[00:00:01]
          HMM. I JUST WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU HERE THIS EVENING FOR OUR STATE OF THE CITY UPDATE AND 
          [State of the City]
JUST A SPOILER SPOILER ALERT. THE STATE OF THE CITY IS EXCELLENT. SO. IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE NOW YOU CAN. I GUESS YOU CAN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO HEAR SOME DETAILS ABOUT HOW GREAT IT IS STICK AROUND, BUT WE ARE RECORDING THIS THIS EVENING AND WE WILL START STREAMING IT TOMORROW, ACTUALLY, AND JUST TO REMIND, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE. WE'VE GOT I THINK JUST ABOUT EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT REPRESENTED HERE. THE BOOTHS WILL STAY OPEN FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR. SO ONCE THE PRESENTATION IS COMPLETE. AND BEFORE I GET GOING, I WANT TO MAKE SOME INTRODUCTIONS FROM OUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE WITH US, AND THEY'VE ALL OF COURSE SCATTERED. THERE'S DISTRICT ONE JEFF BASS. YOU CAN CLAP. FOR DISTRICT TO MAYOR PRO TEM DEBORAH MORRIS. DISTRICT THREE AND MORE. AND DISTRICT SEVEN. DYLAN HEDRICK. I THINK THAT'S ALL OF THEM THAT I SAW, AND WE DO HAVE A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER WITH US FROM DISTRICT ONE. RICKY MCNEIL. WHERE'D HE GO? THERE'S RICKY. PEOPLE WHO ARE USED TO BE ON WE REFER TO THEM AS FORMERLY HONORABLE. AND WE ALSO HAVE FROM OUR GOVERNMENT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES LINDA GRIFFIN IS HERE WITH US SOON. AND LOTS OF ARE, YOU KNOW? OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT LOTS OF STAFF MEMBERS HERE, SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR COMING OUT. WE'VE GOT SOME OF OUR SENIOR STAFF ARE NEW CITY MANAGER JED REX IS SOMEWHERE THERE HE IS. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, PHIL YOUR OUDEA. THEY'RE IN THE BACK. AND A RARE APPEARANCE BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY BRIAN ENGLAND. I JUST HAVE TO POKE AT HIM A LITTLE BIT. WELL AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. I APPRECIATE THE TIME. I KNOW, I KNOW YOU'VE ALL GOT LOTS OF THINGS TO DO LIKE THERE'S. 
          THERE'S ALWAYS A MILLION THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING A LITTLE TIME WITH US HERE TONIGHT. SO 2022 WASN'T VERY EXCITING YEAR HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. 
          LOTS OF NEW PROJECTS, NEW EVENTS AND LOTS OF WAYS TO MAKE YOUR MARK HERE IN GARLAND AND WE'RE GOING TO START OUT WITH THE WITH SOME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS. CONTINUE TO MEET MAKE PHENOMENAL PROGRESS. EVEN THROUGH THE MOST CHALLENGING. SO MANY PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE. THIS IS AWESOME. 
          TO SAY THIS IS GOING A LONG TIME COMING IN IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. PEOPLE. IN THE CITY OF GARLAND HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS NOW. THIS IS THE 33RD YEAR OF THE N DOUBLE A. 
          C P HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND RIVERS PARADE. 
          IN GARLAND TODAY HOSTING ITS INAUGURAL JUNETEENTH EVENT. THIS IS AN AUDUBON PARK GARLAND, TEXAS, WHICH ACTUALLY HAS SOME OF THE BEST HOTEL RATES IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA SHOULD BE . THIS PROJECT TOOK A LOT OF VISION. IT TOOK A LOT OF DETERMINATION. BUT YOU KNOW, THE SQUARE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE HEART OF THE CITY. IT'S OUR STARTING POINTS ARE ORIGIN POINT. BUT WE ARE HERE AT WINTER'S PARK TODAY FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL DFW ASIAN 
          [00:05:01]
AMERICAN SOCCER TOURNAMENT THIS MORNING. SOMETHING GOOD FROM GARLAND AS SOME KIDS GOT A REALLY COOL SURPRISE IN CLASS LABOR DAY TRADITION MADE ITS WAY THROUGH GARLAND. 
