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CREATION ADVISORY BOARD, UH,[ NOTICE OF MEETING CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Work Session Room of City Hall William E. Dollar Municipal Building 200 North Fifth Street Garland, Texas November 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. ]
TO ORDER.IT'S NOVEMBER 6TH, IT'S 7:00 PM SO THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
SO THOSE ARE ATTACHED IN OUR PACKET.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM, UM, DAVID PARRISH TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF AS PRESENTED.
IT'S GONNA BE A LIGHT AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, I NOTICED THAT WE HAVE SOME GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE.
DO DO ANY OF THE GUESTS WISH TO DESIRE TO SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE? NO.
WELL, ONE OF THEM IS OUR, OUR PRESENTER.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS NOT TO, WELL, SHE HAS NO CHOICE.
SHE GETS TO, BECAUSE SHE'S ON THE AGENDA AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER.
SO, UM, WE ARE ONTO, IF WE'RE MOVING ON IN ORDER, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, INFORMATION ON CHANGING THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA, BUT THREE A IS TO DISCUSS A POSSIBLE PART TOUR IN LAURA, THE DECEMBER MEETING IN LIEU OF THE DECEMBER MEETING.
YEAH, SO, UM, WE KINDA WERE LOOKING AT WHAT NEXT FOR THE AGENDA AND, AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ALL OF OUR CIP PROJECTS.
AND THERE HAS, AND STARTED LOOKING AND AT WHAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SINCE JUNE, JULY WHEN THE LAST TOUR WAS.
AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT THAT HAS HAPPENED.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT OF THINGS ON THE GROUND.
AND THEN START LOOKING AT WHEN, IF WE WAITED A FULL YEAR, THEN THE, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WOULD'VE ALREADY BROKE.
UM, WOULD'VE, WE'VE ALREADY CUT THE RIBBON ON IF, IF WE STAY ON TRACK WITH THE TENNIS CENTER, THE, THE RIBBON CUTTING COULD HAPPEN BEFORE WE EVEN HAVE ANOTHER TOUR, WHICH YOU NEVER WOULD'VE GOTTEN TO SEE IT THEN LIKE IN CONSTRUCTION, UM, WE'VE GOT SOME TRAILS THAT ARE FURTHER ON AND COMPLETED.
UM, WE'VE BROKEN GROUND ON SURF AND SWIM, SO IT'S KIND OF COOL TO GO LOOK BEHIND, PULL THE CURTAIN BACK, RIGHT.
AND SEE THAT THERE'S NO MORE SURF AND SWIM.
UM, SO THERE'S JUST, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD ALL REALLY LIKE TO SEE.
AND, AND DECEMBER IS USUALLY A LIGHT MONTH FOR AGENDA WISE.
UM, AND SO WE THOUGHT MAYBE MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT WE DO A, A SECOND TOUR JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON AND WE ALSO HAVE SO MUCH THAT'S GONNA BE BREAKING GROUND, UM, IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
WE CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU A SNEAK PEEK INTO SOME OF THAT.
UM, BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE GET TO NEXT SUM SUMMER AND WE DO ANOTHER TOUR, THERE'LL BE A HECK OF A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
SO IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN ON A SATURDAY, UH, MEET AT POC.
IT'LL BE COOLER THAN IT IS IN THE SUMMER.
UM, BUT WE CAN THEN GO OUT AND KIND OF TOUR SOME THINGS AND, UH, HAVE LUNCH AND IT CAN KIND OF, OF ALSO BE A LITTLE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, ENJOYMENT TOO TO BE ABLE TO SPEND TOGETHER.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO IT AND SEE IF YOU GUYS ARE ARE FOR IT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO PUT ITEM B RIGHT BEHIND IT BECAUSE THE JANUARY MEETING, UM, IS NEW YEAR'S DAY OR TWO DAY AFTER NEW YEAR'S DAY.
UM, AND SO WE'RE NOT GONNA MEET THAT NIGHT.
SO I'M GONNA FORMALLY REQUEST THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE A JANUARY MEETING, SO IF WE DO THE TOUR, WE NEED TO ACTUALLY DO THAT BUSINESS TONIGHT TOO.
SO WE KIND OF, THEY'RE KIND OF COME HAND IN HAND.
UM, SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO MEET, UH, UH, IN DECEMBER, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN OBVIOUSLY DISCUSS THAT.
SO DO WE NEED A RECOMMENDATION? YEAH, JUST DO YOU HAVE A DATE IN MIND? I MEAN, UM, IN DECEMBER SOMETIMES WE HAD LOOKED AT DECEMBER 14TH, I THINK WAS THE DATE WE HAD LOOKED AT THE SEVENTH OR THE 14TH WERE THE TWO DATES WE HAD LOOKED AT THE LEE YOU WERE GONNA BE GONE ON THE 14TH, CORRECT.
BUT IT, SO WE CAN LOOK AT THE SEVEN OR THE 14TH IF ONE OF THOSE DAYS WORKS BETTER OF DECEMBER.
THOSE ARE THE FIRST SATURDAY AND THE SECOND SATURDAY.
WOULD THE 14TH BE BETTER FOR YOU, NANCY? I MEAN, WOULD THE 14TH BE BETTER OR IS IT JUST, I DON'T THINK IT'S BETTER FOR ME, BUT IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME, Y'ALL.
I CAN PROBABLY MAKE THIS SEVENTH WORK.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE TONIGHT? CAN WE, I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE TWO MEN MONTH.
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YOU CAN'T DO THE SEVENTH.WELL, I SAY WELL, UH, I'M SURE WE'D BE DONE BY LIKE, I COULD PROBABLY DO THE 14TH.
YEAH, JERRY, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
DE LEE MADE A POINT IF WE COULD DO IT IN JANUARY.
UH, IF THERE'S A SATURDAY IN JANUARY AND WE DON'T DO ANYTHING IN DECEMBER AND WE DO A, A TOUR AS OPPOSED TO A MEETING IN JANUARY, THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT DICIER WITH THE WEATHER.
IT SEEMS LIKE AFTER YOU GET TO THE NEW YEAR, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET.
BUT REALLY THAT TIME OF YEAR, IT'S ALWAYS CRAZY HERE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE WEATHER IS DICEY ON THE 14TH? SO WE JUST, IT GETS POSTPONED TO JANUARY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WE JUST KEEP GETTING THE BUS.
AND IF YOU LOOK OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW, DECEMBER 14TH, THE, THE ONLY REAL CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT, THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD TWO MONTHS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING THIS YEAR.
AND WE'LL TURN AROUND AND HAVE TWO MORE MONTHS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING, UH, IN DOING, DOING THIS WAY.
'CAUSE WE, WE'D BE OFF IN, UH, DECEMBER AND, AND THEN, UM, AND THEN IN, AND THEN HAVE THE TOUR IN JANUARY.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE COULDN'T SWITCH THOSE AND MAYBE MAKE, MAYBE MAKE THE, UH, TOUR, UH, IN DECEMBER AND THEN HAVE A JANUARY MEETING.
WELL, NO, THAT'S THE FIRST, FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
SO WE, WE BUT THE NEXT ITEM IS POSSIBLY RESCHEDULING.
WE CAN RESCHEDULE THE JANUARY, NOT CANCEL IT.
'CAUSE THERE'S FIVE, FIVE WEDNESDAYS IN, UH, JANUARY.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO GO WITHOUT SOMETHING PARTICULARLY BEING THE FIRST MONTH OF THE NEW YEAR.
SO JANUARY 2ND SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME.
NO, PROBABLY AFTER SCHOOL GETS BACK IN STATION FOR SOME PEOPLE.
THE, UH, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE TOPICS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON HERE THAT WE'RE, YOU'RE NEED TO PRESENT TO US, MATT? UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE TREE REPORT, UH, WHICH WE'LL WE'LL DO IN EITHER JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.
UM, THAT'LL INCLUDE THE, THE NEW URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM.
THAT'LL INCLUDE THE NEW URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM AND A HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, UM, AND WHAT'S COMING UP.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING PRESENTATIONS FROM THE VARIOUS ATHLETIC LEAGUES, UM, OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL MONTHS STARTING TONIGHT WITH BUDDY LEAGUE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, REALLY THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.
THAT'S REALLY PRETTY LIGHT RIGHT NOW.
UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD, UM, WANTS US TO, TO LOOK INTO AND DO.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE SECURITY COMES UP PERIODICALLY AND WE KIND OF KEEP, KEEP UPDATED ON THAT.
UM, WITH, I'VE BEEN ATTENDING THE, YOU KNOW, THE MEETINGS ON THE COMING UP BOND ELECTION AND I'M, I'M SEEING A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TREE, UM, FUND, TREE PRESERVATION FUND.
WHAT, WHAT DO WE CALL THAT? THAT, THAT WE PICKED UP? GARLAND TREE MITIGATION FUND.
THAT'S THE WORD I WAS LOOKING FOR.
ANYWAY, TREE MITIGATION FUND, UH, COULD DO A LOT IF, IF THAT'S ALLOWED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ALLOWED, BUT IF IT WAS ALLOWED IT WOULD BE NICE TO UH OH, I SEE A HAND UP.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE TO KIND OF PUT THAT OFF UNTIL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO HOLD, HOLD THAT THOUGHT AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
UH, AT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YES.
AND I'M SAYING THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY IF WE COULD INFORM THE PEOPLE IN THE BOND COMMITTEE THAT, UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A WAY OF PEOPLE GETTING TO SEE ALL OF THIS WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.
WE WITH THE PARKS, YOU HAD TO GO INTO THE PARK TO SEE IT WITH, WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
WITH THAT, IT WAS A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SHOW, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE CITY'S DOING.
AND I DIDN'T ASK ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST LISTEN TO THAT.
SO JANUARY 8TH, WE'RE LOOKING AT TO RESCHEDULE THE MEETING FOR JANUARY.
WELL LET, LET'S START, LET'S START WITH CONSENSUS.
'CAUSE HERE, HERE'S HOW I LOOK AT IT, IS WE CAN DO THE TOUR IN DECEMBER AND WE CAN MOVE THE JANUARY, UM, MEETING.
IF, IF, IF THERE IS A CONCERN OF GOING THAT LONG WITHOUT MEETING, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS WE DO THE DECEMBER MEETING AND WE DO THE TOUR IN JANUARY.
I, I COULD SUPPORT THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WAIT, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PARTICULAR REASON THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO THE TOUR IN DECEMBER BECAUSE THE WEATHER WAS
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BETTER IN THE PROGRESS OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE'RE REVISITING THAT IT WAS MORE TIME SENSITIVE TO DO THAT IN NO, DECEMBER OR JANUARY WOULD BOTH, WOULD BOTH BE, YOU KNOW, DECENT TIMES.WHETHER THAT TIME OF YEAR IS ALWAYS, IS ALWAYS DICEY.
UM, IT WILL JUST BE DECEMBER WILL BE ANOTHER, IT'LL BE A A, A SLIM AGENDA.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, I I THINK BOND WILL HAVE DONE, THEIR COMMITTEE WILL HAVE DONE THEIR, THEIR PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL BY THE DECEMBER MEETING.
BUT I DON'T KNOW 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN SCHEDULED.
UM, IF THAT'S HAPPENED, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME AND GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON THE BOND.
BUT IF THEY HAVEN'T PRESENTED TO COUNCIL YET, THEN WE WON'T BE HAVING A PRESENTATION FROM BOND COMMITTEE.
SO IT WOULD JUST BE, IT COULD BE A VERY, IT COULD BE A SHORT AGENDA IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO, BUT WE WILL DO, UH, WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO.
COULD WE USE THAT OPPORTUNITY IN THAT TIME TO REALLY, REALLY SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME IN WHAT IS COMING? UH, INSTEAD OF WE'RE GONNA GO, WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT'S BEEN DONE.
BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE A, A LITTLE BETTER HEADS UP IF WE COULD ON WHAT'S COMING.
