Jan 05, 2026 Work Session

[00:00:09]

YEAR. WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 5TH, 2026 WORK SESSION OF THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. FIRST

[ PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS]

AND THESE VOTES HAVE BEEN STRESSING ME OUT AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. AND I LOVE GARLAND. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO AND EVERYTHING HERE. IT MAKES ME VERY PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT HERE BECAUSE OF HOW SUPPORTIVE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN OF DART. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DEFINITELY THINGS ABOUT DART THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT, BUT AS THEY SAY, YOU DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER, SO YOU'LL BEGIN A PRESENTATION TONIGHT, PROBABLY REGARDING THINGS LIKE MICROTRANSIT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO DO RESEARCH. I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT LATER, AND CAN KIND OF GIVE SOME MORE INFO FROM KIND OF OUR PERSPECTIVE. AND LIKE I SAID, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND YEAH, WE'D LOVE TO SPEAK IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN, MADAM SECRETARY. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? YES.

MISS MCNAIR. YES, WE ALL DO HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO TALK ABOUT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I AM HEATHER MCNAIR AND I WORK REGIONALLY ON TRANSPORTATION ACCESS THROUGH BIKE DFW. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT SPEAKING AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER. I LIVE AT 809 BERKSHIRE CIRCLE ALSO, AND CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE DECISIONS REGARDING DART AFFECT PEOPLE ON THE GROUND. I APPRECIATE THAT STAFF WILL BE PROVIDING THIS BRIEFING ON THE CHALLENGES FACING DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT TONIGHT. THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE DIFFICULT, BUT THEY'RE NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION CIRCULATING AND NOT ALL OF IT REFLECTS THE LIVED REALITY OF PEOPLE WHO RELY ON TRANSIT EVERY DAY. ONE THING I WANT TO URGE COUNCIL TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL ABOUT IS HOW WE EVALUATE CLAIMS THAT MICROTRANSIT OR MICROMOBILITY, WORKS. WHEN OTHER CITIES SAY THESE SYSTEMS WORK, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO ASK THREE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR IT TO WORK? BECAUSE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT, WHICH WOULD BE OUR SENIORS, OUR WORKERS WITHOUT CARS AND OUR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WORKING OUT THE KINKS ISN'T A NEUTRAL TRANSITION PERIOD. IT'S MISSED SHIFTS, LOST MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND LONGER, LESS RELIABLE TRIPS. WHAT DOES WORKS ACTUALLY MEAN? DOES IT MEAN LOWER COST ON PAPER? DOES IT MEAN FEWER VEHICLES, OR DOES IT MEAN RELIABLE, PREDICTABLE ACCESS THAT PEOPLE CAN PLAN THEIR LIVES AROUND? AND THEN WHO DECIDES WHAT THAT DEFINITION IS? AND WHO'S LEFT OUT OF THAT DECISION? BECAUSE WHAT WORKS FOR A CITY BUDGET OR A PILOT PROGRAM DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK FOR SOMEONE WHOSE LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON MAKING A BUS CONNECTION ON TIME. I ALSO WANT TO RAISE CONCERNS AROUND TRANSPARENCY, PARTICULARLY WHEN PUBLIC MOBILITY IS SHIFTED TO PRIVATE VENDORS. WHEN SERVICES ARE DELIVERED BY A PUBLIC AGENCY, THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY, OPEN RECORDS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND EQUITY REQUIREMENTS. WHEN IT'S DELIVERED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY, COMMUNITIES OFTEN LOSE VISIBILITY INTO HOW SUCCESS IS MEASURED, HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, AND HOW QUICKLY OR IF PROBLEMS ARE CORRECTED. FINALLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS A PIECE OF MISINFORMATION THAT CONTINUES TO CIRCULATE. MICROTRANSIT CANNOT REPLACE A FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM. IT WAS NEVER CREATED TO DO THAT. IT'S A GREAT FIRST AND LAST MILE SYSTEM, BUT IT DOES NOT REPLACE WHAT WE HAVE WITH A FIXED BUS ROUTE SYSTEM. IT CAN SUPPLEMENT IT, IT CAN HELP FILL THE GAPS, BUT IT CANNOT REPLACE THE CAPACITY, PREDICTABILITY, AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF FIXED ROUTE SERVICE, ESPECIALLY AT SCALE. FIXED ROUTE BUSSES ARE THE BACKBONE THAT ALLOWS EVERYTHING ELSE TO FUNCTION. ONCE THAT BACKBONE IS WEAKENED OR REMOVED, THE IMPACTS FALL HARD ON THE PEOPLE WITH THE FEWEST ALTERNATIVES. MY HOPE TONIGHT IS THAT THIS COUNCIL CONTINUES TO ASK HARD QUESTIONS AND INSIST ON CLEAR DEFINITIONS OF SUCCESS, AND

[00:05:02]

IT'S HOW I GET TO WORK TO THE DOCTOR TO SEE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. DART IS HOW I LIVE MY LIFE. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT, BECAUSE THE IDEA OF MORE CITIES PUTTING DART ON THE VOTING BALLOT DOESN'T JUST CONCERN ME, IT SCARES ME BECAUSE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE LIKE ME, THAT DECISION WOULDN'T JUST CHANGE A TRANSPORTATION MAP OR BECOME A POLICY CHANGE.

IT WOULD CHANGE OUR LIVES. IT WOULD TAKE AWAY FREEDOM, OPPORTUNITY, AND CONNECTION.

THE VERY THINGS THAT MAKE GARLAND A COMMUNITY. IT WOULD BE A STEP BACKWARD, ONE THAT THREATENS OUR INDEPENDENCE, OUR ACCESS AND OUR DIGNITY. I WANT TO REMIND US ALL WHERE OUR SORRY I WHERE'S DO WE HAVE A TIME? WHERE CAN I OKAY, SORRY. I WANT TO REMIND US ALL WHERE OUR RIGHTS TO ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION COME FROM. BACK IN 1977, A GROUP OF BRAVE DISABLED ACTIVISTS STAGED WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE SECTION 504 SIT IN. THEY OCCUPIED A FEDERAL BUILDING IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR 26 DAYS, THE LONGEST NONVIOLENT OCCUPATION OF A GOVERNMENT FEDERAL BUILDING IN US HISTORY. THEY REFUSED TO LEAVE UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT AGREED TO SIGN THE REGULATIONS TO ENFORCE SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT. SORRY, THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING DENIED THE VERY REGULATIONS THAT WOULD ENFORCE THEIR RIGHTS TO ACCESS RIGHTS THAT MOST PEOPLE TOOK FOR GRANTED. THOSE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN FOUGHT FOR ME, FOR ALL OF US WITH DISABILITIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC SPACES, SCHOOLS AND YES, TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE. THEY FOUGHT FOR SECTION 504, WHICH SAYS THAT NO ONE WITH A DISABILITY CAN BE EXCLUDED FROM OR DENIED THE BENEFITS OF ANY PROGRAM THAT RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDS. DART IS ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS. IF GARLAND DECIDES TO VOTE, THE ACCESSIBLE BUSSES, TRAINS, AND PARATRANSIT SERVICE THAT DART PROVIDES, THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES COULD DISAPPEAR. MICROTRANSIT, OR MICROMOBILITY IS NOT A REPLACEMENT. THEY ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO MOST OF US BECAUSE WE HAVE MOBILITY AIDS IN OUR UNREAL, AND THEY ARE UNRELIABLE AT BEST. WITHOUT DART, MANY OF US WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK, TO SCHOOL, OR EVEN TO OUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS. THIS ISN'T ABOUT POLITICS. IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE.

IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY. I DEPEND ON DART, BUT I'M NOT ALONE. THERE ARE SENIORS, VETERANS, AND WORKING FAMILIES WHO ALSO RELY ON IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S OUR TURN TO CARRY THAT TORCH. LET'S NOT GO BACKWARDS. LET'S NOT UNDO WHAT THESE ACTIVISTS FOUGHT SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. KEEP DART IN GARLAND. KEEP OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTED. KEEP THE SPIRIT OF ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSIT ALIVE WITH DART RIGHT HERE WHERE IT BELONGS. I ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT AT THIS TIME. FOR EVERY DISABLED PERSON, FOR EVERY WORKING CLASS PERSON, FOR EVERY VETERAN, FOR EVERY SENIOR, FOR EVERY FAMILY, FOR EVERY DART RIDER. THANK YOU. THANK

[ CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA]

[1. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Texas Division of Emergency Management]

[2. Resolution Amending the Authorized Representatives for the Texas Local Government Investment Pool]

[8. Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Chair Appointments]

MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL OUR FIRST? I KNOW, IS HE HERE? NO, I KNOW MR. ABEL IS HERE. YOU'RE ON DECK, SIR. ON DECK. YOU'RE IN IN THE. YOU'RE NOT ON DECK. YOU'RE AT THE PLATE. OVER HERE. GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT, SIR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU'D LIKE TO SERVE AS CHAIR AGAIN THIS YEAR. WELL, MY NAME IS

[00:10:02]

WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME VERY EXCITING THINGS COMING, AND I FEEL LIKE I COULD HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? MR. ABEL? COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS. YES, SIR. HOWDY, SIR, I SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. YES YOU ARE.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING THE CHAIR OF THE TIFF BOARD, CORRECT? YES, I AM CURRENTLY HAVE BEEN SINCE ITS INCEPTION. IF YOU WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF TIFF BOARD AND HOW WOULD YOU FULFILL THE PURPOSE, THAT PURPOSE, MR. CHAIR? SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY THAN PAST YEARS? WELL, SO RIGHT NOW IT'S THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE TIFF IN GENERAL. WE'VE BROUGHT IN EVERYTHING FROM 635 UP TO HOLFORD ROAD, AND OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT TO COME IN THERE. HOPEFULLY THERE ARE SOME GOOD DEVELOPMENTS COMING ON THE SOUTH SIDE. WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE SET IN MOTION ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING TO BRIEF US ON EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WIWITH THAT PORTION YE, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WILL FIND OUT MORE FEBRUARY 18TH AT OUR NEXT MEETING. I BELIEVE IT'S THE 18TH OR 16TH THAT WAS JUST SENT OUT TO US TODAY, BUT IT'S TAKING THE GROUP'S OPINION AND FORWARDING IT ON TO YOU FOR WHAT IS BEST IN THAT AREA. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE OUR TIFF ZONE? WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THE DOWNTOWN TIFF DISTRICT. AND WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE THAT EQUIPS YOU? SO CHAIR OF THE BOARD, I'VE SERVED ON THE BASS PRO TIFF AT ITS INCEPTION. I'VE BEEN THE CHAIR OF TIFF THREE SINCE IT WAS INCEPTED. LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT. KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT OUR PEOPLE IN GARLAND WANT, AND KIND OF HAVE MY PULSE ON THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR SIR, COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON FOR CLARIFICATION. WHAT TIFF? ARE YOU ON TIFF THREE? WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF TIFF PROJECTS SUCH AS INCREMENT REVENUE AND PROJECT FUNDING? SO BASICALLY WE HAVE OUR TIFF BASE WHERE STARTED AND THE MONEY ABOVE THAT EVERY YEAR IS PUT INTO A FUND AND WE ADVISE COUNCIL ON WHAT WOULD BE BEST TO DO WITH THAT. EVERY YEAR IT GROWS, IT COMPOUNDS. WE HAVE APPROVED RIGHT NOW THE FUNDING FOR THE SOCCER FIELDS THROUGH TAX INCREMENT FINANCING BONDS. BUT CURRENTLY WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS GOING TO BE WITH THE STATE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT GOES AND WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE SOUTH AS WELL. AND THEN WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FACING SPECIFICALLY YOUR TIFF DISTRICT, AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THEM AS CHAIR? SO RIGHT NOW IT'S DIRECTION. WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE WHOLE FOR GROWTH AREA, WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR SOUTH? BECAUSE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TIED TO THE NORTH. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH STAFF, BUT THEY'VE BEEN CANCELED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE COULD DISCUSS. RIGHT NOW, YOU'VE GOT 7 OR 8 OF US THAT ARE THERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND WE'RE KIND OF IN THE DARK, AND IT WOULD BE VERY NICE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN IDEA SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A DIRECTION. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE. TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND WHY IT IS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW. WELL, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THIS TO KNOW TO YOU? CITY MANAGER, CITY SECRETARY? IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING ON OUR PART

[00:15:08]

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. I LOVE WHAT I DO AND LOVE WHERE I LIVE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. HI. ONE YEAR LATER, HERE WE ARE.

