Jan 28, 2020 City Council Regular Meeting

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SAY HELLO TO EVERYONE AND CALL THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.

AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WITH US, A CITIZEN TODAY TO SAY OUR PRAYER.

[INVOCATION]

GRANT. YOU JOIN US.

READY WHEN YOU ARE. LET US PRAY, DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR THIS GATHERING, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY.

I'M THANKFUL FOR THE SACRIFICES THAT THEY MAKE IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY'S ADMINISTRATION NEEDS.

PLEASE HELP WITH THESE LEADERS MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TO HELP THEM TO AGREE ON HOW TO MAKE OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE.

THAT IT MAY BE AN EXAMPLE OF WORKING TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH COMMON GOALS.

PLEASE GIVE THEM A WISDOM AND A GUIDING [INAUDIBLE]CITY TO GIVE THEM A VISION FOR THE FUTURE. IN JESUS NAME.

I ASK THESE THINGS, AMEN.

POWERFUL WORDS, AND WE RECEIVE THEM GRANT.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP US LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? OK, LET'S DO THAT.

AND IT TOOK A LOT OF COURAGE FOR YOU TO COME.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

YES, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU GRANT YEAH. GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[APPLAUSE] YEAH.

GIVES YOU A LOT OF HOPE. DOES IT REMIND YOU WHY WE COME AND DO THIS EVERY DAY? BECAUSE THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE COUNCIL ARE GOING TO AFFECT GRANT LONGER THAN THEY'RE GOING TO AFFECT ANY OF US.

SO IT'S A GREAT REMINDER.

AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HOWARD SMITH, COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD SMITH, WHO ARRANGES THAT FOR US EVERY WEEK.

AND HOWARD JUST ENCOUNTERED GRANT AT CHURCH AND FELT LIKE HE WAS THE RIGHT GUY TO COME AND HE WAS WILLING. SO THAT WAS A REAL BLESSING.

THANK YOU, HOWARD. THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU TO HOWARD'S WIFE, CAROL, WHO IS FAITHFUL AND HELPING HIM DO THAT, TOO.

APPRECIATE YOU BOTH. OK, MOVING ON TO THE PUBLIC ADDRESS PORTION OF OUR MEETING TODAY.

[PUBLIC ADDRESS]

BUT YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND YOUR CLOCK STARTS RIGHT UP HERE AS SOON AS YOU START SPEAKING.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER TODAY IS MR. EARL JACOBS. MR. JACOBS, ARE YOU HERE? OH, RANDY.

YOUR FIRST NAME IS EARL.

WELL, IT IS. OK.

DEPENDS ON WHETHER IT'S BUSINESS OR PLEASURE.

OH, OKAY. OH, OKAY.

AND I'M THE PERSON WHO LEFT EVERYONE A LITTLE MEMENTO LAST WEEK, A SUGGESTION.

AND AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, FOR THREE PLUS MONTHS, I'VE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO BECOME PART OF THE ENDEAVOR FOR THE WORLD CENTER OR WHATEVER IT MAY END UP BEING CALLED .

BROUGHT ALL OF THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'VE BEEN DOING MY HOMEWORK AND I HAVE SIXTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HERE IN AMARILLO AS WELL AS LIVING IN OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY. MY WHOLE IDEA STARTED.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. BECAUSE AT THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, SHE HANDED OUT THIS LITTLE CARD, SAID, I DREAM OF.

WELL, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, YOU HANDED IT TO THE WRONG PERSON BECAUSE I DIDN'T DO ONE NOTE.

I HAVE LOTS OF NOTES.

I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN MARKETING.

SO I TOOK THESE NOTES AND ACTUALLY HAD A BOX AND I BEGAN TO FILL IT UP WITH IDEAS, COMMENTARY, A VARIETY OF THINGS.

I LIVED IN A MAJOR TOURISM CITY AND I HAVE A FULL REPORT.

IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES.

BUT I DO HAVE CONCERNS THAT ARE IN THAT LETTER THAT I PROVIDED EVERYONE, I BELIEVE, SIMPLY IN REGARD TO THE FINANCING.

I WOULD SIMPLY STATE THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A PANHANDLE PROJECT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAYING FOR IT SO FAR.

AND I HAVE INQUIRED WHETHER OR NOT THESE THE YOU'VE BEEN ABLE WHETHER LEGALLY OR

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IT'S STRICTLY ON THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO.

AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THE LEGAL COMPLICATIONS, BUT I DO WONDER WHETHER YOU'VE REACHED OUT TO THE RANDALL COUNTY AND POTTER COUNTY COMMISSION AND JUST SAID, HEY, WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD BE DONE? BECAUSE TO ME, THAT'S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY YOU'RE PUTTING ON EVERYBODY. I'LL QUICKLY GO TO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, THE ASSIGNMENT THAT YOU GAVE THE FOLKS, WHICH THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB F ROM WHAT I'VE READ IN THE NEWSPAPER, I THINK THEY CAME BACK WITH GENERALLY THE RIGHT SUGGESTIONS YOU ASKED FOR.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT THIS REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE O BJECT OF WHAT YOU WERE THEIR ASSIGNMENT, THEIR ASSIGNMENT WAS AMARILLO HAS A PROBLEM, AND THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED MORE PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN [INAUDIBLE].

EXCUSE ME, AMARILLO EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, NOT JUST FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS AND SUCH.

WE HAVE A SCENARIO HERE THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OTHERS ARE ALL ATTEMPTING TO MAYBE ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO RANDY. I'LL BE VERY QUICK.

SURE. BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THIS WHOLE IDEA NEEDS TO TAKE ON A BROADER SCOPE, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A MONEY VEIN GOING THROUGH TOWN HERE CALLED INTERSTATE 40, AND WE NEED TO GET MORE TOURISTS OFF OF THAT HERE.

SO MY CONCEPT IS THAT WE DO EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THIS.

AND AGAIN, I'VE GOT MUCH MORE DETAIL THAN I'M ABLE TO HERE, BUT IT'S MUCH EVERYTHING YOU ASK FOR. BUT WE BROADEN THE WHOLE CONCEPT TO MAKE IT AN ATTRACTION.

AND THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY OF WAYS THAT I'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AND TALK ABOUT THAT IN ORDER THAT THIS IS A PLACE THAT PUTS AMARILLO ON THE WORLD MAP.

NO SMALL SOLUTION, A BIGGER SOLUTION.

AND WHEN I'VE LOOKED THROUGH THIS AND LOOKED AT THE PLANS, I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THE GROUPS ON THERE THAT HAD A CREATIVE BACKGROUND THAT TOOK A DIFFERENT LOOK AT THIS.

AND AGAIN, I WILL SHORTCHANGE WHAT COULD BE A VERY DETAILED.

BUT I'LL LEAVE IT THIS WAY.

IF YOU FOLKS WANT TO MEET ME AFTERWARDS ACROSS OVER HERE, I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE FUTURE OF THIS WHOLE AREA AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT COULD BE HERE AND WHAT CAN BE THERE AND EVERYWHERE. AND THEN I'LL WALK INTO THE PRESENTATION ROOM.

AND THERE IN THE PRESENTATION ROOM WILL BE THE PREVIEW CENTER FOR THIS NEW FACILITY.

AND YOU CAN BRING IN GUESTS AND YOU CAN BRING IN POTENTIAL CONVENTIONEERS AND OTHER PEOPLE AND WALK AROUND.

SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.

AND THIS IS THE TECHNOLOGY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.

WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND THIS.

AND RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM IS A FULL SCALE MODEL OF EVERYTHING.

AND JUST LIKE A PAYTON DOES ON TV, YOU'RE SHOWING THEM ALL THIS WHERE YOU PERFORM AND HE TAKES THE TOP AND YOU SELL IT.

BUT YOU HAVE A PREVIEW CENTER THAT ENABLES THE SALES FOLKS TO USE THIS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE AS WELL AND BRING THE COMMUNITY IN AND LET THEM SEE THE BROADER SCOPE TECHNOLOGICALLY AND ENTERTAINMENT WISE.

AND THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HERE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT SMARTS IN THE WAY IT'S ALL THE OTHER.

THANK YOU, RANDY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. ALAN FINEGOLD ARE YOU HERE.

THERE YOU ARE.

ALAN FINEGOLD 2601 NORTH GRAND STREET.

I HEARD ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF PRESENTATION LAST WEEK FROM YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONCERNING THE FUTURE [INAUDIBLE].

I HEARD A LOT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS TALK.

I HEARD VERY FEW FACTS.

AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET PUBLICLY DISCUSSED IS THE ENORMOUS COST TO THIS PROJECT. IT'S BEEN MENTIONED 280 MILLION DOLLARS IN BONDS AND THEN ANOTHER 40 MILLION DOLLARS IN HAND.

THAT TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY MILLION DOLLARS WILL APPROXIMATELY DOUBLE THE DEBT OF THIS CITY.

IT HAS TAKEN US MORE THAN 100 YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE NOW OWE ABOUT $290 MILLION A SIDE FROM THE INTEREST PAYMENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE ON THAT TWO HUNDRED NINETY MILLION DOLLARS.

AND YET WE HAVE A PROPOSAL THAT IN A SINGLE AUTHORIZATION YOU'RE GOING TO ADD AN

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AND THAT DOES NOT EVEN INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY 150 MILLION TO 160 MILLION DOLLARS IN INTEREST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY ON THE BONDS THAT YOU ISSUE.

AND WE HAVEN'T HAD MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES DISCUSSION OF THIS IN THIS CHAMBER.

WE NEED AT LEAST AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSED, TO HAVE FINANCIAL PEOPLE HERE AND TELL US SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS.

WHEN THE BOND ISSUE WAS PASSED IN MAY 2ND, 1964, AFTER THAT BOND ISSUE WAS PASSED T HE CITY DEBT WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED THIRTY ONE DOLLARS PER CAPITA.

IN ORDER TO ADJUST THAT FOR INFLATION, YOU HAVE TO MULTIPLY BY SEVEN AND A QUARTER.

THAT WOULD LEAD YOU WITH A PER CAPITA DEBT IN THIS CITY OF NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS. THAT IS AS OF MAY THE 31ST 1964.

IF YOU PASS THIS ISSUE, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CITY DEBT PER CAPITA IN EXCESS OF THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I SUGGEST THAT YOU THINK REAL HARD ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT.

THEN WE HAVE THE MATTER OF THIS CITY HALL, WHICH IS A WELL-STRUCTURED, EXTREMELY WELL-BUILT BUILDING, AND WE'RE GOING TO DEMOLISH IT FOR WHAT? WELL, AT LEAST T HE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF OTHER THAN IT'S IN THE WAY IS THAT IT'S TOO DURABLE, IT'S TOO WELL BUILT, AND THEREFORE IT WILL BE GOOD FOR ANOTHER 75 TO 100 YEARS.

IF YOU DO THE PROPER MAINTENANCE ON IT, APPARENTLY THAT CONSTITUTES SOME SORT OF PROBLEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MR. JAMES [INAUDIBLE].

APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE UP.

IT'S INSPIRING. THAT'S WHO WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING EVEN ABOUT SOME OF THIS DEBT THAT WE'LL BE LEAVING.

MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW WITH THE CIVIC CENTER AND THINGS, THAT IS FIRST OFF.

YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE I THOUGHT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA, WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CIVIC CENTER DISCUSSION OTHER THAN JUST A PART IN HERE.

BUT THAT'S FOR THE NEXT TWO TIMES.

IS THE BALLOT. THEY NEED TO HAVE THE BALLOT DATE WHEN MORE PEOPLE CAN, CAN AND WILL PARTICIPATE. NOT THAT THEY CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN MAY, BUT THEY JUST DON'T.

AND SO IN NOVEMBER, THEY WOULD BE THAT WOULD GET MORE PROPERTY OWNERS OUT, MORE PEOPLE OUT, AND THEY WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, SAY, UP OR DOWN ON WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE GOING TO PUT ON THE FINAL BALLOT.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A BUYING SPREE.

WE'RE BUYING WAREHOUSES.

AND IT'S PUZZLING TO ME BECAUSE I JUST MAYBE Y'ALL CAN SPEAK TO IT.

I DON'T GET MY HANDS AROUND THE FACT THAT YOU'VE SPENT ABOUT 5.2 MILLION DOLLARS SO FAR ON WAREHOUSES RIGHT HERE.

EACH ONE OF THEM I KNOW I'VE HEARD THE THING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IS VALUED DIFFERENT OR WHATEVER, BUT FOR SOME REASON THE VALUE JUST JUMPED UP TO SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND. NOW THIS LAST ONE'S 3.8 MILLION FOR SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN HELD ON THE BOOKS FOR 343, SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT BECAUSE PRATT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT ADJUSTING THEIR RATES AND WE'RE LOSING TAX MONEY ON THESE PROPERTIES AS THEY STAND AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THEM INTO AN OWNERSHIP BY THE CITY.

WELL, WE'LL COMPLETELY LOSE TAX.

ANY TAX MONEY INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM IN PRIVATE BUYING THEM OR LEASING THEM AND LETTING SOMEBODY STILL OWN THEM.

JUST AN IDEA MAY NOT BE THAT FAR FETCHED IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

ONE OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS WHEN YOU ACTUALLY CONSIDER.

I MEAN, I'M NOT I'M NOT SO MUCH AGAINST GETTING A NEW ARENA.