WHAT, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT, WHAT ARE, WHAT GREAT THINGS ARE WE GONNA BE PROUD OF YOU ABOUT THIS TIME? YEAH, I MEAN, IF WE WERE SHORT, THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION THAT COULD HELP US TO START THE YEAR RUNNING.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING THEN IS WE'LL HOLD THE DECEMBER MEETING.
SO THEN WE WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER RESCHEDULING, UM, B AND DOING IT IN JANUARY AND DOING A TOUR IN JANUARY IN LIEU OF A MEETING, WHICH I UNDERSTOOD WE HAD TO DO ANYWAY BECAUSE OF IT'S ON THE FIRST.
IS IT REALLY JANUARY 1ST? YEAH, IT'S JANUARY 1ST IS THE FIRST WEDNESDAY.
SO
IS THAT THE 13TH OR THE 20TH? THAT'S THE 20TH.
SO MAYBE I WOULD RECOMMEND THE 11TH.
THAT WORKS, THAT WORKS BEST FOR ME.
DID YOU HAVE, DID YOU HAVE SOME OUTTA TOWN? I DON'T 18TH AVAIL OF THIS ROOM.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IS IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
WE NEED TO VOTE ON OH, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE NEED TO VOTE ON, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE DECEMBER MEETING, YOU'RE SAYING? MM-HMM.
OH, THERE'S NO ACTION REQUIRED FOR THAT ONE.
'CAUSE WE'RE MEETING WHEN WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MEETING.
WHAT TIME ON, UH, JANUARY 11TH.
WE'LL SEND OUT MORE INFORMATION.
I'M UP AT THE DEC AT THE DECEMBER MEETING, WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
WE WILL HAVE THE TOUR SCHEDULE LAID OUT.
WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
AND IT'S SPRING ON JANUARY 1ST.
SEE, THAT WAS A CONFLICT IN THE MEETING.
GOOD EVENING PARK BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT.
SO ONE OF THE REQUESTS YOU HAD, UH, FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, I DON'T KNOW, A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO, WAS TO GET SOME NEW UPDATES FROM THE ATHLETIC LEAGUES.
SO WE ARE STARTING THAT ROUND THIS EVENING.
UM, HAPPY TO HAVE HEATHER MILLER WITH US FROM, UM, BUDDY LEAGUE.
UM, I DON'T WANNA STEAL ANY OF HER THUNDER.
UM, SHE CAN TELL YOU HOW SHE LITERALLY STARTED THE PROGRAM.
UM, I THINK WHAT I DO WANNA REMIND YOU ALL OF IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO COLLECT FEES FROM OUR ATHLETIC LEAGUES, BUT WE DO NOT COLLECT FROM HEATHER'S LEAGUE.
UM, SHE'S A PREFERRED PROVIDER, IS WHAT WE CALL HER.
AND SO WE WORK WITH HER AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE WORK SHE DOES AND WHAT THE, UM, VALUE IS THAT SHE'S BRINGING TO THE CITY.
AND, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, JUST THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING, THERE IS NO, UH, FEES BEING CHARGED TO HER ATHLETIC LEAGUE.
SO, WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE HEATHER, SHE'S, SHE'S NOT NERVOUS TO BE UP HERE AT ALL.
SO I'VE NEVER DONE THIS KIND OF SITUATION, UH, BEFORE.
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AND WHEN THEY SAID YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT, I, I'M GONNA HURRY.I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THROUGH 10 MINUTES.
BUT WHEN I GET STARTED TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME AND MY FAMILY, UM, IT'S HARD TO KEEP IT TO 10 MINUTES, BUT I WILL TRY TO DO MY BEST.
UM, MY HUSBAND, KURT AND I, THAT'S HIM WITH THE HAT ON BACKWARDS.
UM, WE STARTED THE LEAGUE, UM, IN 2002 WHEN OUR, WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR OWN SON WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PLAY, UH, LITTLE LEAGUE.
UM, AT THE TIME HIS DISABILITIES WERE, UM, NOT NOTICEABLE, UM, MINIMALLY NOTICEABLE.
UM, BUT HE PLAYED DOWN WITH KIDS YOUNGER THAN HIM.
UM, MY TWINS WERE THREE YEARS YOUNGER, AND THEY LET HIM PLAY ON THEIR TEAM AND THEY WOULD LET HIM BAT AND RUN AROUND THE BASES.
AND HIS, UH, RUNS WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T COUNT.
AND HIS AND HIS OUTS WOULDN'T COUNT.
AND, UM, HE JUST ACTUALLY GOT TO BE PART OF A TEAM, WHICH FOR HIM WAS HUGE.
UM, AND WHEN THEY SAID THAT HE WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE, UH, WE KNEW THAT OUR SON WAS NOT GONNA GO TO COLLEGE.
AND OUR SON WAS NOT GONNA GET MARRIED PROBABLY.
AND HE WOULD NOT PROBABLY LIVE ANYWHERE BUT WITH US.
UM, WE THOUGHT TO OURSELF, YOU KNOW, BASEBALL SHOULDN'T BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT OUR SON'S NOT GONNA BE ALLOWED TO DO.
SO WE STARTED TO LEAVE FOR HIM TO, TO PLAN.
AND THAT FIRST, UH, SEASON WE HAD 10 PLAYERS.
UM, THOSE CHILDREN COME FROM EVERYWHERE.
UM, WE HAVE KIDS THAT HAVE COME FROM AS FAR AS JOSHUA.
UM, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO GET UP ON SATURDAY MORNING AND COME FROM ENNI AND CATTLE MILLS, AND THEY COME EVERYWHERE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT BUDDY LEAGUE IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST A PARENT CHEERING FOR THEIR OWN CHILD AND, YOU KNOW, WANTING THEIR CHILD TO BE THE PITCHER AND WHATEVER.
THESE PARENTS COME AND THEY'RE SO THANKFUL THAT THEIR KIDS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THEY NEVER THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE.
UM, THAT WHEN THEY SEE ANOTHER'S CHILD DO SOMETHING, UM, NEW AND SPECIAL, YOU'LL CATCH THEM CRYING TOO.
UM, WE ARE ONE BIG FAMILY AT BUDDY LEAGUE AND, UM, IT, IT'S JUST AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T FORGET ABOUT.
UM, EVERY SATURDAY MORNING, OUR VOLUNTEERS COME OUT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK AND WE HAVE A MEETING AND WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SEE FOR THOSE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.
UM, WE HAVE SOME KIDS THAT ARE BLIND.
WE HAVE SOME KIDS THAT ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS.
WE HAVE SOME KIDS WITH AUTISM DOWN SYNDROME, VARYING DISABILITIES.
UM, WHATEVER THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IS WHAT WE DO FOR THEM.
WE HAVE A BEEP BALL THAT BEEPS.
YOU PULL THE PLUG IN, IT BEEPS REAL LOUD FOR THOSE KIDS THAT ARE BLIND.
UM, BUT I ALWAYS TELL THE PLAYERS, YOU KNOW, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT I EXPECT THEM TO MAKE EVERY SATURDAY THAT THEY'RE ON OUR FIELD, THE BEST DAY OF THE, OF THE KIDS' LIVES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GUARANTEED A SATURDAY.
OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, NINE OF OUR PLAYERS HAVE DIED.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TO THEIR FUNERALS AND UM, WE'VE BEEN TO THE HOSPITALS TO VISIT THEM.
AND, UM, SO BUDDY LEAGUE IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT BASEBALL, A LOT MORE THAN JUST ABOUT BASEBALL.
UM, OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE'VE HAD THOUSANDS OF YOUTH VOLUNTEERS ON A SAT ANY GIVEN SATURDAY MORNING, YOU'RE GONNA SEE 40 TO 60 YOUTH COME OUT TO PARTICIPATE AND HELP.
UM, WE COULD NOT DO BUDDY LEAGUE WITHOUT THOSE KIDS.
UM, THEY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEIR PLAYERS COME BACK.
IS THIS KID GONNA PLAY THIS WEEK? IS THIS KID GONNA, YOU KNOW? UM, SO IT'S NEAT AND IT'S NEAT FOR THEIR PARENTS TO SEE TOO THAT, UM, YOU'LL, YOU'LL HEAR A MOM OR SEE A MOM POST ON FACEBOOK.
YOU KNOW, TODAY I HER OVERHEARD, UM, SOME VOLUNTEERS GO, I'M PLAYING WITH MARLEY TODAY, SHE'S MY FAVORITE.
AND HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO HER THAT THE KIDS REMEMBERED HER NAME AND THAT THEY WANTED TO PLAY WITH HER.
SO, UM, AND ALSO AN EXCITING THING IS THAT ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, I WAS CONTACTED BY A MAN IN CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO.
IT'S NOT CALGARY, IT'S ACTUALLY CAMBRIDGE.
UM, AND THERE'S BUDDY LEE CANADA NOW.
UM, AND IT'S BASED ON OUR PROGRAM HERE IN GARLAND, TEXAS.
UM,
UM, I HAVEN'T UPDATED MY LIFETIME, UH, PARTICIPATION ROSTER, BUT I, WE STILL HAVE TWO PLAYERS THAT HAVE PLAYED FROM THE VERY FIRST SEASON, UM, INCLUDING MY OWN SON BEN, WHO THINKS BASEBALL IS, UM, BASEBALL IS LIFE.
UM, THE LAST, I MEAN, ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD HAS BEEN ON OUR, ON THE TV IN HIS BEDROOM NONSTOP SINCE BASEBALL STARTED.
AND HE DOESN'T REALIZE YET THAT BASEBALL'S OVER.
AND I DON'T HAVE THE HEART TO TELL HIM THAT WE'RE NOT PLAYING ON SATURDAY.
SO, UM, IT IS A LARGE, IT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL TO THE KIDS.
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REALLY IS.AND HAVING A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND A LOT OF US MOMS HAVE GIVEN UP OUR CAREERS TO STAY HOME AND CARE FOR THOSE KIDS.
UM, AND SO TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY BASEBALL FOR FREE, UM, AND LITTLE LEAGUE'S, EXPENSIVE SPORTS, SPORTS TEAMS, SELECT BASEBALL'S EXPENSIVE.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE.
AND FOR OUR FAMILIES, UM, SOMETIMES $10 IS TOO MUCH.
UM, THE KIDS GET A TROPHY EVERY SEASON, AND FOR A LOT OF THOSE KIDS, IT'S THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THEY'VE EVER HAD A TROPHY.
AND YOU SHOULD SEE THEIR FACE.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE DOING THAT TILL I HAVE NO BREATH IN MY BODY.
WE ARE SO THANKFUL THAT IN 2007 WE BECAME A COORDINATED ORGANIZATION WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND.
MY PARENTS MOVED TO GARLAND WHEN I WAS TWO.
UM, I GRADUATED FROM NORTH GARLAND.
I WENT TO WEBB, I WENT TO O HENRY.
ALL FOUR OF MY CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL IN GARLAND.
UM, AND WE SAY BUDDY LEAGUE IS PLAYED WITH LOVE IN GARLAND, TEXAS.
UM, AND I'M SO THANKFUL THAT GARLAND, TEXAS HAS STOOD BEHIND A LITTLE BASEBALL LEAGUE, UM, THAT CONTINUES TO GROW AND THRIVE EVERY YEAR.
AND IT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UM, AND THEIR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE MODIFIED THAT FIELD FOR US IN A WAY THAT WE CAN PUSH THE WHEELCHAIRS.
I DON'T KNOW, DO THEY HAVE A PICTURE OF WHAT THE FIELD LOOKS LIKE? AND I WISH THAT I HAD THOUGHT TO BRING A, A PHOTO OF THE FIELD.
OUR FIELD IS NOT JUST A STANDARD FIELD.
IT LOOKS LIKE A REGULAR BASEBALL DIAMOND, BUT IF YOU CAN PICTURE THE DUGOUTS ON EACH SIDE, THIRD BASE, FIRST BASE, THERE IS A CUTOUT THAT GOES FROM THE OPENING OF THE DUGOUT TO THIRD BASE AND ONE THAT COMES TO FIRST BASE THAT ENABLES US TO PUSH WHEELCHAIRS ONTO THE FIELD AND NOT THROUGH THE GRASS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A CUTOUT THAT COMES FROM THE DUGOUT TO HOME PLATE THAT ENABLES US TO PUSH THE WHEELCHAIRS.
