[00:00:01]
[Call to Order]
ALL RIGHT.WE'RE GONNA ALREADY GO AHEAD AND START THE MEETING TONIGHT.
UH, WELCOME TO THE, UH, REGULAR SESSION OF THE LAKE JACKSON CITY COUNCIL, UH, ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2022 AT, UH, 25 OAK DRIVE, LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS.
UH, TONIGHT WE'LL HAVE A REGULAR SESSION, AND THEN AFTER REGULAR SESSION, WE'LL MOVE INTO A WORKSHOP, UH, AT THE END.
SO, UH, WITH THAT WE'LL BEGIN WITH A, UH, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, AND THIS WILL BE LED BY COUNCILMAN SIN PLEDGE OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DUE TO THES ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN ABYSMAL THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE HONORED TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE.
TEXAS IS ONE STATE GOD, AND WE'LL HAVE AN INDICATION BY COUNCILMAN BAKER.
DEAR MOST HEAVEN, FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY TODAY THAT WE'LL NEVER SEE AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR OUR HELP, AND THANK YOU FOR OUR STRENGTH.
AND THEN MY 70 FATHER, WE GET READY TO HAVE OUR MEETING TODAY.
JUST GIVE US KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM TO DO THE BEST THING FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS FINE CITY.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WITH HEAVEN FATHERS BLESS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, EMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND MOST OF OUR BLESS OUR MILITARY AS THEY ALSO PROTECT US ABROAD.
UH, NEXT TIME WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS VISITORS COMMENTS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP, I DON'T THINK, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE VISITOR COMMENTS? THIS IS ON ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, NOT SEEING ANY.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, DECLARATION OF CONFLICT INTEREST.
THIS IS WHERE COUNSEL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECLARE IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO, IS THERE ANYONE THAT NEEDS TO DECLARE A CONFLICT? NOT SEEING ON,
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WE'LL GO ON TO CONSENT AGENDA.WE HAVE ITEM ONE IS APPROVED APPROVAL OF MINUTES NOVEMBER 21ST, 2022.
ITEM TWO IS ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2259, REMOVING THE PERMIT FEE LANGUAGE FOR THE SIDEWALK, CAFE ORDINANCE, SECOND READING.
AND ITEM THREE IS AWARD CONTRACT TO WORLDWIDE POWER IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $179,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO 100 KILOWATT SHINWA UA, PORTABLE PORTABLE GENERATORS THROUGH TIPS.
CONTRACT NUMBER 6 21 AS BUDGETED.
IS THERE A REQUEST TO REMOVE ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, HEARING? SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 1, 2, 3 AS PRESENTED.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN SINNIA AND, UH, A MOTION, UH, SECOND BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SETH.
[1. Consideration and approval of an ordinance authorizing the issuance of “City of Lake Jackson, Texas Waterworks and Sewer System Revenue Bonds, Series 2022”; entering into a paying agent/registrar agreement and approving all other matters related thereto – first and final – Dan Martinez]
MOVE ON TO REGULAR AGENDA.ITEM ONE IS CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM, REVENUE BONDS SERIES, UH, 2022, ENTERING INTO A PAYING AGREEMENT REGISTER, UH, AGREEMENT, UH, AND IMPROVING ALL OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO FIRST AND FINAL READING.
SO AFTER WE GET THE, WE'LL HEAR THE, UH, THIS WILL DO THE READING, WE THEN WE'LL HAVE TO SUSPEND.
SO, YES, MAYOR, THIS IS, UM, AGAIN, AS YOU'LL SEE, THIS IS FOR A BOND ISSUE FOR $6 MILLION WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND THEN OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, JOE MARRO, WILL COME UP AND, UH, GO THROUGH, UH, THE BIDS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I'LL READ THE ORDINANCE SECTION AND THEN WE CAN GET INTO THE DISCUSSION.
THIS WILL BE, THIS IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 22 DASH 2260.
IT'S AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM, REVENUE BONDS SERIES 2022, AND A PAYING AGENT REGISTER AGREEMENT AND APPROVING ALL OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THERE TWO, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MERL.
MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNSEL, JOE MORROW WITH HILLTOP SECURITIES.
ALSO HERE TONIGHT ON THIS ITEM IS DAN MARTINEZ WITH WINSTED, UH, YOUR BOND COUNSEL.
UH, I'VE GOT A BOOKLET THAT I'VE PASSED OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS REAL QUICKLY.
[00:05:01]
IF YOU'LL TURN TO TAB ONE.WE'VE GOT THE GRAPH OF THE BOND BUYER REVENUE BOND INDEX.
WE USE THIS TO GIVE OURSELVES A SENSE OF THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF INTEREST RATES, UH, SO THAT, UH, IT BASICALLY IS A WEEKLY DATA POINT.
WE'VE GOT A 20 YEAR HISTORY HERE.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, WE HIT A LOW IN, UH, 2021.
AND THEN AS WE WENT INTO THIS YEAR, THE MARKET STARTED TO CLIMB UP AWAY AS WE GOT FROM THE RESET OF THE EASY MONETARY POLICY THAT HAD BEEN IN PLACE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE'VE SEEN INTEREST RATES GOING UP QUITE RAPIDLY OVER THE LAST, UH, EIGHT, NINE MONTHS.
UH, HOWEVER, IF YOU'LL LOOK, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE PEAKED NOT TOO LONG AGO AND HAVE BEEN DROPPING DOWN AN INTEREST RATES HAVE BEEN MOVING DOWNWARD SLIGHTLY.
AND THAT COINCIDES WITH THE NOVEMBER FEDERAL, UM, OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE.
THE, THE FEDERAL RESERVE, WHEN THEY POPPED RATES ANOTHER 75 BASIS POINTS AT THAT TIME, THEY GAVE AN INDICATION THAT, UH, THEY MAY BE AT A POINT WHERE THEY WILL BEGIN TO EASE.
AND THEY FURTHER CAME WITH THAT STATEMENT, UH, IN BETWEEN TIMES.
SO THE MARKETS HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN.
PREVIOUSLY, IT HAD BEEN THOUGHT WE MAY HAVE ANOTHER 75 BASIS POINTS NEXT WEEK.
NOW, THE MARKETS ARE EXPECTING IT'S ONLY GONNA BE 50.
SO,
WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH THIS LITTLE BIT OF A DOWNDRAFT IN INTEREST RATES.
AND, UH, TODAY WE WENT INTO THE MARKET AND TOOK COMPETITIVE BIDS AT 10 45.
PRIOR TO DOING THIS, WE DID HAVE CALLS WITH BOTH MOODYS AND STANDARD EMPLOYERS REGARDING THE CREDIT RATING OF THE CITY'S UTILITY SYSTEM.
AS A RESULT OF THOSE MEETINGS, BOTH RATING AGENCIES CAME BACK AND CONFIRMED YOUR AA MINUS RATING.
NOW, AA MINUS RATING IS A VERY STRONG RATING.
IT PUTS US, UH, IN THE UPPER ECHELON OR TOP TIER OF CREDITS FOR MUNICIPALITIES ABOVE IT WOULD BE A AA, A, A PLUS.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, YOUR GENERAL OBLIGATION RATING IS THE DOUBLE A PLUS.
SO YOU'RE JUST ONE STEP BELOW, UH, HITTING THE, THE AAA RATING WITH THIS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY NOTED ABOUT THE CITIES, WHICH CARRIES OVER TO YOUR MANAGEMENT CHARACTERISTICS OF, OF THE GENERAL FUND SIDE OF THE LEDGER AS WELL, THEY NOTED THAT THE CITY HAD BEEN, UH, VERY DILIGENT IN RAISING UTILITY RATES AS NEEDED AND NOT LETTING LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
ELAP BETWEEN WHEN YOU WOULD MAKE RATE ADJUSTMENTS.
THAT'S ALWAYS SEEN AS A VERY STRONG MANAGEMENT THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING THESE THINGS INCREMENTALLY AS NEEDED AND NOT HAVING TO PLAY, CATCH AND MAKE, UH, BIG BUMPS.
UH, THEY ALSO NOTED THAT YOU HAVE RUN THE SYSTEM AND HAVE VERY ADEQUATE, UH, LIQUIDITY OR RESERVES THAT HELP YOU TO, UH, GET THROUGH TIMES.
UNLIKE THIS YEAR WHERE WE HAD A DROUGHT, SOMETIMES WE HAVE A RAINY SEASON, AND, AND WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE LIQUIDITY IN THE SYSTEM TO, TO GET THROUGH THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT SELLING AS MUCH WATER.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY NOTED.
THEIR REPORTS ARE BEHIND TAB NUMBER FOUR.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THOSE.
THOSE ARE INDEPENDENT REPORTS, UH, THAT CONSIDER YOUR CREDIT.
THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF INVESTORS RELY ON.
INSTEAD OF DOING THEIR OWN HOMEWORK, THEY'RE GONNA READ THESE REPORTS AND USE THAT.
SO, WITH THAT, GOING INTO TODAY, WE HAD, UH, SEVEN BIDDERS SIGN UP AS OF FRIDAY THIS MORNING.
WE HAD ANOTHER, UH, BIDDER JOIN.
WE ACTUALLY, UH, WOUND UP WITH SEVEN FIRMS THAT SUBMITTED BIDS FOR YOUR BONDS THIS MORNING.
SO YOU CAN SEE BEHIND TAB TWO, FIDELITY CAPITAL MARKETS HAD THE WINNING BID WITH A TRUE INTEREST COST OF 3.699%.
THE COVER BID WERE SECOND PLACE BID WAS THE BAKER GROUP WITH A 3.746, OR ABOUT A 0.05 BEHIND.
AND THEN ROBERT BAIRD CAME IN BEHIND THAT AT A 3.76, FOLLOWED BY PIPER SANDLER WITH A 3 78.
YOU GET THE PICTURE THERE, 3 79.
[00:10:01]
TIGHT ONCE WE, THE FIRST PLACE BID WAS FIVE BASIS POINTS, UH, UH, THROUGH EVERYBODY.AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE WAS PRETTY TIGHT.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF GROUPINGS THAT WE LIKED TO SEE.
WE LIKED THE FACT THAT FIDELITY STEPPED OUT.
THEY MUST HAVE HAD SOME GOOD ORDERS OR STRONG ENOUGH INTEREST THAT THEY REALLY WANTED IT.
THEY PUT A VERY STRONG BID IN IT, DID SELL WITH INSURANCE.
THIS IS GONNA HAVE A BUILD AMERICA MUTUAL INSURANCE, AND THAT WAS AT THE BITTER OPTION BID COST.
AND WHAT THAT DID IS THAT TOOK THAT AA MINUS CREDIT RATING AND WRAPS IT WITH AN INSURANCE POLICY, AND IT MOVES IT UP ONE NOTCH TO A A, A FOR THAT.
UH, FIDELITY IS GOING TO PAY BAM, $12,480.
SO AS THEY WERE DOING THEIR ANALYSIS, THEY FELT LIKE THEY COULD SELL THE BONDS A LITTLE BIT EASIER, AND IT MADE IT WORTH THAT $12,480 EXPENDITURE.
THAT'S FOR THE LIFE OF THE BONDS OR UNTIL YOU CALL THEM, WHICH YOU DO HAVE A BUILT IN CALL OPTION WHERE YOU CAN PREPAY THESE BONDS IN, UH, 2031 IN PAY DOWN ALL OF THE MATURITIES, 32 THROUGH 43.
YOU CAN PAY 'EM ALL OFF IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE CASH OR IF MARKET CONDITIONS EXIST, YOU COULD REFINANCE LIKE YOU WOULD A MORTGAGE FOR A LOWER, UH, LOWER COST OF, UH, INTEREST PAYMENTS.
BUT THAT ALL IN ALL, UH, VERY PLEASED WITH YOUR RESULTS TODAY.
UM, LET'S SAY WE SOLD THREE WEEKS EARLIER, AND, UH, YOU'RE ABOUT 30 BASIS POINTS THROUGH WHAT WE SAW FOR A SIMILAR CREDIT.
SO, UH, THIS TURNED OUT TO BE JUST, YOU KNOW, GOOD TIMING, GOOD TIMING.
UM, BEHIND YOUR BID SUMMARY PAGE, UH, TAB THREE HAS THE SOURCES AND USES OF FUNDS, FOLLOWED BY, UH, SCHEDULE OF YOUR ANNUAL, SEMI-ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS WITH A FISCAL TOTAL.
SO, UH, THIS YEAR YOU WILL HAVE PAYMENTS IN, UH, APRIL.
THAT WILL BE THE ONLY PAYMENT.
YOU HAVE INTEREST PAYMENTS ABOUT $78,000.
AND THEN NEXT YEAR YOU'LL PICK UP, UH, WITH BOTH PRINCIPAL AND, UH, INTEREST, TWO INTEREST PAYMENTS, ONE PRINCIPAL.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DAN CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT OUR PATH FORWARD.
WE DO INTEND TO CLOSE THIS ISSUE ON DECEMBER THE 29TH.
SO YOUR FUNDS WILL BE IN THE BANK, UH, AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU ACCEPT THE BID OF FIDELITY CAPITAL MARKETS, THIS, UH, GROSS BOND INSURANCE PREMIUM, THAT IF WE HAD A BOND THAT'S HAD THAT ATTACHED TO IT OR NOT, OR IN THE PAST, YOU RECALL OR NOT, WE HAVE SOLD SOME BONDS THAT HAVE HAD, UH, UM, INSURANCE, INSURANCE BEFORE INSURANCE.
AND, UH, IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST ON THE GENERAL OBLIGATION SIDE.
UH, YOU MAY RECALL THAT BEFORE 2008, THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ALL HAD AAA.
AND SO THEN WE WERE WRAPPING ALMOST EVERY BOND ISSUE THAT CAME TO MARKET.
WE WOULD WRAP IT WITH INSURANCE BECAUSE YOU COULD BE AN A PLUS OR A A A MINUS IN WRAP UP TO A AAA THAT CHANGED RIGHT WHEN THE MARKETS COLLAPSED AT THAT POINT.
AND NOW, AA IS THE BEST WE CAN GET ON THE GENERAL OBLIGATION SITE.
YOU EXCEED THE RATING OF, UH, INSURED, SO YOU WILL NOT SELL WITH INSURANCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU MAY NOT, UH, YOU, YOU MAY HAVE AN EQUIVALENT RATING.
THAT'S WHY $12,000 480 IS VERY CHEAP FOR SOMEONE TAKING A A 20 YEAR RISK.
SO WOULD THIS REFLECT POORLY ON A CREDIT RATING TO HAVE IT WRAP AROUND WITH INSURANCE VERSUS NON-INSURANCE? NO.
IT REALLY JUST GETS DOWN TO A MARKETING.
UM, IT'S, UH, FOR SOME BUYERS, THEY WILL REQUIRE A MINIMUM RATING OF AA.
AND SO, UH, MY GUESS IS IT WAS TWO THINGS.
ONE, HAVING THE INSURANCE AND STEPPING UP TO AA OPENED UP THE UNIVERSE OF BUYERS ENOUGH.
[00:15:01]
THE INSURANCE WAS PRICED SO LOW THAT IT MADE IT ALMOST COMPELLING TO GO AHEAD AND, AND MAKE THAT EXPENDITURE.ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? NOT HEARING ANY.
