[Garland District 7 Town Hall Meeting on May 20, 2026.]
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I WANT US, UH, SAY THANKS FOR COMING.
THIS IS JUST MY SECOND TOWN HALL, AS I KNOW LAST AUGUST.
AND SO WE'VE GOT SOME UPDATES AND I, SOME INTERESTING STUFF YOU'RE GONNA WANNA KNOW ABOUT AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.
I LET GET STARTED, PUT IT OUT.
SO FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR, UH, CITY MANAGER, MIKE BES.
UM, SOME OF YOU KNOW MIKE, UM, SOME OF YOU WORK WITH MIKE IN THE, AND SO, UH, I'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MIKE AND LET YOU SAY, IF YOU WOULD.
AND, UH, THESE TOWN HALLS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE THEY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, BOTH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND FOR THE STAFF TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE LISTEN TO FEEDBACK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID MOST IMPORTANT OF THE CITY MANAGER, I LEARNED THIS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS OF THE CITY MANAGER IS TO LISTEN.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO I NEED TO LISTEN TO ARE PEOPLE.
SO THESE TOWN HALLS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPLAIN, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, US TO LISTEN.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND CONCERNS ARE, UH, OPERATIONS OF THE CITY FALL UNDER MANY IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT HOW THINGS OPERATE IN THE CITY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE CAN DO BETTER.
SO ANYWAY, I ALWAYS TO SEE YOU ALL HERE AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE A, A FULL PACK PRESENTATION BY, UH, THREE OF OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, OWENS IN MATT WATSON, AND THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED PEOPLE WORK WITH, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE ASSISTED BY THEM DAY-TODAY BASIS JOINING.
THAT'S QUITE AN INTRO, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M VERY PROUD TO SERVE AS YOUR, UH, CULTURAL ARTS DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UM, SO I ALSO HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE TO TALK ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS, RIGHT? I'M HERE WITH GOOD NEWS, GARLAND DELIVERS, AND, UM, SO THESE ARE REAL PROJECTS, Y'ALL.
GARLAND IS TALKING ABOUT REAL PROJECTS, AND IT'S NOT JUST IN ONE PLACE, IT'S ALL OVER THE CITY AND THEY'RE REAL IMPROVEMENTS.
PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT? UH, THE NEW ANIMAL SHELTER.
HAS ANYONE BEEN TO THE NEW ANIMAL SHELTER? OH, YEAH.
UH, SO THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST EVENTS AT THE CITY, LOTS OF GREAT ADOPTION EVENTS.
UM, REALLY BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
UM, I MEAN, WONDERFUL THINGS GOING ON.
AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE HAVE A NEW SENIOR CITY MISSION FACILITY.
AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? OFFICERS, RIGHT? IT'S TRAINING IN REAL BIKE.
IT'S A, IT'S A TRAIN FACILITY.
SO OUR OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO HELP US WITH, UM, ALL KINDS OF SITUATIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE ALL OF THE NEW FIRE STATIONS.
UH, WE ARE PUTTING FIRE STATIONS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SO THEY CAN BE CLOSE TO CITIZENS.
UM, WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO FIRE STATION ONE, IS THAT CORRECT? WHEN THIS FIRE STATION ONE OPENED AUGUST.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO OUR, FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, AND THEN THIS VIBRANT DOWNTOWN, OH MY GOODNESS, UH, THIS DOWNTOWN TO THIS LAST WEEKEND WITH OUR ASIAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL, WE HAD OVER 14,000 VISITORS THAT WAS CRACK CELL PHONE DATA.
SO, I MEAN, THAT DOWNTOWN IS SUCH AN AMAZING EXAMPLE, UM, OF A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO PLAY AND TO EAT AND TO DINE.
WE HAVE GREAT BUSINESSES COMING INTO DOWNTOWN.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE LOCKWOOD DISTILLERY.
UH, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, TAINO FORTUNATE SUN DEAD WAX RECORDS, AND THESE PLACES ARE GREAT, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT THEY'RE BRINGING FOLKS IN, UH, FROM OUTSIDE OF GARLAND.
AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE, I JUST, UH, MENTIONED ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL, BUT WE
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ACTUALLY HAVE OUR FOUNDERS AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL RIGHT HERE.SO MR. AND MRS. WIND, SO TREMENDOUS.
SO AGAIN, THIS WEEKEND, 14,000 PEOPLE WERE IN DOWNTOWN THIS WEEKEND FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS.
OH, OH, THIS, I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
SO GARLAND IS THE COWBOY HAT CAPITAL OF TEXAS.
NOT ONLY THAT, SO WE ALSO HAVE THE BIGGEST COWBOY HAT IN TEXAS.
AND THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT CAME FROM OUR, UH, CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSIONER, MR. UH, SHIP VAN PELT.
SO VERY THRILLED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO, TO SERVE ON THE ARTS COMMISSION, COME UP WITH A CONCEPT.
AND THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PHOTO OP AND SUCH A FUN WAY, UH, TO CELEBRATE OUR DESIGNATION AS THE COWBOY HAT CAPITAL OF TEXAS.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A FEW OTHER THINGS VERY EXCITING HAPPENING IN THE ARTS WORLD.
UM, MR. THOMAS WAS THE CHAIR OF THE BOND COMMITTEE, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, LAST YEAR WITH A GROUP OF OTHER CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS, WORKED VERY HARD TO PUT TOGETHER AN AMAZING BOND PACKAGE THAT PASSED ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UH, LAST MAY TO HELP WITH STREETS AND PARKS AND RECREATION, AND UPDATES TO THE GRANDVILLE ARTS CENTER, WHICH ARE GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL AND INCREDIBLE, UH, IN ADDITION TO HARBOR POINT PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO, LOTS OF GOOD STUFF, UM, WITH OUR DOWNTOWN, OKAY, SO STREETS, YEAH.
SO IT'S NOT AS EXCITING AS DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
AND, UH, DID YOU KNOW THAT GARLAND HAS ABOUT 2,600 MILES OF STREETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY? OKAY, THAT'S A LOT OF STREETS.
SO IF YOU WERE GONNA THINK ABOUT 2,600 MILES OF STREETS, THAT WOULD BE LIKE DRIVING FROM GARLAND TO SEATTLE.
OKAY, SO YOUR, YOUR STREET CREWS ARE VERY BUSY.
UM, AND ONE OF THOSE AMAZING BOND PACKAGES THAT PASSED LAST MAY, THANKS TO Y'ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, IS TO HELP WITH OUR STREETS PROGRAM.
SO IF YOU GO TO GROVE MARLIN.COM, YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE STREETS CATEGORY, YOU CAN TYPE IN YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT WORK IS HAPPENING CLOSE TO YOU, OKAY? SO YOU CAN SEE REAL TIME WHAT STREET IMPACTS ARE GONNA BE WORKING FOR YOU.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THESE IMPROVEMENTS, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THE STREETS.
SO, UH, THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE HAPPENING THROUGH 2030, UM, PLACES TO PLAY.
I MEAN, YES, LET'S, UH, GET OUTSIDE AND PLAY A LITTLE.
I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS INCREDIBLE RECREATION CENTER THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT HERE.
I MEAN, THIS HOLFORD RECREATION CENTER, NOT ONLY IS IT GORGEOUS, HAVE YOU SEEN HOW PACKED IT IS? LIKE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO PARK KIND OF WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE PLAYING ALL AGES.
I SAW LITTLE KIDS TO, YOU KNOW, OLDER ADULTS.
EVERYONE IS HERE HAVING A GREAT TIME, BUT IT'S ALSO AN AWARD-WINNING RECREATION CENTER.
SO LIKE, WHEN GARLAND SHOWS UP TO SOME OF THESE, UM, REGIONAL CONFERENCES, THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, THERE'S, THEY'RE THE WINNERS.
SO VERY PROUD, UH, MR. HESSER, WHAT THIS WAS THE BEST DESIGN IN THE STATE, OR WHEN, OKAY,
SO IT'S HARD TO SO MANY AWARDS, LIKE OUR DOWNTOWN ACTUALLY WAS THE BEST GAME CHANGER OF 2024 FROM TEXAS DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION.
UM, BUT ALL KINDS OF THINGS FROM THE TENNIS CENTER, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS AS WELL TOO WITH JOYCE WIN AND HARBOR POINT, WHICH IS GONNA BE JUST INCREDIBLE.
UM, AND OF COURSE, LOU HUFF, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WE WERE CELEBRATING THE GRAND OPENING OR THE, NOT THE GRAND OPENING, BUT THE GROUNDBREAKING, UH, FOR LOU HUFF.
SO REALLY GREAT THINGS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE CITY OF GARLAND, NOT JUST HERE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
THIS IS A, A LOT OF GOOD STUFF.
SO MARK YOUR CALIBER THIS WEEKEND, SERT AND SWIM OPENS.
WE HAVE THE RIBBON CUTTING ON FRIDAY.
UM, THIS IS GONNA BE INCREDIBLE.
AND BECAUSE YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF BARLAND, YOU GET A DISCOUNT FOR THIS INCREDIBLE WATER PARK.
I HEAR THE LAZY RIVER IS PRETTY AWESOME.
THE MAYOR HAS BEEN OUT THERE HAVING A LOT OF FUN.
UM, YOU'VE SEEN THEM IN THE SUITS GETTING, YOU KNOW, WET AND IT'S ALL KINDS OF WACKY FUN.
BUT, UH, LOTS OF GREAT THINGS FOR, FOR FAMILIES WITH THE WATER.
BUT OF COURSE IT'S ALSO ABOUT OUR LIBRARIES AS WELL TOO.
AND SO LIBRARIES THESE DAYS, IT'S MORE THAN JUST BOOKS, YOU KNOW, IT'S
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ABOUT CONNECTION.UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, I MEAN, INCREDIBLE.
THERE'S A COOKING STUDIO, THERE'S A PODCAST STUDIO, THERE'S PLAY AREAS.
UM, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT JUST BEING, I DON'T LIBRARY ANYMORE.
IT'S A PLACE TO CONNECT AND TO, TO LEARN AND TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN.
THE LIBRARY IS A AWARD WINNING.
I KNOW THAT ONE FOR, FOR A FACT AS WELL TOO.
THEY WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE TEXAS DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION FOR ITS DESIGN, BUT IT'S NOT ONLY THE BEAUTIFUL CENTRAL LIBRARY, IT'S ALSO WEST BARLOW LIBRARY THAT WE RECENTLY OPENED AS WELL TOO.
SO, AND THAT WHEN YOU DRIVE INTO GARLAND, I MEAN, THAT IS A GATEWAY FEATURE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT GRAND, UH, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCE.
SO, UM, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY COOL THINGS HAPPENING WITH SOUTH FARLAND LIBRARY.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL TUNED INTO THE, UH, COUNCIL WORK SESSION ON MONDAY NIGHT, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT SOME WAYS TO REALLY BEAUTIFY THAT OUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY AND MAKE IT A DESTINATION.
OKAY, SO JUST KIND OF AS A RECAP, UM, YOU KNOW, GARLAND DELIVERS IS ABOUT THE WHOLE PACKAGE, OKAY? IT'S NOT JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE, IT'S THE WHOLE PACKAGE.
THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT THINGS ABOUT GARLAND TO LIVE, TO, GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, AND TO PLAY.
UM, AND IT'S, YOU CAN SEE, I MEAN, WE HAVE, YOU ALL HAVE HELPED US BRING THINGS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT JUST MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
OTHER THAN THAT, UH, HAD A KIND OF SOFT OPENING THAT SATURDAY.
I DID GO ON THE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER CA WRITER, MY VIDEO ON MY COUNCIL MEMBER FACEBOOK PAGE.
I WAS ABLE TO WRITE WAVE JUST LIKE I WAS BACK IN LOS ANGELES.
HAD A LOT OF PRACTICE BACK IN THE DAY.
ANYWAY, UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THIS AND A LOT OF GREAT UPDATES IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
SO I, I, UM, WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE GOING.
WE, WE NOW NEED TO KEEP THOSE FACILITIES OPEN.
AND SO NOW, UH, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE ASSISTANT MANAGER MATT WATSON, WHO'S GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW WE HELP KEEP THESE FACILITIES THAT WE BUILT UP AND GOING UP AND RUNNING.
I'M THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
I'M PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINANCE AND BUDGET DEPARTMENTS AND ASSIST OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN PUTTING TOGETHER BUDGETS.
AND REALLY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, ALL THOSE, MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES, ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES THAT YOU SAW, THOSE NEW AMENITIES, ALL THE NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE WERE VERY MUCH CAPITAL INTENSE AND TRYING TO FUND THOSE.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY TAX RATES BROKEN INTO TWO BUCKETS, YOU HAVE A BUCKET THAT IS SET ASIDE FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, BUT WHAT THAT FINDS IS POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN, THE CREWS THAT ARE WORKING ON PARKS, THE CREWS THAT YOU SEE IN HOLFORD, PAYING THEIR SALARIES, ENSURING THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR FACILITIES, ENSURING THAT OUR STREETS ARE MAINTAINED.
SO THAT IS WHAT THAT BUCKET OF THE TAX RATES USED FOR THE OTHER BUCKET.
