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READY? WE ARE.[A. REGULAR SESSION]
OKAY.BEFORE BEING PRESENT, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE
UH, CAN WE HAVE IMPLICATIONS, SIR? LORD, THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GATHER, GIVE US GUIDANCE, GIVE US STRENGTH, CONTINUE TO GIVE US OUR PURPOSE, DIRECT OUR PATH.
GO FURTHER DOWN ON OUR, ON OUR, UH, ON OUR, OUR REGULAR FIRST, MR. DO THE STEPS.
[B.1. July 2023 Financial Status Report -- Tracy Cormier, Director of Budget/Finance]
THIS TIME, UH, TRACY WILL HAVE FINANCIAL REVIEW.SIR, IF YOU CAN, UM, TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FINANCIAL REPORT.
UM, AS FAR AS REVENUES, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TREND AS EXPECTED, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH SALES TAX.
UH, WE ARE PRETTY MUCH 21%, UM, DOWN FROM LAST YEAR'S.
UM, SALES TAX AMOUNTS OVERALL, WE'VE, UM, AT 2.8 MILLION OF OUR 3.8 MILLION BUDGET, WHICH PUTS US AT 74% OF OUR, UH, FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE AT 79% OF OUR BUDGET, UM, EXPENDITURES.
OF COURSE, IF YOU LOOK AT OVERALL, WE ARE WAY DOWN.
COMPARED TO BUDGET, WE ONLY HAD 26.3% FOR THE YEAR.
UM, NOTHING OUTSTANDING FOR THE MONTH.
UM, JUST NORMAL PAYROLL AND OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE AT 52.7% OF THE BUDGET.
UM, THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IT, AND I CAN ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT'S THE DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE IN THE, WHICH ONE? THE REVENUE? YEAH.
AND IT EXPENDITURES BECAUSE OF THE, UM, WELL, USUALLY, I MEAN, MATH PROBABLY CAN MAYBE ENLIGHTEN ON THAT, BUT I MEAN, WE BUDGET, LIKE, SAY, UM, HE BALANCE HIS BUDGET WITH GRANTS.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BULK OF IT IS 2 MILLION IN GRANTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND OVER THIS YEAR.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES AND GOES.
AND THAT'S BASED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS BOARD APPROVES, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BY GRANTS.
YEAH, THERE, THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF OUR, OF OUR, I I, I HATE THE LINE ITEM BEING CALLED BUSINESS GRANTS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE BUSINESS INCENTIVES.
UM, THEY'RE INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS IN MANY CASES, AND THEY'RE LONG TERM INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS.
THE, THE REAL, THE REAL, UH, ISSUE HERE BECOMES TIMING.
UM, A FAIR NUMBER OF THESE PAY OUT IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER, UM, OF EACH YEAR.
AND SO, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, I THINK CLASS FLOSS IS THERE.
I THINK THAT'S WHEN ALLIED CABINET IS THERE.
WHEN THOSE COME, THIS WILL CHANGE.
UM, BUT GENERALLY OF ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR TOTAL LINE ITEM FOR INCENTIVES IS COMMITTED.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING IN ANY GIVEN POINT, IN ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME, OR EVEN WHETHER THAT'LL BE A CURRENT EXPENSE OR WHETHER THAT'LL BE A LONG TERM EXPENSE.
SO FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, OUR, UH, OUR FUND BALANCE, IT, THOSE UNCOMMITTED FUNDS, IF THEY DON'T GET SPENT, THEY GO INTO OUR FUND BALANCE AND OUR FUND BALANCE GROW.
UM, AND, AND THAT HAS, THAT HAS HAPPENED, ALTHOUGH THIS YEAR, I, I EXPECT THERE WON'T BE SUFFICIENT, UH, LEFTOVER.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR SALARIES HAVE GROWN AS WE BATTED THE TEAM, UM, FROM, FROM WHERE IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO OR TWO YEARS AGO.
BUT, BUT TO TRACY'S POINT, THE, THE BUSINESS, THE THE BUSINESS INTENDED LINE ITEM, UH, IS, IS APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT, AND YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE, IS THE ADVERTISING LINE ITEM.
THE PROMOTIONS LINE ITEM, THE STATE STATUTE ALLOWS US TO SPEND UP TO 10% OF OUR BUDGET EACH YEAR ON THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM.
AND SO WE, WE TAKE THE LIBERTY OF BUDGETING 10%, WHETHER OR WE SPEND IT OR NOT.
WE TAKE THE TOTAL REVENUE, ESTIMATED REVENUE, AND WE BUDGET THAT AMOUNT.
THAT AMOUNT IS ALLOWED TO ACCUMULATE OVER THE YEARS, UM, AND FALLS INTO OUR FUND OUT.
BUT IF WE CHOOSE TO MAKE A LARGE EXPENDITURE ON THAT PROMOTION OR, OR ADVERTISING EVENT OR A SERIES OF EVENTS, WE HAVE NOT ONLY THIS YEAR'S, THIS YEAR'S, UM, BUDGETED DOLLARS, BUT THOSE THAT WERE NOT SPENT IN PRIOR YEARS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NU WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOKS LIKE.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY NEED TO DO TO GO BACK AND DO AND TO ILLUMINATE ON WHAT THAT AMOUNTS TO.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT MAY CHANGE HOW WE
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WANT TO BUDGET THAT GOING FORWARD.BUT THAT GIVES US A FAIR AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY.
UM, THAT'S TYPICALLY WHERE OUR, UH, FACADE GRANT IMPROVEMENTS, UM, COME, COME FROM IS PART OF THAT LINE ITEM AS WELL.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME FAIRLY LARGE, UM, INCENTIVES OUT OF, OF, UH, OF THAT LINE ITEM, UH, THE TOWNSEND SQUARE, WHICH IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, WE'VE CONSIDERED SOME OTHER ONES THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD TO, TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT WERE SIMILARLY SIZED, AND WE'RE CONSIDERING ONE TONIGHT.
IF I'M, IF I'M REMEMBERING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'LL, WE'LL READ THROUGH IT HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
SO, UM, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE KEEP THOSE THERE.
UM, SO THOSE, THOSE LIGHT ITEMS DON'T GET SPENT.
THE OTHER ONES, IF YOU LOOK, I MEAN, WE'RE KIND OF IN LINE WITH WHERE WE WOULD ANTICIPATE BEING AT 75% OF THE YEAR.
WE HAVE ABOUT 75% OF OUR EXPENSES, UM, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS.
AND SOME OF THOSE ARE A QUESTION OF HOW THEY'VE BEEN CODED IN THE PAST AND THOSE, SOME, SOME THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO CORRECT.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE CORRECTIONS AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AS WE START INTO OCTOBER AND WHEN WE START GIVING YOU ADDITIONAL REPORTS, BREAKING THESE LINE ITEMS DOWN FURTHER.
THANK YOU, MR. UH, TO MOVE FORWARD.
[B.2. City Council Liaison update regarding City events, meetings, etc. -- Councilmember Andre‘ Byrd]
NEXT ITEM IS THE EXCUSE, THE NEW BUSINESS FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL LIAISON.UH, MR. UH, COUNCILMAN ANDRE, SENIOR
AND, UH, THANK YOU BOARD FOR, FOR, UH, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE INVITATION.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT TONIGHT.
AS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF INTEREST IN OUR CITY.
THINGS ARE STILL, UM, STILL JUMPING.
WE, UM, I PROBABLY THE MOST RECENT, UM, IF YOU WOULD, UM, DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN, UM, US PAUSING THE N FORM, DEVELOP, DEVELOP THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THE ARTIST LAB.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT INTO A REALLY, UM, UH, WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A, A WONDERFUL VENUE.
UM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMMUNITY, UH, AND BECAUSE OF THE AMPHITHEATER, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE ARTIST LAB IN THE ARTS AND, UH, PERFORMING ARTS AS WELL AS VISUAL ARTS AND ALL OF THESE OTHER ARTS, UM, UH, ARMS, I THINK THAT, THAT THAT PART WILL STILL GO FORWARD.
HOWEVER, UM, THAT MAN'S FORM THE USE OF MAN'S FORM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO REIMAGINE IT.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT IT WILL BE, UH, MORE CONDUCIVE TO WHAT THE SURROUNDING, UH, NEIGHBORS, UH, MIGHT, UH, BE PROUD OF.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT, UM, I BELIEVE LATER ON THIS MONTH, WE ARE HAVING A, WE, THERE IS A COMMISSION PIECE THAT WILL GO, UH, THAT WILL BE UNVEILED AT ERNEST ROBERTS PARK, WHICH IS PART OF ALL OF THAT ARTS.
UM, UH, VERY MUCH SIMILAR TO THE MURAL THAT'S ON THE SIDE OF CITY HALL.
AND SO NOW TO COMMEMORATE, I BELIEVE THIS PIECE IS TO COMMEMORATE, UM, A BLACK LIVES MATTER.
AND SO THAT IS GOING TO BE ON THE BAIL LATER ON.
SO THE ARTS COMMISSION IS STILL GOING FORWARD.
THE NANCE FORM, UM, MASTER PLAN, IF YOU WOULD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AND, UH, AND MAYBE TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT OR, OR MAYBE GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THE ZONING, UH, INFORMATION THAT WAS DENIED IN PNZ, AND THEN IT WAS APPEALED TO THE COUNCIL, UH, AND IT TAKES A SUPER MAJORITY UP TO COUNCIL TO OVERRIDE A, A DENIAL IN P AND Z.
AND THERE WAS ANOTHER CASE WHERE A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON THE CORNER OF NATURE GREEN AND WESTMORELAND, RIGHT ACROSS FROM LU FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET TO THE FOUR WE SIGN, UH, THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT A DEVELOPER, UH, UH, AGREED GOING TO COME AND DEVELOP.
IT IS GONNA BE, I'M GONNA SAY MAYBE 80 UNITS OF HOMES THAT WERE GOING TO GO IN THAT AREA.
THEY WERE GOING TO GATE IT, THEY WERE GOING TO, BUT, UM, BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING IT DOWN FROM, FROM A LOT SIZE OF LIKE 12,000 TO A LOT SIZE OF 8,000 IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE WERE NOT READY TO REALLY ACCEPT IT AT THAT POINT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS, UH, UH, THAT WAS DENIED IN P AND Z AND IT ALSO CAME TO US AND WAS DENIED.
SO AS WE WORKED THROUGH THE NOTES AND, AND REALLY WHAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY WANTED, WHAT COUNCIL IS ENVISIONED, AND THOSE THINGS ARE STILL HAPPENING, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUDGETS AND WE WILL START A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS TO
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WHERE, UM, TO, UH, TO GET YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR APPROVED BUDGETS.SO, UH, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE HAVE A KEY TO, SO BEAUTIFUL.
SO IF I STEP OUT, THAT'S WHERE I WILL BE.
BUT I'M OPENLY FOR ANY QUESTIONS, IF THERE ARE ANYTHING FOR ME.
SO, A FEW WEEKS AGO, A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, A COLLABORATION OF, OF, UH, VARIOUS DISCIPLINES COMING TOGETHER AND THE BOARD HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE.
DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT? UH, FROM A COLLABORATION STANDPOINT, YES, SIR.
BETWEEN THE EDC, I MEAN THE DD, THE, UM, DDC AND CITY COUNCIL, I THINK IN PZI THINK THAT'S, THAT'S BEING PLANNED FOR, FOR, UH, LATE OCTOBER OR EARLY NOVEMBER IS THE PLAN.
UH, UH, OBVIOUSLY STAFF, UH, NEED TO GET THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
UM, I, UH, AND THEN AFTER WE GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEN, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE NEXT DEAL, AND WE PASSED ON TO BRANDON, UH, ALL OF YOUR AGENDA ITEMS, AND WE WILL GO THROUGH OUR PILLARS AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR LATE OCTOBER OR EARLY NOVEMBER.
MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL BY, WE'LL MOVE ON.
[B.3. Conduct a public hearing concerning an Economic Development Incentive Agreement between DeSoto Development Corporation and Dilbeck Court, Ltd in an amount not to exceed $225,000.00 for interior and exterior façade improvements at 324 E. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, Texas]
NEW BUSINESS.UH, SO ON THE NEW BUSINESS, THE AGENDA IS, UH, NUMBER THREE IS CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN OTTO CORPORATION, THE BECK COURT, LTD, IN AN AMOUNT, NOT
SO IF YOU'LL LOOK, UH, TO TAB FOUR, UM, YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE AGREEMENT THERE.
UM, AND IF YOU TURN TO THE BACK HALF OF THAT, YOU'LL SEE THIS VERY COLORFUL, UH, DISPLAY.
UH, AND, AND THAT'LL GIVE YOU A, A PLACE FOR US TO TALK THROUGH, UM, WHAT'S BEING COMPOSED AS, AS PART OF THIS INCENTIVE AGREEMENT.
UM, THE SOTO MARKETPLACE, UH, I AM SURE ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, IT'S DOWN THERE ON, ON BELTLINE ROAD, UM, JUST ABOUT A HALF MILE.
IT'S A QUARTERS OF A MILE EAST OF, OF HAMPTON ROAD ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
FIVE YEARS AGO, THE CITY ENTERED INTO, UH, THE CITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH, WITH MONTY ANDERSON, WHO IS THE OWNER THERE.
AND THE
AND HE MANAGES, UM, TO CREATE, UH, AN INVENTOR SPACE OR A, A, AN INCUBATOR SPACE.
UM, AND, AND THEY DID SOME FINISH OUT IN THAT BUILDING, UM, SOME MINOR, MINOR WORK INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING TO, TO MAKE IT INTO THE SPACES THEY WANTED.
PRIMARILY THE, THE BIGGEST EXPENSE WAS CREATING SOME, UH, SOME SIX KITCHENS ACROSS THE FRONT OF THAT INSIDE, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE OUTSIDE SERVING WINDOWS.
