[A. REGULAR SESSION]
[00:00:05]
OKAY.UM, FOUR BEING PRESENT, UM, BOARD DIRECTORS, UH, SO
EVERYONE HAS HAD A GREAT DAY, UM, FOR IN THE PAST.
MAY WE ASK YOU TO DO THE INVITATION FIRST, AND YES, SIR, MR. PRESIDENT, SHALL WE BOW GOD OUR FATHER, WE ARE GRATEFUL GOD, FOR THIS DAY THAT YOU'VE MADE.
WE ARE THANKFUL GOD FOR THESE LEADERS, FOR OUR PRESIDENT GOD, AND FOR THESE LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN TASKED TO HELP US GUIDE THE CITY TO A MORE ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, POSITION.
GOD, WE ASK NOW THAT YOU GIVE THE PARTY A THOUGHT IN MIND, WE ASK THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE HUMILITY IN THE SPIRIT, GOD, THAT WE MIGHT, UH, DISAGREE MAYBE ON PROCESS, BUT NEVER ON PERSON.
SO WE ASK NOW THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE OUR MINDS AND OUR THOUGHTS AND BLESS OUR FOOD IN JESUS NAME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT WONDERFUL PRAYER.
AND, UM, I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, AS A FOLLOW UP TO OUR RETREAT LAST WEEK, I THOUGHT WE HAD A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL RETREAT AND WE WANTED TO APPLAUSE EVERYONE FOR THE INPUT, THE COLLABORATION, AND THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO AS A NEW RESULT.
THANK YOUR, AND NOW THAT WE GO INTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA, UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME NEW BUSINESS ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FOR DISCUSSION AND OR POSSIBLE ACTION AT THIS TIME.
AND TO START OFF, WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH
[B.1. May 2023Financial Status Report -- Tracy Cormier, Director of Budget/Finance]
OUR, UH, MAY, 2023 FINANCIAL STATUS REPORT.UH, TRACY TRACY'S OUR DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND FINANCE, IF YOU WILL.
EVERYONE, UM, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE, I'M GONNA HAVE A COPY OF THE REPORT.
UM, AS FAR AS REVENUE, UM, TRAINING HAS EXPECTED, UM, AS STATED IN PREVIOUS REPORTION OF SALE TAX, UH, REVENUE DOWN OVERALL, WE AT, UH, 4% OF OUR BUDGET, UM, COLLECTED FOR THE YEAR.
UM, INTEREST IS TRENDING PRETTY WELL.
UM, OF COURSE WE GET A HIGHER RATE ON OUR, UM, OUR BANK ACCOUNT, 4%, SO THAT'S IN INTEREST.
AND THEN PLUS DURING OF MAY, ONE OF OUR CDS MATURE AND WE, AND SO THAT DEFINITELY IS KEEP TRINITY UP AS FAR AS EXPENDITURES.
UM, ONLY THING OUT OF ORDINARY.
WE DID HAVE A 50,000 BUSINESS GRANT.
AND DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY, NOT THE SOTA PRIVATE, IT'S ON PRIVATE.
UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, IT WASN'T ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
UM, EXPENDITURES ARE STILL DOWN FOR THE YEAR, BUT OF COURSE WE KIND OF BEEN EXPLAINING THAT IN THE PAST.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? JUST ONE QUESTION.
BACK TO THE BUSINESS GRANT LINE.
SO LAST YEAR THAT YOU DEPLOYED 900 6960 5,000.
SO WHAT WAS THAT FOR? WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? I CAN'T TELL YOU ALL OF THOSE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, I, I CAN CERTAINLY HIT ON SEVERAL OF THEM THAT ARE SIZABLE OKAY.
OF, OF AN INCENTIVE TO, TO GLASS FLOSS.
IT'S AN ONGOING INCENTIVE FROM, UM, THEIR RELOCATION HERE, UM, BACK IN 20 20 16.
UM, WE HAVE AN ONGOING COMMITMENT TO THEM.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING COMMITMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S SIZE WISE, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP HEAD.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING COMMITMENT TO, UH, SQUARE CABINETRY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ALLIED, UM, INTERIORS.
THEY'RE A SUBSIDIARY OF ALLIED INTERIORS.
OUR COMMITMENT TO THEM IS, IS, UH, I'M NOT MISTAKEN, $15,000 PER YEAR.
UM, AND IT'S AN EMPLOYMENT GRANT, UH, THAT WE MADE TO THEM.
THAT, THAT WILL RUN FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
UM, BUT SEVERAL MONTHS EARLIER, EARLIER THIS YEAR, SEVERAL MONTHS BACK, UM, WE INCREASED, WE RECOMMITTED TO THAT INCENTIVE AND INCREASED THE OVERALL INCENTIVE BASED ON THEIR CONTINUED GROWTH AND REINVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'LL BE SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER FUND, UH, INCENTIVES
[00:05:01]
FOR THEM IN THE FUTURE.UM, WE DID A $250,000 GRANT TO, UH, SOLAR TURBINES.
WHICH IS ACTUALLY A $500,000 GRANT.
THE FIRST $250,000 THAT WAS PAID OUT LAST YEAR AS PART OF THEIR INITIATION OF THEIR GROWTH FOR THEIR TITAN 3000 TEST CELL.
UM, THAT A YEAR AFTER THEY COMPLETE THAT, WE'LL PUT THE OTHER $250,000 TOWARDS THAT.
I THINK THERE WAS ALSO AN, THERE WAS A, AN INCENTIVE IN THERE FOR, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THESE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I THINK KOHL'S WAS IN THERE, THE LAST KOHL'S PACKAGE.
I THINK THE LAST KOHL'S PAYMENT WAS ALSO IN THERE, WHICH WAS A, A MUCH SMALLER PAYMENT.
BUT, BUT I THINK IT WAS IN THERE AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT 700,000.
WOULDN'T THAT WOULDN'T MAKE THIS NON ON 1, 2 50.
I THINK THOSE ARE MADE BY, WELL, THOSE ARE SOME, WELL, YOU DON'T EVEN MENTIONED THE TWO 50, BUT THE GLASS, GLASS WAS SQUARE CABINETRY.
SOLAR TURBINES ARE THE LARGER ONES, CORRECT? THEY ARE.
AND SO BY THE END OF THE, THIS YEAR, I MEAN, I KNOW WE ONLY DEPLOY 100,000, YOU THINK WE'LL DEPLOY HOW MUCH IN GRANTS? I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY DEPLOY AN ADDITIONAL, PROBABLY $350,000.
THEY COME, THEY, THEY COME IN AUGUST AND THOSE TWO, THOSE SEVERAL OF THOSE COME IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
UM, I ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL PROBABLY DEPLOY ABOUT ANOTHER $350,000 40 YEAR GRAND.
SO ABOUT FOUR 50, PROBABLY SOME TOTAL FOR THE YEAR.
SO WHY THE ALMOST HALF MILLION DOLLAR DROP KOHL'S, KOHL, KOHL'S
THE, SO, UM, OUR AGREEMENT WITH KOHL'S REPAID A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THEIR SALES TAX.
AND SO IT, WHEN, WHEN THEY QUIT REMITTING THAT SALES TAX HERE, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PAY BACK FOR THEM.
AND THAT'S THE SUBSTANTIAL PROFIT.
IT'S ALSO, IT'S ALSO THE REASON FOR THE SUBSTANTIAL PROFIT IN REVENUES, UM, TO BOTH THE CITY AS WELL AS THE, AS THE DEVELOPMENT.
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL, UM, AND, UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE A NOTE TO DO THAT.
UM, TO GIVE YOU A, A, A YEAR BY YEAR, UH, COMMITMENT.
WE ACTUALLY, WE KEEP THAT, UM, JUST SO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE COMMITTING
UM, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
UH, AS PART OF OUR
WE ADMINISTER ALL OF THOSE OUT OF THE OFFICE.
UM, AND THAT GIVE YOU A, MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER VIEW OF WHAT'S UPCOMING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN WITH THOSE GRANTS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, THE IMPACT OR METRICS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THOSE GRANT AGREEMENTS? THEY ARE THAT IN EXCHANGE FOR YOU EXPECT YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO, WHATEVER, IT, IT SPELLS IT OUT.
EACH, EACH ONE OF THEM HAS THEIR OWN, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE BUSINESS PURPOSE FOR IT IS CLEARLY DEFINED AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE CLAWBACK OR THE, THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT MEETING THOSE.
UM, AND HOW THAT, IN SOME CASES, WE TAKE THAT MONEY BACK.
IN SOME CASES WE JUST DON'T MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS.
IT IT SORT OF DEPENDENT ON THE INDIVIDUAL AGREEMENT.
SO WE'RE AT AN ACTUAL YEAR TO 8% OF BUDGET AT 80.1%.
AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, PERCENT OF PRIOR IS 47.3%.
SO THAT'S GOING TO START TRENDING LOWER ONCE WE GET OUT THAT AGREEMENT.
AND SO, YEAH, THAT'S GONNA START GOING DOWN.
AND SO SIMILARLY, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, THE TEAM TRAVELING, WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO 35% TO ZERO THAT ACTUALLY DID OUR TRAVEL? WELL, NO, LAST YEAR I THINK ALL THE TRAVEL WAS LUMPED IN.
WHAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, I DON'T THINK, DID WE SPLIT IT OUT LAST YEAR? NO, WE DID NOT.
SEE, IT WASN'T, IT DIDN'T HAVE ITS OWN LINE ITEM LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S, WE SPLIT IT OUT THIS YEAR.
ANY, UH, FURTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE, UH, FINANCIAL STAFF? SIR?
[00:10:07]
I'M GOOD.YEAH, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER FOR YOU.
[B.2. City Council Liaison update regarding City events, meetings, etc. -- Councilmember Andre Byrd]
WE HAVE, UM, UH, UPDATE FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL LIAISON REGARDING CITY EVENTS AND MEETINGS, ET CETERA.AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DECIDE TO REFER TO SHARE WITH US.
UH, THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY THAT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE IN, WE'RE ON OUR SEAT, UM, OUR SUMMER SCHEDULE, WHICH MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO MEETINGS A MONTH, SO FOR JUNE, JULY, AND I BELIEVE AUGUST, WE ARE DOWN TO ONE MEETING EVERY THIRD, EVERY THIRD TUESDAY INSTEAD OF EVERY FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY.
UH, BUT WE'RE STILL DOING A LOT OF WORK, UH, WHEN WE'RE NOT IN THE MEETING.
UM, JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD BE AWARE OF, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IS, UM, THE FIRST THING IS, IS GOING TO BE THE, UM, IS, UH, COUNCIL, UH, IN AUGUST IS GETTING READY FOR OUR SUMMER RETREAT.
THIS IS WHERE WE TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS AND, AND, AND, AND OUTLINE THE REST OF THE YEAR AND KIND OF PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR AND THOSE ITEMS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED.
UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE, WE ARE, WE'RE IN BUDGET SEASONS, SO WE WILL HAVE MANY BUDGET WORKSHOPS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF, UH, WEEKS OR SO.
UH, AND I BELIEVE PARTICULARLY NEXT WEEK, THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF DAYS WHERE WE'LL COME AND GO OVER THE BUDGET, KIND OF OUR FIRST REVIEW OF THE BUDGET.
SO THOSE DEAL, THOSE ITEMS ARE HAPPENING.
THE, UM, UH, THOSE ARE THE BIG DEALS RIGHT NOW.
OUR COUNCIL MEETING, UH, FOR THIS MONTH WILL HAPPEN ON TUESDAY.
THE, UM, THE, THE 18TH OF, UH, JULY.
UH, AND ON THE 10TH OF JULY, WE JUST HAD OUR ETHICS TRAINING.
AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU WILL HEAR THAT'S AN ANNUAL REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE OF US WHO SERVE ON BOARDS, UH, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY, UH, GO.
JOE GARCIA, UH, AN EXCELLENT JOB OF TAKING THIS THROUGH THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ON, UM, ON CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS TO SERVE ON, ON THE BOARDS, THE WALKING CORNERS, AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT RIGHT NOW.
NOW, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER, UH, AS ALWAYS, THERE'S SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
I HAVE TO KNOW IS, IS STILL MOVING AND CHUCKLING ALONG.
UH, MANY PLANS ARE STILL, UH, GOING FORWARD.
THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME, UH, TO BE IN DESOTA, AND I'M EXCITED TO BE SERVING, UH, ON THE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE, UM, UM, EVER SO OFTEN WE BOTH PLAY NEW MAYOR PRO TIM AS A TITLE THAT IS KIND OF VOTED AROUND OR PERSON CAN BE REVOLTED.
BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, UM, MS. ISHA HUGHES IS THE MAYOR EM, UH, FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SHE'S, UH, UH, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR EM HUGHES IS AN INCREDIBLE LEADER.
UH, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL, UH, TO HAVE, UH, TO HAVE HER AS THE MAYOR.
EM OBVIOUSLY, UH, ALL OF US ARE STILL HERE TO SERVE.