THINK OF IT LIKE THE MORTGAGE ON YOUR HOME.
SO IT'S, IT'S THERE TO PAY ALL THE LOANS THAT WE INCURRED TO BUILD ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES.
IN 2019, WE UH, ASKED THE VOTERS FOR THE 2019 BOND TAX AND ACTUALLY INCREASED THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE PORTION, SIX AND A HALF CENTS TO FUND A LOT OF THESE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES, YOU SEE.
BUT SINCE THEN, THE STATE HAS PUT SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF IT, WHICH IS WHAT THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR, WHY WE WANT TO DO THIS TAX RATE SWAP THIS YEAR.
AND THESE RESTRICTIONS CAP THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE CAN COLLECT FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AT 3.5%.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, AS PROPERTY VALUES GO UP, THAT PORTION OF OUR TAX RATE THAT'S THERE FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, THE TAX RATE IS COMPRESSED DOWN SO THAT WE ONLY RECEIVE 3.5% REVENUE TO FUND ALL THE OPERATIONS, ALL THE SALARIES, ALL OF THE INSURANCE FOR ALL THESE FACILITIES AND PEOPLE THAT WE, THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT WE EMPLOY FOR THE CITY OF GARDEN.
SO KIND OF FIRST THE TAG OFF OF AMY WAS INVOLVED, DAR DELIVERS ONE OTHER THING THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY HERE AT THE CITY OF GARDAS, BEING GOOD STEWARD OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS, WHAT THIS IS SHOWING IS OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH FUNDS ALL THOSE POLICE, ALL THOSE FIRE SALARIES, ALL THE PARKS MAINTENANCE, THIS SHOWS THE PER CAPITA REVENUE OF BOTH PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX FOR A LOT OF OUR
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PEER CITIES.SO OUR PEER CITIES FROM RICHARDSON, FROM THE FAR, UH, LEFT, PLANO, IRVING, CARROLLTON, MESQUITE, GRAND PERRY, AND ARLINGTON, IF YOU AVERAGED ALL THOSE TOGETHER, GARLAND'S ABOUT 40% BELOW THE AVERAGE METROPLEX CITY THAT WE COMPARE TO ON PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX TO THE GENERAL FUND.
IF WE WERE JUST THAT AVERAGE CITY, JUST AN AVERAGE CITY, WE WOULD HAVE $90 MILLION MORE IN REVENUE FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
SO THIS SLIDE IS INTENDED THAT.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE WELL IS STRETCH THE DOLLARS FURTHER AND GOT, SO THAT'S THE TAGLINE.
GUARDING DELIVERS MORE WITH LESS.
WE'VE REACHED THE POINT NOW BACK TO THE STATE CAP.
OUR THREE AND HALF, THAT THREE AND HALF PERCENT, WE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND REQUEST.
I MENTIONED THAT WE INCREASED YOUR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE TO FUND ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES TO REQUEST THAT WE MOVE A PORTION OF THAT OVER TO THE M AND O SO THAT WE CAN SURE UP OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE OTHER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
AND I CAN TELL YOU IT'S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR AS WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET TO NOT CUT SERVICES AND MAINTAIN ALL THESE NEW FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
SO AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE RISING COSTS.
SO YOU MIGHT THINK 3.5% REVENUE INCREASE TO THE CITY OF GARLAND SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO COVER THE COST BECAUSE IT'S TYPICALLY WHERE INFLATION SITS.
INFLATION SITS BETWEEN TWO AND 4%.
BUT OUR COST, WE CAN START LOOKING AT THE COST OF CONCRETE.
YOU START LOOKING AT THE COST OF INSURANCE.
YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF CYBERSECURITY TO KEEP ALL OF OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURE.
YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF ALL OF OUR OTHER AGING FACILITIES.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE OVER 250 FACILITIES, MOST OF THOSE BUILT IN THE SEVENTIES.
THE COST OF MAINTAINING ALL THAT AND ENSURING WE HAVE ADEQUATE PROPERTY INSURANCE, HEALTH INSURANCE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND TRYING TO KEEP UP CLOSE TO MARKET ON SALARIES FAR EXCEEDS 3.5%.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING IN NOVEMBER IS TO MOVE A PORTION OF THE DEBT SERVICE OVER TO THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
HOWEVER, BY STATE LAW, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS TO DO THIS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE ANY PORTION OF YOUR M AND O OVER THAT THREE POINT HALF PERCENT CAP, WHICH WE ARE DOING, YOU WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND ASK THE VOTERS FOR THIS.
AND IT WILL READ IN BOLD ON THE TOP, THIS IS A TAX INCREASE.
BUT IN REALITY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST RESTRUCTURE OUR TOTAL TAX RATE BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT, IT'S AT IN THE TOTALITY.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS IN 2019 20, WHY I CHOSE THAT, THAT IS WHEN WE, THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM IS APPROVED AND THAT'S WHEN WE INCREASED THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE SIX AND A HALF CENTS.
WE ARE AT 77 CENTS BECAUSE OF THIS NEW STATE LAW, OUR OM AND O PORTION, OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION FOR THE GENERAL FUND HAS BEEN COMPRESSED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ONLY TAKE IN 3.5% REVENUE.
SO OUR TAX RATE HAS DROPPED 8 CENTS DUE TO THE COMPRESSION OF THE TAX RATE.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IN NOVEMBER IS JUST MAKE A REBALANCING OR SWAPPING ROUGHLY 3 CENTS FROM THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE AS WE PAY DOWN OUR DEBT, AS WE TRY TO TYPICALLY PAY OFF OUR DEBT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND MOVE THAT OVER TO THE OPERATION SIDE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND POLICEMEN, FIREMEN, MAINTAIN OUR ROADS, MAINTAIN ALL THESE NEW FACILITIES.
AND WHAT THAT WILL DO IS BASICALLY RESTRUCTURE THE DEBT, THE TAX RATE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE AND NOT HAVE TO CUT OUR SERVICE LEVELS AS WE ARE KIND OF MOVING OUT OF THIS CAPITAL INTENSIVE PHASE TWO.
NOW WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE AMENITIES LAST LONGER AND THEY'RE PROPERLY, UH, STAFFED FOR ALL OF Y'ALL TO ENJOY.
ONE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS IS WE ARE LOOKING TO REDUCE THE TOTAL TAX RATE DOWN EVEN MORE.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING WE'RE KEEPING YOUR TAX RATE AT 69 CENTS, WE'RE JUST MOVING IT OPEN.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA REDUCE THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE ENOUGH AND WHY IT SAYS 69 THERE WITH THE, MAYBE 'CAUSE WE WE'RE STILL WAITING ON GETTING VALUATIONS FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT BEFORE WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION.
BUT TRUST ME, WE ARE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO MAYBE PUSH THAT 69 CENTS DOWN SO THAT Y'ALL ACTUALLY DO SEE A REAL, UH, RELIEF FROM THE TAX RATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S A HOPE.
I'M HOPING NOT EXPLAINING IT WELL, BUT THE MAIN POINT IS WE'RE LOOKING TO SWAP A PORTION OF OUR DEBT SERVICE
[00:20:01]
TAX RATE OVER OUR M AND O AND DUE TO STATE LAW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO GO TO THE VOTERS TO DO THIS.AND AGAIN, IT'S GONNA READ TAX RATE INCREASE BECAUSE IF YOU EVER INCREASE YOUR M AND O, IT WILL SAY, FORCE US TO WRITE THAT ON THE PROPOSITION.
BUT IN REALITY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST REBALANCE THE TAX RATE THAT Y'ALL ALREADY HAVE SET AND STILL TRY TO LOWER IT JUST A LITTLE BIT TO GET Y'ALL SOME RELIEF WITH THAT.
THAT IS IT, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY REGARDLESS.
I'M NOT CRITICIZING, I HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU 90 WHATEVER FOR, FOR RICHARDSONS AND 40 OVER HERE, IS THAT RELATIVE TO THE UH, AND THE SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY EQUATED IN THAT OR IS THAT JUST WHAT IT'S LOOKING AT IT? SO IT'S, IT'S PER CAP, SO PER PERSON.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED FOR EACH PERSON IN RICHARDSON, THEY'RE GIVING YOU THIS, BUT I WANTED TO POINT OUT ONE THING THAT WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT ALL THESE NEW PROJECTS WE HAVE COMING ON.
SO REALLY WE HAVE KIND OF TWO PATHS RIGHT NOW.
WE WANNA BE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THE MONEY WE HAVE AND WE WANT TO TRY TO GROW OUR TAX BASE BUT NOT GROW IT BY INCREASING RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE, BUT BY TRYING TO BRING IN MORE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT RICHARDSON, PLANO, IRVING, THEY HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, A LOT OF, A LOT OF, UH, THINGS THAT BRING IN OUTSIDE SALES TAX.
CITY OF GARLAND HAS A PRETTY MODEST SALES TAX BASE BECAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT SPEND MONEY IN GARLAND LIVE IN GARLAND.
YOU GO TO RICHARDSON, PLANO, IRVING PEOPLE COME IN FROM THE OUTSIDE TO SPEND MONEY.
SO REALLY OUR TACTIC IS BE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THE MONEY WE HAVE NOW.
AND WE ARE REQUESTING FOR THAT REBALANCING OF THE TAX RATE THAT OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO TRY TO DRIVE THE RESIDENTIAL TAX BURDEN DOWN AND PUT IT MORE ON OUTSIDE ENTITIES COMING IN INTO DESTINATIONS AS WELL AS IN NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CORRIDORS.
DO WE HAVE SPACE IN GARLAND FOR NEW MANUFACTURING OR ANY OF THAT STUFF? WE ARE ABOUT 98% BUILT OUT RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT MEANS THE NAME OF THE GAME IS REDEVELOPMENT.
SO, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET REALLY IN DEPTH IN THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER HERE IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE INTENT IS, IS TO FIND THE CORRIDORS WITH THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK AND REDEVELOP THOSE TO BRING IN MORE VALUE.
SIR, HOW ARE COMPANIES DOING? THEY'RE DOING WELL.
UH, OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR DOWN, YOU KNOW, OFF SHILOH ROAD, THEY ARE, WE INTERACT WITH THEM ALL THE TIME.
'CAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT IS FOR THEM TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO WE ARE ACTIVELY ENSURING THAT THROUGH RETENTION, THAT THEY STAY HERE WITH US AND, AND WE TALK TO A LOT OF THE BIG GUYS ALL THE TIME AND ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE ADEQUATE WATER, ELECTRICITY, AND WE CAN HELP THEM OUT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT THEY'RE ALL DOING WELL.
YEAH, THEY'RE ALREADY EXPANDING AND THEY'RE UNDER AN EXPANSION RIGHT NOW, PUTTING OUT NEW PRODUCT LINES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING WELL.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD BUILDINGS.
UM, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS CONSOLIDATING, BUILDING DOWN.
WE ARE IN, UH, ACTIVELY TALKING WITH, UH, GUARD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR ANY OPPORTUNITIES OR WE CAN, UH, PARTNER WITH 'EM TO TAKE FACILITIES OFF THEIR HANDS FOR, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
IS OUR STUDENT GROW GARMENT GROWING OR IS IT STAYING STABLE? IT'S ACTUALLY GOING DOWN.
TALKING TO MR. TORRES BACK HERE ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY, I THINK THE LAST STATISTIC I HEARD IS THEY WERE ANTICIPATING A LOSS OF ABOUT 800 STUDENTS THIS YEAR AND THEY LOST 2000.
SO THEY, THEY ARE ALSO IN THEIR OWN STROKES, BUT IT'S MOSTLY DUE TO THE LOSS.
HOW ABOUT THE POPULATION? IS IT STABLE? POPULATION IS BASICALLY STALE AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE ROUGHLY AT 250,000 AND YOU KNOW, IT'S GROWN FROM 246,000 SINCE THE LAST, THIS MATURE RESIDENCE IS ALREADY AT THEIR KIDS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THE YOUNGER, YOU'RE MOVING SOMEPLACE ELSE.
AND THAT'S THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO CHANGE AND YEAH, TRY TO IMPROVE ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, APPRECIATE IT.
I, I THINK SWAPPING, MOVING 3 CENTS FROM THIS BUCKET WITH 3 CENTS FROM THIS BUCKET LETS US KEEP PLACES LIKE THIS OPEN, KEEP THE LIBRARIES OPEN, KEEP A LOT OF PROGRAMS GOING, SO I HOPE YOU'LL, UH, TEXT AND WITH, WITH ANY LUCK, THE VALUATION WILL
[00:25:01]
MOVE A LITTLE DOWN, DOWN ON THE DEBT SERVICE SO THE TOTAL GOES DOWN.SO IT'S GONNA LOOK WEIRD ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S GONNA SAY YOU'RE VOTING FOR A TAX INCREASE WHEN IN FACT IT'S GONNA DECREASE.
AND GETTING THE WORD OUT ON THAT AND EXPLAINING THAT SOMETHING I HOPE YOU'LL HELP US DO HOPE YOU'LL PUT THE BALANCE EXPLANATION, UH, HELPED WITH THAT.