WE'LL NEED TO, UH, TAKE A MOTION ON THIS, BUT FIRST WE NEED TO TAKE A MOTION, LEAD A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES ON, UH, FIRST AND SECOND, UH, MR. MAYOR MOVED TO, WE SUSPEND THE RULES FOR FIRST AND FINAL FOR THIS ITEM.
THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
I'LL SECOND AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL IN FAVOR TO SAY AYE.
WE'LL MOVE ON AGAIN TO THE ORDINANCE ITSELF ON, UH, ACCEPTING THE BID.
DO Y'ALL WANT IT READ AGAIN OR Y'ALL OKAY? I'M OKAY.
I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
MAY MR. MARA, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS WATERWORKS AND SERVICE SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS SERIES 2022, ENTERING INTO A PAYING AGENT REGISTRAR AGREEMENT, IMPROVING ALL OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO FIRST AND FINAL SECOND, HAVE A MOTION, UH, COUNSEL WALTON SETH, AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BAKER, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
JUST, YOU KNOW, A MULTITUDE OF THANKS TO, UH, JOE AND DAN AND JAMES AND DEBBIE WORKED HARD ON, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF GETTING THE BOND RATING, TALKED TO THEM, ANSWERING ALL THEIR QUESTIONS, AND GETTING GOOD BIDS.
[2. Discuss holding a public hearing to amend the permitted uses for B-2 Central Business Zone – Sherri Russell]
I WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO.UH, DISCUSS, UH, HAVING DISCUSS HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE PERMITTED USES FOR B2 CENTRAL BUSINESS ZONE.
SO WHEN, UM, IN OUR ENTHUSIASM TO DO MOBILE FOOD COURTS, WHEN I WAS CUTTING IN PASTING, PERMITTED USES, YOU WANTED THEM IN B ONE AND B2, I FORGOT THERE WAS A B ONE A IN BETWEEN.
SO I SUBSTITUTED B ONE A FOR B2.
WE NEED TO MOVE THAT BACK TO WHAT THEY SHOULD BE.
AND WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS IS THAT IF YOU ALL DECIDE YOU WANNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND WITHOUT PLANNERS, THEN YOU CAN DO THAT RATHER THAN SENDING IT TO PLANNERS AND THEN SENDING IT TO US, AND THEN HAVING THE READING SO THAT WE COULD HAVE, UH, FIRST READING AND FIRST AND FI THE PUBLIC HERE AND FIRST AND FINAL READING THAT FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY TO, UM, CORRECT MY SECRETARY'S MISTAKE.
I'VE, I'VE FIRED HER TWICE NOW.
ANY OTHER REASON FOR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF URGENCY OF, OF NOT SENDING TO PLANNERS, BUT TO TAKE IT BY COUNCIL TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE, THE, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MAKE THE DECISION? IS, IS THAT THERE MAY BE SOME BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO START THE PROCESS OF COMING IN, AND THIS WOULD HOLD 'EM UP IF WE DON'T CHANGE THIS, UH, QUICKLY.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME.
WELL, I'M JUST, WE'RE JUST UNDOING A YEAH, JUST GOING BACK, DOING THE WAY IT, GOING BACK, GOING BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS, GOING BACK, WHO IT WAS NO BIG CHANGE.
SO YOU ALL JUST HAVE TO VOTE AND DECIDE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT PLANNERS, AND THEN WE'LL DO THAT.
AND MS. RUSSELL, THE RECOMMENDED DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING IS THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING IN JANUARY.
IF WE CAN GET THE NOTICES OUT, WE STILL HAVE THE REQUIRED THREE NOTICES, RIGHT? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THIS? IF NOT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON, UH, SETTING A DATE FOR PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT GOING THROUGH PLANNERS.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE NEED, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION THAT WE, UM, SET THE PUBLIC HEARING THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING IN JANUARY, AND THAT WE DO ALL THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH PLANNERS FIRST AS REPRESENTED.
I HAVE A MOTION BY A COUNCIL MEMBER BROUGHT US IN, UH, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, SETH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? QUESTIONS? ANYBODY HOLD IN FAVOR? SAY AYE.
WHAT'S THAT DATE? JANUARY 3RD.
IS TUESDAY THE THIRD THEN? YES.
[3. Discuss and consider request from Habitat for Humanity to waive $13,325 of lien fees associated with 503 Gardenia– Melissa Alexander]
OKAY.WE'LL MOVE ON TO REGULAR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREES, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER REQUEST FROM A HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO WA $13,325, UH, OF LIEN FEES ASSOCIATED WITH 5 0 3 GARDENIA AND MODEST.
DO YOU WANNA START TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT WHILE I CAN
[00:20:01]
MISS, UH, ALEXANDER, UH, MS. ALEXANDER REPRESENTING, UH, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS HERE.UM, SHE'S REQUESTING A WAIVER OF LIENS ON 5 0 3 GARDENIA.
THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT WAS, UH, RAISED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
UM, MS. ALEXANDER APPROACHED US, UH, APPROACHED ME A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
WE COULDN'T GET IT REALLY ON THE, THE LAST AGENDA.
SO I SAID WE WOULD BE ON THIS AGENDA.
SHE WAS TRYING, UH, I THINK THEY'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TRYING, AND THEY'VE MADE AN INITIAL OFFER AND WOULD LIKE TO, TO CLOSE.
UH, DURING THAT TIME IN THE CONVERSATION, WE DISCOVERED THAT WE HAD NOT FILED THE LIENS YET.
AND SO IN EARNEST, I, UH, ASKED STAFF TO GET THAT FILED BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL IS MAKING AN OFFER, AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, THAT OPTION DOESN'T NEED TO BE DECIDED BY STAFF.
IT HAS TO BE DECIDED BY COUNCIL IF, IF, UH, LIENS ARE WAIVED.
UM, THE LIEN, I BELIEVE IS HERE IN FRONT OF YOU IS AMOUNTS TO $13,325.
THE DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE IS 11,750.
THERE WAS PROPERTY CLEANUP AFTER WHERE WE PAID A CONTRACTOR THAT'S $1,500.
AND THEN THERE'S ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, FEE, UH, THAT WE DO FOR THE PROCESS OF FILING STUFF THAT'S $75.
WE HAVE THE COUNCILS IN THE PAST HAVE WAIVED, UM, LIENS FOR HABITAT, UH MM-HMM.
ON FOUR, UH, ON, ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS IN 2012 AND 2013.
AND THEY'RE MENTIONED THERE BELOW, UM, THOSE LIENS FROM LOOKING AT, UM, THE MINUTES, UH, WERE ONE WAS, YOU KNOW, MOWING LIENS, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS, SOME WAS MOWING LIENS AND SOME, UM, FORGIVENESS OF, UH, SOME TAX OF, UH, BACK TAXES.
UH, AND AGAIN, MY MEMORY IS, IT DIDN'T REALLY SAY THAT IN THE COMMUNICATION OR ANYTHING.
MY MEMORY IS THE, IT WAS PROPERTY THAT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE FOR A WHILE.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING THOSE, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
UM, WE DO HAVE FOUR PROPERTIES WHERE WE DO HAVE LIENS ON CURRENTLY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S 5 0 3, UH, GARDEN, 1 0 3, WEAT, UH, DEMO.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHER PROPERTIES THAT, UM, THOSE LIEN AMOUNTS ARE FOR MOWING.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HABITAT FOR COMMUNITY FOR BRAZORIA COUNTY.
I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THIS IS REVENUE THAT WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE CITY IF THE LEAN WAS, UH, PAID FOR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF EDUCATE A LITTLE BIT.
I'M SURE MOST OF Y'ALL ARE AWARE HOW HABITAT WORKS, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE A LITTLE EDUCATION ON WHAT WE DO FOR THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON AND HOW THIS MONEY WOULD BENEFIT US IF WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY IT, AND HOW WE CAN BENEFIT THE CITY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DON'T GIVE AWAY FREE HOMES.
UM, OUR HOMEOWNERS PAY MORTGAGES.
THEY PAY MORTGAGES FOR 25 YEARS ON WHAT THE HOME COST US TO BUILD.
ANYTHING WE HAVE TO SUBCONTRACT OUT.
UM, SO IF WE DO ROUND NUMBERS AND A HOME COSTS US 130,000 A BUILD AND IT APPRAISEES FOR 200,000, WE'LL DO ROUND NUMBERS.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA PAY MORTGAGE AT 0% INTEREST.
WE HOST THE MORTGAGE, UM, TEXAS, DOW CREDIT UNION HELPS US WITH THE ESCROW ACCOUNTS.
THANKFULLY, WE PARTNER WITH THEM.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT MORTGAGE FOR 25 YEARS WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, THAT HOMEOWNER AT 0% INTEREST.
WE PUT A SECOND LIEN ON THE HOME FOR THE REMAINING BALANCE, THE $70,000 SO THE HOME DOESN'T GET FLIPPED OR BECOME A RENTAL.
WE WANT LONG TERM RESIDENTS, HOMEOWNERS IN THESE HOMES.
UM, MOST OF OUR HOMEOWNERS STAY OVER 85% OF OUR HOMEOWNERS STAY PAST THE 25 YEARS OF THEIR MORTGAGE.
THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THEIR TOWN.
THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER MOVES EVERY SEVEN YEARS NOW.
SO THOSE ARE PHENOMENAL NUMBERS AND A COMMITMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY'RE IN.
UM, THAT SECOND LIEN THAT I TALKED ABOUT, IF THE HOMEOWNER STAYS IN THE HOME FOR 25 YEARS, THEY NEVER HAVE TO REPAY IT.
AND THAT SECOND LIEN DEPRECIATES 10% THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THEY ARE IN THE HOME BECAUSE LIFE DOES HAPPEN.
YOU GET MARRIED, YOU GET DIVORCED, UM, JOB CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DON'T GIVE AWAY FREE HOMES.
WE ARE IN THE TOP 10 HOME BUILDERS IN NORTH AMERICA.
I BELIEVE WE'RE THE BEST IN THE COUNTY.
THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION FROM WHEN I GO TO OTHER, UM, HOME BUILDERS AND WALKTHROUGH.
THE QUALITY'S DEFINITELY NOT WHAT MY VOLUNTEERS WOULD, WOULD DO.
SO I THINK WE'RE THE BEST IN BRAZORIA COUNTY.
UM, I TALKED ABOUT 85% OF OUR HOMEOWNERS STAY.
THAT MEANS THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THEIR TOWN, THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? THEY WANNA BE GOOD NEIGHBORS, GOOD STEWARDS.
THEIR KIDS ARE GROWING UP HERE.
THEY'RE RAISING FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SOMETHING ELSE WE DO THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
[00:25:01]
IS WE OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUR HOMEOWNERS CHILDREN.SO SINCE AUGUST, WE'VE AWARDED TWO SCHOLARSHIPS TO LAKE JACKSON RESIDENTS ALONE, UM, TO THEIR CHILDREN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO MOST PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IN LAKE JACKSON CURRENTLY.
WE HAVE ONE HOMEOWNER WHO WE'VE DONE A CRITICAL ROOF REPAIR.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WE OFFER THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE OVER 55 OR YOU'RE A VET, THERE'S DIFFERENT QUALIFICATIONS.
A STORM COMES THROUGH, WE WILL HELP YOU REPAIR YOUR ROOF.
SO WE HAVE ONE HOMEWORK CURRENTLY THAT WE HAVE A HOME CRITICAL ROOF REPAIR.
WE HAVE 25 HABITAT HOMES CURRENTLY IN LAKE JACKSON.
THOSE ARE HOMES THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN, THEY'RE STAYING IN AND THEY'RE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES IN, AND THEY'RE DEDICATED TO YOUR TOWN.
THEY'RE SHOPPING IN YOUR TOWN, THEY'RE WORKING IN YOUR TOWN.
THREE OF THE HOMES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE BUILDING, NOT IN LAKE JACKSON, WE'RE WORKING IN ANGLETON WITH THESE THREE HOMES.
WE HAVE A PAIR FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A, ANOTHER WOMAN THAT WORKS WITH M MHR, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER WOMAN WHO WORKS WITH THE ELDERLY IN HEALTHCARE.
SO OUR AFFORDABLE HOMES ARE, UM, THEY'RE YOUR TEACHERS, THEY'RE YOUR POLICE OFFICERS, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH.
SO THOSE ARE WHO GET OUR HOMES.
SO JUST WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT.
ANOTHER BENEFIT WE PROVIDE FOR THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON, WE HAVE OUR RESTORE AT 12 CIRCLE WAY.
WE PROVIDE SALES TAX, EVEN WITH THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
WE ARE A GOOD STEWARD IN THAT AREA.
SO ANOTHER THING WE DO, WE DO FEED OUR PD.
I THINK WE FED HIM LAST MONTH.
ANYTIME WE HAVE LEFTOVER FOOD FROM AN EVENT WE HAVE OR A BUILD OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PD OR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT OR PERMIT DEPARTMENT.
DEPENDS ON WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON AND WHO'S OPEN, OPEN AT THE TIME.
ON THIS INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE IS SOME CLEANUP COSTS THAT I'LL HAVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SHARED THE PHOTOS THAT I SENT IN.
I MIS I DON'T THINK WE RECEIVED THEM.
UM, I CAN SEND 'EM IN SO Y'ALL CAN LOOK AT 'EM.
THERE'S, THE HOME HAS BEEN REMOVED AND THERE WAS A, I BELIEVE A SHED IN THE BACK.
I DIDN'T SEE THE PROPERTY BEFORE THE HOME WAS REMOVED, BUT THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF TRASH AND DEBRIS.
OLD PATIOS AND PAVERS FENCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
MY BEST ESTIMATE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, CALLING A CORR OUT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE A FEW VOLUNTEERS SEVERAL DAYS, OR I'LL BE AT THE COST, PROBABLY CLOSE TO $3,000 TO GET THIS PROPERTY CLEANED UP, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS SOME SAFETY ISSUES, TRIP HAZARDS, IF SOMEONE WAS TO GO ON THE PROPERTY.
SO, UM, WE DO WANNA PUT A LONG TIME RESIDENT.
WE DO WANNA PUT SOMEONE THAT'S GONNA STAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY AT, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY TEACHER OR FIREFIGHTER OR, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER'S QUALIFIED.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOMEONE IN, IN THAT HOME THAT WILL BE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES AT HOME ON THAT PROPERTY.
BEST GUESS WILL APPRAISE FOR $250,000.
SO THAT WILL BE INCREASED PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR YOU.
WHEN WE BRING VOLUNTEERS IN TO DO BUILDS A LOT OF THINGS.
UM, CITIES DON'T THINK ABOUT THE LAST BILL THAT WE STARTED LAST MONTH.
WE HAD VOLUNTEERS COME FROM CORPUS CHRISTI, DALLAS, AND AUSTIN.
WHEN WE BRING THESE VOLUNTEERS IN.
WE HAVE OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME TO THE LAST BUILD THAT'S UNIQUE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY MAY HAVE VOLUNTEERED MULTIPLE DAYS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO YOUR TOWN.
THEY'RE SHOPPING, THEY'RE EATING HEADS ON BEDS, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY'RE FROM.
