Mar 17, 2025 Work Session

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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 17TH, 2025 WORK SESSION R THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.

THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. AND I BELIEVE I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKER CARDS. ARE THEY ALL FOR ITEM SIX? I'M PRETTY MUCH GUESSING THEY ARE. THEY THEY DID NOT SPECIFY WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER, BUT I WOULD MAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS THAT THEY ARE. ALL RIGHT. FAIR ENOUGH. SO NORMALLY WE DO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO HOLD PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM UNTIL WE GET TO ITEM SIX. AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE SPEAKERS, WE'VE GOT THE DEVELOPERR HERE. AND THEN PART F THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UNFORTUNATELY, IS STUCK BEHIND AN ACCIDENT ON THEIR WAY HERE. SO THEY SHOULD BE COMING IN SHORTLY. SO WE WILL CIRCLCLE BAK

[ 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.]

THIS IS ABOUT A TREE MITIGATION. THE COUNCIL HAD AGREED I DON'T REMEMBER THE VOTE COUNT, BUT WE HAD AGREED ON A 25% REDUCTION. IT IS POSTED AT 50%. IT IS POSTED INCORRECTLY. MR. ENGLAND, IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER, BASS INTENDS TO PULL THIS ITEM AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON IT. BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT IT IS CURRENTLY POSTED AT 50%. I'M GOOD WITH THAT DESCRIPTION. AND MAYOR PRO TEM, YES, I NOTICED YOU SAID THAT COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON HAD PULLED IT. I THOUGHT THAT I HAD PULLED NUMBER THREE. I SAW THE ONLY EMAIL I SAW WAS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. OKAY. I RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM SOMEONE THAT SAID THAT I'D PULLED IT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. YEAH, I, I DID NOT I DID NOT SEE IT. SO THREE IS AND IT'S PULLED EITHER WAY. SO I JUST I WANTED TO BRING THE POINT UP ON ITEM FOUR. JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WAS A MISSED POSTING. SO BUT THAT CAN BE AT THE TIME OF THE MOTION THAT CAN BE CORRECTED OR NOT DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS GO. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANYONE INTENDS TO HAVE PULLED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT SO WE CAN DO ANY ADDITIONAL PREPARATION? NO, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S TIME TO DO THAT BEFOREHAND. MOVING ON TO

[1. FY 2024-25 Annual Operating Budget Amendment No. 1 Council is requested to consider approving changes to the FY 2024-25 Annual Operating Budget to appropriate available funds for: projects approved in last year's budget but not yet completed, the rollover of open purchase orders from the 2023-24 fiscal year, and expenditures not anticipated in the 2024-25 Adopted Operating Budget. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the April 1, 2025 Regular Meeting. ]

[2. Grant Disbursement Agreement - Garland Housing Finance Corporation Council is requested to consider accepting a $540,000 grant from the Garland Housing Finance Corporation (GHFC) to continue the Garland Partnership Program with the City of Garland. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the April 1, 2025 Regular Meeting.]

[3. GPS: Garland's Pathway to Success Council is requested to consider approval of GPS: Garland’s Pathway to Success, the City Manager’s work plan for aligning City Council direction with the work of Team Garland. Council was briefed on this item at the November 18, 2024 Work Session. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the March 18, 2025 Regular Meeting.]

[4. Introduction of a New Director Council will be introduced to Joe Ellis, the new Director of Emergency Management, by Mistie Gardner, Managing Director.]

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I AM SO HAPPY TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT, JOE ELLIS. JOE HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE FEBRUARY 24TH. HE HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS, INCLUDING CERTIFIED EMERGENCY MANAGER, CONTINUITY OF BUSINESS CONTINUITY PRACTITIONER AND THEN ALSO A MASTER EXERCISE PRACTITIONER. SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM. HE MOST RECENTLY CAME FROM THE STATE HE WORKED FOR TXDOT BEFORE WE BROUGHT HIM BACK TO FROM THE DARK SIDE. BUT JUST KIDDING. BUT HE HAS MULTIPLE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE REGION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. HE ALSO WORKED AT PARKLAND HOSPITAL AND THEN HE

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[5. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Update Council will be updated on DART's services, activities, programs and projects within Garland.]

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WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE TRANSIT AND WE SHOULD SPEND OUR MONEY ON TRYING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSIT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE CITIES AS WE WENT AROUND AND TALK TO THEM. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE MOST, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME VERY POPULAR THINGS. MICRO TRANSIT IS VERY POPULAR RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS OUR GO LINK SERVICE. AND A LOT OF CITIES WANT MORE OF THAT. WE ALSO HAVE CONNECTOR SERVICES, WHICH A LOT OF CITIES WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK THERE WAS A REAL STRONG DESIRE TO DO TO BE A PARTNER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JUST PLANNING FOR THE CITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND NADINE WILL TALK A LOT ABOUT ABOUT THAT. THE OTHER THING WE HEARD FROM THE CITIES WAS THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT GOVERNANCE OF DART, AND THERE WAS A PERCEPTION THAT BECAUSE THE CITY OF DALLAS HAD EIGHT BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUBURBS HAD SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS, DALLAS COULD DETERMINE WHAT SERVICES COULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM SOMEONE, WHAT SERVICES COULD BE ADDED, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE WAY THE BOARD HAS WORKED. WE'VE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY FOR YEARS. I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD SINCE I DEPARTED MY MAYOR ROLE IN RICHARDSON IN 2011. SO I HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD A YEAR OR TWO.

AND, AND WE'VE WE'VE WORKED, I THINK, VERY WELL TOGETHER. THAT WAS ONE OF THE PERCEPTIONS ON GOVERNANCE. THE OTHER ONE WAS SOME OF THE VERY SMALL CITIES THAT DIDN'T HAVE A MEMBER ON THE DART BOARD WANTED. ONE FELT THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A PRESENCE ON THE BOARD AND HAVE A VOICE. AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING WE WERE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH AND HOW WE HANDLED IT. AND THEN AND THE LIST OF THE PEOPLE THAT THE CITY WANTED, ONE OF THOSE OR THE OTHER ARE ON.

HERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN NOW A, A BILL INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE, WHICH BASICALLY GIVES EVERYBODY A SEAT AND TAKES AWAY SEVERAL SEATS FROM DALLAS. THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE VERY ACCEPTABLE TO DALLAS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE THAT UP AT OUR BOARD TO SEE WHAT TO TRY TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHAT MIGHT BE FAIR, WHAT THE. THE SENATOR DID, WHO WHO PUT THAT BOARD OR THAT THAT LEGISLATION IN PLACE OR AT LEAST IS TRYING TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, HAD ASKED DART TO COME TO A CONCLUSION ON HOW WE SOLVE THE GOVERNMENT'S PROBLEM PROBLEM. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T EVER GET TO A 100% AGREEMENT FROM ALL THE DART BOARD MEMBERS, FROM ALL THE CITY MANAGERS AND ALL THE MAYORS AND THEIR CITIES. SO HE TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO DO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS BEST. AND SO THAT'S THE BILL WE HAVE, AND WE'LL HAVE TO JUST WORK THROUGH THAT AND SEE WHERE IT GOES. BUT I THINK THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THAT BECAUSE WE WERE AT A GRIDLOCK AND TO SOME DEGREE, AND THE RTC HAS ASKED US TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE CITIES, HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE REGION WANT US, WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER TO

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NADINE MAY WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME WE HAVE WE THINK SOME VERY INNOVATIVE IDEAS ON OUR OWN RESOLUTION. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING ON FRIDAY TO TALK THROUGH THAT WITH OUR BOARD. WE'RE TRYING TO PASS IT SO THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD HAS TAKEN A POSITION ON. DART AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY, BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY COMPETING WITH A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT ARE ALREADY DOWN IN AUSTIN. SO WE NEEDED TO PUT SOMETHING IN WRITING THAT WE COULD STAND BEHIND. SO THAT'S WHAT ■WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TURN THIS OVER TO NADINE, BECAUSE SHE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH GARLAND AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR GARLAND SPECIFICALLY. AND THEN MARK WILL CLOSE IT OUT FOR US. MARK. AND THEN YOU CAN ASK US WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS YOU LIKE. OF COURSE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M REALLY DELIGHTED TO BE HERE. AND JUST BEFORE I GET INTO THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE CITY OF GARLAND ABOUT, I WANTED TO JUST CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE NUMBERS OF THE BILLS THAT CHAIR SLAGLE REFERRED TO. THE GOVERNANCE BILL THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY SENATOR PARKER IS SB 2118. AND SO THAT IS THE GOVERNANCE BILL THAT WOULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE REPRESENTATION OF THE DART BOARD TO ONE REPRESENTATIVE PER CITY.