SO THAT'S ALL THAT WE HAVE, UNLESS THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IN OUR RETREAT THAT WE THINK WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL IN HELPING YOU IS TO DO A JOINT MEETING, JOINT RETREAT WITH CITY COUNCIL PLANNING AND ZONING.
AND WE THINK THAT THE LEADER WHO CAME TO SHARE IN OUR ATTORNEY WHO SCARED US TO DEBT, GOOD JOB, RIGHT?
WE STILL SHARP SHAKING, BUT I THINK THAT UNDERSTANDING HOW THE COMPONENTS WORK, BEING ABLE TO, TO WALK THROUGH WHY PLANNING AND ZONING IS YES OR NO EFFECTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THAT AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO COUNSEL.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO SPEND A DAY OR TWO WITH OUR LEADER HERE, AND THE YOUNG LADY WHO CAME AND GAVE US OUR SESSION THE LAST DAY, I THINK THEN IT WOULD PROVE TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF FRUIT.
WE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL, EVEN FROM THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO CREATE SYNERGY TO HELP THE OTHER PART OF THAT, TO HELP THE, SO ISDI THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE LEADERSHIP IN THE ROOM TOO.
SHOW 'EM HOW EACH COMPONENT COULD HELP EACH OTHER AND LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR THE CITY OF THE SUN.
[00:15:01]
AND WE, WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.WE, WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR THAT SO THAT EACH BODY, 'CAUSE AND PRESIDENT SAID THAT WE, WE GOTTA BREAK THESE SILOS.
EVERYBODY OPERATING IN THE SILO IS NOT PRODUCTIVE FOR THE CITIZENS OF DESOTO.
ONCE WE CREATE, IF WE WERE ABLE TO GATHER THAT, THAT GROUP TOGETHER AND BE ABLE TO THEN GO AND TALK TO OR INVITE THOSE 72 HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO THE TABLE AND LET THEM HEAR FROM LEADERSHIP OR WHAT'S GOING ON TO TALK ABOUT WHO'S COMING, WHAT'S COMING, YOU GUYS WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO ALL THAT HEAVY LIFTING.
'CAUSE YOU, YOU, PEOPLE ARE RUNNING TO GET OLD BEFORE THEY EVEN GET THE UN UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND SO I THINK THAT THERE WOULD LOWER SOME OF THE ATTENTION IN THE CITY.
I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL SUGGESTION.
I DID WRITE THAT NOTE FROM, FROM THE RETREAT.
THAT, UM, UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE PUT THINGS OUT ELECTRONICALLY AND WE TALK TO ANY INDIVIDUAL, BE ABLE TO HAVE A COLLECTIVE FRONT.
I, A UNITED FRONT, IF YOU WOULD, WOULD BE, UM, I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL, I, I BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME THAT.
SO I WILL TAKE THAT BACK TO THEM AND SEE IF, IF MADAM MAYOR COULD CONVENE SUCH A MEETING TO, UH, TO WHERE WE WOULD CALL IT A RETREAT OR, OR, OR, OR MAYBE A DAY OR HALF DAY OR SO TO WHERE WE CAN BRING ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS TOGETHER.
WE WOULD TALK TO THE MAYOR AND, UH, AND THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I THINK THAT THAT A WONDERFUL, YOUR RETREAT WAS INCREDIBLE, BY THE WAY.
AND, UH, THE ONBOARDING OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS, UM, SO THAT WE ALL ARE SELLING THE SAME VISION AND WE CAN SUPPORT THE VISION.
I KNOW ONE TIME WHEN WE WERE, UM, A PIT, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PIT COUNCIL HAD APPROVED TO PLANNING AND ZONING DENIED IT, AND THEN WE HAD TO OVER, YOU KNOW, SO IT, IT WAS JUST THOSE SILOS NOT TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND YOU, WE ARE A CITY OF 58,000 TO ROUND UP PEOPLE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT JOINT MEETING WOULD BE AWESOME.
WE WILL SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNCIL, WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND THE, THE MAYOR AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I JUST THINK THAT IT, IT'LL LOWER SOME OF THE, AND CREATE SOME OF THE TRANSPARENCY.
PEOPLE THINK WE HIDING SOMETHING.
WE'RE NOT, WE, UH, IF I MAY PIGGYBACK AND, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR
AND WE JUST THINK THROUGH THE ENTIRE, UH, SEA OF, OF, OF, UH, DISCIPLINES, UH, VARIOUS DISCIPLINES BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD AS WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RECEIVING THAT.
ANY FURTHER, DISCUSS DISCUSSIONS, UH, UH, CITY COUNCILMAN, UH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING PART OF THIS ACTIVITY THIS EVENING.
YOU LOOK, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
[B.3. Discussion of the proposed FY23/24 DDC Budget]
WE HAVE A DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2324, UH, DDC BUDGET.SO, UH, THE BUDGET YOU SEE HERE IS THE SAME ONE WE LOOKED AT AS A, AS A GROUP, UH, IN OUR RETREAT.
UM, THIS IS THE DRAFT BUDGET THAT BETWEEN MR. CORER AND MYSELF, CITY MANAGER, UM, WE HAVE WORKED TO PUT TOGETHER TO INCLUDE IN THE CITY'S BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND START NEXT WEEK.
UM, THEY GO THROUGH DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER LAST WEEK, WE GAVE YOU SOME MORE DETAILED INFORMATION FOR SOME OF THOSE EXPENDITURES.
UM, THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE DEPTH OF INFORMATION.
UM, BUT THERE WAS, THERE WAS SOME INTEREST IN HAVING THIS AT THE, THAT IT WAS EXPRESSED BY THE BOARD AND HAVING THIS IN OUR DISCUSSION TODAY, UM, AROUND A COUPLE OF ITEMS, AND NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WAS, UM, THIS BUDGET PROVIDES FOR, UH, FOR THIS, THIS COMING YEAR, $656,000 FOR PERSONNEL.
UH, THAT'S TOTAL EXPENSES AND, UH, SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UH, THAT, THAT COMPENSATES THERE.
AND IT'S, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
THE PRINCIPAL PORTION OF THAT.
UM, PART OF THAT IS, IS THE CONTINUED, UM, LAST YEAR
[00:20:01]
WE HAD A PAY, A PAY PERFORMANCE, UH, PROGRAM THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED, THAT IMPLEMENTED SOME INCREASES IN PAY FOR OUR, FOR OUR STAFF.AND PART OF THAT IS STILL RIPPLING THROUGH.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS IS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL POSITION AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR A PROGRAM MANAGER, UM, WHO IS, WHO WILL RESIDE IN OUR OFFICES, ALTHOUGH MAYBE NOT PHYSICALLY SINCE THERE'S NO DESK.
UM, BUT TRACY'S OFFERED UP SPACE OVER IN THEIR OFFICES, SO THEY HAVE JUST TONS OF ROOM LEFTOVERS, ROOM CLOSET.
UM, BUT OH, IT'S A BUNK TEST IN THE BREWING CLOSET.
UM, BUT THAT PROGRAM MANAGER'S RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, WILL PRIMARILY LAY AROUND, UH, AS WE BRING THE, THE VARIOUS KEY PROJECTS FORWARD IN THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, UM, IN THE TURS AREA, UH, ENFORCING OR IMPLEMENTING, I SHOULD SAY, NOT ENFORCING THE TURS AND COLLECTING THOSE FUNDS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE APPROPRIATING THOSE PROPERLY.
UM, THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR THOSE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ASPECTS.
UM, IT'S ONLY GETTING MORE COMPLEX.
IT STARTS OFF WITH OUR ROOTS CHICKEN SHACK.
UM, AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING, AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BOOKEND PROJECTS THAT ARE OUR MASTER DEVELOPER.
UM, AND THOSE PROJECTS WE GO ONGOING FOR MORE THAN LIKELY A DECADE.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS TO ACTUALLY COME FROM THE TOURS AT SOME POINT, BUT FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, AS THATT TAKES EFFECT AND WE START TO SEE THE CASH FLOWS FROM IT, UM, WE'LL BE FUNDING IT OUT OF THE DDC.
SO THAT'S THE PRINCIPLE PORTION THAT YOU HAVE THERE.
THAT'LL BRING OUR HEAD COUNT IN OUR DEPARTMENT TO A TOTAL OF FIVE.
UH, MYSELF, ANTOINE, MELBA, UH, RHONDA, AND THEN A NEW PROGRAM PROGRAM MANAGER.
DOES MEMBERSHIP DESCRIPTION AND LIKE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, TRAVEL AESTHETIC INCLUDE AVAILABLE MONEY FOR ALL DEPARTMENT STAFF? UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MEMBERSHIPS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS, THE, THE, THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR STAFF'S MEMBERSHIPS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OR MEMBERSHIP WITH THE, THE, WITH THE DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS OF WHICH WE ARE MEMBERS, AND THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN THERE, THE TRAINING AND TRAVEL EXPENSES ALSO, UH, IT, IT IS SOMETHING I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN IS, IS TRAINING OUR STAFF, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW, UH, IN, IN THESE ROLES.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT INCLUDES THE TRAINING FOR EVERYONE, UH, INCLUDING MYSELF, UH, AS WE CONTINUE OUR PROFESSIONAL, UH, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. OKAY.
AND THAT'S ALREADY TAKING CONSIDERATION THE NEW STAFF PERSON AND WHO NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE.
AND A NUMBER OF THESE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU SEE OFFICE EQUIPMENT, YOU SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THERE.
SOME OF THIS IS LEFT OVER FROM, UM, REMEMBER WITH THE, THE BOARD CREEK WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING MORE DETAIL IN OUR BUDGET THAN WE HAVE HAD BEFORE.
UM, AND SO SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE NUMBERS REFLECT THAT.
SO NUMBERS THAT EITHER WERE ZEROS BEFORE AND NOW ARE LARGE, UM, IS BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE LINE ITEMS TO ASSIGN THEM TO, MISCELLANEOUS HAS DROPPED TO ZERO FROM $150,000.
THAT $150,000 IS NOW DISTRIBUTED AMONGST THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES.
UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THOSE THAT HAVE SORT OF BEEN REARRANGED TO BETTER REFLECT WHAT THE ACTUAL COSTS ARE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME FAIRLY LARGE CHANGES ASSOCIATED, UM, AS WE CHANGE OUR ROLE WITH THE, THE GROSS DESOTO MARKETPLACE.
UM, BOTH THE REVENUES DROP AND THE EXPENSES DROP AS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DROP AS WELL.
UM, AND THERE WERE SOME PROFESSIONAL AND CONTRACTUAL, UH, EXPENSES THAT WERE ACCOUNTED FOR THAT HAVE ALSO DROPPED AS PART OF THOSE.
UM, BUT MOST OF THESE, UH, OR I SAY ANYTHING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONNEL HAS CERTAINLY BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT TRAINING, UM, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF, OF ACTIVITIES.
AND LASTLY, FOR GRANTS, UM, SLASH SPONSORSHIPS, UH, SO THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UM, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THIS CITY OF DESOTO WHERE YARD, LIKE THEY BUYING TICKETS OR TABLES OF COMMERCE.
UM, OUR TABLES, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, STATE OF THE CITY OR THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT, OR, UM, WHERE WE SPONSOR FLAGS FOR OUT FOR THE 4TH OF JULY AND MEMORIAL DAY.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THOSE TYPES OF SPONSORSHIPS, UM, THAT, THAT WE HELP WITH, UM, INCLUDING, UH, A COUPLE OF, OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AS WELL.
[00:25:01]
WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS, WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT ESPECIALLY ON THE, ON THE EXPENSE SIDE AS IT RELATES TO YOUR GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR AND WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE EXPECTED TO DO, UH, IS THE BUDGET, WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT CONSERVATIVE? WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT BEST CASE? I MEAN, IS IT, IS IT SUFFICIENT TO, UM, ACHIEVE OUR GOALS BY THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED? SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT OUR WORK PLAN FROM 2223 AND PROPOSED WORK PLAN THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING NOW, YOU KNOW, AFTER OUR RETREAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS FROM THAT WAS THE 2324 WORK PLAN.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN, BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'LL KIND OF BE THE TAIL END OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL AS WE LOOK AT A NEW STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, RETREAT WAS A DESIRE TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THE COUNCIL HAS SHARED THOSE, THOSE DESIRES IN THE PAST AND RETREATS THAT I'VE, THAT PARTICIPATED IN WITH THE COUNCIL.
ALL OF THE DIRECTORS PARTICIPATE IN THAT RETREAT WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I THINK THERE'S AN ONGOING DESIRE TO DO MORE.
UM, I, I ALWAYS REMIND OUR COUNCIL, UH, AND OUR CITY MANAGER, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE NOT STAFFED TO DO.
WE DO NOT HAVE A MEMBER OF OUR STAFF THAT HAS SUFFICIENT CAPACITY OR, UH, OR ISN'T, ISN'T CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN A WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO TAKE HALF OF THEIR TIME AND COMMIT IT TO A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT OR A FULL-TIME TO A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT.
