Aug 20, 2026 Economic Development

[A. Call to Order ]

[00:00:09]

PEARSON, HERE, HERE. MARK JONES PRESENT. JAMES. PRESENT. AND WE HAVE VIRTUALLY. MARK PRICE PRESENT.

THANK YOU. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. THOSE THAT ARE IN THE PRESENCE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW WE'LL HAVE AN INVOCATION, PLEASE. PLEASE, SIR. LORD, THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER CHANCE TO GIVE YOU PRAISE AND HONOR. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN US TO REPRESENT OUR CITY. GIVE US THE KIND OF WISDOM, THE KIND OF DIRECTION, AND THE CONTINUED PURPOSE THAT LIFTS UP OUR COMMUNITY. LORD, WE TRUST YOU. WE PRAISE YOU, AND WE LIFT YOU UP. AND YOUR SON, JESUS NAME, AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR JONES, FOR THAT WONDERFUL PRAYER. AND LET ME NOT BE REMISS. I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE WE PROCEED FORWARD TO WELCOME AND APPLAUD THE FACT THAT WE HAVE OUR NEW CITY COUNCIL LIAISON THAT'S SITTING IN WITH US FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, COUNCILMAN BRIAN WESLEY. THANK YOU. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU JOIN US TODAY. WELCOME, WELCOME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT SAID, LET'S

[C. Consent Agenda]

MOTION AND APPROVED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY NAYS? IT CARRIES FOR AS WE PROCEED TO

[D.1. Receive and review the May and June 2026 Finance Status Reports.]

YOUR MAY AND JUNE 2026 FINANCIALS. BUDGETED REVENUE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. AND THE YEAR IS $3,006,250. OUR YEAR TO DATE REVENUES ARE $2,046,890. THIS REPRESENTS 68.1% OF OUR BUDGETED REVENUE, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S REVENUE OF $1,735,898, WHICH REPRESENTED 57.2%. SO OUR REVENUES ARE TRENDING AS EXPECTED. OUR SALES TAX IS COMING IN HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, AND OUR INTEREST FOR THE MONTH. WE DID HAVE TWO CDS THAT MATURED IN THE MONTH OF MAY, AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE $100,000 WORTH OF REVENUE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S 25,331.

[00:05:08]

I HAVE ONE QUESTION. I'M SORRY IF YOU CAN REMIND ME ON THE REVENUE SIDE, THIS REVENUE FROM RENTAL PROPERTIES 12000. YES. SO WE HAVE THREE PROPERTIES AND THEY'RE RELATED TO THE CMC CHURCH PURCHASE. THEY ARE $500 A MONTH. SO WE GET $1,500 A MONTH. AND THAT PORTION BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 2025. SO YEAR TO DATE, WE ARE ON TRACK WITH THE REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVED ON A MONTHLY BASIS. YOU MAY SEE $1,500 OR 2000 JUST DEPENDING ON THE TIMELINE, BUT YEAR TO DATE, WE ARE ON TRACK WITH WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE FOR THOSE PROPERTIES. OKAY. HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THAT? I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THAT AGREEMENT WILL LAST.

THE AGREEMENT BASICALLY, AND I WON'T GET IN TOO MUCH INTO THE TERMS OF I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR

[00:10:06]

INSTEAD OF YES, DIRECTLY FROM OUR SOFTWARE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ IT. MAYBE WE COULD PUT IT MORE IN A REPORT FORMAT SIMILAR TO THE OTHER FINANCIALS THAT WE REPORT TO YOU. WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL? A BALANCE SHEET WOULD BE HELPFUL. OKAY. OKAY. WELL WE CAN WORK ON THAT.

WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS? I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND THEN WE CAN PRESENT THEM TO, TO THE BOARD AND SEE IF SOMETHING MEETS THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST MAKE SURE I'M READING IT RIGHT TO OKAY. SO BASICALLY 10 MILLION CASH RIGHT NOW. I'M SORRY, 10 MILLION IN CASH. THIS IS JUST A 10 MILLION. OUR FUND BALANCE OF 10,413,000. IT DOES REPRESENT CASH. OUR INVESTMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE SUM OF IT IS MOSTLY JUST CASH. NOTHING.

THAT'S A LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, ASSET THAT THAT YOU DON'T REALLY THAT IS NOT CASH. SO YOU'RE CORRECT. IT'S MOSTLY JUST CASH GOING TO BE IN OUR BALANCE SHEET BECAUSE IT'S A CURRENT ASSET. AND THAT'S INCLUDING THE 2 MILLION PAYMENT THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER 2 MILLION RIGHT. SO PROJECTING MINUS FUTURE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ABOUT REALLY MORE LIKE EIGHT ISH. WAS THERE ANY REASON THEY DID THAT LOAN PLAN LIKE THAT? AND JUST CURIOUS IF THE CASH IS THERE, WHY IT WAS SPLIT UP. I'M SORRY. I'M NOT AWARE OF WHY THE AGREEMENT WAS PUT TOGETHER THAT WAY IS, YOU KNOW, IN TWO PAYMENTS INSTEAD OF THE LUMP SUM. WE JUST KIND OF HAVE TO DO OUR ACCOUNTING PORTION. BUT THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A DDC TO, YOU KNOW, ANSWER THE SPECIFIC AGREEMENT. GOTCHA. OKAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. OKAY. AND THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT. I DID WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MENTION THAT FOR YOUR BALANCE SHEET FOR JUNE, YOUR FUND BALANCE IS $10,413,513.31. AND LIKE US MENTIONED, WE CAN DEFINITELY GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND SEE IF WE CAN CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S MORE MORE TO YOUR LIKING. BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOU'RE LIMITED BY WHATEVER THE SYSTEM MAY PRODUCE. WE'RE LIMITED BY WHAT THE SOFTWARE CAN PRODUCE IN TERMS OF HOW THE BALANCE SHEET LOOKS. YOU KNOW, IF IT'S LIKE MORE OF A FORMATTING THING, WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON THAT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING IS A DIRECT PRINTOUT FROM OUR FINANCIAL SOFTWARE. ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT HOW FREQUENT? WELL, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THAT THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED THAT THE SOFTWARE. SO WE SWITCHED TO OUR CURRENT SOFTWARE IN 2022. SO IT'S FAIRLY NEW. IT'S FAIRLY NEW.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. AND IF I COULD REQUEST ONE MORE THING, EVEN ON THE BALANCE

[00:15:05]

[D.2. Receive a presentation on proposed budget item for operational/administrative expenses.]

