[00:00:01]
>> YES. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME.
I'VE BEEN GOING FROM COURT TO COURT THIS WEEK PRAYING, I WAS AT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT YESTERDAY, SO I'M TRULY GRATEFUL.
LET US BOW OUR HEADS IN PRAYER.
[INVOCATION]
FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE COME TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THE GOD, OUR FATHER, AND SENT ME TO THIS AS WELL.THANK YOU LORD THAT YOU HAVE LIFT US IN SORROWFUL TIMES AND YOU'VE PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE [INAUDIBLE].
GOD, YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE FACING TIMES THAT WE'VE NEVER FACED BEFORE.
[INAUDIBLE] NEW TO US BUT NOTHING IS NEW TO YOU.
ALL I PRAY ALL OF US STRENGTH, AND I PRAY FOR THESE PANELISTS IN COURT THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
GOD, [INAUDIBLE] AND STRENGTHEN THEM AND GIVE THEM WISDOM AND INTEGRITY AND GUIDE THEM BY THE POWER OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT IN THEM.
DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE OH GOD THAT WE IN.
FLOW IN YOUR DIVINE AND GUIDE US AND LEAD US IN THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE US TO GO.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU, GOD, THAT [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL AS THEY ARE [INAUDIBLE] WAS STRUGGLING [INAUDIBLE].
STRUGGLING FAMILY, THE STRUGGLING CITIES [INAUDIBLE].
HAVE MERCY, OH LORD, AND JUST MOVE THIS VIRUS OUT OF THE WAY.
THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR MERCY AND YOUR GREATNESS.
BLESS US AS WE MOVE FORWARD, GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY AND THANK YOU. AMEN, AMEN AND AMEN.
>> AMEN. PASTOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE THOSE WORDS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR BLESSING.
>> HAVING NO ONE SIGNED UP TODAY FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS, WE WILL MOVE PAST THAT ITEM DIRECTLY TO AGENDA ITEM 1A.
[A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments; ]
ANYTHING IN OUR PACKET, COUNSEL, THAT YOU HAVE, QUESTIONS OR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION BEFORE WE GET STARTED IN THE MEETING.[B. Coronavirus Update;]
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 1B, WHICH IS A CORONAVIRUS UPDATE. MR. CITY MANAGER.>> GREAT. WE HAVE CASIE STOUGHTON TO PRESENT US THE ITEM.
>> THANK YOU. AS OF TODAY, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 3,631 CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTY, 2.798 IN POTTER AND 763 IN RANDALL COUNTY.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 2,179 RECOVERIES AND 45 DEATHS IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.
THAT LEAVES US WITH A TOTAL 1,407 ACTIVE CASES.
EACH OF THE CASES DO REPRESENT A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL.
HOSPITALIZATION DATA INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 21 COVID PATIENTS IN OUR AREA HOSPITALS FOR A HOSPITALIZATION RATE OF 1.49 PERCENT.
TOTAL ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS AT 72.5 PERCENT, VENTILATOR UTILIZATION IS AT 30 PERCENT.
IN TOTAL, ICU IS AT 78 PERCENT.
RESULTS FROM NURSING HOMES CONTINUE TO TRICKLE IN AS STAFF AND RESIDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE DURING THE INITIAL TESTING OR HAVE BEEN TESTED.
WE'VE TESTED A TOTAL OF 2,309 INDIVIDUALS, 93 PERCENT OF THOSE TESTS WERE NEGATIVE, 6.5 PERCENT POSITIVE, AND 0.5 PERCENT ARE PENDING.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 14 NURSING HOMES, 12 HAVE COVID POSITIVES IDENTIFIED.
PERSISTED LIVING IN GROUP HOMES FACILITIES.
SO FAR, 1,010 RESIDENTS AND STAFF HAVE BEEN TESTED, 97 PERCENT OF THOSE TESTS ARE NEGATIVE, 2.7 PERCENT POSITIVE, AND 0.3 PERCENT ARE PENDING.
WE DO THANK THE AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
THEY DID ALL THE TESTING THERE IN THE NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING IN GROUP HOMES, SO WE THANK THEM.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TEST RESULTS FROM JBS.
THERE'S STILL 17 PERCENT OF THOSE TESTS THAT ARE PENDING.
SINCE MANY CHURCHES HAVE OPENED, THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH EXPOSURES OF COVID-19 REPORTED AT CHURCHES.
THERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE ACTIONS TO TAKE THAT WILL KEEP CONGREGATIONS, YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES SAFE FROM COVID.
IF YOU'RE SICK OR HAVE BEEN RECENTLY TESTED FOR COVID, IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO ATTEND CHURCH OR ANY OTHER LOCATION OTHER THAN SEEKING MEDICAL CARE.
IT'S BEST TO KEEP AT LEAST SIX FEET OF DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AND OTHERS AND WEAR A MASK.
MASKS ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AT CHURCH AS IT CAN HELP SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID.
AS TYPICALLY, WE SPENT AT LEAST AN HOUR TOGETHER DURING CHURCH, SINGING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS A BAPTIST PASTOR SO CERTAINLY THIS IS A PLACE MY HEART IS.
WHILE THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RESTRICTIONS ON HOW TO HAVE CHURCH, AGAIN, THERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE CHURCH A SAFER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
[00:05:03]
SINCE MARCH, AMARILLO PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN IN FULL-COVID RESPONSE.NEXT WEEK, JULY 1ST, WE PLAN TO OPEN LIMITED CLINICAL SERVICES SUCH AS STD CLINIC, TB, IMMUNIZATION, AND REFUGEE CLINICS.
ALL CLINICS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT HALF CAPACITY AND BY SAME-DAY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
ONE PARENT WILL BE WELCOMED WITH CHILDREN AND ALL ADULTS AND CHILDREN WHO CAN'T WEAR MASKS WILL BE ASKED TO WEAR A MASK.
IF YOU WISH TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, PLEASE CALL ON JULY 1ST, BEGINNING AT 7:45 AM AT 378-6300, AND OUR TEAM WILL BE GLAD TO SERVE OUR PATIENTS.
CURRENTLY, IN AMARILLO, WE ARE CONTINUING ON OUR PLATEAU OF CASES.
TODAY, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 20 NEW CASES, AND WE WERE DOWN SIX ACTIVE CASES.
THOSE NUMBERS, IT'S GOING A LITTLE SLOWER ON THE WAY DOWN.
WE'RE WATCHING THE NUMBERS CLOSELY.
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND CASES SOUTH OF US IN THE REST OF TEXAS, THERE ARE INCREASES IN COVID-19, SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO WATCH THAT.
HERE IN AMARILLO, WE CAN'T CHANGE THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE A STATUS LEVEL ORANGE, AND THAT ENCOURAGES OUR COMMUNITY TO USE EXTREME CAUTION, WEARING A MASK, STAYING SIX FEET FROM OTHERS, PRACTICING GOOD HAND-WASHING, NOT LEAVING YOUR HOME IF YOU'RE SICK OR IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND SOMEONE WITH COVID ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
RIGHT NOW, IT IS AS IMPORTANT AS EVER TO BE COVID-AWARE.
>> CASIE, HOW LONG OF OUR NUMBERS ARE NET ACTIVE CASES, HOW LONG HAVE WE HAD A NET ACTIVE DAY?
>> WE HAVE HAD NEGATIVE NET ACTIVE DAYS FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW.
I THINK WE'RE GOING ON TWO WEEKS.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT OVER MORE THAN ONE INCUBATION CYCLE, BECAUSE THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE TWO WEEKS AGO, WE MAY NOT NECESSARILY SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT IN JUST ONE INCUBATION CYCLE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE SLOW ON THE WAY DOWN SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I DID JUST GET A TEXT, RANDALL COUNTY IS NET POSITIVE TODAY.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD A NET POSITIVE VALUE FOR EITHER ONE OF THE COUNTIES. [OVERLAPPING].
>> BUT IT'S ALSO COINCIDENTAL THAT IT ALSO CORPORATE LIGHTS WITH AN OPENING THAT WE REACHED TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO WE PROBABLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE CAREFUL.
>> BECAUSE JUST NOW, THE RESULT OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK TWO WEEKS AGO ARE JUST NOW COMING ONLINE.
>> THIS IS HARD, WE REALLY LIKED THINGS IN REAL TIME AND WE'RE HAVING TO WAIT, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO RESULTS IN TWO WEEKS.
SO ALL OF THIS DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE REALLY DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
SO THOSE PREVENTION TIPS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TODAY AS THEY WERE TWO AND THREE MONTHS AGO.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR CURVE FLAT HERE IN AMARILLO, MASKS ARE SO IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF DISEASE, BUT IF YOU'RE WEARING THE MASK, YOU MIGHT AVOID A QUARANTINE OR SOME OTHER RESULTS IN.
SO WE REALLY ARE BEGGING OUR COMMUNITY TO WEAR MASKS AND IT'S HARD, THEY'RE UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT IT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.
>> I CONTINUE TO GET FEEDBACK, CASIE, FROM CITIZENS WHO REALLY APPRECIATE THE EXTRA DATA THAT JOB PUT ON THE DASHBOARD ABOUT HOSPITALIZATION RATES AND HOSPITAL BED USAGE.
THAT'S THE DATA THAT BUSINESS OWNERS AND CHURCH LEADERS ARE USING TO MAKE DECISIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THAT.
>> YES MA'AM. IF WE HAVE FEEDBACK ON OTHER PIECES OF DATA, WE'RE HAPPY TO TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
[00:10:02]
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CASIE, COUNCIL? OKAY. CASIE, THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
>> JARED, ARE THERE OTHER PRESENTATIONS ON A CORONA VIRUS UPDATE?
>> NO, MA'AM. WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.
WE HAVE ALL THE PURPOSE OF AS MANY APPROPRIATE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE WE CAN PLAN FOR ON HERE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT THAT IS THE BULK OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT'S DIFFERENT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WEREN'T CASIE SPECIFIC? OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM 1C.
[C. Presentation of Coronavirus Relief Funding Programs (Support for Businesses);]
MR. CITY MANAGER.>> WE HAVE A JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR BUSINESSES.
PRIMARILY, WE'VE GOT ANDREW TALKING ABOUT THE APPLICATION SCHEDULE FOR THE CRF FUNDING.
TWO WEEKS FROM NOW WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE CDBG FUNDING.
SO I'M GOING TO KEVIN FIRST AND THEN HE CAN INTRODUCE ANDREW. KEVIN.
AS JARED ALLUDED, WE WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK ONE LAST TIME TO COUNCIL, PRIMARILY TO ANNOUNCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAMS, ADVERTISING TO THE COMMUNITY FOR BUSINESSES TO SIGN UP FOR IT.
THIS WILL ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THOSE APPLICATIONS COME IN TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR BUSINESSES TO APPLY FOR THE THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDING.
THEN THE COMMITTEE WILL BE EVALUATING THOSE AND WE'LL BE PROCESSING CHECKS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANDREW TO GO THROUGH JUST THE BASICS OF THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDING PROGRAM.
THEN WE'LL TRANSITION TO VANESSA ROBINSON WHO WILL TOUCH BASE VERY QUICKLY ON THE CDBG PROGRAM, WHICH WILL BE DELAYED BY ABOUT 2-3 WEEK FROM THE CRF PROGRAM ONLY BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH SOME TECHNICAL REVIEW WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT BEFORE YOU LAUNCH THAT ONE.
SO THERE WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN TIMING BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL HAD TO GET FRAMEWORK FOR BOTH OF THEM.
>> YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND THE COUNSEL.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE LAST WEEK TO FINE TUNE THE APPLICATION AND THE PROCESS WE WANT TO USE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
WE REALIZED ADCS APPLICATION THAT THEY RECENTLY LAUNCHED FOR THEIR MARKETING PROGRAM TO TRY AND KEEP THINGS CONSISTENT, MAKE IT SHORT AND SIMPLE APPLICATION.
BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
OUR PLAN IS TO LAUNCH IT NEXT WEEK TO GIVE US A WEEK OF TIME TO PROMOTE IT AND TO TELL EVERYBODY WHERE THEY'LL GO ON THE WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION.
THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED PROCESS.
SO WE WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT AT THE SAME TIME THEY CAN ALL FILL IT OUT.
THEN ONCE THEY E-MAIL, THAT'S WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE TIMESTAMPED, LET'S KNOW WHAT ORDER WE RECEIVE THEM AND TO START THE REVIEW PROCESS.
THEY'LL BE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO 5,000 REIMBURSED FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES OF THE PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, SIGNAGE, PLEXIGLASS, SANITIZING ITEMS, THOSE THINGS TO PROTECT THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS IN THEIR STORES.
THE BUSINESSES HAD TO BE LOCATED IN AMARILLO.
LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES OPEN PRIOR TO JANUARY 1ST OF 2020, THERE HAS BEEN A PHYSICAL LOCATION FOR COMMERCIAL USE THE ALL BUSINESSES WOULD QUALIFY, AND WE'VE SET A CAP FOR THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT 50, WITH THE EXCEPTION FOR A RESTAURANT AND DAY CARES.
WE ALSO INITIALLY WERE THANKING NON-PROFIT LIKELY WOULDN'T QUALIFY, BUT AFTER WE RESEARCHED MORE, WE THINK THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE APPLICATION TO RECEIVE FOR NON-PROFITS UNDER 50 EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE PPP LOANS AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN.
SO THEY'RE ALREADY QUALIFYING FOR OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS, SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF THOSE FUNDS FOR THE SAME REASON AS THE OTHER BUSINESSES.
LOCAL FRANCHISEES CAN APPLY ONE TIME FOR ALL LOCATIONS WITHIN AMARILLO, AND THEN WE ARE REQUESTING ITEMIZED RECEIPT TO BE INCLUDED WITH THEIR APPLICATION.
THOSE CAN ALL BE SCANNED AND E-MAILED IN, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE PURCHASES.
THEN INCLUDED ON THE APPLICATION IS A SPACE FOR THEM TO SELECT THEY RECEIVED OTHER ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL, STATE, OR COULD BE ADCS MARKETING PROGRAM, JUST SO WE CAN TELL WHO'S RECEIVED WHAT AND THAT MIGHT MAKE THEM INELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROCESS BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THOSE THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T AVAILED TO RECEIVE OTHER PARTS OF MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESSES.
[00:15:02]
BUT THAT'S THE HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO LAUNCH NEXT WEEK.WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH JORDAN TO GET THIS LAUNCHED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT, GIVE US A WEEK OF GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE THROUGH PRESS RELEASES AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THEN THERE'LL BE ABLE TO START E-MAILING INTO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AMARILLO.GOV E-MAIL ADDRESS STARTING NEXT WEEK ONCE IT GOES LIVE.
>> YEAH. I'VE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH. [NOISE] OKAY. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS, IT WASN'T JUST EXCLUSIVELY JUST REIMBURSING EXPENSES.
THERE WAS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF IT BEING A GRANT FOR COVID RELATED EXPENSES, NOT JUST RECEIPTS.
I GUESS THERE'S NO WAY THAT THAT'S ON THE TABLE.
