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[A. REGULAR SESSION]
6:13 PM UM, SO, UM, INVITATION, WOULD YOU MIND GIVING US THE INVITATION? I'D BE HONORED.WE ARE SO GRATEFUL, UM, FOR THIS GATHERING OF THESE WONDERFUL MINDS.
GOD WILL GRATEFUL FOR THE GRACE OF DESOTO GOD AND FOR THESE DIRECTORS WHO HAVE GIVEN UP OUR TIME AND TALENT, UH, TO COME AND TALK STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THE CITY.
WE ASK THAL, GOD THAT YOU BLESS OUR COUNTRY.
WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS ISRAEL, GOD, AND, UH, WHETHER GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
WE PRAY GOD FOR, UM, EACH FAMILY THAT'S REPRESENTED AROUND THIS TABLE.
BLESS THY MAYEN TONIGHT IN JESUS NAME.
[B.1. August and September 2023 Financial Status Report -- Tracy Cormier, Director of Budget/Finance]
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.UM, YOU HAVE BOTH YOUR AUGUST AND YOUR SEPTEMBER FINANCIAL REPORT, BUT I'M GONNA SPEAK ON YOUR, ON THE SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS ON PAGE NINE.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL REVENUE, UM, TODAY, UM, WE OVERALL AT 94.8% OF YOUR, UM, REVENUE THAT WAS BUDGETED.
NOW, I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE TWO MORE MONTHS OF SALES TAX THAT ARE DUE FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
WE DID RECEIVE THE AUGUST AND I, BUT OF COURSE I AFTER THIS REPORT, SO I CAN GIVE YOU THAT NUMBER.
NOW, FOR THE DD DC SALES TAX, YOU'RE GONNA GET 242 9 80.
AND THEN FOR THE DPD SHARE, YOU'RE GONNA GET 80,993 FOR AUGUST.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE SEPTEMBER LEFT.
UM, WITH THAT, YOU SHOULD MEET BUDGET WITH NO PROBLEM.
YOU SHOULD BE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR REVENUE ONCE WE APPROVE THAT REVENUE EXPENDITURES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, TOTAL IS 32.9.
OVERALL, I'M JUST SPEAKING TO MATT BEFORE THIS MEETING.
HE DOESN'T THINK HE HAS ANY OUTSTANDING COMMITMENTS LEFT FOR 23.
SO I KNOW WE PROBABLY HAVE A COUPLE SMALL INVOICES TO PAY, BUT YOU SHOULD BE WELL UNDER 40% OF THE BUDGET SPEND FOR THE YEAR.
AND THAT'S, ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? REMEMBER WHAT THAT THAT MEANS IS WITH US HAVING THAT WE ROLL OVER THEN THE BALANCE INTO OUR FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND SO THE LINE ITEMS FOR ADVERTISING, SO WE BUDGETED FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR, 2 50, 250 8,000.
SO WHAT KIND OF ADVERTISING DO NEED TO, SO ADVERTISING, REMEMBER ADVERTISING IS THE, IS THE WEIRD BIRD.
IN THAT IT IS A, IT IS A EXPENSE THAT IS DICTATED BY THE STATUTE TO NOT EXCEED 10% MM-HMM.
AND IT'S WHAT, IT'S REALLY ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS, AND IT'S REALLY LISTED AS PROMOTIONS IN THE STATUTE THAT WE BUDGET THAT AT 10% OF OUR EXPECTED REVENUES MM-HMM.
NOW, IN SOME CASES WE END UP DOING THAT, THAT THAT MEANS OUR WEBSITE EXPENSES COME THERE, OUR MARKETING STRATEGY WORK THIS NEXT YEAR WILL ALL COME OUT OF THERE.
UM, SO THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT WE DO INCUR, BUT AS A GENERAL RULE, IT ISN'T AS IF WE, WE BUDGETED REALLY FOR $258,000 OF ADVERTISING.
IT IS, IT IS JUST WHAT WE, AND THEN WE ACCUMULATE THAT.
THE OTHER THING THE STATUTE ALLOWS US TO DO IS TO ACCUMULATE IT THE UNSPENT SPEND AMOUNT FROM YEAR TO YEAR SO THAT IF WE DO IT, UH, A LARGE PROJECT, UM, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND EXPEND THEM BECAUSE THE REST OF THE MONEY, THE REST OF THE FUNDS THAT WE GET, UM, WITH THE DDC ARE, ARE REALLY SPOKEN FOR BY THE STATUTE THAT TELLS US HOW WE HAVE TO INVEST THEM.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I I I SAY IT, IT TRULY, IT, IT IS NOT IN, IN THE CITY'S ACCOUNTING PROCESS.
IT IS NOT LISTED AS PROMOTIONS IN OURS.
AND, AND IT'S WITH THAT INTENT.
SO THEN YEAR OVER YEAR, IT, IT FLUCTUATES.
AND I MEAN, FOR INSTANCE, THIS YEAR WE ANTICIPATED HAVING, UM, TOWNSEND, TOWNSEND SQUARES FACADE GRANT AGREEMENT.
WE ANTICIPATED THAT BEING COMPLETED AND, AND BROUGHT TO US FOR PAYMENT THIS YEAR.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE, SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN EXHAUST ALMOST EXHAUSTED THIS YEAR.
IN FACT, WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE HAD TO TRANSFER FUNDS FROM PRIOR, FROM FROM ANOTHER AREA.
UM, TO USE PRIOR TO YOUR FUNDS, UM, JUST TO MEET OUR, UH, WEBSITE, UH, EXPENSES.
SO HOW MUCH IS IN THERE OVERALL? YOU KNOW, I, I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
NOBODY HAD EVER TRACKED IT UNTIL I GOT HERE.
THERE WAS NO ACCOUNTING OF WHERE THAT
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WE CAN GO BACK AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS GO BACK AND IDENTIFY THE BUDGETED AMOUNT, THE SPENT AMOUNT FOR THE LAST DECADE.IT WOULD BE MONEY OVER A DECADE.
WELL, IT BE MORE THAN THAT ACTUALLY.
I MEAN, IT ACCUMULATES LITERALLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR IN TERMS OF WHAT THE DDC CAN AUTHORIZE TO BE SPENT OUT OF THAT PROMOTIONS AMOUNT.
WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST THE PROMOTION PORTION OF THE ACCOUNT, RIGHT? I MEAN, ANY OF THOSE EXTRA DOLLARS THAT ACCUMULATE, THOSE ARE IN THE FUND BALANCE ALREADY.
SO THE FUND BALANCE THAT YOU SEE UP THERE FOR SOME $4 MILLION, THOSE FUNDS ARE INCLUDED IN YES.
YEAH, IT'S JUST, WE DIDN'T EXPEND IT ON THAT LINE ITEM.
SO FACADE, IT'S, IT'S A GRANT, RIGHT? IT IS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S IN THE ADVERTISING LINE ITEM.
IT'S NOT, IT'S UNDER PROMOTIONS.
IT JUST HAPPENS TO SAY ON THAT, THAT YOU JUST SAID THAT, BUT I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE SLOW.
THE, REMEMBER UP UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO, WE KEPT OUR OWN BOOKS.
SO WE HAD ALL OUR OWN LINE ITEMS, OKAY.
AND THEY LINED UP REALLY GOOD.
AND THEN WE STARTED TRYING TO PUT A ROUND PEG IN A SQUARE HOLE OKAY.
CALLED THE CITY ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
AND YES, IN, IN AN EFFORT NOT TO CREATE A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW ACCOUNT LINE ITEMS. OKAY.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THESE THINGS THAT WERE MORE OR LESS THE SAME THING, RIGHT? WE HAVE IT IN OUR FUND OH TWO FIVE.
THERE'S OTHER, OTHER PLACES THAT SPEND ON ADVERTISING.
AND SO IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR US TO USE THAT AS OUR PROMOTIONS ACCOUNT.
OUR, OUR ADVERTISING DOES COME OUT OF OUR PROMOTION ACCOUNT, SO DO OUR, SO DO OUR FACADE GRANTS.
ANY, ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD, WE, THIS BOARD WOULD DEEM AS A PROJECT FOR PROMOTION WOULD COME OUT OF THAT, THAT, THAT LINE ITEM.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE AWKWARD.