AND OF COURSE, WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY HAVE HIRED THREE NEW MEMBERS OF THE STAFF. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS YOU PROBABLY ARE AWARE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, I GUESS, MOVING AND SHUFFLING FROM DIFFERENT OFFICES FOR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. AND DURING THAT PROCESS, THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS MOVED INTO OUR CURRENT LOCATION WHERE WE'RE AT. AND I THINK THAT AS WE ASSESS WHAT CAPABILITIES WE HAVE, WE'RE GETTING BUSIER AND BUSIER, AND WE'RE GETTING MORE PEOPLE AND HAVING AD HOC MEETINGS.

MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO THE OFFICE, AS EVIDENCED BY SOME OF THE DASHBOARD ITEMS THAT YOU'VE SEEN. AND SO WHEN WE WERE MOVED INTO THAT OFFICE, THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE WAS IN ESSENTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TEAM. I THINK ORIGINALLY WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OFFICE FOR THE DIRECTOR. AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S AN AFTERTHOUGHT, ALTHOUGH THAT'S IN MY PRESENTATION. THERE WASN'T ROOM AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOUNGE THAT BASICALLY BIFURCATES MY OFFICE WITH THE REST OF MY TEAM, AND THAT LOUNGE IS ALSO THE ACCESS POINT FOR HR, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONSISTENTLY HAPPENS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CONFERENCE ROOM IS WE HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS IN THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, AND MY STAFF COMES INTO MY OFFICE. THEY HAVE MEETINGS AS WELL. WE DO HAVE OTHER CONFERENCE ROOMS WITHIN THE CITY, BUT THE ONES THAT WE GET ACCESS TO OR THAT WE UTILIZE SOMETIMES ARE BEING USED, OR IT'S THE HR OFFICE AND THEY, THEY KEEP SOME OF THEIR STORAGE IN THERE AS WELL. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE SITS IN THE CMO OFFICE. MY STAFF ISN'T ABLE TO ACCESS THAT DOOR. IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE TO DIRECTORS. SO WHENEVER WE HAVE A TEAM COME IN OR SOMEBODY COMES IN, THEY HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO GO TO THAT DOOR, OR WE HAVE TO BOOK AN OFFICE. AND THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS. ONE IS THE THE BUBBLE AS A POTENTIAL SITE, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A VERY LARGE AREA AND THAT GETS UTILIZED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE DON'T SCHEDULE IT. AND SO NOT ONLY IS IT A LITTLE BIT CROWDED WITHIN THE SPACE WE HAVE, BUT IT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT DISRUPTIVE WHEN PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY USING THE CONFERENCE ROOM OR THE LOUNGE THAT'S IN THERE. WE MIGHT BE HAVING A MEETING. WE HAVE TO STOP TALKING, OR WE MIGHT BE ON A PHONE, OR WE HAVE TO KIND OF CLOSE THE DOOR. AND I'M REALLY NOT A BIG FAN OF JUST HAVING CLOSED DOORS ALL THE TIME. I LIKE IT TO BE KIND OF AN OPEN ENVIRONMENT. AND SO I THINK THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE'RE THE FRONT FACING DEPARTMENT. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE CITY, YOU KNOW, THREE OF THE FIVE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ARE ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BEING FRONT FACING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AN OFFICE THAT SAYS WE'RE WE'RE SERIOUS, AND THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO WHAT WE SEE AT OTHER CITIES AND WHAT THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPACE LOOKS LIKE, THAT IT TRULY IS A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, THAT WE'RE SERIOUS, AND IT'S A BIT DISRUPTIVE, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT WITHIN OUR OFFICE SPACE. AND I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, IF I WERE TO ASK ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IF IF YOU HAD MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS WALKING THROUGH YOUR OFFICE WHILE YOU'RE HAVING MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND WE'RE WE'RE NEGOTIATING. SO NEXT SLIDE. I DON'T HAVE A MOUSE ON THIS. SO FIRST IMPRESSION IS EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT EDI POTENTIAL PARTNERS? THEY READ THE SPACE AS A PROXY FOR HOW THE CITY OPERATES. AND SO JUST HAVING A VERY PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, INVITING THE DESIGN

[00:20:03]

SO SOME OF THESE THINGS, ALTHOUGH WE CAN FUNCTION AND THEY'RE FUNCTIONAL, IT DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE THAT DESIGN ELEMENT THAT WE WANT TO SHOW OR BE FRONT FACING FOR A COMMUNITY, RIGHT. AND BEING THAT PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE THAT WE ARE A CORPORATION SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF BALANCE SHEET OR DIFFERENT KIND OF FINANCIAL, YOU KNOW, REPORT. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE INDICATIVE OF WHO WE ARE, THAT WE ARE A CORPORATION, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE VERY MUCH INVITING AND WE'RE THERE TO DO BUSINESS AND NEGOTIATE. AND THERE'S JUST CERTAIN ELEMENTS. WHEN SOMEONE WALKS INTO YOUR OFFICE, THEY NEED TO FEEL COMFORTABLE. THEY NEED TO FEEL WELCOMED. PICTURES, ELEMENT DESIGN ELEMENTS. AND I KIND OF PUT SOME, SOME PICTURES ON HERE FOR YOU TO KIND OF LOOK AT. NEXT SLIDE. SO THAT'S MY OFFICE. I JUST HELD A MEETING EARLIER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WESLEY, AND WE HAD, I THINK, FIVE PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE AND IT WAS CROWDED. AND YOU SAW PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DISRUPTIVE, BUT BUT CRAMMING FIVE PEOPLE IN MY SPACE IS A CHALLENGE, RIGHT? AND IT DOESN'T I DON'T THINK IT BODES WELL FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A DEDICATED SPACE. NEXT SLIDE.

AND SO THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A SPACE THAT SAYS WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING DEALS HAPPEN WHERE DEALS GET WORKED OUT. CITY INVESTS IN ITSELF. WE ASK DEVELOPERS TO PUT CAPITAL IN DESOTO. SO SHOULD WE. IN MY OPINION, HOLDING TALENT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR TALENT THAT THAT DO BUSINESS EVERY DAY, THAT HAVE A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN HOLD A MEETING AND A PROFESSIONAL SPACE, RIGHT? WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE TOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE 21ST CENTURY, 22ND CENTURY ALLOWS. AND AGAIN, IT'S A ONE TIME COST. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO AS THEY COME IN, THE IDEA OR THE CONCEPT IS WE LOOK AT OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICES ACROSS THE STATE AND JUST OUR PEERS, A VISITOR RECEPTION AREA WITH A WAITING AREA WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY ARRIVE. RIGHT. AND THEY GET THE IDEA, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE HERE TO DO BUSINESS. A ROOM BUILT FOR THE PITCH, RIGHT? WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY WANT TO PITCH US SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT COMMITTEES OR WE TALK ABOUT HAVING DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT COME INTO IT. WE NEED A NOT A VERY LARGE ROOM. WE DON'T NEED SOMETHING THAT'S BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, CAVERNOUS, BUT WE CERTAINLY NEED AN AREA THAT FEELS COMFORTABLE. WE CAN HAVE VIDEO CONFERENCING ACOUSTICS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TALK, AND THEN A STORY WALL IN DESOTO. AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS, BUT THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES FOR THE BOARDS VIEWING PLEASURE, IF YOU WILL, TO KIND OF JUST GET AN IDEA OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO NOW. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAME UP WITH AND WE SAID, OKAY, WHAT WOULD THAT TAKE? AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE RECEPTION AREA WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE MOST INVITING AREAS THAT YOU'D WANT TO HAVE.