SO, UM, NEXT UP, UH, BRIAN MORRIS IS OUR, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR AND WE HAVE A NEW, UH, CODE, UH, SYSTEM COMING IN AND I WANT BRIAN TO EXPLAIN THIS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
BRIAN MORRIS, CO COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A FEW INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE, INCLUDING ONE THAT'S MADE A LOT OF PUBLICITY.
UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, OUR CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW THINGS YOU WERE DOING IN CODE TO BRING YOU GUYS BETTER SERVICE AT THE END OF DAY.
THAT'S OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS CUSTOMER SERVICE.
FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND TO LAST.
UH, SO THAT, LET'S GET STARTED.
SO WE'RE DOING BUILDING A BETTER GUARD TOGETHER.
UH, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR PREVIOUS YEARS, UH, ENFORCEMENT.
UH, ONE OF THE HIGHEST VIOLATIONS IS TALL GRASS, 8,500 OUT OF THE 18 OR SO THOUSAND, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE ISSUED.
AND THAT'S FOR RESIDENTIAL AND PROPER STORAGE ALSO, HOWEVER, THIS HAS TRASH AND DEBRIS STORED OUTSIDE THE ALL.
SO OUR GOAL IS WE WANNA MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES CLEANER, SAME REWARD, VIOLENCE.
SO IN ORDER TO GET THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IDEAS OFF THE GROUND, THOSE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES THAT MENTIONED YOU WANT TRAVEL WHEN YOU GET THERE, YOU WANT THOSE AREAS TO LOOK NICE, WANT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK NICE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR JOB, RIGHT? SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT, SOME PEOPLE LOVE IT, SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT SEE IT COMING, BUT WE'RE ALRIGHT.
SO WHAT IS IT? GLASS VIOLATION? I'M SORRY.
SO HAVE DIDN'T HAVE A GLASS VIOLATION THAT I DIDN'T SEE THE R
ALRIGHT, SO MIKE'S GONNA COME IN, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT I'LL GET US STARTED.
UH, THE BIGGEST, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE IS OUR TRANSITION FROM CRIMINAL CITATIONS TO CIVIL CITATIONS.
UH, SO FOR YEARS IN THE WAY THAT MANY JURISDICTIONS ENFORCE, UH, YOU GO TO A CRIMINAL COURT, SO AN INNOCENT COURT, UM, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME FOR OUR INSPECTORS TO ISSUE THOSE VIOLATIONS.
IT MAY TAKE HOURS UPON HOURS JUST TO WRITE THE CASE, RIGHT? THE CITATION.
SO IT'S TIME TO SERVE AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE CAN ENFORCE MORE, GET MORE COMPLIANCE.
AND SO WE'RE SWITCHING TO A CIVIL CITATION MODEL.
UH, THIS WILL ALLOW FOR FASTER, UH, ENFORCEMENT AND FASTER COMPLIANCE.
SO IN TIME IT TAKES THE RIGHT WATER, CRIMINAL CITATION, WE CAN WRITE 10 CIVIL CITATIONS.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY A DECREASE IN BOND.
WE JUST, OUR GOAL IS EDUCATION BEFORE CITATION.
UH, INITIALLY RESIDENTS CAN, OR BUSINESS OWNERS CAN RECTIFY WITH SUBMITTING A CODE.
YOU WANNA MAKE THAT FIRST WARNING QUICK AND EASY AND PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE.
UH, YOU ISSUE A, A PHOTO OF YOUR CORRECTION AND IT GOES AWAY.
IT DISAPPEARS, RIGHT? 'CAUSE AGAIN, ALL WE WANT IS COMPLIANT.
WE DON'T, WE WOULD RATHER NOT CASH ANY CHECKS IF WE CAN HELP IT.
UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE LOWER FINES, NO CRIMINAL RECORD.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A GUARD OF CARES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT WITH THE POLICE ENFORCEMENT.
WE'LL COME ACROSS RESIDENTS THAT JUST CAN'T COMPLY.
THEY'LL HAVE THE TOOL, THEY'LL HAVE THE RESOURCES.
AND SO WE'RE EXPANDING OUR GOAL AND CARES, UH, TO HELP SENIORS, TO HELP DISABLED RESIDENTS HELP FOLKS THAT CAN'T COMPLY ON THEIR OWN.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO ROLL THAT OUT.
UH, WE'RE HAVING A TOOLS TRAILER WHERE PEOPLE CAN BORROW LAWNMOWERS, TRIMERS ON THE SHOVELS, RIGHT? WE CAN DELIVER THOSE TO.
SO WE'RE REALLY STEPPING UP THAT PROCESS.
WE WANNA MAKE IT VERY CONVENIENT AND EASY TO GAIN COMPLIANCE.
[00:30:06]
GUYS, I'M TECHNICALLY OKAY, HERE WE GO.ALRIGHT, SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? SO THIS IS A PROCESS.
UH, WE OFFICIALLY START ON JUNE THE FIRST, WHICH IS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY.
LONG PROCESSES ARE EXCITING BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS FOR THE CITY OF LAW.
SO IT'S MORE EFFICIENT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU IS GONNA MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, YOUR COMMERCIAL AREAS WHERE WE GO SHOP GONNA MAKE THOSE LOOK BETTER, RIGHT? SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THIS, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU MIKE.
WE'RE FINALLY, UM, SO WE WANT START TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ENGAGED THAT NO ONE IS ABOUT THE NEW SYSTEM, THE WAY WE'RE DOING THINGS.
SO WE'LL HAVE A FULL 90 DAY PERIOD STARTING JUNE 1ST.
OUR EDUCATION PORTION WILL BEGIN, UH, LESS AGAIN, LESS THAN TWO WEEKS.
AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, OUR TEAM'S GONNA GO OUT NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, HOUSE TO HOUSE, BUSINESS TO BUSINESS.
AND WE'RE GONNA HANG OUT BROCHURES.
UH, THEY'LL BE TRAINED IN THREE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAND OUT THOSE AND EDUCATE, TALK TO THE RESIDENTS FOR THAT NINE DAY PERIOD.
UH, KNOW WHAT VIOLATIONS LOOK LIKE, WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO, WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ENFORCE, AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN ALSO HOW TO REGISTER FOR AND CARES TO GET ASSISTANCE IF YOU NEED.
SO IT'S A FULL EDUCATIONAL SPRINT.
WE HAVE NINE DAYS TO DO IT BEFORE EPTEMBER FIRST STARTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE BUSY IN THE HOT SUMMER.
UH, WE'LL BE BUSY OUT THERE TALKING.
UM, SO WE HAVE THE DOOR HANDLES WITH OUR RESOURCES, A FULLY EXPLAINED PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE A LINK TO THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN SEE HOW TO LOG IN THESE TOOL OR HOW TO GET TO, UH, HOW TO APPLY FOR ING CARES FOR ASSISTANCE AND WHAT ARE THE COMMON VIOLATIONS, RIGHT? SO IT'LL BE VERY, VERY ENGAGING.
UH, SEPTEMBER 1ST WE START, UH, WE START WITH THE PROCESS OF ENFORCEMENT.
AT THAT POINT, UH, WE ISSUED THE CITATIONS AND WE BEGAN THAT, THAT PROCESS OVER.
SO WE GOT 90 DAYS TO GET EVERYBODY ACCLIMATED.
UH, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE'RE JUST PUTTING INFORMATION OUT HERE.
SO, SO YOU ALL YOU HAVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR COULD MAKE IT TONIGHT.
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD THAT CITY SAY GOOD THINGS, NOT A SCARY, IT'S GONNA BE GOOD.
THE CITY IN GENERAL GOT YES SIR.
ARE PEOPLE THERE ARE THE OWNERS HOW, HOW YOU WORK
SO WE HAVE RELATIVELY APPROXIMATELY, UH, 10,000 RESIDE PROPERTIES.
SINGLE RENTAL, LARGE PORTION OF LARGE RESIDENTIAL BASE ARE INDEED RENTAL PROPERTIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HIGH EXPECTATION FOR IF YOU ARE PUTTING YOUR HOUSE IN A FOR RENT IT ROAD, THE EXPECTATION IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THAT PROPERTY, THAT'S OUR EXPECTATION.
SO IF THEY COME OUT OF COMPLIANCE, IF THEY REMAIN OUTTA COMPLIANCE, THEN WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HANDLE THAT VERY, UH, RELATIVELY HEAVY IN HAND, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW TO RESPECT WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR PROPERTY HERE, BRING TO THE CLIENTS.
ARE YOU GO TO THE OWNER, TELL THEM THAT THEIR PROPERTY.
SO ALL COMMUNICATION WILL GO TO THE OWNER, SAY WILL BE IN CONTACT ME AS WELL.
BUT THE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION, OFFICIAL CITATION WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE OWNER.
THEY'RE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE.
ALRIGHT, SO HERE'S THE MONEY, THE MONEY PART.
SO AGAIN, YOU REDUCED THE FINES.
UH, TYPICAL MUNICIPAL VIOLATION IS UP TO 250.
IT HELPS FOR SAFETY, UH, VIOLATIONS.
SO THE RESONANCE, UM, FOR THE CIVIL VIOLATIONS ARE 25 FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE.
UH, 75 FOR THE SECOND ONE, 50 FOR THE THIRD.
BUT WE CAN DO THAT OVER REPEATED BASIS.
WE CAN FIND THEM THEY IF NEEDED OR THEY DON'T HAVE MEANS TO DO IT.
THEN THE COURTS WE'RE HERE TO HELP THE YES.
SO FOR WE CAN ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS HAVE AND WE'LL
[00:35:01]
ABATE PROPERTIES AS NEEDED.WE WE'RE GONNA CLEAR THE VIOLATION.
THE GRASS IS HIGH, 12 INCHES, ALL MAXIMUM.
WE'RE GONNA CITE THEM AND WE CAN'T CLEAR THE VIOLATION, HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS GO OUT IN OBEY YOU.
SO SIR, WE'RE NOT GONNA LET SIT FOR OVER 12 MONTHS.
I'M SURE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THE SAME PROBLEM HE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, GRASS GET THIS HIGH AND THEN THEY CUT IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY THE GUY TO COME AND CUT IT.
THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S NOT JUST AN OVER ABSOLUTELY A PROBLEM.
SEE WHY SOME, SOME WILL WAIT ON US TO COME AND ISSUE A NOTICE.
ASK THEM TO PLEASE, PLEASE CUT YOUR GRASS.
AND SO THIS IS MEANT TO ADDRESS THAT, THAT VERY ISSUE.
SO WE CAN START WITH THE CITATION.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE NO WARNINGS AT THAT POINT WE ISSUE A CITATION AND WE FEEL THAT AFTER, UH, RECEIVE A FEW CITATIONS, THEY'LL GET THE POINT AND THEY WILL SELF CORRECT.
RIGHT? SO IF THEY DON'T PAY THE CITATION, YOU PUT A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY OR WHAT? UH, YES, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE CAN GO INTO COLLECTIONS IF THEY DON'T PAY.
UH, WE DO HAVE A LIEN PROCESS FOR OUR ABATEMENTS.
SO IF WE CUT THE YARD, WE REMOVE THE TRASH, UH, WE DO RECOUP THOSE FUNDS BY PLACING A LIMIT ON THE PROPERTY.
AND SO FOR BUSINESSES IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIGGER COMPANIES, BIGGER CORPORATIONS.
SO 100 FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE, ONE 50 UP TO TWO FOR BUSINESSES.
ALRIGHT, SO TALK ABOUT GARLAND.
CARERE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT CARES BECAUSE AGAIN, WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GREAT INTENTIONS THAT WANNA FIX THEIR PROPERTIES.
THEY WANNA DO GOOD, THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE MEANS.
AND SO, UH, IT'S NOT JUST CODE.
WE HAVE OUR OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY.
WE HAVE, UH, VOLUNTEER GARLAND, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY, UH, ALL TO THE WILL, UH, TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO COMPLY BUT JUST DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO DO IT, RIGHT.
SO, UH, WHAT WE DO, UM, THE QUALIFICATIONS SENIORS, THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE WITH DIFFERENT FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS, ALL WILL QUALIFY.
UH, THOSE APPLICANTS, ONCE THEY PUT IN A AN APPLICATION GOOD LIST, OUR ENFORCEMENT STOPS AT THAT POINT, RIGHT? WHILE WE'RE, EVEN, WHILE WE'RE PROCESSING THE INFORMATION OUR ENFORCEMENT STOPS, WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE ANY MORE INSULTED INJURY.
UH, SO WE STOP THAT WHILE WE GET THAT PROCESS, WE CONNECT WHETHER IT'S AN INTERNAL RESOURCE, WHETHER IT'S A CONTRACTOR, WHETHER IT'S A SEED PARTNER, WE CONNECT THEM WITH DIFFERENT RESOURCES WHERE WE CAN GET THEM TO HELP NEED, WHETHER IT'S GRASS TRASH, IT COULD BE SOME LIGHT PAINTING, IT COULD BE SOME MINOR REPAIR.
AND IF IT'S SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND WE HAVE OUTSIDE PARTNERS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH, IT'S STRUCTURAL IN NATURE THAT WILL FORWARD THAT TO OUR OUTSIDE PARTNERS.
UH, SO HERE'S SOME INFORMATION ON HOW PEOPLE CAN COMPLY.
