[00:00:03]
>> IN OUR ORGANIZATION, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I APPRECIATE THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE IN ME, JARED, AND ALLOWING ME TO BECOME PART OF YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM OR ANOTHER STEP IN YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS EVEN MORE AS WE GO FORWARD.
>> WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING YOU [NOISE] IN A NEW ROLE.
IT WILL FEEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO US, BUT MAINLY, WE'RE STILL JUST GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
WE ALREADY COUNT ON YOU FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WATCH YOU GROW INTO A NEW LEADERSHIP POSITION AS WELL.
>> I DID GET NOTIFIED BY THE MEETING HOUSE THAT WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE ON OUR LIVE STREAM.
SO JARED, DO YOU WANT TO ADVISE US ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD CONTINUE OR DO WE NEED TO PAUSE?
>> LAURA, IF WE CAN, LET'S PAUSE FOR JUST A MOMENT AND I WILL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION VERY QUICKLY.
SO WE CAN PAUSE, STAY ON THE FEED.
IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GETTING THE THUMBS UP.
WE'RE UP AND RUNNING NOW, SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
>> ALL IT TOOK WAS MENTIONING IT.
>> QUICK SOLUTION. OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S JOINING US TODAY.
WE HAD A SMALL TECHNICAL GLITCH THERE FOR A MOMENT.
SO IF YOU MISSED US, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE MISSING YOU, BUT YOU MIGHT'VE MISSED US WHILE WE WERE DOING SOME INTRODUCTIONS ON A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEE CHANGES.
MARTIN BIRKENFIELD HAS BEEN APPOINTED OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF, AND WE HAVE A NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN LAURA STORRS.
SO THAT CATCHES YOU UP TO WHAT YOU POSSIBLY MISSED.
WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS A PRESENTATION FOR
[PRESENTATION]
THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. MR. CITY MANAGER.>> ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE, IN THAT I JUST CHANNELED OR MENTIONED THE NAME AND I DON'T MEAN IT IN THE WAY OF ALL THEM WORK, BUT I DID MENTION THE NAME OF MICHELLE BONNER AND I THINK WE HAVE HER ON THE PRESENTATION.
THERE SHE IS, ON THE CALL RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO THROW IT TO MICHELLE OR TO LAURA, BUT THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISHED BUDGET IS A BIG THING. IT'S A BIG DEAL.
THIS IS THE NUMBER 1 THING THAT EVERY FINANCE AND BUDGET DEPARTMENT IN ALL THE CITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS WORK TO ACHIEVE BECAUSE OF THE BENCHMARK THAT SAYS WE'RE WORKING IN A VERY TRANSPARENT MANNER.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING IN A VERY EFFICIENT AND MONETARILY RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT OUR RESIDENCE, AND OUR COUNCIL, AND OUR ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE THINGS THAT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS DOING WITH THE BUDGET AND WITH OUR FINANCES. SO MICHELLE.
>> DID WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF RECEIVING THAT AWARD AND IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
I WANT TO THANK LAURA AND HER STAFF; THEY DO A GREAT JOB ON THE BUDGET AND MAKING SURE THE CITY IS IN COMPLIANT, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M EXCITED FOR THIS CITY TO HAVE LAURA AS YOUR NEW CITY MANAGER.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ON THE PRESENTATION? [LAUGHTER]
>> JARED, IF I COULD ADD ONE THING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> OKAY, PERFECT. SO I WANTED TO ALSO MENTION THAT THIS IS THE 28TH TIME THAT THE CITY OF AMARILLO HAS RECEIVED THIS DISTINGUISHED BUDGET AWARD, AND AS YOU BOTH HAVE MENTIONED, IT TAKES A LOT OF HOURS AND A LOT OF TEAMWORK INTO PUTTING TOGETHER THIS BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT MEETS VERY STRICT CRITERIA THAT'S JUDGED BY THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF STARTING ANOTHER BUDGET AND LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING THIS STRAIGHT GOING TO NUMBER 29.
>> [LAUGHTER] OKAY. EXCELLENT. THAT SOUNDED LIKE I WAS CHUCKLING THERE, REALLY DIDN'T MEAN IT THAT WAY.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL, AND WE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE COUNCILS, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA OR FOR MICHELLE?
>> OKAY. WE MAY NOT HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT WE CERTAINLY [NOISE] CONGRATULATIONS AND I THINK ALL OF US AGREE THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS ONE OF OUR PILLARS, AND WE CAN'T DO THE REST OF OUR PILLARS UNLESS THAT PART IS CORRECT.
SO THIS IS JUST AN INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.
I'VE SEE IT AS AN INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION OF THE HARD WORK THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY IS FISCALLY VERY SOUND.
[00:05:02]
WE CAN SET THE POLICY AND THE DIRECTION FOR THAT, BUT THE CARRYING OUT OF IT FALLS TO LAURA AND HER TEAM AND MICHELLE AND THE TEAM THAT SHE'S LED FOR SO MANY YEARS.SOMETIMES WE WISH YOU COULD DO MORE WITH THE LOAVES AND THE FISHES, BUT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT YOU DO.
WE NEVER DOUBTED WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US IS ACCURATE AND THAT'S A BIG, HUGE COMPONENT OF IT.
COUNCIL, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT? OKAY. MICHELLE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY.
>> WELL,I I'TS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> OKAY [NOISE] AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO DOING PUBLIC ADDRESS.
STEPHANIE, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ OFF OUR FIRST PUBLIC ADDRESS, PLEASE?
[PUBLIC ADDRESS]
>> YES, MA'AM. OUR FIRST PUBLIC ADDRESS IS MR. MICHAEL FORD AND I WILL UNMUTE [OVERLAPPING]
>> YEAH. TO REMIND YOU, MR. FORD, THAT WE NORMALLY FLASH UP THE RULES OF DECORUM AND ALL OF THAT, BUT JUST TRY TO KEEP YOUR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES AND KEEP THEM TO SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA AND NO PERSONAL ATTACKS.
THAT'S BASICALLY THE RUN OF IT.
>> OKAY. I'VE GOT THREE MINUTES ON MY WATCH. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> I'M A [LAUGHTER] FORMER STATE OFFICIAL, 14 YEARS OF STATE OF TEXAS.
I PROMISE I WILL BE POLITE OF MY REMARKS.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS HOWEVER, ON ITEM 3(D), WHICH IS A PARTICULAR CONCERN AND CAN SOMEONE PROVIDE SOME DETAIL IN TERMS OF WHAT THE $5,000 TO A PARTICULAR BUSINESS WILL ENTAIL?
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND IF YOU DON'T MIND, MR. FORD, JUST GOING THROUGH ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL TAKE NOTES AND ADDRESS THEM THAT WAY.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE, SIR.
WHAT DOES THE $5,000 [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE ASKING?
>> THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR MY REMARKS, BUT I'LL GO FORWARD ON THAT.
I DID READ A AMARILLO GOLD NEWS ARTICLE AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT FOR THE $5,000, THE PROMOTION PARTNERS WILL BE REQUIRED OR EXPECTED TO SUBMIT FIVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
IF THAT IS IN FACT CORRECT, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT IS FAR AND WAY ABOVE THE MARKET PRICE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS.
JUST A VERY SIMPLE AND QUICK LOOK.
LOOKING AT THE WEB FX FOR AD SPEND AND SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES.
FOR $2,300 A MONTH, YOU CAN GET FOUR NETWORKS AND A MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL, WHICH IS WHAT THE CITY IS POISED TO APPROVE, WOULD GIVE YOU 435 MONTHS OR 36 YEARS OF COVERAGE, AS OPPOSED TO FIVE OR 1,000 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, WHICH IS WHAT THE AEDC MONEY WOULD PURCHASE IN THIS PURPOSE.
YOU'D BE GETTING $174-$348,000 IN AD SPENDS, YOU'D GET 26, 000 SOCIAL POSTS, AND YOU WOULD GET 2,180 BOOSTED POSTS.
WITH MY REMAINING TIME, I THINK I'VE GOT 45 SECONDS, THE MAYOR SAID THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS ONE OF OUR PILLARS.
I DO KNOW MICHELLE OBAMA, SHE'S AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE.
SHE WAS VERY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT IF THE CITY WITH GOING OUT LOOKING FOR THESE SERVICES FOR A MILLION DOLLARS, THAT WE'LL BE SPENDING A MILLION DOLLARS FOR 2,000 OR 1,000 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
THIS JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AND IT DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BEING SPENT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A GENERAL PURPOSE TO TRY AND PROMOTE AND HELP PEOPLE IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. FORD. WE'LL GET DEFINITELY MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT DURING THE PRESENTATION ON THAT ITEM.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS.
THEN I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON WHO HAS REGISTERED TO THE PUBLIC ADDRESS.
>> YES, MA'AM, IT IS. I AM ALLOWING HIM TO TALK RIGHT NOW.
[00:10:02]
>> I'M UNMUTED. YAY. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
IT'S BEEN FUN WATCHING YOU GUYS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
IT SEEMS, AS FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS AND I'VE BEEN SOMEONE THAT HAS LOOKED AT TYPE A AND TYPE B, AEDC WORK AND HOW THEY ARE TO USE THE MONEY, THAT EVEN IN THE SECTION THAT YOU USED FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES IN THE AGENDA ITEM HERE, IT HAS TO PASS THROUGH YOU-ALL'S SUPERVISION AS AN AUTHORIZING UNIT, AS A COUNCIL.
IT SEEMS, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THAT THIS IS OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF THE TYPE A TAX USE.
IT'S BEEN LIKE NOTHING BEFORE, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE, FIRST OFF, YOU'RE GOING TO HELP 200 COMPANIES, SUPPOSEDLY.
THIS IS HARD TALKING LIKE THIS ON HERE.
YOU'RE GOING GIVE THEM $5,000 OR SOMEHOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK BECAUSE NONE OF THE DETAILS ON THAT ARE OUT.
YOU SAY THERE'S A FORM ON THE AGENDA, BUT THERE'S NOT ONE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA TODAY, TO WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE FORM WHERE PEOPLE SIGN UP AND WHAT THEIR OBLIGATION IS TO BE A PROMOTIONAL PARTNER WITH THE AEDC AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO WORK WITH THEM.
BACK TO WHAT MIKE WAS SAYING, IS IT A GOOD USE OF THE MONEY? THAT'S A MILLION DOLLARS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMENDED BUDGET AT THE END, THEY'RE BASICALLY ADDING A MILLION DOLLARS TO THEIR BUDGET. WHERE'D THAT COME FROM? I JUST HAVE TO ASK, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE GO FROM THREE POINT SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS TO FOUR POINT SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS.
DID THEY JUST HAVE THAT? ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU BRING IT TO MORE OF A VOTE FROM THIS POINT ON TO WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET IN THERE AND SCRUTINIZE OVER WHETHER THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA FOR ANY 200 BUSINESSES.
THEN THE OTHER SIDE WOULD BE HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PICK AND CHOOSE.
I HEAR IT'S A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED, BUT I HOPE THERE ISN'T ALREADY SOME FIRST COMES THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THAT'S ALREADY SIGNING UP BECAUSE I SEE NO FORM.
SO BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT'S FIXING TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL, WE'LL JUST, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, CHOOSE TO ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN WE GET TO ACTUALLY THE PRESENTATION ON THAT ITEM.
WE HAVE THOSE PRESENTERS WHO ARE UP AND READY TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION.
>> YEAH. I'M GETTING HEAD NODS THEN.
OKAY. LET'S MOVE ONTO AGENDA ITEM 1A,
[A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments;]
WHICH IS REVIEW THE ITEMS FOR THE REGULAR MEETING IN THE ATTACHMENT.IS THERE ANYTHING FURTHER INFORMATION-WISE WE NEED BEFORE WE GET STARTED INTO THE AGENDA, COUNCIL?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, MAYOR.
>> NO. ITEM 1B IS AN UPDATE ON THE CORONA VIRUS, MR. CITY MANAGER.
[B. Coronavirus Update;]
>> RIGHT. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS FIRST GO TO CASIE STOUGHTON, OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
CASIE, DO WE HAVE DR. MILTON WITH US THIS AFTERNOON?
>> NO, I'M SORRY. HE'S SEEING PATIENTS.
>> I KNEW THAT WAS A MAYBE TYPE THING, SO I WASN'T POSITIVE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CASIE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON CORONA VIRUS FROM A NUMERICAL STANDPOINT, FROM A TESTING STANDPOINT, ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE STATE AND TO CORONAVIRUS.
NOW, I'M GOING TO TOUCH BASE ON SOME OF OUR CITY FACILITIES AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH WHAT WE ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
OBVIOUSLY, AS WE GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE THINGS, WHILE CASIE IS MAKING HER PRESENTATIONS, OR WHILE I'M TALKING, OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT WE BRING ON TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS, COUNCIL, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT AND ASK THE QUESTION AS WE'RE GOING. SO CASIE.
>> YES. AS OF NOON TODAY, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 2,903 CASES OF COVID-19 RECORDED IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES;
[00:15:03]
2,251 IN POTTER COUNTY AND 652 IN RANDALL COUNTY.THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF 638 RECOVERIES AND A TOTAL OF 32 DEATHS REPORTED IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.
THAT LEAVES US WITH 2,233 ACTIVE CASES.
EACH OF THE CASES REPRESENT A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL.
STAFF WORK TO REMOVE ANY DUPLICATED TEST RESULTS BEFORE REPORTING THE NUMBERS FOR THE DAY.
LOOKING AT HOSPITAL CAPACITY, AS OF TODAY, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 52 COVID PATIENTS IN THE TWO HOSPITALS FOR A HOSPITALIZATION RATE OF 1.79 PERCENT.
WITH A SHARP INCREASE IN CASES LAST WEEK AND A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS, THE PERCENT HOSPITALIZED IS EVEN BETTER THIS WEEK THAN IT WAS LAST WEEK.
I THINK LAST WEEK, WE WERE AROUND 2.9 PERCENT.
TOTAL ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS 59 PERCENT.
ICU CAPACITY IS AROUND 68 PERCENT, AND THAT'S UP FROM 65 PERCENT LAST WEEK.
VENTILATOR USE IS AT 41 PERCENT, WHICH IS UP FROM 40 PERCENT LAST WEEK.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED HOW MANY CASES WERE ASYMPTOMATIC DURING THE TYSON TESTING THAT WAS CONDUCTED AT THE PLANT, GOODNESS, NOW, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I THINK THE MONTH IS MOVING ALONG VERY QUICKLY.
BASED ON A CURSORY SAMPLE THAT OUR STAFF HAND COUNTED, 45 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO TESTED POSITIVE WERE ASYMPTOMATIC.
I NEED TO START THAT SENTENCE OVER.
>> YEAH. DO YOU MIND? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO OUR STAFF HAND COUNTED AND 45 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO TESTED POSITIVE WERE ASYMPTOMATIC.
AS WE HAVE ADDITIONAL DATA AND THE NUMBER MAY CHANGE, BUT IT DOES HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND HAND WASHING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP OF TYSON IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR BEING THE FIRST EMPLOYER TO TEST ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AS OF TODAY, 60 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL COVID CASES IN POTTER IN RANDALL COUNTY ARE RELATED TO THE MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY AND 71 PERCENT ARE RELATED TO ESSENTIAL TYPE WORK OR JOBS.
AGAIN, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT THE RISK IS SPECIFIC TO MEAT PACKING, LIKE THE MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY, BUT PLACES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND WORK IN CLOSE QUARTERS, WHICH BRINGS US TO THE NURSING HOME TESTING.
AMARILLO PUBLIC HEALTH AND AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE TESTING OF NURSING HOMES IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF 1665 TESTS CONDUCTED IN NURSING HOMES.
AMARILLO PUBLIC HEALTH SO FAR HAS RECEIVED 500 NEGATIVE TESTS, AND THERE ARE 126 NURSING HOME RESIDENTS AND STAFF WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.
THERE ARE 12 NURSING HOMES TOTAL.
TEN OF THE NURSING HOMES HAVE POSITIVE TESTS IDENTIFIED, AND WE ANTICIPATE AN ORDER TO INCLUDE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES AND GROUP HOMES TO FOLLOW.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ABSOLUTELY, OPEN TO QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR CASIE?
>> CASIE, WOULD YOU REPEAT THE NUMBER? OUT OF THE 1665 TESTS THAT WE HAVE ADMINISTERED IN NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, 500 WERE NEGATIVE AND HOW MANY WERE POSITIVE?
>>THOUGH WE'VE ONLY TESTED NURSING HOMES, THE ORDER ONLY INCLUDED NURSING HOMES.
SO FAR, WE'VE RECEIVED AROUND 500 NEGATIVES, 126 POSITIVES, AND THEN THERE ARE STILL QUITE A FEW PENDING.
>> THEN WE EXPECT AN ORDER TO INCLUDE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES AND GROUP HOMES TO FOLLOW.
SO THAT FIRST ORDER WAS JUST VERY SPECIFIC TO NURSING HOMES.
SO THOSE FACILITIES THAT ARE LICENSED ONLY AS NURSING HOMES AND THEN FACILITIES THAT ARE LICENSED AS ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES OR GROUP HOMES, AND WE EXPECT THOSE IN A LATER ORDER.
>> [OVERLAPPING] CASIE, YOU MENTIONED THE TIMELINE OF THE TESTING THAT WAS DONE AT TYSON, DO YOU FEEL LIKE PRETTY WE'VE GOTTEN ALL THE RESULTS IN FROM THAT AND THEN WE STILL HAVE JBS TESTS THAT ARE OUT?
[00:20:05]
>> YES. SO JBS, THE TESTING THAT'S BEING CONDUCTED THERE IS LIKELY TO FINISH TODAY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] COME OUT [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY'RE NOT JUST FINISHING CONDUCTING [INAUDIBLE]
>> CASIE, WE HAVE A FEEL FOR HOW MANY AMARILLO EMPLOYEES JBS HAS, PEOPLE WHO WORK AT JBS THAT ARE ALSO RESIDENTS AT AMARILLO?
>> I DON'T, JUST AN ABSOLUTE GUESS.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT I WOULD GUESS THERE'S PROBABLY BETWEEN 300 AND 500, PROBABLY CLOSER TO THE 300 MARK.
TELL ME ALSO THOSE TEST RESULTS, WHAT I'M HEARING IS IF THEY'RE TAKING A LITTLE LONGER TO GET BACK NOW AS MORE PEOPLE ARE TESTING IN BIGGER GROUPS, THE STATE LABS HAVE SLOWED DOWN ON TURNING THOSE TESTS AROUND. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN MANY OF THE LABS.
SO EVEN IN THE PRIVATE LAB THAT WE'RE USING, IT'S JUST TAKING A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR THOSE TEST RESULTS TO TURN AROUND JUST BECAUSE OF THE MASS QUANTITY OF TESTS THAT ARE BEING SENT.
>> OKAY. [OVERLAPPING] GO AHEAD, ELAINE.
>> SO AS FAR AS PEAKING AND RATES OF GROWTH, WHERE ARE WE ON THE CURVE RIGHT NOW? I'M LOOKING AT TODAY'S REPORT CARD WHAT WE JUST GOTTEN.
SO WE HAD 13 NEW CASES IN POTTER, FOUR IN RANDALL.
SO ARE WE TRENDING DOWN IN OUR NEW CASES? THE RATE OF GROWTH? WHAT IS OUR DOUBLING RATE NOW? I WOULD THINK THAT WE'RE STRETCHING OUT THERE NOW.