WHEN WAS YOUR LAST MEETING? IT'S BEEN OVER SIX MONTHS, I BELIEVE, AND I HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT MY CALENDAR. I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME, BUT IT'S BEEN. OUR THIRD QUARTER AND FOURTH QUARTER WERE CANCELED BECAUSE OF NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS. SEE ME QUARTERLY. AND HOW MANY? YOU HAD TWO MEETINGS LAST YEAR? WE WOULD. YES. AND LET ME CLARIFY, SINCE WE ARE SO FAST MOVING WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING, WE WOULD LIKE TO MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY. BUT WE HAVE COMMITTED AS A GROUP TO MEET AS MUCH AS MONTHLY IF IT WAS NEEDED. AS THINGS WERE HAPPENING WITH ATLÉTICO DALLAS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ALL EXTREMELY EAGER TO HELP BECAUSE WE SEE THE FINANCIAL GROWTH THAT'S COMING WITHIN OUR TIFF. SO WE'RE WE WE DO LIKE TO MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY, BUT WE'VE ALL COMMITTED TO MEETING MORE IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. WHAT HOW WILL YOU NAVIGATE MEETING CANCELLATIONS AND THINGS IN THE FUTURE? NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD THAT YOU HAVE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL TO KIND OF GET THINGS GOING, THEN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PROACTIVE IN SAYING, NO, WE NEED TO MEET. BUT WHENEVER I'M TOLD WE HAVE NOTHING TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT'S THE CITY, THAT'S NOT US. SO. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GRAHAM. COUNCIL MEMBER BASS. THANK YOU. PATRICK. APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT. THE ONLY ONE THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO WHO CAME TONIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A BRAVERY STUPIDITY THING, SIR. TAKE TAKE THAT FOR WHAT? TAKE THAT FOR WHAT? YOU CAN. NO, PATRICK. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR CONCERNS. I APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE. I APPRECIATE YOUR VOICING YOUR OPINIONS. AND I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY. I, I AM NOTHING SHORT OF OPINIONATED. YEAH. AWESOME. WELL, NO, REALLY,

[00:20:05]

MAYOR. ONE QUESTION. YES? IF YOU WERE SELECTED AS CHAIR OF THIS TEMPLE, THERE ARE TWO OTHER TIPS IN THIS CITY. YES, SIR. RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU DO PARTICULARLY TIP TWO? THERE'S SOME ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THAT DISTRICT DURING THE PAST YEAR.

SIGNIFICANCE. ONE IS THE SALE OF THE SHOPPING CENTER. WAS IT NOT IN TUESDAY'S? I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT, THAT VENTURE, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS CHAIR TO. TO EXCITE OR TO BRING ABOUT THE SAME KIND OF DIRECTIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR THOSE TWO TIPS AS YOU WOULD IF YOU SELECTED CHAIR OF THE BOARD, I WOULD HOW WOULD YOU INVOLVE THE OTHER CHAIRS TO MOTIVATE THEM TO TO FOLLOW SUIT? SO I WOULD I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY ARE IN THEIR POSITION BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME ENTHUSIASM. WE DON'T TYPICALLY MEET EACH OTHER. WE HAVE TALKED BEFORE, BUT WE DON'T TYPICALLY MEET WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE WHAT WE DO IS SO DYNAMICALLY DIFFERENT IN OUR GROUPS. BASS PRO HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AREA AND A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ECONOMY THAN WE HAVE IN OUR AREAS. I FEEL LIKE TIFF THREE IS SET TO GROW FASTER AND HAVE MORE IMPACT QUICKER BECAUSE OF THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT IN RECENTLY, AND THAT IF THAT DOESN'T EXCITE ANYBODY ELSE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. THE DATA CENTERS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S FIXING TO OPEN AROUND 635, THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT HAVING THAT AREA COME IN AND HAVING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IN OUR TIFF IS GOING TO DIRECTLY IMPACT THEM IN BRINGING MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN AND BRINGING MORE PEOPLE TO I-30 AND BRINGING MORE COMMERCE TO THE CITY. AND THAT ALONE EXCITES ME. HAVING A DRAW ON THE SOUTH SIDE OR HAVING A MULTI-USE COMPLEX ON THE NORTH SIDE OR WHATEVER WE DECIDE GOES UP THERE, THOSE ITEMS ARE GREAT FOR THE WHOLE CITY THAT IT'S A WIN WIN. I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THE BAD AND I CAN'T FIND THEM. I WOULD HOPE THAT AS THE CHAIRS OF THOSE GROUPS, THEY SEE THAT AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET TOGETHER WITH THEM AND WORK WITH THEM AND TALK TO THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. NO ONE ELSE HERE IN THE QUEUE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN APPOINT YOU TO MULTIPLE CHAIRMANSHIPS OR TIFFS, BUT I CAN'T DO IT. CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE ON TIFF NUMBER THREE AND YOUR DEDICATION TO IMPROVING OUR CITY. THANK YOU SIR. I WILL

[3. Presentation of the Downtown Redevelopment Plan]

[00:25:03]

I'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR ANY FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. THANKS, EVERYBODY. IS IT ON? YOU'RE ON OKAY. USUALLY YOU CAN HEAR A REVERB SOMEWHERE. MY NAME IS BEN LEVINGER. I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT. I GOTTA SAY, I WHEN SOMEBODY TOLD ME THEY WERE PUTTING A BIG HAT ON THE POLE, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE SEEN IT. I THINK IT'S GREAT. I LOVE THE BIG HAT AND I HOPE IT GETS A LOT OF PICTURES. BUT WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH THIS TODAY. AND I KIND OF WANT TO PREFACE BY SAYING THAT IT'S NICE TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS INFORMATION, AND THEN WE WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS AT THE END. OR IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN ANYTIME, FEEL FREE TO. THIS PROCESS HAS REALLY BEEN ABOUT HELPING DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN, IN WHAT AREAS OF THE DOWNTOWN, AND THEN SOME OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE SQUARE AREA. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT AND A LOT OF MONEY PUT INTO THE SQUARE. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF PLANNING AND IT'S COMING TO FRUITION. I THINK THE PHRASE TODAY WAS, YOU HAVE A TEENAGER OF A DOWNTOWN, YOU STILL GOT TO GET HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE. SO YOU'RE ALMOST THERE AND YOU GOT TO KIND OF GET TO YOUR PARTNERSHIPS AS THE NEXT PIECE OF THAT. SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY IS REALLY ABOUT HOW YOU TAKE THAT NEXT STEP. AS FAR AS HOW DO YOU FIND PARTNERSHIPS, WHAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS AND WHERE THAT IS. SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. WE'VE DONE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT, MARKET DEMAND REPORT. WE'VE LOOKED AT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS. WE'VE DONE SOME SCENARIO PLANNING. IF ANYBODY SAW A WHOLE BUNCH OF THE CITY STAFF OUT WITH THEIR PHONES LIKE THIS IN FRONT OF THEIR FACE, LOOKING AT RANDOM SPOTS IN THE TOWN, THAT WAS THIS GROUP GOING TO LOOK AT WITH THE AUGMENTED REALITY AROUND THE TOWN AT DIFFERENT SPOTS. I'M SURE WE GOT WEIRD LOOKS, BUT IT WORKED. WE DID SOME PREFERRED SCENARIO PLANNING, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE KIND OF AT WITH PHASE FIVE. WE HAVE THE VISUALIZATIONS READY AND WE'RE READY TO PRESENT THOSE TO YOU TODAY. JUST IN OVERALL IN THE PROCESS, WE'RE IN STEP EIGHT OF THE CONTRACT. THEN IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL TONIGHT AND EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DRAFT PLAN. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS, I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE A PACKET IF YOU WANT TO REFERENCE BACK TO IT. AS WE STARTED THE PLAN, THERE WERE FIVE KIND OF CORE VISION AND THEMES THAT AROSE OUT OF THIS EFFORT. FIRST ONE WAS RETAIN AUTHENTIC FEEL. EVERYBODY LOVES THE FEEL OF DOWNTOWN GARLAND. EVERYBODY LOVES HOW IT LOOKS, AND THEY WANT TO KEEP THAT EFFORT. WHAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO WAS HAVE SOMETHING THAT WAS RADICALLY GOING TO CHANGE THAT LOOK AND FEEL OF THE DOWNTOWN. THEY WANT TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC CHARACTER, SOME OF YOUR WHAT PEOPLE CONSIDER MOST HISTORIC BUILDINGS ARE NOT YOUR MOST HISTORIC BUILDINGS, BUT THAT MEANS YOU HAVE GREAT DEVELOPERS IN TOWN THAT ARE MAKING THEM LOOK APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. THAT GOES TO PERSONIFY THAT. PEOPLE DO LOVE THE CHARACTER OF YOUR AREA, AND THEY WANT TO PRESERVE THAT. YOU WANT TO STRENGTHEN THE ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE A FLEDGLING ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT'S STARTING TO COME TO FRUITION, BUT YOU DO NEED SOME MORE SPACES FOR THOSE TYPES OF AMENITIES TO CONTINUE. AND ATTRACTING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO HAVE HERE IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY, IS BOTH WITH KIND OF YOUR DISTRICT OR YOUR DART AREA, AND YOUR MASS TRANSIT IS PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO LIVE HERE AND PLAY HERE AND MAYBE WORK IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY AND GO BY MASS TRANSIT. THOSE ARE TYPICALLY THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, YOUNG ADULTS OR EMPTY NESTERS. IT'S A WEIRD TIME AS THE BABY BOOMERS TEND TO BE COMING BACK TO DOWNTOWN APARTMENTS. THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM MOVING BACK TO DOWNTOWNS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GO HANG OUT WITH THEIR FRIENDS AT THE BAR, AND THEY WANT TO GO HANG OUT WITH THEIR FRIENDS AT THE PARK. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST KIND OF HOPE THE REST OF US GET TO THAT POINT IN LIFE, TOO, RIGHT? AND THEN ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY AND WALKABILITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN IS WE WANT PEOPLE TO WALK DOWNTOWN GARLAND AND EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN GARLAND.

YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SQUARE AND YOU HAVE A GREAT PLAYGROUND. NOW YOU WANT TO GET THEM OUTSIDE OF JUST THE SQUARE AND HAVE THEM WALK AROUND AND DO A FEW MORE THINGS. IN ORDER TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS. AND IN THE RFP, WE HAD SIX DISTRICTS TO HELP SOLIDIFY IT BY CHARACTER. WE BROKE IT DOWN INTO THREE DISTRICTS, AND WE'LL KIND OF GO OVER THOSE IN A MINUTE. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THE THINGS TONIGHT ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT

[00:30:02]

TRADITIONAL DOWNTOWOWNS ARE BUIT ON MORE OF A UNIFORM FRONT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE A 30 FOOT SETBACK FROM THE SETBACK OF SIDEWALK BEFORE YOUR BUILDING STARTS. A LOT OF THEM TEN 15FT, YOU GOT A COUPLE OF DINING TABLES. THEY WORK VERY NICELY ACTIVATED GROUND FLOOR. SO WE'RE AIMING FOR RETAIL OR NON RESIDENTIAL USES ON THE GROUND FLOORS, PARKING THE REARS REALLY JUST REBUILDING WHAT YOU'VE GOT. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IF SOMETHING GOD FORBID HAPPENS A FIRE HAPPENS. THEY CAN REBUILD AND PUT UP WHAT WAS ALREADY THERE. ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY. I THINK THE TERM WE WERE USING A LOT TODAY WAS LONG LIFE MATERIALS. MORE BRICKS, MORE STONE, A LOT OF RETAIL WINDOWS, THINGS THAT ARE REALLY MEANT TO BE DOWNTOWN. WE DON'T WANT SMALL WINDOWS AND VINYL SIDING IN THIS HISTORIC CORE AREA FOR PLACEMAKING. THIS IS REALLY ABOUT REINFORCING THAT IT IS THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY.

YOU'VE GOT A GREAT PLAYGROUND THAT SEEMS TO BE VERY WELL ATTENDED, AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PROGRAMING HAPPENING AROUND THE SQUARE NOW. IT'S JUST ABOUT TAKING AND EXPANDING THAT OUT A COUPLE OF BLOCKS IN EACH DIRECTION AND HAVING THAT BE A UNIQUELY IDENTIFIABLE. WE'RE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND AND THEN THE STREETSCAPE STANDARDS. YOU HAVE A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL STREETSCAPES.

I GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR THAT. MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE NOWHERE NEAR AS MANY NICE ONES AS YOU GUYS DO, SO KUDOS FOR GETTING THOSE ALL DONE AND ONCE. AND I YOU NEED TO, EXTENDING THOSE

[00:35:06]

SO PEOPLE ARE MOVING A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN THEY ARE AROUND THE SQUARE. WE WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE ROOM, A LITTLE MORE SPACE TO PUT TREES AND SHRUBS TO BLOCK PEOPLE FROM THE ROAD, IF WE CAN. A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPOLOGY. YOU HAVE SOME PICTURES HERE WITH TOWNHOMES, DUPLEXES, THINGS THAT PLANNER SPEAK IS MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, BUT THINGS THAT ARE MORE AFFORDABLE NOT NECESSARILY LOWER INCOME, BUT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION. THEY TYPICALLY STILL HAVE PITCHED ROOFS, LAP SIDING, NICE BRICK, FIBER REINFORCED CEMENT BOARD FOR SIDING, THINGS THAT ARE ALONG THOSE CHARACTERS. THIS IS WHERE BECKY'S NOT HERE. SHE WOULD EXPLAIN THIS BETTER THAN I WOULD, BUT A CONDENSED VERSION OF YOUR STREET SCAPES. YOU STILL HAVE NICE STREETSCAPES, BUT NOT THE CURB OUTS. NOT AS MUCH BRICK TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY AS YOU GET FARTHER INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. TRYING TO CONTINUE THAT THEME OUT BUT NOT HAVE A COST. QUITE AS MUCH MONEY. AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF THESE ELEMENTS IN THE WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY ABOUT UTILIZING THESE SMALL PARCELS THAT YOU HAVE. WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS SAY, TEAR DOWN A WHOLE BUNCH OF ITEMS. WE WANTED TO SAY, YOU NEED TO BUILD AN INCREMENTAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THINGS THAT YOU HAVE OR SPOTS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU. SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE SMALLER IN FOOTPRINTS, NOT NECESSARILY LARGE, GRANDIOSE BUILDINGS LIKE BIG APARTMENT BUILDINGS YOU'RE USED TO SEEING IN THE DALLAS METROPLEX AREA. AGAIN, SOME OTHER ITEMS HERE AS FAR AS MULTI-FAMILY, YOU COULD FIT ABOUT 700 UNITS IN HERE. SOME TOWNHOMES, RETAIL ACTIVATION AND OFFICE. THIS IS WHERE WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT OF OFFICE ON THE UPPER FLOORS. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE NO OFFICE ON THE FIRST FLOOR. MAIN STREETS SHOULD NOT TYPICALLY HAVE OFFICE ON THE FIRST FLOOR UNLESS THEY'RE REQUIRED. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A STATE FARM. STATE FARM BY THEIR THEIR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT OR WHATEVER THE TERMINOLOGY IS, TYPICALLY REQUIRES YOU TO BE ON A FIRST FLOOR. SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN ACCESS THE BUILDING. IF THERE'S ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS, THAT IS SOMETHING CAN BE LOOKED AT. BUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS EVEN IN THE MAIN STREET CORRIDOR, AS YOU GO EAST AND WEST, YOU WANT TO HAVE ACTIVATION THINGS THAT LOOK OCCUPIED AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT. THAT'S THE GOAL. THE LAST ONE IS THE ACTIVITY CORRIDOR. THESE ARE THE LARGEST MASSINGS OF ALL OF THEM, BETWEEN 2 AND 6 STORIES, FIVE AND 15 FOOT SETBACKS ACTIVATED GROUND FLOORS. AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS A STEP BACK AFTER THE THIRD FLOOR. AND SO IF EVERYBODY IS AWARE WHAT A SETBACK IS, IF YOU GO UP THREE FLOORS AND THEN THE BUILDING CUTS BACK FOR A LITTLE BIT BEFORE IT GOES ANY MORE FLOORS UP, THE REASON YOU DO THAT IS IT KEEPS YOU FROM FEELING LIKE YOU'RE IN A TUNNEL. SO YOU WERE DRIVING DOWN WALNUT. YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A SIX STORY TUNNEL AS YOU DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD. IT HELPS PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE APPROPRIATELY FIELD AND SIZED BUILDINGS. THIS AREA WOULD BE MORE FOR PLACEMAKING ABOUT GATEWAYS ALONG THE MAIN STREETS, ENCOURAGING SMALL GATHERING SPOTS AND POP UP EVENTS. IT DOES HAVE WIDER SIDEWALKS IN SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS. 6 TO 8 FOOT. SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WILL NOT HAVE THAT, BUT WHAT YOU'LL KNOW IS NOTICE ON THIS MAP IS THE ACTIVITY CORRIDOR DOES HAVE THE HIGHER SPEED ROADS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A AMPLE SIDEWALK FOR BIDIRECTIONAL TRAVEL ON BOTH SIDES. AND AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME LARGER

[00:40:05]

THERE'S BEEN SOME INTEREST IN THIS AND POTENTIALLY HAVING SOME APARTMENTS. THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT NEEDING SOME MORE STORAGE AND SOME OTHER AREAS FOR PARKING ALONG THE LIBRARY AND TO SERVICE THE DOWNTOWN IF YOU DO GROW. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD HERE WAS A OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME BUILT IN STRUCTURE, BUT KEEP THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PARKING LOT FOR THE LIBRARY. WE GAVE YOU BOTH ANGLES THERE SO YOU COULD KIND OF SEE YOU ONLY LOSE ONE ROW OF PARKING WITH THAT. AND WITH THAT, YOU CAN CHANGE THIS AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.

IF YOU WANT LESS FLOORS, THAT'S FINE. IF YOU WANT MORE FLOORS, THAT'S FINE. WE CAME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD PEN OR PENCIL OUT IN A PRO FORMA, AS IF IT WOULD BE APPROACHED WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER, AND WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY ABOUT HAVING SOME SPACE IN THE FIRST FLOOR AT THE CORNER OF GLENBROOK AND AUSTIN, TO HAVE SOME RETAIL AT THAT CORNER AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WALK. JUST A LITTLE BIT. THIS IS LIKE, SORRY, I FORGOT TO DO IT AGAIN.

CITY OWNED PARCEL NUMBER TWO. THIS IS THE BOY SCOUT BUILDING. THIS IS A PURE ADAPTIVE REUSE BUILDING. THE PURPOSE BEHIND THIS IS YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT SOMEBODY PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS SOON TO BE VACATED. THAT IS PRIME FOR REDEVELOPMENT. WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS WE'VE PUT OFFICE ABOVE IT. YOU'RE KIND OF SET FOR A CO-WORK SPACE FOR PEOPLE THAT JUST NEED A DESK OR A SMALL EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THEN HAVING A REAURANT AND A RETAIL SPACE ON THE FIRST FLOOR. FROM THE OUTSIDE, ITOES LOOK ARCHITECTURAL, LIKE YOU CAN SPLIT THAT INTO 2 OR 3 SPOTS IN THE FIRST FLOOR. THREE THEY'RE GOING TO BE SMALLER, TWO A LITTLE LARGER, AND HAVING STILL HAVING ACCESS TO THE UPPER FLOORS FOR THAT OFFICE SPACE, YOU'LL SEE. WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE DIDN'T REALLY CHANGE THE STYLE OF THE BUILDING. WE ADDED A COUPLE AWNINGS. WE ADDED SOME SIGNS, THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE IT NOT FEEL LIKE A FIRE STATION ANYMORE AND FEEL MORE LIKE A RETAIL BUILDING. LOT NUMBER THREE IS GLENBROOK AVENUE A, YOU'LL SEE THAT. CAN YOU GUYS SEE THE CURSOR AT ALL? OKAY, SO THIS IS THE TERRACOTTA ROOF CHURCH RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE LABEL. THE GOAL WAS AS YOU COME UP GLENBROOK GOING NORTH AND GLENBROOK, YOU CAN STITILL E THAT CHURCH AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF THAT CHURCH BUILDING, THAT OF WHAT IT WAS, BUT ALSO HAVE SOME MORE SPACE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE WITHIN CLOSE WALKING DISTANCE TO THE DOWNTOWN CORE AS THIS IS IN THE HISTORIC CORE WAS KEPT TO THREE STORIES. WE KEPT THAT THAT WAY. SO YOU HAVE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF YOUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN, BUT WE ACTIVATED THE ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR WITH RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO WALK OUT OF THE SQUARE ONE BLOCK AND GET TO MORE AMENITIES. YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT O RETAIL AND RESTAURANT SPACES IN THE SQUARE, SO YOU GOT TO PULL THEM AWAY FROM THAT SQUARE ONE BLOCK AT A TIME. THAT WAS KIND OF THE EFFORT BEHIND THIS DEVELOPMENT.

PULL THEM AWAY ONE BLOCK AND GIVE THEM MORE SPACES TO. AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE LOT BEHIND FORTUNATE SONS. THIS COULD BE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT NOW.

WE PUT IN A RETAIL AND RESTAURANT INCUBATOR, SOMETHING THAT'S HELD PRIVATELY, BUT IS SOMETHING FOR BUSINESSES THAT MAYBE CAN'T FIND THAT SPACE THAT'S 2000FT■S, BUT THEY STILL WANT TO DO RETAIL IN GARLAND. THE WHOLE PURPOSE BEHIND ONE OF THESE INCUBATORS IS TO HELP BRING PEOPLE IN THAT THEY START, THEY GROW, THEY FLOURISH. AND WHEN A SPACE DOES OPEN UP IN THE REST OF DOWNTOWN, THEY TAKE A BIGGER SPACE. YOU WANT PEOPLE THAT GROW HERE TO STAY HERE AND ANYBODY'S IN RETAIL. IT'S A VERY SCARY DAY TO GO FROM WORKING OUT OF YOUR KITCHEN TO HAVING A $2,000 A MONTH LEASE PAYMENT. IT'S A VERY SCARY DAY TO DO THAT. SO HAVING SOME KIND

[00:45:02]

AND THEN WE HAVE SOME CALCULATIONS FOR YOU TO SHOW HOW THOSE NUMBERS WORKED OUT ACROSS THE BOARD. AND WE BROKE EVERYTHING DOWN BUILDING BY BUILDING. SO WITH THOSE CALCULATIONS, YOU'LL SEE WHAT IS IN EACH INDIVIDUAL BUILDING. THOSE ARE WHAT WE SEE THEM AS.

NOW IF THEY C CHANGE, WRE NOT SAYING IT'S 100% ACCURATE. THE DEVELOPER IS GOING TO COME IN AND SAY, I DON'T WANT THAT MANY THREE BEDROOMS, I WANT MORE ONE BEDROOMS. AND THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD WHAT WORKS FOR THEM. BUT WE PUT IT OUT IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT EASILY CONSUMABLE IN A GRAPHIC AND A WORD FORM. I THINK THAT'S IT. THE NEX STEPS WILL BE THE DRAFT DOCUMENT, AND I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE LOTS OF QUESTIONS. SO. COUNCIL. MEMBER DUTTON, ANDY AT GLENBROOK AND AVENUE A, THAT'S THE PARKING LOT BEHIND. THE. CURRENTLY WE HAVE A LOT OF CITY VEHICLES THAT PARK IN THAT PARKING LOT. SO WHAT WOULD WE DO AT THAT POINT? BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKING LOTS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE WE UTILIZE THAT FOR CITY VEHICLES LIKE THE BOXING GYM IS FULL OF CITY VEHICLES. THIS PARKING LOT IS FULL OF CITY VEHICLES. WHAT WOULD BE OUR PLAN FOR THAT? SO I THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER THAT IS, IS THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE A CASE BY CASE, DEPENDING ON THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES IN. THE BEST BENEFIT OF THIS PARTICULAR INFORMATION IS THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING A RATIO OF IF THE GOAL IS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RETAIL AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE, WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF DWELLING UNITS IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO SUPPORT THAT? BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION IS THE DATA SAYS YOU CAN'T BASE IT ALL ON EVENTS AND ALL ON TOURIST TRAFFIC. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FOOT TRAFFIC FROM SOMEBODY. SO EACH INDIVIDUAL PROJECT THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, COME TO US FROM A PROPOSED DEVELOPER WOULD HAVE TO ANALYZE THAT BASED ON THEIR EXACT LAYOUT. SO THE PRIMARY BENEFIT OF THIS IS JUST THE THE RATIOS, IF IT COMES IN EXACTLY AS PRESCRIBED, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THAT NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS IS, THEN THAT WILL HAVE TO BE PART OF THE EXERCISE THAT WE DO WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WITH ENGINEERING AND DOWNTOWN, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A PLACE TO PUT IT. IT MIGHT BE THAT IN ORDER FOR THAT PROJECT TO PENCIL, IT MIGHT REQUIRE STRUCTURED PARKING. AND THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A FUNCTION OF WHAT DOES THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEAL AND INCENTIVE LOOK LIKE. BUT YOU RAISE A GOOD OBSERVATION THAT IN IN A LOT OF CASES, BUT PARTICULARLY THAT ONE, WHATEVER THE DEVELOPMENT IS, IT'S GOING TO DISPLACE SOMETHING AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT WOULD GO. SO NO, THAT'S NOT QUITE THE ANSWER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. BUT THIS PARTICULAR STUDY IS NOT GOING TO PROVIDE THAT DATA JUST YET BECAUSE IT WOULD BE PROJECT BY PROJECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS. THE THERE'S SOME ARCHITECTURAL.

GOING ON NOW. FIRST BAPTIST OF GARLAND. DID YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND DOING THE STUDY. AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS YOU MENTIONED DEVELOPERS. DID THEY HAVE ANY ROLE IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER FOR YOU? THOSE ARE TWO QUESTIONS. SO I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST ONE. WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THAT PARCEL. SO IT'S WHATEVER IT IS CURRENTLY SET. WE'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY CHANGES OR ANY ALTERS. WHATEVER YOU GUYS DO IS ON THAT PARCEL IS FOR THAT.

