[00:00:06]
WELL,[Call to Order]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 10TH, 2023 REGULAR MEETING OF THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.UH, BEFORE I, BEFORE WE GET STARTED HERE THIS EVENING, UH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A SM A SHORT ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, OUR CITY MANAGER, JUDD REX, IS NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US THIS WEEK.
UH, LATE LAST WEEK, UH, HIS MOTHER, RUTH KNIGHT AND REX PASSED AWAY.
UH, AND SO HE IS WITH HIS FAMILY NOW.
AND SO I JUST WANT HIM TO KNOW FROM THE COUNCIL, FROM THE STAFF, UH, AND, AND FROM THE CITIZENS OF GARLAND, THAT WE SEND THEM OUR MOST SINCERE, UH, CONDOLENCES.
UM, AND, UH, SO HE WILL NOT BE WITH US, UH, THIS WEEK.
SO IT IS THE CUSTOM AND TRADITION OF THIS CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE AN INVOCATION AND RECITAL OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETINGS.
UH, YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IF YOU SO CHOOSE.
UH, BUT YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN EITHER OR BOTH.
UH, YOUR DECISION IS STRICTLY A MATTER OF YOUR OWN CHOICE AND WILL NOT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE DECISIONS WE MAKE HERE THIS EVENING.
TONIGHT, WE WILL BE LED BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM MOORE FROM DISTRICT THREE, SIR
LORD, WE ENTERED INTO YOUR PRESENCE THIS EVENING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THANKFULNESS.
THANK YOU FOR LIFE, HEALTH, AND STRENGTH.
THANK YOU GOD FOR FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER.
THANK YOU FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND RELATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS CITY THAT WE ARE ALL BLESSED WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING.
WE THANK YOU FOR APPOINTING AND ANOINTING THIS LEADERSHIP BODY, THIS MAYOR, THIS CITY COUNCIL TO LEAD, GUIDE AND DIRECTOR, PEOPLE WITH GODLY WISDOM.
AND SO WE ASK YOU NOW, DEAR GOD, TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE THROUGH EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, THROUGH EVERY SCHOOL, BUSINESS, CHURCH, AND BREAK THROUGH EVERY AREA WHERE THERE MAY BE DARKNESS.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE IN OUR WORDS, OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR DEEDS.
LET OUR DECISIONS BE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY, ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR PROSPERITY.
AND WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, GOD, THAT OUR ACTIONS BE SUCH, THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU THE HONOR, THE GLORY, AND THE PRAISE THAT YOU SO RICHLY DESERVE.
AND WE ASK IT ALL IN THE PRECIOUS, MIGHTY, AND POWERFUL NAME OF JESUS AND ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN TOGETHER SAID, AMEN.
JOIN ME NOW IN THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WELL, ONCE AGAIN, UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, IT'S A VERY BUSY NIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL.
WE HAD, UH, WE HAVE OUR MEETING, OF COURSE, WE HAD, OUR YOUTH COUNCIL WAS IN HERE MEETING JUST BEFORE US.
WE HAVE OUR CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING UPSTAIRS.
SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY AT CITY HALL.
[MAYORAL PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
SO IT IS OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH, AND AT OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH, WE HAVE OUR PET OF THE MONTH.AND CRYSTAL BRINGS US, BRINGS US SOMEBODY TO MEET
HE IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS OLD AND HE IS AVAILABLE AT THE GARLAND, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME STOP BY AND, UH, VISIT WITH US AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN ADOPT OUT ARTO.
WE ARE CLOSED TOMORROW, BUT WE ARE OPEN EVERY OTHER DAY, UM, FROM 11 TO SIX.
AND I'LL MAKE ANYBODY A DEAL RIGHT HERE ON THIS DOG.
ANYBODY WANTS TO GO HOME WITH IT? BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, I'M LIKELY TO.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD PREFER IF YOU DID BECAUSE I'VE GOT ENOUGH DOGS, BUT THANK YOU.
WE'RE GONNA NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER ONE.
WE'LL PLAY, LET'S MAKE A DEAL WITH,
[00:05:01]
UH, LET'S SEE WHAT'S BEHIND DOOR NUMBER TWO.ALRIGHT, NEXT I HAVE A, UH, A RECOGNITION OR A PROCLAMATION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
IF I LOST THERE, YOU ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
AND I HAVE ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH THIS, PLEASE.
THIS IS, UH, FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS INTOLERABLE, UNACCEPTABLE, AND MUST BE STOPPED AND DESERVES CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC ATTENTION.
AND WHEREAS ONE IN THREE TEXANS EXPERIENCES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE URGENT NEED TO GENERATE CRUCIAL AWARENESS, EMPOWER SURVIVORS, AND PROMOTE PREVENTION MEASURES.
ANYONE, ANYONE CAN BE A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REGARDLESS OF AGE, SEX, ETHNICITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, OR RELIGION.
AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PREVAILING ISSUE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DYNAMICS INVOLVED.
HEIGHTENED AWARENESS ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF ABUSE AND OFFER SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED.
CHILDREN WHO WITNESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFTEN GROW UP BELIEVING THAT PHYSICAL CRUELTY IN RELATIONSHIPS IS ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR, AND THUS THEY TEND TO PERPETUATE THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY.
AND WHEREAS MANY FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PROGRAMS ADDRESSING THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROBLEM HAVE ACHIEVED SUCCESS, BRINGING GREATER SAFETY TO FAMILIES, WHILE HOPE'S DOOR NEW BEGINNING CENTER IS THE ONLY DEDICATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGENCY IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
MANY ORGANIZATIONS INTERSECT WITH SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE SUCH AS HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
AND WHEREAS NUMEROUS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND DEPARTMENTS HAVE CREATED SPECIALIZED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNITS, UH, TO COOPERATE WITH COMMUNITY ADVOCATES TO ENHANCE SERVICES FOR VICTIMS. AND WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN LEAVE LASTING SCARS ON SURVIVORS BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY, THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED ABUSE ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK HELP TO AID IN THEIR HEALING AND THEIR JOURNEY.
NOW THEREFORE, I SCOTLAND MAY MAYOR OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, ALONG WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, I DO PROCLAIM OCTOBER AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME WORDS WITH US.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA COLUS AND I STAND HERE WITH, UM, IMMENSE GRATITUDE IN MY HEART AS WE COME TOGETHER TO COMMEMORATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, UM, FOR GIVING THIS ONE BRIEF MOMENT IN A VERY BUSY MEETING WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS TO DISCUSS, BUT IT IS SO POWERFUL FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THERE'S HELP, THAT THERE IS SUPPORT.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, THAT ARE HERE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
I WANNA SINCERELY THANK, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE SPRING CREEK CHURCH.
DIANA CAME HERE TONIGHT AND SHE WAS HERE TO STAND UP WITH ME.
BUT MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT AREN'T HERE THAT WORK WITH US EVERY DAY, THANK YOU, UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, WE THANK YOU.
YOU ARE OFTEN THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN VICTIM'S MOST VULNERABLE MOMENT, AND IT IS OFTEN THE MOST DANGEROUS CALLS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO FOR THOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE ROOM, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU TO GARLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 40 YEARS, OFFICIALLY IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UM, THANKS TO UM, MANY AMAZING WOMEN AND MEN THAT CAME TOGETHER AND SAW THIS AS AN ISSUE.