OUR EMAIL, OUR PHONE NUMBER, AND ONLINE, WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT'S EXPLAIN PROGRAM.
RESIDENTS CAN COME IN THE INFORMATION THAT GOES ALL.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT GROWING CARE, WE'RE ROLLING THAT OUT, UH, IN FULL FORCE.
WHO'S WORKING JUST FINE FOR EVERYBODY? ALRIGHT, SO WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU, UM, COMMON QUESTION YOU RECEIVE.
IS THIS A WAY TO MORE MONEY? NO, IT'S NOT.
IT'S TRULY NOT ABOUT REVENUE GENERATION AT ALL.
IF THE CITY LOOKS GREAT, OUR PROPERTY VALUES GO UP.
PEOPLE WANT TO COME AND INVEST.
THEY WANNA COME LIVE, THEY WANT COME AND ENJOY THIS.
THAT'S THE REWARD THAT RICH WRITING.
IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FIND OUR WAY OUT OF ANY TYPE OF SITUATION.
IT'S NOT REVENUE BASED, IT'S COMPLIANCE BASED.
IF WE DON'T COLLECT A DOLLAR, WE BE, WE BE HAPPY.
UM, WHAT IF I READ, DOES THIS APPLY TO ME? SO THIS IS FOR THE QUALITY OF CARES.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ONLY FOR HOMEOWNERS, RIGHT? SO A LANDLORD, IF YOU'RE IN BUSINESS, LANDLORD, A RENTAL HOUSE IS IN BUSINESS.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA HELP SUBSIDIZE YOUR BUSINESS BY PAYING YOUR FENCE OR CLEANING YOUR YARD.
WE'RE NOT GONNA THAT UP TO YOU TO BRING THAT INTO COMPLIANCE.
UH, WE'RE HELPING HOMEOWNERS OWN ALL IN RESIDENCE AND HOMEOWNERS OWN.
[00:40:01]
QUALIFICATION, THERE'S PROOF.WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MEDICAL RECORDS INTO, WE'RE NOT THE IRS.
WE DON'T WANNA DIG DEEP INTO YOUR FINANCIAL, YOUR MEDICAL ISSUE.
YOU DON'T WANNA SET, UM, YOU MADE A GOOD CASE TO US.
AND THERE HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES.
UM, THERE'S SOME ISSUES, UH, TALL GRASS THAT COULD BE A HARBOR RISK FOR RATS AND ROLLS AND P VIOLATIONS.
THOSE WE WILL REMEDY WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.
UM, DANGEROUS STRUCTURE THAT COULD HOLD THE RISK TO YOURSELF OR THE NEIGHBORS OR THE KIDS.
UH, WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
UM, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTACT US RIGHT AWAY IF WE HELP.
LAST SLIDE BEFORE WE GO ONTO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMPLIANCE AND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS TO CITY TRYING, UH, OUR CODE DEPARTMENT QUOTE DEPARTMENT.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AS A CITY.
PEOPLE SAY, WELL WHY ARE YOU DOING SO WHAT THIS ABOUT, IF YOU THINK ABOUT OUR CITY, GO BACK 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS, IF YOU'VE LIVED HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NOTICE IS CITY, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE, UH, HAVE SUFFERED FROM CHRONIC UNDERINVESTMENT, WE CALL IT.
THAT IS PEOPLE HAVEN'T MAINTAINED THEIR HOMES OVER THE YEARS.
AND YOU HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND, AND YOU MENTIONED RENTAL HOMES.
YOU'LL SEE BUNCH OF HOMES START SHOWING UP AND THEN THINGS GET EVEN WORSE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE RENTAL HOMES SHOW UP AND THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE, AND PEOPLE THINK RENTAL HOMES ARE THE PROBLEM.
AND IN SOME THEY'RE WHAT, WHAT RENTAL HOMES REALLY ARE IS A SYMPTOM OF THE PROBLEM OF THE DECLINING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO THE RENTAL HOMES MOVE IN AND THE REASON THEY CITE AND BUY RENTAL HOMES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN DECLINE BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING TO SAY, OKAY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CODE ENFORCE GOING ON HERE.
IF I RANK A HOME HERE, I DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANY MONEY BACK IN THE HOME.
I CAN TAKE ALL THE RENT FOR MYSELF AND NOT PUT ANY MONEY BACK IN THE HOME.
THEY SUCK ALL THE VALUE OUT OF THAT HOME, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THEY DO.
THEY SUCK ALL THE VALUE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND IT.
AND YOU GET THREE OR FOUR OF THESE AROUND YOU, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE TRYING, YOU KEEP YOUR HOUSE REALLY NICE AND BEAUTIFUL AND YOU KEEP IT PAINTED.
YOU KEEP YOUR LAWN TRIMMED AND CUT AND YOU WALK OUT ON THE FRONT PORCH AND THERE'S THREE OR FOUR HOUSES THAT ARE JUST A WRECK.
'CAUSE THEY'RE RENTAL HOMES THAT THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF BECAUSE THE LANDLORD HAS STOPPED PUTTING ANY MONEY BACK IN THE PROPERTY.
THESE MUST, BUT ALL THE MONEY RIGHT HERE IS POCKET.
WHAT'S THE RESULT OF THAT? YEAH, WE'VE ALL HAD THIS EXPERIENCE.
YOU GO LOOK AT A HOME, I WAS TALK ABOUT GETTING CATFISHED BY ZILLOW.
YOU GO ON ZILLOW AND YOU LOOK ON ZILLOW AND THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
AND I JUST BOUGHT A HOME HERE, RIGHT? AND YOU DRIVE OUT, YOU DRIVE OUT THIS HOME, AND I JUST DID THIS WITH MY WIFE.
YOU DRIVE IN, IT LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL HOME AND BEFORE YOU CAN GET TO THE HOME, NOT BEEN AROUND IT WHEN I'M LIVING HERE, I SAID, WHY A TRUCK PARKED ON THE GRASS? IT'S ON BLOCKS WITH THAT THE FENCE FALLEN DOWN, WEEDS GROWN THROUGH IT.
THAT HOUSE HASN'T BEEN PAINTED SIX YEARS.
I WANT GO FIND A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE DRIVE TO A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN CHRONIC UNDERINVESTMENT BY SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES OVER THE YEARS.
AND THEN THE RENTAL HOMES COME IN AND EXACERBATE.
ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT THE CIVIL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM IS TO WRITE A CRIMINAL CITATION TO A LANDLORD'S ABSENT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A COMPANY.
SO YOU HAVE A CORPORATION WRITE A CRIMINAL TICKET.
WHY? BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO CHARGE A, A CORPORATION OR AN LLC OR A PARTNERSHIP WITH A CRIME, YOU HAVE TO SERVE THE REGISTERED AGENT FOR SERVICE OR PROCESS DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
SO ALTHOUGH IT REALLY TAKES FOUR HOURS TO WRITE A SINGLE TICKET FOR CODE AND IS WHERE WE TALKED TO THE OFFICERS ABOUT ONE TICKET RIGHT NOW, IT TAKES THEM FOUR HOURS.
AND IF YOU THEN HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN AND SERVE THE REGISTERED AGENT THERE, THAT JUST ADDS MORE TIME ON ONTO IT.
AND SO THE CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT CITATION.
THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THE RENTAL HOMES, AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED IT, IT'S A GREAT POINT ON THE RENTAL HOMES, IS WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T COMPLY? WHAT IF THEY DON'T PAY THE FROM ALL SALE? IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE RENTAL HOMES, UNLIKE SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN A HOME, THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO TO 'EM.
I CAN'T TAKE THEIR HOME FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF TICKETS.
IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T WANT PAY THE RESIDENCE, WHO LIVES HERE WON'T PAY ANY OF THE TICKETS, WHO MAY HAVE TO USE CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT.
BUT WITH THESE RENTAL HOMES, IF THE OWNER DOESN'T PAY THOSE TICKETS, AFTER I GET A NUMBER OF THOSE TICKETS, I CAN TAKE THEM DOWN TO THE DALLAS DISTRICT COURT AND GET A CIVIL JUDGMENT AND I COME BACK, I NOW HAVE A JUDGMENT AGAINST THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY.
IF THE ONLY PROPERTY THAT PERSON OWNS IN DALLAS COUNTY IS THAT RENTAL HOME, I CAN TAKE THAT RENTAL HOME TO SATISFY THE JUDGMENT THAT I HAVE.
AND SO IT'S AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, AND I'M HOPING NEVER HAPPENED TO HOPE THAT THE RENTAL HOMEOWNERS WILL REALIZE THAT WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE THEM TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTIES, UH, UH, IN A WAY THAT, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD EXPECTS.
BUT IF THEY DON'T, WE HAVE MUCH BETTER TOOLS FOR THE CIVIL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.
[00:45:01]
THE OTHER THING THE CIVIL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM DOES IS IT ALLOWS US TO REACH MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A LABORIOUS PROCESS TO WRITE A CRIMINAL CITATION CODE IS ONLY ABLE TO GET TO SO MANY CODE VIOLATIONS A YEAR.EVEN THOUGH IF YOU DRIVE SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, SOME OF THEM HAVE, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN TOWN WHERE THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL AND THERE'S NO VIOLATIONS, THERE'S SOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE'S HUNDREDS ON EVERY STREET OF CODE VIOLATIONS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT'S A VERY BIG JOB FOR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT THAT TRY TO HANDLE WHEN IT TAKES FOUR HOURS TO GET A TICKET FROM START TO FINISH THROUGH THE PROCESS UNDER THE CIVIL VIOLATION OF THE PROGRAM.
AND OUR HOPE IS WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
THE REASON THAT MOTHER INVESTED IN THE PROPERTY IS BECAUSE THEY'RE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE RECOGNIZE IN THE CITY IS YOU CANNOT TICKET YOUR WAY INTO SOLVING THAT PROBLEM.
IF SOMEBODY CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX THEIR HOME AND CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEIR HOME, WRITING THEM A TICKET DOESN'T HELP GET THE HOME, UH, PAINTED, RIGHT? IT DOESN'T HELP GET THE FENCE FIXED.
ALL IT DOES IS IT MAKE THIS HARDER FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY FIX IT.
WELL, THE CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM AND THE GARLAND CARE PROGRAM TOGETHER, OUR IDEA IS WHEN WE SEND THEM A CITATION, IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT, THERE'S A PLACE ON THE CITATION.
IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX THIS AND YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO COMPLY OR YOU'RE PHYSICALLY UNABLE, COMPLY IF YOU'RE ELDERLY, DISABLED, REACH OUT TO US.
AND OUR HOPE IS BY GETTING A BROADER REACH, WE'LL GET THESE PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, HEY, I I'M UNABLE TO PAINT THIS HOUSE.
WE GET OUR VOLUNTEERS, WE GET, WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS IN PLACE.
HEALTH RESIDENTS PAINT THEIR HOUSES, HELP THEM GET FENCES, FIXED FENCES AND FALLING DOWN AND BROKEN SORT OF THING.
I CAN'T WORK TO GET MY TREES CUT BACK SO THAT THEY'RE NOT OVER THE ALLEY.
OKAY? WE'LL GET PEOPLE OUT THERE TO HELP THEM.
AND SO THE IDEA WITH THE CIVIL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM IS TO, IS TO BE ABLE TO REACH A LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE SO WE CAN GET 'EM TO REACH OUT TO US FOR HELP.
AGAIN, WITH THE RENTAL HOMES GONNA REQUIRE STRICT COMPLIANCE.
THEY'RE GONNA COMPLY, I SAY ABOUT THE RENTAL HOMES.
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING HERE I HAVE HERE IS TOWN HALLS IS PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE POOR CONDITIONS OF THE RENTAL HOMES.
AND I SAY, YES, IF YOU PUT ONE OF THESE RENTAL HOMES IN RICHARDSON OR FRISCO, HOW LONG WOULD THEY LET IT STAY THERE IN THOSE CONDITIONS? NOT LONG AT ALL.
THEY'D DO IT AND SHUT 'EM DOWN.
WELL, WE HAVE TOOLS NOW WITH THE CIVIL ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENT BE ABLE TO BE, TO VERY RAPIDLY REQUIRE THEM TO COMPLY WITH THEIR CODE.
SO NOT QUALITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND GOING BACK TO
HOW DO YOU REVITALIZE YOUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS? IF YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IN SOUTH HALF OF OUR CITY, THEY USED TO BE VIBRANT SHOPPING CENTERS THAT HAVE ALL RUN INTO A SERIOUS DECLINE.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE BUSINESS STRIP CENTERS.
SAME THING AS THE RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS.
YOU HAVE A STRIP CENTER, IT'S GOT FIVE BUSINESSES THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY USED TO BE FRYING BUSINESSES.
NOW MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE A A A VAPE SHOP AND A CHECK CASHING BUSINESS AND A SHOP AND, AND THEN THEY'RE NOT THE BUSINESSES YOU WOULD SEE UP NORTH HERE.
YOU HAVE THESE BUSINESSES IN THERE.
THEY'RE SOMEBODY IN CALIFORNIA, THEY PAY, YOU KNOW, 2000 BUCKS A MONTH FOR THAT LITTLE SHOPPING CENTER SPACE.