AND FOR DALLAS, THEY WOULD ALLOW THAT ONE REPRESENTATIVE TO HAVE THREE VOTES. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE SIZE OF DALLAS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT DALLAS REPRESENTS. AND SO CURRENTLY, THE SEATS ON THE BOARD ARE APPORTIONED BY POPULATION OF THE CITIES. AND SO GARLAND ACTUALLY HAS MORE THAN ONE SEAT, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE WITH OUR ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBERS TO MY LEFT. AND SO GARLAND WOULD GO FROM HAVING MORE THAN ONE BOARD MEMBER TO HAVING ONE SINGLE BOARD MEMBER.

THE CITY OF DALLAS WOULD GO FROM HAVING 7.8 BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVING ONE BOARD MEMBER WITH THREE VOTES. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS FROM SENATOR PARKER. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE TWO FUNDING BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE THERE. THE LANGUAGE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

IT'S HOUSE BILL 3187 AND SENATE BILL 1557, I THINK IS THE CORRECT NUMBER. IF IT'S NOT, I'LL MAKE SURE I CHANGE THAT LATER. BUT BUT THOSE BILLS SEEK TO REMOVE OR TO SET ASIDE 25% OF DART SALES TAX REVENUES IN A GENERAL MOBILITY FUND THAT WOULD BE USED FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS BEYOND WHAT CHAPTER 452, WHICH IS OUR ENABLING STATUTE BEYOND WHAT 452 ALLOWS TODAY. ONE OF THOSE ITEMS WOULD BE TO ALLOW THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS FOR ROADWAYS AND HIGHWAYS, AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO SEEK TO REMOVE 25% OF OUR CURRENT FUNDING. SO WE WOULD GO FROM A $0.01 SALES TAX

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IF YOU'RE TRACKING THEM, THOSE TWO. HOUSE BILL 3187, SENATE BILL 1557. THOSE ARE COMPANION BILLS. THE ONE ON THE SENATE SIDE HAS BEEN HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.

AND WE DO NOT AT THIS TIME HAVE A HEARING SCHEDULED. BUT BUT CERTAINLY, IF WE DO, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW AS FAR AS OUR EFFORTS IN GARLAND ARE CONCERNED, I JUST WANTED TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FOCUS OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER, MOSTLY SURROUNDING TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. CERTAINLY, IF YOU GO BACK AS FAR AS 1998, DART AND THE CITY OF GARLAND HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY ON TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS. AT THAT TIME, THE CITY WAS DEVELOPING ITS FIRST TOD PLAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN GARLAND STATION, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER WAS STARTING THE AREA PLANNING EFFORT FOR THE FOREST JUPITER STATION, WHICH WAS GOING ON IN 1999. STARTING IN 2013, DART WAS WORKING WITH THE CITY TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CENTERVILLE AREA, OF WHICH THE SOUTH GARLAND TRANSIT CENTER PROPERTY IS A PART OF THAT AREA. AND THEN IN 2021, DART AND THE CITY OF GARLAND EXECUTED A MEMORANDUM, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO PARTNER AND UPDATE THE ORIGINAL TOD STATION AREA PLANS, AS WELL AS DEVELOP TOD PLANS FOR ITS FIRST OR I'M SORRY, FOR ITS THREE TRANSIT CENTERS AT DOWNTOWN, SOUTH GARLAND, AND LAKE RAY HUBBARD. SINCE THEN, THE TOD PLAN FOR LAKE RAYUBBARD TRANSIT CENTER WAS COMPLETED IN 2022. ANTHEM DEVELOPMENT BEGAN CONSTRUCTION ON PHASE ONE OF THE TOD, INCLUDING MULTIFAMILY, WITH RETAIL READY ON THE GROUND FLOOR IN 2023. SORRY THEY BEGAN CONSTRUCTION IN 2023 ON PRIVATELY, THE PRIVATELY OWNED 14 ACRES ADJACENT TO THE DART PROPERTY. AND SO WE THEN EXECUTED NYLA WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DART OWNED 13 ACRES. THE RFP WAS ISSUED IN JANUARY THIS YEAR AND THE RESPONSES ARE DUE THIS WEEK. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND I KNOW THAT OUR DART STAFF WILL BE PARTICIPATING WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND STAFF, LOOKING AT THOSE RFPS AND EVALUATING THE PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVE. AND WE'RE REALLY, REALLY EAGERLY ANTICIPATING WHAT WE SEE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AS FAR AS SOUTH GARLAND TRANSIT CENTER IS CONCERNED. IN 2022, WE ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND, AS WELL AS NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COG, TO DO A FUNDING SWAP WHERE THE RTC WAS GOING TO PROGRAM $15 MILLION FOR THE SILVER LINE, WHICH WOULD THEN ALLOW DART TO PAY $15 MILLION IN LOCAL FUNDS TO GARLAND FOR THE TOD AT SOUTH GARLAND TRANSIT CENTER. SO IN JANUARY OF 2023, WE EXECUTED A AN ILA FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT FUNDS, WCH I'LL TALK ABOUT HERE IN A SECOND, THAT PROGRAMED ALMOST $21 MILLION FOR THIS TOD PROJECT. AND THEN LAST AUGUST, THE BOARD APPROVED DENIAL FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE DART TRANT CENTER AND THE CITY'S PURCHASE OF THE DART PROPERTY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY'S PLANS. AND WE'RE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING SOME CONCEPTS FOR NEW VISION, BOTH AT THE SOUTH GARLAND TRANSIT CENTER SITE AND THE FUTURE TOD AT DOWNTOWN GARLAND TRANSIT CENTER AS WELL. SO THERE'S A TON OF WORK HAPPENING. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I THINK GARLAND IS REALLY CAPITALIZING ON THE PROMISE OF TRANSIT IN YOUR CITY, AND WE LOVE TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING. WE LOVE TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND. YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT. AND WE HOPE THAT OUR PRESENCE REALLY HELPS THE CITY REALLY THRIVE AND BECOME THE CITY THAT YOU ALL WANT TO BE. SO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG FOCUSES HAS BEEN TOD. AND SO THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE HAVE AN ILA WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND FOR WE EXTENDED THE DEADLINES FOR ALL THE CITIES TO DRAW THAT MONEY DOWN. NOW IN GARLAND, IT'S NOT AS BIG OF AN ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOCATED IT TOWARDS THE TRANSIT CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ALREADY PROGRAMED THAT THAT FUNDING AND WE'RE HOLDING THAT FUNDING UNTIL WE'RE READY TO START DRAWING IT DOWN. AND SO YOUR YOUR FUNDING THROUGH THE PTI, ILA IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE SAME DEADLINES AS EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE IT AS PART OF THE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A CITY MANAGER WORKING GROUP. IT'S A SMALLER GROUP THAT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CITIES REPRESENTED, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP IS WE'RE FIRST TACKLING THE CONCEPT OF DART'S PARTICIPATION IN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONES, OR TERS. AS YOU MIGHT BETTER KNOW THEM. SO PARTICIPATING IN THESE TERS TERS AREAS WOULD ALLOW US TO TAKE THE SALES TAX INCREMENT

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WE'RE NOT DONE BUILDING. SO MY GOAL HAS BEEN TO DO WHAT I CAN TO SAVE THAT ONE PENNY THAT I KNOW IS VERY VALUABLE. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S VALUABLE TO THE CITIES AS WELL, BUT I KNOW THROUGH MY WORK FOR YOU ALL THAT THAT PENNY WAS THE REASON WE GOT THE $700 MILLION FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT TO COMPLETE THE ORANGE LINE OUT TO THE AIRPORT. I REMEMBER IN MEETINGS I WAS IN WITH THE BANKING COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE OVER MATCHING AND WE WERE SECURE WITH THAT ONE PENNY BECAUSE IT'S INFLATION PROTECTED, AND WE GOT MONEY THAT OTHER CITIES WERE VYING FOR AT THE TIME. SO IT'S NOT JUST AN AMOUNT OF MONEY WE CAN SPEND HERE ON TRANSIT. IT'S AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT TELLS THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM AND THEY CAN PAY FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO LET ME TELL YOU WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND MISTER MOORE AND MAYOR PRO TEM KNOWS THIS, AND YOUR MAYOR KNOWS THIS. I'M GOING TO REPEAT SOMETHING I'VE TOLD TO THEM, AND I. I DEAL WITH JUDGES ALL THE TIME, MAYOR. SO I UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHEN I GET A NO. BUT I'LL KNOCK AT THE DOOR ONE MORE TIME. I DON'T THINK THAT GARLAND SHOULD STAND ON THE SIDELINE IN THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. I AND YOU MAY CHOOSE TO DO SO. THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. I OF COURSE, I DON'T REPRESENT YOU OTHERWISE THAN ON THE DART BOARD, BUT THERE ARE FORCES IN AUSTIN THAT ARE VERY CERTAIN THAT THEY WANT TO CUT 25% OF THE FUNDING, AND A COMPROMISE TO THEM WOULD BE 10 OR 15%. I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY, OH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. IT'LL BE 10 OR 15%. THAT WILL HAVE DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE CITY OF GARLAND AND ITS BUS SERVICE. RIGHT NOW, UNDERHE EY REPORT, THERE'S ABOUT $62 MILLION THAT IS SPENT IN GARLAND AND ABOUT $40 MILLION CONTRIBUTED BY GARLAND. GARLAND IS A DONEE CITY. BY THAT I MEAN UNDER THE EY REPORT, WHICH I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH, MORE IS SPENT IN GARLAND THAN IS TAKEN IN FROM GARLAND. AND OF COURSE, THE DONOR CITIES LOOK AT THE DONOR CITIES AND SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE WANT OU 25% BACK.

