[00:00:07]
[1. CALL TO ORDER AND CERTIFICATION OF A QUORUM]
CALL THE ORDER.WELL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER.
FRIENDS THIS EVENING HELP PROVIDE US AS WE WORK THROUGH TO THE FLAG THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE, WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE
[3. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
OPERATION.ANYONE WISHING TO TO SPEAK SHOULD INFORM THE BOARD OF THEIR NAME.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE LIMITED TO MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
THE BOARD MAY NOT DELIBERATE OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS NOT APPEARING ON THE AGENDA, BUT MAY CONSIDER PLACING AN ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA IF DELIBERATION IS NECESSARY.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE'VE GOT, UH, THREE FOLKS, UH, DAVID, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, DAVID LEHMAN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE BOARD, PLEASE.
HOPE EVERYBODY'S DOING WELL TONIGHT.
I GREW UP HERE IN DICKINSON, UH, WAS BORN IN SAN ANTONIO ON AN AIR FORCE BASE.
MY FATHER WAS WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PILOT.
HE'S NATIONALLY, UH, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND DECORATED.
UH, ANYWAY, SO THAT'S MY BACKGROUND.
UH, MY MOTHER WAS A HOMEMAKER AND I GREW UP HERE IN THIS TOWN, SO I CONSIDER IT.
TAKE A LITTLE PRIDE IN OWNERSHIP OF, OF WHERE I'M AT.
YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY GONNA DIE IN THIS TOWN WITH WITHOUT ANY LUCK AT ALL.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
I WANNA TALK TO Y'ALL TONIGHT ABOUT, I SEE Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I SEE STUFF ON FACEBOOK.
I'M ON FACEBOOK, I'M NOT ON TIKTOK.
I'M NOT ON ANY OF THAT OTHER STUFF, JUST FACEBOOK THAT'S HARD ENOUGH TO OPERATE.
UH, AND, AND Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, Y'ALL COME UP WITH THESE COMMENTS, OR THE CITY DOES FOR EDS ON BEHALF OF EDC SAYING, HEY, IF YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS, DO THIS.
WELL, MY SUGGESTION TO YOU IS, IS TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THAT I'M SAYING, THEN WHAT YOU CAN DO IS JUST STOP ME.
I'M VERY, VERY EASILY STOPPED.
SO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS PUT ON, PUT ON WHAT YOU GONNA TALK ABOUT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH EDC.
IF Y'ALL GOT THE TIME TO PUT SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK TO SAY, HEY, ASK US QUESTIONS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BE PROACTIVE AND PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE FOR US SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
'CAUSE Y'ALL ARE, Y'ALL ARE PART OF THE CITY, RIGHT? EVERYBODY HERE LIVES IN DICKINSON, EXCEPT FOR ONE YOUNG LADY THAT YOU KNOW.
BUT HEY, WE'RE ALL DICKINSON RESIDENTS.
SO PUT UP THERE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND, AND ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA VOTE ON TONIGHT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BIG SECRET.
THE WAY THIS AGENDA IS WRITTEN, IT'S WRITTEN BY A GUY THAT CAME FROM THE CIA OR THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS AGENDA NEEDS TO BE SPELLED OUT PRETTY SIMPLY.
AND Y'ALL SHOULD BE, ANYBODY WHO WROTE HELP WRITES THIS AGENDA SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED FOR HOW THE AGENDA IS WRITTEN.
OKAY? IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I GOT PLENTY OF TIME AFTERWARDS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
IF Y'ALL GOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'D BE INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO WHAT Y'ALL GOT TO SAY, BECAUSE I, I DON'T, I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE AN OPEN BOOK.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING GOING ON THAT PERTAINS TO SECRECY.
I WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A CORPORATION CALLED PROSOURCE.
ARE WE STILL DOING BUSINESS WITH PROSOURCE? THAT'S MY QUESTION OF THE NIGHT.
ARE WE STILL DOING ANYTHING WITH IT? IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE A CONTRACT THAT KEEPS THE BUYER A SECRET, SINCE I BOUGHT ABOUT THREE DOZEN HOMES IN MY LIFETIME, I'LL ASSIST Y'ALL WITH THAT.
AND I WON'T COST YOU, I WON'T COST YOU A NICKEL.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO BUY PROPERTY IN THE BLIND, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND I'LL ASSIST YOU WITH IT.
AND, UH, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, I CAN GIVE YOU NAMES OF THE CORPORATIONS THAT I WAS PARTNERSHIPS IN, AND I'VE GOT SOME, SOME NAMES, UH, THEY'RE IN THE COUNTY RECORDS.
SOME OF 'EM ARE PROBABLY IN THE BOOKS.
Y'ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING, AND AGAIN, DON'T HESITATE TO ASK ME ANYTHING AFTER THE MEETING.
[00:05:05]
OKAY, THANK YOU MR. LEMAN.SO AT THIS TIME, JOE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME SPEAK, JOE WILBURN? I'LL LEAVE RIGHT HERE IN DICKINSON.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, COLIN AND I HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION BEFORE ANYBODY WAS IN HERE, AND I, I THINK MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY ANSWERED IN, IN WHAT IT SAYS IN THE CHARTER IS THERE, THERE, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CHARTER THAT STATES THAT THE EDC HAS TO HAVE A RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT THAT THAT IS PUT INTO 'EM.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT, AND I KNEW THAT WHEN I WAS ON THE EDC.
AND, UH, THE JOB THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO DO IS CREATE, UH, AN ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS SALES TAX COMING BACK INTO THE CITY.
SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN SPEND IT, UH, IN A WAY THAT BRINGS IN MORE SALES TAX.
AND, UH, A LOT OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW MY HISTORY.
IT'S A, IT'S A SORTED, SORTED HISTORY, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF MEMBERS HERE THAT HAVE TO AGREE ON SOMETHING AND EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OF, OF HOW THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT.
AND THEN YOU GOTTA GO TO SEVEN PEOPLE ON COUNCIL AND GET THEM TO AGREE THAT Y'ALL'S DECISION THAT Y'ALL FINALLY COME UP WITH IS PROBABLY THE BEST DECISION.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY HARD TASK WHEN EVERYBODY HAS A NEED TO FEEL.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE A BASEBALL TEAM OR YOU MAY HAVE A SOCCER TEAM.
SOMEBODY'S NEEDING, NEEDING THIS, SOMEBODY'S NEEDING LIGHTS.
UH, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WE NEED REALLY BAD AND WE'RE NOT GETTING, WE'RE NOT GETTING OUR STREETS PAVED ANYMORE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DRAINAGE AND STREET PAVEMENT THAT COULD BE DONE, BUT THE CITY'S BROKE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A REAL AUDIT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE WAY BEHIND ON AUDITS.
UM, AND THE SAME MANAGER THAT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OVER Y'ALL, BUT IS, IS THE SAME GUY WHO, WHO CUT MY LEGS OFF WHEN WE DID GET SOME BUSINESS, A PROMISE OF TWO REALLY GOOD BUSINESSES HERE.
HIM AND THE MAYOR CUT MY LEGS OFF AND SAID, I'D BE GOING TO JAIL IF I BROUGHT THOSE PEOPLE IN ANYMORE AND TALK TO 'EM ANYMORE ABOUT IT.
AND SO YOU HAVE THAT TO SATISFY.
AND IF WE'VE DONE AWAY WITH THE EDC, HALF, AT LEAST HALF OF THE MONEY THAT GOES TOWARD ALL OF THIS, THAT ALL OF THESE PROMOTIONS WE PAY FOR, AND THE VEGAS TRIPS AND THE UH, UH, ALL OF THE BIG SHOW, THE CONSULTANTS, THE EVERYBODY THAT GOES EDC DIRECTORS, IF YOU STILL HAVE ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE STILL PAYING THE EDC DIRECTOR.
MAN, LOOK AT THE MONEY THAT COULD GO INTO THE CITY COFFERS TO PAVE STREETS AND STOOD OF SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLE HAVING TO AGREE ON WHAT THEY WANNA BUILD IN THE CITY.
AND NOT ONE THING HAS BEEN DONE.
NOT ONE THING HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN THIS CITY SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE EDC.
NOW, COLLINS, A FRIEND OF MINE, HE TOOK IT AS A PERSONAL ATTACK THAT I'M ATTACKING HIM.
I'M NOT ATTACKING HIM PERSONALLY.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS 14 PEOPLE CAN'T MANAGE A GOOD IDEA AND MAKE IT ALL COME TOGETHER.
THERE HAS TO BE ONE SOLID PERSON AND THEY HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
OUR TAX MONEY'S JUST DISAPPEARING.
AND THERE'S NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT EXCEPT FOR CO EXCEPT FOR VEGAS TRIPS.
AND, UH, AND PEOPLE WITH, IT'S GOT SHINY PAMPHLETS TO HANG OUT, UH, HAND OUT TO PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE NOT COMING TO DICKINSON.
MAYBE THERE'S A FEW THINGS IN THE WORKS.
I'M SURE THAT'S WHY THE CITY MANAGER IS STILL EMPLOYED BECAUSE THAT CARROT HAS BEEN HUNG OUT FOR THE FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT CITY MANAGER.
THE CARROT IS ALWAYS SIX MONTHS AWAY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WELL WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THIS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PROMOTIONS OF IDEAS THAT'S GONNA COME IN SIX MONTHS, BUT IT IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT.
BUT I'M NOT MAKING FUN OF ANYBODY.
WHEN YOU SEE MY POST ON FACEBOOK, KINDA GET USED TO IT.
WE'VE GOT A MAYOR NOW THAT, UH, HAS TO RELY, HIS INCOME RELIES ON RETURNS ON INVESTMENT.
HE'S RUNNING THE CITY NOW, AND AT SOME POINT HE'S GONNA HAVE TO FACE THE EMBARRASSMENT OF HAVING, HAVING THIS TOGETHER WHEN WE CAN'T BEHAVE OUR STREETS AND MONEY IS JUST FLOODING OUT THE WINDOWS, GOING TO SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE INCEPTION OF THIS HAD A RETURN ON, NOT A, NOT A DIRECT ATTACK ON ANYBODY HERE.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M ATTACKING ANYBODY.
I'M JUST SAYING AT SOME POINT THE CITY NEEDS MORE MONEY AND THE WAY THE WAY TO GET IT TO 'EM IS MAYBE DO AWAY WITH THIS.
[00:10:03]
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, JOE.UH, DARL HARTWICK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE BOARD? THANK YOU.
I SAW YOUR POSTS ABOUT ASKING QUESTIONS AND SENDING THEM IN, AND I GOT LAZY AND I DIDN'T DO THAT.