I MEAN, TRACY WILL ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT IF YOU TAKE OFF, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST 8, 7, 8 LINE ITEMS, WHICH ARE ALL EMPLOYEE EXPENSES, THE, THE LINE ITEMS THAT YOU SEE BELOW THERE, THERE'S 12 OR 15 OF THEM NOW.
ORIGINALLY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HAVING THE CITY DOING THAT, I THINK IT WAS, WHAT, FOUR OR FIVE? OKAY.
AND WE SAID THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH DETAIL.
SO WE EXPANDED THAT AND IT'S A LOT BETTER THAN IT WAS IN TERMS OF US BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHERE TO, WHAT BUCKETS MONEY IS GOING TO AND BEING SPENT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR ME, I WANT YOU GUYS TO HAVE AN EXPOSURE TO WHAT'S BEING SPENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE US START TO BEGIN TO PRODUCE NOW THIS YEAR, WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL BREAKOUT IN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES OF EXPENDITURES ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
SO YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW WE'RE SPENDING MONEY.
WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE NAPP DETAIL THAT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY REALLY WANT TO BE THERE ANYWAY.
YOU KNOW, WE BOUGHT PENS, WE BOUGHT PENCILS OR SOMETHING.
BUT IT'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAIL.
IN, IN, IN THAT LINE ITEM WOULD BE F SO GRANTS, WEBSITE EXPENSES, MARKETING STRATEGY WORK, YOU KNOW, CONTRACT LABOR, WORK FOR THAT.
ALL THOSE WOULD BE BROKEN OUT AS SIGNIFICANT LINE ITEMS. THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON, ON FINANCE? I'M THRILLED TO SEE YOU.
REMEMBER, WE WERE, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING BEHIND ON SALES TAX ALL YEAR LONG BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE THAT WAS MADE AT KOHL'S.
UM, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOME 250,000, $4 MILLION OF INTEREST REVENUES, UM, BASED ON US CHANGING OUR INVESTMENT PATTERN.
YOU REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST YEAR WE CHANGED THAT, WE'VE BEEN EARNING ABOUT FOUR POINT A HALF PERCENT INTEREST.
THAT'S MADE UP FOR A, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT SHORTFALL.
AND NEVERMIND THE FACT OUR SALES TAX, IF SALES TAXES OUTSIDE OF COALS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW AS THE ECONOMY HAS REMOUNTED AND AMERICANS ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY.
SO THEY ARE IN SOTO AS WELL, IT TURNS OUT.
AND OUR SALES TAXES ARE GROWING.
THOSE ARE ALL REALLY GREAT SIGNS FOR US.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL EXCEED OUR, OUR BUDGET, UM, BY MORE THAN THE 5% WE ANTICIPATE.
[B.2. City Council Liaison update regarding City events, meetings, etc. -- Council member Andre‘ Byrd]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT.UM, AND I, I WOULD STICK VERY CLOSE TO THE AGENDA.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, CITY EVENTS, MEETINGS AND ET CETERA,
UH, THE CITY, UH, CITY MEETINGS, FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL JUST COMPLETED LAST WEEK ATTENDING, UH, TML WITH JUST TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, WHERE ALL THE LEGISLATORS AND MAYORS AND, UH, UH,
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CITY MANAGERS FROM ALL OVER TEXAS COME TOGETHER.NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE, BUT I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 3,500 PEOPLE THAT WAS HERE IN DALLAS FROM ALL OVER LARGE, SMALL, UH, THEY SAY CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES.
SO FROM ALL OVER WE WERE HERE AND WE TALK ABOUT, UM, THINGS THAT MIGHT BE FACING THE CITY OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WORKOUT STRATEGIES.
AND SO THE BIG DEAL THIS YEAR, UH, TO ME, ONE OF THE BIG DEAL DEALS WERE, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO USE AI TO ADVANCE, UH, YOUR CITY, UH, PLATFORM AND HOW, HOW NOT TO BE AFRAID OF IT.
AND, AND ACTUALLY THERE WERE CLASSES ON HOW, ACTUALLY HOW AI WORKS, YOU KNOW, SO THERE WAS A PROGRAMMER AND, UM, BUT ALL OF, UM, ALL OF COUNCIL, WE WERE ALL THERE.
AND IT WAS, IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, UM, UH, CONTINUING EDUCATION, IF YOU WOULD, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THIS FIELD.
AND WE CAN HEAR ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, DOING TO ATTRACT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IF THERE'S PROBLEMS. SO IT'S, IT'S A GROUP POW WOW.
THE, UH, NATIONAL PRESIDENT FROM, UM, FROM, UM, FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, SHE ACTUALLY CAME DOWN, UH, SHE'S AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, FEMALE, AND SHE SPOKE, BUT IT WAS A VERY, VERY GOOD MEETING.
WE WERE THERE FOR ABOUT, UM, I BELIEVE FOUR DAYS, UH, LAST WEEK.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE DEALS THAT WE ALL KIND OF TRY TO GO TO, UH, WHERE THERE, IT'S IN TOWN OR OUT.
IT WAS REALLY GOOD THAT IT WAS IN TOWN THIS TIME, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TRAVEL EXPENSES AND ALL THAT AND STUFF.
UM, THE OTHER DEAL THAT I WANTED TO TELL YOU ABOUT WAS THE, UM, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WE ARE PREPARING, UH, COUNCIL DURING OUR WINTER RETREAT, AND THEN IT WAS PERFECTED DURING OUR SUMMER RETREAT, THE CHANGING OF THE COUNCIL MEETING TIMES.
SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME TIMES THAT WE'RE HERE TO 11, 12 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE, UM, THE TIME TO START AT, UH, ROUGHLY AROUND 5, 5 30.
I WAS LOOKING AT MY NOTES HERE, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO START AT FIVE 30.
SO THE, UH, THE START MEETING TIMES WILL BE FIVE 30 AND WITH A GUARANTEED ADJOURNMENT AT 10, NOT UNLESS WE VOTE TO EXTEND IT A LITTLE LATER.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT THE, UM, THE ORIGINAL GOAL WAS TO TEE IT UP AND GET IT READY FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
UH, THAT WAS THE, THE GOAL IS TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
BUT, UH, WHEN I GET TO THE ET CETERA, UH, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I'M KIND OF HESITATING ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT WILL HAPPEN.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF GOING ON, ON THE COUNCIL LEVEL.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THOSE TWO THINGS SO FAR? UH, SO THE EVENT THAT YOU, THAT THE COUNCIL WENT TO.
SO WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, BROADBAND AND THE CHALLENGES THAT CERTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE FACING? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I, I WANT TO, UM, UM, THERE, THERE IS A SEGMENT.
IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SEVERAL TRACKS THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH.
BROADBAND WAS ONE OF THE TRACKS AND HOW TO ACCESS FEDERAL MONEY FOR, FOR BROADBAND AND ALL OF THAT, AND HOW TO USE THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES TO CHAMPION THAT FOR OUR CITY.
AND, UM, SO THAT IS, UM, THAT'S A EXCELLENT QUESTION.
AND SO THERE ARE TRACKS FOR THAT NOW.
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, REALLY WHERE THEY GET INTO, BECAUSE IT IS PUSHING, IT'S COMING FROM, FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOWN.
SO NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IS REALLY THE, THE PLACE WHERE WE WOULD REALLY KIND OF LEARN HOW TO ACCESS IT.
AND BEING A PART OF THAT, UM, BEING A PART OF THAT REALLY HELPS COUNCIL, LOCAL COUNCIL KNOW WHERE TO HELP STAFF TO LOOK FOR IT.
UM, AND ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE A PART OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CITIES.
ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PART OF TML.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, SOMETIMES, UH, WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET LINES AND WE WONDER WHY ARE THEY SPENDING THAT MONEY? WELL, WE'VE GOT TO LEARN.
SO YOU HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE SOMETIME TO LEARN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO, I'LL SAY IT ON THE D UH, NEXT WEEK, BUT MANY PEOPLE DON'T.
UH, YOU SEE, UM, AT AND T WORKING IN OUR CITY, AND THEY ARE INSTALLING FIBER OPTICS.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, SENATOR ROYCE WEST WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL, UH, IN DOING, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO, MAKING SURE THAT THEY BROUGHT THAT AND OTHERS.
BUT I KNOW THAT HE WAS, UM, HE WAS, HE HAD A, A PETITION GOING, UH, GOING BY.