          THIS IS THE BONES OF OUR CITY. EVERYBODY'S GETTING TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. AND THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE POINT OF THE PROJECT. TEXAS NOW HOME TO THE SECOND LARGEST SKATE PARK. 
          IN THE ENTIRE STATE. WHEN WE GET FINISHED TODAY, THE COOL FACTOR IN GARLAND WILL HAVE INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY . NOTHING OF SMALLER WOMAN LOOKING PARTICIPATING IN SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY. 
          YOU KNOW I COULD. I COULD PROBABLY END THIS PRESENTATION RIGHT HERE. YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING. YOU JUST, UH BUT YOU KNOW ONE THING YOU DID SEE THAT PRESENTATION IS SOME VIDEO OF OUR DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY ABOUT A BLOCK FROM HERE AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ARE MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THAT PROJECT. UM AND WE ARE ON TRACK FOR COMPLETION LATER THIS YEAR. OKAY AND WE KNOW THAT. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK ME, YOU KNOW, I'M DOWNTOWN WHEN THEY SAY I CAN'T WAIT FOR DOWNTOWN TO BE DONE. AND I'M LIKE YOU AND ME BOTH. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT FOR THAT PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED BECAUSE IT IS REALLY A LEGACY PROJECT THAT'S GONNA TRANSFORM DOWNTOWN. IT'S A COMMUNITY HUB FOR LOCALS. IT'S A DESTINATION FOR VISITORS. IT'S NOT JUST THE SQUARE. WE HAVE EXPANDED OUT ALMOST 14 BLOCKS WITH UPDATED STREETSCAPES, SIDEWALKS, STREET TREES AND TO REALLY CREATE A VERY CONNECTED SINCE TO SOME OF THE BLOCKS AND MAKING IT REALLY WALKABLE AND FRIENDLY. SO I WILL TELL YOU I MEAN, WE'RE NOT FAR ENOUGH ALONG AT THIS POINT TO HAVE A SOLID DATE. I CAN'T TELL YOU THURSDAY, THE SUCH AND SUCH AND SEVEN O'CLOCK UM, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE CELEBRATION . SO PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR INFORMATION ON THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS IT. GET THE MONEY REALLY THINKING? NO. I THINK IT CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH. THE LADY FRIENDS ARE READY TO FIGHT THAT. SO AS MR BRADFORD SAID, GARLANDS COOL FACTOR DID GO THROUGH THE ROOF IN 2022 WITH THE OPENING OF THE BONEYARD SKATEPARK IN OCTOBER. THIS IS A AS IT SAID. THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST PARK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND IT IS OPEN TO EVERY LEVEL OF SKATER. AND IF YOU ASK OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHEN IS IT BUSIEST? THEY WILL TELL YOU ANY DAY THAT ENDS IN Y IT IS ALWAYS BUSY, AND I CAN TELL YOU HERE RECENTLY WE HAD THIS LITTLE ICE STORM. AND WE ACTUALLY HAD SOMEONE OUT THERE ON A SNOWBOARD. SO AND ANOTHER OUTDOOR, ANOTHER OUTDOOR FAVORITE HERE IN THE CITY IS FAR WHEEL GOLF PARK. WE EXPERIENCED A RECORD BREAKING YEAR IN 2022 WITH MORE THAN GET THIS 115,000 . OF PLAY, WHICH SET A NEW RECORD FOR THE COURSE AND OBVIOUSLY BOOSTED OUR REVENUES 13% ABOVE. OF OUR BUDGET PROJECTIONS. THE FIRE WILL BRIDGES COURSE WAS ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZED BY AVID GOLFER AS ONE 
          [00:10:04]
OF THE TOP PREMIUM PUBLIC COURSES IN THE DFW AREA. AND REALLY, THERE'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY NOT ENOUGH THAT SHE CAN BE THAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT OUR NEW ANIMAL SHELTER, WHICH OPENED JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. IT IS A STATE OF THE ART ANIMAL SHELTER. WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR SERVICES IN OUR RESOURCES THAT'S ALLOWED US TO GROW. OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ARE ALL OF OUR FOSTER PROGRAMS AND REALLY HAS JUST STEPPED UP AND IMPROVED OUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS IN OUR CUSTODY. YOU KNOW WHETHER THAT IS JUST THE ANIMALS WE BRING IN THAT ARE JUST ADOPTED OUT WHETHER THAT IS THE ANIMALS THAT WE CAN NOW HOUSE, UH, FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES. UM, THEY ARE GETTING THE TOP LEVEL OF CARE. AND SINCE WE MOVED, WE HAVE SEEN MORE THAN 1700 PET ADOPTIONS. WE HAVE HOUSED WELL OVER 100 ANIMALS FROM CRUELTY CASES, AND WE'VE ALSO PERFORMED OVER SEVEN ALMOST 800 STERILIZATIONS. IT IS A FANTASTIC FACILITY. AND SO, YES, YOU CAN ALWAYS CLAP FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER. ABSOLUTELY. SO HERE ARE MORE SOME MORE NOTICEABLE, NOTICEABLE ACCOMPLISH INSTRUMENTS FROM 2022 GARLAND PROVIDED 8.8 MILLION IN EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR MORE THAN 2900 HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED BY COVID 19. OUR UTILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION IMPLEMENTED A NEW CUSTOMER INFORMATION AND UTILITY BUILDING SYSTEM TO IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER ACCESS TO BUILDING IN USAGE INFORMATION. GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT ACHIEVED ITS LOWEST RESIDENTIAL RATES WHEN COMPARED TO SIMILAR RATES IN THE ENCORE SERVICE DELIVERY AREA. AND BY THE WAY, YOU SAW THEM ONE SLIDE ABOUT THE WATER DEPARTMENT, G P AND L IS GOING TO BE CELEBRATING ITS 1/100 BIRTHDAY LATER THIS SPRING. AND GUESS WHAT? WE'RE HAVING A PARTY. AND YOU ARE ALL THE GUESTS OF HONOR. SO KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN FOR THAT. WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THAT. UM AND THEN AGAIN, GARLAND WATER UTILITIES CELEBRATE 100 YEARS LAST YEAR. AND THEY KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT IN THE VIDEO. IT'S REALLY A HAND DUG A HAND DUG WELL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE. THAT WAS 2300 FT. DEEP. 
          AND IT SERVICED A 75,000 GALLONS UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK. NOW TODAY WE HAVE FOUR WATER TOWERS. 
          WE HAVE EIGHT GROUND TAGS. THEY CAN HOLD ALMOST 47 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER. THAT'S A LOT OF WATER. AND I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAND DIG A 23 100 FT. WELL ANYMORE THESE DAYS. I DON'T I DON'T THINK I WANT TO PARTICIPATE. THE GARLAND POLICE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UNIT WAS CREATED TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN SOCIAL SERVICES IN GARLAND RESIDENTS IN NEED, WHETHER THAT IS FROM OUR HOMELESS POPULATION OR VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME OR DOMESTIC CRIME. OUR NEW GUEST ENERGY CONVERSION AT THE HIT AND LANDFILL GENERATED 1.5 MILLION IN NEW REVENUE FOR ITS FIRST FULL YEAR IN OPERATION. AND YOU CAN TALK TO OUR FOLKS LATER ABOUT THAT. WE I KNOW THAT'S A REALLY BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT GUESTS ENERGY IS, BUT WE HAVE FOLKS HERE THAT COULD EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. IT'S AN AMAZING PROCESS. AND WE HAD SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF MORE THAN 47 MILLION IN PUBLIC WORKS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING MAJOR ROADS, BIKING TRAILS, STORM WATER, WASTEWATER UTILITY PROJECTS AND REALLY WAY MORE THAN I COULD EVER COVER THIS EVENING. THERE HE IS. SO JUST LAST WEEK WE CELEBRATED THE COUNTLESS INNOVATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR CITY MANAGER EMERITUS BRIAN BRADFORD. 
          NOW HE OFFICIALLY RETIRES MAY 1ST AND HE WILL HAVE 29 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR CITY. HE HAS GUIDED US THROUGH MANY CHALLENGES HELPED US USHER IN TIMES OF GREAT GROWTH AND REINVESTMENT. UM, I WILL TELL YOU. I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY, I THINK IT WAS THURSDAY FRIDAY. 