SO I FIGURED WHAT BETTER WAY THAN COME TO ASK YOU MYSELF.
ONE OF MY THOUGHTS IS, IS I KNOW Y'ALL GIVE MONEY TO BUSINESS TO HELP GROW INCOME INTO THE CITY, AND WHICH I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
AND THAT TO ME, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, BRINGS PEOPLE IN.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS WHEN YOU GIVE MONEY TO A BUSINESS OR AN INDIVIDUAL FOR THEIR BUSINESS, I KNOW THERE'S GOALS AND MILESTONES THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET TO REQUIRE SO THEY KEEP THEIR MONEY OR WHATEVER.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY CHECKS AND BALANCES TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE OR THOSE BUSINESSES ARE ACTUALLY DOING THAT? AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS 'CAUSE THERE'S A BREWERY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO GO ACROSS THE STREET.
I WATCHED YOUR, UH, THING ON, I USUALLY WATCH ON THE INTERNET.
I WATCHED THE THING LAST MONTH ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS THAT CAME IN AND I KIND OF LEARNED SOME STUFF ON THAT AND I ENJOYED LISTENING TO SEE WHAT THEY HAD AND THE PROGRESS THEY'VE MADE.
MY CONCERN IS, IS LIKE THE BREWERY THAT'S OVER THERE ACROSS FROM ROGERS, IF I READ WHAT I READ, RIGHT WHEN THEY GOT THEIR AGREEMENT, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN OCCUPANCY AGREEMENT BY OCTOBER OF 2024.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY OVER THERE YET.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S FINANCIAL IN THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS THAT MAYBE THAT'S WHAT'S HOLDING IT UP.
BUT IF THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN MONEY AND THEY HAVEN'T MET A MILESTONE, NOT JUST THEM, BUT ANY OTHER BUSINESS DO, DO THEY HAVE TO GIVE THEIR MONEY BACK OR WE JUST GIVE 'EM A BLANK CHECK AND THEY WALK AWAY.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, FLYING RHINO ACROSS THE FREEWAY OUT THERE, UM, PAST WHERE SEARS WAS.
I KNOW THEY CAME IN HERE SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO.
THERE'S STILL NOTHING OUT THERE.
MY MY QUESTION IS, IS ARE THERE ANY CHECKS AND BALANCES WHEN Y'ALL GIVE PEOPLE MONEY TO INVEST IN THEIR BUSINESSES THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING ANYTHING OR THERE'S ANY, NOT SO MUCH THAT THERE'S INCOME COMING BACK TO THE CITY, BUT THAT THERE'S SOME TAX BASE THAT'S COMING BACK AND WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING MONEY AWAY AND PEOPLE ARE DOING WHATEVER WITH IT.
AND I THOUGHT I'D COME IN, MAYBE I'D HEAR SOME OTHER QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE ASK.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA ADDRESS THESE AT, UH, QUESTIONS THAT, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR, OUR FOLKS HAVE HAD DIRECTLY RIGHT AT THIS POINT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD HOW MANY? FOUR, FIVE OPEN HOUSES AFTER WE HAD OPEN HOUSES AND, UM, ASKED THE COMMUNITY COME IN AND, AND PROVIDE INPUT ON WHAT THEY WANTED, WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY MAY WANT.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE YEARS.
UM, THE STRATEGY DOCUMENT THAT IS WHAT WE USE KIND OF AS OUR, OUR GUIDEPOSTS ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE HEADING, WHAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, HOW TO LEVERAGE THE BAYOU, UH, WHICH A MAJORITY OF IT IS OWNED PRIVATELY.
SO IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT EASY TO JUST GO AND AND BUILD SOMETHING ON THE BAYOU.
UM, BUT YOU'VE ALSO GOT THE SAME FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN THAT DON'T WANNA SEE DEVELOPMENT.
THEY, THEY WANNA SEE THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE BAYOU.
THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE I'M GIVING.
SO WITHIN THE STRATEGY DOCUMENT THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND THAT, AND THAT WE USE AS OUR GUIDELINE, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT STAND OUT AND, AND THE WHAT IT SAYS IN THERE AND THE MESSAGING FROM THE PEOPLE IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL.
IT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME TO SEE FRUITION.
JOE, I CAN'T, I CAN'T BE A CRITIC ON YOUR COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING HAS ACTUALLY GOT COMPLETED, BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN THINGS BREAK GROUND MORE SO THAN IN, IN PAST AND PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN MORE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS GET COMPLETED TO START CONSTRUCTION.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK DARYL, IT'S WAS A PERFECT QUESTION IS DO WE HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE? WE DO NOT GIVE MONEY.
AND I'VE SEEN CRITICS ON FACEBOOK, IF THAT'S A TOOL THAT MR. LEHMAN WANTS TO LOOK AT AS HOW WE COMMUNICATE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A BIT OF PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT WATCHING THE EDC FACEBOOK SITE, MAYBE YOU COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMED ON THAT ONE.
UM, OR YOU CAN ATTEND SOME OF THE OPEN HOUSES THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE'VE HAD AT LEAST FOUR I CAN THINK OF WHERE WE HAVE SOLICITED COMMUNITY TO COME IN SO THEY CAN HEAR PART ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE RECENTLY CONTRACTED WHEN SOMETHING IS BREAKING GROUND, WHAT THE STRATEGY IS IN, IN A FORWARD LOOK
[00:15:01]
ON A LARGER PURCHASE OF PROPERTY THAT TOOK US OVER A YEAR, UH, TO, UM, AGGREGATE TO ACQUIRE.IT'S CLOSE TO A 60 ACRE PROJECT.
AND IT'S PRETTY EXCITING WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND AND TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN ON WHAT WE KIND OF HAVE A VISION FOR IN ORDER TO ANSWER WHAT THE PEOPLE TOLD US IN THE OPEN HOUSES TO FORMULATE THE STRATEGY DOCUMENT.
SO NO, OUR AGREEMENTS ARE STRUCTURED SUCH THAT THEIR PERFORMANCE AGREEMENTS, THERE IS NO MONIES GIVEN OUT UNLESS THE PERSON THE RECIPIENT HAS MEET HAS MET A CERTAIN, UM, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENT OR A DATE OF CONSTRUCTION OR A DATE OF COMPLETION.
NOW, THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD THAT THERE WAS A PORTION OF A TOTAL, UH, INCENTIVE THAT WAS GIVEN TO, UM, THIS NEWEST CONSTRUCTION OVER HERE THAT BOUGHT THE CHURCH.
AND PART OF THE INTENT OF SOME OF THAT MONIES WAS TO HELP WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND, UH, RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH AN OLD BUILDING SUCH AS ASBESTOS REMOVAL.
AND SURE ENOUGH, THE OWNER WHO PURCHASED THAT HAS INCURRED CLOSE TO 300,000 OR MORE DOLLARS THAT WAS NOT BUDGETED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION DUE TO THE FACT OF ASBESTOS REMOVALS AND THINGS THAT WERE NOT IDENTIFIED PRIOR TO CLOSING.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY EXCEPTION I COULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO MONIES GIVEN.
AND SO THE CHECKS AND BALANCES IS, UNLESS THE RECIPIENT PERFORMS AND MEETS CERTAIN TARGETS, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE THAT MONEY.
AND FURTHER IN MANY CONTRACTS, IT'S WRITTEN TO WHERE THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT.
SO IF THEY DON'T MEET THAT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE THEY'VE AGREED TO IN THEIR, IN THEIR CONTRACTS, THEY HAVE TO PAY THAT MONEY BACK.
SO YES, THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF TIME, VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, A LOT OF THOUGHT AND THOUGHTFULNESS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THIS.
THESE AREN'T CONTRACTS THAT WE JUST KIND OF HAPHAZARDLY PUT TOGETHER.
THEY TAKE TIME AND I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE.
I'VE BEEN PART OF THE BOARD FOR A LITTLE BIT OVER THREE YEARS NOW.
I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO BE A CRITIC.
HEY, IT'S TAKEN A LOT LONGER THAN I THOUGHT TO GET A LOT OF THESE THINGS DONE.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN MORE ACTIVITY WITH REGARDS TO CONTRACTS BEING COMPLETED AND GROUNDBREAKING THAN EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE EDC IN THE 10, 20 YEARS THAT IT HAD BEFORE US.
AND WHAT'S SO IRONIC IS SOME OF OUR BIGGEST CRITICS ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE EDC AND WERE ON THE COUNCIL AND THEY WERE THE ONES TO MAKE THE DECISIONS NOT TO DO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS IRONIC BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE BIGGEST CRITICS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING DONE.
AND IT'S SAD, IT'S ALMOST CRIMINAL.
I THINK IT'S GROSS NEGLIGENCE BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE WERE MORE INTERESTED IN FUNDING STREETS WITH NO ECONOMIC BENEFIT, WHICH IS MANDATED IN THE LAW OF THE EDC CHARTER THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
SO ANYTIME THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO MOVE FUNDS FROM THE EDC OR ABOLISH THE EDC TO USE THAT MONEY TO PAVE THE STREETS, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL UNLESS IT HAS AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT SUCH AS A NEW STORE OPENING IN AN ADJACENT MANNER.
SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STREET, WE DID SOMETHING SIMILAR AT ZIEGLER'S WHEN WE WERE HOPING TO GET THEM REOPENED AND WE WERE IN DISCUSSION TRYING TO GET THEM REOPENED AND WE SPENT, MY GOSH, I, I DON'T RECALL, BUT WE SPENT PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON STREET IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO FUND STREETS OR INFRASTRUCTURE, AS LONG AS IT'S PART OF AN ECONOMIC PROJECT.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST DO AWAY WITH THE EDC AND JUST MOVE MONEY OVER TO STREET DEPARTMENT CAN'T DO IT.
FIRST OFF IS IF, SO AGAIN ON THE RECORD, FIRST OFF IS, IS BEFORE THE LAW CHANGED, YOU COULD ONLY USE A PERCENTAGE OF THE EDC MONEY FOR STREETS OR NEW STREETS STUFF BEFORE THAT BACK IT'S BEEN, I WAS ON COUNCIL 15 YEARS, SO, AND I'VE BEEN OFF NOW TWO, SO IT'S PROBABLY BEEN 10 OR 12 YEARS AGO THAT WE TOOK JOE, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, A QUARTER OF THE HALF SALE TAX AND IT'S NOW A STREET MAINTENANCE FUND MONEY.