AND SO HE WAS PUSHING THAT REALLY, UH, HEAVILY.
AND I KNOW IN OUR AREA, THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED, UH, LAYING THE FIBER OPTICS, WHICH IS GREAT, WHICH IS GOING TO, UH, WHICH I THINK, UM, UH, TO MATT'S DEAL FOR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
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BIO LABS AND, AND THE CONNECTIVITY AND MAKING SURE, AND EVEN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAMPTON ROAD, WE WANT TO GO IN WITH THE LATEST AND GREATEST SO THAT WHEN COMPANIES COME HERE, WE'RE ALREADY SET.SO, UM, IT SEEMED LIKE THE STARS ARE JUST ALIGNING THEMSELVES.
I WAS, UH, BEFORE I FORGET, THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS JUST, I WAS CURIOUS AS TO THE CITIES WHO ARE ALREADY USING AI, MAYBE JUST THE ONE OR TWO NUGGETS THAT YOU GUYS PULLED IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE USING IT AND WHAT HAS BEEN AFFECTED SO FAR.
LEAVE IT TO A DOCTOR AND ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.
SO YOU, YOU'VE GONE TO SITES WHERE THERE'S THIS ASSISTANT THAT AUTOMATICALLY COMES UP BECAUSE, UM, MUNICIPALITIES, WEBSITES ARE HARD TO NAVIGATE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, LET'S SAY YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, BUILDING PERMITS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH CLICK TO CLICK.
AND SO YOU CAN PUT IN THERE BUILDING PERMITS AND IT'LL TAKE YOU RIGHT THERE.
OR THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEND YOU THE FORM.
SO THERE'S TWO THINGS, UM, THAT, UM, I, I WALKED AWAY WITH I CYBERSECURITY.
SO SOME, SOME MUNICIPALITIES ARE USING IT.
AND, AND, AND ACTUALLY THE PRESENTER, HE WAS FROM A SMALL TOWN OUT OF CANADA.
AND THEY USED IT, UH, THEY USED IT.
UM, THEY USED IT FOR CYBERSECURITY TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, OR JUST FOR, FOR, UM, TO, TO SET UP WALLS, FIREWALLS, AND TO, UH, AND SO THE SECOND THING THAT THEY DID WAS TO USE IT FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE SO THAT PEOPLE GO THERE INSTEAD OF IF YOU'RE TRYING TO PULL A BUILDING PERMIT AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT BUILDING, SO YOU CAN JUST GO TO AI IN THIS THING IS WORKING IN THE BACKGROUND.
I PUT IN MY INFORMATION, I WROTE MY INTRODUCTION, AND I THOUGHT MY DAUGHTER FORCED ME TO USE AI.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS ACTUALLY, IT WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
AND, AND OF COURSE YOU GOT TO CHECK AND, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, THE FRAILTIES YES.
YOU KNOW, THERE THEY HAD A, UM, A MUFFIN AND THEN THIS LITTLE CHIHUAHUA.
SO I GUESS WHATEVER THEY PUT IN IT KEPT GETTING THE CHIHUAHUA CONFUSED WITH THE MUFFINS.
YOU KNOW, BOTH OF US BROWN WITH BLACK.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE, BUT WHAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT IS HOW, HOW IT DERIVES THE OUTCOME.
YOU PUT IN SOMETHING ELSE AND IT GIVES YOU SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IT JUST WORKS ALMOST POLAR OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT TAKES INFORMATION THAT'S ALL WAY THERE.
AND, AND, AND IT PULLS FROM ALL OVER.
SO THAT'S, I THINK FOR MUNICIPALITY, THOSE WERE THE TWO BIG DEALS TO SET UP CYBERSECURITY AND TO, UM, AUTOMATE POSSIBLY THE WEBPAGE.
SO TO MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY.
SO I WILL INTRODUCE A TERM THAT WE USE IN HEALTHCARE, AND WE HAVE IT ALL, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE CALLED IT A BOT, BUT ALL THESE THINGS, TO YOUR POINT, IT'S CALLED THE DIGITAL FRONT DOOR.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS NOW.
LIKE, PEOPLE WON'T WALK THROUGH HERE, THEY'LL GET ON THE WEBSITE, AND TO YOUR POINT, THEY NEED PERMITS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND YOUR AI JUST AUTOMATICALLY DIRECTS THEM.
IT SAVES YOU PHONE CALLS AND, UH, HEAVY ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.
SO THAT'S THE TERM THAT WE, YOU CALL.
SO DIGITAL, FRONT DOOR DIGITAL.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT A CHAT.
WELL, WELL, WELL, TO THAT POINT, TO THAT POINT, MR. JONES, THEY, THEY SAID THAT YOU STILL NEED HUMANS TO CHECK TO KNOW HOW.
AND TO, TO, BUT, UM, BUT IT, IT, IT WOULD AUTOMATE IT.
AND HE BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD, AND I'M SORRY IF I'M TAKING YOU UP TOO MUCH TIME.
YOU'RE NOT, HE BROUGHT UP A GOOD, I, HE BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
UH, Y'ALL REMEMBER HIDDEN FIGURES,
THOSE LADIES WERE CALLED COMPUTERS.
AND NOW WE NO LONGER, WE STILL NEED SOMEBODY TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION, ANALYZE IT, BUT, BUT WHAT THE TASKS THAT CAN BE DONE IN SECONDS VERSUS A HUMAN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ACTUALLY MUNDANE TASK.
YOU KNOW, IN, IN SOME CASES EVEN, UH, BETTER FORECASTING BECAUSE IT CAN GIVE YOU, IT HAS MORE DATA POINTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO IT WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING.
AND SO, I I I, I, I WOULD SUSPECT OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, I'M GOING TO GET A LOT SMARTER WITH IT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE LEARNED SO FAR.
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WELL, I WISH I'D SEEN THAT.NOW LET ME GET TO THE EXACT, OH, I'M SORRY, MR. JONES.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST DID A STUDY IN HARVARD.
THEY TOOK 25 WAS THE WIDEST ATTORNEYS IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY, AND THEY PUT 'EM IN A ROOM AND SAW 30 CASES, TOOK TWO AND A HALF DAYS, AND THEN I DID IT IN 30 SECONDS.
IT SOLVED THE LEGAL QUESTIONS.
AND IT TOOK THE TOP 25 LEGAL MINDS IN THE US TWO AND A HALF DAYS TO DO IDENTITY.
SO I THINK IT'S BEING SHOUTED AS NOT A REPLACEMENT, BUT AS A, ALMOST LIKE AN ACCESSORY TO A PERSON TO TAKE THE MUNDANE, IT'S MADE UP PRODUCTIVITY, IF YOU WOULD, VERY MUCH LIKE THE COMPUTERS GOING FROM THE INDIVIDUAL TO BEING A C AN ACTUAL, UH, A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, UH, NOW THE ET CETERA.
AND I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD, AND I DON'T, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE GONNA MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT GO.
IT'S KIND OF A TRUE STORY TO TELL.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I WISH I DID NOT HAVE TO TELL THE STORY
I THINK, UH, FOUR, UH, FOUR YEARS PLUS, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE GOTTEN A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO STAY LOCAL, BUT, UH, GO UP TO A TROPHY CLUB.
SO, UH, HE HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION AT TROPHY CLUB, UM, AND, UM, I THINK DECEMBER THE EIGHTH WILL BE HIS LAST DATE.
ALRIGHT, SO MEL LOOKED UP LIKE, IS THAT GOOD NEWS? MATT LOOKED UP
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, BUT UH, BUT WE WISH BRANDON WELL.
UM, UM, AND, AND I, I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH ANNOUNCING IT.
UH, IT'S ALREADY PUBLIC AND WHEN YOU HEAR IT ON KBIL, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY, I MEAN, I'VE NEVER HEARD AN OPEN POSITION ON KBIL, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SOUND, UM, BITE FROM THE MAYOR OF, UH, TROPHY CLUB TALKING ABOUT THEY LOOK FOR THE BEST.
AND THEY CAME TO DESOTO AND I, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WELL, THE BEST LIVES IN DESOTO AND OBVIOUSLY WORKED FOR DESOTO.
SO, UM, WE ARE SO WHEN YOU SEE HIM WISH HIM WELL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? YES, MA'AM.
I'M UNDERSTOOD IN THE STATUS OF THE, THE MEETING, BUT GETTING SCHEDULED.