I'M NOT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS ARE A STRETCH.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE SANTA FE DEPOT, OK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT OUT THERE.

THE GREENSPACE. OK.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAYBE LATER.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE MILLION DOLLAR ARENA THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT. AND IT'S FOR SOME REASON IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT 150 MILLION.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GETTING CONCERNED WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION COST, THAT IT GOES UP 4 OR 5

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WELL, IT'S BEEN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION FOR THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING. THE NEXT THING.

AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS IS THE S EATING A LOT OF PEOPLE CONCERNED.

GOT TO HAVE IT BIGGER. WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING THAT MUCH BIGGER WHEN YOU CONSIDER TEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FULL CAPACITY WITH THE STAGE IN THE MIDDLE.

WE HAVE SEVEN THOUSAND IN THE CURRENT ONE.

WHEN YOU PUT SEATS ON THE FLOOR.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

GO BIG OR GO HOME.

THANK YOU. MR. JAY PARKER. COME ON UP, JAY.

I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.

I USUALLY LIKE TO SAY THIS PERSON'S AT BAT AND THIS PERSON'S ON DECK.

AND I DIDN'T DO THAT. YOU DIDN'T GIVE ME A HEADS UP.

IT'S OK. I GOT A HEADS UP NOW, DON'T I? SO NOW YOU'RE AT BAT. WELL, WELL, GREETINGS TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND MADAM MAYOR PRO TEM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER.

I'M REPRESENTING NORTH HEIGHT'S NORTH HEIGHTS ADVISORY COUNCIL.

I'M SPEAKING FOR MISS MILDRED [INAUDIBLE].

I WANTED TO SAY FIRST THAT I HAVE A PERSONAL STAKE IN WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO, WHICH WILL BE REFERRED TO AS THE COMMONS, IS CLOSE TO MY HEART. MY MOM WORKED THERE.

O ST. ANTHONY'S HOSPITAL FOR OVER 20 YEARS ON AND OFF.

SO I WANT TO BEGIN BY STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMENTS OF ST.

ANTHONY'S, THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT, AS THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A RENEWED HOPE AND VIGOR FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO NORTH HEIGHTS.

I HAVE A DEEP PERSONAL PERSONAL INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT.

AND AWESOME THING ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THE LEGACY THAT IT CARRIES.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE MY AGE, 54, WERE BORN THERE IN AMARILLO, AND SO THEY ALSO HAVE A DEEP INTEREST IN THE PROJECT.

SO THE FUTURE SERVICES THAT THIS THE COMMONS WILL HOLD FOR THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE ASTRONOMICAL. IT'S GONNA BE A LIFE CHANGER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A COMMUNITY THAT IS OVERWROUGHT WITH DESPAIR AND HOPELESSNESS.

THE LACK OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OR DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY IT REALLY SHOWS ON THE FACE OF THE PEOPLE. SO THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED NOT ONLY FOR NORTH HEIGHTS, BUT FOR AMARILLO AS A WHOLE.

SO IN A NUTSHELL, THE PROJECT IS A GAME CHANGER.

WE SAW THE YOUNG MAN SAY THE PRAYER TODAY.

AND SO JUST LIKE YOU STATED, WHAT WE DO HERE IN THE CHAMBER TODAY DIRECTLY AFFECTS OUR FUTURE AND OUR CHILDREN.

AND WE WANT THAT TO BE A POSITIVE EFFECT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH ON BEHALF OF MILDRED [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. PARKER. THANK YOU.

OK. THAT'S OUR LAST SPEAKER TODAY.

[A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments]

QUESTIONS, FURTHER INFORMATION.

YOU NEED COUNCIL BEFORE WE MOVE ON DOWN THE AGENDA.

NOTHING. OK. LOOKING AT ITEM 1 B DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDED PROPOSAL FOR THE CIVIC CENTER

[B. Discuss the recommended proposal for the Civic Center expansion and renovation;]

LAST WEEK WE HEARD A LENGTHY PRESENTATION.

YOU GOT WRITTEN MATERIALS ON THAT PRESENTATION.

WHAT I WANT TO DO DURING THIS TIME TODAY IS SIMPLY JUST TO ASK YOU WHAT OTHER INFORMATION DO YOU NEED? WE CAN BRING MORE PRESENTATIONS NEXT WEEK.

YOU MAY WANT MORE FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE MICHELLE AND LAURA DO AN ANALYSIS I F NOT FOR US.

I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER AND LAURA AND MICHELLE, BUT IT MAY BE IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS TO BE ALONG ON THAT JOURNEY, TOO.

SO WE MAY NEED A PRESENTATION ON THE FINANCING BEHIND THE CIVIC CENTER PROJECT.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NEEDING A PRESENTATION ON OR MORE DATA ON? WE'RE OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO GO AT A PACE THAT ALLOWS CITIZENS TO GET INFORMATION TO BRING THEIR INPUT.

THIS HAS BEEN A 15 MONTH PROCESS ALREADY.

WE DID NOT WANT TO RUSH THROUGH IT.

WE WANTED TO STUDY IT.

WE APPOINTED A CITIZENS COMMITTEE THAT SPENT HOURS TO DO JUST THAT.

THEY LITERALLY STARTED WITH.

WE SAID ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE AND THEY BROUGHT US A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL LAST WEEK.

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THERE WERE TOURS, THERE WERE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.

YOU COULD SEE THAT STUFF ONLINE OR YOU COULD COME ACTUALLY TO THE CIVIC CENTER AND BE A PART OF IT. SO WE'VE TRIED VERY, VERY HARD TO MOVE AT A PACE THAT PEOPLE COULD BE INVOLVED AND BRING THEIR INPUT TO US.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO FUMBLE THAT BALL RIGHT HERE AT THE END.

SO THIS WEEK THERE IS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, MAINLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOWING CITIZENS TO COME AND COMMENT SO THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO INPUT.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ITEM NEXT WEEK FOR THAT SAME PURPOSE.

AND THEN ON THE AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY 11TH, THERE WILL BE DISCUSSION BY THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT FOR MAY 2ND.

SO WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU THINK YOU NEED STILL IN ORDER FOR THOSE DISCUSSIONS COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO BE PRODUCTIVE? SO, MAYOR, I PERSONALLY DON'T NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, BUT I THINK FOR THE CITIZENS BENEFIT, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE SOME CITIZENS WHO ARE NOT EDUCATED ON THE FINANCIAL BACKGROUND FOR THE CIVIC CENTER AND WHAT WE AS A COUNCIL ARE TRYING TO DO.

SO IF WE COULD DO THAT PRESENTATION, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ELECTION.

MAKING A NOTE ON THAT AND MR. CITY MANAGER, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANY HESITATION ABOUT THAT AT ALL.

OK. OK.

WE'LL WORK ON THAT. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.

YES, MR. SMITH. OH.

THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS MADE TO US WAS TO INCREASE TAX RATE 15.1 CENTS. NOW UNDERSTAND AS A POSSIBILITY, SINCE IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOUR YEARS OR SO TO DO THIS, IT MIGHT COULD BE DONE IN STEPS LIKE 4.7 PERCENT FIRST YEAR.

THE OTHER FOUR POINT SOMETHING. I WANT MORE DETAILS ABOUT THAT.

OK. I KNOW THAT CHART IS IN THE WORKS ALREADY.

WE HAD A GROUP OF CITIZENS REQUEST THAT.

SO THAT'LL BE EASY FOR LAURA AND MICHELLE AND THEIR TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER.

ANYTHING ELSE? OK.

WELL, THIS IS NOT YOUR ONE OPPORTUNITY AS THINGS OCCUR TO YOU.

JUST REACH DIRECTLY OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND LET HIM KNOW, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE BY THE TIME OUR CONVERSATION HAPPENS ON FEBRUARY 11TH THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED IN ORDER TO HAVE ROBUST CONVERSATION AND TO PUT YOU IN A POSITION TO HAVE THE DATA, YOU NEED TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE.

OK, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM 1C, WHICH IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION, AN IDEA THAT I

[C. Discuss citizens committee to consider City Charter Amendments]

IT'S DISCUSSED CITIZENS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER CITY CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

WHEN THIS COUNCIL WAS ELECTED IN MAY 20 17.

YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS IMPORTANT DURING THAT CAMPAIGN WAS TO EXAMINE THE CHARTER, WHAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED ABOUT IT.

AND WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WERE MAYBE HIGHER ON THE PRIORITY CHAIN, MAKING AN AGREEMENT WITH A BASEBALL TEAM AND GETTING A STADIUM BUILT AND GETTING OUR POLICY IN PLACE.

NOW TALKING ABOUT THE CIVIC CENTER.

BUT I THINK WE MIGHT BE READY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED ON THE CHARTER. SO TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FEEDBACK FROM YOU.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU I WOULD LIKE TO START IT BY APPOINTING A CITIZENS COMMITTEE.

AND I WOULD PROPOSE THAT THAT BE A NINE PERSON COMMITTEE.

BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DO THAT UNLESS THE FIVE OF US ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING THE CONVERSATION. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ON THE AGENDA FOR.

NOT FOR US TO GET DOWN INTO THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT CHARTER CHANGES MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

LET'S GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY FIRST AND HEAR WHAT THE COMMUNITY THINKS NEEDS TO CHANGE.

LET'S HEAR FROM STAFF WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO CHANGE.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO START THAT CONVERSATION UNLESS THE FIVE OF US WANT TO START IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, CHARTERS OVER 100 YEARS OLD. WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT.

HAVE THE COMMUNITY LOOK AT IT.

STAFF LOOK AT IT.

COUNCIL LOOK AT IT. DR.

SAUER, WHAT DO YOU THINK? I KNOW IT'S BEEN ADJUSTED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT'S LONG OVERDUE FOR US TO TAKE A REAL HARD LOOK AT AT THE CHARTER AND BRING IT UP JUST LIKE EVERYTHING

[00:25:01]

WE NEED TO BRING IT UP TO DATE.

OK. IT BASICALLY SAYS IT FOR ME.

I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF A.

I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF A NEW CHARTER, BUT DEFINITELY WANT US TO COME INTO 2020.

ANY CHANGES IS A NEW CHARTER.

IS THAT CORRECT, MR. CITY ATTORNEY? ARE WE ABLE TO AMEND OR ANY.

I WAS THINKING ANY CHANGES TO OUR CHARTER AT ALL THAT YOU START OVER FROM SCRATCH? NOT NECESSARILY, NO.

I MEAN, YOU CAN CHANGE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER IF YOU WISH.

SO IN THE PROCEDURALLY EVERY CHARTER CHANGE, WHETHER IT'S A COMPLETE RESTATEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO JUST PUT A BRAND NEW DOCUMENT IN PLACE OR AN ARTICLE BY ARTICLE CHANGE HAS TO BE VOTER APPROVED.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

SO. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER CITY ELECTION OR AN ITEM THAT WOULD BE ON A CITY BALLOT.

AGAIN, NOT GONNA RUSH ANYTHING.

JUST DO WE WANT TO BEGIN THIS CONVERSATION? AND I THINK I'M SEEING HEAD NODS AS A CONSENSUS.

SO CAN I PROPOSE THAT WE DO PERHAPS START WITH A NINE PERSON CITIZENS COMMITTEE? AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU GUYS WOULD PUT SOME THOUGHT TO IT.

AND EACH OF YOU PRESENT A LIST.

I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO DRAW FROM EACH OF YOUR LISTS TWO PEOPLE.

SO THAT WOULD GIVE US EIGHT.

AND THAT WOULD GIVE I'LL MAKE A LIST AND I'LL PULL ONE PERSON OFF OF MY LIST.

BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT IT.

AND LET'S GET A BROAD SCOPE OF REPRESENTATION FROM ALL OVER THE CITY, DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHY.

THAT WAS SOMETHING I THOUGHT THAT STAFF DID REALLY WELL IN THE CIVIC CENTER COMMITTEE, AND THAT WOULD BE THE GOAL FOR THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL.

MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR.

NO, I THINK IF COUNCIL WOULD GO AHEAD AND SEND ME RECOMMENDED NAMES AND ANY OTHER TOPICS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE INCLUDED IN A STARTING DOCUMENT THAT'S PRESENTED TO THOSE PEOPLE, WE CAN REVIEW AND SCRUB THE NAMES AT LEAST TO PRESENT THE MAYOR WITH A DEMONSTRATION OF WHERE THESE PEOPLE LIVE GEOGRAPHICALLY AND A DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF THE PROPOSED PEOPLE SO THAT THE PEOPLE LOOKING AT OUR CHARTER LOOK LIKE OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THEN THE MAYOR WILL GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF OF OF WORKING TO APPOINT A CITIZENS COMMITTEE, UTILIZING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN A TIMELY MANNER.

IF YOU GUYS HAVE TOPICS THAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE AS WELL, THINGS THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW YOU'D LIKE TO SEE DISCUSSED OR ADDRESSED, JUST IF YOU DON'T MIND DROPPING THOSE ON YOUR LIST.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE JUST TO START THEM WITH A BLANK PAGE.

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS PROBABLY THAT STAFF IS PARTICULARLY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SHOULD START TO RESEARCH AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT THEY'RE READY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AS THEY COME UP FROM THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.