SO HALF OF THE HALF CENT SALES TAX, THAT'S EDC MONEY NOW IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE, IN DOING STREETS.
[00:20:01]
GET THE FULL HALF CENT.THEY ONLY GET A QUARTER OF IT TO OPERATE.
NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SOUNDS GREAT, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE WAY THE LEGISLATION IS WRITTEN, YOU CAN ONLY DO CERTAIN THINGS WITH THE QUARTER CENT SALES TAX.
NOW, BEFORE WE BECAME A 20,000 RESIDENTIAL CITY, WE, WE BETTER OFF EMBRACING BUSINESSES THAT BROUGHT SALES TAX TO THE TOWN.
SINCE WE'RE OVER 20,000 PEOPLE, WE CAN'T DO THAT ANY LONGER.
WE HAVE TO BRING COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL TYPE BUSINESS TO THAT.
ANYBODY, IF I MAKE A MISTAKE, A LAWYER OR DAVID EVEN, WILL Y'ALL STOP ME? BUT I'M PRETTY SURE, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS SINCE WE VOTED ON IT.
OKAY, ALL THIS SOUNDS SO GOOD ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE EDC MONEY.
AND FOR YEARS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, EVERYBODY HAS SAID WE SHOULD DO THIS AND WE SHOULD DO THAT.
AND THE LEGISLATURE TELLS YOU, NO, YOU CANNOT DO THAT.
SO IF THEY DID A WAIT A MINUTE, LEMME FINISH.
IF THEY DID AWAY WITH THE HALVES AT THE, WITH THE, IF THEY DID AWAY WITH THE CURRENT QUARTER SET SALES TAX, IT GOES AWAY.
IT'S NO LONGER COLLECTED, IT CAN'T BE TRANSFERRED SOMEWHERE ELSE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO IF YOU DID AWAY WITH IT, YOU DON'T HAVE IT FOR ANYTHING AND OTHER THINGS.
EDC MONEY IS USED, LIKE I SAID, TO HELP BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT'S YOUR OPINION OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE MONEY? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT REGARD TO THE STATEMENTS I'VE HEARD, NOT JUST HERE DENIED, BUT DISCUSSION AND TALK AND NOTES ON FACEBOOK ABOUT KNOW MY TAX AND, AND, UH, HOW IT'S BEING MISUSED.
I DON'T THINK A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT PAY ATTENTION TO THE EC UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS NOT PROPERTY TAX FUNDS.
THE EC IT IS A VERY SMALL PORTION OF SALES TAX.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS ANYBODY WHO BUYS SOMETHING THAT BASICALLY COME BACK THROUGH DICKINSON, WHETHER THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED HERE OR IF YOU BUY SOMETHING ON AMAZON AND YOU'RE A RESIDENT HERE, THE CITY REACH THE BENEFIT OF THAT SALES TAX BECAUSE YOU'RE THE RESIDENT HERE, YOU'RE BUYING FROM AMAZON HERE, AND A PORTION OF THAT SALES TAX GOES TO FUND NOT A PROPERTY TAX.
IT'S NOT LIKE PART OF WHAT YOU PAY ON YOUR, IN YOUR ANNUAL TAXES THAT A CHUNK GOES TO FUND EBCI MISSED SOME MATH.
SO BASED ON THE AVERAGE SPEND, THE AVERAGE SPEND, YOU SAY IT'S NOT A JOE WILBURN IS NOT COLIN COKER OR SOMEBODY WHO PROBABLY SPENDS $10,000 ON STUFF WITH IN, IN THE REALM OF THROUGH DICKINSON ON AMAZON THROUGHOUT YEARS PERIOD.
BUT THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO SPENDS MONEY ON AMAZON, AS AN EXAMPLE IN ANY OTHER SALES TAX, WHETHER YOU GO TO THE RESTAURANTS, WHETHER YOU GO TO A SERVICE COMPANY AND HAVE YOUR TIRES REPAIRED.
IF BUY GASOLINE OR THE GROCERY STORE SALES TAX EDC HAS FUNDED WHAT, ONE QUARTER OF ONE QUARTER OF A CENT OF A CENT, ONE QUARTER OF A CENT, FIVE, 1 CENT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS ON THE AVERAGE PERSON, IF YOU LOOK AT ALL PEOPLE AND WHAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD SPEND ON, ON GOODS AND SERVICES IN A CITY, THAT ONE QUARTER OF 1%, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT AVERAGE IS A YEAR? $38.
SO IT'S NOT A HARD PROPERTY TAX.
IT'S NOT, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE DIRECTING THAT TOWARD NO, NO.
WELL, I I'M DIRECTING IT TOWARD CRITICS.
I I WANNA MAKE SURE THE CRITICS UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
AND JOE, IF, IF YOU REMEMBER, YOU AND I HAD THIS DISCUSSION MANY A TIME I DIDN'T VOTE FOR, FOR THE CAR WASH THAT, THAT, BECAUSE IT PAYS NO SALES TAX PAYS.
AND I'M NOT PICKING ON THAT, THAT WAS A LEGISLATION'S DEAL.
BUT OUR, OUR BIGGEST PART OF SALES TAX DOESN'T EVEN COME FROM DICKINSON.
IT COMES FROM ALL THESE DAVID WEEKLY HOMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
OUR THREE 80 AGREEMENTS, WHICH SOONER OR LATER, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT, WHICH YEAR THEY DO IT, THE LEGISLATURE'S GONNA DO IT AWAY WITH THOSE THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW IT SET UP HERE.
MAYBE THE WHOLE, MAYBE THE WHOLE QUARTER CENTS GOES BACK TO THE STATE.
IF YOU DO AWAY WITH THE EDC IT DOES.
NOW IN HITCHCOCK IT WASN'T IF, IF YOU DID AWAY WITH THE EDC AND HITCHCOCK, HALF, HALF OF THE QUARTER GOES BACK TO HITCHCOCK FOR, FOR, UH, THE GENERAL FUND.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LAW HERE.
BUT IN HITCHCOCK, HALF THE MONEY, IF YOU DONE AWAY WITH THE EEDC ABOLISHED IT, OKAY, HALF OF THE QUARTER WOULD GO BACK TO, OKAY, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF EDCS.
LAMARS UNDERSTAND LAMARS AND TEXAS CITIES IS DIFFERENT THAN OURS TOO.
I I'LL LOOK AT IT MYSELF AND I,
[00:25:01]
AND I'LL AND I'LL SEE, AND IF IT, IF IT IS ABOLISHED, IF IT DOES COMPLETELY ABOLISH THAT TAX, I'M NOT, I'M NOT AGAINST ABOLISHING THE EDC BECAUSE IF IT JUST BEING MONEY WASTED, BUT IN FACT IT IS, I WILL BE, I WILL BE ON THE MISSION TO TRY TO ABOLISH.'CAUSE IT CREATES THIS HUGE GOVERNMENT OF, OF PEOPLE WHO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, TOO MANY OTHER THINGS.
AND THEN YOU, AND THEN YOU'VE GOTTA GO TO THE CITY AND GET PERMISSION ONCE YOU ALL DECIDE TO DO IT.
AND, UH, IT JUST, IT'S JUST A BIG BOOM.
DO BECAUSE LAWS, BECAUSE LAWS THAT ARE CREATED BY YOUR LEGISLATION WILL NOT ALLOW A BOARD TO DO THINGS WITHOUT BEING CORRECTED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SINCE WE'RE APPOINTED BOARD AN ANSWER TO THE, TO THE GENTLEMAN ABOUT, UH, RHINO, RHINO NEVER WAS GONNA GET ANY MONEY FROM THE EDC, THEY NEVER REALLY APPLIED FOR ANY, THAT'S THE PART I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THEY WERE GIVING MONEY UP FRONT.
NO, THAT, THAT I DIDN'T AND NEITHER HAS BACKYARD BREWERY.
YEAH, I I THEY WERE GIVEN THESE AGREEMENTS ARE THESE AGREEMENTS, WHAT THEY HAVE IS THAT THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE USUALLY SIGNED BY THESE PEOPLE, WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES THEM THE TIME TO GET ALL THEIR FUNDING AND STUFF, AND, AND THEY GOT, THEY GOT FIGHT A RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
MR. I TO RESPOND TO YOU, MR POSITION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 38 A PERSON.
MY QUESTION TO YOU WITH, WITH YOUR NUMBERS THAT YOU RUN, HOW MUCH DID THE EDC TAKE IN IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? FROM THE QUARTER QUARTER QUARTER.
ONE QUARTER PERCENT SALES TAX, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH REVENUE? IN FOR 2024? I THINK FOR 1.8 YEAR THEY'RE DOWN.
I KNOW THAT THEY, I MEAN IT GOT AS HIGH AND PRIOR 0.8, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? 1.8 MILLION? I THINK SO.
WELL, NO, IT'S HAVE VERY SUBSTANTIAL OVER $5 MILLION AT, AT THE PEAK.
YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT.
THEY, WE COLLECT THE WHOLE HALF CENT.
BUT EDC ONLY GETS A QUARTER OF IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE, THE CITY GETS THE WHOLE HALF CENT THAT'S JUST DIVIDED UP INTO TWO QUARTERS.
A QUARTER OF IT GOES A STREET.
WHICH CAN I, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JOE, I APPRECIATE FOLKS LIKE YOURSELF WHO SHOW UP AND PROVIDE INPUT.
THAT MEANS SOMEBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION BECAUSE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS ROOM'S NOT VERY FULL, BUT I I, I ENJOY IT WHEN PEOPLE COME.
BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, IF I READ AND I SEE AND I HEAR CRITICS WITHOUT EVER COMING TO ME OR ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OR SENDING US AN EMAIL OR MAKING A PHONE CALL OR SAYING, HEY, CAN WE GO, YOU KNOW, GRAB A LUNCH AND TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S, OH, I THINK YOU'RE TAKING IT.
I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE TAKING IT PERSONALLY.
WHAT IS THAT? WE'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS SHOW FOR 20 YEARS OR HOWEVER LONG IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE.
YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING? CAN I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING? MAY I SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE, PLEASE.
I WORK WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I THINK WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
NUMBER ONE, I UNDERSTAND, I EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR CONCERNS.
I'M A RESIDENT, I'M A CITIZEN.
I WANNA LIVE IN A CITY WHERE I CAN BE PROUD OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND ALSO WHEN IT DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS, IT LOOKS BACK AND REFLECTS ON HOW IT CAN BE BETTER.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HEAR FROM ME.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTIONS, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS.