>> WE DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY, THE FLEXIBILITY COMES WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER APPLICATION TIMES FOR THE BUSINESS.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE FLEXIBLE APPLICATION OF THE FUNDS, AND WE CAN GO INTO SOME DETAIL ON WHICH FUNDING SOURCES HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN OTHERS.
WHETHER IT'S THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CRS FUNDS OR CDBG FUNDS, THE CARES FUNDS.
WE WILL BE LOOKING OVER THAT THIS WEEK AND EVEN UP TO FRIDAY, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW.
KEVIN OR ANDREW, EITHER ONE, YOU WANT TO JUMP IN AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS.
WE WANTED TO GET THE MONEY OUT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, AND THIS IS THE FASTEST ROUTE TO GET MONEY OUT.
[OVERLAPPING] WITH A MORE BROAD OR MORE OPEN UTILIZATION OF FUNDS, BUT THAT TAKES A LONGER APPLICATION PROCESS ON PART OF THE BUSINESS.
>> OKAY. BEFORE WE DO THAT PART, LET ME ASK A COUPLE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAVE SOME IMPACT ON THIS TOO.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, I DIDN'T SEE A DATE ON HERE.
PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS A DATE THAT WENT FOR LIKE MARCH THE 17TH EXPENSES, ALL THE WAY TO DECEMBER THE 1ST.
IS THAT STILL THE CASE? SO IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S SAY I HAVE A RESTAURANT, I HAVE ALREADY ACCUMULATED $1,200 WORTH OF RECEIPTS FOR THAT KIND OF DEAL.
CAN I TURN THAT IN OR DO I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL I GET MY FINAL LOAD AT DECEMBER IF THAT IS THE CASE, THAT IT'S UNTIL DECEMBER TO TURN ALL OF THAT IN.
AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS MORE THAN ONCE? THAT'S ONE OF THEM. THE SECOND ONE, SO I'M GOING TO JUST PUT THIS ALL IN TOGETHER, IT'S GOING TO BE THIS.
SO IF I HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED FOR THE PPP LOAN, AM I GOING TO BE DISQUALIFIED FOR THIS? MY QUESTION ON THAT IS BASED UPON THIS, PPP LOAN IS REIMBURSING PAYROLL EXPENSES AND THIS IS REIMBURSING SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
IS THAT AN UNDERSTANDABLE QUESTION?
>> SO RELATED TO THE FIRST ONE, I LET ANDREW CHIME IN BECAUSE HE'S WORKED UP THE FORM AND WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FOR A TIME FRAME DATING BACK TO EARLY IN MARCH THROUGH THE CURRENT TIME FRAME, AND REALLY BEYOND.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CDBG PROGRAM, WE'RE USING IT THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, AS BEING THE TIME FRAME FOR ELIGIBILITY.
SOME OF THAT WAS TIME FRAMES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, BUT I'LL LET ANDREW ADDRESS THAT MORE DEEPLY BECAUSE THE CRF FUNDING IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN-ENDED ON HOW LONG WE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE AN INITIAL ALLOCATION OF THE 25 PERCENT THAT WE WILL BE APPLYING TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM, IF WE EXCEED THE INITIAL ALLOCATION, THE CITY IS ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SO THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES MOVING FORWARD RELATED TO THAT.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT, LET'S JUST STOP THERE AND WE'LL LET ANDREW JUST CHIME IN ON THE EXACT TIME FRAME FOR WHEN THAT PROGRAM STARTS.
>> YEAH, WE WERE STILL PLANNING FOR A RECEIPT BETWEEN MARCH 1ST AND DECEMBER 30TH.
THAT WAS BUILT ON THE GUIDELINES FROM THE STATE AS FAR AS EXPENSES GO.
ONE REASON WE WENT THIS ROUTE IS PPE IS IT DIDN'T REALLY APPLY TO THAT 25 PERCENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RULE, THIS IS PART OF THE 75 PERCENT [INAUDIBLE].
SO THERE WOULD STILL BE FLEXIBILITY IF COUNCIL WANTED US TO PURSUE OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO STRICTLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SINCE WE'RE PACKAGING THIS, I THINK WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE GOT BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE GRANT FOR BUSINESS, ANY USES, BUT LOW TO MODERATE INCOME.
THEN THIS ONE'S GOING TO BE THE PPE THAT EVERYBODY'S HAVING TO DEAL WITH IF THEY ADJUST FOR REOPENING, AND A LITTLE FASTER FUSE TO GET IT OUT THERE, LESS STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS,
[00:20:02]
LESS DOCUMENTATION SINCE IT'S REALLY JUST RECEIVE FROM PURCHASES.[OVERLAPPING] IT COULD BE PAST EXPENSES OR NEXT MONTH IF THEY HAVEN'T GONE TO THEIR 5,000.
WE START MONEY, THEY CAN RESUBMIT ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS [OVERLAPPING] AS LONG AS WE HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE, I THINK OUR GOAL IS TO STILL DO THE 25 PERCENT OF THAT 2.2 MILLION AND SEE IF WE EXPAND ALL THAT A LITTLE OVER $500,000.
>> OKAY. SO A FIRM WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO $5,000.
IF THEY SENT IN $1,200 WORTH OF EXPENSES NOW, THEN THEY COULD STILL SEND IN, IF THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE, ANOTHER $3,800 WORTH OF EXPENSES ON DOWN THE ROAD, UP TO POTENTIALLY DECEMBER THE 30TH OF THIS YEAR?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER, RELATED TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION.
IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED DOLLARS FROM ANOTHER OF THE RELIEF PROGRAMS, PPP PROGRAM OR ANOTHER PROGRAM, THAT WOULD NOT IMPACT YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM, SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE FUNDING FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES AND STILL MAKE YOUR APPLICATION FOR WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
WHAT THAT WILL DO THOUGH, IS IF WE GET A LOT OF APPLICATIONS MORE THAN [OVERLAPPING] HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT.
THAT MAY BE PART OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT HELPS THE COMMITTEE EVALUATE AND MAKE DECISIONS ON WHERE'S THE BEST AVENUE TO FUNNEL THAT MONEY TOWARDS AS FAR AS BUSINESSES THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR IT.
>> OKAY. WELL, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I WOULD HATE FOR SOMEBODY TO HAVE ACTUAL PPE EQUIPMENT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS BUT THEY GOT THE PPP LOAN, AND SO THEY THINK, "OH, I SHOULDN'T BE EVEN APPLYING FROM THIS." BUT WHAT'S BEING SAID IS, "YES, YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR IT." THERE MAY BE PREFERENTIAL PLACEMENT FOR THOSE WHO'VE RECEIVED NO FUNDING FIRST.
THEN IF FUNDING IS LEFT OVER, THEN THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM, CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. IF WE EXPAND OR ADJUST ON THE PROGRAM AND WE GO TOWARDS MORE OF THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY MODEL, THEN THERE MAY BE STIPULATIONS THAT IF YOU RECEIVE FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES, THAT WOULD PRECLUDE YOU FROM RECEIVING FUNDING FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SO IT WAS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO GET SOME FUNDING OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID AS THEY HAVE PREPARED AND RESPONDED TO IT.
THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE APPLICATION, IT'S A TWO-PAGE FORM WITH ONE PAGE THAT YOU BASICALLY FILL OUT.
YOU PROVIDE ITEMIZED RECEIPTS OF THE EXPENSES THAT YOU HAVE INCURRED IN RESPONSE AND PREPARATION FOR IMPACTS FROM COVID, AND WE'VE GIVEN SOME EXAMPLES AND WOULD BE OPEN TO OTHER EXAMPLES.
IF SOMEBODY HAS COME UP WITH EXPENSES THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF OR NOT, MAYBE SOME OF THE COMMON.
SO SOMETHING BEYOND THE GLOVES AND MASKS AND THE PLEXIGLAS FOR YOUR CHECK OUTS AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO WE ARE OPEN TO, IF SOMEBODY HAS SOME UNIQUE EXPENSE TO CONSIDERING THAT.
BUT IF YOU SUBMIT THOSE THINGS ALONG WITH THE W9 TO THE CITY, WE'LL REVIEW IT, WE'LL CERTAINLY PROCESS THEM AND THEN LOOK AT CUTTING YOU A CHECK VERY QUICKLY.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO A NEED VERY QUICKLY WITHOUT IT BEING A VERY BUREAUCRATIC OR DETAILED PROCESS WITH A LOT OF APPLICATION TO IT.
AS LONG AS IT'S A ELIGIBLE EXPENSE AND FITS THAT CRITERIA, WE CAN PROCESS IT VERY QUICKLY AND GET THE MONEY IN THE HANDS OF THE BUSINESS TO APPLY TOWARDS OFFSETTING THAT EXPENSE.
>> SO ANDREW, KEVIN, WILL YOU-ALL JUST EXPLAIN ONE MORE TIME, I KNOW WE'RE GETTING AN INITIAL PAYMENT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS OF 2.2 MILLION AND WE CAN USE UP TO 25 PERCENT OF THAT ON THIS TYPE OF PROGRAMMING.
WHEN I KIND OF READ THROUGH IT AND I ANALYZE GETTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR PICKING EACH TYPE OF PROGRAM, TYPE EXPENSES.
THAT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD QUALIFY IN THE OTHER, NOT SUBJECT TO JUST THE 25 PERCENT.
SO IT MIGHT ACTUALLY HELP US CAPTURE ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR 2.2 MILLION THAT WE CAN SHOW THE STATE WE SPENT TOWARD THOSE SPECIFIC COVID TYPE EXPENSES.
THEN DOES THAT STILL LEAVE US WITH THAT 500,000 ROUGHLY THAT DOESN'T HAVE QUITE AS MUCH RESTRICTION ON IT ON HOW IT CAN BE SPENT.
[00:25:03]
AM I ANALYZING THAT RIGHT?>> WELL, YEAH, [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S RIGHT.
I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE THERE MAYOR IS THAT ROUGHLY 500, 550,000 THAT 25 PERCENT, IT WOULD HAVE A VERY SIMILAR APPLICATION TO THE CDBG PROGRAM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT HAS TO BE APPLIED TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME BUSINESSES OR [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT WOULD NOT HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT.
>> IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT, BUT THERE WOULD BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GET FROM THE BUSINESS TO EVALUATE THEIR ELIGIBILITY UNDER THAT PROGRAM.
NOT SAYING THAT IT'S A HUGELY COMPLICATED APPLICATION IF WE DEVELOPED IT, IT WAS JUST THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION RELATED TO THAT TO APPLY FOR THAT.
SOMETHING IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WILL BE USING FOR THE CDBG PROGRAM.
>> SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE MOBILIZED QUICKLY WITH SOME SIMPLICITY, THIS FIRST PROGRAM?
>> WE KNOW WE HAVE THE CDBG PROGRAM ALSO COMING ONLINE BECAUSE OF THE [NOISE] HAD SITUATION AND ALL OF THAT.
WE KNOW THAT APPLICATION PROCESS IS GOING TO BE MORE BUREAUCRATIC.
BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE MIGHT DECIDE TO OPEN UP A THIRD CATEGORY WHICH WOULD NOT MOVE AS QUICKLY AND WOULD BE HAVING MORE ONEROUS APPLICATION PROCESS AND IT WOULD TOUCH THAT ORIGINAL $550,000 THAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR 2.2 MILLION.
>>THAT IS CORRECT. WITH ALL OF THAT, YOU'RE SPOT ON.
SOME OF THAT IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING FROM THE STATE.
>> THAT IF BUSINESS EXPENSES ARE APPLIED TOWARDS THAT 75 PERCENT BLOCK AND WE EXCEED THAT WITH CITY EXPENSES RELATED TO OUR RESPONSE, THINGS LIKE THE EXPENSES RELATED TO TESTING AND INTERPRETERS AND CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS, THAT WE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO EXCEED THAT INITIAL ALLOCATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE.
INITIALLY THAT HAS BEEN THE INDICATION WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD CLARIFICATION FROM THEM PRIOR TO DOING THAT.
>> THAT'S ATTACHED TO EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? JUST THAT WHOLE [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL, WHEN WE HAVE MORE CLARIFICATION, THEN WE'LL KNOW BETTER WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
>> SO CAN I ASK THIS REAL QUICK, JUST TO ADD THIS ON TO THE MAYOR'S QUESTION AND HOW YOU RESPOND TO THIS.
OKAY. LET'S SAY WE HAVE AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO THIS 550,000 THAT'S AVAILABLE.
DOES THAT ALSO MEAN THAT IF THAT IS THE CASE, THAT THAT COULD ALSO BE PUT IN WITH TELLING THE STATE, "HEY, LOOK, WE NEED THIS MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE HELPING OUR BUSINESSES HERE BACK IN AMARILLO AND MAYBE THAT MIGHT HELP FUND EVEN MORE FOR THIS." IS THAT A POSSIBILITY?
>> THAT IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IT WOULD BE MORE FUNDING THAN THE 550.
>> USING THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
THEY WERE BASICALLY ANNOUNCING TODAY TO GO LIVE NEXT WEEK.
>> BECAUSE THIS POTENTIALLY COULD GO UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
>> ANDREW, I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION JUST ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE COMING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY.
>> I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVING THAT INFORMATION OUT IN LIKE ANOTHER WEEK WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE DETAILS, YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THOSE DETAILS RIGHT NOW, LIKE THE PHONE NUMBER, WHO TO CALL? SPECIFICALLY PRINTED WHICH EMAIL TO CALL, HOW YOU GO ABOUT THE PROCESS.
>> SO WE STILL FAR ABOUT FIVE DAYS AWAY FROM GETTING THOSE DETAILS WORKED OUT.
>> RIGHT. WE'LL INCLUDE THAT ONCE IT GOES LIVE ON THE AMARILLOALERTS.COM PAGE.
SO YOU'LL KNOW WHAT THE APPLICATION IS, WHERE TO EMAIL IT, PHONE CALLS, PHONE NUMBERS FOR QUESTIONS, AND ALL OF THAT, ALL IN ONE PLACE.
>> ANDREW, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO GO LIVE NEXT WEEK, ARE YOU LOOKING AT MONDAY OR FRIDAY?
>> WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE PRESS RELEASE.
I WORK WITH JOHN AND SEE WHEN MAYBE WE CAN ROLL IT OUT, BUT WE'RE THINKING PROBABLY TUESDAY NEXT WEEK, JUST GIVE IT A ONE WEEK NOTICE PERIOD JUST SO EVERYBODY IS PREPARED TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE AND DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATIONS SO THEY CAN START SUBMITTING THEM.
[00:30:01]
>>JUST A REMINDER, IS THAT THE TUESDAY WE WILL NOT BE CONVENING FOR CITY COUNCIL?
>> CORRECT THAT WILL BE THE JUNE 30TH DATE, YES.
