* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS, UH, 6:00 PM AND I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. I WANNA CALL THE WORK SESSION OF THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. UH, TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH. AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY TO CONDUCT A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. HERE, MAYOR PRO. TIM LETITIA HUGHES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE. BY HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DIANA MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MADAM CITY SECRETARY. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA. FIRST, WE HAVE REVIEW [1. Review of Master Calendar of Events and Special Meetings] OF MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS BY CITY MANAGER BRANDON WRIGHT. ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A NICE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. UH, AS WE GET STARTED TODAY, TAKING A LOOK AT THE UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE LATER ON THIS WEEK ON THURSDAY, WE HAVE OUR CIVIC ACADEMY BEGINNING, UH, HERE. SO WE'LL BE WELCOMING, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CITY OPERATIONS AND HOW IT IS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OPERATE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR ANNUAL HOA WORKSHOP THAT BEGINS AT NINE O'CLOCK HERE AT THE TOWN CENTER ATRIUM AND THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. SO WE'LL BE HELD, UH, IN THIS AREA OVER HERE, UH, AND WE WELCOME ALL THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THE HOAS IN THEIR DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS TO COME AND TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THAT EVENT WITH US. IT'LL GO FROM 9:00 AM AND IT ENDS AT 12:30 PM UH, WE ALSO HAVE THAT SAME DAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, THE SECOND ANNUAL CORY BORNER DAY. UM, THAT'LL BE HAPPENING AT ZYGER PARK FROM 11 O'CLOCK UNTIL FOUR. AND WE INVITE EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY OUT TO COME AND PARTICIPATE FOR THAT. UM, WE HAVE ON SEPTEMBER 21ST OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BANQUET THAT WILL BEGIN AT SIX 30 AND THE BLUE BONNET ROOMS OVER IN OUR, UH, CIVIC CENTER. UH, AND ON, LET'S SEE, UH, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, JUST FOR AWARENESS. UH, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE'RE PLANNING ON STARTING OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING EARLY THAT EVENING AT FIVE 30. UH, THE REASON WHY THAT IS TEXAS NIGHT OUT, AND SO WE ARE, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING AND CELEBRATING THAT NIGHT, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND THERE'S A SPECIAL EVENT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PLANNED, AND WE'LL BE PUTTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THAT SOON. ON SEPTEMBER, I'M SORRY, ON THAT WAS ON OCTOBER 3RD, ON OCTOBER 7TH. UH, WE DO HAVE OUR UTE TO VETERAN'S MILITARY BALL. THAT'LL BE AT SIX 30 IN THE LOOP AUDIT ROOMS AS WELL. AND I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE AT THE MOMENT, MAYOR. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER. RIGHT. COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS? YES. CAN, UH, I MISSED A PAGE. OKAY. SORRY. I JUST REALIZED THAT I MISSED A PAGE ON THE CALENDAR HERE. WE'RE GONNA BACK UP IN TIME A LITTLE BIT. SEPTEMBER 14TH, UH, AT 6:30 PM WE HAVE OUR ADOPT THE STREET BANQUET TO, UH, THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO HELP IN OUR ADOPT STREET PROGRAM AROUND THE CITY. AGAIN, UH, SEPTEMBER 14TH, HERE AT SIX 30 FOR THE ROOMS. UM, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH. THIS ONE'S A BIG FUN ONE, THE HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL, AND THAT'LL BE, UH, HAPPENING OVER ON OUR AMPHITHEATER JUST OUTSIDE. BEGINS AT SIX O'CLOCK, GOES UNTIL NINE O'CLOCK. UH, AND WE WELCOME THE COMMUNITY DOWN TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. IT'S ALWAYS A FUNNY THING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, MR. WRIGHT, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU REGARDING THE DESOTO NIGHT OUT. IS THAT SIMILAR TO NATIONAL NIGHT OUT? AND IF YES, UH, WHAT OUTREACH HAS HAPPENED FOR THE HOAS REGARDING THAT? OR ARE THEY PARTICIPATING? I HADN'T HEARD MUCH FROM ANY, ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, REGARDING THAT. I'M GONNA BRING FORWARD OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF JASMINE REAL QUICK TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE OUTREACH PART. I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO SOME, UH, DIFFERENT HOAS, UH, FOR INTEREST IN THAT. UH, THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. TEXAS LAND OUT, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THERE WERE EVENTS THAT WE, UH, THAT WE HELD AS A CITY AND THEN INVITED, UH, COMMUNITIES TO COME AND BE PART OF THAT. UH, IT WAS HOSTED BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT'S KIND OF MORE IN LINE WHAT WE HAVE A PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR. BUT I'LL LET, THIS IS CHIEF JUSTIN, GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT MADAM MAYOR COUNCIL. UH, YES, THAT'S CORRECT, SIR. SO WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO OUR HOAS, UM, TO LOOK AT, UH, UH, INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS, BUT AS YOU, AS YOU SAID, UM, PRE COVID, UH, TYPICALLY TEXAS NIGHT OUT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HOSTED HERE. AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO THAT MODEL. SO WE'RE PLANNING ON HOSTING SOMETHING HERE AT THE TOWN CENTER, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY BACK IN, IN AUGUST, YOU KNOW, WE WENT AROUND AND, AND VISITED HOAS AT, AT THEIR SITES. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT DOING AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO REBOOT PARTICIPATION. BE COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. UH, SIR. OFFICER, UM, YOU SAID HERE AT TOWN CENTER, BUT IT SAYS EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THAT, AND THAT MAY BE CORRECT, MA'AM. I I KNOW WE'RE STILL IN THE, WE'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGES, SO I, I'M, I'M GOING BACK TO PRE COVID. WE USED TO HOST AN EVENT [00:05:01] HERE, SO, OKAY. OKAY. SO MORE INFORMATION TO COME? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. BE THANK YOU. COUNSEL. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OKAY. HEARING NOW, WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE REVIEW OF [2. Review of Regular Agenda items] REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER BRANDON RE. OKAY. JUST TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A FEW ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, IN THE PRESENTATION SECTION, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON VALUE ENGINEERING FINDINGS FOR THE MCOWEN AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER. UM, THE, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UH, OF THE DESIGNING THE BUILDING AND THEN OBVIOUSLY GETTING TO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO DO ALONG THE WAY IS, IS ENSURE THAT WE ARE WITHIN THE BUDGET FOR THAT. UM, AS WE WENT THROUGH, AS WE WENT THROUGH OUR MOST RECENT COSTING ESTIMATE FOR THAT PROJECT, UM, WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE OVER BUDGET AND THAT REQUIRED SOME VALUE ENGINEERING. SO WE'LL GO OVER THE, UH, RESULTS OF THAT VALUE ENGINEERING THAT WE DID IN ORDER TO BRING THAT PROJECT BACK IN LINE WITH BUDGET. UM, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, A COUPLE ITEMS, UH, TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO. UH, LET'S SEE, ON, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, OTHER ITEMS, SECTION TWO, ITEM THREE. UH, THIS IS THE, UM, ITEM WHERE WE ARE REPEALING THE CURFEW HOURS FOR JUVENILES. UH, ITEM. THIS IS A RESULT OF STATE LAW CHANGE WITH A, ACTUALLY, THE STATE LAW DID REQUIRE YOU TO GO THROUGH AND TO REPEAL ANY SORT OF CURFEW HOURS THAT YOU HAVE FOR JUVENILES ON THAT. SO IT'S ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT. UH, IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, WE ALSO HAVE ON HERE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THAT MS. ENERGY, UH, THAT MAINTAINS THE 5% FRANCHISE FEE THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD WITH THEM. UH, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT GRANTS, UM, ON HERE. ONE OF RELATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE JUSTICE, UM, ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. UH, THIS IS, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME FUNDING THAT WE USE, UM, PRIMARILY FOR THE FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM. UM, AND THEN, UH, ITEM H IS FOR AN ADDITIONAL, UH, TRUANCY PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM SPECIALIST TO HELP OUT WITH THE CARE TEAM. UH, ITEM I IS, UH, TO BUY TWO, UH, VEHICLES. THIS IS FOR A METER SERVICES DIVISION. UM, AND THEN ON OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS EVENING, WE DO HAVE THE NANCE FARM MASTER PLAN COMING BACK. SO AFTER, UH, IT WENT THROUGH P AND Z, UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, THEN WE TOOK A PAUSE AT THAT POINT IN ORDER TO REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THERE. UM, HOSTED A COUPLE MEETINGS, UM, PARTICIPATED IN A PROCESS OF CREATING OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE NANCE FARM, UH, PROJECT. AND THEN NOW THAT THOSE ARE DONE AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION, WE ARE BRINGING THEM BACK, UH, THE ZONING ITEM BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING. UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO, UM, 2024 ASSESSMENT RATE, UH, PITS, STILLWATER CANYON AND, UH, AND CANDLE METAL. UH, BOTH OF THEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING, BOTH REQUIRE PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS THE ORDINANCES FOR THOSE. UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TONIGHT OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AS WELL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. UM, ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, UH, WE HAVE BRINGING BACK, THIS WAS TABLED THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BUT THE WIN GREEN ESTATES PROJECT, THIS IS, UM, FOR THE ZONING, UH, CASE THAT YOU HEARD AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING. UH, SEVERAL REVISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BASED ON COUNCIL INPUT AS WELL AS INPUT FROM THE APPLICANT. AND SO WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD TO YOU. WE DO NOT HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON HERE THAT WAS CONDUCTED THE LAST MEETING. THIS WAS JUST BRINGING BACK THE ORDINANCE FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. UH, DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE COUNCIL, THAT THE, UH, PUBLIC CANNOT PARTICIPATE AS THEY ALWAYS CAN DURING ANY ONE OF OUR, UM, AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAVE, HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT. MAY I, MAY I INTERJECT? ASK A QUESTION VERY QUICKLY. UM, YOU, YOU SAID THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS, WAS CLOSED, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO IF THERE IS NEW EVIDENCE PRESENTED, THEN THAT OPENS THE GATE FOR QUESTIONS, CORRECT. ATTORNEY? CORRECT. THANK YOU. YEAH, AND AGAIN, IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPEAK ON ANY ONE OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS, ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS FILL OUT ONE OF THE COMMON CARDS, AND THEY CAN SPEAK ON THIS ITEM OR ANY OTHER ITEM. UM, THAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE PLAN OF FINANCE THAT, UH, IS RELATED TO THE, UH, $3.4 MILLION, UH, ONE YEAR TAX NOTE THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET. UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS, UH, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FACADE GRANTS THAT IS WITH ALPHA INSURANCE, AND THAT IS TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE BUILDING THAT IS OUT HERE ON THE CORNER OF PLEASANT RUN AND HAMPTON, UH, TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE YELLOW AND MAKE IT WHITE. UH, AND THEN I, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE, UH, IS, IS ANOTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, GRANT. AND THIS IS FOR, UH, THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THIS IS, UH, TAKEN TO START A, AN ESPORTS CLUB PROGRAM WHERE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD WOULD BE PROVIDING A STARTUP MONEY FOR THAT. AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN THE, THE SCHOOL, UM, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPORE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD. UH, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE RULES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL UPDATE ON HERE THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL DURING OUR, UH, SUMMER REACH REACH, AND THAT'S RELATED TO PLACING ITEMS ON WORK SECTION AGENDAS. UH, SO IT'S A LENGTHY, UH, FULL AGENDA THIS EVENING. IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I CAN GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THOSE. THERE'S THIS ONE HERE. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER WRIGHT. UM, COUNCILMAN BURKE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER WRIGHT, I JUST HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT WERE DENIED IN PNZ THAT'S COMING BACK NOW TO COUNCIL. IS, IS, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN CHANGE THAT TO WHERE [00:10:01] WHEN THINGS ARE CHANGED THAT THEY GO BACK TO PNZ? IS THERE PROCEDURALLY, BECAUSE IT, WE WOULD ASSUME THAT IF THESE THINGS HAD BEEN CHANGED, MPNZ, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN APPROVED? OR IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT LEGALLY NOT? YEAH, THAT'S THAT AT THIS POINT, THAT'S NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE THE PNZ MAKES A RECOMMENDATION. EITHER THAT RECOMMENDATION IS A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL. SO THEN THE NEXT STEP UNDER STATE LAW IS FOR US, US TO EITHER APPROVE OR DENY THE CASE. RIGHT. AND I WASN'T TALKING NECESSARILY FOR THESE, I WAS TALKING ABOUT FUTURE CASES. IS THERE SOMETHING, IS THERE SOMETHING PROCEDURALLY, UH, WE CAN PUT INTO PLACE? OR IS THAT ALL, IS THAT A STATE LAW? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN IT IF ALL STATE LAW. OKAY. IF ALL STATE LAW. OKAY. YEAH. AND THE REASON I ASKED IS THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED TO ME, AND I FIGURED THAT THAT WAS THE, AN THE, THE ANSWER, BUT WE WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY IT. SO, SO TO FOLLOW UP, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WOULD THAT BE INCUMBENT UPON THE, UM, DEVELOPER OR WHOMEVER WHO'S BRINGING THAT APPLICATION? BECAUSE IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, IT WAS, THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPTION WHETHER OR NOT TO STOP HERE, MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS, OR TAKE CARE OF THOSE AND COME BACK, OR TO MOVE FORWARD? MR. ATTORNEY, UH, I, I GUESS I'M NOT FOLLOWING YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. UH, HIS QUESTION WAS PROCEDURALLY, WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT, THAT THIS IS RELATED TO A CASE TONIGHT THAT WE'RE HEARING? YES. OKAY. WHICH CASE? I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S WHAT HE, HE HAD, HE SAID THERE TWO CASES. THIS IS THE WINTER CASES ITEM ONE ON A REGULAR AGENDA. SO WE, ON, ON THAT ONE, WE'VE CLOSED THAT, THAT PUBLIC HEARING'S BEEN CLOSED. OKAY. MM-HMM. . SO NOW WE'RE THE PUBLIC HEARING'S BEEN CLOSED, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT TO EITHER APPROVE THE ORDINANCE, PROVE THE ORDINANCE, IF THERE'S CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE, WE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE UP HERE OR DENY IT. IF THEY, FOR SOME WHATEVER REASON, WITHDRAW IT, THEN THEY GO BACK, WOULD START BACK THROUGH THE PROCESS AT THE P AND C AGAIN. OKAY. AND, AND TECHNICALLY, OR WE DENY IT WITHOUT PREJUDICE, THEY CAN GO BACK AND START OVER AT THE PNZ PROCESS AGAIN. AND TECHNICALLY THE QUESTION WAS, UH, IS, WAS REALLY APPLICABLE TO BOTH THE NANCE FORM AND THIS, BECAUSE NANCE FORM WAS DENIED IN PNZ BECAUSE OF THE OUT, YOU KNOW, BUT AFTER COUNCIL, AFTER THE MAYOR, PRO TEM AND OTHERS, AND DR. MARKS WORKED THROUGH THOSE ISSUES WITH, UH, WITH PLACE SIX, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION. BUT I, I, I THINK THE, I THINK THE, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT IS THAT THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. ZONING WAS A PART OF THAT, AND RULES AND REGULATIONS WAS A PART OF THAT. GOT IT. RULES AND REGULATION IS NOT A PART OF ZONING, SO IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN STOPPED IN THAT CASE. ARE YOU BACK? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UM, WERE YOU, WERE YOU, HAD YOU COMPLETED YOUR REVIEW? OKAY. AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS, WE'LL ASK FOR THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE. NEXT, WE HAVE PRESENTATION [3. Presentation of updates from the Economic Development Department's involvement at the International Council of Shopping Centers Conference] OF UPDATES FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVEMENT AT THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTERS CONFERENCE. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS ANTOINE LONG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR. GOOD EVENING, MR. LONG. HERE WE GO. MIKE, CHECK. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS ANTOINE LONG, SERVE AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, UH, FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO. UH, WANTED TO TALK BRIEFLY TONIGHT ABOUT, UH, ONE OF OUR RECENT, UH, RETAIL TRADE SHOWS, THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTERS, BIG RETAIL SHOW THAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS EACH AND EVERY YEAR. SO WE'LL GET THAT PRESENTATION PULLED UP, AND WE'LL GET GOING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. EXCELLENT. LET'S SEE, WHAT TIME IS IT? SIX 14. RIGHT. UM, DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTERS. AGAIN, THIS EVENING, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE ICSC 2023 CONVENTION THAT, UH, WE ATTENDED TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, BRING ABOUT MORE RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO THE CITY OF DESOTO. UM, YOU KNOW, RETAIL RECRUITMENT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, BY ATTRACTING BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGING CONSUMER SPENDING HERE IN DESOTO. UH, IT GREATLY ENHANCES QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO A BROADER VARIETY OF OPTIONS AND SERVICES HERE IN DESOTA. TURNED OFF. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT. YEAH. THE, UH, ICSC [00:15:01] BACKGROUND JUST FOR EVERYONE, UH, UNDER MY VOICE HERE, ICSC LAS VEGAS, IT'S A PREMIER RETAIL EVENT THAT TAKES PLACE AGAIN, EACH AND EVERY YEAR IN LAS VEGAS IN MAY. UH, IT'S A TWO TO THREE DAY EVENT GATHERING OF DEVELOPERS, REAL ESTATE BROKERS, DEAL MAKERS, AND RETAILERS, AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS WHO ARE DRIVING INNOVATION IN RETAIL ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, REALLY ACROSS THE WORLD. THERE ARE SOME INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS THERE AS WELL. IT IS TRULY UNDERSTOOD AS THE SUPER BOWL OF RETAIL. UM, ICSC IS FOUNDED BACK IN 1957, PROMOTING, UH, THE MARKETPLACES WHERE PEOPLE DIE AND WORKSHOP AND PLAY, SEEING THEM AS VITAL INGREDIENTS OF THE ECONOMY AND COMMUNITIES. UH, SO JUST SOME STATS FOR THIS PARTICULAR EVENT. AGAIN, THIS IS THE SUPER BOWL OF RETAIL, 26,000 PEOPLE HERE AT THIS EVENT. UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE EXHIBIT HALLS. IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN OUT TO LAS VEGAS IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, IT'S A HUGE SPACE, A LOT OF STEPS. UM, 820 EXHIBITORS OUT THERE AT THE SHOW WITH BOOTS, FOUR REGISTRANTS. UH, THEY'RE FROM DESOTO. TRULY A 48 HOUR MISSION. UH, AS FAR AS OUR TIME PERIOD OUT THERE, WE GOT OUT THERE LATE SUNDAY, LEFT EARLY TUESDAY, SO VERY, VERY, VERY QUICK. AND THE ACTIVITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE 36 MEETINGS WITH RETAILERS, DEVELOPERS, AND BROKERS. SO, VERY WELL, UH, GOOD USE OF OUR TIME THERE. AND THE QUOTE THAT I HAVE HERE IS RETAIL RECRUITMENT AND RETAIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT IS A PROCESS AND DOES NOT TAKE PLACE AT A SINGLE EVENT. ONE MORE TIME FOR THE FOLKS IN THE BACK. RETAIL RECRUITMENT AND RETAIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A PROCESS AND DOES NOT TAKE PLACE IN A SINGLE EVENT. YES, THIS IS THE LARGEST, LARGEST EVENT OUT THERE. YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF RETAILERS THAT ATTEND. YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF BROKERS, BUT DEALS DON'T NECESSARILY JUST MOVE, TAKE LEAPS AND BOUNDS FROM THIS ONE EVENT. IT IS A MIX OF PERSISTENT AND PATIENTS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF OUR STRATEGY HERE WITH THIS SHOW. UH, THIS PICTURE THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE IS ACTUALLY THE REGISTRATION AREA. UH, THE FIRST DAY OF THE SHOW, AGAIN, 26,000 PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THEIR BADGE, HECTIC, CHAOTIC. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND, UH, MAYOR PRO TIMM AND, UH, DIRECTOR CARLSON. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR, UH, BADGES IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY. UH, BUT YEAH, THIS WAS A GREAT EVENT. LIKE I SAID, ONE OF THE STATS NOT INCLUDED ON HERE WERE THE NUMBER OF STEPS AND MILES THAT WERE TAKEN, AND THESE TWO, THREE DAYS, A LOT OF WALKING, UH, A LOT OF HANDSHAKES, A LOT OF, UH, MEETINGS WITH FOLKS. SO LET'S DIVE INTO THAT. UM, THE DESOTO DIFFERENCE IN, INTO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE AT THIS TRADE SHOW IS THAT RETAILERS SEE THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN, IN DESOTO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT DESOTO MORE THAN JUST THE BOUNDARIES OF DESOTO. THAT'S WHY I HAVE THE MAP HERE, IS LOOKING AT THE TRADE AREA OF, OF IF A RETAILER WERE TO LOCATE IN DESOTO, THEY'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT DESOTO. THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING AT A FIVE MILE RADIUS, A 10 MILE RADIUS, A 15 MILE RADIUS. EACH RETAILER HAS DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS AND ANALYTICS THAT THEY LOOK AT FOR A COMMUNITY. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DESOTO, JUST KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN JUST DESOTO. IT'S THE TRADE AREA. IT'S THE ABILITY TO TAP INTO OVER 200,000 PEOPLE IN A FIVE MILE RADIUS. IF WE'RE TRYING TO FIND SOME DESTINATION RETAIL IN A 10 MILE RADIUS, WE HAVE OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT POPULATION THAT STRETCHES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WAXAHATCHEE GETS US UP NORTH INTO DOWNTOWN. SO, AGAIN, EACH RETAILER IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THAT'S THE IMPETUS BEHIND THIS SLIDE, AND REALLY THAT THERE IS GROWTH HAPPENING IN THIS AREA. UH, NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT, THEY HAVE A, A, A GRAPH RIGHT HERE THAT ILLUSTRATES AND DEPICTS THAT HERE IN DESOTO, THE POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO 80, OVER 87,000 BY THE YEAR 2045. SO A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF GROWTH. THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED FOR MORE RETAIL OPTIONS TO SUPPORT THOSE FOLKS MOVING IN HERE. AND ALSO THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, 20, 30 YEARS. AS WE, WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, PART OF OUR DESOTO STRATEGY, AGAIN, IS TALKING ABOUT OUR DESOTO DEMOGRAPHICS. AND WHEN WE TALK TO RETAILERS, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN LANGUAGE THAT THEY TALK. IT'S NOT SO MUCH, UH, THE FLUFF AND STUFF, BUT THEY'RE REALLY GETTING TO THE ANALYTICS. THEY'RE GETTING TO THE NUMBERS. WHAT ARE YOUR POPULATION? WHAT'S THE AVERAGE INCOME? AND REALLY, AS A TEAM, UH, AS WE WENT OUT TO THE SHOW, WE REALLY WANT TO, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE. UH, WE KNOW THAT AS A CITY, WE'RE APPROACHING 60,000 IN POPULATION, LITTLE OVER 58,000 AS WE LOOKED AT EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE KNOW OUR AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS NORTH OF $98,000. HERE IN DESOTO, A VERY STRONG NUMBER. WE KNOW THAT, THAT THAT NUMBER IS TO GROW TO ABOUT 113, 104, 14,000 IN ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS. SO AGAIN, KNOWING THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT WE'RE SHARING WITH THESE RETAILERS. ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT THE SHOW IN PREPARATION, UH, IS THE DEVELOPMENT SITES. WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT HERE IN DESOTO, WE HAVE MORE THAN JUST HAMPTON ROAD TO TALK ABOUT. UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RETAIL SPOTS THAT WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WANT TO HAVE, HAVE TALKED TO, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS WITH, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING THEIR SITE. SO THEIR OPPORTUNITIES ON I 35, OPPORTUNITIES ON BELTLINE, OPPORTUNITIES ON COCKER HILL, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES ON BELTLINE AND BOLTON BOONE RIGHT THERE. AND ULTIMATELY, RETAILERS, THEY LIKE OPTIONS. THEY LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS DEVELOPMENT AREA MAY NOT BE DEVELOPED TODAY, BUT BASED ON OUR TIMELINE OF DEVELOPMENT IN TWO YEARS AND THREE YEARS, YOU GUYS WILL HAVE A PLACE FOR US, [00:20:01] AND THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE TYPE OF PRODUCT THAT WE WANT TO BRING TO DE SOTO. SO THE ABILITY TO HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS IS HUGELY IMPORTANT. UH, THE THIRD BULLET POINT THERE IS LOOKING AT THE RETAIL LEAKAGE ANALYSIS. NOW, AS A PERSON WHO'S LIVED HERE OVER 20 YEARS, I CAN PROBABLY CHECK THE BOX ON ALL OF THESE, UH, RETAIL CATEGORIES TO WHERE WE MIGHT LEAVE OUT OF DESOTO TO GO FIND THEM. GROCERY BETTER GROCERY OPTIONS, SIT DOWN, DINING OPTIONS, FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT. AND WHAT WE OFTEN HEAR IS HEALTHY OPTIONS. SO WE HAVE A RETAIL LEAKAGE ANALYSIS REPORT THAT REALLY IDENTIFIES WHAT CATEGORIES OF THESE RETAILERS, UH, THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. AND IT'S, UH, ULTIMATELY WHERE DOLLARS ARE LEAVING OUR COMMUNITY. HOW CAN WE TARGET THE RIGHT BRANDS TO KEEP, TO KEEP THOSE DOLLARS IN OUR COMMUNITY, KEEP THOSE CONSUMER SPENDING HERE IN DESOTO. UH, LASTLY, UH, CONNECTIONS. CONNECTIONS AND ESTABLISHED CONNECTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT. THE ABILITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, THAT'S HOW, YOU KNOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS, IS SUCCESSFUL. UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH FOLKS OVER A YEAR, UM, PREPARING FOR I-C-S-C-I-C-I-C-S-C DIDN'T JUST START IN MAY. A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ACTUALLY HAPPENED SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR GOING INTO THE SHOW. SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HOW THEY EVOLVED OVER TIME. UH, BUT REALLY THE ABILITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS IS SO IMPORTANT. SO, ATTENDING SOME OF THESE OTHER RETAIL SHOWS, RETAIL, LIVE OUT IN AUSTIN, ICSC, RED RIVER HERE IN DALLAS, AND IFA, IT KIND OF MOVES AROUND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, BUT TOUCHING BASE DIRECTLY WITH THESE DIRECTORS OF REAL ESTATE. UH, THESE FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS, THESE CEOS, CEOS IN, IN SOME CASES, AND OFTEN TENANT REPS WHO REPRESENT MULTIPLE BRANDS. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE THOSE FRIENDLY FACES, TO KNOW ANTOINE, TO KNOW DESOTO, TO KNOW THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE. SO AGAIN, PART OF OUR STRATEGY GOING INTO LAS VEGAS WAS, YOU KNOW, TAPPING INTO SOME OF THESE, UH, RELATIONSHIPS. ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, UH, IS PLANNING AHEAD FOR OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS SHOW. AGAIN, 28,000 PEOPLE, 800 EXHIBITORS, 800 BOOTS, UH, WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN'T TALK TO EVERYONE IN THAT TIMEFRAME. UH, YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE. YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL, YOU HAVE TO BE DILIGENT. UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR SHOW. UH, YOU KNOW, PROPER PLANNING. I'LL LET YOU GUYS FINISH THAT. BUT, UM, THE, THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHO'S ACTUALLY ATTENDING THE SHOW IS SO IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES OUT THERE WHO JUST KIND OF FREE FOR ALL JUST GO TO THE SHOW. LET ME JUST POP INTO A BOOTH AND HOPE I GET A MEETING. KNOW, OUR PLAN AHEAD OF TIME WAS TO REACH OUT TO THESE FOLKS TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS, TO UNDERSTAND THEIR INTERESTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING THEM HERE IN DESOTO. UH, SO A PART OF THAT ICSE OUTREACH CAMPAIGN AGAIN HAPPENED, PROBABLY STARTING IN FEBRUARY, UH, REACHING OUT TO DEVELOPERS, RETAILERS, AND BROKERS WHO WILL BE ATTENDING THE SHOW. UM, AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS. ULTIMATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO SCHEDULE 11 MEETINGS AHEAD OF THE SHOW. UH, SO AGAIN, LINING UP SOME OPPORTUNITIES ON THAT MONDAY MORNING, MONDAY AFTERNOON, TUESDAY MORNING WITH RETAILERS WITH BRAND REPS TO TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY'RE IN. DESOTO. UM, AND JUST FOR REFERENCE, I WAS TALKING TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE EDC SPACE, UM, OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES OF CEDAR HILL. THEY HAD ZERO MEETINGS SCHEDULED AHEAD OF TIME. UH, GRAND PRAIRIE, THEY HAD 14 MEETINGS SCHEDULED AHEAD OF TIME. UH, LANCASTER, I THINK THEY HAD A LITTLE OVER 10. SO JUST UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, 11 IS, IS A STRONG NUMBER. UH, AGAIN, I LIKE TO BE PROACTIVE AND INTENTIONAL AND NOT JUST KIND OF BE ALL WILLY-NILLY GOING INTO A LOT OF THESE TRADE SHOWS. AND THEN LASTLY, MY, MY, UH, OUR, OUR MAJOR, MAJOR BULLET POINT IS THAT WE ENDED UP WITH 28 INTERESTED RETAILERS. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD. WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THEY PROVIDED. BUT AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, THIS IS KIND OF A MAP OF ONE OF THE, UH, UH, EXHIBIT HALLS, AND THAT'S MARKING UP WHAT RETAILERS WE WANT TO GO TO. AGAIN, I CAN'T TALK TO EVERYBODY. I'M NOT TRYING TO TALK TO EVERYBODY. THERE ARE DOLLAR STORES THERE, THERE ARE MCDONALD'S THERE, THERE ARE PUBLIC STORAGE FOLKS THERE. I'M NOT SPENDING MY TIME WITH THOSE FOLKS. UH, SO JUST KNOW AND UNDERSTAND. WE'RE VERY, VERY STRATEGIC IN WHO WE TALK TO. AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE EXHIBIT HALLS, THREE, THREE HALLS IN TOTAL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE MEETINGS. AGAIN, TALKING THROUGH THE DESOTO STRATEGY, UH, ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WITH CUSHMAN WAKEFIELD WAS ABLE TO TALK THROUGH, UH, A PRETTY STRONG REAL ESTATE FIRM, UH, WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR KEY PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE IN DESOTO. AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT, UH, HAMPTON ROAD. IT'S NOT EVEN JUST TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL PROJECTS. LIKE WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE NATATORIUM BEING A GREAT ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON IN OUR BUSINESS PARK, BEING GREAT ASSETS, TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENTS ON HAMPTON ROAD BEING EXTREMELY HUGE. UH, OTHER POINTS OF OF REFERENCE INFILL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT TOWN FOR FOLKS TO BRING IN DEVELOPMENT. AGAIN, TALKING THAT RETAILER LANGUAGE FOR THEM TO COME IN AND QUICKLY IDENTIFY AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. UH, WE HAVE NUMEROUS, UH, WILLING LAND OWNERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO DEVELOP, DIVEST THEIR LAND, UH, SELL THEIR LAND. SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UM, DEVELOPERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR PROJECTS, WHO HAVE CAPITAL TO, TO DEPLOY AND JUST LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT PROPERTY TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD THAT, UH, SITE AND DEVELOPMENT. UH, FOURTH BULLET POINT, WE'RE LOOKING AT LAND ACQUISITION AND ASSEMBLAGE. A, UH, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, DESOTO DOES NOT OWN A LOT OF LAND. THE CITY OF DESOTO DOES NOT OWN A LOT OF LAND. IT'S A LOT OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP THAT OPERATES THE LAND HERE [00:25:01] IN DESOTO, TO WHICH THEY CAN SELL THEIR LAND TO A PUBLIC STORES. THEY CAN SELL THEIR LAND TO A WENDY'S. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH A LOT OF THESE PRIVATE OWNERS, SO THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY SAY, SELL TO A WENDY'S OR A CAR WASH, BUT A MORE ATTRACTIVE BRAND TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO AGAIN, PART OF OUR DIALOGUE IN THESE RETAILERS WITH THESE RETAILERS IS LETTING 'EM KNOW THAT, HEY, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THESE CONVERSATIONS. YOU ALREADY HAVE A WARM WELCOME, A GREEN LIGHT TO TALK TO SOME OF THESE FOLKS. THE LAST BULLET POINT IS PRETTY IMPORTANT, AND I KNOW IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE'RE WORKING IN RIGHT NOW. IT'S OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. UH, A LOT OF THESE RETAILERS AND DEVELOPERS THAT ARE, WE'RE TALKING TO, THEY'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED THAT DESOTO IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, KNOWING THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINING THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO HAVE A MORE RETAIL FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS GREAT. HOWEVER, THE COMP PLAN IS AN ASPIRATIONAL DOCUMENT, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO ACT UPON THE SUGGESTIONS. WE HAVE TO ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN THESE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE WANT, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT CAN COLLECT DUST. WE DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING WITH IT. THAT'S WHERE THE RETAILERS GET EXCITED. THAT'S WHERE THESE BRANDS START, UH, OPENING UP DOORS AND ATTENDING SOME OF THESE P AND Z MEETINGS. AND THAT IS IT ON THE STRATEGY. SO LET'S GET TO SOME OF THE POSITIVE ACTION WE'VE HEARD FROM THE SHOW. THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AS A CITY THAT IS VERY ENLIGHTENING TO SOME OF THESE RETAILERS, TO THE, WHERE THEY'RE TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT DESOTO TO WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE DESOTO ON THE RADAR AT FIRST, BUT NOW BASED ON SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, AGAIN, SHARING, YOU KNOW, THINGS GOING ON WITH HAMPTON ROAD SHARING OF THESE DEVELOPMENT NODES AROUND THE COMMUNITY, SHARING I 35 OPPORTUNITIES. A LOT OF THESE RETAILERS, THEY'RE EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE TO A LOT OF THOSE VEHICLES MOVING UP AND DOWN I 35 EACH AND EVERY DAY. UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE OVER 160,000 VEHICLES MOVING ON I 35 EACH AND EVERY DAY. THAT IS AN ATTRACTIVE NUMBER FOR SOME OF THESE MAJOR DESTINATION, RETAIL MAJOR SIT DOWN DINING, UH, THAT WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ATTRACT THAT CROWD THAT'S MOVING THERE, UH, ACROSS THERE EACH AND EVERY DAY. UH, BELTLINE ROAD SITES, AGAIN, THIS IS TEXAS STATE HIGHWAY 1382. UH, 1382 GOES AROUND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ENTIRE, THE WHOLE METROPLEX, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. UH, SO THE, THE KEY AREAS THAT WE HAVE THERE ON BELTLINE, BELTLINE IN COCKER HILL, BELTLINE IN WESTMORELAND, BELTLINE, AND POPE. UH, KEY, KEY, KEY OPPORTUNITIES TO WHERE RETAILERS ARE, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE TO YOU. THEN LASTLY, ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT. AS I MENTIONED, UH, ICSC, LAS VEGAS WAS NOT THE ONLY RETAIL SHOW THAT WE'VE ATTENDED IN THE LAST YEAR. UM, I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING NUMEROUS SHOWS SINCE SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR. AND JUST THE SIMPLE FACT THAT ANTOINE IS PRESENT AND IS THERE HOLDS A LOT OF WEIGHT TO THESE RETAILERS AND DEVELOPERS. OH, WE SEE DESOTO. OH, WE SEE DESOTO OUT THERE IN ABOUT, OH, WE, WE KNOW WHO TO TALK TO. SO HAVING THAT WARM WELCOME, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT FRIENDLY FACE IS HUGELY IMPORTANT. AND, AND THE MAIN PIECE IS THAT DESOTO HAS TO CONSISTENTLY BE ENGAGED, CONSISTENTLY BE ENGAGED. IT'S NOT ABOUT, OH, I TALKED TO THEM TWO YEARS AGO, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DEVELOP. THESE THINGS ARE VERY MUCH SO DYNAMIC TO WHERE WE'RE HAVING FOLLOW UP POINTS, ALMOST AT A 90 DAY CADENCE WITH SOME OF THESE FOLKS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT FOLLOW UP HERE IN A BIT. BUT KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT DESOTO IS ENGAGED IN THESE RETAILERS, WE KNOW WHO THESE RETAILERS ARE, THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE, WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION THERE. NOW, THIS SLIDE, I'M, I'M GONNA SIT ON FOR A WHILE, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, IN TWO DAYS, 36 MEETINGS, UM, A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND ESSENTIALLY WE KIND OF COMPILED ALL THEIR COMMENTS INTO THESE BULLET POINTS HERE, UH, THAT I WANT TO GO OVER THIS EVENING. UM, LAST ONE, JUST TAKE A SIP. SO RETAIL AND DEVELOPER FEEDBACK, THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IT ALLOWS US TO ACT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THESE NEEDS ARE, WHAT THESE CONCERNS ARE, WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE. THE NUMBER ONE BULLET POINT IS AWARENESS AND INTEREST. UH, THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THAT DESOTO JUST HAS NOT BEEN PRESENT AT A LOT OF THESE RETAIL SHOWS IN YEARS PAST. SO THE VERY SIMPLE FACT THAT WE ARE THERE, THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AWARENESS AS TO WHAT DESOTO IS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, THAT'S EXTREMELY EXCITING TO THESE RETAILERS, TO WHERE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE US, YOU KNOW, SHAKING HANDS WITH THEM, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT DESOTO WAS DOING, RIGHT? THEY, A LOT OF THESE DEVELOPERS AND RETAILERS, UNFORTUNATELY, AS WE KNOW, THEY DON'T TYPICALLY OPERATE SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS. SOME OF THESE RETAILERS AND DEVELOPERS, LITERALLY SAID, HEY, I HAVEN'T BEEN SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN ABOUT THREE YEARS, RIGHT? HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS AREA. SO AGAIN, THE ABILITY TO BRING AWARENESS TO THESE RETAILERS IS HUGE. BEING PRESENT IS HUGE FROM AWARENESS THAT, THAT TURNS INTO INTEREST, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOW THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN DESOTO, ONCE I'M ARTICULATING WHAT'S GOING ON IN DESOTO, THERE'S SOME INTEREST. AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THESE RETAILERS TO, YOU KNOW, BRING THEIR PROJECTS. SO THE INTEREST LEVEL IS CONSIDERABLY THERE. AND I, I CAN SAY FROM SOMEONE WHO, WHO WORKED HERE PREVIOUSLY, IT'S NIGHT AND DAY TO THE LIGHT, TO THE ACTIVITY LEVEL IN, IN THE RETAIL ENGAGEMENT AND INTEREST LEVEL. SO I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC FEEDBACK HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE. UM, BUT KIND OF THE, THESE BULLET POINTS HERE, UM, UNDER FEEDBACK, THAT'S REALLY WHERE, LET, LET, LET'S JUST, AGAIN, JUST DIVE DEEP INTO IT. SO, SO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE HEARD WAS AROUND GROWTH [00:30:01] STRATEGY. UM, GROWTH STRATEGY IS DIFFERENT FOR, FOR EACH RETAILER. SOME RETAILERS, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE EXPANDING ONLY TWO UNITS A YEAR. OTHER RETAILERS ARE LOOKING AT 20 UNITS A YEAR. SOME RETAILERS ONLY OPEN UP TWO UNITS IN TEXAS PER YEAR. SOME RETAILERS THAT ARE OPENING UP 10 UNITS PER YEAR IN DFW. SO REALLY UNDERSTANDING AND COMPREHENDING HOW THESE RETAILERS ARE GROWING. WE HAVE, UH, OR I HAVE A RUNNING LIST OF ABOUT 150 RETAILERS, UH, STAY ON TOP OF QSR MAGAZINE, FRANCHISING MAGAZINE, A DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL, ANOTHER NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS THAT TALK ABOUT ALL THESE BRANDS AND THEIR EXPANSIONS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH STRATEGY THERE, WE ALREADY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT, HEY, THIS PARTICULAR BRAND THEY'VE ALREADY BUILT OUT FOR THEIR, FOR 2023. THIS PARTICULAR BRAND IS ALREADY BUILT OUT FOR 2024. IF I'M SHAKING HANDS WITH YOU TODAY AT ICSC, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITY UNTIL 2025 FOR DESOTO. THAT'S THE REALITY. THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE INDUSTRY THAT WE'RE IN. THAT'S THE, THE, THE, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT RETAIL IS IN TODAY. SO REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE GROWTH STRATEGY IS IMPORTANT. UM, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF INTEL FROM THESE RETAILERS, WHAT THEIR GROWTH STRATEGY WAS LOOKING LIKE, HOW THEY PLAN TO EXPAND INTO THESE SECONDARY AND TERTIARY MARKETS, ALLAH, DESOTO. UH, SO A LOT OF GREAT CONVERSATIONS THERE. UH, THE SECOND POINT THAT I HAVE, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IS IDENTIFYING A FRANCHISEE. I CAN SAY PROBABLY OUT OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD AT THE SHOW, ABOUT 65, 70% OF THE RETAILERS FRANCHISEE DRIVEN. SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SODA ON THE RADAR, OR THEY DON'T WANT TO COME SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN. THEY NEED TO FIND A LOCAL OPERATOR HERE IN THE DESOTO BEST SOUTHWEST AREA TO BRING IN THAT BRAND TO THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THEY, WE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING AT RETAIL LIVE LAST YEAR. WE TALKED AT ICSC IN DALLAS. HEY, ANTWANA, I LOVE YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS. YOU TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS AT OUR LAST MEETING. I NEED A FRANCHISEE. IF YOU COULD FIND ME A FRANCHISEE THAT'LL EXPEDITE THE PROCESS. SO, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER SLIDE ABOUT THE FRANCHISEE INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, UH, WITH THE EDC. UH, BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT OPPOSED TO DEVELOPING SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE THE TAKEAWAY. THERE ARE A LOT OF NATIONAL BRANDS WHO ARE LOOKING AT DESOTO, TEXAS. THIRD BULLET POINT, TI TIMING, UM, KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH THE GROWTH STRATEGY TIMING, UH, REALLY DEPENDS ON THE RETAILER. AGAIN, UNIQUE SITUATIONS. CONSTRUCTION COSTS, FINANCIAL COSTS, INTEREST RATES. THAT'S A REAL THING. THAT'S NOT ONLY, UH, YOU KNOW, AFFECTING HOMEOWNERS, BUT ALSO THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE DEVELOPMENT SPACE, THOSE WHO ARE IN CONSTRUCTION SPACE. A LOT OF, UH, SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED LAST SEPTEMBER THAT THEY WERE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN EXPANDING. NOW, TALKING TO THEM IN MAY, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE IN HOW THEY'RE EXPANDING. SO UNDERSTANDING THOSE ELEMENTS AND THOSE, YOU KNOW, NUANCES HELPS US UNDERSTAND THAT HEY, DESOTO MIGHT BE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY IN 25 VERSUS 24, BETTER OPPORTUNITY IN 26 VERSUS 25. SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE BRAND, BUT DIFFERENT EXPANSION EFFORTS AND DIFFERENT TIMING, UH, EXPECTED FROM EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT BRANDS. THE FOURTH BULLET POINTS FROM INTEL THAT WE GOT BACK FROM THE FOLKS IS THAT THEIR SITE SELECTION REQUIREMENTS ARE EXTREMELY DIFFERENT. ALRIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS NEED A HALF ACRE, SOME FOLKS NEED TWO ACRES. PARKING REQUIREMENTS ARE MUCH DIFFERENT FOR SOME OF THE QSRS FAST FOOD, UH, ESTABLISHMENTS VERSUS THE, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN DINING. SO ANALYTICS, PLEASE UNDERSTAND ANALYTICS ARE VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. UH, THE DEMO DUE DILIGENCE, THE DEMOGRAPHICS, DUE DILIGENCE THAT THESE RETAILERS ARE DOING, THEY PAY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH AND EVERY YEAR FOR SITE SELECTION. THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE BEST LOCATIONS FOR THEIR SITES, BUT ALSO THEY'RE CURIOUS OF OTHER SITES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE IN THEIR RADAR. SO THAT'S WHY, AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO THESE FOLKS, WE'RE LETTING 'EM KNOW, HEY, HERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU NEED TO PUT IN YOUR LITTLE, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, UH, CONVERTER OR YOUR ANALYTICS THERE TO UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN DESOTO. AGAIN, PART OF SITE SELECTION, SOME OF THESE FOLKS, THEY WANT HIGHWAY FRONTAGE. SOME OF 'EM WANT TO BE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITHIN FIELD. SOME OF 'EM WANT TO GO INTO SOME SECOND GENERATION RESTAURANT SPACE. SOME NEED PAD SITES RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF SOME MAJOR ANCHOR DEVELOPMENTS. AND SPEAKING OF ANCHOR DEVELOPMENTS, SOME ANCHOR DEVELOPMENTS LOOK LIKE GROCERY STORES. THEY LOOK LIKE GYMS. THEY LOOK LIKE HOSPITALS. THEY LOOK LIKE APARTMENTS. UH, SO AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE RETAIL, DEPENDING ON THE BRAND, THEY CAN, THEY CAN LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR, YOU KNOW, ANCHOR DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS ARE. UH, SOME OF THESE BRANDS, THEY PREFER BEING ON THE MORNING SIDE OF TRAFFIC OR THE EVENING SIDE OF TRAFFIC. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. UM, BELTLINE, FOR INSTANCE, THEY HAVE OVER 25,000 VEHICLES PER DAY. THAT IS A VERY BIG NUMBER TO A LOT OF THESE BRANDS. A LOT OF THESE BRANDS, THEIR, THEIR THRESHOLD IS HAVING AT LEAST 25,000 BRANDS, ABOUT 70, 70% OF THEM. SO KNOWING THAT WE HAVE NORTH OF 25,000 CARS GOING ON BELTLINE EACH AND EVERY DAY, A LOT OF BRANDS ARE ATTRACTED TO THAT. UH, AND ONE OF THE KEY AREAS THAT FOLKS LOOK AT AS WELL IS THIRD GRADE GROWTH. SO LOOKING AT NOT NECESSARILY JUST OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT ALSO OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND OTHER PRIVATE SCHOOLS, WHAT DOES THAT GROWTH RATE LOOK LIKE SPECIFICALLY IN THIRD GRADE? THAT IS ONE OF THE ANALYTICAL PIECES THAT THEY LOOK AT. UH, DENSITY, DAYTIME POPULATION, ALSO BEING SOME OTHER, UH, METRICS THAT, UH, SOME OF THESE RETAILERS ARE LOOKING AT, UH, TO GO ON ABOUT, UH, SITE [00:35:01] SELECTION. UM, SOME OF THESE FOLKS, THEY ARE, AGAIN, IF THEY CAN GET PAST THE FINANCIAL ISSUES WITH CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND THAT THEY WANT TO BUILD THEIR OWN NEW SPACE, UH, CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE QUITE HIGH, BUT THEY'RE STILL PUSHING AHEAD. UH, POST COVID, A LOT OF THESE RETAILERS, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PROTOTYPES THAT THEY'VE COME OUT WITH. A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY MUCH SO DEPENDING ON DRIVE-THROUGH, UH, SOME, SO MUCH SO THAT 70% OF THEIR SALES ARE FROM THE DRIVE-THRU. SO, AS A CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVES IN PLACE, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, A BAD THING. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES THROUGHOUT THE, YOU KNOW, TEXAS AND UNITED STATES THAT HAVE SUVS JUST FOR DRIVE-THROUGHS, BUT NO ONE UNDERSTAND. A LOT OF, OF THESE BRANDS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT COMING OUT OF COVID, THEY'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH NOT ONLY ONE DRIVE THROUGH LANE, SOMETIMES TWO DRIVE THROUGH LANES. SO LET'S JUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WE, YOU KNOW, RECRUIT RETAIL. UH, ALSO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, INLINE END CAPS, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE JUST LOOKING FOR SMALL SQUARE FOOTAGE. UH, SO ANYWHERE FROM 1200 TO 1800 SQUARE FEET. SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HUGE SWATHS OF LAND OR HUGE SWATHS OF REAL ESTATE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AGAIN, DESOTO DOESN'T JUST HAVE A PLETHORA OF REAL ESTATE OPTIONS FOR FOLKS TO GO INTO. AND IF THEY DO GO INTO SOME OF THOSE SPACES, THE CO-TENANCY ISN'T THE BEST. AND THAT SEGUES INTO OUR NEXT POINT OF CO-TENANCY. A LOT OF THESE BRANDS, THEY WANT TO BE AROUND, LIKE-MINDED BRANDS BEING AROUND NAIL SALONS, SMOKE SHOPS, VAPE SHOPS, CHECK AND GO PLACES. THAT'S NOT ATTRACTIVE. UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT IN DESOTO. SO THE IDEA IS, CAN WE BUILD NEW PLACES? CAN WE RENOVATE SOME OF THESE PLACES TO ATTRACT SOME OF THESE NATIONAL BRANDS WHO WANT TO BE IN DESOTO? A LOT OF THESE BRANDS THAT WE'RE TALKING TO, THEY'RE FINE PAYING 25, 30, 30 $5 PER SQUARE FOOT, WHEREAS THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS HERE IN DESOTO, UM, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING WITH $10 A SQUARE FOOT. THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A REALITY. SO WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE, YOU KNOW, CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH WHAT DOES CO-TENANCY LOOK LIKE? AND IF THE CO-TENANCY DOESN'T WORK TODAY, WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE FUTURE TO TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE A BETTER, A BETTER RUNWAY, UH, FOR THOSE FOLKS TO LAND HERE IN DESOTO? THEN LAST BULLET POINT, UH, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM RETAILERS IS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY PROCESS ULTIMATELY, IS IT EASY TO DEVELOP IN DESOTO? IS DESOTO OPEN FOR BUSINESS? UH, IS IT A EASY PROCESS TO MOVE THROUGH PNZ TO MOVE THROUGH CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE THROUGH STAFF AND OUR DRC MEETINGS, UH, IS IT CLEAR? ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS EFFECTIVELY ARTICULATED, RIGHT? ARE THERE AREN'T ANY HICCUPS OR SURPRISES AS WE GET TOWARD DEVELOPMENT? SO, UM, THE EASIER IT IS TO WORK WITH CITY OF DESOTO EASIER IT IS FOR THESE RETAILERS TO COME AND LOCATE. THERE ARE A LOT OF . I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF COMMENTS FROM RETAILERS SAYING, YEAH, I TRIED TO WORK WITH DESOTO, BUT IT WAS A HEADACHE, SO I HAD TO TAKE MY TALENTS OR MY PROJECT TO RETO TOOL, WAXAHATCHEE, EVEN LANCASTER IN SOME CASES. SO LET'S JUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT. ARE ARE, IS IT EASY ENOUGH TO DEVELOP HERE IN DESOTO? IS DESOTO TRULY OPEN UP FOR BUSINESS? ALRIGHT, HERE'S THE FUN SLIDE. SO AGAIN, OUT OF THOSE THREE DAYS, 48 HOURS, 36 MEETINGS, UM, WE HAD OVER 28 BRANDS THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST HERE IN DESOTO. AND IF I WERE TO GO BACK A SLIDE JUST BEFORE Y'ALL STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS, A LOT OF THESE BRANDS AND THEIR RESPONSES, THEY'RE GONNA FALL IN ONE OF THESE BUCKETS. THEY'RE GONNA FALL IN ONE OF THESE BUCKETS. IS IT THEIR GROWTH STRATEGY? IS IT TIMING? IS IT FINDING A FRANCHISEE? IS IT THE CITY PROCESS? SO LET'S GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE BRANDS. CHECK, LET THOSE, UH, PERLE FOR A SECOND, FOLKS IN THE CROWD AS WELL. AND AGAIN, SOME OF OUR TARGETS FOR THE SHOW, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS, GROCERY, QSRS, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DIVERSE DINING OPTIONS. AND, AND, AND ANOTHER POINT ON THIS SLIDE HERE IS THAT THIS, THESE ARE RETAILERS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER RETAILERS THERE AT THE SHOW. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET WITH SOME OF THEM, UNFORTUNATELY. IT WAS A VERY QUICK SHOW. WE HAD SOME COMMUNICATIONS AFTER THE SHOW WITH SOME OTHER BRANDS THAT ARE ON LISTED ON HERE. BUT AGAIN, TO HIGHLIGHT ICSC, LAS VEGAS IN THAT TWO DAY TIMEFRAME, THESE ARE THE BRANDS WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO AND EXPRESSED INTEREST IN DESOTO. THAT IS THE TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SLIDE. UM, A COUPLE BRANDS THAT I WILL HIGHLIGHT ON HERE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT FOR SOME TIME, THAT, AGAIN, RETAIL RECRUITMENT IS A PROCESS, NOT JUST AN EVENT. UH, MARCOS PIZZA, FOR AN EXAMPLE, UH, I WAS, I FIRST TALKED TO A REP FROM THEM SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, HAD THREE CONVERSATIONS SINCE AT THIS SHOW HERE BACK IN MAY. UH, THEY SAID THEY WERE CLOSE IN IDENTIFYING A FRANCHISEE AS OF TWO MONTHS AGO. THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED A FRANCHISEE, THEY HAVE ALSO IDENTIFIED A LOCATION FOR THEM HERE IN DESOTA AS WELL. AND WHEN I JUST WENT TO A RETAIL LIVE LAST WEEK IN AUSTIN, CLAY MUIRHEAD, THE DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE. HE'S LIKE, ANTOINE, MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY KNOWS THAT THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAD WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET MARCOS THERE. SO I HOPE TO HAVE MORE OF THOSE SUCCESSES TO TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE. BUT, UM, TROPICAL SMOOTHIE WAS ANOTHER ONE. MELISSA TINSLEY, SHE'S GREAT. UH, THE FRANCHISE REP FOR THERE. WE'VE BEEN TALKING SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER AS WELL. FOUR DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS. AGAIN, JUST THE AWARENESS THAT DESOTO IS AN OPPORTUNITY. SHE, THE SECOND CONVERSATION, SHE'S LET ME KNOW THAT THEY NEED A FRANCHISEE. THE THIRD CONVERSATION THAT, HEY, ANTOINE, I FOUND A FRANCHISEE, THE FOURTH CONVERSATION AS OF LAST WEEK. THEY'RE NOW IN THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS FOR DESOTO. SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST SOME ANECDOTAL STORIES THAT I WANT TO SHARE. [00:40:01] I KNOW THERE'LL BE MORE IN THE FUTURE, BUT TO HAVE THIS LIST, THIS PLETHORA OF BRANDS FOR DESOTO, IT'S TREMENDOUS. IT OFFERS A NICE DIVERSE, UH, FOOD OPTIONS, ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS. SEE WHOLE FOODS, RIGHT THERE IS A NICE HIGH-END GROCERY OPTION. SO, UM, IF YOU WANNA COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THOSE, I'M HAPPY TO DO SO, BUT I'LL KEEP IT MOVING. UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT'S HERE IN THE CITY. PART OF THE STORY THAT WE'RE SHARING OUT THERE AT ICSC AND ALL OF OUR WEEKLY CONVERSATIONS WITH RETAILERS AND DEVELOPERS THAT WE HAVE NATIONAL BRANDS THAT ARE COMING TO DESOTO. UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE BRANDS THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PAST YEAR THAT HAVE MADE THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WILL BE HERE IN DESOTO. SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BROKEN GROUND, SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY OPENED. BUT AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT STORY, UH, RETAILERS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR SUCCESS GOING ON IN, IN YOUR COMMUNITY ALREADY. RETAILERS DO NOT WANT TO BE PIONEERS. THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE SOMEBODY ELSE IS SUCCESSFUL OR THEY WANNA MAKE SURE SOMEBODY ELSE FAILS BEFORE THEY SPEND A DOLLAR. UH, SO BASICALLY, AGAIN, WITH THIS NEW COMMERCIAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT SLIDE THERE, THERE'LL BE MORE BRANDS WILL BE ADDED TO THIS OVER THE NEXT TWO TO FIVE YEARS. AGAIN, THE LAST SLIDE, WE HAD OVER 20 BRANDS THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST. BE EXPECTING A LOT MORE BRANDS IN THE FUTURE. UH, WE ARE VERY MUCH SO DILIGENT, INTENTIONAL ABOUT GETTING SOME NEW DIVERSE RETAIL DINING OPTIONS HERE IN DESOTO. SO WHAT DOES FOLLOW UP LOOK LIKE? THAT'S A LOT OF GREAT CONVERSATIONS, ANTOINE, A LOT OF GREAT LOGOS, A LOT OF GREAT BRANDS, BUT HOW DO WE GET THEM MOVING FORWARD HERE IN DESOTO? WELL, A FEW THINGS THAT WE'LL LOOK AT IS SITE VISITS. AND SOME OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL SITE VISITS TO WHERE THESE BRANDS AND THESE DIRECTORS OF REAL ESTATE WHO ARE TYPICALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN, THEY'RE COMING TO DESOTO. THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO THE CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM, THEY'RE COMING TO MY OFFICE. WE'RE TALKING THROUGH SITES HERE IN DESOTO. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE DEMOGRAPHICS, WE'RE TALKING THROUGH PROJECTS. AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY, THEY BRINGING THEMSELVES, THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR TEAMMATES, THEY'RE BRINGING OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, THEIR OTHER COLLEAGUES TO LET THEM KNOW, HEY, I TALKED TO ANTOINE OVER HERE AT ICSC. HE LET ME KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE BRANDS AND THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING. YOU REALLY SHOULD BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. HEY, COME DOWN TO ME TO DESOTA IN A COUPLE WEEKS. LET'S TALK THROUGH SOME OPPORTUNITIES. SO WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN A NUMBER OF THOSE SITE VISITS, UH, VIRTUAL SITE VISITS, UM, MAN ZOOM TEAMS, GOOGLE MEET, FACETIME. WE'VE PUT THOSE TO USE VERY MUCH SO, UH, NOT JUST FOR ICSC, BUT A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO DEPICT AND ARTICULATE WHAT WE'RE DOING. GO ON GOOGLE MAPS, LOOK AT THE COMMERCIAL NODES, LOOK AT THE AREAS, LOOK AT THE HOT MAPS THAT WE'RE SEEING FOR OPPORTUNITIES. UM, A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD SINCE ICSC ARE BACK INTO THE RETAILER'S HANDS WITH REAL ESTATE DUE DILIGENCE. THEY, WE'VE TOLD THEM WHAT'S GOING ON IN DESOTO. WE'VE TOLD THEM WHAT SITES THEY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT. WE TOLD 'EM THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT, WHAT THAT MIGHT REQUIRE. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE PRESENTLY DOZENS OF BRANDS THAT HAVE DESOTO INFORMATION IN THEIR INBOX, ANALYZING THAT. UM, ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE WITH BROKERAGE PRESENTATIONS, UH, WITH EDGE REALTY, THEY'RE A PRETTY LARGE TENANT REP. UM, AND WE'VE HAD TWO CONVERSATIONS SINCE VEGAS. AND THIS NEXT MONTH, ACTUALLY, WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THEIR ENTIRE BROKERAGE TEAM ON DESOTO. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 30 TO 40 DIFFERENT BRAND REPS WHO REPRESENT 30 TO 40 DIFFERENT COMPANIES, LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN DESOTO. SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAN, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE QUARTERLY TOUCH POINTS. UM, IT'S NOT GREAT TO JUST REST YOUR HEAD ON A CONVERSATION YOU HAD TWO YEARS AGO OR THREE YEARS AGO, OR I HAD A CONVERSATION BEFORE. COVID. THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING, AGAIN, ABOUT EVERY 90 DAYS. WE'RE TRYING TO TOUCH BASE WITH THEM, AND TYPICALLY THERE'S A CONFERENCE OR A TRADE SHOW THAT HAPPENS EVERY 90 DAYS THAT I'M ATTENDING THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING NEW INFORMATION. THEY'RE PROVIDING ME NEW INFORMATION AND NEW INTEL, AND ESSENTIALLY THAT THAT GROWS THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, THAT GROWS THE OPPORTUNITY HERE IN DESOTO. THE LAST PIECE HERE, UH, THE DDC FALL FRANCHISE INTEREST MEETING, UH, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, SIX TO 8:00 PM PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR ON FOR THAT. UM, I GOT A WHOLE SLIDE. LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT STEP BACK AND COME BACK FORWARD. AS A RESIDENT OF DESOTO FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WE TALK ABOUT OFTEN, I WANT THIS BRAND, I WANT THAT BRAND. WHY DON'T WE HAVE THIS BRAND? WE DESERVE THIS BRAND. ALL THESE OTHER COMMENTS, RIGHT? FROM FACEBOOK TO NEXTDOOR TO WHATEVER COM, WHATEVER PLATFORM YOU GUYS WANT TO USE. ULTIMATELY, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, MANY OF THESE BRANDS ARE FRANCHISEE DRIVEN. SO UNTIL SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY STEPS UP, RIGHT, THESE BRANDS ARE NOT COMING TO THE SOTO. MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR SHOUT OUT TO OUR MAYOR FOR, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING SALADA. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WAS AWARDED A THREE UNIT DEAL. SH I I I, I'M LOOKING AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS. I KNOW SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THE SOTO THAT COULD BRING A FRANCHISEE TO THE SOTO. WHAT WE'RE DOING ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH IS HAVING A FALL FRANCHISEE INTEREST MEETING. WE HAD A FALL, FRAN, WE HAD A, A FRANCHISEE INTEREST MEETING IN THE SPRING. HAD ABOUT 20, 25 FOLKS ATTEND. 10 OF THOSE WERE STAFF MEMBERS. FIVE OF THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT I PERSONALLY INVITED. DESOTO IS A COMMUNITY OF VOTE, ALMOST 60,000 PEOPLE. AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE DEMOGRAPHICS. [00:45:01] THIS EVENT RIGHT HERE, WE WILL EXPLAIN AND ARTICULATE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THERE ARE FOR FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN DESOTO. FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNSURE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT PROCESS MAY HOLD, WE, WE'LL GO OVER THOSE DETAILS. WE HAVE SOME FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS THAT WILL BE THERE. ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS A MAJOR, UH, QUESTION WITH A LOT OF FOLKS. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE RIGHT FUNDS. WE HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL PARTNERS WHO SPECIFICALLY HELP OUT FRANCHISEES AND THEIR INITIAL COSTS, THEIR FRANCHISEE FEES. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS. AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL TO GET SOME OF THESE BRANDS DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'LL BE A GREAT FIT FOR SOME OF THESE BRANDS. THIS EVENT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. UM, THE FOURTH BULLET POINT, LEVERAGE CITY SITE SELECTION TOOLS. I LOOK AT DATA AND ANALYTICS ALL DAY EVERY DAY. I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN BEING LOCATED AT BELTLINE AND COCKER HILL THAN THERE IS AT BELTLINE AND POPE, AND THERE IS AT BOLTON BULL AND DANIELDALE. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT'S THE BEST LOCATION FOR YOUR BRAND, WE HAVE THOSE TOOLS AVAILABLE. WE HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE. LASTLY, UM, MEET WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IS TO MEET WITH THE BRAND REPS AND THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, RIGHT? I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THESE FOLKS FOR ALMOST A YEAR. I'VE, I'VE SHARED WITH THEM THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS EVENT. MANY OF THEM, MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN ATTENDING AND PARTICIPATING SO THAT THEY WILL BE HERE IN DESOTO, TEXAS, SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN, SOUTH OF I 30, TALKING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. JUST LAST WEEK AT RETAIL LIVE, I, I HAD A COUPLE RETAILERS SHOW ME THEIR MAP OF DFW AND HOW THERE'S JUST OPEN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS FOR A FRANCHISEE TO OPEN UP A SHOP. SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES. SITS THE SPRING EVENT. WE'VE SINCE HAD FOUR COMMITMENTS, UH, THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED, UH, DESOTO AS AN OPPORTUNITY. UH, TROPICAL SMOOTHIE, MARCOS PIZZA, JIMMY JOHN'S AND SHIPLEY DONUTS HAVE IDENTIFIED DESOTO FROM, AGAIN, SINCE HIS FRANCHISEE EVENT. THE INFORMATION IS UP THERE FOR REGISTRATION. LEY FORWARD SLASH FRANCHISE DESOTO THE EVENT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, SIX TO 8:00 PM THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION. THIS IS NOT A CALL OUT. THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE CONNECTIONS. WE TALK ABOUT SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. I KNOW IN DESOTO, THAT'S PROBABLY TWO DEGREES OF SEPARATION. PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR NETWORK. PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR CONNECTIONS. SORORITY, SISTERS, FRATERNITY BROTHERS, CHURCH MEMBERS, SCHOOLMATES, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH. PUT IT IT ON FACEBOOK, PUT IT ON NEXTDOOR. NEXT STEPS, UH, AGAIN, REITERATING FALL, FRANCHISEE INTEREST MEETING ON OCTOBER 24TH, UH, HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, IF YOU'D LIKE SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, THAT WEBSITE IS LIVE, AND IT'S BEEN LIVE ACTUALLY SINCE BEFORE I STARTED. ENVISION HAMPTON ROAD.COM. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR RENDERINGS, SOME CONCEPTUALS OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. AND THEN ULTIMATELY JUST STAY UP TO DATE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DDC. UH, FOLLOW US ON LINKEDIN, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW ME ON LINKEDIN. I'M QUITE ACTIVE. YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST SCROLL THROUGH MY RECENT ACTIVITIES. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'VE BEEN GOING. AND ULTIMATELY JUST IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT RETAIL RECRUITMENT, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS THERE ALONG@DESOTOTEXAS.GOV. I WILL ASK, PLEASE EMAIL ME FROM A CREDIBLE EMAIL ACCOUNT. OUR IT TEAM, MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO, THEY DON'T MAKE IT SPAM OR PHISH EMAILS THAT POP UP. SO AGAIN, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT AN APPROPRIATE EMAIL. I WILL RESPOND TO THAT. UM, AND THEN LASTLY, HAVE THIS SLIDE FOR QUESTIONS. UM, THE FIRST DAY, THE FIRST MORNING WE WERE THERE, THE BEST SOUTHWEST ACTUALLY HAD A BREAKFAST EVENT. UH, SO THE BEST SOUTHWEST CITIES THAT WERE ATTENDING ICSC, WE ATTENDED THE BREAKFAST AND WE HAD TO GO, 'CAUSE WE HAD A NINE 30 MEETING, SO WE WERE MOVING AND GROOVING. AND THEN WEDNESDAY, WELL, LET'S SEE, THE, THE EVENT WAS MONDAY AND TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY WAS THE JOB FAIR. SO I CAME BACK FIRST THING WEDNESDAY FOR THE JOB FAIR. SO VERY BUSY WEEK, BUT ULTIMATELY VERY PRODUCTIVE. UH, AGAIN, 48 HOURS IN VEGAS. SO WITH THAT, I WILL BE QUIET AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. LONG, OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION. UM, HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, UM, SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE, UH, THE ICSC CONFERENCE. UM, I THOUGHT IT VERY IMPORTANT TO COME BACK AND BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY OVERALL WITH ALL OF THE PROGRESS THAT YOU ALL MADE THERE IN, IN TWO DAYS. UM, THAT'S, THAT'S INCREDIBLE TO HEAR ABOUT. UM, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN TERMS OF YOUR PHILOSOPHY, ESPECIALLY REGARDING FRANCHISEES. I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE FOR THE COMMUNITY. YES. IN TERMS OF HOW DEVELOPMENT, HOW RETAIL, HOW RESTAURANTS, HOW THOSE THINGS COME. HERE AGAIN, WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT'S ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THINGS WE HEAR YEP. IS WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THIS? WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THAT? SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT TOP OF MIND IN TERMS OF, NUMBER ONE, THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE TO DO THAT, BUT ALSO THE WORK THAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU. UM, AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE OUR 7:00 PM MEETING, UM, FROM THAT VERY FRUITFUL PRESENTATION, UH, THAT YOU GAVE. BUT HOWEVER, I WILL ALLOW SOME TIME IF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS [00:50:01] OR COMMENTS. YES. COUNCILMAN BUR. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. AND, UH, THANK YOU MR. LONG AND, UH, MATT AND, UH, ALL OF THOSE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I, I WILL TELL YOU THIS, UM, UH, THAT, UM, SEMINAR, THAT CONFERENCE, THAT CONFERENCE WAS EYE-OPENING FOR US. YES. UM, YEAH, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP TWO PS. UH, YOU BROUGHT UP TWO PS. YOU TALKED ABOUT PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE, BUT IT'S ALSO PREPARATION. MM-HMM. . AND SO, BECAUSE ONCE THEY COME, ONCE WE IDENTIFY THEM, THEY'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT THE ZONING CAN BE CHANGED AND THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO BUSINESS IN DESOTO. ABSOLUTELY. IT WAS, UM, THE QUESTION THAT I'M ALWAYS ASKED IS, IS WHY CAN'T WE GET IT HERE? WELL, WE'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN AT THE TABLE VERY MUCH. YEP. YEAH. UH, CAN YOU TELL US WHEN, WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE ATTENDED THIS CONFERENCE AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME? RIGHT. UM, IT'S INTERESTING ING UM, IT'S BEEN PROBABLY AT LEAST SIX YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD A PRESENCE AT A RETAIL SHOW TO WHERE RETAIL DEVELOPERS AND BRANDS KNOW DESOTO. SO, UM, SO IT'S EXTREMELY HARD TO REESTABLISH THOSE CONNECTIONS FROM COMING FROM NOWHERE. RIGHT. THE BENCHMARK IS ZERO. SO AGAIN, A LOT OF GREAT WORK DONE JUST IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF SINCE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE. SO PRIOR TO YOU AND MATT COMING ON BOARD, WE HAD NO PRESENCE NO. AT THESE CONFERENCES, WE HAD NO RELATIONSHIPS ESTABLISHED. NO. AND, AND THEREFORE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF RELATIONSHIP AND PRESENCE, WE WERE JUST KINDA OVERLOOKED. ABSOLUTELY. UH, ONE OF THE STORIES THAT I, I REMEMBER, UH, UH, IS THERE IS A MOVIE THEATER THAT'S GOING ON ON THE WEST SIDE OF I 35, ALMOST RED OAK. RED OAK. MM-HMM. . IT TOOK THEM 10 YEARS OF WHINING AND DINING AND TALKING TO THOSE PEOPLE. AND WHEN THEY DECIDED TO EXPAND, THEY LOOKED AT NO OTHER PLACE. MM-HMM. , BUT RED OAK. BECAUSE RED OAK FOR 10 YEARS HAD BEEN AT THE TABLE. AND SO WE COMMEND YOU AND, UH, AND, AND MATT AND BRANDON AND YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT FOR SETTING THE ROADMAP NOW SO THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. AND I'LL MAKE IT QUICK. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE, UH, PRESENTED. ALL YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. EVERYTHING IS GREAT. UH, I DO HAVE A, HAVE A QUESTION NOW THAT YOU'VE PUT THE WORD OUT, IS IT GONNA BE LIKE A, A BLAST? OH, YES. THAT GOES TO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY TO KEEP IT ON PEOPLE'S MINDS. NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT WE NEED FRANCHISEES, BUT WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? BECAUSE YOU REMEMBER IF WE HAD, IF YOU REMEMBER AT THE SPRING INTEREST MEETING, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND MM-HMM. WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT. AND SO MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF EDUCATION AROUND THAT PIECE TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THEY REALLY CAN GET INVOLVED. YEAH. AND BECOME FRANCHISEES. THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT. I THINK PART OF THIS THANK YOU THIS TIME AROUND, WE WANNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THOSE TESTIMONIALS OF FRANCHISEES HERE IN DESOTO THAT HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT. CALVIN GOLDEN. I CAN THINK OF, UM, MAYOR, IF YOU CAN KIND OF SPEAK ON YOUR EXPERIENCE IN GOING THROUGH WITH ADA, JUST TO HEAR THESE REAL EXPERIENCES, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND, AND KIND OF JUST CANDID CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR FOLKS HERE IN DESOTO. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT MARKETING. YES. MARKETING MATERIALS WILL START GOING OUT NEXT WEEK. AND AGAIN, GIVING FOLKS ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TO GET READY, PUT IT ON THE CALENDAR, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, ALL, ALL THE DIFFERENT MEDIUMS. UH, CITY MANAGERS REPORT, WATER BILL, WE WILL HAVE THOSE OUT AND THANK YOU. BUT ALSO FROM YOUR YOUTH, THE POWER OF THE VIDEO RIGHT NOW CAN PROBABLY HELP WITH SOME OF THAT TOO. SO I'LL JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE. THANK YOU. GOTCHA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PARKER. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, AND YOUR PRESENCE, Y'ALL'S PRESENCE, UM, AT THE CONFERENCE. UM, WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE LEAKAGE REPORT AND YOU MENTIONED FEEDBACK FROM THOSE THAT YOU CONNECTED WITH. SO BASED UPON THE LEAKAGE REPORT FOR DESOTO MM-HMM. BASED UPON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE EXHIBITORS OR THE BRANDS THAT YOU REACHED OUT TO, UM, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT ON THE METRICS IN TERMS OF, OF WHO IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT NARROW CATEGORY OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? YOU KNOW, WERE WE SPENDING OUR MONEY TO WHAT, WHAT THE RESULTS ARE OF THE BRANDS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE PARTICULAR BRANDS? WHO, WHO DOES THAT MAKE US ATTRACTIVE TO, AND WHO, WHO ARE WE TRULY PROSPECTS FOR? GOTCHA. YEAH. PRIMARILY THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE VERY ATTRACTIVE TOWARD FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT AND SIT DOWN DINING. UH, ALSO GROCERY, UM, IF I, I DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN AS FAR AS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT GROCERY WAS SUBSTANTIAL. FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT WAS SUBSTANTIAL. SIT DOWN DINING WAS SUBSTANTIAL. SO SOME OF THE TARGETS WE TALKED TO AT THE SHOW, THEY DID EXPRESS INTEREST, UH, IN BEING HERE IN DESOTO. UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A TIMELINE OR NECESSARILY, I CAN'T ARTICULATE ALL THE BRANDS, BUT JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, TOPGOLF FOR ONE ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE AS FAR AS ENTERTAINMENT. THOSE, THOSE FOLKS, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'VE EXPRESSED INTEREST. MM-HMM. . OKAY. OKAY. VERY GOOD. AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO, THERE WAS ANOTHER SLIDE THAT SHOWED SOME OF THE OTHER CONFERENCES RETAIL LIVE IN AUSTIN AND SUCH, IF WE CAN GET A UPDATE, YOU [00:55:01] KNOW, EMAILED UPDATE, YOU KNOW, ON WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE AS WELL. THIS WAS GREAT FOR ICSC, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M CURIOUS WHAT RETAIL LIVE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE LOCALIZED, YOU KNOW, TEXAS OR, AND OR OTHER RED RIVER CONFERENCE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE REC, UH, LOCALIZED FOR TEXAS. CERTAINLY. YEAH. RETAIL LIVE WAS JUST LAST WEEK IN AUSTIN, LAST THURSDAY. WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE 26 CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE COULD DEFINITELY GET THOSE UPDATES TO YOU. AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, AS IT RELATES TO THE BEST SOUTHWEST MM-HMM, , UM, WHAT WAS, IS, WHAT IS THE STRATEGY AND APPROACH FOR BEST SOUTHWEST? ARE WE, UH, CO-BRANDING TOGETHER? ARE WE MARKETING TOGETHER OUR REGION? UH, WHAT DOES THE STRATEGY LOOK LIKE WITH THAT? IN, IN THE CONVERSATIONS AS FAR AS RETAIL RECRUITMENT, THERE ISN'T ANY CO-BRANDING OR STRATEGY. IT WAS JUST A BREAKFAST FOR THE EVENT. I THINK EACH OF THE CITIES, THEY OPERATE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AS FAR AS THEIR ASSETS FOR RETAIL. SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, CEDAR HILL HAS ALL THE RETAIL, YOU KNOW, PLEASURE THERE. DUNCANVILLE IS LIMITED. LANCASTER HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF FAST FOOD. DESOTO HAS OUR HODGEPODGE. SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, BUT THERE ISN'T A JOINT STRATEGY FOR BEST SOUTHWEST. OKAY. I'LL BE CURIOUS. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL BE CURIOUS AS TO WHAT BEST SOUTHWEST STRATEGY IS SINCE WE HAVE A MEMBERSHIP WITH THEM. AND THAT'S THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU AGAIN MR. LONG. UM, WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR MINUTES TILL WE ARE DUE TO START OUR 7:00 PM MEETING. BUT AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HEARING MORE IN THE FUTURE. LET'S GET IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR WORK SESSION. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR. MARK SECOND BY I BELIEVE MAYOR PRO TIMM HUGHES, UH, TO ADJOURN OUR WORK SESSION. COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. IT IS 6:56 PM COUNSEL, I WILL SEE YOU ALL BACK HERE IN FOUR MINUTES. THANK YOU. [B. REGULAR SESSION - CALL TO ORDER] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS NOW 7:00 PM I MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. AND I WANNA CALL OUR REGULAR SESSION TO ORDER. AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL. MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. HERE, MAYOR PROAM. LETITIA HUGHES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BIRD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DIANA MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MADAM CITY SECRETARY. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. FIRST, WE'LL HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY CHAPLAIN JEANETTE WHEELER, WITH DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY CADET TATIANA HAZEL WITH DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL. IF EVERYONE CAN PLEASE STAND. DEAR LORD, HEAVENLY FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF STANDING BEFORE SUCH AN ESTEEMED GROUP OF LEADERS. I PRAY FOR A BLESSED AND PRODUCTIVE MEETING. LORD, WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LEAD THE CITY OF DESOTO. BLESS THE MAYOR, EACH COUNCIL PERSON, AND EACH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, AND EMPLOYEE AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS GREAT CITY. MAY THEY GOVERN WITH WISDOM AND EXCELLENCE AND GIVE THEM THE COURAGE LORD TO MAKE WHAT ARE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT DECISIONS. LORD, HELP OUR LEADERS TO BRING TRANSFORMATION TO THE CITY OF DESOTO. ACCORDING TO MATTHEW FIVE AND 14, THAT THE CITY OF DESOTO WILL BE THE LIGHT TO THIS REGION, A CITY SET ON A HILL GOVERNING IN A MANNER THAT BRINGS GLORY TO YOUR NAME AND SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION TO EMULATE, CONTINUE TO BLESS THE CITIZENS OF DESOTO SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY, FINANCIALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY. WE GIVE ALL HONOR AND GLORY TO YOU AND PRAY ALL THINGS IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON JESUS. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE HAVE A PLEDGE TO THE US FLAG, AS WELL AS THE PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS FLAG. THANK YOU CHAPLAIN WHEELER FOR THAT, UH, THAT BEAUTIFUL PRAYER TO OPEN OUR MEETING UP. UM, TONIGHT, UH, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. NEXT WE MOVE INTO ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT [01:00:01] CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0415. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, EXPRESSION OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS, OR CONDOLENCES INFORMATION ABOUT HOLIDAY SCHEDULES, RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUALS, REMINDERS ABOUT UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL EVENTS, INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS INVOLVING IMMINENT THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS ANY LIAISON UPDATES. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. [C. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST] AT THIS TIME, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST? YES, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON SEPTEMBER 9TH WILL BE THE ANNUAL CORY BORNER DAY. THAT WILL BE FROM 11:00 AM TO 4:00 PM THERE WILL BE BOUNCE HOUSES, OBSTACLE COURSES, LIVE DJ FOOD TRUCKS, UH, AND LOTS OF FUN. IT WILL BE AT ZEOR PARK AT 4 0 5 EAGLE DRIVE HERE IN DESOTO FREE FOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, UH, SEPTEMBER 14TH. DESOTO, ISD IS HAVING THEIR COLLEGE AND CAREER FAIR. IT WILL BE THURSDAY FROM 6:00 PM UNTIL 8:00 PM AT THE DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL IN THE ACADEMY CAFETERIA ON SEPTEMBER 23RD. THE SPOKEN WORD, THE KNOCKOUT WILL BE AT THE DESOTO CORNER THEATER, SHOWTIME'S AT 7:30 PM THERE'S A $15 IN EARLY ENTRY FEE, $20 IN ENTRY GENERAL. AND THAT IS SEPTEMBER 23RD, RIGHT BEHIND US AT THE CORNER THEATER. AND THEN LASTLY, ON OCTOBER 7TH, WE HAVE OUR KEEP DESOTO BEAUTIFUL TRASH PICKUP DAY, WHICH WILL BE HELD FROM NINE TO 12:00 PM PLEASE JOIN US. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? YES, MADAM MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE NEXT MEETING RELATED TO THE LAND USE OR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MEETING. AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD, BUT CITY MANAGER WRIGHT, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE DATE? WHEN, WE'LL, WHEN WE'LL DO A, A OVERVIEW FOR THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S IN OCTOBER. YES. BUT I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHICH DATE. WE, I CAN FIND IT FOR YOU IN A MINUTE HERE. IF YOU GIMME A SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER, RAFAEL, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST? YES, MA'AM. THAT DOES CONCLUDE. UM, THAT DO, THAT DOES CONCLUDE. UH, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. IT'S COMING UP IN OCTOBER. WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION SOON, BUT YOU, YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT. BUT, UH, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING MEETING IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING. AND IT'S, IT IS THE COMMUNITY'S OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO, UM, GIVE VOICE, LEND VOICE TO, UM, WHAT OUR CITY, UM, OUR FUTURE GROWTH WILL LOOK LIKE. UM, SO ON ACTUALLY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26TH. IT WOULD BE HERE AT CITY HALL FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM. UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL MEETINGS RELATED TO THIS. UH, MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN THEIR FEEDBACK. BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CON FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT, EXPLORE THE WEBSITE AT THE, UH, CITY OF DESOTOS WEBSITE SLASH COMP PLAN. THAT'S CI DOT DESOTO DOT TX. DO US SLASH COMP PLAN. VERY IMPORTANT THAT, UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GIVING YOUR FEEDBACK AND HOW WE GROW THAT YOU ATTEND THIS MEETING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL, OVER ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, ITEMS FOR COMMUNITY INTEREST? MADAM MAYOR, I DO HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT TO GO FORTH. THIS IS TO TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, AND IT IS THE HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL. WE WILL HAVE LIVE PERFORMANCES BY SUNNY . Y'ALL GET THAT . OKAY. IT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 16TH. IT IS A FREE EVENT. GATES WILL OPEN AT 5:00 PM UH, PERFORMANCES OF COURSE WILL START AT 6:00 PM IT IS FREE PARKING. IT WILL BE HELD HERE AT THE DESOTO AMPHITHEATER. LOCATED AT TWO 11 EAST PLEASANT RUN ROAD HERE IN DESOTO. MADAM MAYOR, I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I DO WANNA, UH, MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE VETERAN AFFAIRS, UM, COMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY PLANNING A GALA. UM, IF YOUR PRIOR SERVICE AND YOU'VE EVER EXPERIENCED A MILITARY BALL, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE FROM THIS EVENT. AND THAT EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER THE SEVENTH. UM, RIGHT NOW, TABLE RESERVATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AND YOU CAN CONTACT 9 7 2 2 3 0 9 6 4 8. I ALSO WANT TO JUST, UH, UH, LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT AT THE, UH, HOA WORKSHOP THIS WEEKEND, THAT'S SATURDAY FROM EIGHT TO ONE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS WILL ALSO BE ON SITE TO ASSIST WITH VOTER REGISTRATION. IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE, SHOUT OUT TO OUR CITY SECRETARY OFFICE WHO IS KEEPING [01:05:01] ELECTION AND VOTER INFORMATION AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS, ESPECIALLY AS WE GO INTO, UH, NOVEMBER WHEN WE WILL HAVE A STATEWIDE ELECTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MO CHIM. COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY. UH, HEARING NONE, I DO HAVE, UM, AN ANNOUNCEMENT I WANTED TO ASK, UH, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DESOTO TO BE IN PRAYER FOR THE WILLIAMS FAMILY. UM, JOYCE WILLIAMS, UH, PASSED AWAY LAST FRIDAY, I BELIEVE IT IS. UM, SHE WAS THE WIFE OF CARL WILLIAMS. HE WAS A FORMER COUNSEL PERSON. UM, AND SO WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED BY THAT. UM, BASED ON INFORMATION WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, THEY HAVE NOT YET MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HER FUNERAL, BUT WE WILL BE SURE TO PASS THAT INFORMATION ON AS MORE BECOMES AVAILABLE. SO WE SINCERELY ASK FOR YOU TO KEEP THE WILLIAMS FAMILY, UH, IN YOUR, IN YOUR PRAYERS AT THIS TIME. UM, ON A LITTLE BIT OF A LIGHTER NOTE, UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL DAY TODAY. IT'S, I THINK IT'S A, UH, A NATIONAL HOLIDAY IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. BUT TODAY IS COUNCILMAN ANDRE BIRD'S BIRTHDAY. TODAY IS THE DAY. LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND SO YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT. COUNCILMAN BYRD, WE HAVE SOME GOODIES FOR YOU TO TAKE WITH YOU. DON'T EAT IT ALL AT ONCE. UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNCILMAN BYRD, YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHICH VERSION YOU WANT. EITHER WE CAN DO STEVIE OR WE CAN DO TRADITIONAL. IT'S UP TO YOU. SINCE I AM STILL YOUNG AND KEPT, LET'S DO STEVIE WONDER , IF THAT HELPS YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT. ALL RIGHT. UM, SO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER CHOIR, ON THE COUNT OF THREE, WE WILL DO ONE VERSE OF THE STEVIE WONDER VERSION TO HELP HIM CONSIDER, CONTINUE TO THINK HE'S YOUNG ON THE COUNT OF THREE. ONE TWO, THREE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. MAD COUNCILMAN BUR, WE HOPE YOUR DAY HAS BEEN, UM, JUST AS AMAZING AS YOU ARE. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UM, YOUR COMRADERY HERE ON THE COUNCIL AND JUST EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO WE HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. WELL, ONE MOMENT. LET ME MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION ON CARDS. BEFORE WE START OUR CITIZENS' APPEARANCES, WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT, UM, OUR SPEAKER TIME. UH, NORMALLY IT'S, IT'S THREE MINUTES. WE'RE GONNA LIMIT IT TO TWO MINUTES BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF CARDS WE HAVE, UM, ON VARIOUS ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA. AND SO TO MAINTAIN TIME, UH, TIMELINESS AND EFFICIENCY, UH, WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT THAT TO TWO MINUTES. SO PLEASE BE AWARE. UM, ALSO IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA, YOU MUST FILL OUT A CARD TO DO SO. UM, AGAIN, YOU MUST FILL OUT A CARD TO DO SO. CHIEF, IF YOU ALL COULD RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU NEED TO GET A CARD TO FILL OUT, UM, YOU CAN GO TO OUR TABLE THERE WHERE, UM, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU WITH GETTING A CARD. AND THEY WILL GET THAT CARD TO OUR CITY SECRETARY. AND THEY WILL CALL YOUR NAME AT THE TIME, UH, AT THAT, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. BASED ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE RECEIVED ALL THE CARDS THAT WE WILL RECEIVE FOR OUR CITIZENS' COMMENTS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY FOR THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. YES, [D. CITIZEN APPEARANCES] MA'AM. NEXT, WE MOVE TO CITIZEN APPEARANCES. THE CITY COUNCIL INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD COMPLETE A CITIZEN COMMENT CARD AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY OR RETURN TO THE AMBASSADOR TABLE PRIOR TO THE MEETING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, YOUR CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY CITY STAFF PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA OR RESPONDED TO BY SOME OTHER COURSE. ATTENDEES MAY SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA DURING THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, FOR TOPICS NOT SCHEDULED, ATTENDEES WILL SPEAK DURING CITIZEN APPEARANCES. THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER AND MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING. AND FIRST, I HAVE MBIA GARRETT, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING THAT THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MS. GARRETT. IF YOU COULD GIVE US ONE MOMENT. CAN YOU ALL CUT? CAN YOU CUT THE MICROPHONE ON? AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY FOR THE RECORD. AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. SYNOVIA GARRETT DESOTO, TEXAS. THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MR. ANTON. I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING IT LONG. UH, I BELIEVE YOU DID A GREAT PRESENTATION ON THE STRATEGY OF DESOTO. I THINK YOU'RE THE MAN FOR THE JOB, . BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER A GRANT FOR [01:10:01] CUSTOMER SERVICE. 'CAUSE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN DESOTO IS HORRIBLE. AND ALSO, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD APP THAT WE HAVE AROUND FOR EVERYBODY, THERE'S A LOT OF FRAUDULENT STUFF GOING ON. SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT BRINGING ALL THESE BUSINESSES TO DESOTO. SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD FOR YOU. THANK YOU, MS. GARY. NEXT CARD, PLEASE. FREDDY CLAY. SHE DOESN'T WANT MS. THERE WERE NO COMMENTS. WAS THERE? NO MS. IS THAT MS. CLAY? SHE DOESN'T WANT, ARE YOU, DID YOU FILL OUT A CARD FOR OR AGAINST AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA? I DIDN'T. WHO? BECAUSE I, OKAY. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. SCOTT MCDONALD. GOOD EVENING. MR. MCDONALD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SCOTT MCDONALD AND I LIVE IN DESOTO. I WAS HERE THREE WEEKS AGO TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE NANCE FARM PROPOSAL, WHICH WILL BE ON THE AGENDA LATER TONIGHT. UH, DURING THE MEETING, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM A PERSON WHO'S A DEPUTY, A CITY MANAGER, UH, INVITING ME TO VISIT WITH HIM ABOUT THE PROJECT. SO THE NEXT DAY I RESPONDED, EXPRESSED AGAIN SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD ABOUT THE PROJECT. AND EIGHT MINUTES AFTER I SENT THAT EMAIL, I GOT THIS IN RESPONSE. SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE MADE UP YOUR MIND WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS PROPOSED TO ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUES YOU IDENTIFY OR THE PROBLEMS THAT COUNSEL IS ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE. LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE OPEN TO LEARNING MORE. WELL, SURE. TOLD ME. THANK YOU, . THANK YOU. MR. MCDONALD. NEXT CARD. SHERRY WOODS. I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T CHECK THE BOX. I DIDN'T WANNA TALK, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE TITLE. MS, DO YOU WANT US JUST TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION YOU WROTE ON THE CARD? IS THAT WAS YOUR AT THAT YOUR INTENT? YES. I DIDN'T CHECK THE BOX. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET, UM, YOUR, YOUR CORRESPONDENCE TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT WAS, ARE YOU INTENDING TO GET IT TO THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF YOUR CONCERN? YES, MA'AM. WE'LL GET THAT. THANK YOU. UH, AT THIS TIME THAT, UH, IS ALL OF OUR CITIZENS' COMMENTS CARDS. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON [1. Presentation to the Valedictorian of Wiley College - Antoinette LaShon Allen] THE AGENDA. NEXT WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR PRESENTATIONS. FIRST WE HAVE PRESENTATION TO THE VALEDICTORIAN OF WILEY COLLEGE. ANTOINETTE LASHAWN ALLEN. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PRO TIM LETITIA HUGHES. GOOD EVENING, DESOTO. WOULD MS. ALLEN PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM? I AM EXCITED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS GREAT CITIZEN THAT WE HAVE HERE IN DESOTO FOR HER ACCOMPLISHMENT AS THE VALEDICTORIAN OF WILEY COLLEGE. AND IT READS THE MAYOR A COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO ANTOINETTE LASHAWN ALLEN, ON BEHALF OF DESOTO CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF DESOTO, AND ALL OF ITS CITIZENS, I COMMEND YOU FOR THE DILIGENCE AND COMMITMENT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER. PURSUING HIGH HONORS IS NOT AN EASY FEAT, BUT DEFEATING ANY CHALLENGE OR OBSTACLES THAT CAME YOUR WAY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS SPEAKS VOLUMES OF YOUR APTITUDE AND DETERMINATION TOWARDS YOUR TOP SCHOLAR RANKING. WE CONGRAT CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IN MANAGEMENT, AND IN BECOMING VALEDICTORIAN AT WILEY COLLEGE. THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL IS HONORED TO JOIN WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THIS JOYOUS OCCASION TO COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE, AND DEDICATION TO YOUR ACADEMIC STUDIES. CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS. WELL-DESERVED ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND WE WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. ON BEHALF OF THE SOTO CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023, RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR, WE COULDN'T BE MORE HONORED. THANK [01:15:01] YOU. LIKE, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO YOU, MS. ALLEN. WE ARE DEFINITELY PROUD OF YOU AND HONORED TO BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. THANK YOU AGAIN, AND THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THAT MAYOR PRO TEM. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE [2. Presentation of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Proclamation] PRESENTATION OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROCLAMATION. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, RECEIVING AS HERBERT AUSTIN, DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. I'M GONNA ASK MR. AUSTIN IF HE WOULD JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM. THIS IS, UM, AGAIN, AN EXTE HONOR TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION. UM, THIS IS KIND OF EXTRA SPECIAL, NOT BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S THE 70TH, UM, ANNIVERSARY OF THE SBA. HOWEVER, DESOTO RECENTLY, AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, JUST ENTERED INTO A, A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH THE SBA TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND JUST SUPPORT AND, UH, THOSE THINGS. OUR WORD FOR THIS YEAR, UH, HERE HAS BEEN INTENTIONAL. AND SO WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS. I ALWAYS SAY, UH, PROGRESS MOVES AT THE SPEED OF RELATIONSHIPS. SO WE DEFINITELY VALUE, UH, WHAT THE SBA IS DOING, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE IN THE CITY OF DESOTO. SO I'M GONNA READ THIS PROCLAMATION FOR YOUR HEARING AND IT SAYS, PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS 70 YEARS AGO, PRESIDENT DWIGHT D EISENHOWER SIGNED AN AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OR THE SBA TO CHAMPION AND BOOSTER SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE UNITED STATES. FROM ITS INCEPTION, THE SBA HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE TO SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS NURTURING THEIR GROWTH AND FOSTERING ECONOMIC INNOVATION. TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE SBA FOR ITS VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO EMPOWERING ENTREPRENEURS, CULTIVATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND CREATING A RESILIENT ECONOMY FOR ALL. AND WHEREAS OVER THE PAST SEVEN DECADES, THE SBA HAS BEEN A PIONEER IN GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAMS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE OF THE NATION, RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ONGOING DEDICATION TO INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. THE SBA HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY ENSURING ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND PROVIDING VALUABLE GUIDANCE, WHICH HAS TRANSFORMED IDEAS INTO THRIVING BUSINESSES. AND WHEREAS THE SBA HAS ESTABLISHED SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE PROVIDED OUTSTANDING ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE FACED CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING TRADITIONAL FUNDING. ONE PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR IS THE LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN OF GREAT BENEFIT IN THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE OF MANY COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING MILLIONS OF JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, ALL WHILE BEING A PILLAR OF HOPE TO SMALL BUSINESSES. WHEREAS AMIDST THE SBAS ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY EIGHT, A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS BUSINESS SUPPORT, MENTORSHIP, AND GOVERNMENTAL CONTACTS FOR SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. WHEREAS THE SBA HAS EXTENDED THEIR SUPPORT TO AMERICAN WOMEN BY ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, WHICH PROVIDES SPECIALIZED RESOURCES, COUNSELING, AND ACCESS TO FEDERAL CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. A RECENT COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE SBA AND THE CITY OF DESOTO HAS ESTABLISHED A LONG-TERM VISIONARY PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND STRENGTHEN OUR GREAT CITY OF DESOTO FOR THE BETTER. WHEREAS THE SBA HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN KEEPING OUR ECONOMY AFLOAT WITH ITS ADMINISTRATION OF CRITICAL RELIEF PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDE THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM, COVID ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM, THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND, AND VARIOUS GRANTS SUCH AS THE SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATIONS GRANT, WHICH HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES TO REMAIN IN BUSINESS WHILE SAFEGUARDING MILLIONS OF JOBS AFTER THE PANDEMIC AS WELL AS NATURAL DISASTERS. NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL O PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 5TH AS THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO HONOR THEIR LEGACY BY SUPPORTING AND UPLIFTING ALL SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. A WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS FIFTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023, SIGNED MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR ATTESTED [01:20:01] TO BY CITY SECRETARY ALICIA THOMAS. THANK YOU. DID EVERYBODY GET THAT? YES. . SO THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR SAID, I CAN TAKE 20 MINUTES, SO I HAVE ALL THE TIME TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT. WELL, I I JUST WANTED TO, TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL PEOPLE TO, TO GIVE US THIS, THIS REALLY TO, TO US A BIG AWARD. IT'S, UH, I'M TRULY HONORED AND I HAVE TO REPORT THIS OF COURSE, EARLY MORNING TO HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON TO HEAR THIS. WE DON'T GET TOO OFTEN GETTING ONE OF THOSE. CERTAINLY NOT, NOT OF THAT SIZE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SO MUCH, SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT. BUT WE DID SIGN A SOME, AND, AND THE, THE CITY OF DESOTO IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE VERY, VERY FEW IN THE UNITED STATES THAT WE SIGNED THOSE DOCUMENTS WITH. AND IT, IT MEANS A LOT. IT'S TAKE GOING FROM BEING FRIENDS TO BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SO WE ARE REALLY, TRULY LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO, TO SERVE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY EVEN MORE SO, THANK OF US AS YOU TALK IN YOUR COMMUNITIES TO SMALL BUSINESSES. THANK OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 'CAUSE WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU. THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MISS MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. MR. AUSTIN. YES. OH, MR. AUSTIN. I THINK THEY WANT A PHOTOGRAPH. OH, THAT'S FANTASTIC. IF I CAN GET A COPY OF IT EVEN BETTER. YES. WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY. WE'LL PUT THIS IN THE PHOTO. SEND THIS NEWSPAPER. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE. NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION [3. Presentation of proclamation in honoring Constitution Week] OF PROCLAMATION IN HONOR OF CONSTITUTION WEEK. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. RECEIVING IS SANDRA CONLEY WITH DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. ANOTHER GREAT, UH, PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU FOR A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER. UM, I'M GONNA READ THIS AND THEN WE WILL ASK YOU TO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS. PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE GUARDIAN OF OUR LIBERTIES, EMBODIES THE PRINCIPLES OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT IN A REPUBLIC DEDICATED TO THE RULE DEDICATED TO RULE BY LAW. AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING IMPROPER TO ACCORD OFFICIAL RECOGNITION TO THIS MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENT AND ITS MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY AND TO THE PATRIOTIC CELEBRATIONS, WHICH WILL COMMEMORATE IT. AND WHEREAS PUBLIC LAW 9 915 GUARANTEES THE ISSUING OF A PROCLAMATION EACH YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD IS CONSTITUTION WEEK. NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL O PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD, 2023 AS CONSTITUTION WEEK IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, AND ENCOURAGED THE CITIZENS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY TO STUDY THE HISTORICAL EVENTS, WHICH LED TO THE FRAMING OF THE CONSTITUTION IN SEPTEMBER OF 1787, WHICH IS THE BASIS FOR AMERICA'S GREAT HERITAGE AND THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR WAY OF LIFE. IN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION, WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED. THIS FIFTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023, SIGNED MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, ATTESTED TO BY CITY SECRETARY ALICIA THOMAS. THANK YOU. YOU WANNA GET A PICTURE FIRST? DO THAT FIRST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. IT'S, IT'S HARD TO THINK OF YOU AS A GROWN WOMAN NOW , I, MY DAUGHTER WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MADAM MAYOR . SO I FEEL VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS, JUST A VERY FEW THINGS. THIS YEAR MARKS THE BEGINNING OF 250 YEARS OF OUR COUNTRY. IN DECEMBER, MARKS THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOSTON TEA PARTY. AND THINGS BEGAN TO RUMBLE RAMBLE. THEY CONTINUED TO RUMBLE AND RAMBLE FOR THE NEXT TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE, FORTY, FIFTY YEARS. WE STILL HAVE TO [01:25:01] REMEMBER THAT OUR CONSTITUTION IS A LIVING, LIVING DOCUMENT. IT LIVES WITHIN EACH ONE OF YOU. AND WHEN WE ARE UNHAPPY WITH ANYTHING THAT IS GOING ON, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, BUT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK TO YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THAT IS THE GOD-GIVEN GIFT THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. UNLIKE ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE THAT CONSTITUTION. I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION O CHISHOLM TRAIL CHAPTER, CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU'VE EVER HIRED, IT IS OPEN TO ALL PEOPLE OF LINEAGE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO GAVE SERVICE IN THE REVOLUTION. AND OUR MAIN FOCUS IS TO GIVE SERVICE AND REMEMBER HISTORY AND REMEMBER IT SO THAT IT DOES NOT REPEAT ITSELF SO THAT WE STAY FREE AND KEEP FREEDOM IN OUR HEARTS, IN OUR COUNTRY, AND KEEP OUR LOVE OF GOD, NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU FOR THIS LOVELY HONOR, AND PLEASE REMEMBER ALL NEXT WEEK THAT IT IS THE CONSTITUTION WEEK. AND REMEMBER IT BECAUSE WITHOUT IT, WHERE WOULD WE BE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. AMEN. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT [4. Presentation of proclamation honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month] WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE, BY RECEIVING ON BEHALF OF MARGARITA PORTILLO WITH DREAM FITNESS IS CHRIS GLOVER, PARKS DIRECTOR, MADAM MAYOR. AND COUNSEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING MY BIRTHDAY. I'M VERY HONORED THAT YOU WOULD DO SUCH. AND TO ALL THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE CALLED, THE FIRST THING I DID ON MY BIRTHDAY WAS, FORGOT MY GLASSES . AND I CALLED MIKE BALDWIN AND HIS GLASSES WERE TOO STRONG. BROTHER BERRY ZOO GLASSES WAS TOO WEAK, BUT ME, PRO TIM'S GLASSES WERE JUST RIGHT. SO , HERE WE GO. , ISN'T IT WONDERFUL TO BE OF SUCH AGE WHERE YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW YOU LOOK PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WAS INITIALLY, INITIALLY PROCLAIMED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE HW BUSH ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 1989 IN PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 6,000 0 21. DURING THIS MONTH, WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY HISPANIC AND LATINO AMERICANS AND THE UNITED STATES, AND FURTHER RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INDUSTRIES. AND WHEREAS HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE HAD A PROFOUND AND POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON OUR COUNTRIES, THROUGH OUR STRONG COMMITMENT TO FAMILY, FAITH, HARD WORK, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE ALSO ENRICHED AND SHAPED OUR NATIONAL CHARACTER WITH CENTURY OLD TRADITIONS THAT REFLECT THE MULTIETHNIC, ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL CUSTOMS OF THEIR PROUD HISTORY. AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR, AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S THEME OF PROSPERITY, POWER, AND PROGRESS PLACES EMPHASIS ON THE GENERATION OF LATINO AMERICANS HAVE SERVED IN AMERICANS ARMED FORCES TO DEFINE LIBERTY AND ADVANCE DEMOCRACY ACROSS THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE WORKED TO OVERCOME MANY CHALLENGES, OFTEN IN THE FACE OF DISCRIMINATION, IN PREJUDICE, AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY EMBRACED THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. AND WHEREAS TOGETHER WE RECOGNIZE THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN THE CITY OF DESOTO WHO LOVE A FAMILY STRONG WORK ETHICS AND WILLINGNESS TO SHARE THEIR HERITAGE AND TRADITION HAVE MADE OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE. WHEREAS NATIONALLY, SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH IS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND FOCUS POINTS ON RECOGNIZING, CELEBRATING THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF LATINO AMERICANS AND APPLAUDING THEIR PROUD LEGACY OF SERVICE AND DEDICATION [01:30:01] TO THIS CITY. NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH AS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN THE CITY OF DESOTO. AND ENCOURAGE EVERY CITIZENS TO TAKE THIS MONTH TO RECOGNIZE AND TO CELEBRATE THE MANY SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL, HISTORICAL AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS HISPANIC AND LATINO AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO SUPPORT THEM AS POWERFUL AND VITAL CITIZENS. AND WITNESS, THEREFORE, HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE AFFIXED THIS FIFTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023. RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR ATTESTED, ALICIA THOMAS, CITY SECRETARY. WELL, YOU HAVE TO SAY IT IN SPANISH. WELL, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I, THAT'S ALL I KNOW RIGHT THERE. NO. OKAY, DAN, THEY SAID NO , UH, FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAW ME AND SAID HE'S NOT HISPANIC, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. I'M NOT. OUR INSTRUCTOR SENT A TEXT MESSAGE OR ONE OF OUR, UH, DREAM FITNESS INSTRUCTORS AT THE FITNESS CENTER SENT A TEXT MESSAGE SAYING THAT SHE WASN'T FEELING WELL. SO I AM STANDING IN FOR HER. UM, AND, UH, ON THE 16TH OF SEPTEMBER, WE WILL HAVE OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE DAY. AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE WILL, UH, BE ABLE TO DISPLACE SOME OF THE CULT CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR, UH, HISPANICS THERE. AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING EACH OF YOU ALL COME OUT FOR THAT EVENT. IT'S GONNA BE IN OUR, UH, AMPHITHEATER AND, UH, THE DIVERSITY THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TONIGHT IS REALLY WHAT THE CITY IS ALL ABOUT. SO FOR THOSE THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME, PLEASE DO SO. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR DREAM FITNESS CLASS KNOWS THAT, UH, I ACCEPTED THIS ON THEIR BEHALF. THANKS. THANK YOU MR. GLOVER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AT THIS TIME, UM, MADAM CITY SECRETARY WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE [5. Presentation of value engineering findings for the McCowan Aquatic and Recreation Center] PRESENTATION OF VALUE ENGINEERING FINDINGS FOR THE MCOWEN AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER. MAKING THE INTRODUCTION IS CHRIS GLOVER, PARKS DIRECTOR. GOOD JOB. WELCOME BACK MR. GLOVER. THANK YOU MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL. UM, BACK IN, UH, 2010, WE ACTUALLY STARTED OUR MASTER PLAN PROCESS. AND, UH, PART OF THAT, UH, MASTER PLAN WAS WHEN WE SENT OUT ALL OF OUR SURVEYS, WAS OUR, UH, AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER. PEOPLE TOLD US IN 2010, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE. WE UPDATED THAT PLAN AGAIN IN 1516, THEY TOLD US AGAIN, AND THEN WE UPDATED IT FOR A FINAL TIME IN 20 AND, UH, 2020. AND SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN, UH, ACCORDING TO OUR RESPONSES AGAIN, UH, PARKS AND, UH, OUR, UH, AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER WAS A PRIORITY. SO FAST FORWARD TO APRIL OF 2023, WE ACTUALLY DID A PRESENTATION WITH THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN. UH, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY FAST FORWARD AND, AND LEAVING A WHOLE LOT OUT. BUT, UH, WE, UH, BROUGHT A, UH, OUR SCHEMATIC DESIGN TO YOU ALL FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT. AND WE WERE ALL EXCITED AND, AND MOVING ALONG. AND THEN WE, UH, WENT TO OUR NEXT PHASE, WHICH WAS OUR DI DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE. AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT IS, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY TAKE THAT CONCEPT AND YOU, UH, ESTIMATE A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO THAT, UH, TO THAT CONCEPT. AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WENT THROUGH WITH THE SMITH GROUP, WHO'S OUR ARCHITECT. UH, OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IS MANHATTAN, AND THEN WE HAVE INTEGRATED PROJECT SOLUTIONS AND STAFF. WE ALL KIND OF GOT TOGETHER AND MASSAGED THAT THING A LITTLE BIT. AND AFTER WE MASSAGED IT ALL, WE WERE, UH, WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE OVER BUDGET. SO WE ARE HERE TODAY, UH, TO LOOK AT SOME, UH, COUPLE OF OPTIONS AND STAFF. UH, WELL, I'LL COME BACK AT THE END WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT WE HAVE, UH, MR. QUENTIN HERE WITH, UH, INTEGRATED PROJECT SOLUTIONS. AND SO HIS PRESENTATION WILL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE FINDINGS THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALONG WITH, UH, FINANCIAL IMPACT. AND THEN I THINK I WILL COME BACK UP WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AFTER HIS PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF IF NEEDED. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. UH, SORRY I'M A LITTLE NASALLY TONIGHT. MY ALLERGIES AND SINUSES JUST DO NOT DO WELL THIS TIME OF YEAR, IT FEELS LIKE. SO, EXCUSE ME. SO ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO NOTE ON THE PROJECT, AS, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO [01:35:01] THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE, AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT HAPPENS IN THAT, WE START TO GET INTO THE DETAILS. AND SO WHEN THOSE DETAILS COME OUT, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GETS DISCOVERED. WE GO THROUGH, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR ANALYSIS NOW OF TRULY WHAT THE UNDERGROUND SOURCE CONDITIONS ARE GONNA BE. SO NOW WE HAVE OUR RECOMMENDATION TRULY OF WHAT THE ACTUAL STRUCTURAL, THE FOUNDATION OF THE PROJECT SHOULD BE, HOW THAT BUILDING'S GONNA COME TOGETHER. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO PLAY WITH THAT. THEN THERE'S ALSO THE DETAILS THAT COME IN FROM UNDERSTANDING, UH, FROM THE SEWER CAPACITY, THE WATER CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE MADE AT THIS MATIC DESIGN LEVEL. AS YOU GET TO DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, YOU HAVE THE MORE DETAILS TO GO INTO, YOU KNOW, FROM A SIX INCH WATERLINE TO A 12 INCH WATERLINE TO A 24 INCH FOOTING TO A 48 INCH FOOTING. SO WE GET ALL THOSE DETAILS WORKED OUT NOW. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL, THE PREVIOUS APPROACH THAT WE SHOWED. YOU KNOW, THE MAIN THING WE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON IS KEEPING THAT INTERIOR EXPERIENCE, UH, THE PROGRAM, EVERYTHING INTACT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE ONE THING THAT WE DIDN'T WANNA DO IS GO AWAY FROM LOSING THE EXPERIENCE TO EVERYONE THAT'S GOING TO, UH, BE INVOLVED IN, IN, YOU KNOW, BEING, UH, MEMBERS OF THIS FACILITY. AND SO THAT ORIGINAL APPROACH WAS ROUGHLY 73,000 SQUARE FEET. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT COST PER SQUARE FOOT ON THAT ONE COMES OUT TO ROUGHLY 653,000 SQUARE, EXCUSE ME, $653 A SQUARE FOOT. UM, THE APPROACH FOR THE DESIGN WAS MORE OF A BUTTERFLY APPROACH. YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDINGS A LITTLE MORE SPREAD OUT. IT HAS A MUCH, UH, LARGER, UM, ENTRYWAY IF YOU WILL, UH, TO WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE IN THERE FOR, UM, UH, CONTROL OF THE INDIVIDUALS COMING IN THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO MAINTAIN. SO IT WAS A LOT OF NICE THINGS TO THAT DESIGN, BUT ALSO A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WERE STILL WORKING ON FROM A MANAGEMENT OF THE FACILITY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE HAD TO UNDERSTAND AND WORK THROUGH AS WELL. BUT ALSO, YOU CAN SEE THE EXTERIOR SKIN. SO THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES ARE GONNA COME IN WITH THE NEW DESIGN. SO 70% OF THE EXTERIOR SKIN WAS CMU, UM, AS WELL AS 30% BEING CURTAIN WALL, WHICH IS THE LARGE, LARGE, YOU KNOW, FLOOR TO CEILING GLAZING, UH, THAT YOU SEE, GIVE YOU A LOT OF LARGE OPENNESS THAT YOU SEE IN THE PROJECT. UM, WE ALSO HAD, LIKE I MENTIONED, THOSE SIXTH ENTRYWAYS. UH, AND THEN THERE WERE SOME MAJOR PROGRAM DEDUCTIONS THAT WE WERE DOING TO GET THE PROJECT IN BUDGET WITH THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN. AND SO ALL IN ALL, IN THE END OF THE DAY, UH, ONCE WE GOT TO DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, THEIR BUDGET STARTED OFF ROUGHLY ABOUT 7 MILLION OVER OUR CONSTRUCTION COST LIMITATION. UM, AFTER GOING THROUGH A LOT OF A VALUE ENGINEERING PROCESS, WE GOT THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN WITHIN A, ROUGHLY ABOUT A 1.9 MILLION OVER. AND SO WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING FROM THAT STANDPOINT, LIKE, OKAY, WE CAN STICK WITH THIS, OR WE CAN START TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE EVERYONE WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHILE GETTING THE PROJECT UNDER BUDGET. AND SO IF WE CAN SLIDE DOWN A LITTLE BIT TO THE REVISED APPROACH. SO YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ORIGINAL APPROACH IT WAS THE BUTTERFLY LOOK, THAT EFFECT THAT WAS GOING ON. OUR REVISED APPROACH STILL KEEPS THAT SAME EFFECT GOING ON. NOW, THIS IS CONCEPTUAL, UM, THAT YOU SEE HERE. SO IT'S NOT AS, AS FLUSHED OUT AS THE, THE ORIGINAL RENDERING, BUT EXCUSE ME, SOME OF THE, UH, THE BIGGEST CHANGES IS IN THE MATERIAL OF THAT EXTERIOR SKIN. SO WE'RE STILL AT 73,000 SQUARE FEET. WE HAVE A MORE LEAN SHAPE. IT'S NOT THAT, UH, LARGE OF A, A ENTRY SPACE IN BETWEEN THE TWO PODS BASICALLY. AND SO THAT MINIMIZES CROWD CONTROL, UM, THAT ALSO MINIMIZES THE DIFFERENT ENTRANCES AND EXITS INTO THE BUILDING. SO IT GIVES US ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WELL. UM, BUT THIS RIGHT HERE NOW, YOU KNOW, SHOWS THAT SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY AND THE, THE, BUT THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS THAT EXTERIOR SKIN. SO ORIGINALLY WE HAD 70% CMU, UH, 30%, UH, UH, CURTAIN WALL. NOW WE HAVE 70% TILT WALL. SO TILT WALL CONSTRUCTION NOW IS STILL GONNA GIVE US THAT CONCRETE, THAT MONOLITHIC LOOK THAT WE'RE GOING FOR. BUT NOW WE HAVE LESS LABOR BECAUSE NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE POURING THE WALL AS A CONCRETE SLAB AND BASICALLY TILT IT UP IN PLACE. SO NOW THAT EXTERIOR WALL IS ALSO YOUR STRUCTURE. SO IT HELPED US MINIMIZE ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING. NOW THAT COMES WITH MORE STRUCTURAL DESIGN THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT. BUT FROM A, A, UM, UH, MATERIALS AND THEN ALSO A LABOR, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER IN COST, THAT GETS REDUCED. SO THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE SAVINGS COME IN. SO WE ALSO HAVE 30% CURTAIN WALL AND PUNCHED OPENINGS. SO WHAT THAT MEANS NOW IS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE AREAS WHERE WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE LARGE OPENINGS, BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE AREAS ALSO TO WHERE IT'S GONNA BE MORE OF WHAT YOU WOULD SEE. UH, TRADITIONALLY MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A EIGHT FOOT TALL OPENING AS OPPOSED TO AN OPENING. IT GOES, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BOTTOM OF STRUCTURE UP 30 FEET. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE OF THOSE IN PLACE SO WE CAN MINIMIZE ON SOME OF THE, THE ADDED COSTS OF THE GLAZING AND ALL OF THAT. THAT ALSO HELPS US FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MINIMIZING SOME OF THE THERMAL LOAD ON THE BUILDING. [01:40:01] AND SO AS OPPOSED TO HAVING ALL THAT GLASS EVERYWHERE, WE'RE HEATING UP THE BUILDING NOW WE'VE GOT HIGHER MAINTENANCE COSTS AND HIGHER UTILITY COSTS. BEING ABLE TO DO THAT HELPS US MINIMIZE THAT. AND SO ALSO IN THIS, UM, DESIGN, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WHERE WE'RE GONNA MINIMIZE SOME OF THE PARKING, UH, WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE PARKING THAT THIS FACILITY WAS GONNA HOLD WAS ALSO GONNA BE HELPING SOME OF THE EXISTING, UM, UH, UH, ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE OUT THERE AT THIS SITE. BUT NOW WITH THE REVISED APPROACH, WE ALSO GET TO MAINTAIN THE PARKING THE WAY THAT WE HAVE IT. SO WITH THE REVISED APPROACH, OUR BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS, AS I STATED, ARE THE EXTERIOR SKIN. WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANY REDUCTION IN OUR PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE DOING TO GET THE PROJECT IN BUDGET ORIGINALLY. AND THIS PROJECT OR THIS DESIGN ALSO COMES IN ROUGHLY 200,000 UNDER WHAT OUR ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION COST LIMITATIONS WERE. AND SO THIS ALSO GIVES US THE ABILITY THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE PREVIOUSLY TO MAYBE ADD SOME THINGS TO THE EXTERIOR TO, TO GIVE SOME HIGHER END FINISHES, THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AT THAT NATURE AS WELL. SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE OUR, OUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO DATE. YOU KNOW, ONE THING TO NOTE IN THIS OPTION, GOING THROUGH THE REDESIGN, BECAUSE OF THE NEW DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING PROCESS, IT IS GONNA ADD TIME TO THE SCHEDULE. AND SO WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH A 1.9 MILLION EXTRA OR REDESIGN THE PROJECT, IS REALLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE, UH, FOR A CONVERSATION TO DATE. SO THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU, UH, QUENTIN. AND, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO, UH, PUBLICLY, UH, EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO INTEGRATED PROJECT SOLUTIONS FOR ACTUALLY, UH, PRESENTING AND MAKING CONSTRUCTION SOMETHING WHERE A PARKS AND RECREATION GUY CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS AND REPRESENT THE CITY AND THE WAY IN WHICH THEY'VE DONE. SO, UH, THIS PRESENTATION IS FOR DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK PURPOSES. STAFF IS SEEKING COUNCIL'S DIRECTION ON STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VALUE ENGINEERING DESIGN RESULTING IN AN ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST OF $43 MILLION TO REMAIN WITHIN THE PROJECT BUDGET. UH, FROM AN OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE, UH, I THINK THE MAJOR THING WITH US, WE'RE LOOKING AT BEING ABLE TO, UH, LOOK AT OUR COST RECOVERY. AND WITH EITHER OPTION, UH, STAFF IS CONFIDENT THAT, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET OUR COST RECOVERY GOALS. AND SO THEREFORE, WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH, UH, THE REVISED APPROACH QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. GLOVER. THANK YOU MR. QUINN FOR, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL, BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM, I'M GONNA ASK CITY MANAGER, RIGHT, TO JUST REITERATE WHAT SPECIFICALLY YOU WANT FROM COUNCIL TONIGHT. WE KNOW THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM, HOWEVER, IF YOU COULD GIVE US WHAT DIRECTION YOU NEED FROM US, CORRECT? YEAH. SO, SO REMEMBER THAT IN THIS PROCESS THERE ARE STEPS THAT YOU TAKE THAT ACTUALLY TAKE FORMAL ACTIONS, THINGS LIKE APPROVING CONTRACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS IS REALLY JUST KIND OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE'VE REACHED THE POINT OF OF VALUE ENGINEERING WHERE WE BELIEVE A REDESIGN OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING WAS OUR BETTER OPTION, RATHER THAN TRYING TO CONTINUE TO, TO KIND OF GUT THE INSIDE OF IT SO MUCH, UH, THAT YOU ENDED UP REMOVING SOME OF THE LEVEL OF FINISHES THAT WE KNOW WE ALL WANT AS FAR AS A HIGH, UH, HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT, UM, FOR THAT. SO IF THE COUNCIL'S COMFORTABLE WITH THIS APPROACH, UM, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR TEAM OF, OF PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO REDESIGN, UM, THIS ELEMENT, AGAIN, ADDING ABOUT FOUR MONTHS TO THE, UH, PROJECT TIMELINE HERE. UM, BUT TO BRING IT INTO CLOSER ALIGNMENT WITH THE IMAGE THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, WHICH AGAIN, KIND OF BRINGS BACK THE, TAKES THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, BRINGS IT MORE TOGETHER, MAKES IT MORE EFFICIENT FROM THE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS THAT ARE USED, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, TO DO THAT. SO, UH, WHILE THERE'S NO FORMAL ACTION TONIGHT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR JUST GENERAL FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS APPROACH, IF YOU'RE NOT, AND, AND YOU WOULD PREFER OTHER OPTIONS OR FOR US TO RECONSIDER THINGS, AND WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE OTHER OPTIONS FOR YOU AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. I'LL START TO MY RIGHT TO GATHER CONSENSUS. MAYOR PRO TIM HUGHES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I'M SORRY, DR. MARKS, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I SAW YOUR LIGHT ON, I APOLOGIZE. NO, I THOUGHT COUNCILWOMAN CHISM HAD, UH, OKAY. I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION, I JUST HAD A COMMENT. SURE. I WANTED TO, UH, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I DO APPRECIATE YOU, UH, THE MOMENT THAT YOU SAW YOU WERE OVER BUDGET, YOU MADE YOUR WAY DOWN TO COUNCIL, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THIS. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT IT IS THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THE SAME AND WE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE AFTER. AND YOU'RE UNDER BUDGET BY 200,000. YES, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU MAYOR TIM. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MY SENTIMENT'S EXACTLY. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WAY TO BE SMART ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I TAKE IT YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH WHAT WAS PROCEEDED . YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST HAD, UH, TWO CONCERNS. UM, AND I JUST WANT FOR CLARITY, YOU, IN THE REVISED APPROACH, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE PARKING DESIGN REMAINS THE SAME. AM [01:45:01] I, I'M INTERPRETING THAT IS THAT THERE WON'T, THERE WON'T BE ANY INCREASE IN PARKING, UM, BASED ON THIS, OR AM I, AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? UH, PARKING, I'M GONNA LET Q TAKE THIS ONE. YEAH, NO. SO IN OUR ORIGINAL DESIGN, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF PARKING, WHICH WAS OVER WITH THE FACILITY TRULY NEEDED. SO WE WERE LOOKING AT REDUCING IT IN THE PROJECT WHEN IT WAS OVER BUDGET IN OUR REVISED APPROACH, WE GET TO LEAVE IT. SO NOW WE STILL HAVE ALL THAT EXCESS PARKING TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE PARKING NEEDS FROM EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ON. SO THE PARKING WOULD NOT BE MINIMIZING THIS APPROACH. OKAY. AND PARKING WILL MEET WHAT THE CURRENT CODE IS FOR THE OR ZONING REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT FACILITY SIZE AND THE OCCUPANCY, CORRECT? CORRECT. YEP. AND YOU'RE, ARE YOU TAKING IN CONSIDERATION THE AMOUNT OF TOURNAMENTS THAT YOU HAVE IN THAT AREA TOO, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING? YES. OR IS IT JUST CONFINED TO THAT FACILITY? NO, IT'S, IT IS TAKEN INTO EFFECT. THE FACILITY IS, IS FIRST AND FOREMOST WHAT WAS LOOKED AT WHEN WE CAME UP WITH A PARKING STUDY. I BELIEVE OUR ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS, UM, I WANNA SAY LIKE ALMOST A HUNDRED PARKING SPACES OVER WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY REQUIRED. AND SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF EXCESS PARKING THAT TAKES IN INTO ACCOUNT TOURNAMENTS OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FIELDS NEXT TO US, ADJACENT TO US. THANK YOU. AND MY ASK FOR THAT WAS ONLY BECAUSE PLACE TWO HAS DEALT WITH, UH, A TERRIBLE AMOUNT OF CARS PARKING, UM, UM, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT'S BEEN KIND OF A NUISANCE FOR THAT COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I ASKED. AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS THAT BASED ON THE COST, AND I, I BELIEVE THIS CAME UP BEFORE IN A COUNCIL MEETING, UM, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SOME TYPE OF PARTNER LOOKING AT SOME TYPE OF MAJOR COMPANY, WHETHER IT'S PEPSI OR SOME LARGE ORGANIZATION, TO MAYBE DO SOME TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP TO HELP WITH SOME OF THESE COSTS. IS THAT STILL A CONSIDERATION? IS THERE AN EDC, THAT PARTNERSHIP THERE? I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OTHER WAYS FOR IT FINANCIALLY TO SUPPORT THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HELP THE CITY, YOU KNOW. OKAY. AND I, AND, AND I, SHE'S SPEAKING OF NAMING RIGHTS. YES. AND, AND WE WILL, UH, EXPLORE OUR OPTIONS WITH NAMING RIGHTS, BUT ALSO FOR THE PARKING THAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP, UH, SOME OF THE PARK, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES THERE. THE PARKING FOR THIS FACILITY WILL BE ADEQUATE FOR PARKING THAT HAPPENS AT THIS FACILITY. SO THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AND THINGS THAT WE HOST AT THIS FACILITY. UH, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FOOTBALL COMPLEX, WHICH IS ALL AT MACALLEN PARK, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL, BUT WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL PARKING IN OUR OVERFLOW WHERE WE'VE PUT THE GRAVEL DOWN TO, UH, BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE EVENTS AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO, BUT YOU, JUST TO CONFIRM, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE NAMING RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE? YES. OKAY. YES, WE ARE. AND, AND THEN ALSO JUST TO TOUCH REAL QUICK ON THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, PARTNERSHIP FROM THE PARKS, UH, DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS WELL. UM, WELL, IT'S THE, THE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, FORMALLY THE PARKS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BUT THEY, UH, WE DO HAVE, WITHIN THE FUNDING PLAN, THERE IS FUNDING THAT IS PROVIDED FROM THAT, UH, THAT SOURCE AS WELL, UH, WITHIN THEIR, SO, SO THERE, THERE IS PARTICIPATION WITH THE, UH, FROM THE SALES TAX THAT COMES FROM PARKS IN THIS PLAN, AS YOU SEE IT TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, UH, IS, ARE, IS YOUR CONSENSUS YES OR NO? YES. THANK YOU. DR. MARKS. YES, THANK YOU. I'M, YES. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BY YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, QUICK QUESTION. SO, SO IN LOOKING AT THE VALUE, UM, THE VALUED APPROACH AND LOOKING AT, UM, WHAT WENT FROM, YOU KNOW, TWO BUTTERFLIES TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE A Y OR U, UH, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS THE SAME. SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, DID WE, BECAUSE WE, WE'VE CLOSED IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS A PART OF THE U ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND SO DID WE MOVE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE BACK TO, TO KEEP IT THE SAME, OR, OR DID WE GAIN SOME, SOME, SOME SQUARE FOOTAGE IN THE CENTER ON THE, UM, INSIDE? YES. SO WITH THE APPROACH NOW, THE ORIGINAL, THE, THE TWO SEPARATE BUTTERFLY PIECES WERE FURTHER APART, SO WE HAD A MUCH LARGER OR LONGER, UM, CONNECTOR PIECE IN BETWEEN THE TWO. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SHRINK THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THERE BY BRINGING IT BACK IN AND THEN CLOSING IT BACK OFF. SO IT ALSO COMES IN SOME AS WELL IN THE BACKSIDE OF IT TOO. OKAY. SO THAT WAY, THE SQUARE, THAT'S WAY HOW THE SQUARE FOOTAGE STAYED THE SAME BY, OKAY. SO IT WAS STRETCHED OUT WITH THE U NOW IT'S SWITCHED IN EXACTLY. AND CLOSED IN. YEAH. ENCLOSED. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TILED WALL AND A-C-M-U-I, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE JARGON ON THAT. AND, UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? CAN YOU GIMME AN EXAMPLE? GIVE US AN EXAMPLE? UM, YEAH, SO A TILT WALL, I GUESS YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S GONNA BE MORE OF A, A SMOOTH STRUCTURE. SO, I MEAN, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT IT. IT'S GONNA BE JUST A LARGE OR LONG, OR, YOU KNOW, A PIECE OF CONCRETE THAT'S POURED AND THEN TILTED IN PLACE, LITERALLY TILTED IN PLACE AND SO IT'S GONNA BE A SMOOTH SKIN, A SMOOTH EXTERIOR, UH, CMU OF COURSE YOU'RE [01:50:01] GONNA HAVE, THEY'RE ALL INDIVIDUAL BLOCKS THAT ARE STACKED THAT HAVE ALL YOUR JOINTS AND EVERYTHING THAT GO WITH THAT. SO IT'S GONNA BE A MUCH MORE MONOLITHIC LOOK TO IT. UM, SO SOME OF THE EXAMPLES, UM, I GUESS IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT GOING AROUND TOWN, ANY OF YOUR, YOUR WAREHOUSE, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING UP RIGHT NOW, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE TILL CONSTRUCTION. SO IF YOU SEE THAT MORE OF A SMOOTH LOOK TO THE OUTSIDE OF IT, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THAT LOOKS GONNA BE. OKAY. UM, MY COMMENTS TO THAT WOULD BE, IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, TO USE, USE THAT TO LEVERAGE THAT FOR AN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TO SO THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A LARGE WAREHOUSE? ABSOLUTELY. AND SO THAT WAS SOME OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT GOING WITH THIS APPROACH. UM, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN DO, UM, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, FINISHES, IF YOU WILL. OKAY. UM, THAT YOU CAN BREAK IT UP. SO WE DO HAVE THAT INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE YOUR TRADITIONAL WAREHOUSE BUILDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. UM, IN THE, THE, THE ECONOMY THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, REALLY, IF YOU GO AROUND A LOT OF THE DFW METROPLEX, YOU SEE A LOT OF THIS FOR YOUR OFFICE SPACES. NOW, UH, MANY OF YOUR, YOUR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, THEY'RE ALL MORE GOING TO THAT APPROACH REALLY JUST TO HELP WITH THE IMPACT ON WHAT EVERYONE'S FACING RIGHT NOW AND, UM, THE LABOR AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. OKAY. AND I KNOW THIS WASN'T A PART OF THE INITIAL, UM, SCHEMATIC DESIGN, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED THE QUESTION AS IT RELATES TO SOLAR. AND SO WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY IN SURFACE AREA FOR SOLAR. SO WAS ANY OF THAT ASSESSED AS A PART OF, YOU KNOW, THIS PROCESS? YEAH, SO WE WENT THROUGH, WE, WE'VE OBSESSED SOLAR, UM, AND LOOKED AT WHAT THE, THE IMPACT WOULD BE. UM, WE STILL HAVE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THE BUILDING SO WE CAN COME BACK AND ADD AT A LATER DATE AS WELL. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO, TO KNOW. UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO KNOW AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE ENERGY COST AND THEN THE ENERGY FUTURE SAVINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF THIS. 'CAUSE YOU SAID WE'LL HAVE SOME SAVINGS WITH CLOSING IT IN, BUT WE STILL HAVE THAT REGULAR ENERGY COST. CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. AND SO IN TERMS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, EVERYTHING WILL BE UP TO, IS IT LEAD STANDARDS OR, I, I DON'T, YEAH, SO WE'RE STILL DOING A LEAD CERTIFIED BUILDING AS WELL. OKAY. SO THAT DID NOT GO AWAY IN THE PROCESS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL THANK YOU FOR COMING IN UNDER BUDGET GARY THOMAS STYLE. I APPRECIATE THAT. . I WISH IT WAS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, BUT YES. MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY YES, BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS DESIGN IT, THAT LITTLE SQUARE BOX AT THE TOP, WHAT IS THAT? UM, THAT IS A, JUST A OPENING SKYLIGHT TYPE AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN EXPLORE, GET MORE LIGHT IN FROM THE TOP AS WELL. UM, SO WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN HAD, I THINK, UH, THREE OR FOUR OF THOSE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT. AND SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE, YOU KNOW, MORE LIGHT FROM JUST DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AS WELL INTO IT. WILL THAT BE ENERGY EFFICIENT? BECAUSE YOU, YOU WERE TAKING AWAY THE GLASS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT LESS, YOU KNOW, A HEAT BOX. YEAH. IF YOU ADD THESE SKYLIGHTS, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY ADD THE LIGHT BACK IN YEAH. IN, IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS AS WELL IS TO CONTINUE TO DO, UH, ENERGY MODELING AND ANALYSIS IN ORDER FOR US TO EVEN ACHIEVE OUR LEAD CERTIFICATION, THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ENERGY MODELING THAT WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE FOR IT TO BE A LEAD BUILDING. UM, SO THAT'S ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE DO OUR, THE LEAD MOD, THE ENERGY MODELING, ALL THE SKYLIGHTS AND GLAZING THAT ARE IN IT. SO WE'LL HAVE TO CUT BACK OR MOVE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS BASED ON HOW THOSE MODELING STUDIES COME BACK. BUT THERE IS A, A NEED FOR, THEY ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING IN TERMS OF RADIANT BEARING AND ALL THAT STUFF. EXACTLY. OKAY. THE BIGGEST THING WITH, IT'S GONNA GIVE US MORE OF A, UM, A NATURAL LIGHT SO WE CAN TURN OFF THE LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY BALANCING AS WELL, UH, TO WHERE THE BUILDING LIGHTS UP ENOUGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY, UH, TO WHERE WE'RE NOT USING THE ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING IN IT AS WELL. AND JUST ONE LAST QUESTION. UH, EVERYTHING SHE SAID, I DO LIKE THAT. THE WHOLE IDEA OF SOUL. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND IT'S A YES FOR ME AS WELL. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, WE HAVE UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS, SO, UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. GLOVER. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU AS WELL. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE'RE MOVING [F. CONSENT AGENDA Items are listed on the Consent Agenda by the City Manager and are recommended to the City Council for single vote approval. An item( s) may be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate vote at the request of a Councilmember, the Mayor, or the City Manager. ] TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ARE LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BY THE CITY MANAGER AND ARE RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR SINGLE VOTE APPROVAL. AN ITEM MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE VOTE AT THE REQUEST OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MAYOR, OR CITY MANAGER. FIRST, WE HAVE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR JULY 18TH, 23, CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF PAUL DRYER TO THE PARK BOARD CONFIRMATION OF REAPP OF APPOINTMENT OF JAMES CLAY TO THE DESOTO CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION, HOA REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF DON BERRY AND TINA ELLI TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ARTICLE 8.700 OF THE DESOTO CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES CURFEW HOURS FOR JUVENILES IN COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS STATE LAW, [01:55:01] EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1 23. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2023 BURN JUSTICE ASSISTANCE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM, FUNDS SHARING AND FISCAL AGENCY AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,939. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING A GRANT APPLICATION ON BEHALF OF THE DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE FOR THE TRUANCY PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM. GRANT FOR THE DESOTO CLERGY AND COMMUNITY JUVENILE TRUANCY AND WELLNESS PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $90,300. AND CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PURCHASE CONTRACT FOR TWO VEHI TWO VEHICLES FROM RUSH TRUCK CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $82,565 AND 46 CENTS, UTILIZING BUYBOARD CONTRACT NUMBER 6 0 1 DASH 19 FOR VEHICLES IDENTIFIED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 22 VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. COUNSEL, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? YES. I HAD A QUESTION ON ITEM E, UM, THE, UH, CURFEW HOURS FOR JUVENILES. AND SO, UH, CITY MANAGER WRIGHT, COULD YOU JUST SPEAK TO, UM, WHY WE'RE REPEALING THIS? AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION MAYBE FOR POLICE IS, HAVE WE HAD ANY ISSUES WITH JUVENILES? UM, AFTER CURFEW HOURS IN DESOTO, UH, JOE MAY BE ABLE, OR, OR STATE ATTORNEY JOE GRAFF MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP AS WELL. BUT THE, UH, THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE, UH, STATE, UH, LEGISLATURE WENT AHEAD AND PASSED A LAW THAT REQUIRED CITIES THAT HAVE THIS TYPE OF AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL 'EM. TH THAT IS WHY WE'RE DOING IT THERE, THERE REALLY IS NO OTHER REASON. IT WAS HOUSE BILL 1819, WHICH BASICALLY PREEMPT PREEMPTIVE CITIES FROM HAVING, UM, JUVENILE CURFEW ORDINANCES. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND, AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I BELIEVE WAS, WAS HAVING ISSUES WAS RELATED TO, YEAH. HOW, HOW, HOW OFTEN DO YOU FIND YOURSELF ENFORCING DE JUVENILES? UH, THE CURFEW ARE IS FOR JUVENILES ORDINANCE COUNCILWOMAN. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, UH, VERY RARELY. UM, IT, IT IS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE, UH, FOR THE ENTIRETY OF MY CAREER. UM, BUT, UH, I, I DON'T RECOLLECT ITS USE HERE ANYTIME RECENTLY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMAN RICH CHISHOLM, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR WERE YOU YES, MA'AM. IT WASN'T RELATED TO THIS ITEM THOUGH. OKAY. ARE YOU READY FOR ME? OKAY. UM, I, I WANTED TO KNOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UM, TRUANCY PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM GRANT. IS THIS NEW? I FEEL LIKE I'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT I WANTED TO CONFIRM IF THAT WAS NEW. AND WILL THE COUNCIL GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, UH, IN THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CARE TEAM? I'M ASSUMING IT'S A PARTNERSHIP ALSO WITH DESOTO ISD OR IS IT GLOBAL DESOTO? I SEE LUPE VALDEZ COMING. SHE JUMPED UP FROM HER SEAT WHEN YOU ASKED THE QUESTION. I BELIEVE SHE MIGHT HAVE SOME INFORMATION FOR THAT AS WELL. UM, I'LL ASK RESERVE OFFICER LUPE VALDEZ TO COME UP HERE. SHE ACTUALLY AUTHORED THIS GRANT, SO I'LL, I'LL HAVE HER SPEAK TO YOU ON THIS. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. COUNCILWOMAN. UM, THE DESOTO POLICE, CLERGY AND COMMUNITY WANTED TO WORK MORE WITH THE JUVENILE, AND THEY CAME UP WITH ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT THEY WANTED TO DO. AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANAGE ALL THE PROGRAMS. SO I ASKED FOR A CHILD ADVOCATE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL THESE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ASSESSMENT IN THE CRISIS, IN THE CRISIS ASSESSMENT, UM, TEAM. SO THIS PERSON, IT'LL BE, WE WILL HIRE A PERSON AND THIS PERSON WILL MANAGE THE CHILD THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT DESOTO POLICE, CLERGY AND COMMUNITY HAS PUT TOGETHER, INCLUDING TRUANCY, HIGH SCHOOL, UH, MENTAL ASSESSMENT, UH, LEARNING ASSESSMENT, UM, TRUANCY CLASSES, UNBECOMING A BETTER PERSON. AND THIS IS ALL GONNA BE DONE BY DISORDER, UM, POLICE CLERGY AND COMMUNITY. THAT'S AWESOME. UM, UH, HAPPY TO POUR BACK IN THERE. I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THE DAY, BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE I, I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM FROM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU GET THE JUVENILES OR ARE, ARE THERE PARENTS INVOLVED IN IT? YES. A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU PROBABLY CAN'T ANSWER TODAY. RIGHT. SO, UM, CITY MANAGER, UH, UH, MR. WRIGHT, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE TO THE COUNCIL, POST THIS SO THAT WE'LL UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW THIS PROGRAM IS OPERATING WITHIN OUR CITY. PLEASE, NO PROBLEM. YEAH, IF YOU COULD HELP ME OUT WITH JUST MAYBE WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE SPECIFICALLY SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THEY ADDRESS THOSE ONES GREATLY. WELL, [02:00:01] JUST OVERALL, IT'S A NEW PROGRAM THAT IMPACTS OUR YOUTH, UH, DRASTICALLY. I'M ASSUMING THAT THESE ARE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN, UM, EITHER ARRESTED BY DESOTO PD OR REFERRED TO THIS PROGRAM. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IS THIS A PIPELINE? IT'S DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. ONE OF THOSE IS THAT THEY'RE GONNA WORK WITH THE COURTS. THEY'RE GONNA COME IN WITH THE COURTS AND THE JUDGE HAS AGREED TO ASSIGN THEM TO THIS PROGRAM. THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT IS JUST MENTORING IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO IT HAS NOTHING TO, THEY HAVE NOT COMMITTED ANY CRIME OR ANYTHING. THEY JUST WANNA MENTOR THEM SO THEY WON'T GET INTO ANY SITUATION. IT'S A COMBINATION OF ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND THEY WERE HARD TO MANAGE BY EITHER ONE OF US OR THE VOLUNTEERS. SO WE DECIDED TO ASK FOR A CHILD ADVOCATE TO MANAGE ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ELABORATING ON THAT. THE MUNICIPAL COURT IS A NEW ONE TOO. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED. YES. I THINK THAT'S AMAZING, MA'AM. UH, JUDGE CRUZ AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT JUVENILE. HE AGREED TO ASSIGN THEM THE PROGRAM. SO, MR. WRIGHT, I GUESS OVERALL, 'CAUSE I DON'T, MY COLLEAGUES, IF THIS IS NOT NEW TO Y'ALL, IT'S A SURPRISE TO ME. IS THERE ON A WEBSITE THAT WE CAN SEE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS OR WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT TOGETHER A REPORT OF JUST DETAILS OF EXACTLY WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS. WE CAN USE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, PROBABLY FROM THE GRANT APPLICATION ITSELF. IT'S NOT SO WE'LL, WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO. IT'S NOT IN PROGRESS YET. IT'S NOT IN PROGRESS YET. SO AS, AS, UH, OFFICER VALDEZ SAID, IT'S NOT IN PROGRESS YET. SO I, I I THINK WE, I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO KIND OF MAYBE GET A FOLLOW UP ONCE EVERYTHING IS KIND OF IN MOTION, UM, ONCE THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED. UM, AND THEN ONCE EVERYTHING IS IN MOTION, JUST TO GET A FOLLOW UP, JUST LISTING AND KIND OF NOTATING THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE FOUR PROGRAMS THAT SHE MENTIONED. SO WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN CHISHOLM, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR QUESTION? YES. DOES I ANSWER COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER? UH, YES, I, I KNOW THAT, UH, WILL PRO I WILL, UH, SAY YES TO THE, THE MINUTES, BUT I, I WANTED TO GET A CADENCE OF GETTING THE ACTUAL MINUTES, UM, BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY IS JULY 18TH AND YET MAY IS MISSING. JUNE IS MISSING. I MEAN, WE'RE MISSING A LOT OF MEETINGS MINUTES. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW DID WE GET TO JULY WITHOUT THE OTHER MONTHS FIRST, AS FAR AS MINUTES ARE CONCERNED, THAT'S A RESPONSE FOR OUR CITY SECRETARY. IF YOU WANNA SHARE. I DON'T HAVE A CADENCE FOR YOU AT THIS TIME. I'M WORKING ON THEM AS QUICKLY AS I CAN. OKAY. I CAN PROVIDE YOU A BETTER RESPONSE FOLLOWING THIS MEETING IF YOU, IF YOU PREFER. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. ARE THERE, IS THERE A MOTION? AND MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME I WANT TO DO SOME SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, CONFIRMATIONS OF APPOINTMENTS TO, UH, SOME OF OUR BOARDS. UH, I BELIEVE SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT. SO AS I CALL THEIR NAME, I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO STAND, UH, SO WE CAN SING TO YOU, UH, , MR. PAUL DRYER, WHO'S, UH, BEEN APPOINTED TO OUR PARKS BOARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. UH, JAMES CLAY, WHO'S APPOINTED TO THE DESOTO CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION, THE HOA REPRESENTATIVE, ALSO MR. DON BERRY. YOU CAN CLAP RIGHT THERE. MR. DON BERRY, WHO WAS, UM, APPOINTED TO OUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AS WELL AS MS. TINA ELLI, WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO OUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. MANY OF YOU HAVE SERVED, UH, PREVIOUSLY IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES. UM, AND SO WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME BACK AND TO BE ABLE TO RENDER THAT TIME AND DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE APPRECIATE YOU. AND FOR PROCEDURAL PURPOSES, WE NEED TO GO BACK AND READ THE ORDINANCE CAPTIONS. YES. FOR E AND F. THANK YOU. AND ORDINANCE WE NEED TO VOTE ON AGAIN, SORRY. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER EIGHT, TITLED OFFENSES AND NUANCES BY DELETING ARTICLE 8.700 TITLED, CURFEW HOURS FOR JUVENILES IN ITS ENTIRETY AND RESERVING ARTICLE 8.700 FOR FUTURE USE, PROVIDING A FAVORABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AN ORDINANCE GRANTING THE TO ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION, A TEXAS AND VIRGINIA CORPORATION. ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE PIPELINES AND EQUIPMENT IN THE CITY OF DESOTO TECH DESOTO, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DELIVERY, SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF GAS IN, OUT OF AND THROUGH SAID CITY FOR ALL PURPOSES, PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT OF A FEE OR CHARGE FOR THE USE OF THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WA, AND PROVIDING THAT SUCH FEE SHALL BE IN LIEU OF OTHER FEES AND CHARGES ACCEPTING ADD VALIUM TAXES, AND REPEALING ALL PREVIOUS GAS FRANCHISE [02:05:01] ORDINANCES. THANK YOU. UH, AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. FIRST, WE HAVE CONDUCT [1. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider an Ordinance amending Planned Development No. 145 (PD-145) in order to align with the City of DeSoto's adopted 2023 Nance Farm Master Plan. The applicant and property owner is the City of DeSoto. (Case No. Z-1497-23)] A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING PLAN DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 1 4 5 IN ORDER TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY OF DESOTOS ADOPTED 2023 NANCE FARM MASTER PLAN. THE APPLICANT AND PROPERTY OWNER IS THE CITY OF DESOTO, CASE NUMBER Z DASH 1497 DASH 23. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS CHARLES BREW BREWER, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR. MR. BREWER, BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, I WANT TO REITERATE, UM, FOR EFFICIENCY OF TIME AND FLOW OF OUR MEETINGS, UH, CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF CARDS WE HAVE FOR INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO SPEAK, UM, INSTEAD OF THREE MINUTES, WE ARE DOING TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER, AS WELL AS COUNSEL COMMENTS, UM, ROUNDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AT TWO MINUTES, UH, PER SPEAKER, UM, AS WELL. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MR. BREW MAYOR COUNCIL. IN APRIL, 2009, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A MASTER PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 2.09 ACRE TRACK UP LAND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS BEING LOT 12, BLOCK 15 IN THE METAL BROOK ESTATES SECOND INSTRUMENT. THEIR PLAN WAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN FOUR PHASES WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING A SMALL SCALE WORKING FARM, UH, REMINISCENT OF THE 18 HUNDREDS. THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF DESOTO AND LOCATED NORTH OF MEADOWBROOK DRIVE, WEST OF NORTH HAMPTON ROAD AND SOUTH OF WEST WINTERGREEN ROAD. WITH THE ADDRESS 1325 GREEN BOOK DRIVE. ON SEPTEMBER THE 21ST, 2010, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED ORDINANCE 18 64 10, WHICH OFFICIALLY REZONED LOT 12 BLOCK 15 IN THE MEADOWBROOK ESTATE. SECOND INSTRUMENT FROM EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL 12 TO A NEW PLAN DEVELOPMENT 1 45 TO PROVIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NASH FARMS. THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHED THAT THE PROPERTY WILL BE DEVELOPED AND USED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT IS TO ALLOW FOR THE RESTORATION OF NASH FARM TO REFLECT THE ERROR IN WHICH IT WAS BUILT. THE PROPERTY SHALL BE USED AND DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SINGLE FAMILY 12 DISTRICT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE, EXCEPT IT'S OTHERWISE PROVIDED HEREIN. DEVELOPMENT SHALL BE USED AS A PUBLIC COMMUNITY CENTER AND SHALL CONSIST OF A MAIN HOUSE AND TWO OUTBUILDINGS, THE CURING SHED MILKING BARN, AS WELL AS A PROPOSED VISITOR PAVILION. THE SITE PLAN WAS ATTACHED AND IDENTIFIED AS EXHIBIT B. LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, I'LL SHOW YOU THOSE EXHIBITS. THE ELEVATION PLAN FOR THE VISITOR PAVILION IS ATTACHED TO SEA. I'LL ALSO SHOW THAT LATER. MASONARY REQUIREMENTS. NONE OF THE STRUCTURES ON THE SITE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE MASONARY EXTERIORS. HOWEVER, MATERIALS USED MUST REFLECT THOSE USED ON THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURES. AND FROM THAT AIR, THE FIVE FOOT WIDE LANDSCAPE BUFFER ALONG THE STREET IS NOT REQUIRED. IN ADDITION, THE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE ONE TREE PER 40 LINEAR FEET ALONG THE FRONT OF THE LOT IS NOT REQUIRED AS WELL. THE ENTRY GATE ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE LOCATED 20 FEET IN FROM THE FENCE. HOWEVER, NO VEHICLE SHALL BE PARKED IN FRONT OF ENTRY GATES. A SOLID BRICK OR MASONRY SCREENING WALL BETWEEN THE NON-RESIDENTIAL AND RESIDENTIAL IS NOT REQUIRED. CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS ARE NOT REQUIRED. DRIVEWAYS MAY BE CONSTRUCTED USING A CRUSHED STONE OR SIMILAR PRODUCT FOR THE SURFACE. HOWEVER, THESE, HOWEVER, THESE BASE OF DRIVEWAYS SHALL BE CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING THE WEIGHT OF A FIRE TRUCK. THE PARKING LOT SHALL CONSIST OF NINE SPACES WILL BE LOCATED AT THE EAST OF THE VISITOR PAVILION. ANOTHER PARKING LOT CONSISTING OF TWO SPACES WILL BE LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE VISITOR PAVILION. NO MORE THAN 12 CARS SHALL BE PARKED ON GREEN BROOK DRIVE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET, ADJOINING NASH FARMS, NO ON STREET PARKING SHALL BE PROVIDED BEYOND THE NORTH OR SOUTH PROPERTY LINE OF NASH FARM. FOR ANY EVENT THAT SHALL REQUIRE MORE THAN 23 PARKING SPACES, 11 ON SITE AND 12 ON STREET PERMIT SPACES, PARKING SHALL BE PROVIDED OFFSITE IN AN APPROVED NON-RESIDENTIAL AREA. I SHOW YOU THE EXHIBIT B THAT WAS A PART OF THAT ORIGINAL ORDINANCE FROM 2010. THIS SHOWS THE OVERALL SITE PLAN. THESE EXHIBITS. EXHIBIT C FROM THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE SHOWS THE, UH, VISITOR BUILDING THE DIFFERENT ELEVATION, DIFFERENT VIEWS, VISION BUILDING ELEVATION, DIFFERENT VIEWS. AGAIN, THE FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPING NASH FARM HAS BEEN PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED, BUT THE REMAINING WORK HAS NOT BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN RECENT YEARS. THE FACILITY HAS NOT BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER PROMOTE THE PROPERTY TO ALIGN WITH THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY. ON JANUARY THE FIFTH, 2021, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE COMMUNITY CULTURE ARTS MASTER PLAN, ESTABLISHING GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF ARTS IN DESOTO. [02:10:01] THIS PLAN IDENTIFIED THE NASH FARM FACILITY AS A POTENTIAL FUTURE HOME FOR ART CLASSES AND ARTISTS IN RESIDENCY PROGRAM ART DISPLAYS, AND SMALL ART AND HISTORICAL FESTIVALS. THIS RECOMMENDATION PROMOTED PROMPT THE PROMOTED THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AND REVISE THE CITY'S 2009 NASH FARM MASTER PLAN. THE CITY'S FFY 2023 BUSINESS PLAN INCLUDED THE GOAL OF CONVERTING NASH FARM INTO A HIGHER VALUE COMMUNITY ASSET, INCLUDING AS A HOME FOR THE ARTS, WITH ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES BEING TO UPDATE THE NASH FARM MASTER PLAN. ON MARCH 2ND, 2022, THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A CONTRACT WITH ROGERS PARTNERS. ROGERS PARTNERS COMPLETED THE ASSESSMENT OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AT NASH FARM AND ALSO COLLECTED INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A MEETING CALLED BY THE ARTS COMMISSION, HELD ON THE LOCATION OF JULY THE 14TH, 2022, A COMMUNITY SURVEY AND DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH INDIVIDUALS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO NASH FARMS. ROGER PARTNERS USED THE INFORMATION RECEIVED, DEVELOPED M ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS AND SCENARIOS WERE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2022, THE CITY COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE PROPOSED MASTER PLAN. AND THE MASTER PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY OF DESOTOS ART COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC IN NOVEMBER, 2022. FOR FURTHER FEEDBACK. ON FEBRUARY 21ST, 2023, THE PROPOSED MASTER PLAN WAS PRESENTED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE THE 27TH. 2023. A PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONDUCTED BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IN ORDER TO CONSIDER MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE REQUESTED PD 1 45 AMENDMENT REQUESTS. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, CHRISTOPHE BOWERS, PROVIDED DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NASH FARMS AND THE SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT WERE CONDUCTED IN CONNECTION WITH CREATING THE 2023 NASH FARM MASTER PLAN. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, 13 RESIDENTS APPEARED BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND ALL SPOKE IN OPPOSITION OF THE AMENDMENT REQUEST. SEVERAL RESIDENTS VOICED THEIR CONCERNS WITH ADDITIONAL NOISE, INCREASED TRAFFIC AND PARKING ISSUES THAT WILL BE CREATED FOR THEIR QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD IF THE PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED AS IDENTIFIED. IN THE 2023 NASH FARM MASTER PLAN, SEVERAL RESIDENTS VOICE VOICED THEIR CONCERNS WITH AN AMPHITHEATER BEING ADDED WITHIN THIS PROPERTY. FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ZONING, KZ 14 97 23, SECTION 10.8 E TWO OF THE CITY ZONING ORDINANCE AS AMENDED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON APRIL THE 18 20 23 STATES A FAVORABLE VOTE OF THREE FOURTHS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE ANY ZONING CHANGE REQUEST, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED FOR DENIAL BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. ALSO APPLICABLE TO THIS CASE, I HAVE TO READ TO YOU SECTION 10.8 E ONE OF THE CITY ZONING ORDERS, WHICH STATES A FAVORABLE VOTE OF THREE-FOURTHS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE, TO APPROVE ANY CASE CHANGE IN ZONING WHEN SUCH ZONING CHANGE IS PROTESTED BY THE OWNERS OF AT LEAST 20% OF EITHER NUMBER ONE, THE AREA OF THE LOSS OF LAND COVERED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGE, OR NUMBER TWO, THE AREA OF THE LOTS ARE LAND IMMEDIATELY ADJOINING THE AREA COVERED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGE AND EXTENDING 200 FEET FROM THAT AREA. AND I'LL DISCUSS THIS WITH A SITE MAP LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. AS OF AUGUST THE SEVENTH, 2023, STAFF RECEIVED 20 RETURN PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES IN OPPOSITION OR PROTESTS OF THIS PD AMENDMENT REQUEST WITH THE NOTIFICATION AND OPPOSITION MAP PREPARED BY STAFF FOR THIS ZONING CASE SHOWING THAT 23.4% OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO OWN PROPERTY WITHIN 200 FEET OF THIS 2.06 ACRE TRACT OF LAND ARE IN OPPOSITION OR IN PROTEST OF THIS PD A MEMBER REQUEST A FAVORABLE VOTE OF THREE-FOURTHS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THE ZONING CHANGE REQUEST. I'VE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGES A COPY OF THE SITE PLAN CONCEPT PLAN FROM THAT 2023 NASH FARM MASTER PLAN. I'VE ALSO INCLUDED A BUILDINGS MATERIAL THAT GAVE MORE DETAIL ABOUT EACH ONE OF THE FACILITIES IN THAT 2023 MASTER PLAN. THIS SITE PLAN WAS ALSO A PART OF THAT PLAN THAT GAVE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT WAS BEING FORECAST FOR EACH OF THE PROPO, EACH OF THE PROPOSED BUILDINGS. AGAIN, I'VE INCLUDED A DC MAP THAT SHOWS YOU LOCATION THIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS WEST OF HAMPTON, SOUTH OF WINTER GREEN. AND IT'S THIS LIGHT BLUE SHEDDED AREA WITHIN THE, UH, MEADOWBROOK ESTATES COMMUNITY. [02:15:02] A COUPLE OF MORE, UH, SITE PLANS GIVE YOU MORE VISUAL UNDERSTANDING WHERE THIS PROPERTY'S LOCATED. THE MAP ON THE LEFT SHOWS THAT THIS IS PROPERTY ZONE PD 1 45, THE YELLOW DESIGNATE. THIS IS A SINGLE FAMILY 12 DISTRICT. YOU DO HAVE SOME TWO FAMILY, UH, UH, ZONING DISTRICT IN THIS APPROXIMATE AREA, BUT IT IS, UH, PREDOMINANTLY A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE MAP ON THE RIGHT IS, UH, PREPARED BY A GS DEPARTMENT. AND AGAIN, WE TOOK ALL OF THE WRITTEN NOTICES THAT RECEIVED ALL THE WAY UP TO, UH, THIS MONTH. AND AS YOU SAID, THAT EQUATED TO OVER THE 23.4% TRIGGER FOR PROPERTY OWNERS FILING AN OFFICIAL PROTEST. AND AS SUCH, IT DOES REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, ZONING CASE IS IN MAYOR PRO TIM LETICIA HUGHES, DISTRICT SEVEN. AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE REQUEST TO AMEND PLAN DEVELOPMENT 1 45 IN ORDER TO ALIGN THE CITY'S ADOPTED 2023 MASTER PLAN NASH FARM MASTER PLAN. UH, FOLLOWING MY PRESENTATION, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, UH, WILL GIVE HIS PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE THE PROJECT. I'LL ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. MR. BREWER. WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE THE PRESENTATION OKAY. UM, FROM MR. BAUER AT THIS TIME. AND THEN WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT REAL QUICKLY AS MR. UH, BREWER, UH, JUST REFERENCED, THIS HAS BEEN A, A CULMINATION OF A FAIRLY LONG PROCESS. AND WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY AS FAR OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU. AND WE ACTUALLY GOT A LOT OF REAL POSITIVE FEEDBACK. AND I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED BY, UH, THE AMOUNT OF CITIZENS COMING FROM THAT COMMUNITY WHO SAID THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT SEEING SOMETHING START TO HAPPEN HERE. I THINK THE BIG, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE HAVE HERE IS THAT THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN UNUSED FOR FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS. SO IT REALLY HAS BEEN UNUSUAL. PEOPLE GOT USED TO IT BEING UNUSED, AND THAT CHANGE IS CERTAINLY, IS CAUSING REASONABLE CONCERNS. NOW I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT THIS BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES. THE FIRST ONE TALKING ABOUT THE ZONING, WHICH SPECIFICALLY IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT. ANOTHER ONE TALKING ABOUT THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE CITIZENS, UH, IN THE AREA AND WHAT WE'VE DONE TO WORK WITH THEM TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS. SO BEFORE TONIGHT IS A ZONE CHANGE. UH, AND A LOT OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE RAISED ARE ABOUT THE USE, BUT WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO CHANGE THE USE. THIS IS ONE THAT ACTUALLY REMOVES SOME INCONSISTENT DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE IN THE CURRENT ZONING, WHICH ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE WAY THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND IS PROPOSED TO BE DEVELOPED. IT ALSO REMOVES PARKING AND FENCE DEVIATIONS THAT ACTUALLY WITH THOSE REMOVALS WITHIN THEN IF WE MOVE FORWARD, WOULD REQUIRE THE CITY TO ADD PARKING AND REQUIRE THE CITY TO ADD BUFFER FENCING, WHICH IS A NORMAL REQUIREMENT WHEN YOU HAVE A MORE INTENSE USE NEXT TO A LESS INTENSE USE AND BASICALLY WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROPERTY THAT ARE PROPOSED UNDER THE MASTER PLAN. THE USE WOULDN'T CHANGE. UH, IT'S, IT'S ALREADY, UH, PERMITTED AND ZONED TO HAVE, UH, PUBLIC EVENTS TO HAVE, UH, UH, PRIVATE EVENTS TO BE OPERATE AS A PUBLIC PARK, LIKE OTHER PUBLIC POWER PARK PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE. SO IT ALREADY IS THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO, WE ARE PROPOSING TO, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO ADD ANY DEVIATIONS. WE'RE ACTUALLY PROPOSING TO REMOVE SOME DEVIATIONS FROM THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS. SO AS WE WENT THROUGH THE CURRENT ZONING, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THIS PAVILION, THAT PAVILION WAS NEVER CONSTRUCTED. WE CONSTRUCTED BATHROOMS INSTEAD, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE MASTER PLAN. SOME OF THAT PARKING WAS NOT DEVELOPED. SO WE, AND DOWN IN THE BOTTOM CORNER, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW MONUMENT FACILITY, WHICH ISN'T CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT ZONING. SO CURRENTLY WE ARE, HAVE DEVELOPED A PROPERTY OR NOT DEVELOPED A PROPERTY, UH, IN A WAY THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT ZONING. SO THAT'S THE ISSUES OF FOUR COUNCIL TONIGHT. DO WE WANT TO REVISE THE ZONING TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT WITH ITS CURRENT AND PLANNED USE FROM A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE? NOT FROM A USE PERSPECTIVE. UH, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE, UH, TEND TO GET THE TWO CONFUSED. WE CERTAINLY AREN'T GONNA TALK ABOUT THE USE 'CAUSE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT THE COUNCIL THAT AND THE COMMUNITY HAS CON RAISED. SO THE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT TRYING TO, UH, PROVIDE THE AUTHORIZATION TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY. 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T DESIGNED THIS YET. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT THIS AND THEY SAY, OKAY, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE CHANGES TO THIS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS. PAR OF THOSE CHANGES WILL BE OCCURRED THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THAT AUTHORITY UNDER [02:20:01] THE ZONING BEFORE WE WENT OUT AND DID THE DESIGN. THEY DESIGN PROCESSES NOT AN INEXPENSIVE PROCESS. YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA DESIGN SOMETHING THAT THEN COMES BACK AND IT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO THE COUNCIL. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE TAKING THIS ACTION NOW RATHER THAN LATER IN THE PROCESS. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS MASTER PLAN. IT'S TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC PAVILION. UH, THE REALLY BIGGEST CHANGE IS THE IDEA OF HAVING A COVERED SORT OF AMPHITHEATER SPACE TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY. THE REST OF THE, THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT TOO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. SO THE ISSUE BEFORE THE COUNCIL IS NOT REALLY CHANGING THE USE, WHAT ACTIVITIES. IT'S REALLY ABOUT CHANGING WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE PUT ON THE PROPERTY IN ORDER TO FACILITATE, UH, THAT USE AND TO ADDRESS REALLY SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE COMMUNITY. SO WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? UH, CURRENTLY THE PROPERTY'S DEGRADING. UH, WE HAD SOME VANDALISM OCCUR OUT THERE RECENTLY. UH, IT HASN'T BEEN USED, IT ISN'T WATCHED. AND, UM, WE, IT HASN'T BEEN MAINTAINED TO THE LEVEL THAT'S GONNA ALLOW THOSE PROPERTIES TO CONTINUE TO EXIST IN THEIR CURRENT STRUCTURE. THE HISTORIC BARN IS IN A DIRE NEED OF, UH, UH, RECONSTRUCTION, UH, OR IT IS GOING TO FAIL. AND THAT, THAT BARN, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE MILKING BARN, BUT HISTORIANS ARE REALLY FASCINATED BY IT AND THEY REALLY ARE CONCERNED. AND A NUMBER OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY ORDERS THINK THAT'S THEIR, UH, HAVE TOLD ME THAT'S THEIR FAVORITE PIECE OUT THERE AS WELL. THAT, AND THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY DID GET A LOT OF PUBLIC SAYING THAT THEY WANT TO SEE THIS BE AN ASSET THAT THEY CAN USE, UH, THAT HAS OPENINGS IN IT SO THAT IT'S NOT CLOSED ALL THE TIME. AND THAT ACTUALLY HAS SOME ACTIVITY IN IT. OTHER PIECES THAT WE DID, THE INITIAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THIS THROUGH A STATE PARKS GRANT, THAT STATE PARKS GRANT REQUIRES THAT WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY ACCESS THE PROPERTY ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS. WE ALSO USE HOTEL OXBY TAX FUNDS TO, ON THIS PROPERTY. AND THAT REQUIRES THAT WE ACTUALLY CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE VISITORS ON SITE. WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT. SO THERE REALLY IS A NEED FOR US TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE GRANTS ON THIS PROPERTY. AND ALSO, AGAIN, AS, UH, UH, MR. BREWER POINTED OUT, TRYING TO BRING THIS INTO CON IN CONSISTENT WITH YOUR GOALS OF CREATING A HOME FOR THE ARTS AND REALLY CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT PASSIVE USE AND THAT LEARNING AND EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I HAD QUESTIONS THERE, BUT IF, UH, YOUR PERMISSION, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND JUMP INTO THE REAL, THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED BY RESIDENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS SHOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYBODY. MR. BREWER WENT THROUGH THEM, PARKING NOISE, TRASH CRIME. UM, AND THAT'S REALLY ABOUT NOT WHAT WE DO, BUT HOW WE DO IT. AND, UH, I REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEND THEIR TIME DISCUSSING WITH US. WE WENT OUT THERE AFTER THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING, AND WE INVITED EVERYONE WHO HAD COME TO THAT MEETING. EVERYONE WHO HAD, UH, PUT IN A LETTER OF COMPLAINT, EVERYONE WHO HAD RAISED ANY KIND OF CONCERNS TO COME TO THAT MEETING AND BRING THEIR PEERS. AND THEY DID. IT WAS A WELL-ATTENDED MEETING. UH, AS I SAID, MAYOR PATAM HUGHES WAS THERE AND COUNCILOR MARKS WERE THERE AND THERE WAS A SPIRITED EXCHANGE AND PEOPLE WERE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND INTERESTS. AND, UH, THEY WERE ALSO, HOWEVER, UH, OPEN TO CONTINUED DIALOGUE. AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS TO COME MEET WITH THE, UH, THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMITTEE TO REALLY TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS FACILITY AND WHAT COULD BE DONE ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED. AND THEY DEVELOPED THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE FACILITY. THERE'S COPIES IN THE BACK IF ANYBODY HASN'T GOTTEN ONE. WE'VE SENT 'EM OUT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE COULD DO IN THE FACILITY TO MITIGATE THE RISKS OF THESE IMPACTS, UH, IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY. SO THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE SET UP HERE IS THAT IT TRULY IS THE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION THAT WILL MANAGE HOW THIS FACILITY IS USED, UH, INTO THE FUTURE. AND JUST A RE REMINDER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLY FISCAL YEAR 26, 2026. IT'S GONNA TAKE, SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TOMORROW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, INTO THE FUTURE. UH, WE DO HAVE TWO POSITIONS ON THE FOUNDATION BOARD FROM NEIGHBOR COMMUNITIES. AND MR. CLAY, WHO WE MET THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UH, HAS BEEN WILLING TO STEP UP AND JOIN THAT CONVERSATION. AND WE HOPE TO HAVE HIM FOR THE YEARS COMING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY ON IN THIS CONVERSATION. WHILE OPERATIONAL GUIDE, UH, GUIDELINES WERE MADE WITH A NUMBER OF, UH, RESIDENTS PARTICIPATING DIRECTLY IN THOSE FORMATION AND REALLY FOCUSED ON HOURS OF OPERATION, REDUCING THOSE HOURS OF OPERATIONS DOWN SO THAT WE'RE NOT INTERRUPTING, UH, EVENING ACTIVITIES DURING THE WEEK. WE'RE [02:25:01] NOT KEEPING PEOPLE UP FOCUSED ON REDUCING THE SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES TO THE ACTUAL PARKING. AND PARKING IS A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO ACTUALLY ADD PARKING ON SITE AND THEN LIMITING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES TO THOSE THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY PARK ON SITE. IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE PREVIOUS MASTER PLAN AND IDENTIFIED THOSE AREAS FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING, THAT REALLY DIDN'T COUNT THEM OUT. SO WE ASKED THE ARCHITECT TO REALLY COUNT THEM OUT. 50 SPOTS CAN BE DEVELOPED DIRECTLY WITHIN THOSE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY. SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WHAT'S BEEN THERE BEFORE AND BUT STILL WOULD ALLOW US AND TO ONLY HAVE MODERATELY SIZED, UH, FACILITIES THERE. SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WOULD BE OVERWHELMING TO THE SITE OF THE COMMUNITY. NOISE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN, ESPECIALLY EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD AMPHITHEATER, THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE VERY LOUD. SO THE GUIDELINES SAY SPECIFICALLY THAT NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA USE ANY AMPLIFIED, UH, ACT AMPLIFICATION IN THAT THEATER THAT YOU CAN HEAR OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY. THAT REALLY IS INTENDED TO BE A, UH, LIVE PERFORMANCE SORT OF SPACE FOR, UH, SPOKEN WORD FOR, UH, ART ACTIVITIES. UH, PERHAPS FOR A QUIET, YOU KNOW, UM, WEDDING. UH, IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT ISN'T A ROCK CONCERT. COMMUNITY FAIRS AND EVENTS, UM, LIMITED THESE 'CAUSE THESE ARE THE ONES THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AND ARE ARE CRAFT FAIR THERE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PARK THAT ON SITE. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA HAVE MORE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. SO WE ONLY WANNA DO THOSE A FEW TIMES. AND I THINK THE BIG REQUEST FROM, UH, THE COMMUNITY AROUND THERE IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION, ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE WORK ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT WE DO IT THROUGH AN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT'S PLANNED WHEN IT'S PLANNED, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IMPACT IS COMING AND BEING VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT. AND WHEN WE DO THAT. AND BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR IN THAT PROCESS, SAFETY AND SECURITY WAS CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE PLAN HERE IS TO BE MORE PRESENT. THAT PRESENCE ITSELF WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR PEOPLE WHO TO ENGAGE IN BAD ACTIVITY. BUT ALSO A COMMITMENT TO HAVE, UM, SECURITY MEASURES, WHETHER IT'S SOUND MONITORS OR CAMERAS OR OTHER THINGS ON SITE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, ACTUALLY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SECURITY TO WHAT'S OUT THERE. NOW THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S BEEN RAISED UP SIGNIFICANTLY LOTS OF TIMES IS ABOUT ALCOHOL USE. UH, ALCOHOL USE IS NOT GENERALLY PERMITTED IN OUR PARKS OR PUBLIC FACILITIES. UM, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY UNDER STATE LAW TO GET A STATE LIQUOR PERMIT THROUGH A LICENSED, UH, CATERER. UH, IF THEY DO THAT UNDER OUR LOCAL REGULATIONS, THEY HAVE TO ALSO HAVE HIRED SECURITY. SO POLICE OFFICERS ON SITE. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS HIGHLY REGULATED. THERE WOULDN'T GENERALLY OR REGULARLY BE ALCOHOL PERMITTED ON THIS SITE, JUST LIKE WE WOULDN'T AT THE BLUE BARN ROOMS OR ANY OF THOSE OTHER ROOMS ARE. THE ERNIE ROBERTS PARK MAINTENANCE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY STAYS CLEAN. AND ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS WAS IF WE WERE HAVING ONE OF THOSE LARGER EVENTS THAT WE DIDN'T JUST LOOK AT THE SITE ITSELF, THAT WE WENT OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT IF WE DID HAVE PEOPLE LEAVE THE AREA AND, UH, NOT RESPECT THE AREA, THAT WE WERE A GOOD PARTNER AGAIN AND CLEAN UP AFTER THOSE EVENTS. SO THAT CERTAINLY WAS A PART OF THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES AS WELL. AND THIS IS A JUST, UM, A DIAGRAM THAT CAME OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH HAS CAUSED A LOT OF CONCERN. AND THIS AREA OVER HERE IS WE ASKED THE DEVELOP ARE THE, UM, MASTER PLAN DEVELOPER TO DO IS GIVE US SOME IDEA WHAT THE MARKETPLACE IS FOR EVENTS. AND THIS HAS BEEN TAKEN AS OUR INTENTION OF ACTUALLY DOING THIS. AND, UH, WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE GUIDELINES ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY POSSIBLE. UM, AND REDO THIS, THE COUNCIL ASKED US FOR THIS AS WELL. SO YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AREA AND I, I'M GONNA IDENTIFY A PLACE OF POTENTIAL CONFUSION. AND THEN IT HAS, YOU HAVE COMMUNITY EVENTS UP HERE AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC EVENTS. SO WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS, I WANTED TO USE THE SAME WORDS AS USING THE MASTER PLAN. SO I WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT REALLY IS WHAT WE CALL PUBLIC MEETINGS. SO THAT WOULD BE, AS YOU CAN SEE, AVERAGE SIZE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 40 PEOPLE, MAYBE 20 OF THOSE. BUT THIS IS REALLY AN HOA MEETING, A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING. IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING. IT'S NOT REALLY A, IT'S NOT A EVENT. SO THAT'S NO, THERE'S NO REVENUE GENERATED FROM THAT. UH, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LARGE SOCIAL EVENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, 'CAUSE WE'RE LIMITED BY THE PARKING DOWN TO MAYBE 75 PEOPLE. IF WE DO ONE OF THOSE [02:30:01] A WEEK ON AVERAGE, THAT WOULD GENERATE THIS MUCH MONEY. UH, OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE A BRIDAL SHOWER, A BIRTHDAY PARTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AGAIN, 30 PEOPLE EASILY PARABLE ON SITE. UH, MAYBE TWO OF THOSE A WEEK. SO THIS IS A NU NUMBERS THAT WE THINK ARE POTENTIAL AT SOME POINT ONCE WE ACTUALLY START TO, UH, BECOME KNOWN AS A FACILITY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LARGE SOCIAL EVENTS. THIS IS REALLY THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY FESTIVALS AND FAIRS. ABOUT FOUR OF THOSE A YEAR, THIS IS ACTUALLY WAS INCLUDED. SO THAT'S THE SAME NUMBER AMOUNT, UH, OF THOSE. AND THEN LARGE SOCIAL EVENTS. THIS IS ACTUALLY MONEY THAT COMES FROM, THIS IS THE SAME THING AS UP HERE. SO IF YOU HAVE PRIVATE CATERING ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR 75 HERE, THIS IS ADDITIONAL REVENUE DOWN HERE. SO THAT'S JUST COUNTING IT TO TWICE ADULT FAMILY CLASSES. UH, THE FEWER NUMBERS OF THOSE, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12 TO 20 PEOPLE PER. SO AGAIN, NOT AN IMPACT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS EXPECTED. WE DIDN'T PUT DOWN ANY REVENUE FOR THE CHILDREN'S CLASSES AT THIS POINT. UH, MAYBE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THAT THROUGH GRANTS, BUT WE DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WAS A GOOD PLACE TO START AS FAR AS TRYING TO DRIVE REVENUE FROM CHILDREN'S ARTS CLASSES AT THIS POINT. BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT. YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT CERTAINLY CHANGES OUR REVENUE PICTURE AND ALSO CHANGES OUR EXPENSE PICTURE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE REVENUE IS PURELY VARIABLE. YOU KNOW, YOU EITHER HAVE AN EVENT OR YOU DON'T. UH, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR EXPENSE SIDE, SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES ARE FIXED, SOME OF THEM ARE VARIABLE. THIS WOULD, IF YOU HAD FEWER EVENTS, IT'S CERTAINLY GONNA BE LESS COSTLY. BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY GONNA MAKE THE OPERATIONAL BALANCE TIGHTER. UH, BUT WE'RE STILL A COUPLE YEARS FROM OPENING THIS. WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN GET TRULY COMFORTABLE ABOUT THESE NUMBERS ON BOTH SIDES ON THE COST SIDE AND THE REVENUE SIDE. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SORT OF HOW THIS LOOKS OUT AS FAR AS THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE PROPOSED BASED ON THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS, UH, THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT TRULY AN UNREASONABLE, UH, NUMBER, UH, AND SIZE OF EVENTS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE MASTER PLAN PRO FORMA. SO CONCERNS RAISED, PARKING. SO WE'VE LIMITED THE SIZE OF ACTIVITIES DOWN TO THINGS THAT WE CAN PARK. WE'VE ADDED ADDITIONAL PARKING INTO THE DRAFT PLAN, UH, NOISE. UH, WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY ADDED SOUND AND AMPLIFICATION LIMITS, ALSO TIME LIMITS. AND THEN THAT BUFFER FENCING. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A MISHMASH OF WOOD FENCING. SO IT'S CERTAINLY PUTTING UP A MASON REFE AS REQUIRED BY ZONING, UH, WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT BUFFER. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TRASH AND AGAIN, PROVIDING THE BUFFER FENCING TO REDUCE THAT LIKELIHOOD AND CRIME. AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE ACTIVITY, WHICH CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VISIBILITY AND FOR INTERACTION AND REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SOMEBODY WILL BE ABLE TO ACT IN A NEGATIVE WAY WITHOUT, UH, THAT BEING PERCEIVED AND INTERVENTION APPLIED. SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS IS COMMUNICATION. UH, AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO HAVING WEBSITES. WE HAVE NOW TWO RESIDENTS, UH, OF THE AREA ON THE FOUNDATION BOARD. UH, AND I THINK WE'VE CREATED A LOT OF RELATIONSHIPS, UH, WITH THE NEIGHBORS. SO THEY HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER, THEY HAVE OTHER PEOPLE'S PHONE NUMBER. SO IF WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND, AND THERE IS A BUMP THAT WE HIT IN THE ROAD, WHICH WE PROBABLY WILL, THERE'S AN OPENNESS TO CONTINUING OUR DISCUSSION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN STEP IN AND MITIGATE THOSE CONCERNS AND ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, UH, SHOULD THEY ARISE. THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, WE'VE REALLY WORKED HARD AND AGAIN, I REALLY WANT TO THANK A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE BEEN WILLING TO GIVE US THEIR TIME AND, UH, HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND WILLING TO PROBLEM SOLVE, UH, SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS TO WORK WITH US TO TRY AND FIND THAT BALANCE THAT ALLOWS US TO ACHIEVE, UH, COUNCIL'S OBJECTIVES AND THE COMMUNITY'S OBJECTIVES, UH, IN A WAY THAT, UH, RESPECTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UH, RESPONDS TO THEIR CONCERNS. THANK YOU, MR. BAUER. COUNCIL, AT THIS TIME I OP ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM HUGHES TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. UH, MADAM CITY SECRETARY, I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE, UM, CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK. HOWEVER, LET ME, UH, MAKE A NOTE. IF YOU WISH TO JUST STATE WHETHER YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM. YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO SO IN LIEU OF ACTUALLY COMING TO THE MICROPHONE AND SPEAKING. SO PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT AS YOU, AS YOUR NAME IS CALLED ENOVIA GARRETT. MS. GARRETT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. ENOVIA GARRETT DESOTO, I'M REALLY EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE I WORK WITH [02:35:01] SICK PEOPLE EVERY DAY. WHEN I LEAVE THOSE SICK PEOPLE, I HAVE TO GO TAKE CARE OF A DYING MOTHER. AND SO MY HOME IS MY PEACE. I LIVE ON MEADOWBROOK AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS I DON'T NEED AN AMPHITHEATER. I NEED PEACE WHEN I'M IN MY HOUSEHOLD AND I AM TWO DOORS DOWN FROM MEADOWBROOK FROM THIS NEXT FARM. SO IN CONSIDERATION, THINK ABOUT THAT. ALSO THINK ABOUT THE ELDERLY THAT ARE AROUND THERE. THEY DON'T WANT THAT. THEY DON'T WANT A AMPHITHEATER. IF YOU WANT TO PUT PARKING, PUT PARKING, BUT THEY DON'T NEED ALL THAT KIND OF NOISE, CONSIDER THEM. THINK ABOUT YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS, THEY DON'T WANT THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE THAT TO YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A OBLIGATION TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO FOR THE CITY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT GRANT. BUT THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE BESIDES JUST MAKING THAT MONEY. ART CLASSES, THAT'S FINE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT AMPHITHEATER MUSIC, I CAN'T DO IT. SO I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT. 'CAUSE MY HOME IS MY PEACE AND I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2011 AND I DO NOT WANT IT DISTURBED. THANK YOU, MS. GARY. IT FAR. JAMES CLAY. GOOD EVENING. MR. CLAY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JAMES CLAY. I LIVE IN DESOTO, TEXAS. FIRST OFF, I WANNA SAY THAT ME VOLUNTEERING FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION DOES NOT LESSEN MY OPPOSITION TO NAS FORM. WE LIVE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD OF SENIORS AND WE DON'T NEED LOUD MUSIC. WE DON'T NEED THE NOISE, WE DON'T NEED TO EMPER THEATER. THE ONLY ACCESS TO NAS FORM IS BY RESIDENTIAL STREETS. THERE'S A PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF PARKING ALREADY. EMERGENCY VEHICLES HAVE TO PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. AT ANY GIVEN TIME, OUR STREETS BECOME A ONE-WAY STREET. IF A CAR IS ON BOTH END, YOU HAVE TO WAIT. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF IMPROVING THE AREA, BUT WE DON'T NEED ALL THIS NOISE IN OUR AREA. THE MASTER PLAN FOR N FORM IS A PLAN FOR MASTER DISASTER FOR THE RESIDENTIAL OF MELBROOK. SO I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO HONOR THE, THE UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE, UH, ZONING COMMISSION TO REJECT REZONING. NEXT FORM. THANK YOU. NEXT, SCOTT MCDONALD. GOOD EVENING. MR. MCDONALD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING. I'M BACK. MY NAME IS SCOTT MCDONALD AND I LIVE IN DESOTO. AND THIS IS AN INTERESTING PROJECT IN AN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE LOCATION. IT'S HARD TO GET TO NANCE FARM AS IT IS NOW. ADDING 30 PARKING SPACES AT NANCE FARM WILL IN FACT PERMIT UP TO 50 CARS WITH SIVAN STREET PARKING. AND THAT'S A HUNDRED PEOPLE. AND I KEEP HEARING THAT THESE, THESE MEETINGS, THAT THIS IS ONLY A, A GUIDELINE, BUT I THINK I HEARD TONIGHT, ONE MEETING A WEEK. IF ANY OF YOU LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU WOULD NOT WANT THIS PROJECT TO GO FORWARD. THIS IS A, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT A BAD IDEA THIS IS. I WON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER. WHO REALLY THINKS THAT BY PUTTING A NINE O'CLOCK CUTOFF TIME ON SATURDAY NIGHT, THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA LEAVE AT BY 9:00 PM LET'S BE REALISTIC. AND, AND WELL, THIS IS A BAD IDEA AND YOU, YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS. AND I THINK THERE'S MORE PEOPLE HERE THAT WANT TO SPEAK. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NEXT CARD, KEVIN FRANCE. [02:40:11] PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD AND YOU HAVE MINUTES. HI, MY NAME IS KEVIN PRATT. I LIVE IN THE MANTLE BROOK FARMS EDITION OF DE SOTA. YOU KEEP SAYING MEADOWBROOK ESTATES, BUT THAT'S REALLY THE MANTLE BROOK FARMS EDITION. ALSO, I NOTED IN FRONT OF THE OLD FARMHOUSE, FIRST OF ALL, MY FAMILY SHARECROPPED THIS AREA, SO I KNOW QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT. IN FRONT OF THE FARMHOUSE, THERE'S A HISTORICAL MARKER STATING THAT THIS IS A HISTORICAL SITE. SO THINGS, CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU ARE DOING HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT. AND THAT AMPHI THEATER IN THE BACK, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO CUT IT BASICALLY. AND THIS AREA IS BASICALLY FILLED WITH ELDERLY. THESE PEOPLE HAVE WORKED HARD AND PAID FOR THEIR HOMES AND THEY JUST WANT TO LIVE OUT THE REST OF THEIR LIFE IN PEACE AND COMFORT. AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING, A LOT OF IT SOUNDS GREAT. IN FACT, UH, LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION, I AGREED WITH A LOT OF IT, BUT IT'S NOT THE RIGHT LOCATION. IT'S GOING TO AFFECT A LOT OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU. NEXT PART, MARY BONAPARTE. MS BONAPARTE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING, MARY BONAPARTE. WHEN MY 86-YEAR-OLD MOTHER PURCHASED HER HOUSE IN MANTLE BROOK 30 YEARS AGO, HAD WE KNOWN THIS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE PURCHASED IT. I SAW A PIECE OF ART UP THERE AS THE CITY, UH, WORKERS, UM, SPOKE, BUT I SMELLED SOME MANURE. SO I WANNA SAY THIS, THE CREATION AND THE APPROVAL OF THE NANS FARM AMPHITHEATER, IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR ANOTHER LOCATION. MY 86-YEAR-OLD MOTHER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIT ON HER PORCH LIKE SHE LIKES TO DO BECAUSE OF POLLUTION, LOUD NOISE, PARKING, INCREASED TRAFFIC BLOCKED, DRIVEWAYS, ROAD CONGESTION, TRASH. AND THEN THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD. JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, A BUSINESS WEDDING CENTER, UM, CAME HERE TRYING TO GET A PERMIT. Y'ALL DENIED IT. SAME THING. NO DIFFERENT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WHERE NAN'S FARM IS. YOU HAVE HOUSES HERE, HOUSES HERE, HOUSES HERE, AND HOUSES BACK HERE. AND THEY'RE WALKABLE. Y'ALL DENIED THAT. I'M ASKING THAT YOU DENY THIS. UM, UNLESS WE GONNA HAVE A DOUBLE STANDARD HERE, PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OLD ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD. NOBODY WANTS THIS. YOU KNOW, THE CRIME'S GOING TO INCREASE. HE JUST SAID HIS CRIME'S ALREADY THERE. SO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? YOU'RE GIVING THE CRIMINALS A TICKET TO COME INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND PREY ON THESE ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS LOUD NOISE, PARTYING AND ALCOHOL, PLEASE VOTE NO. JAMES ADAMS. JAMES ADAMS. GOOD EVENING. MR. ADAMS. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. CITY OF RESIDENCE. AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. JAMES ADAMS, DESOTO, TEXAS WEBSTER DEFINES ENGAGEMENT AS THE STATE OF BEING ENGAGED BOTH EMOTIONALLY, UH, WITH INVOLVEMENT AND COMMITMENT. AND WOO, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS. FROM THE BIGGER PICTURE THROUGH THE CULTURAL ARTS MASTER PLAN AND ALL THE OTHER PLANS THAT WE'VE, UH, BEEN HEARING ABOUT ON TONIGHT. UM, I, I I WANTED TO SPEAK JUST TO OFFER FROM A CULTURAL STANDPOINT, THE HUMANITY ACTS OF 1965 STATES THAT THE ARTS BELONG TO ALL THE PEOPLE. AND THE APPROACH FROM THE FOUNDATION, THE S FOUNDATION, WAS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO THAT. I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER TO THE AUDIENCE AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TONIGHT, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE AMPHITHEATER IS DESIGNED, IS TO BE ENGAGING AND NOT A NUISANCE. I WANT TO APPLAUD SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE DID HAVE A CHANCE TO ENGAGE. THEY CAME BACK AND GAVE US SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS FOR THE GUIDELINES YOU SAW THAT ARE OFFERED IN THE DOCUMENT IN THE BACK AS IT RELATES TO THOSE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES. [02:45:01] BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO HEAR THIS ENGAGEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO TONIGHT. 'CAUSE IT MAKES ME THINK WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE 86-YEAR-OLD MOTHER THAT'S AT HOME IN ART CLASSES. WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE RETIRED OR STAYING HOME, UH, AND WANT TO HAVE THAT PEACE. I DON'T WANNA DIRECT TO ANYONE DIRECTLY, BUT WHO WANT TO HAVE THAT PEACE. I WANT TO OFFER TONIGHT THAT THAT'S THE CENSUS, THAT'S THE HEART OF THIS. THIS IS WHY I DON'T WORK IN ACCOUNTING. THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE I GIVE CHRISTOPHE THE HEARTACHE BECAUSE I CARE NOTHING ABOUT THE NUMBERS. I CARE NOTHING ABOUT THE, THE MONEY OPPORTUNITY THAT IT MAKES. BUT I CARE ABOUT, WE CARE ABOUT THAT. HUMANITIES ACT CARES ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT IN MANY WAYS LOOKS DIFFERENT. BUT WE WELCOME IT ALL AND HOPEFULLY THIS OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT THAT CITY COUNCIL CAN STILL REMEMBER THAT ENGAGEMENT THAT THE MASTER PLAN TALKED ABOUT. THE CULTURAL ARTS MASTER PLAN TALKED ABOUT, UH, MR. LONG TALKED ABOUT IT, 25,000 PEOPLE DOWN THE BELTLINE ROAD. WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE COMING. THIS IS, IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AMPLIFY, CURATE, AND IMAGINE DESOTO. THANK YOU. ELAINE BOLAND. THANK YOU MR. ADAMS. ELAINE BOLAND. ELAINE BO. MS. BOLAND, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ELAINE BOLAND. I LIVE HERE IN DESOTO. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. UM, I AGREE WITH MANY THINGS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SAID. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAYBE SAY A FEW OTHER THINGS. I THINK MOST OF US, UH, WOULD BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF QUIET ACTIVITIES OF PASSIVE USE OF THE FACILITY AS A PARK. UM, UH, ALSO MEETINGS, BUT THANK YOU . I'M SHORT. SORRY, . UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE ART CLASSES OR HISTORY PRESENTATIONS AND APPRECIATE THE FACILITY'S HISTORIC VALUE. UH, BUT I WILL AGREE WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAVE SPOKEN EARLIER. UH, UH, EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS IS AN ISSUE. WE DO HAVE PARKING ISSUES RIGHT NOW, UH, ON OUR STREETS. AND IT IS THE, UH, MAIN KIND OF A CUT THROUGH FOR PEOPLE COMING THROUGH FROM WINTER GREEN TO HAMPTON AND BACK ALREADY. UH, AND WHEN YOU HAVE THERE, I THINK THERE'S A, A REAL CONFLICT OF WHAT WE SEE IN THE MASTER PLAN. AND THEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD AT PRIVATE, UH, ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE, UH, FROM THE CITY THAT WE'RE HEARING. WELL, YEAH, IT SAYS 12, BUT WE'RE PROBABLY ONLY GONNA REALLY DO FOUR, AND THEN WE HEAR FOUR TONIGHT, BUT THEN WE HEAR THERE'S GONNA BE THESE OTHER LITTLE MEETINGS AND THINGS GOING ON TOO. UM, WE ALL ENJOY THE QUIET IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND WE ENJOY, UH, OUR WILDLIFE THAT COME THROUGH THE PARK AND THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THROUGH IN OUR YARDS. UH, WHEN YOU HAVE OUTSIDE, UH, EVENTS LIKE THIS, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE, UH, PEOPLE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO DON'T HAVE OUR VALUES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY. AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO, USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO, UH, DO CRIME. I'M SORRY, THEY JUST ARE. THERE'S, AND THERE ARE ALSO SOMEONE MENTIONED PARKED, UH, VEHICLES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS YOUR DRIVEWAY. I ALREADY HAVE THAT AS BEING ON THE CORNER OF A CUL-DE-SAC. I ALREADY HAVE THAT ISSUE JUST TRYING TO GET OUTTA MY DRIVEWAY SOMEDAY WITH MY NEIGHBORS, WHO I LOVE DEARLY. MS CONCLUDES YOUR TIME. OH, SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK TONIGHT. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES, UM, THAT CONCLUDES CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. UM, THERE WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY BELIEVE MAYOR PROTI HUGHES. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BY, UH, TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. A ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THIS ONE IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN OUR NORMAL PUBLIC HEARING, CONSIDERING THE CITY IS THE APPLICANT. UM, TYPICALLY AT THIS TIME, I WILL CALL FOR A MOTION, UH, FROM CITY COUNCIL. HOWEVER, I WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL TO DO AT LEAST ONE ROUND, UM, OF QUESTIONS, UM, OR COMMENTS, COMMENTARY, UH, BEFORE WE CALL FOR AN ACTUAL MOTION. AND IF THERE'S FURTHER, UH, DISCUSSION NEEDED AFTER THAT, UM, THEN WE CAN DO SO AT THAT TIME. UM, COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, MR. GER, IF YOU COULD PUT OUR TIMER UP. COUNCIL'S GONNA DO TWO MINUTE ROUNDS, A PIECE, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR TIMER UP FOR COUNCIL AS WELL. THANK YOU, MAYOR TIM HUGHES. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. UM, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. UH, I KNOW WE, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE CITIZENS THAT CAME OUT AND, [02:50:01] YOU KNOW, MET WITH YOU ALL TO HELP GET THE GUIDELINES TOGETHER. I HAD A QUESTION. WAS THERE EVER A CONSIDERATION TO PUT ANYTHING BESIDES THE AMPHITHEATER? AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T DESIGNED IT YET, SO CERTAINLY IF, YOU KNOW, IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T WANNA BUILD THAT, YOU CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THAT OFF. UM, IT'S YOUR FACILITY. OKAY. UM, OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR QUESTION? IT IS, IT DOES. THANK YOU. COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MADAM MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU TO, UM, OUR PRESENTERS THIS AFTERNOON. YES. UH, FOR BRINGING THIS INFORMATION TO US. UH, I WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO VISIT WITH THE RESIDENTS THERE. UH, THEY DID BRING THEIR CONCERNS AS, UH, CHRISTOPHE SAID THAT IT WAS VERY HIGH SPIRITED, AND I THINK THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, WHAT THEY DID, THEY SOMEWHAT TRIED TO COMPILE THOSE, UH, CONCERNS, OF COURSE, AND COME BACK WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE ABOUT. UH, AS WE LOOK AT THE USE OF OUR HOT FUNDS IN ORDER TO BRING, UM, THIS ZONING AND EVERYTHING IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT'S OUT THERE IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE, UH, GO FORTH WITH OUR DECISION WHETHER TO APPROVE OR DENY, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, INFORMATION THAT'S HERE BEFORE US. UH, SO THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY. I JUST KIND OF WANTED YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT THE STAFF DID WORK EXTREMELY HARD, UH, WITH MAYOR PROTI AND MYSELF AND SOME OF THE OTHER CITY PEOPLE. SO, UM, WE DID THE BEST WE COULD WITH TRYING TO ADDRESS IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY, AND THIS WILL CLOSE MY, MY COMMENT, AND I THINK I WAS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY, UH, VOICED MY OPINION ABOUT AMPHITHEATER. JUST THE WORD SENDS ME INTO OBLIVION. SO IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO JUST ALLEVIATE THAT WORD ALL TOGETHER. IF WE WANNA PUT SOME OTHER TYPE STRUCTURE THERE, THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT. BUT IF I WAS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST THAT WORD ITSELF, I WOULDN'T GO FOR IT EITHER. BUT I DO THINK FOR, UH, FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH OUR MASTER PLAN, WITH, UM, EVERYTHING FOR THE CITY, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. I'M ONE OUT OF SEVEN, I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU, DR. MARKS. UH, COUNCILMAN BURKE. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND, UH, THANK YOU CITIZENS FOR COMING OUT. UH, THERE WAS ONE POINT THAT WAS MADE THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, UM, REGARDING THE OTHER EVENT CENTER THAT IT WANTED TO COME IN PLACE, UH, SEVEN AS WELL, THAT WAS A FURTHER DISTANCE AWAY FROM, FROM WHERE NAN'S FORM IS. SO I, I, I HEAR THAT. I HEAR IT CLEARLY. IS THERE A, THE QUESTION I GUESS I HAVE FOR STAFF, IS THERE A WAY TO PRESS PAUSE TONIGHT SO THAT WE, MAYBE WE CAN REIMAGINE WHAT WE'VE IMAGINED? IS THERE A WAY TO PRESS PAUSE? BECAUSE I HEAR THE RESISTANCE NOT ONLY OF THE AMPHITHEATER, BUT MAYBE OF THE PROJECT IN ITS TOTALITY. SO, AND WE'VE ONLY REALLY LOOKED AT IT FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE. IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PLACE THE HEARING ON HOLD AND, AND LET US REIMAGINE, UH, MAYBE HOW WE CAN DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE AND ACCEPTED, UH, WITH THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA? I'M, I'M GOING TO, UM, SUPPORT YOU IN THAT COMMENT. 'CAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY GONNA BE MY COMMENT, UM, FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT IS TO LOOK AT POSSIBLY RE-IMAGINING. AND I HEAR WHAT DR. MARKS IS SAYING IN TERMS OF THERE MAY, AND, AND FROM WHAT I HEAR, BASED ON WHAT I KNOW, THE VISION AND THE INTENT IS, I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME, THERE'S SOME DISCREPANCY IN WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS HEARING VERSUS WHAT THE INTENT IS. RIGHT? AND SO I, I DO UNDER, AND I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IF IT WAS MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I HEAR AMPHITHEATER, I'M GONNA THINK ONE THING AS WELL. SO I HAVE TO PUT MYSELF IN THOSE RESIDENT SHOES AS WELL. HOWEVER, AS SOMEONE DID MENTION IN THEIR COMMENTS, WE ALSO HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF MAKING THE BEST USE OF THAT, CONSIDERING WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN OUR, IN OUR ROLES AS COUNCIL PEOPLE TO CONSIDER ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, POSSIBLY MAYBE EVEN LOOK AT AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AGAIN, TO KIND OF REIMAGINE IT IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT SPACE COULD BE IS. 'CAUSE AS MR. BOWER STATED, WE'VE NOT YET DESIGNED THE SPACE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S STILL ROOM, THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING, YOU KNOW, COMING TOMORROW IN TERMS OF IF WE APPROVE THIS, IT STILL HAS TO BE DESIGNED. SO I THINK WE'VE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. MM-HMM. . UM, HOWEVER, IN TERMS OF THAT, IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER, UM, TO, TO POSSIBLY LOOK AT TAKING A STEP BACK TO REIMAGINE THE SPACE, RECONSIDER THE AMPHITHEATER AND WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS AND WHAT IT COULD BE, RIGHT? CONSIDERING THE SPACE AND WHAT WE NOW KNOW WE CAN ACTUALLY DO WITH THE SPACE WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE VERY PRUDENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY, BECAUSE I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS. HOWEVER, [02:55:01] I DEFINITELY ALSO KNOW THE ADVANTAGES OF MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME SORT OF AN IMPROVEMENT TO THAT AREA. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION OUTSIDE OF THAT? NO, MA'AM. I'M IN AGREEANCE WITH THAT AS WELL, AND, AND I, I REALLY LIKE THAT IT, THE, THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED ACTIVELY IN OUR MEETINGS TO BE THE FIRST THAT THEY, WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL, SINCE THEY'RE INVESTED. ABSOLUTELY. UM, I THINK WE CAN DO THAT. SO I'M GONNA TAKE A, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. WELL, I DID WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION. I KNOW WE SAW A PERFORMER, BUT I DIDN'T SEE AN ACTUAL OPERATING COST, YOU KNOW, THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE REVENUES COMING IN, WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS COST IS CONCERNED. CAN WE GET SOMETHING TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE? I'M SORRY. WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. I THINK IT, IT DEPENDS. I THINK THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS THAT, AGAIN, AS YOU LIMIT THE ACTIVITIES OUT THERE, YOU, YOU ELIMINATE BOTH COST AND REVENUE. UH, SO IT'S, UNTIL WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITY IS GOING TO BE PERMITTED OUT THERE, UH, IT'S PRETTY HARD FOR US TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. OKAY. UM, PLEASE PUT YOUR LIGHT ON QUESTION. JUST ONE, ONE MORE THOUGHT ON THAT THOUGH. I DO, I DO. HOWEVER, WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT IT, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT BUILDING THAT SAYS RESTROOMS, IT JUST FEELS, UM, A LITTLE DISJOINTED. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT AT MOST PARKS YOU HAVE A SEPARATE PLACE FOR RESTROOMS. I LOOK AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF CRIME, UH, BECAUSE RESTROOMS IS WHERE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN, AND IF THERE'S NO ONSITE SECURITY FOR THAT, THAT'S ONE MORE COST. BUT IT ALSO COULD BE A PROBLEM FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOO, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S SO SEPARATE AND, YOU KNOW, DISJOINTED, IF YOU WILL. SO, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DESIGNED, BUT TO, TO SOME DEGREE, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE COSTS DO NEED TO BE PUT OUT THERE. BUT I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PARKING. I MEAN, THAT'S NEVER BEEN A GOOD IDEA FOR ME. UM, THAT'S SOMETHING I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE TRAFFIC CAUSES PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE JUST IN GENERAL. SO I'D LOVE FOR US, AS HE SAID, TO REIMAGINE WHAT WE'VE IMAGINED AND TRY TO COME TO SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK IN A BETTER WAY. AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, TO UNDERSCORE WHAT I MENTIONED AND WHAT, UM, STAFF HAS MENTIONED, IT HAS NOT BEEN DESIGNED YET. SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REIMAGINE ALL OF THAT IS STILL POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. DR. MARKS, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT BEFORE WE CALL FOR RECESS? I, I JUST HAD ONE LAST QUESTION. UH, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT SEGUE INTO MY QUESTION FROM WHAT YOU SAID, AS IT PERTAINS TO COST, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOT FUNDS AND THE USE THEREOF, HOW DOES THIS PROLONGING, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AFFECT THAT? OR IF, OR DOES IT AT ANY RATE, HE SAYS, HE SAYS, DO YOU HAVE A GOOD ANSWER? UH, I'M NOT SURE I HAVE A GOOD ANSWER. UH, I THINK THAT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS AUTHORIZED, UH, EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR DESIGN. WE HAVEN'T, OTHER THAN STARTING THE SURVEY, WE HAVEN'T STARTED THAT DESIGN, OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO GET THIS QUESTION ANSWERED FIRST. UM, IF COUNCIL MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS, OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO TAKE SOME OF OUR HOT FUNDS THAT ARE IN RESERVES AND MOVE THEM OVER FOR THIS SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION. UM, WITHOUT THAT, THOSE FUNDS WILL STAY WHERE THEY'RE AT. UM, THAT'S THE REALITY. THERE IS A RISK THERE. UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY FOR GIVING YOU MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU MAY WANT. THERE WAS A NEW BILL PASSED THIS YEAR, WHICH REQUIRES CITIES TO REPORT THE AMOUNT OF HOT FUNDS THEY HAVE IN RESERVE. AND THE REASON THEY'RE DOING THAT, 'CAUSE I'VE SEEN THIS IN OTHER STATES, IS TO TRY TO GO BACK AND ARGUE THAT WE DON'T NEED THOSE FUNDS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SPENDING THEM. SO, UH, I DO, I WOULD CAUTION THE COUNCIL ABOUT CONTINUING TO LEAVE THOSE HOT FUNDS SITTING THERE. RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO SPEND THOSE HOT FUNDS UNDER STATE LAW IS FOR THIS PURPOSE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE HOT TAX FUNDS, SO, 'CAUSE THAT'S SERIOUS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, WE, UH, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, JUST RELATED TO THIS, UM, LET ME APOLOGIZE TO THE RESIDENTS 'CAUSE THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT TODAY, BUT YOUR ENGAGEMENT IS GONNA BE SO NECESSARY AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED THAT I TOTALLY AGREE WITH TONIGHT. UM, AS IT RELATES TO, UM, UM, HOW WE GROW AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, COMING TO THE MEETINGS ARE SO, SO, SO IMPORTANT. UM, [03:00:01] THE BIGGEST THING THAT I SEE THAT'S DIFFERENT, THAT WHAT, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS, IS THAT, UM, TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE NEED TO VOTE THIS UP OR JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE IT DOWN AND JUST SCRATCH IT. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN IN ON THIS PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING, WE HAD TWO OR THREE OPTIONS AND WE WENT FOR THE HIGHEST OPTION. AND SO AS A, AS WE GO INTO THIS PROCESS OF HAVING AN AD HOC GROUP OR COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, THOSE OPTIONS ARE THAT THE LEAST OPTION NEEDS TO BE SEEN AND NEED TO BE KNOWN, UM, AS IT RELATES TO HAVING AN AMPHITHEATER. DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE WITH SOUND, ADDITIONAL SOUND AND, AND PEACE BEING DISTURBED FROM THIS PLACE IN THIS SPACE. UM, BUT THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE WANT TO USE THE SPACE? SO, UM, PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS, THE NEXT STEPS, YOU KNOW, VERY SINCERELY AND SERIOUSLY IN TERMS OF, OF SHARING YOUR FEEDBACK, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A PART OF THE, THE COMMUNITY MEETING OR AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING. 'CAUSE WE DO NEED TO HEAR THAT SO THAT WE CAN EITHER PUT THIS TO REST OR MOVE IT FORWARD. UM, ITS WHOLE AND SOLE INTENTION IS TO TO BE A PLACE, A REPOSITORY FOR A GROWING CULTURAL ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S THE ASSET WE'VE NOT USED THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR AS TAXPAYERS. AND SO THAT MIGHT BE A DECISION THAT WE NEED TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH, WITH THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BURDEN, UH, HAS, HAS RECOMMENDED. UM, BUT JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND THEN HAVING THE ENGAGEMENT. AND THIS IS THE STAFF MAKING CERTAIN WE GO DOOR TO DOOR TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, DOOR TO DOOR TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO, TO THE RESIDENCES WHO ARE IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, TOUCHED BY THIS FACILITY. UM, I THINK THAT PART IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE RELIED ON SENDING THINGS OUT AND EMAIL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY, THAT DIDN'T WORK, BUT SOMETHING DID WORK. SO LET US KNOW HOW TO BEST COMMUNICATE WITH YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, UM, COUNSEL, UM, WE HAVE A, I'M REQUESTING A TWO MINUTE RECESS TO GIVE ME TIME TO CONFER OR TO GIVE US TIME TO CONFER WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. IT IS, UH, 9:07 PM I'M GONNA ASK IF EVERYBODY WOULD PLEASE TAKE THEIR SEATS. AS WE, UH, RECONVENE OUR MEETING, I'M GONNA ASK OUR AUDIENCE MEMBERS IF THEY WOULD PLEASE TAKE THEIR SEATS SO THAT COUNCIL CAN RECONVENE OUR MEETING. THANK YOU. UM, AT THIS TIME, UM, THERE HAS BEEN A RECOMMENDATION MADE, WHICH I THINK ENCOMPASSES WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR COUNCIL IN TERMS OF HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO REIMAGINE THIS SPACE, UM, BUT ALSO GOING THROUGH THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES FROM A CITY, UH, FROM, FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO [03:05:01] ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE STEPS. I'M GONNA ASK CITY MANAGER TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF WE HAVE A MOTION. SURE. WELL, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDEVELOP THIS SITE AND TO REALLY CREATE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR THE, FOR THE CITY. AND AS A RESULT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT. RIGHT? AND THAT INVOLVES WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN THAT IS ADOPTED IS ONE THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE, UH, IN THAT EFFORT. THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALKED, JOE AND I WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST PROCESS AT THIS POINT TO USE TO GET TO THE END GOAL THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. UM, I, I THINK WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT THE COUNCIL GO AHEAD AND WITHDRAW THIS APPLICATION AT THIS POINT. THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR US TO GO BACK AND, AND REIMAGINE THE MASTER PLAN MEANS THAT THE MASTER PLAN KIND OF HAS TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF A PROCESS TO GET REVISED, RIGHT? THE COUNCIL'S GOING TO HAVE TO ADOPT THAT, THEN THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK TO P AND Z AND, AND, AND, AND SO, SO THERE'S, THERE'S ENOUGH MOVING PARTS HERE THAT THERE KIND OF CREATES A, UH, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S A, IT'S A COMPLETE RESET, RIGHT? BUT IT'S A RESET AT THE POINT OF SAYING, HERE'S THE PLAN. HOW DO WE REIMAGINE IT TO BE MORE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT TODAY, UM, INVOLVING THE, THE, YOU KNOW, AD HOC GROUP WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, POSSIBLY SOME MEMBERS OF, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL IN THAT DISCUSSION. SO THAT AS WE BRING THAT BACK FORWARD, UH, WE, WE KNOW AT THAT POINT THAT WE HAVE A GENERAL CONCURRENCE ON WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PROCESS THAT WE SEE RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD AND NOT LET IT JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, BE, BE AND TO MAKE IT CLEAR ON THE OUTCOME OF WHAT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. SO I'LL LEAVE THAT WITH YOU, MAYOR. UM, COUNSEL. SO AGAIN, AS, AS HE MENTIONED, WITHDRAWING, IT WOULD ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT COUNCIL HAS. I BELIEVE THERE'S A CONSENSUS, UM, TO DO, WHICH IS TO REIMAGINE THE SPACE. SO AT THIS TIME, UM, THE CITY IS THE APPLICANT, SO I BELIEVE CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE AUTHORITY TO WITHDRAW, UM, THAT APPLICATION. YEAH. WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE. YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED. YEAH. MAYBE THE MOTION BY THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE A MOTION TO, WITH, AS THE APPLICANT TO WITHDRAW, UH, THE WE GOTTA FIGURE SOMETHING. CORRECT. EXACTLY. THANK YOU. CERTAINLY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, IS THERE A MOTION? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO WITHDRAW THE APPLICATION AS PRESENTED. SECOND, THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM SECOND BY, UH, DR. MARKS TO WITHDRAW THE APPLICATION. COUNSEL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PAD. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. AND, UM, WE WILL BE HAVING FOLLOW UP REGARDING, AS WE MENTIONED, AN AD HOC COMMITTEE AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WE WISH TO BE A PART OF THAT, UM, THAT NEXT PHASE TO REIMAGINE THE SPACE. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL, THANK YOU COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND ENGAGING WITH US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING FURTHER, UH, REGARDING THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU, MS. UH, THOMAS, WE HAVE THE NEXT PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SO WE CAN CARRY ON OUR MEETING. THANK YOU. IT'S NOT GOING AWAY. WE'RE GONNA REIMAGINE THE SPACE. THANK YOU. WITH YOUR HELP. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. NEXT, WE [2. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider an Ordinance adopting the 2024 Assessment Rate for the Stillwater Canyon Public Improvement District, the Five-Year Plan and FY 2023-2024 Budget, and levy a Special Assessment] HAVE CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2024 ASSESSMENT RATE FOR THE STILLWATER CANYON PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND FISCAL YEAR 2324. BUDGET AND LEVY A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. AND WE COULD HAVE YOU ALL TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM TALKING. I'M, I'M GONNA ASK IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE, UM, DECORUM IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE OUR MEETING. THANK YOU. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS ISO CAMERON, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. SO GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, STILLWATER CANYON PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IS, UH, ACTUALLY ONE OF TWO, WHAT WE CALL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION PERIODS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, UH, THE PROPERTIES WITHIN THAT PERIOD ARE ASSESSED, UH, ARE ISSUED AN ASSESSMENT. UH, AND THAT ASSESSMENT IS USED TO, TO THE, TO, UH, ARRIVE AT AN ASSESSMENT, TOTAL ASSESSMENT AMOUNT, UH, TO, TO WHICH WILL BE USED TO COVER THE COST OF THAT PERIOD THO THOSE PROPERTIES, UH, PORTION OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION COSTS FOR THE PERIOD ITSELF, PARTICULARLY THOSE COMMON AREAS. AND SO EACH YEAR WHAT HAPPENS IS COUNCIL IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW TO ONE, ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, AS WELL AS THE FIVE YEAR PLAN AND THE ASSESSMENT RATE. AND AGAIN, THAT ASSESSMENT RATE IS USED TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THOSE EACH PROPERTY PAYS EACH YEAR TOWARDS THE, UH, OPERATION OF THE PIT. AND SO THERE ARE ABOUT 341 PROPERTIES IN THE STEELWATER CANYON PIT. UH, IF YOU, AND ON ON THE, UH, MANAGEMENT REPORT, YOU'LL SEE, UH, MIDWAYS OF THE PAGE. I PROVIDED A CHART THAT KIND OF SHOWS THE, UH, ASSESSMENT RATES AND VALUATIONS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AS WELL AS WHAT'S PROPOSED FOR, UH, THE UPCOMING YEAR. SO FOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 24, THE PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET IS $251,600. AND THEN THE TAXABLE VALUES FOR STILLWATER CANYON PIG CAME IN AT $147,229,440. AND SO WE, BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS, WE'VE ARRIVED AT A ASSESSMENT [03:10:01] RATE OF 17, UH, 0.99 CENTS PER $100 VALUATIONS FOR THE BID. UH, AND AGAIN, UH, IN YOUR PACKET YOU'LL SEE YOU HAVE THE PI, LETTER OF INTENT, BUDGET, LETTER OF INTENT, THE, UH, FIVE YEAR PLAN, THE AS ASSESSMENT RATE, WHICH KIND OF SHOWS YOU HOW WE ARRIVED AT THAT CALCULATION, AS WELL AS THE PI MAP AND THE AUDIENCE OR ORDINANCE, I'M SORRY. AND, AND COUNSEL. I DO WANNA REITERATE THAT THE BUDGET THAT'S PROPOSED HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE HOA BOARD. SO ALL OF THIS IS PRESENTED TO THE CITY. UH, WE DON'T PRESENT, WE DON'T PRESENT THE BUDGET, WE DON'T DEVELOP THE BUDGET. THEY PRESENT IT, THEY DEVELOP IT, AND THEY PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO US. AND WE, WE ARRIVE AT THE ASSESSMENT AMOUNT. AND SO, UH, BASICALLY TONIGHT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL TO AGAIN, UH, UH, APPROVE THE PEER PEER ASSESSMENT RATE, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND THE, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET. AND IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IF THERE ARE ANY, UH, MEMBERS OF THE STEELWATER CANYON PERIOD HERE, WHO HAS SOME CONCERN, HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, THIS, THE BUDGET OR THE ASSESSMENT RATE. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE COUNCIL AWARE OF THOSE. SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE NIGHT, AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. CAMERON. AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BUR SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, UH, TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE. A AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN THAT POST, THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AT THIS TIME. IS THE HOA PRESIDENT FOR STILLWATER CANYON? UM, HERE? YES, MA'AM. SHE'S, SHE'S STILL HERE. PLEASE STATE, GIMME YOUR NAME AGAIN. I, IT'S SHERI WOODS. SHERITA WOODS, MS. WOODS. OKAY. THANK YOU MS. WOODS. UM, AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANY PRESENTATION, UM, THAT YOU HAVE FOR US REGARDING, NO, AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING IT, SO YOU GUYS GOTTA BEAR WITH ME. NO PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME. WE'VE GONE THROUGH A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY MANAGERS, SO I'M KIND OF, KIND OF FILLING IN A LITTLE BIT. WE DO HAVE A COMMUNITY MANAGER BACK THERE IF WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS TO ASK, BUT, UM, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, OUR, WE'VE INCREASED AS, AS FAR AS OUR VENDORS, OUR VENDOR CONTRACTS HAVE INCREASED. UM, WE HAVE A, THAT LINE OF, I DON'T KNOW, THE, THE LINE OF REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE HAVE GONE UP FOR OUR CONTRACTORS AND FOR NON-CONTRACT, LIKE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. SO WITH OUR NORMAL HOA FEES ASSESSMENTS, IT WE'RE MAKING LIKE BARE MINIMAL PAYING THOSE EXPENSES. AND SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY BELIEVE IN IMPROVEMENT. AND WE'VE HAD CHISHOLM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM THERE SEVERAL TIMES. AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY BIG ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEAUTIFYING DE SOTO. WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR PART. SO A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, OF COURSE, ARE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS, HAS, HAS GONE UP LIKE 33%. AND THEN THERE IS, UH, WE HAVE OUR AMENITIES AND RECREATION, WHICH WE HAVE A POOL THERE. AND SO THE COMMUNITY'S, SINCE THE COMMUNITY'S BEEN BUILT SINCE 2004, SO WE ARE HAVING TO DO LOTS OF REPAIRS, MAKING SURE THE POOL'S SAFE, MAKING SURE WE DO ALL OUR CAMERAS OVER AGAIN, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF WANTING TO DO FOR THE, UM, FOR THE BUDGET, FOR APPROVAL, AND YOUR, YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. THANK YOU, MS. WOODS. UM, AT THIS TIME, I BELIEVE THERE ARE NO COMMENTS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. SO, UM, AT THIS TIME, UM, STAY CLOSE BY. WE MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU ONCE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TIM HUGHES, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BY TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE. A ALL I'LL OPPOSE SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE, I'M SORRY, MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY, COUNSEL. IT'S BEEN MOVED, UH, AND SECONDED TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? OKAY, HEARING NONE. THERE IS A ORDINANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE READ. MS. WOODS, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR SEAT. THANK YOU. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISS TEXAS APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE SERVICE PLAN, THE ASSESSMENT PLAN, SETTING THE ASSESSMENT RATE, AUTHORIZING THE PROPER OFFICIALS OF THE CITY TO DO AND PERFORM CERTAIN ACTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE. PLAN FOR PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE STILLWATER CANYON PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER TWO, AND PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, PLEASE USE YOUR, UH, VOTING PADS. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. NEXT, WE HAVE CONDUCT [3. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider an Ordinance adopting the 2024 Assessment Rate for the Candle Meadow Public Improvement District, the Five-Year Plan and FY 2023-2024 Budget, and levy a Special Assessment] A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 24 ASSESSMENT RATE FOR THE CANDLE MEADOW PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND FISCAL, FISCAL YEAR 2324. BUDGET IN LEVY, A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. COMING [03:15:01] BACK WE HAVE IO CAMERON, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. OKAY, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, AGAIN. SO CANDLE METAL IS, UH, THE OTHER, UH, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION PERIOD THAT WE HAVE HERE IN . AND MUCH LIKE THE ONE THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY USE THOSE, UH, THOSE FUNDS TO TAKE CARE OF THE, UH, COST OF, OF MAINTAINING THE, UH, THOSE COMMON AREAS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE P UH, FOR, UH, CANDLE METAL, THEY HAVE ABOUT 494 PROPERTIES WITHIN THE P UH, FOR FY 2024, THEY'RE PROPOSING, UH, BUDGET OF $473, FOUR 73,000, I'M SORRY, $810. AND THEIR, UH, FY 2023, UH, PROPERTY VALUATIONS CAME IN AT $196,322,570. AND SO WE'VE ARRIVED AT A, UH, ASSESSMENT RATE OF 25.45 CENTS PER $100, UH, VALUATIONS FOR THAT, THAT PARTICULAR PERIOD. AND AGAIN, UH, THIS, THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE HOA BOARD AS, UH, AS WELL. UH, AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE ALL THE SAME INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET. THE BUDGET, LETTER OF INTENT, FIVE YEAR PLAN, ASSESSMENT RATE, UH, CALCULATION, AS WELL AS THE PI MAP AND THE PI ORDINANCE. AND, UH, WE DO ALSO HAVE, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE MS. SHEILA HOWARD, HOA PRESIDENT HERE WITH US TONIGHT AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR. CAMERON. COUNSEL, AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR. MARKS SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGS TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. UH, YOU MENTIONED MS. MS. HOWARD IS HERE? YES. WELL, YEAH, I'M HERE AND OUR TREASURER IS HERE. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, UH, MS. HOWARD, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO STATE ON BEHALF OF THE, THE BUDGET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? BEFORE WE HEAR, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? MS. THOMAS? OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS, HOWEVER, IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO STATE OTHER THAN YOUR QUESTION FOR MR. CAMERON? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, UH, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN. THANK YOU, MR. CAMERON. AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVE. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED, UH, BY DR. MARKS SECOND BY MAYOR PRO HUGHES. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. I WOULD NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SECOND MOTION. ADAM MAY MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENT. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR. MARKS SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BY TO APPROVE THIS, UH, APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED. COUNSEL. UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, THERE IS A ORDINANCE FOR THIS ITEM TO BE READ. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE SERVICE PLAN, THE ASSESSMENT PLAN, SETTING THE ASSESSMENT RATE, AUTHORIZING THE PROPER OFFICIALS OF THE CITY TO DO AND PERFORM CERTAIN ACTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE PLAN FOR PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE CANDLE MEADOW PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, AND PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT, WE HAVE [4. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for FY 2023-2024 pursuant to Article VII of the City of DeSoto Charter] CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CHARTER, PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF CITY MANAGER BRANDON WRIGHT. GREAT. AS TOM IS BRINGING UP THAT PRESENTATION, IF I COULD ALSO GET THE CLICKER ONCE THAT IS ALL SET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I, I JUST WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THE, THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND OUR CITY STAFF DO, UM, IN HELPING TO PROVIDE, UM, BUDGET INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, THAT THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF INFORMATION DATA THAT IS AVAILABLE. UM, FOR THAT, IT, IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF, OF CITY STAFF. SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, OUR FINANCE STAFF, UM, WHO ARE HERE. WE HAVE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AS WELL AS OUR, UH, BUDGET, UH, MANAGER, IS THAT RIGHT? BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATOR. THERE YOU GO. BUDGET AND GRANT ADMINISTRATOR AS WELL, UM, WITH THEM. BUT, BUT THEY, THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB AND, AND REALLY, UH, HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB PRESENTING INFORMATION, UM, AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. UM, AS YOU KNOW, OH YES, WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT. THANK YOU. UH, AS YOU KNOW, PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY MANAGER IS TO PRESENT THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A BUDGET EVERY YEAR. SO AS WE ENTER INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR ON OCTOBER ONE, UH, WHAT ARE THOSE LISTS OF PROGRAM RES, UM, OBLIGATIONS AND DUTIES THAT THE CITY HAS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS AT DESOTO, UM, HAVE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND CARE, UM, THAT [03:20:01] OUR TAX DOLLARS CAN PROVIDE? SO THAT, THAT REALLY IS THE, THE ITEM OF PUTTING TOGETHER A BUDGET. IT'S IDENTIFYING WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY ARE, ENSURING THAT THEY'RE FUNDED AND PROGRAMMED INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UM, FOR SUCCESS. UH, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST FOCUS ON A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AS WE GET STARTED. FIRST OF ALL, THAT WE ARE, UH, LOWERING THAT TAX RATE, IT GOES DOWN BY ABOUT 1%, UH, DUE TO ABOUT 68 AND A HALF CENTS PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF TAXABLE VALUATION. NOW, AGAIN, THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW IT IS THAT SOMEONE'S TAX RATE OR, OR TAX BILL IS MADE UP. UM, BUT THE TAX RATE IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, HAS CONTROL OF AND THAT LEVER, UM, REGARDING SOMEONE'S, UH, TAX BILL. UH, IT ALSO FOCUSES IN ACHIEVING THE BUSINESS PLAN PRIORITIES AND INVEST IN HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS FROM THE CITIZEN SURVEY. UH, SO WE COVERED THIS ALSO DURING OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS. UM, BUT WE, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT AREAS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, CODE ENFORCEMENTS, WATER AND SEWER AND PARKS, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE MAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN AS A COMMUNITY. AND THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PRIORITIES FOR THE, UH, UH, FROM THE CITIZEN SURVEY. UH, NUMBER THREE, IT IMPLEMENTS THE FULLY FUNDED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS INTRODUCED IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, RIGHT? THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT, UH, STEP FOR US AS WE LOOK TO, UH, TRY TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF TURNOVER THAT WE HAVE AS AN ORGANIZATION. ALSO, ENSURING THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF IS, IS, UH, CLOSE TO FULL STAFFING LEVELS AT ALL TIMES. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PAY PLAN THAT IS COMPETITIVE, UH, FOR, FOR THIS AREA, FOR THIS REGION. UM, FOR THAT, THE CITY COUNCIL MADE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THAT MAJOR INVESTMENT AND STEPPED UP AND REALLY, UM, PAID OUR EMPLOYEES QUITE A BIT MORE, UM, FOR BOTH AS WE IMPLEMENTED THAT IN THE CURRENT YEAR, AND FULLY IMPLEMENT THAT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET. UM, ALSO WE CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT LARGE PRIORITIZED CAPITAL PROJECTS, RIGHT? WE CAN'T DO ALL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE PRIORITIZE THOSE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THAT ARE THE LARGEST, HAD THE LARGEST IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, UH, OVERALL. UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE TAX RATE SIDE OF THIS. UM, SO ABOUT, AGAIN, 68.50 CENTS, THAT'S 13 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF LOWERING OR MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE. UM, AS A COMMUNITY, THAT'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT. AND AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT HISTORY FROM 2016, RIGHT? WE WERE ABOUT SIX OR 75 CENTS. WE'VE NOW LOWERED IT ALL THE WAY TO, UH, 68.50 CENTS, UM, ON THE TOTAL RATE. OKAY? UM, WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT NEXT YEAR, I'M SORRY, THE FISCAL 24 BUDGET, OUR M AND O RATE GOES TO ABOUT 50 CENTS. AND OUR INS RATE, M AND O IS FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND FUNDS, PRIMARILY OUR GENERAL FUND. THE INS RATE THEN FUNDS OUR DEBT SERVICE. THAT'S HOW IT IS. WE PAY FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE INS RATE GOES TO ABOUT 18, A LITTLE OVER 18 CENTS, UM, AGAIN, PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF TAXABLE VALUATION. RIGHT? WITH THIS COMES A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT, UH, THING THAT WE'VE DONE HERE THAT OTHER, OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE. WE'RE JUST NEW HERE IN DESOTO, RIGHT? SHIFTS 3.4 MILLION IN ELIGIBLE EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES, AND ROAD MAINTENANCE COSTS TO THAT INS LEVY, THAT DEBT SERVICE LEVY TO HELP PRESERVE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMS FROM OPERATING CAPS IMPOSED BY SB TWO. UM, WHAT WE HAVE WITH US THIS EVENING, UH, MR. JIM SABONI, HE'S WITH HILLTOP, HE'S OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR. UM, FOR THAT, I'M GONNA BRING HIM TO THE, UH, FORWARD HERE. JUST ONE SECOND TO HELP PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON THIS, UM, HIS PERSPECTIVE FROM, UH, FROM THE, UH, FINANCIAL ADVISOR STANDPOINT OF HOW IT IS THAT HE SEES THIS IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER CITIES AND WHY IT'S NECESSARY, UM, IN ORDER TO HELP MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO, JIM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UH, REAL QUICK, JUST GOING AHEAD AND, UM, JUST KIND OF PROVIDING SOME INSIGHT ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, UH, BRANDON. GOOD EVENING. MR. SABONI, IF YOU COULD CUT YOUR MICROPHONE ON THERE. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. UH, BRANDON, JIM S WITH HILLTOP SECURITIES. UM, THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR, MAYOR COUNCIL, CITIZENS OF SOTO, PLEASED TO BE HERE. UM, I'VE SPENT SOME TIME, UH, TALKING WITH THE STAFF ABOUT THIS. WE REPRESENT MANY COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE METROPLEX AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE FACING THE SAME OVERALL ISSUES. SENATE BILL TWO WAS PASSED IN 2019, AND IT WAS EFFECTIVE IN 2020. IT ACTUALLY REDUCED, UM, ROLLBACK RATE FROM 8% INCREASE TO LIMITED TO 3.5% FOR CITIES OF OVER 30,000 POPULATION. AND IT CAME, UM, AT THE VERY WORST TIME IN, UH, 2021, WE HAD THE HIGHEST, UH, OVERALL INFLATION RATE AT 7.5%. UM, 2022 IS 6.5%, AND YEAR TO DATE IS 5% IN THE STATE, IN, IN THE NATION. SO OVERALL, JUST AS THEY ACTUALLY REDUCED THE ABILITY OF CITIES TO MANAGE THEIR BUDGET, THEY, UH, FACE CITIES FACE INFLATION AND INFLATION IMPACTS CITIES TREMENDOUSLY. 'CAUSE THE BIGGEST PART OF YOUR M AND O BUDGET IS VARIABLE COSTS RELATED TO PERSONNEL, UM, BENEFITS AND, AND, UM, OTHER VARIABLE COSTS. SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, AND IT'S ACCELERATED FROM THE ORIGINAL IMPLEMENTATION. THE CITY'S LOOKING TO MOVE, UH, TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR BUDGET, BUT HOW THEY ALLOCATE THEIR COST IS CHANGING BECAUSE OF THE STATE'S, UM, LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FORCED UPON THEM. THEY'VE LOOKED AT WHERE THEY HAVE FLEXIBILITY AND WE HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY ON AN INS SIDE. AND SO, UM, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS MANY OF OUR CLIENTS, AS WE GO INTO THIS BUDGET HERE, AND, AND IT'S JUST, IN FACT, MOST [03:25:01] OF OUR CLIENTS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT CAPITAL ITEMS AND MOVING THEM OVER TO THE IS SIDE AND, AND FUNDING, UM, TRYING TO FUND THEIR OPERATIONAL COSTS WITHIN THE RESTRICTIONS THEY HAVE. AND YOUR CITY IS AN EXAMPLE THAT OVERALL YOUR TAX RATE WILL GO DOWN, BUT THERE'LL BE SHIFT AT SOME PREVIOUS ITEMS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE MNO SIDE OR PUT ON THE, UH, INIS SIDE. AND IN FACT, TONIGHT, UM, TWO OF MY PARTNERS ARE AT ANOTHER CITY HERE IN THE METROPLEX. THIS IS A, A, A VERY LARGE CITY THAT WAS ACTUALLY SELLING A $40 MILLION, UH, TAX, NO, UNDER THE SAME TERMS CONDITIONS PROPOSED FOR YEARS, A ONE YEAR MATURITY CALLABLE IN SIX MONTHS. THEY'RE DOING IT FOR THE SAME REASONS. THEY'RE A LARGER NEW, SO THEY HAVE A BIGGER OVERALL BUDGET. BUT IN SCOPE'S, THE SAME THING. SO WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED IS TO FUND YOUR CURRENT BUDGET, UM, UNDER THE CURRENT STATUTE REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHICH MEANS SHIFTING SOME CAPITAL ITEMS TO THE INA SIDE. UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN, IN, UM, IN YOUR TAX RATE. IN FACT, IF SENATE BILL TWO HADN'T BEEN PASSED, YOUR BUDGET WOULD BE, HAVE THE SAME OVERALL CASH FLOW, UM, EXCEPT IT WOULD'VE BEEN MORE IN LINE WITH HISTORICAL, UH, RATES AND THOSE ITEMS LISTED IN A CASHFLOW. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, WE'RE DOING, UM, MANY, MANY OF THESE TAX NOTES. IT'S A BUSY TIME OF YEAR, AND THIS IS EFFECT THAT ALL MUNICIPALITIES HAVE, UM, ESPECIALLY MUNICIPALITIES IN, IN YOUR SCENARIO. AND, AND ONE THING THAT PUTS YOU UNDER MORE PRESSURE IS YOU ACTUALLY ARE A VERY EFFICIENT CITY AS, UH, BRAD INDICATED 13 YEARS IN A ROW OF, UH, MAINTAINING OR REDUCING. AND ACTUALLY, UH, 11 OF THOSE YEARS, YOU REDUCE THE TAX RATE. IN FACT, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UM, WITH THE BUDGET BEING PROPOSED, I WAS LOOKING AT IT, YOU'VE ACTUALLY GONNA GO DOWN IN YOUR TAX RATE ON AMINO SIDE BY ABOUT 13%. IT'S A VERY EFFICIENT, AND AS A RESULT, THIS LEGISLATION AFFECTS YOU EFFICIENT CITIES 'CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FLUFF AND YOU'VE NEVER HAD FLUFF INTO YOUR BUDGET. UM, SO FORTUNATELY CREATIVELY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THERE, UM, BY USING THIS TECHNIQUE. UM, SO, UH, WE'RE SUPPORTIVE. WE THINK IT'S A GOOD STRATEGY. IT'S ONE THAT'S IMPLEMENTED BY MANY, MANY OF YOUR PEERS, UH, NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS. SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION AND COMES, IT DOES. THANK YOU, JIM. AND, AND, AND, AND LATER ON, OBVIOUSLY THERE THOSE QUESTIONS. WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS WELL WHERE YOU CAN ASK, UH, JIM QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT JIM HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, FOR BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL, ALL OF OUR VIEWERS AS WELL, TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, THE, THE, THE REASON FOR THAT SHIFT AND THE NECESSITY FOR IT. OKAY. SO, UH, GOING BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT TAX RATE PART OF IT, THE SECOND COMPONENT WAS FOCUSING ON ACHIEVING OUR BUSINESS PLAN PRIORITIES, RIGHT? SO THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS ADDED MORE SWORN POLICE OFFICERS THAN ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL EVER HAS HERE IN DESOTO. UM, WITH THAT, YOU ADDED TWO IN THE CURRENT YEAR, TWO, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT FIVE THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, RIGHT? THAT'S NINE PLUS THREE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, PLUS THREE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS AS WELL. THAT IS A LOT OF NEW PERSONNEL. THE COMMUNITY HAS, THIS HAS BEEN THE TOP NUMBER, NUMBER ONE ITEM ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY ASK WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE SHOULD YOU PUT YOUR INVESTMENT DOLLARS. IT HAS BEEN IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS INVESTED THAT MONEY INTO PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY FIVE ADDITIONAL, UH, SWORN POLICE OFFICERS, UM, FOR US TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO HAVE ON BOARD FOR NEXT YEAR. NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY AUTHORIZED THE PRE-HIRING OF THOSE EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE ARE SO COMPETITIVE ON OUR SALARY PART, WE WERE ABLE TO GRAB THOSE EMPLOYEES AND WE'RE PUTTING THEM THROUGH TRAINING RIGHT NOW, WHICH MEANS WE'LL GET THEM INTO SERVICE SOONER IN THE FISCAL YEAR THAN WE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE IF, IF WE HAD WAITED UNTIL THIS POINT OF THE YEAR, UH, TO BEGIN BRINGING THEM ON BOARD. UM, WE IMPROVED THAT REGIONAL SALARY, COMPETITIVE THIS, RIGHT? WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THE APARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM. WE DID THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT, UH, THIS LAST YEAR. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, THAT INTO NEXT YEAR, WESTMORELAND AND HAMPTON ROAD PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON. AND THE IMPACT THAT HAS, UM, ON OUR WATER AND SEWER FUND AND ALSO THE AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER, RIGHT? WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT AREAS LIKE WATER QUALITY PARKS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL OF THOSE ITEMS ARE WRAPPED UP INTO THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, UM, THAT YOU HAVE, UH, BEFORE YOU. UH, WE ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ITEMS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PUT INTO THEIR BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE YEAR. THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE HAMPTON ROAD, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RFPS, RIGHT? CLOSE CAPTIONING FOR THE, UH, FOR OUR AGENDAS AND, AND, AND TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR OUR AGENDAS. THANK YOU. UH, THE NANCE FARM MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, RIGHT? THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA SLOW THIS ONE UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE GONNA STILL, UH, CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT ITEM FORWARD. AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER, A HOLIDAY IN THE PARK FESTIVAL, UH, CRIME WATCH PREVENTION OR, UH, CRIME WATCH PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS, BUSINESS OUTREACH FOR COMMUNITY CLEANLINESS AND CREEK MAINTENANCE AND EROSION IMPROVEMENTS. ALL OF THAT FACTORED INTO THIS, UH, BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. ALSO, THIS, THIS IDEA OF IMPLEMENTING LARGE PRIORITIZED CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE REC CENTER, UM, THE AQUATIC AND REC CENTER, WESTMORELAND ROAD, WIDENING, PLEASANT RUN ROAD, WIDENING DANIELDALE ROAD, WIDENING HAMPTON ROAD, [03:30:01] AND THE CONTINUED $5 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM THE PCI STUDY RECOMMENDATION AS WELL. ALL OF THOSE FIT WITHIN OUR, UH, CURRENT CIP PLAN FOR THE CITY. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE MADE WAY WITHIN THAT INS STRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE ADDITIONAL BONDING THAT WE WILL NEED TO HAVE OVER TIME TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THAT. NOW, WE ARE OPENING, NOT ALL THIS HAS TO BE BORROWED RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW IS NOT A GREAT TIME FOR US TO BE BORROWING A LOT OF MONEY ON IT BECAUSE INTEREST RATES ARE SO HIGH. UH, A COUPLE THINGS JUST ABOUT THAT TO KEEP IN MIND. NUMBER ONE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OF THESE INVESTMENTS ARE STILL TIME AWAY, RIGHT? SO WE ARE A YEAR AWAY, TWO YEARS AWAY, THREE YEARS AWAY FROM HAVING TO TAKE OUT THESE LARGER, UH, PORTIONS OF MONEY. SECOND PART TO REMEMBER IS THAT IN THE WORLD OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE, YOU ALWAYS GET KIND OF A DO OVER ON YOUR RATES. WHENEVER THE RATES START TO DROP, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND YOU CAN REFINANCE THOSE LOANS, OKAY? SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T OVERPAYING FOR THESE, UH, THE, THESE, UH, PAYMENTS OVER TIME. HOWEVER, WE HAVE FACTORED IN LARGER, UM, INTEREST PAYMENTS BECAUSE OF, OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT ON INTEREST RATES. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS LIKE TO DO IS JUST MAKE SURE, KIND OF REWIND THE CLOCK A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? WHAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT YOU SAW THE BUDGET DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED TO YOU. I WON'T NECESSARILY COVER ALL 12 OF THESE RIGHT HERE. UM, BUT HERE'S A LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET THAT PREVIOUSLY WERE NOT PART OF THAT LIST, UM, THAT YOU HAD WI WITH YOU WHEN WE WERE, UM, UH, WHEN WE MET LAST TIME. SO MANY OF THEM ARE RELATED TO ITEMS THAT ARE NOW ON THE BUSINESS PLAN GOALS FOR THE YEAR. OKAY? SO AS WE, AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. UM, AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UM, PROJECT OR A PROPOSED 2024 LINE, YOU'LL SEE THAT ALL REVENUE SOURCES IS ABOUT 58.5 MILLION ALL APPROPRIATIONS, OR THAT SPENDING OF THAT MONEY IS A, IS JUST A LITTLE BIT SHY OF $58 MILLION LEAVING US WITH A GAP OF ABOUT $600,000. UM, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME? BECAUSE ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FINALIZE STILL IN THE BUDGET, UM, IS RELATED TO OUR TOUR, UH, AREA NUMBER TWO. TOUR AREA NUMBER TWO, UH, IS COMING ON BOARD THIS YEAR, UH, WITH THAT. AND AS A RESULT, THERE ARE REPORTS THAT WE, THAT WE WORK WITH OUR OTHER GOVERNMENT, UH, PARTNERS ON OBTAINING FROM THEM TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT EXACT PAYMENT IS. UH, WHEN WE FIRST RECEIVED THE REPORT, IT'S NOT YET COMPLETE. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY MISSING A FAIR AMOUNT OF AMOUNT OF THINGS FROM IT. SO WE ARE HAVING THAT RE-LOOKED AT REVISITED, REDONE, UM, WITH THAT. BUT WE, WE'VE, THAT GAP RIGHT THERE OF ABOUT THAT $600,000 WE'VE LEFT THE PERMIT OR WE'VE LEFT PURPOSELY ON THERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT'LL BE ABOUT THE GAP THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FILL IN. UM, FOR THE TS NUMBER TWO COMPONENT OF THIS, WHAT TS DOES IS IT TAKES THAT, THAT, THAT IT SAYS ALL THE GROWTH THAT YOU HAVE WITHIN YOUR TOURS AREA, RIGHT FROM THE BASE ZONING GETS KIND OF PULLED AWAY AND DOESN'T BECOME REAL GENERAL FUND MONEY. IT BECOMES PART OF THE TOURS DISTRICT MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR THE PROJECTS WITHIN THET. OKAY? UM, SO AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, UH, THIS PART IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? THAT WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND, PUBLIC SAFETY IS BY FAR HOW IT IS. WE, WE PRIORITIZE THAT FUNDING. 40% OF THAT IS SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY, 52% IS THAT ALL OTHER OPERATING EXPENDITURES THAT COME OUT OF, OF THAT AREA? SO TWO OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, TAKE UP THE LION'S SHARE OF THE GENERAL FUND AND HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT. OKAY? A COUPLE THINGS. SO IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR NEXT YEAR'S, UH, BUDGET NUMBER ONE, OUR FEE CHANGES, RIGHT? AND THIS IS IN THE AREA OF THE SANITATION FEE. UH, THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED A NEW CONTRACT WITH REPUBLIC, TAKES A, A PLACE OR TAKES EFFECT ON JUNE 1ST, 2024. THAT CONTINUES TO, TO, UH, BUILD ON THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW AND EVEN MAKES IT BETTER. IT ADDS CARTS, IT ADDS, UH, ON DEMAND SERVICE FOR, UH, FOR BULK AND FOR BRUSH PICKUP AS WELL. THAT SHOULD BE A SERVICE ENHANCEMENT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. THAT INCREASES ABOUT $3 AND 45 CENTS PER MONTH. OKAY? AND TAKE A LOOK AT KIND OF THE, THE GROWTH AFTER THAT IS ABOUT A DOLLAR 50 AND THEN ABOUT 60 CENTS OR SO AFTER THAT, JUST TO KEEP BASE WITH INFLATION. WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WATER AND USE, UH, AND SEWER UTILITY FEES, WE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT ABOUT THIS AT THE, UM, BUDGET WORKSHOP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. SO I WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON THIS ONE THAN I NORMALLY WOULD, UH, DURING A NORMAL, UM, BUDGET, PUBLIC HEARING AND, AND PRESENTATION FOR YOU. UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE, UH, UNDERSTAND THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY FUNDS ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF OUR WATER AND SEWER FUND. OKAY? SO ALL THE COSTS, WE DON'T SUBSIDIZE IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WE DON'T SUBSIDIZE IT WITH THE INS RATES. UH, WE, WE PAY ALL OF THAT RATE OUT OF THE, UH, THE, THE WATER AND SEWER FUND. THAT'S, THAT'S A BEST PRACTICE ON THAT. I KNOW SOMETIMES YOU GET QUESTIONS OF, WELL, CAN WE JUST PUT SOME OF IT IN A TAX RATE? UH, THERE ARE ANY, THERE ARE ANY QUALITIES THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU DO THAT. THE BEST PRACTICE IS IF YOU CAN PAY FOR IT ALL OUT OF YOUR RATE TO PAY FOR IT ALL OUT OF, ALL OUT OF YOUR RATE. UM, THE, IT SUPPORTS THAT ISSUANCE OF ABOUT $8 MILLION PER YEAR TO FUND ONGOING CAPITAL REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS. OKAY? AND IT ALSO, SO PASSES ALONG THAT TRA WA UH, WASTEWATER AND W UH, AND DALLAS WATER UTILITY WATER UTILITY INCREASES AS WELL ADDS ABOUT 3.1 MILLION IN NEW REVENUE. 33% OF THAT IS AS A RESULT OF THE TRA RATES, RIGHT? 20% OF THAT IS TO FUND THAT DEBT, UM, FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. SO WHAT ARE THE MAJOR [03:35:01] CAPITAL PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FUND RIGHT NOW AND WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT? RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE ASKING RATE PAYERS TO PAY MORE ON THEIR FEES, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IS JUSTIFY WHY THAT IS, UH, CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT TO OUR WATER SEWER, OUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, FIRST OF ALL, BOLTON BOONE PUMP STATION ELEVATED THE STORAGE TANK IS ABOUT $16 MILLION. OKAY? THAT ALSO INCLUDES, THERE HAS TO BE A NEW 20 INCH TRANS, UH, TRANSITION MAIN TO, TO GO TO THAT ZONE, UH, AS WELL. AND, AND I'LL ACTUALLY, WE'LL GO TO THIS ONE HERE. SO THE, THE BUILD OUT OF THAT AREA OF THE CITY, IT, SO IF, IF YOU GO OVER THERE RIGHT NOW AND YOU SEE THE, THE, THE SMALL BOOSTER STATION THAT WE HAVE FOR, UH, BOLTON BOONE, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S, IT'S OLD, RIGHT? IT WAS BUILT BACK IN 2000. SECOND OF ALL YOU, YOU'LL QUICKLY REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT BUILT TO HANDLE THE CAPACITY OF NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT IS COMING TO THAT AREA OF, OF THE CITY. THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES AN ELEVATED STORAGE TANK. IT REQUIRES MORE PRESSURE TO, UH, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE RELIABLE WATER QUALITY THAT WE NEED TO RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA, OKAY? WE NEED TO MEET, MEET THOSE TCEQ STANDARDS IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING PEOPLE TO THAT AREA. ALRIGHT? WE ALSO TAKE A LOOK HERE, UM, THE WESTMORELAND PUMP, UH, STATION REHABILITATION, $10 MILLION FOR THAT. AND THEN OUR ANNUAL RENOVATION REPLACEMENT PROGRAMS AS WELL, ABOUT $9 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS IN THAT PROGRAM. YOU SEE IT EVERY YEAR. WE ALWAYS DO A REPORT OF ALL THE LINES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE, RIGHT? WATER, SEWER LINES, AND THEN ALSO IT HAS THE ADDED BENEFIT OF DOING SOME STREET REPAIRS FOR US AS WELL, SINCE WE'RE TEARING UP EVERYONE'S ROADS. UM, ON THE WESTMORELAND PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS, THE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRIORITIZE INVESTMENT IN THE CITY'S LARGEST DISTRIBUTION FACILITY, WHICH IS WESTMORELAND PUMP STATION. OKAY? WESTMORELAND PUMP STATION IS THE MAIN DRIVER OF OUR WATER SYSTEM. IF THAT SYSTEM'S NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PROBLEMS WITH THAT. AND THERE, AND THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAD CALLED FOR SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS AND, AND UPGRADES AND REPLACEMENTS NEEDED RIGHT TO PUMPS, VALVES, AND OTHER CRITICAL EQUIPMENT THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THAT TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $10 MILLION. THAT $10 MILLION I, YOU KNOW, SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. HOWEVER, IT'S A SMALL DROP DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO THE HEADACHES YOU'LL HAVE IF THAT SYSTEM IS NOT KEPT UP ADEQUATELY AND BEGINS TO START TO FAIL OVER TIME AND YOU START TO HAVE WATER QUALITY ISSUES BECAUSE OF THAT. ALL RIGHT, SO WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE RATES ARE, RIGHT? SO WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE RIGHT ON AVERAGE OF KIND OF WHERE OUR RATE IS NINE $90. YOU KNOW, THAT THAT AVERAGE IS ABOUT $93, UM, PER MONTH. OKAY? SO AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF, OF INCREASE IS, WHO IS GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, IF, IF AN AVERAGE 7,500 GALLON WATER USER WILL SEE ABOUT $11 64 CENTS ADDITIONAL COST ON THEIR MONTHLY BILL FOR THAT, AS YOU'LL SEE, THAT NUMBER DOESN'T NECESSARILY GO AWAY OVER TIME, RIGHT? IT CONTINUES TO BE THERE. UM, ON THAT, AGAIN, TRA IS PUSHING A LARGE COMPONENT OF THAT. IF THOSE, IF THOSE FORECASTS CONTINUE TO COME INTO LINE MANY YEARS, YOU REALIZE THAT THEY FORECAST THE NUMBER AND THEN THEY BACK OFF OF IT, RIGHT? SO, SO IT'S BUILT ON A NUMBER THAT THEY FORECASTED IF IT COMES IN SMALLER EVERY, THAT'S THE VALUE OF DOING OUR, UH, RATE STUDY EVERY YEAR, IS THAT WE GET A, A BETTER DETERMINATION OF WHERE THAT RATE NEEDS TO BE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. WE ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, UH, THE STREET INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE. OKAY? SO ALLEY RECONSTRUCTION, CONCRETE ASPHALT REPAIR, ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WESTMORELAND PLEASANT RUN, DANIELDALE HAMPTON ROAD, ALL HAVE A PLACE WITHIN OUR CAPITAL PLAN ON THE WATER AND SEWER SIDE OF IT AS WELL. ABOUT $10 MILLION IN PROJECTS THERE. THAT ANNUAL RENOVATION REPLACEMENT PROGRAM AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT, RIGHT? THE BOLTON BOONE AREA, WESTMORELAND PALM STATIONS, AND EVEN HEATH CREEK B BRANCH, UH, IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S RECEIVING, UH, SOME STA UH, STABILIZATION THERE AS WELL. WE ALSO HAVE 23.5 MILLION IN PARK IMPROVEMENTS. ALL OF IT IS THE AQUATIC AND REC CENTER. THAT'S THE MAIN DRI THAT'S THE MAIN DRIVER OF THE, UH, PARK PROGRAMMING RIGHT NOW IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING TO LIFE WHAT WILL BE THE, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BEST FACILITY THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY. AND WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, DOING A DESIGN FOR PUBLIC UTILITY FACILITY, PUBLIC UTILITIES FACILITY UPGRADE, UM, IN A NEW SPACE OUT THERE NEXT TO THE WESTMORELAND PUMP STATION. UH, RE RENOVATING THE FINANCE AND PUBLIC UTILITIES AREAS OVER HERE IN CITY HALL AS WELL AS OUR TOWN CENTER ROOF. UH, WE HAVE HAD UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCES WHEN IT STARTS TO RAIN, IT'S BEEN COMING DOWN INTO SOME OF OUR AREAS, UH, HERE IN THE CITY. WE NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE WE HAVE GOING ON WITH OUR ROOF. ALL RIGHT? SO AGAIN, KINDA GOING BACK TO THOSE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS. UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE FOUR AREAS, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT IS. WE'VE PRIORITIZED THE FUNDING FOR, UH, NEXT YEAR AND HOW IT IS THAT THOSE, UH, THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AND PRIORITIZED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. AND, UM, IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. BUT, UM, ONCE WE GET TO THE POINT OF QUESTIONS, THEY'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER WRIGHT COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOTION. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNSEL, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE A, A COMMENT CARD, UH, FOR THIS ITEM. YES, MA'AM. IBY FOSTER, MR. FOSTER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY FOR THE RECORD. AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. HONORABLE COUNSELOR. HONORABLE, HONORABLE COUNSELORS, HONORABLE MAYOR PROCTOR, UH, IRBY [03:40:01] FOSTER. I LIVE A SMIDGE OUTSIDE DESOTO IN DALLAS. HOWEVER, I OWN A BUSINESS. I'VE OWNED A BUSINESS IN DE IN DESOTO FOR SEVEN YEARS, BUT I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT STREET LIGHTING ON THE CITY ON I 35, UH, AND FISCAL 24 BUDGET PLANNING. UH, WHILE I KNOW THAT, UH, I 35 SKIRTS THE CITY OF DESOTO, AS ANTOINE MENTIONED, THERE'S ABOUT 160,000 VEHICLES A DAY THAT USE THAT TO SHOP, DINE, AND LIVE AND SPEND MONEY IN DESOTO. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESENT DESOTO AS A WARM, SAFE, AND WELCOMING ENTRANCE TO THE CITY SHOPPING AREAS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH TEXT OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THERE, AND THEY EXPLAINED THE CITY OF DESOTO DOES HAVE A SIGNED MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT TO MAINTAIN THE FREEWAY LIGHTS ON I 35. HOWEVER MANY OF THOSE STREET LIGHTS ARE OUT. UH, MANY OF THEM ARE. SOME, SOME ARE STUCK ON ALL DAY. WELL, THERE'S ALSO ABOUT EIGHT OR 12 POLES THAT ARE KNOCKED DOWN AND THEY'VE NOT BEEN REPAIRED. AND THOSE POLES CREATE, UH, HAZARDS ALONG THE FREEWAY WITH EXPOSED WIRES FOR 480 VOLTS FOR PEOPLE WALKING ALONG THE FREEWAY. UH, I HAVE, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT PICTURE TO THE NOTES. UH, FOR FISCAL 24, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL, THE POLICE CONSIDER BUDGETING MONEY. ONE, TO REDUCE UH, UH, TO RE, TO, EXCUSE ME, TO REPLACE ALL THE KNOCKDOWN POLES. NUMBER TWO, TO, UH, CHANGE ALL THE FREEWAY LIGHTING TO LED. THIRD, MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING A CONTRACTOR TO MAINTAIN THESE ON A NORMAL BASIS. UH, THEY'VE BEEN OUT FOR A YEAR. AND FINALLY, YOU COULD ALSO GO TO THE COG AND RTC TO GET MONEY AS WELL. THEY HAVE MONEY FOR THAT, BUT SOTO'S NEVER ASKED. AND FINALLY, MAYBE EMBED SOMEONE IN THE CITY RISK DEPARTMENT TO GO AFTER THE AUTO INSURANCE. WHEN THESE PEOPLE KNOCK A POLE DOWN AT $3,000 A POLE, YOU'RE LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE. AND SO AGAIN, TO RECAP, WE NEED TO BUDGET IN FISCAL 24. LET'S REPLACE THE FREEWAY LIGHTING TO LED. LET'S REPAIR THE BROKEN POLES THAT ARE IN OUR ELECTROCUTION HAZARD. LET'S EMBED SOMEBODY IN THE CITY TO GO AFTER THAT AUTO INSURANCE THAT WE'RE LOSING. AND FINALLY, LET'S GET SOMEBODY TO REPAIR 'EM ON A NORMAL BASIS. AND I, MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ADD MY PICTURE TO THE RECORD, IF I MAY. CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, MR. IVY. AND MR. IVY, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING, WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU OWN? UH, FOSTER HANDYMAN SERVICE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE YOU. UM, OKAY. AT THIS TIME, THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENT CARDS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK. UM, COUNSEL, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS NO ACTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TONIGHT, BUT HOWEVER, I WILL OPEN UP IF, UH, MR. GER, IF WE COULD PUT THE TIMER, UM, IF THERE ARE COUNSEL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BUDGET AND WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TONIGHT SO FAR, WE KNOW THAT IT IS STILL A, A WORK IN PROGRESS. HOWEVER, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, WE'LL, UH, ALLOW FOR THAT AT THIS TIME. NOT ALL AT ONCE. COUNSEL, THANK YOU, MADAM. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. RAPHAEL, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. SURE THING. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. UH, CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION ON, UH, ALL THE HIGH LEVEL THINGS. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, UM, UNDERSTAND BETTER. UH, WHAT IS OUR STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SB, UM, UM, TO, UM, BUILD NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED IN DESOTO. UM, JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND WHY WE DIDN'T DO IT SOONER. JUST KIND OF GONE DOWN THIS PATH. WHAT IS THE LEVER? WHAT WILL BE THE LEVER TO TAKE, UH, THE TAX RATE TO THE VOTERS? UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IN, IN UPCOMING YEARS? UH, PART OF THE REASON WHY WE HAVE SB OR WHY THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES BROUGHT THAT FORWARD, UH, WAS SO THAT RESIDENTS COULD, COULD, COULD, UH, HAVE A SAY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEIR TAX RATES WILL BE. AND SO WHAT WILL BE OUR LEVER MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, FOR WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE THAT TO RESIDENTS. AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO, UM, UM, JUST OUR OVERALL BUDGET, JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND REDUCTION STRATEGY OR IF WE HAVE, WE THOUGHT ABOUT A REDUCTION STRATEGY, UM, IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT CAN BE REDUCED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF JUST DOING A HIGH LEVEL LOOK OVER. UM, UH, JUST, JUST TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S TRAVEL BUDGETS, WHETHER IT'S CONSULTANTS, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFYING THE NEED FOR, FOR THE CONSULTANTS WHEN WE RAISE PAY ALONG WITH, UM, WE HAVE BETTER RETENTION AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, QUALIFIED STAFF. AND SO JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND THAT AND WHAT'S THE LEVER FOR INCREASING OUR CONSULTANTS' COSTS. AND, UM, JUST TAKING A LOOK AT OUR CITY COUNCIL BUDGETS, UM, JUST MAKING CERTAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT'S, THERE IS EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO DO. WE WANT TO ALSO, UH, UNDERSTAND THE FOOD BUDGETS. THOSE ARE, HAVE INCREASED, UM, JUST AS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, AND THEN MAYBE AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS JUST TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HAVING A STANDARDIZED, YOU KNOW, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD SPEND AND JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, COULD TELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS COULD BE. ALL THE LITTLE THINGS, ALL THE PENNIES CAN ADD UP TO, TO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? SURE. YEAH. SO, SO, SO ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE MECHANISMS, UH, OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT DURING OUR, UH, PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TAX RATE, UM, PART OF IT. BUT I THINK THERE'S [03:45:01] ALWAYS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR THIS. UH, AND, AND TO, OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL WILL NEED TO, UH, MAKE THIS DECISION THROUGHOUT THIS FISCAL YEAR. UH, ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A SALES TAX THAT'S DEDICATED TO WHAT'S CALLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, UM, WHAT IT SERVES AS IN THE WORLD OF SB TWO, ONCE YOU'RE KIND OF GET TO THIS LEVEL OF CONSTRAINT OF S SP TWO, WHAT IT SERVES AS IS IT KIND OF REMOVES RATE AUTHORITY THAT YOU OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE. UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S SAYING, WELL, YOU HAVE TO REDUCE YOUR RATE BY SO MUCH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE SALES TAX WAS FOR. UM, BY DEDICATING IT TO ANOTHER PURPOSE, SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT? THIS IS WHAT MANY CITIES HAVE DONE, IS, IS THEY'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN THAT SALES TAX AND DEDICATED OVER TO, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY TO CREATE, YOU KNOW, CRIME CRIME DISTRICTS. AND THEN IT CAN BE USED AS A, AS A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS. AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS THAT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT KIND OF PULLS OUT, THINK ABOUT IT AS PULLING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN OUT OF THE WORLD OF WHAT GETS CAPPED BY THE S SP TWO LIMITATION PART OF IT. AND IT REMOVES SOME OF THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS FROM THE CAP OF S SP TWO, UM, ON THAT, WHICH BETTER, AGAIN, ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS, UM, OVER TIME. SO THAT IS BECOMES ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS A, AS A CITY COUNCIL, AS A CITY, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO, INTO NEXT YEAR, PARTICULARLY IN THE MAY TIMEFRAME DURING THAT ELECTION CYCLE, UH, FOR THAT TO CONSIDER. UM, SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF 'EM. THE OTHER QUESTION WAS THEN WHAT ABOUT, WELL, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WOULD TRIGGER GOING TO VOTERS FOR CONSIDERATION? RIGHT? WELL, THERE WILL BE A TIME AT WHICH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THIS OTHER CITIES ARE, SOME OF 'EM ARE ALREADY DOING IT NOW. UM, MOST ARE TRYING TO AVOID IT, RIGHT, UH, WITH THINGS. BUT THERE'S A POINT AT WHICH YOU SAY, WE CANNOT CUT ANYMORE. WE'D RATHER HAVE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE BECAUSE OF SB TWO ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, IS A VALUE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO CONTRADICT THE SB TWO LEGISLATION AND VOTERS SHOULD THEN APPROVE THAT PART OF IT. I, I CAN'T PREDICT RIGHT NOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ITEMS ARE. UM, HOWEVER, WE WILL BE TALKING LATER ON THIS MONTH, UH, ABOUT, UH, YEAH, LATER ON THIS MONTH ON, ON THE 18TH, ABOUT A FIRE, UH, FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT WE, THAT WE HAD DONE, RIGHT? SO IF WE, IF WE GET TO THE POINT OF NEEDING TO ADD A FIRE STATION, FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE STATION COMES WITH NINE PERSONNEL FOR ONE PIECE OF, OF EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? NOT NINE PERSONNEL, ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OPERATIONAL COSTS. THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY, PROBABLY OUTSIDE THE LIMITS OF, OF WHAT SB TWO WILL ALLOW ON THE OPERATIONAL GROWTH SIDE OF THAT. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT BEFORE WE WOULD UNDERTAKE THAT, THAT EFFORT, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND SAY, WOULD YOU SUPPORT A HIGHER TAX RATE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT A FIRE STATION, UH, THERE AT THAT LOCATION? SO IT'S THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, AND, AND SAY, IS THIS AN ITEM THAT WE ARE READY TO TAKE THE VOTERS FOR THAT, UM, THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION TO SEE, UM, IF THAT WOULD HAPPEN. SO AGAIN, IT'S THE POINT AT WHICH YOUR OPERATIONAL COSTS, NOT THE DEBT SIDE OF IT, RIGHT? BUT THE OPERATIONAL COSTS YOU HAVE, YOU'VE LOST YOUR FLEXIBILITY AND YOU'RE TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, UM, TO ASK VOTERS FOR MORE APPROVAL. BUT HERE'S, HERE'S THE, THE CATCH 22, RIGHT? HAVING A LOWER TAX RATE AT THAT TIME DOESN'T HELP YOU ANYMORE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF AN EFFORT OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN AS MUCH M AND O TAX RATE AS YOU CAN TO PRESERVE YOUR SERVICES FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN UNDER S SP TWO, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THE OTHER QUESTIONS WERE. REDUCTION STRATEGY. OH, A REDUCTION STRATEGY. UM, YEAH, SO, SO ON, ON A REDUCTION STRATEGY POINT OF IT, AT THE POINT AT WHICH WE SAY THERE'S NO MORE GROWTH TO BE HAD HERE, RIGHT? WE WOULD HAVE TO UNDERTAKE A REDUCTION STRATEGY, UM, ON THAT PART. I, I HAVE NOT LAID OUT A REDUCTION STRATEGY RIGHT NOW. UM, I HAVE DONE MANY YEARS OF REDUCTION STRATEGIES, UM, IN VARIOUS CITIES, UM, ON THAT THERE, YOU KNOW, BUT TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE KIND OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO IT. YOU CAN DO IT ACROSS THE BOARD TYPE OF REDUCTION STRATEGY. YOU CAN ALSO DO ONE WHERE YOU TARGET CERTAIN AREAS AND YOU SAY, THESE ARE SOME AREAS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT AS, AS, UM, HIGH PRIORITY AS SOME OF THE OTHER ONES. AND SO WE'RE GONNA PRESERVE THESE OTHER AREAS AND CUT OTHERS, UM, FOR THAT. BUT ANY ONE OF THOSE REDUCTION STRATEGIES WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT IN, IN A WORLD WHERE WE, UH, DID NOT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SUSTAIN OUR OPERATIONS ON THEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU. UH, MADAM MAYOR. UM, THIS HAS BEEN PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ENLIGHTENING BUDGET SEASONS FOR ME. UM, I, I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS WITH THE WAY THAT, UH, WE'RE MOVING THIS YEAR, UH, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WE'RE TAKING OUT A LOAN THAT WILL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT? PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT. WE'VE PROVEN THAT, RIGHT? HOWEVER, WE TAKE, WE'RE TAKE, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUT A LOAN, UM, DESPITE US HAVING AT LEAST 11% INCREASE IN REVENUE. AND I GET THIS HAS TO DO WITH SB TWO, BUT AS MR. JIM STATED, UM, EARLY ON, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WHAT THIS, THE STATE, RIGHT, UH, PUT A CAP ON IN 2020, RIGHT? UM, USING THE UNUSED PENNIES WAS OPTIONAL. AND SO FOR US TO, UH, AGGRESSIVELY GO AFTER SOME OF THE BIG ITEMS LIKE, UM, RAISING WAGES, UM, INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, PERSONNEL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHILE THEY WERE VERY, THEY WERE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDED, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'VE MOVED TOO FAST TOO SOON, AND NOW WE'RE HERE AT, AT AN ENVELOPE, RIGHT? [03:50:01] AND WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, ROB PETER, TO PAY PAUL SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THE LIGHTS ON FOR THE BUDGET. MY CONCERNS WITH THAT IS THAT THERE WERE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET THAT WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT DURING THE WORKING SET SESSION. UM, THE WORKSHOP, IN PARTICULARLY THE CALL OUT THAT I MADE DURING THE SUMMER RETREAT ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK, UM, WE NEVER DISCUSSED THAT. AND THAT WHEN I ADDED UP ALL THOSE DOLLARS, THAT WAS OVER $300,000 DEDICATED JUST TO CHRISTMAS ALONE. AND WHILE I LOVE JESUS, AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT HE, HE, HE DIED AND HE'S HERE, AND ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS, AND WE GET TO CELEBRATE IT ON CHRISTMAS AND ALL THESE OTHER STUFF, I THINK THAT THERE IS A BETTER WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT IN MORE CONSERVATIVELY. WHAT I'VE APPRECIATED ABOUT, UH, MAYOR PROCTOR IS THAT SHE'S TALKED ABOUT HOW PAST ADMINISTRATION WAS MORE CONSERVATIVE WITH THE DOLLAR BECAUSE WE ALL HAD A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT BEFORE US NOT TO GO BACK AND DO SOME TYPE OF REDUCTION FIRST BEFORE ASKING FOR A LOAN IS PROBLEMATIC. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM WAS, WERE YOU SIMPLY STATING A COMMENT OR DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WERE YOU JUST MAKING YOUR COMMENT? OKAY. COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES. JUST A QUICK, UH, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. UH, SB TWO HAS CREATED A QUAGMIRE, IF YOU WOULD, FOR, FOR THE CITIZENS AS PROPERTY TAXES. OUR PROPERTY VALUES CONTINUE TO GO UP, AND THE CAMPING OF SB TWO AND THE, THE ABILITY, UH, THERE'S OLD ANTIC, WHAT GOES UP WILL COME DOWN. AND AS WE CUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, ALL OF THAT SOUNDS GREAT TO CUT PROPERTY TAXES, CUT PROPERTY TAXES. BUT ONCE WE CUT IT DOWN, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN PROPERTY VALUES DECREASE AND YOUR, AND YOUR AMENITIES THAT ARE NECESSARY, THE, THE, THE AMENITIES OF FIRE AND POLICE, THOSE AMENITIES THAT WE CANNOT CUT, THAT WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT WE MUST MAINTAIN. SO WHAT THIS LOAN DOES IS PROTECT US UNTIL WE LEVEL OUT. IT IS, IT IS A MANEUVER TO PROTECT US UNTIL WE LEVEL OUT, UNTIL WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE EFFECTS OF, I MEAN, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT LAST YEAR WE WOULD'VE HAD A 9% INFLATION? WHO WOULD'VE EVER THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD NUMBERS? NOW, THOSE NUMBERS ARE COMING DOWN NOW, BUT WHAT SB TWO HAS DONE ON THE, UH, UH, OPERATIONAL SIDE, IT SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T CARE WHAT INFLATIONS ARE. YOU CAN ONLY SPEND X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. AND IF YOU TAKE OUT LOAN INTEREST IN, UH, UH, SERVICING YOUR INTEREST, THEN YOU CAN PLAY WITH THAT. SO THIS MANEUVER, JUST SO THAT OUR CITIZENS WILL UNDERSTAND THIS MANEUVER, IS TO BALANCE IT OUT UNTIL WE CAN REALLY FIGURE IT OUT. BECAUSE AS PROPERTY VALUES CONTINUE TO GO UP, UH, THEN THIS TAX RATE, SB TWO WILL FORCE THE TAX RATE DOWN. BUT THE OFFSET OF THAT IS WHAT I WORRY MOSTLY ABOUT. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS, WHAT HAPPENED NOT TOO LONG AGO, A DECREASE IN PROPERTY VALUE, A BUBBLE OF THE, OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET CRASHING, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THE HARD CONVERSATION ABOUT RAISING THE, THE, UM, THE TAX RATE. SO JUST SO THAT OUR CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THIS IS A GREAT CONVERSATION. I DON'T WANNA PAY MORE, A DOLLAR MORE THAN I HAVE TO, BUT, BUT THERE'S A FLIP SIDE TO THIS COIN AND WHAT, WHAT THE FINANCIAL ADVISORS ARE SUGGESTING IS THAT TO USE THIS VEHICLE UNTIL WE CAN LEVEL IT OFF AND FIGURE IT OUT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL YES, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. OKAY. SO, UM, I TOO HAVE SOME OF THOSE SAME CONCERNS. AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, I DO HAVE SOME, JUST SOME MINOR HOUSEKEEPING THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO GET, UH, ANSWERED. UH, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THE, UH, PAGE 1.1 ACTUALLY HAS DATA THAT DOESN'T GO PAST 22. I MEAN, 21. UH, CAN WE GET SOME MORE CURRENT DATA? UM, I'M NOT SURE IF, IF THAT'S EVEN AVAILABLE, BUT IT ALL SAYS 2021. SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT THAT OLDER DATA? AND THEN ON THE FINAL REPORT ON 3.3, YOU HAD A THING IN THERE WHERE YOU SAID THERE WAS A FINAL REPORT THAT WE'RE WAITING ON FROM DA. HAVE WE RECEIVED THE FINAL REPORT? UH, WE, WE'VE RECEIVED A REPORT, BUT IT IS NOT COMPLETE. OKAY. IT, IT'S NOT ACCURATE. IT IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT. UH, I'M NOT, IT NEEDS IT, IT HAS ERRORS IN IT AND NEEDS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY BELIEVE IT'S FINAL. IT HAS ERRORS IN IT. WE NEED TO GET IT CORRECTED, UM, ON THAT PART. SO IT IS LIKELY, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL LIKELY GET A, UH, A FINALIZED REPORT BEFORE. I THINK WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET. SO WE WILL HAVE TO DO THE WORK OF CREATING THE ESTIMATE ON, ON, ON THAT NUMBER, PUTTING THAT IN THE BUDGET, SO, OKAY. AND THEN THE LAST THING [03:55:01] I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT IT WAS THE, UH, WATER RESTRICTIONS WHEN WE WERE TALKING IN TERMS OF WATER AND HOW MUCH THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY INCREASE THIS YEAR. UM, HAVE WE DONE ANY OF THOSE WATER RESTRICTION OR ANY, UH, CONSERVATIVE MEASURES TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CURB SOME OF THE WATER USAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKED LIKE IT TICKED UP, HAS SOME OF THAT INFORMATION KIND OF, UH, ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN RAPHAEL WAS EXPLAINING THE REDUCTION STRATEGY. WHAT HAVE WE, WHAT HAVE WE AS A CITY DONE TO DO SOME OF THOSE REDUCTION MEASURES TO SAY IT, WE HAD TO COME HERE. WE HAD, I KNOW WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I GET THAT, BUT ARE WE GONNA BE HERE TOMORROW? ARE WE GONNA BE HERE NEXT YEAR, IS THE TYPE OF QUESTION I'M ASKING. SO IT WOULD BE RIGHT ALONG THE LINES WITH THE REDUCTION STRATEGY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PARK, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON WHAT YOUR QUESTIONS ARE. ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE COMMUNITY PROFILE INFORMATION THAT'S 2022. IT SAYS 2021. IT, IT'LL GET UPDATED. YEAH. AND IT, IT HAS IN READ TO BE UPDATED. OH. SO THAT'S TYPICALLY UPDATED AT THE COMPLETION OF THE BUDGET. ONCE, UM, ONCE ALL THOSE NUMBERS ARE IN FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS. BUT IF, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY PROFILE, IT HAS ABOVE IT TO BE UPDATED. OKAY. AND, UM, IN TERMS OF YOUR REDUCTION STRATEGY, ARE YOU REFERRING TO, JUST WHEN YOU SAY REDUCTION, 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA USE THEM INTERCHANGEABLE, ARE YOU SAYING CONSERVATION IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE, THE USERS, THE END USERS CONSERVING? WERE THERE ANYTHING WE'VE DONE TO, TO TRY TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION OF WATER IN THE COMMUNITY, OR WHAT, WHAT'S THE QUESTION? OTHER, YOU KNOW, TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT WE DON'T GET TO THIS POINT NEXT YEAR, IS, IS ANY OF THAT BEEN DONE? IS THERE ANY REPORTS, ANYTHING THAT CAN BE SHARED? SO, SO THE, AT THIS POINT, RIGHT, NOT WHERE WE ARE WITH SB TWO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WILL REQUIRE US TO, UM, PUT INTO PLACE SOME LEVEL OF, OF REDUCTIONS AS WE IMPLEMENT THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR ON IT. THE MAGNITUDE OF WHICH WE, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A FULL SCOPE OF, OF UNDERSTANDING YET OF EXACTLY WHAT THAT NUMBER WILL LOOK LIKE. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START TO HAVE LESS OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY, RIGHT, WHICH WE'RE GETTING TOWARDS ON THAT ONE, THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER DOING THE PUBLIC SAFETY TAX RATE, UM, SHIFT, RIGHT? WITH THE, WITH THE PUBLIC SAFE, WITH THE SALES TAX PART OF THAT, THAT'LL GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY SO WE CAN GAIN SOME FLEXIBILITY THROUGH THAT MANEUVER, UM, WITH IT. SO WE, THERE ARE SOME CONTINUED MECHANISMS FOR US TO UTILIZE TO NOT HAVE TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE, THE SERVICE, THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO, TO OUR RESIDENTS, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND THINGS LIKE, YOU CAN ALWAYS CUT A LITTLE BIT MORE OFF OF, YOU KNOW, A FOOD LINE OR A TRAVEL LINE, WHATEVER IT IS. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONLY GONNA GET YOU SO MUCH MONEY. UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, REALLY, WE'D BE LOOKING AT PERSONNEL COSTS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE LEVEL OF DOLLARS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. BECAUSE WE ARE PRIMARILY A SERVICE ORIENTED ORGANIZATION. THE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR COSTS IN THE GENERAL FUND ARE RELATED TO PERSONNEL. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SURE THING. I'D ASKED A QUESTION IN WRITING, UM, ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD, WHAT DOES 3.4 MILLION LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL COST? AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT THE ANSWER WAS 30. AND THEN THE RESPONSE ALSO, I ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, HOW MANY UN UH, FIELD POSITIONS DO WE HAVE CURRENTLY? 15. AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, CITY MANAGER, WRIGHT, THOSE 15, ALL 15, THOSE ARE CRITICAL POSITIONS. THAT'S MY QUESTION. ARE THEY, UH, YES, THEY ARE. YEAH. YEAH. WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY POSITIONS THAT WE, UH, HOLD OPEN AS BEING NONCRITICAL AT THIS TIME, UM, FOR THAT. BUT WE DO CARRY IN THE BUDGET KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TURNOVER IN A YEAR. WE DO COVER, WE DO CARRY AN AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE FOR TURNOVER. SAVINGS. OKAY. TURNOVER, UM, IN, IN, IN THE BUDGET. SO, SO THERE'S, THERE'S AN OFFSET THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TURNOVER IN A YEAR. OKAY. AND THEN FOR THOSE 15, FOR, FOR SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE UNFILLED, ARE WE USING CONSULTANTS FOR THOSE? IS THAT THE, WHAT'S THE DRIVER FOR THE CONSULTANTS? SO MANY, YOU KNOW, THAT BUDGET LINE IN THE VARIOUS AREAS, THERE SEEM TO BE AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF CONSULTANT FEES AND, AND, UM, USAGE. UH, A GOOD, WELL, GOING BACK TO WHAT I THINK WHAT JIM MENTIONED EARLIER BEFORE, RIGHT? WE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EXTRAS IN OUR BUDGET. AND SO THE, THE COUNCIL, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING DIFFERENT STUDIES DONE, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGHER LEVELS OF, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR CERTAIN SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF ON HAND TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND THEIR NORMAL JOBS AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE PER PERFECT TYPES OF SERVICES TO LOOK AT CONSULTANTS TO HELP WITH, BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN TAKE ON THE PROFESSIONAL, YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THAT. WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE RUNNING FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT IN THE CITY AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO RUN THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD, UM, WITH IT. SO, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOK AT CONSULTANTS WHEN WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING, OR WE KNOW THAT IT'S A CAPABIL IT'S TIME REQUIREMENT, IT'S GONNA BE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS OF OUR ORGANIZATION INSTEAD [04:00:01] OF TAKING ON A, A POSITION FOR, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS IF YOU DO, AND, AND TAKING MULTIPLE YEARS TO GET THAT PROJECT DONE. RIGHT? IF YOU TAKE ON A CONSULTANT FOR A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME, ALTHOUGH YOU'LL PAY A BIT MORE FOR THEM UPFRONT, RIGHT? THE LONG-TERM SAVINGS IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT, RATHER THAN HOLDING ONTO AN EMPLOYEE FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF TIME OR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS. OKAY. THANKS. THANKS SO MUCH. THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. YEAH. CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL, UM, UH, SECTION AND LOOK AT THE CONSULTANTS ON THAT? I THINK IT WAS LIKE A 50% INCREASE, SO JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND THEN, UM, JUST, JUST FROM A OVERALL MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT, JUST IN TERMS OF HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT SEATS FROM A CAPACITY STANDPOINT MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOVE. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BYRD TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MS. THOMAS WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT, WE HA WE MOVE INTO [1. Consider an Ordinance to amend Planned Development-111 (PD-111) to create a new Planned Development with base zoning district of SF-8 with deviations. (Public Hearing conducted before the City Council on August 15, 2023.) The properties consist of approximately 17.25 acres of land legally described as being Tract 2 in the Jonas Buskirk Survey, Abstract 110 (501 W. Wintergreen Road) and 9.52 acres of land legally described as being Tract 2.1 in the Jonas Buskirk Survey, Abstract 110 (601 W. Wintergreen Road). The applicant is Dietz Engineering and the property owner is Nueva Vida Life Assembly. (Case No. Z-1501-23)] OUR REGULAR AGENDA. WE HAVE CONSIDERED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND PLAN DEVELOPMENT ONE 11 TO CREATE A NEW PLAN DEVELOPMENT WITH BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF SF EIGHT WITH DEVIATIONS PUBLIC HEARING CONDUCTED BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 15TH, 2023. THE PROPERTIES CONSIST OF APPROXIMATELY 17.25 ACRES OF LAND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS BEING TRACKED. TWO IN THE JONAS BIRTH CAR SURVEY, ABSTRACT ONE TEN FIVE OH ONE WEST WINTERGREEN ROAD, AND 9.52 ACRES OF LAND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS BEING TRACKED. 2.1 IN THE JONAS SURVEY, ABSTRACT, ONE TEN SIX ZERO ONE WEST WINTERGREEN ROAD. THE APPLICANT IS DE'S ENGINEERING AND THE PROPERTY OWNER IS NOVE VITA, LIFE ASSEMBLY CASE NUMBER Z DASH 1501 DASH 23. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS CHARLES BREWER, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, MAYOR, AND COUNSEL, UH, SINCE YOU ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY OPENED AND CLOSE YOUR PUBLIC HEARING AND YOUR ACTION REQUEST WAS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE, I'M GONNA SHOOT OVER TO SLIDE NUMBER FOUR AND GIVE YOU FROM THE TIME OF YOUR PUBLIC HEARING. ON AUGUST 15TH, 2023, A PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONDUCTED BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, DURING WHICH TIME A REVISED CONCEPT PLAN, WHICH WAS REVISED TO INCLUDE AN ENTRANCE EXIT ROADWAY OFF OF OLD HICKORY TRAIL, WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS MANY OF THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE PLANNING IS UNDER COMMISSION ON JULY THE 25TH. DURING THE APPLICANT'S APPEARANCE BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, THE APPLICANT STATED HER WILLINGNESS TO ESTABLISH THIS DEVELOPMENT AS A GATED COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE SEVERAL AMENITIES WITHIN THIS RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, SUCH AS A WALKING TRAIL WITH BENCHES, A GAZEBO WITH OPEN SPACE WITHIN THE OPEN SPACE AREA, AN OUTDOOR FITNESS AREA, AND A DOG PARK WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PREPARED BY CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION DURING YOUR AUGUST 15TH MEETING, NOT INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT THE APPLICANT STATED HER WILLINGNESS TO INCLUDE WITHIN THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT SITE. A MOTION UNANIMOUS WILL PREVAILED BY VOTE SEVEN TO ZERO TO ONE OFFICIALLY CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. TWO, REQUEST THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVISE THE ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE THE ITEMS THAT THE APPLICANT EXPRESSED HER WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE WITHIN THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT SITE. AND THREE, TO PLACE THE REVISED ORDINANCE ON THE CITY'S COUNCIL'S. SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH MEETING, AGENDA FOR FORMAL CONSIDERATION FOLLOWING THE AUGUST THE 15TH PUBLIC HEARING, AND WITH THE CITY HAVING A PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENT, CITY STAFF IDENTIFIED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY'S ROY OIL TRAIL TO BE EXTENDED FROM WEST WINTER GREEN NORTH, AND THEN WEST TO NORTH WEST MOLAND ROAD. THE APPLICANT'S CONCEPT HAS NOW BEEN REVISED AND OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHES THE FOLLOWING, THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT AS BEING A PRIVATE GATED RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. NUMBER TWO, THE ABANDONMENT OF MANTLE BROOK DRIVE FROM WEST WINTERGREEN ROAD NORTH THROUGH THE UNPAVED WOODLAND HILLS, ROADS RIGHTS OF WAY WILL BE DONE BY THE CITY IF APPROVED DURING THE FINAL PLANNING PROCESS. NUMBER THREE, ONE RECESSED ENTRANCE SLASH EXIT SECURITY GATE WILL BE ESTABLISHED ON WEST WINTERGREEN AND ONE RECESSED ENTRANCE EXIT SECURITY GATE WILL BE ESTABLISHED ON OLD HICKORY TRAIL. NUMBER FOUR, ONE EXIT ONLY SECURITY GATE WILL BE ESTABLISHED ON WEST WIND OF GREEN ROAD. THIS WILL BE BETWEEN MAN BROOK DRIVE AND OLD HICKORY TRAIL. NUMBER FIVE, 2.38 ACRES OF LAND ALONG THE WEST SIDE IS THIS DEVELOPMENT SITE WILL BE DEDICATED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER TO THE CITY DURING THE FINAL PLATING PROCESS WITH SAID PROPERTY BE UTILIZED AS THE PUBLIC PARK. NUMBER SIX, THE DEVELOPER WILL CONSTRUCT AT THE DEVELOPER'S EXPENSE AN EIGHT FOOT CONCRETE WALKING TRAIL THROUGH THE 2.82 ACRE GREEN BELT PARKLAND AREA, AND THEN CONSTRUCT. AND THEY STAND THE EIGHT FOOT CONCRETE WALKING TRAIL THROUGH THE UNPAID WOODLAND HILLS AVENUE RIGHT OF WAY WEST TO NORTHWEST MOLAND ROAD. NUMBER SEVEN, A MINIMUM SIX FOOT SCREENING WALL WILL BE [04:05:01] CONSTRUCTED BY THE DEVELOPER ALONG THE WEST, SOUTH, AND EAST PROPERTY LINES OF THIS DEVELOPMENT SITE. NUMBER EIGHT, A CONTINUOUS FIVE FOOT SIDEWALK WILL BE CONSTRUCTED BY THE DEVELOPER ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF WEST WINTERGREEN ROAD AND WEST SIDE OF O HICKORY TRAIL. NUMBER NINE, THE DEVELOPER WILL PROVIDE A WALKING TRAIL WITH BENCHES AND PEDESTRIAN SECURITY GATE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO THE PUBLIC PARK AND PUBLIC WALKING TRAIL. NUMBER 10, THE DEVELOPER WILL PROVIDE ONE GAZEBO WITHIN THE HOA MAINTAINED COMMON OPEN SPACE AREA. UH, THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PNZ. AGAIN, AT THAT TIME, ALL THE TRAFFIC WAS INFORMED THAT WAS GOING TO BE DIVERTED OUT OF THIS 80 LOT COMMUNITY ONTO, UH, WEST WINTERGREEN. NO EXIT WAS COMING OFF OF, UM, O HICKORY TRAIL. THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU AT YOUR PUBLIC HEARING ON AUGUST THE 15TH. UH, THAT REVISION THAT WAS MADE AFTER THE PNZ MEETING, UH, ESTABLISHED A ENTRANCE EXIT OFF OF O HICKORY, AND ACTUALLY, UH, TWO ENTRANCE EXITS STILL OFF OF, UH, WEST WINTER GREEN. NOW, THIS IS THE REVISED DRAWING. UM, IT HAS NOW BEEN ESTABLISHED TO WHERE THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A GATED COMMUNITY. THUS THE THREE, UM, CONNECTIONS OFF THE TWO ARTERIAL ROADS. AS I MENTIONED. UH, VERBALLY WISE, YOU HAVE ONE ENTRANCE EXIT OFF OF WEST WINTERGREEN, ONE INTEREST EXIT OFF OF O HICKORY. BOTH OF THESE ARE RECESSED IN ORDER TO ALLOW CAR STACKING WITHIN THE RIGHTS OF WAY RATHER THAN ON THE MAJOR TERRIO ROAD. UH, WE HAVE. SHE'S ALSO PROPOSING ONE EXIT ONLY. UM, AND THIS ONE IS BETWEEN MEADOWBROOK AND O HICKORY TRAIL, UH, ALONG THE WEST SIDE PROPERTY. UH, THIS IS THE PROPERTY THAT, UH, STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED, WILL PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE APPLICANT TO MEET THE, UH, PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENT, WHICH ESTABLISHES AT A MINIMUM A TWO ACRE DEDICATION, OR THE APPLICANT WOULD HAVE TO PAY. I THINK IT'S $500 PER PLANTED LOT. UM, THE SITE PLAN HAS BEEN CHANGED TO WHERE BEFORE IT WAS SHOWING THREE ACCESS WALKING TRAILS, TWO OUT OF EACH CUL-DE-SAC, AND ONE OUT OF THE COMMON SPACE AREA. NOW, THIS IS A GATED COMMUNITY, AND THE APPLICANT WILL BE HAVING A SIX FOOT MINIMUM CONCRETE WALL ALONG THIS WEST SIDE PROPERTY LINE ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF WEST WINTERGREEN, AND ALONG THE EAST, EXCUSE ME, WEST SIDE OF O HICKORY TRAIL. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, FOLLOWING YOUR PUBLIC HEARING, UH, STAFF IDENTIFIED, UM, THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE AN OPEN SPACE PLAN THAT SHOWS ROY OLD TRAIL. UH, IT'S ACTUALLY FOLLOWS 10 MILE CREEK. THAT'S THIS RED LINE THAT YOU SEE HERE. UH, THIS STREET RIGHT HERE IS WINTERGREEN. ACTUALLY, IT SHOWS A GAP HERE, BUT ACTUALLY THE PHYSICAL, UH, TRAIL DOES GO ALL THE WAY TO, UM, WEST WINTERGREEN. UH, THIS IS A D AD MAP. IT'S GONNA EVEN SHOW YOU MORE SPECIFICALLY. THIS IS THE TRAIL THAT IS GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO WEST WINTERGREEN. THIS IS THE FIRST TRACK ON THE WEST SIDE OF MANTLE BROOK. THIS IS THE EAST SIDE TRACK. SO THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR A A TWO ACRE PUBLIC PARK WOULD BE ALONG THIS WEST SIDE OF THE PROPOSED PLAN DEVELOPMENT SITE. UH, AND THEN THIS IS A RIGHT OF WAY, UH, WOODLAND HILLS, BUT IT IS NOT PAID. THIS WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF AN EIGHT FOOT WIDE WALKING TRAIL UP THIS TO BE PUBLIC PARK, AND THEN BRING IT OVER TO, UM, UH, MY MIND WENT BLANK, WESTMORELAND. THANK YOU. SO, JUST AS A REMINDER, SECTION 10.8 E OF THE CITY ZONING ORDINANCE STATES A FAVORABLE VOTE OF THREE-FOURTHS OF THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE ANY ZONING CHANGE REQUESTS, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED FOR DENIAL BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. STAFF STILL RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE ORDINANCE, BUT THIS IS ONLY IN CASE, UH, IN YOUR PACKAGES. UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY DID, UH, PROVIDE A UPDATED ORDINANCE, AND IN SECTION TWO OF THAT ORDINANCE, IT DOES INCLUDE, UM, THOSE ITEMS THAT, THAT THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED TO COMPLY THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO, UH, GIVE. AND THEN AT THE BACK, THERE IS A SITE PLAN, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS BEEN [04:10:01] ATTACHED HERE. I'LL ADDRESS ANY QUESTION CONCERNS WITH THE UPDATED ORDINANCE OR STAFFS, UH, PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MR. BREWER. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. WE DO HAVE SOME CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. I, UM, I WOULD, I BELIEVE COUNSEL IS IN FAVOR TO HEAR FROM THEM FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN START OUR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION. JOHN MCKAYLA. GOOD EVENING. MR. MCKAYLA, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK AUDI. MY NAME'S JOHN MCKAYLA. I'M A DESOTO RESIDENT. HELLO, UH, MAYOR PROCTOR. UH, THE WOMEN OF THE COUNCIL. AND MR. BIRD. UH, I'M VERY, UH, UH, GLAD AND, UH, UH, AND APPRECIATED OF THE DEVELOPER THAT WAS LISTENING TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE QUESTIONS THEY HAD AT THE LAST MEETING. I'M GLAD THAT THEY HAVE LOOKED INTO THE ZONING COMMISSION WHERE THEY WERE TURNED DOWN FIVE TO NOTHING. MY BIGGEST PROBLEM NOW IS THE, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, FROM WEST BOLAND TO OLD HICKORY. IT'S LIKE A DRAG STRIP. PEOPLE PICK UP, UH, UH, THEY, THEY GO A LOT FASTER BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY FRUSTRATED WITH STAYING AT THAT, UH, UM, UH, STOP SIGN. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE TRAFFIC GOING SPEEDING. BUT ALSO NOW YOU HAVE, WHICH WASN'T BEFORE, IS THE, UH, GATED COMMUNITY. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING INTO THAT AREA COMING, UH, EITHER WAY. UH, AND THEN BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY GET ONE CAR IN THERE WAITING ON THE GATE, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE BACKUP ON THE STREET ON WINTERGREEN. THAT'S MY BIG CONCERN. AND BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY HAD A FRIEND BE, BE HIT IN THE BACK AT MANTLE BROOK AND WINTERGREEN JUST WAITING TO TURN, AND IT TOTALED HIS CAR. SO I KNOW WHERE I'D FROM, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AND NOW YOU'RE ADDING A GATED COMMUNITY, WHICH WILL, AGAIN, HAVE MORE TROUBLE ABOUT TRAFFIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. MCKAY. JIM WHITE. MR. WHITE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. OKAY. JIM WHITE. I AM, UH, FROM DESOTO. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE, UH, MIDDLEBROOK HOME, UH, HOME OWNER'S ASSOCIATION. WE DO OPPOSE THE PROJECT, UH, DUE TO SMALL LOT SIZE DUE TO THE FACT THEY DON'T HAVE ALLEYWAYS AND THEY DON'T HAVE REAR ENTRY GARAGES. AND THE CONCENTRATION, WHICH IS LIKE WHAT MOST OF THE DESOTO, UH, SUB DIVISIONS HAVE, UM, AND THE CONCENTRATION OF THE RESIDENTS WITH 80 HOMES IN THAT DEVELOPMENT. UH, WE ASK THAT YOU DENY THIS, UH, PROJECT, ASK THE, UH, DEVELOPERS TO COME BACK WITH HOMES THAT ARE AT LEAST, UH, OR MORE THAN SF 12, WHICH IS COMMON TO THAT ENTIRE AREA. UH, AND ALSO WITH REAR ENTRY, UH, GARAGES AND, AND, UH, ALLEYWAYS. UH, MY, UH, RESIDENTS DO FEEL THAT WE WANT THAT DEVELOPED. UH, WE JUST WANT IT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE AREA, IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. UM, ON A SIDE NOTE, I THINK THAT IT'S GREAT THAT THEY HAVE AGREED TO THE ROY OR TRAIL. I THINK THAT IS A PLUS, BUT THEY HAD TO HAVE TAKEN SOME PROPERTY AWAY FROM THERE AND DISTILL THE SAME NUMBER OF LOTS. SO ARE WE GONNA MAKE THE LOTS EVEN SMALLER TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T SHOW IT ON THE PLAN, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO IT DURING THE, UH, PLANNING, UH, AND THE REMAPPING, UH, TIMEFRAME. AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. SO I RESPECTFULLY DO ASK THAT YOU DECLINE IT. THANK YOU. TINA ELLI. THANK YOU MR. WHITE FOR COMING OUT. GOOD EVENING. MR. ELLI. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. MAY I, UH, USE YOUR SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT. DO YOU MIND? UM, TINA ELLI, CITY OF DESOTO CLUB PARK RESIDENT. I APOLOGIZE. WE HAD SEVERAL OTHER NEIGHBORS HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, I'M THE LAST PERSON STANDING AND I'M SUPER TIRED. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THIS. UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT. UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY I WAS OPPOSED, FOLLOWING THE LAST MEETING, UM, AND COMING WITH SOME OF THAT SAME ZEAL, ZEST AND [04:15:01] EXCITEMENT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM ASKED FOR IN THE LAST MEETING. UH, THE REASON THAT I'M HERE AND THE REASON I CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THE PROJECT IS BECAUSE IT JUST KEEPS CHANGING. UM, IN PARTICULAR, THE TRAIL HERE, UM, NOW EXTENDS, UH, DOWN THE NORTH SIDE OF CLUB PARK TO WESTMORELAND ROAD. IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME WHY WE WOULD DO THAT, BECAUSE WESTMORELAND DOESN'T HAVE ANY KIND OF SIDEWALK SYSTEM, UM, AT ALL. AND SO THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ODD PLACE TO DUMP PEOPLE OUT. I ALSO THINK, UM, MR. CITY ATTORNEY WILL PROBABLY BE CURIOUS ABOUT THE NOTICING, UH, ISSUES BECAUSE WHILE, UM, SEVERAL CLUB PARK RESIDENTS WERE NOTICED BEING WITHIN 400 FEET OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE NOTICED BEING, UH, WITHIN, I GUESS IT'S 200 AND 400 FEET AS A COURTESY, I CHECKED WITH MS. JORDAN WILLIAMS AND GOT THE LIST OF THE COURTESY NOTICES, WHICH DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL RESIDENTS OF CLUB PARK. AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T INCLUDE THE RESIDENTS OF CLUB PARK THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS TRAIL EXTENDING, UH, DOWN THIS WAY. I DID WANNA COME WITH SOLUTIONS THOUGH, 'CAUSE I HEARD YOU WANTING SOLUTIONS. MY PROPOSED SOLUTION WOULD BE TO TAKE THE TRAIL DOWN THE NORTH END OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT TO CONNECT IT WITH THIS REALLY NICE NEW FIVE FOOT, UH, SIDEWALK THAT EXTENDS DOWN, UM, OLD HICKORY TRAIL AND AGAIN, DOWN, UH, WINTER GREEN ROAD TO RECONNECT, UM, PEOPLE WITH THE, UH, TRAIL. THAT DOES SEEM TO MAKE MORE SENSE. THAT'S MY PROPOSED SOLUTION. ADDITIONALLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PUBLIC PARK AREA. MR. ELLI, THAT CONCLUDES YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. THANK YOU MARY BONAPARTE. GOOD EVENING, MARY BONAPARTE. WELL, HERE WE GO AGAIN. 35 YEARS IN THIS CITY, WE GOT A BIG VACANT LOT. FINALLY. HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S CONDUCIVE AND PRODUCTIVE THAT CAN POSSIBLY GO THERE. NO WAREHOUSES, NO APARTMENTS, NO. AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT THE WRONG LOT, BUT I'M, IF IT'S THE SAME ONE, YOU GOT DUPLEXES RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. WE WANT NO MORE DUPLEXES. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES. I'VE SAT HERE AND LISTENED AND I'M HERE ALL THE TIME. YOU ASK FOR THE U-SHAPED GARAGE, THEY CHANGED IT. EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS ASKED FOR, AND I DON'T KNOW THESE GUYS, THE LADIES OR WHOMEVER IT IS, BUT THEY'VE DONE, WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE LEAVE A VACANT LOT FOR SOMEBODY TO THROW A CIGARETTE AND THEN YOU CAN CHECK YOUR 9 1 1 RECORDS? 'CAUSE I GO THROUGH THERE EVERY DAY GOING TO MY MOTHER'S HOUSE AND TO COSTCO. I'M CALLING THE POLICE BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THOSE CARS THAT PULL IN THAT LITTLE AREA TO THE BACK, WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING BACK THERE. I MEAN, LET, LET'S DO SOMETHING. WE HAVE A PLAN. WE HAVE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES, NO DUPLEXES, NO SCHOOLS. WE GOT THE BEST SUPERINTENDENTS SITTING BACK HERE. SURPRISED I SAW IT TONIGHT. BUT WE DON'T WANT THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS. WE'RE DONE WITH THAT. LET'S GET A NICE GATED COMMUNITY. IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING. IF IT'S NOT A NICE HOUSE, IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING. LET'S AT LEAST GIVE THE, THE, THE DEVELOPERS, THE, THE BUILDERS OR WHOMEVER, AN OPPORTUNITY. IT'S NOT A SLUM. YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE DUPLEXES 20 YEARS FROM NOW LOOKING LIKE THE ONES THAT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT. AT LEAST YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GATED. I MAY EVEN CONSIDER MOVING IN THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT, BY THE WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. MARY. THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. THAT'S IT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. UH, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE WILL IMPLEMENT OUR ROUNDS. SO, MR. FEER, IF YOU COULD, UM, SET THE TIMER AND THERE IS A ORDINANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE READ FOR THIS. UH, BEFORE WE VOTE COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, POINT OF INFORMATION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY. IT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT TRAFFIC WITHIN THE LAW OF APPROVING A PLANNING AND ZONING CASE. WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS OF CITY COUNCIL REGARDING TRAFFIC? THERE ARE NO, AS FAR THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS AS IT RELATES TO COUNSEL AND, AND TRAFFIC. I GUESS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING. SO IN THIS PLANNING AND ZONING CASE, WE DID NOT REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, STUDIES OR ANYTHING. AND WHY WAS THAT? THAT WOULD BE A STAFF QUESTION BECAUSE YOUR ORDINANCES ACTUALLY TRIGGER [04:20:01] WHAT REQUIRES A TIA AND MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE THAT A TIA WAS NOT REQUIRED IN THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE YOUR ORDINANCES DO NOT REQUIRE THAT. AND COUNSEL CANNOT REQUEST IT. IT'S ONLY IF IT MEETS THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF YOUR ORDINANCE. CAN I ASK? THE ATTORNEY IS CORRECT. THANK YOU. YES. UM, IN ADDITION, WHY, BUT WHY? I STILL HAVE YOU. I'M SORRY. UM, IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT ALLEYS. DOES FROM YOUR AWARENESS, THIS BACKS UP 'CAUSE THIS IS NOT MY DISTRICT, RIGHT? UH, CLUB PARK BACKS UP TO THIS LOCATION. RIGHT? THERE'S A DRAINAGE CHANNEL THAT'S GOING TO TRULY SEPARATE THE TWO AREAS GOTCHA. FOR CONTINUITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. DOES CLUB PARK HAVE ALLEYS? NO. UM, THERE'S ANOTHER SUB GATED COMMUNITY, UM, RIGHT NEAR THERE. I BELIEVE THEY'RE CALLED THE ENCLAVE. I'M TOO POOR TO LIVE OVER HERE. OH. IN THIS AREA. SO I'M JUST ASKING 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW. IS, DOES ENCLAVE HAVE ALLEYS? I'M NOT, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT ONE. PERSONALLY. THEY DO NOT. OKAY. THIS, THIS IS FOLLOWING, UH, WHAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED FOR HOST HOMESTEAD, WHICH IS UP NORTH. AND TO ADDRESS ONE QUESTION ABOUT CONNECTIVITY, UH, ROY OIL TRAIL IS GONNA BE FORECAST TO COME THROUGH HOMESTEAD EDITION. AND THIS WAS GONNA PRO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THAT TRAIL UP NORTH DALLAS COUNTY, UH, DALLAS NORTH? NO. THE, THE, THE DEVELOPER WHO'S DOING THE HOMESTEAD HAS A REQUIREMENT TO DO A TRAIL IN HIS SUBDIVISION, AGAIN, HOMESTEAD. AND THEY BRING IT THAT A PART OF THE P YES, YES MA'AM. AND, AND WILL HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT. OKAY. AND IS THAT TOOK O OVER THE OVERARCHING THING FOR THE CITY TO HAVE A CONNECTIVITY TO THE TRAIL SYSTEMS SO THAT OH, YES. IT CONNECTS AROUND THE CITY. YES. MM-HMM. , I WAS JUST CONFIRMING. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. AND I, TO HER, TO HER, I, I GUESS THE POINT THAT SHE WAS MAKING WAS, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT CONTINUITY OF THE, THE, THE SUBDIVISIONS AROUND THAT AREA. CLUB PARK, NOR THE ENCLAVE HAVE ALLEYWAYS. UM, AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE EITHER J WING OR FURNITURE GARAGES ON, ON BOTH OF THOSE SUBDIVISIONS. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BY THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND I'LL BE LESS THAN MY TWO MINUTES. UM, THE, THE QUESTION, THE, THE ROAR OR TRAIL, THE CONNECTIVITY, THE REASON THAT IT IS NOW GOING BEHIND CLUB PARK IS FOR THE CONNECTIVITY TO CONNECT THE, THE, THE MASTER PLAN, IF YOU WOULD, IS TO HAVE A, THE ROAR TRAIL TO CONNECT FROM THE NORTHERN END, WHICH IS NEAR BAYLOR, UH, HOMESTEAD, WHICH IS THE PIT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE CITY HALL SO THAT YOU CAN GET ON RO OR TRAIL AND WALK IT CONTINUOUSLY. SO THE REQUEST FOR THEM TO DEDICATE THE LAND WAS BECAUSE WHERE IT CURRENTLY DESIGNATE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE YOU, WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE YOU TO THAT FOUR-WAY, STOP SIGN THAT IS ALREADY CONGESTED AND, AND, AND, AND BE A HAZARD. SO FOLLOWING THE NATURAL TRAIL OF A 10 MILE CREEK IS, IS THE REASON THAT, UH, THE DEVELOPER DE, UM, DEDICATED OR OFFERING TO DEDICATE THAT LAND. SO IT IS A NATURAL CONTINUATION OF THE AURORA OR TRAIL. AND THEN BECAUSE THERE IS AN ABANDONED STREET, WHICH IS JUST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CLUB PARK, THAT STREET HAS BEEN, UH, ABANDONED. UM, THE, THE, THE, INSTEAD OF TAKING IT THE EAST ON THAT ABANDONED STREET TO CONNECT IT TO WHAT THE PIT WILL BE BRINGING DOWN WESTMORELAND IS, IS, IS, IS THE REASON FOR THAT. SO THAT PEOPLE COULD COME FROM THE NORTHERN TIP, FROM DANIELDALE DOWN, UH, WESTMORELAND CONNECT THERE AND NEVER BE ON A PUBLIC STREET, ONLY HAVE TO CROSS OVER THE STREET AND STILL HAVE A, A, A, IF YOU WOULD, A GREENERY WALKWAY. SO THAT, THAT, THAT WAS, UH, THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE IN THE ROAR OR TRAIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BY YES, DR. MARKS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. POINT OF INFORMATION, SINCE THERE WAS NEW, UH, INFORMATION PRESENTED AFTER OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, IS IT PERMISSIBLE? AND MAYBE THIS IS, UH, AN ATTORNEY QUESTION. IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO ASK THE DEVELOPER OR QUESTION? YES. OKAY. POLICE APPROACH. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. AND THEN, UM, DR. MARKS, YOU CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. ANGEL, DUNBAR, DESOTO, CORNELIUS COLEMAN GRAND PRIX. [04:25:02] OKAY. BEFORE I ASK THE QUESTION, IS THE QUESTION TO BE CONFINED TO THE NEW OR IS IT OPEN? JUST ASK THE QUESTION. HOPEFULLY JUST ASK THE QUESTION. OKAY. JUST ASK THE QUESTION. UH, THANK YOU FOR APPROACHING THIS AFTERNOON. MY QUESTION IS, AND IT WAS, IT SOMEWHAT ALLUDES TO MY QUESTION TO YOU BEFORE. UM, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH INFORMATION ON YOUR WEBSITE. UM, ON YOUR WEBSITE. YOU HAVE PAST AND YOU HAVE CURRENT. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE HOME THAT'S LISTED IN BOTH. SO WHICH IS IT? WHAT WEBSITE ARE YOU REFERENCING? SHE'S TALKING ABOUT COL, DUNBAR COLEMAN. IS THAT YOURS? SO WE HAVE, WE'RE CURRENTLY BUILDING FOUR HOUSES IN DALLAS RIGHT NOW. AND SO SAY IT AGAIN, I'M SORRY. WE'RE CURRENTLY BUILDING FOUR HOUSES IN DALLAS AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT. THREE OF THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. ONE OF THOSE IS STILL IN PROGRESS. AND SO, UH, THOSE ARE DUPLICATE HOMES IN THE SOUTH DALLAS AREA, SO THEY MIMIC EACH OTHER. SO WE HAVE COMPLETED SOME IN THAT NATURE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE MORE TO FINISH. OKAY. SO YOU'VE COMPLETED, YOU'RE WORKING ON FOUR? YES, WE'VE COMPLETED THREE. THREE. AND THAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER THAT YOU'VE DONE IN, IN DALLAS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON IN DALLAS. OKAY. I THOUGHT, UH, DID YOU NOT, DID I NOT UNDERSTAND YOU TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT EAGLE POINT? I HAVE BUILT AN EAGLE POINT BEFORE, YES. YOU'VE BUILT THERE BEFORE. YES, MA'AM. AND WHAT IS THAT ADDRESS, PLEASE? NINE 17 WOOD HOLLOW. OKAY. AND I ALSO BUILT IT, UM, 12 SIX, UH, 1 2 1 6 CARRIAGE CREEK AND 1212 CARRIAGE CREEK IN STILLWATER. I MEAN SILVER CREEK. I'M SORRY THAT THAT CONCLUDES MY TIME, BUT I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT THAT CONCLUDING MY TIME. THANK. GO AHEAD, ASK YOUR QUESTION, DR. MARKS. GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. MY LAST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE LARGEST DEVELOPMENT YOU'VE, THAT YOU'VE DONE OUTSIDE OF APARTMENTS? I HAVEN'T DONE ANY DEVELOPMENTS. I'VE ONLY DONE INDIVIDUAL HOMES. THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, AT THIS TIME, THERE IS A ORDINANCE, THANK YOU, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE IN MAP OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, AS HERE TO, FOR AMENDED BY AMENDING AND RESTATING PLAN DEVELOPMENT NUMBER ONE 11 WINTER GREEN ESTATE'S PLAN DEVELOPMENT AS BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT A ATTACHED HERE TWO, TO GRANT A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM SINGLE FAMILY, 20 TO SINGLE FAMILY EIGHT ON 26.77 ACRES OF LAND WITH DEVIATION TO ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATE GATED COMMUNITY, CONSISTING OF 80 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DETACHED LOTS, PROVIDING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONCEPT PLAN ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT B, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 FOR EACH OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. UM, AND CITY ATTORNEY GARITA, BECAUSE THIS, THIS REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY, CORRECT? SIX. SO COUNSEL, IS THERE A, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? MADAM MAYOR? I, I MOVED THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. UM, AGAIN, COUNSEL, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CLEAR ON THE VOTE. THE A VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT IS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT. HOWEVER, IT REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE VOTE. IN FAVOR? YEAH. VOTE IN FAVOR IS A VOTE IN FAVOR, HOWEVER, YOU GET WHAT I'M SAYING. ATTORNEY GR WITH THE SUPER MAJORITY REQUIREMENT. AT THIS POINT, WE WOULD NEED A SUPER MAJORITY OF THIS VOTE IN ORDER FOR IT TO PASS. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNSEL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PAD. SO NOTHING FAILS. THAT MOTION FAILS. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. THAT MOTION FAILS, UH, FOR, UH, FOUR THREE. FOUR THREE. IS THERE, IS THERE JUST AN INTEREST, A MOTION TO DENY WITHOUT PREJUDICE AN EVENT THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE IT BACK, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THIS MOTION, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE IT BACK CORRECTLY. SINCE THE MOTION DID NOT SAY WITH PREJUDICE, IT CAN COME BACK AT ANY TIME. YES. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT, WE HAVE [2. Consider authorizing staff and consultants to move forward with the Plan of Finance prepared and presented by Hilltop Securities, and provide authorization for staff and Financial Advisors to proceed to issue Tax Notes, Series 2023] CONSIDER AUTHORIZING STAFF AND CONSULTANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PLAN OF FINANCE PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY HILLTOP SECURITIES AND PROVIDE AUTHORIZATION FOR STAFF AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO PROCEED TO ISSUE TAX NOTES SERIES 2023. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS TRACY COMIER, FINANCE DIRECTOR. UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. UM, AT COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL'S WORK [04:30:01] SESSION ON AUGUST 14TH, THE STAFF AND CITY FINANCIAL ADVISORS PROVIDED A PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND POSSIBLE DEBT INSURANCE OF 3.4 MILLION TAX NOTES. THE ONE YEAR OBLIGATION PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY FOR FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. AND THE TAX NOTE SERIES 2023 WILL PROCEEDS WILL BE FOR EQUIPMENT, VEHICLE REPLACEMENT AND ROAD MAINTENANCE, AND WILL BE SUPPORTED BY A PROPOSED INS TAX RATE OF 0.1 8 1 6 0 7. AND THE FINANCING COST FOR THE, UH, TAX NOTE IS, UH, APPROXIMATELY $61,294 WITH THE ESTIMATED TAX RATE OF 5.5%. UM, WE HAVE JIM SABONI FROM HILLTOP SECURITIES, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, WHO WILL PRESENT THE, UH, FINAL FI FINAL PLAN OF FINANCE FOR THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION. GOOD. MR. S, GOOD EVENING. THIS IS AN UPDATE OF A PRESENTATION THAT WAS DONE, UH, IN AUGUST. THE GOAL IS TO UM, COM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OPERATING BUDGET FUND, UH, EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES, AND PAY FOR THE COST OF ISSUANCE. THE PLAN IS A ONE YEAR TAX NOTE THAT'S CALLABLE, UM, WITHIN SIX MONTHS. UH, IT WOULD GENERATE COMBINED WITH THE CITY'S EXISTING DEBT, AN I TAX RATE OF 18.16 CENTS. UM, AS WE INDICATED EARLIER, IT'S A CULMINATION OF, UH, STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH SB TWO. UM, AND, UH, THE INFLATIONARY IMPACT IT HAS ON THE BUDGET. UH, THIS COMBINED WITH THE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE OPERATION TAX RATE WOULD DO AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN THE CITY'S TAX RATE. IT'S THIS A TAX NOTE PLEDGES, THE CITY'S, UH, INTEREST IN SINKING, UH, ADOR TAX. IT'S A ONE YEAR AMORTIZATION TO ALLOW THAT TO TAKE PLACE. UM, WE'RE BUDGETING, UH, INTEREST RATE OF 5.5%. UH, WE, UH, SOLD EARLIER TONIGHT A TAX NOTE FOR, UH, A LARGE CITY THAT HAS A VERY SIMILAR RATING TO YOU. IT ACTUALLY, UH, LOW BID WAS A 4.91%. UM, INTEREST RATES ARE CHANGING AND, AND, UM, MOVING. BUT, UH, THIS IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE, UM, OF WHERE CURRENT RATES ARE. THE WAY THIS IS SOLD IS THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS. UM, THE, UH, TERM SHEETS PUT TOGETHER SOLD TO, UM, UH, ALL, UM, DISTRIBUTED, UM, TO ALL BUYERS OF SIMILAR, UM, TYPE, TYPE, UH, NOTES, UH, THOSE INVESTORS BID ON. UH, AND, UH, THE LOW BID WOULD BE BE EVALUATED, UH, MEETS THE GOALS, PARAMETERS OF THE SALE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. TOTAL PARAMOUNT IS 3.4 MILLION OF WHICH, UH, 63,000 IS THE, UH, COST TO ISSUE THE TRANSACTION. UM, THIS IS WHAT, UH, THE DEBT SERVICE MATURITY WOULD LOOK LIKE. UH, TOTAL PRINCIPAL INTEREST OF 3.6 MILLION. BUT A TECHNIQUE WE'VE USED WITH OTHER CLIENTS, UM, AND WE ARE EMPLOYING IN HERE IS THAT THE, UH, MATURITY IS ON, UH, IS IN, UH, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2024. BUT WE HAVE A CALL, EARLY CALL PROVISION OF TWO 15, UM, 2024. SO WHAT TAKES PLACE IS AS SOON AS THE CITY RECEIVES ITS INTEREST IN SINKING AT WARM TAXES FROM PAYMENT OF THE TAXES AT THE CITY'S OPTION, IT CAN ACTUALLY, UH, CALL AND PAY THAT OFF EARLIER. THE EXPECTATION IS THAT, UM, UNDER CURRENT CONDITIONS YOU WOULD DO THAT, AND SO YOU'D ONLY PAY INTEREST OF 6 30, 60 $1,000, UH, THROUGH THE CALL DATE. UM, AS I INDICATED, UH, MATURITY OF NOVEMBER 15TH, PREPAYMENT DATE OF FEBRUARY 15TH. UH, IF THE COUNCIL VOTES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN OF FINANCE, WE WOULD, UH, WORK WITH STAFF, UH, AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AND BOND COUNCIL TO DEVELOP THE TERM SHEET, CIRCULATE THAT RECEIVE BIDS, UH, THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 19TH, UH, REVIEW THE BIDS, UM, WITH THE STAFF AND, UH, PENDING, UH, APPROVAL OF THAT BID PROCESS. PRESENT THE, THE BIDS TO THE COUNCIL WITH AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THE ISSUANCE OF THAT TAX NOTE. ALL DEBT ISSUED BY, UH, TEXAS MUNICIPALITIES ARE REVIEWED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR, UM, APPROPRIATE, UM, UH, PROCESSES AND, AND ACTIONS. UH, IT TAKES 15 WORKING DAYS AT MINIMUM TO DO THAT. SO WE WOULD EXPECT CLOSING ON OCTOBER 17TH. UM, IN SUMMARY, UH, AS INDICATED EARLIER, THIS IS A PART OF THE OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE CITY. VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, UM, WAY TO FUND, UH, CAPITAL ITEMS, UM, WITH AN EXISTING, UH, LE [04:35:01] LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZED, UH, OBLIGATION. I ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THANK YOU MR. SABONI, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, ACCEPT AS PRESENTED. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BYRD, UH, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM HUGHES TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. COUNCIL, ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY YOU THINK I WAS A LITTLE BIT MULTITASKING WHEN YOU WERE PRESENTING, BUT, UM, RELATED TO THE COMPETITIVE PRICE, UH, PLACEMENT METHOD VERSUS THE, DO I HAVE HERE THE BOND SALES METHOD? UM, YEAH, LET ME EXPAND ON IT. I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT QUESTION. UM, THERE'S, UM, A COMPETITIVE PRIVATE PLACE MEANS THAT IN THIS PROCESS THERE ARE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE PRIMARY PURCHASERS. THESE BANKS WHICH USE THIS TO, UM, INVEST ACTUALLY DEPOSITS THEY RECEIVE. SO BANKS AND TRUST COMPANIES. UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FULL RATING PROCESS. WE ACTUALLY PUT A TERM SHEET OUT. AND AS PART OF OUR ROLE AS YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR IS TO FIND THE, IS TO RECOMMEND THE CHEAPEST WAY TO SELL DEBT WHEN YOU SELL DEBT. UM, IF WE WERE SELLING A LONGER OBLIGATION, UM, THAT WAS BEYOND 10 YEARS IN MATURITY, WE WOULD PROBABLY SUGGEST GOING THROUGH A BOND RATING PROCESS AND DOING A PUBLIC OFFERING. BECAUSE BANKS, UM, UH, VERY LIMITED IN HOW LONG THEY CAN GO AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO GO LONG TERM, UH, FIXED RATE BASIS. AND SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE PURCHASED BY AN UNDERWRITER. AN UNDERWRITER WOULD SELL THE FRONT MATURITIES TO A BANK OR A TRUST COMPANY. THE LONG MATURITIES, UM, MAYBE TO, UM, TRUST TO, UH, TO, UM, PENSION FUNDS OR, OR MUTUAL FUNDS IN THIS CASE, A ONE YEAR NOTE IS A REALLY GOOD INVESTMENT OPTION FOR THESE, UM, INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS. WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL THAT CAN COMPETITIVELY BID THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. WE PUT THIS TERM SHEET TOGETHER. UM, WE SUBMIT IT TO THEM. THEY'LL ASK SOME QUESTIONS. THEY MIGHT TALK DIRECTLY TO THE UM, STAFF, UM, BUT THEY'LL ACTUALLY BID THAT OUT IN THE MORNING OF WE'LL RECEIVE BIDS, UH, SUMMARIZE THE BIDS AND PRESENT 'EM TO STAFF. SO IT'S, IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS TO THE INVESTORS WHO PURCHASE THESE DONE IN A VERY EFFICIENT MANNER. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. ONE MOMENT. UH, SET IT FOR TAKE IT. THERE YOU GO. THIS MOTION PASSES. SIX ONE. THANK YOU COUNSEL. UM, MS. THOMAS, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU, MR. SABONI. NEXT, WE HAVE CONSIDER [3. Conder authorizing the Economic Development Director to negotiate and execute an economic development incentive facade improvement grant with ALPA Insurance Agencies, LLP located at 900 N Hampton Road in an amount not-to-exceed $16,000 as approved by the DeSoto Development Corporation Board at their August 24, 2024 meeting] AUTHORIZING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT WITH ALPHA INSURANCE AGENCIES LLP LOCATED AT 900 NORTH HAMPTON ROAD IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $16,000 AS APPROVED BY THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD AT THEIR AUGUST 24TH, 2024 MEET 2023 MEETING. GOOD EVENING, MR. CARLSON. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WINDING THIS DOWN. UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER, UH, AUTHORIZING ME TO ENTER INTO A NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE AGREEMENT WITH ALPA INSURANCE LOCATED AT 900 NORTH HAMPTON ROAD IN THE AMOUNT, NOT MR, THIS IS THE INCORRECT PRESENTATION. WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE . GIVE US A SECOND. WE'LL GET THE RIGHT PRESENTATION LOADED. HAVE A PRESENTATION. SHOULD BE, SHOULD HAVE PICTURES. IF NOT, YOUR PACKET PROBABLY HAS THE PICTURES ATTACHED AS WELL AS EXHIBIT A AND B. NO, MR. CARLSON ARE YOU, UM, CAN YOU CONTINUE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, WE CAN KIND OF GET INTO YOUR MANAGEMENT REPORT AND I SURE CAN. THANK YOU. AND LIKE I SAID, ATTACHED TO YOUR REPORT IS THE ACTUAL PHOTOS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN, THAT WERE PART OF THAT AS WELL. SO WE, I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE [04:40:01] ANY GAP IN INFORMATION THERE. UH, THE BUILDING IS LOCATED AT 900 900 NORTHAMPTON ROAD. UM, IT'S THE CORNER OF PLEASANT RUN AND NORTH HAMPTON. THAT'S A YELLOW AND PURPLE BUILDING. USED TO BE THE T-MOBILE SITE. UH, IT USED TO BE TAN AND PINK, NOW IT'S PURPLE AND YELLOW. UH, IN JULY OF 2023, ALPA INSURANCE ENTERED INTO A LONG-TERM, UH, UH, LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE BUILDING OWNER. UH, AND THEY BEGAN MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING, A NEW ROOF MEMBRANE, EXTERIOR PAINTING, INTERIOR FINISHES, ET CETERA. AND WHILE THE EXTERIOR PAINTING OF THE BUILDING DID NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT OR APPROVAL FROM THE CITY OF DESOTO, IT DID COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT DID REQUIRE, UH, PERMITS, SPECIFICALLY ROOFING AND SIGNAGE, UM, HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED PROPERLY. UH, AND SO WE WORKED THROUGH, UH, OUR BUILDING INSPECTIONS FOLKS TO OFFER A STOP TO ISSUE, A STOP ORDER, UM, AND WORK COOPERATIVELY, THEN WITH THE LESSEE TO GET TO, UH, UH, AN AMICABLE CONCLUSION, IF YOU WILL. AND WE PROPOSE MUTUALLY AGREEABLE TERMS TO RESOLVE THE BUILDING AND SIGNAGE PERMITTING ISSUES, UH, TO IDENTIFY STEPS TO COMPLETE A PERMANENT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AND OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FACILITATE CHANGES TO THE EXTERIOR FINISHES, UH, THAT WOULD DEMONSTRATE A, A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE TENANTS AIMED AT MAKING A FAVORABLE FIRST IMPRESSION TO OUR CITIZENS HERE IN DESOTO. UM, THOSE PROPOSALS INCLUDED REALLY FOUR ITEMS, COLOR CHANGES TO THE BUILDING, IMPROVED SIGNAGE TYPES, LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS, AND A RELOCATION OF THE EXISTING SIGNAGE AT THE CORNER TO A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE THAT IS IN, THAT'S IN, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT CODE. 'CAUSE WHAT'S THERE IS NOT, UH, CODE COMPLIANT, UH, AT A, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. UM, LAST MONTH, AUGUST 24TH, THE BOARD REVIEWED THAT, UH, THAT PROPOSAL AND AUTHORIZED ME TO ENTER INTO THOSE NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO SEE EXCEED $16,000. WE HAVE QUOTES ATTACHED FOR THE PAINTING THAT WILL CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE BUILDING FOR THE SIGNAGE THAT WILL BRING IT INTO A MORE, UH, COMPLIANT FASHION THAN, UH, WHAT WAS PROPOSED. WHAT'S ALLOWED WITHIN THE CODE AND, AND WHAT IS, UH, COMMONLY SEEN IN, IN, IN AREAS NOW ARE, ARE DIFFERENT. SO WE PROPOSED CHANNEL SIGNAGE THERE. UM, AND THEN, UH, THIS ALSO ALLOWS US TO INSTALL LANDSCAPING, UM, AS WE SEE FIT AS THE CITY SEES FIT, UH, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T INCREASE THEIR OVERALL OPERATING COSTS, UH, IN THEIR LEASE AGREEMENT. AND IT ALSO AGREES THEN THAT WHILE THEY'LL CONTINUE TO USE THE SIGN THAT THEY HAVE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE FINISH THE DESIGN FOR HAMPTON ROAD, ONCE WE BEGIN THAT CONSTRUCTION, THAT SIGN WILL COME DOWN. THEY'LL PUT UP A MONUMENT SIGN THAT IS THEN CODE COMPLIANT. SO IT'LL BE A, ESSENTIALLY A, A NON-COMPLIANT LEGAL USE FOR THE TIME BEING IMPACT $16,000. UM, THE FUNDS WILL COME FROM THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS A FACADE IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT, UH, AND THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE ME TO ENTER INTO THAT AGREEMENT. ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. BUT IF YOU FLIP BACK FOUR PAGES, UH, YOU GET TO THE EXHIBITS THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S IN AGREEMENT ITSELF, AND IT SHOWS YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE TODAY AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH A PURPLE BAND AROUND THE TOP. A WHITE BODY, A PURPLE BAND AROUND THE BOTTOM, UH, AND A LOVELY ALPACA. THE SIGNAGE, THE SIGNAGE WILL BE IN KEEPING, UH, WITH, UH, WITH THE SIGN ORDINANCES IN TERMS OF OVERALL SIZE. BUT RATHER THAN BEING A BANNER ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IT'LL BE CHANNEL LETTERING BACK LIT, UM, AND, AND MORE IN KEEPING WITH WHAT YOU'D SEE AT ANY ONE OF OUR INLINE STORES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MR. CARLSON. UH, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. GO AHEAD. MAYOR. MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE YOU A SECOND. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARK SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. COUNSELOR, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I HAVE? CAN YOU PLAY A TIME AROUND MR. FAGER, PLEASE? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SURE. HOW YOU DOING? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, . YOU CAN DO IT, . OKAY. SO I GUESS, AND FROM MY NEWNESS, I JUST WANT TO ASK, HOW DID THIS GET TO THE COUNCIL? I MEAN, HOW DID IT GET TO THE AGENDA? I MEAN, IT WENT THROUGH, WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION AT THE WORK SESSIONS OR ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS, IS TO GET THIS ONTO THE AGENDA. AND, UM, HOW DID THE CONVERSATION START WITH THIS PARTICULAR, UM, VENDOR? UH, IF YOU LOOK AT HAMPTON ROAD, [04:45:02] UM, GO ONE TICK DOWN AND YOU GOT ANOTHER BUILDING THAT'S YELLOW, RED. HAVE WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT THE SAME SITUATION? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CHANGE THIS BUILDING AND YOU JUST KEEP GOING. JUST A FEW, MAYBE NOT EVEN A, A A HALF MILE. IT'S NOT EVEN, I MEAN, LITERALLY ONE TICK AND IT'S A RED AND YELLOW BUILDING. AND THEN, UM, I JUST, I, I MEAN, I SIMPLY WANNA KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS. HOW DID IT GET HERE? SO, FAIRLY, FAIRLY SIMPLE. UM, ANY FACADE GRANT IMPROVEMENT, UM, IS AN APPLICATION TO THE, THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. UM, WE REVIEW THAT FACADE GRANT AGREEMENT OR THAT THAT REQUEST, UM, EVALUATE THE BIDS THAT COME WITH THAT, AND THEN TAKE IT TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR DECISION. WE DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION AT THE STAFF LEVEL. THAT'S UP TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. UM, WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO 'EM, BUT JUST LIKE HERE, THEY CAN APPROVE OR DENY, UM, THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THAT. THEN WE COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEY AFFIRM OR DENY THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION. SO IN THIS CASE, UM, THIS BUILDING WAS TRANSPIRING, UH, THE CITY MANAGER CAME TO VISIT AND SAID, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD ENGAGE THE PROPERTY OWNER, AND IN THIS CASE, THE LESSEE IN A CONVERSATION THAT, UM, MIGHT CHANGE THAT COLOR. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE BEGAN THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM, UH, ASKED THEM TO COME TO THE TABLE AND LISTEN TO US, UH, AND HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION. THEY TOOK AWAY THOSE SAME IDEAS, WENT BACK TO THEIR MANAGEMENT TEAM, AND THEN CAME FORWARD WITH THE WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS AGREEMENT NOW. OKAY. THAT KIND OF TOOK UP SOME OF MY TIME. TOOK UP MY TIME, BUT IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN HAS THE CONVERSATION BEEN HAD WITH THE RED AND YELLOW BUILDING? I CAN ADDRESS THAT QUESTION. UM, IT, I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE AUTOMAX. THAT BUILDING HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER A DECADE, ALMOST AT THIS POINT. SO, NO, THE CONVERSATION WAS NOT HAD, UM, WITH THEM ABOUT THE COLOR CHANGE AND, AND CITY ATTORNEY GRAFFITI. I THINK YOU CAN MAYBE INTERJECT WHEN IT'S A, WHEN IT COMES TO THE COLORS OF THE, OF THE BUILDING, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY INTERJECT, PER SE, BE IF IT'S THEIR NATIONAL BRAND COLORS. THOSE ARE NOT THINGS NECESSARILY THAT WE CAN CONTROL ALL THE TIME. THIS JUST HAPPENED TO KIND OF BE THE RIGHT INTERSECTION, THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THIS JUNCTURE IN THEM GETTING THE BUILDING THERE. HOWEVER, THAT AUTOMAX HAS BEEN THERE FOR, LIKE I SAID, ALMOST A DECADE AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I WAS ON COUNCIL, AND I CAN REMEMBER WHEN IT CAME AND THERE, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ABOUT THE PAINT COLOR. SO IT'S BEEN THERE A WHILE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE OPPORTUNITY PROBABLY HAS PASSED FOR THAT. BUT IN, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THERE'S REALLY NO, THERE'S REALLY NO, NO LEVERAGE FOR US TO HAVE THERE WITH THOSE BEING THEIR NATIONAL BRAND COLORS. IT JUST, AT THIS POINT, IT WAS MORE SO JUST IN THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND THEM WILLING AND WANTING TO BE A GOOD PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE A GOOD PARTNER. SO IS THERE A CHARACTER CODE IN PLACE ALREADY? NO, WE DO NOT HAVE A, WE DO NOT HAVE A COLOR PAL, IF YOU WILL, UM, IN PLACE FOR THIS PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OR FOR THE CITY FOR THAT MATTER. AND I THINK WE'VE HAD THE DISCUSSION BEFORE ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND LOOKING AT, AT LEAST FOR PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS, HAMPTON ROAD DEVELOPMENT OF HAVING THAT COLOR PALETTE IN THERE AND MOST COLOR PALETTES AND IN THE ORDINANCE, I THINK THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING FOR HAMPTON ROAD, WHICH WILL HAVE THE COLOR PALETTE. THE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THERE ARE GONNA ALWAYS BE EXEMPTIONS IN THERE FOR, UM, THE BRANDS, FOR INDIVIDUAL BRANDS. UM, SO THERE WILL BE SOME TYPE OF EXCEPTIONS. SO WHAT KEEPS ANOTHER BUSINESS FROM COMING AND DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING AND GETTING THAT $16,000 TO CHANGE THE FACADE. RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE. IF A BUILDING WANTED TO COME AND BE, YOU KNOW, GREEN AND YELLOW, THERE'S NOTHING IN PLACE THAT WOULD STOP THAT TODAY UNLESS THEY CAME TO THE CITY. WELL, I'M NOT SAYING THE LEFT. THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME TO THE CITY AND ASK FOR A FACADE GRANT AND GET, YOU KNOW, IF FACADE GRANT IS A, IS A CONTRACT. SO WITHIN THAT CONTRACT, WE'RE ABLE TO USE THAT CONTRACT TO SAY, OKAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE X DOLLARS IF YOU DO X, Y, AND Z, WHICH IS, DON'T PAINT IT GREEN AND YELLOW, PAINT IT, YOU KNOW, TAN AND WHITE. SO THAT'S WHAT THE, WHAT THE CONTRACT WAS USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, FOR THE, THE, SO GRANT PURPOSE AND THE SIGNAGE INCENTIVE AGREEMENT REALLY IS JUST A CONTRACT AGREEMENT, AND WE'RE EACH PARTY AGREES TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. OKAY. I'M JUST, THE REASON I'M ASKING THE QUESTION, JUST SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND, IS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PROCESS, I MEAN, OR I'M TALKING ABOUT PROCESS. MM-HMM. , I JUST FEEL LIKE WE ARE GOING, WE'RE KIND OF MADAM MAYOR, THAT'S POINT OF ORDER AHEAD OF IT. POINT OF ORDER. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BY, DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE, UH, DDC FOR BEING, UH, RESPONSIVE TO THE OUTPOUR OF CONCERNS FROM THE CITIZENS THAT IS A HARD CORNER THAT WILL INITIATE [04:50:01] THE CHARACTER CODE OF DESOTO. UH, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A CHARACTER CODE, I, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE. MY TIME'S NOT UP, BUT I WON'T TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME. I, WE, EVEN THOUGH WE NEED A CHARACTER CODE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT THINGS LIKE THAT CANNOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. BUT THE PROACTIVENESS OF THE DDC AND MATT AND HIS TEAM TO GET THEM TO VOLUNTEER TO CHANGE THE COLOR, SHOULD ACTUALLY BE, UH, CELEBRATED, UH, BY, BY, BY THE CITY AND BY THE COUNCIL TO GET THEM TO TONE DOWN THEIR COLORS AND TO, UM, UH, TO DO THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO GO ON RECORD BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROACTIVENESS AND, AND EVERYONE WHO WAS ON YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU. LETTER MAYOR. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. RAPHAEL. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS AND FOR SURE. I, I DID SEE THE OUTCRY RELATED TO THE COLORS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. UM, BUT I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WE, MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE HAVE SOMETHING PEN TO PAPER, YOU KNOW, UM, SOMETHING ESTABLISHED, MEMORIALIZED, UH, WHAT WHAT IS OUR PROCESS? WILL WE HAVE A PROCESS IN TERMS OF IF SOMEBODY ELSE COMES NEW AND THEY'RE COMING DOWN THE STREET IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT, ARE WE ENGAGING OUR NEW, UH, BUSINESS RESIDENTS AS THEY COME INTO OUR CITY? YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY GET THAT CO LIKE, ARE THERE ANY TRIGGERS TO LET US KNOW THAT SOMEONE'S NEW IS COMING ON BOARD AND THEY'LL BE, YOU KNOW, JOINING US AND POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST TO GET THAT CONVERSATION STARTED. THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION. SO I THINK YOU, I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS, IS ARE WE PROACTIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH NEW BUSINESSES WHEN WE KNOW ABOUT THEM? THE ANSWER IS YES. MM-HMM, , ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER IT'S, IT TYPICALLY ISN'T TALKING ABOUT THEIR COLORS, UM, BUT IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE SERVICES, THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS, THE WAYS WE CAN ASSIST. UM, WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE CONVERSATIONS PROACTIVELY. OKAY. AND DO WE, DO WE COMMUNICATE OUR VALUES IN TERMS OF APPEARANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL? OR IS IT YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE CHARACTER CODE OR, OR, YEAH. CHARACTER CODE TO COME OUT BEFORE WE PROACTIVELY SHARE THAT INFORMATION? UM, IF, IF THOSE VALUES ARE CODIFIED, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES. MM-HMM. , TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, WE DO NOT HAVE CODIFIED VALUES THAT ESTABLISH THE CHARACTER. YEAH. THE COLOR. WE, WE DON'T, WHEN SOMEONE GOES FOR A PERMIT, WE CANNOT, CANNOT DENY A PERMIT BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE, WE DON'T LIKE THE COLORS. NO. THE QUESTION IS NOT ABOUT DENYING IT, BUT IS IF WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP, WE CAN ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH THEM. BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, THEY SPENT MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND MM-HMM. SPEND MONEY ON PAINTING AND TWO WEEKS LATER WE'RE GIVING THEM MONEY TO PAINT AGAIN. AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET PAST THAT POINT. THANK YOU. YOU BET. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE IS A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD. I APOLOGIZE. ANNA WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING. MS. WILLIAMS. UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. CITY OF RESIDENCE RECORD. HAVE THREE TEXAS TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. UM, I GUESS THE NEXT THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS, UM, PUT A BIG BARNEY. I HATED BARNEY WHEN MY GRANDKIDS WERE GROWING UP. THE OLDER ONES PUT A BIG BARNEY UPSIDE, THE PURPLE AND, UH, BUILDING. AND THEN LET'S GO OVER ON 35 TO BECKLEY AND PUT A BIG RED BOTTLE OVER THERE. NO, THERE SHOULD BE A CHARACTER CODE IN DESOTA. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAMPTON ROAD REBUILDING THAT, AND WE ARE PUTTING, TRASHING IT OUT, MAKING IT LOOK. I MEAN, I GO TO, MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS IN A SOCCER LEAGUE, AND I GO UP TO FRISCO. THAT'S WHERE WE GO, MELISSA MCKINNEY, ALL OF THOSE. AND YOU HAVE CHARACTER CODE. MY DAD OWNED A HOUSE IN MELISSA FOR 60 YEARS AND EVERY FIVE MINUTES, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAD THE CITIZENS OF CHARACTER CODE, UH, WHO HAD BEEN THERE, UH, AND THEY WANTED THINGS CHANGED. SO WE HAD TO DO IT. THAT'S A HOUSE. AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDINGS THAT WE PUT UP. ANYBODY CAN COME IN AND DO ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO WITH DE WITH THE SODA, AND THEN WE PAY THEM TO REPAINT THEIR BUILDING. PAY ME TO REPAINT MY HOUSE. I WANT IT REPAINTED. SO YOU PAY IT BECAUSE I'M A TAXPAYER, BUT YOU DO EVERYTHING AND LET PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH THIS. AND I'M SICK OF IT. I THINK HALF OF THE SODA IS SICK OF IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. IS THERE AN ORDINANCE TO BE READ? OKAY. AT THIS TIME WE WILL USE OUR VOTING PADS. CAN WE VOTE THAT UP? THERE'S POINT OF INFORMATION. SURE. UH, WHAT'S THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE AS PRESENT [04:55:01] TO APPROVE VICE PRESENT. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THAT MOTION PASSES. SIX ONE. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT, [4. Consider authorizing the Economic Development Director to negotiate and execute a workforce development grant with the DeSoto Independent School District to establish an ESports Club Program at DeSoto High School as approved by the the DeSoto Development Corporation Board at their August 24, 2023 meeting] WE HAVE CONSIDERED AUTHORIZING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT WITH THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ESTABLISH AN ESPORTS CLUB PROGRAM AT DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL, AS APPROVED BY THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD AT THEIR AUGUST 24TH, 2023 MEETING. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MATT CARLSON, EDC DIRECTOR. NICE LITTLE AUDIBLE. IT WILL BE ANTOINE THIS EVENING. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. GOOD MORNING. TO MY FOLKS ON THE EAST COAST. UM, WE ARE HERE. WE ARE HERE. WE'RE JUST, UH, NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT. UH, JUST WANT TO GO OVER THIS ESPORTS PROPOSAL, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT IN POSITION FOR THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM AND, UH, GRANT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20 22 23 SCHOOL YEAR, UH, DESOTO AS THE SUPERINTENDENT, UH, AS THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING FUTURE, FUTURE-FOCUSED CAREER AREAS TO ASSIST IN BRINGING, UH, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES TO DESOTA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ENGAGING INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. UM, STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, FOUR SPECIFIC AREAS TO BROADEN THE EFFORTS ALREADY UNDERWAY WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, THESE AREAS INCLUDE ESPORTS, CONSTRUCTION, TRADES, AVIATION, AVIONICS, AND BIOLIFE SCIENCES. UH, TONIGHT WE WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND HOW WE WANT TO GET THIS IMPLEMENTED HERE AT THE ISD. A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON ESPORTS AS A WHOLE. IT'S NOT JUST GAMING. UM, ESPORTS REALLY PROVIDES A LOT OF MANY, MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND LEARNING, UH, SUCH AS THE CREATION AND PRACTICE OF SOFT SKILLS, INCLUDING COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, CRITICAL THINKING, AND CREATIVITY. MEANING THE SAME SKILLS THAT A LOT OF EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR PRESENT DAY. UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION, THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IS VIA GAMIFICATION, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IN, UH, ESPORTS ENABLES STUDENTS TO PRACTICE AND DEVELOP THESE STEM SKILLS. UH, 700 UNIVERSITIES NOW OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS AND THIS EMERGING FIELD OF STUDY, UH, THE KEY PIECE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOW WE, YOU KNOW, WHY WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY IS THAT IT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF DESOTO AND REALLY THE SURROUNDING AREAS, UH, KNOWING THAT ESPORTS GAMING IS THE UMBRELLA, UH, KIND OF COMPONENT. HOWEVER, THE SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR ESPORTS, TAP INTO ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION, AVIATION, MEDIA AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. UH, VERY KEY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREAS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE DEVELOPED HERE IN DESOTO. SO PART OF OUR ESPORTS PROPOSAL, UM, IS REALLY TO FUND THE CREATION OF THIS ESPORTS CLUB, THIS PROGRAM HERE AT DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE 2324 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. UM, INITIAL INVESTMENT CRAFTED TO SUPPORT A BROADER THREE YEAR RAMP UP OF THIS EFFORT OF, OF THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. AND, UH, ULTIMATELY BUILD THE CO COURSEWORK AND CURRICULUM AROUND THE PROGRAM. AND THANKFULLY, WE ALREADY HAVE A NUMBER OF INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING TO BE A PART OF IT, AS MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WITH SOME OF THOSE INDUSTRY PARTNERS. SO TO THE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF IT, UH, ESPORTS PROPOSAL, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND APPROVAL, ACTUALLY, UH, TONIGHT IS THE INITIAL WORKFORCE GRANT IN TOTAL OF 20,000, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE STIPEND FOR THE COACH, THE EDUCATOR THERE AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, COMPUTERS AND EQUIPMENT SUPPORT MATERIALS, FURNITURE AND FACILITIES OFFER THAT $20,000, UH, AMOUNT. UH, LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITIES WITH, UH, ESOURCE PROPOSAL WITH THE SCHOOL DIS DISTRICT, UH, CTE CURRICULUM PATHWAYS, P-TECH CROSSOVERS WITH DALLAS COLLEGE NUMBER. GREAT CONVERSATIONS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. AND THEN ALSO INDUSTRY TRAINING AND IMMERSION, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS AS THEY, UH, GRADUATE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL. UH, ULTIMATELY STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT COUNCIL, THE AFFIRM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S COMMITMENT TO FUTURE FOCUSED, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SO DO SD AND APPROVE THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT AS PRESENTED THIS EVENING. I ALSO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT JOINING US TONIGHT, ALSO HAVE OUR BOARD PRESIDENT AND TREASURER JOINING US AS WELL. I WOULD LOVE TO OPEN THE FLOOR AND MIC TO THEM AS WELL, IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO SPEAK HIGHLY ON THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, DR. ROGERS, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST ADD A FEW COMMENTS FOR US, WE'LL GET ON OUTTA HERE. WELL, THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, DR. ROGERS. THANK YOU. YOU GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PROCTOR AND COUNCIL. WELL, FIRST I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT. UM, THROUGH MANY CONVERSATIONS. WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH MATT AND THE TEAM ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE WITHIN OUR REGION. AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO ACTUALLY BRING SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS TO [05:00:01] LIFE IN ACTION. UM, ESPORTS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE GAMING, BUT ACTUALLY GAMIFICATION IN THE METAVERSE AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE EMERGING FIELDS, AND IT IS THE NEXT WAVE OF EMPLOYMENT. AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BEGIN TO RAMP UP TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WHO GRADUATE FROM DESOTO ISD, ARE PREPARED FOR ACTUALLY 22ND CENTURY JOBS. WE TALK ABOUT 21ST CENTURY SKILLS, BUT, UM, ACTUALLY WE'VE MOVED PAST THAT. AND SO, UM, GAMIFICATION, UM, IS THE NEXT WAVE IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY. AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING INDUSTRY PARTNER RIGHT HERE IN OUR AREA. UM, WE ARE NOT FULLY READY TO MOVE INTO A FULL FLEDGED CURRICULUM, BUT WE THINK THAT THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO ONE, EXPOSE BOTH OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO THIS EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND FOR US TO REALLY TAKE THE TIME AND THANK YOU TO, TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, COUNCIL, BECAUSE THERE WERE PRETTY, UM, DEEP AND PROBING QUESTIONS. SO, UH, THEY DID NOT LET THE TEAM OFF LIGHTLY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE GOALS FOR DEVELOPMENT. AND JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BEING THE FIRST OF MANY, UM, CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS. THANK YOU, DR. ROGERS. WE APPRECIATE YES. THANK YOU, DR. ROGERS, DR. BALL, OR MS. BALL, YOU HAVE ANYTHING? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, THAT, UH, I'LL LEAVE THAT, UM, PRESENTATION DONE. IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN DISCUSS THOSE. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, DR. ROGERS. UM, AND THANK YOU TO OUR DDC CORPORATION, UM, JUST FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR ISD. UM, WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, THINGS THAT ARE TO COME. SO AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, WHAT I WILL ASK FOR IS A MOTION, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION IF NECESSARY. MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR. MARK, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, WE'LL USE OUR VOTING PADS. GOT IT. MAYOR, I, IS IT TOO LATE TO ASK A QUESTION? SORT OF, YES. OKAY. YOU WENT SO FAST. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT MOTION PASSES. UNANIM UNANIM. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. CONGRATULATIONS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PARTNERSHIP. UH, AT THIS TIME, MS. UH, CITY SECRETARY WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THE NEXT AND FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AMEN. . UM, [5. Consider a Resolution updating the City Council's Rules & Procedures Manual regarding Council Member requests to place items on Work Session Agendas] WE HAVE CONSIDERED A RESOLUTION UPDATING THE CITY COUNCIL'S RULES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL REGARDING COUNCIL MEMBER REQUEST TO PLACE ITEMS ON WORK SESSION AGENDAS. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS CHRISTOPHE BAUER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. PRESENTATION IS PRETTY COMPLEX. I'VE GOT ABOUT 400 SLIDES, SO IF YOU GUYS WOULD BUCKLE UP. UH, WE'VE GOT, ALL WE HAVE ON THE PRESENTATION, WHICH I'M SURE THAT TOM IS WORKING ON BRINGING UP, IS THE LANGUAGE THAT'S PROPOSED, WHICH YOU ALREADY HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. I WILL JUST COMMENT BRIEFLY THAT THIS PROCESS, AS WE'VE PROPOSED, IS PRETTY STANDARD. UM, THE FOUR OR FIVE COMMUNITIES I'VE WORKED WITH BEFORE, THIS IS A FAIRLY STANDARD PROCESS. UM, EVERY MOTION REQUIRES A SECOND. SIMILAR TO THAT. THIS, UH, LANGUAGE JUST SIMPLY REQUIRE THAT IF, IF COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO BRING AN ITEM FORWARD, THEY GET A SECOND AND THEN BRING IT FORWARD. AND THE COUNCIL PROVIDES A DIRECTION FROM THAT POINT FORWARD. TOM, DID YOU FIND THAT YET? I PUT AN H ONE. WE'RE GONNA GIVE TOM ANOTHER SET OF GLASSES. , IT'S LATE. IT'S THE TIME I'M GETTING DYSLEXIC. . SO THIS IS THE LANGUAGE THAT'S CHANGED, UM, CROSS THROUGH, AND THEN THIS IS THE PROPOSED FINAL LANGUAGE. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO MY BEST TO ANSWER 'EM. THAT'S IT. THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PRESENTATION. THAT'S IT. OKAY. FASTEST PRESENTATION OF THE NIGHT AT RECORD TIME. DO MY BEST, UH, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME COUNSEL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION BEFORE WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION AND A VOTE. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BYRD. THAT SECOND WAS FROM MAYOR TM. HUGS. COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE, WE WILL VOTE. PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. THAT MOTION PASSES. FIVE TWO. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME, UH, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE ITEMS ON [05:05:01] OUR AGENDA. SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. THAT WAS MAYOR PROTE HUGHES. AND COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, UH, FOR THE SECOND, UH, COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. AYE THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. UH, IT IS 11:08 PM COUNSEL, WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY. GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.