WE DO PROVIDE MEALS ON WORKDAY.
UH, WE PROVIDE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.
WE HAVE SPONSORS THAT HELP OR CHURCHES, BUT WE BUY THOSE LOCALLY WHEN WE HAVE TO BUY.
THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROVIDING TAXES IN RETURN FOR THAT WHEN WE BUY OUR SUPPLIES.
MOST OF THE HOME BUILDERS, IF YOU LOOK AT 'EM, YOU LOOK AT WHERE THEIR TRUCKS ARE COMING FROM, THEY'RE NOT BUYING THEIR MATERIAL LOCALLY, THEY'RE NOT BUYING 'EM IN YOUR TOWN, AND THEY'RE NOT BUYING 'EM IN SURROUNDING TOWNS.
LOOK AT WHERE THE TRUCKS ARE COMING FROM.
SO THAT'S MORE SALES TAX THAT WE PROVIDE FOR Y'ALL.
UM, I KNOW THIS MONEY IS NOT IN A BUDGET.
IF Y'ALL DO RECEIVE IT FROM US, IT'LL GO INTO GENERAL FUND.
IT'S AN TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO US.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT WE'VE HAD IN FRONT OF THE RESTORE.
OUR SALES ARE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
THIS WOULD HELP BENEFIT US IN THAT AREA JUST TO OFFSET THAT.
UM, IT ALSO HELPS WITH, YOU KNOW, GET A NEW FAMILY IN THE HOME AT A REASONABLE COST.
SO WHATEVER I PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY FOR AND ANY LIEN I DO HAVE TO PAY IS PART OF THAT COST.
I TALKED ABOUT THAT $130,000 THAT THE HOMEOWNER WOULD PAY.
SO THAT WOULD INCREASE THEIR COST.
SO WHATEVER YOU UNFORTUNATELY DON'T FORGIVE, WE'LL GO INTO THAT HOMEOWNER'S MORTGAGE, THAT POLICE OFFICER OR TEACHER, INDIVIDUAL SECRETARY, WHOEVER GETS THE HOME.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNSEL, HAVE YOU ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE, UM, PROPERTY OWNER?
[00:30:01]
YES.SO, UM, I DO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH HER.
SO THERE IS NO ONE ELSE THAT CAN NEGOTIATE WITH HER RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE OFFERING TO PAY CASH, UM, DEPENDING ON THE LEAN SITUATION OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
SO, AND AS I, YOU KNOW, INFORM MS. ALEXANDER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MADE BY COUNCIL NIGHT, REALLY HAS TO BE ADVISED BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
IT HAS TO MEET THE PUBLIC PURPOSE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE ASKED ALEXANDER TO FILL OUT THE PUBLIC PURPOSE TEST BECAUSE REALLY YOU'RE WAVING IT.
AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE VERY GREAT WITH US AT THE RESTORE.
AND EVERY CITY WORKS WITH US IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD CITIES THAT HAVE GIVEN US PROPERTY WHERE UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT LAKE JACKSON HAS ABUNDANCE OF PROPERTY TO GIVE FOR US TO BRING HOMEOWNERS IN.
AND SO THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE YOU COULD HELP US OUT, YOU KNOW, BUT WE ALSO RE RETURN IT WITH MULTIPLE WAYS OF PROVIDING YIELD TAX DOLLARS.
SO, OH, I THINK Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, UH, I HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST SOME MY CITY WORKERS HAVE BENEFIT FROM, FROM YOU GUYS AND THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE.
BUT, UH, NOW I DO KNOW WHY, UH, POLICE OFFICER CAN'T PASS THE PT TEST BECAUSE Y'ALL FEEDING THEM ALL THE TIME.
JUST KIDDING THAT, JUST KIDDING.
SO I CAN SAY IT CAUSE I'M OFFICER TOO, BUT THEY STILL GIMME A PARKING TICKET OR SPEEDING TICKET.
SO I'M NOT FEEDING 'EM ENOUGH.
I'M NOT GONNA LIE, I PROBABLY FEED 'EM A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I'M NOT GONNA TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THAT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE WHO YOU ARE OUT OF US MAKING A DECISION.
IT SHOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANTS TO PURCHASE THAT PROPERTY.
AND ASKING US TO WAIVE $13,000 WORTH OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
AND SO IF ANYBODY ELSE WAS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, I WOULD ASK THEM TO DO THE SAME THING I DID.
LIST OF ALL THE BENEFITS THAT WE PROVIDE TO YOU WHEN WE BUILD, IF SOMEONE ELSE BUYS THAT PROPERTY, THEY MAY NOT PUT A HOMEOWNER, THAT THEY'LL BE AN MAYBE AN INVESTOR MOST LIKELY WITH THIS CURRENT MARKET.
AND THEY'RE, THAT RENTER MAY NOT HAVE, UH, TIED TO THE COMMUNITY OR PERMANENT TIE AS LONG AS OUR RESIDENTS DO.
THEY ALSO, WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING ON THAT HOME, THEY MAY NOT BE BUYING THEIR MATERIAL LOCALLY LIKE WE ARE.
THEY MAY NOT BE BRINGING VOLUNTEERS IN, WHICH IS HEADS ON BEDS, WHICH IS HUGE.
AND I KNOW THAT LAKE JACKSON RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HELP WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT US IS WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE THEY ACTUALLY GET TO OWN THE HOME AND IT'S NOT A RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
THEY WANNA UPKEEP THEIR PROPERTY.
SO WE DON'T END UP IN THE SAME SITUATION.
THEY WANNA MAINTAIN IT AND BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN A BUILDER COMING TO ASK WHO IS BUYING THEIR MATERIAL SOMEWHERE ELSE AND PUTTING A RENTER IN.
SO IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION AND I WOULD ASK WHOEVER ASK FOR THE, THE FORGIVENESS TO EXPLAIN TO ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THEY BRING TO THE TOWN.
SO YOU SAID YOU'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER? YES, MA'AM.
IF THIS IS NOT FORGIVEN, DOES THAT MOVE FORWARD? JUST HOW DOES THAT WORK IF IT'S NOT FORGIVEN? I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO STOP AND THINK BECAUSE ADDING THAT $15,000 OR $14,000 DOES INCREASE A HOMEOWNER'S BUDGET.
I MEAN, THEIR MORTGAGE, THAT IS AN ELECTRIC BILL.
IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WE CAN BUILD, UM, AND KEEP AND KEEP IT AFFORDABLE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD ON THAT, THE BENEFITS THAT PROPERTY IS ELEVATED ABOVE THE STREET.
SO WE WON'T HAVE TO BRING DIRT WORK IN, WHICH IS VERY NICE.
UM, LOOKING AT IT, AND THESE ARE THINGS I'VE LOOKED AT WITHOUT BRINGING PEOPLE IN BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY, WE DON'T WANNA INVEST IN IT, BUT IT DOES NEED QUITE A BIT OF CLEANUP.
AND WHEN WE'RE CLEANING UP, WHAT ARE WE GONNA FIND? WAS ALL THE PLUMBING REMOVED OR, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ISSUES, WAS ELECTRICAL REMOVED? SO IT KIND OF, I HONESTLY CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ANSWER ON THAT.
I KNOW THE PURCHASE PRICE I NEGOTIATED, UM, MY BOARD WAS HAPPY WITH WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE LIEN.
YOU KNOW, THAT ADDS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO THE INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER.
AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, IT'S KIND OF JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
IS, DOES SHE, DO YOU KNOW IF SHE HAS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF IF SHE WERE TO HAVE THE PROPERTY CLEARED HERSELF, HOW MUCH SHE COULD POTENTIALLY SELL THE PROPERTY FOR SO THAT SHE BENEFITED FOR, DOES SHE HAVE KNOWLEDGE? SHE'S TALKED WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT, UM, SHE AGREED TO WORK WITH US REGARDING THE PRICE.
[00:35:01]
DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPS ON WHAT A LOT WOULD GO FOR LIKE THAT IN THAT AREA? UM, SO IF WE DON'T GET THE FEES WAIVED AND, AND A INVESTOR CAME IN, EVEN IF THEY ASSUMED THE LIENS, I'M SURE THAT THEY WOULD BE.SO I JUST TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE IF, I MEAN WE'RE, IF SHE WANTS TO SELL IT FOR THAT, AND UH, THAT'S NONE OF OUR BUSINESS.
UH, THE ONLY CONS, THE ONLY CONCERN I'M GONNA ASK IS SOMETHING, THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT LOT CLEARED COULD BRING 50 OR $60,000 AND YOU GUYS ARE OFFERING WHAT WAS THE OFFER OR CAN YOU SAY 30 30 WE'RE THAT'S 20 OR $30,000 LESS THAN WHAT IT'S WORTH.
AND THEN WE'RE ASKING TO DROP ANOTHER $13,000 OFF.
SO THAT'S OUR NEGOTIATION WITH HER.
BECAUSE I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT Y'ALL MAY NOT GIVE US THE LIEN AND IF WE DO MOVE FORWARD, I NEEDED TO HAVE A GOOD STARTING POINT.
THE OTHER THING IS NOT TO SPEAK OF SOMEONE'S BUSINESS.
BUT SHE WANTS CASH IMMEDIATELY WHERE SOMEONE ELSE WOULD NEED TO GO TO A BANK.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF HER REASONS FOR OUR, OUR PERSONAL PRICE BECAUSE SHE HAS A SITUATION THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND THAT'S IMMEDIATELY, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S NONE OF OUR BUSINESS.
SO THAT SHE COULD GIFT IT TO YOU GUYS IF SHE WANTED TO.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE REASONS THAT WE CAME TO THE PRICE WE CAME BECAUSE SHE WANTS A CASH CLOSE IMMEDIATELY.
THE COUNCIL HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO SOMETHING FOR YOU, THEN WE HAVE TO DO FOR SOME OTHER FOLKS WHO MAY COME BACK WITH THE SAME, YOU KNOW, PURPOSE, YOU KNOW, TESTING, MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND WE, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THAT AS SOMETHING THAT TO MAKE CONCESSIONS.
WELL, HONESTLY, I THINK IF SOMEONE CAME IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT WAS OFFERING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT PROVIDED ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT HABITAT HAS AND ASKED FOR A, A WAVE OF $14,000 THAT JILL WEREN'T EXPECTING TO GET, THAT GOES INTO GENERAL FUND.
NORMALLY SPEAKING WITH OTHER CITIES AND WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES THAT'S NOT BUDGETED.
AND IT'S EXPECTED, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SEE THAT MONEY FOR 10 OR OR 20 YEARS BECAUSE THE PROPERTY NORMALLY SITS VACANT LIKE THE OTHER PROPERTIES YOU LISTED AND THEN IT, THAT MONEY, THEN THAT PROPERTY'S GIVEN DOWN TO FAMILY AND THEY MAY NOT SELL IT BECAUSE OF THE LIEN.
SO IF SOMEONE CAME IN WITH THIS UNIQUE SITUATION THAT PROVIDED EVERYTHING WE DO TO THE CITY OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND PURCHASING LOCALLY, THINGS LIKE THAT, THE SALES TAX FROM THE RESTORE, AND THEY WERE GONNA PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN THE PAST WE HAVE NOT FORGIVEN THE WHOLE AMOUNT.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE POINT THAT YEAH.
AN OPTION THAT'D BE IS JUST LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN ON JUST TALKING ABOUT IS, IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD JUST, IT BE THE CLEANUP COST AND THE ADMINISTRATION FEES.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT WOULD BE WAIVED OR YEAH.
THOSE, THOSE, THOSE ARE KIND OF EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE'VE WAIVED IN THE PAST.
WE'VE NEVER WAIVED A DEMOLITION OF STRUCTURE FEES.
AND THAT WAS ONE QUESTION I HAD TO, I I STILL LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE MINUTES FROM THE OLD 20 12, 20 13.
SO WHEN WE SAY MOWING, IS THAT LIKE CONTRACT MOWING OR IS THAT OUR PEOPLE'S TIME? INTERNAL TIME.
SO IT'S IN ALL THESE INSTANCES, IT IS A CHECK THAT WE WRITE TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO MOW.
IT'S NOT JUST, I WOULD SAY COUNTING 99% OF THE TIME.
THERE MAY BE AN OCCASION, A TIME THAT WE'VE GONE IN, BUT IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S A CONTRACTOR, BUT WE'RE NOT MOWING IT ONCE A WEEK AND THEN RUNNING UP A TAB WITH ALL YEAH.
USUALLY WHAT IT IS, IT'S, IT'S MOWING UNTIL IT GETS REASONABLY HIGH AND THEN WE BRING THE CONTRACTOR IN TO DO IT.
THEY'RE NOT MO IT ON A WEEKLY BASIS, BUT YEAH.
IT'S NOT AS, IT'S NOT RECHARGE, IT'S CASH OUT THE, OUT THE ACCOUNT.
AND SO ON NUMBER TWO WHERE IT SAYS, IS THERE PUBLIC CONTROL OVER THE FUNDS AND YOU SAID, UM, YES, FUNDS WOULD BE GENERAL FUND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.
DO YOU MEAN I I DON'T UNDER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
HOW IS THAT PUBLIC CONTROL OVER THE FUNDS? I'M ASSUMING THAT THE BOARD, THE COUNCIL CONTROLS THE FUNDS.
BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF, IF WE BASICALLY WAIVED THIS MONEY, WHICH IS LIKE GIVING YOU THE MONEY, BASICALLY HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA USE THAT MONEY FOR? THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IF FUNDS WERE TO BE GENERAL.
SO IF YOU WAIVE IT, IT'S, IT'S A LOT IN A SUB, IN A SUBDIVISION.
I MEAN, I WOULD BE 100% OKAY WITH STIPULATION THAT WE PUT A FAMILY IN THAT HOME.
WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH IT.
[00:40:01]
I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SENTENCE FUND WOULD BE GENERAL FUND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN CURRENT BUDGET ARE, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU, ARE YOU SAYING WE'RE WE'RE NOT GONNA MISS IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET? IS THAT WHAT THAT MEANS? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SENTENCE MEANS ON THE GEN ON THE FUNDS WOULD BE GENERAL FUND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN CURRENT BUDGET.YOU ASKED IF THE FUNDS WERE CONTROLLED BY THE CITY.
NO, MELISSA, FOR THE PURPOSE HAS QUESTION.
SHE'S REFERRED TO YOUR ANSWER.
YEAH, I'M GONNA TAKE A LIMIT THAT, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE QUESTION.
I THINK THAT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE QUESTION.
SO, SO THEN MAYBE THAT'S TRIED TO, I THINK WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY IS ASKING IS THAT IF THE FUNDS ARE IN ESSENCE GIVEN TO HABITAT, HOW CAN WE HAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT IT, THE HOME WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC PURPOSE WOULD STILL BE MET.
THAT THERE WILL BE A HOME, UH, BUILT AND THAT IT'S NOT LAND BAGGED AND TURNOVER AND SOLD FOR A PROFIT.
HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE ASSURE THAT? CAN YOU OPEN UP? SO, SO I THINK SHE'S ANSWERED THAT.
I JUST, THAT WAS WAS CONFUSING TO ME AND I'M, I'M GOING THROUGH THIS TRYING TO, CUZ IT'S MY JOB.