ROWLETT EVEN PASSED ONE OF THOSE 25% RESOLUTIONS. AND THANK TO MAYOR PRO TEM WINGET, THEY JUST REVERSED THAT LAST MONTH AND TOOK THAT RESOLUTION BACK. AND NOW WE'RE SUPPORTING THE FULL PENNY FOR DART. SO I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL NOT ONLY TO PASS A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ONE PENNY. I SEE MAYOR PRO TEM ED MOORE, WITH WHOM I I'VE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS OVER THERE,

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AND I THINK THIS RESOLUTION, I'M NOT SURE IT WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY PLANO. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEM.

BUT I CAN SAY WHEN WE GO TO AUSTIN, WHEN I GO TO AUSTIN AND I'M DEFENDING AGAINST IT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AN OFFER ON THE TABLE. THAT'S A REASONABLE OFFER. UNDER THAT OFFER, PLANO WOULD GET ABOUT $28 MILLION NEXT YEAR. SO VERY CLOSE TO WHAT IT'S GETTING AND GET IT FOR TWO YEARS UNDER THE EY REPORT. IT'S A YOU CAN SAY GENEROUS BY DART, OR YOU CAN SAY IT'S A FAIR THING BACK TO PLANO. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON ON FRIDAY. WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE DALLAS FOLKS VOTE FOR IT. WE HOPE WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE SUBURB FOLKS VOTE FOR IT, BECAUSE WE WANT THAT TO BE A MESSAGE TO AUSTIN THAT WE'VE COME AND WE'RE WILLING TO COMPROMISE AND TAKE INTO THE FINANCIAL EQUITY OF THOSE CITIES THAT ARE DONATING, AS LONG AS WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE REGIONAL ASPECTS AND THE SOCIAL EQUITY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR 13 CITIES. SO THAT'S MY MESSAGE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AGAIN. AND WE SURE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME SOME HELP IN AUSTIN WITH THIS. I THINK IT'S TO GARLAND'S WOULD BE VERY MUCH TO YOUR BENEFIT IF WE WERE SUCCESSFUL THERE. THANK YOU. MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE THING, YOUR BOARD MEMBER, MARK ABRAHAM, YOUR OTHER BOARD MEMBER IS THE CHAIR OF OUR BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHICH HE HAS A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY TO START WORKING THROUGH THE IMPACT OF THIS PROPOSAL TO DART AND PUTTING A LONG TERM PLAN TOGETHER, OR A PLAN, AT LEAST LOOKING AT IT A LITTLE BIT INTO THE FUTURE TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND WHAT IF THERE'S A SHORTFALL, HOW MUCH IS IT? AND THEN IF THERE'S A SHORTFALL, WHERE WOULD WE FIND THAT MONEY? I'D RATHER NOT START CUTTING SERVICES. THE 25% IS VERY IT'S VERY DETRIMENTAL TO ALL THE CITIES. AT 5% IT'S SOMEWHAT. AND I WANT TO FIND A WAY NOT TO HAVE IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU READ IN THE PAPER THAT WE'RE DROPPING THESE SERVICES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COVER THAT MONEY. SO YEAH. GOOD GUY. GLAD YOU PUT HIM ON THE BOARD. I'M GLAD HE'S OUR BUDGET AND FINANCE CHAIR AND HE'S GOING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR US. I'M JUST SAYING, YEAH. NO PRESSURE. YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD ADD ON TO THAT. YOU KNOW THE BIG THE BIG PUSH NOW IS TO FIND OUT WHAT THA NUMBER IS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE. SO WE'RE GOING TO FIND THAT NUMBER THROUGH BUDGET AND FINANCE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR GRANTS. GO TO THE RTC ANY OTHER PLACE WE CAN TO KIND OF ESSENTIALLY CUT THAT SHORTFALL SO WE DON'T HAVE TO FUND IT OUT OF SERVICE CUTS OR CUTS TO STAFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. ANOTHER THING TO POINT OUT IS RIGHT NOW DART IS GOING THROUGH AN INITIATIVE, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT WHERE THE FAT IS AND MAKE EFFICIENCY CHANGES

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LET ME DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING AT LAKE RAY HUBBARD VERSUS WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SOUTH GARLAND. I'M TALKING ABOUT SOUTH GARLAND NOW. YEAH OKAY. BECAUSE LAKE RAY HUBBARD IS THE IS THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY. WE'RE WAITING ON THE PROPOSALS FOR. AND WE'LL GET THEM THIS WEEK. EXCUSE ME. IT'S LAKE RAY HUBBARD STATION TRANSIT STATION. THAT'S THAT'S THE LOCATION I'M TALKING ABOUT OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. SO THAT LOCATION. SO AND I'LL DEFER TO MR. REX ALSO TO FILL IN ANY BLANKS THAT I DON'T COVER. SO. SO AT LAKE RAY H HUBBARD, MEAN, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATE THE MOST ATTRACTIVE RFP TO PUT OUT ON THE STREETS IN HOPES OF ATTRACTING THE BEST DEVELOPMENT THAT MEETS ALL THE GOALS AND THE VISION THAT YOU HAVE. TYPICALLY, WHEN WE WORK WITH THE CITY TO DO A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, IT'S NOT ALL DART'S HOPES AND DREAMS. IT'S ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KINDS OF USES YOU ALL WANT AT THESE LOCATIONS, AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. WE LIKE TO LEVERAGE OUR PROPERTY, OUR TRANSIT FUNCTION, AND OUR TRANSIT OPERATIONS CAN BE ADAPTED SOMEHOW TO BE INTEGRATED INTO YOUR DEVELOPMENT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY CONFIGURED. AND SO WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MAKE THE OR LEAVE THE MOST FLEXIBILITY FOR THE DEVELOPERS TO COME IN AND ACHIEVE BOTH THE CITY'S VISION AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPER'S VISION, AND ALSO ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. SO IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, IT USUALLY TAKES QUITE SOME TIME, DEPENDING ON DEPENDING ON WHERE THE CITY'S VISION IS. WE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO INCORPORATE THOSE, THOSE DETAILS INTO THE RFP. AND THEN ONCE WE'RE READY TO RELEASE IT, THEN WE JUST PUT IT OUT TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND HOPE THAT WE GET SOME REALLY GREAT PROPOSALS SOMETIMES. AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT ON MARCH 27TH, YOU KNOW, EXCUSE ME, BUT ANTHEM DEVELOPMENT IS NOW OPEN. THEY'RE ON THE GROUND. THEY'RE NOT FINISHED. CORRECT. YES.

