[00:00:03]
>> TODAY'S THE COUNCIL MEETING, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE JOINING US, AND WE HAVE HERE WITH US TO HELP US START THE MEETING OFF WITH AN INVOCATION.
[INVOCATION]
PASTOR, DAVID RICHEY FROM REDEEMER CHURCH PASTOR.>> IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU ALL, LET ME PRAY FOR US.
ALMIGHTY AND EVERLASTING GOD, WHERE DESPITE ALL THE CHAOS, THE CONFUSION, AND THE STRUGGLE OF THIS WORLD, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A HOLY GOD AND THAT FROM AGE TO AGE, ANGELS DECLARE YOUR GLORY AND YOUR MIGHT.
WE HUMBLE OURSELVES UNDER YOUR MIGHTY HAND TODAY, AND WE ASK FOR MERCY AND GRACE OVER OUR GREAT CITY.
I PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCILORS, OUR CITY MANAGER, ALL OF OUR LEADERS.
THAT THEY WOULD BE GRANTED FORTITUDE, ENDURANCE, COMPETENCE, COMPASSION, AND WISDOM THAT COMES FROM ABOVE.
I PRAY THAT UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP, ALL PEOPLE OF OUR CITY WOULD ENJOY PEACE AND BLESSING.
LORD I CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE SICK, THAT YOU WOULD HEAL THEM.
I PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE THAT WE HAVE LOST, THAT YOU WOULD COMFORT THEM.
I PRAY FOR OUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND ALL OF OUR HEALTH OFFICIALS THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM SKILL AND STRENGTH.
WE PRAY FOR THE FLOURISHING OF OUR ECONOMY AND FOR THE GIFT OF BUSINESSES AND VOCATIONS.
ESPECIALLY TODAY AS EMERIL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS COME BACK INTO SESSION, WE PRAY FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS, FOR OUR PARENTS, THAT FOR SOME OF THEM ARE STARTING HOME-SCHOOL LEARNING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
I PRAY THAT THIS WOULD BE A SEASON OF BLESSING A SEASON OF PEACE THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT US, ALLOWS US TO PROSPER.
IN YOUR MERCY, WE ASK, FOR AN END OF THE SEASON OF COVID, AND UNTIL THEN WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GRANT US THE GRACE, TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER WELL, UNITE INSTEAD OF DIVIDING, AND BE ABLE TO SEEK THE COMMON GOOD FOR OUR CITY AND FOR ONE ANOTHER.
TO REFRAIN FROM ANGER AND TO FORSAKE WRATH AND A CULTURE THAT IS SO PRONE TO OUTRAGE, TO NOT FEAR, BUT TO WALK IN WISDOM AND COMPASSION.
HELP US TO MODEL THE JOY OF CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.
IN HIS MIGHTY NAME THAT WE PRAY THESE THINGS. AMEN.
I AGREE WITH ALL OF THOSE AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TO BLESS US TODAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MA'AM. GOD BLESS YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF REARRANGING AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ITEM 1F ON THE AGENDA,
[1F. Discuss Proposed Civic Center Project and Bond Election;]
DISCUSSING THE PROPOSED CIVIC CENTER PROJECT AND BOND ELECTION. MR. CITY MANAGER.>> WE HAVE ON THE CALL WITH US, HVS TOM HAZINSKI WITH HVS, THEY ARE THE FOREMOST COMPANY FOR DOING THE FINANCIAL AND ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS PLANS AND HOW THINGS WILL PERFORM ONCE THEY'RE BUILT.
THEY'VE DONE THE WORK FOR US WITH REGARD TO ANALYZING THE CIVIC CENTER AND ARENA PROJECT THAT IS ON THE BONDS FOR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE HERE, THEY CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL HAS ON THE TOPIC.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, IT'S REALLY JUST IN CASE.
MAYOR, I'D HANDED TO YOU BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE, WE HAVE KEN STARBUCK OUR PROJECT MANAGER, WE ALSO HAVE OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND PROJECT MANAGER.
WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN KEY AND CRITICAL TO THE PROJECT, GETTING IT TO THIS POINT.
SO WE'RE ALL HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE, ALONG WITH [OVERLAPPING] TOM WITH HVS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY, SORRY, YOU'RE NOT HERE IN PERSON, BUT IT IS PRETTY CONVENIENT TO JUST HAVE YOU HOP ON OUR CALL, ISN'T IT?
>> IT SURE IS, ITS A LOT SHORTER FLIGHT.
>> I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH AND JUST START WITH YOU HOWARD, IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO COVER ON THIS TOPIC, WE'VE DESIGNED HERE BY YOUR REQUEST.
YOU'RE MUTED HOWARD, SORRY. THERE YOU GO.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
IT WASN'T EXACTLY WHAT I ASKED FOR, I ASKED FOR THE CITIZEN TO COME TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.
I UNDERSTAND HE MIGHT BE MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY.
HE'S INVITED PEOPLE TO MEET INDIVIDUALLY.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[00:05:02]
>> OKAY, WELL, MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU DID A VISIT WITH THAT CITIZEN AND MAKE HIM AWARE THAT THE TOPIC HE WANTED TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES, MA'AM. BASED ON THE INFORMATION I HAD, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING I COULD DO, BUT WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION.
>> WE INVITED HIM TO COME TODAY AND VISIT WITH ALL FIVE OF US.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT OR AT LEAST PASSED ON IT AT THIS TIME. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> WASN'T SOMETHING THEY WANTED TO DO AT THIS TIME.
>> OKAY, WE'RE OPEN TO LISTENING AND WE WANT TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO OPERATE UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND WE WANT TO COMPLY WITH THAT.
WE APPRECIATE THE ADVICE OF OUR COUNCIL AND IT CAN KEEP US SQUARE INSIDE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT LAW.
DOES THE COUNCIL HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOM ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS ABOUT HAVING HVS ON OUR TEAM, WHILE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND STUDYING IT, AS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS NOW.
SINCE 2011, IS JUST THEIR EXPERTISE.
I KNOW THIS COUNCIL REALLY VALUES MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON DATA.
WE'VE RELIED HEAVILY ON TOM'S TEAM AS THEY'VE PREPARED ECONOMIC DATA FOR US.
BOTH ON WHAT SIZE THE ARENAS SHOULD BE AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS BE TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE FOR VOTERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROJECT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
KNOWING THAT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE FINAL DESIGN, WE MIGHT COME UNDER THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH.
WE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE A TENANT IN THE NEW ARENA THAT MIGHT REQUIRE DIFFERENT THINGS.
ALL OF THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT COULD BE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
AS THIS IS GETTING CLOSER TO ELECTION TIME, I JUST WONDER IF THE FOUR OF YOU ARE GETTING QUESTIONS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ECONOMIC DATA OR SIZE OF THE ARENA, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK TOM.
I'M SO GLAD THAT IT WORKED FOR TOM TO BE WITH US TODAY AND I'LL JUST OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL IF THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM YOU ALL THAT YOU WANT TO BOUNCE OFF OF HIM? I CAN'T HEAR YOU EDDY.
>> MY MICROPHONE IS NOT WORKING.
>> NO, IT'S WORKING. WE HEAR YOU NOW
>> YES IT IS, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING, IT'S WORKING.
>> I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
MY QUESTIONS WILL BE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ARENA JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I WOULD, AND YOU EVEN BROUGHT UP THE WHOLE THING ABOUT A TENANT POSSIBLY OR THE POSSIBILITY OF WORKING TOWARD THAT.
MY QUESTION IS GOING TO BE AROUND THE ARENA.
HOW DOES THAT WORK IF WE DO START PURSUING A TENANT, AN ANCHOR TENANTS, SO TO SPEAK, FOR THE ARENA, WHAT DOES THAT DO AS FAR AS PLANNING GOING FORWARD? WHAT DID YOU ALL FIGURE INTO THIS, TOM SPECIFICALLY, WHENEVER YOU WERE DEVELOPING THE IDEA BEHIND THE ARENA AND THE SIZE OF THE ARENA.
I'VE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CITIZENS ABOUT IT.
I KIND OF WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR GROUP CAME FROM IN MAKING A PLAN FOR THE ARENA AND WHAT YOU ALL LOOKED AT, DID YOU ALL CONSIDER AN ANCHOR TENANT? ALL OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THEY DO PROBABLY DO PLAY EFFECT ON THE SUCCESS OF THE ARENA GOING FORWARD.
>> YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, OUR RESEARCH ACTUALLY STARTED YEARS AGO AND WE MADE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE POTENTIAL MARKET IS FOR THE ARENA.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENTS THAT WOULD OCCUPY THEM.
SUMMER SPORTS, WE LOOKED AT POTENTIAL TENNIS SPORTS.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT CONCERTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, AS WELL AS CIVIC EVENTS.
OUR BUILDING PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION THAT RECOMMENDED 7,500 SEATS AND OTHER AMENITIES, WAS GEARED TOWARD MEETING A WIDE VARIETY OF THOSE NEEDS.
WE DO HAVE IN OUR FORECASTS, 38 TENNIS SPORTS EVENTS, PRIMARILY HOCKEY OCCURRING IN THE VENUE.
[00:10:05]
ANOTHER EFFORT WE MADE IN OUR PROJECTIONS WAS TO TAKE THE MOST CONSERVATIVE ROUTE.WHILE WE ANTICIPATED THAT ADDITIONAL TENDENCY MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, IT WAS SPECULATIVE AND NOT A GUARANTEED THING.
WE TOOK THE MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IN OUR PROJECTIONS TO ASSUME THAT IT DID NOT OCCUR.
BUT THE VENUE ITSELF, IN THE PROGRAM WE RECOMMENDED AND THE DESIGN THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, IS ONE THAT WOULD READILY ACCOMMODATE A TENANT.
THAT TENANT, IN FACT, MIGHT BRING ADDITIONAL CAPITAL DEPENDING ON THE RELATIONSHIP TO THAT TENANT.
BUT WE, AT THE POINT IN OUR STUDY, THERE WASN'T A PARTICULAR ADDITIONAL TENANT COMMITTED TO THE VENUES.
WE DID NOT ASSUME THAT THERE WAS THAT KIND OF ANCHOR TENANT.
BUT IT'S READY, IT'S AVAILABLE IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD.
>> YOU SAID 7,500 SEATS AND I THOUGHT THAT I READ SOMEWHERE.
MATTER OF FACT, I GOT A SEAT IN FRONT OF ME THAT THE CAPACITY WAS GOING TO BE 8,600.
>> YEAH, WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS.
THIS WOULD BE, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHETHER IT WAS BASKETBALL OR HOCKEY, WHAT THE 7,500 WAS FOR, BUT IF YOU WERE TO DO A CONCERT AND PUT PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR, [OVERLAPPING] YOU COULD INCREASE THE CAPACITY TO 8,600.
THERE'S NOT JUST A SINGLE CAPACITY.
IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF EVENT, THE TYPE OF STATE SETUP YOU MIGHT HAVE, OR THE TYPE OF FLOOR THAT YOU NEED FOR THAT PARTICULAR SPORT.
THERE'S A VARIATION IN [OVERLAPPING] THAT EVENT.
>> FROM WHAT I SEE HERE, IT SAID BASKETBALL IS 9,700, HOCKEY ARENA FOOTBALL INDOOR SOCCER WAS 8,600.
>> WHAT DOCUMENT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
>> I'M LOOKING AT THE CONVERSATION CIVIC CENTER DOCUMENT.
>> SHERMAN, I DIDN'T PUT TOGETHER THAT CONVERSATION DOCUMENT.
MAYBE SHERMAN COULD HELP WITH AN EXPLANATION [OVERLAPPING] OF WHAT NUMBERS YOU USED THERE.
>> DR. SAUER, THE 8,600 IS THE NUMBER OF FIXED SEATS, INCLUDING COLLAPSIBLE SEATING ON THE ARENA FLOOR, THAT WAS NECESSARY TO GET TO THE MAGIC NUMBER OF 9,000 END-STAGE CONCERT CAPACITY.
THE TOTAL CAPACITY FOR THE VENUE FOR IN THE ROUND IS 10,100.
>> BUT ALTHOUGH HPS RECOMMENDED 7,500 FIXED SEATS, AS POPULOUS WORKED ON THE PRELIMINARY PROGRAM SPACE, THAT INCREASED TO 8,600 IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT 9,000 END-STAGE CAPACITY.
>> IN OTHER WORDS, REALLY, WHAT TOM WAS SAYING WAS CORRECT.
THEY MADE A RECOMMENDATION OF 7,500.
>> THAT'S CORRECT, BUT THAT WAS FOR A HOCKEY CONFIGURATION.
WE ALLOWED THAT IT WOULD BE LARGER IF THE FLOOR WERE USED FOR CD IN AN END-STAGE CAPACITY.
THAT HAPPENS A LOT DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS.
OUR BUILDING PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS GET CHANGED DEPENDING ON SITE CONSIDERATIONS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT ENTERED DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS.
>> YOU ALL FELT LIKE AN ANCHOR TENANT WAS NOT NECESSARILY LIKELY TO HAPPEN?
>> WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T PLAN ON LIKELIHOOD OF IT HAPPENING.
IT WAS JUST THAT ANCHOR TENANT WASN'T KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AT THE TIME WE DID OUR STUDY.
>> TOM, GOING FORWARD THOUGH, THE PROJECT IS IN A POSITION WHERE AS IT CONTINUES TO BE DESIGNED, ALL OF THAT IS STILL ON THE TABLE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND DESIGNED FOR, CORRECT?
>> CERTAINLY. AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, THE DESIGN IS NOT AT A STAGE WHERE IT COULD NOT BE ALTERED.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE CERTAIN BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO WORK WITHIN.
BUT IF THERE WERE SPECIFIC TENANT THAT CAME WITH MORE SPECIFIC NEEDS,
[00:15:01]
AND THAT MIGHT RELATE NOT SO MUCH TO OVERALL CAPACITY, BUT TO AMENITIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE FACILITY, LIKE NUMBER OF POINTS OF SALE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN THOSE COULD BE CHANGED DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS.>> THERE AND MIKE TOM SAYS, THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IS HODGETOWN WHERE WE HAD AN ANCHOR JANET IN THE ELMORE'S AND THEY WERE A KEY PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS FOR THAT FACILITY.
IN THE EVENT, WE DID HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH THE ARENA.
WE WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THEIR INPUT.
MIGHT HAPPEN IN THEIR UPBRINGING EVENTS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN THERE, WHETHER IT'S HOCKEY, RODEO, BASKETBALL, DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOCCER.
THERE'S LOT OF DIFFERENT SPORTS THAT COULD HAPPEN IN A FACILITY AND DO HAPPEN IN FACILITIES LIKE THAT, ARENA FOOTBALL.
THEN ALSO TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PARTY THAT HAS FAMILIARITY WITH CONCERTS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT OF DESIGN WE'VE BEEN ANGLING TOWARDS.
>> NOW THEN, I GUESS, MY FINAL QUESTION IS THIS.
THINGS CAN CHANGE AND WE HAVE TIME FOR THOSE THINGS TO CHANGE.
WHAT IS OUR TIME FRAME DO YOU FEEL LIKE IN THIS BUILDING PROCESS BEFORE WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT NAILED DOWN? BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO BE YEAR 1.
WE'VE GOT MANY THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RAMPED UP, ACTUALLY, BEFORE THE ARENA WOULD ACTUALLY EVEN BEGAN TO BE BUILT.
HOW MUCH TIME IF WE WERE TO BEGIN TO "ANCHOR TENANT," HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE? OR IS THAT A QUESTION THAT CAN BE ASKED?
>> WELL, I THINK THIS IS MORE OF, PROBABLY, ME AND KEVIN QUESTION.
WE CAN CREATE AS MUCH TIME AS WE NEED ON THAT.
CONSTRUCTION NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT SOME POINT, AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO STEP INTO DESIGN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
GETTING THAT INPUT ON THE FRONT END IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL AND CRUCIAL.
SOMETIME WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, TWO YEAR AND A HALF, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THAT LOCKED IN AND GET THAT INPUT FROM THEM.
POSSIBLY, EVEN SOONER THAN THAT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF STEPS THAT WOULD NEED TO TAKE PLACE AS WE'RE CURRENTLY DESIGNED WITH THE PROJECT PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ARENA, BUT THE DESIGN OF THE ARENA WOULD BEGIN, COMMENCE RELATIVELY QUICKLY UPON APPROVAL IF IT'S APPROVED IN NOVEMBER.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL, FOR TOM?
>> MAYOR, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD IN THAT HAVING SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THE PROJECTIONS THAT TOM AND HIS COMPANY CAME OVER, OVERALL, I WOULD RANK THEM VERY CONSERVATIVE.
WE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE WERE DOING ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS, THAT IT WAS WHAT I INTERPRETED FROM ALL OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS, WAS NOT TO OVERESTIMATE.
I THINK THIS ISSUE WITH AN ANCHOR TENANT FALLS INTO THAT AS WELL, THAT ABSOLUTELY, IT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT, BUT NOT TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE PROJECTIONS AND THE ESTIMATES BECAUSE IF IT DID NOT COME TO PASS, THEN THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR NEGATIVE IN EVALUATING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT.
ON THAT POINT, TOM, IF YOU COULD JUST ADDRESS, AGAIN, AND WE'VE TOUCHED ON IT, BUT THE SIZE OF THE ARENA, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER 1 QUESTION THAT I GET FROM CITIZENS, IS STILL THAT CONCERN, IS IT BIG ENOUGH? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT A COMMUNITY MIGHT WANT VERSUS NEED.
BEFORE YOU ADDRESS THAT, JUST MAKING THE COMMENT THAT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DID GO TO THE UPPER RANGES OF, WHERE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HAD BEGUN EXPANDING.
WE DID NOT LOOK AT THE MINIMUM OR EVEN THE AVERAGE, WENT TO THE AVERAGE, AND EVEN A LITTLE BIT BEYOND THAT, GOING OVER THE 10,000 WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WAS NECESSARILY RECOMMENDED AND IDENTIFIED AS A NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
COULD YOU ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, PLEASE?
>> SURE. AN ARENA HAS MANY USES AND SO THE SEATING REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE DIFFERENT USES VARY.
IT'S EASY TO BUILD AN ARENA THAT'S TOO SMALL OR ONE THAT'S TOO LARGE.
THE PROBLEM WITH HAVING AN ARENA THAT'S TOO LARGE IS NOT SO THE INEFFICIENCY AND THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, BUT DURING THE USERS WANT IT TO BE SIZED APPROPRIATELY FOR THEIR POTENTIAL AUDIENCES.
[00:20:06]
THEY DON'T WANT THEIR EVENTS TO OCCUR IN AN EMPTY VENUE, OR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A HALF EMPTY VENUE.THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THIS BUILDING PROGRAM DOES TO ADDRESS THAT.
LET'S SAY YOU HAVE A SMALLER CONCERT, THE ARENA WILL BE ABLE TO BE USED IN A HALF-HALL CONFIGURATION AND ACCOMMODATE A MUCH SMALLER AUDIENCE AND WILL GIVE A GOOD USER EXPERIENCE.
IN TERMS OF SIZING IT FOR SPORTS, WE LOOKED AT ALL THE VARIOUS MINOR LEAGUE SPORTS POTENTIAL AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT TYPICAL ATTENDANCES ARE IN THOSE LEAGUES.
WHAT PEAK ATTENDANCE MIGHT BE, LET'S SAY, IF YOU'RE IN A PLAY-OFF VERSUS WHAT YOUR AVERAGE GAME ATTENDANCE MIGHT BE.
IT'S SIZED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AS WELL.
IT WILL BE QUITE FLEXIBLE AND WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENTS DEPENDING ON HOW THE ARENA IS USED.
I THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL THE POTENTIAL MARKETS FOR AND TRY TO CREATE THE RIGHT MATCH IN TERMS OF CAPACITY FOR THE THOSE MARKETS.
>> I WOULD ALSO CLARIFY MY COMMENT EARLIER.
WE'RE NOT LOCKED INTO DESIGNING ANY COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT IMMEDIATELY.
THE TIMING OF ALL THIS IS 100 PERCENT UP TO COUNCIL AND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD INITIALLY ENVISIONED BEGINNING DESIGN RIGHT RIGHT OFF THE BED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN ALL COMPONENTS.
CONSTRUCTION, HOWEVER, WOULD BEGIN IN A SEQUENCE BECAUSE CERTAIN THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE FIRST.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE CIVIC CENTER, BEFORE WE CAN RENOVATE SOME OF THE SPACES THAT WE CURRENTLY USE, WE HAVE TO BUILD THE NEW SPACE WHERE WE CAN PUSH ACTIVITIES SO THAT IT CAN FREE UP THE CURRENT SPACE IT'S BEING USED.
WE HAVE CERTAIN PROJECTS, DEMOLITION AND UTILITY PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION AT THE ARENA SITE.