>> I'M SURE YOU WILL BE SENDING THAT TO US INDIVIDUALLY SINCE WE WON'T BE MEETING AS A COUNCIL, JUST A REMINDER OF PUSHING THAT INFORMATION OUT SO WE CAN ALSO ASSIST IN GETTING THOSE DETAILS OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> YES MA'AM. WE'LL PUSH IT TO YOU IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FORMATS, BOTH THIS WEEKEND, NEXT WEEK, AS WE HAVE INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
>> OKAY. THIS NEXT PIECE IS JUST A ONCE AGAIN, JUST KIND OF A RECAP OF THE CDBG.
CARES FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER $272,000 PART OF WHICH BASICALLY IS BEING PRESENTED TODAY.
WHAT WE ARE CONSIDERING IS RAISING THE CAP ON THIS FUNDING FROM UP TO 25,000 FROM THE 10,000 WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.
GIVEN THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS A MORE ONEROUS APPLICATION PROCESS AND SOME OF OUR INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH SOME OF THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT GRANT FUNDING THAT WE WERE PROVIDING TO NON-PROFITS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO HOMELESS SUPPORT IN THE LIKE, WE KIND OF HAD INTERESTS WAS SLOWER THAN WE EXPECTED OR LESS THAN WE EXPECTED.
SO IT WAS BASED ON THAT, THAT WE FELT THAT THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO EXTEND THIS PARTICULAR GRANT UP TO A MUCH HIGHER AMOUNT, UP TO $25,000 THAT WOULD BE APPLIED TOWARDS ASSISTING BUSINESSES THAT MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ASK VANESSA ROBINSON FROM OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO COME ON SHOW QUICKLY KIND OF GO OVER THE HUD REQUIREMENTS AS WE UNDERSTAND THEM.
WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS, WE GOT WORKED LAST WEEK THAT HUD WILL REQUIRE A TECHNICAL REVIEW WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE OUT OF THE FORT WORTH OFFICE.
SO WE WILL BE DOING THAT, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE WERE NOT QUITE READY TO ANNOUNCE THIS PROGRAM GOING LIVE FOR NEXT WEEK.
IT'LL REQUIRE MAYBE ANOTHER TWO TO THREE WEEKS BEFORE YOU GO LIVE AT THIS ONE.
WE DID BASE IT OFF OF A SIMILAR PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AND DE SOTO TEXAS.
SO WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'VE CHECKED ALL THE BOXES, BUT THERE IS THAT TECHNICAL REVIEW THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE. SO VANESSA.
>> HI. SO JUST AS KEVIN HAD ALREADY TOUCHED ON, SO THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WITH RAISING THE CAP TO THE 25,000 POSSIBLY SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE HELP ABOUT 10 BUSINESSES VERSUS 25 SMALLER BUSINESSES WITH 10,000.
BUT THAT'S STILL JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONSIDER WITH APPLICATION PROCESS.
ALSO AS MR. STARBUCK HAD MENTIONED, I AM WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR HEAD REPRESENTATIVE, MR. JERRY JOHNSON OVER AT FORT WORTH WITH THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OF THE UNDERWRITING IN THE APPLICATIONS, AND APPROVAL OF THE APPLICATION.
SO AS I'M WORKING WITH HIM, WE HOPE TO HAVE THIS APPLICATION READY TO LAUNCH FOR THE PUBLIC FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND TO START APPLYING WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS AT THE LATEST.
THAT'S KIND OF ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
>> I'M SORRY. ONE PIECE WE WOULD LOVE IS IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK FOR US ON WHETHER WE SHOULD CHANGE THE CAP OR NOT, WE WOULD LOVE TO GET THAT FEEDBACK.
WE SIMPLY FELT THAT THIS WAS MAYBE A GIVEN THAT IT IS A MORE ONEROUS APPLICATION PROCESS.
IT DOES HAVE SOME VERY FAIRLY STRICT REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE.
THAT IT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT ON SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES.
AND IT IS DESIGNED TO BE AN UP TO THAT MAXIMUM AMOUNT.
SO BUSINESS MAY ONLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR $10,000 OR $5,000 OR SOME NUMBER IN BETWEEN.
BUT WE FELT THAT THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER AVENUE TO ENTICE PEOPLE TO PURSUE THIS FUNDING.
THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WE COULD GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM HUD RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN INDICATIONS FROM HUD THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING COMING IN THE FUTURE THAT WE COULD APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM IF WE RECEIVE THAT FUNDING.
SO MAYBE THAT SETS A LITTLE BIT OF THE GROUNDWORK FOR FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT THEN, COUNCIL?
>> I THINK I APPRECIATE, KEVIN, YOU JUST PUTTING THAT LAST LITTLE NUANCE IN THERE UP TO THE FACT THAT IF WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF APPLICATIONS THAT MAYBE IT WOULD BE LESS THAN THE 25,000 TO MAKE FOR
[00:35:03]
SURE THAT WE COULD TOUCH AS MANY POTENTIAL PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.SO I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU MADE IT UP TO AND IT JUST DIDN'T SAY A CAP, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T SAY 25,000.
THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM AS WE GET APPLICATIONS FOR IT, WOULD GO THROUGH A REVIEW PROCESS BY STAFF, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BOXES ARE CHECKED.
THE I'S ARE DOTTED, THE T'S ARE CROSSED.
FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, AND THEN IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO A COMMITTEE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER HELPED US TO PUT TOGETHER THAT INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE AMARILLO CHAMBER, AMARILLO AREA, BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.
THERE WAS ONE OR TWO OTHER SO -
>> I BELIEVE AREA FOUNDATION AND-
>> THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT I CAN'T THINK OF IT RIGHT NOW.
>> YES. THEY ARE WORKING TO PUT THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER TO HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT WILL REVIEW THESE APPLICATIONS.
IF WE HAVE ANY CHOICES THAT NEED TO BE MADE WITH THE OTHER GRANT PROGRAM, WE WOULD UTILIZE THAT COMMITTEE FOR THAT ALSO.
BUT THAT ONE, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, WE FEEL IT'S FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD THAT WE WON'T BE HAVING TO MAKE A LOT OF CHOICES AS MUCH AS OUR PROCESSING FOR COMPLETENESS, AND THEN THE PROCESSING OF PAYMENT.
>> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL?
KEVIN HAS SAID EVERYTHING ON THAT ITEM THEN?
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS LATER ON.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH AND WE WILL GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOU.
>> OKAY. KEVIN, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT IT IS A LOT OF DATA TO FIGURE OUT AND THERE ARE GAPS IN THE DATA.
[LAUGHTER] THIS IS DIFFERENT KIND OF LEGISLATION THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, WOULD THAT BE ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT TEAMS DOING ON IT.
LAURA STORRS, ANDREW FREEMAN, JULIANA KITTEN, VANESSA ROBINSON, AMY DIXON.
ALL OF THEM ARE REALLY JUST COME TOGETHER, JUMPED RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE LOOK FOR WHAT ARE OUR BEST OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESENT THOSE IDEAS TO COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER AND THEN GET THEM PUT TOGETHER TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL.
>> DR. SAUER, WE DO APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'VE SPENT WORKING ON IT TO HAVE AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
WE FEEL VERY WELL SUITED TO DO THAT.
BUT THANKS FOR THE TIME SPENT WORKING ON IT.
[D. Presentation of Revised City of Amarillo Organization Chart;]
I DO USE A PRESENTATION OF A REVISED CITY OF AMARILLO ORGANIZATIONAL CHART. MR. CITY MANAGER?>> YEAH, AND MAY I JUST BEFORE WE JUMP FROM THAT LAST ITEM, I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY THAT WE WILL. YOU MENTIONED.
>> THANKS TO DR. SAUER, WE WILL SQUEEZE MORE TIME, EFFORT, BLOOD, AND SWEAT FROM HIM OVER THE REST OF THIS WEEK.
AS WELL AS YOU. [LAUGHTER] I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT ON THIS.
WE'RE MOVING FAST WITH IT TO HELP YOU GET OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> MAYOR, I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR KEVIN, IS WELL, RELATED TO CDBG? DO WE KNOW IF JULIANA THAT DEPARTMENT, HAS ANY PLANS TO DO A SECOND ROUND OF GATHERING FURNITURE, AND HOUSING MATERIALS.
WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL FURNITURE DRIVE.
ARE THERE ANY CONVERSATIONS IN THE WORKS OF DOING THAT A SECOND TIME?
>> THAT FURNITURE DRIVE WAS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO SOME OF THE HOMELESS CLIENTS.
THEY HAVE WORKED HARD TO PLACE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS SITUATION.
AS WE'VE RESPONDED TO COVID, IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE AT HOMELESS SHELTERS.
HER TEAM HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO IDENTIFY THOSE THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO USE OUR HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
BASICALLY, DOING IT AS A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF HER COMING HOME PROGRAM.
THAT IT WAS PLANNED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DELIBERATE OVER TIME.
BUT WITH THIS, IT HAS JUST CREATED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND UPON THAT AND TO STRIKE WHILE THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT YOU'LL BE APPROVING TODAY IN AN ITEM RELATED TO THE CARES ACT, CDBG FUNDING, IS BEING USED FOR A LOT OF THOSE COMING HOME PROGRAMS.
[00:40:01]
THAT INITIAL FURNITURE DRIVE, ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD WITH ONCE WE PLACED SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN HOUSING OF GETTING THEM SETTLED.I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE NECESSARILY PLANNING A SECONDARY FURNITURE DRIVE ON A LARGER SCALE, BUT BECAUSE WE ADDRESSED ALL THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS DURING THE INITIAL WAVES.
IF YOU'RE AWARE OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS SOME FURNITURE THAT WOULD LIKE TO DONATE IT, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE WILL DEFINITELY PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH JULIANA AND HER TEAM.
IF THERE'S A NEED WITH SOME OF THE CLIENTS, TELL THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMING HOME PROGRAM, WE WILL GET THAT ADDRESS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
SALVATION ARMY DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER, A GOODWILL, ALL OF THEM CONTINUE TO OPERATE IT AND THERE ARE THREE STORES ARE A BIG PART OF THEIR FUNDRAISING AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HELP THOSE IN NEED ALSO.
THERE ARE PROBABLY A COUPLE OPPORTUNITIES, WE CERTAINLY ARE PROBABLY A LITTLE PARTIAL TO THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FOR THE COMING HOME PROGRAM.
THAT'S JUST AN OUTSTANDING THE BIG COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THE FURNITURE THAT WAS DONATED, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND HER AND HER TEAM WORKED HARD TO GATHER THAT.
ONE OF THE LOCAL CONTRACTORS CAME IN AND DID SANITIZATION OF THOSE DONATIONS, SO THAT WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE DELIVERING THEM TO THOSE HOUSES THAT PEOPLE WERE MOVING INTO.
IT WAS JUST REALLY A GREAT EFFORT, GREAT PROGRAM AND ONE OF THOSE HUMBLING MOMENTS WHERE, YOU LOOK AROUND AND YOU GO.
THIS WAS ALL ABOUT WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
>> YOU MIGHT PASS ONTO JULIANA IF THERE WERE POSSIBLE GAPS THAT WEREN'T MET IN THAT FIRST ROUND? IF SHE HAD A SPECIFIC LIST THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUSH THOSE OUT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.
IF WE ARE GOING TO DO LIKE A MAJOR ONE DAY DRIVE LIKE WE DID BEFORE.
A LITTLE BIT MORE TARGETED AND SPECIFIC.
WE'RE STILL SHORT OF THESE ITEMS, I THINK IS STILL A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BE MEETING THOSE NEEDS.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES, LOOKING FOR THE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT MIGHT BE A MORE NARROW FOCUSED WAY TO RESPOND.
IF THERE ARE STILL GAPS AND REALLY WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE IN THAT PLACEMENT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I WILL MAKE SURE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO HER.
ALL OF YOU WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST WITH THAT.
>> MAYOR, WITH THE DEPARTURE OF MICHELLE BONNER AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF MOVEMENT OF DEPARTMENTS, BASICALLY REORGANIZING THE ORGANIZATION CHART.
WE HAVEN'T CREATED ANY NEW DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE HAVE MOVED A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS AROUND AND WE'RE SHOWING SOME OF OUR SUBCOMPONENTS OF DEPARTMENTS ON THE CHART THAT WE HAVEN'T SHOWN BEFORE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ARE NEW DEPARTMENTS OR THAT WE'VE CREATED NEW DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE DISTINCT THINGS THAT WE'RE PERFORMING UNDERNEATH CERTAIN PORTFOLIOS.
SO STEPHANIE IS PUTTING UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW THE REVISED ORGANIZATION CHART, I WANT TO WALK THROUGH IT WITH YOU AND THEN ALLOW YOU ALL TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOT.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IS A FOCUS ON ONE AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BETTER OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS WITH THIS.
SO IF WE START AT THE TOP, WITH ANY MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION CHART YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT THE TOP OF ANY ORG CHART FOR A CITY IS THE AMARILLO CITIZENS OR THE CITY'S CITIZENS.
THEY ELECT THE CITY COUNCIL, SO CITY COUNCIL RESPONDS AND REPORTS TO THE CITIZENS THROUGH ELECTIONS AND THROUGH REPORTS AND OTHER THINGS.
REPORTING TO THE COUNCIL YOU HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS, AND I SAY GROUPS BECAUSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AREN'T NECESSARILY A PERSON BUT THEY ARE APPOINTED BY COUNCILS AND THEY ARE REMOVED BY COUNCILS THROUGH SUNSET PROCEDURES AND SUNSET EVALUATIONS THAT COUNCIL SOMETIMES PERFORM OF THEIR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
IN AMARILLO, THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO APPOINTS AND DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE.
EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE ORGANIZATION CHART, WHILE I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS RESPONSIVE TO COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY WISHES, REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THAT'S BY CHARTER.
WHAT I USE DIRECTLY REPORTING TO ME IS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, AND THEN A WHOLE LOT OF DIRECTORS.
SO ONE THING WE'VE DONE AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SUBTRACTIONS AND ADDITIONS OF DEPARTMENTS AND THE MOVEMENTS OF DEPARTMENTS,
[00:45:02]
AND I'M GOING TO DO IT BY GOING THROUGH EACH SEPARATE TREE GOING DOWN BOTH MY DIRECT REPORT DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ONE OF THE DEPUTY AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.SO IF YOU LOOK ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE RIGHT OF THAT CHART, YOU'LL NOTICE A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS THAT REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY SECRETARY, DISABILITIES, AND OFFICE OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AT LEAST FOR THE LAST THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS REPORTING TO THE CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE ADDED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THOSE WERE PREVIOUSLY REPORTING TO MICHELLE.
TYPICALLY, IN MOST CITIES YOU'LL SEE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE IMPORTANT OR LESS IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE, IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE ON AN ORGANIZATION AND ON A BUDGET.
SO THE CITY MANAGER WILL TYPICALLY HAVE THOSE DEPARTMENTS REPORT DIRECTLY TO THEM BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE SUCH A LARGE IMPACT ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGET.
SO I'VE ADDED THOSE INTO MY PORTFOLIO, BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF WE MOVE TO THE LEFT, YOU SEE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THIS IS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AS WELL, THIS IS LAURA STORRS.