UM, BUT THAT ACTUATED THAT INTO SOME, UM, SMALL SPACES FOR STARTUP RESTAURANTS TO, TO TRY OUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THEIR, THEIR FOOD, UH, AND ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC.
UM, THIS LAST YEAR, IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF NOW, UH, AS WE ENTERED INTO THE FIFTH YEAR OF THAT 10 YEAR AGREEMENT, THE MAYOR HAD ASKED FOR, UH, AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO BE FORMED OF, UM, SOME OF THEM WERE PRIOR BOARD MEMBERS FROM THIS BOARD AND, AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO EVALUATE AND, AND ASSESS WHERE WE WERE WITH THAT PROCESS, HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS BEING IN ACHIEVING ITS ORIGINAL GOALS AND, AND WHAT THE PLAN AND WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKED LIKE.
UM, WE HAD A NUMBER OF FOCUS GROUPS, UH, ENGAGING WITH NOT ONLY CURRENT, UH, VENDORS THAT WERE THERE, PRIOR, VENDORS THAT WERE THERE, CUSTOMERS BOTH NEW AND OLD.
UM, REALLY, REALLY TOOK A, A DEEP DIVE, UM, IN, IN SOME FOCUS GROUPS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS WORKING, WHAT WASN'T, WHAT HAD WORKED AND, AND KIND OF WHAT PEOPLE SOUGHT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE, UH, WE HAD LONG CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OWNERSHIP, UH, MONTY AND OTHERS.
UH, WE CONVERSED WITH THE, THE FOLKS WHO WERE PROVIDING SERVICES THERE.
UH, MS. TOOMEY WITH THE INDUSTRY HUB PRIMARILY WAS, WAS SERVING AS CONSULTANT TO THE, THE VENDORS THERE.
AND, AND THAT COMMITTEE CAME FORWARD WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THAT, THAT, THAT REALLY SORT OF LEVERAGED
[00:15:01]
OFF A SUGGESTION FROM MR. ANDERSON, UM, IN THAT PROCESS.AND HE HAS TWO OF THESE ELSEWHERE IN DALLAS THAT HE HAS STOOD UP WITHOUT PUBLIC SUPPORT, UM, HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
ONE AT BECKLEY STATION, UM, AND ONE, OR, I'M SORRY, TYLER STATION.
TYLER STATION, AND THEN BECKLEY VILLAGE, UM, ARE THE TWO THAT HE HAS.
AND, UM, AND IN THIS PROCESS, HE SUGGESTED, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS MAY BE A GOOD TIME FOR US TO DIVERGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO WHAT WE'RE DOING ALREADY THERE AS WELL, OR BETTER IF IT, IF IT'S IN PRIVATE HANDS.
UM, THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED NOW, WE HAVE A MASTER LEASE, AND THAT MEANS LITERALLY EVERY LEASE AGREEMENT HAS TO COME TO ME TO BE REVIEWED AND, AND AGREED UPON.
UM, THERE WAS IDEALLY A SELECTION PROCESS, AND THAT WASN'T WORKING VERY WELL AND WAS VERY DISCONNECTED.
UM, LONG STORY SHORT, THE COMMITTEE ACCEPTED THAT AT OFFER AND, AND THE COUNCIL, UH, DIRECTED ME TO, UH, EXIT, EXIT THAT AGREEMENT.
UM, AND THEN LOOKED FOR A WAY TO, UM, DIVEST, IF YOU WILL, OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE.
UM, PART OF THAT PROCESS WAS MONTY TO ENVISION WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHAT, WHAT HE, WHAT HE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH IT GOING FORWARD.
WE FELT LIKE THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT, UM, THAT WOULD HELP IT TO STAND UP ON ITS OWN TWO LEGS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND, AND BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND THIS IS THE PRESENTATION OF, OF THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HE HAS.
HE HAS PROPOSED, UH, THE BUDGETS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.
UM, AND THEN WE WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE INCENTIVE, UH, AGREEMENT THAT'S, THAT'S PART AND PARCEL THEN TO MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
UM, IT'S, THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE FIRST STEP IN OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE IS ALSO, UH, FOR YOU TO, TO APPROVE A TERMINATION LETTER FOR THE AGREEMENT WITH THE BECK, UH, LIMITED, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, MS. TOOMEY AND, AND OUR CONTRACT WITH THE INDUSTRY HUB AS WE MOVE TO, TO SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT MANNER THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THIS BOARD, UM, WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WITH, UH, THE DALLAS ENTREPRENEUR CENTER.
SO IF WE CAN KIND OF WALK THROUGH THAT, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS A SERIES OF BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU'VE BEEN THERE.
UM, YOU'LL START TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND YOU THINK, BOY, IT DOESN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
NOW THAT WE'VE, WE REALLY WANTED TO CREATE, UM, AN OPEN FEELING, BUT GIVING, UH, GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL GATHERING SPACES, THINK WITH, YOU KNOW, SHARED WORKSPACE, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND, AND BEING ABLE TO, UH, EMPHASIZE SORT OF THE INTERACTION THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN THERE, UH, TO CREATE A MUCH MORE, UH, INVITING ENVIRONMENT, UM, THAN EXISTS TODAY.
THE COLORS, THE, THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF FIXTURES AND, AND FURNITURE, EVEN ALONG THE RESTAURANT FRONTS.
YOU KNOW, WHERE TODAY YOU SORT OF SEE INTO EVERY ONE OF THOSE RESTAURANTS AND YOU KIND OF SEE THE MISHMASH OF THE, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A RESTAURANT KITCHEN THAT STRUCK ME AS EXCEPTIONALLY ORGANIZED, UM, UNLESS IT WAS MAYBE ER ON TV.
UM, BUT, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS THAT'S A, THAT'S THE MESSY PART OF WHAT A RESTAURANT DOES.
UM, THOSE HAVE BEEN MOVED NOW BEHIND, UH, UH, KIND OF A CURTAIN, IF YOU WILL, UH, WITH SOME MUCH MORE COMMON SIGNAGE.
UM, THE LIGHTING HAS BEEN VASTLY IMPROVED IN OPENING UP THE CEILING TO PROVIDE NATURAL DAYLIGHT IN, AND WHAT WAS REALLY JUST PRIOR IN ACE HARDWARE AND WHAT WAS SLATED TO BE A DOLLAR STORE.
UM, THESE ARE SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THAT DROP THE CEILING IN, DROP THE NOISE LEVEL, INCREASE THE OVERALL LEVEL OF COMFORT FOR THE BOTH THE TENANTS AND THE, UH, CUSTOMERS.
UM, I WON'T, I WON'T WORRY YOU WITH THE, THE SORT OF THE DETAILS.
YOU CAN SEE ON A THIRD PAGE THERE A VIEW OF, OF THE RESTAURANTS AS WELL AS OFFICE, AS OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACES.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE, UH, RETAIL, UH, IS, IS, IS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS.
UM, BUT CHANGING AWAY FROM SORT OF THE, THE METAL, UM, THE METAL DIVIDERS AND CAGES AS I LIKE TO CALL THEM, THAT CREATE THE OFFICE SPACES.
THIS IS A MUCH WARMER, MORE FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT THAN, THAN WE HAD BEFORE.
YOU SEE SOME OF THE PERMANENT SEATING, UM, AND MEETING SPACES THAT, THAT IT DOESN'T EXIST TODAY.
UM, THERE'S A PROPOSED, UH, UH, BAR IN HERE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE CAN COME AND HAVE DRINKS AND, AND CARRY ON MEETINGS THERE AS WELL.
AND THEN WE TURNED IT OUR TURN, OUR FOCUS TO THE OUTSIDE, UM, WHERE THE FOOD COURT, UH, WHERE THE FOOD TRUCKS ARE AN HOUR, THE FOOD TRAILERS AS THE CASE MAY BE.
AND YOU SEE A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS THERE IN TERMS OF, OF HOW TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, THE FESTOON LIGHTING, THE, THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS IN TERMS OF SEEDING, UM, THE, THE VEGETATION AND THE PLANTING, THE PLANTING BOXES THAT ARE THERE.
UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE, ARE, ARE, UH, PART OF THESE
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IMPROVEMENTS.UM, THE OTHER PIECE THAT I KNOW THAT MONTY HAS TALKED ABOUT IN ADDING TO THESE ARE SOME SUN SAIL, UM, THAT WILL GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL SHAPE.
SO IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE AND, UM, OR BLISTERING HOT HEAT, AT LEAST THERE'S SOME, SOME RESPITE THERE.
UM, THE OTHER THING YOU SEE THEN IS, IS AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, SOME OF YOU'RE ARE WORKING FROM AN ELECTRONIC COPY, SO YOU MAY NOT HAVE THAT.
UM, BUT THERE IS THE BUDGET FOR THIS, UH, AS WELL PASS THAT ON DOWN PASS ONE TO MS. VICTORIA, IF YOU WOULD.
YOU HAVE WELL, SO YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, YES, THERE YOU GO.
UM, NOT SURE WHY I HAVE TWO IN MY BOOK, BUT, UM, THIS BREAKS IT DOWN INTO THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES, UM, AND, AND, AND GETS US DOWN TO THAT GRAND TOTAL OF $551,000, UM, THAT HE IS PROPOSING ON SPENDING.
UM, WE'RE SUPPORTING ABOUT 40% OF THAT WITH 225 SOME ODD THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, OF THAT, OR I GUESS IT'S ALMOST 50%, UM, OF THE RENOVATION ESTIMATES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE HERE.
UM, THESE ARE ALL BIDS THAT HE HAS RECEIVED.
UM, WE DIDN'T BORE YOU WITH THE ACTUAL BIDS THEMSELVES, ALTHOUGH I'VE SEEN THOSE.
UM, AND HE FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE HE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THIS UNDERWAY AND GET THIS COMPLETED STILL THIS YEAR.
UM, THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, TO, TO STRUCTURE WITH HIM ALLOWS US TO ASSIST UPFRONT WITH SOME AS HE STARTS THOSE, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, AND GETTING TO AT 50% AND THEN THE WRAP, THE BALANCE OF THAT ON COMPLETION.
UM, WE, WE, WE WANT HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WANT HIM TO HAVE, UM, THIS ENVIRONMENT BE AS INVITING AS IT POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, WE'VE GOT OTHER PEOPLE ON THAT CORRIDOR AND PRINCIPALLY DESOTO PRI DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL WE WORKED WITH LAST YEAR, WHO'S ASKED US TO WORK WITH THEM AGAIN THIS YEAR IN THE NEW YEAR, TO CONTINUE IMPROVING THE FACE OF THEIRS, OF THEIR FACILITY AND, AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH THE, WITH THE CORRIDOR.
AND THEY'VE OFFERED TO, TO WORK WITH MONTY TO MIRROR, IF YOU WILL, WHAT HE'S DOING ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET, LITERALLY ACROSS THE STREET.
SO IT STARTS TO FEEL MORE LIKE IT'S A COORDINATED CORRIDOR AS OPPOSED TO JUST PARCEL BY PARCEL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY 225, $5,000, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOULD BE COMMITTING TO THIS.
BUT WE CERTAINLY DO FEEL LIKE, UM, IF, IF THIS ALLOWS THAT TO GO FORWARD AND BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST OR EVEN MORE SO, UM, IT'S A SOLID INVESTMENT, UH, AND, AND, UH, GETS US OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF, OF RENTING SPACE.
UM, WE'RE NOT VERY GOOD AT THAT.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT, NOT OUR FORTE.
UM, BUT, UM, WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A, A GOOD OPTION TO, TO SORT OF MEET THE GOALS THE COUNCIL LAID FOR US TO, TO END THE, THE, THE MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT AND STILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS PROJECT GOING FORWARD.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THERE'S NO COMMENT.
AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE OKAY.
YOU NEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, REGARDING THE SUBJECT MATTER ON, UH, THE GU SOGO MARKETPLACE.
BUT WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARING, WE NO COMMENTS, SO, SO THERE ARE NO COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS.
NOW THE BOARD CAN DISCUSS IT, THE STATUTES REQUIREMENTS.
[B.4. Discuss and consider approval of an Economic Development Incentive Agreement between DeSoto Development Corporation and Dilbeck Court, Ltd. In an amount not to exceed $225,000 for interior and exterior façade improvements at 324 E. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, Texas]
YES, NOW WE MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION.SO WHAT, UM, ARRANGEMENT, AGREEMENT DOCUMENT DO WE HAVE? I KNOW THERE'S FIVE YEARS LEFT ON THE, ON THE, THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
WELL, IT, WE WILL TERMINATE THAT WITH, WITH A LETTER THAT'S PART AND PARCEL OF OUR, OUR, UH, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.
SO BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE NO MORE SAY ON WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.
NO, THAT, THAT, THAT'S INTENTIONAL.
I MEAN, THE, THE, THE IDEA IS IF, IF THIS IS TO BE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IT'S PROBABLY BEST DEALT WITHIN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND FOR US TO SORT OF BE IN HALF IN AND HALF OUT.
AND REALLY, THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'VE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, MR. JONES, IT IS BEEN, IT IS BEEN DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE'RE SORT OF ALWAYS THE FALLBACK FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT.
UM, WITHOUT REALLY HAVING THE ABILITY TO REALLY SHAPE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, UH, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
SO BEYOND THE 2 25, HOW DO WE CREATE, WHAT DO WE SAY? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF EXPECTATION DO WE HAVE, THOUGH? WE DON'T, WE DON'T.
THAT IS, IT IS, IT IS HIS, IT IS HIS TWO MANAGE, IT'S HIS TO
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CONTINUE.HE HAS MADE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO US THAT THAT PART OF OUR CONCERNS WERE, DO YOU INTEND TO KEEP IT AS AN INCUBATOR? I MEAN, HIS COMMENTS ALL ALONG AND THROUGH THIS SORT OF FACT FINDING PROCESS WAS, LOOK, I'M COMMITTED TO THESE FOLKS.