THAT SAID, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR US TO BEGIN DESIGNING ANY GIVEN PHASE.
THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW-ON EFFECT IF WE PUSH DESIGN BACKWARD A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE US MORE NEGOTIATION TIME FOR AN ANCHOR TENANT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO ENABLE THEM TO BE PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS, BUT THAT'S AN OPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS EVERYONE WANTS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO STILL HAVE EXPECTATIONS AS FAR AS DELIVERY TIMETABLES, BUT THOSE ARE ALL SELF-IMPOSED.
WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AS WE GO THROUGH THAT, DEPENDING ON THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US AND THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO CHASE DOWN AND RUN TO GROUND BEFORE WE INITIATE.
>> OKAY. TOM, CAN I ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION? CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> OKAY. I WAS AFRAID MY MICROPHONE WASN'T WORKING AGAIN, I'M SORRY.
JUST FOR MY OWN INFORMATION REALLY.
WE'VE GOT IN HERE WHERE IT SAYS THE BASKETBALL WOULD BE CONFIGURED TO 9,700 AND FOR HOCKEY, IT'D BE CONFIGURED TO 8,600.
WOULD YOU INDULGE ME FOR A MINUTE? HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT SO THAT YOU CONFIGURE IT SO THAT IT HOLDS MORE INDIVIDUALS OR FEWER INDIVIDUALS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A CAVERNOUS TYPE OF ARENA THAT SEEMS HALF EMPTY.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M ASKING?
>> YEAH, SORRY, I WAS ON MUTE.
YES, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
THE BIGGEST FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF UTILIZATION COMES FOR CONCERT EVENTS, WHERE YOU CAN MOVE THE STAGE AROUND AND USE CURTAIN SYSTEM TO CREATE A HALF-HALL CONFIGURATION.
THE OTHER MOVE THAT'S OFTEN MADE IS TO CLOSE OFF CERTAIN SECTIONS AND SEATS OR ABOUT OUR SECOND LEVEL FOR SMALLER EVENTS SO THAT THE CROWD IS MORE CONTAINED.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU'RE USING THE BOWL, THERE'S CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AS TO HOW MUCH YOU CAN SHRINK THE VENUE.
BUT USUALLY, IT'S A MATTER OF JUST CLOSING OFF SECTIONS TO ATTENDEES, PARTICULARLY UPPER AND LOWER ATTENDEES' SECTIONS IF NECESSARY.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE FACILITY HAS PROPOSED, AND OBVIOUSLY, IT HASN'T BEEN DESIGNED YET, BUT WHEN WE HAVE USERS THAT NEED LESS CAPACITY, SOME OF OUR CURRENT SPORTING PARTNERS USE LESS SPACE THAN OTHERS.
[00:25:02]
WE WILL DESIGN.CURRENTLY, OUR PLANS ARE TO DESIGN IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CURTAIN SYSTEM THAT WILL CLOSE OFF THE UPPER DECK SO THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK EMPTY.
WHATEVER CAPACITY THEY CAN USE TO FILL THE LOWER SEATS, THEY'LL LOOK PRETTY FULL.
IT WON'T BE OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN USED IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
WE'LL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SEAL OFF A LARGE CHUNK, AND WHAT TOM WAS SAYING, WHICH IS JUST CLOSE OFF CERTAIN SECTIONS.
>> YEAH. OKAY. WELL, THAT REALLY MAKE SENSE.
IF YOU CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE CAPACITY OF SEATING AND YOU WENT UP 2,000 OR YOU WENT DOWN 2,000, DOES THAT REALLY CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE BOWL OR DOES THE BOWL STILL BASICALLY HAVE A CONFIGURATION SIZE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IN ANYWAY, AND SO CHANGING THE SEATING CAPACITY IS AS CONSEQUENTIAL UNLESS WE'RE CHANGING THE WHOLE SIZE OF THE BOWL?
>> WE'RE GETTING INTO CERTAIN DESIGN QUESTIONS.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE TWO MAIN CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT, IF YOU WERE, LET'S SAY TO EXPAND THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE VENUE.
ONE IS, WILL THE SITE ACCOMMODATE IT IF YOU HAVE TO EXPAND THE BOWL? BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU'VE GOT TO EXPAND NOT JUST THE BOWL ITSELF, BUT YOUR CONCOURSE AREAS, YOU HAVE TO USE A LOT OF OTHER SPACES GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
THEN THE SECOND, OF COURSE, IS CERTAIN BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.
THERE'S A ROUGH BUDGET ESTIMATE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE, ASSUMING THE REFERENDUM IS PASSED, SO YOU NEED TO WORK WITHIN THAT.
THERE WILL BE THOSE TWO, I THINK WILL PLACE MAJOR CONSTRAINTS ON TRYING TO EXPAND IT, LET'S SAY BY A COUPLE OF THOUSAND SEATS.
IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHIN THOSE CONSTRAINTS.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE GETTING INTO A DESIGN QUESTION AND THAT YOUR POPULACE WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE ON THE PHONE TO ADDRESS THOSE MORE DIRECTLY.
>> WE DID HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS WITH POPULACE WITH REGARD TO BUILDING IT TO OUR CURRENT PROJECTION AND THEN BEING ABLE TO EXPAND IN THE FUTURE IF IT WAS NEEDED.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THERE WAS ONCE YOU BUILD TO A CERTAIN SIZE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPAND.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE BALL GOES UP TO THE WALLS OF THE BUILDING.
OTHERWISE, YOU BUILD IT WITH EXPANSION SPACE, BUT YOU'RE ALMOST EXPERIENCING THAT FULL COST ON THE FRONT END.
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SHRINK IT AFTER CONSTRUCTING, BUT I'M PROBABLY MISUNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION WHEN I SAY THAT.
>> NO, ACTUALLY, THAT REALLY IS, I GUESS REALLY WHAT THE QUESTION IS, IS CAN YOU EXPAND IT OR IS IT LIKE OUR CURRENT SITUATION THAT WE REALLY COULDN'T JUST RAISE THE ROOF ON THE CURRENT COLISEUM TO ACCOMMODATE THE 30 [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE DID ASK THE QUESTION OF POPULACE AND THEIR INPUT THERE WAS THE COST OF THAT, IN THEIR EXPERIENCE, WOULD FAR EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE EXPANSION.
>> SOME PLACES ARE LOOKING AT REDUCING CAPACITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TEXAS TECH IS LOOKING AT WITH, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT'S CALLED NOW, BUT FORMERLY CALLED UNITED SPIRIT ARENA.
I THINK WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS POSSIBLY TAKING SOME OF THE UPPER SEATS AND TURNING THEM INTO SUITES.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S TOO LARGE A CAPACITY OR THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUITES.
BUT I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY AT LEAST WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY TO REDUCE THE CAPACITY IN THAT WAY.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WHEN WE DESIGN THIS, WE PUT IN THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF SUITE SPACE ON THE FRONT END SO THAT WE CAN AVOID INCURRING THAT COST AT A LATER TIME.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TOM? TOM, WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
IT WON'T BE THE LAST TIME WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
>> OKAY. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND I'M GLAD TO HELP WHERE I CAN. THANK YOU.
>> BYE BYE. WE'LL GO BACK TO THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA NOW AND THAT IS [INAUDIBLE] A CORONAVIRUS UPDATE. MR. CITY MANAGER.
[1A. Coronavirus Update;]
>> ALL RIGHT, MA'AM. WE ARE GOING TO, LIKE LAST WEEK BEGIN WITH CASIE STEPH, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AND HAVE HER GIVE US AN UPDATE AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO DR. SOWER AND/OR ANDREW FREEMAN TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. CASIE?
>>YES. GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON NOW, SORRY.
[00:30:04]
WE'RE DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS HERE INCLUDING VIRTUAL SCHOOL.WE'VE BEEN ANSWERING PHONE CALLS TO GET GOING ON VIRTUAL SCHOOL, SO LOTS OF NEWNESS THIS YEAR.
FOR AN UPDATE FROM PUBLIC HEALTH ON COVID, AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 6,334 CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED IN PORTER AND OTHER COUNTIES; 4,098 IN PORTER COUNTY AND 2,236 IN RANDALL COUNTY.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 5,757 RECOVERIES AND AN INCREASED TO 86 DEATHS REPORTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT LEAVES US WITH 491 ACTIVE CASES.
HOSPITAL CAPACITY INCLUDES 50 COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED.
TOTAL ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS AT 71 PERCENT.
VENTILATOR UTILIZATION IS AT 36.5 PERCENT, AND TOTAL ICU UTILIZATION IS 73.5 PERCENT.
EACH OF THE CASES DO REPRESENT A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL AND STAFF TAKE THE TIMEOUT TO TAKE OUT DUPLICATE TESTS AS TO NOT COUNT MULTIPLE TESTS FOR THE SAME PERSON.
WE AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT ONLY COUNT THOSE DEATHS THAT ARE BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
FOR INSTANCE, IF A PERSON DIES AS A RESULT OF A CAR CRASH, BUT IS ALSO POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, THAT DEATH WOULD NOT COUNT AS A COVID DEATH.
WE ONLY COUNT THOSE DEATHS THAT WITHOUT COVID, THE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FAMILY WOULD STILL BE HERE.
THE CDC RECENTLY REPORTED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO DIE AS A RESULT OF COVID HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
WE ANALYZE THE SAMPLE OF THE REPORTED DEATHS REPORTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND THAT'S ROUGHLY HALF WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
I'M SORRY, WE ANALYZED A SAMPLE OF OUR TOTAL REPORTED DEATHS.
LOCALLY, 80 PERCENT OF THOSE DEATHS DO HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS SUCH AS HYPERTENSION OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, OBESITY, THOSE TYPES OF UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THE DATA TO HAVE A FULL DATA SET FOR TOMORROW.
BUT THIS INFORMATION DOES HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR PROTECTIVE MEASURES AS THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE AT RISK FOR DEVASTATING OUTCOMES AND FOR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, 86 FAMILIES TO BE EXACT, THIS IS A REALITY.
WE DO NEED THE NORMALCY IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH SCHOOL STARTING TODAY AND BUSINESSES NEEDING TO STAY OPEN.
HOWEVER, WE'VE GOT TO DO SO WITH CONTINUED MASKING, SOCIAL DISTANCING, LIMITED IN-PERSON MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS AND THE CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS UNTIL THERE'S A VACCINE.
WE'VE HAD NEW CASES IN THE '30S AND '40S IN THE EARLY PART OF AUGUST.
THE LATTER PART OF AUGUST WE SAW CASES IN THE UPPER '40S AND '50S, AND TODAY WE HAVE 92 NEW CASES OF COVID-19.
SO WE DO APPRECIATE THE NEEDS OF CONTINUED MEASURES.
>> THANK YOU. [OVERLAPPING] DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CASIE? OKAY. MR. CITY MANAGER.
>> MAYOR, NOT SPECIFICALLY A QUESTION FOR CASIE, BUT SOME MORE DISCUSSION RELATED AROUND COVID.
>>WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT, BEGINNING OUR CONVERSATIONS AND WATCHING THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND INFORMATION ON METRICS HE MIGHT BE LOOKING FORWARD MOVING AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT OVER THE WEEKEND, GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAD TWEETED, "SINCE MY LAST ORDERS IN JULY, COVID NUMBERS HAVE DECLINED MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOSPITALIZATIONS.
I HOPE TO PROVIDE UPDATES NEXT WEEK ABOUT NEXT STEPS." I THINK THAT THEY ARE SEEING SOME OF THAT SAME DATA WE'RE DISCUSSING AND BEGINNING TO SEE THAT.
MANY OF THOSE METRICS THAT WE STARTED WITH HAVE BEEN MET.
THE TWO WEEKS OF SLOWING THE SPREAD, TRYING NOT TO BE DOUBLING OUR CASES, FLATTENING THE CURVE HERE LOCALLY.
NOW, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL WEEKS IN A ROW, FOUR OR FIVE WHERE WE'RE UNDER 500.
WE'RE ACHIEVING THAT FLATTENING OF THE CURVE AND CERTAINLY NOT OVERLOADING OUR HOSPITALS AND AS CASIE HIGHLIGHTED,
[00:35:01]
SOME OF THE NATIONAL DATA IT IS CONFIRMING THERE IS A VERY CLEARLY DEFINED POPULATION THAT'S AT RISK THAT THEY CAN BE PROTECTED WITH TARGETED MEASURES AND THAT'S OUR ELDERLY WITH THE AVERAGE AGE IN DEATHS BEING AT 75, AND THEN THOSE WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.THAT RECENT DATA IS CERTAINLY CONFIRMING THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER REPORT OF INTERESTING.
CASIE, YOU MAY HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THIS.
DEFINITELY IS ABOVE MY UNDERSTANDING LEVEL ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
BUT ANOTHER QUOTE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES IS THAT ONLY 10 PERCENT OF POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH VIRAL LOAD TO BE INFECTIOUS.
THIS MAY BE A NEW CONVERSATION OR A NEW PART OF THE TESTING.
THEY'RE LOOKING NOT ONLY AT THE POSITIVE RESULT, BUT THE PERCENTAGE OF VIRAL LOAD TOO.
I MIGHT TEST POSITIVE BUT I MIGHT NOT BE CONTAGIOUS.
BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE POSITIVE.
I SEE THESE AS VERY POSITIVE MOVEMENT TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THIS VIRUS MORE.
WE'RE LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT IT, HOW IT'S TRANSMITTED, HOW TO TREAT IT.
WE'RE SEEING VERY POSITIVE RESULTS AND NEW TREATMENTS.
JUST AS A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE SENDING CHILDREN BACK AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS AND FEARS, THERE IS JUST A STATISTIC THAT I HAD READ RECENTLY.
THIS WAS IN JUNE AND I KNOW SOME OF THE NUMBERS HAVE CHANGED.
BUT IT IS STILL TALKING ABOUT RISK AND RELATIVE RISK AND IN THAT AGE GROUP OF 15 AND YOUNGER, THIS WAS NATIONALLY 45 INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE YOUNGER THAN AGE 15 HAD DIED FROM COVID AND THEY MAY HAVE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL UNDERLYING CONDITIONS AS WELL.
BUT DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD, THERE WERE 13,088 DEATHS FROM OTHER CAUSES.
SO THERE IS A RISK, IT IS A REAL RISK RELATIVE TO OTHER RISK THAT THE AGE GROUP FACES IS STILL LOW AND I HOPE THAT THAT BIT OF DATA AS MARY YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WE LIKE TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON DATA AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT DATA IS ENCOURAGING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR FAMILIES.
>> I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT REPORT THAT I HAD A TIDBIT OF INFORMATION THIS MORNING THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL BE COMING OUT WITH POSSIBLE CHANGES TO HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER AFTER LABOR DAY.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT FIRST OF NEXT WEEK, MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK, WE COULD HAVE SOME INFORMATION OUT OF AUSTIN, OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON HOW WE MAY BE CHANGING WHAT OUR BUSINESSES CAN DO.
>> OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE FOR CASIE OR OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT DATA? MR. CITY MANAGER. YOU ARE ON MUTE JARED.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO THROW IT TO DR. SAUER.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE COVID GRANT FIGURES IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
THERE'S BEEN A TOTAL OF 74 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED, ALMOST 155,000.
AN AVERAGE REQUEST IS ABOUT 2,100.
TOTAL PAID OUT SO FAR IS 101,000 AND 14 OF THE 74 APPLICANTS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW.
NOW THEN ON THE OTHER ONE, THE $10,000 GRANT APPLICATION, WE'VE RECEIVED 50 APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE BUDGETED 550,000 FOR THOSE GRANTS, 300,500 OR 32 OF THOSE GRANTS ARE GOOD TO FUND.
FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF GRANTS OR 4 OF THE GRANTS ARE ALMOST READY TO FUND.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR INFORMATION BACK FROM THE PARTICULAR BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS MADE AN APPLICATION.
NOW THEN WE'VE GOT ANOTHER 7 THAT THEY'VE GOT TO GET MORE INFORMATION, BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE THAT 68,000 AND WE HAD DENIED OR REFERRED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY REIMBURSEMENT OF 4 DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS.
WE'VE GOT 3 NEW APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN YET.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE A WEEK FROM THIS FRIDAY.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE $438,500 THAT COULD BE GRANTED POSSIBLY BY FRIDAY WEEK.
[00:40:07]
THAT MEANS THERE'S STILL $110,500 LEFT FOR GRANTS AND AT 10,000 A PIECE, THAT WOULD BE, WELL, ANOTHER 10 OR 11 BUSINESSES.NOT EVERYBODY HAS ASKED FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT.
SEVERAL HAVE ASKED FOR AMOUNTS SMALLER THAN THE 10,000.
WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD RESPONSE AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE BUSINESSES TO GO AHEAD AND APPLY FOR THIS. THAT'S EVERYTHING.
WE APPRECIATE THAT REPORT AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU AND KEVIN AND [NOISE] EVERYBODY ELSE WHO'S WORKED ON THAT TEAM PUTTING THOSE PROGRAMS TOGETHER AND ALSO THE TIME YOU SPEND LOOKING AT THE APPLICATIONS AND MOVING IT FORWARD.
IT'S HELPFUL TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES.
THEY APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK.
RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON CORONAVIRUS WE CAN MOVE TO ITEM B,
[1B. Update on Traffic Management System;]
WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.THIS IS BEEN A MULTI-PHASE, MULTI-YEAR PROCESS TO MODIFY AND UPDATE OUR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. WE GOT DONNY HOOPER ALONG WITH RAYMOND LEE TO GIVE US A SMALL PRESENTATION, ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL, DONNY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
WE'RE NEARING THE FINAL PHASE OF THIS, WHICH WILL BEGIN IN OCTOBER PHASE 4.
WE'D ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR TODAY'S, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY TO HAVE COUNSEL COME TO THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER WHEN IT WAS COMPLETE AND WHEN WE HAD EVERYTHING UP AND RUNNING SO THAT WE COULD SHOW IT OFF AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOU THERE.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT BUT BECAUSE OF COVID WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT.
WE PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND SAID, WELL, THEN WE'LL JUST TAKE IT TO THEM AND BRING IT TO YOU VIRTUALLY.
WE ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A VIDEO THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU IN JUST A MOMENT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE TESTED THE VIDEO 2-3 TIMES AND WE GOT A LAGGING PROBLEMS OUT OF IT.
WITH EVERYBODY LOGGED ON TODAY IT COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LAG TO IT.
IF IT DOES, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOU MAYOR HAVE A COPY OF THAT VIDEO AND WE CAN ALSO PUT THAT ON YOUTUBE FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO SEE AS WELL.
BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT.
IF YOU RECALL, PHASE 1 WAS OUR SOFTWARE AND CONTROLLERS IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2018 AND 2019 WE MOVED TO THE ARTERIAL CONTROLLERS.
ALSO OUR TMC VIDEO WORK THAT'S IN THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER ALONG WITH PUTTING ALL OF OUR CELLULAR COMMUNICATION DEVICES OUT IN THE FIELD.
THEN WE MOVED TO PHASE 3, WHICH IS THE CURRENT YEAR WE'RE IN NOW WHERE WE WERE PUTTING OUR SYSTEM CONTROLLERS IN.
FINISHING UP WITH OUR CELLULAR MODEMS AND OUR DETECTION SYSTEMS AND OUR PAN TILT AND ZOOM CAMERAS AT SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
PHASE 4, WHICH IS COMING UP IN OCTOBER, IS A CLEANUP PHASE WHERE WE CAN GO BACK IN AND WE CAN TAKE ALL OF THE INTERSECTIONS THAT WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO PUT PAN TILT AND ZOOM CAMERAS OR VIDEO DETECTION OR RADAR DETECTION.
YOU MIGHT NOTE THAT WHEN I SAY RADAR DETECTION, THAT DOESN'T MEAN SPEED FOR THE MOTORIST, THAT MEANS RADAR DETECTION THAT'S REPLACING SOME OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY AND LOOP DETECTORS ARE GENERALLY SET INSIDE OF THE PAVEMENT.
THEIR HIGH MAINTENANCE ITEMS, THEY NOW HAVE TECHNOLOGY WHERE WE CAN PUT RADARS UP ON THE MASS.
IT CAN SENSE WHEN TRAFFIC IS AN INTERSECTION AND WAITING ON A CALL TO MOVE WHEN THERE'S NO TRAFFIC COMING THE OTHER WAY.
WE'RE JUST NOW GETTING INTO THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES OF GETTING OPERATIONAL WITH OUR SYSTEM BUT IT IS UP AND RUNNING.
WE DID HAVE TRAINING ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WITH ALL OF THE STAFF IN THE TMC.
WITH [INAUDIBLE] THAT CAME DOWN, THAT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE TRAINING SESSION FOR ABOUT FOUR DAYS.
EVEN IN THAT, WE FOUND SOME ISSUES THAT WERE OUT IN THE FIELD THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS.