>> I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SLOWED DOWN.
I DIDN'T CALCULATE THE DOUBLING RATE TODAY, I'M SORRY, BUT I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE WE DEFINITELY SLOWED DOWN.
THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS WHEN WE HAD A NEGATIVE NET INCREASE AND SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO START SEEING MORE OF THAT INDEFINITELY.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE LOWER NUMBERS OF NET POSITIVES.
SO AS WE START TO SEE THOSE LOWER NUMBERS EACH DAY, THEN I THINK WE'RE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> THE 700 TESTS THAT CAME IN ON ONE DAY, IT SKEWS OUR NUMBERS AS FAR AS LOOKING AT OUR DOUBLING.
IT'S REALLY GOING TO STRING OUT WHEN OUR DOUBLING RATES ARE WHEN YOU HAVE A NUMBER COME IN LIKE THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUMP 1,400 OR DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE HAD BEFORE.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY OF JUST EXCLUDING EVEN THOUGH THAT BIG ONE CHUNK.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S A HELPFUL NUMBER, BUT IT'S JUST I AM INTERESTED IN WHERE WE ARE ON THE DOUBLING RATE.
SO IF YOU CAN SEND ME THAT LATER AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT OR FEEDBACK ON HOW SOME OF THE MASS TESTING THAT WE DID MAY DISTORT SOME OF THAT TRACKING.
>> THE LARGE NUMBER AT TYSON, THEY'RE GOING TO SKEW ON THE FRONT AND THE BACK SIDE OF THEIR PROCESS.
SO ON THE FRONT SIDE, IT WAS A LOT OF POSITIVES.
ON THE BACKSIDE, IT'S GOING TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF RECOVERIES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL HOPE FOR.
WE WILL WORK TO CONTROL FOR THAT TO MANAGE THE EFFECT THAT THAT HAS ON WHAT WE DO NEXT.
AS WE CONSIDER MOVING FROM CONDITION RED TO CONDITION ORANGE, WE'RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL STANDARDS, THE CDC STANDARDS ON THAT, LOOKING FOR 14 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, DECLINING NUMBERS, DECLINING ACTIVE CASES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CASIE, AND DR. MILTON, AND THE REST OF OUR TEAM ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT VERY INTENSELY.
BUT FOR SURE, THOSE LARGE NUMBERS ALL BEING DONE AT THE SAME TIME ARE GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT VERY CAREFULLY AND CLOSELY AS WE CONSIDER HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE OTHER THING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE AWARE OF IS THE TESTING AT THE NURSING HOMES.
THE POSITIVE RETURN RATE WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE POSITIVE RETURN RATES, AT LEAST BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR,
[00:25:02]
THAT WE EXPERIENCED FOR ASYMPTOMATIC CASES.THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE IN POSITIVE RETURN RATE BETWEEN SYMPTOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC, BUT THIS RETURN VERY CLOSELY TO THE ASYMPTOMATIC RETURN NUMBERS.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IN DETAIL WITH CASIE, SO I DON'T WANT TO THROW YOU ON THE SPOT, CASIE, BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING INTO AS WELL AS WE ANALYZE THE NUMBERS COMING BACK FROM THE NURSING HOME TESTING.
>> MR. CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU JUST REVIEW AGAIN WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS LOOKING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT PHASE? [OVERLAPPING].
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FROM 25 PERCENT TO 50 PERCENT.
THE 14 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF LOWER IS NOT PART OF THAT, IS THAT?
>> NO. NO MA'AM. IN FACT, THE THE GOVERNOR'S GOAL ON DELAYING POTTER COUNTY, RANDALL COUNTY, AND THE REST OF THE COUNTIES THAT WERE NOT ON THE SAME SCHEDULE AS THE REST OF THE STATE, WAS TO RECOGNIZE THE TESTING THAT HAD GONE ON AT THE MEAT PACKING PLANTS IN THE REGION, AND TO ALLOW THAT TO TAKE ITS COURSE SO THAT IF THEY WERE GOING TO GENERATE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF POSITIVES INTO THE HOSPITALS, WE WOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT.
JUST TAKING STEPS TO NOT CONTINUE THE EXPANSION OF OPENING, WHILE WE POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN PATIENTS AT THE HOSPITALS.
IT APPEARS THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE.
IT APPEARS THAT WAS VERY PRUDENT MOVE ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNOR, SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD STANDING, GOOD STEAD.
HOWEVER, THAT COULD ALL CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS FROM THE JBS TESTING, WHICH WAS HAPPENING ON A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE THEN THE TYSON TESTING.
>>ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CASIE? OKAY. NOT SEEING ANY.
I WILL JUST BRING YOU GUYS UP TO DATE THAT I GOT A CALL THIS MORNING FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND THE GOVERNOR IS ACTUALLY GOING TO COME TO AMARILLO TOMORROW.
SO HE WILL BE HERE TO HAVE A BRIEFING WITH OUR CITY STAFF AND THEN HE WILL DO A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW AFTERNOON JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH HIS OFFICE HERE LOCALLY IN AMARILLO, AND IN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT HIS OFFICE HAS HELPED US TO HAVE WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT CAME TO HELP, BOTH THE USDA AND THE CDC.
IT REALLY HAS BEEN A GREAT EXAMPLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY TO ADDRESS AN IMMEDIATE NEED.
OF COURSE, WE'RE HONORED AND EXCITED TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR.
THIS IS THE FIRST TRIP HE'S MAKING OUT OF AUSTIN SINCE COVID HAPPENED, SO WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING HIM TOMORROW IF MOST PLANS GO SMOOTHLY.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? MR. CITY MANAGER, NEXT ON CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, IS CASIE YOUR ONLY PRESENTER?
>> NO. I'M GOING TO JUST VERY BRIEFLY AND TO ECHO WHAT YOU SAID FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT, FROM A MANAGERIAL STANDPOINT, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE COORDINATED ASSISTANCE FROM BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL ENTITIES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON CORONAVIRUS.
IT IS QUITE FLATTERING AND IT IS A DEMONSTRATION OF SUPPORT THAT WE NEED AND APPRECIATE HAVING THE GOVERNOR COME OUT HERE.
IT REALLY IS PRETTY SPECIAL. THAT'S NEAT TO HEAR THAT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, FROM A MUNICIPAL FACILITY STANDPOINT, WE HAVE OPENED MUNICIPAL FACILITIES, SOME MUNICIPAL FACILITIES FOR WALK-IN CUSTOMERS.
WE'RE ASSISTING WALK-IN CUSTOMERS AT THE UTILITY BUILDING OFFICE AND ALSO AT THE BUILDING SAFETY OFFICE, ALONG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING CURBSIDE SERVICE FOR UTILITY BUILDINGS.
SO YOU COME IN OFF BUCHANAN, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DROP-OFF PAYMENT FOR THE DROPBOX.
IF YOU COME IN OFF JOHNSON, YOU WILL BE GUIDED TO WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A CREDIT CARD PAYMENT TO PAY YOUR WATER BILL.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN THE WAY THAT THEY MOST FIND THE SAFEST WAY TO DO THINGS.
WE'RE ALSO OPEN INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PARK IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING TO GO INTO THE UTILITY BILLING OFFICE TO EITHER MAKE THEIR PAYMENT OR TO GET VITAL RECORDS.
WE HAVE HAD SOME REQUESTS FROM CITIZENS TO SEE IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING TO OPEN THE POOLS.
WE'VE BEEN EVALUATING THAT AND THAT IS JUST GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT COST, THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING EMPLOYEES, AND THE EXTREMELY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THE POOLS WILL BE OPENED BEFORE THE END OF THE SUMMER AND KIDS WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY THE EXPENSE.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY CHALLENGING THING TO DO, ESPECIALLY FROM A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY STANDPOINT.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK IN THAT, WE'LL COMMUNICATE BACK WITH THE SYSTEMS THAT REQUESTED THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING THING TO DO AND TO JUSTIFY.
[00:30:02]
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR FOR ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF REGARDING CITY FACILITIES AND CITY AMENITIES THAT ARE OPEN OR NOT OPEN?>> NO, BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF PRESS CONFERENCES PER WEEK, MR CITY MANAGER.
HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE? THREE PER WEEK, AS WE BEGIN TO SEE OUR TREND COME DOWN, POSSIBLY RPS EXTENDING OR DOUBLING RATE, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT POSSIBLY THE INFORMATION IS NOT AS STATIC.
MAYBE WE'RE USING THAT TERM OFF A BIT.
BUT JUST SOME INSIGHT ON IF YOU SEE A TIMELINE OF WHEN THE CITY MIGHT BE MOVING TO TWO PER WEEK OR ONE PRESS CONFERENCE PER WEEK, IN ADDITION TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WITH THE UPDATES WE RECEIVE.
>> WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IN THE OFFICE, COUNCILMAN HAYS.
REALLY DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE YOUR POSITION AWAY FROM YOU.
OR COUNCILMAN POWELL, I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE YOUR POSITION AWAY FROM YOU.
THE FREQUENCY OF PRESS CONFERENCES WE ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, AND I COULDN'T PROBABLY SEEDED THE QUESTION BETTER.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PRESS CONFERENCES IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO VET A LITTLE FURTHER BEFORE WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, CERTAINLY MAKE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
BUT I THINK YOU CAN LOOK FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS TOMORROW AS TO WHAT ANY REVISED OR STREAMLINE PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT FOR SURE, WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE COULD JUSTIFIABLY GO TO A FEWER PRESS CONFERENCES PER WEEK.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? AS WE GET MORE DETAILS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, COUNCIL, WATCH YOUR E-MAIL IF YOU DON'T MIND AND WE'LL PUSH OUT TO YOU INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ALL COME TO AND WE WOULD WELCOME HIM.
SOCIAL DISTANCING IS CREATING A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT HERE, SO AS WE TAKE OUR CUES FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND WORK ON SETTING THAT UP, JUST PLEASE WATCH YOUR EMAIL AND WE'LL SEE JUST WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR WHETHER WE CAN DO THAT TOGETHER.
JUST STAY TUNED, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT?
>> I'D LIKE A MINUTE TO COMMENT ABOUT THE [OVERLAPPING].
FIRST COLUMN, WHICH IS PER WEEK.
I'M NOT SAYING WE NEED TO STOP, I'M NOT SAYING WE NEED TO KEEP GOING, BUT I WANT TO COMPLIMENT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
WE SAID A LONG TIME AGO, WE ARE GOING TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT WITH PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GETTING MORE TRANSPARENT THAN HAVING THREE OF THESE A WEEK.
I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION WHETHER WE'LL KEEP GOING OR GO AHEAD, SAME MEASURES, EVALUATE WHETHER WE SHOULD OR NOT, BUT I COMPLIMENT WHAT WAS DONE BECAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY HASN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
>> I WOULD ALSO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT OUT INFORMATION MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.
THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND ANYBODY INTERESTED IN HOW CORONAVIRUS IS EVOLVING INSIDE OUR COMMUNITY, INSIDE OUR HEALTH DISTRICT, AND HOW IT'S BEING MANAGED OR RESPONDED TO, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT OUT THE SAME VOLUME OF INFORMATION AND IT'S GOING TO BE VERY GOOD, USEFUL INFORMATION LIKE WE'VE SEEN ON THE SCORECARD AND ON THE WEBSITE.
THIS WOULD REALLY ONLY SPEAK TO THE NUMBER OF PRESS CONFERENCES THAT WE HAVE.
HOWEVER, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SPEAK ON PRESS CONFERENCES ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT ANYTIME THAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO ASK A QUESTION, THAT WOULD MANAGE THROUGH THEIR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE ARE GOING TO BE EVERY BIT AS RESPONSIVE AND TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THE QUESTION THERE WOULD BE, I THINK OUR TRUE MEASURE OF TRANSPARENCY IS THE INFORMATION, THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION REPRESENTING IN THE SCORECARD, THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME AND ARE UPDATED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IF WE DETERMINE THAT PRESS CONFERENCES ARE USEFUL AND ESSENTIAL ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS OR A VERY FREQUENT BASIS GOING FORWARD, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.
THERE'S NO DESIRE TO CUT THAT DOWN PRIOR TO THE POINT IN TIME WHERE IT CEASES TO BE USEFUL OR IT CEASES TO HAVE THE BENEFIT THAT WARRANTS THAT LEVEL OF INTENSE PRESENTATIONS.
[00:35:03]
>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ARE ON THE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE?
>> NO, MA'AM. THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
>> OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO OFF THAT ITEM? ITEM IC IS A PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE, JARED.
[C. Public Communications Update;]
>> WE'VE GOT JORDAN SCHUPBACH HERE TO GIVE US SOME UPDATE ON ONE OF THE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL IN PREVIOUS WEEKS WAS TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING TO OUR COUNCIL MEETING? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT OUR BROADCASTS, OUR REBROADCAST AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT? WE'VE MADE CERTAIN CHANGES TO MAKE OUR BROADCAST MORE ACCESSIBLE AND FROM A TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT, FROM AN ACCESSIBILITY STANDPOINT, CERTAINLY FROM AN ARCHIVING STANDPOINT, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO REPORT RIGHT NOW.
DEFINITELY AS FAR AS NUMBER OF HITS ON OUR PRESENTATIONS, OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS, I THINK JORDAN IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION. JORDAN?
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME ON TODAY AND GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES REGARDING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND HOW WELL IT'S WORKING.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO SHARE MY SCREEN HERE WITHOUT BREAKING ZOOM AND I'VE GOT SOME VISUALS FOR YOU-ALL.
SO I'M GOING TO ASSUME YOU GUYS CAN SEE THAT.
IF YOU CAN'T, SOMEBODY HOLLER.
OTHERWISE, I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP RIGHT IN HERE.
SO TO GIVE THE FULL SCOPE HERE, I NEED TO BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT AND REVISIT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN THERE.
THE FACEBOOK CHART ALLOWED ME TO GO BACK TO JUNE 18.
SO I WENT BACK THAT FAR ON THIS CHART, BUT WHAT YOU'RE NOTICING IS A DRAMATIC JUMP HERE IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, WHICH OF COURSE, COINCIDED WITH CORONAVIRUS JUMPING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE INCEPTION, WHICH WAS MAY OF 2012 TO MARCH OF 2020, WE BUILT A FACEBOOK FOLLOWING OF ABOUT 12,000 FOLLOWERS OVER THAT PERIOD.
SO IT TOOK ROUGHLY EIGHT YEARS TO GET FROM, ESSENTIALLY FROM 0 TO 12,000 FOLLOWERS.
FROM MARCH 15TH DATE TO TODAY, SO LET'S CALL IT THREE MONTHS, TWO-AND-A-HALF MONTHS, WE MORE THAN DOUBLED THAT COUNT.
WE WENT FROM 12,000 TO OVER 27,000 FOLLOWERS, WHICH IS PROBABLY A 125 PERCENT INCREASE OR SOMETHING JUST IN THAT THREE MONTH PERIOD.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST RECOGNIZE HOW DRAMATICALLY PEOPLE STARTED COMING TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES FOR INFORMATION WHICH I THINK IS ENCOURAGING.
IT'S WHERE WE WANT THEM TO COME SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE BEST FACTUAL, UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.
ANOTHER MEASURE OF MEASUREMENT IS HOST REACH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUR SEEING OUR POST? AGAIN, THIS IS A LOOK BACK AT ALL THE WAY TO JUNE OF 18 AND YOU CAN SEE WE FLOATING THIS 3,000 TO 5,000 NUMBER.
THEN WE HIT MARCH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'RE AVERAGING 30,000 PEOPLE INSTEAD OF 3,000 PEOPLE.
SO EASILY A 10-FOLD INCREASE IN TRAFFIC THAT WE'VE SEEN TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, IN PARTICULAR TO FACEBOOK.
IN THOSE SAME THREE MONTHS, BASICALLY SINCE MARCH, WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED OUR VIDEO PRODUCTS.
WE BEGAN BROADCASTING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
ALL OF OUR PRESS CONFERENCES WERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE ALSO KEPT UP WITH JUST OUR NORMAL VIDEO PRODUCTS SUCH AS OUR AMARILLO 360S.
WE LAUNCHED A COUPLE OF NEW ONES, LIKE OUR "ASK ME ANYTHING" PRODUCTS.
VIDEO HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR OUR USERS AND OUR CONSUMERS.
THEY LIKED THE INTERACTION, THEY LIKED THE VISUALS.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK THIS WAS THE ONE DATA POINT THAT WAS ASKED FOR SPECIFICALLY.
SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH CITY COUNCIL VIEWERSHIP ON FACEBOOK.
SO WE STARTED OUR FACEBOOK BROADCASTS OF FACEBOOK IN JANUARY, ESSENTIALLY.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST EASY NUMBER TO UNDERSTAND.
THIS REACH NUMBER UP TO, AGAIN, RIGHT ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, WE CARRIED AT ABOUT 3,000 PROBABLY VIEWERS OR SO ON AN AVERAGE.
THEN AS SOON AS WE GET THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, AGAIN, OUR NUMBERS JUST WENT CRAZY.
I THINK OUR AVERAGE WENT FROM ABOUT 2,500 TO ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE WATCHING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON FACEBOOK, AND THOSE STATISTICS CARRY OVER TO OTHER BROADCASTS AS WELL, NOT JUST OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS, BUT ALSO OUR PRESS CONFERENCES, ETC.
SO WE'VE SEEN THIS HUGE BUMP IN VIEWERS AND HERE'S ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU VISUALIZE IT.
THIS HUGE BUMP IN VIEWERS AND AT THE SAME TIME A HUGE BUMP IN OUR VIDEO PRODUCTS, AND SO ONE THING WE ARE CONSISTENTLY HEARING NOW FROM OUR USERS IS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO
[00:40:01]
NAVIGATE THE LARGE CATALOG OF PRODUCTS THAT WE HAVE, THAT MAKES SENSE.SO WE'VE CROWDED OUR FACEBOOK SPACE WITH A LOT OF REALLY GOOD CONTENT, BUT IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.
FACEBOOK IS NOT REALLY A CATALOGING PLATFORM, IT'S NOT WHAT IT'S DESIGNED FOR.
THE CONNECTIONS, ESPECIALLY ON VIDEO, CAN BE UNSTABLE SOMETIMES AND THE FINAL PRODUCTS AREN'T REALLY ARCHIVED VERY WELL.
IF YOU'RE NOT A NORMAL OR REGULAR FACEBOOK USER, IT CAN BE HARD TO DIG THROUGH ALL THE PAST POSTS TO COME UP WITH THE CONTENT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO ALL OF THAT TO SAY, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING WITH IT, WORKING PRETTY CLOSELY WITH THEM TO TRY TO FIND A GOOD SOLUTION, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE IT NOW.
SO THE STEP ONE OF THAT NEW PROCESS INVOLVES LIVE STREAMING ALL OF OUR PRESS CONFERENCES AND REALLY ANY OTHER LIVE EVENTS THAT WE DO TO A SINGLE SOURCE, AND THAT IS AMARILLO.GOV/LIVE.
SO ALL OF OUR LIVE BROADCASTS, ALL OF OUR PRESS CONFERENCES, ETC., WILL BE DISPLAYED AT AMARILLO.GOV/LIVE.
THE HEART OF OUR STREAMING MECHANISM IS GOING TO BE YOUTUBE, WHICH IS A FAR BETTER AND MORE STABLE PLATFORM FOR VIDEO PRODUCTS.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOUTUBE IS.