THAT FIELD CAN GET PRETTY MESSY.
UM, AND SO, UM, THERE'S A SPECIAL COVERING THERE.
IT'S KIND OF CRUSHED A CRUSHED BRICK SURFACE THAT ENABLES US NOT TO SINK WITH THE WHEELCHAIRS.
IT MAKES IT SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN.
THE BASE PATHS ARE WIDER, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE.
WE HAVE A ONE PLAYER THAT'S ABOUT 34 YEARS OLD, AND HE, UM, IS IN A SUPER HEAVY WHEELCHAIR.
SO WE NEEDED THAT WIDER BASE PATH.
THE MANEUVER FOR HIM, THERE'S NOW A, UM, ACCESSIBLE ADULT BATHROOM.
THEY'RE WITH A A, A CHANGING TABLE.
WE HAD FAMILIES CHANGING THEIR, THEIR KIDS ON THE FLOOR OF THAT FILTHY BATHROOM FOR YEARS.
SO THAT WAS A MODIFICATION THAT HAS BEEN SO LIFE CHANGING FOR US AND FOR OUR, OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE CHANGED ON THE FLOOR OF THE BATHROOM.
THE, THE BLEACHERS ARE COVERED.
AND THIS YEAR WE GOT MORE ACCESSIBLE PARKING, WHICH IS GREAT.
I HAVE ONE FAMILY THAT HAS FIVE PLAYERS, UM, FIVE DISABLED PLAYERS.
AND THAT MOM LUGS THREE OF THOSE KIDS OUT IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS.
AND WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE PARKED THERE AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE A PLACE TO PARK, UM, IT MAKES IT REALLY, REALLY HARD.
SO I'M SUPER THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE MODIFICATIONS THAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED FOR US.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T DO BUDDY LEAGUE WITHOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND.
THAT WAS, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE PLAYERS THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS THE ONE I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT MATTHEW.
UM, I ALWAYS LIKE, LIKE TO TELL A STORY.
HER MOM WORKS FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UH, THERE WAS THE SIDE OF BEN.
THERE WAS A, IT WAS AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
UH, BEN IS, UM, BEN'S DISABILITIES HAVE BEEN PROGRESSIVE.
UM, THEY REMOVED PART OF HIS BRAIN WHEN HE WAS TWO.
AND SO, UM, AND HIS SEIZURES ARE, HE HAS 20 TO 60 EVERY DAY, GRAND MAL, GENERALIZED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURES.
UM, SO WITH ALL OF THE MEDICINE THAT HE TAKES FOR THAT, UM, HE NOW HAS OSTEOPOROSIS.
SO HE IS HAD A BROKEN ANKLE TWICE THIS YEAR.
SO THIS YEAR BEN PLAYED IN A WHEELCHAIR AND HE WASN'T REAL HAPPY ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, HE GOT A TROPHY.
UM, BUT I WAS GONNA TELL YOU ONE MORE STORY.
UM, I WAS STANDING AT THE, I, I WALKED UP TO THE CONCESSIONS, THE OLD CONCESSION STAND.
AND THERE WAS THIS LADY, AND SHE WAS IN HER SIXTIES AND SHE WAS STANDING THERE AND SHE SAID, WOW, THIS IS REALLY COOL WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SHE HAD A PLAYER ON ANOTHER FIELD AND SHE SAID THIS, IT'S REALLY COOL WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
MY SISTER WAS IN A STATE SCHOOL FOR 43 YEARS AND, UM, MY MOTHER TOOK HER THERE WHEN SHE WAS 18 AND SHE NEVER HAD ANYTHING HER ENTIRE LIFE TO DO.
AND I LOOKED AT HER AND I SAID, WELL, IS SHE HEALTHY? SHE SAID, YES.
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BASEBALL.WE HAVE A 70-YEAR-OLD PLAYER WHO PLAYS IN OUR LAST GAME.
AND, UM, HER NAME IS MISS ROBIN AND ALL OF THE KIDS LOVE HER.
AND, UM, SHE, I MEAN, SHE RUNS THE BASELESS BETTER THAN, BETTER THAN ME.
UM, BUT IT'S SO MUCH FUN 'CAUSE SHE NEVER HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY YET HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND AT BUDDY LEAGUE.
AND SHE THINKS SHE'S A TEXAS RANGER.
SO I WANNA BRAG ON HEATHER BECAUSE SHE IS SUCH AN ADVOCATE AND HAS SUCH A PASSION FOR WHAT SHE DOES.
AND SHE WILL, YOU KNOW, OKAY, YOU TOLD ME NO.
UM, AND WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER THE, THE RESTROOMS THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PART OF THE 2019 BOND PACKAGE.
UM, SHE, UH, YOU'LL SEE HER IN A COSTUME, MAYBE COSTUME CHANGES.
UM, SHE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE SHE COULD BE HAVING THE WORST DAY AND SHE STEPS ON THAT FIELD AND SHE PUTS WHATEVER THAT IS, UM, TO THE SIDE.
AND SHE BRINGS IT JUST LIKE SHE EXPECTS OF HER VOLUNTEERS.
UM, THE STAFF THAT WORK WITH HER, THE CITY STAFF THAT WORK WITH HER HAVE NOTHING BUT ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, AMAZING THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HEATHER.
AND SO WE AS AN ORGANIZATION AND AS A CITY ARE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN I ASK A QUESTION? UM, HE RAISED HIS HAND FIRST, SO RIGHT AFTER HE DOES MR. CARTER.
I'D DEFER TO YOU IF THE CHAIR WOULD LET ME, BUT
UM, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, AS THE VOLUNTEERS HERE IN, IN THE, IN THE CITY DOING WHAT WE DO HERE.
UH, WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A PHENOMENAL STAFF FOR OUR, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND THE WONDERFUL THING IS THE CITIZENS OF GARLAND, UH, PONY UP MONEY THAT WE'D LIKE WE'D NEVER HAD BEFORE TO WORK WITH.
IF THERE WAS ANY ONE THING THAT, THAT YOU MIGHT COULD USE THAT MIGHT, COULD BE PROVIDED FOR YOU, WOULD, WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IT COULD BE IF THERE IS SOMETHING? OR HAVE THEY JUST DONE PRETTY WELL? EVERYTHING YOU NEED? WELL, ANYTHING REALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ON MY WISHLIST, UM, THEY'VE ALL BEEN, THEY'VE ALL BEEN MADE COME TRUE.
AND I MEAN, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE OF THAT CRUSHED BRICK SURFACE PUT DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT'S CALLED, BUT, UM, IT DOES REALLY DOES HELP WITH THE, THE WHEELCHAIRS.
'CAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE SUPER HEAVY, INCLUDING MY SON'S.
UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S REALLY IT.
I MEAN, WE'VE REALLY GOTTEN EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD EVER WANT OR NEED.
AND, UM, IF, IF EVER I NEEDED ANYTHING, I JUST CALL SAMANTHA AND SHE'S LIKE, WELL ASK, I'LL ASK.
YOU KNOW? AND, UM, WE ARE JUST SO VERY BLESSED AND LUCKY THAT, THAT WE HAVE A CITY THAT STANDS BEHIND US LIKE YOU DO.
I MEAN, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, BUDDY LEAGUE MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.
IT, IT, IT IS MY WORLD AND THOSE KIDS ARE LIKE MY OWN KIDS.
AND TO SEE THEM SUCCEED AND SMILE AND KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PLAYER THIS YEAR, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PICTURE OF HIM.
HE'S THREE YEARS OLD, UM, AND HE HAS CANCER.
AND SO HE'S LOST PART OF HIS LEG AND I JUST FOUND OUT HE'S SICK.
AND SO THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN THE SPRING AND THAT HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO BE THERE.
I JUST, I JUST KNOW HE'S GONNA BE THERE.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE ALL GET UP EVERY DAY.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT ARE PARENTS OF KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND SOME OF THEM ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO STARTED OUT AS VOLUNTEERS, UM, IN OUR LEAGUE AS YOUTH.
AND THEY'RE ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOW.
I HAVE ONE, TANNER POTT, HER FATHER WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN GARLAND.
SHE STARTED VOLUNTEERING WHEN SHE'S 15 AND SHE'S NOW A TEACHER AT LUNA.
AND WE HAVE, UM, A LITTLE GIRL THAT VOLUNTEERED FROM THE TIME SHE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.
SHE'S NOW A SPEECH THERAPIST IN RICHARDSON.
UM, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, BUDDY LEAGUE MEANS A LOT TO THEM.
UM, AND THEY KEEP COMING BACK.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE KIDS AND THIS SPECIAL, OUR FIELD OF DREAMS, WHICH IS WHAT IT IS, IT'S OUR FIELD OF DREAMS. UM, WE ARE JUST SO VERY LUCKY AND SO VERY THANKFUL.
JUST ONE MORE THING BRIEFLY, IF WE CAN, UM, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL COMMITMENT TO THIS BECAUSE OF YOUR FAMILY, NOT ONLY YOUR CHILDREN, BUT YOUR FATHER.
AND WOULD YOU SHARE WITH WHAT, WHERE YOU SEEM TO GET PART OF YOUR HEART
[00:30:01]
AND WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS AND YOU CAN TELL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHAT THAT MEANS? WELL, I REMEMBER WHEN MY DAD IN 1972 RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL PLACE TWO, UM, HE DIDN'T WIN, DARN IT.A GUY NAMED DELORE LEWIS SPEED.
AND, UM, I ACTUALLY THINK HE RAN TWICE, BUT HE LOST BOTH TIMES.
HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION HE WAS ON.
AND THIS KIND OF, WELL, IT IS SAD.
MY MOTHER, MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY THREE YEARS AGO AND I HAD TO GO CLEAN OUT THEIR HOUSE.
UM, I FOUND ALL OF THE, THERE WERE CITY, UM, ASHTRAYS, CITY OF GARLAND ASHTRAYS AT MY MOTHER'S HOUSE.
UM, SHE HAD THE ORIGINAL RENDERING OF THE GARLAND CIVIC CENTER THAT ENDED UP NOT BEING ANYTHING LIKE WHAT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN, UM, PROPOSED AND FUNDED.
UM, BUT IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAINTING.
AND I, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KEEP ANYTHING GIVE, GET TO THE, GET TO THE SPECIAL PART OF THIS, WHAT YOUR FATHER SUFFERED THROUGH AND WHAT HE, WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED.
QUICKLY, IF YOU CAN, MY DAD WAS, UM, A BUILDER IN GARLAND.
AND HE, UM, HE HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT HEART ATTACK WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE.
AND, UM, HE ENDED UP GETTING AN ANGIOGRAM AND THEY DISLODGED A BUNCH OF CLOTS AND HE ENDED UP HAVING A MASSIVE, MASSIVE HEART ATTACK.
AND HE ENDED UP REQUIRING A, UM, HEART TRANSPLANT.
HE GOT A 25-YEAR-OLD DRIVE BY SHOOTING VICTIM'S HEART.
UM, AND WE GOT 15 MORE YEARS WITH MY DAD, WHO, AND AN INTERN.
HE GOT TO, UM, WATCH ALL OF MY KIDS GROW UP AND BECOME A, YOU KNOW, A VOL, A MAJOR VOLUNTEER AT THE HOSPITAL.
AND HE SPENT THE REST, THE END OF HIS LIFE, UM, WORKING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
AND WHEN I TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, HE KNEW HOW DEVASTATED I WAS WHEN THEY SAID BEN WAS NOT GONNA BE ALLOWED TO PLAY BASEBALL.
AND I SAID, DADDY, I REALLY, I REALLY WANNA START A BASEBALL LEAGUE FOR HIM TO PLAY IN.
HE GOES, WELL, HEATHER START A BASEBALL LEAGUE FOR HIM TO PLAY IN.