HOWEVER, BEING SOMEONE THAT IS NOT IN GOVERNMENT, CITY GOVERNMENT, KNOWING HOW THE LEGISLATURE WORKS AND HOW CONGRESS WORKS HAS BEEN EYE-OPENING TO ME.
I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE WHO SAT ON THE EDC BOARD, WORKED IN CITY, SAID IT IS LIKE WATCHING PAINT DRY, SEEING SOME OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN AND NOT HAPPEN.
I THINK THERE HAVE, THERE HAS PROBABLY BEEN SOME LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT THERE IS SOME LEADER SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, BUT I, I CAN SAY THIS, THAT I REVIEW, I QUESTION, I ASK, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE THIS IS MONEY THAT GOES BACK INTO A COMMUNITY THAT I LOVE AND THAT I SERVE.
I MAY NOT HAVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE, BUT MY FAMILY HAS ROOTS HERE.
THE RODRIGUEZ FAMILY HAS ROOTS HERE.
AND SO I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A DICKINSON RESIDENT.
BUT I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN DO TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE ON THIS END, SEEING SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, IT DOESN'T LOOK THAT WAY.
BUT I, I GUARANTEE YOU, WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
AND, AND I'LL BE VERY TRANSPARENT.
I HAVE MY FRUSTRATIONS, YOU KNOW, I, I, I HAVE MY OWN FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE PROCESS, BUT THAT'S HOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS THINGS SET UP.
[00:30:01]
AND IT'S WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO CALL IT FORTUNATE OR UNFORTUNATE, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, THAT'S HOW THINGS ARE.AND SO WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH WHAT WE ARE GIVEN.
I THINK QUESTIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK ALL OF US WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS, WE WELCOME CHALLENGES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE GET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I ASK, AND SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN HERE, KNOW THAT I ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND.
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I'M AGREEING TO BEFORE I AGREE TO IT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I UNDERSTAND, I EMPATHIZE, YOUR QUESTIONS ARE VALID, YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF THAT WE ARE DOING ON THE BACK END TO TRY TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR CONCERN.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING? ABSOLUTELY.
SO I'M OBVIOUSLY THE NEWEST, UH, NEWEST MEMBER.
UM, THE REASON I, THE REASON I WAS MOTIVATED TO JOIN IS 'CAUSE I, I, I'M AWARE OF SOME OF THE, THE FINANCIAL SITUATION IN THE, IN THE CITY.
UM, ALSO AWARE THAT WHEN THE 5 38, UH, IS THAT THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, UH, GOES AWAY THAT OUR ABILITY TO FUND STREETS POLICE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS GONNA BE SEVERELY IMPACTED.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT EVEN IF THAT HALF CENT COMES BACK, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH TO COVER IT.
SO IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND AS I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, 99 COMING THROUGH AND I SEE THESE OTHER THINGS, I REALIZE THAT IT'S GONNA BRING, IT'S GONNA BRING PROBLEMS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
HOWEVER WE DO IT, AS WE'RE GROWING, IT'S GONNA BRING PROBLEMS. IT'S ALSO GONNA BRING BENEFITS.
AND IF I LOOK AT OTHER CITIES, BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS, UM, YOU KNOW, IIII, I LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID, OKAY, HOW DO WE START TO TAKE ADVANTAGE ALSO OF THE BENEFITS AND WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO ON THE INVESTMENT SIDE TO ATTRACT ENOUGH BUSINESS, ENOUGH, UH, REVENUE ON THE, ON, ON THE TAX SIDE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE WHEN, WHEN THAT, WHEN, WHEN THOSE, WHEN THOSE FUNDS RUN OUT.
AND, AND EVEN STILL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT WE WANT TO DO? WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ROADS.
WELL, HOW DO WE GET IT? WELL, WE GET IT BY GETTING MORE, BY GETTING MORE, BY ATTRACTING MORE BUSINESS, BY GETTING MORE PEOPLE HERE.
SO THE, SO THE MISSION OF EDC, WHICH IS TO DIRECT INVESTMENT DOLLARS TO ATTRACT, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS TO THE CITY TO DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH, I FIND VERY MOTIVATING, RIGHT? THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANNA PARTICIPATE IN.
AND LIKE, LIKE YOU, I I, I LOOKED AT THE PROJECTS THAT WERE OUT THERE, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THE STATUS, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND, UM, AND THEN DECIDED THAT, OKAY, IF EDC GOES AWAY, OUR, OUR ABILITY TO INVEST IN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THEN GOES AWAY.
SO, OR MAYBE WE COULD, BUT WE'D HAVE TO REPLACE IT SOMEHOW.
SO HOW, HOW WOULD WE DO THAT? AND I, I, AND SO TO ME, THIS IS THE VEHICLE TO DO IT.
YOU KNOW, CAN WE DO, CAN WE DO, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY? DO WE NEED TO DO SOME THINGS BETTER? DO WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL ALLOCATION DIFFERENTLY? MAYBE WE DO.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHY I, THAT'S WHAT MOTIVATES ME.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT EVERY, EVERY DAY.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EDC, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CITY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GROWTH AND, AND PROSPERITY FOR, FOR, FOR THE CITY AND, AND, AND THE, AND THE DILEMMA WE HAVE, WHICH, WHICH AIN'T GOING AWAY.
SOMEHOW WE GOTTA GROW OUR WAY OUT OF IT, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
HOW DO WE GET TO THE POINT OF GROWTH WHERE THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, BECOME, BECOME OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND NOT, AND NOT RISKS AND CHALLENGES.
DOES THAT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
OH, BELIEVE ME, ALL Y'ALL MAKES SENSE.
I MEAN, COLIN, I, I, I, ALL Y'ALL SPEAK VERY ELO AND I KNOW YOU WANNA DO THE RIGHT, THERE'S NO DOUBT YOU'LL GET FREE UNLESS YOU DID WANNA DO THE RIGHT.
THE PROBLEM IS YOU STILL HAVE A CITY MANAGER THAT'LL HACK ALL YOUR LEGS OFF IF HE'S NOT GETTING WHAT HE WANTS WHEN YOU PRESENT THEM.
NOW, I CALL, I'M TELLING YOU, THE GUY IS ON.
AND, AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU BRING IT UP THERE AND HE DON'T GET HIS PIECE OF IT.
JUST LIKE ALL THE CONSULTANTS THAT HE HIRED WHEN I WAS ON THE EDC CONSULTANT AFTER CONSULTANT, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF CONSULTANTS WHEN I WAS ON THE EDC AND I PUSHED BACK ON THEM, BUT IT WAS THE SAME CONSULTANTS THAT HE GOT IN DAYTON, SAME CONSULTANTS THAT WERE IN FREEPORT WHEN HE BROUGHT HIS FRIEND OVER FROM FREEPORT TO RUN THE EDC.
AND SO HE'S STILL RUNNING OUR CITY, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A NEW MAYOR.
UH, WE STILL DON'T, WE STILL DON'T HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.
WE STILL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T HAVE.
BUT THE SAME GUY Y'ALL HAVE TO BRING THINGS TO TO PRESENT WHO IS THE BEST SALESMAN? THE GUY THAT CAN CALM A AROUND WHEN HE COMES IN, THE GUY THAT WILL SHAKE YOUR HAND AND HAS A HACKSAW RUNNING
[00:35:01]
THROUGH THE VEINS IN YOUR BACK.THE GUY WHO YOU'RE PRESENTING YOUR GOOD IDEAS TO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, THROUGH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL WHEN IT GETS THROUGH THEM.
DO I THINK CO'S TRYING TO DO THE BEST THING I DO, ALL OF Y'ALL, I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST THING, AND I WOULD BE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS IF I KNEW THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE A GUY WHO'S MORALLY BANKRUPT AND WHO WAS TRYING TO BANKRUPT THE CITY AND WENT THROUGH 150 EMPLOYEES BECAUSE HE DON'T OUT WORK WITH SOMEBODY, NOBODY.
AND YOU GOTTA GOTTA TAKE IT TO THIS GUY.
AND HE'S ALREADY SOLD HIS HIMSELF TO THE NEW MAYOR, TO COLIN.
HE'S GOT JESSE FRAN, HE AND HE'S GOT JOHNNY SIMPSON.
I MEAN, HE'S GOT THE COALITION THAT IF HE WANTS IT TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT DEAL HERE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE RIGHT DEAL.
I NEED TO HIRE ANOTHER CONSULTANT.
LET'S HIRE ANOTHER CONSULTANT.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HIT WITH ALL THE CONSULTANTS AND THE FLYERS AND THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT I WAS HIT WITH, BUT I WAS ON THE BOARD VOTING AGAINST EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I THINK ALL OF Y'ALL RIGHT HERE COULD SOLVE ALL OF THAT.
YOU CAN PUT YOUR HEADS TOGETHER AND GO FIND CREWS THAT WANT TO COME TO DICKINSON.
BELIEVE ME, THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM.
I JUST PUT TOGETHER A DEVELOPMENT IN SANTA FE, $30 MILLION ON, ON THE LAND SALE.
IT'S A TWO, IT'S A $2 BILLION DEAL.
AND, AND I WASN'T ON ANY COMMITTEE, BUT THE SAME PEOPLE THAT GOT FIRED FROM DICKINSON WAS THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS WORKING WITH TO DO IT.
THE CITY MANAGER OF SANTA FE, DUDE, HE STEPPED RIGHT UP THE MAYOR OF SANTA FE.
IT WASN'T LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO WORK AGAINST ME.
THEY, WE GOT IN ROOMS AND WE FOUGHT AND FOUGHT FOR TWO YEARS, PUT IT TOGETHER, A $2 BILLION DEAL FOR THE CITY OF, CITY OF SANTA FE.
AND I JUST THINK ALL OF Y'ALL ARE UP HERE SPENDING YOUR TIME AND YOUR RESOURCES AND YOU'RE TAKING YOUR TIME OUTTA YOUR FAMILY AND YOU'RE TAKING IT TO A GUY THAT'S GONNA SAW YOUR LEGS OFF.
HE'S PROVEN IT, HE'S PROVEN IT.
AND YOU CAN'T GET A, AN AUDIT COMPLETE BECAUSE THE BOOKS ARE JUST, JUST MANGLED.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY FIXING TO FIRE ANOTHER FINANCE DIRECTOR 'CAUSE IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER AUDIT.
I, I'D BE ALMOST WILLING TO BET THERE'S A FINANCE DIRECTOR FIXING TO GO DOWN THE TWO.