YOUTUBE ONLY DOES VIDEOS, SO IT'S A FAR MORE STABLE PLATFORM FOR VIDEO.
IT'S GOT LESS LAG, IT'S JUST A BETTER STREAMING EXPERIENCE IN GENERAL.
SO WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE URL, WHICH IS EASY TO FIND, EASY TO REMEMBER, AND CONSTANT, IT WON'T CHANGE EVERY WEEK SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIND IT AGAIN EVERY WEEK.
WE HAVE A FAR MORE SECURE AND STABLE STREAMING PLATFORM IN YOUTUBE AND SO COMBINING ALL THAT TOGETHER GIVES US A REALLY GOOD PLATFORM, I THINK, FOR OUR LIVE VIDEOS MOVING FORWARD.
THE WEBSITE WORKS GREAT ON MOBILE AND ON DESKTOP SO YOU CAN GO THROUGH YOUR LIVING TO YOUR CAR AND IT JUST INSTANTLY FLIPS ON YOUR PHONE THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE VIEWABLE.
THE NICE THING ABOUT YOUTUBE IS THAT IT ARCHIVES ALL OF YOUR VIDEOS IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN EASILY CATALOG THEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SHOW ALL THE VIDEOS, YOU CAN SHOW ONLY THE PLAYLIST WHICH WE DEFINE, ETC.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO SEARCH FOR VERY SPECIFIC VIDEOS THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANTED TO SEE THE PRESS CONFERENCE FROM A MONTH-AND-A-HALF AGO WHERE YOU REMEMBERED A CERTAIN THING BEING DISCUSSED, IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND THAT ON FACEBOOK, THAT WOULD BE ONCE EVERYTHING IS CATALOGED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
HERE, JUST AN EXAMPLE, WE'RE BUILDING THIS OUT, BUT THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PLAYLIST THAT YOU CAN CREATE ON YOUTUBE TO HELP PEOPLE FIND YOUR ARCHIVED VIDEOS.
SO ONE REALLY IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE ARE STILL LINKING TO THIS URL AND TO THE YOUTUBE PAGE ON FACEBOOK.
SO I'M SURE FOR A WHILE, PEOPLE WILL GO TO FACEBOOK TO TRY TO FIND THE PRESS CONFERENCES, FOR EXAMPLE.
WHAT THEY WILL FIND IS A LINK DIRECTLY TO THAT NEW FEEDS SITE.
IF THEY DON'T GET THE NEWS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS FOR A WHILE, WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE INFORMATION OUT IN THE WAY THAT THEY'RE USED TO FINDING IT.
I THOUGHT I HAD ANOTHER SLIDE HERE, SORRY, BUT WE DID A FACEBOOK AD JUST TO PLAY THAT JUST SAID, "HERE IS THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE TO GO TODAY ON FACEBOOK TO FINDING INFORMATION." I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL THE GUYS IN IT.
THEY WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL GETTING THIS ALL SET UP.
RICHARD DE LA CRUZ, BRANDON COLEMAN, IT DEPARTMENT, WORKED LIKE MAD MEN TO HELP US GET ALL THIS MOVING.
WE ACTUALLY DID IT LAST FRIDAY AT OUR PRESS CONFERENCE, WE DID A DRY RUN.
YOU'LL THROW IT ALL UP IN THE AIR AND SEE WHERE IT LANDED BROADCAST AND IT WORKED GREAT, IT WORKED GREAT ON MOBILE, IT WORKED GREAT ON DESKTOP.
THE BROADCAST WAS REALLY SEAMLESS, VERY LITTLE LAG SO EVERYTHING THAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO WORK DID.
IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, I'M SURE, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY GOOD SOLUTION FOR US.
IT'S ALL I HAD REGARDING THAT PARTICULAR UPDATE.
I'M HAPPY TO CHAT ABOUT THAT OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
>> JORDAN, IT'S LIKE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, IT'S HARD TO SEPARATE OUT.
DEFINITELY, IT'S LIKE A COMBINATION BEING THAT INQUIRY.
SOME OF THE TOPIC, THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE COMMUNITY CERTAINLY DREW PEOPLE, I THINK, INTO JUST WANTING TO GET MORE INFORMED, THE FACT THAT ON THE FACEBOOK IT HAS BEEN MORE ACCEPTABLE.
[00:45:03]
PEOPLE WERE GETTING MORE FAMILIAR WITH IT, AND THEN THE FACT THAT IT WAS ON FACEBOOK AND NOT JUST ON OUR CITY PAGE.I KNOW THE OTHER POINT WAS JUST THAT PEOPLE HAD MORE FREE TIME, THAT WE HAVE HAD MORE PEOPLE SHELTERING IN PLACE, WORKING FROM HOME THAT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
ARE YOU HEARING ANY FEEDBACK OR IS THERE ANY OTHER INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA YOU SEE OF ANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE MORE OF THE DRIVING OR HOW WE CONTINUE TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR PRESS CONFERENCES AND CITY COUNCILS?
>> I MEAN CERTAINLY ALL THOSE THINGS YOU MENTIONED, CERTAINLY PLAYED INTO THE BIG INCREASE.
I THINK ALSO IF I JUST [INAUDIBLE] MY TEAM A LITTLE BIT, I THINK THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT SUPPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO BRANCH OUT AND GET CREATIVE WITH A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT AND I THINK THAT'S HELPED A LOT WITH OUR GROWTH AS WELL.
I THINK JUST A CONSISTENT FREQUENCY OF POSTING HAS HELPED AS WELL.
PEOPLE KNOW THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO COME, THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO SEE THE PRESS CONFERENCE, SO, THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE ZOO OR THEY KNOW THAT YOU WERE RESPONSIVE WHEN PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS, SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS COMBINED, I THINK IT'S GOING TO INCREASE TO A LARGER AUDIENCE.
>> YES AND THINKING OF MOVING FORWARD.
IF AND WHEN AT SOME POINT WE ARE THEN MEETING IN PERSON INSTEAD OF REMOTELY, HOW DO WE CONTINUE? ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT PEOPLE LIKE ABOUT THE REMOTE IS THAT, I MEAN, YOU ACTUALLY CAN SEE EVERYBODY A LITTLE BETTER.
YOU SEE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, A LOT OF TIME WATCHING OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS PREVIOUSLY WAS LIKE SOMETIMES WATCHING A TEAM OF ANTS WORKING.
IT'S SEEMS PRETTY FOREIGN, A DISTANCE, SHIFTS.
ARE YOU HAVING SOME THOUGHTS ON WHEN WE MAKE THAT TRANSITION? [BACKGROUND] JUST THE VISUALS IMPACTED THROUGH THAT.
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AGAIN, RICH FROM IT AND I, MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND I HAVE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE MODERNIZATION FORWARD, NOT ONLY IN CAMERA ANGLES, BUT ALSO IN JUST DIFFERENT SOFTWARES THAT WE USE, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THINGS MORE INTERACTIVE.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT YOU NEVER REALLY FULLY SOLVE BECAUSE EVERYTHING CHANGES SO, OFTEN.
BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT REALLY FUN TO TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES WHILE YOU FIND THE NEWEST AND MOST CREATIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE.
BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE SAT DOWN AND WATCHED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TWO MONTHS AGO OR THREE MONTHS AGO, THEY'RE SUDDENLY INTERESTED NOW BECAUSE WE'VE MADE IT EASIER FOR THEM AND MORE INTERACTIVE FOR THEM.
THEY ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT THESE ARE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS AND TOPICS THAT THEY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD WITH A LOT OF NEW IDEAS.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JARED, I HOLD THIS COMPLIMENT, THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE MADE IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE TEAM THAT YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER AND HOW HARD THEY'VE WORKED.
I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
WE REALLY NEEDED AMAZING COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND SO YES, THEY'VE IMPROVED THEM, BUT THEY'VE IMPROVED THEM SIGNIFICANTLY EVEN IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE MONTHS AND THAT'S JUST BEEN AROUND THE CLOCK WORKING.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE VISION FOR IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND BETTER COMMUNICATION.
THAT'S AGAIN, ONE OF OUR PILLARS AND YOU HAVE THAT VISION AND YOUR TEAM IS RESPONDING VERY WELL TO THAT VISION.
ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT BUT WE'VE SEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE LAST LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT ALSO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS.
>> WELL, I WILL SAY FROM MY MANAGERIAL STAND POINT, THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PRIORITY OF COUNCIL'S BEING ABLE TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE RESPONSIVENESS THAT WE'VE SHOWN TO THAT, YES, I'M GLAD WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE SHOWN SUCCESS AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE THAT BETTER.
BUT IT ALL COMES FROM VERY CLEAR GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL AND ALSO A REALLY GOOD HARD WORK FROM JORDAN AND HIS TEAM.
BOTH ON PRINT SIDE, ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, PRODUCING VIDEOS, AND MAKING REALLY NEAT CONTENT, AS WELL AS ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT SIDE.
WE HAVE PERSONNEL, THEY'RE HANDILY EACH ONE OF THOSE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE DEDICATED AND FOCUSING TO THOSE THINGS.
THEY'RE ALL VERY HIGH RETURN INVESTMENTS, BUT IT ALL STEMS FROM FROM COUNCIL'S GUIDANCE, SO,
[00:50:01]
THANK YOU.I RECEIVE IT AND ALSO REDIRECT THAT.OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 1D,
[D. Quarterly Budget Update;]
WHICH IS A QUARTERLY BUDGET UPDATE. MR CITY MANAGER?>> RIGHT, SO WE HAVE SYSTEMS CITY MANAGER, LAURA STORRS TO GIVE US THE QUARTERLY BUDGET UPTAKE. LAURA?
I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MATT POSTON, OUR BUDGET ANALYSTS HERE AT THE CITY, AND HE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL FOR THE QUARTER ENDING MARCH 31, 2020.
HE WILL ALSO BE GIVING SOME UPDATED INFORMATION, AND I'LL CHIME IN AS WELL ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGH THE END OF APRIL JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE CURRENT UPDATE.
I FORGOT TO MENTION EARLIER WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GFOA AWARDS, THAT MATT POSTON, WE OWE HIM A LOT FOR THE DISTINGUISHED BUDGET AWARD.
HE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO THAT DOCUMENT AND HAS A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS IN IT AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE IN HELPING US ACHIEVE THAT AWARD AGAIN.
I WILL TURN IT OVER NOW TO MATT AND HE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, LAURA. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH YOUR SECOND QUARTER FINANCIALS FOR THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2020.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN CONTROL THE POWERPOINT.
>> WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THE [NOISE] QUARTER ENDED 3/31.
WE WERE BUDGETED FOR 112.1 MILLION AND ON REVENUE SIDE AND WE CAME IN AT 113.9 MILLION, SO WE ARE ABOUT 1.8 MILLION OVER BUDGET ON REVENUE.
BUT THIS IS THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER, SO IT ENDED IN MARCH AND IT DIDN'T QUITE INCLUDE THE CORONAVIRUS IMPACT WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER.
TO DELVE MORE INTO THOSE NUMBERS THERE, FOR THAT 1.8 MILLION VARIANCE, A LOT OF THAT WAS DRIVEN BY PROPERTY TAX.
YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT IT WAS 1.8 MILLION OVER WHAT WE BUDGETED AND A LOT OF THAT IS ON THE TIMING.
NOT SO MUCH AS WE'VE GOTTEN MORE PROPERTY TAX THAN WE EXPECTED.
WE'RE ABOUT 99.6 PERCENT OF WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR PROPERTY TAX FOR THE YEAR, BUT WE GOT THE MONEY IN SOONER THAN WE BUDGETED FOR.
THE NEXT THING WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS SALES TAX AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS IN DETAIL A LITTLE MORE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE THAT THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER, WE WERE $549,000 OVER BUDGET ON THAT.
WE ARE 70,000 UNDER BUDGET ON THAT THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER, AND AGAIN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
HERE, WE HAVE SOME MORE SLIDES ON THAT IN A MINUTE.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE GROSS RECEIPT BUSINESS TAX, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS YOUR FRANCHISE FEES.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE ARE COMING IN LOW, THOSE ARE 450,000 UNDER BUDGET, AND AGAIN, THAT'S DRIVEN BY ELECTRICITY IN THIS YEAR.
WE'RE JUST SEEING SLOW GROWTH THERE.
WE HAVE LOW FUEL FACTORS AND ALL THAT, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE LICENSE AND PERMITS, [NOISE] AND THAT'S COMING IN ABOUT 100,000 OVER BUDGET AND THAT ONE IS GOING TO BE MAINLY YOUR BUILDING SAFETY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TYPE P. SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE SEEING STRONG REVENUE IN THERE, WE'RE COMING IN OVER BUDGET THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER.
[NOISE] THE NEXT ONE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IS CHARGES FOR SERVICE, AND THAT'S COMING IN RIGHT AT BUDGET, JUST A LITTLE BIT UNDER AND THAT ONE IS YOUR [NOISE] CULTURE AND RECREATION, WHICH IS YOUR PARKS, YOUR CIVIC CENTER, ALL THOSE FEES COMING IN, IN ADDITION TO YOUR SANITATION REVENUES.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT WE'RE COMING IN REALLY CLOSE TO BUDGET.
THE LAST ONE ON THIS SLIDE IS GOING TO BE YOUR FINES, AND THIS IS THE STUFF COLLECTED THROUGH MUNICIPAL CO-ORGANIZE.
YOU CAN SEE WE'RE COMING IN ABOUT $300,000 UNDER BUDGET.
THAT'S BEEN A RECURRING THEME WITH THEM.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT HAVE IMPACTED HOW THEY CAN COLLECT, AS WELL AS THERE'S BEEN FEWER TICKETS WRITTEN AT THE MOMENT.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE COMING IN UNDER BUDGET THERE.
WE ARE GOING TO RESET THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW TO RESET THOSE REVENUES AND HOPEFULLY COME IN CLOSER TO BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON THE NEXT SLIDE UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE EXPENSE SIDE.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SECOND QUARTER, WE BUDGETED 93 MILLION, WE CAME IN AT 88.1 MILLION.
SO WE ARE 4.9 MILLION UNDER BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND THROUGH THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER, WHICH GIVES US A NET POSITIVE VARIANCE OF 6.7 MILLION THAT WERE UNDER WHAT WE BUDGETED.
A LOT OF THIS VARIANCE IN THE EXPENSE SIDE IS DRIVEN BY POSITION VACANCIES.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT HOW WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES ON OUR POLICE AND FIRE, IN THAT THAT'S ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH COVID IS TO NOT FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
SO YOU SEE HERE THE IMPACT THAT THOSE VACANT POSITIONS HAVE ON OUR BUDGET.
BUT ALL IN ALL THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER WE'RE COMING IN LOOKING VERY STRONG AND LOOKING GOOD.
ANY GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET OR REVENUE EXPENSE?
[00:55:03]
[NOISE] SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO DIVE INTO SALES TAX A LITTLE BIT MORE.THE FIRST SLIDE WE HAVE HERE, YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
THIS IS JUST OUR 10-YEAR HISTORY OF SALES TAX SHOWING OUR COLLECTIONS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS AS WELL AS THE CURRENT RATE.
[NOISE] WHEN WE LOOK AT THE INFORMATION FOR THE SECOND QUARTER AND MY NUMBERS DIDN'T PULL THROUGH ON THE POWERPOINT.
FOR '18, '19, WE COLLECTED 29 MILLION.
THEN FOR '19, '20, THE SAME PERIOD, WE'VE COLLECTED 30.2 MILLION.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGH THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER, WE'RE UP 4.4 PERCENT OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT 1.3 MILLION.
WE WERE STILL TWO PERCENT ABOVE BUDGET THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER.
NOW WE HAVE GOT NUMBERS THROUGH MAY AND I KNOW ANDREW'S GOING TO TOUCH ON A LITTLE OF THIS HERE IN A SECOND AFTER MY PRESENTATION, SO I'LL BE BRIEF ON THIS.
BUT DURING MAY WE'RE COMING IN 0.39 PERCENT UNDER WHAT WE BUDGETED, WHICH IS ABOUT 156,000.
BUT WE'RE STILL COMING IN STRONG OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, THROUGH MAY WE'RE COMING IN 2.1 PERCENT OVER THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOUT 816,000 THERE.
SO WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN WHAT WE EXPECTED, BUT OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR DID INCLUDE A 2.5 PERCENT INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO [NOISE] WHEN THOSE NUMBERS CAME IN, THEY WEREN'T AS BAD AS WE HAD FEARED, SO THAT WAS GOOD.
APRIL CAME IN ABOUT 1.8 PERCENT LOWER THAN THE PRIOR YEAR, AND MAY CAME IN ABOUT 6.7 PERCENT LOWER THAN THE PRIOR YEAR.
THROUGH ALL THIS, WE HAVE REVISED WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING FOR OUR SALES TAX REVENUE THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE'VE LOWERED THE BUDGET BY ABOUT SEVEN PERCENT, WHICH IS ABOUT 4.3 MILLION, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN OUR REVISED ESTIMATE AT THE MOMENT.
WE'LL KEEP UPDATING THAT AS WE GO AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION, HOPING TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS COME IN BETTER, BUT WE JUST WANT TO BE PREPARED IF THEY DON'T.
THAT NUMBER THAT WE'VE REVISED IS ABOUT FIVE PERCENT LOWER THAN THE PRIOR YEAR AS WE'RE ABOUT THREE MILLION LOWER THAN WHAT WE COLLECTED THE PRIOR YEAR.
BUT WE'RE PROJECTING A GRADUAL RECOVERY.
BUT THERE WILL BE SOME IMPACTS THROUGH THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND INTO NEXT YEAR.
IN THIS NEXT SLIDE, THE SAME INFORMATION.
IT JUST SHOWS YOU THE MONTH-BY-MONTH COMPARISON THERE THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON SALES TAX?
>> WE JUST DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY WAY PREDICTING, I MEAN, LONG TERM.
I'M NOT SEEING ANYTHING FROM TML OR ANYBODY THAT'S PROJECTING OUT ANY WAY TO BETTER PLAN OUR SALES TAX REVENUE.
I MEAN, IT'S ONE THING TO TRY TO PLAN IT FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS, BUT ARE WE STARTING TO HEAR ANYTHING ON 12 OR 24 MONTHS PROJECTIONS?
>> ANDREW MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS AS WELL, BUT THE CHALLENGE WITH TML IS THEY REPRESENT SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS AND I MEAN, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT FROM A STATEWIDE STANDPOINT, BUT THE CHALLENGE IS THAT'S GOING BE AGGREGATED FOR A STATEWIDE AVERAGE AND WE'RE GOING TO PERFORM DISTINCTLY DIFFERENTLY, I THINK, THAN MOST OF THE REST OF THE STATE FROM SALES TAX STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE PULL FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS AND RUNS ON BY 40, WHICH HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE IMPACT.
BUT I THINK THEY WILL BE PUTTING SOMETHING OUT BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF IT YET.
ANDREW, DO YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING? OR MATT? LAURA?
>> I THINK ANDREW'S GOING TO TOUCH ON SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT TRENDS ARE AT LEAST SHOWING UP IN OUR COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT.