I INTEND TO KEEP THIS AS AS IT IS.
UM, HE'S REACHED OUT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, ORIGINALLY THIS WAS LAID OUT TO HAVE THE CHAMBER AS PART OF THE, THE MARKETPLACE.
AND THE CHAMBER CHOSE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH.
UM, THEY, THEY'RE AT A PLACE NOW WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AND SAYING, GOSH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE WERE THERE.
THERE'D BE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC.
AND NEVERMIND THE FACT IT'S A GOOD RELATIONSHIP FINANCIALLY FOR THEM.
UM, AND THEY'RE SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES JOINTLY AT THAT POINT AS WELL.
UM, WE WELCOMED THAT, THAT KIND OF AN ARRANGEMENT.
IN FACT, WE SORT OF BROKERED A CONVERSATION, UH, BETWEEN MR. ANDERSON AND THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ONCE AGAIN.
AND, UM, MONTY'S STILL STANDING BEHIND THAT SAYING, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE SPACE FOR HIM.
I, I WANT TO MAKE SPACE FOR HIM.
UM, WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH, WITH HIM IN THIS CASE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WOULD BE, AS PART OF THE CHAMBER SPACE, UH, SPACE FOR THE DECK, UM, SO THAT THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP THERE.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO MAKE, TO, TO MAKE THIS AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT POSSIBLY CAN BE, AND, AND GIVE HIM THE SUPPORT THAT HE NEEDS IN TERMS OF THE RIGHT TRAFFIC AND THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT, PROVING THE PROJECTS THAT, THAT HE'S WANTING TO BRING FORWARD BECAUSE HE OWNS THE REST OF THIS PROPERTY AS WELL.
IT'S NOT JUST THE, THE MARKETPLACE ITSELF.
HE ACTUALLY OWNS THE ENTIRE PROPERTY AND HE'S WANTING TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS WITH THAT PROPERTY.
PART OF FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE ENTERED INTO THIS, WE APPROVED SORT OF SOME SORT OF NOTHING.
WE APPROVED SOME ZONING EXCEPTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR REDUCED PARKING AND REDUCED SETBACKS THAT ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY AND CREATE A MORE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT DOWN THERE.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE HE WANTS TO GO.
AND HE FELT LIKE KIND OF, WE WERE STANDING IN THE WAY, BE CLEAR.
SO ON THIS, UM, IT WAS 25 AT THE FEBRUARY, THE KIND OF LAYOUT ALL OF THESE OFFICE STUDIOS, UM, ALONG WITH THE EAST SIDE, UM, AND EVEN THE TREE ALONG THE BACK, THOSE, THOSE ARE NEW.
AND THIS IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE PLAN THAT WAS IN DISCUSSION WITH THE CHAMBER? CORRECT.
SO THESE BUSINESSES WOULD BE, I GUESS, UM, THEIR LEASES OR AGREEMENTS DIRECTLY WITH'S COMPANY? THAT IS CORRECT.
EVERY, EVERY TENANT IN HERE HAS A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH
UM, BUT THE CHAMBER WILL HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AS WELL, UM, FOR THEIR SPACE AND, AND THE SPACE FOR THE DECK, ALL OF THOSE OFFICES.
AND, AND THOSE ARE, HE, HE SETS THE RATES, HE SETS, HE PICKS THE TENANT MIX.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN TO A LIMITED EXTENT, UH, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ON THE WEST END, UM, OF THE PROPERTY, BECAUSE NOW THAT THERE'S THIS GREEN SPACE ON THE WEST END, 'CAUSE CURRENTLY IT CURBS AND THERE'S LIKE A, A BRAIDING SHOP, AN INSURANCE COMPANY, AND, UH, CLEANERS, IS THAT NOW GONE?
SO REMEMBER, THE GREEN IS BEHIND IT.
THE, THE GREEN IS, IS BEHIND THAT.
IF YOU, IF YOU WALKED INTO THE, THE, THE MARKETPLACE TODAY AND YOU WENT DOWN THE RESTAURANT ROAD TO THE RIGHT TO THE END, THERE'S A SET OF DOUBLE DOORS THAT GO OUT TO, BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF A CONCRETE PATIO AREA.
AND DIRT, WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT IS CREATING A SPACE OUT THERE THAT'S AN ACTIVATED SPACE.
UM, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING SOME HERB GARDENS, GARDENS THERE.
ULTIMATELY, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT IS CREATING SOME SUN SALES OUT THERE AND CREATING A, UH, UH, IF THEY COULD FIND THE RIGHT TENANT TO CREATE A CRAFT BREWERY THAT WOULD SERVE AS THIS SORT OF AN OUTDOOR BEER GARDEN THAT THEY COULD CREATE.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE ALLOWED BY THEIR, BY THEIR ZONING, UH, EXCEPTIONS.
UM, IT'S, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S THERE YET.
AND THOSE ARE SORT OF THOUGHTS THAT HE HAS THAT, UH, MAY NOT HAVE ALIGNED WELL WITH WHERE WE WERE PRIOR.
AND SO THE FRONT OF THE ENTIRE PROPERTY ARE COSTS INCLUDED IN HERE FOR THAT? I MEAN, I MEAN FOR LIKE THE ENTIRE, LIKE GOING DOWN WHERE THE PIZZA AND, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, NO, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ONLY ABOUT THE, THIS IS ABOUT THE MARKETPLACE MARKET.
THAT IS, THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
SO THERE, HE WILL DO SOME, SOME UPLIFT, IF YOU WILL, OF THAT AREA THERE.
[00:30:01]
THE FACADE, UH, ITSELF, HE INTENDED ON, ON CLEANING THAT, UH, MAKING THAT LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM THE REST OF THE MARKET OR THE REST OF THE CENTER.BUT IT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE REST OF THE CENTER.
THIS ADDRESSES THE MARKETPLACE ITSELF ONLY.
SO KELLY, YOU EXACTLY WHERE I WAS AND OR I AM.
UM, IT'S ONE THING TO, UM, REFURB IF, IF YOU WILL REHAB A CERTAIN SECTION OF IT, BUT IF THE OTHER AREAS REMAIN THE SAME, BUT IF YOU REALLY DONE, THAT'S REALLY, TRULY EFFECTIVE.
THE INSIDE, BUT THE EXTERIOR DOES NEED TO, YOU HAVE THE CLEANERS THERE ON THE CORNER AND COMING AROUND AND EXCUSE ME, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF YOU'VE GOT THE, UH, THE WATCH SHOP AND, AND DONUT SHOP AND SOME OTHERS SPACE.
BUT, BUT THE POINT OF IT, IT'S NOT GETTING THE FACE LIFTED.
IT NEEDS HAVE, THAT'S, I MEAN, WE'RE GOING IN THE DEAD CENTER SAYING, OKAY, THE BOOKENDS ARE STILL GRAVELED.
SO, AND THEN LET ME GO TO MARK'S POINT.
UH, THE CONCERN IS IF WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION OF GOVERNANCE TOWARD THE RETENTION OF BETTERMENT OR, UH, REVERB, DO WE GET BACK TO WHERE WE ARE A FEW YEARS FROM NOW? AND HOW DO WE, UH, HOW DO WE MITIGATE GETTING THERE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR, UH, WHAT WE HAVE THAT'S, UH, WITHIN OUR CAPABILITIES OF ENSURING THAT WE CAN OPTIMIZE IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING OTHER PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY, IF THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST, I GET IT, ANYTHING IS GOING TO LOOK BETTER.
UM, UH, THAT'S NOT TO TO DOWNPLAY IT, BUT THIS IS, IT IS GONNA BE A FACE AND IT'S GONNA LOOK GOOD.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE HOLISTIC VIEW OF THIS THING, WHAT ARE WE REALLY, REALLY GETTING? UH, AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'LL CREATE OUTSIDE SEATING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO FACELIFT THIS THING, AND, YOU KNOW, THE FACADES AND EVERYTHING ARE GONNA BE REFRESHED.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FOOD TRUCKS COMING OUT, YOU, YOU WANT THEM TO, EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND FEEL GREAT ABOUT THIS WHOLE AREA WITH FOOD TRUCKS AND WHATEVER.
BUT THEN TO GO AND LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDES, THE BOOKENDS, IT IS KIND OF PROBLEMATIC.
AND, AND, AND WHAT I THINK IS, SO IT'S REALLY COMPOUNDS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THIS BODY MEETS WITH THE COUNCIL.
'CAUSE THE COUNCIL IS WANTING THIS PROBLEM GO AWAY, AND I GET IT.
BUT THAT COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO SAY TO MONEY, WE WILL HELP, BUT WE, THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT.
OKAY? AND RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF ARRANGEMENT RIGHT NOW.
HE GETS TO DECIDE ON A WINK, WINK AND A HANDSHAKE BASICALLY, THAT HE WILL PROMISE TO DO IT.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M GOING WITH THAT.
AND, AND IT'S HARD TO GO BACK.
WELL, REMEMBER WHAT HE'S PROMISING TO DO.
HE'S PROMISING TO DO WHAT'S, WHAT'S IN THIS, RIGHT.
HE'S NOT PROMISING TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
THIS IS WHAT HE'S GONNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR AND DELIVERING.
OTHERWISE WE'RE NOT GIVING HIM THAT MONEY.
BUT WE HAVE OPENED THE DOOR FOR HIM.
REMEMBER, WE HAVE, WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS IN PLACE, THE INLINE MARKETPLACE OR THE INLINE DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO DO MORE.
THAT'S HE'S, HE'S SPENDING A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS, A LITTLE MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE AT SOME OTHER POINT IN TIME.
AND WE'VE MADE CLEAR THAT THAT'S, WE STAND READY TO ASSIST IF YOU WANT TO DO MORE.
WE SIMPLY CAN'T FORCE YOU TO DO MORE ON YOUR PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WE CAN'T DO THAT ON ANY PROPERTY.
ANY MORE ON THIS ONE THAN WE CAN AT ANY OTHERS.
THIS ONE, IF WE AT LEAST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME DIFFERENCE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IF WE DIDN'T GIVE IT TO HIM, WOULD HE BE ASKED TO DO SOMETHING? DOESN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
WE, WE ARE EX THERE'S AN EXPECTATION, UM, HERE WITH WHAT MONTY IS PRESENTING.
I DO THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE AND HAVE HAD FOR A WHILE.
THEN YOU GO TO MONTY'S TRACK RECORD OF WHAT HE HAS PRODUCED BEFORE, AND, UM, SEEING THE LONGEVITY OF THAT AND THE EVOLUTION OF THESE OTHER SPACES
[00:35:01]
THAT HE HAS COME INTO AND HAS MADE BETTER AND MADE IMPROVEMENTS UPON.SO, I, I DON'T, I'M NOT REALLY DOUBTFUL THAT MONTY WILL NOT LIVE UP TO THIS EXPECTATION.
AND BECAUSE IT IS HIS PRO, THE WHOLE THING.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S TO HIS BENEFIT TO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN INVESTMENT BEING MADE IN HERE.
I DON'T SEE HIM, I JUST DON'T SEE HIM NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CONTINUING THE, UM, IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT, IT WOULD ONLY BENEFIT HIM.
YOU KNOW? SO I DON'T SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE DETERRENT FOR HIM NOT WANTING TO DO IT.
UM, BUT I I, I WOULD HATE TO PASS ON THIS GIVEN WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
I, I, I FEEL LIKE I'M SPEAKING FOR MONTY.
UM, BUT, BUT I, I FEEL LIKE I CAN, BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW EACH OTHER PRETTY WELL THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT HIS OTHER PROPERTIES YEAH.
MONTY, MONTY WILL TELL YOU FRONT, RIGHT UP FRONT THAT HE DOESN'T MAKE MONSTROUS BIG, HUGE CHANGES.
THAT, THAT'S THE NATURE OF HIS DEVELOPMENTS.
HE BELIEVES IN INCREMENTAL CHANGE BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE THAT'S, FOR WHATEVER REASONS, HE'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL THAT WAY.
AND HE FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVES THAT THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO ENGAGE THOSE AROUND HIM.
UM, HIS, HIS TRACK RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
HE, HE ADVISES FOLKS AROUND THE NATION HOW TO SURE.
ENGAGE IN PROPERTIES THAT DON'T LOOK MAYBE LIKE YOU, WHAT YOU WANT 'EM TO TODAY, BUT YOU HAVE A VISION FOR THEM AND HOW TO KEEP REINVESTING OVER AND OVER.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT HE DOES.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT, AT TYLER STATION, IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT USED TO BE A A AN EPA SUPERFUND SITE THAT WAS A WAX PAPER FACILITY.
THAT, THAT NOBODY COULD GET ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
AND IT'S FULL, IT'S FULL AT TENANTS.
WELL, I THINK IT'S A BUSTLING PLACE.
AND I ALSO THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE HAS AT BECKLEY, SEINER IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN TYLER STATION.
AND THE TENANT BASE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM TYLER STATION.
I THINK MONTY IS, I MEAN, WE CAN LOOK AT THIS AS, YOU KNOW, BUT HE REALLY INVEST IN THE TENANTS THAT ARE IN THESE PLACES.
'CAUSE THAT WAS ALWAYS MY CONCERN.
YOU CAN BUILD SOMETHING PRETTY AND NICE, BUT HOW ARE YOU MAKING SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THERE ARE SUCCESSFUL? MM-HMM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE IS COMMITTED TO IS BECAUSE, AND MONTY IS A BUSINESSMAN.