THE [INAUDIBLE] ENGINEERS TOOK THOSE PROBLEMS BACK WITH THEM TO HELP US COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS AT SOME INTERSECTIONS THAT WE WERE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH, AS FAR AS CONTROLLERS AND PHASING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
I DO WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE SHOW THE VIDEO AS WELL THAT THIS PROJECT ABOUT $1.8 MILLION TOTAL WITH THE CAPITAL MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY AVAILABLE WHEN WE STARTED THE PROJECT WITH 1.45 OF BOND MONEY THAT WAS PUT TOWARD THIS.
THAT THIS PROJECT WAS DONE BY THE STAFF OF TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.
THEY COMPLETED ALL OF THE FIELD WORK.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE REALLY HAD WAS [INAUDIBLE] COMING IN, THE SOFTWARE MANUFACTURER COMING IN AND WORKING WITH US AND GETTING EVERYTHING INSTALLED.
BUT WITHOUT THAT AND WITHOUT THEM DOING THE WORK IN THE FIELD, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COMPLETE HALF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE ON THIS PROJECT.
HAVING THOSE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND ABLE TO DO THAT WORK HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO US AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND LOOK FORWARD TO FINISHING THIS UP WITH THEM.
WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE VIDEO.
[00:45:02]
AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE ANY LAGGING.STEFANIE I THINK IS GOING TO PUT THAT UP FOR US.
NOW I'M GOING TO MUTE MY MICROPHONE SO THAT IT DOESN'T FEEDBACK WHEN THE VOLUME COMES ON WITH THAT VIDEO.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND. I NEED TO RE-SHARE.
THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME SHARING SOMETHING WITH SOUND.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR IT.
>> THE ALL NEW TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER IS LOCATED IN A SECURED AREA OF THE SIMMS BUIDLING AND IS NEAR THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
WHICH IS BY DESIGN, SO THAT WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY OF OUR LIVE CAMERA SYSTEM IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR A CRISIS SITUATION TO GIVE EYES TO THE COMMAND STAFF OR PUT THE CURRENT SITUATION WHERE POSSIBLE.
THE GOAL OF THIS MAJOR UPGRADE WAS TO CREATE A BETTER DRIVING EXPERIENCE FOR MOTORISTS IN AMARILLO IN THE DECLUTTER AREAS OF CONGESTION.
>> SOME OF THE CAPABILITIES WE HAVE WITH THE SYSTEMS, WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL 283 CIVILIZED INTERSECTIONS AND WE CAN ACCESS VIDEO CAMERA ON SOME OF THEM.
IN PHASE 4, WE'LL COMPLETE THE REST OF THE VIDEO ON ALL OF THEM AND WE CAN UPLOAD, DOWNLOAD, GET ANY INFORMATION AS FAR AS, IF NEW DETECTORS ARE WORKING PROPERLY, IF THE TIMINGS ARE NOT RIGHT.
>> THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM IS I'LL BE ABLE TO LOG ONTO THINGS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE FLY, AS WELL AS WHEN THERE ARE EVENTS AT HODGETOWN OR AT THE CIVIC CENTER.
WHENEVER THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMING INTO TOWN WE WILL BE ABLE TO CHANGE IT HERE RATHER THAN GO TO EVERY INTERSECTION CHANGING THE CONTROL MODEL.
>> THE NEW TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CONTROLS 283 SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS, ALSO FIVE FLASHING RED LIGHTS, TWO EMERGENCY SIGNALS INSTALLED AT FIRE STATIONS, THREE FLASHERS AT FIRE STATIONS AND TWO HAWK PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.
THE SYSTEM ALSO CONTROLS 18 PAN TILT AND ZOOM CAMERAS, 21 RADAR DETECTION UNITS, TWO VIDEO AND RADAR COMBINATION UNITS AND 16 VIDEO DETECTION INTERSECTIONS.
>> IN PHASE 4 SOME OF THE NEW VIDEO DETECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING HAS THE CAPABILITIES TO BRING US LIVE CAMS FROM EACH INTERSECTION.
WITH THOSE CAMS WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST RED LIGHTS AND GREEN LIGHTS IMMEDIATELY.
>> THE NEW TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM REPLACES AN OUTDATED TRAFFIC SYSTEM THAT WAS INSTALLED ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO.
TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THE TRAFFIC WORLD SINCE THEN.
>> THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. LAST TIME WE HAD ANY NEW SYSTEM WAS IN 1991 AND IT TURNED UP TO THE NEW SOFTWARE IN 2000.
IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT, NEW TECHNOLOGY.
>> I'LL BE ABLE TO COME IN AND CHECK IT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND SEE IF I CAN MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO ANY INTERSECT OR MAY HAVE ISSUES OVERNIGHT.
IF NOT, WE CAN GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE AND HOPEFULLY GET THOSE ISSUES RESOLVED.
>> THE CAPABILITIES ARE UNRELIABLE WE CAN DO DOWN THE ROAD.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO THE BEGINNING STAGES.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN OUR OLD SYSTEM BUT IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR.
A LOT OF THE CAPABILITIES ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
THE FLEXIBILITY IS HUGE FOR SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE COULD DO DOWN THE ROAD, WE CAN IMPLEMENT A LOT OF OUR GIS SOFTWARE PROGRAMS INTO IT AND BE ABLE TO, WE CAN ACTUALLY KEEP INVENTORY OF ALL OF OUR SIGNALS.
CREATE INTERACTIVE MAPS SO THAT, IT'S ACTUALLY BE POSTED ON THE WEB AND SENT OUT TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO GIVE PEOPLE DIRECT ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT STUFF IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT TAKING CONTROL OF ANY TRAFFIC OR WE'LL JUST BE ABLE TO VIEW AND ACCESS IT.
WE ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THIS.
IT'S A REALLY TOP OF THE LINE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH WHEN WE ARE DONE.
>> NOT AS GOOD AS BEING THERE IN PERSON, BUT HOPEFULLY, THAT AT LEAST GIVES YOU A LOOK INSIDE THE CENTER TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE.
ANDREW MARTINEZ, BY THE WAY, WE GAVE HIM A HARD TIME TO MAKE YOU THE FIRST ONE THAT'S EVER BEEN THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER TECHNICIAN IN THE NEW CENTER, SO DON'T LET US DOWN.
ANDREW'S DOING A GREAT JOB DOWN THERE, SO IS MICHAEL PADILLA AND THE REST OF HIS STAFF.
MAY I MENTION THAT WE DID LEARN FROM [INAUDIBLE] THAT THERE ARE SOME OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM AND THEY ACTUALLY ARE USING IT AS AN INTERACTIVE SYSTEM AS WELL FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE DATA AND SOME OF THE THINGS ONLINE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM.
STILL IN THE INFANCY STAGES THERE WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT SOME OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT DOWN THE LINE TO EVEN INCREASE IT EVEN MORE WITH THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUR PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE ABOUT $349,000 LEFT IN THE PROJECT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT $16,000 PER INTERSECTION TO PUT RADAR DETECTION,
[00:50:04]
[INAUDIBLE] CAMERAS AND DETECTION CAMERAS.IT'S ABOUT 22 INTERSECTIONS THAT WE COULD UPGRADE.
SO WE'RE STILL ANALYZING HOW WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE ALL OF THAT IN PHASE 4, WHICH GETS UNDERWAY IN OCTOBER, BUT I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY, AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET US SHOW YOU INSIDE.
>> THE MAIN THING I HEARD IN THAT WAS THE 1991.
>> 1991 WITH AN UPGRADE, I BELIEVE, IS IN 2001, BUT REALLY, THAT WAS THE SAME SYSTEM AND IT JUST, I THINK I MENTIONED THIS TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE, BUT EVERYONE WAS AFRAID WHEN THEY WALK IN THAT ROOM AT THAT OLD COMPUTER THAT WAS IN THERE.
IT COULDN'T BE UPGRADED TO STOMP ON THE FLOOR TOO HARD WHEN THEY WERE WALKING.
I MENTIONED THAT A NEW SYSTEM LIKE THIS COMPARED TO THE OLD SYSTEM, OUR COMPLAINTS HAVE DROPPED DRAMATICALLY.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN ABOUT INTERSECTIONS AND WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REACT TO THOSE, BUT THE COMPLAINTS HAVE REALLY, REALLY DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.
>> GREAT REPORT, DONNY. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? DONNY, WHO PUT THE VIDEO TOGETHER?
WELL, YOU'RE SETTING A STANDARD BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE A NEW TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, BUT NOW I THINK WE GOT A NEW PRESENTATION STANDARD HERE.
[INAUDIBLE] REQUIRE DIGITAL PRESENTATIONS.
>> I TOLD JORDAN THAT I WAS GOING TO TRY TO NOT ONE-UP [INAUDIBLE] AND HE JUST SAID, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. YOU WON'T." [LAUGHTER] VERY GLAD YOU DO IT.
[OVERLAPPING] WERE BUSY WITH EVERYTHING AND COMMUNICATION, SO WE JUST TOOK IT ON OUR OWN TO DO IT.
>> YEAH, THEY DEFINITELY ARE BUSY WITH COMMUNICATIONS, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT PROJECT AND TO HEAR THE GOAL OF IT, WHAT IT COSTS, YOU JUST ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND I'D REALLY LOVE TO HAVE A LINK TO THAT VIDEO TO PUT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE JUST SO CITIZENS CAN WATCH IT AND GET THAT SAME INFORMATION.
>> WILL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENT.
[1C. Discuss Proposed Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB);]
THE PROPOSED CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. MR. CITY MANAGER?>> RIGHT THERE. WE'VE BEEN TALKING AND WORKING VERY AGGRESSIVELY FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS ON PLANS THAT WILL ENABLE THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS COUNCIL TO BECOME ITS OWN ENTITY.
WE'RE CATCHING UP WITH A LOT OF CITIES OUR SIZE.
WE WERE A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE IN THAT WE WERE CONTRACTING WITH ANOTHER ENTITY, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THIS CASE, TO OPERATE AND PROVIDE CVC FUNCTIONS AS AN OPERATING DEPARTMENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
BUT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ENABLING THE CVC PLAN TO BE THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS, WHICH IS A VERY COMMON DESIGNATION FOR CONVENTION AND VISITOR ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE STATE TO BE ITS OWN ENTITY.
WE'VE GOT A TEAM LEADING THAT.
AT THE FRONT OF THAT TEAM IS FLOYD HARTMAN AND KASHION SMITH.
FLOYD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, KASHION SMITH, HEAD OF THINGS OVER AT THE CVC.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE. THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIMELINE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEEK SOME INPUT FROM COUNCIL TODAY ON SOME THINGS THAT WILL ENABLE US TO FINALIZE SOME DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO APPROVE.
BEFORE I HAND IT TO FLOYD, THIS IS A PRETTY COMPLICATED PROJECT.
WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM WORKING ON IT, BUT IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS SAYING, OKAY, YOU'RE OVER THERE NOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE PERFORMED, THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL STEPS THAT THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ALONG WITH COORDINATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORTS TO THE CVC, CVB, IN TANDEM WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO, WAS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
ALL THAT TO SAY IT'S NOT AN EASY OR SNAP OF THE FINGERS TYPE DEAL.
IT'S VERY, I WON'T SAY COMPLICATED, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS YOU HAVE TO TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS APPROPRIATE AND LEGAL.
ALL OF THIS TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HELP CVB CAPTURE SAVINGS IT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET BY WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH THE CITY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND ALSO, TO ENABLE THE CVB TO JUST STEP INTO THAT NEW ROLE, THAT EXPANDING ROLE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AS A STANDALONE ENTITY.
SO FLOYD, TAKE IT AWAY, AND THEN AFTER THE PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COMES TO MY DESK.
>> THANK YOU, JARED, AND YES, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW KASHION SMITH IS ON THE PRESENTATION.
I WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AS WE GET THROUGH.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
[00:55:04]
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.IT'S CHALLENGING WITH COVID, BUT WE'VE ENGAGED THE STAKEHOLDERS TO FIND OUT WHAT THE MAJOR CONCERNS ARE IN MOVING FORWARD.
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT YOU'LL SEE FIRST THING NEXT WEEK IS THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, BUT THEY ALIGN WITH OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN THE STATE AND THE BEST PRACTICES FOR CVB WHICH IS A CHANGE.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS CREATE AND IT WAS PREFERRED FROM STAKEHOLDERS COULD BE A STANDALONE ENTITY WITH THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.
WITH THAT, IT WOULD CONSIST OF A NEW BOARD, A GOVERNING BOARD RATHER THAN ADVISORY BOARD, AND THAT BOARD WILL HAVE MORE DIRECT DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY.
WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND BASED OF WHAT WE SAW ACROSS THE STATE AND NINE VOTING MEMBER BOARD WITH TWO NON-VOTING EX-OFFICIAL MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN THE UNIQUENESS OF AMARILLO, WHICH IS THE INPUT FROM A DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER CITY AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE CIVIC CENTER.
BUT ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS, A NEW BOARD WOULD BE CREATED AND OUR PLAN WOULD BE IF WE MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.
AFTER THE INITIAL APPOINTMENT, THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE APPOINTED ANNUALLY AND IT WILL BE THREE TERMS TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31ST OF EACH YEAR, 2021, '22, AND '23, THE STAGGERING THOSE TERMS. STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT WE SEE THOUGH, WE'LL HAVE TO ADDITIONALLY TO HAVE A FUNCTIONAL ENTITY ON OCTOBER 1.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE CVB BUDGET FOR YOU.
FISCAL SERVICES CONTRACTS SUCH AS PAYROLL CAN BE MET AND OTHER PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS CAN BE MET, LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT, AND OFFICE LEASE, WE ANTICIPATE ALL OF THAT ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.
THE NEXT SLIDE. THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF ALL OF THIS IS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE MET WITH THE DIRECTOR ON THE 21ST.
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
WE ANTICIPATE THE ARTICLE CORPORATION IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION NEXT WEEK.
WE ANTICIPATE CLOSING THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR BOARD MEMBERS ON SEPTEMBER 17TH.
AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE ALL THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, WHICH IN THE END WILL RESULT IN A FUNCTIONING BOARD ON OCTOBER 1 TO MEET AND HAVE THEIR FIRST MEETING AND SET UP THE BASICS TO BE AN OPERATIONAL ENTITY, WHICH WOULD BE THAT THE GOVERNING BOARD AND CREATING THAT IN.
AS AN OVERVIEW WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE NEXT WEEK, KASHION IS ON TO GIVE YOU COMMENTS AND WE'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS FROM THERE.
>> QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? [NOISE]
>> KASHION, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT EVERY YEAR, THERE WILL BE AT LEAST THREE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD BE UP FOR APPOINTMENT.
>> YES. SO TO SET IT TO WHERE IT STAGGERED SO THAT WE'RE NOT CHANGING OUR BOARD COMPLETELY OUT ALL AT ONCE.
>> DEFINITELY, I UNDERSTAND THAT. THANK YOU.
>> CAN YOU WALK THROUGH JUST THE TIMELINE OF THAT IF ALL NINE ARE GOING TO BE APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER 22ND AND OCTOBER 1ST, HOW DOES THAT ROTATION WORK IF YOU'RE DOING THREE? IS THIS GOING TO BE THREE, THREE, THREE, TWO YEAR TERMS?
>> TO START THE BOARD, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE, I GUESS THE FIRST THREE WOULD BE ABOUT 15 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WOULD START ON OCTOBER 1ST, BUT THEN THEY WOULDN'T EXPIRE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING JANUARY.
THAT WAY, THEY WOULD BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S CALENDAR OF ROTATION AND GIVE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR FOR THOSE FIRST THREE SEATS, AND THEN THE NEXT THREE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
BUT THERE'S ONLY THREE POSITIONS OUT OF THE FIRST NINE THAT ARE APPOINTED THAT WOULD ACTUALLY DO A FULL THREE-YEAR TERM THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO BE APPOINTED TO DIFFERENT LINKS OF TERM TO START.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO APPOINT THREE TO A ONE-YEAR TERM, THREE TO A TWO-YEAR TERM, AND THREE TO A THREE-YEAR TERM.
SO THAT'LL BE A NUANCE FOR YOU ALL IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, IN HERE VERY, VERY SOON WHEN YOU [INAUDIBLE].
>> OKAY. THAT WAS THE CLARIFICATION.
THEY ARE, IN THE LONG RUN, THREE-YEAR TERMS.
>> WE'RE STAGGERING IN TO GET THAT.
SO WHAT ARE THE CURRENTS? WOW, I AM ECHOING BIG TIME ON MY END.
[01:00:02]
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE IS [INAUDIBLE]>> LET'S HAVE EVERYONE MUTE WHO'S NOT SPEAKING.
THEN IF YOU WANT TO SPEAKING, YOU JUST HIT YOUR SPACE BAR AND THAT'LL UNMUTE YOU [NOISE] WHILE YOU'RE MAKING A COMMENT.
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE 17 POSITIONS.
SOME OF THOSE COME FROM CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS, WE HAVE CHAMBER APPOINTMENTS, AND THEN ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE CHAIRS ACTUALLY HAVE A POSITION ON THE BOARD.
THOSE ARE THREE YEAR TERMS AND THEY ROTATE.
SOME OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS THAT WILL ROTATE A LITTLE DIFFERENT LIKE IF THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE BOARD, AND THEN TAKE OVER ONE OF THE COMMITTEES IT MAY ADJUST THEIR POSITION A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK LAST YEAR WE WERE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT TRYING TO ROLL OFF SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD SERVED MANY TERMS AND BEEN ON FOR A LONG TIME.
[OVERLAPPING] SO MOST OF OUR BOARD IS PRETTY NEW.
>> CASPER, BASED TO YOUR QUESTION.
THIS WOULD BE THE ONLY TIME THE COUNCIL WOULD MAKE ANY APPOINTMENTS TO THIS BOARD THAT WERE NOT FOR THREE YEAR TERMS, UNLESS YOU'RE FILLING AN UNEXPIRED TERM AND THEN YOU'RE JUST APPOINTING SOMEONE TO FILL THAT UNEXPIRED SOMEONE WHO GOT OFF THE BOARD PREMATURELY.
BUT THIS WILL BE THE ONLY TIME SO THAT WE CAN CREATE THAT STAGGERING EFFECT.
THIS IS THE REASON FOR A 1, 2 AND 3 YEAR APPOINTMENT AT THIS MOMENT.
BUT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE'RE REFILLING THOSE ONE YEAR TERMS, THOSE NEW PEOPLE WILL BE APPOINTED TO A THREE YEAR TERM.
>> THANK YOU. YOU CLARIFIED THE OTHER PART OF MY QUESTION INSTEAD, WE CURRENTLY DO HAVE THREE YEAR TERMS, AND SO WE WILL GET BACK ON THAT SAME ROTATION.
THEN ARE THERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THAT BOARD REPRESENTATION FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY? WHETHER THERE WOULD BE GUIDELINES, REQUIREMENTS, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT?
>> SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS TO HAVE THREE POSITIONS FOR HOTELIERS, TWO POSITIONS FOR TOURISM PARTNERS.
SO THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE A HOTELIER, AN ATTRACTION, SAY A MARKETING COMPANY THAT IS FOCUSED IN TOURISM, MARKETING, THOSE TYPES OF POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT I HAVE IN MIND WOULD BE LIKE AN AUDITOR, A LAWYER, THINGS THAT MAY FIT WITH SOMETHING WE SEE COMING UP THAT WE MIGHT HAVE CHALLENGES WITH, AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME GUIDANCE AND GOVERNANCE ON.
THEN ONE AT LARGE, CITIZEN IN A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THOSE WOULD BE THE VOTING MEMBERS.
THEN THE EX OFFICIAL WOULD BE A CIVIC CENTER, THE GENERAL MANAGER, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CENTER CITY.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THAT?
>> WHAT WE'LL DO [OVERLAPPING] IS WE'LL SEND OUT TO COUNCIL THIS WEEK PRIOR TO HAVING ANYTHING IN FRONT OF YOU FOR ACTION FOR YOUR REVIEW THE DRAFT DOCUMENTS, THE DRAFT COMPOSITIONS OF THE BOARD, AND SO YOU HAVE TIME TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE COMMENTS SO THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE COMMENTS, WHETHER IT'S FOR NEXT TUESDAY OR BEFORE FINAL APPROVAL.
WE WANT YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IF POSSIBLE.
SO WE'LL SEND THOSE OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS WEEK.
>> HOWARD, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I THINK YOU'RE UNMUTE.
>> WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS AS SIMILAR TO AN LGC?
>> I'D SAY CROSS BETWEEN LGC AND ADC, SIMILAR TO THE TWO [OVERLAPPING] BUT DIFFERENT FROM BOTH [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING].
TAKING CHARACTERISTICS FROM BOTH. YES.
>> OKAY. [OVERLAPPING] ANYBODY ELSE?