MANY OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF WHAT MICHELLE MANAGED IS STILL BEING MANAGED BY LAURA STORRS, HOWEVER WE'VE ADDED A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THIS AND WE'VE SUBTRACTED SOME THINGS.
SO FIRST THE THINGS THAT WE'VE REMOVED FROM THIS PORTFOLIO, OBVIOUSLY WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS PORTFOLIO AND MOVED OVER TO THE CITY, REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER.
THINGS THAT ALSO USED TO REPORT TO THIS POSITION INCLUDE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE MOVING TO ONE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND TO OTHER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE REASONING FOR THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSSES THERE, WE'VE ALSO ADDED TO THIS PORTFOLIO THE AIRPORT AND ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE FINANCE IS JUST ONE WORD, IT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMPONENT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING BUDGET, PURCHASING, A NUMBER OF OTHER FINANCE-RELATED INTERNAL SERVICES, AS WELL AS HUMAN RESOURCES, IT ALSO INCLUDES MORE THAN JUST THE HIRING AND MANAGEMENT OF CITY EMPLOYEES BUT ALSO INCLUDES THINGS LIKE RISK MANAGEMENT, INSURANCE, BENEFITS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE ALL BIG COMPONENTS, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING ONE OF THEM LATER ON IN THIS MEETING.
AS WE MOVE ON TO THE LEFT, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WE'VE ADDED THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO THAT PORTFOLIO, WE'VE REMOVED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND ANIMAL MANAGEMENT, ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WENT TO LAURA OVER TO THE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF HER LIST OF DEPARTMENTS.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MOVED OVER TO THE LAST ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, FLOYD HARTMAN, AND WE'LL GO INTO THAT IN SOME DETAIL IN JUST A MOMENT.
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WAS MOVED OVER HERE BECAUSE OF THE SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE THAT KEVIN HAS AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, HAVING WORKED IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR 20 YEARS, IT MADE IT APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
IF WE GO ON OVER TO THE LAST GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS, IT'S NOT LAST, IT'S JUST THE LAST ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS FLOYD HARTMAN AND HIS PORTFOLIO.
AGAIN, WE'VE BROKEN OUT A NUMBER OF COMPONENT OPERATIONS IN HERE THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY DEPARTMENTS, DEVELOPMENT SERVICE COORDINATOR, WHICH IS KELLY SHAW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AS WELL AS LISTING PLANNING SEPARATE FROM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS HIGHLIGHT HERE, WE REMOVED AIRPORT FROM THIS PORTFOLIO AND ADDED IT TO LAURA STORRS' GROUP.
BUT THE MAJOR CHANGE HERE IS THAT WE'VE MOVED IN BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND THE FIRE MARSHAL.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE FOUR DEPARTMENTS AND THEN WE COME BACK DOWN TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THAT'S ANDREW FREEMAN AND HE WILL BE FUNCTIONING AS A MANAGING DIRECTOR IN THIS INSTANCE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS HE'S STILL DIRECTING HIS DEPARTMENT, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BUT HE'S ALSO MANAGING THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
THESE ARE ALL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES RELATED DEPARTMENTS, THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION IS REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS STREAMLINE THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN BE AS QUICK AND RESPONSIVE AS POSSIBLE TO OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL.
SO TO THAT END, WE HAVE BUILDING SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THAT'S MANAGED, BUT THAT AREA IS HANDLED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION MANAGER, EMILY KOLLER.
WE ADDED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE THEY HAVE A KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THE MAJORITY OF WHAT THEY DO IS REVIEWING PLANS AND INSPECTING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND THEN IN ADDITION TO INVESTIGATING FIRES AND ARSON AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ITSELF MANAGED BY THE DIRECTOR ANDREW FREEMAN AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CRIS VALVERDE.
[00:50:05]
SO THAT'S GOING TO CREATE A MODULE INSIDE OUR DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION THAT IS PURELY FOCUSED ON FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.THE PURPOSE OF THAT LIKE I SAID IS TO EXPEDITE AND MAKE MORE EFFICIENT THAT ENTIRE PROCESS AND ENHANCE THE COMMUNICATION THAT ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS AND SUBCOMPONENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE WITH EACH OTHER.
WHAT QUESTIONS CAN I ANSWER FROM COUNCIL ON THIS? MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS AWARE THAT WE ARE MAKING CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS.
THE IMPETUS FOR IT BEING THE DEPARTURE OF MICHELLE BONNER.
THE HIRING OF A NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WAS A GREAT MOMENT TO SHUFFLE DEPARTMENTS AROUND, TO HELP MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT.
>> I WOULD JUST COMMENT, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
BUT I WOULD COMMENT THAT [NOISE], I THINK CHANGE IS EVIDENCE THAT SOMETHING IS GROWING AND LIVING.
NO CHANGE IS EVIDENCE THAT IT'S DEAD.
SO I THINK IT'S GOOD TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THIS.
I THINK YOU'VE MADE VERY LOGICAL EXPLANATIONS FOR MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOUGHT THROUGH AS A TEAM AND THAT YOU AS A LEADER SOLIDIFIED AND MAKING THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE MADE.
I WOULD JUST COMMENT IN GENERAL ON MAKING CHANGE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IS SOMETHING THAT WE VALUE AS TAXPAYERS AND WE VALUE THAT AS COUNCIL.
SO I THINK IT'S GOOD TO LOOK AT CHANGE.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT AND CHANGED IT NOW, BY NO MEANS IS IT SETTLED PERMANENTLY AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE WITH IT BECAUSE THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT WE'RE NOT GROWING AND WE'RE NOT A LIVING ORGANIZATION.
I THINK IT LOOKS GOOD AND I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
>> WELL, I APPRECIATE IT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS [OVERLAPPING].
>> I DID HAVE AN OBSERVATION AND A COMMENT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE REWORKING OF THE ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LETTING A CHART DRIVE OUR STAFF, YOU'RE LETTING STAFF AND GIFTING AND TALENTS AND STRENGTHS AT DIFFERENT AREAS DRIVE THE CHART AND DRIVE THE ORGANIZATION.
I THINK YOU DO A REALLY EXCELLENT JOB OF IDENTIFYING SKILLS THAT MATCH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND LEADERSHIP NEEDS IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
I THINK THIS LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. [OVERLAPPING] I THINK ONE THING THAT'S INTERESTING, I WAS JUST LOOKING THROUGH HERE AND CHECKING OFF THE AREAS WHERE WE HAD HIRED EITHER DIRECTORS OR AND/OR DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.
ALL THREE OF THE ACM AND DCM SERVICE HAVE BEEN APPOINTED OR PROMOTED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, INCLUDING CPDNE, DEVELOPING SERVICES COORDINATOR, WATER UTILITIES, PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BUILDING SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD RATIONALIZATION, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, PLANNING, TRANSIT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PARKS AND REC, AIRPORT, [INAUDIBLE] MANAGEMENT, HR, CITY ATTORNEY, POLICE AND FIRE, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
[LAUGHTER] IT'S AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF TRANSITION THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
I THINK THAT CAPITALIZING ON THE SKILLS OF ALL THOSE NEW PLAYERS IS HOPEFULLY WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO.
>> MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU MIND TO COUNSEL JUST THEN PLUGGING IN ON THIS ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, THE INDIVIDUALS NAMES THAT ARE LEADING EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS? IT'S LIKE WHEN I'M LOOKING THROUGH, I FEEL LIKE I WOULD BE ABLE TO GO FILL IN ALL THE BOX, BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE THAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING TO HAVE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SEND THAT TO YOU ALL.
WE'LL UPDATE IT ON A REGULAR BASIS AS NECESSARY.
ON THE WEBSITE, WE'LL PROBABLY FOCUS MORE ON THE POSITION TITLES OF THE DEPARTMENT TITLES.
BUT FOR YOUR PURPOSES, IT'S EXTREMELY USEFUL FOR YOU TO KNOW WHO'S RUNNING DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. ABSOLUTELY WE'LL DO THAT FOR YOU.
>> JUST TO YOUR POINT, I COUNT 33 POSITIONS ON THIS CHART AND WE'VE CHANGED 23 OF THEM IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
>> YOU COULD EVEN COUNT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BECAUSE THEY ALL CHANGED ALSO.
[00:55:03]
>> YEAH, RIGHT. REALLY, THERE'S ENOUGH SUB-COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE NOT LISTING, LIKE RISK MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS, BENEFITS ALL HAVE NEW PEOPLE AT THE HELM OF THOSE OPERATIONS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS NOT LISTED WHERE WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CHANGE.
THAT SOUNDS ON THE SURFACE LIKE IT'S A BAD THING.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF TRANSITION, AND I THINK THAT WITH THE COUNCIL'S GUIDANCE, WE'VE MANAGED THAT WELL.
>> I THINK THIS WILL BE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR FUTURE COUNCILS AS WELL OF JUST ALREADY HAVING THAT WHERE IT IS PLUGGED IN WITH THE INDIVIDUALS NAMES AND AS THOSE CHANGES OCCUR TO ALWAYS BE ABLE TO PUT NAMES AND FACES WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
>> I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO TWEAK THIS STRUCTURE.
DEFINITELY IF WE MAKE ANY MAJOR CHANGES LIKE WE'VE IN THIS REORGANIZATION, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING THAT TO YOU.
I'LL MAKE YOU AWARE OF ANY MINOR CHANGES AS WELL.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SKILLS AND ABILITIES THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE BRING TO THE TABLE AND IT MIGHT JUSTIFY FURTHER CHANGES.
>> ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT COUNCIL? OTHER COMMENTS FROM THREE OF YOU? [NOISE] GERALD, YOU'RE DONE THEN.
>> ALL RIGHT. ITEM 1 IS TO DISCUSS THE FORMING A UNITY COMMITTEE.
[E. Discuss a Unity Committee; and]
CLEARLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION NATIONWIDE, A LOT OF HEALTHY, PEACEFUL CONVERSATION IN OUR CITY OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, ABOUT RACE RELATIONS, ABOUT UNITY, ABOUT EQUALITY OF TREATMENT, ABOUT HOW JUSTICE IS DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY TO EVERY CITIZEN IN OUR CITY.[NOISE] I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL, ABOUT THESE THINGS DURING THIS TIME.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEM OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
IT'S NOT JUST BEEN [OVERLAPPING] IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'VE HAD MORE FREQUENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEM, AND EVERY TIME I HAVE CONVERSATION WITH FREDA ABOUT IT [NOISE], I LEAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS THINKING ON THINGS.
IN A RECENT CONVERSATION, SHE SAID SOMETHING THAT MADE ME CHANGE MY MINDSET [NOISE] ABOUT WHERE WE'RE RIGHT NOW AS A COUNTRY.
I'LL JUST CONFESS, I THINK I'VE BEEN THINKING, WHEN WE GET THROUGH THIS, THEN IT WILL MAYBE LOOK LIKE THIS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SOMETHING THAT SHE SAID MADE ME REALIZE THAT IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE AS A LEADER TO HAVE A MINDSET LIKE THAT IN A TIME LIKE THIS.
INSTEAD, A BETTER LEADERSHIP STANCE WOULD BE TO TURN INTO IT, RATHER THAN GETTING MY EYES FOCUSED ON GETTING OUT OF IT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETIME TO DISCUSS WITH FOUR LEADERS THAT I RESPECT GREATLY, OUR ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL.
HOW DO WE TURN INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS AS LEADERS AND USE THEM TO BENEFIT OUR CITY, RATHER THAN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT TO PASS? HOW CAN WE GRAB IT BY THE HORNS AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FREDA HAD SUGGESTED, AND I THINK IT'S A FABULOUS IDEA, IS THAT WE CREATE A TASK FORCE THAT WOULD FOCUS ON LEADING THIS CONVERSATION, NOT FOR A MOMENT IN TIME, [NOISE] BUT TO EXTEND IT THROUGH A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITY.
NOT SURE WHAT TO CALL THIS TASK FORCE.
WE'VE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TODAY AS THE UNITY COMMITTEE.
[NOISE] FREDA HAS BEEN WORKING ON A CHARGE FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
BUT IF THE CONCEPT IS SOMETHING THAT IS APPEALING TO THE FOUR OF YOU, THAT WE WOULD CREATE A GROUP OF CITIZENS WHO WOULD BE TASKED MAYBE WITH A 12-MONTH CHARGE TO PROMOTE UNITY IN OUR CITY, THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS TO LOOK AT, WE WOULD LEAVE SOME OPEN-ENDED THINGS.
I LIKE THE IDEA THAT THEY MIGHT CREATE A WEEK EVERY YEAR THAT'S FULL OF EVENTS THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS JOIN IT.
[01:00:02]
WE MIGHT HAVE A WEEK LIKE [NOISE] THE REFUGEE COMMUNITY HAS THE WORLD REFUGEE DAY.BUT WHAT IF WE CREATED AMARILLO'S UNIFICATION WEEK OR WHATEVER THE COMMITTEE THINKS IS THE RIGHT THING TO CALL IT.
WHAT IF WE AS A CITY, ACTUALLY CREATED AN ANNUAL TIME THAT WE FOCUS ON AND EMPHASIZE HEARING OTHERS IDEAS.
SEEING SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSPECTIVE.
PUTTING OURSELVES IN A STANCE WHERE WE WELCOME, LISTENING, AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE DIFFERENT FROM US THROUGH BACKGROUND, MAYBE DIFFERENT FROM US THROUGH IDEAS.
THIS COMMITTEE COULD HELP LAUNCH THAT TYPE OF THING.
FREDA, I'VE DONE A TON OF TALKING.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT.
YOU MIGHT BE ON MUTE, I DON'T SHOW THAT YOU'RE ON MUTE, BUT I CAN'T HEAR. CAN YOU ALL HEAR HER?
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL ARE RIGHT ON TRACK IN LIGHT OF GEORGE FLOYD PASSING ON MAY 25TH, AND THEN ALSO IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT, NOT ONLY OUR CITY, BUT OUR COUNTRY, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SO BLESSED TO LIVE IN AMARILLO AND HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE AND REPRESENT.
SOME VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW THAT WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE, AND WE CAN ALWAYS CONTINUE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
SO I'VE HAD SO MANY INDIVIDUALS IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, WHO HAVE BEEN MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED THAT THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTH AMARILLO COMMUNITY.
I THINK WITH THIS COMMITTEE, THAT WE COULD FORM FOR PERHAPS, THE CITY COULD FOCUS ON ALSO PROJECTS, MAYBE THAT THEY COULD WORK ON THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY FUNDED IN THE BUDGET, THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT SAYING, "WHAT CAN I DO?" SO WE NEED TO CAPTURE THE MOMENTUM, FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT TIME RIGHT NOW FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AS A CITY AND BE UNITED AND WORKING TOWARD SOME REALLY GOOD GOAL THAT WOULD NOT ONLY HELP THAT COMMUNITY, BUT ANY OTHER COMMUNITY AS WELL.
>> I THINK THAT'S VERY WELL SAID.