I, AND, AND, AND I WANT TO THAT, UH, WHEN YOU GUYS BRING ME STUFF, I TAKE IT BACK IMMEDIATELY.
AND SO MY COLLEAGUE WHO WAS HERE LAST WEEK, PROBABLY DID NOT KNOW THAT, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH BRANDON.
HE SAID THAT HE WOULD SCHEDULED IT IN NOVEMBER, UH, RIGHT AFTER, AFTER THANKSGIVING IS WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SCHEDULED.
BUT, UH, I KINDA LEFT THAT IN HIS HANDS BECAUSE HE'S KIND OF THE, THE MASTER OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS COMING TOGETHER.
BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP, UH, AS, AS WHAT I DO IS I TAKE NOTES, ANYTHING PERTINENT.
I NORMALLY SHARE IT WITH BRANDON, UH, FIRST AND HE START WORKING ON IT.
SO I, I DO KNOW THAT HE WAS WORKING ON THAT, AND I THINK I REPORTED IT, UH, BEFORE YOU RETREAT.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO DUCK OUT TO GO TO A, TO A A A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR THE HEADS UP ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE EXTRA TIME AVAILABLE.
[B.3. Review and discuss 2023 — 2024 DeSoto Development Corporation Annual Work Plan]
AND DISCUSS THE 20 23 20 24 ANNUAL WORK PLAN.SO REMEMBER AT OUR, AT OUR, UH, I KEEP GOING.
UM, AT OUR, AT OUR RETREAT, UM, WE KIND OF WALKED THROUGH, UM, THE PIZZAS AND PARTS, UH, THAT ARE COM THAT ARE MAKE UP THE, THE WORK PLAN THAT I PROPOSED TO THE CITY MANAGER EVERY YEAR.
YOU KNOW, I, I WANT TO HITCHHIKE AND, AND, AND SAY, I, I HAVE ENJOYED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CITY MANAGER.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED AS, AS A, AS A REALLY, REALLY EFFECTIVE TEAM, UM, MOVING THINGS FORWARD.
UM, ME WITH THIS BOARD, HIM WITH HIS, UM, BRINGING THOSE TOGETHER.
UM, I KNOW THERE ARE THINGS WE STILL WANT TO IMPROVE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S I THINK THE SIGN OF A HEALTHY ORGANIZATION IS THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS TO IMPROVE.
UM, BUT, BUT I, I WILL MISS BRANDON AS A, AS A PARTNER IN CRIME, UM, THAT TO ME, THAT'S A LOSS.
THAT I, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA COME NEXT.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THERE'S A PROCESS AND ALL THAT, BUT, UH, I, I'M, I'M THRILLED FOR HIM.
UM, I KNOW IT'S A GOOD CAREER MOVE FOR HIM.
AND TROPHY CLUB IS LUCKY TO GET HIM.
UM, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK THOUGH, UNLESS YOU LEAVE US.
YOU KNOW,
WELL, I AM, BUT HE NEEDS TO KNOW, I AM.
HIM APPROVING OUR WORK PLAN FOR
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NEXT YEAR WILL BE ONE OF HIS LAST HURRAHS.UM, I SUBMIT THIS TO HIM, UH, A WEEK FROM THIS FRIDAY.
UM, AND, AND THEN HE'LL, HE'LL APPROVE THESE.
BUT YOU REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR GOALS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS, AND YOU SEE THOSE AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.
MARKETPLACE IS, IS LAG, IS, IS STILL DRAGGING FORWARD FROM LAST YEAR.
THE STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT TECH PROFESSIONALS IN TECHNOLOGY, LEGAL SCIENCE, AND ENGINEERING FIELDS DRAGGING FORWARD FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS A A, AN END DATE AT THE END OF 24TH.
THAT DOESN'T REALLY EVER STOP.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE DATE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SIGNED TO IT IN THE, IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE'LL PROBABLY CHANGE THAT TO BEING AN ONGOING PIECE.
THE OTHER TWO THAT, THAT, THAT DID GET ADDED FOR THIS YEAR FROM THE, AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, ARE PARTNERING WITH THE DALLAS CENTER FOR THE DALLAS ENTREPRENEUR CENTER, UH, TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT THE VIABLE OPTIONS FOR STARTUPS INNOVATIONS.
AND REMEMBER THAT CONTRACT, UM, Y'ALL HAVE APPROVED, AND, AND COUNSEL WILL SEE THAT THE FIRST WEEK IN NOVEMBER, UM, AND APPROVE THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL BE, BEGIN THAT IMPLEMENTATION, UH, WITH TARSHA AND BILL AND HIS TEAM.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS THIS DEVELOPING AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO, TO ANCHOR, TO ATTRACT ANCHOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR.
WE CREATED THE TERMS LAST YEAR THAT PART'S COMPLETE THIS.
THESE SECOND PIECES, B AND C ARE THE ONGOING PIECE OF THIS.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THE VARIOUS PARCELS THAT MAKE THOSE THAT, THAT THEY ANTICIPATE IN THOSE, WE, WE CAN'T REALLY GO OUT AND HAVE RFPS OR PARCELS WE DON'T OWN OR CONTROL.
UM, AND SO THAT'S A LITTLE MORE, THAT'S A LITTLE MORE PROBLEMATIC THAN IT, THAN IT LOOKS JUST SITTING THERE UNDER B.
UM, IN THAT WE ONLY CONTROL REALLY TWO MAJOR, TWO MAJOR PRO TWO MAJOR PIECES PARCELS IN, IN THE CORRIDOR.
NOW IT'S THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF, UH, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF BELTLINE AND HAMPTON ROAD, WHERE WE OWN THOSE 22 SOME ODD ACRES.
AND THEN THE MEDICAL, THE MEDICAL VILLAGE WHERE WE OWN THAT SIX AND A HALF ACRES.
UM, THOSE ARE THE TWO PIECES OF THE SIGNIFICANT PARCELS WE OWN.
ONE OF THOSE, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM AND UNDERSTANDING WITH A, UH, DEVELOPER FOR THE, THE SOUTHWEST CORNER.
AND UNTIL THAT MOVES OR CHANGES, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE IN A POSITION TO ISSUE AN RFP.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT AS THE MARKET CONTINUES TO DEVELOP.
I MEAN, WE'RE KIND OF IN A PLACE WHERE CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE GONE UP, INTEREST RATES HAVE GONE UP.
IF YOU AREN'T IN THE LUXURY POSITION OF HAVING CASH SITTING ON HAND TO INVEST IN A PROJECT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE DEBT COSTS.
BUT I MEAN, WOULDN'T YOU LOVE TO IF THAT, IF YOU WERE A DEVELOPER, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO EAT ONE OF THOSE.
BUT EATING BOTH OF THOSE IN A PROJECT THAT YOU DIDN'T ANTICIPATE, THERE YOU THERE, YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE THOSE PROJECTS PEN.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S, WHAT'S HOLDING UP DELIVERING ON THAT MOU WITH OUR MASTER DEVELOPER FOR THAT SOUTHWEST CORNER.
UM, THEY'VE DONE SOME, SOME FOOTWORK AS MUCH AS THEY COULD IN TERMS OF SECURING, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL OUTLYING PARCELS AND GETTING THOSE TO A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE UNDER CONTRACT.
WE CAN EXECUTE THAT CONTRACT WHEN WE WANT TO.
AND IT'S KIND OF CLEANED UP SOME OF THAT.
BUT THAT'S REALLY AS FAR AS WE'VE GOTTEN.
SO THESE ARE REALLY KIND OF CATCH AS CATCH CAN OPPORTUNITIES.
THE ONE THAT'S GONNA, THAT'S GOING TO COME UP PRETTY DARN QUICK, WILL BE THE, UH, COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
THE EIGHT ACRES THAT WE ARE UNDER, WE ARE, WE NOW HAVE A CONTRACT AS OF A WEEK AGO, UM, THAT WE NOW CONTROL THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR THE NEXT, FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
WE HAVE, WE, AS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE AS IN THE CITY, WE AS IN THE, WELL, THE, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.
WE, WE AS BOTH, BECAUSE IT'LL, IT, THE, THE MARKETING WILL BE DONE OUT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE CITY HAS THE CONTRACT, THE THE PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT.
