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I WILL WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR MEETING.
IT IS 5:00 PM AND WE ARE GETTING READY TO CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'M GONNA ASK OUR INTERIM CITY SECRETARY IF SHE WOULD GIVE US A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
HERE, MAYOR PRO TEM CRYSTAL CHISHOLM.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIM WATERS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA.
THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.074 PERSONNEL TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT AND APPLICANT'S FOR THE POSITION OF CITY SECRETARY.
AFTERWARDS, WE WILL RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION AND TAKE ANY ACTION AS A RESULT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL IS 5 0 1, WE'LL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT IS 5:59 PM AND THE DESOTA CITY COUNCIL HAS CONVENED OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, THERE IS NO ACTION AS A RESULT OF THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT IS, UH, 5:59 PM IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEMP CHISHOLM TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
IT IS NOW 6:00 PM AND I WANT TO OPEN UP OUR SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT.
UM, AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA ASK OUR INTERIM CITY SECRETARY IF SHE WOULD OPEN US UP WITH A ROLL CALL PLEASE.
HERE, MAYOR PRO TIM CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE.
DEAR COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BYRD SR.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES HERE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[a. Presentation of the Curtistine S. McCowan Citizenship Award]
FIRST UP WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE KINE S MCOWEN CITIZENSHIP AWARD.MEGAN, A PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PROCTOR.
Y'ALL KNOW, I GOTTA CHECK EVERY TIME I GET UP HERE 'CAUSE I, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW Y'ALL RESPOND.
I AM JUST, I MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AS MANY OF YOU SHOULD KNOW.
UM, BUT I WANNA WELCOME EVERYBODY TO OUR MEETING TONIGHT.
BUT I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO PRESENT THIS AWARD THAT HAS, UH, BECOME TO BE VERY MUCH SO, A COVETED AWARD AND A RENOWNED AWARD BECAUSE OF, UH, NOT ONLY JUST BECAUSE IT IS AN AWARD, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO THIS AWARD, UM, CONTINUOUSLY REMINDS US OF THE INCREDIBLE LEGACY.
AND THAT IS THE LATE KINE ES MACAU.
AND I THINK WE CAN CLAP RIGHT THERE.
AND SO I HAVE THE VERY DISTINCT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO PRESENT THIS, THE 2025 KINE MCOWEN CITIZENSHIP AWARD.
AN ACCOLADE THAT CELEBRATES THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND COMPASSION THAT DEFINED THE LEGACY OF OUR BELOVED FORMER MAYOR.
AND I WANT TO JUST, BEFORE WE DO, UH, GET TOO FAR INTO THIS CELEBRATION, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAMILY OF THE LATE KINE AS MCOWEN.
AND MANY OF THEY, SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY.
I'M GONNA ASK IF YOU ALL WILL STAND, IF YOU CAN, MR. MCCOWEN, UH, FAMILY, PLEASE STAND SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU ALL.
AND THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO ASK IF MR. MCCOWEN WILL GRACE US WITH JUST A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE GET INTO ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THIS AWARD.
WOULD, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR US? THANK YOU, MR. MCCOWEN.
UH, TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, FRIENDS, IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE.
LET ME EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO DEEPAK AGAIN FOR, FOR THIS AWARD.
AND ALSO, LET ME SAY TO THE NOMINEES, YOU ARE ALL WINNERS.
AS I WAS SITTING THERE LISTENING, YES, AS I WAS SITTING THERE LISTENING TO EACH ONE OF THE, THE SHORT BRIEF INFORMATION, UH, I SAID, WELL, THEY ARE ALL WINNERS.
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ANY ONE OF 'EM COULD, COULD, COULD WIN.AND SO, UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE MATRIARCH OF KINE MCCOWAN'S FAMILY, LOUIN GARRETT AND HER HUSBAND, GEORGE GARRETT.
THEY JUST CELEBRATED 71 YEARS OF MARRIAGE.
MY OLDEST SON AND HIS WIFE, DANNY AND ANGIE MCOWEN, MY NEPHEW MACARTHUR AND REVEREND BRENDA SMITH.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS YEAR'S NOMINEES REPRESENT THE VERY BEST OF DESOTO.
THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE TIRELESS DEDICATION AND SELFLESS CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE STRENGTHENED THE FABRIC OF THIS COMMUNITY.
EACH ONE IS DEEPLY RESPECTED AND ADMIRED.
BUT TONIGHT WE SHINE SPOTLIGHT ON ONE EXCEPTIONAL CITIZEN.
I DON'T KNOW, DOES, DOES DEEPAK MEMBERS.
YOU ALL WANNA COME UP FOR THIS PART AS WELL.
I FEEL LIKE YOU ALL SH YOU ALL SHOULD BE HERE TO DO THIS AS WELL.
DON'T THEY LOOK GREAT? YOU KNOW, I GET IT.
I GET IN SO MUCH TROUBLE BECAUSE I LOVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE PEOPLE FOR STUFF THEY DO.
SOMETIMES THEY SAY I DO TOO MUCH.
BUT I FEEL LIKE ANYTIME, UH, INDIVIDUALS GIVE UP THEIR TIME, I FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND CELEBRATED.
SO THANK YOU DEEPAK FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR YEARS.
UM, AND WE'RE, YES, FORMER MAYOR PRO TEM ALL AROUND DESOTO, MS. DENISE VALENTINE, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE VISIONARY BEHIND DEEPAK.
I DON'T THINK MANY KNOW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DEEPAK HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR FORTITUDE AND YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS TO START THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND IT SPEAKS VOLUMES WHEN YOU CAN START SOMETHING.
'CAUSE MANY PEOPLE START THINGS, BUT OFTENTIMES THEY DON'T FINISH WELL.
AND SO TO HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS STILL GOING STRONG LIKE DEEPAK, UM, IS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SETTING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THIS ORGANIZATION.
SO, AT THIS TIME, WITH IMMENSE PRIDE AND HEARTFELT JOY, I PRESENT TO YOU THE 2025 INE MCOWEN CITIZENSHIP AWARD WINNER, A TRUE PILLAR OF OUR CITY, A CHAMPION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND A BEACON OF HOPE AND ACTION.
AND THAT IS DRUM ROLL, PLEASE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, BEFORE I ANNOUNCED THE WINNER, I THINK I WANNA
WE WANNA RECOGNIZE MISS SHEA WEAVER, MISS WEAVER'S UNWAVERING VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF DESOTO, HER LEADERSHIP.
WE BE HERE ALL NIGHT TRYING TO PINPOINT ALL THAT.
UH, MS. WEAVER'S HANDS TOUCH INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE'S ALWAYS, ALWAYS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
I'M GONNA GO OFF SCRIPT HERE JUST A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU MS. WEAVER.
AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, MS. WEAVER HAS THIS COMMUNITY AT HEART.
SHE LOVES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG WOMEN.
SHE'S ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING EVEN OUTSIDE OF DESOTO.
THAT'S HOW I MET HER AND CONNECTED WITH HER.
SHE WAS WORKING IN HER CHURCH AND PUTTING TOGETHER A GIRLS CONFERENCE, UH, FOR THOSE YOUNG WOMEN, MANY OF WHICH AGAIN, WENT ON TO DO GREAT THINGS BECAUSE OF THE SEEDS THAT SHE HAD PLANTED IN THEIR LIVES.
SO CAN WE JUST GIVE ONE MORE GREAT BIG HAND CLAP FOR MISS SHALANDA WEAVER.
AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE PRIZE, A LITTLE TOKEN, NOT JUST AN AWARD.
THEY GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT THAT FOLDS KIND OF WELL, IT DON'T REALLY FOLD.
IT'S A GIFT CARD, BUT YOU GET THE POINT.
MS. WEAVER, I'M GOING TO ASK IF YOU WILL HAVE SOME WORDS.
WELL, MS, NOW, NOW YOU'VE SAID IT NOW WE NOW SEE, SHE'S TALKING LIKE SHE'S AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.
WE GOING TO BE TAPPING THE WATCH IF YOU
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA GIVE PRAISES TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THE WORK THAT I DO AND JUST BLESSING ME AND WITH A WONDERFUL HUSBAND AND FAMILY WHO ALLOW ME TO DO SO.
I HAVE, IT IS JUST A PLEASURE JUST WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE NOMINEES HERE.
AND THEN I'VE WORKED WITH ALL OF YOU GUYS AS
[00:10:01]
WELL.SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, UM, JUST FOR EMBRACING, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, MY IDEAS AND JUST COMING TO YOU AND YOU JUST DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SAYING YES.
SO I COULDN'T DO ANY THAT I DO WITHOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
SO I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THIS IS SUCH AN HONOR AND I AM JUST SO BLESSED.
MR. MCOWEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST, I JUST LOVE WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL AND WE HAVE A GOOD TIME.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, MY, UH, TRUSTEES HERE IN THE BACK.
THAT SHOULD BE AT A SPECIAL CALL MEETING RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY'RE HERE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR NOMINATING ME.
WAIT, I THINK THEY WANNA GET SOME PHOTOS, MAYBE SOME OFFICIAL PHOTOS, MS. WEAVER.
WE CAN PUT THIS, SIT THIS HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, MS. WEAVER.
[b. Presentation of a proclamation honoring National GEAR UP Week]
MS. REYNOLDS, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL GEAR UP WEEK, MAKING A PRESENTATION IS COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, RECEIVED BY SHANTE DURAN AND DR.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION FOR GEAR UP.
AND DO WE HAVE DR, I'M SORRY, SHANTE DURRAN AND DR.
OH, PLEASE COME UP IF YOU ARE HERE.
I WANNA READ THE PROCLAMATION.
HOW YOU DOING? STAND RIGHT HERE BY ME, IF YOU WILL.
SO I'M GONNA READ THIS PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS THE GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS, GEAR UP IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LOW INCOME STUDENTS WHO ARE PREPARED TO ENTER AND SUCCEED IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
AND WHEREAS GEAR UP SERVES HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED STUDENTS IN THEIR FAMILIES FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WHO MIGHT BE BE THE FIRST PERSON IN THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
AND WHEREAS GEAR UP PROVIDES SIX OR SEVEN YEAR GRANTS TO STATES OR PARTNERSHIPS IN EFFORTS TO DELIVER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES STARTING NO LATER THAN SEVENTH GRADE, MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND ONWARD TO FULFILL THEIR DREAMS OF ATTAINING A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
AND WHEREAS GEAR UP INCLUDES INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS TUTORING, MENTORING, RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PREPARATION, FINANCIAL EDUCATION, AND COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR MINORITY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS GEAR UP IS BUILT AROUND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ENLISTING THE FORMIDABLE RESOURCES OF GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SUPPORT LOW INCOME STUDENTS AS THEY PREPARE TO ENTER AND SUCCEED IN COLLEGE.
AND WHEREAS THE NEXT GENERATION GEAR UP AND COLLEGE DRIVEN GEAR UP ARE PARTNERSHIPS OF THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, DALLAS COLLEGE PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNI
[00:15:01]
UNIVERSITY, TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN THAT SERVES STUDENTS IN THE CLASSES OF 20 25, 20 28, AND 2029 AT DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH GRADUATION AND INTO THEIR FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE.AND WHEREAS DESOTO, ISD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEXT GENERATION GEAR UP AND COLLEGE DRIVEN GEAR UP IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERY STUDENT, HELPING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL.
THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT PROUDLY SUPPORTS POSITIVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE CITY OF DESOTO PROUDLY SUPPORTS POSITIVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DESOTO COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR DO HEREBY DECLARE MY APPRECIATION TO THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025 AS NATIONAL GEAR UP WEEK IN THE CITY OF DESOTO AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNITION OF GEAR, UPS, HARD WORK, AND DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF DESOTO AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 15TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.
RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR ATTEST LAJEAN, RONALD REYNOLDS, INTERIM CITY SECRETARY.
I WILL JUST SAY SOMETHING BRIEFLY.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF DESOTO FOR BEING COMMITTED SUPPORTERS OF THE EDUCATION AND THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY OF DESOTO.
AND THAT BEING DESOTO, ISD, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND I'LL END WITH THIS BECAUSE I CHARGE ALL OF US TO TAKE OWNERSHIP IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE BUILDING OF THEIR FUTURES.
I BELIEVE THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURES.
TEACH THEM WELL AND LET THEM LEAVE THE WAY.
SHOW THEM ALL OF THE BEAUTY THAT THEY POSSESS INSIDE.
GIVE THEM A SENSE OF PRIDE TO MAKE IT EASY.
LET THE CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER REMIND US OF HOW WE USED TO BE.
AND BECAUSE OF SOMEONE WHO CAME BEFORE US, WE ALL SIT HERE IN OUR SEAS TODAY.
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT NEXT GENERATION GEAR UP AND COLLEGE DRIVEN GEAR UP HAS DONE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE CHILDREN OF DE SOTO.
CAN WE HAVE ANYONE THAT'S HERE WITH GEAR UP TO, TO COME ON UP? THANK YOU.
[c. Recognition of the Police Department promotion of Corporal Jacob Wheeler]
THIS TIME, MS. RONALDS, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.NEXT WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROMOTION OF CORPORAL JACOB WHEELER.
MAKING A PRESENTATION IS POLICE CHIEF COSTA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WITH ME, I HAVE ASSISTANT CHIEF SNICK.
UH, YOU KNOW, I I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME WHEN I GET UP HERE FOR THESE PROMOTIONS.
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT A CHIEF CAN DO IS, IS PROMOTE, UH, THEIR PEOPLE AS THEY, UH, THEY ADVANCE THROUGH THE RANKS.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE, UH, SOME OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, TAKE THOSE EXAMS, UH, EXCEL AT 'EM, AND, UH, AND THEN WE, WE PROMOTE THEM TO THE NEXT RANK.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE JACOB WHEELER, OFFICER JACOB WHEELER, COME ON UP WITH YOUR WIFE, JANIE SOTO.
SO WE ONLY HAVE ONE PROMOTION TONIGHT.
[00:20:01]
IT'S AN OFFICER TO CORPORAL THAT'S, UH, JACOB WHEELER.HE GETS THE FLOOR ALL TO HIMSELF, UH, NO OTHER PROMOTIONS.
AND SO, UH, UH, JACOB WHEELER.
I WANT TO, UH, PRESENT YOU WITH A PLAQUE THAT, UH, THAT SIGNIFIES YOUR PROMOTION.
AND WE'LL, UH, PRESENT HIS BADGE TO HIS WIFE SO SHE CAN PIN IT ON AND HIS SON.
HOPEFULLY THEY PRACTICE THIS AT HOME.
CONGRATULATIONS CORPORAL WHEELER.
[d. Presentation of a proclamation honoring National Senior Center Month]
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL SENIOR CENTER MONTH.
MAKING A PRESENTATION IS COUNCIL MEMBER BYRD, RECEIVED BY CHERYL HAYES, MADAM MAYOR.
SOMEONE ASKED, UH, WAS IT ON PURPOSE THAT I GET TO PRESENT THIS WONDERFUL AWARD? AND I TOLD HIM YES.
THERE IS A QUOTE THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU DON'T STOP LAUGHING WHEN YOU GROW OLD, YOU GROW OLD WHEN YOU STOP LAUGHING.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS, UM, PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER MONTH TRACES ITS ROOTS TO NATIONAL SENIOR WEEK, ESTABLISHED IN MAY, 1979, LATER RECOGNIZED BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN IN 1985 AND EXPANDED TO A A MONTH ALONE CELEBRATION IN SEPTEMBER, BEGINNING IN 2007.
AND WHEREAS THIS OBSERVANCE HIGHLIGHTS THE ESSENTIAL, THE ESSENTIAL ROLES OF SENIOR CITIZENS NATIONWIDE WITH STRONG SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGING, THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS AGING TASK FORCE, THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE'S DEDICATED TO AGING ISSUES.
AND WHEREAS IN 2020 25 THEME FOR NATIONAL SENIOR MONTH, UH, SENIOR CITIZEN MONTH IS POWERING POSSIBILITIES, FLIP THE STRIP, RECOGNIZING THAT SENIOR C SENIORS CENTERS NOT ONLY HELP OLDER ADULTS MAINTAIN WELLNESS AND INDEPENDENCE, BUT ALSO EMPOWER THEM TO, TO CHALLENGE STEREOTYPE AND STRENGTHEN THEM AND STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS SENIOR C CENTERS PROVIDE INNOVATIVE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER ENGAGEMENT, SUPPORT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND CREATE HUBS OF EXPERTISE, CONNECTIONS, AND COMMUNITY VITALITY.
AND WHEREAS THE DESOTO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A CORNERSTONE FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS, OFFERING DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS CREATIVE ARTS, FITNESS AND WELLNESS CLASSES, GAMES, SOCIAL EVENTS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND ENCOURAGE ACTIVITIES HEALTHY AND MEANINGFUL LIVES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DESOTO VALUES THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIS SENIOR POPULATION AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSIBLE PROGRAMS, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES THAT ENHANCE BOTH INDIVIDUAL WELLBEING AND COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY DO, WHO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER, 2025 AS NATIONAL SENIOR CENTER MONTH AND WITNESS THEREOF AND HAVE SET AND, AND HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 15 DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.
RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR LA GARRISON, RONALDS INTERIM CITY
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SECRETARY.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? WELL, I WOULD SAY ON BEHALF OF MS. D MCGEE, THE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER MANAGER, SUPER FANTASTIC MANAGER, I, UH, PROUDLY ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION AND I WILL DELIVER IT TO HER ON TOMORROW MORNING.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUR FOR READING THAT PROCLAMATION AND THANK YOU MS. HAYES FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
[e. Presentation of Financial Report August 2025]
IT.AT THIS TIME, MS. RONALDS, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.
WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL REPORT, AUGUST, 2025, MAKING A PRESENTATION IS INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR NIKITA SUTTON.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING A LOOK AT OUR AUGUST, 2025 FINANCIAL REPORT.
WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UH, AT THE, AS OF THE TIME OF THIS REPORT, WE ARE 92% INTO THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR GENERAL FUND TO SEE WHERE WE STAND.