YOU KNOW MAYOR SOME OF OUR COMMITTEES HAVE SPECIFIC, SPECIFIC SKILL SETS, ALSO, LIKE WE'LL HAVE A LIST OF [INAUDIBLE] YOU MAY HAVE SOME MORE SPECIFICS ON.

IT'S LIKE ONE PARTICULAR COMMITTEE REQUIRES ENGINEERS.

THERE'S SPECIFIC SKILL SETS.

AND SO I'D KIND OF BE INTERESTED IN THINKING THROUGH SOME OF THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S LEGAL ISSUES WITH CHARTERS.

AND SO WHEN I'M THINKING OF DIVERSIFICATION, IT'S NOT JUST GEOGRAPHICALLY, BUT ALSO EDUCATION BACKGROUND AND EVEN THINKING WHAT MAYBE SOME IDEAS OF WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR ON THAT.

OK. SO ARE YOU ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS B ACK TO YOU GUYS AS YOU'RE FORMING YOUR LISTS.

YES. OK. I WOULD LIKE TO BE THINKING WHAT KIND OF SKILL SET NEEDS TO BE KIND OF AT THAT TABLE. OK.

AS WELL AS GEOGRAPHIC.

SO WHEN I'M TRYING TO THINK OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT FIT THAT IN, AS WE SEE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOMINATED BY THE PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL TO KIND OF KNOW SLOTS THAT ARE BEING FILLED. OK.

STEPHANIE, DO YOU MIND KIND OF CORRALLING THAT IDEA? AND MAYBE WE COULD VISIT ABOUT THAT FURTHER ON HOW TO FLESH THAT OUT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.

SO, OK. ANYTHING ELSE? ONE THING.

I THINK WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

YEAH. THAT'S WHERE I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING, ACTUALLY.

SO I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT.

WE NEED TO GIVE HIM A CHARGE.

AND WE DID. WE DID THAT WITH THE CIVIC CENTER COMMITTEE.

AND, OF COURSE, THEY POURED THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO IT.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO DO THAT IF YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT AS WELL.

[00:30:01]

I WOULD SUPPOSE THAT THEY'RE ADVISORY, THEY WOULD ADVISE US, BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING THE DECISION. WE WOULD DECIDE WHAT TO PUT ON THE BALLOT.

KIND OF LIKE THE CIVIC CENTER.

YES, SIR. AND DO WE HAVE STAFF IDENTIFIED THAT THIS WOULD FALL UNDER LIKE WITH THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON THE CIVIC CENTER W E HAD STAFF REPRESENTATION FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

DIFFERENT TYPE OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE WHAT STAFF WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO WORKING WITH THIS EXECUTIVE, WITH THIS CITIZEN COMMITTEE.

THAT'D BE LEGAL AS THE PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT.

CITY MANAGEMENT ALSO BE INVOLVED VERY HEAVILY.

BUT LEGAL WOULD BE THE PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT.

YES. SO WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BEING, BRYAN, YOU.

MARCUS. MAYBE MARCUS.

PROBABLY THOSE THREE AS THE PRIMARY.

YEAH, OK. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? THIS END MORE THOUGHTS.

OK, GREAT. I THINK I HAVE THE DIRECTION I NEED TO MOVE ON THAT. ITEM 1D IS REPORTS AND UPDATES FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVING ON OUTSIDE BOARDS.

[D. Reports and updates from City Councilmembers serving on outside Boards: Amarillo Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); and]

AND SO WE APPROVED DOING IT UP TO TXDOT STANDARDS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO WRITE OUR OWN STANDARDS.

WE'RE GONNA DO IT ACROSS THE STATE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS SO INTERESTING.

OF COURSE, THEY KEEP TONS OF DATA AND STATISTICS, BUT THEY BROUGHT TO THE MEETING.

THEY CLOSED OUT THE YEAR 2018 FOR TRAFFIC DEATHS IN OUR CITY.

AND THE REASON THEY DO THAT IS BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE MAY BE INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT AND IT MAY LINGER AWHILE.

AND THEY WANT THEIR STATISTICS TO BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.

SO WE'VE JUST GOTTEN THE 2018 STATISTICS AND WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE DIED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE CITY, OVER 3000.

BUT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME TO SEE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE THEIR WHO DID HAVE THEIR SEAT BELTS ON IT WAS ABOUT 90 PEOPLE.

SO WHAT THAT TELLS ME ARE THAT REALLY MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THOSE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WERE NOT WEARING THEIR SEAT BELT FOR WHATEVER REASON.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT W EIGHED ON ME, IT MADE IT TO OUR BREAKFAST TABLE TIME AT THE NELSON HOUSEHOLD.

COUPLE OF TEENAGE DRIVERS SITTING AT THAT TABLE, I WANTED THEM TO KNOW I WANTED THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT.

EVERY SINGLE TIME THERE'S NOT ONE CITIZEN THAT WE WANT TO SHOW ON THAT STATISTIC, ON THAT REPORT. IN IT, IT COULD BE AS EASY AS JUST BUCKLING YOUR SEAT BELT E VERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET IN THE CAR. SO, MR. CLARK, I HOPE THAT MAKES YOUR ARTICLE.

DON'T NORMALLY ASK FOR THAT KIND OF FAVOR, BUT IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE AND IT'S SO EASY. SO TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE.

REMIND THEM HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THEM TO WEAR THEIR SEAT BELTS.

JARED WAS AT THAT MEETING, TOO, AS WELL AS DR.

SAUER. YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? ACTUALLY, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB BECAUSE WHEN I SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAY ABOUT THAT, THAT IS THE MOST HEADY GROUP THAT I END UP SITTING ON.

IT'S ALL ENGINEERS.

AND TALKING ABOUT PLANNING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE ROADWAYS AND THEIR TIMETABLE IS DECADES, NOT MONTHS OR YEARS.

AND WHENEVER THEY SAY WHENEVER THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING, AN UPDATE AN UPDATE MIGHT BE ONE LINE, IT'S FINISHED ON THIS ONE, THE PART THAT THEY STARTED 24 MONTHS AGO, VICTORY DANCE AND THEY STARTED IT THIRTY SIX MONTHS AGO.

AND SO IT'S THE WHOLE THING OF SITTING ON THERE IS BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THOUGHT, HOW MUCH PLANNING, HOW MUCH MANEUVERING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAS TO BE DONE JUST SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ADEQUATE ROADWAYS IN THE CITY AND IN THIS AREA.

AND WHAT ALL GOES INTO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

AND I BELIEVE LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE LOOP THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE COMPLETED AROUND AMARILLO, THAT WILL BE TRULY LIMITED ACCESS.

[00:35:01]

AND THAT'S 10 YEARS AND THAT'S OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS.

AND THAT'S ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH.

AND THINGS ARE BEING PLANNED AND ARE HAVING TO BE PLANNED AND WATCHING HOW YOU HAVE TO PLAN. AND MONEY IS NOT EVEN ALLOCATED OR EVEN BEING TALKED ABOUT FOR SOME OF THE PLANS THAT ARE BEING DONE. BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM FOR WHEN THAT MONEY BECOMES ALLOCATED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN GRAB IT.

SO IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A INCREDIBLE LEARNING CURVE TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS WORK SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE ROADWAYS THAT WE NEED IN THE PANHANDLE.

IT'S REAL INTERESTING. IT IS, JARED, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO. Y'ALL TOUCHED IT ALL, THAT'S THE MAIN THING.

THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROJECTS, THE UPDATES ALWAYS USEFUL ON WHERE WE'RE AT ON PROJECT UPDATES. BUT SEAT BELTS.

BRIAN CRAWFORD IS THE LEADER OF OUR LOCAL TXDOT OFFICE AND HE DOES A GREAT JOB.

HE LEADS AN AMAZING TEAM.

AND I KNOW SOMETIMES WE THINK TXDOT IS A FOUR LETTER WORD WHEN WE'RE PULLING AROUND ORANGE CONES OR STUCK IN TRAFFIC.

BUT THESE GUYS ARE VERY INTELLIGENT.

THEY WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE THOSE PROJECTS HAPPEN.

AND FOR THEM TO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT ON US WHILE WE'RE STILL DRIVING THOSE ROADS AS POSSIBLE. SO IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO GO MEET WITH THEM.

ANYTHING ELSE? QUESTIONS ON THAT.

OK. LAST THING ON OUR NUMBER ONE PART AGENDA IS TO REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND R

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

SOMETHING I KEEP FORGETTING TO MENTION TO YOU, JARED, IS I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON PARKING GARAGE.

JUST WHERE ARE WE ON SPACES REVENUE? MAYBE AN UPDATE ON RENTING THE RETAIL SPACE.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.

AND WE MIGHT INCLUDE AN UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN PARKING REVENUE IN THAT AS WELL.

SO WE'LL HAVE BOTH OF THOSE PARKING UPDATES AND THE RETAIL SPACE UPDATE A.S.A.P..

I'D REQUEST MAYBE THEY COME ON THE FEBRUARY 11TH AGENDA.

I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN NEXT WEEK FOR A MEETING WITH BELL HELICOPTER IN THEIR FORT WORTH FACILITY. SO I HATE TO MISS IT, BUT.

ANYTHING ELSE? OK.

I'M SORRY, MAYOR.

AND WE STILL HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

OK. THAT'S A GOOD FOLLOW UP.

WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT AS WELL.

YEAH, THAT'S. WE NEED TO FINALIZE THOSE AND GET THOSE IN PLACE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER.

I'LL HAVE A REPORT ON THE CDC NEXT TIME.

OK. IF WE COULD HAVE THAT PARKING GARAGE REPORT SENT AHEAD OF TIME SINCE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRESENTED UNTIL THE 11TH.

WE GET THAT EARLY. OK.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

[2. CONSENT ITEMS]

ANYTHING ON THERE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR MORE DISCUSSION, COUNCIL? NOT HEARING ANYTHING, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION MAYOR.

I MOVE THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

[A. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7836: (Contact: Marcus Norris, Deputy City Attorney) This item is the first reading of a new franchise ordinance for Atmos Energy Company to continue using public rights-of-way to provide retail gas service in the city.]

MR. CITY MANAGER. RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS LEGAL HAS BEEN WORKING WITH ATMOS TO RENEGOTIATE THE OUR FRANCHISE FOR SOME TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY.

AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN GO AS DEEP INTO THE WEEDS AS YOU'D LIKE.

THE UTILITY FRANCHISES ARE TYPICALLY A 5 PERCENT OF GROSS REVENUE.

AND THIS IS I DON'T SAY TYPICALLY FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

I MEAN, TYPICALLY FOR REALLY ANY CITY IN TEXAS.

SO WE'RE RIGHT IN THE WHEELHOUSE OF WHERE THESE UTILITY FRANCHISES USUALLY ARE.

THE OTHER TERMS OF A FRANCHISE OR THE SUBSEQUENT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY AND UTILITY COMPANY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT, LIKE I SAID FOR SOME TIME TOGETHER WE REFER TO THAT WHOLE THING IS THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BEYOND THE RENT, WHICH IS THE 5 PERCENT OF GROSS REVENUE? A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AGREEMENT INCLUDES OTHER AREAS OF AGREEMENT IN THE CITY UTILITY, INCLUDING THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE ITEMS THAT STIPULATE HOW WE OPERATE AND COMMUNICATE TOGETHER FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT ON BEHALF OF CUSTOMERS AND CITIZENS.

SO T ANGLED UP MY TONGUE THERE.

RESET, SO WE TOUCH.

WE TOUCHED ON OUR TERM.

H OW LONG IS THE AGREEMENT AND THIS IS BEING PROPOSED FOR ANOTHER 10 YEAR AGREEMENT, JUST

[00:40:02]

IT DOES NOT ADDRESS GAS RATES OR COSTS.

WE'VE GOT AN ITEM WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT FRANCHISEE WORKING ON A RATE CASE. SO RATE CASES WHICH ARE FILED PERIODICALLY IS HOW WE WORK WITH THE GAS COMPANY TO SET RATES AND COST FOR CUSTOMERS.

THE CURRENT FRANCHISE WAS ADOPTED IN 2009.

IT EXPIRED AT THE NEW YEAR.

HOWEVER, THE COMPANY IN THE CITY ARE EACH VOLUNTARILY ABIDING BY THE PRIOR FRANCHISE TERMS PENDING ADOPTION OF THIS NEW ONE.

THE TERMS OF THIS NEW FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FRANCHISE WITH ATMOS ARE LARGELY THE SAME AS THE PRIOR ONE A 10 YEAR TERM CUSTOMARY 5 PERCENT OF GROSS REVENUE FRANCHISE FEE.

AND THE OTHER COMMON TOPICS THAT ARE REFERENCED ABOVE OR PREVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE COORDINATE WITH EACH OTHER, HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT ANNEXATIONS, HOW WE SERVICE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, HOW THEY WORK THROUGH DISCONNECTS AND OTHER THINGS.

SO WE HAVE NEGOTIATED ALL OF THAT TO THE POINT WHERE BOTH ENTITIES ARE REPRESENTED WELL.

THE CHARTER PRESCRIBES OUR CHARTER IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE FROM A LOT OF CITIES WITH REGARD TO THESE FRANCHISE APPROVALS.

CITY CHARTER PRESCRIBES A SPECIAL PROCESS FOR ADOPTING THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AFTER APPROVAL ON FIRST READING.