>> WE'VE ALSO TAKEN NOTES FROM OTHER COMMISSION VISITOR OPERATIONS ACROSS THE STATE AS WE PUT THIS PROPOSAL TOGETHER.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY BIG CHANGE.
WE'VE BEEN VERY MINDFUL OF HOW THIS SETS US UP FOR SUCCESS AND MADE SURE THAT WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING WHAT SETS US IN THE BEST PATH FORWARD.
[01:05:01]
IT'S AN EXCITING CHANGE, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO IT.WE KNOW THAT IT'S MOVING VERY FAST, WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE PROCESSES THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE TAKEN WHEN THEY HAVE TAKEN THEIR CBB INDEPENDENT.
SO WE'VE HAD VERY DEEP CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T IN THE BEGINNING SO THAT WE HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
>> KASHION, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON ALL OF THIS.
I WOULD JUST CALL OUT THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL AS FLOYD'S EFFORT.
IT'S NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SMALL DETAILS TO GET THIS DONE AND THE TIME FRAME THAT WE WERE GRANTED TO DO IT AND AS A RESULT OF COVID WAS NOT A LONG ONE.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE DEFINITELY PICKED UP ALL THE PIECES AND FILLED OUT THE PUZZLE WORK AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
I'M NOT SURPRISED, BUT I'M VERY PROUD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THE OCTOBER 1, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR THAT WAS THE DEADLINE.
YOU ALL ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT TARGET AND GET STARTED WITH THE NEW CBB.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF ALL THE EFFORT THAT'S GONE INTO MAKING THE CHANGES.
SO GOOD JOB JARED, GOOD JOB FLOYD, GOOD JOB KASHION AND GOOD JOB TO EVERYBODY THAT WORKED ON ALL THE DETAILS WITH YOU GUYS.
>> KASHION, I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON AT THIS MOST RECENT CBC MEETING, THE QUESTION HAD COME UP RELATED TO ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.
NOW OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR THERE'S A SMALLER AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO BE ALLOCATING AND YOU WE'RE ASKED A QUESTION AND YOUR RESPONSE WAS, WELL, THAT WILL BE A BOARD DECISION OF MAY SETTING THOSE PRIORITIES AND DETERMINING HOW TO ALLOCATE THOSE LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
I THINK THAT IS REALLY GOOD LEADERSHIP IN UNDERSTANDING A POLICY CHANGE AND THAT POLICY CHANGE OF GOING TO A GOVERNING BOARD, TO PUT THOSE TYPE OF DECISIONS BEFORE THEM.
I THINK YOU WERE HEADED IN A REALLY GOOD DIRECTION.
THAT JUST GAVE ME INSIGHT INTO HOW YOU'RE SEEING THIS ENTITY MOVE FORWARD AND OPERATION.
I SUPPORT IT 100 PERCENT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP THERE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU. OUR STAFF DEFINITELY WELCOMES THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT IT WILL BRING INTO OUR OFFICE.
>> WE MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM 1D,
[1D. Discuss Governor's Executive Order related to City Council meetings;]
DISCUSSING THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER RELATED TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, MR. CITY MANAGER?>> HI, MAYOR. THIS WAS AN ITEM REQUESTED BY COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS MY PLANS AND ALSO YOUR PLANS FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN OUR CLIMATE.
AS WE'VE TALKED EARLIER DURING THE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, THAT CLIMATE COULD BE CLARIFYING.
IT COULD BE MOVING TOWARDS A RESOLUTION, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOT AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE OUTSIDE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND OUTSIDE CHALLENGES WITH CORONAVIRUS.
GIVEN THAT, THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, I'M GOING TO DO IS DESCRIBE THE MINDSET AND THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE WAY WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING MEETINGS AND THEN ALSO THE PHILOSOPHY AND MINDSET TOWARDS, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, WHEN WOULD WE LOOK AT MOVING TOWARD IN-PERSON CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER IS THE ONLY THING THAT ALLOWS CURRENTLY REMOTE OR VIRTUAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE WOULD BE MEETING IN PERSON.
THE REASON FOR THE ALLOWANCE THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER RECOGNIZED SOME OF THE UNKNOWNS WITH CORONAVIRUS AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ARE BEGINNING TO RESOLVE THEMSELVES OR AT LEAST BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR AND LESS MYSTIC.
BUT IT RECOGNIZES THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BOTH GUESTS, STAFF, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE SUSCEPTIBLE, WHETHER THEY'RE IN A HIGH-RISK CATEGORY OR NOT, OUR CURRENT COUNCIL CHAMBERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE NOT REALLY DESIGNED TO FACILITATE ATTENDANCE AND PRESENTATIONS AND THEN ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO BE IN THE CHAMBER WHILE STILL SOCIAL DISTANCING.
SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US RIGHT NOW.
MY INTENT WOULD BE TO CONTINUE MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, UTILIZING THE PERMISSION TO DO VIRTUAL MEETINGS FOR THE VERY REASON THAT OUR COUNCIL CHAMBER IS NOT DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS WHILE STILL SOCIAL DISTANCING.
[01:10:04]
THE PRIMARY PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE ARE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO THAT AFFECTS ANYBODY THAT WOULD ATTEND THE MEETING.WE ARE DOING A COUPLE OF IN-PERSON MEETINGS AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NOT CLARITY BETWEEN STATE STATUTE AS REGARDS HOW THE TAX RATE IS SET AND THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT CLEARLY SAYS THE COUNCIL CAN TAKE CARE OF CITY BUSINESS VIRTUALLY.
SO BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT LACK OF CLARITY OR POTENTIALLY EVEN CONFLICT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AND TAKE THE MOST CONSERVATIVE ROUTE WE CAN ENSURING THAT WE'RE COMPLIANT WITH STATE STATUTE AND HANDLE THOSE MEETINGS IN PERSON.
WE'RE ONLY GOING TO DO THE ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED OR THAT HAVE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT ASSOCIATED WITH THEM IN PERSON THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO BE HANDLED AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING VIRTUALLY.
THE REASON FOR DOING THOSE MEETINGS IN PERSON, DESPITE IT BEING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS ALLOWED THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, WELL, IT'S JUST TO ADDRESS THOSE CONFLICTS, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN COMPROMISES.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN MUCH LARGER ROOMS TO ALLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING, THE ROOMS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY OR NOT AT ALL, SET UP FOR EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT BROADCAST FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE'LL PUT IN A WORKAROUND SO THAT WE CAN GET SOMETHING BROADCAST AND SO THAT WE CAN GET SOUND BUT THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS THAT AREN'T MAKING THAT WORK IN LARGER ROOMS. SO WE WILL HAVE A WORKAROUND THAT WILL ENABLE US TO BROADCAST BUT STILL ENABLE SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE WE'RE HAVING THE MEETING OR CONDUCTING THE MEETING.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT GUESTS, STAFF, AND EVERYONE ELSE IS ADHERING TO THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS REQUIRING MASKS, AND ALSO SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THE NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE AT LEAST AS FAR AS WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING, THAT WE WOULD MOVE BACK TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S GOING TO EITHER BE WHEN THE GOVERNOR REMOVES THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ALLOWING VIRTUAL MEETINGS OR WHEN WE HAVE A VACCINE WHERE WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT PUBLIC, COUNCIL, AND STAFF CAN ATTEND MEETINGS WITH HIGH A CONFIDENCE LEVEL THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING SITUATIONS WORSE.
WE KNOW THAT MEETINGS ARE OPERATING VERY EFFECTIVELY, MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN ANTICIPATED THEY WOULD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, BUT WE DO LOSE SOME OF OUR CONTEXT WHEN WE'RE NOT BESIDE EACH OTHER AND IN PERSON.
I'M VERY MUCH OPEN TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR TO BRING ON BRYAN MCWILLIAMS, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, TO ASSIST WITH ANYTHING FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT.
>> QUESTIONS, AND YOU GUYS MAY, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE HAD QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY OR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHEN WE'LL MEET IN PERSON AGAIN.
SO I WANTED YOU TO HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT, FOR THE FIVE OF US TO HEAR THE SAME INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO THE NEXT THING ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY DONE PLUS YOU KNOW WE'RE ITEM 1E,
[1E. Discussion on Annexation, Development Infrastructure Costs and Related City Policies;]
DISCUSSION ON ANNEXATION, DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS, AND RELATED CITY POLICIES. MR. CITY MANAGER?>> HI, MAYOR. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLAN FOR AN EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION OF ANY KIND ON THIS, REALLY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
THIS IS A FOLLOW-ON CONVERSATION FROM LAST WEEK'S ACTION TO ALLOW THE CURRENT ANNEXATION THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TO MOVE FORWARD TOWARD CONSIDERATION NEXT WEEK ON FIRST READING.
THE FOUNDATION OF THE CONVERSATION IS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ANNEXATIONS THAT WILL BECOMING VERY SOON.
VERY LARGE ANNEXATIONS, SOME OF THEM SOME DISTANCE FROM OUR EXISTING CITY LIMITS.
THE ANNEXATIONS HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY OUR EXISTING TAX BASE OR BY INCREASED TAXES.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME INCENTIVE, IN OTHER WORDS, THE CITY HAS PROVIDED AN INCENTIVE TO THE DEVELOPER IN ORDER TO BUILD THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
THE ANNEXATIONS, OR THE AREAS ANNEXED AND THE DEVELOPMENTS DEVELOPED IN THEM DID NOT GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO THE CITY TO PAY FOR THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ANNEXATION BEING BROUGHT INTO THE CITY.
SO THE CONVERSATION REALLY REVOLVES AROUND HOW DO WE FACILITATE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS WHILE ENSURING THAT IT IS FINANCIALLY VIABLE TO BRING IN THOSE AREAS INTO OUR EXISTING CITY WITHOUT IT BEING AN ADDITIONAL COST TO OUR EXISTING RESIDENTS.
AS IT'S CURRENTLY STRUCTURED AND AS OUR CURRENT POLICIES SIT OR ARE CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED, VERY RARELY DOES AN ANNEXATION TAKE PLACE THAT ISN'T SUBSIDIZED BY EXISTING RESIDENTS OR EXISTING CITY RESOURCES.
I FEEL, I DON'T WANT TO OVER CHARACTERIZE IT,
[01:15:03]
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE PUT THE DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOLS IN PLACE AND THE RESOURCE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS CAN TAKE PLACE IN AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FINANCIALLY VIABLE? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE EMBARK UPON A PROCESS THAT WOULD BE FACILITATED BY A CONSULTANT WHO IS A PRO IN DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOLS, DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, ZONING, WELL, NOT ZONING SO MUCH, BUT IN HELPING TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND PROTOCOLS THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS FINANCIALLY VIABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD.FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW AND THAT WE WILL BE CONSIDERING NEXT WEEK IS A LITTLE BIT UPSIDE DOWN, BUT IT'S THE LEAST UPSIDE DOWN OF ANYTHING WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY OR WE'LL SEE GOING FORWARD AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL.
SO IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT IS APPROPRIATE NOW.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WILL BENEFIT MOST BY A SMOOTH AND STREAMLINED PROCESS THAT WILL ENABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ANY POINT, AT ANY PLACE IN OUR TWO-COUNTY AREA.
BECAUSE WE STRADDLE TWO COUNTIES AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEIGHBORING CITY VERY CLOSE BY THAT RISES AND FALLS ALONG WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO, WE RISE AND FALL TOGETHER, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF WE DO EMBARK ON A PROCESS TO WORK OUT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS THAT WILL FACILITATE FINANCIALLY VIABLE DEVELOPMENTS GOING FORWARD, I WOULD RECOMMEND WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF CANYON, WITH RANDALL COUNTY, AND WITH POTTER COUNTY SO THAT THIS PROJECT AND PROCESS WILL RESULT IN RELATIVELY CONSISTENT PROTOCOLS OR VERY CONSISTENT PROTOCOLS.
SOME OF THE REVENUE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING SERVICES AND THE REVENUES GENERATED THROUGH THE PROCESS IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR EACH JURISDICTION INDIVIDUALLY.
HOWEVER, THAT PROCESS TO CREATE IT, WE CAN ALL REALIZE SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS BY ALL DOING IT THE SAME TIME AND BY ALL MAKING SURE THAT OUR STANDARDS ARE VERY SIMILAR.
SO WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND AND REALLY LOOK FOR ANY INPUT AND CONVERSATION THAT COUNCIL HAS IS ONE DIRECTION, WHAT DOES COUNCIL WANT US TO DO REGARDING ANNEXATION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SERVING NEW PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S VIABLE? I THINK THE WAY THAT I'VE PROPOSED, WHICH IS USING A CONSULTANT TO WORK WITH US BE A SOMEWHAT TIME-CONSUMING PROCESS, PROBABLY AROUND 18 MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BUT WORKING WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, HAVING THEM BE PART OF THE PROCESS, HAVING OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS BE A KEY AND CRITICAL PART OF THE PROCESS.
HAVING OUR CITIZENS BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND IDENTIFYING A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT ADEQUATE RESOURCES BE ABLE TO BE BROUGHT IN VERY EFFICIENTLY SO THAT WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN.
WELL, THAT'S ONE THING THAT DEVELOPMENT FREQUENTLY AND LEGITIMATELY SAYS IS THAT OUR PROCESSES SLOW THINGS DOWN AND PART OF THAT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY NEED FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT WILL SPEED THINGS UP FOR DEVELOPERS.
IT WILL MAKE THINGS MORE EASIER FOR DEVELOPERS BECAUSE STANDARDS WILL BE SIMILAR OR THE SAME FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION AND IT WILL CLEARLY ARTICULATE THE PROCESS THEY NEED TO FOLLOW TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENT IN THE GROUND AND MAKING MONEY FOR THEM.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND I WILL TAKE YOUR CONSENSUS ON THIS.
IF THERE'S GUIDANCE FOR US, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND INITIATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK THE ONLY WAY TO FIND A SUCCESSFUL WAY FORWARD IN A PROCESS LIKE THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION IN THE PROCESS FROM ALL VESTED PARTIES AND THAT'S VERY MUCH GOING TO INCLUDE OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AND OUR JURISDICTIONAL PARTNERS.
>> COUNCIL; QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS?
>> I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED WE ALSO HAVE FLOYD HARTMAN AND ANDREW FREEMAN WHO ARE VERY MUCH IN WEZONE ON CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS, VERY INFORMED IN ADDITION TO MYSELF TO ANSWERING QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL HAS.
>>ANDREW COULD YOU POINT OUT THE CONCESSIONS THAT ARE MORE ACHIEVED IN THIS CURRENT ANNEXATION THAT IS STILL ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA THAT IS NEW FROM PREVIOUS PARTNERSHIPS ANNEXATION AGREEMENTS?
>>THE MAIN ONE THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED WAS THE FIRE STATION, PARTICIPATION IN A FUTURE FIRE STATION COSTS.
[01:20:03]
WE WERE ACTUALLY EVALUATING THAT A LITTLE BIT IN MORE DETAIL BEFORE WE BRING IT BACK TO YOU NEXT WEEK JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT SQUARED AWAY AND IF IT IS NECESSARY THAT THIS CURRENT ANNEXATION IS TRIGGERING THAT OR NOT.WE'RE STILL FINE TUNING THAT BEFORE NEXT WEEK. THAT'S THE MAIN PORTION.
WE ARE WILLING TO REFINE AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR MUTUAL AGREEMENTS WITH RANDALL COUNTY AND OTHER THINGS WOULDN'T RENDER AN ADDITIONAL FIRE STATION AT LEAST FROM REGARDING THAT DEVELOPMENT UNNECESSARY.
THAT AFFECTS HOW UPSIDE DOWN THE CALCULATIONS ARE AND COULD POTENTIALLY POSE MUCH AS $4 MILLION OR SO OFF THAT UPSIDE DOWN NUMBER.
NOW THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN HAVING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
JUST LOOKING AT THE REALITY OF THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF DEVELOPMENT AND ANNEXATION THAT YOU CAN'T CONTINUE WITH ANNEXATION WHEN YOU'RE UPSIDE DOWN.
I THINK HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS OF SAYING THIS IS HOW WE'RE CALCULATING IT, THIS IS HOW WE'RE TRYING TO ESTIMATE WHAT THE COST OF THE CITY ARE SHORT-TERM, LONG-TERM, AND TO HAVE THE DEVELOPERS WEIGH IN ON THAT CONVERSATION AND TO BE ABLE TO COUNTER THAT, TO SAY, YOU'VE OVERLOOKED THIS, THERE IS A DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAM WHATEVER.
HAVING THOSE BEING AT THE TABLE TOGETHER TO EITHER CONFIRM OUR POSITION OF THAT, IT DOES PUT THE CITY IN A NEGATIVE CASH FLOW EVEN LONG-TERM VERSUS IF THERE IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE MISSING.
I THINK IT IS CRUCIAL TO MOVING FORWARD IN A HEALTHY FINANCIAL PATH FOR THE CITY AND DEFINITELY SUPPORT GETTING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE.
MR. CITY MANAGER I THINK YOUR POINT ON THAT IT HAS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF CANYON, RANDALL AND POTTER COUNTIES OR YOU JUST DIVERGE DEVELOPMENT AND YOU CAN'T HAVE SOMETHING CONSISTENT, COHESIVE.
YOU'RE JUST GOING TO RESTRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR OWN AREA IF YOU DON'T HAVE INPUT FROM ALL OF THOSE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
>> I THINK [INAUDIBLE] THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY OF US OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFIABLY INCENTIVIZE THE DEVELOPMENT, IN OTHER WORDS PARTICIPATE IN THE COST OF A DEVELOPMENT BEYOND WHAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD IF THAT DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BRING SOMETHING UNIQUELY BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, A MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY THAT ALSO IS GOING TO HAVE A BUSINESS PARK AND HAVE BUSINESS HEADQUARTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE GENERATED JOBS, ENHANCED PROPERTY VALUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT WOULDN'T BE COMPLETELY CUT AND DRY AS TO IS A CITY ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROJECT BEYOND THE RESOURCES THAT THAT PROJECT IS GENERATING? I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT'S NOT THE CASE BUT IT WOULD BE THE RULES THAT WE GO BY AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR EXCEPTION IN EXCEPTIONAL SITUATIONS.
>> I THINK THE TIMELINE THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING, IT'S NOT REAL LONG-TERM.
THAT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT CHANGES DIRECTION OVERNIGHT AND I THINK IN FAIRNESS TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OUR DEVELOPERS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TIMELINE FOR THEM TO ALLOW FOR CHANGING A BUSINESS MODEL IN THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
FOR THEM TO BE MAKING DECISIONS ON WHAT TO DEVELOP OR TO NOT DEVELOP.
I DO FEEL THIS IS MOVING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK ANDY THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
IN MY PERSPECTIVE IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO AS A CITY AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> BUT IT CAN BE A VERY COMPLICATED CONVERSATION.
I MENTIONED 18 MONTHS AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ESTIMATE BECAUSE EVERY BIT IS COMPLICATED AS OUR ZONING PROJECT THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH AND THAT WAS ESTIMATED AT A LONGER PROJECT.
IT PROBABLY WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A LONGER PROJECT.
HOWEVER, DEPENDING ON HOW EFFICIENT WE CAN BE AND WHAT COMMON GROUND WE CAN ESTABLISH WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT, WE CAN CUT TIME THERE.
BUT I'M ESTIMATING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IN SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS AROUND 18 MONTHS GIVE OR TAKE.
BUT [INAUDIBLE] GOING TO BE DISCUSSED.
[01:25:02]
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT, IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY, IMPACTS ON THE CITY ORGANIZATION.WE'LL LOOK AT REVENUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFSET THOSE IMPACTS.
DEFINITELY WE'LL BE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TRAFFIC IMPACTS THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS BRING BECAUSE EACH DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT INTENSITY AND DIFFERENT TRAFFIC FLOWS SO TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS IS GOING TO BE PART OF THAT.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PRO RATA ORDINANCES OR POSSIBLE UTILIZING PERIODS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, STREET MAINTENANCE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT DRAINAGE FEES AND WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT GOING FORWARD AS WE ADD [INAUDIBLE] TO OUR DRAINAGE PROJECT PLAN.
THAT'S THE CURRENT DRAINAGE FEE AND TO DO SOME VERY SPECIFIC DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THOSE DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
GIVE ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO WORK TO A WORKABLE, SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD. I KIND OF JUMPED ON YOU.
>> THAT'S OKAY, COST ESTIMATE JARED I KNOW THAT LUBBOCK HAS RECENTLY DONE A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
LUBBOCK RECENTLY DID A SIMILAR PROJECT I DON'T WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IT COST THEM $266000.
I WOULD SAY THAT THIS WILL COST US A SIMILAR AMOUNT OR A LITTLE BIT SMALLER BUT IT IS FURTHER ALONG THE ROAD.