WHEN PEOPLE COME IN FOR THOSE MEETINGS, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND PITCH ROOM AND WHERE WE HAVE CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSIONS AND WE CAN DO ZOOM CONFERENCES, AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE CHIMING IN, WE WANT THEM TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL THAT'S INDICATIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, WORKSTATIONS WITH MODULAR FURNITURE, SO WE CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND AND HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE MEETING OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK ABOUT DEAL MAKING AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. OBVIOUSLY FINISHES PAINT AND FLOORING, WAYFINDING, A STORY WALL. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE DESIGN AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. AND SO FOR THAT, OBVIOUSLY, YOU JUST SAID WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDS WITHIN OUR WITHIN OUR BUDGET. WE HAVE THE DESIRE WE, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE COME IN. AND WE JUST FEEL THAT HAVING A, A, A SPACE CONDUCIVE TO DEAL MAKING. THERE'S ALSO A SPACE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN THERE. IS IT IN THE PRESENTATION? I THOUGHT I SAW THE. IF YOU GO BACK. YOU SEE THAT SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM. IF YOU GO FURTHER BACK, KEEP GOING.

KEEP GOING. ONE MORE SLIDE, I THINK, OKAY, THAT MIDDLE PICTURE THAT YOU SEE, THAT'S THE HALLWAY RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR OFFICE. THAT'S ACTUALLY STORAGE ROOM. IF YOU GO, GO FURTHER, GO FORWARD. AND IT'S ACTUALLY THAT WALL THERE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP MIDDLE PICTURE WHERE THE

[00:25:03]

OH, AND GUS IN THE CONFIGURATION WOULD GIVE YOU THE PRIVACY AS, AS IT'S CONSTRUCTED, IT WOULD GIVE YOU THE PRIVACY THAT YOU NEED TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS THAT YOU NEED TO CONDUCT. YOU FEEL. YEAH, I THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW IS WE ALL HUDDLE IN MY OFFICE AND WE PUT IT ON THE SPEAKER WHENEVER WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY VIRTUAL MEETINGS.

AND SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE ON A SPEAKER WHERE WE HAVE A WALL THAT IS RIGHT NEXT TO RIGHT NEXT TO ANOTHER WALL, AND IT'S FAIRLY THIN. WE CAN HEAR EACH OTHER TALKING, AND IT MAKES IT CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ALMOST EVERY CONVERSATION WE HAVE IS CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL IT UNTIL IT DOESN'T BECOME CONFIDENTIAL, RIGHT. AND IT GETS VOTED ON. RIGHT. AND SO HAVING THAT SPACE WHERE WE COULD HAVE THOSE CONFIDENTIAL ZOOM CALLS, CONFIDENTIAL MEETINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT'S OUR OFFICE IS OPEN BECAUSE MULTIPLE PEOPLE GO IN THERE. AND SO WE HAVE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ON THE DESKS. OR YOU MIGHT HAVE WE MIGHT BE NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT. I MEAN, I'LL GIVE YOU CASE IN POINT. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT ARE THERE FOR A REASON. RIGHT. AND SO YOU IF WORD GETS OUT, WE LIKE TO KEEP IT AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE. WE JUST HAD OUR OUR STRATEGIC MEETING. WE TALKED ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO USE THE TERM, BUT LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS, RIGHT. AND SO HAVING THAT AREA WHERE WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATIONS OR DOCUMENTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN INTEGRITY, RIGHT, OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE SITTING IN OUR OFFICE. BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE EVERY DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE IS WHO KNOWS, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS SEEN IT OR WHAT THEY'VE HEARD OR WHAT THEY'VE SEEN. AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT CONFIDENTIALITY. SO I LIKE THE IDEA. I'M SORRY.

DIRECTOR. SORRY. GO AHEAD. OH YEAH. SO I LIKE THE IDEA. I AGREE WITH PRESIDENT BALDWIN. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF WANT TO BE WHAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT. AND SO I LIKE THE ESTHETICS AND THE CONCEPTUAL OVERLAY AND THE REASONING BEHIND IT. I JUST WOULD ALSO CHALLENGE US TO HAVE, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, HAVE REAL METRICS OF SUCCESS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS REDESIGN HAS A ROI TO IT AND SOMETHING THAT'S TANGIBLE THAT WE CAN MEASURE.

AND IT FEELS LIKE ONLY, YOU KNOW, JUST DO ONE DEAL AND THEN YOU JUSTIFY THE SPACE, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE IT'S OUTFITTED WITH THINGS THAT MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT AS A TEAM, AS AN ORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A HIGH SPEED INTERNET OR JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF MODERN TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL. SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT IT'S, IT'S FITTED IN THAT WAY. SO IT DRIVES EFFICIENCY, COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH DESIGN. AND SO ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS ARE TAKEN INTO

[00:30:06]

AND THEN OF COURSE, I WOULD SEEK APPROVAL FROM CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. ONCE THE BOARD GIVES ME THAT AUTHORIZATION AND DO A PRESENTATION. AND THEN AFTER THAT WE GO OUT FOR RFP, I WOULD RECOMMEND MAYBE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BY THIS BOARD, AND THEN COME BACK AND REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT WE'RE WANTING, AND THEN GET FINAL APPROVAL AND THEN THEN GET FINAL APPROVAL. THEN WE'LL KNOW MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COST, THE METRICS THAT WERE MENTIONED AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WOULD BE. SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR JUST A BLANKET GO SPEND. I'M CERTAINLY WANTING A PROCESS, BUT AT LEAST TO GET THAT PROCESS STARTED. AND MAY I SAY, MAY I SAY THAT? I WENT TO GUS OFFICE FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW, JUST NOW COMING ABOARD. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME IN HIS OFFICE. I WAS SHOCKED WHERE I WAS, WHAT I WENT INTO BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW AND. IT WAS I'M NOT GOING TO SAY GUS IS ALWAYS PROFESSIONAL, BUT THE SPACE IS UNPROFESSIONAL. AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG DEALS BECAUSE HE'S USED TO IT. COMING OUT OF ARLINGTON, COMING OUT OF DUNCANVILLE, BIG DEALS. AND WE WANT BIG DEALS HERE IN DESOTO.