SO LET ME JUST OPEN IT UP TO THE OTHER THREE OF YOU TO HEAR IDEAS, OR THOUGHTS, CONCERNS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT CREATING THAT KIND OF TASK FORCE.
>> I THINK I WOULD SAY I'M REALLY OPEN TO IT.
ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP BUILD OUR CITY, AND UNIFY THE CITY, AND MAKE US ALL MAYBE HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR OTHER PARTS THAT WE'RE NOT A PART OF.
IT CONTINUES TO BUILD A COHESIVENESS IN OUR CITY THAT LETS US MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S AT A CRITICAL TIME FOR LOTS OF REASONS IN OUR CITY.
THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS, THE POINT WHERE WE ARE GOING FORWARD, AND THEN OF COURSE, ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
>> OKAY. I SAW HOWARD TRYING TO TALK A MINUTE AGO.
MIGHT HAVE BEEN EAGER. [LAUGHTER]
I THINK YOU REFER ARE FOR YOUR MAJOR NORTHERN AMARILLO, THERE IS EASTERN RIDGE, THERE IS ALL KIND OF ROOTS, BARRIO, AND IT MEANS WE CAN LEAD AND INTRODUCE MORE UNITY.
>> I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE IDEA.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING, A COUPLE OF IDEAS CAME TO MIND.
ONE WAS REMEMBERING GOING THROUGH LEADERSHIP AMARILLO, KENYA.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LIKE ROLE-PLAY,
[01:05:05]
IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TERM, BUT OPPORTUNITIES TO WALK THROUGH AND JUST SEE LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF SOMEBODY ELSE.THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL THINGS THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT PROGRAM.
THERE WAS ONE DAY CERTAINLY I'VE GOT WHOLE SESSION AND IT'S ATTRIBUTED TO WORDS THAT PEOPLE USE THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW THEY ARE INTERPRETED BY OTHER INDIVIDUALS.
SO I THINK OF LEADERSHIP AMARILLO, KENYA IS POSSIBLY PLAYING A ROLE IN THAT, IN THIS TYPE OF A COMMITTEE, OR A COMMUNITY PROJECT AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING JUST PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THAT FULL PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU'RE LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT THE WHOLE CITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES OF THAT PUZZLE.
MAYBE JUST PULLING OUT THAT ONE PIECE FOR MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS ON OUR CITY TO GO THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE.
THEN, THE OTHER THING I THOUGHT OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT I GOT TO MEET LAST SATURDAY AT THE JUNETEENTH PROGRAM, CURTIS AND TONY JOHNSON?
>> YES, TONY [OVERLAPPING] THAT WILL BE 101 ELITE TO MEAN. ABSOLUTELY.
>> JUST HEARING HIS VISION, HIS PASSION OF JUST BEING A MENTOR FOR YOUNG MEN AND THEIR IDENTITY, AND THOSE TYPES OF GROUPS, PLUGGING THOSE IN, BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE THAT ARE ALL READY, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BEGINNING OTHER GROUPS AT THE TABLE AS WELL, AND TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND TRADE PERSPECTIVE.
SO I AM BY THE WAY, SATURDAY WAS JUST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FUN, JUST A REAL BLESSING.
SO PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY, JUST PROUD OF THIS CITY.
I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD FROM HERE.
THERE ARE LITERALLY CITIES ON FIRE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE JUST THINGS THAT ARE JUST BURNT TOTALLY TO THE GROUND.
WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ISSUES WE WANT TO ADDRESS, AND WE WANT TO LEAN INTO RIGHT NOW, THAT WE HAVE A PLATFORM TO START WITH.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY WORKING ON THIS AND INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT JUST POINTING OUT THE PROBLEMS.
>> YEAH, AND I JUST WANT TO TIE IN TOD BACK INTO UNITY LIKE WE WERE TALKING, BUT BEING OUT IN THE PART SATURDAY FOR JUNETEENTH, IT JUST REALLY FIT EVERYTHING.
YOU HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE OUT THERE WITH FAMILY, WITH FRIENDS, AND I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T LEAVE UNTIL SOMEWHERE, I WOULD IMAGINE MAYBE 10, I LEFT AT 9:30.
SO [LAUGHTER] AND FOR THE UNITY OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER, AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SO MANY INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE AGAIN ASKING, "WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?" WE HAVE DOLLARS, WE HAVE RESOURCES HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE APPRECIATED IN VALUE, AND THEY JUST WANT TO GIVE OF THEIR TIME.
>> IT ALSO MAKES ME THINK BACK TO SOME OF OUR FORMER CONVERSATIONS THAT I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS A CALL ON OUR CITY, AND HAS CALLED US TO BE A LIGHT AND A ROLE MODEL TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
I'LL JUST PASS ON FROM JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS ON SATURDAY AT THE PARK AS WELL WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
I HAD SO MANY OF THEM SAY HOW POSITIVE THE DAY WAS AND HOW APPRECIATIVE THEY WERE OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FROM WHERE THE PARADE ROUTE WAS AND NOT JUST IN NORTH HEIGHTS, BUT HAS BEEN JUST THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY ARE GAINING RIGHT NOW FROM ALL THE PEOPLE DROPPING OFF FOOD AT THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, AND HOW APPRECIATIVE THEY WERE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SET AN EXAMPLE BUILD, KNOW THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON, BUT AGAIN, JUST APPRECIATIVE THAT WE HAVE A BASE TO START FROM AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TOTALLY BUILD FROM SCRATCH.
>> BUT THEN I THINK THE NEXT STEPS MIGHT BE IN PUTTING THAT TASK FORCE TOGETHER.
[01:10:07]
IT WORKED REALLY WELL TO PUT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE TOGETHER BASED OF YOUR SUGGESTED MEMBERS, BECAUSE YOU ALL GAVE US A LIST OF FOLKS THAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE GOOD TO SERVE AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE LISTS AND BUILD A COMMITTEE THAT REPRESENTED THE WHOLE CITY BOTH IN AGE, IN GENDER, IN ETHNICITY, AND WHERE THEY LIVE GEOGRAPHICALLY IN THE CITY, AND JUST OTHER EXPERIENCES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE THAT BROUGHT THEM ONTO THAT COMMITTEE AND REALLY AN EXTRA GREAT COMMITTEE MEMBER.WE GOT A SUPER START COMMITTEE FOR THAT CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE DOING IT THE SAME WAY AGAIN AND ASK THAT EACH OF YOU PRESENT THE CITY MANAGER WITH A LIST OF 8-12 NAMES.
IF YOU DON'T GIVE US ENOUGH NAME, THAT MAKES IT HARD TO GET THAT GOOD CROSS-SECTION OF PEOPLE.
IF YOU'RE CHALLENGED TO GET 8-12, MAYBE GIVE ME A PHONE CALL OR JARED A PHONE CALL, I CAN ONLY TALK TO ONE OF YOU ABOUT IT.
WE CAN BRAINSTORM ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR LIST BIGGER, MORE ROBUST.
BUT IT REALLY HELPS FORTH TO COME AS 8-12 PEOPLE AND THEN WE PUT THAT COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A LARGER COMMITTEE, THEN OUR CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE WITH TWO FROM EACH OF YOU AND ONE FROM ME, SO IT WAS NINE PEOPLE.
I'M THINKING MAYBE 15 ON THIS COMMITTEE, WE DON'T WANT THEM TOO BIG, THEY CAN'T GET ANYTHING DONE.
BUT I COULD SEE WHERE THIS COMMITTEE WOULD COME TOGETHER, CREATE TWO OR THREE SUB-COMMITTEES TO WORK ON THE THINGS THAT ARE IN CHARGE AND FREE JUST HELPING WITH THAT CHARGE.
SO IF YOU ALL HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CHARGE, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THERE'S IT WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT.
SOMETHING THAT I FELT FREE TO VERY WISELY BROUGHT UP IS TALKING ABOUT THE STATUE IN ELLWOOD PARK.
IT WILL BE CONTROVERSIAL, THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WITH STRONG OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE, BUT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT LAST TIME WE TOUCHED THAT, IT WAS MORE OF A WHAT COULD WE DO TO MOVE FORWARD TO SAY WHO WE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.
SO THIS COMMITTEE MIGHT FORM A SUB-COMMITTEE THAT SAYS, "LET'S PUT UP A STATUE BESIDE THAT ONE THAT SAYS MORE STRONGLY WHAT OUR MESSAGE IS TODAY.
WHO ARE WE IN 2020? WHAT DO WE PROMOTE? WHAT SEEDS DO WE WANT TO PLANT TO GROW?" THAT MIGHT BE A PART OF THIS CHARGE THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD HAVE.
I THINK IT'S BACK TO WHAT FREDA WAS SAYING, PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GIVE AND BEING A PART OF MOVING FORWARD, BUT WE NEED A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO HELP US TAKE CHARGE OF THOSE THINGS AND WORK IT.
ANY CONCERN WITH DOING IT THAT WAY?
>> NO CONCERNS AND YES, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
>> WELL, I DON'T WANT TO SIT TOO LONG ON IT.
SO WE'RE NOT MEETING NEXT WEEK, RIGHT? YES. SO IF MAYBE YOU COULD TAKE YOUR MEETING OFF NEXT WEEK AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND TRY TO GET THOSE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE A WEEK FROM FRIDAY.
SO WE'LL GIVE YOU 10 DAYS OR SO.
THEN WE MIGHT WORK ON PUTTING THAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND STARTING TO GET THEM LINED OUT IN MEETING SOMETIME IN THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS OR SO.
>> AS ALL THE REST OF OUR HEARTS.
MOVING TO ITEM 1F THEN IS TO REQUEST
[F. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER.ANYTHING COUNCIL THAT WE NEED TO ADD FOR REFERENCE? I DID REFERENCE TO HOUSEKEEPING ITEM THAT WE'RE TAKING NEXT WEEK AS JULY 4TH HOLIDAY NOT MEETING.
SO THIS WOULD BE FOR THE JULY 7TH MEETING. NOT HEARING ANYTHING?
>> POSSIBLY AN UPDATE ON THAT CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
>> IT'S ALREADY ON THE AGENDA.
[01:15:01]
WE JUST ADDED IT THIS MORNING AS WELL AS AN UPDATE ON THE CIVIC CENTER BOND, NOVEMBER ELECTION.BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS ARE ON JULY 7TH WORK AGENDA.
>> IT'S A GREAT IDEA. AUGUST 11TH IS OUR TIME-FRAME TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
IT MAY BE ON EVERY COUNCIL AGENDA BETWEEN NOW AND THEN JUST FOR US TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO DO IT.
>> OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA THEN.
[2. CONSENT ITEMS:]
ANYTHING THEIR COUNCIL NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR MORE QUESTIONS OR CONVERSATION? NOT SEEING ANYTHING, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION?>> YES, MAYOR. I MOVE THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I [OVERLAPPING].
RAISE YOUR HANDS, RIGHT? YES. OKAY, THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.
[A. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7858: (Contact: Andrew Freeman, 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 a 28.03 acre tract of unplatted land in Section 183, Block 2, A.B.&M. Survey, Randall County, Texas, plus one half of all bounding streets, alleys, and public ways to change from Agricultural District to Moderate Density District. (Vicinity: Farmers Avenue and GeminiTrail.)]
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINATES NUMBER 7858, MR. CITY MANAGER.>> ALL RIGHT, MAYOR. THE FIRST TWO ITEMS, ITEM A AND ITEM B, 1758 AND 1759, THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OTHER.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE ANDREW PRESENT US THE ITEM.
WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE THEM SEPARATELY, BUT THESE ARE BOTH RE-ZONINGS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
>> THANK YOU. SO THIS FIRST ONE, AS JERRY MENTIONED, THESE TWO ARE RELATED, THEY HAVE THE SAME APPLICANT, THEY'RE JUST REQUESTING A LITTLE DIFFERENT ZONING FOR THE SAME PROJECT.
THE FIRST IS A 28.03 ACRE TRACT IN THE VICINITY OF FARMERS AVENUE AND GEMINI TRAIL, BASICALLY WEST OF WASHINGTON, EAST OF GEORGIA, RIGHT ALONG THE BNSF RAILWAY ON THE EAST SIDE THERE.
HERE'S AN AERIAL SHOWING THE AREA.
THEY ARE REQUESTING TO GO FROM AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO MODERATE DENSITY DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.
MODERATE DENSITY IS BEING REQUESTED DUE TO THE SMALLER WIDTH REQUIREMENTS, THEY'D BE ABLE TO DO 45 FEET WIDE LOTS INSTEAD OF THE 50 FEET REQUIRED IN THE R3 ZONING, WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO DO A LITTLE DIFFERENT PRODUCT TYPE ALONG THAT EASTERN EDGE.
AS FAR AS SURROUNDING PROPERTIES, WE HAVE R1 ZONING TO THE NORTH AND R3 TO THE WEST, AND AG ALSO TO THE WEST, BUT THE PORTION OF AG'S THE NEXT ZONING CASE.
SO THIS WAS PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR THEIR REVIEW.
AS FAR AS THE FUTURE LAND USE, IT SHOULD HAVE SUBURBAN, RESIDENTIAL IN THE FUTURE LAND USE, WHICH IS LESS DENSE PRODUCT TYPE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE LOOKING AT THE AERIAL FOR THAT AREA, THE PRODUCTS DEVELOPED TO THE WEST THERE ARE MORE DENSE WITH THE R3 DEVELOPMENT THAT FITS WITH GENERAL RESIDENTIAL.
SO WITH THAT BEING CONSIDERED, THE COMMISSION THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE FOR ZONING CHANGE THERE ON THE EASTERN SIDE, PARTICULARLY SINCE IT DOES ABUT RIGHT NEXT TO THAT RAILROAD, SO HAVING A DIFFERENT PRODUCT TYPE AS A BARRIER TO YOUR MORE TRADITIONAL R3 ZONING WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AS THEY'RE PLANNING TO PUT MORE DENSE DEVELOPMENT THERE.
IT'LL ALSO PROVIDE A BUFFER TO THE EAST, WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, BUT IT IS INDUSTRIAL TO THE EAST.
SO THIS ONE, NOTICES WERE OF COURSE, WERE SENT OUT, AND IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE NEWSPAPER TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THE CHANGE WAS BEING REQUESTED.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS OR CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS ITEM AND THE P&V DID VOTE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, AS JERRY MENTIONED, IT WAS A PUBLIC HEARING AND STEPHANIE'S INCLUDE THE CALLER INFORMATION ON EACH SLIDE HERE FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND PROVIDE COMMENTS TODAY DUE TO THIS BEING FIRST READING FOR THIS ITEM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
>> OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE THEN TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ANY CITIZEN WISHING TO SPEAK ON, FOR, OR AGAINST THIS ITEM CAN NOW DIAL IN AT THE NUMBER LISTED IN THE AGENDA, AND STEPHANIE, I DO THINK IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT FOR IT TO BE LISTED WITH THE ITEM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT CHANGE.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A COMMENT, IF YOU'LL CLICK THE "RAISE HAND" BUTTON OR DIAL *9 ON YOUR PHONE AT THIS TIME.