I WISH THAT WE WERE NOT STILL HERE, AND THIS ISSUE WAS NOT STILL PRESSING ON US, BUT I THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS TIME AND SPACE TO PROCLAIM THIS, BE ABLE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF AWARENESS TONIGHT.
LOOK AT THIS OFFICIAL SIGNATURE.
PICTURE I, I SEE I'M NOT GOOD WITH THE SELFIE.
AND NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM.
UH, MR. GILBERT HARON IS ACTUALLY COME FORWARD.
HE IS FEMA'S REGION SIX REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, HE IS WITH US THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE CITY WITH A PLAQUE RECOGNIZING GARLAND AS A CLASS SIX PARTICIPANT IN THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.
UH, AND WE HAD A BRIEFING ON THIS LAST NIGHT, OUR WORK SESSION.
UH, MICHAEL HICK, UH, PRESENTED THE UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL, UH, ON THE CITY'S YEARS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE N F I P.
IN ADDITION, HE BRIEFED THE COUNCIL ON THE
[00:10:01]
EFFORTS OF MR. JAKE FISHERUH, THEY WORK TOGETHER FOR GARLAND'S ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CLASS SIX CERTIFICATION AND TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY CITIZENS OF GARLAND WHO RECEIVED FLOOD INSURANCE.
SO, MR. HARRON AND I HAVE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
I, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SAY IT'S GOOD TO COME HOME.
I GRADUATED NAME OF FOREST, UM, BACK IN 1992.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM IS INCENTIVIZED PROGRAM IN WHICH WE ENCOURAGE COMMUNITIES TO ADOPT HIGHER STANDARDS.
IT PROTECTS THE COMMUNITY FROM THE PER FLOODING, WHICH IS ONE THAT SINGLE MOST DESTRUCTIVE ACTS OF NATURE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE COUNTRY.
ANOTHER, IT ALSO OFFERS DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE IN THE COMMUNITY OF GARLAND.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 343 POLICIES AND SEAT OF GARLAND EQUALING $97.2 MILLION IN COVERAGE.
SO THOSE ELIGIBLE FLOOD INSURANCE POLICIES NOW CAN BE, BE ELIGIBLE UP TO A 20% DISCOUNT.
SO THIS IS A BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE MORE RESILIENT, AND IT'S ALSO A BENEFIT FOR THOSE POLICY HOLDERS WHO ARE IN THE JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES OF, OF GARLAND.
SO WITH THE HARD WORK AND DEION FROM THE CITY OF GARLAND, WE PRESENT THIS PLAQUE TO THE CITY AS A, UM, COME ON.
JAKE DID, JAKE DID ALL THE WORK.
ACTUALLY, HE SHOULD BE, HE SHOULD BE ACCEPTING THIS
YOU NEED TO GET THAT, PUT THAT ON YOUR DESK.
A LOT OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS, A LOT OF GOING BACK AND FORTH OF WHERE WE CAN GET MORE POINTS, WHERE WE CAN DO THIS, WHERE WE CAN DO THAT.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF ITEMS THAT THE CITY WAS ALREADY DOING THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD ACTUALLY GET POINTS FOR.
AND OUR C R SS REPRESENTATIVE, I WISH SHE WAS HERE, SHE SHE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US IN GUIDING US THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
BUT IT DID TAKE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, AND JAKE PUT IN COUNTLESS HOURS, UH, DOING THAT.
EXCELLENT JOB WELL DONE FOR JAKE AND, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF, BUT THANK YOU.
CAN THE DOG STILL HERE, IF ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE ONE ZONING CASE TONIGHT.
UH, AGENDA ITEM SEVEN E AND SEVEN F UH, THAT APPLICANT HAS ASKED FOR A POSTPONEMENT, UH, TO OUR OCTOBER 17TH MEETING.
UH, SO WE WILL NOT BE HEARING THAT CASE.
THAT IS THE MOMENTUM TATTOO CASE.
THAT WILL BE, UH, OCTOBER 17TH.
AND, UH, COUNCIL LADY MORRIS, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, PLEASE JOIN ME ON OCTOBER 19TH, WHICH IS A THURSDAY AT 6:00 PM AT THE CHARLES DUCKWORTH BUILDING, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET HERE, UH, IN THE GOLDILOCK ROOM FOR OUR TOWN HALL FOR DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I KEEP MY TOWN HALLS TO AN HOUR, SO THEY MOVE FAST.
SO YOU AND I BRING COOKIES SO YOU CAN EAT, LISTEN FOR AN HOUR, ASK QUESTIONS, AND THEN YOU GET TO GO HOME AND STILL HAVE THE WHOLE EVENING IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND ONE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF THE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM ARE AWARE OF, UM, BUT THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14TH, UH, WE ARE REOPENING SQUARE.
WE HAVE A FULL DAY OF ACTIVITIES, I BELIEVE STARTING AT 10 THROUGH PROBABLY 10 THAT NIGHT.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE LIVE MUSIC DEMONSTRATIONS OF ALL SORTS, SKATING, FISHING.
I'M NOT EVEN, I CAN'T EVEN KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF IT.
BUT, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA END THE EVENING, UH, WITH A SHOW FROM LEANNE RIMES.
SO YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO ATTEND.
HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GET STARTED HERE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEM, UH, ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.[00:15:01]
ARE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY A SINGLE MOTION OF COUNSEL WITHOUT DISCUSSION.UH, COUNSEL HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW EACH OF THESE ITEMS AT A PREVIOUS WORK SESSION AND APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT EACH ITEM.
I WILL ANNOUNCE THE AGENDA AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE OR THE COUNCIL TO REQUEST THAT AN ITEM BE REMOVED AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
UH, AT THIS POINT, ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN REMOVED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
UH, LET ME READ THROUGH THE AGENDA.
ITEM ONE, UH, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023, REGULAR MEETING.
ITEM TWO, CONSIDER, UH, EXCUSE, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING BIDS.
ITEM TWO, A 2023 TERM CONTRACT FOR CONCRETE READY MIX.
ITEM TWO B T M P A, RAYBURN COUNTRY, 1 38 KV P O I, STEEL STRUCTURES AND ITEM TWO C G P N L FAIRDALE SUBSTATION TERMINAL UPGRADE ENGINEERING SERVICES.
ITEM THREE, PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONING CASES.
UH, COUNSEL APPROVED THE REQUEST AND INSTRUCTED STAFF TO BRING FORTH THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, ITEM THREE A IS Z 23 DASH ZERO SIX.
JAMICA SIMS RON HOBBES, ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN, L L P IN DISTRICT FOUR.
AND ITEM THREE B IS ZONING KZ 23 DASH 26.
UH, WE'LL COME BACK TO FOUR ITEM FIVE, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE RIGHT TURN RESTRICTION AT GARLAND AVENUE AND MILLER ROAD.
AND ITEM SIX, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO RECONFIGURE SPEED LIMIT REVISIONS ON BOB TOWN ROAD.
UH, THAT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM FOUR.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY OF THOSE ITEMS PULLED AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY? SEEING NONE, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIMM MOORE.
I MOVE FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ EXCEPTIONS TO NUMBER FOUR.
I HAVE A MOTION BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIMM MOORE AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORRIS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA I, THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM FOUR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU CAN PREPARE THE VOTE FOR US PLEASE, AND COUNSEL AND DISPLAY THE VOTE.