LOOK AT THIS, UM, AND LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS AND UM, WELL, OUR GOAL WITH THIS PROPERTY IS TO PUT A FAMILY ON IT.
WE DON'T HAVE PROPERTY IN LAKE JACKSON RIGHT NOW.
UM, LAKE JACKSON IS IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE PROPERTY IN OTHER TOWNS.
SOME TOWNS HAVE GIVEN IT TO US.
SOME TOWNS HAVE, UM, REDUCED THE COST.
DIFFERENT THINGS DEPENDING ON THEIR NEED.
AND, AND LIKE JACKSON'S UNIQUE IN THIS SITUATION WITH Y'ALL'S PROPERTY, UM, WE WANNA PUT A HOMEOWNER, WE WANT TO PUT A FAMILY THAT NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, IS HABITAT EVER? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
HAVE WE EVER A PROPERTY OWN? OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COUNSEL? IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE SINCE? NO.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
MR. MAYOR MOVED THAT WE, UH, UH, FORGIVE THE, THE, UH, THE TWO ITEMS. LET'S SEE.
I OPENED THE RIGHT THING BEFORE I, THE, THE, UH, FORGIVES EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE, UH, DEMOLITION COST.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN SONJA, UH, TO FORGIVE THE COST FOR THE, UH, CLEANING SERVICE, WHICH IS 15, $1,500 AND CITY ADMINISTRATION FEES OF $75.
AND NOT TO WAIVE THE, UH, DEMOLITION FEES.
AND I HAVE A MOTION, I'LL NEED A SECOND ON THAT.
I'LL SECOND DOWN MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BROS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BETWEEN COUNSEL, WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE THE BALANCE? BALANCE? 11,007.
11,007 50 BALLOT ADD $12,000 TO THE HOMEOWNER'S MORTGAGE.
MOVE ON TO, UH, THIS IS THE END OF THE REGULAR SESSION AGENDA AND, UM, SO I GUESS I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE REGULAR MEETING.
PLUG IN REGULAR SESSION AND WE'LL
[WS 1. Presentation by Texas Dow Employees Credit Union for conceptual plan of Parcel B of Oak Woods PUD, located behind HEB and between Center Way and Winding Way]
GO INTO WORKSHOP SESSION.UH, ITEM THAT WE HAVE HERE IS ITEM ONE IS PRESENTATION BY TEXAS.
DO EMPLOYEE CREDIT UNION FOR, UH, CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR A PARTIAL B OF OAK WOODS.
THE PUTT LOCATED BEHIND HEB AND BETWEEN CENTER WAY AND WINDING WAY.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING TONIGHT? GREAT.
I'M GONNA TO LIGHTEN THIS UP A LITTLE BIT, GUYS.
UM, MY NAME'S JOSH BRIAN, I'M THE MARKET PRESIDENT FOR TD, E C U HERE IN LAKE JACKSON IN BRAZORIA COUNTY.
SO I'VE BEEN WITH THE CREDIT UNION FOR OVER 14 YEARS, UM, STARTED OFF AT THE LAKE JACKSON BRANCH.
AND, UH, AS I'VE TAKEN THIS ROLE, WE'VE REALLY CHANGED OUR FOCUS AT THE CREDIT UNION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANNA MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WE, YOU KNOW, OUR BUSINESS HAS CHANGED AS HAS EVERYONE SINCE COVID.
UH, AND WE FEEL AS THOUGH OUR BRANCH NEEDS TO CHANGE AS WELL.
UM, SO, AND I'M GONNA CALL A SMALL AUDIBLE FOR SOME OF THE IMAGES.
[00:45:01]
USE A THUMB DRIVE? WOULD THAT BE OKAY? YEAH, OF COURSE.I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A COUPLE SLIDES ON THE DECK.
UM, BUT AT THE CREDIT UNION, YOU KNOW, THE ASK THAT WE HAVE OF YOU GUYS TODAY, AND I KNOW THIS IS A WORKSHOP, BUT THE CLEAR ASK THAT WE, I REALLY WANTED TO BE LEAD WITH THAT IS THAT WE ARE GOING UNDER A CONTRACT WITH KENNY VERNER FOR FIVE ACRES, THE FIVE ACRES THERE ON THE FRONTAGE OF OAK DRIVE.
SO BUTTING UP TO, UM, BUTTING UP TO HEB.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT THOSE FIVE ACRES UNDER CONTRACT.
WE'RE LOOKING TO BUILD ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO OUR ASK IS THAT WE WANT THE CITY TO PUT IN AZELIA ROAD AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE PARKING ON THE CITY EASEMENT, UM, WHERE THERE IS CURRENTLY DEBRIS PILED UP.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ASKS THAT WE HAVE OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, THE WHY ON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, TD ECU IS REINVESTING BACK IN LAKE JACKSON.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, WE'VE HAD LEADERSHIP CHANGES, GUYS, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE MOVE OUT IN, PEOPLE MOVE OUT.
WE HAVE A HUGE BRANCH ON LAKE DRIVE 2004, AND IT'S JUST, IT DOESN'T MEET OUR BUSINESS NEEDS ANYMORE.
UM, HALF OF IT IS EMPTY, AS MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE HYBRID NOW.
THEY COME IN A COUPLE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, SO WE JUST DON'T NEED THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE.
SO, UH, WE REALLY WANNA REORGANIZE HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
WE FEEL LIKE OUR MEMBERS NEED NEW FACILITIES.
UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR BRANCH, I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE MEMBERS, BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE, THERE'S SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S STARTING TO LOOK OLD.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF BANDAIDS THERE.
I'VE WORKED THERE FOR 14 YEARS AND I'VE SEEN ABOUT A TON OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN TO THAT.
AND WE JUST KEEP ADDING AND WE KEEP MOVING THINGS.
UM, BUT TO, TO REMODEL THAT LOCATION WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WOULD BE TO BUILD A NEW LOCATION.
UH, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA BE A PART OF THE REVITALIZATION THAT'S GOING ON DOWNTOWN.
WE LOVE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH THE ROADS, UH, NEW RESTAURANTS COMING IN.
AND WE WANT TO PUT, UH, TDE C RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR A NUMBERS PERSPECTIVE, ONE IN FOUR RESIDENTS IN BRAZORIA COUNTY ARE MEMBERS OF THE CREDIT UNION, AND THAT'S COUNTY-WIDE.
SO WE HAVE OVER 90,000 MEMBERS IN BRAZORIA COUNTY.
OBVIOUSLY A HUGE CONCENTRATION IN THIS TOWN, UH, BUT MUCH MORE.
UM, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO PROVIDE VALUE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO EVERYTHING THAT I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY, IT'S, IT'S CONCEPTUAL, RIGHT? UH, WE'VE MET WITH MAYOR, UH, AT CITY MANAGER MUNDO, BUT YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO TALK THROUGH THIS WITH THE CITY AND FIND WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO INCREASE VISIBILITY IN THE CITY.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GROW HERE IN LAKE JACKSON.
WE WANT PEOPLE IN LAKE JACKSON TO KNOW THAT TDC HASN'T LEFT.
WE'RE DOUBLING DOWN AND WE REALLY, BUT WE REALLY WANNA WORK WITH THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, I WANT THIS, THIS TO BE INFORMAL.
I DON'T WANNA SIT UP HERE AND TALK FOREVER, BUT THIS IS KIND OF A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING.
CAN I MOVE OR DO I NEED TO BE ON MIC? UH, WE, WELL, WE'RE NOT, IS THERE A POINTER? A MICROPHONE? I GOT MICROPHONE RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, THERE IS A POINTER ALSO.
UM, SO THIS IS THE FIVE ACRES THAT WE MENTIONED HERE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GO UNDER CONTRACT WITH KENNY BERG AROUND.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A PRICE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE AGREED UPON.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE RIGHT NOW.
UM, RIGHT HERE IS WHERE YOU WOULD SEE OUR BRANCH.
SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WHAT YOU SEE TODAY ON UH, 2004 IS A HUGE BRANCH.
ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM USED TO BE THERE, AND WE NO LONGER HAVE THOSE EMPLOYEES.
NOT, NOT THAT THEY MOVED OUT OF LAKE JACKSON, IT'S JUST THEY CAN WORK FROM HOME, RIGHT? WE FOUND A WAY TO DO BUSINESS FROM HOME AND WE DON'T NEED 'EM IN THE OFFICE.
UM, SO THIS LOCATION WOULD BE ABOUT 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THIS DRAWING HERE HAS EIGHT BAYS FOR DRIVE THROUGH.
UM, OUR CURRENT ONE HAS SEVEN.
WHETHER WE'LL NEED THAT MUCH SPACE, WE DON'T KNOW.
SO PURELY CONCEPTUAL, UH, WE HAVE EMPLOYEE PARKING HERE IN THE BACK.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE MEMBER PARKING UP FRONT.
SO ONE PIECE OF THE, AS THAT I DID NOT, WASN'T VERY CLEAR ON, IS ALSO A CURB CUT ON OAK DRIVE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS WELL, UM, FOR ACCESS.
UM, NOW THIS AREA IS WHERE THE BLANK CANVAS STARTS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, MODESTO A COUPLE OF TIMES.
I'VE TALKED TO MAYOR, UH, AS WELL.
AND YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE CITY WANTS PARKS, RIGHT? WE WANT, WE WANT TO KEEP THE LOOK OF LAKE JACKSON DOWNTOWN.
UH, WE WANNA MAINTAIN SOME OF THOSE.
SO THE WAY WE WE VIEW IT IS THAT THIS YEAR COULD BE, UM, AN URBAN PARK.
SO WE'RE THINKING TURF, WE'RE THINKING HARD SCAPE.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE HAVE IT DRAWN UP HERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A STAGE.
UM, SOMETHING FOR, IF YOUR FAMILY'S EATING AT GRATIA AND YOU WANT TO STAY OUTSIDE AND HANG OUTSIDE, YOU TAKE THE FAMILY ACROSS, THE KIDS CAN RUN AROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET OUT HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT, WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING.
IF THE CITY'S ABLE TO BUILD AZEALIA ROAD, THEN WE'RE WILLING TO EAT THE COST AND MAINTAIN ALL OF THIS.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE OF IT, AND THE REASON WE HAVE IT DRAWN UP AS IS, IS WE WANT MAINTAIN ALL OF THE TREES OVER HERE.
UM, FROM TALKING TO OUR PARTNER RUHI, WHO WE'RE HELPING FINANCE HIS HOTEL, DUE TO HAVING HIM BRING IN DIRT TO BUILD UP, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE TREES CUZ IT WOULD BURY THE ROOTS.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO REALLY MAINTAIN THIS SIDE PUT IN PATHS.
BUT WE WOULD WANT THE PARKING OVER HERE BECAUSE I CAN'T HAVE MY MEMBERS HAVING NOWHERE TO PARK FOR EVERYBODY BEING AT THE PARK.
[00:50:01]
A DUAL PURPOSE.AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE AREA TO LOOK DEVELOPED.
I KNOW IN SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE SAID, WELL, MAYBE WE COULD BUILD PARTIAL ROAD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO ENCOURAGE OTHER BUSINESSES TO COME IN, WE REALLY WANT THAT ROAD AZEL TO COME IN.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SAFETY AND TRAFFIC FLOW, WE REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, SO THESE ARE SOME, IS THERE SOME 3D GO? SO WAS THAT TO SCALE? AND IT'S JUST BEEN A LONG TIME MAYBE SINCE I CORRECT.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE'RE, I HAVE A GOOD SENSE AS TO HOW LONG, I MEAN, HOW FAR HAS IT STUBBED OUT RIGHT NOW? AZALEA? JUST TO, I WOULD SAY YOU WERE GUESSING MOST ABOUT RIGHT? THAT RANGE.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY PROPERTY.
IS THAT THE PROPERTY LINE THERE? OKAY.
THIS SECTION HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER IS PARKWAY.
UH, AND SO, UM, WE'VE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHER PARTIES HAVE APPROACHED US BEFORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WOULD THE CITY BE OPEN, YOU KNOW, TO ALLOWING PARKING THERE.
WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT POSSIBILITY IF IT HAS A BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, FOR US, FOR, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE NEED PARKING HERE DURING, YOU KNOW, BASEBALL SEASON WHEN THEY PLAY AND STUFF.
AND SO COULD IT BE COMBINED PARKING? BUT WHEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL.
IF YOU WANT TO BUILD IT, WE MAY CONSIDER ALLOWING YOU TO BUILD ON THE PARKLAND BECAUSE WE COULD POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, BE BENEFIT FROM IT.
BUT YEAH, THAT SECTION RIGHT THERE IS UH, PARKWAY.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THIS HERE? IS THAT, THAT'S PARKWAY.
I MEAN, PARKWAY ALL THE WAY UP, RIGHT? PARKWAY, WE USED TO HAVE BACKSTOPS AND ALL KIND STUFF.
PARK BACK STOPS ARE STILL THERE.
IT'S JUST THAT, UH, AND I THINK THERE'S JUST DEBRIS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A LAY DOWN FIELD FOR ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS.
AND BEFORE THE LAY DOWN YARD, IT WAS FIRE STATION.
OH, YOU'RE REALLY TAUGHT HISTORY.
NOW
I WOULD NOT PROPOSE SWAPPING, I MEAN, IT MAY BE SOMETHING NOT SWAPPING, BUT I MEAN, YOU WOULD HAVE PARKLAND THERE.
BUT WE WOULD STILL, IT WOULD STILL ALL BE DESIGN, THAT PORTION WOULD BE DESIGNATED PARKLAND.
SWAPPING WAS NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU NOT BE LOSING BARLAND.
AND I DON'T THINK THE CREDIT UNION MAY BE PROPOSING, OF COURSE WE, I MEAN THESE ARE ALL CONCEPTUAL AND I GOT INTO THAT DETAIL MM-HMM.
BUT AGAIN, WE'VE NOT REALLY GOTTEN, BUT I THOUGHT I HEARD THIS AGAIN, MAINTAIN IS THE PARKLAND AND THEY, THEIR EXPENSE MAINTAINED AND TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SO DID I HEAR THAT CORRECTLY? CORRECT? YES, SIR.
SO APOLOGIES FOR NOT INTRODUCING HIM EARLIER.
UH, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO CLOSE ON THIS HOPEFULLY WITHIN 60 DAYS, AND THEN REALLY START DIGGING IN ON THE DRAWINGS WITH BRENT.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS CONCEPTUAL AT THIS POINT.
SO LET ME ANSWER THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF IT THAT WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ON IS, UM, AND I'M GONNA JUMP TO THIS ONE ACTUALLY, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED IS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP THE CITY AND BE A PARTNER OF THE CITIES.
SO SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALSO OFFERING UP, AND THE REASON THAT WE HAVE THIS PUT OVER HERE ON THIS PART OF THE, UM, ON THE, ON THE PART OF THE LOT IS THAT THIS COULD BE A PIECE OF PROPERTY ALSO THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE TO THE CITY AS WELL.
SO I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, UM, GROWING CITY HALL, HAVING, YOU KNOW, NEEDING MORE SPACE HERE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL PLACE FOR THE LIBRARY IN THE FUTURE.