I THINK PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING. AND FIRST IMPRESSION THAT WAS MADE TODAY, I DON'T KNOW, BUT HE HANDLED HIMSELF WELL AND THEY WALKED OUT OF THERE HAPPY. BUT FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE BIG. AND MY ONLY QUESTION IS IF THE IF IT'S APPROVED AND YOU AND YOU DO THE REMODEL, WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE SPACE? WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHERE? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW HOW LONG, BUT WHERE WOULD YOU DO BUSINESS AT? WHY THIS IS BEING DONE? YEAH, ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD BE WORKED OUT. I THINK THERE'S SOME. THERE'S OFFICE SPACE DIFFERENT. IT'S IT'S SPORADIC. THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE, THE BYLAWS ALLOW THIS, THIS BOARD TO GIVE US THE USE OF TEMPORARY SPACE. YOU COULD ACTUALLY AUTHORIZE US TO LOCATE SOMEWHERE TEMPORARILY FOR LET'S JUST CALL IT SIX MONTHS. AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO HAVE MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS, ETC. AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE ALL WORK OUT OF OUR LAPTOPS ANYWAY.

WE'RE ALL ASSIGNED LAPTOPS, SO THERE'D BE A WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHIN THE CITY.

THERE'S DIFFERENT OFFICE SPACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY POSSIBLY USE.

THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS WE COULD DO THIS. WE COULD DO IT IN PHASES. I MEAN, THERE'S JUST A NUMBER OF THINGS WE COULD CERTAINLY DO, BUT THAT'S PART OF THE DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS THAT WE DON'T. AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW WHO ASKED THE TIMELINE. I THINK IT WAS DOCTOR G. P WE DON'T KNOW YET UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE FINAL DESIGN WOULD BE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING. BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE IT'D TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS. ONCE STARTED, IT'D PROBABLY TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE. I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION SO FULLY SUPPORT THAT WE UPGRADE YOUR OFFICE SPACE AND AMENITIES AND ALL THOSE THINGS. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE 250? LIKE I THINK THE 200 SOUNDS GOOD. I HAD SOME, I HAD SOME 250 IS

[00:35:02]

THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS HERE? JAMES? DID YOU SHE ASKED YOU A QUESTION. SHE ASKED A QUESTION. I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO KNOW MORE DETAILS ON BIDS AND THAT WHOLE PROCESS THAT JUST THE FINANCIAL SIDE IS THE ONLY THING I WOULD CARE ABOUT, HOW WE GO ABOUT THAT PROCESS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GUS, FOR THAT PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD. I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ASKING THAT GUS IS ASKING THE APPROVAL TO CARRY IT FORTH BEFORE TO COUNCIL AND OUR THUMBS UP TO ALL, ALL OF THE ABOVE. AND COMING BACK TO SAY WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE ON THE BACK END. SO WE NEED TO CREATE A MOTION. YES, YES. IT'S NOT. IT'S JUST A PRESENTATION. HE HAS GOTTEN AN INFORMAL CONSENSUS SO HE COULD GO FORWARD AND THEN YOU COULD RATIFY, OR HE COULD JUST PUT IT AS A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE GOING TO APPROVE. BUT THERE'S NO ACTION ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY COMPREHENSIVE. AND SO WELCOME, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IN SUCH A GREAT NEED IN ESTABLISHING OUR GO FORWARD. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. AS WE PROGRESS

[D.3. Discuss the purpose of working Board committees.]

THE I'M GOING TO CALL THE STEERING COMMITTEE OR THE COMMITTEE WITH THE DOCTOR G. P AND DOCTOR MICHAELA AND BOARD MEMBER AKILAH. WITH REGARD TO THE BIO LIFE SCIENCES PROJECT SOME MONTHS AGO AND THE VALUE THAT THAT BROUGHT TO US, WE HAVE A MULTIPLICITY OF TALENTS WITHIN OUR BOARD, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE FORTHCOMING TO AUGUSTA'S PRESENTATION JUST NOW. THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING, A LOT OF MEETINGS. AND SO WITH THE TALENTS THAT WE HAVE AND TO AUGMENT OUR PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO CONTINUITY AND WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR RETREAT, WHAT WE PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL THAT'S COMPREHENSIVE SO THAT WE HAVE THE THE WHEREWITHAL TO SERVE UP AN EFFECTIVE PLATFORM FOR THEM TO MAKE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS ON AND, AND KNOWLEDGEABLE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE.

I'M ASKING THAT WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT COMMITTEES. I, I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS EARLIER TONIGHT. DIRECTOR PEARSON, YOU ALWAYS FOCUS ON FINANCES. THAT'S YOUR THAT'S YOUR BAILIWICK. THAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING YOU SERVE ON A COMMITTEE WITH THE FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP. NOT THAT WE'RE ASKING TO PUT IN A LOT, A LOT MORE TIME, BUT TO HAVE LIKE TO BRIDGE SOME OF THE GAPS THAT ARE THERE, I.E. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE FINANCES ARE BEING PRESENTED AND WHAT HAVE YOU, YOU CAN LEND A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THERE THAT TAKES IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE. WE TALK ABOUT PLANNING AND ZONING WELL. DIRECTOR JONES IS ALREADY AFFILIATED WITH PLANNING AND ZONING, SO I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY A COMMITTEE NEED. BUT BUT THE THE EDC IS A PART OF THAT EFFORT THAT'S HAPPENING ONGOING. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, LET'S LOOK AT DIRECTOR PRUITT. JAMES, THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING FROM A DAY TO DAY BUSINESS STANDPOINT AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR INITIATIVE WITH SMALL BUSINESSES ONBOARDING, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD.