AND THAT ITEM IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[4. Purchase of Real Property and Approval of the Disposition and Development Agreement Related to 519 State Street, Garland, Texas. ]
FOUR.UH, ITEM FOUR IS PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY AND APPROVAL OF THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT RELATED TO FIVE 19 STATE STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HEDRICK, UH, ASKED FOR THIS ITEM TO BE PULLED.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY SORT OF PRESENTATION THIS EVENING OR DO WE? NO, NO, NO.
UH, I PULLED THIS ITEM BECAUSE I WANTED TO BRING SOME MORE ATTENTION TO IT.
UH, IT WAS CONSIDERED IN LAST NIGHT'S EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE DETAILS NOW ARE BEING RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC LESS THAN 24 HOURS THAN WE'RE SUPPOSED TO VOTE ON IT.
AND THE REASON WE'RE DOING THAT IS WE WANT TO GET IT ALL BUTTONED UP AND DONE BEFORE THE OPENING THE SQUARE SO WE CAN ANNOUNCE IT.
BUT SOMETHING THIS IMPORTANT AND WE'RE SPENDING THIS MUCH MONEY ON, I THINK IT DESERVES LITTLE MORE ATTENTION IN, IN TEXAS POLITICS.
THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A LONGHORN, BECAUSE THERE'S TWO SHARP POINTS AND THEY'RE A LONG WAY APART, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF BULL IN BETWEEN.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST TOO COMES DOWN TO IS THIS A GOOD DEAL OR NOT? THIS IS TOO MUCH MONEY SPENT ON A PROP ON THIS PROPERTY.
THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE JUST TOO STRANGE.
MAYBE YOU RECEIVED A LETTER IN YOUR EMAIL COUNSEL, AND IT MADE THE POINTS I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THIS PROPERTY IS WELL OVERPRICED, AND WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT MONEY INTO DOWNTOWN THAT WE ARE ATTRACTING AS THE LETTER STATES, BUSINESSES, FAMILIES, AND LARGER DEVELOPMENTS HERE.
THIS IS WHAT OUR MONEY, OUR DOWNTOWN MONEY WAS MEANT TO DO.
I DON'T WANNA SPEND MORE MONEY WITHOUT EVEN SEEING WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR.
IT'S ALSO STATED THAT THE MONIES FROM TIF ONE WILL BE USED TO PAY FOR THE PURCHASE AND DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY.
AND I WANT TO KNOW MORE DETAILS ON HOW THIS WOULD WORK.
IN 24 HOURS, I PULLED THE, THE BUDGET, THE TIF ONE BUDGET FUND, UH, THAT WE JUST APPROVED FROM OUR BUDGET.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A DOWNTOWN TIFF.
THIS IS A TIF ONE, WHICH COVERS DOWNTOWN PLUS THE FOREST AND JUPITER AREA IN THE BUDGET.
AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THERE'S NO MONEY BEING SPENT IN THE FOREST JUPITER AREA ZERO IN THIS TIFF, WHICH IS A SHAME.
UH, LAST YEAR, ONLY 300,000, UH, $300,000 OR SO WAS SPENT ON A SOCCER FIELD IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT SOCCER FIELD IN MONTGOMERY PARK IS WELL USED.
MORE MONEY NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON THIS TIFF.
IT'S NOT JUST A DOWNTOWN TIFF, IT'S THE FOREST JUPITER TIFF.
[00:20:01]
WE ARE GONNA USE MONEY FROM THAT TIFF ON THIS PROJECT, WHERE IS IT GONNA COME FROM? IT'S GONNA COST ABOUT A QUARTER, THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE DEBT SERVICE OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS TO FUND THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THIS PROJECT AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT FUNDS BUDGET EVERY YEAR.WELL, WHAT WE ALLOCATED THIS YEAR IS ABOUT $2.2 MILLION.
THREE QUARTERS OF THAT IS FOR THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
ANOTHER THREE QUARTERS OF MILLION DOLLARS IS FOR FACADE IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THERE'S $300,000 FOR DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS, MORE MONEY FOR ENHANCED SQUARE PROGRAMMING.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA CUT FROM THIS FUND TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AND TO, UH, FUND IT FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS TO FUND THE DEBT SERVICE? IT'S, I, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE DETAILS THAN RUSHING THROUGH THE PROCESS IN THIS 24 HOURS.
AND IT JUST ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS.
IF IT DOES MAKE SENSE, YOU DO, BUT TO ME, WE ARE ALL CAUGHT UP IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE SQUARE.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO CLOUD OUR DECISION ON THIS.
I WANT TO NOT PAY THIS EXORBITANT PRICE FOR THIS PROPERTY, THIS $1.95 MILLION, AND I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THIS PROPERTY IS GONNA BE FUNDED IN THE END.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
SO I URGE THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO NOT VOTE AND VOTE NO ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, THIS ITEM.
AND WE DO HAVE SPEAKER, MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? I'M ASSUMING THE ANSWER IS YES.
WE HAVE NINE SPEAKER CARDS ON THE ITEM.
GO AHEAD AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE SPEAKERS.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN KIND OF ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS PROPERTY THE WHOLE TIME.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND, UM, THE LAST EXECUTIVE SESSION WE TALKED ABOUT 1.95 MILLION FOR THIS PROPERTY, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS OUT OF THE REALM OF, I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO EXTRAVAGANT FOR THIS PROPERTY.
I THINK THAT THAT'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY FOR A BUILDING THERE.
UM, MY BIG PROBLEM IS THE STRINGS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO IT.
AND IF YOU BUY A PROPERTY, IT SHOULD BE YOURS AND CLEAR.
SO, UM, NOT BEING ABLE TO USE IT FOR, UH, WHAT THE CITY WANTS TO USE IT FOR, NOT BEING ABLE TO SELL IT IF THEY WANT IT TO NOT BE, NOT BEING ABLE TO USE.
UM, MAYBE A, A DEVELOPER WHO KNOWS ABOUT EVENT SPACES, UM, IS A PROBLEM FOR ME.
BUT ALSO, UM, I FEEL LIKE ANYTHING ON THE SQUARE NEEDS TO BE OPEN ON A DAILY BASIS, NOT JUST FOR EVENTS, NOT JUST IN THE EVENING TIME, UM, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DESTINATION, IT NEEDS TO BE A PLACE, ANY PLACE ON THE SQUARE, NOT JUST THIS ONE.
AND IF I COULD ZONE IN HOURS AND REQUIRE MINIMUM DAYS OF OPERATION, I WOULD, BUT WE CAN'T.
SO, UM, I, I JUST DON'T THINK AN EVENT SPACE IS THE RIGHT THING FOR THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE PUT TO MUCH BETTER USE FOR RETAIL OR EVEN RESTAURANT, BUT RETAIL WOULD JUST BE AMAZING TO SEE DOWN THERE.
UH, CUSTOMER DUTTON, ARE YOU WILLING TO WAIT TILL WE HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS? OKAY.
SORRY, MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU CALL OUR SPEAKERS, PLEASE.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS KARA MCELROY.
AND, UH, FOLKS WANTING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
I'M, AND I'M SORRY, SHE DID REGISTER A POSITION, BUT IT WAS NOT TO TESTIFY.
IT WAS FOUR FOUR, BUT NOT TESTIFY, RIGHT? I'M SORRY.
UH, JOCELYN MINZ L AND WHEN YOU COME FORWARD, IF YOU COULD GIVE, UH, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THIS DEAL AT FIVE 19 STATE STREET.