SO BUILDING SOMEWHAT OF AN L SHAPE HERE, HAVING ALL THIS PARK AREA SURROUNDING IT, UH, WE FEEL LIKE WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT FOR THE CITY.
AND SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS PER SCALE IS AROUND 10 TO 12,000 SQUARE FEET, SO I KNOW I THINK YOUR CURRENT LIBRARY IS 20,000 SQUARE FEET, SO WHETHER YOU NEEDED THAT MUCH SIZE OR NOT, UM, OR YOU COULD BUILD UPWARDS.
SO THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE OF IT THAT WE REALLY WANNA PUT OUT ON THE TABLE FOR YOU GUYS, IS WE'D LOVE TO BE A COMMUNITY PARTNER TO PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, AS A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, BUT ALSO GIVING BACK TO KIND OF THE GREEN SPACE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PARKS HERE UP AND DOWN HERE, YOU'VE GOT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE TO MAKE IT A GREAT ADDITION TO WHAT DOWNTOWN LAKE JACKSON IS.
SO AGAIN, THE IDEA WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LIBRARY CONCEPT IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVENTUALLY NEEDING EXPAND CITY HALL, WHICH WAS, UH, OR WHAT WAS IT, $9 MILLION OR SOMETHING? YEAH.
AND SO THIS WOULD GIVE US AN OPTION IF WE COULD MOVE THE LIBRARY OVER TO THAT LOCATION, THEN CITY HALL COULD EXPAND TO THE CURRENT LIBRARY AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY MEET OUR NEEDS FOR ANOTHER 25 YEARS AND STUFF.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE COST OF A LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD TAKE A BOND TO GO DO IT.
UH, THAT WOULD, THAT'S A NORMAL WAY WE WOULD DO STUFF.
[00:55:01]
ALWAYS OPTIONS OF WORKING WITH, UH, DEVELOPERS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY COME IN AND BUILD THE LIBRARY AND LEASE IT TO THE CITY FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR LONG TERM.SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROACH IT THAT, UH, WE HAVEN'T, UH, LOOKED AT IN THE PAST.
BUT, BUT THESE ARE JUST KIND OF SOME ROUGH DRAWINGS.
LIKE I SAY, THIS IS, WE GAVE BRENT A WEEK
SO, UH, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE THE BRANCH, THIS WOULD BE A GHOST OF THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
UH, AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THE ROUGH KIND OF AMPHITHEATER ISH, KIND OF HARD SCAPE AREAS OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
SO THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE TO HAVE CITY HALL EXPANDED RIGHT HERE VERSUS SOMEWHERE ELSE, RIGHT? YEAH.
LIBRARIES AND PARKS WILL GO HAND IN HAND IF YOU CAN, YOU CAN SWING IT THAT WAY.
BUT THE PIECE THAT I WILL CALL OUT IS THAT WE ONLY NEED 7,500 SQUARE FEET, RIGHT? WE DON'T NEED FIVE ACRES.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE COST RUB COMES IN FOR US IS THAT, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY TO PARTNER WITH US ON AZALEA BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A FULLY FUNCTIONAL SPACE FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST FOR CREDIT UNION, RIGHT? AND WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER FRIED CHICKEN PLACE OR ANOTHER LUBE STOP NEXT TO IT, RIGHT? WE WANNA MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT FAMILIES CAN ENJOY, UM, AND THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO, YOU KNOW, CITY CENTER OR BAYBROOK MALL OR SOMETHING, THEY'VE GOT THOSE AREAS AND THEY'RE JUST GREAT FOR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT SPACE AND A GREAT PLACE TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY.
SO JOSH HAD A QUESTION, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT ARE YOU THINKING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT MAKING IN, INTO THE PARK SYSTEM? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN STICKER SHOCKED.
SOMETIMES $500,000 DOESN'T GO VERY FAR.
I, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AS A CREDIT UNION, WE'VE ALWAYS, WE'VE DONE WELL FINANCIALLY, RIGHT? UM, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME ASSETS THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE DONE WELL.
AND SO WE, WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT IT, AND IT'S A SIZEABLE NUMBER THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA BE 500 K, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE A SIZEABLE DOLLAR FIGURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING DOWN.
I, I HATE TO THROW OUT HARD NUMBERS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S VERY CONCEPTUAL, RIGHT? SO ONCE WE TAKE THIS PEN TO PAPER AND WE JUST, YOU KNOW, DESIGN IT OUT WITH YOU GUYS, IT COULD TURN INTO SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
IT TALK ABOUT STADIUM NUMBERS,
WELL, I MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT STADIUM INVESTMENT COMPARED TO THIS, IT IS VERY SIMILAR.
YOU'RE A PRETTY GOOD SALESMAN WITH YOUR IDEA OF A PARK AND MY IDEA OF A PARK MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT.
WELL, AND CHASE, THAT'S A GREAT CALL OUT.
AND, AND I, AND I, PARDON ME, COUNCILMAN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE FOR SURE, SORRY, WE'RE ON LIKE FIRST NAME BASIS.
I ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS I GOT.
WE WANNA, WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU GUYS ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYTHING'S OFF THE TABLE, YOU KNOW, UM, LIKE I SAY, WE'RE NOT BUILDING A HUGE CENTER LIKE WE HAVE TODAY ON LAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN 2004.
SO WE'RE SAVING DOLLARS ON SOME OF THE BUILDING.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO INVEST THAT BACK INTO THIS PIECE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, WELL, I THINK I RE THE REASON I ASK, AND I THINK MAYBE THE REASON MOST COUNCIL MR. BLANCH WILL, WILL ASK IS THAT, YOU KNOW, A ROAD COULD BE ACTUALLY VERY MUCH CHEAPER THAN A PARK.
AND, AND I WILL SAY FROM OUR POSITION, WE CAN'T EAT BOTH, YOU KNOW? UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST HAVE A CREDIT UNION IN A PARK.
WE WANT THAT AREA TO BE DEVELOPED, RIGHT? WE WANNA CREATE OTHER PIECES WITHIN DOWNTOWN, UM, THAT WILL BENEFIT AS WELL.
BUT, UM, WE ALSO DON'T, YOU KNOW, WANT TO SEE JUST ANOTHER STRIP CENTER.
WE WANT TO PUT SOMETHING THERE THAT'S VALUABLE, RETAIN THE TREES, RETAIN THE FEEL OF DOWNTOWN LAKE JACKSON.
SO WHAT WAS THE REASONING ORIGINALLY THE AZALEA WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
SO WHEN WE DID THE HEBS CENTER, UH, WHY DID WE ABANDON AZALEA? SO, GIVE A BACKGROUND ON THAT.
IT WAS, SO THE, THE DECISION TO ABANDON ALL THE ROADS WAS HEB DIDN'T NEED 'EM.
AND THEY WERE IN REALLY IN POOR SHAPE THAT NONE OF THE UTILITIES WERE THERE.
THEY JUST, THEY JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE LAND WAS GOING TO SELL FOR OR BE USED FOR TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN THE ROAD.
BUT OVER TIME, THERE WOULD STARTED TO BE INTEREST IN DEVELOPING, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY, LIKE THE HOTEL AND STUFF.
AND ONE OF THE HOLD UPS OF THE, YOU KNOW, WAS POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, OUR DISCUSSION WAS WE PROBABLY NEED A CONNECTION AT ZAY.
EVERYBODY KEPT ON EXPRESSING A NEED FOR A CONNECTION AT ON CIRCLE WAY.
SO WE DECIDED, OR ACTUALLY BILL DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE BEST TO, YOU KNOW, TO PROBABLY FUND THAT BRIDGE CONNECTION WAS, WAS, WAS EXPENSIVE.
AND WE WERE ELIGIBLE WE COULD USE CDG FUND FOR, SO WE, WE APPLIED AND WE USED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS TO BUILD THAT BRIDGE OVER THAT DRAINAGE WAY, WHICH WAS AN EXPENSIVE COMPONENT.
WE TRIED TO TAKE THE MOST EXPENSIVE COMPONENT OUT OF THE EQUATION, UH, ON THERE.
BUT LONG, BUT WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY DESIGNED, IT WAS LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP IT AS A BLANK SLATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BUILD A ROAD GO WHERE NOW HAVE A DEVELOPER COME TAKE IT OUT TOO.
[01:00:01]
THERE'S NO ADVERSE REASONING.THERE'S OPEN DITCH RIGHT HERE, RIGHT? YES.
THEN IT'S A BRIDGE RIGHT OVER THE WATERFALL AREA.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I REMEMBERED WAS, SO THE BRIDGE IS ALREADY IN PLACE, RIGHT? WE PUT THE BRIDGE IN WHERE THE LITTLE PARKING LOT IS UP TOP.
THAT IS THE BACKSTOPS, RIGHT? THAT HEB PUT IN.
WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE UP AFTER AZALEA? WINDING.
DOES IT GO THROUGH, WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE THAT GOES THROUGH? NO CIRCLE WAY, CENTER WAY MAP.
THE CENTER WAY THEN WINDING IT.
BY THE WAY, WINDING WAY IS NOT A CITY STREET.
DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA, DOES SAL HAVE A BALLPARK OF WHAT THE ROAD'S GONNA COST? THE WHOLE THING? NO, WE DON'T.
IT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY A MILLION DOLLARS.
FOR WHAT? AGAIN? I'M SORRY TO BUILD A ROAD.
QUESTION IS THIS SOMETHING LIKE FIND FUNDING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS? BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE WANTING TO MOVE QUICKLY.
UM, WE HAVE MONEY, I BELIEVE, SITTING IN THE COVID FUNDS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IS THAT AN OPTION? IT'S MY QUESTION CUZ CAN THAT MONEY BE USED FOR THAT? WE'RE LOOKING FOR FUNDING.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND COULD POSSIBLY BE AN OPTION.
I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PROBABLY NOT FOR THE OPTION BECAUSE OF THE TWO BUSINESSES.
I WOULDN'T SAY THAT EACH BUSINESS BY ITSELF WOULD, YOU KNOW, QUALIFY FOR THE FUNDS BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE, IT REALLY HAS TO BRING IN A LOT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF JOBS AND STUFF.
WHERE THIS ONE IS NOT THE HOTEL IS, YOU KNOW, NOT A, YOU KNOW, A BIG JOB GENERATOR.
SO IT'S MORE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARK ESSENCE, YOU KNOW, IT'S QUALITY OF LIFE STUFF.
IT WOULD BE THAT THAT QUALIFIES FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THE ROAD FUND.
SO IT COULD COME OUT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR THAT REASON ON THERE.
AND IT, UH, BUT I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE BALANCE OF THE NUMBERS.
WE MAY HAVE TO TAP IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, MULTIPLE SOURCES.
IT MAY COME FROM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL.
BUT AGAIN, THIS MEETING WAS MORE OF JUST, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T MAKE ANY PROMISE TO ANYBODY.
WE NEEDED TO FIRST GAUGE INTEREST.
IF YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, A GOOD RETURN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CITY AND STUFF, AND, AND THEN DISCUSSIONS WOULD, YOU KNOW, TURN FURTHER.
BUT IF COUNSEL WAS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE COST, WE'D PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT THE FUNDS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
COUNCIL MEMBER, SETH, AND ALSO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.
YOU'RE PULLING, WHERE'S THE BACK STOP AGAIN? I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE CONCRETE RIGHT IN HERE.
THERE'S A CONCRETE PARKING LOT ON, ON A CIRCLE WAY AS WELL.
THAT RIGHT ACROSS ON THE BALLFIELD, THERE'S A, THAT'S GONNA BE NEW PARKING LOT.
THE ONE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.
SO THE DRAWING IN THERE, IT DOES SHOW.
IS THAT THE PAD SITE FOR THE HOTEL THAT YOU'RE SHOWING? NO, UH, NO.
THIS IS, WE HAD TWO ADDITIONAL, TWO PARKING AREAS THAT WE HAD PROPOSED.
ONE RIGHT THERE AND THEN ONE AND ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND I THINK RUHI IS RIGHT HERE.
I THINK WE NEED THE SECOND PARKING ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND IT REALLY MORE LIKE JUST SAID FOR THE PARK.
SO IS DEPENDING ON THE PARKING NEEDS AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR ARGUE WITH IT, UM, MAYBE HOW, OKAY, SO THIS DOESN'T EXIST ALREADY? NO, IT DOESN'T EXIST.
OPTION FOR MORE PARKING IN THAT AREA.
DO YOU HAVE A, IS THE HOTEL ON YOUR SKETCH DRAWING? NOT ON THIS DRAWING THAT WE HAVE.
BUT THE HOTEL, THE HOTEL, THE HOTEL IS OVER HERE, RIGHT? IT'S OVER ON THAT SIDE, YES.
I DIDN'T WANT YOU BUMPING OUT THE LARGE, UM, MILFORD, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE GOOGLE MAP AND THEN JUST KIND OF, IT'S ON THE LEFT.
I'M TRYING TO SHOW LIKE MAYBE GO OUT.
COULD YOU GO OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TO PICK UP GATOR PART JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THE RIGHT THE WAY.
ZOOM OUT SOME MORE SO IT'S FURTHER OUT.
YOU'RE PICKING IT UP ONTO THE RIGHT.
SO THERE LONG TERM IS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE IDENTIFIED IT AS THE PARKS MASTER PLAN THAT THAT IS THE PARK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND OVER THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS.
BECAUSE WE SHOWED A SHORTAGE OF LAND ON THIS SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
[01:05:01]
THE OTHER, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAILS IN MCCLAIN PARK.AND WELL, YEAH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO MAJOR PARK ASSET ON THIS SIDE OF 2 88.
ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY ADDITIONAL PARK IN THIS AREA WORKS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO THIS WORKS WITH THE OVERALL PARKS MASTER PLAN.
UH, MAYBE HIT ON AND I MISSED IT.
WHAT, WHAT KIND OF GUARANTEE THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE? YOU SAID THAT, UH, THEY WOULD BUILD A PARK AND, AND MAYBE THE CREDIT UNION DECIDE IN 10, 15 YEARS THEY'RE NOT IN THE PARK BUSINESS ANYMORE, THAT THEY'RE GONNA DONATE IT TO THE CITY AND THEN IT BECOME A BIG EXPENSE FOR US TO TAKE CARE OF.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT I CAN FORECAST 10 YEARS OUT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE NO INTENT OF THAT.
WE, WE INTEND TO MAINTAIN THIS AND, AND OWN THIS PIECE OF THE PROPERTY.
THE ONLY PIECE THAT IS UNDER QUESTION IS THIS PIECE HERE IS IF THE CITY DECIDED TO TAKE THAT ON AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A DONATION, WE CAN YEAH.
IF IT'S GONNA NEXT TO YOUR BUSINESS, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOT A VESTED INTEREST IN KEEPING IT NICE.
AND THERE, YOU KNOW, NO OFFENSE TO THE CITY, BUT WE JUST GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT MAINTAINS THE STANDARD OF WHAT WE EXPECT OUR FACILITIES TO LOOK LIKE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO JOSH WOULD THERE, I MEAN, 20 YEARS FROM NOW WOULD, OH, WE'RE TIRED OF MAINTAINING A PARK.
WE WANT TO SELL IT FOR A CHICKEN PLACE.
