[00:00:13] WELL, GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO A TUESDAY EDITION OF OUR WORK SESSION. WE HAVE COMBINED OUR MEETINGS UP TONIGHT. IT IS DECEMBER 10TH, 2024. JUST A QUICK NOTE, COUNCIL. THERE MAY BE. WE'VE GOT OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT OUR REGULAR SESSION SCHEDULED AT SEVEN. I WOULD LIKE TO START THAT AS CLOSE TO SEVEN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL FOLKS COMING. SO THERE DOES EXIST THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY HAVE TO RECESS THE WORK SESSION AND COME BACK AFTER THE REGULAR SESSION FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION PORTION OF IT. SO IF THAT, I'M SURE THAT MADE A LOT OF SENSE TO EVERYBODY. IT SOUNDED WEIRD COMING OUT OF MY HEAD, BUT I'M SURE IT MADE SENSE. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. FIRST ITEM ON OUR WORK SESSION AGENDA THIS EVENING IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP THIS [ CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA Council may ask for discussion or further information on any item posted in the consent agenda of the next Regular Meeting. Council may also ask that an item on the consent agenda be pulled and considered for a vote separate from the consent agenda at the next Regular Meeting. All discussions or deliberations are limited to posted agenda items and may not include new or unposted subject matter.] EVENING. WE'RE MOVING ON TO CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR LATER THIS EVENING. I HAVEN'T [1. Investment Portfolio Summary Staff will provide a copy of the Portfolio Summary Report to Council for this quarter. ] SEEN ANY REQUESTS TO HAVE ANY ITEMS PULLED. MOVING ON TO WRITTEN BRIEFINGS. ITEM ONE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO SUMMARY. AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR VERBAL BRIEFINGS. ITEM TWO INTRODUCTION [2. Introduction of New Attorneys City Attorney Brian England will introduce Kaitlyn Jensen and Michelle Koustoubardis as new Assistant City Attorneys. ] OF NEW ATTORNEYS. MR. ENGLAND. THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCIL, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. I WANT TO INTRODUCE TO THE COUNCIL THE TWO NEWEST MEMBERS OF MY TEAM. I HAVE CAITLIN JENSEN TO MY IMMEDIATE LEFT. SHE IS FROM NORTH TEXAS. FRISCO. I WENT TO UNDERGRADUATE AT UNT, THEWENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT BAYLOR WITH MOST OF THE REST OF MY STAFF, AND SHE'S DONE SOME INTERNSHIPS WITH LEWISVILLE ISD AND ABERNATHY'S FIRM. THIS IS HER FIRST JOB AS A LAWYER AFTER LAW SCHOOL. SHE'S GOING TO SIT FOR THE BAR IN FEBRUARY. AND SHE'S HOPING TO BE A SUPPORT FOR US AND IN OUR TEAM FOR LAND USE PLANNING, CONTRACT AND CIVIL LITIGATION ISSUES. SO SHE'S GOING TO BE A REAL VALUABLE ASSET. SHE IS MARRIED TO HER HUSBAND, CONNOR, AND HAS A SON, ARCHER, WHO'S IN THE SECOND GRADE. AND THEN TWO FROM MY LEFT. SHE'S THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM. THE NEWEST NEW. THE NEWEST NEW. THIS IS MICHELLE BARDIS. IS THAT PRONOUNCED? BATIS? BATIS BATIS? SHE'S ALSO A NORTH TEXAS NATIVE. SHE CAME FROM MCKINNEY ORIGINALLY, AND SO SHE'S ALSO SHE WENT DID HER UNDERGRADUATE AT TEXAS STATE AND THEN WENT TO LAW SCHOOL OUT OF STATE AT LSU. ALL RIGHT. I WAS GOING TO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE. THERE'S A PORTION OF THIS ROOM THAT'S GOING TO APPLAUD THAT. WELL, ALL RIGHT. AS AN AGGIE THAT ALMOST GOT HER CUT. BUT BUT SHE BRINGS A LOT. SO I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS. SO SHE INTERNED AT THE DALLAS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE. DURING LAW SCHOOL. SHE WORKED AT BEN ABBOTT'S FIRM FOR A YEAR, AND SHE'S NOW OUR NEW PROSECUTOR, WHICH IS OUR FIRST NEW FULL TIME PROSECUTOR IN 25 YEARS. WE'VE HAD THE SAME PROSECUTOR IN GARLAND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD FOR HER, FOR THE COURT AND FOR US, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE PROBABLY NEVER DONE BEFORE, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THE WAY WE DO IT NOW IS THE ONLY WAY I'VE EVER KNOWN TO DO IT. AND SO GETTING NEW PEOPLE IN THAT POSITION AND ACTUALLY MEETING WITH OUR COURT DIRECTOR AND WHO'S BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MUNICIPAL COURTS AROUND THE STATE, IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN WE'VE EVER DONE BEFORE. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. HER FIRST DAY WAS ACTUALLY YESTERDAY. SHE GOT TO MEET JUDGE SHELDON, AND THEN SHE ALSO MET JUDGE BANUELOS. SHE'S OFF TO A GREAT START. SHE HAS TWO CATS AND LOVES THEM DEARLY. SO VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. NO. TIGER? NO. ONE OF MY CATS LOOKS LIKE A TIGER. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. SO IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, GO AHEAD AND THROW IT AT THEM. WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY. I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN QUEUE. BUT I WANT TO WELCOME YOU BOTH. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WHAT YOU WILL DO FOR YOUR CAREER HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS, Y'ALL. THAT WAS EASY. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK [3. Administrative Services Committee Report Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lucht, Chair of the Administrative Services Committee, and staff will provide a committee report on the following items: Downtown Square Usage and Policies and Consultant Services for Council Appointee evaluations. The Downtown Square Usage and Policies was requested by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lucht and seconded by Councilmember Beard at the October 10, 2024 Work Session. The Consultant Services for Council Appointee evaluations was referred by staff at the November 4, 2024 Work Session. ] YOU. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE REPORT. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, LOOK. THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS TO PRESENT TONIGHT. THE FIRST OF WHICH WAS FINDING A CONSULTING FIRM TO COORDINATE OUR ANNUAL APPOINTEE PERFORMANCE AND REVIEW PROCESS. DID YOU WANT ME TO DO DOWNTOWN POLICIES FIRST? DOESN'T MATTER. WE CAN DO [00:05:03] THAT ONE FIRST. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN. WE'LL DO THE WE'LL DO THE CONSULTANT SECOND. OKAY. SO STAFF BROUGHT TO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE. THE LOOKING AT THE DOWNTOWN EVENT POLICIES AND BASICALLY. WELL WE ALL VOTED TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WAS TO HAVE ONLY CITY SPONSORED EVENTS DOWNTOWN. AND THEY'LL GO THROUGH THOSE EVENTS IF YOU'LL PULL THOSE EVENTS UP. OR JUST GO AHEAD AND PRESENT THE SLIDES. YEAH. OKAY. WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I MEAN, OKAY, SO FOR THIS DISCUSSION, I JUST WANTED TO DEFINE WHAT DOWNTOWN MEANS IN FOR THIS SPECIFIC DISCUSSION BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES. SO FOR THIS PARTICULAR DISCUSSION, IT'S THE VERY CENTER PORTION OF THE SQUARE AND THE IMMEDIATE FOUR STREETS AROUND IT. AND THEN I JUST ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT SOMETIMES THE USAGE OF THIRD PARTY CAN BE CONFUSING, BUT THIRD PARTY AND NON CITY PRODUCED EVENTS ARE JUST USED INTERCHANGEABLE. SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE OBVIOUSLY IS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY A PLACE TO COME AND ENJOY AND BE A CENTRAL HUB. I LIKE TO SAY IT'S THE LIVING ROOM OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THE ORIGINAL VISION OF THE SQUARE WAS FOR CITY PRODUCED EVENTS TO UTILIZE THE SPACE, BUT ALSO HAVE SMALL ACTIVATIONS THAT ARE ALSO PRODUCED BY VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS. AND THAT'S WHY THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT INTO A PAVILION SPACE. A, YOU KNOW, READING CORNER, THE LAWN THAT WAS ALL BASED ON HAVING DIFFERENT SIZED ACTIVITIES PRODUCED BY DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS. AND SO FOR THAT PARTICULAR REASON, WHEN THE FOCUS GROUPS AND THE DESIGN OF THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE WAS ORIGINALLY HAPPENING, THERE PURPOSELY WAS NOT A USAGE OR RENTAL FEE STRUCTURE CREATED BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY WANTED TO LEAVE IT UNPROGRAMED FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY WHEN THERE WAS NOT A CITY PRODUCED EVENT. SO SINCE THE SQUARE OPENED UP LAST OCTOBER, WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW TYPES OF. APPLICATIONS TO HOLD EVENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE, AND I AM GIVING JUST A SAMPLING OF THAT. BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS DO ALL OF THEM HAVE A BROAD APPEAL, AND ARE THEY MEANINGFUL TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE? AND ALSO THE FACT THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE PARTICULARLY, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S WEDDING, THEN, YOU KNOW, AS A FAIR ENTITY, WE WOULD WANT TO APPROVE ALL WEDDINGS. AND SO JUST THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF BEING COMPLETELY EQUAL IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS AS THEY COME ACROSS OUR DESK. SO WE HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY MULTIPLE ONGOING MARKET VENDORS WHERE THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, 12 SATURDAYS, 12 MONTHLY SATURDAYS. WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE OF THOSE. AND SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO HAVE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, LIKE DO WE DO WE SAY YES TO ALL. OR DOES IT BECOME SO. UNSUSTAINABLE. SO THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE PURPOSE OF SHOWING YOU GUYS THE DIFFERENT VENDORS OR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. WE DID REACH OUT TO A CONSULTANT. HIS RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PRESERVE THE SQUARE FOR CITY PRODUCED EVENTS. IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE QUALITY CONTROL OVER THE EVENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A BROAD APPEAL. IT ALLOWS US TO PROTECT OUR ASSET, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY MEASURES THAT HEALTH REQUIREMENTS. TENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, WEIGHTED CORRECTLY AND THAT THE EVENT HAS A POSITIVE [00:10:01] ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY. AND IN IN THE PROCESS OF THE THIRD PARTIES, IT COMES IT CAN BECOME VERY CHALLENGING FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE NEEDS HAVE BEEN MET, HAVE ALL OF THEIR FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE, HAVE THE APPROPRIATE HEALTH PERMITS, HAVE TENTS BEEN SECURELY FASTENED TO THE GROUND? DOES THE PURPOSE THAT WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR? DOES IT MEET THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE? DOES IT HAVE A BROAD APPEAL TO THE COMMUNITY? IT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO ENJOY, OR SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH IT THAT WE JUST WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND THEN JUST THE, YOU KNOW, CITY RESOURCES THAT IT TAKES, IF THE AMOUNT IS A IF WE ACCEPTED EVERY SINGLE ONE, THE AMOUNT OF CITY RESOURCES WOULD BE CERTAINLY STRETCHED. AND THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL. AND GO AHEAD. MAYOR, IF I MAY, JUST TO CHIME IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT. THIS IS A GOOD PROBLEM FOR US TO HAVE. I MEAN, IT IS A CHALLENGE, BUT IT'S OUR DOWNTOWN SQUARE IS NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE BEING INUNDATED WITH REQUESTS. AND I KNOW DANA SHOWED YOU A FEW OF THE ONES THAT ARE COMING IN, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY. IT WOULD BE EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND, MAYBE EVERY SINGLE DAY, THAT WE WOULD HAVE EVENTS FROM PRIVATE ENTITIES, FOR PROFIT ENTITIES COMING IN AND TAKING THAT OVER. AND WHILE THEY DO A LOT OF THE WORK, OUR STAFF HAS TO SUPPLY TO SUPPORT THAT, WE HAVE STAFF ON SITE FOR EACH ONE OF THESE EVENTS. THE CLEANUP IS OFTEN SIGNIFICANT FOR EACH ONE OF THESE EVENTS. AND ULTIMATELY, WELL, THE OTHER THING IT DOES, IT'S IT MAKES IT TO WHERE WE CAN'T HOST ANY EVENTS ON THERE AS A CITY FOR COMMUNITY TYPE EVENTS. AND THEN IT'S ALSO CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE WANT TO SAVE TIME FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WANT TO COME OUT AND JUST ENJOY THE SQUARE WHERE IT'S NOT PROGRAMED LITERALLY 24 OVER 7 OR 365 DAYS A YEAR. AGAIN, IT'S A GOOD CHALLENGE TO HAVE. SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT OUT. WE BENCHMARKED. WE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO SEE WHAT SOME OTHER CITIES ARE DOING. NOT ALL CITIES DO IT THE SAME, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE DOING IT THE WAY THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED US TO HAVE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS ONLY ON THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE ITSELF. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM. WE HAVE A CHALLENGE. WE HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH REQUESTS, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THOSE AND MANAGE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND ALL THE THINGS, PLUS ALL THE EVENTS. I KNOW YOU REMEMBER THE PRESENTATION THAT DANA DID RECENTLY FOR ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AS A CITY. SO THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT THIS UP AND ASKED TO GO TO THE COMMITTEE. AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR CONSULTANT, WHICH WE AGREE WITH, IS TO TAKE THESE STEPS BACK TO YOU. OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION. AND COUNCILMAN DYLAN HEDRICK ARE ON THE COMMITTEE WITH ME, AND WE WENT THROUGH FAIRLY LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS. BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, KEEP TALKING. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A FEW FOLKS IN THE QUEUE. START OFF WITH COUNCILMEMBER BASS. THANK YOU GUYS. APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I CONCUR. I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN I KNOW IN THINGS THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYER, I BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE FOR THE USE OF THE TAXPAYER. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE ATRIUM BEFORE, FOR EXAMPLE. SO YES, I DO BELIEVE IF WE'RE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON IT, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE FOR TAXPAYER USE. BUT I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. ONE COULD YOU JUST REAL QUICK FOR ME TALK ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES? AGAIN, WHEN YOU REFER TO DOWNTOWN? WELL, FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS, YES. THAT CITY PRODUCED IT'S THE CENTER SQUARE. AND THEN THE FOUR STREETS THAT IMMEDIATELY SURROUND IT. OKAY. AND THEN SO DO YOU HAVE CAN YOU TELL US SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME PAST THIRD PARTY EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THAT WE HAVE HAD ON THE SQUARE? HAVE WE DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF THAT OR HAVE WE NOT APPROVED ANY OR LIKE I'M THINKING ABOUT LIKE THE LABOR DAY PARADE, URBAN MARKET, THOSEE KI OF THINGS. ARE THOSE CONSIDERED THIRD PARTY LABOR DAY PARADE, MLK PARADE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS OR CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. WE WORK WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT THOSE ARE CONSIDERED CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. OKAY. SO THOSE ARE CONSIDERED CITY SPONSORED. OKAY. AND THEN OKAY. AND THEN OTHER ONE I WAS THINKING OF WAS URBAN MARKET. SO THAT ONE IS [00:15:05] CONSIDERED A THIRD PARTY EVENT. OKAY. SO THAT WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED ANYMORE. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY EVENTS THAT WE'VE TYPICALLY HAD THERE THAT WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING ANYMORE? I'M TING TO THINK OF ANY OTHERS. WE'VE WE'VE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REQUESTS SIMILAR TO URBAN MARKET, ODD MARKET. THERE'S ANOTHER MARKET THAT REQUESTED BOHO MARKET. THEY'VE REQUESTED 30 OR 40 DIFFERENT WEEKENDS BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, OTHER ENTITIES THAT JUST WANT TO COME DOWN. AND OF COURSE, USE THE SQUARE. AND ANYBODY CAN GO DOWN THERE AND USE IT. BUT GETTING A PERMIT TO SECLUDE IT JUST FOR THAT ORGANIZATION IS A DIFFERENT IS A DIFFERENT THING. I WOULD JUST YEAH. AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP, THIRD PARTY EVENTS THAT WE HAVE HOSTED HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST, THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO HAVE NOTICE OF THAT, YOU KNOW? SURE. ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE GOING TO I MEAN, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, URBAN MARKET. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY VENDORS THAT IS. IT'S A LOT LOGISTICALLY FOR THEM TO PREPARE FOR. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE COMMUNICATING THOSE THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY APPROVED THAT AREN'T GOING TO APPROVE ANY LONGER. BUT YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I AGREE COMPLETELY. YOU KNOW, AND YEAH, IF YOU DO IT FOR ONE YOU GOT TO DO IT FOR ALL. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK PERFECTLY FOR EVERYBODY. BUT IT'S BEST FOR THE FOR THE CITIZENS OF GARLAND. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. INTERESTING INFORMATION. AND I, I AGREE WITH THE CONSULTANT'S RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT THAT. BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, THESE ORGANIZATIONS WAITING BABY SHOWER, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, THE GROUP, THE CONCERTS, THE BAND ENSEMBLES. THERE'S IN OUR IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. COULD WE IS IT FEASIBLE? TELL ME IF IT'S NOT, CAN WE PROVIDE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WITH SOME ALTERNATIVE SITES IN THE CITY OF GARLAND THAT THEY COULD EITHER RENT OR LEASE FREE OR SOMETHING? WE I THINK THAT TO IF WE ADOPT THIS POLICY, BUT WE DON'T GIVE THE REST OF THE PUBLIC ANY OPTIONS, WE'RE DOING THEM A DISSERVICE. SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? WE DO HAVE OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE, ESPECIALLY FOR RENT. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR FACILITIES. OF COURSE. IT DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE EVENT ITSELF. A LOT OF THEM, THE SMALLER EVENTS, YOU KNOW, COULD THEY DO SOMETHING AT ONE OF THE REC CENTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? SURE. WE COULD SET THAT UP. SOME OF THAT WON'T WORK. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE EVENT AND THE LOCATION, THE MARKET TYPE SITUATIONS, URBAN MARKET, ODD MARKET, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. TYPICALLY IT'S A LOT OF TENTS, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO HELP THEM. ONE, YOU KNOW, LOOK, THEY'VE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS WITH US AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM AND HELP THEM POTENTIALLY FIND A NEW LOCATION IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. SO THERE ARE CERTAIN OPTIONS FOR THE TYPE OF EVENT, BUT NOT FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS REQUESTED FROM US. AND IF WE WERE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS PROVIDING THE OPTIONS, WOULD WE HAVE STAFF? LET'S SAY THEY CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS WANT TO HAVE A FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE. THEYY NOT VFW WHATEVER. CAN WE PROVIDE A NUMBER OR A RESOURCE THAT THAT THAT THEY CAN CONTACT TO GET INFORMATION ON ANOTHER SITE, OTHER OPTIONS. AND BECAUSE THIS WOULD ITSELF BE BE SEPARATED OUT CITY SPONSORED, WOULD WE HAVE WOULD THERE BE A SOURCE FOR THE PUBLIC TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS? SHOULD SHOULD THEY INQUIRE ABOUT THOSE? BECAUSE I'M I'M CONCERNED ABOUT I, I'D WANT I MEAN WE STILL HAVE A SPECIAL EVENTS DEPARTMENT AND WE STILL PERMIT ALL OVER THE CITY AND WE WOULD STILL ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND BE A RESOURCE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BECAUSE I WOULD I'D HATE TO SEE OUR PUBLIC START GOING TO OTHER CITIES. YEAH. NO, WE STILL WORK WITH THEM. AND EVEN IF BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE EVENT THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO DO THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, THAT MAY BE CITY CITY FACILITIES. THERE ARE SOME OTHERS, VFW AND SOME OTHERS THAT [00:20:05] MAY BE THAT ARE PRIVATE ENTITIES. BUT WE MAKE REFERRALS ALL THE TIME NOW AND HAVE BEEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. SO WE WOULD WORK WITH FOLKS TO STILL TRY TO HOLD WHATEVER EVENT THEY WANT SOMEWHERE IN GARLAND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. SO LASTLY, SO ALL OF THE CULTURAL ARTS EVENTS, LET'S SAY WE HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN HERE, DO A CONCERT IN THE SQUARE OR DO A CONCERT AT THE PLAZA. ALL OF THOSE WOULD BE CONSIDERED CITY SPONSORED EVENTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY THEY MAY BE TICKETED EVENTS. YES. YEAH. TYPICALLY ON THE SQUARE WHEN IT'S OPEN LIKE THAT, THAT'S JUST OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THAT WOULDN'T BE TICKETED. THE TICKETED EVENTS WOULD LIKELY HAPPEN EITHER AT THE ATRIUM OR THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT THE PLAZA THEATER, SOME MORE OF A ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, OUT ON THE SQUARE WOULD IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY. I DON'T ENVISION WE WOULD HAVE A TICKETED TYPE EVENT THAT WOULD BE LIKE OUR SUMMER CONCERTS AND THE OTHER TYPE OF CONCERTS, AND WE PARTNER WITH FOLKS ALL THE TIME WHEN WE'RE BRINGING THINGS IN. BUT THOSE ARE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS, BUT THEY'RE FREE TO THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY'RE ON THE SQUARE. SO THIS IS THIS APPLIES STRICTLY TO THE SQUARE. JUST THE SQUARE IS ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. MAYOR PRO TEM MORE. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT'S GONE INTO THIS, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS VERY EQUAL AND THAT NO ONE HAS A HANDS UP ON ANYONE ELSE AS IT RELATES TO THE SQUARE. I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR SOUNDS VERY GOOD. I DO, THOUGH, ECHO THE THOUGHT. WILL THERE BE A PROCESS, THOUGH? BECAUSE WHAT'S WHAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE PRESENTLY IS THAT ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, SAY, BY COUNCIL, THEY'RE ALREADY OUT THERE, THOSE ARE CITY SPONSORED PROJECTS. AND SO WE KNOW WHAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE. BUT WILL THERE BE A PROCEDURE OR A PROCESS BY WHICH AN ENTITY WILL BE ABLE TO SOLICIT BEING A SPONSOR FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALREADY ON THE LIST? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS KIND OF ECHOING WHAT COUNCILMAN WILLIAM IS SAYING. AND THAT IS OUR PEOPLE CERTAINLY WANT TO DO THINGS ON THE SQUARE. THEY'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO WANT TO BE PART OF A WEDDING OR WHATEVER. WILL THERE BE A PROCESS BY WHICH THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SOLICIT TO PETITION THAT THEY CAN BECOME A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, SUCH THAT THEY COULD HOST? I'M THINKING NOW, MOSAIC FESTIVAL THAT WE HAD SOME TIME AGO. OKAY. WILL THERE BE SOME TYPE OF PROCESS FOR THAT? SURE. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE. IF YOU IF YOU THINK BACK FOR OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THOSE EVENTS, WE'RE DOING FAR MORE NOW THAN WE USED TO DO, THAT'S BEEN THAT SAME PROCESS. NOW, THERE DOES EVENTUALLY BECOME A LIMIT IN HOW MANY WE CAN DO THAT KIND OF THING WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND THE TIMING AND THE AND THE DEADLINES AND ALL THE REST OF THAT. BUT WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO PARTNER IF IT MADE SENSE TO DO ANOTHER ONE. I MEAN, WE STARTED THE ASIAN FESTIVAL TWO YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE, WHICH WAS A NEW ONE. WE'VE DONE OTHER EVENTS, LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY TO START UP THE KINDS OF THINGS. JUNETEENTH STARTED THREE YEARS AGO, RIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS. YOU KNOW, WE WOULD EVALUATE THOSE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS AVAILABLE AND WHAT IS THAT COMMUNITY IMPACT. GOOD. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE OUTLINED THAT IN THE WAY OF THE LANGUAGE, SUCH THAT PEOPLE DO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A I MEAN, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T OVER EXTEND OURSELVES. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS A PROCESS BY WHICH YOU CAN BECOME PART OF BECAUSE REALLY, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, DANA, THE CONCERTS, THE MUSIC IN THE ALLEYS, AND I MEAN, ALL THAT STUFF HAS BEEN CITY SPONSORED. THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS NOT BEEN CITY SPONSORED. BUT IN THE CASE OF SOMEONE WHO REALLY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING AND THEY'RE NOT ON THE LIST, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED. I THINK WE DO NEED A PROCESS BY WHICH THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT APPEAL. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS. ANY ADDITIONAL BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN A LIST OF EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT WITH THIS NEW PROVISION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE BECAUSE I, I THINK LIKE WHEELS OF HOPE LIKE IS THAT THAT WOULD BE WHEELS OF HOPE WOULD STILL BE I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL CITY SPONSORED AND WHAT ALL IS NOT. SO I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. SO FOR CLARIFICATION, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. I THINK [00:25:05] THAT DOING AWAY WITH SOMETHING LIKE URBAN MARKET, THAT HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC TO THE SQUARE, I THINK IS KIND OF A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THEM. THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SQUARE IS TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES. AND WE HEARD THAT FOR SO LONG IS, YOU KNOW, HELP OUR HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DOWN ON THE SQUARE. BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THEM ANY JUSTICE BY GETTING RID OF THAT FOOT TRAFFIC. SHOULD THERE BE RULES AND LIMITATIONS? SURE. I THINK WE HOLD PLENTY OF CITY EVENTS THAT DON'T MAKE EVERY. THAT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE. SO TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW IT SHOULD BE AN EVENT THAT EVERYONE WOULD WANT TO COME TO, I THINK IS IT'S BS BECAUSE WE, NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO CHRISTMAS, RIGHT? NOT EVERYONE CELEBRATES THOSE HOLIDAYS. NOT EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT WHATEVER. SO I DON'T I JUST THINK THAT URBAN MARKET IS KIND OF A BIG ONE THAT HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC TO THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, AND TO DO AWAY WITH THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK, IS I DON'T KNOW THAT IT DOES US ANY JUSTICE EITHER. SO THTHAT'S MY THOUGHT ON THAT. AND THEN WHAT DOES THAT PUT OUR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT LIKE WHAT