          I'M NOT SURE IT WAS JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. UM AND I HAVE FINALLY COME TO TERMS WITH BRIAN'S RETIREMENT. I SAY THAT I SAY THAT TO YOU MAY HAVE A FEW LINGERING PROBLEMS WITH IT, BUT I'M HAPPY FOR MY FRIEND WHO IS RETIRING AFTER A REALLY AN INCREDIBLE CAREER HERE WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND. HE HAS SET A PATH THAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING FOR MANY YEARS TO COME SO MUCH THANKS TO OUR CITY MANAGER EMERITUS. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BRIAN HAS 
          [00:15:12]
DONE FOR US IS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD. LOOKING PAST HIS RETIREMENT, THE FORESIGHT TO FIND ANOTHER VERY GIFTED INNOVATOR IN JUDSON REX. HE JOINED TEAM GARLAND BACK IN 2021 AS AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. AND LAST MONTH, YOUR CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED JUDD TO THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM. I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH HIM. WE ARE KIND OF STILL MAKING SOME TRANSITION, YOU KNOW, FROM WHEN MY PHONE RINGS, IT'S HIS FACE THAT POPS UP, NOT BRIAN'S, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO COUNCIL IS VERY EXCITED TO HAVE JUDGED ON BOARD AND TO SEE WHERE HE CAN TAKE US IN HIS CAREER AND FOR THE RECORD. YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT BRIAN BROUGHT A LOT OF YOU KNOW, WE HAD NOTHING BUT DISASTERS DURING BRIAN'S 10 YEARS IS CITY MANAGER. IT'S NO SECRET. IT'S NO SECRET, BUT INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, JUDD IS THE 13TH PERSON TO HOLD THE CITY MANAGER TITLE SINCE 1951 SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. BUT WELCOME, JUDD. SO AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO 2023, WE ARE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. WE ARE IN YEAR THREE OF OUR 2019 BOND PROGRAM, AND IN THAT THREE YEARS WE HAVE COMPLETED MORE THAN WE HAVE COMPLETED MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF THE PROJECTS AND THIS IS $424 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS ANOTHER THIRD OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION. NOW WITH ALMOST THAT MANY IN DESIGN, AND THEN WE STILL HAVE A FEW THAT WE WILL COME IN. THEY SORT OF CYCLE THROUGH INTO THAT PROCESS, AND ONE OF THOSE COMING UP IS THE MUCH ANTICIPATED REBUILD OF THE HOLFORD RECREATION CENTER QUALITY AQUATICS FACILITY. THAT WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION THIS SPRING. AND ANOTHER POPULAR PROJECT. YOU SAW SOME VERY ENTERTAINING HIGHLIGHTS OF IS OUR PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A CHANCE TO BREAK IN PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. WHICH WE CERTAINLY DID, AND WE HAVE FIVE MORE TO GO OUT OF THE 25 TO BE COMPLETED AND EACH ONE OF THOSE PLAYGROUNDS IS UNIQUE. IT HAS A DIFFERENT THEME. WHETHER IT'S LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS WHETHER IT'S SPACE, WHETHER IT'S FISH, WHATEVER. UM AND WE CERTAINLY HAD FUN, AND I KNOW I KNOW KIDS ARE HAVING EVEN MORE FUN THAN THAT. YOU RECOGNIZE THAT BUILDING? PROBABLY NOT. PROBABLY NOT. BECAUSE THAT IS NOT HOW IT LOOKS RIGHT NOW. THE CENTRAL LIBRARY IS GOING TO UNDERGO A MODERN TRANSFORMATION THAT WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS A VIDEO PRODUCTION STUDIO MAKER SPACE AREA AND SOME EXCITING NEW SPACE FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN THROUGH READING AND HANDS ON PLAY. IT'S ALSO GOING TO HAVE SOME COLLABORATION AND STUDY AREAS AS WELL AS SOME NEW OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING SPACES. THAT INDOOR HANDS ON PLAY AREA FOR CHILDREN. WILL INCLUDE A SLIDE. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE IN A LIBRARY. BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S TO BE MUCH MORE INTERACTIVE WALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE LIBRARY WILL HAVE TO CLOSE FOR A TIME WHILE IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE SERVICES ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE WOMEN'S WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES BUILDING JUST NEXT DOOR THROUGH THERE, YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS OUR COMPUTERS, PRINTING PHOTOCOPYING. LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND ALL OF THOSE THOSE AMENITIES. PARKS AND RECREATION . WE HAVE TALKED A LOT. WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, MAYBE MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE IN THIS CITY. OUR UPCOMING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WILL FOCUS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AMENITIES AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER CRITICAL NEEDS. THIS YEAR'S PRIORITIES INCLUDE DESIGN FOR THE GARLAND SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, WHICH IS JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM US AGAIN RENOVATIONS TO SEVERAL OF OUR EXISTING RECREATION CENTERS, SPORTS FIELDS AND LOTS OF OUR OTHER RECREATION FACILITIES AND ASSETS. STREETS, ALWAYS A HOT TOPIC. TRANSPORTATION IN STREET PROJECTS WILL INCREASE ROADWAY CAPACITY AND SEVERAL AREAS WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING TRAFFIC SIGNAL MODERNIZATION. RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH I KNOW IS EVERYONE IS A BIG FAN OF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT AND ALSO PAVING OF UNIMPROVED ALLEYS , FLOODING AND DRAINAGE NEEDS. 6 35 EAST HAVE WHO'S BEEN ON 6 35. WILLINGLY. MAN. WELL THE GOOD 
          [00:20:08]
NEWS IS TEXT DOT HAS REACHED THE HALFWAY POINT WITH THAT PROJECT. AND YOU KNOW THE EXPANSION OF 6 35 EAST THROUGH GARLAND. THAT PROJECT IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 2024. SO WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAD A TEXT DOT UPDATE. IT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE THAT. WHILE IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I KNOW IT LOOKS TERRIBLE, BUT THEY ARE. THEY ARE WELL ON TRACK. ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT TEXTILE PROJECT IS I 30? WE ARE ADDING, WE I SAY WE TEXT DIET IS ADDING LANES ACROSS THE LAKE. ON THE I 30 BRIDGE OVER LAKE RAY HUBBARD. THESE WILL BASICALLY SERVE AS. AN OUTLET. HOPEFULLY SERVICE ROADS FOR A VERY CONGESTED THOROUGHFARES THROUGH THERE. NEXT. WATER. WE WILL ALSO ENHANCE WATER TRANSMISSION MAINS AND DISTRIBUTION LINES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHILE ADDRESSING IMPROVEMENTS AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS. G P AND L. GPL IS THE LARGEST UTILITY. OUR LARGEST UTILITY PRIORITY IS TO UPGRADE TRANSMISSION LINES AND SUBSTATIONS. THESE ARE THESE INITIATIVES WILL INCLUDE A LOT OF THE ERCOT DRIVEN RELIABILITY UPGRADES THAT I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR G P AND L ARE MULTI YEAR MULTI PHASED, SO STAY TUNED TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS FOR ANY ONGOING UPDATES. I NEVER KISSED SWEET, YES. TRYING TO GIVE. JOURNEY. 
          SOMEBODY IN THIS HOUSE. THE BEST PART OF THAT VIDEO IS RENEE KARMA FROM OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE HAVING A REALLY FUN EVENING. SO AS YOU CAN SEE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL EVENTS MADE A HUGE COMEBACK IN 22 AFTER A LONG HIATUS. WE CONTINUE TO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT IN THE COMING YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING BIG ART DAY, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH G I S D. R THAT'S ON APRIL 1ST. OUR BAND TOGETHER ON THE SCORE IS WORKING. WORKING FOR AND WORTH WAITING FOR OUR BAND TOGETHER ON THE SQUARE CONCERT SERIES RETURNS LATER THAT MONTH, THE SOUNDS OF SUMMER CONCERT SERIES WILL KICK OFF IN MAY AND LOTS OF OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY'S DIVERSITY AND WATCH FOR MOOD NEW AND THOSE RETURNING EVENTS TO COME BACK THROUGH AND YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF ALL THIS. COUNCIL MEMBER MORE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, SIR. VISIT GARLAND, TEXAS, VISIT GARLAND, TX DOT COM AND THROUGH OUR CITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO INTERRUPT THAT. I FELT LIKE I WAS IN THE WAY. SO YOU KNOW, HERE'S THIS HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON OUR CITY SERVICES ARE STAFF MEMBERS. A LOT OF YOU SEE HERE TONIGHT PROVIDE ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS AND THEY GET RECOGNIZED FOR THOSE THROUGH THEIR PEER GROUPS ACROSS THE STATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2022 , GARLAND EARNED STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR MANY SPECIAL PROJECTS AND OVERALL AND OVERALL EXCELLENCE. THE TEXAS RECREATION AND PARKS SOCIETY HONORED GARLAND WITH ITS STATEWIDE GOLD MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE AWARD. VISIT GARLAND EARNED SEVEN AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING AT THE ANNUAL TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. THE TECH. SO MANY OF THEM THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM BROUGHT HOME SIX FIRST PLACE TROPHIES FROM TWO STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS INTO FIRST PLACE TROPHIES FROM THEIR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TELECOMMUNICATION OFFICERS AND ADVISERS. OUR OPERATIONS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR MR GARDNER WAS NAMED WHO'S WHO. IN AMERICA'S NEIGHBORHOODS FOR HER EFFORTS AND INVOLVEMENT DURING THE COVID 19 CRISIS, AS WELL AS DURING WINTER STORM, YURI GARLAND'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WAS HONORED BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES EXEMPLARY USES OF FEDERAL FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFIT AND FOR PROFIT ENTITIES TO ASSIST LOW INCOME 
          [00:25:03]
PERSONS. THE TEXAS CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZED THE CITY OF GARLAND AND KIM LEE HORN WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GOLD AWARD FOR THE GREEN BELT PARKWAY. SPECIAL AREAS PLAY IN OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHITE WATER AND WASTEWATER DEPARTMENTS. LIBRARY SYSTEM PURCHASING DEPARTMENT IN BUDGET DEPARTMENTS EACH ALSO EARNED EXCELLENCE AWARDS FROM THEIR PEER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL. WE HAVE TO START INVESTING IN MORE TROPHY CASES, AND THESE ARE JUST A FEW REALLY, OF THE OTHER RECOGNITIONS THAT OUR STAFF HAS RECEIVED THEY AGAIN. 
          THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB, AND I'M PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO. YOU KNOW THE COUNCIL VOTES ON WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, BUT THEY ACTUALLY DO THE WORK, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. NEXT UP. 
          SEE YEAH. SO. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE ALREADY SAID STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES. OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WELL THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS TO KEEP UPDATED ON. SO HOW DO YOU KEEP UP? WELL, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF OPTIONS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE THE CITY PRESS, WHICH EVERY OTHER MONTH IS MAILED TO EVERY GARLAND ADDRESS, AND IT IS DEVOTED SOLELY TO CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. ACTIVITIES INFORMATION COMES STRAIGHT TO YOUR MAILBOX. ALSO YOU KNOW THOSE LITTLE YOU KNOW, IN YOUR UTILITY BILLS, THOSE LITTLE FLYERS THOSE AREN'T ADS THAT'S ACTUALLY INFORMATION ON EVENTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT CITY PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES. AND THEN ALWAYS THE MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND IS OUR WEBSITE. GARLAND TX DOT GOV. THAT IS THE FIRST PLACE THAT WE POST INFORMATION AND THEN WE MOVE IT OUT TO THE OTHER OUTLETS. SO THAT IS ALWAYS SHOULD. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR GO TO IF YOU WERE WANTING TO KNOW SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, AND WHILE YOU'RE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE GARLAND CITY PRESS BRIEFS. THOSE ARE WEEKLY UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO COME OUT IN BETWEEN PUBLISHING OF THE CITY PRESS, AND YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP FOR A NIGHT AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE AND SO DO THOSE FOLKS RIGHT THERE THAT YOU GO TO THAT YOU SIGN UP FOR THE GARLAND ALERT SYSTEM. THAT GETS YOU INFORMATION ON SEVERE WEATHER, PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORE AND THOSE