AND SO, UM, AND HE WAS THERE, HE SOLD CANDY AT, IN FIRST COUPLE YEARS MY DAD WAS SELLING CANDY AT A TABLE AT, AT BASEBALL, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE COULD GIVE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO KIDS THAT VOLUNTEERED.
AND WE DO, WE, WE TYPICALLY GIVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS EVERY YEAR, UM, TO A VOLUNTEER WHO VOLUNTEERS AT OUR, AT OUR GAMES FOR, FOR TWO YEARS TYPICALLY.
UM, BUT YEAH, MY DAD WAS VERY COMMITTED TO THE CITY OF GARLAND AND, UM, AND I, I THINK I GET THAT FROM HIM, BUT I, AND I, I KNOW I GET MY LOVE OF THE CITY FROM MY, MY MY PARENTS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THEY CHOSE TO, TO LIVE MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SO, UM, AND JUST, JUST IN THE, JUST IN THE END OF THIS, NOT ONLY DID HE GIVE TO THE, UM, COUNSELING WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING TO, GOING THROUGH THINGS THAT HE'D GONE THROUGH, BUT, UH, HE WAS, HE WAS VIRTUALLY DEAD WHEN THEY, THEY GOT THE HEART FOR HIM.
UH, HE WAS WHITE AS A PIECE OF PAPER AND HE GOT THAT NEW HEART.
AND THE 13TH DAY AFTER HE GOT THAT NEW HEART, HE CAME WALKING INTO A MEETING THAT WE WERE HAVING OVER AT VENTRY COUNTRY CLUB WITH OUR DALLAS HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION FULL OF COLOR
AND THERE WAS A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE.
SO I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, HEATHER.
UM, Y'ALL DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT I KNEW HEATHER YEARS AGO.
I HAD NO IDEA SHE WAS DOING THIS BUDDY LEAGUE.
I KNEW BEN, BUT I HAD NO IDEA YOU DID THIS BUDDY LEAGUE.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, FROM A BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW, SINCE YOU DON'T CHARGE THESE PLAYERS TO BE A PART OF THE BUDDY LEAGUE, HOW DO YOU KEEP GOING FINANCIALLY? WELL, WE'RE VERY, VERY BLESSED TO HAVE A CITY THAT STANDS BEHIND US.
MEANING THERE WERE LOTS OF YEARS WE HAD NO MONEY AND PEOPLE I KNEW FROM HIGH SCHOOL SENT ME CHECKS.
UM, NOW THE GUNS N HOSES FOUNDATION, THEY'RE ONE OF OUR LARGER, UM, SPONSORS.
UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME, UM, SPONSORS THAT ARE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE FIRST YEAR WAS FUNDED BY THE GUY THAT PUT MY SPRINKLER SYSTEM IN, IN 2002.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST REALLY LUCKY.
I MEAN, PEOPLE WANNA HELP AND, UM, GARLAND'S A GREAT PLACE.
IS THERE A FACEBOOK PAGE? WE DO HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE.
THANK YOU AGAIN JUST FOR THE, THE SERVICE THAT YOU PRIDE FOR GARLAND AND EVERYONE, EVERYONE ACROSS THE, THE NORTH TEXAS.
UM, I WAS KIND OF THINKING THE SAME LINE AS, UM, AS NANCY WAS, UM, ABOUT, I GUESS Y'ALL DO
[00:35:01]
HAVE SPONSORS.UM, AND 'CAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS EVEN FOR SOMEONE TO MAINTAIN THE FIELD.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT RECUPERATING MONEY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, GREAT FOR A SERVICE LIKE THIS.
BUT TO KEEP UP WITH LIKE, THE MAINTENANCE AND CONTINUE TO FUND EVEN MORE MAINTENANCE TO LEVEL TO UPGRADE THE FIELD, HOWEVER Y'ALL NEED IT TO BE.
I WONDER IF WE CAN CONTINUE EXPLORING LIKE A SPONSORSHIP OR PARTNERSHIP WITHIN A PRIVATE ENTITY THAT COULD CONTINUE BOTH OF Y'ALL'S GOALS WITH THE BUDDY LEAGUE.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S GREAT AND I'M REALLY SAD I'VE NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT BEFORE.
UM, I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE MORE, MORE MARKETING LIKE JUST SHOWING YEAH.
LIKE, JUST LIKE, UH, SHOWING IT NOT JUST, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S A SERVICE AND THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE FUNDS, OPPORTUNITY FUNDS TO COME IN.
UM, AND EVEN NOT JUST THAT, JUST SHOWCASING THAT THERE IS, UH, A GREAT, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE.
GARLAND IS A GOOD PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO BE HERE BECAUSE OF, UM, GIVING ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL KIDS TO BE PART OF OF BASEBALL.
YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? I WAS JUST GONNA SPEAK TO THE FUNDING.
SO THE WAY YOU, UM, WE HAVE OUR COST RECOVERY SYSTEM, UM, WITH THE ATHLETIC MODEL.
IS THAT THE REASON, YOU KNOW, THOSE IMPACT FEES THAT WE, UH, CHARGE THE OTHER LEAGUES AS WELL AS OUR RENTALS.
UH, THE TOURNAMENT PROVIDERS, THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE HELPS SUBSIDIZE THE COSTS THAT SHE HAS, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE FIELD MAINTENANCE THAT, THAT MATT WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE TO UPKEEP THOSE, UM, FIELDS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD ON THAT.
I MEAN, AGAIN, THE BOND BOND PROGRAM REALLY HELPED ENHANCE WITH THE RESTROOM, UM, STORAGE FACILITY.
SO YEAH, BOND BOND WAS SUPER HUGE AND I, I DON'T THINK MY GUYS WOULD GIVE IT UP EVEN IF IT WAS FUNDED TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH TAKEN TO IT.
AND I DID JOT DOWN, UM, BECAUSE IF, IF IT WAS, THEY USUALLY ROLL IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON AND WE PUT NEW MATERIAL DOWN SO WE ROLL IT WITH A, WE USE A LITTLE HEAVIER MIX AND WE ROLL IT WITH A REALLY SUPER HEAVY ROLLER SO IT GETS SUPER, SUPER COMPACT SO IT CAN HANDLE THAT.
SO IF IT STARTED TO WEAR OUT, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK.
'CAUSE WE'LL COME OUT AND ADD MORE MATERIAL AND ROLL IT AGAIN.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION, HOW DO YOU RECRUIT, LIKE HOW DO YOU FIND THESE VOLUNTEERS TO BE PART OF IT? I WILL TALK TO ANY KID THAT I SEE, IT'S A LITTLE CREEPY ACTUALLY.
UM, BUT NO, I MEAN, THE KIDS THAT ARE HELPING US THIS YEAR IS THEY, THEY'RE AN ELITE BASEBALL GROUP OUT OF WILEY CALLED NORTH TEXAS ELITE.
UM, WE HAVE KIDS COMING FROM THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, UM, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE USED WERE MY KIDS 'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF THEM.
AND SO, UM, AND THEN AS THEY ALL GREW UP AND WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE, UM, I HAD TO GET, GO INTO THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND TRY TO GET, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS.
WE GET SOME THERE, UM, SOME BASEBALL KIDS, UM, SIBLINGS.
SOMETIMES WE DON'T, WE DON'T LIKE THE SIBLINGS TO PLAY WITH THEIR BROTHER OR SISTER BECAUSE THEY GET TO DO THAT AT HOME.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER FAMILIES LIKE THEIRS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO FOR THE SIBLINGS TO, TO, 'CAUSE THEY SOMETIMES GET LOST AT HOME AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE MY OTHER THREE, I KNOW THEY FELT THAT WAY.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT GIVES 'EM AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF NOT BE IN THEIR CEILING SHADOW SO MUCH.
SO, BUT THE BASEBALL GROUP, THIS BASEBALL GROUP THAT'S BEEN COMING OUT, THE, THEY'RE, THEY JUST, THEY'RE THERE EVERY WEEK.
THEY SEND THREE TEAMS. UM, AND THEY'RE JUST THE MOST AMAZING KIDS, BUT THEY COME FROM EVERYWHERE.
WELL I HOPE YOU CAN DO EVENTUALLY LIKE A HIGHLIGHT VIDEO.
'CAUSE THIS IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING, A GYM, HONESTLY.
WELL, THEY DID THE MAKE YOUR MARK.
I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY ON, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
THE, THEY DID A MAKE YOUR MARK SPECIAL AT OUR, UM, 20TH ANNIVERSARY DAY THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE COMING UP SOON, 25 YEARS.
UM, I STARTED IT, YOU KNOW, IN THE THIRD GRADE, BUT, UM,
BUT NO, WE ARE JUST, I, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER LEAGUES IN GARLAND, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY LEAGUE FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
UM, THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE FOR A LOT OF THESE KIDS WHO ORDINARILY ARE TOLD NO, YOU CAN'T BE IN TEAM SPORTS AND IN GARLAND, TEXAS YOU CAN.
HOW CAN ONE VOLUNTEER COME OUT? JUST COME, WE, WE, WE PLAY AGAIN.
WE START UP AGAIN IN APRIL AND WE'LL PLAY THROUGH THE END OF MAY.
UM, IT'S GREAT IN THE, IN THE FALL 'CAUSE IT'S NOT SO HOT.
[00:40:01]
AT THE END OF THE SEASON.AND THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WATER GUNS ON THE FIELD, SO THAT'S FUN BUBBLES AND WATER GUNS.
UM, SO FALL BALL, YOU SHOULD COME TO FALL BALL.
SO YOU PLAY LIKE IN APRIL AND MAY AND THEN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER? YES.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL OR THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE.
THANKS FOR LOOKING AND SHARE AND SHARE YOUR STORY.
NO, IT'S, UM, BUT IT, I MEAN COME PLEASE COME SEE.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT TO SEE THOSE KIDS PLAYING WITH OTHER KIDS AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE DID IT LIKE THAT.
THE FIRST TIME I HEARD SOMEBODY POINT AT MY SON AND CALL HIM A RETARD, I KNEW THAT THERE HAD TO BE, THERE HAD TO BE, YOU KNOW, A WAY THAT WE COULD MELD THEM TOGETHER.
AND, UH, THESE KIDS KNOW, THEY ALL TELL EACH OTHER, DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T USE THE R WORD, YOU KNOW, NEVER SAY THE R WORD.
AND UM, I'VE HEARD STORIES ABOUT SOME OF THE, UM, INTERACTIONS THAT SOME OF THESE VOLUNTEERS HAVE HAD AT THEIR SCHOOLS ON BEHALF OF KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THEM, UM, THAT THEY STAND UP FOR THEM.
BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF IT COMES FROM THE FACT THAT THESE KIDS NO LONGER ARE AFRAID.
I THINK BAD BEHAVIOR COMES FROM BEING AFRAID.
AND WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES ARE VERY MUCH LIKE YOU, THEY'RE MORE LIKE YOU THAN THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
UM, THEY WANNA HAVE FRIENDS, THEY WANNA BE INCLUDED AND THEY WANNA PARTICIPATE.
AND SO THESE KIDS DON'T HAVE TO STAND OUTSIDE THE FENCE WATCHING.
THEY GET TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING.
AND IT'S, UM, IT'S HUGE FOR THEM.
AND LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF THEM, I MEAN, WE PUT A BALL, A, A BASEBALL IN THE HAND OF A 4-YEAR-OLD AS HE DIED.
UM, HE GOT TO PLAY FOR A YEAR AND HE GOT TO KNOW THE THRILL OF THE, THE AIR BLOWING THROUGH HIS CURLY HAIR AS HE ROUNDED THIRD BASE.
YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS, THESE ARE MEMORIES.
THEIR PA THEIR PARENTS WILL HAVE FOREVER.
SO ARE YOU STILL AT BRADFIELD? WE ARE.