AND FOR SOME REASON OUR LEADERSHIP CANNOT SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
I I BELIEVE ALL Y'ALL ARE BRILLIANT AND IF, IF THERE'S A TEAM ASSEMBLED THAT CAN BRING BUSINESS INTO DICKINSON, I THINK Y'ALL HIT, I MEAN Y'ALL ALL SPEAK LIKE YOU CAN DO IT.
I KNOW I COULD HAVE DONE IT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU IT WAS A CHAINSAW AT MY ANKLE AND IT WOUND UP AT MY HIPS AND I WOUND UP ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER BECAUSE OF THAT CHARLATAN JUST RUNNING THE CITY.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THAT PAPER AS BEING A CRIMINAL, DON'T COME UP WITH AN IDEA THAT THAT GUY DON'T AGREE WITH BECAUSE LEMME CUT YOU.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T HAVE ANY FAITH IN IT ANYMORE BECAUSE THE SAME GUY THAT RUN THE PROSPERITY OF DICKINSON IS STILL IN CHARGE OF DICKINSON AND HE'S STILL FRIENDS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S ON THE COUNCIL, THE MAJORITY.
SO DUDE, GOOD LUCK TO Y'ALL ON GOD'S SPEED.
AND I'M GONNA LOOK INTO THIS AND I'LL PROMISE I'LL GET OFF OF, I'LL PROMISE I'LL GET OFF OF THIS TIRADE I GOT GOING ON, ON FACEBOOK ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH EDC IF IT IN FACT CUTS THE QUARTER OFF AND, AND MR. LAWYER, YOU CAN TELL ME NOW, DOES A QUARTER GO AWAY OR IS IT JUST HALF OF THE QUARTER OF A CENT THAT GOES AWAY IF, IF YOU DO AWAY THE EC THE ENTIRETY OF THE QUARTER SENT SALES TAX ALLOCATED FOR THE EDC WOULD GO AWAY.
IT'S GONNA BE SECTION 5 0 5 0.354, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND LISTEN, GUYS, GOTTA SPEED TO YOU.
UH, GOOD LUCK AND GOOD LUCK GETTING IT PASSED THROUGH, UH, THROUGH A, UH, COUNCIL.
THAT, UH, IS NOT COHERENT, JOE.
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ALWAYS CALL ME.
HEY, LOOK, UH, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT GO ON THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF LIES THAT GO ON.
A LOT OF LIES THAT GO ON LIES, HUH? AIN'T LIE I EVER TOLD YOU.
WELL, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU EVER TOLD ME A LIE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I HAD BEEN LIED TO A LOT, A LOT AND UH, AND I HAD, I HAD GREAT VALUE.
I FELT LIKE, AND, AND JUST SO SOME OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW LLOYD'S RESTAURANTS WAS GONNA BUILD TWO MARQUEE RESTAURANTS IN DICKINSON ON THAT BIO.
TWO MARQUEE RESTAURANTS RIGHT HERE AT WATER STREET BEFORE THE AGREEMENT WAS MADE TO SELL TO DANIEL BLANC.
BILL, ALL I ASKED FOR WAS FOUR ACRES CUT OUT OF THAT ON THE WATERFRONT.
[00:40:01]
WAS GONNA BUILD TWO MARQUEE RESTAURANTS, FLEW A GUY DOWN FROM NEW YORK AND GUARANTEED THAT HE WOULD HAVE THEM OPEN IN 12 MONTHS OR HE WOULD PAY A PENALTY IF HE DIDN'T HAVE A OPEN.THE CITY MANAGER CAME TO ME AND SAID, IF YOU TRY TO NEGOTIATE THAT DEAL AND MAKE MORE CALLS, I'M GONNA SEE TO IT.
I, I DON'T, I, THE, THE MANAGER I DID NOT WORK FOR AND I DIDN'T WORK FOR THE MAYOR, BUT THEY HAD ANOTHER PLAN.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
DID WE HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE? HE WAS ON THE BOARD.
WE COULD HAVE HAD, WE COULD HAVE HAD WATER TAXI RUNNING AND, AND GOING UP AND DOWN THIS BIO FURNISHING PEOPLE AND SEAN SKIPWORTH STATEMENT TO ME IN THAT MEETING, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE THERE OR NOT, HIS STATEMENT TO ME IS, JOE, ALL YOU WANT IS FOR RICH PEOPLE ONLY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE ON THE BIO.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LET DICKINSON GET TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FIGHT THAT.
I I, I MEAN I TRIED TO TELL HIM HOW THINGS WORK AND PEOPLE GET RICH BY SELLING THEIR PROPERTY ON THE BIO THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING NOTHING WITH.
ONCE YOU GET A START LIKE THAT AND IT CREATES MORE AND MORE SALES TAX, MAYBE START CREATING A BOARD WIRE GOING DOWN BOTH SIDES OF THE BIBLE AND COLIN IS RIGHT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT DEVELOPMENT ON THE BIBLE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T, AND I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IF THEY WANT PAVED STREETS AND THEY WANT THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE AND PLUMBING THAT FLUSHES AT SOME POINT, THE BIO IS ALL WE HAVE.
WE WERE VERY LIMITED ON RESOURCE FOR, FOR DOING THOSE THINGS.
AND WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THESE HOME BUILDERS THAT WANT THREE 80 AGREEMENTS AND THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING, THEY'RE GOING AWAY ANYWAY.
SO AT SOME POINT THE BIO IS OUR ONLY DESTINATION AND UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU INFORMING ME OF I'LL GET OFF MY LITTLE, I'LL GET OFF MY DO AWAY WITH THE EDC AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TAKING IT PERSONAL.
I KNOW, I KNOW COLIN TAKES IT PERSONALLY.
HE LIKES TO DO HIS JOB, HE'S GOOD AT HIS JOB AND, AND HE TOOK IT PERSONAL AND, AND UH, AND PROBABLY SOME OF YOU OTHERS TOOK IT PERSONAL, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET MONEY FLOWING AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHENEVER SOMEBODY HAS A GREAT IDEA, IT BETTER BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S IDEA AT THE TOP, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, BRING, BRING THAT CHARLA IN.
ONCE YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA, YOU BRING SOMEBODY, BRING HIM IN AND SAY, DUDE, YOU CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF MY DREAM.
AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO GO THROUGH WHEN YOU START MAKING CELL TAX.
SO ANYWAY, I'LL REITERATE, UM, I DO APPRECIATE WHEN PEOPLE COME IT MEANS THEY CARE WHETHER IT'S CRITICS OR NOT.
SO HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU TONIGHT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL.
UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK FOR OUR NEXT OPEN HOUSE, WHICH WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOMETIME BEFORE THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER.
WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE NEWS AND A LOT MORE PROGRESS TO TALK ABOUT AT THAT ONE.
UM, WHETHER IT'S HERE OR, YOU KNOW, AT MARAIS OR CASUAL SETTING, WE TRY TO, WE TRY TO MAKE IT TO WHERE IT'S, IT'S UH, IT'S INFORMATIVE.
WE HAVE THE DEVELOPERS THAT, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT COME AND THEY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED, WHERE THEY ARE IN THE STAGE STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION AND UM, I THINK ANYONE WHO HAS COME FOUND IT HAS FOUND IT TO BE VERY INFORMATIVE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME NEXT TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? TEAM? OKAY,
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
UH, TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, SECTION FOUR.THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE BY THE DICKINSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL NOT BE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS UNLESS REQUESTED BY A BOARD MEMBER IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND DISCUSSED AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA.
NOW, UM, SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT ARE ON HERE, I'M GONNA ASK, UM, CAITLIN, IF YOU WOULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT SUCH AS WE'VE GOT FOUR A CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE ACTION TO AMEND THE DEC REGULAR, UH, MEETING FOR OCTOBER.
UH, FOUR B IS THE SAME THING FOR NOVEMBER AND FOUR C IS THE THING, SAME THING FOR DECEMBER.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT MODIFICATION THERE? YES.
UM, THERE WAS A SLIGHT MISTAKE ON THE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER MEETING MINUTES.
THERE WAS A SECTION IN ONE OF THE TOP PARAGRAPHS THAT REFERRED TO US AS CITY COUNCIL INSTEAD OF, UM, THE EDC.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH IT IN GRANICUS, SO I HAVE TO GO IN AND, UH, MANUALLY FIX THAT NOW.
SO ALL I DID WAS JUST CHANGE IT FROM CITY COUNCIL TO THE DICKINSON, ED, C AND THEN C UM, THOSE ARE, THAT'S JUST TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM LAST DECEMBER.
THERE WAS, UH, NO CHANGES OR ANYTHING MADE TO THAT, SO, OKAY, VERY GOOD.
SO THOSE LOOK KIND OF STRANGE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ALL UNDERSTOOD WHY THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT SUCH SO FOUR D CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER FINANCIAL IN AND INVESTMENT REPORT FOR E CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER, 2024 DEDC ACCOUNT STATEMENT FOR TEXAS FIRST BANK AND TEX POOL FOR F CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A DECEMBER, 2024
[00:45:02]
MONTHLY ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE FEE TRANSFER REQUEST FOR G CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE FY UH, FIRST QUARTER TRANSFER REQUEST FOR H CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 24 PAYROLL TRANSFER.IS THAT IT? OKAY, SO AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE A A IF THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOTION TO APPROVE FOUR D THROUGH FOUR H FOUR D.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM WALTER WILSON TO APPROVE FOUR D THROUGH FOUR H.
OKAY, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
OKAY, CLINTON WILLIAMS FOR A SECOND.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES FOR FOUR D THROUGH FOUR
[Items 4.A - 4.C]
H.OKAY, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARDS TO FOUR A THROUGH C? I I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE MINUTES, AND I'M NOT AT ALL DOUBTING THAT THAT IS THE ISSUE, BUT IN THIS SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, WHENEVER FOR EXAMPLE WHEN WE WRITE LEGISLATION OR WHEN WE WRITE BYLAWS THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED, THERE'S ALWAYS A COPY THAT REFLECTS THE CHANGES AS IN A STRIKE THROUGH AND OR ONE THAT IS A CLEAN VERSION.
IS THAT COMMON PRACTICE OR IS THAT NOT THE CASE HERE? SO, UM, THE ERROR IS HARD CODED IN IN PEAK.
UM, SO WE NEED TO EXPORT IT OUTTA THAT SYSTEM.
SO WE DID NOT, AND IT WAS LITERALLY JUST THE WORD REFERRING TO THIS BODY AS CITY COUNCIL VERSUS ED, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
UM, SO WE DID NOT STRIKE IN A PDF LIKE STRIKE THROUGH AND HAND AND SEND A COPY.
WE CERTAINLY CAN, IF WE WANT TO TABLE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.
