Jan 17, 2023 City Council

MOVE ON TO, UM, PRESENTATIONS.

NEXT ITEM IS VISITORS COMMENTS.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP FOR VISITOR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING, ANY VISITOR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL

[PRESENTATIONS ]

UH, FIRST ITEM, YOU KNOW, FOR PRESENTATION IS, UH, UH, US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER, FREEPORT PROJECT, BOBBY PETTY.

ALRIGHT, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF, SIR.

I'M, I'M SORRY.

I JUST WANTED TO TEST IT OUT.

WERE CLOSURES ARE ONLY IN PRIVATE ROADS.

IN, IN MY PAST, I'VE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE CLICKER.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

I AM EDDIE REGO.

I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SAB, GALVESTON, FREEPORT SECTION FROM GALVESTON DISTRICT.

UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR, VELAS DISTRICT.

UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, CHRIS GALLIAN, UM, DAVID YOUNGBLOOD, AND, UM, JOE WILLIAMS FROM V D D, UM, HERE, HERE WITH US AS WELL.

SO, UM, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO BE HERE AND GIVE YOU GUYS A, A SUMMARY OF OUR, OF OUR PROJECT THAT WE HAVE, UM, CURRENTLY WORKING WITH WITH V D D D.

UM, SO A QUICK HISTORY OF THIS PROJECT.

UH, THIS PROJECT IS A RESULT OF THE SABINE GALVESTON STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2017.

UM, THAT STUDY WAS ALSO, IS, IS ONE COMPONENT OF, UH, IT HAS THREE ELEMENTS.

SO IT HAS IMPROVING THE SYSTEM AT FREEPORT, THE EXISTING SYSTEM AT FREEPORT, ALSO THE IMPROVING THE EXISTING SYSTEM AT PORT ARTHUR AND A BRAND NEW LEVY SYSTEM AT ORANGE.

SO THIS, THIS FIRST, THIS, UM, FIRST, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING AT THESE THREE AREAS IS REALLY THE BEGINNING FOR A, UH, TEXAS COAST, UH, REGIONAL APPROACH FOR A STRONGER COAST, FOR A MORE RESILIENT COAST.

UH, THIS WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE, UH, TEXAS COASTAL STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY, UH, I WANNA SAY TWO YEARS AGO.

UM, SO, SO IT, IT WOULD, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION ALONG THE GULF COAST.

SO AGAIN, THIS, OUR FINAL GOAL IS TO HAVE A MORE RESILIENT, UM, COAST OF, OF TEXAS.

SO, UM, SOME OF THE PROJECT FEATURES THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD INCLUDE WILL BE, UM, IMPROVE IMPROVING OUR IWAS AND, AND PUTTING SOME TWA ALONG THE SYSTEM APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES, UH, WILL ALSO BE DOING SOME LEVEE RACING, UM, APPROXIMATELY ANYWHERE FROM NINE TO 12 MILES OF LEVEE RACING.

THE HEIGHT OF THE LEVEE IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.

WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME RELOOKING AT SOME OF OUR DATA, SOME OF OUR ANALYSIS TO, TO GET THAT INFORMATION.

IN REGARDS TO THE FINAL HEIGHT OF THE LEVY.

OTHER PROJECT FEATURES WILL BE INSTALLING A VERTICAL LIFT GATE AT THE DOW BARGE CANAL, UH, ALONG WITH THE DOW, UH, A DRAINAGE STRUCTURE, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO US RE-LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT DATA, UH, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT WE MIGHT NOT NEED A LIFT GATE.

SO TEAM IS RE-LOOKING AT SOME OF THE INFORMATION.

UM, WE'RE RE-LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR MODELING.

SEE, WE WILL NEED, IF WE DO, WE WILL NEED A, A VERTICAL LIFT GATE OR NOT.

UH, OTHER FEATURES WILL BE SOME ROAD CLOSURES.

UM, THESE

[00:05:01]

THEY'RE NOT IN PUBLIC ROADS.

SO THIS WILL BE ALONG DOW OR THE PORT FREEPORT.

SO SOME OF THOSE ROAD CLOSURES WOULD BE EITHER A ROLLER GATES, TROLLEY GATES, OR SWING GATES.

BUT AGAIN, DO YOU WANT TO EMPHASIZE NONE OF THESE ROAD CLOSURES ARE IN ANY OF THE PUBLIC ROADS? UM, SCHEDULING TIMELINE, AGAIN, THIS STUDY WAS COMPLETED IN 2017.

UM, AND THEN THE STUDY WAS AUTHORIZED AND FULLY FUNDED THROUGH CONGRESS.

UM, IN 2018, DUE TO THE BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT, UM, WE AWARDED OUR FIRST CONTRACT FOR DESIGN IN 2019.

AND CURRENTLY WE ARE IN THE DESIGN PHASE AND WE'RE LOOKING TO COMPLETE THE DESIGN IN 2025, UH, STARTING OUR CONSTRUCTION AND THEN COMPLETING OUR CONSTRUCTION APPROXIMATELY IN 2028.

FUNDING OF THIS PROJECT, UM, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WHEN THE PROJECT WAS FULLY AUTHORIZED AND FUNDED, UM, ON THAT BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2018, WE DID GET FULL FUNDED OF 730 MILLION TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

UM, BUT BEING THAT IT'S A CONSTRUCTION FEDERAL PROJECT, IT IS COST SHARE WITH A NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR, 65 35.

UM, SO THE 35% COST SHARE, UM, THERE ARE NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PORTION.

THEN LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR PROJECT OVERVIEWS HERE, YOU CAN SEE, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE COLORS THAT WE USE.

UM, IF YOU SEE THE DARK GREEN AREA, THAT'S THE EXISTING SYSTEM.

UM, AND THEN THE LIGHTER GREEN PORTION, THOSE ARE THE PORTIONS RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR RAISING THE LEVY, THE RED AREAS, THOSE WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING FLOOD WALLS.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE, THE KEY FEATURE.

SO, UH, OUR IS FLOOD WALL AND THEN THE RED ONE, WHICH IT LOOKS PRETTY MUCH SIMILAR, ARE, ARE THE ROAD CLOSER THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

UM, SO FIRST CONTRACT IS THE FPV ZERO TWO.

UH, THIS IS THE LIFT GATE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.

DOES THIS HAVE A POINTER? WE GOT, WE GOT ONE HERE IF YOU NEED.

THERE'S A POINTER IN FRONT OF YOU TOO ON THE MIDDLE ONE.

SO THE, THE DA THE LIFTGATE WE'RE PROPOSING IS RIGHT HERE IN THIS AREA WITH THE DRAINAGE STRUCTURE UP HERE IN THIS AREA.

UM, AGAIN, WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR DATA THAT WE HAVE.

THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE WON'T NEED TO INSTALL THAT LIFT GATE IF WE DON'T NEED THE LIFT GATE.

THEREFORE, WE WON'T NEED THAT DRAINING STRUCTURE.

UM, AND WE'LL JUST NEED TO RE-LOOK AT THE LEVEE SYSTEM ACROSS THE, THE ENTIRE BAR CANAL.

SO BY US NOTING NOT, UM, INSTALLING THAT LIFT GATE, THAT IS SAVING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN OUR, IN OUR CONTRACTS CONTRACT, FPV ZERO THREE, UH, THIS MAINLY CON, UM, IT'LL BE MOSTLY LEVEE RAYS AND SOME FLOOD WALL INSTALLATION ALONG THE, UH, DOTHAM.

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE FOR THIS CONTRACT.

UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY, UH, CLOSELY, NOT ONLY WITH V D D BUT WITH DOW AS WELL ON, ON GATHERING THAT DATA SO WE CAN COMPLETE THAT DESIGN.

THIS DESIGN IS ALSO, WE'RE LOOKING TO BE COMPLETED IN 2025, UM, WITH STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN 2025 AS WELL.

SO THE GREEN AROUND THE THUMB IS LEVY.

SO HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE PORT? IS IT, SO THIS CONTRACT DOESN'T IMPACT THE PORT? THE, THE, THIS CONTRACT IS THE RIGHT HERE.

, THE DOTHAM, THE PORT AREA WOULD BE THE F P V OH FOUR A NEXT COUPLE CONTRACTS.

SO WHERE'S THE, UM, I'M GETTING MY BEARINGS HERE.

WHERE, WHERE ARE THE DOCKS FOR THE PORT IN THIS DRAWING? THE PORT AREA WOULD BE RIGHT HERE.

ON GETTING AN AGREEMENT AND THE INTERNAL DRAINAGE.

ALRIGHT.

AND THEN I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE PROBABLY THINKING LINE RIGHT ACROSS THE PORT, SO WE'LL, WE'LL GET THROUGH THE PORT ONE.

SO HERE'S THE PORT CONTRACT F P V OH FOUR A.

SO THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT WAS AROUND THE PORT.

THE PORT, THEY, THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH, WITH THE ALIGNMENT AND THE HEIGHTS, THEY WANTED THOSE HEIGHTS TO STAY THE SAME.

SO WE'VE RE-LOOKED AT SEVERAL ALIGNMENTS.

THIS WAS THE BEST ALIGNMENT, WHICH IS ALIGNMENT G.

UM, SO WE'VE BE, WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PORT AND WITH V D D ON THIS ALIGNMENT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S MOSTLY FLOOD WALL RUNNING ACROSS.

UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THAT DATA ON WHAT WE WILL NEED FOR US TO, TO COMPLETE, BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS, THIS CONSTRUCTION.

UM, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING IS LOOKING AT INTERIOR DRAINAGE AS WELL.

UM, SO WE, AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO GATHER THAT INFORMATION.

UM, ONCE WE HAVE ALL THOSE NUMBERS.

IN REGARDS TO COST ESTIMATES, THE, THE, THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOOD WALL, UM, B D D AND THE PORT ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON,

[00:10:01]

WHICH WAY ARE YOU TALKING THAT THE INTERNAL DRAINAGE IS GOING TO GO WHERE? SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT.

BECAUSE THERE IS A, UM, BY US PUTTING THIS FLOOD ONE, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A LOT OF DETAILS.

THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO A NEW PUMPING STATION.

PUMP STATIONS RUN, I'M SORRY, RUN HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THAT'S STILL THE, OKAY.

THE DATA THAT WE NEED.

SO THAT WOULD BE PUMPING WATER FROM BEHIND THE LEVY SYSTEM? YES.

CUZ THE CURRENT PUMPING STATION THAT THAT'S IN THE SYSTEM WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE NEW PROPOSAL LINE.

SO DOES THAT MAKE IT INEFFECTIVE IF, IF WE JUST PUT THIS FLOOD WATER THERE WITH NO NEW PUMPING STATION? IT WILL.

SO, UM, SINCE I'M IN THIS, THIS, THE OTHER AREA THAT FOR CONTRACT FPV ZERO FOUR IS ALSO LEVY RAY ALONG B A S F AND PHILLIPS 66.