THE UTILITY COMPANY HAS TO PUBLISH THE FRANCHISE ONCE A WEEK FOR THREE WEEKS IN THE NEWSPAPER. THEN AFTER THE THIRD, THE THIRD PUBLICATION STARTS A 30 DAY WAITING PERIOD FOR THE CITY TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH MAIL, PHONE, EMAIL OR OTHER METHODS OR LEGAL CHALLENGE. SO IF THEY WANT TO CHALLENGE IT LEGALLY OR IF ANY ENTITY WANTS TO CHALLENGE IT LEGALLY, AFTER THAT 30 DAYS, THE ITEM WILL RETURN TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A SECOND READING. SO THIS WILL BE YOUR FIRST READING AND THEN IT TRIGGERS A NUMBER OF STEPS.

THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE PLACE FOR NOTIFICATION AND WAITING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE COMMENT OR BRING SUIT.

THEN WE CAN TAKE IT UP FOR SECOND READING AFTER THAT TIME.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU ALL HAVE ON THIS? I DON'T WANNA MAKE IT SOUND OVERLY COMPLEX, NOR DO I WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND OVERLY ROUTINE. WE DO REVISIT THIS VERY FREQUENTLY.

I SAY VERY FREQUENTLY. WE'VE DONE IT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND I'VE APPROVED FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS FOR GAS FRANCHISES IN A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES.

SO IT IS RATHER ROUTINE FROM A STATEWIDE STANDPOINT, BUT IT'S Y'ALL'S FIRST TIME TO EVER SEE THIS. IN FACT, WITH A 10 YEAR TERM, MOST COUNCILS, MANY COUNCILS, IF THEY SEE IT, THEY WILL ONLY SEE IT ONCE. SO WITHOUT ACTING LIKE I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE, WHICH I DON'T.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE GOING FIRST.

SO TELL ME IF I'M OVERSIMPLIFYING WHEN WE SET-UPS FRANCHISE FEES OR WE SET IN PLACE FRANCHISE FEES. IS THAT FRANCHISE FEE THAT THEY ARE PAYING GIVING THEM ACCESS TO UTILITY RIGHT A WAYS TO DO THE BUSINESS THAT THEY NEED TO DO TO DO BUSINESS? IT DOES GIVE AN AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE MADE WITH A PARTICULAR UTILITY OR WHATEVER.

IT DOES GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THAT SPACE.

HOWEVER, THE DOCUMENT, THE COMPLEXITY OF THE DOCUMENT, THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS, IT STIPULATES THAT THE CRITERIA, HOW THEY GET NEED TO GIVE US NOTICE, HOW WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH THEM FOR THAT WORK INSIDE THE FRANCHISE, HOW WE NEED TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DAMAGING OTHER FRANCHISES, ACCESS AND UTILIZATION OF THE RIGHT A WAY. THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL THAT STIPULATES OUR RELATION THE NATURE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP. WE'VE GOT MARCUS NORRIS, IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL ON THAT.

BUT YES, IT DOES GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO WORK IN THERE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES THAT WE HAVE BOTH AGREED TO IN THE AGREEMENT.

SO THAT'S REALLY I WANT TO KIND OF SIMPLIFY IT BECAUSE IT MAKES IT EASIER I F SOMEBODY EVER ASKED ME ABOUT WHAT IS A FRANCHISE FEE FOR IS A FRANCHISE FEE TYPICALLY DOES THAT? AM I SAYING THIS CORRECTLY? IT'S AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN US AND LET'S SAY ATMOS THAT GIVES THEM ACCESS TO THE RIGHT A WAY TO DO THE BUSINESS THEY NEED TO DO IT.

AND IT'S HOW THEY LAY THEIR LINES, DO WORK ON THEIR LINES.

YES. P LAY WELL ON THE PLAYGROUND.

THAT KIND OF THING. TAKE OVER MARCUS. THE I THINK IT'S I'VE ALWAYS FOUND IT FASCINATING THAT UTILITY COMPANIES IN TEXAS HAVE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN IN THEORY AND IN REALITY THEY COULD GO CONDEM THEIR OWN RIGHT OF WAYS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, IT'S VERY CUMBERSOME, IT'S VERY ADVERSARIAL.

AND TRADITIONALLY IN TEXAS, CITIES AND THE UTILITIES COME TOGETHER AND AGREE IT IS IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST TO LET THE UTILITIES USE THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, STREETS, ALLEYS, PARKS, WHATEVER, TO GET THEIR UTILITIES ACROSS TO CUSTOMERS.

THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS ACTUALLY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.

YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD BY NOW YOU'VE BEEN IN OFFICE LONG ENOUGH.

YOU'VE BEEN CAUTIONED THAT THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION PROHIBITS THE CITY FROM GIVING AWAY ITS

[00:45:05]

SO HOW DO WE AVOID RUNNING AFOUL OF THE CONSTITUTION? WELL, WE DON'T GIVE IT AWAY.

THE UTILITY COMPANIES PAY VERY VALUABLE, REAL CONSIDERATION.

AND WE CALL THAT A FRANCHISE FEE.

THIS FIVE PERCENT OF GROSS REVENUE I S THEIR RENT FOR USING THE PUBLIC LANDS? THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR CITIZENS BECAUSE IT ENSURES THEY HAVE UTILITIES THROUGHOUT OUR HUNDRED AND THREE SQUARE MILES.

IT'S GOOD FOR THE UTILITY COMPANIES BECAUSE THEY CAN KEEP RATES LOWER BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY, GOING TO COURT TO CONDEMN INDIVIDUAL PARCELS TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR PIPELINE OR THEIR ELECTRIC LINE OR THEIR CABLE LINE OR THEIR TELEPHONE LINE ACROSS TOWN.

SO THAT'S THE WHOLE THEORY OF FRANCHISES IS THE SAME FOR ALL UTILITIES.

THE CITY IS COOPERATING IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR CITIZENS TO KEEP COSTS DOWN BY LETTING UTILITIES USE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IN RETURN FOR REASONABLE COMPENSATION THAT WE CALL A FRANCHISE FEE.

I LIKE THAT. THAT'S A GOOD EXPLANATION.

FINANCIAL QUESTIONS ON THE WHERE THOSE REVENUES GO.

DOES THAT GO INTO OUR GENERAL FUND? GENERAL FUND. AND I WOULD BE REMISS WE DO HAVE GUEST WITH US TODAY.

WE HAVE MR. MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE COMPANY.

AND BRANDI, I FORGOT YOUR LAST NAME.

PRICE FROM THERE LUBBOCK OFFICE, THE REGIONAL OFFICE UP HERE IF YOU JUST WANT YOU KNOW THE COMPANY. THIS IS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE TO THEM AND THEY HAVE TO REPRESENT US HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

COUNCIL ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OK. I AM GOING TO ASK ANOTHER QUESTION AND IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE WHOLE CHARTER THING A LITTLE BIT. SO MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU MADE THE COMMENT THAT THE CHARTER SETS UP EXACTLY HOW SOME THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HANDLED CONCERNING THESE FRANCHISE FEES, HOW THEY'RE PROPOSED OR WHATEVER, AND HOW IT GOES TO THE PUBLIC.

SO YOU SAID AMARILLO'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SO ARE WE DIFFERENT IN A GOOD WAY? IN A BAD WAY ? DO WE REQUIRE MORE? DO WE REQUIRE LESS? IT'S NOT IN A BAD WAY. IT'S JUST MORE COMMUNICATION, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK PRIOR TO SECOND READING.

OK. SO DEFINITELY NOT IN A BAD WAY.

IT'S JUST IT IS GOING TO BE.

I WAS SAYING THAT TO ILLUSTRATE, IT'S GONNA BE A WHILE BEFORE YOU SEE IT AGAIN FOR SECOND READING. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW NOT TO EXPECT IT AT YOUR NEXT MEETING UP FOR ACTION ITEMS. WELL, IT'S JUST KIND OF CURIOUS.

I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY DICTATED WITHIN OUR OWN CITY CHARTER AS TO HOW THOSE THINGS LAY OUT.

SO IT'S REAL INTERESTING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY CHARTER DOES LAY OUT FOR US.

RIGHT. WELL, IT'S WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW.

INTERESTED TO KNOW THE WHAT WAS THE THOUGHT PROCESS THERE.

I'M SURE THAT AT THAT THAT A FRANCHISE WAS PASSED AT SOME POINT IN THE DISTANT PAST WHERE PEOPLE FELT LIKE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH NOTICE OR COMMUNICATION SO THEY AIRED ON THE SIDE OF GIVING PLENTY OF NOTICE. MARCUS, IS THERE ANY.

I THINK WE'RE BOTH ASSUMING THERE BECAUSE WE'RE REACHING WAY BACK INTO THE WAY BACK MACHINE ON THAT.

SORRY. OK.

OK. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES. AND THEN JUST TO CLARIFY THAT 5 PERCENT IS NOT USED TOWARDS OFFSETTING EXPENSES OR ANY REPAIRS, IT'S ALL NET.

SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY COST RELATED IN ANY OF THIS.

ANY EXPENSE. IT'S JUST FLAT CASH.

WE DO HAVE COST FOR ADMINISTERING THE WHOLE PROCESS.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PERSONNEL IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT REVIEW PROPOSALS FOR ACTIVITIES TO COORDINATE OUR ACTIVITIES WITH THEIR ACTIVITIES THAT ADMINISTER REVIEW PERMITS. SO THERE IS COST, BUT IT'S NOT CASH, IT'S PERSONNEL.

IT'S TIME EQUIPMENT SOMETIMES.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COORDINATION.

I THINK I WAS THINKING DAMAGES.

NO, AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STIPULATED IN THE FRANCHISE, IT'S AGAIN, VERY COMMON IF WE HAVE TO DO WORK IN IN THE IN THE RIGHT A WAY, THE GAS COMPANIES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING THE DAMAGE THAT WE MAY HAVE TO CAUSE TO FIX A LEAK OR TO DO OTHER WORK IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT.

BUT THE PRIMARY REASON IS YOU DON'T WANT US WORKING ON THEIR GAS LINES AND THEY DON'T YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT THEM WORKING ON OUR WATERLINES IF THEY HAVE TO DAMAGE THOSE THINGS.

SO STAY IN YOUR LANE.

RIGHT. THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO PHRASE IT.

OK. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OK, WITH THAT, THEN I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

MAYOR. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 7836 FOR NEW FRANCHISE ORDINANCE FOR ATMOS ENERGY

[00:50:03]

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7836.

ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

ITEM THREE B IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION DENYING SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANIES

[B. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION - DENYING SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY'S REQUEST TO INCREASE RATES: (Contact: Michelle Bonner, Deputy City Manager) This resolution denies Southwestern Public Service Company's (SPS) request to increase rates in connection with its statement of intent submitted on about August 8, 2019; directing SPS to reimburse the City's rate case expenses and making other findings and provisions related to the subject.]

MR. CITY MANAGER. WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU THAT HAS BEEN IN FRONT OF COUNCIL BEFORE. ON AUGUST 8TH OR WELL IN A PREVIOUS RATE CASE ON AUGUST 8TH, 2019 SPS FILED A STATEMENT OF INTENT TO INCREASE ANNUAL REVENUE IN THE FORM OF A RATE INCREASE.

PREVIOUSLY, THE CITY SUSPENDED SPS AS PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 12 2019 TO JANUARY 25TH OF 2020 WHILE OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND EXPERTS ANALYZED THE PROPOSED RATING RATE REQUEST. THE CITY PARTICIPATES AS A MEMBER OF THE ALLIANCE OF XCEL COMMUNITIES AXIM, AS WHAT WAS REFERENCED IN THE PENDING RELATED CASE AT THE PUC PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS. AX IM COMMUNITIES IS JUST A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN THE PANHANDLE THAT WE PARTNER WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND THAT EVERYONE HAS GOOD REPRESENTATION. AXIM RETAINED HERRERA AT LAW AND ASSOCIATES AS AXIM SPECIAL COUNSEL WITH REGARD TO SPS'S APPLICATION TO INCREASE ITS RATES.

SPS PROPOSED RATE INCREASE AS UPDATED I F APPROVED WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE TO ITS BASE R EVENUES WERE APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX POINT FIVE MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 24.4 PERCENT INCREASE IN BASE REVENUE.

AXUM, WITH THE APPROVAL OF COUNCIL, RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY DENY SPS'S REQUEST TO INCREASE ITS RATES SO THAT THE CITIES MAY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH SPS AND THE PUC ON A SETTLEMENT IN THE RATE CASE.

THE ACTION IS VERY CONSISTENT AND I SEE WE'VE GOT RONNIE IN THE ROOM AS WELL IN THERE, MET THE OTHER SPS PARTNERS IN THE ROOM, BUT THIS IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH HOW WE'VE HANDLED PREVIOUS SPS RATE INCREASE REQUESTS.

SPS IS AN IMPORTANT PARTNER OF THE CITY AND THIS PROCESS WILL ALLOW SPS AND THE CITY OF AMARILLO, OTHER AXIM CITIES TOGETHER WITH THE PUC TO WORK ON A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL WAY FORWARD. SO IN NO WAY IS THIS MEANT TO REFLECT POORLY OR ADVERSARIAL UPON SPS, BUT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET TO THE ULTIMATE WAY FORWARD AND THIS IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE WAY WE'VE DONE IT IN PREVIOUS RATE CASES.