AND THE PERSON IN CALIFORNIA, AND YOU CAN THINK OF SOME OF THESE IF YOU DRIVE DOWN TO THE SOUTH OR SOME OF THE SHOPPING CENTERS, LOOK AT THE PARKING LOTS.
THEY HAVEN'T SEEN A STRIPE SINCE 1978.
YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, THE PAVED AREA OF THE PARKING LOT.
THERE'S POTHOLES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY HAVEN'T PAID THAT THAT PARKING LOT IN 30 YEARS.
USED TO BE VERY HARD TO WRITE A CODE VIOLATION TO A GUY IN CALIFORNIA TO CHARGE THEM WITH A CRIME HERE IN TEXAS, CIVIL VIOLATION.
THEY COULD LITERALLY TAKE A PICTURE, TAKE A PICTURE, AND EVERY TIME THEY TAKE A PICTURE, THEY TAKE A PICTURE, PUSH THE BUTTON, AND THEY GUY IN CALIFORNIA TAKE.
AND WE CAN TELL THESE, THESE COMMERCIAL, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE KEEPING THESE PROPERTIES SUBSTANDARD, WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE YOU TO COMPLY SO THAT THE SHOPPING CENTER LOOKS NICE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DEVELOPERS WHO WANT COME HERE, THEY WANNA PUT A NICE BUSINESS IN.
THEY COME OUT, THEY LOOK, THEY GO, I WOULD LIKE THIS SITE.
I THINK I CAN MAKE MONEY HERE, BUT I DON'T WANNA BE NEXT DOOR TO THIS SHOPPING CENTER THAT HASN'T SEEN A STRIKE IN, IN 30 YEARS.
AND THERE'S POTHOLES ALL OVER AND THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE SIDE AND THE METALS ON THE SIDE.
YOU CAN ALL SEE THESE SHOPPING CENTERS I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WE NEED TO HOLD THOSE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A MECHANISM WHERE WE CAN EASILY AND QUICKLY ISSUE CITATIONS AND REQUIRE COMPLIANCE.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT AND WE BRING THE QUALITY OF THOSE AREAS UP AND THE QUALITY OF THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS UP BY ENFORCING OUR CODES THERE AND HELPING PEOPLE WHO CAN'T COMPLY, THE IDEA IS THAT WILL HELP DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INTO THOSE AREAS.
BECAUSE NOW PEOPLE HAVE NICE SHOPPING CENTERS WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOODS AD UH, LOOKS LIKE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE DEVELOPERS THINK THAT THEY CAN INSIDE BUSINESS AND MAKE MONEY.
AND THAT'S KIND OF OUR GOAL HERE IN JUNE.
WE'RE ROLLING OUT A STRATEGIC PLAN, THE ABILITY TO CLEAN UP THESE, UH, RESIDE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IS A ESSENTIAL PART OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN'S ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY.
SO I WANT JUST MENTION THIS CODE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM.
YES, IT IS A GOOD PROGRAM FOR THE CODE DEPARTMENT.
[00:50:01]
IT HELP US IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.BUT IT DOES SOMETHING MUCH MORE IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY.
IT ALLOWS US TO DRIVE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE AS MATT POINT OUT, WE'RE OUT ROOM IN OUR CITY.
SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S REDEVELOPMENT.
HOW DO WE REDEVELOP, HOW DO WE TAKE SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ONCE DRIVING COMMERCIAL CENTERS THAT HAVE BECOME RUN DOWN AND INTO CENTERS, YOU DRIVE THE QUALITY OF THOSE CENTERS SURROUND LOOK BETTER, MAKING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS BETTER.
AND THEN DEVELOPERS LOOKING COME IN AND SAY, I THINK I CAN MAKE MONEY HERE.
AND THEY COME IN, THEY THE BUSINESSES TO RESTAURANTS, THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT IN PARTS OF OUR TOWN, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE IT IN.
SO I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU THAT CONTEXT BECAUSE IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAN JUST, UH, BRIAN COMMISSION, WHICH IS TO QUALITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT IT'S ALSO PART OF A BIGGER PLAN.
WE HAVE TO TRY TO REVITALIZE PARTS OF OUR CITY, WHICH WILL HELP US HAVE A HIGHER SALES TAX BASE SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN HAVE A LOWER PROPERTY TAX.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD INCORPORATE ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED MAKE THAT POINT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YES, THESE TIMEFRAMES STILL GONNA BE SENT TIMEFRAME.
IT'LL BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE AS WE ARE, IF WE GO TO VIOLATION, UH, WE ISSUE A CITATION, RIGHT? AND SO ON THAT FIRST CITATION, UH, YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO CLEAR THE PICTURE.
SO YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO COMPLY ON THE, FROM THE DAY OF THE CITATION.
AND IT'S, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, I EXPLAINED TO YOU, PEOPLE SAY, ARE WE STILL GONNA DO ALL THESE WARNINGS? ALL WARNINGS ALL THE TIME.
I SAY WARNING, THE FIRST CITATION YOU GET FOR ANY PARTICULAR KIND OF OFFENSE, IF IT'S YOUR FIRST CITATION AND YOU MAY GET SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS OF OFFENSES, YOU GET A FIRST CITATION ORDER.
YOUR FIRST CITATION IS A WARNING.
UNLESS YOU DON'T COMPLY WITHIN 30 DAYS, DON'T FIX IT.
AND I SAY IT'S LIKE, IMAGINE YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, YOU'RE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON A HIGHWAY WHERE CLOSE TO 55 AND THE TROOPER STOPS YOU AND HE WRITES YOU A TICKET AND SAYS, LOOK, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU A DEAL.
IF AT ANY TIME IN THE NEXT 20 MILES YOU SLOW DOWN TO 55 MILES AN HOUR, THIS TICKET'S GONNA DISAPPEAR.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH CODE.
IF AT ANY TIME IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS YOU BRING YOUR PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE, THE TICKET JUST DISAPPEARS.
AND HOW DO YOU, HOW WOULD YOU INFORM, UH, THE OWNERS THAT IT'S BEEN DISMISSED ALSO BY? UM, NO.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU UPLOAD ON THE PHOTO, IF YOU UPLOAD A PHOTO ON THE APP ARE PRO SO THEY CAN CALL US BY CAN CALL, THEY CAN CALL US, THEY CAN EMAIL US, WE CAN COME BY, WE'LL COME OUT.
YEAH, WE'LL MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE GRASS IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE POT HOLES IN THE PARKING LOTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ME.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE CITY BETTER.
YOU DON'T DRIVE ANY PLACES THAN COMMERCIAL HUNDRED PERCENT.
THAT'S WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS THAT YOU GET THE PAINT FIX ON AND THEN THE BUILDING LITTLE SIGNS ARE CROOKED AND BROKEN AND THE CURB WHERE THE LANDSCAPING THAT WE REQUIRED ONCE IS ALL DIED AND THE CURB IS BROKEN AND THE SAND IS INTO THE PARKING LOT FROM WHERE THE LANDSCAPE IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, AND I'M CURRENT PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION, SO I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO ARE YOU, IS CHANGED OR WAY TO HELP YOU WITH THIS ENFORCEMENT? GREAT QUESTION.
SO WITH OUR NEW SYSTEM, WE HAVE A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UH, SALESFORCE HUGE COMPANY.
AND SO WITH THAT, THERE'S A NEW PORTAL THAT REPLACES NEW ASSIST AND IS MUCH MORE INTERACTIVE.
SO INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING A COMPLAINT IN AND YOU CLOSE IT OUT, IT HAS MORE BACK AND FORTH.
SO YOU KNOW, THAT REPLACE THESE, IT'S GONNA REPLACE FOR CODE.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE STILL ON ASSIST FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT OUR COMPLAINTS ARE NOW ROUTED THROUGH THE NEW PORTAL AND IS MORE INTERACTIVE.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT STAGE OF THE, THAT LITTLE BIT OF BACK AND FORTH WE GO OUT, YOU GET A MESSAGE WHEN WE IT YOU GET AN ADDITIONAL MESSAGE.
I LIKE TO LIVE IN A, IN A REAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ALL ALSO HAVE THE THOUGHT, THIS IS MY PERSONAL AREA.
WHAT IS THE CITY AND WHAT IS ACROSS THE WHERE CITY GO GENERAL USED MULTIPLE AUTOMOBILE
[00:55:01]
PARKED IN THE STREET AS THE, AS THE GUY WHO USED TO BE THE I PARKING IN PORTMOUTH HERE IN THE CITY.IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING ISSUE.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S THE LAW ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU DON'T OWN THE STREET IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME.
AND SO PEOPLE WILL PARK CARS IN FRONT OF HOMES AND THE MARSHALLS NOT CODE HANDLE PARK.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE RUN INTO IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE 6, 8, 9, 10 VEHICLES, THEY'RE ONLY REALLY DRIVING NONE OF THEM.
THEY'RE JUST STORING ALL THE REST OF 'EM ON THE STREET.
THE MARSHALS HAVE BEEN BEEN BECOMING MORE ACTIVE IN THIS, IN GOING OUT AND CHECKING IF THAT CAR HASN'T MOVED IN IN 48 HOURS AND IT'S A CAR THAT THEY REALIZE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND THERE'S NINE HOMES PARKED IN FRONT OF A HOUSE, THEY'RE GOING PROBABLY ELECTRONICALLY MARKET, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH ANYMORE.
THE SUPREME COURT SAID WE CAN'T PUT PIECE OF CHALK FLYING ON IT.
SO THEY TAKE AN ELECTRONIC PICTURE OF IT, WHICH KEEPS TRACK OF WHERE THE HUB TRACK HUB, UH, THE THE HUB NUTS OR WHATEVER THEY CALL THEM AND KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THOSE ARE THE, THE LUG NUTS AND THEN COMES BACK AND IF THEY MOVED AT ALL, IF HAVEN'T MOVED AT ALL, IT KNOW THAT IT WAS MOVED AND THEY'LL ISSUE THE CITATION.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH LOTS OF VEHICLES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS SOMETIMES DRIVEN BY RENTAL HOMES.
AND LEMME TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME INTO RENTAL HOMES AND THEY, THEY'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE ALLOWED THAN A RENTAL HOME THAN WERE REALLY ALLOWED TO LIVE THERE.
AND THE REASON THAT THEY LIVE IN THOSE, UH, RENTAL HOMES IN SEVEN APARTMENTS IS BECAUSE THE APARTMENTS WOULDN'T LET THEM HAVE NINE PEOPLE LIVING IN A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT AND TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH ALL THOSE CARS THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW.
BUT IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS, IT'S VERY HARD FOR US TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, AS A CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT THAT THAT HAPPENS.
ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE RESULT IN ENFORCING CODES AGAINST THESE RENTAL PROPERTIES, IT'S GOING TO FORCE THEM TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF THOSE RENTAL HOMES, WHICH IS LIKELY GOING TO MEAN THAT IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE LEAST AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE IF THERE'RE THOSE TYPES OF PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN RUN DOWN IN MONEY.
BUT THE QUESTION WAS, AND AND IT REALLY WAS, I HE LIVED, SO DO I RIGHT, SO THERE'S RENTAL HOUSES HAD SEVEN CARS PARKED IN FRONT.
THERE'S THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST THAT.
AND, AND, AND YOU PROBABLY CAN'T PASS A LAW AGAINST THAT AGREE BECAUSE AGREE, BECAUSE UNLESS YOU DID NEIGHBORHOOD STICKER PARKING AND ONLY ISSUED TWO STICKERS FOR, AND ANYTIME THE COUNCIL HAS EVER CONSIDERED THAT THERE'S A RIOT AT CITY HALL BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR, YOUR AUNT OVER AND YOUR UNCLE OVER FOR AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW THEY GET A TICKET BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A STICKER ON YOUR CAR.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SAYING THOUGH IS THAT, IS THAT AS YOU HAVE RENTAL HOMES THAT AREN'T ACCOMMODATING TO 7, 8, 9 ADULTS LIVING THERE, YOU'LL SEE LESS OF THIS HAPPEN.
YOU DON'T SEE THIS IN AREAS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THE RENTAL HOMES THAT THE ONES THAT I HATED, LIKE TRAIL AND DIAMOND OAKS, AND I'M GONNA TALK TO THE OFFICER MURPHY WHILE I'M HERE.
IF YOU GO OUT THERE IN THE MORNING AND, AND, AND THE, I DON'T, I DON'T WORK, BUT I'VE BEEN TO THE AIRPORT AT SIX IN THE MORNING AND I CAN BARELY GET AROUND THE CORNER BECAUSE THEY'RE PARKED WITHIN TWO FOOT OF THE CORNER, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND UH, YOU CAN'T FIX THE RIGHT, THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, AND IF THE FAR, UNLESS THERE'S NO PARKING SIGNS, THEY CAN PARK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
SO AS LONG AS EIGHT CAN GET THROUGH, THERE'S YEAH.
IF THERE'S AREAS WHERE IT CREATES A HAZARD, WE CAN POST NO PARKING ON.
UH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING HAS TO DO WITH THE STUDY MOUNTAIN WE STUDY AND WE SAY THIS IS CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD.
SO EMERGENCY VEHICLE THROUGH, SO CARS LIKE THAT WAY I HAVE A QUESTION.