AS OF AUGUST 31ST, WE'RE DOING REALLY GREAT WITH OUR REVENUE.
UM, OUR, OUR BUDGETED REVENUE IS 64.3 MILLION AND WE HAVE RECEIVED 60.6 MILLION OF THAT.
YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS REVENUE CATEGORIES LISTED THERE.
PROPERTY TAX, OF COURSE, IS OUR BIGGEST, UH, REVENUE SOURCE, FOLLOWED BY OUR SALES TAX.
UM, OUR, UM, FINES AND FOR FEATURES ARE OVER 100% AS WELL AS INTEREST REVENUE.
WE DID A, WE HAD MADE A PRETTY GOOD SHOT AT THAT.
UM, BASED ON THE DECLINING RATES, WE BUDGETED 900,000.
WE RECEIVED JUST OVER A MILLION IN OUR, UM, INTEREST REVENUE AS WELL AS OUR CHARGE FOR SERVICES.
OUR AMBULANCE SERVICES IS, UH, THE REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVED THERE BEEN DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL THIS YEAR AT 135.6%.
SO, UH, OVERALL WE'RE LOOKING GOOD AT 94.3% IN REVENUE COMPARED TO 96.8% THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES ARE LISTED THERE BY CATEGORY.
OUR, UH, BUDGETED EXPENSES WERE 65.8 MILLION.
WE HAVE SPENT 55.1 MILLION PUT IN THIS EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR AT 83.8%.
OF COURSE, THIS IS WHERE WE RECEIVE, UM, INCOME FOR OUR, UM, METER WATER CELLS AND OUR SEWER CELLS, AS WELL AS, UH, REVENUE FOR, UH, NEW SUBDIVISIONS AND VARIOUS OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS RECONNECTS AFTER HOURS, UM, AND OTHER SERVICE REVENUE.
AND THAT FUND, WE BUDGET 30.4 MILLION IN REVENUE YEAR TO DAY.
WE'VE RECEIVED 28.9 MILLION OF THAT PUTTING US AT 95% COMPARED TO 92% THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
OUR EXPENSES IN THE PUBLIC UTILITY FUND ARE LISTED BY CATEGORY.
WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC UTILITY ADMINISTRATION IS AT 88%.
UTILITY BILLING DEPARTMENT IS AT 91.6%.
UTILITY FILL OPERATIONS, 88.2%.
UH, UTILITY FIELD OPERATIONS IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR EXPENSES ARE PAID, WHERE WE PAY FOR OUR WATER THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THEN OUR NON-DEPARTMENTAL IS AT 71.9%, PUTTING US AT 83.8% COMPARED TO 99% THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
OUR SANITATION FUND, OUR SANITATION FUND, WE BUDGETED 7.3 MILLION IN REVENUE.
AND YEAR TO DATE, WE WILL HAVE RECEIVED 6.9 MILLION, PUTTING US AT 94.9% COURSE IN THAT FUND.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUE IS GONNA COME FROM OUR RESIDENTIAL AND OUR COMMERCIAL SANITATION FEES THAT WE, UH, BILL TO CUSTOMERS ABOUT 94.9% COMPARED TO 96.8% LAST YEAR.
OUR EXPENSES ARE LISTED THERE AS WELL, PUTTING US AS 74.5% ON OUR EXPENSES COMPARED TO 75% LAST YEAR.
YOUR REPORT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, ALL OF THE OTHER FUNDS, ALL OF OUR SPECIAL REVENUE
[00:30:01]
FUNDS, OUR CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS WHERE WE OF COURSE PAY FOR OUR VARIOUS STREET AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AS WELL AS A HUB REPORT.AND I'M PROUD TO SAY WE'RE AT 17.1%.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS 20% CLOSER THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN, UM, COMPARE TO 4.9% THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
SO WE CAN CREDIT THE MAJORITY OF THAT TO THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AT THE AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER.
UH, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. SUTTON FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, MR. GLOVER AND ON AND ALL YOUR TEAM'S EFFORTS WITH OUR MWVE NUMBERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN THE STREETS IS WHAT THEY SAY IN MY GENERATION, RIGHT? THEY SAY THAT DESOTO, UM, DOESN'T HAVE ANY MONEY, RIGHT? BUT THEN WITH THIS BEING ONE MONTH OUT FROM OUR BUDGET, YOU SAID 92%, ONE MORE MONTH, RIGHT? MM-HMM
OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS HAS A SURPLUS OF 5.5 MILLION.
OUR UTILITY FUND, WHICH HAS A SURPLUS OF 1.3 MILLION AND OUR SANITATION FUND, WHICH HAS A SURPLUS OF 1.6 MILLION.
NOW, YOU ARE NOT EXPECTING ANY DELAYED STUFF TO HAPPEN THAT'S GONNA THROW THIS OFF THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T SEEN YET, RIGHT? NO, WE EXPECT FOR EVERYTHING TO BE NORMAL.
UM, THERE'S A REMINDER WE DO HAVE A HEALTHY $32 MILLION IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
WHICH WE'RE TRACKING VERY WELL THERE.
AND FURTHERMORE, THIS BUDGET SHOWS THAT WE ARE VERY HEALTHY IN OUR SPENDING JUST WITH THIS CURRENT YEAR AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT, YOU KNOW.
UH, THE ONLY THERE, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT I DID HAVE CONCERN, OF COURSE.
SALES TAX, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE.
YOU SAID WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE.
THE, THE GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR, EITHER WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT THE SAME.
IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER SAD FACE FOR US.
BUT I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT THE CDBG FUNDS BECAUSE I DID SEE THAT THAT WAS LOW'S AROUND 57%.
AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THAT IS A LAG BE BECAUSE OF VENDORS, BECAUSE OF APPLICATIONS, BECAUSE I KNOW THOSE FUNDS ARE TIMED, MEANING YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THEM AFTER SO MUCH TIME.
SO ARE, ARE WE IN A GOOD PLACE WITH OUR CDGB FUNDS OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT'S DRIVING IT TO BE SO LOW AT THE CURRENT TIME? UH, WELL, AS FAR AS WITH FINANCE, I DON'T KNOW IF MS. WILLIAMS WANTS TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THE CDBG FUND, BUT, UM, OF COURSE IT IS BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE PROJECT.
AND WHEN WE ARE BILLED BY THOSE VENDORS.
SO AS FAR AS WHAT'S SHOWING ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT IS BASICALLY JUST WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR GENERAL LEDGER YEAR TO DATE, UM, THAT'S A, I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE DETAIL OTHER THAN THAT ON TONIGHT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING FURTHER YOU WANT, UM, TO KNOW REGARDING, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC PROJECT DETAILS, WE CAN SURELY COMPILE THAT FOR YOU.
YEAH, I THINK THAT IF YOU COULD JUST CIR, I MEAN CIRCLE BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND JUST LET US KNOW ABOUT THOSE GRANT, UM, FUNDS AND, UM, THE PERCENTAGE WISE SO LOW WHEN WE'RE MONTH OUT.
BUT GREAT JOB TO EVERYONE THAT PARTAKES IN THE REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURES, WHICH APPEAR TO BE VERY CONTROLLED AS WELL.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I ACTUALLY DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CDBG AS WELL.
UM, I WAS WONDERING, UH, WHY THE REVENUE IS UPSIDE DOWN AS OPPOSED TO THE EXPENDITURES.
'CAUSE IT SHOWS EVENLY ALMOST IN EXPENDITURES RIGHT AT THAT 91%, BUT IN REVENUE IT SHOWS LOW.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS ON THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS 1 0 4, 100 4%.
UM, WHERE, WHERE DOES THAT, HOW IS THAT BEING ACCOUNTED FOR? WHAT IS THAT IN THE ECONOMIC EXTENT AND THE GENERAL FUND? CORRECT.
UM, THAT EXPENDITURE IS SHOWING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED.
WE BUDGETED THE 2.45 MILLION AND WE'VE SPENT 2.56 MILLION.
WE PAID, UH, TWO OF, UM, TWO ENTITIES THIS YEAR OUT OF OUR ECONOMIC INCENTIVES.
WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC INCENTIVE WITH KOHLER AND ALSO ONE WITH SMOOTHIE KING.
AND, UH, WE MIS BUDGETED, UM, THE ONE WE KOHLER WE WERE SCHEDULED, OUR LAST SCHEDULED PAYMENT TO KOHLER WOULD HAVE BEEN $30,000.
BUT ACCORDING TO THEIR CONTRACT, WE SHOULD HAVE BUDGETED $40,000 BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON THEIR SALES AND IT'S AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE, YOU KNOW, AS BEFORE, UM, ACCORDING TO THEIR EC THEIR THREE 80 AGREEMENT.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS THE PAYMENT TO KOHLER THAT WAS MORE THAN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY BUDGET BUDGETED.
AND, UH, I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT, UH, WHERE IN HERE DOES IT SHOW
[00:35:01]
THE, UM, THE EXPENDITURE OF THE GOLF COURSE? THE GOLF COURSE IS IN, UM, ON THE CAPITAL PROJECTS PAGE.SO IF YOU GO TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, YOU SAID CAPITAL PROJECTS, UHHUH
SO, UM, THERE IS A SHEET THAT SAYS CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS, NOT ON THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IN YOUR ACTUAL REPORT, CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS.
IF YOU LOOK AT FUND 4 86, UH, THE BOTTOM PART THAT TELLS YOU, UH, WHAT THE BUDGET WAS AND FUND 4 86 AND WHAT WE HAVE PAID SO FAR, THE 4.9 MILLION THAT WE'VE SPENT YEAR TO DATE.
OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER CAPITAL ITEMS IN THERE TOO.
BUT, UM, THE MORE THAN $2.5 MILLION THAT WE PAY FOR THE GOLF COURSE, THAT'S A PART OF THAT 4.59 MILLION.
AND THEN THE ACTUAL, UM, ANY FINANCIALS FOR THE GOLF COURSE? WHERE IS THAT? IN HERE? WE WANT TO START, UM, ACTUALLY INCLUDING THOSE, HOPEFULLY FOR SEPTEMBER WE'LL HAVE A SEPARATE SHEET TO INCLUDE FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
WE ARE STILL ONBOARDING THE GOLF COURSE, SO WE ARE, WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY UP AND RUNNING WITH FINANCIALS FOR THE GOLF COURSE YET.
WE DO RECEIVE MONTHLY REPORTS FROM THE GOLF COURSE AND HOW THEY'RE DOING.
BUT, UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT TO, TO TRANSFER EVERYTHING OVER TO THE CITY AND, UH, TO GET EVERYTHING FULLY ON OUR BOOKS.
SO THE CITY COUNCIL WON'T ACTUALLY GET JULY AND AUGUST CITY MANAGER? UH, I BELIEVE IN HIS NEXT SCHEDULE REPORT.
HE WANTS TO, OR WHENEVER, WHENEVER WE HAVE IT COMPILED.
I DON'T WANNA SAY THE NEXT REPORT, BUT WHENEVER WE HAVE IT COMPILED, WANTS TO GO BACK TO WHENEVER WE FIRST PURCHASED THE GOLF COURSE SO THAT HE CAN PRESENT YOU WITH WHAT HAPPENED, UM, IN JULY AND AUGUST AS WELL.
SO IT, AT, AT SOME POINT, COUNSEL WILL BE CAUGHT UP TO WHERE WE HAVE LANDED WITH, UM, OUR GROSS OPERATING PROFIT FOR THE GOLF COURSE SINCE WE PURCHASED IT.
AND SO MY ONLY QUESTION, THE REASON I, WAS I EVEN ASKING THIS BECAUSE MM-HMM
WE ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK UPON AN ADOPTION OF A BUDGET.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE NUMBERS FROM THE GOLF COURSE IS FULLY CLEAR YES.
SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW THEY AFFECT THIS BUDGET.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING INTO, 'CAUSE WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE ACTUALLY WENT AHEAD AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT.
WE'VE ALREADY CREATED, UM, THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE CREATE, UM, AN, UH, A SEPARATE ENTERPRISE FUND MM-HMM
SO YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT HAS BEEN CREATED.
AND IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, YOU WILL SEE A PAGE, UH, FOR FUND, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT'S IN ONE OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
AND WE DO HAVE PROJECTED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
AND THAT'S THE BUDGET THAT'S SITTING ON THE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW? YES, MA'AM.
IT'S NOT IN THERE RIGHT NOW THOUGH.
THEN I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
ARE YOU BACK? THANK YOU, COUNSEL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. SUTTON BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA? HEY, SEEING NO LIGHTS? THANK YOU MS. SUTTON.
[f. Presentation of the Nance Farm Project Update]
WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE N FARM PROJECT UPDATE.
MAKING A PRESENTATION IS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, DR.
ESTHER WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT.
UM, THE UPDATE FOR NANCE FARM PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE, UM, ROI UPDATE.
I ALSO HAVE WITH ME, UH, JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE, UH, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
MS. ROLANDA BRIGHAM, OUR, UM, ARTS CULTURE AND HERITAGE MANAGER, IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR HER AS WELL.
SO OUR, UM, THE INTRODUCTION PROJECT OVERVIEW, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE BUDGET OVERVIEW WILL BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT, AS WELL AS THE ROI CONSIDERATIONS, PROJECTED REVENUE AND EXPENSES, AS WELL AS NEXT STEPS.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN OUR NAN'S FARM TRANSFORMATION, UM, INTO A CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY HUB.
UH, THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND THE STRATEGIC GOAL CONNECTION IS FOR BUSINESS FRIENDLY GOVERNANCE AS WELL AS SAFE AND HEALTHY LIVING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THE VISION FOR NANCE FARM WAS TO BLEND A HISTORIC PRESERVATION WITH MODERN COMMUNITY USE.
THIS PROJECT NOT ONLY PROTECTS OUR HISTORY, BUT ALSO PROVIDES A NEW GATHERING PLACE FOR ARTS, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING.
UM, WE HAVE HAD OUR COMM, THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THREE YEARS.
UM, AND THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN SHAPED BY CONSISTENT COMMUNITY INPUT.
STARTING IN JULY, 2022, WE HOSTED, UH, KICKOFF MEETINGS AND ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS.
RESIDENTS PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON THE MASTER PLAN, SELECTED PICNIC AREA DESIGNS, TOLD US WHAT THEY DID NOT WANT, AND REVIEWED, UM, OPERATING BUDGETS BY 2023
[00:40:01]
AND 2024.WE HAD SEVERAL COUNCIL APPROVALS ON ZONING REZONING, AND AS WELL AS THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION REVIEWS, WHICH ADVANCE THE PROJECT FORWARD.
AND EACH STEP HAS BALANCED PROFESSIONAL PLANNING WITH RESIDENTIAL, UM, PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, FOR THE DESIGN AND PLANNING, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $583,500 THAT WAS BUDGETED.
AND WE ARE PRETTY MUCH AT THE, UM, AT THE END OF, UH, COMPLETING THAT PHASE.
WE ALSO HAVE PHASE ONE, WHICH IS, UH, CONSIDERED OUR CORE FACILITIES AT 3.71 MILLION, WHICH IS ALSO BUDGETED.
AND THEN WE HAVE FUTURE PHASES OF SITE AND LANDSCAPING AT 2.58 ESTIMATED, UM, EXPENSE AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF ALTERNATES AT A TOTAL OF 283,000 TOTAL INVESTMENT WOULD BE ABOUT 687 MILLION, UH, 6.87 MILLION.
UM, AND, UH, AT 7.15 MILLION WITH THE ALTERNATES.
SO RETURN OF INVESTMENT CON CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE COMMUNITY, FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE EXPANDING OUR ARTS PROGRAMMING, UM, THROUGH THE USE OF THE NEW ARTS FACILITIES, AS WELL AS CREATING GATHERING SPACES FOR OUR HOAS, OUR COMMUNITY, UM, COMMITTEES, OUR, UM, OUR CITY EVENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, FOR FINANCIAL, UH, RETURN INVESTMENT, WE DO PROJECT A NEAR BREAK EVEN BY YEAR FIVE THROUGH RENTALS, PROGRAMS, AND CONCESSIONS.
UM, AND OUR ECONOMIC ROI INCLUDES VISITOR DROP BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING IN, UH, VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY, WHICH WILL THEN, UH, UM, RELATE TO OUR LOCAL SPENDING AND RESTAURANTS, RETAIL AND LODGING.
SO THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT BASED ON HOW OUR, UM, CONSULTANTS AND OUR, OUR STAFF AND, AND COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO KIND OF GIVE A PROJECTED REVENUE AND PROJECTED EXPENSES, UH, TOTAL REVENUE, WHICH SHOULD EQUAL, UM, ABOUT 350,000.
AND BY YEAR FIVE, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE A TOTAL, UM, I'M SORRY, TOTAL EXPENSE BY YEAR FIVE.
TOTAL REVENUE BY YEAR FIVE WOULD BE ABOUT 350,000.
AND WE WOULD HAVE A TOTAL EXPENSE OF ABOUT 334,000 WITH, UM, UH, CITY, UM, INPUT OF ABOUT 16,000 ANNUALLY.
SO THAT WOULD BE OUR, OUR INPUT.
SO OUR, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, OUR IMMEDIATE PRIORITY WILL BE TO FINALIZE THE BID SOLICITATION IN THE, IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2026, FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO STAY ON TRACK FOR GROUNDBREAKING IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 26 AND CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FIRST PHASE, UM, TO RUN IT FROM THAT POINT ALL THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 2027.
IN PARALLEL, DURING THAT TIME, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DEVELOPING A SPONSORSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP MODEL TO HELP SUPPORT BOTH THE PROGRAMMING AND LONG-TERM OPERATIONS.
SO AS WE CLOSE, UM, I DO WANT TO REINFORCE THE VISION THAT THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT BLENDING HISTORY, ARTS, AND COMMUNITY INTO A SPACE THAT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF DESOTO.
SO FINALLY, WE DO WELCOME QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK.
AND ROLANDA, DO YOU WANNA COME ON UP HERE WITH ME? GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.