IT'S THE ONE AREA THAT I, THAT I FORESEE THAT THERE MAY BE A DESIRE FROM YOU AS A BOARD TO, TO SPEND MORE TIME ON BASED ON YOUR CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AND THAT'S THE ONLY PIECE THAT IS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, IF THERE'S, IF THERE IS A DESIRE FROM THIS BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THAT, THEN WE, WE NEED TO REVISE THAT BUDGET, THE 20 23 24 BUDGET AT SOME POINT TO REFLECT THAT CHANGE.
IS THAT THE ONLY THING? I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY PIECE, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME ASSOCIATED COSTS WITH MAKING THAT CHANGE.
BUT I THINK OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK WE ARE, WE ARE WELL SUITED, UM, TO, TO MEET OUR GOALS.
UM, A A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF OUR BUSINESS GRANTS ARE UNACCOUNTED FOR, RIGHT? WE HAVE, WE HAVE PORTIONS OF THAT THAT ARE ACCOUNTED FOR AND SOME THAT ARE UNACCOUNTED, A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THEM, PLUS OR MINUS A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND, AND I WOULD, I DON'T FORESEE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A CHANGE IN THAT, IN THAT ACTIVITY LEVEL.
UM, BUT THE REASON THEY'RE, THEY'RE THERE IS BECAUSE WE MAY FIND THOSE PROJECTS ALONG THE WAY THAT WE ARE THEN GOING TO COMMIT TO.
UM, AND SO WE LEAVE THOSE DOLLARS THERE IF WE DON'T USE THE RULE OF OUR FUND BALANCE.
AND YOU'VE SEEN OUR FUND BALANCE GROW, UM, AND IT, IT EBBS AND FLOWS, BUT ON A, IT, AS A GENERAL RULE, IT CONTINUES TO GROW.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU, THAT YOU'D SEE THAT REFLECTED BASED ON HOW WE DEPLOY THOSE BUSINESS GRANTS.
THE REST OF THESE, I WOULD SAY ARE, ARE FAIRLY, UM, FAIRLY FLAT BUDGETING WITH PROVIDING FOR SOME LIMITED GROWTH IN IMAGING COSTS IN TERMS OF DEBT SERVICE.
DO WE EVER, DO YOU EVER TAKE OUT DEBT? WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
UM, WE, WE HAVE HAD, WE HAVE HAD, UM, ISSUANCES OF DEBT IN THE PAST.
UM, DPDC, IF YOU SEE AT THE TOP WHERE THEY BRING IN THE SALE TAX DOLLARS, THEY HAVE, UM, THE DDC IS DDC IS, UM, DESOTO PARK DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, THEY HAVE PLEDGED THEIR BONDS FOR, WHEN WE SELL BONDS FOR THE RECREATION CENTER, THEY HAVE PLEDGED THEIR MONEY.
AND SO WE PUT THIS IN A BUDGET JUST IN CASE WE SELL BONDS.
NEXT YEAR, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY PLEDGED A MILLION FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS TO SUPPLEMENT THAT.
SO IT JUST LIKE THIS IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, WE NEED TO SELL BONDS THIS YEAR.
SO THEY WON'T HAVE THAT PAYMENT.
WE'RE NOT FOR SURE, WE PROBABLY WON'T SELL AT PHE 23 OR 24.
WE KIND OF WAIT UNTIL THE RATES GET BACK.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY, AND THAT'S REALLY FOR MY OWN IFICATION AS WELL AS THE BOARD, WE HAVE A REVENUE, WE HAVE A REVENUE SOURCE FROM SALES TAX OF ONE EIGHTH PERCENT.
UM, IT, THAT CREATES AN ANTICIPATED $975,000 IN REVENUE.
AND WE'RE OFFSETTING THAT WITH THE DEBT SERVICE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR MASTER PLAN.
THAT'S ESTIMATED TO BE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[00:30:01]
WHAT WOULD DETERMINE IF THEY GO FROM DOING BONDS OR NOT? OH, WE ARE, WE ARE.IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN WE'RE GONNA SELL.
SO REMEMBER THAT THIS ORGANIZATION, THAT THE, THE DESOTO PARKS AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A SUBSET, IF YOU WILL, OF, OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THEY DEVELOP THEIR OWN WORK PLAN.
THEY PRESENT THAT WORK PLAN WITH ASSOCIATED BUDGET.
IT'S UP TO Y'ALL TO APPROVE THAT.
UH, IT EVERY YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE, I'M SURE A PRESENTATION FROM THEM, UM, THAT, UH, JUST UPDATES US TO SAY ESSENTIALLY WHAT, WHAT TRACY DID.
BUT IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT WE'RE BUYING.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT'S A MORE OF A PERFUNCTORY, UH, EVENT THAN IT IS A, UH, AN ANALYSIS OF THAT, THAT THE SORT OF PARKS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS BOARD APPROVES THEIR OWN THEIR OWN WORK PLAN AND THEIR OWN BUDGET.
IT IS SIMPLY, IT'S SIMPLY A FLOW THROUGH FROM US.
THE ONLY QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS THERE'S A $25,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THOSE.
WELL, REMEMBER NOW WE HAVE, YOU HAD A MILLION DOLLARS COMING IN, UM, YOU HAD A MILLION DOLLAR FUND BALANCE WHEN WE COMBINED, AND THEN YOU'RE COLLECTING THIS YEAR, AND NONE OF THAT MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SAVINGS TO SUPPLEMENT THAT $25,000 EACH YEAR.
SO BASICALLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 2 MILLION, ABOUT 2 MILLION IN THE BANK WHEN WE START, WHEN YOU START PAYING.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COVER $2 MILLION IN THE BANK ON BEHALF OF THE D PT C.
THAT IS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM OUR FUND.
TYPICALLY, WHAT'S THE TERM OF THOSE FUNDS? 20 YEARS.
DO YOU, DO YOU PREPAID IT OR DO YOU, DOES IT GO THE FULL 20? IT PRETTY MUCH GOES TO FOUR 20 NOW.
WE CAN CALL THEY, THEY BECOME CALLABLE WHERE WE CAN CALL 'EM IN AND GET A LOWER RATE.
WE USUALLY DO THAT AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT IT'S USUALLY 20 YEARS.
I WILL SAY WHEN THE DD E-D-D-C-E-D-C SWITCHED OVER FROM TYPE A TO B MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WAY WHEN THEY SWITCHED OVER, THEY WAS CLEAN AS FAR AS THAT.
SO IN THAT CASE, YOU COULD PAY IT OFF, NO PENALTY.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE? WHERE IS THE, UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE REVENUES FROM, UM, UH,
I KNOW, I KNOW FOR CERTAIN IT'S THOSE TWO.
I WASN'T SURE IF THERE WAS ONE OTHER, UM, WHERE WE SAW THOSE, WHERE WE SAW THOSE EXPENSES AS WELL.
SO THEY, THEY'RE SPREAD ALL THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE 53 HUNDREDS AND SO FORTH.
AND, AND THE REASON I ASK IS, 'CAUSE I'M SURE, UH, COUNSEL WAS GOING TO GO ON AND KNOW THAT, BUT THAT IS THE DELTA BETWEEN THE PROJECTED 2023 AND THE PROPOSED 2024.
THE 2.956 VERSUS THE $2.6 MILLION IS A SAVINGS THERE.
HELP, HELP ME WHERE YOUR LOOKING SERVICES, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL FEES.
I'M LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE SHIP, BECAUSE IF WE, WE ARE STILL, WE'RE GONNA BUDGET $90,000 IN REVENUE, UH, ADOPT I I I DOWN 360 FROM 360,000.
SO THE SAVINGS AND THE EXPENSES, UH, THAT, THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THAT REVENUE.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHICH ITEMS ARE, ARE, WHICH I'M GONNA WITH WITHOUT A GREATER DETAIL, BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY FLUSH THAT OUT FOR YOU.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD PROBABLY JUST AS THIS FLOAT UP.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A VERY GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE, UH, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY A QUESTION.
UM, HOW DOES THAT SAVINGS, HOW DOES THAT REVENUE SAVINGS LOOK? YEAH.
WHERE REVENUE, WHERE ARE THOSE PRESENTED? YEAH, WE, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT'S TRACKABLE, IF YOU WILL.
THE, THE ONE ITEM THAT YOU SEE IN OUR PROPOSED 24 BUDGET THAT SHOWS $90,000 REVENUE ALLOWS FOR US AS WE WIND DOWN THE, THE PRO SETTLE MARKETPLACE INVOLVEMENT.
IT, IT ANTICIPATES THREE MONTHS OF REVENUE AND THREE MONTHS OF EXPENSES THAT EXTEND THROUGH OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER.
THE, THE IDEA IS THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS CONCLUDED, UM, BY THE END OF DECEMBER.
UH, IT'S, IT'S TAKEN LONGER TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS THAN WE THOUGHT WITH, WITH MR. ANDERSON.
SO WE MAY END UP HAVING TO REVISE THAT INTO THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2324,
[00:35:01]
AND THERE WOULD BE REVENUE AND, AND OFFSETTING EXPENSES FOR WHATEVER THAT ADJUSTMENT WOULD BE.BUT THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT BY DECEMBER, 2020, UH, BY DECEMBER, 2023, IT WOULD, HOPEFULLY, THE ASSUMPTION WAS THAT WE WOULD BE DONE WITH THAT.
BUT REMEMBER, THERE'S A SIX MONTH, A SIX MONTH NOTIFICATION THERE.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE AT THIS POINT.
SO AT BEST YOU HAVE AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, WHICH IS FIVE MONTHS.
YOU'D HAVE TO AT LEAST MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR JANUARY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THERE? IF NOT, MR. PRESIDENT, I'D ASK THAT, THAT THIS BOARD WOULD APPROVE THE DRAFT, UH, THE DRAFT BUDGET AS IT'S PRESENTED, SO THAT WE MAY ACT, WE CAN FORWARD THAT AS PART OF, UH, THE PACKAGE TO THE COUNCIL WITH AN APPROVAL FROM THIS BOARD.
I SECOND IS THE MOTION AND DUTY.
UH, SECOND TO APPROVE THE, UH, UH, FISCAL YEAR 23, 24 DC BUDGET.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY OF RAISING YOUR HAND AND SAYING A REFLECT THE UNANIMOUS.
[B.4. Discussion of DDC Retreat including identification of follow-up action items and review of effectiveness of presentations]
FOUR, ITEM FOUR, UH, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE DDC RETREAT, UM, UH, FOLLOW UP, UH, IDENTIFICATION OF FOLLOW UP ACTION ITEMS AND REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF PRESENTATIONS.SO WE GOING SUMMARIZE, RECAP, IF YOU WILL, FROM OUR RETREAT.
UM, YOU, YOU KIND OF JUMPED THE GUN FOR ME.
I, YOU
AND THEN WE DID GOOD THINGS AT, UH, WE, WE REALLY WANTED TO, TO HEAR FROM, FROM YOU ALL AS WE DIGEST WHAT WE HEARD.
UM, AND TOOK AWAY REALLY TWO PAGES THAT WE KIND OF CLOSED OUT WITH, IF YOU REMEMBER ON SATURDAY.
UM, THOSE ARE REPRESENTED ON THE P ON THE HANDOUT THAT I'VE SENT AROUND TO YOU, YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND YOUR AREAS TO EXPLORE.
UM, BOTH OF THOSE ARE REPRESENTED HERE AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF OVERLAP.
UM, THERE'S ALSO SOME NEXT STEPS THERE THAT SORT OF ARE DRIVEN FROM THOSE.
AND, UH, WE, WE CERTAINLY FELT LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS, UH, TRANSFERRED, TRANSFER, UM, IN TERMS OF ONBOARDING.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU DEDICATED DAY AND A HALF OF YOUR TIME TO EXACTLY THAT EFFORT.
UM, I WAS HOPEFUL THAT WE MIGHT GET A LITTLE MORE, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ON A MORE STRATEGIC EFFORT, UH, MORE STRATEGIC LEVEL.
WHAT ACTIVITIES MIGHT WE MIGHT BE CONSIDERING ENGAGING IN GOING FORWARD.
UM, WE'LL HAVE TO DELAY THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO, UH, ANOTHER DATE.
UM, BUT ALL IN ALL, I FELT VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE THAT WE GOT A FAIR AMOUNT OF DIRECTIONS FROM YOU ALL ABOUT THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AS WE WORK FORWARD TO CREATE THAT WORK PLAN THAT WE'LL BRING FORWARD TO YOU, UH, FOR DISCUSSION AND FOR, UH, SOME AMENDMENT AND, AND INCLUSION.
UM, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF, OF WHAT WE WANT TO ADD INTO THAT.
THE ONE I MENTIONED EARLIER WAS THE WHOLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IDEA.