THAT'S RIGHT. THEY BROKE GROUND. YES, YES, THEY BROKE GROUND. YES. AND SO I WAS GOING TO HIGHLIGHT AS PART OF THE WHOLE TOD PROCESS, DART IS HOSTING A TOD SUMMIT ON MARCH 27TH, WHERE WE'RE BRINGING IN SPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO HAVE WORKED WITH DIFFERENT CITIES AND THEIR TRANSIT SYSTEMS TO BRING MORE DEVELOPMENT TO EACH OF THESE CITIES AND TO GIVE PEOPLE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THINGS COULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW THEY COULD INTERACT WITH THE SPACES AROUND YOUR STATIONS AND STUFF. SO WE'RE BRINGING THAT TO THIS REGION BECAUSE WE THINK, YOU KNOW, HELPING EVERYBODY ENVISION WHAT'S POSSIBLE IS, IS A IS A GOOD IDEA. SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT REALLY FULLY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION IN TERMS OF PROCESS, BUT I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT MR. REX TO SEE IF HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO JUMP IN AND SAVE ME. NOW, NADINE, APPRECIATE THAT. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT, COUNCILMAN, AS YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY ITERATIVE PROCESS FOR THE LAKE RAY HUBBARD SITE. SO WE'VE HAD A PHASE ONE THAT'S ALL BEEN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP AND A PHASE TWO, THAT'S DART OWNERSHIP. AND TRYING TO CREATE A COHESIVE TOD PLAN FOR BOTH, YOU KNOW, STARTED WITH THE PUBLIC INPUT AND THEN WE REZONED EVERYTHING. AND NOW WE'RE IN THIS RFP PROCESS. AND I THINK OUR GOAL IS TO WORK WITH DART TO SELECT THE BEST DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL THAT'S GOING TO DELIVER THE VISION THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED WHEN IT COMES TO THE MASTER PLAN FOR THAT AREA. SO WE'RE WE'RE NEAR THE FINISH LINE NOW. IT'S BEEN A THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING, BUT WE'RE GETTING REALLY CLOSE NOW. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THE $0.01 SALES TAX WANTING TO CUT IT TO THREE QUARTERS. EXPLAIN

[00:45:03]

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD AFFECT IT. WE WOULD WORK DOWN THE BUS SERVICE TO FIND OUT THE LEAST EFFICIENT TO GET GET RID OF FIRST. BUT WE'RE GOING TO CUT BEYOND THE BONE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FAT, IT'S GOING TO BE CUTTING BONE IF WE GET TO IT. AND TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT ON THEUMBERS, 25% OF OUR SALESAX REVENUES IS ABOUT $220 MILLION. OUR OPERATING BUDGET CURRENTLY IS $720 MILLION. SO IT IS SIGNIFICANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. VERY GOOD. EXCUSE ME. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS. I'M JUST GOING TO I SEE NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE. MAYOR PRO TEM OKAY. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT. AS I'VE SAT AND LISTENED, I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT MY SMILE. MY SMILE IS NOT ONE OF ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK AND TO SAY WHAT'S IN THEIR HEARTS AND WHAT'S ON THEIR MINDS, AND MY SMILE IS ONE THAT SAYS I RESPECT THAT TREMENDOUSLY. I DON'T MEAN THAT I'M ACCEPTING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING OR REJECTING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. IT'S JUST THAT I'M LISTENING. AND I HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF LISTENING. GARY, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I, WE DO. WE SIT RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER, AND WE DO A LOT OF CONVERSING AND TALKING ONE WITH THE OTHER. AND I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD YOU, YOU'VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT WAS ON MY HEART AND ON MY MIND. I TAKE A LITTLE OFFENSE WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THAT GARLAND HAS BEEN ON THE SIDELINES. GARLAND HAS NOT BEEN ON THE SIDELINES. WE HAVE BEEN A VERY INTEGRAL PART OF THIS TOTAL PROCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH. AND SO I THINK THAT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO GO TO I NEED TO DO SOMETHING, MAYOR, TO KIND OF SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND THEN I THINK THAT WE WILL GET TO THE REAL ISSUE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TAKING PLACE HERE, LOTS OF MOVING PARTS, AND WE CAN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT AND ARTICULATE THE DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE BOARD AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT IS THAT THE REAL ISSUE? DART CAME BEFORE THE RTC LAST THURSDAY, AND YOU CAME WITH A PROPOSAL. YOU WERE ASKING FOR THE RTC TO DO SOMETHING, OF WHICH THE RTC DECIDED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO. COULD YOU PLEASE VERY QUICKLY ELABORATE ON WHAT THAT REQUEST WAS AND WHY RTC DECIDED NOT TO CARRY? ARE YOU THE ONE SO OKAY, YES. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE THAT HAPPENED THIS THIS PAST THURSDAY? YEAH. WELL, I THINK I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WHAT HAPPENED IS WELL, FIRST, WHAT WAS THE ISSUE THAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR. WELL, I ALL I DID ACTUALLY IN THE, IN, IN MY LETTER THAT I PUT OUT AND THEN AND IN THE RESOLUTION IS PUT THAT OUT AS A STRAW MAN AND SAID THAT THAT'S WHAT THE, THE, THE DART BOARD WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND THAT WE HAD AN UPCOMING MEETING. I DID NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING. MICHAEL MORRIS ASKED THAT WE THERE WAS AN ITEM ON THE AND WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T CHALLENGE THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE AT A PRIOR MEETING AT ALL. I MEAN, IT HAD BEEN MADE. MICHAEL ASKED THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR FOR THE REGION FELT LIKE HE HAD A STAKE IN THE GAME, AND HE FEELS STRONGLY THAT WE

[00:50:02]

WE TALK AS A BODY. WE VOTE AS A BODY. AND WHEN THIS VOTE WAS TAKEN PLACE, THE VOTE WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE THE LANGUAGE AS IT WAS AND ALLOW IT TO GO TO AUSTIN. NOW, WHAT WE'VE DECIDED AT THIS POINT, YOU ARE IN THE PHASE TWO AT THIS POINT OF WHERE THERE ARE FOUR ENTITIES THAT ARE TALKING THROUGH. AND THE KEY HERE IS ALL OF THE MEMBER CITIES JUST WANT ONE THING. WHATEVER THEY PUT INTO DART, THEY WANT TO GET IT BACK. THEY WANT EQUAL REPRESENTATION.

THEY WANT EQUAL FINANCING. AS A RESULT OF THAT. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE UNTIL WHAT IS IT, APRIL THE 1ST? IS THAT CORRECT? RIGHT IN THAT RANGE. YES, SIR. WE'VE GIVEN DART THE OPPORTUNITY BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL 1ST TO MEET WITH THOSE CITIES UPON WHICH THEY HAVE OBJECTIONS AND THEY'RE PENDING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TO TRY TO WORK OUT SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION SUCH THAT WHEN THEY COME BACK TO US AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL THEN VOTE TO TAKE TO TAKE THESE THIS LANGUAGE OFF OR TO LEAVE IT ON, BECAUSE MANY OF THE MEMBER CITIES DO FEEL THAT THE LANGUAGE IS THE ONLY THING RIGHT NOW THAT IS REALLY FORCING DART TO COME TO THE TABLE AND TO NEGOTIATE, TO COMPROMISE AND TO HEAR THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT THE CITIES ARE HAVING NOW, AS A RESULT OF THAT, I HAVE TO WE I HAVE LANGUAGE RIGHT HERE FROM MCNAMARA. IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS EVEN DID AS OF TODAY. OKAY. AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS COMPLEMENTARY. I THINK YOU'RE GREAT. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. YOU SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL OF THE CITIES. BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW, WHAT I DON'T WANT US TO EVER HAPPEN IS FOR THE MEMBER CITIES TO GO TO FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL TRYING TO TAKE ONE DEAL HERE OR THERE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. IT COMPROMISES US AS A REGION. AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, I'M GOING TO SAY TO YOU THAT MY RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL IS THAT WE ALLOW YOU TO PLAY OUT. THAT FEEL WHICH RTC HAS ASKED OF YOU TO DO SO AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. YOU'VE GOT 2 OR 3 MORE WEEKS. HOWEVER, IT IS WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO THERE AND SUCH THAT WHEN YOU COME BACK IT WON'T BE GARLAND SAYING YAY OR NAY. IT'LL BE US AS A BODY SAYING YAY OR NAY, AND THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY BRING SOMETHING TO COUNCIL IN THE WAY OF HOW WE AS A CITY WANT TO GO FORWARD. HAVE I MADE ANY SENSE HERE, MR. MAYOR? YES. AMAZINGLY, THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT. YOU KNOW, THE THINGS YOU READ IN THE PAPER AND THE SURFACE THINGS. BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY A LOT OF THINGS AT PLAY HERE. AND YOU HAVE SUMMARIZED IT VERY NICELY, SIR, I APPRECIATE IT. AND NO, I DON'T DO A LOT OF TALK, BUT I GET THINGS DONE AN I ACT. AND THE HALF THE PROBLEM WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROBLEM, WE CAN CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE FLUFF. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT

[00:55:04]

AND WE ARE CERTAINLY AT A CROSSROADS WITH DART AND ALL THE MEMBER CITIES. AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO. I HAVE TO GO ON THE, THE FAITH THAT. IF, AS MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, IF WE ALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIHIS, WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT, WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT AND FIGURE THAT OUT IN-HOUSE OR IN WITHIN THE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. BUT AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE A LOT OF GREAT EFFORTS TOWARDS DOING THAT. I KNOW YOU'VE MET WITH US MULTIPLE TIMES. I KNOW YOU'VE MET WITH THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES MULTIPLE TIMES. AND SO I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE. AND IF, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ARBITRATION PAY OFF, I THINK THAT IS A GOOD I THINK THAT IS A GOOD OPTION FOR US. SO WE WILL CONTINUE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT DART IN OUR WAY AND THE WAY THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND WITH THAT, I WILL TELL YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, I AM VERY GLAD THAT I DID NOT ACCEPT YOUR REQUEST TO BE REMOVED FROM THE RTC IN PREVIOUS YEARS BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE DONE A FINE JOB REPRESENTING US THERE, AND CERTAINLY IN A VERY COMPLEX TIME. SO THANK YOU TO YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AS WELL. ALL

[6. 519 State Street: Further Consideration of the Sales Agreement and Development Agreement, to Discuss Possible Amendments This item was requested by Councilmember Beard and seconded by Councilmember Ott.]