SO GOING BACK, LET ME GO BACK TO FPV ZERO FOUR.

FPV ZERO FOUR IS MOSTLY LEVY RAY ALONG OYSTER CREEK.

UM, AGAIN, THE HEIGHTS FOR THIS LEVY RAY, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT, AT THE DATA.

WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THE MODELING TO SEE WHAT THE PROPOSED HEIGHT ON, ON THOSE THESE AREAS WILL BE.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S MOSTLY, IT'S MOSTLY LEVY ALONG THE AREA.

UM, NEXT SLIDE THAT I HAVE HERE IS, UH, V D D.

WE'LL BE DOING SOME WORK IN KIND.

SO GOING BACK TO THE FUNDING, UH, THEIR 35% COST SHARE, UM, THEY DO HAVE THE OPTION TO DO SOME OF THAT 35% IN WORKING KIND THEMSELVES, WHICH THEY WILL BE DOING.

UH, SO THERE'S TWO AREAS THEY'LL BE DOING.

UM, THEY'LL BE ADDING TWO THREE ADDITIONAL PUMPING UH, PUMPS TO THE EXISTING PU PUMP STATION AT EAST LEVY RIGHT HERE IN THIS AREA.

AND THEN THE MOFF WALL WORK OVER HERE IN THIS AREA, WHICH WILL BE, UM, REALLY REPLACING SOME FLOOD WELL WITH LEVY.

SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU REFER TO COST SHARE, THAT IS WITH FREEPORT AND THEN THE REST OF IT'S FEDERALLY FUNDED.

IS THAT CORRECT? WITH VELASCO DRAIN? YES, MA'AM.

SO OF THE 704 MILLION IS 35% IS WHAT THEY NEED TO COME UP WITH, COME UP WITH.

AND WHO DETERMINES WHAT'S SUSCEPTIBLE WORK IN KIND TYPE? IS THAT SOME KIND OF MUTUAL AGREEMENT THAT THE TWO PARTIES COME UP WITH? YES, SIR.

YEAH, THEY'LL PROPOSE IT AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT IT.

AND THEN AS THEY'RE DOING IT THROUGH THEIR, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE M WHILE THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, THEY'LL SUBMIT THEIR DESIGNS.

UM, WE HAVE TO APPROVE THEM OR SEND THEM BACK SO THEY CAN DO REDO 'EM AND IN ORDER TO, FOR THEM TO GET WORKING TIME.

UM, LAST PORTION THAT I HAVE HERE IS REALLY JUST SHOWING OUR WEBSITE AND OUR STORY MAP FOR THE PUBLIC.

UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE EVERYBODY THROUGH THERE, UM, AS OUR, AS OUR DESIGN CONTINUES.

AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I HAVE IS I WANT TO, UH, INVITE EVERYBODY TO OUR PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE SECOND FROM FOUR TO SEVEN AT LAKE JACKSON CIVIC CENTER.

UH, THIS WILL BE OUR, OUR FIRST IN-PERSON, UM, OPEN HOUSE.

WE'VE DONE SEVERAL, UM, ONLINE, OPEN HOUSE OR PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.

SO THIS IS OUR FIRST IN-PERSON.

SO AGAIN, I DO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO PLEASE COME, UH, WE'LL HAVE, I'LL BE DOING, GOING OVER THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THEN THERE'LL BE OTHER TABLES WITH MORE MORE DETAILS.

WE'LL HAVE OUR, OUR TECHNICAL SECTION GOING, GOING MORE DETAIL WITH OUR ALIGNMENTS.

WE'LL HAVE OUR REAL ESTATE PERSONNEL AND O O OTHER, OTHER GROUPS FOR, TO BE MORE FACE-TO-FACE AND INC.

AND TALK AND GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THEM.

BUT A LOT OF THE BIG DETAILS JUST HAVEN'T BEEN DETERMINED YET.

LEVY, HIRE GATE, ALL THAT SORT OF THING? CORRECT.

WE'RE STILL, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THAT.

WE HAD SOME NUMBERS AND, BUT JUST THERE WAS ISSUES WITH THEM, UM, JUST BASED ON HOW WE FELT AND COST A LOT OF IT, YOU KNOW, WAS IT IS WITH COST, IT WAS JUST TOO GOING OVER OUR, OUR COST.

SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS, MAKING SURE THAT IT FEEDS THE NEEDS FOR EVERYONE, NON FEDERAL SPONSOR.

AND AT THE SAME TIME IT MEETS FROM THE FEDERAL STANDARD AND AUTHORIZED PROJECT AS WELL.

UM, I'LL START WITH SOME QUESTIONS AND REST OF THE COUNCIL CAN FILL IN.

IS, UH, AGAIN, THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR IS V D D, RIGHT? YES.

VELASCO RANGE DISTRICT.

SO, UM, THAT'S VELASCO, THAT'S THE TAXPAYERS IN VELASCO DRAINAGE DISTRICT WILL BE PICKING UP THE TAB IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WHAT THE WAY THEIR SYSTEM WORKS.

[00:15:01]

SO V D D, HOW MANY RES WHAT'S THE POPULATION IN Y'ALL'S JURISDICTION? DO YOU KNOW? WHAT'S THE IMPACT? I GUESS BASED OFF THE LAST STUDY OF 20, IT'S OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE.

I KNOW A LOT OF US WOULD, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IS FOR TITLE SEARCH, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

SO THE THING THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE BACK A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS IS HARVEY.

SO RIGHT.

FLOODS FROM UP NORTH COMING DOWN AND UH, SO THE CONCERNS IS ONCE YOU START BLOCKING AND RAISING LEVEES AND STUFF, HOW'S THAT GOING TO IMPACT THE, UH, THE NORTHERN FLOODWATERS? HOW DO WE DRAIN? HOW DO WE DRAIN? SO, SO ONE OF THAT'S ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.

UM, OUR MODELING IS WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL SYSTEM OF INTERIOR DRAINAGE.

SO ONE THING IS WHEN NO MATTER HOW HIGH WE BUILD THE LEVY OR ANY FLOOD WALL, WE CANNOT LEAVE THE INTERIOR DRAINAGE WORSE THAN WHAT IT WAS.

EITHER IT STAYS THE SAME, IT STAYING PRODUCING THE SAME OR IMPROVE IT, WE GONNA BLOCK WATER FROM COMING IN.

YOU'RE DEFINITELY GONNA BLOCK THE WATER FROM GOING OUT.

SO YES.

HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA KEEP IT THE SAME? I'M JUST, AND THAT'S TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE HYDRAULICS OF THAT, THE NEW PUMP STATION.

WELL, AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT OUR, OUR ENGINEER, OUR ENGINEERING TEAM LOOKS AT.

I MEAN, IF ANYTHING THAT WE'RE GONNA ADD, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LIFTGATE, WE'RE ADDING THE LIFTGATE.

WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA, IF WE WERE TO ADD THE LIFTGATE IN ORDER TO PREVENT, PREVENT ANY, ANY INTERIOR DRAINAGE FROM RAIN, WE HAVE TO PUT THAT DRAINAGE STRUCTURE, THAT DRAINAGE STRUCTURE ALSO NEEDS TO PERFORM WHERE THE WATER FLOWS CORRECTLY.

AND THEN THAT, THAT'S WHERE THE NEW PUMP STATIONS, THE NEW PUMPS AT THE PUMP STATION COMES IN ALSO TO, TO ASSIST PUMPING THAT WATER OUT.

AND THE NEW FLOODGATE ON THE DOW CANAL IS, WOULD BE PUT IN TO PROTECT PRIMARILY INDUSTRY FIRST.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT, IT'S JUST WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, RIGHT? I MEAN, LOOKING HOW THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WORKS AS A SYSTEM.

UM, SO BASED ON OUR MODELING, I MEAN WE'RE LOO WE'RE, THAT GATE WILL WILL BE AS, AS THE SYSTEM NOW INSTEAD OF THE, THE, THE, THE LEVEES, THE DELBAR LEVEES.

SO BEFORE OR CURRENTLY THE, THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS IS IT USES THESE LEVEES RIGHT, TO PROTECT NOW THE GATE, AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO PUT THAT GATE IN, I MEAN, IT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED, THE GATE WILL BE THE ONE TO BE WORKING.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, THAT Y'ALL ARE, THAT THERE MAY BE A THOUGHT THAT THOSE LEVEES ALONG THE DOW CANAL MAY BE TOO LOW.

AND, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

IF WE DON'T PUT THE GATE, WE WILL NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE LEVEES, UM, MAYBE RAISE SOME OF THEM, NOT ALL OF 'EM.

UM, I MEAN THAT, THAT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT OUR, OUR TEAM IS LOOKING AT.

JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, WHEN YOU'RE, THESE TYPE OF STUDIES, I'M NOT REAL FAMILIAR WITH 'EM, BUT WE'RE HEAVILY IMPACTED, LIKE DURING HARVEY AND WHATNOT, WE'RE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY WHATEVER CONSTRUCTION IS GOING ON UP NORTH THAT CHANGES OUR DRAINAGE AND OUR FLOW AND HOW MUCH WATER WE GET DOWN HERE.

SO IN YOUR STUDIES, HOW MUCH DO YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION? UM, AND HOW FAR UP DO YOU GO? THAT I I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THAT CONVERSATION.

I MEAN, IS IT MEANT JUST FOR THE CERTAIN AMOUNT OR SO, SO THE WAY, THE WAY OUR MODELING WORKS FROM THE PUMP STATION PERSPECTIVE MM-HMM.

IS, I MEAN, WE, AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A COASTAL STORM RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT.

I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS FROM HAVING FROM, FROM HARVEY.

UM, SO, AND THE FACT THAT THIS PROJECT DID GET FUNDED AFTER HARVEY, BUT I MEAN, THIS, THIS PROJECT IS A COASTAL STORM.

AND AGAIN, I WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT ANY, ANY LEVEES THAT WE BUILT, NO MATTER THE HEIGHT OR THE FLOOD WALL, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE ANY OF THE INTERIOR DRAINAGE.

WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT WORSE.

I MEAN, THAT, THAT'LL BE AGAINST THE LAW FOR US.

I, I, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T, I KNOW I PROBABLY DIDN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

UM, BUT I, I WILL NEED TO CHECK WITH OUR TECHNICAL FOLKS TO SEE WHAT IN DETAIL WE LOOK CUZ WE DO DIFFERENT, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODELS.

AND NOT REACTIVE THAT THAT'S WHAT OUR PROJECTS ARE FOR.

JUST WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING YOUR PUMP STATIONS, DO THEY ANTICIPATE GROWTH IS REALLY MY QUESTION? OR WILL IT JUST HANDLE THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW? THAT'S, SO WE ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THE FUTURE MM-HMM.

, UM, OUR MODELING, IT DOESN'T ONLY, WE DON'T ONLY USE THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION.