UM, I DO SEE SOME LIGHTS FROM COUNCIL, UH, COUNCILMAN BYRD AND THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
UH, DR. WILLIAMS, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SAID THAT WE'RE SPENDING $7.1 MILLION, IF YOU'LL GO BACK TO THAT, WE'RE SPENDING 7.1, UH, $7.1 MILLION IF WE PUT IN ALL OF THE, UM, ALL OF, ALL OF THE OTH OTHER STUFF THAT WE WANNA PUT ON IT.
I WANNA GO GO BACK TO OUR, OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE FIVE YEARS, UH, THAT IT WOULD BE FIVE YEAR, UH, NEAR BREAK EVEN BY YEAR FIVE THROUGH RENTALS.
UM, WHAT IS, IS THERE CURRENTLY ANY DATA ON WHAT THE DRAW IS TO NEST FORM CURRENTLY? ANY DATA? YES, THERE IS.
WHAT IS THAT? THE DRAW TO NANCE FARM WITH THE ARTIST HUB PEOPLE WILL BE, WILL RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS WILL BE COMING TO VIEW THE HISTORICAL RELEVANCE OF IT.
THEY'LL BE COMING FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THEY'LL BE COMING FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, UH, UH, MICRO WEDDINGS.
UM, WE HAVE A WHOLE BIG SHEET OF THEM, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WITH NO MORE THAN 75 PEOPLE AT ONE TIME, EXCEPT FOR FOUR TIMES DURING THE YEAR, AS PER THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES THAT THE RESIDENTS PUT
[00:45:01]
IN PLACE.AND I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HOPE IT WILL DRAW MY CURRENT, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE INTEREST IN IT CURRENTLY? THE INTEREST IN IT AS AN ARTIST HUB, IT WILL BE THE HOME FOR THE DESOTO ARTIST LAB.
IT WILL HOUSE OUR ARTIST THERE.
AND THEY WILL BE GIVING FREE WORKSHOPS TO CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE, UH, CITY OF DESOTO AND, UH, HAVING OTHER WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS.
BUT WE WILL NEVER CHARGE KIDS.
I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF, OF, OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ON RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UH, HERE RECENTLY.
AND SO I, I'M TRYING TO ASCERTAIN IF IT'S GOING TO BE FIVE YEARS BEFORE WE GET NEAR BREAKTHROUGH RENTAL, WE'RE GONNA INVEST $7 MILLION AGAIN, $7 MILLION.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IS HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE WE RECOUP ANY PART OF THAT $7 MILLION AND NOT, AND AND YOU SAY NEAR BREAK EVEN.
THAT'S, I'M, I'M TAKING THAT TO BE JUST OPERATIONALLY WHERE, WHERE IT TAKES TO OPERATE IT.
WHAT IS THE ANNUAL OPERATION COST OF IT? AND, AND THEN WILL WE, WILL IT BE A LOSS LEADER? LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER HERE IN THE CITY? WELL, WE STAND TO WITH, WE STAND TO MAKE, THE CITY STANDS TO MAKE AROUND 16, 16,000, 16,000 ON A $7 MILLION INVESTMENT.
NO, $16,000 A YEAR AFTER THAT.
BUT THAT'S FOR AS SOON AS IT'S UP AND GOING.
AND THAT'S JUST ON THE LOW END.
BUT I DIDN'T WANT, WE DIDN'T WANNA PROJECT ANYMORE.
WE WERE GOING OFF THE PERFORMER, THE OPERATING EXPENSES AS OPPOSED TO THAT.
AND WE, THE CITY, INSTEAD OF COMING OUT WITH THE LOSS, WE END UP MAKING MONEY.
WE HAD MORE, BUT AS PER THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, THEY CHOSE TO DIMINISH THE AMOUNT OF, UH, EVENTS WE COULD HAVE BECAUSE IT IS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THEIR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE LISTENED TO THEM AND THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THEY WANTED A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD JUST COME AND SIT AND ENJOY NATURE AND ENJOY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ENJOY, UM, ALL THAT NANCE FARM HAS TO OFFER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ARTS AND THE MUSIC AND THE, UH, HISTORICAL RELEVANCE OF IT.
AND THEY JUST WANT A PLACE WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET IN THEIR CAR AND DRIVE OVER TO SOME OTHER PARK.
THIS IS RIGHT WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY'RE ALL FOR IT.
YES, I WAS GONNA SAY, WE CAN GET YOU SOME DATA ON BOTH THE MONETARY RETURN INVESTMENT AND DATA ON SURVEYS THAT SHOW SOME OF THE COMMUNITY RETURN INVESTMENTS AS WELL.
I WAS THE ONE WHO VOTED FOR IT, BUT I'M LOOKING NOW AND JUST WONDERING, JUST WANT TO QUANTIFY, WE ARE VERY INTERESTED AS A CITY RIGHT NOW ON RETURN ON INVESTMENTS.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO, WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE, UH, FISCALLY, UH, CONSERVATIVE AND RESPONSIVE.
BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ITEMS, UH, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAD TO REDUCE IT BECAUSE THE CITIZENS ACTUALLY IN THE AREA DID NOT REALLY WANT IT TO BE AN EVENT CENTER.
AND SO, UH, WE HAD TO BRING THAT THING IN.
WHICH, WHICH WOULD LIMIT THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE REVENUES.
I, I PERFECTLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND SO I REALLY WANT TO DIVE INTO RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SPENT ALREADY? UM, THE 500, WAS THAT THE DESIGN? ABOUT $600,000.
WE SPENT $600,000 ALREADY WITH, UH, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED CONSTRUCTION YET, IS THAT CORRECT? WE DID DEMOLITION, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND BEFORE WE MAKE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, WE'VE GOT TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
WE HAVE TO STAFF IT, WE HAVE TO DO ALL OF THAT THING.
SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE MORE, MORE, MORE INFORMATION.
AGAIN, I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS.
UH, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL, UH, IT COULD BE A WONDERFUL PROJECT.
UH, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT THE ROI, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, MAKING SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING, UH, IS GOING TO ACTUALLY DRAW, UM, UH, PEOPLE IN.
WE KNOW WHAT WE HOPE IT WOULD DO.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S COMING FROM THE HOT FUND, UH, TO PUT HEADS IN BED TO, TO QUOTE ONE OF MY, UH, PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT, BUT I WOULD REALLY WANT TO DIVE INTO THAT.
WELL MY, MY, UH, QUESTION IS SIMILAR TO YOURS, BUT TO DRAW PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE IN THE SOTO TO THIS.
[00:50:01]
BUDGET FOR MARKETING? BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS A SEED, IS YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME MARKETING.I'M CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT IN THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION.
AND, UH, IT IS A PRIORITY, BUT, UH, I, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING ON IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, COMING BEFORE US TONIGHT.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, 'CAUSE WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE BUDGET OVERVIEW, I WAS LOOKING AT WHERE IT SAYS THE CORE IS 6.87 AND I, AND I GUESS I DIDN'T CALCULATE IT CORRECTLY 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT CORE FACILITIES WHERE IT SAYS PHASE ONE AND THEN THE DI DESIGN, THE DESIGN IS GONE.
WE'VE ALREADY SPENT THAT, RIGHT? YES.
SO THE PHASE ONE IS ACTUALLY CORE PHASE ONE, TWO.
SO BASED ON THAT, THAT'S THE 3.71.
AND THAT INCLUDES, I'M SURE, QUITE A FEW ITEMS. BUT WHERE IT SAYS 6.87, WHERE IS THAT NUMBER COMING FROM? THAT'S ALL OF THE DESIGN AND PLANNING PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO.
SO PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO IS CORE? CORRECT.
AND, AND AS FAR AS THE DESIGN IS CONCERNED, THE DESIGN THAT WAS PROVIDED IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY TELLS YOU YOU NEED THE 2.8, UH, 2.58 FOR SITE AND LANDSCAPING? CORRECT.
I'D LIKE TO, I, I WOULD LOVE TO DELVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THOSE AS WELL.
UM, AT, AT THE EARLIEST CONVENIENCE COUNCIL MEMBER, THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE OF PHASES.
ONE PHASE IS THROUGH THE MAIN BUILDING, I BELIEVE MM-HMM
UH, IT'S THE, UH, RECEPTION AREA AND SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, CAN, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE? YES.
AND PHASE TWO WOULD BE THE AMPHITHEATER AND SOMETHING ELSE.
SO PLEASE GO THROUGH THOSE PHASES AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF DETAILS.
PHASE ONE, AND I'LL START WITH PHASE ONE.
PHASE ONE CONSISTS OF DEMOLITION OF THE CARRIAGE HOUSE AND THE, UH, PUTTING UP OF THE EIGHT FOOT MASONRY FENCE.
THE DOES THE BUILDING OF THE NEW BUILDING, THE NEW ART CENTER, AND THE TOTAL RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC MAIN HOUSE.
ALL OF THAT IS PART OF PHASE ONE.
PHASE TWO IS THE RESTORATION OF THE BARN AND ALL OF THE LANDSCAPING AND SITE WORK WHERE WE'LL BE PUTTING IN 42 PARKING SPOTS OVER WHERE THE RESTROOM BUILDING ALREADY IS.
AND WE'LL BE LEVELING OUT THE LAND AND PUTTING IN THE WALKING PATH THAT THE RESIDENTS WANTED.
AND, UM, PUTTING, FIXING THE PLANTING TREES AND MORE SHRUBBERY AND ALSO MAKING THE STEPPED SEATING BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS CHOSE NOT TO HAVE AN AMPHITHEATER.
WE GAVE THEM OPTIONS AND THEY CHOSE TO HAVE A STEPPED PICNIC SEATING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD DO.
SO WE WOULD HAVE IT A DA ACCESSIBLE.
AND ALL OF THAT'S PART OF PHASE TWO.
AND THE ALTERNATIVES IS THE HVAC IN THE HOUSE AND THE, IT'S THE HVAC AND THE HVAC.
AND THERE'S ONE OTHER ITEM THAT ESCAPES ME RIGHT NOW.
SO, SO WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE TIMELINE, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION.
YOU THINK IN TERMS OF PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO, THE TIMELINE DOESN'T ACTUALLY ALLUDE TO WHICH ONE IS WHICH.
PHASE ONE, WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW, I'M PROUD TO SAY, TO GO OUT TO BID SEPTEMBER 24TH.
AND WITH THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING, WE ARE UPDATING THE TIMELINE AND I CAN GET YOU AN UPDATED TIMELINE, UH, BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
I WON'T SAY TOMORROW BECAUSE I WANNA BE TRUTHFUL.
I CAN GET AT THE END OF NEXT WEEK THE UPDATED TIMELINE.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING TO BID ON SEPTEMBER 24TH.
UM, BID NORMALLY GOES FOR AROUND 30 DAYS, AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE PROCESS OF, YOU KNOW, VETTING THE, UH, CONTRACTORS WHO ARE BIDDING FOR THIS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY BREAKING GROUND BEFORE 2026.
'CAUSE ACCORDING TO THIS RIGHT HERE, THIS, UH, IT DOES NEED SOME, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CARE.
IT DOES SAY THAT IT WON'T BREAK GROUND UNTIL QUARTER THREE OF 2026.
[00:55:01]
RIGHT? I HAVE TO, WHICH IS WAITING NEXT YEAR.BECAUSE WE JUST GOT SOME WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING NOW.
AND OUR TIMELINE HAS BEEN ACCELERATED BECAUSE THINGS ARE NOW FALLING INTO PLACE AND THE TRAIN IS BACK ON TRACK.
AND WILL THE MASONRY WALL CUT OFF THE, UM, THE MEMORIAL AREA? NO, THE MASONRY FENCE GOES ON EITHER SIDE AND AROUND, AND THEN IT'S LIKE THIS, IT STARTS AT THE MEMORIAL AND IT GOES LIKE THIS.
AND THEN THE AREA WITH THE CREEK, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WROUGHT IRON FENCE RIGHT THERE, AND WE'RE GONNA CLEAN UP ALL OF THAT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SIT AND LISTEN TO THE WATER AND LOOK AT THE CREEK AND WATCH THE COYOTES RUN.
AND THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THIS? OH, YES.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUE DOWN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BYRD FOR, UM, YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, I TOO HAVE CONCERNS LOOKING AT THE COST, I SEE THE, UM, UNBUDGETED, AND I KNOW THAT IS, THIS IS BEING PAID THROUGH THE HOT TAX, IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? YES, MA'AM.
IN HIGH TAX, WE LEARNED MOST RECENTLY, WE HAVE A FEW HOTELS THAT THINK WE'RE A 5 0 1 C3, UM, AND THEY DON'T OWE US ANY MONEY.
AND SO IT CAN BE VOLATILE AT TIMES.
IS THERE A CONTINGENCY FUNDING SOURCE FOR THIS IF THAT FUND IS NOT AVAILABLE? WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON GRANTS TO, UH, SUPPLEMENT THAT AND ALSO ON A PROJECT TO MAKE THE CITY A HISTORICAL, UH, HISTORICAL DESIGNATION SO THAT THAT WILL OPEN US UP TO BIGGER, UM, FEDERAL GRANTS.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THAT AS WE SPEAK, SO THAT IN THE EVENT, LIKE YOU SAY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE PLAN B AND PLAN C ALREADY IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.
UM, I KNOW FEDERAL GRANTS ARE A LITTLE, UM, THANK YOU.
IFFY RIGHT NOW,
UM, AND I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CUTS.
SO IS THERE ONE THAT YOU ALL ARE CURRENTLY, LIKE, PROACTIVELY ALREADY SUBMITTING RIGHT NOW? OR IS IT JUST A HOPE THAT THESE GRANTS WILL COME ONCE WE GET THE, UH, DESIGNATION? NO, THERE'S NOT A HOPE.
WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING ON SOMETHING SOLID AND CONCRETE WE'RE WORKING ON.
ONCE WE BECOME A HISTORIC DESIGNATION, THAT TAKES US TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL AND THE REGULAR GRANTS THAT EVERYBODY APPLIES FOR, WE CAN GET THOSE.
BUT THEN WE'RE UP ON THE NEXT TIER AND WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS.
AND I'VE LOOKED AT THEM AND WE, WE FALL UNDER EVERYTHING FOR THOSE, BUT I CAN'T APPLY FOR THEM UNTIL I GET THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT.
AND MY LAST, UM, I KNOW THAT THE, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TELLING ME THAT.
I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THE NET WILL BE 16,000 A YEAR.
UM, YOU'RE AVERAGING THE, OR YOU'RE FORECASTING THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSE TO BE $334,000 ROUGHLY.
UM, IS THAT COMING OUT OF, WHAT IS THAT THE GENERAL FUND? IS THAT THE PARKS FUND? IS THAT THE, UH, WHO'S WHOSE FUND IS, IS IS PAYING THE OPERATIONAL FORECAST? WOULD THAT BE 'CAUSE AND I WAS, THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT IS 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF OTHER PROJECTS WE HAVE COMING ON, OPERATIONAL COSTS HAVE BEEN A BIT I ITEM, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, LIKE FROM A FUNDING PERSPECTIVE, JUST FROM A, UNTIL GRANTS HIT, WHO, WHO'S CA WHICH FUND WOULD BE CASHING THAT CHECK? WOULD THAT BE UNDER LIBRARY OR PARKS? FROM MY, FROM, UM, THE PLANS THAT I'VE SEEN, WE ARE GOING TO BE FUNDING, AT LEAST THE SALARIES FROM OUR GENERAL FUND, FROM MY DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE, UM, CAPITAL EXPENSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY BUDGETED FOR THAT IN YOUR CORRECT.
UM, WHEN THEY DID THE DESIGN, WAS THERE ANY SCALE BACK OPTION? YES.
AND I, I MAY BE OUT OF PLACE FOR THIS CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DO, BUT, UM, HEARING THIS AND THIS FRESH CONVERSATION, I DON'T, I DON'T, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROI THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE UNBUDGETED AND WHAT'S
[01:00:01]
TO COME FROM THAT, AND HOW WE'LL FUND FROM THE OPERATIONAL, NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE SURVEY THAT WE JUST HAD DONE, DOES IT ALIGN WITH WHAT, WHAT OUR INITIATIVE SHOULD BE? AND IS THIS EXPENSE BEYOND? 'CAUSE I, I, I, WE STARTED THIS, WHAT, TWO, THREE YEARS AGO? SO I'M KIND OF LOST ON, UM, IF THE 7 MILLION WAS ALWAYS A FACTOR AND I'VE JUST BEEN SLEEPING PROBABLY SO LONG.I APPRECIATE YOU, MS. BE THANK YOU.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES WILL BE OUR LAST COMMENT ON THAT, AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON IF THERE'S ANY OTHER DIRECTION OR COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK YOU ALL NEED FROM THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM.
I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB.
IT WASN'T EASY GETTING AS FAR AS YOU HAVE TONIGHT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER OUR CITIZENS AND OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAD A LOT OF VALUED INPUT A NUMBER OF TIMES.
I KNOW NONE OF THIS IS BRAND NEW.
AND JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO CHIP AWAY AT IT.
MR. SEAT MANAGER, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK OR COMMENTS OR DIRECTIVES YOU NEED FROM COUNSEL? Y YES, MA'AM.
AND, AND I'VE HEARD, UH, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE PAUSED, UH, UH, THIS, THIS EVENING AND, AND THE CONCERNS ON, ON THE ROI, UH, I KNOW, UM, UH, THE TEAM HAS MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ADVERTISING THIS THE TOWARDS THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND I, I JUST WANNA, I, I, I THINK WE STILL HAVE SOME, SOME, UM, ANSWERS TO GIVE BACK, IF YOU WILL.
SO, UM, JUST GONNA, WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO DELAY A LITTLE BIT ON ADVERTISING, UH, AND COME UP WITH, UH, UM, SOME OF THE NUMBERS OR SOME OF THE, THE, UM, METRICS THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TO PROVIDE TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A $7 MILLION INVESTMENT, AND I, I GET, YOU KNOW, I GET THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, THAT DOESN'T FEEL, UH, THAT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID, BUT I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING FORWARD.
THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, WE'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY WELL.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK WITH MORE, WITH MORE ANSWERS, UH, BEFORE PROCEEDING FORWARD, IF THAT'S, SURE.
IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MR. CITY MANAGER, WHEN YOU SAY ADVERTISING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE QUESTION? UM, SO, SO ADVERTISING MEANING, UH, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE RFP THAT IS GONNA BE PUT OUT AND, AND RECEIVING BIDS FOR THAT RFP, UH, OR PROPOSALS FOR THE RFP OR, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, OR JUST A STRAIGHT BID, UM, OBVIOUSLY NOTHING MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF, OF THOSE BIDS OR THOSE PROPOSALS.
UH, SO WE CAN ADVERTISE, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR, UH, TO OUR, UH, PARTNERS, THE, THE, THE PRIVATE COMMUNITY TO BE BIDDING ON SOMETHING AND SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON IT FOR US TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE NOT READY YET.
SO I'D RATHER NOT EVEN ADVERTISE UNTIL WE'RE ABSOLUTELY SURE OF THE, OF THE MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND THAT'S ADVERTISING FOR RFP, FOR THE CORE FACILITIES, THE BUDGETED PORTION, THE 3.71? THAT'S CORRECT, MA.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT MS. UH, BRIGA, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR, YOUR OPERATING BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT IS THERE, OR, OR LET ME SAY, COULD THERE BE, BECAUSE I SHARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS, UH, THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND IT'S REALLY NOT A CONCERN.
IT'S MORE OF A, WOULD BE, UH, I THINK IT'S PRUDENT, UM, CONSIDERING THE NATURE OF A FACILITY LIKE THIS AND TO MAKE IT MORE BROADLY KNOWN AND ADVERTISED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT COULD BE USED FOR.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A, JUST A FIXTURE LINE ITEM IN THERE FOR MARKETING, UM, THAT THERE'S ONGOING MARKETING OF THE FACILITY, AND HOW IS THAT DONE AND WHAT, WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CONSISTENT MARKETING OF THE FACILITY BECAUSE IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN DESOTO AND HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT NS FARM, LET ALONE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL COME IN AND UTILIZE THE FACILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, GETTING TO THAT NUMBER THAT WE NEED TO HIT TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE OPERATIONALLY.
SO, UM, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I HAVE, BUT, UM, DEFINITELY WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME ANSWERS TO SOME OF THOSE OTHER QUESTIONS ALSO.
MAYOR, AND YOU, YOU CAN SET UP A SPECIAL FUND FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT SPECIFIC NANS FARM ITEM.
HOWEVER, YOU, YOU, WE WOULD WANNA FUND THE, THE STARTUP, UH, FOR
[01:05:01]
IT, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME IN FROM GENERAL FUND.SO IT'S KIND OF AN ADVANCED FUNDING, UH, THAT COULD, THAT COULD TURN INTO A REVOLVING FUNDS IF, IF THE REVENUES OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUT PAY THE EXPENDITURES.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, IF YOU HAVE A, A DIFFERENT THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT.
AND, AND, AND LET ME SAY, AND I COULD BE SPEAKING OUT OF TURN, I DON'T THINK I HEAR ANY OF THE COUNCIL SAYING WE DON'T WANT THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK WE JUST, I, AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE, HOW WE MISSED THE $7 MILLION, BUT THE NUMBER JUST FEELS A LITTLE DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW CONSIDERING THINGS THAT HAVE PREDATED, UM, THIS ITEM.
SO WE'RE JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT THE COMMUNITY, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAD A HAND IN DOING.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND VERY CAREFULLY WHAT THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE, WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT, UM, ARE GONNA MAKE IT A SUCCESS AS WE KNOW IT WILL BE.
THANK YOU, DR. WILLIAMS. AT THIS TIME, MS. RONALDS,
[g. Presentation of the Public Art Policy]
WE, UH, WILL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE PUBLIC ART POLICY ALSO BY DR. WILLIAMS. I'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT, YOU GUYS.
SO WE DO HAVE OUR PUBLIC ART POLICY, UM, PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT.
SO, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY IS TO ESTABLISH A CLEAR FRAMEWORK FOR REGULATING THE PLACEMENT, APPROVAL AND MAINTENANCE OF PERMANENT AND SEMI-PERMANENT PUBLIC ART.
UM, OUR REQUEST FOR FROM CITY COUNCIL IS TO PROVIDE US FEEDBACK ON THIS POLICY AND CITY STRATEGIC GOALS INCLUDE ENGAGED AND INFORMED COMMUNITY AND BEAUTIFUL CITY.
SO, UM, THIS, UH, THE POLICY WAS ACTUALLY CREATED AND DRIVEN BY THE IMAGINE DESOTO CULTURAL MASTER PLAN, UM, DEVELOPED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UM, AND THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK EMPHASIZED IN THAT PLAN THAT MORE OPPORTUNITIES NEEDED TO BE, UM, PROVIDED FOR PUBLIC ART AND PARKS, CORRIDORS AND CIVIC SPACES.
AND THEY ALSO, UH, REQUESTED A TRANSPARENT AND CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR REVIEWING AND APPROVING THOSE, UM, THOSE, UH, PUBLIC ARTWORKS.
SO, AND PAST PRACTICE, WELL, VERY SHORT PAST PRACTICE LACK, UH, CLEAR POLICY FRAMEWORK.
SO THIS POLICY ENSURES ALIGNMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND EQUITY IN THE PUBLIC ART, UH, DECISIONS.
SO, UH, JUST SOME OF THE POLICY HIGHLIGHTS, IF YOU HAVE A COPY, THE REVIEW, UM, WE, UH, PO POLICY TOUCHES ON OVERSIGHT, WHICH WILL BE, UM, BY OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGER WHO WILL BE ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM.
UH, THERE WILL BE A REQUIREMENT FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR EVERY PROJECT, AND THERE WILL BE A STANDARD THAT WE WILL BE, UM, ALIGNING WITH ARTISTIC DESIGN STANDARDS AS WELL AS SITE AND OPPORTUNITY PLAN.
SO THIS IS MAINLY, UM, IF THERE'S AN ARTWORK THAT IS BEING PROPOSED TO BE PUT UP, DOES IT ALIGN WITH, UM, THE ARTISTIC, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, DESIGNS OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS, AS WELL AS IS THERE ANYTHING BEING BUILT IN THAT AREA, UM, THAT MAY, YOU KNOW, CLASH OR NOT, UM, BE ALIGNED WITH THE DESIGN OF THE ACTUAL ARTWORK.
AND THEN THE APPROVALS IS ALSO GOING TO BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE USING OUR, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE ARTS FOUNDATION, RIGHT? YES.
THE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION ADVISEMENT, AS WELL AS FINAL APPROVAL BY THE ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGER WITH CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL CONCURRENCE.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, UH, WE ALSO HAVE SOME MAINTENANCE TYPE OF, UM, REQUIREMENTS.
THERE WILL BE A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PLAN FOR LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE THAT EITHER THE ARTIST OR CAN BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE, UM, FACILITIES OR, OR THAT TYPE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIP TO MAINTAIN THE ART AND AS WELL AS AN RFP PROCESS AND CROSS REFERENCING THE ART EXHIBIT, EXCUSE ME, ART EXHIBIT POLICY, WHICH IS MORE A TEMPORARY TYPE OF ART, UM, EXHIBIT THAT WE HAVE INSIDE OUR CITY BUILDINGS THAT WE ALREADY ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, APPROVED.
SO IN SUMMARY, UM, THIS POLICY ESTABLISHES CLEAR AUTHORITY, ENGAGEMENT AND APPROVAL PROCESSES FOR PUBLIC ART.
THERE IS NO, UH, BUDGET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE, UM, MOST OF OUR PUBLIC ART PROJECTS ARE BEING FUNDED BY, UH, HOT FUNDS, UM, GRANTS OR PARTNERSHIPS, AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE DEVELOPER CON CONTRIBUTIONS STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE CITY COUNCIL, ARTS FOUNDATION, UM, CITY DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.
AND THIS IS, UH, THIS POLICY IS READY FOR IMPLEMENTATION UPON YOUR APPROVAL.
SO IF YOU ARE IN AGREEMENT, UM, WE CAN FINALIZE THE POLICY AND IMPLEMENT ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE CAN ROLL IT OUT TO OUR, TO THE PUBLIC, TO OUR ARTISTS,
[01:10:01]
AND TRAIN OUR STAFF.UM, IF NOT, THEN WE CAN DEFINITELY COLLECT YOUR FEEDBACK AND REVISE THE POLICY AND THEN, UM, ALTER OUR TIMELINE ACCORDINGLY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE POLICY ITSELF.
COUNCILMAN BURKE? UH, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, DR. WILLIAMS. UM, FOR, I, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE POLICY.
I LIKE THAT IT GIVES US GUIDELINES, UH, THE PART THAT I MISSED AND IT, UM, AS WE ERECT NEW BUILDINGS OR ERECT NEW, UH, AS DESOTO GROW, DOES IT COVER, I DIDN'T SEE A PART TO WHERE OUR PROCESS, TO WHERE, UH, WE WOULD, UH, A, WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE, GO THROUGH WHICHEVER FOUNDATION, WHICHEVER GROUP IN ORDER TO GET A PIECE OF ART APPROVED.
SO IF WE, IF WE WANTED TO DO A MOSAIC, UH, LET'S SAY ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING OR SOMETHING, UH, I DID NOT CLEARLY SEE IT OUTLINED, OR MAYBE I JUST MISSED IT, MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME INSIGHT.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, TO MAYBE, UM, UH, KIND OF, UM, AIR THAT OUT.
THE SECOND, UM, QUESTION THAT I HAD, AND THIS IS GOING BACK TO OUR PREVIOUS, UM, QUESTION, THE, THE FOUNDATION.
I KNOW THAT WE, WE ESTABLISHED THE ARTS FOUNDATION AND SET IT UP IN ORDER SO THAT WE COULD GET FUNDING AND STUFF.
HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY FUNDING, UH, AS OF YET? HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY GRANT MONEY OR ANY FUNDING THROUGH SINCE WE ESTABLISHED THAT? NO, WE HAVEN'T.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS, UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DESOTO, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE DIVERSE, THAT WE ARE INCLUSIVE, UH, IN OUR PRESENTATION, UH, OF, OF, OF ALL ARTWORK.
AND SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF IT GOING THROUGH A COMMISSION TO GET APPROVED.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THIS KINDA LAYS OUT THE FRAMEWORK.
SO WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE ARTS COMMISSION, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE KEEPER OF ALL THINGS ART, THEN AS WE, UH, IF WE BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION AND WE WANT TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE, UH, HOW THEN DOES THAT PROCESS, PROCESS WORK? AT WHAT POINT DOES IT WORK? YOU KNOW, AT WHAT POINT DO I SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE ARTS FOUNDATION FOR THEIR REVIEW AND, AND SUBSEQUENT, I GUESS, APPROVAL, UH, FOR THE PIECE OF AWARD.
UM, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, THE REVIEW AND APPEALS PROCESS.
SO THE REVIEW AS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BARRETT WAS SAYING, IT GOES TO THE, IT THE, YOUR PRESENTATION SAID IT GOES BEFORE THE COMMISSION, AND THEN IS THERE A SEPARATE APPROVAL THEN AT THE MANAGERIAL LEVEL AND THEN WITH THE COUNCIL? OR IS IT, UM, DONE WITH THE COMMISSION AND THEN IT GOES TO THE COUNCIL? THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, IT GOES THROUGH THE COMMISSION AND THEN IT GETS PRESENTED TO THE CO THE FOUNDATION, I'M SORRY, THE FOUNDATION, AND THEN IT GETS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
NOW, THE APPEAL PROCESS SAYS THAT IT GOES TO, UM, THE CITY MANAGER.
WHY IT, WHY WOULD IT, IF IT STARTED ONE WAY, WHY WOULD IT THEN VEER OFF FROM THAT WAY? OKAY.
AND THE ONLY REASON WHY I ASKED IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PEOPLE CAN BE SENSITIVE ABOUT THEIR ART, OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT ERICA BADU SAID.
AND I DON'T WANT AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE SOMEONE COULD THINK THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS BEING BIASED.
UM, AND SO JUST TO CLEAR UP ANY LIABILITY, WHY WOULDN'T WE GO BACK THROUGH TO THE COMMISSION FOR ANY APPEALS OR TO THE COUNCIL FOR THAT MATTER.
SO FOR APPEALS OF DENIALS, MAYBE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY MANAGER WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS, YOU'D LIKE IT FOR THE, FOR IT TO GO THROUGH THE COMMISSION? I MEAN THE FOUNDATION FIRST, THE SAME WAY THAT THE APPROVAL WAS? YES.
AND THEN MY OTHER, UH, THOUGHT WAS THE POLICY REVIEW.
UM, YOU HAVE IT FOR EVERY TWO YEARS, AND I REALLY THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD REVIEW ANNUALLY AND KNOWING WHAT PROJECTS ARE COMING, UM, DOWN THE PIPELINE, SO THAT 'CAUSE COUNCIL CHANGES, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY EVERY YEAR.
SO, UM, HAVING A KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT PROJECTS ARE COMING, I THINK THAT WOULD SERVE US VERY WELL AS A COUNCIL.
UM, YES, UH, ART IS IMPORTANT.
IT HELPS NO, OBVIOUSLY REFLECT THE CULTURE IN THE CITY.
UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON, UM, YOU, ME, YOU MENTIONED DESIGNATION.
IF WE CAN GET, I KNOW YOU SAID HISTORICAL AND THEN IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE, RIGHT? FOR, WHAT IS THAT OTHER THING? UM, THE
[01:15:02]
DESOTO CULTURAL, UH, HISTORIC DESIGNATION.IF WE, YES, IF WE GOT THAT DESIGNATION, DOES THAT MEAN THAT IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR LIKE, PHILANTHROPISTS TO LIKE GIVE US MONEY TO FUND, LIKE ARTWORK AND STUFF OR? NO, WE WOULD HAVE TO STILL, WELL, IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND ANYONE WHO'S UNDER THAT UMBRELLA, IF THERE ARE OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE 300 AND 400 AND $500,000 GRANTS.
YEAH, THAT'S WHERE I'M GETTING AT.
WE NEED TO JUMP ON THAT TO GET SOME MONEY IN HERE FOR FREE.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, UH, THIS PARTICULAR POLICY DID GO THROUGH THE FOUNDATION FIRST? NO, THIS ONE, THE ONE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
SO THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T KNOW OF THE LEVEL OF WHERE THEY WOULD BE INVOLVED? NO, NO MA'AM.
NOT YET BECAUSE IT'S IN ITS INFANT STAGES ONCE WE GET IT TO WHERE, UM, WE WERE WAITING TILL AFTER WE GOT, UH, SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL, AND THEN I WOULD TAKE IT TO THE BOARD AND LET THE BOARD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT THEY'RE BEING CHARGED TO DO.
AND I MEAN, THIS IS JUST MY THOUGHT.
I MEAN, FROM A, FROM AN ADVISORY PERSPECTIVE, THE BOARD IS THE ADVISORS TO US.
UM, AND IT FEELS LIKE THAT TO ME, JUST MY, JUST WHAT I'M SEEING THAT THIS WOULD ACTUALLY BE GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY IF WE GAVE SUGGESTIONS, WE'RE SUGGESTING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING, AND THEN IT WOULD THEN COME BACK TO US.
IS THAT WHAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN? I MEAN, I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO TO THEM FIRST, THE REVIEW OF IT, WHAT THE POLICY IS, WHAT THEIR, THE THOUGHT IS, AND THEN IT COMES TO THE COUNCIL FOR, FOR APPROVAL, UH, THE FINAL APPROVAL.
BUT MAYBE I'M, MAYBE I'M UNCLEAR ON HOW THAT WORKS.
NO, WE JUST RECENTLY HAD A BOARD MEETING AND I DID NOT HAVE IT TO BRING TO THE BOARD AT THE TIME.
I I DO, I I DO AGREE WITH, UH, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES IN TERMS OF THE ORDER, GETTING THE INPUT FROM THE, FROM THE BOARD, UM, ON THE ONSET SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN THE LOOP AND FEEL A PART OF THE PROCESS SINCE THEY WOULD HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE POLICY.
SO, BUT MY, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION MAYOR PRO TIM HAD ABOUT THE APPEALS PROCESS, UM, IT, WHEN I THINK OF AN APPEAL PROCESS, WHEN I APPEAL SOMETHING IN TERMS OF AN APPEAL OF DECISION, THE BOARD IS THE ONE THAT WILL BE MAKING THE INITIAL DECISION, CORRECT.
AND THEN ARE THEY RECOMMENDING THAT TO US FOR FINAL APPROVAL LIKE WE DO WITH PLANNING AND ZONING TYPE THINGS? OR HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK AS YOU'RE PROPOSING IN THE POLICY THAT'S PLANNED? YES, MA'AM.
SO I, WELL THEN THAT, THAT DOES CHANGE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I'M, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, HOWEVER, I'M THINKING FROM AN APPEAL PROCESS INSTEAD OF SENDING IT BACK TO THE BOARD BECAUSE THE HIGHER LEVEL OF AUTHORITY ALWAYS LIES WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF FINALITY OF A DECISION.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, APPEALING TO THE COUNCIL BY WAY OF A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT WE COULD HAVE RESIDENTS OR INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED, THEY WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UM, AND, AND PRESENT EVIDENCE, IF YOU WILL, AND LAY OUT THEIR CASE IN TERMS OF BEING THE APPLICANT, RIGHT, UM, TO COME AND MAKE THEIR CASE BEFORE THE COUNSEL AND BEFORE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MAYBE THE APPEALS PROCESS STILL THE FINAL DECISION, STILL LINE WITH COUNSEL, BUT GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY BY WAY OF A PUBLIC HEARING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, I'M SORRY, MADAM MAYOR, I DO HAVE A QUICK POINT.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT WHEN WE DO THINGS LIKE THIS, THAT BECAUSE I'M SO FOR BOARD AND COMMISSIONS, THAT THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF THIS PARTICULAR BOARD BE ACTUALLY PRESENT DURING THESE TYPES OF SESSIONS SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO BE AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS FROM WHERE THEY ARE BEING ASKED? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT FEELS LIKE THE BOARD IS ABSENT IN THIS AND THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT THEM COMPLETELY.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANY ADDITIONAL, LIKE FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK, HOWEVER, I DO WANNA CONFIRM THAT YOU ALL HAVE FEEDBACK, UM, THAT'S USEFUL TO YOU ALL TO, TO BRING IT BACK AND KEEP THIS ITEM MOVING FORWARD.