[01:20:07]
I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO TALK, MAYOR.>> OKAY. IF YOU'RE OUT THERE AND FUMBLING AROUND TRYING TO MAKE YOUR TECHNOLOGY WORK, KEEP TRYING, AND WE CAN ALWAYS TRY TO LOOP YOU BACK IN.
BUT FOR THE MOMENT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
>> YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINATE NUMBERS 7858 TO CHANGE FROM AN AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS TO A MODERATE DENSITY DISTRICT IN THE VICINITY OF FARMERS AVENUE AND GEMINI TRAIL.
>> OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, TO APPROVE ORDINATES NUMBER 7858.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
RIGHT. THAT'S FIVE HANDS FOR, SO WE HAVE A 5-0 VOTE FOR ORDINATES 7858.
THEN, I'LL HAND IT BACK TO ANDREW TO HEAR 7859.
[B. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7859: (Contact: Andrew Freeman, 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 a 61.52 acre tract of unplatted land in Section 183, Block 2, A.B.&M. Survey, Randall County, Texas, plus one half of all bounding streets, alleys, and public ways to change from Agricultural District to Residential District 3. (Vicinity: Farmers Avenue and Gemini Trail.)]
>> YES, MA'AM. 7859 AGAIN IS JUST ADJACENT TO THE WEST OF THE TRACK, JUST APPROVED ON FIRST READING.
SO IT'S 61.52 ACRES, REQUESTING TO GO FROM AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3.
SO THIS IS AN AERIAL OF THE ZONE BEING CONSIDERED, AGAIN, THIS ONE, ABUTS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING R3 TO THE WEST, SO YOU'LL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS IN THAT AREA AND THEN IT ABUTS TO THE NORTH WITH THE R1 DISTRICT, AND THEN IT'LL HEAD TO EAST, THE MODERATE DENSITY DISTRICT.
WE DID RECEIVE ONE CALL INQUIRING ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT ONCE WE DISCUSSED WITH THE CALLER ABOUT WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE REQUEST.
JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE DO HAVE A PRIMARY PLANNED FOR THIS TRACT AND THE MODERATE DENSITY TRACT COMBINED, WHERE THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO 445 RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
SO THAT IS THE INTENT OF THIS PROJECT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, HERE'S AN AERIAL OF THE AREA AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THIS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? THANK YOU, ANDREW. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON AGENDA ITEM 3B, CONSIDERATION OF ORDINATES NUMBER 7859.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON, OR AGAINST THE MATTER SHOULD NOW RAISE THEIR HAND OR PRESS *9.
>> MAYOR, WE DIDN'T NOT HAVE ANYBODY ON THE LINE AT THIS TIME.
>> OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> YES, MAYOR. I MOVED TO ADOPT ORDINATES NUMBER 7859 TO CHANGE FROM AN AGRICULTURE DISTRICT TO A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3 IN THE VICINITY OF FARMERS AVENUE AND GEMINI TRAIL.
>> OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7859.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL? OKAY. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT MOTION HAS FIVE VOTES FOUR.
[C. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE City TO SEEK AND DISTRIBUTE STATE FUNDS FOR THE 2O2O UNITED STATES TEAM PENNING ASSOCIATION WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT: (Contact: Laura Storrs, Assistant City Manager) This resolution authorizes the City to seek and distribute State funds, pursuant to article 5190.14, Section 5C of the Texas Revised Civil Statutes, in cooperation with the Amarillo-Potter Event Venue District, for the qualifying event.]
[D. CONSIDER RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO SEEK AND DISTRIBUTE STATE FUNDS FOR THE 2020 COWBOY MOUNTED SHOOTING ASSOCIATION WORLD AND AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION WORLD OF MOUNTED SHOOTING HORSES EVENT: (Contact: Laura Storrs, Assistant City Manager) This resolution authorizes the City to seek and distribute State funds, pursuant to article 5190.14, Section 5C of the Texas Revised Civil Statutes, in cooperation with the Armanilo-Potter Event Venue District, for the qualifying event.]
IS CONSIDERING A RESOLUTION WITH REGARD TO SEEKING STATE FUNDS FOR THE 2020 UNITED STATES TEAM PENNING ASSOCIATION WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT.DO WE WANT TO DO IT WITH ITEM 3D [INAUDIBLE]?
>> YES, MA'AM. THESE ARE THE SAME TYPE OF THING.
WE HAVE LAURA STORRS AVAILABLE TO PRESENT THE ITEMS. THEY WILL NEED TO BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
HOWEVER, AS YOU STATED, THESE ARE FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND STATE SALES TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE EVENTS TO BE USED AS INCENTIVES FOR THESE EVENTS.
I WILL ALSO SAY, BEFORE I HIT IT OFF TO LAURA, THAT THESE TWO EVENTS ARE UNIQUELY ASSOCIATED TO OUR PANHANDLE HERITAGE. SO LAURA.
>> THANK YOU, JARED. SO THESE RESOLUTIONS AUTHORIZE THE CITY TO SEEK AND DISTRIBUTE STATE FUNDS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 5190.14 OF THE TEXAS REVISED CIVIL STATUTES IN COOPERATION WITH THE AMARILLO-POTTER EVENT VENUE DISTRICT FOR EACH OF THE QUALIFYING EVENTS.
[01:25:02]
THIS WOULD ALLOW THE CITY AS THE HOST COMMUNITY, IN COOPERATION WITH THE POTTER AMARILLO-POTTER EVENTS DISTRICT TO APPLY FOR STATE FUNDS THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENT TRUST FUND.THE FIRST EVENT IS THAT 2020 UNITED STATES TEAM PENNING ASSOCIATION WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT.
THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM IS FOR THE 2020 COWBOY MOUNTED SHOOTING ASSOCIATION, WORLD AND AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION, WORLD OF MOUNTED SHOOTING HORSES EVENT.
I KNOW THOSE ARE QUITE A MOUTHFUL.
BUT I KNOW THAT VENUE DISTRICT, IN COOPERATION WITH TRI-STATE PAIR HAS WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY TO WORK ON BRINGING THESE EVENTS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT THE STATE'S EVENTS TRUST FUND DOES, JUST TO JOG EVERYONE'S MEMORY ON THIS, THEY WERE CREATED TO HELP PAY FOR QUALIFIED EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH AN EVENT TO WHICH BOTH THE STATE AND THE APPLICANT, WHICH IS THE CITY, MUST CONTRIBUTE.
THE STATE'S CONTRIBUTION MAY NOT EXCEED THE PROJECTED INCREASE RELATED TO STATE SALES TAX AND USE TAX, AUTO RENTAL TAXES, HOTEL TAXES, AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAXES GENERATED DURING THE TIME PERIOD OF THE EVENT.
SO EACH OF THESE EVENTS, THE AMARILLO-POTTER EVENTS VENUE DISTRICT BOARD HAS REVIEWED THEM AND APPROVED TO ASK THE CITY TO MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE ON BEHALF OF VENUE DISTRICT TO APPLY FOR REIMBURSEMENT BACK FOR THE STATE'S PORTION OF THE FUNDS GENERATED BY THESE EVENTS.
THE VENUE DISTRICT IS HELPING ON THEIR PART TO BRING THESE EVENTS HERE LOCALLY AND THEY ARE ALSO PAYING THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDIES THAT IS A REQUIREMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT TRUST FUNDS.
BUT AGAIN, THE CITY IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO MAKE THE APPLICATION TO THE STATE BECAUSE WE ARE THE HOST OF THE EVENT AND WHAT THIS DOCUMENT OR THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE ALLOWING THE STATE TO MAKE THE APPLICATION.
THEN ONCE THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED AND THE FUNDS ARE REIMBURSED BACK TO THE CITY, THEY WILL BE PASSED THROUGH TO THE VENUE DISTRICT TO RECOUP THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE EVENTS AND DISPERSE THEM OUT TO THE PEOPLE HOSTING THE EVENTS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? AS A REMINDER AS WELL, WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT TRUST FUND FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT FOR THE DEBBY RCA EVENT.
WE'VE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT TRUST FUND WITH AMARILLO-POTTER EVENT VENUE DISTRICT FOR THE ADEQUATE EVENTS, AND THESE ARE VERY SIMILAR EVENTS SO THAT, AND AT TIMES, WE HAVE RECEIVED UP TO $100,000 IN STATE REIMBURSEMENT COMING BACK.
THEY'RE BRINGING A LOT OF BUSINESS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY HELPING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA, COUNCIL? OKAY. NO QUESTIONS, THEN I THINK WE'RE READY TO HEAR A MOTION ON ITEM 3C.
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT. I WAS ON MUTE.
[LAUGHTER] I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY AMARILLO TO SEEK AND DISTRIBUTE STATE FUNDS FOR THE 2020 UNITED STATES PENNING ASSOCIATION WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT.
>> MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY DR. SAUER TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SEEK THAT AUTHORIZATION.
ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, DISCUSSION ABOUT IT?
I'M NOT SEEING A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IS IT RETROACTIVE? SO WE'RE AUTHORIZING THE REQUEST, BUT WHEN DOES THE DOLLAR AMOUNT GET FILLED IN?
THE DOLLAR AMOUNT GETS FILLED IN AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A STUDY THAT'S CONDUCTED DURING THE EVENT AND LOOKING BACK ONTO THE EVENT ON WHAT THOSE INCREASES TO THE ECONOMY AND THOSE SALES TAX CATEGORIES ARE.
THEN AFTER THAT IS FINALIZED, THE CITY WILL CONTRIBUTE A PORTION INTO THIS EVENT TRUST FUND BASED ON THE CITY'S PIECE AND THE STATE WILL DO THE SAME.
THEN AFTER EVERYTHING IS APPROVED, IT WILL COME BACK ALSO TO THE CITY AND THEN GO THROUGH TO THE EVENT VENUE DISTRICT BOARD.
>> OKAY. SO WE APPROVE ON THE FRONTEND, [OVERLAPPING] THE REQUEST AND THEN THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT IS MADE IN ARREARS AFTER THE AMOUNT,
[01:30:03]
AND THAT'S I GUESS WHAT YOU REFERRED TO EARLIER, THE STUDY THAT HAS TO BE DONE TO TRACK WHAT WAS THE GROWTH, WHAT WAS THE CHANGE.THEN WE CAN GO AND SAY, WE WOULD LIKE THIS REFUND, WE WOULD LIKE THESE [INAUDIBLE]
>> THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
ONE OF THESE STUDIES, THE ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND THE AMOUNT WAS CLOSE TO $100,000 AMOUNT, FROM JUST THE STATE SIDE OF IT.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
>> OKAY. WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE THEN?
>> OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ON ITEM 3C, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE FIVE, SO THAT TIMES PROCESS WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR PRESENTATION, LAURA, ON ITEM 3D?
>> NO, IT'S THE SAME AS THE ONE BEFORE. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON ITEM 3D THEN?
>> YES, MAYOR, WE DO. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO SEEK AND DISTRIBUTE STATE FUNDS FOR THE 2020 COWBOY MOUNTED SHOOTING ASSOCIATION WORLD, AND AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION WORLD OF MOUNTED SHOOTING HORSES EVENT.
>> SO THAT'S BEEN MISSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECOND ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, COUNCIL? QUESTION? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ON 3D, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. FIVE HANDS.
[E. CONSIDER AWARD - PROPERTY FIRE AND EXTENDED COVERAGE INSURANCE: (Contact: Wes Hall, Risk Management Director) USI" $1,900,000.00 This is an insurance policy that indemnifies the City when damage occurs to City buildings and/or the contents of those buildings. The policy limit is $500,000,000. The policy has a $250,000 deductible for most perils.]
CONSIDERING AN AWARD OF PROPERTY AND FIRE EXTENDED COVERAGE INSURANCE. MR. CITY MANAGER?>> OKAY, MAYOR. COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A REVISED TRANSMITTAL OUT FOR THIS THE INITIAL AMOUNT THAT WAS INCLUDED FROM USI FOR A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON THIS, $1.9 MILLION.
THAT WAS NOT ACCURATE, IT'S ACTUALLY $2,039,315.
SO TO PRESENT THE ITEM, WE HAVE WES HALL IS OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, AND SO WES, IF YOU'RE ON, GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT AWAY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS WES HALL.
I'M JUST GOING TO TRY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED TO PLACE PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR THE CITY THIS YEAR.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, THE 1ST OF JUNE, COUNCIL APPROVED THE HIRING OF A BROKER OF RECORD.
A BROKER OF RECORDS IS ESSENTIALLY AN INSURANCE AGENT.
WE HAD TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE MARKET IS GOING IN THE INSURANCE.
WE WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO OBTAIN PROPERTY INSURANCE THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS THAT WE TRADITIONALLY USED.
SO THE COUNCIL APPROVED US HIRING A BROKER OF RECORD WITH THE FIRM OF USI, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MCW INSURANCE.
THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT 55 DIFFERENT INSURANCE CARRIERS AND PUT TOGETHER THE BEST POSSIBLE INSURANCE POLICY.
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED THERE.
TODAY, I HAVE ROBB PRIDEMORE, HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF USI SOUTHWEST, AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHY YOU'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN PREMIUM.
SO I'M GOING TO LET ROBB TAKE OVER AND I CAN COME BACK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
[INAUDIBLE] INSURANCES, WES ALLUDED TO.
I'M HERE WITH STEVE WALTON AND JIM SMITH FROM NCW, WHO WORKED ALONGSIDE ME HERE AS THE BROKER OF RECORD REPRESENTING THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE'RE DISCUSSING JUST THE PROPERTY INSURANCE SPECIFICALLY.
THAT'S JULY 1, EFFECTIVE DATE.
SO AFFILIATED INSURANCE HAVE PROVIDED COVERAGE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE AMOUNT OF CLAIMS THAT THEY'VE PAID OUT, IN JUST OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, IT'S BEEN OVER $10 MILLION, WHILE THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING JUST A LITTLE OVER AN AVERAGE $500,000 PREMIUM PER YEAR.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE INSURANCE CARRIER IS WELL UPSIDE DOWN IN THE LOSS RATIO.
BUT THIS SITUATION IS NOT UNIQUE TO AMARILLO, THIS SITUATION IS UNIQUE TO MANY PUBLIC AREAS ACROSS TEXAS AND ELSEWHERE.
SO BASICALLY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, LIKE WES SAID, WE APPROACHED THE MARKETPLACE AND WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT STRUCTURING OF THE INSURANCE PROGRAM.
IN THE PAST, YOU WERE PROVIDED $500 MILLION LIMIT BY ONE INSURANCE CARRIER.
THAT UNFORTUNATELY, IS NO LONGER ABLE TO BE THE CASE.
NOW, WE HAVE TO STRUCTURE THAT WITH MULTIPLE CARRIERS.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO OFFER, BASICALLY, IS WE'VE GOT A LIMIT OF 250 MILLION.
