[00:00:21]
          THIS SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP OF THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. TODAY IS JUNE 6TH, 2026. WE'LL START WITH. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON BUDGET WORKSHOP ITEMS. MADAM 
          [1. Presentation of the Garland Housing Strategic Plan]
SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? NO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP. WE'LL MOVE RIGHT ALONG. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATION OF THE GARLAND HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          BECKY, IF I MIGHT, IF I MIGHT JUST FOR THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THIS. THIS TODAY IS A THREE PART PRESENTATION. THE STUDY WILL TELL US PART OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE AS A CITY WITH RESPECT TO OUR HOUSING MARKET AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND DEVELOP A HEALTHIER MIX OF SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX. NEXT, YOU'LL HEAR. AFTER THAT, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WILL TELL US ANOTHER PROBLEM WE FACE, WHICH IS THE SENATE BILL TWO PROBLEM. THE SENATE BILL TWO PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED A COMPOUNDING REDUCTION OVER TIME OF THE REVENUES THAT THE CITY CAN GENERATE. THE REST OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS HOW WE SOLVE THOSE FIRST TWO PROBLEMS. AND THAT IS THAT'S THE PLAN TO SOLVE THE FIRST TWO PROBLEMS HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING STRATEGY, AND HOW TO SOLVE THE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES THAT WILL FACE AS A RESULT OF SENATE BILL TWO. THE THIRD PART OF THE DAY IS THE BUDGET, WHICH IS TRADITIONAL BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALSO WHAT YOU'LL HEAR THIS YEAR. A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IS IT'S HOW WE IMPLEMENT THE PLAN. AS A BUDGET MATTER. YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR TO REINFORCE AND TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN STRATEGY. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU'LL HEAR TODAY AND HOW THEY'RE INTETERRELATED. AND I'LL ADDRESS THIS AGAIN WHEN I DISCUSS THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT I WANTED YOU TO HAVE THAT FRAMEWORK BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE HOUSING STUDY. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M BECKY KING, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'SY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE CHARLES BOOGIE AND HIS TEAM FROM CVB. THERE ARE CONSULTING FIRM THAT HAS BEEN DOING A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF OUR HOUSING MARKET. YOU SAW THEM HERE AT THE JULY 10TH WORKSHOP, WHERE THEY TOOK COUNCIL THROUGH THE FINAL RESULTS OF THE STUDY, AND THEY INTRODUCED YOU TO SEVERAL OPTIONS ON A FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING THAT IN A STRATEGIC PLAN. COUNCIL PROVIDED DIRECTION AT THAT WORKSHOP. AND SO THEY ARE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE HOUSING STRATEGY TO YOU. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THAT TEAM. 
          MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER. I'M CHARLES BUKI, MY COLLEAGUE THOMAS EDINGTON ON MY RIGHT. AND MATT INGALLS HERE ON MY LEFT. THEY JOINED ME AND WILL AS AS BECKY SAID, WALK YOU THROUGH. THE DRAFT STRATEGY AND, AND, AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE IN THE COURSE OF THINGS. IS THAT WORK OUT OKAY? OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. I LET'S SEE, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE HERE FOR 46 STRAIGHT HOURS ANYWAY. SO LET ME TAKE AN EXTRA MINUTE. AND ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. SO FIRST IS. WE ARE AS A FIRM IN OUR 25TH YEAR, WE'VE GOT CLIENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OVER THOSE DECADES. WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE TALENTED STAFF LIKE WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH IN GARLAND FOR THE PAST, YOU KNOW, YEAR, YEAR AND CHANGE, STARTING WITH BECKY, YOU KNOW, ON THE HOUSING SIDE, HER TEAM, JASON AND MONA AND SCOTT AND ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE, AYAKO AND JACOB AS PART OF ANDY'S TEAM AND NABILA PLANNING. IT'S JUST, I THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST NOTABLE, RIGHT? HOW, HOW HARD THEY'VE PUSHED US TO, TO PUT IN FRONT OF YOU A REALLY GOOD DRAFT. I WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND AND SAY THAT. LET'S SEE, WE HAVE A LOT OF MATERIAL. THE SLIDES WOULD BE HALF AS DENSE IF BECKY WASN'T HERE. BUT SO IF YOU LOOK AT THESE AND YOU FIND YOURSELF GROWING IN FRUSTRATION, THERE'S 
          [00:05:04]
SOMEBODY IN A TEAL JACKET OVER THERE. THAT'S THE PROBLEM, RIGHT? NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE WE HAVE NOT CROSSED EVERY T AND DOTTED EVERY I. IT'S A DRAFT. WE'RE AT THE TWO YARD LINE. BUT THERE ARE DETAILS TO BE WORKED OUT. THE HOLD UP ON THAT IS YOUR CITY ATTORNEY BRIAN, IS YOU KNOW THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO THERE'S SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT ACROSS THE END ZONE, BUT IT'S BECKY AND IT'S BRIAN. IF THERE IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS, NOT, NOT MATT, NOT THOMAS. AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT ME. LET'S SEE. OKAY, SO A LOT OF SLIDES, 52 SLIDES. WE'LL TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE THROUGH BOTH EXPEDITIOUSLY. BUT YOU KNOW, WITH ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, PACE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S A HEAD SCRATCHER, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PAUSE AND WORK THROUGH SOMETHING. LET'S ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. OKAY. WE'VE GOT TIME. WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE OUR TIME WITH, WITH, WITH THE MATERIAL. A COUPLE OF THINGS AT THE OUTSET, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COLLECTION OF, YOU KNOW, FOUR DOZEN SLIDES AND, AND A LOT OF MATERIAL, ONE, IF YOU REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE, IF YOU JUST REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE, THE NOTION OF FOCUSING RESOURCES IS A CONSTANT THEME AND IT'S CRITICAL, RIGHT? SECOND, BUILDING ON STRENGTHS, RIGHT IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS, REALLY, REALLY SMART HOUSING STRATEGY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD STRATEGY. THIRD COMMITMENT. STAY UNTIL IT'S DONE. OKAY? DO NOT TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL UNTIL YOUR CROSS THE END LINE, RIGHT? YOU JUST YOU CAN'T AND YOU DON'T. SO DON'T DECLARE VICTORY PREMATURELY, RIGHT? BE PATIENT. AND THEN FINALLY, YOU USE ALL OF THAT, THAT THAT COMMITMENT TO THE END, THE FOCUSING, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES, BUILDING ON STRENGTHS WITH ONE THING IN MIND, WHICH IS HIGH QUALITY AND STANDARDS, RIGHT? THAT, THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THE CITY FISCALLY DURABLE. 
          OKAY. SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THESSENCE OF IT. SO WE'LL GO, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? CLEAR AT THE OUTSET? RIGHT. THE DOCUMENT ITSELF, I BELIEVE WILL PRINT IT OFF. IT'S DONE. IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THIS BUILDING IN THE ETHER SOMEPLACE. IT WILL GET PRINTED OFF MONDAY. YOU'LL GET IT. AND, AND ALL OF THE MATERIAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH IN THE SLIDES HAS BEEN IN ONE WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, YOU KNOW, PRESENT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, DISCUSSIONS BACK AND FORTH. SO THERE'S NOT A LOT SO MUCH NEW MATERIAL IS HOW IT'S HOW IT'S ALL ORGANIZED AND SHARPENED AND FINALIZED. OKAY, LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIGURE THIS OUT. ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL DO A RECAP, RIGHT? OF OF FINDINGS JUST TO GROUND EVERYBODY. WE'LL MOVE THEN TO THE STRATEGY OVERVIEW. WE'LL WORK BACK AND FORTH. YOU KNOW, THOMAS, MATT AND ME, YOU KNOW, IN THE VARIOUS PIECES AND PARTS. 
          ALL RIGHT. SO TWO THINGS AT THE AT THIS FRONT END THAT THIS SLIDE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO PUT FRONT AND CENTER RIGHT AWAY. ONE THAT YOU'VE GOT CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERINVESTMENT THAT HAVE OCCURRED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THEY'VE COMPOUNDED. THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE CHALLENGE THAT THAT, THAT YOU FACE IN THE HOUSING MARKET. OKAY. AND THAT THAT IS TRUE AND AN OVERALL LEVEL. AND BUT AS YOU ZOOM IN, YOU KNOW, TO PARTICULAR PARTS OF THE CITY, YOU WILL FIND DIFFERENT CONDITIONS ON DIFFERENT BLOCKS, DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, EACH ONE, YOU KNOW, AT A, AT SOME LEVEL, RIGHT,F, OF DOING VERY WELL TO STRUGGLING. AND SO YOUR HOUSIN STRATEGY ON A CITYWIDE BASIS, RIGHT? TO BE REALLY USEFUL TO YOU ALL NEEDS TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PRECISION TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT PLACES AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THEY'RE SORT OF PIECES OF AN ORCHESTRA. THEY HAVE TO COME TOGETHER. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR STRATEGY. THERE ARE TWO, IF YOU RECALL FROM FROM OUR EARLIER WORK, TWO BIG GAPS TO, TO, TO ALWAYS KEEP FRONT OF MIND. OKAY. A LOT OF HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE INCOMES ARE HERE, RIGHT. AND WHOSE HOUSING COSTS ARE HERE, RIGHT? SO WE'VE GOT AN AFFORDABILITY GAP ISSUE, RIGHT? AND ON THE HOUSING COST SIDE, RIGHT, THAT THAT DIFFERS, YOU KNOW, HOUSE TO HOUSE, HOUSEHOLD TO HOUSEHOLD CIRCUMSTANCE, TO CIRCUMSTANCE. BUT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT AS COST TO ACQUIRE AND THEN THE COST TO TAKE CARE OF, RIGHT? SO THAT COST TO ACQUIRE PLUS COST TO TAKE CARE OF, RIGHT, IS THIS INCOME IS, IS, IS FOR THIS MAGNITUDE IS HERE. SO WE'VE GOT AN AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGE, RIGHT? AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS ACROSS AN ENTIRE CITY, FOR MANY HOUSEHOLDS, THAT'S A FAIRLY LARGE DOLLAR SIGN. OKAY. 
          CONCURRENTLY, YOU ALSO HAVE A MARKET PROBLEM, A MARKET GAP PROBLEM, WHICH IS TO SAY THE COST TO ACQUIRE AND THE COST TO CATCH UP ON THE UNDERINVESTMENT THAT'S BEEN COMPOUNDING FOR YEARS EXCEEDS THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. OKAY. AND SO IT'S A DISINCENTIVE FOR THOSE UPGRADES 
          [00:10:06]
TO OCCUR.LSO, IT'S A DISINCENTIVE IN MANY CASES FOR SOME FOLKS TO EVEN ACQUIRE A PROPERTY TO BEGIN WITH, SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT. OKAY. AND SO WHEN THAT OCCURS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN ACROSS AN ENTIRE CITY, IT'S ALSO A LARGE DOLLAR SIGN. OKAY, SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON OUR IS IT MARCH, JANUARY? WE HAD A WORKSHOP COULD HAVE BEEN A MONTH AGO OR A YEAR AGO. BUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A GROUP, I BELIEVE ON A SATURDAY MORNING. RIGHT. AND AN EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AT THAT, WE WORKED THROUGH THESE TWO CHALLENGES. HOW DO WE DO THIS? RIGHT. SO IF WE'VE GOT LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT WE'VE GOT TWO BIG CHALLENGES, HOW DO WE DO THAT? RIGHT. AND SO YOU WILL RECALL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, OKAY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AFFORDABILITY ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT ARE CALLING TO US. RIGHT? NUMBER ONE. RIGHT. AND WE'VE ALSO GOT STRUCTURAL SOFTNESS THAT MARKET GAP. NUMBER TWO, RIGHT. WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THAT SESSION WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO EITHER ONE OR EITHER TWO. AND YOU AS COUNCIL SAID, NO, WE REJECT THAT AS A PREMISE. WE WANT TO DO BOTH. OKAY. THAT BOTH GAVE US THAT GAVE US A LOT OF DIRECTION ABOUT HOW TO WRITE YOUR STRATEGY. RIGHT? BUT IT ALSO TIED YOUR HANDS RIGHT WHEN YOU WANT TO DO WHEN ONE, THE COST OF DOING ONE REALLY WELL FAR EXCEEDS YOUR FISCAL CAPACITY, AND THE COST OF DOING TWO FAR EXCEEDS YOUR FISCAL CAPACITY. AND THEN YOU TELL US WE WANT TO DO ONE AND TWO. NOW THAT FORCES US TO REALLY BE STRATEGIC. OKAY. AND SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THIS STRATEGY THAT ATTEMPTS TO DO BOTH IN THE SMARTEST WAY POSSIBLE. CLEAR, GOOD. MAYOR, I'M GOING TO KIND OF LOOK TO YOU LIKE, IF I'M OFF COURSE, YOU JUST SHOOT ME LIKE AN EVIL EYE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT WE WANT WHAT? SO A COUPLE OF BUILDING BLOCKS AT THE OUTSET HERE IN ORDER TO DO TWO BIG THINGS. WELL WITH FINITE RESOURCES, RIGHT. YOU REALLY WANT TO BEGIN TO DO IS THINK OF YOUR HOUSING STRATEGY IN EFFECT. 
          AND I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO MISSTEP ON, ON MAYBE HOW THE CITY MANAGER MIGHT WANT ME TO SAY THIS. SO I HOPE I GET THIS RIGHT. AND THAT'S YOU WANT YOUR HOUSING STRATEGY TO BE TETHERED TIGHTLY, YOU KNOW, AS FISCAL POLICY, RIGHT? SO THE EXTENT YOUR HOUSING MARKET IS HEALTHY IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOU HAVE A FINANCIALLY HEALTHY CITY, RIGHT? AND SO OUR TASK HERE IS TO MAKE THE HOUSING MARKET HEALTHY AS A, AS A BUILDING BLOCK OF HELPING THE CITY BE FINANCIALLY HEALTHY. I GET THAT RIGHT. THAT'S CERTAINLY HOW WE THINK ABOUT IT. OKAY. AND SO AS WE BEGIN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT, RIGHT. WELL, SO WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT WITHIN THE CITY. WHAT ARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICULAR LOCATIONS, RIGHT. OR DO WE HAVE ONE LOCATION THAT'S A PARTICULARLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY? IS IT FAR AWAY FROM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY? HOW DO WE CONNECT THESE OPPORTUNITIES? RIGHT. AND OUT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, OUT OF A YEAR'S WORTH OF WORK, WHAT WE'VE REALLY COME DOWN TO IS TAKING A VERY LARGE CITY, VERY COMPLICATED CITY, AND THEN CREATITING ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS WHERE A LOT REMEMBER EARLIER, A FEW MOMENTS AGO, WE CAN FOCUS RESOURCES IN THERE UNTIL WE GET IT RIGHT AND THEN GO TO THE NEXT ECONOMIC FOCUS AREA. OKAY. SO TO DO THAT, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS KIND OF WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT? IT IS DOING ALL THAT YOU DO ON A CITYWIDE BASIS TODAY, YOU CONTINUE THOSE SERVICES, RIGHT? AND WHAT YOU DO IN THESE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS IS YOU DO EXTRA STUFF TO GET TO GET THAT MARKET MOVING AGAIN. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT'S GOOD. THERE ARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO TO ABSOLUTELY USE. 
          ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S ONE SLIDE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS IS THE SLIDE OKAY. WHICH IS CONCENTRATE ACTIVITIES AND BUILD FROM STRENGTH. LEVERAGE PRIVATE INVESTMENT WITH PUBLIC INVESTMENT INCENTIVES. NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? EARLIER I SAID YOU'VE GOT COMPOUNDED UNDERINVESTMENT. OKAY. IN ORDER TO CATCH UP ON THE RIGHT TO SORT OF RIGHT THE SCALES OF COMPOUNDED UNDERINVESTMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO. INCENTIVIZE. YOU'RE FACING A COST STRUCTURE THAT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT. OKAY. SO IF THAT COST STRUCTURE IS THIS BIG, HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT GARLAND. IN SOME PLACES IT'S THIS BIG, AND IN OTHER PLACES IT'S THIS BIG. AND IN SOME PARTS OF GARLAND, IT'S THIS BIG, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL DO ZERO OF IT. AND IN OTHER PLACES IT'S THIS BIG AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL DO A HIGH 
          [00:15:01]
PERCENTAGE OF IT, MEANING THAT YOU CAN STRETCH YOUR PUBLIC DOLLARS AS QUITE FAR. IF YOU'RE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT, WHERE DO WE START AND WHAT DO WE DO WHERE? OKAY, SO YOU'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE PRIVATE CAPITAL, GET IT OFF THE SIDELINES, RIGHT? TO MATCH YOUR PUBLIC CAPITAL, RIGHT? IN AREAS WHERE YOU'RE CONCENTRATING THOSE RESOURCES FOR A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME IN THE PROCESS. NUMBER THREE, YOU'RE CREATING NEW NORMS AND HIGHER STANDARDS, RIGHT? AND THEN FINALLY, ALL THAT ADDS INTO IS A WIDER RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF QUALITY RIGHT ACROSS THE CITY THAT ARE DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE CITY'S FISCAL STRENGTH. RIGHT. MAKE SENSE? OKAY. WHEN WE MAP THIS, ALL RIGHT, NOW BEGIN TO SORT OF SEE, ALL RIGHT, ON THIS ADDITIVE SIDE OF THINGS, RIGHT? SO IF WE GO BACK, WE'VE GOT. A CONTINUATION OF A WIDE ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES ON THE ONE HAND, AND IN ADDITION OF SOME NEW ACTIVITIES ON THE OTHER. AND SO RAISING THE QUESTION, WHAT CONSTITUTES THOSE NEW ACTIVITIES? WHERE DO WE DO IT? WHY DO WE DO IT? OKAY. AND SO THAT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE BROKEN THE CITY DOWN ESSENTIALLY INTO THREE, THREE PHYSICAL BUILDING BLOCKS THAT ARE EVER PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE STRATEGY. ONE BUILDING BLOCK ARE THE CORRIDORS, RIGHT? YOUR CORRIDORS ARE AT ONE LEVEL, ONE CONDITION RIGHT NOW, RIGHT. THEY, THEY THAT THAT CONDITION NEEDS TO GO UP. OKAY. WHERE CORRIDORS INTERSECT, YOU'LL SEE US USE THE TERM NODES, RIGHT? RIGHT. AT MANY NODES, YOU'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REDEVELOPMENT, RIGHT AND RIGHT NEXT TO THOSE INTERSECTIONS AND NODES ARE NEIGHBORHOODS, BLOCKS HOMES. RIGHT. AND THOSE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, STRENGTHEN THAT HOUSING MARKET. SO THOSE THREE BUILDING BLOCKS ARE THERE, RIGHT? AND WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK BACK TO CORRIDORS, INTERSECTIONS, AND NEIGHBORHOODS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. RIGHT? EVERYBODY CLEAR RIGHT IN THAT WHERE WE'VE GOT INTERSECTIONS WHERE THERE'S PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITIES AND RIGHT NEXT TO THOSE INTERSECTIONS, RIGHT WITHIN THAT HALF MILILE RADIUS, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE READY TO GO, RIGHT? WHICH WON'T, WHICH FOR WHICH WE GET A VERY GOOD LEVERAGE RATIO, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BUILD ON STRENGTH, RIGHT? AND GO BACK TO THAT, THAT GUIDING PRINCIPLE EARLIER, WHICH IS HOW DO WE GET NUMBER ONE AND TWO CONCENTRATED ACTIVITIES? WE GET THE HIGH LEVERAGE RATIO. AND WHAT YOU BEGIN TO SEE HERE IS WE'VE GOT REAL OPPORTUNITIES. WE'VE GOT OPPORTUNITIES CLEARLY DOWNTOWN, WHERE YOUR WORK OVER THE LAST DECADE IS, IS JUST NOTHING SHORT OF IMPRESSIVE. 
          AND YOU WANT TO CONTINUE. AND AT OTHER NODES AND INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE, RIGHT? LET'S SEE. AS LET ME LET ME TURN THIS OVER TO YOU NOW, THOMAS. I'M SORRY. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT NOW AND FOCUS ON, ON THIS NOTION OF A FOCUS AREA, RIGHT? WHAT TO DO, HOW IT CONNECTS TO THE BROADER STORY, RIGHT. AND HOW TO THINK OF IT PROGRAMMATICALLY. THOMAS, ARE YOU SURE? SO WITH REGARD TO SO CHARLES NOTED THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT, KIND OF CALIBRATING HOUSING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO THINK ABOUT KIND OF THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE THAT TIES YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER. AND SO WITH REGARD TO CORRIDORS, IT'S NOT ONLY HOW IT TIES THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, IT'S ALSO HOW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMUTERS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OR VISITORS TO THE COMMUNITY THINK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. SO AS WE THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE CORRIDORS WE'VE IDENTIFIED, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE ON THIS MAP HERE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THOSE AREAS, THOSE CORRIDORS, WHETHER IT'S WHETHER IT'S GARLAND AVENUE, KINGSLEY, SATURN, SOUTH FIRST, ETC. THAT ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EITHER AN ENHANCEMENT OR A TRANSFORMATION. SO AN ENHANCEMENT CONCEPT IS REALLY ABOUT IMPROVING THE APPEARANCE, THE FEEL, WHAT IT WHAT THE EXPERIENCE IS LIKE AS YOU DRIVE DOWN A CORRIDOR AND OR WALK DOWN A CORRIDOR, IT COULD BE IMPROVING THE WIDTH OF A SIDEWALK. IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT, BUT IT TENDS TO BE MORE ABOUT COMFORT, FEEL, OR ESTHETICS. TRANSFORMATION IS A BIT MORE. IT'S ENHANCEMENT, BUT IT'S ADDITIVE. AND SO IT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT A POTENTIAL ROAD DIET. IT MAY BE CHANGES TO THE THE CURBING OR THE ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG THE ROAD TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR 
          [00:20:03]
MAYBE A PEDESTRIAN, MAYBE A BICYCLE. IT DEPENDS ON THE CORRIDOR, BUT IT'S A BIT MORE SIGNIFICANT AND POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED ALSO MEANING MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE. SO AS YOU LOOK AT, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, AS YOU LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE CORRIDORS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT BENEFITS THAT ARE BOTH ECONOMIC BENEFITS, THAT ARE ESTHETIC BENEFITS THAT ARE FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. SO CERTAINLY CREATING MORE WALKABLE CORRIDORS, MORE MIXED USE INCREASES PROPERTY VALUE, PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES YOUR PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT. THAT'S A BENEFIT TO THE CITY'S REVENUE TO THE CITY'S BUDGET ESTHETIC. CERTAINLY YOU WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH YOUR PEER COMMUNITIES, ADJACENT COMMUNITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BOTH DRIVE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. AND AGAIN, FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU'RE JUST WALKING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ALONG SOME OF THESE CORRIDORS, EXPANDING CORRIDORS FOR MULTI MODAL OPPORTUNITIES AGAIN, SUCH AS BICYCLES, ETC. IS IMPORTANT. AND THEN IT MAY BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, STREET TREE PLANTING TO REDUCE HEAT AND MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SIMPLY WALK ALONG THE SIDEWALK. CERTAINLY STREET TREES ALONG CORRIDORS CAN HELP SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THEY KIND OF CREATE THAT VERTICAL ELEMENT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT DOES ENHANCEMENT LOOK LIKE? COULD BE STREET TREES. IT COULD BE REDUCING CLUTTER. IT COULD BE IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF CODING FOR SIGNAGE, STREETSCAPE AMENITIES THAT COULD BE BOTH A PUBLIC AND A PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. SOME STREETSCAPE AMENITIES. IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE THAT FALLS TO THE CITY, BUT SOME OF THOSE CAN FALL ON THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY LINE AND COULD SERVE AS A NEFIT AS WELL. MAYBE IT'S FENCING, SOME OF THE FENCING ALONG THE NEIGHBORHOODS. COULD THAT BE IMPROVED? AGAIN, MORE OF A COMFORT ESTHETIC AND A FEEL TOOLS? CERTAINLY. MAKE SURE YOUR DEVELOPMENT CODE IS RIGHT. MAKE SURE YOUR SIGN CODE IS RIGHT. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PRIVATE MARKET TO ENSURE THAT AS YOU STEP UP, THAT THEY'RE STEPPING UP AS WELL. PILOT PROJECTS INCENTIVIZE PARTNER WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE WILLING TO DO SOME OF THAT WORK ALONGSIDE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. THEN IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, TRANSFORMATION, AGAIN, THIS IS ADDITIVE. THIS IS BUILT UPON THE ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THIS COULD INVOLVE SIDEWALK SIDEWALK CHANGES, INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES, CURB CUTS. YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTO AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT SLIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EXPANSIVE CURB CUT. THOSE START TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT HOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE A CORRIDOR AND THE IMPACT SAFETY AS WELL. SO IT MAY BE WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO START TO REDUCE THOSE. AND AGAIN, IF YOU TAKE SOME OF THOSE CURB CUTS OUT, YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WIDER SIDEWALKS AND OR GREEN SPACE, PARK STRIP SPACE AND TREES. PART OF THIS WORK, THOUGH, IS NOT JUST WORKING WITH CODING. THIS DOES START TO GET INTO PUBLIC WORKS. IT STARTS TO GET INTO IDENTIFICATION OF PILOT PROJECTS, ETC. BECAUSE THIS IS SOME OF THIS WORK IS GOING TO COST SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS. SO THIS IS KIND OF THAT NEXT STEP ABOVE ENHANCEMENT, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY. OKAY, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MATT NOW BECAUSE THE CORRIDORS CREATE T THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE INTERSECTIONS AND NODES. AND THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT. GREAT. 
          THANKS, THOMAS. GOOD MORNING MAYOR. COUNCILORS, AS CHARLES OUTLINED A FEW MINUTES AGO, THERE'S THAT THE THREE LEGS OF THE OF THE STOOL HERE WE HAVE THE CORRIDORS THAT THOMAS JUST COVERED. WE HAVE THESE NODES THAT I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUTT HERE IN A MINUTE. AND THEN THE THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE GET FURTHER INTO THE DECK. WE'LL, YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE HOW ALL OF THESE KIND OF COME TOGETHER IN THESE. WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO AS IS THE WEDGE. 
          SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT NODES OR THESE KEY INTERSECTIONS, THESE ARE REALLY MIXED USE ACTIVITY CENTERS. THESE ARE TYPICALLY A HALF MILE RADIUS. YOU CAN SEE THE DOTTED LINE AROUND EACH ONE OF THESE INTERSECTIONS INDICATES THAT HALF MILE RADIUS. BUT THEN THAT CENTER DOT IS ALSO THAT'S A QUARTER MILE RADIUS. SO FROM AN URBAN DESIGN STANDPOINT, WE LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT'S A REASONABLE WALK DISTANCE? FOR MOST PEOPLE, THAT'S USUALLY A FIVE MINUTE WALK OR A TEN MINUTE WALK. AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT QUARTER MILE IN THAT IN THAT HALF MILE IS. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT HALF MILE BEGINS TO REACH OUT INTO THOSE 
          [00:25:03]
NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S WHY ALL THREE KIND OF COMPONENTS, WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER, ALL KIND OF HAVE TO ADDRESS ALL THREE. IF YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING TO TRY TO CREATE THESE, THESE MIXED USE CENTERS OR NODES WITHIN THE CITY, WE HAVE THE WEDGE, AS I MENTIONED, THE FIRST KIND OF ECONOMIC FOCUS AREA, WHICH ARE THE THREE RED FOCUS AREAS DOWN THERE. YEAH. THANKS, CHARLES. 
          THIS IS WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO AS THE WEDGE. WE CALL THIS THE THE FIRST ECONOMIC FOCUS AREA. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER NODES, ONE AT THE BELTLINE IN GARLAND IN THE NORTH, AND THEN TWO ON BROADWAY AS WELL. SO WHEN WE THINK OF THESE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE SCALE OF THEM. AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT SIZE SINKS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE SIZE, SOME AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE ARE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE THIS WITH SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE COMMUNITY SCALE, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. AND THEN AT THE REGIONAL SCALE, IT GETS EVEN BIGGER. SO IN THIS WEDGE, WE HAVE ALL THREE SCALES. WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY SCALE, WHICH IS IN THE SOUTH. AND THEN AT SATURN AND KINGSLEY, WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY SCALE AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, WHICH IS THAT SMALLEST SINK IS AT SOUTH FIRST. AND KINGSLEY, THE ONES OUT THERE ON BELTWAY ARE MORE REGIONAL IN NATURE. YOU'RE LOOKING AT 35 TO 40,000 CARS A DAY ON, ON, ON BROADWAY. IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A MORE WALKABLE, MIXED USE CENTER WHEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF INTENSITY AND TRAFFIC VOLUMES AS COMPARED TO IN THE WEDGE. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE 16,000 CARS A DAY ON SATURN. SO AS THOMAS MENTIONED, WITH CORRIDORS, WHEN WE START, THINK ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF CORRIDORS AND MAKE THEM MORE ACCOMMODATING TO ALL MODES OF TRAVEL, BICYCLISTS WALKING AS WELL AS DRIVING UNDER 2020 2000 CARS PER DAY, IT MAKES A ROAD DIET. WHAT THEY REFER TO AS A ROAD DIET IS KIND OF NARROWING THINGS DOWN A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER, WHERE YOU CAN STILL MOVE TRAFFIC VERY EFFICIENTLY, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CREATE ROOMS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS AS WELL. YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE WEDGE, THE OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE AND THE OTHER NODES ARE IS LIMITED JUST BECAUSE OF T T THE H H HUGUGUGEC VOLUMES YOU HAVE. THOSE ARE REALLY AIMED AT MOVING CARS.S.S. 
          YOU U U SHSHSHSHSHOUOUOULDLDLD S AND, AND, AND,EDNSASASOU CORRIDORS ARE REALLY HEAVY TRAFFIC CORRIDORS. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE KIND OF FOCUSED ON, FOR SEVERAL REASONS, FOCUSED ON THE THREE NODES THAT YOU HAVE IN, IN THE WEDGE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD IGNORE THE BELTLINE OR BROADWAY IF OPPORTUNITIES EXIST. THIS IS A FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE CREATING THAT IS ADAPTABLE AND IMPLEMENTABLE AND TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER NODES. SO IF THERE'S MOMENTUM AROUND ANOTHER NODE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD NECESSARILY IGNORE IT. THE FRAMEWORK ALLOWS YOU TO ADAPT THIS TO OTHER NODES AS WELL. 
          BUT THE FOCUS, INITIAL FOCUS WE'RE PROPOSING TO BE ON THE WEDGE. HERE. OH, THERE WE GO. 
          AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A REPEATABLE SYSTEM. AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT BALANCING ALL USES. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS TO CONSIDER HERE IS THAT MOST OF THE CORRIDORS TEND TO BE SINGLE USE ON A PARCEL, TEND TO BE IT'S EITHER MULTIFAMILY OR IT TENDS TO BE HEAVY COMMERCIAL. YOU HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEGINNING TO AGE, AND IT'S BECOME AN UNDERUTILIZED. IN SOME CASES, THE LAND MAY BE WORTH MORE THAN THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ACTUALLY ON IT. AND OVER TIME, THAT SENDS SIGNALS TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAT THERE MIGHT IT MIGHT BE RIPE FOR REDEVELOPMENT. AND YOU DO HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF, OF CORRIDORS THAT ARE IN THAT CLASSIFICATION. SO MIXING OF USES BRINGS OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, OFFICE, CIVIC. BRINGING THOSE TOGETHER PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY. BUT FOR ALL OF THIS TO WORK, IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT. AS YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GARLAND SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN, YOU PARK ON ONE SIDE OF THE SQUARE, YOU DON'T GET IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SQUARE. MOST OF THE TIME. WE WERE THERE YESTERDAY, SPENT WE ATE LUNCH. WE WENT TO THE COFFEE SHOP. YOU MIGHT PARK ONE TIME AND WALK ALL OVER DOWNTOWN. DOWNTOWN IS CERTAINLY MORE THAN A FIVE MINUTES, MAYBE EVEN A TEN MINUTE WALK FROM FROM SIDE TO SIDE. SO THAT CONCEPT OF BRINGING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF USES IN A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT, DOES SEVERAL THINGS. IT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE LESS PARKING BECAUSE YOU CAN BEGIN TO SHARE PARKING, BUT IT ALSO PUSHES VALUE UP. IT'S IT'S SHOWN THAT MIXED USE CENTERS HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 2.5 TO 7 TIMES THE VALUE OF SINGLE USE DEVELOPMENTS. SO AS WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF CORRIDORS IN THESE NODES, MIXED USE WOULD 
          [00:30:01]
CERTAINLY BE A PART OF IT. THE ONE THING YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THIS GRAPHIC HERE, THIS ILLUSTRATION, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEAL SITUATION. YOU LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, GEEZ, THAT'S THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. BUT IS THAT REALISTIC? THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT EVERY STREET CAN'T LOOK LIKE THIS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHARACTERISTICS UNDERNEATH THE GRAPHIC, THESE ARE THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS THAT I WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY. IF YOU TAKE AWAY ANYTHING, IT'S ABOUT YOU HAVE PRIVATE REALM COMPONENTS AND YOU HAVE PUBLIC REALM COMPONENTS. RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T SPEAK TO TO EACH OTHER VERY WELL OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. WE CAN BEGIN TO GET THOSE THINGS WORKING TOGETHER WHERE YOU CAN BEGIN TO LEVERAGE PUBLIC DOLLARS AND HOW YOU TREAT THE STREET IN THE PUBLIC REALM TO INTERACT WITH THE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND KIND OF LEVERAGE THOSE PUBLIC DOLLARS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND BEGIN TO GET THOSE TWO THINGS WORKING TOGETHER. SO IT'S NOT ONE CHARACTERISTIC THAT'S GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT'S MANY CHARACTERISTICS WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE AN IMAGE LIKE THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF AFTER SOME VERSION OF WHERE YOU'RE ACCOMMODATING BOTH THE PUBLIC REALM AND THE PRIVATE REALM, AND THAT INTERFACE BETWEEN THE TWO IS, IS SEAMLESS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LINGER. PEOPLE WANT TO BE TO HAVE LASTING VALUE. AND IT ALSO HAS A SENSE OF PLACE. SO IN TERMS OF THE ACTIONS, SIMPLE INTERSECTION TYPOLOGY, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE REGIONAL NODES, THE COMMUNITY NODES AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD NODES. WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THOSE MEAN HERE IN A MINUTE, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAXIMIZING EVERYTHING. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT SIZE OF THAT SINK IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU HAVE ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT THAT RELATE TO IT. SO HOW YOU TRANSITION FROM WHAT'S INSIDE THE NODE DOWN TO THOSE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. UTILIZE A STANDARDIZED, STANDARDIZED, BUT FLEXIBLE IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT THAT MIGHT REQUIRE CODE MODIFICATIONS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE DESIGN RIGHT AND ALSO THE MIXING OF USES RIGHT. AND THEN AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, PRIORITIZING THE NODES BASED ON READINESS AND IMPACT, NOT ON GEOGRAPHY ALONE. SO THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT POPS UP THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT. YOU KNOW, OVER ON BROADWAY THAT THERE'S A REALLY UNIQUE PROPOSAL THAT POPS UP AND WE MIGHT NEED TO APPLY THIS OVER THERE SOONER THAN LATER, BUT THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW WOULD BE ON THE WEDGE CODE ENFORCEMENT, MIXED USE DISTRICTS, OVERLAY DISTRICTS, AND ALL OF THOSE ARE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX THAT WE CAN USE TO HELP IMPLEMENT THESE NODES OR ACTIVITY CENTERS. AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO CHARLES TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS. OKAY. SO EVERYBODY WITH US SO FAR, WE GOOD. OKAY, PACE TOO SLOW. PICK IT UP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THESE BUILDING BLOCKS, OKAY, THE CITIES COMPRISED OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CITIES COMPRISED OF CORRIDORS, THE CITIES COMPRISED OF INTERSECTIONS, NODES. OKAY. THE NAME OF THE GAME IS, IS FOR ALL THREE TO GO UP IN QUALITY, UP IN STANDARDS, UP IN VALUE. THAT THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME. OKAY. THAT'S HOW YOU CONNECT YOUR HOUSING STRATEGY TO THE, TO THE, TO THE CITY'S BALANCE SHEET, RIGHT? EACH OF THOSE THREE BUILDING BLOCKS UP IN STANDARDS, UP IN QUALITY, UP IN VALUE. OKAY. SO THOMAS HAS TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THOSE CORRIDORS, RIGHT? WE COULD LIGHTLY ENHANCE, WE COULD SIGNIFICANTLY TRANSFORM. THAT'S TALKING ABOUT THOSE, THOSE NODES, SOME THAT ARE SORT OF SMALLER, SOME THAT ARE LARGER. 
          BUT IN ALL CASES, THEY, THEHEY WANT TO TRANSITION FROM SINGLE USE TO MORE. COMPLEX AND INTERACTIVE. RIGHT. AND HIGHER VALUE. RIGHT. THEY'RE ALL THEY ALL REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES TO RAISE STANDARDS, RIGHT. AND ULTIMATELY TO LEAD TO, YOU KNOW, STRONGER, MORE DURABLE VALUES. SAME IS TRUE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WHEN WE STRIP FROM THE MAP, RIGHT, THOSE CORRIDORS AND THOSE INTERSECTIONS AND ARE LOOKING AT THE NEIGHBORHOODS UNDERNEATH, WHAT DO WE HAVE? RIGHT? SO IF WE GO ALL THE WAY BACK, YOU'LL RECALL. ON THE ON THE RIGHT, WHAT WE DID WAS WE EVALUATED ALL OF THE RESIDENTIAL, ALL THE HOMES, RIGHT? ALL THE NEIGHBOR, ALL THE BLOCKS, ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY ON A NUMBER OF CRITERIA TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHERE ARE THEY? RIGHT. AND YOU WILL RECALL FROM OUR STUDY, RIGHT, THE, THOSE, THOSE PINK AREAS WE CALLED REGIONALLY COMPETITIVE, RIGHT? THEY'RE JUST PEOPLE WILL PAY TOP DOLLAR TO BE THERE. THOSE VALUES ARE STABLE. THOSE VALUES ARE RISING. OKAY. THERE HASN'T BEEN UNDERINVESTMENT, RIGHT. AND SO THOSE AREAS ARE DOING PRETTY WELL. WE CAN ACTUALLY KIND OF THERE. THOSE PATIENTS DON'T REQUIRE ANY PHYSICIANS ASSISTANTS, IF YOU WILL. OKAY. RIGHT. THE BALANCE OF THE CITY, THE NON PINK ACTUALLY DOES 
          [00:35:05]
REQUIRE SOME ATTENTION, RIGHT. FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS. AND WE BROKE THOSE INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. SO THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT, WE CALLED LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          YOU'LL SEE THOSE IN SORT OF A GRAY BLUE RIGHT THERE IN THE CORE, RIGHT? THEY DEVELOPED REALLY FROM 1948 TO 19. EARLY 60S, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, LATE 50S, EARLY 60S. SO THAT'S OUR LEGACY AREAS. WE'RE REALLY IN THE CORE. AND THEN IN BETWEEN THOSE REGIONALLY COMPETITIVE PINK AND THOSE, THE OLDER LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT ESSENTIALLY THE BULK OF THE CITY AND THAT BULK OF THE CITY, RIGHT? IS, IS, WE THINK, RIPE FOR REVITALIZATION, REALLY RIPE FOR REINVESTMENT. IF WE CAN JUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO TURN, WHICH DIAL AND FLIP THE SWITCH ON. AND, AND THAT GEOGRAPHY IS ALSO LARGE ENOUGH. WE SUBDIVIDED IT, YOU KNOW, WE CALL THOSE GROWTH AREAS AND SUBDIVIDED INTO THOSE AREAS WHERE WE, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE A FAIRLY GOOD RETURN. RIGHT. AND A MORE MODEST RETURN. SO THOSE GREEN AREAS, FAIRLY GOOD RETURN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THOSE YELLOW AREAS, SOME MODEST RETURN, RIGHT. SO WORKING ALL THE WAY FORWARD, JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE HERE WE'RE JUST LOOKING AGAIN AT THOSE GROWTH NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE OUR JOB IS TO CATALYZE REINVESTMENT AND OUR LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE OUR JOB IS TO RAISE STANDARDS, RIGHT? SO I LIKE TO USE A, YOU KNOW, A FOOTBALL ANALOGY, YOU KNOW, A SPORTS ANALOGY FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING. BUT FOR THIS ONE, A FOOTBALL ANALOGY WORKS WELL, WHICH IS IF YOU CAN GET INTO THE END ZONE, RIGHT, YOU ON, O STANDARDS AND ON QUALITY AND, AND ON, ON, ON VALUES, RIGHT. IF YOU CAN GET INTO THE END ZONE ON THAT, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME. THOSE BLOCKS, THOSE HOUSES, THOSE BLOCKS, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ON THE OPPONENT'S 20 YARD LINE, THEY'RE CLOSE TO GETTING INTO THE END ZONE. WE CAN JUST PUSH THEM IN THERE JUST WITH NOT TOO MUCH EFFORT. I KNOW THE LAST 20 IS HARD, BUT JUST LET GO WITH GO WITH MY METAPHOR FOR A MINUTE. THEY'RE THEY'RE CLOSE TO THE END ZONE. YOU'VE GOT OTHER BLOCKS, YOUR LEGACY BLOCKS THAT ARE FURTHER AWAY, RIGHT? AND SO, SO YOUR LEGACY BLOCKS, THINK OF YOUR LEGACY BLOCKS, RIGHT? AS SORT OF BEING ON YOUR OWN 20 OR 30 YARD LINE. 
          THINK OF YOUR GROWTH BLOCKS, THOSE YELLOW. SO THOSE, THOSE BLUE, THE BLUE AREAS, THEY'RE KIND OF ON THE 203 YARD LINE. THEY GOT A, THEY GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. YOUR GROWTH AREAS, THE YELLOW AND GREEN, THEY'RE SORT OF MID-FIELD, RIGHT? WE GOT SOME WAY TO GO. MAYBE SOMEWHERE ON THE OPPONENT'S 40. RIGHT. AND SO WE REALLY THE WORK TO GET FROM FROM MIDFIELD INTO THE END ZONE IS REVITALIZATION WORK. OKAY. BUT YOU GOT TO BE AT MIDFIELD TO UNDERTAKE REVITALIZATION WORK RIGHT. PRIOR TO GETTING TO MIDFIELD, WHICH IS TO GO FROM YOUR 20 TO MIDFIELD. YOU REALLY HAVE TO GET STABILITY FIRST. OKAY? YOU GOT TO STABILIZE THOSE AREAS. 
          RIGHT. AND SO A KEY PIECE OF THE HOUSING STRATEGY IS FOR THOSE BLOCKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CLOSE TO ACTUALLY KILLING IT, RIGHT? THEY'RE READY TO BE REVITALIZED. WE'RE GOING TO GET GOOD LEVERAGE RATIO IN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THERE FOREVER, BUT, YOU KNOW, LONG ENOUGH, RIGHT, FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE MAYBE PARKED ON THE 23RD ON YOUR ON, ON OUR OWN 20, 30, 40, WE'VE GOT TO STABILIZE FIRST, RIGHT? SO IT'S TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF CHALLENGES, TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF TOOLS, TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF OUTCOMES, RIGHT? AND SO UNDERNEATH ALL THIS, WHAT OUTCOMES DO WE WANT? JUST, JUST AS THOMAS WAS, WAS, WAS WALKING US THROUGH CORRIDORS, RIGHT? SO WE WANT THE HEAT. WE WANT IT TO BE PLEASANT TO WALK ON CORRIDORS, SAFE TO WALK ON CORRIDORS LESS, YOU KNOW, COOLER TO WALK ON CORRIDORS, MORE DESIRABLE TO WALK ON CORRIDORS. AND THAT IS IS LOOKING AT THE NODES AND SAYING, IT'S GOT TO BE A PLACE WHERE I WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO WALK OUT OF MY HOUSE AND TAKE A 5 OR 10 MINUTE WALK TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO AN ACTIVE, AN ACTIVE STRIP, AN ACTIVE PLACE AND BE RIGHT ON OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. RIGHT. THERE ARE ALSO SOME OUTCOMES TO ACHIEVE. 
          SO STANDARDS OF MAINTENANCE AND CARE, WE WANT THOSE TO GO UP. OKAY. LOTS OF, LOTS OF, OF THE OWNERS IN, IN GROWTH NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY OFTEN TO, TO DO MORE, RIGHT. BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE TO DO THAT, RIGHT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S AN INCENTIVE SYSTEM IN PLACE TO MARRY TO THOSE OWNERS. SO THAT, THAT, THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO RAISE STANDARDS, RAISE VALUES, RIGHT. AND IN LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE YOU'VE GOT AFFORDABILITY GAPS, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ASSIST OWNERS, PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE OWNERS IN, IN THOSE CHALLENGES, RIGHT. AND, AND ALONG THE WAY, INCREASING THE SHARE OF HOMES NEEDING ONLY A MINOR REINVESTMENT IN ALL IN ALL THESE CASES WHERE THAT WHERE IT'S NOT PINK, RIGHT? THERE ARE LOTS OF HOMES WITH LOTS OF LOTS OF STREETS AND LOTS OF BLOCKS THAT NEED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK, RIGHT? WE WANT TO REDUCE THAT HIGH PERCENTAGE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO THAT'S THE OUTCOME THAT THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO WANT TO RUN, TO WANT TO WORK TOWARDS. AND IN THE AND, AND YOU NEVER WANT TO DO THE WORK RIGHT WITHOUT IN THE PROCESS, PRETTY DEEP RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT, PRETTY DEEP PARTNERSHIP RIGHT 
          [00:40:04]
BETWEEN THE CITY AND AND RESIDENTS, RIGHT. IT'S, IT IS A CAPACITY BUILDING ENDEAVOR ALL THE TIME. OKAY. SO HOW TO DO THAT IN THE GROWTH NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU'VE GOT AN ARRAY OF, OF VERY GOOD EXISTING PROGRAMS. SO WHERE THE HEART IS THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT CONTINUES CODE ENFORCEMENT. WE WANT THAT TO BE UPPED AND BECOME MORE PROACTIVE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE YOUR HOME INFILL PROGRAM AND DO THOSE ALONGSIDE OF NEW WORK, WHICH WE'RE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING BLOCK CHALLENGE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAMS, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOME RENOVATION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT, AND SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPER PROGRAM INCENTIVES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. SO THE NOTION ON THE RIGHT HERE, THESE NEW INCENTIVES, RIGHT? THE KEY WORD IS INCENTIVES, RIGHT? INCENTIVES FOR STANDARDS AND, AND, AND QUALITY, AND THEN ULTIMATELY VALUES TO GO UP. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS, REMEMBER OUR LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS, THOSE LEGACY BLOCKS, THEY'RE LARGELY ON, ON OUR ON OUR OWN 20 AND 30 YARD LINE. THEY'RE NOT THERE YET. SO STABILIZATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. AND SO IN THAT CASE, WE'RE GOING TO, AS BEFORE, IN GROWTH NEIGHBORHOODS, WE'RE GOING TO TAP INTO EXISTING PROGRAMS, TAP INTO EXISTING CODE CODE ENFORCEMENT ENDEAVORS, HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS FOR ELIGIBLE HOMEOWNERS. AND MARRY THAT ALONGSIDE OF OF A RENTAL REHAB ENDEAVOR. SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE IS, IS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN MANY OF THE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS OVER TIME AND WHAT THE CITY'S VULNERABLE TO ACROSS THE CITY, WHICH IS AS OWNER OCCUPANTS AGE AND SELL, RIGHT, MANY OF THE PROPERTIES BECOME MORE AND MORE APPEALING FOR ABSENTEE OWNERS TO COME IN BY A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND RENT IT OUT. OKAY. AND SO IN MANY CASES, THE MATH DOESN'T WORK FOR THOSE HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BY AN ABSENTEE OWNER, RIGHT? TO GET UPGRADED TO CATCH UP ON THAT, THAT UNDERINVESTMENT THAT'S COMPOUNDED, RIGHT? SO A, A RENTAL REHAB PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT WE STRONGLY, STRONGLY RECOMMEND ON THESE, ON THES LEGACY BLOCKS. SO NOW I WANT TO DO IS TAKE ALL THIS. WE'VE GOT THESE BUILDING BLOCKS, WE'VE GOT CORRIDORS, WE'VE GOT NODES, WE'VE GOT NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE'S A FRAMEWORK FOR GETTING ALL FROM HERE TO HERE TO HERE TO HERE, RIGHT? SOME WE'RE FOCUSING ON STABILITY, RIGHT? AND ENHANCEMENT IN MANY CASES. AND IN OTHER CASES, WE'RE FOCUSING ON REVITALIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WHERE STRETCH OUR RESOURCES THE FURTHEST. SO THERE'S THE FIRST ECONOMIC FOCUS AREA, WHICH TOUCHED ON IS, IS THIS FAIRLY SIZABLE AREA THAT WE'VE SORT OF CALLED THE WEDGE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR SHORTHAND. SO IS THAT YOU, MATT. OKAY. SO AS WE GO IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE TAKING IT FROM HERE TO HERE TO HERE TO HERE, TO HERE UNTIL WE GET INTO JUST FOOTNOTE LIKE, YOU KNOW, TINY FOOTNOTE PRINT BY THE END OF THIS THING WHEN YOU'LL BE EXHAUSTED. AND WHAT IS THAT YOU? SO AS CHARLES SAID, WE'RE TAKING THIS DOWN A LEVEL, JUST FOCUSING ON THE WEDGE HERE AND THESE THREE NODES ON SATURN AND KINGSLEY. AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE ALL THREE SCALES HERE. WE HAVE THE REGIONAL NODE, THE COMMUNITY NODE, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD NODE. SO WE START WITH THE SATURN ROAD. IN THE SOUTHWEST HIGHWAY. THERE'S A LITTLE MOMENTUM DOWN HERE. NOW THERE'S I THINK THE PODIUM PROJECT IS DOWN IN THIS AREA. RELATIVELY STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS CLOSE TO THE CENTERVILLE ROAD, WHICH IS REALLY KIND OF THAT GATEWAY INTO GARLAND, ONE OF THE GATEWAYS. YOU KNOW, IT CARRIES 40,000 CARS A DAY. SO THIS IS A REGIONAL. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT REGIONAL, IT'S BEYOND JUST THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL OR EVEN THE COMMUNITY LEVEL. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT MAY BE COMING HERE. SO POSITION ALONG MAJOR REGIONAL CORRIDORS BEST SUITED TO SORT OF HIGHER INTENSITY MIXED USE CENTERS. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE SCALE GOES UP HERE NOT ONLY IN GEOGRAPHY BUT ALSO IN THE SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT. YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'LL TALK HERE IN A MINUTE, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIGGER BUILDINGS, HIGHER DENSITY, MORE INTENSITY. WE MOVE UP TO SATURN AND KINGSLEY. WE ARE NOW AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL. AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, SATURN ROAD 15, 16,000 CARS A DAY. NOT TOO BAD. 
          ELIGIBLE TO MAYBE NARROW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, MAKE IT MORE INVITING AND WALKABLE. ONE THING I'LL NOTICE OR NOTE ABOUT STREETS IN GENERAL, AND MY COLLEAGUES ALWAYS HECKLE ME ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I REPEAT IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. IF YOU ADD UP ALL OF THE ACREAGE FOR THE STREETS IN ANY CITY, IT FAR OUTWEIGHS EVERY OTHER PUBLIC SPACE THAT YOU HAVE. HOW WE TREAT OUR STREETS AND ROADWAYS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S OUR PRIMARY PUBLIC SPACE. THAT'S WHERE WE SPEND OUR TIME. THAT'S WHERE THE GATEWAYS INTO YOUR CITY ARE, ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS, HOW THEY'RE TREATED AND HOW THEY THE SIGNALS THAT THEY SEND TO, WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENT OR 
          [00:45:01]
A VISITOR OR AN INVESTOR IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE STREETS RIGHT IN THE THE WEDGE IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. SO THAT COMMUNITY NODE, THIS IS WHERE YOU BEGIN TO EMPHASIZE EVERYDAY RETAIL. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT JUST LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT EVEN OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE PASSING THROUGH THAT MIGHT STOP AND, AND GO TO THOSE BUSINESSES OR MAYBE GET A RESTAURANT RESERVATION THAT MAYBE EVEN EARNING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WHEN YOU GET OVER TO THE FIRST, THE SOUTH FIRST STREET, IT'S EVEN A SMALLER SINK. IT'S MORE COMPACT. YOU HAVE RESIDENTIAL, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL FABRIC RIGHT UP CLOSE AGAINST THAT NODE THAT'S REALLY AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE DENSITY. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU THROUGH DESIGN, YOU CAN STILL GET A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL HOUSING OPTIONS, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT USES. IT'S JUST DESIGN BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPORTANT THERE. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE SCALE OF EACH ONE OF THESE, WE HAVE THE REGIONAL COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REGIONAL 5 TO 600 UNITS, A MIX OF, YOU KNOW, LARGER APARTMENT BUILDINGS, MIXED USE BUILDINGS, LIVE WORK UNITS, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUILDINGS, ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 7 STORIES. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LARGER SCALE IN THAT REGIONAL ACTIVITY NODE. AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 3 TO 400 UNITS APARTMENTS. MAYBE THE BUILDING SIZE COMES DOWN A LITTLE BIT. WE'RE TALKING 2 TO 5 STORIES THERE. NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL SERVICES, SMALL SCALE PROBABLY WON'T BE AS BIG OF AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER AS A REGIONAL SCALE NODE. BUT NONETHELESS, YOU STILL HAVE A MIX OF USES IN A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT. AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL, ANYWHERE FROM 150 TO 200 UNITS. 
          SMART SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEXES, TOWNHOMES, YOU CAN STILL GET 2 TO 5 STORIES WITHIN THIS NODE, BUT LAYERING IN THE TRANSITIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALLER, YOU HAVE A VERY SHORT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE FRONTAGE ON, SAY, KINGSLEY OR SOUTH FIRST AND THE BACK OF THE LOT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT VERY QUICKLY. SO YOU JUST DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPACE THERE. YOU CAN STILL DO IT. YOU CAN STILL TEAR THAT DOWN, STILL GET 2 TO 5 BUILDINGS OR STORY BUILDINGS IN THERE. BUT DESIGN BECOMES REALLY CRITICAL IN THAT SITUATION. AND IN TERMS OF THE ADJACENT GROWTH NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THESE NODES, I'M GOING TO LET CHARLES TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REVITALIZATION OF THOSE. OKAY. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT GETS A LITTLE BLURRY, RIGHT? SO. THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS INSIDE, INSIDE THIS WEDGE, RIGHT? SO WE GO BACK TO THIS, THIS MAP INSIDE THIS SORT OF TRIANGLE. OKAY, WHAT YOU'VE GOT ARE SOME GROWTH GROWTH AREAS, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN SEE THE COLOR DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? SOME STRONGER BLOCKS AND SOME SOFTER BLOCKS, RIGHT? THAT SURROUND THE INTERSECTIONS. EVERYBODY WITH ME. OKAY. AND WITHIN THAT, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT, OKAY, IS THOSE STRONGER BLOCKS HAVE ABOUT 4000 PARCELS. OKAY. AS A RULE, A REALLY, IT'S NOT A PERFECT RULE, BUT IT'S A REALLY GOOD RULE, RIGHT? YOU WANT WHEN YOU'RE ENGAGING IN REVITALIZATION WORK, YOU DO NOT WANT TO TOUCH LESS THAN 20% OF THE AREA. OKAY, SO IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND, RIGHT? SO 20% OF MORE THAN 4000 IS A SIZABLE NUMBER. SO LOOK AT THOSE PARCELS THERE. OKAY, THAT IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN I'M MAKING IT, RIGHT? BECAUSE EACH PARCEL PARCEL COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF UNITS ON IT, RIGHT. SOME PARCELS COULD BE A VACANT LOT. SOME PARCELS COULD BE COMMERCIAL, SOME PARCELS COULD HAVE 50 UNITS. BUT BASICALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT 4000 PARCELS. RIGHT. SO NOW WE WANT TO BE SURE. WE WANT TO BE SURE WE DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THESE AREAS UNTIL WE HAVE PROACTIVELY TOUCHED 20%. THAT'S THE PERCENT THAT TECHNICALLY IT'S ABOUT 18%, RIGHT. BUT DIFFERENT PLACES CAN BE ABOUT 22%. SO 20 ABOUT SO 20 IS GOOD. 1 IN 5. OKAY. YOU GOT TO HIT 1 IN 5. AND SO WHEN WE WORK OUR WAY OVER LEFT TO RIGHT ON T THIS TAB, YOU CAN SEE SORT OF HOW THAT DEPENDING ON THE, THE, HOW MUCH WORK WE ANTICIPATE ON A PARCEL BY PARCEL BASIS IN DIFFERENTNT ARE, WHICH WE KIND OF WORKED OUT. 
          YOU CAN SEE THERE'S ABOUT A THOUSAND PROJECTS TO DO. OKAY. SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS WILL BE LITTLE TINY PROJECTS, RIGHT? WATER OFF A DUCK'S BACK, BUT YOU GOT TO DO THEM RIGHT. SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS WILL BE REALLY BIG, HEFTY, HAIRY MONSTERS. THAT MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS. RIGHT? YOU GOT TO DO THOSE TWO. YOU NEVER WANT TO DO A BIG HAIRY PROJECT, OKAY? AND FAIL TO DO TWO LIGHT, EASY PROJECTS NEXT DOOR, RIGHT? SO THAT YOU'VE SPENT ALL OF THIS TIME, EFFORT AND MONEY UPGRADING THOMAS ONLY TO LEAVE, YOU KNOW, MATT UNSHAVEN, RIGHT? AND THEN PUT THE TWO OF THEM UP TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME. YOU NEVER WANT TO DO THAT, RIGHT? 
          [00:50:01]
YOU ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO. SO IT'S 20%, BUT IT'S ALSO THE RIGHT CONTIGUOUS 20%. 
          OKAY. FOCUSING, RIGHT. YOU NEED TO HIT A THRESHOLD. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT THESE TABLES ARE. 
          AND WHEN WE COME TO GO BACK TO THAT MAP, YOU'LL SEE, RIGHT, WE'VE GOT STRONGER BLOCKS, SOFTER BLOCKS AROUND THOSE, THOSE, THOSE INTERSECTIONS AROUND THOSE NODES, RIGHT? FEEDING INTO THOSE CORRIDORS IN THIS WEDGE, RIGHT ON THIS, ON THOSE STRONGER BLOCKS, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE THAN 4000 PARCELS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE THAN A THOUSAND PROJECTS. WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME, SOME BLOCKS THAT ARE SITTING ON THEIR OWN 20 YARD LINE, RIGHT. 
          AND THEY'RE, WE'VE GOT ABOUT A THOUSAND PARCELS AND WE NEED TO HIT, YOU KNOW, 200 TO 250, RIGHT. SO THOSE BECOME OUR THRESHOLD GOALS, RIGHT? SO SO YOU'RE IN THERE, YOU'RE IN THIS WEDGE. AND WHAT YOU'RE REALLY THINKING OF IS, OH GOSH, I'VE GOT MORE THAN 5000 PARCELS. 
          THAT'S AND THINK ABOUT THAT. WE'RE IN THIS TINY LITTLE BOX DOWN THERE IN THE CORNER, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT 5000 PARCELS TO LIKE WRAP HER HEAD AROUND. RIGHT. AND WITHIN 5000 WE'VE GOT A THOUSAND PROJECTS WE'VE GOT TO DO TO ACTUALLY TURN THAT MARKET. RIGHT. THOUSAND IS A LOT OF PROJECTS. IT IS A LOT. IT'S JUST IT'S A LOT. OKAY. AND SO YOU CAN ZOOM OUT AND GO, WELL, GOSH, HOW MANY WEDGES COULD WE FIND IN THE CITY OF GARLAND? WELL, ABOUT TEN. SO YOU CAN WORK BACKWARDS AND SEE, WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT WE GOT TO DO. SO THE KEY IS FIGURING OUT WHERE TO START. THAT'S JUST IT'S NOT WHERE YOU FINISH, RIGHT. IT'S WHERE YOU START, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO FINISH EVERYWHERE, BUT IT'S WHERE YOU START. OKAY. ONE SECOND, SIR, I HAVE A QUESTION. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SIR. SLIDE 24. 
          PLEASE. SLIDE. SO CAN YOU THERE'S NO LEGEND THERE ON WHAT THE STRIPES ON THE STREETS MEAN. 
          CAN YOU BRIEFLY I SEE RED AND YELLOW AND BLUE AND YELLOW AND SOME THAT ARE SOLID RED AND. 
          YES, COUNCILMAN, I GOT TO GIVE IT TO MATT BECAUSE THAT'S OUT OF MY WHEELHOUSE. I'LL GO BACK TO THOMAS'S FROM 12. THERE YOU GO. YEAH. AS YOU CAN SEE THERE THE THE RED. AND I THINK THAT'S THE BLUE THERE. THOMAS. HARD TO SEE. THE BLUE IS THE ENHANCEMENT. AND THEN THE RED IS THE TRANSFORMATION. SO THOMAS, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN HERE. BUT IF THE ENHANCEMENT IS THAT'S WHERE IT'S JUST IT'S IT'S A LIGHT TOUCH. YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE HELPING WITH FENCES. 
          IT MIGHT BE SOME LANDSCAPING, THINGS LIKE THAT. WHEN WE GET INTO THE TRANSFORMATION, AS I MENTIONED, WHEN WE GO BACK TO THIS WEDGE, THIS IS WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ROAD DIET AND POTENTIAL. AS THESE STREETS BEGIN TO BE BE BE TOUCHED, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEM BECOME MORE THAN WHAT THEY ARE TODAY. IT'S MORE THAN JUST MAYBE SOME LANDSCAPING AND SOME FENCING, YOU KNOW, OR SCREENING. THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN BEGIN TO MAYBE NARROW THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT. INSTEAD OF GOING FROM FOUR LANES, MAYBE YOU GO TO THREE LANE SECTION, YOU STILL MOVE THE CARS THE SAME EFFICIENCY BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT 16,000 CARS A DAY. BUT NOW YOU CREATE SPACE FOR TREE LAWNS, FOR STREET TREES, A NICE SIDEWALK THAT CONNECTS TO THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE ADJACENT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT TRANSFORMATION. IT'S A BIGGER LIFT. OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO COST MORE MONEY, BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS THIS IN AND GET IN THE PUBLIC REALM. WHICH OF THE STREETS WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE REALM. SO THE YELLOW REPRESENTS JUST WHAT YOU CALL YELLOW IS THE THE CORRIDORS, THE WHAT THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED AS THE BASIC COMMUNITY CORRIDORS. SO THAT'S BASIC CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED BY THE CITY. THE BLUE IS AGAIN, ENHANCEMENT. THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDED OVERLAY. THE RED IS THE TRANSFORMATION. OPPORTUNITY REPRESENTS TRANSFORMATION. OKAY, OKAY. THE ONE THING I'LL NOTE ON STREETS HERE AS WELL IS THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM ENGINEERING IN THE ROOM. BUT CERTAINLY ENGINEERING PLAYS A ROLE IN THIS. DOT PLAYS A ROLE IN THIS. SO THE COORDINATION WITH THOSE FOLKS AND GETTING EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF WHEN WHEN THE STREET DOES HAVE TO BE TOUCHED THAT IT'S DONE IN A WAY THAT PUSHES AND IMPLEMENTS THIS STRATEGY FORWARD. SO THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT IS OFTEN BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT ENGINEERING AND DOT AND HOW THEY FIT INTO A REVITALIZATION STRATEGY. BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC REALM, IT'S A KEY COMPONENT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ARE WE GOOD, SIR? PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY. I WAS ENLISTED. YES, SIR. OKAY, SO LET'S SEE. DOWNTOWN. LET'S DO LET'S SHIFT TO DOWNTOWN. SO IN ADDITION TO THE WEDGE, ONE SECOND, YOU SAID PROJECTS. YOU SAID THOUSANDS OF PROJECTS. THERE'S A THOUSAND PROJECTS FOR THIS AREA. GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF PROJECTS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT FROM MAJOR TO MINOR. A MAJOR PROJECT WOULD BE A 
          [00:55:01]
HOMEOWNER WANTING TO PUT A A NEW NEEDING, NEEDINGNG AND WANTING A NEW ROOF. RIGHT? NEEDING AND WANTING NEW WINDOWS AND DOORS, NEEDING AND WANTING, FOR INSTANCE, PLUMBING UPGRADES, ALL OF WHICH EXCEED THE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. RIGHT. SO THEY CAN'T GO TO THE MARKETS TO, TO BORROW FOR IT BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THE HOME WILL NOT SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCING FOR THAT. RIGHT. IF THAT HOME IS DEPRIVED OF THOSE CAPITAL UPGRADES, RIGHT, FOR, FOR TOO MUCH LONGER, THAT HOME FALLS INTO JUST A HEADS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION VALUE WISE. 
          RIGHT. AND SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU WOULD WANT TO INCENTIVIZE THAT OWNER TO DO THAT, UNDERTAKE THAT WORK. AND THAT WOULD BE A VERY LARGE PROJECT, RIGHT? A ANOTHER AT THE SAME SCALE OF A LARGE PROJECT, APROPOS OF, OF COUNCILMAN THOMAS'S QUESTION. A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE STREET OUT FRONT. RIGHT. TO THE TO THE INTERSECTION, YOU KNOW, DOWN, DOWN THE BLOCK, THE FEEDER STREET RIGHT THERE THAT THAT MIGHT BE IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT COST. THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS. THAT'S REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE STUFF, RIGHT? AT THE AT THE OTHER END. RIGHT. IT COULD BE. A COAT OF PAINT. IT COULD BE POWER WASHING, RIGHT? IT COULD BE CLEANING GUTTERS. THERE'S QUITE A FEW PLACES WHERE I NOTICED IN, IN GARLAND, THE GUTTER, THE GUTTERS ARE HOME TO LOTS OF LITTLE OAK TREES, RIGHT, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NOT CLEAN THEIR GUTTERS OUT FOR YEARS. AND I SEE LITTLE OAK TREES GROWING, YOU KNOW, IN EVERYBODY'S GUTTERS, RIGHT? SO IT'S CLEANING GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS. 
          IT'S POWER WASHING. IT'S TAKING CARE OF FRONT DOORS. IT'S IT'S SOME LIGHT LANDSCAPING, LIGHT TOUCHES. SOME OF THESE ARE TINY, RIGHT? BUT IF WE GET LOTS OF TINY THINGS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON THE RIGHT BLOCK AT THE RIGHT TIME, THE WHOLE BLOCK READS DIFFERENTLY. THE IT'S OPTIMISTIC. IT'S PRIDEFUL. VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE GET EXCITED AND YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE A POSITIVE A POSITIVE EFFECT THAT THAT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT. YES, SIR. 
          ABSOLUTELY. SO SO IT'S LOTS OF PROJECTS. BUT BUT AND CRITICALLY, THEY'VE GOT TO BE CONCENTRATED RIGHT FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT. RIGHT. AND TIMED RIGHT. OKAY. SO FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THAT IS, IS OBVIOUSLY WHERE YOU WANT TO DO THAT. YOU DON'T WANT AMOUNT OF IT PUBLIC INCENTIVEHE ACROSS TWO BIG A GEOGRAPHY BECAUSE YOU WON'T GET THE IMPACT YOU NEED. OKAY, ONE MORE QUESTION. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE HAS A QUESTION. THANK YOU. AN EXAMPLE OF INCENTIVES THAT YOU MIGHT PROVIDE TO A HOMEOWNER WHO NEEDS EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. IT WOULD BE OFTEN. 
          AND WE WE RECOMMEND, FOR INSTANCE, LOANS THAT CONVERT TO GRANTS, RIGHT? IT COULD BE MORE FAVORABLE FINANCING, FOR INSTANCE. SO IF, FOR INSTANCE, THE LOAN TO VALUE RATIO WASN'T TOO BAD, BUT IT'S NOT GREAT, THE DIFFERENCE MIGHT BE THAT THAT IT MIGHT COST THEM 7% ON THE MARKET AND YOU MIGHT LEND IT AT 2%. RIGHT. AND SO THAT THAT MIGHT BE JUST ENOUGH TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO UNDERTAKE SOME ACTION ON THEIR OWN. IN OTHER CASES, IT WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD CALL A LOAN THAT CONVERTS TO A GRANT OR A CONDITIONAL GRANT, WHICH IS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF THE HOMEOWNER PUTS IN $3, THE CITY WILL PUT IN $1, RIGHT? PROVIDED IT'S THE RIGHT PROJECT. YOU KNOW, IT RAISES STANDARDS, RIGHT? WE'RE WE'RE ACTUALLY STRENGTHENING THE MARKET. SO THAT'S EXACTLY HOW YOU WOULD LOOK AT IT, RIGHT? IT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. IT SOUNDED GOOD. BUT REAEAEALLY Y E STSTSTILL HAHAHAHAHAVE A SITUATE HAVE POR MONEY I I I I INTO AAA HA I D'T MHAT ITS VAL IT G. WE'VE GOT THE PLUMBING IS DONE, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. THE VALUEF THE PROPERTY IS INCREASED, BUT NOW THE PROPERTY AROUND IT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO A BLOCK? HOW DO YOU. CHANGING ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY IS ONE THING. 
          CHANGING A COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. AND I THINK I ACTUALLY THINK YOU GOT IT EXACTLY RIGHT. IT'S THE CENTERPIECE HERE IS ALMOST NEVER SAY YES TO CHANGING JUST ONE PROPERTY, RIGHT? WHEN THE TASK REQUIRES THAT YOU CHANGE AT LEAST 20% OF A BLOCK, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'VE GOT 12 HOUSES ON EACH SIDE OF THE STREET, I'VE GOT 24 STREET, 24 HOUSES, 26 TO 30 HOUSES ALONG THAT ALONG THAT STREET. RIGHT. I NEED TO BE HITTING 4 OR 5, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE PROPERTIES TO ACTUALLY MOVE THAT STREET TO MOVE THAT MARKET. I NEVER WANT TO GO DO ONE PROJECT ON A STREET, EVER. AT THE BOTTOM LINE YOU'RE SAYING THEN IS THAT IF WE GO IN AND WE INCENTIVIZE BY GIVING GRANTS AND LOANS OVER THE CASE MAY BE TO A PROPERTY OWNER WHO OR TO A COMMUNITY PROPERTY VALUE IS MUCH MORE 
          [01:00:07]
THAN WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THAT THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT COMMUNITY OVER TIME. OVER TIME, WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN. SO LET'S JUST SUPPOSE IT'S ME. OKAY? YOU ARE I. YOU RECOGNIZE THAT, GOSH, CHARLES'S HOUSE IS LOOKING, YOU KNOW, LOOKING A LITTLE TIRED, RIGHT? NEEDS A ROOF, NEEDS A NEW FRONT DOOR. LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. I INVITE YOU IN. YOU KNOW, YOU COME IN RELUCTANTLY, YOU LOOK AROUND, YOU'RE LIKE, WOW, I'M NOT EATING IN HERE UNLESS WE CLEAN UP THIS KITCHEN A LITTLE BIT MORE. RIGHT? SO WE REALIZE THERE'S PLUMBING TO DO. THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE WORK HERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL OF THAT COSTS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT. CHARLES CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT. RIGHT. OR EVEN CHARLES MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO AFFORD TO DO IT, BUT JUST SIMPLY WON'T BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOU SAY, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, CHARLES. THAT'S A $50,000 COST. IF WE IF WE IF WE REDUCE THAT TO 30 AND YOU IF WE PUT IN 20 AND YOU PUT IN 30, WOULD YOU DO IT? AND I MIGHT GO, WELL I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET THERE. 
          AND YOU SAY, WELL HOW ABOUT IF WE DO. 21. RIGHT, RIGHT. OKAY, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. I'LL DO THAT. OKAY. I'M IN FOR 30. FOUR. YOU'RE IN FOR 21. MY MATH IS OFF. SO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO BUT WE NOW WE HAVE A DEAL. OKAY. NOW IT'S GOING TO SIT THERE AND HERE'S, HERE'S, HERE'S HOW THE CASCADE WORKS, RIGHT? YOU WANT TO DO THAT TEN TIMES ON A BLOCK. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT ONCE, RIGHT. WHILE YOU'RE DOING THOSE TEN ONES ON THE BLOCK, IT TURNS OUT MY NEIGHBORS, THESE GUYS, RIGHT. THEY GOT NICE KITCHENS, BUT THEY NEVER MOW THEIR YARD, RIGHT? THIS GUY DOESN'T MOW THE YARD BECAUSE HE'S OLD. OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO HELP HIM MOW HIS YARD. THIS GUY, THIS GUY DOESN'T LIVE. AND YOU'LL GET THERE. THIS GUY DOESN'T MOW HIS YARD, RIGHT? BECAUSE ACTUALLY, RIGHT, HE LIVES IN BOSNIA AND HE'S COLLECTING RENT ON IT. OKAY. HE LIVES IN FLORIDA AND HE'S COLLECTING RENT ON IT. SO WE'RE GOING TO WE NEED TO CALL CODE ENFORCEMENT TO COME HELP MATT MOW THAT YARD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BYE. BYE BYE. WORKING TO UP THIS SMALL LITTLE JUST MOWING THE YARD HERE AND TAKING CARE OF THIS YARD HERE. AND POWER WASHING THE MAYOR'S HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET. AND THEN 5 OR 6 MAJOR UPGRADES ON THE SAME BLOCK. RIGHT. WE'RE BEGINNING TO RAISE THE STANDARDS, RIGHT, AS WE AS WE SEE IT. OKAY. AS A VISITOR AT THE CURB APPEAL IS BEGINNING TO GO UP, BUT THAT'S ONLY PART OF IT. WHAT THEN HAPPENS? COUNCILMAN MOORE, IS EVENTUALLY ACTUARIAL TABLES ARE GOING TO CATCH UP TO CHARLES. HE'S BUYING THE FARM, RIGHT. 
          HE'S HE'S GONE. RIGHT. HE'S OUT HIS KID, RIGHT. I DON'T HAVE KIDS. HIS NEPHEW. RIGHT. HIS NEPHEW INHERITS THE HOUSE. AND HIS NEPHEW'S LIKE, I WANT NO PART OF BEING A LANDLORD. HE PUTS THE HOUSE UP FOR SALE. OKAY. WHEN THAT HOUSE IS UP FOR SALE, IT NOW HAS A NEW ROOF, AND IT HAS A MARKETABLE KITCHEN. RIGHT. AND THE WHOLE STREET LOOKS GOOD. OKAY. AND INSTEAD OF SELLING FOR, YOU KNOW, HERE, IT SELLS FOR HERE AND NOW, THAT INCREMENT RIGHT NOW THAT INCREMENT ALLOWS THE CITY MANAGER TO RETIRE TO ALABAMA. OKAY? BECAUSE IT'S PAYING THE BILLS. OKAY. AND WHEN I DO THAT A THOUSAND TIMES IN THE WEDGE, RIGHT, THAT WEDGE BECOMES A ROCK STAR. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STOP MAYBE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BECAUSE AS WE'RE DOING THE DIALOG, IT BECOMES A MONOLOGUE WITH OUR STORY AND WHAT YOU'VE JUST DONE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S 250,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING US THIS MORNING HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR. OKAY, SO HE'S OPTIMISTIC. ALL RIGHT. SO, COUNCILMEMBER, I HATE A MONOLOGUE. IF IT WAS UP TO ME, I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT. I'M SO SORRY. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T HAVE A SLIDE DECK. SEE THE LADY IN THE TEAL BACK THERE, RICKY KING RIGHT THERE. THIS EVERYBODY LOOK AT BECKY THESE 52 SLIDES. THIS IS SHE HAS CREATED THIS MONSTER RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY MUCH GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SIR. ONE SECOND. DOES THAT HELP THOUGH. IS THAT OKAY? GOOD. YES. 
          COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON AND AND I AGREE, IT DOES HELP HAVING THE KIND OF LAYMAN'S TERM STORY TO GO ALONG WITH IT. VERY GOOD. PERMISSION TO CLOSE THE DECK. LISTEN, I'M HERE FOR IT, OKAY? KEEP GOING. VERY AMBITIOUS TO THINK THAT MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US THIS MORNING. 
          SO I LOVE ED'S ENTHUSIASM ON THAT. BUT AND I THINK THAT IT IS ALSO ALSO NOTEWORTHY, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE, TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THIS IS ALSO PROJECTING FUTURE AND HOW THESE HOUSES WILL DECLINE WITHOUT SOME SORT OF INTERVENTION. AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. KIND OF PAUSING IS SO THAT THESE HOUSES THAT ARE IN IN THAT YELLOW AREA, THEY DON'T FALL INTO THE BLUE AREA. AND SO OUR WORK IS DONE THAT WE 
          [01:05:04]
COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER. THAT'S ABOUT PERFECT. YEAH. I MEAN, THE, THE, THE JANUARY MEETING THAT WE HAD IN THAT WORKSHOP WAS, WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT. AND SO UNFORTUNATELY, THESE GUYS MISSED THAT. AND SO JUST WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, THAT IS THE BIG THING IS GETTING THESE HOUSES THAT AREN'T QUITE AT THAT CUSP YET. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM ABOVE THAT SO THAT IT DOESN'T TURN INTO A PROJECT SITUATION, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO YOU DON'T WANT TO BECOME A LEGACY BECAUSE THAT'S RIGHT BEFORE JUST YOU'RE IN SOUTH DETROIT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO STAY ABOVE THAT LEVEL. SO HOPEFULLY THAT THAT HELPS KIND OF MAKE IT MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE. IT'S, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING STUDY THAT THEHEY HAVE DONE. AND I'M SAD THAT YOU GUYS MISSED THAT WORKSHOP BECAUSE IT WAS VERY IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL, VERY EYE OPENING. 
          AND IT, IT DEFINITELY PUT THIS INTO MORE PERSPECTIVE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM, KEEP GOING. PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY, SO ALL OF THIS, THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO DO EVERYWHERE. WE'VE SAID THAT THIS, THIS WEDGE IS, IS A, IS A CRITICAL PLACE. IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S COMES CLOSE TO SORT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT, RIGHT? IT'S A GREAT. RIGHT. AND SO THE WEDGE IS A BIG PIECE. AND, AND CONCURRENTLY RIGHT DOWNTOWN. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS OTHER, THIS, THIS, THIS IN A WAY THE MOST IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHY FOR THE CITY. RIGHT? SO LET THOMAS DO YOU WANT TO WALK US THROUGH THAT? SURE. SO YEAH. GOOD. SO GOOD LEAD IN CERTAINLY DOWNTOWN. YOU GUYS HAVE HAD PROOF OF CONCEPT. SUCCESS IS VERY CLEAR IN DOWNTOWN WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE SQUARE, ETC. SO DEFINITELY DOUBLE DOWN ON DOWNTOWN. DOWNTOWN IS IMPORTANT. HOW YOU HOW YOU ACTUALLY EFFECTUATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN WILL MATTER MOVING FORWARD. YOU DEFINITELY CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF CHARLES'S METAPHOR, PUSH THAT OVER THE GOAL LINE, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. IN THE DOWNTOWN PLAN, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR ABOUT 2500 UNITS. IT RECOMMENDED THE DOWNTOWN PLAN RECOMMENDED AIM FOR 2500 UNITS, AND IT NOTED THAT YOU EASILY HAD THE CAPACITY FOR 2500 UNITS IN THE DOWNTOWN BOUNDARY. RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE ABOUT 2000 RESIDENTS. RIGHT NOW, IT'S IT'S IT'S PRIMARILY COMMERCIAL RETAIL, ETC. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A RESIDENTIAL BASE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT CAN BE AND IT SHOULD BE. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT DOWNTOWN, YOU IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU WOULD HAVE ABOUT MAYBE 20% OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIVE WITHIN A MILE OF DOWNTOWN. THAT WOULD BE A SAFE THRESHOLD. RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE ABOUT 13% OF THE COMMUNITY THAT LIVES WITHIN A MILE OF DOWNTOWN. IDEALLY, YOU WOULD BE IN THE 18 TO 22% RANGE, RIGHT? IF YOU HAD THE 2500 UNITS ASSUMING ABOUT THREE PERSONS PER HOUSEHOLD, THAT'S YOUR AVERAGE, YOU WOULD ADD ABOUT ANOTHER 7500 UNITS. YOU'D BE AT 16, 16, 17%. YEAH. I'M SORRY PEOPLE. THAT'S RIGHT. SO YOU HAD ABOUT 7500 PEOPLE. YOU'D BE AT ABOUT 1,617% OF THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WITHIN A MILE OF DOWNTOWN. THAT'S ACTUALLY STARTING TO GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. THAT'S CERTAINLY ATTAINABLE. THAT'S DOABLE. AS YOU THINK ABOUT MULTIFAMILY AND OR TOWNHOUSES, ET-CETERA IN AROUND THE DOWNTOWN, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO THINK IN, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY THE 3 TO 6 STORY RANGE, KEEP IT RELATIVELY SMALL, NOT RIGHT AROUND THE SQUARE. KEEP THAT WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW. BUT, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER AREAS, WE'LL GET TO IT IN JUST A SECOND KIND OF WEST OF THE EXISTING SQUARE AREA MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE PUBLIC REALM. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPHIC, YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF DOWNTN, WE KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN IN THIS GRAPHIC, ALMOST AS A BARBELL CONCEPT. SO ON THE FAR RIGHT ON THE EAST, YOU'VE GOT CITY HALL AND CERTAINLY THE SQUARE. AND WE'VE KIND OF GOT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE OUTLINED KIND OF THIS HORSESHOE, IF YOU WILL, OF STOREFRONTS THAT SURROUND YOUR SQUARE THAT'S SOLID. 
          THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE HEAVY ENDS OF THE BARBELL, RIGHT? YOU'VE GOT AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER, YOU'VE GOT THE SQUARE WHERE YOU HAVE MADE PLACE, YOU HAVE DONE WHAT YOU INTENDED TO DO IN BETWEEN THE WHAT WE CALL KIND OF THE, THE WEST SIDE, WHICH COULD BE THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD OVER NEAR KIND OF THE BOXING GYM, THAT AREA, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THERE. 
          THERE ARE SOME VACANT LOTS, PARKING LOTS, BUILDINGS THAT COULD BE ADAPTIVELY REUSED AND OR REDEVELOPED SITES FOR REDEVELOPMENT. THAT AREA COULD DEVELOP AS A MORE SIGNIFICANT 
          [01:10:06]
MULTIFAMILY COMPONENT, ALMOST CREATING THE OTHER END OF THE BARBELL. AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU'VEOT STATE AND MAIN BETWEEN IT THAT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT. BUT KIND OF THINKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN IN THAT BARBELL CONCEPT ALLOWS YOU TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO CONNECT THE TWO AREAS AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU WANT TO PROTECT WHAT YOU HAVE AROUND THE SQUARE. NOW, YOU DON'T NEED THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE, SIX STORY BUILDINGS AROUND THE SQUARE, BUT IT OFFERS YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THAT TO THE WEST SIDE AND CREATE THOSE TWO CONNECTIONS AND THAT ADDITIONAL, IF YOU WERE ABLE TO GET 2500 UNITS IN THAT SPACE, YOU ARE STARTING TO GET TO A CRITICAL MASS WHERE YOU CAN START TO SEE INFILL IN THOSE CORRIDORS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, NOT AS A DISCRETIONARY AMENITY FOR THE DOWNTOWN, BUT AS A AS A, A VITAL RESOURCE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE DOWNTOWN AND CONTINUE EXPANDING IT. RESIDENTIAL MATTERS A LOT IN THIS AREA. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE ONE SECOND. SURE. MAYOR PRO TEM LOOK. SO WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION? AS SPACES BECOME AVAILABLE IN AND AROUND THE HORSESHOE IN THAT SECTION? WHAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON HOUSING HERE, BUT THERE'S YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SAID THIS, THIS AREA RIGHT HERE SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE HOUSING FOCUSED. 
          SO WHAT IS OUR FOCUS? I THINK IT'S I THINK I THINK YOU DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. I THINK IT'S RETAIL. I THINK IT'S RESTAURANTS. I THINK IT'S ENTERTAIENT. YOU TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE SPACE YOU HAVE CREATED, RIGHT? THE SQUARE ITSELF IS ABOUT GATHERING. IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE. IT IS ABOUT COMING TOGETHER. YOU DON'T THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN? NO, I DON'T THINK SO. I, I DON'T THINK SO. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT AS YOU ADD ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, I THINK THAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THAT DEMAND INCREASE WHERE THOSE RESTAURANTS. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. HI THERE. YEAH, WE GOT TO LISTEN TO A NICE 13 HOUR PODCAST ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO WE DID, WE DID GET SOME OF IT. SO HOW MANY HOURS? YEAH, IT WAS LIKE WE'RE NOTHING COMPARED. MAYBE 15. NO. BUT SO YES, IT DID HELP US A LOT AS NEW COUNCILMAN. WE GOT TO LISTEN. BUT I'M WONDERING WHERE DOES LIKE GREEN SPACE FALL IN THIS? WE'RE SO GLAD YOU ASKED. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S I FEEL I THINK OF WHEN I COME DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS THIS GREAT AREA AND STUFF. BUT I DO THINK OF A PLACE TO LAY A BLANKET AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF KICK BACK AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO WHERE, WHERE ARE WE? IS THAT IN THE CONCEPT? WE WERE WE DIDN'T THINK SOMEBODY WOULD ASK, BUT WE WANTED SOMEBODY TO ASK THIS QUESTION. 
          SO I'M GOING TO ANSWER IT IN A WAY THAT IS NOT FIRST NONSPECIFIC TO DOWNTOWN AND THE SQUARE FOR A SECOND. OKAY? BECAUSE THE ANSWER IS THEMATICALLY THE SAME. OKAY. 
          YOU WILL NOTICE. SO ALONG 190 COMING IN. 190. YEAH, WE'RE COMING IN ON 190 ALONG THE RAIL LINE, RIGHT? YOU GOT LOT THROUGHOUT, RIGHT? ARAPAHOE, WHEREVER, WHEREVER THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S GREEN SPACE. RIGHT. THERE. I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THERE WASN'T A DESIRE IN THIS CITY TO DEVELOP THOSE GREEN SPACES, BECAUSE THEY WOULD GENERATE TAXES. OKAY. 
          DON'T. OKAY. RIGHT. UNLESS YOU DEVELOP THE AS YET UNDEVELOPED SPACES, RIGHT. WHICH ARE EASY, WHICH IS WHY PEOPLE WANT TO DO IT. THE MORE VALUABLE THE REST OF THE LAND BECOMES, RIGHT? PROVIDED YOU'RE RAISING STANDARDS EVERYWHERE ELSE AND PROVIDED YOU'RE INJECTING QUALITY EVERYWHERE ELSE, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO LAND SCARCITY IS YOUR FRIEND. DON'T CONSUME EVERY PIECE OF GREEN SPACE. YOU'VE GOT THOSE PIECES THAT ARE CONSUMABLE AND LEFT UNCONSUMED RIGHT CREATE IN THE REMAINING LAND WHAT WE SOMETIMES CALL AN ATM MACHINE. IT'S CAPABLE OF PRINTING MONEY FOR YOU. OKAY. LIKEWISE IN THE SQUARE, RIGHT? YOU WANT A PLACE TO PUT THE BLANKET DOWN? YOU DON'T WANT EVERY PLACE DEVELOPED, RIGHT? SO GREAT SENSITIVITY TO PLACES THAT ARE YET, YOU KNOW, A LOT HERE OR THEY'RE CLEAN AND GREEN THE LOT. WE LIKE THE TERM CLEANING AND GREENING, RIGHT? CLEAN IT, GREEN IT DOWN, ZONE IT AND PUT A BLANKET ON IT DURING A CONCERT. RIGHT? THAT'S IT. IT WILL BECOME YOUR FRIEND OVER TIME. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WOULD YOU ADD ANYTHING? NO. THOMAS. NO. YEAH. THE ONLY THING IS YOU'LL YOU'LL BE TEMPTED TO WANT TO DEVELOP ON THOSE SPACES BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REDEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES OF AREAS THAT NEED THE LEVEL RAISED A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. AND ONE THING YOU CAN TAKE TO THE BANK, OKAY, IS THAT YOU'RE 
          [01:15:03]
SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS. DON'T GET IT. OKAY. YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT. YOU'RE GOING TO YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO PAVE OVER EVERYTHING, RIGHT? IF YOU DON'T, MARKET WILL COME TO YOU. OKAY. I GUARANTEE YOU THEY WILL NOT. THEY WILL PAVE OVER EVERYTHING AND PUPUT YOU AT A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IF YOU CAN RESIST IT. OKAY. IS THAT MORE? YEAH. 
          PERFECT. NO, NO, YOU'RE NOT DONE. YOU GOT LOTS MORE. TWO MORE TO GO, BUT MORE SLIDES. 
          AND AND IT'S TWO TWO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS UP HERE ARE VERY HAPPY YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU. SO YEAH, WITH REGARD TO HOW TO GET THERE, HOW TO THINK ABOUT THE NEXT TEN OR SO YEARS, 0 TO 2 YEARS, PHASE ONE SET THE TABLE, KIND OF INITIATE THE CATALYST PROJECTS. THIS IS IDENTIFYING THOSE SITES THAT YOU THINK COULD BE REDEVELOPED OR ACQUIRED. START TO THINK ABOUT LAND BANKING. START TO THINK AUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF POTENTIALLY VACANT PROPERTIES, PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BUY THEM WHILE THEY'RE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE, RIGHT? THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ARE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE PUBLIC REALM IN THE GATEWAYS THAT COME INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S FIRST, FIFTH, WALNUT, ETC. CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS SETTING THE TABLE. WHEN YOU GET INTO PHASE TWO, START TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEVELOPERS, START TO KIND OF REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO YOU THINK ARE IN THE PRIVATE MARKET AND ARE YOUR FRIENDS AND ARE WILLING TO HELP YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN THE DOWNTOWN, START TO THINK ABOUT TIF. START TO THINK ABOUT THE OTHER KINDS OF ECONOMIC INCENTIVES THAT WILL ENTICE THEM TO DO THAT WORK. WE SAID THE GOAL WAS ABOUT 2500 UNITS FOR THE DOWNTOWN OVER TEN YEARS, PROBABLY WITHIN THAT SECOND PHASE, 3 TO 5 YEARS, TRY TO GET 500 UNITS ON THE GROUND. IT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF GETTING MORE RESTAURANTS, IN TERMS OF GETTING SOME OF THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT ALONG MAIN AND STATE BETWEEN KIND OF THE TWO ENDS OF THE BARBELLS, SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES THERE. 
          IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THERE FOR A SECOND, THE KEY POINT HERE TOO. SO WHEN THOMAS IS TALKING ABOUT OR MATT EARLIER ON THE ON THE WEDGE, YOU KNOW, 500 UNITS HERE, 200 UNITS HERE, RIGHT. AND WHATNOT, YOU'RE NOT YOUR MARKET IS NOT AT A POINT WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY CAN BE ASSURED TO BE YOUR FRIEND. YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT THERE. 
          OKAY. AND THEY KNOW IT. SO THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO THERE'S, THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO WITH THEIR CAPITAL AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY HAVE ACROSS THE METRO. OKAY. AND WHERE YOU ARE, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO CLOSE THAT. 
          OKAY. YOU CAN PAY FOR THE DIFFERENCE OR THEY WILL REDUCE THE QUALITY. OKAY. FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, YOU ARE GOING TO BE BOMBARDED WITH, LET US COME IN THERE AND REDUCE THE QUALITY AND GET SOME OF YOUR MONEY RIGHT. DO NOT SAY YES TO THOSE DEALS. OKAY? YOU DO NOT WANT TO SAY YES TO SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL REGRET 20 YEARS FROM NOW SAYING YES TO OKAY. EVERY DECISION YOU WANT TO MAKE HAS GOT TO PASS THE 25 YEAR RULE, RIGHT? YOU DON'T WANT SOMEBODY 25 YEARS FROM NOW SAYING, WHAT IDIOT APPROVED THAT PROJECT? OKAY, YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT. OKAY, OKAY. AND IF YOU CAN'T TODAY, FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PASS THAT RULE, YOU'RE GOING TO PASS THAT TEST. DON'T SAY YES TO IT. THE DEVELOPERS WILL BE ONLY TOO EAGER TO SAY, OH, SURE, THIS IS GREAT, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE VACANCY RATES YOU DON'T LIKE. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PEELING SIDEBOARD AND CORNER BOARD YOU DON'T LIKE. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PARKING LOTS NOT PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HALF LANDSCAPING AND YOU'LL BE RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU ARE RUNNING IN PLACE. DO NOT SAY YES TO CRAP. OKAY. YOU YOU'RE YOU'RE WHAT'S THAT? OLD BRICK IS A BRICK HAIR COMMERCIAL FROM THE 60S OR 70S. 
          YOU KNOW, WANT NICE, NICE, NICE SHAMPOO BECAUSE I'M WORTH IT. YOU'RE WORTH IT, RIGHT? BRICK? YEAH. YEAH. HE SAID THOMAS WAS OLD, BUT I REMEMBER BRICK SADLY SAID, DAMN IT. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, I DO TOO. ALL RIGHT, ONE SECOND. MAYOR. SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. OKAY, SO I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING AND I LOVE IT. I, I WANT A RUBRIC OF SOME KIND. I WANT IT NOT ONLY AVAILABLE TO COUNCIL, BUT STAFFFF. I WANT IT TO BE PART OF OUR REVAMPED GDC, THAT THOSE STANDARDS HAVE TO BE PART OF WHAT WE LOOK AT AS A CITY AS A WHOLE, SO THAT 
          [01:20:06]
THERE'S A REFERENCE POINT THAT SAYS, OKAY, WE HAVE SOMEONE COMING IN. DOES IT MEET THIS CRITERIA? IF IT DOES NOT MEET THIS CRITERIA, THEN WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO LOOK AT IT. SO THE WAY WE THINK OF IT, WHEN WE DO CITY PLANNING FOR CITIES, RIGHT? IS YOUR PLAN IS YOUR NON-BINDING GUIDE, RIGHT? OKAY. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT. OKAY. IT'S OUR VISION. IT'S WHERE WE WANT TO BE. IT'S WHO WE ARE, RIGHT? THE WAY YOU IMPLEMENT IT, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TWO PRIMARY TOOLS, RIGHT? ONE IS YOU PAY FOR THINGS AND THE OTHER IS YOU CODIFY THINGS. YES. YOU HAVE, YOU MUST HAVE THE BUDGET. RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHY YOU WANT YOUR HOUSING STRATEGY TO WORK TOWARD MAKING THE HOUSING MARKET HEALTHY SO THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE BUDGET FOR THOSE THINGS. THEN YOU WANT THE GDC, THE CODIFICATION OF IT, THAT YOUR RUBRIC LIKE LOCTITE, LIKE THAT. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE. AND, AND IT NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEAR LANGUAGE IN THE GDC SO THAT MR. ENGLAND OVER THERE CAN'T SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. YOUR ATTORNEY IS THAT BRIAN? YES. 
          AND THE KEY IS TO GET THAT GDC AT THE RIGHT STANDARD LEVEL, THAT THINGS STILL PENCIL, BUT THEY'RE BUT THEY'RE HIGH ENOUGH. AND THEN ON THE INCENTIVE SIDE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME, THE STANDARD BECOMES HERE. YES. AND YOU WT THAT CODE BOTH RIGID IN ONE SENSE, RIGHT? BUT ALSO FLEXIBLE SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE MORE DENSITY AND HEIGHT. SOMETIMES TO ACTUALLY MAKE A PROJECT PENCIL, RIGHT? THAT PLUS CREATIVE USE OF YOUR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING TOOL, RIGHT, WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET THE QUALITY THAT YOU DESERVE, RIGHT? YES, YES. FOR A VERY LONG TIME, THOSE HAVE NOT MATCHED. YOU'RE AT A GREAT POINT, ACTUALLY A GREAT MOMENT SINCE WE'RE GET THEM TO ALL LINE UP. YES, I KNOW, THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING ALL OF THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DEFINED. IT NEEDS TO BE SET OUT IN PLAIN ENGLISH WITHIN THE GDC, WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WITHIN THE GDC, SO THAT OUR COMP PLAN SO THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS LINE UP SO THAT WHEN WE SAY DURING A MEETING, WELL, THIS DOESN'T FIT WITHIN THIS BECAUSE OF THIS, IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE IT, IT'S BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATCH OUR PLAN THAT HAS THOSE, THOSE THINGS HAVE NOT ALIGNED FOR A VERY LONG TIME, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. SO AS WE WORK ON THESE COMP PLANS AND AS WE'RE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS STRATEGIC PLAN, THOSE THOSE ALL COME INTO ALIGNMENT. GREAT, GREAT, GREAT. YEP. THAT'S RIGHT. THOMAS, YOU GOT A FEW MORE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. COUNCILMEMBER CARAWAY. YES. GOOD MORNING GUYS. ONCE AGAIN, TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF MARGARET, I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED SO FAR. BUT ONE OF MY MAIN CONCERNS IS BEING IN DISTRICT TWO. THE FOCUS SEEMS TO BE DOWNTOWN, WHERE THERE'S ALL AROUND DOWNTOWN. PART OF DISTRICT TWO ARE ALL LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE JUST HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH THAT. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS BECAUSE THOSE WILL BE BIG CONCERNS, I GUARANTEE IT. AND AS WE, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD AS FAR AS TRYING TO PUT IN DIFFERENT OR ADD MORE MULTIFAMILY USAGE, WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE. I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. BUT MAJORITY OF THE HOUSING IN THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT ARE ALREADY IN THE BLUE. YES, WE WE ARE TOTALLY AWARE OF THAT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ME AND MIKE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT AS WELL AS FAR AS BRINGING THOSE GUYS IN TO SHOW THEM THAT WE CARE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT LEFT OUT OR FEELING AS IF THEY'RE BEING PUSHED OUT OR CAST AWAY. SO JUST KEEPING THAT IN MIND, I JUST FELT LIKE I HAD TO SPEAK UP AND SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE IF I DIDN'T, I KNOW I WAS GOING TO HEAR IT EVENTUALLY. I'M SO GLAD YOU DID. THOSE ARE YOUR CITY'S LONGEST TENURED RESIDENTS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE, IN MANY RESPECTS. NO DISRESPECT TO THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. IN MANY RESPECTS, THE LONG TERM PLAY THAT'S THE MOST THAT'S THE MOST VALUABLE, YOU KNOW, HOMES AND AND MARKETABLE BLOCKS THAT THE CITY HAS BECAUSE THEY WERE LAID DOWN REALLY NICELY IN THE 1940S AND 1950S. RIGHT. AND THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO DOWNTOWN. AND I THINK THE WAY TO WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS AS THIS GETS, YOU KNOW, AS THIS GETS STRONGER AND STRONGER. AND IF THIS GETS STRONGER AND STRONGER, MORE AND MORE RESOURCES BECOME AVAILABLE TO, TO WORK ON SIDEWALKS AND STREETS AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS HERE AND HERE ON BOTH SIDES, ALL THE WAY FROM FREEMAN HEIGHTS ALL THE WAY DOWN IN HERE. SO YOU ARE THIS IS YOUR THIS IS YOUR INVESTMENT TO ACTUALLY GENERATE REVENUE, TO COMPLETELY DO THIS IN AN INCLUSIVE WAY OVER TIME. SO THIS IS THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A 
          [01:25:03]
WAY TO SORT OF MOVE AND MOVE AND MOVE SLOWLY AND SLOWLY AND SLOWLY UNTIL ALL THE DOTS ARE CONNECTED AND QUALITY OF LIFE GOES UP AND UP AND UP. AND I'M SO THANKFUL THAT YOU JUST SAID THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT NEEDED TO BE SAID AND SHOWN AS WELL. IN DEMONSTRATION OF CONNECTING THE DOTS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT TO EXPAND. IT'S NOT JUST THE FOCUS OF DOWNTOWN OR THE FOCUS OF THE WEDGE OR THE CORRIDORS THAT WEE IDENTIFIED. IT IS TO IMPROVE THE CITY AS A WHOLE. ABSOLUTELY. WE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED WAS IN THAT REMEMBER, I THINK EARLIER I HAD SAID WHERE YOU START, RIGHT. SO. FIVE OTHER FOLKS COULD HAVE SAID, WELL, LET'S START HERE. LET'S START ON JUPITER, LET'S START ON WALNUT, LET'S START ON BELTLINE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF YOU COULD JUSTIFY LOTS OF DIFFERENT STARTING PLACES, RIGHT? AND ACTUALLY, THE FACT THAT DOWNTOWN IS WORKING SO WELL, RIGHT, IS WHAT SAID, OKAY, WE WANT IT EVEN STRONGER NOW. WHAT. SO IT CREATES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY CLOSE THAT GAP AND MAKE THE WHOLE CITY WORK. RIGHT? SO IT VERY MUCH IS A WHOLE CITY STRATEGY, RIGHT? WITHOUT ANY DOWNTOWN GETS STRONGER, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT EVENTUALLY WILL BECOME THERE IS A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE. RIGHT? AND IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT IN THE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS, INVESTMENT AND STABILIZATION IS A PART OF THE PLAN. IT'S A KEY THING. ONE PIECE, TOO, IS IT'S NOT ACTUALLY WRITTEN, BUT IT'S I THINK YOUR QUESTION PROMPTS IT. OKAY. LET'S. YOU WANT TO GET AHEAD OF MARKET FORCES. OKAY. 
          SO YOU ACTUALLY THIS GOES TO COUNCILMAN LUX, COUNCILWOMAN LUX, COMMENT ABOUT THE CODE. 
          OKAY. BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS LIGHT THIS ON, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IN A FAVORABLE WAY. 
          LIGHT THIS UP AND LIGHT THIS UP AND NOT HAVE ADVANCED HEDGE AND PROTECTION IN HERE. RIGHT? SO YOU WANT TO DO IS HAVE A CODE, RIGHT, THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR EASY ACQUISITION AND FLIPPING TO GO ON RIGHT. AND DISPLACEMENT TO GO ON. YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU REDO YOUR CODE. YOU WANT TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PROTECTIONS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THROUGH LAND TRUSTS, RIGHT? AND OTHER OTHER LAND BANKING, YOU KNOW, RELATED LAND BANKING ENDEAVORS. WHAT CAN WE DO IN HERE TO BE SURE THAT STRENGTH HERE AND HERE ACTUALLY IS TO THE BENEFIT OF THE WHOLE CITY? THAT'S HOW YOU REALLY WANT TO BE THINKING AHEAD. OKAY. CAN YOU GUYS DO ME A FAVOR AND GO BACK TO SLIDE THREE? I KNOW WE'RE ASKING TO GO BACK. NO THAT'S OKAY. IT'S THERE'S, IT'LL TAKE ME 20 MINUTES TO SCROLL THROUGH TO GET TO SLIDE THREE. BECKY. YES, THERE'S SLIDE THREE. NO HOLD ON. THE ONE WITH THE COLORS ON IT. 
          OH YEAH. THAT ONE. THIS IS IT. THAT'S IT. YEAH. YEAH. HERE WE'RE HERE OF RIGHT HERE. YES. 
          NOW IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN IT JUST JUST AGAIN, JUST SHOWING EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I SAID ON THE IT'S ON THE LAST SLIDE. YOU WERE SAYING HOW THE GROWTH, THE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE WEDGE AS WELL AS DOWNTOWN. IF YOU COULD SHOW IT ON THIS SLIDE, THIS SLIDE IN PARTICULAR. OKAY, SO HERE'S YOUR DOWNTOWN. YES, SIR. IT'S ING THE SQUARE IS DOING REALLY WELL. AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BLOCKS THAT, IF YOU FOLLOW THOMAS'S ADVICE, ARE GOING TO DO REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WELL. OKAY, SO THIS IS GOING TO GET BIGGER AND STRONGER. THIS IS JUST GOING TO GET REALLY STRONG, RIGHT? IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO UPGRADE STREETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT A HIGHER, MORE RATE OF FREQUENCY THAN AND A HIGHER LEVEL OF QUALITY THAN IT DOES NOW. IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO BEGIN UPGRADING DIFFERENT CORRIDORS, RIGHT, SO THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE MORE PLEASANT TO BE ON RIGHT THERE. IT'S IT'S EASIER TO JUST WALK, RIGHT. THOSE RESOURCES ALSO BECOME AVAILABLE BY GROWING THIS AREA HERE DOWN, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ALONG SATURN, SATURN AND NORTHWEST. AS THIS AREA GETS STRONGER AND AS THIS AA GETS STRONGER, THE CITY'S FISCAL HAND, THE HAND YOU'VE BEEN DEALT, GETS STRONGER. AND AS IT GETS STRONGER, THERE'S MORE RESOURCES HERE FOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS IN HERE, RIGHT? MORE RESOURCES FOR SIDEWALKS AND FOR DRIVEWAY WORK AND FOR STREET MAINTENANCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT AROUND DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS, RIGHT? LONG TENURED RESIDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS. 
          DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. DOES THAT WORK? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. YES. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DENTON, HAVE YOU HAVE A FEW MORE IN THE QUEUE. 
          COUNCILMEMBER DENTON, START WITH YOU. SO GOING BACK TO WHAT MARGARET WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE THE COMP PLANS REALLY ALIGNING WITH THIS, MY MAJOR CONCERN COMPLAINT, WHICH IS HAS 
          [01:30:10]
BEEN THE SAME COMPLAINT FOR MANY YEARS,  THAT WE HAVE A, WE HAVE COMP PLANS AND A C, D, G, D D D,,, C C C,,, WHATEVER AY UO EVERY CASE WE MAKEAT,T,T, THE DEVIATIONS EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME IT'S LIKE, WELL, WE HAVE THIS RULE, BUT WE'LL BREAK IT FOR YOU. SO IT'S LIKE, WHY THE HELL DO WE HAVE RULES AND COMP PLANS IN PLACE IF WE DON'T FOLLOW THEM TO PUT THAT ON THE TABLE? BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT TOO. I MEAN, YEAH, LIKE, NO KIDDING TO A LINE, BUT TO FOLLOW. AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING THINGS IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THIS IS WHAT OUR COMP PLAN SAYS. BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY, FOR THE RIGHT INCENTIVE, WE'LL GO AHEAD, WE'LL TURN THE OTHER WAY. AND AS A COUNCIL PERSON, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. COUNCIL. 
          COUNCIL. COUNCILPERSON. DUTTON. THE WHAT WE RECOMMEND TO CLIENTS IS THAT WHEN YOU REDO YOUR COMP PLAN, RIGHT? SO HERE'S HERE'S AN OLD COMP PLAN. IT GETS REPLACED WITH A NEW COMP PLAN. EVENTUALLY THE CITY COUNCIL GETS A COMP PLAN. AFTER GOING THROUGH PLANNING BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW GETS ITS STAFF REVIEW THAT LANDS AT THE CITY COUNCIL ONE TWO, THREE READINGS TO TALK ABOUT IT, UNDERSTAND IT, MODIFY IT. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THEN TO ADOPT A COMP PLAN. RIGHT NOW THAT COMP PLAN IS YOUR RENOWNED CITY ATTORNEY WILL TELL US HAS NO LEGAL TEETH WHATSOEVER. OKAY, JUST JUST A DOCUMENT, RIGHT? IT'S A WISH LIST, RIGHT? TO MAKE IT WORK, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE A CODE AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE RESOURCES. OKAY, THERE'S A THIRD THING THAT WE RECOMMEND. CITIES. OKAY. SO WHENEVER WE PRESENT A CITY WITH A COMP PLAN THAT THEY FOR ADOPTION, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE FIRST TWO THINGS THEY DO THE DAY OUT LITERALLY LIKE THE MINUTE, THE MINUTE AFTER ON THE FIRST ONE AND THE DAY OR THE NEXT MONTH AFTER ON THE SECOND ONE. RIGHT? THEY DO ARE THEY ADOPT A CONSISTENCY POLICY, RIGHT? ONE PAGE PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAYS, WE WILL MAKE NO DECISION IN THIS CITY THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PERIOD. 
          RIGHT? RIGHT. IT BINDS YOU TO IT AT THAT STAGE. IT BINDS YOU TO IT. NOW YOU CAN CHANGE IT, YOU CAN, YOU CAN AMEND IT, WHATEVER. BUT YO KNOW, IT BINDS YOU TO IT BASICALLY SAYS, IF YOU WANT TO DEVIATE FROM IT, YOU GOT TO AMEND THE PLAN. OKAY? SECOND IS YOU THEN START THE CODE REWRITING PROCESS TO BE SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT THE CODE WHERE YOU WANT IT, SO THAT THAT CODE AND THAT PLAN ARE HAND IN GLOVE, THEN YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THAT VISION. OKAY. RIGHT. YES. 
          ONE THING I'LL ADD IN TERMS OF THE CODE IS THAT THE PD OR THE PUD, IS ONE OF THE MOST ABUSED TOOLS ACROSS ALL CITIES. WHAT WHAT IT BECOMES IS A NEGOTIATION. SO IT'S LIKE, OH, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. WE'LL PUT YOU IN A PUD AND TELL USHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND WE'LL NEGOTIATE IT. SO WE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND, IF WE WERE EVER WORKING ON THE CODE, GET RID OF THE PUD, HAVE REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT BASED ON THE COMP PLAN, AND THEN CODIFY THAT AND SAY, IF YOU DO X, Y, AND Z, YOU'LL GET ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL. YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE PUD AS A NEGOTIATION TOOL TO SAY, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT AS LONG AS WE APPROVE IT. THAT'S THAT OFTEN GETS ABUSED IN A IN A VERY LARGE WAY. I THINK WE SEE THAT ALL THE TIME. AND IT HONEST, HONESTLY, IT IT IRRITATES THE EVERLOVING OUT OF ME WHEN STAFF COMES AND SAYS, WELL, WE RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THIS WITH THIS APPROVAL OF A DEVIATION. YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT SHOULD KNOW WHAT OUR, OUR PD'S ARE, WHAT OUR, WHAT ARE ALL OF THE THINGS ARE DON'T, DON'T RECOMMEND TO US. SO CAN WE, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO PUT THAT ON OUR FUTURE AGENDA IS A, A CONSISTENCY POLICY FOR BOTH COUNCIL AND STAFF. CAN WE JUST GO AHEAD AND THROW THAT OUT THERE? DO YOU WANT ME TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING? FUTURE AGENDA. PERFECT. PERFECT. 
          SO SHOULD WE KEEP GOING? I HAVE ONE MORE PERSON. THANK YOU. MA'AM. IF OUR HALL MONITOR CAN STOP ROLLING HIS EYES AT ME. BRIAN. ENGLAND I LOVE. I SAID, IF OUR HALL MONITOR COULD STOP ROLLING HIS EYES AT ME. I'M NOT GOING TO GET A HALL PASS. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          ONE MORE PERSON I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE. SIR, AM I IN? YOU WERE IN THERE, SIR. LET'S MOVE FORWARD. I'M HAPPY TO FORWARD. PLEASE. PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY. SO, THOMAS. THOMAS, I THINK YOU 
          [01:35:03]
HAD ONE MORE SLIDE ON DOWNTOWN. THEN I'LL WRAP ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE'LL TRY TO TRY TO TRY TO KEEP GOING. YEAH. JUST TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF QUICKLY CAPITALIZE UPON WHERE WE KIND OF THINK OF THE PHASING. SO PHASE THREE WITH REGARD TO DOWNTOWN IS REALLY BUILDING ON THE MOMENTUM AT THIS POINT. WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU'VE GOT 500 UNITS ON THE GROUND AND THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MAKING HEADWAY. YOU'VE BEEN HEAVILY AT THIS POINT. YOU'VE BEEN HEAVILY INCENTIVIZING HAND-HOLDING WITH THE DEVELOPER. AT THIS POINT, HOPEFULLY, THE MARKET IS GETTING STRONGER. YOU HAVE TO DO LESS AND LESS WOULD BE THE IDEAL AT THIS POINT. YOU'RE STARTING TO ALSO EVALUATE AND REEVALUATE WHAT KIND OF HOUSING ARE WE SEEING THE MARKET SEEM TO GRAVITATE TO, RIGHT? DO WE NEED A DIFFERENT DIVERSITY? DO WE NEED DIFFERENT UNIT TYPES? DO WE NEED DIFFERENT BEDROOM TYPES? AT THIS POINT, YOU START TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THE MARKET IS ASKING FOR. AND WHEN YOU MOVE INTO PHASE FOUR, IT'S REALLY STARTING TO LET THE MARKET CAPITALIZE ON WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, RIGHT. THIS AT THIS POINT GETS TO HOPEFULLY IT'S A LOT MORE HANDS OFF. YOU START TO GET TO THE 2500 UNITS THAT YOU WANTED, AND YOU START TO LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE SOUTH. YOU START TO LOOK AT HOW TO CONNECT THEM. YOU START TO SEE, HOPEFULLY, SOME OF THAT MARKET POWER START TO CREEP A LITTLE BIT SOUTH INTO THE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS. YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, YOU'LL ALSO START TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A LOT MORE FOOT TRAFFIC. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO WALK SOUTH. 
          THOSE IN THE SOUTH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE STARTING TO WALK INTO THE DOWNTOWN. THAT STARTS TO CREATE A BIT OF A FLYWHEEL EFFECT. THEY START MOWING LAWNS A LITTLE MORE. 
          THEY START INVESTING A LITTLE BIT MORE. IT'S BIT BY BIT. IT'S INCREMENTAL, BUT INCREMENTAL IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT. IT MATTERS. SO THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR DOWNTOWN. NEXT. OKAY. I WOULD I SEE THERE'S A BREAK POINT HERE BEFORE RECOMMENDATIONS. I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A TEN MINUTE RECESS. SO I ASK THAT EVERYONE BE BACK AT 1016. 
          ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. I'M WAITING FOR A QUORUM TO COME BACK TO THE ROOM. AND WE HAVE IT. SO IF YOU'D. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A QUORUM NOW, IF YOU'D PLEASE CONTINUE. WE ARE BACK. I THINK NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR BIG PICTURE RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          I BELIEVE THAT'S THE NEXT. SHOULD WE JUST PLEASE GO AHEAD? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I HEARD CHATTER ON THE WAY IN AND OUT. I JUST WANT TO JUST BE CLEAR. RIGHT. WE KNOW IT'S SATURDAY. 
          OKAY. LET'S SEE. ALL RIGHT. BIG PICTURE. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU'RE AN ENTITLEMENT CITY, OKAY. 
          WHICH MEANS YOU'VE GOT FEDERAL RESOURCES. ABSOLUTELY. CONTINUE THE EXPERT ADMINISTRATION OF THOSE RESOURCES, RIGHT? DO SO WISELY. DO SO UNDER THE BROAD THEMES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, RIGHT. WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FOCUS, FOCUS, BE IN, YOU KNOW, UNTIL IT'S DONE RIGHT. 
          CONCENTRATE THOSE RESOURCES, BUILD ON STRENGTH, YOU KNOW, BE, BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW YOU USE THAT. AND FEDERAL RESOURCES ARE WHERE THEY'RE GREAT. JUST GREAT VALUE IS THAT NO CITY, RIGHT HAS NO CITY. NO CITY IN AMERICA HAS DEEP ENOUGH POCKETS TO DO IT ALL ALONE, RIGHT? THE SAFETY NET COSTS AND THE WORK ARE SO, SO COMPLEX, SO DIFFICULT. RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO HAVE FEDERAL PARTNERS FOR THAT. SO YOU ABSOLUTELY WANT TO CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, USING THOSE IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL WAY, RIGHT? YOU WANT TO USE THOSE TO ASSIST YOUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. YOU WANT TO ALSO WITH LOCAL RESOURCES, YOU WANT TO BE FOCUSING ON CODE, COMPLIANCE CODE, COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE, CODE ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT? BEING VERY CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL ON THE DEPLOYMENT, DEPLOYMENT OF THAT ALL ALONG RESIDENT CAPACITIES IS CRITICAL, RIGHT? SO IT'S, WE OFTEN THINK ABOUT, AND WHEN IS OUR WORK DONE ON A BLOCK, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TRUE. IT IS NEVER. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S NOT NEVER. WHEN IS OUR WORK DONE? IT'S WHEN THE WHEN THE BLOCK IS, IS, IS GOING TO MANAGE ITS TRANSITION FROM YEAR TO YEAR POSITIVELY, RIGHT? WHEN YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU STEP BACK, THAT BLOCK IS OKAY, RIGHT FROM THE YEAR 2027 TO THE YEAR 2028, IT'S GOING TO GO IN A GOOD DIRECTION, RIGHT? SO RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT, RESIDENT CAPACITY IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS REALLY THOUGHTFUL. STRATEGIC CODE ENFORCEMENT COMBINED WITH LANDLORD TRAINING COMBINED WITH, YOU KNOW, RIGOROUS, THOUGHTFUL MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION WORK, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY PROGRAMS AND THEN REALLY THOUGHTFUL ATTENTION TO, TO THE RENTAL SIDE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT? WHEN IT COMES TO SINGLE FAMILY SPECIFICALLY, RIGHT? SO IT'S HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY IN LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS, SENIOR LAWN CARE ASSISTANTS, GARLAND CARES, YOU 
          [01:40:03]
KNOW, THE OLD CODE CARES PROGRAM, YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THIS, RIGHT? SO THOSE THINGS, THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY CONTINUE AS YOU STAY IN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          BUT NOW YOU'RE BEGINNING TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT SOME, SOME FOCUS AREAS. IT'S CODE SWEEPS BECOME SUPER IMPORTANT. WHERE THE HEART IS BECOMES SUPER IMPORTANT. HOME INFILL, THE, THE HIP PROGRAM, ALL OF THAT, RIGHT, CONTINUES TO GET USED IN A STRATEGIC, THOUGHTFUL MANNER. 
          SO REMEMBER YOU'VE GOT A CONTINUATION AND THEN WE'RE ADDING THINGS, RIGHT. ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE. SO A LOT OF TIME DESERVEDLY BECAUSE THIS IS A SINGLE FAMILY CITY. SO, SO HAVE HEAVILY, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY, BUT IT'S NOT ENTIRELY SINGLE FAMILY, RIGHT? SO YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE ATTENTION ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE AS WELL. RIGHT? AND SO THAT MEANS USING YOUR RESOURCES AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING TOOLS, REALLY TO MAXIMIZE MARKET RATE WHEN YOU CAN GET IT RIGHT. AND TO PROVIDE THE INCENTIVES NECESSARY, RIGHT, SO THAT YOU ARE REDEVELOPING, UPGRADING, YOU KNOW, AND THEN REALLY TENDING TO THE MULTIFAMILY STOCK. SO WHAT KIND OF TOOLS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? THE LIGHT TECH PROGRAM. AND THE 4% LEVEL IS A GREAT TOOL FOR THAT. YOU'VE GOT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OLDER MULTIFAMILY UNITS, RIGHT? EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME CATCH UP COSTS, RIGHT? THE 4% LIHTC PROGRAM IS A GREAT TOOL FOR THINKING ABOUT THAT. IN ADDITION TO UPGRADING EXISTING MULTIFAMILY, RIGHT? YOU'VE GOT OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW MULTIFAMILY. SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR NEW MULTIFAMILY, AS MATT AND THOMAS HAVE SAID, IS IN THE RIGHT LOCATION AT THE RIGHT QUALITY. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT HAS A. IN ADDITION TO AN AREA THAT IT DOVETAILS NICELY INTO THE EXISTING FABRIC, A FINANCIAL TOOL TO HELP BRING THAT ABOUT WILL BE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. FORTHCOMING WILL BE THE FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY ZONE VERSION 2.0. SO THE CITY, I BELIEVE, IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO FORMALIZE THOSE OPPORTUNITY ZONESN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, DAYS AND WEEKS. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON OPPORTUNITY ZONES, WE CAN WE CAN HELP ANSWER THEM. BUT BUT ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT IS IT'S A TAX TOOL, RIGHT? TO ACTUALLY CLOSE THAT INFEASIBILITY GAP THAT MANY OF YOUR NODES AND, AND INTERSECTIONS WILL HAVE. SO YOU'LL HAVE AN ASPIRATION TO REDO, FOR INSTANCE, AN INTERSECTION AT NORTHWEST AND SATURN. THE MARKET WON'T BE THERE. OPPORTUNITY ZONE. THE TAX LEGISLATION CAN ACTUALLY BEGIN TO CLOSE THAT GAP. NOT ENTIRELY BUT BUT BUT BUT A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME. RIGHT. SO IT'S JUST IT'S ANOTHER TOOL, YOUR PFC THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL. 
          IT'S A GREAT TOOL. SO AS YOU THINK ABOUT HOW YOU BEGIN TRADING TAX ABATEMENTS FOR CLOSING FEASIBILITY GAPS, THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL YOU WANT TO USE. AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, USING YOUR OWN RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO, AS I SAID EARLIER, YOUR DEVELOPERS ARE HERE, YOUR MARKET'S HERE. WE WANT TO GET THEM CLOSER AND CLOSER, NOT BY REDUCING QUALITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, BY HOLDING FIRM ON YOUR STANDARDS. THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE YOU TO DO A LOT OF GIVING. OKAY. AND ON THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ACQUISITION AND DEMOLITION COSTS WHEN REDEVELOPMENT IS APPROPRIATE, BE A GREAT WAY TO CLOSE THAT. RIGHT. ONE SECOND. 
          YES. COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON, ON SLIDE 36, IT MENTIONS OR MAYBE MAYBE THE 3535. SURE. WELL, MAYBE I DON'T KNOW. ACTUALLY, NEITHER DO I. I'M ON ONE OF THE SLIDES. IT TALKS ABOUT THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD TRAINING. YEAH. DO WE KNOW THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE. IS MY, MY MAIN QUESTION. OR WOULD WE BENEFIT MORE FROM A CO PROGRAM FOR RENTALS? I SEE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. A LOT OF THE CITIES SURROUNDING US OPERATE WITH THE CO PROGRAM FOR RENTALS. MANY YEARS AGO I DID PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT. LIKE MESQUITE IN DALLAS ARE VERY THEY'RE VERY STRICT WITH THEIR, THEIR RENTAL PROPERTIES. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CO WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE OF OCCUPANT, WHICH INCLUDES THE INSPECTION. AND THEY'RE VERY, VERY STRICT INSPECTIONS. AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN A RENTAL, A SINGLE FAMILY, MY MY LANDLORD HAS DONE THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD TRAINING, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT ALLOWS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INSPECTED AFTER THAT TENANT MOVES IN OR THERE'S DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD TRAINING. 
          [01:45:06]
SO TO ME, IT WOULD SEEM AS THOUGH MAYBE THOSE THAT ARE CERTIFIED LANDLORD TRAINING, BECAUSE THEY GET THAT KIND OF VIP LANDLORD. YEAH. SO I, I QUESTION IF THE ONES THAT ARE CERTIFIED LANDLORDS, ARE THEY MORE APT TO BECOME KIND OF NOT MAYBE N NOT A SLUMLORD, BUT MAYE NOT TOP TIER WHERE THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO REINSPECT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, OR THAT OUR OUR INSPECTIONS ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE MORE STRENUOUS THAN THIS VIP TREATMENT THAT THEY CURRENTLY GET. YOU'LL BENEFIT FROM A PRETTY RIGOROUS INSPECTION PROGRAM. I MEAN, YOU ALWAYS WILL. THE BEST REALLY THE BEST PRACTICE NATIONALLY IS VERY RIGOROUS ABOUT TO GET US. 
          NO I'M NOT, I'M NOT. THIS IS THIS IS ADJACENT TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO IT'S IT'S FINE. NO, I KNOW IT. WHAT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THOUGH, IS THAT THAT IS A GOOD POLICY DISCUSSION TO HAVE. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO IN THE CONTEXT OF HOW OUR ORDINANCE IS SET UP. ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A CO PROGRAM, WE DO HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PERMIT AND IT OPERATES AS A CO EFFECTIVELY, AND WE CAN DO JUST AS MUCH WITH THAT AS WE COULD IF IT WAS A CO. 
          AND SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY DO WE NEED A CO. HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY ADMINISTERING OUR RENTAL PROGRAM. AS IT SITS TODAY. BECAUSE I THINK THE TOOLS ARE THERE AND IT MAY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AND ADJUSTED. AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO AT A FUTURE COMMITTEE MEETING OR COUNCIL MEETING. JUST JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, WE ACTUALLY THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE PLAN THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW TO IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING STRATEGY. 
          IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING INTERNALLY. WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH, AND I THINK YOU MAY SEE PARTS OF IT REFLECTED IN. WE WERE BUDGETING IN TERMS OF WHAT THE COST IS FOR SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PERMIT. AND I THINK THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT THE STAFF, AS PART OF THE INTERVENTIONS, HAS ALREADY ANTICIPATED WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE RENTAL HOMES AS THEY CHANGE OCCUPANTS? YES, CERTIFIED LANDLORD IS GOOD BECAUSE IT TEACHES THEM HOW TO BE A GOOD LANDLORD. BUT THEN IF YOU GIVE THEM A PASS AND IT DOES WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, WHICH IS YOU GIVE THEM A PASS FROM THE INSPECTIONS AND A PASS FROM THE RENTAL PERMIT REQUIREMENTS, WELL, THAT CAN SERVE A PURPOSE. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY ALREADY ON OUR RADAR AND SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY FOR A PERIOD OF WEEKS NOW. PERFECT. 
          PERFECT. AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE ON SLIDE 37. I DID WRITE THAT ONE UP. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE LIHTC IS? SURE. THAT'S THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM. THE WHAT? IT'S THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECT. OKAY. YOU'LL SOMETIMES HEAR IT REFERRED TO AS A LOW TECH. RIGHT. OKAY. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S A FEDERALLY IT'S A IT'S A FEDERAL TAX POLICY, RIGHT? THAT THAT ESSENTIALLY FUNCTIONS AS EQUITY FINANCING. RIGHT. AND IN THIS CASE, AS I'VE OUTLINED HERE, REALLY ON THE REHAB SIDE, RIGHT, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT YOU WILL BE JUST AS I HAD SAID EARLIER, YOU'RE IN THIS POSITION WHERE MARKET RATE DEVELOPERS MAY COME TO YOU AND SAY, WELL, COULD YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE HELP? AND NO, OUR QUALITY IS NOT GOING TO BE QUITE SO GREAT. YOU WANT TO RESIST SAYING THAT YOU ALSO WILL FIND YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE MERCHANT DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, WHO AREN'T, YOU KNOW, BASED IN GARLAND, WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO INTRODUCE A NEW TECH PROJECT HERE. RIGHT? YOU WANT TO RESIST THAT? OKAY. YOU HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF SAYING JUST NO, RIGHT, WHICH YOU BY ALL MEANS SHOULD SAY WOULD BE NO WITH A COMMA. WELL, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN A 4% REHAB PROGRAM? BECAUSE WE HAVE A 19,000 OLDER APARTMENTS, RIGHT, THAT ARE IN NEED OF UPGRADES, RIGHT. AND SO WE'LL ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO DO THE 4% REHAB PROGRAM. RIGHT. BUT IF YOU'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT, THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION LIGHT TECH, PLANO IS RIGHT OVER THERE. THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT. AND I, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE LAST PART OF THE CITY ASSUMES ACQUISITION DEMOLITION COSTS HEAVY ON THE DEMOLITION COSTS. YEAH. BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE COST. YOU CAN'T RECOVER THAT COST THROUGH THE RENTS BECAUSE THE MARKET'S NOT THERE. RIGHT. SOMEDAY IT WILL BE. WE'LL GET IT THERE. RIGHT. BUT IT'S NOT THERE NOW. SO THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO USE PUBLIC RESOURCES. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO THROW OUT WE HAVE PLENTY OF PELE THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO DEMO PLACES. SO HELP CUT THOSE COSTS. THANK YOU. SURE. ONE SECOND. I GOT ONE MORE QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. SLIDE 37, PLEASE. GENTLEMEN. SO THAT LIGHT TECH PROGRAM YOU WOULD YOU WOULD EXCLUDE NEW DEVELOPMENT FROM THAT USING 
          [01:50:08]
THAT RESOURCE, NEW LIGHT TECH, YOU MEAN? YES, I FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT REALLY GOOD FOR YOU. I WOULD SAY MY MY ADVICE IS IT'S NOT REALLY GOOD FOR THE CITY RIGHT NOW TO HAVE A NEW LIGHT TECH PROJECT. AND I THINK YOU WOULD BE ON VERY FIRM GROUND TO SAY THANK YOU, BUT NO THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. WHEN WE WE HAD A PROJECT COME TO MY DISTRICT BACK IN FEBRUARY AND SAID, NOT DOING ANY LIGHT TECH UNTIL AFTER THE HOUSING STUDY COMES OUT. SO NOW IT'S OUT. NOW IT'S OUT. RIGHT. 
          AND SO NOW IT'S OUT. AND NOW WE'VE DECIDED WE'RE ONLY. WE SHOULD. YOUR ADVICE IS WE SHOULD ONLY DO THAT TO REHAB EXISTING, INCLUDING BULLDOZING EXISTING. YEAH. AND AND BECAUSE THEY WANT A I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE GUY CALLED IT. DYLAN. IT WAS SOME KIND OF A BLESSING FROM THE CITY. AND PUT IT IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T. SO THE CREDITS ARE COMPETITIVE. RIGHT, RIGHT. IT'S HARD TO GET THE CREDITS RIGHT, OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE CREDITS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALLOCATED AT THE STATE LEVEL. RIGHT. UNTIL THE MAYOR BLESSES THEM, PUT THE MAYOR ON THE SPOT. BUT UNTIL THEY HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAYS, YEAH, THE MAYOR BLESSES IT, RIGHT? YEAH. AND THEY WANTED A RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL SAYING YES. AND THIS WAS A PIECE OF GREENFIELD LAND, AND THERE WAS OTHER APARTMENTS THERE THEY WERE GOING TO DO SENIOR, YOU KNOW, DO IT FOR SENIOR, YOU KNOW, OVER 55 TYPE COMMUNITY. AND SO BUT OKAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR THAT DON'T WANT TO DO THAT FOR NEW STUFF. YOU WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING ON A, ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S, THAT'S GREENFIELD THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUBSIDIZE THAT. COME. COME ON. BUT NOT, NOT A SUBSIDY. YOU WANT SUBSIDIES, GO REHAB SOME OF WHAT WE GOT. OKAY. WAIT, WAIT. SO YOU LET'S SUPPOSE I COME TO YOU ON THAT GREENFIELD, RIGHT? AND I NEED SUBSIDY. JUST MEANS I NEED SOME MONEY TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. OKAY. YOU'VE GOT A GREENFIELD. THOMAS COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, I WANT TO DO A LIGHT TECH ON THE GREENFIELD. OKAY, I NEED SUBSIDY. RIGHT. SUBSIDIES COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT I NEED A PIECE OF PAPER FROM THE MAYOR BLESSING IT. OKAY. NO THANK YOU. MATT COMES TO YOU AND HE SAYS, I WANT TO DO A MARKET RATE PROJECT ON ON THAT GREENFIELD. RIGHT. AND I NEED SOME SUBSIDY. YOU WOULD SAY, WELL, MAYBE I'LL CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE THAT'S ON MY TAX ROLLS, RIGHT? THAT'S ON MY TAX ROLLS. THAT'S STRENGTHENING YOUR CITY FIFIFISCALALALLYLYLY A A AT T T. 
          AND THEN WHAT YOU WANT TO DO STRATEGICAY IS TOAY, I I I I IFF WEWEWE'R'R'RE GOING TO S S SAY T RDATGHT, LET'S MAKEE 'R OOR W AND COORDINATING THE YES DECISION WITH SINGLE FAMILY INCENTIVE REHAB AROUND IT. RIGHT. AND YES TO PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT ON THE BLOCKS AROUND IT. SO IT'S ALL SINGING FROM THE SAME HY BOOK, RIGHT? WHICH IS CONCENTRATING POSITIVE WORK IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A, IN AN AREA. 
          RIGHT. OKAY. SO FOR MARKET RATE STUFF. YEAH. YES. BUT FOR LOW INCOME OR REDUCED RATE FOR SENIORS, THAT KIND OF THING, THEN NO. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE HIGHER CHALLENGE IS PRESERVE WHAT YOU'VE GOT AND UPGRADE IT. YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF APARTMENTS OUT THERE THAT THAT ARE JUST NOT HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF FOR A LONG TIME FOR SURE. RIGHT. 
          AND THOSE ARE HOMES, RIGHT? WE COULD, WE COULD DO TWO THINGS, TWO REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS AT THE SAME TIME WITH A 4% TAX CREDIT, RIGHT? WE CAN PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND WE CAN GET THE QUALITY UPGRADED, RIGHT? IT'S JUST THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S COMPLICATED WORK. AND THERE AREN'T AS MANY DEVELOPERS INRESTED IN THAT AS THE EASIER WORK TO DO THE GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT. JUST LET THEM DO THAT SOMEPLACE ELSE. 
          OKAY. GOTCHA. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SIR. COUPLE MORE HERE WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. SORRY. IS THERE A MAGIC NUMBER OR SWEET SPOT THAT OUR CITY PARTICULARLY WOULD BE LOOKING AT FOR THESE LOW INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THAT? WE WANT TO STAY AROUND LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE OVER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THE LOW INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, LIKE JUST AS A WHOLE. SO LIKE, SAY WE SAY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SITTING AT 20% OF OUR MULTIFAMILY, OUR FALL WITHIN THAT LOW INCOME HOUSING THRESHOLD. IS THERE A NUMBER THAT WE THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE THE SWEET SPOT THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU GO ABOVE? STARTS TO DRAG YOU DOWN INSTEAD OF. BRIDGE THAT GAP. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IF I'M GETTING GETTING IT RIGHT, SO I MIGHT NOT GET IT RIGHT IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, MIXED INCOME DEVELOPMENT IS ALWAYS IS ALWAYS SMART, WISE, PREFERABLE AND DURABLE OVER THE LONG HAUL. RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, JUST YOU ALWAYS WANT TO RAISE AN EYEBROW WITH SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO DO, YOU KNOW, AN ALL LOW INCOME PROJECT, RIGHT? IF YOU CAN GET A MIXED INCOME PROJECT, RIGHT, BETTER TO DO TWO MIXED INCOME 
          [01:55:05]
PROJECTS AND GET THE TOTAL LOW INCOME YIELD ACROSS MULTIPLE PROJECTS, THEN HAVE IT ALL IN ONE PROJECT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S JUST AS A GOOD OPERATING PRINCIPLE. I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD NEVER DEVIATE FAR FROM THAT NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO IS AS A, AS A CITY AND AS ALL CITIES AND COMMUNITIES. 20% RULE IS ALSO ANOTHER, ANOTHER IMPORTANT LINE, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING. NORTH OF 20%, IT GETS HARD SOUTH OF 20%, EVERYTHING'S EVERYTHING'S MANAGEABLE. RIGHT? IN A LOT OF OLDER INDUSTRIAL CITIES THAT HAVE COPED WITH DECADES OF DEINDUSTRIALIZATION AND DECADES OF SUBURBANIZATION AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. MANY OF OUR CLIENTS, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT, THEY'RE WELL PAST 20%, RIGHT? THEY'RE IN 30%, 32%, 35%. 
          RIGHT. AND THEN AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A SPIRAL YOU ALMOST CAN'T GET OUT OF, RIGHT? SO KEEPING IT, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY, YOU KNOW, REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO HAVING A BALANCED COMMUNITY, RIGHT? A TRULY BALANCED COMMUNITY IS, IS, IS WHAT YOU'RE AIMING FOR, RIGHT? YOU WANT HOUSING AND HOUSEHOLDS. HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE. YOU WANT IT ALL OVER THE PLACE, RIGHT? PROPORTIONATELY SPREAD IN A GOOD BALANCED WAY, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT FAR FROM BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. SO IF YOU GET THE NEXT IF YOU GET THE NEXT DECADE, RIGHT. I THINK CITY MANAGER MAY HAVE CALLED IT. I KNOW I WROTE IT DOWN. THE DECADE AHEAD. IF YOU GET THIS NEXT DECADE RIGHT, ACTUALLY, YOU WILL BE SITTING FAT. YOU'LL BE YOU'LL BE IN A GREAT SHAPE. YOU GET THIS NEXT DECADE, RIGHT? YOU GET THAT BALANCE AS YOU GO. YOU'LL BE IN GOOD SHAPE. YEAH. SO THAT 20% RULE WOULD BE MORE TOWARDS. FULL LOW INCOME HOUSING INSTEAD OF THE MIXED INCOME HOUSING. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT, 80% MARKET, 20% AFFORDABLE TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST EXTENT POSSIBLE? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T DO IT. SOMETIMES IT'S 7030, RIGHT? YOU JUST WANT TO AVOID 100 ZERO. 
          RIGHT? RIGHT. YEAH. PERFECT. RIGHT. THAT'S HOW FAMILIES THRIVE, RIGHT? FAMILIES THRIVE IN MIXED INCOME ENVIRONMENTS. OKAY, PERFECT. THANK YOU. SURE. MAYOR PRO TEM, LOOK, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RIGHT? GARLAND HAS TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN ANY CITY IN THE 26 CITIES SURROUNDING US. BECAUSE OF OUR AVERAGE HOME VALUE, OUR HOMES ARE AFFORDABLE IN THAT RESPECT. LY TECH, A LOW INCOME HOUSING IS A A TECHNIQUE USED BY DEVELOPERS TO MAKE THINGS PENCIL. THEY GET FEDERAL FUNDING AND THEY'REBLE TO MAKE. TO PROVIDE A PRODUCT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S A LOW QUALITY PRODUCT. AND IT ALSO DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT'S AFFORDABLE. THERE ARE MANY LIGHT TECH PROJECTS THAT AREN'T AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THAT AREA. THAT IS CORRECT THAT THAT CURRENTLY LIVE THERE. SO, SO LIGHT TECH DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THAT WILL MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE, NOR DOES IT INCREASE OUR AFFORDABILITY FACTOR BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY THERE. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE BASIS OF WHAT THIS WHOLE STUDY IS, IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE THERE, RIGHT? SO NOT NOT TO BELABOR IT, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. OKAY. THERE'S A STRUCTURAL REASON FOR YOUR MARKET TO AVOID THE NEW LIGHT TECH PROJECTS RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND THAT'S THAT ALL LIGHT TECH PROJECTS ARE PREDICATED ON FLIPPING THEM AT YEAR 12. OKAY. THEY'RE ALL PREDICATED ON, ON, ON OWNER, ON, ON, ON CURRENT OWNERS EVENTUALLY EXTRACTING THEMSELVES AND TURNING IT OVER TO SOMEBODY ELSE. OKAY. AND SO THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE OF THE LIGHT TECH, RIGHT, IS ACTUALLY NOT, NOT AIMED FOR LONG TERM VALUE, BUT AIMED FOR LONG TERM AFFORDABILITY. OKAY. THOSERE TWO VERY DIFFERENT. THEY RIPPLE THROUGH THE ECONOMY IN TWO VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. YOUR CITY HOUSING MARKET ISN'T IN A POSITION WHERE IT CAN ABSORB A VOLUME MORE OF PROJECTS WHOSE LONG TERM CONCEIT, RIGHT, IS A VALUE CAP, NOT A VALUE, NOT VALUE APPRECIATION, JUST THAT THAT'S JUST MAKES NO FISCAL SENSE WHATSOEVER. OKAY. WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF APARTMENT OR MULTIFAMILY COMPLEXES THAT NEED HELP. AND, AND USING THAT TOOL, THAT LIGHT TECH TOOL TO REFURBISH THOSE IS MUCH BETTER THAN PUTTING IT IN A SPACE WHERE, WHERE WE CAN PUT MARKET RATE INITIALLY. SO THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. WE GOOD? PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW LET'S JUST GO THROUGH THE INCENTIVE PIECE, WHICH IS SORT OF AS WE WRAP THINGS UP. OKAY. SO ON THE SINGLE FAMILY INCENTIVE SIDE, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES THESE NEW PROGRAMS, THEY, THEY'RE NOT THREE DAYS, THREE WEEKS, THREE MONTHS. THEY TAKE YEARS TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ANCHOR GET, GET IN THE, THE BLOODSTREAM OF A 
          [02:00:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD. RIGHT. BUT, BUT THEY ALSO, THEY RAMP UP LIKE THIS. THEY GO SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. 
          AND THEN THEY, AND THEN THEY SORT OF TAKE OFF. IT'S A VERY NICE CURVE. SO AT ABOUT YEAR THREE, EVERYTHING BEGINS TO TAKE OFF. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST KNOW THAT NO, THAT'S GOING TO GOING TO BE THE CASE WHEN YOU'RE IN THERE IN THAT BLOCK, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHETHER IT'S A LEGACY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR STABILITY, PURPOSE, GROWTH, MODEST GROWTH, MODERATE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR REVITALIZATION PURPOSES, YOU GOT TO HIT THAT 20% MARK. OKAY, RIGHT, 20%. GET IN THERE. STAY IN THERE. RIGHT, RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A GIVE AND GET. OKAY. WHAT YOU'RE GIVING, RIGHT, IS THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO GET THE RISE IN VALUE, RIGHT? TO GET THE UPGRADE IN QUALITY, TO GET THE UPGRADES IN STANDARDS, TRYING TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, CLOSING THE APPRAISAL GAP, ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, THAT WILLINGNESS AND CONFIDENCE GAP WHENEVER WE CAN, ADDRESSING THAT AFFORDABILITY GAP. OKAY. SO IN OUR GROWTH NEIGHBORHOODS, THREE PRINCIPAL PROGRAMS HERE, THE BLOCK CHALLENGE, THE HOMEOWNER RENOVATION SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPER PROGRAM, OKAY, RIGHT TO LEFT, EASIEST, EASIEST TO, TO SORT OF THE MORE COMPLICATED, OKAY, THE DEVELOPER PROGRAM DEVELOPER IS GOING TO NEED TO BUY A STRUCTURE, UPGRADE THE STRUCTURE, SELL THE STRUCTURE. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT THERE'S A GAP THERE, RIGHT? THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND 200 TO PURCHASE IT, 180 TO PURCHASE IT. IT'S GOING TO COST 100 TO FIX IT. YOU ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER. THE MARKET'S WORTH 80% OF THAT. THERE'S A GAP TO CLOSE. WE THINK THAT THAT GAP YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO CLOSE IT TO APPEAL TO DEVELOPERS TO TO DO INFILL DEVELOPMENT ON OCCASION, TO DO ACQUISITION, REHAB AND SALE ON OCCASION. AND YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO LOOK AT PROVIDING A RECAPTURE, YOU KNOW, RECAPTURE $75,000 INCENTIVE TO HELP CLOSE THOSE GAPS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPER SIDE IN THOSE YELLOW, YELLOW GREEN AREAS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE AT THE END OF THE DAY IS TAKE THOSE PRICES HERE, RIGHT? YOUR VALUES HERE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PRICES HERE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THAT VALUE UP. OKAY. SEE YOU'RE NOT YOU WOULD NEVER NEVER AGREE TO THAT $75,000 INCENTIVE UNLESS THAT DEVELOPER IS GIVING YOU A GOOD PRODUCT. OKAY. GOT TO BE A GOOD PRODUCT. OKAY. EVERYBODY GOOD ON THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE WEDGES AND EXAMPLE, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, IN THESE IN THESE GROWTH AREAS, THERE'S FOUR FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN 4000 PARCELS, THERE'S ABOUT A THOUSAND PROJECTS TO DO. SOME OF THOSE THOUSAND PROJECTS WILL BE THESE. I DON'T THINK YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF THOSE. OKAY. BUT BUT YOU'LL HAVE SOME. 
          OKAY. YOU'LL HAVE SOME. AND YOU WANT THESE. THESE ARE GOOD, RIGHT? RIGHT. HOMEOWNER RENOVATIONS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS, RIGHT, WHO WANT TO DO WORK THAT THEY'RE SITTING, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE SITTING ON IT. THEY WANT TO DO IT. THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING IT. SOME OF THEM KIND OF CAN'T GET THERE. YOU WANT TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO DO THAT. AND YOU WANT TO DO THAT BY PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, UP TO 25% IN THOSE MODERATE AREAS, UP TO 20% IN THOSE MODEST AREAS OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST. I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH AN EXAMPLE IN A SECTION IN A SECOND, UP TO $40,000. IT'S PRINCIPALLY EXTERIORS AND KEY UPGRADES, ROOFS, FOUNDATIONS, PLUMBING, ELECTRIC KITCHENS, BATHS. RIGHT. OKAY. BUT YOU'RE REALLY POLISHING THE OUTSIDE, OKAY? YOU NEVER JUST DO INTERIOR WORK EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER. 
          OKAY. RIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, NOW THERE WILL BE A CASE WHERE YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT AN OWNER WANTS TO DO THE INTERIOR RIGHT. BUT IN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM, YOU GET THE EXTERIOR AS WELL. THAT'S YOUR. SO YOU'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, MOBILIZE, POLISH THE CURB APPEAL OF THAT OF THAT HOUSE AND THAT BLOCK. OKAY. AND THEN ON THE BLOCK CHALLENGE, THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOST EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS IN ANY CLIENT WE'VE EVER WORKED WITH, WITH THE BLOCK CHALLENGE PROGRAMS, WHICH IS WHERE A SET OF HOUSEHOLDS. GOING BACK TO COUNCILMAN MOORE'S QUESTION AT THE OUTSET, RIGHT. WHY WOULD WE DO A ONE OFF MY INTERPRETATION COUNCIL WHEN WE SHOULD DO TEN? RIGHT. WHEN YOU CAN GET A COLLECTION OF RESIDENTS ALL TOGETHER, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, UP TO 20, FOR INSTANCE, ALL AGREEING TO DO UPGRADES, RIGHT? THEN WHAT WE FOUND EFFECTIVE IS JUST THEY DON'T HAVE THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BIG PROJECTS LIKE THE 50, $60,000 UPGRADES. THEY MAY BE JUST DOING PORCH REPAIR OR, YOU KNOW, ASPHALT SHINGLE REPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST OTHER SMALLER WORK, WHICH EVEN TODAY IS VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          OKAY. WE CAN DEFRAY THOSE COSTS BY, FOR INSTANCE, UP TO $2,500 PER PROPERTY, PROVIDED IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON, WE CAN SAY. SO COUNCIL, IF IF COUNCILMAN MOORE SAYS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO SOME UPGRADES, WE WOULD SAY, WELL, GET NINE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AND THEN WE CAN CUT ALL OF YOUR COSTS, RIGHT? SO YOU TIE THE INCENTIVE TO THE WHOLE BLOCK WORKING ON THE PROJECT. IT IS SUPER EFFECTIVE, RIGHT? WE HAVE, WE HAVE JUST IN EVERY CITY WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED THAT THAT PROGRAM. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE USES OF RESOURCES YOU WILL FIND. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WORKING THAT THROUGH, YOU MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, A TEAM OF TEN NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? AND THIS IS JUST HAPPENS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE HOMES, RIGHT? SO 
          [02:05:03]
THEY NEED A NEW ROOF OR A ROOF UPGRADE, A NEW, SOME DRIVEWAY, YOU KNOW, PATCH WORK, RIGHT? UPGRADING LANDSCAPING, IT'S A $15,000 PROJECT. THE INCENTIVE CAN GO UP TO $2,500. THE OWNER SAYS, I'LL PUT IN 12, EIGHT. YOU THEN SUPPLY THE 2500. THEY GET TO THE 1503. IF THAT HAPPENS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, SOME VERSION OF THAT ON THAT BLOCK, RIGHT? SO I'VE GOT MAYBE 11 NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? I'VE GOT 11 HOUSES ON A BLOCK OF 26 HOMES. I'M CRUSHING IT. I'M ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING IT. RIGHT. IF I'VE GOT A BLOCK CHALLENGE GRANT GOING OUT TO A PARTICULAR BLOCK AND ON THAT SAME BLOCK, I'VE GOT ALSO THIS ACQUISITION REHAB ON THE RIGHT, ONE OF THOSE. SO MAYBE I'VE GOT A NEW HOME GOING IN AND I'VE GOT 1111 REHAB GRANTS GOING IN. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THESE SMALL BLOCK CHALLENGE GRANTS GOING IN. I'M REALLY BEGINNING TO TURN THAT BLOCK. I DO THAT FOR CONTIGUOUS BLOCKS ALL NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER, RIGHT? RIGHT OFF OF A CORRIDOR THAT, THAT, THAT THOMAS IS, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING TO, TO ENHANCE RIGHT NEXT TO A NODE, RIGHT WHERE WE ARE BEGINNING TO WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REDEVELOP, RIGHT? THAT INTO MIXED USE MULTIFAMILY AT THE NODE AT MARKET RATE. NOW WE'RE, WE'RE COOKING WITH GAS, RIGHT? SO THINGS ARE REALLY BEGINNING TO WORK FOR US. THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT. OKAY. MAKE SENSE? OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. ACQUISITION. WHEN YOU GET TO, OF COURSE, LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU'RE ALSO CONTINUING CONTINUING THAT WORK, RIGHT? SO IN THIS CASE, IT'S REALLY ABOUT CLOSING AFFORDABILITY GAPS MORE THAN CLOSING MARKETABLE MARKETABILITY GAPS, RIGHT? SO WE NEED ROOFS, RIGHT? SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO THIS MAP. THIS IS A CRITICAL MAP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON THIS NODE. WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT OCCURRING HERE. 
          WE'VE GOT THIS PARTICULAR BLOCK RIGHT IN HERE, FOR INSTANCE. SO THIS CORRIDOR IS BEING DONE. 
          REDEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING HERE PERHAPS ON THIS BLOCK RIGHT IN HERE WITHIN THREE MINUTES OF A WALK. THESE TWO BLOCKS RIGHT IN HERE. WE MIGHT HAVE SOME BLOCK CHALLENGE WORK GOING ON. WE MIGHT HAVE SOME HOMEOWNER REHAB GOING ON MAYBE RIGHT OVER HERE ON THIS BLOCK. WE'RE SATURATING THIS BLOCK WITH BLOCK CHALLENGE. AND WE ALSO HAVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET OVER HERE, LEGACY CONDITIONS IN HERE, WHERE THE PROBLEM HERE REALLY IS MORE AFFORDABILITY THAN MARKETABILITY. SO WE'RE BRIDGING AFFORDABILITY GAPS RIGHT IN HERE. RIGHT. AND WE'RE WORKING ON MARKETABILITY GAPS IN HERE ALL TO HIGH STANDARDS AND ALL AT THAT 20% THRESHOLD AND ALL FEEDING IN TO CIP COMMITMENTS AND PRIORITIZATION HERE AT THIS PARTICULAR AREA ON ROADS, SIDEWALKS, STREET CANOPY, RIGHT. TREE CANOPY MAKES SENSE COMING TOGETHER. OKAY, YOU START RINSE, WASNG, REPEAT. OKAY, YOU'RE IN THERE. YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE FOLKS ON THIS BLOCK SAY, I WANT TO DO WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE. YOU'RE ALSO SEEING FOLKS SAY, I SURE, YOU KNOW YOU'RE COMING. YOU'RE ALSO BACKFILLING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT IN HERE. YOU'RE BACKFILLING WITH REALLY, YOU KNOW, USING A FEW, A FEW, NOT JUST CARROTS, BUT SOME STICKS WHERE YOU HAVE SOME STICKS. WE GOT TO SWING, RIGHT? YOU'RE REALLY BEGINNING TO CHANGE. 
          CHANGE? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, RIGHT? SO OKAY, LET'S SEE. WE ARE. I THINK. THAT. WE I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO CALL AN AUDIBLE AND SAY WE'VE COVERED IT. OKAY. UNLESS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THESE THESE ARE JUST REPEATING WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THROUGH Q&A. OKAY. LET'S SEE. BUT BUT LET'S, LET'S, LET'S AT LEAST FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON, ON OUTCOMES AND MEASURES. OKAY. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR COST BURDENS TO GET REDUCED. OKAY, WE'RE CLOSING THE COST BURDENS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE FACING AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT. 
          OKAY. BOTH ON THE RENTER AND AND OWNER SIDE. OKAY. SHARE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE THAT, THAT, THAT NEED A LOT OF WORK IS GOING DOWN. SHERIFF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT NEED JUST A LITTLE BIT WORK, RIGHT? THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING UP. YOU KNOW, AS ONE'S GOING DOWN, ONE'S GOING UP. OKAY, WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN GARLAND AND THE BALANCE OF THE REGION IS GETTING SMALLER. RIGHT? RIGHT. 
          SO AS AS COUNCIL, COUNCIL, COUNCIL, COUNCILWOMAN LUCK MENTIONED, RIGHT. WE ARE WE ARE AT THE BACK END OF A LOT OF REGIONAL NUMBERS, RIGHT? WE WANT TO IMPROVE OUR REGIONAL POSITION OVER TIME. SUPER, SUPER CRITICAL. AND WHERE THIS ALL ACTUALLY COMES AND, YOU 
          [02:10:03]
KNOW, YOU'RE SORT OF HITTING IT OUT OF THE PARK, RIGHT? IS THIS IS THIS IS THE REGION'S COMMUNITY OF CHOICE. THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE, RIGHT? GARLAND SQUARE IS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE, RIGHT? WE WANT AS MANY RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS IN THIS CITY AS POSSIBLE TO, TO PASS THAT EXACT SAME TEST. THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BE. OKAY? I WANT TO BE IN THIS HOUSE. I WANT TO BE ON THIS BLOCK. OKAY? I WANT TO STAY HERE RIGHT WHEN AND WHEN I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, TO. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE ONE CHILD. TURNS OUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TRIPLETS, RIGHT? I'M GOING TO. I'M GOING TO STAY IN GARLAND AND FIND ANOTHER HOUSE IN GARLAND, NOT LEAVE GARLAND. RIGHT. OKAY. OR I'M GOING TO UPGRADE MY HOUSE. AND IT MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE TO DO SO. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR. OKAY. I THINK WE CAN, MAYOR. WE COULD PROBABLY JUST TIE IT OFF BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING REDUNDANT AT SOME POINT. QUESTION HERE FROM MAYOR PRO TEM LOOK MORE OF A STATEMENT WHEN I FIRST YEAH. WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR COUNCIL, MY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT WAS I WANT GARLAND WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF IT NOT TO GO, OOH, BUT TO GO OOH AND, AND JUST CHANGING THAT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS DOES. AND I'M SO EXCITED. AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A LONG TIME. AND, AND THIS WILL KIND OF PUT THE, THE CHERRY ON TOP OF IT AND, AND REALLY CHANGE, CHANGE WHAT PEOPLE SEE ANDND FEEL WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT GARLAND AND TALK ABOUT IT. WE HOPE SO. WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT IT. WE LIKE WE, WE LIKE YOUR CHANCES. SO DO I. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO THIS IS GREAT STORY. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. MY BEST CENTERS THE 11 EPISODE. YES, WE WENT THROUGH AND LISTENED ONE TWICE, MULTIPLE TIMES FORGET. AND THEN WE LEARN IT AGAIN. SO WHAT I HEARD OBSERVED ALL THE QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL IS GREAT. HELPED ME TO OBSERVE AND THE STORY THAT WE HAVE. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. SO HAVE YOU SEEN THIS STUDY THAT HAPPENED TO ANY OTHER CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? AND THEY MAY GO WENT THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS THAT WE DO. WE TRY TO CHANGE OUR IMAGE AND AND THEN WHAT CHALLENGE THEY FACE IF, IF, IF YOU'VE SEEN ANY OTHER CITY IN TEXAS THAT THAT IMPLEMENT THIS, USE THIS STUDY SIMILAR, LIKE THIS STUDY AND IMPLEMENT IT, I'M HARD PRESSED TO THINK OF WHAT WHERE ELSE IN TEXAS THIS HAS WORKED. HAVING SAID THAT, EARLY IN MY CAREER, A LONG TIME AGO, BRECK SHAMPOO TIME AGO. A LONG TIME AGO, THE THE CURRENT AUSTIN, TEXAS AIRPORT WAS NOT WHERE IT WAS. IT WAS A SMALL, MUCH SMALLER, SMALLER AIRPORT. AND I WAS INVOLVED IN REDEVELOPMENT OF MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THAT SMALLER AIRPORT. AND THOSE PRINCIPLES WERE PUT INTO USE. RIGHT. AND THOSE PRINCIPLES PROVED VERY VALUABLE TO TRANSFORMING SOME OF THE AREA AROUND THE OLD AUSTIN AUSTIN AIRPORT. BUT FOR THE BALANCE OF TEXAS ITSELF, HONESTLY, COUNCILMAN TRENT, I'M I'M HARD PRESSED TO NAME AN ANALOG IN THE CITY. OKAY, I DON'T KNOW, THEY EXIST NATIONALLY, BUT IN TEXAS, I DON'T KNOW WHO TO POINT TO, PER SE. SOME SEEDS IN FIFTH WARD, HOUSTON HAVE HAVE TRIED BITS AND PIECES. IT DIDN'T SUCCEED BECAUSE I THINK IN WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY WORKED ON WEAKER BLOCKS, BLOCKS THAT WERE TOO WEAK AT THE TIME. RIGHT. AND SO THEY WERE TRYING TO SORT OF PUT A SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE. THE MARKET WASN'T QUITE READY IN SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT I WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY TO TRY TO JUST WORK THROUGH OUR ROLODEX. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT A ROLODEX IS? OKAY. AND SEE IF I CAN COME UP WITH SOME TEXAS ANALOGS. I CAN TRY THAT. YES. THANK YOU. MY SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT CHALLENGES? I HEARD THAT WE MIGHT TAKE NOT A YEAR OR TWO, MAYBE 5 TO 10 YEARS OR MORE. 5 TO 10 IS A GOOD A GOOD NUMBER, RIGHT? YEAH. SO MOST OF US WOULD MAKE SURE TO BE CONSISTENT. YES. HOW TO BE CONSISTENT. CAN YOU GIVE US A LOT OF GUIDELINES AND $40,000 MAX OR. YEAH, THERE'S CERTAIN GUIDELINES THAT WE CAN AND WE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT. YES. SO TO KEEP THAT FOR 5 TO 10 YEARS, THAT'S A LONG TIME. RIGHT. AND SO MAYBE A FUTURE COUNCIL, MULTIPLE COUNCIL, THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE CONSISTENT AND GO THROUGH TO IMPLEMENT THAT. YOU MENTIONED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. IN YOUR BEST GUESS OR ESTIMATE WHAT, HOW, HOW QUICK, HOW FAST 
          [02:15:05]
THAT GARLAND CAN CHANGE OUR IMAGE AND BE ABLE TO ATTRACT MORE BUSINESS AND BE COMPETITIVE, COMPETITIVE TO OTHER CITIES NEARBY, SUCH AS RICHARDSON OR PLANO. SO MAYBE FISCAL. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO. THOMAS. WHATEVER THE ANSWER, I'LL GIVE YOU AN ANSWER IN A SECOND. WHATEVER THE ANSWER IS, IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO WHERE YOU START. OKAY. AND SO ABSOLUTELY, STAYING WITH DOWNTOWN, RIGHT IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE IT GO AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. IT'S IT'S THERE. THAT'S, THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT A GREAT ANALOG OR METAPHOR. 
          JUST LET ME RUN WITH IT. RIGHT? DOWNTOWN IS YOUR B STUDENT. THAT WILL BE AN A STUDENT, RIGHT. WITH TWO HOURS OF WORK. OKAY, JUST SOME FRIDAY NIGHT SESSIONS AND IT'S AN A STUDENT. 
          OKAY. DOWNTOWN IS THERE. IT'S THE SQUARE IS THERE. RIGHT. BUT YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO PUT IT INTO A SPACE. DOUBLE A SPACE, TRIPLE A SPACE. RIGHT. SO YOU STAY DOWNTOWN AND THAT IS YOUR BEST. IT IS YOUR BEST, MOST VALUABLE CROWN JEWEL F MARKETING. RIGHT. AND THE WEDGE, I THINK THAT AREA CLOSE CLOSE TO THE DALLAS LINE, RIGHT? RIGHT NEAR THERE. YOU GET YOU GET THAT RIGHT. YOU GET DOWNTOWN, RIGHT. YOU GET HARBOR POINT RIGHT NOW. NOW YOU'RE REALLY YOU'RE FIRING, YOU'RE YOU'RE REALLY DRIVING IT. AND I WOULD SAY IF IT'S FORMALIZED IN YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, RIGHT? THE DEVELOPERS SEE IT, IS FORMALIZED IN, IN, IN THE GDC, RIGHT? THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY SEES IT, RIGHT? IT'S FORMALIZED IN YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET, RIGHT? EVERYBODY SEES IT. EVERYBODY'S OPERATING FROM THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC. 3 TO 5 YEARS IS WHEN THINGS START TO REALLY PICK UP. YEAH. LAST QUESTION. YES, SIR. 
          SO I KNOW THAT MY I MIGHT ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT MAYBE THE OTHER RESIDENTS FROM MY DISTRICT MIGHT WANT TO HEAR I'M ON THE NORTH CORRIDOR, GEORGE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE. 
          RIGHT. AND I KNOW I NOTICED THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION ON CONCENTRATE ON WHERE THAT TAKE THE EFFECTIVE RIGHT ON YOUR ASSESSMENTS ON THAT CORRIDOR. I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS AGREE THAT YOU PUT ON BEL LIGHT. THAT IS SECONDARY, RIGHT? SO THAT IS SECONDARY, WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE RIGHT ONE FIRST BEFORE. YES YES YES. YEAH I THINK THAT. SO THIS GOES TO YOUR TIMING QUESTION RIGHT. I THINK THIS TAKES LONGER. RIGHT. AND I THINK THIS CONSUMES ENOUGH RESOURCES TO MAKE THIS ONE, THIS ONE LESS VIABLE AND THIS ONE LESS VIABLE. 
          SO YOU SORT OF FIGURE IT OUT. I CAN MAKE A GREAT CASE TO DO THE WORK HERE, RIGHT? IT'S JUST THAT YOUR WALLET ISN'T FAT ENOUGH TO DO IT HERE AND HERE AND HERE. SO YOU GOT TO PICK A PLACE TO START, RIGHT? BUT WITHOUT QUESTION. THIS, THIS, THIS AND THIS ARE, AS THOMAS SAID EARLIER, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, IF YOU IF A DEVELOPER COMES TO YOU ALL WITH A WITH A PROPOSAL, YOU WANT TO TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION. IF IT'S IF IT'S IN THESE AREAS, YOU. 
          ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. YEAH, YEAH. I WOULDN'T DEVIATE RESOURCES FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE. THAT'S NOT IN ONE OF THOSE. BUT IF IT'S IN ONE OF THOSE AND THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY UP THERE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN TO IGNORE THAT. IT'S, IT'S IDENTIFIED AS A, A NODE AND IT'S JUST THE CHARLES SAID. IT'S JUST YOU JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES YET TO FOCUS ON ALL OR THE CAPACITY. SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S NEXT. THAT'S THE NEXT TIER. RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM MARTIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR THE STUDY AND THE EDUCATION. IT'S BEEN VERY FASCINATING. BUT COUNCILMEMBER TRAN HIT ON ONE OF THE THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, WHICH WAS THE SECONDARY ZONE IMPLEMENTATION WE HAVE LIKE AT BELTLINE AND GARLAND ROAD, WE HAVE A A PARCEL OF LAND THAT IT'S A PROJECT THAT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S STALLED OR WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING. IT'S TEN ACRES THAT IS RIGHT NORTHWEST OF. YEAH. AND SO IT'S A TOWNHOME COMMUNITY THAT WAS PLANNED A DECADE. IT'S BASICALLY A DECADE AGO. AND IS THERE, IS THERE TECHNIQUES THAT WE SHOULD. IS THERE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING SINCE THAT IS A SECONDARY ZONE THAT'S ALREADY PLANNED IN THAT AREA, THE INCENTIVES THAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE SURE THAT IS A CLASS, A TOP NOTCH PROJECT THAT WOULD DOVETAIL STRAIGHT INTO THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ABSOLUTELY, YEAH. GO AHEAD. YEAH. I THINK THE BIG THING IS, IS THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS, EVEN BEYOND THE INCENTIVES THAT YOU CAN DO TO 
          [02:20:01]
GET THINGS READY. FOR INSTANCE, THE, THE CODE WE TALKED ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, UPDATING THE CODE AND WE RECOMMEND WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT ABOUT CREATING THESE DISTRICTS AND THE STANDARDS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE NODES. SO WHAT I WOULDN'T DO, I WOULDN'T WAIT TO LAY THAT DOWN IN THESE OTHER SECONDARY NODES. I WOULD LAY THAT DOWN. I WOULD, I WOULD GET EVERYTHING READY AND TREAT FROM A, FROM A, FROM A PLANNING AND A CODING STANDPOINT, ALL OF THEM THE SAME. IT'S THE RESOURCES THAT YOU JUST DON'T HAVE YET TO BE ABLE TO REALLY MAKE EFFECTIVE CHANGE IN THE WEDGE. AND AT THE SAME TIME BE DOING THAT IN THE OTHER NODES. 
          BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU COULDN'T SET THE FRAMEWORK UP FROM A CODE STANDPOINT, STANDARD STANDPOINT. AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT IS JUST A, YOU KNOW, A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO PASS UP, THEN I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, PIVOT AT THE TIME. BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT A HELL NO. IT'S JUST LIKE, LET'S, IF SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO EVALUATE THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF EVERYTHING ELSE. AND MAYBE IT MAKES SENSE TO, TO DO SOMETHING UP THERE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THE BIG OPPORTUNITY WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT IS A PRETTY SIZABLE PROJECT. IT'S GREAT. I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OFF THE CORNER. 
          IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, IT'S IT IS THE CORNER. IT IS THE CORNER THERE. YEAH. YES. SO I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT PROJECT BECAUSE IT IS THE CORNER IN A NODE LIKE THAT. 
          OKAY. AND IMPROVING ITS WALKABILITY AND ITS, AND ITS VISUAL ASPECT FROM THE STREET IS LIKE ONE OF THE TOP THINGS I WOULD IMAGINE. SO EVERY, EVERY. PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IMPROVEMENT THAT IS GOING TO. SO IF THAT ROADWAY IS GOING TO BE TOUCHED UP THERE, IT SHOULD BE DONE IN A WAY THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE NODES, BECAUSE THERE'S THERE'S STANDARD CIP PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE ACROSS THE CITY. IT'S ONE THING WE, YOU KNOW, THAT I THINK WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT IS SAY, WHAT PROJECTS FALL WITHIN THESE NODES CURRENTLY IN YOUR CIP AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROJECTS. THAT'S WHERE THAT COORDINATION WITH ENGINEERING AND DOT AND, AND OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE MORE PURVIEW OVER THE PUBLIC REALM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY CHANGES OR ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE MADE ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE FRAMEWORK. OKAY. AND COULD YOU SPEAK OF, I KNOW THIS IS A HOUSING STUDY, BUT THERE'S AROUND EACH ONE OF THE HOUSING AREAS, YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL PROJECTS THAT ARE WITHIN THERE. DOES DOES THE COMMERCIAL FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, DOES THE COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT FOLLOW AFTER HOUSING REDEVELOPMENT OCCURS? IS ONE A REFLECTION OF THE OTHER? OH, LIKE CHICKEN OR EGG KIND OF THING, RIGHT. YEAH. 
          WITH THE HOUSING. YEAH. IT'S A BOTH END. RIGHT. BUT IT BUT IT IS. IT'S THERE'S ALSO THERE'S A TIMELINE, RIGHT? SO IN MARKETS IN YOUR CONDITION, RIGHT. WHAT WHAT YOU NEED TO DRIVE COMMERCIAL IS A COMBINATION OF, OF VOLUME OF HOUSEHOLDS AND INCOME OF HOUSEHOLDS TO GET THE HIGHER GRADE RETAIL. OKAY. AND SO ONCE, ONCE THAT BEGINS TO OCCUR, THEN IT'S THEN IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CYCLICAL, RIGHT? WHERE THE BETTER COMMERCIAL BECOMES THE ATTRACTION ITSELF, RIGHT? SO YOU START BY GROWING VOLUME AND INCOMES, RIGHT? AND AS THAHAHAT OCCURS, YOUR COMMERL VENDORS WILL TAKAKAKE N N NOTICF THAT. THEHEHEYYY WILL DRIVE A H, EY W Y KNOW, TE SKES IHEQUITY O, RIGHT. THAT'LL BE EXPRESSED BOTH IN GOODS AND SERVICES, BUT ALSO THE CARE, THE CARE OF THE OF THE SHOPPING CENTER OF THE STRIPS THEMSELVES. AND AS, AS THE MARKET SEES THAT, RIGHT, THE HOUSING THEN BECOMES MORE ATTRACTIVE. RIGHT? SO IT'S A, IT'S, THEY FEED ON THEMSELVES, BUT YOU START WITH INCOMES AND VOLUME OF HOUSEHOLDS. THAT'S WHY DENSITY AT THESE NODES IS SO CRITICAL. RIGHT. AND, AND MARKET RATE AT THESE NODES IS SO CRITICAL, THOSE CAN BECOME DRIVERS. AND ONE OF THE AREASAS TH AT ONE POINT ON THE COUNCIL, WE WENT ON A TOUR OF, OF INTERESTING PROJECTS WITHIN THE, THE DALLAS AREA. AND ONE OF THEM WAS WE WENT TO CARROLLTON, TO KOREATOWN. AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS LIKE, IT'S PER SQUARE FOOT, ONE OF THE HIGHEST SALES TAX GENERATING SPOTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WHERE THAT IT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED BY THEM TRANSFORMING A BASICALLY RUNDOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS VIBRANT AND INTERESTING. IT DROVE THE MARKETPLACE ALL AROUND IT. ALL OF THE HOMES AND EVERYTHING JUST NATURALLY REVITALIZE ITSELF. SO IT'S, I GUESS IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. YOU HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT HERE, A LITTLE BIT THERE, AND THEN SUDDENLY IT STARTS TRANSFORMING ON ITS OWN. SO WHEN YOU CREATE, WHEN YOU 
          [02:25:03]
CREATE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE, VALUES START COMING UP. IT'S JUST A SUPPLY DEMAND TYPE THING. WHEN YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND TIME IN A PLACE AND IT BECOMES MORE IN MORE DEMAND THAN, YOU KNOW, VALUE GOES UP. SO IT'S INTERESTING, YOU MAY SEE EVEN FROM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT YOU TAKE THE, THE NODE IN THE NORTH JUST BY GETTING THE PLAN IN PLACE, THE FRAMEWORK IN PLACE, THE CODE IN PLACE, AND IT IDENTIFIED AS A NODE. YOU MAY, YOU MAY GET INTEREST EVEN WITHOUT INCENTIVES. AND THAT'S NOT THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT THING, YOU KNOW, AND SO, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FRAMEWORK GETS IN PLACE FOR THESE THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE CAPACITY NOW JUST TO FOCUS ON THE WEDGE, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THINGS MIGHT NOT HAPPEN ON THEIR OWN IN THOSE OTHER NODES. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO HAPPEN ACCORDING TO THE FRAMEWORK. AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK ON THIS. THIS IS A A VERY EXHAUSTIVE STUDY, AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH, WITH YOUR YOUR FINDINGS ON AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING IT AND SEEING IT'S EXCITING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN? I SEE NONE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. CITY MANAGER COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU STAFF. THANK YOU FOR SUFFERING US. WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO THE 
          [2. Presentation of the Proposed Strategic Plan 2026-36, Garland on the Rise]
SECOND ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN 2026 THROUGH 2036. GARLAND ON THE RISE AND MR. CITY MANAGER. CHARLES CHARLES, IS THIS. IS THIS YOU HERE? LET'S MAKE SURE I DO THIS. 
          IT'S I THINK IT'S ON IS WHERE IS IT? IN HERE. POWERPOINTS OPEN ALREADY. THERE WE ARE. 
          MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING. THIS HAS BEEN A A LONG TIME IN COMING. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ENJOYED ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH ME OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS AND THE NEWER COUNCIL MEMBERS SINCE EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE ON COUNCIL AND I STARTED MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TALKED ABOUT A GREAT DEAL. AND AND I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING A ONE TRICK PONY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A SINGLE THREADED FOCUS OF MINE OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS. AND I'M PLEASED TODAY TO BE ABLE TO ROLL OUT AND SHOW TO YOU OUR PLAN FOR THE NEXT DECADE AS A STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE HAVE NAMED GARLAND ON THE RISE. I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT IT'S HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ALL HERE ON A SATURDAY. IT'S NOT LOST ON THE STAFF THAT YOU'RE ALL SITTING HERE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY ON A SATURDAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE NEXT TEN YEARS RIGHT. AND IT'S A IT'S A COMMITMENT THAT YOU MAKE TO THE FUTURE OF, OF OUR CITY. AND IT'S ONE THAT I THINK IT MAKES CLEAR TO THE STAFF AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT YOU TAKE THE NEXT TEN YEARS AND THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY VERY SERIOUSLY. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. YOU JUST HEARD ME WALK THROUGH THE HOUSING MARKET, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE HOUSING MARKET? AND SOME OF THAT IS NOT EASY TO LISTEN TO. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE CONDITIONS AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, YOU LISTEN TO THE NUMBER OF PARCELS THAT WE NEED TO IMPACT AND THE WORK THAT LIES AHEAD OF US. AND IT CAN SEEM QUITE DAUNTING. AND I'M NOT HERE TO RELITIGATE WHAT THEY HAVE TOLD YOU THIS MORNING, BUT INSTEAD I THINK THAT THEY COVERED IT REALLY WELL. INSTEAD, I'M HERE TO SAY THAT THEY'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT WE HAD AND SUGGESTED A STRATEGY FOR A SOLUTION. AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS DESIGNED TODAY TO BE AN ANSWER TO THE PROBLEMS THAT THE CITY HAS. A STRATEGIC PLAN IS AN ANSWER TO THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED, AND AN ANSWER TO 
          [02:30:01]
THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE UNRELATED TO HOUSING THAT IMPACT OUR FISCAL ABILITIES IN THE DECADE AHEAD. RELATED TO SENATE BILL TWO AND WHAT THE SENATE BILL TWO FRAMEWORK HAS DONE TO OUR ABILITY TO HAVE REVENUES GOING FORWARD. AND SO, AS I MENTIONED THIS MORNING WHEN WE STARTED THIS, THE THREE CONVERSATIONS TODAY WE'RE HAVING, BUT THERE'S REALLY JUST ONE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM. THEY TOLD YOU THE HOUSING STUDY AND THAT TELLS YOU, OKAY, HERE'S THE CYCLE THAT WE HAVE TO BREAK. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THESE CORRIDORS GET ACTIVATED, THAT THE HOUSING IN THE AREA AND THE NODES AND CORRIDORS BECOME ACTIVATED. THE NEXT DISCUSSION IS THIS ONE THAT WE'RE HAVING NOW, WHICH IS THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS HOW DO WE RESPOND TO WHAT WE JUST HEARD AND HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THE SENATE BILL? TWO FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE, AND WE RESPOND AS A CITY, AND WE DO IT WITH DISPLINE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS RAISED BOTH BY MR. TRAN AND BY MAYOR PRO TEM WAS THE SUGGESTION OF THE NEED FOR DISCIPLINE. THAT IS, WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE HAVE A PLAN. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN IN MIND. ONE OF THE KEY THROUGH LINES HERE IS DISCIPLINE, MR. TRAN. SO HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? TAKES A PERIOD OF YEARS. THAT MEANS DISCIPLINE. THAT MEANS THAT WE STAY WITH THIS. AND SO THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS HOW WE RESPOND AS A CITY WITH DISCIPLINE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, LIKELY A DECADE. WHAT YOU'LL HEAR THIS AFTERNOON IS THE 2017 BUDGET. WE'LL START TO PRESENT THAT AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE THE WORK STARTS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IS WE HAVE TO BUDGET IN THE DIRECTION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WE HAVE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS. WE HAVE TO EXERCISE THE FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE SO THAT WE HAVE THE MONEY TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN. AND THAT'S WHAT THOSE THREE CONVERSATIONS TOGETHER DO TODAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THOSE THREE CONVERSATIONS WITH RESPECT TO TODAY'S AGENDA. NOW YOU MIGHT ASK WHY NOW? WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW? WELL, HERE'S THE SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN. YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT THE HOUSING CYCLE AND HOW IT'S CAUSED THIS LONG TERM, LONGER TERM DECLINE IN OUR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING STOCK. AND THEY DESCRIBE THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LOOP THAT WE'RE IN AND HOW THEY WANT TO GET US IN A POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP. THAT ALONE, IF THAT'S ALL THAT WAS HAPPENING, WE WOULD HAVE A STEADY LONGER TERM DECLINE AND WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THREE DECADES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT CREATED THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FISCAL IMPACT THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO REDUCE THE SERVICES THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, HAVE COME TO RELY ON. THAT IS, BEFORE IT WOULD IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY KEEP OUR PARKS OPEN AND OUR LIBRARIES OPEN, HAVE GOOD STREETS. WE WOULD HAVE A PERIOD OF DECADES TO FIX THIS. SENATE BILL TWO HAS COMPRESSED THAT TIME QUITE A BIT, BECAUSE SENATE BILL TWO CREATES A STRUCTURAL FISCAL PROBLEM FOR US, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AND THE STRUCTURAL, STRUCTURAL FISCAL PROBLEM I WANT TO ADDRESS TO YOU AND TELL YOU WHY IT DRIVES THE TIMELINE OF WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW. OUR COSTS GROW AT APPROXIMATELY 7% A YEAR. AND WHEN WHEN I SAY OUR COSTS GROW, IF YOU'RE SITTING AT HOME AND YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, INFLATION IS ONLY MAYBE 3.5% THIS YEAR, HOW DO OUR COSTS GROW? 7%? IT'S EASY. 
          IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT WE BUY. WE DON'T BUY GROCERIES. WE DON'T BUY CLOTHING. WE DON'T BUY THE THINGS THAT THE COSTS HAVE GONE UP ON. WE BUY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TO FIX OUR STREETS AND ROADS. THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. WE BUY HEALTH INSURANCE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. WE BUY VEHICLES AND VEHICLE PARTS. 
          THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. WE BUY TECHNOLOGY SERVERS TO MAKE SURE OUR TECHNOLOGY RUNS. AND WITH RESPECT TO THOSE SERVERS, THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. WHY HAVE THEY GONE THROUGH THE ROOF? BECAUSE THE THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE COMPETING FOR AI TECHNOLOGY AND HAVE DRIVEN THE COSTS OF SERVERS AND CHIPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE UPWARD. AND SO OUR ANNUAL COSTS HAVE BEEN RISING AT ABOUT 7% A YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME, THE. SENATE BILL TWO LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO RAISE REVENUE TO 3.5% A YEAR. AND SO WHILE OUR COSTS GO UP BY 7%, OUR REVENUES ONLY GO UP BY 3.5%. 
          I'VE EXPLAINED TO YOU THAT FOR THE CITY, GIVEN OUR SIZE OF OUR BUDGET, THAT MEANS THAT EVERY YEAR WE WE GO $5 MILLION BACKWARDS. THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF COST. THE COST TO RUN OUR 
          [02:35:03]
CITY EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE BY AN ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION, AND IT COMPOUNDS OVER TIME. YOU'LL HEAR LATER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, THAT MEANS IF YOU GO OUT TEN YEARS IN REAL DOLLARS, TODAY'S DOLLARS, OUR GENERAL FUND WOULD BE $50 MILLION SHORT. IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO TRY TO FIX THIS, $50 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS FOR PARKS, LIBRARIES, CULTURAL ARTS, STREETS, THE THINGS THAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT AND HAVE COME TO RELY ON, THE OTHER NUMBER THAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS 63%. TWO THIRDS OF OUR BUDGET, GIVE OR TAKE, IS PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I, AS A CITY MANAGER OR YOU AS A COUNCIL, WOULD EVER WANT TO TOUCH. BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS DEMAND AND ARE ENTITLED TO A SAFE COMMUNITY. AND WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE FACT THAT WHATEVER OTHER CHALLENGES WE HAVE, WE, THE NUMBERS DEMONSTRATE WE HAVE A PRETTY SAFE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET THAT WE CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT. THAT MEANS A THIRD OF OUR BUDGET HAS TO ABSORB ALMOST ALL OF THIS IMPACT. THE THINGS THAT AREN'T PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE URGENCY, BECAUSE AS TIME GOES ON, EVERY YEAR IT GETS WORSE. 
          AND THIS COMPOUNDS ITSELF. THE NEXT RED LINE YOU SEE HERE WHERE IT SAYS $90 MILLION, IS TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE VIS A VIS THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. IF WE HAD THE SAME AVERAGE TAX PER CAPITA COLLECTED, IT'S MOSTLY A MISSING SALES TAX, BUT ALSO MISSING PROPERTY TAX, THE SAME AVERAGE TAX THAT WE COLLECTED PER PERSON AS OTHER CITIES IN THE METROPLEX. IF WE WERE JUST AVERAGE. NOT THE BEST, NOT THE WORST, JUST THE AVERAGE, WE WOULD HAVE 90 MILLION MORE DOLLARS IN OUR GENERAL FUND. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF WE HAD $90 MILLION MORE IN OUR GENERAL FUND, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DECADE. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH SENATE BILL TWO SLOWLY RATCHETS DOWN, EVEN IN TEN YEARS, WE'RE ONLY $50 MILLION SHORT IN OUR GENERAL FUND. TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WE'D BE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD 90 MILLION EXTRA THAT WE DON'T HAVE. NOW, THIS IS GETTING REALLY TIGHT. WE NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT DECADE. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE OPERATE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE OPERATE WITH $90 MILLION LESS IN OUR GENERAL FUND THAN THE AVERAGE CITY IN THE METROPLEX. AND THE MATH HERE IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. THE MATH EVERY YEAR IS GOING TO COMPOUND. IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE HAD THIS PLAN NOW. AND WHILE WE'RE DOING IT, I WANT TO POINT OUT THIS SLIDE IS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE IN THE DECK. AND HERE'S WHY. EVERY PRESSURE THAT I JUST DESCRIBED, BOTH THE HOUSING CYCLE PRESSURE AND THIS REPETITIVE GROWING FINANCIAL PRESSURE, EVERY ONE OF THESE PRESSURES WILL BE HERE MONDAY MORNING. WHETHER THIS COUNCIL DECIDES TO ADOPT A STRATEGIC PLAN OR NOT, THESE PRESSURES DON'T GO AWAY. THEY GO AWAY ONLY IF WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM. AND SO THERE'S REALLY TWO CHOICES, RIGHT? THE PRESSURE IS NOT THE CHOICE. THE PRESSURE IS JUST THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE OPERATING IN. THE CHOICE IS DO WE LET THE NUMBERS CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS IN THISIS CITY? THAT IS, LET IT RIP. JUST JUST RIDE THE HORSE AS BEST WE CAN AND NOT DO ANYTHING EXCEPT WATCH OUR REVENUES DECLINE. BECAUSE THE SENATE BILL TO WATCH OUR HOUSING MARKET DECLINE, OR DO WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AS A CITY? DO WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO COMMIT TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, SO WE HAVE A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN? THIS PLAN TAKES THE SECOND PATH, WHICH IS THIS PLAN SAYS WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST LET THE MARKET FORCES AND THE REVENUE DECLINE SHAPE WHAT WE DO. WE'RE GOING TO SHAPE WHAT WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION AND AS A CITY. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT BY A PLAN TO CHANGE WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND THAT'S WHY I SAY THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE, BECAUSE YOU'LL BE ASKED IN A COMING WEEK, WHEN WE GO TO THE COUNCIL FOR THE 2ND JUNE MEETING, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO ADOPT THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND WHAT THAT SAYING IS, IT'S A COMMITMENT BY THE COUNCIL, A COMMITMENT TO EXERCISE THE DISCIPLINE TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE AS A PLAN TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. YOU'LL BE ASKED TO ADOPT THE HOUSING STRATEGY. 
          WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO THAT AS A COMMITMENT. WE'RE HOLDING OURSELVES TO THAT SO THAT WHEN SOMETHING COMES ALONG THAT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH OUR PLAN OR NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE STRATEGY, WE REMEMBER WE HAVE A STRATEGY, WE HAVE A PLAN. THIS IS THE PLAN TO GET OUT OF THAT. 
          AND SO THIS PLAN IS THAT SECOND PATH, THE PLAN OF HOW DO WE TAKE CONTROL AS OPPOSED TO LET THE MARKET FORCES AND LET THE THE REVENUE DECLINATION THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE HAVING 
          [02:40:01]
EXPERIENCING UNDER SENATE BILL TWO DRIVE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY? THE THE PLAN IS PRETTY SIMPLE, BECAUSE THE PLAN. WE REALIZE IF WE WERE A CITY THAT HAD LOTS OF LAND AROUND US AND WE WERE. WE NEEDED TO, TO GROW OUR WAY OUT OF A PROBLEM, WE'LL JUST BUILD OUT AND EXPAND OUR CITY. WE'RE LANDLOCKED, WERE LANDLOCKED. ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE CITY IS ALREADY DEVELOPED. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GREENFIELD TO DEVELOP. SO THE PLAN RECOGNIZES THAT WE HAVE TO GROW THE VALUE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE HERE. WE CAN'T HAVE A BIGGER GARLAND. WE DON'T NEED A BIGGER GARLAND. WE NEED A STRONGER, FINANCIALLY STRONGER GARLAND. THIS PLAN IS ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT, AND IT'S ABOUT CONCENTRATING, AS CHARLES SAID THIS MORNING, AND HIS TEAM. 
          AND I THOUGHT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB EXPLAINING IT. IT'S ABOUT CONCENTRATING REINVESTMENT IN THE RIGHT PLACES, THE PLACES THAT ARE READY TO GROW, THE PLACES THAT WILL GIVE US THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK YOU GOT FROM BOTH CHARLES'S STUDY AND THE INFORMATION THAT I'VE PROVIDED YOU ALREADY IN THE PODCAST, IS THAT WE ONLY HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT WHERE DO WE PUT THAT MONEY TO GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK? WHERE DO WE PUT THAT MONEY SO WE CAN, SO WE CAN CATALYZE AREAS TO GROW? AND THEN, AS CHARLES SAID, RINSE AND REPEAT, CATALYZE AN AREA TO GROW. LET IT THROW MONEY OFF. USE THE MONEY IT THROWS OFF TO CATALYZE THE NEXT AREA. USE THE MONEY IT THROWS OFF TO CATALYZE THE NEXT AREA. AND THAT'S BASICALLY IN A NUTSHELL, THIS PLAN. THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO IT, AND I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. 
          AND YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO HEAR THE SHORT VERSION TODAY. THE PLAN ITSELF, THE ACTUAL PLAN DOCUMENT I WILL INCLUDE WITH THE MATERIALS FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, IS 25 PAGES OF DENSELY PACKED TEXT, MOST OF WHICH IS FOR THE STAFF. IT TELLS US WHAT WE'RE DOING, ALL THE LITTLE PARTS AND PIECES OF HOW WE HOW WE ACHIEVE AN OBJECTIVE OR A GOAL BY A BUNCH OF OBJECTIVES. THAT'S TELLING TH STAFF WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN TO UNDERTAKE THE WORK TO DO THAT. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK GOING ON IN DESIGNING PROGRAMS TO IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING STRATEGY. THERE'S BEEN WORK ALREADY UNDERWAY TO IMEMENT THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE HERE. IF YOU ASK MANY MEMBERS OF THE STAFF, THEY'LL TELL YOU IT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND WHAT I'VE BEEN DRIVING, AND THEY WANT TO KNOW IF I'LL EVER TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. AND I SAY, SOMEDAY I WILL. FOR TODAY, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS, I TELL THEM, AND WE'VE BEEN BUILDING OUT T THE A CAPITY IN THIS ORGANIZATION AND BUILDING OUT THE FRAMEWORKS AND IN THIS ORGANIZATION TO ADOPT THIS STRATEGIC PLAN AND TO IMPLEMENT THIS STRATEGIC PLAN SO THAT WE'RE READY TO MOVE. WHEN THE COUNCIL TELLS US THAT THEY AGREE THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE SHOULD BE GOIN THE LOGIC CHAIN, I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU IN TERMS OF HOW WE GET THAT. WE HAVE THE CONSTRAINT THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY. THAT'S THE 7% RISING COSTS, 3% REVENUE CAP AND THE HOUSING STUDY THAT THEY TOLD YOU ABOUT. THE STRATEGY IS TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY WITHIN OUR EXISTING GEOGRAPHY. THAT IS, WE NEED A, A, NOT A BIGGER GARLAND, BUT A FINANCIALLY STRONGER GARLAND. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. THE FOCUS AREA IS CHARLES TALKED ABOUT, AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THEY REQUIRE WILL REQUIRE CONCENTRATED EFFORT, CONCENTRATED FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AND CONCENTRATED CAPACITY. IN TERMS OF SOME OF IT'S NOT FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS, SOME OF IT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONCENTRATE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. SOME OF IT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONCENTRATE OUR GARLAND CARES PROGRAM. WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND HELP PEOPLE. SOME OF IT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONCENTRATE. THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOOD STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM THAT I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU ABOUT, WHERE WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS AND STEWARD ORGANIZATIONS WHO COME IN AND AGREE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF THOSE BLOCKS. YOU HEARD CHARLES AND HIS TEAM SAY, WE HAVE TO DO THIS BLOCK BY BLOCK. WE'VE BEEN DESIGNING CAPACITY AND PROGRAMS INTERNALLY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AND THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE FOCUS AREAS. ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL OF THOSE IS TO ACHIEVE HIGHER VALUES, TO HAVE MORE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND MORE COMMERCIAL TAXABLE ACTIVITY. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, AND I KNOW THAT MATT AND ALLISON HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE AS A CITY IS THAT THE BULK OF OUR TAXES ARE PAID BY OUR RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS. THAT IS, ABOUT 60% ARE PAID BY RESIDENTIAL, AND 40% ARE PAID BY COMMERCIAL AND SALES TAX. 
          THAT IS ALMOST EXACTLY FLIPPED OF WHAT IT IS IN MOST CITIES. IT REALLY SHOULD BE 60% SALES TAX AND COMMERCIAL A LET HAVE A LOWER BURDEN ON THE HOMEOWNERS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN IF THIS PLAN IS SUCCESSFUL A DECADE OR TWO FROM NOW, IS THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR HOMEOWNERS WILL BE LOWER IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR MONEY WILL COME FROM SALES TAX, OR IT DOESN'T COME NOW. AND FROM THE TAX ON COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. 
          BUT TO DO THAT, IT TAKES A PLAN. THE HOUSING STUDY TOLD US. PART OF HOW WE DO THAT, HOW. AND A GREAT QUESTION YOU ASKED DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ABOUT. AND WE'VE WRESTLED WITH THIS. WHAT COMES FIRST, THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR OR THE ADJOINING RESIDENTIAL. AND HE SAID, IT'S A BOTH END. 
          [02:45:04]
AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRY TO THINK ABOUT IT, YOU SAY COMMERCIALS, YOU KNOW, HIGH QUALITY COMMERCIALS NOT GOING TO SIGHT UNTIL THE ADJACENT CORRIDORS AND ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL AREAS ARE READY FOR IT. SO THERE'S ENOUGH. SO THEY LOOK IN THE ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL CORRIDORS AND SAY, YES, I CAN MAKE MONEY HERE. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THRIVING COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO MOVE TO THAT AREA. AND SO IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT YOU HAVE TO DO BOTH AND YOU HAVE TO DO THEM, ATTACK THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. BUT IF YOU DO THAT, AND IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS PLAN, THE FINANCIAL STABILITY WE WOULD GET FROM THAT IS WE'LL HAVE AN INCREASED SALES TAX BASE AND A COMMERCIAL TAX BASE THAT'S PAYING THE BULK OF THE TAX BILL HERE AT THE CITY. AND OUR RESIDENTS PAY A MUCH LOWER TAX RATE. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOU TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING STRATEGY, AND YOU'LL SEE IT'S A SEQUENCING STRATEGY. 
          AND WE'RE CONCENTRATING ON VERY SMALL AREAS. AND IF YOU'RE IN A DISTRICT AND YOU SAY, WELL, MY DISTRICT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING GOING ON THERE, I WOULD SAY THE ANSWER IS YOUR DISTRICT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY, WILL BENEFIT. WHEN WE TAKE THE FACT THAT 60% OF THE TAXES ARE BEING BORNE BY RESIDENTIAL AND 40% BY COMMERCIAL, AND WE FLIP THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT. EVERY HOMEOWNER IN THE CITY WILL BENEFIT FROM LOWER TAXES. THE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THE TYPES OF AMENITIES CITYWIDE THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO EXPECT NICE PARKS, NICE NICE LIBRARIES, THE CULTURAL ARTS, THE ARTS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE THAT WE DO ON THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE, THOSE ARE THINGS OUR RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO EXPECT. WELL, WHEN YOU FIX THE TAX BASE, THAT ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN LONG TERM GOING FORWARD. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT STABILITY LOOKS LIKE SOMEDAY. I WANT TO TOUCH QUICKLY ON THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS BECAUSE CHARLES TALKED ABOUT IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU REALIZE IS OUR RESOURCES ARE VERY LIMITED. WE HAVE BEEN SQUEEZED FOR SIX YEARS NOW BY SENATE BILL TWO. AND YOU'LL SEE EVERY YEAR IT'S BECOME HARDER AND HARDER, AND WE'VE HAD TO TIGHTEN AND TIGHTETENUR BUDGETS AS A RESULT OF SENATE BILL TWO. AND SO THE STRATEGY, AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO FIX THE WHOLE PROBLEM ALL AT ONCE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU WOULD NEED WOULD FAR EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY OF GARLAND WOULD HAVE AVAILABLE TO IT IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. 
          AND SO THE STRATEGY CAN'T BE, WE'RE GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE. THE STRATEGY IS WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A SMALL AREA, THE ONES THAT WILL GIVE US THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. WHAT DOES THE DATA SAY ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS, FOCUS YOUR RESOURCES, AND GET THE MOST IMPROVEMENT IN THE SHORTEST PERIOD OF TIME SO THAT WE CAN SEQUENCE ONTO THE NEXT AREA, THE IDEA BEING A SEQUENCING STRATEGY. AND THAT'S WHAT THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS DOES. AND WHAT IS AN ECONOMIC FOCUS AREA? IT'S A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, RIGHT? IT'S A IT'S AN AGING RETAIL CENTER. IT'S A REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT THAT WE IDENTIFY AND SAY, HERE'S AN AREA THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. 'S A PLACE WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT CAN, IF WE FIX THE CORRIDOR, IF WE FIX THE ROADS, IF WE ADD CERTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN PRIVATE MONEY WILL COME IN. IT'S THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS TO THAT CORRIDOR WHERE IF YOU IMPROVE THEM, YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING WITH THE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, WHICH IS YOU IMPROVE THE RESIDENTIAL AREA. NOW, THE COMMERCIAL AS AN INCENTIVE TO BE A HIGHER QUALITY COMMERCIAL. AND THEN THAT ENCOURAGES HIGHER QUALITY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH FURTHER ENCOURAGES HIGHER QUALITY COMMERCIAL. AND IT'S THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU HOPE PROVIDES THE SALES TAX REVENUES THAT GIVE US THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO REDUCE THE TAX BURDEN ON OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO BE CLEAR IS WE'RE COMING BACK TO YOU. YOU'VE HEARD WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE HOUSING STUDY FOLKS ARE, AND STAFF WILL SHARE WITH YOU. THIS IS WHAT WE SAY WE THINK ARE THE THE KEY ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS, AND WE WANT THE COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY DESIGNATE THEM, DESIGNATE THEM AS FOCUS AREAS. WE WANT THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION. IT SHOULD BE A COUNCIL DECISION MADE ON THE RECORD BECAUSE BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T BE STAFF DRIVEN. IT SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN BY THE STUDY. IT SHOULD BE THE COUNCIL SAYING, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE DATA, WE HAVE LISTENED TO THE DATA. WE HAVE LISTENED TO THE EVIDENCE. WE LISTENED TO THE REASONING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, AND WE'VE DECIDED THIS IS WHERE WE WILL FOCUS OUR EFFORTS, AND THEN THIS COUNCIL AND FUTURE COUNCILS WILL KNOW. WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCIPLINED ABOUT THAT DECISION THAT WE'VE MADE, AND THAT THOSE DECISIONS SHOULD BE GROUNDED IN DATA, NOT POLITICS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU ALWAYS FACE AS A CITY AND TRYING TO HAVE REDEVELOPMENT, ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE YOU SEE REDEVELOPMENT FAIL, WHERE THEY TRY TO REVITALIZE A CITY AND IT FAILS. IT ALMOST ALWAYS FAILS BECAUSE OF POLITICS. AND WHEN I SAY THAT, IT'S BECAUSE THE DATA SAYS, THIS IS WHERE YOU FIX THE CITY, THIS IS WHERE YOU START, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING 
          [02:50:03]
TO GET THE MOST MONEY SO YOU CAN SEQUENCE. AND THEN IN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SAY, WELL, I'M SO FAR AWAY FROM THAT. I'M NOT GETTING IT. I DON'T WANT TO PUT MONEY THERE, DIVERT THE MONEY INTO MY DISTRICT INSTEAD OF WHERE WE NEED IT. AND WHEN YOU SEE THESE TYPES OF PLANS FAIL, THEY PLAN. THEY FAIL FOR THAT REASON. THE THIRD THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, MAKE SURE IT'S ABSOLUTELY CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC ON THE DESIGNATION THAT THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE ON THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS IS IT'S NOT A JUDGMENT ON WHICH PART OF THE CITY IS BETTER OR WORSE. 
          IT'S NOT A JUDGMENT ON WHO NEEDS HELP, MORE OR LESS. IT'S NOT A JUDGMENT ON WHAT WE LIKE, MORE OR LESS. IT'S A JUDGMENT THAT THIS FOCUS AREA, IF WE FOCUS HERE FIRST, WILL PROVIDE US THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND ALLOW US TO SEQUENCE SO WE CAN GET TO THE WHOLE CITY. IT'S A SEQUENCING STRATEGY, NOT A JUDGMENT JUDGMENT STRATEGY. AND THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR BOTH TO THE COUNCIL AND YOU AS THE COUNCIL, NEED TO CARRY THAT TO YOUR DISTRICTS. THIS IS A SEQUENCING STRATEGY. OUR GOAL, AS YOU HEARD THIS MORNING, IS TO FIX THE WHOLE CITY IS TO TO REVITALIZE THE ENTIRE CITY. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO REVITALIZE THE WHOLE CITY. SO WE IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS WHERE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE PUT, PUT IN WILL GENERATE A RETURN THAT WE CAN USE TO THEN REVITALIZE THE NEXT AREA. AND, AND SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THEY'VE SELECTED, THEY DID IT JUST FOR THAT REASON. THE WEDGE AND DOWNTOWN CREATES A SYNERGY THAT THE AREAS BETWEEN THAT NEED INVESTMENT WIND UP GETTING INVESTED IN. AND SO YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS YOU TALKED ABOUT WHERE, AS CHARLES SAID, THESE ARE SOME OF OUR OLDEST, LONGEST TENURED RESIDENTS. HOW DO WE GET TO THEM? WE GET TO THEM. WE CAN AFFORD TO GET TO THEM BECAUSE BY SEQUENCING IN THE ORDER WE'RE SEQUENCING IN, WE THROW OFF ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE WHAT'S A LARGER DOLLAR PROBLEM IN BETWEEN. AND SO THESE ARE SEQUENCING DECISIONS, NOT JUDGMENT DECISIONS ABOUT ONE AREA BEING BETTER OR WORSE THAN ANOTHER. THE PLAN IN ITSELF IS REALLY JUST FOUR BIG COMMITMENTS AND FOUR GOALS. IT'S A 25 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE STAFF WONDER WHY. I HAVE A 20 PAGE, 25 PAGE DOCUMENT TO DESCRIBE FOUR GOALS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO, IS THE SHORT ANSWER. THE LONG ANSWER IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A COMMUNITY OR THE SHORT ANSWER, WE PUT TOGETHER A COMMUNITY DOCUMENT. AND THE COMMUNITY DOCUMENT DESCRIBES THE FOUR GOALS. AND I'LL DESCRIBE THOSE FOUR GOALS PRETTY SIMPLY AS WHAT WE PROTECT, WHAT WE BUILD, HOW WE FUND IT, AND HOW W STAY ACCOUNTABLE. AND I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH EACH OF THOSE FOUR GOALS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN. THE THE FIRST GOAL, MOST IMPORTANT, WHAT WE PROTECT CORE SERVICES. WHEN I SAY CORE SERVICES, I DON'T JUST MEAN ESSENTIAL SERVICES. ESSENTIAL SERVICES WOULD BE POLICE, FIRE, WATER, WASTEWATER, STREETS, AND VERY, YOU KNOW, JUST THE VERY ESSENTIAL SERVICES. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CORE SERVICES, THE CORE SERVICES, MEANING THE SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO RELY UPON. ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS PLAN IS TO PROTECT THOSE CORE SERVICES FOR THE LONG TERM. IF WE DO NOTHING AND JUST WATCH THE REVENUES DECLINE FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS, WE DON'T DO THAT. AND SO ONE OF THE GOALS OF THIS PLAN IS TO PROTECT THOSE CORE SERVICES AND THE RECOGNITION THAT, YES, WHILE WE ARE SPENDING MONEY IN THESE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS FOR REVITALIZATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE NEED TO DO SO IN A BALANCED WAY THAT PROTECTS THE CORE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE, THAT WAS PROTECTS OUR PARKS, PROTECTS OUR LIBRARIES, PROTECTS OUR CULTURAL ARTS, PROTECTS THE THINGS THAT WE AS GARLAND DO THAOUR RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO RELY ON. DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY YEAR ON THEM FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS? PROBABLY NOT. ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT. WE HAVE ONE BUCKET OF MONEY. IF WE LEAVE ALL THE MONEY IN THAT BUCKET AND DON'T PUT MONEY INTO ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION, WE WON'T SUCCEED IN THE PLAN. BUT WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS AS A AS A CITY, WE'RE MAKING A COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO PROTECT THEM TO THE EXTENT WE CAN. MIGHT THERE BE CHANGES IN PROGRAMS? MIGHT, MIGHT, MIGHT SOME OF THEM BE SLIMMED DOWN FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME? YES. WHILE WE DO THE REVITALIZATION SO THAT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER THEM AND CONTINUE TO OFFER THE RESIDENTS WHAT THEY WANT. WE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, THOUGH, THAT THE COUNCIL, IF WE DO REDUCE SERVICE LEVELS IN ANY OF THE CORE SERVICES, IF WE REDUCE THEM SLIGHTLY, THAT THOSE BE DECISIONS THAT ARE CLEARLY DEFINED AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE TOLD AHEAD OF TIME WHAT WE'RE MAKING AS DECISIONS AND WHY WE'RE MAKING THEM, AND THAT WE DO THEM DELIBERATELY. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN AND YOU JUST IF YOU JUST LET THE M M MARARART FORCESESES ANDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNO HAPPEN WITHOUTUTUT A PLANNNNN OY OR THE OTHER, THEY'LL HAPPEN. T? BSE IF WE H IO A L ER, D NEXT YEAR WE HAVE 10 MILLION LESS. AND AFTER THAT WE HAVE 15 MILLION LESS. YOU'LL SEE AT SOME POINT THE REALITY OF OUR BUDGET REQUIRING TO BE BALANCED WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS. INSTEAD, THIS PLAN SAYS NO. WE WILL. AS AN ORGANIZATION, THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE DECISIONS OF WHERE WE CAN REDUCE SERVICE LEVELS IN THE WAY THAT HAS THE LEAST IMPACT 
          [02:55:03]
TO OUR RESIDENTS, THAT IS, TRY TO PRESERVE SERVICES TO THE EXTENT WE CAN, WHERE THEY'LL HAVE THE LEAST IMPACT. BUT THAT MEANS IF WE LOOK ACROSS AND WE FIND SOMETHING THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT IS NOT UTILIZED VERY HEAVILY, AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO DO THIS, WE'VE SEEN IDENTIFIED PROGRAMS THAT WERE NOT UTILIZED HEAVILY THAT COST MONEY AND RESOURCES. OKAY, LET'S SLIM THOSE DOWN. WE FIND FACILITIES OR PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER THE PUBLIC AND WE FIND OUT THEY'RE NOT VERY WELL UTILIZED WOULD HAVE LITTLE IMPACT, BUT A GOOD FINANCIAL IMPACT. IF WE REDUCE THOSE SERVICES. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          THE DISCIPLINE REQUIRING OVER THE NEXT DECADE. SO WE HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN. BUT THE GOAL AND THE PROMISE TO THE PUBLIC IS THAT WE WILL, TO THE BEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, PROTECT THE CORE SERVICES THAT THEY'VE COME TO RELY ON. WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CORE SERVICES AND WHAT WE PROTECT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE TO DELIVER THIS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT, WHICH IS OUR PEOPLE HERE AT THE ORGANIZATION, OUR PEOPLE HERE, THE STAFF WHO DO ALL THIS STUFF, THIS PLAN, THIS PLAN IS WORDS ON PAPER. THIS IS JUST A DOCUMENT. IT'S WORDS ON PAPER. THIS PLAN DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THIS CITY EXCEPT GIVE US A ROADMAP. THIS PLAN IS NOT GOING TO MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN THESE CORRIDORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS PLAN IS NOT GOING TO HELP PROTECT OUR FINANCIAL FUTURE BY WHAT'S GOING TO DO THAT IS DO. THAT IS THE PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION, THE STAFF. THE PLAN IS NOT GOING TO ANSWER THE PHONE AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING AND SEND HELP. THE PLAN IS NOT GOING TO FIX THE ROADS. THE PLAN IS NOT GOING TO FIX THE CORRIDORS. THE PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION ARE GOING TO GET THOSE CORRIDORS CLEANED UP. THE PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION ARE GOING TO GO OUT AND ENFORCE OUR CODES. THE PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION ARE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER THE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER TO HELP SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO NEED HELP BRING THE QUALITY OF THEIR PROPERTIES UP. SO THIS PLAN WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. THIS PLAN IS GOING TO BE DELIVERED BY THE STAFF IN THIS ORGANIZATION, NOT BY THE WORDS THAT ARE ON PAPER. AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A STRATEGY TO RETAIN OUR PEOPLE, TO COMPENSATE OUR PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO PUT THE PLAN IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED. WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO DO THAT WITH RESPECT TO A MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN DESIGNING, SO THAT THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL EMPLOYEES HAVE BETTER TRAINING AND ARE BETTER ABLE TO COORDINATE THE FOLKS WITH THEM. 
          WE NEED TO, YOU'LL SEE, REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET THIS AFTERNOON, AND I'VE DISCUSSED WITH YOU IN ONE ON ONE SESSIONS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE FALLEN BEHIND MARKET IN OUR WAGES HERE, TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT PEOPLE. AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP PEOPLE. IF THIS PLAN IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT AND KEEP TALENTED PEOPLE, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS PLAN, NOT THE WORDS ON PAPER. WE CAN DESIGN THE BEST PLAN IN THE WORLD, AND THE EXPERTS CAN COME AND LOOK AND SAY, WOW, THAT'S A GREAT PLAN. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN, WE HAVE NOTHING EXCEPT GREAT WORDS ON PAPER THAT THEY CAN STUDY IN A GRADUATE SCHOOL SOMEDAY. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT. I WANT THIS PLAN TO ACTUALLY WORK. THAT'S MY GOAL, IS THAT WE SEE A DIFFERENCE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE. AND SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THAT PART OF A KEY COMPONENT YOU'LL HEAR BOTH IN THE BUDGET AND IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IS THIS PLAN IS DRIVEN BY PEOPLE. THE SECOND GOAL OF THE PLAN IS TO ACCELERATE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT. AND THAT MEANS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL MORNING. IT MEANS CONCENTRATING THE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE AS AN ORGANIZATION AND FUNDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR ORGANIZATION IN A CERTAIN IN CERTAIN FOCUSED AREAS AND BOTH CORRIDORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, TO BRING ABOUT A CHANGE IN THOSE AREAS, TO ALLOW THOSE ECONOMIC AREAS TO THRIVE AND THROW OFF REVENUE SO THAT WE CAN SEQUENCE THE REST OF THE CITY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'LL SEE NEW BUSINESSES SHOW UP, YOU'LL SEE MORE HOUSING OPTIONS, YOU'LL SEE SOME INTERNAL CHANGES WITH RESPECT THAT ARE GOING TO DRIVE THIS WITH RESPECT TO FASTER PERMITTING CHANGES THAT WE MAKE TO OUR CODES TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO IN THE FUTURE, AND OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO IN OUR FUTURE, WE STICK TO ALL OF THESE THINGS. THEY ALSO INVOLVES IT INVOLVES SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T THINK ABOUT OFTEN ENOUGH, BUT YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE ON THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THIS. THAT'S PLACEMAKING AND STREETSCAPES. 
          WHAT MAKES PART OF WHAT MAKES THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE THRIVE IS THE PLACEMAKING AND STREETSCAPE GOING ON THERE. YOU CAN'T JUST BUILD AREAS WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S PART OF ACCELERATING ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT, IS THE ABILITY TO CREATE THE STREETSCAPES AND CREATE THE PLACEMAKING IN AREAS THAT WILL ALLOW THOSE AREAS TO THRIVE, AND THEN THAT WILL STIMULATE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO INVEST MONEY IN THOSE AREAS. WHY? BECAUSE THEY REALIZE IF PEOPLE WANT TO COME THERE AND PEOPLE WANT TO BE THERE, MONEY IS THERE TO BE HAD. AND YOU SEE 
          [03:00:03]
IT RIGHT HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. YOU SEE THOSE VALUES OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. 15 YEARS AGO, SOME OF THOSE BUILDINGS WOULD SELL FOR A SONG. WHY? BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING GOING ON DOWN HERE THROUGH PLACEMAKING, THROUGH STREETSCAPES, THROUGH THE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT WE DID BY MAKING THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANTED TO BE. 
          NOTICE WHEN WE DID THAT, BUSINESSES WANTED TO BE HERE AND WHEN BUSINESSES CAME HERE. 
          IF YOU TRY TO BUY A BUILDING ON THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE TODAY AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY 15 YEARS AGO TO BUY THAT BUILDING, YOU'RE KICKING YOURSELF. WHY? BECAUSE WE CREATED THE STREETSCAPES AND THE PLACEMAKING AND THE THINGS THAT CAUSE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO COME IN. THAT'S WHAT ACCELERATING ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE. LOOKS LIKE THE FOCUS AREAS. IT LOOKS LIKE THE WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THESE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE GARLAND CARES PROGRAM AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM, SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WILL BRING UP THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT IS ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT. YES, IT HELPS THE PEOPLE HAVE A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT ALSO SPURS THE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT IN THE ADJACENT CORRIDORS. AND IT'S WHAT THIS PLAN IS DESIGNED TO DO. SO HERE'S WHAT THE WORK ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE. YOU'LL SEE IN THE IN MONTHS, IN THE NEXT YEAR, OVER THE YEAR AHEAD, YOU'LL START TO SEE EARLY CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS. YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING SOME LANDSCAPING TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. YOU'LL SEE LIGHTING AND SIGNAGE. YOU'LL SEE SOME BETTER WALKING EXPERIENCES IN SOME AREA, YOU'LL SEE VISIBLE SIGNS THAT WE'RE SENDING THE MARKET THAT THE CITY IS INVESTING IN THOSE AREAS. THAT'S A SIGNAL TO THE MARKET. WHEN THEY SEE THE CITY IS INVESTING, PEOPLE WILL COME. THE BUSINESSES WILL COME WHEN THEY SEE THAT THE CITY IS INVESTING IN THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE SOME OF THESE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS ARE, THEY'LL REALIZE THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S GOING TO THRIVE AND THAT WILL START TO SHOW UP. SO THE THING YOU'LL SEE IN THE FIRST IN THE FIRST 12 TO 18 MONTHS IS JUST EARLY CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS. YOU'LL HAVE SOME QUICK WINS, YOU'LL HAVE SOME PLACES YOU GO, WOW, THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT. ARE WE EXPECTING IT TO BLOSSOM AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND COMPLETE IN IN A FEW 18 MONTHS? NO. AND I'LL GET TO THE TIMELINE LATER IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING. THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS IS A TEN YEAR COMMITMENT. THE NEXT THING YOU'LL SEE AFTER THAT IS YOU'LL SEE CERTAIN TARGETED PUBLIC INVESTMENTS THAT WE MAKE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THOSE ARE INVESTMENTS WHERE WE WILL IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT W CAN INCENTIVIZE AND PUT THEM IN AREAS THAT ARE KEY TO THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS, SO THAT THEY BECOME CATALYSTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. MAYBE A MARKET RATE MULTIFAMILY IN AN AREA THAT WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH INCOME SO THAT BUSINESSES IN THE ADJOINING CORRIDOR CAN RECOGNIZE, WELL, I CAN MAKE SOME MONEY IF I SET UP THERE, BECAUSE I'VE GOT ALL THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO CAN COME SERVE MY BUSINESS, THEN YOU'LL SEE. THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION WORK BEGIN OVER THE PERIOD OF MONTHS. YOU'LL SEE. AND IT'S, IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONTHS AND YEARS. 
          WE EXPECT. AND WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THE FRAMEWORK NOW IN THE ORGANIZATION TO PARTICIPATE FOR YEARS STABILIZING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT MEANS WE'RE PUTTING PROGRAMS IN PLACE WHERE WE GO OUT, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, BRING SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS UP, NEIGHBORHOODS UP. AND THAT'S THE SLOW, STEADY WORK OF CODE ENFORCEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL DO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. ALL OF THAT WORK WILL BE GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE SAME TIME. THE OTHER THING WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON IS STREAMLINING OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. MAKE IT SO THAT A DEVELOPER WHO COMES HERE AND WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING HAS SOME CERTAINTY THAT IT CAN BE DONE QUICKLY. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HEAR FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS, WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG IN GARLAND? THAT CREATES RISK, THAT CREATES RISK FOR AN INVESTOR. IF YOU'RE PUTTING A BUSINESS HERE AND YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE SIX MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT GET THROUGH IT, YOU HAVE ALL THAT CAPITAL HELD UP WHILE YORE WAITING FOR THIS PROJECT. YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO STREAMLINE DEVELOPMENT. AND IT'S PART OF THIS PLAN. GOAL THREE OF FOUR IS STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL CAPACITY. THIS IS A CRITICAL PART OF IT. YOU'LL SEE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO TO STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL CAPACITY IS WE DON'T SPEND ONE TIME MONEY ON ONGOING EXPENSES. WE TAKE WHATEVER PAIN IT CAUSES TO REDUCE OUR BUDGET, TO MATCH THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE ARE RECOVERING, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COLLECT AS A RESULT OF THE TAX RATE THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE. AND WE OPERATE WITHIN THAT BUDGET. AND WE DO NOT USE ONE TIME BUDGET MONEY TO FOR ONGOING EXPENSES. 
          THERE WOULD BE A REAL INCLINATION IF YOU WANT EVERYTHING TO JUST STAY PERFECT, SAY, WHY DON'T WE USE ALL OUR ONE TIME MONEY AND ALL OUR RESERVES TO MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP SERVICE LEVELS EXACTLY THE SAME, EVEN THOUGH OUR REVENUES ARE GOING DOWN? YOU COULD DO THAT. THAT WOULD BE A STRATEGY. THE PROBLEM IS I CALL IT A CLIFF STRATEGY, BECAUSE YOU WILL DO IT UNTIL YOU HAVE NO MORE ONE TIME MONEY, AND THEN THE DROP WILL BE DRAMATIC 
          [03:05:03]
BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH THAT STRATEGY IS IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE LONG TERM DECLINE, THE LONG TERM DECLINE OF THE OF THE FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT WE FACE. YOU STAY ON THE SAME LONG TERM DECLINE. YOU JUST MASK IT FOR A FEW YEARS TILL YOU RUN OUT OF ONE TIME MONEY. WE SHOULD USE THAT MONEY INSTEAD AND I'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN THE BUDGET THIS AFTERNOON. WE SHOULD USE THAT MONEY TO CHANGE THE ANGLE OF THE DECLINE TO THE POINT WHERE IT STABILIZES AND THEN STARTS TO GO UP AND WE HAVE INCREASED REVENUES. WE SHOULD NOT USE ONE TIME MONEY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT, AND RESERVE IT FOR SOME OF THE RISKS THAT THIS PLAN MAY HAVE, LIKE AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. IF WE HAVE A RECESSION AND WE NEED TO USE ONE TIME MONEY TO BRIDGE THE GAP DURING A RECESSION, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. BUT IF YOU'RE ON A LONG TERM FINANCIAL DOWNSLOPE AS A RESULT OF SENATE BILL TWO AND OUR HOUSING MARKET, AND YOU USE ONE TIME MONEY TO FIX THAT PROBLEM, ALL YOU DO IS MASK IT, AND YOU TAKE AWAY THE RESOURCES THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO ULTIMATELY CHANGE THE SLOPE OF THAT DECLINE. AND THE LAST PART OF THE PLAN IS TO ALIGN, EXECUTE, MEASURE AND COMMUNICATE THAT SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO TELL THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE GOING TO TELL THEM HONESTLY, THIS IS WHAT THIS IS WHAT THIS MEANS. THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT WE MAY HAVE TO HAVE LESS OF. THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE. AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE BY MEASURING. DOES THAT MEAN AND PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY, WELL, IF YOU HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE, DOES THAT MEAN YOU DID SOMETHING BAD IF YOU DON'T GET IT RIGHT? NO, IT TELLS US WE'RE NOT DOING WE'RE NOT ON THE RIGHT TRACK. WE GO OUT AND TRY A PROGRAM AND SEE IF WE'RE GETTING IF WE'RE GETTING THE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT THAT WE EXPECT. IF WE DON'T, WE CIRCLE BACK AND WE TRY SOMETHING ELSE. AND THE ABILITY TO MEASURE AND, AND TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE ALLOWS US TO DO THAT. IT ALSO REQUIRES IN THIS ORGANIZATION, ONE OF THE THE IDEAS OF THIS PLAN. WE'VE DONE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR A LONG TIME IN THIS CITY, AND WE'VE DONE SOME HERE AND SOME THERE, AND WE DO THIS. THIS IS THE IDEA HERE, IS TO DO THIS IN A COORDINATED MANNER THAT DOESN'T JUST INVOLVE ONE PROJECT HERE AND A PROJECT THERE. IT INVOLVES TAKING EVERY AVAILABLE RESOURCE OF THIS ORGANIZATION THAT'S NOT USED TO MAINTAIN CORE SERVICES AND DIRECT THOSE EFFORTS TOWARDS ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT, TOWARDS REVITALIZING OUR CITY. IT'S A COORDINATED STRATEGY, AND IT REQUIRES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL ALIGNMENT THAT THIS ORGANIZATION HASN'T SEEN BEFORE. AND SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR BIG PARTS OF THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE. AND MAYOR, BEFORE WE DISCUSS IT FURTHER, IF IF THE MAYOR I KNOW THAT THE LUNCH IS HERE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK AND I CAN COME BACK AND FINISH AFTER LUNCH, I'VE GOT ABOUT 35 MINUTES MORE TO GO. IT'S UP TO YOU. I THINK NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO STOP. YEAH. TAKE A BREAK AND WE'LL COME BACK AND I'LL FINISH AFTER LUNCH. LET'S TAKE A BREAK. LET'S CALL IT. COME BACK AT 1220. WE RECESS. THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK TO OUR JUNE 6TH, 2026 WORK SESSION. WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH OUR PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN 2026 THROUGH 2036 WITH CITY MANAGER MIKE BETTS. SIR. THANK YOU. MAYOR. 
          WELL, I'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE PLAN. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ANCILLARY MATTERS TO THE PLAN. I THINK THAT. ONE OF THE THINGSE NEED TO BE HONEST ABOUT IS THE TRADE OFFS WE'RE MAKING UNDER THIS PLAN. IT DOESN'T COME FOR FREE, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE ADVANTAGE OF DOING ALL THIS ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT AND GET THE ADVANTAGE OF TURNING AROUND, REVITALIZING SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT TAKING THAT MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO A STRATEGY WHERE WE DO A FOCUSED STRATEGY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THAT WHENEVER WE DO ONE AREA, THAT MEANS WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO THAT AREA OVER SOME OTHER AREA. SO ONE OF THE TRADE OFFS THAT WE'RE CHOOSING IN THIS PLAN IS TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS INSTEAD OF SPREADING, SPREADING EVENLY ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS CHARLES MADE CLEAR TO ME IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM, AND I'VE MADE CLEAR TO THE COUNCIL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE WOULD ARGUABLY BE ABLE TO SPEND IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS ON ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT AND ON NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, IF WE WERE TO SPREAD THAT CITYWIDE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, YOU WOULD NOTICE NOTHING WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE. AND SO IF WE TOOK THE MONEY WE SPENT, BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE SPREAD THAT EVENLY AROUND THE WHOLE CITY. 
          WE'D HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT, BUT WE CONCENTRATED IN ONE AREA AND WE HAVE A RESULT. AND SO ONE OF THE TRADE OFFS WE'RE MAKING IS WE'RE CHOOSING CONCENTRATION OVER SPREADING OUR RESOURCES EVENLY. WE'RE CHOOSING STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH RESPECT TO HOW WE SPEND 
          [03:10:04]
OUR MONEY, RATHER THAN JUST BUDGETING THE WAY WE DID THE YEAR BEFORE. I TOLD THE DIRECTORS THIS YEAR, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT WHEN WE WHEN THEY SUBMITTED D THEIR BUDGETS, I WANTED THEM TO START TO LEAN THEIR BUDGETS TOWARDS THE PRIORITIES WE HAVE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN TOWARDS PRIORITIZING MAINTAINING CORE SERVICES AND BUILDING OUT THE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY NECESSARY TO WORK IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE. WE'RE GOING TO CHOOSE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY, THE CHOICE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OVER SAYING EVERY PROGRAM AND EVERY SERVICE WE HAVE HAS TO BE FUNDED IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS IT WAS FUNDED THE LAST TEN YEARS. WE HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY AFFORD TO DO? WHAT WOULD BE LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE AND FUND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AT THAT LEVEL? THAT'S GOING TO MEAN SOME COMPROMISES. THAT MEANS THERE'S SOME AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT WON'T BE SPENT BECAUSE WE NEED THE MONEY IN OTHER PLACES. BUT REMEMBER, ONE OF THE CORE GOALS OF THE PLAN, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL TRY TO DO IS MAINTAIN THOSE CORE SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS RELY ON THE MOST. 
          ANY OTHER TRADE OFFS WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRADING POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY FOR DATA AND PROJECTED RETURNS. INSTEAD OF SAYING, WHAT ABOUT MY DISTRICT? WHAT ABOUT THIS AREA? WE'RE SAYING, WHAT IS THE DATA? TELL US, WHAT IS THE DATA? TELL US ABOUT WHERE WE GO FIRST SO THAT WE HAVE THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. SO WE CAN COORDINATE THIS THE BEST. AND WE NEED TO BE CANDID ABOUT THOSE TRADE OFFS THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. BUT THOSE ARE THE TRADE OFFS THAT WE'RE MAKING. AND WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE PLAN. THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS RISKS. WHAT ARE THE RISKS? WE HAVE TO GO INTO THIS WITH OPEN EYES. IF WE SIMPLY SAY, WELL, WE'LL HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT PERFECT. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY. A STRATEGY IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS GO BAD AND WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? WE'VE GOT SOME REAL RISKS, AND I WANT TO WALK THE COUNCIL THROUGH THEM OF THIS STRATEGY. 
          RISK NUMBER ONE IS THE LEGISLATURE ACTS AGAIN. LEGISLATURE AND SENATE BILL TWO SAID THE MOST WE CAN RAISE IN REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND FROM OUR PROPERTY TAXES IS 3.5%. 
          WHAT IF THEY COME IN THIS YEAR AND LOWER THAT TO 2% OR 1%? WHAT DO WE DO? AND THE WAY WE RESPOND TO THAT IS WE REVIEW OUR LEGISLATURE EVERY YEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WE WATCH WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR REVENUE LIMITS AND UNFUNDED MANDATES. IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY SUCCESSFUL IN CHANGING THE REVENUE THAT WE CAN RAISE OR CHANGE, OR PLACING UNFUNDED MANDATES ON US, THEN WE SIT DOWN WITH OUR FINANCIAL MODELS AND FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HAS TO CHANGE SO WE CAN STAY ON COURSE? DOES THAT MEAN LESS SERVICES? DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE TO GO BACK OUT TO THE VOTERS AND ASK FOR VOTER APPROVAL FOR A HIGHER TAX RATE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF THE LEGISLATURE DOES THAT? AND SO THAT'S PART OF A RISK THAT WE HAVE. ANOTHER RISK WE HAVE IS THE MARKET. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T HAD A RECESSION IN A WHILE. WE'VE HAD MINOR DIPS AND VALLEYS. WHAT IF WE HAVE A RECESSION BEFORE WE HAVE A RECESSION, WHEN ONE OF THE THINGS THINGS THAT COMES ALONG WITH THE RECESSION IS A DIMINISHMENT OF INVESTOR CONFIDENCE. PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO INVEST DURING A RECESSION. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. WE USE THOSE TIMES TO ANALYZE WHAT WORK WE CAN DO SO THAT WE'RE READY WHEN THE MARKET'S READY. THERE'S TIMES WHEN WE WILL HAVE A FOCUS AREA. IF A RECESSION COMES AND WE REALIZE, WELL, PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BUILD THINGS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD CAPACITY, WE WILL BUILD THE CAPACITY AROUND THEM FOR WHEN THE MARKET'S READY. SO MAYBE THE MARKET PLAYERS DON'T SHOW UP. WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IMPROVE THOSE CORRIDORS. SO WHEN WE COME OUT OF THE RECESSION, INVESTORS WILL FLOW BACK IN. ANOTHER RISK IS THAT WE CAN'T KEEP OUR TALENT. WE DON'T KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES AND STAFF THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS. THAT'S ADDRESSED BY CONSTANTLY MONITORING WAGE AND SKILL GAPS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE IN EVERY BUDGET CYCLE. 
          MAKE SURE THAT WE WE FUND OUR PEOPLE AS A STRATEGIC ASSET OF THIS PLAN. IT'S PART OF HOW WE GET THIS WORK DONE AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS PLAN HAPPEN, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK CLOSELY EVERY YEAR. YOU'LL HEAR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET CYCLE, AND I'VE MENTIONED TO YOU, WE HAVEN'T CHANGED OUR WAGE CLASSIFICATIONS FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE EMPLOYEES SINCE 2018. WE CAN'T DO THAT AND BE SUCCESSFUL UNDER THIS PLAN. WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO STAY ON TOP OF IT SO THAT WE REALIZE WE KEEP, ATTRACT AND KEEP THE MOST TALENTED PEOPLE. BECAUSE THIS PLAN IS A LOT OF WORK. THE PARTS AND PIECES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE'RE BUILDING OUT IS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK. IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE CONTINUITY OF PEOPLE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF AS A RISK. ANOTHER RISK WE 
          [03:15:01]
HAVE IS WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COMMUNITY ISN'T WITH US. HOW DO WE GET COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THIS? AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL TO WORK AS HARD AS THEY CAN WITH ME ON, WHICH IS EXPLAIN, TAKE OUT TO YOUR DISTRICTS AND TO YOUR TOWN HALLS AND TO YOUR SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND YOUR BIGGER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, AND TO YOUR COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT YOU MEET WITH. EXPLAIN TO THEM, USE THIS BROCHURE, EXPLAIN TO THEM, HERE'S THE PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T SOLVE IT. I MEET WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS. I GO OUT AND HAVE LUNCH WITH THEM, AND I SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND I TELL THEM, HERE'S THE SITUATION. I TELL THEM STRAIGHT, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FINANCIAL ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE AS A RESULT OF SENATE BILL TWO. HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR HOUSING MARKET. I TELL THEM WE HAVE A PLAN TO FIX IT, AND THIS IS THAT PLAN. SO THAT'S THE WAY WE KEEP COMMUNITY SUPPORT. THAT DEPENDS ON EACH EACH OF YOU IN THIS ROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY STAYS ON BOARD. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A DECADE OR MORE. WE NEED TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY ON BOARD. IT ALSO MEANS BEING HONEST WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT AND NOT EXPECT, AND SET THE EXPECTATIONS. LET THEM KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE. NOT RIGHT AWAY. DON'T PROMISE THEM WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS FOR A YEAR AND EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE BETTER. 
          IT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME, BUT THEY WILL SEE PROGRESS. 
          THEY'LL SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT'S A RISK. 
          ANOTHER ANOTHER RISK. THE FINAL RISK THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED IS THAT THE ORGANIZATION CHANGES TOO SLOWLY. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD BEFORE OVER THE YEARS IS IT'S VERY HARD TO EFFECTUATE CHANGE IN A BIG ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS. I AGREE. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN SINGING THIS SONG TO THE DIRECTORS AND MANAGAGING DIRECTORS AND TO THE MANAGER LEVEL EMPLOYEES AND THE STAFF AS I VISIT WITH THEM FOR SIX MONTHS, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE WE MANAGE THE CHANGE, THE PACE OF THE CHANGE, NUMBER ONE. AND NUMBER TWO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TYPE OF ALIGNMENT THAT WE'RE DOING IS BAKED INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS AND IS IS BAKED INTO REPEATED COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR STAFF. 
          SO THE STAFF UNDERSTANDS WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING AND HELP THE STAFF. LEARN TO TRANSITION FROM WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW TO THE THINGS THEY'LL BE DOING TO SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC PLAN. THAT IS, WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE STAFF TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. IF YOU JUST TELL THEM, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND EVERYBODY'S NOW GOING TO DO THIS, AND DON'T OFFER THEM THE SUPPORT TO DO THAT BY BY MODIFYING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. A LOT OF THE YOU'LL HEAR A LOT IN, IN STAFF MEETINGS. WELL, YOU WANT US TO DO ALL THIS STUFF. WHAT ABOUT THIS OTHER STUFF I DO? SOME OF THAT STUFF IS GOING TO NOT HAPPEN. THAT'S CORRECT. BECAUSE IT'S. WE HAVE ONE BUCKET OF RESOURCES, WHETHER IT BE PERSONNEL OR MONEY. AND IF WE CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM. OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT 100% OF OUR EFFORT THERE. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR CORE SERVICES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. 
          THAT'S WHY IT'S A CRITICAL PART OF THE PLAN. BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE REASSURANCE TO THE EMPLOYEES WHEN YOU'RE CHANGING WHAT THEY DO AND GIVE THEM THE SKILLS THEY NEED, AND WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE FOR THAT. GIVE THEM THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO DO THE TASKS THAT WILL NEED TO BE DONE TO MAKE THIS STRATEGIC PLAN SUCCESSFUL. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE AND THE BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LIKELY IN NOVEMBER, WORK TOGETHER. THE IN NOVEMBER, WE HAVE A TAX RATE REBALANCING ELECTION TO MOVE MONEY FROM THE. 
          THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE TO THE OPERATING SIDE. WE'VE BEEN REFERRING TO AS THE SWAP AND DROP, BECAUSE IT WILL RESULT IN A LOWER TAX RATE THAN THE TAX RATE WE CURRENTLY HAVE. WELL, THE BALLOT, THE BALLOT, THAT INITIATIVE WILL GIVE THE CITY THE LONG TERM OR THE SHORT TERM FLEXIBILITY, THE NEAR TERM FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY TO ACTUALLY INVEST IN THIS PLAN. 
          IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT DOES BY REBALANCING MONEY OUT OF THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE INTO THE OPERATING SIDE, IT GIVES US MORE MONEY ON THE OPERATION SIDE TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN. AND SO THE PLAN IN THE BALLOT WORK TOGETHER. DOES THAT MEAN IF THE VOTERS SAY NO IN NOVEMBER THAT THIS PLAN CAN'T GO FORWARD? ABSOLUTELY NOT. IT'LL STILL GO FORWARD. IT MUST GO FORWARD. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHOICE. THE CHOICE THAT WE HAVE TO NOT GO FORWARD WITH TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A GOOD ONE FOR THIS COUNCIL IS MY RECOMMENDATION. AND SO IT'LL GO EITHER WAY. BUT IF THE VOTERS SAY YES IN NOVEMBER, IT'LL GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN FASTER AND TO BRING ABOUT THESE CHANGES FASTER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC AND THIS COUNCIL IS CLEAR ABOUT HOW LONG THIS IS GOING TO TAKE. AND I SAY IT'S A TEN YEAR JOURNEY BEFORE WE YOU KNOW, MR. TRAN ASKED, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE? HOW LONG DO WE EXPECT THIS? AND AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS 
          [03:20:01]
YOU'RE GOING TO THE COUNCIL WILL, IN TWO WEEKS DESIGNATE THE FIRST FOCUS AREAS. WE'RE REALIGNING OUR BUDGETS. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT TODAY WITH THE PLAN. AND YOU'LL SEE SOME THE FIRST TWO YEARS, YOU'LL SEE SOME QUICK WINS AROUND. YOU'LL SEE QUARTERS TO START TO LOOK NICER, SOME AREAS THAT START TO IMPROVE, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME PERFORMANCE BASELINES HERE IN THE ORGANIZATION SET. WE'LL HAVE WE'LL HAVE PERFORMANCE BASELINES AND METRICS FOR THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE KNOW WHAT CONDITION THEY'RE IN. PART OF THE PLAN IS, IS HAS US MAKING PORTFOLIOS FOR EACH OF THESE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS AND GO OUT AND DETERMINING WHAT IS THE CONDITION. NOW YOU'LL SEE ALL THAT GOING ON. YOU PROBABLY WON'T SEE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN A SERIOUS WAY UNTIL AFTER WE DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT'S REQUIRED. 
          SO IT COULD BE 3 TO 5 YEARS BEFORE YOU START SEEING MAJOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT THAT'S SUPPORTED BY BY PRIVATE DOLLARS. AND YOU WON'T SEE THAT THE CATALYTIC EFFECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR 3 TO 5 YEARS, IF I HAD TO PREDICT AND AND THEN YOU WON'T SEE THE ACTUAL MONEY COMING IN OFF OF THAT, OFF OF SOME OF THESE CORRIDORS FOR 6 TO 10 YEARS. WHAT I'D LIKE TO MOVE FASTER. I WOULD IF I HAD AN EXTRA $300 MILLION, I WOULD TRY TO MOVE FASTER. WE HAVE THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE, AND THIS IS THE TIMELINE THAT'S REASONABLE BASED ON THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE. EVEN IF YOU HAD AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY, IT STILL WOULDN'T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS TAKE YEARS TO REDEVELOP CORRIDORS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LET THE MARKET FORCES WORK. YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU HAVE TO SET ECONOMIC CONDITIONS SO THAT IF YOU PUT DEVELOPMENTS IN AND YOU ALLOW DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR OR ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR, IT'S SUCCESSFUL. THAT TAKES A LOT OF WORK THAT TO GET TO THAT POINT. AND SO I THINK A TIMELINE WHERE THE COUNCIL WOULD EXPECT TO SEE REAL PROGRESS AND, AND MONEY BEING THROWN OFF, YOU'LL SEE QUITE A BIT OF REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN YEAR THREE THROUGH FIVE. AND THEN I THINK YOU'LL START SEEING MONETARY DIFFERENCES STARTING IN YEAR SI WE'LL START TO NOTICE IT IN OUR SALES TAX BASE. AND WE'LL START TO NOTICE IT IN OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE. AND YOU'LL ALSO AT THE SAME TIME NOTICE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE STABILIZING AND THAT OUR COSTS START TO GROW AS FAST AS OUR REVENUES, I SHOULD SAY, START TO GROW AS FAST AS OUR COSTS. AND THAT'S KIND OF THE HOPE OF THE PLAN. SO IT'S MY HOPE. HOPE THAT A DECADE FROM NOW, WE HAVE STRONGER NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVE THAT THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS WE HAVE ARE VIBRANT. THE MONEY THEY'RE THROWING OFF HAS STARTED TO IMPROVE THE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE AREAS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED IN THE FOCUS AREAS. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE BUILD A GARLAND THAT'S STRONG ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO EXPECT. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE HAVE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOLD YOU WOULD BE A BYPRODUCT OF THIS WILL BE HAVING A MORE BALANCED TAX BASE WHERE WE HAVE MORE PROPERTY TAX, I'M SORRY, MORE COMMERCIAL TAX AND SALES TAX AND LESS LESS PROPERTY TAX ON OUR RESIDENCES. 
          RIGHT NOW IT'S UNBALANCED. THE RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS PAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE OF THE BILLS FOR THE CITY. WE'D LIKE IT TO BE LIKE IT IS IN OTHER CITIES WHERE 60% OF THAT TAX IS PAID BY COMMERCIAL AND SALES TAX. THE OTHER THING THAT WE'LL HAVE IN TEN YEARS IS A A A MUCH HEALALALALALALALTHIER FINININAN. WE'LL LOOK OUT TEN YEARS AHEAD OF US AND NOT RZEHATHEREES A A T INSTEAD ARE STATATABLE OR GROWI. ANY, WE ERL STANDING. THAT IS, PEOPLE WILL THINK OF GARLAND AND WILL BE COMPETITIVE. 
          PEOPLE WILL SAY, I WANT TO MOVE TO GARLAND, I WANT TO I LIKE WHAT GARLAND HAS TO OFFER. 
          LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. I LIKE WHAT I SEE THERE, AND WE ATTRACT THOSE PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I THINK IF THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THIS IN THE NEXT TEN MONTHS, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS OR 12 MONTHS, YOU'LL S SEE THE EFFORTS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNCIL, YOU'LL SEE OUR 27 BUDGET THAT WE'RE PRESENTING. WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY, AND WE'LL PRESENT IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. YOU'LL SEE THAT BUDGET BUILT MORE AROUND THE PLAN, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. AND THE BUDGET TEAM WILL TALK ABOUT TODAY HOW WE HAVE BUILT THIS BUDGET AROUND THE PLAN. WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE WHAT ARE WE DOING AND HOW ARE WE DOING IT, AND WHAT ARE WE DOING IN ADVANCE OF THE PLAN. AND THEN YOU'LL START TO SEE EARLY VISIBLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FOCUS AREAS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL SEE, AND WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THE BUDGET NEXT, IS THE NEXT ITEM IS THIS PLAN SHAPES WHAT WE WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING FOR 20 FISCAL YEAR 27. IT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST BUDGET BUILT AROUND THIS PLAN. AND WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR. THERE IS RESOURCE REQUESTS FROM DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDING FUNDING THAT RELATE TO THE PLAN. WHAT RELATES TO RESOURCES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE THIS PLAN HAPPEN? THE LENS THAT I LOOKED 
          [03:25:04]
THROUGH IN MY BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WITH DIRECTORS IS, IS YOUR REQUEST IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR GOING TO HELP US BE SUCCESSFUL IN REVITALIZING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUILDING STRONGER ECONOMIC CORRIDORS, AND DOING THE THINGS THAT THIS PLAN CALLS FOR? IS YOUR REQUEST GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT A CORE SERVICE? IF IT'S SOMETHING ANCILLARY YOU'RE DOING, IT PROBABLY DIDN'T GET RECOMMENDED IN THE BUDGET THAT I WILL LIKELY PRESENT TO YOU IN TWO MONTHS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL IS TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR IS IS IN MAKING FINAL BUDGET DECISIONS. ASK YOURSELF, IS THIS SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IS A STRATEGIC IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN? IS IT SUPPORTIVE? IS THIS ADVANCING WHAT WE'RE DOING, OR IS IT NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED SET OF RESOURCES? ANYTHING YOU DO THAT'S NOT ADVANCING THIS PLAN IS TAKING AWAY FROM THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THIS PLAN. AND SO WHILE WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR CORE SERVICES, WE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND IS WHAT WE'RE DOING BUDGET WISE HERE ADVANCING THIS PLAN. AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE BUDGET CYCLE, AND ALSO GOES TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IS THE DISCIPLINE THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED OVER THE NEXT DECADE. 
          IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PLAN THAT TAKES TEN YEARS TO COME TO FRUITION, THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF DISCIPLINE ON THE PART OF THE COUNCIL. AS I WAS SPEAKING WITH COUNCILMAN MOORE EARLIER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY SINGLE DECISION HAS TO BE ALIGNED. IT MEANS THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR DECISIONS SHOULD BE ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. YOU GO ON A DIET AND YOU EAT SALAD EVERY DAY, AND YOU EAT HEALTHY EVERY DAY. THAT DOESN'T MEAN AND YOU'RE DISCIPLINED ABOUT YOUR EATING. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ON SOME DAYS YOU DON'T EAT A COOKIE, BUT IT MEANS YOU'RE GENERAY DISCIPLINED. AND WE NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED AND SAY TO OURSELVES AS A AS AN ORGANIZATION IS WHAT WE'RE DOING ADVANCING THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE OVER TIME. AND SO THREE THINGS THAT I NEED FROM THE COUNCIL TODAY. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO REVIEW THE PLAN AND AND COMMENT ON WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU IN TERMS OF THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE WOULD LIKE TO GO AS AN ORGANIZATION FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE AND GET DIRECTION ON THAT. WE WILL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND I WILL PRESENT TO YOU WITH THE MATERIALS FOR THAT MEETING, THE ACTUAL FULL 22 PAGE VERSION OF THE PLAN WITH ALL THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, THE VERY DENSELY WRITTEN, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S ON HERE, BUT JUST A LOT OF DIRECTION FOR STAFF OF HOW WE HANDLED THE DETAILS. I WILL PRESENT THAT THOUGH AT THE TIME, AND THAT WILL BE BEFORE THE COUNCIL, I BELIEVE ON YOUR NEXT TUESDAY MEETING, I CAN BRING IT BACK TO A MONDAY NIGHT WORK SESSION IF YOU'D LIKE, AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THERE. I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. THAT'S A DECISION FOR THE COUNCIL. I'D LIKE YOU TO PREPARE TO DESIGNATE THE INITIAL ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS THAT YOUR 2ND JUNE MEETING AS WELL. THE STAFF WOULD LIKE TO GET STARTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. GETTING OUT THERE AND DOING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THESE AREAS. AND BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, WE'VE MADE THE FOLKS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS. I'M HAPPY TO BRING THAT TO A TUESDAY NIGHT MEETING FOR A BRIEF, MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL IN ALIGNMENT OR MONDAY NIGHT MEETING, AND THEN GO BACK THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY NIGHT AND DESIGNATE THEM. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DESIGNATE THOSE IN JUNE. THE THIRD THING I WOULD ASK FOR YOU TODAY IS TO CARRY THIS CONVERSATION INTO YOUR DISTRICTS. IF YOU'RE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS PLAN, CARRY THIS INTO YOUR DISTRICTS AND TELL THEM, HERE'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING, AND HERE'S THE WHY BEHIND IT. AND THE HOPE IS THAT WE HAVE A STABLE, MORE VIBRANT GARLAND IN TEN YEARS. AND I WANT TO CLOSE LIKE THIS CLOSE BY SAYING THE FOLLOWING. THIS ISN'T JUST A THEORY. AND MR. TRAN, YOU ASKED ABOUT IS THERE EXAMPLES IN OTHER CITIES? I WILL TELL YOU, THERE'S AN EXAMPLE RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY. I WAS HERE, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 SOMETHING YEARS. I WAS HERE 15 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO WORK ON THAT SQUARE ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO. AND THAT SQUARE WAS A BARREN, EMPTY PLACE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. NOTHING WENT ON THERE. 
          IF YOU WERE DOWN THERE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT AT 10:00, THE ONLY PERSON YOU'D SEE ON THAT SQUARE WAS A HOMELESS PERSON. PEOPLE DIDN'T JUST GO HANG OUT THERE, AND THERE WASN'T A THRIVING, VIBRANT ECONOMY THERE. AND THIS CITY, THIS COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE STAFF AND MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO MAKE A CHANGE IN WHAT EXISTS THERE. 
          AND THE MODEL EXISTS TODAY. WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE. YOU CAN'T GO ON THAT SQUARE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE LAW CAN SAY, WOW, THAT IS NOTHING LIKE WHAT WAS THERE A DECADE AGO. WE KNOW WHAT THE MODEL LOOKS LIKE. WE JUST NEED TO DO IT AGAIN. A BUNCH OF PLACES AROUND THE CITY TO SPARK THE TYPE OF REDEVELOPMENT THAT THIS CITY NEEDS AND REVITALIZATION. SO WHILE I TOO, WAS INTERESTED IN, I'VE ASKED CHARLES, WHAT HAVE OTHER CITIES DONE? CAN WE DO THIS? I WOULD SAY TO YOU, WE'VE DONE WE KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. AND YES, THEY'VE DONE IT IN 
          [03:30:02]
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TEXAS CITIES WHO'VE HAD THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD ON OUR DOWNTOWN SQUARE. WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, AND MY VIEW IS WE CAN DO IT AGAIN. AND I WANT TO CLOSE BY SAYING THIS, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE TO THIS COUNCIL, IF WE ARE SUCCESSFULLN THIS PLAN, THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ANY COUNCIL IN THE CITY HAS DONE IN THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS, BECAUSE THIS WILL LITERALLY CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS COMMUNITY. WE WILL TAKE A COMMUNITY THAT IS IN A SLOW DECLINE AS A RESULT OF BEING AN OLDER INNER RING CITY, AND WE WILL TURN IT AROUND AND MAKE IT A THRIVING, VIBRANT COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S A GOAL WORTH FIGHTING FOR. THAT. ANY QUESTIONS I DO? COUNCIL MEMBER DENTON. WELL, HOW ABOUT MARGARET I. I WANT TO SAY THAT I AM IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU'VE GOT LAID OUT. AND WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY THAT THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF FAVORITISM OF ONE DISTRICT OR THE OTHER. SO IT'S ALSO EASY AS COUNCIL TO SIT AND THINK LIKE, OH, MY DISTRICT'S NOT WORTHY OF THIS. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE US ALL TO THINK OF IT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I MEAN, THE DATA IS THERE. SO IF YOU FIND YOURSELF THINKING THAT IT'S PERSONAL OR THAT ANYONE IS AGAINST YOUR DISTRICT, CONSIDER ASKING YOURSELF WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE YOUR DISTRICT, RIGHT? GET INVOLVED. WHAT CAN YOU DO? BECAUSE WE'RE ALL VERY CAPABLE OF PUTTING IN THE WORK TO MAKE OUR DISTRICT BETTER. AND SO, MARGARET, IF I WANT TO LOOK TO HER AND SHE WAS ALREADY TEARING UP, MAN, SHE RUINED IT FOR ME. 
          BUT WE'RE ALL VERY CAPABLE OF CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR DISTRICTS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, WHETHER THAT LOOKS LIKE PARTNERING WITH VOLUNTEER GARLAND AND DOING A CREEK CLEANUP, OR REACHING OUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND ASKING THEM LIKE, HEY, ARE YOU COOL IF WE CUT DOWN THESE TREES OR AND BUY TREES? ENVIRONMENTALISTS. I DO NOT MEAN GOOD TREES. I MEAN BIRD POO TREES THAT HISTORICALLY HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE AND NOW THEY'RE TACKY. 
          WHATEVER. DOING A GRAFFITI CLEANUP, JUST TAKING ACTUAL CHARGE AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOUR DISTRICT. I PERSONALLY DRIVE MY DISTRICT ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS, WHICH IS PARTIALLY WHY I STILL HAVE MY MY THING ON MY CAR BECAUSE I KNOW I LOOK LIKE A CREEP, BUT I, I MAKE IT A POINT TO DRIVE MY DISTRICT AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND SEE WHERE WE CAN HAVE VOLUNTEER OPPORORTUNITIES SO IN THE EVENT THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF QUESTIONING THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHY YOU'RE NOT GETTING SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS, JUST TAKE, TAKE A SECOND TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO ACTUALLY CHANGE YOUR DISTRICT ON YOUR OWN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MIKE, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU THIS MORNING FOR THE PRESENTATIONS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US. I THINK THAT THE ZB STUDY, THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU HAVE JUST PUT BEFORE US, OR SHOULD I SAY THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PLAN THAT YOU JUST PUT BEFORE US. IT'S GIVEN US KIND OF A BLUEPRINT. IT'S GIVEN US A ROADMAP OF THE HISTORY OF WHAT WE'VE COME FROM, WHAT WE'RE FACING PRESENTLY, AND THEN WHERE WE HAVE GOT TO GO. AND I DO WANT TO ECHO THAT IT IS GOING TO BE A SITUATION OF WHERE EACH OF US, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER IN THIS ROOM, ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME TO A POINT OF UNDERSTANDING HOW ALL OF THIS REALLY COMES TOGETHER. I MEAN, THE ZB STUDY AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOW ALL OF THAT COMES TOGETHER SUCH THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO REGURGITATE IT AND TO TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT IT. BECAUSE SIX YEARS AGO, WHEN I CAME INTO COUNCIL, YOU'RE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT, MY PEOPLE FELT THAT WE WERE THE ARMPIT OF THE CITY. THEY FELT THAT ALL THE MONEY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EMPOWERMENT, MONEY WAS GOING TO THE NORTH AND THAT THEY WERE FORGOTTEN. WELL, TODAY THAT'S 
          [03:35:06]
CHANGED. DISTRICT THREE IS THRIVING. IT'S DOING QUITE WELL. AND IT'S DOING THAT BECAUSE THERE CAME A TIME WHEN WE AND I WANT TO SAY THIS TO THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS TOO, WE LEARNED HOW TO COUNT. AND WE WE FIGURED OUT THAT IF YOU CAN'T COUNT TO FIVE, IT JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN. 
          IT'S JUST A PIPE DREAM. BUT WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO PUT FORTH YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOU PUT FORTH THE PLAN AND. AND TO SAY THAT, HEY, MY DISTRICT IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS IT THE MOST. NOW AND THEN THE COUNCIL IS LISTENING AND YOU'RE ABLE TO PERSUADE THEM THAT THIS IS THE PLACE THAT THAT MONEY NEEDS TO GO. AND THEY AGREE WITH YOU. THAT'S WHEN WE'RE NOT JUST WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE DISTRICTS, BUT WE ARE, IN FACT CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE TOTAL OF GARLAND. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND I CAN SAY TO YOU, GET READY, BECAUSE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME IN YOUR DISTRICT WHO ARE GOING TO SAY THAT, HEY, LISTEN, I, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET SOME OF THIS MONEY, WE NEED TO GET A PIECE OF THIS PIE. AND IN FACT, YES, THAT'S TRUE. BUT AS WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, IF YOU'VE GOT $1 MILLION, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO SPREAD IT AMONG THIS ENTIRE CITY. IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. IF YOU'VE GOT $1 MILLION AND YOU HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN AS TO WHY THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT HERE AT THIS TIME, THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO REGURGITATE THAT TREE. BUT TO SAY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THIS IS WHY FIVE OR MORE ARE AGREEING THAT THIS IS WHERE THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT. AND SO I SAY ALL OF THAT JUST TO SAY THAT, MIKE, I THINK THAT HONESTLY, WE DON'T WANT T GIVE YOU TOO MANY ACCOLADES BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT YOU TO HEAD TO GET ANY BIGGER THAN IT ALREADY IS. BUT WE DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE THINK THAT YOU WERE SENT FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, FIRST OF ALL, IN EDUCATING OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE MANNER BY WHICH WHERE WE ARE PRESENTLY AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO GO. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, EVEN THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, I THINK THAT WE TODAY UNDERSTAND MUCH BETTER WHAT WE MUST DO IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A VIABLE INTEREST IN THIS REGION AND IN THIS STATE. AND SO I JUST SAY TO YOU, CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, I DO WANT. YES. I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO COME BACK TO US. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS THAT WE WOULD TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK NOW AT THE CDB STUDY. ARE THOSE THE THREE STRATEGIC AREAS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON AND WHICH ONE DO WE WANT TO BEGIN TO FOCUS ON INITIALLY. SO I DO THINK THAT YOU NEED TO COME BACK TO US WITH SOME INFORMATION THERE THAT TUESDAY OR MONDAY, TUESDAY EVENING EDUCATION FORUM. YES, PLEASE DO THAT. BUT I THINK THAT THE TIME FOR US TO BEGIN IS NOT THE DAY IT WAS YESTERDAY. AND I THINK THAT AS I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM AND I SEE THE DIFFERENT FACES AND WHAT'S BEING SAID, I THINK THAT WE'RE PROBABLY READY TO MOVE FORWARD. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WILL I WILL COME BACK ON MONDAY NIGHT JUST FOR EVEN IF IT'S A BRIEF DISCUSSION TO SAY, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT, ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND MAKE THE STAFF SAY, HERE'S THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WHAT WE DID SO WE CAN SEE THEM CLEARLY AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM BEFORE YOU ADOPT THEM ON THE FOLLOWING NIGHT. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE GIVEN THE DISCUSSION TODAY. YES, I WOULD AGREE. I'D LIKE TO SEE A PRESENTATION. YES, YES. ONE MORE PUBLIC HEARING AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT AGAIN. 
          COUNCILMEMBER CARAWAY THANK YOU. MAYOR. ONE THING I'LL DEFINITELY SAY, MIKE, IS DEFINITELY TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT MR. MOORE JUST SAID. DEFINITELY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR. AND I KNOW THE WORK IS JUST BEGINNING FOR A LOT OF US. ONE THING THAT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO TOUCH ON WAS ACCOUNTABILITY. THE ACCOUNTABILITY DOESN'T JUST FALL ON US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITIES, LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY ONE IN OUR DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE CONCERNS OR MAY HAVE PUSHBACK ON WHAT THE PLAN IS AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL. ONE THING THAT WE DO KNOW AS A CITY IS THAT OUR NUMBERS, AS FAR AS VOTER TURNOUTS, VERY LOW. SO THAT'S PART OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE TO HEAR THE CONCERNS AND TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS. ACCOUNTABILITY IS HUGE IN THIS PROJECT, AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE ALL COMMIT TO IT AND GET OUR DISTRICTS, EACH ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS TO COMMIT TO THIS, WE CAN GROW GARLAND AND BECOME A BETTER CITY THAN WHAT WE ALREADY ARE. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. AND JUST IN RESPONSE TO WHAT YOU SAID, MR. CARAWAY, AND ALSO, MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE THE THANKS AND THE CONGRATULATIONS AND AND ACCOLADES. I WILL TELL 
          [03:40:06]
YOU, THIS IS A ENORMOUS TEAM EFFORT. I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS. I, I CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN THE ONE TRICK PONY WHO RUNS AROUND AND DOESN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. BUT WE HAVE SENIOR LEADERSHIP IN THIS ORGANIZATION THAT IS SECOND TO NONE. AND THEY HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO'VE WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK ON PARTS OF THIS. AND IF YOU SAW THE AMOUNT OF BACK END INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, THE PLAN IS 22 PAGES. LITTLE PIECES OF THE PLAN WOULD TAKE ME AN HOUR TO TO BUILD OUT. THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH WORK DONE BY THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP AND THE STAFF, THE DIRECTOR LEVEL EMPLOYEES INTO SIX DIRECTOR MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD FULL ON MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK. I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL OF THIS WORK. I CAN SAY THAT CERTAINLY IT'S BEEN A FOCUS OF MINE AND I'VE LED IT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TALENTED PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK DONE BY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WE TALK ABOUT WE ALSO LEADERSHIP. WE TALK ABOUT THIS. 
          YES, SIR. YES, SIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. IT'S IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING. AND I THINK IT'S TIMELY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ITS IMPLEMENTATION. BUT THREE OF THE WORDS THAT THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS PATIENCE, DISCIPLINE, AND FOCUS. THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO. AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONCERNS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BRING UP, ESPECIALLY AS WE START SEEING OUR CIVIL CODE PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THIS. THAT'S WE ARE GOING TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING, WHY THIS AND WHY NOW? AND IT. SO THE SOONER WE IMPLEMENT THAT WE IMPLEMENT THIS, IT EXPLAINS THE WHY AND THAT WE'RE UNIFIED IN THIS AND THAT WE STAND TOGETHER. AND IT'S THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ON IT, BUT I, I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND THE RIGHT PATHWAY TO GO FORWARD. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. YES, I WANT TO ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. IT CERTAINLY HELPS. EXCUSE ME. 
          I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE IN THIS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS PLAN, DISTRICT SEVEN AND EVEN MORE DISTRICT ONE, THERE'S NOT MUCH. YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE MORE TOUGHER FOR US TO SELL THIS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING COMING TO THAT DISTRICT RIGHT AWAY. 
          AND THAT'S BECAUSE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, THAT'S WHERE THE FOCUS HAS BEEN. YOU'VE GOT YOU'VE YOU'VE GOT THE LAST TEN YEARS WORTH OF GUYS. NOW WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. AND I CAN'T BE TERRITORIAL AND SAY, WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME IN MY DISTRICT, I'VE GOT TO SAY WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, AND I THINK THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT I'LL HAVE TO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE FORWARD IS THAT FOR THE NORTHERN AREAS WE'VE GOT IT IN, THE FORGOTTEN IS FORGOTTEN NO MORE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO THE SOUTH NOW, AS AS OF SOME PLACE TO START. AND I WANT TO YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, REASONABLY AND HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY THAT, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT SEVEN AND DISTRICT ONE ARE NOT BEING TOUCHED IN THIS FIRST FIVE YEARS. I MEAN, OTHER THAN THAT LITTLE SPOT AROUND BELTLINE THAT IF MAYBE SOMETHING GREAT COMES ALONG, WE MIGHT DO SOMETHING THERE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MARGARET'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, WHAT ALL I'M BRINGING TO SOUTH GARLAND. WELL, YEAH, IT'S LONG OVERDUE. AND I, AND I AGREE, IT'S IT'S TIME FOR US TO FOCUS ON THAT AREA OF THE CITY. AND SO AND I WANT I WANT SOME HELP HELPING EXPLAIN WHY MY DISTRICT AND AND THE NORTH IS NOT GETTING IT. IT'S BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT IN THE PAST AND, AND, AND BE ABLE TO RECOUNT SOME OF THAT HISTORY AS TO, TO WHY WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING THERE. NOW. WE CAN'T SPREAD THE PEANUT BUTTER TOO THIN. I LIKE THAT ANALOGY. WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE IT SO IT'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY TASTE THE PEANUT BUTTER ONCE WE'RE DONE MAKING THE SANDWICH. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU SIR. YEAH. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU IN YOUR DISTRICTS NOT TO. YES, POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY IS INESCAPABLE. THAT IS THAT WHAT WE GOT IN THE NORTH VERSUS WHAT WE GOT IN THE SOUTH AND WHAT WE GOT IN THIS PART OF TOWN OR ANOTHER. IT'S INESCAPABLE. BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, AS BEST AS YOU CAN, REFRAME THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT DOES THE DATA SAY ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE MOST SUCCESSFUL, BECAUSE THIS IS ESSENTIALLY DRIVEN, EVEN IF THE DATA SAID TO SPEND THE MONEY IN A PART OF TOWN THAT HAD ALREADY RECEIVED A BUNCH OF MONEY, I'D BE SITTING HERE 
          [03:45:05]
TELLING YOU THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD GO. AND I WOULD BE BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT THE DATA AND I DON'T, I WELL, THE AS I SAID, THE POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY IS INESCAPABLE. WE SHOULD TRY AND REFRAME AS BEST WE CAN, SAYING THESE DECISIONS ARE DRIVEN BY WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US WILL GET US THE BEST RESULT. WE HAVE A SMALL POT OF MONEY THAT WE CAN SPEND IN THE NEXT DECADE TO SOLVE A VERY LARGE PROBLEM, AND SO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE DATA IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND, AND I WOULD THINK THOSE KINDS OF TALKING POINTS WILL HELP A LOT. I LIKE FOLLOWING THE DATA IS ALWAYS A GOOD A GOOD WAY TO EXPLAIN IT. SO ALTHOUGH THE AGAIN, THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY ARE INESCAPABLE. AND I THINK YOU'VE GOT A GREAT EXPLANATION, BUT WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ALL OVER THE CITY THAT THIS IS DONE BY WHAT THE DATA SHOWS US. THIS SHOWS US WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET THE MOST SUCCESS FOR OUR MONEY. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT I DIDN'T CALL KB HOUSING CONSULTANTS, AND I DIDN'T I IN NO WAY TRIED TO SHIFT THE WAY THAT THIS CAME ABOUT. AND, AND THE DATA JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU GARLAND IS A SLEEPING GIANT. WE HAVE SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS LE THESE THAT ARE JUST WAITING FOR US TO, TO LIGHT THEM UP AND, AND JUST LET THEM JUST LET THEM BE WHAT WE KNOW GARLAND IS. AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR EVERYONE THAT GETS TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE GONE IN TWO. SO I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PLAN MOVE FORWARD AND, AND JUST REALLY CULMINATE INTO WHAT WE KNOW GARLAND ALREADY IS. AND, AND I'M, I'M JUST SHE MENTIONED THAT I WAS GETTING TEARY EYED. WELL, YEAH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WE ARE TRYING TO ATTACK A PROBLEM THAT CITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FACE AND WE'RE ACTUALLY BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT IT. AND THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES WHERE PEOPLE SIT BACK AND THEY JUST LET THINGS HAPPEN AND THEY, THEY JUST WATCH IT GO DOWN AND DOWN AND DN. AND THEN BY THE, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THERE ARE ENTIRE CITIES THAT ARE VACANT. AND, AND, AND THAT'SO SAD. AND LOOK AT ALL OF THE AMAZING THINGS WE'RE DOING. AND MR. BETTS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEADING THIS SHIP AND WRITING IT. ACTUALLY, WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 
          AND I GUESS THE SHIP WILL START FLOATING SOON BECAUSE WE ARE ON THE RISE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          MA'AM. COUNCILMEMBER SEGOVIANO YES, I THINK EVERYTHING'S BEEN GREAT. THE PODCAST LEADING US UP, MEETING WITH US, THAT'S BEEN REALLY FANTASTIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I AGREE WITH EVERYONE. WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE DATA. WE CAN'T LET OUR EMOTIONS PLAY A ROLE IN THIS. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TOUGH PART. THIS IS WHAT I'VE SEEN THE PAST YEAR, IS THAT EMOTIONS GET INVOLVED, AND THE CITY HAS MADE DECISIONS THAT WERE A BIT UNHEALTHY. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE KEEP OUR EMOTIONS OUT OF IT. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH THING. AND I, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE COUNCILMAN MORE ASKED THIS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS BIGGER SO WE CAN SEE EXACTLY WHERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I WAS CONFUSED, LIKE, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO? DID YOU ASK THAT? NO, I DIDN'T, BUT OH, WE DO NEED THIS. I'LL HAVE STAFF COME BACK HERE NEXT MONDAY. WORK SESSION WITH BLOWN UP MAPS SHOWING EXACTLY THE BORDERS AND THE AREAS A IDENTIFY FOR YOU SPECIFICALLY WHERE THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS ARE THAT WE'RE AND THE WHY BEHIND THEM THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ADOPT. PAGE THREE. YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT WAS MAYOR AND THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S RIGHT. I WAS I WAS TRYING TO ZOOM IN ON MY CELL PHONE WAS NOT DOING SO WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU. MAYOR. TO ADD ON TO COUNCILMAN MORRIS THAT WE APPRECIATE, I MEAN, ME AS THIS AND OUR NEW COUNCIL APPRECIATE YOU AND THE STAFF. VERY HELPFUL FOR US THEIR ORIENTATION AND HELP TO PREPARE US AND BRING US UP TO SPEED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND YOURS, STAFF TIME, EVEN YOUR PERSONAL TIME AS WELL. SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SECOND PART IS THAT I AGREE WITH AND ADD ON TO MAYOR PRO TEM MUCH THAT WE DON'T HAVE OPTION TO LEAVE THE OPTION, JUST DO NOTHING. WE LOSE $5 MILLION A YEAR, AND IN TEN YEARS IT COULD BE A BIG PROBLEM. AND THIS IS THE PROACTIVE WAY THAT WE WE SHOULD I BELIEVE THIS, THIS IS A GOOD REASON. WE SHOULD. BUT WE ALSO. I AGREE WITH THE 
          [03:50:03]
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM THAT WE NEED TO ALSO SHARE WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE TOGETHER, UNDERSTAND IT AND, AND, AND, AND BE ALIGNMENT WITH WITH OUR CITY, WITH OUR PLAN AND WITHOUT COUNCIL TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY IS PART OF, OF, OF THIS PLAN TO GET IT SUCCESS. SO I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND STAFF AS WELL. THERE IS SO MANY STAIRS THAT WE TRY TO CONSUME, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. I HAVE NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, BUT I WANT TO JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT AND I WANT TO TOUCH ON ONE THING. CITY MANAGER BECK SAID AT THE END OF THIS THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL. THIS THIS WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU'VE DONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL. 
          I MEAN, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STUFF, AND CERTAINLY ON MY TIME HERE, I'VE BEEN LONGER TENURED THAN MANY OF YOU HEAR THAT FROM THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM THAT PASSED TO THE 2025 BOND PROGRAM. 
          WE'VE SEEN A TON OF INVESTMENT IN THE CITY, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY UNDER INVESTMENT IN THE CITY AROUND VARIOUS AREAS. I PUSH BACK ON THAT. WE HAVEN'T INVESTED ACROSS THE CITY. I SAT AS CHAIRMAN ON THAT 2019 BOND PROGRAM, AND THERE WERE FEWER PROJECTS BY DOLLAR AMOUNT AND BY NUMBER IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND ONE THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE CITY GOT LESS INVESTMENT THAN THE REST OF THE CITY. IT WASN'T THAT THE CITY WASN'T INVESTING IN THE SOUTH OR IN OTHER AREAS, IS THAT THE MARKET FORCES, THE MARKET SIGNALS WERE NOT THERE TO CREATE INVESTMENT. THOSE MARKET FORCES, THEY'VE BEEN TRADITIONALLY WEAK IN THE SOUTHERN AREAS. THIS HOUSING STRATEGY HEARD THAT IS DOING SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THAT. THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS DOING SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THAT. WE WERE TRYING TO SEND OUT MARKET SIGNALS TO BRING THAT PRIVATE INVESTMENT. WE HAVE TO USE OUR DOLLARS WISELY TO CLOSE THAT GAP, AS YOU HEARD CHARLES SAY THERE. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE STAY STRONG WILLED. LET'S STAY THE COURSE. I'M REMINDED OF NEHEMIAH SIX THREE. I'M DOING GREAT WORK. I CANNOT COME DOWN. WHY SHOULD THE WORK CEASE AND LEAVE IT AND GO DOWN TO YOU? WE ARE DOING IMPORTANT WORK HERE, SO LET'S NOT COME DOWN FROM THE WALL. WE'RE REBUILDING THE WALLS OF GARLAND. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MOVE ON NOW TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE. IT'S 
          [3. Update on the City’s Financial Outlook and Preliminary FY 2026-27 Operating Budget]
AN UPDATE ON THE CITY'S FINANCIAL OUTLOOK AND PRELIMINARY FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027 OPERATING BUDGET. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS. ALL. YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU DOCTOR. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, I'M ALISON STEADMAN, I'M THE CITY'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. AND I'M JOINED UP HERE BY FAHAD KADIR, OUR BUDGET MANAGER. AND I'LL INITIALLY TURN IT OVER TO MIKE BETTS, OUR CITY MANAGER, TO START US OFF WITH THIS PRESENTATION. AS IF I HAVEN'T TALKED ENOUGH. SO. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS WE START TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET THAT WILL BE PRESENTING IN ABOUT A MONTH. 
          AND I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT MY PRIORITIES ARE FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE IN THIS BUDGET. BEFORE I DO THAT, I DO WANT TO COMMEND FAHAD AND ALISON AND THEIR STAFF. IT'S FAHAD'S FIRST YEAR AS MANAGER OF THE BUDGET TEAM, AND HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. AND THE BUDGET TEAM THAT FAHAD AND ALISON HAVE ASSEMBLED IS REALLY. IT'S STUNNING TO WATCH THEM WORK. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH INFORMATION HAS TO GET PROCESSED THROUGH TO CREATE A BUDGET AND HOW MANY PACKETS AND HOW MANY MEETINGS, AND THE CONSTATATANT FOLLOW W W UP A A G TONGE O LITTLTH I TIME Y ASK CHANANANGEGEGES S S EVEVEVERERED THESE PEOPLE REAEAEALLY KNOCK IT OUT F OU F YR EA SEASON AS MANAGER. AND ALISON, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM. THE THREE PRIORITIES FOR THIS BUDGET THAT I WANT TO IMPLORE THIS COUNCIL TO AT LEAST ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT I. I HAVE FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE AND IMPLORE THE COUNCIL TO FOLLOW WOULD BE NUMBER ONE, THAT WE NOT USE ONE TIME MONEY FOR STRUCTURAL GAPS. NUMBER TWO, THAT WE BEGIN ADDRESSING THE GENERAL SCHEDULE WAGE GAP THAT I DESCRIBED TO YOU BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE TO KEEP GOOD PEOPLE HERE. AND NUMBER THREE, THAT EVERY DOLLAR CONNECTS TO THE PLAN. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT USING ONE TIME MONEY, NOT TO NOT TO USE ONE TIME MONEY TO SOLVE LONG TERM STRUCTURAL 
          [03:55:06]
PROBLEMS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN MONEY, ONE TIME MONEY CAN'T BE USED. IT'S JUST A WRONG USE AND A RIGHT USE. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, FOR ONE TIME MONEY, IT'S WRONG TO USE ONE TIME MONEY TO HAVE RECURRING OPERATIONAL SHORTFALLS COVERED UP. WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. IF WE DO THAT, IT'S WRONG TO USE ONE TIME MONEY TO PLUG BUDGET GAPS THAT ARE GOING TO COME BACK OPEN NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FIX THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM. AND IT'S WRONG TO USE ONE TIME MONEY TO DEFER SOLVING THE PROBLEM UNTIL SOME PERIOD IN THE FUTURE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT ABOUT THE PLAN AND ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FINANCIALLY IS IF WE DON'T BEGIN TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A FEW YEARS AND ALL THE ONE TIME MONEY DISAPPEARS BECAUSE WE'VE USED IT TO AVOID SOLVING THE PROBLEM, THIS PROBLEM COULD BECOME UNSOLVABLE FOR US BECAUSE WE SIMPLY WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO SOLVE IT. AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD TRY VERY HARD NOT TO USE ONE TIME MONEY FOR RECURRING EXPENSES, THAT WE SHOULD TIGHTEN OUR BUDGET DOWN AND REDUCE THOSE SERVICES THAT WE CAN REDUCE WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT TO OUR RESIDENTS SO THAT OUR BUDGET MATCHES OUR REVENUES. THERE IS A RIGHT USE FOR ONE TIME MONEY, AND THAT IS, I THINK, THAT IT'S A PROPER USE FOR ONE TIME MONEY TO TRY AND USE IT FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT IS, TO CHANGE THE SLOPE OF THE DOWNWARD ANGLE, TO PUSH IT UP. THAT'S A GREAT USE FOR ONE TIME MONEY. LET'S USE ONE TIME MONEY FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND FOR REVITALIZATION SO THAT IN THE FUTURE WE WON'T NEED THAT ONE TIME MONEY. IT'S ALSO A GREAT USE FOR ONE TIME MONEY. IF THE LEGISLATURE DOES SOMETHING AND CAUSES US TEMPORARY HICCUP, NOT A PERMANENT HICCUP, BUT A TEMPORARY HICCUP IF THEY DO SOMETHING, THE LEGISLATURE PUTS SOME UNFUNDED MANDATE ON US OR DOES SOMETHING TO RESTRICT OUR REVENUES UNTIL WE CAN GET IT REORGANIZED AND RESTRUCTURED INTERNALLY, WE MIGHT NEED TO USE ONE TIME MONEY. IT'S ALSO A PROPER USE. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IF WE HAD AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, IF WE IF WE HAVE A RECESSION AND WE HAVE TO BRIDGE A GAP SO THAT THE RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SERVICES THAT DECLINE AS A RESULT OF THE RECESSION, WE CAN KEEP SERVICE LEVELS CLOSE TO WHERE THEY ARE, AND WE USE ONE TIME MONEY TO BRIDGE SHORT TERM GAPS. THAT'S ALSO A FINE USE FOR ONE TIME MONEY. WE JUST SHOULDN'T BE SOLVING LONG TIME, LONG TERM PERMANENT GAPS FOR THAT. AND AS I NOTE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE HERE, IF WE WAIT TILL ALL OF THE MONEY IS GONE, ALL THE ONE TIME MONEY IS GONE BY USING IT TO SOLVE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS, THE ABILITY THE WINDOW TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WILL CLOSE AND THEN THE THE PLAN WILL BECOME OR THE PROBLEM WILL BECOME UNSOLVABLE. LASTLY OR SECONDLY, THE. MY SECOND PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET IS TO CLOSE THE GENERAL SCHEDULE WAGE GAP. AS I POINTED OUT, 2018 WAS THE LAST TIME WE FIXED THE SALARIES OF GENERAL WAGE EMPLOYEES. SO IF YOU HAVE A CLASSIFICATION IN THE GENERAL SCHEDULE, SAY A. 223, AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE, AND THAT EMPLOYEE WOULD START AT $20 AN HOUR AND IN 2018 AND WORK HIS WAY UP TO $30 AN HOUR. IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 25 OR 30 YEARS, THAT CLASSIFICATION HAS NOT CHANGED. 
          THAT'S STARTING. WAGE IS STILL THE SAME AS IT WAS IN 2018. I DON'T NEED TO TELL ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT MUCH HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE 2018 WITH RESPECT TO THE COST OF EVERYTHING, AND SO IT'S MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO ATTRACT AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYEES IN SOME OF OUR POSITIONS. WE HAVE AS MANY AS A QUARTER OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE. THERE. 
          WE HAVE PLENTY OF JOB OPENINGS THERE. WE HAVE POSTED JOB OPENINGS AND FOR POSITIONS. THE PROBLEM IS PEOPLE DON'T APPLY FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO WORK FOR THE WAGE THAT WE'RE WILLING TO PAY. AND SO WE NEED TO FIX THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE HERE TO DO THAT. THE TOTAL PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ON AN ONGOING BASIS IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3 AND $6 MILLION TO FIX THE GENERAL WAGE SCHEDULE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT ALL IN THE FIRST YEAR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FROM SLIDING BACKWARDS FURTHER IN THE FIRST YEAR. AND THEN OVER TIME, WE'RE GOING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO DO IT. WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THESE EMPLOYEES. AND THESE AREN'T JUST ANCILLARY OR PERIPHERAL ROLES. THESE ARE STREETS WORKERS AND COWORKERS AND PARKS WORKERS AND SANITATION WORKERS AND BUILDING INSPECTION WORKERS, CITY MARSHALS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY FOLKS. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BRING THE PLAN ALIVE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLLLY GOING  BE DELIVERING WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE STRATEGIC PLAN HAPPEN. WE HAVE GOT TO FIX THE GENERAL WAGE SCHEDULE, AND THAT'S THE SECOND PRIORITY OF MINE IN THIS BUDGET SEASON. AND THE LAST ONE IS WE NEED TO ALIGN THE PLAN. I TOLD THE DIRECTORS WHEN I FIRST DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF BUDGET THIS YEAR, WHEN THEY KNEW THAT I WAS A ONE TRICK PONY ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I SAID, YOU CAN PLAN IN OUR BUDGET MEETINGS TO BE ASKED ABOUT HOW YOUR BUDGETS ALIGN WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          AND SO IN EVERY BUDGET MEETING, I LOOKED AT THEIR BUDGETS WITH A LENS AND I ASKED THEM SOME 
          [04:00:03]
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DOES THIS PROTECT CORE SERVICES? HOW IS WHAT WE'RE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THAT YOU DIDN'T GET LAST YEAR? OR HOW IS WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR? LIKELY IF I FUND IT AGAIN THIS YEAR TO HELP US IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN. SOME OF THEM ARE, WELL, IT'S CORE SERVICES. GREAT THAT THAT WORKS. SOME OF THEM ARE. WE ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO DO THINGS UNDER THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU WITH RESPECT TO PROTECTING CORE SERVICES IN THE IF AND SOME OF THESE ARE THE YES BUDGET, SOME ARE JUST GOING TO BE FUNDED EITHER WAY. BUT IN THE YES BUDGET FOR NOVEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO BE FUNDING NINE FIREFIGHTERS PLUS AN OVERTIME ADJUSTMENT. IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTINUALLY GONE OVER ITS OVERTIME ALLOWANCE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BUDGETED THEM SUFFICIENT MONEY IN OVERTIME, WE'RE GOING TO BUDGET THEM ENOUGH MONEY. SO THEY SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR OVERTIME. AND WE'RE GOING TO ADD NINE FIREFIGHTERS. WE'RE GOING TO BUDGET CALLS FOR ADDING TEN POLICE OFFICERS, EIGHT EMERGENCY SERVICE DISPATCHERS CALLS FOR FUNDING SURF AND SWIM. YOU KNOW, WE BUILT SURF AND SWIM. AND I DIDN'T SAY THIS WHEN I WAS THERE EARLIER, BUT THE MAYOR POINTED IT OUT. WE'VE HAD A BUNCH OF BOND PROGRAMS. THOSE BOND PROGRAMS ARE TREMENDOUS CATALYSTS AND INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY TO MAKE THE FUTURE, TO MAKE THE JOB OF REVITALIZING THE CITY EASIER, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT ALL THESE NEW INVESTMENTS. WE NOW NEED TO CLEAN UP THE COMMUNITY'S SURF AND SWIM. WE FUNDED IN A BOND PROGRAM, BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T DO IS HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO ONGOING PAY FOR LIFEGUARDS AND THE STAFF TO RUN IT. SO WE PAID FOR IT WITH ONE TIME MONEY THIS YEAR AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE I'M ADDING THAT TO THE BUDGET. I'M ADDING THAT TO THE BUDGET. AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO IF THE VOTERS SAY YES, ENHANCE LIBRARY RESOURCES, THE LIBRARY CURRENTLY, THE AMOUNT THAT THEY SEEK FOR IN THEIR BUDGET FOR LIBRARY SERVICES HAS BEEN REDUCED IN THE BUDGET, UNLE THE VOTERS SAY YES, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY NEED THAT MONEY. OTHER PLACES, THEY HAVE LIBRARY RESOURCES THAT WILL GET SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET UNDER LIBRARY RESOURCES IS WHAT I RECOMMEND IN THE BUDGET THAT I PROPOSE. BUT IF IF THE VOTERS SAY, YES, WE WOULD ENHANCE THE LIBRARY SERVICES TO GIVE THEM A FULL CADRE OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THEY'LL BE ABLE TO USE WITH THE BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE. WHAT WE BUILD IS THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FUND. ONE TIME MONEY, AS I SAID, IT'S A GREAT USE OF ONE TIME MONEY TO DO REVITALIZATION. WE PUT THAT $5 MILLION I INTO A FUND THAT ALLOW US TO GO OUT THERE AND DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CHARLES TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS MORNING. THAT IS WHERE WE SPEND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SPEND $70,000 ON A REDEVELOPER TO FLIP A PROPERTY OR, OR BE WILLING TO OFFER IT TO MEET THAT GAP WHERE WE SPEND MONEY TO GO FIX FENCES AND PAINT HOUSES AND BUY SUPPLIES FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS TO GO OUT AND CLEAN UP SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAKE THESE CORRIDORS LOOK BEAUTIFUL. AND MONEY, THAT'S WHAT THAT REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FUND IS FOR. WE ALSO WOULD TO ACCELERATE REDEVELOPMENT, HIRE TWO ADDITIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. YOU HEARD CHARLES SAY THIS MORNING, AND I'VE SAID IT REPEATEDLY, CODE ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS. AGAIN, NOT WITH THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUR WAY INTO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION. THAT'S THAT'S NEVER GOING TO WORK. BUT RATHER, IF YOU HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OUT THERE OUT THERE AND THEY IDENTIFY PROPERTIES THAT NEED THE TYPE OF TREATMENT THAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, IT WILL PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN INTRODUCTION AND TO MEET THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP. WE NEED THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OUT THERE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO FIGURE OUT THIS PROPERTY NEEDS THESE REMEDIATIONS. IF THE PERSON WHO CAN'T, WHO LIVES THERE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THEM, THEN WE'RE GOING TO USE SOME OF THAT REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FUNDING TO TRY TO SEE, AND ALONG WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, TO TRY AND FIX SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES. BUT WE NEED THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO DO THAT. WE ALSO HAVE TO EXPAND NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PLANS. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE DELIBERATELY ACTING ON THE PART OF THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD STRATEGY. WE NEED THOSE PEOPLE THERE AND HOW WE FUND IT. WELL, THIS ALSO THIS ALSO FOLLOWS WHAT I'VE RECOMMENDED WITH RESPECT TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN. OUR ONGOING BASE BUDGET IS CUT THIS YEAR BY $1.2 MILLION OVER LAST YEAR. IT IS A SMALLER BUDGET THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR. WE'RE ELIMINATING IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL LOW IMPACT VACANCIES. WE HAVE POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR SOME TIME. WE'VE LOOKED AND SAID, OKAY, IF WE'VE SURVIVED WITHOUT THESE POSITIONS FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO IMPACT OR HAVE VERY LOW IMPACT ON OUR, OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND THE ABILITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO DO THEIR JOB AND NOT BE OVERWHELMED, WE CAN ELIMINATE SOME POSITIONS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ENHANCE OUR BUDGET RESERVES UNDER THE BUDGET BY $2 MILLION. WHY? SO WE HAVE EXTRA MONEY LAYING AROUND FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO NEXT YEAR, GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY. WE'RE ASSUMING THAT PRICES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE AT THE RATE THAT THEY HAVE, AND THAT'S THE POINT OF THE ENHANCED RESERVES. AND AGAIN, PART OF THIS STRATEGY OF OF HOW WE FUND IT 
          [04:05:03]
AND TO STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL CAPACITY IS TO NOT USE ONE TIME MONEY FOR RECURRING GAPS. AND THAT'S THE THREE SLIDES THAT I HAVE. THANK YOU. MIKE. THERE'S NO QUESTIONS. WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR LONG TERM FINANCIAL OUTLOOK. WE'LL GO OVER THE TAX RATE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR FY 27 BUDGET OUTLOOK. PLEASE STOP US WITH ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG. LOOKING INTO OUR LONG TERM FINANCIAL OUTLOOK. AND THIS GOES TO THE POINT MIKE MADE EARLIER TODAY. EACH YEAR UNDER SB TWO, WE'RE LOSING PURCHASING POWER EVERY YEAR. SO WHILE OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GROWS ON PAPER AT THAT 3.5% RATE, INFLATION IS GROWING EVEN FASTER THAN THAT WHICH ERODES THE VALUE OF EVERY DOLLAR. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN AND DELIVER OUR CORE SERVICES. THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A MISMATCH OF THE REAL INFLATION ON THE GOODS, MATERIAL, SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO RUN THE CITY. AND LOOKING OUT TO 2037 LONG TERM, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS ADJUSTED FOR PRESENT VALUE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A GAP OF ABOUT 55 MILLION IN OUR OVERALL PURCHASING POWER AND OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN JUST WHAT WE OFFER TODAY WITHIN THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE. AND THAT'S COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT COMPARED TO METROPLEX CITIES, SUBURBAN CITIES, AND OUR SURROUNDING AREA, THE CITY OF GARLAND, ABOUT 42% BELOW JUST THE AVERAGE CITY COMPARED TO OUR METROPLEX PEERS IN PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX AND THEN TOTAL TAX REVENUE. AND EVEN WITH GARLAND'S ABOVE AVERAGE TAX RATE TO GENERATE THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX WE HAVE HERE ON THIS SLIDE, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT 354 PER CAPITA, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 89.2, OR ROUGHLY $90 MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THAT WE HAVE LESS THAN THIS. THE AVERAGE CITY IN OUR METROPLEX TO OPERATE THE SAME EXPECTATION OF OF QUALITY SERVICES AND AMENITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS, LOOKING DOWN INTO OUR GENERAL FUND. GARLAND PLUS FIVE. THIS IS LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS, JUST AVERAGE REVENUE GROWTH IN OUR BASELINE FINANCIAL MODEL. THIS IS BASED ON THE NO BUDGET SCENARIO. YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PROPERTY TAX GROWTH OF ABOUT 2 MILLION. THIS IS ABOUT THE CAP WHAT THE CAP GENERATES UNDER SB TWO ABOUT 3.5% ON AVERAGE ABOUT 2 MILLION ON IS OUR ANNUAL GROWTH OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. 
          SALES TAX ABOUT 1.2 MILLION OR 3% GROWTH OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THIS DOES NOT ASSUME ANY ONE TIME SALES TAX THAT MAY COME FROM COMMERCIAL ENTITIES IN OUR AREA, OR NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN THE AREA AND SOURCING HERE. THIS IS JUST STATUS QUO. RESIDENTS BUYING THE GOODS AND PRODUCTS THEY NEED TO LIVE THEIR DAILY LIVES. WE'RE ASSUMING 821,000 ANNUAL INCREASE RELATED TO OUR LANDFILL, ABOUT 3%. AND THEN FOR OUR MUNICIPAL COURT EMS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO AND 3%, RESPECTIVELY. AND FOR MOST OF OUR OTHER REVENUE SOURCES IN THE GENERAL FUND, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 1% GROWTH ON THE LONG TERM. AND WE BASE THESE AVERAGE PROJECTED GROWTHS JUST BASED ON OUR HISTORIC TRENDS, AS WELL AS ANYTHING WE MAY KNOW ABOUT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES OR MAY ANTICIPATE CHANGES IN HOW THAT REVENUE SOURCE MAY PERFORM IN THE FUTURE. ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS OUR TELECOM FEES. AS CITIZENS UNPLUG FROM CABLE PROVIDERS, WE ARE SEEING THOSE DECREASE FROM ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 25% YEAR OVER YEAR. SO LOOKING OUT INTO THIS LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR REVENUE SOURCES IS ESSENTIAL WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING, ONGOING REQUESTS AND ENSURING WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PUTTING TOGETHER A SUSTAINABLE BUDGET IN TERMS OF OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT, WHICH WE'LL DISCUSS FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION. WE'RE ASSUMING ABOUT AN 8% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR AND 3.5% FOR OUR G&A CHARGE. G AND A IS THE GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY HOW ALL THE GENERAL FUND EMPLOYEES THAT SUPPORT ALL THE OTHER FUNDS IN THE CITY, YOU THINK OF YOUR FINANCIAL SERVICES, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THIS IS HOW WE CHARGE THE OTHER FUNDS IN THE CITY FOR US, PROVIDING THEM SERVICES, HUMAN RESOURCES. OTHERWISE, IF WE DID NOT HAVE THAT, THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE WE'RE DECENTRALIZED AND ALL THE FUNDS HAVE THOSE RESPECTIVE SERVICES WITHIN THEIR OWN FUND. 
          SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL REVENUE AND TRANSFER INCREASE OF ABOUT 6.2 MILLION ON AVERAGE OVER THE FIVE YEAR PLAN. LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE BASELINE FINANCIAL MODEL, YOU'LL SEE THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT AND ASSUME 3% MERIT AND MARKET ADJUSTMENTS IS ABOUT 5 MILLION A YEAR. AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, OUR OVERALL REVENUE GROWTH IS ABOUT 6.2. SO JUST BY 
          [04:10:07]
FUNDING THAT 3.5%, THAT LEAVES YOU ABOUT 1.2 MILLION REMAINDER TO DEAL WITH ALL OF YOUR OTHER COST INCREASES OR COSTS. YOU HAVE TO OPERATE THIS CITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO FOR THIS YEAR'S NO BUDGET, WE DID AS MIKE PREVIEWED, AND WE'LL DISCUSS FURTHER, MADE SOME ONGOING CUTS INTO OUR BASE BUDGET AS WE MET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND DISCUSSED WHAT THE SERVICE LEVEL IMPACTS MIGHT BE. THAT WAS ABOUT 1.7 MILLION. WE THAT WILL IMPACT THE LONG TERM FINANCIAL MODEL AS. AS OUR ONGOING COST CUTS, WE DO HAVE SOME NEW ADS PROPOSED IN THE NO BUDGET AS A REALIGNMENT TO DELIVER ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN. THAT'S ABOUT 1.5 MILLION BACK INTO THE NO BUDGET. AND THEN YOU HAVE ALL OF OUR OTHER COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN HEALTH INSUNCE, WHICH IS GROWING AT ABOUT 6.25%. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WHICH HAS BEEN GROWING AT 7.2%, FACILITY MAINTENANCE, ABOUT 5.3%. AND THEN OUR OPERATING OPERATIONAL BASE BUDGET AND FLEET AND FUEL AT ABOUT 2%. ALL OF THOSE COST FACTORS GREATLY OUTPERFORM THE 3.5% REVENUE CAP WE RECEIVE ON AND IN TOTAL EQUAL ABOUT 10.4O, MILLION. SO LOOKING AT THE OVERALL BOTTOM LINE OF THAT BASELINE FINANCIAL MODEL, YOU SEE THAT WE'RE ABOUT 4.2 MILLION EXPENDITURES OVER REVENUE. HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE ABOUT 1.5 MILLION IN BETTER THAN BUDGET ANTICIPATED SAVINGS. SO THAT COULD BRING THAT DEFICIT DOWN TO ABOUT 2.7 MILLION ON A BEST CASE SCENARIO. AND THEN BECAUSE OF THE YEAR WE'RE IN AND WE'RE CONTEMPLATING GOING TO THE VOTERS FOR A TAX RATE ELECTION AND ASKING FOR THEM TO HELP US REBALANCE OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE, WE'VE PROVIDED THAT FIVE YEAR DEFICIT UNDER EACH SCENARIO HERE ON THIS SLIDE. THE FIVE YEAR DEFICIT, YOU KNOW, BEST CASE AND WORST CASE UNDER THE NO BUDGET WITH UNDER THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OVER THE AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEARS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 20.9 MILLION SHORT. AND THEN UNDER THE YES BUDGET, YOU SEE THAT UNDER THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, YOU'RE LOOKING AT CLOSER TO 9.1. AND SO THE REBALANCING OF THE TAX RATE IS JUST THE START OF WORKING TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO GET THE GENERAL FUND IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE POSITION. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT SLIDE OF REBALANCING THE TAX RATE. WE HAVE A MODEST PROPERTY TAX BASE, ABOUT 59.2 MILLION BELOW AVERAGE. IF YOU REMEMBER FROM OUR PEER METROPLEX COMPARISON SLIDE. OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COST IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF OUR PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX. WE HAVE A HIGH TAX RATE BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A MODEST PROPERTY TAX BASE, AND OUR SB TWO CAP OF 3.5% EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION IN REVENUE. YET JUST FOR GENERAL FUND MERIT, , IT COSTS ABOUT 5 MILLION FOR A 3%. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALIGN OUR TAX RATE CAPACITY FROM THE DEBT SERVICE TO THE GENERAL FUND. THIS WILL FUND OPERATIONS OF THE AMENITIES CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE 2004 AND 2019. BOND PROGRAMS HELP ENSURE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF CORE SERVICES AND MOVE US AWAY FROM A MORE CAPITAL INTENSIVE PERIOD OF INVESTMENTS THAT INCREASE OUR DAILY OPERATIONAL COSTS AND PUT US FOCUSED ON DEBT SERVICE AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTSS THAT FOCUS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF GARLAND, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR 2025 BOND PROGRAM CONTEMPLATED. AND BOTH OF THESE ACTIVITIES WILL HELP US SOLVE GARLAND'S CHALLENGE. WE HAVE THAT MODEST PROPERTY TAX SALES TAX BASE, 90 MILLION BELOW IN ANNUAL TAX REVENUE, LOW POPULATION GROWTH. AND WE'RE LARGELY BUILT OUT. SO FUTURE REVENUE GROWTH IS IMPORTANT TO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS. OR WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON REDEVELOPMENT. AND WITHOUT THAT SUFFICIENT REVENUE GROWTH WHICH HAS TO BE A COMBINATION FROM TAX RATE REBALANCING AND REDEVELOPMENT, THE FUTURE WILL HOLD CHALLENGING DECISIONS REGARDING TRADE OFF AND PRIORITIES FOR STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE. MOVING TO LOOKING TOWARDS THE NOVEMBER 2026 TAX RATE ELECTION, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY TAXING ENTITY IN TOWN. THIS IS JUST A REMINDER THAT WHEN A RESIDENT RECEIVES THEIR ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL AND TAX BILL, THEY WILL SEE FIVE DIFFERENT TAX RATES ON THAT G, I, S, D AND THEN THREE RATES ASSOCIATED WITH DALLAS COUNTY AND THEN US, THE CITY OF GARLAND. AS OF THIS CURRENT YEAR, THE CITY OF GARLAND MAKES UP ABOUT 29% OF THE TOTAL TAX RATE. ALL OF THESE ENTITIES ARE SUBJECT TO SB TWO. SO THESE RATES CHANGE 
          [04:15:01]
ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. GISD REACHED ALMOST 50% FOR THIS YEAR FOLLOWING THEIR TAX RATE ELECTION LAST NOVEMBER. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GARLAND'S PROPERTY TAX RATE. FOR MANY YEARS, THE CITY OF GARLAND DID NOT WANT TO ADJUST THEIR PROPERTY TAX RATE. YOU CAN SEE THAT REALLY FROM 2010 ALL THE WAY UP TO THAT FISCAL YEAR 19. THE CITY OF GARLAND TOOK A LONGER TIME THAN OTHER METROPLEX CITIES TO GET OUT OF. THE GREAT RECESSION. TOOK A LOT LONGER TIME FOR OUR VALUES TO RECOVER. OUR CITIZENS WERE STILL BURDENED WITH THE FALLOUT OF THE GREAT RECESSION. SO COUNCILS AT THAT TIME MADE THE DECISION TO KEEP THE TAX RATE AT THAT 70.46. YOU SEE, IN 2020, THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, FOLLOWING APPROVAL OF THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM BY THE VOTERS, INCREASED THE TAX RATE SIX AND A HALF CENTS. ON THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE OF THE EQUATION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM, AND TO FINISH OUT PROJECTS THAT WERE INITIALLY STARTED UNDER THE 2004 BOND PROGRAM. THAT VERY FOLLOWING YEAR, SB TWO WENT INTO EFFECT. AT THE TIME, COUNCIL WAS, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BOND PROGRAM, SB TWO WAS GETTING PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT VERY FIRST YEAR UNDER SB TWO, WE HAD AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION, SO WE WERE NOT SUBJECT TO IT. BUT FROM 22 FORWARD, WE HAVE B BEEN SUBJECT TO SB TWO. AND YOU HAVE SEE YOU WILL SEE ON THIS GRAPH THAT THE TAX RATE HAS DECREASED ABOUT 10.5 $0.04 SINCE SB TWO WENT INTO EFFECT, ALL FROM THE O&M SIDE OF THE TAX RATE, WHICH IS WHAT FUNDS OUR GENERAL FUND. THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT 29.3 MILLION IN FOREGONE REVENUE. THIS IS REVENUE WE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE IN OUR GENERAL FUND TO FUND GOOD DAILY SERVICES FOR CITIZENS. HAD SB TWO NOT WENT INTO EFFECT. YOU'LL SEE, FOR THIS PAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE HELD THE TAX RATE FLAT. THIS HAS BEEN THROUGH AN ACTION ON THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE OF THE TAX RATE WITH CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO HOLD TAX RATE CAPACITY TO PREPARE FOR GOING TO THE. TO REBALANCE THE TAX RATE WITH THE VOTERS AT A NOVEMBER ELECTION. 
          SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS WE ARE AT 0.6897. WE WERE PREVIOUSLY AT 0.7696. AND FOR THIS NOVEMBER, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, CITY COUNCIL WILL BE LOOKING AT CONTEMPLATING A PROJECTED TAX RATE OF 0.6799. SO WHAT THIS IS PROPOSING IS TO REBALANCE THE TAX RATE BY REDUCE. IT WOULD REDUCE THE TAX RATE BY ABOUT $0.04. OVERALL, $0.03 WOULD BE REBALANCED WITHIN THE RATE BETWEEN THE DEBT SERVICE. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN GREEN IS LABELED AS INS TO THE ONM, WHICH IS LABELED HERE IN BLUE, WHICH IS YOUR GENERAL FUND, AND REDUCE THE OVERALL RATE BY APPROXIMATELY $0.01. THIS ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE PARKS AND CITY FACILITIES, BUT WITH OUR BOND PROGRAM, SUSTAIN CITY SERVICES, KEEP GARLAND COMPETITIVE WHILE ALSO WORKING TO PROVIDE SOME CITY TAX RATE RELIEF TO OUR CITIZENS. SO LOOKING AT A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATED IMPACT TO A GARLAND RESIDENT, AND THIS IS PRELIMINARY, THESE PRELIMINARY AVERAGE TAX BILLS AND THE AVERAGE TAXABLE VALUE WILL CHANGE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE THE VALUE ESTIMATION PROCESS WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS AND RECEIVE CERTIFIED VALUES AT THE END OF JULY. BUT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THE AVERAGE ESTIMATED AVERAGE TAX BILL FOR JUST THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY HOME WOULD DECREASE $13 UNDER THIS PROPOSED TAX RATE SWAP AND DROP. AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO FAHAD TO WALK US THROUGH THE FY 27 BUDGET OUTLOOK. SO STARTING WITH THE CALENDAR, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS YEARS. HOWEVER, DUE TO US GOING TO A TAX RATE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, WE ARE A MONTH EARLIER AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW SOME VERY SPECIFIC TIMELINES AS SET BY THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND THE TAX CODE. SO STARTING JULY 6TH, WE WILL BE DELIVERING THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL. JULY 20TH WE WILL HAVE COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET JULY 25TH, WHICH IS THAT SATURDAY SPECIAL SESSION. WE WILL HAVE DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS AND ALSO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. JULY 28TH WE WILL BE SUBMITTING THE APPRAISAL AND COUNCIL WILL VOTE TO PLACE A PROPOSAL TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE. 
          SET DATES AND TIMES FOR THE PUBLIC MEETING ON THE TAX RATE AS WELL. AUGUST 3RD WE WILL HAVE COUNCIL DISCUSSION. AUGUST 4TH WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE. 
          AUGUST 11TH WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE, AS WELL AS 
          [04:20:04]
COUNCIL DISCUSSION. AND THEN ON AUGUST 17TH DATE, COUNCIL WILL GIVE FINAL DIRECTION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WE WILL ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN ALSO CALL FOR THE TAX RATE ELECTION. THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL DATE. THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC TIMELINES SET BY THE TAX CODE THAT THIS IS A REALLY CRITICAL DATE FOR US TO SET THE TAX RATE. MOVING INTO GENERAL FUND REVENUE UNDER THE NO BUDGET. THIS IS WITHOUT THE TAX RATE ELECTION. SOME OF THE MAJOR REVENUES IN THE GENERAL FUND WERE PRELIMINARY, PROJECTING $254.3 MILLION IN TOTAL RESOURCES. OF THAT, WE HAVE ABOUT 80 MILLION OF PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH IS ABOUT 30% 45.5, AND SALES TAX, WHICH IS 18% LANDFILL AND DISPOSAL OF 25.8, WHICH IS ABOUT 10% OF GDP. RETURN ON INVESTMENT, WHICH IS 27.9 OR 11%, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES OF 75.5 OR 30%. LOOKING AT OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE, EARLY PROJECTIONS, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE PRELIMINARY. WE WILL HAVE FINAL CERTIFIED VALUES ON JULY 24TH. CURRENTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT 30.2 BILLION, WHICH IS A $1.9 BILLION INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. SHIFTING OVER TO NEW CONSTRUCTION, WE'RE LOOKING AT A $470 MILLION INCREASE. THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE SEEN RECORD HIGHS, BUT BASED ON A BUILDING PERMIT DATA, WHICH IS TYPICALLY A LEADING INDICATOR OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, WE EXPECT THIS TO DROP DOWN AND STABILIZE OVER THE COMING YEARS. LOOKING AT OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE GROWTH RATES, WE'RE PROJECTING A CURRENT 6.53% OF THAT, WHICH IS 4.9 IS FROM EXISTING PROPERTY. 
          1.66 IS NEW CONSTRUCTION. LOOKING OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 1.6 NEW IN NEW CONSTRUCTION. SO THIS IS ABOUT IN LINE WITH HISTORICAL AVERAGE. AND AGAIN, BASED ON SB TWO, WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO REALIZE A SMALL PORTION OF A DIFFERENT PORTION OF THAT 6.5.3 PERCENT INCREASE. LOOKING AT OUR SALES TAX FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE PROJECTING 45.5. AND THE PRIMARY THING TO NOTE HERE IN THE DARK BLUE IS THE HEALTHY ONE TIME REVENUES. THOSE ARE UNIQUE, NON-RECURRING, ONE TIME SOURCES THAT WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          THEY WERE VERY HEALTHY FOR US. BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE A VERY HIGH AMOUNTS THIS CURRENT YEAR, ABOUT 4.7 MILLION AND ONE TIME. AND THERIOR YEAR BEFORE THAT 5.6. AND WE'RE EXPECTING, IF YOU NOTICE THE IN 2020, SINCE 2023, WE'VE BEEN AT ABOUT 45.5 MILLION. SO WE'RE EXPECTING TO HOLD TO THAT TREND NEXT YEAR AND INTO THE FUTURE AS A NEW BASELINE. LOOKING AT OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT, WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT 27.9. THIS IS ABOUT A $1.1 MILLION INCREASE. IN 2021, WE BEGAN TO INCREASE ABOUT 3.5% IN LINE TO HELP COMPENSATE FOR THE SB TWO. AND STARTING LAST YEAR, WE CHANGED THE METHODOLOGY TO BE THE GREATER OF A 8% OF A THREE YEAR AVERAGE OF NET RETAIL SALES, OR THAT 3.5% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. AND THIS YEAR IT'S ABOUT 3.9% INCREASE. LOOKING AT OUR LANDFILL AND DISPOSAL REVENUE, WE'RE PROJECTING A 25.8 AT 25.8 MILLION. INCLUDED IN THIS ARE PROJECTED RATE INCREASES AT THE LANDFILL, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO GENERATE ABOUT $784,000. IF YOU NOTICE, THIS IS BEING HELD RELATIVELY FLAT TO THE PRIOR YEAR, AND THIS IS BECAUSE WE WERE ASSESSING A STREET AND ALLEY SURCHARGE TO THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT. IN LIEU OF FLOWING THAT THROUGH THE LANDFILL DEPARTMENT, THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY ALLOCATED TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND FOR STREET MAINTENANCE, AS OPPOSED TO LANDFILL. SOME OTHER PRELIMINARY REVENUE FEE CHANGES THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING IN FURTHER DETAIL WITH THE PROPOSED PROPOSED BUDGET ARE RESTRUCTURED BUILDING INSPECTION FEES CODE COMPLIANCE, WHICH INCLUDES THAT SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PERMIT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LIBRARY AND PLANNING. SO LOOKING AT THE BASE BUDGET, SOME OF THE MAJOR COST DRIVERS THAT ARE DRIVING OUR INCREASES, WE'RE INCLUDING A 3.5% MERIT INCREASE FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE AND A 3.5% PLUS MARKET FOR CIVIL SERVICE, WHICH WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 4.6 MILLION. WE ARE INCLUDING ABOUT 960,000 FOR MARKET ADJUSTMENTS. 
          THIS IS TO HELP ADDRESS THE WAGE GAP THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER FOR HIGH TURNOVER AND FREQUENTLY VACANT POSITIONS. WEWEWE'REEE ALSLSLSOOO INCREASIE RETIREE RETIREMENTTALI BENEFIT FOR C C CIVILILIL S S SM 2.75 TO 3. ANDHIS HE 
          [04:25:01]
FINC C DIIO P Y WAS TO RAISE THIS INCREMENTALLY TILL WE REACH A 3%. AND THIS IS STARTING FY 27, WILL BE AT THAT 3%. ALSO INCLUDED IS A 10% INCREASE TO THE CITY CONTRIBUTION TO ACTIVES AND 3% TO RETIREES, WHICH WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION. ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE, WE'RE LOOKING AT BASED OPERATIONAL COSTS INCREASE ABOUT 436 K INCREASES TO FLEET MAINTENANCE OF ABOUT 668,000, AND ALSO ECONOMIC MARKET WIDE CHANGES RELATED TO IT INFRASTRUCTURE, VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS AND FUEL COSTS. SO AS MIKE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED TO REALLOCATE, REALIGN AND REPRIORITIZE THEIR BUDGETS TO CREATE SAVINGS AND HELP FUND SOME OF THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AROUND THE CITY. AND AS A PART OF THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN VACANT POSITIONS THAT WOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON CITYWIDE OPERATIONS. THAT YIELDED ABOUT $598,000. AND OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO USE THAT TO FUND MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR SE OF THOSE CRITICAL POSITIONS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER. ADDITIONALLY, ON THE OPERATING SIDE, WE DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED TO REALIGN THEIR EXISTING BUDGETS TO CREATE OPERATIONAL SAVINGS, WHICH YIELDED ABOUT 1.3 MILLION TOTAL AND ONGOING AND ONE TIME FUNDS AND STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE USED THAT TO FUND CORE SERVICES, THE STRATEC STRATEGIC PLAN AND TO MAINTAIN RESERVES. AND ONE IMPORTANT NOTE TO HIGHLIGHT HERE, THIS IS INCLUDED UNDER BOTH BUDGET SCENARIOS, UNDER THE YES BUDGET AND THE NO BUDGET, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE SOME OF THESE CUTS IN THE BUDGET, BUT GOING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT REALIGNING BUDGETS ON A YEARLY BASIS TO CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY SAVINGS GOING FORWARD. SO SHIFTING OVER TO THE NEW REQUEST, WE'LL START OUT WITH THE NO BUDGET, WHICH THESE ARE ITEMS WITH OR WITHOUT THE TAX RATE WE'RE PLANNING TO REQUEST. SO THE FIRST BLOCK HERE IS ACCELERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S ABOUT $5.7 MILLION TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE CITY WIDE STRATEGIC PLAN. SO THIS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THE CODE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S THREE NEW POSITIONS AND OPERATIONAL FUNDING TO HELP BOLSTER THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE CARE CODE CARES PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SIDE, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THERE IS ONE SENIOR PLANNER, ONE REHAB COORDINATOR, ONE DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR, AND OTHER OPERATIONAL FUNDING TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING SIDE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE EARMARKED $5 MILLION FOR REDEVELOPMENT. THIS WILL BE FUNDING USED TO IMPLEMENT INCENTIVES AND OTHER PROGRAMS AS INTIFIED AS A PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE ANOTHER BLOCK TO PROTECT CORE SERVICES. THIS IS PRIMARILY TO FUND NEW BOND FACILITIES. SO WE HAVE A VET TECH FOR THE NEW ANIMAL SHELTER. RICK ODEN, SPLASH PAD CHEMICALS, FUNDING FOR THE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, REPLACEMENT PARKS, EQUIPMENT AND SURF AND SWIM FUNDING. SO UNDER THE NO BUDGET, THE TOTAL NEW REQUESTS ARE ABOUT 7.3 MILLION. OF THAT, 1.5 ARE ONGOING REQUEST, AND THEN ABOUT 5.8 ARE ONE TIME REQUESTS. SO LOOKING AT THE PRELIMINARY FUND SUMMARY FOR THE GENERAL FUND UNDER THE NO BUDGET, WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING ABOUT $254.3 MILLION. AND REVENUE OF THAT 1.6 IS FROM PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES. BASELINE EXPENDITURES 243.3 MILLION, INCLUDING ALL THE NEW FUNDING REQUESTS, AS WELL AS REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPENSATION AND GROUP HEALTH. THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 15.3 MILLION, WHICH WOULD LEAVE ABOUT $100,000 OF REMAINING FUND BALANCE AND 7.5 IN GENERAL FUND RESERVES. 
          SHIFTING GEARS OVER TO THE BUDGET. SO THIS CHART HERE IS SIMILAR TO THE NO BUDGET, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE AN ADDITIONAL $10.3 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, ASSUMING THE TAX RATE ELECTION PASSES, LEADING TO A A TOTAL PRELIMINARY TOTAL OF 264.6 MILLION. SO MOVING ON TO THE NEW REQUEST, THE BUDGET WILL INCLUDE ALL ITEMS WE DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDES UNDER THE NO BUDGET. THAT INCLUDES THE REALLOCATIONS AND THOSE NEW FUNDING REQUESTS, PLUS THESE ENHANCED CIVIL SERVICE LEVEL REQUESTS. THAT INCLUDES 1.8 FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND OVERTIME, 800,000 FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE DISPATCHERS, 1.7 FOR TEN ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, THREE ANIMAL CARE TECHNICIANS, A CODE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR, A MAGISTRATE, SERVICES FOR MUNICIPAL COURT, PARK SECURITY AND A PARKS REC SPECIALIST AND PARKS FIELD SUPERVISOR FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 4.9 MILLION FOR ENHANCED SERVICE LEVEL INITIATIVES. THE SECOND BLOCK OF REQUESTS ARE FOR CONTINUED SERVICE LEVELS. THESE ARE TO MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVELS AND AMENITIES WITHIN THE CITY, WHICH IS ABOUT 4.5 MILLION. THAT INCLUDES PARKS 
          [04:30:04]
AND CITY LANDSCAPING, LIBRARY RESOURCES, SPECIAL EVENTS, PARKS, VEHICLES, THE WILD WILDFLOWER PLANTING PROGRAM, TRANSPORTATION, CROSSING GUARDS AND SIGNS AND MARKINGS, PROGRAM CONTINUATION, AS WELL AS RESERVES FOR LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY. AND AS MIKE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, IF WE EXPECT PRESSURES FROM THE LEGISLATURE, THAT MIGHT LIMIT OUR CAPACITY TO RAISE REVENUE OR IF THERE'S ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, THIS WOULD HELP BOLSTER OUR RESERVES AND TO AVOID HAVING TO MAKE CUTS IN A FUTURE BUDGET OR HAVE TO GO BACK TO TAX RATE ELECTION IN FUTURE FISCAL YEAR. SO THE TOTAL, YES, BUDGET REQUESTS ARE ABOUT 9.4 MILLION OF THAT, OUR 8.6 MILLION IN ONGOING REQUESTS AND ONE TIME REQUEST OF ABOUT 800,000. SO LOOKING AT THE PRELIMINARY FUND SUMMARY UNDER THE BUDGET, THIS IS THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, EXCEPT WITH. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ADDITIONAL 10.3 OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FEEDING INTO A TOTAL RESOURCES OF 264.6 MILLION, SAME BASELINE AS UNDER THE NO BUDGET OF 243.3 MILLION. AND THEN THOSE ADDITIONAL YES BUDGET REQUESTS WOULD TOTAL 247 OR 24.7 MILLION OF NEW REQUESTS, ALONG WITH COMPENSATION AND GROUP HEALTH REQUIREMENTS, WHICH WOULD LEAVE US ABOUT $1.2 MILLION OF REMAINING FUND BALANCE AND ABOUT 7.2 MILLION IN AVAILABLE RESERVES. LOOKING AT OUR PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES, THERE IS NO PROPOSED CHANGE TO ELECTRIC WATER. INCLUDES A $2.42 $0.47 MONTHLY INCREASE, WHICH IS ABOUT 3.6%. WASTEWATER INCLUDES A 2.7% INCREASE, OR ABOUT $1 PER MONTH. TRASH COLLECTION INCLUDES A $2 INCREASE FOR SINGLE RESIDENT HOME AND STORMWATER. INCLUDES A PROJECTED $0.50 INCREASE, AND IN A PRIOR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, COUNCIL GAVE THE DIRECTION TO INCREMENTALLY, INCREMENTALLY INCREASE THE STORMWATER RATE TO MEET THE METROPLEX AVERAGE WE ARE AT, WHICH WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. I BELIEVE WE'RE NOW AT THAT PRIOR THREE YEAR METROPLEX AVERAGE. AS YOU CAN SEE DOWN HERE, THE METROPLEX AVERAGE IS NOW 816 FOR MID-SIZE RESIDENTS. WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 6.4 FOR STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO INCREASE THAT TO BY $0.50 TO 6.94. BUT WE'RE SEEKING COUNCIL DIRECTION ON WHETHER TO CONTINUE WITH THAT PHASE AND STRATEGY. YOU WOULD FACE A SHARPER INCREASE TO HIT IT ALL IN ONE YEAR. BUT PRIOR COUNCIL DIRECTION WAS TO SLOWLY INCREMENT. SO WE WANTED TO GET CONFIRMATION ON THAT COUNCIL DIRECTION ON THAT. BACK AT THE END. YES. OKAY. WE HAVE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. SO MAYOR, I'LL LOOK FOR YOU FOR SPECIFIC DIRECTION ON THIS. I KIND OF HAVE THESE BROKEN OUT BY TOPIC. AND SO I'LL I CAN COVER ONE AND THEN PAUSE FOR COUNCIL DIRECTION. OR WE CAN WRAP ALL TOGETHER AT THE END. STOP FIRST. I HAVE A QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON. YES, SIR. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THE CIVIL SERVICE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDER THE NO BUDGET, WITH THEIR PAY RATE INCREASE. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW, DID THEY RECEIVE THE SAME 3% LUMP SUM THAT EVERYONE ELSE RECEIVED THIS PAST YEAR, OR DID THEY ALSO GET MARKET INCREASE WITH THE 3% THAT NIGHT? OKAY, WE GOT 2% IS WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING. THAT 2% LUMP SUM LUMP SUM. THEY DID NOT GET THE 3% MERIT RAISE, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THERE'S ONGOING EVERY YEAR. THEY'VE LOOKED AT WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF THEIR PAY BANDS AND THEY'VE HAD SALARY ADJUSTMENTS ASIDE FROM THE MERIT INCREASES, THEY'VE HAD MARKET ADJUSTMENTS, MARKET ADJUSTMENTS EVERY YEAR EXCEPT FOR LAST YEAR, WHICH THEY RECEIVED THE ONE TIME LUMP SUM AS ALL OTHER GENERAL SCHEDULE EMPLOYEES. SO HOW FAR OFF OF MARKET RATE ARE THEY? DO WE KNOW THAT? BECAUSE I'D BE WILLING TO BET MY ENTIRE COUNCIL PAY THAT THEY ARE FAR CLOSER TO MARKET RATE THAN ANY OF OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE? NOBODY WOULD TAKE THAT. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. SO I WOULD WE WILL WE'LL PULL THE PERCENTAGE. I ALMLMOST WROTE IT DOWN, BUT THEN I IT FLEW OUT OF MY MIND. AND SO WE'LL GET THAT HANDY. BUT THEY ARE AHEAD OF THE REST OF THE GENERAL SCHEDULE BECAUSE PRIOR TO LAST YEAR, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THEY GET THE MERIT PLUS SOME FORM OF MARKET ADJUSTMENT BASED ON A COMPARISON TO THE METROPLEX. ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE SET THAT INFORMATION AT OUR PUBLIC SERVICE ANALYSIS. YES, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN IF WE WERE TO EITHER FREEZE PARTIAL OF THE MERIT 
          [04:35:10]
INCREASE OR THE MARKET RATE INCREASE FOR CIVIL SERVICE, COULD THAT POTENTIALLY FUND THE EIGHT CALL TAKER SLASH DISPATCH POSITIONS? AND THEN THE NINE FIRE FIGHTERS THAT WE WOULD NEED. WE HAVE AN ANSWER NOW, BUT WE WILL REVIEW IF THE MATH WORKS ON THAT. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE WATER, THE STORM WATER, I WOULD 100% BE IN FAVOR OF JUST DOING A ONE LUMP, ONE FULL SWOOP, GET IT UP TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS SO THAT $8. BECAUSE EVEN JUST LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS IS IT'S, I'M SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ON PAR WITH SURROUNDING CITIES FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER ONES. SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF JUST RIPPING THE BAND AID OFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. MAYOR PRO TEM, LOOK, AS YOU LOOK AT THOSE CIVIL GENERAL SCHEDULE AND CIVIL SERVICE NUMBERS, I MEAN, I WOULD, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, LIKE TO SEE A HIGHER WAGE COMPENSATION FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE. SO IF THERE'S THERE'S SOME MANIPULATION WE CAN DO THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. ANYBODY ELSE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THEN I'D LIKE TO TAKE UP THE QUESTION REGARDING THE STORMWATER FEE CHANGE COUNCIL. JUST TO GIVE A HISTORY FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T INVOLVED WITH THAT, IS THAT WE DID INCREASE THAT BY 50% FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW TO TRY TO RAISE UP TO THE AVERAGE. MY QUESTION IS WHETHER THAT AVERAGE HAS OUTRUN THAT 50% INCREASE. OKAY. AT THE SAME TIME. SO THE QUESTION WOULD BE THEN IT HAS. SO DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE 50% 50 CENT INCREASES OR A GREATER INCREASE? OR LIKE COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON SAID, JUST TRY TO BRING IT UP TO THE AVERAGE ALL AT ONCE, KNOWING THAT NEXT YEAR THE AVERAGE WILL GO UP AGAIN MORE THAN LIKELY, AND WE MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER EVALUATION AT THAT TIME, THE NEXT BUDGET. SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR FEEDBACK ON ON THOSE OPTIONS. COUNCIL DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF BRINGING IT UP TO MARKET AVERAGE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S A MOVING TARGET AND IT WILL NEVER CATCH UP AT $0.50 A YEAR. SO LET'S JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE MARKET AVERAGE. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, I'LL AGREE WITH THE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. I THINK WE SHOULD RIP THE BAND AID OFF. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO CATCH UP AT $0.50 AT A TIME, BECAUSE THAT NUMBER'S ALWAYS MOVING. VERY GOOD. SIR. MAYOR PRO TEM, I AGREE. AND JUST AS A REMINDER, EVERYONE AT THIS DAIS PAYS THE SAME BILLS. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AGREED. 
          THAT'S FIVE. THAT'S ALL I NEED. AND WE WILL THEN MOVE IT UP TO MARKET. WE'LL TAKE THAT DIRECTION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. KEEP ON MOVING FORWARD. BUT ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS NOW YOU WANT TO HAVE TALK ABOUT THOSE OR ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT THESE THREE COMBINATION. OKAY I WILL I'LL INVITE MIKE TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS FIRST ONE. HE'S MORE INFORMED THAN I AM ON THE DETAILS OF THIS TOPIC. AS THE COUNCIL HAS HEARD THIS WEEK. IN SUMMARY, THERE WAS A PROJECT REQUEST FOR OUR IT DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW UPGRADES TO OUR OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN SYSTEM. 
          THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH IT TO SCOPE THAT, AND THEY WERE PROPOSING A RESEARCH TO PROJECT TO UPGRADE THE OUTDOOR WARNING WARNING SIREN SYSTEM FROM ANALOG CONTROL ARCHITECTURE TO A P25 DIGITAL PLATFORM. THE CURRENT ANALOG REPEATER IS A SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE AND COULD PREVENT SIREN ACTIVATION. THE TRANSITION TO P25 TECHNOLOGY COULD ENABLE THE SIREN TO ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY'S EXISTING PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO NETWORK AND IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND REDUNDANCY. THAT WAS AN ESTIMATED PROJECT COST OF ABOUT ALMOST 216,000. THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE FIX THAT WOULD BE TO PURCHASE A PRE-CONFIGURED BACKUP REPEATER, WHICH WOULD REDUCE ANY DOWNTIME BUT NOT PROVIDE THE SAME EXACT SAME LEVEL OF RESILIENCE RESILIENCY AS THE FULL P25 MIGRATION THAT HAS A ONE TIME PROJECT COST ABOUT 25,000. AND THAT'S WHAT'S CURRENTLY CONSIDERED THE NO BUDGET. BUT WE WANTED TO BRING THIS ITEM BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DIRECTION, AS CITY MANAGEMENT WILL BE MAKING THEIR DECISIONS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET THIS WEEK, COUNCILMEMBER DUTTON SO THE THE QUESTION IS IF THE CURRENT SYSTEM COULD MALFUNCTION AS FAR AS JUST THEY 
          [04:40:03]
ALL GO OFF AT ONCE OR THEY DON'T. IS IT MORE SO THAT THEY DO GO OFF OR THEY DON'T GO OFF? I'LL ASK OUR CITY MANAGER. SO I WAS INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS BACK WHEN I WAS AT IT, AND THE P25 DIGITAL SYSTEM IS SLIGHTLY MORE ROBUST IN TERMS OF ITS ABILITY TO GET THROUGH FOR THE SIGNALS TO GET THROUGH. THAT SAID, WE HAVEN'T HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE SIGNALS THROUGH ON THE FM, JUST WE HAVE A SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE BECAUSE WE HAVE A REPEATER, WE HAVE ONE REPEATER AND NOT A BACKUP REPEATER. THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO PURCHASE A PRE-CONFIGURED BACKUP REPEATER. THE OTHER ADVANTAGE OF THE P25 SYSTEM IS TWOFOLD. NUMBER ONE, YOU COULD SET OFF CERTAIN SIRENS, BUT NOT OTHER SIRENS. INSTEAD OF JUST TURNING ON THE SIRENS, WE COULD PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH SIRENS WE SET OFF. DO WE? WOULD WE USE THAT FUNCTIONALITY? HOW FREQUENTLY WOULD WE USE THAT FUNCTIONALITY? I DON'T KNOW. 
          NUMBER TWO IS WITH RESPECT TO THE P25, THE TECHNOLOGY IS SOMEWHAT MORE SECURE AS IT WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SOMEBODY TO HACK IN AND SET OFF THE SIRENS WHEN WE DIDN'T WANT THEM TO. IS THAT A HUGE RISK? WELL, IN THE 30 YEARS WE'VE BEEN HERE, THE ONLY TIME I'M AWARE THEY WENT OFF WHEN WE DIDN'T WANT THEM TO WAS WHEN IT WAS FIXING THEM. AND SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT PROBLEM AT THE SYSTEM AS IT IS, IS IS GOT SECURITY FEATURES ON IT. GOING TO P25 WOULD MAKE IT MORE SECURE. IT GOES TO THE BROADER ISSUE ALSO OF WHAT'S THE ACTUAL PURPOSE OF OUTDOOR WARNING SYSTEMS, WHICH IS TO ALERT PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSIDE THAT TO GO INSIDE. BY AND LARGE, THE MOST WE HEAR ABOUT THE OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN SYSTEM IS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING INSIDE THEIR HOUSE, WHO TELL YOU THAT THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE WARNING. 
          SIRENS GO OFF WHILE THEY WERE INSIDE THEIR HOUSE, WHICH THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR. AND THEN PEOPLE WILL GO OUT ON THEIR PORCH BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HEAR THEM INSIDE THE HOUSE TO SEE IF THEY CAN HEAR THEM OUTSIDE. AND IF THE WARNING SIRENS ARE GOING OFF, WE WOULD PREFER THEY STAY INSIDE THEIR HOUSE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WE BRING THIS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, BUT I, I HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF CONFIDENCE THAT THE $25,000 UPGRADE WOULD PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL REDUNDANCY THAT WOULD MAKE THAT SYSTEM CONTINUE TO BE OPERATIONAL. AND, AND THIS IS, I ALMOST WANT TO SAY, AN UNFAIR TOPIC RIGHT NOW, COMING HOT OFF THE HEELS FROM KERR COUNTY. SO BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT HAD ISSUES WITH OUR OPERATING SYSTEM AS IT STANDS ASIDE FROM A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN ALL OF THEM WENT OFF FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON IN THE MIDDLE OF A NATIONAL TURMOIL. SO THEN PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING NUKED. SO THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE TRYING TO NECESSARILY AVOID NOW THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY CAUSED WHEN IT WAS WORKING ON THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? THIS WAS A MATTER OF SOMEONE HACKING INTO THE SYSTEM. I ALSO WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW MANY TIMES IN US HISTORY SOMEONE HAS HACKED INTO AN EMERGENCY OUTDOOR SIREN. BUT I, I, I THINK THAT THIS WOULD IT'S A ROUGH ONE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY NO TO AN EMERGENCY SYSTEM UPGRADE. HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT THE CITY AS A WHOLE HAS A PLETHORA OF SAFEGUARDS IN. IN EFFECT, RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THIS SITUATION JUST AS WE DID WHEN IT SET OFF THE ALARMS, WE WERE ABLE TO SEND OUT A CITYWIDE TEXT NOTIFICATION TO ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP FOR OUR EMERGENCY ALERT PROGRAM. SO I, I WILL BE THE BAD GUY AND SAY I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF $215,000 AS OF RIGHT NOW, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WE HAVE TO BE TIGHT WITH OUR BUDGET. AND IF THIS IS NOT IT'S NOT A SITUATION THAT WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. IT IS. IT'S NOT GOING TO SAFEGUARD US IN A SITUATION LIKE KERR COUNTY DEALT WITH. WE HAD OUR OWN HURRICANE AND THE. THE OUTDOOR SIRENS WENT OFF LITERALLY 45 SECONDS BEFORE TRANSFORMERS STARTED BLOWING, SO I. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS A. AN EMERGENT, NO PUN INTENDED SITUATION THAT WE NEED TO OUT. 
          WE NEED TO BE OUT THIS MONEY IN THE FUTURE. WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT. BUT AT THIS TIME I WOULD, I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF, OF COMING OFF OF THAT MONEY FOR IT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MA'AM. COUNCILMEMBER CARRAWAY, I SECOND CARISSA AND HER SENTIMENTS, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, ONE THING THAT I DEFINITELY SAY IS, LIKE YOU SAID, HAVE EVERYONE SIGN UP FOR 
          [04:45:03]
OUR TEXT ALERTS AS WELL AS, AS WE CONTINUE IN TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE. WE ALL HAVE SMARTPHONES, WE ALL HAVE CELL PHONES. SO IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALERTED ON YOUR CELL PHONE ANYWAY. SO NOT REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT US BEING HACKED FOR SOMEONE TO SET OFF ALARMS WITHOUT EVERYONE GOING TO THEIR CELL PHONES ANYWAY TO CONFIRM THAT IT'S A LEGITIMATE THING. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AND I, MY MY OLD I.T. 
          DEPARTMENT HAD A SAYING THAT JUST BECAUSE WE COULD UPGRADE A SOFTWARE DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD. 
          MAE THE THE I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S THE THE JUICE ISN'T WORTH THE SQUEEZE WAS THE FRUIT. 
          IT JUST WASN'T WORTH THE MONEY THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THE INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT. IT JUST WASN'T WORTH IT. SO I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN DUTTON THAT AT THIS TIME, HAVING A HAVING A REDUNDANT SYSTEM FOR 25,000 IS A WISER CHOICE OF WHERE WE SPEND OUR MONEY, AT LEAST FOR THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER SEGOVIANO HI THERE. YES, I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN CARISSA AND COUNCILMAN PRESTON. VERY GOOD. AND I'LL BE A FIFTH. 
          THERE WE GO. I WILL INVITE OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, PAUL, AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ANDY HESTER TO COVER THIS NEXT TOPIC FOR US. I'LL STEP TO THE SIDE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ABOUT THE BRADFIELD RECREATION CENTER. WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ABOUT THIS FACILITY THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME MORE INFORMATION. I HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE FACILITY. I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO VISIT AND EXPERIENCE THE CONDITION THAT IT'S IN, KNOWING ALSO THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DATA IN HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MORSE, THAT I HAD TO GO VERY QUICK. I'LL I'LL BE I'LL BE QUICK WITH THE WITH THE PROCESS. BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO TAKE FROM THIS SLIDE IS THAT WE'VE GOT A OVER 50 YEAR FACILITY THAT HAS LIVED ITS USEFUL LIFE. 
          IT'S ABOUT A 900 ZERO SQUARE FOOT FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT FOR RECREATION 50 YEARS AGO, AND SO IT DOES NOT MEET CURRENT ADA REQUIREMENTS. IT DOES NOT MEET CURRENT CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE. NOW. THERE IS AN ATTENDANCE OF ABOUT 134,000 THAT GO THROUGH THAT BUILDING, BUT THOSE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CHECKED IN AND OUT OF THAT FACILITY. ONE THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, THAT THIS FACILITY WAS NOT PART OF THE 2019 BOND PACKAGE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS NOT IN THAT BOND PACKAGE DUE TO ITS AGE AND DUE TO IT BEING PAST ITS USEFUL LIFE, AND SO NOT WANTING TO POUR MONEY INTO A FACILITY THAT MAY BE AT THE END OF ITS LIFE. I KNOW ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS OF THIS FACILITY IS THE POOL THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE WITH THE CENTER. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POOL, IT DOES HAVE A KID POOL AREA OR A SHALLOW WATER FEATURE THAT ALLOWS YOUNGER KIDS TO PLAY. IT DOES HAVE A, A WATER SLIDE. AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT IN A FUTURE SLIDE. THAT THE WATER SLIDE HAS REACHED ITS END OF LIFE CAPACITY NEEDS SOME, SOME SOME HEAVY WORK ON IT. IT HAS VARIOUS HOURS. IT'S OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR SWIM LESSONS, AND IT HAS AN ANNUAL ATTENDANCE OF ABOUT 22,000. AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH FOR LESSONS. ONE THING I DID WANT TO POINT OUT ABOUT THE POOL AGAIN, THIS POOL BEING SIMILAR IN AGE TO THE RECREATION CENTER. IT WAS BUILT AT A TIME WHEN LAP SWIMMING WAS WAS MORE PREVALENT. SO IT'S BUILT FOR MORE OF AN OLYMPIC STYLE TYPE TYPE ATMOSPHERE WHERE YOU GO IN AND YOU SWIM LAPS. THE PREFERRED RECREATION METHOD, AS ANDY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT NOW, ARE MORE ACTIVITIES WITHIN A POOL. SO YOU LOOK AT SURF AND SWIM THAT JUST RECENTLY OPENED AND YOU HAVE THE ROCK CLIMBING FEATURE. 
          YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE THE LAZY RIVER OPTION THAT ARE MORE RECREATION BASED RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL SWIMMING BASED. SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. SO LOOKING AT THE COST THAT THAT, THAT IT HAS ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH THE REC CENTER AND THE POOL, I WON'T NAME THEM ALL ONE BY ONE, BUT ON THE RECREATION RECREATION CENTER SIDE, WE HAVE ABOUT A $276,000 COST ASSOCIATED WITH WITH OPERATING THE CENTER. THAT INCLUDES OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS AND THEN STAFFING BOTH FULL TIME, PART TIME AND SEASONAL STAFFING ASSOCIATED WITH IT. 
          ONE THING YOU'LL SEE IS THAT WE'VE GOT GENERAL GENERAL REVENUE, GENERAL FUND REVENUE, EXCUSE ME, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AS ZERO. AND THE REASON FOR THAT, THERE IS A RECREATION PASS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED FOR OUR RECREATION CENTERS, BUT THAT GETS YOU INTO ALL OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS. SO IT'S HARD TO PINPOINT THAT THAT IS JUST REVENUE FOR THAT SPECIFIC REC CENTER. AND SO WE DID NOT PUT A NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, WHERE WE DO SEE A LOT OF OUR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FACILITY ARE WITHIN THE POOL. SO IT IS VERY HEAVY ON THE 
          [04:50:03]
SEASONAL STAFFING, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LIFEGUARDS THAT ARE OPERATING THAT THAT FACILITY. AND THEN ALSO THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RELATED TO CHEMICALS AND OTHER ITEMS NEEDED TO OPERATE THE POOL. NOW, THERE IS A GENERAL FUND REVENUE THAT WE CAN POINT TO FROM LAST YEAR OF ABOUT 3000. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OPERATING COST OF THE REC CENTER AND THE POOL, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT A $650,000 COST BETWEEN THE REC CENTER AND THE POOL. SO, SO GOING FORWARD, WE'VE BEEN ABLE AS STAFF TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF THIS FACILITY. AND SO IT SEEMS KIND OF LIKE DEJA VU SOMEWHAT. COUNCIL. WE WERE HERE WITH THE CIP PROCESS AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BRADFIELD. WE IDENTIFIED IT AS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT WITHIN OUR FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT STUDY. AND WE DID HAVE THIS CONVERSATION OF, DO WE WANT TO HAVE THIS PROJECT NEXT ON THE LIST? AND IT'S IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE STUDY TO REPAIR SOME SYSTEMS THAT WE SEE WILL BE FAILING SOON. AND THOSE SYSTEMS INCLUDE THINGS LIKE HVAC, THE ROOF WITHIN THE BUILDING ARE THINGS THAT WERE THE MOST PREVALENT, AND THERE WERE SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED WITHIN THAT. AND SO THERE'S ALSO BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE GYM FLOOR WITHIN THAT BUILDING. AND OUR FACILITIES TEAM HAS GONE OUT AND LOOKED AT THAT.T. S BETWEEN THE, THE FCA, THE FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT WORK THAT'S BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, AS WELL AS THE GYM FLOOR, IT'S ABOUT $1.4 MILLION WORTH OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. AND I DID TAKE A SENTENCE OUT OF THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT STUDY THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FLOOR. IT SAYS THE BUILDING WALLS WERE SUPPORTED BY A DEEP FOUNDATION ELEMENT. THE FLOOR ITSELF WAS LEFT SITTING ON SOIL THAT MOVES LIKE A SPONGE. AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE HEAVY REMEDIATION TO GO IN AND SHORE UP THAT THAT FLOOR. AND AGAIN, THIS IS CONSTRUCTION FROM FROM 50 YEARS AGO. THIS WASN'T A TEAM THAT IS IN THE IN THE RECENT THAT'S DONE ANYTHING WITH THIS. THIS IS JUST THE, THE BUILDING THAT WE'VE INHERITED AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE, TO MOVE FORWARD OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY. YOU LOOK AT THE POOL. THE POOL HAS REALLY LIVED ITS USEFUL LIFE. AND SO I WANTED TO POINT OUT ON THE FIRST BULLET POINT LAST WEEK, WE HAD TO DELAY THE OPENING OF THE POOL DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, AND IT WAS ABOUT A $12,000 REPAIR THAT HAS HAD TO TAKE PLACE. WE FEEL A STAFF THAT THIS IS ONE OF MANY THAT'S GOING TO START CREEPING UP ON US AS WE'VE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH OTHER POOLS LIKE SURF AND SWIM. AS AN EXAMPLE OF ONCE WE START GETTING THESE FAILURES, IT BECOMES A DOMINO EFFECT OF THESE. THESE STARTING TO RUN THROUGH, BUT SEVERAL ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE TO BE DONE IN HERE. AND I'LL NAME SOME OF THE HIGH, HIGH IMPACT ITEMS. YOU LOOK AT THE THE REPLASTERING OF THE POOL YOU'RE LOSING, YOU'RE LOSING WATER THROUGH THE THROUGH THE PLASTER THAT'S THERE. YOU'VE GOT CRACKING, THAT'S, THAT'S EXISTING. AND THAT'S A $300,000 ITEM. YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN THE RECIRCULATION, THE UV SYSTEM THAT HELPS TO CLEAN THE, THE WATER OF THE POOL THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 747 000 FOR THOSE THOSE POOL REPAIRS. 
          AND THESE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN BASED OFF OF ACTUAL STUDIES. THESE HAVE BEEN BASED ON ROM OR ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE ESTIMATES. AND SO THESE WOULD NEED TO BE SHORED UP. BUT WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THESE ARE GOOD ESTIMATES THAT WE COULD UTILIZE FOR A BUDGET.O WHAT STAFF WOULD ASK FOR IF WE CONTINUE THE OPERATION OF THIS BUILDING WOULD BE ABOUT $2.2 MILLION, WHICH IS A LARGE NUMBER FOR A BUILDING THAT, AGAIN, WE KNOW IS AT THE END OF ITS LIFE AND THAT IT NEEDS SEVERAL BEYOND THIS. ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, AND WE SEE THIS THROUGHOUT THE FACICILITYSSESSMENT STUDY. THIS IS ADDRESSES SYSTEMS WITHIN THE BUILDING. THIS IS NOTHING ABOUT THE ESTHETICS. AND SO YOU GO IN AND YOU FIX THE THE AIR CONDITIONER, YOU FIX THE ROOF. 
          YOU DON'T FIX THE 50 YEAR OLD WALLS. YOU DON'T FIX THE THE FIXTURES WITHIN THE RESTROOMS. THESE ARE THESE ARE REALLY THE SYSTEMS THAT KEEP THE BUILDING OPERATING. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TRANSITION TO THIS SLIDE AND PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF THAT IN THE 2027 BUDGET, WE DO NOT CONTINUE THE OPERATION OF THE BRADFIELD RECREATION CENTER. AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A NEW ITEM THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO COUNCIL, AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF WHAT THIS REC CENTER MAY, MAY BE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD SUGGEST, AS THE CITY LOOKS AT FUTURE BOND PACKAGES, THAT THIS BUILDING BE ONE THAT IS PART OF A FUTURE BOND PACKAGE. AND SO IT DOES COME TIME TO TO LOOK AT THAT REVITALIZATION THAT WE PROVIDE A REC CENTER AND A POOL THAT IS, IS MORE, MORE MODERN AND HAS LESS FINANCIAL LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH IT. SO WITH THAT, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STAFFING THAT'S ALREADY WITHIN THE FACILITY. AND YOU HEARD THE BUDGET TEAM, FAHAD AND ALLISON, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATING SOME OF OUR NEWEST FACILITIES. SO IF COUNCIL DOES PROVIDE THE DIRECTION TO CLOSE THIS FACILITY IN 2027, WE WOULD WANT TO DO IS ALLOCATE ANY OF THAT SEASONAL STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH BRADFIELD OVER TO FACILITIES LIKE SURF AND SWIM. THERE IS A LARGE I BELIEVE IT'S 
          [04:55:06]
ABOUT 600 ZERO ZERO $0 IN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH LIFEGUARDS OUT AT SURF AND SWIM, AND SO WE WOULD ALLOCATE THE CURRENT GUARDS FROM BRADFIELD OVER TO TO SURF AND SWIM IN 2027 BUDGET. 
          THERE'S ALSO A THREE AND A HALF FTE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REC CENENENTER AT B B BRAD, ANDDD THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED THE NEEDS AT OTH CECECENTERS,S,S, S S SUCUCUCUCUR CENTER, FIELDS RECREATION NT,T TH NEED ON SG. T ARE CENTERS THAT HAVE ALSO HAD FACELIFTS AND HAVE ALSO HAD SOME IMPROVEMENTS DONE TO THEM. AND SO THOSE STAFF MEMBERS WOULD BE REALLOCATED AND WOULD AVOID FUTURE BUDGET ASKS FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. AND SO WITH THIS, WE'D BE ABLE TO REALLOCATE STAFF. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REALLOCATE RESOURCES AND SO ESSENTIALLY BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT EXISTING BUDGET THAT'S THERE. BUT ON TOP OF THAT, REALIZING THAT WE WOULD LOSE SOME REVENUE FROM THE POOL OPERATING AT BRADFIELD. THIS WOULD ALSO PROVIDE ABOUT A $380,000 SAVINGS TOWARDS THE GENERAL FUND. AND SO AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BEGIN LOOKING AT BUDGET SAVING OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT THINGS RELATED TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO WORK TOWARDS. SO WITH THAT COUNCIL, I THREW A LOT OF INFORMATION AT YOU AND I SPOKE, AND I THINK I MISSED SOMETHING HERE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THEM TODAY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW BACK UP WITH THEM SOON. OKAY. WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DUTTON. DO WE KNOW IS THAT AREA IN A FLOOD ZONE OR FLOODPLAIN? NO, MA'AM. I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS. I CAN DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT BACKSIDE WITH THE FOOTBALL FIELDS ARE ARE TEND TO HOLD WATER. I WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S ANY FLOODPLAIN IN THE PARK THAT IMPACTS THE BUILDINGS AT ALL. THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE THAT AREA CLOSEST TO COUNTRY CLUB, COUNTRY CLUB TENDS TO TURN INTO LIKE A SWAMP LAND ANYTIME WE GET RAIN. AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS I WAS QUESTIONING THAT, BUT I AM 100% IN FAVOR OF SHUTTING IT DOWN AND PUTTING IT INTO A FUTURE BOND, POTENTIALLY. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE SMARTEST AND BEST USE OF OUR OF OUR MONEY. I JUST DON'T SEE THE FEASIBILITY OF CONTINUING ON. WE, THE BAND AID PATH OF ALL THINGS BRADFIELD. SO I DEFINITELY AM IN FAVOR OF THEAY THAT YOU GUYS WROTE IT OUT. WE CAN HELP EASE SOME OF THAT BURDEN ON THE SENIOR CENTER THAT NEEDS STAFF. SOME OF THE LIFEGUARDS MOVING OVER TO SURF AND SWIM. I THINK THAT THAT IS THE, THE MOST LOGICAL THING THAT WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR IDENTIFYING THE EMPLOYEES. THAT WOULD BE PUT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT NOT HAVING THOSE EMPLOYEES CONTINUE. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE SAVING ALL JOBS AND PUTTING IT TO OTHER AREAS. COULD I CLARIFY THAT REAL QUICK? IT'S A GREAT POINT THAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE GETTING REALLOCATED TO ARE NOT GOING TO BE CONSIDERED. IF ANYONE ASKS AS EXTRA OR FLUFF TYPE ROLES, THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO SATISFY THE MINIMUM STAFFING THAT WE NEED FOR THE THE NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE AT HOLFORD, THE NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE AT THE SENIOR CENTER, AND BE REALLOCATED IN A WAY THAT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE SIZE AND THE PROGRAMING NEEDS. YES, PARKS NEED STAFFING. I'M PRETTY SURE YOU HAVE SEVERAL JOBS ON THE JOB BOARD RHT NOW, SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF POSITIONS TO FILL WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT. 
          WHERE WILL PEOPLE TAKE SWIMMING LESSONS? ALL THE OTHER FACILITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE REMAINING, THE BULK OF THOSE CAN BE ABSORBED AND HAVE BEEN ABSORBED AT HOLFORD PRIMARILY IS GOING TO BE THE BEST LOCATION FOR THAT. MIGHT RECALL, OVER TIME, WE LOOKED AT USE NUMBERS AT ALL THE FACILITIES AND TRIED TO COMPARE AND THEN REMBERED. HISTORICALLY WHEN WE CLOSED AND OPENED NEW FACILITIES, THEY'VE BEEN ABSORBED VERY EASILY, WHETHER IT BE THE REC CENTERS, THE SENIORS OR THE POOLS, THEY'VE BEEN EASILY ABSORBED IN OTHER PLACES WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, INCLUDING STARS CAMP. IN CASE THAT THAT QUESTION GETS RAISED, THOSE THOSE CHILDREN ARE DROPPED OFF AND SIGNED IN AND SIGNED OUT BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN. SO THEY NONE OF THOSE ARE WALKERS. THEY GET DROPPED OFF SO THEY WILL NOT BE DISPLACED EITHER. OKAY, GREAT. THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTN. WE'RE ON THE LIST OF MUNICIPAL FACILITIES. DOES BRADFIELD FALL IN THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT LIST OF OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN NEED. YES, MA'AM. SO BRADFIELD AND CITY HALL ARE THE NEXT 
          [05:00:03]
IDENTIFIED BUILDINGS RELATED TO SYSTEMS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED. AGAIN, THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT STUDY LOOKS STRICTLY AT SYSTEMS. IT DOESN'T LOOK AT THE AGE OF THE FACILITY. IT DOESN'T LOOK AT THE COLORS OF THE WALL OR THE FLOORING. IT JUST LOOKS STRICTLY AT THE SYSTEMS. AND SO IT IS IDENTIFIED AS NEXT. AND SO WE DO HAVE MONEY PLANNED IN THE CIP FOR THIS THIS BUILDING. ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE WOULD DO IS SIT DOWN WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM AND TAKE THAT BUCKET THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED AND GO TO THE NEXT BUILDINGS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT, I'M IN FAVOR OF. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IF WE DO IF IT'S IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS WILL BE THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION TO CLOSE THE FACILITY, BUT WOULD WE BE DEMOLISHING THAT? AND IF SO, WHEN WOULD THAT BE? AND DO WE HAVE A APPROXIMATE COST OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE? SO PENDING COUNCIL'S DECISION WHETHER WE WANT TO CLOSE THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE CAN BEGIN GETTING COSTS FOR FOR DEMOLITION. WE DO KNOW THAT WE WANT TO SECURE THE POOL, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO FILL IN THE POOL TO NOT CREATE ANY SAFETY HAZARDS, AND SO DON'T HAVE THOSE COSTS YET. BUT IF WE DO GET THIS DIRECTION, WE WOULD DEFINITELY MOVE TOWARDS THAT AND GET THOSE THOSE COSTS FOR EVERYBOD SO THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE. OKAY. AND LET'S ZOOM OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT TO BRADFIELD PARK AS A WHOLE. THERE'SLSO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE CLOSING THE RECREATIONAL FACILITY, BUT WE'RE NOT CLOSING THE PARK. AND SO THE I'M ASSUMING THAT THE BASEBALL FACILITIES AND THE TENNIS COURTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL REMAIN. AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES, IF WE HAVE A BOND INITIATIVE, WILL REIMAGINE THE PARK IN GENERAL. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT I WOULD FORESEE IS THAT THE BASEBALL FIELDS ARE VERY WELL USED. AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE BACKSIDE FOOTBALL FIELD IS IS MINIMALLY USABLE AT BEST DUE TO THE IT'S JUST VERY FLAT. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DRAINAGE. SO WHAT I WOULD FORESEE IS THE SPACE THAT'S CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY THE REC CENTER AND THE POOL COULD BE AS PART OF THE DEMOLITION COST REGRADED GRASS IRRIGATED AND CAN BE USED AS AS OTHER OPEN PLAY FIELDS AND COULD BE PROGRAMED AS SUCH. SO AND THEN IN THE LONG RUN, SHOULD THAT BE IDENTIFIED IN THE BOND PROGRAM, WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, START WITH THE MASTER PLAN AS A BASELINE AND THEN START PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK TO REALLY REIMAGINE AND RE-ENVISION WHAT THAT SHOULD BE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THE ONE OF OUR HOMETOWN HEROES, THE THE BUDDY LEAGUE PLAYS AT BRADFIELD PARK. THEY HAVE A DEDICATED BASEBALL FIELD THAT'S OUT THERE. AND, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR PROGRAM OUT THERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMEMBER SEGOVIANO. HI THERE. GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. SO THE ANNUAL ATTENDANCE, I SAW THAT ON TO 134. WHAT IS THAT? THE ANNUAL ATTENDANCE FOR LIKE OTHER RECREATION CENTERS NEARBY. WHAT WHAT IS THAT NORMALLY LOOK LIKE? SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. 
          I DID ASK THAT QUESTION OF OUR RECREATION TEAM, AND ANDY CAN HELP ME WITH THIS A LITTLE BIT. 
          OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE WERE TRYING TO DO A COMPARISON. SEVERAL OF OUR FACILITIES HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR RENOVATION, NEW ONES HAVE OPENED. AND SO TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE ATTENDANCE SHOWS, 5000, WE'RE LIKE, NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT. BUT THAT'S THEY WERE CLOSED FOR FOR 90% OF THE YEAR. 
          AND SO I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE ON THAT RIGHT NOW. I CAN SHARE THE DATA WE HAVE. AND ANDY, IF YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD ON THAT. YEAH, THAS ACCURATE BOTH FOR THE POOLS AND FOR THE REC FACILITIES. IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON. AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY, THE REC STAFF WILL DO A DAILY WALK THROUGH AND COUNT EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THERE. SO YOU'LL HAVE IF YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, JUST WALK IN ACTIVITY. IF YOU'VE GOT PROGRAM ACTIVITY, IF YOU'VE GOT A ROOM RENTAL, IF YOU'VE GOT A GYM RENTAL, OPEN GYM, BASKETBALL LEAGUE, VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE, THEY COUNT THOSE. AND THAT'S THE AGGREGATE FOR THAT YEAR. SO THAT WE HAVE THE DATA LIKE THAT. BUT BETWEEN ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, 2019 BOND PROJECTS, WE SHUFFLED PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND SO THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T GOOD SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS. NOW, I WOULD, I WOULD EXPECT THE NUMBERS IN OTHER FACILITIES TO BE LARGER BECAUSE THEY'RE LARGER FACILITIES. SO THIS IS THIS IS ONE I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. SO HOLLABAUGH KIND OF SUFFERED FROM THE SAME CHALLENGE. IT WASN'T AS OLD AS THIS FACILITY. THAT'S WHY IT MADE THE CUT IN THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM. THAT WAS REALLY A GROSSLY UNDERSIZED GYM AND REC CENTER FROM DAY ONE. DIDN'T HAVE A GYM. IT HAD A REC CENTER, AND IT WAS WAY UNDERSIZED FROM DAY ONE. AND THAT PROGRAM ALLOWED IT TO BE RIGHT SIZED AND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. SO THIS ONE WAS THE SAME, SAME WAY. IT JUST NEVER GOT RIGHT SIZED. AND THAT'S WHY I'M COMPARING IT, BECAUSE AUDUBON REC CENTER WAS BUILT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, GOT IT RE DONE. AND IT'S REALLY GREAT NOW, BUT SO THAT'S WHY I WAS COMPARING THAT. BUT I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN JUSTIN CARROLL DISTRICT. I'D DEFINITELY SUPPORT ANYBODY ELSE. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER 
          [05:05:02]
CARAWAY. YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TO POINT OUT SOMETHING FOR YOU, CHRISTINA, IF YOU LOOK THE ANNUAL ATTENDANCE, THAT'S YEARLY 134,000. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. JUST LIKE THE REPORTS SAY, THE FLOOR IN THAT REC CENTER IS TERRIBLE. AS A KID THAT GREW UP AND ATTENDED THAT REC CENTER AND PLAYED IN THERE, THERE'S NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT THE REC CENTER OR THE FLOOR ITSELF. I AM STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THIS AND BEING ABLE TO REVISIT IT AT A LATER TIME. DEFINITELY AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, STAFF BEING MOVED OTHER PLACES NEED IT IS ESSENTIAL, AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE KEEPING PEOPLE IN THE JOBS AS WELL AS IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR ANYWAY, RIGHT? THE BUDGET, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN EYESORE FOR THE CITY. IT'S A REC CENTER THAT IS POORLY PERFORMING. IT IS NOT REALLY USED AT ALL. IT'S AN AFTERTHOUGHT FOR PEOPLE THAT DO PLAY SPORTS OR DO WANT TO GO TO A REC CENTER. THIS IS THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL REC CENTER IN GARLAND. SO TOTALLY AGREE. DEFINITELY HAPPY TO SECOND THAT. 
          LET'S GO AHEAD AND SHUT THIS DOWN. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. YEAH, AND I, I AGREE THIS, YOU KNOW, IN THINKING ABOUT I'VE GOT SEVERAL PEOPLE TALKING TO ME ABOUT WE WANT TO SWIM LAPS AND I'M LOOKING AT HOLFORD. WILL WOLFORD'S GOT A LAP POOL AND THEY CAN GO TO THE HOLFORD NOW. SO. WELL HOW FAR DOES IT GO. I'LL GO TO HOLFORD. GOOGLE SAYS IT'S 4.0 MILES, SO IT'S NOT THAT FAR AWAY TO GO TO SOMETHING BRAND BRAND NEW TO GET WHAT YOU HAD AT BRADFIELD, WHICH IS ONLY A LAP POOL. IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, IT'S. SO IT WAS BACK IN THE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT YEAR IT WAS BUILT. I KNOW THE REC CENTER WAS 75. I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN THE POOL WAS. BUT THE AT THE TIME, ANYWHERE IN TEXAS. THE THING TO HAVE WAS AN OLYMPIC STYLE OLYMPIC SIZE SWIMMING POOL. WELL, NOBODY USES POOLS THAT WAY. IT HAS. IT HAS LANES IN IT. BUT IT HAS VERY LIMITED TIME THAT PEOPLE DEMAND OR WANT LAP SWIM. IT'S A TINY USE OF ANY OF OUR FACILITIES. AND SO WHEN HOLFORD WAS DESIGNED, IT WAS MEANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. AND IT'S PROGRAMED AND SCHEDULED AS THAT. BUT YOU SEE VERY LITTLE, YOU KNOW, LAP SWIM OF ANY KIND. SO YOU RARELY SEE THIS TYPE OF POOL UNLESS IT'S A SCHOOL NATATORIUM BECAUSE IT'S A COMPETITION POOL. AS A PRIMARY FOCUS. WE'VE CHOSEN AND MOST PLACES HAVE SPLASH PADS AND A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITY NOWADAYS. OKAY. AND THIS FACILITY IS OPEN TODAY, IS IT NOT? NOT TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE AS SOON AS WE THE ELECTRICAL REPAIR. YES. OKAY. BUT I'M SAYING THAT NORMALLY THIS IS OPEN NOW. SO YOU'RE PROPOSING TO CLOSE IT WHEN? AFTER THE OCTOBER 1ST BUDGET ROLLS OVER FOR 2027. OKAY, SO IT WOULD BE OPEN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH. AFTER THEN WE WOULD WE GET IN THE SUMMER? YES, SIR. THE DOORS AFTER THE AFTER THE BUDGET, AFTER THIS BUDGET RUNS OUT. 
          REALLY WOULDN'T ALLOCATE ANY MONEY FOR IT FOR NEXT YEAR. CORRECT I SEE OKAY. VERY GOOD. 
          THANK THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT COUNCILMAN CARRAWAY. THIS IS. IT'S PAST. 
          IT'S TIME. IT'S TIME FOR US TO GO NOW. USE OUR NEW NEW FACILITIES THAT WE'VE JUST BUILT. SO THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND AND RECOMMENDATION AS WELL. I I'M IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THIS, JUST THAT WE ARE IN TIGHT BUDGETS AND WE SHOULD DEDICATE THIS FUND FOR OUR HIGH PRIORITY. AND GOOD TO KNOW THAT THE STAFF IS REALLOCATED TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. SO THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO SUPPORT THE COUNCILMAN'S DECISION OR I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AS IT RELATES TO HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY? WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY SAYING IN RELATION TO CLOSING. YES, SIR. SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT, BUT WE DID WANT WAS COUNCIL'S DIRECTION. AND WHAT WE WOULD TAKE IS STAFF IS THE ABILITY TO START COMMUNICATING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE HAVE THE ATTENDEES BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM OF WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE COMMUNICATING, OF WHERE THE NEAREST POOL IS, WHERE THE NEAREST REC CENTER WOULD BE, THE NEAREST GYM WOULD BE. SO WE WOULD BE DEFINITELY PURPOSEFUL ABOUT GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO THIS DIRECTION. DO YOU THINK IT MAY BE WISE TO AT LEAST SPEAK WITH THE COMMUNITY BEFORE WE MAKE THE FINAL DECISION? OF COURSE, BASED ON ALL THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE FOLLOW THE D DATA, AND THE DATA WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD CLOSE IT. BUT DO YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE WISE TO GO TO THEM FIRST AND THEN COME BACK? 
          [05:10:01]
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WE COULD TAKE? I'M SORRY. WE CERTAINLY I GUESS ONE THING THAT WE COULD DO IS, IS WE COULD. TAKE IT TO MR. CARAWAY'S NEXT TOWN HALL. THE TOWN HALL MEETING IN DISTRICT TWO, AND TA TO THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT TWO ABOUT IT. ONLY QUESTION. THERE WOULD BE TIMING. SO WE GET THERE. WE COULD DO I MEAN, OUR ABILITY AS STAFF TO DO PUBLIC OUTREACH, SORT OF TOWN HALLS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS IS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT. I MEAN, WE COULD HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING HERE AT CITY HALL AND HAVE AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION. 
          TYPICALLY, WE WOULDN'T EXPECT LARGE ATTENDANCE ON THOSE. WE COULD DO THAT. I THINK THE MORE OBVIOUS WAY WOULD BE TO DO IT DURING MR. CARAWAY'S NEXT TOWN HALL. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS JUST BEING ONE OF TIMING BECAUSE OF THE OTHER TOWN HALLS THAT HAVE TO OCCUR IN THE INTERIM. YOU KNOW, I SAY THAT PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO AT A POINT OF ATTEMPTING TO BUILD PUBLIC TRUST, AND WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME SITUATIONS THAT HAVE CAUSED US TO MAKE DECISIONS BEFORE WE GOT THAT, THAT REAL SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC. I THINK THAT JUST FOLLOWING THE DATA, WE ALL KNOW AT THIS POINT, THE PROPER THING RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY TO CLOSE IT. IT'S NOT SERVING THE PURPOSE. IT'S NOT CERTAINLY IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH. AT THE SAME TIME, I'D BE, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM AT ALL WITH GOING AHEAD AND US SAYING, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE IT. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S IMMEDIATE OR IF WE CAN STILL GET IT INTO THIS BUDGET, I THINK IT MAY BE WISE TO GO TO THE PUBLIC AND GET THAT REPORT. I THINK WE COULD CERTAINLY PUT OUT PUBLIC MEDIA THAT THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING AND CONSIDERING THAT, AND THAT DURING THE BUDGET MEETINGS, WE HAVE NUMEROUS BUDGET MEETINGS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HERE AND IN THAT CHAMBERS WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN SIGN UP AND GIVE THEIR THREE MINUTES OR CAN COME TO THE PODIUM AND COMMENT ON THE BUDGET. I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE AN APPROPRIATE PLACE. SO SO REALLY, LET ME GET WITH IF YOU ALL WILL GET WITH TIFFANY, PLEASE, AND MAKE SURE WE SEND SOMETHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC SAYING THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING THAT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET AND THAT IF THEY WANT TO GIVE PUBLIC INPUT, THEY SHOULD COME TO THE BUDGET MEETINGS AND LET US KNOW WHAT THEIR FEELINGS ARE ABOUT IT. I THINK THAT AT LEAST GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER. DENTON. SO I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS. MR. MOORE BUT I, I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO ADD, WE JUST WE MADE A POST ABOUT THE GRAND OPENING OF SURF AND SWIM. OKAY. 
          AND THIS KIND OF GOES TO THIS IS PART OF OUR JOB AS COUNCIL IS TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. THAT'S WHY WE GOT ELECTED. WE COULD DO A COMMUNITY OUTREACH ALL DAY LONG. AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY. I GREW UP, I GREW UP HERE. IT'S NOT THE SAME WITHOUT A WAVE POOL. YOU GUYS JUST DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO. I. IT I COULD, I COULD, I COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON. IT'S PEOPLE HAVE AN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO PLACES AS MUCH AS THEY DO TO PEOPLE. AND PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE CHANGE. WE ALL HEARD IT WHEN WE REDID DOWNTOWN AND THEY, THEY WERE QUITE LITERALLY BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED THIS DOWNTOWN. WE DON'T NEED. 
          WELL GUESS WHAT? IF WE DIDN'T CHANGE DOWNTOWN, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TROUGHS FOR OUR HORSES. WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING IN OUR SQUARE. IT WOULD BE A GRASS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD RACE THEIR HORSES ON FRIDAY NIGHTS. SO IT'S. WHILE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT, IN THEIR OPINION IS IMPORTANT. WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT IT'S NOT THE SAME AS WHEN I WAS A KID. WELL, NO REALLY. NOTHING IS THE SAME AS WHEN YOU WERE A KID. IT'S CALLED EVOLUTION. AND PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE CHANGE BY NATURE. AND SO I, I THINK THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO WHAT WE KNOW IS THE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. SO JUST BUT I DO GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. JUST REMEMBER SOME OF THE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL DO AND SAY AND WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO GET MAD ABOUT. 
          SO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM, COUNCILMEMBER CARAWAY.ND TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF COUNCILWOMAN DUTTON, IT'S NOT EVEN A WAVE POOL. IT'S JUST A POOL WITH LANES. THERE'S NO WAVES IN THAT POOL. YEAH, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, THE LOCKERS DON'T HARDLY WORK. IT'S JUST NOT. IT'S NOT 
          [05:15:04]
WHAT? WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GO. IT'S NOT IN THE DIRECTION THAT I FEEL AS A CITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GO. AND BEING THAT IT'S IN MY DISTRICT, I'M PROUD TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO MAKE THAT SACRIFICE AND SAYING, YES, WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THIS. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING TO THAT GYM, HAVING CONVERSATION WITH WHOEVER, AND I'LL TELL THEM, JUST RUN UP AND DOWN THIS COURT REAL QUICK. TELL ME HOW YOU FEEL OR GO INTO THIS POOL WHERE JUST BEING HONEST. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SAFEST POOL. IT'S NOT THE CLEANEST POOL. AND THE AMOUNT, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE PICTURES, THE AMOUNT OF KIDS THAT ARE IN THAT POOL THAT JUST WALK OVER FROM ISSUES WITH KIDS JUMPING THE FENCE. THERE WAS ACTUALLY A CUT IN THE FENCE WHERE KIDS WOULD SQUEEZE THROUGH TO ACCESS THE POOL. THIS IS STUFF THAT I KNOW, AND I USED TO DO STARS CAMP AS AN INTERNSHIP. SO YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY TIME TO GO. AND IT'S A REASON THAT IT DIDN'T MAKE THE BOND PACKAGE FOR 2019. SO LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL. 
          AND I GET IT. WE WE WANT TO BUILD THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, AS A COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE, THE CITY AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST DISTRICT THEY HAVE WHAT GAYLE FEELS AND GRANGER RIGHT UP THE STREET, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH. I MEAN, I REMEMBER WALKING HERE AS A KID GOING TO PLAY FROM LOU HUFF TO HERE TO GRANGER. SO IT'S REALLY NO A NO BRAINER FOR ME, HONESTLY. BUT I'M OPEN TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU SIR. AND I WANT TO MENTION I HAVE THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM PROJECTS. WE HAD $1.5 BILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS AT THAT TIME. BRADFORD POOL HAD $1.5 MILLION TO UPGRADE FILTRATION SYSTEM, SLIDE TOWERS, RESTROOMS, LOCKERS, AND THE REC CENTER ITSELF HAD $3 MILLION TO REPLACE THE GYM FLOOR, WHICH I WONDER IF WE GOT INTO THERE AND HAD A SENIOR CENTER SITUATION WHERE WE GOT IN THERE AND REALIZED IT WOULD BE WORSE THAN THAN WE BARGAINED FOR AND HAVE TO TEAR DOWN THE WHOLE THING. 
          IT ALSO HAD IN THAT $3 MILLION AT A SECOND GYM. SO THIS IS ALL PROJECTS THAT IF WE HAVE A FUTURE BOND PROGRAM GOING FORWARD IN 2030, 20, 32, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THEIR COMMUNITY OUTCRY, I'D ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO RECONSIDER THAT TYPE OF PROJECT AT THAT POINT. 
          BUT AS IT GOES NOW, I'M IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE FACILITY AS WELL. SO I THINK IT'S UP TO US COUNCIL, TO OUR TOWN HALL MEETINGS, THROUGH OUR VARIOUS OUTREACHES TO GATHER FEEDBACK, LISTEN TO PEOPLE WE STILL HAVE UNTIL THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT 2027 TO CONSIDER THIS. SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT HOW I FEEL NOW IS TO GO AHEAD WITH THE CLOSING OF IT, AND WE'LL PLAN FOR THAT IN THE FUTURE. I BELIEVE WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON COUNCIL AS WELL FOR THAT. LET ME JUST GET A WE'LL DO A THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN AND COUNCIL FOR CONSENSUS TO CLOSE. AT THIS POINT. ONE, TWO, THREE, THAT IS YES, UNANIMOUS. THEN WE'RE GOOD. 
          THANK YOU SIR. WE HAVE ONE MORE ONE MORE ITEM AND THEN WE'RE DONE ALTOGETHER. GO AHEAD. WE CAN WE CAN MAKE IT QUICK. SEEING FROM THE COUNCIL. SO I'VE I'VE ASKED ANDY TO STAY UP HERE FOR THIS. I'M GOING TO JUST QUICKLY GO OVER THE HIGH LEVEL AND THEN LET HIM TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF. SO AS YOU RECALL, WE HAVE THE DART GENERAL MOBILITY FUNDS THROUGH AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. OUR YEAR ONE ALLOTMENTS ABOUT 2.1 MILLION. AND WE NEED TO SUBMIT A PROJECT TO DART BY THE END OF THE MONTH. AND SO WE ARE HERE TO SEEK COUNCIL CONSENSUS ON A PROPOSED YEAR ONE PROJECT. I HAD LITTLE NUMBER ONE RIGHT NEXT TO IT ON THIS MAP. IT'S ABOUT 1.35 MILLION, AND WE CAN EARMARK ANY OF REMAINDER OF THOSE FUNDS OF THE ORIGINAL 2.1 AND OUR YEAR ONE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANDY TO TALK ABOUT THIS YEAR ONE PROJECT, AS WELL AS SOME FUTURE CONCEPTS. OH THAT'S OKAY. GOT INTO MY REFERENCE SLIDES. 
          WE MAY NOT NEED THEM. SO WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THE DART FUNDS, WE'VE QUICKLY STARTED DISCUSSING INTERNALLY AND WITH WITH OTHERS OF WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME POSSIBLE IDEAS THAT WE COULD MAKE AN IMPACT WITH, OR SOME OTHER NEEDS THAT WE COULD MARRY UP THESE FUNDS WITH EXISTING PROJECTS AND IN ORDER OF PRIORITY? THE FIRST ONE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. NOW THAT WE'VE 
          [05:20:03]
CLOSED ON THE BUILDING FOR THE ART INCUBATOR UP NORTH FIFTH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT SAYS NUMBER ONE IN THE BLUE CIRCLE. SO THEY'RE GOING TO THE OPPORTUNITY THERE IS TO MAKE THAT SECTION OF TOWN FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO DOWNTOWN. AND HOPEFULLY THAT INCUBATOR ACTS AS A CATALYST FOR OTHER PROPERTIES TO TURN OVER AND DO SOMETHING SIMILAR. SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE ART INCUBATOR IS FC CLAY WORKS. IT'S A, IT'S A BUSINESS, A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN GO IN AND RENT TIME ON POTTERY WHEELS AND YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A KILN. IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL. IT'S REALLY COOL. SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN. HOWEVER, YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE. WE NEED SIDEWALKS ON THE WEST SIDE OF FIFTH. WE NEED SOME GAPS TO BE CLOSED. ON THE EAST SIDE. THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY ALONG THE DART SIDE. WE NEED TO IMPROVE LIGHTING. WE NEED TO IMPROVE SIGNAGE AND USE OUR STANDARDS. THAT MAKES THAT FEEL MUCH MORE CONNECTED AND FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE. 
          CROSSING A VERY BUSY AND ACTIVE STREET IN THAT WOULD ALSO BE THREE INTERSECTIONS THAT NEED TO HAVE THE. THE CROSSWALKS AND THE INTERSECTIONS IMPROVED TO RESEMBLE OUR CORRIDOR MASTER PLAN THAT'S BEEN APPROVED. EVERYBODY'S SEEN. SO THAT WOULD BE. THAT'S WHY IT'S KIND OF A T SHAPE. YOU'VE GOT FOURTH STREET, FIFTH STREET AND SIXTH STREET ALL NEED TO HAVE ENHANCED CROSSWALKS. AND THOSE WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF STAMPED STAINED CONCRETE, NOT PAVERS AND OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS AREA FEEL PART OF DOWNTOWN. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S TWO PROJECTS THAT IT'S SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN THAT ARE ALREADY IN MOTION ON THE ON THE WEST SIDE, GOING FROM SIXTH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DUCK CREEK, KIND OF TOWARDS THE MEDICAL DISTRICT. 
          THAT IS A CORRIDOR PROJECT APPROVED IN THE 2025 BOND PROGRAM THAT BECKY'S TEAM IS IN PMO IS MOVING FORWARD WITH NOW. AND THEN ON THE EAST SIDE, ENGINEERING HAS SOME FEDERAL FUNDS, AND THEY ARE DOING SIDEWALK PROJECTS ALONG WALNUT ALL THE WAY TO COUNTRY CLUB AND A LITTLE BIT DOWN FIRST. THE SECO THING WE'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE YEARS WITH THE DART FUNDS IS SUPPLEMENTING WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE GRANVILLE RENOVATION AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HOTEL PROJECT NEXT TO IT. IT NEEDS PARKING. 
          SO THAT AREA THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, THERE WOULD BE, IF YOU RECALL, THERE'S A KIND OF THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CREEK, BIG OPEN GRASS AREA. WE COULD DO PARKING THERE. AND THEN SECONDARILY AFTER THAT WOULD BE OUR THIRD AFTER THAT WOULD BE. AND I'VE JUST KIND OF GOT A BROAD AREA, EXACT PARCELS NOT DETERMINED JUST YET. IS THAT KIND OF IN THE BOXING GYM AREA? THERE'S THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO PARTICIPATE WITH A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, POSSIBLY IN A PARKING GARAGE, WHERE WE CAN HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE EMPLOYEE VEHICLES THAT ARE THERE THAT WORK AT THE JONES BUILDING, AND THEN ALSO ADD A LITTLE BIT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 60 AND 80 TOTAL SPACES TO HELP, ALSO FOR AFTER HOURS PUBLIC PARKING. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT'S NOT ON THIS MAP, NOT QUITE READY TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT MAY INVOLVE PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT ALSO MAY SEE THAT. AND SO THE GRAND TOTAL IS WHEN YOU ADD ALL THESE UP SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 5 AND 6 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR PARKING AND FIFTH STREET. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM MIGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, ANDY, FOR YOUR FOR FOR THIS THE NORTH FIFTH STREET, THE LIGHTING. THAT'S THAT'S GOOD. 
          THAT'LL BE A GREAT THING TO DO BECAUSE THAT AREA IS JUST COMPLETELY DARK AND IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO BRIGHTEN EVERYTHING UP IN THERE NICELY. AND I'M GLAD THAT WE CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY WITH THE ART INCUBATOR THAT WILL HELP TO, TO BREATHE LIFE TO THAT SIDE OF NORTH FIFTH STREET AND DISTRICT EIGHT, BY THE WAY. SO HAPPY FOR THAT. THE GRANVILLE EXPANSION, THE AS FAR AS THE THE PARKING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A STRUCTURED THIS THIS WOULD BE ALL SURFACE. OKAY. LONG TERM, DO YOU THINK THEY'LL BE THINKING ABOUT STRUCTURED PARKING? YOU KNOW, I THINK BY THE TIME WE SEE IT'S A BIG QUESTION AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, DEPENDING ON THE GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF DOWNTOWN. AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO $7000, A PARKING SPACE TO 30 TO 40,000. SO IT BECOMES A MONEY FUNCTION. BUT IT'S POSSIBLE, I THINK, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS WOULD ADD 238 SURFACE PARKING SPACES FOR THE HOTEL AND FOR GRANVILLE. BUT AT THIS TIME, NO FUNDS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR IT TO BE STRUCTURED. COULD IT BE IN THE FUTURE? SURE. BUT THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT DOWN THE ROAD TO. WE CAN SEE WITH THE OH, WITH THE SENIOR CENTER OPENING, WITH THE BOY SCOUT BUILDING CHANGING WITH THE WITH THE OWL COMING TO LIFE, PARKING'S GOING TO. IT'S GOING TO BE A THING. YEAH. SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN A DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD JUST VERY RECENTLY. I THINK, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE A PERCEIVED PARKING PROBLEM AND SOON WE MAY HAVE AN ACTUAL PARKING PROBLEM. 
          AND SO I THINK WE WANT TO START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE ADDRESS THAT. THE DART FUNDS ARE VERY FORTUITOUS AT THAT TIME. YEAH. I'M WELL AWARE THAT WE HAVE A PARKING GARAGE THAT THE TOP 
          [05:25:03]
FLOOR IS NEVER USED. EXACTLY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. MAYOR PRO TEM LUCK. I WOULD PREFER TO SEE ANYTHING WITH THE GRANVILLE HELD UNTIL AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS IS FINISHED. I. 
          I UNDERSTAND ADDING PARKING THERE RIGHT NOW WOULD WOULD HELP. BUT I MEAN NEXT YEAR THE GRANVILLE IS GOING TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. SO THAT'S SO YEAH, I'M SORRY IF I IMPLIED THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, THAT THAT WOULD BE TIMED WITH BOTH. THE IDEA IS TO TIME THE GRANVILLE CONSTRUCTION AND THE HOTEL CONSTRUCTION AND THE PARKING LOT AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE AS THOSE TWO GO VERTICAL, THE HOTEL AND THE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE PARKING. THERE WON'T BE ANYWHERE TO GO. SO THE IDEA IS THAT THAT GOES ALONG ALONG WITH IT AS ONE CONTIGUOUS PROJECT, IF I MAY, THE DIRECTIOIOION W W WE WOULULULD G TODAY IS TO GETNC CONSENSUSUSUS,S,S, ANDNDNDNDND S SROCTUMNES BACK AT THE15NGDELD LABELED HERE. AND THEN THESE FUTURE PROJECTS OR IDEAS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH COUNCIL FURTHER, BUT WE DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT THEM BY THAT JUNE 30TH DATE. THE DIRECTION WOULD BE DO WE HAVE APPROVAL TO GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT PROJECT NUMBER ONE BY THAT JUNE 30TH DATE? WE WILL NOT LOSE THE FUNDS. WE'RE ALLOWED TO BANK THOSE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS AND PROVIDE THAT SCOPE TO DART ATAT A LATER TIME, AS WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TIMING, EXACTLY WHAT THE PROJECT WILL BE, AND FOR SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THOSE. YES. ON ONE. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. SO THAT GRANVILLE EXPANSION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOTEL AND PARKING IN THAT TRIANGLE THERE. OKAY, SO IN A BOUTIQUE HOTEL THAT WOULD ABOUT 85 ROOMS. OKAY. THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT WOULD THAT ARE COMING TO, TO, YOU KNOW, OUT OF STATE TO COME TO SEE THE GRANVILLE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, HOTEL SPACE IS, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT CLOSE BY AND HAVING ONE DOWNTOWN WOULD BE A GREAT THING. BUT AND SO YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT SOMETIME IN 2027 WHILE WE'RE REDOING THE GRANVILLE TO ALSO BE WORKING ON THAT LOT. CORRECT. THEN. SO IN ADDITION TO CROSSWALKS ACROSS WALNUT, THERE, WOULD THOSE BE THOSE CROSSWALKS BE OUR RFP OR THAT HAS NOT BEEN BEEN DESIGNED YET? THEY'RE JUST BEEN ESTIMATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF MEETING THE DART DEADLINE. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE THE ESTHETIC CHANGE OF THOSE, WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE THEM FEEL AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. SO WHEN WE GET INTO THAT ENGINEERING, WE COULD CERTAINLY BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK. BUT THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, $20,000 A PIECE VERSUS PAINTING A COUPLE OF STRIPES ON THE ROAD. ABSOLUTELY. SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS WHAT YOU WERE THINKING THERE OR IF THAT WAS PART OF THAT. I TRY TO STAY OUT OF THE ENGINEER'S LANE ON THAT ONE, BUT I, I, MY GOAL FROM A DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT IS THAT BOTH FIFTH, FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH FEEL MUCH MORE PROMINENT, VISIBLE AND SAFE, AND THEREFORE BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO EXPAND NORTH ACROSS WALNUT. SO IF THAT INVOLVES THAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY, THEN BY ALL MEANS, OKAY. VERY GOOD. WELL, I CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF EXPANDING SIDEWALK, GOING TO NUMBER ONE THERE, THAT THAT CERTAINLY OPENS UP THE WHOLE SPACE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DO, TRYING TO FILL IN BETWEEN NUMBER ONE AND SCOOP AND BUNS TO TURN THAT ALL INTO THE GARLAND ARTS DISTRICT. AND I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP TOWARD THAT. SO CERTAINLY I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF YOUR PLAN THERE, NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER DENTON. I'M ALSO FINE WITH THE FIRST PORTION, BUT JUST A GENTLE REMINDER, THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT A HOTEL AT THE GRANVILLE WAS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO THAT MIGHT HAVE KIND OF THROWN EVERYONE FOR A LOOP BECAUSE THAT WAS LAST WEEK. HEARD ABOUT IT. SO MAYBE WE CAN ADD THAT TO A IF THERE'S BEEN SOME MOVEMENT ON IT, THERE'S BEEN A PUBLIC A PUBLIC RFP. I MEAN, SURE, I'M SAYING AS A COUNCIL, THE LAST THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT IT WAS SO. SO WE WERE AUTHORIZED TO MOVE FORWARD OR WE HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH AN RFP THAT WAS A PUBLIC POST. AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT'S BEING NEGOTIATED, WE'LL HAVE A WORK SESSION FOR THAT AND THEN A REGULAR SESSION FOR THAT. SO WE'RE IN IN LOCKSTEP WITH WITH HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. OKAY. IF THERE WAS ANY MOVEMENT, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE LAST TIME YOU REALLY HEARD ANYTHING. SO BUT KNOWING THAT WE HAVEN'T. GONE PAST WITH THE. IT'S COOL, I THINK, BUT YEAH, I'M, I'M GOOD WITH THAT. I, I, I LOVE ADDING LIGHTING. THAT DART AREA OVER THERE IS SKETCHY AT BEST. VERY SKETCHY AT BEST. AND I, I ALSO WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE, THE WALK 
          [05:30:11]
WALKWAY, WHAT ENGINEERING IS THINKING OF DOING WITH THAT BECAUSE IT IS A LIGHT RIGHT THERE OUT OF WALNUT AND. FIFTH. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO USE ACTUAL CROSSWALKS. SO WALKING IN THAT AREA, YEAH, YEAH, ALL OF THE PEDESTRIAN STOP STROBE LIGHTING, AS WE SEE ON MILLER AT THE SKATE PARK, PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, SO THEY JUST GO FLY PAST THERE. ANYWAY. SO I, I APPRECIATE THIS, I'M EXCITED TO SEE SOME LIGHTING FOR FOR SURE UP, UP OVER THERE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE SCARY. SO THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU MA'AM. AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS AND, AND PROPOSAL NUMBER ONE, YOU SAID STAINED CONCRETE AND STAMPING THAT'S IN THE ENHANCED CROSSWALK. JUST THE INTERSECTIONS THEMSELVES THAT THE THE CORRIDOR AND GATEWAY MASTER PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED SHOWS THOSE AS RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE JUST CONCRETE, NATURAL CONCRETE WITH STANDARD STRIPING, THEY'RE NOT VERY PROMINENT. AND SO YOU WOULD HAVE A BRIGHT BROWN RED LIKE WE HAVE IN DOWNTOWN, IT JUST WON'T BE PAVERS. AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT AS THEY'RE NOT GREAT IN FASTER SPEEDS AND ROADS. THEY'RE MEANT REALLY MORE FOR SLOWER SPEEDS AND PEDESTRIANS. SO IT'LL LOOK SIMILAR. IT'LL, IT'LL DOVETAIL NICELY WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT TRANSITION INTO THE CORRIDOR PLAN. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST FOR THAT AREA. THAT'S NOT FOR GOING UP AND DOWN FIFTH. SO FIFTH WOULD BE JUST THE STANDARD SIX FOOT SIDEWALK ON EITHER SIDE, PLUS ALL OF THE HANDICAPPED. I DIDN'T MENTION THIS. ALL THE HANDICAPPED RAMPS COME OUT AND GET REPLACED WITH THE UPDATED STANDARD, BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALL PREDATE THE CURRENT LAW. I MEAN, HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO GET A STAMP THAT SAYS BANK HEAD, CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT AND PUT IT IN LIKE EVERY FIFTH? YOU COULD DO THAT THING. I WOULD, SURE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. JUST TO GIVE THAT THAT AREA SOME SSE OF COMMUNITY IN, IN THAT DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER TRAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE SIDEWALK ENHANCEMENTS. DO NOT PROVIDE ANY FUNDS FOR THIS OR NO. YES. 
          THIS ENTIRE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE FUNDED. AND I DID BRING A REFERENCE SLIDE JUST IN CASE IT WERE TO BE ASKED. I, I JUST I ALWAYS HAVE A COUPLE JUST IN CASE. THIS, I BELIEVE, MAY PREDATE YOUR TIME ON THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THE CITY OF GARLAND HAS A GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH DART. AND YOU'LL OVER THE NEXT FIVE AND SEVEN YEARS, SIX YEARS, THE CITY WILL BE RECEIVING FUNDS IN THIS RED BOX FOR MOBILITY, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS. SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL PROJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AHEAD OF THAT JUNE 1ST OR JUNE 30TH DEADLINE. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT CONSENSUS, AT LEAST ON OUR PROJECT ONE, AND THEN WE WILL BRING BACK ANY SUBSEQUENT PROJECT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNCIL REGARDING THOSE FUNDS. I'M VERY FAVOR IN THAT. YES. 
          SECOND QUESTION IS, I SAW THE GREENVILLE EXPANSION AND THEN BOX GYM AREA. THEY WE TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF PARKING, RIGHT. IS THAT WHEN WE TRY TO EXPANSION ON THAT. SO AGAIN, THE THERE'S SOME OTHER TRANSACTIONS THAT THAT MAY BE TAKING PLACE THAT INVOLVE PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE NOT PREPARED TO DISCUSS YET. HOWEVER, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S FUNDS RELATED TO IMPROVING THE BOXING GYM. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK FOR A DYNAMIC THERE THAT GIVES US A WIN WIN IN A LOT OF WAYS. AND BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS PARKING IS A IS A COMPONENT OF THAT. AND AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSING IN A MINOR WAY, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENTIRELY DEDICATED. IT'S A PUBLIC PRIVATE MULTIFAMILY TYPE PROJECT. SO IT ADDRESSES IT IN A SMALL WAY TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE THE NECESSARY PARKING, BECAUSE WE CAN'T FORGET HOW MUCH STAFF IS, IS OCCUPIES THE JONES BUILDING. 
          IT'S QUITE A BIT PLUS IN ADDITION TO THAT, CITY VEHICLES. SO YOU'VE GOT TWICE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THERE. SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO CHIP AWAY AT THE PARKING CHALLENGE BEFORE IT GETS TOUGHER. AND SO AGAIN, SOON WE'LL BE BACK WITH A PROJECT FOR COUNCIL TO SEE AT A FUTURE WORK SESSION. THESE ARE JUST WANTING TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT POTENTIAL PROJECTS COULD BE USED FOR THOSE FUNDS. AND THIS WE DOING THIS WITH THE BUDGETS. WE PART OF OUR 2026 2027 BUDGET. YES, THIS PROJECT NUMBER ONE IS INTENDED TO MOVE FORWARD RIGHT AWAY. OKAY. THANK 
          [05:35:03]
YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SIR. ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS ONE? ALL RIGHT THEN I'LL CALL FOR A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PROJECT NUMBER ONE. IT'S UNANIMOUS. RIGHT. IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE? NO. THAT WILL BE ON THE JUNE 15TH WORK SESSION. PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. AND I SEE NOTHING ELSE. I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR GIVING THEIR TIME TO US TODAY. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, IT'S UP TO US REALLY TO INFORM EVERYONE OF THE HOUSING PLAN, THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE BUDGET. SO WE HAVE A LOT TO CONSIDER, AND I HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC WAS WATCHING, OR AT LEAST WILL BE WELL INFORMED BY BY US IN THE FUTURE. SO AT 247, WE ARE ADJOURNED. GOOD AFTERNOON. GARDEN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.