SO I THINK HE INVEST IN HOW TO MAKE THOSE TENANTS SUCCESSFUL SO THE ENTIRE PLACE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, IS THAT HE HAS A COMPONENT OF HIS BUSINESS THAT INCLUDES MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS EDUCATION FOR THE TENANTS IN HIS SPACES.
BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT NECESSARILY JUST WHAT HE'LL DO, BUT A STANDARD THAT IS CREATING PRECEDENCE.
I'M NOT QUESTIONING IF MONTY WILL FIX THIS, THIS AREA RIGHT HERE, THE WAY HE PROMISES IN THESE GLOSSY PICTURES.
I'M NOT, THAT'S NOT A QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE QUESTION? IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF ENCOURAGING HIM, ASKING HIM, EVEN BEGGING HIM TO DO WHAT HIS NAME PASSED AT IN THE OTHER SIDES OF HIS BUILDING.
AND SO IF THERE WAS SOME WAY, LIKE I SAID, THE INVESTMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE.
SO IN A MATURE WAY OF APPROACHING THIS, WE MAKE THE DECISION.
BUT WE, AND I DON'T KNOW THE, THE PRIOR EXPERIENCE OF THOSE PRIOR CONVERSATIONS THAT LED US HERE, THAT NOW OUR HANDS ARE BASICALLY BEHIND US.
WELL, I, I, I DON'T AGREE THAT OUR HANDS ARE BEHIND US THOUGH.
UH, IT, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS AND, AND, AND WE DO HAVE A WAY TO, TO GO AND ASK HIM TO PARTICIPATE.
THAT OFFERING UP THE INLINE THE INLINE CENTER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OKAY.
IS, IS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE MATCH DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR IN THAT.
NOW WE DO IT THROUGH TAX ABATEMENTS AT THE BACK END.
AND, AND WE ORIGINALLY STARTED TREATING IT THIS PROJECT THAT WAY.
WHAT BECAME CLEAR IS WITHOUT, WITHOUT CHANGING THE STRUCTURE TO WHERE WE'RE MAKING THE INVESTMENT TODAY, THAT WAS GONNA BE LONG AND COMING.
AND WHAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO DO WAS TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT, TO MAKE THIS, THIS AN IMPROVEMENT, IF YOU WILL, IN THE WAY IT LOOKS AND THE WAY IT FUNCTIONS INSIDE, PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN OUTSIDE.
IN ORDER TO STABILIZE THIS AND MAKE IT GO FORWARD, THAT GENERATES THE RENTS, THAT GENERATE THE DOLLARS THAT MAKES MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS GOING FORWARD MORE PALATABLE.
UM, THE, REMEMBER AN INCENTIVE GRANT
[00:40:01]
CAN ONLY BE APPLIED FOR ONCE A YEAR, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT PREVENTS HIM FROM COMING BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAYING, HEY, I'D LIKE TO WORK ON THE SOUTH END OF THE, OR THE EAST END OF THIS PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE EVENT CENTER IS OR, AND PROPOSE THOSE TO US.ONCE AGAIN, I THINK MONTY UNDERSTANDS THAT, THAT PROBABLY MONTE UNDERSTANDS BETTER THAN MOST LANDOWNERS WHAT HE, WHAT HE WANTS TO CREATE AS A BETTER LOOKING ENVIRONMENT ALONG IN, IN THIS CASE, HIS PROPERTY ON BELMONT.
UM, BUT HE DOES THAT IN OTHER PROPERTIES THAT HE BOTH OWNS AND MANAGES IN DESOTO AND HAS BEEN VERY RESPONSIBLE ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY, TO YOUR POINT OF ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND IS IT THAT, EXCUSE ME, OUT OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING INVESTED IN, WE SAY, OKAY, HOW DO YOU PICK A DIFFERENT PARADIGM TO APPROACHING THIS WHERE MAYBE YOU DO A PHASE APPROACH AND MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING INSIDE THAT CAN COME LATER AND DO MORE.
SEND THE REAL MESSAGE, THERE'S CHANGED HERE AND TAKE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS AND, AND LOOK AT THE HOLISTIC APPROACH HERE.
AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THE OTHER, THE RENDERING THAT HE HAD ON ALL OF THIS.
WELL, THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE HERE I SAW EARLIER THAT, UM, HAD ALL THE LOCATIONS.
I, LET'S SAY THERE WAS ONE THAT HAD, I SAW IT THIS, WELL, IT'S NOT IN HERE.
SO DO YOU TAKE THE BACKSIDE OF IT AND SAY THE FIRST, THE, THE, WE ARE GONNA TAKE THIS INTO THREE STAGES.
THE BACKSIDE IS GONNA BE HELD OFF, WE ARE GOING TO WALL IT OFF.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THIS SO THAT PEOPLE START SAYING, WANTING TO COME.
AND THAT WHEN YOU PUT THE FOOD TRUCKS OUT THERE, IT'S MAKING A STATEMENT.
THERE'S A CHANGE FOR THE BETTERMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR HIM AND, AND FOR WHAT WE'RE INVESTING NOW, WHEN THE DOLLARS BE REALLY COME IN, JUST LIKE HE WOULD DO THE EXTERIOR, START WORKING SOME OF THAT BACK IN INTERIOR.
MAYBE THAT'S APPROACH OR CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
I AGREE WITH EVERYONE THAT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN WITH THIS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU TRANSITION IT, IF PEOPLE SEE THE CHANGE, DO YOU GET DIFFERENT TENANTS THAT ARE WANTING TO COME IN AND PARTICIPATE? WE'VE GOTTA THINK BIGGER AND BROADER THAN WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH IT.
BUT WHAT HE, BUT WHAT HE SAID, I'M SORRY, BUT WHAT HE SAID WAS ABOUT HIM BEING ABLE TO COME BACK, THE FACT THAT HE CAN'T, HE WILL, ANYTIME YOU WILLING TO PUT OUT, HE HAS TO PUT OUT A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FIRST MM-HMM.
SO THAT RIGHT THERE, PUTTING HIS SKIN IN THE GAME SAYS A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR, HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT FROM TWO AND A HALF, TWO 5,000 BACK.
BUT HE'LL KEEP THAT GOING IF THAT, IF NOW YOU'RE SAYING HE CAN COME BACK TO US AND WE TALK ABOUT, AND IT IS A PHASE IN THAT MM-HMM.
IF HE HAS TO CREATE THIS CORRIDOR WITH THE FOOD TRUCKS, IT'S GOING TO LOOK BETTER.
AND IT IS LIKE, THERE'S NO WAY HE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO CONTINUE IT.
OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE, UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST DESOTO PRIVATE YEP.
THAT WANTS TO, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST MONTY MONTY'S, MONTY'S, THIS PRO, THIS PLACE IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE THAT HAS TO MAKE CHANGES.
SO THE THOUGHT IS THIS IS ONE OF THE ONE THAT THIS IS ONE OF, AND HOPING IT SPURS OTHERS THAT'S RIGHT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT HE WON'T, I'M SAYING HE'S MAKING THE INVESTMENT.
I'M SAYING REPURPOSE THE, THE STRATEGY TO SAY IN THIS LEFT CORNER WHEN YOU WALK IN ON THE FAR LEFT HAND CORNER, OKAY, IF IT'S GOING TO COST ME A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS HERE, CAN I DO SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE EXTERIOR WHERE YOU GOT THE CLEANERS AND WHATEVER, THAT MAKES IT LOOK BETTER.
NOW YOU GOT A HOLISTIC PROGRAM.
WHEN YOU WALK IN TO THE CENTER, YOU'RE GONNA SEE YOUR FOOD AND EVERYTHING.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE VERY FRONT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE MORE ISOLATED AREAS WITHIN IT AND BUILD THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING WE, I'M SAYING WE GET TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THOUGH.
I, I GATHER HE HAS, HAVE YOU HAD A CONVERSATION? WE, WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS.
AND NEVERMIND THE FACT, REMEMBER HE LEASES THIS BUILDING.
HE, HE KNOWS WHAT HIS COSTS ARE.
HE KNOWS WHAT THE REVENUES NEED TO BE.
AND I, I THINK IT'S PRE IT WOULD BE PRESUMPTUOUS OF ME.
[00:45:01]
I I I, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS AND GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE ITERATIONS OF THIS TO GET COSTS TO WHERE THEY, THERE WAS SOMETHING HE COULD AFFORD, SOMETHING WE FELT COMFORTABLE INVESTING.
I MEAN, WE COULD PUT TWICE THAT AMOUNT ON THE TABLE.
I I DON'T, MONTY CAN'T COME UP WITH THE CASH TO MATCH IT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, A, A GIVEN A TAKE IN THIS THAT, THAT HAS TRANSPIRED.
BUT I THINK, I THINK I'M BEING MISCONSTRUED IN WHAT I'M SAYING.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I'M NOT SAYING SPEND ANY EXTRA DOLLARS.
I'M SAYING REPURPOSE YOUR STRATEGY WITH THE DOLLARS YOU'RE GONNA SPEND.
AND I, AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH HAVING THOSE TYPE OF CONVERSATIONS TO SAY, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY WHERE IT DOESN'T HURT YOU? OKAY.
THAT YOU COULD, UH, DO THIS EXTERIOR AS WELL AS YOUR INTERIOR.
AND MAYBE A THIRD OF THAT, IF YOU WILL, UH, IS NOT DONE.
UH, IT'S, IT, IT'S IS PHASE IN PHASE TWO, IF YOU WILL, MICHAEL, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK YOU'RE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS.
THEY HAVE AND THEY CAN ADD, AND REMEMBER THIS IS A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER WHO SAYS, I, THIS IS A VERY, I I'M, I'M STRETCHING A DOLLAR AS FAR AS I CAN.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT I THINK I CAN DO THAT GETS THE RETURN THAT I NEED TO BALANCE THIS OUT TO STABILIZE THIS.
AND I, I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE CAN'T HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
SO IS HE THE RENT OR IS HE THE OWNER? BECAUSE I HEAR RENTER NO, HE RENTS THE SPACE.
HE RENTS IT OUT TO THE TENANTS.
SO HE RENTS WHO ARE IN THIS, BUT HE'S THE OWNER.
SO WE, WE GOTTA MOVE FORWARD ON WHEN SOMEBODY OWNS SOMETHING, I'M A BUSINESSMAN AND WE'RE COMING IN INTO THE MOVIE REALLY, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF OR FIVE YEARS OF THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE GOT TO THE TABLE.
AND, AND OUR SETTING PRECEDENT FROM THIS BOARD, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE AT THE END OF THE MOVIE.
WE GONNA BE THE FRONT OF THOSE MOVIES.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T WANT TO PUNISH MON WE DON'T WANT TO PUNISH MON FOR PAST EXPERIENCE.
BUT I, I ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT OUR APPROACH TO, EVEN THOUGH YOU GOT A LOT OF INITIATIVES THAT WERE PRIOR TO US MM-HMM.
I'M NOT SAYING, I'M SAYING HOW DO YOU RETHINK, REPURPOSE PHASE? AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE CONVERSATION, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATION THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
THE, THE, THE FACADES, THE, THE, THE EXTERIOR AND MAYBE COMING UP WITH A PHASED APPROACH.
AND TO YOUR POINT, ARE OTHERS GONNA WANT TO GO IN THERE? BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE MAKING A STATEMENT AT BELTLINE RIGHT THERE OFF HAMPTON.
AND, AND, AND YOUR FOOD, YOUR, YOUR YOUR FOOD TRUCKS.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE FOOD TRUCKS NOW.
BECAUSE HE'S NOT GOING TO ALLOW THEM.
IT'S WHAT THIS IS WHAT IS THERE HE HADN'T HAD, HAS NO INTENTIONS OF ALLOWING OTHER FOOD TRUCKS.
WELL, I'M, I'M SAYING, I'M SAYING YOU COULD HAVE BECAUSE IT'S MORE ATTRACTIVE, THAT'S ALL.
'CAUSE IT SAYS, I SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES BY NOT HAVING THREE OTHER FOOD TRUCKS.
I MEAN, UNDERSTAND, HE, MONTY MONTY KNOWS HOW TO RUN HIS BUSINESS.
HE'S VERY, VERY SHREWD ABOUT HOW HE DOES IT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, MICHAEL, YOU WERE SAYING AT, WHEN I THINK STARTED THIS IS STARTING A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS BOARD.
AND I THINK THAT'S TO YOUR POINT ABOUT BEING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE NOW, NOW THIS RELATIONSHIP ALLOWS US AFTER THIS TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH MONTY ABOUT REALLY WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
AND I THINK BECAUSE YOU'VE SPENT A YEAR AND A HALF OR MORE ON THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK THIS IS BAKED WELL ENOUGH FOR US TO MOVE ON.
BUT KNOWING THAT WE'VE NOW ESTABLISHED A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AT THE DESOTO MARKETPLACE, THAT GIVES US AN EDGE AS TO WHAT'S TO COME.
I THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, MARK, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, HOW CAN WE INFLUENCE IT GOING FORWARD? I THINK WE CAN SIT AT THE TABLE AND TALK TO MONTY ABOUT, HEY, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US.
WE'VE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT.
WHAT YOU DO WITH THE REST IS IMPORTANT TO US.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S WHAT PHASE TWO LOOKS LIKE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IN 24 HOW THIS, HOW THIS TAKES ANOTHER STEP FORWARD.
IF, IF YOU LOOK AT SPENDING THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S MONEY IN THAT
[00:50:01]
WAY, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TASKED TO DO.SO I THINK THAT OPENS A DOOR FOR YOU TO DO EXACTLY THAT WITHOUT, UM, TRYING TO RE REARRANGE THIS PARTICULAR, UH, AT THIS, AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, REARRANGING A LOT OF HARD WORK.
THAT'S, THAT'S COME TO A POINT TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND, AND WHAT WE, WE ARE PRESSURED WITH IS THAT'S WHY YOU YOUR POINT OF TALKING TO THIS COUNCIL MM-HMM.