COME SEE US REALLY WELL, I MEAN, IS THERE A CERTAIN, SO YOU PLAY SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER OR IS THERE, DO YOU PLAY FROM LIKE 10 TO 12 OR? WE ONLY PLAY ON SATURDAYS BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR FAMILIES TO, WHEN THEY HAVE THERAPIES AND THINGS DURING THE WEEK.
WE HAVE GAMES AT 9, 10, 11, 12, AND ONE.
UM, WE MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ONE O'CLOCK GAME BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN SO MANY PLAYERS.
WE HAD 40 PLAYERS PLAYING IN THE, IN THE FIRST GAME EVERY SATURDAY.
SO IT GOT TO BE A LITTLE CRAZY.
UM, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO EXTEND OUR DAY AGAIN.
AND IT'S, IT'S HARD 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND AND I AREN'T GETTING ANY YOUNGER AND, UM, BUT I MEAN, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A SITU A A SYSTEM AND OUR SON KNOWS THAT WE GET UP ON SATURDAYS AND WE GO TO MCDONALD'S AND HE GETS A BISCUIT AND THEN WE GO TO THE BALL FIELD AND WE SET UP EVERYTHING AND, AND SO WE'LL STAY THERE AS LONG AS THE KIDS WANNA PLAY.
HEATHER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? UM, THANKS.
I DO WANNA COME SEE THAT BENCH.
UM, ARE YOU DE LEE, ARE YOU DOING THE CAPRA UPDATE? YEP.
SAVING A SAFE FOR AN UPPER PARTNER IN CRIME YIN AND THE YANG.
THAT'S HOW OUR BRAINS FILL THESE DAYS.
OKAY, SO, UM, SOME OF YOU ALL MAY RECALL, UH, I DON'T KNOW, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, MAYBE EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR EFFORTS TO BECOME AN ACCREDITED PARKS AND RECREATION AGENCY.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE AND UM, PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT ALL IS INVOLVED AND WHAT ALL WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND, UM, AND THIS IS VERY MUCH SO CAPRA REQUIRES TO HAVE ONE NAME AS THE CAPRA MANAGER.
UH, BUT THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE THE CAPRA MANAGERS.
SO JUST BECAUSE MY NAME IS ON THE APPLICATION, UM, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT KEITH REAGAN HERE GETS THE ACCOLADES THAT HE DESERVES.
UH, BECAUSE THIS IS DEFINITELY A GROUP EFFORT.
UM, AND IT IS, I HAVE BEEN IN THE RECREATION, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION FOR ALMOST 27 YEARS AND IS QUITE LITERALLY THE BIGGEST, UH,
[00:45:01]
PROJECT TASK I HAVE EVER HAD TO COORDINATE AND PUT TOGETHER.AND SOME DAYS MAKES ME WANT TO RETIRE ON THAT DAY.
I DIDN'T SAY I DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
UM, SO THE CAPRA TIMELINE, SO WE SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS WE INTEND TO, UH, PUT IN AN AGENCY ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND WE DID THAT, UH, IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
WE ARE, THIS IS, THIS PART'S STILL IN PROGRESS PREPARING THE SELF-ASSESSMENT.
AND SO I KIND OF WANNA WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE IN REGARDS TO THE VERY FIRST THING THAT KEITH AND I DID IS WE SAT DOWN AND WE TOOK AN INVENTORY, WE LOOKED AT ALL THE STANDARDS, WE TOOK AN INVENTORY OF LIKE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT? UM, AND I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND THEN BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, SO, UM, IS WORKING ON THAT SELF-ASSESSMENT.
AND I'LL GET AGAIN TO SOME DETAILS ON THAT IN A SECOND.
UM, THE NEXT THING, SO WE, WE HOPE TO HAVE OUR ASSESSMENT SUBMITTED.
I HAVE ON HERE BY JANUARY 6TH, BUT REALLY WE'VE BEEN TALKING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND WE JUST WANNA GET IT DONE BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
SO, UM, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS WE ARE ASSIGNED A TEAM, A VISITATION TEAM, WHICH IS, UH, THREE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, THEY WILL BE AN UNBIASED GROUP, MEANING IT CAN'T BE ANYBODY IN THE INDUSTRY THAT WE KNOW CAN'T BE, UH, FORMER EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, IN ANY OF THE NEIGHBORING CITIES OR HERE IN GARLAND.
AND, UM, THEY, THE VISIT, UH, THEY'LL GET OUR ASSESSMENT AND THEY'LL START REVIEWING IT.
AND THEN THERE IS A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE VISITATION TEAM AND US SAYING, HEY, WE'VE KIND OF REVIEWED, WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION ON A CERTAIN STANDARD.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT.
ONCE THEY HAVE THE ASSESSMENT IN A PLACE THAT THEY ARE HAPPY WITH, THEY WILL SCHEDULE OUR VISIT AND WHEN THEY COME VISIT, THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT PARK BOARD TO COME TO LIKE OUR FIRST NIGHT, KIND OF KICK IT OFF AND HAVE YOU ALL INTRODUCED AND HAVE YOU GUYS MEET THE VISITATION TEAM.
THEN WE HOST THEM FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, TAKING 'EM AROUND, UM, OUR FACILITIES.
WE ALSO DO SOME ANSWERING OF QUESTIONS IF THEY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ON OUR ASSESSMENT.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE VISIT, WE LEAVE IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE THAT WE MOVE OURSELVES ON TO THE IN-PERSON HEARING, WHICH WILL BE, UH, NEXT YEAR'S NRPA CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL BE NEXT SEPTEMBER IN ORLANDO.
AND WE ATTEND THE HEARING AND WE BECOME AN ACCREDITED AGENCY.
AND IT'LL BE SUCH A WONDERFUL, GREAT DAY.
SO WHY CAPRA? WELL, IT'S QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IT'S QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES REALLY WELL, UM, AND THAT WE DID REALLY WELL BEFORE THIS PROCESS.
AND THEN WE FOUND SOME WAYS THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY IMPROVE AND PLACES THAT WE WERE DEFICIENT AND EVEN PLACES THAT WE THINK WE'RE ALREADY THINKING LIKE, WELL, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT LET'S, YOU KNOW, GET THIS PART DONE AND THEN WE'LL MAKE THAT A FUTURE ITEM.
THERE ARE 154 STANDARDS IN THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT, UH, IT WILL TELL YOU THIS IS THE STANDARD AND IT DEFINES IT, AND THEN IT TELLS YOU, AND THIS IS A WAY THAT YOU MEET THE STANDARD.
AND SO OF THOSE 154 STANDARDS, 36 OF THEM ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE.
IF YOU DON'T MEET ONE OF THOSE, JUST ONE OF THOSE, YOU AUTOMATICALLY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE AN ACCREDITED AGENCY.
SO WE HAVE TO MEET 36 FUNDAMENTAL STANDARDS THEN OF THE REMAINING 118, 106 HAVE TO BE MET ON THIS FIRST TIME AROUND, UH, FOR ACCREDITATION.
AND IT BECOMES MORE STRINGENT FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN YOU GO FOR YOUR RE-ACCREDITATION.
SO, UM, AND THEN THE CAPRA CHAPTERS, SO I LISTED THOSE HERE FOR YOU GUYS SO YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT'S, IT'S VERY, UH, IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING, UM, AND HOW MANY STANDARDS THERE ARE FOR EACH CHAPTER.
AND WHAT WE DID AMONGST THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, WHICH, UH, THAT'S MATT AND MARK, UH, ME AND KEITH, IS WE BROKE DOWN SOME OF THE CHAPTERS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SO MATT, HE GOT A LOT OF EXTRA CHAPTERS BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT HE, KEITH AND I HAVE TO WORK ON AS THE MANAGERS IN COORDINATING THIS EFFORT.
UM, SO THOSE ARE AGENCY AUTHORITY, ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY.
THERE ARE 14 DIFFERENT STANDARDS TO THAT, THE PLANNING FUNCTION.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF THE MARK, UH, WORLD WITH, UH, FEASIBILITY STUDIES, PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS.
THERE ARE 11 STANDARDS ON THAT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS A LOT TO DO WITH HOW THE CITY FUNCTIONS.
[00:50:01]
POLICIES, COMMUNICATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING PLAN, UH, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT ONE.UM, THERE ARE 31 STANDARDS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, 20 FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, 14 FOR THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S THE, THE RECREATION CHAPTER, UH, 17 FOR FACILITY AND LAND USE, WHICH WE CALL THE PARK OPERATIONS CHAPTER.
AND THEN, UH, CHAPTERS EIGHT AND NINE ARE REALLY, WE HAVE TO RELY HEAVILY ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO HELP US OUT WITH THOSE ON PUBLIC SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SECURITY, 14 STANDARDS, SIX WITHIN THE RISK MANAGEMENT, UH, CHAPTER AND THEN 13 WITH CHAPTER 10 ON THE EVALUATION ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONCE WE GET THROUGH THIS, THE, THERE IS A PILOT PROGRAM GOING TO ACTUALLY, UM, HAVE, THERE'S A, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HALF OF THESE STANDARDS WITH THAT A BUNCH OF CITIES ARE GOING THROUGH TO TEST THAT OUT.
SO, UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE WE FEEL LIKE IN SOME WAYS ARE REPETITIVE, UH, WE'VE, WE ANSWER IN A CERTAIN CHAPTER AND THEN WE'RE LIKE, OH, WELL WE'RE ANSWERING IT AGAIN OVER HERE.
SO, UM, BUT WE HAVE THE, THE FUN OF, UM, GOING THROUGH 154 STANDARDS, SO CONTRIBUTING CITY DEPARTMENT.
SO WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS BY OURSELVES.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS AS A PARKS AND RECREATION AGENCY THAT WE RELY ON OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO HELP HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, RISK MANAGEMENT, POLICE BUDGET, FINANCE AND PURCHASING THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS, THE CITY ATTORNEY OFFICE, UM, SANITATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, CITY SECRETARY.
AND THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE THAT I'VE LEFT OUT.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH DIFFERENT, UM, STAFF LIAISONS IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT THE DIRECTORS HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, PLEASE WORK WITH THIS PERSON TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED.
UH, MOST OF IT HAS BEEN US GATHERING THE INFORMATION FROM THE OTHER DEPARTMENT.
UH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS IN HERE WHERE WE'VE HAD TO GO, OKAY, THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING.
UM, SO, AND, AND WE'VE DONE THAT.
AND SO THIS IS, I THINK ALL OF THESE ARE NEW PLANS AND MANUALS THAT WERE CREATED, UM, THAT DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO, UM, OUR CAPRA EFFORTS.
SO THE REC PROGRAM PLAN DID NOT EXIST.
UH, WE HAVE A MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN JUST FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEDIA RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THEIR OWN PROCESS OF UPDATING THEIR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AND THEIR TIMELINE DOESN'T JIVE WITH OUR TIMELINE.
SO WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON JUST OUR DEPARTMENT, A FLEET PLAN, A NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN, AN EMERGENCY ACTION GUIDE, VOLUNTEER MANUAL, AND THEN A DEPARTMENT RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AGAIN, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WITH THE CITY IS WORKING ON, BUT AGAIN, THE TIMELINES JUST DON'T LINE UP.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UM, THESE ARE DIFFERENT, UH, CAPRA PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE.
SO WE'VE CREATED AN OPERATING, UH, AN SOP TEMPLATE THAT ALL OF OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES GO ON.
SO WHETHER IT'S A PARKS, UH, ONE FOR THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT, ONE FOR RECREATION, THEY ALL LOOK UNIFORM AND FOLLOW THE SAME FORMAT.
WE HAVE REVIEWED AND REVISED OUR EXISTING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
WE'VE DEVELOPED NEW, UH, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
WE HAVE, UM, CENTRALIZED A TRACKING.
UM, SO WE WERE ALL KIND OF KEEPING TRACK OF OUR LICENSE AND OUR CERTIFICATIONS IN SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, SHEETS.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE ONE DOCUMENT WHERE WE KEEP ALL OF THAT UPDATED.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A NEW STAFF ONBOARDING PROCESS, IMPLEMENTED AN ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS FOR THOSE DEPARTMENT PLANS AND STAFF MANUALS ON THE REC SIDE.