UM, AND ACTUALLY IT REALLY IS A PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT THAT'S UNDER LANE BY AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO MARKET FOR A YEAR.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE PORTION THAT WE'LL BE DOING OUT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT MAY BE THROUGH AN RFP, UM, IT MAY BE THROUGH SOME SOLICITED, UH, SUBMITTALS, UM, WITH, WITH DEVELOPERS WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO FOR TWO YEARS.
AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEM TO THE TABLE.
WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A FORMAL RFP PROCESS OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, UM, THAT'S REALLY THE FIRST, THE FIRST ONE THAT'S GOING TO TEST THIS PROCESS WILL BE GETTING SOLICITED, UH, RESPONSES FOR THAT, FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE A VERY INTERESTING PROCESS, AND IT'S GONNA BE A REAL INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE OUTCOMES LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT PEOPLE OPPOSE IN THERE.
IT'S ANTICIPATED TO BE A MIXED USE PROPERTY OF A RELATIVELY HIGH RESIDENTIAL, UM, USE, BUT, BUT WHAT IT'S ANTICIPATED TO BE A MIXED USE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT KIND OF GETS US WHERE WE ARE, UM, WITH THE CITY'S BUSINESS PLAN GOALS, OUR DEPARTMENTAL GOALS.
WE TALKED THROUGH AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER ABOUT OUTSIDE INVESTMENT, UH, GETTING ADDITIONAL
[00:30:01]
COMMITMENTS INSIDE THE TURS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE REVENUES FOR US TO, TO INVEST IN THE, IN THE CORRIDOR.UM, COMPLETING OUR, OUR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT, UH, PROCESS AND EXPANDING OUR BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION SURVEY, FINISH THAT.
AND, UM, IMPLEMENT A, A, A MEASURE OF KPI THAT REALLY KIND OF MEASURES ON THE CONTINUUM OF CALLING TO ANSWERED CALLS TO MEETINGS, TO SITE VISITS TO PROJECTS, AND THEN PROJECTS ONE, AND BEING ABLE TO GET SOME IDEA WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THAT SALES TAX WE ANTICIPATE CONTINUE TO INCREASE AT ABOUT THAT 5% RATE, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR THAT TRACY WAS TALKING ABOUT IN INCREASING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BY A MINIMUM OF A HUNDRED JOBS THAT REALLY GOES HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE OUTSIDE INVESTMENT.
'CAUSE THOSE TIE VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER CONTINUING THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, OF THE PROGRAM WITH LOCAL, WITH LOCAL QUALIFIED NATIONAL FRANCHISORS, BROKERS, TENANT REPRESENTATIVES.
THIS IS THAT WHOLE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT AND THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, LOCAL CITIZENS WHO HAVE THE DESIRE TO OWN A BUSINESS, DEVELOP A BUSINESS.
FRANCHISING IS A, IS A PRETTY SOLID WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON WITH THOSE EFFORTS, ESTABLISHING THE WORKFORCE TRAINING AND, AND INTERNSHIP INITIATIVES.
WE BEGAN THAT WITH OUR ESPORTS INITIATIVE, UH, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UM, THAT'S, WE HAVE A, A SECOND PLANNING MEETING FOR THAT LATER, UH, NEXT WEEK.
UM, THE EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN ORDERED, THE ROOM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, IS CURRENTLY BEING OUTFITTED.
UM, AND WE HAVE A LAUNCH DATE FOR THAT OF, FORGIVE ME, I HAVE TO GO LOOK AT MY CALENDAR.
IS, IS IT FOURTH OR FIFTH? THAT'S WHAT I COULDN'T REMEMBER.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S JANUARY 5TH.
IT'S, IT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BACK IN, THEY'RE BACK IN SCHOOL.
UM, THE FIFTH IS A TRAINING DAY.
AND WE INTEND TO HAVE A GRAND OPENING OF THE ESPORTS, UH, FACILITY THERE AT, UH, DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL ON THE FIFTH.
ARE WE ALREADY WORKING ON SOME TYPE OF, UM, MEDIA PLAN? OR HOW ARE WE MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THIS? 'CAUSE I DO THINK SOMETIMES WE DO THINGS IN SECRET THAT SHOULD NOT BE WELL, WELL, THE, THE ANSWER TO THAT AND, AND IT'S POINT WELL TAKEN AND IT'S POINT WE MADE TO THE, SO ISD WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S GOTTA BE, IT'S, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS GRAND ROLLOUT, THAT MEANS TODAY WE NEED TO BE SENDING OUT SAFE DATES.
WE NEED TO BE IDENTIFYING WHO THESE DIGNITARIES ARE THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE THERE.
YOU, YOU WANT PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES THERE.
WE NEED TO BE PUTTING THAT ON THEIR CALENDAR.
WE MAY ALREADY BE TOO LATE FOR SOME OF THOSE.
WELL, ESPECIALLY WITH GOING INTO HOLIDAY SEASON.
IT'S LIKE SHE WENT TO ASCENT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MAVERICKS.
AND THE, THE, THE IDEA THIS WEEK WHEN WE MEET NEXT IS TO FINALIZE THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF PIECES AND PARTS TO THAT, AND THIS FINALIZED THAT.
MORE THAN LIKELY, WE'LL PROBABLY DRIVE THAT FROM INSIDE THE CITY WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS FOLKS, BUT, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO BE PART OF PARCEL TO IT.
I MEAN, THEY, ALL THE PARTIES REALLY DO.
UM, AND WE'RE RELYING, FRANKLY, ON DANNY, WHO HAS GREAT CONTACTS ON THE ESPORTS SIDE TO BRING THOSE FOLKS TO THE TABLE, UM, AT THE VARIOUS SPORTS AND, AND INDUSTRY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER PIECES IN THE, IN THE WORKS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S MCKAYLA'S PROJECT WITH, UH, THE BIOLIFE SCIENCE TRAINING, UH, CORRIDOR OR, UH, PIPELINE.
IT'S THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH THE AVIATION, THE A MP MECHANICS, UH, CERTIFICATION WITH DALLAS COLLEGE.
UM, THAT, THAT, UH, CONVENING HAPPENED SIX WEEKS AGO.
AND OUR FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING IS NEXT MONDAY, UM, TO BRING BACK INDUSTRY PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS, UM, THAT ARE FIGURING OUT WHERE THAT IS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THAT STOOD UP.
SO WE'VE, WE'RE CREATING A WHOLE LOT OF ACTIVITY WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THAT INDIVIDUAL WORK ITEM.
UH, EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH TO CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE REPRESENTING ALTERNATIVE AND ETHNIC POPULATIONS.
WE ACTUALLY DID MEET WITH TWO OF THOSE THIS YEAR.
WE GOT KIND OF JOHNNY ON THE SPOT AND MADE THAT HAPPEN.
SO I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE KNOW IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE.
IT'S A CONTINUING PROCESS OF BEING PRESENT THERE, HAVING THEM BEING PRESENT WITH US, WORKING WITH, WITH OUR CHAMBER FOLKS TO, TO BE CONNECTED.
UM, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO THE, THE THING THAT, UH, THE NEW CHAMBER, UH, THE NEW CHAMBER CHAIRMAN IS EUGENE, UH, WALKER WITH E EJ SMITH INSTRUCTION.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CHAMBER IN THE PAST, NOT SO MUCH THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, BUT EUGENE CAME TO ME, CAME TO CITY MANAGER AND SAID, I REALLY NEED YOU GUYS AT THE TABLE.
AND WE MADE THE COMMITMENT TO BE PART OF THAT, ALONG WITH OUR DECK COMMITMENT, UM, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'LL BE THERE TO HELP AND BE MORE CONNECTED.
[00:35:01]
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT WE'LL BRING TO THE TABLE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DRIVING.AND THE LAST ONE IS REALLY THIS IDEA THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT BALDWIN HAS, HAS ASKED US, YOU KNOW, REPETITIVELY ABOUT REACHING ACROSS SILOS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, ALICIA HAD A GREAT TERM FOR IT WHEN SHE LED OUR, OUR RETREAT LAST LAST YEAR ABOUT FRICTIONLESS DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IT'S A TERM I'VE KIND OF BEGIN, BEGUN TO USE AND COIN AND TALK TO WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOLKS.
UM, THEY'RE STILL LOOKING A LITTLE WEIRD AT ME WHEN I USE IT, BUT IT, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL STARTED PICKING UP ON IT, UM, AND SAID, THIS, THIS, THIS IS THE WAY WE NEED TO OPERATE IN DESOTO.