THIS PRIOR TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IF THE, THE, IF THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN SAYING, WE GOTTA MAKE A CHANGE, WE GOTTA MAKE A CHANGE, WE GOTTA MAKE A CHANGE AND DIDN'T GIVE ANY CLEAR NARRATIVE OF WHAT THAT CHANGE LOOKED LIKE.
WE HAVE TO BE THE INFLUENCERS TO THEM SO THAT WE, WHEN WE RAISE THE STANDARD, THEY'LL BE ON BOARD AND, AND DULY RESPECTED AND APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENTS.
I NEVER THINK THAT THERE'S, UM, JUST ONE WAY OF DOING THAT.
SO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
I I, I MEAN, I DON'T QUESTION MONTY'S SAVVINESS AND WHATEVER IS, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR YEARS.
I DON'T WANT QUESTION ANY OF THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING WHEN WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENTS, CERTAINLY, WE'LL THE BACK END TO YOUR POINT MARK HERE, HOWEVER, WHEN DO YOU START SAYING, LET'S HAVE THE REAL CONVERSATION? WE, WE HAD SOMETHING ELSE EARLY ON THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND WE RECOMMENDED AS A BOARD HAVE A CONVERSATION.
AND WHEN WE WENT BACK AND TALKED TO THE DEVELOPER, THEY SAID, OH, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT.
BUT IF WE DON'T TALK SOMETIMES NOT SAYING THAT YOU HAVE IT.
BUT TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, HERE'S WHAT THE BOARD HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH.
UM, YOU KNOW, TELL US, TELL US WHERE YOU ARE WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE SELLING FOR ANYTHING.
I AM SAYING, HOWEVER, LET'S ENSURE THAT IT'S THAT WE HAVE CLARITY.
I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY SAID WE POSSIBLY, POSSIBLY MAY COME BACK.
ARE YOU ON BOARD WITH THIS? YES.
IF HE SAYS HE'S ON BOARD, UH, ARE YOU ON BOARD WITH, IS THERE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO IT? I JUST BELIEVE THAT THERE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES AND PROCESSES TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES.
I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THERE ARE SOUNDS GOOD.
I'LL BE THERE FOR WHO'S IN THERE, THE TICKETS, I'M THERE FOR THE FOOD, FOR THE
UM, AND AS IT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AND, AND UNIFY, WE, WE WILL, UH, INCREASE OUR PENSION.
AND SO I'M EXCITED AND GONNA MOVING ON THIS TIME.
SO IN, IN REALITY, UM, SO WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? THEN WE'VE ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, AND NOW WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.
WE DON'T REQUIRE ANY ACTION RIGHT ON THAT, DO WE? YES, YES, YES.
THEY HAVE TO APPROVE THE INCENTIVE AGREEMENT.
IS THAT NOT THE SECOND, THE SECOND ITEM, YES.
THAT'S DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROVAL AND THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THOUGHT WE'D ALREADY MOVED ON FROM THREE AND NOW WE'RE IN.
YOU NEED A MOTION TO TO, TO APPROVE THE INCENTIVE.
UM, I MOVE WE MOTION, DO WE APPROVE THE SENATE AS PRESENTED? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF AGREEMENT, UH, BE APPROVED.
I UNDERSTAND MI MICHAEL WHO'S DISDAINING AND WHERE HE IS AND SETTING PRECEDENCE.
AND SO WE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE BUILDING ON PRECEDENT.
AND I THINK I, I'LL SPEAK ON STAFF'S PART.
I WELCOME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I, I WELCOME YOUR, YOUR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THE TIME TO ENGAGE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND BE PART OF THAT.
WELL, I'M GONNA SAY WHEN YOU SAY IN A DIFFERENT WAY, I'M GONNA SAY RESPECTFULLY, SOONER OR LATER, THERE'S GOTTA BE A DIFFERENT WAY THAT WE CAN SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THAT DIFFERENT WAY AND GET TO THAT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT ALL DAY LONG, BUT IF WE DON'T PRESS ON THE MARK, OKAY, OF THE HIGHER CALLING OF THIS, THIS INITIATIVE OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO SET THE STANDARDS, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE BACK WHERE OTHERS NOT TAKING ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY ELSE.
WE'RE GONNA BE BACK WHERE OTHERS WERE AS WELL.
AND NOW HERE WHERE WE ARE AND WE NEED TO GO FORWARD AND SET THAT, THAT FOUNDATION.
WE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY TO HIM, WE, WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT
[00:55:01]
OFF OUR AGENDA.[B.5. Discuss and consider approval of the Golden Shovel Level 1 Marketing Blueprint at a total cost not to exceed $9,950.00 and authorize Chief Executive Officer to execute all necessary and related documents.]
ITEM FIVE.UM, NEXT ITEM IS BEHIND TAB FIVE.
UM, AND, AND YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT, UH, SO MARKETING, DEVELOPING A MARKETING STRATEGY.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, THE FIRST STEP IN THAT, UH, THE WORKING WITH A FIRM THAT I'VE WORKED WITH FOR YEARS, UM, WHO, WHO WORKS EXCLUSIVELY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH, UM, OUTREACH AND MARKETING STRATEGIES.
GOLDEN AND SHOVEL IS WELL KNOWN IN THEIR INDUSTRY.
UM, WE ULTIMATELY WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE THEM, UM, TO DEVELOP THE ENTIRE STRATEGY AND ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT GO WITH THAT.
BUT THE FIRST STEP OF THAT, IF YOU WILL, IS TO DO SORT OF A, A IN-DEPTH DIVE, A STUDY, IF YOU WILL, OF WHERE ARE WE AT, WHAT DO WE BELIEVE OUR MESSAGES ARE, WHAT DO WE HEAR FROM FROM OUR COMMUNITY? WHAT DOES OUR BOARD THINK OUR MESSAGE IS? WHAT DOES OUR COUNCIL THINK OUR MESSAGE IS? WHAT DOES OUR COMMUNITY THINK THAT IS? ARE WE, ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS? AND IF NOT, WHAT ARE THE RIGHT THINGS? AND TO LAY THAT OUT, TO COME UP WITH SPENDING EIGHT TO 12 WEEKS OF DIGGING IN AND DOING THE, THE, THE MEETINGS WITH STAFF TO BEGIN TO IDENTIFY AND, AND CONDUCT THE SURVEY AND TALK WITH SOME 20 TO 25 FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE STAKEHOLDERS, UM, AND, AND START TO GET THE FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED FROM THEM TO CREATE THAT PLACE MAKING STRATEGY TO START TO LAY OUT A CONTENT AND MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
REMEMBER, UM, WE'RE DEVELOPING, WE'RE, WE'RE SORT OF WORKING THROUGH 23, 24, AND AS PART OF OUR OVERALL FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, THIS WOULD FIT AND BE PART OF THAT, THAT OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN, THE THE FOLLOW ON WORK.
UM, AND THEN TO TAKE OUR EXISTING, UH, WEBSITE, WHICH IS OUR PRINCIPAL OUTREACH MECHANISM, AND TO REDESIGN THAT, UH, LIKELY IT WILL LOOK AND, AND FEEL LIKE THE NEW CITY'S WEBSITE WILL, IN TERMS OF HOW IT, HOW IT LOOKS.
UM, I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IT LOOKS THAN HOW IT FEELS AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS FOR OUR SITE SELECTOR CLIENTS, FOR OUR ORGANIZATIONS, OUR CORPORATE CLIENTS.
IT'S FUNCTIONALITY IS WHAT MATTERS TO ME.
THE LOOK AND FEEL WE CAN MAKE, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY WANTS IT TO LOOK THE SAME AS THE CITY SITE, GREAT.
UM, BUT WHAT IT DOES MATTERS, UM, AND WE'RE SERVING TWO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES.
THE CITY'S WEBSITE IS MEANT TO SERVE THE CITY AND IT'S CITIZENS AND THE ELECTORATE, EXCUSE ME, WE'RE REACHING OUT.
WE ARE AN OUTWARD, WE'RE AN OUTWARD BOUND ORGANIZATION.
AND THAT MEANS THERE ARE SEPARATE FUNCTIONALITIES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT GOLDEN SHOVEL HAS WORKED WITH FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, WITH, WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT? HELP US D DETERMINE WHO OUR MARKET IS TO HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW TO REACH THOSE PEOPLE.
WHAT, WHAT CONFERENCES SHOULD WE BE ATTENDING? WHAT ARE THE ARTICLES WE'RE WRITING? WHAT ARE THE ADVERTORIALS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING, WORKING WITH US ON THE CONTENT MANAGEMENT? THEY'RE WRITERS THAT HELP US TO CREATE THAT MATERIAL.
UM, AS, AS YOU KNOW, AS AS ROBUST AS WE ARE, THE FOUR OF US, UM, THERE, THERE'S ONLY 24 HOURS IN ANY GIVEN DAY.
UM, AND I TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY'S WORKS MORE THAN FIVE.
WE KNOW WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS ARE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE OUTSOURCING THIS INTENTIONALLY TO SOMEBODY WHO, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.
THEY DO IT FOR HOWEVER MANY ORGANIZATIONS THEY DO ALL YEAR LONG.
UM, WE TRY TO DO IT, IT, IT JUST, IT JUST FALLS SHORT.
SO THE, THE FIRST PORTION OF THIS IS EXPENDING A LITTLE LESS THAN $10,000.
UM, THE REALITY OF THIS IS, IS IT'S AN OPERATING EXPENSE THAT IDEALLY I COULD, I COULD APPROVE ON MY OWN, BUT I DON'T LIKE DOING THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T RUN THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH IT, OR YOU WANT US TO RETHINK IT.
UM, THOSE ARE OPTIONS AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN TO WORK WITH THEM AND, AND CONTINUE THIS FORWARD.
THE AGREEMENT IS, IS HERE IN THE PACKET ITSELF.
IT'S A THREE PAGE AGREEMENT, UM, THAT BASICALLY JUST LAYS OUT WHAT THE, THE, THE RELATIONSHIP LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THE DELIVERABLES ARE.
SO THIS DISCOVERY THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO DO, LIKE YOU KINDA OUTLINED, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DID OUR RETREAT, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS VERY TOPIC ABOUT MARKETING.
AND SO I'M ASSUMING THAT WE, THEY WOULD COLLECT SIMILAR INFORMATION FROM US, OR WE WOULD SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, AND THEN ALSO OUR COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME COHESION IN, IN WHAT BOTH, WHAT WE'RE ALL EXPECTING.
IS THAT RIGHT? YOU'RE ABS AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE OUTREACH IS MUCH BROADER THAN THAT.
IT'S TO OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY,
[01:00:01]
IT'S TO, UM, INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS, UM, SITE SELECTORS.UM, IT IS TO MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UM, OTHER MEMBER, OTHER, OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
UH, THE IDEA IS TO GET A MUCH BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT, HOW DO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DESOTO? I THINK, I THINK OF YOUR WELLS FARGO, UH, YOU KNOW, INFORMATIONAL TOURS.
UM, I'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE BANKERS AS PART OF THAT OUTREACH.
WE'RE PRETTY MYOPIC IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE, WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW.
UH, WE THINK WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW, AND WE'RE PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT IT, BUT WE GET A LITTLE HUMILITY WHEN OTHERS START TO TELL US AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF NOT WHAT THE REALITY THE REST OF THE WORLD.
WELL, THEY ALSO TALK TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, THOSE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO ARE HELPING US TO RECRUIT THEM.
UM, ALL OF THAT IS AIMED AT, AT AFFIRMING OR REALIGNING OUR TARGETS.
UM, AND THEN CREATING THE RIGHT MESSAGES FOR THOSE TARGETS.
'CAUSE ONE MARK, ONE TARGET, ONE MESSAGE DOESN'T FIT ALL TARGETS.
UM, AND HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT WORKFORCE IS AN ISSUE, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IF, IF LOCATION IS AN ISSUE, IF TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT ATTRACT A, A PARTICULAR COMPANY.
UM, ARE, ARE WE, ARE WE WELL EQUIPPED IN OUR MARKETING EFFORTS? AND DO WE UNDERSTAND WHO WE'RE TALKING TO? KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TELLING THEM WHO THOSE STAKEHOLDERS LOOK LIKE, AND THEY'RE SUGGESTING SOME AS WELL.
UM, ADDING FOLKS TO THOSE LISTS TO TELL US, HERE'S THE THING, HERE'S, HERE'S THE KINDS OF PEOPLE WE'D LIKE TO IDENTIFY.
AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT KIND, LIKE THE EXPERT IN, IN WHAT THEY DO.
IF THIS IS WHAT THEY DO AND IT'S ONLY WHAT THEY DO, I THINK IT'S A NO BRAINER.
YOU HAVE A MOTION? UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE GOLDEN SHOVEL AGENCY AGREEMENT, UH, TO PROVIDE.
UM, I'LL SECOND IS THE MOTION SECONDED THE GOLDEN SHOVEL AGENCY AGREEMENT.
UH, BE APPROVED TO PROVIDE MARKETING SERVICES.
RAISE HAND A ANY NAYS, NAY NA.
AND THEN, UH, MOTION AND, UH, SECOND WHAT YOU JUST AGREED TO THIS, UH, HEREBY APPROVAL.
[B.6. Discuss and consider approval of an agreement with The DEC Network regarding the Dallas Entrepreneur Center program for compensation in an amount not to exceed $85,000.00.]
NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE DECK NETWORKS CONTRACT.UM, WE'VE TALKED THROUGH THE VARIOUS SERVICES THAT THEY'LL BE PROVIDING.
UM, THIS, THIS CODIFIES THAT AGREEMENT.
UM, THIS ONE'S WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
UM, THIS IS AN $85,000 PER YEAR CONTRACT.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE ENTERING INTO A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT, BUT WE CAN'T EXTEND TO THREE YEAR AGREEMENTS.