[01:00:09]

SURPRISINGLY, I LIVE AT 331 OAKWOOD TRAIL. YOU BETTER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS. ALL RIGHT, LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT I DIDN'T MAKE LAST TIME. BUT AFTER SEEING ALL THE DISCUSSION, I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH BRINGING FORWARD IN THE EVENT THAT THE ALLIES HOUSE COMES TO REALITY, IT WILL DRAW APPROXIMATELY 100 TO 200,000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR TO OUR DOWNTOWN. AND MY EXPERIENCE THAT LARGE INCREASE IN FOOT TRAFFIC WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE DOWN THERE. THE OTHER RESTAURANTS, THE OTHER MERCHANTS. WE RENOVATED 30 BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY AND. SPONSORED TEN RESTAURANTS. RESTAURANTS DO NOT CANNIBALIZE EACH OTHER. THEY FEED EACH OTHER. NONE OF US WANT TO EAT THE SAME MEAL EVERY TIME.

WE LIKE DIFFERENT PLACES. SO WHEN YOU DRAW THAT MANY PEOPLE TO YOUR DOWNTOWN, THEY SEE THE BARBECUE RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR. THEY WILL GO TO THE BARBECUE RESTAURANT. THE SECOND POINT I WANT TO MAKE THAT BUILDING IS CURRENTLY ON YOUR TAX BILL FOR $160,000. WE WILL SPEND IN EXCESS OF $3 MILLION TO RENOVATE. THAT INCREASE VALUE WILL PAY BACK THE CITY FOR ITS EXPENSES OVER TIME. LAST SUMMER I WILL BUY THAT BUILDING. WE HAVE NOW HAD TIME TO INSPECT IT WITH OUR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND OUR CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE. IT IS IN WORSE SHAPE THAN WE REALIZE, AND I SUSPECT WE'LL SHAPE THAN MOST OF YOU REALIZE. THE REAL WEST SIDE. THE ROOF HAS SAGGED APPROXIMATELY A FOOT, AND ALL THE JOISTS ON THE WEST SIDE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE STRAIGHT UP

[01:05:07]

THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY. CAN YOU HIT THE TIMER FOR I THINK THREE MINUTES WENT. CAN YOU? THERE WE GO. GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. I'M WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL OF YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US SOME TIME TO SHARE SOME CLARIFYING POINTS I THINK ARE IMPORTANT RELATIVE TO THE DISCUSSION. AS DON MENTIONED. FIRST, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF THE OWL. ON A NORMAL DAY OF BUSINESS, THE DOWNSTAIRS WILL SEAT 120 PEOPLE ON PAPER. AND THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BUILT ANYTHING ON PAPER KNOW THAT THAT'S ALWAYS KIND OF IDEAL STATE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT ONCE THE DECOR AND OTHER NEEDS ARE PLACED, IT'S LIKELY CLOSER TO 100, AND THERE'S A PRIVATE DINING ROOM THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE 70 TO 80, DEPENDING ON THE SETUP OF TABLES. THAT DINING ROOM WILL BE USED FOR COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS, BABY SHOWERS, GRADUATION PARTIES AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS OF GARLAND INDICATED WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM. AND ALL OF YOU INDICATED WAS IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS CONCEPT WAS AND IS. AND WE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO ACCOMMODATE. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CAPACITY TO DISTINCT, THERE'S THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS. ADDITIONALLY, ON THE TOP FLOOR, WE ESTIMAT ABOUT 65 SEATS. SO THERE'S BEEN SOME SOME LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS REALLY KIND OF OUT THERE CLAIMING THAT THIS IS A THIS IS A 450 SEAT FOOD HALL. I NEED TO BE EXTREMELY CLEAR THAT THAT IT'S ANYTHING BUT. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CAPACITY WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD DOCUMENTED FOR EVERYONE. THE OWL IS UNLIKE ANYTHING IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY. IF WE WERE TO CREATE A CONCEPT LIKE THINGS THAT EXIST HERE, THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY CREATE COMPETITION. BUT AS DON MENTIONED, THIS IS PLACEMAKING.

THIS IS ABOUT BEING COMPLEMENTARY TO THE BUSINESSES THAT EXIST HERE. OUR MISSION IS ALL ABOUT CREATION OF COMMUNITY AND CONNECTEDNESS. AND I THINK THAT THAT ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHAT'S AT THE HEART OF THIS CONCEPT. SO FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT YOUTH SPORTS TEAMS ROLLING IN ON A THURSDAY NIGHT. I'M EXHAUSTED. PARENTS, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOUTH SPORTS ON THE WEEKENDS, ROLLING IN IN BIG GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES. AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN ANY OF THE CONCEPTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO DIFFERENT. THAT'S WHY THE SEATING IS SO IMPORTANT. I WANT TO UNDERSCORE WHAT DON SAID. THE BUILDING IS IN TERRIBLE REPAIR. THE CEILING WILL CAVE AND THE FLOORS ARE ROTTED. IT WILL TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT FOR US TO BRING THIS BUILDING UP TO CODE, WHILE PRESERVING THE CHARM AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. NOT EVERYBODY WILL DO THAT. MOST TRADITIONAL DEVELOPERS ARE NOT GOING TO GO IN AND HAVE THE HEART TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WAS THERE AND TELL THAT STORY AGAIN, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DENOTE BETWEEN THOSE THINGS AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL OUTCOMES. THERE'S ALSO SOME VERY PECULIAR AND QUIRKY REQUIREMENTS IN THAT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. OUR DESIRE IS TO NOT ONLY COMPLY WITH THOSE, BUT ULTIMATELY TO TAKE IT BEYOND THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE 60,622 APPROXIMATELY FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN GARLAND TODAY, WITH ROUGHLY 26,000 OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS RAISING KIDDOS. THOSE FAMILIES ARE NOT HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE PUTTING DINNER ON THE TABLE, OR THEY'RE GETTING SOMEBODY OFF TO MUSIC PRACTICE OR TO A SPORTS PRACTICE, SO THEY CAN'T SI HERE AND TELL YOU WHAT'S IN THEIR HEARTS. BUT WHAT I DID IS SCOURED THE INTERNET IN THE MANY FORMS THAT NOW EXIST TO DEBATE THE OWL ICE HOUSE AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT 519. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT FOR YOU, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY YOU, AS THE COUNCIL ARE ELECTED TO REPRESENT THEM. AND YOU NEED TO HEAR BEYOND THIS ROOM. YOU NEED TO HEAR WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID, WHICH IS WOO HOO, GREAT WAY TO USE THE BUILDING.

FINALLY, SOMETHING FOR FAMILIES. COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THE RESULT OF THIS AND THE CONTINUED EFFORTS TO GET DOWNTOWN UPDATED. I LOVE IT PARKING A HALF BLOCK AWAY. NO BIG DEAL. THE VIBE.

THIS WILL BE SO GREAT. WE NEED THIS I DEVELOPED. THIS IS GREAT. I LOVE THAT WE RETAIN THE OLD SCHOOL FEEL BUT ALSO MIXEDITH NEW. GOING TO BE A HOT TIME IN THE SQUARE TONIGHT AFTER THIS COMES IN. THIS IS A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE HUNDREDS OF FAVORABLE COMMENTS THAT YOU'RE NOT PROBABLY GOING TO HEAR IN THIS ROOM THIS EVENING, BUT THAT EXISTS IN A NUMBER OF THOSE FORUMS. SO AS YOU CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF 519, I HOPE YOU REFLECT ON WHAT THE CITY OF GARLAND NOT ONLY NEEDS, BUT WHAT IT DESERVES. BECAUSE THE OWL ICE HOUSE CHECKS BOTH OF THOSE BOXES BEAUTIFULLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS GROUP? OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER

[01:10:08]

COUNCILMEMBER BEARD, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING BACK AND FOR CLARIFYING SOME ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD. THIS HAS BEEN A. INTERESTING PROSPECT, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR CLARIFICATION TONIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US BACK. WE APPRECIATE IT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER BASS, THANK YOU.