NOW, TALKING MORE LONG TERM, AS A REMINDER AND FOR THE MAY COLLECTIONS, WHICH WERE ACTUALLY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
SO THE AMOUNTS THAT WE RECEIVED IN MAY, THE STATE WAS ACTUALLY DOWN CLOSE TO NINE PERCENT, AND ANDREW CORRECT ME IF I SAID THAT WRONG, BUT THE STATE WAS DOWN OVERALL ABOUT NINE PERCENT, AND HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE WERE DOWN ABOUT JUST UNDER SEVEN PERCENT.
SO WE FAIRED A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THE STATE OVERALL AND WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGED BY THAT AND HOPEFUL THAT THAT TREND MIGHT CONTINUE GOING FORWARD.
ANDREW HAS BEEN WATCHING THE GPS DATA VERY CLOSELY.
HE'S ALSO ANALYZED INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES BASED ON WHETHER THEY'RE FULLY OPEN, PARTIALLY OPENED, OR CLOSED COMPLETELY.
WE FEEL LIKE THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AT THIS POINT WHICH ARE SHOWING AN ESTIMATED DECREASE TO THAT OVERALL SALES TAX REVENUE OF JUST OVER FOUR MILLION DOLLARS AT THIS POINT.
WE FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD BE A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER.
WE'RE HOPEFUL IT'S A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER.
BUT MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT, GOING OUT 12, 24 MONTHS, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT OUR COMMUNITY HERE
[01:00:01]
LOCALLY IS GOING TO FAIR BETTER THAN POSSIBLY OTHERS, AND THAT THAT RECOVERY MIGHT EVEN COME ON POSSIBLY A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE STATE.BUT WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE'LL GET NUMBERS IN FOR THE APRIL SALES TAX NUMBERS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] REAL HARD I THINK TO TRY AND [INAUDIBLE] SOME UNCERTAINTY.
[OVERLAPPING] FIGURE OUT HOW THIS IMPACT MIGHT LOOK INTO THE FUTURE.
COUNCIL, AS JUST A REMINDER, WE'RE ALSO SHAPING THE EXPENSE SIDE OF THE BUDGET AROUND THAT, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING STAYS BALANCED AS THOSE REVENUES MAY START PULLING BACK A LITTLE OVER THE LAST MONTH OR TWO.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALSO REALLY DECREASED SPENDING RELATED TO A HIRING FREEZE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BACK IN MARCH.
WE'VE SUSPENDED TRAVEL, WE'VE LOOKED AT CAPITAL PURCHASES AND ONLY PROCEEDED WITH THE ONES THAT WERE DEEMED ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO GO FORWARD AT THIS POINT, AND THEN THE REST ARE BEING SHIFTED OUT A LITTLE BIT AND WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE FULL IMPACT OF COVID-19 WILL BE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO OUR HOPE IS THAT AS THE COMMUNITY STARTS OPENING UP, THESE NUMBERS ARE REALLY GOING TO START TRENDING BACK TO A MORE NORMAL POINT FOR US HERE LOCALLY.
>> YES, I CAN. I'M SORRY THAT WE WERE STEPPING ON EACH OTHER.
>> SO WHAT I'M SEEING FROM YOUR NUMBERS, WE HAD A REALLY STRONG SECOND QUARTER.
THIS IS THE END OF MARCH, AND OUR FIRST TWO QUARTERS WERE STRONG. WE WERE DOING FINE.
BUT NOW WE ARE AT THE END OF MAY, SO WE HAVE TWO MORE MONTHS OF DATA.
SO I'M HOPING WE'RE FIXING TO GET SOME UPDATES ON THAT.
I KNOW IT'S NOT THE END OF A QUARTER, BUT NOT WANTING TO WAIT JUST UNTIL QUARTERLY INFORMATION IS IN, BUT MORE CURRENT STATUS ON THAT MONTHLY BASIS BECAUSE AGAIN, THE NUMBERS WE'RE SEEING ARE TWO MONTHS OLD, AND EVEN THOUGH THE REPORTS, LIKE THE SALES TAX INFORMATION WE GET IS A TWO-MONTH LAG, WE HAVE APRIL INFORMATION AND WE HAVE MAY INFORMATION THAT WAS THE TWO-MONTH LAG, AND SO ARE WE GOING TO BE SEEING THAT INFORMATION TODAY?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, THAT WAS THE INFORMATION AND WE DON'T HAVE IT ON THESE SLIDES NECESSARILY, BUT THAT WAS THE INFORMATION THAT MATT HAD GONE OVER, THAT APRIL COLLECTIONS WERE DOWN SLIGHTLY, BUT IN MAY WAS ALSO DOWN.
THAT WAS THE MORE SIGNIFICANT DECREASE THAT WE SAW, AND AS I MENTIONED, IT WAS JUST UNDER SEVEN PERCENT OF WHAT WE COLLECTED LAST YEAR.
SO THROUGH THE MONTH OF MAY, FOR SALES TAX, WE'RE TRENDING JUST BELOW BUDGET BY ABOUT 156,000.
THOSE SALES TAX NUMBERS, WE GET THOSE IN IN MAY, A LOT SOONER THAN WE GET SOME OF OUR OTHER REVENUE NUMBERS IN.
MATT WILL GO OVER SOME MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT WE HAVE THROUGH EITHER APRIL OR THROUGH MAY ON THE OTHER MAJOR REVENUE CATEGORIES FOR YOU ALL, AND THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT TO OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE THIS PAST WEEK DETAILING THE MAJOR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES THROUGH THE END OF APRIL, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT AS WELL AND WE CAN, IF COUNCIL WISHES, WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT FORWARD AT A COUNCIL MEETING TO PRESENT AS WELL.
SO ON THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S MAINLY THROUGH THE END OF THE QUARTER AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS THERE BECAUSE LUCKILY, WE HAD A VERY STRONG FIRST TWO QUARTERS THIS YEAR, BUT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE MARCH 31ST, AND SO MATT'S JUST GOING TO VERBALLY PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES FOR COUNCIL AS WE WALK THROUGH THOSE SLIDES.
>> LAURA ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE? WHAT I'M HOLDING RIGHT NOW IS THE MONTHLY BUDGET VERSUS OUR ACTUAL, THAT WAS APRIL THE 30TH.
>> IT'S COVERING OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES,
[01:05:04]
AND THEN IT'S THE NET THAT IS NOT NETTED OUT.SORRY, [OVERLAPPING] I'M TERRIBLE ON AUDIO BUT TRYING TO FOLLOW THE NUMBERS SO IT'S LIKE IF IT'S NOT VISUAL, I'M SORRY, I'M JUST REALLY STRUGGLING TRACKING WHERE WE ARE ON JUST KNOWING WHAT MONEY'S COME IN, WHAT MONEY'S GONE OUT, ARE WE ABOVE OR BELOW, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE ENCOURAGING NUMBERS WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY KNOWING WE HAD THAT STRONG SECOND QUARTER, BUT IT IS, WE'RE TWO MONTHS BEYOND THESE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TO BE CONCERNED, HOW MUCH IT'S LEVELING OUT.
SO I'M SORRY I'M NOT TRACKING AS WELL AUDIO.
>> I THINK THAT THE [OVERLAPPING] THAT WE HAVE AT THIS POINT IS WE'RE PERFORMING MUCH BETTER THAN WE PROJECTED WE WOULD BE AT THE RECEIPT OF THESE NUMBERS.
WE WILL CONTINUE OBVIOUSLY TO TRACK THEM IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT OF ALL THE NUMBERS, AND ALSO MAINTAIN AN EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE POSTURE GOING FORWARD INTO THE SUMMER.
WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT RISK IF NUMBERS TURN CLOSER TO WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY PROJECTED, WHICH WAS, I THINK THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
SO WE HAVE PUT OURSELVES AND GOOD POSITION TO WEATHER THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO INCREASE TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH CORONAVIRUS OR TO TOUCH RESERVES, AND THAT'S BEEN OUR GOAL THE WHOLE TIME WHILE STILL PROVIDING CORE SERVICES.
BUT YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S A LOT OF TRACKING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO AND PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO IT.
WE'LL REPORT TO YOU AS FREQUENTLY AS WE CAN REASONABLY DO SO, AS FREQUENTLY AS WE CAN GET INFORMATION.
AT THIS POINT THAT'S GOING TO BE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BUT THIS IS GOOD NEWS WITH REGARD TO WHERE WE EXPECTED WE WOULD BE AT THIS POINT WHEN WE WERE FORECASTING IT.
>> MATT I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT REVENUE, I'M SORRY, ABOUT EXPENDITURES.
WE WERE AHEAD ON EXPENDITURES OUR SECOND QUARTER, WE DIDN'T SPEND WHAT WE BUDGETED.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS A TIMING ISSUE?
>> WE DO A DECENT JOB ON SPLITTING OUT THE BUDGET ACROSS THE YEAR, MAINLY BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF IT'S DRIVEN BY PERSONNEL.
SO THOSE PERSONNEL COSTS WHEN WE BUDGET, WE BUDGET FOR THEM IN EACH MONTH.
SO A LOT OF THAT PERSONNEL SAVINGS IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING LIKE I MENTIONED THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER.
SO I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME EXPENSES THAT ARE HARDER TO MATCH WITH WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAPPEN DURING THE YEAR, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET IS DRIVEN BY THOSE PERSONNEL SERVICES, AND WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE THOSE SPLIT OUT IN A GOOD WAY.
SO I MEAN, I CAN'T SAY THAT WITH A 100 PERCENT CERTAINTY, THAT'S NOT A TIMING ISSUE, BUT I THINK THAT WE KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THOSE PERSONNEL SAVINGS THERE WITH THOSE VACANT POLICE AND FIRE POSITIONS AND THE VACANT POSITIONS ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY.
>> SO MAYOR, I THINK WHAT WAS ON THAT SLIDE, MAJORITY OF THAT, WITH CERTAINTY IS ACTUAL SAVINGS THAT WE SAW.
THAT IT'S JUST POSTPONING COSTS TO LATER IN THE YEAR.
THOSE WERE ACTUAL REALIZED SAVINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND RELATED TO THOSE VACANT POSITIONS THAT MATT JUST WENT OVER WITH YOU ALL.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THEN, MATT, WILL HAND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS TO PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF.
>> [NOISE] JUST A REQUEST FOR NEXT WEEK.
IF WE COULD GET THIS UPDATED THROUGH APRIL BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION, AND THEN FOR THE FOLLOWING IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS THEN AFTER THAT TO GET UPDATED AND TO GET ALL OF THE MAY DATA INSTEAD OF GETTING IT IN THIS FORMAT JUST ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, AT LEAST THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS.
I DON'T THINK I CLARIFIED BEFORE OF JUST WANTING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, NOT QUARTERLY, AND UNTIL AT LEAST WE SEE THAT WE'RE THROUGH WITH SOME OF THE WORST OF THE FOG.
>> WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT AND WE CAN PROVIDE IT IN A VERY SIMILAR FORMAT TO THIS ONE SINCE YOU ALL HAVE, I THINK, BECOME PROS AT LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION.
SO WE CAN PROVIDE IT MONTHLY IN A SIMILAR FORMAT TO WALK YOU FORWARD OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO WE'LL BRING APRIL NUMBERS NEXT WEEK AND THEN WITHIN A FEW MORE WEEKS WE'LL LOOK AT BRINGING MAY NUMBERS.
[01:10:05]
>> THE NEXT REVENUE SOURCE WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR GROSS RECEIPTS BUSINESS TAX, WHICH IS OUR FRANCHISE FEES.
THIS IS JUST A QUICK REMINDER ON WHAT WE COLLECT THOSE FRANCHISE FEES ON; THE ELECTRIC, GAS, TELEPHONE, CABLE TV, AND IN OUR CITY OWNED UTILITIES.
THE NEXT SLIDE HERE SHOWS OUR COLLECTIONS FOR THE YEAR.
WE'RE COMING IN THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER, 450,000 BELOW BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOUT FIVE PERCENT, AND THEN THROUGH APRIL, WE'RE STILL SEEING THAT DOWNWARD TREND, WE'RE COMING IN ABOUT SIX PERCENT UNDER BUDGET OR $575,000.
YOU CAN SEE ON HERE THAT MOST OF THIS IS DRIVEN BY OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY; IT'S DOWN ABOUT NINE PERCENT FROM WHAT WE BUDGETED, WHICH IS ABOUT 389,000, AND THAT'S REALLY DRIVEN BY OUR CONTINUED TO SEE THAT THESE LOW FUEL COSTS, WE'VE HAD SOME MILDER WEATHER, BUT THE OTHER THING ON THIS IS SUMMER IS OUR PEAK ELECTRICITY USAGE, SO WE DO EXPECT TO SEE THESE NUMBERS HOPEFULLY COME CLOSER TO BUDGET DURING THE SUMMER WHEN WE HAVE OUR PEAK USAGE.
ALL THE OTHER ONES ARE COMING IN CLOSE TO BUDGET OR RIGHT UNDER BUDGET, SO THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE SAME INFORMATION, JUST SHOWS YOU BY THE NUMBERS, WHERE WE ARE VERSUS WHAT WE'VE BUDGETED FOR, STILL COMING IN THAT 575,000 BELOW BUDGET.
ANY QUESTIONS ON FRANCHISE FEES?
>> YES MATT. REMIND ME AGAIN ON THE CABLE AND TELEPHONE, THOSE ENTITIES, ARE THEY COLLECTING THE LESSER OR GREATER OF THE FRANCHISE TAX?
>> THEY'RE PAYING THE GREATER.
>> WE'RE ACTUALLY COMING IN BETTER THAN WE EXPECTED, SO IT'S COMING IN A LITTLE OVER BUDGET.
WE HAD BACKED IT OFF ABOUT 410,000 BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHERE IT WAS GOING TO COME IN, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING IT COME IN ABOVE BUDGET, SO THAT IS SOME GOOD NEWS THERE.
>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX OR OUR HOT TAX.
THIS IS A 10-YEAR HISTORY OF HOTEL TAX COLLECTIONS ALONG WITH INFORMATION ON THE RATES.
SO THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW, WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH SHOWS OUR CURRENT YEAR COLLECTIONS VERSUS PRIOR COLLECTIONS, AND AGAIN, MY NUMBERS DIDN'T GET ON THERE, BUT FOR 1819, WE HAVE ABOUT 3 MILLION, AND WE HAD 3 MILLION IN REVENUE.
THEN FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF IN THIS YEAR, 1920, WE HAD 2.9 MILLION RIGHT AROUND THREE MONTHS.
SO IT'S LOWER, BUT WE'RE ONLY DOWN ABOUT 50,000 WHICH IS ABOUT 1.62 PERCENT.
THEN YOU ALSO SEE THAT THE HOT REBATES LAST YEAR WHERE 318,000.
IN THIS YEAR TO DATE THEY'RE 347,000 TO THAT SECOND-QUARTER, WHICH BRINGS OUR NET DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME BY ABOUT 79,000.
LOOKING FORWARD THROUGH APRIL, OUR GROSS HAS GONE DOWN MORE.
IT'S GONE DOWN EIGHT PERCENT VERSUS OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOUT 300,000.
SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO SEE SOME SLIDES IN THAT HOT TAX REVENUE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND SEEING WHAT IMPACT COVID HAS ON IT.
I KNOW ANDREW HAS SOME SLIDES ON IT COMING UP, AND I THINK WE WANTED TO SAY SOME STUFF ABOUT HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND THE IMPACT COVID HAS ON IT.
>> YES. WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF OUR COLLECTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST DAYS DURING APRIL.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE COMING IN JUST OVER A 137,000 FOR THE MAY COLLECTIONS.
SO WE DID TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IN PROJECTING THE IMPACT THAT COVID WOULD HAVE ON THOSE HOT COLLECTIONS.
ANDREW, I KNOW HAS BEEN PROVIDING A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFORMATION TO COUNSEL ON A WEEKLY BASIS OR MAYBE A BI-WEEKLY BASIS, TRACKING WHAT THE AVERAGE DAILY RATES ARE LOOKING LIKE AND THE OCCUPANCY RATES ARE LOOKING LIKE.
SO WE HAVE SEEN SOME POSITIVE TRENDS, THOSE NUMBERS COMING UP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO I WANT STILL ANDREW SPENDER BECAUSE HE'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, SOME GOOD SLIDES TO SHOW, BUT I WANT MAKE SURE COUNSEL KNOWS THAT WE HAVE PROJECTED A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE HOT COLLECTIONS AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO ADJUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S IN GOOD SHAPE.
WE ARE IN GOOD-STANDING TO HAVE THE HOT COLLECTIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE FROM THIS YEAR, TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS ON THOSE HOT BONDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARKING GARAGE AND THE [INAUDIBLE] SO THAT IS FIRST USE OF YOUR HOT REVENUES.
SO THOSE PAYMENTS ARE ALREADY COVERED THE NEXT UPCOMING ONE AND THE ONE FOLLOWING THAT.
SO ANY IMPACT THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THOSE HOT COLLECTIONS IS GOING TO IMPACT THE BUDGET FOR CBC,
[01:15:05]
AND ALSO FOR THE CIVIC CENTER OPERATIONS BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR EXPENSES ARE STAYING DOWN JUST AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.KNOWING THAT THESE HOT COLLECTIONS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAY LOW OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS THERE COUNSEL?
>> SO IS ANDREW GOING TO BE ADDRESSING? YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE USING CONSERVATIVE PROJECTIONS, WHAT THOSE PROJECTION ARE IF YOU'RE GOING FLAT, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE DECLINE, ARE YOU GOING TO COVER THAT ANDREW?
>> ANDREW, I BELIEVE IS GOING TO COVER MORE, SORRY ANDREW, IF I'M JUMPING IN THERE FOR YOU.
HE'S GOING TO BE LOOKING MORE AT THE TREND THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE AVERAGE DAILY RATES AND THOSE OCCUPANCY RATES.
SO WE HAVE PROJECTED THAT THE HOT TAX DOLLARS WILL HIT THE LOW POINT IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, WHICH WERE THE COLLECTIONS THAT WE JUST HAD.
ACTUALLY, OUR COLLECTIONS CAME IN JUST A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED.
HOWEVER, OUR MARCH COLLECTIONS CAME IN A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WE PROJECTED.
ELAINE, I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF I INCLUDE THAT IN NEXT WEEK'S PRESENTATION BECAUSE I CAN ACTUALLY SHOW YOU A SLIDE ON WHAT THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE LOOKING LIKE.
IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO FOLLOW THAN FOR ME JUST TO GO OVER THOSE NUMBERS WITH YOU.
>> YES, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A HAND ON WHAT PROJECTIONS YOU'RE USING, WHAT TARGET? IT'S LIKE ONCE WE GET PAST THE MONTH, WE HAVE THAT DATA AND WE CAN ADJUST THERE.
WHERE YOU'RE LANDING ON YOUR PROJECTIONS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF UP OR DOWN BELLOW, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, PART OF IT WE HAD BUILT IN INCREASES IN THE YEAR AND I'M SURE YOU'RE TAKING THOSE OUT, BUT HOW MUCH ARE WE DECLINING FOR THERE? IN OUR BUDGET.
IT WOULD BE EASIER LIKE I MENTIONED, NEXT WEEK WE WILL BRING A SLIDE BACK AND HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE WITH THOSE PERCENTAGE DECREASES AS WELL.
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO FOLLOW, THAN FOR ME JUST TO VERBALLY GO OVER THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE AND HAVE THAT INCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
>> IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET UPDATE OR IS THERE? THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE SALES TAX UPDATE WITH ANDREW.
>> JARED, IF I CAN STOP YOU FOR A COUPLE MORE SLIDES TO GO OVER.