WE USE SYNTHETIC INFORMATION TO, TO BE, UH, PROACTIVE TOWARDS THE FUTURE

[00:20:01]

SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN EVEN THOUGH YOU WANT TO BE NET BALANCE ZERO, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE RAISING WHATEVER YOU'RE GONNA DO.

BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO PLAN AHEAD TO MAKE IT NET POSITIVE FOR THE FLOWS.

LIKE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED DURING HARVEY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? I MEAN, THERE WILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU'RE DESIGNING SOMETHING TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY, PUMPING CAPACITY OR WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP WITH THAT SITUATION.

SHOULD IT OCCUR AGAIN.

WHAT SIZE OF STORM ARE YOU DESIGNING FOR CAT FOUR THREE THERE, THERE'S NO SPECIFIC STORM THAT, THAT WE DESIGN FOR.

JUST THE, THE WAY OUR MODERN LEAGUE WORKS IS IT USES ONE OVER 500 DIFFERENT TYPES OF STORMS FROM ALL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

FROM A ONE ALL THE WAY TO A FIVE.

I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE A MODEL THAT COULD SHOW THE OLD TIMERS AND I INCLUDE MYSELF IN THAT OF CARLA? WE DO.

SO WITH THE EXISTING SYSTEM, WHAT CARLA WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND THEN WITH YOUR NEW DESIGN, WHAT CARLA WOULD IT OKAY.

WE, WE DO, WE DO HAVE THOSE NICE TOOLS AND UM, I'M PRETTY, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT AND LET, LET ME DOUBLE CHECK WITH OUR TECHNICAL TEAM, SEE IF WE CAN HAVE THAT AT OUR, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A GOOD REFERENCE POINT FOR PUBLIC COMING IN.

I MEAN YES.

AND WE'VE HAD THAT BEFORE AND, AND OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS, SO YEAH, WE DON'T WANNA IN THAT NEW ORLEANS.

NO, THAT'S COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND I THINK WHAT WE'RE ALL SAYING.

YOU SAID YOU, YOU, YOU DID A STUDY, YOU SAID THE SABINE PASS AND THE NAME OF THE STUDY WAS SUBPOENA SABINE PASS TO GALVESTON, WHICH IT INCLUDED FREEPORT, PORT ARTHUR, AND, AND, UH, ORANGE.

BUT ALSO, UH, THEY, I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE DID A LITTLE BIT MORE STUDY AND BROUGHT THE ST.

BERNARD IN, BECAUSE OUR LAST FLOOD, IT ALSO, THE ST.

BERNARD CAME OVER INTO THE BRAS AND IT HAD FLOODED OVER AND IT PUSHED WATER OVER AND, AND IT CAUSED FLOODING TOO.

AND, AND DID Y'ALL LOOK INTO THAT PROBLEM? BUT, BUT WAS THAT FROM A RAIN EVENT? UH, IT WAS FROM, IT WAS FROM THE LAST STORM THAT WE HAD.

SO IT WAS HAR LAST FROM, FROM, SO THIS, THIS STUDY, THIS STUDY WAS A RESULT FROM IKE.

SO IT'LL BE TWO, IT'LL BE COMPLETELY TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT STUDIES STILL.

SO THEIR STUDY, THEIR STUDY IS A, IS SURGE.

SO WHAT YOU'RE PROTECTING FROM, AND AGAIN, WHAT OUR CONCERNS MOST RECENT CONCERN IS A RAIN EVENT NORTH OF US RIGHT.

CAUSING THE FLOODING, WHICH YOUR STUDY DOESN'T LOOK AT.

TAKE MAY TAKE SOME OF IT INTO ACCOUNT, BUT IT, IT, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T LOOK IN THAT BECAUSE IT, IT'S TWO, IT'S TWO SEPARATE AUTHORITIES.

SO IF THIS PROJECT WOULD GO FORWARD, AND YOU SAID IT'S GONNA BE COMPLETED IN, YOU SAID 2028, APPROXIMATELY 2028.

YES SIR.

SO IS THAT THIS PROJECT IS A PRECURSOR TO THE IKE D**E THAT'S GONNA GO IN GALVESTON AND BK OR IT, IT'S COMPLETELY TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS.

BUT TO LOOK AT MY ORIGINAL SLIDE, UM, IT IT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT TO, TO WORK TOGETHER AS A, AGAIN, SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS. SO, SO WHAT YOU CALL THE , WHICH IS A TEXAS COASTAL IS, IS RIGHT HERE IN THIS AREA.

AND THE T WALLS, THOSE WOULD BE IN PLACE OF PUTTING IN MORE LEVY OR WHERE WOULD, WHAT WOULD T WALLS BEFORE? IT'LL BE IN WHEREVER WE FEEL THE A SECTION WHERE WE NEED TO PUT A FLOOD WALL.

IT WOULD EITHER IMPROVING THE CURRENT, UH, IWA THAT'S THERE OR IN, OR PUTTING A TWA.

IT'S APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES OF, OF IOWA.

A COMBINATION OF IOWAS AND TWA.

AND DO YOU HAVE THE LOCATIONS OF THE, UH, PRIVATE ROAD CLOSURES WHERE THOSE WOULD BE AT OR, SO UNFORTUNATELY THE MAP, YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE THEM, BUT WE DO, WE DO HAVE THOSE AREAS.

AND, AND AGAIN, AT THE OPEN HOUSE WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT BETTER.

UM, CUZ RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT GONNA APOLOGIZE.

IT'S NOT VERY EASY ON THE ICE.

JUST SO YOU HAD A QUESTION.

OUR IN-KIND COSTS WOULD BE 249 MILLION, I MEAN 12 MILLION APPROXIMATELY.

ED EDWARD, CAN YOU GO TO THE PROJECT FUNDING SLIDE? I HAD A QUESTION ACTUALLY FOR V D D CHRIS, CAN YOU TELL ME ON THE PORTION IS THE, IF THE FUNDING OR THE PROJECT COST STAYED LIKE IT IS ON THE V D D UM, PORTION, UM, HOW MUCH DO YOU ANTICIPATE IS GOING TO BE PROJECTS IN KIND PROJECTS IN KIND ABOUT 12? CHRIS, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO COME UP SO WE CAN RECORD YOUR COMMENTS.

I'M SORRY.

[00:25:06]

THAT'S OUR PUMP STATION.

AND UH, A TOTAL COST IN THE PROJECT WOULD BE 249 MILLION.

SO WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THAT AMOUNT.

AND THOSE LINES HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED YET OR HAVE THEY? NO, NO, WE HAVEN'T.

SO JUST, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, I MEAN, SOME OF THE RE SCOPING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, WE DO FEEL THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS.

I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER YET.

UM, BUT WE FEEL THAT FROM THE 703 MILLION, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRETTY NICE SIGNIFICANT OF SAVINGS, WHICH WILL REDUCE THEIR, THEIR 246 MILLION AS WELL.

CAN YOU KEEP YOUR SIDE THE SAME AND REDUCE THEIRS? , I THINK GET THE SAME WAY.

SO I DO, WHEN YOU SAY SIGNIFICANT, I MEAN YOU'RE SAYING A 50%, I MEAN, OR IS UM, I MEAN, ARE YOU, I MEAN, IS WON'T BE 50%? UM, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER, BUT I MEAN, JUST, JUST WITH THE, IF WE, IF WE GO WITH NO LIFTGATE, I MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE SAVING AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY 80 TO A HUNDRED MILLION RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN WHEN SOME OF THE, WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE DOING WITH, WITH THE LEVEE RAYS AND WITH THE IWAS AND TWA S THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD CHUNK.

SO AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO RECORD MYSELF BY SAYING A NUMBER AND NO.

WHICH I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE IT.

I MEAN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

SO A AS SOON AS WE DO HAVE THAT ESTIMATE, I MEAN, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY.

BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT A REDUCTION VERSUS, UH, YES SIR.

NEEDING MORE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? NOT APPRECIATE IT.

UH, AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS AND SO WE'LL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR, UH, UH, PRESENTATION ON THE FEBRUARY THE SECOND.

AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS THERE ON FEBRUARY 2ND.

AND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, CONCERNS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME YEAH.

ON ANY KIND OF COMMUNICATION Y'ALL DO ON THE PROMOTING THAT, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE CAN PROBABLY HELP GET THE WORD OUT TOO WITH THANK YOU, SIR.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO ON PRESENTATIONS.

AND WE HAVE THE MITIGATION METHOD FOR DIS OF DISTRIBUTION AND PROJECT SUBMITTAL.

MILFORD.

GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A QUICK UPDATE ON, UM, OUR HAZARD MITIGATION PROJECT SUBMITTAL THROUGH THE G O.

UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND.

THIS IS THE, THIS IS, WE WENT THROUGH THE THIRD PARTY, RIGHT? YES.

TO YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

UM, WITH THE BACKGROUND BACK ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, THEY APPROVED THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL'S METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION, UM, TO ALLOCATE THESE C D B G UM, PROGRAM FUNDS.

AND LAKE JACKSON WAS ALLOCATED LITTLE OVER 2.1 MILLION.

UM, THIS WAS A NON-COMPETITIVE GRANT.

UM, BACK IN NOVEMBER WE CAME TO YOU WITH, UH, LANGFORD AND JUDY LANGFORD CAME IN AND PRESENTED TO YOU AND YOU APPROVED, UH, LANGFORD COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.

UM, THE DETAILS OF THE PROJECT THAT WE USED CAME FROM THE FRIES AND NICKELS 2019 EACH SIDE DRAINAGE STUDY.

UM, AND WE DECIDED TO USE, UH, A COUPLE OF PROJECT DETAILS FROM THERE ON THE EAST SIDE TO, UM, WIDEN THE SLOPE, THE PAV DITCH UP STREET FROM NORTH CENTER WAY TO DIXIE DRIVE, UM, THE MAIN DITCH BEHIND PINE STREET, THOSE HOMES BEHIND THERE AND HAVE SOME UPSIZING OF CULVERTS AND REPLACING OF STREET PAVEMENTS ALONGSIDE THAT DITCH, UM, NORTH CENTER WAY, MULBERRY, FOREST OAKS AND DIXIE DRIVE.

AND THEN THERE WAS, UH, BY THE RAS BAND, UM, SORRY, THE BOYLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE DRAINAGE CONVEYANCE IMPROVEMENTS TO UPSIDE THE CULVERTS THERE FROM ASHLAND TO SYCAMORE.

UM, HERE'S THE MAP.

THIS IS NOT THE MOST DETAILED, BUT ESSENTIALLY THIS IS THE DITCH THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO WIDEN AND SLOPE AND TO UPSIDE THE CULVERTS ALONG THERE.

AND THEN HERE'S THE OTHER, UM, ALTERNATE, UH, CULVERT THERE FOR UPSIZING.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WENT WITH.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE, UH, PROJECTS THAT WAS NOTIFIED, UM, DURING THAT EAST SIDE, DURING THETA THAT FREEZ NICOLE STATE BACK IN 2019.

MELFORD, IF YOU COULD BACK UP

[00:30:01]

JUST A SECOND.

