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[1. CALL TO ORDER AND CERTIFICATION OF A QUORUM]
WHERE ARE WE AT HERE? ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL IT TO ORDER.AND A CERTIFICATION OF A QUORUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNNY SIMPSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT SCHRADER.
COUNCIL MEMBER BILL SCHICK HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN EVANS.
UM, NUMBER TWO, INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON, COULD YOU FOLLOW US OR LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION? AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SCHICK, COULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? LET US PRAY.
LET THAT GRACE NOW LIKE A FEDOR BIND MY WONDERING HEART TO THE PRONE TO WONDER.
LORD, I FEEL IT PRONE TO LEAVE THE GOD I LOVE.
THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS MEETING.
WE SPEAK A BLESSING UPON THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY.
UH, THE STAFF, UH, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, THIS COUNTY, THIS STATE, AND THIS GREAT NATION.
KEEP US UNDER YOUR PROTECTING CARE.
I ALLEGIANCE TO OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
FOR HONOR, HONOR, FLAG, TEXAS.
ALRIGHT, NUMBER THREE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[3. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS]
UH, THREE A IS COUNCIL COMMENTS.SO WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND WE'LL GO FROM OUR LEFT TO OUR RIGHT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, EDMONDS, THIS WILL BE YOUR, YOUR FIRST CHANCE TO SEE WHAT YOU GOT.
I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT HURRICANE SEASON STARTS ON JUNE 1ST SUNDAY.
SO NOW'S THE TIME TO MAKE A PLAN AND, UH, PREPARE, UH, FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT COME OUR WAY.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TONIGHT.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE A BIG CROWD OUT HERE.
HOPEFULLY WE DON'T DISAPPOINT TONIGHT.
UH, I ATTENDED THE WINE AND ROSES AND THE MI LEWIS, UH, BANQUET.
WE ATTENDED A COUNTY MEETING WITH, UH, HANK DOOGIE.
UH, GOING OVER VARIOUS GRANTS.
UH, HELPED WITH THE MI LEWIS FOOD DRIVE ON SATURDAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR COMING OUT AND OFFERING A HAND.
ATTENDED THE EDC MEETING, ATTENDED COFFEE WITH COPS.
UH, MET WITH THE CREEKSIDE PEOPLE AND, UH, COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND AND I WERE THERE.
WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY MEET WITH HIM, BUT WE TAGGED ALONG.
UH, WE DID HA HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UH, TO START THE PROCESS TO SEE WHAT THEY REQUIRE FOR THEIR PERMITTING AND TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
UH, ATTENDED THE EDUCATION, UH, FOUNDATION GALA, AND WENT TO THE LEAGUE CITY CHAMBER.
THE LEAGUE CITY GREATER DICKINSON CHAMBER LUNCHEON.
UH, COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE GLO FLOOD STUDY, UH, MEETING.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYBODY SHOWING UP TONIGHT.
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR SHOWING UP.
HOPE WE CAN, UH, BE A POSITIVE CHANGE HERE IN THE CITY.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY FELLOW COUNCIL PEOPLE HERE.
I'VE BEEN BRINGING IT UP EVERY MEETING.
WE STILL HAVE SOME BOARD APPOINTMENTS COMING UP, PROBABLY LATER ON IN THE YEAR.
SO THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO SERVE ON.
YOU CAN GO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND PUT IN THE APPLICATION FOR ANY OF THE BOARDS THAT YOU FIND INTERESTING.
AND THANKS AGAIN EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
UM, AS MY FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, TO SERVE.
UH, WELCOME EVERYBODY, BOTH, UH, IN PERSON AND ONLINE.
UM, I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A SAFE MEMORIAL DAY AND REMEMBERED THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.
THOSE WHO I GAVE UNCLE SAM A BLANK CHECK THAT COULD BE CASHED WITH THEIR LIVES.
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THE LAST REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING IN THIS ONE, I ATTENDED THE GULF COURSE, GULF COAST WORKFORCE BOARD MEETING.ALSO, UM, WENT TO, UH, THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL BOARD RETREAT.
UH, THAT WAS AFTER THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT MEETING HERE.
WENT TO GALVESTON AND WE HAD A TWO DAY RETREAT ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON IN THE REGION.
ALSO ATTENDED, UH, THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED HGAC FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AND THE BOARD MEETING A POINT OF INFORMATION.
UM, THERE WAS A GRANT THAT CITY OF DICKINSON APPLIED FOR, UH, FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
APPARENTLY THERE WAS AN ERROR.
UM, SOMETHING GOT TRANSPOSED WITH ONE OF THE OTHER APPLICATIONS.
THEY WERE POSTED SCORING A 76, BUT THEY ACTUALLY SCORED A 96, WHICH BUMPED EVERYBODY BELOW.
UM, SO DICKINSON'S GRANT WENT FROM 34 TO 37, IS STILL ABOVE THE LINE, UH, TO BE FUNDED.
UM, AND HGAC JUST SCORES THE GRANTS AND THEN THEY SEND IT TO THE STATE TO ACTUALLY FUND IT.
UH, BUT JUST THE FYI ABOUT THAT.
UM, ALSO, UM, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO IT LAST MEETING, BUT I WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS TON, UH, BRANTLEY AND SIMPSON, UH, FOR THEIR SERVICE.
UM, AND A BUT BIT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I WANT TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF TOMA AGNEW, T-O-M-A-S-A-G.
HE'S NOT A RESIDENT OF DICKINSON.
HE'S JUST MY FRIEND, UM, FRATERNITY BROTHER.
AND WE WERE IN THE SAME MASONIC LODGE TOGETHER AND HE PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES PUBLICLY TO THAT AND CALL HIS NAME.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY THE ONES ONLINE THAT WE CANNOT SEE.
UM, I JUST HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ONE, I WENT TO THE, UH, WHAT'S CALLED THE BAY HEP BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL OF MAYORS.
UM, ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE NEVER HAD A, UH, INVOLVEMENT IN THAT PREVIOUSLY.
AND I'VE BEEN TO, I'VE BEEN NOW A, UH, A STAPLE THERE NOW.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT IS HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR CITY, RIGHT? SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT MAYORS IN THE AREA OF KIND OF HOW THEY'VE ALREADY DONE IT.
UH, SO THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL MEETING.
UM, WENT TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION GALA THIS, THIS MONTH AS WELL.
UH, THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL SUCCESS FOR THE CITY OF DICKINSON.
UH, WE RAISED, AS OF RIGHT NOW, OVER $269,000 FOR THE CITY OR FOR DICKINSON, ISD ESSENTIALLY, RIGHT? UM, THAT'S WHO WE SUPPORT.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE DICKINSON GRADUATES.
UM, THEY, WE JUST HAD OUR GRADUATION OF LIKE 960 KIDS, WHICH IS INSANE SINCE I GRADUATED IN OH SIX WITH 300.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO, UH, KIND OF TALK UP A LITTLE BIT IS OUR STAFF.
OUR STAFF HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOW ABOUT SIX MONTHS INTO MY TENURE AS MAYOR, AND ONE OF MY MAIN CONCERNS WAS OUR BUDGET AND OUR BALANCE SHEET AND SAVING MONEY AND FINDING WAYS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO A MORE BALANCED BUDGET WHILE STILL GROWING AS A CITY, UH, AND WORKING WITH CHASE.
UH, AND, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF.
UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE.
JUST THINGS I'VE ASKED THEM TO DO.
LOOK INTO, UH, AS WELL AS JUST ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE SAVED OVER $145,000 PER YEAR ON SALARIES BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
WE SAVE $14,000 ON GROUP INSURANCE SAVINGS.
WE'VE SAVED $57,000 ON OUR WINDSTORM INSURANCE, AND WE HAVE SAVED OVER $45,000 ON JUST FINDING TECH, UH, USE AND ABUSE TYPE OF SITUATION, RIGHT? SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT CHASE CAREY AND THE REST OF THE STAFF HAS HAVE GONE INTO AND FOUND THESE THINGS THAT WERE PROBLEMS. AND WE'RE FIXING THOSE PROBLEMS. ONE THING WE'RE, WE ARE GOING TO GET TO IS OUR 25% FUND BALANCE.
UH, I KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING CHASE IS, UH, ADAMANT ABOUT.
UM, BECAUSE WE DO LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER EDMUND SAID, WE DO HAVE HURRICANE SEASON COMING, AND THAT'S AN EXPENSIVE YEAR, PART OF THE YEAR FOR US.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THEY'VE SAVED, WE'RE GONNA SAVE ABOUT $60,000 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA DO PAID INTERNS ANYMORE, RIGHT? SO THESE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN FIND MORE MONEY TO HELP IMPROVE Y'ALL'S LIVES AS CITIZENS.
SO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF, UH, FOR WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF.
AND THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE BUDGET.
Y'ALL'S BUDGET WORKSHOPS ARE GONNA LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE ASKED EVERY DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY ITEMIZE EVERY REASON WHY WE SHOULD GIVE THEM MONEY.
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WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE THEM THAT MONEY.'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW SARAH CLARK, MATT MAGDALENO, CHASE CAREY, UM, CARRIE LYNN, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF TO GET THAT TOGETHER.
AND WE'RE GONNA START, UH, THOSE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETINGS HERE SOON.
SO JUST WANNA KEEP Y'ALL IN THE LOOP ABOUT WHAT'S KIND OF GOING ON.
SO OTHER THAN THAT, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE GOT OUR THREE B CITY MANAGER UPDATE.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT COMMUNITY.
UH, IN LIGHT OF MEMORIAL DAY YESTERDAY, I FEEL COMPELLED TO EXPRESS THE DEEP GRATITUDE FOR OUR COURAGEOUS MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY IS BECAUSE OF THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND VALOR THAT WE ARE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER HERE THIS EVENING AND ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OUR CITY'S FUTURE.
THE LEGACY OF GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WHO HAVE LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR FREEDOM SHOULD INSPIRE US TO HONOR THEIR MEMORY AS WE CONFRONT THE ISSUES AT HAND.
SO I HAVE A LENGTHY UPDATE, SO I APOLOGIZE AHEAD OF TIME.
I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD TOUCH BASE ON THESE ITEMS, THOUGH.
UH, MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME ABOUT MY APPROACH TO THIS NEW ROLE, HOW I LIKE IT, AND WHERE THE CITY IS NOW.
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO DISCUSS IT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.
ANYTIME SOMEONE STEPS INTO A NEW ROLE, WHETHER IT'S LEADING A DEPARTMENT, RUNNING A BUSINESS, OR MANAGING A CITY, THOSE FIRST 90 DAYS ARE ABOUT OBSERVATION AND ASSESSMENT.
NOT JUMPING INTO THE DEEP END, MAKING DRASTIC CHANGES, BUT OBSERVING.
AND TO BE COMPLETELY CANDID WITH YOU ALL, I'M STILL IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THE CITY, HOW WE OPERATE, WHAT OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ARE, AND WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE.
MY FOCUS DURING THIS PERIOD HAS BEEN HOW BEEN TO UNDERSTAND HOW CITY SERVICES ARE BEING DELIVERED, WHAT'S BEING PRODUCED, HOW EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WE ARE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW MUCH IT'S COSTING US TO GET THE JOB DONE.
TODAY MARKS MY 85TH DAY AS SERVING AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING, I HAVE ENJOYED EVERY DAY COMING TO WORK EVERY MORNING AND EMBRACING THE CHALLENGES HEAD ON WITH OUR DEDICATED STAFF.
I WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW OUR POLICIES, OUR PROCEDURES, OUR PROCESSES, OUR FINANCES, AND OUR PERSONNEL.
IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BUILD A FULL HONEST PICTURE OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND, AND IMPROVEMENTS FROM THERE.
BUT WHAT CAN I, WHAT I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE IS THIS.
WE HAVE GOOD PEOPLE WORKING FOR THIS CITY.
DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY, RESPONSIBILITY AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, IS TO DO RIGHT BY THEM.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP THE EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK AND THE EXPENDITURES.
AND YES, WE SPENT $2,500 ON EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK IN THE CONTEXT OF DECADES OF WASTEFUL SPENDING THAT THIS CITY HAS SEEN.
I SEE IT AS A SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT IN OUR WORKFORCE.
IF ANYONE BELIEVES THAT THIS WAS AN HEIR, MY JUDGMENT, I'LL TAKE NOTE AND ACCEPT THAT CRITICISM.
BUT LET ME BE CLEAR, I WOULD MAKE THE SAME DECISION AGAIN, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE SAME MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL RESPOND TO YOUR HOME WHEN YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY, WHO WILL BE THERE IN THE TIME WHEN YOU'RE FACING A LIFE AND DEATH CRISIS.
WHETHER IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMS PERSONNEL OR CITY CREWS HELPING DURING A STORM.
THEY DON'T ASK FOR THANKS, BUT THEY'VE EARNED IT.
AND I BELIEVE SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR THEIR SERVICE IS NOT JUST APPROPRIATE.
TAKING CARE OF OUR PEOPLE IS HOW WE ENSURE THEY ARE MOTIVATED TO CONTINUE TO CARE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS PAST WEEK, WE STARTED OUR SECOND QUARTER BUDGET DISCUSSIONS TOGETHER WITH OUR FINANCE, FINANCE DIRECTOR, SARAH CLARK AND THE REST OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
I'VE BEEN SITTING DOWN WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS LINE BY LINE, ITEM BY ITEM.
WE'VE ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS, BUT THEY'RE NECESSARY.
WHERE ARE WE SEEING OVERAGES? ARE WE TRULY ON TRACK WITH WHAT WAS BUDGETED BY COUNCIL? AND WHERE DO WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS? THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT IS OPERATING AROUND THAT 50% MARK OF ITS TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNT, WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE WE SHOULD BE AT THIS POINT IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
WHILE SOME INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS HAVE GONE OVER THE BUDGET, THE OVERALL FINANCIAL PICTURE FOR EACH DEPARTMENT REMAINS SOLID.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE BUDGETS CLOSELY AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE GO, BUT WE DO NEED SOME FEEDBACK FROM COUNSEL ABOUT THE DATES AND TIMES FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
SO, UH, I KNOW MR. ALLEN WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU TO GET THESE TIME AND DATES FOR THE, FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.
UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UPDATE AS, UH, COUNCILMAN EDMONDS POINTED OUT LAST MONDAY, MAY 19TH, WE HELD AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MEETING WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM LED BY OEM, DIRECTOR DEREK HUNT, TO DISCUSS PREPARATIONS FOR UPCOMING HURRICANE
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SEASON.A KEY FOCUS OF THE MEETING WAS ENSURING THAT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION IS PROPERLY COMPLETED TO MEET FEMA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
THIS DOCUMENTATION IS CRITICAL IN THE EVENT OF A STORM IS DECLARED A FEDERAL DISASTER AS IT DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, HURRICANE SEASON IS UPON US.
WHILE STORMS ARE NOTHING NEW TO US IN GALVESTON COUNTY, PREPARATION REMAINS ESSENTIAL.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE STEPS NOW TO STOCK UP ON SUPPLIES, WATER BATTERIES, CANNED GOODS, NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS, JUST AS IMPORTANT, HAVING AN EVACUATION PLAN IN PLACE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO GO AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE BEFOREHAND.
ON THE CITY SIDE, WE ARE ACTIVELY PLANNING AND PREPARING.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL WHO WILL REMAIN ONSITE DURING THE STORM, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WILL BE ACTIVATED FOR POOR POST STORM RECOVERY AND CLEANUP.
WE'RE REVIEWING PLANS TO SECURE ALL CITY ASSETS, VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES, SO THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO ACT SWIFTLY AND RESPONSIBLY.
WHEN CALLED UPON, NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE.
WHEN DEALING WITH THE UNCONTROLLABLES SUCH AS MOTHER NATURE, IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE OVER-PREPARED AND FACE NO EVENT THAN TO BE UNDER-PREPARED AND FORCED TO SCRAMBLE AMIDST A CRISIS.
SOME IMPORTANT PROJECT UPDATES OUR HUGHES ROAD DRAINAGE PROJECT, $39 MILLION GLO DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES WORK ON HUGHES ROAD, DIXON BAYOU, DIETZ ROAD.
THIS PROJECT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HURRICANE HARVEY MITIGATION EFFORTS, WHICH IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH THE FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS.
THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTOR, RAY TECH CONSTRUCTION, IS CURRENTLY INSTALLING REINFORCED CONCRETE BOX CULVERTS TO IMPROVE OUR STORM WATER CAPACITY AND CONVEYANCE SYSTEM.
AS FOR NOW, THE PROJECT IS APPROXIMATELY 12% COMPLETE WITH OVER 2000 LINEAR FEET OF BOX CULVERTS ALREADY INSTALLED.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THAT WORK IS PROGRESSING ON SCHEDULE WITHIN THE BUDGET AND MOVING FORWARD.
AS EXPECTED, WITH PROJECTS TO THIS SCALE, THERE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONFLICTS AND CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY WITH PIKE PIPELINE COMPANIES, TDOT AND THE RAILROAD.
BUT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING THROUGH THESE ISSUES WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED.
I'VE MADE IT CLEAR FROM DAY ONE WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT THE PRIORITY IS HUGHES ROAD ELEMENTARY.
IN GETTING THAT DONE DURING THE SUMMER, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE ARE AT THIS POINT, WE ARE ON TRACK TO MEET THAT DEADLINE.
IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THAT IS COMPLETED WHILE THEY'RE OUTTA SCHOOL.
ULTIMATELY, MY GOAL IS TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT EFFICIENTLY AND RESPONSIBLY MAXIMIZING EVERY FEDERAL DOLLAR AVAILABLE WITHOUT PLACING A BURDEN ON OUR LOCAL TAX DOLLARS.
AND I TEND TO SEE THIS THROUGH LAMAR EAST DEVELOPMENT.
FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE, A DEVELOPER IN TEXAS CITY IS ACTIVELY PLANNING AND ENGINEERING THE EASTERN SECTION OF LAMAR DEVELOPMENT.
THE INITIAL PHASE OF THIS PROJECT WILL CONNECT TO HOLLAND ROAD, WHICH LIES OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS AND DOES NOT IMPACT US.
HOWEVER, FUTURE PHASES ARE BEING DESIGNED TO TIE DIRECTLY INTO HUGHES ROAD, WHICH IS WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.
THEIR PLANS CALL FOR ADDING THREE NEW INTERSECTIONS TO HUGHES ROAD.
NATURALLY, THIS KIND OF EXPANSION WILL INCREASE TRAFFIC VOLUME, INCREASE STORM WATER RUNOFF, AND ADD WEAR AND TEAR TO OUR CITY MAINTAINED STREET.
ULTIMATELY, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO GRANT ACCESS TO THIS DEVELOPER TO CONNECT TO HUGHES ROAD.
I'VE MADE IT CLEAR TO THIS DEVELOPER AND THEIR ENGINEER THAT BEFORE ANY DECISION IS MADE, THEY WILL NEED TO APPEAR BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.
PROVIDE A FORMAL PRESENTATION AND BE PREPARED TO ANSWER DIRECT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
THIS ITEM WILL BE COMING SOON.
WE HAVE A SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT, A HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AN EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM.
THESE ARE ALL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PIPELINE FOR A FEW YEARS.
BUT I'D LIKE TO EXPAND ON ONE CRITICAL ASPECT OF THESE PROJECTS.
THESE ARE ALL EXCELLENT PROJECTS THAT WILL BRING LASTING BENEFITS TO OUR COM TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LOCAL MATCH, OUR CITY'S PORTION OF THE FUNDING WAS NOT BUDGETED OR ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
FOR THAT REASON, I'VE TEMPORARILY HELD OFF ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS UNTIL THIS, THIS CURRENT COUNCIL IS SET AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT WITHIN OURSELVES.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING WITH OUR REGIONAL STATE FEDERAL PARTNERS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMBINE ELEMENTS OF THESE PROJECTS AND POTENTIALLY SHARE COSTS.
THE GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT AND BRING MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR CITY.
THE COMBINED ESTIMATED LOCAL MATCH IS APPROXIMATELY 1.8 MILLION, WHICH WOULD SUPPORT A TOTAL
[00:20:01]
OF $10.6 MILLION OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.AN EXCELLENT RETURN ON AN INVESTMENT.
AN EXTENSION WAS ALREADY GRANTED TO THE CITY TO ALLOW THE NEW COUNCIL TO DECIDE IF THESE PROJECTS SHOULD BE APPROVED AND FUNDED.
UH, BEFORE I CLOSE, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REITERATE SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE DEDICATED, CAPABLE PEOPLE WORKING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WITH INTEGRITY AND FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
ARE WE PERFECT? NO, WE ARE NOT.
LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, WE WILL MAKE MISTAKES, BUT OUR FOCUS REMAINS ON CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT, GREATER EFFICIENCY, AND BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DELIVERY.
THE CITY OF DICKSON HASN'T HAD THE BEST REPUTATION IN THE PAST, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT EVERY DAY I COME TO WORK, MY STAFF AND I ARE WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE THAT REPUTATION.
ONE CITIZEN INTERACTION AT A TIME, ONE PROJECT AT A TIME, DOING THE SMALL THINGS RIGHT AND BEING RESPECTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE IN ALL ASPECTS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MINDSET I DEMAND OF OUR PEOPLE.