UM, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT, KIND OF WHAT, UM, MARGARET JUST SAID, I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT IT WAS GONNA BE AN EVENT CENTER, BUT THEN I READ, UM, THE TERMS OF THE DEAL THAT WERE OUTRAGEOUS.
UM, SO I WAS BORN IN GARLAND 41 YEARS AGO, WHICH IS, UM, ABOUT THE TIME THAT THIS BUILDING HAS STOOD VACANT, THAT THE JONES FAMILY HAS ALLOWED THIS BUILDING TO STAND VACANT ON THE SQUARE, UM, AND DETERIORATING.
I LIVED ON MOCKINGBIRD LANE MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD IN THE HOME.
I BOUGHT A HOUSE ON TANAGER, AND I'VE LIVED THERE 16 YEARS, AND I'VE WORKED FOR G I S D U OVER THE PAST 11 YEARS TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M A SIXTH GENERATION GARLAND DITE.
UM, IF GARLAND WAS AROUND THAT LONG, WE WERE AROUND BEFORE THAT, UM, MY GRANDPA WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
BOTH GREAT-GRANDS WERE MAYORS WITH LONG TERMS. AND THE REASON WHY I SAY ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HAVE JUST AS MUCH STANDING IN GARLAND AS THE JONES FAMILY.
[00:25:02]
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE RECENTLY TURNED DOWN FAIR OFFERS, AND I DON'T WISH TO INSULT ANYBODY WHO NEGOTIATED THIS DEAL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DID THE BEST THEY COULD.BUT IT'S NOT IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST TO BUY THIS PROPERTY FROM THE JONES'.
UM, THIS SEEMS LIKE AN ACT OF DESPERATION, UM, BY THE CITY.
I REALIZE ALL THE OTHER PROPERTY AROUND THE SQUARE'S LEASED, BUT I URGE YOU TO BE PATIENT, UM, START ENFORCEMENT, TURN THE TABLES, PARTNER WITH A THIRD PARTY ON A DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IF YOU WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THIS OCTOBER 14TH, WOULD YOU ANNOUNCE IT AND PRINT UP THE TERMS OF THE DEAL AND HAND IT OUT TO THE CROWD ON THE 14TH AND EXPECT THEM TO REJOICE THAT WE WERE DOING THIS? I, I WOULD HOPE NOT.
UM, WE DON'T NEED MORE EVENT SPACE.
WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY AND FOREGO THE TAX REVENUE, AND WE'RE NOT DESPERATE.
COVER UP THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, PUT BIG PLANNERS THERE, PARK FOOD TRUCKS IN FRONT OF IT, MAKE A LITTLE PRETTY OUTDOOR SPACE.
UM, ANYTHING TO BLOCK THAT EYESORE UNTIL WE FIND, UM, A DIFFERENT SOLUTION.
UM, MAKE EVERYTHING BUT THE BUILDING WORK FOR US IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.
UM, LET THE JONES PAY TAXES AND FINES AND BE DONE.
THEY HAVEN'T REALLY SHOWN CIVIC PRIDE IN THE PAST 40 YEARS REGARDING THIS BUILDING.
SO WHY ARE WE ENTERTAINING THIS? UM, BE CREATIVE.
THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX OR THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
AND LET'S, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU APPRECIATE WHAT SHE SAID, BUT LET'S, LET'S HOLD OFF ON THE CLAPPING, PLEASE, MADAM SECRETARY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, I HAVE THREE, FOUR CARDS TO TESTIFYING A AGAINST, UH, KAREN WISEMAN, TRACY CLAYBROOK, CHRIS FAGAN, AND LARRY ISHMA.
UH, I HAVE ANOTHER ORAL, ORAL TESTIMONY BY JAMIE MILLER.
AND THOSE WERE ALL AGAINST, THOSE WERE ALL AGAINST ALL FOUR.
AND JAMIE MILLER IS TE ORAL TESTIMONY IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
MR. MILLER, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I LIVE AT 36 27 GLENBROOK COURT.
UH, I TOO AM A LIFELONG GARLAND DITE.
UM, AND FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE ALSO BEEN THE ORGANIZER OF AN EVENT CALLED THE WHEELS OF HOPE.
UH, I'M ALSO A NEIGHBOR TO THE CURRENT
UM, I HAVE STRUGGLED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS TO FIND A WAY TO FILL THE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTER OF OUR NORTH SIDE OF OUR SQUARE.
UM, TO ME, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WOULD BE A TOTAL BENEFIT, AND I'VE HEARD SPEAKERS AGAINST IT, AND, AND IT'S OKAY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR OPINIONS.
BUT, UM, HAVING TRAVELED TO SO MANY DIFFERENT CITIES AND SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS FOR, UH, DOWNTOWN AREAS, UM, OR REMOTE, MORE REMOTE AREAS LIKE A KESSER THEATER AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE MOMENTUM THAT THE CITY HAS GENERATED WITH RESPECT TO OUR SUMMER MUSIC AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE DOING, I THINK THE PLAZA THEATER IS ONE OF THE SLEEPING, UM, GYMS, IF YOU WILL.
IF IT HAD SOME WAY TO HAVE AN EVENT CENTER OR A GATHERING CENTER NEXT TO IT, THERE IS AN UNKNOWN UNTOLD NUMBER OF THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE IN A POSITIVE WAY.
WHILE AS A CONCEPT, I AM FOR IT, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE DETAILS OF THE TRANSACTION.
UM, SO THERE MAY BE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS, BUT AS A CONCEPT, I'M TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
I DO KNOW THIS, THE CITY OF FRISCO AND OTHER, OTHER CITIES AROUND OUR METROPLEX HAVE TAKEN BOLD MOVES TO ACQUIRE THINGS AND DEVELOP 'EM OR MOVE 'EM INTO A DEVELOPMENT STAGE.
AND IT HAS PAID OFF IN SPACE FOR THESE, UH, COMMUNITIES AS WE GO AROUND.
SO I AM, I AM TOTALLY FOR CREATIVE IN OPENNESS.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS, AFTER 40 TOO MANY YEARS, 40 SOMETHING YEARS, 44 YEARS OF BEING A BANKER ALL IN THIS TOWN, I HAVE BROUGHT MANY, MANY DEVELOPERS TO THE CITY OF GARLAND BACK BEFORE THE EAST SIDE WAS EVEN DEMOLISHED.
UH, I TRIED TO GET INTEREST IN WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND IT HAS, I HAVE STRUCK OUT EVERY TIME, UH, THERE, THERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN PLANO.
I WAS JUST IN SALINA, BEAUTIFUL PLACE, WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON THERE.
I SEE HOW THE CITY HAS PARTNERED WITH MANY DIFFERENT, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, UM, ENTITIES TO MAKE A WONDERFUL DOWNTOWN.
AND IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE EVER REALLY BORED, GO OUT TO ALBANY,
[00:30:01]
TEXAS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.THERE ARE JUST A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN.
UM, I, I DO RISE IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, DONNA BAIRD.
IT HAS BEEN, BUT I BET YOU STILL REMEMBER.
YOU NEED TO GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
UH, DONNA BAIRD 31 0 9 MEDINA DRIVE.
I'VE ONLY BEEN IN GARLAND FOR 12 YEARS, BUT I USED TO COME DOWN HERE AND HANG OUT QUITE A BIT WITH Y'ALL,
AND I CAN SEE THE VISION FOR GARLAND.