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS DISCUSSION IS THE, AGAIN, YOU SAID THE FUNDING WAS, UH, FUNDING WAS IDENTIFIED FOR US, BUT WASN'T COMPETITIVE, BUT WE HAD TO SHOW PROJECTS THAT THAT COULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

AND THE REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR PROJECTS FOR THIS FUNDS.

OH, YES, YES.

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

UH, THIS WOULD BE, UH, DRAINAGE MITIGATION AND HALF OF THE, UM, AT LEAST HALF OF THE, UH, AREA AFFECTED WOULD HAVE TO BE FROM AN AREA MEDIAN INCOME BELOW 50%.

AND SO GOING TO THIS MAP, WHAT WE HIGHLIGHTED WAS THE, THE AREA ALL AROUND HERE, UM, WHICH, WHICH SAYS COVERS, FITS INTO THAT CRITERIA.

AND THE IMPORTANT IS JUST TO HAVE YOU STATE THAT IS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WELL, WHY ARE THEY DOING A PROJECT THERE WHEN THEY'RE ON HAVING AN ISSUE OVER HERE? YES.

AND SO THE FUNDS ARE RESTRICTED ON HOW, ON, ON THE PROJECT.

AS FAR AS PROJECTS GO.

AND, AND JUST TO, AGAIN, TO STATE NOT THE ENTIRE AREA AFFECTED HAS TO HIT THAT CRITERIA JUST AT LEAST HALF OF IT.

SO WORKING WITH LANGFORD, UM, OUR CONTACT, UH, JILL FINNEY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE PROJECT APPLICATION SUBMITTED ON THE DEADLINE OF JANUARY 9TH, LAST MONDAY.

I MADE THAT IN TIME.

UM, I'M HERE TO YOU TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS PROJECT.

TOMORROW WE WILL REVIEW A STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING FIRMS. WE SENT OUT AN RFQ LAST MONTH AND WE GOT SIX CENTURIES.

WE NEED TO NARROW IT DOWN SO WE CAN DO THE ENGINEERING, UM, FOR THIS PROJECT THAT WE HAVE HERE.

AND WE WILL RETURN BACK TO YOU, UM, WHEN NEEDED FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF THAT CONTRACT AT A LATER DATE, I SPOKE WITH OUR CONTACT JILL FINNEY WITH LANGFORD, AND SHE INFORMED ME THAT WITHIN TWO TO THREE MONTHS, USUALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT WE WILL THEN GET A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM THE G O HERSELF.

AND THAT IS BASED OFF OF HER PRIOR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES ON PROJECTS OF THIS NATURE.

AND ALSO HER EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE GLO ON THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE HER CURRENT ROLE.

UM, THAT IS ALL I PERSONALLY HAVE.

IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED FROM A MORE TECHNICAL BASIS, WE HAVE OUR ENGINEERING STAFF HERE.

OBVIOUSLY, ATHELSTON IS MORE WELL VERSED IN THIS THAN I AM, AS I AM ONE OF THE RARE VIRGINIA TECH STUDENTS WHO TOOK ZERO ENGINEERING CLASSES.

, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.

GOOD JOB.

THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.

NO PROBLEM.

I'M, WE LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD AND MORE UPDATES.

LITTLE PAT ON OUR BACKS FOR THE WORK THAT WE PUT IN, AND IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE ALL PARTAKE IN, YOU GUYS INCLUDED.

SO WE MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM THREE, UH, GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS, UH, ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING AND DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD.

THAT'S A LOT.

IT'S GOTTA BE A BIG PLAQUE.

I HAVE ALL THOSE WORDS ON IT.

I THINK IT'S A BUTTON.

IT'S A BUTTON.

IT'S JUST A BUTTON.

NOW, UM, WE'VE HAD THE PLAQUE AND, UM, YOU GET TO A CERTAIN POINT WHERE THEY JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BUTTON TO ADD EVERY YEAR.

DO THEY SEND THE GLUE TO STICK IT TO IT? .

UM, JUST AS A BACKGROUND FOR THOSE YOU, YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, UH, THE G F O A AKA THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, UM, THEY ESTABLISHED THE DISTINGUISHED PU PRESENTATION AWARDS PROGRAM BACK IN 1984 TO ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PREPARE BUDGET DOCUMENTS OF THE VERY HIGHEST QUALITY THAT REFLECT BOTH THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON STATE AND LOCAL BUDGETING AND THE G F OAS ZONE BEST PRACTICES ON BUDGETING.

THEN TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUAL GOVERNMENTS THAT SUCCEED IN ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.

UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR 31ST AWARD, SO, UM, GREAT.

IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE HOLD A HIGHER STANDARD TO.

UM, THE CITY MANAGER, ONE OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCTS THAT THEY CAN GIVE TO YOU WAS THIS COUNCIL ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOCUMENT.

AND SO TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENT ADHERED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES IS DEFINITELY, UM, AN HONOR THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, DO NOT TAKE VERY LIGHTLY, YOU KNOW, AND JUST OUR ENTIRE STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB BETWEEN THE DESO, MEGAN OR MARIE WITH THE DESIGN.

OH, THANKS.

UM, JAMES AND TONY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.

UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND STAFF.

UM, AND IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY TAKE PRIDE IN MY BUDGET.

MY BACKGROUND IS IN BUDGETING, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK AND SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A

[00:35:01]

SO THIS IS AN AWARD THAT IS JUST FOR YOU AS MUCH AS IT IS FOR US.

WELL, THANKS.

AND THAT'S GREAT.

UH, YOUR PRESENTATION WAS REAL GOOD.

AND, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US KNOW, AND A LOT OF RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW, BUT WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PERIOD, YOU LI YOU LIVE UP HERE AND, UH, IT SHOWS THROUGH ALL THE WORK THAT, UH, AND, AND WHAT WE SEE IN THE BUDGET AND HOW WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I THINK WE CAN ALL PRIDE OURSELVES ON IS, IS THAT, UH, WHEN THE BUDGET TIME COMES, WE, IT'S NOT JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

WE BASICALLY WORK ON IT YEAR ROUND.

AND, UH, WE'LL BE STARTING IT AGAIN DURING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT'S COMING UP.

BUT, UH, ALL THAT LEADS INTO THE WORK THAT'S HANDED OVER TO YOU TO PUT IT DOWN IN PAPER AND MAKE THE NUMBERS OR WORK WITH THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO WORK WITH, TO GET THE NUMBERS THAT COME OUT.

AND SO, UH, AGAIN, YOUR YOUR EFFORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

AND, UH, I REMEMBER WHENEVER MODESTO WAS TALKING ABOUT HIRING YOU WAS THAT HE WAS SAYING THAT YOUR EXPERTISE WAS IN BUDGETS.

SO I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, SEEING WHAT YOU COULD BRING TO THE TABLE.

AND SO FAR, I, I THINK COUNCIL'S VERY, UH, HAPPY WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING TO THE TABLE.

WELL, THANK YOU.

UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO MAKE IT INCREMENTAL EVERY YEAR TO JUST DO WHAT WE CAN TO TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER WITH THE DOCUMENT, UM, EACH YEAR AND THAT, THAT WE PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH THAT.

AND HOW MANY PAGES WERE WE ABLE TO CUT OUT OF THE BUDGET, UH, THIS YEAR? OOH.

UM, WE DEFINITELY HAD A HUNDRED.

LIKE, I MEAN, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE SLICED OFF A LOT, BUT STILL MADE SURE TO GET THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS THERE TO NOT ONLY FOR THE AWARD, BUT TO MAKE IT MORE READABLE, MORE USER FRIENDLY, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE A DOCUMENT THAT IS OF THAT VALUE.

MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, ANOTHER THING IS WHENEVER PEOPLE TALK TO ME, WHEN I DO GET QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT AND EVERYTHING, AND, AND I START TELLING PEOPLE THAT WE'RE IN DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND, AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE TO GO TO THE MANAGER'S LETTER LETTER, AND IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.

AND, UH, AGAIN, Y'ALL HAVE SHORTENED IT DOWN FROM WHAT, UH, BILL'S THESIS TO, UH, MODESTO'S, UH, CLIFF NOTES.

I'LL GET LONGER OVER TIME.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I STILL GO BACK TO, BILL'S LETTERS, LIKE, UH, I WAS LIKE, OH, I WISH I WOULD'VE BEEN MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, YEAH.

EXCESSIVE IN MY WORDS.

UH, SO HE, HE WAS A, HE WAS A DICTIONARY IN THAT REGARD.

BUT AGAIN, THE GOOD THING IS IT'S A GOOD DI AGAIN, IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO START TO GET A FEELING FOR WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET AND WHERE WE GOT, HOW WE GOT WHERE WE'RE AT, AND THEN WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING GOING FORWARD THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.

AND IF THEY WANT TO DEAL, DIG INTO THE DETAILS WITHIN THE, Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN THE A HUNDRED PAGES OR WHATEVER YOU TOOK OUT OF IT, YOU'VE MADE IT A LOT SIMPLER FOR PEOPLE TO DIG IN AND FIND THE INFORMATION.

SO IT'S ALL POSITIVE STUFF.

SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S VERY REASONABLE THAT, UH, WE DID RECEIVE THIS REWARD, THIS AWARD AGAIN AND AGAIN, UH, I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND THE REST OF STAFF DOES ON IT.

SO RE REMOVING THE PAGES, YOU DID NOT REMOVE THE TRANSPARENCY.

SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE GREATEST PART.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART.

THAT IS GREAT.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE TRANSPARENCY IN.

WE STILL, I KNOW THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE LINE ITEMS HERE BY CHARTER.

WE WILL STILL HAVE THAT IN FOR YOU.

SO IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE DETAIL, YOU CAN APPRECIATE THAT.

SO, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL TO DECLARE ANY, IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT WITH, OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEM, EITHER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR THE REGULAR AGENDA.

DOES ANYONE EVER ANYONE HAVE A CONFLICT TO DECLARE NOT HEARING? SO WE'LL

[CONSENT AGENDA ]

ITEM ONE IS APPROVED, UH, APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR JANUARY 3RD, 2023.

UH, ITEM TWO IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2262, AMENDING CHAPTER 90 SUBDIVISIONS, UH, TO MAKE CLEAR, UH, CUTTING A SEPARATE OFFENSE AND TO PROVIDE FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR UNAUTHORIZED TREE REMOVAL FOR ALL PROPERTIES EXCEPT PLOTTED RESIDENTIAL LOTS.

SECOND READING, ITEM THREE IS APPROVE ASSESSMENT FORFEITURE REPORT, UH, FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND ITEM FOUR IS AUTHORIZED CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACT WITH GOMEZ FLOORING, COVERING FLOORING COVERING THROUGH THE BUYBOARD, UH, FOR REPLACEMENT OF FLOORING WALL CARPET, UH, AT THE CIVIC CENTER, UH, PLAZA ROOMS, AND JASMINE HALL NOT TO EXCEED $64,000 AS BUDGETED.

IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M HEARING ANY, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MR. MAYOR, I'M MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4 AS PRESENTED.

FROM COUNCILMAN ZK, SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION

[00:40:01]

SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN BAKER.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSE? ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON

[1. Consider request to close a portion of Circle Way in front of Bodega for a car show on Saturday, January 28, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Kent Devine ]

TO REGULAR AGENDA.

WE HAVE, UH, THERE'S A CORRECTION ON THIS ONE ALSO, UH, ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, IT'S THE CONSIDERED REQUEST TO CLOSE A PORTION OF CIRCLE WAY IN FRONT OF BODEGA, UH, FOR A CAR SHOW ON SATURDAY, FRIDAY.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FRIDAY, FRIDAY, UH, JANUARY THE 27TH FROM FOUR TO 10:00 PM KEN? YES, SIR.

THANK Y'ALL.

COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, MY NAME IS KENT DEVINE WITH BODEGA IN DOWNTOWN LAKE JACKSON.

UH, I RECENTLY SPOKE TO Y'ALL ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.

MY LAST EVENT WAS NOVEMBER 5TH, SO WE SPOKE IN OCTOBER.

UM, WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING ABOUT THE SAME EVENT.

UH, WE'RE SEEKING TO CLOSE THE ROAD JUST TO HAVE SOME PLACE TO PARK THE CARS FOR THAT EVENING.

UM, AGAIN, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, I KNOW IT MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

UH, AND IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, I CAN NOW LOOK AT MY PHONE AND TELL YOU ALL, I'M LIKE, IF WE'RE LOOKING FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT AND WHAT THE CITY DOES HAVE TO BENEFIT, UH, FROM THIS EVENT.

UM, LAST TIME WE HAD THE EVENT, IT WAS THE WORLD SERIES, SO I THINK EVERYBODY WAS A LITTLE BIT AT HOME.

UM, BUT EVEN WITH THE WORLD SERIES GOING ON, THE CARS SHOW THAT SATURDAY DID PRODUCE ABOUT 30 TO 40% OF OUR SALES OF THE ENTIRE WEEK OF FIVE AND A HALF DAYS.

WE WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE FOR THAT SATURDAY.

UM, SO THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY BEING SPENT, PEOPLE BEING HERE AND, AND TAXES BEING COLLECTED FOR THESE EVENTS.

SO, OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS? COUNSEL, ARE YOU GOING TO PHYSICALLY BLOCK THE ROAD? UH, YES.

WE WOULD PHYSICALLY BLOCK THE ROAD FROM CARS PASSING AGAIN, JUST FOR A SAFETY STANDPOINT.

HEY, J WITH THE PD LIKE YOU DID LAST TIME WITH THE MM-HMM.

, THAT'S WHAT, UH, YOU'RE SAYING WITH THE ROADBLOCKS? YES.

RIGHT? YES, SIR.

SO AS FAR THE PHYSICAL ROADBLOCKS WE'RE UP PUTTING 'EM UP AND TAKE HIM DOWN.

WE'LL PUT 'EM UP, WE'LL GET A, UH, WE'RE GONNA SEND, WE'LL SEE IF COUNSEL APPROVES, WE'LL SEND KEN A LITTLE FORM FOR US TO FILL OUT WHERE IT HAS HIS CONTACT INFORMATION AND STUFF.

AND THEN WE'LL PUT THE ROADBLOCKS THERE PROBABLY ON A, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY MORNING.

AND THEN THEY'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING IT, THEY'RE PUTTING HIM OUT AT PUTTING HIM UP AND TAKING THEM DOWN SO THEY'RE PHYSICALLY PUTTING HIM UP AND THEN WE PICK HIM UP ON MONDAY.

CAN I DO, HAD A QUESTION? DID HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONCERNS OR ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY FROM ANY OF THE OTHER SURROUNDING BUSINESSES ON CLINTON ROAD? UM, I SPOKE TO BACKYARD PATIO IN THE LOCAL.

UM, WE'RE UNDERSTANDING AND FINE WITH IT.

UM, LOCALS LESS AFFECTED BACKYARD PATIO LIKES THE INCREASE OF BUSINESS IN THE FOOT TRAFFIC OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO COME OVER.

UH, TABLE 24, I TALKED TO TODD, HE WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE.

HE JUST SAID, LEAVE THE OTHER SIDE OPEN.

AND I SAID, OF COURSE.

I'M LIKE, WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER THAT.

UH, I'M LIKE, IT'S JUST PARKING IN THAT AREA'S DIFFICULT AS WE KNOW, BUT, UH, HE UNDERSTANDS WE ALL GOTTA DO WHAT WE CAN.

AND THEN CHAMPAIGN IS CLOSED, CHAMPAGNE IS CLOSED.

LAKE JACKSON FLOWERS RESCUES IS CLOSED.

AND LAKE JACKSON FLOWERS.

AND THEN RAW HAYES ACROSS THE STREET, THEY, ROYAL HAYES, THEY SHOULD BE FINE.

ALL OF THEIR PARKING ON THE SIDE OF THAT ROAD SHOULDN'T BE TOO IMPACTED JUST BECAUSE OF THE DIRT IN BETWEEN.

AND OUR CITY ENGINEER INFORMED MEGAN AND I TODAY THAT THEY ANTICIPATE THAT THAT PORTION OF, THAT WAY THAT ACROSS FROM THE LOCAL WILL MOST LIKELY WILL BE OPEN, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME THIS CAR IT IS THERE.

SO THAT'LL HELP.

IT'S LIKE TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, RIGHT? TWO WEEKS FROM, YEAH.

SO THAT'LL HELP A LITTLE, THAT'LL PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE PARKING.

? MM-HMM.

CHIEF, YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN? NO.

IF THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, TAKE A MOTION.

THIS ITEM, MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO GRANT THE REQUEST TO CLOSE A PORTION OF CIRQUE IN FRONT OF BODEGA FOR CAR SHOW AND FRIDAY, JANUARY 27TH, 2023 FROM 4:00 PM TO 10:00 PM OKAY.

DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ITEM TWO IS DISCUSS AND CONSIDER AMENDMENT TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH S B C A TO EXTEND THE TERM FOR ONE YEAR, MEGAN? UH, YES.

I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SETH, AND SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN SINNIA.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSE? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

[2. Discuss and consider an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the SPCA to extend the term for one year – Meagan Borth ]

GOOD EVENING.

SO, AS YOU'RE AWARE, UM, THE ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY THAT'S BEING BUILT IS GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

UH, I DO HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON THAT SCHEDULE AS WELL.

BUT THIS AGENDA ITEM SPECIFICALLY IS FOR US TO EXTEND OUR CURRENT ANIMAL

[00:45:01]

CONTROL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE SPCA, UH, FOR ANOTHER GEAR ON TOP OF OUR CURRENT TERMS. SO, UH, THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, GLUTEN, FREEPORT, HAVE AGREED TO THIS AS WELL.

UH, THEY'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH SPCA ABOUT EXTENDING FOR A YEAR, SO WE WOULD JUST DO THE SAME.

UM, AND THEN AT THAT POINT, AFTER A YEAR'S UP, WE WOULD LOOK AT EITHER GOING MONTH TO MONTH.

IF FOR SOME REASON THE FACILITY ISN'T COMPLETE AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD BRING JUST ANOTHER AMENDMENT TO YOU.

UM, OR IF THE FACILITY IS BUILT AT THAT POINT, THE CONTRACT WOULD JUST BE, I GUESS, ERASED.

UM, AND WE WOULD TAKE OVER THAT, UH, SERVICE AT THAT POINT.

SO THIS IS JUST TO PUT IN WRITING WHAT WE PLAN TO DO ANYWAYS.

SO WHAT DOES THIS DATE? FIFTH AND TWO, WHAT DATE? UH, THIS, IT'LL BE MARCH 1ST.

2020 FOURTH.

SORRY, IS IT, IS IT A REASON THEY JUST BEHIND ON GETTING MATERIAL OR IS IT JUST NO, SIR.

UM, SO WE HAD TO, UH, DENY OR REJECT ALL OF THE BIDS.

, UH, THE LAST TIME, IF YOU REMEMBER, THE TWO BIDS THAT CAME IN FOR THE ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER BUDGET.

BECAUSE OF A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING BY OUR CONTRACTORS, UM, OF MATERIALS AND THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO.

SO WE REJECTED ALL THOSE BIDS.

WE ACTUALLY ARE GOING OUT FOR A REBID AT THIS POINT.

SO AN UPDATE, UH, ADVERTISEMENT BEGAN JANUARY 15TH.

SO RECENTLY WE WILL OPEN BIDS ON FEBRUARY 22ND AND THEN COUNSEL, YOU WILL SEE KIND OF WHAT THAT PRODUCES, UM, THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH.

SO WE'RE HOPING AT THAT POINT WE'LL BE READY TO MOVE FORWARD.

UH, I DO ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR, SO THIS SHOULD PUT US PRETTY GOOD ON SCHEDULE.

UH, CUZ I'M GIVING 'EM A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.

I THINK OUR ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS FOR CONSTRUCTION.

I'M GIVING THEM SOME ROOM FOR ERROR AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS DURING CONSTRUCTION.

SO, UM, I THINK THAT THIS MARCH 1ST EXTENSION WILL GET US TO THE FACILITY BEING OPEN OR AT LEAST VERY CLOSE.

UM, YES SIR.

SO WHAT IS THE, UH, COST? UH, THERE IS NO COST.

IT WILL JUST BE THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE BUDGET EVERY YEAR.

SO THE BUDGET AMOUNT WILL STILL STAY THE SAME? YES, SIR.

IS THAT WHAT I'M ASKING? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.

THERE'S NO INCREASE, NO DECREASE.

THE OTHER THING I GUESS IS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE GO MARCH 1ST, 2024, WE'RE STILL NOT READY TO MOVE IN.

AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING MONTH TO MONTH.

I THINK WE NEED TO BE FAIR WITH THEM AND GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE NOTICE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO WORK IN, DECIDE IF WE WANNA DO A, YOU KNOW, 60 DAY NOTICE, 90 DAY NOTICE OR WHATEVER SO THAT THEY CAN BE PREPARED FOR THE TRANSITION AND STUFF.

UH, AGAIN, WE ALL, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, BUT I I THINK THEY WOULD, IT'D BE FAIR FOR EVERYBODY TO PUT IT DOWN IN WRITING IN THE, IN THE DOCUMENT OF WHAT THE, UH, WHAT KIND OF NOTICE WOULD WE GIVE THEM.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS ONE? OKAY, SO THE CONTRACT IS FOR A DEFINITE ONE YEAR CONTRACT.

AND SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WANT A TERMINATION WHEN WE GO TO THE MONTH TO MONTH TO GIVE THEM END? IF WE GO, IF WE GO OVER THE ONE YEAR MM-HMM.