BE KIND, BE RESPONSIBLE AND HELP SOMEONE CHANGE DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
SOME PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SCHOLARS SUGGEST IT CAN TAKE FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS TO TRULY TRANSFORM A WORKSPACE CULTURE, A WORKPLACE CULTURE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK IT'LL TAKE THAT LONG.
WE CAN MOVE MUCH FASTER THAN THAT BECAUSE OF THE GOOD PEOPLE WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.
YET I ALSO KNOW IT WON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT A CONSTANT COMMITTED EFFORT FROM ALL OF US.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ONE LAST UPDATE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO KIND OF GIVE, UH, MR. CHASE CAREY A LITTLE BIT OF A KUDOS.
HE FINISHES MASTER'S DEGREE WITH A 3.7575 GPA.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
GONNA GET INTO THE FUN PART.MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO GIVE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, LASTING NOT LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES.
COMMENTS MAY BE GENERAL IN NATURE OR MAY ADDRESS A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM AND SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
NOT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OR STAFF.
ANY SPEAKER MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS OR USING VULGAR OR PROFANE LANGUAGE SHALL FORFEIT HIS OR HER REMAINING TIME AND SHALL BE SEATED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY NOT DELIBERATE.
SO, UH, THESE ARE JUST REMIND REMIND EVERYONE.
THESE ARE JUST THE GENERAL COMMENTS.
I ALSO HAVE THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS. SO FIRST ONE WE GOT IS RUBEN BENA RATINGS DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MASTER'S.
I'LL BE ACTUALLY, UH, FINISHING MINE THIS YEAR IN GOING INTO A PHD WITH LIBERTY UNIVERSITY IN IO PSYCHOLOGY.
IT'S A HEADACHE, BUT YOU GOT IT.
IF YOU CAN DO IT, I'M PRAYING I CAN, I CAN GET THERE WITH YOU.
UM, I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH A GENTLEMAN BY, UH, THE NAME OF DAVE FUNK.
I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S HERE OR NOT.
OKAY, NOW, NOW I KNOW WHO I'M TALKING TO.
I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH HIM AND HE SUGGESTED I COME TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS.
I REPRESENT, UH, VARIOUS NONPROFITS AND THERE'S THREE SPECIFICALLY, UH, WE ARE COMING UP HERE.
I LIVED HERE HALF AND HALF OF MY LIFE HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START A CHURCH.
AND PER OUR CONVERSATION, I HEAR THAT THERE'S AN INFLUX OF SHUT DOWN CHURCHES THAT YOU GOT.
AND SO BEFORE I START TO BUY SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING, BUILD SOMETHING, I NEED SOME GUIDANCE BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR ZONINGS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, I'M NOT FINDING WHERE I CAN DO SUCH THINGS AND I'M HITTING ROADBLOCKS ALONG THE WAY.
AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH HIM, HE SAYS, TALK TO THE COUNCIL FIRST BEFORE YOU SPEND ANYTHING.
AND THE ORGANIZATION I'VE BEEN WITH AND ACTUALLY HELP CHARTERS OVER, UH, GONNA BE 20 YEARS OLD IN 2028, AND THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE OVER DOZEN, DOZEN CHURCH I'VE ESTABLISHED.
WE'VE ALSO ESTABLISHED A SEMINARY CHARTERED IN TEXAS.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP HOUSE HERE IN DICKINSON BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT WHERE I WAS BORN, BUT THIS IS WHAT I CALL HOME.
UH, I HAVE NO OTHER FAMILY ANYWHERE ELSE.
I NEED TO LEARN OR FIND OUT WHO BESIDES MR. FUNK, IF YOU ALLOW ONE SPECIFIC PROPERTY IS ABOUT NOT EVEN HALF A MILE.
IT'S ON THE, IT'S A CORNER LOT.
UM, WE CAN DO A LOT OF WORK THERE.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A CHURCH AND I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE WHITE CHAPEL JUST SITTING THERE FALLING APART.
I'D BE GLAD TO FIX IT UP, CLEAN IT UP TILL SOMEONE CLAIMS IT, AND THEN MOVE
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ON FROM THERE.BUT AGAIN, I NEED SOME GUIDANCE FROM YOU GUYS 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
UM, WHO WOULD I SPEAK TO AFTER THIS? WE'RE GONNA TALK, WE'RE GONNA GET YOU, UH, HOOKED UP WITH CHASE AND MATT, CHASE, GARY AND MATT MAGDALENO, AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL GET WITH YOU.
ALL RIGHT, NUMBER TWO, JOE WILBURN.
JOE WILBURN LIVE RIGHT HERE IN DICKINSON.
I WANNA TELL YOU, IN 2016, I ATTENDED A CONFERENCE, UH, OUT IN LAS VEGAS.
IT'S AN ECONOMICS CONFERENCE ABOUT OPENING BUSINESSES.
AND, UH, THE VERY FIRST THING THAT THE GUY SAID WAS, WHO IS BUILDING THEIR BUSINESS IN A COMMUNITY WHO HAS I MEDIAN INCOME OF LESS THAN $125,000? AND, AND IT WAS ME.
AND HE SAID, SIR, THERE WAS, THERE WAS ABOUT FOR US, SIR, YOU NEED TO SELL THE LOT.
GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THE MEDIAN INCOME IS HIGHER.
AND AND HE SAID, UH, WENT THROUGH EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND HE SAID, THE REASON FOR THIS IS NOT TO RUN ANYBODY DOWN.
IT'S BECAUSE THE VOTERS, WHEN THEY ELECT PEOPLE TO THEIR COUNCIL, THEY DON'T ELECT PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN THE CAPITALIST FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
THEY GENERALLY ELECT ON POPULARITY AND THEY ELECT ON, UH, UH, THEY ELECT PEOPLE THAT RELY ON THE TAX BASE TO PAY THEIR SALARIES.
AND, UH, MAN, IT HIT ME REALLY HARD.
I'D ALREADY INVESTED A LOT IN, IN, UH, I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT HE SAID QUITE A BIT.
AND, UH, THE, THE REASON THAT HE SAID THAT HE, HE FURTHER SAID, WHO, WHO WOULD THINK IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE INCOME THEY'RE GONNA RECEIVE? AND WE ALL RAISED OUR HAND AGAIN.
HE SAID, IT'S NOT, IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN UNEDUCATED COUNSEL THAT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO CREATE A TAX BASE THAT WILL LET YOU DO THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH FREEDOM.
THEY'RE GONNA BUCK YOU IN EVERY WAY YOU CAN WHEN YOU GO TO OPEN YOUR BUSINESS.
AND THE ONLY REASON I STAYED WITH, WITH MINE IS BECAUSE I LIVE HERE AND ALREADY BOUGHT THE LOT, AND I'M HARDHEADED.
SO I BUCK THE SYSTEM AND IT COST ME A LOT OF MONEY TO BUCK THE SYSTEM.
THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT, WE HAVE AN EDUCATED COUNCIL NOW, EVERY, EVERY, ALMOST EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS NOW, UH, RELY ON, UH, THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM CAPITALIST SYSTEM.
AND YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVEN'T NOW, YOU, YOU HAD IT ONE TIME TO GENERATE INCOME FOR YOUR FAMILY.
AND Y'ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THINGS GO AND TO PAY INCOME TAX TO PAY TAXES THROUGH YOUR BUSINESS, SOME OF YOU, AND IT, AND IT HELPS BUILD A COMMUNITY PE UH, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT IT TAKES AND A LITTLE LESS, UH, RULES AND RESTRICTIONS WOULD BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO BUILD BUSINESSES HERE.
AND MOST ALL OF THEM, THIS WAS TAUGHT IN THIS CLASS ALSO.
MOST ALL OF THEM WOULD COME WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE.
THEY, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE READY TO BUILD A BUSINESS, MOST OF THEM DON'T, DON'T WANT ASSISTANCE.
THEY COME TO YOU AND SAY, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CAPABLE, THEY DON'T COME IN AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU THINK YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE COULD HELP ME OPEN A BUSINESS? THEY JUST DON'T DO IT.
PEOPLE THAT ARE CAPABLE, THEY WANT SOMEBODY THAT'LL SAY, IF YOU'LL COME TO OUR TOWN, WE'LL MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU.
BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE IN DICKINSON.
AND MAN, WHAT A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE WE HAVE SEATED NOW.
AND, UH, FROM WHAT I LEARNED IN THAT, IN THAT, UM, LITTLE CLASS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN FRIENDSWOOD AND IN LEAGUE CITY, WHAT A BREEZE TO OPEN A BUSINESS.
UH, IT WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTE UNBELIEVABLE DIFFERENCE.
WHEN YOU GOT A SET OF RULES IN FRONT OF YOU, ABIDE BY THE RULES, YOU GO BY WHAT IT SAYS, YOU OPEN YOUR BUSINESS AND EVERYBODY WINS.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE WINNING HERE IN DICKINSON, BUT THE BARRIER TO ENTRY WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
BUT, UH, DICKINSON IS, IS ONE OF ONE OF OUR BEST.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE IN DICKINSON WITH OUR BUSINESS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL.
IT'S JUST SO MUCH EASIER TO DO IT, MAN.
CONGRATULATIONS, ALL YOU GUYS, MAN.
IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMETHING DONE, YOU REMEMBER WHAT COVID DONE TO THE LAST GROUP OF FOLKS THAT, UH, THAT WE HAD SEATED THAT COULD, UH, MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
WE LOST ONE, AND THEN, THEN, THEN WE GOT AN APPOINTMENT THAT DON'T BELIEVE IN THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM AND DON'T BELIEVE IN CAPITALISM.
AND FOR THAT WE LOST THE MAJORITY.
YOU HAVE A VERY SHORT TIME TO SUCCEED, MAN.
AND UH, MAN, PLEASE MAKE IT, MAKE IT GOOD.
IF YOU PUT SCOTT FUNK IN, IN, UH, OR WHAT, WHAT IS FUNK, RIGHT? DAVE FUNK.
GET HIM UNDER THE COUNCIL, ABOLISH THE EDC WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE, WITH 10 FRIENDS THAT
[00:30:01]
NEED SOMETHING FROM EVERY, EVERYBODY EVERYBODY'S PULLING IN EVERY DIRECTION.UH, GET, GET, GET THE MAN WHO, WHO, UH, WANTS TO STAKE HIS REPUTATION AND HIS SALARY ON, ON MAKING AN INCOME.
AND, UM, I WILL SAY, I JUST WANT TO GIVE HIM A KIND OF SOME BACKING WITH THAT ONE.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WHEN WE TALK AT BEHE, UH, WITH THE COUNCIL OF MAYORS, ONE OF THE BIG DEALS, THE DEVELOPERS THAT COME AND TALK TO ALL OF US IS ONE, THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH A CITY STAFF IS ONE OF THE BIG DECIDERS.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS ACTUALLY SOME SORT OF ECO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN, RIGHT? SO, UH, WE HAVE BOTH, WE JUST HAVE TO EXECUTE 'EM MORE, BUT ALL RIGHT, NEXT ONE.
I HAVE AN ISSUE THAT I KNOW TWO CITY COUNCILMEN KNOW ABOUT.
I LIVE ON 1266 RIGHT ON THE CORNER, 1266 AND 38TH, RIGHT WHERE THE S-CURVE IS.
THERE ARE SEMI-TRUCK THAT THEY DECIDE THEY'VE GONE THE WRONG DIRECTION.
SO THEY TAKE THE LITTLE SIDE SHOOT AND THEY TURN IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, WHICH I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY GET STUCK IN THE DITCH ACROSS THE STREET.
FEBRUARY THE 12TH, THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS HAULING 70,000 POUNDS OF CAUSTIC.
THEY HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT AND GET TWO WRECKERS TO GET IT OUTTA THE DITCH.
WHAT I WAS GONNA SEE IF MAYBE THERE'S ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD GET SOME NO TR NO THROUGH TRUCK SIGNS PUT ON THAT LITTLE SHORT SHOOT.
I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA DETER 'EM ALL, BUT AT LEAST IF THEY SAY THAT, THEY'LL THINK, HEY, MAYBE THIS ISN'T A GOOD IDEA.
IT IS JUST A CONSIDERATION AND I APPRECIATE IT.
ALL RIGHT, NUMBER FOUR, DAVID LEHMAN.
DAVID LEHMAN, 38 0 2, TEXAS AVENUE DICKINSON.
UH, WANNA KIND OF GO OVER A COUPLE THINGS WITH Y'ALL.
UH, I BELIEVE THE INTERIM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, BUT THE INTERIM TITLE ON MR. CHASE, CAREY NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
HE NEEDS TO HAVE A SHOT AT BEING THE CITY MANAGER INSTEAD OF HAVING SOMETHING HUNG OVER HIS HEAD AS AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
AND SO WITH MY EXPERIENCE IN HANDLING CONTRACTS, DEALING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, DEALING WITH THE RAILROAD, WHICH I HELPED FIX TWICE IN 13 MONTHS, UH, I THINK, UH, AND EVERY TIME I'VE CALLED UP HERE, FIRST TIME I CALLED UP HERE, SAID, WHAT'S GOING WITH THE RAILROAD TRACKS? MR. CAREY RETURNED MY CALL.
EVERY TIME I CALL AND HAVE A QUESTION AND I CALL HIM, HE RETURNS MY CALL.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW PROFESSIONAL THIS YOUNG MAN IS AND WE GOTTA GIVE HIM A SHOT AT THE REAL DEAL AND NOT AN INTERIM POSITION.
UH, IF YOU'RE HAVING RIGHT ISSUES WITH THE RAILROAD, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ARE.
I OBVIOUSLY THE ASPHALT NEEDS SOME REPAIR, BUT THE RAIL BED IS STABLE AND, UH, BECAUSE I FIXED IT TWICE, I HAD IT FIXED TWICE.
AND WHEN I CALLED MR. CAREY ORIGINALLY, THEY DIDN'T RETURN MR. CAREY'S CALLS OR ANYBODY ELSE'S AT CITY HALL.
AND AFTER I MADE A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS AND A COUPLE EMAILS, I GOT SOME RESPONSES BECAUSE I START FROM THE TOP AT THE CEO LEVEL AND I WORK MY WAY DOWN.
SO THAT'S HOW I GOT THE RAILROAD FIXED TO TWICE IN 13 MONTHS.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT, UH, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, HAPPY TO SHOW YOU HOW THAT'S HOW THAT'S DONE.
UH, ALSO WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BOARDS THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE GOT A NEW CA CITY COUNCIL AND I THINK THE BOARDS, IT'S TIME TO MAKE SOME CHANGES ON THE BOARDS.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAN SLATE ACROSS THE CITY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
MR. SIMPSON, I'VE TALKED TO YOU AND MANY TIMES IN FRONT, IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL ABOUT YOU LIVING IN HOUSTON AND STILL BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER HERE IN DICKINSON.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S BEING DONE.
I'VE TALKED TO YOU BEFORE ABOUT IT, TALKED TO YOU ABOUT YOU BEING A PREACHER, KNOWING RIGHT FROM WRONG KNOWING ONE, WHAT GOD WANTS US ALL TO DO.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STILL, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE HARRIS COUNTY, GALVESTON COUNTY THING YOU'RE ON, BUT IT, IT JUST, IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK.
ANYWAY, UH, I'VE GOT SOME MORE COMMENTS ON THE OTHER SECTIONS AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME.
WHAT HAPPENED THERE? JUST TRYING TO SUCK ME IN.
MY NAME IS GARLAND COPELAND, UH, 37 17 KILNER DICKINSON.
UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO MENTION TONIGHT.
[00:35:01]
FIRST ONE IS, UH, AND IT RELATES TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE MONEY, IS THAT THE UDC NEEDS TO BE ABOLISHED.THE CONTINUING COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, PRIMARILY WITH THE IN CODE PLUS OR WHATEVER THAT COMPANY WAS THAT BROKE THE, THE, UM, CODE.
UM, THERE, IT'S A TRADEMARK THING AND I'M SURE THERE'S SOME KIND OF A, UM, ONGOING OBLIGATION FOR US TO PAY THEM SOMETHING.
AND, UH, WHAT WE HAD BEFORE WAS WORKING GREAT AND IT WASN'T COSTING THE CITY ANYTHING.
UM, SECOND THING, I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM ON FIVE 17 WEST.
NOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW IT COULD BE FIXED, MAYBE INTERNALLY.
AND SO I'M GONNA SUGGEST TWO THINGS.
ONE IS FIND OUT IF THERE'S BEEN A STUDY DONE ON THE SPEED LIMIT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A RULE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A STUDY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPEED LIMIT.
THE SPEED LIMIT IS WAY TOO FAST IN THAT AREA BASED ON THE TRAFFIC FLOW AND THE CONGESTION AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN SECOND THING IS IT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT INTERNALLY.
BUT WHEN YOU GOT A SCHOOL BUS IN THE LEFT LANE COMING THE SPEED LIMIT AND YOU GOT SOMEBODY IN THE RIGHT LANE SPEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT BY 10 OR 15 MILES AN HOUR, ANY TRAFFIC THAT'S TRAINED TO MERGE BECOMES A REAL HAZARD.
AND I'M SURPRISED THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD A FATALITY ALREADY.
I WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ACTUALLY ABOUT THOSE MEDIAS.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY HAVING TO GO TO BONIN AND, UH, MAIZE MIDDLETON.
I'M GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THEIR PEOPLE TO GET THEM INVOLVED.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
AGENDA.THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL NOT BE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS IN WHICH EV IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND DISCUSSED AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA.
A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM CITY COUNCIL.
REGULAR MEETING HELD ON APRIL 22ND, 2025.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE CORRECTION UNDER EIGHT E.
IT SAYS THAT THERE WERE TWO NAYS.
OKAY, SECOND, WE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH AMENDMENTS.
AND THEN A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SCHICK.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM CITY COUNCIL'S SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON MAY 13TH, 2025.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTION UNDER FIVE A.
IT SHOWS THAT GINA SIMPSON WAS COUNCILWOMAN SIMPSON WAS AT THE MEETING AND SHE WAS NOT.
SO THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN JUST SIX PEOPLE.
OKAY, SO FIVE B, WE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH, UH, ADJUSTMENTS.
WE GOT A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE TML OCTOBER, 2024 TRAVEL, UH, AND TRAINING REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FOR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER FRED LINDEN.
AND THAT TAKES US TO SIX OLD BUSINESS, WHICH I HAVE NOTHING.
CHASE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HERE? OR WE'RE GOOD? NO, SIR.
[7.A Conduct a public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map from Urban Transition (UT) zoning district to Downtown (DT) for a parcel of land of approx. ± 6.677 acres located at 4015 Dickinson Ave, and legally described as: ABST 78 R HALL E 166 FT BLK 305 ALL BLK 306 & 314 & PT E 166 FT LT 313 & ALL ADJ ALLEYS AND STREETS ACS 5.287 NICHOLSTONE]
NEW BUSINESS SEVEN A, UM, CONDUCT.SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE WILL DISCUSS, UH, AND THEN WE'LL DO GET INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO WE'LL DO THE, WE'RE GONNA TALK BEFORE SO THAT IF Y'ALL DON'T WANNA TALK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
UM, BUT SEVEN A CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING A REQUEST TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP FROM URBAN TRANSITIONS ZONING DISTRICT TO DOWNTOWN FOR A PARCEL OF LAND OF APPROXIMATELY PLUS OR MINUS 6.677 ACRES.
LOCATED AT 4 0 1 5 DICKINSON AVENUE AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS ABSTRACT SEVEN EIGHT R HALL EAST 1 66 FOOT BLOCK 3 0 5, ALL BLOCK 3 0 6 AND THREE 14 AND POINT EAST 1 66 FOOT LIGHT, UH, LT 3 1 3 AND ALL ADJUST, UH, ADJUSTMENT ALLEYS AND STREETS ACRES 5.287
[00:40:01]
NICKEL STONE STAFF PRESENTATION.IT IS TRAVIS MOORE BUILDING OFFICIAL.
UH, A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT THIS ONE.
IT IS CURRENTLY ZONED URBAN TRANSITION.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO CHANGE TO DOWNTOWN ZONING DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS A PROPERTY PRO LOCATED APPROXIMATELY AT DIXON AVENUE OF FIVE 17.
UH, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE GAS STATION ON THE CORNER THAT IS CURRENTLY ALREADY DOWNTOWN ZONING DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS STRICTLY THE STRIP CENTER AND THE VACANT, UH, PROPERTY.
SO THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED AND HAS TENANTS, UH, AND THE USE OF PROPERTY WILL REMAIN AS RETAIL SALES AND RESTAURANT USE.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN URBAN TRANSITION AND DOWNTOWN IS DOWNTOWN WOULD ALLOW, UH, BIGGER VARIETY OF COMMERCIAL USES, INCLUDING SALES, UH, LEASE OR RENTAL OF NEW AND USED PRODUCTS, UH, PERSONAL SERVICES OR REPAIR SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, THIS DOES, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
UH, SO THIS DOES CONFORM WITH OUR FUTURE LAND USE PLAN.
UH, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY JUST EXTENDING THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, IT CONFORMS TO CARRY THROUGH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE SURROUNDING ZONING SUPPORTS IT SURROUNDING PROPERTY VALUES.
OVERALL, THE COMMISSION AND STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UH, FOR THIS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE APPLICANT WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT.