MY, I MEAN MY ONLY CONCERN IS JUST THAT GETTING AHEAD OF QUESTIONS AND ANTICIPATING QUESTIONS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF THE SYSTEM DOES NO, IF THE SYSTEM DOESN'T ALLOW IT, THEN LOOK AT BETTER PROCESSES, I GUESS FUTURE, WHATEVER, IT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY, BUT TO MITIGATE QUESTIONS IN THE FUTURE, PERHAPS A STRIKETHROUGH DIRTY VERSION WITH THE CLEAN VERSION MIGHT SUFFICE SO THAT WE CAN MITIGATE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, MY ONLY THOUGHTS, I THINK THAT'S PERFECTLY REASONABLE REQUEST.
OKAY, SO DO WE HAVE, DO WE WANT A TABLE FOR A THROUGH FOUR C FOR A LATER TIME TO ALLOW FOR A STRIKEOUT VERSION OR IS THERE A SEPARATE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE FORWARD AND APPROVE? I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STRIKEOUT VERSION, BUT IF THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS TO PROCEED WITH THAT ONE, THEN I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S NOT GONNA HURT TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAH.
WELL IF WE DON'T APPROVE 'EM, THEY'D JUST BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
AND THE CORRECTIONS THAT WOULD GO WITH THEM, IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO ACTUALLY STATE TO MOVE ON? JUST THAT I DON'T SEE, JUST PASS IT.
UH, OKAY, SO, SO OKAY, WE'LL JUST MOVE THOSE TO THE NEXT AGENDA.
OH, WOULD WE STILL CONSIDER THE DECEM THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO DECEMBER? IF THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO DECEMBER, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THAT.
YEAH, THE UM, THE ONLY CHANGES WERE ON THE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER MEETING MINUTES.
SO DO, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FOR? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE FOUR C.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO WE HAVE PASSED FOUR C THROUGH H AND WE ARE TABLING FOUR A THROUGH B TO ALLOW FOR A STRIKEOUT VERSION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INPUT, ISRAEL.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UH, SECTION FIVE, OLD BUSINESS SIX NOW.
[6. NEW BUSINESS]
NEW BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO SELECT A PARK BENCH MODEL FOR THE DICKINSON PICNIC GROUND SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN.UH, SO AS, AS THE BOARD, UM, IS AWARE, WE ARE RUNNING A, A CAMPAIGN FOR PARK BENCHES.
UH, THIS WILL ALLOW CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES TO SPONSOR A BENCH, UH, TO COVER THE COST OF THE BENCH AND THE PLAQUE.
UM, AT THE PICNIC GROUNDS, UH, THERE'S 20 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
UH, WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, SPONSORING ALL OF THOSE.
UM, BUT WE, WE PRETTY CONFIDENT WE CAN PROBABLY GET 10 TO 15 SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
UM, AND IT'LL GIVE THE, THE, UH, GIVE THE CITIZENS AND THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE
[00:50:01]
IN THE PICNIC GROUNDS.UH, TO THAT END, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL ITEMS, UM, FOR YOU GUYS TO REVIEW AND SELECT WHICH PARK BENCH, UM, WOULD BE USED AT THE PARK.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST GONNA GO WITH ONE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE FOLKS DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
WE'RE JUST GONNA PICK ONE BENCH SO IT'S UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY.
SO WITH THAT, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THEM THROUGH? SURE.
SO THE FIRST BENCH, UM, JUST TO KEEP IN MIND, I, THERE'S FOUR TOTAL OPTIONS AND I LISTED THEM FROM MOST EXPENSIVE TO LEAST EXPENSIVE.
SO THIS ONE, THE FIRST TWO ARE FROM THE SAME COMPANY, UM, PILOT ROCK.
UM, AND IT COMES JUST, THE BENCH ALONE IS 1400.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU WOULD PAY AN $86 FEE FOR THE CUSTOMIZABLE PLAQUE AND THEY WOULD ENGRAVE IT WITH, UM, WHATEVER IS GOING TO GO ON THE PLAQUE AND THEN RECESS IT INTO THE BACK OF THE BENCH.
AND THEN THE ANCHOR, EXCUSE ME, ANCHOR BOLT KITS ARE SOLD SEPARATELY TO, UM, CAN I INTERRUPT FOR JUST A MOMENT? DAVID, WOULD YOU TAKE A, A MINUTE OR CAITLYN, EITHER ONE TO EXPLAIN TO THE, THE, ALL THE MEMBERS HERE ON WHY WE'RE AT THIS POINT WHY WE WOULD NEED A PLAQUE? I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERY, THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SPEED TO TALK ABOUT WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS NOW AND WHY THERE'S AN $86 EXPENSE FOR A PLAQUE AND WHY THIS IS NOT PART OF THE BUDGET.
UM, SO WE WANNA OFFER PEOPLE, UM, I'VE ALREADY STARTED, I PRETTY MUCH HAVE THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN BUILT OUT.
UM, BUT WE WANNA OFFER PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF DICKINSON'S HISTORY.
UM, AND WITH THAT PLAQUE, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO SO.
SO WHETHER IT'S, UM, PEOPLE THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES, UM, NONPROFITS AROUND TOWN, I KNOW THAT I HAD SPOKE WITH, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS, UH, I THINK IT MIGHT'VE BEEN WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN BRANTLEY ABOUT, UH, RESERVING SOME FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SPONSOR IT.
UM, AND JUST, BUT, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF THE CAMPAIGN, I DON'T HAVE THE CAMPAIGN ON THESE COMPUTERS, BUT IT, THE, THE CALL TO ACTION IS BEING A, A PART OF DICKINSON HISTORY.
AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE THAT ARE SO INCREDIBLY PROUD, UM, TO BE FROM DICKINSON AND TO LIVE IN DICKINSON.
SO, UM, SINCE A SMALL PART OF THE, UM, THE PICNIC GROUNDS IS, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORICAL, WE'RE PAYING HOMAGE TO, UH, DICKINSON'S HISTORY.
WE WANT TO, WE WANNA GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SO WE ALSO, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, DOLLARS AND CENTS IS THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE.
THIS WASN'T CONTEMPLATED RIGHT DURING THE PLANNING PHASE.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION OF, OF THE, UH, PROJECT, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A DOZEN OR SO OF 14 A PIECE, YOU KNOW, THAT ADDS TO A BUDGET THAT WE RUN UP AGAINST.
WHEN THE BUDGETS WERE CREATED, THERE WAS NO FF AND E BUDGET.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO NOW.
UM, AND WE DID HAVE SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER A CAMPAIGN AND HAVING A SIMILAR PLAQUE LIKE PLANNED OAK TREES, UM, BECAUSE TREES ARE EXPENSIVE AND WHERE WE COULD BENEFIT PROJECT OVERALL BY A UNDER.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A VOTE TO GIVE YOU SOME
THAT WILL BE, I KNOW, GO AHEAD.
I NOTICED THREE, I, I NOTICED THREE OF THESE BENCHES WERE FOUR FOOT ONLY ONE WAS SIX.
SO, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU HAVE TO VISUALIZE, LIKE ME
UH, A FOUR FOOT BENCH SHEET'S, PROBABLY TWO PEOPLE COMFORTABLY.
UH, THE SIX FOOT BENCH, YOU KNOW, MORE.
UH, I WAS WONDERING IF, IF MAYBE WE SHOULD SELECT TWO, LIKE FOUR FOOT AND SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT WANNA BUY A SIX, SIX FOOT SO THAT THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT SIZE BENCHES IN THE PARK OTHER THAN JUST ONE STANDARD SIZE.
UH, I WAS JUST GOING TO, UM, MENTION THE PROJECT TEAM ACTUALLY SUGGESTED OR RECOMMENDED AGAINST A SIX FOOT BENCH.
UM, STRICTLY BECAUSE THAT IS YOU, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE PERSON IS SIX FOOT TALL OR LESS
SO THAT, THAT'S, BUT IF, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE SLEEPING IN A PARKING, I'LL AT LEAST MAKE 'EM COMFORTABLE.
WELL, AND, AND, AND ALSO IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THEY WERE GONNA PLACE THE, UM,
[00:55:01]
CONCRETE BLOCKS OR WHATEVER THAT THEY PUT ANCHOR, WEREN'T, THEY WEREN'T THAT PART OF UH, UM, NO.UH, IN SPEAKING WITH, UM, THEO MILSON, UM, HE SAID THE PUBLIC WORKS WILL, WILL POUR THE PAD AND ANCHOR THE BENCHES.
BUT I REMEMBER YOU AND I HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH HIM ABOUT HAVING A, A LAYOUT OF WHERE THE BENCHES WOULD GO SO THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO ADD A MEMORIAL BENCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN EIGHT CERTAIN PLACES THEY'D BE ABLE TO PUT 'EM.
UH, AND THEY ACTUALLY SENT THAT, UH, UH, ABOUT 30, 45 MINUTES BEFORE OUR MEETING TONIGHT.
SO WE, WE JUST GOT THAT, UM, WELL, NO, NO, BUT I WAS JUST INFORMING EVERYBODY THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO A LAYOUT OF WHERE THE BENCHES WOULD GO, EVEN IF WE, WE ONLY SELL 10 OF 'EM OR 20 OF THEM OR WHATEVER, BUT WHERE THE FUTURE VENTURES WOULD GO.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA PUT, UM, THERE'LL BE A COPY OF THAT SITE LAYOUT, UM, IN, IN THE, IN THE MATERIALS.
SO WHEN FOLKS DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DONATE A BENCH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE SITE MAP AND THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA KEEP A SPREADSHEET ON THE WEBSITE OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND THEY CAN YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN PAY THEIR DEPOSIT AND ONCE THEY PAY THEIR DEPOSIT, THEY, THEY PICK THE SITE THAT THEY WANT.
I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING, UH, IF BENCH NUMBER THREE COMES INTO FOREFOOT.
UH, I THINK PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT AND WE LIVE IN A VERY, UH, HUMID AREA AND I THINK HAVING SOMETHING THAT IS SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM AND NOT HAVE A LOT OF MAINTENANCE COSTS ASSOCIATED WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
MOSTLY THESE B*****S COME A POWDER COAT.
SAY MOSTLY THESE BENCHES COME A POWDER PIT.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU SAID ANOTHER WORD.
I KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT, BUT I DIDN'T SAY THAT.
BEN BENCH NUMBER THREE WAS ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE BEING THE PERSON THAT'LL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE PARK
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALSO THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A FOUR FOOT OPTION.
