Jan 27, 2026 City Council

BI KNOW YOU HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

I AM, UH, CHAPLAIN

[3.ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS]

UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND LET'S HEAR.

UM, MY NAME IS, UH, B KELLY, AND MY ADDRESS IS 1101 F IN FIVE 17 ROAD WEST HERE IN DICKINSON.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THE IFOC, UH, WHICH, UH, STANDS FOR INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF CHAPLAINS.

UM, I JUST RECENTLY, UH, GOT PROMOTED IN SEPTEMBER AS A COMMANDER, AND, UH, WE HAVE THE GALVESTON BAY AREA CHAPLAINCY CORPS GROUP UNDER OUR UMBRELLA ALSO.

UM, THE, I, THE PURPOSE OF THE IFOC IS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A WORKABLE, BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS SECTIONS, SECTORS OF SOCIETY TO THE PURPOSE OF MINISTRY AND IN THE WORKPLACE, AND THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THE PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE.

IN THE AREA OF CHAPLAINCY, WE HELP INDIVIDUALS GAIN THE CHAPLAIN CREDENTIALS AND SKILLS TO, UM, PROVIDE RELIEF IN CRISIS.

IFOC IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, UH, SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY FOR OVER 25 YEARS.

UH, WHEN I ENTERED FIVE YEARS AGO, WE HAD 11,000 CHAPLAINS, AND NOW, UH, FIVE YEARS LATER, WE HAVE 2,400.

WE ARE GROWING AND WE'RE STILL RECRUITING.

IFOC PREPARES PROFESSIONAL, TRAINED AND DEDICATED CHAPLAINS IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THEIR CALLING.

OUR CHAPLAINS SERVE IN THESE AREAS AND MORE DISASTER RESPONSE, FIRE, POLICE, TRAUMA, GRIEF AND LOSS, PRISONS AND JAILS, SCHOOLS, SPORTS HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND HOSPICE.

AND LIKE I SAID, IN MANY MORE, UH, UH, AREAS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED, UM, TO APPLY FOR THE, UH, CHAPLAINCY CREDENTIALS, WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN GO TO.

AND IF YOU NEED THAT WEBSITE, UH, IT'S IOC.ORG.

I ALSO HAVE, UM, BUSINESS CARDS THAT WOULD, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE, YOU'LL GET YOUR CERTIFICATION, UH, OF LICENSE, AND ALSO A PICTURE ID.

AND THEN WHERE YOU GO FROM THERE, GOD ONLY KNOWS 'CAUSE THERE'S MANY OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE, UM, OPENING UP THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND DEPARTMENTS FOR CHAPLAINS.

UH, IT SEEMS LIKE NOWADAYS EVERY ORGANIZATION NEEDS A CHAPLAIN BECAUSE THEY'RE EMPLOYEES, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR BIG, UH, NEED, UM, SOMEONE TO COUNSEL WITH THEM.

UM, AND, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION, FEEL FREE TO JUST CONTACT ME AFTER THE MEETING.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE, UH, NEXT UP IS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

[00:05:01]

SO WE HAVE THREE A COUNCIL COMMENTS.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START FROM MY RIGHT WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON AND MOVE TO MY LEFT.

UH, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCIL, STAFF, CITIZENS.

UH, WELCOME.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL HERE, BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE.

I PRAY EVERYONE WAS SAFE, UH, DURING THE INCLEMENT WEATHER AS WELL.

THOSE ALL ON MY COMMENTS, MAYOR.

GOOD EVENING.

I HAVE NO SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.

WELCOME EVERYBODY HERE AND ONLINE.

WELCOME EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.

LIKE COUNCILMAN SIMPSON SAID, HOPE EVERYBODY SURVIVED THE FREEZE OVER THE WEEKEND.

WE GOT ONE MORE WEEKEND.

LOOKS LIKE A COLD WEATHER, SO BE CAREFUL IF YOU'RE ON THE ROADS.

WELCOME EVERYONE HERE AND ONLINE.

UM, SHOUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS GUYS WHO WERE OUT THERE WORKING IN THAT COLD WEATHER.

YOU GOTTA GIVE 'EM CREDIT.

THANKS FOR EVERYBODY SHOWING UP TONIGHT.

THIS IS WONDERFUL.

UH, QUICKLY, I ATTENDED THE MAYOR COUNCIL MEETING IN LEAGUE CITY.

UH, I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE RIBBON CUTTING ON THE BOAT RAMP, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND AND COUNCILMAN EDMONDS MADE THAT REPRESENTING OUR CITY, UH, ATTENDED THE WCID ONE MEETING.