THAT'S JUST FOR THE EMERALD JURISDICTION.
AS WE LOOK AT A [INAUDIBLE] JURISDICTION PROJECT, I WOULD EXPECT THIS TO COST ANYWHERE FROM $300000-500000 WITH ALL ENTITIES PAYING A PROGRESS SHARE.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE NOT REALLY HAD DETAILED CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM SO WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO THEM AT THE VERY LEAST WHEN WE WILL BE DOING THE CITY OF AMARILLO BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY EFFICIENT AND VERY WISE THING FOR ALL OF OUR JURISDICTIONS FIELD TO PARTNER TOGETHER.
PROBABLY NOT. SPEAKING OF WHY'S THE WISEST THING TO PROPOSE THAT THEY PARTICIPATE WITHOUT HAVING ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH RANDALL COUNTY AND WITH THE CITY OF CANYON, AND ALSO HAD SOME VERY QUICK CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POTTER COUNTY JUDGE, BUT WE DEFINITELY WOULD WANT TO HAVE MORE SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IN A VERY SHORT ORDER IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY KICK OFF THE PROJECT VERY QUICKLY.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT COUNCIL, IS THIS THE KIND OF THING THAT WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE STAFF PURSUE? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK WE NEED TO, ONE QUESTION I HAVE YOU MENTIONED POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES, [NOISE] I'M GOING TO JUST MIGHT COMPLICATED IT MORE BUT METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS INCLUDE THE OTHER COUNTIES.
>> IT GETS A LOT MORE COMPLICATED WHEN YOU HAVE MORE PARTNERS.
ALL OF OUR DEVELOPMENT RELATED INTERACTIONS, WE REALLY HAVE ALMOST NO DEVELOPMENT INTERACTIONS WITH THOSE OTHER COUNTIES.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT DEVELOPING THOSE COUNTIES, BUT THE PROXIMITY TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS REALLY WHAT [INAUDIBLE].
WE HAVE NO REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITY THERE.
WE ARE ALMOST AT ZERO BUT NONE OF THE INTERACTIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH ANY OF OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES OUTSIDE OF POTTER AND RANDALL HAVE MADE IT TO MY DESK.
WE HAVE HAD FREQUENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW TO COORDINATE DEVELOPMENT ESPECIALLY IN THE RANDALL COUNTY ETJ BUT ALSO IN POTTER COUNTY.
ALSO WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OR IN AREAS THAT WOULD REQUEST TO BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY OF AMARILLO IN BOTH RANDALL AND IN POTTER COUNTIES.
WE'RE TRYING TO HIT THE MOST FREQUENT AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF COORDINATION.
THAT'S REALLY THE REASONING FOR TARGETING RANDALL COUNTY, POTTER COUNTY AND THE CITY OF CANYON IN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO AREA.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THOSE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS.
OKAY, I THINK YOU HAVE A CONSENSUS MR. CITY MANAGER TO MOVE FORWARD ON BRINGING THE PROPOSAL BACK TO THE COUNCIL THAT HAS A MORE SPECIFIC PRICE TAG TO IT AND A TIMELINE FOR HOW YOU WANT TO PROCEED.
>> NOW NEXT STEPS, OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME.
BASED ON THIS FEEDBACK, IT GIVES US THE GUIDANCE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO INITIATE SOME VERY MORE DIRECTED CONVERSATIONS WITH ALL OF THE POTENTIAL PARTNERS IN THE PROCESS.
ONCE WE HAVE DONE THAT AND GOTTEN SOME BUY-IN ON THAT, THEN WE'LL BE DOING AN RFP, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, FOR CONSULTANTS TO BE ABLE TO GUIDE AND ASSIST US THROUGH THE PROCESS.
IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SOMEBODY WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL JURISDICTIONS AND A VERY LARGE AREA.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RELEVANT STANDARDS AND PROCESSES.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HAVE SOME HIGH-LEVEL COORDINATION MEETINGS WITH OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS.
[01:30:01]
WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING AND THEN WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS THAT WILL BE IN FRONT YOU FOR APPROVAL SO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE MORE INPUT AND MULTIPLE POINTS ALONG THE PROCESS.>> OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 1G,
[1G. Presentation on Economic Development Administration (EDA) Grant Opportunity for John Stiff Memorial Park;]
WHICH IS A PRESENTATION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL PARK.>> ALL RIGHT. TO PRESENT THE ITEM WE HAVE GOT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR MICHAEL KASHUBA, ALONG WITH DUSTIN MEYER WITH PRPC.
>> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS TODAY.
I AM HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH MY CAMERA SO IT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK THE ENTIRE TIME.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TALK ABOUT A GRANT OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP UNDEVELOPED PORTION OF JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL PARK.
WE WILL BE BRINGING A RESOLUTION TO COUNT FALL NEXT WEEK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE WANTED TO TALK TO YOU A HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT, WHAT THE GRANT COVERS OR MAY COVER, AND ALSO SOME CONCEPTS OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE.
I WANT TO FIRST OFF START BY THANKING DUSTIN MEYER AND KYLE INGHAM WITH THE PRPC FOR THEIR HELP WITH THAT.
BUT ALSO ANDREW FREEMAN AND MATT COMETS.
WITH THAT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS WALK THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE REAL ESTATE STUDY THAT WE DID FOR JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL AND THEN SOME OF THE DESIGN CONTEXTS.
THE REAL ESTATE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN EARLY 2019 AFTER THERE WAS SOME PRIVATE INTERESTS IN UNDEVELOPED PORTIONS OF THE PARK.
THE STAFF CONDUCTED A REAL ESTATE STUDY WITH ECONOMIC AND PLANNING SYSTEMS IN 2019.
WHAT THE REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT DID WAS THEY REALLY LOOKED AT FOUR THINGS: MARKET CONDITIONS AND DEMAND, EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL USES, ESTIMATE OF LAND VALUE, AND DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGIES.
BUT WHAT WE ARE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS ON IS THAT LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
THE REAL CASE STUDY ITSELF HAD SOME DIFFERENT FINDINGS AND SO WE ARE GOING TO SUMMARIZE THOSE VERY QUICKLY.
THE FIRST POINT WAS THAT THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF AMARILLO'S CAPTURING THE LARGEST PORTION OF NEW HOUSING AND HOUSEHOLDS OF HIGHER THAN AVERAGE INCOMES.
THE THIRD RESULT IS THERE IS A GROWING DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL RETAIL, ENTERTAINMENT, AND OTHER SERVICES WITHIN THAT SERVICE AREA.
THAT SERVICE AREA THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY LOOKED THAT, HELIUM FOR THE LEFT, 34TH TO THE NORTH, WESTERN TO THE EAST, AND HOLLYWOOD TO THE SOUTH.
RECREATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES ARE AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR THOSE OUTPARCEL THAT TRYING TO FIND A GOOD PARTNER MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE.
FURTHER STUDY, GENERAL AND RETAIL, AND COMMERCIAL WILL GENERATE THE HIGHEST SUPPORTABLE LAND VALUE.
ACCORDING TO THE PROJECT STUDY, THERE WAS REALLY TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS TO HAPPEN.
NUMBER 1, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AMENITIES FOR PARK USERS, WHETHER IT'S AT JSM OR WITHIN OUR PARK NETWORK.
NUMBER 2, TO CREATE REVENUE AS A WAY TO SUPPLEMENT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
THOSE WERE REALLY THE TWO PROJECT OBJECTIVES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THIS STUDY.
OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE LOCATION, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS AND SO LOOKING AT THINGS THAT IMPACT OR DETRACT FROM OUR MAIN FOCUS OF THE PARK, ANYTHING THAT CREATES OR PRODUCES A SUBSTANTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TRAFFIC FLOW OR CONGESTION, THINGS THAT JUST AREN'T COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ALSO THINGS THAT CREATE NOISE OR POTENTIAL LIGHT IMPACT ON THE AREA.
SOME OF THE ATTRIBUTES THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WOULD BE THINGS THAT ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON THOSE EXCESS PORTIONS, THOSE UNDEVELOPED PORTIONS OF THE PROPERTY WITHIN THE PARK.
IF THERE WAS THE DISPOSAL OF LAND IT WOULD ONLY OCCUR WHEN IT WOULD FACILITATE ENHANCED OPERATION FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS THE GENERATION OF FUNDS WOULD GO BACK TO THE SUPPORT PARK OPERATIONS, WHETHER IT'S AT JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL OR OUR PARK NETWORK AS A WHOLE, AND THAT THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD BE TO CREATE REVENUE PARTICIPATION IN EXCHANGE FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT OR LAND, AND REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE LONG TIME PERIODS.
A COUPLE OF OTHER ATTRIBUTES, OBVIOUSLY, CITY MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE CONSIDER FOR THAT SITE WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM AND THAT WE ARE PROTECTING ANY PUBLIC INVESTMENT, AND THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH CITY POLICIES AND ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOOD STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED.
[01:35:01]
ONE FINAL THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ABILITY TO USE PUBLIC FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE UPFRONT IMPLEMENTATION OF IT WAS ANOTHER SUGGESTION.AS WE LOOK AT THE PROJECT, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS A PART OF THIS GRANT WOULD BE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED ON THE NORTH PART OF THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, SO THE DARKER ROAD CONNECTION.
AS A PART OF THE GRANT, WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING IS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD FACILITATE THOSE POTENTIAL LEASES; ROAD IMPROVEMENT, SEWER IMPROVEMENT, WATER IMPROVEMENT, THINGS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO FURTHER DEVELOP THIS STATUS.
WE CREATED A CONCEPTUAL PLAN OF WHAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE.
ALONG THE ROAD WE ALREADY HAVE YOUR LIBRARY AND YOU HAVE THE FIRE STATION IN THOSE EXISTING FACILITIES AND WE WOULD CONSIDER THOSE TO BE LIKE A PARK SITE.
WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IS INFILLING AROUND THE EDGES WITH POTENTIAL LEASE SPACES.
YOU WOULD HAVE LEASED SPACES ALONG 45TH, ALONG PARKSIDE, AND THEN ALSO THE POTENTIAL HAVE SOME LEASED SPACE INTERIOR TO THE PARK.
THE WHITE ROAD IS THE AREA THAT WE WOULD BE PROPOSING TO INCLUDE AS THE PART OF THE GRANT APPLICATION, ADDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THOSE DEVELOPMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE IT TIES INTO THE EXISTING PARK NETWORK, THE PARKSIDE.
IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WORK A LITTLE BIT BETTER, IT WOULD ACTUALLY REDO THIS PART OF THE [INAUDIBLE] TRAIL, THIS LITTLE LOOP.
ANOTHER BENEFIT IF YOU CAN SEE THE BLUE STAR UP AT THE TOP, WE THINK THE REAL POTENTIAL FOR PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION ACROSS 45TH.
IF WE REALIGN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WE THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW FOR BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS OVER 45TH AND INTO THE PARK.
WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING AS WE BEGIN ON THOSE LEASE SPACES IN YELLOW, WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS WOULD BE SHARED SPACES.
I'M GOING TO SHOW US A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT REALLY THE BLURRING OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND PARK SPACES.
ANYTHING THAT'S BUILT WOULD SUPPLEMENT OR BENEFIT THE PARK USERS.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT BUT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT BEFORE I GO INTO RENDERING IDEAS? BUT THIS IS A GENERAL LAYOUT OF HOW WE THINK THE DEVELOPMENT COULD WORK.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT PART ARE GOING TO BE THOSE ORANGE AREAS WHICH ARE THOSE OFFICE SPACES, THOSE SHARED SPACES BETWEEN THE PRIVATE AND THE PARK.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION WHILE THIS IMAGE IS UP, WHICH ARE AREAS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GROSS? WHAT IS CURRENT? WHAT WOULD BE PROJECTED? WHAT'S THE [OVERLAPPING] PURPLE CURVE?
>> THE PURPLE LINE WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THE EXISTING PARK ROAD.
BUT WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IN ORDER TO FACILITATE BETTER TRAFFIC FLOW IS WE WOULD BE CHANGING THE PATTERN RIGHT THERE WHERE YOU SEE THE CONNECTION RIGHT HERE AT PARKSIDE.
THEN ALSO OVER HERE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PARK CLOSER TO MCDONALD'S LANE.
THERE'S A CURVE THAT NATURALLY HAPPENS THERE NOW AND SO WE WOULD BE STRAIGHTENING OUT OF THAT ROAD JUST TO ALLOW BETTER TRAFFIC CONTROL.
THE REST OF THE PURPLE ROAD OR THE MAGENTA IS ACTUALLY THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
WE WOULD JUST BE PROPOSING TO UPGRADE MORE OF THE WHITE PORTION ROAD.
>> IT'S AN UPGRADE MEANING WIDENING IT? RESURFACING IT? CAN YOU DEFINE UPGRADE?
>> WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WITH ENGINEERING IN TERMS OF WHAT THE FINAL DESIGN LOOKS LIKE BUT WHAT WE REALLY ANTICIPATE THERE IS LIKE A BOULEVARD WHERE YOU HAVE GOT A LANDSCAPED ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ROAD ON EITHER SIDE.
IT WILL BE A NICE BOULEVARD THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE PARK.
THE GOOD THING IS YOU COULD ALSO CLOSE PORTIONS OF THAT BASED ON ITS DESIGN IF WE WERE TO DO EVENTS IN THE PARK.
YOU COULD CLOSE IT UP RIGHT HERE AT THIS TS INTERSECTION AND ALSO OVER HERE AT PARK SIDE SO THAT ALL OF THE SPACE REALLY BLURS TOGETHER SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE PHYSICAL BARRIERS OR TRAFFIC ISSUES IF YOU WERE TO HOST AN EVENT IN THIS SPACE.
IT REALLY ALLOWS FOR A LOT OF FLOW BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE SITE.
AGAIN THESE AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED UP HERE ON THE NORTH AND ALSO HERE ON THE WEST ARE UNDEVELOPED PORTIONS OF THE PARK.
THERE ARE PARTS OF THE PARK THERE RIGHT NOW ARE JUST IN A NATURAL STATE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ALL OF THESE FOR THE LIBRARY AND FIRE STATION.
WE WOULD BE GOING IN AND MAKING SOME IMPROVEMENTS AS A PART OF THIS LEASE AGREEMENT.
[01:40:06]
THIS IS NOT A 100 PERCENT ACCURATE, IT'S FULL OF CONCEPTUAL DRAWING.IF YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OCCURS AROUND THE EDGES AND RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO CREATE AND THAT'S THAT SOCIAL SPACE.
ONE OF THE IDEAS AND I'LL GO THROUGH IT HERE IN A SECOND IS TO CREATE JUST MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO RECREATE WHETHER IF THEY ARE IN THE PARK OR WHETHER THEY'RE VISITING THOSE TENANTS.
SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE PULLED SOME FROM SOME DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT HAVE A MODEL VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
I THINK ABOUT CHICKEN AND PICKLE WHERE THERE'S A RESTAURANT BUT THERE'S ALSO PINKLEBALL ALL THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THE ABILITY TO HAVE PROBABLY SOME PRIVATE COURT BUT ALSO THE COURTS THAT MAY BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SO SOMEBODY USING THE PARK COULD GO UTILIZE A COUPLE OF THOSE COURTS.
SAME THING WITH [INAUDIBLE] HERE IN DENVER.
THEY HAVE BUNCHY COURTS WHERE YOU CAN HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT INDOOR, BUT POSSIBLY ALSO SOMETHING OUTDOOR FOR THE PARK USER.
THEN OBVIOUSLY THE EXAMPLE DOWN BELOW IS A SANDBAR CAN SEE IT, SO IT'S MORE OF A SAND VOLLEYBALL OPTION.
WE'RE NOT SOLD ON ANY PARTICULAR MODEL BUT WHAT WE THINK IS THAT BLENDED SPACE THAT SHARED SPACE REALLY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE THIS A VERY UNIQUE DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY OFFERING RETAIL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY BUT ALL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCING THE PARK'S EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE THAT ARE USING OUR PARK.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY ADD AMENITIES TO OUR PARK AND TO PARK USERS BUT ALSO ADD SOME OTHER ELEMENT LIKE RETAIL OR COMMERCIAL THAT OBVIOUSLY OUR COMMUNITY WOULD SUPPORT AS WELL.
I'LL JUST GO BACK SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT MIGHT PLAY OUT.
OBVIOUSLY THESE ORANGE SPACES WOULD BE THAT SPACE WHERE THEIR BACKUP HOUSE WOULD MERGE WITH OUR PARK.
OTHER THAN ADDITIONAL PICKLEBALL COURT, BUNCHY COURT, THEN VOLLEYBALL COURT, WHETHER IT'S A [INAUDIBLE].
IT IS OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE USING THE PARK TO HAVE A BIGGER AND BETTER EXPERIENCE WHILE PARTNERING WITH THOSE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.
THAT'S A HIGH-LEVEL CONCEPT AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'VE LOOKED AT JFM BECAUSE THE REAL ESTATE STUDY WAS DONE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PARK.
I THINK THERE IS A VERY GOOD POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD TAKE THIS MODEL AND APPLY IT AT [INAUDIBLE] AS IT RELATES TO MORE OF AN ATHLETIC MODEL.
YOU COULD DO IT AT THOMPSON WITH MORE OF AN AMUSEMENT PARK-LIKE ENTERTAINMENT MODEL IF THAT'S HOW IT'S CURRENTLY SITUATED.
I THINK THIS BECOMES MORE OF A SOCIAL SPACE/SOCIAL RECREATION.
I THINK EACH REGIONAL PARK HAS ITS OWN SET OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT WOULD COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER, BUT WOULD ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO PARTNER WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DUSTIN MEYER WITH PRPC TO REALLY TALK THROUGH MORE OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS ON THE GRANT, AND THEN I'LL TALK OF THAT AND FILL IN AND ANSWER ANY QUESTION.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU MICHAEL. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY? > SURE.
>> GREAT. JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OFFERS AN ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS GRANT.
THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS DIRECTLY TIED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES WITH TANGIBLE OUTCOMES THAT INCLUDE THE CREATION OF BUSINESS PARKS, MULTI-USE DEVELOPMENTS, WORKFORCE TRAINING, IN PROJECTS THAT LEAD TO DIRECT JOB CREATION AND PRIVATE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
PROJECTS IN THIS OPPORTUNITY USUALLY ARE AWARDED ABOUT A MILLION TO A MILLION AND A HALF WITH MATCH REQUIREMENTS AT AROUND 50 PERCENT.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING WATER, SEWER, ROADS, RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITY CONSTRUCTION, AND RENOVATION.
ALL THESE EDA'S ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THIS PROGRAM IS BASED ON ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE APPLICANT, SO FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
PARTICULARLY THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE STRESS CRITERIA BEING YOUR PER CAPITA INCOME AND YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
THE SPECIFICS OF THE ELIGIBILITY ARE THAT THE APPLICANT BE LESS THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR PER CAPITA INCOME, OR YOU CAN QUALIFY BY HAVING AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAT IS 1 PERCENT BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
TRADITIONALLY, THE CITY OF AMARILLO WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY.
HOWEVER, WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, EDA HAS RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT FUNDING THROUGH THE CARES ACT AND THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO PRIORITIZE SIMILAR TYPE PROJECTS TO HELP SPUR RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC.
ADDITIONALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE IS THROUGH THE CARES FUNDING DESIGNATION, ALL JURISDICTIONS HAVE BEEN DEEMED ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FUNDING AS LONG AS THE PROJECT IS DETERMINED TO ASSISTING THE COMMUNITY TO RECOVER FROM ECONOMIC CONDITIONS COST FROM THE PANDEMIC.
[01:45:01]
BASICALLY THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY NORMALLY WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO BUT THROUGH THE CARES FUNDING, IT ACTUALLY HAS OPENED UP BECAUSE ALL JURISDICTIONS ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR THIS APPLICATION.AS CARES FUNDING, ALL THESE JURISDICTIONS ARE OPENED UP, CARES FUNDING IS MOVING VERY, QUICKLY.
WE CERTAINLY ANTICIPATE FUNDS THROUGH OUR EDA REPRESENTATIVE HERE LOCALLY.
IT SAYS THE FUNDS MAY BE EXHAUSTED AS EARLY AS OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.
SPECIFICALLY WITH CARES FUNDING, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FAVORABLE.
MATCH REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE CARES FUNDING IS AN 80-20 INSTEAD OF A 50-50 WHICH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
INSTEAD OF THE MILLION TO A MILLION-AND-A-HALF AWARDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL PROJECT COSTS IN THE THREE MILLION DOLLAR RANGE, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A GRANT OF ABOUT $2.4 MILLION.
PRPC STAFF, WE WORK WITH CITIES THROUGHOUT THE TEXAS PANHANDLE TO ASSIST THEM WITH APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALWAYS DO APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AT NO CHARGE TO HELP COMMUNITIES BRING THESE GRAND PROJECTS INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE WORKED WITH AMARILLO COLLEGE.