WHAT WOULD THEY DO AT THAT POINT LIKE BECAUSE DOING WE HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT THAT'S THAT WORKS ON GETTING EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. RIGHT. YEAH. SO WE CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING. WE'RE JUST LIKE THE PRESENTATION WE HAD HERE RECENTLY WHERE DANA PRESENTED. THAT'S JUST THE SPECIAL EVENTS DEPARTMENT AND ALL THE EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW. SOME OF THOSE ARE CITYWIDE, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN. DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DOES WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN AND WORKS ON SOME OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES. SO NONE OF THAT SHOULD CHANGE. THIS IS STILL FULLY ENGAGED, FULLY INVOLVED. IN FACT, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MANAGE WE'RE WE'RE OVERWHELMED WITH THE WONDERFUL REQUESTS. MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD REQUESTS. WE JUST CAN'T MANAGE ALL OF THEM. AND WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK FOR WHERE IS THAT LINE? WHAT DO OTHER CITIES DO? THAT'S WHY WE WENT THROUGH THE CONSULTANT AND TRIED TO FIND THAT. AND WHERE IS THAT LINE? AND IT'S NOT AN EASY THING FOR US TO EVEN TO RECOMMEND THAT AS WELL. URBAN MARKET'S BEEN A GOOD PARTNER. THERE ARE FOR PROFIT ENTITY. BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE HOW DO WE SAY YES TO ONE AND SAY NO TO ALL THE REST THAT WANT TO DO THE SAME THING? AND IT REALLY OPENED OUR EYES WHEN ODD MARKET AND BOHO MARKET REQUESTED 30 OR 40 WEEKENDS DOING THE SAME THING. AND THAT REALLY BECAME OUR CHALLENGE. HOW DO WE JUGGLE ALL OF THAT? WHO DO WE SAY YES TO AND WHO DO WE SAY NO TO? AND THAT BECAME THAT BECAME THE PROBLEM. THAT BECAME THE CHALLENGE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE STRUGGLED WITH THAT TOO. WHEN YOU'VE GOT FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS WITH YOU FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE. BUT THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY QUESTION, WAS, WELL, ME SORRY, MAYOR. GO AHEAD. OKAY. I AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH ONE EXCEPTION. AND THAT IS THE URBAN MARKET. AND HERE'S HERE'S WHY. HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE ON THIS. THE URBAN MARKET WANTED TO BE DOWNTOWN WHEN NOBODY ELSE EVEN CARED OR KNEW IT EXISTED. THEY HAVE THEY HAVE BEEN DOWN HERE WITH US FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND YES, THEY ARE A FOR PROFIT ENTITY, BUT THEY HAVE A NONPROFIT PARTNER THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT SOME SORT OF PROVISION TO CALL IT GRANDFATHERED THEM IN OR WHATEVER, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR COMMITMENT THAT THEY MADE A LONG TE AGO BEFORE ANY OF THESE OTHER MARKETS EVEN KNEW DOWNTOWN WAS THERE. THEY ARE. AND IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE WATCHED THAT MARKET SORT OF CHANGE OVER THE YEARS. IT WENT I THINK THE INITIAL I MEAN, WE WERE INVOLVE. THE CITY WAS INVOLVED IN IT BACK IN ITS EARLIEST DAYS. AND THE VISION WAS, YOU KNOW, A FARMER'S MARKET, A THING LIKE THAT. AND YOU KNOW, IT. IT IS PROBABLY NOT A FARMER'S MARKET NOW. IT'S MORE OF A CRAFT MARKET, HONESTLY. BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. BUT THE OTHER THE OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS I AGREE WITH. BUT. YOU KNOW, SIMPLY BASED ON THEIR THEIR LOYALTY AND THEIR COMMITMENT, I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING [00:30:02] FORWARD WITH THE URBAN MARKET AND NOT GOING FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE OTHER REQUESTS FOR A MARKET TYPE EVENT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S I THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I'M AT ON THAT. AND TO, YOU KNOW, TO SOME OF THESE OTHER, YOU KNOW, AND DANA AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, JUDD AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION A LOT OF THE YOU KNOW, WHAT'S FUNNY IS A LOT OF THE REQUESTS THAT WE GET THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO DO ANY NUMBER OF THINGS DOWN HERE AT THE SQUARE. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THEY COULD DO WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION. YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED DOWN THERE, HAVE FUN. YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO HAVE A GRADUATION DOWN THERE? GO FOR IT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE A LOT OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THEY'RE BRINGING IN TENTS OR STAGES OR SOUND EQUIPMENT OR, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THOSE CATERING THINGS, WHATEVER. BUT YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR ANNIVERSARY PARTY DOWN THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO STOP YOU. AND I WOULD SAY AGAIN, HAVE FUN. SO I THINK THERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IDEA THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWING WEDDINGS OR THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWING CHURCH SERVICES OR WHATEVER IT IS, IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO NOT ALLOW THAT. SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE WE'RE SLAMMING THE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS THERE. BUT I DEFINITELY I DEFINITELY DO NOT AGREE WITH CUTTING OUT THE URBAN MARKET. I HAD TROUBLE WITH IT. ALSO, MY HUSBAND HAS A BOOTH WITH THE URBAN MARKET AND HAS FOR OVER A YEAR, AND IT DIDN'T COME LIGHTLY. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WERE OTHER MARKETS THAT WERE DENIED USE OF THE SQUARE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR POLICIES FIGURED OUT OR WHATEVER. AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY UNFAIR TO ALLOW ONE AND NOT ALLOW ANOTHER. THAT THAT'S REALLY ALL IT CAME DOWN TO WAS EQUITY. I, I LOVE THE URBAN MARKET. LIKE I SAID, I'VE, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY HAS BENEFITED FROM IT AND I HATE TO SEE IT GO. I THINK THERE ARE SOME LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE ON THE SATURDAYS THAT THEY'RE THERE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I LOVE THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN THE, AND I LOVE THE PEOPLE THAT COME DOWN THERE FOR IT. AND HERE AGAIN, IT WAS JUST ALL ABOUT BEING FAIR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT OLD MARKET WAS TOLD, NO, YOU CAN'T. WE'RE NOT LETTING ANYBODY ELSE COME. AND THEY'RE LIKE, BUT URBAN MARKETS, THEY'RE YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT THEY WEREN'T THERE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I TOTALLY GET THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL SO THAT WE COULD ALL DECIDE AS A GROUP AND, AND FIGURE IT OUT THAT WAY. MAYOR PRO TEM MOORE, NORMALLY ONE TIME IS ENOUGH AND I'M THROUGH WITH THAT, BUT I REALLY DO GET THAT DILEMMA THAT YOU HAVE. AND THAT IS ALL OF THESE REQUESTS COMING AT YOU AND YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO SAY YES AND NO. BUT JUST BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING PRESENTLY AND THAT THAT IS SOME TYPE OF WAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A PROCESS, THOUGH, BY WHICH WE LOOK AT EACH OF THESE ENTITIES. AND THAT'S THE PIECE THAT YOU'RE SAYING, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THAT. BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY CARTE BLANCHE. NO, I THINK THAT OUR CITIZENRY IS GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS THERE. OKAY. NOW, DON'T YOU KNOW, I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE EQUALITY. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT ANOTHER WAY. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME PROCESS BY WHICH TO EVALUATE. THAT'S ALL THAT I'M SAYING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS. MY QUESTION IS, AND I'M STILL IN FAVOR OF THE POLICY WITH THE CONDITION, I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR ON URBAN MARKET. BUT THE IMPACT OF THIS ONE COMMUNITY THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT. AND DID YOU ALL GET ANY FEEDBACK FROM OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS AS TO THE IMPACT OF WHETHER WHATEVER WE DO. THAT OR DID YOU DID YOU SEE A NEED TO? I'M JUST RAISING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SQUARE [00:35:04] AND IT'S HOT. NOW. THE SQUARE IS A HOT ITEM NOT AS HOT OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S A HOT PLACE. AND I'M WONDERING IF WE MIGHT NOT COME UP WITH SOME, SOME METHOD TO GET SOME FEEDBACK BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION ON THIS FROM OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS TO THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION. THAT THE MAIN COMMENTS THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES IS THAT THEY ST DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO CLOSE THE STREETS ANY ADDITIONAL TIMES. THAT'S THE MAIN COMMENT.OT, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A WEDDING, BUT JUST THE MAIN COMMENT IS THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE STREETS CLOSED ANY ADDITIONAL TIMES. THEY THEY FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT THE RIGHT