YEAH. HANG ON, HANG ON, HANG ON. THERE WE GO. WE BETTER OKAY. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING BACK AND APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING A LOT OF THE THINGS. SO ONE THING LOOKING AT SOME NOTES I HAVE HERE, SOME FROM SOME FEEDBACK I RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THE RENDERINGS. SO CAN YOU GUYS ADDRESS ADDRESS THE RENDERINGS. AND I KNOW YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BEFORE BUT CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT AGAIN. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THE RENDERING IS INTENDED TO BE JUST THAT. AND AS WE MENTIONED, ARTISTS ARE ALSO ARE OFTENTIMES VERY GRAND IN THE WAY THEY LIKE TO, TO DEPICT THINGS. AND WE WERE MOVING VERY QUICKLY IN ORDER TO HAVE SOMETHING TO, TO HELP US VISUALIZE WHAT WOULD BE THERE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT RENDERING SPANS ABOUT NINE AND A HALF PARKING SPOTS, WHEN THE REALITY IS THE BUILDING IS ABOUT SIX, I THINK.

SO YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUTUT SCALE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. AND OUR DESIRE, THE INTENT IS TO TIE BEAUTIFULLY INTO THE ARCHITECTURE THAT EXISTS. AND WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH MANY OF YOU. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PLAZA AND YOU LOOK AT THE BALANCE OF THAT INLINE, WE ANTICIPATE AND DESIRE, THE DESIRED END GAME IS THAT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER. SO, YOU KNOW, WILL IT LOOK LIKE A HARDWARE SRE? I HOPE NOT. WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK THERE, BUT THE DESIRE IS ALSO TO CREATE THIS REALLY BEAUTIFUL SYNERGY BETWEEN THE PARK IN THE CENTER AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE FACADE OF THAT BUILDING, HENCE THE GARAGE DOORS THAT ROLL UP. SO I THINK THE RENDERING ITSELF IS, IS PROBABLY NOT A FAIR REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE THERE. THE VISION IS TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE IT'S BEEN LIVED IN. IT'S HISTORICALLY, YOU

[01:15:05]

I'VE SERVED ON THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, HELPED SHAPE DOWNTOWN'S BRANDING AND IDENTITY, AND CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE TIF BOARD, WHICH APPROVED FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY. THAT'S WHY I'M STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE PROPOSED USE DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALIGN WITH THE STUDIES AND THE SURVEYS, OR WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD ALL ALONG. ORIGINALLY, WE WERE TOLD THE CITY WOULD INVEST $9 MILLION INTO MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC USE, OR SOME SORT OF MIX THAT WOULD COMPLEMENT THE THEATER AND THE REST OF THE SQUARE AND SURROUNDING BUSINESSES. THE CITY POSTED THE SURVEY RESULTS YESTERDAY. ICE HOUSE AND ICE HOUSE WASN'T IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY. SEEING THIS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THREW UP SOME RED FLAGS FOR ME AND IT WAS VERY CONCERNING. I BELIEVE THIS PROPERTY IS A VITAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE DOWNTOWN, AND WE CAN'T JUST HIT THE EASY BUTTON ON IT. THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION. THE CITY GOT INVOLVED. WE OVERPAID FOR THE BUILDING, AND EVEN I STRUGGLED TO FIND A P AND L THAT WILL WORK FOR THE SPACE, THE ENTIRE SPACE, AND PAY BACK THE MONEY THE TAXPAYERS SPENT ON IT.

BUT AFTER 30 YEARS OF INACTION ON THE SPACE, WHY THE SUDDEN SENSE OF URGENCY WITHOUT ANY

[01:20:03]

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I GOT, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CALL OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MATTHEW ARCHER. MATTHEW. YEAH. MY NAME. YEAH. SO IF YOU CAN GIVE US YOUR NAME, MATTHEW, AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. MATTHEW ARCHER. I GO BY MATT. THE SECOND T IS SILENT. 400 SOUTH 11TH STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS, 75040. REALLY? ONLY GISTERED AS A SPEAKER BECAUSE I HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA OF WHAT TONIGHT WAS. SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING, MISTER MAYOR. WHAT WE WERE HERE TO TALK ABOUT. I DO ECHO ECHO. A LOT OF CARRIE'S SENTIMENT ABOUT WE NEED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR CITY. THE ALLIES HOUSE IS AN AMAZING CONCEPT, AND NO DOUBT PEOPLE WOULD COME AND PEOPLE WOULD BE DOWNTOWN TO CHECK THAT OUT. I'VE BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF BRINGING NEW BUSINESS DOWN. ALL OF THE NEW RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE OPENED. MY NEAREST NEIGHBOR, WHO IS REALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT I DO. YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ME SCREAM ABOUT THAT, HAVE YOU? SO I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF INCREASING TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN. THE WAY WE'RE GIVING THIS PROPERTY AWAY IS A BAD IDEA. SO WILL IT PAY ITSELF BACK TEN? I THINK TEN YEARS IS WHAT MR. X HAD PUT ON THE INITIAL SLIDE PRESENTATION. NOT REAL SURE THAT THAT'S COMPLETELY VALIDATED, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE DEAL. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE OUT THERE. AND CARRIE MENTIONED, HAD WE MARKETED THIS DIFFERENTLY, COULD WE HAVE GOTTEN MORE THAN ZERO RESPONSES? IF I KNEW A PROPERTY WAS GOING TO BE GIFTED, I WOULD HAVE RUN TO INVESTORS.

SO JUST FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? OH, I SEE NONE. THANK YOU SIR.

CALL OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. I HAVE NO MORE. OH, WELL, THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YOU'VE GOT A HAND RIGHT THERE. IS THERE ANY WAY TO SAY SOMETHING EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T REGISTERED? WE TAKE THE CUP ONCE WE START THE MEETING. WE CUT OFF THE SIGN UP.

NO PROBLEM. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM.

THANK YOU TO THE TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE SHOWN UP HERE THIS EVENING. THIS IS A YOU

[01:25:04]

IT'S 2025 WORK SESSION COUNCIL. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ITEMS LEFT ON OUR AGENDA AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A QUICK SWITCH. WE'RE GOING TO REVERSE ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT. SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO

[8. Legislative & Public Affairs Committee Report Councilmember B.J. Williams, Chair of the Legislative & Public Affairs Committee, and staff will provide a committee report. Ariel Traub, Managing Director of Legislative & Public Affairs, will discuss the 89th legislative session thus far.]

GOOD EVENING. I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME. THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION CURRENTLY. SOME BILLS ARE GOOD, SOME ARE BAD. AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. AS THEY HAVE BEEN THE PREVIOUS 88 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. YES. ANY QUESTIONS? A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF TIMELINE. BILL FILING DEADLINE WAS LAST FRIDAY, SO ANYTHING FILED FROM HERE ON OUT IS JUST RESOLUTIONS IN BOTH CHAMBERS. IN THE LAST WEEK WE SAW ABOUT 3000 BILLS FILED. SO TAYLOR AND I ARE FURIOUSLY WORKING TO CATCH UP AND READ ALL OF READ ALL OF THEM. IN TOTAL, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 10,000 BILLS ROUGHLY FILED, AND I'VE GOT SOME BREAKDOWN HERE AS WELL. WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF UTILITY BILLS THAT GOES FOR WATER. THE, THE, OUR UTILITY, OUR GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT. THAT ALSO INCLUDES OUR LANDFILL, A LOT OF PUBLIC SAFETY BILLS. ONE OF NOTE IS BEING HEARD THIS WEEK. IT'S CALLED HOUSE BILL 33 OR THE UVALDE STRONG BILL THAT IS WORKING ON IN COORDINATION BETWEEN FIRST RESPONDERS. AND IN CASE OF AN EVENT LIKE UVALDE, WE ARE ACTIVELY TRACKING ROUGHLY A THOUSAND BILLS AS WE WORK THROUGH THOSE 3000 THAT WERE FILED LAST WEEK. THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE, AND I HEAR OUTLINED SOME BILILLS THAT WE HE BEEN WORKING ON. I WANTED TO QUICKLY CALL OUT SENATE BILL 15. WE DID DROP SOME SOME COMMENTS AGAINST THAT BILL IN COMMITTEE LAST WEEK. IT WAS VOTED OUT PROMPTLY ON THURSDAY. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE SOME OTHER LAND USE BILLS THAT WE SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS AGAINST SENATE BILL 840, SENATE BILL 854. THOSE WERE ALSO HEARD ON MONDAY IN SENATE LOCAL AND WERE VOTED OUT ON THURSDAY. WE SUBMITTED COMMENTS AGAINST SENATE BILL 1024, WHICH IS A MUNICIPAL FINANCE BILL.