>> NOT A PROBLEM. SORRY I JUMPED IN TOO SOON.
>> THAT'S OKAY, NO PROBLEM. GO AHEAD BACK.
>> WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR SANITATION SALES REAL QUICK.
THERE YOU SEE IT'S A FAIRLY STABLE SOURCE OF REVENUE.
THROUGH THE END OF THE SECOND-QUARTER, WE WERE UP THREE PERCENT ON SOLID WASTE COLLECTION FEES AND UP 27 PERCENT ON LANDFILL FEES EARNED.
FOR A TOTAL OF THE TWO SANITATION FEES WERE UP ABOUT SIX PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS THAT 625,000.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE COMING IN STRONG THROUGH THE END OF THE SECOND-QUARTER.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT OF THE LANDFILL JUMPING DUE TO, I THINK BEING HOME AND HAVING MORE FREE TIME TO CLEAN OUT THEIR STUFF.
SO WE USUALLY SEE THAT SUMMER IS OUR PEAK USAGE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T DUMP EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THAT OUR NUMBER WILL GO DOWN THIS SUMMER.
SO WE'LL KEEP WATCHING THIS, BUT AT LEAST TO THE END OF SECOND-QUARTER AND EVEN THROUGH APRIL, WE'RE STILL SEEING ABOUT SIX PERCENT OVER BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOUT 710,000.
SO WE'RE SEEING STRONG PERFORMANCE IN OUR SANITATION COLLECTIONS THROUGH THE APRIL SO FAR.
THE NEXT AREA WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS WATER AND SEWER.
THESE FIRST TWO GRAPHS, NOTHING'S CHANGED THERE.
IT SHOWS OUR TRENDS FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
THE FIRST ONE VERSUS WATER CUSTOMERS AND THE SECOND ONE VERSUS PRECIPITATION.
SO WE'LL GET INTO THE ACTUAL SECOND-QUARTER NUMBERS AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 1.3 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT FOUR PERCENT DOWN FROM WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED.
OUR SEWER SALES ARE COMING IN SLIGHTLY ABOVE BUDGET, ABOUT ONE PERCENT, AND OUR WATER SALES ARE COMING IN BELOW BUDGET, ABOUT SIX PERCENT.
THROUGH APRIL, WE'RE SEEING THIS TREND CONTINUE.
[01:20:02]
THROUGH APRIL, WE ARE SIX PERCENT DOWN, WHICH IS ABOUT 2.3 MILLION.WHAT WE'RE THINKING HERE IS THAT WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE RAIN IN OCTOBER THROUGH APRIL THAN WE HAD LAST OCTOBER TO APRIL.
OUR RAIN NUMBERS ARE HIGHER, WE'VE HAD A MILD YEAR SO FAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
SO REALLY OUR PEAK USAGE IS GOING TO BE OUR MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF OUR REVENUE COMES IN THAT MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER MONTHS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WATCHING THIS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGET PROJECTIONS ARE GOOD AND SEE IF WE'RE SEEING ANY PATCH IN THE IMPACT FROM THE COVID SITUATION ON THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO MONITOR THIS AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THE TRENDS TAKE US.
ANY QUESTION ON WATER AND SEWER SALES?
>> COUNSEL, JUST AS A REMINDER RELATED TO COVID, WE HAVE NOT BEEN TERMINATING ANY WATER SERVICES DUE TO NON-PAYMENT SINCE MARCH.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO BUILD BASED ON USAGE.
THERE IS A SLIGHT DELAY IN COLLECTIONS.
WE ARE SEEING THOSE COLLECTION NUMBER'S CHANGED JUST SLIGHTLY FROM WHAT OUR NORMAL COLLECTIONS ARE.
HOWEVER, AS WE GET PAST-COVID, WE WILL START RESUMING NORMAL BILLING PRACTICES AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH ANY CUSTOMER THAT NEEDS IT TO SET UP A PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT.
SO WE WILL RECEIVE THOSE COLLECTIONS.
IT WILL JUST BE SLIGHTLY DELAYED FROM WHAT WE NORMALLY DO.
>> OKAY. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE DRAINAGE SALES.
THE FIRST SLIDE SHOWS YOU A FIVE-YEAR HISTORY OF DRAINAGE COLLECTIONS.
THIS ISN'T A NEW SLIDE, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND-QUARTER INFORMATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGH, THE SECOND-QUARTER WERE COMING IN ABOUT 10 PERCENT OVER BUDGET, WHICH IS $279,000.
THEN THROUGH APRIL, WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THIS TREND IT'S STILL 10 PERCENT OVER BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOUT 327,000.
SO DRAINAGE HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK TO CLEAN UP THE DRAINAGE ACCOUNTS AND STABILIZE IT.
SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO SEE THESE INCREASES AND WE THINK THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE.
SO WE ARE BUILDING THAT INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
ANY QUESTIONS ON DRAINAGE? WE'LL MOVE TO THE LAST TOPIC HERE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT ARE HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS COSTS.
OUR YEAR-TO-DATE CLAIMS ARE A 116,000 OR ONE PERCENT BELOW BUDGET.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING CLAIM SLOWDOWN AND WE EXPECT THAT IT'S DUE TO COVID.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE POSTPONING ROUTINE PROCEDURES BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE ROUTINE SURGERIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE DO BELIEVE WILL SEE A GRADUAL INCREASE THROUGH THE REST OF YEAR WILL BE A BIG SPIKE AS MEDICAL WILL HAVE TO OPEN BACK UP AND HAVE CAPACITY.
SO WE DO EXPECT TO SEE INCREASE IN OUR CLAIMS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
BUT THROUGH NOW WE'RE ABOUT ONE PERCENT BELOW BUDGET.
SO HOPEFULLY, WE'LL CONTINUE TRACK BY BUDGET.
IF YOU LOOK THROUGH APRIL, WE ARE TWO PERCENT UNDER BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOUT 286,000.
SO THAT TREND'S CONTINUING THROUGH APRIL THAT WE'RE COMING IN RIGHT AT OR UNDER BUDGET.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION HERE WAS THAT WE WERE GOING OUT FOR RFPS ON HEALTH INSURANCE.
SO WE'LL HAVE A NEW HEALTH INSURANCE IN EFFECT ON 1/1 OF '21.
SO THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE WILL BE A NEW RFP ON THAT.
WE DID ADD THE NUMBER OF COVERED LIVES TO THIS SLIDE AS WELL AT THE REQUESTS FROM LAST QUARTER'S PRESENTATIONS.
SO THAT INFORMATION IS ON THERE AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS ON HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS OR ANYTHING ELSE IN THE PRESENTATION?
>> THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. IT MAKES THIS GRAPH MUCH MORE INFORMATIVE TO SEE THE COVERS ON YOU.
>> I THINK THAT'S IT. COUNSEL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MATT? MATT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[E. Sales Tax Update; and]
>> [OVERLAPPING] RIGHT. [INAUDIBLE].
[NOISE] CAN YOU ALL SEE THAT SLIDE OKAY?
>> SO AS PART OF THIS UPDATE, I'M GOING TO COVER A FEW ADDITIONAL TOPICS THAN JUST THE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE DATA.
WE'LL BE COVERING SOME OF THE WEEKLY HOTEL PERFORMANCE, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE GPS DATA THROUGH MAY 16TH, WE'LL ALSO COVER SOME OF THE DETAILED INDUSTRY DATA FROM MARCH ACTUAL SALES, AND THEN I'VE GOT ONE LAST SLIDE TO TOUCH ON OUR WORKFORCE DATA AND WHERE OUR UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES ARE AT WITH THE MOST RECENT DATA.
SO THIS FIRST SLIDE IS OUR OCCUPANCY COMPARED BY FISCAL YEAR.
[01:25:04]
YOU CAN SEE IN MARCH, WHEN COVID HIT ABOUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE MONTH, WE SAW A 52.9 PERCENT OCCUPANCY.TYPICALLY, MARCH IS A PRETTY HIGH MONTH, OVER 65 PERCENT, AND THEN IN APRIL, WE SAW IT COME IN AT 28.9 PERCENT INSTEAD OF THE HIGH 50S.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT APRIL WAS A MUCH LOWER MONTH DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.
AS FAR AS THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE, THAT WAS IMPACTED AS WELL.
FOR MARCH, THEY CAME IN AT $74, AND THEN IN APRIL, IT CAME DOWN TO $58.
SO WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THAT STARTED TO STABILIZE A BIT AND STARTED TO COME BACK UP IN MAY.
HERE IS THE FISCAL YEAR COMPARISONS, WHICH MATT TOUCHED ON.
THIS JUST SHOWS THEM ALL THREE COMPARED TO EACH OTHER.
APRIL CAME IN AT 379 WITH MAY AT 137.
AGAIN, APRIL WAS ONE OF OUR TYPICALLY HIGHEST MONTHS SO WE DID SEE AN IMPACT THERE.
THIS IS DATA WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH CBC ON TO GET THE WEEKLY PERFORMANCE AS FAR AS OCCUPANCY AND AVERAGE DAILY RATE.
YOU CAN SEE, WE HIT A LOW OF 24.8 PERCENT OCCUPANCY EARLY IN APRIL, AND NOW, WE'RE BACK UP IN THE HIGHER 30S AND LOW 40S COMING INTO MAY, AND THEN THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE HAS GONE FROM A LOW OF $57.43 UP TO 61.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TREND IS GOING BACK UP, BUT IT'S NOT CLOSE TO WHERE IT WAS PRIOR TO COVID.
AS FAR AS OUR SALES TAX INDUSTRY, THIS IS THE DATA THAT WE HAD BEEN COLLECTING TO TRY AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT BETTER PERSPECTIVE OF HOW OUR INDUSTRIES ARE PERFORMING AS FAR AS FOOT TRAFFIC GOES.
SO THIS IS GPS DATA THAT'S TRACKED ON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT APPS.
SO IF PEOPLE HAD THEIR LOCATION SERVICES TURNED ON, THIS GIVES US A LITTLE INSIGHT AS TO THE INDUSTRIES THAT THEY'RE VISITING.
THIS IS A SIMILAR SLIDE TO THE LAST TIME WE GAVE THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I'VE ADDED AN OVERALL CATEGORY WHICH COVERS OVER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES COMPARED TO JUST THE 18 THAT WERE SHOWING SPECIFICALLY ON THE SCREEN.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOR JANUARY, WE'RE ACTUALLY UP 1.16 PERCENT IN GPS TRAFFIC COMPARED TO 2019.
IN FEBRUARY, WE WERE UP 3.07 OVERALL, AND THEN IN MARCH, WHEN WE HAD SHUTDOWN A LITTLE BIT, MID-MARCH, YOU CAN SEE WE DECLINED TO ALMOST 40 PERCENT IN THE OVERALL CATEGORY.
THEN OF COURSE, ALMOST EVERY INDUSTRY EXCEPT FOR BUILDING MATERIALS AND BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR STORES SAW A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY THAT WE WERE TRACKING ALL SPECIFICALLY.
AS FAR AS APRIL, SINCE SOME STORES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN UP AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE INCREASE IN FOOT TRAFFIC, YOU CAN SEE IN APRIL, WE ACTUALLY SAW ALMOST A 20 PERCENT INCREASE COMPARED TO 2019.
THEY INCLUDE RESTAURANTS, BOTH FULL SERVICE AND [INAUDIBLE] SERVICES, SAW A LITTLE BIT OVER 10 PERCENT.
BUILDING MATERIALS CONTINUES TO PERFORM VERY WELL IN APRIL OF 50 PERCENT, GROCERY STORES AT 37, AUTOMOTIVE PARTS AND TIRE STORES ALSO PERFORM VERY WELL AT 50 PERCENT.
SO YOU CAN SEE, BASED ON HAVING A FEW WEEKS OF PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT, YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE THE INCREASE NOW THAT STORES WERE OPENING BACK UP AND IT'S ACTUALLY PERFORMING MUCH BETTER THAN IT DID IN 2019 AS FAR AS THIS DATASET IS CONCERNED.
AS FAR AS SOME OF OUR WEEKLY NUMBERS, THIS IS ALSO A NEWER SLIDE.
THIS IS OUR OVERALL CATEGORY, SO CITYWIDE ALL INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE, YOU CAN SEE STARTING IN APRIL 12TH, WE'VE SEEN INCREASES EACH WEEK, WITH THE SPIKES APRIL 19TH TO THE 25TH, AND OUR LOWEST SO FAR OF INCREASES IS THEN MAY 10TH THROUGH THE 16TH BUT LOOKING PRETTY POSITIVE COMPARED TO THE MARCH TIME FRAME.
I WON'T COVER ALL OF THESE, BUT WE'VE GOT THE INDIVIDUAL BROKEN OUT THESE INDUSTRIES.
RESTAURANTS CONTINUED TO SEE HIGHER INCREASES COMPARED TO MARCH WHEN THEY WERE PROBABLY FULL-SERVICE, PARTICULARLY, IT WAS THE HARDEST ONE THAT WAS HIT, BUT I THINK ONCE EVERYBODY TRANSITION TO CURBSIDE, DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICE, YOU CAN SEE OUR CITIZENS ARE REALLY TRYING TO SUPPORT THOSE FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS BY COMING OUT.
ACTUALLY, LAST TWO WEEKS, WE'RE AT 21 PERCENT AND 16 PERCENT.
[01:30:01]
AND MUSIC STORES, THEY'VE SEEN PRETTY GOOD INCREASES.I WANTED TO POINT OUT ON THE DATASET HERE THOUGH IS YOU MIGHT SEE A LARGE 100 PLUS PERCENT INCREASE, BUT THAT COULD MEAN THEY HAD 20 IN 2019 AND 40 IN THE NEXT ONE.
SO AS FAR AS FOOT TRAFFIC NUMBERS, IT'S NOT AS BIG AS IT MIGHT SEEM JUST SEEING 156 PERCENT ON THE SCREEN.
YOU CAN SEE THE SHOPPING PATTERNS TO DEPARTMENT STORES.
YOU CAN SEE THAT, APRIL 12TH IS 86 PERCENT, THEN IT GOES TO NEGATIVE, THEN UP 18, DOWN 11.
SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SHOP BUT THEY'RE BEING CAREFUL AND TRYING TO SHOP ON SET PERIODS OF TIME INSTEAD OF MAYBE GOING OUT EVERY DAY TO GO TO THE STORES.
BUILDING MATERIALS STORES, OF COURSE, ANOTHER GOOD INDICATOR THAT WE SEE WHEN WE GET INTO THE INDUSTRY DATA.
THEIR HIGHEST WAS A 26 PERCENT INCREASE ON THE WEEK OF APRIL 19TH, AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY JUST NOW SEEING THEIR FIRST DECREASE AFTER SIX WEEKS IN A ROW OF INCREASES.
CLOTHING STORES, SIMILAR, JEWELRY STORES, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WERE SEVERELY DECLINING DURING THE EARLY APRIL AND MID TO LATE-MARCH, STARTING TO SEE SOME MORE FOOT TRAFFIC GOING TO THOSE INDUSTRY STORES.
SIMILAR, THE ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES ALSO HAD AN INTERESTING PATTERN WHERE YOU HAVE THE MAJOR INCREASES FOLLOWED BY A DECREASE JUST FOR THE LAST SIX WEEKS JUMPING BACK AND FORTH.
HERE'S GROCERY STORE, ALSO HAD A LITTLE BIT OF PAIRING GO, BUT NOW, THEY'VE HAD FOUR WEEKS IN A RAW OF INCREASES FOLLOWED BY ONE DECLINE OF NEGATIVE THREE PERCENT HERE MOST RECENTLY.
THEN THE BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR STORES SEEMS TO BE TWO INCREASES FOLLOWED BY A DECREASE, AS FAR AS THEIR SHOPPING PATTERN.
AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, ALSO THAT WAS ONE APRIL TIME FRAME.
MAYBE NOT GOING TO WORK IS GOOD TIME TO GET YOUR CAR REPAIRED OR WORK ON YOUR VEHICLES.
SO YOU SAW SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES THERE IN APRIL, AND NOW, THEY'RE STARTING TO DECLINE JUST A LITTLE BIT.
SAME GOES FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE PARTS AND TIRE STORES.
SOME LARGE INCREASES FOLLOWED BY A COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH DECLINES MOST RECENTLY.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, WE'RE NOT SEEING THE SAME DECREASES THAT WE SAW ON MARCH, IN THE 20S-50-60 PERCENT, EVEN UP INTO THE 90 PERCENT RANGE.
THEY'RE STARTING TO NORMALIZE A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS THE DECREASES ARE CONCERNED.
NOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GPS, I'LL MOVE INTO THE MARCH ACTUAL SALES INDUSTRY DATA, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSIGHT ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING THERE.
SO FOR THE MARCH 2020 ACTUAL SALES WHERE WE SAW THE NEGATIVE 6.71 PERCENT DECREASE.
REALLY, EVERY CATEGORY EXCEPT FOR MISCELLANEOUS SAW A DECLINE.
WHAT WAS ENCOURAGING THOUGH IS FROM A RETAIL'S PERSPECTIVE, WE ONLY SAW JUST UNDER FOUR PERCENT.
THE LARGEST DECREASE WE HAD WAS FROM THE FOOD INDUSTRY, WHICH I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL HERE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES AS FAR AS THE HIT, PARTICULARLY FOR THE FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS.
FROM A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE TO THIS MONTH, NATIONAL RETAIL ECONOMY SAW 8.7 PERCENT DECLINE, AND THEN WHAT WE'RE HEARING FOR APRIL IN THE NEWS WAS A NEGATIVE 16.4 PERCENT DECLINE.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL COME IN UNDER THAT NUMBER WHEN WE GET OUR JUNE COLLECTIONS IN FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.
AS FAR AS THE SUB-INDUSTRIES, YOU CAN SEE HERE AGAIN, BUILDING MATERIALS WAS UP, FOOD AND BEVERAGE STORES, WHICH INCLUDE GROCERY STORES WAS UP, AND THEN OUR NON-STORE RETAILERS WHICH IS ALL THOSE NON BRICK-AND-MORTAR STORES IS UP AGAIN, 106 PERCENT, WHICH ISN'T UNUSUAL.
THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF LARGE INCREASES OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS, AS ADDITIONAL ONLINE RETAILERS HAVE STARTED REMITTING THEIR SALES TAX.
THIS NUMBER ACTUALLY DOES INCLUDE THE NEW REMOTE SELLER CATEGORY THAT STARTED UP LATE LAST YEAR, THAT I'LL TOUCH ON AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION.
AS FAR AS THE FOOD SUB-INDUSTRY, 21 PERCENT DOWN FOR THE RESTAURANTS, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE.
PRETTY HIGH IMPACT, JUST BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE AGAIN HAVE A 55 PERCENT COLLECTIONS BASED ON JUST THOSE TWO INDUSTRIES ALONE.
A LITTLE DIFFERENT ON THIS PRESENTATION I WENT AHEAD AND INCLUDED SO YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT SUB INDUSTRIES.
GENERAL SERVICES, YOU CAN SEE ALL BUT TWO SOLID DECREASE.
[01:35:04]
CONSTRUCTION WAS HIT THE HARDEST IN THAT CATEGORY AT 40 PERCENT.PROFESSIONAL SUB INDUSTRIES, ALL BUT THREE SAW DECREASES, WITH THE BIGGEST ONE BEING THE INSURANCE CATEGORY.
