May 18, 2026 Work Session

[00:00:08]

MAY 18TH, 2026 WORK SESSION OF THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME STOP AND WELCOME OUR THREE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, JIMMY TRAN FOR DISTRICT ONE, JUSTIN CARAWAY, DISTRICT TWO, AND CHRISTINA SEGOVIANO FROM DISTRICT FOUR.

WELCOME. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US. FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. MADAM SECRETARY, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, SIR. RICHARD WILLIAMS. ALL RIGHT, MR. WILLIAMS. YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM OR FOR A FOR THE GRANVILLE ARTS. OKAY. WE'LL GET TO YOU. WE'LL GET TO YOU FOR THE GRANVILLE VERY SOON. ALL

[1. ChildCareGroup Lease Agreement Extension]

[2. Brand Road (S.H. 190 to Muirfield) Project - Eminent Domain Submission]

[3. Introduction of Mandy Harrell, Customer Service Director]

I FIRST OF ALL, LET ME CONGRATULATE THE NEWLY ELECTED AND REELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M EXCITED FOR MY NEW ROLE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH Y'ALL AND CITY LEADERSHIP.

AND IF Y'ALL NEED ANYTHING, I'M ALWAYS A PHONE CALL AWAY. WONDERFUL. COUNCILMAN THOMAS.

YES. SO WELCOME. MANDY. I, I WANT TO TELL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TAKING A TOUR OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH MANDY JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO NOW. AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO TOUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, GO SEE MANDY'S FIRST. SHE'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IN THE DUCKWORTH BUILDING. SHE KNEW EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THOSE SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR SHE COULD. SHE'D DONE THEIR 32 YEARS NOW, 32 YEARS. SHE COULD DO EVERY JOB ON THAT FLOOR. AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY USE IS AMAZING. SO I I'M SURE THE LANDFILL IS FASCINATING, BUT SAVE THAT ONE AND GO SEE MANDY FIRST AND TAKE TAKE THAT TOUR.

AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU. I, I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE FOUND A. I KNOW WE HAD SOME GOOD CANDIDATES, BUT ONE THAT'S FOR NOW THAT KNOWS EVERY INCH OF THAT THING. AND EVERY JOB CAN TRAIN EVERY EMPLOYEE IF NEEDS BE. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. SO CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WILL REACH OUT TO EACH OF Y'ALL AND INVITE YOU OVER TO CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FOR A TOUR. IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE AND ARE YOU, ARE YOU HEALING UP? OKAY, I, I AM, I DID BREAK MY FOOT ON MY FIRST DAY. NOT AT WORK, NOT AT WORK.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER. MY MIC ON. YOU'RE ON. MANDY. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AS WELL. AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LEADERSHIP CLASS ARE YOU IN? CLASS 45 THE BEST CLASS. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'M IN THAT CLASS TOO. THANKS. THANK YOU MA'AM. HAD TO GET THAT ONE IN. OF COURSE. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILMEMBER TRENT? THANK YOU. MAYOR. FIRST IS WELCOME AND I APPRECIATE THAT MANDY SEES THE SAME CLASS WITH ME AS WELL, AND SHE'S AWESOME FOR ME. I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU IN THIS IN THIS NEW POSITIONS. AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE PROMOTE OUR OWN TALENTS. SO THIS IS A GREAT FORWARD. JUST ONE QUESTION FOR THE RESIDENTS AT HOME. SO WHAT KIND OF THE. TYPE OF THE ISSUE DO CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAVE TO RESOLVE? SO CUSTOMER

[00:05:03]

CONGRATULATION. JUST AN INTRODUCTION. YEP. YEP. VERY GOOD. AND SORRY WE DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING. BUT AGAIN THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. LET THAT BE YOUR FIRST WARNING THERE. BUT WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU. AND WE JUST NEED CLARIFICATION ON WHETHER OR NOT BEING IN LEADERSHIP GARLAND IS A PREREQUISITE FOR BEING ON COUNCIL OR GETTING PROMOTIONS. SO BUT THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM FOR BRIEFINGS. ITEM NUMBER FOUR,

[4. Garland Youth Council End-of-Year Recap]

I SHOULDN'T CALL YOU KIDS. THEY HAVE DONE AMAZING THINGS THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT. OKAY, SO FIRST OFF, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE REST OF OUR MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT TO HELP SUPPORT US THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION. SO IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO STAND UP AND I'LL INTRODUCE YOU GUYS. SO IN THE FRONT ROW RIGHT HERE FROM THE LEFT, WE HAVE MARIANA IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE BRISA ON THE RIGHT, WE HAVE KATHERINE ON THE BACK, WE HAVE ENYA. AND THEN ON THE LEFT SIDE WE HAVE GEORGE. SOME OF YOU GUYS MIGHT RECOGNIZE THEIR FACES AS YOU DIDN'T POINT THEM. SO OKAY, YOU GUYS CAN SIT DOWN. THANK YOU.

AND AGAIN RIGHT HERE ON THIS PRESENTATION. THESE ARE THE REST OF THE MEMBERS FOR THIS YEAR. AND CONTINUING ON, WE DO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING OVER 35 MEMBERS, OVER 34 MEMBERS THIS YEAR, AS WE DID HAVE A LOT OF APPLICANTS FOR THIS PAST ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT. SO THESE ARE THE MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE. HOPEFULLY WE CAN WE WISH TO CONTINUE GROWING IN FUTURE YEARS AS WELL. RIGHT. SO OUR MISSION, THE MISSION OF THE CITY'S YOUTH COUNCIL, IS TO PROVIDE A FORUM WHICH EDUCATES YOUTH TO THE VARIOUS WORKINGS OF CITY BUSINESS AND ALLOWS YOUTH TO BE A VOICE TO ADDRESS THEIR IDEAS AND CONCERNS. AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, OUR MISSION AS THE CITY'S YOUTH COUNCIL IS TO EDUCATE THE GARLAND'S YOUTH TO THE VARIOUS WORKINGS OF CITY BUSINESS AND TO ALLOW YOUTH TO BE THE VOICE TO ADDRESS THEIR PARTICULAR IDEAS AND CONCERNS. ALL RIGHTY. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR. WE HAD 11 MEETINGS, WHICH INCLUDED FOUR SOCIALS. SO WE ALSO GOT TO LEARN AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF KNOW EACH OTHER. ALSO, AT EACH OF OUR MEETINGS, WE GOT TO LEARN FROM A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. AND ONE THING I WAS REALLY SURPRISED ABOUT IS THE BACKGROUNDS. LIKE I WAS KIND OF EXPECTING LIKE MAYBE A POLITICAL SCIENCE KIND OF THING, BUT FROM HEARING FROM EACH ONE OF Y'ALL, I GOT TO SEE THAT WHILE LIKE I HEARD MR. MAYOR HENDRICK WAS AN ENGINEER. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO ALSO. SO GETTING TO HEAR THAT AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT. WE GOT TO LEARN ABOUT LIBRARY RESOURCES. WE HAVE OUR NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY. AND NOW BEING A PART OF G I C, I WAS ABLE TO VISIT THAT AND KIND OF GET TO LEARN WHAT WE HAD IN OUR CITY. WE ALSO GOT TO LEARN ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION JOB OPPORTUNITIES. A LOT OF US IN G, I SEE ARE NOW WORKING AGE. WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT CASH.

SO WHAT'S A GREAT WAY TO HELP OUR CITY? WE ALSO GOT TO LEARN ABOUT COLLEGE READINESS AND SOME OF THE MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE OPTIONS. WE GOT TO LEARN ABOUT DALLAS COLLEGE. SO IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THAT. AND THEN WE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT FINANCIAL WELLNESS, SOMETHING I MIGHT NEED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT. BUT WE GOT TO ACTUALLY HEAR FROM A G, A, G, C ALUMNI WHO WORKS AT CHASE NOW KIND OF GET A MINI LESSON ON THAT. SO THAT WAS COOL. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR IMPACT. WE ACTUALLY PLANNED AND ORGANIZED OUR FIRST EVER G C FIELD DAY.

[00:10:05]

SO IT WAS FUN TO LIKE, GET TO KNOW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THE YOUTH ARE ALSO INVOLVED WITHIN THE CITY. AND THEN THESE ARE SOME OF THE PICTURES WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DID VOLUNTEERING WITH. SO RIGHT HERE ON THE TOP LEFT, THAT IS OUR FIRST MEETING. SO THIS IS WHERE WE ELECTED OUR PRESIDENT AND OUR VICE PRESIDENT AND OUR SECRETARY AND OUR HISTORIANS, AS WELL AS THE FIRST TIME WE ALL TRULY GOT TO INTERACT, OTHER THAN OUR INDUCTION CEREMONY WHERE WE GOT TO PLAY FUN GAMES. AND THEN HERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS THAT WE HAD WHERE ON THE TOP RIGHT, WE VOLUNTEERED WITH SAFETY FEST AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND BELOW THAT IS OUR CLOTHING DRIVE OR LIKE EVENT WHERE AGAIN, WE DONATED OVER 15 BAGS AND WE WENT THROUGH AND WE SORTED EACH ONE OF THE BAGS TO GO FOR LIKE WOMEN'S CLOTHING, MEN'S CLOTHING, KIDS CLOTHING, SOCKS, SHOES, TOYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND THEN BELOW WE HAD SOME OF OUR WALKS AND THEN OUR HALLOWEEN EVENT, AND THEN THE BOTTOM LEFT. THAT WAS OUR MEETING WITH MAYOR HEDRICK AND COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS BEARD. SO THAT WAS JUST A REALLY FUN.

OKAY. MOVING ON. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO MORE INTO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO IMPACT AND SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE DID. ALL RIGHT. SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOUTH, LIKE EVERYONE IN THE WORLD HAVE A BUNCH OF PROBLEMS, RIGHT? AND IT'S UP TO US AS INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE THEM FOR GARLAND. AND THIS YEAR WE WORKED ON THE CLOTHING DRIVE, WHICH WE DONATED OVER 15 BAGS.

AS YOU GUYS HEARD, IT'S A LOT OF BAGS. FOR NEXT YEAR. WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND FURTHER INTO THAT BY TARGETING LACK OF FOOD. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF YOUTH IN AMERICA GO WITHOUT FOOD EVERY DAY. THAT'S CONCERNING. SO WE'RE GONNA HOPEFULLY WE'LL WORK WITH A COMMUNITY BREAKFAST AND LOCAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WHICH I'VE VOLUNTEERED THERE PERSONALLY. THERE'S A LOT OF YOUTH IN THERE WHO ARE VERY HUNGRY, S SO WLL HOPEFULLY GET TO WORK ON THAT NEXT YEAR. WE ALSO LIKE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED, YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FORUMS TO DO THAT THROUGH IS FACEBOOK. YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE THINK, OH, IT'S LIKE A LIKE A BOOMER THING, YOU KNOW, LIKE OLD PEOPLE USE THAT, RIGHT? BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THERE. SO WE POST UPDATES, YOU KNOW, PICTURES OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. WE ALSO POST ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OUR ACTIVITIES. SO PEOPLE GET TO ATTEND AND ENJOY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE FUN THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE CITIZENS OF GARLAND. ASIDE FROM THAT, WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY WE'RE RECRUITING FUTURE MEMBERS, BUT WE'RE I MEAN, ASIDE FROM DOING IT LIKE IN PERSON, WE ALSO DO IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN SCHOOLS. SO LIKE, IF YOU ATTEND EVENTS THAT WE'RE AT, WE'RE DISTRIBUTING FLIERS, FLIERS, AND THESE REALLY CUTE RUBBER DUCKS AND LIKE CANDY TO I THINK.

SO IT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE REALLY FRIENDLY. PLEASE COME CHECK US OUT. I WANT TO GO A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH WITH THE FACEBOOK. OUR MAIN PRIORITY WITH PROMOTING THROUGH FACEBOOK WAS TRYING TO GET TO LIKE THE OLDER GENERATIONS, LIKE PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS AND SUCH. SO THAT WAY THEY CAN RELAY THE MESSAGE TO THE YOUNGER, YOUNGER KIDS.

SO THAT'S ALSO WHY WE JUST MAINLY TARGET FACEBOOK BECAUSE IT A LOT OF ADULTS HAVE THAT APP. SO IT JUST, IT HELPS PROMOTE IT MORE REGARDING OUR RECRUITING THROUGH SCHOOLS AND EVENTS. WE HAVE OUR ADVISORS, THEY COME OUT TO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEY HAVE A TABLE THERE DURING LUNCHES. AND THEN, YOKNOW, WE'LL HAVE, LIKE SHE SAID, THE DUCKS AND THE CANDIES AND SUCH. AND OBVIOUSLY THAT KIND OF ATTRACTS TEENAGERS BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, OH, FREE STUFF. SO THEY GO UP AND THEY TRY AND GRAB IT. AND THEN THEN IN RETURN, WE'RE JUST LIKE,

[00:15:01]

SO YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT MORE ON TO THAT. ALRIGHTY. NOW LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR RECRUITMENT. THE FIRST STEP THAT WE HAVE IS OUR APPLICATION, WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON GARLAND YOUTH COUNCIL.ORG. OUR DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MAY 31ST. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR ADVERTISING. WE LIKE TO USE THE CITY PRESS AND SOCIAL MEDIA. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FACEBOOK AND WANTING TO GO A LITTLE SIDETRACKED. I THINK ONE THING I LEARNED FROM GUYS IS USING OUR PLATFORM TO KIND OF CREATE CHANGE. SO I'D, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF Y'ALL COULD COME TO SCHOOLS AND MAYBE TELL PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR RESOURCES, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY COOL, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF MY CLASSMATES TO LEARN ABOUT THAT. SO THAT'S ONE IDEA TO KEEP IN MIND. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ABOUT 15 NEW APPLICATIONS. SO THAT'S REALLY NICE. WE GOT TO WORK WITH GISD TO PROMOTE COUNSELORS, SROS AND SOCIAL MEDIA KIND OF THROUGH THEM TO GET THE STUDENTS. LIKE WE SAID, I THINK WE WENT TO SAXY AND ILT THIS YEAR TO PROMOTE GARLAND YOUTH COUNCIL.

SO THAT WAS NICE. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A RECRUITMENT CHALLENGE FOR MONETARY, YOU KNOW, FUNDS.

VERY NICE. AND NOW I WANT TO ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW Y'ALL CAN SPREAD THE WORD. I ALSO TALKED ABOUT OUR PLATFORM. I THINK MAYBE ALSO USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CONNECT TO PARENTS, BECAUSE I THINK KIDS ARE SOMETIMES A LITTLE NERVOUS. LIKE I WAS LIKE, DO I REALLY WANT TO GO OUT AND EXPAND? LIKE I KIND OF WANT TO STAY IN MY OWN BUBBLE. SO I WAS, I WAS, AND THEN OUR CITY NEWS ONCE AGAIN, I THINK MAYBE THROUGH THE NEWSPAPER, I THINK WE SHOULD REVIVE THAT.

SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. SO THAT'S ALL. OKAY. AND THEN NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE FOR US. GOT A FEW PEOPLE PUNCHED IN HERE. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. HELLO. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. I VERY FIRST PRESENTATION I GOT IN COUNCIL LAST YEAR WAS FROM THIS THIS COMMITTEE. I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK. THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY CURRENT MEMBERS ARE SENIORS CURRENT MEMBERS? WE HAVE, I BELIEVE 13 SENIORS THIS YEAR. 13. SO THEY WON'T BE COMING BACK NEXT YEAR? NO, ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR GROUP, YES, WILL BE REPLACING. AND SO HOW THE RECRUITING EFFORTS GOING FOR I YOU ARE YOU GETTING PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP THAT YOU KNOW OF OR. YES. SO THE MAIN TARGET FOR OUR RECRUITMENT CHALLENGE IS THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOLS. AS HIGH SCHOOLERS OURSELVES, WE TRY TO PROMOTE TO LIKE OUR UNDERCLASSMEN. WE'LL MEET PARTICULARLY UNDERCLASSMEN BECAUSE I'M A SENIOR, BUT FOR OTHER PEERS, THEY WILL TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS WHO MIGHT BE OTHER FRESHMEN OR SOPHOMORES OR JUNIORS AND SUCH. SO THAT'S ALSO HOW WE LIKE HELP. TRY GRABBING THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE HOMESCHOOLED. SO THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF HOMESCHOOLED MEMBERS AS WELL. SO IT JUST KIND OF SHOWS THAT LIKE OUR RECRUITMENT IS KIND OF GOING FURTHER THAN JUST WITHIN THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE FRIENDS. OH VERY GOOD. THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY GOOD. I, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST HEARTENING TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. LET ME JUST SAY, WHEN YOU SEE THE APPLICATIONS OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNING UP FOR THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE BLOWN AWAY AT HOW ACCOMPLISHED THEY ARE. I CAN POINT TO TWO PEOPLE RIGHT HERE AND IN YOU RIGHT BACK HERE. AND I WAS JUST STUNNED AT HOW MUCH THEY HAD ACCOMPLISHED AS FRESHMEN. THEY APPLIED TO AS GOING INTO THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR. AND SO I, I HOPE YOU LADIES WILL PLAN ON COMING BACK IF YOU WANT TO. YES. AND I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE PROGRAM. I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S A PERFECT THING. AND I WANT TO TO TELL ALL THE GC MEMBERS, PLEASE EMAIL US MORE OFTEN, TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE YOUR VOICE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IDEAS THAT MAYBE A BLOND'S LIKE ME DON'T THINK ABOUT. AND SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE SURE AND COME FORWARD WITH THAT. ANY OF YOU THAT YOU KNOW, HAVE GOOD IDEAS, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO US. WE'LL SEE WHERE WE GO. SO ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS ON A ON A VERY FINE YEAR. BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO SEEING WHAT YOU GUYS WILL ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE. IT SHOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER DUNCAN. HI.

WELCOME BACK TO THE HOT SEAT. YOU GUYS DID ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. THIS YEAR. THE PARTICIPATION IN CITY EVENTS WAS THROUGH THE ROOF. AND I THINK YOU GUYS ALL HAD FUN DOING IT. YEAH FOR SURE.

YEAH IT WAS AMAZING. YES. YOU GUYS DEFINITELY RAMPED IT UP THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS VERY

[00:20:05]

SO FIRST, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND COMMITTING TO VOLUNTEERING IN THE CITY. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THE SAME ONES I ASKED LAST YEAR, WHAT WAS THE MOST BENEFICIAL THING OR EDUCATIONAL THING THAT YOU LEARNED FROM DO I SEE THIS YEAR? SO THE MOST EDUCATIONAL THING THAT I LEARNED THIS YEAR WAS THE COMMUNITY. I GOT TO SEE A LOT OF BACKGROUNDS THAT I DIDN'T GET TO SEE BEFORE, INTRODUCED ME TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WERE HPENING, AS WELL AS JUST KIND OF OPENED MY EYES TO THE REALITY OF THINGS LIKE OUR CLOTHING DRIVE. IT KIND OF HELPED ME SEE LIKE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE CLOTHES THAT THEY DON'T USE, AND THESE CLOTHES ARE GOING TO BE PUT SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE USED ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF CLOTHES IS GOING TO BE. SO THAT'S JUST ONE THING THAT KIND OF EDUCATED ME THIS YEAR. I WASN'T FULLY AWARE OF HOW SERIOUS THAT WAS. I GUESS I'LL ADD ON TO THAT. ALSO, NOW THAT I'M NOW THAT I'M IN HIGH SCHOOL, I CAN KIND OF START TO SEE, YOU KNOW, GET A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR REAL WORLD, LIKE NEWS. AND I GUESS ALSO ADDING ON TO THE CLOTHING DRIVE, I REALLY GOT TO KIND OF SEE HOW, EXCUSE ME, HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT US KIDS CAN REALLY HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY. AND IT WAS REALLY KIND OF EYE OPENING FOR ME TO SEE THAT. AND NOW THAT I'M ALSO A FRESHMAN, I ALSO WANT TO KIND OF START DOING THESE THINGS AT MY SCHOOL, MAYBE PARTNER WITH GISGY SEE THROUGH THAT ALSO. SO THAT'S SOMETHING BENEFICIAL. ADDING ON TO THAT. SO I, THIS IS LIKE MY FIRST YEAR IN TEXAS, LIKE I MOVED HERE A YEAR AGO. BEFORE THAT I LIVED IN MINNESOTA AND BEFORE THAT I LIVED IN CHICAGO.

AND I'M NOT A STRANGER TO, YOU KNOW, CLOTHING DRIVES AND LIKE THRIFT STORES AND ALSO COAT DRIVES BECAUSE IT'S REALLY COLD OVER THERE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I NEVER THOUGHT THAT LIKE IN TEXAS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE, OH, IT'S WARM HERE. PEOPLE DON'T NEED COATS, RIGHT? THEY DON'T NEED SCARVES. YES THEY DO. IT'S COLD HERE TOO. SO I WAS ALSO KIND OF BROUGHT TO AWARENESS ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN CHICAGO OR IN MINNESOTA.

THEY ALSO HAPPEN IN TEXAS. AND I'M JUST VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THOSE THINGS WHEN I WASN'T ABLE TO BEFORE. SO THOSE WERE FANTASTIC ANSWERS. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, MOST ADULTS DON'T LEARN THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS GOT TO LEARN THIS YEAR. SO BE PROUD OF YOURSELF THAT YOU, YOU GOT TO EXPAND YOUR WORLD OUTSIDE OF YOUR BUBBLE BECAUSE A LOT OF ADULTS STRUGGLE WITH THAT. SO YOU ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME ALREADY. AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WOULD YOU GUYS CHANGE FOR NEXT YEAR? SOMETHING THAT I WOULD CHANGE FOR NEXT YEAR IS KIND OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL. I KIND OF WANT TO HAVE LIKE A MORE WELL, FOR FUTURE MEMBERS.

I WOULD LOVE THEM TO HAVE A MORE ONE ON ONE EXPERIENCE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I FEEL LIKE THIS YEAR IT KIND OF. IT WAS REALLY INTERACTIVE, LIKE ENGAGING WHEN YOU GUYS WOULD COME TO OUR MEETINGS. HOWEVER, WE DIDN'N'N'T REALLY HAVAVAVE TO LIKE REALLY GET TO KNOW YOU AS PEOPLE. WE KIND OF GOT TO KNOW YOURACKGROUND. SO I FEEL LIKE FOR FUTURE, I FEEL LIKE IT'D BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE LIKE A MORE ONE ON ONE EXPERIENCE WITH ALL OF YOU, MAYBE AT THE SAME TIME, MAYBE AT DIFFERENT TIMES, WHATEVER SCHEDULE ALIGNS WITH WHATEVER. BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANT FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO HAVE A MORE, A DEEPER CONNECTION WITH US AND JUST BE MORE FRIENDLY, I GUESS FOR SURE, FOR SURE. SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR. AND IT'S AN IDEA THAT I'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED WITH TOSHI AND THE ADMINS AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL IS LIKE BETTER LIKE ORGANIZATION, LIKE SCHEDULE WISE, BECAUSE I'M HOMESCHOOLED, I DON'T HAVE LIKE THE SAME SCHEDULES THAT PEOPLE IN SCHOOL HAVE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, SO COUPLED WITH THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE TO PLAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT DAYS IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET LIKE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WE COULD GET IF WE DID IT ON THESE DAYS, OR IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT ON CERTAIN DAYS TO DUE TO LIKE TESTING OR LIKE SOCCER PRACTICES AND STUFF. SO I SUGGESTED LIKE THAT WE CREATE A GOOGLE CALENDAR OR SOMETHING THAT WE COULD EASILY ACCESS AND THEN JUST PUT ALL THE THINGS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE IN SO WE CAN PLAN EFFECTIVELY AND GET THE MOST NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO ATTEND. SO IT CAN BE LIKE AN EVEN BETTER EVENT. I ALSO WANT TO, FOR A BIG EVENT, I WANTED TO MAYBE BRING LIKE A GARLAND LIKE ANNUAL CULTURE NIGHT TO THE THING, BECAUSE I KNOW

[00:25:05]

AND I HOPE YOU ALL REAPPLY FOR THIS NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. YOU HAD QUITE A YEAR. AND THESE IDEAS YOU'VE HAD ON THE GOOGLE CALENDAR, MORE INTERACTION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTEE GET TOGETHERS. THAT'S GREAT IDEAS. I LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING THOSE. AND I HOPE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAS THAT THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM IN THE PAST YEARS, IF YOU CAN REAPPLY, DEFINITELY PLEASE REAPPLY. THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST ACTIVE GARLAND YOUTH COUNCIL THAT I CAN REMEMBER. I MEAN, YOU'VE HAD WE'VE SEEN YOU EVERYWHERE. SO WE DO WANT TO HEAR MORE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT TWO WAY INTERACTION AND SHARE THE SHARE THE EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WE LEARN A LOT FROM YOU, BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE THROUGH YOUR EYES WHAT THE HOW YOU SEE GARLAND AND, AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR ALL OF US. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED, OUR DOORS, I KNOW EVERY ONE OF US WOULD MAKE WOULD MAKE TIME FOR YOU ANYTIME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SIR.

MAYOR PRO TEM LOOK, SO YOU HAD A HUGE GROUP THIS YEAR, ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.

[00:30:07]

THAT WAS ONE OF THE POSITIVES I SAW FOR THIS YEAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE ALL THESE DIFFERENT KIDS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDSS AND DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, AND HOW THEY WANTED TO MAKE A CHANGE, SO THAT WAS LIKE A REALLY BIG POSITIVE FOR THIS YEAR, A PARTICULAR NEGATIVE THAT WE HAD, I WOULD SAY WAS JUST THE COMMUNICATION. THERE WAS TWO THERE WAS A LOT OF US TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO. AND A LOT OF US, THERE'S A LOT THERE'S SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, A LOT OF US, LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE WE SAID EARLIER, A LOT OF US ARE INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT THINGS AND THAT COLLIDES WITH OUR SCHEDULES WITH G, I, C, AND THIS IS A COMMITMENT. SO WE TAKE THAT TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE HERE FOR EVERYTHING. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF A NEGATIVE FOR THIS YEAR WAS JUST THE COMMUNICATION AND THE ACTIVITY INVOLVEMENT REALLY. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT I WOULD SAY WAS NEGATIVE THIS YEAR. AND YEAH, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR THOUGH, BUT FROM SEEING WITH HOW MANY MEMBERS WE HAD AND REALLY LIKE WHAT WE COULD DO, I THINK THE MORE WE HAVE, THE MERRIER. SO IF WE COULD, WE COULD MAYBE GET EVEN MORE. I THINK THAD BE REALLY GREAT. INFLUENTIAL. SO THAT'S MY TAKE ON IT. THAT'S AWESOME. I, I, I FEEL LIKE YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND MORE EVENTS AND I SAW DIFFERENT MEMBERS AT ALL OF THE EVENTS. SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL. MAYBE GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT TO GET TO MORE THINGS. SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU OVERALL LIKE THAT MORE THE CULTURE NIGHT THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT AUSTIN ACADEMY, I WENT TO THAT AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY SMART TO CONNECT THEM WITH THE COMMUNITY MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION AND GIVE YOU ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE PLAN SOMETHING WITH THEM THAT WE COULD ENACT DURING ONE OF OUR SPECIAL EVENTS DOWNTOWN. I LOVE THAT, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, LET'S GET THOSE EVENTS ON OUR CALENDAR SO WE CAN BE THERE. I'LL MAKE TIME FOR IT AND ANYTIME I CAN. SO IF YOU HAVE A PRINCIPAL THAT WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT TO OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION OR MISS VINO, THAT'S PROBABLY THE ROUTE TO GO TO GET US AT A SCHOOL. THERE ARE SOME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME RED TAPE TO GET INTO SCHOOL. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT US TO GET INVOLVED IN, THAT WE HAVE ACCESS AND AND CAN, YOU KNOW, COME TO CAREER DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT YOU HAVE AT YOUR SCHOOLS. BUT I KNOW ALL OF US WOULD LOVE TO COME AND, AND SPEAK FOR POLITICIANS. WE LIKE SPEAKING. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. AND I REALLY, TRULY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S VERY EVIDENT AT ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT I SEE YOU AT, THAT YOU WORK HARD TO GET PEOPLPLE TOGETHER AND TO REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT AND, AND YOU'RE DOING IT. SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU MA'AM.