ESSENTIALLY, IT RESTRICTS OUR ABILITY TO ISSUE ANTICIPATION NOTES OR COES FOLLOWING A FAILED BOND ELECTION. WE CAN'T DO THAT FOR FIVE YEARS. WE DID SUBMIT COMMENTS AGAINST THAT BILL, AND IT WAS PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE LAST WEEK AS WELL. WE SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS AGAINST HOUSE BILL 23, WHICH IS A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION BILL. THIS ONE WAS SPECIFICALLY CONCERNING BECAUSE

[01:30:06]

I'M SORRY, DO WE? I WAS LIKE, ARE WE DONE? THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. I WAS LIKE, I SEE ZERO EIGHT OF ZERO NINE NOW. SO ALL RIGHT, SORRY. IT WAS WRITING. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE NO ONE IN THE QUEUE. THE MOST IMMEDIATE QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON ON CARRYING THE RESOLUTION? THAT WOULD BE UNANIMOUS. UNANIMOUS? IT'S GETTING TO BE A RARITY AROUND HERE. YOU SHOULD ENJOY IT. I'LL TAKE MY WINS AS I CAN. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATES. WE YOU KNOW, WE HAD A SMALLER COMMITTEE MEETING EARLIER, A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. YES.

IF THERE'S IF ANY OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON BILLS, I'M HAPPY TO ELABORATE MORE. AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING GOING ON WITH STRESS SHORT TERM RENTALS? THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT HAVE BEEN FILED. WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE THAT NONE HAVE MADE IT TO THE FLOOR YET. SO THOSE ARE THE ONES WE'RE WATCHING. THERE'S BEEN SOME MONEY TO USE THAT HAVE BEEN SET ON THE INTENT CALENDAR, BUT NOT STARS YET, SO WE'RE KEEPING AN E EYE OUT. SPEAKING F ADS, I SAW 1 IN 1 OF THE BILLS THAT YOU HAD UP THERE AND IT ALSO SAID MINIMUM MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE WAS THAT FOR A AN ENTIRE RESIDENCE OR FOR THE ADUS THEMSELVES? THAT WOULD BE FOR THE ADUS THEMSELVES. OKAY, THEY'RE THEY'RE PUSHING THESE BILLS BASED ON. THE HOPE THAT IT WILL ASSIST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO IT'S LIKE PRO TINY HOUSE. YES. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THIS LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE THOSE. RIGHT. MOST OF THESE DO. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANKS. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO BACK TO BACK TO AUSTIN. YES. ALL RIGHT I SEE NOTHING. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE UPDATES AND THE CONTINUED WORK AND SAFE TRAVELS OFF THE TABLE. MOVING

[7. Annual Review of Homestead and Senior Tax Exemptions Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Lucht, Chair of the Administrative Services Committee, along with staff, will present options recommended at the February 27, 2025 Administrative Services Committee Meeting.]

[01:35:05]

AND THEN I'LL KIND OF GIVE A SYNOPSIS AFTERWARDS. WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS TO REPORT OUT, BUT PHIL IS OUT OF TOWN, SO I WANTED TO SAVE SOME OF THOSE ITEMS FOR WHEN HE'S HERE. SO WHEN HE GETS BACK AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING OR AT OUR NEXT WORK SESSION, WILL PROBABLY BE REPORTING THOSE OUT AND OFF TO MR. WATSON. GOOD EVENING. SO THE ASC HAS BEEN SPENDING THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS REVIEWING THE HOMESTEAD AND SENIOR EXEMPTIONS. THEY DO THAT ANNUALLY. AFTER THE 2000 PASSAGE OF THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM. AT THAT TIME, COUNCIL INCREASED THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM 8% TO 10%, AND THEN THE SENIOR EXEMPTION FROM 51,000 TO 56,000. AND AFTER DOING THAT, THE REQUEST WAS FOR THAT COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THE HOMESTEAD AND SENIOR EXEMPTION ANNUALLY TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL RELIEF THAT MAY NEED TO OCCUR. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING THROUGH THAT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO I WANTED TO BRIEFLY GO OVER THE PRESENTATION, DESCRIBE THE OPTION THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY BY THE COMMITTEE, AND ALSO SHOW SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS THAT THEY LOOKED AT. TO START THE FAMOUS DEBT DONUT. WE HAVE ABOUT $1.1 BILLION OF CIP OR CAPITAL OR DEBT CAPACITY CURRENTLY UNDER OUR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE, AND COUNCIL HAS SPENT REALLY THE LAST YEAR OF IDENTIFYING LONG TERM NEEDS AND INITIATIVES AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO FUND THOSE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, ABOUT 4 MILLION OF THE DEBT DONUT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED LAST MONTH. THERE'S $130 MILLION THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT THAT WAS GIVEN BACK TO THE EMPLOYEES ON THEIR TMRS THE 50% COLA, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOND PROGRAM THAT WILL BE OUT ON THE STREETS IN MAY, WAS ABOUT 360 MILLION. WE HAVE ABOUT 70 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE CITY. BUT REALLY, THE ONE LITTLE PIECE THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MOST IS THE LITTLE 10 MILLION. SO OF THAT CAPACITY RIGHT NOW, CITY COUNCIL HAS NOT PROGRAMED ABOUT $10 MILLION OF CAPACITY, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT $762,000 OF DEBT SERVICE REVENUE FOR ANY FUTURE INITIATIVES. SO THE SOLUTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE IS TO OFFER THAT BACK TO THE RESIDENTS IN THE FORM OF A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION INCREASE AND A SENIOR EXEMPTION INCREASE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID IN 2019 WITH WITH THE PASSAGE OF ANOTHER BOND PROGRAM PROVIDING ALSO SOME RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS. QUICKLY, I WANTED TO GO OVER JUST SOME COMPARISONS TO THE OTHER METROPLEX CITIES ON BOTH SENIORS AND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S REALLY KIND OF TWO PATHS CITIES TAKE WHEN THEY LOOK AT THEIR SENIORS AND HOMESTEADS.

MANY CITIES LOOK TO GO ALL IN ON THE SENIOR EXEMPTION. SO IF YOU LOOK AT, SAY, MESQUITE, ROWLETT, SAXY AND RICHARDSON, YOU CAN SEE THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS ARE FAIRLY SMALL, MEANING THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH GOING ALL IN ON EVERYONE OVER THE AGE OF 65. GARLAND HISTORICALLY HAS TAKEN THE PATH OF TRYING TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR BOTH HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION RESIDENTS AND SENIORS.

AND OF COURSE, SENIORS DO GET TO SEE THE BENEFIT OF A HOMESTEAD AS WELL. BUT THE HOMESTEAD PROVIDES RELIEF FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 65. SO CURRENTLY, AGAIN, GARLAND IS AT 56,010%. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE AVERAGE ACROSS ALL THE OTHER OTHER CITIES IS ABOUT 70 70,000 FOR SENIORS AND IS AT 11% FOR HOMESTEAD. BUT I ALSO PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. YOU HEAR ME TALK ABOUT GARLAND'S CHALLENGE A LOT WITH OUR OUR SMALLER LOTS, SMALLER HOME SIZES, OLDER HOMES, THE VALUE OF OUR HOMES IN THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE IT GENERATES IS BELOW THAT OF THE METROPLEX COMPARISONS. SO YOU CAN SEE THE AVERAGE TAXABLE VALUE FOR THESE SAME CITIES IS ABOUT 285,000. HERE IN GARLAND IT'S ABOUT 194 OR 91,000 BELOW. AND FOR THE AVERAGE, AND THAT'S FOR THE SENIOR AND FOR AN AVERAGE OF UNDER 65 HOMEOWNER, IT'S 252 617, WHILE THE METROPLEX IS ROUGHLY AROUND 360,000, WHICH EQUATES TO AN AVERAGE TAX BILL IN THE METROPLEX OF ABOUT 1652 FOR A SENIOR. AND GARLAND IS AT ONE, THREE, FOUR, TWO OR ABOUT

[01:40:07]

[01:45:01]