OKAY. THE SECOND ONE, YES, WE DID MEET WITH DEVELOPERS. WE HAD STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS. DANA, PLEASE. GRADE 3 OR 4 OF THEM. ANY ANYBODY FROM DART TO LOCAL DEVELOPERS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE COLLEGE, WE'RE ALL INVOLVED IN HELPING PLAN AND PROGRAM SOME OF THEIR LAND AND HELPING US DECIDE WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS FEASIBLE FOR SOME OF THEIR PARCELS AS WELL. DID THEY COME UP WITH WHAT THOSE BE INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS? THOSE ALL THOSE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS YIELDED THIS STUDY. SO ALL THE THINGS WE HAD, WE ACTUALLY PUT MODELS IN FRONT OF THEM. WE HAD LAND USE MAPS IN FRONT OF THEM AND THEY CREATED THIS MODEL. THAT'S WHAT GOT TO THIS POINT. DOES THAT INCLUDE THE HOTEL CITY? SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HELP ME OUT A

[00:50:06]

IT WASN'T. BUT WE DID LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF A HOTEL SOMEWHERE IN THE HISTORIC CORE DISTRICT, DID IT? AND IT DOES SEEM TO BE VERY FEASIBLE. THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE SITE AND WHAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD. AND PART OF THE REASON IT'S NOT INCLUDED IS WE HAD COMMISSIONED A SEPARATE FEASIBILITY STUDY PRIOR TO THIS THAT A STANDALONE STUDY THAT I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHAT THAT WHAT THAT PROJECT COULD BE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SIR. MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF ROOFTOP ACTIVATION.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE WE'RE KIND OF MISSING SINCE WE'RE YOU'RE KEEPING THE HEIGHT DOWN SO MUCH IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, I THINK ESPECIALLY BEHIND FORTUNATE SON AND THE FIRE OLD FIREHOUSE. THOSE WOULD BE EXCELLENT SPACES TO HAVE ROOFTOP THINGS GOING ON. AND I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD DEFINITELY PUSH THAT IF AND MAKE IT PART OF THE PRIORITY LIST. SO SPEAKING FROM THE DEVELOPMENT REALM, TYPICALLY ROOFTOP AMENITIES COME WHEN YOU GET OVER 50 OR 75 UNITS IN THE BUILDING. THAT'S WHEN YOU START TO CANCEL OUT A LITTLE BIT. WOULD YOU GUYS BE IN SUPPORT OF A LITTLE BIGGER OF BUILDINGSO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? WELL, I THINK THAT THE FIRE HOUSE LOOKS A LITTLE SQUAT NEXT TO EVERYTHING AROUND IT. I WAS A LITTLE CURIOUS AS TO WHY IT, IT IT WAS AT THAT HEIGHT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU UTILIZE STEP BACKS. SO SO THE WHOLE PURPOSE BEHIND THIS BOY SCOUT FIRE STATION BUILDING WAS IT'S JUST A FULL REUSE, NOT TEARING IT DOWN. IT'S NOT MEANT TO TEAR IT DOWN AT ALL. IT'S MEANT TO SHOW A WHAT WE CALL INCREMENTAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS YOU REUSE THE FRAME YOU'VE GOT FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE. NOW, IF IT NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN FOR A BIGGER DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S OKAY TOO. BUT WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD.

SOMETIMES IT'S ABOUT REUSE. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE REUSED IN THAT WAY, BUT I'M NOT A KID, SO I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO INCLUDE IN THE PLAN SOME LANGUAGE THAT ENCOURAGES ROOFTOP USES, SO THAT IT'S NOT IMPLIED THAT WE DON'T WANT THAT. I THINK IT WILL GENERALLY BE A FUNCTION OF THE COST TO DO IT. SO IF WE WERE TO DICTATE IT, IT WOULD BE CHALLENGING, BECAUSE THE COST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ROOF IS EVEN STRUCTURALLY SOUND ENOUGH, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AN ELEVATOR. IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT TRIGGERS. HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S VERY EASY FOR THIS STUDY TO INDICATE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WORKS. WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ROOFTOP USE, BECAUSE I WOULD TEND TO AGREE THAT PARTICULARLY WHEN IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO THE SQUARE, IT'S ALREADY PROVEN THAT TWO BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THAT. USE THE OLD BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING THAT'S BEEN TURNED INTO SIX STORIES OF APARTMENTS. SO I DON'T I, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A BAD IDEA TO HAVE TALLER BUILDINGS OUTSIDE OF THAT INTERIOR CIRCLE OF THE SQUARE. SO, YES. SO I WOULD PREFER TO SEE A LITTLE MORE HEIGHT AND WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, 30 STORY STORY BUILDINGS ALL AROUND DOWNTOWN, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE HEIGHT, ESPECIALLY BEHIND FORTUNATE SON.

I THINK THAT THERE'S A GOOD THAT'S A GOOD AREA TO HAVE HEIGHT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I GET EXCITED WHEN I SEE WHAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE. WHAT THE EXAMPLE IS REALLY INDICATIVE OF WHAT I'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT DALLAS. PLACES SUCH AS GREENVILLE AVENUE AND HILLCREST AND LOVER'S LANE. AND I'M THINKING NOW ABOUT UNIVERSITY PARK, WHERE THE RETAIL AND THE BUSINESSES ARE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HOMES SURROUNDING IT, IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE HOMES SURROUNDING IT ARE REALLY SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES, SUCH THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO ALWAYS BE WORRIED ABOUT TOURISM AND PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE REALLY KEEPING THE AREA FLOURISHING.

SO I REALLY LIKE THAT CONCEPT, THAT IDEA. CAN YOU GO BACK TO HISTORIC CORRIDOR SLIDE THAT

[00:55:06]

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE US THAT DOWNTOWN HISTORIC FEEL AND STILL HAVE THE GROWTH POTENTIAL TO KEEP US MOVING IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING.

BOB. THANK YOU, BOB. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER BEARD, FIRST OF ALL, DOWNTOWN GROWTH IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO ME. I LIKE THE IDEA OF APARTMENTS WITH FIRST LEVEL BEING RETAIL, RESTAURANT AND APARTMENTS ABOVE. I DO AGREE THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD GO 4 TO 5 STORIES OUTSIDE IN THAT RING, OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN, AND THEN PUT ROOFTOPS ON SO THEY CAN SEE DOWNTOWN. THAT WOULD BE PERFECT, SO THAT THEY COULD SEE OVER THOSE BUILDINGS IN FRONT OF THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. OKAY, MY BIG ISSUE, THE BOY SCOUT BUILDING. I WANT IT TO STAY LOOKING LIKE A FIRE STATION. AND WE HAVE SEVERAL DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH US IN THE CITY ABOUT THAT. AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT HISTORIC FIRE STATION FEEL. NOW, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THOSE DOORS HAVE TO WORK ON THE BAY DOORS, BUT THEY NEED TO STILL KIND OF BE THERE AS A PROP OF SOME SORT. SO THAT'S MY BIG THING IS IF WE'RE GOING TO REDEVELOP THAT BUILDING, I WANT IT TO KEEP THAT HISTORIC. I WANT IT TO STILL STAY STATION ONE ON IT, WHICH IT DOES. SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT FIRE STATION LOOKING. AND AGAIN, A ROOFTOP ON THAT WOULD BE FABULOUS BECAUSE IT'S A SHORT BUILDING.

SO PUT A ROOFTOP ON IT SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME VIEW OUTSIDE. IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH SPACE FOR PATIO AROUND IT, SO THE ONLY PLACE FOR IT IS UP. BUT YEAH MORE APARTMENTS, DOWNTOWN TOWNHOMES, PLACES THAT PEOPLE COULD OWN WOULD BE WONDERFUL, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE. CONDOS OWNED, OWNED APARTMENTS TO PURCHASE TOWNHOMES TO PURCHASE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD PURCHASE, BUT ALSO SOME AFFORDABLE RENTAL PLACES ALSO. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE FOR SINGLE FAMILY DOWN THERE, SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE UP. IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE BUILT UP. YEAH. KEEPING IT LIKE 3 TO 5 STORIES IN THAT OUTER RING SO IT CAN OVERLOOK DOWNTOWN, I THINK WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT IT'D BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SIT IN YOUR APARTMENT AND SEE THE SQUARE OVER FORTUNATE SON, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO BUT YEAH, I LOVE THE CONCEPT. I LOVE THE IDEAS. YOU HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS HERE. I THINK WE CAN EXPAND ON THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND MAKE IT EVEN A BETTER PROJECT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE BOY SCOUT BUILDING RENDERING IS IT'S NOT ANYTHING OTHER THAN WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TEAR DOWN. THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY. IT'S NOT MNT TO MAKE PEOPLE UPSET. IT'S JUST A SOMETIMES YOU REUSE THE THING FOR SOMETHING ELSE. WE WANT TO REUSE IT, BUT WE WANTED TO STAY LOOKING LIKE IT IS. DEVELOPER WILL BRING IN WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO WITH IT. THAT IS TRUE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER BASS. THANK YOU MAN. I THOUGHT

[01:00:01]

BUT WHEN YOU WHEN YOU GOT TO THAT SLIDE, BEN AND I FORGET THE EXACT VERBIAGE, BUT IT MADE IT SOUND LIKE YOU WERE GOING AGAINST THE WHAT'S THE TENANTS ARE IN YOUR ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER HERE, MAINTAINING THE HISTORICAL VALUE. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHY IT WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN YOU WHEN YOU PRESENTED THAT SLIDE, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT GOING AGAINST WHAT IS ON THIS SLIDE HERE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE MAINTAIN THE HISTORICAL CHARACTER. AND YOU KNOW, AND IT LOOKS LIKE ON EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'VE DONE IN HERE THAT'S BEEN DONE. BUT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING, WHICH IS OVER 100 YEARS OF HISTORICAL VALUE TO THE CITY, YOU MENTIONED THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. SO THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, WAIT A SECOND. WE WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THIS HISTORICAL CHARACTER AND WE UNDERSTAND THESE RENDITIONS. AND BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE CORE VALUES ARE, ARE RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT. THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT QUESTION I HAVE. SO QUESTION I HAVE I'M CURIOUS, WHAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, OF THIS HISTORIC AREA THAT YOU'VE GOT MAPPED OUT HERE? WHAT'S THE CURRENT POPULATION OF IT AND WHAT'S THE PROJECTED POPULATION. SO I DON'T KNOW THOSE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN GET IT OKAY, OKAY. BECAUSE MY, MY CURIOSITY IS AND I UNDERSTAND THIS AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SINCE THIS THING SINCE THE 2018 WHEN THIS FIRST, YOU KNOW, BECAME A BOND PROJECT TO BE BE LOOKED AT. WELL, BEFORE I EVEN GOT ON, CITY COUNCIL TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND SOMETHING THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON CITY COUNCIL TOO, IS WE CAN'T HAVE A DOWNTOWN WHERE EVERY SINGLE THING IS EITHER A RESTAURANT OR A BAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VARIETY OF THINGS. YOU HAVE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE ON ON BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED PEOPLE MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY DURING THE DAY. YOU NEED PEOPLE TO COME HERE AT NIGHT. SO YOU NEED THESE OTHER ATTRACTIONS. IN ADDITION TO HAVING RESIDENTS LIVE THERE TO SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES. SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF WHAT KIND OF POPULATION IS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT A SMALL GROCERY STORE? BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT AT ALL. AND IF WE DO GET THIS POPULATION UP, I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, IF YOU GOT 2000 PEOPLE DOWN THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOME KIND OF A SMALL GROCERY STORE. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS. DO YOU? OH, I MEAN, DEPENDING ON THE BRAND, LIKE THE ONES WE DO KNOW. AND I CAN SHARE THOSE WITH YOU. SO AN ALDI TYPICALLY SERVES 75,000. IF YOU GET A GREEN GROCER, THEY'RE TYPICALLY 30 TO 40,000 PEOPLE. SO EVEN IN THE DOWNTOWN IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE OF A, I'M GOING TO SAY, A BODEGA TYPE GROCERY STORE THAN A CHAIN GROCERY STORE. IT WOULD BE A SOMEBODY THAT THAT SAW A NEED AND THEY THEIR COFFEE SHOP ADDED AN AISLE OF GROCERIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE WAY IT WOULD GO. OKAY.

SO YOU'D NEED A MUCH LARGER NUMBER THAN WE'RE GOING TO GET DOWN THERE. OKAY. YEAH. AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING EVEN AS BIG AS AN ALDI, BUT JUST JUST SOMETHING I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHERE THE NEAREST GROCERY STO IS TO DOWNTOWN, AND I DON'T A LONG WAY, PROBABLY ON BUCKINGHAM. WALMART ON BUCKINGHAM, RIGHT ON GARLAND. YEAH. OH YEAH. THE KROGER THERE. YEAH OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

COOL. THAT'S CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT. APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. AND WE DO UNDERSTAND IT'S CONCEPTUAL. AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE OUR FEEDBACK TO. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. YES I WANT TO EXPAND ON COUNCIL MEMBER BEARD AND MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK SAID ABOUT ROOFTOP ACTIVATIONS. IN A PREVIOUS LIFE, I WORKED FOR ROOFING MANUFACTURING COMPANY WHO MADE WHAT THEY CALLED GREEN ROOFS.