CITY OF SHAMROCK WAS AWARDED THIS YEAR, CITY OF TULIA AND THE CITY OF CANYON JUST WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO DEVELOP AND RECEIVE FUNDING FOR EDA PROJECTS.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, THE THING THAT'S GOING TO BE MOST APPEALING TO EDA, ALL THOSE SHARED SPACES ARE REALLY THE LEASABLE SPACE AND HAVING SOME TANGIBLE JOB CREATION NUMBERS AND COMMITMENT THAT WE CAN POINT TO AND SELL EDA THAT THIS IS A JOB CREATION PROJECT.
WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE GRANT, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE DO ALREADY HAVE THREE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE OF US PURSUING THIS GRANT.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE WITH COUNCIL, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED SUPPORT.
THOSE LETTERS WOULD, IN THEORY, GO WITH THE APPLICATION TO THE EDA.
WHEN WE CONSIDER NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE COPIES OF THOSE LETTERS ALONG WITH THE RESOLUTIONS AND THE WHITE PAPER THAT I WOULD GO TO EDA TO SUMMARIZE THIS PROJECT.
>> I THINK ALSO COUNCIL, IF I COULD ADD ONE THING, THE ONE QUESTION YOU HAVE TO ASK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT IS A DEPARTURE, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT THE MOST COMMON THING, ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE PARK ENVIRONMENT IF YOU LOOK AT THINGS STATEWIDE.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH WAY THE PARKS ARE CREATED TO TAKE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH TO PARK MANAGEMENT, PARK OPERATIONS, PARK FUNDING.
AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE ARE AND HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN CHALLENGED WITH RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE AND OPERATE OUR PARKS.
THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE COULD CREATE ECONOMIC VITALITY, CREATE JOBS, CREATE EXCITEMENT AND ACTIVITY IN ALL OF OUR PARKS, OR AT LEAST IN OUR BIGGER PARKS FOR SURE, THOMPSON PARK, JOHN STIFF PARK, AND RECLINE WOULD BE, AS WE SAID, PRIMARY INITIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE AMONG MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS STATEWIDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PARK OPERATIONS.
MOST CITIES DON'T HAVE, OR HAVE NOT CHOSEN AND DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR LEGAL ABILITY TO BUILD EXPLORED PROJECTS LIKE THIS, AND WE DO.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE A BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE MULTIPLE BUSINESSES INQUIRE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP, SPECIFICALLY IN JOHN STIFF PARK, BUT THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES AT THE OTHER LARGE REGIONAL PARKS, AS WELL AS MAYBE, POSSIBLY, SOME SMALLER LOCATIONS.
IT'S A WAY TO GENERATE REVENUE THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED TO PARK MAINTENANCE AND PARK MANAGEMENT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE INCREASES IN TAXES.
BECAUSE THERE'S REVENUE FROM LEASES AND ALSO FROM REVENUE SHARING.
>> ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT, OBVIOUSLY, WE ALREADY HAVE THIS TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT WORKING IN ONE OF OUR PARKS WITH WONDERLAND.
THAT'S CITY OWN PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY LEADS TO A PRIVATE ENTITY, AND SO IT WOULD BE FALLING IN LINE WITH THAT TYPE OF MODEL.
IT WOULD JUST BE TAKING IT TO JOHN STIFF AND THOSE OTHER AREAS THAT WE'VE INDICATED.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE LEADING THE CHARGE ON.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT THAT TYPE OF MODEL IN PLACE WITH WONDERLAND.
>> WE WOULD DEFINITELY INCORPORATE CURRENT AND MODERN MARKET RATES IN EVERYTHING, FRANKLY, WE DO.
>> THE NEXT STEP, OBVIOUSLY, STAFF WOULD BE RECOMMENDING THE SUBMISSION OF THE GRANT APPLICATION.
THAT APPLICATION WOULD BE FOR GRANT FUNDS TO CARRY OUT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH WATER, SEWER, ROAD, LIGHTING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE CITY WOULD BE COMMITTING TO CONTRIBUTE
[01:50:02]
A CERTAIN AMOUNT TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE IN-KIND MATCH OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE WILL OBVIOUSLY LOOK AT THAT IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RESOLUTION NEXT WEEK.
BUT THINGS LIKE DESIGN ON THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, WITHIN TIME THINGS LIKE LAND VALUES.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD USE AND CONSIDER AS IN-KIND MATCHES.
BUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS NEXT WEEK BRING A RESOLUTION FORWARD FOR YOU TO CONSIDER THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THIS GRANT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
>> MICHAEL, WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE GRANT?
>> WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE CITY'S ENGINEER RIGHT NOW ON WHAT THOSE FINAL NUMBERS ARE.
THE PRPC DUSTIN SUGGESTED, WE'RE LOOKING AT AROUND THREE MILLION DOLLARS PLUS OR MINUS.
AGAIN, AT AN 80-20 MATH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $600,000 FOR A $2.4 MILLION RETURN, SOMEWHERE IN THAT BALLPARK.
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HIGHER, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE LESS DEPENDING ON WHAT THOSE ENGINEERING NUMBERS COME BACK DOWN.
>> OKAY, MICHAEL. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SO THAT 600,000, WHERE WOULD THAT COME FROM?
>> HOW DID YOU ALL WORK THROUGH THAT, MICHAEL? BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO REALLOCATE CAPITAL PROJECTS INSIDE THE GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO MAKE A MATCH LIKE THAT HAPPEN.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED EXACTLY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
WE FREQUENTLY DO THAT AS WE SHUFFLE CAPITAL PROJECTS AROUND TO RECOGNIZE NEW PROJECTS THAT MIGHT HAVE A HIGHER PRIORITY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS WOULD BE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I DID HEAR YOU ADDRESS PART OF THAT.
I WAS TRYING TO GET A GRASP OF SOME OF THE NUMBERS WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO COME UP WITH 600,000.
PART OF THAT MIGHT BE A VALUE OF IN-KIND.
I'M HEARING YOU [INAUDIBLE] THAT YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR ALL CASH, BUT THOSE WILL CERTAINLY BE QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE WHEN YOU BRING IT OVER FOR COUNCIL FOR A VOTE.
>> YES, MA'AM. AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE CITY'S ENGINEER, WE CAN SHARE THOSE WITH YOU.
AGAIN, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITIES IN-KIND FUNDING AS OPPOSED TO JUST CASH.
IT MAY BE A COMBINATION, AND AS WE GET THOSE FINAL NUMBERS, THEN WE CAN WORK THROUGH THE DETAILS ON WHERE THAT FUNDING COME FROM.
>> EDDY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
MICHAEL, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE VERY FIRST PART OF IT.
I'VE GOT SOME PRETTY BIG CONCERNS CONCERNING TRAFFIC AND ALL THAT THAT'S IN THERE.
I'VE SEEN HOW PEOPLE DRIVE AND SPEED AND DO ALL THIS OTHER KIND OF STUFF.
NOW, THEN, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THIS UP AND WE'RE GOING TO LET BUSINESSES COME IN AND WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE TRAFFIC EVEN THAT MUCH MORE.
I'M GOING TO WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE THINGS IN PLACE LIKE, MAYBE EVEN WHERE THE STAR IS, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PLAN THAT HAWK-TYPE DEVICE THERE, THAT IT PROTECTS PEOPLE THAT ARE CROSSING THE STREET.
I'M GOING TO WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT SOME SORT OF ROAD THAT ARE PLANNED THROUGH THERE, SO THAT BICYCLERS AND THOSE THAT ARE PEDESTRIANS ARE GOING TO FEEL SAFE IN THERE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE CARS GOING THROUGH THERE.
EVEN TO THE POINT THAT MAYBE THOSE INTERSECTIONS HAVE YOU ALL CONSIDERED MAYBE MAKING THOSE ROUNDABOUTS SO THAT THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF THAT, THAT PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO BE SLOW, THEY'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
I THINK THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT PLAN, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT BOTHERS ME IS THE WAY THAT THE ROAD IS BEING SET UP, OR YOU ALL GOT A GOOD STRONG PLAN THAT IT'S GOING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE PARK, PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THESE ORANGE SPACES.
BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING IN.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK REALLY WELL.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING THIS UP IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO KEEP PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EQUAL ACCESS AND FEEL EQUALLY SAFE IN THOSE SPACES.
>> AGAIN, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON PARK USES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST CONCERN.
[INAUDIBLE] I THINK THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT IT BEING A POTENTIAL RELIEVER FOR 45TH,
[01:55:04]
PEOPLE CUTTING OFF AND GOING OVER THE BELL.WE'VE ALREADY HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ENGINEER ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE IS GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT'S SAFE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BIKING, WALKING, AND JUST GENERALLY, USING THE PARK AND THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME JUST A FREEWAY.
WE WOULD LOOK AT ALL SORTS OF OPTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT TRAFFIC, HOW DO WE CONTROL THAT TRAFFIC WHERE IT DOESN'T JUST BECOME A FREEWAY.
ABSOLUTELY, I SHARE THOSE CONCERNS.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL?
>> MICHAEL, TIME-FRAME? FROM WHAT ARE WE SEEING IN DESTINY? YOU MAY WANT TO ADDRESS THAT FROM WHEN AN APPLICATION IS GOING IN.
HOW QUICKLY ARE THESE BEING REVIEWED AND GRANTED?
>> YES, MA'AM. I CAN SURE ANSWER THAT FOR YOU.
WE ARE WORKING ON A PRETTY QUICK TIME-FRAME.
AS I SAID, OUR EDR OR OUR EDA REPRESENTATIVE IN THIS REGION HAS INDICATED THAT FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT QUICKLY AND THEY COULD BE DEPLETED AS EARLY AS OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.
SO WE ARE WORKING TO GET THIS IN FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE EDA, IRC AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
GENERALLY, WE ACTUALLY DID JUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THE CITY OF SHAMROCK, WHO'S BEING FUNDED OUT OF THE KERR'S FUNDING.
THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN AWARDED.
THEY'VE BEEN NOTIFIED OF AN AWARD.
YOU'RE GIVEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO RECTIFY, CLEAN UP A FEW THINGS, WHETHER THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, THAT'S PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR CLARIFYING SOME OF THE INCOMING CONTRIBUTION OR THE MATCH DOLLARS THAT ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS.
HOPEFULLY IF EVERYTHING GOES AS PLANNED, WE CAN GET THIS IN FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
IT WILL LIKELY BE A MONTH TO SIX WEEKS BEFORE WE HEAR BACK ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT.
THEN ONCE WE DO AFTER ABOUT SIX WEEKS MARK, IF WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE AWARDED, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO GUARANTEES TO BE AWARDED.
THIS IS A NATIONWIDE COMPETITION AND YOU'RE COMPETING WITH APPLICATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE. THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THERE.
BUT IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH, AFTER WE RECEIVE WORD, USUALLY IT'S A 3-6 MONTHS BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A FUNDING CONTRACT IN HAND.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION FOR YOU.
>> MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED FROM US IN ORDER TO BE READY TO BRING THAT TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK?
>> YES, MA'AM. WE'VE GOT THAT.
>> OKAY. GREAT. I THINK WE'RE READY TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM THEN AND THAT IS JUST AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF
[1H. Announcement of Application Process for Boards and Commissions;]
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.>> WELL, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH CONVENTION AND INVESTORS BUREAU, WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING SOME BOARD APPOINTMENTS THERE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE OUTSIDE THE SCHEDULE OF OUR NORMAL LATE FALL.
I'M SORRY, WINTER APPOINTMENT PROCESS THAT EITHER HAPPENS IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.
BUT WE ARE COMING UP TOWARDS THAT NOVEMBER TIMELINE, THAT OCTOBER DEADLINE FOR APPLYING FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND THE MEETING OR MEETINGS WHERE COUNCIL WORKS THROUGH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY STAFFED OR THAT MEMBER DECISIONS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THOSE BOARDS.
TO WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE EXPECTED IS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER KEVIN STARTBUCK, KEVIN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, AMERICAN COUNCIL.
WE'RE ENTERING THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY, WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL AND WITH STAFF TO BRING ALL SEASON AND DIRECTION FORWARD WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT THEY OVERSEE? THAT PROCESS WILL OPEN TODAY.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OPENING APPLICATIONS TO THE PUBLIC TODAY.
IF THEY HAVE AN INTEREST IN SERVING AT A BOARD AND COMMISSION WITH THE CITY.
THROUGH THAT, THEY CAN REGISTER ONLINE OR FILL OUT APPLICATION ONLINE, AND THEN SELECT WHAT BOARD OR COMMITTEE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON.
ALSO PROVIDE US A RESUME OR A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND OF INFORMATION THAT THEY MAY FEEL IS APPROPRIATE FOR CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEM FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES MOVING FORWARD.
AS WE LOOK AT IT, WE HAVE POSITIONS AVAILABLE, WHETHER IT'S A POTENTIAL REAPPOINTMENT OR A VACANCY ON JUST ABOUT EVERY BOARD AND COMMITTEE THAT THE CITY HAS IN THE FRAMEWORK.
[02:00:04]
WHAT WE WILL DO IS COLLECT THOSE APPLICATIONS OVER THE NEXT MONTH, FINALIZE A ROSTER OF APPLICANTS FOR EACH BOARD AND COMMITTEE AND WORK WITH THE INCUMBENTS THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT, AND PRESENT ALL THAT INFORMATION BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN LATE OCTOBER FOR YOU TO EVALUATE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN MAKE APPOINTMENTS IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING.THEN THOSE TERMS WOULD START ON JANUARY 1ST OF NEXT YEAR AS THEY COME ON TO THE COMMITTEES.
THAT'S REALLY JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO BRING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE ARE STARTING THAT PROCESS AND PEOPLE CAN GO ONLINE TO THE CITY WEBSITE AND FIND THE LINK FOR APPLYING TO SERVE ON A BOARD OR A COMMITTEE, FINDING A BOARD OR COMMITTEE THAT THEY MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN SERVING ON AND MAKE THOSE APPLICATIONS TO THE CITY SO THAT WE PRESENT THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
>> COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR, ARE RE-PLANNING ANY SORT OF SOCIAL MEDIA PUSH TO INFORM OUR COMMUNITY WHEN THE APPLICATION PROCESS OPENS AND CLOSES?
>> TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN HAYES, YES.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH JORDAN AND THE TEAM OVER IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TO GET THAT PUSHED OUT ON THE, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ALREADY AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
BUT ALSO TO PUSH THAT OUT VIA THE SOCIAL MEDIA MECHANISMS, PRESS RELEASES, ETC.
SO THAT THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO THE LINK ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND MAKE THOSE APPLICATIONS.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT APPLICATIONS BEING OPEN THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
LOOKING AT SEPTEMBER 30TH TO BE IN THAT CUTOFF TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SORT THROUGH, TO COLLECT THEM ALL, AND THEN TO PLACE THEM WITH THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THAT PEOPLE HAVE APPLIED FOR, TO THEN PRESENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS STAFF FINALIZES THAT LIST WITH THE CURRENT MEMBERS.
MEMBERS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THAT WANT TO POTENTIALLY SERVE ANOTHER TERM, WE CAN WE CAN VERIFY THAT INFORMATION AND PRESENT A TOTAL PACKAGE TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WOULD RELATE TO THAT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT NECESSARILY LIMITED TO PUTTING THEIR NAME FORWARD TO SERVE ON MULTIPLE COMMITTEES.
THEY CAN APPLY THROUGH THE SAME APPLICATION PROCESS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO FILL IT OUT EACH TIME FOR EACH BOARD OR COMMITTEE.
THEY CAN FILL OUT ONE APPLICATION AND JUST INDICATE THAT THEY HAVE AN INTEREST IN MULTIPLE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES IF THAT'S WHERE THEIR PASSION IS, TO SERVE ON DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, KEVIN.
>> I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT UP NEXT IS A MONTHLY BUDGET UPDATE.
[1I. Monthly Budget Update;]
MR. CITY MANAGER. JARED, YOU'RE ON MUTE.>> I SAID ALL KINDS OF GREAT THINGS WHILE I WAS MUTED AND I NEARLY COME OUT THE SAME.
BUT TO PROVIDE THE MONTHLY BUDGET UPDATE WE'VE GOT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LAURA STORRS, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, LAURA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN ON THIS PRESENTATION AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE MONTHLY BUDGET UPDATE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING NUMBERS FOR THE MONTH ENDING JULY 31ST, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL UPDATES PAST JULY 31ST ON CERTAIN ITEMS. ALL RIGHT, WE WILL START WITH, IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME A SECOND.
LET'S TRY THIS ONE MORE TIME. OKAY.
BEAR WITH ME. I APOLOGIZE I WAS TRYING TO DO IT ANOTHER WAY SO WE COULD SEE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WORKING QUITE RIGHT.
WE'LL TRY IT THIS WAY. IF YOU GUYS WILL BEAR WITH ME, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN SEE THE SLIDES.
WE'RE GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT
[02:05:02]
MAINLY THE GENERAL FUND PORTION OF THE CITY OF CAMROSE BUDGET FOR THE 10 MONTHS THAT END ON JULY 31ST, 2020 FOR REVENUE.ON THIS SIDE, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE REVENUE PIECE.
THE BUDGETED AMOUNT WAS $162.8 MILLION, THE ACTUAL REVENUES THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED, COMES IN AT A $158 MILLION, THAT PRODUCES A NEGATIVE VARIANCE OF 4.8 MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, KNOWING THAT COVID-19 WAS GOING TO START IMPACTING OUR REVENUE SOURCES.
WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS HAPPENING.
NOW AGAIN, I THINK THAT THEY'RE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, BUT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT NEGATIVE VARIANTS IN THE OVERALL REVENUE COLLECTIONS.
WE'RE DOWN ALMOST THREE PERCENT IN REVENUE FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE GOING TO COVER THE MAJOR REVENUE PIECES THAT MAKE UP THAT 4.8 MILLION.
THE FIRST ITEM THERE IS THE PROPERTY TAXES AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE ARE ACTUALLY COMING IN 1.2 MILLION OVER BUDGET.
I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY LARGE NUMBER.
A LOT OF THAT IS RELATED TO TIMING.
SOME OF IT IS RELATED TO THE FACT THAT WHEN WE ARE PREPARING THE BUDGET, WE USE A COLLECTION RATE OF 98.5 PERCENT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE COLLECTIONS ARE COMING IN MUCH STRONGER THAN MAYBE WE HAD ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED.
BECAUSE AT THIS POINT THROUGH THE END OF JULY, WE'RE AT A 102 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET, SO STRONG COLLECTION RATES ON THOSE PROPERTY TAXES.
THEN SALES TAX, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER SLIDES IN A MINUTE.
THEY GO OVER THOSE, BUT WE'RE DOWN JUST UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH JULY 31ST ON SALES TAX.
THEN ON HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, 30 INTO JULY WERE DOWN ABOUT $1.3 MILLION VERSUS OUR BUDGET.
ON OUR GROSS RECEIPTS ARE BUSINESS TAXES, THOSE ARE FRANCHISE FEES WERE ABOUT JUST A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS BELOW BUDGET.
WE'VE GOT MORE INFORMATION A MINUTE, BUT THAT IS HEAVILY DRIVEN BY THE ELECTRICITY FRANCHISE FEE.
THEN LICENSES AND PERMITS ARE COMING IN JUST SLIGHTLY UNDER BUDGET FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS.
THEN CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE ABOUT $1.3 MILLION BELOW BUDGET AND THAT IS MAINLY RELATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION.
AGAIN, AS THOSE REVENUES ARE COMING IN LOWER, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF REDUCTIONS IN COSTS RELATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION THAT ARE OFFSETTING THESE REVENUE REDUCTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, WE DIDN'T OPEN THE CITY POOLS THIS SUMMER, THE OUTDOOR POOLS OFFERED IS STILL OPEN, BUT OTHER CITY POOLS WE'RE NOT OPENED.
WE'RE NOT SEEING REVENUE COME IN FROM THOSE SOURCES, BUT WE ALSO ARE NOT INCURRING AS MANY EXPENSES RELATED TO THE SWIMMING POOLS THIS YEAR EITHER.
THEN THE LAST ITEM HERE IS FINES.
THAT IS JUST RELATED TO THOSE MUNICIPAL COURT FEES COMING IN LOWER THAN BUDGET.
THAT'S A TREND THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE, BUT ALSO HAS BEEN HEAVILY IMPACTED RELATED TO COVID-19.
PLEASE STOP ME IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OTHERWISE, I'M JUST GOING TO GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
LET'S LOOK AT EXPENSES THROUGH JULY 31ST FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR BUDGET IS A $156.6 MILLION, SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND, 70 PERCENT OF THAT BUDGET IS JUST RELATED TO PERSONNEL COSTS.