HOWEVER, UNDER THIS PLAN AND UNDER OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS FOR CIP, THE DEBT DONUT, THIS WOULD REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF ABOUT $25 MILLION OUT OF THE CI, OR OUT OF ANY OF THE OTHER FUTURE INITIATIVES. IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS WORK. THE OTHER GRADUAL INCREASE THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO LOOK AT WAS WHAT IF WE DID IT ON THE OPPOSITE ON THE HOMESTEAD, AND WE LOOKED TO INCREASE IT TO 15% BY 2030? HERE I JUST BASICALLY DID 1% PER YEAR. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SAVINGS FOR A SENIOR WOULD BE ABOUT 5% OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, OR $78. AND THE SAME WOULD BE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 65, 5%, OR ROUGHLY $97 IN SAVINGS. HOWEVER, THIS PLAN WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF $35 MILLION OUT OF THE CIP IN ORDER TO MAKE UP THE GAP IN LOST REVENUE. THE FINAL OPTION WAS TO TRY TO GIVE RELIEF TO BOTH. SO, YOU KNOW, HYPOTHETICALLY INCREASING THE HOMESTEAD TO 15% AND THE SENIOR EXEMPTION TO 80,000. UNDER THIS PLAN, THE SENIORS WOULD SEE ABOUT $207 IN SAVINGS, OR A 12%. SO STARTING TO GET INTO SOME DECENT RELIEF.

AND THEN ON THE UNDER AGE 65, IT'S STILL ABOUT 4% OR $84. HOWEVER, THIS PLAN WOULD REQUIRE $61 MILLION OF REMOVAL OUT OF THE CIP DUE TO THE LOST DEBT SERVICE, SO IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AT THAT TIME TO MAKE ALL THESE FUTURE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD PROGRAM CONTINUE ON. AND REALLY, THAT WAS THE BULK OF THE DISCUSSION. AND AGAIN, THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, I'LL LET COUNCILWOMAN LUCHT OR MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM LOOK ELABORATE ON THAT. YES. SO COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE DOES MOVE TO GO. WILL YOU SHOW THEM THE SLIDE THAT WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. SO WE DID WE DO RECOMMEND A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. EXEMPTION OF WITH AN INCREASE OF 1%. AND THE SENIOR EXEMPTION INCREASED BY $4,000. AGAIN, THE SENIORS WILL BE ABLE TO KIND OF DOUBLE DIP FROM THOSE NUMBERS. AND WE'LL SEE A DOUBLE INCREASE IN THEIR EXEMPTIONS. WE REALLY WANTED TO DO MORE, ESPECIALLY THAT'S WHY WE LOOKED AT THE INCREMENTAL INCREASES OVER TIME. THE NUMBERS JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ACTUALLY ASSIGN A PARTICULAR VALUE. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WE EVALUATE THESE EVERY YEAR IN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. SO WE DECIDED TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. AND HOPEFULLY YEAR AFTER YEAR WE WILL FIND FIND A WAY TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS FOR SENIORS AND HOMESTEADERS IN GARLAND. EXCUSE ME. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS? MAYOR MATT, I KNOW YOU'VE EXPLAINED IT BEFORE TO US TO SHIFT. HOW DOES HOW DOES THIS SHIFT AFFECT SMALL BUSINESSES? WELL, I GUESS WE WOULD NEED TO DEFINEMALL BUSINESSES. I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT FROM THE MILLION DOLLAR VALUE. IT'S ABOUT A 21. HOW MUCH DOES THIS SHIFT AFFECTS BUSINESSES? OKAY.

CLASSIFY THEM AS BUSINESSES PERIOD. SURE. I MEAN FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLARS OF VALUE THEY HAVE, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE ROUGHLY A $21 INCREASE IN THE TAX BILL. BUT I WILL SAY THAT MOST BUSINESSES WILL MORE THAN LIKELY PASS THAT ON TO CONSUMERS AND WON'T ACTUALLY SEE AN IMPACT TO THEMSELVES. AND IT IS RELATIVELY MINOR, BUT IT IS THERE. SO IT IS SOMETHING COUNCIL NEEDS TO WEIGH IN. OKAY. AND WHEN AND IF WE IF WE GO WITH THIS WHEN WILL THEY SEE THAT THAT WHEN WILL THAT BE NOTICEABLE TO BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE NOTICED ON NEXT YEAR'S TAX. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE TAX YEAR 2024. WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE APPRAISALS OF 25. SO WHEN THEY DO GET THEIR ESTIMATES IN OCTOBER, IT WILL BE IN THAT. SO UNLESS YOUR IS YOUR OPINION THAT THEY WILL SIMPLY DO A PASS THROUGH, I BELIEVE THEY WOULD SIMPLY DO A PASS THROUGH. OR IF

[01:50:03]

SOMEBODY ACTING LIKE THEY WANT TO PUSH THE BUTTON. COUNCIL MEMBER HEDRICK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I'M ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS PLAN, WHERE WE DO A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH, IT HELPS ALL OF GARLAND RESIDENTS, RATHER THAN JUST FOCUSING ON FOCUSING ON A SPECIFIC GROUP AND HAVING THAT TAX BURDEN SHIFT TO ANOTHER GROUP. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY DONE. YOU'VE SEEN THAT WE KIND OF GO ONE AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, THE OTHER. RICHARDSON GOES ALL IN ON SENIORS WHEN THEY HAVE A HUGE IT WAS BACK A SLIDE. BUT YOU CAN SEE THEY JUST HAVE A $145,000 SENIOR EXEMPTION. AND MY GOOD FRIEND WHO LIVES IN RICHARDSON PAYS THE FULL AND THE BURDEN OF THAT TO SUPPORT THE SENIORS IN RICHARDSON. SO I THINK IT'S A FAIR PLAN THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH. I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO INCREASE IT AND FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THAT GOING FORWARD. I THINK THAT WAS A BIG THING TO REITERATE, COMING OUT OF THE COMMITTEE IS CONTINUALLY EVALUATING EVERY YEAR AND CONTINUING TO GIVE RELIEF. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. VERY GOOD. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION, IF YOU'LL GO BACK TO THAT GROWTH RATE CHART, WHERE IN 2026 YOU BASICALLY SEE THE VALUES DROPPING. SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE DIDN'T WANT TO CREATE A FIXED NUMBER AND GO BY THAT BY 2030. WE WANT IT TO BE AT THIS RATE AND AT THIS EXEMPTION. SO ALL OF THOSE FACTORS WERE HEAVILY CONSIDERED. AND SO WE WENT THROUGH IT THOROUGHLY OVER SEVERAL MEETINGS. AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ACTUALLY PUT IN A LOT OF TIME. AND STAFF PUT IN A LOT OF TIME AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, MR. WATSON. ANY TIME. WHAT I DO. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT COUNCIL, THE COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING OPTION ONE MOVING FORWARD IN FAVOR OF OPTION ONE MOVING FORWARD. THAT WOULD BE UNANIMOUS. AND I JUST DID SOME QUICK MATH AND I'LL BE SEEING ACCORDING TO THIS IN 2032. SO Y'ALL GOT SOME WORK TO DO. BUT I'M GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER ALL THE TIME. SO ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS OUR LAST VERBAL BRIEFING. NEXT ITEM UP IS ANNOUNCED FUTURE

[ 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. ]

AND COUNSELOR DUTTON IS A SECOND ON THAT. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. THANK YOU. WOULD THAT INCLUDE THE THREE? IT WOULD THAT PRETTY MUCH. THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. THANK YOU. HANG ON. ALL RIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? COUNSELOR WILLIAMS. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO FOR. OUR PARKING CZAR.

THEY WERE. I KNOW THEY WERE. HE SAID WHEN HE CAME BACK, THEY WERE GOING TO SORT OF SET UP TARGET AREAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO. I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON ON HOW THAT PROGRAM IS GOING. JUDD, YOU'RE LOOKING YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE CREATING INSTEAD OF DOING BROAD PARKING ENFORCEMENT, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SET UP THESE SORT OF I DON'T I'M NOT SURE WHAT THOSE TARGET AREAS WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT BUT BUT HOW IS THAT COMING IS I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT. MR. CITY ATTORNEY CAN CAN HE'S MAYBE MR. ATTORNEY OVER THERE CAN CAN CLARIFY THAT. YEAH. THEY FALL UNDER ME SO I'LL HAVE THE PART OF THE CZAR COME IN. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM IS THE SECOND.

THAT IS HOW IT'S COMING. ALL RIGHT? ANYTHING ELSE? FUTURE AGENDA. SEEING NONE, WE WILL

[ EXECUTIVE SESSION]

[01:55:05]

AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND COUNCIL. PLEASE HOLD YOUR

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.