AND THAT'S NOT PAINTED GREEN. IT IS. THEY WOULD RETROFIT BUILDINGS AND IN ADDITION TO THE WATERPROOFING LAYER, THERE WOULD BE A LAYER AND YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS A CORRUGATED LAYER WHERE. AND THEN YOU WOULD PUT SOIL AND ACTUALLY GROW GRASS UP THERE. THEN A PARK BENCHES, THINGS LIKE THAT, OBSERVATION POINTS. AND SO THOSE KIND OF SYSTEMS EXIST.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ON THE THREE AND FOUR AND FIVE STORIES THAT WE DO ON THE OUTER RIM WOULD GIVE PLACES PEOPLE TO GO UP AND, AND CONGREGATE AND ALSO BE ABLE TO OBSERVE THINGS GOING ON IN TOWN. WE AND WE HAVE THE FIREWORKS FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. THAT'S OTHER PLACES TO GO AND TO STAND AND WATCH. AND SO IF WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT, I THINK THAT IS AN AMENITY THAT ADDS TO ALMOST LIKE PARK SPACE FOR RELATIVELY LITTLE MONEY ON THE ON THE ROOF. AND THOSE SYSTEMS EXIST THAT ARE APPLIED TO EXISTING BUILDINGS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW,

[01:05:04]

SO ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF THROW THAT OUT THERE COMING FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF WORKING IN THAT INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS. SO, OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM AUGHT THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. BEN. ANDY, THANK YOU FOR THE THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS IS ALL VERY EXCITING, SOMETHING I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING FOR A WHILE. AND I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO THE TO THE IMAGINATION AND THE SIZE OF THIS. BUT I DO AGREE THAT THE HIGHER THE BETTER ON THE OUTER RING OF IT, THAT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN MORE, MORE BEDROOMS, ROOFTOP ACTIVATION, ALL OF THAT SOUNDS GREAT. SO YOU HAVE A GREAT WORK. LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANYTHING ELSE? NO QUESTION I DO HAVE. IS THAT ON THE. AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THE DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL AREAS, THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT YOU DEFINED, GO MORE AND MORE HOUSING YOU REQUIRE, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NATURE OF THAT MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AS YOU MOVE THROUGH IT? BECAUSE I SAW IN THE LAST PHOTOS IN THE OUTER THE ACTIVITY CORRIDORS LIKE A TEXAS WRAP, AND THEN IT'S MORE URBAN STYLE. SCAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? SURE.

SO IN THE HISTORIC CORE, WE TRIED TO MATCH THAT LOWER BUILDING COUNT. SO TWO, THREE STORIES, SOMETHING THAT FEELS LIKE IT BELONGS WITH THAT AREA. SO WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS DO A TEXAS WRAP IN THE HISTORIC CORE. AND AS WE GOT AWAY, WE GET A LITTLE HIGHER, A LITTLE MORE DENSE AS YOU PULL AWAY FROM THAT CORE. SO ONCE YOU GET INTO THE EAST AND WEST NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU GET A LITTLE MORE DENSITY, A LITTLE MORE VARIETY. THEN WHEN YOU GO TO NORTH OR SOUTH, YOU DO GET THAT LARGER BUILDINGS. THE OTHER PIECE THAT PLAYED INTO THAT WAS THE SIZE OF THE LOTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE DEVELOPER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF WALNUT, ESPECIALLY, THERE ARE AMPLE SIZES OF LOTS TO DO. THAT STYLE OF DEVELOPMENT AND THINGS THAT WOULDN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF ASSEMBLAGE OR HAVING SOMEBODY YOU OWN NINE OUT OF THE TEN PARCELS, BUT THE ONE THAT WON'T SELL TYPE OF SITUATION. SO HAVING THOSE AREAS WOULD UP NORTH DID HELP OUT WITH THAT QUITE A BIT. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE BUT APPRECIATE I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FINAL DRAFT OF THIS. IF I CAN ADD ONE CLOSING COMMENT ABOUT IT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD OBSERVATION. WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IS IT KIND OF FEATHERS OUT THE INTENSITIES AND THE USES SO THAT YOU GAIN WITHIN A WALKABLE DISTANCE THE DENSITY NECESSARY? BECAUSE I THINK AS MUCH AS ANYTHING, I WANT TO IMPRESS THAT THIS ISN'T TO REPLACE OR CHANGE WHAT'S ALREADY IN, YOU KNOW, THE COMP PLAN OR THE GDC AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S A SNEAK PREVIEW OF WHAT YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE ON THE HOUSING STUDY AND THE UPCOMING DRAFT OF THE COMP PLAN, WHICH IS A MUCH DEEPER DIVE TO HELP STAFF AND COUNCIL VET PROJECTS FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO GENERATE FROM A SQUARE FOOTAGE. SO THIS PLAN WON'T TELL US EVERYTHING.

IT COMPLEMENTS THINGS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY STUDY AND MAKE WELL-INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. SO WE'LL TAKE ALL THIS FEEDBACK, MAKE SURE IT'S REFLECTED IN THE PLAN, AND THEY'LL PRODUCE THE FINAL PLAN AND PROVIDE IT TO YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU. BRIAN. WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

[4. MD Health Pathways Program Update]

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE MD PATHWAYS UPDATE AS IT RELATES TO THE SIS OR CUSTOMER SERVICE SOFTWARE THAT WE ARE UTILIZING.

BEFORE I BEGIN, PHIL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, JOINED BY JUSTIN FAIR, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF IT, IN RESPONSE TO THE LAST WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD RELATED TO MD PATHWAYS, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT GETTING THE LINE ITEM ON THE BILL SOONER AS IT RELATED TO THE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SOFTWARE. SO JUSTIN AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK INTO THIS AND PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION RELATED TO HOW WE ACCOMPLISH THAT. AND SO WITHOUT STEALING TOO MUCH OF HIS HIS PRESENTATION, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TO JUSTIN. THANKS, BILL. MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME BACK HERE ON SHORT NOTICE TO KIND OF GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE LANDED. AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STEAL TOO MUCH THUNDER. I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH, BUT I DID WANT TO KIND OF

[01:10:02]

SO WE KICKED OFF WITH THE VENDOR IN JULY AND ANTICIPATED THAT UPGRADE IN SPRING. SO WHEN KEVIN AND TEAM WERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WERE BEING ASKED WHEN CAN WE IMPLEMENT THIS? AND THE UPGRADE WOULD BE THE SPRING UPGRADE WOULD BE THE SPRING THAT WAS WORKING OFF THAT NINE MONTH WINDOW. NOW, THE MD PATHWAYS INTEGRATION CONVERSATIONS CAME IN OVER THE SUMMER AFTER THAT UPGRADE INITIATION HAD ALREADY BEGUN. AND SO THE TEAM'S GIVE CREDIT TO KEVIN AND HIS TEAM CUSTOMER SERVICE. DANA. THEY WERE WORKING TOWARDS REALLY PUSHING THE VENDOR TO GET THE UPGRADE COMPLETED SOONER TO THAT NINE MONTH WINDOW, AS OPPOSED TO THE TO THE 12 MONTH LATTER WINDOW. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THAT REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE WAS THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL APPROACH. WE HAD THE THE THE UPGRADE PROJECT IN IN MOTION AT THE TIME THAT THE MD PATHWAYS CONVERSATIONS CAME INTO PLAY. AND SO THAT'S WHERE IT WAS. WE NEED TO GET THE UPGRADE COMPLETED FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN ADD ON THE MD PATHWAYS CONFIGURATION. WITH THAT, THERE WERE CONCERNS. I KNOW THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, WELL, CAN YOU DO IT WITH THE UPGRADE? AND THERE WERE CONCERNS RAISED JUST WITH THE NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN, CASES THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED WITH THE VENDOR OVER THE YEARS FELT LIKE THAT WAS KIND OF COMPLICATE THINGS TOO MUCH TO TRY TO BAKE THAT IN WITH THE UPGRADE. AND SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. SO AFTER OUR LAST CONVERSATION, WE HAVE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE VENDOR OS AND LOOKING AT OUR OPTIONS. AND WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE PAUSE THE UPGRADE AND WE IMPLEMENT WHAT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND WE WORKED WITH THE VENDOR AND WHAT WE'RE COMING FORWARD WITH. AND WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING DOWN THIS PATH. AND AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE VENDOR. AND THEN OUR RECOMMENDATION IS CITY AS WELL, IS THAT WE FOUND A WAY IN A PATH TO IMPLEMENT THE MD PATHWAYS INTEGRATION ON OUR CURRENT PRODUCTION CODE, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE UPGRADE. NOW, PART OF THIS CAME AS THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THAT UPGRADE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT CAME TO LIGHT WITHIN THE LAST MONTH. AND SO THE ORIGINAL STRATEGY WAS LET'S GET THE UPGRADE COMPLETED, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTING THE CHANGES TO FOR THE ADDITIONAL BILLING FOR MD PATHWAYS. THOSE ISSUES CAME TO LIGHT AND IT WAS REALLY OKAY. THIS THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE UPGRADE, THAT NINE MONTH WINDOW THAT THE TEAM WAS REALLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE WAS NOT REALISTIC. AND SO THAT CAUSED US TO GO BACK AND WORK WITH THE VENDOR. WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW WITH THE UPGRADE, THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT A 12 MONTH WINDOW TO COMPLETE THAT UPGRADE, WHICH PUSHES IT TO THE SUMMER. SO A JUNE TIME FRAME FOR THAT UPGRADE. AND AT THE DISCUSSION WITH BOTH AMONGST THE TEAM AND THE VENDOR, WAS CAN WE IMPLEMENT THE THE CHANGES ON OUR CURRENT PRODUCTION CODE? THEY DID LOOK AT THAT. AND THEY DO FEEL THAT THAT IS POSSIBLE. AND SO THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE PROCEEDING IS THAT WE'RE WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT AVAILABLE TO US TO IMPLEMENT THOSE CHANGES. AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY BEGUN ENGAGING WITH THE VENDOR WITH US TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES IN OUR DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT, THE TIMELINE THAT THEY'RE GIVING US AND THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE TARGETING RIGHT NOW TO HAVE EVERYTHING TESTED. AND FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, READY TO IMPLEMENT WOULD BE BY AND BY IN IN APRIL 1ST TIME FRAME. AND SO WHAT THAT GIVES US IS A COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO THEY AS A VENDOR ARE GOING TO DO THE CONFIGURATION CHANGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT BY MID-FEBRUARY. WE'LL HAVE A REAL GOOD HANDLE ON IF THERE ARE ANY MAJOR ROADBLOCKS OR CONCERNS. SO THEIR THEIR BEST ESTIMATE. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND THEY DO

[01:15:04]

SO THE PLAN BEING THAT THEY WILL ROLL THESE OR NOT ROLL, BUT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO THEN TAKE THESE CHANGES BACK AND INCLUDE THEM WITH THE UPGRADE. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE A STEP BACK ONCE WE DO GET TO THE UPGRADE. SO HOPE THAT WAS CLEAR, BUT I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD. JUST BRIEFLY, ONE QUESTION. JUST SO IN THE INTERIM PERIOD BEFORE NOW, IN TWEEN NOW AND APRIL 1ST, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ENGAGED IN THE PATHWAYS, HEALTH PATHWAYS AND A MARKETING COMMUNITY MARKETING INITIATIVE. DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? CITY ATTORNEY IS WAVING HIS HAND, SIR, IF Y'ALL HAPPEN TO HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU'LL SEE THIS HAS BEEN POSTED FOR A VERY NARROW DISCUSSION TONIGHT. IT'S ON THE JUST ON THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE RELATED TO THE BILLING SYSTEM. AND SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT AND LIMIT IT TO THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, THAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, SAYS THIS IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE CONTINGENT ON SUCCESSFUL TESTING. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THAT OTHER THAN WHAT'S THE POSITION OF MD HEALTH PATHWAYS RELATE TO THIS WITH REGARDS TO TESTING WITH THEIR SYSTEMS AND THEIR SITES, THE ROLLOUT, WHAT, HOW HOW MIGHT THIS AFFECT THEIR ROLLOUT? WELL, FROM THE BIG QUESTION THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO WORK THROUGH IS ENSURING THAT THE SYSTEMS AND THE BILLING IS IS COMPLETE. THIS TECHNICAL COMPONENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THAT TO TIE ON TO. THAT WILL BE THE OTHER CPONENTS, SUCH AS ADDITIONAL ROLLOUT AND THE COMMUNICATION AND THOSE ADDITIONAL ASPECTS OF IT. THE FIRST KEY IS ENSURING THAT THE SYSTEMS ARE READY, AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BIG QUESTION MARKS. SO HAVING THIS SYSTEM IN PLACE IN MARCH WILL ENSURE THAT WE CAN THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL LARGER ROLLOUT OF THE PROGRAM. WE WILL BE

[01:20:06]

COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. YES. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON SOMETHING BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS. I'LL ASK YOU A SOFTBALL HERE. IF MD HEALTH PATHWAYS WAS NOT A THING DIDN'T EXIST. THE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE UPGRADE IS BECAUSE WE'RE JUMPING FROM VERSION 57 ALL THE WAY TO 68, AND THOSE WOULD EXIST WHETHER WE HAD MD HEALTH PATHWAYS OR NOT. IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT BECAUSE I'M SEEING MD HEALTH PATHWAYS BILLING IS CAUSING ALL KINDS OF OTHER PROBLEMS. THAT'S NOT THE CASE, IS IT? THAT IS THAT YOU ARE CORRECT. REALLY. AND I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO DRAW THE WITH THIS SLIDE IS THAT THEY REALLY ARE TWO SEPARATE, UNRELATED INITIATIVES. THE UPGRADE NEEDS TO OCCUR TO ADDRESS LONG STANDING ISSUES AND TO TAKE US FROM VERSION 57 TO 68. THAT PROJECT WAS IN MOTION LONG BEFORE THE DISCUSSIONS IN OF MD PATHWAYS CAME TO THE TO THE FRONT. SO REGARDLESS OF MD PATHWAYS, THIS WAS A IS A UPGRADE THAT'S NEEDED FOR OUR CURRENT BILLING SYSTEM. OKAY. SO THAT AND JUST KIND OF GOING BEYOND THIS ONCE WE'RE INTO 2027, DO ARE WE GOING TO KEEP OUR UPGRADES UP TO DATE. ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THAT YET OR ARE WE HAVE HAD TIME TO EVEN THINK ABOUT I MEAN, 57 TO 68 SEEMS LIKE A BIG JUMP, BUT DO WE HAVE KIND OF A PLAN TO KEEP UPDATED? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. A SMALLER BITE EVERY TIME THAT WE MOVE UP. THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. IS THAT A BUDGET ISSUE WE NEED TO SOLVE? THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING INTERNALLY WITH HOW WE ARE TWOFOLD. ONE, WORKING WITH THE VENDOR TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ON A MORE FREQUENT UPDATE CYCLE, AND GOING FROM 57 TO 68, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE QUANTIFY THAT BECAUSE IT VENDORS NUMBER THEIR UPGRADES DIFFERENTLY. AND SO WINDOWS 10 TO WINDOWS 11, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S A FIVE YEAR, BUT IT'S A ONE INCREMENT 57 TO 68. IF THEY RELEASE THOSE UPDATES FOUR TIMES A YEAR, WE'RE REALLY NOT THAT FAR OUT OF A MAJOR RELEASE UPDATE. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH, YES, WE INTERNALLY ARE DISCUSSING OUR OVERALL SUPPORT STRATEGY, HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH US AS A VENDOR, HOW IT IS PROVIDING SUPPORT, WORKING WITH OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM TO ENSURE THAT AS NEWER VERSIONS COME OUT, HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING ON A REGULAR CADENCE OF UPDATES TO BE MORE PREDICTABLE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS THESE THINGS AND KEEP THEM IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE ALSO. AND THAT IS, IF YOU MAY RECALL, I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE PUBLIC AND OTHERS HAVE THOUGHT THAT THERE MAY BE SOME FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES HERE IS BECAUSE INITIALLY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WAITING UNTIL AFTER WE DID THE UPDATE IN ORDER TO THEN IMPLEMENT MD HEALTH PATHWAYS INTO THAT. SO THAT WAS ONE THING. AFTER THE INITIAL AFTER THE SYSTEM FAILED OR CRASHED, AT THAT POINT, WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT, WELL, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO JUST WAIT UNTIL I PUT THAT ON HOLD AND THEN GO AHEAD AND DEAL WITH THE MD PATHWAY.

WELL, AT THIS POINT, THIS IS A VERY NEW REVELATION TONIGHT, WHICH IS THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS ANYWAY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT BOTH OF THEM INDEPENDENTLY AND SEPARATELY. SO NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING THIS THE MD PATHWAY AND PUTTING IT WITH THE EXISTING SYSTEM. CORRECT. I THINK I SUMMARIZE THAT CORRECTLY, YES.

BUT IF I CAN CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT, THE ORIGINAL THOUGHT AND CONCERN AROUND IMPLEMENTING THE MD PATHWAYS ON THE EXISTING PRODUCTION CODE, THE 57 VERSION CODE WAS, THERE WAS THERE WAS THERE WAS CONCERN BOTH FROM THE BECAUSE OF THE VERSION AND THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT WE HAD, AS WELL AS I MEAN, FROM NOT JUST FROM THE CITY STAFF SIDE, BUT ALSO THE VENDOR SIDE AS WELL. SO THEY DID COME OUT AND THEY AT FIRST THEY SAID WE WOULD RECOMMEND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE UPGRADE FIRST. YES. TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE ON THE LATEST CODE OF 68. AND THEN WE BUILD ON TOP OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT WE ENCOUNTERED THROUGH THE UPGRADE, WE DID GO BACK AND WE'VE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME WORKING WITH THE VENDOR, REVIEWING THE

[01:25:03]

THERE'S STILL RISK. ANYTIME YOU IMPLEMENT CHANGE IN A SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMS SUCH AS BILLING, WE HAVE TO THOROUGHLY TEST THAT. AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT AND ITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO SAFELY TEST THOSE CHANGES TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE DO MOVE IT TO PRODUCTION, THAT WE MINIMIZE THAT RISK. I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE OUR PUBLIC OR ANYONE ELSE HAS TRIED TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING MONEY NEEDLESSLY, OR MONEY THAT WE SHOULD NOT, SHOULD NOT HAVE SPENT. THIS IS A SITUATION OF WHERE IT'S EVOLVING. WE'RE LEARNING AS WE GO. AS MATTER OF FACT, I THINK THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME COMING TO US FROM THE IT DEPARTMENT. WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH STOMER SERVICE PRETTY MUCH ALL THIS TIME. SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, OF COURSE, WE WOULD HAVE THOSE MISINFORMATION OUT THERE AND PEOPLE FEELING THAT, IN FACT, WE WERE GOING TO BE SPENDING MONEY NEEDLESSLY IN SOME OTHER DIRECTION. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO CONSIDER HERE, TOO, EVEN WITH MD PATHWAY, HAVING AN INDEPENDENT ROUTE AT THIS POINT, AS YOU'VE ALREADY STATED, BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM, WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH IMPLEMENTING THE MD PATHWAY. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. AND SO EVEN WITH SEEING THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AN IMPLEMENTATION, A REAL IMPLEMENTATION, SAY BY APRIL OR MAY. BUT WHAT I THINK IS MOST RELEVANT IS THAT WE ARE PROCESSING, WE ARE GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF WHAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED, WHICH IS WE VOTED TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN AND WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON. THAT IS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND I DO APPRECIATE IT. SO WITH THIS, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE LIGHT? SORRY. IT'S LIKE SCREAMING WITH THIS TIMELINE. WHAT ARE WE ANTICIPATING? THIS WILL START SHOWING ON PEOPLE'S BILLS. THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. AND AS I MENTIONED THE INITIAL EFFORT IS TO GET THE TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION. SO IF WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION READY TO GO BY APRIL 1ST, THEN THE REST OF IT IS THE OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE UPDATES ON. AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE 21ST. IS THE OTHER COMPONENTS NECESSARY TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. AND SO I DON'T WANT TO JUMP AHEAD AND SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, HOW SOON THAT COULD BE. BUT I BELIEVE IT COULD BE RELATIVELY SOON. AND I'LL DEFER TO CITY MANAGER. I SEE HIM COMING UP. OH, WE SHOULD KNOW BY FEBRUARY IS WHAT JUSTIN SAYING WHETHER THIS WILL LIKELY BE SUCCESSFUL. ONCE WE KNOW THAT THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE CAN CAN SCHEDULE OUT THE TIMING OF THE REST OF THE STEPS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM. SO WE WOULD EXPECT COMING BACK IN FEBRUARY, REPORTING BACK AS TO WHETHER THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WHETHER THIS WILL BE READY TO GO, AND THEN GETTING DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO SUBMIT AN ORDINANCE PUT IN PLACE. AND WE WILL NEED TO TO FIGURE OUT THE TIMING OF HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS GOES ON PEOPLE'S BILLS? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT IT THAT PEOPLE WHO'VE OPTED OUT ARE OPTED OUT? MAKE SURE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE SO THAT IT'S A SMOOTH ROLLOUT FROM THERE. AND WE'LL KNOW THAT SOMETIME AT LEAST WHERE WE ARE IN FEBRUARY. IF IT TURNS OUT IN FEBRUARY THAT WE SAY WE'RE ALL SYSTEMS GO, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DOING. IT TURNS OUT IN FEBRUARY THAT THERE'S A DIFFICULTY WITH THE SYSTEM.

THEN WE'LL REPORT THAT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. MR. BETTS, IF I MAY AS WELL. CONCURRENTLY WITH THE UPGRADE, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE LINE ITEM BEING ADDED TO THE BILL AS WELL, OUR MARKETING

[01:30:02]

THE UPGRADE ITSELF IS DELAYED NOT BECAUSE OF THE MD PATHWAYS. IT IS BECAUSE OF ISSUES IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE UPGRADE. AND SO THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COSTS ON THE CITY SIDE FOR THAT UPGRADE. WHEN WE ENGAGE A VENDOR ON AN UPGRADE, IT'S IT'S ESSENTIALLY A FLAT PRICE FOR THE UPGRADE. IT'S INCLUDED IN THE SERVICES AND THOSE THINGS. SO SO THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COSTS BECAUSE THE UPGRADE ITSELF WAS DELAYED. AND AGAIN, TO CLARIFY, A LOT OF THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES ARE ON THE VENDOR SIDE ANYWAY. SO IT'S ON THE VENDOR TO RESOLVE THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT THE TEAM HAS IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THAT UPGRADE TESTING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CLARIFYING ALL OF THOSE. I THINK THAT A LOT OF US ARE NOT TECH SAVVY AND DON'T KNOW HOW ALL OF THESE THINGS WORK, SO I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. COUNCIL I SEE NO SEE NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE. APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. THANK YOU SIR. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN AT IT FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF NOW. LET'S TAKE A RECESS. PLEASE BE BACK AT

[5. Informational Briefing on DART]

NO, I DON'T THINK ANYONE KNOWS THIS. ARIEL. YEAH, I DON'T THINK. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE ON OUR NEXT ITEM FOR OUR DART BRIEFING. GOOD EVENING. I WANTED TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION ON DART. WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ON THIS TOPIC OVER THE LAST YEAR, SO I WANTED TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE KEEPING YOU GUYS UPDATED ON ANY DEVELOPMENTS. DART IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING STRUCTURAL FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, INCREASING GOVERNANCE FRICTION AMONG MEMBER CITIES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, AND LONG TERM DECLINES IN SYSTEM PERFORMANCE. WHILE DART MEMBER CITIES ARE ENGAGED IN REGION WIDE DISCUSSIONS ON GOVERNANCE, FUNDING, SERVICE EQUITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR THE GARLAND. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR GARLAND TO STAY INFORMED AND NEGOTIATE TO PROTECT SERVICE QUALITY, FISCAL

[01:35:02]

THIS IS IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE ACCOMMODATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GMP OR THE GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM. SUBURBAN MEMBER CITIES HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT EQUITY, FLEXIBILITY AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE. THESES TENSIONS HAVE C CONTRIBUT TO FORMAL WITHDRAWAL EFFORTS AND CALLS FOR REFORM. LASTLY, SEVERAL OF DART'S LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS ARE ACTIVELY EVALUATING WHETHER THE CURRENT REGIONAL TRANSIT MODEL DELIVERS SUFFICIENT VALUE FOR THEIR RESIDENTS. A GROUP WAS FORMED TO. TO THIS END, BETWEEN THE NORTH, THE NORTH TEXAS COG MEMBER, CITY MANAGERS, DART MEMBERS AND IS FACILITATED.

THIS GROUP IS FACILITATED BY THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION. THE GROUP HAS EXAMINED PAIN POINTS FROM MEMBER CITIES SUCH AS EQUITY, THE GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM, AND GOVERNANCE, AND THEY'VE BEEN MEETING FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW. THE WORKING GROUP AFFIRMED A BASELINE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF A ONE CITY, ONE VOTE MODEL WITH POPULATION BASED WEIGHTING AND GOVERNANCE CHANGE, THOUGH REQUIRES APPROVAL BY CITY COUNCILS, BY THE DART BOARD AND ULTIMATELY, STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION. ALSO, A FUNDING FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND IT'S OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE XYZ MODEL. IT'S RECEIVED SOME SUPPORT TO WHERE X'S THE REGIONAL SYSTEM CONTRIBUTION. WHY IS THE INTRA CITY SERVICES SELECTED BY EACH CITY, AND C WOULD BE ANY REMAINING REVENUE RETURN TO CITIES VIA A GMP? LIKE OUR GENERAL MOBILITY LIKE MECHANISM, DART HAS AGREED TO CONDUCT A FORWARD LOOKING RATE STUDY ON ON THIS MODEL TO PROVIDE INTRA CITY SERVICE PREFERENCES TO SUPPORT MODELING. THERE ARE SEVERAL FINANCIAL REALITIES THAT I WANTED TO GO OVER REGARDING OUR POSITION WITHIN DART. GARLAND CONTRIBUTES THE FULL 1% IN SALES TAX TO DART, WHICH IS OVER $40 MILLION A YEAR AND REPRESENTS ONE OF THE LARGEST ONGOING EXTERNAL COMMITMENTS IN THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGET. THE CONTRIBUTION IS MADE REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL RIDERSHIP LEVELS OR SERVICE UTILIZATION WITHIN THE CITY. GARLAND'S PAYMENTS TO DART HAVE INCREASED BY OVER 100% SINCE 2014, EVEN AS SYSTEM RIDERSHIP HAS DECLINED. WHILE GARLAND'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION HAS GROWN. SERVICE HOURS AND ROUTE FREQUENCY WITHIN THE CITY HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED DOWNWARD. THIS RESULTS IN FEWER TRANSIT OPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS RELATIVE TO THE AMOUNT THAT WE PAY INTO THE SYSTEM. SO THIS DYNAMIC RAISES A FUNDAMENTAL POLICY QUESTION, WHICH IS WHY IS TRANSIT SERVICE SHRINKING? WHILE GARLAND'S CONTRIBUTION CONTINUES TO RISE, THE GROWING GAP BETWEEN COST AND BENEFIT IS A CENTRAL CONCERN FOR NOT JUST GARLAND, BUT MANY MEMBER CITIES. FINALLY,

[01:40:02]

[01:45:03]

[01:50:02]

SO WE HAVE TO I THINK THESE REGIONAL COORDINATION MEETINGS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT GARLAND'S VOICE IS HEARD, THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR COUNCIL IS FULLY UPDATED AS THIS PROGRESSES. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE E EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE DATES ARE VERY IMPORTANT. THIS IS THE NEW PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED OVER THE LAST WEEK. THIS THIS HAS BEEN A VERY FLUID, CHANGING SUBJECT AS NEW INFORMATION COMES, BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. THIS TIMELINE IS ALSO SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. SORRY. I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS TO WHERE ARE THE MEETINGS CHAMBERS? WOULD THEY BE ONLY ONE ONLY ONE MEETING ON 12.