[00:40:03]

IT'S GOING TO HELP TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GOING DOWN THE RIGHT PATH. SO WE'RE WANTING TO CAPITALIZE ON ALL OF OUR STRENGTHS, FRANKLY SPEAKING. AND AT THE SAME TIME CREATE THE RIGHT EFFECTIVENESS. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SO MUCH TO LOVE FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT, FROM WELLNESS, WE'VE GOT TWO DOCTORS ON OUR, ON OUR BOARD THAT LEND VERY, VERY VALUABLE INFORMATION. SO THAT'S WHY THE COMMITTEE APPROACH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THAT COMING TO FRUITION. SO I WANTED TO SERVE THAT UP THIS EVENING AND GET YOUR COMMENTS TOWARD THAT. GUS AND I TALKED ABOUT IT A BIT. I BROUGHT IT TO HIM IN A MEETING THAT WE HAD ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO. AND, AND HE WHEN I BROUGHT IT, HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE KIND OF ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT ON STREET SIDE, AS WE'RE DEVELOPING OUT IN A DIFFERENT AREAS, WELL, YOU GOT DIFFERENT PLAYERS THAT ARE OUT THERE, CONTRACTORS AND DEVELOPERS, WHAT HAVE YOU. WELL, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH WE'RE THE DDC BOARD, WE'RE THE EDC. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE BOARD AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER. THAT'S YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO ENGAGE AND SPEND ALL YOUR TIME THERE, BUT AN AWARENESS, A GREATER AWARENESS IS WHAT IT CREATES. SO LET ME OPEN THAT UP FOR ANY COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS, PLEASE. PRESIDENT MIGHT NOT HAVE A BAD IDEA AT ALL. I'M WONDERING, IT'S JUST ME, MY EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE BOARD WHEN WE WORKED ON SOME OF THOSE BIO LIFE SCIENCES THINGS, IT CAN CERTAINLY GET TEDIOUS AND, YOU KNOW, TIME CONSUMING PER SE. DO YOU SEE THIS BEING MORE OF A PROJECT BASED THING OR A LONGITUDINAL ONGOING ENGAGEMENT? LIKE WHEN THE PROJECT IS ON THE TABLE WITH, YOU KNOW, ON THAT PARTICULAR BOARD WORKS ON SAID PROJECT? HOW, HOW DO YOU GUYS FORESEE THIS WORKING IN FUNCTION AND OPERATION? SO I'M GOING TO GRAB SOME OF THAT. I'M GOING TO LET GUS GRAB SOME OF IT AS WELL.

BUT I CAN SAY THAT IT HAS TO BE PROJECT BASED IN SOME CASES AND IN OTHER AREAS, IT HAS TO HAVE THE LONGEVITY JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS. BUT IT'S MORE NOT THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME ENGAGING YOURSELF, BUT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION AS IT RELATES TO THE LINKAGE, THE TIE IN BACK TO THE BOARD, THE TIE IN BACK TO THE THE BOARD TIED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. SO IT CREATES THAT I TALK ABOUT BRIDGING THE GAPS. SO IT IS PROJECT BASED MORE. SO, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. SO YEAH, SO WE WORKED A LOT OFFLINE AND BROUGHT THAT BACK TO YOU GUYS. SO YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS AN OPERATIONAL SENSE. YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU'RE OBSERVING A FUNCTION AND GIVING THAT INSIGHT BACK TO THE BOARD OR PROVIDING YOUR INSIGHT TO THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. AND THEN BRINGING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD.

IS THAT HOW YOU'RE IDEATING AROUND THIS? PRECISELY SO, BECAUSE LET ME. GOTCHA. YOU HAVE SOME OF THAT. YEAH. NO THANK YOU. I THINK BOARD PRESIDENT IS IS CORRECT. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WE'VE DISCUSSED IS MY ENGAGEMENT. I'D LIKE TO GET MORE ENGAGED WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD. I DON'T THINK I SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD. I THINK THIS WOULD GIVE US OPERATIONALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO WORK ON PROJECTS. IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT PROBABLY NEED TO HAPPEN AT JUST A BOARD MEETING. YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO SPEND 9 HOURS OR 5 HOURS OR THREE HOURS UP HERE. WE JUST CAN'T. BUT TO HAVE THE BOARD'S PARTICIPATION OR ENGAGEMENT WITH US ON PROJECTS WHERE WE CAN CHOP IT UP AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT THE BOARD'S POSITIONS ARE. I THINK THAT HELPS AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE ACROSS THE BOARD, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, BUT AND ALSO ON INITIATIVES, TO YOUR POINT, THOSE WOULD BE AD HOC AND TEMPORARY. AS AN EXAMPLE, THE THE THE POTENTIAL FOR THE CAPITAL REQUEST AND THE REMODELING OF THE OFFICE, THAT WOULD BE A AD HOC BOARD. AND ONCE IT'S DONE, IT'S, IT'S FINISHED. RIGHT. BUT I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. IT'S ONGOING. AND IT'S ALSO DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT BASED SCENARIO, RIGHT. SO I THINK

[00:45:01]

SO AND THEN I THINK WHEN YOU PUT ALL YOUR HEADS TOGETHER, IT GIVES US AN ADVANTAGE. MAKE SURE THAT DE SOTO IS GETTING ADVANTAGE. NOBODY IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF US IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. AND BUT I TO DOCTOR'S POINT, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. TIME IS WEALTH. TIME IS MONEY. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE COMMITTEES, THESE THESE ARE BOARDS. TIME AND TIME IS IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, TIME IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T GET BACK. SO I JUST WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DON'T. WE DON'T TAKE PEOPLE'S TIME, YOU KNOW, AND WORK TOGETHER. SO THAT WAS IT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WESLEY. YOU KNOW, AND TO BRING THIS TO CLOSURE, IF I MAY, I WANT TO SAY BY NO STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION IS THIS TO IMPOSE OR FEEL AS THOUGH STAFF CANNOT DO WHAT THEY DO EFFECTIVELY? WE JUST WANT TO BE A CATALYST TO HELP SUPPORT BECAUSE BETWEEN GUS, JOSH, LA ROSA AND MELBA, WE GOT THE BEST OF THE BEST, SO WHY NOT GIVE THEM THE BEST SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM? THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT THAT. OKAY, LET'S JUST I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US, BUT WHEREVER YOU NEED US, JUST LET US KNOW. I'M OPEN, OPEN BOOK. I MEAN, AS LONG AS MY FRIARS ARE WORKING, WE'RE. I'M HERE, I'M HERE, I'M HERE, HERE TO HELP. WHEREVER, WHEREVER, WHEREVER WE CAN. WE CAN COME TO YOU. BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF WHY WE JOIN THIS DEAL IS TO HELP WHEREVER WE CAN, WHEREVER YOU NEED US, WE'RE GOOD TO GO. I MAY I SAY SOMETHING ALSO? YOU KNOW, GUS, YOU'VE BEEN HERE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THERE'S MOMENTUM HERE. POSITIVE MOMENTUM. AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE. AND THIS IS YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS, LIKE HAVING SOME POSITIVE MOMENTUM. AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT. THANK THANK YOU. OKAY. AS WE GO FORWARD HERE. SO NEXT WE HAVE A.