NUMBER AT THIS TIME OF THE OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE CLOSE THE STREETS. SO THEY RAISED NO CONCERNS ABOUT IMPACTING ON BUSINESS. BUSINESS BUSINESSES. I MEAN, THEY DO APPRECIATE ANYTHING THAT BRINGS THAT FOOT TRAFFIC AS, AS COUNCILMAN DUTTON MENTIONED, THEY DO APPRECIATE ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO BRING FOOT TRAFFIC TO DOWNTOWN. VERY MUCH SO. BUT THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THIS WOULD NECESSARILY NEGATE A ADVERSE AFFECT, ANY OF THE TRAFFIC. I MEAN, THEIR ONLY CONONCERN IS THAT WE I MEA, I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S THEIR ONLY CONCERN. THAT'S NOT THEIR ONLY CONCERN, BUT THAT'S THE COMMENT YOU HEAR MOST GENERALLY IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT THE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT THE ROAD IS CLOSED AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME. OKAY, OKAY. SO IF I THINK IF I CAN CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT MAY HELP, WE CAN WE CAN SUSTAIN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. OUR CHALLENGE HAS BEEN ALL THESE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING IN. THAT'S I, I CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT. I DON'T HAVE I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE WHOLE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND SAY, STOP TAKING CARE OF THE 63 PARKS AND ALL THE FACILITIES AND COME TAKE CARE OF THESE TYPES THINGS. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING 40 MORE EVERY WEEKEND, AND OTHER EVENTS WOULD COME ON TOP OF THAT. WE EVEN DISCUSSED AT ONE POINT ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT IF YOU WHAT IF THEY PAID THE COST. WE, YOU KNOW, STAFF TIME BARRICADES, SOMETIMES PORTA POTTIES, SOMETIMES POLICE, WHATEVER THAT COST IS. WELL, EVEN IF THEY REIMBURSE THE CITY EVERY PENNY OF THAT COST, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO IT 52 WEEKS A YEAR TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE WHAT HAS BEEN ONGOING, AND IT'S A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION. WE HAD IT AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL ABOUT URBAN MARKET. THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER. WE REALLY STRUGGLED WITH THAT. THE ISSUE ISN'T TEN TIMES A YEAR FOR URBAN MARKET. THE ISSUE IS ADDITIONAL 40 TIMES. AND THAT'S JUST NOW THAT DOES IF WE IF WE OPENED IT UP AND WE HAD SOMEHOW THE RESOURCES TO DO ANOTHER EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND, WHAT OTHER REQUESTS WOULD COME IN? WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THE CONSULTANT SAID THAT THEY FOUND IN MANY OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO IT'S TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE. AND ULTIMATELY, AS MUCH AS WE'D LOVE TO SAY YES TO PRETTY MUCH EVERY ONE OF THESE, WE LOVE THE EVENTS. WE LOVE FOLKS COMING DOWNTOWN. WE WANT TO SAVE IT. AS THE MAYOR SAID, IF FOLKS JUST WANT TO WALK OUT ON THERE AND THEY DON'T NEED A PERMIT FOR, YOU KNOW, SOUND EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, OR HEALTH TYPE THINGS OR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME DOWN HERE, ENJOY THE SQUARE, ENJOY DOWNTOWN, ENJOY THE BUSINESSES. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO. BUT THAT WAS OUR STRUGGLE. NOT SO MUCH URBAN MARKET, BUT IT WAS JUST DEALING WITH THESE OTHER. AND THERE'S TWO RIGHT NOW AND WE CAN AND THIS THIS WOULD BE A STAFF POLICY. IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT INTO COUNCIL POLICY. THIS WOULD BE HOW DO WE HANDLE THIS AS A CITY WHEN THESE THINGS WANT TO COME TO OUR DOWNTOWN. AND IT'S JUST SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MANAGE THAT. THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN GOING WITH. AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT OUT AND GOT A CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE DOING, HOW BEST TO TRY TO MANAGE THIS. AND WE KNOW IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE, BUT THAT'S BEEN OUR STRUGGLE. SO IF IT'S COUNCIL'S PREFERENCE, COULD WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING? YES. IT'S JUST NEW [00:40:01] REQUESTS THAT WOULD COME IN WOULD WOULD OVERWHELM US WITH AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT. THE CLEANUP ON THESE EVENTS IS SIGNIFICANT. IT TAKES SIGNIFICANT STAFF TIME TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN UP EVERY ONE. SOMETIMES THEY BRING GRAFFITI, EVEN THOUGH YOU TELL THEM NOT TO. SOMETIMES THERE'S TRASH, THERE'S THINGS OUT THERE AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT, AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT NICE AND CLEAN AND LOOKING GOOD FOR THE CITY STAFF TIME. IT'S JUST A LOT AND WE CAN MANAGE WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. NEW REQUESTS WOULD BE THE CHALLENGE AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF REQUESTS THAT HAVE COME IN THAT WE HAVE JUST PUT OFF, AS WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO REVISE OUR POLICIES AND, AND REALLY, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STUCK. WHICH YOU YOU JUST BROUGHT IT HOME TO ME. RESOURCES WE HAVE TO HAVE. SO I'M IN SYNC SUPPORT FOR THE REASONS THAT I THINK THAT IS A LEGITIMATE, VERY RATIONALE FOR IT. AND IF WE CAN'T SUPPORT IT WITH STAFF, WE SHOULDN'T DO IT. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I THINK YOU MEANT CONFETTI, NOT GRAFFITI. I WAS LIKE, BECAUSE NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO BRING GRAFFITI IN HERE. YES. THANK YOU. AND PLEASE DON'T TELL MY WIFE I SAID SO COUNCIL MEMBER BASS, SHE'LL NEVER THANK YOU. YEAH. JUST REAL QUICK. YEAH. AND OF COURSE, I'M GLAD THAT I BROUGHT UP URBAN MARKET. RIGHT. SO I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, URBAN MARKET'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER AND THEY WE SHOULD FIND A WAY TO GRANDFATHER THEM IN ON THE ON THE SUBJECT OF EQUITY. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THIS HAS COME UP BEFORE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A QUESTION OF FAIRNESS OR WHERE WE'RE HOW EQUITABLE IT IS, YOU KNOW, AS A GOVERNING BODY, GOVERNING BODY, EVERY SINGLE DECISION WE MAKE IS NOT EQUITABLE, PERIOD. IT'S NOT EVERY SINGLE DECISION WE MAKE NEGATIVELY AFFECTS SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT DECISION. THE MOMENT WE DECIDED TO SPEND $23 MILLION ON DOWNTOWN THAT AFFECTED EVERY OTHER AREA THAT'S NOT DOWNTOWN, EVERY TIME WE APPROVE A ZONING CHANGE AND SUP A PD, ANY OF THAT, THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECTS EVERYONE WHO IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT. SO THERE'S LITERALLY NOTHING WE DO THAT IS EQUITABLE. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVER MAKE A DECISION THAT'S EQUITABLE. WE'RE NOT. AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT IT'S A PART OF OUR POSITION THAT WE HAVE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THANK YOU MAYOR. LET'S SEE. COUNCILMEMBER ART, I TOO ALSO THINK THAT THE URBAN MARKET NEEDS TO FIND SOME WAY TO BE A PART OF BEING ALLOWED BECAUSE IT HELPS WITH THE HOMETOWN FEEL THAT WE TRY TO HAVE. AND IT PERHAPS WE COULD SOLVE THIS BY MAKING THE URBAN MARKET AN UNFUNDED CITY SPONSORED EVENT. BECAUSE IF THEY WENT AWAY, IF THEY WERE GONE, WOULDN'T WE WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD REPLACE THEM. WE LIKE WE WOULD HAVE A SCHEDULE OF SOMETHING, A SEASON OF WHAT WE DO FOR THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS. WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE THEY THEY DO PARTNER WITH A NONPROFIT, BUT THEY CHARGE PER TENT. THE OTHER EVENTS WE HAVE, WE DON'T CHARGE, BUT WE PEOPLE WALK AROUND, PEOPLE WALK AROUND AMONGST THE VENDORS AND THEY DON'T. THEY'RE NOT CHARGED A GATE FEE. IT'S THE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE THAT ARE SHOWING THEIR WARES OR PAYING TO BE PART OF IT. CORRECT. IT'S SO IT'S NOT REALLY THE PUBLIC THAT'S THAT'S BEING BURDENED. YEAH. WE HAVE TO. WE WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW. BUT I THINK THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO STILL PARTNER WITH URBAN MARKET, AS THEY'VE BEEN DOING ALREADY. WE WORK WITH NON-PROFITS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR THE APPROPRIATE ENTITIES. AND THAT KIND OF THING IS THE ONLY REASON I'M HESITATING HERE TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT THE RIGHT WAY AND WE CAN. AND I THINK WE CAN DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND WORK WITH THEM IN THE MANNER THAT THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. SO THE WAY THAT I'M LOOKING AT IT IS THAT WE HAVE A WE HAVE THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE AND WE WANT IT TO BE USED. WE WANT TO PROGRAM THE USE OF THAT SQUARE WHEN WE'RE CORDONING IT OFF FOR THINGS. PART OF THAT WOULD BE FOR CONCERTS, WHICH WE DO, AND PART OF THAT WOULD BE FOR FESTIVAL OR CRAFT TYPE THINGS LIKE WHAT THIS IS AND WHETHER IT BE THEM OR SOMEONE ELSE OR SOMETHING THAT WE STRUCTURED, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE PART OF OUR RATIONALE OF USING THE SQUARE FOR CITY SPONSORED PURPOSES. THAT'S JUST THE WAY THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IT. I DO THINK [00:45:04] THAT THEY SHOULD BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD. YOU BET. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER HEDRICK, THANK YOU. MAYOR, ONE QUESTION. WE DON'T LEASE OR RENT OUT SPACE ON THE SQUARE RIGHT NOW. WHAT'S TO PREVENT ONE OF THESE OTHER MARKETS FROM SHOWING UP REALLY EARLY IN THE MORNING, SETTING UP THEIR TENTS ON A MORNING THAT THE URBAN MARKET WOULD BE THERE? THEY WOULD NEED THEY WOULD NEED A PERMIT FOR THE TYPES OF THINGS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WE ISSUE A PERMIT ALREADY FOR URBAN MARKET. YES. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. AND COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON. SO IT KIND OF BOGGLES MY MIND THAT WE ARE NOT CHARGING PEOPLE FOR PORTA POTTIES OR BARRICADES. BUT ALSO, WHY ARE WE GETTING PORTA POTTIES WHEN WE BUILT A WHOLE BATHROOM DOWNTOWN? THAT'S KIND OF SILLY. I JUST I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE MISSED AND IT'S OUR OWN DOING. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LIKE OVERTHINKING OR NOT FULLY THINKING THE PROCESS OUT, BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN EVENT, AT THE ATRIUM, RIGHT, YOU WANT TO USE A MICROPHONE AT THE ATRIUM, YOU'RE GETTING CHARGED EXTRA IF YOU WANT TO. IF YOU WANT TO USE THEIR TREES, YOU'RE GETTING CHARGED EXTRA. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T DO THAT WITH OUR SQUARE WHEN IT'S IN SUCH HIGH DEMAND. IF YOU IF YOU REQUIRE BARRICADES, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THEM. LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE EATING THE COST FOR THOSE THINGS. SO THAT'S ITS OWN THING. BUT SECONDLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ROAD CLOSURES. HOW MANY TY EVENTS VERSUS THIRD PARTY EVENTS HAVE THE ROADS CLOSED? HOW MANY THIRD PARTY EVENTS DO WE HAVE THAT HAVE HAD ROAD CLOSURES? I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME. NO, THOSE ARE CITY. THOSE ARE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. I ASKED HOW MANY THIRD PARTY EVENTS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE LARGE MAJORITY OF ROAD CLOSURES ARE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. WOULD I BE CORRECT? SURE. THAT IS RIGHT IN THE URBAN MARKET. DOESN'T CLOSE STREETS, CLOSES SOME PARKING, BUT NOT STREETS, RIGHT? JUST TO BE CLEAR, THEY'RE CORRECT, RIGHT. THAT YEAH. SO. I DON'T KNOW I DON'T I DON'T AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AS IT IS I THINK THAT. THERE'S SOME OTHER AVENUES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST THINK THAT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WE'RE GOING TO TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THIS AND BE LIKE, OH, THAT WAS A BAD IDEA. AND I, I, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T I CAN'T AGREE WITH IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO BENEFIT FROM THE EVENTS THAT ARE THERE NOW. RIGHT. SO EXAMPLE WOULD BE KRAMPUS. THEY GOT DENIED FOR A PERMIT. THEY DIDN'T REALLY NEED A PERMIT. NOPE. SO LIKE SCOTT WAS SAYING, THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING PEOPLE FROM GOING DOWN THERE. BUT THERE IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TELLING PEOPLE, HEY, YOU DON'T REALLY NEED A PERMIT. THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN THAT CAN STOP YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS FROM GOING DOWN ON THE SQUARE AND WALKING AROUND. SO WE'RE KIND OF. WE'RE NOT BEING THE MOST HONEST. I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE NOT HONEST, BUT IF. YEAH, WELL, I THINK THE ASSUMPTION HAS BEEN THAT THEY NEEDED A PERMIT. WELL, WE WERE, BUT WE LET THEM BELIEVE THAT. WELL, THEY, THEY NEEDED A PERMIT. THEY DO FOR THEY HAD AMPLIFIED SOUND REQUEST. THAT'S WHAT THEY NEEDED A PERMIT FOR. BUT THEY DID NOT NEED ONE TO, TO PARADE OR WALK AROUND. BUT THEY HIT TWO MARKS THAT REQUIRE A PERMIT. AND THAT WAS AN EXPECTATION OF OVER 100 PEOPLE AND AMPLIFIED SOUND. SO THAT'S THOSE WERE THE TWO ITEMS THAT REQUIRED A PERMIT. OKAY, OKAY. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL, I THINK WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THERE'S A DESIRE TO CONTINUE WITH THE URBAN MARKET. AND I THINK IF YOU'LL GIVE US A CHANCE TO GO BACK AND COLLABORATE WITH THEM AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THE REST OF THE POLICY SOUNDS PRETTY INTACT, BUT WE WOULD IF YOU CAN GIVE US SOME INDICATION OF THAT, THAT THAT YOU'RE OKAY. GENERALLY WITH THE POLICY, WE CAN GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WHAT THE URBAN MARKET DYNAMIC LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD. I THINK WE'LL BE HAPPY TO CIRCLE BACK TO BACK TO YOU ON THAT ON THAT PARTICULAR POINT. WELL, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW. AS FAR AS THE OTHER MARKETS ARE [00:50:05] CONCERNED, YES, THEY THOSE, THOSE OTHER MARKETS ARE HITTING MORE OF A SPECIALTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT THERE IS NOTHING TO STOP THOSE OTHER MARKET ATTENDERS OR VENDORS FROM RENTING A SPACE AT THE URBAN MARKET AND PUTTING THEIR WARES OUT THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF YES AND NO. I MEAN, LET'S LET'S JUST BE HONEST HERE. THERE'S ARE THERE IS YESES AND NOS HERE. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY YES TO EVERYONE. WE CAN SAY NO TO SOME OF THESE FOLKS. IT IS THAT IS PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE. AND THERE IS NOTHING STOPPING WHATEVER. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE OTHER MARKET WAS THAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS STOPPING ONE OF THOSE VENDORS FROM PAYING FOR A BOOTH AT THE URBAN MARKET. YOU KNOW? SO BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE. WE ARE WE ARE DISALLOWING WE ARE LOOKING AT DISALLOWING SOMETHING THAT HAS REALLY BECOME A STAPLE SORT OF THING DOWN HERE. IT DOESN'T BLOCK STREETS FOR THAT ONE. WE DON'T BRING IN PORTA POTTIES FOR THAT ONE. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY. WE HAVE SOME BARRICADE EXPENSE FOR BLOCKING SOME PARKING OFF OR WHATEVER. BUT REALLY THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR THEM. SO, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD WITH A, WITH A POLICY THAT ALLOWS, YOU KNOW, AS MITCH HAS SAID, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS SUSTAINABLE. WELL, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING INCLUDES THE URBAN MARKET. SO THAT STATEMENT IN AND OF ITSELF, I THINK PRETTY MUCH SHOULD CLEAR THIS UP. AND FOR, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS WHO HAVE MAYBE MISINTERPRETED OUR WORDS OR OUR LACK OF WORDS, THAT THEY NEED A PERMIT TO STAND AROUND ON THE SQUARE, LET ME JUST BE VERY CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY. YOU DO NOT NEED A PERMIT TO STAND AROUND ON THE SQUARE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THIS INTERNET BABBLE, CHATTER THAT GETS GOING ON, THAT THE CITY IS NOT ALLOWING SOMETHING OR THAT WE'RE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST SOME EVENT IS JUST UTTERLY RIDICULOUS. AND SO LET'S JUST GET THAT OUT THERE. I SORRY, THIS IS WE'RE WE'RE REALLY GRINDING SOME SAUSAGE UP HERE FOR THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY I THINK IT'S ALL WE'RE ALL PRETTY SET ON. OBVIOUSLY THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN SPONSORING AND THE NEW EVENTS THAT HAVE COME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THE URBAN MARKET SHOULD GO FORWARD. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A HUGE DISPARITY THERE. I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS THAT IS MY THOUGHTS ON THIS. BUT WE'RE WE'RE REALLY. ANYWAY SO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE WAS TO ALLOW THE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS NOT INCLUDING THIRD PARTY EVENTS. CORRECT. YES, SIR. VERIFICATION. YES, SIR. CITY MANAGER MADE A RECOMMENDATION. THAT'S RELATED TO THIS. A SECOND PART REGARDING URBAN MARKET IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS CONSIDERATION? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. I WILL COME BACK TO THAT. MAYOR PRO TEM MORE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MY CONCERN CONTINUES NOT TO HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE WRITTEN UP, HOW THE COMMITTEE AND I THINK THAT CITY MANAGER HAS ATTEMPTED TO PUT SOME LANGUAGE TO IT, BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S STILL VERY AMBIGUOUS. DOES THIS NEED TO GO BACK TO COMMITTEE? THAT'S THE PIECE THAT I MISSED. IS THIS THIS STARTED AT THE COMMITTEE, AND IT SHOULD GO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF LET US WORK OUT THE SAUSAGE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TAKE IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE. IF COMMITTEE CHAIR IS AMENABLE TO THAT, I THINK IT IS OKAY. YES, SIR. MR. ENGLAND, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. SO TONIGHT DURING THIS CONVERSATION, IT BECAME, IF IT BECAME APPARENT TO ME THAT THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE HAS A CONFLICT WITH THE DISCUSSION OF URBAN MARKET, I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT UNTIL TONIGHT. AND SO I'VE ASKED HER THAT SHE MIGHT CONSIDER NOT PARTICIPATING IN THAT ASPECT OF THIS DISCUSSION. AND SO TO THAT DEGREE, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO SEND IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF THIS DISCUSSION. AND SO THAT'S JUST MY ADVICE. IT SOUNDS LIKE AND ALSO INSTRUCTED HER, [00:55:06] JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, ALSO SAID THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'S INTEREST BY BY SAYING NO THIRD PARTIES, BUT THE FACT THAT HER SPOUSE PARTICIPATES IN THE URBAN MARKETS IS PROBLEMATIC. AND SO THAT W WAS MY ADVICE TO HER. JUT SO EVERYBODY IS CLEAR ON THAT. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. WOW. I THINK WE'VE I THINK I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON HERE TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THIS BACK TO COMMITTEE. BUT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE IT TO COMMUNITY SERVICES. AND WE WILL COME BACK AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. BUT THE DIRECTION TO THE TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, I THINK YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH HEARD EVERYTHING WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE TONIGHT. AND AS FAR AS OUR POLICIES MOVING FORWARD, IT WOULD BE MY IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION FOR THOSE CONSIDERATIONS AS WELL, TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHAT DOES NOT NEED PERMITTING ON THE SQUARE. IF WE'RE GOING TO IF, IF WE'RE GOING TO THROW THIS STUFF OUT THERE, LET'S MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO WITHOUT US, WITHOUT OUR INVOLVEMENT, WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, FOLKS. GUESS WHAT? WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RECESS THE WORK SESSION TO MOVE OVER TO OUR REGULAR SESSION. SO WE WILL COME BACK. WE WILL PICK UP ITEM THREE WHERE WE LEFT OFF. WE STILL HAVE ADDITIONAL THERE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS AND A WORK SESSION AND A EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO AT 656 WE WILL PLACE THIS WORK SESSION IN RECESS. AND IF I COULD ASK GOOD EVENING. WE ARE COMING BACK FROM RECESS. THIS IS THE DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 WORK SESSION FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. WE RECESSED IN THE MIDDLE OF ITEM THREE. WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE SECOND PART. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. LOOK. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A SECOND ITEM THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE LOOKED AT. AND THAT WAS THE FIRMS THAT WOULD ASSIST US IN THE ANNUAL APPOINTEE PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS. SO THIS IS WHERE THE TWO MUNICIPAL JUDGES, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY AUDITOR ARE WHERE THEIR CONTRACTS ARE REVIEWED. AND TYPICALLY OUR HR DIRECTOR WOULD THE CITY'S HR DIRECTOR WOULD ASSIST US IN THAT PROCESS. AND JUST TO HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, WE'VE DECIDED TO GO WITH A FIRM TO CONDUCT THAT PROCESS WITH COUNCIL AS OPPOSED TO A STAFF MEMBER THAT DIRECTLY REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHO IS ONE OF THE APPOINTEES. SO WE WENT THROUGH SIX FIRMS AND SETTLED ON ONE THAT YOU HAVE A PACKET IN FRONT OF YOU. CLEAR CAREER PROFESSIONALS, LLC, THE PRESIDENT IS MICHAEL BAYS, AND HE WAS ACTUALLY HERE EARLIER, BUT HE HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE WE TOOK TOO LONG. SO. THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE KIND OF SOLIDIFIED THAT KIND OF SOLIDIFIED OUR DECISION. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT FOLLOWED UP AND ASKED HOW OUR MEETING WENT AND WHO WE CHOSE. I DIDN'T RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM ANY OF THE OTHER FIRMS AT ALL. I DID GET A SECOND DOCUSIGN FROM ONE OF THEM, BUT THERE WAS NO MESSAGE ATTACHED TO THAT AT ALL. SO CLEAR CAREER PROFESSIONALS. THE OTHER REASON THAT THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO GO WITH THIS FIRM WAS BECAUSE IT WAS FOUNDED BY FORMER CITY MANAGERS AND FORMER POLICE CHIEFS. SO THEY HAVE A THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH EXACTLY WHY WE NEED THEM. AND THEIR FEE WAS KIND OF MEDIAN ON THE SCALE. WE HAD SOME THAT WERE 15,000 AND THEN WE HAD ONE THAT WAS 35,000. THIS ONE SAT IN THE MIDDLE AT 25,000. AND THEN ADDITIONAL CONSULTING OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE [01:00:08] PRESENTED IN THIS PACKET WOULD BE $125 PER HOUR, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LOWER ADDITIONAL CONSULTING FEES, HOURLY FEES THAT WE SAW. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS, THAT THAT WAS THE FIRM THAT WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE SELECTED. DID THEY HAVE ANY ANY OTHER EXPERIENCES WITH ANY OTHER CITIES, NEARBY CITIES, AND THEY SHARE ANY OF THAT WITH YOU? I MET I MET A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH THEIR. YES, THIS IS WHAT THEY SPECIALIZE IN. THEY SPECIALIZE IN HELPING CITIES FIND MUNICIPAL TEAM MEMBERS. THAT'S THAT'S THEIR THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. YEAH. I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT EXAMPLE. I WAS I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THERE WAS ONE IN HERE, BUT I AM TRYING TO READ AND SPEAK AT THE SAME TIME, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND AN EXAMPLE. NO THERE'S NOT I DIDN'T I DIDN'T SEE ONE EITHER. WHEN I SPOKE WITH HIM ON THE PHONE, HE DID SAY THAT HE'S WORKED WITH OTHER CITIES. I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO ASK HIM TO SPEAK ABOUT. BUT LIKE I SAID, HE HAD TO LEAVE. WE OUTLASTED HIM. SO WE DID. YES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND JUST A QUESTION. DID DID THEY COME IN AND MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE? NO, THEY DID NOT. WE COLLECTED SIX SIMILAR PROPOSALS AND WENT THROUGH THOSE. WE CHOSE THEM BASED ON THE QUALITY OF THE PROPOSAL, THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THEY PRESENTED AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAD. WE WANTED A FIRM THAT WAS CLOSER TO GARLAND, THAT WOULD HAVE A MORE OF AN IDEA OF THE CULTURE HERE. SO WE WHITTLED IT DOWN TO TWO, THIS ONE, AND THEN D.C. MUNICIPAL CONSULTING, I BELIEVE, WAS THE NAME OF THEM. AND WE CHOSE CLEAR CAREER PROFESSIONALS BECAUSE OF ONE, THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THEIR REPORT. AND THEN ALSO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ACTUAL CITY PROFESSIONALS, LIKE MUNICIPAL PROFESSIONALS. OKAY. AND THE COMMITTEE WAS UNANIMOUS. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. ON THE INFORMATION THAT IS BEFORE US AND. OUR NEXT ACTION. IS WHERE DO WE NEED WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WE'RE JUST WE'RE GOING FOR A CONSENSUS APPROVE AND MOVE FORWARD, AND WE WILL ENGAGE THEM FOR THE UPCOMING REVIEWS FOR NEXT YEAR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL. THE QUESTION IS DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE OR MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONSULTING GROUP OF CLEAR CAREER PROFESSIONALS LLC. THAT IS UNANIMOUS. STAFF WILL REACH OUT AND WE'LL START THE PROCESS. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON. SEE HOW MUCH EASIER THAT ITEM WAS IN THE PREVIOUS ONE. MOVING ON TO ITEM FOUR, DEVELOPMENT [4. Development Services Committee Report Councilmember Hedrick, Chair of the Development Services Committee, and staff will provide a committee report on the following items: The feasibility of including special standards for commercial drone delivery hubs, which was requested by Councilmember Hedrick and seconded by Councilmember Bass at the March 30, 2024 Work Session. The feasibility of requiring Specific Use Provision for all telecommunications towers and antennas, in lieu of a distance requirement, which was requested by Councilmember Hedrick and seconded by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lucht at the July 15, 2024 Work Session.] SERVICES COMMITTEE REPORT. COUNCIL MEMBER HEDRICK. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE IS HAPPY TO REPORT ON TWO ITEMS TODAY. THE FIRST IS A NEW ZONING DISTRICT FOR DRONE BASES. THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I BROUGHT TO THE COMMITTEE. I'D SEEN SOME DEVELOPMENT ABOUT IT IN OTHER CITIES, AND LO AND BEHOLD, WE HAVE SOME POSSIBLE PROSPECTS OF HAVING A DRONE BASE HERE IN GARLAND, AND NOT JUST AS A SECONDARY USE, BUT AS A PRIMARY USE. SO WE HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION. I BELIEVE YOU'RE SCRAMBLING THERE. YEP. OKAY. SO WHAT WE DID IS CITY ATTORNEY CAME UP WITH SOME DEFINITIONS FOR DRONE BASES BASED UPON LARGE AND SMALL. AND THE DIVISION THERE IS BETWEEN THE ACTUAL WEIGHT OF THE DRONE INVOLVED. THE LARGER DRONES ARE OVER 55 POUNDS AND WILL BE ALLOWED IN MORE INDUSTRIAL AREAS. THOSE ARE FOR BIGGER DELIVERIES, I WOULD ASSUME, AND THE SMALLER ONES ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE JUST A SMALL KIND OF QUADCOPTER, VERY SMALL PARCELS THAT THEY'D BE ABLE TO DELIVER. BUT GIVEN THESE TWO DIFFERENCES, WE THERE'S ALSO A DIFFERENT REGULATIONS THAT SURROUND THEM, HOW CLOSE THEY CAN BE TO [01:05:04] RESIDENTIAL AREAS, THE KIND OF THE SPACING, THE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS, THE SCREENING REQUIREMENTS, THAT SORT OF THING. THERE'S ALSO A DRONE STAGING AREA. SO THIS IS MORE OF A SECONDARY USE. IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE NORTH GARLAND WALMART, YOU MIGHT SEE A DRONE STAGING AREA OUT IN FRONT OUT IN THEIR PARKING LOT THERE. THEY'VE BEEN TESTING THEIR DRONES AND WILL SOON BE DELIVERING FROM THAT LOCATION. SO HERE'S THE NEW USE CHART FOR THE DRONE BASES. YOU SEE THE LARGE AND THE SMALL THERE, AND IT WILL STILL REQUIRE AN SUP IN EITHER OF THOSE DISTRICTS OR THE ALLOWED DISTRICTS, I SHOULD SAY.. AND THEN, AS I SAID, HERE ARE SOME REGULATIONS AROUND. THERE ARE TALKING ABOUT PARKING REQUIREMENTS, STANDARD KIND OF ZONING STUFF. SO PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR A ZONE, HOW DO YOU PARK THIS NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, BASED ON EMPLOYEES. BUT WE HAVE WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER CITIES, WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND COME UP WITH SOME REGULATIONS. THERE'S ALSO SETBACKS FROM RESIDENTIAL AREAS. THE SMALL DRONE BASE HAS TO BE 150FT, AND THE LARGER HAS TO BE 300FT. AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANY ABOUT DRONE BASES. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS QUESTIONS IS THERE. YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION TO SHARE REGARDING LOAD LOAD? LOAD MAXIMUMS AND MINIMUMS. LOAD AND DAY AND NIGHT LANDING. ANY ANY. SO ONE THING. ANYTHING ON THAT? I'LL TAKE YOUR SECOND QUESTION FIRST. AND WE DID CONSIDER THE OPERATION HOURS. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO OPERATE UNTIL 9 P.M. OKAY. AND AS FAR AS THE LOAD GOES, THAT'S UP TO THE OPERATOR FOR THEM. ONCE IT'S AIRBORNE, IT'S OUT OF OUR JURISDICTION. OKAY. AND THAT'S 9:00 PM. BEGINNING. STARTING WHAT TIME? WHAT WAS THE BEGINNING TIME? I DON'T QUITE RECALL. DO YOU REMEMBER OFFHAND? IT WAS I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION? YES, YES. THE BEGINNING TIME. IT WAS FROM, I THINK, 7 A.M. TO 9 P.M. IS WHAT WE DECIDED ON. OKAY. AND THERE IS A PROVISION ALSO IN THERE ABOUT THE OPERATOR HAS THE ABILITY TO PERFORM A SOUND STUDY IF THEY WANT TO GO OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS. SO IF THEY USE A CERTAIN TYPE OF DESIGN THAT'S NOT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF NOISE, THEN THEY CAN EXTEND THEIR HOURS. OKAY. AND LASTLY, ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS OUT THERE AS FAR AS WHERE THEY CAN LAND WITH A. WELL, THAT'LL BE WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A, EXCUSE ME, A LANDING SITE OR CAN THEY DO THEY HAVE DISCRETION THAT THAT WILL BE WHAT THE ZONG IS FOR. SO IF THEY ARE ZONED AS A DRONE BASE, THEY CAN LAND WITHIN THAT THAT AREA. OKAY. OKAY OKAY. YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE ZONING CHANGE WE'RE GRANTING IS WITH THESE. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. MAYOR PRO TEM MOORE. I'VE GOT TWO. WAIT. FIRST, W WHO IS THE APPROVING AUTHORITY? WHO WHO WHO OVERSEES THIS TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING RULES AND REGULATIONS ONCE THEY'RE IN THE AIR? I ASSUME IT'S THE FAA, BUT WHEN THEY'RE ON THE GROUND, WE HAVE MORE AUTHORITY. AS FAR AS THE SITE, WHO IS THE WE? THE CITY OF GARLAND HAS MORE AUTHORITY WHEN THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT GROUND MARSHALS WHO. WELL, WE HAVE YEAH, WE HAVE NOISE REGULATIONS ALREADY IN OUR HEALTH CODE. WE HAVE SETBACK REGULATIONSHAT'S ENFORCED BY CODE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO THAT'S THAT'S HOW WE WOULD DO IT. IT'S NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I KNOW THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. IT'S NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT'S NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. SO WHAT WHAT'S BEING ASKED OF US TO DO TONIGHT? WE ARE ASKING TO ADD A NEW ZONING DISTRICT TO OUR ZONING CODE FOR LARGE AND SMALL DRONE BASES. TWO NEW LAND USES. TWO NEW LAND USE? YES. TWO NEW LAND USES. IT WILL GO IN OUR LAND USE MATRIX. AND THESE WILL BE JUST TWO NEW ENTRIES INTO THAT. OKAY. AND OF COURSE THIS WILL GO TO PLAN COMMISSION AND THEN COME BACK TO US FOR FINAL APPROVAL. AND WE'RE ADDING THESE DEFINITIONS. CORRECT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. IF NOT CONSENSUS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO PLANNING PLAN COMMISSION, I SHOULD SAY I'LL TAKE THAT AS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. PART TWO. PART TWO. YES, [01:10:01] SIR. WE WERE LOOKING AT ANTENNAS, AND THIS IS LOOKING AT THE REGULATIONS ON SPACING AROUND ANTENNAS. RIGHT NOW OUR CURRENT CODE SAYS THEY HAVE TO BE SPACED A MINIMUM OF 5000FT APART FROM EACH OTHER. AND WITH THE DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY, MANY OF THE APPLICANTS ARE NOW REQUESTING VARIANCES TO THAT BECAUSE THE SMALLER ANTENNAS FOR 5G NETWORKS DON'T NECESSARILY THEY NEED CLOSER SPACING THAN 5000FT. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT DISTANCE REQUIREMENT COMPLETELY. AND ANTENNAS WILL BE REGULATED THROUGH AN SUP PROCESS. SO THEY CAN BE PLACED CLOSER THAN THAT. BUT WE WILL HAVE THEY'LL REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR ANTENNA ZONING. OKAY. AND HAVE WE. AS FAR AS SETTING SOME SOME TIME GUIDELINES FOR THE SUP, THE GUIDANCE THAT WE'VE USED HAS WE HAVE THAT IN OUR TYPICAL LAND USE TIMELINE GUIDE. BUT ANTENNAS ARE USUALLY ON THERE. WE'VE DONE UNLIMITED. WE'VE DONE A LONG TIME RIGHT. YEAH. THEY'RE QUITE LONG OKAY OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. AND SO WILL THIS PROCESS GO BACK THROUGH PLANNING AS WELL. COME TO US WITH A RECOMMENDATION ANYTIME WE'RE CHANGING THE ZONING CODE. YEP OKAY. VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS. CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD TO MOVE IT TO PLANNING. THAT IS UNANIMOUS. WHAT ELSE YOU GOT? I THINK WE'RE OUT OF STUFF FOR NOW. WE NEED MORE STUFF. I EXPECT PEOPLE TO ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT IS THAT WAS OUR LAST ITEM UNDER VERBAL BRIEFINGS. NEXT ITEM IS [ ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS A Councilmember, with a second by another member or the Mayor alone, may ask that an item be placed on a future agenda of the City Council or of a committee of the City Council. No substantive discussion of that item will take place at this time.] ANNOUNCED. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OUT THERE THIS EVENING OR ARE WE JUST KIND OF WORN OURSELVES OUT WITH IT? COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON SORRY, I NEVER KNOW IF THESE ARE LIKE ACTUAL AGENDA ITEMS, SO I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO G, AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT DOING LIKE TEXT ALERTS FOR LIKE OUTAGES AND RESTORATIONS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE TEXTING ALERTS LIKE TO LIKE IF YOU HAVE A LIKE A POWER OUTAGE IN YOUR AREA LIKE ONCOR CURRENTLY DOES IT, WHERE THEY SEND A TEXT TO THAT AREA THAT'S LIKE, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S AN OUTAGE. ETA XYZ. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A COMMITTEE ITEM, BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY AN ITEM WE CAN TAKE UP WITH A FUTURE UPDATE FROM GFL AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT. GO AHEAD. SO THAT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO COME UP IN JANUARY AT OUR CIP MEETING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SMART METERS, BECAUSE THERE'S WELL A YEAH, WE'LL ADDRESS IT THEN IF THAT'S OKAY WITH WITH YOU AND THE COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. AND THEN IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL FROM THAT WE WILL MOVE IT FORWARD. ANYTHING. EXCUSE ME. ANYTHING ELSE THIS EVENING UNDER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT. THAT MOVES US TO EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM NUMBER FIVE. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL [ EXECUTIVE SESSION] ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 5.5, 1.07155, 1.07455, 1.078555, 1.086 AND FIVE 52.133 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DELIBERATE AND DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ONE. COMPETITIVE MATTERS RELATED TO GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT AS IT PERTAINS TO THE YEAR END BRIEFING FROM THE RISK OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND ATTORNEY CLIENT COMMUNICATION RELATED TO SAME ITEM TWO COMPETITIVE MATTERS RELATED TO GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT AS IT PERTAINS TO PROJECT NUMBER 55718 OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS AND THE ORDER APPROVING THE RELIABILITY PLAN FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN REGION AND ATTORNEY CLIENT COMMUNICATION RELATED TO SAME AND ITEM THREE EMPLOYMENT, LEAVE, PAY AND DUTIES OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE. CLAY STOTTS, PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, INCLUDING THE CONSIDERATION OF INFORMATION IN THE MEDICAL RECORDS OF SUCH EMPLOYEE AND ATTORNEY CLIENT COMMUNICATION RELATED TO SAME COUNCIL. I'M GOING TO ASK EVERYBODY TO STAY IN PLACE AND WE'LL CLEAR THE ROOM OTHERWISE. AND WITH THAT, THIS WORK SESSION IS IN RECESS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.