LIKE I WAS ALWAYS ONE OF THOSE LIKE, MAN, THIS GARLAND.
IT COULD BE LIKE THE ECHO PARK OF DALLAS.
WE COULD HAVE THE ART AND THE COOL VIBES, AND I LOVE THE SQUARE AND THE NEW REC CENTERS AND THE SPLASH PADS AND THE PLAYGROUNDS AND ALL OF THE, I JUST LOVE ALL OF THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT THE VOTERS SAID YES TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
LIKE WE WANTED THE SQUARE AND IT LOOKS GREAT, Y'ALL.
UM, AND I REALLY THINK THAT FOR A SPENDY, SPENDY KIND OF ITEM LIKE THIS, NOT JUST THE TWO MIL, BUT LIKE THE INVESTMENT THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO IT ON TOP OF THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SIX 10 ON TOP, UM, THAT'S PRETTY CEMENTY AND I THINK THE VOTERS SHOULD HAVE A SAY, RIGHT? SHOULDN'T WE BE ABLE TO BE LIKE, YAY, NAYYY.
LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US IN THE ENTIRE CITY SHOULD, SHOULD GET A CHANCE.
'CAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF CASHOLA.
AND I KNOW THAT SOMEONE HERE AT THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN YEARS BECAUSE I SAW BRADFORD'S NAME IN IT.
AND SO I JUST THINK, I KNOW YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE MAKES SENSE FOR THE CITY, THEY COULD LOOK AT IT AND THEY COULD REALLY GET INTO THE DETAILS.
AND IF IT MAKES SENSE THAT MAYBE THIS SHOULD GO BEFORE THE VOTERS, THEN MAYBE AT THAT POINT THEY'RE LIKE, OH, HEY, WE SHOULD PUT THIS ON THE BOND AND LET THE VOTERS VOTE ON IT.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS FOR, IS TO MAKE THESE KIND OF DECISIONS.
SO REAL SHORT, AND THAT IS A NOPE.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR THIS LONG.
I FEEL LIKE IF WE WAITED ANOTHER YEAR, IT'S JUST ANOTHER YEAR.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR YEARS.
THIS IS NOT LIKE SOME 40% OFF AMAZON PRIME DEAL THAT YOU JUST CAN'T SAY NO TO RIGHT NOW.
AND CALL OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
OUR FINAL, OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS MATT ARCHER.
YOU SHOULD KNOW YOU SHOULDN'T SIT IN THE BACK IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT WAS UNDECIDED
SO LOTS OF THINGS TO SAY, LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING.
UM, THIS IS AN EXCITING PROJECT AND I REGISTERED FOR THE DETAILS ARE A LITTLE FUZZY.
UM, MANY OF YOU HAVE DRIVEN BY MY PLACE OF BUSINESS AND YOU'VE SEEN ME WORKING HOURS AND, YOU KNOW, NIGHT IN, NIGHT OUT THE 14TH IS COMING QUICK AND THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I WANT TO GET DONE THAT AREN'T GONNA GET DONE AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET DONE BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
AND IF WE'RE REALLY JUST IN A RACE TO PUT SIGNS UP ON THE FACE OF THAT BUILDING, I THINK WE'RE DOING IT THE WRONG WAY.
SO THERE'S SOME THINGS IN MY BUSINESS THAT AREN'T WHERE I WANT THEM FOR SATURDAY, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS ON THE SQUARE THAT ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO RUSH INTO AND NOT CONSIDER FULLY.
WHILE I'M FOR THIS CONCEPT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE WISE WITH THIS DECISION.
THIS IS A BIG ONE, SO THANK YOU.
I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT WAS OUR LAST SPEAKER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE OPEN UP FOR BACK FORWARD COUNSEL DISCUSSION? ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, COUNSEL, UH, YOU'VE HEARD THE SPEAKERS, UH, YOU'VE HEARD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HENDRICK'S REASON, UH, FOR PULLING IT.
UH, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, UM, AND THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE.
SO LIKE MOST EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID, UM, THIS IS A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF
[00:35:01]
MONEY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT POURING INTO A DOWNTOWN THAT WE JUST POURED A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY INTO.UM, THERE ARE SOME DEFINITE SKETCHY THINGS I FEEL LIKE IN THE, THE CONTRACT.
UM, AN ENVIRONMENTAL TWO PHASE BEING A, UH, CONDITION OF THAT, WHICH I FEEL LIKE SHOULD BE A RED FLAG TO ANYONE.
UM, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC FOR A BUSINESS TO PUT THAT IN THEIR SALE CONTRACT.
SO, UM, IT MAKES YOU, MAKES YOU WONDER.
WHAT DO THEY KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW? WHAT'S, WHAT'S UNDER THAT BUILDING IN THAT SOIL THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT? WOULD IT AFFECT US NECESSARILY? MAYBE NOT, MAYBE IT WOULD, WHO KNOWS? BUT IS THAT A CRAPSHOOT THAT WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE? UM, LIKE, UH, DYLAN SAID THAT TIF TWO IS ALSO ENCOMPASSES THE FOREST JUPITER AREA.
AND, UM, SO FAR WE'VE GOT A SOCCER FIELD AND A WRAPPED ELECTRICAL BOX.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ADDING UP FOR ME.
SO, UM, WE WANT OUR DOWNTOWN TO BE A DESTINATION AREA.
AN EVENT CENTER IS GOING TO BE A DESTINATION FOR A VERY TARGETED PERSON THAT PROBABLY ALREADY CAN COME HERE FOR THE ATRIUM.
SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONNA HELP US GET THAT NEW CLIENTELE, THOSE NEW VISITORS THAT WE DESPERATELY ARE AFTER.
IT DOES NOT MAKE LOGICAL SENSE TO ME.
YOU WOULDN'T PURCHASE A HOME AND THE SELLER TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR HOUSE WHEN YOU CAN USE IT AND THEN TELL YOU THEY'RE GONNA COME OVER FOR THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
WHY WOULD WE DO IT WITH THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY? DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
EITHER YOU'RE IN FOR SELLING OR YOU'RE OUT FOR SELLING.
I, I CAN'T, I CAN'T, UM, I CAN'T AGREE TO THIS ONE.
UM, WELL, I COME IN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS THAT, UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING.
THERE'S, WE HAVE, UH, BRIAN BRADFORD, HIS NAME WAS, WAS, UH, WAS MENTIONED.
UH, HE IS ONE OF THE, THOSE THAT, UH, THAT REALLY BROUGHT THIS TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
HE WAS ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THE SPECIFICS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
AND WHILE IT IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL, IT'S NOT AS UNUSUAL AS PEOPLE WOULD THINK.
UH, IF YOU THINK OF THE DALLAS MAVERICKS, WHEN THEY, WHEN, UM, WHEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE DALLAS MAVERICKS SOLD THE TEAM, UH, HE SOLD ALL OF IT EXCEPT 1%.
AND ALSO HE WANTED HIS SPECIFIC SEATS, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE GOING TO BE SWITCHING STADIUMS, THEY STILL NEGOTIATED SEATS IN THE NEW STADIUM.
SO IT'S NOT AS UNUSUAL AS PEOPLE WOULD THINK.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN IN A FAMILY FOR, IS IT 123 YEARS? THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME EMOTION THAT'S IN THIS REGARDLESS.