[D.4. Receive an update regarding TIP Strategies]

CHAIRMAN BALDWIN. OKAY, SO BOARD CHAIRMAN. SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE STRATEGIC JOINT

[00:50:08]

THE NEXT ONE WAS DURING THE SIX MONTH ACTION PLAN. THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT WERE THE FIVE MAJOR, I GUESS, INITIATIVES THAT THE BOARD AND COUNCIL WANTED TO SEE. AND ONE WAS FOR THE FOR THE COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT. ONE WAS CADILLAC CATALYTIC, CADILLAC, CADILLAC LACTIC DEALS. THANK YOU. WHICH WAS A HAMPTON ROAD RFP. AND THE THORN TREE PATH FORWARD. AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE THORN TREE PATH FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE IN EXECUTIVE. AND THAT WILL SPEAK TO SOME OF THAT THAT DEAL. AND AS FAR AS THE HAMPTON ROAD RFP, WE COMPLETED THAT WE HAD SELECTED, AS YOU SAW IN YOUR WEEKLY REPORT, A CANDIDATE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATING WITH. AND THERE WERE THERE WAS THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS AS WE WENT THROUGH THAT NEGOTIATION REGARDING THE FINANCIAL CAPACITY FOR THAT SELECTION. WHAT ULTIMATELY ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS THE CANDIDATE WITHDREW. AND SO I CAN'T DISCLOSE WHO THAT CANDIDATE IS JUST YET, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FINISHED AND COMPLETED THAT. IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE WE HAD A GOOD CANDIDATE, AND THIS JUST ENDED UP WITHDRAWING. LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE OF JUST INFORMATION WE WERE ASKING FOR. BUT WE'RE PICKING THAT BACK UP AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT AS WELL. AND I'VE BEEN VISITING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AND ULTIMATELY WILL COME BACK HERE.

AND WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT IN EXECUTIVE. THE JOINT OPERATING CADENCE STANDING JOINT SESSION.

SO I THINK WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR OUR NEXT JOINT SESSION 90 DAYS AFTER OUR MEETING, WHICH PUTS US IN OCTOBER. SO I THINK WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND JUST HAVING STANDING JOINT SESSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE'RE WORKING AND HAND IN HAND, IF YOU WILL. AND ALSO DESOTO IDENTITY, UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE WANT TO PURSUE, RIGHT? I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHO WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PURSUE AND JUST BE REALISTIC ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR, AND ALSO THE MARKETING OF THAT, RIGHT? I THINK THAT WAS A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT, AND THEN LEADERSHIP ALIGNMENT, WHICH YOU SAW, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED AND THEY'RE ALIGNED AND THEY UNDERSTAND AND WE'RE COMMUNICATING ACROSS BOTH, BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THIS BOARD. AND IF YOU. REFERENCE THE DASHBOARD AS WELL AS THE WEEKLY REPORT, SO THE COUNCIL'S GETTING THAT SAME WEEKLY REPORT. SO THE INFORMATION, OUR ACTIVITY, THE COUNCIL'S ALSO GETTING THAT AS NOT ONLY AN ACCOUNTABILITY TOOL, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S LEADERSHIP ALIGNMENT. SO THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS, WE CAN CERTAINLY GET THOSE AND ADDRESS THEM HERE. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DO GET QUESTIONS AND WE DO GET COMMENTS ON THOSE WEEKLY REPORTS. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. I KNOW I DON'T BRING THOSE UP TO YOU, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY, THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION AND SEEING WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THEN ALSO REGIONAL REGIONAL POSITIONING. I THINK THAT THERE'S WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT AS WELL. SO I'M KIND OF CARRYING ON HERE. BUT IF WE CAN GO NEXT ONE. AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE CADILLAC DEALS AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE, RIGHT. THE TRADE OFF ACCEPTED THE TIMELINE AND MILESTONES. YOU CAN SEE THAT IS IN YOUR REPORT THAT WAS HANDED OUT. NEXT SLIDE. THE THORN TREE PATH FORWARD. I TALKED ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION TODAY, AN EXECUTIVE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. CITY COUNCIL GAVE US DIRECTION. WE'RE PURSUING THAT ALONG WITH OUR WITH OUR ATTORNEY AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY. NEXT SLIDE. THE JOINT OPERATING CADENCE. YOU CAN SEE THAT IN OCTOBER 26TH, WE'RE GOING TO BE PULLING OUT THAT CALENDAR TO HAVE. I'M SORRY, IT'S NOVEMBER THE 1ST JOINT SESSION. IT WILL BE HELD IN NOVEMBER. ON OCTOBER, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE CALENDAR IN NOVEMBER, AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE JOINT SESSIONS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL ON TRACK. NEXT SLIDE. THE DESOTO IDENTITY. I

[00:55:03]