ON THE GENERAL SERVICES AND OTHER NOTE THAT ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR MUSIC PARS OR BOWLING ALLEYS, HODGETOWN, PLACES LIKE THAT HAVE SEEN A DECREASE OF 22 PERCENT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
WHOLESALE ONLY TWO PERCENT OR TWO CATEGORIES THERE ACTUALLY SAW AN INCREASES.
SO COMPARED TO THE OTHER INDUSTRY CATEGORIES, NOT TOO BAD THERE.
THE LARGEST CATEGORY WAS AN INCREASE AT 71 PERCENT.
BUT THAT ONE KIND OF CHANGES MONTH TO MONTH BASED ON WHAT WE RECEIVE.
BECAUSE THE CONTROL'S OFFICE WILL ASSIGN THEM TO THEIR SPECIFIC CATEGORY ONCE IT'S DETERMINE.
LOW AND DOES FLUCTUATE QUITE A BIT DEPENDING ON THE MONTH.
OUR COMBINATION, SUB-INDUSTRIES OR MOTORIST'S HOTELS, AGAIN, TOOK A LARGE CHIP FROM THE SALES TAX PERSPECTIVE ALSO.
THEY'RE DOWN 75 PERCENT FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
MANUFACTURING WAS ONE OF THE BETTER CATEGORIES.
OVERALL, WITH 11 OF THE 20 CATEGORIES SEEING AN INCREASE.
SO THOSE WERE STILL STAYING IN OPERATION AS WE KNOW AND CONTINUE TO MAKE SELLS.
THEN MOVING FURTHER INTO THE RETAIL BREAKDOWN, YOU CAN SEE SOME SPECIFIC CATEGORIES ON HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING.
UNDER THE BUILDING MATERIALS CATEGORY, YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING MATERIALS STORES LIKE YOUR HOME DEPOT'S AND LOWE'S SEEING A 7.44 PERCENT INCREASE.
LAWN GARDEN ALSO ALMOST 19 PERCENT WITH MORE PEOPLE STAYING HOME AND WORKING ON THEIR LAWNS.
CLOTHING, SHOE STORES, JEWELRY STORES, ALL IN THAT 38 TO ALMOST 50 PERCENT RANGE OF DECLINES SINCE MOST OF THEM, AND THE BIG-BOX STORES WON'T BE SHELTER IN PLACE WITH THE MOUNT.
THEY JUST OFFICIALLY CLOSED DOWN.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE CURBSIDE OR ANY OTHER OPTIONS.
ANY SALES FROM THOSE WERE JUST COMING FROM ONLINE SALES FOR THE MOST PART.
GROCERY STORES, AS YOU CAN SEE THEIR 9.3 PERCENT INCREASE.
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST INCREASE THAT THEY'VE HAD IN QUITE SOME TIME.
THEN BEER, WINE, LIQUOR STORES, AN INCREASE ALMOST 30 PERCENT.
THEN THESE OTHER CATEGORIES ARE THE ONES TO BE EXPECTED WITH THE SALE TERM PLACE.
ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCE STORES DOWN 20 PERCENT.
EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THOSE LIKE BEST BUY THAT WERE OPEN, IT WAS ALL ORDER ONLINE, PICK UP CURBSIDE VERSUS BEING ABLE TO GO IN AND BROWSE INSIDE THE STORE.
I KNOW BARNES & NOBLE HAD A CAPACITY LIMIT, ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF STORES OR CUSTOMERS ALLOWED IN THE STORE AT ONE TIME.
THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE AGAIN, THE OTHER NON-STORE RETAILERS AT A 106 PERCENT INCREASE.
ON THE RESTAURANT BREAKDOWN, YOU CAN SEE THERE FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS SAW A NEGATIVE 35 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE LIMITED EATING PLACES AT A 10 PERCENT.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL NEXT MONTH COLLECTION, ONCE WE GET THE INDUSTRY DAY AGAIN, THAT HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL START TO MIRROR EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS FAR AS FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS ARE TAKING AS MUCH OF A DECLINE.
JUST BASED ON MOST MEN BEING ABLE TO ADJUST AND PIVOT TO NEW WAYS.
WHETHER IT'S THE DELIVERY OPTIONS OR THE CURBSIDE OR THE TO-GO OPTIONS.
THEN JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE REMOTE SELLERS.
SO THIS STARTED OCTOBER 1ST, WOULD BE EFFECTIVE DATE.
THEY'RE ALMOST UP TO 2,500 REMOTE SELLERS.
THESE WOULD BE BUSINESSES THAT DON'T HAVE A BRICK-AND-MORTAR IN TAXES, BUT ARE DELIVERING TO TEXAS.
YOU CAN SEE, WE CONTINUE TO SEE GOOD AMOUNT OF SELLS COMING IN.
THE LATEST IN MAY OF 2.65 MILLION IN TAXABLE SALES TAKING PLACE.
THE PREVIOUS HIGH SO FAR BEING FEBRUARY AT THREE MILLION.
WE EXPECT THIS NUMBER TO CONTINUE, PARTICULARLY NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE BUYING MORE ONLINE AND DELIVERING IT TO THEIR HOUSE.
WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THIS NUMBER CONTINUE TO GROW.
LASTLY, AS FAR AS OUR WORKHORSE SNAPSHOT FOR MARCH AND APRIL, WHERE WE SAW IT COME IN FOR APRIL WAS UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 8.8 PERCENT, AND THAT WAS UP FROM MARCH AT 3.6 PERCENT.
THAT'S FOR THE MSA, WHICH IS A FIVE COUNTY AREA AROUND AMARILLO.
FOR THE CITY LIMITS, APRIL CAME IN AT NINE PERCENT AND MARCH WAS 3.6 PERCENT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY HERE.
[01:40:05]
STILL TRYING, BETTER THAN THE TEXAS' MARKET SITTING IN AT 13 PERCENT FOR APRIL AND THE US MARKET AT 14.4 PERCENT.AS FAR AS EMPLOYMENT, BASICALLY EVERY INDUSTRY HAS SEEN A DECLINE.
BUT THE LARGEST WAS, LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY AT NEGATIVE 45.5 PERCENT YEARLY CHANGE.
THE ONLY ONE THAT ACTUALLY SAW AN INCREASE ON THE YEAR WAS IN GOVERNMENT 1.4, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY DOWN 1.8 FOR THE MONTH.
SO JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT JUST TO THE SNAPSHOT OF HOW THE WORKFORCE IS DOING, BUT I THINK THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED AS FAR AS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, AND THE RESTAURANTS, AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES ARE CONCERNED. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. ANDREW, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE YOU COMBINE OUR TWO LARGEST INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR GENERAL FUND?
>> YES. SO RETAIL & FOOD IS 55 PERCENT OF OUR COLLECTIONS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S A SNAPSHOT FOR MAY.
IT DOES FLUCTUATE JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK IT GETS UP IN THE 56, 57 PERCENT RANGE.
>> I CAN'T SEE YOU [NOISE] YOU HAVE QUESTION COMING, YOU THINK?
>> ON DEFINING WHAT ALL FALLS IN GENERAL SERVICES.
IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST IN THIS PARTICULAR SIDE.
WHAT INDUSTRY WILL FALL ON THAT?
>> SURE. THAT'S GOT CONSTRUCTION, UTILITIES. I CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO CONSTRUCTION, RENTAL SERVICES, WASTE-MANAGEMENT, ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, UTILITIES.
SO IT'S GOT ATLAS, XCEL ENERGY, ALL THOSE UTILITY PROVIDERS INCLUDED THERE.
>> SOME OF THE INTEREST, TONS AT GREAT INFORMATION AND ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR COMPARISON, IT'S NOT JUST A THING, THE TRENDS OF RECOVERY AND REBOUNDING AND BEGINNING TO SEE SOME UPWARD TREND FROM LAST MONTH RECENT TIME PERIODS, BUT EVEN FROM LAST YEAR.
THAT'S A LITTLE SURPRISING TO ME THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE COMPARED TO 2019. WHICH IS IN [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHICH AGAIN, IS VERY POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING.
SOME OF THE PREDICTIONS THAT OUR ECONOMY LOOKING AT IT NATIONALLY, THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK QUICKLY AS RESTRICTIONS ARE REMOVED.
CERTAINLY, SEEING BEING THAT PLAY OUT WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL ACTIVITY, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF OUR RESTRICTIONS ARE A LITTLE MORE STRICT THAN THE REST OF THE STATE.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THERE, COUNCIL? OKAY. ANDREW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ITEM 1, I HAVE THIS REQUESTING TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS AND THOUGH WE HAVE THE
[F. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]
COMMON ABOUT UPDATING BUDGET INFORMATION RELAYING.I THINK WE GOT THAT ONE. ANYTHING ELSE? [OVERLAPPING]
>> NO. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
>> OKAY. ELAINE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> DO WE HAVE A SCHEDULE ON A DISCUSSION ON THE ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WE RECEIVED THAT COMPLETED PACKET.
DO WE HAVE THAT COMING UP ON THE AGENDA TO JUST DISCUSS SOME OF THOSE FINDING OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE THOSE WHO'VE ALREADY BEEN ROLLED OUT?
>> WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPONENT OF THE PARK'S MASTER PLAN.
IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING TO CREATE THE PARK'S MASTER PLAN.
NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PLANNED, BUT CERTAINLY WE CAN BRING IT BACK AND DISCUSS ANYTHING ON IT.
[01:45:04]
>> IF WE COULD GET JUST A HIGH-LEVEL REVIEW SUMMARY FROM THE DEPARTMENT, FROM MICHAEL OF THE RESULTS OF THAT PLAN IS RATHER EXTENSIVE AND AN OPPORTUNITY [OVERLAPPING] TOUCHING ON THE CONDITION OF OUR ASSETS AND THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING CHIEF BIRKENFELD BACK AT SOME POINT.
MAYBE NOT NEXT WEEK OR THE FOLLOWING.
WITH JUST SOME OF HIS TOP FIVE PRIORITY WITHIN PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE IS MOST FOCUSED ON WANTING TO ADDRESS.
I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM HIM.
>> WE CAN DO THAT. WE HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARK'S MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WE CAN FORM NEW POINT.
MICHAEL SPEAK TO THAT, CERTAINLY WE CAN HAVE A CHEAPER CONTROL [INAUDIBLE] PRIORITIES ARE GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 2.
[2. CONSENT ITEMS:]
ANYTHING THERE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF, COUNCIL, FOR MORE DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ENTERTAINING A MOTION?>> MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I WILL NOW AT THIS TIME MOVE TO AGENDA 3A.
[A. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7856: (Contact: Cris Valverde, Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services) To participate in this public hearing please call 1-408-638-0968. When prompted for the meeting number dial: 330267295# and specify as to what ordinance you are referring to. This item is the first reading and public hearing to consider an ordinance rezoning of Lot 3A, Block 1, Sunset Addition Unit No. 4, in Section 171, Block 2, A.B.&M. Survey, Potter County, Texas, plus one-half of all bounding streets, alleys, and public ways to change from Residential District 3 to Office District 1. Applicant/S: Richard Crawford (Vicinity: Washington Street and Wolflin Avenue.)]
I'LL REMIND YOU THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMMENTING ON THE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE SET UP IN ITEM 3A OR 3B, THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE THERE IN THE AGENDA.YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO AHEAD AND START THAT PROCESS.
MR. CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE PRESENTATION ON ITEM 3A, PLEASE.
>> YES. YES. FOR THAT, WE HAVE CRIS VALVERDE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO GIVE US THE ITEM.
CRIS? JUST BEARING IN MIND, THIS IS NOT, AND IT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN FRONT OF YOU.
NOT THIS EXACT PROJECT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A PROJECT PRESENTED BY THIS DEVELOPER AT THIS LOCATION.
I THINK THIS HAS GONE THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REFINEMENTS SINCE THEN, SO CRIS?
>> JARED, THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
ORDINANCE 7856 IS TO CONSIDER THE REZONING OF LOT 3A, BLOCK 1, SUNSET EDITION, UNIT NUMBER 4.
IT'S IN SECTION 171, BLOCK 2AB AND M SURVEY.
THE REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE JUST MENTIONED TRACK FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3 TO OFFICE DISTRICT 1.
THE VICINITY IS WOLFMAN AVENUE IN WASHINGTON STREET.
AS JARED JUST MENTIONED, A LITTLE HISTORY ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WHERE, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS AREA HAS BEEN CONSIDERED FOR A REZONING REQUEST.
I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF, REAL FAST SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED.
BASICALLY IN EARLY AND MID 2018, GENERAL RETAIL ZONING WAS REQUESTED AND CONSIDERED BY BOTH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL.
ULTIMATELY, IT WAS DENIED BY COUNSEL AND AT THE END OF THAT VOTE, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE APPLICANT VISIT WITH NOT ONLY AREA PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT SOME ALTERNATIVES TO RETAIL ZONING.
SINCE DENIAL, STAFF HAS MET WITH THE APPLICANT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REGARDING NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONING FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE.
DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS, IT WAS MADE KNOWN THAT RETAIL ZONING IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE ZONING FOR THIS PARTICULAR AREA IN STASH OPINION.
STAFF DID DISCUSS AGAIN, DIFFERENT NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONINGS THAT MAY BE SUPPORTED, AND THAT SUPPORT WOULD VARY AS WELL DEPENDING ON WHICH OF THOSE NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONINGS WHERE SUBMITTED.
IN THE END, THE APPLICANT DECIDED TO SEEK OFFICE DISTRICT 1 ZONING RATHER THAN GENERAL RETAIL ZONING FOR THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
REGARDING THE PROPOSED ZONING, SOME USES ALLOWED IN THE REQUESTED ZONING, WE INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, GENERAL OR PROFESSIONAL OFFICES, A HEALTH STUDIO, VETERINARIAN OFFICE WITH NO HOSPITAL OR NO OUTDOOR PINS, MEDICAL CLINIC, BANK OR SAVINGS AND LOANS ASSOCIATION AND/OR A DAY CARE CENTER.
THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS DESIGNATED AS NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION.
OVERALL NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION DESIGNATION IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK IN THE PARTICULAR AREA.
THAT SAID, THERE IS ALLOWANCES FOR SMALL-SCALE NON-RESIDENTIAL USES TO OCCUR AT THE EDGE OF A SUBDIVISION OR OTHER APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS, WHICH ARE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION AREA.
[01:50:01]
ALTHOUGH THE APPLICANT SITE IS AT THE PERIPHERY OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALONG A SECTION LINE ARTERIAL RIGHT-OF-WAY, WHICH IS WASHINGTON STREET.PLANNING COMMISSIONERS BELIEVED THAT RETAIL AND LESS RESTRICTIVE ZONING IS NOT WHAT IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE SMALL SCALE, NON-RESIDENTIAL, AND IS WHAT IS MEANT TO BE AVOIDED.
THIS IS BASED ON THAT DEVELOPMENTS IN RETAIL ZONING ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE MORE LIBERAL DEVELOPED STANDARDS THAT COULD HAVE A MORE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHEN THERE ARE ONLY 20 FEET AWAY.
CONSIDERING THIS THOUGHT PROCESS, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS BELIEVED OFFICE DISTRICT 1 ZONING ALLOWS FOR APPROPRIATE SMALL-SCALE, NON-RESIDENTIAL LAND USES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO RESIDENCES.
IN TERMS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT CONCEPT, IT IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S OPINION THAT OFFICE DISTRICT 1 DOES CONFORM AS IT IS IN AN AREA WHERE A TRANSITION FROM MORE RESTRICTIVE ZONING AND/OR LAND USES SHOULD OCCUR.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE PARTICULAR MAP, IT'S TRANSITIONS OCCURRING IS THE OFFICE DISTRICT IMMEDIATELY TO THE NORTH.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SOUTH OF THE CONVENIENT STORE WHICH IS WEST OF THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY, AND VARIOUS MORE RESTRICTIVE PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS SOUTH OF WOLFE LAND ALONG WASHINGTON.
ESTABLISHING THESE MORE RESTRICTIVE TRANSITIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS ARE IN AN EFFORT TO MITIGATE IMPACTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON THE ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL AREA AND ARE MORE IN LINE WITH THE RECOMMENDED CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT.
CAN'T SAY THAT WE DID SEND NOTICES OUT TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET, PRIOR TO AND DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.
THREE AREA PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTED ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
OF THOSE WHO CONTACTED STAFF OR SPOKE DURING THE MEETING, NONE WERE OPPOSED TO OFFICE DISTRICT 1, BUT TWO DID STATE THAT THEY WOULD BE OPPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT IS LESS RESTRICTIVE IN TERMS OF ZONING.
AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
CONSIDERING ALL THAT I JUST MENTIONED, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS BELIEVED THAT OFFICE DISTRICT 1 IS APPROPRIATE AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AS PRESENTED.
>> OKAY. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR CRIS, COUNCIL? IT'S ALL CORRECT, AND SEE YOU AGAIN THE SECOND.
I'M NOT HEARING ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR CRIS.
I'LL ASK THE MEETING HOST AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN US FOR A PUBLIC HEARING SO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST THIS MATTER AT THIS TIME CAN CALL THE NUMBER AND HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GIVE THE COUNCIL THEIR COMMENTS ABOUT ORDINANCE NUMBER 7856.
I'LL ASK THE MEETING HOST, DO WE HAVE ANY CALLERS AT THIS TIME RELATED TO THIS ITEM NUMBER?
>> FOR THOSE ATTENDEES THAT HAVE CALLED IN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE TO LET US KNOW THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS.
WE HAVE ONE UNRECOGNIZED PHONE NUMBER, ENDING IN 8341.
I'M GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO TALK AT THIS TIME IN CASE YOU'RE HERE TO GIVE COMMENTS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SAY IT AGAIN, STEPHANIE.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, CALLER?
>> WE HAVE ONE OTHER CALLER THAT JUST JOINED, MAYOR, THAT HAD SENT AN E-MAIL THAT I BELIEVED THEY'D LIKE TO GIVE COMMENTS, SO I WILL UNMUTE THEM AT THIS TIME.
THAT IS CALLER ENDING IN PHONE NUMBER 2595.
>> 2595. CALLER, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WOULD YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF?
>> MY NAME IS CLAUDETTE SMITH.
>> OKAY. YOU HAVE A COMMENT REGARDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 7856?
>>OKAY. MISS SMITH, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY TO CONDUCT SUCH A HEARING OR VOTE ON SUCH A ZONING CHANGE AT A TIME WHEN THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PROHIBITED FROM APPEARING IN PERSON TO OPPOSE SUCH CHANGES, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND THE LARGE AMOUNT OF OPPOSITION BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AND TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS COUNCIL BY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS THE LAST FEW TIMES A ZONING CHANGE WAS PROPOSED FOR THIS PARTICULAR LOT.
[01:55:04]
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTED ZONING CHANGE HEARING, A MAJORITY OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WERE ELDERLY, AND I FEEL LIKE THOSE FOLKS MAY NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES NOR THE CAPACITY TO CALL INTO THIS MEETING TO OPPOSE SUCH CHANGES.IN 2018, WHEN THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AS A ZONING CHANGE TO GENERAL RETAIL, THE ADJACENT RESIDENTS ONLY RECEIVED A ONE-DAY NOTICE THAT THIS ZONING CHANGE HEARING.
ARE WE CERTAIN THAT EVERYONE IN THE 200 PER AREA RECEIVED PROPER TIMELY NOTICE? FURTHERMORE, WHAT THE OFFICE DISTRICT 1 CONSIST OF, ACCORDING TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, IT CONSISTS OF SMALL-SCALE OFFICE OR RETAIL USES.
THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS PREVIOUSLY CONSISTED OF SMELL, NOISE, GLIDING, TRAFFIC, VEHICLES, DISPOSAL OF TOXIC CHEMICALS, ETC.
UNDER OFFICE DISTRICT 1 ZONING, IT APPEARS A NUMBER THINGS ARE PERMITTED, JUST TO NAME A FEW: A HEALTH STUDIO, IN OTHER WORDS, A GYM COULD BE BUILT, SUCH AS AN ANYTIME FITNESS, WHICH IS OPEN 24/7, WHICH COULD MEAN VEHICLES COMING AND GOING ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT; A DAYCARE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC COMING AND GOING FIVE DAYS A WEEK; A BANK, WHICH WOULD LIKELY INCLUDE A DRIVE UP; OR AN ATM WHICH WAS CONSISTS OF INCREASED HIGH-INTENSITY FULL TRAFFIC FIVE TO SIX DAYS A WEEK.
WOULD THIS OFFICE DISTRICT 1 PERMIT A DRY CLEANERS TO BE BUILT ON THIS LOT? I'M ASKING THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A DRY CLEANING PLANT WHICH THE CITY APPROVED TO BE BUILT 30 FEET FROM MY HOME ON A GENERAL RETAIL LOT.
IT SAYS THE OFFICE DISTRICT 1 COULD INCLUDE RETAIL WHEN DRY CLEANING PLANS ARE ONLY PERMITTED IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES LOT.
WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT THESE RESIDENTS ARE TO EXPECT? HAS THE APPLICANT, MR. CRAWFORD, SAID WHAT HE ANTICIPATES TO BUILD ON THE LOT NOW.
BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY, HE FINALLY ADMITTED IN THE 11TH HOUR THAT HE HAD PLANNED TO BUILD A DUNKIN' DONUTS AND POSSIBLY A DRY CLEANERS ON THAT SAME LOT, WHICH WERE THE EXACT THINGS THAT WERE BUILT ON A LOT BEHIND MY HOME, WHICH HAVE CAUSED SO MANY PROBLEMS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS THAT THE ZONING BOARD JUST INDICATED THAT TWO OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS RESPONDED TO THE NOTICE SAYING THAT THEY WOULD OPPOSE ANY ZONING CHANGE THAT WOULD BE LESS RESTRICTIVE.
ZONING CHANGE TO OFFICE DISTRICT 1 FROM A RESIDENTIAL WOULD MAKE THAT LOT LESS RESTRICTIVE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND WRAPPING UP YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE, MA'AM?
>> PROVING THIS LEARNING CHANGED FROM THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC WHERE RESIDENTS ARE PROHIBITED FROM APPEARING IN PERSON, TO OPPOSE IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
FREDA, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME.
ELAINE, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME.
HOWARD, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME, AND I'M REQUESTING THAT THIS COUNCIL, AT A MINIMUM, TABLE THIS ITEM TO A LATER DATE WHERE THESE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS CAN APPEAR IN PERSON AND OPPOSE THESE CHANGES.
>> THANK YOU MS. SMITH. I WILL ASK THE HOST OF THIS TIME IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER CALLERS TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM?
>> MAYOR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER CALLERS ON THE LINE AT THIS TIME.
AT THIS TIME THEN, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER AND WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> MAY I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 78-56 IN THE VICINITY OF WASHINGTON STREET IN BROOKLYN AVENUE.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 78-56.
AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION THAT WE WANT TO HAVE ON THIS MOTION, COUNCIL? [BACKGROUND]
>> CRIS, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY IN THE STATEMENT ON LESS-RESTRICTED ZONING AND HOW THAT WAS COMMUNICATED TO THE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PROPERTY OWNERS?
>> WELL, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT SPOKE ON THE REZONING REQUEST STATED THAT THEY WERE OKAY WITH OFFICE DISTRICT 1, BUT WOULD BE CONCERNED AND WOULD BE OPPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT IS LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN OFFICE DISTRICT 1, AND THEY EVEN MENTIONED OFFICE DISTRICT 2 GR OR ANY OF THE OTHER NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONING.
THEY DID STATE THEY WOULD BE OPPOSED TO OFFICE DISTRICT 2 BECAUSE IT WOULD ALLOW FOR A THREE-STORY BUILDING, WHEREAS OFFICE DISTRICT 2 IS RELEGATED TO A TWO-STORY BUILDING, AND THAT IS WHAT THE CONTENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
[02:00:03]
>> CRIS, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU GUYS DID FOLLOW TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, EVERY REQUIREMENT, AND GIVING NOTICE TO THE NEIGHBORS AND EVERYONE JUST AS WE WOULD IN A NON-COVID SITUATION, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES, MA'AM. LIKE I SAID, TWO OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS DID SPEAK.
THE THIRD ONE SPOKE AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
WE ACTUALLY SENT THOSE TWICE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THIS WAS TABLED AT A P&Z MEETING, AND WE SENT THEM TWICE, SO WE DID SEND NOTICES TO EVERYBODY WITHIN 200 FEET TWO SEPARATE TIMES,
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING IF THOSE NEIGHBORS WHO SPOKE AT THE P&Z MEETING WERE THE SAME NEIGHBORS THAT WERE AGAINST THIS THE FIRST TIME IT CAME UP?
>> I DON'T, MAYOR, NOT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME RIGHT NOW, I DON'T, BUT I CAN LOOK INTO THAT TO SEE IF THEY WERE.
>> MAYOR, I WANT TO ADD TOO, THE P&Z MEETING WAS HELD VIA ZOOM.
SO THEY CALLED THEM TO SPEAK ON THOSE TOPICS.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE PROPERTY OWNERS.
THIS IS A CHANGE IN THE PROPERTIES ZONING NEAR THEIR RESIDENCE, WHICH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE SITUATION THAT WAS REFERENCED BEFORE WHERE THAT PERSON PURCHASE THEIR PROPERTY KNOWING THAT THE PROPERTY THAT BACKED UP NEXT TO THEM WAS ALREADY ZONED GENERAL RETAIL.
THE CALLER MADE A REFERENCE TO THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO JUST DISTINGUISH THAT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE FACTS OF THIS SITUATION, THE FACTS TO THAT OTHER SITUATION.
ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT YOU THINK WE NEED? COUNCIL, ARE WE READY TO CALL THE QUESTION?
>> OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
FOUR, WHICH WOULD MEAN NO HANDS AGAINST AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[B. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7857: (Contact: Cris Valverde, Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services) To participate in this public hearing please call 1-408-638-0968. When prompted for the meeting number dial: 330267295# and specify as to what ordinance you are referring to. This item is the first reading and public hearing to consider an ordinance rezoning of a 7.23 acre portion of Tract 112, Revised Map of Pleasant Valley, an addition to the City of Amarillo, in Sections 159 and 166, Block 2, A.B.&M. Survey, Potter County, Texas, plus one-half of all bounding streets, alleys, and public ways to change from Residential District 1 and Light Commercial District to Light Commercial District. (Vicinity: River Road and E Saint Francis Avenue/Loop 335.)]
WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 78-57.>> WE HAVE ANOTHER RESIGNING CASE.
WE HAVE CRIS VALVERDE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, TO PRESENT THE CASE, AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ONE AS WELL. CRIS?
>> THANK YOU, JARED. ORDINANCE 78-57 IS TO CONSIDER THE REZONING OF A 7.23 ACRE PORTION OF TRACK 112 REVISED MAP OF PLEASANT VALLEY IN SECTIONS 159 AND 166 BLOCK 2 ABNM SURVEY TO CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 1 AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
THE VICINITY IS RIVER ROAD IN ST. FRANCIS AVENUE.
THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS DESIGNATED AS SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL, PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE FUTURE LAND USE MAPS.
SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL CONSISTS OF RESIDENTIAL ON MARS TRACKS THAT ARE TYPICALLY FOUND OF A SUBURBAN SETTING AND IS LARGELY WHAT IS FOUND IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
THAT SAID, WITH THIS AREA BEING BISECTED BY THREE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, WHICH ARE HIGHWAY 287, LOOP 335, AND LOOP 434 OR RIVER ROAD.
THERE CAN BE AND IS A MIX OF COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER.
AT FIRST BLUSH, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT KEEPING WITH SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL WOULD PREVAIL.
HOWEVER, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS BELIEVED THAT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS MAY NOT BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE LAND USE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
WHEREAS HAVING RESIDENTIAL USES ALONG SUCH HIGHLY TRAVELED COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS COULD BE MORE DETRIMENTAL THAN HAVING THEM ADJACENT TO SOME COMMERCIALLY DEVELOPED PROPERTY.
WITH THE APPLICANT'S TRACKED FOUND AT THE SOUTH EAST CORNER OF LOOP 434 OR RIVER ROAD AND LOOP 335 INTERSECTION AND ONLY 500 FEET AWAY FROM HIGHWAY 287.
IT IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT CONCEPT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WHEREAS IT DOES RECOMMEND THAT THESE NON RESIDENTIAL LAND USES TO BE LOCATED AT OR NEAR THESE PARTICULAR INTERSECTIONS.
WHAT IS MISSING IS, AN INAPPROPRIATE TRANSITION IN ZONING EDINBURGH (PHONETIC) TOWARDS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT CONCEPT.
THAT SAID, BECAUSE OF COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS HAVING BEEN LONG ESTABLISHED IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, THERE ARE LARGE COMMERCIAL AREAS WHERE RESIDENTIAL IS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO COMMERCIAL.
THE APPLICANTS EXISTING SITES AT THE CORNER OF RIVER ROAD IN ST. FRANCIS IS ONE AND THE PROPOSED ZONING IS ONE AS WELL.
BOTH DO NOT DIFFER FROM EXISTING ZONING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS FOUND IN THE AREA.
OF ADDITIONAL NODE, BECAUSE OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERN IN THE AREA, HOMES AND ALL BUSINESSES ARE MOSTLY BUILT ON ALONG THE FRONTAGES WITH
[02:05:02]
THE REMAINING LAND THAT IS OWNED BY THEM BEING UNDEVELOPED.AS SUCH, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS BELIEVED THAT FURTHER RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS INWARD OF THE FRONTAGES IS NOT LIKELY DUE TO BASICALLY DEVELOPMENT BARRIERS BEING LOCATED ALONG THOSE FRONTAGES.
WE DID SEND NOTICES OUT TO EVERYBODY WITHIN 200 FEET REGARDING THIS REQUEST, AND AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY CALLS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS REQUEST.
CONSIDERING ALL THAT I JUST MENTIONED, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IDEAL PATTERNS OF ZONING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT ARE NOT [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE] THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
BUT THEY DO CONCEDE THAT ESTABLISHED ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS ARE HARD TO IGNORE, AND THAT THE APPLICANT REQUEST IS CONSISTENT WITH SUCH PATTERNS IN THE AREA.
ADDITIONALLY, GIVEN THE RULE OPENNESS OF THIS PARTICULAR AREA, ALLOWING EXPANSION OF EXISTING NON-RESIDENTIAL OPERATIONS MAY HAVE A LOT IMPACT IF THERE IS MINIMAL SEPARATION IF THIS WERE AN URBAN SETTING, BASICALLY WITH ONLY AN ALLEY IN BETWEEN.
CONSIDERING THIS, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND DOES BELIEVE THAT THIS REQUEST IS APPROPRIATE.
>> THANK YOU, CRIS. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CRIS? [NOISE] AT THIS TIME THEN, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST ITEM 3B, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 78-57, AT THIS TIME, THE HOST WILL GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO THAT.
>> IF YOU ARE ON THE LINE RIGHT NOW TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE PRESS STAR 9 TO LET US KNOW THAT YOU'D LIKE TO GET COMMENTS.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S MS. CLAUDETTE SMITH AGAIN.
SO MS. SMITH, I'M ALLOWING YOU TO TALK AT THIS TIME.
>> YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL START RIGHT NOW, MS. SMITH.
>> OKAY. BASICALLY, I'M JUST REITERATING THE SAME THING I SAID ON THE PREVIOUS ONE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD BE VOTED ON DURING A TIME WHEN THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PROHIBITED FROM APPEARING IN PERSON TO OPPOSE THE ZONING CHANGES.
I'M CERTAIN THAT PROBABLY A HOTEL OR SOME SORT OF A SHOPPING MALL STRIP OR FAST FOOD PLACE OR SOMETHING IS PLANNED TO BE BUILT ON THAT LOT, WHICH WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THERE ARE RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS RESIDENTIAL IS CONCERNED, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD AFFECT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL AS THE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
THE MAYOR STATED EARLIER THAT THERE WAS A LOT BEHIND MY HOME THAT WAS GENERAL RETAIL WHENEVER WE PURCHASED IT.
HOWEVER, THAT LOT IS DONE FOR GENERAL RETAIL.
THERE'S AN INDUSTRIAL, FULL-BLOWN INDUSTRIAL DRY CLEANING PLANT BEHIND MY HOME ON A GENERAL RETAIL LOT.
SO, HERE WE ARE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT'S THE RULES, BUT HERE WE ARE AND THERE'S AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT BUILT BEHIND MY HOME REGARDLESS OF THE ZONING RESTRICTIONS.
SO AGAIN, I REQUEST THAT THE CITY TABLE THIS ITEM TO A LATER DATE WHEN RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO APPEAR IN PERSON TO AVOID ANY OPPOSITION THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
TOO MANY TIMES I'VE SEEN THESE ZONING CHANGES GET PUSHED THROUGH WHEN NO ONE'S PAYING ATTENTION AND IT'S TRULY LIFE ALTERING.
I KNOW FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE.
CONVENIENTLY ON THIS, IT SHOWS THAT THERE'S NO APPLICANT OF THIS ZONING CHANGE.
ACCORDING TO WHAT, I FORGET HIS NAME, THE MAN THAT WAS JUST SPEAKING, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE GREG MITCHELL FOR TOOT'N TOTUM.
BUT I THINK IT'S ODD THAT THERE'S NO APPLICANT LISTED THERE FOR ANYONE TO SEE ON THIS AGENDA.
CAN ANYONE ANSWER ME AS TO WHAT'S PLANNED OR PROPOSED TO BE BUILT ON THIS LOT AND WHO THE APPLICANT IS?
>> WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GO INTO QUESTIONS MS. SMITH, IF YOU DON'T MIND ASKING ALL OF YOURS.
YOU'VE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF LEFT.
>> THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S PLANNED TO BE BUILT ON THIS LOT AND WHO THE APPLICANT IS.
>> OKAY. SO YOU'RE DONE ASKING QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME THEN?
>> OKAY. I WILL END YOUR TIME.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CALLERS ON THE LINE FOR THIS MATTER?
>> MAYOR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHERS AT THIS TIME.
>> OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER AND ENTERTAIN MOTION.
>> MAYOR, I'M MOVED TO ADOPT ORDINATES NUMBER 7857, IN THE VICINITY OF RIVER ROAD IN EAST ST. FRANCIS AVENUE, LOOP 335.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN POWELL AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER SMITH.
FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME,
[02:10:03]
THE CALLER HAD A QUESTION, CRIS, ABOUT WHO THE APPLICANT IS AND THE INTENDED PURPOSE FOR THE ZONING CHANGE.DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THAT INFORMATION?
>> YES, MA'AM. IT IS GREG MITCHELL FOR TOOT'N TOTUM, AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT IS TO EXPAND THE CURRENT CONVENIENT STORE OPERATIONS THERE AT THE CORNER OF ST. FRANCIS IN RIVER ROAD.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE INFORMATION I HAVE AT THE TIME OF THIS.
>> [NOISE] COUNCIL, DO YOU-ALL NEED ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS ON THAT INFORMATION?
>> JUST A QUESTION FOR CRIS, MAYOR.
SO CRIS, THE OWNERS AROUND THAT AREA, THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO BE ABLE TO CALL IN VIA ZOOM TO STATE ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES, MA'AM. WE DID SEND NOTICES OUT TO EVERYBODY WITHIN 200 FEET.
>> OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN, THAT PROCESS IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF COVID.
COVID OR NO COVID, THAT PROCESS WORKS AND HAS WORKED BY MAIL.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAR VIA ZOOM, JUST LIKE ALL OF US ARE HAVING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND OPERATE THE CITY AND FUNCTION IN A COVID SCENARIO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THEN, COUNCIL? OKAY. THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ON ORDINATES NUMBER 7857, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE FOUR HANDS VOTING FOR THE MOTION.
[C. CONSIDERATION RESOLUTION - DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING AND CONTINUING THE MAYOR'S FIFTH AMENDED DECLARATION OF DISASTER: (Contact: Bryan McWilliams, City Attorney) This resolution allows for the renewal of the Mayor's Fifth Amended Declaration of Disaster for the City of Amarillo, Texas and continues the local state of disaster pursuant to Section 418.108(b) of the Texas Government Code.]
IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BE CONFIRMING AND CONTINUING THE MAYOR'S FIFTH AMENDED DECLARATION OF DISASTER.MR. CITY MANAGER? GEORGE, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS CONTINUING OVER OUR DISASTERS IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAD THE LAST FEW TIMES.
EXACTLY IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S MOST RECENT ORDERS.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MOST RECENT GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
HOWEVER, I'VE RECEIVED AN ORDER WHILE WE WERE IN THIS MEETING THAT SPEAKS TO WATER PARKS AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
SO IT'S JUST A MODIFICATION OF CURRENT ORDERS.
SO WE WILL WORK THAT IN AND HAVE THAT ADDRESSED AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR WITH THE MAYOR IMMEDIATELY TOMORROW OR LATER TODAY.
BUT AS WE HAVE IT SET RIGHT NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE CONSISTENT WITH MOST RECENT GOVERNOR'S ORDER, WHICH WAS GA-23.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, COUNCIL? NOT. WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 3C.
>> MAYOR, I'M MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, CONFIRMING AND CONTINUING THE MAYOR'S FIFTH AMENDMENT DECLARATION OF DISASTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER GA-23.
>> IT'S BEING MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ITEM 3C, EXTENDING THE FIFTH AMENDED DECLARATION OF DISASTER.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS?
>> MAYOR, JUST A QUESTION ON AGAIN, THE TIMELINE OF WHAT THIS GOES THROUGH.
ARE WE CURRENTLY THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH FOR MAY 31ST? ARE WE DISCUSSING WHAT'S GOING TO COVER THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH?
>> KEVIN, DO YOU HAVE THE TIMELINE?
>> YES, I AM GOING TO IT RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS THE EXPIRATION DATE.
>> PART OF MY QUESTION, MAYOR, RELATED TO THAT IS JUST THINKING THAT WILL END BEFORE OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND JUST TRYING TO GET A TIMELINE ON WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S CURRENT STATUS.
WHERE WE'RE DELAYED, I BELIEVE IT'S JUST THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH.
IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER CHANGES, WE WOULD STILL BE ON TRACK WITH THIS.
>> THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO COME OUT WITH A SUBSEQUENT ORDER.
AS SOON AS THAT HAPPENS, THE MAYOR WILL DO AN ORDER SIGNED BY THE MAYOR THAT WILL CARRY US UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, AT WHICH POINT IT WILL NEED TO BE EXTENDED.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INSIGHTS INTO WHAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S NEXT ORDER.
ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE LOGICAL TO ASSUME IT WILL INCLUDE ADDITIONAL EXPANSIONS UPON CAPACITY AT THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN OPENED.