HEY, RONNIE CAN I PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND JUST EXPLAIN ONE MORE TIME TO FOLKS WHY THEY GET A BILL FROM XCEL, BUT WHY THIS ITEM IS SPS.

YOU KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, DON'T YOU? WELL, NO, WHY THIS ITEM W HY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPS.

BUT FOLKS GET THEIR BILLS.

NOBODY GETS A BILL FROM SPS HERE IN AMARILLO ANYMORE.

WE GET IT FROM. XCEL ENERGY.

YES. YES. SO JUST CLOSE THAT GAP, THAT INFORMATION.

SPS IS ONE OF THE OPERATING COMPANIES THAT, YOU KNOW, XCEL ENERGY IS THE MOTHER COMPANY.

SPS IS ONE OF THE OPERATING COMPANIES WHO ALSO GOT [INAUDIBLE] IN COLORADO.

WE'VE GOT WISCONSIN, WE'VE GOT MINNESOTA NSP AND ALL THOSE.

SO WE'RE JUST ONE OF THE OPERATING COMPANIES HERE FOR XCEL ENERGY.

YEAH, THAT'S ALL. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD SAY.

BUT I KNEW YOU WOULD SAY IT BETTER THAN ME.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION FOR RONNIE? THANKS, RONNIE. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? OK. HOW ABOUT A MOTION. MAYOR I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION DENYING SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY'S REQUEST TO INCREASE RATES IN CONNECTION WITH ITS STATEMENT OF INTENT.

SUBMITTED ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 8TH 2019 DIRECTING SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY TO REIMBURSE THE CITY'S RATE CASE EXPENSES AND MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO RESOLVE ALL OF THAT LONG LEGAL LANGUAGE THAT ESSENTIALLY DENIES SPS COMPANIES REQUEST TO INCREASE RATES. DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION COUNSEL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE .

AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

[C. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION - SUPPORT OF COMMONS AT ST. ANTHONY'S AMARILLO HOUSING. LP APPLICATION FOR HOUSING TAX CREDITS: (Contact: Andrew Freeman, Planning Development Services) This resolution is support for an application for Affordable Housing Tax Credits to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Housing Tax Credit Program by St. Anthony's Amarilio Housing 20, LP, a private entity, The Commons at St. Anthony's, a development for affordable rental property located near the southwest corner of Amarilio Boulevard and North Polk Street.]

CITY MANAGER. YOU SAW MR. PARKER SPEAK ELOQUENTLY ON THE TOPIC EARLIER.

AND WE'VE GOT ANDREW FREEMAN.

PLANNING'S DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR TO TELL US ABOUT IT.

GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF A DEJA VU, BUT IN A GOOD WAY WITH THIS PROJECT COMING BACK AROUND FOR

[00:55:03]

I WANTED TO TOUCH ON AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE REMINDER OF WHY THIS COME FORWARD, HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS IS A FEDERAL TAX PROGRAM THAT'S ADMINISTERED AT THE STATE LEVEL BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

BASICALLY, THE WHOLE GOAL IS THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS IN THE STATE AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

THERE'S TWO TYPES. THERE'S A 4 PERCENT NON-COMPETITIVE TAX CREDIT AND THEN THERE'S A 9 PERCENT, WHICH IS WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.

AS FAR AS WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO, IT PROVIDES EQUITY FINANCING TO HELP WITH THESE PROJECTS, ENCOURAGES AFFORDABLE UNITS BE ADDED TO THE STATE'S HOUSING SUPPLY.

AND THEN IT ALSO HAS REGULATIONS AS FAR AS THOSE DEVELOPMENTS, MEETINGS SPECIFIC EXCUSE ME, SPECIFIC CRITERIA AS FAR AS THEIR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND WHAT THEY PROVIDE FOR THEIR FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.

AS FAR AS THE CITY'S ROLE, IT IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.

THESE RESOLUTIONS SUPPORT ADD ADDITIONAL POINTS TOWARD THEIR APPLICATIONS.

WITHOUT THEM, IT WOULD MAKE IT TOUGH TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER PROJECTS WITHIN THE REGION. SO WITH THIS RESOLUTION IT AWARDS 18 POINTS TOWARD THE PROJECT AND AS WELL, THERE IS SOME NEW CRITERIA THAT WAS IN CLEAR LAST YEAR.

THERE'S BONUS POINTS FOR IT BEING IN A REVITALIZATION AREA, WHICH IS WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING EFFORT WITH THE NORTH HEIGHTS.

SO ALL IN THE CITY CONTRIBUTES 25 POINTS TOWARD THEIR TOTAL IF IT'S APPROVED TODAY.

THERE ARE FIVE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED IN THE PRE APPLICATION PROCESS TWO IN AMARILLO AND THREE IN LUBBOCK.

COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 10 AND WE WERE THIRD OUT OF 10.

AS FAR AS THAT PRELIMINARY SCORING, LOOKING AT ALL POSSIBLE POINTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY FOR THIS YEAR WE ARE IN FIRST COMPARED TO THE OTHER PROJECTS.

SO IT'S LOOKING VERY POSITIVE, WE'RE S ITTING AT ABOUT ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR POINTS COMPARED TO THE NEXT ONE AT LUBBOCK AT 169.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THOSE EARLY, EARLY RESULTS COME THROUGH.

AS FAR AS A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE COMMONS AT ST.

ANTONY'S. YOU KNOW THE LOCATION, IT'S THE OLD ST.

ANTHONY'S HOSPITAL. I'LL SHOW YOUR GRAPHIC HERE IN A MINUTE.

THIS SHOWS WHICH PART OF THE HOSPITAL THEY'RE PROPOSING THIS DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S ALMOST 30 MILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT INTO THE FACILITY.

IT'D BE 124 UNITS, 36 EFFICIENCY'S, 45 ONE BEDROOM AND FORTY THREE TWO BEDROOM RENT RANGES FROM 330 TO $900 A MONTH B ASED ON YOUR MEDIAN INCOME FOR YOUR FAMILY, WHICH WOULD RANGE FROM THIRTY THOUSAND ONE PERSON HOUSEHOLDS UP TO THIRTY FOUR, FOR EXAMPLE, OF A TWO PERSON HOUSEHOLD. AND THEN THERE WOULD ALSO BE 13 UNITS DEDICATED FOR 30 PERCENT LESS AMI AS WELL. AND THEY ARE PROPOSING THAT THIS WOULD BE A SENIOR LIVING APARTMENT COMPLEX.

SO THIS EXHIBIT SHOWS IT'S COLOR CODED, BUT IT KIND OF SHOWS FROM EAST TO WEST HOW THE EXPANSIONS HAVE OCCURRED.

THE PURPLE, ORANGE, RED ON THE EAST SIDE IS WHERE THIS PROJECT'S BEING PROPOSED.

THIS IS A LAYOUT OF THE STRUCTURE.

SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT LAYS ON THE PROPERTY.

SO THIS IS WHAT WOULD BE OWNED BY THE DEVELOPER THAT'S DOING THIS PROJECT AND THE REMAINDER WOULD STILL BE THE ST.

ANTHONYS BOARDS TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD REVITALIZING THAT PROPERTY.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW PICTURES OF THAT EASTERN PORTION OF THE BUILDING.

AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE THE THE STRUCTURE AND WHAT WHAT'S GONNA BE MAINTAINED. THIS IS ALSO HISTORICAL PROPERTY.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR BEST TO PUT IT BACK EXACTLY HOW YOU SEE IT SEEN IN THE PAST.

AS FAR AS THE DEVELOPERS, THEY'VE HAVE QUITE A BIT EXPERIENCE IN THESE HISTORIC ADAPTIVE RE-USE APARTMENT DEVELOPMENTS.

THESE ARE JUST COUPLE OF PICTURES, SOME OLDER EARLY NINETEEN HUNDRED SCHOOLS THAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN COORDINATING, OF COURSE, WITH THE ST.

ANTONY'S LEGACY REDEVELOPMENT CORP., WHICH WE HAVE MEMBERS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, AS WELL AS OUR NORTH HEIGHTS ADVISORY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.

AS FAR AS AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT, THE CITY DOES HAVE A HISTORY OF SUPPORTING THESE HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECTS.

SINCE 1990, THERE'S BEEN 21 THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE COMMUNITY, RANGING FROM 20 TO OVER 300 UNIT PROJECTS, MOST RECENT BEING IN 2017, WE HAD 1 4 PERCENT AND 1 9 PERCENT APPLICATION. AND OF COURSE WE DID HAVE SOME RESOLUTION SUPPORTS LAST YEAR, BUT IT DID NOT MEET THE THE HIGH SCORING TO ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

AS FAR AS MEETING THE GOALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE CITY, IT DOES FALL IN THE NORTH HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AREA.

SO IS REHABILITATING EXISTING HISTORICAL STRUCTURE MEETS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS OF DIVERSIFYING AMARILLO'S HOUSING STOCK, WHICH INCLUDES WELL-MAINTAINED, AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS. IT ALSO, OF COURSE, FALLS IN THE NORTH HEIGHT S NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN BOUNDARY AND HAS PRIORITIES OF MAINTAINING A STRONG, VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THIS INCLUDES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT.

[01:00:02]

WE WOULD FIND OUT THE AWARDS SOMETIME IN THE MONTH OF JULY THIS YEAR IF THE PROJECT IS AWARDED. THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE ON THE PROJECT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE HAVE BEN MARSHALL AS WELL IN THE AUDIENCE WITH THE COMMONWEALTH COMPANIES WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND OF COURSE, ST.

ANTONYS AND NORTH HEIGHTS REPRESENTATIVES, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM AS WELL.

THANK YOU, ANDREW. COUNCIL TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW? YES, MAYOR. SO, ANDREW, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AMARILLO, AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.

SO HOW WOULD THEY GO ABOUT OR WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR LETTERS OF SUPPORT? SURE. THERE IS AN OPENING TO SUBMIT LETTERS AS PART OF THIS PROCESS THAT WOULD GO TO THE BOARD SO THEY CAN THEY CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND I CAN COORDINATE WITH THE DEVELOPERS AS FAR AS THEY USUALLY HAVE A TEMPLATE OF WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY IN THOSE LETTERS TO SUPPORT IT BUT ABSOLUTELY, THE THE MORE THE MERRIER, THE BETTER FOR SUPPORTING THE PROJECT.

WE CAN GET THOSE TURNED IN.

THANK YOU. ANDREW, I HAD A QUESTION BACK ON ONE OF THE SLIDES WHERE YOU HAD BASED ON PERCENTAGES OF AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME AND IT WAS LIKE 60,50.

THERE WE GO. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT RENT RANGE? BECAUSE AGAIN, 60, 50, 30 DOESN'T ADD UP TO 100.

SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE.

RIGHT. SO IT'S IT'S BASED ON THEIR THEIR INCOME LEVELS AND THEN IT'S 60 PERCENT OF THAT INCOME LEVEL. BASICALLY GETS THEM A CALCULATION FOR WHAT THEIR RENT IS.

SO THE ONES IN THE HIGHER $900 DOLLAR RANGE ARE THE ONES BRINGING IN MORE ANNUAL INCOME.

AS FAR AS THAT T HIRTY, FIFTY, SIXTY PERCENT AMI.

OK.

A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE THAT WOULD BE 30 PERCENT AMI.

NO, IT WOULD WORK WITH THE APPLICANTS.

THEY DO HAVE THE 30 OR THE 13 UNITS SET ASIDE FOR 30 PERCENT.

BUT ALL THE OTHERS, THEY'D BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANTS TO SEE WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC INCOME LEVEL IS. A QUESTION ABOUT THE WALKWAY.

IF THE DESIGN IS TO LEAVE THAT OR IF THAT'S PART GOING TO BE REMOVED.

ACROSS THE ROAD? THE ELEVATED WALKWAY ACROSS POLK? YOU HAVE THE ELEVATED WALKWAY THAT CONNECTS THE TWO BUILDINGS.

I BELIEVE THEY'VE DISCUSSED TAKING DOWN.

I'LL HAVE BEN COME UP AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE TWO.

THERE ARE TWO.

BUILDING. YES.

IT IS GOING TO COME DOWN. I CAN ANSWER NOW.

ARE THEY BOTH COMING DOWN? I THINK THIS PROJECT IS TOUCHING JUST THE ONE THAT EACH SIDE OR THE SOUTH AS WELL.

IS IT TOUCHING BOTH? SO BOTH WOULD COME DOWN.

SO THEY'RE BOTH COMING DOWN.

BOTH WILL COME DOWN. OK, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I'VE HAD CITIZENS ASKING ME ABOUT THAT.

ANYBODY ELSE? OK, THANK YOU, ANDREW.

MARY, DO YOU WANT TO COME ON UP? YEAH. WHILE MARY'S COMING UP.

I AM GOING TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE AND TALK ABOUT VISION, HOW YOU TAKE A PROJECT AND YOU HAVE A VISION FOR IT AND YOU CAST A VISION FOR IT.

BUT THE VISION IS MEANINGLESS IF YOU DON'T BEGIN TO EXECUTE.

AN EXECUTION TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PERSEVERANCE.

AND I'M LOOKING AT FACES IN THE AUDIENCE THAT KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO PERSEVERE.

SO, [INAUDIBLE] HILL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR PERSEVERING.

ALAN ABRAHAM, THANK YOU FOR PERSEVERING AND BELIEVING IN THIS PROJECT.