BUT, BUT I THINK THAT AS ANDREAS FULL SERVICE, I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT RESTRICTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE CAN WORK INTO THE DEAL, YOU KNOW.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR INTENT IS THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A COMPLEX FOR US, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S KIND OF, THIS IS OUR, UM, I DON'T WANNA USE THE WORD HEADQUARTERS CAUSE THAT'S DEBATED A LOT IN OUR ORGANIZATION.
HOW LONG, HOW LONG HAVE Y'ALL BEEN AT THE, UH, CURRENT LOCATION? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN, THAT'S A REALLY TOUGH LOCATION.
IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW OUR ORIGINAL LOCATION WAS DOWNTOWN HERE WHERE TEXAS COAL IS.
UM, SO, UH, I WANNA SAY, AND DO YOU HAVE RECORDS ON THAT? ABOUT EIGHTIES HAD TO BE THE EIGHTIES.
GUYS, I'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU A TOUR AND IT'S, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT AREA YOU GO THROUGH.
IT'S WORSE THAN GOING THROUGH A HOSPITAL.
I'VE BEEN IN THE BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD OUR FACILITIES TEAM, CAUSE WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST REFURB THAT BUILDING AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S ABOUT 11 AIR CONDITIONERS ON THE ROOF CUZ YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS PEOPLE JUST LEFT THEM UP THERE INSTEAD OF TAKING THEM DOWN.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE ANNEX BUILDING, WHICH IS THE OTHER LOCATION AND YOU KNOW, THE OLD STRIP MALL OVER THERE IS JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE USED TO BE.
AND SO WE JUST, WE, WE KIND OF WANT A FRESH BRANDING AND START TOO TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE REINVESTING BACK INTO THIS AREA, WE WANNA MAKE FOR SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHAT IS YOUR PLAN WITH THE OLD BUILDING? EVERYTHING'S GOING TO THIS NEW SITE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
COULD THE DRIVE THROUGH, WE COULD RETAIN A DRIVE THROUGH.
I THINK EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE.
UNDERS AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT CUZ THERE IS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT USED TO GO INTO 2004 TO UTILIZE THE DRIVE THROUGH THAT.
MAYBE WE KEEP A DRIVE THROUGH.
THE ONLY CONCERN FOR US IS CASH.
YOU KNOW, HAVING CASH THERE WITH EMPLOYEES.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT'S ALSO ON THE TABLE.
YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT TO DO THOUGH IS LEAVE A DEPRECIATING ASSET FOR THE CITY AND IO THAT EVERYBODY DRIVES BY AND IS LIKE, DAMN THIS.
SO THIS BILL HERE WOULD NOT HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH IT.
WE JUST DON'T, YOU, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA PULL THE BANDAID OFF.
SO IT MAY BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE SAY, HEY, WE'LL KEEP TWO DRIVE THROUGH LANES ON 2004.
LIKE I SAY, WE HAVEN'T COME TO THE FINALIZED ANSWER TO THAT YET.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE DEMOLISH AND JUST SELL THE PROPERTY OR, UM, IT'S ALSO ON THE TABLE TO, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL DONATION TO THE CITY IF THEY NEEDED IT, YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT IT, I THINK THAT EVERYTHING'S CONVERSATIONAL AT THIS POINT.
WITHIN THAT FIVE ACRES THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT, BESIDES THE CREDIT UNION, THE HOTEL, POTENTIAL PARK, POTENTIAL LIBRARY, IS THERE ROOM FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESSES ON, ON IN THAT AREA? YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOCAL BUSINESS PERSON THAT'S LOOKING AT THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY AND IS VERY CLOSE, UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND MM-HMM.
HOW MANY ACRES? TOTAL OF 12 ACRES.
SO THERE'S SOME BACK THERE ACRES.
THIS STREET WAS SORT OF CUT IT IN HALF.
WHICH MY, IN MY BRAIN DOES, YOU KNOW, BUT IT, IT CUTTING A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY IN HALF SOMETIMES.
SO I DON'T THINK YOU WOULDN'T WANNA DO IT, BUT, BUT, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE RIGHT SIZED FOR THE VARIOUS PROJECTS.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS BEST TO JUST HAVE SOME MASSIVE PLOT OF LAND AND TRY TO DO ONE PROJECT THERE.
IF YOU CUT IT, YOU MIGHT OPEN IT UP A LOT MORE ACCESS FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES, MORE ACCESS TO MORE BUSINESSES.
THE WAY WE SEE IT, YOU KNOW, THIS'LL BE KIND OF CREATE A GUEST STRUCTURE FOR US, YOU KNOW, CUZ WE'RE GONNA HAVE TAKE THIS PIECE HERE AND THEN RUHI WILL HAVE HERE AND THEN SOMETHING THERE.
I MEAN, IT JUST, IT MAKES SOME OF THESE MORE ACCESSIBLE AS WELL.
SOME OF THESE OTHER BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF JUST CLOGGING UP THE BACK OF HEB.
SO I THINK AGAIN, THE THING IS, I SEE THE, THE VALUE OF TAKING ISAIAH THROUGH IS, OF COURSE IT'S, IT'S WORKING WITH, UH, CREDIT UNION ON THEIR IDEAS.
[01:10:01]
MY THING IS, THIS WOULD REALLY OPEN UP THIS AREA OVER HERE.I MEAN, THIS WOULD MAKE THIS MOVE, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY MOVE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO MOVE QUICKER BY DEVELOPING THAT ROAD.
AND I THINK TOO, I MEAN LIKE OVER KROGER, THE NEW CURB CUT WE'RE DOING WAS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH CROSS ACCESS BETWEEN THE BIG KROGER AND, AND THE NEXT DOOR.
SO LIKE, AGAIN, IF YOU JUST OPEN UP A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO DRIVE DOWN IF THERE'S, OR A FIRE TRUCK, SOMETHING EASIER FOR THE FIRE TRUCK, MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.
BUT HAVING THAT, THAT EXTRA TRAVEL LANE, IF IT DOESN'T HURT THE REST OF IT, AND LIKE YOU SAID, GERALD MIGHT OPEN IT UP ALTOGETHER AGAIN.
I MEAN I LOOK AT THE, THE ISAIAH EXTENSION AS AN ENABLER FOR, UH, ECONOMIC GROWTH MM-HMM.
AND MOVING OUT TO GATOR FIELD IS WE WANTED DOWNTOWN TO MOVE INTO THIS AREA, GROW INTO THIS AREA, AND THEN MOVE ON OVER TO, UH, GATOR FIELD WITH THE, THE, THE IDEA OF A CENTRAL PARK CENTRAL, YOU KNOW, OUR VERSION OF A CENTRAL PARK MM-HMM.
AGAIN, IT JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME DOWNTOWN.
WE WANT DOWNTOWN TO BECOME A DESTINATION FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IF IF YOU COME DOWN, YOU, YOU COME DOWN AND SPEND A, A DAY INSTEAD OF AN HOUR.
YOU KNOW, UH, YOU SPEND, YOU KNOW, SATURDAY AFTERNOON, SATURDAY GO SHOP, GO EAT, YOU KNOW, GO SHOPPING, GO EAT OR WHATEVER TYPE OF STUFF.
OR TAKE THE KIDS LIKE YOU SAID TO THERE OR YOU KNOW, THE AMPHITHEATER CONCEPT IS REALLY NEAT BECAUSE THEN YOU COULD DO SMALL STUFF THERE.
THE IDEA I LIKE ABOUT THE LIBRARY MOVING THERE IS BECAUSE IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE LIBRARY'S KIDS PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE A GREAT STORY TIME PROGRAM.
AND DURING GOOD WEATHER, THEY COULD TAKE THE KIDS INTO MM-HMM.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT COULD BE AN AREA WHERE FAMILIES COULD COME AND ENJOY DOWNTOWN.
UH, WHERE RIGHT NOW WE, THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN COME DOWNTOWN AS A FAMILY ENJOY STUFF IS SPENDING MONEY, WHICH ISN'T BAD.
IT'S ALSO, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO JUST COME DOWN AND CALL 'EM OUT.
JUST ENJOY, ENJOY THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT, I LIKE THEIR IDEAS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, YEAH, THEY COULD SELL THIS TRACK OVER HERE, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, BUT THAT MEANS THAT THESE TREES WOULD ALL GO AWAY AND THEY REALLY DON'T WANNA SEE THAT HAPPEN.
THEY, THEY'RE SAYING IS THIS IS A WAY THAT WHERE THIS COULD BE DEVELOPED AND ADD VALUE TO THEM.
I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT BEAUTIFUL THING FOR THEM.
AND IT WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THE TREES BECAUSE IF ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENT COMES IN THERE, IT'S, THE TREES WOULD HAVE TO GO CUZ THEY'D HAVE BE RAISED.
I CAN SEE A LOT OF POTENTIAL TOO WITH THE IDEA OF HAVING THE TRAILS AND KIND OF ALL INTERCONNECTED BETWEEN AAL OF COMING, STAYING IN THE HOTEL AND BEING ABLE TO WALK TO RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS AND YEAH.
AND THIS, THIS BIKE TRAIL ALREADY GO, I MEAN, ALL THE WAY TO OCD.
RIGHT? SO, I MEAN, YOU COULD COME HERE, PARK YOUR BIKE, GO HAVE A LITTLE PICNIC, WHATEVER YOU WANT.
I MEAN THERE'S ALL KINDS OF INTERCONNECTED THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HOTEL, THE HOTEL IS INVOLVED WITH THIS, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT A, IT'S NOT A KEY PART TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, OTHER THAN THEY, THEY COULD TAKE SOME VALUE OFF THE ROAD COMING IN.
BUT THE, THE THING ABOUT THE HOTEL IS, IS IT'S, IT'S AN EXTENDED STAY, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AT A LEVEL.
I MEAN, SOME OF 'EM AT THE HOME TOOS, IT'S, IT'S UH, IT'S MORE OF THE ENGINEERING LEVEL AND ABOVE TYPE PEOPLE WHO BE USING THOSE TYPE OF FACILITIES COME IN FOR A WEEK AND FLY BACK OUT ON WEEKENDS AND STUFF.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS BALL PARKING FOR A TOTAL INVESTMENT FROM YOU GUYS? FOR THE WHOLE THING? UM, I WANNA SAY BOARD APPROVAL THAT WE HAVE LOOSELY IS BETWEEN EIGHT AND 10.
AND OTHERWISE, AGAIN, FOR CONCEPTUAL GROWING, YOU PUT A NUMBER IN THE, FOR THE PARK, BUT WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH OF IT'S GONNA BE.
THEY'RE ALL BIG MARKET NUMBER, JUST THAT, THAT INCLUDES THE PARK.
SO IT'S NOT A HUGE BRANCH THAT WE'RE TAKING ON MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE ROUGH INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE SCOPE THIS OUT FURTHER, IF IT'S IN PARTNERSHIP AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY MOVE A BIT, RIGHT? WE MAY HAVE SOME WIGGLE ROOM THERE, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT AT THIS POINT.
CONCERNS FROM ME ARE GONNA BE, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THE OLD BUILDING? THE YOU SLIPPED IN THAT YOU MAY, IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DONATE TO THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT A BUILDING THAT YOU'VE STOOD UP HERE AND TOLD US IS DILAPIDATED, WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE BUILDING THIS, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA GIVE IT TO US.
SO WE HAVE A DILAPIDATED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT.
NO, I'M JUST, NO, IT'S MORE OF A GOOD, I DON'T WANNA MISS THE FOREST FOR THE TREES OF YEAH.
THE, THE PARK DOES SOUND GREAT.
IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TAXPAYER OF MONEY SO YOU CAN BUILD A BANK DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T WANT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S
[01:15:01]
GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO OUR CITIZENS.WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THAT WAY.
THAT'S KIND OF THE POINT OF WHAT HE'S SAYING THOUGH, IS THAT THIS, WITH UTILIZING A CONCEPT LIKE THIS, IT IS A LOT MORE THAN JUST BUILD A BANK AND WE YEAH.
WE CAN'T FORCE 'EM TO STAY IN THAT.
YOU COULD VERY WELL, AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER, LIKE DO THIS SAME THING, BUT NOT DO THE PARK HERE AND SELL IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO BUILD WHATEVER THEY DON'T WANNA BUILD.
AND THAT'S THE, AND THAT'S THE REALITY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IF WE HAVE TO EAT ALL THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE MUCH LESSER AND IT MAY BE SELLING THIS OFF AND WE LOSE A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE PARTNERSHIP IS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE HALF SOMETHING.
I WON'T USE THAT TERM HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST, WE, WE DON'T WANNA DO IT HALFWAY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE JUST CAN'T EAT EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, AND IF THERE WAS NO PARK BEING PROPOSED OR NO DONATION FOR A CITY BUILDING, STAFF COULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS.
THE, UM, THE ROAD, AN INVESTMENT IN THE ROAD.
IT, IT HAS TO, OH NO, A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE.
IT HAS TO HAVE, IF IT WAS JUST THE BANK AND THE HOTEL, AND I DON'T MEAN JUST, I'M NOT SAYING THAT FLIPPANTLY AS TO IT JUST, IT HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING MORE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST CAN'T BUILD JUST FOR THOSE TWO REASONS.
IT HAS TO BE FOR SOMETHING MORE.
IN TURN, YOU COULD TURN WHAT IS, WHAT IS NOW COULD BE COMMERCIAL MM-HMM.
SO YOU'RE SORT OF, IT COULD JUST BE BUILDINGS WHERE BUSINESSES ARE AND THAT, THAT'S GOOD TOO.
BUT LIKE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT CENTRAL PARK SORT OF CONCEPT, HAVING A LITTLE POCKET PARK, ONE OF ROBIN'S POCKET POCKET PARTS SORT OF, SO TO SPEAK, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN RIGHT.
BY ONE OF THE BIG RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM, FROM DOWNTOWN EATERIES.
AND I, I DO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE, WELL, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO GO WITH A F A COMPLETE DESIGN ON THE PARK.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PARTNER, THE RISK THAT I THINK COUNCIL MAY FEEL A LITTLE BIT IS YOU, I MEAN IT'S SIMPLE ON THE REQUE, YOU KNOW, ON OUR SIDE, WE KNOW WHAT WE'D GET IF YOU BUILD A ROAD RIGHT.
AND EXTEND THE WATER AND SEWER LINE.
SO YOU KNOW THAT ON OUR SIDE IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WHAT YOU MAY BE ENVISIONING A PARK AND WHAT MAYBE COUNCILMAN BLANCHER OR SOMEONE ELSE MAYBE IS LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COULD BE UNDERWHELMED.
UH, I JOHAN AGAIN, ALL CONVERSATIONAL, LIKE JOSH SAID, WE HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT IF IT'S AN EASIER, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS RIGHT.
OF INVESTING THAT FOR THE BUSINESS TO COME IN HERE, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
AND, AND AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WHAT IF WE DONATED, BESIDES DONATING THAT, WOULD IT BE EASIER IF WE DONATED THAT FOR THE PART WHERE IS THE MINIMUM INVESTMENT? AND WE DID THAT AND THAT, RIGHT? SO IT, IT TAKES OUT PART OF OUR INVESTMENT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT PART.