HE DID ATTEND THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING.
UH, SO I HAVE HIS NOTES FROM THAT.
SO THE APPLICANT EXPLAINED THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO LEASE.
CAN, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? CURRENT CONDITION OF, OF THE COMPLEX.
THE NEXT IS THEIR PROPOSED USE.
UH, SO THE APPLICANT STATED THE TWO PROPERTIES THAT FRONT FIVE 17, THEY ARE GOING TO HOPEFULLY LEASE.
HE, HE INDICATED HE WAS GONNA BE PURSUING A-A-Q-S-R OR A F FOOD STORE OF THAT SORT, UH, FOR THOSE TWO.
AND THEN HE WAS LOOKING TO DEVELOP WHERE IT SAYS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ON THAT SIDE STREET.
UH, HE'S LOOKING TO DO KIND OF A MIXED USE, UH, TENANT LOCATION.
UH, BUT THAT IS ALL THE STAFF HAS.
UH, AND THEN YOU SAID THE APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION.
SO WE GOT, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH IS, UH, DARYL HARWICK.
MAYBE I'M NOT AT THE RIGHT TIME, BUT I SAW THIS ON THE AGENDA AND I DON'T, I LIVE ON RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AND I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS.
WHAT MY QUESTION IS IS IF THE UDC STUFF'S ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 12 MONTHS OR SO, WHY WASN'T THIS ZONED DOWNTOWN AT THE TIME? IF THE BUILDING ON THE CORNER'S DOWNTOWN, THE DONUT SHOP AND EVERYTHING ON THE NEXT CORNERS DOWNTOWN, WHY WASN'T THIS, MY THOUGHT IS, IS WHAT KIND OF PLANNING WAS DONE BY THE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP WITH THIS UDC STUFF? BECAUSE I'M TWO BLOCKS DOWN AND I'M URBAN TRANSITION.
MY BROTHER BOUGHT A LOT, THE NEXT CORNER DOWN FROM ME WAS GONNA BUILD A HOUSE THERE.
AND NOW BECAUSE THE ZONING CHANGED, HE'S NOT ABLE TO BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE THERE.
ALL HE COULD BUILD, THERE WAS A DUPLEX OR AN APARTMENT.
MY CONCERN IS, IS WHERE DID ALL THIS COME FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THEM CHANGING THIS.
I JUST THINK THERE'S SOME TWEAKS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN THE WHOLE THING.
SO THE REASON WHY THAT WAS DONE IS ALSO THE REASON WHY YOU SEE SOMEONE DIFFERENT SITTING OVER THERE.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT'S WHY THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE UDC WE HAVE TO FIX.
I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.
AND THANKS TO CHANGE THAT'S GOING ON NOW.
MAYBE SOME OF THIS WILL BE CLEARED UP.
UH, I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH THEN FALLS INTO SEVEN
[7.B Consideration and possible action concerning a request to amend the official zoning map from Urban Transition (UT) zoning district to Downtown (DT) for a parcel of land of approx. ± 6.677 acres located at 4015 Dickinson Ave, and legally described as: ABST 78 R HALL E 166 FT BLK 305 ALL BLK 306 & 314 & PT E 166 FT LT 313 & ALL ADJ ALLEYS AND STREETS ACS 5.287 NICHOLSTONE]
B.CONSIDER ASIAN AND POSSIBLE ACTION CONSI CONCERNING A REQUEST TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP FROM URBAN TRANSITION ZONING DISTRICT TO DOWNTOWN FOR A PARCEL OF LAND OF APPROXIMATELY PLUS OR MINUS 6.677 ACRES, LOCATED AT 4 0 1 5 DICKINSON AVENUE AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS ABSTRACT 78 R HALL EAST, 1 66 FORT
[00:45:01]
BLOCK 3 0 5, ALL BLOCK 3 0 6 AND THREE 14 AND POINT EAST 1 66 FTLT 3 1 3.AND ALL ADJUSTED ALLEYS AND STREETS ACRES 5.287 NICKEL STONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE? I GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE.
DO I HAVE ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS, ANYTHING WE WANT TO DISCUSS? YOU GOT, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I THOUGHT PART OF THE PROBLEM WE HAD WITH MAKING IT A DOWNTOWN DISTRICT IS THAT THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT DID NOT ALLOW FOR RETAIL, DID YOU SAY? SO THAT IS, THAT IS A DISCREPANCY IN THE USE TABLE OF THE UDC.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE'S A SECTION WHERE THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE DOWNTOWN ZONING DISTRICT CLEARLY STATES THAT IT'S INTENDED TO BE USED WITH RETAIL.
UH, AND SO THERE'S A SECTION IN THE UDC THAT SAYS A THE TEXT SETS THE PRECEDENT AND THE TABLES DO NOT.
SO IF THERE'S A CONFLICT, WE REFER BACK TO THE TEXT.
SO THE TEXT SUPPORTS RETAIL USE.
DO THEY HAVE A NEW OWNER SINCE HE'S WANTING TO DO ALL THESE CHANGES? YES, SIR.
HE HAS PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? ALL RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, SEVEN C CONSIDERATION
[7.C Consideration and possible action to approve board member nominations for the Dickinson Management District No.1]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE BOARD MEMBER NOMINATIONS FOR THE DICKINSON MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.NUMBER ONE, UH, WE GOT CHAD RANKIN, POSITION FOUR AND DAVID BLACKSHEAR POSITION FIVE.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR CHAD RANKIN TO REPLACE ME ON THE BOARD AT POSITION FOUR.
AND DAVID BLACKSHEAR TO REPLACE BRITTANY BISHOP AT POSITION FIVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALRIGHT, WELL MOTION TOYE IF I DON'T HAVE A SECOND.
DO I HAVE ANOTHER MOTION? I GOT A MOTION.
WHAT'S GOT THE STATE LAW SAYS THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT PROVIDES THE RECOMMENDATION AND COUNCIL VOTES IT UP OR DOWN.
SO IF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DENIED, THEN WE GOTTA TAKE IT BACK TO THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND THEY HAVE TO PICK NEW NAMES FOR COUNCIL TO VOTE ON.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT DAVID BLACKSHEAR POSITION FIVE SECOND.
AND, UH, I GOT MORE TO THE MOTION.
UH,
AND ALSO, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY SERVING ON THE BOARD THAT'S BEEN THERE LONGER THAN THEIR BYLAWS CALL FOR A, MY UNDERSTANDING IS EIGHT YEARS.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THEY'VE BEEN SERVING MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS.
SO WE NEED A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT PERSON ALSO.
SO I I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO DR.
UH, WHEN THE BYLAWS WERE CREATED IN 2019, THE BOARD DECIDED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO RETROACTIVELY CREATE TERM LIMITS.
THEY WERE JUST GONNA LET EVERYBODY START FROM SCRATCH FROM WHEN THEY WERE CREATED.
AND SO NO UNEXPIRED TERMS COUNTED TOWARDS TERM LIMITS AND, UH, NO.
UM, PREVIOUS SERVING COUNTED THEY, EVERYBODY STARTED FROM 2019 WHEN THEY WERE CREATED.
'CAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY BYLAWS BEFORE THAT.
IS THAT PART OF YOUR MINUTES? DO YOU HAVE MINUTES TO SUPPORT THAT? UH, YOU'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO 2019 WHEN MARY DUNBAR WAS PRESIDENT.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T WRITE THESE BYLAWS.
SO MY SUGGESTION IS WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE MINUTES TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT FOR THAT.
WELL, WELL, LET'S HOLD ON GUYS.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE DMD AND BYLAWS AND ALL THAT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE TWO PEOPLE BOARD NOMINATIONS.
SO WE EITHER TALK ABOUT THESE TWO, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE DD AND HOW IT RUNS.
SO WE'RE EITHER TALKING ABOUT THESE TWO OR WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
IS IS WHAT I'M, I DON'T WANT TO GET IN.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE PERSON.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR, UH, DAVID CHER POSITION FIVE.
I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE BYLAWS JUST YET.
RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH ALL, THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT THE, UM, THE BIG THING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONSIDERATION, POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THIS FOR NOW, I'LL CHANGE MY MOTION THEN TO APPROVE DAVID BLACKSHEAR AND TURN DOWN POSITION FOUR AND SEND IT BACK TO THE DMD.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, UH, PUT IN, INTO PLACE DAVID BLACKSHEAR FOR POSITION FIVE TO REPLACE IT'S BRITTANY BISHOP, CORRECT? YES.
AND THEN WE ARE GOING, UH, THE MOTION IS TO TAKE, UH, CHAD RANKIN AND SEND IT BACK TO THE DMD, UH, FOR A NEW, UM, APPLICANT.
AND THEN I HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SCHICK.
[00:50:02]
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND CONCERNS BEFORE WE GET ANY FARTHER? YEAH, I'VE GOT A COMMENT.I DID RECEIVE A CALL FROM DAVID TODAY.
I'M NOT A FAN OF PUTTING THESE PEOPLE ON THE BOARDS WITHOUT THEM BEING HERE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
I DID ASK DAVID SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE SPENDING IN THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
HE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS APPROPRIATELY.
BUT IF THE, IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO WAIT AND, UH, GET HIM UP HERE IN FRONT OF US, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
I, I WOULD, UH, THINK HE'S GONNA DO A GOOD JOB ON IT THOUGH.
SO I GUESS THAT IS ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT IS THE, DOES ANYONE HAVE SOME INFORMATION OTHER THAN THIS BOARD AND COMMISSION'S APPLICATION? UM, WHAT MAKES THEM RIGHT FOR THE BOARD? I GUESS YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT, SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT PUTS THEM, WHAT GIVES THEM THE, UH, THE BACKGROUND AND THE REASON WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD VOTE THEM IN RATHER THAN NOT VOTE THEM IN? SO I GUESS I'LL START OFF BY SAYING EVERY TIME A OP A POSITION IS OPEN, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE ON THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOME, SOME FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.
UM, WHAT MAKES THEM RIGHT FOR THE BOARD IS THE, THE BOARD LOOKED AT THE APPLICATIONS AND MADE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
I ACTUALLY RECUSED MYSELF FROM THE, THE DISCUSSION IN THE PROCESS.
SO, UM, YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT WAS, WHAT SPECIFIC THEY WANTED.
I JUST KNOW I WOULD'VE, I WOULD LIKE TO BE OFF.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE PUT SOMEBODY NO, THAT, THAT'S FINE.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THE DMD CURRENTLY? BECAUSE HERE'S MY BIGGEST THING, AND I, I ACTUALLY SAID THIS WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR MAYOR, IS WE HAVE THESE BOARDS AND WE PUT 'EM ON WITH OUR FRIENDS AND PEOPLE WE TRUST AND PEOPLE WE THINK ARE SUCCESSFUL, BUT THEY HAVE NO BACKGROUND IN THAT SPECIFIC INDUSTRY OR THAT SPECIFIC INSTANCE.
SO FOR INSTANCE, I'M IN FINANCE.
THERE IS NO REASON I SHOULD BE GIVING YOU ADVICE ON PLUMBING, RIGHT? SO DON'T GET ME WRONG.
THESE PEOPLE MIGHT BE FULLY QUALIFIED.
AND NOW WE'RE PUTTING 'EM IN, IN A POSITION TO MANAGE CITY TAX PAYING DOLLARS, BUT I HAVE NO REASON TO UNDER, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY SHOULD BE THE PEOPLE, RIGHT.
THAT, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, I GUESS IS THE BIG THING.
I MEAN, EVEN TO GET ON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD, I REQUIRE AN A, UH, A, UH, A RESUME TO BE ON A BOARD FOR AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE MANAGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING WE CAN'T TAKE THIS, UH, TOO LIGHTLY OF JUST, OH, THESE PEOPLE, THIS IS WHO WE PICK.
WELL, WHY, I WANNA KNOW WHY WE PICK THESE PEOPLE.
UM, SO DO THEY HAVE HISTORY THAT CAN HELP US? DO THEY HAVE THINGS THAT HELP US WITHIN THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OF WHAT Y'ALL'S MAIN MISSION IS, WHICH IS SUPPORT THE CITY OF DICKINSON? UM, SO THAT'S, THESE ARE THE THINGS I WISH I COULD ASK THESE INDIVIDUALS.
I I WILL SAY THOUGH, ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED, THEY ALL HAD PREVIOUS BOARD EXPERIENCE.
UH, MR. BLACKSHEAR WAS ON, UH, BUILDING AND STANDARDS BEFORE DR.
RANKIN WAS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
E EVERYBODY THAT WAS LOOKED AT BEFORE, WHEN I LOOKED OVER THEIR APPLICATIONS, UH, THE ONES THAT WERE BEFORE THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WHEN IT WAS TIME TO VOTE, THEY ALL HAD PREVIOUS BOARD EXPERIENCE.
WHEN I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT BOARD EXPERIENCE, I'M TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL, UH, EXECUTION EXPERIENCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT ONE PLUS ONE IS RIGHT.
AND WHAT FOUR PLUS FOUR IS TYPE OF SITUATION.
I WOULDN'T HAVE, NO, I NOMINATED, I NOMINATED, UH, DAVID FOR THIS POSITION.
I'VE KNOWN DAVID SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, YOU SAID, I JUST WISH I COULD ASK QUESTIONS.
THAT'S I'M SAYING I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO WHY HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT.
BUT HE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, OR HE WOULD'VE BEEN HERE.
UH, I, I, TALKING TO HIM, I DON'T THINK HE KNEW HE'D BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE BOARD.
HE HAD PUT THE APPLICATION IN, BUT, UH, HE IS UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT FOR THAT.
HE, HE USED TO WORK FOR THE INDIA ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY.
IS OPERATOR THAT CONTROLS THE POWER GRIDS.
AND HE'S DONE, UH, DONE THAT TYPE OF WORK WITH, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
SO, BUT I BELIEVE, UH, HE'S NO SERVED ON SOME BOARDS IN THE PAST.
I BELIEVE HE'D BE A GOOD MEMBER.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
YOU, YOU'RE INVOLVED IN THE, AND WE LITERALLY DEAL WITH POWER LINES COMING DOWN REGULARLY.
THAT'S PROBABLY SOMEONE WE WANT TO HAVE IN OUR, OUR STABLE.
UM, SO THAT, THESE ARE THE THINGS I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE BOARDS AND WE'RE PUTTING PEOPLE ON BOARDS.
JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE WILLING TO SHOW UP DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED TO ACCEPT THEM RIGHT AWAY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE VALID, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, ARE MAKING THIS CITY BETTER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS MOTION THAT I HAVE? ALL RIGHT.
UH, SO I'LL GO ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, WE ACCEPTING DAVID BLACKSHEAR AND SENDING CHAD RANKIN BACK TO THE DMD.
[00:55:01]
OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED.[7.D. Resolution XXX-2025 - a Resolution of the City Council of the City Dickinson, Texas, to express its support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ undertaking of Phase II, Lower Clear Creek and Dickinson Bayou Watershed 203 feasibility study, to culminate with the creation of a list of projects and funding options to address flooding and its devastating impacts.]
DA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF DICKINSON, TEXAS TO EXPRESS ITS SUPPORT FOR THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS UNDERTAKING OF PHASE TWO, LOWER C, CLEAR CREEK AND DICKINSON BAYOU WATERSHED 2 0 3 FEASIBILITY STUDY TO CULMINATE WITH THE CREATION OF A LIST OF PROJECTS AND FUNDING OPTIONS TO ADDRESS FLOODING AND ITS DEVASTATING IMPACTS.DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SIR.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WITH THIS ONE? UH, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? ALRIGHT.
[7.E.Resolution XXX-2025 - a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Dickinson, Texas, authorizing and approving the purchase of one (1) Standard 12.5 Ton Air Handler and Condenser and one (1) Standard Split System Unit for Dickinson City Hall from Mackey Services through TIPS USA Cooperative Contract Number 25010501 and in an amount not to exceed $62,380.00.]
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DICKINSON, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF ONE STANDARD 12 AND A HALF TON AIR HANDLER AND CONDENSER AND ONE STANDARD SPLIT SYSTEM UNIT FOR DICKINSON CITY HALL FOR MACKEY SERVICES THROUGH TIPS, USA COOPERATIVE CONTRACT NUMBER TO 5 0 1 0 5 0 1.AND IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $62,380.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE? COMMENTS, CONCERNS? UM, IT'S KIND OF A, WERE WE ABLE TO USE THAT OTHER UNIT? YES SIR, WE DID.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR YEARS.
INSTEAD OF BANDAID A BROKEN BACK, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND FIX IT.
LITERALLY FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THIS HAS BEEN A REOCCURRING ISSUE.
I KNOW IT'S GOTTA BE DONE SO IT DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT ARE WE BRINGING THIS OUT A GENERAL FUND OR DO WE OR IS THIS COMING OUT OF THE, UH, BUILDING MAINTENANCE FUND.
UH, I GOT, UH, BILL, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHICK, UH, HAS THE MOTION AND THEN I HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON.
UH, ANYONE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED.
[7.F. Consideration and possible action to approve the Quarterly Investment Report & Financials for Period Ending March 31, 2025.]
POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT AND FINANCIALS FOR PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31ST, 2025.AND WE GOT SARAH CLARK COMING UP.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FINANCIALS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER IN YOUR PACKET IN RECORD TIME.
UM, WE HAVE COLLECTED 59% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGETED REVENUE REVENUES, WHICH IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE 91% OF PROPERTY TAX ALWAYS COLLECTED IN THE, UM, IN JANUARY OF EVERY YEAR.
UM, EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE ARE AT 47% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET, UM, WHICH IS MEETS EXPECTATIONS AT THIS POINT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY? HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE A FULLY AUDITED OH, IT'S AMAZING FINANCIAL REPORT.
AND THEN OTHER THAN THAT, UH, DID YOU, DID YOU SAY THE FUND BALANCE? SORRY, I WAS, OH NO, I DIDN'T SAY IT, BUT FUND BALANCE.
SO THE FUND BALANCE PERCENTAGE IS BASICALLY THE AUDITED NUMBER.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S CURRENTLY AT 48%, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S LARGELY SKEWED BECAUSE PROPERTY TAX IS ALREADY COLLECTED FOR THE YEAR.
SO IF I PULL IT AS OF TODAY, I JUST PULLED IT AND IT'S AT 35% MM-HMM
SO YOU'LL SEE IT DECREASE EVERY MONTH UNTIL WE GET TO OUR FOURTH QUARTER, WHICH IS THE FINAL NUMBER, WHICH WE ARE AIMING TO BE AT 25% ALWAYS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW I TALKED TO SARAH AND CHASE ABOUT.
WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THE CITY OF DICKINSON UNDERSTANDS WHERE WE ARE ON OUR FUND BALANCE FROM HERE ON OUT.
SO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YES, WE CANNOT FIX THIS OVERNIGHT.
THERE'S NOTHING THIS STAFF CAN DO TO DO IT OVERNIGHT, BUT WE WILL BE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO IF THAT BEING SAID, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. CLARK? GOT A FEW.
ON THE SALES TAX, WE'RE AT 42%.
ARE WE, ARE SALES TAX DOWN OR WE HAVEN'T GOT THE LATEST ONES COME IN TO BRING THAT UP WHERE IT SHOULD BE? NO, THE, THEY'RE ALL IN, UM, FEBRUARY AND MARCH WE'RE DOWN.
UM, SO THAT'S, THE 42% IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THOSE TWO MONTHS BEING DOWN.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ONE, THAT NUMBER FOUR P THE BIN WHERE LIKE 17000%.
DID WE BRING IN MORE MONEY AND SEND IT TO 'EM THAN WE ANTICIPATED? CORRECT.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED, UM, THE ASSESSMENTS FROM BAYOU BEND AND PAID.
THIS IS THE FIRST PAYMENT WE EVER MADE TO THE DEVELOPER.
THEN DOWN IN EXPENDITURES WE SHOULD, THIS BEING HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, WE'VE GOT, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, AND CITYWIDE SERVICES ALL ABOVE 50%.
ARE WE GOING TO STILL BE ABLE TO COME IN AT BUDGET OR, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO
[01:00:01]
A DRONE THAT WAS PURCHASED.UM, IT WAS NOT PROPERLY BUDGETED FOR.
SO WE WILL SEE WHERE THEY COME IN WITH THEIR OTHER EXPENSES.
BUT WE BOUGHT SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T BUDGET, UH, WELL, WE DIDN'T BUDGET CORRECTLY FOR.
PUBLIC WORKS IS EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE.
I BELIEVE THEY SAID SLOPE MOWER AND TECH TRUCK.
UM, AND THE CITYWIDE SERVICES.
CITYWIDE SERVICES IS THE AUDITS.
WE PAID FOR THREE AUDITS IN ONE YEAR.
UM, AND A LITTLE BIT IN LEGAL FEES AS WELL.
AND, UM, LOOK LIKE UNDER REVENUES TO FEDERAL SEIZED FUNDS, WE BROUGHT IN MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
THE VOCA FUEL UNDER, UH, VOCA GRANT.
IS THAT THE VOCA? WHAT IS THAT ONE? UM, THAT'S THE VICTIMS OF THE CRIME.
IT'S, YEAH, WE GET A GRANT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EVERY YEAR FOR THAT.
I JUST KNOW THAT THEY WERE OVER TO 50%.