YOU GUYS HAD SIGNIFICANT PIECES AND PARTS TO THAT THAT, THAT YOU HAD EXPRESSED US ENGAGING MORE IN TALK PRICE.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD CAPTURED THOSE, THOSE THOUGHTS AND, AND THE AREAS HERE.
UM, THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE DERIVED FROM THAT WERE THE WORK PLAN THAT WE'LL CREATE FOR 2324.
UM, ONCE WE HAVE, HAVE LOOKED AT THAT AND APPROVED THAT, I'LL FORWARD THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, THAT'S THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT WHAT MYSELF AND THE STAFF WILL WORK ON.
UM, IT INCLUDES THE, THE, THE ONE PIECE THAT'S NOT INCLUDED THERE TODAY WILL BE WHAT COMES OUT OF THE, THE CITY COUNCIL'S RETREAT AT THE END OF THIS COMING MONTH.
UM, THEY WILL SPEND THREE, IT LOOKS LIKE THREE SUCCESSIVE EVENINGS DOING THEIR, THEIR PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND REMEMBER THAT PART OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN IS ALMOST ALWAYS INCLUSIVE OF I ITEMS THAT ARE PART OF THE THRIVING ECONOMY STRATEGIC PILLAR.
UM, THAT KIND OF LANDS SQUARELY IN OUR LAP.
DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T INCLUDE OTHER FOLKS.
UM, AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE IS SOME OVERLAP.
UM, BUT ALMOST ALWAYS THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT WE'RE ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
AND SO WE'LL INCLUDE THEM IN OUR WORK PLAN AS,
[00:40:01]
AS WELL AS THOSE ITEMS THAT, THAT LOOK LIKE OUR INDIVIDUAL, UH, DEPARTMENTAL GOALS AND OUR, OUR TRAINING AND PERSONNEL GOALS AS WELL.UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EARLIER, UH, WITH, WITH OUR LIAISON, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER BUR THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE IDEA OF ENTERTAINING THIS IDEA OF A JOINT MEETING WHEN COUNCIL AND PNZ, THERE WAS ALSO THE SUGGESTION THAT WE MIGHT EVEN UNDERTAKE A JOINT TRAINING.
UM, SPEND HALF A DAY TOGETHER, ASK ALICIA TO COME BACK AND, AND COVER MUCH OF THE SAME ITEMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND, AND BENEFITED FROM THAT, THAT IN MANY CASES, UM, I THINK I, I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT OUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND THAT OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ALIGN, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO EXCHANGE AND, AND TALK FROM A, A COMMON SET OF NOMENCLATURE, A COMMON SET OF THOUGHTS, UH, AND SHARED THOUGHTS, UM, CERTAINLY MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR US TO KNOW, ARE WE, WHEN WE'RE RECRUITING, ARE WE RECRUITING IN THE RIGHT AREAS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCENTIVES? ARE WE, ARE WE DOING THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE DOING WHEN WE'RE BRINGING PROJECTS BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION? ARE THEY PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL SUPPORT AND THE COUNCIL SUPPORT AND THAT WE'VE BROUGHT THE RIGHT PROJECTS FORWARD? OFTENTIMES THAT'S A DISJOINTED PROCESS TODAY.
I THINK IT STILL WORKS PRETTY GOOD, BUT, UM, BUT THERE CERTAINLY IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ENTERTAIN THAT.
UM, AND WE WOULD LOOK FOR OCTO FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, I THINK WAS THE CONSENSUS THAT I GOT FROM THIS BOARD.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE, I WANT TO ATTEST THAT SO THAT, UH, MAYOR, THE COUNCIL MEMBER BUR CAN NOTE THOSE APPROPRIATELY.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE GREATEST ASSETS THAT SHE USED IN MY OPINION IS SHE TALKED ABOUT IN BRENHAM, THOSE CORPORATIONS SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE FROM THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND SAYING THAT THEY WERE TRAINING THEM FOR ACCOUNTANTS AND LAWYERS AND BASICALLY SENDING TALENT OUT OF THEIR, OUT OF THEIR CITY, HAVING TO GO AND RECRUIT WELDERS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SEE OVER IN THE MARKETPLACE, FOR US NOT TO KNOW WHAT ENGINEERS THEY NEED AND NOT HAVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ON BOARD WITH IT AND NOT HAVE THE, THE, THE COUNCIL NOT ON BOARD WITH IT AND NOT HAVE PLANNING, ZONING ON BOARD WITH IT GIVES US, IT IS A DISSERVICE TO ALL OF US.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS THOUGH, UH, FROM ANY OF YOU AROUND THE, THE, UM, THE RETREAT THINGS WE OUGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOTING OR THINGS YOU LIKE, THINGS YOU DIDN'T? SO I, I, I THINK I WANT TO, SO I HERE BROUGHT THIS UP.
I, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS COLLABORATION AND THESE MEETINGS, HOW CRITICAL IT IS THAT WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
NOT THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT WE NEED TO DO THAT.
I WOULD SECOND AND THIRD, AND I THINK A LOT SAY, I THINK ALIGNMENT AND SYNERGY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THINK OF THIS AS A, YOU KNOW, I KNOW CITY CIVIC, YOU KNOW, INVOLVEMENT AND NOT NECESSARILY PAID TO BE HERE, BUT JUST FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL STANDPOINT, YOU WOULDN'T RUN AN ORGANIZATION ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
SO WHY WOULD WE HAVE OUR CITY BE DISJOINTED IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD? YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD OR FALL PARTS ON ALIGNMENT.
AND ALSO THE TARGET INDUSTRY ANALYSIS.
YOU KNOW, SO WHEN WE DO THINGS IN HEALTHCARE BEFORE WE PUT A CLINIC, ANYWHERE WE GO FIND OUT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
HOW CAN YOU CARE FOR A COMMUNITY IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY NEED? SAME THING HERE.
HOW DO YOU BUILD NOT KNOWING WHAT THE TARGETS ARE? SO I I, I, I THINK TO ME, I'M ALIGNED HERE, BUT ALSO JUST A, I'M KIND OF CURIOUS TO KNOW, EVEN AS A RESIDENT, LIKE WHAT DOES THAT YIELD
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL SAY RETAIL, RETAIL, RETAIL, BUT ALSO HAVING A THESIS AND, AND SOME SORT OF THOUGHT, UH, AND STRUCTURE BEHIND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE.
NOT THIS TODAY, BUT FIVE TO 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO, SO I'D LIKE TO SAY, UH, AND, AND LET ME JUST REITERATE AND AND ECHO WHAT YOU'VE JUST SHARED.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING THE CONSULTING BACK.
I THINK THAT BECOMES THE WHEREWITHAL OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW EVERYONE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A UNIFIED AND NEUTRALIZATION APPROACH TO VIEW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[00:45:01]
BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BEGIN TO NARROW THIS TO THOSE KEY COMPONENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE MORE IMMEDIATE DRIVERS, AS WELL AS THE LONG TERM TO YOUR POINT, UH, WITH A THESIS OF WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHATEVER, BUT WE GOTTA START SOMEWHERE.AND SINCE THAT'S SUCH A HUGE ONE THAT, UH, IT'S JUST NOT, UH, RELEGATED TO THIS ROOM, WE NEED TO PUT A FULL COURT PRESS TOWARD THAT SOONER THAN LATER.
AND I THINK NARROWING THIS DOWN WITHIN OURSELVES BEGINS TO HELP US TO KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY TO YOU ABOUT HOW WE CARRY THAT FORWARD.
I THINK THE SYNERGY, UM, I THINK THE CONSENSUS FROM THE COUNCIL WILL BE VERY POSITIVE.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THE TRAINING.
THE YOUNG LADY WHO SPOKE WITH YOU GUYS HAVE SPOKEN WITH US ALREADY.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT DONE IT JOINTLY.
AND SO I THINK THAT WHERE IT, IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING.
UM, NOW, UM, AND, AND I, I PUT IN MY NOTES PREFERABLY BEFORE THE END, UH, OF, UH, UH, 23 BY 1223.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, WE'RE IN BUDGET SEASON RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IT, IT WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, AFTER OCTOBER, RIGHT? UM, SO I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS AND NOT TALKING TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I WOULD, UH, PROBABLY BEEN IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE OCTOBER STARTS THE NEW YEAR FOR US.
UH, SO BY NOVEMBER WE WOULD'VE DONE ALL OF THE HARD WORK.
AND I SAID WE, UH, TRACY AND HIS GROUP WOULD'VE DONE ALL THE HARD WORK AND WE WOULD'VE HAD ALL THESE MEETINGS TO, TO APPROVE IT.
BUT, UH, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY PLAUSIBLE AND VERY DOABLE TO DO IT.
AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT, I THINK THAT THEM HEARING THE DESIRE TO DO IT WILL BE VERY, VERY WELL RECEIVED, UH, FROM THE HEART FOR WHICH IT'S COMING.
'CAUSE YOU GUYS CAN GO GET BUSINESSES, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GET THE BUSINESSES THAT THE CITIZENS ARE SAYING THAT THEY WANT, AND IF P AND Z DOESN'T HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE 'EM, THEN IT, IT MAKES FOR JUST DOING IT UPFRONT.
BUT, UH, TO THAT POINT, UH, DULY NOTED AND, UH, UH, IN MY HEAD AND ON MY PAPER, SO WE'RE GOOD.
SO, SO LET ME SAY ALSO THAT ON THE PARALLEL PATH, TO YOUR POINT, AND EVERYONE IS WE, WE FEEL GONNA BE FULLY RECEPTIVE TO THIS APPROACH.
I THINK HOWEVER WE NEED TO LAY THE FRAMEWORK OF WHAT DOES SHE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT THE CONSULTANT ULTIMATELY.
AND THE PARALLEL PATH IS AS YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT HAVING YOUR, YOUR RETREAT AND YOUR SUMMER RETREAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT YOU GUYS ARE, ARE PLANNING WITH, AND HOW WE START BUILDING A PARALLEL PATH FOR HER SO THAT IT IT IS ALIGNED AND NOT DISJOINTED.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING DOWN A PATH, HAVING YOUR MEETING RIGHTFULLY.
SO IF WE'RE THINKING SOMETHING ELSE OVER HERE, HOW DO WE HELP YOU GUYS FOR YOUR MEETING TELL YOU WHAT'S ON OUR MIND? WELL, I THINK THAT, UM, OUR, OUR MEETING AND OUR AGENDA'S ALREADY SET.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE, THAT'S ONE THING AGAIN, THAT YEAH, THAT IS, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL WAS ELECTED BY THE CITIZENS TO SET VISION AND SET ORDINANCE AND ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF.
SO OUR, OUR BUSINESS PLAN AND OUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALL OF THAT STUFF WILL COME OUT OF THAT MEETING AND WE WILL GIVE PRIORITY TO STAFF AS TO WHAT IS MOST.
AND SO I THINK FROM THAT DERIVATIVE, FROM THAT MEETING, FROM THAT MEETING OF COUNCIL WILL, WILL COME A VERY, VERY GOOD WORKING DOCUMENT POSSIBLY SO THAT THE, SO THAT THE, UH, CONSULTANT WILL KNOW THESE HAVE BEEN THE, THE PRIORITY SET BY COUNCIL.
AND SO THAT, UH, UH, PNZ AND, AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN SUPPORT THOSE AND BE THE CHAMPION AND HELP US, UH, PARLAY THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING RESTRICTING THE CHAIRS FROM TALKING TO EACH OTHER AS A BODY THAT WOULD COME LIKE TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEES TO BEGIN TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ON BEHALF OF, SO THAT Y'ALL CAN KIND OF CREATE THAT LEAST THOSE INITIAL POINTS FROM THE COLLECTIVE? THAT AGAIN, I THINK THEY HAD BOTH HAPPENED AFTER.
UH, AND NOT TO, I'M SAYING FOR THAT, I'M JUST SAYING IN GENERAL, LIKE, IS THERE EVER A TIME THAT THE CHAIRS COME TOGETHER TO SPEAK? IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
IT HASN'T HAPPENED, BUT IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND, AND, AND LET ME, LET ME ALSO JUST HITCHHIKE IF I WILL, IF, IF I CAN, THE GOALS THAT ARE, THAT COME FROM THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WITH THE COUNCIL ARE, ARE VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE THINGS THAT WE'RE,
[00:50:01]
THEY, THEY INCLUDE THE THINGS LIKE THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR AND THE COMMERCIAL NODES AND, UM, CREATING THE FINANCING MECHANISM TO ENABLE THESE.AND SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED.
AND, AND IN FACT, MAYBE EVEN MORE SO THAN YOU MIGHT KNOW, ONE OF THE ONES THAT THAT, THAT AHAD IS, IS BROUGHT FORTH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IS, IS THIS IDEA OF A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY AND HOW WE CREATE A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY.