THERE'S MORE PICKLE BALL QUESTION.
IS THERE VIOLATION? SO, SO TECHNICALLY IT'S A VIOLATION TO PARK THE WRONG DIRECTION.
IF WE ASK THE MARSHALS TO GO OUT AND WRITE TICKETS FOR EVERY CAR PARKED THE WRONG DIRECTION, WE WOULD WRITE 10,000 TICKETS PER.
AND THE QUESTION YOU ASK YOURSELF AND WHAT, WHAT THE COUNCIL IS CONCERNED ABOUT WITH THE, UH, PARKING, RESIDENTIAL PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM WAS QUALITY OF LIFE IN AN NEIGHBORHOOD SO WHAT THEY WILL TYPICALLY DO, IF YOU'RE PARKED FACING THE WRONG DIRECTION NEAR AN INTERSECTION SO THAT YOU HAVE TO COME OUT WHILE SOMEBODY'S COMING AROUND, THEY'LL WRITE YOU A TICKET IF YOU'RE PARKED THE WRONG DIRECTION AROUND THE CURB.
SO YOU HAVE TO COME OUT AND SIMULATE, COME AROUND THE HERD CURVE AND HIT YOU, THEY WILL WRITE A TICKET.
IF YOU JUST PARKED THE WRONG DIRECTION ON A STRAIGHTAWAY,
[01:00:01]
YOU MIGHT GET A TICKET.IF SOMEBODY'S COMPLAINED, YOU MIGHT GET A TICKET.
BECAUSE IF THEY WENT OUT AND ENFORCED THAT TONIGHT, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DROVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS, LITERALLY YOU COULD FIND 10,000 CARS PARKED THE WRONG WAY.
AND YOU WOULD HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE VERY SHOCKED TO FIGURE OUT THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK THAT WAY.
SO THE COUNCIL'S CONCERN AT THE TIME, AND AND I SHARED REVIEW IS, IS PARKING ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND DOES IT, IT MAY IMPROVE IT AESTHETICALLY THAT THEY'RE FACING THE OTHER WAY.
THEY REALLY ONLY BECOMES A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE WHEN THEY'RE RIGHT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OR RIGHT NEAR THE CURB.
AND THEN THE MARSHALLS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UH, MY MAIN LAST QUESTION, UM, GOES BACK TO THE FEDERAL PROPERTIES AND, UH, CONCERN ABOUT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, SHORT RENTAL, ANYTHING PROPERTY FOR 31 DAYS ARREST, AIRBNB, VR, VR HOME.
SO YES, WE DO ENFORCE, WE, WE IN THE CITY, UH, MAKE PERMIT FEES AND ADOPTED SOME STRICTER RULES.
UH, SO IF THEY BECOME CONTINUOUSLY PROBLEMATIC, WE CANHOLD THEIR LICENSE.
SO YOU WOULD REPORT THOSE RULES IF YOU'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH PARTIES, LOUD NOISES, UH, PARKING, ALL, ALL THE THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT FROM TIME TO TIME, REPORT THAT TO US.
WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD AND REFLECT AROUND WE DRIVE.
LAST, LAST FALL, WE HAD A DOZEN OF CARS PARKED DOWN THE STREET DRIVEWAY FOR A VEHICLE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY WE CHANGED THE ORDINANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER.
SO SOME CERTAIN THINGS WERE PERMITTED THEN, OR NO LONGER PERMITTED MOW.
SO, UH, NEXT UP I BELIEVE IS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
KE UH, IS GONNA, AND WE TALK SOCCER COMPLEX.
AND THEN YOUR QUESTION ABOUT PICKLE BALL, TAKE THAT AS WELL.
I THINK YOU JUST GOTTA GET RIGHT THERE.
UH, SO, SO PICKLEBALL, UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO SOCCER, UM, WE KNOW THAT IT'S EXTREMELY POPULAR.
WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WANTED, IS TAKING SOME TIME TO GET THERE.
UM, SO LET ME SET THE RECORD BACK.
BY THE WAY, THIS BUILDING DID WIN AN AWARD.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TENNIS BECAUSE YOU HAD THE TENNIS CENTER LINE UP AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE TENNIS CENTER AND IT'LL, BECAUSE IT'S AN AMAZING TENNIS CENTER AND IT'S TO THE PICKLEBALL QUESTION.
SO IF YOU'RE AWARE OF, YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT RICK DEN PARK.
JACK COLEMAN TENNIS CENTER HAS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME, 60 YEARS.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE BUILT TUBERVILLE, WHICH IS OFF OF 66, COMING IN ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, UM, THAT IS A 12, UH, TENNIS COURT FACILITY, HOPEFULLY WHEN THEY CAN EXPAND TO 24, UM, WE HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WHEN OUR FUNDS CAME THROUGH.
AND SO I THINK, AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA BE AN AWARD-WINNING FACILITY.
UM, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY AND A COOL DESIGN.
UH, IT'S GOT FEATURES A CENTER COURT, AND THE CLUBHOUSES UP HIGH.
WELL, WE'VE HAD A VERY LOYAL, UM, TENNIS PROGRAM OUT OF JACK COLEMAN FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, SO THEY HAVE NOW BEEN RELOCATED OVER THERE.
WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS THE IDEA, IT'S IN PROGRESS.
IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW TO TURN JACK COLEMAN, WHICH HAD 13 TENNIS COURTS INTO PICKLEBALL.
SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, SO OUT HERE, I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT THREE.
THAT WAS, THAT WE ADDED THAT AS PART OF THIS BUDGET.
IT WAS KIND OF WHAT, WHAT THE PICKLEBALL THAT'S OUT HERE.
WE, WE COULD AFFORD IN THE BUDGET TO ADD ABOUT THREE PICKLEBALL COURTS OUT THERE MORE.
WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE HERE NOW, AND JACK COLEMAN THAT WILL BE LIKE THIRD.
AND SO, AND IT IS, AND IT'S ON THE SOUTH.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SOUTH HERE, UH, SOUTH OFF OF, UH, MAYBE.
AND SO, SO WE WOULD LIKE, ASK CAN ADD MORE HERE.
WE, WE WON'T HAVE ANY FUNDS THAT IN HERE.
[01:05:01]
GOT THESE THREE HERE.WE'VE GOT TWO GOING IN AT THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, DOWNTOWN IN, UH, IN THE CENTER PART OF TOWN.
AND THEN THE PICKLEBALL CENTER WILL BE AT JACK COLE.
AND SO FOR EVERY ONE TENNIS COURT, WE CAN GENERALLY ADD FOUR PICKLEBALL COURTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP SOME TENNIS, MAYBE FOUR COURTS FOR OVERFLOW FOR TOURNAMENTS.
BUT THAT'LL BE, THAT'LL BE THE MAIN PLACE WHERE PICKLEBALL, WE'VE GOT A THIRD PARTY OPERATOR, UM, THAT'S GONNA RUN BOTH THE TENNIS CENTER AND THE PICKLEBALL FOR US.
SO THERE'LL BE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PICKLEBALL, VERY, VERY, I'M HOPING BY FALL WE DONE LET JUMP TO ANOTHER VERY EXCITING PROJECT.
IT'S GOT A LONG HISTORY OF HOW WE GET HERE, SO I WON'T TRY TO COVER ALL OF IT.
BUT, UM, THIS PROPERTY, THIS IS HOLFORD ROAD.
THIS IS ONE 90 GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE.
THIS APPROXIMATELY, UH, 40 ACRES, UH, WAS FOR SALE, UM, AND HAD SOME INTERESTING RESTRICTIONS TO IT.
UM, IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT OUTDOOR RECREATION FIT THOSE RESTRICTIONS, BUT THERE WAS A SECTION OF IT OVER HERE THAT WAS UNENCUMBERED BY THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
AND IT HAD BEEN FOR SALE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND SO WE ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY, UH, AND THE INTENT WAS JUST TO USE THIS AS A ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR SOCCER.
YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH WINTER'S PARK THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GREW UP PLAYING YOUTH SOCCER THERE.
UM, THERE IS NO COMMUNITY IN DALLAS, PROBABLY TEXAS, THAT HAS ENOUGH SOCCER FIELDS UP.
I BUILT A HUNDRED RIGHT NOW, THERE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH.
SO IN THIS PROPERTY, WE CAN FIT EIGHT, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING FOUR BEING SYNTHETIC BECAUSE IT CAN BE AN ALL WEATHER SURFACE AND YOU CAN PLAY AND NOT BE RAINED OUT.
UM, BUT YOU'LL ALSO HAVE SOME, BECAUSE GENERALLY THE SOCCER PLAYERS PREFER THE NATURAL TURF.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS WHEN WE BRING THIS IN AS AN ECONOMIC KIND OF CATALYST, UM, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY JUST TODAY ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO ESSENTIALLY BID ON THIS PROPERTY OF THE 14 ACRES WHERE GONNA BUY IT? OR ARE YOU GONNA, ARE YOU GONNA BUY IT OR ARE THEY GONNA BUY IT? WE ALREADY OWN IT.
WE ALREADY, SO, SO THE, THE IDEA IS, AND AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS IT DEPENDS.
SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF OUR HOPES IS, IS THAT, UM, THIS COULD BE A CONVENTION HOTEL OF KIND OF A MEDIUM SCALE, NOTHING THAT'S GONNA COMPETE WITH, YOU KNOW, DALLAS SCALE AND THAT THIS MIGHT BE MIXED USE, WHETHER IT MIGHT HAVE SOME MULTIFAMILY, IT MIGHT HAVE SOME RETAIL, IT MIGHT HAVE SOME OFFICE, HOPEFULLY SOME RESTAURANTS.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE, THIS, YOU KNOW, WAS FOR SALE FOREVER, DIDN'T SELL FOR WHATEVER REASON.
THIS FOOT TRAFFIC WILL HELP CATALYZE THAT.
THEN THAT ADDS VALUE ON, LIKE MATT WAS TALKING ABOUT, IT, IT STARTS TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT.
NOW THIS, AND IT DROPS IN THE BUCKET, RIGHT? WE'VE GOTTA DO THIS OVER THE LONG HAUL AND TRY TO SHIFT SOME OF THAT BURDEN TO THE, TO THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
BUT THIS COULD EASILY PRODUCE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR VALUE ON THE GROUND, UH, NOW BECOMES COMMERCIALLY TAXABLE, UH, UH, PROPERTY VALUE.
SO A, IT'S GONNA PROVIDE A LOT OF, UM, ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM, FROM PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN LEAVING THEIR MONEY BEHIND FORM SALES TAX, FILLING UP RESTAURANTS, UH, EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SOCCER AND AS WELL AS ADULT.
AND YOU CAN PLAY OTHER SPORTS HERE AS WELL.
YOU CAN STRIKE IT FOR LACROSSE AND STRIKE IT FOR OTHER THINGS.
UM, BUT THIS IS A VERY EXCITING PROJECT, UM, THAT IS ACTUALLY, UH, IN DESIGN RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO BREAK AROUND AND START CONSTRUCTION IN THE FALL AND THEN BE PLAYING ABOUT 16 MONTHS AFTER THAT.
WHERE'S THE CREEK? SPRING CREEK IS OFF, IS NOT ON THIS PAGE.
SO THIS IS THE SPRING CREEK, UM, PRESERVE IS HERE.
THIS IS THE PROPERTY BOUNDARY RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN THE CREEK IS FOR THIS PROPERTY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HOLFORD.
AND THEN IT COMES DOWN HERE AND IT GOES THIS WAY.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE, THE PARK SPACE RIGHT HERE ON THIS PROPERTY, RIGHT? AND THAT'S THEIR, THAT'S THE PARKING LOT FOR THAT PROPERTY.
WHERE DO WE SEE PARKING? THE SPRING CREEK PRESERVE.
THIS, THIS IS THE, THE TRAIL THAT GOES ALL THE WAY OVER TO OVER TO HOLFORD, I'M SORRY, TO, UH, HAM ROAD.
AND THEN WE, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER PROJECT TO GET THE TRAIL UNDERNEATH AND THEN IT CONNECTS, UH, HALF PARK GOES ALL THE WAY TO WINTERS PARK AS PART OF OUR TRAIL MASTER PLANET.
SO ALL OF THIS IS REALLY WORKING TOGETHER.
SO IF YOU'RE HERE DROPPING OFF YOUR KIDS AND YOU'RE TIRED WATCHING SOCCER, YOU CAN GET ON A TRAIL AND DO OTHER THINGS SO THAT, UH, THAT ROAD THAT GOES NORTH OF THE FIRST OF ALL.
SO YEAH, SO THIS IS A SEPARATE PROJECT IS IT IS ALSO UNDER DESIGNED THE WIDENING OFFORD RIGHT HERE.
THE WIDENING WILL STOP HERE RIGHT NOW.
NAME AND FOREST STOPS RIGHT HERE.
THIS CONNECTION WILL NOW GO, USUALLY YOU PROBABLY WHERE DEAD ENDS UP AND WHERE THOSE APARTMENTS ARE.
SO RIGHT NOW IT IS, APPEARS THAT IT'S IN BUDGET AND THAT CAN HAPPEN AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS THERE LIKE A, A CENTER FOR RESTROOMS AND OH, YEAH.