WE HAVE SPENT A $142.6 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS, THAT LEAVES A VARIANCE OF 14 MILLION.
THAT'S 14 MILLION UNDER BUDGET IN EXPENSES FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS.
AS THE NEXT SLIDES ARE GOING TO SHOW US, IS THAT IS RELATED TO THOSE MEASURES THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE VERY EARLY ON WHEN COVID-19 WAS STARTING TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEE THOSE REVENUES STARTING TO COME DOWN.
THERE WERE A LOT OF MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT EXPENSES CAME DOWN.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE TRAILING A LOWER BUDGET BY $14 MILLION, WHICH PRODUCES A NET VARIANCE OF $9.2 MILLION.
IF YOU TAKE THAT REVENUE VARIANCE, SO WE'RE COMING IN BELOW ON REVENUE, BUT WORK COMING IN BELOW ON EXPENSES BY MORE THAN THAT AND THAT PUTS US AT $9.2 MILLION UNDER BUDGET OVERALL.
BOTTOM LINE, 9.2 TO THE GOOD FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS.
[02:10:03]
THE NEXT SLIDE HERE, AGAIN, WE'VE GONE OVER THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND THIS IS THE $12 MILLION BUDGET RESPONSE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE RELATED TO COVID.YOU CAN SEE THE THE LARGEST AMOUNT THERE IS RELATED TO THOSE UNFILLED AND FROZEN POSITIONS THAT WENT ON A FREEZE IN MID MARCH.
THERE ARE SOME LARGE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY, ACTUALLY, MOST OF THE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING IMPACTED BUT YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THERE'RE 16 POLICE OFFICERS.
ACTUALLY, THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN SOUND.
AT THIS POINT THERE'S 10 FIREFIGHTERS.
AGAIN, THERE'S A REMINDER THERE, THOSE CANCELLATION OF ALL THE PARKS PROGRAMS DURING THE SUMMER.
THERE WERE SEVERAL CAPITAL OUTLAY AND REPAIR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT WERE DELAYED.
THOSE ARE LISTED THERE FOR YOU AS WELL.
AGAIN, ON THE REDUCED CIVIC CENTER CAPITAL FUNDING OF 1.2 MILLION, THERE AT THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, THAT IS OFFSET BY THAT ANTICIPATED LOSS IN THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS AND THE REALIZED LOSS THAT WE'RE SEEING AT THIS POINT RELATED TO OVERALL BUDGET.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO SPECIFICALLY INTO SALES TAX.
WHAT WE HAVE OUTLINED AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING THROUGH JULY 31ST AT THIS POINT, BUT WE DO HAVE OUR AUGUST SALES TAX COLLECTION NUMBERS IN.
YOU'LL SEE THAT FIRST OF ALL, THE MONTH OF AUGUST WAS A VERY GOOD MONTH FOR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THOSE COLLECTIONS ARE A TWO-MONTH LAG.
THEY ARE FOR THE SALES THAT OCCUR DURING JUNE.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD RESTRICTIONS ON, STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF JUNE AND THEN THINGS STARTED PARTIALLY OPENING BACKUP IN JUNE.
WE SAW VERY POSITIVE SALES TAX COLLECTION NUMBERS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST THAT WERE FOR THOSE JUNE SALES.
WE WERE UP ALMOST SEVEN PERCENT OVER THE AUGUST COLLECTIONS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, 2019.
DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGH JULY, WE ARE TRACKING JUST A LITTLE BIT OVER LAST YEAR'S COLLECTIONS AND THROUGH AUGUST WE ARE 1.4 PERCENT OVER LAST YEAR'S COLLECTIONS.
OVER ON THE FAR BOTTOM RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE STILL TRAILING BEHIND OUR BUDGET NUMBERS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
THAT IS BECAUSE WE BUILT IN AN ADDITIONAL 2.5 PERCENT INCREASE OVER PRIOR YEAR COLLECTIONS BECAUSE WE WERE SEEING SUCH STRONG SALES TAX TRENDS BEFORE COVID HIT.
THAT IS WHY THESE NUMBERS ARE STILL TRAILING BEHIND BUDGET THROUGH THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
THE NEXT SLIDE HERE IS JUST A GRAPHIC THAT PUTS, AND THERE'S A BLUE BAR FOR THE ACTUALS FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THE ORANGE BARS ARE THE ACTUALS FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AND THE GRAY BAR IS THE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THAT AS WE MOVED INTO THE MONTHS THAT COVID IMPACTED, WE DID SEE THOSE ACTUAL COLLECTIONS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR SLIGHTLY LOWER, BUT THEN THEY DID INCREASE BACK UP IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
THIS NEXT SLIDE IS THE SAME INFORMATION WE JUST WENT OVER BUT WANTED TO SHOW THIS LINE HERE FOR SEPTEMBER.
WHAT WE HAVE PROJECTED FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE TOOK THE AVERAGE INCREASE OR DECREASE BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF MAY, JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST.
THOSE WERE THE MONTHS THAT WERE IMPACT THE SALES IMPACTED BY COVID-19.
WE TOOK THE AVERAGE INCREASE OR DECREASE BETWEEN THOSE TWO MONTHS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
THAT CAME OUT TO AN OVERALL DECREASE OF 2.3 PERCENT AND WE APPLIED IT TO THE SEPTEMBER COLLECTIONS FROM 2019, AND THAT IS HOW WE CAME UP WITH A 4.9 MILLION THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING POSSIBLY RECEIVING THIS MONTH FOR THE LAST COLLECTIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
IF WE DO COME IN, ABOUT THAT LEVEL WILL BE BELOW BUDGET BY JUST OVER ONE PERCENT FOR THE YEAR.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE STILL TRAILING ABOVE PRIOR YEAR COLLECTIONS WITH THAT AMOUNT.
IF WE DO HIT THAT SEPTEMBER AMOUNT.
IF THERE'S NOT QUESTIONS, I'M GOING TO GO ON.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
>> LAURA, I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT LAST SLIDE.
>> GO AHEAD. [BACKGROUND] COUNCIL MEMBER HASTE, CAN GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION.
>> LAURA, COULD YOU WALK BACK THROUGH WHAT EACH OF THOSE COLUMNS REPRESENT? I DON'T SEE A HEADING AT THE TOP, SO MINE MAYBE JUST CUT OFF BUT TO WALK BACK THROUGH THE FIRST COLUMN IS.
[02:15:01]
>> FIRST COLUMN OR LAST FISCAL YEAR'S COLLECTIONS? AS YOU GO WITH THAT TOP OF THE COLUMN, THAT WOULD BE OCTOBER OF 2018, ALL THE WAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2019.
>> THEN THE SECOND, [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M JUST SCROLLING DOWN, NOW I CAN SEE THE HEADINGS.
I WASN'T FOLLOWING BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE THOSE HEADINGS.
IF YOU CAN SCROLL IT DOWN JUST SLIGHTLY, THEN I THINK I'LL GET ALL MY REFERENCES.
>> I DO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I'M HAVING SOME ISSUES ON MY END FROM A SCROLLING STANDPOINT, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SCROLL IT DOWN ANY FOR YOU.
I APOLOGIZE AND I CAN CERTAINLY SEND YOU A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION AFTER THE MEETING.
>> THAT'D BE A GREAT IDEA, I KNOW I CAN'T SEE IT ALL ON MY SCREEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS THERE, BUT SENDING THAT COPY AFTERWARDS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL, I THINK.
>> OKAY, GREAT. IF YOU GUYS WILL BEAR WITH ME FOR JUST A SECOND, I THINK STEPHANIE SAID SHE'S GOING TO TRY TO SHARE HER SCREEN, AND I WILL WALK HER THROUGH.
I APOLOGIZE, IT'S AMAZING HOW THESE THINGS WORK IN TEST MODE.
THEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE LIVE PRESENTATION, THEY DON'T ALWAYS WORK.
I'M GOING TO STOP SHARING MY SCREEN FOR A SECOND.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL START ON SLIDE 10 AND SEE IF IT WORKS A LITTLE BETTER ON YOUR END.
[BACKGROUND] RIGHT THERE. GO BACK ONE.
PERFECT. COUNCIL MEMBER HAYES, CAN YOU SEE THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER?
>> YES, NOW I SEE ALL OF THE COLUMN HEADINGS. THANK YOU.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH US ON THIS.
NOW, WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE WE START DISCUSSING HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES AND STEPHANIE IF YOU'LL YOU GO ONE MORE, WE CAN LOOK AT THE COLLECTIONS ARE DETAILED OUT FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR IS THE FIRST COLUMN, CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS THE SECOND COLUMN, AND THEN THAT INCREASE OR DECREASE, AND THEN THE SECOND TO THE LAST COLUMN IS THE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THEN THE LAST COLUMN IS THE VARIANCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY COLLECTED THIS YEAR AND THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE SEEN VERY STRONG NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE IMPACT THAT COVID-19 HAS HAD ON OUR HOTELIERS.
WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT HIT RELATED TO COVID-19.
HOWEVER, WE ARE SEEING STRONG COLLECTION NUMBERS.
BASED ON WHAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY PROJECTING, THE NUMBERS ARE COMING IN MUCH STRONGER AT THIS POINT.
FOR AUGUST, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE MIDDLE PAGE THERE FOR AUGUST, THOSE ARE THE MOST RECENT COLLECTIONS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
THOSE WOULD BE FOR THE STAYS THAT OCCURRED DURING JULY.
THOSE AUGUST NUMBERS, THEY'RE ABOUT A 25 PERCENT DECREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
WHEN WE WERE ORIGINALLY ESTIMATING THE IMPACT OF COVID-19, WE WERE ANTICIPATING IT COULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 50 PERCENT DECREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
THOSE NUMBERS, WE HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE TREND ON THAT.
WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE HOTELIERS TO SEE FULL RECOVERY.
BUT THOSE NUMBERS CERTAINLY ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IF YOU'LL LOOK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE NUMBERS THROUGH AUGUST.
WE'RE SEEING AN OVERALL 25 PERCENT DECREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AND THAT'S RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE BUDGET AS WELL, ABOUT A 25 PERCENT DECREASE FROM WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED.
DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, IF YOU'LL NOTE, THESE ARE THE GROSS COLLECTIONS.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE HOT REBATE THAT IS PAID BACK TO THE DOWNTOWN CONVENTION HOTEL, AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE DETAILED OUT THERE AS WELL AND SO THEIR NET COLLECTION NUMBERS ARE LISTED THERE AND THOSE ARE TRENDING THE SAME WAY, ABOUT 25 PERCENT BELOW PRIOR YEAR, AND ABOUT 24 PERCENT BELOW BUDGET THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS ONE HERE, IT GRAPHS, THE BLUE BAR ARE THE ACTUALS FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR, THE ORANGE BAR IS CURRENT YEAR ACTUALS, AND THE GRAY BAR IS CURRENT YEAR BUDGET.
LAST FISCAL YEAR OCCUPANCY RATES ARE ON THE YELLOW LINE, AND WE HAVE THE CURRENT YEAR OCCUPANCY RATES ON THE BLUE LINE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN APRIL, WE STARTED SEEING THAT LARGE DIP RELATED TO THE OCCUPANCY RATES, AND THEY HAVE SEEN THOSE CONTINUE TO CLIMB THROUGH JULY, AND SO THAT IS CERTAINLY TRENDING VERY POSITIVE AND IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO WITHIN THE OCCUPANCY RATES THAT WE WERE SEEING LAST YEAR AT THE SAME TIME, SO THIS IS CERTAINLY AN ENCOURAGING SLIDE.
[02:20:04]
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE FOR ME, PLEASE.ON THIS SLIDE, ALL OF THIS HAS, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE COVERED ON TWO SLIDES AGO, IS WE HAVE A SEPTEMBER NUMBER LISTED IN HERE AND WE KEPT THIS WITH WHAT OUR ORIGINAL PROJECTION WAS, AND THAT'S AT 50 PERCENT DECREASE IN SEPTEMBER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
NOW AT THIS POINT, WE'RE THINKING THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO COME IN MUCH STRONGER.
BUT IF IT COMES IN AT AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THE PRIOR YEAR, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ABOUT A 28 PERCENT DECREASE FROM OUR OVERALL BUDGET, AND OUR BUDGET INCLUDED A THREE PERCENT INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, THE NUMBERS ARE COMING IN STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED.
BUT AGAIN, WE FEEL LIKE THAT TWO MILLION DOLLAR NEGATIVE VARIANCE FROM OUR BUDGET WILL ACTUALLY BE SMALLER THAN THAT WITH THE TREND WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO THAT SEPTEMBER NUMBER IS STILL VERY CONSERVATIVE AT THIS POINT AND ANY INCREASE OVER THAT WILL HELP REDUCE THAT TWO MILLION DOLLAR IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT-HAND CORNER, THAT TWO MILLION DOLLAR NEGATIVE VARIANTS FROM OUR BUDGET.
ANY QUESTIONS ON HOTEL OCCUPANTS AND TAXES? IF NOT, ON THIS SLIDE, THIS HAS BEEN REVISED FOR THE UPDATED COLLECTIONS, AND WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE IS THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AND THE USES OF THOSE HOT COLLECTIONS IN THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES BASED ON THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AND NOW THE REVISED BUDGET ASSOCIATION THAT OCCURRED RELATED TO COVID-19.
THE FIRST COLUMN OF NUMBERS IS THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AND THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE REVISED BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S ABOUT A TWO MILLION DOLLAR DECREASE THERE IN THE OVERALL RECEIPTS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR DEBT SERVICE FUNDING IS STILL STABLE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CIVIC CENTER CAPITAL HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
THERE'S BEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE NEED RELATED TO CIVIC CENTER OPERATIONS.
THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CVC OPERATIONS, THAT TWO MILLION DOLLAR ORIGINAL BUDGET HAS COME DOWN TO ABOUT 1.2 FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CASH-IN TO ENSURE THAT THEY COME IN AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THIS REVISED BUDGET, BUT THIS NUMBER HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED A LITTLE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WE ANTICIPATE IT INCREASING AFTER WE GET THOSE FINAL COLLECTION NUMBERS IN FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
THAT WILL CERTAINLY HELP CVC GOING FORWARD, HAVING THAT FINAL BUDGET COME IN AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO BACK. THANK YOU.
DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, JUST AS A REMINDER, WE'VE GOT DETAILED OUT THE 19/20 ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS FOR THE MPEV AND PARKING GARAGE AND THOSE FUNDING SOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH IT, SHOWING THAT WE DO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDING AVAILABLE TO MAKE ALL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS ON THE MPEV AND THE PARKING GARAGE, AND THERE WILL BE SOME FUNDS AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AVAILABLE TO USE FOR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS NEXT YEAR, IF THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT.
IF THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTIONS, THEN STEPHANIE, I'LL LET YOU TAKE US TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND THEN IF YOU'LL GO ONE MORE.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT GROSS RECEIPTS, BUSINESS TAXES.
THESE ARE THE FRANCHISE FEES, AND THIS IS A TREND WE'VE BEEN SEEING ALL FISCAL YEAR.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE, THROUGH THE MONTH OF JULY, WE'RE COMING IN BELOW BUDGET BY ABOUT SEVEN PERCENT OVERALL, WHICH TRANSLATES TO A LITTLE OVER 1.1 MILLION DOLLARS, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS IN THAT TOP LINE ITEM THERE ON THE ELECTRICITY FRANCHISE FEE.
NO SUPPLIES AT ALL, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AGAIN FOR MONTHS, AND IT'S RELATED TO THAT LOW FUEL FACTOR THAT IS KEEPING THOSE ELECTRICITY RATES LOWER.
YES, WE ARE SEEING REVENUES COME IN LOWER.
ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A ONE FOR ONE CORRELATION, BUT ON THE CITY'S EXPENSE SIDE, WE ARE SEEING LOWER ELECTRICITY BILLS AS WELL.
BUT WE ARE SEEING THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE VARIANTS BELOW BUDGET IN FRANCHISE FEES RELATED TO THAT ELECTRICITY FRANCHISE FEE.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO THE NEXT SLIDE.
IT'S JUST A GRAPH THAT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRANCHISE FEES, AND I RECOGNIZE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT SMALL HERE, BUT IT SHOWS PRETTY WELL THAT THE GRAY BAR ARE THE ACTUALS AND THE ORANGE BAR IS THE BUDGET,
[02:25:03]
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT ELECTRICITY MOST OF THEM ARE VERY CLOSE TO BUDGET EXCEPT FOR ELECTRICITY.THEN STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE, OR GO OVER TWO PLEASE.
LET'S NOW TALK ABOUT UTILITY SALES.
ON OUR UTILITY REVENUES, YOU'LL SEE THERE AT THE TOP THAT SOLID WASTE AND LANDFILL FEES ARE COMING IN STRONG FOR THE YEAR.
SOLID WASTE COLLECTIONS ARE COMING IN RIGHT IN LINE WITH BUDGET, ACTUALLY WITH A ZERO PERCENT VARIANCE, SO VERY CLOSE TO BUDGET AND LANDFILL, THOSE FEES ARE REMAINING VERY STRONG.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY OVER-BUDGET BY $632,000, WHICH IS A 27 PERCENT INCREASE OVER BUDGET, SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE VERY STRONG THROUGH THE END OF JULY.
THEN IN THE MIDDLE SECTION THERE, WATER SALES ARE REMAINING BELOW BUDGET AT THIS POINT BY TWO PERCENT.
IT'S ABOUT A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED ON BUDGET, AND THAT IS A NUMBER.
IT'S BEEN HOVERING RIGHT AT ABOUT THAT AMOUNT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME IMPACT FROM THE COMMERCIAL SIDE RELATED TO COVID AND BUSINESSES BEING SHUT DOWN OR SCALED BACK.
WE HAVE MADE UP SOME OF THAT VARIANCE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE IT ALL UP.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS THROUGH JULY, AND THEN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER SALES ARE STILL TO BE SHOWN.
THOSE ARE TWO OF THE LARGEST MONTHS FOR REVENUE FOR WATER SALES.
THEN SEWER SALES ARE COMING IN RIGHT IN LINE WITH BUDGET JUST SLIGHTLY BELOW BY 59,000 DOLLARS.
THEN THE LAST LINE THERE ARE THOSE DRAINAGE REVENUE FEES AND THOSE ARE COMING IN STRONG THIS YEAR OVER BUDGET BY ABOUT NINE PERCENT OR 433,000, AND THAT IS, THAT A DRAINAGE GROUP WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE WE'RE BILLING EVERYTHING PROPERLY ON THAT DRAINAGE UTILITY.
IF THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTIONS, GO FOR TWO STEPHANIE.
THIS IS THE LAST PIECE OF INFORMATION RELATED TO HEALTH INSURANCE EXPENSE FOR THIS CITY.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THOSE FAR RIGHT, TWO COLUMNS, THE GREAT NEWS, THROUGH THE END OF JULY, WE WERE BELOW BUDGET ON HEALTH INSURANCE, MEDICAL CLAIMS BY ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS, THAT'S AN EIGHT PERCENT POSITIVE VARIANCE.
AGAIN, I KNOW I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT WE DO FEEL LIKE COVID-19 HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR MEDICAL CLAIMS EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR, AS WE HAD MORE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS, WE HAD A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE ONLY EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WERE BEING CONDUCTED.
THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT DOING ANY TYPE OF ELECTIVE PROCEDURE OR ANY KIND OF AN ANNUAL EXAM OR PROCEDURE.
THAT DID DRIVE DOWN OUR MEDICAL CLAIMS NUMBERS FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
AS WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE CLAIMS NUMBERS TREND UP, WHICH IS NORMAL, THOSE LOWER MONTHS OF CLAIMS EXPERIENCE ARE CERTAINLY HELPING TO OFFSET IT, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE STILL TO THE GOOD BY ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL ON ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE COVERED [NOISE] TODAY?
>> LAURA, THAT 9.2 MILLION IN EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENSES, WHERE DOES THAT END UP? HOW DO MUNICIPALITIES DEAL WITH THAT SIZE OF AN EXCESS? IS THAT JUST OUR CARRY OVER BALANCE GOING FORWARD? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET?
>> ON SOME OF THOSE SAVINGS, WE WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THE DELAYED CAPITAL ITEMS THAT WERE NOT CONDUCTED IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
WE WILL LOOK AT THE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THOSE.
WE DO ALSO HAVE SOME ITEMS LIKE COMPENSATED ABSENCES THAT ARE BEHIND ON FUNDING FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THAT FUNDING MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO HELP FUND THAT PIECE AS WELL.
OTHERWISE, IT WILL ROLL INTO THE OVERALL RESERVES FOR THE GENERAL FUND TO BE REALLOCATED IN THE FUTURE BASED ON PRIORITIES OF COUNSEL AND CITY MANAGEMENT.
NORMALLY, ANY SAVINGS DO WIND UP GOING TOWARDS, NORMALLY LIKE A CAPITAL PROJECT OF SOME SORT.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE ONE-TIME DOLLARS, THEY ARE NOT RECURRING SAVINGS.