WE ALSO HAVE PLACER AI, WHICH NOW WE'RE UTILIZING. AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GOT WAS A SOFTWARE CALLED ZACH TAX. AND ZACH TAX ACTUALLY GIVES US AND WE CAN'T SHARE THIS. IT'S PROPRIETARY, BUT IT GIVES US THE, THE DETAILED INFORMATION OF WHERE OUR SALES TAX IS COMING FROM. SO WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL OUR BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY. NOW, AS I SAID, THAT'S PROPRIETARY INFORMATION WE CAN'T SHARE, BUT THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN PRESENT IT THAT PROTECTS THAT INTEGRITY. BUT IT ALSO TELLS US WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE'RE GOING AFTER, WHO WE SHOULD BE GOING AFTER. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT INFORMATION IN THE PAST, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING SOME INFORMATION THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPACTFUL. AND IT ALSO TELLS US ABOUT BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF OUR CONSUMERS, BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND SOME OF THAT'S GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO TRACK NEW BUSINESS FOR THE CITY. SO WE'LL BE PRESENTING SOME OF THOSE THINGS TO YOU AS WELL, AND REPORTING OUT ON EXACTLY WHO WE ARE. AND WE CAN'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING IF WE DON'T KNOW WHO WE ARE, SO TO SPEAK. SO WHAT IS OUR IDENTITY AS PART OF THAT MARKETING STRATEGY AS WELL? SO FORWARD. LEADERSHIP ALIGNMENT. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATING WITH THE COUNCIL, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GO IN AND, AND TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO OUR ACTIVITIES AND HAVING THAT LINE OF COMMUNICATION SO THAT THERE IS ALIGNMENT, RIGHT? AND HAVING THAT AVAILABLE. NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN OF COURSE, REGIONAL POSITIONING, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NOW A STANDING COMMITTEE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THREE OF THE OTHER EDC DIRECTORS IN THE REGION, AND WE'RE HAVING STANDING MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS A REGIONAL IMPACT. AND I KNOW THIS THE ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE MAYOR AND EDC PRESIDENT AND SUPPORT FROM US, BUT WE'LL BE REPORTING THAT OUT AS WELL AND WHERE WE'RE AT AND HOW THAT'S WORKING. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO HERE'S THE THE SIX MONTH ACCOUNTABILITY TRACKER. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I KNOW THIS WAS IN YOUR PACKET, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS IN THE FINAL PRESENTATION BY THE. AND THIS IS REALLY FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT. THE FINAL PRESENTATION BY TIP STRATEGIES TO TALK ABOUT THIS CADENCE ONE THROUGH FIVE, RIGHT. AND TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD ON THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND WHO'S GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. AND FOR THE COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT. YOU KNOW, THAT TRANSPARENCY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO, AND JOSH IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, IS SPEAKING OF TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY, HAVING A DASHBOARD FOR THEM SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE UP TO TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN TUNE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE BUILDING TRUST IS OBVIOUSLY SUPER IMPORTANT AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND THAT THAT IDENTITY AND THE MARKETING EFFORTS THAT WE TAKE ON. NEXT SLIDE. SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT SEPTEMBER 2026? EACH ACCOUNTABLE OWNER CONFIRMS IN WRITING THEY ACCEPT THE LINE ITEM ASSIGNED TO THEM. A 12 MONTH JOINT COUNCIL CALENDAR WILL BE PUBLISHED AND BE APPROVED NOVEMBER OUR OUR NEXT JOINT SESSION OR OUR FIRST ACTUAL JOINT SESSION TO HAVE A 90 DAY CHECKPOINT THAT EVERY ACTION ASSIGNED AND ITS STATUS WHERE WE'RE AT, AGAIN, ALIGNMENT AND DIRECTION. AND THEN IN FEBRUARY 2026, OUR THAT'S 2027, ACTUALLY SIX MONTH CLOSE. EACH ACTION BECOMES AN OUTCOME. WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES? SO WE HAVE METRICS AND KPIS, ETC. ETC. AND WHAT, WHERE HAVE WE DONE? SO NOT ONLY ARE WE HOLDING US OPERATIONALLY FROM THE LEADERSHIP ON OUR LEVEL, BUT ALSO THE BOARD AND COUNCIL FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT, HEY, WE'RE MEETING THOSE OBLIGATIONS THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES OR THAT THE BOARD AND COUNCIL SET FOR THEMSELVES AND REPORTING THAT OUT AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT'S THE END OF IT.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. SO, JOSH, BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD, LET ME JUST SAY THAT IF NOTHING ELSE, THIS SHOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT OUR WORK, OUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN. AND WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS, STARTING BACK IN JANUARY TO GET TO THIS POINT. AND GUS TALKED ABOUT IN HIS PRESENTATION METRICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT PRIMARILY AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOW DO WE MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD? WHAT'S OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESS? WHAT ARE THE METRICS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GOVERN OURSELVES BY FROM AN ACHIEVEMENT STANDPOINT? AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE. I MENTIONED THE FOURTH QUARTER. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PRESENTATION STARTING IN SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER, A

[01:00:02]

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS VOLUME TO YOU MENTIONED EARLIER. MISS PEARSON, THAT THERE'S A THERE'S A, THERE'S A SPIRIT OF, OF, OF, OF WHEN THAT THERE'S A WIN ATTITUDE. AND

[D.5. Project Development Dashboard Update.]

IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN A LAYOUT OF WHERE THESE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED.

WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK AS TO HOW DYNAMIC THIS THIS MAP CAN LOOK LIKE. WE ACTIVELY WAITING TO, TO SEE WHAT OTHER VISUALIZATIONS WE CAN DO FOR THIS. SO THAT WAY WE CAN PRESENT A DIFFERENT STORY FROM THE DATA THAT WE'RE CAPTURING. I THINK I MENTIONED THIS COMMENT THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT THIS UP, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE CONCENTRATION OF PROJECTS ALONG OUR CITY SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THE INTEREST IS BEING FOCUSED ON GEOGRAPHICALLY. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE'RE ALSO KEEPING TRACK OF OF SOME OF THE MARKET INFORMATION THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT PERTAINS TO REAL ESTATE IN

[01:05:03]

AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL MALLEABLE. THIS IS INTERCHANGEABLE AND CUSTOMIZABLE. SO AS WE GET FEEDBACK, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO START ADJUSTING THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING DISPLAYED. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THIS DASHBOARD. AND JOSH, JUST A REAL QUICK COMMENT ON THE BERNIE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE NOW GOING THROUGH. OBVIOUSLY, WE REPORT EVERYTHING ON OUR NOTES AND WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT THAT CONVERSATION WAS LIKE. AND THE BOARD HAS SO MANY CONTACTS. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE COMMITTEES. WILL THEY BE ABLE TO GET A REPORT OF WHAT THAT INTERACTION LOOKED LIKE ON THEIR WEEKLY REPORT? YEAH. SO IT'S A VERY SIMPLE MODIFICATION. MOVING FORWARD. WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN OUR OUR PLATFORM TO BE ABLE TO RECORD WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES ARE RELATED TO OUR BE OUR ACTIVITIES AND THE VISUALIZATION OF WHAT WE WILL HAVE ON OUR DASHBOARD. I FORESEE US BEING ABLE TO NOT ONLY SEE THIS BAR CONTINUE TO CLIMB, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE OR PERHAPS VISUALIZE SOME OF THE CATEGORIES OR CONCERNS THAT SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE FACING. FOR EXAMPLE, IF AND THIS IS AN EXTREME HYPOTHETICAL, BUT I'LL KNOCK ON WOOD HOPING THAT NEVER HAPPENS. BUT IF ALL OF A SUDDEN WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF LABOR ISSUES, SUCH AS SHORTAGES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S THE COMMON THREAD THAT WE KEEP HEARING FROM OUR VISITS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY VISUALIZE THIS ON A DASHBOARD, TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING, OR GIVE PEOPLE A PULSE OF, OF, OF WHAT THE, THE, THE CURRENT CHALLENGES LOOK LIKE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT'S, IT'S STILL UP FOR DISCUSSION FOR US TO BE ABLE TO VISUALIZE THIS IN A CERTAIN WAY WHERE WE PORTRAY THE CORRECT STORY. BUT YES, ALL THAT INFORMATION WILL BE CAPTURED AND BE DISPLAYED EVENTUALLY. JOSH, LET ME CHIME IN. I NOTICED ON THE THE MEETINGS CONDUCTED, IF YOU WILL, ON THAT. SEE WHAT WE HAVE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS.