UM, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS AS ADJACENCY.
THIS IS DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR TO OUR PLAZA, WHICH WAS, UH, PLAZA THEATER.
AND THAT THEATER WAS, UH, WAS, WAS DEEDED TO THE CITY IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
AND FORTUNATELY THE CITY HAD THE FORETHOUGHT TO, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND REMODEL THAT AND KEEP IT.
WHEREAS A LOT OF THE, UH, A LOT OF THE, HMM, THE, UH, THE OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE WOULD'VE BULLDOZED A, UH, A PROPERTY THAT WAS IN THE CONDITION THAT IT WAS IN, AND THEY, THEY KEPT IT.
AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A PROPERTY THAT IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO IT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY USE.
WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO WHERE THEY SHARE SPACE TOGETHER.
UH, THERE IS A, THERE'S A, THERE IS A, UM, A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY COULD HAVE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELL THE PROPERTY? I BELIEVE THAT WE DO.
UH, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR LEGAL.
IF WE WANTED TO SELL IT, CAN WE, THERE'S NOTHING IN EITHER CONTRACT THAT PREVENTS, THERE'S NO DEEDED RESTRICTIONS OR EITHER CONDUCT CONTRACT THAT PREVENTS THE CITY FROM TRANSFERRING THE PROPERTY OR SELLING THE PROPERTY TO A PRIVATE PARTY.
SO WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELL IT.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT A PHASE TWO.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT A PHASE TWO IS AND WHAT, WHETHER IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S REQUIRED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS? SURE.
TYPICALLY, IN, UM, RURAL PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS, ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, UM, YOU HAVE PROVISIONS RELATED TO A FEASIBILITY PERIOD.
AND PART OF THAT FEASIBILITY PERIOD IS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.
THE FIRST ONE'S A PHASE ONE, WHICH IS KIND OF A WALKTHROUGH SURFACE.
UM, IDENTIFY THINGS THAT ARE MORE OBVIOUS ON THE SURFACE THAT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC.
AND IF YOU DISCOVER A PROBLEM IN A PHASE ONE,
[00:40:01]
THEN YOU, IN MOST COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, YOU, YOU CAN HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING A PHASE TWO.TYPICALLY THERE'S CONDITIONS TO THE OPTIONS 'CAUSE PHASE TWO ENVIRONMENTALS ARE VERY INVASIVE.
YOU START DIGGING AROUND, YOU START DAMAGING PROPERTY.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, USUALLY CONTRACTS HAVE OPTIONS FOR THE SELLER TO BACK OUT TO EITHER AGREE TO THE PHASE TWO OR NOT AGREE TO THE PHASE TWO.
AND THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, THE SELLER DIDN'T AUTOMATICALLY AGREE TO IT.
IT'S IF WE DO A PHASE ONE AND WE DISCOVER THAT WE NEED A PHASE TWO, THEN WE HAVE TO GET CONSENT FROM THE SELLER TO DO THE PHASE TWO.
IF THE, IF THE SELLER DOES NOT GIVE US CONSENT, THEN WE CAN GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT.
UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE OWN THE PROPERTY IN FRONT OF IT, THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, THE SIDEWALK, WHICH WE HAVE TORN UP NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DECADES, THE PROPERTY NEXT TO IT, THE PLAZA THEATER, THE ALLEY BEHIND IT, WHICH WE HAVE REDONE AND TORN UP, UM, AND THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH WE OWNED BEFORE WE SOLD TO THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND WE'RE ALSO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE USE OF THE BUILDING.
SO STAFF DID AN EVALUATION AND MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT, UM, THEY WEREN'T GONNA MAKE A PHASE TWO A REQUIREMENT IN THE CONTRACT.
IT'S AN OPTION THAT IF THE CITY ASKED FOR IT, THEN THE DEVELOPER CAN, OR THE SELLER CAN EITHER GRANT US THE, UM, PERMISSION TO DO IT OR THEY DON'T GRANT US PERMISSION.
WE CAN AT THAT POINT, UH, VOID THE CONTRACT.
SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEES THAT, THAT, THAT THERE ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REMEDIATED OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF CONCERN, BUT THE BUT THE ODDS ARE THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY, THE LIKELIHOOD IS VERY LOW AND STAFF FEELS VERY CONFIDENT IN THE PROPERTY.
STAFF BELIEVE THAT THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE'S GONNA BE PROBLEMS, UM, FOUND ON THE PROPERTY IS EXTREMELY LOW IN THIS CASE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE FAMILIARITY WITH THE PROPERTY.
UM, TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE USAGE OF AN EVENT SPACE, I COULD THINK OF, UH, A LOT OF THINGS THAT THIS PROPERTY COULD BE USED FOR, UH, NOTABLY A FILM FESTIVAL, IT COULD BE USED FOR A WEDDING VENUE.
WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A, UH, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A RESTAURANT COMPONENT IN THERE THAT COULD BE, UH, THAT COULD BE, UH, CREATED IN A WAY THAT IT IS, UM, USED EVERY DAY.
JUST LIKE THE OTHER RESTAURANTS THAT ARE ON THAT ARE, UH, THAT HAPPEN TO BE ON THE SQUARE.
UH, ARE WE PAYING A LITTLE MORE OF A PREMIUM FOR THE PROPERTY ITSELF? YES, BUT IN THE OVERALL SCOPE OF WHAT THE PROJECT WILL END UP BEING IN THE LONG TERM, IT'S, IT'S NOT AS MUCH MONEY AS PEOPLE WOULD THINK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, IF WE WERE TO GET A A, A SWEETHEART DEAL, WHAT IF WE GOT IT FOR HALF PRICE, UH, A MILLION DOLLARS? UH, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 10% OF A PROJECT THAT COULD BE AS BIG AS WHAT THIS IS.
THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY.
HOW, HOW DO WE HAVE ANY SPECIFIC TIME SCHEDULE OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DEVELOP IT IN THE CONTRACT DOES NOT, UM, UM, OFFER A TIME SCHEDULE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE COULD TAKE OUR TIME AND DECIDING HOW WE DEVELOP IT AND HOW WE FUND IT.
WE'RE JUST SECURING THE ACTUAL PROPERTY IN THE NAME OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, AND WE WOULD BECOME THE STEWARDS OF IT.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT I, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN, IS THAT WE, WE OWE IT TO THE, TO THE CITY TO ACTUALLY, UH, TO ACTUALLY DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE PROPERTIES AND WITH THE, WHAT IS THE HIGHEST BEST USE OF THE LAND? IT IS, IS THIS THE HIGHEST BEST USE FOR IT? AND FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND, WITH ALL THE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT PARTICULAR SPACE, I DO THINK THAT AN EVENT SPACE LIKE THIS COULD QUITE MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.
SO I AM ENTHUSIASTICALLY FOR THIS.