AND THEN WE, WE KIND OF CREATE OTHER THINGS THAT I THINK THERE'S, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO DO THIS.
UM, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WHAT IS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO, THE EASY THING FOR US IS, IS WE CAN SELL THAT PART, LIKE WE SAID, BUT WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
AND, AND THIS IS ONE WAY OF DOING IT.
UM, THE IDEA IS TO FIND WAYS THAT WORK WITH EVERYONE, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANNA COME IN AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
SO I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT OF YET.
SO I THINK FOR SURE A MILLION DOLLARS IS A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A LOT OF MONEY PERIOD, REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE.
BUT I THINK THE MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE PUSHES US A REALLY LONG WAY INTO GETTING WHERE WE WANT TO BE FOR DEVELOPING AND GROWING OUR DOWNTOWN AND MAKING IT A PLACE WHERE IT'S MORE, UM, USER FRIENDLY FOR MORE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, THIS, I THINK THIS IS A, I MEAN, PERSONALLY OPINION IS VERY MUCH A WIN-WIN, UM, FOR EVERYONE.
OUR CITIZENS AND OUR BUSINESSES AS WELL.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE A TD ECU PASSION PROJECT CAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
YOU KNOW? UM, THAT'S, LIKE I SAY, WE WE'RE JUST THINKING OF HOW WE CAN BRING VALUE AND THAT'S, THAT'S ORIGINALLY HOW THE ORIGINAL SCOPING OF THE PROJECT STARTED FOR US IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
RIGHT? UM, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHERE WE'VE LANDED.
BUT LIKE I SAY, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO SCALE AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT THE COUNCIL TO STEW ON IS, RIGHT, LIKE, THIS IS NOT FULLY SCOPE, BUT IT'S TO SCALE.
RIGHT? IS THAT AN UNDERWHELMING PART? RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
IS THAT, IS THAT ENOUGH TO CONSIDER JUSTIFYING THAT? YOU MENTIONED THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING IN FOR A MILLION DOLLARS DOWN AZALEA WITH WATER AND ALL THAT, BUT WHAT DOES THAT INFRASTRUCTURE HELP OTHER THAN THE CREDIT UNION AND THE HOTEL? WELL, IT, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S LIKE KIND OF WHAT MATT WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE SPLITTING UP THAT 12 ACRES.
CAUSE I THINK MR. VERNER ACTUALLY OWNS A LITTLE OVER 12 ACRES IN THAT AREA, IS IT JUST CREATES A LOT MORE AREA,
[01:20:01]
UH, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OTHER BUSINESSES TO COME IN.AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S DONE.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT, LOT MORE APPEALING TO PEOPLE WHO MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE INVESTMENT ABOUT IT MAKES THIS AREA HERE MORE DEVELOPABLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE STREET ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
SO ALL THIS AREA HERE COULD DEVELOP UP A LOT CREEK EASIER WITH THIS STREET AND PLACE WITHOUT, WITHOUT, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE.
BUT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE, YOU SAID WE LOOKED AT A PARK THAT MAY COST $500,000, BUT THE ROAD'S GONNA COST US A MILLION MM-HMM.
BUT HOW MANY BUSINESSES WILL NOW WANT TO COME IN? BECAUSE HEY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S THERE AND EVERY BUSINESS WANTS TO BE ON THE MAIN DRAG LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
AND ANOTHER THING I WOULD ADD IS WE, WE'VE TALKED TO MULTIPLE DEVELOPERS.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS PUT FORTH IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS WHEN KENNY AND THEM WERE GONNA BUILD THE TOWN CENTER.
WE BROUGHT DEVELOPER, WE BROUGHT THREE DEVELOPERS IN.
NOBODY WILL BUILD THAT HERE GUYS.
IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ROI ON IT TO, TO BUILD THAT.
UM, SO, AND I DON'T THINK RUHI CAN BUILD HIS HOTEL.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HIM WITHOUT ANOTHER BUSINESS BEING OVER THERE.
SO ALTHOUGH WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO DO THAT, WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD WITH A DOWNTURN THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA COME IN AND DEVELOP THIS LAND IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE COMBATIVE.
I'M JUST, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S HOW I THINK THAT WE ARE PUSHING THIS FORWARD TO DEVELOP IT A LITTLE FASTER THAN WHAT IT TRADITIONALLY WILL BE DEVELOPED GOING FORWARD.
OTHERWISE IT MAY SIT THERE FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS, WHICH WHO KNOWS WHO'S GONNA KEEP UP WITH IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO OR WHAT THEY'RE GONNA WANNA PUT THERE.
INCLUDING COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ON THE ENTIRE FIVE ACRES, WHICH WE DON'T WANT.
WHICH I WOULDN'T PERSONALLY PREFER TO KEEP THE TREES.
THE ONE THING I WAS, YOU KNOW, COMING OUTTA THIS MEETING WAS, UH, KIND OF SLOWED DOWN THE BREAKS IS THAT I WASN'T LOOKING FOR, EVEN THOUGH JOSH MAY BE
BUT WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WHILE TO GO, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT DO WE EVENTUALLY, IF WE DO WANT TO PARTNER, WHAT, HOW DO WE WANT TO PARTNER AND STUFF AND GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, ANSWERED THAT THERE WASN'T GONNA BE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON YES, WE'RE GONNA WRITE A CHECK TONIGHT.
WELL WE CAN SCOPE THIS OUT MUCH FURTHER FROM YOU GUYS AS WELL AND START INVESTIGATING THE SOURCES OF THE MONEY AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN USE THIS OR THAT.
AND I MEAN, I MAY WALK OUT OF THIS MEETING AND ASK JOSH FOR A LOAN.
THE INTEREST RATE'S GOTTA BE LIKE THREE POINT WHATEVER, 3.6, THAT'S THE GOING RATE.
YOU GOTTA HAVE A DOUBLE A CREDIT RATE, DOUBLE A MIND.
WE GOT GREAT CREDIT, BUT NO, BUT WE REALLY, HONESTLY, WE APPRECIATE THE TIME.
LIKE I SAY, WE, WE WANT TO MOVE ON THIS QUICKLY.
UM, LIKE I SAY, OUR, OUR ORGANIZATION IS EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DO WANT TO, THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THE ANCHOR RIGHT NOW THAT'S KIND OF HOLDING US BACK FROM, FROM MOVING REALLY FAST.
SO, AND I KNOW GUYS, IT'S A PROCESS, RIGHT? SO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YES TONIGHT, BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT WE, WE REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE CAN SCOPE THIS OUT FURTHER IN THE MEANTIME TO KIND OF SAY WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE INVESTING, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT COULD THAT PARK LOOK LIKE? AND MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWERS ON THAT I THINK WOULD HELP US A LOT.
UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU SAY WHAT WE MEAN FOR A PARK MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU MEAN.
WE'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT A PART NOT ON THE ROLLING, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE PARK TO GO LIKE FERRIS WILL CARS, I HAVE A FEELING YOU TALK TO ROBIN, COUNCILMAN BLANCHARD COULD SHOW YOU A 40 OR $50 MILLION PART
UM, WELL TONIGHT WOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS, IF COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA FOR, FOR THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.
WHAT QUESTIONS WOULD YOU WANT STAFF AND OR THE CREDIT UNION TO WORK ON TO ANSWER, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, COUPLE OF MEETINGS IF YOU OR INTERESTED AGAIN, OF FURTHERING THIS CONVERSATION.
I DO HAVE, SO KIND OF A RANDOM QUESTION.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE LIBRARY MM-HMM.
BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION WITH THE LIBRARY FOLKS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD WORK OR NOT AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
I JUST, WE WERE, CAUSE THAT'S A REALLY APPEALING PIECE FOR ME.
AND IF THE LIBRARY BOARD WAS LIKE, NO, WE NEED 40,000 NOT 10, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO GO THE OTHER WAY, THAT WOULD BE A FACT.
NO, BUT DO WE HAVE THE OPTION THERE OF BUILDING UP? SO THAT'S, AND AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN WE PUT 20,000 SQUARE FEET THERE, IT ATE UP A TON OF SPACE AND IT CHANGED THE SCALE OF EVERYTHING.
SO WHAT WE WERE THINKING IS THAT THAT'S 10 AND YOU COULD BUILD UP.
[01:25:01]
MEAN HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, I MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO WORK THROUGH THERE, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN WE DID THAT.AND AGAIN YEAH, IT WAS THAT TO GET IT MOVING WOULD BE WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DONATING THAT LAND.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WHATEVER THE YEAH, STOP.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT PRETTY EXTENSIVELY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A LIBRARY.
SO IF YOU HAVE A THOUGHT FOR SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FUTURE, BUT THE POTENTIAL THAT IT OPENS UP I THINK IS WELL WORTH IT JUST FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE FOR THE MILLION.
CAUSE IT GIVES US OPTIONS WE'VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.
SO, AND THE HARD THING ABOUT IT OUT OF THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION I TELL THE MAYOR IS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED ROOM, YOU KNOW, HERE AT CITY HALL WE PULLED THAT FROM THE BOND ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN OUR BLOCK.
THE PD IS GOING TO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE LIBRARY WAS NOT IN THE QUEUE NOW AND SO IT WASN'T THE HIGHEST, HIGHEST PRIORITY.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT PD OR SO, DOES IT MAKE THE BEST SENSE IF PUTTING IN A PARK, THE LIBRARY MAKES A BETTER CENTER CENTERY AND STUFF.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE LIBRARY ON SITE AND IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS A BETTER LOCATION, IT DOES OPEN POSSIBILITIES FOR EXPANSION OF PD CITY HALL ON ON THIS CAMPUS.
SO, AND IF WE WENT WITH THIS TYPE OF CONCEPT, I MEAN OKAY, SO THEY DONATED THE SPACE FOR THE LIBRARY, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DEVELOP WHERE NO, WE MADE IT.
THEY HAVE NEW FLOORING SO THEY'RE NOT IN A HURRY THING.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE TIME.
ONE THING THAT THE PAD SITE COULD SIT THERE FOR 10 YEARS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT GIVES US PLANNING PERSPECTIVE AND AN ELBOW ROOM FOR A WHILE AND STUFF.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US MAY BE, YOU KNOW, HERE I'LL BE HERE WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S TIME TO BUILD A, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO BUILD A FACILITY, YOU KNOW, A LIBRARY THERE.
AND AGAIN, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO BE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING BIG PICTURE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN OPPORTUNITIES THAT PAST COUNCILS HAVE PASSED UP IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO US TODAY IF THEY WOULD'VE ACTED ON IT BACK THEN.
SO IT'S JUST, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF THIS CONCEPT WORKS, YOU WOULD BE A BLANK PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE FOR CITY FOR WHATEVER YOU USE.
AND THEN I THINK GOING BACK TO JBS QUESTION IS, IS, YOU KNOW, IS IS IF THEY BUILD A PARK WITH THE PARK EVENTUALLY BE, COULD TURN INTO AN TROSS FOR THE CITY.
WELL IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DONATING THE PARK TO US, RIGHT? THAT'S YOUR PROPERTY.
THE WORST THING IT COULD BE IS THAT YOU BUILD A FACILITY IN 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, Y'ALL DECIDE TO MOVE AWAY AND THEN YOU SELL EVERYTHING.
THAT'S THE WORST CASE THAT COULD HAPPEN.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE TO RESTRICT THAT.
BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE'RE NOT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE PARK.
AND, AND, UM, THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT, UH, WE COULD WORK IN SOME KIND OF COMMITMENT, UH, ON TIMEFRAME TOO, JUST TO EASE SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING ON OUR PLATE, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WANTING TO MOVE ON THIS LAND AND OBVIOUSLY IN A DUE DILIGENCE PHASE.
UM, SO TIMELINE IS, IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE TO KNOW TOO AS WELL.
I MEAN, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEVER HAVE THE KIND OF OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.
I MEAN, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL OUGHT TO LOOK AT AND UH, TO SEE WHAT'S BEING OFFERED TODAY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON MAKE A BILL HAVEN THUNDER SHINING, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT GET THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.
WELL IF, IF WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS AND, YOU KNOW, MORE DUE DILIGENCE I GUESS ON IT IS HOW MUCH INTERACTION DO YOU, WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO HAVE WITH US ON, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PART CONCEPT? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, UM, SO THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION TO YOU GUYS AND TO US, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH INTERACTION DO WE WANT OR YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO JUST LOVE, UM, I I VENTURE MY PERSPECTIVE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AS MUCH AS WE CAN GIVE THIS IS SO WE'RE DOING FOR, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE THING IS THAT, THE THING IS THAT WE COULD DO IS, IS THAT THEY COULD WORK WITH ROBIN, AND ROBIN COULD WORK SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE CENTRAL PARK DOWNTOWN IS WHAT KIND OF WHAT COMPONENTS, LIKE THE LITTLE THEATER AREAS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN THAT'S PART OF THE, OF THE, IN THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE, THE GATOR FIELD AREA GATOR PARK, WHERE AGAIN, IF YOU GUYS COME IN AND BUILD IT, WELL THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD LABOR.
SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT I DON'T SEE US BUILDING A LITTLE AMPHITHEATER IN GATOR FIELD AREA IN
[01:30:01]
PROBABLY MY LIFETIME.SO, SO WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE IS IF COUNCIL HAS AN IDEA OR CONCEPT, THEN FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ROBIN AND SHARE THOSE WITH HER.
AND SHE CAN BE A POISON LIAISON WITH TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PARK, YOU KNOW, PARK ISSUES AND STUFF SINCE SHE'S OUR PARK.
WHAT, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK YOU THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS AND WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK ARE YOU GETTING FROM THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU FOR SURE, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE CALLING TO DONATE ANY PROPERTY BACK TO THE CITY
AND I WANTED TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, WE GOT RIGHT INTO THE ROAD AND I WANNA APPLAUD TO DCU BECAUSE DOWNTOWN PROPERTY COMES FOR A PRETTY EXPENSIVE PRICE, ESPECIALLY THAT LAST PIECE OF REALLY GOOD DOWNTOWN PROPERTY.
AND SO IT'S EXPENSIVE ALREADY.
AND SO LET'S APPLAUD THEM FOR EVEN WANTING TO BUY IT.
THEY ONLY NEED TWO ACRES, BUT THEY'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA BE BUY FIVE ACRES, WE'RE GONNA BUILD AND MAINTAIN A PARK AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DONATE SOME BACK WHEN REALLY THEY COULD JUST BUY TWO ACRES, RIGHT? AND, AND REALLY THE BANK COULD MOVE ON.
THEY HAVE A BANK, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE BANK SO THEY COULD BUY TWO ACRES, THEY COULD PULL RIGHT INTO WHERE THEY HAVE ACCESS AND THAT WOULD BE IT.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO APPLAUD THEM FOR CONSIDERING INVESTING INTO OUR TOWN AND WANTING TO DONATE PROPERTY AND BUILD A PARK.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT INVESTMENT AND WE, I APPRECIATE THEM.
I FREQUENT DOWNTOWN, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE DOES, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A CONTINUATION OF DOWNTOWN AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO IT.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE OF THE HEB.
SO ANYTHING THAT COMPETES WITH HEB CAN'T BE BUILT THERE.
SO THEY'RE EVEN HAVING TO WORK THROUGH HEB.