WE'LL HAVE, UM, REVISIONS MADE TO THE POLICY,
[01:20:01]
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE IT PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, AND THEN BY THE TIME WE BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE OUR, THE PRESIDENT AS WELL.[h. Presentation of the updated City Special Events Policy]
TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, COUNSEL, THIS IS THE THIRD TO THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, IN CASE YOU WERE NOT AWARE,AND I DID WANT TO, UM, IT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED BY ME AGAIN.
UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF COPIES THAT I NEEDED TO SHARE BECAUSE THE, MY UPLOADS WERE THE WRONG COPY, BUT IT'S JUST VERY SMALL, UM, REVISIONS IN THE NEW COPY.
AND JUST BEFORE I PRE, UH, PRESENT THE, THE CHAPTER FOUR PAGE, UM, THE, THE REVISIONS BA, UM, FROM THE ATTACHED COPY ARE HIGHLIGHTED.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY ITSELF, THE REVISIONS ARE ON TWO, 2.4 AND TWO POINT, JUST 2.4 WAS NOT IN THE ATTACHED COPY.
SO, UH, THIS PRESENTATION HERE IS FOR OUR SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A NEW POLICY, EVEN THOUGH MY PRESENTATION SAID IT IS A, IT'S A, A A, SORRY, A POINT OF INFORMATION.
I'M SORRY, YOU SAID 2.4? I'M JUST TRYING TO, YES.
SO WE CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH YOU, BUT I DON'T SEE A 2.4.
IT'S ON THE SECOND PAGE OF, OF THIS? YES.
UM, WE ARE PRESENTING A POLICY FOR MANAGING EXTERNAL EVENTS, UM, HOSTED BY EXTERNAL PROMOTERS, UH, FOR COUNCIL.
WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR FEEDBACK AND, UH, WE ARE BRINGING THE ORDINANCE BACK IN OCTOBER FOR, UM, A VOTE BECAUSE IT WILL, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A, UM, AN AMENDMENT TO IT.
UM, SO JUST A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PRO OF THE PROJECT REQUEST, THE, UH, POLICY WE WANTED TO CREATE, UM, A POLICY TO ALIGN WITH THE CURRENT PRACTICES AND SPONSORSHIP PROCESSES THAT, UH, GOES ALONG WITH THE ORDINANCE.
THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING VOLUME AND COMPLEXITY OF PERMITTED EVENTS, UM, AND REQUESTS.
AND WE WANTED TO ENSURE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, FEE RECOVERY AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF CITY PROPERTY.
SO IN SUMMARY, UM, THE POLICY CLARIFIES PROCEDURES, INSURANCE AND CITY SERVICES COORDINATION.
UM, INCLUDES PERMIT LIMITS AND CANCELLATION TERMS. THERE IS NO BUDGETED COST.
AND STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE THE ACTION CENTER, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION EVENTS, UM, DIVISIONS, POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS, AND EXTERNAL EVENT PROMOTERS.
AND THIS IS TO BE USED, UM, IMMEDIATELY FOR EVENTS BOOKED, UH, AS EARLY AS FISCAL YEAR 2026.
UM, THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THE SPECIFIC CHANGES, UM, CHANGES IN THE ORDINANCE AS WELL AS BEING REFLECTED IN THE POLICY.
SO AS FAR AS THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY CHANGES, UH, FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESSES.
THERE HAS BEEN CHANGE FROM CODE SERVICES TO, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF, UM, WHAT IS MY DEPARTMENT, UH, COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, UM, AND, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND, AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.
UH, THERE HAS ALSO BEEN CHANGES IN THE DENIALS AND REVOCATION ADDITION.
UM, THERE WAS AN ADDITION TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE PROCEED WITH DENIALS AND REVOCATION, REVOCATION AND, UM, AS FAR AS ALL THE OTHER ITEMS, FEES AND PAYMENTS, UH, INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, COMPLIANCE WITH CITY ORDINANCES AND EXEMPTIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND CITY SERVICES, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES.
[01:25:01]
CANCELLATIONS AND REVOCATION, WE JUST CHANGED THE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT FROM CODE SERVICES TO MY DEPARTMENT, UM, DEPARTMENT OF, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.AND THEN WE ALSO ADDED SOME VERBIAGE FOR DENIALS, UM, CANCELLATIONS AND REVOCATIONS.
THERE IS ALSO AN INCLUSION OF SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS AND THE POLICY REVIEW AND MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM, UM, OVERSIGHT OR REVIEW TO THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE.
AND IN TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION, THERE'S NO CHANGES IS, SO WHAT ARE NEXT STEPS? IF THE POLICY, UH, IF THE COUNCIL IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICY, THIS POLICY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY AND, UM, COMMUNICATION WILL BE, UM, HAD WITH ALL EVENT ORGANI ORGANIZERS AS WELL AS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND TRAINING WILL BE CONDUCTED.
UM, IF NOT, WE WILL COLLECT YOUR FEEDBACK, REVISE THE POLICY AND THE ORDINANCE AND BRING IT BACK FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, POLICY.
AND JUST SO THAT I UNDERSTAND, I KNOW THAT YOU GAVE BACKGROUND IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THERE WAS, WHENEVER WE MAKE A CHANGE, WE MAKE A CHANGE FOR A PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.
WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE WITH THIS? UH, SO CURRENTLY THE PROCESS FOR PERMITS AND, UH, SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, UH, APPROVALS STARTS OFF IN THE ACTION CENTER AND JUST HAVING MORE OVERSIGHT ON ACTION CENTERS, SIGNING OFF ON, ON THOSE PERMITS AND TRANSFERRING IT OVER TO A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, UM, IS WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
AND THE CHANGE FROM CODE SERVICES? CODE SERVICES BEING CODE ENFORCEMENT? CORRECT.
AND THE CHANGE GOING THROUGH THEM, IT'S STILL GO, THEY'RE STILL GOING, IT'S STILL GOING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE, UM, DEPARTMENTS, CODE, FIRE, UM, PARKS, UM, POLICE, ALL OF THOSE ARE STILL REMAIN THE SAME.
SO THE ONLY CHANGE THAT YOU'RE MAKING IS WHERE IT STARTS, CORRECT? WELL, IT'S STILL GONNA START IN THE ACTION CENTER, BUT THEY WON'T SIGN IT.
SO THE LADIES AT THE FRONT DESK WILL NOT BE THE SIGNERS OF THOSE PERMITS.
IT'LL BE EITHER MYSELF OR, UM, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
AND BASED ON WHAT SHE SAID EARLIER, AND I'M MEANING SHE, I'M SAYING THE MADAM MAYOR MM-HMM
WHO SHE SAID ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL BEING THE PEOPLE THAT THE APPEAL COME TO, IS THAT THE CHANGE YOU'RE MAKING THERE FOR IT TO GO TO THE CITY MANAGER? NO, THE 2.4 IS, YOU SAID 2.4? NO, NO, SHE'S LOOKING AT, SHE, I DO KNOW WHAT SHE'S LOOKING AT.
NO, THIS IS, BECAUSE THIS IS A OPERATIONAL DECISION, UH, THAT LIES WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER'S PURVIEW.
I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ONE THAT I WAS SPEAKING OF THE LAST TIME IS BECAUSE IT IS MORE OF A COMMUNITY CENTERED, UH, MORE OF A COMMUNITY CENTERED AND BECAUSE IT STARTS WITH ONE OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS VERSUS STARTING WITH STAFF.
YEAH, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
AND SO THE 2.4 THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING WAS, IT JUST WASN'T IN YOUR, IN THE OTHER COPY.
OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK, SO I GET THAT IT IS OPERATIONAL, I GUESS FROM THAT, SO TO SPEAK, WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING INTERNALLY, I GUESS WHERE I PAUSE IS YOU, WE THEN HAVE STILL THE LIABILITY OF YOU ALL TELLING SOMEONE FROM AN EVENT THAT THEY CAN'T HOST OR THEY'RE REVOKED OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, I STILL THINK THAT, THAT IT PUTS YOU ALL IN A, A, A, A POSITION OF, OF WHILE, WHILE IT DEFINITELY IS YOUR ROLE.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER CITIZEN BOARD WE WOULD HAVE IS PARKS, AND I DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT IN THEIR DESCRIPTIVE.
I THINK THAT IT DOES LEAN FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE, UM, TO CONSIDER.
AND THEN MY OTHER, UM, CONCERN WAS, I KNOW THAT ON THE SPONSORSHIPS THO ARE THOSE PAID THROUGH HOT TAX OR IS HOW ARE OUR SPONSORSHIPS PAID FOR? SO THE SPONSORSHIPS THAT ARE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY HERE WOULD BE THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS, UM, NOT NECESSARILY ANY OTHER, ONLY IF THE FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE.
IT'S, AND DR. WILLIAMS TO THAT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS, DOES THAT TIE INTO THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA? YES.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIP POLICY THAT WAS REQUESTED? YES, MA'AM.
[01:30:01]
YEAH.AND I WAS JUST SIMPLY, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THE $500 BECAUSE I GUESS, OH, DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF THE EVENT, IT COULD BE UNDERVALUED FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO IS, IS THAT A SET DOLLAR AMOUNT? NO.
OR DOES THAT CHANGE BETWEEN, AND IF YOU'RE SAYING NO, THEN IS THAT CALLED OUT IN THE POLICY? PERHAPS IT SHOULD BE CALLED OUT BASED ON SIZE OF EVENT THEN, OR TOTAL COST OF EVENT.
SO AT THE MOMENT IT'S, IT'S ABOUT 50% OR $500.
SO DEPENDS, AND IT'S STILL AT, AT THE DISCRETION OF WHOEVER CITY MANAGER TO DECIDE.
YOU DON'T THINK SO? LIKE, I JUST THINK THAT WE'LL GET OURSELVES IN TROUBLE WITH THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO CAUTION ON THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST IS LIMITATIONS.
SO IT SAYS NO MORE THAN TWO SPECIAL EVENTS PER LOCATION WITHIN 12 MONTHS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOLVING A PROBLEM BECAUSE SOMEONE USES THE SAME PLACE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM, I JUST HAVE CONCERN PUTTING LIMITATIONS ON A PARTICULAR LOCATION THAT COULD LIMIT US FROM A, UM, REVENUE THAT WE WOULDN'T GET IF THEY COULDN'T DO IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE DON'T, I DON'T, I THINK THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE'RE MAKING IT HARD TO DO BUSINESS WITH DESOTO, WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT HAS A PATTERN OF, YOU KNOW, HABITUALLY USING IT AT TIMEFRAMES THAT YOU, YOU IS UNAVAILABLE TO CITIZENS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, SURE.
BUT DON'T PUNISH THE OTHER 95% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, JUST USING IT.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE TWO, TWO, MEANING WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 365 DAYS IN, IN THE WHOLE YEAR AND WE'RE SAYING TWO TIMES AT A PARTICULAR LOCATION.
I JUST THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT RIGID.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TOO.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.
AND I'M SORRY, DID WE SAY WHY WE WERE NEEDED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE? THE MAIN THE MAIN CHANGES WAS TO, UM, DEVIATE FROM HAVING OUR ACTION CENTER MAKING THE PERMIT, UM, APPROVALS.
AND THEN WE SAW THAT THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO INCLUDE A SPONSORSHIP, UH, POLICIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO HAVE THERE BEEN ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE, THE WAY THE ACTION CENTER HAS BEEN HANDLED THERE? THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, SOME SITUATIONS IN WHICH, UM, AN APPROVAL WAS MADE AND WE HAD TO GO BACK AND TAKE IT, TAKE IT BACK, UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS, BUT YEAH.
DID YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? I'LL, I ACTUALLY HAVE IF, IF CHRIS WILL EVER WANT, HE HAS A LOT MORE BACKGROUND WITH SPECIAL EVENTS IF HE WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
CITY COUNCIL, I GUESS I COULD SPEAK FIRST.
UH, SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD THAT HAVE COME OUR WAY, UM, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING THE PROCLAMATIONS AND SO THEY WANTED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON HOW THAT WORKS.
A LOT OF THEIR, WHAT THEY WANTED US TO DO WAS HELP 'EM WITH ADVERTISING THEIR EVENT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD, UM, UH, THE RAG A FESTIVAL, WHICH WE WERE NOT TOTALLY PREPARED FOR WITH THAT.
AND SO, SO I THINK THAT THIS SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY IS REALLY DESIGNED TO TRY TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, PARAMETERS AS TO HOW TO DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ACTUALLY COME IN.
I THANK YOU MR. GLOVER FOR MAKING THAT, THAT DISTINCTION.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION TO MAYOR PRO TEMS COMMENT ABOUT LIMITING THE AMOUNT THAT IN ONE ORGANIZATION CAN HAVE FOR ONE PARTICULAR EVENT.
THESE ARE NOT LIKE GARAGE SALES OR FAMILY REUNION TYPE THINGS.
I'M LOOKING AT THE DEFINITION, LIKE THERE'S SPECIAL EVENTS INVOLVE STREET CLOSURES, PUBLIC ACCESS, FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES, TEMPORARY FENCING EXCEEDING OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A PRETTY EXTENSIVE EVENT.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A, SOMETHING SOMEBODY WE WOULD EXPECT SOMEBODY TO BE DOING MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR IN OUR CITY.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S WHY CLARIFYING THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I WAS REQUESTED FOR THE SPONSORSHIP AS WELL BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WERE RUNNING INTO ISSUES WITH CREATING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR PEOPLE WHO DID RECEIVE THOSE SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS FROM THE CITY, BUT ALSO CLARIFYING WHAT THE CITY WOULD DO AND WHAT THE CITY WON'T DO IN THOSE INSTANCES.
AND SO I THINK THE SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY TIES INTO THAT BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF REQUESTS, SOME REASONABLE, AND SOME THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REASONABLE.
AND AGAIN, WHAT YOU CONSIDER FOR ONE, YOU NOW HAVE TO CONSIDER TO DO FOR EVERYBODY THAT ASKS FOR THAT SAME THING.
SO I DEFINITELY AM ALL FOR MAKING SURE IT IS VERY EXPLICIT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CITY
[01:35:01]
CAN DO AND HOW, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS.BECAUSE IT CAN GET INTO VERY CHOPPY WATERS, UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IF THE, IF IT'S NOT CLEAR, UH, WITH, WITH THESE TYPES OF EVENTS THAT IT, THAT RISE TO THIS LEVEL PER THIS DEFINITION THAT YOU ALL LAID OUT IN YOUR POLICY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
AND, AND WITH THAT, UH, AS FAR AS THE ACTION CENTER IS CONCERNED, IF THERE WERE THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN OR DONE WELL, WAS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, STREAMLINE OR, OR IMPROVE THE PROCESSES VERSUS MOVE IT FROM THEM? SURE.
AND, AND IT'S MORE SO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IT TOO.
UM, AND, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE REVAMPING OUR TRAINING, UH, FOR ALL OF THE, THE DIFFERENT STEPS IN THE PRO PROCESS AND, AND THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE PROCESS.
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR WHAT, UM, APPROVALS.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER? UH, YES, THANK YOU.
AND I ACTUALLY WAS, IT WAS FUNNY WE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE 'CAUSE I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING ABOUT THE ACTION CENTER.
AND SO THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, I BELIEVE IT SAID THAT THERE'S AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THIS.
UH, AND HOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THE, HOW IS THE FEEDBACK INCORPORATED INTO THIS? UH, WILL IT COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED AGAIN, UM, OR ARE WE STREAMLINING THIS ENOUGH TO MAKE THIS HUMAN GO? DOES THIS ALSO HIT, UH, PARKS AND RECS AS WELL? UH, UH, KIND OF, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, LIKE WITH THE REGGAE FESTIVAL, THEY'LL WANT TO USE, OH, I'M SORRY.
THEY'LL WANT TO USE OUR ACTUAL PARKS UHHUH.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE LIKE VON MILLER DAY AND WE HAVE, UH, CORY BONNER DAY THAT HAS BEEN AT OUR PARKS.
AND SO WE'RE USUALLY INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH THOSE THINGS.
UH, AS, AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL, UH, POLICY IS CONCERNED MM-HMM
IT HAS THE 120 DAYS, UH, AND THEN THE 180 DAYS IS THERE LIKE, UH, PRE-MEETING SO THAT IF THEY WERE AT 119 DAYS, 'CAUSE THEY STILL DO IT.
I MEAN, OR, OR HOW RIGID ARE THESE DATES THAT ARE IN HERE? AND, AND, AND, AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, YEAR ONE, WE'RE KIND OF FEELING OUR WAY THROUGH IT.
AND, UH, I THINK LIKE MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, WE, WE, WE DON'T WANNA BE SO RIGID THAT WE'RE RUNNING PEOPLE AWAY.
SO IF THEY COME IN AT 119, 118 DAYS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TIME FOR US TO REALLY GET IT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE REALLY KNOW WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MY, MY MY PERSONAL OPINION IS, YEAH, WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE A CONFERENCE, WE'D ENTERTAIN IT IF WE COULD ACTUALLY PULL IT OFF, BUT OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR US TO HAVE 120 DAYS SO WE CAN REALLY, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, LOOK AT BUDGETS, LOOK AT COST, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NOT A CONFLICT WITH, UH, AN EVENT THAT MAY BE GOING ON SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT DAY, OR SOMETHING THAT WE MAY HAVE PRE-PLANNED FOR AS WELL.