WE DO THAT ON A YEAR BY YEAR, BY YEAR BASIS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S THERE FOR YOUR REVIEW.
WE THINK IT DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
I'M THE ONE WHO'S REVIEWED IT, UM, IN TERMS OF SETTING THIS FORWARD.
BUT BECAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE A PROJECT, UM, UNDER THE STATUTE, UM, OUR COUNCIL HAS ADVISED ME THAT NOT ONLY TO GET YOUR APPROVAL, BUT THEN WE WILL TAKE IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, FOR THEIR APPROVAL AS WELL.
THIS IS A KEY PORTION OF THE PROJECT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WITH MONTY, IS BRINGING THE DECK AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TOGETHER WITH THAT ONLY ADDS TO THAT LEVEL OF SUCCESS.
UM, BECAUSE IT DOES PROVIDE TO, TO, TO TASHA'S CONCERN, THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO NOT ONLY THOSE PEOPLE THROUGH AT TENANT THERE THAT ARE SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT DESOTO.
UM, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE CHAMBER.
WE'RE COMMITTING, UM, OUR STAFF HERE TO MAKE BEING PART OF THE PROMOTION OF THOSE SERVICES AND REACHING OUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE BEING VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH IS, IS, UH, PART OF OUR ONGOING EFFORTS WITH OUR BUSINESS RETENTION IS TO IDENTIFY WHO ALL THE BUSINESSES IN DESOTO ARE.
WHEN I CAME HERE AND I ASKED FOR A LIST OF THE BUSINESSES, NO SUCH LIST EXISTS.
TODAY THOUGH WE'RE DOING A DARN FINE JOB OF CLOSING THAT LOOP.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A MONUMENTAL TASK.
UM, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THEN THE ABILITY TO START TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND SAY, DID YOU KNOW, DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN GET HELP WITH THIS? DID YOU KNOW THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE? THESE COHORTS ARE COMING UP REALLY TO DO A BETTER JOB OF ASSISTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE, UH, BY PARTNERING WITH THE CHAMBER, UH, USING THEIR, THEIR LIST OF, OF FOLKS THAT ARE MEMBERS ALREADY.
UM, BUT ALSO THIS, THIS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES TO SEE WHAT
[01:05:01]
THE CHAMBER CAN DO AND MAYBE TO MAKE OUR CHAMBER HEALTHIER AS, AS A RESULT, IT'S KIND OF THIS WIN WIN WIN THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, MICHAEL, IN TERMS OF HOW DO, HOW DO WE ALL RISE IN THIS TIDE, UM, BY MAKING A, WHAT, WHAT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.IT IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, BUT WE WERE SPENDING ALMOST THIS AMOUNT PRIOR, UM, IN THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAD WITHIN THE, THE GO DESOTO MARKETPLACE AND NOT AFFECTING ANYWHERE NEAR THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO.
SO WE NEED AN APPROVE, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THIS EXPENSE AT $85,000 FOR THE 2324 BUDGETS.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE IT FORWARD TO COUNSEL, UM, AT THEIR OCTOBER 2ND MEETING, UH, FOR APPROVAL.
IF, IF I HAVE THAT APPROVAL FROM THIS BOARD, I MOVE, WE APPROVE SECOND.
IT HAS BEEN DECK, IT HAS BEEN DECKED
AND SECOND, UH, TO APPROVE THE DECK NETWORK TO TAKE IT TO BOARD, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO CITY COUNCIL BOARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR, UM, REVIEWING THAT APPROVAL ALL IN FAVORS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NAYS? AYES HAVE IT.
NAS UH, THAT WORK IS APPROVED TO PROCEED.
[C. CONSENT AGENDA]
TO, TO SECTION C, YOUR CONSENT AGENDA.THERE ARE SIX ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE ITEMS ARE LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD FOR A SINGLE VOTE OF APPROVAL.
IF THERE'S A QUESTION THAT YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANNA REMOVE ONE OF THOSE ITEMS, FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS MAY DO SO.
UH, THE SIX ITEMS WE'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT ARE CONSIDERING APPROVING THE 20, THE AUGUST 10TH, 2023 BOARD MINUTES, CONSIDERING APPROVING THE AUGUST 24TH, 2023 SPECIAL CALL BOARD MEETING.
ITEM THREE IS TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE JULY 23 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS PRESENTED TONIGHT.
ITEM FOUR IS CONSIDER APPROVING THE TERMINATION OF THE GROSS DESOTO MARKETPLACE CONTRACT WITH BECK COURT LIMITED, DATED JANUARY 14TH, 2017.
ITEM FIVE IS TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE TERMINATION OF THE INDUSTRY HUB CONTRACT DATED 27 FEBRUARY 27TH, 2018.
AND THE LAST, I'M SORRY, 20 OUR SIXTH, 2019 OH, WAS YOUR MINE AGENDA SAYS 2018.
TORI, DO YOU HAVE THAT? WHICH ONE IS IT? THE ITEM FIVE, THE HUB.
UM, AND CONSIDER APPROVING THE TERMINATION OF THE SOTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONTRACT DATED APRIL 18TH, 2015.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE WE GET A MOTION OR ANYTHING.
UM, BECAUSE IT OCCURRED TO ME WHEN I WAS REVIEWING AND PREPARING FOR THE MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DIFFERENT NOTICE PERIODS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THESE FOLKS.
SO THE, UM, THE HUB AND, UM, WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE? UM, INDUSTRY HUB AND THEN MISS, UM, NEY, WHATEVER THOSE ARE.
UM, THAT TERMINATES IN NOVEMBER.
OUR LEASE DOESN'T TERMINATE UNTIL MARCH OF NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GIVE 180 DAYS.
UM, IS THAT OKAY? SO IF I CAN ADDRESS THAT, THAT THAT ESSENTIALLY TERMINATES THE SERVICES THAT SHE OFFERS IN THE GRO SOTO MARKETPLACE TODAY.
THE ACTUATION OF THE DECK AND THEIR CONTRACT BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST.
SO THEY WILL REPLACE THAT SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH, EVEN THOUGH OUR, OUR LEASE OF THE GROW DESOTO MARKETPLACE WILL END IN ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS FOLLOWING THAT, THOSE SERVICES WILL BE REPLACED.
ON AN ONGOING BASIS, WE, WE WON'T HAVE, WE WON'T HAVE A GAP IN SERVICES OTHER THAN MAYBE A FEW WEEKS.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS, WAS WONDERING BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE, WE STILL ARE THE TENANT UNTIL THE END OF MARCH.
AND WE WOULD HAVE NOBODY THERE.
BUT YOU SAID THE DECK'S GONNA COME IN.
THAT, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW.
WE, WE REALLY, WE REALLY AREN'T THE TENANT THOUGH.
AND, UM, AND, AND WE TELL THEM, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS THAT IT'S A TERMINATED, EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER, WE TELL THEM TO CEASE IMMEDIATELY.
THAT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY, UM, AND, AND THE, THE TERMINATION OF THE DESOTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONTRACT IS A CONTRACT THAT
[01:10:01]
WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2015, UM, THAT ANTICIPATED DELIVERING SERVICES THAT THE CHAMBER WOULD DELIVER SERVICES TO THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.UM, AND IN EXCHANGE FOR, UH, A PAYMENT OF, OF ALL THE HELP, $1,275 A MONTH, 17 50, 1700 $50 PER MONTH, UM, WE LOOKED AT THAT CONTRACT AND NONE OF THOSE SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED.
MOST OF THEM DON'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE.
UM, AND, AND SO IT, THE CONTRACT REALLY WAS, WAS NOT BEING LED UP TO, AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACT WENT AWAY.
WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE AGREED TO WITH THAT, WITH THE CHAMBER THEN, IS TO NO LONGER PROVIDE THAT FUNDING TO TAKE THOSE SAME DOLLARS AND INVEST THEM IN THE DEBT CONTRACT.
AND WHEN WE TAKE WHAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THE CHAMBER AND WHAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THE INDUSTRY HUB, AND WE COMBINE THOSE TWO, THE DOLLARS COME OUT ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PROVIDING A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS DIFFERENCE.
UM, WE, WE REALLY HAVE TAKEN AND, AND INCREASED OUR BUS, OUR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT BY CHANGING THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF WAS THE INTENT, REALLY WHEN WE BEGAN THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH, BY ENGAGING THE DECK, WAS TO PROVIDE A MUCH BROADER RANGE OF SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOKED AT THEIR WHEEL, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK, THERE ARE EIGHT DIFFERENT SEGMENTS TO THAT WHEEL.
WE, WE WERE ASSISTING IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM WITH TWO.
THE OTHER SIX WE WEREN'T ADDRESSING AT ALL.
UM, WE ADDRESS ALL EIGHT OF THOSE NOW.
AND REALLY WE CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP AND THE OTHER TWO TO BE A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP THAT BETTER SUITS THE CAPABILITIES THAT OUR STAFF TODAY, MYSELF AND THE REST OF THE TEAM HAVE THE ABILITY TO INFLUENCE.
UM, WE, WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS GONNA PROVIDE A MUCH MORE, UM, ROBUST SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT IT'S A GOOD WAY TO INVEST THE, THE DOLLARS OF THE, THE, UH, CHAIN OF THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, THIS IS REALLY A LOT OF THIS, MOSTLY HOUSEKEEPING.
DID WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SUBJECT? FOUR SECOND.
AND SECOND, UH, WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THOSE IN OPPOSED SAY NA IYE HAVE IT.
AND CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.
THAT TAKES US TO OUR LAST ITEM, AND I WILL SEND OUT THOSE TERMINATION NOTICES TOMORROW MORNING.
FIRST THING, YOU NEED MY SIGNATURE ON THOSE, OR THE PRESENT? IT HAS MY SIGNATURE HONOR.
YOU HAVE BEEN DULY AUTHORIZED.
[D. BRIEFING BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE — Matt Carlson]
YOU, EACH OF YOU HAS, UH, THE SEPTEMBER 14TH, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.IT, IT IS THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, UM, TO YOU.
UM, THIS, YOU SHOULD BE GETTING USED TO SEEING THIS IN THE SAME FORMAT, ALTHOUGH IT ACTUALLY DOES CHANGE, I PROMISE.
UM,
UM, THOSE BUSINESS PLAN GOALS FOR THIS YEAR, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
UM, THOSE THAT REMAIN UN UNCOMPLETED ARE A FUNCTION OF WE'RE WAITING ON OTHER, OTHER THINGS TO HAPPEN.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE HAMPTON ROAD, BELTLINE ROAD, AND THE COCKLE HILL ROAD, UM, COCKLE HILL, UH, GENERALIZED COMMERCIAL NODES IS A FUNCTION OF WAITING ON THE COM ON THE, THE COMP PLAN TO BE FINALIZED AND ADOPTED.
'CAUSE THOSE NODES WERE REALLY ROLLED INTO THE COMP PLAN AND IDENTIFIED AS VERY SPECIFIC AREAS WITH A GREATER DENSITY USAGE AS PART OF THE COMP PLAN.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE NEW ZONING CATEGORIES, UM, THAT WERE CREATED AS PART OF THE COMP PLAN, AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE CAME FROM THIS COMMERCIAL NOTES STUDY.
SO THAT WILL COMPLETE OUR WORK ON THE COMMERCIAL LOAD STUDY WHEN THE COMP PLAN IS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE LAST ONE IS, IS, IS REALLY A FUNCTION.
IT'S A, THE HAMPER ROAD CORRIDOR AND DEVELOPING RFPS FOR CITY OWNED PARCELS OR PARCELS THAT WE CONTROL, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL ASSEMBLAGES, AND THEN EVALUATING THOSE, THOSE PROJECT SUBMISSIONS.
THAT'S A PROCESS THAT WE OWN FOUR PIECES OF PROPERTY, UM, THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED.
UH, ON THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR CURRENTLY, UM, THERE'S A FIFTH THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OF FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
WE'VE GONE UNDER CONTRACT, UM, TO, UH, TO FIND A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THE, UH, COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST, THE COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH ON THE
[01:15:01]
NORTHWEST CORNER OF HAMPTON AND BELTLINE.UM, THEY HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER, UH, UH, FACILITY OVER IN CEDAR HILL, OR MAYBE IT'S DUNCANVILLE.
THEY'RE ALREADY HOLDING SERVICES IN TWO PLACES.
UH, PASTOR EPPS AND HIS CONGREGATION, UH, CAME TO US AND SAID, IS THIS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WOULD, WOULD HELP IN THAT OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR? IT'S ABOUT AN EIGHT EIGHT PARCEL.
IT'S A NUMBER OF ACTUAL PARCELS THAT THEY OWN.
UM, WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO GO BUY IT OUTRIGHT.
UM, WHAT WE DID ASK WAS TO ENTER INTO A, UH, ONE YEAR OPTION, EXCLUSIVE OPTION FOR US TO GO FIND THE RIGHT DEVELOPMENT PARTNER.
AND THAT'S REALLY A GREAT, A GREAT WAY TO DO THIS WITHOUT US COMING OUT OF POCKET TO BUY THE PIECE OF PROPERTY ITSELF OR OUTRIGHT FIND THE DEVELOPER WHO EMBRACES WHAT WE ENVISION AS PART OF THE OVERALL COMP PLANT AND AS PART OF THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR.
UM, AND THEN WORK WITH US, UH, AS, AS, AS A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, UM, WILL PROVIDE SOME FUNDING TO, TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UH, LIKELY WE'D BE INVOLVED IN FILLING A, A DEVELOPMENT GAP OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE WITH THE POTENTIAL PARTNERS, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES THAT WE'LL DEVELOP AN RFP FOR AS WELL.
THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY SHORT CIRCUITS THE WHOLE RFP PROCESS IS IF SOMEWHERE IN THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE DEVELOPER, A DEVELOPER OR DEVELOPERS COME FORWARD WHO TAKE DOWN THE, WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE DOWN THOSE PROPERTIES AND WORK WITHOUT THAT, THAT SORT OF MORE COMFORT SOMEWHERE FEE.
UM, AND THE CITY IS WILLING TO ACCEPT THOSE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A FORMAL PROCESS.
RFPS ARE A GREAT EXAM OR ARE A GREAT TOOL, UM, BUT THEY AREN'T ALWAYS THE MOST EFFICIENT.
THEY AREN'T ALWAYS THE QUICKEST, AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS GET YOU A BETTER PRODUCT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A MIXED BAG, RIGHT? UM, THEY'RE AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO CREATE, UM, AND TO DISTRIBUTE.
UM, THEY DO GIVE US A, AN INSIGHT TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT IDEAS, UM, AND, AND COUNSEL AND, AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WILL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH WHAT, WHAT, WHAT OF THOSE MAKE THE MOST SENSE ONCE WE ACTUALLY SEE THEM.
BUT AT, AT THIS POINT, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP RFPS FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN, UM, THAT WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE AN LOI ON.
WE HAVE AN LOI ON THE SOUTHEAST ON THE, SO SOUTHWEST CORNER OF, OF, UH, OF BELTLINE AND HAMPTON NOW.
UM, BUT THIS COMMUNITY, MISSIONARY BAPTIST, AND THE OTHER PIECES WE OWN ARE ALL PARCELS PARCELS THAT WE'LL PUT TOGETHER RFPS, UM, WHILE WE CONTINUE TO MARKET THEM.
UM, THE DEPARTMENTAL GOALS AS WE WRAP UP THE YEAR, REMEMBER, WE ARE IN THE LAST MONTH OF OUR, OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE, THESE HAVEN'T CHANGED FROM LAST MONTH AND WON'T CHANGE THIS MONTH.
OUR SALES TAX REVENUES ARE NOT GONNA CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY.
REMEMBER, OUR SALES TAX REVENUES ARE ACTUALLY REPORTED TWO MONTHS IN ARREARS.
SO WE WON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT OUR ACTUAL REVENUES ENDED UP FOR 24 OR 22, 23 UNTIL SOMETIME IN DECEMBER.
SO YOU WON'T SEE, YOU WON'T SEE THAT UNTIL, AGAIN, UNTIL THE, UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THE, THE ONE WHERE, UM, WE FELL SHORT, UH, IT JUST HASN'T RISEN TO THE, TO THE, AN ACTIVITY THAT WE TOOK ON.
UH, AND THAT WAS EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH TO CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT REPRESENT ALTERNATIVE OR ETHNIC POPULATIONS.
UM, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE GET THE CHANCE TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR.
UM, IT STILL REMAINS ON OUR LIST OF THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND WANT TO DO.
UM, AND, AND WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT, UM, ON AN ACTIVITY UPDATE BASIS.
UM, YEAH, I, I OFTEN FIND SAYING THAT IF THIS IS ALL WE DID, THEN WE'D PROBABLY OCCUPY A COUPLE HOURS EACH WEEK.
UM, THE REST OF THIS REPORT IS THE THINGS THAT OCCUPY ALL OF THE 14 MEMBERS THAT SIT HERE TONIGHT.
UM, AND, AND WORKING ON, ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, THERE'S A JOINT MEETING OF THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON THE 16TH OF OCTOBER, UM, TO UPDATE ALL THREE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE PART AND PARCEL TO THAT COMP PLAN ON THAT EVENING.
UM, THE CITY FOLLOWING THAT MEETING STEERING COMMITTEE, THAT'LL FINALIZE ANY OF THE ACTUAL, UH, COMP PLAN COMPONENTS.
AND THEN IT'LL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION, UH, IN DECEMBER, UH, IS THE CURRENT DATE FOR THAT.
UM, THE, THE DECK SMALL BUSINESS EDUCATION THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO BEGIN THAT IMPLEMENTATION IN OCTOBER, UM, THEY KEEP CALLING AND ASKING ME IF THEY CAN START.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOT A HORSE IN THE GATE, THE, AT THE RACES, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THE PISTOL TO, TO SAY BANG.
UM, OUR OUTBOUND AT ATTRACTIONS, I, I KIND OF JUST MARVEL AS I GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE PREPPING A YEAREND REPORT FOR COUNCIL.
[01:20:01]
THE NUMBER OF OF CONFERENCES AND, AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE HAD FROM AN OUTBOUND ATTRACTION STANDPOINT BY PAIRING WITH THE DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER, PAIRING WITH TEAM TEXAS AND PAIRING WITH OUR UTILITY PROVIDER ENCORE, UM, IS, IS IMPRESSIVE TO SAY THE LEAST.WHEN I LOOK AT WHERE WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO, AND I LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND I HAVE 34 EVENTS PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR.
BETWEEN ANTOINE AND I, WE WILL ATTEND 34 DIFFERENT EVENTS.
UM, IT'S LITTLE WONDER THAT, UM, TIRED
YEAH, BECAUSE I WENT ONE OF THESE.
HE LITERALLY GOT BACK THIS AFTERNOON FROM CHICAGO WHERE HE WAS AT.
NEXT WEEK WE'RE AT IC THREE, WHICH IS THE BIOTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE.
UH, IT WILL BE, BE, UH, PART OF THAT.
UM, WE'RE A PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION, AND THAT'S WHO WE PARTNER WITH THERE.
HE WAS AT RETAIL LIVE TWO WEEKS AGO IN AUSTIN, UM, WHERE A HUNDRED DIFFERENT FOLKS OR RETAILERS ARE THERE.
AND EVERYBODY WHO'S ASSOCIATED WITH RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S SITE SELECTORS, IT'S BROKERS, IT'S BROKER REPS, IT'S THE ACTUAL FRANCHISEES AND FRANCHISORS.
IT'S THE BUILDING WHO OWNED THEM.
AND IT LITERALLY HAPPENS FOR FIVE HOURS.
IT IS THE MOST INTENSE SPEED DATING EVENT YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO, AND NOBODY COMES AWAY MARRIED.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF INTERESTING
UM, BUT, UH, VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE.
25, 25 MEETINGS IN, UH, IN FIVE HOURS.
THE REALITY IS WE GO DOWN THE EVENING BEFORE, AND WE USUALLY COME BACK THAT EITHER LATE THAT NIGHT OR THE NEXT ONE.
AND WE TRY TO SET UP MEETINGS AROUND THAT.
UH, WITH SITE SELECTORS WHO ARE GONNA BE THERE.
WE, WE TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF, IF WE HAVE TO GO OUT OF TOWN, WE REALLY TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT TIME, UM, TO STOP IN AND SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN AUSTIN THAT WE WOULDN'T OTHERWISE GET A CHANCE TO SEE, UH, TO VISIT WITH THEM AND REMIND THEM WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THE, AND THE, THE PROPOSITION THAT WE BRING.
UM, THEY LOVE IT WHEN WE SHOW UP ON THEIR DOORSTEP.
'CAUSE MOST OF THE TIME WE'RE ASKING 'EM TO COME VISIT US.
SO WE REALLY TRY TO, TO LEVERAGE THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES ROUND TABLE.
SO THIS IS A NEW EVENT FOR THE, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WHEN I GOT HERE, I SAID, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ORGANIZE THOSE WHO ARE HIRING FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND THERE WAS NO WAY SAID, WELL, THEN IT'S TIME WE START ONE.
IT'S TAKING US A YEAR TO STAND IT UP.
BUT THE INAUGURAL EVENT WILL BE HAPPENING ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER.
MOST OF THESE ARE OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS THAT'S REALLY WHO'S INVITED TO THIS AND THEIR HR REPRESENTATIVES, UM, AS OPPOSED TO THEIR GENERAL MANAGERS.
UM, IT'S MEANT TO BE A DISCUSSION OF HR TOPICS, PAIN POINTS, HIRING PRACTICES, SHARED BEST PRACTICES.
WE WANT THEM AROUND THE TABLE KNOWING WHO THEIR COMPATRIOTS ARE.
'CAUSE WE THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL SYNERGY OF HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND ULTIMATELY, WHILE THIS IS STARTING OFF WITH JUST OUR, OUR HR FOLKS IN, IN OUR INDUSTRIAL PARK, OUR NEXT STEP WITH THIS, ONCE WE GET IT STOOD UP, UM, EMPOWER SOME OF THOSE FOLKS TO ASSIST US, IS TO REACH OUT TO DUNCANVILLE, CEDAR HILL AND LANCASTER, WHO MANY OF THEM HAVE THE EXACT SAME KINDS OF, OF INDUSTRIES AND HUTCHINS, AND WELL, YOU KNOW, HUTCHINS WOULD BE A GREAT ONE AS WELL.
WHEN WE'RE IN HUTCHINS, BOTH, THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE INLAND PORT, WHICH WE ARE PART OF AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND WE'LL PROBABLY LEVERAGE THAT RELATIONSHIP TO BRING ALL OF THOSE FOLKS TOGETHER.
UM, THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN, THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENS IS YOU START TO CANNIBALIZE FROM ONE ANOTHER.
AND IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T TALK.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THAT TRANSPORTATION'S THE ISSUE.
AND WE NEED TO INCREASE THE, THE BREADTH OF OUR WORKFORCE.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE INCREASE TRANSPORTATION.
DON'T START HIRING FROM ONE ANOTHER IN FIGHTING EACH OTHER FOR THE NEXT 25 CENTS AN HOUR.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION.
WE AREN'T SURE IF THIS MEETS TWICE A YEAR.
IT'S REALLY UP TO THOSE WHO ARE THERE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT'S MEANINGFUL, WHAT'S USEFUL.
WHAT TIME IS THAT? I'D LIKE TO, IT'S 11 EIGHT.
WHERE IS IT AT? WE'LL BE HERE AT THE, UH, AT THE BATON ROOM.
WE'LL GET YOUR, WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION TO YOU, YOU COMMENT FOR, HAVE AN EVENT LATER THAT DAY.
UM, OUR FALL WORK PLAN RETREAT.
REMEMBER WHEN WE, WE TOOK OUR RETREAT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WE PUT OFF OUR WORK PLAN, UH, AND, AND WE SET A DATE AT THAT TIME, UH, THAT ON THE 30TH OF, OF SEPTEMBER.
IT'S SATURDAY FROM EIGHT TO NOON.
UM, WE WOULD LAY OUT THE WORK PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, THIS PRECEDES WHEN A, WHEN BRANDON CALLS ME AND SAYS, I NEED YOUR WORK PLAN FOR THE NEW WORK HERE.
UM, AND, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT
[01:25:01]
WITH, WITH YOUR INPUT.UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF OUR DEPARTMENTAL GOALS.
WE WORKED WITH ALICIA TO IDENTIFY SOME IDEAS AROUND THOSE.
YOU ALL SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN A, A STRONG, A STRONG FOCUS IN THE PAST.
BUT I WANT TO TAKE THOSE FOUR HOURS TO SORT OF LAY OUT THESE COMPONENTS AND IDENTIFY WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO DO OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN I'D REALLY LIKE TO TAKE THE LAST HOUR OF THE DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED IN TERMS OF GOING FORWARD WITH CREATING A NEW FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, AND HOW WE'RE GONNA GO, HOW WE, HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, IT'S A PROCESS THAT'LL TAKE US MOST OF THAT YEAR TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, WE WILL NOT DO IT INTERNALLY.
WE'LL ACT, WE'LL ENGAGE SOME FOLKS TO HELP US WITH THAT, BUT IT'S, THERE'S STILL A LARGE DEMAND ON STAFF AND ON OUR BOARD, UM, AS WE CREATE THAT PROGRAM OF WORK, UM, THAT WILL HELP US TO MAKE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
UM, THE FALL FRANCHISE MEETING, REMEMBER WE DID THIS IN THE SPRING.
WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN IN THE FALL ON OCTOBER 24TH.
UM, IN THE EVENING HERE AT THE BLUE, IS IT BLUE BOND AGAIN AT THE SIX.
UM, TAKING A LITTLE DIFFERENT APPROACH, ALTHOUGH IT'S REALLY MEANT TO BE, UM, THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS AS, AS A, AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BUT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE DOWN THE PATH BEFORE.
UM, UH, HELP ME, CALVIN GOLDEN.
CALVIN GOLDEN OVER AT, AT, UH, THE WINGSTOP, YOU KNOW, IS SOMEBODY WHO, WHO, WHO'S LITERALLY STARTED FROM ZERO AND BUILT AND FALL BACK AND BUILT AND FALL BACK.
HE CAN TELL SOME REALLY GREAT STORIES FROM THE TRENCHES.
THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ARE GONNA BE JOINING HIM.
UM, IT TO REALLY TELL, HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISN'T FOR THE FAINT APART, BUT THE REALLY, PROBABLY THE ONLY THING THAT'S STANDING BETWEEN YOU AND SUCCESS IS YOU, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE TO TAKE THE STEP.
IF MONEY'S AN ISSUE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
IF ACCESS IS AN ISSUE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
IF THE PLACE IS AN ISSUE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT THEY'LL HELP EVERYBODY THERE WHO REALLY WANTS TO GET ENGAGED IN A BUSINESS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A PATH.
UM, BUT IT'S ONE THAT'S PRETTY WELL TROD AND THERE'S SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW MANY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HAVING SPEAKERS THERE? MAYBE? YEAH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON A STRUCTURE.