, THEN IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN EVERGREEN.

AND SO THEN WE WOULD HAVE A, A, A PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE'D GIVE NOTIFICATION.

SO IF WE DON'T TERMINATE BY MARCH 1ST, 2024, WE CAN PUT IN THAT, UM, WE'LL GIVE 60 DAYS NOTICE BEFORE TERMINATION.

I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE BEFORE I READ INTO EXTEND MONTHLY INSTEAD OF YEARLY.

SO YEAH, I JUST, YEAH, WELL IT, YEAH.

MONTH TO MONTH IS JUST A LITTLE VAGUE FOR ME.

I THINK IT'S JUST FAIR TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY IT'S 60 DAYS OR 90 DAYS OR WHATEVER.

EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? THERE'S NO OTHER ACTION ON THAT IF IS THERE, HAVE TO APPROVE THE, HUH? THE AMENDMENT CORRECT.

SHERIFF, WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET.

I'LL BRING IT BACK.

THERE'S NO AMENDMENT IS THERE? YES SIR.

THERE'S JUST A, IT'S, THAT'S, YES.

I MEAN IT DOESN'T HAVE YOUR THE CHANGE.

IT DOESN'T HAVE THE CHANGE.

SO, SO ARE WE OKAY.

I MEAN, IS THERE A RUSH TO DO THIS? NO, NO SIR.

BECAUSE I'D RATHER HAVE THE FINAL DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF US LIKE WE ALWAYS DO.

YES SIR.

WE CAN BRING IT BACK.

MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE IS QUARTERLY INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL REPORT.

THIS OKAY WITH Y'ALL? YEP.

[3. Quarterly Investment and Financial Report – James Bryson ]

JAMES? YES SIR.

ENLIGHTEN US ALL.

GOOD EVENING, MARION COUNCIL, HOW ARE Y'ALL THIS EVENING? GREAT.

I THOUGHT THE CROWD WAS FOR ME, BUT IT TURNED OUT IT'S FOR THE ARMY CORPS .

[00:50:01]

YOUR COUNCIL PACKET SHOULD HAVE A COLLAGE OF INVESTMENT REPORTS AND, AND FINANCIALS FOR YOU.

AND, UM, I WILL GO THROUGH JUST SOME BROAD STROKES ON THESE WITH REGARD TO YOUR MONTHLY INVESTMENT REPORT.

YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PRIOR QUARTER, YOU'RE UP ALMOST $10 MILLION.

SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT'S A $6 MILLION, UM, BOND FOR THE UTILITY FUND THAT FUNDED IN DECEMBER.

AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEPOSITED INTO YOUR TECHSTAR ACCOUNT.

THE NET OUT OF THAT 6 MILLION IS, UM, DRAW DOWN FOR THE, THE, UH, DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND FOR THE, UH, PARK PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN FUNDING, UM, THE INCREASE IN YOUR TECH POOL ACCOUNT IS FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAXES THAT WE'VE COLLECTED.

WE TRY NOT TO PUT MORE THAN, UM, ABOUT $12 MILLION IN THE OPERATING ACCOUNT, WHICH IS FIRST NATIONAL, UH, BECAUSE OF COLLATERALIZATION REQUIREMENTS.

SO ANYTIME WE GET HIGH ON THE NATIONAL FIRST NATIONAL ACCOUNT, WE MOVE THAT MONEY INTO THE TAX TAX POOL ACCOUNT.

AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR MONTHLY FINANCIALS.

I MEAN, AS FAR AS INVESTMENTS, UH, AS REGARD TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES, SINCE IT'S THE END OF THE QUARTER, YOU WOULD HOPE THAT YOUR BUDGET WOULD BE AT 25% AND SO YOU CAN KIND OF GO DOWN THE LINE.

PROPERTY TAX OF COURSE IS HIGH BECAUSE WE GET MAJORITY OF THAT IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, SO IT'S AT 50% OR 50% FOR, FOR THE QUARTER.

SALES TAX IS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE 25%.

AND YOU KNOW, AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY DOWN, YOU CAN SEE WE WERE PRETTY MUCH ON BUDGET FOR REVENUES.

UH, THE REPORTS BEHIND IT JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU A, A, UM, EXAMPLE FOR THE QUARTER PROPERTY TAX SALES TAX.

AND SINCE SALES TAX IS SUCH A BIG PORTION OF OUR, UH, REVENUES, THERE'S SEVERAL PAGES TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT SHOW YOU DIFFERENT TRENDS FOR THAT.

AND LET'S SEE AFTER YOU, SO DO WE HAVE THE DECEMBER RESULTS ON SALES TAX YET? UM, YES SIR.

THEY SHOULD BE IN THERE.

LET'S SEE.

THAT WOULD BE, UM, CAUSE I WAS WONDERING HOW DECEMBER WENT FOR OUR AREA.

IT'S DECEMBER, BUT IT'S NOT DECEMBER.

WELL, YES, SO YEAH, THEY, THEY SALES ATTACKS IS TWO MONTHS BEHIND, SO TECHNICALLY, SO WE GOTTA WAIT ANOTHER, YEAH, IF YOU WANNA KNOW FOR CHRISTMAS, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE IN FEBRUARY.

WE'LL KNOW.

UM, LET'S SEE.

AND THEN ME GO THROUGH THESE REVENUES, YOU JUST KINDA SEE HOW WE DID.

UM, I ALSO INCLUDED FOR THE GENERAL FUND YOUR PREP PAYROLL AND BENEFITS SINCE PAYROLL IS PRETTY MUCH TWO THIRDS OF YOUR OVERALL BUDGET FOR EXPENDITURES AND THAT CAME IN, UH, LOW AT 13%.

AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH EITHER POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT AND, AND SOME OF THE, UH, PERFORMANCE REVIEWS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY FUNDED THAT WERE BUDGETED.

AND THE NEXT SECTION YOU HAVE YOUR WATER REVENUES AND THOSE ARE RIGHT AT 25% OF BUDGET AS WELL FOR, FOR REVENUES.

AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE THE PAYROLL BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A LARGE PORTION OF THAT BUDGET.

AND THEN FINALLY YOU HAVE THE, UM, BOND REPORTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME AND UM, THOSE KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THOSE PROJECTS AND THOSE DRAW DOWNS MIRROR THE, THE CASH TRANSFERS THAT YOU SEE OUTTA THE TECHSTAR ACCOUNT ON THE FIRST PAGE.

AND OTHER THAN THAT, I'LL, YOU KNOW, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON ANY OF THE REPORTS I'LL TRY TO ANSWER FOR YOU.

NO, I APPRECIATE YOU BRING, I, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THESE REPORTS TO US AGAIN, CUZ YEARS AGO WE USED TO GET SOME STUFF LIKE THIS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GETTING, THIS IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, WHICH IS I FIND VERY INTERESTING AND YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, UH, ON SALES TAX WHO OUR TOP TENS ARE.

YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, A PIECE OF INFORMATION.

WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T GIVE SPECIFIC NUMBERS, BUT YEAH, WE CAN GIVE, YOU KNOW, GROUPING, OBVIOUSLY IT'S GROUPING WHERE THEY FALL AT AND STUFF AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, AND THE, AND THE FIRST REPORT, THE INVESTMENT REPORT'S REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND, AND YOUR INVESTMENT POLICY THAT WE'VE PASSED.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IS, UH, SEVERAL TIMES WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, UH, ACE HARDWARE WANTING TO COME INTO OUR AREA AND YOU SEE THAT OUR NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE SALES REVENUE SOURCE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF A BUSINESS.

SO WE KNOW WHY THEY'RE LOOKING AT US.

THEY JUST CAN'T FIND LOCATION.

YEAH, HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

OKAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ITEM FOUR.

[4. City Manager Updates ]

IT'S UH, CITY MANAGER UPDATES AND WE HAVE, UH, ITEM A AS THE 2023 STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW.

[00:55:02]

I'M GOING TO LET MEGAN, MEGAN'S GONNA GO OVER AND REVIEW.

SO IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE A 2023 STRATEGIC PLAN DRAFT.

UH, THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER BY YOUR CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF.

THE DIRECTORS AND OUR MANAGERS ARE ALSO GOING THROUGH IT CURRENTLY.

UH, SO WE WANTED TO GIVE COUNSEL THE SAME OPPORTUNITY, HAVE THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE WHAT STAFF IS THINKING.

UM, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE OUR MEETING HERE IN A FEW WEEKS, UH, WITH RON, YOU'LL FEEL CONFIDENT IN BRINGING EITHER NEW IDEAS FORWARD OR TELLING US WHAT YOU WANT TO COME OFF FROM LAST YEAR'S, UM, ADOPTED PLAN.

SO AS YOU CAN TELL ON THE VERY FRONT PAGE, THE COVER, UH, THERE IS A LITTLE KEY AT THE TOP.

THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTIONS MAY CONFUSE YOU.

SO YELLOW IS GONNA BE WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS PAST YEAR.

UM, BLUE IS GONNA BE WHAT STAFF RECOMMENDS DEFERRING.

THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN'T PUT, WE DON'T FEEL THAT WE CAN GET THAT ITEM DONE WITHIN THE NEXT THREE ISH YEARS.

COHESIVE THOUGHTS, COHESIVE THOUGHTS.

UH, STRATEGIC PLANS TRADITIONALLY ARE ABOUT A THREE YEAR PLAN.

MASTER PLANS ARE OBVIOUSLY LONGER.

UM, SO WE JUST, THOSE ITEMS DON'T FEEL THAT WE CAN GET THOSE DONE WITHIN THREE YEARS OR THEY'RE NOT AS MUCH OF A PRIORITY MAYBE AS THE OTHER ITEMS. UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST RECOMMENDATIONS YOU CAN TELL US DIFFERENT IF YOU GO THROUGH IT AND FEEL DIFFERENTLY THAN WE DO.

UM, AND THEN ANYTHING IN GREEN HIGHLIGHTED GREEN IS GOING TO BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF TO ADD.

UM, OBVIOUSLY COUNSEL, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN IDEAS OF WHAT SHOULD BE ADDED OR TAKEN OFF, UM, OR MAYBE YOU THINK SOMETHING THAT SAYS IT'S ACCOMPLISHED WASN'T, UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO LEAVE IT ON THERE IF THAT'S THE CASE.

SO, LIKE I SAID HERE IN A FEW WEEKS, UH, WE WILL SEND OUT A REMINDER TOMORROW AN EMAIL, BUT WE DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION ALREADY ON THE BOOKS WITH RON.

UH, THAT WILL JUST BE CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF AND COUNCIL.

SO PLEASE SPEND SOME TIME WITH THIS.

UH, THE HOPE IS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF SOME NEW IDEAS.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING MISSING ON THERE OR TELL US ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DEFERRED, I WILL BE SENDING OUT ALSO A, UH, GOOGLE LINK.

SO IT'LL GIVE YOU TIME TO BRAINSTORM OR MAYBE PUT YOUR IDEAS OUT THERE FOR STAFF BEFORE THAT MEETING.