UM, SO THESE FIELDS WILL BE OVER HERE
[01:10:01]
AND NOW WE'VE GOT, UM, SOME REALLY ENHANCED CROSSINGS HERE.BUT THE IDEA IS, IS THAT THERE'LL BE RESTROOMS HERE FOR THESE TWO FIELDS AND RESTROOM AND CONCESSION HERE FOR THESE FIELDS, REALLY FOR THE WHOLE PROPERTY.
BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S RESTROOMS. IF YOU'RE SCHEDULED TO PLAY HERE, YOU DON'T FEEL COMPELLED TO NEED TO CROSS HERE, BUT IF YOU DO, WE'LL HAVE TWO VERY, UH, ENHANCED, OBNOXIOUS STREET CROSSINGS FOR SAFETY FOR FAMILIES AND, UH, CARRYING THEIR COOLERS AND ALL THEIR GEAR AND ALL THEIR NONSENSE.
SO THAT, THAT'LL BE A, A SAFETY CONSIDERATION.
BUT RESTROOM HERE, THIS WILL BE RESTROOMS, UM, VERY FLEXIBLE SPACE IN HERE.
SO OUR GOAL WHEN WE HIRE THIS THIRD PARTY OPERATOR, SO THAT, THAT DOES NOT IMPACT OUR GENERAL FUND, BY THE WAY, THAT'S, THAT WAS THE WHOLE IDEA, IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS INTO THE MAINTENANCE, THE OPERATIONS AT THE THIRD PARTY.
THERE'LL BE SOME, YOU KNOW, REVENUE SHARING ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UM, BUT THERE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, LOCKER ROOMS IN HERE.
THERE'LL BE, UM, THIS CAN BE A TICKETED SPACE.
THIS IS GONNA BE THE SHOW PITCH WE CALL IT.
SO IT'S GONNA HAVE BLEACHERS FOR UP TO A HUNDRED, 1500 PEOPLE.
SO IT GIVES US A VERY HIGH END, UH, PRODUCT THAT WE CAN COMPETE IN THE, IN THE METROPLEX WITH TOURNAMENTS.
THE TOURNAMENTS ARE WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE.
UM, AND SO THIS WOULD BE KIND OF LIKE YOUR SHOW PITCH WHERE THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IS GONNA BE HELD AND IT'S SYNTHETIC SO IT DOESN'T GET RAINED OUT.
SO IT, AND WE'D ALSO LIKE TO HOLD, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO BRING, UM, THERE'S A, A BIG 12 NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT THAT'S HELD IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
I'D LIKE TO STEAL IT, BRING IT UP HERE.
SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF TOURNAMENTS WE CAN BRING BOTH REVIEWS AND ADULTS, UM, YOU KNOW, BOTH RECREATIONAL LEVEL AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE LEVEL.
HOW MANY PARKING SPACES IN WHOLE? THERE? A LOT.
I DUNNO THE EXACTLY, I DUNNO THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT USUALLY WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, I WANNA SAY IT'S IN THE CRYSTAL, MAYBE THE 700 RANGE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT, THAT SYNTHETIC AREA.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A TOURNAMENT THERE WHERE THEY GONNA PARK HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE.
UM, IT'S A KIND OF A FUNKY SHAPE.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THIS WAY THAT THIS IS THIS PRO, THE OTHER, THIS PRO PROPERTY HAD TO TOUCH THIS ROAD AND THAT ROAD, BUT COULD BE ANY SHAPE.
AND SO WE TINKERED WITH IT UNTIL AS MUCH COULD FIT.
THESE ARE BASICALLY MINI PITCHES ON CONCRETE.
WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF THESE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK TENNIS COURTS BEING USED FOR TENNIS ANYMORE.
THEY'RE KICKING SOCCER BALLS NOW.
SO, UM, BUT THEN, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S SIZE.
WHEN YOU DO, WHEN YOU DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, YOU'VE GOT TWO TEAMS PLAY, YOU GOT TWO TEAMS WAITING TO PLAY, SO THEY HAVE TO PARK ALL AT THE SAME TIME, PLUS REFEREES, PLUS EMPLOYEES, PLUS GRANDPARENTS, WHATEVER IS COMING.
I WAS ASKING, YOU SAID THERE'S 1500 BLEACHER SEATS IN THAT PLACE AND THERE'S 700 PARKING PLACE.
BESIDES KIND OF CURIOUS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA PARK.
I I GENERALLY THERE'S CALCULATIONS FOR THAT.
GENERALLY IT'S NOT ONE PERSON PER CAR, IT'S LIKE 2.7 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A NUMBER THAT DOES THAT.
AND NOW IF IT BECOMES SUCH AN ENORMOUS EVENT, YOU, YOU DON'T GENERALLY WANT TO DESIGN AND PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ONE OR TWO TIMES A YEAR.
YOU MAY DO A SHUTTLE SYSTEM LIKE TARGET DOWN HERE, TARGET'S RIGHT HERE.
OH, THEY'VE GOT MORE PARKING THAN WHAT TO DO WITH.
SO WE COULD EASILY WORK IN THAT'S REALIZE TARGET.
YEAH, WE COULD DO AN AGREEMENT.
SO YES, LIKE LITERALLY RIGHT HERE OFF THE MAP, WE COULD WORK WITH THEM TO DO SHUTTLE PEOPLE OVER WE FOOT.
FLOOD ACTUALLY IS WAY DOWN HERE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS AGAIN, YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING POINT THAT I, WE GET THIS QUESTION A LOT THAT I'LL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER IT.
UM, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THIS IS WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE, THE EXISTING CONDITION DRAINAGE.
WE CANNOT INCREASE IT OR DECREASE IT.
UM, WHICH IS INTERESTING BECAUSE USUALLY YOU JUST DON'T INCREASE IT, BUT WE CAN'T DECREASE IT EITHER BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMICS IT CREATES FOR THE ECOSYSTEM.
SO, SO WE, WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF HAVING TO MANAGING THE OFF, UH, THE OFFSITE RUNOFF BY NOT HAVING TO DO ATTENTION POND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH IMPIOUS COVER AND THEN JUST SOME REALLY SMART ENGINEERING THAT WE, WE'VE TRIED TO REALLY KEEP THAT, THAT WILL NOT INCREASE THE DECREASE BY 10%.
I THINK WE'VE HAD TWO DEATHS THERE IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
WOMAN OFF THE BRIDGE AND FURTHER DOWN NEAR NAME SCHOOL ROAD DROWNING A FEW YEARS EARLIER SET UP ON THIS.
THIS IS, YEAH, THE FLOOD LENGTHS WAY OFF OF THIS MA'AM.
WILL THEY DO THAT, DEVELOP THAT, WILL THEY BE DEVELOPING THE ROAD ALL TO A NO, THIS IS THE EXTENT, THIS IS THE EXTENT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE SO RENEWABLE BACK DOWN TO SO OVER THE CREEK IT WILL STILL BE LOW, CORRECT? THAT THAT PROJECT IS NOT MOVING FORWARD.
THE TRAFFIC COUNTS JUST DON'T JUSTIFY IT.
SO THIS ACROSS FROM THAT BRIDGE THERE, YOU HAVE TO STRIKE YES SIR.
AND THEN THOSE, THAT WIDENING OF THAT HOLFORD GOES TOWARDS CAMPBELL I BELIEVE SO IT, I HIGH SCHOOL AND
[01:15:07]
CAN'T, CAN'T WALK UP AND PLAY ON.IT'S GOTTA BE IT, IT'S GOT ITS FENCE AND IT'S GOTTA BE PRESERVED FOR TOURNAMENT LEVEL PLAY.
YEAH, BUT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE FENCES AND WE'D HAVE PEOPLE JUST TEARING IT UP AND IT WASN'T AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION LEVEL.
UH, SOCCER TEAM, OUR, OUR FENCE THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IS TALL AND WE HERE YEP.
OUR GOALS LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS THAT WE TO RIGHT, RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.
AND AGAIN, WITH THE THIRD PARTY OPERATOR, THEY WILL, THEY'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY AND MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, THEY MAINTAINING PRISTINE CONDITIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, YOU JUST BROUGHT SOMETHING UP JUST MINOR.
SO THIS WILL NOT BE CITY EMPLOYEE RUNNING THIS? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE DID NOT WANNA DO THIS AND IMPACT IT.
IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S NO REASON TO DO IT WHEN A THIRD PARTY CAN DO IT AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE SOME VERY AGGRESSIVE THRESHOLDS OF ACTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET, UM, IN ORDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO SHARE ANY KIND OF REVENUE.
SO, UH, WE SELECTED, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON NEGOTIATING THE TERMS. IT'S A COMPANY CALLED EASTERN SPORTS MANAGEMENT.
THEY WERE VERY, VERY, VERY QUALIFIED, UM, UH, AND THEY VERY EXPERIENCED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND NOT JUST IN A LOT OF PLACES.
SO WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH ANYTHING ELSE.
WHEN IS THIS TIME? UH, I'M HOPING TO START, WE STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN FALL, I BELIEVE FALL IN 16 MONTHS.
SO SUMMER OF 28, SOMEWHERE IN SPRING I'LL UH, UH, MR. OWEN HERE, SHE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT SPRING CREEK PRESERVE.
IF YOU DIDN'T, UH, SIGN UP ON YOUR WAY IN, PLEASE SIGN THE SHEET AND ALSO LET YOUR BUSINESS CARDS THERE.
YOU ALL OF MY CARDS TO CONTACT ME THERE, SOME OF THAT BACK THERE.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, DON'T RUSH, BUT ON YOUR WAY OUT PLEASE DO THAT.
SO ANYWAY, UH, CRYSTAL OWEN WILL TALK ABOUT SPRING CREEK FORESTERS.
WELL EVENING, GOOD EVENING, DISTRICT SEVEN.
AS COUNCILMAN THOMAS SAID, MY NAME IS CHRIS OWENS AND I AM ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS WHO IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLIC WORKS INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UM, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PART OF MY TEAM INCLUDE STREETS, TRANSPORTATION, ENGINEERING, THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, AND WATER UTILITIES, WHICH INCLUDES OUR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS, OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS OUR WATER DISTRIBUTION.
SO AS PART OF OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT, HEY BRIAN, YOU SET ME UP
SO AS PART OF OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT, UM, REGARDING THE SPRING CREEK FOREST PRESERVE, WE COMMITTED TO, UH, KEEPING OUR STAKEHOLDERS UPDATED, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE SPRING CREEK FOREST PRESERVE SOCIETY, THAT, UH, DALLAS COUNTY, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, WE, WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO ASSESS THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT WE WERE IN.
IF YOU, IF YOU RECALL OR MAYBE YOU'RE NOT AWARE, OUR ORIGINAL INTENT IN GOING OUT TO, UH, THE SPRING CREEK FOREST PRESERVE OR INTO THE SPRING CREEK AREA WAS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS THE SEWER LINE THAT HAS BEEN, UM, IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BACK IN 1970 AND IT HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR WE HAD NO RECORDS OF BEING INSPECTED, UH, SINCE IT'S CONSTRUCTION, LITERALLY MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD.
AND WE REALLY NEEDED TO GET SOME IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF CONDITION THAT SEWER LINE WAS IN.
BUT AS PART OF THIS OVERALL PROJECT NOW, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR SOUNDING LIKE A FROG, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, BUT THE CURRENT STATUS WHEN IT COMES TO THE FOREST DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, MOST OF THE FIELD WORK FOR THE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETE.
THERE IS A REPORT THAT HAS BEEN, UM, DEVELOPED AND THAT HAS BEEN SENT OUT TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, DID FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THE DAMAGE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE STAKEHOLDERS BACK IN APRIL.
AND WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON THAT.
THIS IS A MULTI-PHASE PROJECT, UM, AND IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING LIKE ALL AT ONE TIME.
WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAD TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING OUT THERE IN PHASES.
[01:20:01]
AS I STATED, THE ORIGINAL INTENT FOR US BEING UNDER IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS STANDARD TO RECEIVE ASSESSMENT.FIELD INSPECTIONS RIGHT NOW ARE ONGOING, THEY ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE STAYING THROUGH THE END OF MAY.
REALISTICALLY WITH THE AMOUNT OF SEWER LINE THAT IS OUT THERE AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES AND, AND ACCESSING THAT SEWER LINE, IT COULD LITERALLY TAKE US THROUGH THE END OF THE SUMMER.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IN SOME CASES WHERE WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS UNDER WATER, THE IDEAL SITUATION FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET IN AND ACCESS THOSE, UM, MANHOLE IS FOR THE WATER LEVELS TO BE LOWERED.
AND OF COURSE THAT HAPPENS HERE IN TEXAS IN THE SUMMERS.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE DATA THROUGH THE END OF, UH, BY THE END OF MAY.
BUT I'M, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT IF WE GET TO 80%, IT'LL BE A GOOD THING.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 60% AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE.
UM, THE OTHER PART OF THE STATUTORY SEWER SYSTEM ASSESSMENT IS DATA PROCESSING, WHICH WILL CONTINUE THAT THROUGH MID-SUMMER.
AND THEN, UH, WE ARE ALSO, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD, I BELIEVE IT'S MS UH, BARBARA BY, SHE'S VERY ACTIVE IN THE SPRING CREEK FOREST, FOREST PRESERVE SOCIETY.