THIS IS WELL IN EXCESS OF WHAT IS
[01:35:02]
SHOWN THAT COULD BE A MAXIMUM PROBABLE LOSS FOR THE CITY, AND AT THAT 250 MILLION LIMIT, THERE IS 15 INSURANCE CARRIERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT INSURANCE PROGRAM TO GET YOU TO THAT LIMIT.NOW, WITH THIS BEING 15 DIFFERENT INSURANCE CARRIERS, THEY ACTUALLY FOLLOW SUIT OF THE PRIMARY INSURANCE CARRIER.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE 15 DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT HAVE GOT TO BE HINGED TOGETHER, THE LEAD CARRIER, WHICH IS MUNICH RE, IS SETTING THE BAR FOR THE COVERAGE, AND THEN ALL OTHER CARRIERS ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THAT SAME POLICY FORM.
AGAIN, THIS IS A LAYERED PROGRAM.
THIS IS NOT UNIQUE, THIS HAS BEEN DONE FOR MANY YEARS ALONG THE COAST, AND NOW PUBLIC ENTITIES ACROSS TEXAS ARE HAVING TO DO THIS BECAUSE INSURANCE CARRIERS ARE NO LONGER IN A POSITION TO PUT UP FULL LIMITS ON A LARGE STATEMENT OF PROPERTY VALUES LIKE THE CITY OF AMARILLO HAS.
SO THE QUESTION IS POSED, "HOW LONG WILL PREMIUMS BE AT AN ELEVATED COSTS?" IT'S HARD TO SAY BECAUSE THE INSURANCE MARKET HAS BEEN IN DISTRESS STARTING LAST YEAR, IN THE THIRD QUARTER, AND THAT'S WHAT RESULTED IN AFFILIATED AND OTHER CARRIERS SUCH AS AIG.
THERE WERE LARGE CARRIERS IN THE MARKET TO DRAW A HARD LINE IN THE STAND, AND THEY WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO WRITE BUSINESS, SO IT WAS UNPROFITABLE.
SO WITH THIS, CAPACITY WITHIN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY WAS LOST.
THEN NOW WE HAVE EVENTS LIKE THE COVID EVENTS.
SO LLOYD'S OF LONDON CAME OUT JUST LAST MONTH AND THEY ANTICIPATE THAT OVER FOUR BILLION LOSSES WILL BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CORONA PANDEMIC.
TO GIVE YOU A BAR, THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO SEPTEMBER 11 LOSSES.
SO THE PAST LOSSES WERE DETERIORATING, NOW WE HAVE THE PANDEMIC THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A SEPTEMBER 11 RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGH THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY, AND WE HAVE THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE STOCK MARKET WHERE INSURANCE COMPANIES TAKE THE PREMIUMS AND INVEST, THEY'VE LOST THAT INVESTMENT INCOME, AND RIOTS ARE EVEN HAVING AN IMPACT RIGHT NOW.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS A PERFECT STORM WITHIN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY THAT IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PROCURE INSURANCE FOR THE PROPER LIMITS.
OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES HAVE HAD DIFFICULT TIME EVEN GETTING $10 MILLION WORTH OF COVERAGE IN HIGH HILL AREAS AROUND DALLAS, FORT WORTH, AND BEXAR COUNTY.
SO WE WERE ABLE, IN THREE WEEKS, TO PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM.
THE PRICE IS HIGH, BUT IT IS NOT HIGH COMPARATIVELY TO THE MARKET.
IT IS WHAT THE MARKET IS BEARING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL LAST, BUT WHEN YOU BASICALLY HAVE THE TWO MILLION DOLLAR PREMIUM WITH A TYPICAL DEDUCTIBLE IN A FIRE, OR A CAR RUNS INTO A BUILDING, ANYTHING OF 250,000, AND THEN THE WIND, HAIL DEDUCTIBLE IS A FIVE PERCENT WIND AND HAIL DEDUCTIBLE.
THAT IS NOT DIFFERENT THAN THE AFFILIATED, AFFILIATED LAST YEAR HAD A FIVE PERCENT DEDUCTIBLE.
WE WERE HOPING TO BETTER THAT DEDUCTIBLE, BUT BEING THAT THE ONSET OF CORONA AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS IMPACTING THE INDUSTRY, THREE PERCENT DEDUCTIBLE IS IN THIS GEOGRAPHY AMARILLO A LOT OF CARRIERS [INAUDIBLE] PROBABLY KNOWN FOR HEALTH, AND THAT PUTS US IN THE POSITION WE'RE IN.
BUT OUR GOALS MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE TO DO OUR BEST TO, ONE, REPRESENT CITY OF AMARILLO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS LOOK BEST IN CLASS TO THE MARKETPLACE.
A LOT OF THE THINGS YOU-ALL HAVE BEEN DOING HAVE BEEN DONE WELL, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT THAT WE CAN DO WITH SOME ADDITIONAL ANALYTICS, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PROPERTIES AND VALUES, AND THEN UPDATING ANY OTHER RISK PROGRAM NECESSITY WHETHER IT'S [INAUDIBLE] TRANSFER OR PURCHASING AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT, BUT OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE NOW IS TO GET THROUGH THE PROPERTY RENEWAL TO MOVE ON AND GET A CONCURRENT EFFECTIVE DATE GOING FORWARD SO THAT FOR BUDGET REASONS OR MARKET REASONS, IT'S GOING TO BE AN EASIER TRANSITION, AN EASIER THING TO GET THROUGH, BARRING UNFORESEEN EVENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.
SO THAT'S OUR GOAL FOR COMING YEAR, AND WE APPRECIATE BEING BROUGHT TO RECORD, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THE CITY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
SO AT THIS TIME, IF ANYBODY HAS GOT ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
>> HOW OFTEN DO WE RENEW THIS? IS THIS THE ANNUAL RENEWAL? IT'S NOT ANNUAL, IS IT?
>> YEAH. IT IS AN ANNUAL RENEWAL.
>> CITIES AND COUNTIES, TYPICALLY, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, YOU-ALL ARE JULY 1, AND WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT THE DIFFERENT INSURANCE POLICIES THAT ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
[01:40:04]
THE YEAR AND DRAW A CONCURRENT EFFECTIVE DATE AND BRING ALL OF THE POLICIES FORWARD.WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN YEAR 1, BUT WE WANT TO GET THERE BECAUSE MORE ATTRACTED TO INSURANCE CARRIERS THEY'RE ABLE TO WRITE MORE THAN ONE LINE OF COVERAGE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER THING THAT'S GOING TO MAKE US SHOW BETTER IN THE MARKETPLACE IF WE'VE GOT LAW ENFORCEMENT LIABILITY, AND THE PROPERTY INSURANCE, AND WORKERS' COMP, AND DIFFERENT THINGS COMING TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME.
>> ROBB, WHAT DO YOU TYPICALLY RECOMMEND TO CLIENTS AS FAR AS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR BALANCE SHEET AND YOU RECOMMEND TO THEM BASED ON A PERCENTAGE WHAT THEY SHOULD INSURE FOR, IT'S ALWAYS JUST A BALANCE BECAUSE NOBODY CAN PAY TO FULLY INSURE EVERYTHING.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD USE OF YOUR CASH.
SO CLEARLY NOT NEAR, IF WE HAD A TORNADO DOWNTOWN AND IT TOOK OUT BUCHANAN, WHERE ALL OF OUR ASSETS ARE, ALL AT ONCE, AND IT WAS JUST THE PERFECTLY WRONG TORNADO TOUCHDOWN FOR US.
I'M JUST CURIOUS OF WHAT YOU NORMALLY SAY TO PEOPLE IF YOU'VE GOT NOW A BILLION DOLLARS OF PROPERTY ASSETS.
>> WHAT WE DID, AND WHAT WE DID WITH YOUR CASE, INSTEAD OF NECESSARILY LOOKING AT YOUR FINANCIAL, IS WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE CALL RISK MODELING.
SO WE TAKE ALL YOUR BILLION PLUS ASSETS AND THEN IT RUNS THROUGH A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT UNDERWRITERS LOOK AT.
THEY LOOK AT THE MAXIMUM PROBABLE LOSS.
SO THEY HAVE STATISTICAL DATA SAYING EVERY 200 YEARS YOU SHOULD GET X AMOUNT OF SIZE IN HAIL.
EVERY 500 YEARS YOU SHOULD HAVE X AMOUNTS IN SIZE OF HAIL.
THAT'S HOW THEY EXTRAPOLATE AND THEY COME UP WITH THEIR RISK, AND WE MAY THINK THAT YOU CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE A BAD INCIDENT.
NOW, THEY UNDER-PRICED IT FOR YEARS.
THEIR MODELING DIDN'T WORK SO GOOD BECAUSE, GUESS WHAT? THEY PAID OUT A LOT MORE THAN THEY WERE TAKING IN.
BUT BASED OFF OF OUR DATA THAT WE PROVIDED, BASICALLY, WHICH SHOW THAT IT WILL TAKE A 5,000-YEAR EVENT.
IN THE EVENT THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE EVERY 5,000 YEARS, WITH THAT THEY EXPECT TO [INAUDIBLE] TO HIT $116,000 BASED OFF OF YOUR STATEMENT OF VALUES.
THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE GEOGRAPHY, THE MOST EXPENSIVE BUILDINGS, WHERE THEY'RE AT.
SO IT'S AN UNDERWRITING TOOL THAT WE USE BEFORE WE GO TO THOSE UNDERWRITERS TO HELP SET THE LOSS.
>> WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU CRUNCHED US THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, AND ONLY ONCE IN 5,000 YEARS WOULD WE HAVE AN EVENT THAT THAT EXCEEDED OUR $250 MILLION LIMIT.
>> ACTUALLY, OUR NUMBER SHOWS THAT IN 5,000 YEARS, IT WOULDN'T EVEN HIT THAT 250 NUMBER.
THAT IS ABOVE WHAT THE MAXIMUM PROBABLE LOSS WOULD BE.
>> OKAY. NORMALLY, THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO ALL OF US, BUT FOR THE FACT WE'RE GOING THROUGH A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC AND NOBODY SAW THIS COMING IN.
SO OUR MINDS ARE THINKING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EVEN SINCE [INAUDIBLE].
>> SO MY STATISTICS ACTUALLY SHOW THAT THE 5,000-YEAR EVENT WOULD BE 116 MILLION.
NORMALLY, WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY, WHERE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CONSTITUENTS TAX DOLLARS AND WHERE YOU GOT TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO, I'D BE TELLING AN INSURER TO VERY MUCH LOOK AT 100 MILLION LIMIT.
WE WENT A STEP ABOVE THAT AND WE WENT TO THE 250 MILLION.
THAT ACTUALLY COMES THROUGH MY NUMBERS AS NOT EVEN BEING A 10,000-YEAR EVENT.
SO THAT GIVES US QUITE A BIT OF CUSHION BASED OFF OF UNDERWRITING INFORMATION.
>> DID YOU RUN UP THE POLICY COSTS ON THAT 100 MILLION POLICY VERSUS OUR 250?
>> YES. THE SAVINGS FOR THE 100 MILLION, IT WOULD BE $167,000 SAVINGS.
>> OKAY. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, YEAH.
>> THAT'S PERFECTLY A LEGITIMATE, LOGICAL QUESTION.
>> MAYOR, IF I MAY JUMP IN FOR JUST A SECOND AS WELL.
THEY DID A GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF COVERAGE FOR US.
WE HISTORICALLY HAVE HAD ABOUT 600 MILLION AND THEN DOWN TO 500 MILLION IN COVERAGE.
WE WERE A LITTLE HESITANT TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 100 MILLION IN COVERAGE.
THAT'S SUCH A GREAT REDUCTION FROM WHAT WE'VE NORMALLY HAD, NOW WORKING WITH THIS NEW GROUP, HAVING THIS BROKER OF RECORD, THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP US TAKE SOME STEPS FORWARD INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE MAY BE BRINGING SOMETHING WITH A LOWER COVERAGE AMOUNT TO COUNCIL, EVEN LOWER THAN THE 250 MILLION.
WE JUST FELT, AT THIS POINT, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO STATE
[01:45:03]
THE 250 MILLION MARK BECAUSE THAT IS HALF OF WHAT OUR COVERAGE HAS BEEN IN THIS PRIOR YEAR.WE DO REALIZE THAT IT'S A HIGHER PREMIUM, BUT STILL FEEL LIKE FOR THE AMOUNT OF PREMIUM WE WOULD PAY, THAT DOES BUY US A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL COVERAGE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] $250 MILLION [OVERLAPPING] LAST YEAR.
>> WE'VE BEEN REDUCING COVERAGE FOR THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS AS THE INSURANCE, JUST THE ENTIRE INSURANCE MARKET HAS CHANGED, CERTAINLY TEXAS WIDE, BUT DEFINITELY IN THE PANHANDLING AND IN SOME OF MORE HAIL-PRONE AREAS.
SOME OF THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES YOU'LL SEE IS DEDUCTIBLES FOR ROOF INSURANCE AND WIND EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT OUR HISTORIC LOSSES.
WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE MOST CATASTROPHIC LOSSES, LIKE TORNADOES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR LOSSES IN THE CITY, WE'VE ASSESSED THE ODDS OF THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AND TO AN EXTENT YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME EXPOSURE IF YOU'RE TO HAVE A MANAGEABLE INSURANCE RATE.
WE CAN'T ALWAYS PROTECT TO THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ASSETS, BUT IT WOULD TAKE A TRULY UNIQUE EVENT AND OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE WOULD BE A NORTH-SOUTH TORNADO GOING RIGHT DOWN BUCHANAN BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE BULK OF OUR FACILITIES ARE, THE BULK OF OUR VALUE, THAT IS.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO TAKE CERTAIN CALCULATED RISKS, UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE DO GET THAT PERFECT STORM, LITERALLY PERFECT STORM, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH COUNCIL AND COMMUNITIES AS TO HOW WE GO FORWARD BECAUSE THAT'LL BE A TAX RATE TYPE OF THING, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO RESPONSIBLY PROTECT AGAINST THAT BECAUSE IF WE'RE PAYING THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN IT WOULD TAKE TO FULLY COVER EVERYTHING, WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING A LOT MORE MONEY OVER TIME THAN WE WOULD TRYING TO MANAGE FOR THAT EVENT.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE WHERE WE'RE AT AND EVEN WITH ALL OF THOSE REDUCTIONS IN COVERAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN INCREMENTALLY DOING OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS, WE'RE STILL SEEING SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE COST OF INSURANCE AS USI HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
>> ROBB, CAN YOU JUST RESTATE THE NUMBERS ONE MORE TIME? STARTING WITH LAURA, THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR YOU TO START WITH.
SO OUR TOTAL NUMBER IN ASSETS IS HOW MUCH, THAT WE'RE COVERING BY THIS POLICY.
>> WE'RE JUST, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD.
>> NOT LOST, BUT THE VALUE OF THE ASSETS.
>> IF YOU TOTAL ALL ASSETS THAT ARE INSURABLE BY THE CITY OF AMARILLO, IT IS $1,090,913,736.
BUT WE'RE TAKING A [INAUDIBLE] AND INSURING EVERY PENNY BECAUSE THE CHANCE OF THAT BEING LOST WOULD BE IMPECCABLE.