THOSE ARE NOT THINGS THAT CAN BE BUILT INTO ANY KIND OF A REOCCURRING COST GOING FORWARD.
DOES THAT HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> YES. WHERE WOULD THOSE SHOW UP?
[02:30:01]
AGAIN, REPEATING WHAT YOU SAID THAT A LOT OF THOSE SAVINGS CAME BECAUSE WE FROZE HIRING, [OVERLAPPING] AND WE STILL NEED TO HIRE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.A LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
ANOTHER THING IS WE STOPPED SOME PROJECTS, AND REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY, BUT WE FROZE IT.
ARE THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS, AS YOU REFERRED TO, ALREADY REFLECTED OF GETTING THOSE BACK INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET?
>> WE DID NOT TAKE ANY OF THIS ANTICIPATED SAVINGS AND ROLL IT FORWARD INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ANALYZED AFTER THE FINAL YEAR IN NUMBERS COME IN.
THE PROBLEM WITH PUTTING IT INTO BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE START OUR BUDGET PROCESS BACK IN ABOUT APRIL.
IN APRIL, WAS WHEN WE WERE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF DEALING WITH THIS PANDEMIC AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF IT.
AS WE FORMULATED THE BUDGET FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE TRIED TO KEEP IT CONSERVATIVE BASED ON REVENUES THAT WE WOULD BE RECOGNIZING NEXT FISCAL YEAR, AND NOT ANY SAVINGS FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE'D HAVE ANY SAVINGS AT ALL.
WE WERE JUST HOLDING THOSE COSTS RELATED TO THE HIRING FREEZE AND THOSE DELAYED CAPITAL PROJECTS AND REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE TYPE ITEMS. WE WERE HOLDING THOSE NOT KNOWING HOW REVENUES WERE GOING TO COME IN.
NOW, WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH OUT FROM OUR FISCAL YEAR-END.
SO WE KNOW A LOT MORE AT THIS POINT THAN WE DID BACK IN ABOUT APRIL AND MAY WHEN WE WERE HEAVILY FORMING THAT BUDGET FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THOSE WILL BE ITEMS THAT MR. MILLER WILL BE LOOKING AT.
IF THERE'S SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, HE WOULD LOOK AT IF THERE'S MONEY TO GO TOWARDS THAT.
OTHERWISE, THOSE DOLLARS, AGAIN WOULD ROLL INTO RESERVES TO BE REALLOCATED INTO THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS.
BY THE NEXT ONE, I'M SAYING FISCAL YEAR '21/'22.
THE OTHER THING IS IF THOSE DO ROLL INTO RESERVES, AND I HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO EVEN HAVE TO DISCUSS, BUT AS WE'LL MOVE INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER LARGE ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19, AND WE START SEEING REVENUES DROP, WE WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY ABOUT, DO WE PULL FROM THESE EXCESS RESERVES FROM THIS YEAR? OR DO WE PUT MEASURES IN PLACE AGAIN, LIKE WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR? HIRING FREEZES, DELAYING CAPITAL PROJECTS.
JARED MAY WANT TO EXPAND UPON THAT AS WELL.
>> YEAH, WE'RE JUST MAINTAINING A VERY CONSERVATIVE POSTURE, [INAUDIBLE] HAYES IS THERE.
SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO SALES TAXES, WE'RE TRENDING BETTER WITH REGARD TO WHERE WE WERE PREVIOUS TO COVID THAN, I WOULD SAY MOST CITIES.
CAN'T SAY ALL, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE JUST GOING GANGBUSTERS WITH 30 AND 40 PERCENT SALES TAX INCREASES VERSUS PREVIOUS DAYS.
THAT USUALLY DENOTES THAT THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR TOWN.
THAT SAID, GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING, I THINK REALLY THE NEXT 6-10 MONTHS, THAT IT'S JUST REALLY DIFFICULT TO SAY WITH ANY CERTAINTY.
WE'RE MAINTAINING A CONSERVATIVE POSTURE.
IF WE CONTINUE THIS TREND WITH RECOVERING SALES TAXES AND THEN MOVING UP TO THE NUMBERS WE WERE BUDGETING FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, THEN WE WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MOVE TOWARDS SOME OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE DEFERRED.
WE'RE MOVING BACK INTO DOING CAPITAL PROJECTS NEXT YEAR THAT WE DEFERRED THIS YEAR.
BUT WE'RE NOT AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN REPLACE ALL OF THE PROJECT MONEY THAT WE DID NOT DO.
WE'RE DOING THEM FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THERE'S A GAP OF A YEAR WHERE WE JUST REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS OVER THE LAST SIX, EIGHT MONTHS, BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS.
WE'LL REINSTATE SOME OF THAT AS POSSIBLE, AND AS THE ECONOMY RECOVERS.
BUT WE WANT TO TAKE A VERY CONSERVATIVE POSTURE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, JUST BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TEMPORARY HOLDING SPOT IS IN RESERVES.
WHEN YOU ARE CLOSING OUT YOUR YEAR-END, YOU'RE KEEPING THOSE DOLLARS IN RESERVE, WE'RE NOT SPENDING THEM ON PREVIOUSLY APPROVED CIP PROGRAMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AS THE NEXT YEAR GOES THROUGH, IS THAT A WITHDRAWAL FROM RESERVES?
[02:35:01]
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS APPROVED OR BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL, OR IS THAT A STAFF AUTHORIZATION?>> NO, IT WOULD NOT BE A STAFF AUTHORIZATION.
BECAUSE IT WOULD BE AN EXPENDITURE POTENTIALLY ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, WE WOULD COME TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF ROUTINE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE DEFERRED, WHETHER ITS FACILITY PROJECTS OR STREET PROJECTS, GENERAL OR VERY LOW-LEVEL RESURFACING, POTHOLE REPAIRING, JUST SOME GENERAL STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THERE'S ALSO SOME LARGER CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEFERRED AS WELL.
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF VALUE-BASED DECISIONS TO BE MADE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU. [OVERLAPPING] THAT HELPS CLARIFY A LOT.
IT'S A GOOD POSITION TO BE IN.
TO END UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR, HAVE EXCESS RESERVES AND THINK, "OKAY, MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SPEED UP SOME OF THAT FIVE-YEAR CIP PROJECT [OVERLAPPING] TIMELINE." THAT HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE.
>> OKAY. THAT DO IT FOR OUR MONTHLY BUDGET UPDATE?
>> OKAY. LET'S MOVE TO THE SALES TAX UPDATE PLEASE.
[1J. Sales Tax Update; and]
>> LET ME HAVE A VERY BRIEF SALES TAX UPDATE FROM ANDREW AS LAURA INTIMATED.
NOT THROUGH AN [INAUDIBLE] , [LAUGHTER] I CAN'T PLAY ANDREW'S STANDARD ON AUGUST.
[OVERLAPPING] ANDREW, WALK US THROUGH IT.
>> SURE, JARED. I'LL GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.
[LAUGHTER] DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THOSE SIMILAR INDICATORS THAT WE'VE TOUCHED ON IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
LAURA TOUCHED ON THE OXYGEN NUMBERS.
THIS IS A LITTLE SMALLER GRAPH.
IT SHOWS THE LAST THREE YEARS OF FISCAL YEAR.
OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE WE WERE SEEING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF 36 PERCENT.
APRIL MOVING INTO JULY, BUT STILL TRAILING THE 55-75 PERCENT RANGE THAT WE USUALLY SEE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, JUST FOR COMPARISON.
AS FAR AS THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE FOR JULY, WE'RE AT $71.86 COMPARED TO TYPICALLY BEING IN THE LOW '80S.
BUT WE HAVE SEEN THAT INCREASE FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN APRIL.
THEY ARE STARTING TO PERFORM A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
ONCE WE GET INTO THE WEEKLY NUMBERS HERE, YOU CAN SEE THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST IN THE RECENT WEEKS A SMALL DIP, BUT SPEAKING TO SOME OF THE HOTELIERS, THAT'S FAIRLY TYPICAL WHEN IT COMES BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON, UNLESS LESS HOTEL STAYS AS FAR AS VACATIONS, AND SHIFT MORE TO BUSINESS TRAVEL THAN VACATION.
I'VE STILL BEEN STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH THE PREVIOUS BUXTON GPS DATA SOFTWARE AND ACCESSING THAT, SO I WANT TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT COMPARISON WITH GOOGLE.
GOOGLE AND APPLE MOBILITY DATA.
ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE IS APRIL FIGURES, AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS AUGUST.
YOU CAN SEE EARLY ON APRIL, THAT'S WHERE YOU SAW RETAIL RECREATION TAKE A BIG DIP TO NEGATIVE 48 PERCENT.
PARKS WENT DOWN, GROCERY STORES WENT DOWN, BASICALLY ACROSS THE BOARD, WE SAW MAJOR DECREASES IN FOOT TRAFFIC.
BUT ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, NOW THAT WE ARE IN AUGUST, SO YOU'VE SEEN RETAIL INCREASE SEVEN PERCENT, GROCERY IS ABOUT EVEN WHERE IT WOULD TYPICALLY BE, PARTIAL INCREASE 51 PERCENT.
WHAT IS INTERESTING IS WE'RE STILL SEEING A DECLINE IN WORKPLACE.
I THINK THAT SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL STAYING WORKING FROM HOME WHERE POSSIBLE.
BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE MOBILE TRAFFIC IS TAKING PLACE.
THIS IS A SIMILAR SLIDE FOR RANDALL COUNTY, SHOWING 37 PERCENT DOWN RETAIL BACK IN APRIL, AND NOW PLUS 10 PERCENT IN AUGUST.
GROCERY STORE UP TWO PERCENT COMPARED DOWN 19 PERCENT.
ALSO SEEING NOT AS MUCH OF THE DECREASE IN WORKPLACE TRAFFIC, BUT STILL DOWN 27 PERCENT COMPARED TO 36 PERCENT.
AS FAR AS APPLE, THIS IS ALL IN ONE GRAPH FOR RANDALL AND POTTER COUNTY.
BUT BACK IN APRIL, RANDALL WAS DOWN 48 PERCENT, AND POTTER DOWN 49 PERCENT, AND NOW THEY'RE BOTH BACKUP TO THE 96 PERCENT, 100 PERCENT RANGE COMPARED TO THE BASELINE BACK IN JANUARY.
DEFINITELY SEEING MOBILITY TRENDS INCREASING.
AS FAR AS SALES TAX, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF THE OVERALL INDUSTRY DATA.
OF COURSE MAY WE WERE DOWN SIX PERCENT.
WE BASICALLY SAW EVERY CATEGORY EXCEPT FOR MISCELLANEOUS, WAS THAT A DECREASE? EVEN RETAIL AT NEGATIVE 3.54, WHAT WE SEE IN THE COMING SLIDE THAT RETAIL HAS REALLY INCREASED QUITE A BIT ONCE SHOPPING IS CONTINUED.
IN JUNE, WE ALSO SAW ALL BUT ONE DOWN.
IN THAT CASE, IT WAS WHOLESALE THAT WAS UP JUST OVER ZERO PERCENT, SO SO REALLY THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MONTH WHERE EVERYBODY SAW PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DECLINES.
[02:40:06]
JULY IS WHEN RETAIL REALLY TOOK OFF WITH THE 15.79 PERCENT INCREASE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.MISCELLANEOUS IS ALSO AT 12 PERCENT.
THEN AUGUST, WHICH ENDED UP BEING THE BIGGEST AUGUST WE'VE HAD IN ALL THE DATA THAT I WAS ABLE TO REVIEW, TOOK OFF SIGNIFICANTLY, RETAIL IS UP 12.91 PERCENT.
ANOTHER GOOD INDICATOR OF PERFORMANCE WAS OUR FOOD CATEGORY UP THREE PERCENT COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS FEW MONTHS WHERE IT'S JUST BEEN THINNED DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD AS FAR AS FOOD TRAFFIC TO OUR RESTAURANTS AND LIMITED SERVICE RESTAURANTS.
HERE'S A DETAILED SNAPSHOT OF AUGUST WHICH IS OUR MOST RECENT DATA THAT WE HAVE ACCESSED TOO FOR JUNE 2020 SALES.
YOU COULD SEE RETAIL AGAIN UP 12.91 PERCENT.
REALLY, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, THIS ALMOST SEEMS LIKE A TYPICAL YEAR FOR US WHEN YOU COMPARE THE NUMBERS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE, WE HAD A FEW DOWN IN 2019 AND WE HAVE A FEW DOWN COMPARED TO 2020.
INSTEAD OF THE TYPICAL CHART THAT SHOWED YOU REALLY EVERY SINGLE INDUSTRY DATA, I WANT TO JUST PULL A FEW JUST TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT [INAUDIBLE] PERFORMING.
THIS IS THE OVERALL RETAIL CATEGORY WHERE YOU COULD SEE, EXCEPT FOR THE DECREASE OF THE MAY AND JUNE, WE'VE REALLY SEEN INCREASE IS GOING ALL THE WAY BACK, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO JULY 2019 WHERE RETAIL WAS UNDERPERFOMING, SO IT'S PERFORMED VERY WELL NOW BACK ON TRACK AND BETTER THAN ALL THE PREVIOUS DATA THAT WE HAVE.
RETAIL NON STORE, THIS IS YOUR ONLINE SALES THAT WE TALKED THROUGHOUT EACH MONTH WHERE IT'S JUST 100 PERCENT, 200 PERCENT INCREASES, IT JUST CONTINUES TO GROW AS MORE ONLINE SALES TAKE PLACE WITH AMAZON AND OTHER RETAILERS WHO DON'T HAVE A BRICK AND MORTAR STORE.
THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE HAD IN HISTORY SO FAR, JULY 2020, THAT'S A 214 PERCENT INCREASE, THAT SECOND BAR FROM THE RIGHT.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE IS THE NUMBER 1 OF THE MAJOR REVENUE CATEGORIES AS FAR AS SALES [INAUDIBLE] AND YOU CAN SEE THEY AS WELL HAVE INCREASED THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS COMPARED TO FOUR MONTH IN A ROW DECLINE BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE.
THEY PERFORMED MUCH BETTER AT 10 PERCENT IN JULY AND A 4.1 PERCENT IN AUGUST.
AS FAR AS BUILDING MATERIALS, THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES THAT HAS PERFORMED WELL THROUGHOUT THE COVID PANDEMIC TAKING PLACE.
MORE PEOPLE STAY AT HOME, HAVING MORE STAY AT HOME PROJECT, DO YOURSELF PROJECT.
SO SINCE JANUARY, WE'VE JUST SEEN CONSTANT GROWTH AND INCREASED WITH THE MOST RECENT BEING 28 PERCENT AND 34 PERCENT COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEAR.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE CATEGORY, THIS INCLUDES CONVENIENCE STORES, GROCERY STORES, THE SAME THIS AUGUST IS BASICALLY FLAT, JUST 0.01 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHERE WE'VE SEEN INCREASES OF 11 PERCENT, ALMOST EIGHT PERCENT, AND ALMOST EIGHT AND A HALF.
I THINK THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IS STARTING TO LEVEL OUT A BIT AS FAR AS THEIR PERFORMANCE FROM THE PREVIOUS SPIKES DUE TO COVID.
CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES IS ANOTHER GOOD CATEGORY, JUST TO SEE IF PEOPLE ARE OUT AND ABOUT SHOPPING AT OUR LOCAL BOUTIQUES AND CLOTHING, JEWELRY STORES, THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES.
AUGUST IS THE FIRST ONE IN FOUR MONTHS THAT WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE OF THREE PERCENT COMPARED TO DECLINES IN THE 10 PERCENT TO 24 PERCENT RANGE THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
THEN I WANT TO TOUCH ON FOOD CATEGORY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
YOU CAN SEE, THEY HAD FOUR MONTHS OF STRAIGHT DECLINES WHEN PEOPLE JUST WEREN'T GOING OUT EATING, GOING TO THE RESTAURANT.
AUGUST IS THE FIRST ONE WHERE WE'VE SEEN A THREE PERCENT INCREASE.
NOW, I WANTED TO MOVE INTO THE TWO CATEGORIES THAT WE TRACK FULL SERVICE WHICH IS YOUR MORE TYPICAL SIT DOWN RESTAURANTS.
IT'S GETTING VERY CLOSE TO BREAKING EVEN OR COMING BACK TO POSITIVE.
THE LATEST MONTH IN AUGUST IS NEGATIVE 1.54 PERCENT COMPARED TO ANYWHERE FROM 15 PERCENT TO ALMOST 40 PERCENT IN DECLINE THEY SOLD PREVIOUS MONTHS.
THEN THE LIMITED MORE FAST FOOD, FAST CASUAL RESTAURANTS, THOSE BACKS HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WITH AUGUST STAYING 8.32 PERCENT AND JULY AT 1.7, AND THEN THEIR DECLINES WERE IN THE 8-10 PERCENT RANGE BEFORE THEY STARTED MAKING TURNAROUND, WHICH YOU CAN SEE GOING BACK TO SEPTEMBER,
[02:45:02]
THEY WERE CONSTANTLY SEEING INCREASES YEAR OVER YEAR, EXCEPT FOR THESE TWO MONTHS.THEY'RE ALWAYS ONE OF OUR HIGHER PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES.
THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THE WORKFORCE DATA.
THE MOST RECENT DATA CAME OUT FOR JULY IN LATE AUGUST.
AS YOU CAN SEE, COMPARED TO 2019 AT 2.9 PERCENT, WE'RE NOW SEEING AS 5.3.
SO GOING BACK TO APRIL, EVERY MONTH, WE'VE SEEN IT COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS OUR CITY LIMITS PERFORMANCE.
THEN THIS LAST SLIDE IS OUR MSA, YOU CAN SEE THE COMPARISON ON HOW THE MSA IS PERFORMING COMPARED TO TEXAS AND THE US.
JULY WAS FIVE POINT ONE FOR THE MSA, TEXAS AT 8.2 PERCENT, AND THE US AT 10.5.
SO AMARILLO AND THE MSA CONTINUE TO PERFORM.
IN THE MOST AREAS, I BELIEVE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT THE STATE, AT THE CITY, AND I THINK MSA AS WELL.
THEN YOU COULD SEE TO THE THE RIGHT HAND SIDE HOW SOME THE PERFORMANCE HAS CHANGED AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
WE'RE STILL NOT SEEING A MONTHLY CHANGE IN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY, SO ZERO PERCENT, STILL DOWN NEGATIVE 34 PERCENT, FINANCIAL INCREASE 7.4 PERCENT FOR THE MONTH, STILL DOWN NEGATIVE 14.
YOU COULD SEE WHICH CATEGORIES STILL HAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AS WE SEE MORE JOBS COME BACK ONLINE.
WITH THAT, DO YOU-ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? [NOISE]
>> ANDREW, DO WE HAVE ANY METHOD OF TRACKING? DO WE KNOW HOW MANY BUSINESSES HAVE CLOSED SINCE THE START OF COVID-19?
>> I HAVE TRACKING FOR THAT, MORE THAN JUST THE ONES YOU MIGHT SEE ON FACEBOOK OR SOCIAL MEDIA AS FAR AS TRACKING, SINCE WE ALL HAVE BUSINESS PERMITS PER SAY, WE DON'T HAVE A DATABASE OF WHOSE GOT AN ACTIVE PERMIT OR NOT, BUT I COULD RESEARCH THAT AND SEE IF I CAN FIND ANY PARTICULAR INFO FROM ME.
I CAN AT LEAST CHECK OURSELVES TO ACTUALLY SEE IF ANYBODY STOPPED PAYING, THAT COULD BE AN INDICATOR THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. I CAN RESEARCH THAT FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? ANDREW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE DATA THAT YOU PULL TOGETHER TO MAKE THOSE PRESENTATIONS FOR US.
>> OKAY, COUNCIL, THIS FINAL THING ON OUR AGENDA IS JUST ANY FUTURE REQUESTS FOR REPORTS OR ANY ITEMS YOU WANT TO PUT ON THE AGENDA.
>> SORRY, I WAS PUSHING THE WRONG BUTTON, I HAD MY FINGER ON THE SHIFT BUTTON.
[LAUGHTER] I WOULD TURN IT OVER
[2. EXECUTIVE SESSION:]
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST TO READ OUR SPECIAL EXECUTIVE SESSION LANGUAGE, PLEASE.>> [INAUDIBLE] CLOSE SESSION THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON SEPTEMBER THE FIRST 2020 AT 3:48 PM UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY: SECTION 551.072 TO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, SALE, LEASE, VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.
A PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.
SECTION 551.087, DISCUSS COMMERCIAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR THE LOCATION AND RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOR INCENTIVES.
THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND [NOISE] OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE SAME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BRYAN. THAT'S GOING TO DISMISS US TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[INAUDIBLE] [NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.