UM, WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHAT ALL THOSE PIECES ARE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT, IDENTIFY IT, CONVENE AROUND IT, TALK THROUGH IT, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN'T DO TO MAKE THE PROCESS BETTER.
SO YOU'VE HAD YOUR CONVERSATION AND THE COUNCIL IS GETTING, HAS EMBRACED THE CONCEPT.
SO WHAT ABOUT PLANNING AND ZONING? THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THIS PROCESS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEETING WITH COUNCIL.
WE MEET WITH COUNCIL AND THEN WE MEET WITH PLANNING AND ZONING.
THIS, THIS HAS TO BE SOMETHING WE ALL BUY IN ON.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE, WE WERE AT THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT RETREAT A A WEEK AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, OR WHERE LA WHEN OUR, WE HAD OUR, OUR RETREAT THAT IT WAS THE NEXT WEEK, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY THAT I WAS AT THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT RETREAT.
AND WE BROUGHT THIS UP AND WAS ONE, ONE HALF OF ONE AND HALF DAY WAS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND I SAID, WELL, LET'S START CALLING IT WHAT IT IS.
LET'S, LET'S BEGIN WITH THAT END IN MIND.
LET'S DECIDE WHERE WE'RE GONNA GET TO AND THEN START FIGURING OUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
UM, AND SO WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE FROM THE OTHER, OTHER C DEPARTMENTS? UM, LUKEWARM.
WELL, I MEAN, QUITE HONESTLY, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR WASN'T EVEN THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN EXCUSED ABSENCE.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT THE CAST STONES OR ANYTHING.
HE WAS AWAY WITH AN ISSUE WITH HIS WIFE.
BUT NONETHELESS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANY PROGRESS.
AND THERE ISN'T ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S PICKING UP AND PUSHING THE STONE AT THIS POINT.
I THINK WE'RE IN A UNIQUE PLACE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU ALL HAVE ASKED FOR A MEETING WITH THE COUNCIL.
YOU'VE ASKED FOR A MEETING WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
YOU KNOW, UNTIL THOSE, IN THE, UNTIL ALL THREE OF THESE, THE TWO BOARDS AND OR THE BOARD, THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL START TO SAY, THIS IS HOW WE WANT TO OPERATE.
THEN THERE'S LITTLE DIRECTIVE IN INSIDE TO THE DEVELOP TO THE DIRECTORS, UM, TO, TO DRIVE CHANGE.
WELL, Y'ALL CHANGE CITY MANAGERS, I TELL YOU THAT.
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED? SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS THE WORK PLAN THAT WITH, WITH YOUR BLESSING, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO ADD TO THIS.
UM, THIS WOULD BE THE WORK PLAN THAT I WILL SUBMIT TO THE, THE CITY MANAGER, UM, THAT WILL SET THE COURSE FOR US.
UM, THEN OUR STAFF MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, RHONDA AND MELBA AND ANTOINE WILL DEVELOP THEIR INDIVIDUAL WORK PLANS.
UM, IT'S MY CONTRACT WITH THEM AND ME, ME DELIVERING AND THEM DELIVERING TO EACH OTHER THAT SUPPORT THESE GOALS AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL ROLES SEEM VERY STRATEGIC AND, AND VERY DIRECT.
SO NUMBER SEVEN, ABOUT WORKFORCE TRAINING, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW WE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THIS.
SO WORKFORCE TRAINING, INTERNSHIP INITIATIVES FOR BOTH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADULTS IN TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO REMEMBER THE ROLE WE IDENTIFY, UM, VERY CLEARLY, UH, AT LEAST UNTIL WE GET SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION AS WE ARE NOT STAFFED FOR THIS JOB.
WE, THIS IS NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE CHANGING THE STAFFING.
THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE WITH COUNSEL AND CITY AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
SO THIS LEAVES US WITH BEING, SERVING IN WHAT I THINK THE BEST ROLE THAT WE CAN, WHICH IS CONVENING, OKAY.
AND THAT'S EVERYBODY FROM THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DALLAS COLLEGE, TO THE VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES.
UM, THAT, THAT WE, THAT ARE SPREAD AROUND OUR REGION.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK IT'S BRINGING THE EMPLOYERS TO THE TABLE.
ALL TOO OFTEN IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, DALLAS COLLEGE SAYS, WE'RE GONNA BUILD THE BEST COFFEE CUPS EVER, BUT THERE'S NOBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA BUY THE BEST COFFEE CUP EVER.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRAIN PEOPLE TO TURN THESE OUT, BUT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO JOBS.
WE NEED TO KNOW FROM INDUSTRY, WHAT ARE THE JOBS YOU CAN'T FILL? YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAT AROUND THAT CONVENING AT THE AIR, AT, AT
[00:40:01]
THE AVIONICS AND, AND, UH, AIRFRAME, UH, FUNCTION OUT AT, AT DALLAS COLLEGE AND SOUTHWEST AIRLINES WAS THERE, AMERICAN AIRLINES WAS THERE.UM, SO THE TURBINES WAS THERE.
AND THE SOUTHWEST, THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES GENTLEMAN WHO LEADS THE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, CAREER DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS THERE SAID, WE HAVE THE NEED FOR 52 AVIONICS TECHNICIANS.
WE'VE HAD THE NEED FOR A YEAR, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE TWO.
THESE ARE JOBS THAT PAY $85,000 A YEAR COMING OUT THE DOOR.
AND THERE'S 50 OF 'EM SITTING OUT THERE WAITING.
AND IN TRUE FORM, YOU KNOW, DALLAS COLLEGE SAYS, WELL, WE CAN DEVELOP A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AND WE'LL WORK IT IN.
AND, AND, AND, AND THE GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICAN WAS OUTSTANDING.
I DON'T NEED YOUR CERTIFICATE.
IF IF WHAT THEY COME TO ME WITH IS NOT THE YELLOW TAG THAT SAYS FAA ON IT, IT'S NO GOOD.
NOTHING YOU CAN DO IS GONNA GET IS IT OVERCOMES THAT THEY MUST HAVE AN FAA CERTIFICATION.
AND THAT TAKES FAR LESS THAN THE TWO YEARS YOU'RE PROPOSING TO PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER THAN THEN THE TWO YEARS THAT THEY HAVE TO TRAIN.
THEY CAN DO IT IN 18 MONTHS, GET IT DONE.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF AN AHA MOMENT.
AND WHAT IT REALLY SET EVERYBODY BACK WAS STARTED CALLING HIM A PLANE GUY.
HE SAID, WE NEED TO FIND THE PLANE GUY WHO UNDERSTANDS EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDS THE INDUSTRY NEED AND PUTS THOSE TWO TOGETHER SO THAT THIS PROGRAM STARTS TRAINING PEOPLE WHO HAVE PRIOR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, THINK EX-MILITARY, UM, OR HAVE BEEN IN PROGRAMS, IN IN TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.
HOW DO WE ACCELERATE THE TRAINING? THAT'S THE KIND OF THING IN VERY SPECIFIC POINTED AREAS WHERE WE CAN WEIGH IN ESPORTS.
LOOK WHAT WE DID WITH ESPORTS.
THAT'S HOW I SEE US FUNCTIONING IN THAT, IN THAT VEIN FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
I HOPE THAT WE GET TO BEING MORE ACTIVE WHEN YOU SAY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I'D LOVE TO HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO'S ENGAGING ON THOSE.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE HAVE REALLY GREAT PARTNERS AT TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION STAND OVER THERE.
I WAS JUST AT A CONFERENCE WITH HIM FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS.
WE HAVE TO GIVE HIM THE PLATFORM TO DO.
WELL THE TRAINING WE HAD INITIALLY IN THE LIBRARY MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE BASICALLY TRAINING PEOPLE TO LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY IS THE GREATEST CONVERSATION THAT WE REALLY, BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, DOESN'T IT? YEAH.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BRING PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THE TABLE AND SAY, HERE'S YOUR CURRICULUM AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED, THEY GOTTA MARRY AND THEY DON'T WELL, I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT EVEN TALKING TO THE POINT.
WE, OUR HOPE IS TO CHANGE THAT.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA CHANGE OVERNIGHT.