THAT IS THE ONLY ONE SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? NO. IF YOU GO BACK, THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES GLOBALLY WITH DART. SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST GIVING PRELIMINARY TIMELINES. THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE ON MARCH 24TH FOR OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS WITH DART. AND THERE WILL ALSO BE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ALL MEMBER CITIES, THEY HAVE SCHEDULED OUR CHAMBERS FOR MARCH 12TH. AGAIN, NADINE LEE HAS COMMITTED TO US TO PROVIDE US INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. AND AND REST ASSURED, WE WILL PROVIDE COUNCIL THAT INFORMATION ONCE WE RECEIVE IT ON WHAT THEY PLAN TO DISCUSS AT THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WHAT ANY, WHAT OR IF ANY SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS THEY ARE PROPOSING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND ARE ANY MEETING SCHEDULED, YOU, THE MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH 12TH? SHE HAS EMAILED US TODAY TO ASK FOR FOR US TO SCHEDULE A MEETING, BUT WE ARE ALSO MEETING WITH THE AT THE COG NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS WITH THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES ON A REGULAR BASIS. I BELIEVE THE NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 15TH. AT THOSE MEETINGS, WE'RE PRIMARILY DISCUSSING, DART IS CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH A RATE MODEL, A LONG TERM RATE MODEL, AS ARIEL SAID, AND THEY HAVE HAVE THIS PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE, WHAT'S CALLED THE XYZ MODEL. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S X MEANS THIS ALL OF THE REGIONAL FUNDING THAT IS SHARED BETWEEN ALL MEMBER CITIES IS GOING TO BE CALCULATED AS A RATE AS X, Y WOULD BE KIND OF CITY SPECIFIC, KIND OF LIKE A PICK AND CHOOSE OF WHAT SERVICES YOU WANT. AND THEY WILL CALCULATE A RATE FOR THAT IN Z IS THIS MOBILITY PROGRAM WHERE IF YOU SAY, CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE VERY MANY SERVICES IN THE INNER CITY, YOU WILL HAVE IT THEN FALL INTO YOUR GENERAL MOBILITY FUND FOR THE CITY TO USE FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE WITH THAT MODEL IS BACK TO THAT E STUDY.

[01:55:01]

YEAH, I WOULD AGREE. RIGHT NOW DART HAS GOT SOME SIGNICANT CHALLENGES. YES, WE'RE MEETING REGULARLY, BUT THERE IS AN UPHILL BATTLE AHEAD OF US. YEAH, TO SAY THE LEAST. YEAH. ALL THE COUNCILS, INCLUDING DALLAS AND THEN STATE LEGISLATURE FOR THAT TO MAKE A. IMPACT ON OUR RATING, ON OUR RATINGS FROM RATING AGENCIES, AGENCIES. YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT ALL. I WOULDN'T ANTICIPATE AN IMPACT ON THE CITY OF GARLAND'S BOND RATING, BECAUSE OUR BOND RATING IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PROPERTY TAXES. THE CONCERN WOULD BE, WHAT IS DART'S BOND RATING GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND WHAT KIND OF RESTRUCTURING OF SPECIFICALLY, THE ONE WE'RE MOSTLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT SILVER LINE FEDERAL DEBT AND RESTRUCTURING THAT TO MEET ALL OF THESE. EVER EVOLVING, CHANGING. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T LOSE 25% OF YOUR SALES TAX COLLECTION AND YOUR REVENUE WITHOUT HAVING SOME SORT OF THE LEAST BEING LOOKED AT BY BOND RATINGS. SO THERE WOULDN'T BE A CITY OF GARLAND ISSUE. THIS WOULD BE A DART ISSUE. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. I PERSONALLY HATE ALL THINGS DART. THIS IS WE'RE IN THIS PLACE WHERE IN ESSENCE, THEY'RE POOR BUSINESS MODEL AND POOR CHOICES HAVE PUT US IN A BIND.

AND AS A CITY THAT HAS RESIDENTS THAT QUITE LITERALLY MOVED TO THEIR CURRENT LOCATION SIMPLY FOR THE ACCESSIBILITY OF DART, HOW LIKE, HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT? RIGHT? BECAUSE IF, IF WE IF WE CHOOSE TO PULL OUT LIKE WE'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SCREW OUR RESIDENTS AND THAT'S NOT FAIR. BUT ALSO LIKE, THIS IS INSANE. LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOUR RIDERSHIP HAS GONE DOWN OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. SO YOU BUILT A WHOLE NOTHER BILLION, $2 BILLION LINE. LIKE, THAT'S CRAZY. LIKE, AND THE THE OVERANALYZING PART OF MY BRAIN IS LIKE, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS LIKE THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY ON, LIKE MOVE YOUR BUS STOP SO THEY'RE NOT IN AN INTERSECTION. SO PEOPLE STOP RUNNING INTO THEM. THAT WOULD SAVE YOU MILLIONS LIKE PRO TIP.

OKAY, DART. THERE YOU GO. I'VE SOLVED THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS, BUT IT'S CRAZY THAT THIS WHOLE THING IS GOING ON. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SAY WE CHOOSE TO STAY IN THE DART SYSTEM? IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROTECT US FINANCIALLY GOING FORWARD, OR ARE WE JUST SCREWED EITHER WAY? WELL, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT. THIS IS JUST MY OPINION.

WE'RE WE'RE WE STILL NEED TO COLLECT SOME DATA. AND WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO TALK ABOUT SOME ATTORNEY CLIENT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. BUT AS FAR AS THE MAY ELECTION, JUST TO THROW IT OUT, THAT THE LAST DAY TO CALL THAT MAY 2ND ELECTION IS FEBRUARY

[02:00:03]

SO THERE'S MULTIPLE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PASS THAT YOU CAN TAKE DOWN THIS. BUT REALLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE THE DATA NECESSARY TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF ON WHICH DIRECTION TO GO, BECAUSE WE YOU LOOK, YOU LOOK AT THOSE WITHDRAWAL CALCULATIONS THAT ARE EXTREMELY LARGE AND, AND AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES OF SETTING UP A TRANSIT SYSTEM AS, AS SIGNIFICANT AS DART IN OUR CITY AND STAYING IN DART. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WITH FOUR CITIES AND A FIFTH LOOKING TO MEET ON IT TOMORROW. AND TRUST ME, EVERY OTHER CITY, THE RICHARDSON'S AND THE CARROLLTON'S OF THE WORLD ARE KIND OF SITTING JUST LIKE US, WAITING TO GET THIS DATA. ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL ADD IS NADINE WAS VERY GENEROUS WITH HER TIME WHEN SHE CAME HERE AND ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS TO THE BEST THAT SHE COULD, AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS VERY CANDID. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRESSED HER ON WAS THE QUESTION THAT WE ALL HAVE, WHICH IS, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS THE SERVICE REDUCTION LEVELS FOR GARLAND? SHE DID SAY THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE FOUR CITIES PULLED OUT SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS, SHE SAID. DART HAS NOT BEGUN TO CALCULATE THAT THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH MODELS RIGHT NOW AS TO WHETHER WE WOULD HAVE IT IN TIME FOR THE DECISION TO CALL AN ELECTION, AND SHE SAID WE WOULD NOT WE WOULD NOT BE DONE WITH THAT INFORMATION BY THAT TIME. THEY'RE WORKING ON IT AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE US THIS INFORMATION, HOPEFULLY BY THE MEETING THAT THEY'VE CALLED HERE IN MARCH, AND WHEN THEY HAD THE MEETING IN MARCH, THEY WILL SIT WITH US AND SHOW US THIS IS WHAT THE LIKELY SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS WOULD BE, WITH ONE CITY PULLING OUT AND THEN WITH ALL FOUR, THEY CAN'T DO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PERMUTATIONS BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH MATH FOR THEM TO DO. BUT SHE DID SAY IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT THERE WOULD BE SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS. AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN. I MEAN, IT'S WE'RE IN SOMEWHAT OF A PRISONER'S DILEMMA, AND WE EXPRESSED THIS TO DART. WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE LAST PEOPLE STANDING BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE OBLIGATIONS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT FOR OPERATION.

SO WE SHE SHE DID AGREE TO HAVE CONTINUED MEETINGS WITH US. AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE GET MORE INFORMATION FROM DART, I THINK THAT WOULD COME BACK OUT AND MEET WITH US AGAIN AND WOULD CANDIDLY ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS, AS I BELIEVE SHE DID IN THE MEETING WE HAD WITH HER. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IS THAT WHEN WE GET READY TO BRING THIS BACK, KIND OF WITH SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE IF IF IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE VOTERS, THE VOTERS NEED TO KNOW 100%. CANDIDLY, IF IF WE DO THIS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND IF WE DO, IF WE STAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL END OF IT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, REDUCING SOME OF OUR CITY SERVICES, WHATEVER IT MAY LOOK LIKE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THAT FULL SCOPE ON EITHER WAY. SO THAT WAY EVERYONE HAS THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO VOTE CORRECTLY IN THE WAY THAT THEY FEEL SHOULD BE DONE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO COME BACK AND BE LIKE, OH, WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW? NOW, NOW THE LIBRARY IS ONLY OPEN ONE DAY A WEEK OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT SHOULD BE. AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL EFFECT OF WHAT THEIR VOTE IS GOING TO TURN OUT TO BE. SO. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS, I THINK, THAT WE'VE ONE OF THE HARDEST, HARDEST SPOTS THAT WE'VE BEEN PUT IN ON COUNCIL IN A WHILE. SO IT'S NOT A FUN ONE. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THE WORK AND DUMBING IT DOWN FOR US BECAUSE THIS IS ALLOWED. THIS IS A WILD RIDE. THE DARTS GOT EVERYBODY ON, ALL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO JUST PLAY NICE BEFORE WE WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER BASS. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU GUYS HAVE PUT INTO THIS. I JUST WANT TO POINT SOMETHING OUT REAL QUICK. ANYBODY WATCHING THIS, EVEN IF WE DO PULL OUT A DART, WE'RE STILL PAYING DART FOR THE NEXT THREE DECADES. SO THAT DOESN'T CHANGE. THE 1% SALES TAX DOESN'T CHANGE. YOU'RE STILL PAYING IN. AND IF YOU PULL OUT, YOU GET NO SERVICE AND YOU'RE STILL PAYING FOR 27 YEARS. BUT MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT SINCE THIS STARTED. REALLY, WHERE ARE WE IN REGARDS TO GETTING ANY FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY FROM DART? IT'S CERTAINLY NOT BEEN

[02:05:04]

AND THOSE CITIES DID GO TO AUSTIN. AND WE DID BRING UP THE ISSUE OF GETTING BACK THE PERCENTAGE OF THE 1%. THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT, WELL, IF ANYBODY WON, ONE CITY WENT TO AUSTIN, THEN THAT DID NOT PREVAIL. I SEE THAT SAME THING. AND I'M GOING TO ASK CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR TO ELABORATE HERE. BUT I SEE THAT SAME THING MAYBE HAPPENING EVEN WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE CORK. CORK IS ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE DART HAS THE ABILITY, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN RETURN SOME THINGS TO THE CITY. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE, TO TALK ABOUT THE THE FINANCES. BUT IS THAT DEPENDENT UPON ALL OF THE CITIES AGAIN REMAINING? BECAUSE OTHERWISE, WHAT DIFFERENCE IS IT GOING TO MAKE? I CAN SAY THAT IN THE DISCUSSIONS WITH NADINE, SHE DIDN'T RAISE THAT ISSUE. I KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T FREEZE IT BEFORE EITHER. WELL, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ENTERTAINING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITIES WHO HAVE ELECTED TO HOLD ECTIONS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO LET THE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER TO PULL OUT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NADINE SAID IS THEY'VE RECEIVED A BUNCH OF DEMANDS FROM THE CITIES. THE PROBLEM IS, THE DEMANDS THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM THE CITIES DO NOT ALIGN WITH ONE ANOTHER, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO NEGOTIATE A RESOLUTION TO THIS. I THINK THAT DART NOW IS LOOKING FOR A RESOLUTION TO THIS, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBER OF CITIES THAT ARE THREATENED WITH THE LACK. I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY TAKING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT POSITION THAN THEY TOOK IN AUSTIN LAST YEAR. AND AND I HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT, THAT I WOULD SHARE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION RELATED TO SOME POTENTIAL LEGAL MATTERS. I MAKE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE AGAIN, HERE YOU ARE HAVING ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS. BUT IF IN FACT, WHAT NADINE'S SAYING IS THAT IF JUST ONE OF THE MAJOR CITIES PULL OUT, THAT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING VERY SEVERE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS WITH THEM, AND HOW IN THE WORLD ARE THEY GOING TO EVEN BEGIN TO EVEN TALK ABOUT PROMISING SOME OF THE THINGS THEY'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE? BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S A MOVING TARGET? I'LL STOP AND THAT'S HISTORY. AND IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THE THINGS DON'T GO RIGHT. JUST SAYING, NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT I THINK THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS COIN IS YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAYING FOR 27 YEARS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE PULL OUT, YOU TAKE ON THE FINANCIAL DEBT. IF WE SAY THAT THOSE FOUR CITIES PULL OUT, WE STILL TAKE ON THE FINANCIAL DEBT. IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S THAT ROCK AND HARD SPOT. I FIND IT DIFFICULT. AND NOW I'M GOING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID. I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO SIT AT THIS TABLE, THOUGH, AND TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS OR WE'RE NOT. I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TRULY NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM THEN BECOMES A POLITICAL PROCESS. AND I THINK THAT WE HAD TO COME IN AND SAY THAT

[02:10:08]

THOSE ARE THE MOVING PARTS THAT I SEE. BUT I'M STILL MORE IN FAVOR OF AT LEAST TAKING IT TO OUR VOTERS AND GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US VERSUS US SAYING TO THEM, WE'RE GOING TO HANG WITH THIS THING AND RIDE IT OUT. SO EITHER WAY IT GOES, WE'RE GOING TO BE PAID.