AND JAY PATRICK, THANK YOU.

AND WOW, TO STAND IN FOR MILDRED [INAUDIBLE].

WELL, THAT'S NOT A JOB I WOULD WANT TO TRY TO DO.

SO AT THE PODIUM IS MARY [INAUDIBLE] NOT ENEMY.

I'M SURE YOU GET THAT BEFORE IT.

MARY. I USED TO GET WORSE.

WELL, SINCE WE'RE GOOD FRIENDS, YOU KNOW.

YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SLIP OF THE TONGUE.

RIGHT. ANYWAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ARE JUST REPRESENTATIVE OF A EVEN LARGER GROUP OF CITIZENS WHO'VE BEEN DOING THE WORK AND AND SHOWING UP TO PERSEVERE AND WHO BELIEVE IN THE VISION. SO ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO TELL YOU.

THANK YOU. AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS STEP IN THE PROGRESS.

WELL, T HESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT TAKE THAT TAKE A COMMUNITY TO DO.

AND ONE OF THINGS THAT I WANNA THANK YOU IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE ON TOP THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ON TOP LAST YEAR, WAS BECAUSE OF A STRANGE RULE THAT YOU GOT EXTRA POINTS IF YOU WERE OVER TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND AND AMARILLO WAS JUST BELOW IT.

AND THANKS TO LETTERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, FROM [INAUDIBLE] PRICE, FROM KEL SELIGER, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE FROM OUR DEVELOPER KEN [INAUDIBLE], WE'VE GOTTEN THAT RULE CHANGED AND THEY BROUGHT IT DOWN TO ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY.

AND SO THAT ACTUALLY GAVE US EXTRA POINT.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. THIS IS WHY WHY AMARILLO IS SUCH A GOOD COMMUNITY TO BE IN BECAUSE EVERYBODY SEES WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND MAKES IT HAPPEN.

[01:05:02]

THANK YOU, MARY. THANK YOU.

JAY IF I BUTCHERED YOUR NAME, FORGIVE ME.

YEAH. THANK YOU. JAY.

HE HAS JUST RECENTLY COME BACK AFTER 26 YEARS IN ATLANTA AND IS SO EXCITED TO BE BACK HERE HELPING US. WONDERFUL.

WELL, WELCOME HOME.

YEAH, GOOD. OKAY.

ANY ANYTHING FURTHER COUNCIL? I THINK WE ARE READY FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 3C.

MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMONS AT THE ST.

ANTHONY'S AMARILLO HOUSING LP APPLICATION FOR A HOUSING TAX CREDITS, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD IN NORTH POLK STREET.

SECOND . IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS TO APPROVE AND GIVE OUR SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT AND FOR HOUSING TAX CREDITS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR P LEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED.

THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

[D. CONSIDER APPROVAL - LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT -BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SUSPENDEM: (Contact: Kevin Carter, President and CEO, Amarilio Economic Development Corporation) This item considers approving a Location Incentive Agreement (LIA) between Amarilio Economic Development Corporation and Suspendem for the creation of new jobs in Amarilio. The Location Incentive Agreement (LIA) provides incentives that are performance based for the creation of up to 150 new jobs over a seven-year period. The agreement prescribes a total grant of up to $1.56 million dependent upon specific performance achievements detailed in the agreement. The agreement requires Suspendem to create the jobs and payroll first and then receive the incentive payments upon the achievement of annual performance metrics.]

MR. CITY MANAGER. I'M GONNA HAND IT STRAIGHT TO KEVIN CARTER, PRESIDENT CEO OF EDC, TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION. WELCOME, KEVIN.

WELCOME. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME.

COUNCIL AND MAYOR COME TO YOU TODAY TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SUSPENDEM.

SUSPENDEM IS A CANADIAN BASED COMPANY THAT EMPLOYS EXPERIENCED WIND TECHNICIANS THAT PROVIDE UP TOWER MAINTENANCE SOLUTION.

LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AN UP TOWER MAINTENANCE SOLUTION.

THAT MEANS THEY REPAIR AND REMANUFACTURING THE BLADE WHILE SUSPENDED IN THE AIR SO THEY DO NOT TAKE THE BLADE OFF.

IT'S A NEW REVOLUTION IN BLADE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT MAYBE BRINGING THEM TO AMARILLO.

SUSPENDEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A RISING STAR IN QUEBEC'S COMPETITIVE WIND ENERGY SECTOR AND SEEING OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH IN THE US MARKET.

SUSPENDEM IS LOOKING FOR A LOCATION TO BASE OUR AMERICAN OPERATIONS.

SUSPENDEM FIRST CAME TO YOU.

TALK ABOUT PERSEVERENCE, SUSPENDEM FIRST CAME TO AMARILLO IN JANUARY OF 2019.

SO A YEAR TO MAKE THIS F RUITION.

AND SO THEY CAME BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND AGAIN IN NOVEMBER.

THEY ARE CONSIDERING TWO OTHER SITES, DENVER, COLORADO AND SOMEWHERE IN WYOMING.

AND SO WE'VE NARROWED, THEY'VE NARROWED IT DOWN TO THREE SPOTS AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY WILL CONSIDER AMARILLO WITH THIS LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT.

THEIR MANAGING DIRECTOR BILL TALBOT HAS BEEN HERE SEVERAL TIMES.

AND SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING WITH THIS LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT IS $10000 PER JOB CREATION INCENTIVE FOR THE CREATION OF UP TO 150 FULL TIME JOBS WITH A 7 YEAR RAMP UP PERIOD TO GET TO THAT HUNDRED AND FIFTY JOBS.

THE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.

MEAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER JOB WOULD BE PAID OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD SO TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR EACH JOB.

ALSO, WE WOULD PUT TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A FUND AT THE WEST TEXAS ENTERPRISE CENTER BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO USE UTILIZE SPACE AT THE ENTERPRISE CENTER AND ALSO A SMALL OFFICE SPACE AT THE REVOLUTION CENTER IN DOWNTOWN THAT IS PART OF THE ENTERPRISE CENTER AS WELL.

AND THEN ALSO 50,000 DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD GIVE THE COMPANY TO ASSIST WITH RELOCATION FUNDS FOR SOME OF THOSE FIRST TECHNICIANS THAT THEY HAVE THAT WOULD MOVE TO TOWN.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO MOVE FOLKS IN THAT HAVE THAT SKILL.

AND THEN THEY WOULD ALSO UTILIZE AMARILLO COLLEGE THROUGH A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANT WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS TO START EDUCATING OUR FOLKS HERE IN TOWN TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

BUT AT FIRST THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FOLKS IN.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THE 50000.

SO THE TOTAL INCENTIVE PACKAGE WOULD BE ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE TOTAL PACKAGE.

THE AEDC BOARD VOTED ON JANUARY 16TH WITH A 5 0 VOTE TO APPROVE THIS PROJECT.

AND SO THE AEDC STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN? SO THAT TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER JOB IS IS PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDELINES THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAD IN THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDELINES.

SO JUST. HOW ARE YOU FINDING THAT NEW POLICY IN BRINGING THESE PROJECTS TO THE DIFFERENT

[01:10:02]

AND SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT IT WAS A GREAT DOCUMENT THAT WAS PROPOSED.

I KNOW ANDREW DID A LOT OF WORK ON THAT.

AND SO AND THEN OUR STAFF DOUG, MICHAEL AND REAGAN ARE ALL HERE.

AND SO WE THINK IT'S AN INVALUABLE TOOL TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO PROSPECT.

WE HAVE IT ON THE WEB SITE.

I MEAN, IT'S OUT THERE. AND SO, AGAIN, ALSO WORKING WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS, WITH POTTER AND AN AMARILLO COLLEGE AND THE GROUND WATER DISTRICT.

WE USE THAT ON THAT LAST PROJECT WITH SSI AS WELL.

I THINK IT SHOWS TWO THINGS.

I THINK IT SHOWS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES PREPARED.

SO WE'VE DONE WELL AS MUCH OF THE PRE-WORK AS WE CAN FOR THEM, AND IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE UNIFIED IN MOVING FORWARD TO BUILD THE ECONOMY.

SO I THINK IF I WAS SEARCHING AROUND, I'D WANT TO ELIMINATE AS MUCH UNCERTAINTY ABOUT MY PROJECT AS I COULD.

AND I THINK THAT DOCUMENT, THAT POLICY HELPS TO DO THAT.

WELL, I THINK IT IS ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A PROJECT IN THE CITY AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR ABATEMENT AND YOU'VE GOT FOUR BODIES THAT ARE USING THE SAME DOCUMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.

ANOTHER THING THAT YOU MENTIONED IS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MORE AWARE OF BECAUSE WE GET, YOU KNOW, QUARTERLY REPORTS FROM YOU GUYS.

BUT SOMETIMES WHEN I ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DOES THE AEDC DO IN AMARILLO, REALLY A GREAT ANSWER IS THEY PLAY OUR LONG GAME FOR US ECONOMICALLY.

AND THAT'S PART OF YES, IT TAKES A MINUTE FOR YOU ALL TO PUT YOUR DEALS TOGETHER, BUT THEN IT TAKES EVEN LONGER FOR US TO SOMETIMES SEE THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THEM.

AND SO I THINK A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU GUYS DO IS PLAY THE ECONOMIC LONG GAME.

AND IT'S THROUGH PROJECTS THAT BRING, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR THEY BRING THIS [INAUDIBLE].

AND WHEN YOU MULTIPLY IT OUT OVER 20 OR 30 YEARS, THEN YOU SEE A LARGE IMPACT IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THIS PROSPECT CAME THROUGH THE WEB SITE AND QUICK RESPONSE FROM OUR TEAM DURING THAT PERIOD TO RESPOND TO THAT THAT LEAD THAT CAME OFF OF OUR WEB SITE.

SO PRETTY EXCITING.

AMAZING TO SEE THAT MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY IS INSTEAD OF IT NECESSARILY BEING YOU FINDING LEADS AND PURSUING THEM.

PEOPLE ARE DOING GOOGLE SEARCHES AND FINDING US OR FINDING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY THEY'RE GONNA KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY THAN PROBABLY YOU DO BY THE TIME THEY COME FOR A FIRST SITE VISIT.

SO IT'S KIND OF CURIOUS WHAT KIND OF COURSES AC IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO, LIKE RAPPELLING COURSES. I WILL TELL YOU THAT BILL TOLD U S OR TOLD REAGAN THE STORY, THAT HE GOT INTO THE BUSINESS BECAUSE HE WAS A ROCK CLIMBER AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBER AND A GUY SAID HEY, YOU NEED TO GET IN THE WIND BUSINESS.

AND THAT'S SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING 150 ADRENALINE JUNKIES TO AMARILLO.

YES, THAT'LL BE AWESOME.

AND TO SEE THE VIDEO, TO SEE A VIDEO OF THESE GUYS WORKING ON THAT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT IN PERSON.

YEAH. KEVIN, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT.

THE EVENT THAT YOU HAD THE NIGHT BEFORE THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND YOU HAD A SLIDESHOW OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED LAST YEAR.

AND I JUST IT WAS JUST SO ENCOURAGING TO SEE.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE.

YEAH, 4 PROJECTS LAST YEAR. YES.

PRETTY EXCITING. YEAH. TO CELEBRATE THIS, THE SUCCESSES OF LAST YEAR AND JUST WATCHING IT. I JUST HAD SUCH A SENSE OF JUST KNOWING THAT THIS NEXT YEAR, 2020, IT WAS EVEN GOING TO BE A LOT. THERE WERE GOING TO BE A LOT MORE SLIDES.

AND TO SEE YOU STARTING THE FIRST MONTH.

YEAH, JANUARY WE ALREADY GOT.

AND THAT'S STARTING. IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I WILL TELL YOU, I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING OUR STATE OF THE ECONOMY.

THE REALLY COOL STATISTIC THAT CAME OUT, IT CAME OUT AFTERWARDS.

WE HAD NINE HUNDRED PEOPLE LIVE STREAMING 400 THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND 500 THROUGH THE PBS. AND SO, WOW, THAT WAS IT'S GREAT THAT CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE ECONOMY IS AND AND HOW WE FURTHER THAT.

AND YOU BROUGHT A GREAT MAN BY BRINGING RAY [INAUDIBLE] HE SURE MAKES THINGS A COMPLICATED SUBJECT COME ACROSS RELATIVELY.

HE DID A GREAT JOB AND I THOUGHT OUR LOCAL PANEL DID AN AMAZING JOB AFTERWARDS.

SO KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

AND YOU GUYS ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO EMPOWER US AS A COMMUNITY WITH THAT SPECIFIC ECONOMIC KNOWLEDGE.

SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

AND I WANT TO GIVE OUT A SHOUT OUT TO REAGAN HALES, BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING UP.

YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, THIS PROSPECT CAME THROUGH THE WEB SITE.

[01:15:01]

IT'S A CONTINUOUS. SEVEN YEARS.

YEAH. SO HER AND SAVANNAH ARE CONTINUALLY WORKING ON THAT AS WELL AS SABRINA WITH THE NEW TAKE ROOT. AND SO IT'S IT'S I MEAN, HERE OVER FIVE YEARS.

TOTALLY. IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY IN YOUR LIFE THAT'S A FISHERMAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S ALWAYS THE NEXT BAIT.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALWAYS CRAFTING IT THIS TIME OF DAY.