I'LL NEVER FORGET WHEN WE WERE HAVING SOME EARLIER CONVERSATIONS AND YOU SAID, I NEED TO BE THE HEALTH SAR
UH, BECAUSE COUNCIL STRUGGLES WITH ONE OF THOSE STRATEGIC PILLARS IS A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY, AND WE STRUGGLE, STRUGGLE WITH WHAT ARE THE ACTION ITEMS THAT COME OUT OF THAT? WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND WHAT ARE THE ACTION ITEMS AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR 'EM? I THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SOME VERY THOUGHTFUL INPUT THAT WOULD HELP COUNSEL GREATLY.
SO I THINK COMING OUT OF THAT RETREAT, TAKING THAT DOCUMENT AND THEN SORT OF MELDING THE MINDS, WE HAVE A MID-YEAR RETREAT IN COUNCILMAN, ISN'T IT USUALLY IN MARCH? OR USUALLY FEBRUARY OR MARCH? NO, A WINTER.
WE HAVE A SUMMER RETREAT, UH, IN AUGUST.
AND THEN WE HAVE A WINTER RETREAT IN JANUARY.
THERE'S, SO YEAH, IT'S TWO LIKE SIX MONTHS APART AND ONE IS MORE, UH, BOTH ARE FORWARD THINKING AND BOTH ARE BUILT AROUND THE PILLARS.
SO THOSE, IF YOU HAVE NOT, THEN I, LET ME SUGGEST THAT YOU GO LOOK AT THOSE PILLARS, BECAUSE THOSE PILLARS ARE THAT, THAT'S OUR WORKING DOCUMENT.
WE HAVE THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IS WORKING, BREATHING, DOCUMENTS CHANGING.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE OUR RETREAT, WE, WE MIGHT INSERT SOME NEW STUFF, BUT MOST OF THAT IS US MASSAGING THE THINGS THAT COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
THIS IS WHERE THE CITIZENS HAVE ASKED, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
SO MY, MY THOUGHT BEING THAT WE COME OUT OF OUR SUMMER RETREAT, WE WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH THIS BOARD.
YOU HAVE A JOINT MEETING OF P AND Z COUNCIL AND, AND, AND THE, AND THE, UH, THIS, ALL THREE OF THOSE THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESHAPE WITH INPUT FROM EVERYONE.
NOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THAT MEETING IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, WHEN THEY CONVENE IN JANUARY TO CONSIDER THOSE GOALS, AGAIN, THERE'S A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY RESHAPE AND AND RETHINK BASED ON COLLECTIVE INPUT.
AND I THINK ALL OF THIS IS GREAT, IF YOU WILL.
THE BIG HOWEVER I'M GONNA SHARE IS THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE COUNCIL'S, UH, AGENDA, THOUGHT PROCESS, BUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO OVERLAY A THOUGHT OF WHAT DDC IS THINKING FROM OUR RETREAT.
THAT, SO IT BECOMES A, A PART OF YOUR RETREAT.
THAT, THAT THERE, I USE THE PHRASE PARALLEL PATH, THAT IT DOES BEGIN TO ALIGN WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH.
BUT THIS HAS GOTTA BE SHARED AT SOME POINT.
AND WE GOTTA START SOONER OR LATER, EVEN THOUGH, TO YOUR POINT, IT MAY BE IN OCTOBER, BUT IF YOU'RE HAVING YOUR SUMMER RETREAT TO GET SOME BULLETS FROM WHAT WE HAVE, JUST HAVE SOME DIALOGUE AROUND IT.
AND, AND, AND I DON'T WANNA MISQUOTE RIGHT OR ARE MISLEAD RIGHT.
BUT THE SUMMER RETREAT, WE'RE TWO WEEKS AWAY.
I DON'T THINK, YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST WANNA BE HONEST WITH YOU.
SO ONE NOW, BUT TO WHAT, WHAT MATT WAS GOING, THERE'S TWO RETREATS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE DO THE SAME THING.
THAT'S LIKE THE SUMMER RETREAT.
AND THEN THERE IS THE JANUARY RETREAT THAT WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT
AND THIS GAVE, UM, IF YOU WOULD MARCHING ARTISTS TO STAFF SO THE STAFF WOULD KNOW WHAT IS THE PRIORITY, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON SUCH CERTAIN, UH, ON CERTAIN THINGS.
AND SO AFTER THIS RETREAT, I, I, YOU KNOW, HAVING A JOINT MEETING, I THINK IN, IN, UH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR IS PLAUSIBLE.
AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK AND RECONVENE IN JANUARY, THEN WE CAN ABSORB IF THERE IS ANY MISALIGNMENT.
BUT I DON'T, UM, IIII, I'M PRETTY CERTAIN THAT, UH, WE WON'T, THAT TO CHANGE THE RETREAT FOR, UH, OR TO ADD TO THE RETREAT THAT'S SET FOR TWO WEEKS AWAY IS PROBABLY NOT PLAUSIBLE.
'CAUSE WE, IT WAS SET OVER A MONTH AGO OR TWO MONTHS AGO.
AND I WANT BE CLEAR, WHEN WE SAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST, WE'RE ABIDING, BUT WE ARE ALSO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST REPRESENTING BOARD, RIGHT.
[00:55:01]
OF LEADER TOO.AND, AND THAT'S WHAT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTING THE BODY TO GIVE THEM GUIDANCE ON HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS AS IT RELATES TO CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
WELL, WITH, JUST WITH A, A, A SMALL, A SMALL CAVEAT, JUST A SMALL CAVEAT.
UM, UM, YOU ARE HERE TO HELP GUIDE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A CITY FOCUSED DEAL, UM, THAT WAS APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL, WHO WAS ELECTED BY THE CITIZENS.
I MEAN, IT, IT, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE THERE.
THERE IS, THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE.
OUR, OUR YOUR, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS ABSOLUTELY TO THE CITIZENS.
UH, UH, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS ABSOLUTELY TO THE CITIZENS.
THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING WE GET THROUGH THE WAY THAT FLOWS.
WE FLOW THROUGH COUNCIL, DOES THEIR RETREAT, WE HAVE THIS JOINT MEETING, ALIGN THE DEALS WE REALIGN, WHATEVER.
BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THAT I CAN FAIRLY SAY IT WOULD BE HARD FOR YOU GUYS TO GIVE STAFF A DIRECTIVE OUTSIDE OF THE, THE, THE WHERE WITHOUT, HOWEVER, WHEN IT'S ABSORBED INTO THE COUNCIL'S A STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, THEN THAT BECOMES THE PLAN OF THE CITY.
SO NOT, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO MISCONSTRUE MY OBSERVATIONS AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE AGENDA OR ANYTHING.
I AM SAYING THAT THERE IS A DDC THAT HAS BEEN MEETING TO EMBRACE WHAT COUNCIL WANTS, AND THAT AS COUNCIL WAS MEETING THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE, SO, UH, DIRECTOR JONES SHARED EARLIER ABOUT THE COLLABORATION AND THAT IF NOTHING ELSE TO KNOW THE MINDSET, THE, UH, THE, UM, THE WORKING MIND OF THE DDC SHOULD BE SHARED.
I JUST, IT'S NOT TO CHANGE ANY AGENDA, BUT TO SHARE, BECAUSE THAT'S A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO STARTING.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE DISAGREEING.
NO, I THINK IT'S TALKING ABOUT, I THINK WE'RE TALKING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TIMING.
AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GET ME IN A LOT OF TROUBLE IS I'M EXTREMELY ON TOP OF THE TABLE AND TRY TO BE EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT.
THE TIMING WILL NOT HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WHEN WE GET READY FOR THIS JOINT MEETING.
THE TIMING ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAPPEN.
AND REALLY, I TAKE NOTES BECAUSE AFTER EVERY MEETING I WILL SEND MY COLLEAGUES THESE NOTES.
I WILL SEND THE REQUEST FOR THE MEETING.
I WILL SEND X, Y, Z SO THAT EVERYBODY WILL KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOUR THOUGHTS ALREADY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD YOU OR, OR TO MAKE YOU THINK THAT YOUR, YOUR WORK IS NOT IMPORTANT.
UH, UH, BUT IN THAT MEETING, IT PROBABLY OUTSIDE OF ME SHARING THE INFORMATION HERE, UH, WE WOULD PROBABLY, IT, IT, YOU KNOW.
WE WILL BE MUCH BETTER TO SHARE.
I'M SORRY, WHAT? CAN WE FIND THOSE PILLARS? ARE THEY ON THE THEY'RE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT SIX DIFFERENT S, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S IT.
AND, AND SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, AND LIKE, UH, LIKE, UH, MATT'S UH, EXCUSE ME, MR. COLSON SAID IS THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, HEALTHY EATING, THAT'S PART ALREADY, YOU KNOW, IS PART ALREADY OF IT.
SO THEN I GUESS IF I WOULD ASK, WHAT IS YOUR ARM OF THAT? IT WOULD BE HOW DO WE ADDRESS, HOW DO WE BRING IN HEALTHY EATING VENUES? YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU GUYS CARRY THAT OUT? YEAH.
BUT, BUT THE, THE, THE PILLARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED, UH, FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE, AND IT'S A LIVING, BREATHING DOCUMENT.
AND THEN THAT'S, WE'LL DO THAT, WE'LL DO THAT DEALING, WE'LL DO THAT DEALING THE COUNCIL RETREAT BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THESE AND WE WILL VOTE ON WHAT'S PRIORITY.
BUT THE PILLARS WILL PROBABLY STILL STAND AND EVERYTHING THAT WE SUGGEST WILL HAVE TO FALL WITHIN A PILLAR.
AND SO, AND WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.
AND I GUESS I WANNA KEEP SAYING WE'LL DO IT AGAIN IN JANUARY.
SO ONCE WE HAVE THIS JOINT MEETING AND WE LOOK AT YOUR, YOUR PRIORITIES, WE'LL SAY, OKAY, WHERE DOES THIS FALL WITHIN THE STRATEGIC, UH, PILLARS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH COLLECTIVELY? MAKES SENSE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? UH, IS, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR INTENTION IS TO, UH, IN THE SPRING, JUST AS WE DID LAST YEAR WITH, UH, MS. BALDWIN, YOU AND AND
[01:00:01]
LATASHA WERE HERE, UM, TO HAVE ALICIA DO AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN WITH US AND TAKING A LOOK AT THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE COMMITTED TO WAS INCLUDING IN OUR WORK PLAN FOR 20, FOR 2324, TO ESTABLISH, UH, A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UNDERTAKE THAT EFFORT AND BEGIN THE WORK ON THAT.THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE, THE ACADEMIC WORK, THE, THE TARGET INDUSTRY ANALYSIS, A WORKFORCE, A LABOR SHED ANALYSIS.
UM, THERE'S A FAIR NUMBER OF, OF PROBABLY HALF A DOZEN OR MORE, UH, SMALL STUDIES THAT WE'LL WANT TO UNDERTAKE THAT WILL INFORM THAT.
AND THEN TO BEGIN A, A PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THERE, AND THERE IS, IT'S A PROCESS, UM, THAT HELPS US TO SHAPE THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, I GUESS I, I THINK IT'S, I KIND OF LIKE THE WAY THIS IS PLANNING.
THIS IS PLAYING OUT IN TERMS OF TIMING, BECAUSE ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE'LL WANT TO BE DOING THAT WILL BE THE TIME THAT COUNCIL HAS NOW COME OUT OF THEIR WINTER RETREAT.
Y'ALL HAVE MET JOINTLY WITH ALL THREE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WHO SHAPE THAT, THAT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'LL HAVE A PRETTY, PRETTY CLEAR IDEA OF WHO ALL THE PLAYERS ARE AND WHAT ARE THE INITIATIVES TO BE INCLUDED INTO THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN.
SO THAT THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN ALIGNS WITH THE COUNCIL'S FIVE YEAR PLAN.
IDEALLY, IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR ISD AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES THERE WHO UNDERSTAND THEY, THEY ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE, THAT THEY HAVE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE RIPPLE EFFECTS IN, INTO OUR COMMUNITY, THAT, THAT ALL OF THE PIECES THAT SUPPORT BUILDING THIS GREAT PLACE WOULD THEN HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THAT, NOT JUST, NOT JUST EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUAL BOARDS.
ALRIGHT, THEN, UM, SORRY, MATT, THERE WAS ONE.
JUST, OKAY, WE PUT ON THE BUDGET.
WE'VE ALREADY VOTED THAT, BUT ONE THING, ONE THING THAT WE DID TALK ABOUT, AND I WANNA KNOW WHEN THIS HAPPENED, WE WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT, UH, THE DECK AND WHAT THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD BE.
AND WHAT ARE THE METRICS? WHAT'S THE IMPACT? WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING FOR? THEY WERE GOING TO COME, WE ASKED THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT? YES.
AND WE'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT.
UM, TO BILL CHEN AND HIS TEAM.
UM, TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
WE JUST HAVE TO PICK, WE JUST HAVE TO PICK A DATE.
LIKELY THAT IT MAY HAPPEN AS QUICK AS, AS AUGUST.
I DON'T REMEMBER BILL OFFER UP ANY TIMING FOR THAT.