UM, MY QUESTION'S FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND THIS IS A LITTLE HYPOTHETICAL, I APOLOGIZE, BUT, UM, HE LOVES THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO IF GARLAND WERE TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AND, UM, SHOOT IT OVER TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOND COMMITTEE FOR RENOVATIONS, SO JUST THE PURCHASE AND THEN ANYTHING AFTER THE PURCHASE GOES TO THE BOND COMMITTEE AND THEREFORE THE VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANNA PAY FOR THE RENOVATIONS, UM, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO SELL THE PROPERTY IF THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THOSE RENOVATIONS? THERE ARE NO CONDITIONS IN EITHER CONTRACT THAT PROHIBIT THE CITY FROM SELLING THE PROPERTY IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UM, IF WE PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY, IF THE CITY PURCHASES THIS PROPERTY, DO WE HAVE TO TURN IT INTO AN EVENT CENTER? THE, THE CONTRACT, THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, AGREEMENT INTO, UM, COMP, UM, CONTEMPLATES A, A RESTAURANT EVENT
[00:45:01]
CENTER HOSPITALITY TYPE USE.AND SO THAT'S THE DEAL THAT WE'RE MAKING WITH THE OWNERS, IS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS HOSPITALITY TYPE USE.
AND SO DOES IT HAVE TO BE STRICTLY AN EVENT CENTER? THE ANSWER IS NO.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A, IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE GENERAL CONCEPT THAT I'VE SEEN, IS THAT IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH AN EVENT CENTER.
SO THERE'S SPACE BIG ENOUGH TO HOST EVENTS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A PARTNERSHIP WITH A PRIVATE PARTY TO COME IN AND, AND RUN A RESTAURANT.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A, QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S A CONCEPT.
AND SO THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST USE OF THAT SPACE.
AND, UM, AND, AND STAFF IS GOING, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, STAFF IS GOING TO DO FURTHER STUDIES IN THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THE SPACE IN THE BEST MANNER POSSIBLE.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE D D A.
SO IN, IN THAT LIGHT, COULD WE NOT GIVE THAT TO THE BONDS BOND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOND COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT AND KIND OF HELP PAVE THE WAY FOR WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO PUT THERE, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CONTRACTS THAT, THAT LIMIT OR, UM, RESTRICT THE CITY WHAT FUNDS THE CITY MAY USE TO PAY FOR ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
MR. BATES, CAN WE SEND THIS TO THE ECONOMIC BOND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IF THE BUILDING IS PURCHASED FOR RENOVATIONS AND PLANNING? UH, UH, I DO BELIEVE WE CAN, WE CAN DELAY IT NOW.
IT'S BEEN PART OF OUR ONGOING DISCUSSIONS AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS STATED OF WHAT OUR INTENT WOULD BE FOR THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.
AGAIN, IT'S CONCEPT AT THIS POINT, WE'VE HAD NO, NO DETAILED DESIGN, ANY OF THE REST OF THAT.
SO IS THAT POSSIBLE BY CONTRACT? I BELIEVE SO.
BECAUSE MY POINT IS 1.95 IS A REASONABLE, TO ME, IT'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY FOR A BUILDING ON THE SQUARE.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE UP TO EVERYONE ELSE THAT GIVES TAX DOLLARS TO DETERMINE WHAT IS DONE WITH THAT SPACE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY THE OWNERS AFTER THAT PURCHASE.
UH, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU.
UH, I'D CONVINCED I HAD CONVINCED MYSELF THAT I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING TONIGHT.
HEY, WE WANT TO TAKE A VOTE ON WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS GONNA WORK OUT?
UM, I'LL PUT IT IN LAYMAN'S TERMS. UM, THE CHARGE OF THE COUNCIL HAS TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY IS TO PURCHASE, UH, THE PROPERTY.
AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH PURCHASING THE PROPERTY, THERE'S A, A, UM, THERE'S A, UM, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, A DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS ONCE PURCHASED, WE'RE MAKING, WE'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATING OURSELVES TO DO CERTAIN THINGS AND PARTNERING WITH THE CURRENT OWNER TO HELP, UM, DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY.
AND, UM, UM, AND THE TERMS OF THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL.
AND SO YOU'RE VOTING ON BOTH THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AND THE DISPOSITION OF THE PROPERTY ONCE PURCHASED.
SO IS IT ALSO, UH, INHERENT IN THAT, THAT, SINCE I'VE HEARD SOME DISCUSSION, ARE, ARE WE, ARE WE TO ESTABLISH HIGHS AND BEST USE? I'VE HEARD THAT TERM THROWN AROUND.
I'VE HEARD THAT THROWN AROUND FOR YEARS.
I I THINK WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
IS THAT, IS, IS THAT A CHARGE THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT HIGHEST AND BEST USE IS A ZONING AND PLANNING, UM, TERM.
THIS IS THIS, THIS, THIS, THE DDA, THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATES A ALREADY CONTEMPLATES A USE, AND THAT'S AN ENTERTAINMENT USE, A HOSPITALITY USE.
AND THAT COULD BE RESTAURANTS, THAT COULD BE EVENT CENTER, IT COULD BE SOME OTHER TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT USE.
AND SO THE CITY IS, IS, IS MAKING A PROMISE TO THE SELLER THAT WE ARE GOING TO ENDEAVOR TO USE THAT PROPERTY ONCE PURCHASED FOR THESE TYPES OF USES.
AND THAT'S THE, UM, IDEA BEHIND IT.
I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU HEAR SOME TERMINOLOGY THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THROWN AROUND, WE HAVE DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT THOSE TERM MEAN.
JUST TO RUN THROUGH THIS, I, UM, LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO ALL THE TESTIMONY TONIGHT FROM
[00:50:01]
THE, FROM THE PUBLIC.AND I'M REFLECTING BACK, AND LIKE I SAID, MARY, AND I'VE BEEN AROUND LIKE EACH OTHER A LONG TIME.
UM, THE TERM, UH, GET IT RIGHT, YOU'VE GOTTA GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
AND WHETHER OR NOT WE, I REMEMBER THERE'VE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ON ISSUES IN THE SQUARE AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN IN THIS CITY.
UM, AND MY CONCERN IS THE, WHATEVER THE DECISION IS TONIGHT IS THE IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'M REFERRING TO THE BUSINESS WHEN I USE THE TERM DOWN THE BUSINESS NEIGHBORHOOD, THE IMPACT BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERMS, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.
AND I NEED TO HEAR MORE, UH, FROM, FROM THAT ENTITY.
UH, I'VE WATCHED, UH, AND I'M VERY EXCITED AND PLEASED WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED FROM OUR BUSINESSES.
UH, I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN WE HAD, WHAT, TWO, MAYBE THREE PLACES WITH LIGHT ON LIGHTS ON THIS TIME OF NIGHT, AND IT'S GROWN.
BUT I, FOR ONE, WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE, UH, FROM THOSE, THOSE NEARBY NEIGHBORS, THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE NEARBY IMPACTED, UH, FISCAL EQUITY.
UH, I'VE HEARD A TESTIMONY FROM AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I HIGHLY RESPECT IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY AND WOULD PROBABLY, UM, HE SHOULD BE HERE TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE.
BUT I THINK FISCAL EQUITY, I'VE HEARD HIM USE, I I STOLE THAT TERM FROM HIM.
HE MAY NOT REMEMBER IT, BUT I WANT TO BE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO DOWNTOWN, THAT THERE'S EQUITY IN WHAT WE DO.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THERE IS OR THERE'S NOT.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT THAT'S A CONCEPT THAT I LOOK FOR, UH, IN, IN MAKING A DECISION ON THIS ACTION.