COUNCIL MEMBER. YES, I HAVE TO ECHO WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING. YOU DID SUCH A GREAT JOB. I'M SUPER EXCITED. SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS ANSWERED HOW MANY MEMBERS YOU HAVE? AND YOU HAVE 34. AND YOU SAID 13 SENIORS. SO A LOT OF IT'S MADE UP OF LOWER CLASSMEN. SO THAT'S REALLY FANTASTIC. THAT'S THAT'S. SO HOW DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORK? HOW ARE Y'ALL RECRUITING? SO HOW OUR APPLICATION GOES IS WE HAVE A DIGITAL COPY AS WELL AS A PHYSICAL COPY. IT'LL HAVE A LIST OF LIKE JUST YOUR INFORMATION, LIKE WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICT OR WHAT DISTRICT YOU LIVE IN. WE ARE REACHING OUT NOW. SO OUR APPLICATION PROCESS ISN'T JUST WITHIN THE CITY OF GARLAND. IT IS IF YOU ATTEND ANY OF THE GISD SCHOOLS AROUND HERE. SO YEAH, SO WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO GO TO ILC, BUT THEY DON'T LIVE IN GARLAND. SO IT'S THAT'S HOW THAT PART OF THE APPLICATION GOES. AND THEN THEY FILL OUT THEIR APPLICATION QUESTIONS. AND THE ANSWERS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL FOR YOU GUYS TO REVIEW, AS WELL AS TO APPOINT WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT OR POSSIBLY WITHOUT, WITH OUTSIDE OF YOUR DISTRICT AS WELL. AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE AN APPLICATION LETTER THAT THEY SUBMIT THROUGH A OLDER PERSON WHO'S NOT PART OF THEIR FAMILY. IT COULD BE LIKE A CHURCH PASTOR, TEACHER AND SUCH LIKE THAT. AND THAT'S THE APPLICATION JUST GOES TO YOU GUYS. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU

[00:35:05]

TO ECHO EVERYONE ELSE, THANK YOU GUYS AND CONGRATULATIONS. I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING THE YOUTH. I THINK YOU GUYS ARE OUR FUTURE. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU OR HELP SHAPE YOUR MINDS OR MOLD YOU TO POTENTIALLY ONE DAY TAKE OUR SEATS, BECAUSE ONE DAY WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR YOU GUYS TO LEAD US AND LEAD THE CITY TO WHERE WE BELIEVE IT CAN GO. THE ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS IS, WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AGE AND WHAT IS THE BIGGEST, I GUESS, TWO PART QUESTION, THE MINIMUM AGE AND THE BIGGEST PUSHBACK THAT YOU GET AS FAR AS APPLICATION PROCESS IS CONCERNED. SO, SO THE MINIMUM AGE IS, WELL, REALLY THERE'S NO MINIMUM AGE. IT'S IF YOU ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO IT IT COULD EXTEND FURTHER. I KNOW ONE OF OUR MEMBERS RIGHT NOW, HE IS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, BUT HE IS STILL UNDER THE AGE OF 18. SO HE'S GOING TO CONTINUE ON. HE'S GOING TO BE IN COLLEGE WHILE HE'S STILL GOING TO BE WITH THE G. I SEE, BUT AS A YOUTH HIMSELF, HE STILL IS GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING TO BETTER THE YOUTH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THERE'S THE MINIMUM I WOULD SAY IS JUST BE IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU'RE AN EIGHTH GRADER, YOU'RE GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S THE MINIMUM AGE, I WOULD SAY, AS THE BIGGEST PUSHBACK WITHIN OUR PROCESS, I WOULD SAY IS JUST THE APPLICATIONS. AS I SAID, WE HAVE 15 APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER, WE HAVE 34 SPOTS. SO IT'S KIND OF A ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO APPOINT? SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP PROMOTING AND PROMOTING. AND THAT'SROBABLY THE ONLY PUSHBACK I SEE RIGHT NOW, UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO ADD. I GUESS ONCE AGAIN, HIGH SCHOOLERS, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO LIKE JUGGLE AND NOW A LOT OF ACTIVITIES. SO, YOU KNOW, BAND, ORCHESTRA, CLUBS, ETC. SO I GUESS THAT'S ONE PUSHBACK. WE ACTUALLY LINKED OUR SCHEDULE TO THE APPLICATION. SO I THINK MAYBE IF KIDS SEE ALL THAT, I MEAN, WE ARE HELPING OUR COMMUNITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FINDING TIME FOR THAT MIGHT BE A PUSHBACK. BUT I THINK OTHER THAN THAT, ANOTHER PUSHBACK IS THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY LOVE THEIR COMMUNITY A LOT,UT THEY'RE AFRAID TO CONTRIBUTE. NO, NO, IT'S A LOT. IT'S A, IT'S A BIG BURDEN. AND THE YOUTH, THEY'RE SCARED OF THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S LIKE A BETTER WAY TO MAKE IT MORE APPROACHABLE OR SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW. BUT THAT IS A REALLY BIG PUSHBACK THAT I'VE SEEN FROM PROBABLY ALL OF THE YOUTH THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH OUTSIDE OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL. YEAH. BUT I THINK GOING BACK TO THAT WITH THE SCHOOL, IF Y'ALL COULD VISIT, I THINK THAT'D BE LIKE REALLY NICE TO SEE. HEY, I WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE AFRAID TO REALLY STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE. CORRECT. TELL ME, CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? WELL, I THINK IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH LIKE THE SCHEDULING THAT ANDREW MENTIONED EARLIER. YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT TO DO.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME. AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, THIS IS SUCH A BIG THING THAT I'M IN, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE A LOT. AND THEN PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT WORTH IT, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE PROBLEM HERE. AND ALSO LIKE SOME PEOPLE, THEY LACK MOTIVATION. THERE'S LIKE ALSO OTHER FACTORS IN THERE, LIKE FOR PARTICIPATING IN THESE EVENTS. SORRY, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK SOMETHING WORKS A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS LIKE OUR ACTIVITIES, LIKE HE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULE POSTED. SO A LOT OF THE TIMES, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, PRIOR OUR EVENTS AND OUR MEETINGS, WE HAVE VOLUNTEER EVENTS OUTSIDE THAT PROBABLY YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND AT THE TIME, BUT THAT'S FINE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DEDICATE THE FREE TIME THAT YOU HAVE TO HELP SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE ASK. HOWEVER, WITH ANOTHER THING IS LIKE OUR COMMITMENT TOWARDS THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY. IF WE HAVE OUR. WE ALREADY HAVE OUR MEETINGS POSTED ON OUR SCHEDULE THROUGH THE APPLICATION. IF YOU AREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS, IT'S KIND OF A BAD REFLECTION ON LIKE YOUR SCHEDULING AND JUST OVERALL IN YOUR COMMITMENT TOWARDS G. I SEE. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I FEEL A LOT OF KIDS STRUGGLE WITH BECAUSE ONCE THEY MISS THE FIRST COUPLE MEETINGS, THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, THEY ALREADY KNOW I'M NOT COMING, SO I DON'T NEED TO GO AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE THE YOUTH FACE A LOT IS COMMITMENT ISSUES IN A WAY WHERE IF THEY'RE NOT INDOOR, LIKE, HOW DO I SAY THIS? IF THEY'RE NOT REPRIMANDED OR IF THEY'RE NOT INCENTIVIZED TO DO SOMETHING, THEY LACK THAT EFFORT TO DO IT. SO WOULD YOU I

[00:40:06]

ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY YEAR WAS MY WIFE AND I COMING TO VISIT WITH YOU AT THE. A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK I WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT CAME TO BE WITH YOU. AS I SIT AND LISTEN, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS TO YOU. WE DO LOOK AT YOU AS BEING OUR LEADERS OF TOMORROW, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING. YOU ARE OUR LEADERS OF TODAY. YOU'RE LEADING RIGHT NOW. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW PROUD WE ARE WHEN WE SIT HERE AND WE LISTEN TO YOU AND WE OBSERVE. YOU'RE ALREADY ARTICULATING. YOU'RE ALREADY SPEAKING ABOUT THE WORLD IN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO LIVE IN THE FUTURE. AND IT HELPS ME WHEN I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR THE CLOTHING DRIVES AND THE FOOD DRIVES. THERE'S A SAYING IN THE BIBLE, IT SAYS, FOR AS MUCH AS YOU'VE DONE UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU'VE ALSO DONE IT UNTO ME. AND IT TELLS ME THAT YOU HAVE A LOVE FOR THE DISENFRANCHIZED, FOR THE MARGINALIZED. AND THAT TELLS ME THAT IF YOU HAVE THAT TODAY, THEN WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS AS IT RELATES TO OUR FUTURE. CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING PRESENTLY BECAUSE YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT THE PEOPLE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT YOU'RE INSPIRING, THAT AS THEY OBSERVE YOU AND AS THEY WATCH YOU GO ABOUT DOING YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES, YOU'D BE SURPRISED THAT A LOT OF THEM THAT WOULD LOVE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, KEEP ON DOING IT. ANYBODY SITTING THERE RIGHT NOW, THANK YOU. MIGHT BE MAYOR ONE DAY OR SITTING HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL DESK HERE ONE DAY. WELL, THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT IS THAT YOU'RE LEARNING RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE PRACTICING SKILLS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IN THE FUTURE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WIND UP. WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. AND I WILL REPEAT ONE THING THAT MAYOR LEMAY SAID CONSTANTLY AS WELL IS THAT FOR SIX YEARS WHEN HE WAS MAYOR, HE ALWAYS SAID, WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DAY WHEN ONE OF YOU MOVE FROM THAT SIDE OF THE TABLE TO THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE OVER HERE TO REPRESENT YOUR CITY. YOU'RE DOING WELL NOW, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS FROM YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON, FOR THOSE QUESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF COME SPEAK AT ONE OF YOUR SCHOOLS SOON. I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL ELEMENTARIES. I'M GOING TO DORSEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOMORROW FOR THEIR CAREER DAY. I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BUT I HAVEN'T YET BEEN TO A HIGH SCHOOL. BUT I'D LOVE TO COME TALK TO OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS AS WELL. SO PLEASE SEND US INVITATION. AND ANDREW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB, YOU MENTIONED THAT EARLIER. WE ARE HIRING FOR CITY LIFEGUARDS. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY RIGHT NOW. WE NEED PEOPLE THAT ARE POOLS THIS SUMMER. SO THANKS TO ALL OF YOU AND THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS OVER THERE THAT JOINED US AS WELL TODAY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT YEAR. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SENIORS THAT ARE GRADUATING, GOING ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS. AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL HERE, IS THAT WE'RE SO IMPRESSED BY THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. IF YOU GUYS EVER NEED A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION, WE'D BE HAPPY TO WRITE IT FOR YOU. SO THANK YOU. MIGHT TAKE YOU UP ON THAT LATER. PLEASE DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM IS INTERVIEWS FOR THE

[5. Interview for Appointment to the North Texas Municipal Water District Board]

[00:45:08]

AND WHEN IT CAME OUT IN THE SUMMERTIME, MY MOTHER SAID THE COLD WATER WOULD BE HOT STEAMING. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY NORTH TEXAS IS FORMED, BECAUSE THE CITY REALIZED THAT TO GROW INTO TO BE ANYTHING, THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD SOURCE OF WATER BECAUSE WATER IS LIFE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THE NORTH TEXAS 1945 IS WHEN THEY BUILT LAKE LAVONNE AND 50S WHEN NORTH TEXAS CE ABOUT, GARLAND WAS A BIG DRIVER IN THAT. I THINK THE MAYOR HAS READ THE BLUE BOOK, I CALL IT. IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO READ HOW HOW BIG A PLAYER GARLAND WAS IN IT. I. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I'VE BEEN IN THE UTILITY BUSINESS. I LOVE THE WATER AND, AND WASTEWATER BUSINESS. I WENT IN THE ARMY FOR TWO YEARS, AND WHEN I RETURNED, I WENT TO WORK FOR GARLAND WATER UTILITIES, MAKING $2.44 AN HOUR. NEVER FORGET IT WAS A COLLEGE RADIO GOT LAID OFF AND I GOT TIRED OF GETTING LAID OFF. AND I'D BEEN WORKING SUMMER HELP FOR THE CITY MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL. AND BACK THEN, THE SUMR HELP WAS JUST LIKE A REGULAR WORKER, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE INSURANCE PROBLEMS BACK THEN. YOU DID EVERYTHING THE OTHER GUYS DID IN THE FIELD. SO IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS A PRETTY TOUGH WORK. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE TEMPORARY. AND 40 YEARS LATER IT BECAME A CAREER. IT DID. IT TOOK IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO TO BECOME A CAREER. I I'M A CERTIFIED WATER OPERATOR AND WASTEWATER OPERATOR. I HAVE COMPLETED HUNDREDS OF HOURS FOR TEXAS A AND M EXTENSION SERVICE, 20 HOUR CLASSES, A 2.5 HOUR, TWO, TWO AND A HALF DAYS YOU WOULD ATTEND. GOT MY ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN 93. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT TOOK SIX YEARS BECAUSE I WAS WORKING AND WORKING OVERTIME, SOMETIMES 40 OR 50 HOURS OVERTIME. SO YOU TAKE 6 HOURS OR 3 HOURS. I GOT TO WHERE I KNEW ALL THE TEACHERS, WHICH IS KIND OF EMBARRASSING, BUT THEY KEEP ASKING ME, ARE YOU STILL HERE? I SAID BACK THEN, IS RICHLAND COLLEGE. I THINK IT'S DALLAS COLLEGE, RICHLAND BRANCH NOW. SO I WORKED THAT AFTER HOLDING ABOUT EVERY POSITION IN GARLAND WATER UTILITIES, I WAS A MAINTENANCE WORKER OR EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, A DIRECTOR, AND MY LAST 12 YEARS I WAS A MANAGING DIRECTOR OVER WATER, WASTEWATER AND FACILITIES. SO I KIND OF GREW UP IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. WELL, MY RETIREMENT, I RETIRED IN 2010. BEFORE MY RETIREMENT, I WAS SELECTED TO TAKE RICHARD ROACH, HIS POSITION ON THE BOARD OF NORTH TEXAS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW MR. ROACH, ONE OF THE SMARTEST MEN I'VE EVER MET. HE WAS READY TO GET OFF.

AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED I RETIRED IN APRIL. AND OF COURSE, Y'ALL APPOINT SOMEBODY IN MAY.

SO I WENT DIRECTLY FROM THE WATER DEPARTMENT INTO THE WATER DISTRICT. I'M ONE OF GARLAND'S TWO BOARD MEMBERS. LORI DODSON IS THE OTHER BOARD MEMBER. THE BOARD HAS 25 BOARD MEMBERS. THE ONLY REASON WE DON'T HAVE 26 IS BECAUSE FARMERSVILLE WAS TOO SMALL. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A 10,000 OR 5000 POPULATION WHEN THE CENSUS WAS TAKEN. SO THEY ALL HAVE. BUT FOR SURE, AS FAST AS THEY'RE GROWING, THEY'LL. THEY'LL HAVE 5000 BY THE NEXT CENSUS. I'VE BEEN CHAIRMAN OF

[00:50:06]

AND I WAS ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD WHEN WE OPENED LEONARD WATER TREATMENT PNT. AND THAT THING IS BLOWN UP. IT'S AMAZING. IT STARTED OFF SEVEN MGD AND I THINK IT'S RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING FOR 70 AND IT CAN GO UP TO 210. AND I'M REAL HAPPY THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER TREATMENT PLAN, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS WORRIED ME THAT WE ONLY HAD LAVON, YOU KNOW, IN THE TREATMENT IN THE NORTH TEXAS FACILITIES UP IN WYLIE, YOU KNOW, AND IF WE LOST THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'D DO.

SO NOW WE HAVE A TWO TWO WAY THAT THAT FEEDS MOSTLY MCKINNEY AND ALLEN AND NORTH NORTH CITIES RIGHT NOW. I'M CRENTLY ALSO. WELL, I ALSO CHAIRED THE WILSON CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I MOSTLY LISTEN TO COMPLAINTS, BUT EVERY QUARTER YOU GO UP AND GET BEAT UP BECAUSE ODOR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME ISSUE THAT THAT THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. RIGHT NOW I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF THE JOHN BUNKER SANDS WETLAND CENTER. I TOLD YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. SO OVER OFF OF 175 2000 ACRE WETLANDS, WE WE TAKE WATER OUT OF THE TRINITY AND WE RUN IT TO THE 2000 ACRE PROPERTY THERE AND RETURNED IT TO LAKE LAVON AND REUSE IT. ALMOST ALL OF OUR WATER AT NORTH TEXAS IS RETURNED TO AND REUSED. DO WE HAVE THE BIGGEST REUSE PROGRAM OF ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES? I THINK THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, TERRY ANDERSON, HE'S FROM MESQUITE. SO WE HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED BY THE BY THE PRESIDENT. YEAH. EACH YEAR. SO IT COULD CHANGE I DON'T KNOW. I'VE BEEN UP THERE. I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD THERE FOR TWO, TWO YEARS NOW. LIKE I SAY, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY CHALLENGING TIME IN THE WATER BUSINESS. AND I REALLY FEEL MY EXPERIENCE REALLY HELPS UP THERE. I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS ANY WATER IN WASTEWATER EXPERIENCE. TO BE QUITE CANDID. WE HAVE SOME ATTORNEYS, WE HAVE BANKERS, WE HAVE IT PEOPLE.

IT'S QUITE INVOLVED. PEOPLE DOT REALIZE HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES TO BE ON THAT BOARD. WE HAVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS. WE HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, ALL DAY MEETINGS JUST LIKE THE COUNCIL. IT'S NOT A ONCE A MONTH DEAL AND GO HOME AND YOU'RE DONE. YOU YOU LIVE IT.

AND I LOVE IT. I'VE LIVED IT AND LOVED IT. AND LIKE I SAY, I TAKE IT BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND EVEN WHAT NORTH TEXAS DOES. THEY THINK THAT WE GET OUR WATER FROM LAKE RAY HUBBARD, WHICH IS A DALLAS LAKE. WE DON'T EVEN GET WATER FROM THERE. SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING HOW MUCH PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. ONE THING IT SCARES ME IS WHEN I LEFT THE DISTRICT, WHEN I LEFT THE CITY, THE WATER WAS 71.9 CENTS A THOUSAND GALLONS. THIS NEXT YEAR WILL BE $4.14 PER THOUSAND GALLONS. AND IT AFFECTS Y'ALL'S BUDGET. IT AFFECTS YOUR UTILITY BUDGET BECAUSE WHATEVER WE CHARGE, IT GETS PASSED ON IN THE WATER BILLS. AND THEN YOU GUYS HAVE TO ADD ON YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS AND THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS. SO IT CAN I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO GET PRETTY EXPENSIVE HERE BEFORE LONG, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE TO KEEP CHASING, YOU KNOW, RAW WATER SUPPLIES. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF MONEY BUYING UP, YOU KNOW, WELL, WATER AND GETTING WHITE WELL LEASES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE TRYING TO DRIVE THEM NOT TO BUILD A NEW LAKE. YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO BUILD A BOAT OR MARVIN NICHOLS LAKE, BUT WE HAD TO DELAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S IN EAST TEXAS. WE'RE IN REGION C AND THAT'S REGION D. AND SO THEY'RE NOT REAL HAPPY TO COORDINATE OR TO HELP ANYBODY IN THE DALLAS AREA. SO THAT WAS AN ISSUE. BUT I'LL SHUT UP NOW AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, BECAUSE I COULD TALK FOREVER BECAUSE I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU HERE, SIR.

WE'LL START WITH MAYOR PRO TEM. LOOK, I THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE GARLAND FACES IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS? WATER. RAW WATER. LIKE I SAID, THE ONLY THING GARLAND DOES IN NORTH TEXAS IS WATER. ALL THE OTHER CITIES DO WATER, WASTEWATER AND SOLID WASTE. YEAH, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN WASTEWATER PLANTS. I WAS OVER THE ROWLETT

[00:55:04]

I THINK I CAN MAYBE CAN HELP GO DOWN TO AUSTIN. I'VE BEEN DOWN TO AUSTIN A FEW TIMES AND TALK TO THE POLITICAL TYPES. WE REALLY NEED SOME GRANT MONEY. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN AFFORD BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF JUST FOR RAW WATER. WE'VE NEVER HAD TO BUY RAW WATER BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS. WE HAVE TO BUY RAW AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TREAT IT. YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE GOOD LORD GAVE US THE WATER, WE CAPTURED IT, TREATED IT, AND TRANSITIONED IT TO THE CITIES. AND BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT I THINK WATER IS GOING TO BE THE RAW WATER JUST TO HAVE SOMETHING TO TREAT. THANK YOU.

THAT'D BE NUMBER ONE. THERE'S PROBABLY SOME MORE. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, THANK YOU. MR. ZACK. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY TO YOU, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS. IS THAT WHAT, 16, 16 YEARS? 16 AND THAT ALSO KIND OF LEADS ME INTO A QUESTION AT A TIME WHEN YOU'VE SERVED 16 YEARS, AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS AND NEW THOUGHTS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, COMING INTO THESE EXPERIENCES, WHAT DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO CONTINUE TO BE ON THE WATER DEPARTMENT? I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH WATER AND WASTEWATER. AND IF YOU IF YOU REMEMBER, I SAID I WAS OVER THE WASTEWATER FOR TWO YEARS. I WAS CHAIRMAN OVER THAT. THEY THEY RESPECTED MY OPINION ON WHAT. BECAUSE I WAS OVER THE TREATMENT PLANTS HERE IN GARLAND. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THEY PUT ME ON THAT PARTICULAR COMMITTEE AND THE WATER COMMITTEE. I'VE BEEN ON LIKE, SAY, THREE TIMES. SO THEY THEY RESPECT. I GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ASKING QUESTIONS.

YOU'VE BEEN IN THE WATER BUSINESS. THERE'S A LOT OF ACRONYMS, AND THERE'S REALLY CONFUSING TO SOME PEOPLE. IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS, IT CAN BE CONFUSING. SOMETIMES I GIVE THEM A CARD WHEN THEY FIRST COME IN AND TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME A CALL. I'LL BE ABLE TO, I'LL BE WILLING TO TALK TO YOU AND MEET YOU. MATTER OF FACT, I'M MEETING ONE NEXT THIS NEXT FRIDAY FOR LUNCH. BUT HE'S JUST TRYING TO QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE CAN DO AND WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, I THINK. GO IN. PEOPLE GO IN THERE THINKING IT'S, YOU KNOW, REAL SIMPLE AND NOT MUCH TO IT, BUT IT'S A HECK OF A RESPONSIBILITY. AND IT'S, IT WORRIES ME THE RATES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I USED TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THINK THE UNIQUE THING I BRING IS I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES. I WAS WITH THE CITY, USED TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE UP AT NORTH TEXAS. NOW I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE SO I CAN TELL THEM WHAT THE CITIES NEED. YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING THAT THAT I THINK THEY APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED, BUT NORTH TEXAS IS MORE OPEN NOW AND TRANSPARENT THAN IT EVER WAS BEFORE. WHEN I WORKED FOR THE CITY, IT WAS LIKE PULLING TEETH TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF THOSE GUYS.

THEY THEY WERE SO CLOSED DOWN, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULDN'T THEY WOULDN'T GIVE UP. THEY WOULDN'T TALK TO THE CITY. SO I TRIED TO GET THEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH US BECAUSE WE, WE NEEDED THEIR HELP, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED THE WATER TO OUR TAKE POINTS. AND THEN THE CITY TAKES IT FROM THERE. THAT ALWAYS USED TO AGITATE ME, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT A WHOLE NEW GROUP UP THERE.

THERE'S 450 EMPLOYEES WHEN I GOT THERE. NOW THERE'S 1000, 1004. WELL, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE? I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AT A TIME WHEN ENERGY, WATER, ELECTRICITY, WE'RE AT A SITUATION NOW WHERE IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO US.

THERE'S AN OLD SAYING, TOO. CAN YOU ELABORATE? IS GOD MAKING ANY MORE WATER? NO HE'S NOT.

WE'RE WE'RE DRINKING WATER. THE DINOSAURS DRINK AND WE'RE POLLUTING WATER THAT THE DINOSAURS. WE DON'T GET ANY MORE WATER. SO WHAT WOULD YOU ALL RECYCLE? SO WHAT WOULD YOU THEN RECOMMEND AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE MANNER BY WHICH WE'RE GOING TO RESOLVE THE WATER ISSUES THAT WE HAVE? I THINK NUMBER ONE THING THAT THE CITIES AND EVERYBODY CAN DO IS CONSERVATION. CONSERVATION THAT'S KEEPING THE WATER YOU HAVE, NOT WASTING IT. OUR AVERAGE DAY DURING THE SUMMERTIME OR IN WINTERTIME IS 250 MILLION A DAY, MILLION GALLONS A DAY PUMPED IN THE SUMMER IS 500 MILLION GALLONS. GUESS WHERE THE OTHER 250 IS GOING ON THE LAWNS? YEAH, WE'RE SO WASTEFUL. IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS. I WILL HAVE TO ADMIT, PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET. THAT'S THE WAY YOU SAVE MONEY. YOU PUSH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FURTHER OUT, AND SOMETIMES THE DEBT GOES AWAY BECAUSE YOU PAID SOME. YOU KNOW, YOU PAID IT OFF. YOU DON'T DO THAT. YOU COMPRESSES. YOU KNOW, LISTEN, LET ME SAY THIS TO YOU.

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. APPRECIATE YOU REAPPLYING AGAIN. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR REPRESENTING FOR

[01:00:05]

AND I BELIEVE THAT I DECLARED AT THAT POINT, I KNEW THAT YOU WERE APPLYING FOR IT. I WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN TRIED. SO THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, IT IS GOOD TO HAVE THAT LEGACY, THAT THAT VOICE THAT'S ON THE BOARD. BUT I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT REPRESENTATION. THE LOCAL VERSUS REGIONAL, THE PHILOSOPHY BETWEEN THE TWO. YOU'RE APPOINTED BY US. THIS IS A REGIONAL AUTHORITY, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. AND HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU LOOK AT GARLAND'S INTEREST IN IT? IS IT PRIMARILY FROM A GARLAND LENS, OR IS IT MORE FROM A REGIONAL? YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST REGIONAL BOARDS THAT I'VE SEEN, AND I'VE SEEN COG AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PLACES THAT I'VE THAT I'VE BEEN TO MEETINGS AND THINGS. IT'S ALL EVERYBODY'S IN IT FOR THE SAME REASON. AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THIS OR I NEED THAT OR IT'S WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE DISTRICT. AND MOST OF THOSE GUYS HAVE BEEN UP THERE 15 OR 20 YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW NEW ES. YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEW ONES. PEOPLE MOVE OUT OR WHATEVER, BUT THE CORE IS STILL THERE. THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 6 OR 8 OF US THAT HAVE BEEN THERE OVER 15 YEARS. WE'VE GOT ONE GUY THAT'S BEEN THERE 34 YEARS FROM MESQUITE. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU STAY ON THERE. 43 I FIGURED THE POLITICS WOULD GET YOU EVENTUALLY OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, BUT HE'S HE'S A REAL STRONG. BUT YEAH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, CHRIS, I LOOK I LOOK OUT FOR GARLAND'S INTEREST, BUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR GARLAND IS GOOD FOR THE OTHER 12, 12 MEMBER CITIES. WHEN WE STARTED, WE HAD TENEN MEMBER CITIES. BACK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IN RICHARDSON CAME ON IN THE 70S, AND THEN ALLEN AND THEN FRISCO.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAME ON JUST RECENTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE LARGE CITIES. OUR LARGEST CITY IS GOING TO BE MCKINNEY. THEY THEIR FOOTPRINT IS HUGE. THEY COULD HAVE HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, 500,000. IT JUST WORRIES ME TO DEATH. SOME OF SOME OF THESE NEW STUFF ABOUT THESE CENTERS THAT ARE COMING IN, I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM. I KNOW THEY USE A LOT OF WATER AND A LOT OF ELECTRICITY. THEIR GOOD AND BAD. THEY'RE GOOD FOR THE CITY. YOU KNOW, THE TAX BE, THE SMALLER ONES. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BIG ONES. YOU READ HORROR STORIES ABOUT UTAH. YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING THIS THOUSAND 1000 ACRE ONE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT I'M SURE WE CAN WORK AROUND IT BECAUSE WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR FOR GARLAND. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, GARLAND FIRST PERSON. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT THAT BOARD IS I THINK WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS IT'S NOT LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE IT TURNS OVER EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS. MOST PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE LONG ENOUGH TO GET A FEEL. IT TAKES A YEAR OR TWO TO ACTUALLY GET UP TO SPEED, YOU KNOW, AND LEARN THE BUDGET AND THE CIP.

THE BUDGET ON WATER IS $507 MILLION. THE TOTAL BUDGET IS 900 MILLION, ALMOST $1 BILLION.

AND WE SPEND MONEY. IT'S KIND OF SCARY WHEN YOU FIRST GET UP THERE. THESE SMALLER CITIES, THEY'RE NOT USED TO SPENDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT ONE TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE BUILT THE LAKE, $1.6 BILLION. YOU CAN IMAGINE BEING FROM FARMERSVILLE OR ONE OF THESE FORNIER, ONE OF THESE SMALLER TOWNS. IT'S KIND OF SCARY TO THEM. BUT OF COURSE, THE LARGER CITIES LIKE GARLAND, THAT IT WASN'T THAT MUCH TO ME, BUT IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY BIG.

PRETTY LARGE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OR NOT. DOES IT HELPS? AND I KNOW THAT GARLAND IS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE WHEN WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH THE WITH THE WATER DISTRICT, BECAUSE WATER DISTRICT ALSO PROVIDES SOLID WASTE AND THEY ALSO. SANITARY SEWER AND GARLAND. WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN EITHER ONE OF THOSE. WE'RE JUST STRICTLY. IT'S RAW WATER. AND FROM WHAT I REMEMBER FROM READING THAT BLUE BOOK, I THINK IT'S WAS THE. WAS THE DISTRICT FORMED IN 1958 OR SOMEWHERE AROUND. I THINK IT'S 51, 51.

AND THEN THEY IMPOUNDED THE LAKE IN THE LATE 50S, EARLY 60S, IN 48, 48. OUR TEXAS IS 51.

THIS ONE WHEN NORTH TEXAS CAME ABOUT. YEAH, I WAS BORN IN 48. SO MY MY GRANDMOTHER OWNED SOME OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE POWER PLANT IS. SHE LIVED IN COALVILLE, WHICH IS RIGHT BACKS UP TO IT. SO I'VE BEEN AROUND THE LAKE FOR A LONG. IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY THAT LAKE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WATER CONSERVATION OR SOIL CONSERVATION LAKE, AND THEY CHANGED IT TO A DRINKING WATER LAKE BECAUSE WHO WAS A POLITICIAN ANYHOW? HE MADE A CALL TO THE CORPS AND THEY CHANGED IT TO A WATER LAKE. DIDN'T GO THROUGH ALL THE RED TAPE THAT THEY DO NOW. YOU KNOW, THEY JUST MADE A CALL TO SAM. SAM RAYBURN, SAM RAYBURN. YEAH.

HE MADE A CALL TO THE CORPS AND IT BECAME A WATER LEAK. SO THAT'S HOW IT GOT STARTED. YEAH.

AND THEN OUR, YOU KNOW, ALL THE EXPANSION THAT WE DO, ALL THE EXTRA CITIES THAT COME INTO THAT COME INTO BEING, WE HAVE, WE HAVE GARLAND'S NEED IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. IT STAYS THE SAME YEAR ON YEAR. WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE A FULLY GROWN OUT CITY. AND SO OUR WATER NEEDS AREN'T GOING TO INCREASE BY THAT MUCH. WOULD YOU? THE WATER RATE FOR, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF

[01:05:08]

DROUGHTS KIND OF WORRY ME. YOU KNOW, WE WE CYCLE DROUGHTS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. THE LAKES ARE ALL IN GOOD SHAPE RIGHT NOW. YEAH. BUT AND THEN EXPANSION THOSE CITIES, I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A MORATORIUM WAS PRINCETON. YOU KNOW, AND AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS BECAUSE THEIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, IT WAS BECAUSE OF NORTH TEXAS. IT WAS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP UP. YOU KNOW, YOU HAD TO KEEP PUMP STATIONS. AND IT GETS EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL CUSTOMER BASE, YOU KNOW. SO ANYHOW, I DON'T KNOW, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, I GUESS, HOW, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW.

WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND REAPPLYING AGAIN. AND THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS AND OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER DENTON. IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NORTH TEXAS WATER MANAGEMENT THAT YOU BELIEVE IS NOT BEING RACIST OR IS NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH ATTENTION? OR IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NORTH TEXAS WATER MANAGEMENT THAT YOU FEEL IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH ATTENTION? YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE BETTER NOW. WE WE STRUGGLED THERE FOR A WHILE. AND WE HAVE A NEW GENERAL MANAGER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JENNA COVINGTON. SHE'S OUTSTANDING. SHE GOT BUILT A

[01:10:01]

WHAT ABOUT A WEEK AGO? I THINK IT WAS MIKE AND TALKED TO ALL THE CITIES AND TRIED TO TELL THEM WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON. YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY IS KEY TO ME. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY, I'D ALWAYS TELL OUR PEOPLE, GOOD OR BAD, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVED IN COMMUNICATING. IF IT WAS BAD, AT LEAST YOU COULD HEAR IT FROM ME AND NOT READ IT IN THE NEWSPAPER. AND NOW TO BE ON A BLOG OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN UP THERE NOW THAT'S DOING OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS OUTSTANDING. I MEAN, THIS GUY, WE GOT HIM. I THINK HE WORKED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AT ONE TIME, MAYBE SOCIAL SECURITY OR SOMETHING, BUT HE HAS SAVED US A LOT OF MONEY NOT HAVING TO HIRE CONSULTANTS BECAUSE HE DOES IT HIMSELF. IT'S IT'S PRETTY AMAZING. AND THEY WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT AND TRYING TO GET THE KIDS TO, TO CONSERVE, YOU KNOW, KIDS PUT PRESSURE ON THE PARENTS. THAT'S THE WAY REAL CONSERVATION, THOUGH, IS IN THE RATES. THEY'LL TELL YOU A WW, A THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO SLOW DOWN WATER IS TO HAVE THE INCLINING BLOCK RATES. AND WHEN YOU GET PEOPLE'S HIP POCKET GETTING THEIR POCKET BOOK, THEY SLOW DOWN ON THE WATER USE USUALLY.

BUT AS FAR AS THE CHALLENGE OR ANYTHING, I, I THINK WE'RE IN BETTER SHAPE NOW THAN WE'VE BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN UP THERE FOR THE 16 YEARS BEFORE THAT. THERE'S REAL CHALLENGES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. MR. TRENT. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR COMING. AND GREAT TO KNOW THAT YOU FROM DISTRICT ONE, BASED ON THE RESUME, YOU HAVE GREAT KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE. JUST ONE QUESTION. I KNOW THE NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT BOARDS REQUIRE A LOT OF TIMES AND COMMITMENTS. ARE YOU AVAILABLE FOR THE TIME COMMITMENTS FOR THIS? YES, SIR. I'M AVAILABLE ANYTIME THEY NEED ME. YOU KNOW, IF THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO GO WITH THEM TO AUSTIN OR DC OR WHATEVER. LIKE I SAID, HE PUT ME AS CHAIRMAN OF THE WATER COMMITTEE BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S THE BUSIEST. YOU KNOW, WE WE HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS SOMETIMES BECAUSE A LOT OF STUFF I CAN'T TALK ABOUT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT STUFF, IF IT GETS OUT, SOMEBODY'S RACE OUT AND BUY ALL THE WATER RIGHTS, OR THEY'LL RACE OUT AND BUY LAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO PUT YOUR WATER LINES AND THINGS. YOU KNOW, I WISH I COULD TALK MORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO. WE MEET ONCE A MONTH FOR THURSDAY, 230. SO WE MEET IN THE DAYTIME AND ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE IN THE IN THE DAYTIME TOO. A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE ARE RETIRED. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE HAVE VERY FEW WORK. UNLESS THEY OWN THEIR OWN COMPANY, YOU KNOW, OR OR THEY HAVE IT WHERE THEY CAN GET OFF AT THREE. USED TO BE CITY MANAGERS, MAYBE FOUR. NOW, ANY OTHER DAY. BUT ALMOST EVERYBODY'S RETIRED BECAUSE OF THE TIME COMMITMENT. AND I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE. I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL. ANYTIME YOU HAVE A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, FEEL, FEEL FREE TO CALL. I MEAN, I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT WATER. I'LL TALK TOO MUCH, BUT AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT BILL USED TO SAY. MIKE SMILING OVER THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. I SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SIR, I APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR OPPORTUNITY. CALL. OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS PETER ZEHR. HELLO, SIR. IF YOU CAN COME UP, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US WHY YOU'RE APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION. PETER ZEHR, WELCOME TO THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS. EXCITING. GREAT TO SEE YOU. SO I AM APPLYING OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE I THINK WATER IS MAYBE OUR MOST CRITICAL PATH FOR THE CITY TO DEAL WITH. I'VE BEEN A I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY SINCE 21. I OWN A COMPANY IN THE CITY SINCE 2018. I STARTED THAT COMPANY. I WAS A CEO AND A FOUNDER OF A COMPANY THAT I STARTED IN FORT WORTH. AND AS IT GREW, I EXPANDED IT. AND IN 2018 ACQUIRED 180,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY HERE IN TOWN. WE MANUFACTURED CLEANING PRODUCTS. WE CONSUMED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WATER. SO I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THE CONSUMPTION OF WATER MANAGING P, C, Q AND ALL THE DIFFERENT WATER AGENCIES THAT WE HAD TO FOLLOW AS A REGULATORY, ALL THE REGULATORY BODIES WE WORK WITH.

OTHER THING THAT I DID IN THE PAST WAS I WAS A MEMBER OF THE NORTH TEXAS MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION BOARD, WORKING WITH PAUL AND KARINA. AND SO THAT WAS EXCITING TO GET TO KNOW HOW EVERYTHING WORKED HERE A LITTLE BIT IN THE CITY. I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE, NO ONE

[01:15:01]

AND SO I'M I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WILL BE, DO I HAVE TIME TO DO THIS? SO YES, I'VE SOLD THAT COMPANY OFF AND I HAVE SOME AVAILABLE TIME. BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY ALIGNED WITH EXPECTATIONS OF THE REGULATORY AGENCIES. YOU SAID YOU SOLD THAT COMPANY LAST YEAR. WOULD THAT BE CAROL CLEAN? THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. SO BEFORE YOU SOLD THAT COMPANY, ARE YOU AWARE OF HOW MANY TIMES YOU WERE FINED BY OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FOR ILLEGALLY DISCHARGING IN OUR WATERWAYS? RIGHT. THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE 70 YEAR OLD BUILDING, AND WE WORKED THROUGH THOSE WITH THE AGENCIES. AND IN THE END, THOSE WERE ALL DISMISSED. FANTASTIC. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM LOOK, 46 VIOLATIONS WERE DISMISSED. I THINK AT LEAST THAT. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I'M REALLY VERY SURPRISED THAT YOU'VE DECIDED TO COME HERE. I YOU DON'T HAVE MY VOTE. SO THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY. I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT. I MEAN, ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT RUNNING A LARGE ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT IS YOU WORK WITH THE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS CONCERNS AND YOU WORK WITH THEM AND YOU DEAL WITH THEM. THAT'S CORRECT. WERE THEY FORCED YOU TO CLOSE? SAME THING. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION THAT YOU ARE COMING AND THAT YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A POSITION. THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT IS WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENT, THOUGH THAT IS NOT BEING DONE PRESENTLY. RIGHT. SO THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T COMPLETELY YOU KNOW, I'M NOT INSIDE THE EXECUTIVE SITUATIONS. I'M NOT IN NOT IN IN THOSE ROOMS. I THINK ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES IS HOW DO YOU MANAGE THOSE CAPITAL BUDGETS, THAT INTENSE CAPEX PLAN THAT THAT HAS TO GO ON TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE. THESE AREN'T SHORT TERM DECISIONS. THESE ARE LONG TERM OPERATIONAL COSTS. YOU'VE GOT A VERY AGED SYSTEM THAT HAS INTENSE NEEDS FOR REPAIR, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO MANAGE THAT. YOU ALSO HAVE A LARGE ORGANIZATION. IT'S IT'S MY JOB REPRESENTING THE CITY OF GARLAND TO GO IN THERE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT, CAN A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES, CAN THAT BE MANAGED MORE EFFICIENCY? CAN THE

[01:20:01]

AWESOME QUESTION. GREAT QUESTION. SO THE DEMANDS ARE YOU'VE GOT TO SOURCE THE WATER.

YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT ANY BETTER THAN, THAN THE PREVIOUS GENTLEMAN. 40 YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE ON THAT. I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THAT. I DON'T PRETEND TO HAVE THAT. I WAS A LARGE USER. SO I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS ON THE REGULATORY SIDE. I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS IF YOU HAVE WASTE IN THE SPEND, YOU CAN'T INVEST IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU HAVE LOSS IN THAT WATER SYSTEM. YOU CAN'T INVEST IN THE MARKETING SYSTEMS THAT DRIVE DOWN THE EDUCATION TO THE USER, THAT REDUCE THE CONSUMPTIONS. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THE FACT THAT WHETHER IT'S THIS CITY, I THINK THIS CITY GENERALLY CAN GROW IN A POPULATION BY GOING UP INSTEAD OF OUT. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT CITIES LIKE MCKINNEY THAT WILL JUST CONTINUE TO ESCALATE. AND IT'S MY JOB TO REPRESENT THIS CITY. IF I'M ELECTED TO THE BOARD AND FIND A WAY TO BALANCE ALL OF THAT AND NOT SOLELY FOCUS ON ONE ASPECT OF IT, BUT MANAGE THE ENTIRE CURVE OF THE CAPEX BUDGET. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. I SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. I'LL CALL THE NEXT NAME I HAVE ON HERE, HAROLD HENSLEY. I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S WITH US TONIGHT.

WE HAVE NEXT NAME IS SUSAN MENDEZ, BUT SHE SAYS SHE'S NOT ININTERESTEDN CONSIDERATION.

THE NEXT NAME AFTER THAT IS CASEY DURRETT. NO RESPONSE ON WHETHER HE WOULD BE ATTENDING OR NEXT ITEM. NEXT NAME CLAYTON WADDELL. SIR, IF YOU'D COME ON UP, TELL US YOUR INTEREST IN THIS BOARD, WHY YOU APPLIED. HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CLAYTON WADDELL. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF GARLAND FOR 12 OR 13 YEARS NOW. I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE WATER WORLD AND THE CONTRACTING SIDE OF THINGS. I AM A DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION FIRM. WE DO UNDERGROUND WORK, UTILITY WORK I'VE DONE. I AM CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN SEVERAL PROJECTS WITH NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPALITY WATER DISTRICT. I UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THINGS, THE THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE OF THINGS. I MAY NOT KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF WHAT THE BOARD DOES ON THE DAY TO DAY, BUT I DO KNOW WHAT THEIR OPERATION IS AND WHAT IT WHAT IT MEANS. AS FAR AS EXPERIENCE GOES. I CURRENTLY SIT ON. AS I SAID, I'M A DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE COMPANY. I ALSO SIT ON THE BOARD FOR A CHARITY, A LARGE CHARITY IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX CALLED DALLAS MARGARITA SOCIETY, DALLAS CHILDREN'S CHARIRIRITIES. I'M A VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR L EVENT, MGARITA BALL, IF YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT. SO I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE SITTING ON A BOARD. AND I THINK THAT I THINK THAT YOUNG I USE YOUNG, I'M NOT THAT YOUNG ANYMORE, BUT I THINK THAT YOUNG BLOOD COMING ON AND TRYING TO INFLUENCE THINGS AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED IS A GOOD IS A GOOD THING. I THINK BEING INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY, BEING ADVOCATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST YOUR COMMUNITY. NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT IS OBVIOUSLY A REGION. SO IT'S IT'S A LARGER AREA THAN JUST GARLAND. BUT HONESTLY, BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR GARLAND BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I RESIDE. IT'S WHERE I LIVE. IT'S MY HOME. SO. ALL RIGHT, QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. THERE WE GO. MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. I'LL ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED MR. MAY.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT GARLAND FACES IN WATER FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS? OBVIOUSLY, SUPPLY AS AS THE FIRST GENTLEMAN STATED, SUPPLY IS A PROBLEM. WE DON'T MAKE LAKES ANYMORE. WE. WE'RE TRYING. WE'RE MAKING SOME. RIGHT. WE'VE MADE. I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER ONE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON SULFUR CREEK, I BELIEVE HIGHLY CONTENTIOUS

[01:25:04]

THERE'S A REASON THAT REDUCE IS ALWAYS THE FIRST THING THAT WE TALK ABOUT. ONCE WE USE IT, IT'S HARD TO GET IT BACK. IF WE IF WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO REDUCE THEIR WATER CONSUMPTION.

AND I KNOW I, I REALIZE THAT CONSTITUENTS DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE WHAT THEY SEE ON THE NEWS IS THAT DATA CENTERS AND BUSINESSES ARE DRIVING WATER CONSUMPTION. AND THEY TRULY ARE. THAT'S THAT'S AN HONEST OPINION. BUT WE HAVE TO FIGHT AS A GROUP, AS A CITY TO TRY AND CAPTURE SOME OF THAT, REDUCE OUR USAGE. AND THEN WE CAN ALSO GO ABOUT THE, THE COMPLEXITY OF TARGETING. TARGETING IS PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT MAKING SURE THAT BUSINESSES ARE COVERING THEIR FAIR SHARE AS WELL. THE HIGH USAGE, HIGH USAGE CAN, THEY CAN COVER THEIR THEIR FAIR SHARE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU MA'AM. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. WADDELL, FOR BEING HERE. YES, SIR. YOU SAID YOU'RE YOU'RE A YOU'RE PART OF A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS. DOES THAT COMPANY DO YOU DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THE NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT? NOT DIRECTLY. AS A SUBCONTRACTOR. WE HAVE BUSINESS WITH THE NORTH TEXAS WATER DISTRICT. OKAY. DO YOU THINK THERE'LL BE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM AS FAR AS DECISIONS, IF THERE IS THE CHANCE, IF THERE'S VOTING ON CHANGE ORDERS FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT MIGHT INVOLVE, OBVIOUSLY, THE COMPANY THAT I WORK FOR, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF, RECUSE MYSELF, JUST BE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL ITEM, I WOULD IMAGINE. SO I MEAN, I MAYBE AWARDING OF CONTRACTS, PERHAPS IF THE SUBCONTRACTOR I KNOW IS, IS POTENTIALLY IN THE RUNNING, BUT I DON'T USUALLY KNOW ABOUT THOSE CONTRACTS UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED. SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU IF THERE IF THEY'RE GOING TO PICK ME OR NOT.

SO I SPEAK A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR PHILOSOPHY AS FAR AS LOCAL VERSUS REGIONAL. YOU'RE AN APPOINTEE OF THE CITY OF GARLAND AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE JOINING. YOU WOULD BE JOINING A BOARD THAT IS THAT HAS A HAS A REGIONAL APPROACH. WHERE DO YOU FIND THE BALANCE IN THAT? WELL, THAT'S DIFFICULT. THAT IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE GREATER GOOD AND THE GREATER GOOD MEANS THE DISTRICT. BUT WE CAN BE MORE LOCALLY GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO ENSURING THE DELIVERY TO GARLAND COMES FIRST. OBVIOUSLY, I WANT MY WATERER. WANT TO TAKE A SHOWER EVERY MORNING. SO IF IT CAME DOWN TO THE DECISION OF TURNING THE TAP ON OR OFF, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR ME TO HAVE THE TAP, WHETHER THAT'S FAIR TO THE OTHER CITIES AND THE DISTRICT, I DON'T KNOW. BUT OBVIOUSLY I PICKED GARLAND FIRST. AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE I LIVE. BUT WE HAVE TO BE REALISTS AS A DISTRICT. WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS FIGHT AS ONE, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO HAVE A UNITED VOICE. YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT THE CHARITY. THERE'S 36 MEMBERS ON THE BOARD OF THIS CHARITY. THAT'S A LOT OF BOARD MEMBERS.

WE OFTEN DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE, BUT ONCE A VOTE IS MADE, ONCE WE DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, WE ALL HAVE TO GO IN FULL FOOT. YOU CAN'T BACK DOWN. WE ALL HAVE TO SUPPORT IT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE IT BECOMES THE MORE REGIONAL THING, THE DISTRICT THING. OBVIOUSLY, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST FIRST BECAUSE THAT'S, AGAIN, IT'S WHERE I LIVE. SO THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. ONE SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. SO TO KNOW HOW YOU WOULD APPROACH A CRITICAL ISSUE LIKE OUR LONG TERM RESOURCE PLANNING, THIS IS THIS IS NOT A SHORT TERM FIX, RIGHT. EXCELLENT QUESTION. I MEAN, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON LONG TERM LONG TERM RESOURCE PLANNING? YOU KNOW, WE AS AS THEY SAID, WE'RE GROWING. THE DFW REGION IS GROWING. ABSOLUTELY. MORE PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE THAN ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE. RIGHT. AND SO WE NEED A LONG TERM PLAN TO PROVIDE THOSE PEOPLE WITH WATER.

AND HAVE YOU GOT ANY NEW IDEAS FOR THAT? MAYBE THE BIGGEST THING THAT I CAN SAY IS REDUCE.

I, I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUES AROUND THE COLORADO RIVER. YOU KNOW, THE,

[01:30:04]

BUT BUT THESE ARE WAYS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THEIR CONSUMPTION. AND I THINK THAT'S IT'S VERY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SIR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT NAME I HAVE ON THE LIST IS JOSE OROZCO. SIR, IF YOU COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US WHY YOU'RE APPLYING TO THIS BOARD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOSE OROZCO. I'M APPLYING FOR THIS JOB BASICALLY AS A AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE OF THE PREVIOUS OF THE FIRST PERSON. OBVIOUSLY, HE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT WATER. AND ALSO THE LAST ONE THAT I WAS BEFORE ME. HE'S ALSO IN THE BUSINESS. SO THE WAY I SEE, I GUESS THIS POSITION IS MORE ABOUT NOT ABOUT THE HANDS ON. IT'S MORE ABOUT THE I N BASICALLY, WHAT IS IT THAT THAT THE THAT THAT THE MANAGER, THE GENERAL MANAGER IS DECIDING. SO THAT WAY WE, WE AS A, AS A, AS A BOARD MEMBER, LIKE DECIDE IF IT'S THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION, BASICALLY. SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M APPLYING FOR THIS. IT'S FOR THE SAME, SAME REASONS THAT THEY HAVE EXPLAINED BEFORE. AND IT'S BASICALLY A SCARCITY OF THE WATER THAT THE NEXT FEW DECADES IS GOING TO BE IN

[01:35:01]

RIGHT. THE QUESTION HERE, MISTER MAYOR PRO TEM LOOKED, YOU SAID YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, WHAT'S THE LARGEST CONCERN YOU HAVE THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE TONIGHT OR TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION? BASICALLY, LIKE I SAID, I GUESS FOR THE BONDS AND FOR HOW TO TO GET OVER THERE, LIKE TO FUND ALL THE PROJECTS THAT THE DISTRICT ARE ENCOURAGED TO. IS, IS ALSO A WAY TO UNDERSTAND ALSO, HOW IS IT THAT THAT, THAT THINGS GET DECIDED TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S THESE THINGS EITHER IF YOU PARTICIPATE, YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. BUT IF YOU DON'T PARTICIPATE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS REALLY IN DEPTH. SO THAT WAY YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. AND MORE THAN ANYTHING. HELP INFLUENCE THE DIRECTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE BOARD IS THE ONE THAT SETS THE VISION AND THE DIRECTION FOR, FOR THE DISTRICT. RIGHT. AND, AND, AND IT'S THROUGH CONSENSUS THROUGH WITH EVERYBODY. BUT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WITH RESPONSIBILITY. SO THAT WAY IT DOESN'T COME AND CRASHES DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE WE WERE TOO MUCH IN FAVOR OF BIG BUSINESS OR, OR INSTEAD OF NOW WE'RE IN A BIND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER BECAUSE WE HAVE TOO MANY ONE, TOO MANY DATA CENTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR GARLAND IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS? AS FAR AS WATER GOES, IT PROBABLY WILL BE LIKE, ASIDE FROM OUR WATER CONSUMPTION, LIKE WE'RE SAYING, LIKE CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION OF THE EVERYBODY, RIGHT? LIKE, SO THAT WAY WE UNDERSTAND WHY IS IT THAT WE NEED TO BE SWITCHING OUR, OUR ASSETS OR OUR, OUR, THAT WE HAVE OVER THERE IN OUR HOUSE TO, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT OR SWITCHING? LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? LIKE WE DON'T NEED AN EXTRA CAR WASH.

LIKE WHEN I LEAVE THAT I CAN THROW A ROCK AND I PROBABLY CAN HIT A COUPLE OF THEM ALREADY.

RIGHT? IT'S OVER THERE BY SHILOH AND ARAPAHOE. AND, AND I THINK ON TOP OF MY MIND, THERE IS AT LEAST THREE IN THE CORNER, RIGHT? SO IT'S LIKE, CAN I DO THAT OVER THERE AT MY HOUSE? YES, OF COURSE IT WILL BE LESS CONVENIENT, BUT I BET THAT THE WATER WILL BE. I GUESS I CAN CONSERVE MORE WATER BY DOING THAT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE. I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT MAYBE GROWING TOO MUCH WITHOUT BEING TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR. HOW IS IT THAT

[01:40:06]

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. SCOE, FOR BEING HERE.

QUESTION I HAVE IS HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS? YEAH. I MEAN, LIKE PARTICIPATED IN A SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AT COLLEGE. MY BACKGROUND IS IN, IN PRODUCTION OPERATIONS. AND, AND THEN FOR THE LAST ALMOST TWO DECADES, I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION. SO IT'S I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF SPENDING SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY THAT IS NOT YOURS AND RESPONSIBLE TO TURN OVER THOSE REPORTS TO. SO THAT WAY YOU'RE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. SO YEAH, LIKE, LIKE IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE, LIKE DIRECTOR FOR BILINGUAL PROGRAMS IS NOT AT THIS SCALE, OF COURSE, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT IT'S STILL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE USED. SO IT'S, I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF, OF STRETCHING THE BUCK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU ALREADY SET UP OR THEY'RE BEING SET UP FOR YOU. ALSO AS A BUSINESS OWNER, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN EL PASO, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. WHAT ARE YOUR BASICALLY YOUR TARGETS? AND TO MAINTAIN THEM AND THEN TO MAINTAIN OVER THERE YOUR, YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THAT WAY YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE STILL IN BUSINESS, RIGHT? SO IT'S, I UNDERSTAND LIKE THE PROCESS, LIKE BALANCING THE BUDGET OR UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS IT, WHERE IS IT GOING FOR? AND ARE YOU BEING RESPONSIBLE OR ARE YOU BEING TOO CAVALIER WITH YOUR DECISIONS? IS SOMETHING THAT AS A BUSINESS OWNER OR LIKE AN, A DISTRICT AND A, IN A-12 DISTRICT, YOU MUST ALWAYS HAVE A DEPRESSANT BECAUSE IT'S MONEY DOESN'T STRETCH THAT FAR. BUT BUT ALSO, IF YOU DO IT WITHOUT ANY RESPONSIBLE, YOU'LL BE OUT OF BUSINESS OR, OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF A JOB AND THEN LIKE PROBABLY IN JAIL, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPENDING THE, THE PUBLIC'S MONEY BASICALLY. SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND, AND INTERVIEWING FOR THE POSITION. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, I SEE NONE. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT NAME I HAVE ON MY LIST IS ROBERT COOPER SAYS HE'S NOT ATTENDING, BUT HE'S INTERESTED IN CONSIDERATION. AND NEXT UP IS THOMAS PEREZ. HE SAID HE'S NOT INTERESTED IN CONSIDERATION. AND THEN NOW WE'LL CALL JOSEPH DURIC. SIR, IF YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL YOUR WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOSEPH DURIC. I'M MY WIFE AND I ARE 1974 GRADUATES OF SOUTH GARLAND. SO WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. I I'M A GRADUATE CIVIL ENGINEER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AND I USED THAT DEGREE OR OBTAINED THAT DEGREE WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL WORKING FOR A COMPANY THAT I EVENTUALLY WENT TO WORK FOR, FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS WAS A LARGE, PUBLICLY LISTED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, AND I WORKED ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ALL AROUND THE WORLD. WATER ELECTRIC UTILITY. SO I'VE I'VE HAD A GOOD HANDS ON EXPERIENCE CAREER WITH CONSTRUCTION FROM A PROJECT ENGINEER, PROJECT MANAGER, CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT TO PROJECTS UP AS LARGE AS 3 OR $400 MILLION. IN 1999, I WENT BACK TO LAW SCHOOL AND I GOT A LAW DEGREE AND WENT TO WORK FOR A LARGE TEXAS FIRM WHO I BELIEVE MIGHT EVEN DO SOME BOND WORK FOR THE FOR THE CITY. BUT I'VE BEEN RETIRED FROM THEM FOR FIVE YEARS. I PRACTICED CONSTRUCTION LAW FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING. AND SO I USED MY CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE FROM THE INDUSTRY AND HANDS ON EXPERIENCE AND PROJECTS TO BUILD A LAW PRACTICE FOR CONTRACTORS, SUBCONTRACTORS, AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OWNERS. I NEVER WORKED WITH THE THE DISTRICT, BUT I HAVE WORKED WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, MOST NOTABLY TXDOT. WE DID A LOT OF WORK FOR TXDOT AS WELL AS A LOT OF CONTRACTORS. SO I HAVE THIS BACKGROUND AND I'M A LONG TERM GARLAND CITIZEN AND I'M INTERESTED IN SERVING. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. I'D LIKE TO HELP. I THINK I CAN HELP, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE MR. MAY'S SERVICE. I THINK PROBABLY RIGHT NOW THE QUESTION YOU HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, DO YOU GO WITH THE EXPERIENCE OR DO YOU GO WITH SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND SOME FRESH IDEAS? AND I DON'T THINK

[01:45:02]

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ACTUAL BOARD, WHAT THEIR FUNCTION IS? WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THAT? CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY THE BOARD'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A HANDFUL OF THINGS. THEY'RE GOING TO APPROVE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, MAKE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE DECISIONS. THEY'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY MONITOR THE STAFF AND THE 8 OR 900 FOLKS WHO WORK THERE. AND THEY'RE GOING TO ALSO DEAL WITH A LOT OF POLITICAL ISSUES. AND OF COURSE, STRATEGIC PLANNING IS ALL BUILT INTO. ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE I'D WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS. AND YOU MENTIONED POLITICAL ISSUES. HOW HOW DO YOU DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON POLITICAL CLIMATE? SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY, COUNCILWOMAN, WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT. BUT IF YOU MEAN BY THE POLITICAL CLIMATE, YOU MEAN FROM FROM GARLAND OR YOU MEAN FROM THE WHOLE STATE, IF YOU COULD CLARIFY, PROBABLY.

LOADED QUESTION, I'LL SAY STATE. OKAY, WELL, LET ME ANSWER IT THIS WAY. AND YOU MAY WANT TO GET INTO THIS LATER, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS HAVE, I THINK, TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THIS KIND OF TWO TWO SIDED COIN OF, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, BEING A, A, AN APPOINTEE OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, THE WAY I SEE THE ROLE, THIS PERSON'S JOB, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AN APPOINTEE OF GARLAND AND THEY, THEY OWE A POLITICAL DUTY TO GARLAND. SO I THINK GARLAND WOULD KIND OF DRIVE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, STATE KIND OF POLITICAL ISSUE THAT THERE MIGHT BE THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THAT PERSON COULD, YOU KNOW, GO ALONG WITH WHAT GARLAND WANTED BECAUSE IT'S A POLITICAL DUTY. THE APPOINTEE CERTAINLY OWES TO THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, DUTIES OF CANDOR, LOYALTY, AND AND CERTAIN LEGAL DUTIES. I MEAN, THAT PERSON, WHEN THEY GET APPOINTED, THEY'RE AN OFFICER OF THAT DISTRICT. SO THEY THEY REALLY ARE LEGALLY BOUND TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT, AS SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED, IN A VERY STRICT, STRICT WAY. BUT FROM THE POLITICAL POINT O VIEW, THAT'S WHAT THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES FROM GARLAND REPRESENTATIVE COULD BRING. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WORK WITH YOUR STAFF AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL TO, TO, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENT. FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. DEREK, FOR BEING HERE. YOU DO HAVE GOOD CREDENTIALS, IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS. THANK YOU FOR APPLYING. ONE OF THE THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED YOU ALREADY YOU ALREADY MENTIONED THE BALANCE BETWEEN LOCAL AND REGIONAL INTERESTS. YOU YOU HAD A GOOD RESPONSE ON THAT, BUT I WAS I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT. SO YOU CONSIDER THE ROLE TO BE THAT YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO GARLAND OR TO THE OR TO THE REGIONAL DISTRICT. I THINK BY LAW, THE APPOINTEE, WHEN THEY JOINED THE BOARD, THEY HAVE A LEGAL AND FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE DISTRICT. THAT'S BY LAW. YOU CAN'T AVOID THAT. OKAY. AND BUT YOU WOULD HAVE A DUTY OF CANDOR WITH THE CITY THAT YOU REPRESENT. WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? TO TO AN EXTENT, I THINK EVEN MR. MAY MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, HE COULDN'T DISCLOSE COMMUNICATIONS MADE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE DISTRICT. SO THE DUTY OF CANDOR COULD ONLY GO SO FAR, I'D SAY. BUT IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A A SOMETHING THAT WAS COMING UP ON THE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE DISTRICT, I WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY. IN FACT, I WOULD I WOULD WANT TO I WOULD WANT TO COME AND MEET WITH EITHER YOUR STAFF OR THE CITY AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS A BIG ISSUE. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT IT? AND THEN TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S POSSIBLE YOUR POSITION COULD INFLUENCE MY VOTE, NOT NECESSARILY. WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD HAVE.

YOU WOULD NOT. AND I DON'T THINK YOU COULD. OKAY. SPEAK ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE THE LONG TERM STRATEGIC GOALS OF THE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT WHEN IT WHEN THE ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE IS, IS THIS GARLAND IS LARGELY BUILT OUT CITY. AND OUR ONLY SERVICE THAT WE THAT WE THAT WE USE WITH THE WITH THE WATER DISTRICT OR WITH THE DISTRICT IS RAW WATER. WE. WE MANAGE OUR OWN WASTEWATER AND OUR OWN LANDFILL. AND SO HOW DO WE

[01:50:10]

AND MAYBE THAT'S A FAIR WAY THAT THERE'S MANY WAYS TO LOOK AT SOMETHING TO SEE WHAT'S FAIR.

BECAUSE AS A AS A REPRESENTATIVE, YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR EVERYBODY. SO ONE WAY TO SAY IS WE SPLIT IT 13 WAYS. EVERYBODY PAYS 113 OR WHATEVER, COME UP WITH ANOTHER WAY IS TO SAY, WELL, MAYBE PEOPLE WHO NEED MORE WATER AND ARE BUILDING MORE INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD BEAR A HIGHER PORTION OF THE DEBT FOR THAT, FOR THAT NEW INFRASTRUCTURE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A VERY THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING THING TO DO. ■I YOU KNOW, THAT'D BE SOMETHING I'D CERTAINLY WANT TO ASK ABOUT AND EXPLORE, BUT I DON'T I COULDN'T ANSWER ANY MORE THAN THAT RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. DISAPPEARED, SIR. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT I'VE ASKED PREVIOUSLY. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FACING GARLAND AS IT RELATES TO WATER? WHAT IS OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE PRESENTLY? WELL, COUNCILMAN MOORE, I THINK THE DISTRICT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR FINDING SOURCES OF WATER. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, FOR GARLAND, I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS.

THERE'S CONSERVATION AND THEN THERE'S THE RATE, YOU KNOW, RATE INCREASES. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE RATES ARE SCHEDULED TO GO UP FROM LIKE FOUR SOMETHING DOLLARS TO $6 IN THE NEXT MAYBE FIVE, SIX YEARS, A THOUSAND GALLONS. AND SO IT'S, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE RATE INCREASES TO GARLAND ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR, OUR, OUR CITIZENS AND OUR WATER USERS.

LEGISLATOR AS A PERSON WHO HAVING TO MAKE THE DECISION. SO THEN WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ADVISE ME BY WAY OF HOW TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE? CONSERVATION. OF COURSE, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE UNDER THE CITY'S CONTROL. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT CAN BE DONE, THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE AREA. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BUY LESS WATER THAT WILL REDUCE THEIR COSTS.

AND THEN ON THE ON THE COST GROWTH, I THINK THAT'D BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL, I MEAN, THE PERSON ON THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE TO WOULD HAVE TO WORK ON WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU DO? LOOKING IN MY LITTLE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE, I NOTICED THAT THE THAT THE DISTRICT USES A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT RISK CONTRACTS AND MAYBE TOO MUCH. I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S ONE WAY OF CONTRACTING. AND I DID A LOT OF CONTRACTING WORK IN MY LEGAL AND CONSTRUCTION CAREER. MAYBE THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO USE MORE FIXED PRICE CONTRACTS. MAYBE YOU CAN REDUCE THE COST PIECE TO KIND OF CUT DOWN THE RATE INCREASE A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.

THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'M SURE SMART PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. BUT AGAIN, FRESH PERSPECTIVES CAN SOMETIMES INFORM DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. PARTICULARLY DO APPRECIATE THE THERE ARE TWO DISCIPLINES HERE, ONE BEING THE ATTORNEY SIDE, THE OTHER BEING THE CORPORATE. AND I DO APPRECIATE BOTH OF THOSE ANSWERS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN AND DO APPRECIATE YOU APPLYING FOR THE POSITION. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMEMBER CARAWAY, YOU MENTIONED FRESH IDEAS. CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT ENTAILS? WHAT WOULD THAT ENTAIL WITH YOU IN THE ROLE? SURE, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO ONE OF THEM WAS, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS LOOKING AT THIS THIS DEBT ISSUE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THE DEBT THAT'S INCURRED BY THE DISTRICT AND THE COST OF CARRYING THAT DEBT IS MAYBE BORNE PROPORTIONATELY BY THE THE HIGH GROWTH CITIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY BUILDING ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, GARLAND'S KIND

[01:55:02]

THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? I SEE NONE SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPLYING. THANK YOU. NEXT UP I HAVE JENNIFER BROWN. YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US YOUR INTEREST IN APPLYING TO THE BOARD. MY NAME IS JENNIFER BROWN AND I GO BY JEN. I'VE LIVED IN GARLAND FOR 23 YEARS. I CAME HERE ORIGINALLY TO WORK AT BAYLOR GARLAND ACTUALLY BACK WHEN IT WAS BAYLOR GARLAND FOR THE VASCULAR TEAM. I THEN TRANSITIONED INTO ARCHITECTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AI SYSTEMS. WORKED AT IBM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME FOR WATSON HEALTH, CAME UP WITH A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS. I WAS A GC AT ONE POINT WHEN I WAS FLIPPING HOUSES GOING TO COLLEGE, AND THAT LED ME BACK INTO CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS MY CURRENT FAMILY BUSINESS. IT IS NOT LOCATED IN TEXAS. IT IS IN COLORADO, AND I'M HELPING THEM KIND OF GET THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE TOGETHER FOR SALE. SO IT IS BEING PUT TOGETHER FOR EFFICIENCIES AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SO THAT IT CAN BE SOLD IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. I'VE RETIRED FROM HEALTH CARE FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR NOW, AND I HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME. WATER HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INTEREST TO ME. I AM AT HEART A GARDENER, A VEGETABLE GARDENER, ACTUALLY. AND SO I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT TECHNOLOGY PLAYED A ROLE IN MY HOUSEHOLD EVERY DAY IN WATER. SO I USE TECHNOLOGY THROUGH 3D WATER PRINTING. I DON'T USE TRADITIONAL SPRINKLERS. THEY RUN ON SOLAR. THEY PRINT ALL THE WATER TO EACH VEGETABLE.

THEY ACCOUNT FOR WIND. THEY ACCOUNT FOR RAIN. THEY MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH MOISTURE IN THE SOIL FOR MY TOMATOES AND MY OKRA AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO GROW. AND I REALIZE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SEE IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF KNOWLEDGE THAT I COULD BRING TECHNOLOGY WISE TO WATER SO THAT WE HAVE BETTER CONSERVATION. WOW.

WONDERFUL. QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT. COUNCIL. MAYOR PRO TEM LOOKED. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE GARLAND FACES IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS? EDUCATION ON CONSERVATION, THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THE ABILITY TO DETECT LEAKS. RIGHT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE CRUMBLING, AND AS A RESULT, THEIR UNDERGROUND PLUMBING IS GOING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG, THEY DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT. IT STARTS VERY SLOWLY. IT RAMPS UP SUDDENLY. AND THEY'RE LIKE, WOW, MY WATER BILL REALLY JUMPED. LIKE, THAT'S PROBABLY A FOUNDATION LEAK. THAT'S PROBABLY NOT JUST YOUR RATE GOING UP. SO IF WE CAN HELP TO MITIGATE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, THEN I THINK THAT WE WOULD SEE THAT CONSERVATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS EDUCATING PEOPLE ON HAVING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE TO OFFSET THAT. THANK YOU. VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENING GARDEN WATERING SYSTEM. THAT'S VERY COOL. IT'S COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. IT'S NOT PROPRIETARY TO ME AT ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER. DENTON. I LOVE THAT YOU MENTIONED EDUCATION IN WATER LEAKS BECAUSE THE AVERAGE PERSON, LIKE YOU SAID, DOESN'T KNOW AT ALL. AND WHEN YOU YOU'RE YOU ASK THEM LIKE, WELL, HAVE YOU TURNED EVERYTHING OFF IN YOUR HOUSE AND WENT AND LOOKED AT THE METER AND THEY'RE COMPLETELY DUMBFOUNDED THAT THAT IS A SUREFIRE WAY TO TELL IF YOU'VE GOT A LEAK OR NOT. I WOULD SAY A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TURN OFF THEIR WATER AT THE MAIN.

THERE'S ALSO THAT PART. YES. SO I DO LOVE THAT. DO YOU HAVE ANY WITHOUT GIVING ME ANY GOOD INFO? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE EDUCATION TO RESIDENTS KIND OF LOOK IN THE FUTURE? I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS TO ADDRESS IT. ONE IS THROUGH UTILITIES, RIGHT? TO NOTIFY PEOPLE. HAVE YOU SEEN A RECENT SPIKE? OR MAYBE IF YOU'RE USING SOMETHING IN THE BACKGROUND THAT TELLS THEM WE'VE SEEN A RECENT SPIKE IN YOUR WATER USAGE, AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN A TEMPERATURE INCREASE THAT WARRANTS LIKE ADDITIONAL WATERING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? HAVE YOU LOOKED AT YOUR HOUSE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE A FOUNDATION PROBLEM? HAVE YOU LOOKED IF YOU HAVE A LEAK? DO YOU HAVE EXTRA HOUSEGUESTS SUDDENLY THAT ARE SHOWERING FREQUENTLY? RIGHT. DID YOU JUST RECENTLY GET A TEENAGER THAT'S LIKE SHOWERING EVERY, YOU KNOW, THREE TIMES A DAY. SO I THINK THAT UTILITIES IS ONE WAY. COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS ANOTHER

[02:00:03]

WE'RE ALL HUMAN. A FREE LAWN WATERING SERVICE THAT DAY. PERFECT. I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE IT. AND I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THAT IS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. THAN THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATE. I SEE NONE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT APPLICANT WE HAVE IS LAURA ROSS. MISS ROSS HERE.

MAYOR HEDRICK, SHE DECIDED THAT SHE WAS NO LONGER INTERESTED. OKAY. VERY GOOD. AND LAST CANDIDATE IS ERIC SHIRES. COME UP, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE BOARD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. IT'S IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT. MY NAME IS ERIC BESHEARS. I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF GARLAND, A PHYSICIAN HERE IN THE CITY FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS. FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIAN AND CURRENTLY WORK WITH BAYLOR, SCOTT AND WHITE IN THE NEW HOSPITAL IN FRISCO AT PGA CAMPUS. UP IN NORTHERN PART OF FRISCO, I. I HAD A LONG HISTORY OF VOLUNTEERISM. CLINICS, FREE CLINICS, HEALTH CLINICS, SAT ON SOME BOARDS FOR SOME HEALTH CLINICS, ETC. HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK AND THAT WAS FULFILLING TO ME. WHEN I LEFT PRACTICE, I TOOKK A DIFFERENT ROLE. I'VE BEEN WITH BAYLOR, SCOTT AND WHITE FOR.

THIS IS MY 32ND YEAR WITH BAYLOR, SCOTT AND WHITE, AND SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. I'D GONE BACK TO SCHOOL AND COMPLETED AN MBA OVER AT UTD AND, AND, AND IN THAT PROCESS FELT LIKE THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO MOVE FROM THE OUTPATIENT ENVIRONMENT TO THE INPATIENT ENVIRONMENT. AND SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A WHAT WAS REALLY A DEPRESSED ASSET AT THE SOUTHERN PART OF FRISCON WITH OUR SYSTEM. WE HAD RECENTLY BOUGHT THAT HOSPITAL.

AND SO I LEFT PRACTICE AND I WENT INTO FULL TIME ADMINISTRATION. SO I CURRENTLY SERVE AGAIN AS THE THE CMO AT THE CURRENT HOSPITAL, BUT SERVED AS CMO OF THAT HOSPITAL FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS. IN DOING THAT, I WAS INTIMATELY INVOLVED FROM THE BEGINNING IN DEVELOPING THE NEW CAMPUS, THE PGA CAMPUS, AND IT PULLED ME AWAY FROM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY DID ENJOY. SO IF ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY AM I SITTING HERE TONIGHT? IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN A CITIZEN OF GARLAND MY ENTIRE LIFE. I'M A GRADUATE OF HICKMAN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL. AND, AND I WANT TO GIVE BACK.

AND I LOOKED AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND ONE OF THE RECENT MAILINGS I, I SAW THAT YOU GUYS WERE TAKING NOMINATIONS AND OR APPLICATIONS, I SHOULD SAY. AND, AND IT VERY MUCH INTERESTED ME. I SPOKE WITH MY WIFE, WHO ALSO IS A NORTH GARLAND GRADUATE. AND, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE A VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY. I APPRECIATE THE THE INPUT FROM SOME OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS. I AM NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE LEVEL THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER SPEAKERS BRING TO THE TABLE. WHAT I DO HAVE IS A VERY, VERY LONG HISTORY OF PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP, OF HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP AND CLINIC LEADERSHIP, WHERE I THINK STRATEGICALLY, I PLAN STRATEGICALLY, I DEVELOP PROGRAMS, AND I LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

YOU'VE ASKED THE QUESTION MANY TIMES. YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT SHOULD BE OUR FOCUS? ARE WE ARE

[02:05:04]

WE. I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER FAMILY MEDICAL CENTERS, THE FAMILY MEDICINE GROUP THAT IS CURRENTLY AT TELECOM AND 190. IT'S THE THREE STORY BAYLOR STRUCTURE THERE. PREVIOUSLY, I PRACTICED AT THE CORNER OF NORTH GARLAND AND 190 WHERE CANE'S IS AT, AND WE HAD THAT BUILDING FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. WHEN WHEN WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THE PRACTICE AT TELECOM, THE GROUP HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AND BAYLOR WAS LOOKING TO EXPAND IT IN ROCKWALL AND MURPHY. AND SO WE I LED THOSE PRACTICES AS WELL OFF OF. 544, MURPHY AND JOHN KING IN ROCKWALL AND AND HAD THE DIFFICULT. I WAS ON STAFF AT BAYLOR, GARLAND AND LOVED BAYLOR. GARLAND VOLUNTEERED THERE, VOLUNTEERED THERE WHEN I WAS A KID. AND IT WAS GARLAND MEMORIAL. SO, I MEAN, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS INTEGRAL. THAT WAS A THAT WAS A HARD THING TO DO. BUT WE HAD TO CLOSE OUR PRACTICE, OF COURSE, ON THE CAMPUS AS WELL. IN THOSE PROCESSES, I LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WATER AND RETENTION AND RETENTION PONDS AND OTHER OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING PRACTICES. AS WE EMBARKED ON THIS PROJECT FOR THIS THIS HOSPITAL IN FRISCO, AGAIN, I WAS HCS IS THE IS WAS THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM AND WORKED WITH THEM. AND I WAS THERE AT THE VERY FIRST MEETING.

AND EVERY MEETING THAT WE HAD UNTIL COMPLETION AND AFTERWARDS. AND SO I LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WATER SYSTEMS. WE'VE. WE HAVE WE MAINTAIN SPEED WITHIN THE HOSPITALS WHERE WE CLEAN OUR SUPPLIES AND, AND WE'VE HAD A WATER ISSUE WITH A BRAND NEW HOSPITAL WHERE, WHERE THAT WATER HAS NOT BEEN AS PURE AS IT NEEDS TO BE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M FAMILIAR PERIPHERALLY WITH WATER. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE LIKE WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SIR, FOR SERVING DISTRICT ONE. MAYOR PRO TEM. LOOK, I YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION ALREADY, BUT I DO WANT

[02:10:04]

[6. 2026-27 CDBG, HOME and ESG Federal Grant Allocations]

WHAT THAT DID DO WAS IT DOES TIGHTEN OUR TIMELINE JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO FOR EVERYONE HAS NOW RECEIVED THE WORKBOOK FOR THESE ALLOCATIONS, AND THOSE WILL BE DUE BACK ON MAY 26TH.

THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK ON THE JUNE 1ST WORK SESSION. DURING THAT WORK SESSION, WE HAVE TO HAVE A FINAL ALLOCATION FOR EACH OF THOSE. THAT ALSO MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK ON THE 16TH, NOT JUNE 15TH, BUT JUNE 16TH FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE THE FORMAL APPROVAL OF THOSE THOSE NUMBERS. SO AGAIN, THAT DOES CONSOLIDATE JUST A LITTLE BIT. WE USUALLY HAVE TWO, TWO COUNCIL SESSIONS WHERE WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THOSE NUMBERS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONSOLIDATE THAT TO ONE ON THE FIRST. ONE. ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND COUNCIL IS WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ALLOCATIONS ARE AT LEAST $5,000 FOR EACH EACH SUBRECIPIENT. SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT. IT WILL BE IN A WEIGHTED SCALE, SO IT'LL BE A PERCENTAGE OF THAT FULL AMOUNT FOR THE 2026 2027 FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, WHICH IS CDBG. WE RECEIVE, WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE $2,089,794. OF THAT, 417,959 GOES TO PAY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS SUCH AS SALARIES, OFFICE SUPPLIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THE PUBLIC SERVICES PORTION IS 15% AND THAT IS A MAXIMUM AMOUNT. THAT IS NOT A MINIMUM AMOUNT. AND WE CAN'T GO ABOVE THAT AT ALL. SO THAT IS $313,469. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH FOR CDBG. CDBG PROJECTS SUCH AS CITY PROJECTS, REHABILITATION PROJECTS AND CODE INSPECTORS, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE HAVE $1,358,366. UNDER THE PUBLIC SERVICES APPLICATIONS, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RETURNING APPLICATIONS, BUT THE LAST THREE ARE NEW. AS YOU CAN SEE,HE APPLICATION REQUEST IS FAIRLY LARGE. FROM EACH OF THESE, EVERYTHING FROM $150,000 DOWN TO ABOUT $20,000.

[02:15:08]

SO WE DO WE ACTUALLY DO SITE VISITS TO THE HOMES THAT THEY'VE CONSTRUCTED. THERE ARE SEVERAL CLOSE BY THAT THEY FINISHED, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR, AND I'VE ALSO DONE A REMODEL OVER BY THE CARPET AREA. I PURCHASED AN INTERIOR REMODEL LAST YEAR, BUT WE'RE REQUIRED BY REGULATION TO DO 15% OF THAT GRANT FOR A TOTAL. AND SINCE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE HERE IN GARLAND, WE DO IT FOR THEM. BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR A TOTAL OF SOMEWHERE. YES. SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THIS YEAR, BUT ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS FOR. WE TAKE APPLICATIONS AND WE DON'T GET ANY OTHER OFFERS. SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE. ONE IS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR OUR NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE. CAN YOU KIND OF MAYBE EXPLAIN WHAT A SOTO IS AND THEIR. USE? SURE. SO IS A SPECIAL DESIGNATION. AGAIN, IT STANDS FOR COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. IT IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES A BENEFIT TO THAT, THAT THAT ENTITY SUCH AS THE CITY OF GARLAND, WHICH IS WE RECEIVE FUNDS DIRECTLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A AS AN INVESTMENT PARTNER.. THEY BECOME OUR ARMS REACH TO ALSO ASSIST OTHER PEOPLE. SO THAT FUNDING THAT 15% SET ASIDE GOES TO A CHOTO EVERY YEAR. RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, HABITAT IS THE ONLY CHOTO THAT WE HAVE IN PARTNERSHIP. RIGHT. AND THEN ON

[02:20:06]

YES. SO OUR WHEN WE'RE PARTNERING, WE USE. I'M GOI TO LEARN HOW TO TALK TODAY WHEN WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF VITALITY FOR THE HARVEST. IS THERE A TIMELINE ON WHEN THOSE FUNDS HAVE TO BE USED? TYPICALLY, WE PUT FOR CITY PROJECTS, WE PUT A 2 TO 4 YEAR TIMELINE ON THAT. SO WE TRY TO HAVE EVERYTHING SPENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE LOOK FOR SHOVEL READY PROJECTS. THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THAT WILL AFFECT IF THE MONEY IS NOT SPENT. SO WE FEEL SINCE WE'RE ALREADY IN THAT AREA, WE'LL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT FUNDING WITHIN AT LEAST THE 2 TO 4 YEARS. IT'LL BE DONE PROBABLY BEFORE THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. YEAH, I. I'M LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA VERSUS WHAT YOU HAVE. AND THE ONE ATTACHED HERE HAS THE PRIOR YEAR FUNDING. IS THERE SOME REASON YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT WITH YOURS OR I'LL JUST GET OUT OF SYNC OR THOSE MUST HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF SYNC BECAUSE I THOUGHT I PULLED THIS FROM THE AGENDA TONIGHT. SO DID I SKIP IT? I, I'M JUST JUST IT'S A CURIOSITY QUESTION BECAUSE HAVING THE PRIOR YEAR FUNDING THERE HELPS ME A NEW COUNCILMAN KNOW, OKAY, WHAT DID WE DO LAST YEAR? WHAT ARE WE PROPOSING THIS YEAR? AND YOUR SHEET DIDN'T SHOW THAT HERE. SO FOR THE REST OF IT, WAS IT THE PRIOR YEAR FUNDING FOR THE THE SUBRECIPIENTS, WHAT THEY RECEIVED LAST YEAR? JASON. I GOT IT. SO COUNCILMAN THOMAS, YOU'RE RIGHT. I NOTICED THAT TOO. THE I THINK WE BROUGHT A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT THAN THE ONE THAT IS ACTUALLY POSTED. THE NUMBERS SHOULD ALL BE THE SAME, BUT THERE'S SOME WORDING DIFFERENCES. BUT THE THING THAT YOU'RE PICKING UP ON WAS THE CDBG PROJECT THAT WAS FUNDED LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS THE SOUTH GARLAND LIBRARY OUTDOOR AMENITY SPACE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE SLIDES STARTED. WELL, SLIDE FOUR ON HAS PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2627 COLUMN AND THEN PRIOR YEAR FUNDING COLUMN INSTEAD OF FINAL ALLOCATION.

AND SO THOSE TWO COLUMNS HAVE DIFFERENT TITLES AND DIFFERENT NUMBERS THAN WHAT WE SEE HERE.

SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE THE PRIOR YEAR FUNDING NUMBER HELPS ME AS A NEW COUNCIL PERSON AND I THINK WOULD HELP OUR, OUR OTHERS HERE TO LOOK AT THAT, TO KIND OF SEE WHAT DID WE DO LAST YEAR? WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING? AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE AT? SO I JUST WAS CURIOUS AS TO AND LET ME THROW THIS IN THE NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE DID GET THE WORKBOOK AND THE WORKBOOK HAS ALL OF THAT IN IT. AND WE WENT WITH SHOW THEM WHERE THE PRIOR YEAR'S FUNDING WAS FOR EVERYTHING. SO IN THAT ORIGINAL FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, WE GAVE YOU THESE WORKBOOKS. THAT WAS AN ATTACHMENT AND IT HAS ALL THE PRIOR YEAR NUMBERS IN THERE AS WELL. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. BUT THE, THE WORKBOOKS THAT WE GAVE AT THE MEETING BEFORE THE NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE HAD ALL THAT IN THERE. AND THE NEW COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED THE PRIOR YEAR FUNDING. OKAY. VERY GOOD. WELL, I THINK YOUR PRESENTATION IS THE ONE GOING ON TV, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE AGENDA. SO I JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT QUESTION TO SAY THE ONE THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA HERE IS THE IS THE LATEST. SPREADSHEET.

UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THEY I THINK I USED AN OLD GRABBED AN OLD VERSION. SO THAT'S OKAY. SO THAT THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME TO LOOK AT THESE PROGRAMS AND SEE WHERE, WHERE WERE THEY LAST YEAR ON THE ORIGINAL SPREADSHEET? YOU HAD A COUPLE OF THEM THAT SAID APPLIED FOR CDBG, BUT ALSO APPLIED UNDER ESG, BUT THEN DIDN'T KIND OF HAVE ANOTHER TAB ON THE SPREADSHEET THAT SAID, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY, WHAT ARE THEY APPLYING FOR IN ESG AND HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT? SO KIND OF UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE PROGRAMS AND JUST A GLOSSARY OF TERMS FOR THE ACRONYMS IS SOMETHING WE COULD ADD TO NEXT YEAR'S SPREADSHEET.

WE CERTAINLY CAN. WE CERTAINLY CAN. WE, WE, WE GET ACCUSTOMED TO JUST ALL THE ACRONYMS OF THE DIFFERENT GRANTS. AND SOMETIMES I FORGET THAT NEW PEOPLE DON'T DERSTAND OUR LANGUAGE. YES.

AND SO YEAH, SO THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL ON YOUR INSTRUCTIONS PAGE. THANK YOU. WE WILL DO THIS ESG RFP. ANYTHING ELSE YOU ABBREVIATE THERE. SO OKAY. VERY GOOD. SO YOU NEED THESE. WE'RE GOING TO EMAIL YOU OUR SPREADSHEETS WITH OUR NUMBERS BY TUESDAY THE 26TH WEEK FROM

[02:25:02]

IT'LL BE AN AVERAGE OF EVERYBODY'S. AND WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION THAT NIGHT.

SO. OKAY. AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON SAID, SHOW US EVERYBODY'S STUFF AND THEN SHOW US THE TOTAL AVERAGES THAT WE CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT ALL OF THE REST OF COUNCIL'S THINKING. YOU.

AND YOU'VE GOT A SPREADSHEET READY TO DO THAT. WE'LL HAVE A SPREADSHEET. OKAY. VERY GOOD.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU. I HAVE MY WORKBOOK YOU PRINTED OUT FOR ME. MADE IT NICE AND PRETTY FOR ME. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M A PAPER GIRL, SO I HAVE TO HAVE I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHILE I WAS STUDYING OVER THIS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE MEALS ON WHEELS, IT SAYS PERSON SERVED LIKE TEN PEOPLE FOR 20,000. AND YET I LOOK AT THE BOXING AND THEY'RE GOING TO SERVE 155 WITH 36,000 IS THERE. AND I COULD SEE WHY BECAUSE THEY'RE HIRING COACHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT IS IS THIS WHY THE DISCREPANCY AND HOW THEY REQUEST MEALS? THEY DO MULTIPLE SERVICES. SO THEY TEND PEOPLE CAN DO FOR TEN PEOPLE. SO THEY DO IT OVER MONTHS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. YEAH. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CHARGE PER MEAL. OKAY. NO.

YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO SEE LIKE HOW SOME GRANTS CAN FULFILL A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEN SOME, JUST A FEW PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FREEMAN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THAT'S IN DISTRICT EIGHT, NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP FOR DOING THAT. AND I KNOW IT'S IT'S A PROPOSAL AND I'M CERTAIN THAT IT'S GOING TO GET APPROVED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. THANK YOU. MR. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE ARE GOING TO ALSO TALLY ON THE ON THE SPREADSHEET, THE COUNCIL AVERAGE THAT NUMBER SOME TYPE OF WAY, MAKE SURE IT CALCULATES.

SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY TIME AND CALCULATE EVERY NUMBER. OKAY, I THINK YOU NEED TO COME UP HERE AND JUST WITH YOUR CALCULATOR. NO, NO, NO, YOU CAN JOIN US. I WAS SITTING HERE TODAY GOING, OH NO, THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK. NO, IF YOU WILL BE ON HERE AND YEAH, WE CAN CALCULATE IT LIVE. RIGHT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? ALL RIGHT, I SEE NONE. SO WE'LL ALL GET OUR SPREADSHEETS INTO YOU BY THE 26TH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.

[7. South Garland Library - Curiosity Garden Mid-Year Budget Amendment Request]

[02:30:01]

THERE WE GO. JUST STAY ON THAT SHEET RIGHT THERE. YEAH. THAT'S FINE. SO AS WE AS WE SEE IN PHASE ONE HERE, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS MOSTLY WHAT WE WOULD CALL HORIZONTAL WORK, WHERE WE'RE JUST GETTING A LOT OF THE DIRT WORK DONE, DEMOLITION DONE, LAYING THE

[02:35:03]

THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG PORTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT A LOT OF THE FUN ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO PUT IN ARE IN PHASE TWO. SO EVEN THOUGH WE WOULD HAVE A VERY USABLE SPACE, IT'S STILL A FAIRLY EXPENSIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. AT THE END OF PHASE ONE, AT THE END OF PHASE TWO, WE GET SOME FUN THINGS LIKE THE PLAY CATERPILLAR AND GIANT PEBBLES. WE WANT CAFE SEATING AND CAFE LIGHTING SO THAT WE GET SOME STRING LIGHTING, AND THAT WILL BE PART AND PARCEL WITH THE FOOD TRUCKS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THERE. THERE'S GOING TO BE PATHWAY LIGHTING AND BOLLARDS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT ARE LIGHTED BOLLARDS AT NIGHT. AGAIN, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE TO THE DRAMA. AND I THINK THE THING THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE MOST STRIKING AND MOST VISIBLE FROM BROADWAY IS ACTUALLY THE GOBO LIGHTING. AND WE'LL SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IN A MINUTE. BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A BIG PROJECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT WOULD PROJECT ONTO THE BUILDING ITSELF, CREATING A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLORS ON THE BUILDING. SO IT'S A FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE WAY TO IMPACT THE LOOK OF THE BUILDING WITHOUT ACTUALLY IMPACTING THE BUILDING ITSELF. SIGNAGE AND ART WE HAVE IN A SEPARATE PACKAGE, BUT BUT WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE AT THE 75% CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS. SO LET'S GO TO PHASE ONE. SO IN PHASE ONE YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT THIS IS A FINISHED PRODUCT. IT IS ALMOST ALL GREEN SPACE. YOU CAN SEE UP NEAR THE FOOD TRUCKS. WE DO HAVE A STAGE ON A, ON A BERM THAT WE CAN THAT WOULD BE USABLE. WE DO HAVE A PATH FOR KIDS TO PLAY IN, BUT THERE'S NO PLAY EQUIPMENT OVER THERE. WE DO HAVE THE PLANTING IS ALL DONE IN PHASE ONE, AND THEN ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL DIRECTIONAL LIGHTING WOULD BE IN PLACE. THEY DO SHOW SOME OF THE CAFE LIGHTING IN PHASE ONE. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WOULD BE PRETTY LIMITED IF WE COULD KEEP IT IN PHASE ONE. PHASE TWO IS WHERE WE GET TO DO SOME OF THE FUN STUFF. PHASE TWO IS WHERE WE GET THE BUTTERFLY STRUCTURE OVER THE CANOPY, OVER THE STAGE. IT'S WHERE WE GET THE PLAY CATERPILLAR, AND THIS IS AN ACTUAL RENDERING FROM THE THE MANUFACTURER. THERE'S G GOING TO BE MUSIC EQUIPMENT. THERE'S GOING TO BE, THERE'S GONNA BE SHADE STRUCTURES TO SIT UNDER.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME HUGE DIFFERENCES. SO THE ASK IS THAT CONSTRUCTION PHASE ONE IS ESTIMATED AT $1,070,524. AND THAT WAS WITH ME SHIFTING THAT BUTTERFLY SHADE STRUCTURE OVER THE STAGE INTO PHASE ONE. I FELT LIKE WE HAVE TO GET THAT DONE. PHASE TWO WAS $292,818. AND THEN THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE FOR SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHTING FEATURES THAT IF WE CAN A AFFORD TO DO IT, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO. AND THAT'S $56,403. SO THAT GIVES US A TOTAL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET OF 1.419745. AGAIN FUNDED. LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE $644,570, AND THEN THAT WAS THE 250 PLUS THE 400. WE WE DO HAVE A DESIGN CONTRACT FOR 150 000 THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALREADY WORKING, WORKING ON. AND THESE RENDERINGS CAME FROM THAT DESIGN COMPANY. SO WE STILL HAVE $494,570 AVAILABLE FROM LAST YEAR'S ALLOCATION. THE NEW REQUEST, WE HAVE SOME REPURPOSED FUNDING FROM CDBG, FROM OLD ACCOUNTS, PROJECTS THAT CAME IN UNDER BUDGET, THINGS LIKE THAT FOR $235,091, THE PROGRAM INCOME. THIS IS A GREAT HOMES PROJECT THAT WAS SOLD. WE GOT A LUMP SUM BACK FOR $181,745. AND THEN THE ONE TIME FUNDING THAT BECKY REFERRED TO EARLIER WAS OLD NSP FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN SITTING IN AN ACCOUNT THAT HUD COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO END. SO WE WE WORKED WITH THEM. THEY WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE IT OVER TO CDBG FOR A ONE TIME USE SO THAT 517,000 IS OLD NSP FUNDING THAT COULD BE MOVED OVER ONE TIME. THAT WOULD BRING US TO. 933836, WHICH GIVES US A BUDGET TOTAL OF 1428407, WHICH GIVES US ABOUT A $9,000 CUSHION TO BE ABLE TO DO BOTH PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME. SO PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO COULD BE CONTIGUOUS PHASES. SO WE COULD FINISH IT OUT COMPLETELY. SO WE ARE ASKING I THINK WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE REQUESTING THE APPROVAL OF MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE USE OF REPROGRAMED CDBG FUNDING TO PRIORITIZE THE COMPLETION OF PHASES ONE AND TWO SIMULTANEOUSLY TO TRANSFORM SOUTH GARLAND FROM THIS CURRENT MODEL TO WHAT WE HAVE ENVISIONED HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE,

[02:40:04]

IT'S GOT TO BE AN AMENITY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S GOT TO BE AN AMENITY FOR THOSE. AND IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING VISUAL THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE AS THEY'RE COMING UP BROADWAY. SO WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THIS PROJECT. WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE SOME TIME TO INVEST IN A LIBRARY THAT ALREADY HAS SOME AMAZING THINGS GOING ON INSIDE, AND YOU CANNOT TELL IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LOOKS AS GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE AS WHAT THEY'RE PRODUCING ON THE INSIDE. SO. ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HEAR. COUNCILMEMBER MORE YOUR FIRST IN THE QUEUE, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. BASED ON WHAT I SEE IS VERY EXCITING. LOOKS LIKE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO OUR VOTING RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE DOOR ANYMORE, BUT I GUESS THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS I'M SITTING HERE TALKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KATRINA, AND I'M ASKING HER, HAD SHE SEEN IT BEFORE? I HADN'T SEEN IT BEFORE. WELL, THE DISCUSSED AT ALL WITH COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. IS THIS JUST SOMETHING BRAND NEW THAT WE'RE. YES. SO COUNCIL DID APPROVE THE PROJECT. WE DID PHASE ONE PROJECT AT LAST YEAR'S CDBG BUDGET DISCUSSION. WE DID. OKAY. OKAY. THE RENDERINGS YOU'RE SEEING ARE RECENT. WE. WE'VE BEEN IN DESIGN FOR SINCE, I BELIEVE OCTOBER. I THINK IT'S ABOUT OCTOBER. WE STARTED GETTING. BUT WE JUST GOT RENDERINGS BACK IN MARCH. SO THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY HAS SEEN THE RENDERINGS. RIGHT. IT WAS JUST AN IDEA IN WORDS WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY. WELL, THE RENDERINGS TAKE WORDS TO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DIMENSION, A DIFFERENT LEVEL. AND LIKE I SAY, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I SEE THERE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE CERTAINLY NEED TO DO ON THAT, THAT BROADWAY BOULEVARD THOROUGHFARE, IS BEGIN TO DO SOMETHING THAT ENHANCES ITS AMBIANCE AND THE MANNER BY WHICH IT IS CURB APPEAL. SO, AND I WOULD SAY THESE ARE HOT OFF THE PRESS. WE WERE PUSHING THE ARCHITECTS TO GET US THE NUMBERS AND RENDERINGS IN TIME FOR THIS MEETING. YES. THAT'S HOT, THAT'S HOT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER. YES, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. I DO AGREE, ACTUALLY, I LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM HERE. SO THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME. MY SON IS NOW 27. I TOOK HIM THERE FIVE, SIX, SEVEN AND SO ON. AND ACTUALLY I MET THE MAYOR THERE IN THE PARKING LOT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT MAYOR, BUT ANYWAYS, SO THIS IS SUPER EXCITING. I ECHO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN MOORE SAYS.

AT FIRST I WAS KIND OF CONCERNED WITH THE PARKING. I HAD PARKING, YOU KNOW, CIRCLED ON HERE. BUT IN THE END, EVEN WHEN WE HAVE ELECTION DAYS, IT'S NOT FILLING UP THE PARKING.

SO I THINK IT'D BE OKAY. WE JUST HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MAKE SURE IT COMPLEMENTS THAT. AND I KNOW THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO. AND I HOPE BRIAN'S NOT GOING TO BRING ME. BUT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S BE OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS WE CAN'T DO THIS BEAUTIFUL THING AND THEN HAVE SOMETHING, A GAS STATION ON THAT CORNER. SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, YEAH, GOOD JOB. IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. THANK YOU. JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON ON THE VOTING, WE HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY DISCUSSED THAT BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THOSE THAT PARKING LOT DOES GET PRETTY FULL DURING VOTING SEASON. SO WE ARE WE DO HAVE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED ON HOW WE CAN DO DRIVE UP VOTING. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. AND I DO REMEMBER SPENDING MANY HOURS IN THAT PARKING LOT ELECTIONEERING OUT THERE. SO THIS WILL BE A WELCOME RESPITE. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK THIS IS VERY IT'S INTERESTING AND EXCITING. IT'S INNOVATIVE. THANK YOU FOR FOR BRINGING THESE RENDERINGS. IT HELPS TO REALLY BRING IT HOME, THAT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING. AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR, FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH THE, WITH THE TRYING TO DRAW IN REALLY GOOD, HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTS AND BY ENHANCING OUR COLLECTED SPACES, TRAILS AND PARKS AND THINGS WHERE, WHERE WE BUMP INTO OUR NEIGHBORS AND, AND JUST REALLY ENJOY THIS CITY. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. AND IT'S, IT'S BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EVEN THOUGHT OF. FOR SURE. I DON'T HAVE THIS ARTISTIC MIND. AND TO HAVE THE BUTTERFLY SHADE STRUCTURE AND THE CATERPILLAR ON THERE, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY WILD. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS. AND I DEFINITELY, WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SIR,

[02:45:05]

OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR SIR COUNCILMEMBER CARAWAY. JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT EVERYONE'S SAYING, DEFINITELY LOVE THE DESIGN. LOOKS GREAT.

REALLY. MY MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED, MISS LUCK WONDERING THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AS FAR AS JUST INCENTIVES FOR ART BEING INSTALLED. I NOTICE ON THE LAST SLIDE THERE WAS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT LOOK LIKE APARTMENT HOMES. I TOTALLY HOPE WE DON'T DO THAT AGAIN. PLEASE. THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER TRAN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. BEAUTIFUL DESIGN, I LIKE IT. QUESTION IS, WHAT IS GOING ON? MAINTENANCE COSTS.

ONE IS BUILT. AND HOW HOW IS THAT FUNDED? VERY GOOD QUESTION. AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THIS PROJECT, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED SOMETHING IN THEIR UPCOMING OPERATING BUDGET TO COVER MAINTENANCE COSTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL PROJECT. AND I THINK THE NEXT THING WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS CONSENSUS ON MAKING THIS MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT. COUNCIL ASK FOR CONSENSUS.

APPEARS TO BE UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL. LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT AMENDMENT

[02:50:05]

[8. Grow Garland Bond Proposition C: Granville Arts Center Renovation Update]

HELLO. AND WE ARE WE'RE JUST REALLY THE OPENING ACT FOR THE STARS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION FAIRLY QUICKLY. BUT SO EXCITED TONIGHT TO GET TO SHARE A FIRST PEEK TO Y'ALL AND TO THE COMMUNITY OF SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS FOR THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER RENOVATION. REALLY COOL STUFF. SO JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, GARLAND VOTERS SAID YES, THEY HELPED PASSED OUR OUR BOND PROPOSITION $25 MILLION TO HELP SUPPORT THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER RENOVATION. OF COURSE, THE BOND PROGRAM ALSO IS DOING AMAZING THINGS WITH STREETS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PARKS AND RECREATION. BUT AS SOON AS Y'ALL SAID, YES, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FAST AND FURIOUS. SO THE FIRST THING WAS TO BRING IN A DESIGN TEAM, THEN TO BRING IN CONSTRUCTION AND A SIMAR. LOTS AND LOTS OF INSPECTIONS AND RADARS AND LEADERS AND SITE SURVEYS. WE HAVE A MEDIA GROUP THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. WE'VE TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY. SO A LOT HAS BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES IN JUST OVER THIS YEAR. BUT FOR GROW GARLAND, AMY STOLE A LITTLE MY THUNDER THERE. THAT'S OKAY. THIS IS THE 2025 GROW GARLAND PROGRAM IN TOTAL.

SO THERE WERE FOUR PROPOSITIONS, THE 230,000,000 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THE STREETS, ALLEYS, MEDIANS, CORRIDORS, GATEWAY IMPROVEMENTS, 75 MILLION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, REVITALIZATION, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, 25 MILLION FOR CULTURAL ARTS, WHICH MEANS GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER, AND 30 MILLION FOR THE PARKS AND REC, PRIMARILY THE HARBOR POINT TRAIL AND WATERFRONT ACCESS PROJECT. BUT TONIGHT IS ALL ABOUT GRANVILLE.

THAT'S RIGHT. AND YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THE UPDATES AT GROW GARLAND.COM. WE UPDATE IT REGULARLY TO LET FOLKS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. AND SO JUST AS A REMINDER, ARTS MEANS BUSINESS.

THERE IS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO WHAT HAPPENS AT THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER. SO WE DID A SURVEY WITH ALL OF OUR GUESTS, AND WE TRACKED IN ONE YEAR OVER $18 MILLION WORTH OF IMPACT FROM COMING TO ATTEND ARTS PROGRAMS. WE HAVE 75,000 VISITORS A YEAR, AND THIS IS A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR BOTH OUR RESIDENTS AND ATTRACTS VISITORS. AND AS AMY MENTIONED, WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A VERY STRONG AND PATIENT TEAM WITH ALL OF US. WILLIAMS THARP AND SEMPLE BROWN ARE HERE.

THERE ARE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRMS, BYRNE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES. THEY'RE ENGAGED AS OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK, SCHULER SHOOK. THEY'RE SUPPORTING OUR THEATER PLANNING AND TECHNICAL SYSTEMS. JAFFE HOLDEN SUPPORTS OUR ACOUSTICAL UPGRADES AND ENHANCEMENTS ACOUSTICALLY THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. AND AS AMY MENTIONED, THE POWER GROUP IS HANDLING OUR PR AND MARKETING THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT. SO BACK IN JANUARY, WE GOT FOLKS TOGETHER. WE SAID, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU NEED? AND WE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ARTS GROUPS. WE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE HAD LOTS OF SURVEYS OUT THERE, BUT FOLKS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK DIRECTLY TO OUR ARCHITECTS AND OUR CONSULTANTS TO SHARE ABOUT THE FACILITY AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ABOUT 80 DIFFERENT CLIENTS A YEAR. USE THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER ALONE. I MEAN, WE HAVE, OF COURSE, OUR LEGACY GROUPS LIKE THE SYMPHONY AND THE GSM AND GCT, BUT THEY'RE JUST A PORTION OF THE 80 DIFFERENT USERS THAT USE THE FACILITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND THE ARTS GROUPS TOLD US A FEW THINGS. THEY SAID PRIORITIZE ADA. THEY SAID, HEY, OUR CASTS, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE ELBOW ROOM BACKSTAGE. WE'RE PACKED. WE NEED SOME HELP IN THE DRESSING ROOM AREAS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY WANTED US TO ENHANCE SOME OF THE THEATER TECHNOLOGY. YOU KNOW, THEY SAID, HEY, WE'VE WE'VE GOT SOME SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT ARE AGING.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LIGHTS AND OUR SOUND HELP US DO OUR VERY BEST. AND SO WE HEARD THAT VERY CLEARLY. AND I THINK TONIGHT, THOSE DESIGNS, YOU'LL GET TO SEE THAT. AND THEN FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE HEARD A FEW OTHER THINGS. WE HAD SURVEYS OUT FOR OUR SHOWS DURING THE NUTCRACKER AND DURING THE SYMPHONY AND TUNA CHRISTMAS. AND THEY SAID, OH, THE SEATING, WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE SEATING. WE WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE AISLE ACCESS, MAYBE A LITTLE

[02:55:03]

AND THEN I LOVE THIS TO MICHAEL'S PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN TURN CONSTRUCTION INTO AN ADVENTURE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE REALLY, WE REALLY WANT TO FIND SOME CREATIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. WE'RE GOING TO TRY, WE'RE GOING TO TRY. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY, SO GRANVILLE GLOW UP. THERE ARE A FEW A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TOUCH ON BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO OUR HEADLINERS. THIS IS ALL ME, SO I'LL GO PRETTY QUICK. SO WHERE IS ALL THAT FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT BROUGHT US? WHERE ARE WE CURRENTLY AT? SO RIGHT NOW DESIGN IS IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. FOR THOSE WHO KNOW, WE'RE STUCK ABOUT BETWEEN 30 AND 60% IN THE DESIGN PROCESS RIGHT NOW. THAT MEANS WE'VE CAPTURED ALL OF THE BIG IDEAS THAT WE NEED TO CAPTURE, AND WE'RE REFINING OUR LAYOUT, OUR SYSTEMS, AND OUR PRIORITIES. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. THE TEAM'S INTEGRATING ALL THE INPUT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY, OUR ARTS PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS, COUNCIL, AND THAT FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOT IS SHAPING WHAT WE DO WITH THE DESIGN IN REAL TIME. WE MEET CONSISTENTLY EVERY WEEK, MANY TIMES A WEEK, AND IT'S BEING DESIGNED AS WE SPEAK. AND THE SEYMOUR PROCESS THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IN IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. WE'RE VALIDATING SCOPE THE PRIORITIES AND COST CONTINUOUSLY. THAT WAY, WE'RE GOING TO STAY ALIGNED AND AVOID ANY SURPRISES AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS OUR FINAL DESIGN NEXT, WHICH IS STILL ME.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE SCHEDULE YOU SEE HERE IS REPRESENTING A VERY FULLY COORDINATED EFFORT BETWEEN THE DESIGN TEAM, OUR CMAA, AND OUR CITY TEAM. EVERYONE'S WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME DESIGN MILESTONES. THE SHARED GOAL THAT WE HAVE IS TO COMPLETE OUR DESIGN DOCS, FINALIZE OUR GMP PRICING, AND BRING THE AMENDMENT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2026. DOESN'T LEAVE A LOT OF FLUFF TIME IN THERE. BETWEEN APPROVAL, EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT AND GETTING INTO CONSTRUCTION. BUT IT'S AGGRESSIVE ON THE DESIGN SIDE, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT. SO ALL RIGHT. AND THEN BUDGET. SO WE'RE AT SCHEMATIC DESIGN. OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE IS ABOUT 1.4 MILLION ABOVE THE ALLOCATED CONSTRUCTION FUNDING AT THIS POINT. AND THERE ARE SOME REASONS I'LL GO THROUGH THEM.

FIRST. WE'VE INCORPORATED THIS WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC INPUT. IT BROADENS THE SCOPE BEFORE WE REFINE IT. IT'S LARGE. WE'VE TRIED TO CAPTURE EVERYTHING AND THERE'S A LOT AND THAT'S FINE. THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED. SECOND, THE ESTIMATING IS INTENTIONALLY CONSERVATIVE. THIS EARLY IN THE GAGAME, CONTINGENCIES ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER AND THE ASSUMPTIONS ARE BROADER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE FULL DETAILS YET. WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THEM AND MAKING THEM AS WE GO. AND FINALLY, WE'RE STILL NAVIGATING THE MARKET. PRICING ALLOWANCES AT THE SCHEMATIC LEVEL ARE CAUTIOUS UNTIL WE CAN GET DEEPER INTO DESIGN AND TIGHTEN THOSE UP. BOTTOM LINE IS WE MOVE INTO AND THROUGH DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, AND WE CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE CMAA, WHO'S WITH US EVERY DAY. EVERY WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO REFINE OUR SCOPE, SHARPEN THE PRICING, AND WORK TOWARDS THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE BUDGET. TWO MORE. AND SO WE'RE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGY TO BRING THIS THING BACK WITHIN OUR BUDGET WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE CORE VISION THAT WE STARTED WITH. RIGHT? SO ONE OF THE KEY STEPS IS

[03:00:02]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO REFINE AND PRIORITIZE THROUGH DESIGN UNTIL WE GET TO THAT CRITICAL GMP AMENDMENT APPROVAL IN DECEMBER. NOW LET'S GET TO THE GOOD STUFF. HEY, I THOUGHT YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT A QUICK. SURE. WHY DON'T WE. ALL RIGHT, RICHARD, I'LL SWITCH WITH YOU. YES. OKAY. I'M RICHARD WILLIAMS WILLIAMS ARCHITECTS. AND WITH ME IS CHRIS WYMAN WITH SIMPLE BROWN ARCHITECTS. AND WE'VE BEEN BUSY WORKING ON THIS PROJECT WITH OUR TEAM AND OUR EXTENDED GROUP OF CONSULTANTS SINCE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. AND I THOUGHT I'D START OFF BY JUST GIVING YOU KIND OF A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE SITE PLAN, AND THEN CHRIS CAN WORK THROUGH THE PRIORITIES AND THEN ON INTO THE THE FLOOR PLAN ITSELF. BUT SO THIS IS OUR, OUR OVERVIEW OF THE SITE PLAN. WE HAVE AUSTIN STREET IS TO THE SOUTH AND NORTH IS UP ON THIS PLAN. AND THEN WE HAVE FIFTH STREET IS ON THE WEST. WE'VE GOT THE ATRIUM BUILDING THERE, AND THEN THE EXISTING THEATER ITSELF. AND YOU CAN SEE SOME ADDITIONS THAT WE'RE SHOWING KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED IN RED THERE OFF ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE DIFFICULT THINGS ABOUT THIS SITE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE INTO THIS BUILDING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT PARKING GARAGES TO THE WEST, WE'VE GOT A PARKING GARAGE TO THE SOUTH, WE'VE GOT THE TOWN SQUARE TO THE SOUTHWEST, BUT THEN WE'VE GOT THIS PKING LOT TO THE EAST, AND THAT'S WHERE A GOOD NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE PARK. AND HOW DO WE GET THEM TO WHAT'S CONSIDERED THE FRONT DOOR OF THE BUILDING? SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING AND A WAY TO CREATE A SENSE OF ARRIVAL BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY GET TO THE FRONT DOOR. SO THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THESE ARROWS ARE, ARE SORT OF SHOWING AS WE DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE WEST AND CONCENTRATING THEM TOWARDS A GROUP OF DOORS THAT ARE ON THE KIND OF THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE BUILDING. AND THEN ANOTHER ENTRY INDICATED BY A RED ARROW ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE BUILDING UP THERE.

YEAH. AND THEN WE'VE GOT A SET OF DOORS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE ORANGE ARROW THERE. THAT KIND OF THE EXISTING DOORS THAT WOULD LEAD OUT INTO A LARGE COVERED PATIO SPACE WE'RE PROPOSING. AND THEN THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE, WE THINK, TO CREATE SORT OF AN IMPROVED PLAZA SPACE. RIGHT NOW, AS YOU APPROACH THE BUILDING, THAT FEELS LIKE A SPACE THAT WAS REALLY DESIGNED FOR VEHICLES AND CARS. AND WE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT A NICE PEOPLE SPACE. I THINK WHEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE OLD 1980S DOCUMENTS, THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTS TALKED ABOUT SORT OF A PEOPLE SPACE AND A CONNECTION TOWARDS THE SQUARE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ENVISIONING FOR THAT SPACE AS WE DEVELOP IT. A NUMBER OF YOU TOOK PART IN THE JANUARY MEETINGS THAT AMY REFERRED TO, AND THIS JUST REITERATES THE PRIORITIES. WE TRY TO PUT THOSE IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE'RE DRIVING THE DESIGN AROUND THOSE THINGS. AND WE HOPE THAT WHAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU IS, IS GOING TO BE CLEARLY CONNECTED TO THAT. THIS IS AN AERIAL VIE FROM BACK IN THE PARKING LOT TOWARD THE DART STATION. YOU CAN SEE HERE THE LOADING DOCK AND THE MORE PINK SHADED AREAS ARE PROPOSED ADDITIONS TO THE BUILDING. ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS A REHEARSAL STUDIO FOR THE SMALL THEATER. RIGHT NOW, ALL REHEARSAL HAPPENS ON THE STAGE, AND ON THE LEFT IS A SERIES OF DRESSING ROOM EXPANSIONS AND REHEARSAL STUDIO FOR THE BROWNLEE AUDITORIUM.

[03:05:03]

IN A SECOND, WE'LL MAKE THE NEXT SLIDE ACTUALLY STARTS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

YEAH, THAT'S THE EXISTING. SO HERE WE GO. I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE. THERE WE GO. RIGHT. SO THIS IS THE EXISTING ENTRANCES INTO THE THEATERS THEMSELVES. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF ENTRANCES INTO THE SMALL THEATER THERE THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. AND THEN WE'VE GOT OUR EXISTING ENTRANCES INTO THE BROWNLEE THEATER. IF WE CLICK THE SLIDE, WE'LL GO TO THE MODIFICATIONS NOW. AND SO THE ENTRANCE TO THE BROWNLEE THEATER, REALLY THROUGH TWO PRIMARY DOORS THAT LEAD DOWN SOME RAMPS FOR ADA COMPLIANCE AND INTO SOME SIDE DOORS INTO THE BROWNLEE THEATER ITSELF. AND THAT CREATES A SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK. IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO COMPLY WITH ADA, AND WE'RE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR OVER ON THE SMALL THEATER ENTRANCES. SO. AND THEN THERE IS WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT CENTRALIZED CONCESSION AREA THAT WOULD SERVE BOTH THEATERS. AND THEN SOME OF THE RESTROOM IMPROVEMENTS. SO WHEN WE SHIFTED AND RELOCATED, REORIENTED THOSE RESTROOMS OFF TO THE WEST, THERE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO INCREASE THE SIZE AND INCREASE THE FIXTURE COUNT BY TWO FIXTURES FOR MEN'S AND WOMEN'S. AND THEN WE'VE ADDED A SET OF MEN'S RESTROOMS OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST THERE.

THERE WE'VE GOT THE SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK HIGHLIGHTED. THAT'S ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAD HEARD IN SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM SOME OF THE USERS, IS THAT WE NEEDED TO IMPROVE THAT SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK CONDITION. I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT. SO WHAT THIS IS ENABLING THE BUILDING TO DO BETTER IS FOR BOTH VENUES TO PERFORM AT THE SAME TIME. WE'RE

[03:10:02]

SO INSTEAD OF BRINGING EVERYBODY IN THE BACK AND THEN FILTERING FORWARD, WE'RE COMING IN HALFWAY THROUGH AND IN, IN PERFORMANCES WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE FEWER AUDIENCE MEMBERS THAN EVERYBODY SITS IN THE FORWARD SEATING SECTION CLOSEST TO THE STAGE. WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT A MODIFICATION TO THE ORCHESTRA PIT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO PLACE SEATS ON THE PIT SO THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT PLAYING IN A MUSICAL CONFIGURATION, WE COULD BUMP THE SEATING CAPACITY UP. SO THAT PIT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS SIDE SECTION, VIEW OF THE AUDITORIUM ITSELF, A NEW PET PIT MECHANISM CAN HAVE THE PIT PLATFORM RAISED UP AT STAGE LEVEL, AS IT COMMONLY IS, TO ADD TO THE PERFORMANCE AREA, OR IT CAN BE LOWERED TO THE SEATING LEVEL AND HAVE SEATS PLACED ON IT, OR CAN BE DROPPED DOWN TO THE PLAYING LOCATION.

FOR MUSICIANS IN A PIT ORCHESTRA AS COMMONLY USED FOR THE SUMMER MUSICALS. VIEWED FROM ABOVE IN KIND OF THE CENTER OF THE AUDITORIUM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO SLOPE THE FRONT SECTION OF SEATING FROM THE CROSS AISLE, BUT ON THE SIDES TO CARRY A LEVEL PATHWAY FROM THE CROSS AISLE TO THE STAGE. THIS GIVES US AN ACCESSIBLE PATH TO THE STAGE, WHICH IS NOT ONLY REQUIRED BY ADA, BUT INTENSELY USEFUL FOR MUNICIPAL FACILITIES, FOR RECOGNITION CEREMONIES, FOR CIVIC EVENTS. IT ENABLES YOU TO CIRCULATE ALL THE WAY AROUND AND BRING PARTICIPANTS UP ONTO THE STAGE. I WILL ALSO GIVE YOU A SNEAK PREVIEW AND SAY IT'S INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO DIRECTORS WHO ARE STAGING PARTICULARLY MUSICALS WITH KIDS, BECAUSE THEY CAN BRING THE PERFORMERS STRAIGHT OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE. SO IT MAKES IT VERY EXCITING.

ONE OF THE COMPLICATIONS WITH AN ORCHESTRA PIT IS THAT WHEN WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE ENTIRE BUILDING UP TO CURRENT BUILDING CODE, BUILDING CODE REQUIRES US TO DO TWO THINGS WITH OUR ORCHESTRA PIT THAT YOU CAN'T CURRENTLY DO. ONE IS TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR A MUSICIAN IN THE LOWERED POSITION. THE SECOND IS TO HAVE AN EGRESS PATH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW A MUSICIAN HAS TO CLIMB OUT OVER THE CONCRETE WALL AND THROUGH THE LITTLE KIND OF RABBIT HUTCH DOOR THAT EXTENDS OFF STAGE, RIGHT? THIS IS A VIEW OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS AN ADDITION ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING THAT DOES MULTIPLE THIN FOR US. FIRST OF ALL, IT CREATES THIS STAIR DOWN TO THE PIT, AND WE WOULD WALK UNDER THE NEW LEVEL PATHWAY TO THE STAGE. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A TUNNEL THERE. THAT'S OUR EGRESS PATH. THEN WITHIN THIS STAIR ADDITION, WE WOULD HAVE AN ELEVATOR OR LIFT THAT WOULD ENABLE A MUSICIAN WHO USED A WHEELCHAIR TO GET DOWN TO THE PIT LEVEL. SO WE'VE SOLVED EGRESS AND WE'VE SOLVED ACCESSIBILITY. THEN WE ASKED OURSELVES, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO

[03:15:03]

MECHANIZED RIGGING IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO POWERED COUNTERWEIGHT RIGGING FOR THE LIGHTING AND THE CURTAINS AND THE SCENERY ON THE STAGE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT A CURRENT UNSAFE CONDITION WITH HOW THE COUNTERWEIGHTS ARE OPERATED, UPGRADING AUDIO, VIDEO AND PROJECTION SYSTEMS, IMPROVING THE ACOUSTICAL ISOLATION, CREATING THE REHEARSAL STUDIO, A MORE AUDIENCE FRIENDLY SEATING CONFIGURATION, AND APPROXIMATELY 645 SEATS, PLUS 32 ON THE PIT LIFT AND AN ACCESSIBLE CONTROL BOOTH. SO HERE'S A VIEW FROM THE AUDIENCE'S PERSPECTIVE TO THE STAGE. AND HERE'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, BECAUSE WE'RE LIFTING THE ENTIRE REAR HALF OF THE BROWNLEE AUDITORIUM, SEATING UP TO A MORE STEEP RAKE IN APPEARANCE. AND THAT'S WHAT THE CONTROL BOOTH IS ON TOP OF.

THIS GIVES EVERYBODY IN THE REAR HALF OF THE AUDIENCE A MUCH IMPROVED SIGHT LINE FROM THE STAGE. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE NOW THE LOWER RAKE OF THE FORWARD SEATING SECTION THAN E CROSS AISLE WHERE OUR ADA SEATS ARE LOCATED. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE MORE STEEPLY RAKED SEATS OF THE REAR SECTION LEADING TO OUR TWO ENCLOSED CONTROL BOOTHS AND ONE CONTROL BOOTH IN THE CENTER THAT IS OPEN FOR THE AUDIO TECHNICIANS WHO ARE DOING THE LIVE MICS.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS LOCATION IS IT NEVER HAS TO MOVE. IT NEVER HAS TO BE RECONFIGURED. WHAT THIS DOES FROM THE PERFORMER'S STANDPOINT, IS CREATE MUCH BETTER VISIBILITY TO THE FACES OF THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS. THEY HAVE A MUCH STRONGER CONNECTION WITH THE EYEBALLS AND THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE. SIMILARLY, IN THE SMALL THEATER, WE'RE LOOKING AT A VERY DIFFERENT AND MUCH MORE INNOVATIVE SEATING CONFIGURATION. SO HERE'S OUR STAGE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A SYSTEM IS A COMBINATION OF FIXED SEATS ON THE SIDES AND IN THE CENTER. RETRACTABLE SEATING THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE SEATS TO BE FOLDED AWAY IN THE MATTER OF HALF AN HOUR. AND THEN PUTTING A NEW CONTROL BOOTH UP ABOVE THOSE. ALL OF THAT STAYS WITHIN THE EXISTING SHELL OF THE BUILDING. SO WHEN THOSE SEATS FOLD AWAY, NOW YOU'VE GOT A FLAT FLOOR ROOM THAT CAN DO MUCH MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THE POTENTIAL FOR DINNER THEATER, HERE'S JUST A SEATING LAYOUT THAT WOULD ENABLE THAT TO HAPPEN. COULD BE DANCE EVENTS, COULD BE CAMP EVENTS, COULD BE A MUCH WIDER RANGE OF PERFORMANCES IN THERE. PLEASE IGNORE THIS SEATING NUMBER. RIGHT. SORRY, THAT SEATING NUMBER DOES NOT CORRESPOND TO THE TABLE SEATING IN HERE. WE COULD GET A STANDING RECEPTION IN THAT SPACE OF ABOUT 300 PEOPLE, PROBABLY. SO THAT GOES FROM THIS CURRENT CONFIGURATION WHERE YOU SEE THE RELATIVELY

[03:20:01]

AND HERE'S A VIEW FROM THE PROPOSED SEAT IN A REAR ROW IN THE SMALL THEATER. SO WE THINK THAT THE ATTRACT ATTRACT ABILITY FOR THAT ROOM, FOR DANCE GROUPS, FOR CIVIC PRESENTATIONS, FOR CORPORATE PRESENTATIONS WOULD BE MUCH HIGHER. SO EXPANDED STAGE AREA, BETTER LIGHTING, LARGER AND ACCESSIBLE CONTROL BOOTH, UPDATED AUDIO VIDEO AND PROJECTION, IMPROVED ACOUSTICAL ISOLATION. BECAUSE THAT SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT FEEDS THE AUDITORIUM AGAIN GIVES US TWO MORE LAYERS OF WALLS BETWEEN THE BROWNLEE AND THE SMALL THEATER REALLY HELPS IMPROVE THOSE THOSE ROOMS, SEPARATION FROM EACH OTHER, THE REHEARSAL STUDIO, WIDER SEATS WITH BETTER SIGHTLINES AND TELESCOPING SEATS. SO WE THINK THE NEW CONFIGURATION IS APPROXIMATELY 194 SEATS. YOU'RE CURRENTLY AT 208. THAT'S A RELATIVELY MINOR REDUCTION, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT WE THINK THE QUALITY IS MUCH HIGHER. AS WE START TO LOOK AT THE THE BUILDING EXTERIOR. THIS IS OUR EXISTING MODEL OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS. AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND CLICK FORWARD. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A STYLE THAT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE FROM WHAT'S ALREADY THERE. WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY RESPECTFUL TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND THE THE ATRIUM BUILDING BESIDE US THERE. SO WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS A CANOPY THAT BREAKS THAT LONG HORIZONTAL LINE OF THE EXISTING BUILDING AND IS ACTUALLY POPPED UP. IT'S RAISED UP TO CREATE A BETTER SENSE OF PRESENCE, ALSO PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHADE, GIVEN THAT'S THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. AND WE'RE THINKING THAT'S A NICE COVERED PATIO SPACE WITH SOME TABLES AND CHAIRS AND JUST A NICE OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY SPACE. AND THEN ON THE AUSTIN STREET SIDE, THAT'S KIND OF THE EXISTING CONDITION AS IT IS TODAY. AND WE'RE PROPOSING ANOTHER ENTRANCE OFF OF AUSTIN STREET WITH A LITTLE DROP OFF LANE THERE WITH A CANOPY THAT REACHES OUT AND PROVIDES PROTECTION FOR THOSE PATRONS, AS WELL AS A SPACE, A PATHWAY TO GO DIRECTLY FROM YOUR CITY GARAGE AND ARRIVE AT THE LOBBY OF THE THEATER. INSTEAD OF WALKING AROUND. WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT USING SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING TO PROVIDE A SENSE OF ARRIVAL FOR THOSE COMING FROM THAT PARKING LOT ON THE EAST HERE, YOU CAN SEE A PROPOSED SIGN THAT WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND THEN OFF JUST BEHIND THERE, WE'VE GOT A SORT OF A COURTYARD SPACE THAT WE'VE CREATED THAT YOU WOULD ENTER THROUGH TO ARRIVE INTO THE BUILDING. IT'S KIND OF A FLEXIBLE SPACE IN THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY CLOSE THAT OFF WITH A ROLLING GATE AND DIRECT PEOPLE AROUND, AND THEY COULD STILL ENTER THE BUILDING ON THE AUSTIN STREET SIDE. AND THEN YOU COULD USE THAT COURTYARD SPACE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, RECEPTIONS, SCULPTURE, GARDEN, ALL TYPES OF THINGS. AND THEN THESE ARE THOSE ADDITIONS OFF TO THE THE SORT OF NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. ONE THING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS TO BETTER SCREEN THE EXISTING DUMPSTER THAT'S THERE. SO WE'RE PROPOSING A BIG ROLLING GATE THERE TO, TO SCREEN THAT BETTER. AND THEN AS WE LOOK AT THE EXTERIOR MATERIALS, THE USE OF LIGHTING AND SORT OF DRAMATIC UPLIGHTING AND THEN SOME SPECIAL SIGNAGE, ALL OF THAT COMING TOGETHER JUST TO CREATE A LITTLE MORE EXCITEMENT AND PRESENCE TO THE BUILDING THERE TO THE SOUTHWEST.

WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. I HAVE A FEW HERE FOR YOU. WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DUNTON. I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE NO SHORTAGE OF QUESTIONS. SO FIRST, THANK YOU FOR THE WIDER SEATS. SOME OF US WITH WIDER HIPS ARE A LITTLE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ONE THING, AMY, I WOULD LIKE TO. ASK FOR A GROUP TOUR OF GRANVILLE, BECAUSE I DON'T

[03:25:06]

IT'S TO BE EXPECTED AT THIS POINT. SO WHAT WE JUST SAW FOR THE PROPOSED IF WE'RE LOOKING AT REDUCING SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVER BUDGET, WHAT OUT OF WHAT WE JUST SAW, WOULD WE POTENTIALLY BE LOOKING AT. THERE WAS NOTHING VISUALLY THAT YOU SAW THAT'S ON THE TABLE TO BE REMOVED. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONTINGENCIES, THOSE ARE THOSE CAUTIONARY ALLOWANCES THAT GET PUT IN, IN THIS EARLY MOMENT THAT GET DEFINED AND MINIMIZED AS WE GO THROUGH AND WE DEFINE THE SCOPE. AND PLUS, THERE'S ANOTHER LARGE TECHNICAL ITEM THAT WAS A TRUE RED BOW WANT LIST THAT TAKES OFF 600 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THAT 1.4 MILLION LIKE THAT. SO AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WHERE WE SIT NOW IS, IS GOING TO BE OVERCOME AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS. OKAY. AND THEN THE SMALL THEATER YOU HAD MADE MENTION OF USING BOTH THEATER SIMULTANEOUSLY. DO WE NOT CURRENTLY DO THAT? WE DO.

ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, OUR OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO IS EVERY PLACE IS ACTIVATED. THE CHALLENGE IS, IS THE SOUND. WE JUST DON'T HAVE A GREAT SOUND, YOU KNOW, BLOCK BETWEEN THE TWO SPACES. AND SO IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, REALLY JAMMING OUT LOUD IN THE BROWNLEE, IT IMPACTS THE SMALL THEATER NEGATIVELY. THIS CONFIGURATION SOLVES THAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S, IT GIVES US THE, THE, THE SYSTEMS IN PLACES OR THE SPACES NEEDED TO, TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATING ALL SPACES AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU HAD TO GUESS, HOW OFTEN ARE WE HAVING BOTH SPACES ACTIVATED CURRENTLY? I MEAN, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST 70% OF THE TIME. SO BECAUSE MY NEXT QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD GOLDEN QUESTION, WHAT'S THAT GOING TO DO TO OUR PARKING? OH, YEAH. WELL, OKAY, SO, SO, SO YES, AND I LOVE, I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT PARKING. SO OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO IS TO HAVE THE ATRIUM AT FULL CAPACITY, 400 PEOPLE TO HAVE 200 PEOPLE IN THE SMALL THEATER AND NOW, YOU KNOW, YEAH, 650, 670 IN THE BROWNLEE AUDITORIUM. FROM A PARKING STANDPOINT, WE HAVE THE GARAGES. WE ALSO HAVE THERE'S THERE'S SPACE THAT IS A LITTLE BIT FARTHER NORTH FROM FROM THE DART. I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S PARKING. WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE SHOW UP AND THEY DON'T KNOW IN ADVANCE, HEY, I MIGHT NEED TO

[03:30:01]

WE TRY VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO PARK BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO THE SITE. THE WHOLE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE ADDED ENTRANCE ON AUSTIN HERE, AND THE BETTER CROSSING HERE, IS TO MAKE THE CITY GARAGE A MORE ACCEPTABLE AND INVITING OPTION FOR PARKING FOR PERFORMANCES AT THE GRANVILLE OKAY. SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE AT ONE POINT WE WE WERE PROMOTING USING THE GARAGE PARKING OR USING THE GRANVILLE PARKING LOT WHEN THERE'S EVENTS GOING ON DOWNTOWN. AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NOT A THING, WHICH IS A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE. SO BUT I MEAN, IF WE'RE ALREADY ACTIVATING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE ANYTHING GO WILD. YOU MENTIONED THE ENTRANCES, THE DOORS. HOW MANY DOORS ARE WE ADDING? SO THIS ADDS ONLY THIS ENTRANCE OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OFF OF AUSTIN. IT IMPROVES AN EXISTING ENTRANCE AROUND THE CORNER. THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW THE BUILDING KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO ORIGINAL DOORS AROUND THAT CORNER, AND THIS MAKES THAT ENTRANCE MORE ACCESSIBLE. WITH THE GARDEN AREA THAT RICHARD WAS DESCRIBING. SO IN THE DOORS ON THE BACK ARE THOSE ARE PERFORMER DOORS, CORRECT? TECHNICALLY CORRECT. THOSE ARE JUST BACKSTAGE ENTRANCES. YEP. I JUST SAW A LOT OF DOORS AND ALL I COULD THINK WAS SAFETY.

SURE. AND HOW, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE A NEGATIVE IMPACT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. AND THEN IN THE SMALL THEATER, WHEN THE SEATS ARE FOLDED, IS THAT AM I CORRECT THAT IT WOULD BE 54 SEATS? JUST SO THAT WHAT THAT DOES IS LEAVE THESE TWO SECTIONS OF SEATS ON THE SIDE IN PLACE. THOSE ARE FIXED. AND THEN WHEN YOU FOLD THE OTHER SEATS AWAY, THIS BECOMES A VERTICAL WALL. OKAY, SO THE TWO ON THE SIDE IS A TOTAL OF 54.

YES, YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM. LUCK. HELLO, I LOVE THIS. I'M SO EXCITED TO ONE I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE THE ENTIRE THING BEFORE ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION STARTS.

AND THEN DEFINITELY AFTER I'VE BEEN IN ALL OF THESE SPACES. AND, AND THIS IS JUST AN AMAZING IMPROVEMENT. I ESPECIALLY LOVE THAT ELEVATOR AND STAIR SYSTEM M THAT YOU HAVE ON THE SIDE OF THE BROWNLEE TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE ORCHESTRA AREA AND ONTO THE FIRST LEVEL AND THEN ONTO THE SECOND LEVEL AS WELL. IT'S JUST REALLY AMAZING. I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS.

SO ON THE SITE PLAN, THERE ARE SOME RED LINES, SOLID RED LINES THAT KIND OF GO IN WEIRD PLACES, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE LINES ARE. SO THAT INDICATES THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE FLOODPLAIN. OKAY. GOT IT. AND THEN IS THAT ROAD. WELL, THE THIS BASICALLY IT'S A IT'S A STREET RIGHT NOW, I GUESS, OR A DRIVEWAY THAT GOES IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE AND THE PLAZA AREA. WILL THAT BE CUT OFF TO TRAFFIC OR IS THAT REMAINING? WHAT THIS DEPICTS IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER REMOVING ONE LEG OF THIS TRIANGULAR ROUNDABOUT OUT FRONT, SO THAT THE ONLY VEHICULAR PATH WOULD BE THIS S-CURVE, BASICALLY, BECAUSE THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO CONNECT THE PLAZA TO THE ATRIUM GARDEN AND CREATE A MUCH MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY OUTDOOR SPACE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT DRIVEWAY TOTALLY GONE ON BOTH SIDES. I THINK THAT I'VE I'VE DRIVEN THROUGH THERE WHEN BOTH SPACES ARE ACTIVATED AT THE ATRIUM AND THE, AND THE THEATER.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WAY. AND IT'S I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH THERE.

THEY'RE TRUCKS THERE FOR THINGS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT ENTIRE SPACE ACTIVATED AS A PEDESTRIAN AREA. WE'VE. WE'VE CERTAINLY CONSIDERED THAT. AND WE THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK FROM A

[03:35:03]

[03:40:06]

AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANT IT TO BE AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE FOR STAFF TO DO THEIR JOBS. I THINK THAT'S A VERY PLAUSIBLE LAYER OF USE FOR THIS ADDED REHEARSAL STUDIO. YEAH, THAT'S PERFECT HERE WITH WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF POWER AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO MAKE SURE THERE'S LOTS OF PLUGS. YEP. OKAY. AND IS THERE ANY KIND OF A KITCHEN FOR OR SMALL REFRIGERATORS OR ANYTHING IN THE REHEARSAL OR IN THE DRESSING AREAS OR GREEN ROOMS FOR PEOPLE TO USE? WE HAVEN'T YET DESIGNED ANY OF THE KIND OF IN-ROOM AMENITIES, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MOST MUSIC GROUPS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SINK AND A WATER FOUNTAIN AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. IT'S VERY EASY TO IMAGINE A KIND OF WALL THAT HAS A COUNTER AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN IT. OKAY, I LOVE IT. I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I'M SO EXCITED. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS. I KNOW THAT WE'VE, WE'VE PUT YOU ALL IN A VERY SHORT TIMELINE TO SO THAT YOU CAN START IN JANUARY AND END IN DECEMBER. THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE, HUGE UNDERTAKING. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THESE PLANS ARE LOVELY. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MA'AM. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. YEAH. SO SMALL THEATER YOU THINK IN THE. ROSESENTHAL. NO, SIR. I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO SEE THE BROWNLIE THEATER WITH TWIN AISLES. AMY. I THINK PATTY WILL BE VERY PLEASED. YES. SO I HAD A QUESTION. IT SAYS SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK. I KIND OF THINK I KNOW WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN. CAN YOU? SURE. EXPAND ON THE DEFINITION OF WHAT THAT DOES. SURE. SO AS A VESTIBULE, CURRENTLY ONLY, ONLY THE SMALL THEATER IN ONE CORNER HAS A PAIR, HAS TWO PAIRS OF DOORS FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH TO GET INTO THE ROOM. AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FROM A STAGE STANDPOINT IS TO STOP SOUND FROM BLEEDING INTO THE ROOM UNNECESSARILY, AND TO STOP THE FLASH OF LIGHT FROM A DOOR OPENING. IN PERFORMANCE, THE CURRENT MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE SMALL THEATER. IF A LATECOMER COMES IN DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOW, BLAMMO ALL OF THE LIGHT FROM THE LOBBY JUST SPILLS INTO. AND WHERE LIGHT GOES, SOUND GOES. THE SAME IS ACTUALLY TRUE OF ALL THE DOORS INTO THE BROWNLIE. THERE ARE NO SETS OF DOORS THAT HAVE DOUBLE LAYERS. SO WHAT WE'RE CREATING IS A CONFIGURATION WHERE WE LOCK THE SOUND AND THE LIGHT INSIDE THAT VESTIBULE. BEFORE YOU OPEN THE INTERIOR SET OF DOORS OR SINGLE DOOR TO COME IN.

OKAY, SO IT KEEPS THE THE AMBIENT LIGHT INSIDE THE THEATER AND THE AMBIENT NOISE, AMBIENT LIGHTS AT THE SAME LEVEL, AMBIENT NOISE OUT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DART RAIL BEING RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. IT ALSO, IT ALSO CONSIDERED THE DART RAIL BECAUSE THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT SUPER QUIET SOMETIMES. RIGHT. RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT I MEAN, IF WE LOOK AT THIS PLAN RIGHT NOW, THIS DOOR IS AN UNPROTECTED DOOR LEADING TO THE OUTSIDE AND IT FACES THE FREIGHT LINE. AND WHEN IT BLOWS ITS WHISTLE, YOU SHIVER INSIDE THE BROWNLIE. SO THE OTHER THING THAT A SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK DOES IS CHANGE AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR. BECAUSE YOU WALK INTO AN INTERSTITIAL ROOM THAT'S A LITTLE DARKER AND IT MAKES YOU SAY, OH, I NEED TO SHUT UP BEFORE I GO IN. AND SO HAVING WALLS OPPOSITE THOSE DOORS, LIKE CAN'T. EXACTLY,

[03:45:03]

THAT'S THAT WAS JUST INTERESTING. I JUST HADN'T HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE AND THOUGHT THAT WAS WORTH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR THE FINDING THAT QUESTION. SO THANK YOU ALL.

I'M LOVING IT. I'M SORRY WE ONLY GAVE YOU 25 MILLION, AMY, BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE BEST WE COULD SQUEEZE OUT LAST YEAR. ANYWAY, THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR THE FOR THE PRESENTATION. YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. LET'S KEEP GOING. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR.

COUNCILMEMBER. MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. SO I'M SUPER EXCITED. MY DAUGHTER DANCED THERE FROM THE AGE OF 3 TO 18, SO I KNOW THE SPACE VERY WELL. THE DRESSING ROOMS ARE A NIGHTMARE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT. SO IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE BIGGER. I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS. SO WITH THE SEATING AND AMY, MAYBE YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT. I, I KNOW WHEN WE WOULD DANCE THERE WITH LONDON SCHOOL OF DANCE, WHICH SHE WAS A TEACHER HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, OVER 60 YEARS AND SHE'S RECENTLY PASSED AWAY. SO MAYBE THESE NAMING RIGHTS, MAYBE WE CAN SEE IS SURVIVED BY HER TWO DAUGHTERS. AND SHE HAD A DANCE STUDIO HERE FOR OVER 60 YEARS. BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT US LOSING THE SEATS I HAVE. WE SOLD TO CAPACITY. IF WE HAVE, IS THIS GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE REVENUE? I KNOW THAT'S POTENTIALLY WE CAN HAVE THE OTHER THEATER. BUT, YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY, AS A PERFORMER, MY SON'S A PERFORMER. MY DAUGHTER'S PERFORMING. IT'S IT'S A, IT'S A HARD PILL TO BUY, YOU KNOW, SWALLOW. IT REALLY IS. SO HAVE WE SOLD A CAPACITY? HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO LOSE BY ELIMINATING THE SEATS AS MY MY FIRST QUESTION. SO SO SEATING CAPACITY IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION FROM OUR ARTS GROUPS. I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE BECAUSE THAT SEAT REPRESENTS A SOLD TICKET, RIGHT, WHICH REPRESENTS YOUR REVENUE.

WE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A FEW OCCASIONS DURING THE YEAR WHEN WE ARE SOLD OUT. THE GARLAND SUMMER MUSICALS HAS A COUPLE OF SOLD OUT PERFORMANCES, USUALLY THEIR MATINEE SHOW, THEIR LAST SHOW, THEIR OUR NUTCRACKER HAS SOLD OUT PERFORMANCES AS WELL TOO. BUT FOR MOST OF THE ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS AT THE BROWNLEE, WE ARE NOT AT A SELLOUT CAPACITY. SO THE REALITY IS, IN ORDER TO BE ADA ACCESSIBLE, IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THIS ACCOMMODATION, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REDUCE IN SEATS. NOW, I THINK THE TEAM HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB IN TERMS OF THE RAKE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SQUEEZE OUT EVERY LITTLE SEAT THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN AND PUTTING THEM ON THE PIT. BUT THE OTHER OPTION IS ADDING PERFORMANCES. YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT WE NEED TO TALK WITH OUR GROUPS ABOUT. YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE AT THAT SELLOUT CAPACITY FOR A CERTAIN PRODUCTION, THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT ADDING ANOTHER PERFORMANCE. MY OTHER THING THAT I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL DISCUSSED ABOUT THOSE CHAIRS, THAT RISER, THAT LITTLE PIT, ARE THOSE GOING TO BE LIKE, HOW COMFORTABLE ARE THOSE CHAIRS GOING TO BE FOLDED? WHO'S CARRYING THOSE OUT? STAFF IS LIKE, WE'RE BRINGING OUT STAFF TO CARRY THOSE. HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? IT IS TRUE THAT IT ADDS LABOR CONSIDERATION, BUT REALISTICALLY, RIGHT NOW, MOST MOST OF YOUR ORCHESTRA PIT USE IS IN THE SUMMER WITH THE SUMMER MUSICALS. AND SO THERE'S T A HUGE NUMBER OF CHANGEOVERS. NOW, YOU MIGHT CHANGE OVER MORE FREQUENTLY FROM USING THAT AS STAGE SPACE TO USING THAT AS SEATING. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SEATING MANUFACTURERS WHO WOULD PROVIDE VERY GOOD FIXED SEATS FOR THE REST OF THE AUDITORIUM, WHO ALSO MAKE SEATS THAT WOULD FIT INTO THAT KIND OF CONFIGURATION, BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY COMMON DEMAND. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, I KNOW WHEN MY DAUGHTER, WHEN WE WERE A DANCER, SHE WAS A DANCER, WE WOULD DO THE BACK ENTRY BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO PARK IN THE BACK. AND IT WAS CALLED A CONTROLLED ENTRY, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T JUST WALK IN, THE DOORS WERE LOCKED.

SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO LET YOU IN. SO DID WE SAY THAT WE'RE ELIMINATING THAT DOOR OR WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT THAT? THAT THE THE PRIVATE ENTRY DOOR. SO NO, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE A STAGE DOOR THAT IS SUPERVISED IN THIS CONFIGURATION. THAT'S RIGHT HERE. OUR TECH STAFF OFFICES ARE JUST INSIDE HERE AND HAVE VIEWS OUT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE PERFORMERS AND TECHNICIANS COMING AND GOING BECAUSE A THREE YEAR OLD WANDERING OUT, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN DUNN SAID, THE DART'S RIGHT THERE. AND SO WE WOULD HAVE YOUNG PERFORMERS AND THEY WERE JUST WALKING IN AND OUT OR CONTROL THAT. BUT YOU DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB.

I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT MY DAUGHTER IS NOW 21. I LOVE TO BRING HER BACK SO SHE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE SPACE. GREAT. THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU,

[03:50:03]

AND SOHERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW THE FLOW WILL ALL WORK. AND RIGHT NOW WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADORN THAT SPACE.

WE'VE WE'VE STUDIED WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE PLAZA, INCLUDING THE STATUE. BUT QUITE HONESTLY, WE'RE WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HOTEL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IN SOME OF THE HOTEL PROPOSALS THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED, THEY'RE PROPOSING, YOU KNOW, THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THIS BE A TURNAROUND. THEY'RE PROPOSING TO CLOSE THE PEDESTRIAN, THE TRAFFIC LANE BETWEEN THE ATRIUM AND THE ART CENTER ENTIRELY. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY MOVING PARTS AT THIS POINT FOR US TO NAIL DOWN A SINGLE DIRECTION. WE'RE GOING TO VERY HAPPILY WORK WITH THEM. YES, ONCE THEY'RE SELECTED. I DO UNDERSTAND. PERSONALLY, I LIKE THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTLY BY WAY OF TAKING THAT IMPROVED PLAZA AND MAKING IT PART OF THE ATRIUM. THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT COMING TO THE THEATER IN THE CAR AND GETTING OUT WITH YOUR MINKS AND FURS ON AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST THE THING OF THE ARRIVAL.

SO I'M KIND OF I'M VERY PARTIAL TO CONTINUING TO HAVE THAT DRIVE THROUGH, BUT I THINK THAT THE THEATER ITSELF, I THINK, YEAH, GET RID OF THE STATUE. BUT I THINK THAT THE THEATER IS BEAUTIFUL. IT'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. WE'LL HAVE A PLACE FOR YOUR HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE OUT IN FRONT. SURREY WITH THE FRINGE. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BUZZ BACK IN. I, I DID, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE SIGNAGE THAT YOU HAVE DESIGNED. I LOVE IT, IT'S WONDERFUL. I THINK THE FONT REALLY GOES WITH ALL OF THE OTHER GATEWAYS AND CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE GOT GOING. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. SO MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE PROJECTED. NOW. I JUST IT'S JUST REALLY WONDERFUL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I JUST WANT TO ON THE ACCOLADES. I REALLY LOVE THIS. THE THE RENDERING THAT YOU HAVE HERE, THE THE SITE PLAN, THE THOUGHT THAT GOES INTO IT. I WAS I WAS A VIOLIN PERFORMER FROM AGE SIX ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO THE STAGE I WAS ON IT A LOT.

NOT THIS ONE. I LIVED IN LUBBOCK AT THE TIME, BUT IT WAS. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME AND I AND I, AND I LIKE THAT OUR CITY IS IS PUTTING THE EFFORT INTO THIS LIKE WE ARE. AND SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ON IT. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT STATUS REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. QUESTION. I WANT TO ASK ABOUT FINISHES EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR INSIDE THE LOBBY ON THIS RENDERING RIGHT HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S KIND OF A STONE CLADDING ON THE BUILDING. OR IS THAT YOU PLANNING TO CHANGE SOMETHING ABOUT THE EXTERIOR OR PAINT OR COLOR OR ANYTHING THERE? I THINK THAT'S JUST THE EFFECT OF THE RENDERING THAT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE STONE. IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO WHAT'S THERE. OKAY. AND SPEAK ABOUT THE INTERIOR, THE LOBBY, THE INSIDE CARPETING, PAINT LIGHTING, THAT SORT OF THING INSIDE. SO OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVEN'T YET DEVELOPED THE INTERIOR DESIGN ENOUGH. WE'VE PRICED FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL OF THOSE FINISHES AND, AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT LOBBY.

ONCE WE REMOVE THE OFFICES AND KICK ME OUT OF THE BUILDING. WOW. A A YOU A UNIFIED SPACE.

[03:55:01]

[9. Potential GDC Amendment for Parking Deviation Process in the Garland Development Code]

THAT'S ALSO WHY WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THAN WE THOUGHT WE WOULD. BUT

[04:00:01]

SO ANYTHING BETWEEN 15 AND 40, THEY'LL NEED TO FILE FOR AN ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE. AND THAT COMES WITH THE PARKING STUDY AND THEM SHOWING US THEIR BUSINESS OPERATION. AS FAR AS WHY THEY'RE NEEDING THAT EXTRA PARKING AND ANYTHING ABOVE 40%, WE DO THINK THAT SHOULD JUST BE A ZONING PROCESS, A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT, AND NOT A BE A VARIANCE. AND WHY WE CHOSE THOSE PERCENTAGES 15%. WE KIND OF CHOSE WHAT WE ALREADY HAD. WE WANTED TO HAVE SOME ALIGNMENTS WITH OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS. AND 40 SEEMS REASONABLE BECAUSE AGAIN, IF YOU THINK OF IF 100 IS THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF PARKING, AND THEY CAN HAVE UP TO 115, THAT ALSO SEEMS REASONABLE. BUT IF THEY WANT TO HAVE 139 SPACES, THEY SHOULD SHOW US SOME REASONING. WHY THAT EXTRA PAVEMENT? WHY THAT EXTRA CONCRETE? WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THROUGH AN ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PROCESS, ICH IS ALSO ADMINISTRATIVE, BUT ANYTHING BEYOND 40%, I THINK COUNCIL OUGHT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. SO THAT'S OUR PROPOSAL FOR NONRESIDENTIAL. SO THIS JUST KIND OF SUMMARIZES ALL OF THAT. SO ANY SIZE BUILDING WE'RE REMOVING THAT SIZE, DIFFERENT SIZES AND ALL THAT. ANY SIZE STRUCTURE UP TO 15, NO RELIEF REQUIRED 15 TO 1440 OR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE IS REQUIRED. AND BEYOND 40, IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BY A PD OR A CITY COUNCIL ZONING PRESS. FOR MULTIFAMILY, WE HAVE A NEW CHALLENGE BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENT IS NOW ONE SPACE PER UNIT, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY BEDROOMS. THAT'S OFTEN NOT WHAT DEVELOPERS ARE WANTING TO DO ANYWAY. SO THEN WHEN THE 15% KICKS IN, THAT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERS A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PROCESS FOR THEM, WHICH IS ALSO NOT DESIRED FOR THEM. SO FOR THAT, WE ARE PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL STEP.

SO ONE SPACE PER PARKING, ONE SPACE PER DWELLING IS THE MINIMUM THAT'S DETERMINED BY THE STATE. SO WE CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT FOR THE MAXIMUM. WE'RE KIND OF LEANING BACK TOWARD WHAT OUR REQUIREMENT WERE BEFORE THE SENATE BILL 840 KICKED IN. SO WE ARE PUTTING IT FOR EFFICIENCY. IT'S ONE SPACE FOR ONE BEDROOM. IT'S 1.52 PLUS BEDROOMS, TWO SPACES, VERY REASONABLE PARKING REQUIREMENT. THAT'S THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO SET AS THE MAXIMUM. AND BEYOND THAT, WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME THROUGH A PD PROCESS OR A ZONING PROCESS TO SHOW US WHY THEY NEED BEYOND THAT PARKING, BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO WHILE WE WANT TO BE FLEXIBLE, WE ALSO DON'T WANT SEA OF PARKING IN REDEVELOPMENT CASES OR WHATEVER LEFT GREENFIELD SITES WE HAVE LEFT. SO WE WANT ADDITIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY THEY ARE WANTING THAT MANY ADDITIONAL PARKING. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR MULTIFAMILY. SO CURRENTLY THE PARKING DEVIATION PROCESS FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE. THE PLANNING DIRECTOR IS THE INITIAL DECISION MAKER. AND BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IS THE APPELLANT DECISION MAKER. WE THINKT'S CLEANER BECAUSE PARKING IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH HOW THE SITE IS BEING DEVELOPED OR REDEVELOPED. SO WE THINK IT'S MORE ALIGNED WITH THE ZONING SITUATION. SO PLAN COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL APPEAL PROCESS SEEMS MORE APPROPRIATE. THAT WOULD APPLY TO NONRESIDENTIAL ONLY FOR MULTIFAMILY. BEYOND WHAT'S MAXIMUM. THEY'LL HAVE TO COME THROUGH A PD PROCESS. FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE OR ANY SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE GOING BEYOND THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED. THEY WOULD NEED TO SHOW WHY THEY'RE NEEDING IT. SOME, EVEN IF IT'S THE SAME LAND, USE, DIFFERENT GROCERY STORES HAVE THEIR OWN RATIO OF HOW HOW MANY PARKING SPACES THEY NEED. SO WE REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT AND MAKE A CASE BY CASE JUSTIFICATION. IF THEY'RE EXCEEDING OUR MAXIMUM ALLOWED, THAT'S REALLY IT. MORE OF A CLEANUP AND KIND OF STREAMLINING THE PROCESS, JUST INTRODUCING THE IDEA. WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO HAVE ANY FINAL FORMAL VERDICT TONIGHT. IF YOU

[04:05:04]

IT'S FOR THE PROVISION OF THIS SECTION. CURRENTLY. THAT'S HOW THE DDC IS WRITTEN. WE ARE PROPOSING TO SPLIT IT. WE'RE PROPOSING TO MAKE NONRESIDENTIAL SEPARATE FROM MULTIFAMILY. SO WE ARE MAKING THEM MAKING MULTIFAMILY A SEPARATE CATEGORY. AND THEN COMMERCIAL WOULD BE ITS OWN. NONRESIDENTIAL WILL BE ITS OWN. OKAY. AND THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO 100 PARKING SPACES CURRENTLY, THEY WOULD NEED AN ADDITIONAL PROCESS IF THEY WANT TO DO 106. WE THINK THAT'S A LITTLE EXTREME. SO WE ARE UPPING THAT THRESHOLD. WE'RE PROPOSING TO UP THAT THRESHOLD. SO IN THE PROPOSED SITUATION YOU CAN DO 115 PARKING SPACES EVEN IF YOU'RE REQUIRED, PARKING AMOUNT IS 100. YOU CAN DO 115 WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANY ADDITIONAL PROCESS. THAT'S JUST SOME FLEXIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE. OR DEVELOPER HAS TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN SITE. AND WE'RE WANTING TO DO THAT FOR BOTH MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL OR JUST SOMEWHERE JUST NONRESIDENTIAL. COMMERCIAL. I MEAN, INDUSTRIAL IS NOT ASKING FOR ITS INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL, ANYTHING THAT'S NOT SINGLE FAMILY OR MULTIFAMILY. SO, AND, BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO 130 PARKING, IF YOU'RE 100 IS YOUR REQUIRED PARKING, BUT THE DDC, YOU WANT TO GO TO 130. IN THAT CASE, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PROCESS, WHICH IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THAT OFTEN COMES WITH THE SITE PERMIT WHERE THE APPLICANT CAN SHOW US WHY THEY NEED TO GO BEYOND 115, WHICH IS THEIR ALLOWE MAXIMUM PER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. SO IF THEY SHOW A TRUE NEED THROUGH A PARKING STUDY OR SOME OTHER BUSINESS NEED, THEY CAN GO UP TO 140 IN THAT IN THAT SITUATION. BUT IF THEIR REQUIREMENT IS 100 AND THEY WANT TO PROVIDE 150 PARKING SPACES, THEN THEY NEED TO COME THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, THEY NEED TO SHOW YOU ALL WHY THEY NEED THAT MANY MORE PARKING SPACES. WHEN THE DDC REQUEST WOULD REQUIRE 100. SO THAT'S A VERY.

DRY VERSION OF. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE GIST OF IT, OF THE PROPOSED ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.

OKAY, SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT MAKES ANY SENSE COMPARED BECAUSE I'M STILL A LITTLE LOST IN SPACE WITH THIS. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT EXCESSIVE PARKING LOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. YOU CAN LITERALLY DRIVE DOWN ANY MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND SEE EXCESSIVE PARKING IN ALL KINDS OF PLACES THAT NO ONE HAS EVER USED IT. THEY DON'T MAINTAIN IT, WHATEVER. SO I WOULD WANT US TO WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS, THAT WE'RE MINDFUL OF THE EXCESSIVE PARKING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN NONRESIDENTIAL AREAS. WHEN YOU SAY MINDFUL. WHAT ARE WE BEING MINDFUL OF THAT THEY EXIST THAT

[04:10:01]

THERE ARE MANY, MANY. FIREBALL HAS LOTS OF ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES THAN WHAT'S REQUIRED.

THERE ARE TONS OF SHOPPING SPACES, SHOPPING CENTERS WHERE PARKING IS OVER PARKED, ALTHOUGH IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO DETERMINE BECAUSE THE TENANT SPACES DETERMINE WHAT THE PARKING NEED WOULD BE. SO THEY'RE PLANNING FOR MAXIMUM. SO THAT OFTEN IS THE CASE. WE EVEN HAD A COFFEE SHOP. I'M TRYING TO THINK, WAS IT STARBUCKS? ONE OF THE COFFEE SHOPS THAT GOT INTO THE WHOLE. THEY WERE ABOVE THE 5%, SO THEY HAD TO DO AN ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PER THE DDC. AND THEY WERE THEY ARE NEVER HAPPY ABOUT IT. AND 5%, I THINK IS A LITTLE TOO STRICT FOR THAT PURPOSE. SO WE HAVE SEEN TONS OF THOSE. THAT'S INTERESTING.