SO THESE GUYS ARE TRULY FISHING FOR OUR NEXT ECONOMIC ACTIVATOR TO COME INTO THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT WEB SITE IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF OUR BEST HOOKS.

BUT YOU'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO CHANGE AND UPDATE THE BAIT.

AND IT'S A LOT OF WORK. SO I JUST I DIDN'T WANT TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU GUYS A PAT ON THE BACK AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S A TON OF WORK.

AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING. IT'S NOT LIKE A COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD.

YOU DON'T JUST SLAP UP NEW INFORMATION UP THERE.

IT'S A LOT OF RESEARCH, A LOT OF METRICS, A LOT OF DATA BEHIND THE WEB SITE.

AND THAT'S BEEN AN INVESTMENT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND DOLLARS ON YOUR PART.

AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE FRUIT OF IT.

NOW, YOU GUYS STARTED SEVEN YEARS AGO MAKING THAT CHANGE.

LAST YEAR, HE HAD FOUR PROJECTS.

THEY WERE GREAT. THIS YEAR, IT'S JANUARY.

WE'RE ALREADY STARTING WITH A PROJECT.

SO GOOD JOB.

ANYBODY ELSE? KEVIN? OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM THREE D? YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SUSPENDEM FOR THE CREATION OF NEW JOBS IN AMARILLO.

AND THAT'S UP TO $1.56 MILLION. SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SUSPENDEM. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE MOTION RE-READ OR ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE ITEM.

OKAY. SO ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE .

ANYONE OPPOSED? THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE?

[E. CONSIDER PURCHASE AND LEASEBACK: REAL ESTATE LOCATED AT 509 SOUTH JOHNSON STREET: (Contact: Kevin Starbuck, Assistant City Manager) This item authorizes the City Manager to execute a contract, leaseback, and other necessary documents for the purchase of an office, warehouse and land located at 509 South Johnson Street in Downtown Amarillo. The purchase is for $3,850,000 plus closing costs and related expenses.]

WE'VE GOT BASICALLY ONE SLIDE.

I'M TO GO OVER THE DETAILS OF THE PURCHASE AND THEN WE CAN RESPOND ANY QUESTIONS.

WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF STAFF HERE THAT CAN RESPOND TO QUESTIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

THE BUILDING IS A GDI GRAHAM DATA IS THE BUILDING IF YOU RECOGNIZE IT.

THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TOTAL SQUARE FEET FOR THE BUILDING OF THAT A BOUT A THIRD OF IT IS RECENTLY MODERNIZED OFFICE SPACE, ELEVEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE, 24,150 SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSE.

THERE'S MULTIPLE BUSINESSES OPERATING OUT OF THE BUILDING.

IT'S A .96 ACRE SITE DIRECTLY EAST OF CITY HALL BEHIND THE CIVIC CENTER, ABOUT EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE CITY HALL PARKING LOT AND THE CIVIC CENTER ITSELF.

AS FAR AS BEING STRAIGHT ACROSS JOHNSON STREET.

I N FACT, THE PICTURE THAT YOU SEE THERE IS BASICALLY AT THE ENTRY TO OUR PARKING LOT, THE NORTH ENTRY TO THE CITY HALL PARKING LOT.

THE BUILDING APPRAISED LATE LAST YEAR AT $2.9 MILLION, ROUGHLY EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS A SQUARE FOOT.

THAT'S HIGHER THAN OUR RECENT APPRAISALS FOR NEIGHBORING BUILDINGS BECAUSE ONE THIRD OF THE BUILDING IS RECENTLY RENOVATED, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, OFFICE SPACE.

AND MOST OF THE PREVIOUS APPRAISALS WERE FOR EITHER VACANT OR PURE, EITHER VACANT WAREHOUSE OR PURE WAREHOUSE OR OLD DILAPIDATED WAREHOUSE.

SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE APPRAISED PRICES.

ADDITIONAL $950000 ON TOP OF THE APPRAISED PRICE TO GET TO THE 3.8 MILLION DOLLARS THAT YOU SEE ON THE PROPOSED PURCHASE PRICE IS FOR COSTS DUE TO BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, BUSINESS RELOCATION OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THERE.

THE PURCHASE ALLOWS THE CURRENT OCCUPANTS TO CONTINUE TO USE THE BUILDING UNTIL JUNE OF NEXT YEAR WHILE THEY IDENTIFY AND CONSTRUCT NEW SPACE.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NO SCENARIO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE BUILDING PRIOR TO THAT POINT, BUT WE WILL CONCEIVABLY NEED IT AFTER THAT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ARRIVED AT THAT DATE.

ONE TO GIVE THEM TIME TO FIND NEW LOCATION AND 2 TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE NEED THE BUILDING, IF WE NEED THE BUILDING, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUILDING.

THE TOTAL COST IS LOWER THAN WHAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE PAID THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN.

AND CITY COUNCILS PREVIOUSLY STATED DESIRE TO NOT USE EMINENT DOMAIN BECAUSE OF THE ADVERSARIAL NATURE OF IT AGAINST OUR CITIZENS.

SO WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL HAS FOR ME OR FOR ANYONE WITH STAFF? AND THE PURCHASE PRICE, AS I SAID EARLIER, IS $3.85 MILLION. COUNCIL I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

[01:20:04]

MY THINKING WAS WE'RE CONSIDERING A CIVIC CENTER EXPANSION AND IF WE EXPAND AS THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PROPOSES, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY MUST BE PURCHASED.

AND SO YOU HAVE A TIMING ISSUE THERE.

YOU CAN WAIT AND TRY TO PURCHASE IT AFTER A POSSIBLE ELECTION AND EVEN A POSSIBLE ELECTION FROM THE VOTERS THAT SAYS ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD.

IF YOU DO THAT, YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MORE FOR IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, TIMING AFFECTS THE PRICE IN ANY DEAL.

AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS.

WE KNOW THAT EITHER NOW OR LATER, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT UP THERE ON THE AERIAL SHOT, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO THE EXPANSION OF THE CIVIC CENTER OR THE RENOVATION OF THE CIVIC CENTER.

WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO DO IT NOW OR WHETHER WE'RE GONNA DO IT FIVE OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW, THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

AND I'M TRYING TO THINK LONG TERM ABOUT IT.

IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CIVIC CENTER RIGHT NOW, THEN I CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE OTHER USES FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE REASON TO PURCHASE IT, BUT IT DOES HELP US, I THINK, COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT, WELL, IT MITIGATES THE RISK SHOULD WE NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CIVIC CENTER? IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE VALUE OUT OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.

WE COULD EITHER USE IT OR WE COULD SELL IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OPTIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT AS THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN IS DEVELOPING, IT'S BASICALLY TRENDING TOWARD AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

THE CURRENT BUSINESS THAT'S THERE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THAT.

THEY'RE LOADING AND BLOCKING TRAFFIC.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT THEY'RE GROWING BUSINESS.

I'M GLAD TO SEE THEY HAVE A GROWING BUSINESS HAS REALLY OUTGROWN THE LOCATION WHERE THEY ARE FOR THE BUSINESS THAT THEY ARE IN.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S EASIER TO CLEAN THAT UP NOW THAN LET IT KEEP BEING A PROBLEM AS THIS DEVELOPS WITH THE BALLPARK AND OTHER RESTAURANTS AND DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL, I JUST THINK THAT'S NOT COMPATIBLE FOR THE BUSINESSES THERE RIGHT NOW.

THOSE WERE MY THOUGHTS BEHIND WHY? ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS? WELL, MAYOR, I JUST THINK THAT THAT AS A COUNCIL, WE ARE TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF FUNDS THAT ARE ENTRUSTED TO US.

AND SO IF WE ACQUIRE THE PROPERTIES THAT WE NEED NOW, IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE NOW THAN GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WE COULD POTENTIALLY.

PAY MORE. IF WE COULD NOTE.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN HIGHLIGHT ON THIS SAME SLIDE, BUT JUST NOTE WHAT THE CITY OWNS ON THIS. SO IF I'M CORRECT THAT THE PROPERTY RIGHT TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST AND HOW FAR DOWN IT GOES TO THE EAST THEN.

THAT WOULD GIVE US OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF THAT ENTIRE AREA RIGHT THERE.

THAT FINALIZES THIS IS THE LAST PIECE IN THAT SET AREA.

THIS IS THE LAST PIECE OF THE AREA.

ONE HALF BLOCK DEEP DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM JOHNSON.

NOW THE BLOCK DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH OF THE PURCHASED PROPERTY.

WE OWN THAT ENTIRE BLOCK.

THE BLOCK JUST SOUTH OF THE PURCHASE.

WE OWN JUST THAT ONE BUILDING.

THE WAREHOUSE JUST TO THE SOUTH.

NOW, THAT'S ALL WE NEED FOR THE CIVIC CENTER PROJECT.

WE WOULDN'T WANT TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY THAT WE DO NOT NEED.

AND EVERY SINGLE PURCHASE THAT WE'VE MADE DIRECTLY ACROSS JOHNSON IN THIS AREA GIVES US DUAL PURPOSE FLEXIBILITY.

ONE, IF WE ARE IF WE DO CALL AN ELECTION IN OUR IN THAT ELECTION DOES PASS, THIS WILL GIVE US THE PROPERTY THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PROJECT.

BUT TWO AND FROM A FLEXIBILITY STANDPOINT IS A BENEFIT BECAUSE THE PROPERTY IS DOES HAVE A VERY USABLE OFFICE SPACE PAIRED WITH WAREHOUSE SPACE.

IT GOES WELL WITH A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS.

AND WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MOVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND TRY AND MOVE CHESS PIECES AROUND TO BE ABLE TO KEEP FROM ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS.

SO THIS WILL GIVE US SOME FLEXIBILITY MOVING FORWARD AS WELL AS THE ORGANIZATION GROWS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY THAT WE CAN USE WITH THE SPACE, BUT IT WOULD BE IS OBVIOUS THAT IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, IF A BOND ELECTION IS CALLED AND IF IT PASSES, THAT THIS WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THAT.

BUT YES, I THINK YOU'RE TO YOUR POINT, THERE'S A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY FOR IT REGARDLESS OF HOW WE GO FORWARD WITH CIVIC CENTER PROJECT.

[01:25:04]

JUST A COMMENT. WE HAD DEBATES AS TO WHETHER I'VE BEEN ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE BOND ISSUE PASSES OR NOT WHETHER WE NEED IT.

AND I THINK WE FOR SURE NEED IT I F WE FOLLOW THAT PLAN TO EXPAND THE CIVIC CENTER.

IF BOND ISSUE DOESN'T PASS, WE STILL NEED.

SO I'M OK WITH IT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED IT.

OBVIOUSLY, I'D LIKE TO PAY LESS, BUT THEY STARTED IT 4.9 MILLION, SO IT GONE DOWN.

SO, YEAH, I'M ON TO PAT HOWARD SMITH ON THE BACK FOR THAT A ND JARED MILLER, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT NEGOTIATION FOR HOW MANY MONTHS NOW? PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, I MAY MISSPEAK CLOSE TO A YEAR, MAYBE EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS.

PROBABLY. SO IT'S NOT BEEN RUSHED IN TO IT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT WE.

AGAIN, TIMING TIMING IS CHALLENGING.

SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE PAYING MORE FOR IT IF IT WERE TO HAVE AN EVENT THAT WOULD JUMP ITS PRICE UP. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR WORK IN IT.

YOU'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND I WOULD THANK THE GRAHAM DATA TEAM.

I FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN GOOD CIVIC CITIZENS IN COMING TO AN ARRANGEMENT THAT THEIR BUSINESS CAN KEEP GROWING UNDER, BUT THAT IT DIDN'T HOLD THE CITY BACK.

AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT THE CITIZEN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PAUSED ON THIS CONVERSATION FOR QUITE A WHILE BECAUSE THIS WAS ONE OF THE DECISION TREE AREAS, DO WE TRY AND STAY WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE SOME OF THE EXISTING OR TO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GO ACROSS JOHNSON WOULD REQUIRE PURCHASING ADDITIONAL PROPERTY, BUT THEN ATTACHING IT TO THE SOUTH EAST CORNER OF OUR CURRENT PROPERTY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY TOOK A LOT OF TIME EVALUATING, GOING BACK AND FORTH, CRUNCHING THOSE NUMBERS AND FELT THAT IT WOULD BE SHORT SIGHTED AND NOT THE VISION THAT THEY WANTED TO CAST FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND SO THAT THIS IS ALL TIED INTO THAT.

AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS JUST AN EARLIER COMMENT THAT TALKED ABOUT CITY HALL AND SOME OF THE COSTS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE POTENTIALS IF THE BOND IS CALLED AND IT DID NOT PASS AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER PURPOSES REPURPOSING OF THIS BUILDING, AN OPTION LOOKING IS HAVING CITY HALL AND THOSE THAT AREA AS WELL, BECAUSE THE COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT THIS CURRENT PROPERTY IS NOT JUST LITTLE MAINTENANCE.

WE'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

16, I'VE HEARD RANGES 16 TO OVER 20 MILLION DOLLARS THAT IS JUST CURRENTLY NEEDED.

NOT THE LONG TERM NEEDS CURRENT.

DEPENDING ON THE SCALE. I'M SORRY, DEPENDING ON THE SCALE OF THE PROJECT.