I MEAN, I HATS OFF TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT AT SO DO ISD AND HER TEAM BECAUSE THEY SEE THE NEED FOR SOME OF THESE CHANGES.
REMEMBER HER, HER ASK OF US A YEAR AGO WAS, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR CTE.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO TELL ME IS WHAT I NEED TO BE DOING NOW, THAT'S A VERY SLOW PROCESS TO BUILD THOSE PIPELINES OF CURRICULUM THAT HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY TEA AND OTHERS.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO EXIST IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WHICH MEANS THERE ARE PROGRAMS OF WORK THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY TEA, WE HAVE TO MOVE THEM AND IMPLEMENT 'EM INTO SOTO.
WELL, THAT'S AN HONEST CONVERSATION.
I JUST SAW OUR COMMERCIAL LAST NIGHT ABOUT HORNY AND THEM RENTING OUT THE BOTTOM.
THEY GOT A NEW SCHOOL AND RENTING OUT THE BOTTOM PART OF THE SCHOOL WITH HAIR SALON AND A SMALL STORE AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND THEY'RE BRINGING THE EXPERTS WHO ARE COMING LEASING SPACE ARE TRAINING THEIR KIDS IN THOSE CAREERS.
HOW THEY'RE UTILIZED IS, IS MAYBE NOT THE BEST.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE BEING WORKED ON WITHIN THE, THE ISD ABOUT HOW DO WE IMPROVE THOSE PROGRAMS? HOW DO WE BRING INDUSTRY EXPERTS? AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE, THEY AREN'T VERY GOOD AT THAT.
WE ARE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO PROBLEM MAKING INROADS TO THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND TALKING TO 'EM ABOUT SUPPORT FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR US FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
I MEAN, ALICIA'S, SHE'S IN MY HEAD ABOUT GOOD THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW FAR BEHIND WE ARE.
AND SO WHEN I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT WORKFORCE, IT'S LIKE, WELL, I MEAN, YOU, YOU DON'T WANNA FOCUS ON JOBS THAT ARE GONNA GO AWAY THE FOLLOWING YEAR OR WITHIN FIVE YEARS.
[00:45:01]
SAME TIME YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WANNA SIT AND COME UP WITH A PLAN AND THEN YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING AND YOU COME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN AND THEN YOU'RE 20 YEARS BEHIND AND THEN YOU'RE THAT'S RIGHT.UM, WE'RE WORKING ON CULINARY.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE.
NOW THOSE AREN'T SUPER HIGH PAYING JOBS.
I MEAN, IF YOU OWN IT WELL YEAH.
UM, BUT THEY'RE STILL REALLY GREAT JOBS AND THERE'S A DEMAND FORM.
AND I CAN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT ABOUT IT 'CAUSE IT'S OUT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DEVELOP A SKILLS TRAINING CENTER FOR CONSTRUCTION TRADES.
AND I DON'T MEAN THE INDIVIDUAL ONES, I MEAN ALL, AND IT WOULD BE HERE IN DESOTO.
THE BUILDING WOULD BE HERE IN DESOTO, THE FACILITY, THE TRAINING FACILITY.
THE INSTRUCTORS WOULD BE RESIDENT HERE IN DESOTO.
IT'D ORIGINALLY BE FOR DESOTO STUDENTS, BUT WE HAD OPENED THAT UP TO BE SOUTHERN DALLAS.
UM, SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
IT SHOULD BE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE.
IT'S NOT A PLACE THAT DOES MOVE VERY FAST.
A QUESTION KIND OF DRAWING OFF OF THAT, AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE BIOTECH SPACE, BUT WAS PART OF THEIR DEAL TO COME HERE CONTINGENT ON DEVELOPMENT OF TALENT? I'M JUST CURIOUS WHEN YOU SAY THEY, WHO IS, THEY LIKE THE, ALL ALL THAT THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY, THEM PUTTING ESSENTIALLY THE CLINICAL BASE HERE IN DALLAS WAS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WOULD DRAW FROM A TALENT BASE HERE.
SO IT WAS PART OF THE, SO THE ARPA H UM, AWARD THAT CAME FROM, UM, FROM ARPA FROM WASHINGTON, UM, HAD ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS BUILT INTO THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME TRAINING, THERE ARE SOME TRAINING PIPELINES CURRENTLY.
AND REMEMBER THAT TEXAS APPLIED AS A WHOLE.
SO HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO AND DALLAS ALL APPLIED.
IT'LL BE HEADQUARTERED IN DALLAS.
BUT YOU KNOW, HOUSTON'S BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH THE MEDICAL CENTER DOWN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND, AND SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS ALREADY EXIST.
I THINK SOME OF WHAT HELPED US TO HAVE THAT FACILITY HERE WAS IN FACT THE EDA GRANT THAT'S BUILDING THAT PIPELINE OF STUDENTS THAT'S BEGINNING WITH THE INDUSTRY AT THE END SAYING, HERE'S WHAT I NEED, HERE'S THE SKILL SETS I GOTTA HAVE, TRAIN ME.
AND THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT WITH THE, WITH THE AIRFRAME.
UH, AND POWER PLANT MECHANICS.
DON'T COME UP WITH A NEW TRAINING PROGRAM.
I NEED THOSE PEOPLE WITH THESE SKILLS.
WE DON'T NEED TO CREATE A PROGRAM AROUND, JUST GO TEACH 'EM, FIX IT.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT INDUSTRY'S ASKING FOR.
DALLAS COLLEGE IS TRYING TO WORK A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AND CREATE THOSE PROGRAMS THAT MEET THAT IMMEDIATE NEED.
KIND OF LIKE WHAT ALICIA WAS TALKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, BUILDING THAT, THAT IN A, A MUCH SHORTER TERM BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL, UM, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL THAT I THINK THEY ARE ACTUALLY, IF THEY HAVEN'T BEGUN IT, THEY WILL THIS YEAR STILL, THE ORIGINAL COHORT FOR THE BIOLIFE SCIENCE TRAINING PIECE IS A SIX WEEK BOOTCAMP.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE VERY SPECIFIC PRIOR SKILLS TO RUN 'EM THROUGH FOR SIX WEEKS AND PUT 'EM INTO JOBS THAT MCKESSON HAS RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S KIND OF, THAT'S THE KIND OF THE PROOF OF CONCEPT, IF YOU WILL.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO START TRAINING PEOPLE TO HAVE THOSE SKILLS TO FIT INTO THAT BOOTCAMP OR MAKE THAT BOOTCAMP A LITTLE LONGER TO GET 'EM THOSE SKILLS SO THAT THEY ARE DELIVERING INTO THE PIPELINE ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
SO THE ANSWER TO THAT IS I THINK THAT IS EXACTLY PART OF THE RPH PIECE.
IF WE DON'T STAND IT UP, IT'LL BE THE REASON WE DON'T ATTRACT MORE PRIVATE SECTOR.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS ONE THING TO SAY YOU WANT TO BRING SWISS AMERICA HERE TO, TO DO GENE THERAPY WORK.
BUT IF THEY CAN'T GET THE TALENT, THEN AT SOME POINT THAT WILL, THAT WILL RUN OUT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A FINITE PERIOD TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT, THAT IN PLACE AND BEGIN THAT WORK.
AS WE DEVELOP A BIOLIFE SCIENCE CORRIDOR.
I MEAN, I WAS LITERALLY IN A CONVERSATION WITH A CAPITAL PROVIDER WHO, WHO SAYS, I HEAR YOU AND I'M WILLING TO INVEST KNOWING WHAT THE BIGGER PICTURE LOOKS LIKE.
I SPOKE AT A INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION, UH, INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE LAST, UH, HILTI, PRESIDENT OF HILTI.
FROM LONDON, HEAD OF TED TURNER.
TURNER CONSTRUCTION WAS THERE.
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WE'RE GONNA NEED 9,000 WELDERS IN DALLAS.9,000 WELDERS YOU SAID SPECIFICALLY SAYS, YEAH.
AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOU A PIPELINE TO TRAIN 'EM IN IRON 9,000.
AND THAT'S A VERY, VERY NARROW AND SPECIFIC RIGHT.
THOSE, THOSE AREN'T TIG WELDERS.
THOSE AREN'T EVEN MIG WELDERS.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN THERE, THAT'S THERE, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF OPENINGS AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE JOBS ARE GROWING FASTER THAN WE'RE ADDING WORKERS.
WORKERS ARE STILL MISSING IN THE, IN THE WORK, IN THE WORKFORCE, UM, THAT HAVE NOT RETURNED AFTER COVID FOR WHATEVER REASON.
YOU CAN ANALYZE THAT ALL DAY LONG.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER UNLESS YOU START GOING AND LOOKING FOR 'EM TO FIGURE OUT WHY, HOW YOU'RE GONNA GET 'EM BACK IN THE WORKFORCE.
AND WE'VE GOT BOOMERS RETIRING AT A RATE THAT'S, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT HASN'T EVEN PEAKED YET.
SO YOU'RE LOSING THEM AT A RATE OF ABOUT FOUR TIMES FASTER THAN WE'RE ADDING TO THE WORKFORCE, NOT MENTION CONTROL.
SO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE WORK PLAN? OKAY.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THAT ONE.
YOU HAVE AN INFO SESSION FOR THE FRANCHISE THING THAT'S COMING UP? I SAW THAT.
DO, WHEN IS THAT? WHAT'S THE DATE ON THAT? OCTOBER 24TH.
SIX TO 8:00 PM IN THE BLUE BOND ROOM.
HOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REGISTERED FOR THAT ALREADY? 55 I THINK IS WHAT, WHAT NUMBER WE'RE AT AT THE MOMENT.
WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE RESPONSE WE'VE SEEN.
THE FIRST TIME WE DID THIS LAST SPRING.
AND THAT NUMBER'S IT'S MORE THAN DOUBLE.
UM, TAKING A LITTLE DIFFERENT TACK, BRINGING A LITTLE DIFFERENT INFORMATION TO 'EM.
UM, BUT WE INTEND TO KIND OF KEEP THIS, THIS PATTERN UP, YOU KNOW, OF CONTINUING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW AND INFORM AND EDUCATE, UM, PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION AND, AND WAYS TO CONNECT.
UM, SO WE NEED TO APPROVE, WE DON'T NEED DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY YOU SHOULD TO COUNSEL.
I, I SUBMIT THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR, FOR HIS, HIS, UM, HIS APPROVAL.
[C. CONSENT AGENDA]
THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSENT AGENDA.SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A, I THINK THERE'S A ERROR IN WHAT YOU ALL HAVE.
IS THAT RIGHT MS. MELVIN? YES, MA'AM.
SO WE ARE APPROVING TWO ITEMS. ONE, UM, IS THE APPROVING OF THE BOARD MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 14TH, AND THE SECOND IS APPROVING THE AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 2023 FINANCIALS.
AND IS THE, THE 14TH MINUTES ARE WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET? YEAH.
SO, UM, ALL YOU NEED MOTION, THE MOTION, ALL YOU NEED IS A MOTION TO APPROVE UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO PULL ONE OF THOSE FOR SOME SORT OF DISCUSSION.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THOSE MINUTES IS AND GO AGENDA.
AND SECOND, TO APPROVE BOTH ITEMS ON THE CONSIDER AGENDA.
CAN UH, EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A.
DID YOU HAVE A, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES, HONOR, YES.
MS. FELICIA DID BRING THAT TO MY ATTENTION AND I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I INDICATED THAT SHE WAS PRESENT AND ACTUALLY DR.
HERNDON WAS PRESENT AND ALICIA WAS ABSENT ON THAT DAY.
SO, SO YOU HAVE HER CORRECTION.
WE KNOW
SO CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE CONSENT AGENDA? YOU ACTUALLY JUST AMENDING THE BOARD MINUTE.
THE SEPTEMBER 14TH BOARD MEETING.
SO CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023 BOARD MINUTES? I VOTE.
I SECOND PROBABLY MOVED IN SECOND AND THE CHANGE WOULD BE, AS MS. HILL ANNOUNCED, THE CHANGE WOULD BE AS MS. HILL ANNOUNCED
ANY MACE EYES HAVE IT? DO WE HAVE TO RE-APPROVE THE MINUTES.
[D. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
UH, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WE MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 8 7,[00:55:01]
UH, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DELIBERATION.UM, AND THIS IS THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO EXCUSE YOU FROM THE ROOM IF I CAN FOREVER, UM, UNTIL, UNTIL WE RETURN TO OPEN SESSION.
THAT MAY, THAT MAY BE A MINUTE OR TWO.
CAN I LEAVE? UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE THE BUILDING.
YOU FEEL FREE TO MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME OR I DON'T MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME.
WHAT DOES THE SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE? DO I, I WISH I COULD TELL YOU, JIM, HOW THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, PLAYS OUT.
DO YOU GUYS WANT TO LIMIT YOUR, YOUR AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION ON THESE THINGS SO THAT HE'LL KNOW HOW LONG TO STAY? BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT'S THE REST OF THE AGENDA AFTER, AFTER THIS? THEY'RE REALLY, THEY'RE REALLY ANYTHING OTHER THAN A, THAN A BRIEFING FROM ME.
SO, SO THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD BE STATING FOR THIS.
[E. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION]
OKAY.WE'RE BACK IN THE OPEN SESSION.
HAVEN'T RECEIVED AT 8:20 PM OKAY.
WE WERE ASKING ABOUT AI EARLIER.
WE ACTUALLY USED AI TO WRITE YOUR, UH, FILE.
AND I SAID, I DON'T, I, I, I CAN THINK ABOUT THIS AND EDIT IT.
[F. EXECUTIVE BRIEFING — Matt Carlson]
SO, UM, MY REPORT, COREY, IS, IS REALLY JUST A QUICK UPDATE.UM, AND THERE'S ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON ARE CONTINUING AND WE CONTINUE TO ADD NEW ONES.
UM, WHICH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I WONDER WHERE OUR MAX IS GONNA COME TO.
BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW YEAR.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT STANDING UP THE, THE DECK, UH, IN, IN, DOWN AT THE ROT SOTO MARKETPLACE.
MONTY AND I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MAKING THAT CHANGE OVER THE, THE CHAMBER IS PLANNING ON MOVING TO THE, THE GRO DESOTO MARKETPLACE NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND SUBLEASING THEIR BUILDING AND TAKING UP RESIDENCE THERE.
SO THAT'LL GIVE THE DECK THEIR NEW HOME AND BE ABLE TO START OPERATING.
WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING HOW THAT KIND OF NEXT PHASE EVOLVES.
UM, NEVERMIND THE FACT DRESSING UP THE BUILDING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, THAT CONTRACT OR THAT INCENTIVE AGREEMENT WILL GO IN FRONT OF COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, UH, NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT.
UM, THE DECK WILL GO THE TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS LATER ON THE FIRST, FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER.
UH, BUT THE GO DESOTO MARKETPLACE, UH, FACADE GRANT IMPROVEMENT WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU IS NEXT TUESDAY, ANTOINE AND I ARE DOING A YEAR IN REVIEW.
UM, IT'S THE END OF YEAR REPORT THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR FOR COUNSEL.
UM, THIS IS THE DECK THAT WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THEM ON, ON TUESDAY NIGHT.
IT'S ATTACHED TO THEIR PACKET, SO THEY'LL GET THOSE THIS WEEK.
UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US THAT NIGHT.
REMEMBER, THE, WHEN IS IT? UH, NEXT TUESDAY AT FIVE 30.
SO JUST A, AGAIN, A, A REMINDER THAT THE WORK SESSION MONDAY NIGHT ON THE 16TH IS MEANT TO BE A JOINT SESSION OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, THE COUNCIL AND THE DDC.
UM, TO REVIEW THE CON, THAT'S THE LAST, UH, REVIEW OF THE COMP PLAN BEFORE IT'S INTRODUCED IN ITS DRAFT FORMAT FOR APPROVAL TO THE COUNCIL, UH, AT FIRST OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO BE THERE.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A QUORUM OF FOLKS THERE.
UM, IF NOT, WE JUST SIMPLY SIT AND LISTEN.
UM, BUT, BUT KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING ON ON THE 16TH.
WE'RE PRESENTING THE END OF THE YEAR ON THE 17TH.
UM, VICE PRESIDENT, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.
UM, THAT ALL THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF MY COMMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MATT? ANY BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO.
IF NOT, I THINK WE STAND ADJOURNED.
DO I NEED TO GIVE THAT TIME AT WHAT TIME? 8 24.