SO THERE'S NO CA NO, THERE'S, THERE'S NO CALENDAR BACKUP TO SAY THESE ARE ALREADY, THESE DATES ARE ALREADY TAKEN.
THE REASON I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION WAS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEW POLICY, UH, A NEW WAY TO DO PERMITS ONLINE.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BE ONE OF THEM.
IT, IT, IT MAY NOT BE INITIALLY, BUT AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I I, I REALLY LIKE THAT WE'RE REVIEWING THIS THING ANNUALLY BECAUSE IT GIVES US, IT ALWAYS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND THEN WE CAN TAKE SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE, THE DIFFERENT VENDORS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE TO TRY TO MASSAGE IT TO BE WHAT IT, WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.
THE, THE, THE ORIGINAL POLICY.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE REALLY HADN'T EVEN LOOKED AT THAT.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, BUT WE REALLY HADN'T LOOKED AT IT.
SO WITH A LOT OF OUR POLICIES, WE REALLY NEED TO GO BACK THROUGH 'EM.
AND SO, I MEAN, OUR ORDINANCES, I'M SORRY.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS HAVE THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AND WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH IT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE AS RIGID, BUT, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO ARE GOING TO BE DOCUMENTING WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO WHEN WE COME BACK AND LOOK AT THE POLICY, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, THE ORDINANCE, I'M SORRY, STOP.
MAKE ME SAY, UH, POLICY, THE ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN COME BACK AND REALLY MASSAGE IT TO WHAT IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE FAR AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH YEAH.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK, ANYTIME I WANNA DO ANYTHING IN SOTO, I NEED TO TALK TO PARKS.
WHICH, FOR THE MOST PART, IT IS PARKS.
BUT IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE, A WHOLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, BEING ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS HOW DO THEY DO THINGS IN DESOTO.
AND RIGHT NOW, THAT'S A LITTLE, YOU KNOW.
SO, UM, I DON'T SEE ANY ADDITIONAL LIGHTS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE SAYING THE FINAL DECISION WILL BE.
I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHY THERE MAY BE A NEED
[01:40:01]
TO TAKE THE FINAL DECISION AWAY FROM THE ACTION CENTER.THAT'S, TO ME, THAT'S THE, IT MAKES VERY, IT MAKES VERY GOOD SENSE FOR IT TO START THERE, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS PEOPLE SEE.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MOVING PIECES THAT THE ACTION CENTER MAY NOT HAVE PRIVILEGE TO KNOW AT THE TIME, THAT COULD, UM, IMPACT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT, WHETHER THAT APPROVAL SHOULD BE YES OR NO.
UM, I DEFINITELY THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SPREAD OUT.
SO WE'RE SAYING THE FINAL APPROVAL ENDS WHERE, UM, SO WITH THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, SO THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO, AND THEN IF THERE IS AN APPEAL, LIKE JUST SAY FOR SOME REASON, I WANNA HOST MY, MY DOG WALKING CONTEST AND Y'ALL SAY NO.
WHO DO I, WHO DO I GO AND APPEAL TO? CITY MANAGER? WELL, WELL, CAN, CAN I THROW SOMETHING OUT? A A LOT OF TIMES IF WE SAY NO, ONCE IT GOES TO THE ACTION CENTER, WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN DEPARTMENTS THAT IT THEN COMES TO.
AND SO IF WE'RE SAYING NO, WE'RE SAYING NO.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BEHIND THE SCENES THERE WAS ANOTHER EVENT, OR WE MAY HAVE TWO EVENTS THAT ARE, WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE JUNETEENTH THAT'S COMING UP, THAT'S A REAL HUGE EVENT AND SOMEONE MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT FOLLOWING WEEK AND WE DON'T WANNA WORK THAT FOLLOWING WEEK BECAUSE THAT ONE WAS SO, SO CUMBERSOME ON US THAT YEAH, IT, IT, IT, IT, BUT CHRIS, IT'S FOR THE DOGS.
I, AND I AM ONE OF THE BIGGEST DOG LOVERS, UH, AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THEN MAYBE WE CAN TRY AND NEGO NEGOTIATE A DIFFERENT, UH, DATE, DATE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN KIND OF MEET IN THE MIDDLE IF NEED BE
AND SO HOW WILL THAT BE COMMUNICATED, UH, TO OUR CITY MANAGER'S POINT? HOW, HOW IS, HOW IS A NO COMMUNICATED? LIKE, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED IT, I, I THINK I HEAR YOU SAYING ALTERNATIVES ARE THEN PRESENTED, UM, JUST TO SEE IF THAT WORKS.
BUT HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THAT IF THEY'RE NOT, WHAT? YEAH.
SO ACTUALLY THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, IT ACTUALLY DOES GO BACK THROUGH THE ACTION CENTER AND THEN THEY WILL LET THEM KNOW JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE THE MAIN POINT OF CONTACT.
BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT THE COMMITTEE WILL PROVIDE, WILL PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTATION AS TO WHY WE ARE SAYING NO.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE ACTION CENTER IS MAKING THE CALL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION.
AND SO HOW MANY DAYS IS THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS? THAT'S NOW IT'S JUST RAISING A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT I, 'CAUSE I WANNA MOVE US ON.
BUT HOW, LIKE WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY GO TO THE ACTION CENTER AND THEY APPLY AND FOR THEIR PARADE, RIGHT? UM, THEN THAT START, WHAT, WHAT THE TIME STARTS CLICKING THEN.
SO WHAT, WHERE ARE WE AT BEFORE WE GET TO A YES OR A NO IN TERMS OF DAYS? IT SAYS 10 WORKING DAYS, 10 WORKING.
YES, I DO REMEMBER SEEING THAT.
SO 10 WORKING DAYS MEANING BUSINESS DAYS.
SO IT SAYS, WELL, NOW I'M CONFUSED.
I'M, AND MAYBE I'M JUST, MAYBE I'M JUST KIND OF NOT FOLLOWING THE DOCUMENTATION.
SO I DO REMEMBER SEEING IF DENIED APPLICANTS CAN APPEAL 10 WORKING DAYS.
BUT IT SAYS THE SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE SUBMISSION.
IS THAT DIFFERENT? SO CERTIFICATES MUST BE SUBMITTED 30 DAYS PRIOR TO, LIKE, I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE BOLDED ITEMS. ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE OR THE POLICY? I'M LOOKING AT THE, THIS, IT IS THE POLICY.
MAYOR, CAN I SOME CLARIFICATION? I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE IN ALIGNMENT.
SO ONCE AN APPLICANT SUBMITS AN APPLICATION, THE COMMITTEE HAS 30 DAYS TO REVIEW, 30 DAYS TO, THEN THE ACTION CENTER WILL BE THE ONE CALLING THE APPLICANT, LETTING THEM KNOW IF THEY WERE, UH, APPROVED OR DENIED.
AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDED WITH, UM, BACKUP.
IF THEY'RE DENIED, THEN THEY HAVE 10 DAYS TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR AN APPEAL.
AND HOW THEY CAN DO IT IS NOT OUTLINED HERE, BUT HOW THEY CAN DO IT, THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEND, UM, THE APPEAL TO THE ACTION CENTER AND THE ACTION CENTER WILL SUBMIT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
AND, AND I'M, I'M, I'M ALL FOR COUNSEL STAYING OUT OF THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS.
UM, HOWEVER, I AM IN FAVOR WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UH, TO MY LEFT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE TIMELINE.
BECAUSE IF I, IF I WANNA HAVE MY PARADE AND WE'RE TWO WEEKS OUT, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY BE 30 DAYS BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN TELL ME YES OR NO.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE, THE TIMELINE THAT THEY WILL BE UNDER, UM, AT THAT POINT.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU ALL NEED FROM US ON THIS ITEM? MAYOR, CAN I, SURE.
CAN I MAKE A, A, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IF THAT'S OKAY? I'D RATHER, I'D RATHER THE LETTER GO FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY
[01:45:01]
SERVICES AND EXTERNAL AFFAIR, AN ACTUAL LETTER.UM, COMMUNICATION ON THE APPROVAL OR DENIAL, AND THEY HAVE 10 DAYS THEY WILL SUBMIT TO, UH, THE DIRECTOR AND THE CITY MANAGER WOULD BE THE FINAL APPROVAL IN WRITING.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF, THAT'S PART OF THE CONCERN FOR ME IS THAT WE HAVE ALL THOSE EVENTS, ALL THOSE, AND WE CANNOT TRACK 'EM.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRACK 'EM.
SO, UM, THAT'S THAT WAY WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE, THE ACTION CENTER IS NOT SHARING WITH THE APPLICANT, UH, VERBALLY, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A DOCUMENTATION THAT WE CAN TRACK.
IF, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
THAT'S THAT, UH, THAT WORKS FOR ME.
I THINK WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED ABOUT THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE APPEAL PROCESS, HOW MANY DAYS DOES THE CITY MANAGER HAVE IN ORDER TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND GET, UH, WITH THE TIMEFRAME, WITH THE DECISION FROM THAT APPEAL? UH, 10 DAYS.
WITHIN THE NOTIFICATION OF IT.
THEY MAY APPEAL WITHIN 10 DAYS, BUT ONCE IT REACHES THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, HOW MANY DAYS ARE WE ALLOWING FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE A DECISION TO GET BACK TO THE APPLICANT? BECAUSE 40 DAYS EXACTLY.
SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S SAYING IF DENIED APPLICANTS MAY APPEAL TO THE CITY MANAGER WITHIN 10 DAYS OF NOTIFICATION, BUT I DON'T SEE WHERE IT SAYS HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO TAKE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
SO CAN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT? UH, WE, WE WILL.
AND WELL, THAT, THAT CONCERNS ME ALSO THE, THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT, THAT THEY HAVE TO WAIT.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE CONSIDERATION TO BRING BACK TO YOU.
UM, THANK YOU DR. WILLIAMS. AT THIS TIME, MS. REYNOLDS
[i. Presentation of the Mobile Food Vendor Policy]
WILL HAVE THE NEXT, UH, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA AND COUNSEL FOR YOUR EDIFICATION.UM, THIS IS THE SECOND TO THE LAST ITEM ON THE
UM, SO NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR MOBILE FOOD VENDOR POLICY.
AND I DO HAVE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST, JOHN MALVERN, HERE WITH ME TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ALL YOUR HARD QUESTIONS, YOU CAN RESERVE IT FOR HIM.
UM, WE ARE GOING THROUGH, THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF STANDARDIZED PRE PROCEDURES FOR FOOD TRUCKS AND MOBILE VENDORS.
THIS IS ANOTHER NEW POLICY THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO, UM, PUT IN PLACE AND THAT IT SHOULD ALIGN WITH, UM, THE, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
UM, UH, WE ARE REQUESTING FOR FEEDBACK AND, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT, UH, ANTICIPATING A VOTE.
IT'S JUST FOR FEEDBACK PURPOSES.
UM, FOR, UH, JUST A BRIEF HISTORY, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE, UM, IN, IN, UH, DOCUMENTATION AND PERMITTING FOR FOOD TRUCKS.
AND, UM, JUST IN RESPONSE TO INCREASED DEMAND FROM VENDORS AT SPECIAL EVENTS, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE, UM, IMPROVING FOOD SAFETY, VENDOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC TRUST.
AND SO SOME OF THE POLICY HIGHLIGHTS, UM, WE HAVE, UH, THE POLICY WILL INCLUDE CLEAR APPLICATION PROCEDURES, UM, DEFINED HEALTH, UH, AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, PROCESSES FOR A PERMIT, SUSPENSION OR VOCATION, STANDARDIZED INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.
AND FINALLY, REVIEW AND MAINTENANCE PROCESS TO THE POLICY STAYS CURRENT AND EFFECTIVE.
SO IN SUMMARY, UM, THE POLICY REQUIRES VENDORS TO HOLD A DALLAS COUNTY MOBILE FOOD UNIT PERMIT, UH, PROVIDE INSURANCE AND OPERATE FROM A COMMISSARY.
UM, IT ALSO DEFINES INSPECTION PROCESSES, OUTLINES, VIOLATIONS AND APPEALS, AND ENSURES ACCOUNTABILITY FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE.
THERE IS NO, UH, THERE'S MINIMAL FINANCIAL IMPACT.
WE EXPECT SOME REVENUES FROM PERMITS, UM, WHICH WE WILL CAREFULLY TRACK IN THE FIRST YEAR.
OUR STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STAFF, VENDORS, UM, THEMSELVES, BUSINESS OWNERS AND SPECIAL EVENT PROMOTERS IF ADOPTED.
WE ARE PROPOSING AN IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE BEGINNING IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
UH, SO IF COUNSEL IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPOSED POLICY, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENFORCE THESE REQUIREMENTS IN OCTOBER.
IF NOT, WE'LL TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK TONIGHT, MAKE REVISIONS AND BRING POLICY BACK BEFORE ROLLOUT.
THANK YOU, DR. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER PARK.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE SOME HARD QUESTIONS,
[01:50:01]
UM, I LOOKED AT THIS AND THIS IS, UH, NEXT AND DEAR TO SOMETHING THAT I ASKED ABOUT BECAUSE I LIKE, UM, I LIKE VISITING FOOD TRUCKS AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY OF DESOTO IS ACCOMMODATING TO OUR FOOD TRUCKS AND THAT WE'RE MAKING THE, NOT ONLY MAKING THEM COMFORTABLE, BUT ALSO BRINGING IN MONIES TO DE CITY OF DESOTO AND CHOICE.BUT WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS BECAUSE OF HOUSE BILL 28 44, WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT AS OF JULY 20, 26.
HAS THIS BILL, OR HAS THIS ORDINANCE BEEN, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, SANITIZED AGAINST THAT BILL BECAUSE OF PREEMPTION? YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY CAUSE US TO HAVE TO GO BACKWARDS.
HAS IT BEEN LOOKED AT IN REGARDS TO THAT BILL? BECAUSE THAT BILL HAS PASSED? YES, THE BILL HAS PASSED AND I HAVE RECEIVED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND ACTUALLY SET ON A WEBINAR, UH, CONCERNING THAT BILL.
BUT THIS, UH, POLICY IS NOT TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR BILL.
BUT IS THIS BILL, IS THIS ORDINANCE GOING TO NEED TO BE REVISED WHEN THE BILL COMES OUT? WHEN THE, WHEN THE BILL BECOMES EFFECTIVE? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WILL.
UM, I THINK THE ONLY REVISION THAT MAY NEED TO, TO, TO BE IS SOMEONE HOLDS A STATE, UM, WIDE MOBILE PERMIT, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD HOLD.
BUT IT WOULD STILL, AS FAR AS OUR POLICY RELATES, THEY WOULD STILL NEED TO GO WITH, WITH OUR POLICIES AS WELL.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE IF THEY HOLD EITHER A DALLAS COUNTY OR A STATEWIDE MOBILE FOOD UNIT.
SO THEY'LL BE UP TO THE APPLICANT TO LET US KNOW WHICH ONE THEY ACTUALLY HOLD.
AND JUST, UH, FOR, FOR A MATTER OF, OF INFORMATION.
AS I REVIEWED IT, IT WAS SOME THINGS AROUND THE COMMISSARY REQUIREMENT, THE INSURANCE, THE PERMITTING FEES.
THOSE ARE ALL MENTIONED IN THE NEW BILL.
UH, UH, THE PREEMPTION OR THE LOCAL AUTHORITY, HOW MUCH AUTHORITY WE HAD.
AND THEN THE VEN, THE VENDOR ELIG ELIGIBILITY, THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT I BELIEVE REALLY DO NEED TO BE REVIEWED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACKWARDS BECAUSE I'M IN FAVOR OF MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS BEING ABLE TO GET ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OF DESOTO AND PROVIDE CHOICE TO THE CITY OF DESOTO.
SO IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, IF WE CAN REVIEW THAT BEFORE WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE NOT GOING BACKWARDS.
SO THE CITY, WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT SOMEONE ONE PRESENTS A DALLAS COUNTY PERMIT OR AN ACTUAL STATE PERMIT, WE JUST CAN'T SAY, OKAY, YOU CAN'T OPERATE, YOU CAN UNDER THAT NEW, THAT NEW BILL, BUT IT CAN'T EXEMPT THE LOCAL ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE, WHICH SAYS THAT YOU CAN'T, IF WE HAVE LOCAL ORDINANCES THAT SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN CERTAIN PLACES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEN THEY HAVE TO ABIDE BY THOSE THINGS.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE FOR BRINGING UP, UH, HB 28 44.
AND I, TO YOUR POINT, UM, WHILE YOU CAN'T, UH, HAVE A LOCAL, UM, PERMIT ANYMORE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE STATE, THE CITY STILL CONTROLS THE ZONING.
THE SIGNAGE, UM, ALL THAT OTHER JAZZ.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY, UM, NEXT QUESTION BECAUSE YOU ALL REQUIRE PERMISSION FROM, UM, THE PRIVATE OWNER OF THE PARKING LOT IN ORDER TO PROCEED.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S ON LETTERHEAD.
'CAUSE IT WAS, THAT'S ON LETTERHEAD.
AND I DON'T IF THIS, IF THIS COULD BE EXPLICITLY EXPRESSED TO IN THE POLICY OR AS A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY HAVE IT VISIBLE, UM, IN THE TRUCK.
BECAUSE I OFTENTIMES GET CALLS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS AND AREAS THAT THEY DID NOT RIGHT.
AND, UM, INSTEAD OF SENDING THE, THE PICTURE TO ME TO FOLLOW UP ON IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF THEY COULD JUST SEE THAT THIS PERSON HAS PERMISSION TO BE THERE ON THE LETTERHEAD OF I AGREE.
AND THAT STILL STAYS WITHIN THE STATE LAW, UM, REQUIREMENTS.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT DUPLICATIVE OF THE STATE LAW.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING, WE TALK, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A BUSINESS LICENSE, UM, UM, REQUIREMENT WHERE ALL BUSINESSES WILL REGISTER AND GET A, A FEE.