UH, MET WITH COUNCILMAN EDMOND AND, UH, ONE OF OUR CITIZENS, JIM HUNT OUT AT THE RAILROAD DEPOT TO GO OVER SOME DEFICIENCIES AND TO GO OVER A LIST THAT MR. HEIN HAS DEVELOPED.

UH, I MET WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER DOOGIE AND, UH, DARRELL AFFEL AND GALVESTON COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT TO GO OVER SOME OF THE DEFICIENCIES WITH THE BOAT RAMP.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE IT WORKED OUT.

THE COUNTY HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE ROTTED BOARDS ON THE PIER.

AND, UH, UH, LUCAS HAS AGREED TO MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO, UH, SCOOP OUT THE DIRT THAT THEY PUT IN THE WATER, AS WELL AS COVER UP THE EXPOSED, UH, BOLT HEADS OUT THERE, UH, 'CAUSE OF A CITIZEN.

UH, BROUGHT UP AN ISSUE ON 25TH STREET WITH THE TRAFFIC FROM THE SCHOOL.

I MET WITH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER DOOGIE, HEAD OF, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE ROAD AND BRIDGE FOR THE COUNTY.

AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO HELP KEEP THAT TRAFFIC FROM STACKING ON 25TH STREET.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.

UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE, UH, ATTENDING ONLINE.

UM, I ATTENDED THE, UH, DICKINSON POLICE DEPARTMENT PROMOTIONS AND, UM, COMMENDATION AWARD CEREMONY HERE AT THE CITY.

I'D LIKE TO, UH, CONGRATULATE ALL THOSE OFFICERS THAT WERE RECOGNIZED, UM, AS MR. UH, SCHICK POINTED OUT THAT, UH, TOWNSEND AND I, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO ATTEND THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE OPENING OF THE BOAT RAMP.

AND THEY DO REALIZE THERE'S PLENTY TO FIX OUT THERE, AND THEY ARE MAKING SURE THAT IT GETS DONE BEFORE, UH, FINAL PAYMENT IS RENDERED TO LUCAS CONSTRUCTION.

UM, AND, UH, LASTLY, I THINK, UM, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION HAS SUBMITTED ITS FINAL REPORT TO COUNSEL FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.

UM, ALONG WITH MYSELF AND MR. TOWNSEND WHO PARTICIPATED, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE.

AND, UH, THANK MS, UH, DON KING, MR. GARLAND COPELAND, AND MR. DARRELL CARNEY FOR YOUR HELP AND, UH, FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THAT'S IT, MAYOR.

AT DICKINSON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.

AWESOME.

UM, WELL, I ONLY HAVE A FEW, UH, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS TO MAKE.

UM, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW IS I'VE BEEN TALKING TO TXDOT, UM, THAT IS WHY THEY RES STRIPPED, UH, 45 FEETER ROAD, UM, GOING NORTHBOUND NOW.

UM, SO THERE'S ONLY ONE TURN LANE.

THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITIZENS.

SO THEY SAID, ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S CHANGE IT.

SO THEY, THEY, UH, LISTENED TO US AND THEY CHANGED IT.

UM, THE SECOND THING I ASKED THEM ABOUT WAS ALSO THE ENTRANCE RAMP.

UH, NOW I DON'T AGREE WITH THE ANSWER THEY GAVE ME.

HOWEVER, IT IS THE ROAD.

IT IS THEIR ROAD.

THEY GET TO DICTATE THE RULES, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE REASON WHY THEY HAVE NOT OPENED THAT ENTRANCE RAMP IS ONLY DUE TO THE NARROWNESS OF THE ROADS, UH, IN THAT LOCATION.

SO THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT PUTTING MORE TRAFFIC IN THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION.

UH, IT COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS.

SO, LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS THEIR REASON.

UM, I TRIED TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE NEED THAT OPEN SO WE CAN GET ON 45 AND START MOVING.

UM, ONCE AGAIN, I ALSO KNOW THAT I CANNOT TELL THEM WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR OWN PROPERTY.

SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU UPDATES ON THAT ONE.

AS WELL AS, UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN, I AM HOLDING AN EVENT, UH, PERSONALLY ON FEBRUARY 12TH, UH,

[00:10:01]

UM, IT IS MY CHANCE TO TALK TO AS MANY CITIZENS AS POSSIBLE AND HEAR WHAT YOUR COM YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE, WHAT, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE CITY, WHAT YOUR IDEAS ARE.

UH, I WANNA GET BACK TO COMMUNICATING, RIGHT.