AND WE HAVE PRESENTED OPTIONS.

THE MOST RECENT UPDATES TO THOSE OPTIONS ON THIS FACILITY RANGED FROM 16 MILLION TO ALMOST 30 MILLION. AND IT JUST DEPENDS ON ARE WE JUST MODERNIZING EQUIPMENT, REPLACING CHILLERS, REPLACING TECHNOLOGY, REPLACING PLUMBING AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE FAILING AT AN INCREASINGLY RAPID PACE, INCLUDING HVAC AND ROOFING SYSTEMS. OR ARE WE MODERNIZING THE BUILDING WITH MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY ACCESS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT? SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE RANGE OF THOSE PRICES.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S FROM A NUMBER BIG NUMBER TO A VERY BIG NUMBER OF RANGE.

RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD CLARIFICATION.

YEAH, I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT POINT UP, ELAINE.

AND ALSO JUST LOOKING AT THAT, THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE ALSO CONSIDERED MAKING IT EVEN A BIGGER FOOTPRINT, CROSSING THAT ALLEY AND GOING INTO THE NEXT ROW OF BUILDINGS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY REALLY WENT THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

THE COST OF CROSSING THAT ALLEY, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DRIVE OVER IT AND DON'T THINK ABOUT ALL THE PIPES AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES UNDERNEATH THE ALLEY EASEMENT THERE. BUT IT ACTUALLY IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE.

AND THEY WEIGHED ALL OF THAT IN IN THE SIZE OF THE ARENA AND ALL OF THAT.

AND AND I KNOW WE HAD A CITIZEN EARLIER SAY, WELL, YOU'RE NOT REALLY CHANGING.

YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MANY MORE SEATS IN THE ARENA.

AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ON THAT, TOO.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TICKETS THAT YOU'RE GONNA SELL OR THE NUMBER OF SEATS IN THE NEW ARENA. IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE CEILING HEIGHT.

THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES RECONFIGURING ALL OF OUR EXHIBIT SPACE.

RIGHT NOW, WE'VE ADDED ON PIECEMEAL HERE AND THERE.

[01:30:03]

THAT MEANS WE NEED MORE SEATS IN THE ARENA.

WE NEED A TALLER CIVIC CENTER AND WE NEED SPACE THAT'S BETTER CONFIGURED, NOT JUST HOW MANY SQUARE FEET DO WE HAVE UNDER THE ROOF.

IT'S HOW IS THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE ACCESSIBLE? DOES IT HAVE A KITCHEN? DOES IT HAVE A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO STEP OUT IN THE HALLWAY AND MAKE A PHONE CALL AND SIT ON A COUCH RATHER THAN JUST STAND UP IN A CONCRETE WALKWAY? SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS THERE.

AND I APPRECIATE THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO WALK BACK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE WORK THAT THAT COMMITTEE DID AND THAT AND THE EXPANDED COMMITTEE AND SOME OF ITS CITIZENS LIKE RANDY, WHO CAME AND DID THOSE TOURS AND HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN COMMUNICATING THEIR IDEAS SINCE THOSE PUBLIC TOURS.

ALL OF THAT GOT PUT INTO MAKING DECISIONS SUCH AS WHAT SHOULD THE FOOTPRINT OF THE NEW ARENA BE? ANYTHING ELSE? OK. I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 3E.

MAYOR, I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT LEASEBACK AND OTHER NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN OFFICE WAREHOUSE IN LAND LOCATED AT 509 S JOHNSON STREET IN DOWNTOWN AMARILLO IN THE AMOUNT OF $ 3.85 MILLION PLUS CLOSING COST AND RELATED EXPENSES.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE AND LEASEBACK OF THE REAL ESTATE LOCATED AT 5 09 S JOHNSON STREET BEFORE WE VOTE. I DID THINK ON ONE MORE THING THAT IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR US TO TOUCH ON, AND THAT IS AGAIN, JUST HOW WE GET THAT VALUATION.

WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER WHO'S INDEPENDENT, WHO COMES UP WITH THE FAIR MARKET VALUE USING COMPARABLE SALES OF PROPERTY IN NEAR THAT LOCATION OR OF SIMILAR USE. AND IT IS CONFUSING AS TO WHY THAT VALUE DOESN'T MATCH WHAT'S ON THE TAX APPRAISAL ROLLS THAT THE POTTER RANDALL APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAS FOR THAT PROPERTY.

IN A LOT OF THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD JUST REMIND FOLKS THAT [INAUDIBLE] OPERATES AS A SEPARATE ENTITY.

THE CITY DOES NOT CONTROL THE PROCESS OR THE ULTIMATE VALUE IN AN APPRAISAL OF ANY PIECE OF PROPERTY SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST TELL US WHAT THE NUMBER IS AND THEN WE COLLECT TAXES BASED OFF OF THAT.

BUT THEY HAVE A SEPARATE PROCESS FOR THAT.

SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, [INAUDIBLE] IS A GREAT PLACE TO JUST GO AND ASK THEM.

HOW COULD THIS DIFFERENTIAL HAPPEN? I'LL MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT ON ONE REASON WHY I N A COMMERCIAL SENSE, THE VALUES TEND TO SHOW MORE OF A DISPARITY.

MORE OF A GAP IS BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A TOOL IN THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET THAT PUBLISHES PURCHASE PRICES.

SO WHEN YOU AND I SELL OUR HOUSE, OUR REALTOR HAS ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE WE HAD A REALTOR AND THE BUYER HAD A REALTOR.

AND THEN THAT GOES ON THE MLS SYSTEM THAT RESIDENTIAL REALTORS USE TO BUY AND SELL HOUSES. AND SO NEXT TIME THAT THE APPRAISER WANTS TO DO AN APPRAISAL ON THAT HOUSE AND [INAUDIBLE] HAS ACCESS TO THAT, TOO, THEY GET ALL OF THAT SALES DATA BECAUSE OF THE MLS SYSTEM. WELL, COMMERCIAL PURCHASES AND SALES DON'T TYPICALLY GO ON TO MLS.

SO THEY DON'T THEY DON'T HAVE A DATABASE LIKE THAT THAT SHOWS THEM WHAT A COMMERCIAL SALE IS. AND SO WHEN PERSON A SELLS TO PERSON B.

THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT IT SOLD FOR ARE PERSON A AND PERSON B.

AND SO THERE'S SORT OF NO WAY FOR [INAUDIBLE] TO GET THEIR NOSE UNDER THE INFORMATION TENT ABOUT HOW TO SHIFT THE VALUE AND USE THAT AS A COMPARABLE.

SO IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT IT'S BASED ON THE DATA THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT THOSE.

AND SO IF YOU'VE EVER SOLD A COMMERCIAL PIECE OF PROPERTY, YOU WILL GET A LETTER FROM [INAUDIBLE] THAT SAYS WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU PURCHASE THAT FOR.

OR WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU SOLD THAT FOR.

AND I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO ANSWERS THOSE LETTERS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHEN THEY DO, THEIR TAXES ARE GONNA GO UP.

SO IT'S JUST THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PIECE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY AND A PIECE OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AND IT.

IT MAKES IT AWKWARD UP HERE FOR US TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THAT EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING.

BUT I'M HAPPY TO KEEP EXPLAINING IT.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR IT.

WE ESTABLISH THAT FAIR MARKET VALUE BY USING AN INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL APPRAISER.

[01:35:01]

THEY I'M SURE THEY WILL. IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT.

I HAVE A QUESTION. AND HOWARD, YOU MAY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.

SO DOES [INAUDIBLE] EVER UPDATE THE VALUE OF A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY UNTIL IT'S SOLD? DO THEY EVER MAKE UPDATES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BASED ON INFLATION? YOU KNOW, THE CPI CHANGES OR IS IT ONLY THAT CHANGES WHEN A PROPERTY SELLS.

I CAN ANSWER THAT FOR RESIDENTIAL.

THEY DO IT ANNUALLY. NOW FOR COMMERCIAL.

FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THEY DO IT.

I KNOW WE'VE HAD COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES SHIFT WITHOUT IT BEING SOLD.

SO IT MUST BE ON SOME SORT OF SCHEDULE OR ROTATION FOR THEM TO LOOK AT.

MR. CITY MANAGER. WOULD YOU MIND TO HAVE STAFF JUST REACH OUT TO [INAUDIBLE] AND ASK THAT QUESTION? I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DO THAT GET THAT QUESTION A LOT. AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT IT DOESN'T TRACK THE WAY RESIDENTIAL DOES.

AND SO IT WOULD BE HELPFU L IN JUST ANSWERING SOME OF THE CITIZEN QUESTIONS ON KNOWING WHEN AND HOW, WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING AT AND HOW FREQUENTLY THEY UPDATE.

WE CAN GET A SUMMARY TO YOU IN RELATIVELY SHORT ORDER.

I'LL WORK WITH PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO GET THAT DONE.

THANKS. OK.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? OK.

I THINK WE HAVE EMOTION. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION, WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION I TEM.

SO, MR. CITY ATTORNEY. OH, YES, SIR.

I ASK TO PUT SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK.

YES. YOU MAY. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CIVIC CENTER.

ONE OF THE CITIZENS SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE DEBT.

I'D LIKE AN EXPLANATION IF WE COULD OF WHAT THE DEBT IS NOW.

WHAT THE DEBT WOULD BE IF WE DO GO FOR THE CIVIC CENTER AND COMPARE IT TO OTHER TOWNS.

WE'LL HAVE THAT SUMMARY AND WE CAN BRING IN DEPENDING ON THE ACCESS INFORMATION WE HAVE ACCESS TO, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING IN ALL OF OUR PEER COMPARATORS AS WELL AS THE TOP 30 CITIES IN THE STATE.

JUST GIVE YOU A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE CITIES THAT ARE IN OUR AREA OR THAT ARE COMPARED TO US AND ALL STATE CITIES STATEWIDE.

I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND WE'RE IN AN EXTREMELY ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION.

MR. CITY MANAGER AS PART OF THAT.

CAN WE BE SURE THAT WE GET A BREAK DOWN UOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE OUR OUR PROPERTY TAXES.

THE CITY HAS A PORTION.

SO IF WE CAN BE SURE, WE'RE CLARIFYING.

WE'RE GOING TO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AN INCREASE IN THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE AND THEN TO DO THE MATH ON WHAT THAT IS AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR CURRENT TOTAL TAX RATE. TOTAL TAX RATE. ABSOLUTELY.

YES, MA'AM. WE'VE GOT THAT AND WE'LL PUT THAT IN WE'LL INCLUDE THAT.

YEAH. IT MIGHT MAKE CITIZENS NERVOUS TO THINK WELL MY ENTIRE TAX BILL.

NO, NOT YOUR ENTIRE TAX BILL, JUST THE CITY'S PORTION.

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ON THE SMALLER END AS FAR AS. I'LL SAY, MY CPA HAS BEEN DID IT THE OTHER WAY FIRST. [INAUDIBLE] I SAID, THAT'S NOT CORRECT.

LET'S GO BACK AND RE TALK ABOUT THIS.

THAT'S GOOD. OK. WE'LL CALCULATE IT IN POTTER COUNTY.

RANDALL COUNTY. IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SPENDING ON WHICH COUNTY YOU LIVE IN, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO SHOW YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION.

AND TO THAT END, YOU CAN GO ON CONVERSATIONCIVICCENTER.COM.

THERE IS A TAX CALCULATOR THERE.

SO IF YOU GO TO CONVERSATION CIVICCENTER.COM, THERE'S A BUTTON THERE THAT SAYS CALCULATE MY TAXES AND IT'LL YOU CAN JUST ENTER YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU WILL SEE HOW MUCH THE PROPOSAL WOULD SHIFT YOUR TAXES PER YEAR.

SO THAT'S A VERY USEFUL TOOL.

JUST AGAIN, DEALING IN FACTS, KNOWING HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST EACH ONE OF US AS INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DATA POINT.

AND WOULD YOU SAY JUST THE WEB SITE ADDRESS AGAIN WHERE THEY FIND THAT.

CONVERSATIONCIVICCENTER.COM.

RIGHT. KEVIN, I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY.

OK. AND IS THERE THEN A TAB OR LINK Y OU HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM THERE TO GO TO THE CALCULATION. I THINK IT'S AN ORANGE BUTTON ON THE FRONT PAGE.

YEAH. SO IT'S ON THE HOME PAGE.

LOOK, STEPHANIE IS WORKING ON IT.

IS IT GOING TO COME UP, STEPHANIE? I'M GLAD WE'RE WALKING THROUGH THIS.

[01:40:02]

YEAH. OK. THERE YOU GO.

SO THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU, STEPHANIE. OK, MR.

[F. EXECUTIVE SESSION: City Council may convene in Executive Session to receive reports on or discuss any of the following pending projects or matters: 1) Section 551.072 - Discuss the purchase, exchange, lease, sale, or value of real property and public discussion of such would not be in the best interests of the City's bargaining position: (a) Discuss property located in the NE quadrant of the Central Business District.]

NO PROBLEM. SO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CLOSED SESSION AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON JANUARY THE 28, 2020 AT 2:41 P.M.

UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY, SECTION 551.072 DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, SALE, LEASE, VALUE OR REAL PROPERTY OF P UBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.

THANK YOU AT THIS TIME, WE'RE ADJOURNED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.