WELL, IN MY OPINION, JUST MY, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE ON, ON BENCH NUMBER TWO OUT OF THE FOUR.
THERE'S THAT, THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT BY THE ADMINISTRATION YES.
YOU DRIVE, IF YOU DRIVE BY, UM, RIGHT.
PRETTY CLOSE TO WHERE THE, THE, UH, THE BIRD IS RIGHT.
AND IT'S A NICE LOOKING, KIND OF LOOKS BRONZE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S
WELL, AND YOU CAN EITHER GET THE, WHATEVER THEY WANT, CUT INTO THE BACK OF THE BENCH OR YOU CAN HAVE THE SEPARATE PLAQUE.
THERE'S TWO OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE, UH, THAT MODEL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO.
SO IF WE SELECT THAT BENCH, IT'S JUST, DO WE WANT IT CUT INTO THE BACK OR THE PLAQUE? I PERSONALLY, I, I, I LIKE THE PLAQUE LOOK, BUT YEAH.
SORRY, WHAT WAS QUESTION? THESE ARE ALUMINUM.
I, I WAS SAYING THE ONE OVER BY THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IT, IT APPEARS LIKE IT'S A BLONDE TYPE COLOR.
WELL, UM, SO ANYWAY, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A VOTE AND A SELECTION? YES, A SELECTION.
THEN WE WILL, WE WILL FINALIZE ALL YOUR CAMPAIGN MATERIALS AND GET EVERYTHING OUT.
LIKE TO, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT'S TWO WITH PLAQUE WITH THE PLAQUE? PLAQUE.
THE SIX B, SIX B, SIX B, SIX B, LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS.
UH, SO THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT BEFORE.
THIS IS DR. SAUNDERS OVER OFF OF FIVE 17.
UM, HAS AN ISSUE, I GUESS WHEN TDO CAME IN AND PUT IN THE MEDIANS THERE.
IT IS EXTRAORDINARILY, EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT, UM, TO ACCESS HER, HER PLACE OF BUSINESS.
UM, SO SHE IS, IS, UH, WAS SEEKING HELP FROM US.
SHE'S IN THE PROCESS OF, OF COMPLETING HER FORMAL APPLICATION.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO JUST UPDATE SINCE THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, WAS BROUGHT TO US BY THE BOARD, UM, AND LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE HAVE MET WITH HER SEVERAL TIMES.
[01:00:01]
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN TO HER BUSINESS, AS WELL AS REALLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE EXPANSION PLANS THAT SHE HAS FOR HER BUSINESS.SHE, SHE HAS ROBUST EXPANSION PLANS TO BUILD OUT THE BACK OF THAT BUILDING AND BRING IN ADDITIONAL SERVICES, NEW EMPLOYEES, UM, UM, AND, UH, NEW, NEW SERVICES TO HER HEALTHCARE PRACTICE.
UH, WE HAVE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH HER AND ARE JUST WAITING FOR HER COMPLETED APPLICATION.
WHO IS DR. SANDERS? SAUNDERS SAUNDERS, UM, CHIROPRACTOR.
YEAH, SHE'S THE OWNER OF, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED WELL NOW.
WELL, SO I, I CAN ACTUALLY, UM, BILL BROUGHT THIS ONE TO ME, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND I, I WAS KIND OF CAUTIOUS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA SET A PRECEDENT FOR A LOT OF OTHER BUSINESSES THINKING THAT WE'VE GOT MONEY JUST TO HAND OUT TO DO DRIVEWAYS.
BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION.
SO IF YOU KNOW WHERE, UM, THE JJS CAR WASH IS AND THE STARBUCKS AND THE COZY NAIL PLACE, SO WHEN PEOPLE COME TO SEE HER, SHE'S ACROSS, IS IT PABST? I THINK PAP ROAD.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO WHAT PEOPLE DO IS THEY CAN'T TURN DIRECTLY INTO HER PLACE.
THEY'VE GOTTA GO UP TO EITHER THE STARBUCKS OR THE NEXT LIGHT TURN AROUND AND GO BACK INTO HER LOCATION.
SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE TURNING IN STARBUCKS, THEY'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT BY COZY, BY COZY NAILS, CROSSING PAPS AND CROSSING HER YARD TO GET TO HER PARKING LOT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO REENTER FIVE 17 DRIVE A HUNDRED FEET AND THEN TURN IN HER DEAL.
AND SO SHE'S GOT THESE, I INVITE YOU TO DRIVE BY.
SO SHE'S GOT THESE MUD TRACKS GOING RIGHT STRAIGHT ACROSS HER YARD.
UM, AND SO BILL AND I SAT DOWN WITH, VISITED WITH HER, TALKED ABOUT IT.
IN MY MIND, THIS IS A PERFECT SCENARIO OF HOW IT, HOW THE COUNCIL AND THE EDC WORK TOGETHER TO HELP A LOCAL BUSINESS PERSON FROM A RETENTION PERSPECTIVE.
SHE HAS BEEN HERE, SHE'S GROWN HER BUSINESS HERE.
SHE'S BROUGHT EMPLOYEES HERE, AND SHE, AND SHE ANTICIPATES EXPANSION.
AND SO THIS IS A REALLY LOW LIFT.
IT'S A LOW COST BUDGET, ROUGHLY 20 20,000, ONE $20,000 ALL IN.
UM, AND SO PUTTING THAT DRIVEWAY THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DRIVE DIRECTLY IN THERE AND NOT HAVE TO REENTER FIVE 17 OR DO THE U-TURN, UM, GREATLY RELIEVES, UM, A A PROBLEMATIC SITUATION RIGHT THERE.
SO IS THIS A GRANT? UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO WHY WE HAVE THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
NO, THIS, THIS WOULD ACTUALLY BE A, A, A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT SIMILAR TO OTHER ONES THAT WE HAVE DONE.
RIGHT? SO, SO THERE WOULD BE CLAWBACKS.
UM, SHE IS STATING THAT SHE'S GONNA BE EXPANDING SERVICES AND BRING IN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD, LIKE WE DO FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER AGREEMENTS IS WE WRITE THE AGREEMENT.
WE, WE PUT INTO OUR SYSTEM ALL THE, THE MILESTONES AND OUR, AND THEN WHEN THOSE ANNIVERSARY DATES COME UP, OUR SYSTEM POPS UP, WE THEN CONTACT THE BUSINESS AND WE GET THE, THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION TO ENSURE THAT THAT MILESTONE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
ONCE WE DO THAT, THERE'S A PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE, THE, THE FORGIVABLE LOAN THAT IS THEN FORGIVEN.
UM, THAT TYPICAL FOR THAT IS TYPICALLY DONE PROBABLY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T GO MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, UM, AS FAR AS THAT, THAT LOAN PROCESS GOES.
BUT UM, SO DARRELL, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF YEAH.
WHEN YOU EXPLAINED IT THEN IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
SO, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT THAT QUESTION.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT QUESTION FOR THE EDC TO RESPOND TO ON FACEBOOK
SO, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
WOULD YOU, I THINK AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE THIS TO A VOTE.
UH, ACTUALLY, SIR, NO, THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION ONLY.
WE'LL BRING BACK A DRAFT AGREEMENT TO VOTE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT.
[7. EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION(S)]
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO, UM, MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.THE, THE TIME IS NOW, UH, WHAT IS IT? 7 35.
SO WE'RE MOVING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE BOARD WILL NOW HOLD A CLOSE EXECUTIVE MEETING PURSUANT PROVISIONS, CHAPTER 5 5, 1 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN.
THE TIME IS 8 43 AND WE ARE BACK IN SESSION.
[01:05:01]
ACTION ITEMS AT THIS TIME FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE'LL[9. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S NOTES]
MOVE ON TO SECTION NINE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S NOTES.DAVID AND CAITLIN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? YES.
UM, JUST A UPDATE ON SOME OF THE, THIS MONTH'S OR PAST MONTH'S ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS UPCOMING, UM, ACTIVITIES FOR THIS MONTH.
UH, WE WILL BE ATTENDING THE ICSE RED RIVER, UM, WHICH IS IN DALLAS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO TARGET, I'M TRYING TO RESEARCH AND, AND HOPEFULLY TRY TO GET SOME MEETINGS WITH SITE SELECTION FIRMS, RETAIL COMPANIES.
UM, I'VE SENT SEVERAL MEETING REQUESTS, UH, WITH A, UH, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON THOSE SITE SELECTORS AND THOSE RETAIL ORGANIZATIONS THAT GENERATE THE LOCAL SALES TAX.
UM, WORKED WITH ELS, UH, AND THE FIRE MARSHAL AND BUILDING OFFICER TO RESOLVE, UH, A FIRE EGRESS, UH, ISSUE THAT ELS WAS HAVING.
THAT BUILDING IS, IS BUILT RIGHT UP TO THE CONSTRUCTION LINE.
SO FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, UH, FIRE MARSHAL WAS REQUIRING A FIRE EGRESS AND IT WAS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE HOWEVER THEY WENT, THEY WERE ENCROACHING ON, ON A RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, SO WE LOOKED AT OUR UDC, UM, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY ENCROACH ON THE RIGHT OF WAY THROUGH A BALCONY.
SO THE SOLUTION WAS TO DO A, A BALCONY FIRE EXIT WITH A PULL DOWN LADDER.
SO WE GOT THAT, THAT ISSUE RESOLVED.
THEY'RE BACK ON TRACK TO, UH, FOLLOW, ADHERE TO THEIR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WORKED ON PUTTING TOGETHER ALL OF THE MARKETING MATERIALS AND REVIEWING ALL THE BENCHES, WHICH THERE'S A LOT OF BENCHES OUT THERE GUYS.
UH, SO THAT WAS A LOT OF, A LOT OF TIME THAT CAITLIN AND I SPENT LOOKING AT PARK BENCHES TO WHITTLE IT DOWN TO THE ONES THAT YOU SAW TONIGHT, AS WELL AS DRAFTING THOSE MARKETING MATERIALS, UH, AND DOING THE WRITE UP FOR THE PICNIC GROUNDS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON, RIGHT, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE BUDGET CHALLENGES WITH THE PICNIC GROUNDS AND WHAT WE CAN SECURE OTHER FUNDS FOR.
UM, SPENT A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING, UM, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO AS, AS A, AS A, UH, 5 0 1 C3, WE, WE CAN GET GRANTS FROM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
WE ARE GRANT ELIGIBLE, UM, AND WE REVIEWED, WE'VE SUBMITTED TWO, WE WERE REJECTED ON ONE ALREADY.