I JUST, SARAH, OUR SALES TAX YEAR TO DATE IS DOWN.
HOW MUCH? UM, WELL, IT'S AT 42% FROM ARE YOU ACTING ASKING FROM LAST YEAR? WELL, A SIDE I LOOKED AT AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T REMEMBER.
I PULLED IT UP A WEEK OR SO AGO.
IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE? YOU, IT'S ACTUALLY WHEN I PULLED IT, UM, WHEN I STARTED WORKING ON FY 26.
IT'S DOWN ABOUT 18% FROM LAST YEAR
SO, AND I, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PART OF MY, MY BACKGROUND, UH, I CAN TELL YOU THIS YEAR, ESPECIALLY THE, YOU, YOU SAID FEBRUARY, MARCH AND APRIL, UM, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE FINANCIAL MARKETS AT THAT TIME.
AND I CAN PROMISE YOU THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT SPENDING AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY USUALLY ARE.
UM, SO THIS IS ALSO PART OF NOT HAVING A DIVERSIFIED TAX BASIS.
GOT A, GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE.
AND A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS, IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
I GOTTA MAKE SURE I HAVE ALL THIS STUFF READY.
[7.G. Consideration and possible action to designate a representative and an alternate to the General Assembly of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC).]
G.CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO DESIGNATE A REPRESENTATIVE AND AN ALTERNATE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
UM, THIS ITEM, I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS ITEM BECAUSE FOR HOME RULE CITIES UNDER 25,000, THIS IS PICKED IN OCTOBER FOR THE NOVEMBER CAUCUS.
WHEN HGAC SENDS A LETTER, UM, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING ELSE TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
SO THAT, I'M LOOKING FOR A, A, UH, SOME SORT OF, UH, I, I WAS NOT THE ONE THAT PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
WHAT ARE WE DISCUSSING CHASE WITH THIS ONE? OR IS WHO PUT THIS ON? 'CAUSE THAT'S, I I WANTED TO GET SOME BACKSTORY BEFORE WE GOT INTO IT.
UH, A FEW COUNCILMEN, UH, BROUGHT THIS UP, UH, TO DISCUSS IT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
SO OUR, OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
SO, SO, AND WITH THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, LIKE I SAID, MAKE SURE Y'ALL LET ME KNOW 'CAUSE I'M KIND OF IGNORANT TO THAT SPECIFIC BOARD OR COUNCIL.
UM, WE APPOINT THE, UH, PERSON INDIVIDUAL RIGHT.
SO THE WAY, THE WAY IT'S SET UP IS EVERY CITY OVER 25,000 POPULATION HAS ONE BOARD SEAT.
EVERY COUNCIL, EVERY COUNTY HAS ONE BOARD SEAT IN HU UH, HARRIS COUNTY HAS TWO, ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAUCUS TOGETHER IN NOVEMBER TO PICK ONE REP AND AN ALTERNATE, ALL OF THE GENERAL LAW CITIES CAUCUS TOGETHER TO PICK TWO REPS AND TWO ALTERNATES.
AND ALL OF THE HOME RULE CITIES CAUCUS TOGETHER TO PICK TWO REPS AND TWO ALTERNATES.
AND SO THEY SEND A LETTER IN OCTOBER ASKING FOR THAT REP, AND THEN THEY CAUCUS TOGETHER TO ELECT SOMEONE TO THE BOARD.
AND THAT'S HOW I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND WHEN WE VOTED ON THIS, WHEN YEAR, YOU KNOW, IT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION, UH, WELL, MY ATTENTION THAT COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND WOULD LIKE TO SERVE IN ITS PLACE.
AND I SAID, WELL, I WON'T SERVE ANOTHER YEAR AFTER THIS ONE AND I'LL SPEND THIS YEAR
[01:05:01]
MAKING WAY FOR HIM.JUST LIKE COUNCILMAN KING MADE WAY FOR ME.
SO, SO, UH, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS ITEM? SO I CAN EITHER MOVE ON OR WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT SOME MORE? 'CAUSE IF THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO ACTUALLY CHANGE SOMETHING, WE DON'T NEED TO.
SO I, I WAS, I'M GONNA, SO I'M ASKING EVERYBODY YEAH, I GOT IT.
AND THEN WE WILL, WE'LL GO INTO THAT'S, I'M LOOKING FOR THAT PAGE, BUT I WAS JUST MAKING SURE COUNSEL TALKED BEFORE SO Y'ALL DIDN'T HAVE TO COME UP HERE IF WE'VE ANSWERED A QUESTION THAT WE'VE ALREADY, WE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WELL, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION AT THIS TIME IF YOU WANT ME TO.
UM, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION ITEMS TO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU SAY, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA MOTION? BUT LET'S DO THE, LET'S DO PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST.
SO WHAT IS SEVEN G? WE GOT DAVID LEHMAN, COME ON.
UH, I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY.
UH, IT'S WHAT I'VE SPEC SPOKEN TO EARLIER TONIGHT.
WHAT I'VE SPOKEN TO IN PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UH, MR. SIMPSON DOES NOT LIVE HERE FULL-TIME.
HE'S NOT A CITIZEN OF DICKINSON, EVEN THOUGH HE'S GOT A WATER BILL OR SOMETHING THAT SAYS HE IS GOT ONE.
AND HE'S GOT, HE OWNS ANOTHER HOME HERE IN DICKINSON.
I'VE OWNED SEVERAL DOZEN HOMES ACROSS GALVESTON COUNTY IN MY LIFETIME.
AND I CAN'T, I CAN'T LIVE IN, IN THREE OR FOUR D THREE OR FOUR OF THEM TO SATISFY SOME ISSUES.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE SHOULD BE ON THE, IN THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE SHOULD BE ON THE HARRIS COUNTY, GALVESTON COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE HE'S NOT REPRESENTING DICKINSON.
HE DOESN'T LIVE IN DICKINSON, ALTHOUGH HE'S REPRESENTING DICKINSON.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE NEED SOMEBODY THAT'S LIVES HERE, THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, HE USED TO BE A, A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
HE USED TO PREACH HERE IN TOWN.
HE DOESN'T NO LONGER, HIS FAMILY LIVES IN HOUSTON.
HE LIVES IN HOUSTON, AND HE'S USING, UH, A WATER BILL AND A SECOND HOME THAT HE OWNS HERE TO COHABITATE.
IS THERE A MATTER OF LAW THAT SAYS WE CAN'T DO THIS? I, I HAVE NO IDEA.
NIM WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE? CAN WE, UH, CAN WE GET SOME ADVICE ON THIS BAD BOY? THIS IS GOING TO BE IN THE HVAC'S BYLAWS, I BELIEVE.
AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF STATE LAW, BUT IT'S, IT IS THAT ORGANIZATION'S, UH, BYLAWS.
SO REALISTICALLY, BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T VIOLATE ANY BYLAWS IN THE FIRST PLACE FOR WHATEVER WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.
RIGHT? SO HERE'S THE OTHER QUESTION IS, IF WE HAVE A A A PLACE WHERE I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TOWNSEND WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, SAID, HEY, I'LL DO THIS AFTER THE FACT.
UM, WHY ARE WE EVEN DISCUSSING IT ANYMORE? RIGHT? UM, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I ALSO DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HGAC YET.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S ONLY BEEN SIX MONTHS.
SOME OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'LL, YOU'LL ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT 'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED ALREADY.
UM, SO WHAT I DON'T, WHAT I MAKE, WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS ON THIS DAIS IS WE ARE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITY OF DICKINSON, NOT HAVE OUR PERSONAL VENDETTAS AND ANY OF OUR IDEAS COME OUT IN PUBLIC.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS STARTING TO FEEL A BIT OF A WITCH HUNT, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE OVERALL, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
NOW, ONCE AGAIN, FIND A LOT, FIND A WAY TO DO IF, IF Y'ALL WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVE IT, PROVE IT.
UM, BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SIMPSON, UM, NO MATTER WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE, HE STILL SHOWS UP EVERY DAY.
SO HIS, HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, IF THAT'S, IF IT'S THAT BECAUSE OF WHERE HE LIVES, UM, CURRENTLY, RATHER THAN HIS INTENTIONS, THAT'S A VERY, THAT'S A TOUGH SPOT FOR ME.
NUMBER TWO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T REALLY, THIS ISN'T OUR BOARD.
THIS ISN'T OUR, OUR COMMISSION.
THIS ISN'T OUR, OUR OUR COUNCIL.
UH, AND THERE IS A, A SET PROCESS TO DO IT.
WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR US? BY MAKING THIS A PRO, CHANGING THIS, RIGHT? WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR THE CITY OF DICKINSON AND BENEFIT US? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
AND IF IT'S OKAY, THEN WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT BENEFIT DO WE GET FROM CAUSING A, A STIR RATHER THAN WAITING TILL OCTOBER TO APPOINT A NEW MEMBER? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT MY PERSONAL OPINION.
THIS IS WHAT THE CITY OF DICKINSON SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, RIGHT? UM, ARE WE WASTING OUR, OUR, OUR RESOURCES? ARE WE WASTING MINUTES? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS A COMPLETELY NO EFFECT ON OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.
RIGHT? BUT NOW I'VE WASTED 45 MINUTES WITH IT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE BENEFIT FROM MAKING THIS AN ACTIONABLE ITEM? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
IF YOU CAN TELL ME THAT, LET'S GO FOR IT.
[01:10:01]
FIRST STAB AT IT.AND THIS IS NOT MY ATTACK ON ANYONE.
I'M JUST, I WANT TO, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT SO THAT WE'RE GETTING INTO THIS.
JUST AS IF THE CITIZENS, OR JUST AS THE CITIZENS ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, BECAUSE THEY LIVED IN THE CITY COUNCIL, WAS TO SELECT A REPRESENTATIVE OF DICKINSON WHO LIVES IN THE CITY.
NOW, MR. SIMPSON MAY HAVE DONE WONDERFUL WORK IN THE PAST, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN SPLIT YOUR PRIORITIES IF HE NO LONGER LIVES HERE.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, HE DOESN'T OWN A HOUSE HERE.
UM, THE CITIZENS WANT PEOPLE THAT LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES.
AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
UM, AND THIS IS THE TIME TO UNDO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A WHILE BACK WHEN HE MOVED OUT OF THE CITY.
HE SHOULD HAVE RESIGNED THAT POSITION 'CAUSE HE KNEW THAT HE NO LONGER LIVED HERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
CAN I GET A CLARIFICATION? IS THERE A MECHANISM BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER TO ACTUALLY REPLACE A MEMBER ON THIS COUNCIL? 'CAUSE I, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS THERE MAY NOT EVEN BE THAT MECHANISM.
WHETHER WE NAMED SOMEBODY OR NOT IS, AND IS EVERYBODY HAVING THAT SAME IMPRESSION? SO THE THE PROBLEM IS IT'S GONNA COST ANOTHER $30,000 FOR AN ELECTION FOR AN UNEXPIRED TERM THAT STARTS NEXT, NEXT YEAR.
SO, WELL, IF WE, IF WE GET RID OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, RIGHT? IF WE GET RID OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAVE TO REPLACE SAID COUNCIL MEMBER.
I DON'T GET TO APPOINT THEM AS MAYOR.
I'M JUST SAYING, I'M JUST TELLING THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO REMOVE ME FROM COUNCIL.
STATE LAW SAYS YOU CAN CLAIM RESIDENCY ANYWHERE YOU INTEND TO RETURN.
I HAVE A JOB THAT MOVES ME AROUND A BIT.
AND AS A PERK, I GET MORE THAN ONE PLACE.
IT WAS LIKE THAT BEFORE I CAME TO DICKINSON.
AND IT'LL BE LIKE THAT WHENEVER I DECIDE TO COMPLETELY DISCONNECT FROM DICKINSON.
UM, WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS REMOVING ME AS THE, OR, OR AN ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ME AS THE REP TO THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
BUT HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DO THAT, ALRIGHT? AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS FROM NOW UNTIL OCTOBER DICKINSON HAS NO VOICE OR VOTE AT THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
THE PERSON THAT COMES BEHIND ME IS GOING TO BE THE MAYOR OF MANVILLE.
AND PEOPLE PRETEND AS IF HGAC PLAYS NICE.
BUT I WAS THERE WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE THE 14 MILLION THAT WE WERE GOING TO PUT INTO MOORE'S EDITION TO SEVEN.
I WAS THERE WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED LATER ON IN THE WATER RESOURCE COMMITTEE TO REALLOCATE THE MONEY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE DRAINAGE PROJECT IN MOORE'S EDITION TO, BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING TO REALLOCATE EVERYBODY'S, UH, FUNDING THAT HAD NOT BEEN SENT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE ME FROM THE BOARD, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
SEVEN MONTHS OF MEETINGS WHERE THERE'S NO VOICE AND NO VOTE.
SO, AND ONCE AGAIN, I, I WANTED TO LEARN, I WANT TO LEARN MORE, AND I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS SITUATION BETTER BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, IT IS AN ISSUE, UH, IF IT IS AN ISSUE OR IF IT IS GOING AGAINST OUR BYLAWS AND OUR RULES.
HOWEVER, I KNOW WE DID, I DID.
UH, NIM COULD YOU ALSO REITERATE WHAT THE POLICY IS FOR, UM, RESIDENCY? IS THERE A STATE LAW OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? BECAUSE MY BIG THING IS I DON'T WANT THE CITY OF DICKINSON TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF THIS.
RIGHT? I DON'T WANT THE CITY OF DICKINSON TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF A TECHNICALITY EITHER.
UM, AND I ALSO LIKE TO DO THINGS BY THE BOOK, BUT IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE A VOICE, WE LOSE MONEY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HGAC DOES WITH FUNDING? UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT HUGHES ROAD PROJECT, HGAC, AND THIS IS COMING FROM THE COUNCIL OF MAYORS, HGAC, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE DESIGNATION THAT EVERYONE POINTED ME TO, TO TRY TO GET HUGHES ROAD PAID FOR.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE A VOICE THERE, IT COULD BE VERY DETRIMENTAL.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA DO, I, THIS IS NOT MY COUNSEL, RIGHT? I AM NOT THE LEADER.
I'M NOT THE ONE IN CHARGE HERE.
WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE, WHEN YOU ARE VOTING ON THE MOTION THAT WHOEVER MOTIONS, WHATEVER THEY WANT A MOTION, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THE REPERCUSSIONS ARE, UH, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE STILL RULES THAT EXIST WITHIN THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT COULD BECOME AN ISSUE FOR THE REST OF US.
SO, UM, JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT, AND I'M NOT GOING AGAINST WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING ABOUT THE, WHERE
[01:15:01]
YOU LIVE.LIKE I OWN TWO HOMES IN DICKINSON.
GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE BOTH IN DICKINSON, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY CITIZENSHIP.
RIGHT? BUT HERE'S THE OTHER THING.
WE ALSO HAVE VERY, VERY, VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF DICKINSON BECAUSE WE HAVE LAKE CITY, IN THE CITY OF DICKINSON THAT ARE FROM DICKINSON.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM BAY CIFF AND SAN LEON THAT CONSIDER THEMSELVES FROM DICKINSON.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN TEXAS CITY THAT ARE FROM DICKINSON.
SO MAKE SURE WE, WE, WE, WE DON'T ALIENATE PEOPLE THAT ALSO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF DICKINSON AS WELL, RIGHT.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THEIR ADDRESS DOESN'T GIVE US TAX MONEY.
UM, NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE STILL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
SO WHAT YOU GOT? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? MY QUESTION IS, IS HE AND THAT WILL APPOINTEE FROM THE COUNCIL, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT PRECLUDES US FROM REMOVING HIM AT THIS POINT? THAT THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE AT WILL STATUS.
THE PROBLEM IS WE NOW LOSE HIS REPRESENTATION THE MOMENT WE TAKE HIM OUT OF THAT REPRESENTATION.
AND WE CAN PUT SOMEBODY ELSE RIGHT BACK ON THERE.
IS THAT CORRECT? LET ME, UH, SPEAK TO THIS, PLEASE.
SO, SO THIS ITEM, UH, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
I WAS ASKED, QUESTIONED, UM, QUESTIONS BY STAFF ON THE WORDING OF IT.
I SOUGHT TO CLARIFY WITH STAFF EXACTLY WHAT BODY OF HGAC THAT THIS ITEM RELATES TO.
YOU'LL SEE FROM THE WAY THAT THE ITEM IS WRITTEN ON THE AGENDA, THAT THIS IS TO DESIGNATE A REPRESENTATIVE AND AN ALTERNATE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF HGAC.
IN LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS TONIGHT FROM COUNCILMAN SIMPSON, UH, IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HCAC AND NOT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
BECAUSE THE, THE RULES THAT, SIR, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT REGARDING THE CAUCUS AND THE CITIES OF LESS THAN 25,000, THOSE RULES APPLY TO THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HGAC AND NOT THE GA THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
IF THAT IS ACCURATE, THEN THE, UH, BOARD DIRECTORS OF OF GAC OF HGAC, THERE ARE BYLAWS THAT SPELL THAT OUT.
AND NO, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL GETS TO CHANGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THOSE SELECTIONS WERE ACTUALLY MADE PER THOSE BYLAWS BY A CAUCUS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITIES OF LESS THAN 25,000 POPULATION, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY TO THE HGAC GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THAT CAN BE CHANGED OUT AT WILL.
AND SO THE WAY THAT THE ITEM IS ACTUALLY DRAFTED, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT RELATED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
UH, AND SO Y'ALL CAN CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
WELL, AND AND THAT'S WHY I MADE THE COMMENT OF MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT OUR ACTIONS ARE AND OUR REPERCUSSIONS ARE.
RIGHT? DON'T GET ME WRONG, DO I WANT THIS TO DO? I WANT EVERYTHING TO GO PERFECTLY AND EVERYTHING.
BUT WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE MIGHT LOSE REPRESENTATION.
SO YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT THAT'S, AND I DO WANT TO CLARIFY.
REMOVING ME FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAKES ME INELIGIBLE TO BE ON THE BOARD.
SO IT DOES REMOVE ME FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND OUR NEXT SHOT AT IT IS NOVEMBER BECAUSE THE TERMS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE SPECIFIED TO BE ONE YEAR TERMS STARTING IN JANUARY.
MAYOR, CAN I ASK WHO OUR ALT CURRENT ALTERNATE IS? I AM MARK TOWNSEND.
BECAUSE THAT WAS APPOINTED IN OCTOBER, RIGHT? Y'ALL, Y'ALL DID THAT IN THAT MEETING? NO, IT WAS, IT WAS TABLED.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY GOT AROUND TO VOTING ON IT IN DECEMBER.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? NO.
WELL I THINK, I THINK WE SHOULD TABLE THIS TILL FURTHER DISCUSSION.
WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PUSH THIS ONE OFF.
SO GOT A MOTION TO TABLE AND A SECOND.
ALL, ANY ANYONE OPPOSED? MOTION PASS SEVEN H
[7.H. Consideration and possible action to elect a Mayor Pro Tem.]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ELECT A MAYOR PRO TIM.ALRIGHT, DO I HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS? NOMINATE MARK TOWNSEND SECOND.
WELL, I GOT A NOMINATION FOR MARK TOWNSEND.
MARK TOWNSEND, WOULD YOU, UH, ACCEPT THE NOMINATION? YES, SIR.
AND, UH, THEN I GOT, SO WE GOT A, I SECOND IT.
OKAY, SO I GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS? ANYONE ELSE THINK THAT, UH, MARK TOWNSEND IS NOT THE GUY
[01:20:01]
FOR THE JOB? UH, ME.ALRIGHT THEN YOU'RE PERFECT FOR IT.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO MOTION, UH, FOR MARK TOWNSEND.
[7.I. Consideration and possible action to nominate a representative for the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Steering Committee.]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO NOMINATE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DICKINSON BAYOU WATERSHED STEERING COMMITTEE.AND, UH, I THINK WE GOT SOMEONE THAT YOU WANNA MAKE A, LET'S GET A NOMINATION FOR.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR BILL SCH.
ALRIGHT, SO WE GOT A NOMINATION.
I, SECOND, SECOND I DID NOMINATION TRADER COUNCILS MEMBERSHIP.
WOULD YOU ACCEPT THAT NOMINATION? YES.
SO WE GOT A SECOND FROM THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
BUT YOU TAKE IT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON WOULD BE THE THIRD OR THE, OR THE, UH, SECOND.
WHO'S CURRENTLY THE BY WATERSHED STEERING COMMITTEE? IT WAS JUST EMPTY.
NO, I AM, BUT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO ELECT EVERY YEAR AND IT HASN'T BEEN ELECTED IN THREE YEARS.
I THINK IF IT WAS REALLY KNOWN, LOUIS DECKER'S NAME'S STILL ON IT, RIGHT? NO, NOT ANYMORE.
[7.J. Discussion of the (future of/vision for) the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation.]
OH, YES.DISCUSS DISCUSSION OF THE FUTURE OF VISION FOR THE DICKINSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
SO THIS ONE WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
WE'RE GOING TO O WE'RE GONNA DO THE, UH, COUNCIL COMMENTS FIRST, AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THEN WE WILL RE WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT SOME MORE.