UM, YOU CAN USE IT IF YOU SEE FIT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE IT IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE MEETING TO PRESENT YOUR IDEAS.

BUT THIS, THAT WOULD JUST HELP US IF YOU DID SUBMIT THEM SO THAT WE COULD KIND OF HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR COHESIVE THOUGHTS TOGETHER BEFORE THE MEETING.

HELP.

IT GOES A LITTLE SMOOTHER, BUT FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR IDEAS JUST TO THAT MEETING AS WELL.

, HOPEFULLY YOU'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, THEN IT'LL GO SUPER QUICK.

YEAH, I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THIS ONE.

UH, UNDER IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUFF.

WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN BOUNCING AROUND THIS ONE ABOUT BROADBAND INTERNET FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND STUFF.

AND I'M ON THE H G A C BOARD OR COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR, UH, BROADBAND, UH, IN THE STATE.

AND, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STUFF IS PLAYING GAMES WITH THAT.

BASICALLY, IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY EXISTING RIGHT NOW TO CONNECT OR TO BUY BROADBAND SERVICE AND STUFF, LIKE YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY FEDERAL MONEY, IT HAS TO BE THE AREAS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE ALREADY.

SO IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THINGS FED.

ALL THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN EARMARKED FOR THAT ARE NOT GOING TO COME TO COMMUNITIES LIKE US.

SO THAT ONE'S PROBABLY GONNA GO AWAY FOR SURE.

UNLESS WE CAN FIND SOME MONEY ANYWAY.

GREAT.

UM, SO YOU'VE ALREADY, YOU'VE INCLUDED SOME THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO YOU, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

BY CASE? UH, WELL SOME THAT MODESTO AND I WERE AWARE OF.

UM, AND THEN OTHERS WERE JUST OURS.

THERE ARE MOST LIKELY OTHERS FLOATING OUT THERE AS WELL.

BUT YEAH.

SO JUST A QUESTION.

IF THERE IS A, UH, PROJECT THAT PAYS BACK, UH, WHY WOULD THAT, WHY WOULD WE WANNA DEFER THAT? SO LIKE L E D LIGHTS FOR MUSEUM LIBRARY AND THE GOLF COURSE THAT WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, OR MODEST, I GUESS I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD.

YEAH, WE JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DO ANYTHING.

UH, WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE FACILITIES THAT STAY OPEN A LOT.

THEY LIKE THE REC CENTER AND STUFF AND THE LIBRARY.

UM, BUT OTHER ONES, WE JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO THE BUDGET BECAUSE THE USAGE THERE.

IT'S JUST WE'VE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, BARE.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

BARE BONE PROJECTS AND SO, NO, THAT MAKES SENSE.

UNDERSTAND.

UM, AND IT'S NOT SAYING IT'S NOT STILL GOAL FOR STAFF.

WE DO STILL DO IT AS ESPECIALLY NEW BUILDINGS ARE BEING BUILT.

OR WE TRANSITION A FEW EVERY YEAR OR WHENEVER A LIGHT BULB GOES OUT, THAT SORT OF THING.

IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT A MAJOR PROJECT, STRATEGIC ITEM NECESS NECESSARILY FOR STAFF.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'VE STARTED DOING OPERATIONALLY.

WELL, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HIT THE BIG HITTERS.

WE HAVE HIT THE BIG HITTERS.

SO IT'S STILL HAPPENING.

IT'S JUST MORE OPERATIONAL THAN NO, THAT, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE HERE? THESE ARE NOT, I MEAN, WE DON'T LIKE THE GOLF OFF COURSE UP AT NIGHT OR LIBRARY OR THE MUSEUM, SO YES SIR.

THAT'S FINE.

YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME WITH THAT.

AND I WILL SEND A DIGITAL COPY AS WELL, UH, TOMORROW WITH THE GOOGLE LINK, SO

[01:00:01]

AND WHEN ARE WE SCHEDULED FOR OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING? UM, IT'S IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

I'LL SEND YOU THE OFFICIAL DATE TOMORROW WITH EVERYTHING.

DON'T ADD THE DATE ON IT.

IT'S A MONDAY IN FEBRUARY.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT'S ON A MONDAY.

THAT'S GOOD.

A REGULAR, SO IT'S GONNA BE AN OFF COUNCIL? YES.

IT'LL BE, OH, IT'S FEBRUARY 27TH AT 5:00 PM 27TH.

AND WE WILL FEED YOU DINNER.

UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM B FOR THE UPDATE.

MAY ELECTION VOTING LOCATION.

THIS IS A POSITIVE THING, SALLY.

UH, THE VOTING LOCATION HAS GONE BACK TO THE CIVIC CENTER.

YAY.

NO MORE PEACH STREET.

UH, THEY RECEIVED SOME, A LOT OF CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.

THEY WEREN'T HAPPY ABOUT IT, AND THE JUDGE WAS GOING TO GIVE UP HIS ROOM TOO LONG.

UM, SO THAT'S BEEN MOVED BACK TO THE CENTER? THAT'S FOR ALL ELECTIONS? YES.

YEAH, THEY JUST DON'T HAVE A ROOM OVER THERE.

THEY JUST COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY.

WELL, I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF LAW THAT SAID IF YOU HAD, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD, BUT, UH, I ASKED ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID THEY WAS MOVED BACK OVER HERE.

THERE'S TOO, JUST TOO MANY COMPLAINTS.

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR.

GOING BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, COUNCILMAN SHANYA POINTED OUT, UH, THAT BRAZORIA COUNTY DAYS IS FEBRUARY 28TH, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, IS THAT GOING TO CREATE A CONFLICT? SO 28TH, 27TH, 28TH, 20.

THAT'S WHAT I HAD WHEN I GOT, YEAH, THAT'S GONNA CREATE A PROBLEM.

NO, IT'S GONNA BE, THERE IS MOST GOING TO AUSTIN.

ON TO, UH, ITEM FIVE, CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.

HE PICK THE DATE.

SO WE'LL SPEAK WITH HIM ABOUT YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT DATE.

WE'LL LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATE DATE.

[5. Construction Updates ]

SAL'S HERE.

SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON CONSTRUCTION UPDATES, CONSTRUCTION, THIS IS WHY I'M PLACING MYSELF HERE AT THAT'S RIGHT.

I'M OPEN FOR WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE BOOKS OR IN THE PROCESS.

I CAN ANSWER THOSE THINGS.

UH, EVERYTHING AS FAR AS THE DOWNTOWN PROJECT, IT'S GOING.

UH, IT HAS, UH, THE SPEED IS NOW IS IMPROVING ON, ON THE DELIVERY OF THAT PROJECT.

UH, AND BY TOMORROW WE'LL HAVE TWO CREWS WORKING ON THE PAVEMENT PORTION OF THAT.

WE'VE, UH, BEEN OPERATING ON ONE CREW.

NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SECOND CREW MOVING INTO THE, UH, INTO THE, UH, NORTH PARKING PLACE ON THE, UH, THE REMAINING NORTH PARKING PLACE AREA.

UH, THEY HAVE NOW STARTED FORMING THE, UH, CIRCLE WAY PORTION, THE REMAINING CIRCLE WAY PORTION.

THEY HAVE, UH, STARTED FORMING THAT UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY THAT GOES JUST, UH, VERY QUICKLY AND THEY WILL START PROBABLY, UH, PUTTING CONCRETE DOWN ON THE DRI ON THE, UH, PARKING AREAS, UH, FIRST BEFORE THEY MOVE INTO THE ACTUAL TRAVEL WAYS.

UH, THEY ARE COMPLETING NOW, THE, UH, THEY ONLY HAVE, UH, TWO GAPS STILL LEFT ON THE SIDEWALK AT, UH, THAT WAY.

UH, THE, UH, WALGREEN SIDE, ONE OF THE GAPS IS DEPEND, UH, DEPENDENT ON THE, UH, AT AND T THAT HAS NOT RE UH, RELOCATED ONE OF THEIR BOXES THAT, YOU KNOW, FALLS RIGHT NOW WHERE THE SIDEWALK WILL BE GOING.

UH, AND THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME TRYING TO FIND PEOPLE THAT WOULD RESPOND TO, TO THAT REQUEST THAT THEY RELOCATE THAT BOX.

WE WILL BE MOVING NO MATTER WHICH WAY EDDIE HAS A WAY OF MAKING THOSE BOXES BEND.

SO I WILL, I WILL ALLOW HIM TO DO WHATEVER HE NEEDS TO DO IN ORDER TO GET THIS THING OUT.

AND, UH, THEY WILL BE MOVING, UH, ON THE SIDEWALK.

THEY WILL BE, UH, MOVING INTO THE, UH, OTHER SIDE OF, UH, CIRCLE WAY ON THAT WAY, UH, GOING TOWARDS, UH, TOWARDS PARKING WAY.

AND, UH, THE BRICK WORK HAS NOW BEING INITIATED DOWN ON THAT PORTION OF THAT WAY.

AND THEY WILL CONTINUE ON, POSSIBLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK, THEY'LL BE COMPLETELY, UH, FINISHED WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR, UH, PAVERS.

AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO OPEN UP THAT STRETCH OF THAT WAY TO GO FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER WHILE

[01:05:01]

ALL THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, UH, ADJOINING WORK WILL KEEP ON GOING AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THAT WAY AT LEAST THE SOUTHBOUND COMING IN AND GOING THROUGH TOWN WILL BE AGAIN.

WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO BE COMPLETELY OPEN? HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

AND THAT, WHEN YOU SAY COMPLETELY OPEN, THAT'S OPEN TO TRAFFIC, INCLUDING PARKING? YES, SIR.

YES OR NO, NOT ALL PARKING, RIGHT? YES.

HALL PARKER WILL BE OPEN.

PAV, THAT'S, WE'RE HOPING THAT ALL THE PAVERS ARE GONNA BE IN THERE.

SO THE U-TURN WILL GO AWAY AT THAT POINT.

THE U-TURNS WILL GO AWAY.

ALRIGHT.

UH, OH, AND FYI, IF YOU'VE NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALK COUNCIL, UH, THE SIDEWALK ALONE, UH, THAT SECTION OF THAT WAY IS, WHAT IS IT, 10 FOOT WIDE OR EIGHT FOOT WIDE? 10 FOOT WIDE.

10 FOOT WIDE.

AND THAT'S TIE THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO TIE THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS INTO DOWNTOWN.

AND EVENTUALLY PASS THROUGH TOWN AS WE CONTINUE FORWARD, UH, WITH THE REVITALIZATIONS IN THE FUTURE.

SO I'VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THAT, SO.

ALRIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON CONSTRICTIONS? NOT GOT? YEP.

YES, I HAVE JUST A QUICK ONE.

THE DEMOLITION ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE OF THAT WAY, STREET FROM CIRCLE WAY TO WORK DEGREE.