THERE IS A LOT OF CRITICAL INFORMATION THAT WE SHARE THROUGH OUR FOLKS IN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS. AND AGAIN , YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH BUSY. GARLAND TX .COM IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, WHERE TO DO IT FESTIVALS, FOOD SHOPPING. ALL OF THAT IS ON THAT WEBSITE. AND SO. WE AS I SAID, YOU KNOW THE CITY. THE CITY'S WEBSITE IS THE FIRST GO TO AND THEN WE MOVED THAT OUT TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AND AS YOU CAN, PRETTY MUCH SEE WE ARE ACTIVE ON ALL OF THEM. AND SO YOU CAN GET UPDATES THROUGH THOSE HOWEVER, YOU CHOOSE TO GET YOUR NEWS. WE CAN GET IT TO YOU. SO. SOMETHING WE STARTED BACK IN. 2019 IS OUR ANNUAL MAKE YOUR MARK AWARD. UM AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT RECOGNIZES INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE CITY OF GARLAND. AND THIS YEAR WE ARE HONORING A TEAM. TEAM OF EXTRAORDINARY GARLAND LEADERS WHO PROVIDED THE CITY WITH IMPORTANT INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVE AS WE WORK TO CREATE A SPECIAL EVENT HONOR AN IMPORTANT TIME. IN THE CITY AND THE NATION'S HISTORY AND THE STATE. GARLAND'S LEADERSHIP WANTED TO MAKE WANTED TO MARK THE IMPORTANCE OF JUNETEENTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. BY CREATING OUR FIRST EVER FIRST ANNUAL CITY SPONSORED JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN JUNE OF 2022. AND WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY BROUGHT THEIR LOVE OF GARLAND. THEY BROUGHT THEIR HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE. AND JUST A DESIRE TO MAKE THIS EVENT IMPACTFUL AND FUN. AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE MEMBERS OF OUR JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE TO COME UP TO THE STAGE AND BE RECOGNIZED AND I HAVE JUST A VERY SMALL TOKEN. OF MY APPRECIATION. I CAN'T. I CAN'T GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT'S IN MY HEART FOR WHAT YOU DID, BUT I HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING YOU CAN TAKE HOME WITH YOU SO AS I CALL YOUR NAMES. IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. LORETTA MCCRARY. CASSANDRA COX. GWENDOLYN DANIELS. LEONARD LEECH. MICHELLE TERRY. DEBORAH JOHNSON. TERRY DOGGETT. DAMIAN WHEATEN. ANY 
          [00:30:01]
DIXON. RICKY MCNEIL. TROY LYNN LANDRY. ZUMA. OH, KIKI. STEPHANIE PARIS. RENE DOWEL. 
          KARMA, POTTER. MON ROBERTS. DONNA FIELDS. AND JUSTIN CARRAWAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO DO THIS IN A SEMI ORDERLY FASHION. SIR. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. THERE'S THIS. THERE'S SOMEBODY. THERE'S SOMEBODY BEHIND YOU. OH SURE. JUST DON'T FALL OFF YOUR MAN. 
          THERE YOU GO, SIR. OH, SEE HOW MANY I CAN CARRY IT ONE TIME. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU. OH, VERY GOOD AND SO DON'T LEAVE. SO EACH ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE, DO I ARE YOU ALL WORKING ON THIS YEAR'S YET? GOOD ALRIGHT. I WAS LIKE, SURELY THAT'S ALREADY ON THE CALENDAR. UM BUT WE HAD SOME CHALLENGE COINS MADE IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE STORY OF CHALLENGE COINS, UH, YOU CAN LOOK IT UP BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THESE FOLKS. THEY ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE. THEY TOOK SOMETHING WE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. AND THEY DID IT, AND ONE SIDE HAS TO MAKE YOUR MARK LOGO ON THE OTHER SIDE. GARLAND MAYOR'S OFFICE. THANK YOU. HANG ON. THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR MARK IN GARLAND. AND I WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOU NEVER KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO TURN OUT. IS ANYBODY GONNA SHOW UP? IS EVERYBODY GOING TO SHOW UP? AND SO WE WERE. WE WERE CERTAINLY WORKING ON FAITH. THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND WE PICKED A DATE THE COMMITTEE YOU KNOW, WE'VE NARROWED DOWN A DATE AND THAT DATE ALSO HAPPENED TO BE FATHERS DAY. SO WE WERE WORRIED. WELL, YOU KNOW, CAUSE FATHER'S DAY IS SUCH A HALLOWED HOLIDAY FOR EVERYONE. AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THIS LAST SUMMER WAS EXCEPTIONALLY