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MOST, UH, CLIENTS COME TO ME, UH, ON MY PERSONAL BUSINESS IS YES, I'M VERY EFFECTIVE AT WHAT I DO, BUT ALSO I'M REALLY GOOD AT COMMUNICATING WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY IT'S GOING ON, UH, AND KEEPING THEM IN THE LOOP.

AND I WILL PROMISE EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT, UH, AND NOT CREATE A VACUUM OF SOCIAL MEDIA OR TRUSTING JUST OUR WEBSITE.

WE WILL GET OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC.

I WILL PASS THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.

UM, SO OTHER THAN THAT, UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER UPDATE.

GRATEFUL TO OUR AMAZING PATRONS THAT CONTINUED SUPPORT, PARTICIPATION AND TRUST IN THE LIBRARY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND CITIZENS.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

UH, I'M GONNA DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THIS AFTERNOON, THIS EVENING.

I'M GONNA TOUCH BASE ON OUR OEM AND THE WEATHER EVENT.

THEN I'M GONNA GET INTO SOME INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES AND CONCERNS THAT I HEAR ABOUT CONSTANTLY.

THEN I'LL CALL UPON THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL UPDATES DURING THE, THE DEPARTMENT HEAD UPDATE, UH, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UPDATE.

WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS WEEKEND, THE WEATHER STORM SHIFTED AWAY FROM OUR AREA.

DICKINSON GALVESTON COUNTY AVOIDED THE ICY CONDITIONS THAT IMPACTED MOST OF OUR COUNTRY.

BUT I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE GREG TRIUM OUR OEM DIRECTOR FOR HIS OUTSTANDING WORK.

THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, GREG KEPT OUR TEAM INFORMED, MAINTAINED, CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AND OUR OEM TEAM, AND ENSURED THAT WE WERE PREPARED FOR ANY CHANGES.

THESE EVENTS AS MINOR AS THEY SEEMED OVER THE WEEKEND, ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR PROCESSES AND OUR PROCEDURES.

THEY'RE LESSONS LEARNED FOR ALL OF US.

SO THANK YOU, GREG, FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION.

UH, AS A REMINDER, WHEN OUR OEMM, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS ACTIVATED, THE MAYOR SERVES AS THE HEAD OF THE OEM.

THE OPERATIONAL DIRECTION FLOWS THROUGH THE MAYOR.

THIS STRUCTURE MIRRORS HOW THE OEM FUNCTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS WHY YOU OFTEN SEIZE MAYORS, UH, BEING INTERVIEWED DURING, UH, BY NATIONAL OUTLETS DURING SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS.

ON THE WEATHER CHANNEL, YOU WILL ALWAYS SEE A MAYOR BEING INTERVIEWED BECAUSE HE IS THE HEAD OF THE OEM.

NOW, REGARDING THE WEATHER RELATED CLOSURES, THE CITY FOLLOWS THE ISD.

MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN IN DAYCARE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND THIS APPROACH HELPS PREVENT LAST MINUTE CHILDCARE CHALLENGES FOR MY STAFF.

WHILE MAINTAINING ESSENTIAL CITY OPERATIONS, THERE'S A REASON WHY WE FOLLOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

JUST SO THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS WHY WE CLOSED, WE FOLLOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THE CONCERNS THAT I HEAR ABOUT THE MOST FROM MY FAMILY, FROM MY FRIENDS, FROM OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STREETS AND DRAINAGE.

SO I WILL ADDRESS THOSE NOW.

DRAINAGE SYSTEM.

WHEN I RETURNED HOME TO SERVE THE CITY TO WORK HERE, ONE OF MY FIRST PRIORITIES WAS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND OUR LONG STANDING DRAINAGE CHALLENGES, WHY THEY PERSIST, WHERE THE SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN, AND WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL STEPS THAT WE COULD TAKE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW, MY FAMILY HOMES HAVE BEEN FLOODED MULTIPLE TIMES AND WE'VE LOST EVERYTHING MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

SO I UNDERSTAND MORE THAN MOST WHY THIS IS SUCH A CONCERN.

I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR ENGINEERING TEAM, DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.

WE HAVE CONDUCTED A DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF OUR BAYOU, OUR TRIBUTARIES, AND OUR LOCAL CONVEYANCE SYSTEM.

WE HAVE DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF SHOVEL READY DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

THESE PROJECTS ARE FULLY ENGINEERED, COST ESTIMATED, AND READY FOR BIDS.

I HAVE A TOTAL OF $10 MILLION IN DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.

THE ONLY BARRIER IS THESE PROJECTS NEED FUNDING.