WE'VE CREATED A NEW CONTRACT INSTRUCTOR GUIDE, A PROGRAM EVALUATION, A PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FORM.
WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, RECREATION KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN THE DASHBOARD.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT HASN'T IMPLEMENTED A CONCUSSION PROTOCOL AND THEN WE'VE DEVELOPED OUR VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO KEITH AND I HAVE CAPPER FRIDAYS, AND THAT IS A DESIGNATED TIME ON THE CALENDAR WHERE WE HAVE TWO HOURS FOR OUR MEETING.
YOU CAN ASK ANYBODY THAT'S STILL AN ADMIN ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.
THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE LEAVING.
AND WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL WE'RE STILL WORKING ON CAPRA AND WE USUALLY GET OUTTA THERE, YOU KNOW, SIX ISH OR WHATEVER.
UM, BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET GOING THEN YOU, IT IS JUST IT.
AND IF IT'S A GOOD CAP OR FRIDAY YOU'RE LIKE, OH, WE'RE GETTING THERE, WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE.
UM, THE GREAT THING ABOUT HAVING A PARTNER IN CRIME IS THAT IF ONE PERSON'S LIKE, I'M SO OVER THIS, THE OTHER PERSON'S THE CHEERLEADER.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN A HUGE, HUGE TEAM EFFORT.
UM, AND SO A LOT THAT WE'VE DONE TODAY, WE DID OUR TALLY AND WE HAVE
[00:55:01]
3% LEFT THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE, UM, AS FAR AS OUR STANDARDS ARE CONCERNED.AND REALLY THEY'RE ABOUT, THERE WAS JUST FINISHING UP A FEW THINGS AND THEN WE HAVE THE WORK OF JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE ASSESSMENT, UM, THE LINKS TO ALL OF OUR, UM, EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE.
SO ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT FORMS AND OUR MANUALS ALL WORK, UH, THAT EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, READS WELL, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TYPOS.
I MEAN, JUST, THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, BUT I THINK IT IS AN AMAZING PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH BECAUSE IT WILL BE SO GOOD FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, A LOT OF NORTH TEXAS CITIES, UM, ARE CAPRA ACCREDITED, SO IT'S A FEATHER IN OUR HAT AND FOR OUR CITY, UM, BECAUSE I THINK MORE AND MORE CITIES ARE STRIVING FOR THAT.
SO WE WANNA BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, IT, IT, IT DOES CREATE SOME THINGS WHILE A LOT OF IT IS A LOT OF WORK ON THE FRONT.
UM, I THINK IT WILL HELP THINGS, UM, FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE WILL KNOW THAT WE HAVE THINGS IN PLACE.
I'M GONNA, UH, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE ON STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.
SO ON THE RECREATION SIDE, WE HAD A REC STAFF MANUAL AND IT LISTED OUT VERY SPECIFIC STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
AND AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH IT, WE'RE LIKE, WELL WAIT A SECOND.
WE DON'T HAVE THE OPERATING PROCEDURES WRITTEN DOWN FOR SENIORS.
SO, AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY DO THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
WE HAVE A PRACTICE IN PLACE, WE NEED TO GET IT WRITTEN DOWN.
AND SO AGAIN, IT HELPS THE STAFF, IT HELPS NEW STAFF.
UM, IT WILL, IT'S JUST ORGANIZED.
WE WILL HAVE A RHYTHM, RIGHT, WHERE WE ARE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THESE THINGS AND LOOKING AT 'EM AS A GROUP.
SO I, AS MUCH AS SOMETIMES I HAVE WANTED TO JUST THROW IN THE TOWEL, I AM THANKFUL THAT ANDY HESSER AT ONE PARK BOARD MEETING ONE NIGHT WAS LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GONNA DO CAPRA.
HEY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA LEAD THAT UP.
SO, UM, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD WANNA ADD TO THAT? THE ONLY THING I ALWAYS WANNA SAY IS JUST BEEN A REAL TEAM EFFORT.
UH, I KNOW DELEE MENTIONED THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND HOW MUCH TIME WE SPENT ON THIS, BUT IT'S BEEN MORE THAN JUST US.
UM, I MADE YVONNE DO A LOT OF WORK HELPING ME WITH THE HR SECTION, UH, AND THEN THE RECREATION DIVISION COMING TOGETHER AND, AND PULLING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND THEN MATT, UH, WITH HIS TEAM AND GETTING HIS DIVISION DONE, AND THEN, UH, MARK AND EVELYN.
SO IT'S BEEN A TEAM EFFORT ACROSS THE BOARD AND JUST BEEN REALLY GOOD, UH, PROCESS THAT, UH, I MEAN, WE WERE TRYING TO TRACK, OKAY, HOW MANY HOURS WE, WE DIDN'T THINK OF THIS WHEN WE STARTED IT.
HOW MANY HOURS HAVE WE DONE? AND WE DIDN'T TRACK IT.
SO IF WE JUST WENT ON OUR OUTLOOK APPOINTMENTS, WHICH ARE NOT ACCURATE BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A TWO HOUR MEETING, IT WENT SIX HOURS.
SO THAT ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR THE TIME THAT KEITH AND I HAD EITHER, YOU KNOW, APPOINTMENTS WITH EACH OTHER OR MEETINGS WITH OTHER STAFF THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR YVONNE'S TIME TO GO AND PULL THE INFORMATION AND GATHER THE INFORMATION OR MODIFY.
IT DOESN'T COUNT FOR THE RECREATION STAFF THAT WENT AND WORKED ON CREATING THE NEW CONTRACT INSTRUCTOR GUIDE OR THE PROGRAM EVALUATION, OR GOING AROUND AND TALKING TO THE STAFF AND THE, UH, SUPERVISORS.
SO HUNDREDS OF HOURS HAVE BEEN POURED INTO THIS EFFORT.
AND SO OUR HOPE IS THAT WHEN THE VISIT HAPPENS, WHICH WILL BE SOMETIME EITHER SOMETIME MARCH, APRIL, MAY OR JUNE OF NEXT YEAR, UM, WE WILL HAVE OUR EVENING THAT WE KICK OFF AND WELCOME THEM.
WE WANT YOU ALL TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL AND LET YOU KNOW, LIKE, HEY, WE ARE AN ACCREDITED AGENCY AND IT'LL BE SUCH AN ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, JERRY? WHY? AND WHAT, OKAY, GIVE US ALL THIS NOW.
GIVE US DOWN IN A, IN A SENTENCE OR TWO, WHY ARE YOU DOING ALL THIS AND WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS TO GET OUT OF IT? BRIEFLY.
THE WHY IS JUST THE QUALITY ASSURANCE, AND IT JUST, IT, IT IS TELLING OUR STORY TO OUR CITY, OUR, OUR COUNCIL, OUR PARK BOARD, OUR, UH, NEIGHBORS THAT WE ARE AN A, UM, AN A AWARD-WINNING.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THE BEST PRACTICES IN OUR INDUSTRY.
AND THEN THE, THE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS HERE? TO BE ACCREDITED,
TO, YOU KNOW, THAT HELPS US TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE.
PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH, I WANNA WORK THERE.
IT'S GOING TO, THAT, IT HELPS TELL OUR STORY TO CITY COUNCIL TO YOU ALL AS WE, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TRUST IN US THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS ARE AND THE BEST PRACTICES AND HAVE FAITH IN US AS PROFESSIONALS.
[01:00:01]
UM, WITH LIKE, GRANT WRITING TOO.SO LIKE, WHEN YOU START APPLYING FOR CERTAIN GRANTS, THEY KIND OF WILL WEED CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS OUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT ACCREDITATION.
I JUST GOTTA GIVE A PLUG TO THESE TWO BECAUSE THEY'VE KEPT IT MOVING, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN AMAZING IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THESE DEADLINES.
IT'S NOT AN, IF WE'RE GONNA MEET 'EM, IT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA MEET THEM.
UM, AND THEY'VE REALLY BEEN THE LEADERS ON THIS.
AND SO I GIVE YOU GUYS HUGE KUDOS FOR DOING THAT.
AND IF IT SEEMS LIKE, I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE SOMETIMES I, I JOKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIGHT AGENDAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT WE HAVE AS A DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN PUTTING INTO THIS, AND YOU PUT ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE BUILDING A, A, A, A MAJOR NEW RECREATION CENTER.
WE ARE BUILDING A NEW TENNIS CENTER.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO BREAK GROUND ON A NEW SENIOR CENTER.
YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE GROUND, AT ONE POINT WE HAD CLOSE TO 80 PROJECTS ACTIVE ON THE GROUND.
AND THAT'S NOT ALSO THEN TO CONSIDERATE ALL THE NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DO IN TERMS OF OPERATING AND, AND MANAGING OUR DEPARTMENTS AND MAINTAINING 64 PARKS AND 3000 ACRES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, SO BEAR WITH US, I GUESS IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WE KIND OF GET SOME OF THESE BIG ISSUES OFF OF OUR PLATES AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING READY TO GEAR UP FOR A BOND.
WE HAVE A COMP PLAN REVIEW THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S MAJOR, MAJOR, A LOT GOING ON IN THE CITY OF CITY RIGHT NOW, IS ACTUALLY REVIEWING A LOT OF THEIR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND PLANS.
AND SO THAT PROCESS IS, WE'VE BEEN PULLED INTO, UH, AND TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY WHAT WE ARE REALLY, REALLY BUSY ON A NORMAL DAY.
WE ARE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY BUSY RIGHT NOW AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO GO, UH, INTO THE, THE FRONT.
SO I SAY ALL THAT, THAT WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ASKED TO PUT ONTO AGENDAS.
WE WILL GET TO 'EM, THINGS ARE GONNA GET THERE, WE'LL GET BACK TO A NORMAL KIND OF FLOW.
BUT WE HAVE SOME REALLY BIG, UH, UH, THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT ARE ALL GREAT.
THEY'RE ALL GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GONNA MAKE OUR DEPARTMENT BETTER.
IT'S GONNA MAKE THE CITY BETTER.
UH, AND JUST HAPPY THAT YOU GUYS GET TO COME ON, COME ON THAT RIDE WITH US.
I, I REALLY DO WANNA BRAG BECAUSE I LITERALLY TOLD KEITH TODAY, THERE IS NOBODY ELSE THAT I WOULD RATHER DO THIS WITH IN OUR DEPARTMENT THAN YOU.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW HE HAS NOT KILLED ME YET, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME DAYS WHERE I'M LIKE, NOPE.
AND I'M TELLING HIM, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
AND HE'S, HE'S SO PATIENT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHERE I'VE HAD TO EAT CROW AND GO, OH YEAH, OKAY, I I I NEED TO STOP AND LISTEN AND HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, IT LITERALLY, I DON'T, I WOULD'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO IT BY MYSELF.
AND YOU CAN'T DO IT BY YOURSELF.
BUT EVEN JUST IN THE COORDINATION OF IT ALL, AND THE PLANNING AND THE EFFORTS THAT GO INTO IT, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT I COULD DO IT WITHOUT KEITH REAGAN.
HE HAS BEEN, UH, INSTRUMENTAL.
I'M SO THANKFUL, LIKE, SO THANKFUL AND THAT WHAT'S THE SAME, THAT THAT DOESN'T KILL US, MAKES US STRONGER.
SO
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE HIGH LEVEL THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US HERE OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PIECES.
IS IS THERE SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF DETAIL AS WE GO FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS THAT UNDERSTANDING WHAT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER WOULD HELP US BE, YOU KNOW, BETTER ADVOCATES FOR PARKS AND RECREATION, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM.
I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT, BUT WITHOUT GOING INTO THE, I THINK AS YOU ALL SPEAK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WE DO HAVE PLANS, WE DO HAVE PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
WE DO HAVE, UM, GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I WOULD ADD TO THAT.
I THINK SOME OF THE PLANS TOO, LIKE, ESPECIALLY I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE, THE VOLUNTEER, UH, COORDINATOR COME AND TALK TO YOU.