AND I BELIEVE SHE HAS LABELED IT THE POOP PROJECT.
POOE PIPE OUT OF THE FOREST PIPE OUT OF THE PRESERVE PIPE.
SO THAT IS WHAT THAT THIRD ITEM IS, WHICH IS REHABILITATION AND RELOCATION OPTIONS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE FOR US TO REMOVE THOSE EXISTING SEWER LINES OUT OF SPRING CREEK AND RELOCATE THAT OUTSIDE OF THE CREEK AND THE FOREST PRESERVE IN ITS ENTIRETY.
UM, WE'LL BE PRESENTING THAT LATER IN THE SUMMER AS WELL.
WHAT THE IMPACT OF WHAT THE IMPACT AND OVERALL COST, UH, THAT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH GETTING THAT DONE.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, OUR NEXT STEPS, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE IMMEDIATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, THE DAMAGE, THE REMEDIATION, AND THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS REALLY REESTABLISHING THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM OUT IN THE FOREST PRESERVE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OPTIONS TO GET RID OF THE DEBRIS, WHETHER THAT IS MULCHING OR ACTUALLY REMOVING IT, TRYING TO, UH, LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF IMPACT THAT WE HAVE TO THE PRESERVE, NOT TRYING TO CREATE ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, IMPACT TO THE PRESERVE IN GENERAL.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE DEFINING THE SCOPE, SCALE AND ESTIMATED COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE, UH, THE POOL PROJECT CAN PIPE OUT THE PRESERVE.
AND THEN THE LAST, THE LAST COUPLE OF THINGS, WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE OUR COORDINATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS DEVELOP FUTURE PHASES TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE ACTIONS THAT COME OUTTA THE ASSESSMENT.
AND THE LAST THING IT SAYS, UH, THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS, WE ARE PRETTY CERTAIN THAT WE WILL HAVE TO USE SOME KIND OF REMEDIATION TO THAT PIPE IF IT REMAINS IN CREEK.
AND THAT IS WHAT THAT'S REFERENCING, WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ACCESS PLAN, WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN AS TO HOW WE CAN ACCESS IT, TRYING TO LIMIT AND OR MITIGATE THE IMPACT TO THE PRESERVE AND MCCART AREA IN GENERAL.
DO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU ALL MAY HAVE YES SIR.
I'M OFTEN WONDERING WHO BOUGHT THIS, WHO IS IT GOING TO? IS IT THE CITY? IS IT PART OWNED BY THE STATE? IS IT JUST DARLAND? WHAT, WHERE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE PRESERVE ITSELF? YEAH, THE, YEAH, THE PRESERVE ITSELF.
SO ANDY COME UP
IT'S, IT PARTIALLY, PARTIALLY THE CITY AND THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES.
IT'S, THERE'S THE FOREST CREEK, UH, THE SPRING CREEK PRESERVE.
THERE'S, UH, IT'S VERY CONFUSING.
AND SO IF YOU, IF YOU GO UP AND DOWN AND YOU LOOK AT THE OWNERSHIP MAP ON, YOU GO TO D DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND, BUT IT'S MOSTLY CITY AND COUNTY.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT, IT'S LIKE A QUILT.
IT'S JUST NOBODY GIVES US ANY MONEY FOR THAT.
HUH? I, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE ACQUIRED IT.
CAME ABOUT IT A VERY LONG TIME AGO.
SO ALL THAT PRECEDES BY BIRTH, ACTUALLY 55 YEARS OLD.
SO WE DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY.
SO THE, THE COUNTY DOESN'T MAINTAIN IT.
WE DO IT AND THEN WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY AGREEMENT WITH THE SPRING GREEN FOREST PRESERVE SOCIETY.
SO THEY, THEY PROGRAM IT, THEY MAINTAIN IT AND THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND SO THAT'S HOW THEY MAINTAIN NATURAL SPACE.
SO THAT'S ALL DALLAS COUNTY, IT'S ABOUT 50 50.
SO HALF OF IT'S DALLAS COUNTY, ABOUT HALF OF IT'S THE CITY.
[01:25:01]
THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT IS PRIMARILY DALLAS COUNTY, BUT NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT.IT JUST JUST DEPENDS ON WHICH STRETCH.
DO YOU KNOW, HAS ANY OF THAT LAND EVER BEEN, HAVE ANY DEVELOPMENT OTHER THAN NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I DON'T HAVE ANY RECORDS TO INDICATE, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, I'M A MEMBER OF RESERVATION SOCIETY AND UH, NAME SECTION AT 1770, WHICH WAS RIGHT OFFLINE COMPLEX THAT WAS, UH, A GRAVEL STEM FROM A SMALL AREA NORTH DALLAS OVER BY FRANK CHURCH THAT WAS ESTABLISHED A FEW YEARS AGO THAT ABOUT HALF TO, I THINK THERE WAS AN ACRE OUT THERE.
IT ABSOLUTE NEVER TOUCHED LAND.
I MEAN, NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN THERE, BUT WHATEVER NATURE GREW FROM BACK THAT THE, WELL, I WAS SAY, UNDERSTANDING HOW DEVELOPMENT IN NOT NEAR THAT SIDE OF TOWN, THAT WHOLE PART OF THE COUNTY WAS EMPTY AND UNDEVELOPED, UH, AS FAR BACK I CAN REMEMBER EXACTLY THE YEARS THAT TOOK PLACE, BUT WE, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE AT ALL IN THAT WHOLE AREA.
SO THERE IS A SECTION OF IT THAT IS, UH, FAIRLY PRISTINE.
I, UM, I DUNNO IF YOU, ANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU'RE HERE FROM OAKRIDGE AND MAYBE LAND VEST IS ON YOUR MIND.
THEY HAVE NOT COME BACK WITH US WITH ANY FORMAL PROPOSAL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT NOTHING FORMAL YET.
I'M KEEPING MY FINGER ON THE PULSE, SO IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, YOU GUYS WILL HEAR ABOUT IT FROM ME PROBABLY BEFORE YOU HEAR ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE.
SO ANYWAY, SO I HEARD, I HEARD THEY HAD SOME KIND OF EASEMENT OR SOMETHING WHEN LAND DID OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY, THEY DON'T OWN THAT PROPERTY AT ALL.
UM, I MISSED MY FIRST MEETING, UH, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MEETING.
UM, I NOTICED THAT IN OUR BEDROOM, UM, WE'RE LIKE SOUTH EAST OF THAT, BUT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ROAD WORK DONE IN BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TRIPS AROUND.
AND EVEN HERE ON THAT
I MEAN, I'VE LIVED, LIVED THERE 33 YEARS AND THE, THE LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TENSION HAS BEEN ZERO, UH, EXCEPT FOR WHEN REBAR IS COMING UP THROUGH THE CONCRETE AND THEN THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY COME OUT AND PATCH IT UP AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I'M ALL FOR THIS TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY GETS SPENT WISELY AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, CONCRETE WORK OR PATCHING BECAUSE PATCHING IS TEMPORARY.
SO I THINK I, I ASK CHRIS, I, OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
SOMETIMES IT'S A FULL REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE THING'S A GRAVEL ROAD DOWN, SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO CUT UP SQUARE TO FIX IT.
SOMETIMES OVERLAY IS APPROPRIATE.
AND SO THIS CRYSTAL'S DEPARTMENT HERE WHERE WE'RE HALFWAY INTO THE YEAR ONE STREETS BOND,
[01:30:01]
WHICH IS CALLED FIVE YEAR-ISH PROGRAM.AND SO I, I THINK HELP WAS ON THE WAY THE SAID YES, SPEND THE MONEY ON THE STREETS BECAUSE I MEAN, ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT ROAD COMING ACROSS ONE 90 DOWN THAT USED TO BE IN FRONT OF THE FIRE STATION, BUT NOW THEY THAT AND THAT ROAD WAS ALWAYS, UH, LIKE A LITTLE JOY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHICH WAY YOU WERE GONNA GO.
AND IT WAS, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING THROUGH THERE THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE IT'S, YOU KNOW, ENJOYABLE.
BUT IN ANY CASE, IT'S BACK TO THAT SAME, IT'S GETTING BACK TO THAT SAME POSITION.
I KNOW A LOT OF MONEY WAS SPENT ON THIS TO GET IT BACK TO, UH, YOU KNOWABLE SITUATION, BUT IT'S BACK TO THE SAME WAY IT WAS BEFORE.
SO WHOEVER'S MAKING THE DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD'VE, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO DRAINAGE, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, CURBS, CURBS, THERE'S NO NOTHING TO KEEP THE ROAD TOGETHER.
SO ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT JUST COMES APART.
AND IF IT WAS, WELL, WE JUST NEEDED TO FIX THE MAP, I THINK IT WAS WASTE OF MONEY, PROTECT THE TRUTH.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, OVER THE PAST I WOULD SAY THREE, FOUR, SOME OF OUR, I WOULD CALL IT PREFERRED MAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS AND WE'RE CHANGING OUR PHILOSOPHY WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAY THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE KIND OF SITUATIONS.
UM, EVEN CALLING, TRYING GET OUT QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE NOT TAKING THE, UM, A LONGER LASTING FIX.
UM, THE REALITY OF IT IS TOO THOUGH IS THAT WE HAVE, UM, LIMITED RESOURCES AND IN THE, THEY TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND OUR OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE HAVE CHANGED OUR PHILOSOPHY ON A LOT OF THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAY WE'RE ACTUALLY ADDRESSING STREET REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVE IN THOSE AREAS.
THAT DOESN'T STOP THE BRIDGES OR BRIDGE TREATMENTS, WHICH IS WHAT OVERGROW IT'S GO OUT AND USE CERTAIN PROJECTS.
IT'S TO REALLY CREATE A, A WRITING SURFACE THAT IS NOT GOING, HAVE YOU JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE AS WELL, BUT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FOR MAINTENANCE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING, UM, AS PART OF THE OVERALL 2025 FARM PROGRAM, 10 MILLION, YOU GO TO GROW GROVE COM.
LITERALLY IN THE FIRST YEAR, THERE'S WHICH BUCKET? BUT, UM, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF US, A LITTLE BIT OF WE YES, NO, WE SAW, WE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK DONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THE AWAY FROM OUR I, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT, UM, MANHOLES AND ALL KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT LEVELS AND, AND I THINK IT WAS COMPLICATED AND SO THEY, THEY FIXED ALL THE STREETS THAT THAT COULD EASILY BE DONE AND DIDN'T, DIDN'T WORK, BUT I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
I JUST, I JUST SEE SOME STREETS AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, THIS WAS DONE AND NOW IT'S BACK TO WHERE IT IS AGAIN.
AND, AND I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S WHERE IT'S BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T BEEN FIXED TO WHERE IT LASTS MORE THAN TWO, THREE YEARS.
SO WE, IN THE FIRST YEAR HERE, I, WE GOT WITH, WHEN I ASKED THE OAK RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOLKS, ALMOST NO ONE CAN THINK OF A STREET IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY'RE FAIRLY NEW AS IT GOES, BUT YOU HAVE YOU DRIVEN SOUTH ON SHILOH FROM HOMESTEAD DOWN TO BUCKINGHAM? I TRIED TO NOT DRIVE MY TIRES CAN'T.
SO IF YOU GO SOUTH, HAVE YOU DRIVEN LATELY IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THE CRYSTALS GROUP HAS REPAIRED THOSE SOUTHBOUND LANES.
THEY ARE AS SMOOTH AS FROM HOMESTEAD DOWN TO BUCKINGHAM.
SO THE NORTHBOUND LANES ARE GOING BE THE SAME THING.
THEY'RE WAITING ON SOME GP NOW, UM, MOVING SOME STUFF AROUND SO THEY CAN DO THE NORTHBOUND LANES.
THAT WAS THE MOST REQUESTED THING THAT WAS ANYWHERE NEAR OAK RIDGE.
[01:35:01]
WE'RE GETTING THERE.THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS.
MOST OF THE BOND WAS THE FIXED RESIDENTIAL STREETS, RESIDENTIAL ALLEYS AND A FEW ARTERIAL ROADS.
AND SHILOH WAS TWO NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST.
THE ONLY ARTERIAL THAT I KNOW OF DISTRICT SEVEN I FIXING IN THE FIRST YEAR, I, THAT'S COMING PRETTY QUICKLY.
I DRIVE DOWN THAT ROAD EVERY DAY AND BACK EVERY DAY.
SO I WAS OKAY WITH ALL THAT CONSTRUCTION I SAW DOING CONCRETE WORK AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE CONCRETE AND THAT'S GONNA LAST.
WITH KIND OF GOING A DIFFERENT WAY.
ANYBODY ELSE FOR ABOUT THREE, FOUR MONTHS? I THINK THE SUMMER OF 22 THAT THEY WERE GOING FALSE.
I'M SO, BELIEVE ME, I RECOGNIZE DUST AND NOISE AND THEY WERE GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY COME IN AND I NOW I'M ENGINEER BUT THEY TO LOOKED LIKE OF CONCRETE AND THEY BREAK IT UP, POUR AND THEY, OKAY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.