WHEN IS THAT SCHEDULE TAKE PLACE? BECAUSE JUST HEARD THE BODEGA GONNA CLOSE OFF THE STREET END OF THE MONTH.

TERRA STRAIGHT UP THE EXITS THAT WAY.

THAT WAY IS NOT SCHEDULED UNTIL THE, UH, UNTIL THE NORTH PARKING PLACE IS COMPLETE.

ON TO, UH, ITEMS OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST.

YOU'RE OKAY.

AT LEAST FIVE WEEKS WEATHER, SO THAT'LL BE GOOD WORK.

[ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST ]

AND SO WE'LL START WITH, UH, VENET.

SO JUST A QUESTION.

UH, IS THERE ANY CITY HAS ANY, UH, SAY SO ON THESE, UH, BOXES THAT, UH, WIRING BOXES AT AT AND T AND STUFF HAVE ALONG THE, UH, CITY RIGHT OF WAYS? THEY ARE IN BED DISARRAY, THEY'RE BENT, HALF OF THEM ARE OPEN, COVERS ARE MISSING, AND THEY'RE VERY UNSIGHTLY.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN GET THEM TO CLEAN THEM UP OR STRAIGHTEN THEM UP, COVER 'EM UP, WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO.

CAUSE JUST LOOKED AWFUL.

THAT'S ALL.

ANYTHING ELSE, RHONDA? NOPE.

MATT? NO SIR.

NOTHING FROM ME.

JB HOW WAS THE PARADE? YOU HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE PARADE.

GREAT TURNOUT.

IT WAS A GREAT DAY.

PARADE WAS GREAT.

THE BANQUET WAS GREAT.

HAD A GREAT M L K WEEKEND.

THAT'S GOOD.

SO, UH, SOME OF US WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, UH, BANQUET.

AND, UH, IT WAS, AGAIN, IT WAS A, ANOTHER NICE EVENT.

AND, UH, UH, I STILL WISH THERE WOULDN'T BE THE CONFLICT, UH, ON THAT NIGHT BETWEEN THE TWO BIG EVENTS IN THE AREA.

BUT, AND THEN, UH, BUT ONE THING I HAVE TO SAY IS, IS THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST STAKES THAT I HAVE EVER HAD AT ANY EVENT, IS THAT WAS, WAS THERE, I MEAN, THAT WAS GOOD FOOD.

AND IT WAS, UH, BY ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE FIREMENS, UH, HE HAS A COMPETITION COOKING TEAM, SO.

AWESOME.

OH, YEAH.

I, I THOUGHT OF WON WHILE Y'ALL WERE TALKING.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO MY DAUGHTER TURNED 10 ON SUNDAY.

UM, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BOUGHT A RIDE ON THE FIRETRUCK TO SCHOOL AT A FUNDRAISING EVENT, AND WE EXERCISED THAT ON FRIDAY.

AND SO WE GOT A RIDE, MY DAD, ME, MY DAD, AND MY TWO GIRLS TO BRANDON FROM THE FIRE STATION.

AND WE GOT A LITTLE TOUR, UH, BEFOREHAND.

THE FIRE MARSH CAME DOWN AND IT WAS LIKE A DREAM FOR THESE KIDS, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND THE, AND THE PLACE IS GREAT.

ALL THE FIRETRUCK ARE IN GREAT CONDITION.

THE PLACE LOOKS SPOT ON.

AND OF COURSE, EVERYBODY WAS REALLY NICE.

AND, UM, THANK ALL THE FIRE TRUCK PEOPLE WHO MADE THAT HAPPEN AND, AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THEY, THE KIDS THAT BRANDON WERE OUT THERE FRONT AND FIRE TRUCK CAME IN.

IT WAS A, IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

IT WAS FUN FOR ME TOO, GETTING AROUND IN FRONT, IN THE FRONT SEAT.

SO NOT JUST FOR THEM, BUT FOR ME TOO.

BUT, UH, THANKS, THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THAT HAPPEN.

THE REAL REASON WHY YOU SAID, I MEAN, , THAT'S WHY YOU SPENT THE MONEY SEAT FOR THE KIDS.

YEAH'S FOR THE KIDS ON, YEAH.

ONE, SO, ALL RIGHT.

UH, STAFF, UH, NOTHING.

OH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[01:10:01]

OH, SORRY.

WE'RE, YEAH.

YOU GOT ONE IN THE BACK? TAKE IT BACK.

DO WHAT? JUST A SEC.

I'M GONNA TAKE, LET ME, LET ME TAKE THIS BACK FIRST.

COUNSEL IN THEIR EXECUTIVE MEETING TO, UH, KEEP THOSE THINGS IN MIND WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING THIS OUT.

ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.

NO, I JUST, UH, MAYBE JUST FINISHED THE AGENDA.

I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE, UH, THERE UNDER MR COMMENTS OR, YEAH, THAT'S AT THE, WE HAVE THAT AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END, THE BIG IT IS, IT'S, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE IT AT THE END IS, SO IF WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF VISITOR COMMENTS, THEN WE CAN, THEN WE STOP 'EM AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN FINISH 'EM AT THE END.

BUT DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? WELL, IF I WASN'T AWARE UNTIL I GOT HERE THAT THERE'S MAYBE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WILL Y'ALL BE RE ADJOURNING AFTER THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR MORE? WELL, IF YOU HAVE VISITOR COMMENTS OR CAN I, OR WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL BEFORE

[VISITOR COMMENTS ]

Y'ALL GO, JUST GO AHEAD.

IF YOU HAVE VISITOR COMMENT, GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THIS NOW, PLEASE.

MY APOLOGI, I DIDN'T WAS THAT'S OKAY.

SO, UM, MY NAME IS RICHARD WOOD.

I'M WITH WORST HOUSE RESTAURANT 1 0 2.

THIS WAY, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAND BEHIND H E B, UM, I LOOKED AT THE MASTER PLAN 18 YEARS AGO, RIGHT WHENEVER I OPENED MY RESTAURANT.

AND THE DIRECTION OF THE MASTER PLAN WAS FOR DOWNTOWN TO BE, UM, CONSTRUCTED IN THE, UH, REHABILITATION PHASES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW TO BE MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, WHICH IS, IT'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF ACCOMPLISHING THAT.

AND, UM, KIND OF LIKE WHENEVER YOU'VE GOT BEAR LAND NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE AND SOMEBODY'S WANTING TO BUILD SOMETHING ON IT, YOU KIND OF ARE CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GONNA BE BUILDING RIGHT THERE AND HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT YOUR PROPERTY.

WELL, ME HAVING THE WORST HOUSE AND BEING RIGHT DOWNTOWN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO, YOU KNOW, UM, KEEP THE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, UM, PUSH IN MIND.

AND, UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF, UH, SEEING A ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING LAST THURSDAY AT THE LINK JACKSON ROTARY, UH, CLUB MEETING.

UM, AND IT, IT LOOKED VERY PROMISING.

WHAT I SAW, UM, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED AS FAR AS, AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THIS WAS EVEN A POSSIBILITY TO PUT PARKING IN CITY EASEMENT, BUT, UM, THAT PROPOSAL HAS PARKING LAID OUT IN THE, UH, CITY EASEMENT WHERE THE BALL FIELDS, THE PRACTICE BALL, BASEBALL FIELDS ARE AT.

UH, AND THE PRIORITY ON THAT IS DOWN THE ROAD LATER ON.

UM, BUT IT STRUCK ME THAT THE USE OF THAT GREEN SPACE AND WHERE THAT PARKING AND SO FORTH GOES IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL'S AWARE, BUT BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH PARKING AND ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL PARKING THAT COULD BENEFIT DOWNTOWN FROM A PEDESTRIAN ASPECT.

AND I THOUGHT I SAW A BRIDGE KIND OF GOING OVER WOR CREEK DRIVE FOR PEDESTRIANS.

AND SO IF THAT PARKING LOT THAT'S PROPOSED ON THE BALL FIELDS OVER THERE BY CIRCLE WAY WAS MOVED TO OAK DRIVE IN THE CORNER OF, UM, CENTER WAY THAT WOULD BE DIRECT ACCESS TO A FOOTBRIDGE GOING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET THAT WOULD GIVE DOWNTOWN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FOOT TRAFFIC FROM AN AMPHITHEATER ASPECT WHENEVER EVENT ARE GOING ON TO COME RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AND PATRONIZE DOWNTOWN.

AND AFTER SEEING THAT AND SEEING WHAT THAT POTENTIAL WAS, I JUST GOT EXCITED BECAUSE PARKING IS A PREMIUM DOWNTOWN AND IT'S A GOOD THING THAT IT'S PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T FOR THAT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I PUT MY BUSINESS WHERE IT'S AT CUZ I SAW THE MASTER PLAN AND I KNEW THE DIRECTION THE CITY WAS GOING WITH IT.

AND WHAT I'M SEEING RIGHT NOW IN THIS PROPOSAL, IT HAS THE MAKINGS OF BENEFITING DOWNTOWN.

OH YEAH.

BUT IT NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED.

AND ONE OF THE OTHER PRIORITIES IS, IS THE TIMELINE ON WHEN A PARKING LOT'S GONNA GET BUILT.

I MEAN, IT'S FROM WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO ME, THE TIMELINE WAS DOWN THE ROAD, WELL, DOWN THE ROAD WAS LIKE WHENEVER THE HEB LAND WAS GETTING DEVELOPED AND DOWNTOWN WAS ON THE PRIORITY FOR BEING REDONE.

AND DOWNTOWN GOT PUT ON THE BACK BURNER AND HB GOT PUT ON THE FRONT BURNER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY.

WELL NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY MUCH AWARE HOW PRIORITIES CAN SHIFT.

AND SO ONE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THINGS THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO, UM, KEEP IN AT THE FRONT OF THEIR MINDS IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA MOVE A PARKING LOT OR PUT A PARKING IN, MAKE SURE IT'S GONNA BENEFIT ALL THOSE CONCERNS, WHICH IS THE TAX REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE CITY, AND THAT'S BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN.

AND ALSO IT KEEPS THE FUTURE PROJECTION OF GROWTH MOVING FORWARD FOR FUTURE BUSINESSES MOVING INTO DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THEY CAN GUARANTEE AND COUNT ON THAT FOOT TRAFFIC'S GONNA BE COMING.

I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT'S TOUGH FOR A BUSINESS IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A DOOR GETS CLOSED ON YOU WHERE YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE OPEN.

SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE

[01:15:01]

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK.

AND, UH, I THOUGHT, YEAH, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DISCUSS TOO MUCH ABOUT IT BECAUSE ON VISITOR COMMENTS AND STUFF, BUT, UH, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP THOSE COMMENTS, THOUGHTS AS WE GO FORWARD.

IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A VERY, UH, WE'RE JUGGLING A LOT OF MARBLES, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, AND WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT'S BEST FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'RE F I DON'T THINK WE'RE FAR OFF OF WANTING THE SAME THING, SO, ALL RIGHT.