'CAUSE I KIND OF WANNA KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING FIRST.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, I DID NOT PUT THIS ON THERE, SO I KIND OF WANNA GET SOME LIGHT BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, SO, UH, WHAT DO WE GOT? WHAT KIND OF DISCUSSION ARE WE WANTING TO HAVE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? DO YOU WANNA START? NO, YOU START.
WELL, I, I'VE REQUESTED THIS, UH, AND I'M SURE MOST OF Y'ALL HAVE PROBABLY SEEN ON FACEBOOK.
I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR ABOLISHING THE EDC BOARD AND PUTTING IT STRAIGHT UNDER THE COUNCIL AT THIS POINT.
UH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
I'VE SEEN SOME, WHAT I CONSIDER POOR DECISIONS AND SPENDING FROM THE EDC.
UH, I THINK WE NEED MORE CONTROL OVER IT.
I, I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT I'VE SEEN THE EDC DONE IN THE PAST WERE MAYBE NOT ETHICAL AND POSSIBLY ILLEGAL.
AND IF, IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, I THINK WE NEED TO PUT IT IN OUR HANDS.
AND, UH, HAVE A EDC PERSON COME ANSWER TO CHASE AND TO THE COUNCIL.
AND I KNOW, UH, RECENTLY Y'ALL APPOINTED TRAVIS AND BILL TO GO SIT IN THE EDC TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL? I MEAN, IF Y'ALL ARE GONNA GO HEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, EXECUTIVE SESSION AND IT'S PRIVATE INFORMATION, THEN HOW ARE WE GONNA GET OUR INFORMATION? WE TALK, LOOK OKAY, WE, WE COME AND TELL YOU GUYS OKAY.
THAT'S HOW IT, THAT'S HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
SO YOU LOOK BACK SINCE 2010, WE'VE PROBABLY HAD 35 DIFFERENT MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I GOT THROWN UNDER THE BUS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW ANYBODY UNDER THE BUS.
I'M TRYING TO SPEND THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY WISELY, UH, AND GET SOME ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY POSITION ON IT.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO ABOLISH THE EDC BOARD AND MOVE FORWARD.
UH, HE, HE'S ALREADY UNDER THE CITY MANAGER AT THIS POINT, DAVE IS.
SO LET'S JUST GO WITH THAT AND SEE HOW HE PERFORMS IN A YEAR OR TWO.
ANY COMMENTS ELSE? I GOT PLENTY OF STUFF.
UM, I GUESS I'M THE, THE LONGEST CONTINUOUS SERVING COUNCIL MEMBER NOW.
UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER TOWNSEND HAS BEEN ON LONGER IN YEARS.
I REMEMBER HAVING THIS DISCUSSION ONCE THE POPULATION WENT OVER 20,000, UH, BECAUSE LEGALLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION COULD NO LONGER DO THE SAME THINGS THAT THEY USED TO BE ABLE TO DO.
'CAUSE THEY WERE A TYPE B CORPORATION.
BUT I ALSO REMEMBER TALK OF PUTTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE CITY, BEING MET, MET WITH LIKE VIOLENT RESISTANCE.
I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW, UM, AT THAT TIME I WAS IN, I WAS IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT THE PEOPLE CAME OUT AND SAID THEY WANTED A A, THEY WANTED IT TO HAVE SOME SORT OF INDEPENDENCE FROM THE CITY.
AND SO I, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT'S CHANGED BECAUSE OKAY.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE PREVIOUS EDC MEMBERS OR PO POTENTIALLY, OR WHATEVER THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST, THE LAST DECADE.
UM, LET'S JUST PUT, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME FACTS,
[01:25:01]
RIGHT? WE WANT TO PUT IT ON, LET'S SAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF THE BOARD AND PUTTING IT UNDER THE CITY COUNCIL.I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THERE ARE THREE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR, OR MULTIPLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE ALSO FULFILLED ROLES ON SET EDC BOARD.
AND IF IT'S A PROBLEM, DO WE REALLY WANT THOSE SAME PEOPLE? IF IT'S THAT BIG OF A PROBLEM, DO WE WANT THE SAME PEOPLE MAKING THE DECISIONS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE, WE'RE POINTING FINGERS AT OURSELVES.
'CAUSE THE OTHER THING IS THE EDC WORKS ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY, BUT ALSO AT OUR DISCRETION.
THE CITY'S THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE IS NO WAY WE SURVIVE WITHOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO THROW ALL OF OUR MONEY TO DRAINAGE AND STREETS.
AND, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA DEVELOP THIS CITY.
IT'S CALLED THREE 80 AGREEMENTS.
THEY'RE ON LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW TO GET ABOLISHED.
THAT'S HOW WE MAKE MOST OF OUR MONEY.
IF WE DON'T BUILD A TAX BASIS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, AT LEAST START NOW WE, WE HAVE AN ISSUE.
SO THE EDC IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TOOLS WE COULD HAVE.
UM, BUT LET'S NOT BLAME THE TOOL.
LET'S BLAME THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE TOOL, RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, IT'S NOT THE TOOL ITSELF.
JUST LIKE A HAMMER'S NOT A BAD THING.
IF I SMASH YOU IN THE HEAD WITH IT, IT'S A BAD THING, RIGHT? BUT IT'S STILL A HAMMER.
SO THE SAME THING GOES WITH, THE REASON WHY WE GOT ON THAT BOARD AS NON-VOTING MEMBERS IS BECAUSE WE DO NEED CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE TRIED IT REALLY TO WHERE WE ACTUALLY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SCH AND MYSELF SAT IN THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THE CONVERSATIONS WERE, WERE FAIRLY AMAZING.
THE REASON WHY OUR EDC, AND THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION, AND THE CITY OF DICKINSON, DMD, ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THE REASON WHY THEY HAVE NOT DONE WELL IS 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS HAVE A CONVERSATION AND YOU'LL KNOW WHATEVER WE, WE LEARNED.
'CAUSE I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, GUYS.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, INSTEAD OF SAYING, OH, THAT BOARD SUCKS, LET'S FIND A WAY TO HELP THEM, RIGHT? UM, OR MAYBE LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE FIND NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS REASONS TO EXIST.
ONCE AGAIN, THE PAST PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD LIKE SAYING CHASE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL OF HIS PREDECESSORS MISTAKES.
HE DOESN'T CARE WHO HE ANSWERS TO.
HE'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT CITY OF DICKENS TAKEN CARE OF HIM AND HIS TEAM KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UH, HE WORKED IN MY INDUSTRY FOR A WHILE.
UM, I HAVE HAD ENDLESS CONVERSATIONS OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT LATER ON.
UM, BUT I, I WOULD BE HESITANT TO SAY WE NEED LESS REPRESENTATION OF OUR CITIZENS BY GETTING RID OF THE EDC BOARD.
LESS REPRESENTATION AND MORE IS PUT ON US SEVEN.
SO NOW YOU'RE RELYING ON SEVEN RATHER THAN 14.
NOW, IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE BOARD OR WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE POLICIES OF THE BOARD, THE PLAN, THE, SOME OF THE PROJECTS WERE AWFUL.
WHEN IT LOOKS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THEIR PROJECTS THAT ELS PROJECT, THEY BASICALLY GAVE THEM THE THING, RIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THE STUFF IN THE PAST, YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS A, IT WAS A CRAP SHOOT.
EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE, BUT DO NOT, DO NOT FRY THE, THE FU THE, THE FUTURE IN TODAY WITH THE PAST SINS.
I'M TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
I'M TIRED OF TALKING FIVE YEARS AGO.
THAT IS A PROBLEM I CAN'T FIX ANYMORE.
SO IF THE BOARD IS THE PROBLEM, IT'S THE PEOPLE.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET INTO.
ARE THERE, UH, ELECTIONS FOR THE EDC COMING UP FOR THE BOARD? I HAD A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, BUT, SO, SO CAN WE ANSWER THAT QUESTION OF HOW THAT WORKS ON THE, LET'S GET ALL OF OUR, UH, NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW EACH MEMBER IS APPOINTED? UH, YES SIR.
SO THE EDC BOARD IS COMPRISED OF SEVEN MEMBERS WHO ARE APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO YOU GUYS, THE CITY COUNCIL CAN REMOVE THEM AT WILL AND PUT OTHER FOLKS ON.
UH, AND, AND ALSO WITH THE SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE EDC BOARD, YOU CAN HAVE, UM, AT MOST EVEN UP TO FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SERVE ON THE EDC BOARD ONE YEAR TERMS. UH, TWO YEAR TERM TWO.
SO EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER HERE CAN PUT THEIR APPLICATION IN AND BE ON THAT BOARD.
I AM A BIG COM PROPONENT, OR I, I AM REALLY FOR HAVING, UH, CHECKS AND BALANCES.
MY IDEAS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE GREATEST.
I MEAN, I QUIT SCHOOL TO JOIN THE MARINE CORPS.
[01:30:01]
WORKING OUT.BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT POKING, MAKING SURE THAT ONE PERSON IS, IS GETTING RAN THROUGH THE MUD BECAUSE OF SOMEONE OTHER, SOMEONE ELSE'S SINS.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT BOARD EXISTS BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE MORE REPRESENTATION OF, OF OUR CITIZENS, NOT LESS.
WHY WOULD I WANT LESS REPRESENTATION AND LESS PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CITY.
NOW ALSO, IF WE ALSO LOOK AT ALL OF THE DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS THAT OUR, OUR EDC HAS DONE, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ALSO SIGNED OFF ON.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE JUST GOING UN UH, ALONE AND UNAFRAID.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUALS, UM, LOOK AT THE WATER STREET PROJECT.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER SIGNED IT.
LOOK AT THE, UH, PICNIC GROUNDS E OR THE COUNCIL APPROVED IT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THIS THING WHERE THEY HAVEN'T EXECUTED.
I'M NOT SAYING THEY'VE EXECUTED PROPERLY.
RIGHT? WE STILL NEED THE REPRESENTATION THOUGH.
SEVEN PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IS RIDICULOUS.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT.
I GUESS IT'S PROBABLY FOR N UM, LET'S SAY WE ABOLISH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THERE'S NO GUARANTEE WE STILL GET ACCESS TO THAT SALES TAX REVENUE.
WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT, IT'D BE THE BOARD.
IT'S NOT, HE'S NOT SAYING GET RID OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT WOULD GO UNDERNEATH THE CITY.
SO, WELL HE SAID, HE SAID ABOLISH THE BOARD.
THE BOARD, NOT THE, NOT THE PROGRAM, NOT THE EDC ITSELF.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, IT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL.
AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT LEGAL.
BUT WHEN I HEAR ABOLISH THE BOARD I THINK DISSOLVED THE CORPORATION.
NO, BUT THERE ARE, LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES I'VE LOOKED AT WHERE THEY PUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE, THE AUSPICES OF THE CITY.
BUT I WAS, WHEN I HEARD THE WORD ABOLISH, I THOUGHT WE WERE DECIDING WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT SALES TAX REVENUE OR SOMETHING WAS GONNA HAVE TO GO ON, ON AN AGENDA.
I MEAN A REFER A, A VOTER REFERENDUM.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING CLARITY ON.
WE CAN ABOLISH THAT BOARD WITHOUT GOING TO THE VOTERS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD, WHAT I WOULD SUPPOSED, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD FOR YEARS, DON'T SAY THAT, BUT I SAID IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT DATE IS.
BUT IF YOU WERE, THE EDC WAS DONE BEFORE THAT DATE, CITY COUNCIL CAN ABOLISH THAT BOARD WITH A VOTE.
IF YOU WERE EDC WAS FORMED AFTER THAT DATE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS.
OURS WAS DONE BEFORE THAT DATE.
AND THIS IS WHY, IN MY OPINION MM-HMM
NOW YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS LIKE THEY DID AND TAKE HALF FOR THE MONEY AND GIVE IT TO STREETS LIKE THEY DID.
THE VOTERS APPROVED AND LEFT THE OTHER QUARTER CENT OF THAT HALF CENT.
IF COUNCIL WANTS TO, THEY CAN TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER AND TAKE HALF OF THAT MONEY AGAIN AND PUT IT TOWARDS STREETS.
BUT YOU NEED TO LEAVE PART OF IT BECAUSE THERE ARE AGREEMENTS, WHETHER I VOTED FOR 'EM OR NOT, THERE ARE AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE EDC BOARD AND US THAT IF WE DO AWAY WITH THAT TAX, THE, THE, UH, OF COURSE PICNIC GROUNDS IS ON HERE FOR LATER ON.
BUT THE PICNIC GROUNDS, WHICH COUNCIL APPROVED TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON WITH THE EDC, THE WATER STREET PROJECT AND SOME MORE, IF THE, THAT ABSENT SALES TAX WENT AWAY, WE'D HAVE TO COME OUT OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE ALREADY KNOW OUR GENERAL FUND'S IN A BIND.
SO BY DOING AWAY WITH THE ABSENT SALES STACK, WE SHOT OURSELF IN THE FOOT.
UH, I THINK WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS AND GET RID AND MOVE SOME MONEY IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP PART OF IT GOING THERE TO PAY OFF THE DEBT FOR IF THE WATER STREET PROJECT, UH, THE, UH, PARKING GARAGE AND, UH, AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THEY HAVE AGREED TO.
THEY GOTTA BE FUNDED WITHOUT TAKING IT OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUNDING, UH, AND HURTING OURSELF MORE THAN WE ARE ALREADY HURTING ON THE GENERAL FUND.
AND I, I THINK WE HAVE SOME THREE EIGHTIES THAT GO ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME AS WELL.
SO I GUESS THE OTHER THING IS, IS I, THAT THAT WOULD BE ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE QUESTION, UM, REP, DO WE WANT REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE CITY OR NOT? UM, OR DO YOU WANT JUST US TO TAKE CARE OF IT? MY QUESTION TO YOU THOUGH IS, IS HOW HARD IS IT TO GET SOMEONE TO RUN FOR COUNCIL? WE HAD TWO PEOPLE RUN UNOPPOSED AND WE HAD 800 VOTES.
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EASIER IT IS TO GET SOMEONE TO VOLUNTEER FOR A EDC BOARD THAN IT IS TO GET ON COUNCIL? IT, IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY EASIER.
AND, AND I, THAT'S WHERE I WAS LEANING TOWARDS BEFORE I DECIDED TO DO THE MAYOR THING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T IMPACT MY BUSINESS AS MUCH.
'CAUSE I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, RIGHT? SO IF WE
[01:35:01]
WANT REAL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WANT TO GET INVOLVED, THE EDC IS WHERE THEY GET INVOLVED.'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE PUBLIC'S EYE.
THE PROBLEM IS IT WAS DONE POORLY IN THE PAST.
IT HAS A GIANT BLACK EYE ON IT.
AND I'M NOT DISCREDITING THAT.
IT WAS USED ONCE AGAIN THE WRONG WAY.
THE HAMMER WAS USED TO BLUDGEON SOMEBODY RATHER THAN USED TO BUILD A HOUSE.
RIGHT? SO WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE, WE, WE LOOKED AT THE CITIZENS ALSO WANT REPRESENTATION.
IT ALL GOES BACK TO WE DON'T WANT DICTATORS, WE DON'T ELECT KINGS AND QUEENS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE FAILED DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM.
IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING IT.
RIGHT? SO IF WE FIX THAT, THEN WE'LL BE FINE.
BUT LET'S NOT DO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE A PERSONAL VENDETTA OR BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT WAS HANDLED IN THE PAST.
UM, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE SAT ON THOSE BOARDS.
SO YOU'RE ALL TO BLAME IF THAT'S THE CASE.
IF WE'RE JUST GONNA POINT BACK AND SAY, OH, THEY SCREWED UP.
WELL WE ALL, WE WERE ALL INVOLVED, RIGHT? INCLUDING MYSELF.
'CAUSE I WAS LIVING HERE AND I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION.
SO NOW WE'RE ALL PAYING ATTENTION.
CAN WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS? UM, OR DO WE STILL NEED TO LOOK AT GETTING RID OF THE BOARD? WELL, THE REASON I PUT IT'S ON HERE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR ADJACENT CITIES TO US.
TECH CITY, UH, SANTA FE, THEY GOT EDCS.
LOOK AT HOW LEAGUE CITY IS BOOMING UP THERE.
THEY HAVE AN EDC PERSON INSIDE CITY HALL THAT ANSWERS TO THE COUNCIL.
EVERYBODY SAID, OH, WE WE'RE OVER 20,000.
WE CAN'T HELP RESTAURANT OR RETAIL.
YOU GO BACK, THE COUNCIL CAN APPROPRIATE HALF OF THAT EDC MONEY THAT WAY.
WE'RE NOT BOUND BY ANY OF THE STATE LAWS ON HOW WE SPEND IT.
IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, AND WE GOTTA GET OUR FUND BALANCE UP.
TO ME, IT'S JUST KIND OF A NO BRAINER AT THIS POINT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW THE EDC BOARD UNDER THE BUS.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXPAYERS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BEST DECISION AT THIS POINT.
SO YOU WANNA RELY ON DAVID FUNK TO DO THE WHOLE JOB HIMSELF RATHER THAN HAVE ANYONE TO HELP HIM OTHER THAN HIS STAFF.
YOU DON'T WANT ANY CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THEY'RE WELCOME TO COME UP THERE AT ANY TIME.
AND, AND TO BE CLEAR, THE COURTEND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
I'M NOT, YEAH, THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
THE, THE COURT ASCENT SALES TAX YEP.
THAT CURRENTLY FUNDS THE EDC IS THERE WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE VOTERS.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE EDC WITHOUT AN EDC, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THAT SALES TAX GOES AWAY.
WE'D HAVE TO WAIT TILL NOVEMBER OR OCT NOVEMBER TO GET IT BACK TO ASK FOR IT INTO WHATEVER THE NEW CORPORATION IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO IF WE HAVE IT, LET'S SAY WE HAVE A SOMETHING WITHIN THE CITY, RIGHT? THAT MEANS WE CAN'T COLLECT THAT 25 CENT OR THAT 0.25 SALES TAX ANYMORE.
I REALLY DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S ASKING TO DO AWAY WITH THE HALF CENT SALES TAX.
WE'RE NOT, NOT TRYING TO GET RID OF THAT DOING AWAY WITH EDC THE BOARD.
WELL, BECAUSE THE EDC IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
A CORPORATION CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO, TO GOVERN IT.
SO IF THE COUNCIL ABOLISHES THE BOARD, IT IS IN EFFECT ABOLISHING THE EDC AND THEN THE COURTESAN SALES TAX THAT WAS AUTHORIZED SOLELY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE EDC MM-HMM
THAT CAN NO LONGER BE COLLECTED.
AND THAT'S CLEAR IN STATE LAW.
SO WHAT THAT DOES IS IT WILL FOR A TIME CREATE A 0.25% INCREMENT SO THAT SALES TAX TOTAL IN DICKINSON WILL BE AT 8.00.
LIKE LEAGUE CITY WAS FOR QUITE A WHILE, YOU KNOW, UH, SEVERAL YEARS BACK BEFORE LEAGUE CITY AUTHORIZED A NEW 0.25 SALES TAX COLLECTION TO BRING IT UP TO THE STATE CAP OF 8.25.
SO THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN UNTIL THERE IS AN ELECTION TO ALLOW THE CITY TO COLLECT THAT 0.25 SALES TAX FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU KNOW, IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TIED TO ANY ONE PURPOSE OR ANOTHER, BUT IT IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY MONEY THAT GOES TO THE CITY.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE VOTERS THAT ALLOW THIS TAX INCREASE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I KNOW I TALKED TO, UH, MR. FUNK ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE EDC, UH, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CREATIVE WITH IT BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE RULES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
'CAUSE WE'RE OVER THAT 20,000, UH, POPULATION.
UM, WHAT I COULD SAY IS IN, IN THE FUTURE ITEMS WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SOME, SOME, UH, GRANT MONEY MATCHES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FOUND SOME WAYS FOR EDC TO HELP PAY FOR THOSE THINGS.
RIGHT? WE FOUND LOOPHOLES TO, TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY FOR ROADS AND DRAINAGE AND ALL THAT KIND OF FUN STUFF.
HOWEVER, ONCE AGAIN, MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE ASKING TO DO TO GET RID OF THE BOARD.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ACTUALLY WENT THE OTHER WAY WITH THE, UM, EDUCATION
[01:40:01]
FOUNDATION.WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED MORE COMMITTEES TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED, TO HAVE MORE EXPERTS AND MORE INDIVIDUALS TO PUT THEIR HANDS IN IT.
AND THEN WE COME TO IT TOGETHER.
NOW THAT DOESN'T WORK IF WE DON'T COMMUNICATE.
THAT'S WHY THE EDC BOARD, THE EDC DIRECTOR AND THE CITY STAFF, EVERYBODY WE'RE TALKING NOW, RIGHT.
SO I WOULD SAY DO NOT USE PAST PERFORMANCE AS FUTURE, UH, PERFORMANCE.
UM, BECAUSE IT IS CHANGING SIGNIFICANTLY.
YOU JUST GOTTA GIVE US A LITTLE BIT, UM, WHAT Y'ALL ARE WANTING TO HAPPEN I THINK IS GOING TO START HAPPENING.
IF YOU JUST GIVE US A SECOND BEFORE WE JUST START ABOLISHING THINGS IS ALL I'M GETTING AT.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST MY, LIKE I SAID THAT NOW THAT IS MY LAST THING.