I, I OFFERED BOTH AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, BUT THEY HAVEN'T CONFIRMED YET.
I WAS GONNA SAY, I REMEMBER YOU HAD OFFERED UP AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
UM, SO ONE OF THOSE TWO WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HERE TO TALK TO US OKAY.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND, AND ALSO LISTEN TO US YEP.
SO OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR US AS WELL, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU ABREAST WITH THAT.
UM, THAT TAKES CARE OF OUR NEW BUSINESS AGENDA.
UM, WHICH LEADS YOU TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SO REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, REVIEW THE, UH, SENATE AGENDA.AND, UM, IF SO, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SENATE AGENDA.
I MOVE TO BE, EXCEPT OUR 20TH JUNE, 2023 BOARD MEETING MEETINGS.
IT'S BEEN MOVED UNTIL THE SECOND, UH, TO APPROVE THE, UH, UH, FOUR MINUTES ORDER.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU ACTUALLY WILL APPROVE THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS ONE ITEM VOTE.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THERE IF YOU WANT TO CONSIDER 'EM SEPARATELY.
WE JUST NEED A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO DO SO, SO WE CAN APPROVE BOTH OF THE CONSENT.
SO YOU, THAT MOTION SHOULD PROBABLY AMENDED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
FOR BOTH THE BOARD MEETING AND THE 2023 MAY, 2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
OTHERWISE, WE NEED TO MOTION FROM ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TO REMOVE IT AND CONSIDER IT SEPARATELY.
UM, DO WE WANT TO MOTION IT AGAIN? NO MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT BOTH THE BOARD MINUTES AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 2023 AND ONE VOTE.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND IS AND DUTY SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA TO INCLUDE THE, UH, CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 20, 23, 4 MINUTE MEETINGS, AS WELL AS CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MAY, 2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
NOW WE'RE PREPARED TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[01:05:04]
YEAH.YOU JUST NEED, YOU NEED TO READ, TO READ THAT WE'RE PURSUANT TEXAS GOVERNMENT.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE: Pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.087: Economic Development Deliberation ]
WE'RE MOVING TO EXECUTIVE SECTION SESSION OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 9 0 8 7, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DELIBERATION.UM, AND CALL THAT TO ORDER AT SEVEN SEVEN ELEVEN B SEVEN 11.
WE'RE RECONVENING INTO OPEN SESSION.
UM, SO THE LAST ITEM, UH, ON OUR, ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM
[F. BRIEFING BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE - Matt Carlson]
F.UM, AND I'LL PASS THOSE AROUND TO YOU.
GO THAT WAY AND GOES THAT WAY.
UM, I THINK I SHARED WITH YOU A, A MOCKUP OF THIS ANYWAY, UM, DURING OUR RETREAT, UM, MY BRIEFING TO YOU EACH MONTH LOOKS VERY SIMILAR, UH, AND IS BROKEN OUT INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
UM, THERE'S THE BUSINESS PLAN GOALS.
THOSE ARE THOSE, THOSE GOALS THAT ARE HANDED DOWN TO US FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL.
WE REPORT ON THOSE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT THEY'RE, OR EVEN LONGER.
IN SOME OF THESE, YOU'LL SEE THESE ARE ONGOING EVEN BEYOND THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THERE WERE FOUR THAT, THAT WERE BEING HELD, UM, ACCOUNTABLE FOR, UH, BY, BY THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER.
ONE IS TO CREATE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR HAMPTON ROAD, BELTLINE ROAD AND VILLE AND GENERAL WIDE CITY COMMERCIAL NODES.
WE PREFERRED TO THAT AS OUR, AS OUR NODES STUDY.
UM, AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE UNDERWAY, UM, AND IS TAKEN, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UM, ABSORBED, IF YOU WILL, INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, AND EACH OF THOSE NOTES IS, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN SO THAT WE'RE BETTER ALIGNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL FOR PIECE OF PARCELS OF PROPERTY SO THAT THEY'RE ZONED IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THOSE GOALS LOOK LIKE.
SO THAT EVERY PROJECT DOESN'T FIND ITSELF HAVING TO BE REZONED AND CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
AND ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL.
IF WE CAN BETTER ALIGN OUR LAND USE AND OUR PROJECTS SO THAT THE USES ARE BY RIGHT AND DON'T HAVE TO RESERVE AND DON'T HAVE TO RECEIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION, WE TRULY CAN BEGIN TO OFFER OUR, OUR DEVELOPERS A LEVEL OF CERTAINTY AROUND THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY TO TELL, IF YOU WILL.
THEY HAVE A, A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF COMFORT OVER TIME THAT WHEN WE SAY THIS IS WHAT WE WANT THERE, AND THEY BRING THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS AND THEY SEE THOSE PROJECTS GET APPROVED AND ENTITLED IN A RELATIVELY QUICK WAY, THAT ALLOWS US TO BEGIN TO SELL A DIFFERENT INCENTIVE, WHICH IS SPEED TO MARKET.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MARKET, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MATCHING.
WE REALLY ARE, DO A BETTER JOB OF MATCHING SERVICE TO A PIECE OF LAND.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A BIT OF A CRAPSHOOT.
AND A, A DEVELOPER LOOKS AT THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY AND YOU HAVE IT, YOU HAVE IT ZONED FOR X AND THEIR PROJECT.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BUILD THAT PROJECT THAT THERE, THERE'S NO COMMERCIAL, THERE'S NO COMMERCIAL DESIRE FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO THEIR ONLY OPTION IS EITHER TO FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE, WHICH MANY TIMES THEY DO, OR TO SAY, OH, I'LL ROLL THE DICE INTO SOTO.
THAT MEANS IT HAS TO GO THROUGH OUR PLANNING AND ZONING FOLKS.
IT HAS A WHOLE PROCESS THAT GOES TO PLAY THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED.
IF IT'S DISAPPROVED, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, UH, PROTEST THAT AND BRING IT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
THEN CITY COUNCIL HAS TO, TO LOOK AT THAT AND EITHER AGREE WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND DENY THE PROJECT OR OVERRIDE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND SAY THE PROJECT'S APPROVED.
AND THEN IT HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PIECES TO GO THROUGH.
BUT THAT'S AN ARDUOUS PROCESS.
AND THE DIE IS A DEVELOPER IS A BAD THING AND IT'S MONEY, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PUT THIS UNDER CONTRACT.
SO, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL DOLLARS, UH, THAT, THAT ARE BEING SPENT HERE.
THE, THE FUN AND GAMES OF SIX MONTHS TO, TO PUT IT INTO THE, UH, ENTITLEMENT PROCESS DOESN'T COST US ANYTHING, BUT IT COSTS THEM
[01:10:01]
DEARLY AND IT IMPACTS THEIR DECISIONS AROUND WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL DESO THEY WILL DEVELOP INTO SOTO OR WHETHER THEY'LL TRY AND WHETHER THEY'LL EVEN TRY AGAIN.UM, AND WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE STUDY WE DID.
UM, AT THE TIME THAT WE DID THIS STUDY, THE COMP PLAN WAS FAR ENOUGH OUT IN THE FUTURE THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO GET THE STUDY AND HAVE COUNSEL APPROVE IT.
BY THE TIME WE GOT THAT DONE, THEY WERE CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT MADE SENSE TO ROLL IT INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND MAKE IT PART OF THE FUTURISTIC, UH, THE ASPIRATIONAL DOCUMENT THAT A COMP PLAN IS FOR THE NEXT 10, 10 YEARS.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THAT COMPLETED IN QUARTER FOUR OF THIS YEAR.
AND THIS WILL BE ABLE TO BE STRUCK FROM THE OR MARKED AS DONE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO WAS DEVELOP A POLICY FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF AGING INLINE.
THIS SHE COUNCIL APPROVED THAT, THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED, DEVELOP A PRO DESOTO MARKETPLACE CONSTRUCTION TRANSITION PLAN AND INCLUDE MORE TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT SPACE COUNCIL, UH, WAS ADVISED BY AN ADVISORY TEAM, UH, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED WHO LOOKED AT THE GROSS DESOTO MARKETPLACE, MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THEM THAT WE PUT IT BACK INTO PRIVATE SECTOR HANDS.
UM, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, OF CREATING THAT.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AROUND THE BUDGET.
THE FINAL PIECE OF THOSE IS DEVELOP AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO ATTACK, ATTRACT ANCHOR DEVELOPMENTS TO THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, THAT MILE LONG REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
PART OF THAT WAS TO CREATE A TOURS.
WE PUT THAT IN PLACE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
UM, THAT DROVE THE STAKE IN THE GROUND FROM WHICH WE WOULD MEASURE INCREMENTAL TAXES TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE CORRIDOR PROJECT.
UM, THE LAST TWO PIECES OF THAT, UH, DON'T HAVE A DATE ATTACHED TO 'EM.
AND IT REALLY IS THE ONGOING PORTION OF THIS BECAUSE WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T PUT TOGETHER AN RFP FOR A PIECE OF LAND THAT WE DON'T HAVE OR DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE CONTROL OF THOSE PE PARCELS, EITHER BY OWNER CONSENT OR BY US PURCHASING IT, THEN WE'LL PUT THOSE RFPS TOGETHER.
WE'LL PUT 'EM OUT IN THE MARKET.
WE GET DEVELOPERS' RESPONSES TO THEM.
WE'LL BRING THEM FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
THE C EVALUATE THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT SUBMISSIONS TO ASSESS THIS, ASSESS FIT AND, AND VALUE OF THE PROPOSITION.
AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN TO BUILD THOSE PROJECTS, ASSUMING THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AT THAT POINT, WE'LL BE CONSIDERING INCENTIVES.
THE CITY WILL BE CONSIDERING INCENTIVES.
WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO OFFER INCENTIVES EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS THAN WE ARE LATER.
'CAUSE ONCE THE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR BEGINS TO PROVE ITSELF UP AND THE VALUE OF THOSE PROPERTIES BEGIN TO RISE, IT'S, WE, WE NEED TO DO LESS TO MAKE A PROJECT HAPPEN THAN WE DO TODAY.
WHERE THEY SAY, I, I'M, I'M THE FIRST ONE IN.
WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT DID WE LEARN ABOUT PIONEERS THE OTHER DAY? THEY'RE GOING TO GET ALL THE ARROWS THAT YESTERDAY CAME.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND WITH THE CITY, WITH THE CITY'S BUSINESS PLAN GOALS, OUR DEPARTMENTAL GOALS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THESE AT THE RETREAT, THOSE NINE ITEMS. UM, AND, AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE WE WILL COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY BY THE END OF 24.
THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL WE WILL NOT COMPLETE.
UM, AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE, IS THE OUTREACH THAT WE WOULD, WE HAD INTENDED TO DO TO ALTERNATIVE AND ETHNIC POPULATIONS, UH, CHAMBERS WHO REPRESENT ALTERNATIVE AND ETHNIC POPULATIONS.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE THAT I, THAT I, I THINK IT'S A MIXED BAG, IT'S REALLY CONTINUING THOUGH, IS TO ESTABLISH THE WORKFORCE TRAINING AND INTERNSHIP INITIATIVES FOR HIGH SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND ADULTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT EVER ENDS.
UM, AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO MEASURE IT OTHER THAN WE START TO HAVE SOME SUCCESSES WITH OUR, WITH OUR PARTNERS.
UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T DELIVER THE SERVICE.
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE.
AND WE THINK THAT OUR SUCCESSES IS BRINGING THE PARTIES TO THE TABLE.
UM, WE'RE SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT WITH, WITH DALLAS COLLEGE.
UM, WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD LIMITED SUCCESS WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FOLKS, BUT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS THERE.
UM, AND WE SEE, AND WE SEE, WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN VERY SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES, UM, THAT THEY'VE ASKED US TO ASSIST WITH.
OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK, AND, AND, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT, THAT WE HAVE LIMITED, LIMITED IN ABILITY TO CHANGE IS, IS TO INCREASE THE NET SALES TAX.
UM, THE, THE REPORT FROM OUR, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR EARLIER ABOUT THE CHANGE IN IN REPORTING HABITS OF SALES TAX HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL SETBACK.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE ALL THE OTHER AREAS CONTINUE TO GROW, WHICH IN FACT THEY HAVE, WE JUST DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO REACH THAT, THAT 5% INCREASE OF NET SALES TAXES THAT ARE NET OF THE KOHL'S SALES TAX DECISION.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO REPORT ON THOSE TO YOU ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
I TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE DECK WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
WE'RE WORKING ON, ON, UH, THAT CONTRACT NEGOTIATION.
[01:15:01]
AND BEFORE WE FINALIZE THAT, THEY WILL COME AND TALK TO YOU.UM, AND SHARE WITH YOU THEIR THOUGHTS AND PIECES AND PARTS THERE.
THE PROFESSIONAL FORUM WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AND UPCOMING ON AUGUST 2ND.
UM, OUR INTERNS, THIS IS THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECT.
UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT POUNDS.
THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER THE FACILITATORS, THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER, INVITATIONS WILL BE GOING OUT TO EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO JOIN US AS SPECIAL GUESTS.
UM, THE MAYOR WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE THE OPENING COMMENTS FOR THAT.
UM, THE INTERESTING PART OF THAT IS AS THEY SET OUT THE ROOM, THEY SAID, HOW SHOULD WE SET THIS UP? AND I SAID, IF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE YOUR TARGET, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE ONES YOU WANT TO COME AND TALK, THEN THEY SHOULD SIT FRONT AND CENTER.
AND THE WINGS ARE FOR THE ADULTS TO LISTEN.
UM, SO IT'S BEING SET UP THAT WAY, WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF FUN.
UM, A LITTLE, A LITTLE, UH, BOLD ON, ON BEHALF OF OUR INTERNS.
I THOUGHT THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
UM, WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU'D MARK THE EVENING OF THE SECOND, UH, TO JOIN US.
UM, AND WE'RE LISTENING TO THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
WE'VE INVITED THREE DISTINCT GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
SO WE, WHERE WILL THIS BE? BLUE BON ROOM OVER, UM, OVER, UH, JUST NORTH, UH, JUST EAST OF THE LIBRARY THERE IN THE, IN THE REC CENTER.
AND WE HAVE ALL THREE SECTIONS OF THE BLUE BONNET ROOM.
CAN YOU TELL US WHO THE FACILITATORS ARE FOR THE THREE DIFFERENT SECTIONS? MAGGIE PARKER.
AND SHE'S TALKING ABOUT HOUSING.
AND THEN WE HAVE BRIAN'S BLANK.
AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT JOBS AND WORKFORCE.
AND THEN THE FUTURE OF DESOTO GOES TO CECILIA SANCE.
UM, CECILIA IS A MEMBER OF OUR CONSULTING TEAM FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, AND, AND SHE'LL BE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT DE SOTO'S FUTURE, UH, OF OUR VARIOUS PANELISTS, UM, WHO ARE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEMSELVES, UM, TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE, WHAT THEY DESIRE, HOW, HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY GROW.
SO DO I NEED RSP INVITE? YOU GUYS WILL ALL RECEIVE EMAIL INVITES, UM, TO REMIND YOU OF THE DATES.
THERE WILL BE A LINK TO REGISTER IF YOU WANT TO.
UM, IT HELPS US TO KNOW WHO'S IN ATTENDANCE AND BE ABLE TO FUTURE COMMUNICATE.
'CAUSE WE ANTICIPATE THIS BECOMING AN ONGOING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GROUP TO GIVE US OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE TOGETHER AND, AND INFLUENCE OUR THINKING.
SHOULD OUT SEVEN OF SIX, SIX TO EIGHT.
SIX TO EIGHT, YOU SHOULD SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE TO THE MEDIA.
YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WRITING TOO.
UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS THAT, WHICH I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, LAST YEAR, ABOUT THIS TIME THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT ASKED US TO COME AND VISIT WITH HER ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ISD.
AND THE REQUEST TO US WAS, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR CTE PROGRAMS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT'S FUTURE FOCUSED.
TELL US WHERE WE NEED TO BE THINKING.
UM, AND WE BROUGHT FORTH FOUR OR FIVE VERY DISTINCT AREAS.
HERNDON WAS THERE FOR ONE OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S AROUND THE BIOLIFE SCIENCES AND CREATING THAT WORK PIPELINE.
HERNDON IS OVERSEEING AT, AT THE DALLAS COLLEGE AND WORKING WITH HER COLLEAGUES IS TO CREATE A PIPELINE OF, OF, OF ADULTS WORKING IN THIS INDUSTRY.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED IS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO BE FEEDING THAT PIPELINE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AS MUCH AS WE'RE GONNA START WITH WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO CREATE THE, THE WORKFORCE THAT'S NEEDED TODAY, THE WORKFORCE NEXT YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS, WE WANT TO ENGAGE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THERE.
UM, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S A, THAT THAT IS VERY MUCH AN ENGAGING, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR YOUNG ADULTS THAT ENTER INTO AN INDUSTRY THAT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE WAGE IS FOR BIOPRODUCTION? BIO BIOMANUFACTURING? YES.
SO FOR MANY OF THE EMPLOYERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON BOARD AFTER THEY FINISH OUR PROGRAM, OR ANY PROGRAM IN GENERAL, THEY WILL BE IN THE THIRTIES.
THAT'LL BE SIGNED ABOUT 30 AN HOUR, TWO 50.
NOT A BAD STARTING WAGE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL KID.
UM, UH, AVIATION, UM, PAIRING WITH, UH, DALLAS COLLEGE WHO'S STANDING UP, UH, FAA ONE SECTION 1 47, UM, AIRFRAME AND POWER PLANT PROGRAM THIS FALL.
[01:20:01]
UM, AND PAIRING WITH TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND OTHERS, UM, THERE IS A VERY REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DEVELOP AVIATION JOBS.UM, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO VISIT WITH THE FOLKS AT SOUTHWEST WHO HAVE A BUNCH OF SIMULATORS FOR PILOTS, RIGHT? THEY GET IN AND THEY DO THEIR TRAINING.
UM, THE INTERESTING THING IS THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED.
WE LUNCH WEDNESDAY SOUTHWEST NEEDS 52 AV AVIONICS MECHANICS TO MAINTAIN THOSE TRAINERS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO HIRE TWO IN THE DALLAS REGION.
THERE ARE JOBS AND EVEN SOLAR TURBINES WHO REBUILDS AND TESTS JET ENGINES.
THAT'S AIRFRAME AND POWER PLANT.
IT'S THE SAME JET ENGINE THAT, THAT POWERS A JET.
UM, WHETHER IT'S SHOOTING OUT THE BACK END AND PUTTING A PLANE IN, OR IT'S TURNING A TURBINE, UM, AND GENERATING, UH, PRESSURE THAT PUMPS GAS OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.
HUGE SHORTAGE OF A P MECHANICS, UM, WHO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL WAGES AS WELL.
UM, TRADITIONALLY THE MILITARY HAS FED THOSE JOBS.
THOSE NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY, LEAVING LARGE GAPS IN THE WORKFORCE AND THAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF TRAINING.
NOW, HOW MANY PILOTS DO YOU REALLY NEED? IT TAKES 18 PEOPLE FOR EVERY PERSON WHO HAS A, A REAR END IN A, IN A PILOT SEAT TO MAKE A PLANE GO.
18 PEOPLE NOT, NOT LIFTING ALL THE AIR, AIR CONTROLS.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PIECES ATTACHED THERE.
BUT THESE, THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY WORKING IN THAT AVIATION INDUSTRY AND, AND LOOKING TO PROVIDE THAT KIND OF TRAINING CONSTRUCTION TRADES.
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE, RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH, UM, A VERY LARGE CONSTRUCTION FIRM.
UM, AND HE'S OFFERED TO BUILD A TRAINING FACILITY.
HE SAYS, YOU JUST, YOU JUST PROVIDE ME THE KIDS.
I'LL TRAIN 'EM, I'LL BUILD THE FACILITY, I'LL TRAIN 'EM, AND I'LL EMPLOY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 'EM.
ALL WE GOTTA DO IS GET HIM ON BOARD.
UM, ESPORTS, UM, YOUNG MAN WHO WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, UM, AND, AND HAD HIS BUSINESS HERE.
AND SINCE WE RELOCATED TO DUNCANVILLE, HE'S OUTGROWN THAT FACILITY.
UM, WE WANT TO BRING BACK DANNY MARTIN AND THE ESPORTS TEAMS, UM, THAT HE HELPS TO BUILD AND SUPPORT.
HE BUILDS ESPORTS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE STATE.
UM, ONE OF THE FEW PLACES HE ISN'T DOING IT IS RIGHT HERE.
AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S FIX THAT.
AND THE LAST ONE IS CULINARY SKILLS.
UM, WE HAVE INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS WHO WANT TO WORK WITH DALLAS COLLEGE AND STEVE AND HIS PROGRAMS, UM, TO PAIR UP AND BRING CULINARY STUDENTS OUT OF THE CULINARY KITCHENS AT, AT, AT DESOTO ISD, INTO TRAINING WITH WORLD CLASS CHEFS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE CULINARY ARTS THEIR, THEIR FUTURE.
UM, AND WE THINK WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THAT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T DOZENS OF OTHERS.
THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT WE SAID.
AND IF WE CAN GET THOSE RIGHT, WE CAN GET SOME SUCCESSES.
WE CAN START TO RESHAPE SORT OF THE WAY THAT WE FEED THE PIPELINE FOR WORK, FOR WORKERS, PROJECT UPDATES, UH, THE ROOTS CHICKEN CAT CHAT CONCEPT.
UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE CULINARY PLACES THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, PARTNERING WITH ALEX COLLEGE AND THEIR CULINARY PROGRAM AND, AND STARTING TO, UH, BRING THOSE STUDENTS HERE TO WORK WITH, WITH THEIR, UH, THEIR CHEF, OUR MEDICAL VILLAGE PROJECTS.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS WHO ARE LOOKING AT THAT WHOLE CENTER OF THE HAMPTON ROAD CONCEPT.
NOT JUST OUR MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING, BUT OTHER ASSEMBLAGES AND HOW TO BRING ABOUT THE VILLAGE GREEN, THE REHAB CENTER THAT'S THERE.
SOME ADDITIONAL COMPLIMENTARY ANCILLARY FACILITIES THAT WOULD CREATE THE RIGHT POPULATION CENTER, UM, THAT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST THERE.
THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, THE ROADWAY DESIGN AND THE STREET TAPE DESIGN ARE ABOUT 40% COMPLETE.
WE'RE STILL HOPING THAT THEY'LL BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE LATE IN 24 OR EARLY IN 25.
UM, WE TORE DOWN A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS.
YOU PROBABLY SEE SOME NEW SIGNS ON HAMPTON ROAD.
IT GIVES YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION.
IT HELPS TO SORT OF CREATE SOME EXCITEMENT AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
AND FINALLY, OUR CHARACTER CODE CREATION SHOULD WIND UP IN SEPTEMBER, CREATING A WHOLE NEW ZONING DISTRICT THAT ENCOMPASSES THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR AND THE OUTLYING AREAS.
UM, AND THEN THE CITY WILL BE THE SPONSOR OF THAT AND WILL REZONE ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
IT'S GRANDFATHERED IN, BUT WHAT'S GOING FORWARD WILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT NEW CHARACTER BASED CODE.
FOCUSING MUCH MORE ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW IT OPERATES AND WHAT THE END USER IS.
WE KNOW IF WE GET THE FIRST PART RIGHT, THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE THERE WILL BE THE RIGHT FOLKS.
UM, THE SONO MARKETPLACE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ITS TRANSITION PLAN ALREADY
[01:25:01]
MOVING FORWARD.OUR BIOLIFE SCIENCE ACTIVITIES.
WE'VE BEGUN, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LANDOWNERS WHERE WE WANT TO BUILD THAT FACILITY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL CONFERENCES AND SEVERAL MORE TO GO TO THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A HUGE NUMBER OF INDUSTRY CONTACTS.
IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING ON A PHONE CALL THIS AFTERNOON, WE WERE TALKING WITH SOME FOLKS AT UT SOUTHWEST, AND ONE OF HER VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, LOADED QUESTION, BUT SPECIFIC ALL THE SAME, WAS, WHO ELSE HAVE YOU TALKED TO? AND WE WERE ABLE TO RATTLE THROUGH ABOUT SIX FOLKS.
AND SHE WAS LIKE, REALLY? YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THEM? WOW, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'D BEEN THERE.
THAT'S WHO HIRED OUR CURRENT A VP OF TECH TRANSFER.
WE WERE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UM, NOT JUST SPITBALLING AROUND THIS IDEA OF BIOLIFE SCIENCES COMING TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FINDING THE RIGHT FOLKS TO HELP US CONVENE IT.
I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE LANGUAGE IS PERFECTLY BE PERFECTLY HONEST.
IF I HEAR MORE, ONE MORE THING ABOUT GENES THAT AREN'T
UM, AND THEN THE LAST PART THERE IS THE WORKFORCE PIPELINE EFFORTS THAT, THAT DR.
UM, ONE OF THE GRANTS THAT WE APPROVED A YEAR AGO THAT'S FINALLY UNDERWAY IS THE TOWNSEND SQUARE FACADE GRANT.
THINK WHERE DC THREE IS, WHERE BOSTON MARKET IS, WHERE THE OLD BES USED TO BE.
YOU DRIVE BY THERE, YOU'LL SEE THEY'RE REFACING THOSE BUILDINGS.
THEY'LL BE REFACING THAT AND RE AND REDESIGNING THAT.
THEY'RE DOING PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY'RE DOING NEW LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING.
UM, AT LEAST THAT HALF OF THE, OF THE, UH, SHOPPING CENTER, WE'RE TRYING TO BRING FORWARD ABOUT 30 YEARS, UM, WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT IT'LL DRIVE THE LEVEL OF, OF, OF TENANTS.