UH, AND THERE'S, WE NEED TO DO SOME DEEPER RESEARCH ON ABOUT 15 POTENTIAL GRANTS THAT WE COULD QUALIFY FOR.
UH, WE HAVE REVIEWED 52 GRANT PROGRAMS ALREADY THIS MONTH, UM, AND NEED TO REVIEW ANOTHER 35 POTENTIAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, UM, WE ARE, ARE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE, UH, WHAT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING MAY BE AVAILABLE.
UH, I ACTUALLY MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM FRONTIER ENERGY AND TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER THIS AFTERNOON, UM, TO ASK THEM ABOUT ANY, ANY LIGHTING.
SO WE HAVE NO LIGHTING PACKAGE FOR, FOR THE PICNIC GROUNDS, SO AFTER DARK, YOU KNOW, LIGHTS FOR THE, THE, THE SIDEWALK AND THE PARK ITSELF, SECURITY LIGHTING.
UM, SO I, I SPOKE WITH THEM TO SEE IF, IF THEY COULD HELP US FIND ANY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THROUGH ANY OF THEIR, THEIR PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF TO, TO PAY FOR LIGHTING.
SO, UM, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT AND GET BACK TO ME.
HAVE YOU, UH, CONSIDERED, I DON'T THINK TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER HAS GOT A CAMPAIGN AT THE SIZE OF CENTERPOINT, BUT CENTERPOINT'S REALLY GETTING AGGRESSIVE RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO, UM, IMPROVE THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE, BUT PERHAPS TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER DOES HAVE SOME, UH, FORM OF GRANT, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT ONE.
YEAH, AND, AND YEAH, THE CENTER CENTER POINT, UH, I MET THE CENTER POINT FOLKS THROUGH BAY A, UH, AND SEE 'EM THERE ALL THE TIME.
SO THE NEXT BAY A EVENT I WAS GONNA, YEAH, BUT THEY, THEY DON'T SERVE THIS AREA.
THIS IS ALL TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER, TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER.
UM, TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER DOES HAVE A GRANT OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP THAT PORTAL ONCE A YEAR.
SO I KNOW THE PERSON PERSONALLY, SO I CAN ALSO PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH HER IF YOU DON'T KNOW HER.
UH, SO THAT WOULD BE OUTSTANDING.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ANY LITTLE BIT HELPS.
I MEAN, EVEN IF WE'RE PULLING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, 10,000 HERE, 20,000 THERE, UM, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT WITH THAT, WITH THOSE FUNDS.
UM, SO, UH, ANOTHER THING WE, WE'VE STARTED KIND OF FORMULATING OR I'VE, I'VE, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE OPERATIONS PLAN AND, UM, PROJECTING A, UH, A REVENUE STREAM ONCE THE, ONCE THE PICNIC GROUNDS ARE OPEN, AS WELL AS OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND OUR EXPENSES AND, AND JUST, UH, UM,
[01:10:01]
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS THE ONGOING OP MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE PICNIC ROUNDS.UH, I'VE SCHEDULED A MEETING WITH PARK STAFF FROM LEAGUE CITY, UH, JUST TO START TO MAKE SURE AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHERE I AM FOLKS.
WHERE, WHERE AM I MISSING? UM, WHAT DO I NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT? SO, UM, THAT IS COMING UP, I BELIEVE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PROCESS THAT WE WILL NEED AS FAR AS RENTAL CONTRACTS, UPDATES TO THE WEBSITE AS FAR AS CALENDAR PAYMENT, ACCEPTING PAYMENTS, ET CETERA.
UM, SARAH'S, SARAH'S LEFT, BUT SARAH'S GONNA BE ASSISTING US OPENING UP MERCHANT ACCOUNTS, UM, SO WE CAN DO THE PAYMENT PROCESSING.
UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE, A LOT MORE, A LOT MORE TO IT THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SECURE A CLEANING SERVICE.
UH, A LOT OF THE EVENTS WILL HAPPEN ON THE WEEKEND, SO WE'LL NEED WEEKEND CLEANING SERVICES, POST-EVENT CLEANING, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS THE PROJECT ITSELF, UH, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, THERE NOT TOO MUCH HAPPENED OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
UM, WE ARE EXPECTING COMPLETED DRAWINGS BY THIS FRIDAY.
UM, AND THEN WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR OUR FINAL PRICING REVIEW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND, AND REVIEW THE FINAL BUDGET, UH, WITH THE PROJECT TEAM AND WITH THE BOARD AS WELL.
ONCE THE, ONCE THE FINAL BUDGET IS APPROVED, THEN WE CAN ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL START PUTTING SHOVELS IN THE GROUND.
UM, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA SAY FEBRUARY 1ST, SHOVEL IN THE GROUND FIRST.
NO, I'M SAYING OUR, OUR NOTICE TO PROCEED FEBRUARY 1ST.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING CONSTRUCTION FENCING UP BY THE END OF THE MONTH, UM, AND JUST STARTING TO GET THE SITE PREP.
SO, UM, WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE, WHERE DRAWINGS ARE ABOUT COMPLETE, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HERE'S OUR BUDGET, HERE'S WHAT THE PROJECT IS, SO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA FACE? WHO, WHO, WHO APPROVES THE, THE, THE FINAL DRAWING TO SAY, YEAH, YEAH, THIS IS IT.
AND WE, WE HAVE A PROJECT TEAM, BUT THIS, THIS BOARD IS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
SO, SO DO WE NEED, I'M JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE WALTER'S ON THAT.
I CALL IT A COMMITTEE, IF YOU WILL.
JESSE BRANTLEY'S ON THE COMMITTEE.
I'M JUST, I JUST MEETING WITH THE THURSDAY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
WELL, I'M SAYING, I I, IS IT, WOULD WE, WOULD IT BE MAKE SENSE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT BEING AVAILABLE FOR A MEETING BEFORE NEXT MONTH TO, IF WE NEED TO EXPEDITE SOME THINGS TO, WE COULD CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
IS, UH, TO, TO VOTE TO, YOU KNOW, SO, SO DRAWINGS READY THIS FRIDAY MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN, AND THEN, AND THEN EFFECTIVELY SIGN OFF UNLESS THERE'S YEAH.
AND, AND I CAN SEND THE DRAWING.
I MEAN, ONCE THE DRAWING COMES IN IS COMPLETE, UM, I'M GONNA SEND TO NOT JUST THE, THE PROJECT TEAM AS WELL AS THIS BOARD, AND THEN NOTICE TO PROCEED COMES AFTER THAT, AFTER BUDGET REVIEW.
SO WE HAVE TO GET THE FINAL DRAWINGS COMPLETED, THEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE GONNA GO OUT TO THE SUBS AND GET, GET THE REAL PRICING.
IF IT'S JUST BEEN GIVEN EARLY INDICATIONS AT THIS POINT.
SO, SO IT, IT, IT'S A PROCESS THAT IS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, AND, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WANT TO ISSUE, WE ISSUE THE NOTICE TO PROCEED WITH FINAL DRAWINGS AND AN APPROVED BUDGET.
UM, I KNOW BILL, YOU'RE STILL HERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO ANY OF THAT ON THE PICNIC GROUNDS? NO, I THINK WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE TITLE.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE PICNIC GROUNDS? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH, NEXT UP IS, UH, WATER STREET PARKING GARAGE.
UH, THE PLAT DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY BOTH, BY BOTH THE EDC PRESIDENT AS WELL AS THE MAYOR.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S BEING FINALIZED.
OUR ONLY ITEM PREVENT, UH, AT THIS POINT IS WAITING FOR THE, THE EDA TO APPROVE OUR BID DOCUMENTS.
AS SOON AS THAT APPROVAL COMES IN, UH, WE WILL ADVERTISE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE GALVESTON DAILY NEWS AS WELL AS SOME ONLINE OUTLETS, UH, DODGE AND COX, AND, UH, INTEGRATED MARKETING SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE USED BY CONSTRUCTION FIRMS, UH, TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO THE SECOND THAT COMES OUT, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT WE'LL NEED TO CHANGE IN THOSE DOCUMENTS IS PART OF THAT EDA REQUIREMENT IS THERE HAS TO BE A PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH KIMBERLY HORN, UM, TO SCHEDULE THAT.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE HERE DURING, IN, IN THIS, THIS ROOM DURING THE DAY.
UM, AND THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE IT.
UH, I'M HOPING WE'RE, WE ARE STAYING ON
[01:15:01]
THE EDA FREQUENTLY, UM, BECAUSE I THINK, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPER IS REALLY LOOKING FOR US TO START CONSTRUCTION IN, IN, IN THE MAR MARCH, APRIL TIMEFRAME.SO, UM, WE CAN TOTALLY HIT THAT IF WE, IF WE GET APPROVAL.
UM, SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE HOPING THAT COMES THROUGH.
CAITLIN, YOU HAD A, A WEBSITE UPDATE IN SOCIAL MEDIA, RIGHT? YES.
I'M HALFWAY DONE WITH THE WEBSITE.
UM, IT'S A BEAST TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THROUGH A WHOLE WEBSITE, UM, REDESIGN, BUT I'M ALMOST, I'M HALFWAY DONE WITH IT.
UM, I'LL KEEP THE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT SHORT.
UM, THINGS WERE A LITTLE BIT SLOW TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS AND WHATNOT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE INCREASED OUR FOLLOWING FOLLOWER COUNT ON FACEBOOK, AND THEN LINKEDIN WAS PROBABLY OUR SLOWEST, UM, LIKE I SAID, JUST BECAUSE NOT POSTING AS MUCH BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS AND PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY AREN'T, UH, CHECKING, UH, FOR PROJECT UPDATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT DURING, UH, THAT TIME.
[10. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
OKAY.AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE TO SECTION 10, WHICH IS A BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE, CLINTON, ANYTHING.
I'VE GOT ONE CORRECTION TO MAKE.
EARLIER I HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, OUR BUDGET, UH, RECEIPT FOR LAST YEAR FOR EDC.
IT WAS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 2.1 MILLION.
I HAVE IN MY MIND A REBATE WE GIVE BACK TO THIS COMPANY CALLED ARCH ROCK, WHICH NETS IT DOWN TO ABOUT 1.8.
BUT IN ON, ON PAPER WE, WE HAD ABOUT 2.1 MILLION.
BUT THANK YOU FOR, UH, ATTENDING TONIGHT AND UH, THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, FOR YOUR WISDOM.
UH, I SEE A LOT OF PROGRESS HERE, UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE ALL, UH, MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF ENERGY TO CONTINUE TO SEE IT THROUGH.
AND AT THIS POINT WE WILL ADJOURN.