UM, THERE WILL BE SPEAKERS SURROUNDING ACCESS TO CAPITAL, KIND OF TESTIMONIALS TO MATT'S POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO ARE ACTUALLY FRANCHISEES ALSO HAVE SOME FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS THAT WILL BE IDENTIFYING TO BRING, AND ULTIMATELY, LIKE THE BRAND REPS THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OVER THE PAST YEAR, THEY'VE EXPRESSED INTEREST THAT THEY'LL BE PARTICIPATING TO KIND OF GIVE THEIR ELEVATOR PITCH OF WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HERE IN DESOTO.
AND YOU GUYS CAN TELL ME RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT IS IT SAFE TO, TO CONSIDER MAYBE, UH, WITH THE, THE INITIATIVE THAT DALLAS HAS TO GET CARLOS TO SPEAK? MAYBE I'VE TALKED TO HIM ALREADY.
HE'S TRYING TO WORK THROUGH HIS SCHEDULE.
UH, CARLOS AND A COUPLE OTHER FOLKS, UH, PART OF THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE UP THERE IN CITY OF DALLAS.
WE, WE'D LOVE TO HITCHHIKE ON THAT.
WE REPRESENTS A REALLY GREAT, UH, SYMBIOTIC.
YEAH, CARL CARLOS ACTUALLY INTRODUCED ME TO TWO OR THREE, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES THERE THAT SOME, SOME OF THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL SIDE, UM, THAT WILL BE AT THIS EVENT.
UM, ANOTHER EVENT THAT, JUST TO MARK YOUR CALENDAR, JUST, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IT'S, IT'S OUR SHOP THAT'S THAT PROMOTING IT, UH, IS THE FIRST FALL FARMER'S MARKET.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO YEARS AND EVERY YEAR WE TALK ABOUT WE NEED TO HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET AND NOBODY PICKS IT UP AND RUNS WITH IT.
AND FOR SOME REASON IT'S IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I SAID BEFORE IT GETS ASSIGNED TO ME TO DO IN THAT TOP HALF OF THIS FIRST PAGE, WE'RE JUST GONNA GO DO IT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEADING INTO.
WE'RE GONNA DO TWO WEEKENDS, CONSECUTIVE WEEKENDS, THE 28TH OF OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 4TH.
RHONDA'S BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS TO GET THE STRUCTURE RIGHT, TO GET THE PLACE RIGHT TO DO ALL THE LOGISTICS.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GOES TO THOSE THINGS AND, AND GOES, WOW, THIS IS A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
BUT THEY DON'T, DON'T REALIZE IT'S JUST HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO GET IT THERE.
UM, IT IS NOT A MIRACLE THAT OCCURS AND EVERYBODY SHOWS UP.
IT'S SOMEBODY LIKE RON RUNNING THE RABBITS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY IT FOR TWO WEEKS, TWO WEEKENDS THIS FALL.
UM, IF IT SEEMS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND WE HEAR GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR CITIZENS THAT THEY WANT US TO CONTINUE THAT, THE IDEA IS TO BROADEN IT, UH, IN THE SPRING, UH, ONCE THE, THE SNOW THAWS, UM, IN, IN APRIL.
AND, UH, AND THEN RUN THAT THROUGH THE, PROBABLY THROUGH JUNE WHEN IT JUST GETS TOO BLOODY HOT TO HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET.
UM, AND THEN DO IT AS A SPRING AND A FALL EVENT.
UM, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF VENDORS, INCREASING THE EXPOSURE.
UM, BUT THIS IS REALLY A TRIAL RUN, UM, TO SEE KIND OF HOW THIS WORKS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
HAVE WE DETERMINED LOCATION THAT IT IS, IT'S EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL ON THE WEST SIDE OF THAT PROPERTY.
THERE'S A LONG DRIVE THAT IS PERFECTLY LAID OUT TO HAVE TENTS ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER OF,
[01:30:01]
EXCUSE ME, UM, MAX NUMBER OF 25 VENDORS WE'VE ARRANGED FOR.SORRY, I'M TAKING YOU TO WALGREENS.
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT DAYS.
COUPLE OTHER, COUPLE OTHER, UH, DATES I'D LIKE TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
AND THAT'S THE 20, SEPTEMBER 21ST.
Y'ALL HAVE IT IN EMAIL, UM, WITH A COUPLE REMINDERS.
AND THAT'S THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BANQUET, UM, THAT EVENING.
UH, IT, IT, THEY ARE, ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE INVITED, UH, TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER THAT EVENING HERE AT, AT CITY HALL.
AND THEN OCTOBER 19TH IS A CIVIC ACADEMY.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SHE TALKING ABOUT.
OCTOBER 19TH, UH, WE WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED ON THE 26TH.
UM, WE ARE HOSTING CIVIC ACADEMY.
REMEMBER, THIS IS, I THINK, UH, NINE WEEKS OF ABOUT 35 FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT WE DO.
UM, I GUESS THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE CI CITY MANAGERS ONE DAY.
UM, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE KICKED IT OFF LAST WEEK.
UH, TONIGHT WAS PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES.
UM, WE'LL BE THERE ON, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN NIGHT, UH, UH, THAT'S ASSIGNED JUST TO US.
UH, AND THAT IS THE 19TH WHERE ANTOINE, AND I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S ROLE IN SHAPING THE CITY, UH, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A, A VIBRANT ECONOMY.
UM, YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO JOIN US THAT EVENING.
UM, I'D LOVE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND MEET YOU ALL AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE AS WELL.
UH, SO FEEL FREE TO JOIN US THAT EVENING.
IT STARTS AT 6:00 PM AND RUNS FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.
THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19TH.
I SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME WITH YOU, MATT, I'M SORRY, COVID-19 CIVIC ACADEMY.
THE FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE LOBBY, RIGHT THERE.
THAT LARGE CROWD THAT YOU HAD TO WALK, WEAVE YOUR WAY THROUGH TONIGHT, THAT'S THEM WHO, WHO WERE GONE.
YOU MEAN THAT CREW THAT'S GONE.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GONE BY NOW,
THIS IDEA OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, CITY COUNCIL ON THIS BOARD TO BEGIN TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS TO, UH, ENSURE A BETTER ALIGNED FUTURE, UH, FOR DESOTO.
BECAUSE REALLY ALL THREE OF YOU SHOULD BE WORKING ON THE SAME AGENDA.
UM, AND I THINK THAT PREDOMINANTLY WE DO, BUT I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF ROOMS, LOTS OF WAYS TO WORK BETTER TOGETHER AND LOTS OF ROOM FOR GROWTH THERE.
UM, AND THAT BEGINS WITH WHAT MEANS.
TELL ME AGAIN, INTENTIONAL CON, INTENTIONAL COMMONALITIES, COMMON, UH, CONVERSATION.
OH, WHAT IS EFFECTIVE ATION? COMMUNICATION.
I'M SURE THAT THERE'S ON A COMMON OBJECTIVE.
UM, OTHER, OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE BIOLIFE SCIENCE CAMPUS.
UM, WE'VE HAD OWNERS, UH, THE OWNER AND DEVELOPERS MEETING AT THAT SITE NOW ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.
UM, WE'VE HAD ARCHITECTURAL PARTNERS COME AND VISIT THAT SITE AND WORKING WITH US.
WE'RE GONNA BE CREATING A SMALL, UH, SMALL AREA PLAN THAT LAYS OUT THAT 80 ACRES AND HOW IT MIGHT SUPPORT BIOLIFE SCIENCES.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE BEGINNING THE PROCESS, PROCESS OF EXPLORING CAPITAL PARTNERS.
WE WANT TO INVEST A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IN CREATING OUR DREAM.
I MEAN, BUILDING OUT LAB SPACE IS ABOUT $1,400 A SQUARE FOOT.
YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, AS OPPOSED TO RESIDENTIAL, THAT BUILDS OUT AT 175 TO TWO 50 A SQUARE FOOT OFFICE THAT BUILDS OUT AT 200 TO 300 SQUARE FOOT.
UM, THIS IS FIVE TIMES THAT AMOUNT.
UM, SO FINDING THE RIGHT CAPITAL PARTNER WHO BELIEVES IN THIS PRODUCT, WHO UNDERSTANDS THE LONG-TERM HAUL THAT IT IS AND IS WILLING TO CREATE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT, IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S GOT LOTS OF COMPONENTS TO IT.
IT'S NOT JUST LAB SPACE, IT'S OFFICE SPACE.
IT'S, UM, GENERAL OFFICE SPACE.
IT'S THE AMENITIES OF COMMUNITY THAT LOOK LIKE RETAIL, UM, AND RESTAURANTS.
AND THEN FINALLY, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, THERE'S FIVE DIFFERENT ARMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
[01:35:01]
MOVED ESPORTS A LONG WAYS TO THE FORWARD, AND IT'S AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.UM, WE'RE WORKING NOW WITH, WITH DANNY OVER AT ESPORTS, UH, OR AT EXPOSURE AND THE ISD TO SET, LAY OUT THE NEXT STEPS FOR GETTING THE CLUB STOOD UP BY YEAR END, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES.
UM, WE'VE BEGUN TO WORK AND EXPLORE AN OFF-CAMPUS, UH, CONSTRUCTION CENTER HERE IN DESOTO RATHER THAN OUR KIDS GOING SOMEPLACE ELSE.
UM, UH, BY WORKING WITH AN INDUSTRY PARTNER WHO IS OFFERED UP, UH, THEIR FACILITY.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A, A TRADE CENTER, UH, THAT WILL HAVE, UH, THE STUDENTS COMING THERE FOR HALF THE DAY AND ENGAGING IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE TRADES.
THAT'S THE MECHANICAL, IT'S LAYOUT AND FRAMING.
UM, IT IS EVERY ASPECT OF, OF THE BUILDING TRADES, UH, UP TO AND INCLUDING CYBERSECURITY.
UM, ON THE BIOLIFE SCIENCE PIECE, DR.
HERDON CONTINUES TO WORK WITH US, UM, WITH THE DALLAS COLLEGE AND, UH, OUR WORK WITH ISD TO OVER TIME BUILD THIS INTO THEIR CPE PROGRAM.
UM, AS DALLAS COLLEGE STANDS UP, THEIR PROGRAM IN CREATING AN ONGOING PIPELINE TO THE BIOLIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRIES, AND SPECIFICALLY FOR US, THAT LOOKS LIKE BIOMANUFACTURING.
UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AVIATION, WE MADE A A LONG STEP THERE, UM, IN, IN THE CON THE CONVENING, THE DALLAS COLLEGE HELD WITH INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND AMERICAN AIRLINES BOTH HAD PEOPLE THERE.
UM, A NUMBER OF US WHO, WHO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY AND, YOU KNOW, MYSELF INCLUDED, WERE THERE.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE NOW MADE APPLICATION TO THE FAA TO CREATE A TRAINING CENTER HERE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
AND SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT AS, AS WE STAND THAT PROGRAM UP TO BE ABLE TO START TO DO A AND P MECHANICS, WE START OFF IN THE NINTH GRADE AND ARE ONLY HAVING TO FINISH ANOTHER YEAR AFTER THEY TURN 18 IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THAT.
UH, AND ALSO LOOKING AT HOW WE ENGAGE OUR VETERANS, UM, WHO HAVE PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE THAT THE, THE DOD DOES A MISERABLE JOB OF TELLING 'EM JUST HOW TALENTED THEY REALLY ARE AND WHAT, AND WHAT IT TAKES TO APPLY THAT TALENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD THAT INITIATIVE.
UM, THEY CALL HIM THE PLANE GUY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FIND THE PLANE GUY WHO UNDERSTANDS VETERAN AFFAIRS, WHO UNDERSTANDS EDUCATION, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY UNDERSTANDS AVIATION.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO HELP THEM WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY IS THE CULINARY SKILLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PROGRAM AT THE, AT THE DISD NOW, THE SOTO ISD, UM, UH, OUR PARTNERS AT ROOTS CHICKEN SHACK.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING TWO BUILDINGS THERE.
THE OTHER ONE IS MEANT TO BE TWO OTHER RESTAURANT FACILITIES.
BUT, UH, TOM, THE OWNER THERE, TOM AND HIS PARTNER TIFFANY DAIRY, HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH DALLAS COLLEGE AND THEIR CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTION PEOPLE.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MIGHT BRING THAT PROGRAM RIGHT HERE TO SOTO, UH, IN THAT SECOND BUILDING.
SO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING EVERYBODY TO, TO THAT SPACE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
AND NOW THESE KIDS ARE WORKING WITH A WORLD CLASS CHEF.
I MEAN, TALK ABOUT A WAY TO, TO PAD YOUR RESUME RIGHT UP.
UM, AND THEN THE PROJECT UPDATES.
AND I WON'T BORE YOU WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE.
YOU CAN KIND OF READ THROUGH THOSE AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, I'M HAPPY TO, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
UM, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE ALL MOVING FORWARD IN ONE SHAPE, WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
UM, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THE EDUCATION PIECE ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS CONFERENCES WE'RE ATTENDING THIS FALL.
ALL OF THOSE HAPPENED BETWEEN NOW AND DECEMBER.
UM, ANTOINE HAS GOT, UH, A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THAT HE'S, HE'LL BE AT IN DECEMBER.
RHONDA JUST FINISHED THE PROGRAM.
MELVIN'S GOT HERS COMING UP IN DECEMBER.
UM, AND, UH, THEN THE REST OF THIS IS, IS STUFF THAT, UH, IS ALL HAPPENING, SORT OF THE DAY IN AND THE DAY OUT.
GUYS, IT'S TIME TO WRAP UP THE EVENING.
UNLESS I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I'M AT IONS OF MY PRESENTATION.
I DID ASK IF THEY KNOW, UM, NO QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS AROUND THE ROOM BOARD.
ONE WAS TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT IT.
SO, UH, THAT SAID, THERE BEING NO FURTHER ITEMS TO DISCUSS, UH, THIS MEETING AT, UH, 7 7 53 IS NOW ADJOURNED.