SO HEB HAS, YOU CAN'T DO ANY CHECK CASHING FOR EXAMPLE.
SO EVEN THE CREDIT UNION HAS TO WORK THROUGH THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
SO YOU'VE ELIMINATED HALF OF THE BUSINESSES THAT COULD COME IN THERE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY COME IN THERE AND BUILD KIND OF AN ATTRACTION FOR OTHER BUSINESSES TO COME IN.
SO, SO THIS IDEA THAT CUT AZALEA ALL THE WAY THROUGH WOULD OPEN UP THIS RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE TOP.
THAT'S A SERIOUS YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK, YES, I ENVISION MORE OF A SHOPPING CENTER BECAUSE IF YOU THINK OF ANY BUSINESS YOU WANT THERE, IT CAN'T COMPETE WITH HEB.
SO REALLY RETAIL THAT'S NOT GOT A LOT OF STUFF, A LOT OF STUFF I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD CHECK CASHING THAT, THAT DETAILED, YOU KNOW, SO IT WOULD BE REALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE AS DOWNTOWN AND, AND IF YOU SEE DOWNTOWN, THERE'S ROADS THAT GO ALL THROUGH DOWNTOWN, WE'RE REDOING THEM AND SO THEY NEED ACCESS TO THOSE SHOPS AND YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND THINGS LIKE, OR I GUESS JUST RESTAURANTS.
BUT, UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I ENVISION AND I THINK THAT YOU NEED ACCESS TO DO THAT.
SO I ENVISION MORE SHOPPING CENTER AFTER WE GET THIS BIG WOW FACTOR THAT WE'RE HOPING THAT I KNOW THAT THEY WILL BUILD BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT THE BRAND.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUMP THE BRAKES ON THIS, UM, YOU'VE SAID THAT TWICE, BUT MAYBE I AM IS THAT ONE WE STILL NEED TO DO MORE DUE DILIGENCE ON TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE COST OF THE ROAD IS.
IT COULD BE HIGHER AND STUFF, SO IT MAY BE SO AS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE FIND OUT THAT, OH, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A MILLION AND CONSTRUCTION COST AND IT'S NOT 1.5 MILLION.
I GUESS THERE A REDESIGN THAT HAS TO BE DONE AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK WHEN THAT CULVERT PIECE WAS PUT IN, THERE WAS SOME PIPES THAT WERE BROUGHT IN THAT WEREN'T TO THE ORIGINAL.
SO IT DOES HAVE TO BE REDESIGNED AS WELL.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE.
SO WE MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW A MILLION DOLLARS BEING THROWN OUT.
UH, WE MAY WANT TO, IF IT DOES ESCALATE TOO MUCH, WE WANT, WE MAY WANT TO CAP THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING IS ALSO WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR, AGAIN, EVEN IF, WHERE OUR FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM, RIGHT? CAUSE YEAH.
CUZ EVEN UP HERE AT OR CREEK DRIVE IN OAK, WE TALK ON TRAFFIC ABOUT CHANGING THAT UP, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING IN THERE CUZ THAT'S WHERE ALL THE GUTS ARE.
SO IF THAT'S TRUE DOWN ON THIS SIDE AS WELL, THAT COULD IMPACT THE, OR DO YOU HAVE A GOOD SENSE FOR THAT? LIKE IS THERE JUST ALL KINDS OF WIRES AND PIPING AND ALL, YOU KNOW, TOP OF YOUR HEAD? EXCUSE ME.
YEAH, WELL ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT, UH, IF THEY, UH, IF THEY ARE SET ON HAVING THAT NEW DRIVEWAY INTO OYSTER CREEK DRIVE BRINGS ABOUT SEVERAL, SEVERAL PROBLEMS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY HASH, ESPECIALLY YOU OF THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE CREATED.
THAT INTERSECTION THERE, YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN, YOU HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, GO EYES OPEN AT THAT LOCATION BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC ALONG OAK TRAFFIC IS SIGNIFICANT.
DID THE, DID THE PUT ALLOW FOR A A CUT? THE ONLY, THE ONLY, NO, THE ONLY THING THAT WE WERE CONTEMPLATING WAS THE CONNECTION AT C CIRCLE AT, UH, PARKING WAY.
AND WE ONLY, AND WE ONLY TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT.
WE'LL HAVE TO RE-LOOK AT THAT.
I READ SOMETHING IN THERE THAT ALLOWS FOR A CONNECTION TO OAK DRIVE, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THAT WAS AT PARKING WAY.
[01:35:01]
OKAY.THE BIG DIG IN IT, WHICH WOULD BE RIGHT THERE, IF I CAN DO THIS RIGHT HERE OR PARKING WAY, THAT'S WHERE, AND SO IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO, I MEAN, YES, THIS IS THE CONCEPT.
IT'S A, IT'S A MATTER OF EVERYONE NOW GETTING TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT ALL THE POSSIBILITIES AND ALL THE CHALLENGES WITH IT.
WHAT IS THIS RIGHT HERE? TRAIL.
IT'S NOT OVERHEAD LINES, IT'S JUST EXPOSED DRAINAGE.
WELL THERE ARE OVERHEAD LINES ALONG THE EASEMENT RIGHT HERE AT THE PROPERTY LINE AT THE PARKWAY LINE.
NOW THEY ARE GONNA HAVE TO CAUSE THAT AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO CREATE A BRIDGE STRUCTURE THAT IS, OR CULVERT STRUCTURE MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT OUR NEW DRAINAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TO BLOW GO, NO, THIS IS TOTALLY NOT CONNECTED INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
WE DOWNTOWN IT IS CONNECTED AT THIS LOCATION RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT GO ACROSS TO THE HOSPITAL.
THE ONE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ALONG OLD DRIVE ALL THE WAY ACROSS TO MM-HMM.
SO THOSE ARE ITEMS, I MEAN, LET'S SAY GOOD START AND THEN FROM THERE ON YOU JUST START FINDING, OKAY, SO IN GENERAL, DO Y'ALL, DO WE FEEL LIKE WE WANT TO FOR THIS DISCUSSION AND PURSUE THIS, BRING IT BACK? YES.
FURTHER DEFINE IT AND SEE AGAIN HOW MUCH OF A PLAYER WE CAN BE.
SO ARE WE THINKING JANUARY THE PURSE STRING? SO WE PROBABLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE, UM, CONVERSATIONS OKAY.
AND AGAIN, THE MORE MEET EVERY TWO WEEKS, START WORKING WITH ROBIN AS QUICK AS YOU CAN TO FLUSH OUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
SO I THINK THAT HELP ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
THEY HAVE A GREAT, A GREAT, YOU KNOW, A GREAT SENSE OF WHAT WORKS DOWN HERE AND WHAT DOESN'T, WHAT SURFACES HOLD UP AND WHAT DON'T.
CUZ EVERYWHERE'S DIFFERENT AND WE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS, WHENEVER THEY CAME TALK TO US, AND I, I'M A LONGTIME MEMBER OF GREAT UNION AND AND STUFF AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME PEOPLE I'VE NOT BEEN TOO PLEASED WITH THE GREAT UNION, BUT THEIR RECOMMITMENT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, WHEN THEY BROUGHT YOU TO THE POSITION, YOUR GOAL WAS IS TO RECOMMIT TO COMMUNITY.
AND YOU KNOW, LIKE JUST WAS SAYING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, ANYBODY THAT'S KNOCKING DOWN THE DOOR TO COME IN AND TRY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THE CITY MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PLUS FOR THEM TO DO THAT, TO COME BACK TO THEIR ROOTS AND STUFF AND HELP US AND APPRECIATE THAT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE A LONG TIME MEMBER OF YOUR NUMBER STILL 100 MEMBER NUMBER? NO, MINE DOESN'T, THAT'S WHAT'S WEIRD.
IT IS, IS I'M A LONGER MEMBER MEMBER, BUT MY WIFE'S GOT A SHORTER NUMBER THAN I DO.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR BRAND ENDORSER.
SO, UM, I HAVE FIVE DIGIT NUMBER.
JUDGE, I DID HAVE THIS QUESTION WHEN THE, WHEN THE CREDIT UNION BOARD WAS TALKING, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY SPACE CONCEPT IN PARK, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PARKS MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
SOMETIMES IT'S INTENSE PLAYGROUNDS, SOMETIMES IT'S GREEN, GREEN SPACE.
WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WAS ENVISIONING? UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT WE THREW OUT.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE IMAGE IN THE UPDATED DECK I SENT OVER TO SALLY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE PROPOSED, UH, A JUST AN IMAGE TO THEM.
BUT I THINK THAT WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, ROBIN AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT TO JUNGLE JIM OR DO YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, THE AMPHITHEATER STOP TYPE THING.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THAT COLLABORATION'S GONNA COME IN AND HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD WORK BEST.
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER TO US.
IT'S, LIKE I SAY, THIS IS PURELY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, THIS IS GONNA BE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY ALL HOURS.
IT'S NOT JUST DURING BANK HOURS, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT EVERYBODY TO BENEFIT FROM WHEN WE PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD THAT THAT WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS SET APART AND WE SAID WE DUNNO WHAT, IT'S LIKE A HARD AREA THAT ALLOW FOR FARMERS MARKETS AND FOOD AND DIFFERENT S LIKE THAT IN THE GREEN AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST IDEAS FROM AROUND, YOU KNOW, COME TO TALK TO OUT WHAT THE REALLY NEED, UM, GENERALS AND THERE SOME ISSUES, RELIABILITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT PROBABLY ON THE RIGHT.
SO IT'S REALLY, LET'S FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT THE SEED IN THE COMMUNITY NEEDS MM-HMM.
AND, AND THEN WE'LL GET, AND WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR, WITH OUR BRANCH.
WE'RE GONNA FURTHER A MORE RENDER WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO IS THE, AND THE ACTUAL COST AND GET APPROVAL.
BUT IF WE CAN TELL THEM THIS COMPONENT OF
[01:40:01]
THE PARK AND THEWHENEVER, WHEN WE BOTH BUILT SOUTH PARKING PLACE, THE IDEA WAS IS THAT WAS GOING TO BE A DESTINATION AREA DOWNTOWN.
AND IN SOME WAYS IT IS, BUT THEN A LOT OF WAYS IT'S NOT, IT WAS DOWNSIZED FROM THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
IT WAS, THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS ACTUALLY, UH, WE WERE GONNA PURCHASE SOME PROPERTY AND UH, IT WAS GONNA BE A LARGER DESTINATION.
WHERE, WHERE I SEE THIS HAS A POTENTIAL, AGAIN, WORKING WITH THE, THE CREDIT UNION IS, IS THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT DOWNTOWN DESTINATION FOR, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU CAN HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF STUFF THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE THE GREEN SPACE CONCEPT MORE THAN JUNGLE GYMS, I GUESS BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS LIKE A BLANK CANVAS.
YOU COULD COME IN AND, AND HAVE, LIKE YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, FARMER'S MARKETS, YOU COULD HAVE ALL KIND OF STUFF IN THAT GREEN SPACE.
WELL, UH, JUST THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, UH, I, I NOTICE OUR FESTIVAL LIGHT IS GETTING REAL TIGHT AND LARGE.
WILL THAT HELP US EXPAND MORE THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE FESTIVAL LIGHTS AND THE RALPHS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? OR IS THAT A LITTLE BIT OFF BEAT? THAT'S WRONG WITH THAT.
IT'LL, THERE'S ALL THE, YEAH, THERE'S ALL KIND OF THINGS YOU COULD DO THAT THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE IS, IS LIKE IF YOU SAY, IF YOU DO SOME OF THE FESTIVAL LIGHTS AT THE CIVIC CENTER, AND SOME OF IT OVER HERE IS JUST LIKE, EVEN IN THE DAYS IN THE PAST WE WOULD, BEFORE WE COMPLETELY MOVED ALL THE WAY TO THE CIVIC CENTER WAS WE DID CIVIC CENTER AND SOME OF IT DOWNTOWN.
AND THE COMMENT FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM PEOPLE WAS, IS IT WAS TOO SPREAD OUT.
AND SO THEY LIKED THE IDEA OF WHERE IT WENT TO ONE PLACE OR TWO OTHER.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT FESTIVAL YOU, YOU COULD, ANYWAY, IT'S JUST, IT, IT OPENS UP EYE OPTIONS.
SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M, AND AND TO ANDRES'S POINT, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD PORTION OF OUR BOARD IS FROM THIS AREA OR HAS HAD TIES TO THIS AREA AT SOME POINT.
UH, SO, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE GOOD THING IS THAT THEY REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT.
SO THAT'S, IF YOU WANNA PUT AN AMPHITHEATER, YOU CAN PUT THE SEE ON THERE.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE RENDERING HAD IT AND IT WAS A LITTLE HEAVY HANDED ON THE BRANDING, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A PAT ON THE BACK.
IT'S JUST, THIS IS MORE SO SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO TO, TO GET BACK.
SO, SO I'M, I WOULD LIKE TO SIT AND TALK WITH YOU SOME MORE FOR SURE.
BUT I, I COME FROM A PLACE THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED OF I WAS A MEMBER AND LEFT BECAUSE I THINK YOU GUYS GOT AWAY FROM WHERE YOUR ROOTS WERE.
SO I COMMEND YOU FOR COMING BACK TO THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHY I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HESITATION.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EIGHT TO 10 MILLION TOTAL INVESTMENT.
WELL, YOU GUYS SPEND 11 TO PUT YOUR NAME ON A STADIUM.
AND, AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS WANTING TO COME BACK.
I JUST, I DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WELL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN Y'ALL, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH ROBIN TO FLESH OUT SOME MORE CONCEPT AND STUFF.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND Y'ALL'S WILLINGNESS TO COME BACK AND TALK TO US AND STUFF.
SO, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE'LL ADJOURN
[Additional Item]
OUT THE WORKSHOP, BUT WE DIDN'T DO CONVENIENT ITEMS OF INTEREST.SO, UH, REAL QUICK, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY, UH, JB YOU GOT ANY COMMUNITY OF INTEREST ITEMS, MATT? UM, NO SIR.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, I THINK GOT ANYTHING MODESTO? NO.
JUST OUR NEXT MEETING IS POLICE BAN.
SHOULD, YEAH, YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE INVITE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BANQUET IS ON WEDNESDAY.
YOU NEED MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ALREADY RSVP TO BE ONGOING FIT HEADCOUNT, BUT YOU CAN LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL TRY AND, AND, AND I WON'T BE ABLE BE THERE CAUSE I HAVE A, I HAVE A BUSINESS CON COMMITMENT.
I'LL SEND A, I'LL SEND A REMINDER BUT I WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND CUZ I HAVE A PREVIOUS BUSINESS COMMITMENT.
NO, I KNOW I DIDN'T, I EN VSB AS IN NOT BEING THERE.
YEAH, JUST LET KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO GO, BUT IF WE CAN.
BUT TONY, THEY TOOK ME LATE BUT THEY TOOK ME ON FRIDAY.
IT'D BE NICE IF THEY NOTIFY US A LITTLE BIT EARLIER SO WE CAN PLAN.
CUZ I'D ALREADY MADE THIS COMMITMENT AND I CAN'T BACK UP.
AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED LAST YEAR,