[02:15:02]
AS I JUST RECEIVED FROM FRANCIS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS WATER PARKS LIMITED TO 45% OCCUPANCY AND ADULT RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS. SO ADULT SPORTS WILL BE ABLE TO COMMENCE IN JUNE, ALONG WITH WATER PARKS.BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S STILL CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO WHAT THE NEXT ITERATION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT WE WILL ADOPT THAT THROUGH THE MAYOR IMMEDIATE UPON ISSUANCE BY THE GOVERNOR, THEN HAVE IT ON THE COUNCIL AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE COUNCIL MEETING.
>> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 4-0 VOTE.
[D. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - BUDGET AMENDMENT TO OPERATIONAL MARKETING BUDGET OF AMARILLO ECNOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: Throughout the last few weeks, the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has heard from many area businesses about the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had upon the health of their business. As our local, state and national economies slowly begin to reopen, our organization wants to support area small businesses as they look to open their doors and welcome customers back. We recognize that our community's vibrant small business economy is a key part of what helps us continue to promote Amarillo as a great place to live, work and play. Beginning in June, the Amarillo EDC will be offering local businesses the opportunity to join our organization as promotional partners to communicate locally and nationally that the city of Amarillo is not only open for business but is also a great place to grow a business. Companies who are interested in participating need to submit the application form below to request to become a promotional partner. Promotional partners may be eligible to receive $5,000.00 for their work in promoting Amarillo. AEDC is requesting a $1,000,000 amendment to operational budget. This would allow us to fund the above program and stay within the 10% marketing allowance by statute (Sec. 504.105 of Type A Funds).]
IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD AMEND THE BUDGET FOR THE OPERATIONAL MARKETING BUDGET OF THE AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. AMANDA?>> TO PRESENT THE ITEM, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ON THE PHONE FROM AEDC AND I APOLOGIZE, I'M SCROLLING THROUGH MY SCREEN.
DO I HAVE KEVIN FROM AEDC? [OVERLAPPING]
>> ALL RIGHT, KEVIN, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAMERA [OVERLAPPING], BUT FOR SOME REASON MY CAMERA IS NOT AWAKE.
>> KEVIN, IF YOU WOULD, WHILE YOU'RE ON THIS ITEM AND PRESENTING, IF YOU WOULD SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT OR PUBLIC ADDRESS RATHER.
WHAT DOES THE $5,000 ENTAIL? WHAT ARE THEY REQUIRED TO DO? THERE WERE THOUGHTS THAT THE COST, OR THE BENEFIT TO THE BUSINESS TRYING TO DO THE ADVERTISING WAS TOO MUCH RELATIVE TO THE COST OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING WE COULD DO ALTERNATIVELY.
THEN THERE'S ALSO THE THOUGHT THAT IT'S NOT ALLOWED UNDER 4A, AND WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM?
>> I THINK I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER EVERY ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
>> HOW ABOUT YOU GO ON AND IT.
>> DURING THIS CRISIS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL OR IN THIS PANDEMIC, WE HAVE RESEARCHED SEVERAL OF OUR COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE STATE, AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD DO THE MOST GOOD, AND IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE RULES SET OUT IN THE STATUTES, THE 501 AND THE 504 STATUTES THAT ADDRESS TOP BIG CORPORATIONS.
SO WE THINK THAT WE'VE BLENDED SOME OF WHAT OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE ACROSS A STATE, BLENDED THE PROGRAM AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOING TO HELP OUR CITY OUT AND HELP SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ALLOW US TO MARKET THE CITY.
SO ACCORDING TO THE STATUTE 504 AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 105, 10 PERCENT OF YOUR ANNUAL SALES TAX REVENUE CAN BE USED FOR MARKETING PURPOSES.
TYPICALLY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WE USE SOMEWHERE AROUND THREE OR FOUR PERCENT OF THAT, AND EVERY YEAR WE'VE HAD SOME RESERVE TO BE ABLE TO MARKET.
WE JUST FEEL THAT WE'RE BEING JUDICIOUS WITH THE MONEY USING THAT THREE OR FOUR PERCENT THAT WE DO A GOOD JOB OF MARKETING SIP.
SO WE HAVE SOME ROOM IN THERE WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE 10 PERCENT, AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO YOU TODAY IS TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING BUDGET FROM 700,000-1.7 MILLION.
THAT IS ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE.
THIS YEAR WE THINK THAT AEDCS PORTION OF THE SALES TAX WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 18 MILLION.
SO WE WOULD HAVE A LITTLE ROOM OF 1.85 MILLION, BUT WE WANTED TO BRING THAT DOWN TO 1.7 TO MAKE SURE THAT, TO HAVE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.
SO WITH THAT MILLION DOLLARS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP 200 BUSINESSES WITH $5,000, AND THEY WOULD BECOME HER MARKETING PARTNERS.
SO IN ESSENCE, WE WOULD BE PAYING THOSE 200 BUSINESSES TO MARKET THE CITY OF AMARILLO, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FOR US.
THIS MONEY WOULD COME OUT OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND NOT OUR PROJECT BUDGET.
OUR OPERATIONAL ACCOUNT HAS A LITTLE OVER $4.5 MILLION IN RESERVES THAT WE'VE ACCUMULATED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND SO THAT MONEY WOULD NOT INHIBIT US FROM DOING A PROJECT,
[02:20:01]
OUT OF OUR PROJECT FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS A TOTALLY SEPARATE ACCOUNT.THE GUIDELINES AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM, WE TRIED TO MAKE IT REALLY SIMPLE AND SO REALLY THE RULES ARE; THE BUSINESS MUST BE LOCALLY OWNED AND WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO.
THE BUSINESS HAD TO BE OPENED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1ST, 2020.
THE BUSINESS HAS A PHYSICAL LOCATION EXCLUSIVELY FOR COMMERCIAL USE, SO NO HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, IT HAS TO BE A COMMERCIAL USE BUSINESS.
THE BUSINESS HAS NO MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYEES, EXCEPT FOR RESTAURANTS THAT ARE EXCLUDED FROM THAT QUALIFICATION.
SOME RESTAURANTS HAVE MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYEES, SO RESTAURANTS MAY HAVE MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYEES AND MEET THE REQUIREMENT.
SOME OF OUR NATIONAL FRANCHISES THAT ARE HERE IN TOWN HAVE LOCALLY OWNED FRANCHISEES, AND WE DON'T WANT TO EXCLUDE THEM FROM THIS PROGRAM.
ONLY ONE OF THEIR LOCATIONS WILL QUALIFY.
THEY'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO PUT THE MARKETING MATERIALS AT ALL THEIR LOCATIONS, BUT IT CAN ONLY RECEIVE THE OF THE FUNDS, AND THEN, UNFORTUNATELY, NON-PROFIT BUSINESSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
SO ONCE THE APPLICATION PROCESS COMES OUT, AND I CAN ADDRESS THAT APPLICATION PROCESS BEFORE I GET INTO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS GOING TO BE REALLY SIMPLE.
THE APPLICATION WILL COME OUT THE DAY THAT AMARILLO ENTERS PHASE 3 OF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS.
SO NOT THE DAY HE ANNOUNCES, BUT THE DAY THAT WE ACTUALLY GO INTO PHASE 3.
HOPEFULLY, THAT'S WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
HE HAD TO GIVE IT AN INDICATION OF WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE.
I KNOW ORIGINALLY IN HIS PLAN THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA.
ONE WAY TO FOLLOW THAT IS, WE HAVE ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED A FORM ON A WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN STAY UPDATED WITH THAT INFORMATION.
THAT WEBSITE IS AMARILLOEDC.COM/AMARILLO-IS-OPEN-FORM.
YOU CAN FILL OUT JUST BRIEFLY, BASICALLY YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AND ALL THAT.
THEN YOU CAN GET UPDATES OF WHEN THE APPLICATION WILL DROP.
I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS TRANSPARENCY IN THE APPLICATION.
ONLY THREE PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE HAVE SEEN THE APPLICATION AND OUR ATTORNEY.
[NOISE] THE APPLICATION IS NOT OUT FOR PUBLIC VIEW YET BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO HAVE A HEAD START ON ANYBODY ELSE.
SO THE APPLICATION IS REALLY SIMPLE.
IT BASICALLY STAKES WHAT I JUST SAID AND THERE'S A FEW THINGS TO JUST FILL OUT.
I HAVE VISITED WITH ALL THREE OF OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCES; THE AMARILLO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE AMARILLO HISPANIC CHAMBER, AND THE AMARILLO AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.
ALONG WITH SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] , THE SBDC THEY'RE GOING TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.
WHENEVER WE GET THE APPLICATION, THEY CAN DISSEMINATE THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN BE FAIR AND JUDICIOUS IN THE THE WAY THAT WE ROLL OUT THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE KNOW 200 BUSINESSES, IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET THAT; ALL THOSE BUSINESSES WHERE WE GET ALL 200 APPLICANTS.
ONCE THEY ARE TOLD THAT THEY GET THE FUNDS, THEY'LL HAVE 30 DAYS TO DO FIVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND THEY CAN USE FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, OR TWITTER.
WE WILL HAVE A MOCK POSTER, WHERE THEY CAN USE THAT MODEL TO HELP THEM WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO DESIGN SOMETHING.
ALSO, WE ARE ASKING THAT THEY DISPLAY AT 12 BY 18 POSTER, AND A TWO BY THREE SIGN TO DISPLAY IN THEIR YARD.
BOTH OF THOSE MATERIALS, ONCE THEY'VE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THEY ARE GOING TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS.
I DO WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO PAT DAVIS, WHO WE RENT PROPERTY FROM, HAS ALLOWED US AN EXTRA SPACE IN OUR BUILDING TO DISSEMINATE THOSE MATERIALS.
ONCE YOU ARE THE WINNER, YOU CAN COME IN AT A CERTAIN TIME THAT WE WILL TELL YOU BY E-MAIL THAT YOU CAN COME AND PICK THOSE MATERIALS UP, AND SO I WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO PAT FOR LETTING US HAVE THAT SPACE, RENT FREE, TO DISSEMINATE THOSE MATERIALS.
BUT THOSE ARE REALLY THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
IF YOU MAKE THOSE FIVE OR SIX QUALIFICATIONS, THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO GET THE FUNDS.
WE FEEL THAT A MILLION DOLLARS INFUSED INTO OUR ECONOMY WILL CERTAINLY HELP.
WE'RE USING A SIMPLE HASHTAG "AMARILLO IS OPEN", AND I THINK STEPHANIE CAN PROBABLY PUT THAT UP ON THE SCREEN.
THE MARKETING MATERIALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, TO SHOWCASE THAT YOUR BUSINESS IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS,
[02:25:02]
AND THAT AMARILLO IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.SO HOPEFULLY, STEPHANIE CAN GET THAT ON.
>> HAVING TALKED JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF MORE THAN 200 BUSINESSES APPLY, WHAT CRITERIA ARE YOU-ALL GOING TO USE?
>> IT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE ON THE BUSINESSES THAT MEET THOSE SIX QUALIFICATIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T HELP EVERY BUSINESS, BUT I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE 200.
NOW, IF YOU DON'T GET THE GRANT AND YOU STILL WANT SOME OF THE MARKETING MATERIALS, WE'RE GOING TO ORDER EXTRA AND YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO THOSE MARKETING MATERIALS.
WE'LL CERTAINLY GIVE YOU THOSE MARKETING MATERIALS TO YOU AS WELL.
YOU JUST WON'T RECEIVE THE FUNDS, UNFORTUNATELY.
THEN ALSO, I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE, I GOT A CALL LAST FRIDAY FROM NEWS CHANNEL 10, WITH RANDALL WALL AND BRENT MCCLURE, AND THEY WANT TO HELP US PARTNER ON THIS.
THEY ARE OFFERING ALL 200 OF OUR WINNERS A $500 KIND OF A MARKETING PACKAGE.
THEY WILL SET UP SOME PRODUCTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO HELP YOU MARKET.
THEN ALSO IF YOU WANT TO DO ADVERTISING WITH THEM, THEY WILL MATCH DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR UP TO $2,000 WORTH OF ADVERTISING, IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE WINNERS.
IF YOU SPEND A 100 BUCKS WITH THEM, THEY'LL GIVE ME YOU $100 ON TOP OF THAT.
JUST A WAY FOR A BUSINESS TO PARTNER WITH US, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT CHANNEL 10 FOR REACHING OUT TO US ON THAT.
I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE GRAPHIC UP.
WE WANTED JUST TO PLAY ON THE "WE'RE OPEN" SIGN AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS DESIGN.
WE HAD A LOCAL DESIGNER DO THIS AND THE SIGNS WILL BE PURCHASED LOCALLY FROM ONE BUSINESS AND THE POSTERS WILL BE PURCHASED FROM ANOTHER BUSINESS.
WE FEEL THAT WE'D RATHER SPEND THE MONEY HERE LOCALLY ON ADVERTISING THAN SENDING IT OUT TO A NATIONAL FIRM TO DO ADVERTISING.
WITH THIS, I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, WHY NOT HAVE A COMPANY DO SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE YOU GET CERTAIN HITS? WE WANTED TO SPEND THE MONEY LOCALLY.
WE THINK THESE $1 MILLION, THE AVERAGE TURN ON RETAIL IS ABOUT 1.5 TO 1.6 TIMES, SO ON $1 MILLION, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET 1.5 OR 1.6 MILLION IN VALUE OUT OF THAT $1 MILLION.
>> WHY HAVE YOU-ALL NEVER DONE A PROJECT LIKE THIS BEFORE?
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK WE'VE BEEN IN THE SITUATION THAT WE'VE BEEN IN BEFORE, AND I THINK THAT WE JUST WANTED TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HURTING.
WE TYPICALLY CAN'T HELP A RETAIL TOP BUSINESS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE STATUTE FOR TOP A.
BUT WE VISITED WITH OUR ATTORNEY, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES DO DIFFERENT THINGS ACROSS THE STATE AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO USE SOME OF OUR RESERVES FOR THIS SITUATION.
I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT TO BE JUDICIOUS WITH OUR MONEY AND BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW THIS IS A TIME TO DO SOMETHING WITHIN THE RULES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THESE SMALL BUSINESSES ONETIME.
>> KEVIN, CAN YOU RESPOND TO JUST HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THE NUMBER OF FIVE POSTS? USING THIS FIVE TIMES IN 30 DAYS.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN PUBLIC ADDRESS AND JUST THE VALUE FOR THE MONEY.
I THINK YOU HAVE ADDRESSED THE LEGAL STUFF.
YOU WENT THROUGH AND FIGURED OUT THAT THE NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO TRY AND HELP SOME OF OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES DURING THIS VERY UNIQUE TIME.
YOU'VE FIGURED OUT AN AVENUE TO DO THAT LEGALLY, BUT THEN THE VALUE OF THE DOLLARS BEING INVESTED.
BESIDES FROM THE ECONOMICS OF JUST STRICTLY AS A MARKETING TOOL, THE CONSIDERATION OF THAT THE BAR IS POSSIBLY TOO LOW OUT OF THE 200 PARTNERS THAT GET IN UNDER THE WIRE FIRST.
>> YEAH. AT FIRST WE HAD SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE USING SOME OF THIS [INAUDIBLE] HAD 10 AND 20 SOCIAL MEDIA POST.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE OVER BURDENSOME ON A BUSINESS AND MAKE THEM DO 20 SOCIAL MEDIA POST WITHIN 30 OR 60 DAYS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO RUN A BUSINESS AND WE WANT TO BE AS UNBURDEN-SOME AS POSSIBLE.
[02:30:03]
SO WE THOUGHT BASICALLY DOING A SOCIAL MEDIA POST EVERY FIVE OR SIX DAYS INSTEAD OF ONE EVERY TWO OR THREE DAYS.THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP WITH THE FIVE, JUST NOT TO BE OVERBURDENING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S TRYING TO, ESPECIALLY JUST NOW, GETTING TO REOPEN AT 100%.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAXED ON GETTING THAT BUSINESS BACK TO 100%, ALL THE PROCEDURES THAT THEY WENT THROUGH TO MEET SOME OF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE OVER-BURDENSOME, SO THAT'S WHY THE FIVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNSEL? [OVERLAPPING]
YOU MENTIONED HAVING ATTORNEY PUT BLESSING ON THIS.
WHAT ABOUT OUR CITY ATTORNEY, DID SHE LOOK AT THIS AND IS THIS LEGITIMATE? [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DID NOT SEEK THE CITY'S ATTORNEY COUNSEL.
I CERTAINLY CAN AND I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T.
WE JUST SENT IT OVER TO OUR ATTORNEY WHO USED A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY THAN THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SO IF WE NEED TO DO THAT, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
>> BRIAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT.
>> MY COMMENT IS THAT IT TRACKS THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATUTE, FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES 10% IS ALLOWED.
>> IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THE EXACT STATUTE, IT'S 504-105 OR.105 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT ALLOWS THE 10% FOR PROMOTIONAL USE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR KEVIN? KEVIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR [OVERLAPPING] DOING THE PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM TODAY.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON ITEM 3D, COUNSEL?
>> YES. MAYOR? WE DO. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
AMENDMENT FOR A $1 MILLION AMENDMENT TO THE AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OPERATIONAL MARKETING BUDGET TO FUND THE HASHTAG AMARILLOISOPEN PROGRAM.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED. AYE COUNSEL MEMBER POUNDS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILMAN HAYS, ANYTHING? AT THIS TIME, THEN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE FOUR, SO THAT MOTION PASSES 4-0.
>> I SHOULD AD, BEFORE WE GOT THE PROGRAM OUT WITH LAURA STORRS IN FINANCE AND WE GOT TOGETHER, WE ARE REQUIRING THE BUSINESS TO DO A W9.
THAT WAY IT'S EASIER TO PAY AS YOU GUYS DO YOUR FISCAL AGENT.
I DID TALK TO LAURA ABOUT THE PROCESS AND SO WE THINK WE'VE GOT A REALLY NICE STREAMLINED PROCESS OF GETTING THOSE BOOKS PAID.
>> I APPRECIATE LAURA AND HER HELP ON THAT.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT, KEVIN.
OKAY. AT THIS TIME THEN I ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY
[4. 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 lease of property located in the Northeast Quadrant of the Central Business District. 2) Section 551.087 -- Deliberation regarding economic development negotiations; discussion of commercial or financial information received from an existing business or business prospect with which the city is negotiating for the location or retention of a facility, or for incentives the city is willing to extend, or financial information submitted by the same: (a) Discussion regarding commercial or financial information received from a business prospect and/or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect: Project # 20-04-03 (Manufacturing) Project # 20-05-03 (Information) Project #20-06-01 (Financial)]
TO READ OUR LANGUAGE TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.>> GO AHEAD TO PURSUE THE TEXAN MEETINGS ACT CLOSED SESSION, AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL, WAS ANNOUNCED ON MAY 26, 2020 AT 3:44 PM UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITIES; SECTION 551.072, DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE SALE, OR VALUE REAL PROPERTY.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.
SECTION 551.087 DISCUSS COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION, RECEIVED FROM AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT IN WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING THE LOCATION OR RETENTION OF A FACILITY, AND FOR INCENTIVES THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE SAME.
>> THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL, IF YOU NEED TO TAKE A QUICK REST ROOM BREAK, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT.
BUT WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT 4:30 THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON.
SO GET OVER TO YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN, PLEASE. THANK YOU, ALL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.