AND WE HOPE THAT STARTS TO INFLUENCE THE REST OF THAT AREA.
ALREADY, THE LANDOWNER ACROSS THE ROAD WHO HAD A VERY SIMILAR MATCHING BUILDING HAS, IT HAS ACCESS TO TALK TO US ABOUT INCENTIVES.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE BUILT THE INLINE CENTER PROGRAM TO DO.
AND WHILE THIS ONE LOOKED A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OUR PROGRAM, 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE IT, THEN WE ARE NOW EQUIPPED TO LISTEN TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO COMES FORWARD AND SAYS, I WANNA DO THAT.
TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HERE'S HOW IT'S STRUCTURED, HERE'S HOW IT PAYS FOR ITSELF.
AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THOSE FORWARD TO YOU AS THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES.
ARE WE CAPACITY IN THAT, THAT, UM, IN TERMS OF, IS IT A HUNDRED PERCENT LEASED, RIGHT? NO, THERE ARE, UM, THEY'RE RETROFITTING 10,000 FEET NOW, AND I THINK THEY HAD TWO OTHER SECTIONS OTHER THAN MEALS, WHICH IS 30,000 FEET.
UM, WE'D LOVE TO FIND THE RIGHT USER OR USERS.
UM, WE'RE APPROACHING A COUPLE GROCERS, UM, TO FILL THAT MEAL SPACE AT 30,000 FOOT.
THAT'S RELATIVELY SMALL GROCER.
BUT FOR THE MORE PARTICULAR GROCERS WHO OFFER SORT OF A LIMITED SCALE, UM, IT WOULD BE A GREAT, IT WOULD BE A GREAT AD AND IT MAY BE IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION THERE.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THAT AND ASSIST THEM WITH FINDING THE RIGHT TENANTS AND FINDING THE TENANTS IS REALLY THEIR JOB.
WE, WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT 'CAUSE WE THINK IT'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT POTENTIAL.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, UM, REDOING THE, THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT FOR THAT, THAT ALLOWS US TO CONSIDER FAR LESS PARKING THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
IF YOU DRIVE BY THERE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, YOU'VE GOTTA SEE A PARKING AND THE BUILDING'S SET WAY BACK.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO LIMIT, IS TO REMOVE THOSE ARTIFICIAL PARKING STANDARDS THAT WERE REALLY CREATED BY PLANNERS, IF YOU WILL, LONG AGO, AND HAVE BEEN APPLIED EVER SINCE.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.
UM, RETAILERS HAVE CHANGED THEIR MODELS.
WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE AND CHANGING THOSE ALLOWS US TO CONSIDER NEW PAD SITES WITHIN THAT PARKING THAT BRING THE ACTIVITIES FURTHER TO THE FRONT, INCREASES THE OVERALL NET OPERATING INCOME OF THE CENTER THAT DRIVES THE RENTS UP, THAT MAKES THE LANDLORDS HAPPY AND ALLOWS US TO INVEST MORE IN THE CENTER AS WELL.
WE PAD SITES CALL FOR A DRIVE THROUGH IN LAW, PERHAPS.
PERHAPS WE, WE ANTICIPATE ONE OF THOSE BEING A NON DRIVE THROUGH FACILITY, UM, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD HAVE A NEED FOR PARKING.
AND WE ANTICIPATE ONE OF THEM BEING A DRIVE THROUGH.
UM, BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF HOW WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING IT NOW.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE MARKET BEARS, BUT THERE'S ROOM FOR THAT ARRANGEMENT TO BE DONE AND STILL MEAN REASONABLE PARKING EXPECTATIONS.
UM, LASTLY, THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SIDE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, UM, IN, IN FINDING TENANTS.
NOT ALWAYS NECESSARILY THAT WE, THAT WE WANT FROM AN INCENTIVE STANDPOINT, BUT, BUT GOOD TENANTS ALL THE SAME.
UM, DAOS ON HERE ON TRACK, WHO'S A THREE PL A THIRD PARTY, A THIRD
[01:30:01]
PARTY LOGISTICS PROVIDER.UM, KENCO IS ALSO A THREE PL WHO CONSOLIDATED FROM ANOTHER FACILITY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, UM, INTO DESOTO.
UM, AND INTERSTATE IS PART OF THEIR BUILDING.
UM, THEY'RE PROVIDING THOSE SAME SERVICES FOR, FOR INTERSTATE.
UM, THE ALLIED EXPANSION, UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, THEY'RE A CABINET MAKER HERE.
UM, HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS SINCE 2016 WHEN THEY CAME HERE AND HAVE CONTINUED TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS THAT OUR ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
WE TALKED ABOUT AN INCENTIVE PATH TO THEM, UM, WAS BASED ON 50 JOBS.
TODAY THEY EMPLOY 364 AND THEY ANTICIPATE THAT NUMBER DOUBLING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
IT'S A RATHER SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
UM, ON AN APP OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, STAFF EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I THINK THREE OF OUR, OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TO TRAINING THIS YEAR.
UM, AND WE HAVE O OPPORTUNITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR FOR EACH OF THEM, UM, AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR, UH, SKILLS.
UM, THE BASIC COURSE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS, IT'S OFFERED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS COUNCIL.
BOTH MELBA AND RHONDA HAVE ATTENDED.
UM, AS I SAY TO THEM, I DON'T CARE SO MUCH WHAT YOU LEARN AS LONG AS YOU BUILD THE NETWORK, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS BUSINESS IS BUILT ON.
YOU GOTTA BRING THE BOOK BACK.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, BRING ME THE LIST OF PEOPLE YOU HAD DINNER WITH AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THAT YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
'CAUSE THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT WE CREATE NEW IN THIS BUSINESS.
YOU HEARD IT FROM ALICIA THE OTHER DAY, BUT WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT COPYING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT COMES FROM YOUR NETWORK WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S SOMETHING NEW THAT NEEDS TO MEET THIS NEED? TALK TO YOUR NETWORK FIRST.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUSY DOING THAT.
FROM AN AWARENESS AND MARKETING STANDPOINT, WE'VE BEEN TO EIGHT INDUSTRY CONFERENCES THIS YEAR.
WE'LL HAVE FOUR MORE BETWEEN ANTOINE AND I BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, NEXT YEAR WE HAVE 32 ON THE BOOKS, I THINK BETWEEN THE TWO OF US.
UM, SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE IN AND OUT OF THE OFFICE A LOT.
UM, UH, THE BRE AND, AND OUR, OUR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, WE'VE DONE 12 LARGE EMPLOYER VISITS SINCE APRIL.
I THINK WE HAVE FOUR MORE SCHEDULED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND WE MAY GET A COUPLE EXTRAS IN.
UM, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS TWICE OUR SIZE WHO DON'T MAKE HALF THAT MANY CALLS ON A YEAR IN PERSON VISITS.
SITTING DOWN WITH THOSE EMPLOYERS, LISTENING TO 'EM, LEARNING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES.
UH, A LONG TIME DESOTO BUSINESSES CHANGED HANDS.
UM, HAS GONE TO A PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM AND HAS SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH PLANS.
UM, ALL BECAUSE WE WENT AND VISITED WITH THEM.
PRACTICED SOME PRETTY GOOD PEANUT BUTTER AS A RESULT TOO.
UM, FINALLY THE EXPANDED, UH, STRATEGIC OUTREACH PROGRAM.
UM, WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHO WE PARTNER WITH AND FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERS WHO WE, WE ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO ONE ANOTHER.
THAT'S DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, WE'VE INCREASED OUR PARTICIPATION THERE.
'CAUSE I'M A STRONG BELIEVER IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU CAN'T BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
YOU CAN'T HOPE TO INFLUENCE THE DISCUSSION IF YOU'RE NOT EVEN AT THE TABLE.
UM, THEY HAVE A REGIONAL MARKETING TEAM WHO MAKES OUTBOUND TRIPS.
UH, WE'VE BEGUN TO GO ON THOSE TRIPS WITH THEM.
UM, IT'S THE FIRST TIME DE SOTO'S DONE THAT.
AND THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT US GOING, HEY, LOOK, WHO'S GOING WITH US THESE DAYS? MCKINNEY SHOWS UP.
ALL OF A SUDDEN DESOTO ISS SHOWING UP.
REALLY, REALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL.
ENCORE, OUR ELECTRIC PROVIDER DOES THE SAME THING ALONG THE MANUFACTURING FRONT.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING ON TRIPS WITH THEM.
UH, TEAM TEXAS IS A STATEWIDE REPRESENTATION OF INDUSTRIES.
UM, IT'S DRIVEN BY THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, AND THEY DO ABOUT 12 VISITS OUT EACH YEAR.
UM, SOME OF THEM TO LARGE CONFERENCES, SOME OF THEM TO REGIONAL AREAS.
I WENT OUT WITH THEM TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO SUCK BUSINESSES OUT OF THE CALIFORNIA MARKET.
UM, IT'S REALLY NOT A HARD SELL.
WHERE TEXAS, YOU WANT TO COME.
UH, THE INTERESTING THING OF THAT WAS 13 VISITS RESULTED IN SEVEN FOLLOW UP THAT ARE CONSIDERING MOVING HERE BETTER THAN 50%.
UM, AND THEN BIO NTX IS AN ORGANIZATION WE ARE NOW A PART OF.
UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO, IF WE'RE GONNA START COURTING BIO, WE PROBABLY BETTER BE A PART OF THE INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS.
UM, AND KATHLEEN AND HER TEAM THERE UP AT PEGASUS PARK HAVE OPENED THEIR ARMS AND INVITED US TO INVESTOR CONFERENCES, INVITED US TO, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET THE COMPANIES THAT ARE THERE IN THE, IN THE LABS, UM, TO START TO BE ABLE TO SELL OUR, OUR MESSAGE.
UM, IF YOU COME BY THE OFFICE, IT'S NOT, UH, NOT UNCOMMON.
[01:35:01]
THE ONLY PERSON'S THERE IS IS MELVA AND SOMETIMES RHONDA AND SOMETIMES BOTH.UM, BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR ANTOINE AND OR I TO BOTH BE GONE BECAUSE WE'RE OFF DOING SOME OF THESE THINGS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, OTHERWISE I TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
BUT LET ME SAY THAT, UM, UM, AS WE DISCUSSED DURING THE RETREAT, SOME OF THE INDUSTRY CONFERENCES MM-HMM.
WE WOULD WELCOME, WE WOULD WELCOME THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, WE'LL GET YOU A LIST OF THEM AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAG ALONG ON ANY OF THOSE.
UM, SAN DIEGO NEXT YEAR, BIO BIO IN SAN DIEGO.
YOU WANT KNOW WHAT'S LEARNING, WHAT'S GOING TREASURER? WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CHANGE THE BUDGET.
YOU DON'T COVER THOSE COSTS SELVES.
I ASSUME, BUT TECHNICALLY I GONNA BUY ALL COLLEGE.
WE DO VERY MUCH THE SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, IT IS INTERESTING 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THAT WE'RE TAGGING ALONG, IT IS INTERESTING THIS YEAR FOR BIO, WHICH IS AN EXPENSIVE CONFERENCE TO GO TO.
AND, AND WE SAID TO THE DRC, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE PART OF YOUR TEAM EITHER WAY WE'RE GOING, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL BE PART OF YOUR TEAM, SAVES YOU SOME MONEY.
AND, AND IT MAKES FOR A, A MUCH WHERE WE'RE WHAT 10 CITIES REPRESENTED IF BIO THIS YEAR.
UM, FROM THE DOWN FOR WITH METROPLEX.
UM, LITERALLY FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.
THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS WE MADE, UM, IN THOSE THREE DAYS THERE WAS, WAS TREMENDOUS.
AND IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE DAUNTING.
SO, MATT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, SHARING ALL OF THOSE KEY OBSERVATIONS.
AND YOU GUYS, I
I SEE
BY THE WAY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A SWIM AROUND NORTH ISLAND IF YOU'RE GONNA GO THOUGH.
UH, OTHER THAN JUST ANY OTHER, UH, I KNOW, UH, BOARD DIRECTOR MS. WALLACE TALKED ABOUT CONNECTING WITH US, UH, FOLLOWING THE TREE.
WANNA OPEN UP THAT DOOR TO ANYONE ELSE? IF Y'ALL WANNA SIT DOWN WITH MYSELF AND MATT KIND OF GO OVER ANYTHING MORE IN DETAIL.
HAVE TO DO SO BEFORE TRAVEL STARTS.
ANYTHING ELSE? WE, WHEN DID Y'ALL INTERNSHIP END? UM, TODAY, A WEEK FROM TODAY IS MY LAST DAY.
ANYBODY ELSE? UH, YOU NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YEAH, WE ARE THERE.
BEING NO FURTHER AGENDA ITEMS. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT EIGHT 17.
MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AS, UH, SECOND.
AND, UH, THIS MEETING, UH, THE AGENDA.