SO WHERE I, LAYING ON THIS ONE, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, GET MORE INPUT.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, IF WE, IF, UH, WE'VE GOTTA GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, WE'VE GOTTA GET IT RIGHT AND IF NOT, NOW, WHAT ARE OUR MR. CITY ATTORNEY BACK TO YOU? IF, IF THIS ACTION DOES NOT PASS PASS TONIGHT, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? CAN YOU SHARE, PLEASE? UM, IF IT, UH, WHEN YOU SAY IT DOESN'T PASS, I'M ASSUMING YOU MEAN IF Y'ALL VOTE AND IT'S A NO, OR MAYBE IF YOU TABLE IT OR WHATEVER, THOSE TWO, YES, SIR.
IT'D BE, UM, QUITE FRANKLY, IT GOES BACK TO THE OWNER AT THAT POINT, THE SELLER.
AND IF THEY WANT TO RE-ENGAGE, UH, IN THE, IN THE CONTRACT, UM, PROCESS, THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
IT GOES BACK TO THE OWNER AT THAT POINT AND DECIDE WHAT'S NEXT.
THIS, IT DOESN'T, WE'RE NOT PRECLUDED FROM NEGOTIATING WITH THE OWNER FURTHER.
WE'RE NOT PRECLUDED FROM RE-ENGAGING AT A LATER TIME.
UM, IT, IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE SELLER AND WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO DO.
AND FINALLY, MAYOR, I DO HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.
I'M NOT GONNA TAKE MORE TIME TO GET INTO THEM, BUT I DO HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD TONIGHT.
MOST OF WHAT I HAD TO, UH, TO, UH, SPEAK ABOUT.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN, ALREADY BEEN HIT UPON.
BUT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO, I WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, SUCH AS THE, THE TIMING OF THE PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
UM, AND THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC'S NOT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T HAVE A SAY ON WHETHER WE SPEND $2 MILLION ON THIS PROPERTY OR NOT.
UM, THIS IS MERELY A MATTER OF PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CONSENT AGENDA WE'VE EVER HAD, THERE'S GONNA BE PROPERTY ACQUISITION ON THERE, I GUARANTEE ADDING UP TO AT LEAST $2 MILLION.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF THE ORDINARY AT ALL.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE DISCUSSION IS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE PURCHASE OF A PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT DISCUSSED TRANSPARENTLY.
THE NEGOTIATIONS OF THE CITY PURCHASING PROPERTY IS NOT DONE TRANSPARENTLY TO NOT AFFECT THE TRANSACTION.
ONCE THE TRANSACTION IS SETTLED UPON, THEN IT'S PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT.
SO THERE'S BEEN NOTHING ABOUT THIS THAT HAS NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A PROPERTY ACQUISITION PER PURCHASE, WHICH WE, WE DO EVERY TIME WE MEET.
UM, I DO FEEL THAT THIS IS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THE PROPERTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY THAT WE PUT INTO THE SQUARE, OVER $20 MILLION THAT WE PUT INTO THE SQUARE, THIS ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT THAT INVESTMENT.
[00:55:01]
UM, AND AGAIN, WE DO THIS, WE DO THIS TWICE A MONTH,WE, WE PROTECT OUR, WE PROTECT OUR INVESTMENTS AND WE, WE DO WHAT WE FEEL IS RIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU THAT FOR AT LEAST THE 15 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, THAT WE ARE CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS AND PROGRESSING AND YOU CAN SEE HOW, HOW GARLAND HAS GROWN AND BECOME MORE QUALITY PA PLACE WITH MORE TO OFFER.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER, ANOTHER STEP ON THAT LADDER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DO SUPPORT THIS AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE CITIZENS.
I, I'M, I'M, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.
AND I, WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UH, I'M HEARING THAT IT WOULD APPEAR THAT WE HAD 24 HOURS TO MAKE A DECISION ON SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT NOW FOR THE PAST, AT LEAST YEAR OR MORE
AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVERY ISSUE THAT'S BEEN RAISED HERE TONIGHT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN DETAIL TIME AND AGAIN.
AND TO COME HERE TONIGHT AND TO SAY SUCH THINGS AS WE HAD 24 HOURS TO MAKE A DECISION.
NO, WE'VE HAD A YEAR TO MAKE A DECISION.
WE COME HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE FINALLY LAST NIGHT CAME TO A POINT OF AGREEMENT.
THE 1.9, HOW MANY TIMES DID WE GO OVER THAT THEY WANTED AN OFFICE AT ONE TIME? NO, WE DIDN'T GIVE THEM THE OFFICE.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT THEY, THEY WANTED THAT WE DID NOT GIVE.
I LOOK AT IT AS WE ARE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF.
THEY VOTED US INTO OFFICE TO DISCUSS THESE MATTERS AND TO DISCUSS THEM DILIGENTLY, INTENTIONALLY.
AND THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY.
BUT THIS STORY TONIGHT HAS BEEN TOLD WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND BEFORE I DO THAT, I, I, I WANT TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS.
I'D LIKE FOR MATT TO PLEASE IF HE WILL, I'D LIKE FOR MATT TO TELL US, IS HE HERE TONIGHT? YES, SIR.
I'D LIKE FOR MATT TO TELL US HOW THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BE PAID FOR YOU SEE, ALL DAY.
I'VE BEEN PONDERING THIS SITUATION OF HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR THIS.
I, I'VE CONSIDERED MYSELF TO BE A PHYSICAL CONSERVATIVE.
I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T JUST SPEND MONEY FOR THE CASE OF SPENDING MONEY IN REGULAR TIMES, BUT THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES AT ALL.
SO MATT, IF YOU WILL, WOULD YOU TELL US HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR THIS? HOW IS THE TIFF GOING TO PAY FOR IT FIRST, THE ACQUISITION OF THE TWO, 2 MILLION, AND THEN HOW WILL IT BE PAID FOR THIS 8 MILLION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER THE LONG TERM? SURE.
SO THE DOWNTOWN FOREST JUPITER AREA, TIFF WAS CREATED IN 2004.
AND UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING TO EXTEND THAT TIFF ANOTHER 20 YEARS TO APPROXIMATELY 2044.
IT'S BEEN A, UH, VERY SUCCESSFUL TIFF.
YOU CAN SEE, EVEN WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE, UH, DOWNTOWN AREA OF, OF ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT I'VE BEEN MADE, AND TYPICALLY WITH THIS TIFF OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, HOW IT'S BEEN STRUCTURED IS THERE'S ROUGHLY 50% OF IT BEING UTILIZED FOR WHAT WE CALL MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES AND ENHANCED PROGRAMMING, WHICH WOULD BE OUR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND FUNDING ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS.
AND WITH THE REMAINDER OF IT GOING TOWARDS REDEVELOPMENT TYPE PROJECTS, UH, THE SQUARE IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT, UH, HAS BEEN PARTIALLY FUNDED BY THE TIF, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'VE SEEN AROUND THE SQUARE HAVE ALSO BEEN FUNDED FROM THE TIF.
MOVING FORWARD, THAT SAME STRUCTURE IS CURRENTLY BEING PROPOSED, WHERE ABOUT 50% OF IT WILL BE UTILIZED FOR REDEVELOPMENT TYPE ACTIVITIES AND 50% OF IT UTILIZED FOR THE MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES IN THE DOWNTOWN UH, DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
SO YOU DO FEEL THAT IN THAT TIFF THERE IS SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO DEAL WITH THIS PROJECT AS WELL AS THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE TIF IS LY SUPPORTING? CORRECT? GO AHEAD, SIR.
AND SO WE, WE ARE TYPICALLY, AS ALWAYS, WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE