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COUNCIL WORK SESSION.GOOD EVENING GARLAND, AND WELCOME TO THE WORK SESSION FOR OCTOBER 5TH, 2026.
FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT.
NO SPEAKERS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERING THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR SIT AT THE DESK, YOU GUYS, WE'LL HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR TILL YOU PULL OFF AN ITEM.
THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR LOOK OVER DOCUMENTS AT THEIR DESK.
WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO WRITTEN BRIEFINGS.
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED APPOINTMENT OF SCOTT BOBERG AS CHIEF OF POLICE AND COUNSEL.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THAT ITEM IS ON OUR COGEN.
I WILL BE PULLING THAT ITEM OFF TO BE DISCUSSED SEPARATELY.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS PROPOSED RENAMING OF JACK COLEMAN TENNIS CENTER.
TEXT MICHAEL J BETS TEXT DYLAN HEDRICK MAYOR.
ITEM THREE IS NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY MATCHING GRANT FUNDING REQUEST SPRING 2026.
CYCLE CITY OF GARLAND EMBLEM IS ON THE WALL BEHIND THE DESK.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF GARLAND AND THE TOWN OF HIGHLAND PARK.
ITEM FIVE IS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF GARLAND AND THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK.
ITEM SIX IS TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF OF TRANSPORTATION SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM 2027 COMPREHENSIVE GRANT.
MICHAEL J BETS ADJUST PAPERS AND ITEM SEVEN IS 2025.
HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM RESOLUTION.
DYLAN HEDRICK LEANS FORWARD TO READ.
ALRIGHT, WITH NO QUESTIONS WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, VERBAL BRIEFINGS.
FIRST VERBAL BRIEFING IS ITEM EIGHT, OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S USE OF REFUNDING BONDS AND THE ELECTRIC UTILITY REVENUE REFUNDING BOND SERIES 2026 A.
THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER REMAIN SEATED AT THE DAYS.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, MR. CITY MANAGER.
I'M THE CITY'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND I'M JOINED UP HERE BY DARRELL KLEIN, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF, UH, GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF BOUNDARY FUNDINGS.
SO A BOUNDARY FUNDING IS THE MUNICIPAL FINANCE VERSION OF REFINANCING AND OUTSTANDING DEBT.
YOU CAN THINK OF THIS LIKE REFINANCING A MORTGAGE, UM, OR THE ISSUANCE OF NEW BONDS TO RETIRE AN OUTSTANDING DEBT.
SO WHY IS IT A BOND REFUNDING AND WHY DO YOU DO THIS? WELL, THERE'S MULTIPLE REASONS YOU COULD BE DOING THIS TO ACHIEVE A LOWER INTEREST CO COST.
SO IF INTEREST RATES GO DOWN, YOU COULD SWAP MORE EXPENSIVE DEBT FOR CHEAPER DEBT.
YOU LOWER YOUR INTEREST PAYMENTS, YOU COULD RESTRUCTURE YOUR DEBT.
UM, SO THAT'S CHANGING THE MATURITY.
YOU COULD STRETCH, STRETCH, OR SHORTEN ITS ULTIMATE PAYOFF DATE OR YOU COULD MODIFY YOUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TO ESSENTIALLY SMOOTH OUT ANY YEARS WHERE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS MAY SPIKE BASED ON ITS ORIGINAL DEBT SERVICE REPAYMENT SCHEDULE.
YOU CAN MODIFY THE TERMS. THIS IS MOST COMMON WHEN YOU HAVE OLDER DEBT WHERE THE TERMS NO LONGER FIT AND YOU CAN REPLACE THOSE TERMS, UM, TO MATCH A MORE MODERN, UH, DEBT SERVICE REPAYMENT OR CHANGES IN THE STATE LAW.
UM, OR FINALLY, YOU CAN FIX OUT SHORT-TERM DEBT INTO LONG-TERM DEBT, UM, WHICH DARYL WILL BE TALKING ABOUT MORE IN THE UPCOMING SLIDES.
TEXT MUNICIPAL BOND REFUNDINGS.
SO THE TYPES OF BOND REFUNDINGS, THERE'S THREE PRI PRIMARY TYPES AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE IS TIMING.
SO YOU HAVE WHAT IS CALLED THE CURRENT.
THIS IS OUR MOST COMMON TYPE OF REFUNDING.
UM, IT OCCURS WHEN THE OUTSTANDING BONDS ARE REDEEMED WITHIN 90 DAYS, UH, OF THE DATE.
WHEN THE REFUNDING BONDS ARE ISSUED, YOU CAN DO AN ADVANCED REFUNDING.
SO THIS OCCURS WHEN THE OUTSTANDING BONDS ARE REDEEMED MORE THAN 90 DAYS FROM THE DATE WHEN THOSE REFUNDING BONDS OF BONDS ARE ISSUED.
SO IN THIS SITUATION, THOSE FUNDS GET HELD IN ESCROW UNTIL YOUR CALL DATE FOR THAT OLD ISSUANCE.
AND THEN ONCE THAT CALL DATE IS MET, YOU PAY OFF THE OLD BONDS.
THEY'LL HAVE BEEN CHANGES IN FEDERAL LAW IN 2017 THAT ELIMINATED THIS ABILITY FOR CITIES ON TAX EXEMPT DEBT.
YOU CAN STILL DO RE ADVANCED REFUNDINGS FOR TAXABLE DEBT, UM, BUT THE HIGHER INTEREST OR THE HIGHER RATES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE MIXED SAVINGS HARDER TO ACHIEVE.
AND THEN FINALLY, YOU HAVE WHAT IS CALLED TENDER, WHERE THE ISSUER BUYS BACK THE BONDS FROM THE BOND HOLDERS, UM, BEFORE THE CALL DATE.
UM, AND HAS THIS HAS BECOME MORE COMMON SINCE 2017 AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED REFUNDINGS, UH, MAJORITY OF THE ACTIVITY THE CITY DOES WOULD FALL UNDER CURRENT.
AND I WILL PASS IT OVER TO DARRELL TO DIVE
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INTO EXACTLY WHAT'S PROPOSED FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.THANK YOU ALLISON MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UH, SO IF YOU REMEMBER FROM THE LAST BULLET ON THE FIRST SLIDE THAT ALLISON SHOWED, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT DO A REFUNDING IS TO FIX OUT SHORT-TERM DEBT AND TO LONG-TERM DEBT.
UM, SHORT-TERM DEBT IS TYPICALLY A VARIABLE RATE DEBT, UH, WHICH FLEX CAN FLUCTUATE ON A DAILY TYPE OF BASIS.
UH, YOU TYPICALLY WILL LOOK AT, UH, FIXING THAT DEBT OUT INTO SOMETHING THAT'S A FIXED RATE, UH, OVER A LONGER TERM PERIOD.
UH, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND WITH REGARDS TO GP AND L'S.
THANK YOU GP AND L'S COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM.
UH, THE REASON WHY WE DID THAT IS IT ALIGNS MORE CLOSELY WITH HOW WE RECOVER OUR COST FOR OUR TRANSMISSION CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DO WITH THE COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM, IT ACTS LIKE CONSTRUCTION FUNDING.
SO AS YOU NEED THE THE DOLLARS, UM, YOU DRAW DOWN ON THAT CAPACITY OF THE COMMERCIAL PAPER.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS AS WE DRAW DOWN ON THAT COMMERCIAL PAPER BUILDING PROJECTS, WE GET TO A CERTAIN POINT WHERE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH COMPLETED PROJECTS OR SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED PROJECTS WHERE WE'LL TAKE THAT DEBT OUT, THAT SHORT TERM DEBT INTO LONG-TERM DEBT.
AND WHAT THAT DOES, IT DOES TWO THINGS.
ONE, IT FREES UP THE CAPACITY IN THAT COMMERCIAL PAPER WHEN WE PAY IT DOWN WITH A LONG-TERM DEBT, BUT ALSO IT FIXES THE RATE.
SO YOU GO FROM A VARIABLE RATE TO A FIXED RATE, TYPICALLY OVER A 30 YEAR TERM.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR TONIGHT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL WITH REGARDS TO US BEING ABLE TO GO IN AND, UH, REFUND UP TO $80 MILLION OF THE COMMERCIAL PAPER.
UM, IN ADDITION, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS AUTHORIZATION OF AN APPOINTMENT OF A PRICING OFFICER.
BASICALLY THAT'S WHO ULTIMATELY IS APPROVING THE DEAL ONCE YOU GET A PRICING FROM THE MARKET.
AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THREE PEOPLE.
THAT'D BE THE CITY MANAGER, FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OR THE GENERAL MANAGER OF GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT.
AND IF YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS, BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER.
AN AMERICAN FLAG STANDS TO THE LEFT OF THE DAYS.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR GOING OVER THIS WITH US.
UM, THE REASON WHY I REQUESTED IT TO BE PULLED IS BECAUSE THERE'S QUITE, UM, THE TALK ABOUT IT ON THE THE SOCIAL MEDIAS.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO GIVE US A AN EXTRA MONEY.
SO CAN WE CONFIRM IF THAT IS ACCURATE OR NOT? COUNCIL MEMBER IS A DESK.
WHAT, WHAT IT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MAYBE MISNOMER, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S USED IN THE INDUSTRY.
IT'S NOT CALLED A REFINANCING LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
SO THERE, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING AND BORROWING LONG-TERM DEBT TO PAY OFF SHORT-TERM DEBT.
SO THERE THERE'S NOT FROM A STANDPOINT OF, OF MONEY COMING IN FOR A REFUND OR, UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, UH, FROM A COST SAVING STANDPOINT, LIKE YOU MIGHT DO REFUND LONG-TERM DEBT WITH LONG-TERM DEBT TO GET A LOWER TAX OR A LOWER, UH, INTEREST RATE.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR THIS ONE.
THIS IS REALLY JUST TAKING AND FIXING OUT A SHORT-TERM VARIABLE RATE, UM, DEBT INTO LONGER TERM FIXED RATE.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE SEE THE WORD REFUND AND THEY THINK YOU'RE GOING TO KOHL'S TO GET A REFUND, NOT ACTUALLY REFUNDING IS SEPARATE.
UM, SO DOES THIS AFFECT ANY OF OUR BONDS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT ARE UNFINISHED? NO.
CHRIS OTT, DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBER RERAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION, JUST A COMPLETE CONFIRM FOR OUR RESIDENT TO UNDERSTAND THIS WAS, DOES NOT AFFECT THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE OR ANY ELECT ELECTRICS RATE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
JUST THERE, THERE CAN MISUNDERSTANDING THE TERM OF FUNDING OR REFUNDING.
SO CAN YOU, UH, TELL US KIND OF WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE SHORT TERM RATE VERSUS THE LONG-TERM RATE YOU'RE REFUNDING TO? IS THAT A A QUESTION THAT YOU CAN ANSWER EVEN OR, SO RIGHT NOW SHORT TERM RATES, UM, PROBABLY ABOUT 3.8% IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
PLUS, WITH YOUR SHORT TERM DEBT, UH, YOU HAVE, UM, A COMMITMENT CHARGE BECAUSE THAT, THAT CAPACITY'S AVAILABLE FOR YOU USE AND IT'S JUST, YOU CAN'T SIT THERE AND IT'S FREE.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S UH, ON A CHARGE THAT'S ON TOP OF THAT.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY AROUND A LITTLE OVER 4% FOR THE VARIABLE RATE.
UH, WHEN WE GO TO THE MARKET, UH, THIS PAST YEAR WHEN WE WENT, WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT FOR A 30 YEAR.
I IMAGINE WE WOULD GO TO THE MARKET THIS TIME BECAUSE WE'VE
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SEEN THE FED RAISE RATES AND WE'VE SEEN UPWARD PRESSURE.UM, I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY BE AROUND FIVE PLUS, UH, FOR A 30 YEAR TERM.
AND SO, BUT YOU'RE STILL PROPOSING THAT WE MOVE OFF OF A VARIABLE RATE BECAUSE YOU'VE YOU'VE GOT THE VARIABLE RATE TO BUILD WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA BUILD AND NOW IT'S TIME TO FUND THOSE LONG-TERM ASSETS WITH LONG-TERM DEBT AND LOCK IN A, A RATE WHERE WE CAN, THAT WE CAN COUNT ON FOR THE FUTURE.
SO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, IT'S TWOFOLD.
ONE, YOU'RE LOCKING IN THE RATE.
THE OTHER THING YOU'RE DOING IS ONCE YOU PAY THAT, THAT SHORT TERM DEBT, UH, YOU PAY IT OFF, YOU FREED UP THE CAPACITY OF THAT $150 MILLION TO CONTINUE CONSTRUCTING OTHER PROJECTS.
'CAUSE WE'VE GOT DOZENS OF TRANSMISSION PROJECTS THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING.
SO YOU NEED THAT CAPACITY AVAILABLE TO FUND THOSE FUTURE PROJECTS.
WHEN I THINK OF, UM, TAKEN ON LONG-TERM DEATH, ARE WE SAYING THEN THAT UH, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PAY THE SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENT THAT WE HAVE PRESENTLY AND AS A RESULT OF THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE LONG-TERM AND IF IN FACT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING, HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT US? AND WE HAVE INTEREST RATES AND LONGEVITY.
HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE? N NO, NO, THIS IS, THIS IS A FORM OF CONSTRUCTION FINANCING SO THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BORROWING MONEY WHILE YOU'RE CONSTRUCTING COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL LONG-TERM DEBT WOULD BE THAT IF, LET'S SAY I WANTED $150 MILLION, I WOULD IMMEDIATELY GET $150 MILLION AND BE PAYING INTEREST ON IT.
UH, PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST ON IT IMMEDIATELY.
WHAT THIS IS ALLOWING YOU TO DO IS ONLY PULL DOWN THE MONEY YOU NEED AT THE TIME YOU NEED IT.
YOUR CAPACITY IS $150 MILLION, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU NEED THE $150 MILLION IMMEDIATELY.
AND SO IT'S JUST LIKE TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION FINANCING THAT YOU WOULD SEE THAT THE INVESTOR OWNED UTILITIES WOULD DO, WHERE YOU PULL DOWN AS YOU NEED THE FUNDS AND THEN ONCE YOU GET YOUR PROJECTS COMPLETED, THEN YOU WOULD TAKE THAT OUT INTO LONG-TERM DEBT.
AND, AND THE REASON WHY WE USE, UH, COMMERCIAL PAPER IS IT ALIGNS CLOSER WITH HOW WE GET OUR RECOVERY FROM OUR TRANSMISSION PROJECTS AND FROM THE PUC WITH OUR, OUR TCOS RATES.
UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S AN ALIGNMENT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ONCE YOU START PAYING PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST, UM, UH, IT'S EASIER TO CAPITALIZE THOSE COSTS WHEN YOU'RE USING CONSTRUCTION FINANCING THAN IT IS I WOULD CALL TRADITIONAL MUNICIPAL FINANCING WHERE YOU ISSUE JUST ONE LARGE, UH, DEBT ISSUE AND THAT MONEY SITS THERE WHILE YOU'RE WAITING TO DO PROJECTS.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FINANCIAL TOOL USE FOR CORRECT PRODUCTION.
COUNSEL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? TEXT CHRISTINA.
I THINK THAT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL FOR US AND FOR THE CITIZENS AS WELL.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, GROW GARLAND BOND PROPOSITION C GRANVILLE ARCH CENTER RENOVATION UPDATE.
THE WOMAN SITS AT A DESK WITH A LAPTOP WHILE A MAN WALKS PAST ON THE LEFT AND A HAND IS VISIBLE ADJUSTING A CHAIR ON THE RIGHT.
AS WE GET OURSELVES SETTLED, A MAN JOINS THE GROUP AT THE CONFERENCE TABLE.
OKAY, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M AMY ROSENTHAL, UH, CULTURAL ARTS DIRECTOR AND I'M HERE ALONG WITH MICHAEL BUTLER, UM, OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR.
WE ARE THE R AND B OPENING ACT.
YES, WE ARE
UH, SO VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL TONIGHT, UH, TO GIVE AN UPDATE ABOUT, UH, PROPOSITION C UH, FOR THE GRANDVILLE ART CENTER.
SO BACK MAY, THIS JOURNEY STARTED BACK IN MAY OF 2025, WHERE THE VOTERS SAID YES TO, UH, A BOND TO HELP WITH MUCH NEEDED RENOVATIONS FOR GRANDVILLE ART CENTER.
SO, UM, THE PEDAL HAS BEEN TO THE METAL.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD THIS LAST YEAR AND A HALF, VERY HARD.
UM, AND A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN OVER CAP, BUT A A COUPLE THINGS TO KNOW SINCE OUR LAST VISIT IN MAY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY BUSY WITH PRICING AND REVISIONS, UM, ON THE DESIGNS.
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AND SO, UH, JUST AS FAR AS LAST WEEK, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH OUR ART STAKEHOLDERS A PREVIEW OF THE DESIGNS.AND I'M THRILLED TO SAY THEY GAVE US GREAT REVIEWS.
UH, WE GOT A COMMENT THAT SAID, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE SHOWING US EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED FOR AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND WE ULTIMATELY GOT A TWO THUMBS UP FROM MISS PATTY GRANDVILLE.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS, UH, REALLY VERY IMPORTANT.
THOSE WERE THE WORDS WE NEEDED TO HEAR ON FRIDAY.
SO WE HAVE OUR UPDATES, UH, WE'RE CAPTURING UPDATES IN REAL TIME ON, UH, GROW GARLAND.COM.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CHECK IT OUT TO SEE UPDATES.
UM, Y'ALL KNOW THIS, I I SAY IT EVERY TIME.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE TOO THAT THIS MESSAGE CONTINUES TO RISE TO THE TOP.
YOU KNOW, THE, THIS PROJECT, UH, IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT MEANS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR GARLAND.
UH, WE HAVE VISITORS THAT COME AND SPEND THEIR MONEY IN GARLAND WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO SEE SHOWS.
THIS IS OUR FABULOUS GROUP, UM, OUR GLOW UP TEAM.
SO WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TONIGHT TO HAVE OUR ARCHITECTS HERE WITH US, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER FOLKS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, INCLUDING BURN CON, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE CONTRACTORS, SCHULER SHOOK, THOSE ARE THEATER, UH, SPECIALISTS, SPECIALISTS, UM, JAFFE HOLDEN, WHICH IS THE ACCU ACCUSATION ACCUSATION IANS CUS YES.
AND, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ALL SOUNDS GREAT.
AND THEN OUR POWER GROUP, WHICH IS OUR PR GROUP.
AGAIN, Y'ALL WERE THERE BACK IN JANUARY WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO FOLKS.
SURVEYS HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THIS PROJECT.
UM, YOU KNOW, A DA, UH, BACKSTAGE AREAS, AND THOSE WERE THE THINGS THAT REALLY OUR GROUPS WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, UH, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER ON THAT.
AND THEN, UH, TECHNICAL, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY ALSO SAID, HEY, UH, PLEASE HELP US WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE, OF THE BROWNLEY AUDITORIUM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED COMFORT.
PLEASE HELP US WITH A DA IN THE GRANDVILLE ARTS CENTER.
AND THEN ALSO WE NEED SOME UPDATED RESTROOMS AND CONCESSIONS.
SO, LOVE TO GO BACK IN TIME A LITTLE AND TAKE A LOOK AT PICTURES FROM 1981 AND 82 WHEN THE GRANDVILLE ARTS CENTER WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED.
AND SO REALLY COOL TO SEE THE STEEL, YOU KNOW, PEELED BACK IN THE BUILDING AND THE CRANE.
UM, I LOVE THIS PHOTO AS WELL TOO BECAUSE, UH, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE OUR NEW ARTS INCUBATOR WAY IN THE BACKGROUND.
IT WAS THERE IN 74, SO IT'S PRETTY COOL TO GET A, A GLIMPSE INTO THAT DURING THIS PROCESS.
WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE, UM, LOTS OF PHOTOS AND THE ORIGINAL DESIGNS FROM 82 AND THEN RON HOBBS DESIGNS FROM THE TWO THOUSANDS.
LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION, BUT I WILL SAY WE FOUND A GHOST STAIR.
WE FOUND THE UNUSUAL STAIRCASE THAT REALLY NEVER DEVELOPED, SO THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING.
UM, BUT WE'RE COMMITMENT THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMITMENTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GROUPS THAT BOOK A YEAR IN ADVANCE AND WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE TAKING CARE OF OUR ART STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, GCT GARLAND CIVIC THEATER, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE GOING TO MOVE THEIR PRODUCTIONS NEXT YEAR TO THE PLAZA THEATER.
THEY'RE KIND OF CHANGING THEIR APPROACH ON WHAT THEY PRODUCE.
AND SO THEY'RE AT THE PLAZA THEATER.
GARLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, UH, WILL BE AT THE ATRIUM.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO RECONFIGURE, UH, HOW THEY, UH, BRING IN THEIR AUDIENCES.
AND SO GARLAND SYM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WILL BE IN THE ATRIUM, BUT THIS IS HARD.
WHAT THIS PROJECT HAS DEMONSTRATED IS, IS THAT GRANDVILLE ARTS CENTER PLAYS A VERY SPECIAL ROLE IN THE ECOSYSTEM OF PERFORMING ARTS VENUES IN NORTH TEXAS.
WHEN WE'RE TAKING GRANDVILLE OFF THE LINE OFFLINE FOR A YEAR, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING FOR OUR ARTS GROUPS.
AND WE, WE FEEL THAT AND WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH THEM AND, AND DOING OUR VERY BEST TO HELP MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS TOO IS, AND WE'LL REALLY SEE THIS NEXT YEAR, IS THE DIRT IS STARTING TO FLY.
I MEAN, WE REALLY WANT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, A POSSIBLE, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR AUDIENCES OR FOR SOME OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE A LITTLE PIECE OF THE GRANDVILLE WITH THEM WHILE WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, BRIEFLY, WE'RE, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE IN, IN THE VISION AND THE BUDGETING AND THAT WE'RE GONNA MEET EXPECTATIONS.
VERY PROUD OF HOW HARD WE REALLY HAVE WORKED TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND VERY, AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I AM GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR HEADLINERS NOW AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT AT A TABLE, LET THEM, SORRY, I'M NOT VERY SMOOTH AT THIS.
THE PRESENTER GESTURES TOWARD THE SCREEN.
SO SHALL I TRADE WITH, YEAH, LET'S, LET'S TRADE SEATS THE WOMAN AND MAN SWAP SEATS.
RICHARD, DO YOU WANT TO START ANYTHING? THE MAN SITS AS THE WOMAN STANDS.
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INTO IT.UH, WELL, I'LL, I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF, RICHARD WILLIAMS WITH WILLIAMS STAR ARCHITECTS AND CHRIS WEINMAN WITH SIMPLE BROWN FROM DENVER.
UM, AS AMY INDICATED, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING WITH GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST WEEK, UM, AND GOT SOME GREAT QUESTIONS, SOME GREAT FEEDBACK, UM, BUT THAT ALSO ILLUSTRATED JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR US TO GET THE INPUT THAT AMY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SO FROM THE BOND CAMPAIGN, WE KNEW THE MESSAGES THAT YOU ALL HAD COMMUNICATED TO THE VOTERS ABOUT OUTDATED HVAC NEEDING TO ADDRESS A DA LIFE SAFETY, REFRESHING THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
THE ARTS PARTNERS COMMUNICATED VERY STRONGLY ABOUT A DA AGAIN EX.
THE NEED FOR EXPANDED BACK OF HOUSE SUPPORT, UH, IS WHAT BOH STANDS FOR.
UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY IN THE PERFORMANCE VENUES AND THEIR HIGH PRIORITY ON KEEPING SEATING CAPACITY IN THE VENUES AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE WERE VERY CLEAR UPFRONT ABOUT WHEN, WHEN WE SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS A DA AND PROVIDE MORE COMFORT, THAT TYPICALLY MEANS WIDER SEATS, THAT MEANS FEWER OF THEM.
AND SO BALANCING CAPACITY AND COMFORT WITH A DA WAS IMPORTANT.
AND THEN THE COMMUNITY SURVEYS THAT AMY TALKED ABOUT PRIORITIZED SEATING COMFORT AND LAYOUT A DA AND UPGRADED RESTROOMS AND CONCESSIONS.
WHAT WAS GREAT ABOUT ALL OF THAT WAS JUST HOW CONSISTENT ALL OF THAT WAS AND IT GAVE US EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD, UH, DIRECTION FOR THE DESIGN PROCESS.
SO I'M GONNA START WITH EXPANDED BACK OF HOUSE SUPPORT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY ENABLING AMY TO BOOK MORE AND A BROADER VARIETY OF ACTS IS WHAT KEEPS THE BUILDING ACTIVE AND BUSY AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO IN THE BROWNLEY THEATER, WE HAVE INCREASED DRESSING STATIONS, CHAIRS WITH COUNTER SPACE AND MIRRORS.
FROM 31 TO 53 PEOPLE BACKSTAGE, WE'VE ADDED A GREEN ROOM WITH A STAR DRESSING ROOM, WHICH IS FREQUENTLY A REQUEST FROM TOURING ACTS.
WE'VE ADDED A LARGE REHEARSAL HALL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS LOCK UP YOUR STAGE WITH REHEARSAL ACTIVITY THAT ISN'T SELLING TICKETS.
SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO THAT ACTIVITY IN A DEDICATED REHEARSAL ROOM AND NOT IN THE THEATER, THE BETTER.
WE'VE ADDED A NEW CONTROL BOOTH THAT IS ACCESSIBLE, THAT IS LARGER AND THAT IS ON CENTER IN THE ROOM FOR ITS VIEW OF THE STAGE.
WE'VE ADDED MORE BACK OF HOUSE RESTROOMS AND WE'VE GIVEN THE TECHNICIANS AND THE BUILDING STAFF 360 DEGREE CIRCULATION AROUND THE BROWNLEY.
YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT AT THIS POINT ON, ON THE STAGED LEFT SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IF YOU WANT TO GO FROM FRONT OF HOUSE TO BACK OF HOUSE, YOU'RE GOING OUTSIDE.
UM, SO THAT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT WE WANTED TO MAKE FOR THE SMALL THEATER.
THERE'S NO PARTICULAR CHANGE IN THE DRESSING STATIONS, ALTHOUGH WE WILL HAVE ALL NEW FINISHES IN THOSE SPACES.
WE HAVE ADDED A REHEARSAL HALL FOR THAT VENUE AS WELL FOR THE SAME REASONS.
UH, HAVE A NEW CONTROL BOOTH THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND ON-CENTER, EXPANDED THE STAGE AREA AND ADDED BACK OF HOUSE RESTROOMS. SO THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW IF YOU'RE A BIRD OR A DRONE FLYING OVER THE PARKING LOT.
UM, AND HERE YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT THIS LINE WHERE WE SEPARATE FROM GRAY TO PINK IS THE NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE BEING ADDED TO THE BUILDING.
SO ON THE LEFT, THAT IS THE NEW STAR DRESSING ROOM AND GREEN ROOM, THE NEW REHEARSAL HALL, THE NEW BACKSTAGE RESTROOMS AND EXPANDED DRESSING ROOMS AND TECH OFFICES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SECURE OBSERVATION OF THE LOADING DOCK.
THEN A GATE FOR THE LOADING DOCK ITSELF AND THE NEW REHEARSAL HALL FOR THE SMALL THEATER TEXT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT IN PLAN, THE REHEARSAL HALL FOR THE SMALL THEATER IS ON THE LEFT HERE, HAS A SINGLE WHOLE RESTROOM HERE IN SO THAT THE BUILD ROOM CAN BE USED INDEPENDENTLY.
ALSO HAS AN EXTERIOR DOOR SO THAT THE ROOM CAN BE USED INDEPENDENTLY IF THE SMALL THEATER IS BEING BOOKED SEPARATELY.
UM, YOU SEE THE EXPANDED DRESSING SPACES AND THE RECONFIGURATION FOR MORE EFFICIENCY BEING DONE, UH, ON THE LE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, ALONG WITH THE ADDITIONAL BACK OF HOUSE RESTROOMS, THE REHEARSAL HALL, THE GREEN ROOM, AND STAR DRESSING ROOM.
THIS TAKES THE GRANDVILLE CENTER FROM HAVING ONE REHEARSAL ROOM TO HAVING THREE.
AND THE FLEXIBILITY THAT'S IT'S GONNA PROVIDE BACKSTAGE IS ENORMOUS, NOT JUST FOR THE GROUPS THAT ARE USING THE TWO STAGES, BUT ALSO FOR POTENTIAL PROGRAMMING IN TERMS OF CAMP ACTIVITIES, IN TERMS OF EDUCATION WORK, IN TERMS OF WORK WITH STUDENT AUDIENCES.
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SO THAT'S, UH, A BIG MOVE WITH SEATING CONFIGURATIONS AND CAPACITY IN THE BROWNLEY.WE'VE GOT A REVISED AISLE CONFIGURATION, AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE WERE TOLD VERY, VERY CLEARLY UPFRONT NO CENTER AISLE, UM, AND YOU WON'T SEE ONE.
UM, THE CURRENT CAPACITY IS 728.
WE HAVE A PROPOSED CAPACITY OF 645 FIXED SEATS, PLUS 32 TO 45 ON THE AREA OF THE ORCHESTRA PIT.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
UM, WE'RE PROPOSING A MANUAL ORCHESTRA PIT FILLER FOR THAT AREA AND WE HAVE OUT ADDED SOUND AND LIGHT LOCKS OR VESTIBULES TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE ENTRANCES INTO THE BROWNLEY, WHICH IT DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE ISSUES OF SOUND BLEED FROM ROOM TO ROOM ARE SO PREVALENT IS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF THOSE SOUND AND LIGHT LOCKS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE SOLVING IN BOTH THEATERS.
THE SMALL THEATER GETS A REVISED AISLE CONFIGURATION TO BE EASIER TO NAVIGATE IN CURRENT CAPACITY IS 200 AND THAT DROPS TO 190.
YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN MAY WE TALKED ABOUT THE OPTION TO WORK WITH SOME TELESCOPING SEATING THAT MIGHT FOLD OUT INTO THE SMALL THEATER.
ULTIMATELY, AND THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE VALUE OF WORKING WITH A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS, WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE COSTS THAT WE WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT TELESCOPING SEATING, NOT JUST BUYING THE SEATING ITSELF, BUT ALSO THE CHANGES TO THE FLOOR SLAB.
ALSO THE CHANGES TO THE DEMOLITION AND DETERMINED THAT THAT JUST WASN'T WORTH THE INVESTMENT, UM, AND HAVE ADDED THE SOUND AND LIGHT LOCKS THERE AS WELL.
A DA IMPROVEMENTS ARE SIGNIFICANT THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING IN THE BROWNLEY.
WE WILL NOW HAVE DISPERSED ACCESSIBLE SEATING LOCATIONS SIDE TO SIDE AND FRONT TO BACK, WHICH IS WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS LOOKING FOR.
WE'LL HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE PATH TO THE STAGE SO THAT WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO USE THE BROWNLEY FOR A CIVIC MEETING, AN AWARD CEREMONY, A TRAINING EVENT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO INVITE PARTICIPANTS WHO MAY USE WHEELCHAIRS FROM THEIR LOCATIONS IN THE AUDIENCE ONTO THE STAGE TO RECEIVE RECOGNITION AND COME BACK OUT AGAIN.
UH, THE BOOTH ITSELF WILL BE ACCESSIBLE AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WITHIN UH, THE THEATRICAL INDUSTRIES, WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN DEVELOPMENT IN AWARENESS THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN OPERATE LIGHTING AND SOUND EQUIPMENT FROM A BOOTH.
IF IT IS MADE ACCESSIBLE, UM, WE WILL HAVE A NEW ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM IN THE THEATER AND THE DRESSING ROOMS ARE LAID OUT TO BE MORE, UH, ACCESSIBLE IN TERMS OF DIMENSIONS AND CLEARANCES IN THE SMALL THEATER.
WE ALSO GET DISPERSED SEATING LOCATIONS FRONT TO BACK AND SIDE TO SIDE.
WE HAVE, WE WILL HAVE A NEW ACCESSIBLE PATH TO THE STAGE, THE NEWLY ACCESSIBLE BOOTH AND THE ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM THERE AS WELL.
SO LOOKING AT THE PLAN OF THE BROWNLEY AT THE VERY TOP, YOU SEE THE STAGE AREA THAT DOESN'T CHANGE STRUCTURALLY THAT'S IN PLACE AND, AND NOT GONNA BE MODIFIED AS YOU MOVE DOWN.
YOU SEE THE PIT PLATFORM AND UH, THE SEATS THAT ARE SHADOWED IN THERE.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS A HARD CONCRETE WALL SURROUNDING YOUR PIT THAT MEANS IT CAN'T BE UTILIZED EVEN IF IT IS DROPPED TO THE AUDIENCE SEATING LEVEL FOR AUDIENCE SEATING.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY FOR PATRONS TO GET IN THERE.
SO WE'RE CREATING NEW OPENINGS FROM THE AISLES TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO THAT PERFORMANCES THAT MIGHT PRIORITIZE HAVING MORE SEATS VERSUS LESS STAGE AREA CAN DO THAT.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE HERE, UH, THE CHANGE IN THE SEA IN THE AISLE CONFIGURATION.
SO INSTEAD, INSTEAD OF HAVING AN AISLE RUNNING DOWN THE CENTER, WE HAVE AISLES THAT ARE SEPARATING THE SEATING AREAS BASICALLY INTO THIRDS.
THERE IS A WIDE CROSS AISLE EXTENDING SIDE TO SIDE FROM THE CORNERS, UH, OF THE AUDIENCE CHAMBER.
AND WHAT THAT IS PROVIDING FOR US IS A REALLY PREMIUM ACCESSIBLE SEATING LOCATION, UM, BUT ALSO TAKES ADVANTAGE OF OR GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RES SLOPE THE SEATING IN THE REAR HALF OF THE ROOM TO IMPROVE THE SIDELINES.
SO THAT WILL STEP UP MORE STEEPLY THAN IT CURRENTLY DOES.
AND ON THE SIDES WITH THE DASH LINES, YOU CAN SEE WHAT ARE NOW GOING TO BE RAMPED, ENCLOSED SOUND AND LIGHT LOCKS THAT BRING THE AUDIENCE FROM THE LOBBY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, DOWN THROUGH AN ENCLOSED SPACE AND INTO THE CROSS AISLE.
THE OTHER NICE THING THAT THIS GIVES YOU IS AN OPTION THAT
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YOU MIGHT HAVE, UH, A PERFORMANCE THAT NEEDS THE STAGE SIZE OF THE BROWNLEY BUT MAY ONLY HAVE 250 PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.IN THAT CASE, YOU CAN SEAT EVERYBODY IN THE FRONT HALF OF THE ROOM, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS IN THE REAR HALF OF THE ROOM AND FEEL VERY SUCCESSFUL.
PACK EVERYONE TOGETHER AND HAVE AN INTIMATE, UH, EXPERIENCE IN THE REAR.
DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DRAWING YOU SEE OUR NEW CONTROL BOOTH.
THAT IS A NEW CONTROL BOOTH LOCATION THAT IS ALSO NEW AUDIENCE ACCESS FROM THE LOBBY VIA STAIR AND A WHEELCHAIR LIFT.
SO LATE COMERS AND OTHER FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE ARRIVING AFTER THE START OF THE SHOW CAN BE SEATED WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE REST OF THE PATRONS.
SO THIS IS A CUTAWAY SECTION VIEW WITH THE STAGE ON THE RIGHT, THIS SHOWS WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE OF THESE THAT JUST SHOW THE ORCHESTRA PIT IN ITS DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS.
YOU CAN SEE THE SLOPE OF THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE SEATS.
HERE'S THE NEW CROSS AISLE RUNNING SIDE TO SIDE, AND THEN THE RESTRUCTURED REAR SEATING SLOPING UP TO MEET THE NEW CONTROL BOOTH.
SO THIS SHOWS THE PIT PLATFORM AT STAGE LEVEL WHERE IT MOST COMMONLY IS USED TODAY TO EXTEND THE STAGE OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE CHAMBER.
IN THIS NEXT VIEW, YOU GET THE PIT AT THE MIDPOINT OR AT THE SEATING LEVEL WITH THE IDEA OF THE ADDED SEATS ON THE PIT SO THAT A BAND THAT MIGHT NOT NEED ALL OF THE STAGE AREA THAT THE BALLET MAY NEED CAN HAVE MORE SEATS IN THE HALL.
AND THEN HERE IT SHOWS THE PIT LOWERED TO ITS, UH, THINK OF IT AS THE SUMMER MUSICALS POSITION WHEN THERE IS A PIT ORCHESTRA ACCOMPANYING THE PERFORMERS.
THE WAY THAT WE'RE GETTING AROUND THE BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENT FOR AN ELEVATOR AND EXITS FROM THE PIT IS TO USE A MANUAL PIT FILLER SYSTEM.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IT IS PARTIALLY IN PLACE.
IT IS A COMBINATION OF LEGS AND BEAMS AND THEN PLATFORMS THAT ARE PLACED ON TOP OF THOSE.
AND IN THAT VIEW YOU CAN SEE DOWN INTO THE PIT WHERE ALL OF THAT IS STORED.
ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT SYSTEM.
IT PROVIDES THE SAME AMOUNT OF STRUCTURAL CAPACITY THAT A STAGE FLOOR WOULD NORMALLY HAVE.
UM, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REPLACES THE HYDRAULICS, GETS RID OF THE MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, AND ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PIT WITHOUT MAKING AN OUTRAGEOUS CAPITAL INVESTMENT TEXT.
AS WE LOOK OVER THE HOUSE LEFT SECTION OF SEATING THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE PATH, THE SLOPE IS OUR NEW AISLE LEADING DOWN TO THE SEATING IN THE PIT AREA AND AROUND TO THE TOP HERE IS THE ACCESSIBLE PATH.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A LEVEL AISLE THAT LEADS FROM THE CROSS AISLE TO THE FOUR STAGE, UH, PROVIDING OUR ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENT THERE.
TEXT PROPOSED BROWNLEE THEATER.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE EXTREME HOUSE LEFT REAR AUDIENCE ROW.
AND I THINK THIS GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW MUCH IMPROVED THE SIGHT LINES CAN BE FROM THE REAR OF THE HOUSE.
THE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE I THINK WILL REALLY IMPROVE, UM, FROM, FROM THE BACK SEATS, UM, AND AND IMPROVE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE SIDELINES.
THIS ALSO GIVES YOU AN INDICATION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO RETAIN AND SAVE THE HISTORIC WOOD CEILING IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM.
WE'RE GONNA TALK THIS EVENING ABOUT SEVERAL AREAS WHERE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLAIM THE LEGACY AND THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING.
UM, AS WE RENOVATE IT, AS WE TAKE A VIEW FROM THE STAGE, YOU SEE THAT CEILING AS WELL.
AND WHAT YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF HERE, UH, WITH THE EXTENDED STAGE AREA IS THE GREEN SEATING.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE NEW SEEDS, BUT WE'RE PROPOSING TO RETAIN THE GREEN COLOR FOR THE SEATING FABRIC ITSELF.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE NODS TO HISTORY.
UM, WE'RE NOT MAKING THE SAME NOD TO HISTORY ON THE DUSTY ROSE WALLPAPER ON THE SIDE WALLS OF THE THEATER.
SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO DARKEN THE PALETTE OF THE ROOM SO THAT, AND MAKE IT MORE NEUTRAL SO THAT THE STAGE PRODUCTION HAS MORE FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF THEIR
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COLOR PALETTE.AND IT'S NOT FIGHTING THE AESTHETICS OF THE THEATER ITSELF.
IT ALSO ENABLES THE STAGE TO DRAW YOUR EYE MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE SMALL THEATER.
YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE FLOOR PLAN, THIS CORNER OF THE ROOM OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT OF THE STAGE IS CURRENTLY AREA THAT'S OCCUPIED BY THE GALLERY SPACE IN THE GRANDVILLE CENTER.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU LATER WHERE WE'RE GONNA REPLACE THE GALLERY CONFIGURATION.
BUT THIS ENABLES US TO EXPAND THE STAGE AND MAKE IT MORE SYMMETRICAL.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NEW SEATING LAYOUT TEXT, SMALL THEATER FLOOR PLAN IS MUCH LESS OF A COLLISION BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT, NOT REALLY MEETING IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, THIS IS A RADIAL SEATING FORMAT.
UM, AND THE NICE THING THAT THIS HAS ENABLED US TO DO IS TO MAKE THE SMALL THEATER SELF-CONTAINED FROM AN AUDIENCE CIRCULATION PERSPECTIVE.
WE'VE RELOCATED THE ENTRANCE HERE JUST UP AGAINST THE GLASS WALLS OF THE LOBBY.
AT THAT POINT YOU'LL COME INTO A SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK, WHICH YOU DON'T CURRENTLY DO.
MANY OF YOU HAVE GONE TO PERFORMANCES.
KNOW THAT IF YOU OPEN THE DOOR TO THE SMALL THEATER LIGHT AND NOISE FLOOD IN, SO YOU ENTER A SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK, IF YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT, YOU'LL HAVE A CHOICE OF GOING DOWN THIS INTERIOR AISLE WITH NEW HANDRAILS OR CONTINUING DOWN A RAMP TO A LANDING AND A RAMP THAT TAKES YOU TO THE FRONT ROW.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE GETTING ACCESSIBLE SEATING LOCATIONS IN BOTH THE FRONT AND THE REAR OF THE ROOM.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, AGAIN, YOU CAN CONTINUE USING THE INTERIOR AISLE OR THE OUTSIDE STAIRS DOWN.
SO MUCH EASIER TO SEE PATRONS IN THAT THEATER WITH FRANKLY A VERY MINOR LOSS OF SEATING CAPACITY THERE.
I DON'T HAVE A SECOND FLOOR PLAN FOR YOU, BUT ABOVE THIS SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK IS WHERE WE'RE LOCATING OUR NEW CONTROL BOOTH.
SO INSTEAD OF BEING OFF IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER, THE NEW CONTROL BOOTH IS ON THE CENTER LINE AND IS ACCESSED EITHER BY THIS SPIRAL STAIR OR A NEW WHEELCHAIR LIFT TEXT PROPOSED SEATS.
WHEN WE SEE THIS IN THE SECTION CUTAWAY, THE EXPANDED STAGE AREAS ON THE RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF THE SEATING IN THE ROOM IN THREE SECTIONS.
THERE IS AN EXISTING LIGHTING MEZZANINE UP HERE AND SO WE'RE MOVING THAT CONTROL BOOTH TO THE VERY CENTER OF THAT LOCATION TO HAVE A FULL VIEW OF THE STAGE AND TO BE ELEVATED UP ABOVE THE AUDIENCE FROM THE PERFORMER STANDPOINT, WE'RE ALSO SHOWING THAT WE ARE TAKING THE DRYWALL OFF OF THE PROSCENIUM OPENING, WHICH HAS SOME LIMITING EFFECT ON THE DESIGNERS AND THE TECHNICIANS WHO USE THE SMALL THEATER RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE WILL STILL BE CURTAINS HERE, BUT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DESIGN SCENERY THAT WORKED OUT IN FRONT OF THAT CURTAIN AND MADE USE OF ATTACHING TO THIS STRUCTURE.
BUT I THINK THIS GIVES YOU A SENSE THAT THE SMALL THEATER WILL STILL BE A VERY INTIMATE, VERY HOSPITABLE PLACE FOR A RANGE OF PERFORMANCES.
AND AGAIN, THE COLOR PALETTE IN THE ROOM GETS DARKER.
WE WANT THE STAGE DESIGN TO COME OUT AND MEET YOU.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO COMPETE WITH THAT.
ARCHITECTURALLY LOOKING FROM THE FAR REAR SEAT ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ROOM, THIS IS A SENSE OF JUST HOW OPEN THAT SPACE WILL BE.
AGAIN, THIS IS WITHOUT SHOWING THE CURTAINS AND FOR TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TWO THEATERS IN THE BROWNLEY, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT LIGHTING ISSUES THERE.
WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS, WE'RE GOING TO A NEW ALL LED STAGE LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT WILL BE MUCH MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE FOR YOUR STAFF.
WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THE MANUAL COUNTERWEIGHT RIGGING ON THE STAGE WITH POWERED HOISTS.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT WE CAN'T ADD ENOUGH STRUCTURE TO THE ROOF TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A WALKABLE DECK UP AT THE TOP OF ALL OF THOSE COUNTERWEIGHTS TO SAFELY ALLOW TECHNICIANS TO LOAD AND UNLOAD COUNTERWEIGHTS IN THAT LOCATION.
THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN MISSING FOR A LONG TIME IN TERMS OF SAFETY.
WE'RE RECONFIGURING THE DUCT WORK TO MAKE THE RIGGING WORK BETTER AND MAKE THINGS MORE COMFORTABLE ON STAGE.
THERE WILL BE AN ENTIRELY NEW AUDIO SYSTEM, UM, TO WORK WITH THE NEW SEATING CONFIGURATION.
THERE WILL BE NEW FRONT OF HOUSE LIGHTING, AGAIN, LED DIMMABLE, MUCH MORE ENERGY
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EFFICIENT.THE MANUAL ORCHESTRA PIT FILLER THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, A NEW FOLLOW SPOT PLATFORM UP ABOVE, UH, THE CONTROL BOOTH AND A NEW STAGE FLOOR IN THE SMALL THEATER.
AGAIN, LED STAGE LIGHTING, EXPANDED STAGE AREA, RECONFIGURED DUCT WORK, NEW AUDIO SYSTEM, EXPANDED LIGHTING GRID AND RAILS IN THE FRONT OF HOUSE AND A NEW STAGE FLOOR FRONT OF HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE EXPANDING OUR CONCESSION AREA FROM 150 SQUARE FEET TO 250 SQUARE FEET.
AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THAT IN A MOMENT.
RESTROOMS EXPANDED FROM YOUR CURRENT COUNT OF SEVEN FOR MEN AND 14 FOR WOMEN.
THE, THE, THE DOUBLING FOR WOMEN OCCURRED BACK IN 2000.
NOTHING WAS DONE FOR THE GUYS.
UM, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THAT BE 14 FOR MEN AND 16 FOR WOMEN TO GET US A LITTLE CLOSER TO PAR PARITY.
BUT I WILL CAUTION THAT WE'RE STILL MORE FOR WOMEN TEXT FRONT OF HOUSE.
UM, WE'RE ADDING A NEW PATRON ENTRY FROM THE AUSTIN SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THAT, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR GALLERY RELOCATION AND A NEW BOX OFFICE WITH UH, FIRST AID SPACE FOR, UH, EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
SO THIS IS A LOOK AT THE NEW CONCESSION AREA STANDING AND YOU CAN SEE JUST UP HERE IN THE UPPER LEFT WHERE WE'VE TAKEN THIS IMAGE FROM.
IF YOU WERE THERE TODAY, YOU'D BE LOOKING INTO THE BOX OFFICE.
AND WHAT THIS CREATES IS A, NOT JUST LARGER BUT MORE FLEXIBLE CONCESSION LOCATION.
THERE ARE FIVE POINT OF SALE LOCATIONS HERE AND YOU COULD CHOOSE TO DEDICATE TWO OF THOSE TO THE SMALL THEATER AND THREE TO THE BROWNLY.
IF YOU HAVE SIMULTANEOUS PERFORMANCES GOING IN BOTH VENUES, YOU COULD HAVE ALL FIVE RUNNING FOR A LARGE AUDIENCE IN THE BROWNLY.
YOU CAN KIND OF MIX AND MATCH HERE.
UH, AND THIS IS BOTH MORE VISIBLE, UH, MORE ACCESSIBLE AND WE THINK, UH, WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS A SUPPORT AREA WITH STORAGE AND REFRIGERATION AND COUNTERS AND CABINETS LOOKING, UH, COMING IN FROM AUSTIN AT THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE OFFICES ARE CURRENTLY LOCATED.
THIS IS A LOOK AT OUR PROPOSED WELCOME DESK AND ALSO AT THE GALLERY SPACE ON THE WALLS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED.
AND REALLY THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WALK INTO WHEN YOU COME INTO THE BUILDING, THIS IS A LOOK SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU, SOME OF YOU MAY NEVER GET A CHANCE TO GO AFTER THE RIBBON CUTTING AND INTO THIS IS INTO THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM, UH, IN THE BROWNLEY.
AND WE'RE TREATING THESE AS THEMED SPACES AS NOT JUST PLAIN GENERIC ROOMS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO TO, BUT SOMEPLACE THAT YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO GO TO AND TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS INSIDE.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE FINISHED PALETTE THERE AND THE DRAMA IN THOSE.
THE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE BUILDING INCLUDE A NEW ENTRY CANOPY FACING DOWNTOWN AND THE SQUARE HIGHER, MORE VISIBLE WITH SIGNAGE ABOVE THE NEW AUSTIN STREET ENTRY THAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH THE WELCOME COUNTER, THE FIRST AID SPACE AND A NEW ENTRY COURTYARD BRINGING YOU FROM THE SURFACE PARKING WITH RAMPS TO ENTRY, A RELOCATED GALLERY TO THAT MORE VISIBLE LOCATION AND A CLEARER PATHWAY TO YOUR PREFERRED ENTRY.
SO AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE SURFACE PARKING THAT SURROUNDS THE BUILDING, UM, CURRENTLY WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE KIND OF MAKE A CHOICE TO COME AROUND THE ATRIUM SIDE OR COME AROUND THE AUSTIN STREET SIDE.
WE'D REALLY LIKE TO PRESS PEOPLE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, DESIGN A PATH FOR THEM TOWARD THE AUSTIN STREET SIDE AND COMING IN HERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S SHOWN, UM, TO BE MORE ASSERTIVE ABOUT WHERE THE BETTER LIGHTING AND ACCESSIBILITY IS GOING TO BE.
FLOOR PLAN SHOWS STAGE AND AUDITORIUM.
THAT'S JUST A PLAN VIEW IN CASE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE.
THIS IS A LOOK AT THAT NEW COURTYARD ALONG AUSTIN.
SO, UH, A NEW FENCE AROUND THAT AREA.
UH, A NEW, UH, SIDEWALK THAT WILL GATHER UP THE PATRONS COMING FROM THE SURFACE PARKING TO THIS COURTYARD.
AND A NEW ENTRY ON UH, AUSTIN STREET AS WELL.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, A KIND OF OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR SCHOOL GROUPS COMING TO THE SHOW.
UH, THIS GIVES YOU ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT SHOWING THAT THERE IS
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A RAMP LEADING UP TO THAT ENTRANCE TO TAKE YOU INTO THE GALLERY.AND WE THINK WE CAN BE, UH, REALLY STEERING PEOPLE OUT OF TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT THE BUILDING, UM, INSIDE THE SMALL THEATER.
UM, THIS IS JUST A SENSE OF HOW THE ROOM WILL BE ONCE IT'S ACTIVATED.
WE THINK THAT THIS CAN REALLY BE NOT SIMPLY AN INTIMATE SPACE, BUT A CHARMING SPACE AND A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE A GREAT CONNECTION TO THE PERFORMANCE MUSICAL ENSEMBLE ON STAGE IN THE BROWNLEY.
WE THINK THAT THERE ARE TOUCHES OF HISTORY THAT WE CAN INCLUDE IN THE ROOM, BUT THAT IT CAN HAVE A CLEAR SENSE THAT THIS IS A NEW INVESTMENT, UH, BY GARLAND IN WHAT IS A VERY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT VENUE IN NORTH DALLAS AND FROM THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, THE IMPACT OF THE NEW CANOPY AND THE SIGNAGE ABOVE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, CAN GO BACK TO ANYTHING THAT WE MAY HAVE RUSHED THROUGH.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND HAPPY TO SHOW IT TO YOU.
ALRIGHT, WELL COUNT COUNSEL, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU NINE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AFTER THIS, SO BE AWARE OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
THOMAS, WE'LL START WITH YOU, SIR.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE WIDER SEATS.
AS A GUY WITH A WIDER SEAT, I'M APPRECIATE THE WIDER SEATS.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA REDUCE OUR SEAT COUNT SOMEWHAT, BUT MY QUESTION IS MAYBE FOR YOU, AMY, IS HOW MANY SHOWS ACTUALLY SELL OUT WHERE WE WOULD'VE TO BE TURNING PEOPLE AWAY? JUST WHAT PERCENTAGE, ROUGHLY ANY IDEA? WELL, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE PERCENTAGE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE HAVE MULTIPLE GROUPS THAT BREAK.
THAT 500 POINT LINE, YOU KNOW, TO SELL OUT RIGHT NOW IS SEVEN 20.
AND SO AGAIN, MULTIPLE GROUPS HITTING THE 500 THRESHOLDS, BUT THERE, THERE ARE DEFINITELY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE WE HAVE A SELLOUT AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SEATING, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR GROUPS HATE TO LOSE THE SEATS AND, AND WE FEEL THAT TOO.
I STILL THINK WE'RE IN A VERY SWEET SPOT TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE WITH OUR OTHER FACILITIES IN THE AREA AND WE'LL ALLOW OUR GROUPS TO STILL EARN THE REVENUES THAT THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROGRAMMING.
UM, AND THEN THAT MANUAL PIT SYSTEM, VERY INTERESTING, UH, CONCEPT THERE.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SET THAT UP AND TEAR THAT DOWN? THAT'S AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE GROUPS THAT USE THE BUILDING.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA TAKE A FULL DAY TO RECONFIGURE.
UM, IDEALLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST GETS DONE SEASONALLY WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES COMING UP THAT ARE GOING TO USE ONE OF THE PARTICULAR CONFIGURATIONS AND YOU INVEST THE TIME AND ENERGY IN DOING THAT, THAT WOULD BE TRUE FOR THE, FOR THE SUMMER MUSICALS, FOR INSTANCE.
UM, BUT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, MONDAY AND THEN CHANGE IT BACK AGAIN THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
SO THAT, THAT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF, OF PLANNING AND STAGING AND, UH, OF EVERY CONFIDENCE AMY WILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT.
AND THE, THE OTHER NICE THING ABOUT THE SYSTEM IS ITS STORES WITHIN THE PIT SPACE ITSELF, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CREATE ANOTHER STORAGE ROOM ELSEWHERE IN THE BUILDING FOR IT.
WELL, ADDING THOSE, THAT AREA AS EXTRA SEATS I THINK IS ALSO A GREAT IDEA OR AS DANCE SPACE FOR A BAND ON STAGE.
ARE WE HAVING A ONE BIG LAST BASH LIKE WE DID FOR BRADFIELD OR ANY PLANS FOR THAT? YEAH, WELL, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE OUR SPECIAL PERFORMANCE WITH BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA AND ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, WHICH WILL SELL OUT.
SO I DO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WATCHING AT HOME TO GET THEIR TICKETS RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, UH, SO I, I SUSPECT WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE SOME, SOME FUN THAT NIGHT.
THE LAST OFFICIAL SHOW I BELIEVE IS MEXICO 2000 WITH, UM, NAVIDA IN MEXICO ON, UH, SATURDAY, UH, DECEMBER 19TH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE SIX MINUTES, SO I'M GONNA PUT US IN RECESS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW CHANGES IN THE DESIGN SINCE WE SAW YOU LAST TIME.
UM, THE MANUAL PIT FILLER, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO A PRODUCTION WITH THE GARLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PLAYING AND PLAYERS UP ON THE STAGE.
THE MAESTRO GETS UP AND INTRODUCES PEOPLE AND THEN HE GETS SLOWLY LOWERED DOWN.
NOT HAVING THAT, I, I THINK HAVING THAT IS WHAT MAKES THE GRANDVILLE ACTUALLY VERY SPECIAL, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT IN THE EIGHTIES WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UM, NOT A LOT OF SMALL
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CITIES AT THE TIME, UH, WERE ABLE TO HAVE.UM, I KNOW THAT THAT PUTS YOU ON THE HOOK FOR AN ELEVATOR, UM, TEXT CHRIS OTT.
I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT PART OF THE DESIGN COME BACK.
I, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I THINK THAT IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE MORE, UH, A, A MORE DIVERSE OFFERING OF PERFORMANCES, NO QUESTION, BUT MM-HMM
BUT THAT YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
IT, IT REDUCES CHANGE OVER TIME FROM ONE CONFIGURATION TO ANOTHER.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF VENUES I'M AWARE OF THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THE PIT TO MOVE WITH PERFORMERS ON IT.
SO THERE IS SOME SAFETY CONSIDERATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT LOWERING IT WITH MUSICIANS ON IT IS EVEN PERMISSIBLE.
UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS NOT LEGAL.
I'M, I'M NOT MAKING THAT ASSERTION
I I WOULD HAVE TO TALK WITH YOU ALL FURTHER.
I'D BE GLAD TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CONSIDERED ALONG THE WAY HERE.
AND WHAT, UH, LED TO THIS AS A COMPROMISE.
UM, IT SEEMED DESIRABLE TO US THAT IF WE COULDN'T OTHERWISE MEET BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE REPLACEMENT, WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO KEEP THE PIT FUNCTION AT THE VERY LEAST IN THE BUILDING.
UM, BECAUSE GOING TO A CONFIGURATION WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPTION AT ALL, UH, WAS A REAL POSSIBILITY.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE EXPLORED.
UM, THAT'S A, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE REALLY REMARKABLE THINGS ABOUT OUR THEATER NOW.
UM, SECONDLY, THE, THE SMALL THEATER, UM, WE PREVIOUSLY SAW SEATS MOVE, WERE ABLE TO MOVE AND CREATE A LARGER SPACE FOR CATERING OR WHATEVER THAT THAT'S CHANGED.
UM, PRIMARILY BECAUSE, UH, IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD TO TEAR OUT AN ENORMOUS PROPORTION OF THE EXISTING FLOOR SLAB AND FOUNDATIONS OF THE SMALL THEATER IN ORDER TO CREATE THE FLAT AREA FOR THE TELESCOPING SEATING.
UM, AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE BOTH A TIME AND MONEY COST THAT JUST COULDN'T BE ABSORBED IN THE PROJECT.
ATTENDEES SIT IN THE ROOM'S BACKGROUND.
UM, AND THEN THE UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER STANDS IN THE BACK, DESIGN WISE, THE, THE AREA THAT YOU WALK INTO THAT'S CALLED THE GALLERY.
I, I WAS VERY INVIGORATED BY SEEING THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM.
I WAS NOT SO INVIGORATED BY THE GALLERY.
IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT AS, UM, CAPTIVATING AS I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A, UM, THEATRICAL PLACE.
UM, MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ANY ART HANGING OR, I'M, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE CASE MAY BE, BUT IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THIS ROOM A LITTLE BIT WITH THE DESKS THAT WE HAVE IN HERE.
AND MAYBE IT'S THE WOOD, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE COULD BE SOMETHING DONE VISUALLY TO MAKE IT MORE STIMULATING.
I NEGLECTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE CONCESSION DESK AND THIS WELCOME DESK ARE, ARE UTILIZING AND REUSING SOME OF THE WALL PANELING THAT'S IN THE BUILDING NOW.
UM, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WITHOUT DYNAMIC ART ON THE WALLS, YOU WOULD FEEL LIKE THE ROOM IS MISSING A FOCUS.
I MEAN, EVEN, UH, YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH PAINT TEXT, MARGARET LUCK ATE, THERE'S, I MEAN, SURE.
I, I JUST, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT, IT, IT, IT READS A LITTLE BIT BLAND AND, AND I WANT IT TO BE ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHOA, YOU KNOW, WE JUST SPENT $20 MILLION ON THIS PLACE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THAT AREA.
SORRY, I TRIED TO KEEP IT AS SHORT AS I COULD.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL IT THERE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WE HAVE TO GET TO COUNSEL.
I CAN LEAVE THIS ITEM OPEN AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE HERE AFTERWARDS OR NOT.
THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RECESS THIS MEETING AND WE'LL PICK UP THIS AGENDA ITEM WHEN WE COME BACK FROM OUR REGULAR SESSION.
SO COUNSEL, IT IS 6 54, WE ARE IN RECESS.
JOIN US FOR A REGULAR MEETING.
TEXT MICHAEL J BETS CITY MANAGER, TWO MEN SIT AT A DESK.
THE SCREEN TRANSITIONS TO A BLUE GRAPHIC READING GARLAND WORK SESSION AND RECESS.
[00:55:01]
AGAIN, ITEM NUMBER NINE, GROW GARLAND, BOND PROPOSITION C GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER RENOVATION UPDATE.WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TRAN, YOU WERE IN THE QUEUE AND IF YOU WOULD GET BACK IN THE QUEUE AND I ALSO HAVE NOW I'LL CALL ON MAYOR PRO.
TIM ZER, YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE FIRST.
I AM VERY EXCITED BY THIS AND I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT CULTURAL ARTS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I, I'M BELIEVE IN THAT, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS GLOW UP THAT WE'RE DOING IS GOING TO JUST BE HUGE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IS, AND I AM SURE IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE DOCUMENTS, HOW MUCH OF AN ADDITION IS THE BACK OF HOUSE ADDING? HOW MUCH SPACE ARE WE ADDING ON TEXT CHRIS OTT? JUST ROUGHLY? YEAH, ROUGHLY.
THAT'S ABOUT 5,000 SQUARE FEET SIGNIFICANT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT, THAT'S GOING TO, I WOULD ASSUME MAKE A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR THE CHRIS ODD GESTURES.
UM, THE COMFORT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PREPARING FOR THE PRESENTATIONS AND OR THE, THE, FOR THE PROGRAMS. ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE SIMULTANEOUS USE OF BOTH THEATERS.
I MEAN, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW BACKSTAGE USE JUST KIND OF EXPLODES THROUGH THE ENTIRE BACK OF THE BUILDING AND THIS IS GONNA ENABLE THE FACILITIES TO SHARE WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY.
AND, UM, PROBABLY THE ONLY THING THAT I, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SADNESS ABOUT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, LUCK HAD MENTIONED.
IT'S ABOUT THE, UH, THE NON RETRACTABLE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS REMAIN SEATED.
I'M A, UH, I AM A, A VIOLINIST IN MY YOUTH 12 YEARS PLAYING THE VIOLIN.
AND SO THAT WAS, UH, I, I HAVE ACTUALLY SAT IN A, UH, IN AN ORCHESTRA PIT AND, UM, AND IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW, TO HAVE IT TO BE A MANUAL TYPE OF PROCESS THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY FROM THE, THE QUAL THE FINAL QUALITY OF IT.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO ADD IT OR IS THIS JUST A DOLLARS AND SENSING, OR IS THERE AN ARCHITECTURAL REASON THAT WE CAN'T HAVE IT? THE, THE COMPLICATION FOR US IS THAT CURRENT BUILDING CODES REQUIRE THAT ORCHESTRA PITS HAVE EXITS AT WHEN IT'S IN ITS LOWERED POSITION AND EXIT FOR THE BUILDING, AND THAT A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR BE ABLE TO REACH THAT LOWERED POSITION AS WELL.
AND WE INVESTIGATED ACCESS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE, OF THE PIT.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE INVADE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN WE DO THAT.
UM, AND WE CAN'T GUARANTEE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN WE PULL ALL THAT DIRT AWAY AND TRY AND KEEP THE WALLS OF THE BUILDING STANDING.
SO THE MANUAL PIT FILLER IS TEXT A COMPROMISE BROWN LEAD EITHER SECTION, YOU KNOW, YES.
BUT IT IS A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT FUNCTIONALITY OF STILL HAVING WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IN TERMS OF A PIT FOR MUSICIANS TO PLAY WITH MUSICAL PRESENTATIONS AND NOT HAVE TO MAKE THE REST OF THOSE CHANGES.
SO IT FELT LIKE A, A GOOD WAY OF ADDRESSING THE BUILDING'S NEEDS WITHOUT PULLING MONEY AWAY FROM OTHER IMPORTANT PRIORITIES IN THE PROJECT.
DO WE HAVE, AND DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WE ACTUALLY DO USE IT AND ITS PIT FORMAT? AND, AND ACTUALLY THAT'S A TERRIFIC QUESTION AND, AND I WANNA ALSO WANNA SHARE, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT WE, UM, SHOW SLIDES AND, AND YOU GET TO SEE 'EM BRIEFLY, BUT, BUT THESE SLIDES ARE BASED ON WEEKS AND WEEKS OF, OF GOING BACK AND FORTH.
AND I USED TO SAY, OH MY GOSH, I HAVE A PIT IN MY STOMACH OVER THIS.
THE PIT IS USED 12 TIMES A YEAR.
THE WOMAN USES ACTIVE HAND GESTURES 12 TIMES A YEAR.
WE HAVE PERFORMANCES EVERY WEEKEND.
THE PIT IS USED 12 TIMES A YEAR FOR ONE USER.
RIGHT NOW, PITS ARE USED FOR BALLETS, MUSICALS OR, OR, UM, OPERA.
YOU KNOW, BA OUR BALLET COMPANIES WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS USE RECORDED MUSIC BECAUSE HAVING A LIVE ORCHESTRA IS TOO EXPENSIVE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA REALLY SEE OPERA IN GARLAND, BUT WE HAVE A LEGACY TROUPE, THE GARLAND SUMMER MUSICALS THAT HAS A LIVE ORCHESTRA AND THAT IS THEIR SIGNATURE FEATURE OF GARLAND SUMMER MUSICALS.
IT'S WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THIS BUILDING 50 YEARS FROM NOW, OKAY, PERFORMANCES CHANGING.
IT'S LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW THEATERS BEING BUILT TODAY THAT DO NOT INCORPORATE A
[01:00:01]
PIT.THIS WAS A HUGE BACK AND FORTH.
HOW, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THE EXPENSE INVOLVED WITH 12 TIMES A YEAR FROM A, FROM A DIRECTOR STANDPOINT? I, I THINK THIS IS A TERRIFIC SOLUTION.
IS IT, IT DOESN'T CAPTURE THE MAGIC OF THE PIT LOWERING, BUT IT STILL GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MUSICIANS IN A, YOU KNOW, SUPPRESSED SPACE TO HAVE A PERFORMANCE.
I MEAN, IT ALLOWS US TO DO THE FUNCTION OF WHAT A PIT, THE ONLY THING WE'RE LOSING IS THE MAGICAL UP AND DOWN SURE.
OTHER THAN THE LOSS OF THAT, THAT'S, I I THINK THIS IS, UM, THIS IS BRILLIANT.
I I I, KUDOS TO EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING ON IT AND, UH, AND THE SOONER IT GETS COMPLETED, THE, THE, THE BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
I'M SURE Y'ALL WILL BE VERY RELIEVED AND GARLAND WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, CAN WE START TOMORROW? TEXT DYLAN HEDRICK, DISTRICT FOUR.
THE THING IS, I I I I'D LIKE THE, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE GONNA KEEP THE GREEN SEAT COLORS.
SOMEHOW I ALLERGIC TO RED, BUT THAT ONE IS LIKE, AH, I LIKE IT.
SO MY QUESTION I THINK I MAY ASKED, UH, AMY EARLIER PRIVATELY, MAYBE WE CAN JUST ASK PUBLICLY, THEREFORE RESIDENT TO UNDERSTAND IS, WELL THIS IS $25 MILLION INVESTMENT IS IS GONNA BE AWESOME NEXT TO OUR DOWNTOWN SQUARES IS ATTRACT A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE FROM ALL THE UNITED STATES AND THAT BE IS BE GREAT.
AND MY QUESTION EARLIER IS THAT WE TRY TO MAKE A GOOD USE OUT OF IT, NOT JUST ONLY FROM FIVE TO MIDNIGHT OR LATER, BUT WE CAN WE DESIGN A WAY THAT OPEN TO POSSIBILITY TO OPERATE IT DURING THE DAY.
THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, RIGHT? YEP.
CONVENTION PLACES, UH, PROTECTORS THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, GOOD USE FOR THAT.
SO, UH, IS THAT THE PLAN? SURE.
SO THAT IS OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY.
WEEKDAYS, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY IS OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE ZERO AVAILABILITY ON THE WEEKENDS.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT SPACE EVERY WEEKEND FOR THE NIGHTS.
MOST OF THE TIME THERE'S SOME TYPE OF REHEARSAL HAPPENING IN THE THEATER SPACES AT NIGHT, BUT OUR WEEKDAYS, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO TEXT NEW BUILDING ADDITIONS.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL AS WE CONTINUE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THIS AREA.
THERE, THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTEREST ABOUT A BOUTIQUE HOTEL THAT MAY BE IN PROXIMITY.
UM, THREE PEOPLE SIT BEHIND A TABLE IF THAT WERE TO COME INTO FRUITION.
YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE LOST OUR RETRACTABLE SEATING FOR THE SMALL THEATER, WE STILL HAVE THESE TWO NEW REHEARSAL ROOMS, UM, THAT WE CONSIDER GREAT FLEXIBLE SPACE FOR CLASSROOMS, FOR CONFERENCE, FOR BREAKOUT SESSIONS.
SO, UH, THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR REAL OPPORTUNITY.
COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THE CITY MANAGER LOOKS DOWN AT HIS NOTES.
WELL, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A FABULOUS, UH, UPDATE.
I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING NOT ONLY THE NEW DESIGN, BUT THE REASONS BEHIND THEM AND THE COST CONSIDERATIONS.
YOU KNOW, I WISH WE HAD IN ENDLESS SUPPLY MONEY TO MAKE ALL THESE, BUT I THINK I VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS YOU'RE UNDER, AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THE BEST WORK YOU CAN TO MEET ALL THOSE GOALS, ESPECIALLY WITH THAT THE MAYOR NODS.
UM, I'M SURPRISED AND HAPPY THAT THEY ALL ALIGNED REALLY, BETWEEN ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JANUARY ONE.
THE LARGE CIRCULAR EMBLEM ON THE WOOD PANEL WALL BEHIND THE DESK READS TEXT CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS.
ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL, MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 10, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT.
AN AMERICAN FLAG STANDS TO THE LEFT OF THE DESK.
THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR, SIT AT THE DA.
OH, YOU READY FOR ME? GO RIGHT AHEAD.
THE CAMERA CUTS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE SIDE DESK.
UM, SO, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ASKED FOR, UM, MICHAEL BAYES WITH CLEAR CAREER PROFESSIONALS TO COME AND BRIEF OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE APPOINTEE PROCESS.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN INTRODUCTION TO WHAT, FOR, WHAT TO EXPECT AS WE APPROACH THAT, UM, THAT PROCESS LATER ON IN THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEN, UH, JEFF, BRIAN, SO HARD NOT TO CALL YOU CHIEF BRIAN, TEXT CARISSA DUTTON, DISTRICT FIVE.
[01:05:01]
HE'LL BEWELL, WELL, MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANKS FOR HAVING US.
THIS WILL BE THE THIRD YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH, UH, THE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON THESE COUNCIL APPOINTEE EVALUATIONS.
UM, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO WORK WITH THEM.
SO, SORT OF THE PROCESS, UM, IS WE, WE LOOK AT EACH APPOINTEE, UM, AND HAVE A, A, A MEETING WITH THEM, KIND OF DISCUSS WHAT THE, THE PREVIOUS YEAR HAS LOOKED LIKE.
UH, WE HAVE THEM DO A LITTLE SELF-ASSESSMENT THAT WE INCLUDE KIND OF IN THE FINAL REPORT.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO IS WE MEET WITH, UH, A NUMBER OF THEIR DIRECT REPORTS TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACTS THAT THEY'RE HAVING NATURALLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LARGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR CITY MANAGER AND YOUR, YOUR ADMISSIBLE COURT JUDGE.
AND SO, AND YOU KNOW, WHILE THE EVALUATION LOOKS AT, AT SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, UH, COMPARABLE, LIKE LEADERSHIP FOR INSTANCE, IS, IS SOMETHING WE LOOK AT.
UM, THE WAY IN WHICH THAT LEADERSHIP IS DEMONSTRATED CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE ROLE OF THE APPOINTEE.
SO WE BUILD A REPORT THAT WAY.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER, UH, USEFUL FUNCTION OF THE REPORT IS TO GATHER COUNCIL INPUT.
AND IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE THAT BY EITHER A MEETING, UH, VIRTUALLY, UH, IN PERSON OR A PHONE CALL.
BUT WITH YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE PRETTY PACKED SCHEDULES MOST OF THE TIME.
WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS ALSO THIS YEAR CREATE A, A, A COUNCIL SURVEY THAT WE CAN SEND OUT TO YOU GUYS.
UH, WE AT CLEARER WILL BE THE ONLY ONES THAT GET THAT SURVEY BACK, AND WE WILL JUST DO IT AS A GENERAL THEME.
SO WE AREN'T GOING TO BE ASKING YOU TO, TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE RECORD THAT WOULD VIOLATE THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
IT'S JUST GENERALLY WE WANT TO GET SOME THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UH, YOU'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN THE REPORT.
UM, BUT NOT IN LIEU OF MEETING.
UM, JUST SOMETIMES, UH, IN THE PAST, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE INPUT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TOO BUSY TO MEET, AND WE WANTED TO PROVIDE, UH, AN OUTLET FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO WE'LL BE SENDING OUT THAT SURVEY, UH, PROBABLY AROUND OCTOBER 13TH, UM, AND, AND GIVE YOU GUYS A, A COUPLE WEEKS TO COMPLETE THAT AND GET IT BACK TO US.
UM, AND THAT WAY WE WILL JUST INPUT THAT DATA, NOT NAMING ANY PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEMBER INTO THE FINAL REPORT.
UM, CURRENTLY WE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS.
WE'VE MET WITH THE, WITH THE APPOINTEES.
WE'VE GOT, UH, KIND OF THEIR, THEIR SELF, UH, ASSESSMENT SURVEY.
UH, WE'VE MET WITH ALL THEIR DIRECT REPORTS.
UH, WE ALSO ARE, ARE BRINGING TOGETHER THEIR CONTRACTS AND WORKING ON A COMPENSATION STUDY.
THE A SC COMMITTEE ASKED US TO ADD LA THE CITY OF LUBBOCK TO THAT, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY AND SOME OF THE SIMILARITIES.
UM, AND ALSO IN, IN THE FINAL REPORT, AS OPPOSED TO JUST LISTING WHAT LAST YEAR'S COMPENSATION WAS.
UH, THEY'VE ASKED US TO LAST THREE, TO LIST THREE YEARS OF COMPENSATION TO WHERE YOU GUYS CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THE COMPENSATION HAS PROGRESSED FOR EACH OF THE APPOINTEES.
AND THEN I BELIEVE, UH, JEFF IS ALSO GONNA HAVE, UH, THE, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT OR SOMEBODY FROM FINANCE, UH, IN OR AROUND THE EVALUATIONS TO HELP YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT OF RAISES OR WHAT THE POSSIBILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR FINANCIAL, UH, INCREASING SALARIES OR THINGS WOULD BE FOR THE APPOINTEE.
SO HOPEFULLY MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU, UH, BUT CONTINUALLY TRYING TO MAKE THE REPORT USEFUL AND, AND SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOOD FOR NOT ONLY COUNSEL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE APPOINTEE, BUT ALSO FOR THE APPOINTEE TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT THEIR, THE MAYOR GESTURES WITH HIS HANDS, THEIR WORK AND HOW THEY HAVE, HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE CITY.
UM, BUT REALLY JUST WANTED TO, TO INTRODUCE THAT AND ANS AND ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE.
WE'LL START WITH DEPUTY MAYOR PRO, TIM DUTTON.
UM, SO LAST TIME THAT YOU WERE IN FRONT OF, UM, COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, UM, WE, OUR STRUCTURE WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
COUNCIL FACES THE AUDIENCE, AND SO MY QUESTION IS THE MEMBER GESTURES, IT NOTES KNOWING WHAT WE WENT THROUGH WITH OUR PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER, UM, RIGHT AFTER OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT AT A DESK EVALUATION PERIOD.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU DO DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR THAN WHAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR? LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I HAD BROUGHT TO COUNSEL WAS THAT WE INTERVIEW LOWER LEVEL STAFF THAT HAVE DIRECT, UM, INTERACTIONS WITH OUR APPOINTEES, AND THAT WAS VOTED DOWN.
UM, HINDSIGHT IS A, IS A FUN THING.
GARISSA GESTURES TOWARD COLLEAGUES.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S MY BIG QUESTION TO YOU IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT WOULD'VE HELPED WITH THAT JOE RUBS HIS FACE DOOMSDAY PROCESS MAYBE A LITTLE QUICKER? UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK SO.
I, I THINK REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO BEING THE DIRECT REPORTS AND REALLY GETTING A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION, UM, AND E AND EVEN SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, THE CITY MANAGER POSITION LAST YEAR,
[01:10:01]
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT INTERVIEWING OTHER PEOPLE, UM, EVEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MANAGERIAL LEVEL, LEVEL TYPE REPORTS WOULD'VE MADE THAT BIG OF AN IMPACT.UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, UH, ISSUE KIND OF WAS, WAS EVOLVING QUICKLY AND IT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY HAD TO ADAPT TO AS FAR AS THE EVALUATION PROCESS GOES.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY SOUND PROCESS IN THE SENSE OF, OF TRYING TO GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN, BUT ALSO MAKING THE APPOINTEES DIRECT REPORTS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN, IN ACTUALLY HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, NATURALLY, UH, IT'S ALWAYS, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE ON, ON A DIRECT REPORT TO, YOU KNOW, DO I SAY SOMETHING THAT, THAT MAY BE NEGATIVE AND I THINK SOMEWHAT, YOU KNOW, GATHERING THE TRUST.
AND I THINK OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE BEEN DOING THESE, THE, THE, THE DIRECT REPORTS KIND OF UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE OPERATE AS A COMPANY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA LIST THEM SPECIFICALLY IN THE REPORT, YOU KNOW, BY NAME OR, YOU KNOW, DAMAGE THEIR CAREER IN SOME WAY.
BUT, BUT TRYING TO PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH AS MUCH INFORMATION.
BUT I, I THINK OUR CURRENT PROCESS WORKS WORKS PRETTY WELL, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT ISSUE HAPPENED LAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REVIEW THEIR MONITORS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE WHITE ANGLE VIEW CAPTURES THE COUNCIL AT THEIR CURVE TABLE.
SO, UM, MR. BAYES DID OUTLINE THAT HE'LL BE SENDING OUT, UH, SURVEYS FOR ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS.
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, LEAN FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER TRAN, LAST QUESTION.
UM, AS MENTIONED, I'M A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER, SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN,
UM, FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, UM, I DON'T HAVE A FULL REPORT, BUT FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, UM, DO YOU HAVE SPECIFICS LIKE, UM, KIND OF HOT LIST, THAT SUGGESTION FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, IN TERMS OF POLICY AND PROCEDURE,
AND SO I I, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE NECESSARILY THAT YOUR TEAM MARTY HASN'T PROVIDED.
UM, YOU KNOW, GARLAND IN, IN THE INDUSTRY IS KNOWN REALLY WELL FOR, FOR HAVING, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY A MANAGEMENT TEAM, BUT ALSO YOUR LEGAL ADVICE THAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WELL ABOVE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE, ARE, ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
AND SO, UM, BUT ALWAYS HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AND, AND, UH, AND HELP HOWEVER WE CAN.
AND, AND I, I ENJOY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH, WITH MANY OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BEING A RETIRED CITY MANAGER, I DO GET TO ENJOY BEING ON THIS SIDE AS OPPOSED TO THAT SIDE.
SO THE MAYOR LOOKS AT THE CITY MANAGER.
DEPUTY MAYOR PER SAM DENTON, SORRY.
UM, COULD YOU JUST, UM, VERIFY WHEN WE SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE SURVEYS? YEAH, THE SURVEYS WILL GO OUT ON, UH, ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH.
I WAS TRYING TO AVOID COLUMBUS DAY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, BOTHER YOU GUYS ON THE HOLIDAY.
UM, BUT WE, WE DO HAVE IT SET UP TO WHERE YOU GUYS HAVE TWO WEEKS TO, TO GET THAT BACK TO US.
UM, I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, FOR THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL USED TO, THE VERY FIRST YEAR WE DID THIS COUNCIL USED TO GIVE ALL, UH, EVALUATIONS ON THE SAME NIGHT, WHICH WAS VERY HARD ON COUNCIL AND THE APPOINTEES.
AND SO THEY, LAST YEAR THEY SEPARATED THAT INTO TWO DIFFERENT NIGHTS.
THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES WENT ON ONE NIGHT, AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY AUDITOR WENT ON A DIFFERENT NIGHT.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THOSE TWO DATES SET AS NOVEMBER 16TH BEING THE, UH, THE CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY AUDITOR.
AND THEN, UH, NOVEMBER 30TH BEING THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE I'M WORKING WITH JEFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STILL FITS IN.
BUT AFTER WE GET YOUR SURVEYS BACK, UH, WE'RE STILL FINISHING THE COMPENSATION, UH, INFORMATION.
WE WILL BUILD THE DRAFT REPORT AND BRING THAT BACK TO A SC COMMITTEE JUST SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT THE, THE DRAFT REPORT'S LOOKING LIKE BEFORE WE ISSUE THE FINAL REPORT AND COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS THERE IS YOU GUYS ARE, ARE LOOKING AT THE REPORT AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING SO YOU HAVE TIME TO REVIEW IT.
BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE REPORT WITH THE APPOINTEE IN FRONT OF YOU TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THEIR, UH, PERFORMANCE AND OR COMMENT ON ANYTHING YOU GUYS NEED TO COMMENT ON FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, SIT AT A CURVED CONFERENCE TABLE AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE THE ONLY PERSON THAT DOESN'T, UH, BOTHER US ON COLUMBUS STAGES
WELL, THANK YOU JOE DOUS GESTURES, MR. SEA MANGER, MR. MR. ENGLIN ADVISES ME THAT HE HAS A, UH, SCHEDULING CONFLICT AND WOULD BE, WE MIGHT WANT TO FLOP THOSE SO THAT THEY DO THE, I'M BEING FORCED TO GO TO HAWAII ON THE 16TH.
SO TEXT DYLAN HEDRICK MAYOR, NO COMMENT.
I'M, I'M NOT BEING FORCED TO GO TO HAWAII.
THE TWO MEN SIT AT THE CONFERENCE TABLE IN THE MEETING ROOM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO THE COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THE SCHEDULING ISSUE.
YEAH, I CAN MAKE THAT SWITCH ON OUR SCHEDULE.
THE WOOD PANEL WALL STANDS BEHIND THE SPEAKERS.
[01:15:01]
WELL, I SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE SURVEYS.
MAYOR, I HAVE ONE MORE A SC UPDATE WHEN YOU'RE READY.
UH, ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE WAS TO EXAMINE, UH, THE, THE, IF THE CITY OF GARLAND COULD DO BETTER AT COORDINATING AND ASSISTING VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND CHARITY GROUPS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAD A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I'M UPDATING COUNCIL TODAY THAT, UH, IN JANUARY 1ST OF THE YEAR, WE'RE GONNA HOST A SUMMIT HERE.
AND MICHAEL GARRETT'S GONNA HELP US TO BRING ALL THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER INTO ONE ROOM.
AND HE'S GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, CITY MANAGER MIKE BETS IS GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT OUR MISSION IN GARLAND, AND THEN TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM BETTER.
AND FROM THAT MEETING, WE HOPE TO HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS MOVING FORWARD WITH AFTER THAT.
SO THAT'S JUST AN UPDATE FOR THAT.
STILL A LOT OF WORK TO COME, BUT SINCE I'M HERE, I THOUGHT THAT'D GIVE US AN UPDATE.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT, BUT IT'LL BE LATE JANUARY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK MICHAEL BAYES AND OUR STAFF LIAISON, JEFF BRYAN, ALSO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM BUTTON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
TEXT OT DISTRICT SEVEN, JOE THOMAS, JR.
DISTRICT TWO, MARGARET LUT, DISTRICT NINE.
COUNCILMAN WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 11.
GARLAND CARES PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE TEXT.
A MAN SITS AT THE DESK WITH A LAPTOP.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.
I'M JASON WIL HEIGHT WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE CITY MANAGERS ASKED ME TO COME UP AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON GARLAND CARES.
SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE MAN TYPES ON HIS LAPTOP.
THE FIRST THING YOU'LL NOTICE, WE HAVE A RATHER LONG LIST OF NAMES ON THE UNDER TEAM TEXT TEAM, A PLAN TO HELP.
THIS REPRESENTS ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS PLUS ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHAT I REALLY WANNA POINT OUT HERE IS THAT THIS WAS NOT CREATED IN A VACUUM.
THAT THE IDEA BEHIND GARLAND CARES WAS THAT THIS WOULD BE INCLUSIVE OF EVERY DEPARTMENT BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO A PATH FOR PEOPLE FROM PROPERTY CONCERNS TO PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE EVERYTHING UNDER ONE BANNER.
NOW, WHY THOUGH GARLAND CARES? WELL, WE WANNA CREATE AN OUTCOME OF CORRECTED PROPERTY CONDITION.
UM, THE RESIDENT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN SAFE AND STABLE AT HOME, AS WELL AS STILL BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THE CIVIL CITATIONS FOR AN ENFORCEMENT TOOL AS NEEDED.
BUT THE MEASURE OF THE SUCCESS IS THE CONDITION RESOLVED.
UM, EXCUSE ME, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS NOT FOR THE PROGRAM TO ELIMINATE ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE WANT IT TO IMPROVE THE PATH FOR COMPLIANCE.
AND WHILE A CITATION MIGHT COLLECT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FIX THE ISSUE.
AND IT'S, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOR THOSE NOT WILLING TO DO THE WORK, BUT ABLE TO, THE CITATION REMAINS IN PLACE AS AN OPTION.
HOWEVER, FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LOVE TO DO THE WORK, BUT ARE SIMPLY NOT WILLING TO, WE NEED AN EASY PATH TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM FIND THAT COMPLIANCE WITHIN THEIR HOME TEXT.
WHY GARLAND CARES GOALS, PROPERTY REPAIR, RESIDENT SAFETY COMPLIANCE CITATIONS REMAIN A TOOL.
THIS IS GONNA REQUIRE A CLEAR PROMISE FROM THE CITY OF GARLAND.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THE SITUATION AND LOOK AT IT OBJECTIVELY.
WE HAVE TO BUILD THE MOST APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE PLAN WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING I WISH WE COULD.
I WISH WE HAD THE BUDGET TO DO EVERYTHING.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ONGOING LAWN CARE.
ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE THE SENIOR LAWN CARE PROGRAM, THAT'S A PRETTY LIMITED FUND.
UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE RECURRING MAINTENANCE.
WE CAN'T GO OUT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WATER SOMEBODY'S YARD TWICE A DAY, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO DO.
UM, AND WE, WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT EVERY REQUEST REPAIR CAN BE COMPLETED.
UH, WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES PROVIDE, THOUGH, IS A ONE-TIME OR LIMITED ASSISTANCE TO RESOLVE A DEFINED PROPERTY NEED.
THIS IS A COORDINATED RESPONSE THAT MAY INCLUDE MORE THAN ONE TIER, WHICH WE'LL GO OVER THE TIERS HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.
AND, UM, WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
WE HAVE TO TALK TO THE CITIZENS.
WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM WHERE WE ARE, WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROGRAM,
[01:20:01]
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ENFORCEMENT IS ON PAUSE WHILE THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THIS PROGRAM THAT IS ACTUALLY SET UP WITHIN THE SYSTEM ITSELF, SO THAT AS SOON AS THE APPLICATION IS IN IT IS ANY KIND OF CIVIL ENFORCEMENT IS PAUSED.WE DEF WE DEFINITELY WANNA SET EXPECTATIONS PLAINLY FOR PEOPLE AND THEN TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING AS FAR AS WE CAN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT THEY MAY BE HAVING FOR THE RESIDENT EXPERIENCE.
THE SAME HOUSEHOLD MAY REQUIRE, UH, MULTIPLE TYPES OF ASSISTANCE.
SO IN THIS COMPOSITE EXAMPLE, UM, YOU HAVE AN OLDER HOUSEHOLD WHO REPORTS THEY HAVE LIMITED MOBILITY, CAN'T MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY, THE APPLICATION IDENTIFIES YARD MAINTENANCE, DEBRIS REMOVAL, BULK ITEMS, MINOR EXTERIOR REPAIR.
THE QUESTION SHOULDN'T BE WHICH SINGLE PROGRAM IT SHOULD BE, WHICH PROGRAMS, BUT WHO'S THE LEAD DEPARTMENT, UH, IN THIS CASE, THIS ONE CASE MAY HAVE VOLUNTEER CLEANUP, SKILLED EXTERIOR REPAIR, A HOUSING ASSESSMENT IF DEEPER NEEDS APPEAR.
ONE RESIDENT, ONE COORDINATED PLAN, MULTIPLE WORK STREAMS WHEN NEEDED.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE TRIAGE OF THE PATIENT.
IN THIS CASE, THE PROPERTY IS THE PATIENT.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU SHOW UP WITH A HEADACHE AND A BROKEN LEG, YOU'RE NOT JUST GETTING ADVIL THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE BROKEN LEG TOO, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S THE KEY, IS WE CAN'T IGNORE THE LARGER PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO DEAL WITH A SMALLER PROBLEM.
SO THIS IS GONNA REQUIRE US TO LOOK AT THIS IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE'VE BROKEN THIS DOWN INTO FOUR DIFFERENT TIERS, AND THE LEAD OF THOSE TIERS WILL BE THE LEAD DEPARTMENT ON THAT PROJECT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S THE ONLY, UH, ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO THAT PROPERTY.
IT'S THAT THE, THAT DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.
SO THE FIRST TIER, UM, IS THE TOOL SHARE, PROGRAM CODE COMPLIANCE, UM, AND THEN VOLUNTEER GARLAND.
SECOND TIER IS THE WHERE THE HEART IS, UH, AND WHERE THE HEART IS, LOCATIONS AND INCENTIVE PACKAGES.
AND THE THIRD TIER IS STEWARDS AND SPONSORS.
AND THEN OUR FOURTH TIER IS HOUSING INTERVENTION.
AND I'M GONNA GO OVER THOSE BRIEFLY HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
TOOL ASSISTANCE IS WHAT I CALL THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT.
THIS IS WHERE WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY WHO JUST SIMPLY NEEDS THE TOOL.
WELL, WE'VE GOT TOOLS AND WE CAN LOAN THOSE OUT AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, ARE TRACED AND TRACKED AND WE CAN GET 'EM BACK, BUT WE WANT 'EM TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE TOOLS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, UH, CODE OFFICE.
UM, THE SECOND LEVEL, OR SECOND LAYER OF THAT WOULD BE THE CODE ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS GONNA BE KIND OF YOUR MINOR CLEANUPS.
UM, ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE IF THEY'RE QUALIFIED.
THIS IS GIVEN COURSES FOR HARDSHIP CASES.
UM, VOLUNTEER GARLAND IS ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY AND DO WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS, SO WE DON'T WEAR OUT OUR VOLUNTEERS IF WE'RE GONNA TRY AND CLUSTER THOSE TOGETHER SO THAT WE HIT FIVE OR 10 LOCATIONS AND A SMALL AREA WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS TO ADDRESS SOME MINOR ISSUES WITH WITHIN THE AREA.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE TRYING TO STACK SIMILAR NEEDS AND DO CLUSTER ANALYSIS ONCE WE GET THE MAPPING UP AND RUNNING THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE RUNNING.
THE SECOND IS THE, WHERE THE HEART IS AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. WHERE THE HEART IS, IS, UM, GONNA BE ACTIVE AND ADOPTED WITHIN THE EFAS.
THERE'RE GONNA BE TWO LOCATIONS.
I'M, I'M GONNA SAY TWO LOCATIONS PER YEAR, BASICALLY ONE STARTING EVERY SIX MONTHS.
UM, IT ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE WHERE THE HEART IS PROGRAM.
IT IDENTIFIES NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS AND PROJECTS.
AND HERE'S WHY WE TIED THIS WITH THE ECONOMIC OR WITH THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, IS THAT IT'S REALLY A MECHANISM FOR LAUNCHING THE PROPOSED HOMEOWNER DEVELOPMENT AND RENTAL PRO, UH, PROPERTY INCENTIVES IN SPECIFIED AREAS.
AND IT'S GONNA BE TAILORED BY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD'S TYPOLOGY.
SO WE'RE PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER.
WE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE NOW ON THOSE AGREEMENTS FOR THE, THE, UM, THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
AND I KNOW YOU, UH, AS COUNCIL HAVE SEEN PRESENTATIONS ON THE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM ALREADY.
UH, IN FACT, I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THIS KIND OF PIECEMEAL.
I WANTED TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER FOR YOU COULD SEE, SO YOU COULD SEE IT IN ONE PLACE.
UH, BUT THE SO STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM IS GONNA BE KIND OF GROUNDBREAKING IN THAT IT'S GONNA BE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH A STEWARDSHIP PARTNER ORGANIZATION, AND IT'S GONNA BE FOR LONG, A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, REALLY WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY AND DO IS BREAK THIS DOWN INTO SMALLER AREAS, UH, THREE TO SIX BLOCKS, AND REALLY LET THEM BE THE LIAISON TO DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THOSE AREAS.
NOW, THE SPONSORSHIP, UH, OUTSIDE OF THAT IS TO HELP US TO GET THE MONETARY AND MATERIALS DONATIONS FOR THOSE STEWARDS TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT WORK DONE AND COMPLETED.
THE, UH, THE BEST FIT FOR THIS IS ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS WILLING TO ADOPT AN AREA OF LONG-TERM TO CREATE REAL
[01:25:01]
RESULTS FOR THE CITIZENS.UM, WE, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE SPECTACULAR, AND I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THAT PROGRESSES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE FOURTH, UH, IS THE GRANT PROGRAMS. AND THIS FINAL TIER IS THE HEAVIEST LIFT.
IT'S USUALLY SKILLED LABOR PERMITTING REQUIRED.
IT'S ALSO THE ONLY ONE WHERE, BECAUSE IT'S HUD AND AND FEDERAL FUNDING, IT IS REQUIRED THAT WE HAVE, UH, TEXT TIERS THREE AND FOUR.
WE, WE VALIDATE THEIR INCOME LEVELS, SO THERE'S A MORE EXTENSIVE APPLICATION THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO FILL OUT AND QUALIFY FOR.
HOWEVER, THIS IS GONNA BE FOR ALSO FOR YOUR LIFE SAFETY AND CRITICAL REPAIRS FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.
UM, WE ALREADY RUN THIS PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE OPENING IT UP.
IT'S CITYWIDE NOW, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE DOING, UH, SPECIFIC EFA, UH, WORK FOR THESE AREAS IN THE, IN THE WEDGE AND IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, ANOTHER PART OF THAT THAT IS SPONSORED BY THE GRANTS IS THE SENIOR LAWN CARE PROGRAM.
UM, I BELIEVE NEXT YEAR THEY'VE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR ROUGHLY 50 50 PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FULL-TIME LAWN CARE.
UH, HOME INFILL WOULD FALL UNDER THIS BANNER, WHICH IS GONNA BE FOCUSED MOSTLY IN THE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS.
AND THEN OUR GREAT HOMES REHABILITATION PROGRAM, WHICH WILL ALSO BE ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS.
UM, THOSE ARE NOT OWNER-OCCUPIED STRUCTURES.
THE OWNER-OCCUPIED STRUCTURES WILL BE ELIGIBLE BOTH CITYWIDE AND EF TEXT, MOVING THE CASE FORWARD, A PATH FROM APPLICATION TO RESOLUTION.
SO WE NEED TO CREATE A PREDICTABLE PATH, UH, FOR THE APPLICANT, AS I ALREADY MENTIONED, LISTENING AND VERIFYING WHAT'S GOING ON, MAKING SURE WE'RE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, UH, MAKING THE REFERRAL, SCHEDULING AND COMPLETING THOSE PROJECTS.
IT'S ALSO AN EVER-CHANGING PROGRAM.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR THESE AND ADJUST TO WHAT'S WORKING TO ADJUST TO WHAT'S NOT WORKING, TO PIVOT AWAY FROM THINGS THAT AREN'T AND PIVOT TOWARDS THINGS THAT ARE.
SO WE NEED TO BE TRACKING THIS.
WE NEED TO BE REPORTING ON THIS, AND WE NEED TO BE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING WHAT IS, WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS.
NOT JUST SPENDING MONEY, TEXT FIVE STEP PROCESS IN, IN WAYS THAT AREN'T EFFECTIVE.
SO WHEN ASSISTANCE IS APPROPRIATE, THE NOTICE APPLICATION CREATES THE OPENING FOR A CONVERSATION.
THE RECHECK CONFIRMS THE PROGRESS.
THE CIVIL CITATION REMAIN, REMAINS AVAILABLE WHEN THE RESIDENT WILL NOT PARTICIPATE, OR THE CONTINGENT CONDITION JUST SIMPLY CANNOT CONTINUE TEXT.
WHAT GARLAND CARES IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS THAT WE WANT TO RESOLVE THE CONDITION.
UM, WE NEED TO MEASURE WHERE THE PROPERTY BE, WHETHER THE PROPERTY BECAME SAFER AND CLEANER.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE, THE CORRECT LEVELS OF HELP, THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING, UH, FRIVOLOUSLY ON ANYTHING THAT'S NOT GIVING US THE RESULTS THAT THEY NEED TO BE, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TREATING THE RESIDENT WITH DIGNITY.
AND I, I SHOULD HAVE PUT THIS AS NUMBER ONE.
UM, BUT ALL OF THESE ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
WE DON'T WANNA SPEND FRIVOLOUSLY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENT KNOWS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO COME AND HELP THEM.
UM, AND WE ALSO, AGAIN, NEED TO SET EXPECTATIONS THAT NOT EVERY REQUEST CAN BE FULFILLED.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE, THE END RESULT NEEDS TO BE THAT IT BUILDS A STRONGER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IF WE ARE NOT ACCOMPLISHING THAT, THEN WE'VE HELPED ONE AT THE EXPENSE OF MANY.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS THE CASE, THAT, THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HELP IMMEDIATELY.
UH, AND, AND, UH, I, I FEAR THAT'S GONNA BE THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT WE GET IS, WELL, I, I FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION A MONTH AGO.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU'RE IN A, WHERE THE HEART IS PROGRAM AND THAT WHERE THE HEART IS ISN'T STARTING UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT WITH THE RESIDENT THAT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
TEXT BUILD A STRONGER NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WE COULD RUN THROUGH, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT, UM, I DON'T JUST HAVE SOMEBODY ON STANDBY WAITING TO GO MOW A PROPERTY.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE WAKING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE WORKING TO GET THOSE TAKEN CARE OF, UM, IN A TIMELY FASHION AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE HOMEOWNER, IF THERE IS A DELAY TEXT, GARLAND CARES CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? UH, WE'RE LIVE, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT, UH, AREAS OF, OF, UH, CONTACT FOR PEOPLE.
UH, WE HAVE A MAIN CITY WEBSITE THAT'S UNDER GARLAND CARES.
IT'S, UH, FROM THE MAIN CITY WEBSITE YOU'LL GO TO.
THERE'S THE GARLAND CARES NETWORK.
WE HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE ABLE TO TAKE IN THOSE APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN ALSO THERE'S THE QR CODE THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE AND UP AND RUNNING TEXT.
QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, COUNSEL, I JUST WANNA ADD ONE PIECE TO THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHAT WE DID WITH RESPECT TO CIVIL ENFORCEMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MADE VERY CLEAR WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE MOVE TO CIVIL ENFORCEMENT
[01:30:01]
AND HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE, WE RECOGNIZE WE CAN'T TICKET OUR WAY OUT OF IT.AND TO TRY TO DO SO IS JUST FOLLY.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE CIVIL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM HAS TO BE A PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN GET SOMEBODY TO THEN COMMUNICATE WITH US, TO REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, HEY, SO WE'VE, WE'VE ISSUED 'EM A TICKET.
AND THEY SAY, WELL, I CAN'T, I CAN'T FIX THIS.
I'M, I'M A ELDERLY WOMAN WHO LIVES BY HERSELF OR I LOST MY JOB LAST YEAR AND I DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THIS.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT WILL CAUSE THEM TO REACH OUT TO US.
SO WE CAN PUT ENFORCEMENT ON HOLD AND THEN FIGURE OUT A PLAN TO WORK WITH THEM TO BRING THE PROPERTY TO COMPLIANCE.
'CAUSE OUR GOAL AT THE END OF THE DAY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS ADJACENT TO, ESPECIALLY THE ONES ADJACENT TO OUR, UH, FOCUS AREAS, BUT REALLY ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
AND THAT DOESN'T GET SOLVED BY, UH, ISSUING CITATIONS.
IS THERE A CASE FOR CITATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THE WORK, BUT ARE FULLY ABLE TO, UH, TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTIES? CERTAINLY.
BUT THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED SO THAT WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, UH, WHO NEED HELP BRINGING THEIR PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE AND WANT TO WORK WITH US, UH, TO BRING THEIR PROPERTIES INTO COMPLIANCE, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT, THAT'S KIND OF THE IDEA THAT THE CENTRAL THESIS BEHIND, UH, AND CARES AND HOW WE BUILT IT OUT.
ALRIGHT, COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? TWO MEN IN SUITS.
SIT AT A CURVE DESK IN THE MEETING ROOM.
WELL, I SEE NONE, BUT I'M EXCITED THAT IT IS LIVE NOW AND OUR CITIZENS ARE ALREADY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
I KNOW I'VE RECEIVED SOME EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS ABOUT IT, SO I'M GLAD THAT IT'S IN PROGRESS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESULTS.
THE MEN REMAIN SEATED AT THE DESK.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 12, AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT.
THE MEN CONTINUE TO SIT AT THE DESK IN FRONT OF THE WOODEN WALL.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE DID MEET ON MAY THE 29TH TUESDAY, AND I WANT TO, UH, JUST, UH, LIFT UP THE MEMBERS OF THAT, UH, COMMITTEE MAYOR PRO, TIM, CHRIS OTT, COUNCILWOMAN MARGARET LUCK, AND OUR STAFF LIAISON J JOHNSON.
AT THAT TIME, WE DID COVER FOR EITHER SUBJECTS OR AUDITS.
WE, OUR AUDIT PLAN FISCAL YEAR 2026, GPNL, WAREHOUSE SERVICES AGREEMENT, AUDIT FACILITIES, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AUDIT, AND THE INTERNAL AUDIT ANNUAL PLAN AUDIT.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA TURN THINGS OVER TO OUR LIAISON, JEFF, AH, J AND YOU CAN JUST LEAD US FROM THERE, PLEASE.
COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AS THE CHAIR INDICATED, WE MET ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, UH, AND DISCUSSED THESE FOUR ITEMS. SEPTEMBER.
IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, SO I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO THE FIRST ITEM WE COVERED WAS THE EXTERNAL AUDIT PLAN.
SO AS YOU'RE AWARE, CD HAS HIRED WEAVER TO PERFORM THE AUDIT, FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, UM, FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO THEY MAINLY COVERED THE AUDIT FOCUS AUDIT APPROACH PROCESS.
UH, SOME OF THE CONTROLS THAT THEY WILL BE TESTING ON, MAN LOOKS DOWN A PAPER ON TABLE.
I WILL GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES THAT THEY HAVE COVERED.
FROM AN INTERIM WORK PERSPECTIVE, THEY TEST CASH, DISBURSEMENTS, PAYROLL, PURCHASING, PROPERTY TAXES, UTILITIES, AND GRAND REVENUES.
THEY ALSO HAVE SELECTED THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, WHICH IS A FEDERAL GRANT, UH, TO, UH, TO, AS THEIR FEDERAL MAJOR GRANT AUDIT TESTING, MAN RESTS HANDS ON THE TABLE.
ALSO, THEY HAVE IN THEIR SCOPE, UH, THEY WILL BE COVERING WORKDAY AND ACTIVE DIRECTORY.
THAT, THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS PART OF THE SCOPE SINCE WE'VE JUST MOVED TO WORKDAY, UM, A YEAR AGO.
SYSTEM CHANGES PHYSICAL ACCESS, SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WILL BE TESTING THAT.
AND THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT INTERNAL AUDIT WILL BE HELPING HELPING THEM ON, ON A NUMBER OF THESE TESTS.
THE BEARDED MAN IN A SUIT SITS AT A TABLE WITH A M**K.
THE TIMELINE, UH, FIELD WORK IS PLANNED, UH, TO BE COMPLETED BETWEEN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 2027.
AND THEY WILL COME BACK TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IN MARCH, 2027.
UH, THEN EVENTUALLY WE'LL COME BACK TO THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO REPORT ON THAT.
THEY DID ALSO COVER SOME OF THE CHANGES FROM GA SB PERSPECTIVE.
GA SB 1 0 3 AND 1 0 4 ARE EFFECTIVE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, UH, REPORTING CHANGES, PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO ADOPT,
[01:35:01]
UM, IN THE NEW, UM, IN THE NEW FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.BOTTOM LINE, UM, FI 26 AUDIT ATTENTION IS CONCENTRATED ON FINANCIAL RISK COMPLIANCE.
IT CONTROLS FOR OUR PROGRAM SOME IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS.
THE SECOND ITEM THAT WE COVERED WAS GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT WAREHOUSE SERVICE AGREEMENT AUDIT.
AS MANY OF YOU'RE AWARE, IN 2024, THE CITY OUTSOURCED THE GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS TO A THIRD PARTY.
THIS AGREEMENT BECAME EFFECTIVE IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, AND THE OPERATIONS BEGAN IN OCTOBER, 2024.
SO WE HAD TWO OBJECTIVES WHEN WE DID THE AUDIT.
UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, WHETHER THE VENDOR IS PROVIDING SERVICES IN OCCURRENCE WITH THE AGREED UPON TERMS AND CONDITION.
SECONDLY, WE ALSO WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PAYING THEM EFFICIENTLY AND APPROPRIATELY.
THE AUDIT BASICALLY COVERED ALL ACTIVITIES SINCE OCTOBER, 2024 THROUGH MAY OF 2026.
I WANNA POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT ARE WORKING WELL.
UM, THE VENDOR IS GENERALLY PROVIDING SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH, WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT THEY HAVE WITH US 92% OF THE TIME.
THEY HAVE, UM, ISSUED THE REQUESTED ITEMS WITHIN 30 DAYS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, APPROXIMATELY POINT $0.5 MILLION WORTH OF MATERIALS WE HAVE PROCURED DURING THIS TIMEFRAME.
FROM OCTOBER 24TH THROUGH MAY OF 26, THE MAN HOLDS A BLUE PEN.
SOME OF THE KEY OBSERVATIONS THAT WE HAD, UH, WE HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF DATA ANALYTICS DURING THAT TIME.
WE DID IDENTIFY THREE DUPLICATE PAYMENTS TOTALLING APPROXIMATELY $165,000.
THE MAN LEANS FORWARD WHILE AT THE DESK.
THIS HAPPENED DURING THE C'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM TRANSITION AS WELL AS THE WAREHOUSE TRANSITIONS.
I DO WANNA INFORM YOU AS SOON AS WE BROUGHT THIS TO THEIR ATTENTION, THEY WORKED WITH GPNO WORK WITH THE VENDOR, AND WE HAVE RECOVERED THE ENTIRE $165,000.
ON TOP OF THAT, UH, WE HAVE MADE A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO, TO PREVENT FROM THIS KIND OF DUPLICATE PAYMENTS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A RECONCILIATION PROCESS AND THEY HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A FEW CONTROLS IN WORKDAY AND CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, CAPTURING ALL THE INVOICE DATA INTO, UH, REPOSITORY, SO TO RUN QUERIES IN THE FUTURE.
SECONDLY, WE DID FIND A FEW AREAS WHERE THEY COULD FIND EFFICIENCY, MAINLY ON THE INVOICE REVIEW PROCESS.
CURRENTLY, THE GENERAL REVIEW PROCESS IS USED REGARDLESS OF TRANSACTION, RISK, COST OR QUANTITY.
UH, APPROXIMATELY FIVE EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN IN, IN, IN INVOICE REVIEW PROCESS WITH MANAGEMENT ESTIMATING ABOUT TWO HOURS PER DAY, SO APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS PER DAY.
THEY ARE FROM A DIRECTOR LEVEL DOWN, UM, TO STAFF LEVEL, REVIEWING EVERY ITEMS THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED FROM THIS THIRD PARTY VENDOR.
WE DID NOT THINK THAT WAS EFFICIENT.
AND WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY TODAY, UM, TO CONDUCT, UM, THE MAN GESTURES WITH HIS HANDS REVIEWS, LIKE IF THERE ARE ANY INAPPROPRIATENESS, LIKE SUCH AS DUPLICATE PAYMENTS OR THE MAN EXAMINES THE PAPERS ON THE TABLE, THINGS LIKE THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN IDENTIFY THOSE EXCEPTIONS.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MADE.
UH, HOWEVER, UM, WE STILL NEED, UM, A GREATER REVIEW WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH DOLLAR PURCHASES.
SO THEY CONCURRED WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE A TIERED APPROVAL PROCESS, UM, THAT WOULD MAINTAIN SCRUTINY OVER HIGH RISK TRANSACTION WHILE STREAMLINING LOWER LEVER PURCHASES, MANAGEMENT PLANS TO IMPLEMENT THIS GOING FORWARD, THE MAN GESTURES TO HIS DOCUMENTS.
LASTLY, UM, OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE VENDOR IS PRICING IS BASED ON A VENDOR AVERAGE COST PLUS AN 18.5% MARGIN.
UM, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE A COST INFORMATION FROM THE VENDOR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS OR AT ANY POINT WHEN WE REQUEST THAT THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT BEING REQUESTED AND GOING FORWARD, UM, GPNL AGREED TO OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE VENDOR IS CHARGING US IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
WE ALSO WILL, WOULD WANT, UH, WANTED TO SEE IF THEY COULD ENHANCE THEIR WARRANTY, UM, HOW WE ARE MAINTAINING, UH, A DATABASE TO ENSURE THAT ANY ITEMS THAT IS UNDER WARRANTIES, UM, IS TRACKED SO THAT WE DON'T SPEND EXTRA MONEY.
BOTTOM LINE, THE WAREHOUSE OPERATION AND PAYMENT PROCESS ARE GENERALLY WORKING AS INTENDED.
THE RECOMMENDATION FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING CONTROLS AND IMPROVING EFFICIENCY THROUGH DUPLICATE PAYMENT
[01:40:01]
PREVENTION WITH BASED INVOICE REVIEW, INCREASED COST VISIBILITY, AND IMPROVED CONSIDERATION OF WARRANTY COVERAGE.THIS WAS A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
SO I DO WANNA THANK, UM, GPNL FOR WORKING WITH US.
THE MAN REARRANGES THE PAPERS ON THE DESK.
THE THIRD AUDIT THAT WE COVERED IS THE FACILITIES CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AUDIT.
THIS AUDIT WAS REQUESTED BY THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, UM, THE CITY HAS OVER 300 FACILITIES AND ALL OF THESE FACILITIES ARE MANAGED BY, UH, A GROUP OF 28 EMPLOYEES.
UM, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO, THEY DO PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING, UM, FROM KEY GESTURES WHILE LOOKING TO THE SIDE, REVIEWING, UM, PREVENTATIVE ITEMS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S FROM SOMETHING FROM HAPPENING, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM GOING WRONG.
THEY ALSO REVIEW, UM, PERFORMED VARIOUS TYPES OF PLUMBING, ELECTRIC, ELECTRIC WORK, UH, HVAC REPLACEMENTS, PRETTY MUCH DO ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
SO WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE MAN IS SEATED AT THE DESK, WHETHER ADEQUATE CONTROL EXISTS TO OUR FACILITIES.
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND MONITORING.
AS I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL TEAM THAT MANAGES A LARGE, UM, POOL OF BUILDINGS.
UH, DUE TO THAT THEY DO HAVE TO DEPEND ON A NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS.
AT THE TIME OF THE AUDIT, THEY HAD 30 SERVICE-BASED CONTRACTS, UH, WHICH IS A HIGH NUMBER OF CONTRACT PROFILE.
SO WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THEIR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND MONITORING IS EFFECTIVE.
SECONDLY, WE ALSO WANTED TO VERIFY WHETHER THE CONTRACTOR USE IS JUSTIFIED, COST EFFECTIVE AND PROVIDED VALUE COMPARED WITH CD RESOURCES.
OUR TESTING PRIMARILY COVERED OCTOBER, 2023 THROUGH JUNE, 2026.
THE BEARDED MAN AND A SUIT SITS AT A TABLE.
SOME OF THE OBSERVATION I WILL GO HIGH LEVEL THE MAN GESTURES WHILE LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS.
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE COVERED IS CONTRACT THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT WAS THE CITY'S LONGSTANDING, UH, DOWNTOWN AGREEMENTS WITH THE OX PROPERTIES.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, UM, PS HANDS ON THE TABLE.
WE HAVE EXECUTED OUR CONTRACTS WITH THEM ON THE FIFTH STREET CAR CROSSING IN TWO, 2008, AND THEN LATER IN 2013, WE HAVE EXECUTED OUR CONTRACT, UH, WITH OX PROPERTIES REGARDING THE CITY CENTER PROPERTY.
UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE, UH, OR THE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS IN THE CONTRACT IS CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD AND IF THE CURRENT PRACTICES DO THEY ALIGN WITH, UH, WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED IN THE CONTRACT.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE OBJECTIVE OBJECTIVES.
WE WORKED WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO, TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING.
UH, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OBTAINED ALL THE IN CONTRACTS THROUGH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, WORKED WITH PARKS MANAGEMENT, WORKS WITH THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, WORKS WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
WE ALSO WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH THE OWNERSHIP OF WORKS MANAGEMENT.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION, UH, SINCE THESE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN EXECUTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
ALSO, THE PEOPLE WHO EXECUTED THESE CONTRACTS DO NOT WORK FOR THE CITIES AS WELL AS ON THE OX SIDE.
SO AFTER GOING THROUGH ALL THESE CONTRACTS AND AMENDMENTS, THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 OF 'EM.
UH, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSOLIDATE THESE AGREEMENTS AND CLARIFY RESPONSIBILITIES AND COST SHARING INTO ONE DOCUMENT.
SO GOING FORWARD, BOTH PARTIES ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I KNOW FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND ASSISTANT, UM, CITY MANAGER, MR. BRIAN, HE'S WORKING ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
AND EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BE MEETING WITH OAKS PROPERTIES, UH, OUR CHAIR, UM, THE AREAS THAT THEY WILL BE ADDRESSING.
PARKING, GARAGE ELEVATORS, MARKINGS, LIGHTING, LANDSCAPING, EV CHARGERS, UH, PARKING FACILITY.
THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WILL BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS, THIS ONGOING NEGOTIATION.
THE SECOND AREA THAT WE COVERED IS THE SECURITY CAMERAS.
UM, CITY OPERATES MORE THAN 1000 CAMERAS WITH APPROXIMATELY 200,000 IN ANNUAL CONTRACT SUPPORT AND 350,000 IN ANNUAL IT INFRASTRUCTURE COST.
SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO PERIODICALLY EVALUATE CAMERA'S NEED TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT MODEL WHILE MAINTAINING SECURITY OBJECTIVES.
AGAIN, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER WANTED US TO LOOK INTO.
UH, RIGHT NOW FACILITIES MANAGEMENT IS LOOKING AT THIS CHIEF.
BRIAN IS LEADING THIS, THIS INITIATIVE AS WELL.
THIRDLY, WE LOOKED AT THE CITY'S FURNITURE PURCHASES
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PRACTICES.UM, CITY CURRENTLY MAINLY WORK WITH ONE VENDOR TO PROCURE FURNITURE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
ONCE WE REVIEWED THESE AND HAVE DONE SOME BENCHMARKING, WE IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER MORE COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES.
UM, MANAGEMENT IS IN AGREEMENT WITH US.
UM, SO THEY WILL BE REEVALUATING THE CURRENT PRACTICE AND IT'S, IT'S A CULTURE CHANGE AND I APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER IN, IN, IN EMPHASIZING THAT WE NEED TO, UM, FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING OUR FINANCIAL CAPACITY AS WELL AS MAINTAINING LONG-TERM FINANCIAL CAPACITY.
SO APPRECIATE HIS EFFORT IN THAT.
UH, AGAIN, THEY WILL BE REEVALUATING THE CITY'S CURRENT PRACTICE.
AS PART OF THE AUDIT, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED A FEW AREAS WHERE WE WERE INCORRECTLY BILLED.
UH, BY A THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT IS OBTAINING CREDITS FROM THAT VENDOR AND THEY'RE ALSO ENHANCING THEIR REVIEW PROCESS SO WE CAN IDENTIFY THIS EVEN BEFORE THE AUDIT GETS THERE.
LASTLY, THERE ARE SOME SEVERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTOR TO, TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN TYPES OF INSURANCES.
MANAGEMENT IS WORKING ON ENSURING THAT, NUMBER ONE, DO WE NEED TO REQUIRE EVERY CONTRACTOR TO OBTAIN ALL THESE INSURANCES? NUMBER TWO, IF SO, HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT, UH, THEY'RE MAINTAINING THOSE? I KNOW I WENT HIGH LEVEL ON THIS ONE, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WAS ABOUT TWO HOURS.
SO FORGIVE ME IF I WENT TOO HIGH LEVEL ON THIS ONE.
UH, I HOPE YOU ALL RECEIVE THE COPY OF THE AUDIT REPORTS AND THESE REPORTS ARE POSTED ONLINE AS WELL.
OVERALL FACILITIES HAS PROCESSES IN PLACE TO OVERSEE CONTRACTOR WORK AND PAYMENTS.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION, CLARIFYING RESPONSIBILITY, IMPROVING COST OVERSIGHT, AND IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO OBTAIN GREATER VALUE FROM CITY RESOURCES.
THE MAN FOLDS A SHEET OF PAPER IN HALF.
THE LAST ITEM THAT WE COVERED IS MY PROPOSAL TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE NOW TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN.
BEFORE I GO OVER THESE AUDITS, I DO WANNA THANK THE GOVERNING BODY CITY COUNCIL FOR REQUESTING A NUMBER OF THIS.
MAYOR PROTI, DEPUTY MAYOR, PROTO COUNCIL MALLET, YOU ALL HAVE MADE REQUESTS TO TO THE UPCOMING AUDIT PLANS.
I'LL HIGH LEVEL GO OVER THESE AUDITS, MAYOR.
UM, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THE AUDITS THAT WE'LL BE COVERING IS CONTRACT MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS FROM A HIGH LEVEL PERSPECTIVE, JUST LIKE THE FACILITIES CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AUDIT THAT WE DID.
WE'LL REVIEW CONTROLS OVER VENDOR CONTRACTS INCLUDING COMPLIANCE, PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENTS.
THE NEXT AUDIT THAT WE'RE GONNA COVER IS THE CARE A TC CONTRACT.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE CITY HAS OUTSOURCED ITS HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO A THIRD PARTY.
A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WANTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CONTRACTED HEALTHCARE SERVICES ARE DELIVERED AS REQUIRED AND PAYMENTS ARE ACCURATE.
NEXT AUDIT IS THE STREET RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
EVALUATE PROGRAM EFFICIENCY EFFECTIVENESS INCLUDING TRACKING OF LABOR MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT COST.
NEXT AUDIT IS THE RENTAL PERMITS, AUDIT REVIEW, PERMITTING AND ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES.
NEXT, AUDIT COURT FINES AND FEES REVIEW THE ACCURACY COLLECTION, SAFEGUARDING REPORTING AND REMITTANCE OF COURT FINES AND FEES.
LAPTOP ON THE DESK TO THE MEN'S RIGHT AUDIT.
AFTER THAT IS WORKDAY FINANCIAL ASSESS, POST IMPLEMENTATION CONTROL SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY AND RELIABILITY OF REPORTS AND DATA, CUSTOMER SERVICE, BILLING AND COLLECTIONS AUDIT, UH, EVALUATE METER READING, BILLING, COLLECTIONS AND RATE ADMINISTRATION.
NEXT, AUDIT STARS CAMP REVIEW, PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY, REGISTRATION CONTROL FEES AND EXPENDITURES.
NEXT, AUDIT VEHICLE RETIREMENT AUCTION REVIEW CONTROLS OVER RETIRED ASSETS AND AUCTION PROCEEDS SPECIFIC USE PROVISIONS.
AUDIT REVIEW THE ACCURACY OF YOUR CP RECORDS AND COMPLIANCE WITH APPROVAL CONDITIONS.
NEXT AUDIT IS THE LIBRARY MATERIAL PROCUREMENT VERIFY PURCHASE TO PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL MATERIALS THAT ARE ACCOUNTED FOR AND AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.
NEXT AUDIT IS THE TOLL ROAD USAGE REVIEW, DEPARTMENTAL TOLL USAGE, COST MONITORING, AND USE OF THE TOLL TAG PROGRAM.
NEXT AUDIT IS PAYROLL AS IT CONTROLS OVER SUPPORTING ACCURATE AND RELIABLE PAYROLL PROCESSING.
NEXT AUDIT IS BUILDING PERMITTING REVIEW, PERMIT EFFICIENCY TRACKING INSPECTION, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMPLIANCE.
LASTLY, WE WOULD DO A CITYWIDE CASH COUNT AUDIT, VERIFYING COMPLIANCE WITH CDS,
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FINANCIAL PROCEDURES, AND SAFEGUARDING OF CASH.ALL OF THESE AUDITS THAT I HAVE MENTIONED HERE, THEY DO ALIGN WITH THE CITY STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, WITH STRONG STRONGEST EMPHASIS ON STRENGTHENING FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIPS AND PROTECTING CORE SERVICES.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE WILL PERFORM, YOU KNOW, AS WE NORMALLY DO INVESTIGATIONS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS AND WE WILL ASSIST OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
SO THAT IS THE AUDIT PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.
UH, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S VERY LOADED.
UM, SO PLEASE DO NOT COUNT THAT AGAINST ME IF YOU DON'T GET TO SOME OF THESE.
UM, WITH THAT MAYOR, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A CONSENSUS ON THIS AUDIT PLAN.
HE SAID HE'LL HAVE THOSE DONE BY THE END OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UH, NO, I I I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THAT PLAN.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VARIETY IN THERE, COUNSEL.
HE'S LOOKING FOR CONSENSUS ON APPROVAL OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE PLAN.
AND WE WANNA EXPRESS APPRECIATION AGAIN TO JED AND TO HIS TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN BRINGING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF AUDITING OUR ORGANIZATION.
IT, UH, ONLY SAVES US MONEY, BUT IT SAVES US WASTE IT THINGS.
SO MANY THINGS THAT, UH, WE WOULD NOT NORMALLY CATCH.
WERE NOT FOR THIS TEAM OTHERWISE.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, SIR.
COUNCIL WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 13, INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT REPORT.
ON AUGUST THE 31ST AND SEPTEMBER THE FIRST, I REPRESENTED THE, THE MAN WALKS TO THE BACK WALL, CITY OF GARLAND AT THE 2026 INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT IN IRVING.
HOSTED JOINTLY BY THE CITY OF IRVING AND THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMMISSION.
OVER TWO DAYS I SAT IN ON SESSIONS WITH MAYORS FROM ACROSS THE REGION, STATE TRANSPORTATION AND WATER OFFICIALS AND PRIVATE SECTOR AND TEXT DYLAN HEDRICK, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
THAT WAS INTERESTING IN ITSELF.
AND SO I WANNA WALK THROUGH TODAY, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD THERE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE GOING TO TRULY HELP US HERE IN GARLAND.
THE SUMMIT HAD OPENED WITH A PANEL OF REGIONAL MAYORS, IRVING, CARROLLTON, PLANO, AND ARLINGTON, ALL MAKING THE SAME BASIC POINT FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES.
INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING ISN'T A COST CENTER, IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE HEARD THAT SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT.
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANOS MAYOR POINTED TO, TO THEIR WILLOW BEND PROJECT BUILT IN ANTICIPATION OF DALLAS STARS, THEIR NEW PRACTICE FACILITY AS A MODEL OF INFRASTRUCTURE READINESS, PAYING OFF BEFORE THE OPPORTUNITY EVEN ARRIVED.
THAT'S A LESSON WORTH LEARNING AND HOLDING ON TO A NATIONAL CALIBER FACILITY OR TEAM LOCATING IN GARLAND COULD BE EXACTLY THAT KIND OF LEVER FOR US.
AND WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT BEFORE AND WE CERTAINLY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE THAT ONE COULD PLAY AND CERTAINLY THE OPPORTUNITY MAY PRESENT ITSELF AGAIN THE NEXT DAY OPEN WITH TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS CONCRETE FOR US.
TXDOT TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION HAS PASSED A NEW 10 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND TWO GARLAND AREA PROJECTS ARE EXPLICITLY ON IT.
STATE HIGHWAY 2 0 5 IN ROCKWALL AND STATE HIGHWAY I 30 OR ONE 30 AND I 80 HERE IN GARLAND.
PART OF A $30 BILLION STATEWIDE PROGRAM.
THE COMMISSIONER'S LINE THAT STRUCK WITH ME THE MOST WAS THIS, MORE PROJECTS DIE FROM LACK OF CONSENSUS AND NOT LACK OF FUNDING.
THAT'S WHAT REMEMBERING AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE ENGAGE ON THESE CORRIDORS GOING FORWARD.
AND THE MONEY IS OFTEN THERE, BUT THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE AGREEMENTS ARE NOT THE MAN ENTERS.
THEN CAME THE SESSION THAT PROMPTED THIS BRIEFING.
THE FUTURE OF REGIONAL TRANSIT.
THE OFFICIALS ARE SEATED AT THE U-SHAPED DESK.
THE PANEL INCLUDED LEADERSHIP FROM THE NORTH TEXAS, UH, COG DART, DCTA AND TRINITY METRO.
AND THE CONVERSATION KEPT CIRCLING BACK TO ONE ISSUE.
DART GOVERNANCE IS THE DEFINING REGIONAL TRANSIT QUESTION THIS YEAR.
DART GOVERNANCE IS THE DEFINING REGIONAL QUESTION THIS YEAR, AND IT'S DIRECTLY TIED TO HOW CITIES LIKE GARLAND PARTICIPATE AND WHAT IT COST US IN SALES TAX REVENUE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SIT AT THE CONFERENCE TABLE.
NORTH TEXAS, UH, NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COGS TRANSIT 2.0 COMMITTEE
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POSED A QUESTION AND I THINK IT'S WORTH BRINGING UP TONIGHT.IF YOU HAD A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER, WHAT WOULD TRANSIT LOOK LIKE HERE IN GARLAND TEXT WORK SESSION, YOUNG MAN CAME BEFORE US THIS EVENING TALKING ABOUT OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS. IF WE HAD A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? THE PANEL'S CLOSING ADVICE TO TRANSIT LEADERSHIP WAS TO REMEMBER THAT THE CITIES THEY SERVE AREN'T JUST SERVICE AREAS.
THEY'RE MAYORS, THEY'RE COUNCILS AND THEIR OWN AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PRIORITIES.
AND THAT REGIONAL CORPORATION ONLY WORKS WHEN THAT IS RESPECTED.
LOGISTICS AND TRADE PANEL ROUNDED OUT DAY ONE, AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING, DRONE DELIVERY AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS FROM CANADA, MEXICO, INDIA, PANAMA, UKRAINE, AND TAIWAN ALL MADE THE CASE THAT NORTH TEXAS AND DFW SPECIFICALLY SIT THAT THE CENTER OF A LOT OF THAT ACTIVITY.
TEXAS WAS AN EARLY MOVER ON AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE POLICY AND 26 STATES NOW SHARE A COMMON FRAMEWORK AND THAT'S RELEVANT TO US.
AND THESE TECHNOLOGIES MOVE FROM PILOT TO ROUTINE.
THE FINAL SESSION FOCUSED ON WATER AND ELECTRICITY.
TWO THINGS THAT WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT FUTURE GROWTH.
WATER SENATE BILL SEVEN COULD EVENTUALLY PROVIDE ABOUT $1 BILLION A YEAR FOR WATER PROJECTS.
BUT THE STATE FIRST HAS TO RAISE 46.5 MILLION.
SO THIS IS THE LONG-TERM FUNDING SOLUTION, NOT MONEY THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE RIGHT AWAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS REVIEW DOCUMENTS.
ELECTRICITY ERCOT IS PLANNING FOR ELECTRICITY, DEMANDS TO GROW ABOUT THREE TO 5% EACH YEAR.
BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO PREDICT EXACTLY WHERE THAT NEW DEMAND WILL COME FROM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS WORK DURING THE SESSION.
DATA CENTERS, LARGE DATA CENTERS REQUIRE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BOTH ELECTRICITY AND WATER ADDING PRESSURE TO THOSE SYSTEMS. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR GARDEN IS AS WE WORK TO ATTRACT DATA CENTERS AND OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS, WE ALSO HAVE TO ASK THIS QUESTION, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER AND POWER CAPACITY TO SUPPORT THEM THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF OUR UTILITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING.
AND SO HERE'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO BRING BACK.
IN SUMMARY TWO FUNDED STATE PROJECTS, STATE HIGHWAY 2 0 5 AND STATE HIGHWAY I 30 COMPUTER MONITORS SIT ON EACH OFFICIAL'S DESK PROJECTS WE SHOULD CONTINUE TRACKING TOWARD LET READY STATUS DART GOVERNANCE.
THIS YEAR'S MOST IMMEDIATE REGIONAL ISSUE AND ONE OF GARLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW VERY CLOSELY IS THE DART GOVERNANCE REGIONAL THOROUGHFARES I 6 35 I 30, AND THE GEORGE BUTCH TONGUE.
RIGHT? SHOULD REMAIN PART OF OUR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING WATER AND GRID CAPACITY.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT LONG-TERM CONSTRAINTS THAT WILL INFLUENCE THE TYPE AND SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT.
WE CAN ATTRACT REGIONAL COOPERATION, THE CLEAREST THEME ACROSS BOTH DAYS, BUT THAT OUR REGION MAKES THE GREATEST PROGRESS WHEN CITIES COOPERATE RATHER THAN COMPETE.
TEXT ED MOORE DISTRICT TWO, THE WORLD CUP WAS CITED MORE THAN ONCE.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS REGIONAL COLLABORATION CAN WORK COUNCIL MEMBERS SHIFT IN THEIR SEATS, CALL ON REPRESENTATION.
GARLAND, I'M GLAD TO HAVE REPRESENTED GARLAND AND I'M HAPPY TO GO DEEPER INTO ANY OF THESE ISSUES THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO INTO.
BUT THAT IS MY REPORT AS IT RELATES TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSIGNMENT REPORT.
COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS ON HIS REPORT? THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR SIT AT THE DESK TEXT.
TEXT CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS MAYOR FLIPS A PAGE.
WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 14, TAIWAN DESIGN EXPO AND TWAN SISTER CITY VISIT, COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO VISIT, WAIT ON THAT UNTIL MR. MORRIS, COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AND I HAD OUR, OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO VISIT OUR SISTER CITY TWAN.
THEY WERE HOSTING THE ANNUAL TAIWAN DESIGN EXPO IN TAIWAN IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS 20 YEAR DESIGN EXPO HAD BEEN HOSTED IN OUR SISTER CITY AS IT ROTATES AROUND THE COUNTRY AT TAIWAN.
AND THEY WERE, UH, HAPPY TO INVITE SISTER CITY MAYORS TELL MANAGER AND MAYOR SIT AT THE DESK.
IT'S GROWN INTO A MUNICIPALITY, WHICH ON THE GOVERNMENT IT'S, IT'S STARTED OFF AS A SMALL MAYOR, GESTURES WITH HIS
[02:00:01]
HANDS CITY AND THE COUNTY SIZE AND EVENTUALLY WAS ADDED A MU AS A MUNICIPALITY IN THEIR GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE SYSTEM NOT TOO TERRIBLY LONG AGO.THERE WERE ALSO SISTER COUNTIES WITH DALLAS COUNTIES AND A SISTER CITY WITH DESOTO AND GRAND PRAIRIE, I BELIEVE AS, AS WELL AS GARLAND.
SO THEY, UH, WERE EXCITED TO SHOW US THIS DESIGN EXPO, WHICH IS REALLY A LOT OF COMPANIES TALKING ABOUT GREEN MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES AS TAYWAN IS REALLY THE LARGEST MANUFACTURING CITY IN ALL OF TAIWAN.
AND AS YOU KNOW, TAIWAN HAS A LOT OF MICROCHIP MANUFACTURING AS WELL AS VARIOUS OTHER MANUFACTURING FACILITIES IN THERE.
AND GIVEN THAT GARLAND HAS A LARGE MANUFACTURING BASE, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PARALLEL AND SOMETHING WE COULD LEARN FROM THEM.
AT A CITY THAT'S ABOUT NINE TIMES OUR SIZE, THEY HAVE ABOUT 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE CITY, WHICH REALLY GREW OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, AROUND THEIR HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE A HIGH-SPEED RA, HIGH SPEED RAIL FRAME STATION IN TAYWAN, WHICH EXTENDS FROM TAIPEI.
AND 20 YEARS AGO IT WAS JUST FARMLAND.
AND IN 20 YEARS THEY BUILT UP A CITY OF 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND IT.
SO THEY HAVE VERY MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOUSING AND WORKFORCE AND OTHER CONCERNS LIKE WE DID.
UH, THEY WERE HAPPY TO SHOW US ONE OF THEIR, UH, SOCIAL HOUSING COMPLEXES THAT IS GOVERNMENT FUNDED.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAN WE USE HERE, BUT IT SEEMED THEY REALLY TRY TO CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AROUND THEIR HOUSING COMPLEXES.
THEY TOOK US THEN TO A, A CITY PARK, WHICH OPENED ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE WE GOT THERE.
IT'S A, A PARK RIGHT ON THE RIVER AND INTERESTING THAT THEY DESIGNED THEIR PARKS WITH SIMILAR TO WE DO WITH CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS AND WALKING TRAILS.
AND THERE'S EVEN WORKOUT EQUIPMENT FOR OLDER ADULTS THERE PRETTY MUCH IN EVERY, EVERY LOCATION.
AND THEN FINALLY LATER THEY TOOK US TO ONE OF THEIR LIBRARIES WHERE THEY REALLY LIKE TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY.
SO THEY HAD A, UH, THE WOOD ROOM HAS AN AMERICAN FLAG BOOK HOLD AREA, WHICH IS SHELVES WHERE A ROBOT WOULD GRAB YOUR BOOK ON HOLD AFTER YOU PUNCHED IT UP AND, AND DELIVER IT TO YOU, WHICH THE ROBOT TOOK ABOUT ALMOST TWO MINUTES TO GRAB YOUR BOOK.
BUT
AND THEN ONCE IT RECOMMENDED THAT BOOK TO YOU, A ROBOT WOULD COME OUT OF A, THE MAYOR CHECKS HIS LAPTOP, KIND OF THE PORTAL PORTAL ON THE SIDE, AND IT WOULD LEAD YOU IN THE STACKS TO WHERE THAT BOOK WAS LOCATED.
IT KNEW THE WHOLE SYSTEM WHERE THAT BOOK WAS FILED, AND IT WOULD SHOW YOU RIGHT TO THE STACKS AND THEN THE STACKS WOULD LIGHT UP WITH A GREEN LIGHT SAYING, YOUR BOOK IS RIGHT HERE.
SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO SHOW US ALL THEIR NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY, THE MAYOR TYPES ON THE LAPTOP THAT THEY INTEGRATE INTO ALL THEIR FACILITIES THERE.
UH, THE NEXT DAY, OF COURSE, WAS THE DESIGN EXPO, AND WE GOT TO SEE VARIOUS CULTURAL SITES AS WELL.
CITY SEALED BEHIND THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE MUSEUMS SHOWCASING THEIR HISTORY, UM, THEIR KIND OF HISTORY OF THEIR MILITARY HISTORY OF TEA MAKING, WHICH IS A BIG MICHAEL J BETS TURNS HIS HEAD, UH, HAS A LONG HISTORY IN TAIWAN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE VOLCANIC SOILS CREATED BY THE, THE ISLAND, WHICH IS ON THE PACIFIC RIM.
AND TWO TECTONIC PLATES THAT PUSH AGAINST EACH OTHER, WHICH CREATED THE ISLAND.
AND I THINK ALL OF YOU HAVE SOME OF THAT TEA THAT WE BROUGHT BACK.
FOR YOU TO SAMPLE THAT IS, UH, TAIWANESE BLACK TEA, I BELIEVE.
I'M A BIG FAN OF OOLONG AND I HAVE GREEN TEA AND JASMINE TEA I BROUGHT HOME AS WELL.
SO MOST OF MY ITEMS I BROUGHT BACK WAS TEA.
'CAUSE I, I'M NOT A COFFEE DRINKER, BUT A TEA LOVER.
UM, THE EXPO IS VERY INTERESTING TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, AGAIN, ALL THE GREEN TECHNOLOGY THEY'RE INTEGRATING, UH, AGAIN, LOTS OF TECHNOLOGY, THE SMART MANUFACTURING, THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO REDUCE WASTE AND LOOK AT THE LIFECYCLE OF PRODUCTS THAT THEY USE.
TEXT MICHAEL J BETSON, DYLAN HEDRICK.
I WAS HAPPY TO MEET THE MAYOR, MAYOR CHANG OF TAYWAN AND PRESENTED WITH A COWBOY HAT.
OF COURSE, THE OTHER SISTER CITIES PROVIDED GIFTS AS WELL WITH PLATES AND BOWLS AND ARTWORK, BUT I THINK THE COWBOY HAT WAS REAL.
OFFICIALS ARE SEATED LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS, THE, UH,
BUT, UM, IT, IT WAS JUST A GOOD TRIP TO SEE REALLY HOW THE, A CITY ON COMPLETE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD OPERATES.
UM, A LOT OF SIMILAR ISSUES, SIMILAR ISSUES WITH GARBAGE COLLECTION FOR ENTRANCE.
INSTANCE ONE, UH, ASKING ABOUT THAT IS THAT THEIR GARBAGE TRUCKS COME AROUND DAILY
[02:05:01]
AND YOU HAVE TO THROW YOUR GARBAGE IN THE BACK OF THE GO OPEN GARBAGE TRUCK AS IT PASSES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT PICK IT UP FOR YOU.IT COMES AROUND PLAYING FOR A LEASE.
AND YOU CAN ALSO TRACK THE LOCATION ON AN APP, A SMART APP.
AND WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET ONE DAY AND YOU JUST SEE A BUNCH OF OLD LADIES WITH THEIR TRASH BAGS IN THEIR HAND WAITING FOR THE GARBAGE TRUCK TO GO BY BECAUSE IF YOU MISS IT, YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR TRASH JUST TO WORK OR SOMETHING WITH YOU THE NEXT DAY.
THEY'RE VERY HEAVY ON, ON FINEING PEOPLE AND MILLIONS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY GET OF THEIR FEDERAL BUDGET OR CITY BUDGET COME FROM FINES, INCLUDING SPEED CAMERAS EVERYWHERE ALONG STREETS.
SO, NO, NOT MUCH SPEEDING AROUND THERE BECAUSE AS OUR TOUR GUIDE PUT IT, IF YOU DRIVE A TAIWAN, YOU ARE VERY BRAVE JUST BECAUSE OF THE HAVE THE SPEED CAMERAS.
CITY MANAGER BET SITS HANDS ON DESK AND A LOT OF MOPEDS EVERYWHERE.
IT'S VERY, THE WEATHER IS VERY MILD CLIMATE, SO IT'S MOPEDS, UH, TRANSPORTATION TO GET AROUND.
INTERESTINGLY, GAS PRICES WHEN YOU CALCULATE PER GALLON ARE ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THEY ARE HERE.
VERY SIMILAR, UH, LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT YOU NOTICE AS YOU GO AROUND.
BUT OVERALL, I THINK IT WAS A, A GOOD TRIP JUST TO CONVERSE WITH NOT ONLY OUR SISTER CITY AND OUR DELEGATION THAT HOSTED US, BUT UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AND I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH DELEGATIONS FROM JAPAN AS WELL.
AND, UM, I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT THE CITY FUNDS WERE NOT USED FOR TRAVEL OF THIS COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AND I PAID FOR OUR OWN FLIGHT AND OUR SISTER CITY HOSTED US, PAID FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION MEALS AND UH, AND OUR HOTEL.
BUT I WOULD, I DID EXTEND AN INVITATION TO MAYOR CHANG TO COME TO VISIT GARLAND, TO VISIT DALLAS COUNTY TO VISIT OUR OTHER SISTER CITIES HERE.
I THINK WE COULD PUT TOGETHER A QUITE A SHOWCASE SHOWING THEM OUR LIBRARIES, OUR PARKS, OUR NEW GRANDVILLE ART CENTER.
WHEN IT OPENS UP IN A YEAR, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THEM COME AND UH, AND EXPERIENCE ALL THAT GARLAND HAS TO OFFER AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, I KNOW YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL THINGS AS WELL.
I HAVE A PREPARED, UH, STATEMENT HERE, BUT BEFORE WE DO IT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, YOU DO HAVE T BEFORE YOU TEXT CHRISTINA DEANO, DISTRICT FOUR TEXT JUSTIN CARAWAY, DISTRICT TWO, MAYOR, MAYOR HEDRICK IS REALLY THE, THE T EXPERT HERE.
BUT, UH, WE PURCHASED THAT TEA FOR YOU BECAUSE WE WANTED YOU TO HAVE SOME OF, UH, THE, UH, EXPERIENCE OF WHAT WE HAD WHILE WE WERE THERE.
TEA IS A BIG THING, A REAL BIG THING IN TAIWAN.
SO WITH THAT THOUGH, LET US, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO WATCH THIS VIDEO.
COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT AT THE DESK.
TEXT 20 26 1 DESIGN EXPO IN TE TEXT, FORMOSA NEWS, WATCH THE HATS.
I EXPO AND TA KICKED OFF ON THURSDAY.
PUTTING TA'S DESIGN AND INNOVATION ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE.
THE CITY WELCOME DIPLOMATS AND DELEGATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO TOUR THE CITY'S SOCIAL HOUSING AND SMART LIBRARY FACILITIES.
THIS YEAR'S EXPO IS CONNECTING FIVE EXHIBITION AREAS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND TIEN IS USING DESIGN TO SHOWCASE NOT ONLY ITS INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH, BUT ALSO ITS TECHNOLOGY CULTURE AND GROWING INTERNATIONAL REACH.
TEXT WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? AN AMERICAN DELEGATION FROM GARLAND, TEXAS AND A JAPANESE DELEGATION FROM CHIBA WENT ON A TOUR OF ITALIAN SOCIAL HOUSING COMPLEXES IN THEIR FACILITIES.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY'S HOUSING POLICY, THEY ALSO VISITED THE PU SMART TECHNOLOGY BRANCH OF ITALIAN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND HAD TO GO AT USING THE SMARTBOOK STORAGE SYSTEM THEMSELVES.
AN IMPRESSIVE TECH INNOVATION.
THE TAIWAN DESIGN EXPO IN ITALIAN HAS KICKED OFF WITH THE ATTENDANCE OF 15 DIPLOMATS IN TAIWAN AND GUESTS FROM 31 OF ITALIAN SISTER CITIES TEXT CHANG Z CHANG TE MAYOR.
THIS YEAR'S EDITION IS TITLED TA AND FLOW.
AS WE SAW IN THE VIDEO, TAUN IS KNOWN AS THE LAND OF A THOUSAND PONDS.
WATER IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE.
IN TAUN, THE EVENT SHOWCASES TA'S VITALITY ACROSS FIVE EXHIBITION AREAS IN THE CITY.
THE CHIO AREA EXHIBITS, ITALIANS INDUSTRIAL DESIGN CAPABILITIES, URBAN GOVERNANCE, AND INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES.
OVER IN THE JOHN LEE AREA, THE FOCUS IS THE CULTURE OF THE MAINLAND PEOPLE, THE HAKA PEOPLE, AND THE IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN TAIWAN.
THE EVENT WHICH STARTED OFF WITH THE AIM OF PROMOTING REVITALIZATION LOCALLY HAS EVOLVED INTO AN INTERNATIONAL EFFECT.
THE MAYOR OF THE PODIUM WITH A PINK AND BLUE BACKGROUND, TA'S HARD POWER IS THAT WE ARE TAIWAN'S LARGEST INDUSTRIAL CITY.
WE HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS YEAR'S TAIWAN DESIGN EXPO AND TA Y WE CAN ALSO SHOWCASE TA'S SOFT POWER VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
WITNESS TA'S DESIGN DRIVEN APPROACH TO URBAN GOVERNANCE WHILE EXPERIENCING THE CITY'S TECHNOLOGY, TOURISM AND CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS.
ITALIAN HOPES THE VISITS WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR BROADER EXCHANGES AND EVEN MORE FRUITFUL COOPERATION.
THE PHOTO SHOWS TWO MEN WEARING SUITS AND COWBOY HATS.
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IT'S THEIR LITTLE, IT'S A SYMBOL FOR LOVE OR SOMETHING.THE PHOTO CHANGES TO INCLUDE A WOMAN STANDING BETWEEN THE TWO MEN FOR SOME WEEKS YOU LIVE THROUGH AND SOME WEEKS LIVE ON WITHIN YOU.
THIS WAS THE SECOND KIND OF WEEK ON A 15 HOUR FLIGHT THAT FELT LIKE A JOURNEY INTO THE FUTURE.
FOR THE MOMENT, MAYOR SHANG SHANG STAFF MET MAYOR DYLAN HEDRICK AND ME AT TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
I KNEW GARLAND WAS BEING RECEIVED NOT AS A VILLAGER, BUT AS FAMILY.
AT EVERY TURN OF THE WEEK, OUR HOST CARED FOR US WITH A HOSPITALITY THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.
TAIWAN FOR THE OPENING OF THE 2026 TAIWAN DESIGN EXPO.
TAIWAN INFLOW, WHICH RUNS SEPTEMBER THE 24TH.
THROUGH OCTOBER THE 11TH, DIPLOMATS AND DELEGATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHERED TO WITNESS WHAT HAPPENED.
WHEN A CITY PUTS DESIGN, CULTURE AND INNOVATION ON FULL DISPLAY, GARLAND DEFINITELY HAD A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
THE INVITATION GREW OUTTA RELATIONSHIP.
MANY GARLAND RESIDENTS MAY NOT KNOW WE HAVE FOR DECADES.
GARLAND HAS BEEN A SISTER CITY WITH LOOSE SHOE, A DISTRICT THAT TODAY SITS WITHIN TOWER ONE CITY.
THAT BOND IS PART OF A WIDER WEB OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN NORTH TEXAS AND TAIWAN.
DALLAS COUNTY AND TAIWAN ARE SISTER COUNTIES AND DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAVE A SISTER AIRPORT ALLIANCE.
TEXAS ITSELF HAS TO MAINTAIN A SISTER STATE RELATIONSHIP WITH TAIWAN SINCE 1988.
SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS ONLY MATTER IF SOMEONE SHOWS UP.
SO WHEN MAYOR CHANG'S ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE EXPO TO THE WORLD, THEY EXTENDED THE INVITATION TO THEIR FRIENDS IN GARLAND.
AND MAYOR HEDRICK AND I WENT TO REPRESENT OUR CITY, RENEW THAT FRIENDSHIP IN PERSON AND BRING HOME IDEAS THAT CAN SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
I HAVE THESE PICTURES SHOWING AS I SPEAK TO YOU BECAUSE I TRULY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GET A REAL REPRESENTATION OF A FEEL FOR WHAT WE EXPERIENCED WHILE WE WERE THERE.
THE TAIWAN DESIGN EXPOSED ONE TAIWAN SIGNATURE NATIONAL EVENTS.
SINCE IT BEGAN IN 2003, IT HAS DRAWN MORE THAN 40 MILLION VISITORS.
AND EACH YEAR A DIFFERENT HOST CITY IS CHOSEN THROUGH COMPETITION.
ONE'S FIRST TIME HOSTING THE THEME TOWER ONE AND FLOW COMES FROM THE IDENTITY THAT THE LAND OF A THOUSAND PONDS.
AND AS TAIWAN'S GATEWAY TO THE WORLD FLOW SHOWS UP EVERYWHERE.
WATER MOVING ACROSS THE LANDSCAPES, PEOPLE MOVING THROUGH ONE OF ASIA'S GREAT AIRPORTS GOODS MOVING THROUGH GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND CULTURE FLOWING TOGETHER.
TAIWAN IS HOME TO TAIWAN'S LARGEST HAKA AND NEW IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND A LARGE INDIGENOUS POPULATION.
AND THE EXPOS CELEBRATED THAT DIVERSITY AS STRENGTH.
WHAT WE SAW INCLUDED TWO MAIN EXHIBITION HUBS GOING POOL SHOWCASED THE MODERN FORWARD-LOOKING CITY AROUND THE NEW TAIWANIAN CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER.
WHILE ZALI SHOWS HOW DESIGN CAN BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO A HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.
16 THEMED EXHIBITIONS SPREAD ACROSS THE MAIN HUGS AND FIVE SATELLITE, UH, SITES, INCLUDING ART CENTERS, MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL SPACES, SMART AGRICULTURE AS ART.
THE LIGHT FLOW ARC EXHIBIT TRACE'S, TOWER ONES FORMING FROM THE COASTAL PLAINS TO THE MOUNTAINS, PAIRING TECHNOLOGY AND ART WITH YOUNG FARMERS.
BRANDS AND STRUCTURE BUILT LARGELY BY RECYCLE STEEL, DESIGNED AS A TOOL OF GOVERNMENT.
TAIWAN USES URBAN CREATIVE DESIGN CENTERS, URBAN AESTHETIC TASK FORCES AND DESIGN REVIEWS OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE GOODS DESPITE PARTS OF EVERYDAY CITY LIFE.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS THE AREA THAT I'VE FOUND TO BE MOST FASCINATING BUILT FOR COMMUNITY.
TAIWAN IS CONFRONTING A REAL HOUSING AFFORDABILITY GAP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUNG FAMILIES BACKING IT WITH SERIOUS INVESTMENT.
A ROUGHLY $30 BILLION RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
$30 BILLION RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM THAT HAS ALREADY HELPED MORE THAN 500,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
PLUS LOW INTEREST LOANS TO BRING MORE HOUSING ONLINE, NEW DEVELOPMENT LINKS, HOUSING DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITY CHILDCARE, BUILDING WHOLE COMMUNITIES, NOT
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JUST UNITS.IN PRACTICE, A LESS WASTE MORE FLOW INITIATIVE BRINGS GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY TOGETHER TO CUT WASTE AND EMISSIONS.
STARTING WITH EVERYDAY DIVERSE DELIVERY SERVICES.
YOU CAN FEEL, IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THERE ARE A LOT OF FOOD UP THERE.
OKAY, FOOD, MUSIC MARKETS AND THE WARMTH OF THE PEOPLE.
THE PICTURES AND VIDEOS IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE MY BEST ATTEMPT TO LET YOU FEEL WHAT WE FELT.
FRAME CERTIFICATES ON AN ORANGE WALL.
WHAT GARLAND CAN TAKE HOME A TRIP LIKE THIS IS ONLY WORTH IT IF IT COMES BACK TO MAIN STREET.
HERE IS WHERE I BELIEVE GARLAND CAN BENEFIT GARLAND REVITALIZATION.
A HISTORIC REBORN THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DESIGN SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND AND ON OUR SQUARE DESIGN AND PUBLIC PROJECTS.
TAIWAN TREATS THE LOOK AND FEEL OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AS A PRIORITY, NOT AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
WE CAN ASK THE SAME OF OUR STREETS, PARKS, AND FACILITIES.
TAIWAN IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TECHNOLOGY POWERHOUSES AND A MAJOR TEXAS TRADING PARTNER.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, OFTEN OPEN DOORS FOR INVESTMENTS, JOBS, AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS IN GARLAND EDUCATION AND YOUTH EXCHANGE.
GARLAND, ISD STUDENTS HAVE TRAVELED TO TAIWAN BEFORE, THROUGH NORTH TEXAS SISTERS PROGRAMS. RENEWED TIES CAN OPEN THOSE DOORS AGAIN FOR OUR NEW GENERATION, CELEBRATING OUR OWN DIVERSITY.
GARLAND IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN TEXAS.
TAIWAN SHOWED THE WORLD HOW A CITY THAT HAS MANY CULTURES CAN BECOME ITS CALLING CARD AND SO CAN OURS.
SUSTAINABILITY IDEAS FROM WASTE REDUCTION TO RECYCLED BUILDING MATERIALS.
TAIWAN OFFERS PRACTICAL MODELS WORD STUDYING.
SO I LEFT GRATEFUL TAMIR CHANG SONG CHING AND HIS STAFF FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY HOSPITALITY TO THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN FOR OPENING THIS CITY TO US AND TAMIR HENDRICKS FOR INVITING ME TO JOIN HIM ON THE JOURNEY.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I LEFT CONVINCED THAT THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GARLAND AND OUR SISTERS IN TAIWAN IS NOT ALIGNED IN OLD RESOLUTIONS.
AND IF WE CAN, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAYOR AND I TALKED ABOUT ON OUR WAY BACK.
IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO INVITE THEM TO COME TO GARLAND TO BE OUR GUEST IN THIS NEXT YEAR.
THEY WOULD, THEY TALKED ABOUT COMING TO DALLAS AND COMING TO, UH, TO JUST VISIT WITH US.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ANY OF THEM HAVE EVER DONE, BUT I CAN SAY THIS TO YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND TO YOU COUNSEL, IT IS A TRIP THAT I WILL NOT EVER FORGET.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT TO LIVE UP TO IF THEY COME HERE.
THEIR HOSPITALITY WAS BEYOND MEASURE.
THEY, IT WAS REALLY A, AN INTERPRETER TRAVELED WITH US THE WHOLE TIME AND THERE WAS A CAR DRIVING US EVERYWHERE IT WAS.
WE HAVE A, BUT I THINK WE PUT ON QUITE A SHOW FOR THEM AS WELL.
THE WIDE SHOT DISPLAYS THE COUNCIL MEETING, BUT UM, WITH THAT COUNCIL, SOMEBODY ASKED ABOUT THE DUCK TEXT.
DYLAN HEDRICK, MAYOR
THE MAYOR REVIEWS DOCUMENTS ON THE DESK.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON THEN WITH NO QUESTIONS ON THAT TO CONSIDER COMMISSION AND APPOINTMENTS.
BUT THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPOINTED WITH OUR REGULAR MEETING.
THEN COUNCIL, UH, REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AT THIS TIME, THE CITY MANAGER TURNS TO LOOK AT THE MAYOR WHO GLANCES BACK GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
AND COUNCIL AT 10 54 WE ARE ADJOURNED.
GOODNIGHT, THE MAYOR READS DOCUMENTS.