ANYONE ELSE GOT COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT THING WE, YEAH, LET ME, LET ME SAY THIS.
UH, I THINK IN THE PAST THE COUNCIL AND THE EDC HAVE NOT COMMUNICATED WELL, THAT'S BEEN PRETTY OBVIOUS.
UM, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE EDC USED TO FAMOUSLY SAY, UH, WHEN HE WAS SITTING ON COUNCIL THAT I CAN FIRE THE EDC MEMBERS WHENEVER I WANT TO.
WELL, THAT MADE IT KIND OF HARD TO GET MEMBERS WHEN THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE ON THE BUBBLE ALL THE TIME.
I THINK THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO SET EXPECTATIONS FOR THE EDC ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THEY NEED TO REVIEW THEIR, THEIR PLANS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND NOT WAIT UNTIL THEY'VE SPENT A MILLION DOLLARS AND THEN PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL WHEN IT'S KIND OF AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE, UH, PICNIC GROUND IS ON HERE AND COUNCIL DID VOTE FOR A PICNIC GROUND, BUT THEY HAVE GONE AHEAD WITH THIS PICNIC GROUND, WHICH IS NOTHING LIKE WHAT COUNCIL VOTED FOR ORIGINALLY.
WE JUST NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME, UH, GETTING SOME NEW BLOOD ON THE EDC BOARD MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
MAYBE THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE REST OF THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE THEIR MEETINGS AND ASK QUESTIONS AND NOT JUST LEAVE IT UP TO THE AD HOC MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE.
UM, SO I PUT SOME OF THIS BLAME ON THE COUNCIL.
I AM NOT FOR ABOLISHING THE EDC.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK.
NOW I ALSO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO YEAH, I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE.
UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS ONE IS NO ONE, UH, I NEVERMIND.
ACTUALLY, COLIN COKER, I GOT YOU AT SEVEN J.
YOU WANNA COME ON UP? GOT YOUR THREE MINUTES COLORFUL DISCUSSION.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE EZ BOARD.
I'M HAPPY TO TENDER MY RESIGNATION IF THAT'S WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THE CITIZENS OF DICKINSON.
HOWEVER, I WOULD CHALLENGE, UH, UH, THE APPROACH.
I HAVE HEARD, UH, MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.
I'VE SEEN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTED BY CITY LEADERS, UH, ABOUT, UH, MOVING MORE AND MORE FUNDS FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO A STREET FUND, TO REPAIR STREETS AND HANDLE DRAINAGE.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING DEBATE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I HAVE HELD MY GROUND VERY FIRMLY WITH REGARDS TO KEEPING THE MONEY WHERE IT WAS INTENDED TO GO.
THERE HAVE BEEN SELF-PROCLAIMED EXPERTS THAT HAVE MADE STATEMENTS OF, OF THAT THE, THAT THAT THEY CAN USE THE FUNDS TO DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO.
WE ARE UNDER STATE LAW WITH FOUR B OVER 20,000 RESIDENTS ON HOW WE CAN USE THAT MONEY.
WE CAN NO LONGER DO FACADE IMPROVEMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TO CREATE PRIMARY JOBS.
EVERY PROJECT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A PRIMARY JOB CREATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SUMMARY DOCUMENT THAT DAVID HAS PUT TOGETHER.
AND IF, IF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW TO COUNCIL, UM, HAVE NOT YET SEEN IT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK HIM TO LOOK AT THE SUMMARY.
IT'S, UH, IT'S A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE UNDER CONTRACT OR A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IN THE FIRST STEP OF NEGOTIATION.
THE TOTAL OF THOSE PROJECTS ON THAT SUMMARY WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED, CREATES SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY OF NEW TAX REVENUE.
THAT'S ONLY ON THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, STARTED AND GOING ON SINCE THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
I'VE BEEN PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION FOR ABOUT A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, AND MY TERM AS PRESIDENT ENDS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND I, I INTEND TO, UM, FINISH
[01:45:01]
WITH THIS TERM IF I'M ALLOWED TO DO SO.BUT IF, AGAIN, IF IT'S THE BEST THING FOR THIS CITY TO, UH, CHANGE LEADERSHIP, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT RESIGNATION IF THAT'S WHAT'S REQUESTED.
HOWEVER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT COME FROM MOVING MONEY INTO STREETS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW ONLINE AND WHO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY, THIS CITY HAS 13% OF ITS TAX REVENUES THAT ARE COMMERCIAL.
THE MAJORITY OF THE TAX BURDEN IS ON THE RESIDENTS.
THE AVERAGE CITY HAS ROUGHLY 30% COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT RANGES BETWEEN 20 TO 40 IN MOST CASES IN RURAL, I MEAN IN, IN SUBURBAN AREAS WE'RE 13%.
WE FEEL THE ECONOMIC BURDEN WHEN COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IS DOWN.
OUR THREE 80 AGREEMENTS, THAT WAS ALSO, THAT WERE ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER, AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR REVENUE STREAM.
IT IS THE MAJORITY OF OUR TAX REVENUE.
LET ME ALSO REMIND EVERYONE, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF STATS THAT WERE PRESENTED EARLIER THAT THE AMOUNT THAT USED TO GO TO EDC WAS A HALF CENT COUNCIL MADE A DECISION TO TAKE, CUT THAT BACK TO ONE QUARTER OF A CENT AND THEY'D USE THAT MONEY TOWARDS STREETS AND DRAINAGE.
NOW, THERE'S BEEN PRO PROPOSALS TO CONTINUE TO ZAP MORE MONEY OUT OF EDC FOR FUNDS TOWARDS STREETS, WHICH IN MY MIND, IF THE EDC NEEDS TO GO AWAY IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, MAYBE, SO I I I MAY BE YOUR BEST ADVOCATE.
I'M NOT PROUD TO HAVE AN EDC THAT IS NOT FUNCTIONING OR THAT THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE IS NOT FUNCTIONING.
HOWEVER, EXPLAIN TO ME THE PLAN ON HOW STREETS AND INVESTMENTS IN STREETS IS GOING TO BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESS TO OUR CITY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT PLAN BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HEARD ONE.
AND IF, AND IF YOU CAN ENLIGHTEN ME BY HELPING ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS, I MAY BE YOUR BIGGEST PROPONENT, BUT PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME AND ENLIGHTEN YOUR CITIZENS.
AND ONE LAST POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
I'VE GOT, I'M ALSO PROVIDING COMMENTS TOWARD THE PICNIC GROUNDS AS WELL.
I REPRESENT THE CITIZENS AS A VOLUNTEER ON THIS BOARD.
I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED, UH, NOT ELECTED.
I DO SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL.
I WAS THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH THE SUGGESTION TO BRING COUNCIL MEMBERS AS NON-VOTING MEMBERS RECENTLY ONTO OUR BOARD.
THAT WAS MY SUGGESTION BECAUSE I RECOGNIZED A CLEAR BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION.
AND WE NOW HAVE BILL AND TRAVIS AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SO WE HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON THE DIRECTION.
NOW, IF I AM OUT OF ORDER, BY SIMPLY ASKING A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE PLAN? I'M OUT OF ORDER AND I WILL BE A VEHEMENT OUT OF ORDER ON ASKING FOR THAT PLAN.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ONE? UH, ACTUALLY, SIR, IT'S, IT WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA.
SO GO AHEAD AND WE'RE, UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION.
IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
[7.K. Consideration and possible action to direct staff to terminate the Picnic Grounds Project.]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO, TO DIRECT STAFF TO TERMINATE THE PICNIC GROUNDS PROJECT.UM, AND THEN, UH, UH, MR. CAREY, COULD YOU GIVE THE, EVERYONE KIND OF THE CITY, THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, KIND OF JUST A GEN BRIEF LITTLE HISTORY OF THE PICNIC GROUNDS MAYBE OF LIKE WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY? WHY, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW? SURE.
UH, OR I CAN, OR THAT'S UP TO YOU.
NO, I WOULD THINK, UH, MR. DAVE FUNK WOULD BE BEST TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON.
DAVE, COULD YOU COME UP HERE AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE PICNIC GROUND, JUST TO KINDA GIVE AN OVERSIGHT OF THE PROJECT AND THEN WHERE WE'RE AT, DOLLARS INVESTED, UH, SO WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS WHEN WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, SO JUST BRIEF BACKGROUND FOR THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, THIS PICNIC GROUNDS PROJECT WAS SORT OF BORN OUT OF A 2023, UH, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED.
UM, THE PICNIC GROUNDS PROJECT ITSELF WAS TO, WAS TO ADDRESS, UM, CERTAIN AMENITIES FOR THE COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, TOURISM, A TOURIST ATTRACTION, BRING PEOPLE IN, UH, PROVIDE AN AMENITY FOR OUR CURRENT CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THEN THERE WAS A SORT OF A, WHAT I WOULD CALL AN INCUBATOR PIECE, WHICH WAS THE FOOD TRUCK ROW TO BRING THOSE FOLKS
[01:50:01]
IN, GIVE THEM A, A LOCATION, HAVE THEM BUILD A FOLLOWING, AND THEN EVENTUALLY MOVED THEM INTO A BRICK AND MORTAR, UH, LOCATION WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.UM, THAT PROJECT WAS APPROVED, ACTUALLY, I THINK ABOUT 16, 18 MONTHS BEFORE I EVEN GOT HERE.
WE WENT INTO TO PLANNING ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UM, THE PROJECT DID GET, UM, A LITTLE OVERBLOWN OUT OF, UH, BUDGET WISE.
UH, FOLKS WANTED TO SORT OF ADD THIS ADD THAT THINGS WENT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOT EXPANDED, UH, RECENTLY, I THINK THE CA COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE YOU NEW MEMBERS JOINED.
UM, THE DIRECTION I WAS GIVEN WAS TO GET THAT PROJECT BACK WITHIN THE 2.2 BUDGET, UH, AND WORK OUR WAY TO SOMETHING THAT WAS IN BUDGET AND THEN PROCEED FORWARD.
UM, SO, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, UH, OBJECTIVE, UM, AND GET IT WITHIN BUDGET.
WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD, UH, TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD, WHAT WE, WHAT WOULD WE OUR WALKAWAY COST BE ON THIS.
UH, WE HAVE SPENT TO DATE ROUGHLY $280,000 OF DESIGN ENGINEERING COSTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A CONTRACT OUT OF 50,000.
UH, SO WE WOULD'VE HAVE SPENT $330,000 TO EXIT THIS PROJECT AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO I KNOW THERE'S A BRIEF SUMMARY RAN THROUGH A LOT THERE, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, AND SO GO ANY, ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL FIRST BEFORE WE ANYTHING? NO.
SO, UM, THE ONE THING THAT WHEN I TALKED TO DAVID ABOUT THIS PROJECT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS BOTHERED ME IS, IS WHAT WE WERE PROMISED AND WHAT WE WERE, WE WERE SOLD ON COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING.
UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION.
THE OTHER, THE BIG THING THAT WHY I HAD TO CO THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY.
UM, I WENT AND TALKED TO DAVID FOR, UH, PROBABLY A COUPLE HOURS, PROBABLY ACTUALLY MULTIPLE HOURS, UH, OVER A FEW DIFFERENT DAYS ABOUT THIS SITUATION.
UM, AND THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS OUR PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
I'M NOT TRYING TO POINT, YOU KNOW, BLAME, BUT OUR PREVIOUS, UH, ADMINISTRATOR DID NOT, UM, PLAN FOR CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS THAT HE SIGNED US UP FOR.
PART OF IT BEING GRANT MONEY THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY FOR, UM, OR NOT OBLIGATED.
WE CAN, BUT WE MIGHT NOT EVER GET ANOTHER GRANT DOLLAR AGAIN IF WE DENY IT.
RIGHT? WELL, HE DIDN'T PLAN FOR THOSE ON TOP OF PLANNING FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OWNED BY THE CITY.
RIGHT? WELL, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WE HAVE ACTUALLY HELP BENEFIT THE CITY AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW DAVID AND I TALKED ENDLESSLY ABOUT WHAT ARE THE MAIN AVENUES, WHAT ARE THE MAIN ARTERIES OF THE CITY OF DICKINSON THAT WE NEED TO REALLY START DYING ON OUR SWORD FOR? AND THAT'S TO BUILD THAT TAX BASIS.
13% IS TERRIFYING TO KNOW THAT 13% COMES FROM SALES TAX IS TERRIFYING.
UM, WHEN YOU TALK, WHEN WE COMPARE LAKE CITY AND WE COMPARE TEXAS CITY, WE CAN'T, LAKE CITY HAS NOTHING BUT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE EVERYWHERE.
TEXAS CITY HAS THIS BIG THING CALLED THE PLANTS.
THEY MAKE MORE MONEY THAN GOD THEMSELVES, RIGHT? SO WE CANNOT COMPARE OURSELVES TO A 70,000 TOWN, UH, POPULATION OR A SOUND THAT HAS TONS OF REFINERIES THAT PRODUCE AN INSANE AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE.
BUT WE ARE ALSO IN A DIRE NEED WITH OUR FUND BALANCE.
AND IF WE GET HIT WITH ANOTHER BARREL, WE HAVE AN $800,000 OUT OF POCKET.
EVEN IF WE DO GET REIMBURSED, WE HAVE TO PAY THAT MONEY.
SO WE HAVE A CASH FLOW PROBLEM.
AND THIS IS THE ONE PROJECT OUT OF ALL THE EDC PROJECTS THAT I LOOKED AT THAT WE COULD GET RID OF AND IT WOULD NOT BE NEAR AS IMPACTFUL TO THE OVERALL GROWTH OF THE CITY.
THE BAYOU PARK STILL HAS TO EXIST.
THE WATER STREET STILL HAS TO EXIST AT SOME POINT.
THE ONLY REASON ALSO WHY I WAS ON BOARD WITH GETTING RID OF THIS IS WE STILL OWN, AND THIS IS SOMETHING DAVID CAN TALK ABOUT AS WELL, IS WE OWN THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
SO ALL THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR, WE STILL GET TO RETAIN.
SO WE'RE NOT LOSING ON ANYTHING IF WE WANT TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD, WE ABSOLUTELY CAN WHEN WE'RE IN A BETTER FINANCIAL SITUATION.
NOW, THE EDC MIGHT BE IN A GOOD FINANCIAL SITUATION, BUT WE MIGHT NEED SOME HELP IN THE NEAR FUTURE FROM THE DMD AND THE EDC RIGHT? BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION OUR PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATOR PUT US IN.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S THE PRIORITIES, TAX REVENUE, OR MAKE US FEEL GOOD, RIGHT? WELL, ONCE AGAIN, IF YOUR WATER BILL AND YOUR LIGHT BILL GET TURNED OFF, IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE GOING TO COAST MILL FOR, FOR A TRIP, RIGHT? YOU'RE COMING BACK TO A HOUSE THAT'S TURNED OFF.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON BEFORE WE START DOING, YOU KNOW, PARKS AND REC IS, IS REALLY WHY I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP.
SO, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN HERE A WHILE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO COMMENT ON IT? MAYOR? UH, SO I GUESS MY FIRST COMMENT IS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE PARTS HAVE BEEN MOVING.
[01:55:01]
LIKE THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT, UM, COMMUNICATION OR THE LACK THEREOF.MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT DROVE THE CHANGE WAS THE EDC TRYING TO REMAIN WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE BUDGET WHEN THE COST OF LABOR AND MATERIAL WENT UP.
UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S, I THINK MY, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHY CERTAIN THINGS CHANGED.
UH, SECONDLY, I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS PART WHEN I STEPPED OUT.
IF WE TERMINATE THIS PROJECT, WHAT IS OUR EXPOSURE FOR CONTRACTS? LIKE, HOW MUCH WILL WE STILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OR THE EDC $330,000 TOTAL, THREE 30,000, TWO 80 IS WHAT WE OWE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY PAID.
50 IS WHAT WE OWE IN A CONTRACT.
AND, AND, AND AS MENTIONED, WE STILL RETAIN.
SO, SO HAVING WORKED FOR A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES IN CONSTRUCTION ACROSS TEXAS, I WROTE INTO THAT CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY AND EXPLICITLY THAT WE RETAINED OWNERSHIP OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF ALL THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.
SO WE CAN LITERALLY PULL THAT DIRECTLY OFF THE SHELF WHETHER IT'S A YEAR FROM NOW, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
AND, AND WE CAN USE THOSE PLANS.
SO THIS IS NOT A KILL AND NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
IT'S A KILL FOR NOW UNTIL WE'RE IN A BETTER FINANCIAL SITUATION OR WE CAN FIND SOMEONE THAT'LL DO IT FOR US.
SO A PRIVATE PARTNER RATHER THAN THE CITY OF DICKINSON HAVING TO PAY FOR IT.
UM, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
THERE'S A MAINTENANCE COST THAT COMES WITH THIS PROJECT THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD RIGHT NOW.
SO OUTTA CURIOSITY THEN WOULD BETTER LANGUAGE BE TO PAUSE THE PROJECT? 'CAUSE WHEN I HEAR TERMINATE, THAT MEANS EVERYTHING'S DONE.
AND I JUST, FOR ME, AS IN THE LANGUAGE, IF THE PROJECT IN MY MIND IS TERMINATED, THEN I WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WOULD BE FOR.
THE, THE AGREEMENT WITH THE INDIVIDUALS DOING THE PROJECT WOULD BE OH, OKAY.
THE AGREEMENT WOULD BE TERMINATED, NOT THE PROJECT ITSELF.
BECAUSE YEAH, IT JUST SAID TO TERMINATE THE PICNIC GROUNDS PROJECT.
BUT, BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE TO TERMINATE THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE FOR US, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY ANY MORE MONEY FOR IT, BASICALLY.
SO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE I LET THE PUBLIC COME UP? QUICK, QUICK QUESTION.
UH, COUNCIL APPROVED $2.2 MILLION, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AFTER CUTTING THE STAGE, CUTTING THE EVENT CENTER, CUTTING A BUNCH OF PLAYGROUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE'RE STILL AT $2.2 MILLION.
SO ROUGHLY LESS THE, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE SPENT TO DATE, UM, ROUGHLY $280,000 MM-HMM
SO THE CONSTRUCTION FROM THIS POINT FORWARD WOULD BE ROUGHLY A LITTLE BIT OVER 1.9.
UM, SO THE, SO WE'RE STAYING WITHIN THE TOTAL BUDGET OF 2.2 $0.2 MILLION.
AND I THINK, UM, JUST TO ANSWER ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS WAS HOW DID IT GET HERE? AND A LOT OF THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE FLOOD MITIGATION, THE EARTH WORK REQUIRED WAS OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
ORIGINAL BUDGET FORECASTED THAT TO BE ABOUT A HUNDRED, 120,000 CONCRETE HAS GONE UP SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
SO THERE WERE JUST SEVERAL, AND THEN WE HAD SOME, SOME SCOPE CREEP.
SO JUST THINGS SORT OF SNOWBALLED.
UM, DOES THAT 2.2 INCLUDE EVERYTHING ON THE PROJECT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT WORKABLE? LIKE MITIGATION? YEAH.
SO DETENTION THAT IS STILL MITIGATING AND DETAINING AND, AND THEN LEVELING OFF SO THAT THE, THE SITE DRAINS.
UM, IT'S RAISING THE PAVILION.
IT IS RAISING THE PAVILION 18 INCHES, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S AN OPEN AIR PAVILION, WE, WE WANTED TO RETAIN THAT IF POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IF WE COME BACK LATER ON AND ACTUALLY ADD, WE COULD LITERALLY JUST ADD THE EVENT SPACE MM-HMM
SO IT WAS, WE CHANGED THE DESIGN BY DELETING ITEMS. WE WANTED TO RETAIN THE ABILITY TO ADD ANYTHING THAT WE DELETED.
NOW, BACK IN THE FUTURE, THE RETENTIONS JUST PART OF THAT.
UH, THAT WAS THE, THE CIVIL PLANS, THE, UM, BY THE STAGE AREA, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIAGRAMS. OKAY.
BECAUSE I WAS THINKING WHEN I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE ENGINEER THAT THEY HAD NOT DONE THE RETENTION REQUIREMENT AND EVEN TALKED ABOUT USING A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THE CITY OWNS TO DIG A RETENTION POND DOWN THE STREET.
I THINK WE, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO? OR IS THAT WHAT THE PLAN YEAH, THEY WERE, I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK AROUND THAT, I BELIEVE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A BIG TOPIC TOO, OF JUST TRYING TO STAY OUT OF, YOU KNOW, DRAINING OUT ON THE HIGHWAY THREE AND ALL THOSE.
AND SO I DO WANT TO MAKE, UH, ONE, SOMEONE THAT CALLED ME TODAY, ACTUALLY, WE, I TALKED TO HIM TODAY.
HE'S A CITIZEN, LIVES ON, I THINK ILLINOIS STREET,
[02:00:01]
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.UH, HE SAW THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
HE'S A 33-YEAR-OLD UP AND COMING, TRYING TO BUILD HIS LIFE HERE.
AND HE WAS KIND OF UPSET THAT THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA.
WELL, BY THE TIME WE WERE DONE TALKING, HE UNDERSTOOD THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
AND HE IS LIKE, AS LONG AS SOMETHING GOES THERE, AT SOME POINT, I'M COOL WITH IT.