WE HAVE ZERO. CORRECT. THAT'S JUST AN AREA THAT'S KIND OF CLOSE TO MY HEART AND CLOSE TO A. AN ESSENTIAL NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND HOW DO WE MOVE THAT NEEDLE IS SO IMPORTANT? AND I'M GOING TO DEFER TO. TO DIRECTOR JONES TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AS WELL. BUT I PERSONALLY WENT AND VISITED, FOR EXAMPLE, A BUSINESS OWNER IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN OPEN FOR ABOUT, I'D SAY ABOUT 8 OR 9 MONTHS. AND I JUST WANTED TO GO IN BECAUSE I MET ONE OF THE OWNERS AT THE POST OFFICE. WE STARTED TALKING. I DROVE BY THE VISIT AND VERY NICE PLACE, BUT NO AWARENESS. AND I ASKED ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS PLACE? I'D NEVER HEARD OF IT. NICE LITTLE DRIVE THROUGH PLACE. HOW DO WE HELP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR BRE? OKAY, HOW DO WE HELP GROW OUR BRE? HOW DO WE HELP ENSURE THAT WHEN FROM A DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC

[01:10:01]

THERE'S SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THAT ONE DEPARTMENT HAS TO MANAGE, BUT WE FEEL WE'RE VERY IMPORTANT. WE'RE SPECIAL. SO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THAT. AND NOT ONLY US AS DDC, PORTRAY EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE EXTERNALLY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BRE PROGRAM WILL ALSO HELP IS, IS ALSO EXPOSE WHO'S OUT THERE IN OUR COMMUNITY DOING BUSINESS, AND NOT JUST FROM THE LARGE AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES, BUT ALSO OUR STARTUPS AND OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, WHICH WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TALKING TO A FEW IN YESTERDAY'S STAKEHOLDER CONVERSATIONS AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANY ANYTHING ELSE TO THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU, JOSH, I APPRECIATE THAT. SO WE'RE AWARE OF THE MARKETING INITIATIVES THAT WE DO TAKE. OBVIOUSLY, PART OF THAT DEEP DIVE THAT I TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT IS UNDERSTANDING OUR, YOU KNOW, WHO WE ARE, UNDERSTANDING WHO WE NEED TO ADDRESS. AND THAT'S THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. A LOT OF IT IS LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING BEFORE WE SPEND THOSE DOLLARS, BECAUSE THOSE DOLLARS ARE ARE REAL. YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU GO INTO MARKETING AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE, WE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, WHAT JOSH HAS BEEN DOING, I'VE BEEN DOING IS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OUR TARGET MARKET WHERE THAT'S GOING TO BE. AND SO TO HIS POINT, WE WANT TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT, BUT WE ARE FIRST GOING TO REPORT OUT OF, YOU KNOW, WHO IS OUR MARKET THAT WE NEED TO GO AFTER WHAT'S REALISTIC. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GO AFTER SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SHOULDN'T, BUT WE ARE HEARING WE ARE LISTENING. SOMETHING JUST CAME UP RECENTLY. AND I THINK IT'S THE SECOND TIME WE'VE TALKED TALKED ABOUT THE, THE SCOREBOARD OR THE JUMBOTRONS. THOSE ARE REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, BUT WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ATTACKING THE RIGHT OR ADDRESSING THE RIGHT MARKET, THE RIGHT AUDIENCE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON. AND WE WILL BE REPORTING OUT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET IT TO YOU NEXT MONTH, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND WHO WE WANT TO REPORT TO. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND NOT ONLY THE JUMBOTRON, THAT'S ONE. HOW MANY OTHER ASSETS DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE? I TO YOUR POINT, DIRECTOR JONES, THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. WHAT OTHER ASSETS DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE THAT WE'RE NOT CAPITALIZING ON? BECAUSE IT DOES. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

SMALL BUSINESSES DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL TO ALWAYS. MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAYS, SHAME ON THE DOG THAT WON'T WAG HIS OWN TAIL. WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO WAG THEIR OWN TAIL SOMETIMES, SO WE HAVE TO HELP THEM. SO PLEASE. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CRAFT THE RIGHT MESSAGE FOR THE RIGHT MARKET. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE MESSAGE OR IT'S NOT JUST THE MARKETING, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT MESSAGE. AND WE HAVE, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH THE KIND OF MESSAGE THAT GIVES OUR COMMUNITY THE KIND OF

[01:15:01]

NOBODY RARELY GOES OVER TO THE TO THE BUSINESS PARK TO DO BOTH RECRUITING, MARKETING AND EVEN PROMOTING. SO SOME OF THIS IS JUST CROSS MARKETING THAT WE HAVE TO FIND FINE TUNED THAT, THAT IN A WORLD WHERE EVEN IF WE PROMOTE OURSELVES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, IT TOO HAS TO BE TARGETED. WE GOT THE RIGHT ZIP CODES, WE GOT THE RIGHT EVERYTHING. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF REACHING THE PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT MESSAGING. WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE? YEAH. JOSH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE HERE? TO. GO INSIDE OF THEIR CHAMBER MEETINGS? OKAY. CHAMBER MEETINGS. SO, SO ANY, ANY EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION THAT WE MEET WILL FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS. AND THAT INCLUDES THE CHAMBER. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY, VERY NICE. ONGOING DEVELOPMENT. ANY ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS OR QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN? OKAY. I JUST NOTICED HOW JOSH AND GUS ARE ARE VERY WILLING TO MEET WITH OUR RESIDENTS. IF I HAVE A TOUGH QUESTION FOR A RESIDENT, ASK ME A TOUGH QUESTION AND I CAN MY COLLEAGUE, JUST TO BE IN A CONNECTOR AND CAN TALK TO JOSH OR GUS. THEY, THEY THEY TAKE OVER FOR ME BECAUSE BEING A NEW COUNCILMAN GET A LOT OF BUSINESS INQUIRIES AND THEY TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME ASKING, CAN I DO THIS? CAN I DO THAT? WILL YOU SUPPORT THIS? WOULD I SUPPORT THAT? AND, AND I RUN IT BY THE DDC AND, AND, AND THEY TAKE IT AND THEY, THEY, THEY HELP AND BUT THE DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN. I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES, BUT THEY COMMUNICATE WELL. AND HAVING THE BREAKFAST AND THE COFFEE AND THE SITTING DOWN WITH OUR RESIDENTS, IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, IF I IF SOMEONE SAYS, HEY, MAN, I WANT TO DO THIS, I WANT TO DO THAT. I WANT TO BRING THIS, I WANT TO DO THAT. I CAN HAND THEM OFF. AND THAT, THAT THAT'S FEELS REAL GOOD. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN.

IT'S IT'S CERTAINLY A TEAM EFFORT. OKAY. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SUBJECT MATTER AS WE PROGRESS FORWARD AT THIS TIME, BOARD IS GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND

[E. Executive Session]