IS THAT, IS THAT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
WE'LL ACTUALLY BRING THAT BACK.
I THINK THE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN, THAT'S A GOOD ONE THAT WE COULD BRING THROUGH.
'CAUSE I, IT TIES INTO SPRING CREEK PRESERVE, IT TIES INTO ROW CREEK, IT TIES OR, UM, YOU KNOW, RALLY WITH DOBA AND THE OTHER PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT WHAT'S FUTURE AGENDAS THAT WE BRING INTO IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE ATHLETIC, UM, GROUPS THAT COME.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO THAT OUR OTHER NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT WE DO LIKE SPRING CREEK AND DOBA AND KEEP GARLAND
[01:05:01]
BEAUTIFUL AND LOVE GARLAND GREEN AND A LOT OF THESE OTHER PARTNERS, I THINK THEY NEED TO BECOME AND, AND PRESENTING TO THIS, TO THIS BOARD AS WELL, SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN GET THE FULL BREADTH OF, OF EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE AND THAT WE MANAGE AND THAT WE, AND WHO WE WORK WITH AND, AND WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YEAH, I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, START TO WEAVE IN, IN DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
UM, WE, WE WILL HAVE A WEBSITE THAT THE VISITATION TEAM WILL UTILIZE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR NARRATIVES, READ WHAT OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, STA HOW WE MET THE STANDARD.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT IS READY, WE WILL SHARE WITH THIS GROUP.
SO IF YOU WANNA PLAY AROUND AND LOOK AND SEE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AND WE NEED TESTERS.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE TO LOOK AT THE CONTENT BUT MAKE SURE THAT LINKS ARE WORKING CORRECTLY AND THAT IF IT SAYS IT WENT TO THIS, THAT IT ACTUALLY WENT TO THAT AND IT DIDN'T GO TO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, KIND OF THAT TYPE OF FINE TUNING.
I'M VERY GOOD AT BREAKING THINGS.
OKAY, SO WRAPPING UP, I THINK WE SEE UM, C WHAT? CIP? YEP.
SO JUST AS A NOTE, IT'S, THERE'S A LETTER MISSING ON ONE OF THE HEADINGS.
UM, YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK ON THAT BEFORE YOU START THAT IT SAID THAT YOU, UM, THE ANNUAL UPDATE WAS, UM, APPROVED, UH, IN 2022.
YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER READ THAT FIRST
WELL, I MEAN, WAS IT THAT JUST THE INITIAL ONE? I, I MAY HAVE NOT NOT NOTICED IT BEFORE EITHER, BUT WAS THAT JUST THE, THE INITIAL? NO, THAT WOULD'VE JUST BEEN FOR THAT YEAR.
SO IT'S BEEN CARRYING OVER EVER SINCE ZED TWO, I SUPPOSE.
REFERENCE TO THE 2024 C PROJECTS WAS APPROVED ON FEBRUARY 15TH, 24.
I DUNNO, MAYBE IT'LL CHANGE NEXT MONTH.
YEAH, WE'LL HAVE CIP BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
ALRIGHT, SO TODAY I'M JUST GONNA DO A, SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, WE, WE HAVE OUR, OUR, UH, THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN PROGRESS.
I COULD RUN THROUGH THOSE REALLY QUICK.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE A FEW OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS PHOTOS OF JUST VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
UM, NOW THESE AREN'T, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY OF 'EM, BUT I HAVE A LOT.
AND WE COULD, I COULD WORK ON THE FORMAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY TO MAYBE A SLIDESHOW WHERE IT'S JUST CONTINUOUS.
'CAUSE I TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES AND, UH, LIKE TO SHARE THESE WITH Y'ALL.
SO I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS REAL QUICK AND THEN, UH, AFTER THAT WE CAN JUST TALK ABOUT IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THE TUCKER OR THE BOB DAY TENNIS CENTER, UM, THIS IS THE OVERALL RENDERING THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, THAT THE WAS DEVELOPED.
UM, AND SO I'M GONNA ZOOM IN TO SOME OF THESE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO READ.
UH, SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE, WHERE WE'RE KIND OF AT WITH THINGS.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON ACTUALLY THE PREMIER COURT CURRENTLY.
IT'S GONNA BE A NICE, UM, ARTIFICIAL TURF SEATING AREA, UM, PLAYING AROUND, UH, AND YOU KIND OF REALLY GET A GOOD FEEL AS TO WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS.
SO, UM, THIS IS, WE'RE STARTING WITH THE PREMIER COURT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE LIGHTS INSTALLED, UM, FOR THE TENNIS COURTS.
AND ONCE YOU GO OUT TO THE SITE, IT, YOU CAN REALLY KIND OF IMAGINE WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE VERSUS JUST A, A LARGE GUESS DIRT, WHATNOT.
SO, UM, SO THIS IS THE PREMIER COURT THAT'S CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS.
UH, THE, UH, POST-TENSION SLAB IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN INSTALLATION NEXT, I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK AS WELL AS THE DRIVE ENTRY DRIVE IN THE PARKING LOTS.
AND THEY ANTICIPATE THAT TAKING ABOUT A MONTH.
UM, SO FAIRLY QUICK, UH, WITH THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'RE USING.
UM, THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, OR I COULD SHARE THIS, UH, ANY OTHER TIME, THERE'S A, THE, THE, THE DE DETENTION PONDS ARE PRETTY INTERESTING THAT THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH DRIED DETENTION PONDS, BUT IT LOOKS REALLY KIND OF NICE.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ROCK BANDING IN
[01:10:01]
HERE.AND SO I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT AMENITY FOR ONCE THE PARK DOES OPEN UP, BECAUSE IT'S A, WELL, IT'S A DETENTION POND.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY JUST A, YOU KNOW, CASUAL PLAY AREA IF YOU WANT IT TO BE SO, SO SURFING AND SWIM.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO SURF AND SWIM, IT'S, IT'S GONE.
SO
SO I GUESS THIS IS WHERE THE, THE, THE BUILDING WAS AND THE, THE, UH, I GUESS THE PUMP EQUIPMENT ROOM AND THEN THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY WHERE THAT TRI, THAT TRIANGULAR TYPE POOL WAS.
UH, THEY'RE BRINGING IN SELECT FILL AND THEY'RE WORKING ON THE MOISTURE CONDITIONING CONDITIONING, UM, AS WELL AS THE PARKING LOT THAT WAS AROUND THAT AREA HAS BEEN REMOVED AS WELL.
AND THEY WERE WORKING REALLY FAST.
I MEAN, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOOING.
SO
AND WE, UH, WE HAVE DRONE PHOTOS THAT WILL BE, I THINK THEY TAKE 'EM EVERY TWO WEEKS.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GO TO A CERTAIN SPOT AND JUST TAKE A, A TIME LAPSE.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE A, AND THAT'S WHEN WAITING TO GET A FEW MORE PHOTOS, WE CAN GET THAT KINDA LIKE A MONTAGE OF ALL THAT STUFF.
SO, UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S A LOT OF COOL STUFF HAPPENING.
UM, IT'S A REALLY FUN PROJECT TO BE INVOLVED ON.
SO, FER REC CENTER, AQUATICS, UH, THIS IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE, THE BUILDING.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY, A LOT OF INTERIOR PHOTOS ON THIS ONE, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING INSIDE TOO.
POOL DECK HAS BEEN, WELL, THE POOL HAS BEEN POURED, UM, TILED AND EVERYTHING.
AND THIS IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THINGS.
SO THE CONTRACTOR IS REALLY GOOD ON THIS ONE.
THIS IS, UH, HILL AND WILKINSON AND UH, THEY HOLD THEMSELVES KIND OF ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOME OF THEIR THINGS.
SO THEY'RE, IF THEY SEE THAT SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, THEY FIX IT AND IT'S, SO THEY'RE A REALLY GOOD CONTRACTOR TO HAVE.
I JU CREEK SOUTH EXTENSION TRAIL.
I TOOK THESE TODAY 'CAUSE ALL THE OTHER ONES WERE JUST A PIECE OF CONCRETE AND I COULDN'T SHOW YOU THAT.
SO, UM, BUT THIS ISN'T REALLY LONG.
THIS GOES UP FROM TOLER ELEMENTARY OFF OF GUTHRIE, UH, UNDERNEATH THE BELTLINE ROAD BRIDGE AND THEN CONNECTS TO THE MESQUITE HERITAGE
THAT'S, UM, BELTLINE AND BROADWAY INTERSECTION THERE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
OR IS THAT 30? THAT'S THE, UH, THAT'S BELTLINE.
BELTLINE AND BROADWAY ARE THE SAME, AREN'T THEY? YEAH.
THAT'S WHERE THEY KIND OF TRANSITION OVER.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONES WHICH RIGHT THERE.
AND THEY CHANGE NAMES AT SOME POINT.
IT'S LITERALLY AT THE MESQUITE SOUTHERN LINE AS YOU GO DOWN BROADWAY AS YOU GO THAT BRIDGE.
SO, UH, PART OF THAT PROJECT WE HAD NEW BRIDGE, THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE INSTALLED.
THIS IS A 100, IT'S RIGHT AT A HUNDRED FEET.
UM, UH, THE LAST THINGS THAT ARE REMAINING ON THIS ARE SOME, SOME RAILINGS.
UM, PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ACTIVELY WALKING THIS, UH, RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, THE GRASS IS, HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, HAS, HAS THIS MADE IT MORE OPEN? I MEAN, I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, UNHOUSED POPULATION AROUND THAT AREA.
THIS BEFORE THIS PROJECT STARTED, THERE WAS, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT, UM, I THINK JUST BY OPENING IT UP AND, UM, IT'S, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT TODAY.
UM, BUT IT'S DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN NOW AND I GUESS STARTED THIS YEAR 'CAUSE NO ONE EVER REALLY WENT BACK THERE.
IT WAS, THERE WAS NOT MUCH TO TO DO.
YOU GET A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHT, RIGHT.
LIKE TODAY I COUNTED LIKE 15 PEOPLE JUST WALKING THEIR DOGS.
SO, SO IN A WAY I THINK MORE EYES ON AN AREA ARE GOOD, YOU KNOW, SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THE PROJECTS I HAVE THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT TELLING YOU THE FIRST PART OF THIS YEAR.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE LU HUFF, UH, WE HAVE RICK ODEN SPLASH PAD, WIND JOICE.
I SUSPECT THOSE ARE GONNA BE BIDDING AROUND THE SAME TIME.
UM, NOW IT MAY WORK OUT TO WHERE BIDS IN LATE DECEMBER, BUT JUST GIVEN THE HOLIDAYS, WE MAY PUSH THAT TILL, UH, LIKE MAYBE MID-JANUARY.
UM, SO ESSENTIALLY BLUE HUFF, RICK GODIN, SPLASH PAD WIND.
JOYCE COULD BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION AROUND THE SAME TIME.
KINGSLEY WE'RE GONNA HAVE ON BOARD.
UM, THAT'S LOOKING TO BE ABOUT A, PROBABLY A
[01:15:01]
FEBRUARY TYPE BID FOR THAT ONE.UM, TUCKER AS WE KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ROCKING AND ROLLING WITH THAT, UM, NAME AND FOREST TRAIL CONNECTION.
AND LET ME JUMP AHEAD ON THE VERY LAST PART OF THIS, UH, OF THE AGENDA.
I PUT IN SOME TYPICAL DESIGN PHASES AND MILESTONES.
'CAUSE I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT LIKE SD DD, CD.
SO IT'S KIND OF GIVES YOU A, A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT ACTUALLY IS.
UM, AND I, I WANT TO ADD ON TO THAT JUST AS FAR AS LIKE PERCENTAGES AND MILESTONES JUST TO UM, KIND OF HELP EVERYONE BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, 'CAUSE IT HELPS ME SOMETIMES TOO, SO.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON.
I THINK, UH, I THINK I'M GONNA ADD A FEW MORE PROJECTS TO THIS ONE 'CAUSE WE RECENTLY INHERITED A FEW MORE.
SO, UH, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO, LEMME KNOW.
UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF AROUND THIS FOR EITHER YOU OR OR MATT.
UM, IN THE AREAS, IN ALL THESE CONSTRUCTION AREAS, IN ALL THESE AREAS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR PEOPLE, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS WHERE WE'VE GOT, UH, FACILITIES, UM, THE, THE THING THAT HAS BEEN A, A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN, IN AND AROUND OUR CARS WHEN WE'RE DRIVING THROUGH, UH, THERE IS THAT IT'S TERRIBLY DARK.
AND WE'LL START AT AUDUBON BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT ALL, THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTED.
AND, UM, AND WE'RE, HAVE WE DONE ANYTHING TO CONSIDER, HAVE WE DONE ANY STUDIES TO SAY THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF LUMENS THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED, THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED PER SQUARE FOOT OF AREA THAT THEY'RE SERVICING.
YOU KNOW, LUMENS IS THE INTENSITY OF LIGHT.
AND WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING LIGHTS AND MORE LIGHTS AND MORE LIGHTS AND MORE LIGHTS.
NOW THAT WE HAVE LED LIGHTS, I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT NINE LIGHTS AND TREES IN MY FRONT YARD.
AND THOSE NINE LIGHTS ONLY REQUIRES AS MUCH ELECTRICITY AS ONE AND A HALF OF THE LIGHTS THAT I STARTED OUT USING IN THOSE, IN THOSE THINGS YEARS AGO.
AND SO IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT AN ELECTRICAL COST.
AND WE'RE PUTTING UP POLES AND WE'RE PUTTING IN WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR, WE'RE PUTTING UP POLES WHERE WE PUT ONE.
LIGHTAR WAS A PLACE FOR ANOTHER LIGHTAR.
IT'S THE SAME POST, IT'S THE SAME BASE.
UH, AND IT'S JUST THINGS THAT ATTACH UP THERE.
IT IS EXTRA WIRING AND IT'S NOT THAT IT REQUIRES A LOT TO LOAD, BUT, BUT IN, IN THE, IN THE AUDUBON PARK AREA, UH, WHEN TO GO THROUGH THERE WITH THE FEMALES, IT'S THERE, IT IS THE FIRST THING OUTTA THEIR MOUTH EVERY TIME.
YOU, YOU CAN'T, YOU, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LIGHTING HERE TO BE SAFE.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE UPFRONT AREAS AROUND THE PARKING LOTS BETWEEN THE COMPLEX OR ARE WE, ARE WE CONSIDERING THIS AMOUNT OF LIGHTING? ARE WE ALLOWING SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION FOR US? SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING ON, UM, NONE OF THEIR PROJECT THAT'S, I THINK IT'S ON HERE, BUT THE, UH, THE GARLAND AVENUE UNDERPASS, UM, WE'RE UTILIZING SOME SOLAR LIGHTS.
THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE WE'VE USED WITH AS FAR AS THE TRAILS, PARTICULARLY UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE.
'CAUSE WE REALIZE THAT'S CERTAIN AREAS, BUT THE UNDERPASS, THERE'S QUITE CAVERNOUS IF IT'S AT NIGHT, RIGHT? SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, I THINK WE HAVE TWO OR THREE SOLAR LIGHTS WE'RE GONNA USE ON THAT ONE.
WE HAVE THE PANELS LIKE UP ON THE RAILS AND YES, IT HAS TO BE, IT HAS TO BE RESILIENT.
IT HAS TO BE VANDAL PROOF AND, UH, BEING ABLE TO BE, UH, COULD TAKE SOME FLOOD IF NEEDED.
UM, SO WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY DOING THAT AS WELL FOR LIKE RICK ODEN.
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD CASE STUDY TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FIXTURE WE WE HAVE FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, PRIMARILY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS PARKING LOT AREAS AND PARKING LOT AREAS DRIVE THROUGH AREAS AND PLACES WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT NIGHT AND OF COURSE THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE.
BUT, UM, IF WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANY MORE LIGHTING THAN WE STARTED OFF DOING SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD IS GONNA HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND, AND TYPICALLY MOST THINGS ARE EASIER TO ADDRESS EARLY THAN THEY ARE LATER.
I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON WHAT HE'S SAYING THAT ABOUT AUDUBON.
AND WE USED TO GO FROM A TALLER DIFFERENT TYPE OF LIGHT.
AND BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A, UM, WOODED AREA, THE SHORTER, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE MORE INTENSE, YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL IT'S LIT OVER THERE AT NIGHT.
I, I COULD SEE THAT POINT TOO.
I MEAN IT'S, AND A HUNDRED THE FAN PROOF PART IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE WE HAD SOLAR LIGHTS AT HEALTH PARK YEAH.
UP ON, IF THEY WERE ON LIKE ALUMINUM POLES OR SOMETHING AND THE KIDS KNOCKED 'EM OVER, THEY'RE UH, ACTUALLY IN THE CREEK OR AT ONE POINT THEY WERE, I SAW THEM AT, AT WHERE, AT LUKE HEALTH PARK IS RIGHT BY, UM, NAMING AND FOREST.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE FAR EAST END OF SPRING CREEK FOREST.
[01:20:01]
THESE LIGHTS IN AUDUBON ALSO, AND I'LL SHOW UP AFTER THIS, ARE, ARE SO DIM THAT AT A HUNDRED FEET YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT COLOR A CAR IS.THAT'S, YOU CAN IN THE MIDDLE AND NIGHT.
YOU CAN'T TELL, YOU CAN'T TELL WHETHER IT'S A MALE OR A FEMALE THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO I MEAN IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY TO THAT POINT.
AND NOW I'M THROUGH WITH THAT.
THIS WILL BE PROBABLY FROM MATT, BUT, UM, ARE WE DOING ANY, UH, DEDICATION PLAQUES ON EACH OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE DOING? GENERALLY WE HAVE.
THEY HAVE, WE'VE ALWAYS IN THE PAST HAD A PLAQUE WITH A DATED, OPENED, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
OH YEAH, NO, WE ARE OH YEAH, DEFINITELY BE DOING, DOING PLAQUES FOR, FOR ALL OF THE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S ALWAYS A PART THAT GETS, THAT GETS TALKED ABOUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE PROJECT AND THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS TO WHO GOES ON THE PLAQUE AND ALL OF THAT.
SO YES, THEY WILL HAVE DEDICATION PLAQUES.
GIVEN THE DAY, THE DAY OF OPERATION BEGINNING.
UH, BILL GARLAND DAY IS, UH, DECEMBER 16TH.
IS THAT CORRECT,
UH, AND THERE ONE OF THE STOPS WILL BE SURF AND SWIM FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING.
UH, YOU ALL WE HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO JERRY EMAIL.
INVITE JERRY, TELL YOUR WIFE NOT TO DELETE YOUR EMAILS.
UM, BECAUSE IT WILL BE AN EMAIL INVITE THAT WILL COME TO YOU ALL.
UM, WE HAVE GIVEN, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE INFORMATION, Y'ALL'S EMAILS, EMAIL ADDRESSES, IT'LL BE THAT MORNING.
THE TIME THAT IT STARTS USUALLY STARTS 8 39 AND SURF AND SWIM IS THE FIRST STOP.
AND THEN THERE'S THREE OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT THEY'RE NOT PARKS AND REC LOCATIONS.
SO BUILD GARLAND MEANING, UH, GROUNDBREAKING AND NOT LIKE THE FINAL RIBBON CUTTING THING, RIGHT? YEAH.
THE BUILD GARLAND DAY IS ALL OF THE BOND PACKAGES, UH, THE WHOLE BUILD GARLAND 2019 BOND PACKAGE.
AND SO PARKS AND REC HAS A GROUNDBREAKING FOR SURF AND SWIM.
BUT IT COULD BE EITHER GROUNDBREAKING OR IT COULD BE YEAH, EITHER OR.
UM, AND YOU SAID, WHAT TIME DID YOU JUST SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN COMPLETELY SET, FIVE 30, BUT IT IT'LL BE, IT'S GONNA BE FIVE 30.
PROBABLY NO LATER THAN NINE ISH.
UH, IS USUALLY WHEN THAT FIRST STOP IS.
AND WE'RE THE FIRST STOP ON THAT DAY.
WAS THAT NOVEMBER 16TH? YES SIR.
THAT'S JUST IN SO WEEK AND A HALF AWAY HERE.
YEAH, WE PLANNED THOSE THINGS FAST.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO RAIN THAT DAY, ISN'T IT?
THAT'S BOND PACKAGE STUFF THAT RIGHT.
THE OTHER, ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER BOND RELATED QUESTIONS? PROJECTS? I MEAN, IS THERE A BOND UPDATE YOU SAID? NO, WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
SO FUTURE, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER ITEM E DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
MOVING ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, REQUEST FOR THE DECEMBER MEETING MINUTES IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A ONE PAGE, UM, SUMMARY INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES OF WHAT YOU PRESENTED, UH, TODAY FOR THE, UM, ONE THING FOR BUDDY LEAGUE, JUST ONE PAGE, JUST A SUMMARY AND ONE PAGE OF THE CAPRA.
LOT OF STUFF THAT, UH, WAS JUST THE BULLET POINTS.
JUST GIVE YOU THE POWERPOINTS.
I MEAN JUST CAN YOU JUST PUT ONE IN THERE FOR THE, IN THE MINUTES, A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT? YEAH,
MORE DETAIL THAN JUST THE, UM, SEEING THE BULLET POINTS AGAIN, JUST WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
AND ALSO I'D KIND OF LIKE TO SEE AT THE DECEMBER MEETING IF WE, IF YOU WOULD MENTION AGAIN WHAT THE TOUR SITES ARE GONNA BE FOR JANUARY.
'CAUSE I'M, I'M HEARING YOU SAY TUCKER AND SURF AND SWIM AND UM, I DON'T KNOW IF RICK DEN IS ON THERE TOO OR IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SOUTH GARLAND EXTENSION, BUT IF, IF WE COULD SEE WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE GOING IN THE NEXT MONTH.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM THAT LIKE ADDED TO THE LIST? I JUST WANNA SAY I ALWAYS WANT SECURITY TO BE ON THERE PERIODICALLY.
SO JUST TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T DROP OFF THE BACK BURNER.
I WON'T LET IT, UH, YOU WON'T.
[01:25:01]
IN SPRING CREEK FOREST WE'D LOVE TO COME TALK TO, WE CAN TALK FOR 2, 3, 4 HOURS.UM, REPRESENTATIVES HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED TO HER IN A WHILE, HAVE THEY? MM-HMM.
SO MAYBE WE CAN GET THEM ON THE CALENDAR.
PER MAYBE WOULD FEBRUARY BE SOON ENOUGH? WHENEVER YOU WANT IT.
WE'LL WORK WELL WE CAN TALK ABOUT
WAIT, THAT HAPPENS IN DEC FEBRUARY? YEAH, THAT LAST FOURTH SUNDAY OF FEBRUARY.
COULD WE ADD GETTING A REPORT OF OUR, THE DOG PARK? JUST KIND OF SAYING LIKE, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S INCEPTION WHERE WE ARE NOW, HOW MANY VISITORS WE GET, HOW THE, HOW'S THE MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY GOING ON OVER THERE? UM, JUST TO TRACK, SEE ITS SUCCESS SINCE WE GOT IT.
WHEN DID THAT OPEN? IT WAS, IS IT ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD NOW? YEAH.
IT WAS, IT JUST HAD OPENED WHEN I STARTED, SO PROBABLY FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
OH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE ON TRACK TO DO THAT.
AND IT JUST GOT A NEW STRUCTURE TOO.
AND WHAT? AND OH, AND IT JUST GOT A NEW STRUCTURE.
WE GOT NEW STRUCTURES THAT WERE FINISHED LAST SUMMER THAT I WASN'T AWARE OF.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR THE FUTURE? AGENDA ITEMS. SEEING NONE.