[00:00:02]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.IT IS 6:00 PM I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AND I WANNA CALL THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
I'M GONNA ASK IF WE COULD KEEP IT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT AS WE GET OUR MEETING STARTED.
UH, OUR CITY SECRETARY, MS. THOMAS, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL? YES, MA'AM.
HERE, MAYOR PRO TIMM LETITIA HUGHES.
COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL.
COUNCIL MEMBER DYNA MARKS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE.
UM, AT THIS TIME, IF WE COULD HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
[a. Presentation of Mayoral Commendation to Mayor Rachel L. Proctor, Councilmember Andre' Byrd, Councilmember Dinah Marks and Councilmember Crystal Chism for the TMLI recognition]
OF MAYORAL COMMENDATION TO MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR.COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE, BY COUNCIL MEMBER DYNA MARKS AND COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM FOR THE TMLI RECOGNITION MAKING THE PRESENTATION.
ALICIA THOMAS, CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU GUYS CAN PLEASE JOIN ME.
SO IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU ALL THIS EVENING TO RECOGNIZE FACES THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR SEEING ON CAMERA ON THE FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH OR AROUND TOWN, ATTENDING VARIOUS EVENTS.
YOU, YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN TO EXPERIENCE THEIR VAST PERSONALITIES OR CAPTURE A PHOTO WITH THEM AT A CITY FUNCTION, WHICH MAY QUITE POSSIBLY BE THE MOST FUN, FUNNEST PART OF THE JOB.
BUT THAT'S JUST A SMALL PUBLIC SNAPSHOT OF THE WORK AND TIME THAT ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS PUT IN.
I'M PRIVILEGED TO SEE THEM FROM A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT.
THE LATE MEETING NIGHTS AND MANY REQUESTS THAT COME INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ARE MY OFFICE FOR THEM.
HOWEVER, IT IS THE DEDICATION, PASSION, AND COMMITMENT THAT IS BEING DONE BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THOSE SOMETIMES HARD DECISIONS FOR THE GROWTH AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF DESOTO THAT MYSELF, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, GET TO WITNESS.
THE INDIVIDUALS BEFORE YOU HAVE TAKEN, HAVE TAKEN IT A BIT FURTHER AND DEDICATED ADDITIONAL TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO FURTHER ENHANCE THEIR POLICY MAKING AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE INSTITUTE IS A VOLUNTARY CERATE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THAT OFFERS A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS CONFERENCES AND WEBINARS TO ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ANNUALLY RECOGNIZES AND REWARDS OF OFFICIALS WHO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BY COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM, COUNCIL MEMBER DYNA MARKS HAVE ALL OBTAINED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RECOGNITION FOR 2023 AS A CERTIFIED MUNICIPAL OFFICER WITH AT LEAST 72 CEU CREDITS.
AND MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR HAVING OBTAINED THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION WITH AT LEAST 42 CEU CREDITS.
I'D LIKE TO PRE PRESENT YOU ALL WITH THE MAYORAL OF COMMENDATION SIGNED BY MYSELF AND THEY ALL READ THE SAME.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DESOTO COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF DESOTO, WE CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR RECENT CERTIFIED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL DESIGNATION FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE INSTITUTE.
THIS RECOGNITION IS AWARDED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COMPLETED 72 OR 42 EDUCATIONAL UNITS DURING THE 2023 CALENDAR YEAR.
THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL COMMENDS YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING EDUCATION AND ENHANCING YOUR LEADERSHIP AS A TEXAS ELECTED CITY OFFICIAL.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WELL-DESERVED ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND WE ALL WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
ALICIA THOMAS, CITY SECRETARY, THESE ARE YOUR LEADERS.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM A HAND WORDS.
CAN WE GET A, I'M SURPRISED THEY DON'T WANT HAVE WORDS TONIGHT.
I TOLD, I TOLD MS. THOMAS, WE'LL SPARE Y'ALL THE DETAILS.
WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR SEATS AT THIS TIME, BUT WE APPRECIATE, UM, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT.
AND JUST TO UNDERSCORE WHAT SHE SAID, WE APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AGAIN THAT ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS PUT ON.
A LOT OF IT YOU DON'T SEE, UM, BUT WE APPRECIATE, UM, THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU ALL PUT IN TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION AND BECOME A BETTER ELECTED
[00:05:01]
OFFICIAL.ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF DESOTO, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM
[b. Presentation of the Life-Saving Award to the members of Southwest Regional Communications Center, City of DeSoto and City of Cedar Hill Fire Departments and Mr. Grant Ward]
ON THE AGENDA.NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE LIFESAVING AWARD TO THE MEMBERS OF SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COMMUNICATION CENTER, CITY OF DESOTO, AND CITY OF CEDAR HILL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
AND MR. GRANT WARD MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS FIRE CHIEF BRIAN ARD.
IT FEELS WEIRD FACING THIS WAY, MR. FACING Y'ALL.
WHAT AN HONOR, UH, TONIGHT TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT LIFESAVING AWARDS, UH, TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR, UH, DISPATCHERS AT THE S-W-R-C-C.
SO I'M GONNA DO THIS ONE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF HOW THESE EVENTS UNFOLDED, UH, THAT WAY EVERYBODY CAN, UH, KIND OF SEE HOW IT HAPPENED AND SEE OUR PROCESS OF HOW IT WORKS WHEN WE GO THROUGH, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
MY ASSISTANT CHIEF'S GONNA BE HERE, AND THEN I'M GONNA CALL DOWN, UH, JEFF WARD.
JEFF WARD IS THE SON OF THE PATIENT THAT, UH, WAS SAVED UH, THIS EVENING.
HE'S ALSO GONNA HAND OUT THESE AWARDS TO ALL THE MEMBERS.
SO WE WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO CHRISTMAS EVE THIS YEAR.
CHRISTMAS EVE FAMILIES ARE GETTING TOGETHER.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GETTING TO VISIT WITH ALL YOUR LOVED ONES AND THEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS, RIGHT? UH, GRANDMOTHER'S NOT FEELING WELL PASSES OUT BEFORE LONG.
UH, HER HEART STOPS AND SHE STOPS BREATHING.
AND SO, AS WE ALL HAVE LEARNED TO DO OVER THE YEARS, WE CALL 9 1 1.
UH, SOME OF THE UNSUNG HEROES IN THE FIRST RESPONDER WORLD ARE OUR DISPATCHERS AT THE S-W-R-C-C.
THEY TAKE THAT PHONE CALL, THEY GIVE DIRECTION, AND WITHOUT THEM, THEY CAN'T GET FIRE IN POLICE TO THE SCENE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM ANSWERING THE PHONE AND DOING WHAT THEY DO.
NOT ONLY THAT, IT TAKES US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET TO THE SCENE FROM THE TIME A A CALL COMES IN.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, IT WAS, UH, FIVE MINUTES FROM THE TIME OF THE CALL TILL THE TIME OF THE FIRST ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST RESPONDER.
BUT IN THAT FIVE MINUTE SPAN, WE HAVE SOME THINGS GOING ON, RIGHT? WE NEED TO START TREATING, UH, THE PATIENT THAT'S DOWN, AND THAT'S WHERE THE S-W-R-C-C COMES IN.
THEY, UH, GAVE, UH, CPR INSTRUCTIONS TO SOMEONE WHO HAD NEVER GIVEN CPR BEFORE, WALKED THEM THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST, UH, FIRE ENGINE ON SCENE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE THREE DISPATCHERS THAT PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENSURING THIS LIFE WAS SAVED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
FIRST DISPATCHER IS SIDNEY HERNANDEZ, TRICIA MCLEAN, AND MICHELLE SHEPHERD.
MICHELLE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
NOW I HAVE ONE MORE AWARD RECIPIENT THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, AND, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT, IT'S WORTH MENTIONING.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, THE PATIENT'S GRANDSON, MR. GRANT WARD.
SO GRANT WARD WAS THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN THAT LISTENED TO THE DISPATCHER, GIVE THE CPR INSTRUCTIONS AND ACTUALLY PERFORMED ON HIS OWN GRANDMOTHER UNTIL THE FIRE ENGINE ARRIVED.
AND, AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW IMPORTANT EARLY CPR IS IN SAVING A LIFE UNTIL WE CAN GET THERE AND START GIVING MORE MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS.
SO WITHOUT THE ACTIONS OF GRANT AND THE DISPATCHERS EXPLAINING HOW TO DO THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE WE WOULD BE SITTING HERE TODAY.
SO, UH, GRANT WILL BE RECEIVING AWARD.
UH, HIS UNCLE IS GONNA ACCEPT IT ON HIS BEHALF AND TAKE THIS BACK TO HIM.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, UH, FIRE ENGINE COMPANY.
SO THIS IS THE TRUE, UH, PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE DOWN HERE IN THE BEST SOUTHWEST CEDAR HILL.
WE ALL HAVE THE SAME DISPATCH.
WE SEND THE CLOSEST FIRE APPARATUS TO THE EMERGENCY TO GET PEOPLE HELP NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.
AND NO MATTER WHAT CITY WE'RE COMING FROM ON CHRISTMAS EVE AT THIS TIME, ALL THREE OF THE DESOTA AMBULANCES WERE OUT ON OTHER EMERGENCY CALLS.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE AN AMBULANCE TO SEND.
WE'RE ALL FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS.
SO WE SPEND TIME RIDING THE FIRE TRUCKS AS WELL AS THE AMBULANCES FOR THIS VERY REASON RIGHT HERE.
OUR FIRE TRUCKS CARRY THE SAME MEDICAL GEAR AS THE AMBULANCES.
[00:10:01]
JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRANSPORT SOMEBODY TO THE HOSPITAL.SO WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, OUR FIRST IN FIRE ENGINE ARRIVED.
THEY STARTED PERFORMING, UH, THEIR TREATMENTS AND, UH, THEIR MEDICAL PROCEDURES, AND THEY DID THAT FOR EIGHT MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRST IN AMBULANCE WOULD ARRIVE.
BUT WITHIN THAT EIGHT MINUTES, THEY WERE ABLE TO REGAIN A PULSE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE PATIENT BACK BREATHING ON HER OWN.
SO I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF ENGINE 2 62 THAT ON THAT NIGHT, UH, WE HAVE WESTON WHITE, ALVIN SKELTON, AND KELTON MANSFIELD.
SO AS I TOLD YOU, THE ENGINE, THEY CAN'T TRANSPORT THE PATIENT, RIGHT? THEY DID ALL THE TREATMENT, THEY GOT EVERYTHING READY, AND NOW WE NEED THE AMBULANCE TO COME IN AND TRANSPORT.
SO WE HAD TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER FOR THE AMBULANCE BECAUSE THE AMBULANCE WAS COMING FROM CEDAR HILL.
THEY WERE THE NEXT CLOSEST AMBULANCE, UH, TO THIS CALL.
TOOK 'EM EIGHT MINUTES TO GET THERE.
THEY WERE ON SCENE FOR ONLY EIGHT MINUTES, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL, WHICH MEANS THE FIRE ENGINE CREW HAD THE PATIENT READY, THEY GOT THERE, THEY SWOOPED IT UP, AND NOW IT'S THEIR JOB TO KEEP THE HEART GOING AND KEEP THE BREATHING GOING UNTIL THEY CAN GET TO THE HOSPITAL AND GIVE THIS PATIENT THE BEST CHANCE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG SO THE DOCTORS CAN FIX IT AND THEY CAN WALK ON AND CARRY ON WITH THEIR LIFE.
SO THE CEDAR HILL AMBULANCE CREW MEMBERS FIRST MEMBER WAS, UH, TYLER GLASS.
AND I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE FOR THIS ONE, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE A LITTLE PRIVILEGE HERE.
THIS NEXT ONE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
UH, BUT IN A SMALL DEPARTMENT, YOU DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
UH, BIGGER DEPARTMENTS YOU DO, BUT NOT SMALLER DEPARTMENTS.
SO MY SON WAS HIRED IN CEDAR HILL, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT A COUPLE YEARS BACK, AND HE HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF THE CEDAR HILL'S MEDIC CREW, HUNTER SOUTHERN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY OTHER THAN IT'S A GROUP EFFORT.
IT'S EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER.
IT'S ALL THE HOURS OF TRAINING THAT COME TOGETHER TO SAVE A LIFE.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THIS ON CHRISTMAS EVE, CHRISTMAS FOR THIS FAMILY WAS SAVED AND THE MATRIARCH OF THE FAMILY GOT TO CONTINUE ON WITH HER FAMILY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THIS GROUP.
CAN WE GET ONE MORE BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR HEROES? THEY KIND OF MESSED ME UP A LITTLE BIT RIGHT THERE.
BUT MS. THOMAS, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[c. Recognition of the Police Department promotions for Corporal Taylor Archibald, Corporal Eric Montemayor, Corporal Brandon Quick, Code Enforcement Manager, Tammy Washington, and Code Enforcement Supervisor, Heather Lanham]
OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROMOTIONS FOR CORPORAL TAYLOR, ARCHIBALD CORPORAL ERIC MONTE, MAYOR, CORPORAL BRANDON, QUICK CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGER, TAMMY WASHINGTON AND CODE ENFORCEMENT SUPERVISOR HEATHER LANDAM.MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS POLICE CHIEF JOE COSTA.
[00:15:02]
THANK YOU, ALICIA.THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
WE LOVE WHEN THEY DO THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW,
THEY DECIDED NOT TO BRING ANYTHING.
AND THEY SAID, WELL, YOU GUYS ARE HAVING SOMETHING, SO WE'LL JUST USE YOUR CAKE AND WE'LL JUST DO THAT
SO THEY'RE WELCOME TO IT AND, UH, WE HOPE THAT THEY ENJOY THEMSELVES.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT, UH, POLICE CHIEF DOES, UH, IS, UH, PROMOTE PEOPLE AND, UH, GET THEM ON THE WAY TO THEIR, UH, NEXT STEP IN THEIR CAREER.
AND TONIGHT, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, UH, WITH A COUPLE OF, UH, CIVILIANS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THREE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
SO FIRST UP IS GOING TO BE, UH, HEATHER LANHAM.
UH, WE ARE PROMOTING HEATHER FROM MORNING OVER HERE.
DON'T BE SCARED OF ME PROMOTING HEATHER FROM, UH, FROM A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO CODE SUPERVISOR.
AND, UH, HEATHER'S BEEN WITH US, UH, SINCE 2013.
AND SO, UM, WELL DESERVING AND HOPEFULLY, UH, THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN HER, UH, HER CAREER.
NEXT UP WE'RE GONNA HAVE TAMMY WASHINGTON.
UH, TAMMY WASHINGTON IS PROMOTED FROM, UH, A SUPERVISOR IN CODE ENFORCEMENT TO THE MANAGER OF CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO, UH,
AND SO, UM, WE HAD, UH, WE HAD APPLICATIONS AND, UH, WE HAD A WORLDWIDE SEARCH.
AND LITTLE DID WE KNOW, UH, OUR NEXT MANAGER WAS RIGHT THERE AS A SUPERVISOR.
SO, UH, WE, WE CONGRATULATE TAMMY TONIGHT AND, UH, WELL DESERVED.
WE'RE GOING TO, UH, GET ON WITH OUR OFFICERS AND, UH, THREE OFFICERS.
WERE PROMOTED TO CORPORAL, UM, AND THEY'RE EACH GONNA HAVE SOMEONE PIN THEIR BADGE ON THEM.
UH, AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK BRANDON QUICK, CORPORAL BRANDON, QUICK, COME ON UP.
AND CORPORAL QUICK'S, UH, SON AND DAUGHTER, UH, HUDSON AND SAILOR WILL BE PINNING HIS BADGE ON.
HE'S ASSISTED BY HIS CHILDREN WHO ARE GONNA BE PENDING ON HIS BADGE.
AND THAT IS AILA RILEY AND OLIVIA.
THAT'S MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S NAME TOO.
HOW'S YOUR TIME TO STICK 'EM? COME HURT
[00:20:08]
LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS OFFICER, EXCUSE ME, CORPORAL TAYLOR ARCHIBALD.CORPORAL ARCHIBALD WILL HAVE HIS WIFE JESSICA PIN ON HIS BADGE.
HE'S BEEN AN OFFICER WITH US SINCE 2012.
HE GOT HIT JUST BEFORE ME, SO HE IS GOT A LITTLE SENIORITY ON ME.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, LITTLE PRESENTATION AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR CAREER.
THANK YOU, CHIEF, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU THAT WERE PROMOTED.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR CITY SECRETARY, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT ITEM, UM, TWO OH IT TWO I HAS BEEN PULLED FROM TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED AT A LATER DATE.
I THANK YOU AGAIN TO, UH, TO UNDERSCORE THIS ITEM TWO I, UH, WHICH IS THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE REIMAGINED NAS FARM MASTER PLAN.
SO IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THAT ITEM, WE WILL NOT BE, UH, DISCUSSING THAT ITEM ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
AND WE WILL GET THAT DATE WHEN IT WILL BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA TO YOU SOON.
[d. Presentation of Award of Excellence Awards for Food Establishments]
HAVE OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF AWARD OF EXCELLENT AWARDS FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.
MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS JOHN MALVERN HEALTH INSPECTOR.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND ALL OF YOU OUR GUESTS, UH, THIS EVENING.
MY NAME IS JOHN MELVER AND I SERVE IN THE CAPACITY AS THE ENVIRONMENT SPECIALIST, UH, FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
AND EACH YEAR THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO RECOGNIZES BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY THAT HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES FROM OTHERS BY RECEIVING A SCORE OF 97 OR ABOVE ON TWO CONSECUTIVE UNANNOUNCED ROUTINE HEALTH INSPECTIONS WITHIN ONE CALENDAR YEAR.
AND THIS IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE, BUT THIS YEAR WE ARE RECOGNIZING 19 BUSINESSES WHO HAVE EARNED THIS DISTINCTION.
IN THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2023, THIS EVENING, THEY WILL BE RECEIVING THE 2023 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXEMPLARY STATUS IN FOOD SERVICE SANITATION.
THEY WILL EACH RECEIVE AN AWARD, AND I HAVE A EXAMPLE RIGHT HERE THAT THEY CAN PROUDLY DISPLAY IN THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES AS A SYMBOL OF THEIR NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENT.
NOW, AS I PREPARE TO RECOGNIZE THESE BUSINESSES, I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE ONE OF MY FAVORITE HISTORICAL FIGURES, THE LATE DR. BOOKER T WASHINGTON THAT SAID, EXCELLENCE IS TO DO A COMMON THING IN AN UNCOMMON WAY.
ALSO, PAT RILEY, A FORMER AND FAMOUS NBA HEAD COACH, STATED THAT EXCELLENCE IS THE GRADUAL RESULT OF ALWAYS STRIVING TO DO BETTER.
AND LASTLY, OUR ESTEEMED 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BARACK OBAMA, STATED, WE NEED TO INTERNALIZE THIS IDEA OF EXCELLENCE.
NOT MANY FOLKS SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO BE EXCELLENT, THE BUSINESSES BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY, THEY FIT THE MOLD OF WHAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE AND COLLECTIVELY EMBODY WHAT MAKES IT EASY TO SAY THAT IN DESOTO, THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOVE.
SO WHEN I CALL THESE ESTABLISHMENTS NAME, I WOULD LIKE FOR A REPRESENTATIVE TO COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR AWARD TONIGHT FOR RECOGNITION.
AND I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL ALL THE ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN CALLED.
AND ALSO ONCE ALL THE ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE
[00:25:01]
BEEN CALLED, I'M GONNA ASK MAYOR PROCTOR IF SHE WOULD BE SO KIND TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A PHOTO OR TWO WITH OUR RECIPIENTS.SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR FIRST RECIPIENT TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S TWO SISTERS SWEET CREATIONS.
ARE THEY HERE? REPRESENTATIVE, COME FORWARD PLEASE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE TO THE END.
UH, DREAM DONUTS ON POLK STREET.
UH, KIDS IN HEART CANNOT BE HERE TODAY.
RAISED BARBECUE, SUBWAY ON PARKER ROAD.
ANYBODY HERE FROM THE SENIOR CENTER? OKAY.
AND LASTLY, UH, ALDI GROCERY STORE HERE IN DESOTO.
SO WE CALLED ALL THESE RESTAURANTS NAME BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TONIGHT, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW ON BEHALF OF THE CITY DESOTO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS FROM YEAR TO YEAR TO CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE EVERY DAY.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M GONNA LET THEM TAKE THEIR PHOTO WITH THE MAYOR.
AND ONCE AGAIN, LET'S HAVE NOW A THUNDEROUS ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL THESE RESTAURANTS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE RECIPIENTS.
UM, THIS IS A VERY PRESTIGIOUS AWARD, SO GREAT JOB.
UH, AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[e. Presentation of proclamation honoring Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month]
WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING TEEN DATING, VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH.MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS SYDNEY ELLIOT YOUTH AND BUSINESS COORDINATOR.
MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR.
HOW ARE YOU ALL? GOOD TO SEE YOU.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO MAKE THIS PROCLAMATION IN RECOGNITION OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH.
WHEREAS FEBRUARY IS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PREVALENCE OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AND TO PROMOTE EDUCATION ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND WHEREAS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE OCCURS WITHIN DATING RELATIONSHIPS WHEN ONE PARTNER SEEKS TO GAIN POWER AND CONTROL OVER ANOTHER PERSON AND INCLUDES ANY OF THESE TYPES OF ABUSES, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL, FINANCIAL, SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND STALKING.
AND WHEREAS ONE IN THREE ADOLESCENTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE PHYSICALLY, SEXUALLY, OR EMOTIONALLY AFFECTED BY TEEN DATING
AND WHEREAS WORKING WITH YOUTH TO HELP THEM BUILD SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS SUCH AS EMPATHY, RESPECT,
[00:30:01]
HEALTHY COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS PROMOTES THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPECTATION OF MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL, CARING AND NONVIOLENT RELATIONSHIPS.AND WHEREAS ENGAGING TEENS AND ADULTS TO PROMOTE SOCIAL NORMS THAT SUPPORT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT TEEN DATING VIOLENCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE TOOLS TO INTERVENE WHEN THEY WITNESS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE.
AND WHEREAS WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE EVERY TEAM CAN LIVE FREE OF VIOLENCE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP, IN HOMES, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL PROCTOR, BY THE POWER OF VEST IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY AS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH IN THE CITY OF DESOTO AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN TOWARDS ENDING TEEN DATING VIOLENCE BY EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS, CREATING BETTER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN NEED, AND PROMOTING AWARENESS AND PREVENTION OF THE QUIET EPIDEMIC OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE IN RECOGNITION.
WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 20TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2024.
SIGNED MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR ATTESTED TO BY ALICIA THOMAS, CITY SECRETARY.
WE DON'T, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I THINK WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EVENT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE EVENT THAT'S COMING UP AROUND MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE? THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITIZENS, AND THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US.
UH, MY NAME IS SYDNEY ELLIOTT.
I'M THE YOUTH AND BUSINESS MANAGER FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE BLESSING TO OVERSEE THE DESOTO TEEN COUNCIL.
I DO WANNA SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT ON MARCH 30TH, WE ARE HOSTING THE INAUGURAL TEENS UNPLUGGED MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH FEAR.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE TEENS FOR THE TEENS.
TOPICS WILL INCLUDE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION RELIEF, POSITIVE PARENTAL CONVERSATIONS, BUILDING HEALTHY HABITS, AS WELL AS SOME TIME TO SPEND WITH SOME MILLENNIALS THAT CAN PROVIDE THEM THAT REAL TALK.
SO I HOPE IF YOU HAVE TEENS THAT ARE IN GRADES NINE THROUGH 12, THEY'LL JOIN US MARCH 30TH FROM 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, THAT ANNOUNCEMENT MS. ELLIOT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO WORKING WITH OUR TEAMS. SHE CAME UP THROUGH THE, UH, DESOTO TEEN COUNCIL.
NOW SHE IS HERE WORKING IN OUR CITY AND HELPING OTHER YOUTH TO GET THE SAME EXPERIENCES THAT SHE RECEIVED HERE.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AND WE'RE MARKING OUR CALENDARS FOR THAT EVENT.
[f. Presentation of December 2023 Financial Report]
MS. THOMAS.AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE DECEMBER, 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT.
MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS LAKITA SUTTON, ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR.
WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DECEMBER, 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT.
UM, AS OF THE END OF DECEMBER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN 25% INTO OUR FISCAL YEAR.
IN LOOKING AT GENERAL FUND REVENUE, UH, THROUGH DECEMBER, 2023, WE WERE AT 34.7%.
UM, THERE YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS REVENUE SOURCES LISTED.
OF COURSE, OUR, UM, OUR TOP TWO SOURCES ARE GONNA BE OUR PROPERTY TAX AND OUR SALES TAX.
PROPERTY TAX IS, UH, LOOKING REALLY GOOD.
WE MADE A NICE JUMP FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND WE'RE UP TO 48.9%.
UH, THAT IS A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET.
SALES TAX IS TRACKING ABOUT WHERE WE EXPECTED, UM, AND ALSO ABOUT WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE AS WELL THE OTHER, UH, VARIOUS SOURCES, SOURCES LISTED THERE.
OUR ADMINISTER, I WANTED TO POINT OUT OUR REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, THOSE ARE DONE QUARTERLY AND THOSE ARE BASICALLY INTER FUND TRANSFERS THAT'S HANDLED WITHIN THE CITY.
SO, UM, THOSE WILL SHOW UP ON THE
[00:35:01]
NEXT FINANCIAL REPORT.UM, SO YEAH, SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND FOR OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
WE'RE, WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR REVENUE THIS FAR INTO THE YEAR.
OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES ARE STANDING AT 21.4%.
AND ALSO YOU CAN SEE THIS, UH, SECTION OF THE REPORT IS GONNA BE LISTED BY DEPARTMENT.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE 25% INTO THE FISCAL YEAR, SO YOU CAN JUST KIND OF LOOK AND SEE WHERE THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ARE TRACKING THIS TIME INTO THE YEAR.
UM, THEY'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH, UH, WITHIN THE EXPECTATION.
UM, WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC INCENTIVE THAT'S, UH, MOMENT.
WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY PAYMENTS YET THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE DID PROCESS ONE, UM, RECENTLY.
SO THEY, THEY'LL SHOW UP ON A, A FUTURE FINANCIAL REPORT.
BUT 21.4% IS CURRENTLY WHERE WE STAND.
DAN, AS WE MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC UTILITY FUND, WE HAVE OUR, UM, OUR WATER SALES AND SEWER SALES ARE GONNA BE THE MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES THERE, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER VARIOUS SOURCES.
INTEREST REVENUE OF COURSE IS UP.
UM, THIS TIME LAST YEAR WE WERE AT ONE 124%.
SO STILL ABOUT RIGHT THERE, OUR INTEREST RATES THAT WE ARE GETTING ON OUR INVESTMENTS ARE STILL RELATIVELY HIGH AND WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
SO, UM, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE WE WERE LOOKING AT, UM, A HIGH 4% INTEREST RATE.
AND WE'RE TRACKING ABOUT THE SAME, MAYBE JUST A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
SO IN EACH OF THE, UM, THE FUNDS THAT RECEIVE INTEREST REVENUE, YOU WILL STILL SEE THOSE QUITE HIGH.
UM, AND SO THEN WE MOVE INTO OUR, UM, EXPENSES IN OUR PUBLIC UTILITY FUND.
AND OF COURSE THIS IS MAJORITY GONNA BE PERSONNEL COSTS, UM, AS WELL AS OUR PAYMENT FOR, UH, WATER FOR TO DALLAS WATER UTILITIES ENERGY COSTS, LARGE EQUIPMENT, NON-DEPARTMENTAL IS GONNA ALSO INCLUDE, UM, LEGAL FEES AND OUR REIMBURSEMENT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THAT IS ABOUT RIGHT WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE WITH 16.1% VERSUS 13.5% LAST YEAR.
OUR SANITATION FUND, UM, OUR SANITATION REVENUE IS 23.9%.
AND OUR SANITATION EXPENSE, WHICH OUR EXPENSE IS BASICALLY GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THE SAME BASICALLY BE PERSONNEL SUPPLIES AS WELL AS THIS IS WHERE WE PAY FOR OUR WASTE COLLECTIONS.
AND THAT IS SHOWING AT 13.7% AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT.
NOW OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS AND UM, HERE WE HAVE LISTED WITH OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET, OUR RE REVISED BUDGET, IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY REVISIONS AND OUR YEAR TO DATE ACTUALS.
THE TOP PORTION IS GONNA DETAIL OUT THE REVENUE FOR YOU, AND THE BOTTOM IS GOING TO BE THE EXPENDITURES.
AND, UM, IT JUST TAKES IT BY FUND HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT SO FAR AND WHAT OUR YEAR TO DAY ACTUALS ARE FOR OUR OTHER FUNDS.
THESE ARE OTHER VARIOUS FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO LISTED HERE WHAT OUR CURRENT BUDGET IS VERSUS OUR, UM, CURRENT ACTUALS.
THESE ARE GONNA BE A LOT OF OUR INTERNAL, UM, SERVICE FUNDS, UM, AND DIFFERENT, UH, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AS WELL.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE ALSO LISTED THE EXPENSES, THE CORRESPONDING EXPENSES FOR THOSE FUNDS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ON THE NEXT PAGE, WE ARE SELECTIONS THROUGH DECEMBER 49.05%.
CURRENT, UM, IS WHERE WE WERE CURRENT, UH, YEAR TO DATE AS AT THE END OF DECEMBER.
AND UM, AS I STATED, THAT WAS A NICE JUMP FROM THE, UH, THE PRIOR MONTH, WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED FOR DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA GET THE, THE, UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAX.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS SPENDING REPORT.
THIS REPORT IS GOING TO TELL US HOW MUCH OF OUR NET ACCOUNTS PAYABLE WE HAVE PAID OUT TO HUBS THROUGH THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
UM, IT CARRIES FROM OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE A, A BIT OF A STEADY INCREASE THERE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
UM, I WILL POINT OUT THAT THAT'S, UH, MAJORITY DUE TO THE NET AP NUMBER BEING A LOT SMALLER THAN IT, UH, THAN IT WAS ON PREVIOUS MONTHS, BUT, UH, NEITHER NONETHELESS, 5.3% AT THE END OF DECEMBER
[00:40:01]
COMPARED TO 2.4% AT THE END OF DECEMBER.WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED FOR THE COUNCIL, UM, UH, AN UPDATE ON OUR, UM, BUDGETED AND ACTUAL OVERTIME.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE WENT IN AND JUST PULLED, UM, EVERY DEPARTMENT OR FUND THAT HAD AN OVERTIME LINE ITEM IN THEIR BUDGET AND WENT AHEAD AND, UM, PROVIDED THOSE, UM, ORIGINAL BUDGET, ANY BUDGET REVISIONS AS WELL AS THE YEAR TO DATE ACTUAL, WE SPLIT THAT OUT BY MAJOR FUND.
THE FUND THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND, YOU CAN SEE THE GRAND TOTAL OF OUR BUDGETED OVERTIME WAS $916,958.
AND YEAR TO DATE, WE SPENT 493,974.
THOSE ARE BREAKING BROKEN OUT BY DEPARTMENT.
UM, NATURALLY THE MAJORITY IS GONNA BE BETWEEN POLICE AND FIRE BECAUSE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE LARGEST BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO YOU CAN JUST KIND OF SEE WHERE THOSE NUMBERS STARTED OUT AND WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO GENERAL FUND, WE ARE, WE ARE WELL OVER 50%, UM, AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR ON OUR OVERTIME, UM, SALARY SPENDING.
NEXT IS OUR PUBLIC UTILITY FUND FOR, UM, PUBLIC UTILITIES.
WE WERE BUDGETED $81,585 IN OVERTIME.
AND WE'VE SPENT YEAR TO DATE 39,000 $159.
AND WE ALSO HAVE CORRESPONDING, UM, SANITATION AS WELL.
THAT ONE IS RELATIVELY LOW ONLY HAVING SPENT $7,624 THROUGH THE MONTH OF DECEMBER FOR THE OVERTIME REPORT.
UM, DID WANNA POINT OUT FOR FIRE, AT LEAST I KNOW THERE'S A CERTAIN NUM NUMBER OF, UM, CAN YOU GO BACK TO FIRE ON THE OVERTIME FOR YES.
UM, THERE ARE A CERTAIN NU NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE TO BE ON EVERY SHIFT.
AND SO WHENEVER, IF, IF A FIREFIGHTER IS OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON IT IS, WHETHER IT'S FMLA OR UM, ANYTHING, UM, ANY TYPE OF APPROVED LEAVE, OTHER FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO STEP UP, GET THAT STEP OF PAY.
AND ALSO, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THEM ON SHIFT.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE REASONS.
I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW CHIEF SUTHER HAS, UM, A HIGHER THAN NORMAL AMOUNT OF HIS STAFF THAT ARE OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE PRETTY HIGH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERTIME, UM, THE CHIEFS ARE HERE AS WELL.
BUT, UM, THAT, THAT ACTUALLY CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.
UM, COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. SUTTON ON THE DECEMBER, 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT? COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM.
THANK YOU MS. SUTTON FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE INCLUDED THE OVERTIME SUMMARY.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING IT.
UM, AND, AND, AND PERHAPS THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THE CHIEFS CAN ANSWER.
UM, JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND WHERE WE ARE IN THE FISCAL YEAR CURRENTLY, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED AT THE CURRENT RUN RATE THAT THEY'RE RUNNING.
SO I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THO THAT THOSE FUNDS, HOW IT'S CURRENTLY ALLOCATED, IS IT ALLOCATED PER MONTH? WHO'S MANAGING IT? ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT THE, UM, COUNCIL PASSED A $2.4 MILLION, UH, UH, PAY INCREASE FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES WITH, UH, FIRE AND POLICE TAKING THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THAT FUNDING, UM, TO SEE THAT, THAT, THAT THE OVERTIME AND IS, IS STILL LIKE EXTREMELY HIGH AND WE ARE PRETTY STAFFED.
I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, I KNOW THAT OVERTIME IS LARGELY DUE TO FOR POLICE OR I ASSUME IT'S DUE TO THE, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS AND THE TOURNAMENTS THAT HAPPEN.
AND SO ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, I KNOW THAT THOSE THIRD PARTY VENDORS OFFER A, UM, COMPENSATION YES.
WHERE DO WE FIND THAT ON OUR, UM, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENT? BECAUSE I'VE SEARCHED FOR IT AND, UM, AND I, I DON'T SEE IT.
UM, FOR POLICE, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK ONE OF THE REVENUE SOURCES YOU MAY BE SPEAKING TO IS FOR LIKE, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH DISD, WITH SRO, THE OFFICERS THAT GO AND WORK AT THE SCHOOL, WE GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT.
SO, UM, POLICE WILL SEE A BIT OF A BREAK THERE BECAUSE WE DO BILL THEM.
AND, UM, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL.
SO UNDER INTERGOVERNMENTAL, WHERE YOU SEE
[00:45:01]
603,000 BUDGETED FOR THE YEAR, A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS FOR REIMBURSEMENT REVENUE.SO THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE LIKE THE FOOTBALL TEAMS, SOCCER TEAMS AND EVERYTHING THAT REQUIRE POLICE TO BE OUT.
'CAUSE CURRENTLY OUR POLICE ALSO ARE, ARE IN PARTNERED WITH PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE EVENTS AS WELL, CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
SO THAT'S IN THE INNER GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN AGAIN, BACK TO THE QUESTION OF BASED ON THE BUDGET AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UM, THE, IT'S GOING, IT'S THE WAY IT'S TRENDING BY SEPTEMBER, THEY WILL HAVE EXCEEDED THAT, THAT BUDGET.
IT'S LIKELY, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE DO RELY HEAVILY ON THE CHIEFS.
YOU KNOW, AS DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, EACH MANAGING DIRECTOR IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE, UM, THEIR BUDGETS.
SO THEIR BASELINE BUDGETS, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT'S MANAGING, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE ASSIGNING THE OVERTIME.
THEY KNOW WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I, I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FIRE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE 22 ASSIGNED ON EACH SHIFT.
AND RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE'S AN ANOMALY THAT WE HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR DEPARTMENT, FORTUNATELY AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE, UM, UM, A HIGHER THAN EXPECTED NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE HAVE OFF ON PARENTAL LEAVE.
THOSE TYPE OF THINGS HAS, HAS TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR.
UM, THAT'S AN ANOMALY FOR THIS YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE SEVEN FIREFIGHTERS IN PARAMEDIC SCHOOL AS WELL, AND WE HAVE TO FILL IN FOR THOSE VACANCIES.
UM, OTHER, OTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU WANNA CALL CHIEF SUTHER UP TO ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AS WELL AS, UH, POLICE CHIEF IS HERE AS WELL.
WELL, WHILE CHIEF SUTHER IS COMING UP, I'LL ADD A LITTLE BIT TOO.
UH, MS. SUTTON IS RIGHT AND WITH RESPECT TO, YOU KNOW, THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ON SHIFT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THOSE SHIFTS HAVE TO BE COVERED, OTHERWISE IT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF NOT, WE'D HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN A STATION, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, AND SO THAT IMPACTS, UH, RESPONSE TIMES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UH, AND, AND, AND THEN WHEN YOU ALSO HAVE, UH, VACANT POSITIONS AS WELL.
SO YOU HAVE VACANT POSITIONS AS WELL AS THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ON WHATEVER, ON LEAVE FOR WHATEVER REASON.
SO THOSE SHIFTS HAVE TO BE COVERED WHILE, WHILE, UH, THAT'S GOING ON.
UH, AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, SO YEAH, A LOT, SOME OF THAT OVERTIME DOES HAVE TO DO WITH THE, UH, SPORTING EVENTS FOR THE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TILL, UH, YOU MAY REMEMBER TO IDENTIFY SECURITY SERVICES.
UH, AND SO THAT SECURITY SERVICE, THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO KIND OF OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS SO THAT INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF, UM, SECURING A TOURNAMENT WITH 20 POLICE OFFICERS, WE'LL HAVE A MIX OF SECURITY OFFICERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, SECURITY OFFICERS.
OBVIOUSLY THE COST FOR SECURITY OFFICERS IS GONNA BE LESS THAN THE COST FOR POLICE OVERTIME OFFICERS.
SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO KIND OF OFFSET SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
SO WE ANTICIPATE SEEING SOME OF THAT BEING OFFSET WITH THAT.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IS THAT REVENUE THAT'S ALSO BEING COLLECTED ON THE TOURNAMENT SIDE.
SOME OF THAT REVENUE ALSO, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEING, THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE BEING USED TO COVER THE EVENTS.
AND SO THAT IMPACTS POLICE OVERTIME.
WHAT YOU DON'T SEE ON THE OTHER SIDE IS THE REVENUE THAT'S BEING COLLECTED FOR DETERMINING EVENTS.
SO ALL, NOT ALL OF THAT POLICE OVERTIME IS, IS UNCOVERED.
YES, MR. CAMERON, THAT MAKES SENSE.
NOW, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, AND IF THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR STAFF, PLEASE, UM, I, I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT WE'D HAVE TO GET THERE IS, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, IS IT NOT WHAT THE POLICE, UH, OVERTIME LOOKS LIKE FROM THOSE, UH, PARK EVENTS? FROM WHAT OPERATIONAL EVENT, UM, OPERATIONAL OVERTIME, SUCH AS THEIR WORKING SHIFTS IN THE STREETS VERSUS WORKING OVERTIME FOR PARKS? YES.
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AND ON THE REVERSE FROM THE INNER, UM, GOVERNMENTAL FUND, COULD THAT NOT BE BROKEN OUT TO SO THAT WE COULD SEE WHAT THAT BREAKS DOWN TO FROM A, UM, A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE? OH, YES.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I KNOW THAT, UH, POLICE HAS, THEY HAVE, UH, OVERTIME CODES, RIGHT? AND SO THOSE CODES IDENTIFY WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THAT WORK IS FOR, AND SO THEY'D BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WORKED BASED, BASED ON THE VARIOUS CODES AND, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK IT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL NECESSARILY BE AS A PART OF THIS FINANCIAL REPORT, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WHEN WOULD WE SEE THAT? IF IT'S NOT A PART OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT? UH, I, WE CAN ESSENTIALLY RUN AN INTERNAL REPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE CITY MANAGER REQUEST AND, AND SEND IT IN.
[00:50:02]
GIVE, GIVE US A COUPLE DAYS.I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, AS FAR AS THE POLICE OVER TIME, UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, WE BOOKED OUR BILLING.
SO WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, WE BILL THE VARIOUS ENTITIES, UH, MAINLY DISD FOR SRO REIMBURSEMENT.
RIGHT NOW WE'VE BILLED, UM, APPROXIMATELY 81,000 TO BE REIMBURSED.
SO, UM, AS CITY MANAGER CAMERON, UM, DISCUSSED, WE, WE DO SEE THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE, ON THE REVENUE SIDE AS WELL.
AND AS FAR AS ANY POTENTIAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT NEED TO COME FORWARD, WE WILL RELY ON, UM, THE MANAGING DIRECTORS, THE CHIEFS TO IN INFORM FINANCE IF A BUDGET AMENDMENT, IF THEY FEEL THAT A BUDGET AMENDMENT IS NEEDED FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN WE'LL BRING THOSE FORWARD.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM FOR CHIEF? I KNOW HE'S KID, HE, UM, HE'S STANDING THERE.
I THOUGHT, DID HE HAVE A, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY FOR HIM OR DID WE GET IT COVERED? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM ACTUALLY ASKED MY QUESTION, UM, IN TERMS OF SEEING IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO SHOW WHERE THE FUNDS, WHAT'S COVERING WHAT OUT OF THAT, WHAT IS IT ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN THAT'S JUST THE MONTH OF, THAT'S STOPPING AT DECEMBER.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT HAS ALSO ACCRUED ADDITIONAL FUNDS ON TOP OF THAT, CONSIDERING WHEN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AT THIS POINT SINCE THEN.
UM, SO THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY, ESSENTIALLY MY, MY QUESTION.
I GUESS JUST TO YOUR POINT, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UM, IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S A BUDGET AMENDMENT, CAN WE GET, YOU KNOW, A HEADS UP AND NOT KIND OF WHEN WE'RE IN IT? ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, MAYBE A MONTH, TWO MONTHS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IN TERMS OF THAT, SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SEE IT.
BUT I THINK THAT IT WILL HELP US IN TERMS OF FOR MY OWN, JUST SPEAKING FOR ME PERSONALLY.
IF I CAN SEE WHERE THE FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY COMING FROM THE OTHER AREAS SURE.
SO THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS JUST IN OVERTIME WITH NO JUSTIFICATION FOR HOW THAT HAPPENED AND WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
SO THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND SO IF WE CAN RUN AN INTERIM REPORT, I THINK IS WHAT YOU CALLED IT, YES, WE CAN DO THAT, UM, TO BE PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL, UM, CITY, UM, MR. CAMERON, UM, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.
UH, DR. MARKS, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
AND THANK YOU MS. SUTTON FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
HOWEVER, I'M GONNA DEFER MY QUESTION TO MR. COLE MEIER.
MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND HUB VENDORS.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS 20% RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN BEHIND FOR, FOR A WHILE.
DURING OUR LAST CONVERSATION WITH, UM, MS. SUTTON, WHEN SHE CAME BEFORE US, YOU GUYS WERE TO GET TOGETHER AND OF COURSE, BRING A REPORT BACK TO US AND GIVE US SOME TYPE OF IDEA AS TO THE PLAN THAT YOU GUYS WERE GONNA BE UTILIZING MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE COULD INCREASE THOSE PERCENTAGES.
SO AT THIS TIME, MR. CORMIER, WOULD YOU ADDRESS THAT FOR ME, PLEASE? UM, I YIELD BACK, MADAM MAYOR.
UM, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE PLAN, BUT, UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKSHOPS, YOU KNOW, THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR, UM, THE MEMBERSHIP.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE ARE FACING IS THAT WE, WE KNOW WE WORK WITH A LOT OF MWBE VENDORS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED, YOU KNOW, HAS A HUB VENDOR AND HAS A MWB VENDOR.
AND SO WITH OUR REPORTING, WE CANNOT REPORT THOSE BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY REPORTING THE ONES THAT ARE REGISTERED, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO TRY TO GET THEM TO REGISTER.
BUT A LOT OF COMPANIES AND VENDORS DO NOT WANNA REGISTER FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THEM REGISTERED, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, IS THAT, UM, JUST BY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, REACHING OUT TO THEM, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO 'EM AT THE WORKSHOPS, YOU KNOW, UM, WV VENDORS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED, SO WE CANNOT REPORT 'EM ACCORDING TO OUR CRITERIA.
SO, SO AGAIN, WHEN WE GO TO THESE, UM, WORKSHOPS OR WHATEVER, UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ARE YOU ASKING THEM, ARE THEY REGISTERED? ARE YOU TRYING TO ASSIST THEM TO GET REGISTERED? YES.
HOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, WE JUST LET 'EM KNOW.
OUR PURCHASING MANAGER, WHEN WE HAVE THESE WORKSHOPS, HE JUST LET 'EM KNOW THE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE TO REIMBURSE 'EM, AND WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE LET 'EM, LIKE I SAY, WE ONLY HAVE ONE REGISTERED FROM OUR LAST WORKSHOP, BUT WE DO INFORM THEM THAT WE REIMBURSE 'EM AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY DON'T WANNA REGISTER.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF I CAN, UH, WE DO DO SEVERAL EMAIL BLASTS.
SO AFTER WE HAVE THOSE WORKSHOPS, WE WILL GET ALL OF, UM, COMPILE THE LIST OF PARTICIPANTS.
WE ADVERTISE ON OUR WEBSITE TO TALK ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY THAT WE PROVIDE.
UM, RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE DO SOLICITATIONS, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL GO AND SCRUB THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY HUB OUT THERE WHO
[00:55:01]
MAY PRESCRIBE TO THE PARTICULAR RFP THAT WE'RE ADVERTISING FOR.WE REACH OUT TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF, UH, THE ADDITIONAL EFFORTS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
BUT AS TRACY, UM, PREMIER STATED, UM, THE, THE PROBLEM IS WITH ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEM TO REGISTER.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY TALK SO MUCH, BUT IF WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY WALKING THEM DOWN TO THE APPLICATION IN WHICH WE DO THAT IN SOME, IN SOME RESPECT, BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, DFW MINORITY SUPPLIERS, WE RE WE REPORT THEM THERE, UH, WE REFER THEM THERE, BUT AT SOME POINT IT'S BEEN STOPPING AND THEY DON'T TAKE THAT EXTRA STEP THAT'S NEEDED TO REGISTER THEMSELVES.
SO I, I GUESS, I GUESS WHERE WHAT I'M GETTING AT, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HOLD THEIR HAND AND I KNOW IT'S, I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE TOUCH POINTS, YOU KNOW, TO HELP GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, TRY TO INCREASE THESE NUMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, AND OF COURSE, THAT'S MY QUESTION EVERY TIME, YOU KNOW, EVERY MONTH, EVERY TIME THAT YOU COME, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE.
SO MR. CORMIER, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO WORK WITH HER OR WHOMEVER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THESE NUMBERS INCREASE.
I YIELD BACK THANK YOU DR. MARKS.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING HARD IN THAT AREA.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, AS SHE STATED, THERE IS NO REAL INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO REGISTER BECAUSE THEY STILL GET THE BUSINESS.
SO IF I STILL GET THE BUSINESS WITHOUT REGISTERING, THERE IS NO REAL INCENTIVE FOR ME TO TAKE THE EXTRA STEPS.
UM, THAT CAN BE VERY CUMBERSOME.
UM, HAVING GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS MYSELF, THERE'S NO REAL INCENTIVE FOR ME AS A BUSINESS OWNER TO TAKE OUT TIME FROM STOPPING TO WORK ON MY BUSINESS TO, TO TRY TO GO THROUGH A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD STILL GET THE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, MOST CHANCE GET IT.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THAT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DENY THEM TO WORK WITH THEM IF THEY QUALIFY AND SO FORTH WITH OR WITHOUT IT.
SO, HONESTLY, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT STAFF IS DOING WHATEVER THEY CAN.
AND I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN AROUND THIS A LOT OF TIMES AND DESOTO IS NOT THE ONLY CITY HAVING THIS ISSUE.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S ISOLATED TO WHAT STAFF IS OR ISN'T DOING.
I JUST THINK THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT AN INCENTIVE FOR A BUSINESS OWNER TO DO IT IF THEY STILL GET THE BUSINESS REGARDLESS,
SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M, I'M SURE THEY COULD UNDERSTAND OUR, OUR PLIGHT.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, WHEN THEY'RE DOING THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, IT, IT'S, IT, IT CAN BE CUMBERSOME TO TAKE, TO GO THROUGH THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS YOU HAVE.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GET CREATIVE AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO PARTNER AND TO REALLY HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS.
UM, NOT JUST FOR WORKING WITH DESOTO, BUT HOW THEY CAN EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS, UM, OPPORTUNITIES IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL AS WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES, HAVING THAT CERTIFICATION.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, EVEN WORKING WITH OUR SBA PARTNERS ON ASSISTING, UM, WITH JUST THE INFORMATION, HAVING SOME SESSIONS TO HELP WALK THEM THROUGH, AS YOU MENTIONED, KIND OF HOLDING THEIR HAND THROUGHOUT THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
I APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING AND WE'LL KEEP, WE'LL KEEP WORKING AT, WE'LL KEEP WORKING.
SO, SO ONE OF THE THINGS, MADAM MAYOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU PROBABLY WANNA CONSIDER THEN, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE 20%, WE MIGHT MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT IT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO MAYBE DO 10% OR 15% SO IT DOESN'T LOOK SO LIKE, IT HAS SUCH A HUGE, HUGE GAP, UH, WHEN IT COMES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT MIGHT SOMETHING, SOMETHING WE CAN CONSIDER.
I WANNA GO BACK TO, UM, THE GENERAL REVENUE AND JUST LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A BIG JUMP FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH TO, UM, THIS CURRENT MONTH THAT WE'RE, THE MONTH WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT LEMME JUST MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
PY PREVIOUS YEAR ACTUALS, YEAR TO DATE, PREVIOUS YEAR? YES.
AND SO LOOKS LIKE IT'S TRENDING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
JUST DOWN, UM, JUST A FEW PERCENTAGES.
WELL, SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE 48 VERSUS 53.
SO WE COLLECTED A LITTLE BIT MORE LAST THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
IS THAT RIGHT? WE'VE ACTUALLY COLLECTED A HIGHER DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IT'S SHOWING AS A LOWER PERCENTAGE BECAUSE OF THE ACTUAL BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL EQUATION.
AND SO EVEN AT 49, 48 POINT 0.9%, WE HAVE COLLECTED MORE ACTUAL REVENUE THAN WERE COLLECTED LAST YEAR.
BECAUSE WE BUDGETED MORE REVENUE THIS YEAR, BUT WE RECEIVED 48% OF WHAT WE BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
SO THE THE PERCENTAGE IS WHAT WE BUDGET AND WHAT WE BROUGHT IN AND THAT GIVES US A PERCENTAGE.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY.
AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE EXPENDITURES, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL, IS THAT THE SAME AS INTERGOVERNMENTAL? AND
[01:00:01]
SO I SEE THAT PERCENTAGE AS 66% VERSUS THE PREVIOUS YEAR OF 13%, RIGHT? YES.ON THAT ONE, UM, NO, THAT ONE IS NOT, UM, GONNA BE THE SAME.
SO THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL THERE IS GONNA BE, UM, MAINLY OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT DON'T, UM, BELONG TO ANY PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
SO GENERAL CON, GENERAL CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR THE CITY, SUCH AS CITY ATTORNEY IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ONES THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS YOU SEE THE 66% THERE, UM, THIS YEAR WE PULLED OUT, UM, ONE OF THE CONTRACTED SERVICES, WHICH IS OUR, UM, OUR INSURANCE LIABILITY.
WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR WAS WE CREATED AN INSURANCE LIABILITY FUND SO THAT WE CAN TRACK THAT SEPARATELY.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT IT COMBINED IN WITH GENERAL FUND AND KIND OF GETTING LOST IN THOSE NUMBERS.
SO, UH, WHAT WE DID FOR THIS YEAR WAS WE BUDGETED ABOUT $600,000 THAT WE WERE GONNA TRANSFER OUT OF GENERAL NON-DEPARTMENTAL AND TRANSFER THAT OVER INTO INSURANCE LIABILITY SO THAT WE CAN TRACK THAT SEPARATELY.
SO THAT 600,000 HAS ALREADY COME OUT OF THERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THAT, THAT PERCENTAGE TO LOOK LIKE IT'S, IT'S A LOT HIGHER, BUT THAT WILL LEVEL OFF BECAUSE THAT WON'T HAPPEN EVERY MONTH.
WE'VE ALREADY TRANSFERRED ALL OF IT.
AND SO AS THE, AS THE YEAR, AS THE MONTHS GO ON, WE'LL SEE THAT KINDA LEVEL BACK OFF.
BUT WE WANTED TO, TO SEPARATE THAT OUT THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS APPROVED IN WITH THIS, UH, CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
AND THEN, UM, GOING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITY REVENUE AND JUST LOOKING AT THE WATER SERVICE REVENUE.
AND SO JUST KIND OF WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT NUMBER VERSUS LAST YEAR'S NUMBER.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGES NOT UNDERSTANDING THE FORMULA, SO JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE TRACKING OF THAT AND THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S TRENDING DOWNWARD OR, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE NUMBERS.
ON THE PUBLIC UTILITY FUND, WATER ON THE REVENUE, WATER SERVICE REVENUE.
I THINK MR.
RAPHAEL, I ASSUME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONNECTION SERVICE REVENUE, IT JUST SAYS, UH, I'M ON THE, NO, I'M ON THE PUBLIC UTILITY REVENUE PAGE.
AND IT IS, UM, 4 5 4 1 0, THE WATER SERVICE REVENUE 30%.
AND JUST, JUST, JUST WANTING TO UNDERSTAND.
SO UNDERSTANDING INFORM IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO I REALIZE THAT NOW AND I APPRECIATE, UM, MISS UHHUH.
SO I'M TALKING NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE, THE ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE BUDGET, THE 27% AND LAST YEAR WAS AT 33%.
JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF TREND WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF OR PAYING ATTENTION TO.
SO NOTHING THAT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME AS FAR AS THE WATERS, UH, FOR THAT PERCENTAGE, WE'RE REALLY TRACKING, UM, CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE 25% OF THE BUDGET YEAR RIGHT AT WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT 27.5%.
BECAUSE I, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THAT, THAT, UH, $30,000 NUMBER? UH, NO.
WELL, NO,
AND SO PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, I I I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL NUMBER, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGES AND MY WONDERINGS IS WHY I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT'S WHERE YOU EXPECT TO BE.
BUT I'M WONDERING THAT THAT SLIGHT TREND DOWNWARD RELATED TO REVENUE, I WAS JUST WANTING TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
OKAY, SO, SO WHAT ALL IS, IS ENCOMPASSED IN THAT FEE IS USUALLY LIKE SERVICE FEES FOR LIKE, UH, FOR SAME DAY RECONNECTS.
IF, IF, UH, LIKE THERE'S BEEN LIKE A DISCONNECTION, THEY WANT US TO COME BACK, YOU KNOW, LIKE AFTER HOURS, SAME DAY CONNECT.
THERE'S, THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.
UM, IT COULD BE JUST A MATTER OF THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DIFFERENT SERVICES LAST YEAR THAT WE WERE CALLED OUT TO DO, ESPECIALLY LIKE AFTER HOURS.
THAT'S USUALLY WHAT GOES INTO THAT.
UM, I'M NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL NOTICE, UM, ORIGINALLY I THOUGHT YOU WERE REFERRING TO THE CONNECTION REVENUE.
WE KNOW WE NORMALLY SEE THAT KIND OF GO IN DRUGS BASED ON WHEN WE PUT UM, NEW SUBDIVISIONS ONLINE AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
SO YOU WOULD NOTICE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY TRENDING BEHIND.
BUT USUALLY THAT CATCHES UP AS THE YEAR GOES ON AND WE PUT, UH, THE SUBDIVISIONS ONLINE.
I HAD A, I'M SORRY ON THE, AND THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT ON THE SANITATION REVENUE FUND.
SO THERE AGAIN, THERE WAS A BIG JUMP.
[01:05:01]
WAS A, A 36% INCREASE ON THE SANITATION SIDE, SO IT'S THE TAX RETAINAGE.SO I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT TAX RETAINAGE.
AND THEN ON THE RESIDENTIAL NUMBERS, UH, 96 MM-HMM.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THESE TRENDS LOOKING LIKE? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY LOOKING, LOOKING AT? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FORECAST THAT'S MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL IT EVENTUALLY LOOK LIKE LATER WHEN WE GET TO THE BIG BUDGET? I'M NOT ASKING A BIG QUESTION, I'M JUST ASKING LIKE, JUST WHAT THIS IS.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, YOU SAID, WHAT WAS THE SECOND NUMBER? BECAUSE THE FIRST, THE TAX RETAINAGE, THAT'S A EIGHT, I GUESS $8,000 IN TERMS OF THE LINE ITEM.
SO SOMETIMES WHEN IT'S A VERY SMALL NUMBER LIKE THAT IN TERMS OF ACTUAL MONEY, THOSE PERCENTAGES IS THAT, IT WAS THAT ONE.
AND THEN WHICH, WHICH, WHAT WAS THE SECOND ONE YOU MENTIONED? THE RESIDENTIAL 96 I BELIEVE.
AND THAT ONE IS, AND THAT ONE IS LIKE A $6,000.
AND NO, THAT ONE IS ACTUALLY THE RESIDENTIAL 96.
THAT'S, UM, THAT'S, UM, ADDITIONAL PURCHASES THAT CUSTOMERS MAKE.
SO THAT'S ONE THAT WE, UH, WE DO OUR BEST WITH THE BUDGET AND TRYING TO PROJECT THAT ONE, BUT THAT ONE IS GONNA VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR JUST BASED ON, UM, CUSTOMER NEED AND WHETHER THEY WANT THAT ADDITIONAL, UM, CONTAINER.
UM, BUT WE'RE OVERALL, THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A, ANY, WE'RE NOT CONCERNED AT ALL 23.9% OF REVENUE AT 25% INTO THE YEAR.
WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT, SO.
AND THE REASON, MAIN REASON WHY I'M ASKING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE'LL GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR INCREASES.
AND SO IF THESE ARE AREAS WHERE REVENUE CAN COME IN, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS AND IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES IN THOSE PLACES, JUST LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS.
THERE WAS A, ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS NOT THAT I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND UNDER THE CAPITAL PROJECT FUND, THAT'S THE REVENUE SIDE.
AND SO UNDER THE FIRE STATION IMPROVEMENTS, NOTHING WAS BUDGETED, BUT IT'S LISTED THERE FOR THE YEAR TO DATE AT 23,000.
SO JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING NOT BEEN BUDGETED AND, YOU KNOW, WILL IT BE BUDGETED OR WHAT DOES THAT YEAH, JUST THAT, JUST THAT EXPLANATION.
UH, WELL ON FIRE STATION, YES.
SO ON THE REVENUE, NOTHING WAS BUDGETED AND WE'VE RECEIVED 23,000 YEAR TO DATE.
I WOULD HAVE TO RESEARCH FURTHER FOR YOU TO SEE, UH, WHAT THE CAUSE FOR THAT IS.
UM, IF THAT AND THAT, AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE FUTURE FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE WILL CERTAINLY BRING THAT BACK FOR, TO AMEND THE, UM, THE CAPITAL, UH, PROJECTS FUND REVENUE FOR THAT LINE ITEM.
AND THE SAME FOR THE, UM, EXPENSES AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL.
COUNSEL, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME AND CONSIDERING, UH, WE STILL HAVE A PRETTY, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS P PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO MS. SUTTON OR, UH, THE FINANCE TEAM TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UM, THANK YOU MS. SUTTON FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[g. Presentation by Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP Attorneys at Law-Delinquent Collections]
BY LINE LINEBARGER, GOGGIN, BLAIR AND SAMPSON, LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW DELINQUENT COLLECTIONS.MAKING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESENTER IS LAKITA SUTTON, INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR.
THIS EVENING WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT A PRESENTATION BY LINEBARGER GOGGIN, BLAIR AND SIMPSON, LLP, BETTER KNOWN AS LINEBARGER.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING PROPERTY TAX, UM, AS WELL AS COURT, UH, COLLECTION DELINQUENT COST FOR THE CITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND, UM, WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND BRING A PERIODIC REPORT TO YOU, UH, TO THE COUNCIL ON, UH, THE STATE OF THOSE COLLECTIONS FOR EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
AND HERE THIS EVENING, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM LINEBARGER.
WE HAVE MS. KAREN BISHOP, MS. PAM POPE, AS WELL AS MS. FRANIA JOHNSON.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS PAMELA LEE.
I'M A PARTNER WITH LOBAR BLA AND SAMPSON, AM I DRIVING OR YOU DRIVING? OKAY.
[01:10:01]
HAVE WITH ME, AS MS. SUTTON SAID, UH, KAREN BISHOP, WHO IS YOUR, UH, TAX LIAISON WHO HELPS US WITH THE TAX COLLECTION PROGRAM THAT WE DO ON YOUR BEHALF.AND, UH, FRON JOHNSON, WHO IS OUR SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE FINES AND FEES COLLECTION.
LINEBARGER IS A NATIONAL LAW FIRM.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS SINCE 1976 AND FOR THE ENTIRE TIME WE HAVE BEEN COLLECTING GOVERNMENTAL DEBT.
WE ARE PROUD TO SAY WE HAVE ABOUT 80 FOLKS IN DALLAS COUNTY WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF, WHO REPRESENT ALL OF OUR CLIENTS IN THIS AREA.
LET'S SEE, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE VALUE.
WE CERTAINLY VALUE OUR CLIENTS.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WHEN WE PARTNER WITH YOU TO COLLECT THE DELINQUENT, UH, FEES AND FINES THAT WE ARE HELPING YOU PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES FOR YOUR CITIZENS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE, UM, ENCOURAGED AND ENGAGED AND ARE INNOVATIVE SO THAT IN OUR PROCESS OF COLLECTING OR WORKING FOR YOU, THAT WE'RE DOING THE VERY BEST IN PROVIDING THE DIVERSE COMMUN THE BEST, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AND WE ALSO VALUE THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE WORK IN.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE ALWAYS INVOLVED IN EACH COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN.
WE ARE INVOLVED IN THE LEGAL SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO YOU.
WE PROVIDE, YOU PROVIDE THE COLLECT, WE PROVIDE A DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTION PROGRAM.
WE ALSO REPRESENT YOU AND THE STATE, UH, STATE AND APPELLATE COURTS WHEN NECESSARY.
UH, WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE TEAM IN AUSTIN WHO REPRESENTS THE FIRM, AND IT'S ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR ANY, UM, AREAS THAT ARE GONNA AFFECT OUR CLIENTS.
WITH REGARD TO THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT FINES AND FEES AND DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTIONS.
WE ADVISE YOU ON COMPLEX CASES WHEN REQUESTED, AND WE ALSO, UH, REPRESENT YOU IN BANKRUPTCY COURT.
SO JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE FILES BANKRUPTCY DOES NOT MEAN, UH, WE ARE NOT OUT THERE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT THE DOLLARS THAT ARE DUE TO, UM, THE CITY OF DESOTO.
THIS PAGE GIVES YOU A TIMELINE.
I CAN'T REALLY SEE IT UP THERE.
GIVES YOU A TIMELINE AND DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTION PROCESS.
THE LIEN ATTACHES, UH, TO THE PROPERTY.
IF THERE IS A DE IF THERE WHEN THE TAXES IN IS INCURRED, THERE IS NO NEED TO FILE ANYTHING.
THE LIEN AUTOMATICALLY ATTACHES.
AND IN APRIL OF EACH YEAR IS, IS UH, WHEN THE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES BECOME DELINQUENT.
SO IN APRIL, WE ARE, UH, OUT THERE ALREADY ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT ON DELINQUENT BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
AND JULY OF EACH YEAR IS USUALLY, UM, WHEN THE, UH, CER THE, UM, APPRAISAL ROLE IS BEING CERTIFIED.
AND OF COURSE, YOU ARE ESTABLISHING YOUR BUDGETS AS WELL, UH, BETWEEN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AND, UH, OCTOBER.
AND, UH, BETWEEN OCTOBER AND JANUARY OF EACH YEAR IS WHEN USUALLY THE DALLAS COUNTY TAX SUCCESSOR COLLECTOR IS MAILING THE BILLS.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE DUE BY JANUARY 31ST OF EACH YEAR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, FEBRUARY ONE IS WHEN THEY BECOME DELINQUENT.
AND AGAIN, I MENTIONED IN APRIL IS WHEN THEY TURN OVER THEIR DELINQUENT BUSINESS, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
AND IN JULY OF EACH YEAR IS WHEN THEY TURN OVER YOUR DELINQUENT, UH, REAL PROPERTY TAXES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
ONCE THEY TURN 'EM OVER TO US IS WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR ROLE, WE ANALYZE THE ROLE IN, UM, COME UP WITH A COLLECTION PLAN ON YOUR BEHALF.
UH, WE IDENTIFY PROPERTIES THAT ARE PROTECTED AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE PROTECTED, WE DON'T COLLECT ON.
AND THOSE THAT REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTIONS WHEN WE, UH, BEGIN THE COLLECTION PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, MAILINGS, UM, SCRIPT TRACING FOR THE CORRECT ADDRESS.
IF YOU CAN'T, UH, REACH THE DEBTORS, OF COURSE WE CAN'T COLLECT FROM THE DEBTORS.
WE ALSO MAKE PHONE CALLS ON YOUR BEHALF AND WE ARE RECEIVING THOSE PHONE CALLS FROM YOUR, FROM THE TAXPAYERS AS WELL.
WE, UH, ALSO SPEND TIME TALKING TO THEM ABOUT AVAILABLE, UH, PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR EACH ACCOUNT.
UH, OR IF, IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT, WE'LL NEGOTIATE IT AT THAT AT THAT TIME.
IF THEY REMAIN DELINQUENT AFTER, AFTER THOSE STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN, THEN OF COURSE THEY'RE READY TO BE INCLUDED IN A LAWSUIT AND WE WILL FILE SUIT ON THOSE ACCOUNTS.
AND IF THEY REMAIN DELINQUENT AFTER THE SUIT HAS BEEN, WE HAVE PRO PROSECUTED THE SUIT TO ITS FINAL, UM, TO FINALITY, THEN IT MAY BE, UH, SOLD AT THE SOLD FOR A TAX SALE.
I WAS GONNA SAY THE COURTHOUSE STEPS, BUT WE'RE NOT SALES ON COURTHOUSE STEPS.
UH, AND THEY, IF THERE ARE NO BIDDERS AT THE SALE, THEN THEY'RE STRUCK OFF USUALLY TO,
[01:15:01]
UH, DALLAS COUNTY OR IT STRUCK OFF TO THE CITY OF DESOTO.IT CAN BE WROTE, RESOLD AND PUT ON THE TAX ROLL AT THAT TIME.
LEMME MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
TURN IT OVER TO KAREN BISHOP, WHO WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR CURRENT TURNOVER.
GOOD TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL THIS EVENING.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT, WHAT I DO PERSONALLY TO HELP COLLECT FOR THE DELINQUENT TAXES FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
SO THIS SLIDE TELLS US THAT FOR TAX YEAR 2022, THIS DATA IS AS GOOD AS OF JULY, 2023.
IT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO JULY, 2023.
IT GIVES YOU THE TURNOVER THAT WE RECEIVED IN TAX YEAR 21 AND 22.
AND IT SHOWS YOU THAT THERE WAS A 35% INCREASE IN THE DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS THAT WERE TURNED OVER SINCE 21 AND 22.
THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 890 OF THOSE ACCOUNTS TOTALING JUST OVER $700,000.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PIE CHART THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR ACCOUNTS, 92% OF THOSE ARE REAL PROPERTY AND 7.5% ARE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
AND THEN YOU HAVE JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE MOBILE HOMES.
THIS SLIDE TELLS US ABOUT THE TAX ROLL AND BROKEN DOWN INTO THE NUMBER OF DOLLARS THAT ARE DUE FOR EACH ACCOUNT.
AND IT SHOWS YOU THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE BEEN DELINQUENT INCLUDES 2022 AND ALL THE YEARS PRIOR TO THAT IS A TOTAL OF 1,481 ACCOUNTS.
AND AGAIN, SHOWING THAT THE NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS THAT OWE OVER $5,000 ARE THE, IN THE GREEN SLIDE TO THE RIGHT THERE, YOU HAVE 52% OF YOUR ACCOUNTS THAT OWE AT LEAST 5,000 OR MORE.
SO WHEN I'M OUT WORKING, I'M GENERALLY WORKING, TRYING TO COLLECT THOSE ACCOUNTS.
AND THEN I WORK THE TAX ROLL BACKWARDS TO GO DOWN TO THE NEXT MOST RECENT AND MOST HIGH DOLLAR AMOUNTS, WHICH WOULD BE THE ORANGE ONE THAT SHOWS YOUR ACCOUNTS THAT ARE A THOUSAND TO $5,000, WHICH IS 36% OF THOSE DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS.
NOW THIS SLIDE GIVES A BREAKDOWN OF ACCOUNTS BY COLLECTABILITY.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE CHART TO THE FAR RIGHT THAT SHOWS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS, WHICH IS 1481.
OUT OF THOSE NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS, 56% OF THOSE ARE WHAT WE CONSIDER COLLECTIBLE AND THE ACCOUNTS THAT WE CONSIDER COLLECTIBLE OR ACCOUNTS THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF EXEMPTION THAT'S PREVENTING US FROM GOING AND COLLECTING THAT MONEY.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE A 65 UH, EXEMPTION.
IF THOSE ACCOUNTS HAVE OVER 65 EXEMPTIONS, THEN THOSE ARE ACCOUNTS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER UNCOLLECTIBLE.
SO WE WOULD REMOVE THOSE ACCOUNTS.
AS PAM WAS SAYING EARLIER, WE WOULD STRATIFY THE TAX ROLL AND REMOVE THOSE ACCOUNTS.
AND WHILE WE MONITOR THOSE ACCOUNTS, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE EXEMPTIONS WILL FALL OFF.
IF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAS SENT OUT INFORMATION AND THEY HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THAT TAXPAYER, THEN THEY CAN REMOVE THOSE, THOSE EXEMPTIONS.
AND THEN THAT'LL MAKE THAT ACCOUNT ELIGIBLE FOR ME TO DO A SITE VISIT ON.
AND THEN WE ALSO DON'T COLLECT ON ANYTHING THAT'S $15 OR LESS.
OF COURSE, WE WILL CALL AND MAKE OTHER AND SEND MAYBE NOTICES, BUT WE WON'T GO OUT AND DO A SITE VISIT.
THEN THIS NEXT SLIDE TELLS YOU ABOUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
PAM KIND OF ALLUDED TO THOSE EARLIER AS WELL.
DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, JULY 22ND THROUGH JUNE, 2023, WE FILED 22 LAWSUITS DISPOSED OF NINE OF THOSE LAWSUITS.
AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING IN THAT TI TIME PERIOD THAT 12 MONTHS, OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN OLDER LAWSUIT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE HAD THIRD 23 ACCOUNTS THAT WERE IN BANKRUPTCY.
SO OUR BANKRUPTCY DEPARTMENT WILL FILE A CLAIM IN THOSE ACCOUNTS AND COLLECT THAT MONEY THROUGH THE BA THROUGH THEIR BANKRUPTCY.
AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO DO 48 SITE VISITS IN THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD WHERE I ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND KNOCKED ON THE DOORS OF THE TAXPAYER'S HOMES, OR I WENT TO THE BUSINESS AND SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT THEIR PROPERTY AND HAND DELIVERED THEM A TAX STATEMENT.
AND THEN WE HAD ONE SHERIFF SELL.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ACCOUNTS THAT ARE GOING TO SELL RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A GOOD THING 'CAUSE THAT MEANS PEOPLE ARE PAYING AND THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS.
WE MAILED OUT JUST OVER 2000 NOTICES TO ALL TAXPAYERS WHO OWED MONEY ON THEIR ACCOUNTS.
AND THEN FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO, WE COLLECTED 600, $446 DURING THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD.
AND THAT AMOUNT DOES INCLUDE BASE TAXES, PENALTY INTEREST, AND OUR ATTORNEY'S FEES
[01:20:01]
BECAUSE WE DON'T CHARGE YOU GUYS TO HAVE OUR SERVICES.WHEN THE TAXPAYER PLAYS THEIR DELINQUENT TAX ACCOUNT, THAT'S WHEN WE GET OUR ATTORNEY'S FEES.
SO IT'S A FREE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
WE HAVE REGULAR PAYMENT AGREEMENTS THAT WE CAN DO WITH TAXPAYERS, UH, MINIMUM OF 90 DAYS, A MAXIMUM OF 12 MONTHS.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ON YOUR PROPERTY, YOU CAN GET A MAXIMUM OF 36 MONTHS ON YOUR DELINQUENT TAX YEARS.
AND THEN AFTER WE OBTAIN A JUDGMENT, WE ALSO WILL STILL WORK WITH TAXPAYERS ON PROVIDING THEM A TAX, A PAYMENT AGREEMENT TO TRY AND GET THEM PAYING BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE SELL THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THEN THE LAST BOX TELLS YOU ALL THE EXEMPTIONS.
THOSE EXEMPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO TAXPAYERS THROUGH THE DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
WHEN I GO OUT AND TALK TO TAXPAYERS, I'M ALWAYS ASKING, HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION? HAVE, ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR THESE OTHER EXEMPTIONS THAT THEY OFFER? THEY HAVE TAX, DEFERRALS, DISABILITY, BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
AND WHAT I TRY TO DO AS AN EDUCATOR OUT THERE ABOUT TAXES IS LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEIR EXEMPTIONS ARE SO THAT THEY CAN GET THOSE IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THEM.
THIS NEXT SLIDE TELLS ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT RAN PRETTY MUCH DURING COVI JUST AFTER COVID.
IT WAS THE TEXAS HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE FUND THAT WAS MONIES, UH, PROVIDED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE DID A MAILING ON THOSE AS WELL TO TAXPAYERS.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY, UM, TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY OF DESOTO THAT RECEIVED THOSE MONIES.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE LIKE A REPORT FROM THE TAX OFFICE LETTING US KNOW WHAT THOSE ACCOUNTS MAY HAVE BEEN UNLESS I PERSONALLY REFERRED 'EM TO THE PROGRAM.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY ACTUALLY GOT FONTS.
BUT THAT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS ABLE TO HELP TAXPAYERS AND IT WAS MONEY THAT THEY GOT UP TO $25,000 AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY IT BACK.
AND NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO FRANIA TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR FINES AND FEES COLLECTION.
AS EVERYONE BEFORE ME HAS SAID, I'M FRANIA JOHNSON AND I OVERSEE THE FINES AND FEES COLLECTIONS FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO AND THE DALLAS OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN THE PERSON ASSIGNED TO DESOTO SINCE THE BEGINNING.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US IN 2008.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE HIGH LEVEL OF THE DUTIES THAT WE DO TO COLLECT YOUR DELINQUENT COURT FEES AND FINES.
WE MAIL, WE HAVE CALL CENTERS, WE DO SPECIAL PROGRAMS WORKING WITH THE CITIES FOR, UH, SPECIAL EFFORTS.
LIKE NOW DURING INCOME TAX REFUND SEASON, WE PROVIDE A GEO MAPPING SERVICE THAT IS USED BY YOUR MARSHALS THAT HELPS THEM, UH, SET OUT A GOOD ROUTE TO GO AROUND TO, TO, UH, CALL ON DELINQUENT DEFENDANTS.
UH, THE TEAM IN DALLAS WORKS TO OVERSEE THE PROGRAM.
SO I'M RESPONSIBLE AND MY COUNTERPART, ANDY TAYLOR, WHO COULDN'T BE WITH US TONIGHT, WE WORK WITH OUR SAN ANTONIO OFFICE IS WHERE YOUR CALL, THE CALL CENTER THAT IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR DESOTO IS LOCATED.
AND WE OVERSEE EVERY ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THE TAX WE MAIL.
BUT OUR PROGRAM IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THAT WE GET A NEW PLACEMENTS FROM THE CITY.
WE DON'T GET THEM ONE TIME A YEAR OR TWO TIMES A YEAR.
WE GET THEM ROUTINELY AS THEY BECOME DELINQUENT.
STATE LAW ALLOWS THAT THEY CAN BE REFERRED TO US FOR COLLECTIONS ONCE THEY ARE 60 DAYS DELINQUENT AND DELINQUENT CAN BE FROM THE INITIAL ISSUES OF THE CITATION.
IF WE, IF THE, A DEFENDANT NEVER RESPONDED, SO THEY HAD A PERIOD TO PAY.
AND ONCE THOSE, THAT PERIOD PASSED AND 60 DAYS ELAPSED, THEN THAT'S VIOLATION OR CITATION WAS EL IS ELIGIBLE TO BE REFERRED TO US.
IF THE DEFENDANT HAS MADE SOME TYPE OF ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE COURT TO TRY TO SATISFY IT, THEN ONCE THAT PERIOD EXPIRES AND THE DEFENDANT DIDN'T KEEP THEIR AGREEMENT, THEN IT 60 DAYS LATER, IT CAN BE REFERRED TO US.
THIS IS JUST A REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES, THE NUMBER OF LETTERS THAT WE MAILED ON THE CITY'S BEHALF.
UM, DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR OF JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2023, WE MAILED ALMOST 18,000 LETTERS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY DURING A SPECIAL CAMPAIGN ABOUT THE SAME
[01:25:01]
TIME AND MAILED AN AN ADDITIONAL 4,300 POSTCARDS TALKING ABOUT THE RESOLUTION PROGRAM THAT THE JUDGE WAS PUTTING ON AT THE TIME.OUR CALL CENTERS FIELDED CALLS AND, AND AND MADE OUTGOING CALLS ON MORE THAN 18,000 CASES.
AND WE HAVE UPDATED ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS ON MORE THAN ALMOST 4,500 ACCOUNTS DIFFERENT FROM MOST COLLECTION COMPANIES.
WE DO NOT CHERRY PICK, WE WORK YOUR CASES AS LONG AS THEY ARE PLACED WITH US UNTIL THEY ARE EITHER DISPOSED OR RECALLED BY THE COURT.
SO NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CASE IS, WE'RE CONTINUALLY MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT ON THE CASE.
AS WITH TAX, IT IS A COST FEE PROGRAM.
THE CASE IS REFERRED TO US AFTER THAT 60 DAY DELINQUENCY PERIOD.
THEN A ADD-ON FEE WILL APPLY TO THE CASE.
SO ONLY THOSE DEFENDANTS WHO ARE CAUSING THE EXPENSE ARE CHARGED WITH PAYING FOR THE COLLECTION.
SO DURING 2023, WE COLLECTED A LITTLE OVER $265,000.
AND SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER OF 2023, WE'VE COLLECTED ABOUT A LITTLE OVER $8.5 MILLION.
AS PAM TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE ALWAYS INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M BETTING THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE SEEN US SOMEPLACE PROBABLY RECENTLY.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PICTURES HERE WITH, UH, UH, ONE PICTURE WITH KAREN.
WE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE KAREN BISHOP SHOW, BUT WE LIMITED IT TO JUST A COUPLE OF PHOTOS,
'CAUSE KAREN, I KNOW YOU SEE HER EVERYWHERE.
I OUR LAST PAGE GIVES YOU ALL OF OUR CONTACT INFORMATION BRIDGES AS OUR MANAGING PARTNER, AS PAM SAID, SHE'S WITH THE ATTORNEY WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCOUNT OVERALL ATTORNEY RESPONSIBILITY, LILIANA IS OUR OPERATIONS MANAGER.
ANDY, I ARE YOUR PROJECT MANAGERS.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I COULD TALK ABOUT FINES AND FEES FOREVER.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION LADIES.
WE, UH, APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
UM, COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR, UH, DISCUSSION, THEN WE WILL IMPLEMENT ROUNDS.
HOWEVER WE WANNA ALLOW FOR TIME IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
THIS WAS MAINLY FOR INFORMATION, UM, AND WE DO APPRECIATE IT, UM, IN TERMS OF THAT.
SO, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL IMPLEMENT ROUNDS.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU DID A GOOD JOB.
AND AGAIN, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BEING OUR CLIENTS.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING A VERY MUCH SO INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[h. Presentation and discussion of the proposed Hampton Road Character Code zoning regulations]
WE HAVE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED HAMPTON ROAD CHARACTER CODE ZONING REGULATIONS, MAKING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESENTER IS BEST RAZZI PLANNING MANAGER.COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE AMAM PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING, UM, HALF ASSOCIATES IS GONNA COME BEFORE YOU TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION AND DETAILS ON THE REGULATIONS THEMSELVES.
WHAT IS GOING TO GO IN THE BOOKS.
SO WITHOUT TAKING A LOT OF TIME, I'M GONNA ASK THE HARM DON ASSOCIATES TO HARM TONY, HALF ASSOCIATES TO COME AND HELP US WITH THE, THE DETAILS THAT CAN HELP THE, UM, OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE ON TON CHARACTER BASED CODE.
SO COMING TO THE PODIUM, MR. HALF ASSOCIATES TO COME AND GIVE YOU DETAILS ON THE REGULATIONS THAT WILL BE REGULATING THE HAMPTON CORRIDOR.
MADAM MAYOR, PLEASURE, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.
I'M A DEPUTY PRACTICE LEADER WITH HALF ASSOCIATES.
UH, AND, UH, I HAVE MYSELF AND, UH, LENNY HUGHES AND BRAD JOHNSON WILL BE TAG TEAMING THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR, UH, TO BE AT THIS POINT OF THE CONVERSATION.
UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR THE CITY AND HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR, UH, FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND SO IF YOU START THAT CONVERSATION OFF, I WANTED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND KIND OF JUST REMIND YOU ALL ABOUT THE CONVERSATION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
UH, WHEN WE WERE IN SOME OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS, WE ARE HEARING ABOUT SOME OF THE CONVERSATION RELATED TO THIS GOING BACK TO THE NINETIES.
BUT WE DO KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ACTIONS
[01:30:01]
TAKEN BY PREVIOUS COUNCILS GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2005.SO ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO, 19 YEARS AGO, THIS CONVERSATION STARTED WHERE THE 2005 CORRIDOR STUDY WHERE THEY WERE IDENTIFYING THESE, UH, IMPORTANT CATALYST SITES ALONG THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, THAT LED TO ANOTHER VERY SPECIFIC ACTION, UH, FOR THE CITY.
AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY STARTING TO ACQUIRE LAND SO THAT YOU WERE IN A BETTER POSITION TO, UH, MAKE SOME OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
WHEN YOU GOT TO THE POINT OF HAVING THE FULL EXECUTION OF THIS PROJECT, AND IT ALSO IDENTIFIED SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON IN 2015, IT WAS, UH, PULLED INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IDENTIFYING, UH, ESTABLISHING THAT CENTRAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE REST OF THE CITY AND WHAT THEY WERE CALLING THIS DESTINATION AREA OF HAMPTON ROAD.
UH, IT WAS ALREADY CALLING FOR, UH, ELEMENT OF THE AREA INTO A MIXED USE, MORE WALKABLE AREA FOR THE CITY.
IN 2019, YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH A SEPARATE ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT TO SAY, OKAY, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS COULD BE JUST PIE IN THE SKY.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY COULD ECONOMICALLY BE PRODUCTIVE? YOU KNOW, SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM FOR THE CITY.
AND THE HAMPTON ROAD REDEVELOPMENT MARKET ANALYSIS ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS, ASSESS WHAT THE MARKET POTENTIAL WAS FOR SOME OF THE OFFICE AND RETAIL ENVIRONMENT ALONG THE CORRIDOR, AND THEN IDENTIFIED A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THEIR PROPORTION OF THIS PROJECT TO SAY, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, THESE WERE KIND OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD LEAD TO THIS REDEVELOPMENT.
IT ALSO ENCOURAGED THE FOCUS ON THE IMPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN WALKABILITY OF THE AREA TO MAKE THIS A UNIQUE DESTINATION DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS OF DESOTO.
AND ENCOURAGING THAT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
IN 2022, YOU EXECUTED A LAND USE STUDY THAT IDENTIFIED, UH, WHAT THIS CORRIDOR WOULD LOOK LIKE ALONG THE WHOLE STRETCH.
IT RECOMMENDED THREE DIFFERENT WALKABLE KIND OF MIXED USE DISTRICTS ALONG THE TOWN CENTER IN PLEASANT RUN AND 10 MILE CREEK AROUND HEATH COMMONS AND THE BELTLINE VI VILLAGE CALLING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE CITY, UH, MOVED FORWARD WITH, UH, THE 2022 TURS OR THE TAX, UH, REIN, UH, TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
UH, SOME CALL IT TURNERS, OTHER PEOPLE KNOW IT AS A TIFF OR A, UH, A TAX INCREMENT FINANCE DISTRICT.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT THIS DOES, IT ALLOWS THE CITY TO SET A BASELINE FOR TAXATION ASSESSMENTS ACROSS THE CORRIDOR.
AND THEN AS PROPERTY VALUES, AS REDEVELOPMENT OCCURS AND PROPERTY VALUES GO UP, UH, THE BASE OF WHAT WAS SET THAT GOES STILL GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
ANYTHING ABOVE THAT BASE GETS, UH, INVESTED BACK INTO THE CORRIDOR TO HELP OFFSET THOSE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, AND IT CALLS FOR OVER 162 MILLION IN INCREMENTAL REAL PROPERTY VALUE THAT'S ENVISIONED FOR THIS CORRIDOR.
SO HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT RELATED TO WHAT PROPERTY VALUES COULD BE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS AND HAVING THAT REINVESTED BACK INTO THE CITY FOR YOUR LONG-TERM PROSPERITY.
UH, AND THEN IN 2022, YOU DID A SEPARATE STREETSCAPE MASTER PLAN IDENTIFYING WHAT THAT, UH, CORRIDOR CHANGE COULD LOOK LIKE ALONG HAMPTON ROAD, UH, CALLING FOR INCREASED SAFETY, IMPROVED LANDSCAPING, OF COURSE, THE CONVERSATION, THE WALKABILITY.
AND THEN HOW DOES THIS ROAD PROJECT, SO WITHIN THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY, THE PUBLIC REALM WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY, HOW DOES THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT THEN SUPPORT WHAT'S GOING ALONG IN THE ADJACENT PRIVATE PROPERTY? SO THAT WAS THE 22 STREETSCAPE MASTER PLAN.
AND REAL QUICK, I'M GONNA TURN THAT OVER TO LENNY TO KIND OF COVER SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE GOING ON WITH THAT BEFORE I COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTER CODE.
UH, THANK YOU MATT AGAIN, LENNY HUGHES, PRACTICE LEADER FOR HALF ASSOCIATES, AND I'M GLAD TO BE BACK HERE TO FIT THE CITY DESOTO.
SO MATT HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, UH, WE FINISHED UP THE STREETSCAPE MATCH PLAN IN 2022.
WITH THAT, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON WHAT THE ROADWAY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, AS MATT SAID BEFORE, WE WANNA BE SAFE, WALKABLE, BIKEABLE, BUT ALSO A DESTINATION FOR THE CITIZENS, UH, HERE IN DESOTO, BUT ALSO FOR THE SURROUNDING REGION.
SO WE HAD PRIMARILY LOOKED AT, UH, THREE CONCEPTS, UH, LOOKING AT THE EXISTING ROADWAY AREA, WHICH IS FOUR LANES, UH, TWO LANES, AND, UH, UH, GOING IN EACH DIRECTION WITH A DIVIDED LANDSCAPE MEDIAN ON THE NORTHERN HALF, UH, FROM PLEASANT RUN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HEATH CREEK.
WE LOOKED AT A THREE LANE CROSS SECTION, UH, HAVING, UH, A NORTHBOUND LANE, A SOUTHBOUND LANE THAT THEN HAVE A CENTER TURN LANE.
UH, WITH THAT YOU HAVE BIKE LANES ON THE OUTSIDE WITH A WIDE SIDEWALK FOR PEDESTRIAN, UM, PEOPLE WALK IN THOSE AREAS, BUT ALSO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE OUTDOOR SEATING AND OUTDOOR DINING.
UH, WITH THE FUTURE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR, UH, FOR HAMPTON ROAD AREA, LOOKING THAT SOUTH OF HEATH CREEK, UH, THAT NOW CHANGES TO
[01:35:01]
A TWO LANE CROSS SECTION WITH A LANDSCAPE MEDIAN.UH, IT, IT HAS THE, THE LANDSCAPING IN THE MIDDLE, SAME THING WITH THE BIKE LANES ON THE OUTSIDE WITH A WIDE SIDEWALK.
BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE AN AREA WHERE, UM, PEOPLE COULD GO, UH, SIT, EAT ALONG THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR AREA, BUT ALSO HAVING THE TRAFFIC SLOW DOWN WITH ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING THAT WILL BE PLACED WITHIN THAT CORRIDOR.
SO THE WHOLE, UH, THEME BEHIND, UM, HAVING A SAFE, WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO SLOWING THE TRAFFIC DOWN, UH, WITHIN THIS ONE MILE STRETCH BETWEEN BELT, BELT LINE AND THE, UM, PLEASANT RUN.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT DURING THIS PLANNING PROCESS WAS LOOKING AT THE OVERALL CAPACITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION, UH, WITH THE, THE TRAFFIC.
UH, AS WE SEE THAT A LOT OF TRAFFIC IS COMING FROM OUR NEIGHBORS DOWN SOUTH FROM GLEN HEIGHTS.
THEY'RE USING THIS AS BASICALLY AS SAY, PASS THROUGH OR A CUT THROUGH TO GET FROM THEIR, UH, COMMUNITY AND GO TO GO TO HEIGHTS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE I 20 CORRIDOR, UH, WHEN 35 WOULD BACK UP.
SO PEOPLE ARE USING EITHER POLK OR, OR HAMPTON OR WESTMORELAND.
SO PART OF THIS STUDY, UH, LOOKED AT THE OVERALL, OVERALL ROAD CAPACITY.
AND SO, UH, POLK STREET BETWEEN 35 AND HAMPTON, IT HAS A WIDE, UH, IT'S GOT SIX LANES OF TRAFFIC, THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.
AND IT CURRENTLY, IT CARRIES AT ITS CURRENT STATE, IT'S ABOUT, UM, UH, 8,000 CARS A DAY, BUT IT HAS THE CAPACITY UP TO 44,000.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM AND A LOT OF EXCESS CAPACITY WITHIN THAT QUARTER AREA.
UH, THE SAME THING WITH WESTMORELAND, UH, JUST ON THE WEST SIDE OF HAMPTON, UH, THAT RIGHT NOW HAS A CURRENT CAPACITY OF ABOUT 7,000 CARS A DAY ON IT.
UH, BUT IT HAS OVERALL CAPACITY OF ABOUT 14,000.
SO THE THOUGHT IS THAT WHEN THIS ROADWAY HAS DEVELOPED, WE WANTED TO SLOW DOWN THE TRAFFIC.
WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS A MORE WALKABLE BIKEABLE AREA, AND THAT THE, THE CARS COMING IN FROM GLEN HEIGHTS WOULD EITHER GO OVER TO PARKVILLE ROAD, WHICH IS PLANNED TO BE EXPANDED IN THE FUTURE, OR OVER TO BELTLINE, UH, AS ANOTHER ALTERNATE ROUTE TO PROVIDE ACCESS NORTHBOUND OR SOUTHBOUND, UH, GETTING TWO 20.
SO THAT IS THE WHOLE, UM, UH, PART OF THE THEMEING AND DESIGN, UH, FOR, FOR THE HAMPTON ROAD AREA.
SO THAT ALL BRINGS US TO THE TOPIC OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION AND WHAT LENNY DID NOT MENTION IS THAT, UH, ANOTHER PROBABLY SLIDE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON HERE IS THAT THE CITY IS ALSO UNDER SEPARATE PROCESS WORKING THROUGH THE ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR RIGHT NOW.
SO WE ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, NINE STEPS INTO ALMOST A 20 YEAR CONVERSATION.
UH, AND ALL THAT HAS BEEN TO SET THE STAGE FOR HOW DOES THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WELL REALM WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS UNIQUELY
SO WHAT IS THE CHARACTER CODE? SO WE ARE BASICALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IN OUR, IN OUR LINGO OR PLANNING LINGO IS CALLED A TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO THIS IS THE, THE LANGUAGE OF THE REGULATIONS THAT WOULD CHANGE THE, THE RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR WHAT HAPPENS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OUTSIDE THE ROAD RIGHT AWAY.
A SEPARATE MEETING COMING UP IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WOULD BE TO DO WHAT'S CALLED THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT OR THE REZONING, WHICH WOULD TAKE ACTIONS AND APPLY IT TO ACTUAL PROPERTY ON THE GROUND.
TONIGHT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE CODE PROVISIONS THEMSELVES.
UH, WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT AS WE WORK THROUGH THE CONVERSATION ON THE CODE PROVISIONS, AND EVEN AFTER WE GO THROUGH AND AND TALK ABOUT THE, THE MAP AMENDMENTS DOWN THE ROAD, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT CREATES A NEW REGULATORY STRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR WILLING PROPERTY OWNERS INSIDE THE CORRIDOR TO MAKE AN APPLICATION TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE.
SO IF YOU ENACT THESE REGULATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND YOU APPLY IT TO GROUND ON THE GROUND, IT STILL REQUIRES SOMEONE TO COME IN AND SAY, I WANNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH MY PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S WHEN THESE REGULATIONS WILL COME INTO EFFECT.
IT DOESN'T AFFECT THEM TOMORROW, DOESN'T MAKE THEM DO ANYTHING THEY DON'T WANT TO DO.
IT'S ONLY WHEN THEY WANT TO CHANGE SOMETHING ON THEIR PROPERTY, THIS WILL COME INTO EFFECT.
SO THE CHARACTER CODE IS, UH, BY, BY ITS VERY TERM, IS IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE ON THE BOOKS TODAY.
UH, YOUR, PRETTY MUCH ALL YOUR REGULATIONS ARE WHAT'S CALLED THE EUCLIDEAN ZONING OR EUCLIDEAN FRAMEWORK.
IT'S REALLY A FRAMEWORK THAT'S BASED ON THE MAIN FOCUS ON HOW DO YOU HANDLE DIFFERENT LAND USES.
AND THEY DO HAVE SOME PROVISIONS LIKE SETBACKS AND, UH, THINGS OF THAT SORT OFTENTIMES TELL YOU, UH, WHAT'S ALLOWED USE WISE ON YOUR PROPERTY.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO THE SPECIFICS, DOESN'T TELL YOU VERY MUCH MORE EXCEPT YOU, YOU HAVE TO KEEP OUT OF THESE AREAS IN A CHARACTER CODE OR A FORM-BASED CODE IS ANOTHER NAME FOR IT.
UH, IT GOES INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DEPTH ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ON THE PROPERTY AND WHERE, SO ONE OF THE THINGS IT DOES SPECIFY IS IT DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN ONLY BE WITHIN THIS BOX.
[01:40:01]
GONNA BUILD IN THIS AREA, HERE'S WHERE THIS BUILDING NEEDS TO BE.FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A MORE WALKABLE, UH, PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE ALONG THE HAMPTON ROAD CORRIDOR, YOU'RE GONNA WANT THOSE BUILDINGS BE BUILT UP TO THE STREET LIKE YOU WOULD ALONG A MAIN STREET, THINGS OF THAT SORT.
SO THIS CHARACTER CODE WOULD MAKE THOSE SPECIFICATIONS SAY, HERE'S WHERE YOU NEED TO BUILD THAT PROPERTY.
IT ALSO HAS THINGS IN OTHER, LIKE OTHER CODES LIKE HEIGHT AND SCALE AND MASSING.
UH, IT'LL GO INTO, AS WE SEE LATER, ACCESS AND PARKING AND SIGNAGE.
BUT IT GETS INTO MUCH MORE DETAILS WITH, UH, THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT YOUR CURRENT CODE HAS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CREATING THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU'VE BEEN ENVISIONING FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
AND I'M GONNA TURN THAT OVER TO BRAD.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY JOHNSON WITH HALF ASSOCIATES.
SO WE'VE TOUCHED ON THIS A LOT ALREADY BETWEEN WHAT, WHAT LENNY AND, UH, MATT WENT OVER, BUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE PUT INTO THIS DRAFT CODE DOCUMENT.
THESE LISTS OF DIFFERENT REGULATIONS ARE REALLY AIMING TO ACHIEVE A VISION ON THE GROUND OVER TIME.
AND SO THAT VISION IS FOR A UNIQUE DESTINATION THAT'S A WALKABLE MIXED USE, VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN, UH, DESOTO.
THAT'S A DESTINATION BOTH WITHIN DESOTO AND, AND FOR, FOR THOSE BEYOND AND SERVED BY AN INTERCONNECTED STREET GRID.
SO WHEN YOU OPEN THE CODE, YOU'LL SEE AN EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENT ZONE DISTRICTS THAT ARE PROPOSED WITHIN THE OVERALL CHARACTER CODE AREA.
UH, WHAT IS BEING, WHAT IS IT THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S TRYING TO BE ACHIEVED WITHIN EACH OF THOSE DISTRICTS THAT'S LAID OUT THERE.
AND I'LL WALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE NOWS.
THERE'S THREE NODES OF THIS AREA COLORED IN PURPLE ON THE MAP THAT YOU SEE HERE THAT ARE THOSE MOST INTENSE, VIBRANT, UM, HIGHEST INTENSITY MIXED USE DISTRICTS.
THOSE ARE REALLY THE DOWNTOWN NODES, IF YOU WILL, UH, ALLOWING UP TO FIVE STORIES IN HEIGHT.
SO THE TALLEST OF, OF ANYWHERE, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITHIN THIS CORRIDOR.
AND THOSE ARE MEANT TO BE HIGH INTENSITY NODES WITH MIXED JUICES, COMMERCIAL, UH, RESIDENTIAL ON TOP OF COMMERCIAL AND VERTICAL MIXED USE BUILDINGS, THINGS OF THAT CHARACTER URBAN GENERAL, VERY SIMILAR, TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT WALKABLE DISTRICT, UH, MAIN STREET FEEL, UM, BUT AT A LOWER SCALE IN THE URBAN GENERAL DISTRICT.
SO YOU SEE HERE WITH A, A HIGH END OF THREE STORIES ALLOWED IN HEIGHT.
UH, BUT MANY OF THE OTHER RES UH, ELEMENTS, UH, TRYING TO BE ACHIEVED ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE AT THE URBAN CENTER.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES KIND OF SHOWN IN THIS TEAL COLOR ON THE MAP, GENERALLY PLACED AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE AREA OF FOCUS HERE.
THIS IS MORE A TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR CHARACTER, UM, BUT WITHIN, UH, AN ENHANCED, UH, LEVEL OF DESIGNS WORKING, FOR EXAMPLE, UP ALONG THE STREET, BUT MAKING SURE THAT IT'S SET BACK A LITTLE BIT AND THAT IT'S PROPERLY SCREENED WITH LANDSCAPING.
UH, AND THEN BUILDINGS ARE DESIGNED TO BE VIBRANT AND HAVE ENTRIES THAT FACE THE STREET.
URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY, UH, TRYING TO ACHIEVE, UH, A HIGH DENSITY, UH, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
SO THINK APARTMENTS, TOWNHOUSES, UH, ELEMENTS OF THAT SCALE UP TO FOUR STORIES AND HEIGHT.
AND THEN FINALLY, NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION.
THAT'S A DISTRICT THAT IS MORE OF A LOWER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER AND SCALE THAT PROVIDES A TRANSITION BETWEEN THE MOST INTENSE AREAS ALONG, UH, ALONG HAMPTON ROAD STEPPING DOWN TOWARDS THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS THAT ARE OUT OF THE AREAS, JUST BEYOND THE DISTRICT DISTRICTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO WHEN YOU GET ACTUALLY INTO THE CODE, YOU'LL SEE REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES THAT ARE ALLOWED, WHICH ARE PROHIBITED, WHICH, WHICH REQUIRE A SPECIAL EXCEPTION HAVE TO COME BEFORE YOU, UH, WITHIN EACH OF THOSE DISTRICTS THAT I JUST DESCRIBED, BOTH FOR PRIMARY USES.
SO THE MAIN USE ON A SITE ACCESSORY USES LIKE GARAGES, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, OR EVEN TEMPORARY USES THAT ARE, UH, ALLOWED ONLY FOR A, A, UH, MAXIMUM PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT, AS MATT JUST MENTIONED BEFORE, BUILDINGS BE PLACED IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE CREATING A STREET WALL, UH, THAT HAS THAT MAIN STREET FEEL AS YOU SEE IN THIS PHOTO HERE.
UH, ENSURING THAT SURFACE PARKING, UH, IF IT IS PROVIDED WITHIN DEVELOPMENTS THAT IT'S PLACED BEHIND THE BUILDING WHEREVER POSSIBLE, IF IT IS NEXT TO A STREET, ENSURING THAT IT'S SET BACK PROPERLY TO AGAIN, UH, THAT SURFACE PARKING CAN REALLY INTERRUPT THE EXPERIENCE OF A PEDESTRIAN.
SO WHERE WE HAVE THAT SURFACE PARKING UP AGAINST THE STREET, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ADEQUATELY SCREENED, BUFFERED, BUT IDEALLY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BACK BEHIND THE BUILDING, ESPECIALLY ALONG HAMPTON ROAD, THAT IT'S SET BACK SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND IT'S REALLY THAT BUILDING AND STREET WALL ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU HAVE A FLANKING HAMPTON ROAD, UH, THAT BUILDINGS DON'T GET TOO OVERLY BIG OR LONG, UH, IN THEIR DIMENSION SO THAT THEY'RE BEING BROKEN UP INTO SMALLER CHUNKS SO THAT AS YOU'RE WALKING ALONG,
[01:45:01]
THERE'S SOME SPACE IN BETWEEN BUILDINGS, ADDING, UH, POSSIBILITY FOR LIGHT AND AIR AND FOR, UH, PERMEABILITY, UH, FOR A PEDESTRIAN, FOR EXAMPLE, TO WALK, WALK, UM, THROUGH A BLOCK.UH, ENSURING THAT GROUND FLOORS OF, OF BUILDINGS, ESPECIALLY ALONG HAMPTON ROAD, ARE GENEROUS IN THEIR SCALE AND PROVIDING ADEQUATE SPACE FOR THE RETAIL, UH, RESTAURANT AND OTHER ACT ACTIVATING USES LIKE THAT, THAT WE'RE AFTER ALONG HAMPTON ROAD, WHERE WE HAVE THOSE TALLER BUILDINGS THAT PERHAPS ARE UP TO FIVE STORIES THAT ABOVE THREE STORIES THAT THOSE BUILDING, UH, THAT MASSING IS BEING STEPPED BACK FROM THE STREETS SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AT THE STREET LEVEL, YOU REALLY GET THE SENSE OF A THREE STORY BUILDING, EVEN THOUGH UP THERE BEYOND THAT PRIMARY FACADE IS A, A THIRD AND FOUR STORY PERHAPS, AS YOU SEE IN THESE DIAGRAMS, ENSURING THAT WHEN WE HAVE BUILDINGS PLACED UP NEXT TO THE STREET, THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING ENTRIES THAT FACE THE STREET PROVIDING REAL CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE PUBLIC REALM AND THE ACTIVITIES WITHIN BUILDINGS.
UH, AND CREATING A VISUAL AND PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STREET AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.
NOT JUST HAVING ENTRANCES ONCE EVERY 300 FEET, BUT ENSURING THAT THERE'S A RHYTHM OF, OF ENTRIES ALONG THOSE MOST IMPORTANT STREETS.
NAMELY, OF COURSE, HAMPTON ROAD, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UH, WINDOWS ALONG THE GROUND FLOOR OF BUILDINGS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST BLANK WALLS THAT YOU'RE WALKING ALONG, BUT RATHER YOU'RE, YOU'RE, UH, SEEING TRADITIONAL STYLE STOREFRONTS WHERE THEY'RE, UH, YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE SIDEWALK INTO THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE BUILDING, WHETHER THEY'RE MERCHANDISE FOR A STORE OR SEATING FOR A RESTAURANT, FOR EXAMPLE, AS YOU SEE IN THIS PHOTO HERE, WHERE WE HAVE LARGER BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE ENSURING THAT ARCHITECTURAL TECHNIQUES ARE USED TO BREAK, BREAK DOWN THE MASSING OF THOSE LARGER BUILDINGS USING FACADE ARTICULATION TECHNIQUES.
UH, AS YOU SEE SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE HERE, OR ACTUAL MASS VARIATION TECHNIQUES WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY BREAKING UP THE VOLUME OF THOSE LARGER STRUCTURES, UH, TO MAKE THEM MORE HUMAN SCALE AND RELATABLE FOR A PEDESTRIAN THAT'S WALKING BY.
UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR STREET DESIGN.
SO IF A DEVELOPER COMES ALONG AND NEEDS TO BUILD A NEW STREET, THE CODE INDICATES WHAT, UH, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR THOSE TYPES OF STREET ELEMENTS LIKE SIDEWALKS, STREET TREES, UH, ON STREET, UH, PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, ENSURING THAT DRIVEWAY ACCESS, PARTICULARLY ALONG HAMPTON ROAD IS LIMITED, UM, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT FEASIBLE.
THIS IS A GRAPHICS, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE THESE RED, UH, ARROWS HERE, BUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE IS, UH, A VEHICLE ENTRY EXIT POINT ALONG HAMPTON ROAD JUST FROM BELTLINE UP TO, I THINK IT'S, I THINK THIS IS CAMPBELL RIGHT HERE, UM, AT THE NORTH END.
SO YOU SEE TONS OF ENTRIES AND EXITS, AND IF I'M WALKING ALONG THERE AS A PEDESTRIAN, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.
IT'S KIND OF FRIGHTENING SOMETIMES 'CAUSE CARS ARE GOING IN AND OUT, UH, IN FRONT OF ME AND EVERY TIME, UH, I HIT ONE OF THOSE DRIVEWAYS, THAT'S A POTENTIAL CONFLICT POINT BETWEEN A PEDESTRIAN WALKING, UH, AND A VEHICLE THAT'S DRIVING IN AND OUT.
AND SO WE WANT TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, UM, AND PROVIDE ACCESS FROM SECONDARY STREETS OR EVEN ALLEYS WHERE POSSIBLE, UH, TO MAKE IT A SAFER PEDESTRIAN.
WE HAVE OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS ADDRESSED IN THERE.
SO MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT NEEDS TO BE REQUIRED BASED ON THE LAND USE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
SORRY, THE SLIDE GOT MIXED UP THERE A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR LIGHTING, BOTH ENSURING THAT, UH, THERE'S LIGHTING PROVIDED TO MAKE, UH, MAKE FOR SAFE PEDESTRIAN PASSAGE ALONG SITES, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT LIGHTING DOESN'T SPILL OVER ONTO NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES AND BECOME A NUISANCE IN THAT WAY WHERE WE HAVE LARGER LANDSCAPING WITHIN THOSE TO BREAK THOSE ELEMENTS DOWN, SOFTEN THEM AND CREATE, CREATE SCREENING BETWEEN SURFACE PARKING AREAS IN THE STREET, UH, REQUIRING IN SOME CASES BETWEEN DIFFERENT ZONE DISTRICTS, SCREENING ELEMENTS LIKE FENCES OR WALLS OR BUFFERING WITH, UH, VEGETATION, UH, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTUAL FENCES, WHETHER SOMETIMES, UH, MAXIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVACY FENCES MIGHT BE ABOUT SIX FEET OR ALONG THE STREET AS YOU SEE IN THIS PHOTO HERE, WE MIGHT WANNA ENSURE THAT THOSE FENCES ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER SO THAT WE PRESERVE THAT VISUAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STREET AND THE ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDINGS THAT FLANK IT.
UH, THERE'S A FULL, UH, SET OF REQUIREMENTS FOR SIGNAGE WITHIN THE DRAFT CODE, SO BREAKING DOWN FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE ZONE DISTRICTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT, WHICH SIGN TYPES ARE ALLOWED WITHIN EACH DISTRICT, AND ALSO REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DESIGN OF THOSE SIGNS.
UH, THERE'S A COLOR PALETTE, UH, SET IN PLACE BOTH FOR PRIMARY COLOR OF, OF FACADES AND, UH, VISIBLE ROOF ELEMENTS AS WELL AS SECONDARY COLOR PALETTE.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT LANDED WITH THAT RED, UH, VERSION ALLOWING FOR BRICK, UH, UH, BRICK FACADE
[01:50:01]
ONLY.UH, AND THEN ONE OF THE LAST SECTIONS YOU'LL RUN INTO IN THE CODE IS ADMINISTRATION.
SO THAT SETS UP RULES FOR INTERPRETATION, UH, UH, EXPLANATIONS FOR HOW THIS PLANNING STAFF DETERMINE WHETHER, UH, A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS ACTUALLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH, WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITHIN THE CODE.
UH, WE HAVE MATERIALS, BUILDING MATERIALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THEY'RE NOT REQUIREMENTS BUT RECOMMENDATIONS AS, AS WE KNOW AND LIKELY, YOU KNOW, UH, THE STATE DOESN'T ALLOW US TO REGULATE BUILDING MATERIALS.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MATERIALS IN THE CODE THAT WE KNOW ARE, UH, WE CAN ENCOURAGE AND THAT ARE TRIED AND TRUE BUILDING MATERIALS THAT ARE KNOWN TO LAST, UH, A LONG TIME AND STAND THE TEST OF TIME AND MAINTAIN DURABILITY OVER TIME.
UH, WE HAVE DONE SOME OUTREACH RECENTLY.
UM, THE HERE FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT, WE HUNG OUT IN THIS ROOM, UM, FOR THREE DAYS AND WE MET WITH ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF, UH, RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND I THINK OVER THOSE THREE DAYS WE PROBABLY TALKED TO, IN TOTAL MAYBE 80, 85, 75 TO 85 PEOPLE OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, UH, LOTS OF GOOD DISCUSSIONS OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THEN I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THIS LAST SLIDE, JUST A SNAPSHOT AT THE ADOPTION SCHEDULE.
UH, WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT, OF COURSE, IS AT THIS PRESENTATION ON THE TEXT AMENDMENT TWO 19, BUT WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO POTENTIALLY GETTING IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, UH, WITH THE MAP AMENDMENT ON, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE TEXT AMENDMENT ON MARCH 5TH, AND THEN FOLLOWING WITH THE MAP AMENDMENT ON MARCH 26TH.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MR. GERT, IF YOU WILL GET OUR TIMER, COUNSEL WILL HAVE TWO MINUTE ROUNDS, UM, FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR DISCUSSION.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION ON ANYTHING TONIGHT.
UM, THIS IS SIMPLY A DISCUSSION AND A PRESENTATION OF THE MATERIALS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT SOME OF YOUR NUMBERS, WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE, UM, THE OPEN HOUSE AND DID YOU HAVE ANY PERCENTAGES TO SEE IF THOSE, HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVED ON THAT SAME STRIP? UM, HOW MANY OF THOSE CAME IN AS FAR AS BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL AS HOMEOWNERS? WE ASKED A QUESTION, I THINK WHETHER YOU OWN PROPERTY OR WHETHER YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS WITH ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DID ASK THAT QUESTION SO WE COULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SIGN IN SHEETS AND GET YOU THAT, THAT DATA TO THE EXTENT THAT PEOPLE PROVIDED IT.
CAN I TAKE OUR MINUTE TOO? NO, NO, I'M JUST PLAYING, UM, HERE TODAY.
UM, I WAS, UH, THINKING THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
I THINK ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME, AND I THINK AS COUNCIL WE DEFINITELY AT SOME POINT BEYOND THE TWO MINUTES, IS I NOTICED THAT IN, UM, AT LEAST THREE OF THE, UM, QUADS, UM, AND SOME OF THEM IT SAID HIGH DENSITY, UM, MULTIFAMILY, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT SOTO, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, APPREHENSIVE ABOUT WHEN YOU USE THOSE TERMS. YEAH.
AND SO CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS, UH, THERE'S ALSO A PROJECTION TO REDUCE THE LANES, RIGHT? SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTIFAMILY HIGH DENSITY AND REDUCED TO TWO LANES.
UM, IS ANY, IS THERE ANYWHERE IN THE CHARACTER CODE TO TALK TO, UH, WHAT THAT DENSITY LOOKS LIKE SO IT CAN BE BETTER MANAGED? BECAUSE I IMAGINE IF IT'S ZONED THIS WAY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME BEFORE COUNCIL SO THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REGULATE IT.
SO FROM THAT COULD ALLOW SOMEONE TO BUILD A HIGH DENSITY OF 300 PLUS.
UM, CONSIDERING THEY HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE HOME AND ALL, AND THE, AND THEY BOTH HAVE CARS, WE BE, THAT, THAT BECOMES A VERY HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AT THAT POINT.
AND CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF AREAS THAT WE HAVE ALLOTTED THIS TO HAPPEN, THAT I WOULD ASSUME WOULD CAUSE SOME CONCERN.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE CHARACTER CODE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTY, UM, SOME SORT OF VISIBILITY OR AUTHORITY TO BETTER REGULATE THAT JUST BASED ON THE VERBIAGE THAT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN? SO THERE ARE CERTAIN USES THAT ARE SPECIAL EXCEPTION, EXCEPTION USES THAT WOULD COME TO YOU.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE DETAILS TO, TO FIGURE OUT AND, AND REMIND MYSELF OF HOW MANY FOR MULTI-FAMILY OR MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT THAT THAT WOULD APPLY FOR.
I THINK WHAT'S GONNA DRIVE IT MOSTLY AND CONTROL, YOU KNOW, HIGH DENSITY, IT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST
UM, I KNOW I MENTIONED THAT I THINK
[01:55:01]
UM, AND THEN THE URBAN GENERAL, IT'S CAPPED AT THREE AND THAT GOLD AREA IS CAPPED AT FOUR.
SO I THINK HEIGHT WILL DRIVE A LOT OF IT.
THE OTHER ONE WILL BE PARKING, SO YOU STILL HAVE TO PARK IT, RIGHT? SO, UM, YOU'RE ONLY GONNA BE ABLE TO GET SO MUCH DENSITY AND THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO PARK IT.
UM, TO YOUR QUESTION THOUGH, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UH, WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COME TO COUNCIL, I MEAN, I COULD DIG IN HERE FOR YOU IF, IF YOU WANT, BUT I, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT, THAT IF IT MEETS EVERYTHING AND IT'S NOT REQUIRING A VARIANCE AND IT'S NOT TRIGGERING A SPECIAL EXCEPTION REVIEW THAT IT COULD BE PERMITTED UM, BY RIGHT.
SO, BUT WE THAT'S, THAT'S THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THOUGH.
UM, WHO WAS, WELL YOU HAVE TWO LIGHTS ON COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? YEAH, SHE CAN GO FIRST PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST YOU MENTIONED, OR IT WAS MENTIONED THAT A NEW REGULATORY PROCESS WOULD BE IN PLACE, WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND OR IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THAT OR, SO COULD YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT? SO ZONING CHANGES HAPPEN ESSENTIALLY THEY BECOME NONCONFORMING USES, AND SO THERE WAS A COMMENT, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT UH, STATEMENT WAS ABOUT.
YEAH, I, I THINK YOU'RE MAY BE REFERRING TO, TO COMMENTS THAT MATT MADE.
UM, SOME MAY BE NONCONFORMING USES, MANY MIGHT WE WANT TO SEE THE CODE WANTS TO SEE IN DRAFT FORM ANYWAY, RETAIL HOUSING, MANY OF THE USES THAT YOU SEE IN, IN, OUT THERE, SO MIGHT BE, UM, BUT I THINK WHAT THE COMMENT WAS WAS THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THIS CODE.
IF, IF THIS CODE IS ADOPTED AND EVEN MAPPED IN THE AREA, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GONNA COMPEL ANY PROPERTY OWNER TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, AS LONG AS THEY, YOU KNOW, NOW IF I WANNA COME IN AND LIKE TEAR MY HOUSE DOWN AND BUILD SOMETHING NEW, OF COURSE, UM, I'VE GOTTA COMPLY WITH THIS NEW CODE.
BUT AS LONG AS I, UM, AM NOT MAKING MAJOR CHANGES LIKE THAT, I CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE USE AS I DO TODAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS PROBLEM.
AND CAN YOU KIND OF MAYBE TALK THROUGH LIKE WHAT ASPECTS WOULD YOU CATEGORIZE AS SHORT TERM ONE TO THREE YEARS, MIDTERM, YOU KNOW, ABOUT FIVE YEARS LONG TERM? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS CHARACTER CODE AND THEN THE, UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE ZONING AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING, HEY, HERE CITY, WE'RE ABOUT TO DO THIS NEW THING.
AND SO WHAT DOES LIKE THIS NOW THEN IMPLEMENTATION? AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT MIGHT BE FOR, BUT IT MAYBE THAT'S MORE OF AN IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THEN IF ANYONE WANTS TO ANSWER, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I, I'LL, I'LL START AND THEN CHARLES COULD MAYBE ON ADD ON.
BUT AS, AS WAS MENTIONED, THIS WILL REALLY PRIVATE MARKET, PRIVATE MARKET WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR PROPERTY, THAT THAT'S WHAT WILL DICTATE IT.
I MEAN, I THINK THE HOPE HERE OF COURSE IS THAT THE INVESTMENTS YOU ALL ARE MAKING IN THE STREET AND, UH, THE REDESIGN OF THE STREET IS ALL ABOUT MAKING A GREAT PLACE AND THAT WILL, THAT WILL ATTRACT REDEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS THE UH, TUR ZONE THAT MATT TALKED ABOUT.
AND THEN, UM, MATT, MIRANDA, DO YOU WANT US TO SEND OUR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FORWARD OR, UM, WHO WOULD THEY NEED TO SEND 'EM TO IF THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OKAY.
WE MAY POSSIBLY DO ANOTHER ROUND.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON IF, WHAT THE TIME LOOKS LIKE.
UM, IN TERMS OF ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN BUR, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND THANK YOU SIR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A VERY BASIC QUESTION, UM, 25 OR SO 30 ENTRYWAYS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, ON YOUR SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT THE VEHICLE ACCESS AND DRIVEWAYS.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DRIVEWAYS COMING AND SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS OR LANDOWNERS THAT LIVE ON HAMPTON ROAD HAVE BEEN WAITING OR WONDERING WHEN WE WOULD APPROACH THEM ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT IS THAT PROCESS? HOW DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WOULD DO OR THE PRIVATE INVESTOR WOULD DO? IS IT SOMETHING WHILE, WHILE WE'RE DOING UNDERGROUND UTILITIES THAT WE SHOULD DO EARLY ON? OR IS IT SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO LATER? I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD REALLY WANNA WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW.
UM, UH, BECAUSE I MEAN YOU, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD, UH, RUN UTILITIES WITHOUT HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE THINGS.
SO CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN FOR ME? I'M NOT YES, COUNCILMAN CHARLES GRUER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THAT IS ACTUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE STREET RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS ITSELF.
WE ARE GONNA BE BRINGING YOU BACK A UPDATED, WE HAVEN'T UPDATED YOU IN SEVERAL MONTHS, SO WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH MORE UPDATE ON THE RECONSTRUCTION PLAN ITSELF AND WHERE THAT IS THE
[02:00:01]
PERCENTAGE OF COMPLETED COMPLETION AND ET CETERA.HIS, UH, CONTRACT IS REALLY, DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THOSE DRIVES OR THE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION ITSELF.
I BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE HE BROUGHT UP THE SLIDE.
MM-HMM,
PLAINTIFF BROUGHT UP THE SLIDE.
I THINK THAT IS A DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD, UM, UH, I KNOW THAT WE CAN ADOPT A CA CHARACTER CODE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ADDRESSING THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.
I'LL JUST SAY I KNOW THAT THERE ARE EFFORTS THAT HAVE, HAVE BEEN ONGOING TO TRY TO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONDENSE OR CONSOLIDATE THEIR DRIVES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROAD REDESIGN, WHICH I THINK CHARLES WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
WE'LL SAY THIS CODE DOES ALSO HAVE MANY ELEMENTS IN IT THAT TRY TO RESTRICT THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE ACCESS FROM HAMPTON ROAD.
SO FIRST OF ALL, SETS A HIERARCHY THAT SAYS WHERE WE WANT THE ACCESS TO COME FROM IS FROM A TERTIARY STREET OR AN ALLEY FIRST.
IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, THEN THE SECOND OPTION IS TO COME FROM A SECONDARY STREET.
IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, THE THIRD OPTION IS TO TRY TO GET ACCESS AGREEMENT WITH ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS SO THAT YOU'RE TAKING ACCESS FROM THEM AND, AND SHARING A DRIVEWAY WITH THEM.
AND THE LAST RESORT OPTION IS TO CREATE A NEW CURB CUT OR EVEN A IMPROVED CURB CUT ALONG HAMPTON ROAD AND THE CODE SETS UP THAT HIERARCHY IN PLACE TO TRY TO LIMIT THE, THE AMOUNT OF DRIVEWAYS THAT COULD, COULD TAKE PLACE THERE.
IT ALSO SETS DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WHERE, UM, ACCESS IS PROVIDED, THAT THERE'S NOT LIKE MULTIPLE ACCESS POINTS AND THAT WHERE ACCESS HAS TO BE PROVIDED THAT IT'S NOT A SUPER WIDE, LIKE 40 FOOT WIDE THING, BUT RATHER IT'S MAXIMIZED.
UM, THERE'S A MAXIMUM OF THAT DRIVE ACCESS TO LIKE, I THINK IT'S 26 FEET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO TRYING TO NECK ALL THAT DOWN TO DECREASE THOSE, UH, CONFLICT POINTS.
UM, PLACE FIVE, PLACE SEVEN, AND PLACE ONE MYSELF.
WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO YIELD YOUR TIME TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL AS THE, UM, LIAISON FOR P AND Z? I'VE LISTENED TO THIS SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY, SO I'M, I'M QUITE AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, THAT CONVERSATION, SO I HAVE NO PROBLEMS, UH, YIELDING MY TIME.
RAPHAEL, YOU HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES.
QUICK QUESTION RELATED TO THIS MAY BE FOR STAFF OR, UH, INTERIM CITY MANAGER, UM, CAMERON RELATED TO PARKVILLE ROAD.
SO JUST TALK, THINKING ABOUT THE, UH, TRAFFIC COUNT GOING FROM, I THINK IT WAS CURRENTLY ON POLK, IT'S 8,000, IT HAS THE CAPACITY FOR 44,000 AND THEN IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT PARKVILLE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I SAW THE, THE TRAFFIC COUNTS OR UNDERSTOOD THE CURRENT TRAFFIC COUNTS OF PARKVILLE ROAD AND THEN THE OTHER, AND SO MAYBE IT'S MORE OF A SCOPE AND SEQUENCE, JUST UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, AS WE DO THIS, WILL WE, WILL, WE NEED TO IN TANDEM, UM, DO WHATEVER ADDITIONAL WORK NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON PARKVILLE ROAD FOR THE, FOR THE INCREASED TRAFFIC CAPACITY.
THE TRAFFIC COUNTS THAT HE DID SHOW WERE JUST THE NORTH SOUTH ARTERIAL ROADS.
I THINK IT'S A REALITY UNDERSTANDING.
IF YOU'RE GONNA REDUCE A TWO LANE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, SECTION OF ONE OF YOUR MAJOR THOROUGHFARES IS GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT NOT JUST ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH, BUT THE EAST AND WEST PARKVILLE IS ONE OF YOUR MASTER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, BUT IT IS NOWHERE IN THE DESIGN PHASE AT ALL AT THIS POINT.
THE COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED STAFF TO, UH, WITH MCI PROJECTS, IT'S THE DANIELDALE, IT'S THE WEST MOLAND AND THE PLEASANT RUN.
SO PARKVILLE IS NOT ON THE SHELF RIGHT NOW? WELL, IT'S ON THE SHELF, BUT NO IMMEDIATE ACTION TO BE DONE ON THAT ONE, PARTICULARLY 'CAUSE OF FUNDING.
AND IT WAS MENTIONED, UM, BY THE CONSULTANTS, YOU KNOW, PARKVILLE ROAD AND ITS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, AND SO I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO WHERE WE ARE RATHER, BUT, UH, HOW NECESSARY IS THE EXPANSION OF PARKVILLE ROAD TO THIS? JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER COUNT.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, EXCUSE ME.
MAYOR PROAM HUGHES, ARE YOU YIELDING YOUR TIME? I AM.
I, UM, MAYBE, UM, HALF CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR ME, BUT JUST FROM A REFERENCE OF, UH, OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE CHARACTER CODES, COULD YOU REFERENCE ANY? SO FOR MY OWN RESEARCH, UM, I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
THE, UH, THE PARKER UH, PARKVILLE ROAD EXPANSION IS PART OF THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN.
[02:05:01]
AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT AS AN, UH, OPTION FOR A VIABLE ROUTE TO GET EAST TO WEST FROM 35 TO HAMPTON.UM, THE AREA THERE IS CAPACITY ON BELTLINE.
I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IN THE UH, 2022, UH, PLAN, WE DID LOOK AT TRAFFIC COUNTS ON ALL OF THE MAJOR ROADWAYS THERE.
UM, CAN YOU RESTART THIS COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM HAS TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU, WHAT, ARE THERE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE CHARACTER CODES THAT YOU COULD REFERENCE? YEAH, MANY, MANY AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE PLACES LIKE DESOTO, KIND OF EITHER FOR THEIR CITY AS A WHOLE, TAKING THIS STEP OR FOR ISOLATED AREAS WHERE THEY WANT TO MAKE A TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE.
TAKING THIS STEP, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON A CODE RIGHT NOW THAT'S, WE'RE LIKE THIS FOR TEMPLE.
UM, WE WORKED ON A CODE LIKE THIS FOR FATE, TEXAS.
UM, I, I COULD GIVE YOU A LIST OF, OF LOCAL ONES.
UM, WE, WE LOOKED AT A CODE, UM, IN BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA THAT WE THOUGHT WAS VERY WELL DONE.
UH, WHEN WE WERE SORT OF LOOKING AT MODELS FOR THIS, WE LOOKED AT A CODE IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, THAT WE ALSO THOUGHT WAS VERY WELL DONE.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE DONE SOME, SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE CONSULTANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE DONE A LOT OF THESE.
SO IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, WE'D BE HAPPY TO LIKE PUT TOGETHER A SHORT LIST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT.
UM, AT THIS TIME, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT.
IT WAS, UH, PRIMARILY FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO, UM, MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA AS, AS WAS MENTIONED, UH, ITEM TWO I WAS STRUCK REGARDING THE NAS FARM MASTER PLAN.
SO I'M GONNA ASK MS. THOMAS, UH, FOR THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE.
[j. Presentation and discussion of marketing updates from KStrategies ]
MA'AM.NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF MARKETING UPDATES FROM KATE, STRATEGIES MAKING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESENTER IS LATOYA FONDREN MARKETING COORDINATOR.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
BEFORE I START MY INTRODUCTION, I JUST HAVE ONE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU ALL.
SO IF YOU CAN JUST FINISH THIS ONE TAGLINE FOR ME THAT I KNOW SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU IN DESOTO.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, I LOVE YOUR SHIRT AND I LOVE THE GREEN
SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, MY NAME IS LATOYA FONDREN.
I AM THE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO HERE.
AND TONIGHT I AM DELIGHTED TO REINTRODUCE TO YOU ALL THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS WILL MURPHY, ALONG WITH OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, CHRISTINE SWEET, FROM K STRATEGIES MARKETING GROUP.
THEY WILL BE PROVIDING AN INSIGHTFUL UPDATE ON OUR CITY'S MARKETING STRATEGIES AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACTFUL INITIATIVES DRIVING ENGAGEMENT AND AWARENESS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEIR PRESENTATION WILL OFFER VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE OUR CITY AND ENHANCE PUBLIC RELATIONS, UM, INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.
AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WELCOME YOU ALL WILL MURPHY AND CHRISTINE SWEET TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE AND ACHIEVEMENTS WITH ALL OF YOU THIS EVENING.
IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE STANDING HERE, UH, ALMOST A YEAR FROM THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE.
HAVING MET CITIZENS, STAFF, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOVE ABOUT DESOTO TONIGHT, WE PLAN TO PRESENT TO YOU AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE A MARKETING PLAN THAT WILL HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW WE PLAN TO HELP CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY, UM, TO MARKET, TO BRING PEOPLE TO, AND TO HELP PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S SO MUCH LOVE ABOUT DESOTO.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANNA MAKE SURE THIS CLICKER OKAY, GOOD.
UH, CHRISTINE, WOULD YOU COME STAND OVER HERE? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, SO LAST TIME I TALKED TO YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO WAS, OUR INITIAL IDEA WAS TO LAUNCH ALL THIS IN 2023, BUT WHAT WE REALIZED IS
[02:10:01]
WE GOT TO KNOW THE CITY.WE STARTED TAKING PHOTOS AND VIDEO AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING DE SOTO.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE OPTIMAL MOMENT TO LAUNCH THIS PLAN IS DURING THE SEVENTH, FIFTH ANNIVERSARY.
AND SO HAVING BEEN CONSULTED BY MARKETING AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEEDED TO SLIGHTLY ADJUST THE PLAN.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS LAID EVERYTHING OUT THROUGH TIMELINES AS WELL AS INFORMATION OF EXACTLY HOW IT WILL WORK.
THESE PHASES ARE, ARE, ARE HIGHLIGHTED ACROSS THIS, UH, PRESENTATION SO THAT YOU'LL BETTER UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO DO, UM, AND TO TALK ABOUT IT.
WHAT WE WANNA DO IS BASICALLY CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WILL INCREASE THE VISIBILITY, COHESIVE VISION, AND CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF DESOTO BY SHOWCASING THE LIFESTYLES UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND MAKE IT CLEAR WHY THERE'S DESOTO IS SUCH SPACE TO LIVE, VISIT, AND INVEST.
SO THROUGH THIS TIMELINE IN 2023, THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS INTERNALLY, WE MADE SURE THAT WE HELPED TO SECURE EXACTLY WHAT WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO HAVE GREAT STORIES TO TELL ABOUT DESOTO, AS WELL AS A SOLID PLAN, A BASE.
UM, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, WE DID A LOT OF CAPTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY FROM EVENTS TO MAKE SURE WE, WE ACTUALLY SAW THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR EARLY RESEARCH IS THERE JUST WEREN'T ENOUGH PICTURES OF VIDEO ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT GO ON IN DESOTO.
AND SO WE TOOK THAT ON ALL FALL TO GO TO DIFFERENT EVENTS ALL OVER THE CITY ON WEEKENDS, YOU NAME IT, TO BE A PART OF DESOTO AND ENGAGE AND CAPTURE THAT FOOTAGE SO WE COULD USE IT LATER ON.
WE ALSO TOOK AN INTERNAL, UH, TIME PERIOD TO WORK WITH THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS TO GATHER, UH, SOME INFORMATION AND WE CREATED A COMMUNITY SURVEY AS WELL.
I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, IN DETAIL THOSE THINGS THAT WERE DONE.
UH, IN 2024, THE PLAN IS TO LAUNCH.
DURING THE SEVEN FIFTH ANNIVERSARY, WE ALSO HAVE A CADENCE OF DIFFERENT THINGS YOU CAN SEE, UH, HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN A TIMELINE THAT ARE THINGS TO ACTUALLY GET THE ATTENTION OF THE MARKET, THE ATTENTION OF THE PEOPLE, AND TO REALLY ELEVATE DE SOTO TO A NATIONAL LEVEL.
IN 2025, WE HAVE BASICALLY OUTLINED THE IDEA OF HAVING A SUSTAINABLE BRAND AND A CADENCE THAT CAN CONTINUE ON, UH, THROUGH 2050.
OUR TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THIS IS REALLY CLEAR.
RESIDENTS, TRANSPLANTS, INFLUENCERS AND REGIONAL VISITORS, UH, HOME BUYERS AS WELL AS RETIREES.
WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL THESE KEY CATEGORIES, STUDIED THEM IN THIS, UH, IN THIS IN THE CITY, AND WE RECOGNIZE HOW TO GO OUT TO, UH, THEM WITH THIS PLAN.
SO OUR FIRST STEP THAT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WAS LOOKING INTERNALLY, MAKING SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE DOING.
AND SO IT WAS A GREAT, BE HONEST, IT WAS A REALLY GREAT PERIOD BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO GET ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY TO FALL UNDER A UNIFIED BRAND.
THROUGH, UM, WORKSHOPPING AND INTERVIEWING THEM AND HAVING SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS AND LISTENING TO THEM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM TO UNIFY THEIR BRANDS.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE TOP, UM, FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU CAME TO DESOTO AND YOU SAW THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
NOW WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE UNIFIED BRANDING THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE WHEN THEY ENTER DESOTO REALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, WHO DESOTO IS.
ALSO, NEVER MAKE A MISTAKE ABOUT DESOTO BECAUSE THE LOGO WILL BE EVERYWHERE.
THE NEXT THING WE DID IS WE SPENT SOME TIME WITH SOME REALLY GREAT PEOPLE AND, UH, WE CAPTURED ABOUT 10 COMMUNITY STORIES.
WE INTERVIEWED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UM, WE TALKED TO SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS.
WE SPENT LIBRARY TIME WITH, READING TIME WITH LITTLE KIDS, CAPTURED IT IN PHOTO, CAPTURED IT IN VIDEO.
SO WHEN WE GET READY TO TELL THOSE STORIES, WE HAVE IT AND IT, AND, AND ALL OF IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE MOVE FORWARD INTO WHAT WE CALL THE EXTERNAL PHASE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT DURING THAT FIRST PIECE, WE DID INTERVIEWS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WE STARTED TO ASK, WHAT DO THEY LOVE ABOUT DESOTO? AND MANY OF YOU HELPED WITH THAT CAMPAIGN TO GET THE WORD OUT, UM, ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN THAT WE DID.
AND THE, THE PROJECT HELPED US REALLY UNDERSTAND SOME KEY THINGS ABOUT THE CITY AS WELL AS WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SO MUCH LOVE CAMPAIGN ACROSS MANY CHANNELS.
THIS OPENS THE DOOR FOR THE FUTURE SO THAT WHEN WE GET READY TO START TALKING ABOUT AND TELLING STORIES, WE NOW HAVE ALREADY OPENED THE DOOR FOR PEOPLE TO START HELPING TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT DE SOTOS MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD OVER 75 DIFFERENT, UH, CITIZEN RESPONSES.
AND WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY OVERLAPPED AND THEY GAVE US SOME KEY THEMES ABOUT DESOTO.
AND THOSE KEY THEMES ARE THINGS THAT WILL RESONATE WITH CITIZENS AS WELL AS PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF DESOTO TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT DESOTO.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD A RANGE OF AGES AND RACES AND ETHNICITY ACROSS THE CITY TO MAKE THIS
[02:15:01]
A VERY GOOD, UM, INFORMATIONAL SESSION AND PROVIDE US WITH THE KEY THINGS WE NEED TO DO, UH, FOR OUR SO MUCH TO LOVE VIDEO.HERE'S SOME JUST THINGS WE CAPTURED DURING THE STORYTELLING TIMES, PICTURES, PEOPLE, EVENTS, AND THINGS THAT ARE GREAT ABOUT DESOTO.
AND THE LAST PHASE OR THE THIRD PHASE, UH, WE'LL DO SOMETHING REALLY UNIQUE AND THAT THAT IS WE'LL ESTABLISH THE BRAND PRESENCE AND REALLY SHOWCASE, UM, NOT ONLY THE LOGO, BUT THE MANY, UH, ASSETS THAT WE'VE GATHERED TOGETHER, UM, TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DESOTO, BUT ALSO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAVELERS BY.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL TO DESOTO FOR EVENTS, UH, SPORTS, YOU NAME IT.
WE NOW, WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RETARGET AND CAPTURE THOSE PEOPLE AND INVITE THEM BACK FOR DIFFERENT REASONS OTHER THAN THE SPORT OR INITIAL REASON THAT THEY CAME.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU, YOU THINK ABOUT HAMPTON CORRIDOR WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE BUILT, WE NOW HAVE A WAY TO RETARGET PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THE CITY AT ONE TIME IN ANY POINT IN TIME IN HISTORY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS, UH, CAMPAIGN.
WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO TELL THEM GREAT STORIES ALONG THE WAY TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED WITH DESOTO.
WHEN THEY LEAVE DESOTO, THEY'RE GONNA REMEMBER DESOTO 'CAUSE THEY KEEP HEARING ABOUT DESOTO.
AND WE THINK THAT'S AN AMAZING THING.
WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE CONNECT WITH THOSE TARGET AUDIENCES THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT.
NOW, IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS ENTIRE PRESENTATION, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THIS PAGE BECAUSE I CALL THIS OUR HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL.
AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD OF A HAIRY, AUDACIOUS GOAL, THAT MEANS IT'S REALLY BIG AND IT'S REALLY BIG BECAUSE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, OUR GOAL IS TO, TO REACH PEOPLE THREE WAYS EVERY DAY.
AND I KNOW THAT MAY SOUND REALLY INTERESTING TO YOU, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PATH THAT WE'VE DRIVEN HERE, IT MAKES SENSE THAT IF WE HAVE OUTDOOR BILLBOARDS ON THE WAY TO WORK, THEY SEE SO MUCH THE LOVE ABOUT DESOTO, THAT THEY SEE SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT DESOTO DURING THE DAY.
UH, WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR LUNCH BREAK AND DURING, AND BECAUSE THEY'VE ENGAGED WITH THOSE ADS AND THOSE CAMPAIGN MESSAGES, THEY NOW RECEIVE INFORMATION TO THEIR COMPUTERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
ALSO, JUST IF THEY EXERCISE IN THE AFTERNOON, THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT UNIFIED BRANDING THAT WE WORKED ON AND THEY'LL SEE SOMETHING ABOUT DESOTO WHEN THEY GO TO THE GYM.
THAT'S CONSISTENT EVERYWHERE THEY GO.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'LL PROVIDE DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS THAT ACTUALLY HIT THEIR SAMSUNG AND UNIQUE TVS THAT THEY HAVE NOW, THE SMART TV WHERE IT ACTUALLY DOES ITS OWN ADVERTISING AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
AND SO WE WANNA BRING THAT TO DESOTO AS ANOTHER TOOL TO HELP CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND LIKE I SAID, THREE WAYS EVERY DAY.
Y'ALL EXCITED ABOUT THAT? YES.
UM, IN THIS NEXT PIECE, UH, WE'VE ALSO, UM, WE ALSO DID THE LOGO FOR THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN IT YET, BUT WE'RE EXCITED AND I MEAN, EXCITED ABOUT THIS LOGO, THE RESPONSE THAT WE RECEIVED.
UM, AND WE DID NOT JUST PICK THIS OUT OURSELVES AGAIN, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, WE WORK WITH, WE WORK WITH THE STAFF, WE WORK WITH TEAMS, AND WE GOT ADVICE ON WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST.
AND WE WENT SEVERAL ROUNDS AND IT WAS GREAT.
UM, BECAUSE OUT OF IT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LOGO THAT YOU CAN PLACE ON ANY ITEM AND YOU WANNA REPURPOSE IT TO SELL OR TO PROMOTE IT HAS THAT RIGHT SPACING AND ALIGNMENT.
SO THAT DESOTO WILL LOOK GOOD DURING THE SEVENTH, FIFTH ANNIVERSARY.
AND WE'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND I JUST LIKE TO ADD, WE HAVE OUTDOOR BEDS ON THE WAY.
I'M GLAD LATOYA MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE PART OF OUR CAMPAIGN IS THAT WHEN WE WALKED INTO DESOTO, WE RECOGNIZED THAT DESOTO, YOU COULD LITERALLY COME INTO DESOTO AND ONLY SEE A FEW SIGNS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DESOTO TO KNOW YOU'RE IN DESOTO.
WE WANNA INCREASE THE VISIBILITY, UM, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DESOTO SO THAT WHEN YOU PASS DESOTO, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PASSED DESOTO FROM EVERY HIGHWAY POSSIBLE.
AND HOW WILL WE DO THAT? WELL, WE KIND OF DID A STUDY OF SOME KEY HIGHWAYS THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH, I 20, I 35 AND 67.
AND WE LOOKED AT THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS ON THOSE HIGHWAYS AND WE RECOGNIZED ON A DAILY BASIS OVER 325,000 DRIVERS PASSED THROUGH THERE, EASTBOUND, NORTHBOUND, WESTBOUND.
AND WE WANNA CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION THROUGH AN OUTDOOR CAMPAIGN.
NOW, WE MAY HAVE TO DO A FEW, A LITTLE BIT OF JUGGLING TO MAKE IT WORK, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU, IF WE GET THAT OUTDOOR CAMPAIGN GOING, THE SOTO WILL BE SEEN LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
AND WITH THE SO MUCH TO LOVE CAMPAIGN, NOW PEOPLE WILL BE EVEN MORE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT DE SOTO.
AND THEY'LL GO TO THAT WEBSITE AND WE HAVE MEASURES THAT YOU CAN SEE SIMPLY THE WEBSITE THAT IDENTIFIES A KEY WAY THAT WE'LL KNOW THAT THEY SAW THE SIGN BECAUSE THEY'LL GO TO THE WEBSITE AND SEE WHAT THERE IS TO LOVE ABOUT DESOTO.
I'M GONNA LET CHRISTINE TALK FOR JUST A SECOND WHILE I GRAB SOME WATER.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
SO, OF COURSE, SHARING GREAT STORIES ABOUT DESOTO ISN'T JUST ABOUT OUR LOCAL APPROACH OF WHO'S PASSING BY, BUT ALSO TO HOW DO WE CONNECT AND BUILD EXCITEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, SORRY, I'M A LITTLE STUFFY TOO, UM, THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND THEN EVEN BEYOND ABOUT RAISING RECOGNITION ABOUT DESOTO AS AN AWARD-WINNING CITY THROUGH NATIONAL ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION LIST.
UM, SO WE HAVE VERY STRATEGIC MEDIA STORIES AND CADENCE LINED UP,
[02:20:01]
UH, FOR THE, FOR THE YEAR TO COME.AND YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF EXTRA DETAILS IN THE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.
AND JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE AND SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON ALL THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING HERE.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU'RE IN THE HANDS OF EXPERTS.
UM, I SPENT 30 PLUS YEARS, UH, WITH THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS AND THE BELO ORGANIZATION TELLING STORIES.
AND SO, UM, BETWEEN TV, DIGITAL AND PRINT, YOU GOT EXPERTS WORKING WITH YOU.
WE KNOW HOW TO GET IT OUT THERE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA TELL STORIES THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT CHANNELS AND SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS ABOUT DESOTO, THAT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
EVEN THE OUTDOOR PARTNERSHIPS ARE GONNA BE IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO MAKE THIS WORK.
UM, IN ADDITION TO, UH, WHAT WE'LL BE DOING THERE, WE'LL BE USING, UM, SOME UNIQUE THINGS LIKE PHOTO BOOTHS AT EVENTS.
'CAUSE WE SAW AT MANY OF THE EVENTS WHEN WE WERE TAKING PICTURES, PEOPLE LOVE HAVING THEIR PICTURE TAKEN.
SO WE'RE GONNA CAPITALIZE ON THAT AND BRING SOME THINGS TO THE EVENTS NOW THAT HELP US TELL THE SOTO STORIES AND CONTINUE WITH THE CAMPAIGN, THE SO MUCH TO LOVE VIDEO CAMPAIGN BY GETTING YOU MORE VIDEO FOOTAGE AND MORE PEOPLE TO TELL THEIR STORY ABOUT WHY THEY LOVE DESOTO SO MUCH.
UM, AND ALSO JUST COLLABORATING WITH INFLUENCE AROUND THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TELLING THE, UH, UNIQUE STORIES ABOUT DESOTO.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL CONNECT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER TOOLS THAT PEOPLE USE ON A DAILY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FULLY MAXIMIZED OUR ABILITY TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE'VE CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST THOSE INDIVIDUAL TOOLS THAT WE'RE GONNA USE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, TO DIGITAL DISPLAYS, CONNECTED TV AND EMAIL NEWSLETTERS.
UM, AND WE BROUGHT THAT, UH, HERE FOR YOUR ATTENTION SO YOU COULD LOOK AT IT.
BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING IN THIS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS JUST THE RETARGETING.
AGAIN, I MENTIONED IT EARLIER, WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO THE CITY FOR AN EVENT, WE LOSE THEM UNTIL THAT EVENT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR.
THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO DESOTO AGAIN.
WHEN WE USE THIS CAMPAIGN, WE WILL HAVE A NEW POWER, A NEW OPPORTUNITY, AND IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WE CAPITALIZE ON IT.
WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE INFORMATION LIKE THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS AND KEY INFORMATION TO ADD THEM TO OTHER INTERESTS THAT THEY MAY LIKE.
SO THEN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WELL, THROUGH OUR 2050 CAMP, UH, PIECE, WHAT WE WANNA DO IS MAKE SURE THAT DESOTO STAYS TOP OF MIND.
AND MAKING DESOTO TOP OF MIND MEANS DOING SOME OTHER UNIQUE THINGS LIKE NOMINATING THE CITY FOR DIFFERENT AWARDS AND CATEGORIES THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE, UH, BEEN NOMINATED FOR IN THE PAST.
ONE OF THE THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO WAS, WE DIDN'T JUST WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH OUR PRESENTATION 'CAUSE THIS IS KIND OF SUMMARIZED.
WE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE DETAILS OF KEY THINGS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT OF HOW WILL, WHAT STORIES WILL BE WRITTEN, WHERE THEY'LL GO, AND HOW WE'LL GET OUT, UH, INTO THE PUBLIC.
AND THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STRATEGY, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TO TELL YOU, HEY, WE'RE GONNA TELL GREAT STORIES IS ONE THING, BUT TO TELL YOU HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT REALLY WILL SUPPORT, UM, WHAT WE'VE TOLD YOU AND GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE THAT THIS CAMPAIGN CAN BE A TRULY A SUCCESS.
SO THEN JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY RUN THROUGH ONE LAST THING.
UM, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN 2023.
UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND, UM, AND LITERALLY JUST HAD PAUSED A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE CAMPAIGN COULD BE LAUNCHED AT THE, THE TIME WITH OPTIMAL REACH.
UM, 75TH ANNIVERSARY IS THAT TIME.
AND SO, BUT WE DID ACCOMPLISH THESE KEY THINGS, CREATING A MARKET ASSESSMENT, REALLY ANALYZE AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WERE THE ASSETS OF THE CITY AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM WELL, INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATING A MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AS WE'RE TALKING THROUGH NOW.
BUT ALSO WORKING WITH LATOYA, UM, WITH JUST SOME KEY THINGS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM WITH SOME KEY THINGS THAT WOULD HELP THEM GET STORIES OUT THERE.
INTRODUCING THEM TO THE MEDIA, INTRODUCING 'EM TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO TOO, DOING SOME NATIONAL STORYTELLING IS WHERE WE WANT TO GO NEXT.
UM, ALSO TOO, JUST IMPLEMENTING THE LOGOS FOR, UM, THE POLICE CHIEF.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME LITERALLY JUST GOING TO THEIR, THEIR SPACE AND SHOOTING VIDEO OF THEM IN ACTION.
AND BEING ABLE TO TELL THOSE STORIES OF FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN WHO RISK THEIR LIVES DAILY FOR THE CITY OF DESOTA.
WE NOW HAVE THAT CAPTURED IN VIDEO WITH A UNIQUE STORY THAT WE'RE READY TO TELL AND PUSH OUT THROUGH, UH, DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JUST ON AN ONGOING BASIS, WE'VE BEEN CAPTURING VIDEO AND PHOTO THAT IS NOW GONNA SHOWCASE HOW DESOTO IS SO MUCH TO LOVE ABOUT IT, BUT ALSO TOO EVERY AGE IS IN THAT VIDEO SHOWCASE AND INCLUDING OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO AT THIS TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, THAT YOU MAY HAVE, WE'LL TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU MR. MURPHY AND MS. SWEET FOR THE AWESOME PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US WITH THIS.
WE HAVE THIS WILL GIVE US SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK TO, UH, TO DO AS WELL AS WE HAVE.
I SEE YOU ALL HAVE PLACED BANNERS AROUND THE ROOM, WHICH LOOK VERY GREAT.
UM, COUNSEL, AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT THIS TAKING ANY ACTION TONIGHT.
THIS IS JUST MERELY FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, MS. FRAN, WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO SEE THIS AGAIN OR ANYTHING PERTAINING TO THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN IN FRONT
[02:25:01]
OF COUNCIL? AGAIN, SO I CAN KNOW HOW TO FRAME OUR QUESTIONS.UM, THE NEXT TIME,
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE 75TH, UH, BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, WHICH INCLUDES ALL YEAR ROUND CELEBRATORY EVENTS.
AND SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR, OUR WELCOME HOME.
AND SO AFTER THAT, WE CAN GIVE YOU GUYS UPDATES AS FAR AS LIKE, UM, AS LIKE, UH, COLLATERALS THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED, UM, EACH EVENT AND JUST THE SUCCESS ALL AROUND.
SO WE CAN DO THAT, UM, AFTER, I WANNA SAY IN APRIL.
APRIL 'CAUSE THE GALA WILL HAVE HAPPENED AT THAT POINT.
WE'LL, IT, IT WOULDN'T BE AN ENTIRE YEAR'S MEASURE OF ENTIRE YEAR MEASURE OF DATA, BUT IT'LL BE JUST THE BEGINNING PHASES OF THAT CAMPAIGN LAUNCH.
COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ARE WE GOOD WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US TO? I, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
WELL, I HAVE ONE SMALL QUESTION AND YOU PROBABLY CAN ANSWER IT IN, IN LESS THAN A SECOND OR SO.
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE LAUNCHED ON THE 75TH, UM, BIRTHDAY.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL COUNSEL GET, UM, A SNEAK PEEK AS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO, UM, SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON ARE THE, THE OUTDOOR, UH, BANNER DESIGNS.
AND SO WHAT I CAN DO IS SEND YOU GUYS AN UPDATE, UM, AND CONTINUE TO SEND COUNCIL UPDATES ON EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING UP UNTIL THIS POINT AND THEN TO THE FUTURE.
AND TO SOME DEGREE THAT INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN HERE AS WELL.
IT'S BROKEN OUT IN MORE DETAIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, FOR SURE.
RELATED TO INTERNAL BRANDING AND SO FORTH.
I THINK, UM, MY QUESTION, SO THIS, THIS WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL, VERY MACRO, UM, BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT US, YOU KNOW, ON THE VERY, UM, MICRO LEVEL, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE, WHAT DO THINGS LOOK LIKE AND JUST KIND OF MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UH, DOES THIS ADDRESS THAT, LIKE, SO I SAW THAT THERE WERE INTERNAL WORKSHOPS, UM, SO IS THERE A LAUNCH FOR THAT OR ARE WE IN THE PHASE AND KIND OF BRINGING EVERYTHING TO SOME CONGRUENCY AND, AND, AND, YEAH.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS, FIRST, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE PRESENTED THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS.
AND, AND THE MACRO LEVEL IS ONLY BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF TIME.
IF YOU GAVE US A HALF DAY WORKSHOP, WE COULD WALK YOU THROUGH THE COMPLETE DETAILS AND HOW WE WANT YOU GUYS TO BE ENGAGED, BUT BE GIVEN TIME.
WE TRY TO SUMMARIZE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WE WILL THEN FLESH THIS OUT AND BRING THIS BACK TO YOU.
UM, AND IF, IF COUNCIL SO DESIRED, WE WILL DO WORKSHOP WITH YOU AS WELL AS WE'VE DONE WITH THE OTHER INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS TO REALLY SHOW YOU HOW TO SHOWCASE AND, AND LAUNCH THE BRAND, UH, FROM YOUR OWN SPACES.
BUT TO, TO ALSO ADD ON, UM, WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENT.
SO WE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THE PUBLIC FACING DEPARTMENT, SO PUBLIC LIBRARY PARKS AND RECREATION, POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE RESCUE, AND THE TRAINING CENTER.
AND YOU'LL HAVE THE RESULTS FROM THOSE WORKSHOP SESSIONS THERE.
BUT WE'VE COME TO THE FINAL CONCLUSION OF THEIR BRAND DEVELOPMENT AND THEY'VE ALL RECEIVED THEIR BRAND KITS TO START ADOPTING THEIR NEW IDENTITY.
COUNCILMAN PARKER, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE SIGN, BUT, UH, QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE ACTUAL OUTDOOR SIGN.
AND YOU SAID THAT IT WAS GONNA START GOING UP.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIMELINES ON WHEN THAT WOULD ACTUALLY OCCUR? AND ALSO, I'M SORRY.
AND ALSO, UH, AS FAR AS THE PLACES THAT YOU SAID YOU'RE TARGETING OR TOUCHING THE PARKS AND RECS, THE, UH, LIBRARY, THOSE TYPES OF PLACES, WILL THERE BE THE SAME SIGNAGE OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT LITTLE TRINKET THAT WILL BE THERE? SO DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO, OKAY.
SO, SO THE OUTDOOR SIGNAGE THAT WE, UH, JUST ORDERED ARE THE OUTDOOR BANNERS FOR THE 75TH, UH, CELEBRA, UH, CELEBRATION.
UM, THE BIGGER OUTDOOR BANNERS WILL BE FOR OUR BIGGER BAND CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS THE SO MUCH TO LOVE CAMPAIGN.
SO THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME BECAUSE IT IS VISIBILITY OFF THE HIGHWAY, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
BUT THE OUTDOOR, UH, BANNERS FOR THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY SHIP, UH, WE'RE WAITING FOR THOSE SHIPMENTS TO COME.
SO THE PROCESS INCLUDES, UM, RECEIVING, WELL, SENDING THE DESIGNS TO THE VENDOR, RECEIVING THOSE DESIGNS BACK, ENSURING THAT THE MEASUREMENTS ARE CORRECT, AND THEN ALSO ORDERING THE HARDWARE AND GOING THROUGH THE FINANCIAL PROCESS TO PURCHASE THOSE COLLATERALS.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR SHIPMENT, WHICH COULD TAKE BETWEEN, I WANNA, I WANNA GIVE IT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF TO THREE WEEKS PER SE.
UM, BUT ONCE WE RECEIVE THOSE, WE WILL HAVE THOSE, UM, UP IN OUR VISIBILITY SPOTS SUCH AS RIGHT HERE AT PLEASANT HAMPTON.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE IT GOING ON.
UH, WHEN DRIVERS ARE DRIVING, THEY CAN SEE, UM, THE BANNER, THE ACROSS THE STREET BANNERS AS WELL AS THE, UH, VERTICAL BANNERS AS WELL.
[02:30:01]
AND JUST QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE ACTUAL PHOTO BOOTHS.I THINK YOU, IN YOUR PAPERWORK, IT ACTUALLY SAYS ABOUT PHOTO BOOTHS.
WILL THOSE PHOTO BOOTHS, I KNOW THAT THEY'LL GO UP FOR THE 75TH, BUT WILL THOSE COME UP AT SOME POINT BEFOREHAND? BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO DO VISIT THE LIBRARY, WHO DO VISIT THE, THE, THE REC CENTERS, AND THEY MIGHT WANT TO JUST TAKE A QUICK PHOTO BEFOREHAND.
ARE YOU, SO WE, WE, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PROCESS OF ALSO ORDERING A POP-UP TENT.
AND SO THAT TENT WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE POPUP PHOTO SHOOTS AS WELL.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP SO MUCH TO LOVE AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE, EVERYONE'S MINDS, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT JUST THEM TAKING A PICTURE.
WE WANT TO CONNECT IT WITH ALL OF OUR PILLARS THAT WE MENTIONED IN OUR PRESENTATION, SUCH AS SOCIAL MEDIA.
EVERYONE HAS THEIR HANDS IN THEIR PHONES.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST LIKE HOW ADAM MAYOR DID AT THE, UM, AT THE, UH, OUR MOST RECENT, UM, EVENT, THE STATE OF THE CITY, YOU TOLD EVERYONE TO PULL OUT THEIR PHONES AND TO RESHARE, UM, THE LIVE STREAM IN ADDITION TO ANY PHOTOS THAT THEY MAY POST ONLINE, HASHTAG IT WITH SO MUCH TO LOVE BECAUSE HA THE HASHTAGS ARE WHAT HIT THE ALGORITHM.
AND THAT IS WHAT, UM, UH, INCREASES OUR VISIBILITY FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
SO IF I'M ALL THE WAY IN DALLAS AND THE HASHTAG HITS THAT ALGORITHM, THERE'S A HIGHER POSSIBILITY THAT I WILL SEE THAT, THAT PHOTO IN DALLAS, AND IT'LL LEAD ME BACK TO THE CITY HALL'S FACEBOOK.
IT'LL LEAD ME BACK TO THE INSTAGRAM, THE TWITTER PAGE, THE SOTO TEXAS.GOV.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT OUR END GOAL IS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, MINIATURE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES YOU GUYS DON'T SEE A LOT OF WHAT WE DO BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK TO MAKE THE FIREWORKS HAPPEN.
BUT WE ARE HERE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST MAKING FIREWORKS HAPPEN ON THE 4TH OF JULY, RIGHT? WE'RE KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING.
AND SO YOU GUYS ARE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS IN STORE, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THERE SLOWLY BUT SHORTLY.
BUT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA SEE A LOT.
WE HAVE A LOT COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.
TRY NOT TO SCREAM, BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA PREACH FOR A SECOND.
I WAS GONNA PASS OFF AND PLATE ABOUT THE CHURCH SINGING AND JUST TO REMEMBER THREE WAYS EVERY DAY.
SO THAT MEANS NOT JUST 75TH ANNIVERSARY, IT MEANS REALLY EXPANDING OUT INTO BROADER CONTENT.
BUT THEY WILL SEE 75TH ANNIVERSARY, THEN THEY WILL SEE A STORY ABOUT PARKS AND REC.
I MEAN, IT JUST, THAT IS THE WHOLE KEY OF THIS WHOLE YEAR OF STORYTELLING IS THAT IT'LL ENABLE US TO BE ABLE TO HIT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT STILL HAVE IT BRANDED AS THIS SOTO.
AND I WANNA SAY ONE THING, I'M SORRY, I KNOW I'M TALKING TOO MUCH Y'ALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, FORGIVE ME.
UM, THIS IS, I JUST WANT YOU, YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
SO THIS IS HISTORY, AND AS I MENTIONED IN MY SPEECH WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE, WHEN YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTED ME FOR WHO I AM, BIG CURLY HAIR GIRL.
I CAME IN AND I LEARNED DE SOTO AND Y'ALL, Y'ALL ACCEPTED ME.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT.
WE'VE ALWAYS CELEBRATED DE SOTO'S BIRTHDAY, RIGHT? BUT WHEN HAVE WE EVER HAD A LOGO TO CELEBRATE DE SOTO'S BIRTHDAY? LIKE THIS IS THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY.
CAN WE JUST GIVE A A HAND CLAP FOR THAT PLEASE.
'CAUSE THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT.
SO FOR THE FUTURE OF DESOTO, THE REASON WHY WE CHOSE 2050 IS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T MEASURE, YOU CAN'T MEASURE HISTORY, RIGHT? AND SO YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE TO PUT A VISION ON SOMETHING BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, WE ARE CREATING AND SHAPING THE FUTURE OF DESOTO FOR THE FUTURE.
SO WHEN OUR KIDS, GREAT GRANDKIDS, THEIR KIDS, WHEN THEY'RE HERE IN DESOTO AND THEY'RE LOOKING BACK AT THE LOGO HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SIGNS ALL AROUND THE CITY OF DESOTO, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK BACK BECAUSE WE DID SOMETHING TO SHAPE OUR CITY.
AND WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
AND I JUST WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT I'M SORRY I'M TALKING Y EARS OFF, BUT I JUST WANNA LET YOU, I'M NOT FORGET TIME TO SET THAT TIMER FOR YOU TO
AND, AND YOU, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND I CAN SENSE THE PASSION AND WE'RE EXCITED THAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT MEANS A LOT AS FAR AS, UM, THE LEVEL OF LOVE THAT YOU PUT INTO WHAT YOU DO.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR EVERYTHING.
UH, COUNCIL, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, ONE LAST ONE.
JUST ONE MORE QUESTION 'CAUSE WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS STILL LEFT ON OUR AGENDA.
SO, SO I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THAT MICRO QUESTION.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO BEING EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING ABOUT THE BUDGET, LEARNING ABOUT THE WATER BILL, LEARN YOUR WATER, LEARNING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND GETTING OUR NUMBERS UP IN TERMS OF OUR INTERNAL CUSTOMER, WHICH IS OUR MAIN STAKEHOLDER, THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND SO THIS WILL HELP ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S MY DEEPEST QUESTION BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S WHO I WANNA ENSURE THAT WE DON'T LEAVE OUT OF THIS PROJECT.
SO THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO BE PROVIDED TO GO TO THAT LEVEL.
WE WANTED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT OVER INUNDATING YOU WITH INFORMATION BECAUSE WE THEN HAVE TO TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, KEY THINGS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? WE WERE NOT PREPARED TO DO THAT TODAY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE
[02:35:01]
SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD CONCEPTUALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING.YOU KNOW, WHAT CAR ARE WE GETTING IN TO TAKE WHAT ROAD NEXT, WE WOULD TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE VERY DEEPER SPECIFICS SO THAT AT THAT MICRO LEVEL, EVERYONE WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO PIVOT.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
[k. Presentation of the results of Needs Assessment for Computer-Aided Dispatch System used by the Southwest Regional Communications Center]
HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH SYSTEM USED BY SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COMMUNICATION CENTER.MAKING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESENTER IS TAMARA BELL, S-W-R-C-C, DIRECTOR.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
BACK IN DECEMBER, 2021, UH, THE CITY OF DESOTO, AS WAS S-W-R-C-C, ENTERED INTO A NEEDS, I'M SORRY, A SERVICE CONTRACT WITH BARRY DUNN, UH, IN REFERENCE TO A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR OUR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH AND DISPA COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH SYSTEM FOR 9 1 1, AS WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT SOFTWARE.
AND SO TODAY WE HAVE MR. TERRY BOHAN FROM BARRY DUNN HERE TO PRESENT THOSE FINDINGS.
UH, TALK ABOUT A LITTLE OF WHAT HE DID TO GET TO WHERE HE IS NOW, WHERE WE ACTUALLY STAND RIGHT NOW IN THE NEXT STEPS IN THIS PROCESS.
SO WITH THAT, TERRY BOHAN, GOOD EVENING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, HAVING ME.
UH, TONIGHT, UH, I'M TERRY BOHAN.
I'M A MANAGER WITH, UH, BARRY DUNN.
UH, I LEAD OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, TECHNOLOGY PRACTICE.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, UH, COMPUTER AID DISPATCH AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH WE'LL REFER TO AS THE, UH, CAD RMS LIKE, UH, TAMARA MENTIONED.
UH, WE WERE ENGAGED, UH, UH, FORMALLY IN, UH, UH, DECEMBER OF, UH, 21.
WE GOT STARTED IN, UH, MARCH OF, UH, 22 IN OUR FIRST STEPS.
AND WE BROKE THIS DOWN, UM, UH, THAT WE LOOKED AT AN ASSESSMENT IN PHASE ONE AND ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.
UH, PHASE TWO, WE DID REQUIREMENTS IN RFP DEVELOPMENT, PHASE THREE, IDENTIFICATION OF A PREFERRED VENDOR.
AND, UH, PHASE FOUR WOULD BE, UH, PROPOSED, UH, ACTION OR OUR NEXT, UH, UH, STEPS.
UM, THE BACKGROUND IS, UH, ESSENTIALLY, AND I'M GONNA SKIM THROUGH SOME OF THIS, UH, UH, INFORMATION.
YOU COULD STOP ME OR ASK QUESTIONS, UH, AT, UH, AT, UH, ANY, ANY TIME.
BUT WITH THE, UM, UH, NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS, OUR OBJECTIVES, UH, WERE TO DEFINE THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT.
LOOK AT THE FUTURE STATE OF WHERE YOU WANNA, UH, BE, AND THEN LOOK AT THAT AREA IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS YOUR GAPS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT YOU HAVE THERE.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE DO THESE PROJECTS, THERE MAY BE A PERCEIVED PROBLEM WITH A SYSTEM.
WE'LL FIND IT NOT TO BE, UH, TRUE.
SO THIS, THESE ARE THE OBJECTIVES WE WE SET OUT WITH, UH, IN ASSESSING THE, UH, UH, CURRENT ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT WE FOUND FROM SPEAKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS, REVIEWING DOCUMENTS, SITTING WITH DISPATCHERS, UM, MEETING WITH FIRE AND POLICE FROM, UH, ALL THE AGENCIES, IS WE FOUND SEVEN AREAS THAT WE FOUND HAD CHALLENGES.
UH, THEY RANGED EVERYTHING FROM, UH, THE INITIAL, UH, SYSTEM NOT BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT IT WAS REPRESENTED THAT IT COULD DO TO ALL THE WAY TO TRAINING ISSUES AND THINGS IN, IN BETWEEN.
UM, AS, AS WE, UH, LOOKED AT IT IN THESE SEVEN AREAS, WHAT ESSENTIALLY WE FOUND WAS THAT ALL OF THE GAPS WE ARE IDENTIFYING IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE GAPS OR TRY AND FIX THOSE GAPS, THEY WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL MONEY, ADDITIONAL EFFORTS, WHICH DIDN'T EQUAL OUT FOR A COST ANALYSIS AND TO THE BENEFITS OF, OF IT.
THEY WERE RESOURCE, UH, IN INTENSIVE, UH, THROUGH TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE CURRENT VENDOR.
THE ONLY SOLUTION ON THE TABLE WAS IF YOU ALL SPEND MORE MONEY WITH US, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT YOU INTO ANOTHER PRODUCT TO GO GO FORWARD.
WHAT'S THE BEST PREDICTOR OF THE FUTURE? PAST PERFORMANCE, UH, THAT OPTION DIDN'T SEEM, UH, VIABLE, UH, UH, FOR IT.
SO WITHIN THE, UH, FINDINGS, WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE, UH, UH, CITY START OVER AGAIN.
TAKE TIME TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFICATIONS AND NEEDS, UH, OF A SYSTEM THAT WOULD
[02:40:01]
MEET NOT ONLY NOW, BUT THE FUTURE.AND THEN FROM THAT SET FORTH IN A, A PATH TO PROCURE A NEW SYSTEM THROUGH AN RFP.
SO IN THE RFP DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WAS PHASE TWO, FIRST THING WE DID IS DEVELOPED REQUIREMENTS, UH, IN DEVELOPING REQUIREMENTS, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
WE HAD ROUGHLY 3000 REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAD FROM, UH, TECHNICAL TO, UH, OVERALL FOR DISPATCHING RECORDS, JAIL, UM, DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, FORMING A PROJECT TEAM AND THEN PUBLISHING, UH, SETTING OUT AND PUBLISHING AN RFP TO PUT ON THE STREET FOR VENDORS TO APPLY, UM, OR RESPOND, UH, TO, UM, SO WE, DURING THE PROCUREMENT, UH, PROCESS, LIKE I SAID, WE DEVELOPED, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
FROM THERE WE GOT, UM, SIX RESPONDENTS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE RFP.
WE FOUND, UH, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, ONE VENDOR TO BE DISQUALIFIED, WHO DID NOT COMPLETE ALL THE REQUIRED, UH, PAPERWORK AND DID NOT MAKE AN EFFORT TO DO SO.
UH, WE ALSO FOUND OTHERS SCORED VERY LOW AND COULD NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.
SO THAT LEFT US WITH THREE VENDORS TO CONSIDER.
THOSE VENDORS PROCEEDED WITH GIVING DEMONSTRATIONS, UH, TO THE CITIES.
THE FIRST ROUND OF DEMONSTRATIONS WERE EIGHT HOURS, UH, DEMONSTRATING FUNCTIONALITY, UH, TO THE CITIES.
UH, FROM THOSE, UH, UH, DEMONSTRATIONS, WE FOUND THAT ONE OF THE VENDORS SIMPLY COULD NOT MEET THE, REPRESENTING THAT IN THE FUTURE THEY WOULD HAVE THE FUNCTIONALITY, BUT IT DIDN'T CURRENTLY, UH, EXIST.
THEREFORE, WE ZEROED IN ON, UH, TWO, UH, VENDORS, UH, FOR DOING, UH, FOLLOW UP DEMONSTRATIONS, WHICH WE DID THREE MORE DEMONSTRATIONS, UH, FOR THE, UH, PROJECT TEAM FOCUSING ON SOME OF THE PROJECT, UH, PROBLEM AREAS WE HAD IDENTIFIED, FOR INSTANCE, GIS AND MAPPING YOUR ROUTING OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES, UH, IS STRUGGLING IN YOUR SYSTEM.
SO THO THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, AREAS THAT WE DID.
WE PUT FORTH SCENARIOS AS WELL AS SOME VERY SPECIFIC, UH, MODULES.
UH, THEN WE WENT BACK TO THE TWO VENDORS WE WERE CONSIDERING AND ASKED FOR A BEST AND FINAL, UH, PROPOSAL FOR THEM TO PUT THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD IN A, IN A PROPOSAL.
FROM THERE, A COSTING AND REFERENCES WAS APPLIED BY DESOTO, UH, PURCHASING.
UH, IN THE END, UH, THE HIGHEST SCORED AND THE IDENTIFIED PREFERRED VENDOR WAS TYLER TECHNOLOGIES.
UH, THE SYSTEM IS THEIR ENTERPRISE PUBLIC SAFETY CAD, RMS, WHICH CONSISTS OF, UH, CAT RMS MOBILE FOR POLICE AND FIRE, UH, BOOKING FOR THE JAIL, UH, A FIRE PREVENTION MODULE, UH, BRAZOS, WHICH IS THE ELECTRONIC TICKET WRITING, UH, AS WELL AS A P 25 INTERFACE, WHICH LEVERAGES OR ALLOWS A SYSTEM, UH, FROM YOUR HANDHELD WALKIE TALKIES THAT DISPATCH CAN SEE ON THE MAP WHEN AN OFFICER OR A FIREFIGHTER IS OUTSIDE OF THEIR APPARATUS.
SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS TYLER, UH, PUT FORWARD.
SOME OF THE DIFFERENT DIFFERENTIATORS, UH, THAT REALLY, UH, STUCK OUT IS THE GIS AND THE A VL, WHICH IS THE MAPPING, UH, THE SYSTEM TYLER USES THAT EVEN IF YOU GO OUTSIDE OF THE THREE CITIES OR THE CITY OF DESOTO, THE MAP CONTINUES.
YOU CAN ROUTE FROM HERE TO CHICAGO, UH, ON THE, UH, THE SYSTEM, THE DATA CONVERSION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS YOU STILL HAD SOME DATA STORED ON LEGACY SERVERS, UH, THAT POSE A RISK OF LOSING THAT DATA WITH, FOR, UM, INFORMATION ON, UH, POLICE INVESTIGATIONS, NAMES, THINGS OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, SO THE DATA CONVERSION PROCESS FOR TYLER TECHNOLOGIES IS CONDUCIVE, UH, TO THE, THE CITY'S, UH, NEED INTEGRATED CRASH FOR ACCIDENT REPORTING, UH, THE PROJECT APPROACH AS FAR AS THEIR, HOW THEY WERE LOOKING AT DOING IT, WHAT THEY WERE DOING, AND THEN THE COST OVERALL, THE SCORING COMMITTEE AGREED THAT EITHER SOLUTION WOULD BE AN ENHANCEMENT, UH, BUT TYLER, UH,
[02:45:01]
WAS, UH, UH, A BETTER, UH, FIT, UH, FOR, FOR, UM, FOR THE CITY.SOME OF THE, UH, BENEFITS TO THE CI CITY WOULD BE ENHANCED PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CITIZENS AS FAR AS RESPONSE TIME AND CUTTING THAT RESPONSE TIME DOWN.
ONE OF THE BOTTOM LINES FROM THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS, UH, IN DISPATCH, FOR INSTANCE, THEY DON'T, THE, THE SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING FOR THE CITY.
THIS, THE PEOPLE ARE WORKING FOR THE SYSTEM AND HAVING TO PULL THINGS OUT OF IT.
SO THAT WILL HELP, UH, ENHANCE SAFETY FOR OFFICERS.
I TALKED ABOUT THE RADIOS RESOURCING.
THE SOLUTION IS A CLOUD-BASED THAT'S BEING, UH, PROPOSED, UH, RETENTION OF DATA AND REPORTING, UH, SECURITY, UH, LIKE I SAID, CLOUD-BASED.
AND FINALLY, FUTURE PROOFING THE SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO THE CITY IS AN EVERGREEN SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS IF TYLER ENTERPRISE, FIRST OFF, TYLER IS A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY.
UM, SO THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY CLOSING THEIR DOORS NEXT WEEK, UH, BY ANY MEANS, BUT ON THEIR SYSTEM AND THEIR SOFTWARE, IF THEY DISCONTINUE TYLER ENTERPRISE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SWITCH TO SOME BRAND NEW, UM, YOU KNOW, WORLD SAFETY 3.0, THEY DO NOT SELL YOU THAT PRODUCT.
YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY PLACED AND UPGRADED INTO THAT PRODUCT.
YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UH, AGAIN, IS THE MAIN, UM, UH, BENEFIT, UH, FOR THAT A 10 YEAR, UH, COST, UH, UH, BREAKDOWN, UH, FOR THE, UH, THE SYSTEM.
ESSENTIALLY THE SYSTEM'S, UH, $5.8 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS, UH, FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, UH, SERVICES FROM BARRY DUNN, UH, WHICH ARE ANOTHER $540,000.
THE, UH, COST COMES OUT TO 6 MILLION, UH, 436,000 AND CHANGE, UH, FOR, FOR THAT.
UH, WITH THAT, THAT DID COME IN ORIGINALLY WHEN WE TALKED TO, UH, THE CITIES AND BRIEFED UP AS WE WENT ALONG WITH THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, TALKED ABOUT PROCUREMENT, WE WERE ASKED, WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES PAYING RIGHT NOW TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS SIZE WITH MULTIPLE, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WERE SEEING.
OUR YES WAS ABOUT 7.5, UH, MILLION.
SO THIS ACTUALLY CAME IN LOWER THAN, UH, ANTICIPATED, JUST FOR COMPARISON'S SAKE TO REINFORCE THE COMMUNICATION CENTER AND THE CONCEPT OF A CONSORTIUM, A LIKE, UH, UH, PROJECT THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY, UH, RIGHT NOW TRY TO DO APPLES TO APPLES TO THIS CURRENT PARTICULAR VENDOR IN A LIKE CITY.
THE CITY'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 40,000, UH, UH, PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN.
YOU SEE, THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT, UH, 3.7, ALMOST $3.8 MILLION.
SO BY COMBINING RESOURCES, THERE IS A COST, UH, SAVINGS.
OUR NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO SEEK APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, WE ARE UNDER CONTRACT WITHIN OUR CURRENT CONTRACT TO, UH, CONDUCT CONTRACT, UH, NEGOTIATIONS WITH TYLER, UH, TO, UM, UH, NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT AND A STATEMENT OF, OF WORK.
THAT STATEMENT OF WORK IS KEY AS FAR AS DEFINING OUT WHAT THEY WILL DO, HOW THEY WILL DO IT, AND WHEN THEY WILL DO IT, UH, TO INCLUDE DETAILED PAYMENT MILESTONES ATTACHED TO THE STATEMENT OF, UH, OF WORK.
THEN OF COURSE, THERE WOULD BE A LEGAL REVIEW OF THE CONTRACT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY WOULD COME BACK TO, UH, UH, COUNCIL FOR, UH, APPROVAL ALLOWING THE, UH, PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE SPRING.
SO, I KNOW THAT WAS A QUICK HIGH OVERVIEW, UH, THAT, UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, I, UH, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS.
HOWEVER, I WANNA HEAR FROM MS. BELL IN TERMS OF, TO HELP US AGAIN, FRAME OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED FROM US IN TERMS OF DIRECTION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
AND SO ARE YOU LOOKING TO GET CONSENSUS FROM US TO MOVE THIS TO APPROVING IT, OR WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US TONIGHT? YES.
TO MOVE IT, TO ALLOW BARRY DUNN, VIN BARRY DUNN TO START THE, UH, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH TYLER TECH.
AND THEN I'LL BRING IT BACK ON ANOTHER COUNCIL FOR ACTUAL APPROVAL OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
WELL, WE HEAR ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF, FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT WHERE, HOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS, THERE'S
[02:50:01]
A PRICE TAG ATTACK.SO, LIKE, I GUESS SOME OF OUR, SOME OF, AT LEAST MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS IS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH BUDGET IN TERMS OF HAS THIS BEEN BUDGETED FOR, LIKE HOW, WHAT'S, HOW WILL IT BE PAID FOR? I GUESS AT THIS POINT? I WILL BRING THAT BACK AND I GUESS THE NEXT, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, NOT TOMORROW, BUT THE FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEETING FOR, WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION, UNLESS WE ARE READY TO, WE WANNA SPEAK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW OR IS OKAY IF WE'RE ABLE TO, IF NOT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEFINITELY RECEIVE THAT.
BUT HOWEVER, I THINK IN ORDER FOR US TO AT LEAST LET ME SPEAK FOR MYSELF IN ORDER FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND AND JUSTIFY SAYING YES, I'M OKAY WITH PUSHING IT FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, I GUESS, FROM THAT ASPECT.
SO AS A WHOLE, THE PROJECT IS ABOUT 6.5 AND OF COURSE IT'S SPLIT AMONGST THE THREE CITIES.
AND SO THAT GIVES US ABOUT, UH, TWO YES.
THAT WE, THAT WE WOULD EXACTLY.
I ASSUME YOU HAVE ANYTHING MR. CAMERON? YEAH.
SO, UH, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE, THE, THIS, THE COST WOULD BE SPLIT BETWEEN, UH, CEDAR HILL, CEDAR HILL, DESOTO, AND DUNCANVILLE.
UH, AND WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS LOOKING AT THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF, OF, UH, WHAT THE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, UH, WHICH WILL IMPLEMENTATION TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS, RIGHT.
UH, AND SO THOSE, THOSE COSTS THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT COSTS, WE WILL LOOK AT, I, UH, POTENTIALLY, UH, ISSUING SOME SORT OF IN DEBT INSTRUMENT TO COVER THOSE FIRST, UH, TWO YEARS.
AND THEN WE'LL SPREAD THAT COST OUT OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
AND SO WHAT WE'LL BE DOING AT THAT POINT, WE, WE'LL BE PAYING THE, UH, PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENT, UH, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE USING, THERE'S STILL A PAYMENT THAT'S BEING MADE ON THAT.
SO THAT, BUT THAT WILL RE RETIRE AFTER THIS YEAR.
SO ONCE THAT'S RETIRED, THEN THAT $500,000 THAT WE'RE PAYING, SO, OR SOME ODD 500, SOME ODD THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, PRODUCT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT TO, TO COVER THE COST OF THE, UH, ONGOING PAYMENT FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS OR SO.
SO, I MEAN, WE'LL BRING BACK A, A, A DETAILED, YOU KNOW, BUDGET AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THE PAYMENT LOOKS LIKE, AND HOW WE PLAN TO COVER THAT.
SO WHAT YOU, AGAIN, JUST NEED FROM US TONIGHT, MORE SO IS JUST CONSENSUS THAT WE, WE WANNA EXPLORE IT FURTHER.
WE WANNA UNDERSTAND IT FURTHER YES.
UM, THAN WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT.
WE, WE, WE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS GIVING MR. BOHAN THE, UH, GO AHEAD TO GO BACK TO TYLER RESUME NEGOTIATIONS TO KIND OF HONE IN ON THAT PRICING TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE PRICING TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE.
ONCE WE GET THAT TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE, WE'LL COME BACK FOR COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
WE WON'T ENTER INTO ANY CONTRACT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'LL COME BACK FOR COUNCIL'S APPROVAL TO, TO, AND THEN LAY EVERYTHING OUT TO SHOW COUNCIL WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE WOULD SEE IT AS WE WOULD ANY OTHER CONTRACT THAT WE ENTER INTO.
BECAUSE THE, THE SOTO IS ENTERED INTO THE CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE AGENCY, SO WE COUNSEL WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AND COUNSEL, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THAT, THEN, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL DO, DO ROUNDS FOR THIS AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL ITEM.
UM, I GUESS WHAT IF, WHAT IF THE OTHER CITIES DO NOT APPROVE IT? THEN WHAT HAPPENS? SO, MR. BOHAN HAS GONE, HAS ALREADY GONE TO CEDAR HILL FOR THIS TO PRESENT JUST AS HE IS TONIGHT.
AND THEY'VE ALREADY GIVEN HIM THE, THE NOD TO PROCEED.
HE WILL PRESENT IN DUNCANVILLE, I BELIEVE TOMORROW.
UH, NO, UH, ACTUALLY I MET WITH THE CITY MANAGER FROM DUNCANVILLE, UH, THIS, THIS, EXCUSE ME.
I MET WITH THE CITY, UH, MANAGER FROM DUNCANVILLE, UH, UH, THIS MORNING.
UH, THEY WANTED A FINAL CONTRACT AND THE, AND THE NUMBER THAT, UH, UH, FIRST BEFORE THEY TOOK IT TO THEIR, UH, COUNCIL THOUGH, UH, AND I DON'T WANNA REPRESENT, UH, THEIR, THEIR INTENTIONS, BUT THAT THEY'RE IN THE MOU WITH THE, UH, THE SYSTEM.
THE CONTRACT WAS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DESOTO.
UM, COUNSEL, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL LIGHTS ON.
SO I'M GONNA ASK IF MR. FRYER WOULD INSTITUTE OUR, UM, OUR ROUNDS.
I'M NOT SURE WHOSE LIGHT WAS ON FIRST.
OH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, LAST YEAR I ACTUALLY TOOK A RIDE ALONG WITH ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS, AND IN THAT DISCUSSION THERE WAS MENTION THAT THE SYSTEM THAT THEY WERE CURRENTLY USING WAS ONLY A YEAR OR SO OLD.
AND SO I GUESS I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO FIRST FRAME WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BASED ON THAT DISCUSSION.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASK MY QUESTION 'CAUSE I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES AND IT LOOK LIKE WE WE GOING BE ON THIS.
UM, WHEN YOU SAID, UM, WHO ELSE IS USING THE SYSTEM? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE USING
[02:55:01]
THE SYSTEM ARE, IF, IF THEY'RE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS ACTUAL PRICE TAG, UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR DESOTO? UM, AND THEN, AND THEN HOW NECESSARY IS THERE A BUDGET INCREASE? I DO WANNA KNOW THAT PART.AND THEN, UH, HOW NECESSARY IS IT TO MOVE FROM WHERE WE ARE TO WHERE WE, WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO? SO THE CURRENT PRODUCT THAT WE'RE ON, CURRENT SOFTWARE WE'RE USING IS JUST, UM, NOT FEASIBLE FOR WHAT WE DO FOR THREE CITIES AND 9 1 1.
UH, WE'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT FROM THE DAY WE, UH, SIGNED, UM, WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING, WHAT WE WERE TOLD WE WERE GETTING, WE DID NOT GET.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORKAROUNDS IN DISPATCH JUST TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK.
IF YOU'VE DONE A, A RIDE ALONG WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW THIS JUST DOES NOT WORK, HOW IT'S A SAFETY, UH, ISSUE, UH, FOR THE PERSONNEL.
AND SO, UH, THE MAPPING DOESN'T WORK.
YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO USE THE A VL SYSTEM FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT WAY WE CAN REALLY, UH, UH, USE THE BOUNDARY DROP, UH, METHOD TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU STILL GET THE CLOSEST FIRE UNIT, THE MEDIC ANYWAY, AMONGST THE THREE CITIES.
HOWEVER, THE A VL WOULD'VE HELPED US, UH, MAKE THAT EASIER TO, TO MANEUVER.
BUT, UH, SO THE SYSTEM WE'RE ON IS JUST NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
AND SO WHEN WE INVOLVED THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, TO SPEAK WITH, UH, CENTRAL SQUARE'S ATTORNEYS, UH, THEY DID NOT WANT TO, UM, WORK WITH US.
UH, THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO MOVE TO A, A BIGGER PRODUCT, WHICH IS, WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER HAD WE GONE TO THAT PRODUCT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
HOWEVER, IT IS A, A A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
THEY WERE ONE OF THE, UM, UH, COMPANIES THAT SUBMITTED A AN RFP, UH, BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO REALLY ENTERTAIN THEM BECAUSE WE ARE, WE'RE USING YOU RIGHT NOW AND YOU'RE NOT HELPING US AT ALL, AND YOU WANT US TO COME BACK.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PRODUCT.
HOWEVER, IT'S, WE'RE USING A LOT OF WORKAROUNDS AND IT'S STRESSING THE DISPATCHERS OUT.
WE'RE USING THIS SYSTEM, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE OLD SYSTEM THAT WE MOVE FROM TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM TO GET INFORMATION.
AND IT'S A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH MINIMAL STAFFING.
AND YOUR OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN PARKER.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE OTHER CITIES DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR DESOTO? HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.
AND THEN, IS THERE A BUDGET INCREASE? UH, AND WHY? I, I HEARD YOUR WHY, UH, BUT IS THERE A BUDGET IN, SO IN REFERENCE TO THE OTHER CITIES NOT WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD, WE STARTED THIS, UH, THESE TALKS WITH ALL OF THE CITIES AGREEING TO THAT WE NEEDED TO DO THIS.
SO WE WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE NOW.
HAD THE OTHER CITIES NOT SAID YES, LET'S DO THIS.
SO THEY ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH, WITH THIS.
IT IS JUST ABOUT HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST AND HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR IT AT THIS TIME.
AND DESOTO IS THE LEADER? YES.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, RAPHAEL, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN USING THE CENTRAL SQUARE SYSTEM OR THE YEAH, OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, UH, WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT IN 2019.
WE WENT LIVE IN JANUARY, 2020.
AND THEN, UM, AND SO YOU SAID THE ATTORNEYS GOT INVOLVED AND THEY DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING.
SO IF THEIR SYSTEM IS A DETRIMENT TO US, UM, I, I THINK I GOT A LITTLE BIT LOST WHEN WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T GET WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING.
AND SO WHAT MAKES THIS, THIS CURRENT SYSTEM THAT'S BEING PROPOSED DIFFERENT FROM THAT ONE AND THEN WITH THE CURRENT ONE THAT WE HAVE WOULD HAVE, AND YOU MENTIONED THE REMEDIES THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO DO, BUT IS THE WAY IT'S BEING USED TODAY, IS THAT THE INTENDED WAY THAT CENTRAL, THE CURRENT PROVIDER? IS THAT THE WAY THEY ARE SUGGESTING WE USE IT? OR IS IT THAT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I'M SURE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE GOT A HALF BIG SYSTEM, THAT'S WHAT IT, I'M SURE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
FIRST OFF, TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT, THE CHANGE TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM THEY'RE ON NOW WAS NOT A PLANNED LONG-TERM VISION.
MANY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM THIS, FROM THE SALES OF, UH, BIGGER COMPANIES LIKE CENTRAL SQUARE, BUYING SMALLER COMPANIES, PRODUCTS, ALL OF A SUDDEN WERE SAID, END OF LIFE, WE'RE NOT GONNA SUPPORT 'EM ANYMORE.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN UNBUDGETED, OKAY.
SO THE INTENTIONS WERE THERE, I'M NOT SURE IT WAS REPRESENTED, UH, UH, CORRECTLY, THE CAPACITY, UH, JUST, IT, IT JUST DIDN'T WORK.
WE SPENT MONTHS DEVELOPING REQUIREMENTS SAYING, YOUR SYSTEM HAS TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
THEY HAD TO RESPOND IN WRITING TO THAT, WHICH THEY DID.
THEY HAD TO DEMONSTRATE IT TO US, WHICH THEY, THEY DID.
AND THEN LAST QUESTION IN TERMS OF, WE'RE HERE AT THIS JUNCTURE DOING THIS, BUT WE STILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 500,000
[03:00:01]
TO PAY FOR THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND THEN DOING THIS NOW VERSUS DOING THIS IN BUDGET SEASON.SO WAS THIS ANTICIPATED IN THIS PREVIOUS BUDGET SEASON OR NO.
OR CAN THIS WAIT UNTIL THE CURRENT BUDGET SEASON AS WE MOVE FORWARD? YEAH, SO IT, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS ANTICIPATED, IF YOU GO BACK, IF WE WOULD GO, WERE TO GO BACK AND PULL UP THE BUDGET, UH, THAT WE SUBMITTED WITH THE, THE 2024 BUDGET, BUT ALSO THE 2025 PLANNING BUDGET, YOU WOULD SEE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE, UH, INCLUDED IN THAT BUDGET WE'RE ANTICIPATING US GOING TO THIS PRODUCT.
UH, IT JUST HAPPENED THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF THE TIMING OF IT, UH, WITH RESPECT TO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE, WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH IN, IN TERMS OF THE FRUSTRATIONS OF THE PRO EXISTING PRODUCT AND GETTING, UH, MR. BOHAN AND HIS GROUP ON BOARD TO DO THE WHOLE, UH, NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONCE, ONCE WE FIGURED OUT WHAT THE NEEDS WERE, THEN WE WENT, WE CAME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAID, HEY, LET'S DO, LET US DO AN RFP.
UH, AND THEN WE GOT, THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT.
AND SO, UH, THE, WHAT I WANT, WHAT I WANTED TO MENTION THOUGH WAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW AND WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST IS WE, ONE, WE BROUGHT ON, UH, A GROUP LIKE THIS, THIS GROUP HERE, BUT WE ALSO ARE GOING TO USE A PROJECT MANAGER, UH, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, WHICH WE DIDN'T DO LAST TIME.
WE, THEY, THEY HAD A PROJECT MANAGER, THE, THE VENDOR HAD A PROJECT MANAGER, BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY REPRESENT OUR BEST INTEREST.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER, UH, INVOLVED FROM START TO FINISH ON OUR SIDE TO WORK WITH THE, THE VENDOR TO, TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, AND THEN ALSO THE WHOLE, THE GROUP, THE, THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE TESTING, DATA INPUT AND EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE CAN BE DONE.
AND SO THE WHOLE POINT OF DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS WAY IS WE, WE DID HAVE THE BUY-IN OF THE, THE, UH, CITY MANAGERS FROM THE OTHER CITIES BECAUSE THEY WANT TO AVOID
AND SO IT'S, IT WAS A TOP DOWN INITIATIVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE CITY MANAGERS GOT TOGETHER AND THEY PUSHED IT DOWN TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND DEPUTIES, WHICH I WAS ONE OF.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE, YOU KNOW, GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO, UH, THE, GOING BACK TO THE OTHER QUESTION IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENS IF THE OTHER CITY MANAGERS SAY THEY DON'T WANNA DO IT.
WE, WE, WE, WE BELIEVE BASED ON OUR, I BELIEVE, AND WE BELIEVE BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE AS IN 100% THE DAY AS THEY WERE THE DAY WE STARTED THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
UH, BUT JUST, I'M SORRY, UH, MADAM MAYOR, JUST TO RESPOND TO WHAT HE JUST SAID THOUGH, YOU SAID THEY ARE ON BOARD, BUT WHAT IF THEY ARE NOT? THAT'S REALLY WHAT MY QUESTION WAS.
'CAUSE UNTIL THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES IT, WHETHER THE CITY MANAGER SAYS IT OR NOT, IS NOT THE, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, I THINK THE OVERARCHING QUESTION IS, IS, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GET AN ANSWER TO THAT TONIGHT, BUT AT SOME POINT, IF ALL THE CITIES, 'CAUSE I MEAN, UNTIL IT'S APPROVED, IT'S NOT APPROVED, RIGHT? SO ANYBODY COULD, YOU KNOW, YOU, THEIR THINGS COULD CHANGE.
SO I GUESS THE, THE UNDERSTANDING WE'RE TRYING TO GET IS SHOULD SOMEBODY NOT APPROVE IT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UM, AND THEN I GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THEN THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE? AND, AND AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET AN ANSWER TO THAT TONIGHT IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IT DESERVES SOME THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.
UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU, UM, IN CONSIDERING THE COST, UM, FOR THIS PROJECT, DO YOU HAVE ON THE OFFSET, UH, AN ROI ON WHAT THE SAVINGS WOULD BE FOR THE CITY LONG TERM OR FOR THE OTHER CITIES CONSIDERING THAT THIS WOULD IMPROVE PERFORMANCE OR IN JUST THE EFFICIENCY ON HOW YOU, UM, DO BUSINESS DAY TO DAY? NO, I DO NOT.
UH, HOWEVER, THIS, THIS SOFTWARE IS A LOT MORE, UM, EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING.
UM, SO THIS, WE, OUR BUDGET WILL INCREASE, UM, BECAUSE OF IT.
AND I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS IF YOU'RE, 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED YOU TOGGLE FROM SYSTEM TO SYSTEM YES.
TO GET THINGS DONE, WHICH MEANS THAT WOULD INCLUDE INCREASE YOUR AVERAGE HANDLE TIME.
SO, AND FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, GETTING THE SYSTEM AND WOULD TECHNICALLY REDUCE THAT TIME AND BOTH THAT TIME EQUALS DOLLARS.
SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SUBSTANTIATE WHAT YOU WOULD BE SAVING IF THIS SYSTEM, WHETHER THAT IS YOU ARE ABLE TO ANSWER X AMOUNT OF CALLS IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, SPEED OF ANSWER THAT YOU CURRENTLY KPI TO? SO HONESTLY, WE, WE STAY UP ON OUR, OUR NUMBERS.
WE, WE ARE STILL MAKING OUR NUMBERS.
UH, WE'RE STILL MEETING OUR, ANSWERING THE PHONE WITHIN 10 SECONDS, GETTING THIS CALLS OUT IN 30 SECONDS, 45 SECONDS.
HOWEVER, WHAT IT WILL DECREASE IS THE STRESS OF THE DISPATCHERS, THEM CALLING IN THE NEXT DAY, US HAVING TO CALL SOMEONE IN TO, TO FILL THAT SLOT, THEM RESIGNING BECAUSE THEY JUST CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT.
SO IT'S PERSONNEL CALLS ISSUES.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS THE PROJECT MANAGER, UH, COST, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS, THIS AS WELL, OR IS THAT EXTRA?
[03:05:02]
IT'S INCLUDED.UH, I THINK IF ON THE SLIDE THAT MR. BOHAN SHOWED IT INCLUDED, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT COST AS WELL.
MS. BELL, COULD YOU POSSIBLY, WHEN THIS COMES BACK BEFORE COUNSEL, GIVE US AN ESTIMATE ON THE PERSONNEL COST SAVINGS THAT YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE BASED ON THIS IMPLEMENTATION? YES.
UM, THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET A CONSENSUS ON, UM, WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD RATHER, UM, WITH THIS PROJECT.
SO I'M GONNA START WITH MAYOR PRO TE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER? YES.
WELL, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[l. Presentation and discussion of the proposed Retiree Insurance Actuarial Study]
THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE WILL HAVE THE LAST ITEM ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA.WE HAVE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED RETIREE INSURANCE ACTUARY STUDY MAKING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESENTER IS DENE GREENLEY, HR DIRECTOR.
UM, BACK IN OCTOBER, UM, BEGINNING OF OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING, WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK AT POSSIBLY DOING AN ACTUARIAL STUDY FOR, UH, TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF BENEFICIAL OF RETIREE HEALTHCARE PREMIUM BENEFITS.
AND SO MYSELF WITH, UH, LANCE PENLEY FROM MCGRIFF, WE DID SOME RESEARCH ON WHAT THE, THE COST WOULD BE FOR AN ACTUARIAL STUDY, UH, ALONG WITH SOME GUIDELINES, UM, OF HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE AND THEN GOING FORWARD, HOW MUCH IT COULD POSSIBLY COST THE CITY.
SO I PRESENT TO YOU, MR. LANCE PENLEY AND MS. GREENLEY.
I, I WANT BEFORE SI WANNA HELP US, SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST ITEM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT IN TERMS OF, AGAIN, WHAT YOU ALL WILL NEED FROM US AS FAR AS ANY DIRECTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT I'LL NEED FROM YOU TONIGHT IS WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH THE STUDY ONLY.
SO NOT THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF ANYTHING, JUST CORRECT THE STUDY THAT WILL BE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL COST THAT WE DON'T HAVE YET.
AND THE STUDY, WILL THE STUDY SPEAK TO THAT COST? YES.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, UH, LANCE PENLEY WITH MCGRIFF.
AND TO YOUR POINT, WE, WE WILL, UH, GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.
I KNOW IT'S, UH, LATE IN THE EVENING.
SORRY,
SO CURRENTLY, UH, THE PRE AND POST SIX FIVE RETIREES ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE COVERAGE THROUGH THE CITY, UM, AT THEIR OWN COST, UH, AFTER THEY RETIRE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT, UH, CHAPTER 1 75, THAT WE OFFER PRE 65 RETIREE COVERAGE.
UH, IF THEY HAVE MET CERTAIN CRITERIA, UM, UH, AFTER, AFTER, UH, RETIREMENT, WE COULD, UM, ADDING THE SUBSIDIES COULD, UH, TO PRE 65 AND POST SIX FIVE RETIREE COVERAGES WILL BRING FUTURE LIABILITIES, FUTURE LIABILITIES TO THE CITY.
UH, AS DENE REFERENCED, UH, THE ACTUARIAL STUDY WOULD HELP US OUTLINE THAT, AND WE COULD ALSO SEE INCREASES IN PARTICIPATION THAT WOULD IMPACT FUTURE MEDICAL RENEWALS AND LOSS RATIOS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WORK WITH, UH, HR AND ULTIMATELY, UH, THE CITY ON, UH, THE RENEWALS, THE CLAIMS EXPENSES, ET CETERA.
UH, SO HERE WE ARE TODAY, UH, IN OCTOBER, AS DANE MENTIONED, WE TALKED ABOUT WE WOULD NEED TO PERFORM AN ACTUARIAL STUDY, PRESENT THAT BACK TO THE, UH, COUNCIL, UH, TO D TO DETERMINE NEXT STEPS.
WE WANTED TO JUST SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME CITIES, UH, HERE LOCALLY THAT DO OFFER, UH, RETIREES SUBSIDIES.
UH, RICHARDSON GRAPEVINE, WHO'S A CUSTOMER OF MINE, NORTH WESTLAND HILLS, CITY OF DENTON, MESQUITE, ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME CITIES THAT OFFER SUBSIDIES TO THEIR RETIREES.
AND THEY TYPICALLY FOLLOW, UH, TMR TMRS GUIDELINES, OR A RULE OF 80, WHICH IS THEIR AGE PLUS THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE.
ONCE AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UH, LAID OUT IN AN ACTUARIAL STUDY, UH, BY THE, THE PROPOSED VENDOR.
UM, SOME, UH, EXAMPLES OF SOME CITIES THAT DO NOT DO SUBSIDIES RIGHT NOW FOR RETIREES.
CEDAR HILL, TOWN OF FLOWER MOUND, CITY OF BEDFORD, CITY OF WAXAHATCHEE, GREENVILLE, AND LANCASTER.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO OUTLINE A FEW THAT DO AND A FEW THAT DON'T FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, WALKING AWAY FROM THE, THE OCTOBER 17TH MEETING, WE WERE TASKED WITH GETTING QUOTES FOR
[03:10:01]
AN ACTUARIAL STUDY THROUGH OUR ANALYSIS, UH, AND WORK, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE CITY OF DESOTO IS PART OF THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, UM, WHICH IS A PURCHASING CO-OP.THERE IS A VENDOR, GRS CONSULTANTS, UH, ACTUARIAL CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THEM.
WE DID SEVERAL CONFERENCE CALLS.
THEY WORK WITH 121, UH, TEXAS EMPLOYERS, PRIMARILY IN THE MUNICIPAL SECTOR.
SO VERY IMPORTANT, UH, WITH THIS STUDY THAT THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US A LOT OF BENCHMARKING, UH, DATA AS WELL.
THEY ARE THE, THE, THE PRIMARY ACTUARIAL VENDOR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE GOT SOME PRELIMINARY PRICING ON THAT AGREEMENT THROUGH THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
UH, 10, THE, THE BASELINE ASSESSMENT, $10,000, UH, EIGHT, $10,835.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS AND EVALUATIONS THAT WE COULD PERFORM THAT WOULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 2,500 TO $7,500.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, I MENTIONED THAT THE BENCHMARKING AGAINST YOUR PEERS, I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS FOR, UH, THE CITY ADMINISTRATION AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO EVALUATE.
AND SO, MCGRIFF AND HUMAN RESOURCES BELIEVE THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE NEXT STEPS, UH, FOR THE CITY TO TAKE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A TIMELINE.
SO WE'RE HERE, UH, SEEKING APPROVAL FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT CONTRACT THROUGH THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT.
AND, UM, ONCE THAT'S APPROVED, IF IT'S APPROVED TONIGHT, UH, WE WOULD TAKE THE NEXT TWO TO EIGHT WEEKS, UH, GATHERING DATA AND PROVIDING THAT TO GRS.
UM, IT WOULD TAKE GRS 10 TO 14 WEEKS TO COMPLETE THAT STUDY.
AND THEN THEY WOULD BE DELIVERING THAT BACK TO ADMINISTRATION AND ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, BY AUGUST AND HELP US TO COME FORTH TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION, SEEK APPROVAL IF NECESSARY, AND THEN IMPLEMENT THAT IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER FOR JANUARY 1ST, 2025.
SO THAT WOULD BE KIND OF A PROPOSED TIMELINE.
IT DOES LINE UP WITH OUR BENEFIT, UH, CALENDAR YEAR.
OUR BENEFITS ARE ON A CALENDAR YEAR, JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.
SO AS DENE REFERENCED, WE'RE, WE'RE SIMPLY SEEKING, UH, APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT ACTUARIAL STUDY.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU COMPLETED YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU MEANT THAT, UH, COUNSEL, AGAIN, WE KNOW, UH, WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO IN TERMS OF GIVING JUST SOME DIRECTION ON OUR DESIRE, UM, TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I DO SEE A FEW QUES, A FEW, I, I SEE A LIGHT RATHER.
UM, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND INSTITUTE ROUNDS AGAIN, JUST FOR THIS LAST OPTION, I MEAN FOR THIS LAST AGENDA ITEM, UM, TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY ON THEIR THOUGHTS ON IT AND TO GET CONSENSUS FROM EACH PERSON.
AND IF YOU COULD, IF YOU, WITH YOUR COMMENTS, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD, THAT'LL BE HELPFUL SO WE CAN KEEP, UH, KEEP THAT DECISION MOVING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST KNOW, UH, THE ACTUARIAL STUDY ITSELF, IS IT GONNA COST THE CITY ANYTHING EXTRA? YES, MA'AM.
UH, OUTLINING THE PRESENTATION, SO THE, THE, THE COST OF THE STUDY ITSELF WAS 10,000 ISH.
UH, THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS THAT WE COULD RUN FROM ANYWHERE FROM 2,500 TO $7,500 JUST TO DO THE STUDY.
AND THEN IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, IF THE CITY, ULTIMATELY THE ADMINISTRATION, THE CITY COUNCIL, DECIDE TO IMPLEMENT A SUBSIDY FOR RETI FOLKS AS THEY RETIRE FROM THE CITY, THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S ALL BEEN OUTLINED AS FAR AS WHAT THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS WOULD BE? THAT'S WHAT THE ACTUARIAL STUDY IS GONNA HELP US PERFORM.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS ON THE, UH, SHEET WHERE YOU HAD THE CITIES, WHAT ROUGHLY IS THEIR POPULATION? UM, YES, IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, UH, WELL, I, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT, AND YOU COULD BACK UP TOM, THE STUDY.
YEAH, 54 MINUTES, I BELIEVE IT WAS 54 SECONDS.
WE'LL GIVE, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE TIME.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS GRAPEVINE I SAW.
GRAPE GRAPEVINE IS SIMILAR IN SIZE TO DESOTO.
DENTON IS NOT POPULATION, NOT EXACTLY, BUT AROUND THE SAME POPULATION.
YEAH, I KNOW DENTON IS MUCH LARGER, BUT GRAPEVINE IS, IS ROUGHLY, UH, THE SAME SIZE AS YES MA'AM.
[03:15:01]
OF RETIREES OR THE, THE NUMBER OF APPROACHING RETIREES, IS THESE CITIES IN LINE WITH WHAT DESOTO IS IN? YEAH, I I, I THINK TO, TO START WITH, WE WOULD HAVE A SMALL RIGHT NOW, AND DANE AND I MET TODAY TO GO THROUGH THE YEAR END FINANCIALS.RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 26 PRE 65 RETIREES, AND THAT MAY INCLUDE A COUPLE OF POST 65 RETIREES, BUT 26 RETIREES THAT CHOOSE TO PURCHASE COVERAGE ON THEIR OWN.
MEANING THE CITY OFFERS IT, THEY PAY FOR IT.
AS IF WE WERE TO IMPLEMENT, UH, UH, A SUBSIDY ON THE COVERAGE, I DO BELIEVE WE WOULD START TO SEE INCREASES IN OUR PRE 65 RETIREE POPULATION THAT TAKES THE COVERAGE.
WHEREAS RIGHT NOW THEY MAY GO TO ANOTHER EMPLOYER, UH, TO TAKE THAT COVERAGE.
UH, IF THEY SEEK EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE AFTER THEY RETIRE FROM THE CITY, UM, THEY CAN GO TO HEALTHCARE.GOV OR OTHER INSURANCE EXCHANGES AND RECEIVE SUBSIDIES.
BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT POPULATION WOULD SLOWLY START TO INCREASE AS THEY RETIRE FROM THE CITY.
ANOTHER THING THAT THE, UH, ACTUARIAL STUDY WILL SHOW, UM, UH, WHAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE, THE POPULATION GROWTH IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA WOULD BE, OR THE ENROLLMENT, SO TO SPEAK.
SO TO THE QUESTION THAT SHE ASKS OR THAT SHE GOT CONSENSUS ON, IS YOU'RE ASKING, DO WE CONS, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD? IS THAT WHAT THE QUESTION WAS? YES.
SO THE QUESTION IS, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE STUDY, WHICH THE STUDY WILL ANSWER MANY OF THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF EVEN WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE MONETARILY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE ANSWERED THROUGH THE ACTUAL STUDY.
SO WE ARE JUST SAYING TONIGHT, OKAY, WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE 10,000 PLUS OR MINUS THE 25 TO 7,500 DEPENDING ON THE SCENARIOS WE ELECT TO GET ADDED TO THAT PARTICULAR STUDY.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THING WE'RE DECIDING ON IS IF WE WANNA SPEND THE 10,000 OR SO DOLLARS TO DO THE STUDY AND THEN THE STUDY WILL TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO CURRENTLY WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE JUST FOR DESOTO, AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT MANY, MANY FACTORS THAT AN ACTUARIAL STUDY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO SAY TONIGHT.
DO WE WANNA SPEND THE 10,000 OR SO TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY? ARE WE INTERESTED ENOUGH OR SEE THE BENEFIT ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY DO THE STUDY TO GET THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? AND IT WILL ALSO TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FINANCES TIME BECAUSE THEY WILL WORK HAND IN HAND WITH FINANCE BECAUSE FINANCE HAS TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE FINANCIALLY SOLVENT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE FINDINGS AND IMPLEMENT THE FINDINGS.
SO IT'S ALSO GONNA TAKE A LOT OF STAFF TIME AS WELL.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, WE NEED PERMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE 10,000 DOESN'T INCLUDE STAFF TIME, DID THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT? OKAY, THIS IS JUST FOR THE REPORT.
THE STUDY FOR THEIR CONSULTING WORK.
AND WE CAN'T GET THE ANSWER WITHOUT IT.
WE NEED AN ACTUARIAL STUDY TO HAVE THAT DONE.
IT ONLY APPEARS TO BE ONLY ONE WAY TO SKIN THIS CAT
COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, WHAT SAY YOU? UH, I'M A NO.
I WANT US TO GET PAST, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER PRIORITIES WE HAVE RELATED TO THE SPECIAL USE DISTRICT IN THE BUDGET SEASON.
HOLD ON, LET ME WRITE MY TALLY LIST HERE.
UH, I'M GONNA COME BACK TO MYSELF.
DR. MARKS, I'M A YES BECAUSE I'M IN THAT CATEGORY AND I KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE.
IT'S CHEAPER TO GET THE INSURANCE FROM THE EMPLOYER THAT YOU JUST LEFT THAN IT IS TO GO OUT AND SHOP FOR NEW.
SO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THOSE OF US.
YES, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM? YES.
[3. EXECUTIVE SESSION AND RESULTING POTENTIAL ACTION ]
TIME.THAT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. WE DO HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5, 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE CITY SECRETARY AND THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE.
UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, WE WILL NOW CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL RETURN AS A RESULT OF ANY ACTION TAKEN.
[03:20:05]
GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.IS THERE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME? MADAM HONOR, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, EXTEND OUR TIME, NOT COMPLETE OUR WORKSTATION, I'M SORRY, EXECUTIVE ATION.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM AND, UH, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS TO EXTEND OUR TIME, UH, SO THAT WE CAN FOR THE COMPLETION OF OUR, UM, REVIEWS.
UM, COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
COUNCIL, WE WILL RECONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME I MOVE THAT WE, UH, EXTEND OUR TIME AND NOT COMPLETE OUR WORK? I'M SORRY, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM AND, UH, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS TO EXTEND OUR TIME, UH, SO THAT WE CAN FOR THE COMPLETION OF OUR, UM, FOR REVIEWS.
UM, COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL BE RECONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[c. City Council will reconvene into open session and take necessary action, if any, as a result of executive session.]
WE HAVE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AND, UH, COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? WE SHOULD HAVE TWO MOTIONS, TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR.ONE FOR THE JUDGE, ONE FOR THE CITY SECRETARY.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE, UM, I'M TRYING TO SAY IT THE RIGHT WAY.
APPROVE THE SALARY INCREASE FOR OUR CITY SECRETARY.
ALL IN FAVOR OF PLEASE SAY AYE.
DOES THAT MOTION PASS UNANIMOUSLY OR THAT MOTION PASSES.
IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION? MADAM MAYOR? A MOVE THAT WE GIVE OUR CITY JUDGE, UM, UM, THE INCREASE OF, OF 1.8%.
SECOND, UH, THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN BUR SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIMM HUGHES.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY? YES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES.
SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BYRD TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED AT 12:04 PM THANK YOU COUNSEL.