WE'RE GOING TO PAY. TRYING TO HOLD ON TO THE SYSTEM SIGNIFICANTLY. WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SERVICES. ARE WE GOING TO PAY? BECAUSE NOW HERE'S THE THAT'S THE WORST PART OF IT.

THE DAY AFTER, LET'S SAY THAT THEY DO OUR CITIZENS DO VOTE. C THE DAY AFTER WE LOSE ALL SERVICES. THAT'S THE FEAR. THAT'S THE THAT'S THE THAT'S THE PART THERE THAT HURTS. AND I'M TALKING NOW BECAUSE I'M HOPING THAT OUR PUBLIC I'M HOPING THAT YOU'RE FEELING WHAT WE'RE FEELING THAT YOU YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE ARE TRYING TO DEAL WITH HERE. THESE ARE SOME VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES, SOME DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. BUT I'M STILL MORE INCLINED TO TAKE IT TO THEM VERSUS US JUST MAKING THE DECISION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR.

MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. I WAS TOLD WE COULD NOT HOLD THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. WE DID SOME FURTHER LOOKING AT THE STATUTE AND I'VE TALKED WITH BRIAN ENGLAND AND YOU CAN. SO IF THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES HOLD ELECTIONS AND THEY DON'T PASS, THEN I MEAN, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HOLD AN ELECTION TO GET OUT. SO WAITING UNTIL NOVEMBER, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING ON THE BALLOT THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT TOO. AND IF THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES PULL OUT, THEN WE CAN DO IT IN NOVEMBER. IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. AND. WE CAN'T AFFORD A TRANSIT SYSTEM IN GARLAND.

OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT. I, I WOULD RATHER BE IN ANY TIGHT SITUATION THEY PULL OUT OR NOT WITH DART THAN WITHOUT IT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MEANS TO TRANSPORT OUR PEOPLE WITHOUT DART AND AND WE CAN'T AFFORD IT WITHOUT DART. SO I, I JUST DON'T, I DON'T SEE HOW HAVING AN ELECTION IN MAY MAKES SENSE IF WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE IT IN NOVEMBER. I KNOW THAT'S STICKY. I KNOW IT'S STICKY, BUT BUT IT JUST I MEAN, WE NEED TO SEE HOW THE CARDS FALL, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE REALLY WANTS TO JUST SCRAP DART AND AND NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN GARLAND. I WE CAN'T AFFORD OTHER MEANS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S WHAT MASS TRANSPORTATION IS FOR. IT'S I DON'T EVEN I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT THERE ARE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAT PULL A PROFIT. THAT'S NOT THE INTENT OF IT. SO. THAT THAT WOULD BE

[02:15:01]

SO FOR SURE THOSE MEMBER CITIES THAT IF THEY EXIT THEY WILL ABSORB THAT PART. THEY'RE PART OF THAT PORTION, OKAY. IF AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE IF, IF PLANO AND AND THE OTHERS DON'T SUCCESSFULLY LEAVE THE DART SYSTEM, IT'S GOING TO GO BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE. I MEAN, IT JUST IS THIS IS THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STOP BEING ANGRY. I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR OWN ISSUES WITH DART AS WEL THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE THERE ARE SOME OPERATIONAL AND MONEY MANAGEMENT ISSUES WITHIN THAT WHOLE SYSTEM. SO I, I THINK WE SHOULD WAIT. BUT AND JUST THE ONE SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING MORE SAID ABOUT THERE'S NO ONE CLAMORING FOR US TO GET OUT OF DART. NO ONE. AND THE OTHER ARTICLES THAT I'VE SEEN, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE GETTING THESE TEXTS FROM TONY TORRES, BUT THAT TALKING ABOUT THESE, THESE CITIES THAT THE THAT THIS IS REALLY BEING DRIVEN BY THE CITY COUNCILS, NOT SOME GRASSROOTS EFFORT FROM THEIR RIDERSHIP. AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS I UNDERSTAND WE'VE GOT A PLAN FOR IF THEY ALL PULL OUT. BUT IF THEY BUT IF THOSE ALL FAIL THEN THEN THIS WE'RE KIND OF WRINGING OUR HANDS HERE, WHICH I GUESS WE'VE GOT TO DO. WE'VE GOT TO PLAN FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO AND HOPE THAT THOSE ALL FAIL. AND THEN WE GO FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION HERE. BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING IN IN ARTICLES, IS THAT THERE'S NO REAL MOVEMENT WITHIN ANY OF THOSE CITIES THAT HAVE PUT IT ON THE BALLOT TO TO VOTE FOR THIS. AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE COMING OUT ARE LIKE THE FOLKS WE HAD TONIGHT WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. AND, AND SO I, I GUESS THIS THAT IS THAT AM I READING THAT RIGHT? WE'RE WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE CONTINGENCY IF THOSE THINGS IF THOSE THINGS PASS. BUT THERE'S DO YOU SEE THAT ARIEL, IS THERE ANY GREAT GRASS ROOTS MOVEMENT THAT'S GONE UNDER THE RADAR THAT WE'RE NOT AWARE OF PEOPLE OUT OF DART? NOT THAT I KNOW OF. I THINK IT'S MORE OF A. A LOOKING AT BEING A GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARD OF TAXPAYER FUNDS VERSUS RETURN ON INVESTMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT IS A LARGE. IT'S A LARGE SPURRING OF THIS, OF THIS, THIS MOVEMENT IS YOU'RE PAYING, IN PLANO'S CASE, $110 MILLION INTO A SYSTEM AND YOU'RE RECEIVING LESS THAN HALF AN INVESTMENT YEAR OVER YEAR. AND I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT AS WELL. WHAT IS OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT? AND ARE WE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN A SMART AND EFFICIENT MANNER? AND THAT'S WHAT'S SPURRING A LOT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AS WELL. OKAY. GO AHEAD. SOMEONE SAID EARLIER THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON TO THE LEGISLATURE. PLANO IS DEAD SERIOUS, AT LEAST THEIR CITY COUNCIL. AND FOR US, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT GARLAND'S INTEREST BECAUSE PLANO IRVING, THEY CONTINUE TO PUSH THEY THEY ARE CONTRIBUTORS. THEY ARE SEEN AS CONTRIBUTORS WHO ARE SUBSIDIZING OTHER CITIES LIKE GARLAND. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER HAPPENS HAPPENS. AND ALL THESE SCENARIOS, HUNDREDS OF SCENARIOS VERY COMPLEX THAT WE ARE PROTECTING GARLAND. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO. VERY GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO LEARN TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WAS MISSING. BUT I JUST LIKE IT SAID, THERE'S THERE'S NO NO ONE CLAMORING EVEN IN THESE OTHER CITIES OTHER THAN THEIR

[02:20:06]

IN FACT, WE'RE GETTING SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS TO FUND OTHER PEOPLE'S MOBILITY PROJECTS. SO THAT'S THAT'S OUR THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE AS A STAFF MEMBER HERE AT GARLAND TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT GARLAND. THANK YOU. GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU. MAYOR SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? COUNCIL. THANK YOU. MAY. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AGREED. TOTALLY AGREED WITH THE NOVEMBER. IT WAS TIME TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH EVERYBODY. THESE ARE PEOPLE TIME AND I JUST DON'T SEE THAT WE NEED TO RUSH. AND THERE'S NO NEED TO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GARLAND HAS. AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHERE IT HAS TO STOP. WE'RE NOT IN THE BUS TRANSPORTATION OR ANY OTHER. WE ARE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS. AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO COME DOWN TO THE END WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, SIR. MAYOR, I WILL MAKE ONE FINAL POINT ON THIS FOR THE COUNCIL. AS SOON AS WE HEAR BACK FROM DART WITH RESPECT T TO THE PROPOSED SERVIE LEVEL REDUCTIONS, WE WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND UPDATE YOU. AND THAT WILL BE SOMETIME IN MARCH BEFORE. SO AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION FROM DART, WE'LL POST IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM AND COME BACK AND SHOW YOU. HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING AS SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND. IN THE EVENT THAT ONE OR MULTIPLE CITIES PULL OUT, AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE AT THAT TIME, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I JUST A QUICK QUESTION. IF WE WERE TO CALL AN ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, WHEN WOULD WE HAVE TO DO THAT? WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING LIKE AUGUST OR JULY, SOMETHING LIKE 17TH? YES. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSIONS IN THE FUTURE AND LATER TONIGHT WE'LL MOVE ON NOW

[6. Presentation of the 2026 Proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP)]

GOOD EVENING. OUR 2026 PROPOSED CIP, AS MIKE SAID, IS $644.5 MILLION OF THAT TAX. SUPPORTED PROJECTS MAKE UP 302.8 MILLION, OR ROUGHLY 47%. AND OUR UTILITY OR REVENUE SUPPORTED PROJECTS TOTAL 341.7 MILLION, OR 53%. THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 69.7 MILLION FROM OUR 2025 ADOPTED

[02:25:09]

THIRD IS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SECTION, ABOUT 50.2 MILLION. WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR FIRE STATIONS IN THEIR FINAL YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR, AS SOME AS WELL AS SOME APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS. ALL IN ALL, OUR TOTAL TAX SUPPORTED PROGRAM HAS AN INCREASE OF 63.4 MILLION FROM THE 2025 ADOPTED CIP AND WILL BE THE SUBJECT, YOU KNOW, PRIMARY PART OF OUR DISCUSSION ON SATURDAY. AND AS PART OF SOME SUPPLEMENTARY SCHEDULES, WE PROVIDE YOU ON SATURDAY, MOVING TO THE REVENUE SUPPORTED SIDE, OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY HAS A PROJECTED 2026 PROPOSED CIP OF 226.4 MILLION. IT'S ROUGHLY 66% OF THE REVENUE SUPPORTED CIP, FOLLOWED BY OUR WASTEWATER AND WATER UTILITY PROGRAMS AT 67 AND ALMOST 42 MILLION, RESPECTIVELY. WE HAVE ACTIVITIES IN OUR SANITATION UTILITY, PRIMARILY EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OPERATION OF ABOUT 5.8 MILLION. AND THEN FINALLY SOME PROJECTS FUNDED FOR STORMWATER UTILITY TOTAL UTILITY REVENUE SUPPORTED CIP OF 341.7 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 6.5 MILLION OVER LAST YEAR'S PROJECTED CIP. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'LL PAUSE HERE ON OUR CALENDAR. WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR A SPECIAL WORK SESSION THIS SATURDAY. IN ADDITION TO DISCUSSING THE CIP AND HAVING SOME CIP DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS, WE ALSO WILL BE GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE CITY'S OVERALL FINANCIAL OUTLOOK, AS WELL AS A AN UPDATE ON THE HOUSING STUDY. AS PART OF THAT AGENDA. SO BUT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE DAY WILL BE TO REVIEW THE CIP. FOLLOWING THAT, ON JANUARY 20TH, WE WILL HAVE

[02:30:06]

COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE SOME HOMEWORK TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND SATURDAY. LIGHT READING. COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. ALSO, MR. MAYOR, THE HOUSING SURVEY, I DON'T REMEMBER EVER SEEING THEIR PRESENTATIONS IN THE LAST MEETING WHERE THEY WERE VERY ROUGH I THINK SO, AND.

YOU WANT THE PRESENTATION AHEAD OF THE MEETING ON SATURDAY, OR YOU WANT THE PRIOR PRESENTATION PRIOR BECAUSE THEY THAT WAS THE ONE WE HAD MEETINGS ON THE SAME NIGHT AND THEY GOT RUSHED THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. SO WE'LL GET A COPY OF THAT AND GET IT TO YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL. SOME MORE BY SATURDAY OR IF NOT BEFORE. THANK YOU. I'LL MOVE ON TO OUR

[7. Public Safety Committee Report - Fire | EMS Stakeholder Committee Update]

[02:35:06]

[ CONSIDER APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS]

[ ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

[02:40:04]

[ EXECUTIVE SESSION]