I'M JUST NOT USED TO SEEING THOSE. SO. DOES THIS APPLY TO PARKING STRUCTURES? IT APPLIES TO OFF STREET PARKING SPACES WHICH INCLUDES THE PARKING STRUCTURES. YES. WOULD WE BE ABLE TO MAKE PARKING STRUCTURES ALLOWED WITH NO RELIEF PROCEDURE? MEANING IF THEY WANT EXTRA PARKING AND THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT UP A PARKING STRUCTURE INSTEAD OF PARKING LOT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT VERY EASY FOR THEM. SURE, WE CAN BUILD SOMETHING IN, ALTHOUGH NO, I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE A COMMON REQUEST, BUT NOT YET. WE CAN ALWAYS HOPE. I MEAN, YES, WE CAN PUT THAT IN. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

SO. I CAN RECAP IF I'VE GOT MY MIND AROUND THIS. SO THE 100 PARKING SPACES IS WHAT THE GDC REQUIRES TODAY. AND YOU WANT TO ALLOW THEM. THEY'VE GOT SOME EXTRA SPACE OVER HERE. YOU WANT TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE 15 EXTRA SPACES, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, NO REVIEW. THEY JUST ASK AND YOU GIVE IT TO THEM 15%, 15%. SO ON 100 SPACE PLACE, THAT'S 15 EXTRA SPACES. LET'S KEEP THE 100 NUMBER BETWEEN. IF THEY WANT TO DO BETWEEN 16 AND 40, THEN THAT'S STILL WITH YOU TO DECIDE WHETHER THAT'S A GOOD THING OR NOT. THEY'LL HAVE TO SHOW A PARKING STUDY. OKAY, SO THEY'LL SHOW A PARKING STUDY, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T COME TO PLANNING COMMISSION OR COUNCIL, EVEN IF THEY GO UP TO 140 SPACES ON THIS NORMAL 100, IF THEY WANT TO GO TO 141. NOW IT'S A PD PLANNING COMMISSION, CORRECT? I HAVE I GOT THAT RIGHT. YES. THAT'S FOR NONRESIDENTIAL. AND THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE CURRENTLY THE GDC TAKES IT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT INSTEAD OF PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS SET UP THAT WAY, BUT IT IS SET UP. OKAY. AND SO THE PLACES LIKE FIREWHEEL THAT ALREADY HAVE 200 SPACES WHERE ONLY 100 IS REQUIRED, WILL THOSE BE IS THAT LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING NOW OR WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THAT? NO, I PDS THAT CERTAINLY ISN'T A PD THAT THEY CAN WRITE THEIR OWN PARKING REGULATIONS INTO THE PIECE. OKAY. SO YOU THINK THAT'S THAT'S COVERED THAT ALMOST CERTAINLY GONE IF WE'VE GONE OVER AND ABOVE ALREADY. THERE'S A PD OUT THERE SOMEWHERE THAT'S ALLOWED FOR THAT. AND IT'S NOT JUST GRANDFATHERED IN FROM 50 YEARS AGO. SO OKAY, VERY GOOD THAT THAT'S KIND OF ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS. OKAY. I THINK I GOT MY MIND AROUND THIS GOING TO BE LIKE, IHINK THIS IS A GOOD CHANGE IF IT, IF IT ELIMINATES THE BARRIERS FOR DEVELOPMENT HERE, THEN I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IF IT'S WASTING YOUR TIME. YEAH. JUST TO CLEAN UP. AND FOR MULTIFAMILY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SUBSTANTIAL. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO CHANGE BECAUSE OUR REQUIREMENT HAS BECAME BECOME EXTREMELY LENIENT. BUT NO ONE HAS COME AND TOLD US, HEY, YES, I THINK I'M ONLY GOING TO I'M DOING 100 UNITS AND I'M ONLY GOING TO PROVIDE 100 PARKING SPACES. NO ONE NO ONE WANTS TO

[04:15:01]

SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE KIND OF THOUGHT THAT COULD GIVE THEM SOME MORE RELIEF. BUT IF CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO ENTERTAIN A DIFFERENT NUMBER, WE CAN DO THAT. OKAY. WELL, THE THOUGHTS THAT I WOULD HAVE IS THAT THE, YOU KNOW, UP TO 15%, I STILL THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING BEYOND JUST, HEY, I WANT IT BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, IT'S NO LONGER USING THAT HUNDRED NUMBER. THE NUMBER ISN'T 100, IT'S NOW IT'S 115, JUST OFF THE OFF THE RIP. I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE YOUR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE FOR ANYTHING THAT GOES BEYOND WHAT THE AMOUNT IS, BUT THE THE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE WOULD BE A REVIEW BY STAFF. THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD AGREE TO. AND THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD GO TO WHETHER IT BE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHOMEVER THE BODY WOULD BE, TO TALK ABOUT THE 15 TO WHATEVER THE NEXT PERCENTAGE IS, WHETHER IT BE 25 OR 40%, WHATEVER IS AGREEABLE ON IT WOULD GO TO THE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE. THEN AFTER THAT, THEN IT COMES TO US. CORRECT. OKAY. YES. HOW DO YOU FEEL? ABOUT 30%. OKAY, OKAY. ARE WE DOING NEGOTIATIONS NOW? ALL RIGHT. YEAH. SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. LET'S LET'S HOLD ON TO THAT FOR A MOMENT THERE. YEP. ARE YOU DONE? THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION. I THOUGHT MORE PARKING IS BETTER, BUT MAYBE I'M WRONG. WHAT IS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO THE CITY OR COMMUNITY IF THEY HAVE MORE PARKING THAN THEY NEED? SO MORE MORE CONCRETE, NOT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, LESS STORMWATER SITUATION. SO THE MORE PAVEMENT THERE IS, THE MORE IMPACT IT'S DOING TO THE STORMWATER RUNOFF. SO THAT'S ANOTHER AND JUST FROM PURELY PLANNING SIDE, WE ARE ENCOURAGING WHERE POSSIBLE, PLACES LIKE OUR DOWNTOWN WHERE WE DON'T WANT ABUNDANCE OF PARKING AND THAT TYPE OF PLACE DON'T CREATE VIBRANCY WHERE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE OUT THERE WALKING, HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE MIXED USE SITUATIONS WHERE APPROPRIATE. SO IN THOSE SITUATIONS, HAVING US IN SOME, SOME SITUATIONS, YES, WE WOULD WANT TO ENTERTAIN THAT AND THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOU. BUT FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, WE DO CONSIDER LIKE, INSTEAD OF DOING THAT EXTRA PARKING, THAT COULD BE A LITTLE POCKET PARK, THAT COULD BE A LITTLE GREEN SPACE, THAT COULD BE MORE LANDSCAPING. SO WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE MORE GREEN, INTERESTING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO USE AND NOT FOR CARS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. A COUPLE OF ITEMS I HAVE HERE 15%. WE SAW HOW SHE ARRIVED AT THAT NUMBER BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAXIMUM RIGHT NOW OF OUR CURRENT DEVIATION SPECTRUM. ARE WE OKAY WITH KEEPING THAT ABILITY UP TO 15%. DO WE WANT TO REDUCE IT TO TEN FIVE? THAT'S ONE DISCUSSION POINT. THE OTHER IS THE 40% LIMIT. THAT'S ALL THE WAY UP THERE. WE HEARD HOW WE ARRIVED WITH THAT. JUST BECAUSE IT'S JUST KIND OF A IT FELT RIGHT. WE CAN MOVE THAT TO 30, 33, 25 WHEREVER WE WANT. CITY COUNCIL. AND ONE QUESTION I HAD TOO IS GOING THE OTHER WAY. SAY YOUR

[04:20:05]

IF YOU UP TO 15% BY ALLOWED. ALL RIGHT. AND 40% MAXIMUM, THEN ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PUNCH IN IF YOU ARE OKAY. SO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I THINK THAT 40% IS ON THE HIGH SIDE. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD WE SHOULD PUT IT AT 30%, JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT GOES BEYOND THAT WOULD COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE A FINAL WORD ON IT. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A PARKING REQUIREMENT. I MEAN, IT'S JUST A IT'S A LARGE DEVIATION. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE OCEANS OF PARKING WITHOUT, WITHOUT THERE BEING SOME WAY OF BEING ABLE TO JUSTIFY IT. VERY GOOD. I KNOW HEB TYPICALLY HAVE HUNDREDS OF PARKING SPACES. IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO THE ONE IN FRISCO OR PLANO ON A WEEKEND EVERYONE HAS TAKEN, THERE WILL BE CERTAINTY. THERE IS ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THAT WILL BE A PD. YES, YES. COUNCILMEMBER DENTON, I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE 15% ON EACH SIDE, EVEN 30% COULD BE VERY EXCESSIVE DEPENDING ON. THE WHATEVER. IT'S JUST EXCESSIVE TO ME. I WOULD RATHER SEE 15% ON EITHER SIDE, AND THEN ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT CAN BE A CASE BY CASE OR JUST MY OPINION. OKAY. SEE NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, THEN WE'LL THINK 15%, THEN 15% ALLOWED BY RIGHT? LOOKING FOR CONSENSUS. AND THEN I HEARD DOUBLING THAT TO 30 TO BE ALLOWED BY ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE METHOD UP TO 30. YEAH. SO THAT IS ONE, 234. THAT IS A CONSENSUS THERE. AND ABOVE THAT THEN A PD. ABOVE THAT A PD. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE SETTLED ON THAT 1530 AND ABOVE THAT. YEAH. OKAY. WOULD COUNCIL LIKE US TO LOOK INTO THE MINIMUM PARKING. I CERTAINLY WOULD YES. OKAY. SO DO SHOULD WE JUST WORK ON IT AND DO THIS AMENDMENT WHILE WE'RE. OR DO YOU WANT. IT CAN BE PART OF THE SAME ONE, BUT I THINK LET'S BRING THIS FORWARD. IF THIS IS AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW WITH CURRENT DEVELOPERS AND WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AMENDING IT AGAIN LATER WITH A MINIMUM. OKAY, WE'LL LOOK AT IT AND WE'LL WE'LL KEEP

[10. Administrative Services Committee Report]

I'M ALISON STEADMAN, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY. AND I'M JOINED BY COREY WORSHAM, OUR TAX ADMINISTRATOR. THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE MET ON APRIL 23RD, AND THEIR ONLY AGENDA ITEM WAS THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE HOMESTEAD AND SENIOR EXEMPTION.

AND THE COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME REQUESTED A BRIEFING OF THIS TO THE FULL COUNCIL. SO WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU THAT BRIRIEFING. WE WILL START WITH JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION, WHICH COREY WILL WALK US THROUGH PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF YOU.

AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH HERE AND POINT OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS. SOME OF YOU HAVE

[04:25:04]

ON YOUR. FIRST OFF, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OR OVER 65 EXEMPTION. AND IN THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISCUSSION, IF WE SAY OVER 65, KEEP IN MIND THE LAWS THAT THAT REGULATE OVER 65 EXEMPTIONS ARE PRETTY MUCH DITTO FOR DISABILITY EXEMPTIONS. OKAY. AND SO HOMESTEAD AND THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS YOUR PRIMARY EXEMPTION AND YOUR OVER 65 ACTS LIKE A SUPPLEMENT TO THAT EXEMPTION WHEN HOMEOWNERS QUALIFY. AND AS YOU SEE HERE, LIST OUT YOUR KEY AREAS FOR QUALIFYING FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS IT TALKS ABOUT BEING THE OCCUPIED OWNER OF THE RESIDENCE. THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I GOT A COUPLE OF HOMES. CAN I GET IT OVER HERE? GET OVER THERE. YOU. THIS IS INTENDED TO BE WHERE YOU LAY YOUR HEAD. ANOTHER CAVEAT WITH THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION IS, AS WE KNOW, SOMEONE OVER 65TH MAY. THERE MAY BE SOME HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE THEM TO BE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME FOR CARE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE WAY THE LAW IS SET UP, IT BASICALLY ALLOWS THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR EXEMPTION AS LONG AS THEY HAVE AN INTENT TO RETURN. AND THAT'S SIMPLY THE OWNER DECLARING THAT THEIR INTENT IS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME. AND SO IT'S BECAUSE THEY GO FOR LONG TERM CARE DOES NOT MEAN THEY LOSE THAT EXEMPTION ON THEIR PROPERTY. NEXT SECTION TALKS ABOUT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATUS OF YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. LAST YEAR WE APPROVED 11% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OFF THE VALUE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION THAT WAS INCREASED TO $60,000. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF GARLAND'S EXEMPTION DOES NOT INCLUDE A CEILING. IT HAS NOT INCLUDED IT, AND IT DOES NOT AT THIS POINT.

LET'S GO A LITTLE BIT INTO SOME PAYMENT OPTIONS. WHEN YOU'RE OVER 65 PROPERTY OWNER, YOU GET SOME EXTRA PAYMENT OPTIONS THAT ALLOW YOU TO PAY YOUR TAXES IN AN EXTENDED FORM, GIVES YOU OPPORTUNITY TO DO THESE THINGS. AND THIS IS ALL INTENDED TO GIVE THESE THE SEGMENT OF OF OWNERSHIP, SOME PROTECTIONS AND A LITTLE RELIEF. AND ONE OF THESE WAYS TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS, WHAT WE CALL THE QUARTER PAY PLAN, BUT IT'S TECHNICALLY AN INSTALLMENT PAYMENT PLAN. ESSENTIALLY, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD NEED TO PAY INSTEAD OF ONE LUMP SUM BY JANUARY 31ST. THEY WOULD PAY FOR EQUAL PAYMENTS FIRST PAYMENT IN BY JANUARY 31ST, SECOND BY MARCH 31ST, THEN MAY, THEN JULY 31ST. AS LONG AS THEY MAKE THOSE DATES, THEN THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL PENALTIES. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NEXT CHART. SLIDE SIX. THERE IT BREAKS DOWN THE QUARTER PAY ACCOUNTS OVER THE YEARS. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DID HAVE A LITTLE FLUX IN 24. BUT THAT THAT THAT HOLDS WE AVERAGE AROUND 15,000 ACCOUNTS OF OVER 65 ACCOUNTS HERE IN GARLAND. THIS NEXT SECTION TALKS ABOUT TAX DEFERRALS. TAX DEFERRALS ARE IS A MECHANISM OF OVER 65 OR DISABLED EXEMPTIONS. THAT'S THAT'S SPECIFICALLY CONNECTED TO AN OWNER WITH HARDSHIP. AND SO WHAT THE CODE ALLOWS IS SOMEONE WHO HAS A OVER 65 EXEMPTION, WHO IS HAVING A HARDSHIP, THEY CAN GO TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND APPLY TO DEFER THEIR TAXES. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEIR TAXES ARE NOT DUE, THEY ARE DUE, THEY ARE PAYABLE. BUT IT WHAT IT DOES IS IT LIMITS, LIMITS THE PENALTY, AND BASICALLY IT FREEZES THE PENALTY INCREASE, INCREASE OR ACCRUAL, AND IT LIMITS THE INTEREST ACCRUAL TO 5%. ANNUAL.

CALCULATION. AND IT STOPS ANY LEGAL ACTIVITY AGAINST THE PROPERTY. THAT DEFERRAL WILL STAY ON THE PROPERTY AS LONG AS THAT OWNER OWNS THAT HOME. OKAY. AND PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ALLOWED ONCE THEY'RE ON, WHETHER THEY'RE ON DEFERRAL OR NOT. BUT EVEN IF THEY'RE ON DEFERRAL, THEY CAN STILL MAKE THEIR PAYMENT. AND THAT PAYMENT CAN BE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO PAY AT THEIR OWN PACE. IT ONCE IT'S ON THE ACCOUNT, IT STAYS ON THE ACCOUNT FOR AS LONG AS THEY OWN THE HOME. LET'S STEP OVER TO CHART NUMBER NINE. I MEAN, SORRY, SLIDE NUMBER NINE. THIS

[04:30:07]

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, AND SOME OF THEM MAY NOT HAVE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AT ALL, BUT THEY MAY HAVE A HIGH OVER 65 EXEMPTION. IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW THEY DECIDE TO STRUCTURE THEIR TAX BASE. SLIDE NUMBER TEN AS A BREAKDOWN OF PROPERTY VALUE COMPARISON JUST GIVES US A LITTLE INFORMATION ON YOUR PARCEL COUNTS HERE. RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUE AND COMPARING THAT FOR YOUR OVER 65 OWNERS. NUMBER 11 IS A A LITTLE VIEW INTO WHAT A OVER 65 EXEMPTION LOOKS LIKE PER OR PER EACH ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES ON THE SLIDE. AND THEN KEEP IN MIND THAT CALCULATION IS A FLAT CALCULATION BASED ON, SAY, A FIRST YEAR OVER 65 PROPERTY OWNER WHEN THERE'S NO CEILING INVOLVED. AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE AVERAGE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY. ALL RIGHT. LAST SLIDE. WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AMENDING THE EXEMPTIONS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT AMENDING THE EXEMPTION SHOULD THE COUNCIL DECIDE TO DO SO. THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT DECISION MADE AND APPROVED BY JULY 1ST IN ORDER TO SHOW UP ON THE UPCOMING TAX ROLL HERE IN OCTOBER. ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS IF THE COUNCIL SHOULD ELECT TO ACTIVATE A CEILING. ONCE THAT CEILING IS ACTIVATED, IT CANNOT BE REMOVED. IT STAYS ON THE TAX ROLL. AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON? I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I AM ON THE ADMIN SERVICES. AND I WILL SAY I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF TOUCHING OUR TAX EXEMPTIONS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION. BEFORE THIS, WE NOT DONE A INCREASE ON OUR EXEMPTIONS IN FIVE PLUS YEARS, 2021. YEAH. SO YEAH, SO FIVE YEARS, WE JUST DID ONE THIS PAST YEAR AND IT WAS FAIRLY, I MEAN, IT WAS A FAIRLY GOOD SIZED INCREASE THAT WE DID.

SO I'M PERSONALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF TOUCHING THE EXEMPTIONS UNTIL WE MAKE IT THROUGH NOVEMBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS YES TALKS MORE ABOUT THE TAX CEILING. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CEILING ON THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. AND THEN USING THAT AS PART OF YOUR CALCULATION? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? A CEILING IS ESSENTIALLY ONCE A PROPERTY OWNER IS APPROVED FOR OVER 65 EXEMPTION, THEIR LEVY OR ACTUAL TAX AMOUNT FOR THAT FIRST AND OR SECOND YEAR, DEPENDING ON WHICH LEVY IS THE LOWEST, THAT BECOMES THE CEILING MARKER FOR WHAT THEIR TAXES WILL BE IN FUTURE YEARS. SO IN THE EVENT THAT PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE OR A TAX RATE INCREASE, THEIR ACTUAL LEVY WON'T GO ANY HIGHER THAN THAT CEILING. IT MAY GO LOWER, BUT NOT ANY HIGHER. OKAY, SO ON YOUR ON SLIDE 11 THERE FOR GARLAND 2025 $1,585. AND SO IF THAT BECOMES THE CEILING, THAT ME IS AN OVER 65 HOMEOWNER, THAT'S MY TAX AMOUNT FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND IN PERPETUITY UNTIL I SELL THAT, UNTIL I SELL THE HOUSE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE VALUATION, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH HIGHER THE VALUATION MIGHT GO. RIGHT, HIGHER. BUT IF IT GOES BELOW THAT THRESHOLD, IF IT GOES, IF VALUATION GOES DOWN, THEN THAT NUMBER COULD GO DOWN, CORRECT? IS THAT CORRECT. THAT'S WHY IT'S A CEILING. IT CAN GO DOWN, BUT IT CAN'T GO UP ABOVE THAT CEILING. OKAY. AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN PLACE TODAY THOUGH. NO, SIR. OKAY.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE AS A POTENTIAL WAY TO, TO GIVE SOME RELIEF TO SENIORS. YES. AGAIN, ONCE ONCE THE CEILING IS ESTABLISHED, YOU JUST CANNOT BE REMOVED. OKAY. WELL, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. I THINK WE'VE GOT TO GET PAST NOVEMBER BEFORE WE CONSIDER ANY FURTHER CHANGES. BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. I THINK THIS HELPS LAY IT OUT FOR PEOPLE AS TO WHERE WE'RE AT VERSUS OTHER CITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE CONTINUE. THANK YOU. I'LL I'LL MOVE THROUGH THESE SLIDES QUICK.

LOOKING MORE ON THE FINANCIAL LENS OF THE HOMESTEAD AND SENIOR EXEMPTION. SO COREY GAVE

[04:35:06]

THE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION RESULTS IN ABOUT 9 MILLION OF FOREGONE TAX REVENUE. AND AGAIN, THAT REMINDER OF THAT JULY 1ST DEADLINE, IF WE'RE CONTEMPLATING ANY CHANGES FOR THE UPCOMING TAX YEAR. ON THE SENIOR EXEMPTION SIDE, THIS IS SET AT A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, NOT A PERCENTAGE. IN FY 25, WE WENT UP FROM 56,000 TO 60,000. AND PRIOR TO THAT WE DIDN'T. WE MADE AN INCREASE IN FY 21 FROM 51,000 TO 56,000. YOU MUST BE 65 OR OLDER AND 26% OF RESIDENTIAL HOMES IN GARLAND QUALIFY FOR THAT EXEMPTION. AND THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE SENIOR EXEMPTION RESULTS IN ABOUT 6.4 MILLION OF FOREGONE TAX REVENUE. SO LOOKING AT THE COMPARISON, COREY HAD A GREAT COMPARISON OF THE SENIOR EXEMPTIONS. THIS ALSO PUTS IN CONTEXT OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS AS WELL. AND ANYONE WHO MADE CHANGES IN THIS PAST YEAR LIKE WE DID TO THOSE EXEMPTIONS. SO WHEN WE'RE CONTEMPLATING CHANGES LAST FISCAL YEAR, IT WAS TO GET US TO THE METROPLEX AVERAGE. AT THAT TIME, A COUPLE OF CITIES DID MAKE CHANGES T TO THEIR EXEMPTIONS, BUT WE ARE STILL RELATIVELY IN LINE WITH THE METROPLEX AVERAGE, PARTICULARLY ON THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION SIDE. I WILL NOTE THE CITIES THAT HAVE AN ASTERISK BY THEM DO HAVE THE SENIOR FREEZE OPTION. AND TYPICALLY WHAT WE SEE IS CITIES WILL GO KIND OF ALL IN ON SENIOR RELIEF, OR THEY'LL GO HEAVIER ON THE HOMESTEAD RELIEF.

THERE ARE CITIES LIKE US THAT DO A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, A COMBINED. ALMOST $15 MILLION IN FOREGONE REVENUE TAX RATE IMPACTS. SO COUNCIL MUST LOOK AT THIS AND ANY CHANGES TO THIS IN CONTEXT OF THE OVERALL BUDGET DISCUSSION, WHICH IS WHY WE DO THE ANNUAL REVIEW AT THE TIME. WE'RE STARTING TO PREPARE THE BUDGET. SO MARKET VALUE FOR THIS. THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL HOME IN THE 2025 TAX BASE, YOU CAN SEE GARLAND IS HERE IN THE MIDDLE AT THE AVERAGE MARKET VALUE OF 325,000. WE ARE BELOW THE METROPLEX AVERAGE OF 390,000. I WILL NOTE THAT GARLAND USED TO BE SECOND TO LAST ON THIS. WE ARE SEEING WHAT WE CALL THE TARRANT COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT EFFECT WITH GRAND PRAIRIE, FORT WORTH AND ARLINGTON, WHERE ESSENTIALLY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT CAPPED WHAT THEY WOULD BE REAPPRAISING AND WHAT THE INCREASE OF THAT IS ESSENTIALLY SAYING YOU'RE NOT GETTING MORE THAN X PERCENTAGE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR MARKET VALUES ARE DOING OR THE REAPPRAISAL PLAN. SO THAT WAS AN APPRAISAL DISTRICT DECISION THAT WAS MADE. AND THEN SO YOU ARE SEEING A DECREASE IN THE MARKET VALUE AND RESIDENTIAL HOME VALUES REALLY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT REAPPRAISED AS THEY TRADITIONALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN. YOU SEE THAT FLOW THROUGH ON THE TAXABLE VALUE SIDE, WHERE GARLAND DROPS DOWN A LITTLE BIT LOWER WITH THAT AVERAGE TAXABLE VALUE OF 112,000 COMPARED TO THE METROPLEX AVERAGE OF 150, ALMOST 153,000. SO COUNCIL IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS SIDE, JUST OUR METROPLEX COMPARISON. THIS IS STRICTLY LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. JUST IF WE HAD THE AVERAGE TAX BASE, PROPERTY TAX BASE, IF ANY OF THESE OTHER CITIES, JUST THIS, THIS RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, WE WOULD GENERATE ABOUT 59 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT CITIES THAT OFFER LARGER SHARES OF RELIEF, THEIR TAX BASE IS LESS RELIANT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SHARE OF THE TAX BASE AND HAS A STRONGER COMMERCIAL TAX BASE. SO THAT IS HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO PASS THROUGH THOSE HIGHER EXEMPTIONS WITHOUT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THEIR DAILY OPERATIONS OR THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. LOOKING AT FACTORS IMPACTING THE CIP, WE ARE LOOKING AT A MORE MODEST INCREASE PROJECTED FOR FY 27 IS STILL VERY, VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS. WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WE JUST RECEIVED OUR FIRST ESTIMATE AND WE SHOULD GET OUR SECOND ONE BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH. BUT WE ARE LOOKING DISTRICT WIDE AT A MORE STAGNANT

[04:40:07]

BUT AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, ANY CHANGE IN THE HOMESTEAD OR SENIOR EXEMPTION BECAUSE OF SB TWO DOESN'T NECESSARILY IMPACT THE M AND O SIDE OF THE EQUATION, BUT IT DOES NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE DEBT SERVICE PORTION OF THE EQUATION IN TERMS OF YOUR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE AND YOUR DEBT SERVICE CAPACITY. SO LOOKING AT OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE HELD FLAT PLANNING FOR WHAT WE ARE CONTEMPLATING THIS SUMMER AND THIS UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS IS REBALANCING THE TAX RATE WITH THE UPCOMING, YOU KNOW, PRESENT PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TO CALL THE NOVEMBER 2026 ELECTION. AS PART OF THIS, THE STRATEGY WILL BE TO REBALANCE THE O AND M PORTION OFF THE TAX RATE TO CONTINUE DELIVERING OUR CITY SERVICES AND REDUCE OUR DEBT SERVICE RATE TO SHIFT TO THAT O AND M RATE AND EVALUATE A REDUCTION TO THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE AS WELL TO REDUCE THE OVERALL TAX RATE. THIS WILL SHORE UP OUR CITY FUNDING, AS WELL AS GIVE SOME FORM OF TAX RELIEF TO OUR CITIZENS. SO JUST WANT TO CALL THAT OUT, THAT THE COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING A BUDGET AND A PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT IS GIVING TAX RATE RELIEF, WHILE ALSO SHIFTING BETWEEN THE THE TWO SHARES FROM THE DEBT SERVICE TO THE O AND M SIDE OF THE TAX RATE. SO OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS IS WE WILL BE COMING AT YOUR JUNE 6TH WORKSHOP TO DO THE FY 27 PRELIMINARY BUDGET PRESENTATION. WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT A COUNCIL MEETING IN JUNE FOR CONTINUED DISCUSSION, IF THERE IS ANY. WITH THAT JULY 1ST DEADLINE TO ADOPT ANY CHANGES, SHOULD THE COUNCIL WANT TO PURSUE THAT. SO JUST LOOKING AT HIGH LEVEL PRELIMINARY SCENARIOS, THIS WOULD BE THE SAVINGS TO THE AVERAGE RESIDENT WITH THE WITH A 4% SENIOR EXEMPTION ONLY CHANGE OR $4,000 SENIOR EXEMPTION ONLY CHANGE OR 1% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ONLY CHANGE OR BOTH. OF COURSE, FULL ANALYSIS COULD BE PREPARED AT THE DIRECTION OF T THE COUNCIL, AND WE WILL HAVE THAT JUNE 6TH WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS. BUT AGAIN, JUST WANT TO CALL BACK TO WE ARE LOOKING AT CHANGES TO OUR TAX RATE TO SHORE UP CITY FUNDING AND PROVIDE TAX RATE RELIEF. SO THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED THE REVENUE IMPACT OF THAT ON THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED ALONGSIDE ANY CHANGES WE WANT TO PURSUE OR LOOK AT HERE. SO WITH THAT I'LL I'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS. I THINK EVERYONE'S WAITING ON THE JUNE 6TH MEETING. ALL RIGHT. NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[ ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

AND IT MADE A REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT, THE EXCEPTION OF ONE LITTLE SECTION WHERE WE DIDN'T PUT A OR WE DIDN'T PUT A ONE SIGN. AND THERE IS PERPETUALLY A 18 WHEELER THAT IS PARKED THERE. THERE'S NO SIGN. SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE NEED TO WHETHER IT WAS TOO HARD TO ACTUALLY DRILL A HOLE AND PUT A SIGN IN THAT AREA, OR WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THAT IS WHAT I'M ASKING IS FOR THE STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. OKAY. ON NORTH STREET, WE'LL GET THAT NORTH OF WALNUT, I ASSUME. YES, IT IS. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SIR. AND A SECOND ON THAT ONE BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON, I WOULD LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO LOOK AT FORMING A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP COALITION THAT WOULD BE MADE UP OF CHURCH, CHURCHES, BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT THAT WOULD COMMIT TO

[04:45:02]

COUNCIL NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH A SECOND. JUST COPY AN EMAIL SENT TO ME AND CITY MANAGER AND WE'LL GET THAT IN FOR DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT BEING THE WELL, JUST A REMINDER, COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE GARLAND PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING. SO PLEASE STICK AROUND. THEN AT 11:00 ON THE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.