AND IT'S, LOOK, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO NOT DEVELOP THAT AREA.
I I JUST DON'T THINK ECONOMICALLY IT MAKES ANY SENSE IF WE DON'T HAVE A TAX BASIS THAT WE CAN RELY ON TO DO, DO RECREATION.
AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT, BUT THE SAME THING.
I HAVE TO BUILD MY EMERGENCY FUND.
I HAVE TO BUILD MY OWN INVESTMENTS BEFORE I CAN START GIVING MY KIDS EVERYTHING.
RIGHT? I HAVE TO BUILD MY BASE BEFORE I CAN START GOING ON VACATIONS AND BEFORE I CAN START BUYING CARS AND ALL THAT CRAZY STUFF.
SO WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING WE DO IN OUR PERSONAL FINANCE WITH OUR GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
IT'S UNREAL TO ME THAT WE THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO SPEND MONEY WITH NO ROI.
AND THE SAME THING THAT, THAT, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBER TOLD ME, HE'S LIKE, THERE IS MORE ROI THAN JUST MONEY.
I SAID, I COMPLETELY AGREE, AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT ONCE WE CAN AFFORD IT.
RIGHT? SO I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T DO IT, I'M SAYING WE JUST CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW.
IT, IT JUST DOES IT FISCALLY IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE OR MONETARILY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADD BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, WE GOT, UH, COLIN COKER AGAIN.
THE, UH, EDC PRESIDENT, COME ON DOWN.
COLIN COKER, PRESIDENT OF THE EC AND RESIDENT OF DICKINSON.
I WOULD NOT BE DOING MY JOB AS LEADER OF THE EDC IF I DID NOT STAND UP FOR THE CITIZENS, WHICH I'VE ALREADY SAID THAT I REPRESENT.
I'VE GOT A SUMMARY HERE OF, UH, AN EXTENSIVE STRATEGY PLAN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER.
HOLD HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU YET.
UH, AND KEVIN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE LOOKED AT IT.
UH, I THINK MOST EVERYONE ELSE MAY HAVE HAD ACCESS TO IT, BUT I, AND I HOPE THAT YOU READ IT, BUT WE SPENT, UH, QUITE A BIT OF MONEY AND TIME DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WHEN I SAY EAT, WE, THAT WAS THE CITIZENS AND FUNDED BY THE EDC.
WE SPENT TWO WEEKS OF COLLECTING CITIZEN, ALL CITIZEN, UM, DATA BOTH HERE IN CITY HALL AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY THAT WAS OPEN.
WE HAD ALL HAD ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISES, PLACE THESE COLORS WHERE YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ACTIVITY.
WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITY WOULD THEY BE? WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? IS IT ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH BUSINESSES? IS IT MORE PARKS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
HOW MANY PARKS DOES DICKINSON OWN OR MANAGE? DOES ANYONE KNOW? ZERO.
THE ONLY PARKS WE HAVE IN OUR CITY ARE MANAGED AND OWNED BY THE COUNTY, GALVESTON COUNTY, NOT ONE SINGLE PARK.
I'VE EVEN HEARD COMMENTS FROM SOMEONE IN THE PAST, I CAN'T RECALL EXACTLY WHO, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON PARKS.
PEOPLE CAN GO AND USE THE SWING SETS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGHS.
NOT A GOOD STRATEGY, AND NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT CITIZENS WANT.
I'M GONNA READ, UH, A TAKEAWAY, WHICH AFTER THIS IS AN 88 82 PAGE DOCUMENT, VERY THOROUGH.
UH, A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND BRANDING OF THE CITY AND BRINGING PEOPLE IN.
BUT I WOULD ARGUE, AND I WOULD DEBATE THE POINT OF THIS IS NOT A REVENUE GENERATING, UM, UH, INITIATIVE, BUT HERE ARE THE FIVE KEY POINTS FROM THAT DOCUMENT.
THE COMMON STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY IN DICKINSON BAYOU, THE CEDAR TREES, AND THE OVERALL FEELING OF BEING IN NATURE.
ALTHOUGH PUBLIC ACCESS TO BOTH BAR WATER AND TREES IS LIMITED.
NUMBER TWO, DICKINSON HAS NO STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY BEYOND THE BAYOU.
AND SERVING AS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY REINFORCEMENT WHERE ONLY 13% OF COMMERCIAL REV TAXABLE REVENUE, THE COMMUNITY LACKS THE DESTINATIONS THAT DRIVE PEOPLE TO THE AREA TO SHOP, DINE, OR ENJOY ENTERTAINMENT BEYOND ACTIVITIES AND PAUL HOPKINS PARK OR ALONG THE BAYOU.
SO THERE WAS A KEY STUDY THAT WAS DONE THAT WE HAD DONE, AND I WOULD ALSO INVITE YOU TO REACH OUT TO ME OR DAVID, EITHER ONE, BUT IT WAS A LEAKAGE REPORT.
AND IT'S A REPORT SPECIFICALLY ON HOW MANY OF DICKINSON TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE LOST TO OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.
BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE DESTINATIONS.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE SHOPPING, WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESTAURANTS.
WE DO HAVE ONE DESTINATION THAT I, BEFORE I FORGET, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT MY, MY, MY TOP FIVE HERE.
IT'S A, IT'S, IT IS A WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT CALLED MARAIS.
IT'S A WONDERFUL RESTAURANT AND IT IS
[02:05:01]
A DESTINATION FROM PEOPLE IN HOUSTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS.GUESS WHAT? THAT WAS AN EDC FUNDED PROJECT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE EDC IS TRYING TO DO NOW.
NUMBER FOUR, DICKINSON HAS MANY OF THE RESOURCES, PARTNERS, AND TOOLS IN PLACE, BUT SOME MAY STRUGGLE WITH NEW ECONOMIC DIRECTION.
THIS PARK IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DRIVES PEOPLE TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WE HAVE CREATED A ZONE, A TAX REINVESTMENT ZONE THAT THOSE TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE CREATED ARE REINVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY AND INCENTIVIZE OTHER COMMERCIAL COMP, UH, UH, ENTREPRENEURS TO COME AND OPEN THEIR BUSINESSES.
RLS WAS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, VERY RICH INCENTIVE, NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY DO AS AN EDC THAT WAS DRIVEN, UH, BY SOME LEADERSHIP.
AND THE EDC, UH, DID APPROVE IT, AND THE COUNCIL DID APPROVE IT.
BUT WHAT I WOULD CONTEND, AND PLEASE, PLEASE BE OPEN-MINDED BEFORE YOU TAKE ANY ACTION ON VOTING, IS THAT PEOPLE COMING TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA DRIVES TRAFFIC, DRIVES BUSINESS, DRIVES NEW, UM, NEW RESIDENTS AS WELL.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY SAY, SEE THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE, AND THEY SEE THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, AND THEY SEE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS A GROUP RIGHT NOW TO SHOW EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS THAT DICKINSON IS MOVING FORWARD.
FINALLY, NUMBER FIVE, THE COMMUNITY LACKS OWNERSHIP OR PRESENCE OF MANY OF THE AMENITIES DEMANDED BOTH BY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS, INCLUDING TRAILS, LOCAL PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND PLACES TO HANG OUT, BOTH FOR THE OLD AS WELL AS THE YOUNG.
SO IF I DON'T FIGHT FOR THIS, I'M NOT DOING MY JOB WITH REGARDS TO FISCAL MANAGEMENT.
THE MONEY HAS BEEN IN RESERVE.
WE HAVE OVER $2 MILLION IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR EDC, WHICH WE ARE RESTRICTED ON.
WE CAN ONLY INVEST IT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT DRIVE PRIMARY GROWTH OR PARKS.
SO THE, AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS WHY I REITERATED THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO NOT DO.
UM, WHEN I, WHEN I HAVE MY FIRST MEETING WITH AN, WITH A NEW PERSPECTIVE CLIENT, MY FIRST THING IS, WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN RETIREMENT? FIRST THING THEY SAY IS TRAVEL.
NEVER ONCE DO THEY SAY, I WANNA PAY MY BILLS.
NEVER ONCE DO THEY SAY, I WANNA DO THIS.
SO WHEN YOU ASK CITIZENS WHAT DO THEY WANT? THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU THE FUN STUFF.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO IT, WE SHOULD DO IT.
I'M SAYING WE HAVE BIGGER PROJECTS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THAT PRODUCES A MUCH LARGER TAX GROWTH.
THAT ALSO KEEPS 'EM, OH, SORRY.
I WAS GONNA KIND OF LET YOU, I WAS GONNA LET YOU TALK AFTERWARDS OR REBUTTAL IF YOU, I WAS HOPING YOU WERE GONNA RESPOND.
UM, MY, MY BIG THING OF WHY I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ONE IS 'CAUSE ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE ASK WHAT THEY WANT, THEY DON'T KNOW THE BIG PICTURE.
YOU SAY, WE HAVE ALL THE MONEY, YOU DO THE EDC MIGHT, THE CITY DOESN'T.
DMD MIGHT THE, THE CITY DOESN'T.
SO IF WE CAN'T SUSTAIN IT, IF WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF IT, IT JUST BECOMES DILAPIDATED.
SO THE OTHER SIDE IS WE HAVE A THING CALLED THE BAYOU PARK PROJECT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET GOING.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN ON THE EAST SIDE OF DICKINSON.
BAYOU VILLAGE OR BAYOU VILLAGE, SORRY.
THAT IS SOMETHING I WANNA FOCUS ON BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE IT WILL PRODUCE, RIGHT? THE WATER STREET PROJECT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD TAKE SERIOUS BECAUSE THAT CAN PRODUCE REAL REVENUE.
NOW THE VISION MIGHT BE A LITTLE OFF, YOU KNOW, WITH CERTAIN THINGS.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE THINK THAT A PARK IS GONNA BRING PEOPLE HERE, WHAT KEEPS 'EM HERE? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
A PARK MIGHT BRING THEM HERE, BUT WHERE DO THEY SHOP? WHAT STORES DO THEY GO TO? THE REASON WHY THERE'S LEAKAGE IS 'CAUSE THERE'S NOWHERE TO SHOP.
WE HAVE A, A TON OF PROBLEMS. UH, I JUST, WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THE PROBLEMS BEFORE WE START SPENDING MONEY IS WHAT I WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REITERATING.
SO, WHAT ELSE WE GOT? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL GETTING ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IS IT OKAY IF I SAY I I CAN GIVE YOUR TIME TO SIGN UP.
SO HE, UH, EVERYONE'S FRED LINTON, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER.
I JUST, FRED CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT.
I LIVE AT 4 2 0 6 PINE SHADOW STREET, DICKINSON, TEXAS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY A LITTLE BIT, UM, UH, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, UM, HAVING A PARK IN THIS TOWN WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR ME.
[02:10:01]
THE FISCAL ARGUMENT OF FINANCIAL AND MONETARY.AND SO, YOU KNOW, I SEPARATE NEEDS FROM ONCE, UH, YOU KNOW, BALANCING THE BUDGET, TAKING CARE, MAKING SURE THE STREETS DRAIN, UM, UH, MAKE SURE THE STREETS ARE, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER THAT WE HAVE PROPER, UH, DRAINAGE, UH, PROPER DRAINAGE SOLUTION FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
THINGS LIKE THAT ARE NEEDS ON THE NEEDS LIST.
YOU KNOW, LIKE FOOD, SHELTER, WATER AT THE TOP OF MY ONCE LIST FOR THE CITY WAS A PARK SYSTEM.
I, YOU KNOW, AS COLIN SAID, WE HAVE TWO PARKS BOTH OWNED BY THE COUNTY ALSO.
THE BOAT RAMP IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO OUR OWN BAYOU, WHICH I ALWAYS THOUGHT WAS RIDICULOUS.
THE PARK IS NOT GOING TO GENERATE, GENERATE A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID TO ME A COUPLE DAYS AGO, UM, IF I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY ROOF, I DON'T GO TO CANCUN.
I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THE NUMBERS TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT ARGUMENT.
ALTHOUGH YOU'RE IN FINANCE, I'M IN THE MATH.
UH, THAT DOESN'T APPLY TO FINANCE, I SEE AS A MATHEMATICAL WITCHCRAFT.
BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT.
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POSITIVE INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY.
AND I THINK YOU'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I WANTED TO MENTION IN THE BEGINNING WE HAD A MEETING WITH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES, DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND ALSO CITIZENS.
UH, THERE WAS ABOUT 30 PEOPLE.
IT WAS KIND OF A TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE.
AND SO WE WERE DIVIDED INTO TEAMS AND WE EACH, EACH GIVEN, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME POSTER BOARD TO LIST THE TOP 10 THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO IMPROVE WITH THE CITY OF DICKINSON.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF THE TAX BASE WAS ONE OF THEM, BRING BUSINESS.
UM, BUT WHENEVER ALL THE TEAMS HAD FINISHED, I NOTICED THAT THE TOP TWO, UH, THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED, UM, OUT OF 10 GROUPS, THIS IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE, ABOUT EIGHT OF THEM PARKS WAS NUMBER ONE.
UH, AND SO ONCE AGAIN, TOP OF THE ONCE LIST, NOT THE LEAD NEEDS LIST.
SO I HOPE Y'ALL CAN COME UP WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO AT LEAST INVESTIGATE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THIS PROJECT OPEN.
AND ALSO, WE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THE PARK ON THE EAST END TRYING TO GET, UH, RECREATION SUCH AS KAYAK RENTALS, UH, ACQUIRE THE PARKS FROM THE CITY OF GAL OR FROM THE COUNTY WHERE WE COULD TIE IN ALL THOSE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE PARKS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT TAKES MONEY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE MAINTENANCE, YOU CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE ONCE WE ACQUIRE 'EM, WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING ON MAINTENANCE.
UM, SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THOSE THINGS, THOSE THOUGHTS OUT LOUD.
UH, COLIN DID A MUCH BETTER JOB AS, UH, AS USUAL.
BUT, UM, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I CAN THINK OF.
SO YOU COULD THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL HELP YOU MAKE A BETTER DECISION.
ANY COMMENTS FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? ALL? WELL, WAIT, GUESS NOT.
SO, UM, EVERYBODY WAS SUPER PUMPED ABOUT TALKING ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE EDC, BUT WE DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS.
ARE WE GONNA, ARE WE GONNA, I'M ABOUT TO MOTION.
WELL TAKE A, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR, UH, UH, WHAT IS IT, DISCU OR CONSIDERATION, POSSIBLE ACTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO TERMINATE THE PICNIC GROUNDS PROJECT? I'LL MAKE IT LOOKING.
I THINK IF WE, UH, CHANGE THE TERM TO THE PROJECT PICNIC GROUNDS PROJECT AGREEMENT VERSUS JUST A PROJECT AS MR. SIMPSON'S POINTING OUT, JUST CHANGE THE TERMINOLOGY, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW IT'S TABLED, NOT NECESSARILY GONE.
SO, AS A MOTION, I SECOND THE MOTION.
NOW, ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? AND WHAT DID YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT? UH, JUST SO THAT IT'S THE, UH, AGREEMENT NOT TERMINATING, TERMINATE, TERMIN.
THE AGREEMENT, NOT THE PROJECT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE PROJECT TO GO AWAY.
WE JUST DON'T WANT IT TO START YET, BECAUSE I'LL CHANGE MY MOTION TO A, FROM PROJECT TO AGREEMENT.
WELL, IF NO MORE OTHER COMMENTS.
[7.L. Consideration and possible action to remove one or more directors from the board of directors of the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation.]
SEVEN L CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO REMOVE ONE OR MORE DIRECTORS FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DICKINSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SEVEN L UH, DO I HAVE ANY, WHAT'S, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.SO WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE TALKING WITH? THIS ONE? UH, YES, SIR.
I RECEIVED, UH, DIRECTION TO ADD THIS TO THE AGENDA.
SO WHO WE GOT? WHO, WHAT? SO, AND LET, LET ME JUST POINT OF INFORMATION.
[02:15:01]
LIST OF WHO'S IN WHAT POSITION? THEY'RE RIGHT HERE.PRESIDENT, TREASURER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UH, IT SHOULD BE A ONE OF, SHOULD BE A SOMEWHERE.
I DUNNO IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT THAT.
SO, UM, ALSO KIND OF LET EVERYBODY KNOW, UH, THAT'S WATCHING AS WELL AS IN THE PUBLIC.
THERE'S GONNA BE VERY, VERY LITTLE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
SO IF SOMEONE BRINGS SOMETHING UP ON THE BOARD, UH, TO THE BOARD OR TO COUNSEL, IT WILL BE DONE OUT HERE.
UM, I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF MY OPINION.
UM, 'CAUSE I'M CONVICTED IN WHAT I BELIEVE IN.
SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA KEEP THAT TRANSPARENCY.
AND SO IF, UH, DISCUSS CONSIDERATION, POSSIBLE ACTION, REMOVE ONE OR MORE DIRECTORS.
SO, WHO'S WHAT, WHAT DO WE GOT? WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT? MAYOR, I JUST, I PUT IT ON THERE.
TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT.
IF IT, IF, UH, IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO BRING UP A, A PROPOSAL FOR REPLACEMENT OF A MEMBER OF THE ON THE BOARD, THEN THEY CAN DO SO.
SO WE HAVE NO, WE HAVE NO ITEM FOR THIS ONE, OR NO COUNCIL MEMBER HAS AN ITEM FOR THIS.
I, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, REMOVE COLIN COKER AND WILSON.
I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE COLIN COKER AND WALTER WILSON FROM THE EDC.
SO WE GOT A MOTION TO REMOVE COLIN COKER AS PRESIDENT AND EDC AND OFF THE BOARD AS WELL.
AND THEN, UH, WALTER WILSON OFF THE BOARD, UH, OF THE EDC.
DO I HAVE A SECOND FROM SOMEBODY? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND CONCERNS? MY QUESTION TO EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL IS WHY? I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
I THINK THERE'S A, UM, A BIG CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
WE SEE EDC UH, UH, DID A NO BID CONTRACT WITH PROSOURCE, UH, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
WE SEE EDC SPEND PROBABLY 90,000 OR MORE, UH, FOR THEIR ARTWORK OR PAMPHLETS OR WHATEVER TO TAKE TO, UH, LAS VEGAS.
AND LATER ON COUNSEL CAME BACK AND APPROVED IT AS THREE SEPARATE PAYMENTS.
I DON'T THINK THEY FOLLOWED THE RIGHT BIDDING LAW THERE.
UM, SO THE PROBLEM'S NOT WITH THE COUNT.
IT'S WITH THE COUNSEL THAT APPROVED IT.
AND, AND IF I COULD ADD I I I'M JUST ASKING.
'CAUSE ONCE AGAIN, I WANNA KNOW WHY IT, IT'S, IF WE CAN KNOW WHY, THEN I CAN, WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH IT.
BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INTO THIS THING WHERE WE DON'T HAVE REASON FOR OUR ACTIONS.
I I DO WANNA SPEAK TO THE PRO PROSOURCE PIECE.
UM, NOW I'VE SLEPT SINCE THEN.
BUT IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THE REASON PROSOURCE GOT THE CONTRACTS IS BECAUSE WE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AS WELL.
VARIOUS REAL ESTATE AGENCIES TOLD OUR STAFF THAT OUR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS WERE TOO SMALL.
WE WENT TO MULTIPLE REAL ESTATE COMPANIES IN AN ATTEMPT TO SPREAD IT OUT.
AND THEY SAID FOR MULTIPLE DEALS.
I, I, I KNOW FOR A FACT IT HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
SO PROSOURCE ENDED UP BEING THE ONE TO GO TO IT BECAUSE THEY SAID, HEY, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU.
BUT WE WENT, WE WENT TO SOME, THEY SAID, WE'LL DO THE APPRAISAL, BUT WE WON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE PAST THAT.
SO, I JUST, JUST A LITTLE COLOR ON, ON PROSOURCE.
THE REASON PROSOURCE ENDED UP BEING THE ONE DOING A LOT OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS IS BECAUSE OTHER COMPANIES SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH DICKINSON.
'CAUSE THE TRANSACTIONS WERE TOO SMALL.
SO, UM, BUT, ALL RIGHT, WHAT ELSE WE GOT? WHAT OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE, THE REASON TO GET RID OF THE, THESE TWO BOARD OF DIRECTORS? I'LL GIVE ANOTHER REASON.
UH, THE IMMINENT DOMAIN ISSUE, UH, I KNOW THAT WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA I THINK LAST YEAR, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HAVE PULLED IT.
BUT I DO KNOW, UH, THERE WAS A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WAS FOR SALE.
PROSOURCE WENT TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE EDC AND SAID, YOU EITHER SELL IT TO US OR WE'RE GONNA USE IMMINENT DOMAIN.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S LEGAL OR ETHICAL TO DO THAT.
BUT I DON'T LIKE THE WAY EDC HAS OPERATED.
THIS IS JUST, IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL.
I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME MAJOR MISTAKES THERE AND, AND THEY NEED TO BE CORRECTED.
SO, BUT HOW, HOW DOES GETTING RID OF COLIN AND, UH, WHAT WAS
[02:20:01]
THE OTHER ONE? WALTER, WALTER, FIX THAT SITUATION.UM, BECAUSE HERE, HERE'S THE OTHER THING IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS SITTING UP HERE HAS MADE A MISTAKE.