HOT. AND I THINK THE DAY WE HAD THE CELEBRATION. I THINK IT WAS LIKE 100 AND FOUR SOMETHING LIKE THAT . IT FELT LIKE 150 FOR, UM, BUT THAT DID NOT STOP PEOPLE FROM COMING OUT. WE HAD A GREAT DAY OF FOOD FUN. FELLOWSHIP UM AND IT REALLY SET US IT REALLY SET THE PATH FOR MAKING THIS AN ANNUAL EVENT. IF WE CAN IF PEOPLE WOULD COME OUT IN THAT BLAZING HEAT, UM AND SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER, THEY WOULD. CERTAINLY THIS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE DOING. AND SO WITH THAT I THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DID. YOU HAVE BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE CITY THAT WAS LONG OVERDUE. AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE. WE'LL HAVE A SECOND ANNUAL 3RD 4TH 10TH. AND IT WILL JUST CONTINUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST BECOME PART OF THE CITY. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 
          ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY IT WAS IT TRULY WAS A GREAT DAY WE HAD WE HAD A GIANT TENT. WE HAD SOME MASSIVE FANS AND WE HAD PEOPLE JUST SITTING AND TALKING. AND SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, I PROBABLY YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE . YOU KNOW A LOT OF PLACES. TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY. TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY. BUT HERE IN GARLAND WE EXPERIENCED DIVERSITY. YOU 
          [00:35:06]
KNOW, WE PRACTICED DIVERSITY, AND SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT EVENT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR'S SO I DO HAVE ONE OTHER DO HAVE ONE OTHER RECOGNITION. UM THERE IS A PERSON BEHIND THE SCREENS OVER HERE. THAT OUT. DOROTHY, COULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? SHE'S PROBABLY SAYING BAD THINGS ABOUT ME BEHIND THAT SCREEN. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS DOROTHY WHITE. AND SHE. THANK YOU, DOROTHY. BECAUSE TECHNICALLY I CAN'T MAKE HER DO THINGS ANYMORE. UH ALL OF THE INFORMATION ALL OF THE VIDEOS. THE PHOTOS THAT THE ORGANIZATION HERE TONIGHT. UM AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, DOROTHY, UH, HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME. SHE WAS OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS. BUT SHE IS NO LONGER THE DIRECTOR OF OUR PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS. SHE IS RETIRING FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND MOVING TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND YOU KNOW, DOROTHY HAS BUILT AN AWESOME TEAM HERE IN PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS. 
          YOU SEE, THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT ARE RUNNING AROUND HERE TONIGHT WITH CAMERAS. UM, SHE HAS BUILT AN AWESOME TEAM. THEY HAVE DONE SOME AWESOME WORK. THEY WILL KEEP DOING IT. AND DOROTHY I THINK OFFICIALLY HER LAST DAY WAS LAST WEEK, BUT THERE WAS THIS LITTLE EVENT HERE TONIGHT. 
          SO I'M KIND OF BORROWING HER FOR A LITTLE BIT AND DOROTHY DOROTHY HAS. HAS HELPED ME THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS DURING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, COMMUNICATIONS IN THE THINGS THAT WE DO, AND SHE HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND I WILL. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO MR BRADFORD LEAVING. I'M HAPPY FOR MY FRIEND. I'M SAD FOR MY CITY, BUT I'M GLAD SHE STILL LIVES HERE. AND SHE WILL STILL BE A PART OF WHAT WE DO SO. I'M GOING TO GO OFF THE SCRIPT A LITTLE BIT HERE AS I ALREADY HAVE. AND ACTUALLY, DOROTHY KNOWS THAT I'M VERY PRONE TO THAT. UM AND DOROTHY. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HAVE ONE OF THE CHALLENGE COINS AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL THIS TOGETHER. AND. I GUESS NEXT YEAR I'LL JUST HAVE TO CONTRACT YOU OUT AND YOU CAN COME AND HELP ME WITH THE STATE OF THE CITY. BUT THANK YOU, DOROTHY. WELL. BEFORE I BREAK DOWN INTO A PUDDLE HERE WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE HAPPINESS AGAIN. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY CITY STAFF FOR TAKING THEIR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.