN PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAYS.

JUST PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAYS.

YES, SIR. OKAY. AND ALL THIS IS HELD AT THE ARC, RIGHT, WHICH, CHIEF HOVER, I WOULD ASK AS YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE GREAT STRIDES OVER AT OUR CRIME-FIGHTING ORGANIZATION. TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT OPEN-DOOR POLICY THAT CHADWICK HAS BEEN SO GRACIOUS ABOUT. I'VE HAD CITIZENS THAT WANTED TO TOUR THAT ARE CAN BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND SEE. HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THAT DATA? WHAT DO WE DO? TRUST IS IMPERATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR LOCAL HEROES AND AND YOUR BADGE PERSONNEL.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TRUST THE

[02:05:01]

AS AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE. I GET IT, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH AND TRUST. AND YOU CAN VERIFY THAT WITH YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND SHERIFF'S OFFICES. THAT IS A HEALTHY SOCIETY, AND THAT IS A GOOD CIVILITY.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN THAT. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT I TAKE A MINUTE, THAT. AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GET OUT BEFORE 530, TO REALLY WEAR THIS ONE OUT BECAUSE, LIKE, I JUST WANT TO WEAR IT OUT. I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE WEARING IT OUT.

FACEBOOK, JUST WEARING IT OUT.

IT'S ALL SURVEILLANCE. I MEAN, JUST REACH OUT. DIDN'T TAKE ONE CALL, DIDN'T TAKE ONE EMAIL, DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY ASK ME, WHAT IS THIS? JUST SHOWED UP TO TALK. SO, LOVE HEARING YOU, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU STEP UP TO THAT MICROPHONE, YOU HAVE A PERSONAL AGENCY.

THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH IS IN THE TONGUE, AND YOU ARE SPEAKING WORDS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAUSE SOMEBODY CONCERN AND THAT THEY TAKE AS FACT. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE POSTING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO WE WOULD ASK, PLEASE, BEFORE YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, EDUCATE YOURSELF, LET US DO OUR JOB HERE, SO THAT OUR BADGE PERSONNEL CAN CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT TRUST AND THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, WHICH IS PUBLIC SAFETY. ITEM 7.9 IS BEFORE YOU, GENTLEMEN. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 03-10-26-5, FIRST AND FINAL READING.

SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM 7.9. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. LAST ONE, 710, MS. STEPHANIE COGGINS. NO, I'M SORRY, MR. CITY MANAGER. YES, THIS ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION.

CONSIDERING THE ACCEPTANCE, PLACEMENT, AND PUBLIC DISPLAY OF A DONATED TEN COMMANDMENTS MONUMENT TO BE INSTALLED ON CITY PROPERTY. THE DONATION WAS SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S PUBLIC MONUMENT AND ARTWORK DONATION POLICY, ADOPTED IN RESOLUTION NUMBER 10-14-25-4. THE MONUMENT

[7.10. Public Hearing and Consideration of Resolution No. 03-10-26-6]

WELL, WITH NO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON 7.10.

DO I HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? MS. CLAUDIA STRAVATO. AFTERNOON, MA'AM. HERE I COME AGAIN. I DIDN'T QUITE FINISH THE REASONS FOR OPPOSING THIS BEFORE. I'M GOING TO MAKE A STATEMENT OR TWO THAT I DON'T SEE. HOW ERECTING A MONUMENT THAT IS BOTH RELIGIOUS AND HISTORICAL HELPS THE CITY OF AMARILLO DO ITS SECULAR WORK. ALL IT DOES IS GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PRINCIPALS UPSET. BUT I WANT TO FINISH WHAT I WAS READING A WHILE AGO. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS EXIST IN DIFFERENT VERSIONS, JEWISH, CATHOLIC, AND VARIOUS PROTESTANT VERSIONS. SO, CHOOSING ONE TEXT MEANS THE STATE OR THE CITY IS EFFECTIVELY CHOOSING ONE SEX THEOLOGY OVER OTHERS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT.

BUT IT DOES... IMPOSE A DOCTRINE OF SORTS ON ALL. I'M GOING TO SKIP THE PART ABOUT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SOME RELIGIOUS CRITICS ARGUE, RELIGIOUS CRITICS, PEOPLE WHO ARE RELIGIOUS, ARGUE THAT CITY OR STATE MANDATED POSTING IS A FORM OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM THAT TRIES TO MERGE CHURCH AND STATE.

ULTIMATELY, WEAKENING BOTH BY TURNING SACRED SCRIPTURE INTO A POLITICAL SYMBOL OF CULTURE WAR PROPOSITION.

THEY WORRY THAT. PUTTING A RELIGIOUS TEXT ON GOVERNMENT WALLS REDUCES IT TO A GENERIC MORALITY POSTER, STRIPPING IT OF ITS EXPLICITLY SPIRITUAL CONTEXT AND UNDERMINING AUTHENTIC RELIGIOUS TEACHING.

[02:10:02]

AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A GROUP WHO WILL FILE SUIT IF THE CITY PASSES THIS. ORDINANCE RESOLUTION, WHATEVER IT IS.

THANK YOU AND I KNOW YOU MEAN, WELL, MR. VATO, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR GUIDANCE. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING? SEEING NO ONE FURTHER, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 031026-6 AS PRESENTED. SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE. WOULD ASK FOR ONE MORE MOTION, GENTLEMEN. MOTION TO ADJOURN.

YOU'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.