I, I, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE NEW LAW, STATE LAW WILL, WOULD PREEMPT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES FROM STILL ESTABLISHING BUSINESS LICENSING.
UM, AND I, I ENJOY FOOD TRUCKS AS WELL, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM ON EVERY CORNER.
UM, AND SO WHAT I DID NOT SEE IN THE POLICY, AND MAYBE I MISSED IT, IS DO YOU REQUIRE, AND I I AND I, I, I DID REALIZE THAT IT WAS WRITTEN PRIMARILY FOR THOSE FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE DOING BUSINESSES WITH THE CITY, YOU KNOW, FOR EVENTS AND STUFF.
BUT I, I THINK MAYBE WE WANT TO BROADEN IT A LITTLE BIT TO, TO, TO INCLUDE ALL FOOD TRUCKS, MEANING,
[01:55:01]
UH, SOMETIME THEY MIGHT BE ON A PROPERTY THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ON THE PROPERTY.SO MAYBE IN THE REQUIREMENTS WE CAN, DID I MISS IT? I THINK YEAH, THAT'S, YEAH.
I MEAN I, I I WOULD, I WOULD SAY GREAT MINDS THINK OF LIGHT, BUT HER MIND IS MUCH GREATER.
UH, BUT TO THAT POINT, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, SO THAT TO THE, NOW I'M REMEMBERING TO THE POINT THAT WE KNOW, BUT IF WE ESTABLISH A LICENSE, A BUSINESS LICENSE, WE CAN STILL DO THAT.
AND, AND, AND THAT WILL ALSO KINDA HELP US NAVIGATE.
I'VE GOTTEN THOSE SAME CALLS WHERE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FOOD TRUCK ON THIS CORNER, FOOD TRUCK OVER HERE, FOOD TRUCK OVER THERE AND, AND DE SODIUM, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, IT'S MY DREAM THAT ONE DAY WE WILL, I WAS IN FRISK.
NO, I WAS, I WAS IN THE COLONY WHERE THEY HAVE A, A PLACE WHERE THEY CALL THE TRUCK YARD.
THEY HAVE A TRUCK YARD MM-HMM
WHERE A DESIGNATED PLACE CORRECT.
WHERE YOU TO GO AND, AND, AND, AND GIVES, UH, FOOD TRUCKS PLACE.
BUT IT ALSO GIVES US CONTROL AND, AND BEAUTIFICATION FOR OUR CITY.
I AM A, I'M A LITTLE, UM, I'M STILL TRYING TO BRING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE I, I, AGAIN, LIKE MY COLLEAGUES, UM, I GET IT.
SEE, OBSERVE A LOT OF THINGS PERSONALLY WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS.
AND NOT EVEN SO MUCH WITH FOOD TRUCKS.
UM, WILL THIS BE APPLICABLE TO, WELL, IT SAYS MOBILE FOOD VENDORS, SO I MAY HAVE ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION.
HOWEVER, HOW WILL THIS, OR HOW COULD THIS APPLY TO THOSE THAT ARE STATIONARY VENDORS? SO LIKE, I'VE GOTTEN, UH, QUESTIONS FROM, UH, SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO WANNA DO LEMONADE STANDS MM-HMM
BUT THEY SAID THERE'S A POLICY APPARENTLY WITH THE CITY WHERE THEY CAN'T SET UP IN THE PARKS, UM, EITHER AT ALL, OR THEY CAN ONLY DO IT SO MANY TIMES.
OR LIKE THERE WAS SOME RESTRICTION ALSO, I SEE VENDORS, UM, I DON'T WANNA SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT THE PRODUCT BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA PUT THAT PERSON'S, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEY'RE A TARGET FOR MY QUESTION.
UM, BUT THEY ARE NOT A MOBILE FOOD VENDOR, BUT THEY'RE SET UP IN THE SAME SPOT PRETTY MUCH EVERY, EVERY TIME I GO THERE WITHOUT FAIL, LIKE I SAID, MY WATCH TO 'EM.
UM, SO LIKE THOSE TYPES OF INDIVIDUALS, DOES THIS POLICY APPLY OR WHAT IS THE CURRENT POLICY AND HOW CAN WE MAKE IT AGAIN, I'M, I'M, I'M WITH, I I I'M ON BOTH SIDES OF, OF THIS COIN WITH NOT WANTING TO SEE 'EM ON EVERY CORNER.
HOWEVER, FOR SOME REQUESTS I KNOW, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I, I, I LOVE WHAT OUR KIDS ARE DOING MM-HMM
AND DON'T WANNA DISCOURAGE THEM FROM WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO LIKE, ARE THERE OTHER WAYS THAT THIS POLICY COULD EXPAND INTO SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF VENDORS AS WELL? WELL, THIS PART PARTICULAR POLICY MOSTLY ADDRESS MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS AND VENDORS.
SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY TAKE CARE OF A STATIONARY TYPE OF FOOD STAND.
UH, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT LEMONADE ST STAND, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, THAT IF THAT CHILD IS UNDER 18 YEARS OF OLD, THEY CAN HAVE A LEMONADE STAND WITHOUT A PERMIT.
UM, THEY CAN DO IT IN THEIR FRONT YARD, UM, AS FAR AS TO ANSWER A QUESTION BY PARKS, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE PERMISSION FROM PARKS AND RECS TO BE THERE.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE PERMISSION.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE TYPE OF SETUPS, IF THEY HAVE, AND THERE'S ALSO THINGS CALLED UNDER TEXAS COTTAGE FOOD LAW.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WHERE THEY DON'T REQUIRE A PERMIT FROM US PER SE, AND THEY, IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THOSE FOODS, THEY CAN DO IT.
UH, THIS PRIMARILY, THIS POLICY IS MORE ABOUT MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS AND TRAILERS AND ALSO PUSH CARTS THAT COULD BE IN FRONT OF A, A CONVENIENCE STORE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IT DOESN'T DIRECTLY ADDRESS, UH, STATIONARY FOOD.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, UM, AT THE, UH, GOLD DESOTO MARKETPLACE, I'M, THERE'S, LEMME GET MY COUNSEL ON.
MAYOR, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I BELIEVE ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS HAVE TO BE PRIVATE PROPERTY.
'CAUSE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT REQUIREMENT, WHICH IS PERMISSION FROM THE CITY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T DO TYPICALLY.
SO, UM, YOU WERE EXPLAINING MM-HMM
THAT THAT ANYTHING THAT IS CONSIDERED ON WHEELS MOBILE.
AND WE DO HAVE THREE STATIONARY TRUCKS THAT ARE AT GROVE DESOTO MARKETPLACE, BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE ZONED, THEY'RE TRAILERS THOUGH.
SO DOES THAT NOT APPLY TO THEM? THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT COULD BE GETTING INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE, IT COULD BE MOVED NUANCE OF THE POLICY, BE IT TECHNICALLY COULD BE MOVED.
THEY CAN MOVE IF THEY WANT TO, BUT THE
[02:00:01]
WAY THEIR, THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS, IS STATIONARY FROM DAY TO DAY.AND THEY, I TALKED TO THE DALLAS COUNTY ABOUT THAT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT WITH, IF THEY'RE STATIONARY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, THEN IT'S NOT APPLICABLE FOR 'EM TO, UH, GET A DALLAS COUNTY PERMIT.
THOSE THREE PERMITS COME FROM THE CITY OF DESOTO.
AND THAT, BECAUSE I GOT THE DIRECTOR FROM DALLAS COUNTY.
AND SO OUR POLICY, I KNOW IT USED TO BE AS SUCH, AND I, AGAIN, I I'M STILL WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE POLICY CURRENTLY AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
I KNOW THERE WAS A TIME REQUIREMENT RIGHT.
FOR THE MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS TO BE ABLE TO STAY.
'CAUSE IT USED TO BE THEY HAD TO MOVE THIS, AND THIS HAS BEEN MANY YEARS AGO.
THEY COULDN'T STAY IN ONE SPOT FOR MORE THAN 15 TO 20 MINUTES.
I THINK YOU GOT INCREASED LIKE 45 MINUTES.
I, I CAN, I CAN ALMOST SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT, THAT THE FOOD TRUCKS WE HAVE NOW STAY MUCH LONGER THAN 45 MINUTES IN THE SPOT.
SO HAS THAT BEEN INCREASED? IT HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED BY ME.
SO THEY'RE JUST STAYING THERE.
PRIMARILY MYSELF AND THE FIRE MARSHAL, WE JUST MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A DALLAS COUNTY PERMIT AND THEY'VE HAD A FIRE INSPECTION BY HIM.
BUT I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE, IT'S BEEN HARD FOR US TO ENFORCE THE 45 MINUTE RULE.
OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY MOBILE FOOD TRUCK OR TRAILER IN DE SOTO IS PERMITTED.
SO COULD WE, COULD WE, COULD WE LOOK, BECAUSE I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT I, AS A BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF, 45 MINUTES STILL FEELS RESTRICTIVE TO YES.
AND YOU GOT PEOPLE TRYING TO FOLLOW YOU ALL OVER THESE PLACES TO TRY TO FIND YOUR, TO GET YOUR FOOD RIGHT.
UM, CAN WE CREATE THE, CAN WE CHANGE THE POLICY WHERE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT THOUGH, SO THAT IT'S NOT LOOKED AT? BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT COMES ALONG AND WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO ENFORCE IT OR, YOU KNOW, OR SAYS OR UNDERST, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTOOD REPORTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO CAN WE LOOK AT ALSO MAKING IT TO ALIGN WITH WHATEVER TIME YOU ALL FEEL IS, IS ADEQUATE? SURE.
UM, TO ALLOW THEM, IF THEY GO THROUGH ALL THE PROPER CHANNELS AND HAVE ALL THE PERMITS AND DO ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T NECESSARILY MIND THEY'RE DOING IT ANYWAY.
I'M, I'M SPECULATING, BUT SURE.
BUT IT, IT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE DOING IT ANYWAY.
SO CAN WE ALIGN OUR POLICY WITH THE TIMEFRAME SO THAT THEY CAN ABSOLUTELY NOT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO? SURE.
MR. KIN, ONE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT.
UM, WHEN WE WERE TALKING IN TERMS OF THIS, UH, WE WERE SAYING, UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED THREE PERMITS.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE PERMITS THAT ARE SITTING IN GROVE SOTO? YES, MA'AM.
UH, THOSE ARE, ARE ACTUAL PERMITS THAT WE WERE TOLD BY DALLAS COUNTY THAT WE COULD ISSUE BECAUSE THEY WERE STATIONARY BASED ON THE ZONING THAT THEY HAD TO BE THERE STATIONARY.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY THREE TRUCKS THAT DO NOT HAVE DALLAS COUNTY PERMITS.
THEY'RE ISSUED PERMITS FROM THE CITY OF DESOTO.
AND SO SPEAKING HYPOTHETICALLY, IF ONE OF THEM DECIDED TO LEAVE DESOTO OR LEAVE THAT AREA AND ANOTHER ONE CAME IN, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET THE DALLAS COUNTY ONE? NO, WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE THE CITY OF DESOTO FOR THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION.
BUT THAT'S A STATIONARY, UH, SET UP THAT WE HAVE.
BASICALLY, DALLAS COUNTY HAS GIVEN US, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? UM, PROVISION, BASICALLY PROVISIONAL PERMISSION TO ALLOW THOSE TRUCKS TO STAY STATIONARY AND WE CAN ISSUE THEM A CITY OF DESOTO, UM, PERMIT FOR THAT LOCATION.
THOSE THREE, THOSE THREE SLOTS.
AND SO JUST SAY FOR INSTANCE, DESOTO DECIDED TO MAKE ITS OWN FOOD TRUCK AREA.
THEN WE WOULD HAVE DESOTO PERMITS FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN DALLAS COUNTY, OR THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO HAVE IN DALLAS COUNTY IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE OUR OWN FOOD TRUCK AREA.
IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO DO, I WOULD CERTAINLY GET GUIDANCE FROM DALLAS COUNTY TO SEE IF THAT WOULD BE THE SAME SETUP UP HERE IF WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S MY, IT'S NOT MOBILE, BUT I WOULD ASK FOR GUIDANCE FROM DALLAS COUNTY ON THAT.
WELL, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT DESOTO DOES.
IF, IF I MAY, I THINK, UH, TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR QUESTION AND, AND, AND FOR REASONABLE STANDPOINT, IF YOU WILL, UM, UH, I, I, I THINK THE, THE MINIMUM, YOU KNOW, THE MINIMUM STAY WE COULD, WE COULD EASILY LOOK AT SAYING THEY CANNOT STAY OVERNIGHT AND JUST LEAVE IT THAT WAY.
SO A, A A TRUCK, MOBILE TRUCK CAN STAY THERE, SERVE THE CUSTOMERS AND LEAVE THAT NIGHT, CAN'T, CAN'T JUST PARK IT OVERNIGHT.
WHICH, WHICH I'VE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES.
I'M, I JUST, I'M ALMOST THERE WITH, UM, WITH THAT.
I, I GUESS FOR ME, I'VE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES WHERE FOOD TRUCKS HAVE BEEN OUT AT NIGHT IN PARKING LOTS, UM, DARK PARKING LOTS.
AND SO FOR SAFETY AND JUST ALL THE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AND I, I AGREE WITH NO OVERNIGHT, BUT ALSO MAYBE STILL A CUTOFF TIME, LIKE WHAT TIME OF DAY, UM, THAT THEY
[02:05:01]
NEED TO BE WRAPPED UP IN AND OFF OF THE PROPERTY.BUT, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S JUST, THIS IS JUST ME THINKING ABOUT IT.
LET, LET, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES, UH, HAVE DONE AND MAYBE WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH THAT.
WHEN, WHEN THE POLICY IS, IS, UM, UH, IS BROUGHT FORWARD AND IF, AND IF, IF I MAY, UM, THERE'S ONE INSTANCE THAT JUST OCCURRED RECENTLY IN THE LU PARKING LOT WITH FOOD TRUCKS.
IT WAS A, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A PARTY AND A FOOD TRUCK.
AND THEY WERE, THEY HAD LIQUOR AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF OUT THERE.
SO IT WAS, WAS A WHOLE FULL ON OUT IN THE LUBY'S PARKING LOT.
SO IF WE HAVE THAT ORDINANCE IN PLACE TO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD BE ENFORCED, BUT SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT, 'CAUSE LUBY'S PARKING LOT SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR A PARTY LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS, I MEAN, IT WAS HUGE.
IT WAS LIKE, WOW, I DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT.
IS THERE, YEAH, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY IF, IF THERE'S A, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL BE AN APPROVAL PROCESS IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO KNOW WHO'S, WHAT TRUCKS ARE OUT AND WHERE THE TRUCKS ARE.
IS THERE A WAY FOR PD TO HELP US ENFORCE THAT JUST TO, EVEN IF IT'S JUST AS MUCH AS DRIVING BY, JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON THE RIGHT SIDE OR RIGHT, YES.
BECAUSE I MEAN, I'M, I'M SURE IF A POLICE OFFICER WOULD'VE DRIVEN BY THAT AND SAW ALCOHOL AND ALL THE THINGS, IT WOULD'VE RAISED A RED FLAG IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
WELL, I MEAN, THEY WERE CALLED, BUT I'M SAYING IF, IF, IF WHATEVER DAYS TRUCKS ARE OUT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UM, THERE'S A LIST SOMEWHERE IN PD CITIZENS ON PATROL FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, RIGHT? SURE.
THEY'RE AWARE OF WHERE THESE TRUCKS ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE SERVING, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT AT LEAST GIVES US ANOTHER SET OF EYES.
SO IF THEY NEED TO ESCALATE SOMETHING TO THE POLICE, THEN THEY CAN BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEY'RE KNOW, THEY HAVE NO, THEY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
SO IF SOMEBODY IS IN A PLACE AND THEY'RE NOT ON THE LIST, THAT IMMEDIATELY TRIGGERS, HEY, WE HAVE A FOOD TRUCK THAT'S HERE.
OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, THEY'RE NOT ON OUR LIST.
WE DON'T HAVE THEM APPROVED TO BE OUT TODAY.
THAT JUST GIVES US ANOTHER SET OF, OF, UM, OVERSIGHT SURE.
TO WHERE THESE TRUCKS ARE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
AND I KNOW THE PERSON WHO HAS THE PHOTOS, IF WE NEED TO SHARE PHOTOS.
DOES THE CITY HAVE, DOES THE CITY HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE, OR WOULD THAT BE TOO MUCH? DO YOU GET FLOODED WITH THAT MANY? WHY YOU LAUGHING? DOCTOR E I'M JUST TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE PEOPLE.
WELL, I, I, I KNOW THE ONES THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH STATIONARY AND WHERE THEY LOCATED AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT, YOU KNOW, ANY GIVEN WEEKEND, THERE MAY BE SOMEBODY ELSE MAY JUST DRIVING TO THE SOTO AND START OPERATING.
SO THERE HAS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY THERE.
SO IT WON'T ALWAYS BE REAL TIME ACCURATE ALL THE TIME.
BUT WE DO KNOW THOSE WHO ARE THERE PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEKEND.
THEY'VE ALL BEEN INSPECTED AND THEY HAVE THEIR PERMITS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AT ANY TIME.
AND IF YOU WANNA PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL LIKE TO DO.
NPTI ACTUALLY LIKE THAT IDEA BECAUSE MAYBE, MAYBE WITH THE TIMEFRAME OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE, UM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR PERMITS AND HAVE EVERYTHING APPROVED BEFORE A CERTAIN DAY OF THE WEEK SO THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN, AND, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY GOOD FOR RESIDENTS, AS TO MY COLLEAGUES POINT, AND I USE HER WORD CHOICE, UM, THEY CAN GO TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE FOOD TRUCKS WILL BE AND WHO WILL BE OUT THIS WEEKEND OR THIS DAY, AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND THEY CAN GO AND GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THE CITY, JUST EVEN FROM A, YOU KNOW, JUST EVEN FROM A CONFIDENCE STANDPOINT AND WHO THEY'RE BUYING STUFF FROM, THAT THEY'VE BEEN VETTED THROUGH THE CITY.
AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT THE CITY KNOWS IS OUT AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED, HAVE THEIR PERMITS, HAVE ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE.
BUT I, I ACTUALLY THINK MAYBE HAVING THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE, AND OF COURSE IT WOULD BE NEED TO BE A SYSTEM SO THAT IT CAN BE UPDATED, BUT MAYBE REQUIRING THEM TO HAVE THEIR PERMITS IN BY CERTAIN DAY OF THE WEEK, OR JUST THEIR REQUESTS ALL THE THINGS, AND NOT JUST KIND OF A LAST MINUTE SPARE THE MOMENT THING.
UM, IT WOULD, WOULD HELP PROVIDE, AGAIN, MORE OVERSIGHT AND MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE TRUCKS THAT ARE OUT.
[j. Presentation of the City Sponsorship Policy]
WE ARE DOWN TO OUR LAST POLICY.IS THIS, UH, JAY TWO J, THE CITY SPONSORSHIP POLICY? OKAY.
WE'LL HAVE MS. REYNOLDS, UH, COUNSEL FOR YOUR HEARING.
UH, THIS IS THE LAST
UH, NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE CITY SPONSORSHIP POLICY.
[02:10:02]
ALL RIGHT.SO HERE, UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER POLICY FOR, UM, OUR CITY SPONSORSHIP POLICY.
IT OUTLINES HOW WE ARE GOING TO STANDARDIZE SUPPORT AND FUNDING PROCESSES, BOTH, UM, RECEIVING AND GIVING, UH, UH, SPONSORSHIP FEEDBACK IS REQUESTED, AND WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL AFTER YOUR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN TAKEN.
UH, SO AGAIN, JUST SOME INCONSISTENCIES IN HOW SPONSORSHIPS WERE ISSUED OR ACCEPTED, UM, AND FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES AS WELL.
SO, AND THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASED NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY AND POLICY STRUCTURE.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, EXAMPLES OF SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS.
UM, AND WE ALSO WANT TO ENSURE EQUITABLE AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT OF EVENTS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
SO, JUST SOME, UM, BACKGROUND, UH, SOME POLICY HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, WITHIN THE ACTUAL POLICY ITSELF, IT DOES, UH, SPECIFY SOME OF THE CATEGORIES OF SPONSORSHIPS, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, PROCLAMATION DAY SPONSORSHIPS, DISCRETIONARY FUND, SPONSORSHIPS, UH, TABLE SPONSORSHIPS, INCOMING SPONSORSHIPS.
AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE REVIEW, REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS, AS WELL AS COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS, UM, POLICY REVIEW AND MAINTENANCE, AND THEN TRAINING AND, UM, COMMUNICATION.
AND THERE'S ALSO SEVERAL, UM, JUST SAMPLE TEMPLATES OF FORMS THAT ARE AT THE BACK OF YOUR POLICY AS WELL.
SO THE POLICY DOES OUTLINE FIVE TYPES OF SPONSORSHIPS.
WE HAVE EVENTS, PROCLAMATION LINKED SPONSORSHIPS, DISCRETIONARY SPONSORSHIPS, TABLE SPONSORS, AND INCOMING SPONSORSHIPS.
UM, IT ESTABLISHES, UH, MOU, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES.
THERE'S NO CURRENT, UH, FINANCIAL IMPACT.
AND, UM, THE EXISTING FUNDS, UH, REMAIN WITHIN COUNCIL'S DISCRETION, WHICH IS OUTLINED IN SECTION FOUR.
AND THE STAKEHOLDERS DO INCLUDE THEIR CITY COUNCIL, CITY DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THIS POLICY IS READY FOR INTERNAL DISTRIBUTION AND TRAINING UPON COUNCIL APPROVAL.
UM, SO IF THE COUNCIL IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICY, WE CAN FINALIZE IT AND IMPLEMENT IT ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.
IF NOT, WE CAN DEFINITELY COLLECT YOUR FEEDBACK AND REVISE AND WE'LL LAUNCH IT AS SOON AS IT IS APPROVED.
THANK YOU, DR. WILLIAMS. UM, I DO HAVE A, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE, UM, SO, AND GO BACK TO THE SLIDE.
UM, GO BACK, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE FIVE.
SO IN TERMS OF THE ESTIMATED BUDGET COSTS, NO, NO NEW FINANCIAL IMPACT EXISTING FUNDS WILL REMAIN WITHIN COUNCIL'S DISCRETION, SECTION FOUR.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I HAVE, I GUESS A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE SCOPE OF THE POLICY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT COUNCIL HAS PROBABLY FOR THE LAST TWO, TWO BUDGET CYCLES, I THINK AT THIS POINT COUNCIL HAS A SET AMOUNT TO WHERE WE CAN DO DISCRETIONARY SPONSORSHIP.
SO MEANING IF COUNCIL IS ASKED TO SPONSOR A TABLE AT AN EVENT THAT WE'VE NOT SPONSORED IN THE PAST, SO IT'S NOT LIKE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE KNOW ARE STANDARD EVENTS THAT THE CITY GENERALLY SPONSORS COUNCIL CAN AGREE UPON SPONSORING THAT THAT EVENT AND TO WHAT LEVEL, AND THAT IS DISCRETIONARY AS LONG AS IT'S WITHIN COUNCIL'S BUDGET.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ESTIMATED BUDGET COST, WE KNOW WE GET ALL SORTS OF OTHER REQUESTS THAT FALL FAR OUTSIDE OF THAT SCOPE.
UM, LIKE REQUESTS, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, JUST THE EVENTS, PROCLAMATION, LINK, DISCRETIONARY, ALL THE THINGS.
SO ARE WE SAYING THAT THERE'S NO BUDGET COST THERE OR WOULD THOSE COSTS BE DEPARTMENTAL, OR HOW, HOW DO WE LOOK AT TRACKING, TRACKING THOSE TYPES OF, UH, IMPACTS TO THE BUDGET? UM, SO THE POLICY ACTUALLY DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OR HOW TO GET TO THAT AMOUNT.
IT'S REALLY UP TO YOUR DISCRETION.
IT'S JUST OUTLINING THE PROCESS OF HOW IT GETS APPROVED AS FAR AS THE VOTING GOES AND APPROVAL FROM, FROM A CITY MANAGER IF IT'S A DEPARTMENTAL SPONSORSHIP, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE, THERE'S NO VERBIAGE IN THE POLICY ITSELF ON, ON THAT, BUT WE CAN ADD IT IF YOU LIKE.
UH, WELL, NO, I'M, I'M, I WAS, MY POINT FOR BRINGING IT UP IS IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
SO IT JUST WOULD BE WHAT IS EVER DISCRETIONARY.
SO LIKE IF IT'S A, IN PARKS IS KIND OF THE EASIER ONE.
'CAUSE THEY GENERALLY THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, GET ASKED FOR FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WHICH THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY AS BE ASKED FOR A MONETARY, IT MAY BE, HEY, CAN WE USE THE VENUE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OR MARKETING COSTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT, I GUESS TO
[02:15:01]
QUANTIFY, UH, WHAT THOSE THINGS.BUT ESSENTIALLY THE POLICY IS LEAVING THE LEAVING, IT'S GIVING THE, IT IS GIVING THE WAY TO APPLY SOME OF THE PARAMETERS.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WILL DO, WHAT WE WON'T DO, UM, SPECIFICALLY ON PROCLAMATION.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS A DAY ISSUED, IT OUTLINES VERY CLEARLY FOR THAT PERSON OR THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS HONORED WITH IT, WHAT THE CITY WILL DO, WHAT THE CITY WON'T DO, UM, AND SO FORTH.
SO IS THAT WHAT WE ARE? YES, MA'AM.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF GETTING, GETTING MORE OF THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT WE WILL AND WON'T DO.
BUT THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS OR WHAT IT WILL BE IS STILL KIND OF DISCRETIONARY TO A DEGREE WITH THE PERSON THAT MAKES THAT FINAL DECISION DEPENDING ON WHICH ENTITY IT FALLS UNDER.
AND I MEAN, IT EVEN DOES SAY THE CITY MAY PROVIDE IN KIND SPONSORSHIPS COVERING UP TO 50% OR NOT TO EXCEED 500.
UM, BUT THAT'S STILL UP TO THE DIRECTOR'S DISCRETION AT THAT POINT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU SAID IT'S UP TO THE WHO? THE, UM, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, OR WHOEVER'S BEING REQUESTED FROM A CITY MANAGER.
UM, THE QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS AROUND, UH, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE THINK IN TERMS OF SPONSORSHIPS AND DISCRETIONARY FUNDS, UH, BEING USED.
NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF ENTITIES THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE AROUND DESOTO THAT WE ACTUALLY ALREADY PROVIDE SPONSORSHIP TO.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S REALLY ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET IN THIS, UH, POLICY THAT KIND OF LEADS TO, IF WE'RE ALREADY DONATING TO THAT PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT CAN EVEN BE USED AS DISCRETIONARY ANOTHER AN ADDITIONAL, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF IN HERE TO SAY WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THOSE ITEMS AS WELL THAT WE'RE ALREADY GIVING MONEY TO? UM, THAT WOULD BE, WOULD THAT BE MORE BUDGETARY DECISIONS? I GUESS I'M, AND I'M, I'M, I'M, AGAIN, I'M SPECULATING ON WHAT I THINK I KNOW, WHICH, WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF.
I THINK THAT'S THE POINT OF THE WORD DISCRETIONARY, RIGHT? LIKE EVEN IF IT'S THE SAME ORGANIZATION, IT'S TO YOUR DISCRETION WHETHER YOU DECIDE TO DONATE AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE AROUND IT.
THERE WERE NO, THERE WERE NO HARD AND FAST RULES GIVEN TO COUNCIL BECAUSE WE WERE ASKED, AGAIN, AS A COUNCIL ENTITY TO TAKE PART IN DIFFERENT THINGS MM-HMM
AND THERE WAS NO REAL FUNDS OR ANYTHING FROM US TO PULL FROM.
SO MOST OF THE TIME WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO SAY NO IF IT WASN'T ALREADY ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES WHERE IT WAS OUR ALREADY BUDGETED THAT WE GIVE TO ALL THE TIME.
AND SO TO GIVE COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT MORE OF FLEXIBILITY WITH WHAT WE PARTICIPATED IN OR SUPPORTED AS A COUNCIL, AS LONG AS IT WAS A COUNCIL DECISION, UM, THEN AGAIN, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE KEY WORD, IS IT WAS UP TO OUR DISCRETION WHETHER WE CHOOSE TO, UM, DONATE.
AGAIN, IT'S GONNA, I I, I KNOW WHEN I'M LOOKING AT IT, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ONE THAT WAS, THAT THOSE WERE THINGS I CONSIDERED BEFORE.
UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING ALREADY? YOU KNOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE JUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT AGAIN, IT'S STILL JUST, IT'S STILL A DISCRETIONARY THING.
AND SO JUST, JUST FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, UH, MADAM MAYOR, WHEN WE'RE TALKING IN TERMS OF THAT FUND, UH, I'M WITH YOU WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ON, IT'S A SET AMOUNT ALREADY, THE DISCRETIONARY IS SET AMOUNT ALREADY.
AND SO IF WE HAD 15 THINGS COME BEFORE US, AND I ALSO ACTUALLY WAS ASKING SHOULD WE REALLY BE DOING THAT VIA EMAIL? ISN'T THAT SOMETHING THAT WE, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE COUNCIL TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S DISCRETIONARY, IT'S STILL CITY, IT'S STILL THE TAXPAYER'S FUNDS.
I MEAN, I WAS TOLD I WAS, I WAS PROVIDED WITH YOUR QUESTION AND THAT'S WHAT I TOLD THEM TO DO.
IF OUR, IF OUR LEGAL COUNSEL APPROVES IT OR SAYS IT'S FINE, THEN IT'S FINE.
IN TERMS OF THE, IN TERMS OF THE, THE, UM, THE WAY THAT WE ARRIVE AT THAT DECISION, AND WE, THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE DONE IT UP UNTIL NOW.
AND SO IF WE GET TO THE 15 ITEMS AND WE DECIDE WE'RE GONNA GIVE MONEY TOWARDS THE THING, WHATEVER THAT THING IS, AND BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE DISCRETION DISCRETIONARY BUDGET IS, AND ONCE WE REACH IT, IT DOESN'T GET REPLENISHED UNTIL THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
SO THEN WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANY OF THAT ANY FURTHER.
SO YOU WOULD BE CAPPED AT WHATEVER THE BUDGET IS, WHICH I THINK IS 5,000 NOW.
AND I ASKED, UH, I ASKED OUR ADMIN TO GIVE US A UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE DONE TO THE, TO DATE.
UM, WE'VE NOT USED, WE'VE ONLY USED $400 OF THAT BUDGET TOWARDS, I'M NOT, I DON'T RECALL THE EVENT, BUT OUT OF THIS BUDGET CYCLE, THERE WAS ONLY $400 USED.
SO I WAS FINE WITH ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE IT REPLENISHES.
[02:20:01]
THAT MONEY TO USE.SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT CONDUIT TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE COUNCIL WHENEVER THE, THE QUESTION COMES UP, DO YOU WANT TO DO IT? HERE'S HOW MUCH WE USED THAT SORT OF THING.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT FELT LIKE, WELL, WHEN WE STARTED TALKING IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH WE HAVE LEFT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS TO BEGIN WITH.
YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS NOT THE DISCRETIONARY SPONSORSHIPS FOR COUNCIL IS NOT A NEW THING.
THIS IS AT LEAST THE SECOND, SECOND BUDGET CYCLE.
AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME AMOUNT.
SO, HOWEVER, JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY, JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ABLE TO HAVE THE INFORMATION AND THE NUMBERS THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION, I'LL REMIND THEM ANYTIME A REQUEST GOES OUT, JUST REMIND US OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE LEFT UNTIL WE RIGHT.
BUT YEAH, NO, THIS ONE, UM, WE'VE NOT REALLY U UTILIZED IT.
UM, AND SO WE ONLY HAVE $400 USED THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, IS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY RESEARCH, 'CAUSE I I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT DOES SPONSORSHIPS, UM, ATTEND A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND I SEE THE SISTER CITIES, UH, QUITE FREQUENTLY PARTICIPATING.
UM, IS THERE POSSIBLE TO FIND OUT WHAT PERHAPS CEDAR HILL, DUNCANVILLE, OR LANCASTER ARE DOING, UM, OR EVEN DALLAS FOR THAT MATTER, UH, AS IT RELATES TO CITY SPONSORSHIPS? AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE, UM, I'M JUST, IT'S OFTEN SCRUTINIZED, UM, HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, ARE WE ALIGNED WITH THE, WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING? UM, OR ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE DIDN'T SEE THAT WE COULD BE DOING DIFFERENTLY? I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE OH, WOW.
WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME RESEARCH DONE, AND AS OF YESTERDAY, RED OAK, GRAND PRAIRIE, ARLINGTON, MANSFIELD, DUNCANVILLE, CEDAR HILL, AND LANCASTER DO NOT HAVE SPONSORSHIP POLICIES.
THAT WASN'T STRAIGHT FOR THAT.
I ALWAYS WANNA BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE.
I, I THINK, UH, FOR OUR PURPOSES, THE CONCERNS ARE STAYING CONSISTENT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, THE ONE OFF SOMETIMES ON SPONSORSHIP, UH, REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK IF, IF IT STAYS WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL AND SAY, UH, HERE ARE THE PARAMETERS, HERE'S WHAT WE ALLOW, HERE'S WHAT WE DON'T ALLOW AND, AND MOVE THAT DIRECTION.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT GIVES US A COMFORT LEVEL WITH, WITH STAFF, BECAUSE I, I DON'T WANT TO BE, I DON'T WANT TO BE RECOMMENDING SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FEELS OBLIGATED, IF YOU WILL, UH, TO, TO SPONSOR OR TO UH, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE PUT ON THE SPOT.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO HAVE WHAT SOME CITIES DO, UH, IS, IS THEY EARMARK THOSE SPONSORSHIPS WITH THE SPECIFIC ENTITIES THEY WANT TO DO, WHETHER THEY'RE NON-PROFIT, WHETHER THEY'RE, UH, UH, COMPANIES THAT APPROACH THEM AHEAD OF TIME.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND ONCE YOU EARMARK IT, YOU EARMARK IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE SPONSORSHIP THAT YOU HAVE.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S THE, UH, THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE AS STAFF PROVIDE YOU THE, THE, THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO BE, UH, CONSISTENT AND NOT TO, YOU KNOW, BE PERCEIVED AS PLAYING FAVORITISM TO, TO SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS OR SPECIFIC, UH, ENTITIES.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND COULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY.
BECAUSE HOW DO YOU DECIDE, I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, WHAT YOU DO FOR ONE, NOW, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER DOING THAT FOR EVERYBODY THAT ASKS THAT REQUEST, WHETHER THEY ARE ALIGNED WITH THE CITY, WHETHER WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF WHAT YOUR CITY STANDS FOR.
YOU'VE NOW OPENED YOURSELF UP TO HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT FOR EVERYBODY THAT COMES ALONG.
AND AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU HAVE NO PARAMETERS, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO VERSUS WHAT WE WON'T DO WITHOUT BEING PUBLICLY SCRUTINIZED? UM, SO I, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THIS POLICY AND THINK THAT IT IS, UM, AGAIN, LONG OVERDUE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT AGAIN, WE ARE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'RE SHARING WITH OUR RESIDENTS, AND SO THAT EVERYTHING IS FAIR AND IS EQUITABLE IN TERMS OF ACCESS THAT, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO PARTNER WITH.
UM, SO AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO ENTERTAIN.
UM, I'M GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA GIVE THAT MOTION TO MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM, AND I'M GONNA GIVE THAT SECOND TO COUNCIL MEMBER PARK, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU, MRS. NORTH FIVE.
[02:25:01]
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY, UH, A PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED TO ADJOURN.COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS 8 23.
COUNSEL, WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.