I'LL, I'LL LET YOU, I PROMISE YOU.
LET ME JUST, I DON'T WANNA LOSE THIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT, WHICH I JUST ABOUT TO PROBABLY LOSE IT.
I, I, I JUST, IT'LL COME BACK.
JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT SPECIFIC ITEM.
THAT SPECIFIC ITEM WAS BROUGHT TO ME, BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WHEN I GOT HERE.
THAT WAS A DIRECT ACTION BY MY PREDECESSOR, WHICH I HALTED IMMEDIATELY.
IT IS NOT WHEN WE ARE, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT ACQUIRING PROPERTY, WE SHOULD BE ENTERING INTO GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH WHOEVER WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH.
AND THE WAY THAT THAT WAS BEING DONE WAS AT THE DIRECTION OF SOMEBODY HERE.
THEY'RE GOING OUT AND SAYING, ENTER INTO GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH US.
AND IF YOU DON'T, WE'RE GONNA IMMINENT DOMAIN YOU.
THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
YOU USE IT WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO.
BUT YOUR FIRST STEP, AND AS FAR AS ON ANY DIRECTION THAT ANY ANY REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION THAT I'M GONNA BE INVOLVED WITH, IS GOING TO START WITH A GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, I HAD KNOWLEDGE IN THAT SPECIFIC INSTANCE.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT COLOR WITH THE, WITH THE COUNCIL.
AND, AND ALSO, THE EDC CANNOT USE CONDEMNATION POWERS WITHOUT THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
MAY I MOVE TO ALL THE QUESTION? YEP.
WHAT'S THAT? I MOVE TO CALL THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR? YEP.
UM, SO, SO TO CLARIFY, A MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION IS A MOTION TO END THIS DEBATE AND MOVE DIRECTLY TO VOTING ON THE MAIN MOTION.
BUT THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION IS ITSELF A MOTION THAT REQUIRES A SECOND.
IT REQUIRES A TWO THIRDS VOTE TO PASS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR FOR THE MOTION ON THE HAND, WHICH IS TO GET RID OF COLIN COKER AND, UM, WALTER WILSON FROM THE EDC.
SO WHO IS THE, WHAT DO WE GOT? WE GOT, MIGHT NEED TO DO A SHOW OF HANDS.
WHO'S A NAYYY? RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE A NAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE GOT FOUR NAYS.
[7.M. Consideration and possible action to appoint one or more directors to the board of directors of the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation.]
ACTION TO APPOINT ONE OR MORE DIRECTORS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EC, THE DICKINSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.WHICH, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, MOTION FOR THIS? YOU, YOU SKIPPED SEVEN L.
DID I? NO, WE JUST DID THAT ONE.
WE JUST VOTED ON SEVEN L VOTED ON.
I THINK THE BOARD POSITIONS ARE FULL.
YOU'RE ALLOWED TO GO UP TO WHAT? OR NO, THAT'S DMD SEVEN.
THERE'S NO VACANCY AS PERFECT.
SO 7:00 AM WE'RE GONNA SCRATCH THAT.
UH, WHICH THEN TAKES US AT 8 23.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL BE BACK IN A LITTLE BIT.
I DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK AND I SIGNED UP.
THAT'S WHY I WENT PAST, I'M SO SORRY.
OH, CAN WE ACTUALLY OPEN THIS BACK UP? I WOULD LIKE THIS, UH, YOUNG WOMAN TO COME UP HERE AND GIVE HER UH, UH, YEAH, HER INFORMATION.
YEAH, I WAS GOING DOWN THE, UH, THE NUMBERS.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO TIED UP UNDER ANY CERTAIN THING.
UH, NONE OF THEM, BUT SHE, SHE SHOULD HAVE GONE.
THEY TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE GENERAL COMMENTS.
WE ARE GONNA MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WELL, I, I APPRECIATE YOU MAYOR AND DR. HOLT AND SCOTT AND KEVIN.
I LIVE AT 4 4 1 15 20 NINTH STREET IN DICKINSON.
AND MY CONCERN IS THE, I THINK THEY CALL IT THE TRIBUTARY, THE DRAINAGE DITCH THAT'S ON 27TH STREET THAT GOES ALL THE WAY OVER TO GUMBO.
HURRICANE BURL CAME THROUGH THE TRAVEL TRAILER PARK THERE.
IT HAD WATER ALMOST INTO THE HOUSES.
HURRICANE HARVEY CAME THROUGH.
I MEAN, WE KNOW WHAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH HARVEY, BUT WE HAD A FOOT OF WATER.
I HAD A FOOT OF WATER IN MY YARD.
NOBODY IS CUTTING ALL THAT GRASS.
[02:25:01]
THIS BEAUTIFUL MACHINE THAT I'VE ONLY SEEN ONE TIME GO DOWN THERE.I KNOW I WOULD NOT WANT TO CUT IT 'CAUSE I'M AFRAID OF HEIGHTS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME MEN THAT ARE NOT AFRAID OF HEIGHTS AND WOMEN THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO CUT THAT.
THE GRASS IS GROWING AND IT'S HORRIBLE.
IF WE HAVE ANYTHING BETTER THAN BURL, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE FLOODED AGAIN.
'CAUSE IT IS NOT BEING CLEANED OUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY TO DID.
I I WAS GONNA SAY THE COUNCIL MEMBER, SCH HAS BEEN SINGLE HANDEDLY TAKING CARE OF THAT, THAT WHOLE AREA RIGHT THERE.
WE STARTED AT CALIFORNIA STREET.
AND WE HAVE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT DOWN THERE THAT WORKED THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK.
AND THEY GOT TO 25TH STREET, I BELIEVE, ON ONE SIDE.
AND THEY ARE TO RETURN TOMORROW AND DO AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
WE DON'T HAVE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT CAN SIT ON THE SOUTH BANK AND REACH THE NORTH BANK.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT WITH ONE OF THE DRAINAGE DISTRICTS TO BORROW THEIR LONG REACH MOWER.
BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO DOWN AT THE CORNER YOU CAN, YOU CAN, IF YOU'RE ON THE BRIDGE, YOU CAN LOOK BACK UP THE DRAINAGE AND SEE THAT WE HAVE ONE SIDE PARTIALLY COMPLETED WITH THE PLAN TO DO THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, I DO APPRECIATE THE FIXING THE BRIDGE THERE ON 29TH AND IN, UH, CALIFORNIA.
THAT WAS PART OF THE PROJECT TOO, TO OPEN THAT UP TO WHERE IT DIDN'T HAVE REFRIGERATORS AND AIR CONDITIONINGS AND EVERYTHING GETTING BLOCKED DOWN THERE.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE.
WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT CALIFORNIA? WHEN'S IT GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF? WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME MORE ANSWERS LATER ON.
THAT'S PART OF THE COUNTY STUFF THAT WE, THAT I KNOW BILL AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOWNSEND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A LOT WITH UH, UM, HANK DOOGIE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME ANSWERS VERY SOON FOR YOU.
WELL, MY GRANDDAUGHTER JUST GRADUATED, SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO OVER THE HIGH SCHOOL ANYMORE.
'CAUSE THAT ROAD DOES NEED TO BE FIXED AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, UM, HOW ARE, HOW ARE YOU RELATED TO DR. ALBERT? UH, HE'S MY GREAT UNCLE.
THAT WAS THE HOLDERS MY IN-LAWS AND DOCTOR FOR EVERY WELL TILL HE RETIRED.
NOW WE'RE GONNA CLOSE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK NAME.
I DIDN'T GET THE SILENT BECAUSE I GOT HERE LATE.
ALRIGHT, WELL, LAST ONE PROMISE.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTIVE.
WE GOTTA GIVE MY CITIZENS AN ABILITY TO TALK.
I I I KNOW THAT IT'S TOUGH TO GET HERE BY SIX.
SO, UH, WE ALL, WE ALL HAVE LIVES, RIGHT? SO IT CAN'T EXPECT US TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE.
I HAD A, I HAD A CARPORT, A DOUBLE WIDE, AND IT WAS ALL GONE, DEMOLISHED WHEN TO DEMOLISHED MY HOME.
SO NOW I WANNA PUT A NEW ONE BACK UP.
THE CITY OF DICKINSON TOLD ME THAT I COULDN'T AND I'M LIKE, I HAVE EVERY RIGHT AS A CITIZEN TO HAVE A CARPORT BACK.
'CAUSE IN 1979 WHEN WE BOUGHT THE HOME, WE HAD A CARPORT AND WE HAD IT EVER SINCE.
AND WE PUT A NEW ONE, WE PUT A DOUBLE WIDE DRIVEWAY.
WHEN, UM, FEMA BUILT MY HOME THAT DID ME A SINGLE LONG DRIVEWAY, THERE'S ENOUGH ROOM FOR ME TO PUT MY CARPORT.
AND I WOULDN'T EVEN COMPARISON WITH THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR THAT'S MOVED ALL THE WAY UP AND HE HAS HIS CARPORT.
MY NEIGHBOR ON THIS SIDE HAVE A CARPORT AND I HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO PUT A CARPORT WITHOUT BEING IT ON THE STREET.
YOU KNOW, YOU STILL HAVE A LADDER OF DRIVEWAY TO PUT TWO CARS BEHIND THE CARPORT.
AND I'M WILLING TO DO IT LEGALLY AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING ME AND I'M UPSET.
WE WILL, UH, CHASE, GET MATT TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, I EVEN HAVE THE PICTURE OF MY HOUSE, THE WAY THE DRIVEWAY LOOKS.
WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU.
IF YOU CAN GIVE, UH, MR. KERRY YOUR INFORMATION, UM, THE GENTLEMAN SITTING BACK THERE.
YOU ACTUALLY GOT HERE A LITTLE LATE.
SO WE, WE ARE, WE ARE ON IT, SIR.
[8. EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION(S)]
NO OTHER PEOPLE.[9. ACTION ITEMS FROM EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION(S)]
UH, NUMBER NINE.ACTIONS ITEM, UH, ITEMS FOR EXECUTIVE CLOSED SESSION.
UH, NINE A, B, AND C HAVE NO ACTION.
[10. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
10 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I KNOW KEVIN EDMONDS AND MYSELF, WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THIS AND WE THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD SPOT FOR IF ANYONE WANTS TO BRING[02:30:01]
UP A NEW AGENDA ITEM FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND DO IT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA DO IT NOW.
UM, SO, UH, THIS WILL BE A NEW ADDITION.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS WE'D LIKE TO ADD FOR FUTURE COUNCIL MEETINGS? I DO.
I'D LIKE TO PUT THE UD C ON IT.
UDC AND PERSONNEL POLICY IS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOWNS WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THERE.
ANYONE ELSE WANNA ADD TO THAT? AND OR, UH, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO IMPLEMENT TO ONCE AGAIN, BRING BACK TO WHERE, WHY THINGS ARE GETTING ON THE AGENDA RATHER THAN JUST VOTE ON FIREWORKS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO ADD THAT, UH, THE OLD FIREWORKS, WHICH, UM, ACTUALLY TALKED TO, UM, NIM ABOUT THAT TODAY, ABOUT BUILDING AN ORDINANCE SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT THING DONE.
UM, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO FOR A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING FOR THAT IF WE DO GET SOMETHING BUILT BECAUSE OF THE JULY, IF WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET IT BEFORE JULY 4TH.
SO WE'LL ADD THAT ONE AS WELL.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? AND, AND DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY INTEREST IN HAVING LIKE A WORKSHOP? MY RECOLLECTION FOR WHEN THAT CAME UP TO THE COUNCIL LAST TIME, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT HOW HEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS IN THIS.
MAYBE HAVE A, A, YOU KNOW, KNOW A PROCEDURE WHEREBY ALL VIEWPOINTS CAN BE HEARD SO THAT BEFORE YOU START BUILDING AN ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, BUILDING AN ORDINANCE IS EASY.
YOU KNOW, YOU TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT IT YOU WANT IT TO SAY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S QUICK AND EASY.
THE, THE, THE CHALLENGE IS TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYONE WHEN IT COMES TO, WELL, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, SO, UH, SO THERE'S THAT.
AND THEN ON, UH, SIR, UH, ON THE UDC ACTION OR ITEM, UH, DID YOU WANT THAT PUT ON THERE FOR DISCUSSION OF THE UUD C OR CONSIDERATION? POSSIBLE ACTION TO DO POSSIBLE ACTION TO, TO DO WHAT? WITH THE UDC ON THE MORATORIUM ORDER.
AND GET RID OF THE, AND TO SEND IT BACK TO PG TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
SO, SO THE UDC IS THE CITY'S ZONING ORDINANCE.
WHEN IT WAS ADOPTED, THE PREVIOUS ZONING ORDINANCE WENT AWAY.
LIKE, IT, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T GET, WE JUST SEND IT BACK TO THE PLANNING, THE ZONING AND TO FIX IT.
WHAT WE DID TONIGHT WAS FIXING A PROBLEM THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO FIX.
THE GENTLEMAN THE OTHER NIGHT ON THAT, UH, CAR LOT OUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WE DIDN'T NEED TO FIX.
WE WERE TOLD LET'S PASS IT THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT'S IN IT.
WELL, IT'S BECOMING A NIGHTMARE TRYING TO FIX IT.
SO WE NEED TO SEND IT BACK TO PNZ AND LET THEM FIX IT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT TURNED IT DOWN.
THEY WENT THROUGH ALL THE ARGUMENTS AND THEY TURNED IT DOWN.
YET COUNCIL OVERWROTE 'EM AND, AND PASSED IT.
GOT A WOMAN OVER HERE ON BEACH ROAD THAT BOUGHT A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THEY COME IN THERE AND ZONE EACH FOUR CORNERS.
SO SHE PUT IT FOR SALE, SIGN IN, BUT SHE WASN'T GONNA SPEND $900 TO HAVE IT REZONED.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO DEFEND THE UDC.
I'M MERELY POINTING OUT THAT IT IS THE ONLY ZONING ORDINANCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO FIX ASPECTS OF IT, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL FOR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL ASPECTS, UH, WE SHOULD LOOK AT.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS FOR MAKING A ZONING CHANGE, WHICH THIS WOULD BE, WOULD BE TO HAVE IT FIRST GO TO THE P AND Z, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND ALL THAT.
THEY VOTED UP OR DOWN AS RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN IT GOES TO THE COUNCIL FOR ALSO A VOTE UP AND DOWN.
SO, UH, IF WE FOR EXAMPLE, TRY TO PAUSE IT, THEN ARE WE SAYING THAT, OH, DURING THE PAUSE THERE IS NO ZONING IN DICKINSON.
SO I I THINK IS THERE SOME IS THERE IS NOT NECESSARILY, SO IS THERE A WAY TO SEND IT BACK TO PNZ? KEEP, WE HAVE TO KEEP IT IN PLACE.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY ZONE WE HAVE.
SO KEEPING IT, BUT IT, WHAT IS THE MECHANISM WHERE WE CAN SEND IT BACK TO PNZ? LIKE HE'S SAYING SO THAT WE CAN FIX THE DISCREPANCIES THAT SHOULD NOT EXIST INSIDE OF IT.
WHAT IS THAT MECHANISM THAT WE NEED TO DO? SO, SO MY SUSPICION IS THAT IF THE COUNCIL SENDS IT BACK TO P AND Z, BASICALLY WITH A BROAD MESSAGE OF, HEY, P AND Z, TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENTIRETY OF THE UDC, OKAY.
I SUSPECT THAT THE P AND Z IS NOT GOING TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.
I I'M SURE THEY DO BECAUSE THEY VOTED IT DOWN SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WENT THROUGH ALL THE PROCESS AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT VOTED IT DOWN THAT SAID, THIS AIN'T GOING TO WORK.
I THINK WE CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN P AND Z SURE.
MEETINGS AND HELP AND GIVE THEM SOME GUIDANCE.
YOU CAN DO THAT FROM THE CHAIR OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL THAT WE CAN SEND ALONG TO P AND Z.
THAT'S WHAT TRAVIS, I'M SURE WAS ABOUT TO SAY, RIGHT, SIR, WE DID HAVE A P AND Z MEETING LAST, UH, TUESDAY, AND I ACTUALLY DID TOUCH ON THIS WITH THE P AND Z.
UH, YOU KNOW, SAY, HEY, I NEED Y'ALL TO GET ME YOUR CONCERNS IN WHATEVER WAY Y'ALL DISCUSSING YOURSELF.
IF Y'ALL WANNA DO, UH, WORKSHOPS,
[02:35:01]
IF Y'ALL WANNA DO PUBLIC MEETINGS OR HOWEVER Y'ALL WANNA DO, IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL ME, UH, GET ME THOSE CONCERNS AND WE CAN START ADDRESSING THEM.IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO FIX THE UDC WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THEY WANT TO BE FIXED.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES.
THERE'S SOME STUFF THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE.
HOWEVER, THE UDC GIVES AUTHORITY TO CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS TO INITIATE ZONE CHANGES OR TEXT AMENDMENTS, UH, WHENEVER THEY WOULD LIKE.
SO, SO WHEN YOU TOLD P AND Z THAT, DID P AND Z INDICATE THAT THEY WOULD BE FORTHCOMING WITH SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS REGARDING THE PROBLEMS? I BELIEVE IT WAS A POSITIVE.
THEY RECEIVED IT POSITIVELY AND THAT THEY, UH, WERE INTERESTED IN, IN GETTING TOGETHER AND IN GETTING ME THEIR CONCERNS.
I I I, I WOULD ARGUE IT, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
I DON'T KNOW IF A BLANKET, REPEAL OR PAUSE IS GREAT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS MENTIONED REGARDING, THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE HAVE MM-HMM
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE UDC PROCESS ALSO DID TO CORRECT WAS THERE WERE ORDINANCES THAT CONFLICTED WITH EACH OTHER AND THERE WERE ORDINANCES THAT CONFLICTED WITH STATE LAW.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A MECHANISM IN PLACE TO, TO PUT THOSE ORDINANCES BACK IN ON A, ON A STRAIGHT REPEAL.
SO I, I DO THINK IF WE WANT TO WORK ON IT, WE NEED TO ONLY, YOU NEED, IF IT, IF IT WAS REPEALS ONLY, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
BUT THE UDC, IT HAD THE UDC BEEN DONE RIGHT TO BEGIN WITH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS IT WASN'T DONE RIGHT.
AND THEY SHOVED IT DOWN COUNCIL'S THROAT.
SO WE NEED TO SEND THE P AND Z AND GET IT CORRECTED.
SO THIS WAS A, AN ITEM THAT I FORGOT TO SPEAK ABOUT ON MY, UH, CITY MANAGER UPDATE
I THINK WE SHOULD SEND IT BACK TO P AND Z WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE ALREADY KNOW A LOT OF WHAT IS WRONG THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
WE CAN MAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
Y'ALL CAN TELL ME WHAT Y'ALL WANNA SEE IN IT AND WE CAN SEND IT TO P AND Z AND LET THEM WORK ON IT.
AND THEN WE GET TO APPROVE IT AFTER THE FACT.
THAT SOUNDS, THAT'S A GREAT FLOW.
SO, ALRIGHT, SO THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE THAT DONE LIKE YESTERDAY.
'CAUSE I AGREE IT'S RIDICULOUS TO HAVE, LIKE YOU SAID, PEOPLE COMING UP AND LIKE, I DON'T, WHY AM I DEALING WITH THIS? SO I UNDERSTAND IT.
SO, SO IS THAT PROCESS GOING TO BE INITIATED WITH THE COUNCIL IDENTIFYING ISSUES TO LET, TO TELL P AND Z HEY, ADDRESS THESE ISSUES? OR ARE WE GOING TO WAIT FOR P AND Z TO DO WHAT, WHAT TRAVIS ASKED FOR QUESTION.
WHAT, WHAT I THINK THE BEST RECOMMENDATION, THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS, AND THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.
UH, US COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ALL SEND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN STRAIGHT TO, UH, MR CARE HERE.
HE WORKS WITH HIM, HE'S WORKING WITH PNZ ALREADY.
SO WE HAVE A CHANNEL THAT WE KNOW WHO WE'RE TALKING TO.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO TALKING TO 18 DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT P AND Z.
RIGHT? WHY DON'T WE JUST GO STRAIGHT TO HIM? HE CAN DEAL WITH THE STAFF AND ALL OF THAT, UM, WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN IT HAS TO COME BACK TO US ANYWAYS.
SO, I MEAN, IF Y'ALL ARE OPPOSED TO IT, WE CAN DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
BUT THAT'S, I'D RATHER JUST TALK TO HIM.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA GET FIXED OVERNIGHT, IN MY OPINION.
SO I DON'T WANNA PUT A TIMELINE ON IT.
UH, I WANT TO START WORKING ON IT, BUT THEN AS WE GO, WE STILL HAVE TO REPE RE REVIEW IT EVERY SO OFTEN.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE A, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A WORKING DOCUMENT.
SO I DON'T THINK A TIMELINE'S NECESSARY.
'CAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE, THE, THE EXTREME, UM, IMPORTANCE OF THE UDC OR JUST ZONING IN GENERAL.
ANY OTHER, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? IF NOT, WE GOT NUMBER 11.