WE PICK A LOSS LIMIT AND SO WE WERE AT 500 MILLION, NOW WE'RE SHOWING A QUOTE TO GO DOWN TO 250 MILLION.
EVEN THAT 250 MILLION LIMIT, IF WE PICK THAT AS OUR MAXIMUM PROBABLE LOSS, THAT IS VERY CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS SHOW IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU ALL IN A 5,000-YEAR-EVENT TO EVEN HIT 100 MILLION OF IT.
SO THAT GIVES US SOME CUSHION AND THE SAVINGS IS NOT DRAMATIC ENOUGH THAT THAT MAKES GOOD SENSE.
SO THIS POLICY WOULD ENSURE CITY OF AMARILLO FOR A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF $250 MILLION.
>> YOU SAID THE DIFFERENCE IN PREMIUM, SO THE PREMIUM FOR THE 250 MILLION IS 1.9 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR?
>> NO, IT'S ACTUALLY 2,039,315, ORIGINALLY.
>> THAT WAS THE CHANGE AND SO I'M SORRY.
>> TWO MILLION, THIRTY NINE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN IS THAT 250 MILLION LOSS LIMIT.
>> THAT THE SAVINGS OF DROPPING OFF 100 MILLION IN COVERAGE WOULD ONLY SAVE 147,000 IN OUR PREMIUM?
>> IT WOULD BE A 167,000 IN PREMIUM SAVINGS.
WE'RE GOING FROM 250 MILLION TO 100 MILLION.
>> RIGHT. OVER A $2 MILLION PREMIUM, WE ONLY SAVE A 160,000 TO KNOCK OFF 150 MILLION IN COVERAGE?
>> BECAUSE OTHERWISE, WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS AND THE PROBABILITY OF LOSS, IT INITIALLY SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE OVER-INSURED.
>> YES, IT DOES, BUT THE NUMBERS AS FAR AS HOW THE RATE IS DEVELOPED, IT'S HARD TO JUSTIFY NOT BUYING OVER THAT 100 MILLION BECAUSE THE COST SAVINGS IS NOT THERE.
>> YES, IT WOULD BE MORE TEMPTING IF THERE WAS A LARGER SAVINGS TO THEN SAY, YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE WHAT LEVEL OF RISK YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE AND THE PROBABILITIES AND IF IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS, THEN WE CAN TALK MORE.
[01:50:02]
BUT FOR THAT LEVEL OF SAVING.>> THE LONG TERM STRATEGY IS TO GET YOU TO A DIFFERENT PROGRAM, WE'D BRIEFLY TALKED EARLIER IN THE YEAR ABOUT ANOTHER INSURANCE PROGRAM SO WE NEED TO HAVE A LUCKY YEAR AND NOT HAVE SOME DISTURBANCE LIKE WE'VE HAD THE PAST COUPLE OF NIGHTS THAT GET ME A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT IF WE HAVE A GOOD YEAR, WE HAVE ANOTHER PROPERTY PROGRAM THAT WE CAN MOVE TO THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US A BETTER PRICING MODEL THAN WHAT THIS IS.
WE WERE JUST LATE IN THE YEAR TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE, THIS YEAR.
SO WE DO NEED TO HAVE A GOOD YEAR THOUGH IN LOSSES, WHICH OF COURSE IS WEATHER-RELATED.
IT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL BUT, YOUR BEST.
SOME OF THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH WEST, WE HAVE TO DO A WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT WHETHER IT'S HAIL GUARDS ON THE HVAC UNITS, WHETHER IT'S POTENTIALLY HIRING A ROOF MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR THAT I CAN GO TO THE INSURANCE CARRIER TO SHOW AND YOU GUYS HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A ROOFING COMPANY THAT YOU'RE DOING MAINTENANCE, THAT HAS BODE VERY WELL FOR MY OTHER CLIENTS THAT HAVE LARGE ROOFS LIKE CITIES, COUNTIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
>> THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? ROBB, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND WE EXPECT AND ANTICIPATE GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE WORK THAT'S TO COME.
IT'S A MARATHON, IT'S WHAT I HEARD, RIGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S NOT A SPRINT, IT'S A MARATHON.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU GUYS THE BEST IN CLASS.
YOU ALREADY SHOW WELL AND WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR PART TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE THE BEST IN CLASS.
>> WELL, WE LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT, BUT WE ESPECIALLY LIKE THE SOUND OF SAVING MONEY, TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
I THINK WE NEED A MOTION ON THIS.
I CAN'T TELL FROM HERE, CONSIDER THE AWARD, SO WE NEED A MOTION ON AWARDING THIS.
>> YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO AWARD THE PROPERTY, FIRE AND EXTENDED COVERAGE INSURANCE CONTRACT TO USI IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,039,315.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE AWARD OF THIS INSURANCE COVERAGE CONTRACT.
DISCUSSION COUNCIL? WHAT ARE YOU ALL THINKING ABOUT IT? NO OTHER DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THAT'S A 5,0 APPROVAL OF THIS INSURANCE POLICY.
MOVING ON TO THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 3F,
[F CONSIDER APPROVAL - LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT - BETWEEN AMARILLO ECNOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SHARPENED IRON STUDIOS, LLC (SIS): (Contact: Kevin Carter, President and CEO) SIS is looking for financial support for its initial construction costs as well as job creation support. The current anticipated cost for the build-out of the studio at the AC Downtown campus is between $12MM-$14MM. AC does not currently plan to contribute funds to the construction costs for SIS. Initial hires for SIS will include FTE's for the in-house production staff as well as adjunct faculty for the film school. SIS is currently developing curriculum in conjunction with AC for a two-year degree in film production. AEDC will provide SIS $500,000 up front for the creation of 40 FTE's with an average salary of $55,000. These funds will be used to reimburse for construction and renovation costs. SIS will be required to retain these FTE's for a 5-year term. Additionally, in return for documenting a minimum of $2.5MM in local spending per year, AEDC will provide SIS $100,000 per year for five years.]
CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF A LOCATION INSTEAD OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SHARPENED IRON STUDIOS, LLC.>> MAYOR, WE'VE GOT KEVIN CARTER WITH AEDC HERE TO GIVE US THE ITEM. KEVIN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WHAT AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TODAY THAT I GET TO PRESENT TO YOU A NEW INDUSTRY TO AMARILLO, TEXAS THAT WILL HELP DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY.
SO I AM REALLY EXCITED TODAY TO BE HERE TO HAVE YOU CONSIDER APPROVAL OF LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AMARILLO EDC AND SHARPENED IRON STUDIOS.
I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE SEAN DOHERTY WITH SHARPENED IRON IS IN THE AEDC OFFICE WITH SOME OF THE STAFF SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THEM ON CAMERA AND YOU CAN SAY HELLO TO SEAN.
SHARPENED IRON STUDIOS COMES TO US TO GET SOME HELP IN BRINGING A FILM STUDIO TO AMARILLO.
SO THE AMARILLO EDC IS EXCITED TO PUT TOGETHER A LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT THAT WILL CREATE THAT FILM STUDIO AND ALSO A FILM AND PRODUCTION CURRICULUM IN AMARILLO COLLEGE, WHICH WE'RE JUST AS EXCITED ABOUT HAVING A NEW INDUSTRY FOR OUR WORKFORCE TO A NEW WORKFORCE INITIATIVE TO HAVE NEW JOBS AND A NEW TYPE OF JOBS TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY.
THE INCENTIVE AGREEMENT THAT WE BRING TO YOU TODAY IS A TWO-PART INCENTIVE AGREEMENT, IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL.
FIVE HUNDRED OF THAT WOULD BE AN UPFRONT MONEY AFTER $500,000 IS EXPENDED BY SHARPENED IRON FOR RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION COST.
[01:55:05]
THAT INCENTIVE IS TIED TO JOB CREATION.SHARPENED IRON WILL CREATE 40 JOBS, $55,000 PER YEAR FOR A $2.2 MILLION PAYROLL.
THAT INCENTIVE IS A FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT, THAT MONEY WOULD BE PAID UPFRONT AFTER THOSE RENOVATION COST AND THEN IT WOULD BE TIED BACK TO THAT OVER THE FIVE YEARS ONCE THEY'VE CREATED THOSE JOBS.
THE ADDITIONAL $500,000 WOULD BE PAID AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE STUDIO, AND THAT IS TIED TO $100,000 PER YEAR OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD FOR $500,000 TOTAL BASED ON A $2.5 MILLION LOCAL SPEND.
WHEN WE SAY LOCAL SPEND, IN THIS TOP SETTING WOULD BE ON LODGING, CATERING, LOCAL TRANSPORTATION, AND THOSE TYPE OF ITEMS THAT WOULD CREATE THAT $2.5 MILLION SPEND.
IN VISITING WITH THE TEXAS FILM COMMISSION AND LOOKING AT THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IS ABOUT A 1.8 TURN ON MONEY, SO THAT 2.5 MILLION WOULD REALLY EQUATE TO ABOUT $4.2 MILLION BEING SPENT IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY EVERY YEAR FOR THAT $100,000 INCENTIVE.
WITH THIS AGREEMENT, SEAN, AND HE CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT IN A MINUTE, WOULD BE THAT HE ALREADY HAS SOME PRODUCTION COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY READY TO START FILMING IN AMARILLO ONCE THAT STUDIO IS BUILT.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, THE AEDC BOARD VOTED YESTERDAY ON JUNE 22ND A 5-0 VOTE TO APPROVE THIS LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AS WITH SEAN, I'M SURE.
>> COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN? QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE INTERFACES WITH AMARILLO COLLEGE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT?
>> WHEN WILL THIS [NOISE] CONSTRUCTION START? I UNDERSTAND IT'S WHERE THE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE, THEIR ONLY HUT YET.
>> SEAN, DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO THAT OR I CAN CERTAINLY ADDRESS THAT?
>> NO. I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS IT.
COUNCILMAN SMITH, ACTUALLY, WE WOULD BE IN BUILDING 2 IN NIXON GYM, SO WE WOULD NOT BE IN BUILDING 1, WHICH IS THE BUILDING CURRENTLY WHERE THE SENIOR CITIZEN GROUP IS HOUSED.
WE ARE HOPING TO ACCELERATE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION ON THIS SO THAT NO LATER THAN JANUARY OF 2021, WE WILL ACTUALLY BE UNDER FULL CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATING THE EXISTING SPACE IN BUILDING 2 AND ALSO EXPANDING NIXON GYM, PRESERVING AS MANY OF THE HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES AS POSSIBLE, INTO UPWARDS OF A 19,000 SQUARE FOOT HOLLYWOOD QUALITY SOUND STAGE.
WITHIN THAT, THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO SOUND STAGES, A SMALL 4,000 SQUARE FOOT SOUND STAGE AND THEN THE LARGER 14,000 SQUARE FOOT SOUND STAGE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT ON A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, I CAN'T SPEAK INTO DETAIL ON IT, BUT IT IS A AMARILLO PANHANDLE-BASED FILM, THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, STATE, AND OUR COUNTRY TODAY.
WE HAVE A CHILDREN'S PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PURCHASED AND ARE DEVELOPING INTO A MUCH LARGER REACH, AND ARE IN DEVELOPMENT ON.
AGAIN, AN AMARILLO-BASED DETECTIVE SERIES THAT WE HOPE TO START PRODUCTION ON AS SOON AS THE SOUND STAGE IS BUILT, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE SOME SETS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DESIGN AND BUILD IN THAT SOUND STAGE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE TLC AS OUR ARCHITECTS, WHO ARE ALSO THE ARCHITECTS FOR THE INNOVATION HUB.
AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THIS MOVING QUICKLY.
>>THAT'S ONE OF THE AWESOME OPPORTUNITIES, MAYOR, IS TO WORK WITH AMARILLO COLLEGE ON THE INNOVATION HUB, AND THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST INITIAL ANCHOR OF THAT INNOVATION HUB.
SO VERY TIMELY IN GETTING THAT KICKSTARTED.
>> ARE THERE QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STRUCTURE, THE DEAL OR?
>> THE POOR KEVIN HAS BEEN ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS FOR A WEEK, SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'VE SPENT UPDATING AND DISCUSSING THIS AND ANSWERING MY INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS, I APPRECIATE IT.
>> WELL, ABSOLUTELY. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE AGREEMENT AND THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
[02:00:05]
>> YEAH. I DO FEEL LIKE KEVIN'S TEAM HAS BEEN VERY THOROUGH IN GIVING US TIME TO CONSIDER THIS, AND JOB CREATION IS SOMETHING WE'RE ALL VERY INTERESTED IN.
IT TYPICALLY COMES IN THE FORM OF MANUFACTURING FOR US THROUGH THE EDC.
SO THIS LOOKS DIFFERENT AND SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND SPACE, OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONSIDER IT AND GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS HERE IN AMARILLO, AND A NEW INDUSTRY IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS ATTRACTIVE TO US TOO.
I THINK PEOPLE WILL FIND THAT AMARILLO IS A UNIQUE AND VERY PLEASANT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
I KNOW SEAN IS FAIRLY NEW TO OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE NOT SO NEW ANYMORE THAT YOU'RE NOT STARTING TO BE FROM AROUND HERE, BUT [LAUGHTER] I THINK HE HAS FOUND IT TO BE A PLEASANT PLACE TO LAND AS WELL, SO [OVERLAPPING] HOPEFULLY EVERYONE YOU PLAN TO WORK WITH WILL FEEL THE SAME WAY.
>> I KNOW, ABSOLUTELY, MAYOR NELSON, THEY WILL, AND LET ME POINT OUT, I WAS SMART ENOUGH TO MARRY A GIRL BORN AND RAISED FROM AMARILLO, TEXAS.
SO I WASN'T BORN HERE, BUT I GOT HERE AS SOON AS I COULD.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SEAN, COUNCIL? OKAY. WELL, AT THIS TIME THEN I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 3F.
>> YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SHARPENED IRON STUDIOS, LLC.
>> THE MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, AND I THINK IT WAS SECONDED BY COMMITTEE, BUT I'LL ASSIGN IT TO DR. SAUER.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE? CAN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE FIVE, SO WE'LL PASS WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
SEAN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU EDUCATE OUR KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO DO IN THIS NEW INDUSTRY [NOISE].
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A GIGANTIC RETURN ON THESE DOLLARS.
>> YES, MA'AM. WE LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING TO THE CITY AND EXPANDING THE VISION FOR AMARILLO BEING A NEW ENTERTAINMENT HUB, EVEN BEYOND SHARPEN IRON STUDIOS.
WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND AEDC.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AND YOUR SUPPORT. WE WILL DO YOU PROUD.
>> OKAY. THAT WAS IT FOR THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, SO I THINK WE ARE CONCLUDED WITH THE BUSINESS THAT WE HAD FOR OUR BUSINESS MEETING TODAY.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME, ALWAYS ENJOY SPENDING TIME TOGETHER AND WE WON'T BE MEETING NEXT WEEK, JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT HOUSEKEEPING ITEM [NOISE] JARED, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
>> THANKS. WONDERFUL. WE ARE ADJOURNED THEN. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.