WE HAVE SHOVEL READY PROJECTS OVER THE ENTIRE CITY OF DICKINSON NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THESE LOCALIZED PROJECTS THAT ARE IN CHEYENNE NEIGHBORHOOD.

OVER IN TRAIL PLANTATION ESTATES, WINDING WAY OLE ENTERED PALM TANGLE BRIAR, DEETS ROAD, HILL STREET, SHERWOOD FOREST COLONIAL ESTATES, FROST WOOD CIRCLE COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE, MARINERS MORNING SUBDIVISION, SUNSET DRIVE, BAYOU CHANTILLY IMPROVEMENTS.

WE ALSO HAVE PROJECTS FOR THE MAIN BAYOU CHANNEL IN THE TRIBUTARY, DREDGING AND CLEARING PROJECTS.

NOW, IN ADDITION TO THESE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS WE HAVE, WE ALSO HAVE OUR STREETS TO CONSIDER AS A REMINDER OF OUR 2022 PAVEMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS NOW FOUR YEARS OLD.

REMIND YOU, $84 MILLION IN DEFICIENCIES THAT NEED FIXING NOW TOTAL OF TWO, $200 MILLION WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ENTIRE PAVEMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND CONDITIONS HAVE NOT IMPROVED OVER TIME, THEY'VE ONLY GOTTEN WORSE.

SO WHY AM I SPEAKING ON THIS? WHY DOES THIS MATTER? THESE PROJECTS REPRESENT YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FINALLY BEING TRANSLATED INTO ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS.

THE ENGINEERING IS DONE, THE DESIGNS

[00:15:01]

ARE COMPLETE.

WE KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE AND WE KNOW HOW TO FIX 'EM.

WE HAVE DONE OUR PART IN PLANNING.

NOW.

OUR FOCUS IS ON SECURING THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO DELIVER THESE IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

THESE PROJECTS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH LOCAL STATE, FEDERAL FUNDING.

WE ARE DOING THAT NOW ACROSS DRAINAGE STREETS AND FACILITIES.

OUR CHALLENGE SHARED COMMON THEME, WE NEED FUNDING.

EVERYONE WANTS NEW STREETS AND IMPROVED DRAINAGE SYSTEM.

AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY.

YOU DESERVE NEW STREETS, YOU DESERVE IMPROVED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. BUT HOW DO WE EXPECT TO PAY FOR IT? WE AREN'T ACTIVELY USING OUR TOOLS THAT WE HAVE NOW TO GROW OUR SALES TAX AS EVERY OTHER CITY DOES.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT GROWTH MEANS PROGRESS.

HISTORICALLY, OUR CITY HAS PUSHED OFF BUSINESSES IN DEVELOPMENT AWAY, AND WE ARE SEEING THE EFFECTS OF THESE DECISIONS TODAY.

SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE RAISE PROPERTY TAXES, FINES, FEES, GO OUT FOR BONDS.

THAT'S A SERIOUS QUESTION THAT WE ALL NEED TO CONSIDER.

LEADS ME INTO A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH A GRANT ADMINISTRATOR I'VE MET WITH A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

SHE'S A GRANT WRITING CONSULTANT I'VE WORKED WITH SUCCESSFULLY IN THE PAST.

THEY SPECIALIZE IN SMALLER GRANTS, ZERO MATCH TO LOW MATCH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, POTENTIALLY ASSISTING US WITH OUR ANIMAL SHELTER, CODE ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES, POLICE DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES AND MORE.

BECAUSE WE OWN AND OPERATE A TRUE, A REAL NO KILL SHELTER, THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE UNLIMITED FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE, WE ARE PERFECT SET UP TO GET THESE GRANTS.

WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE WRITING THEM AND GOING AFTER 'EM.

I WILL BRING FORWARD MORE COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GRANT WRITER TO PURSUE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE NEED FUNDING.

A GRANT WRITER IS A NECESSITY HERE TO ME.

OUR FUNDING PROBLEM IS REDUCED BY GROWING OUR SALES TAX BASE WHILE ACTIVELY PURSUING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN FIND FOR THE DEPARTMENTAL UPDATE.

MR. MAGDALENO, WILL YOU APPROACH? THANK YOU, MR. CAREY.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNSEL.

TONIGHT COMES KIND OF A MIX OF EMOTIONS.

I'M, UH, SUPER EXCITED.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF OUR FACILITIES, UM, BUT I'M SUPER EXCITED AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SOME OF MY DEPARTMENTS AND THEN WE'LL, AND WE'LL MOVE ON.

SO LEMME START WITH THE DEPOT.

SO, UM, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A GRACIOUS CITIZEN, MR. JIM HEIM, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT.

UM, COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE'S VOLUNTEERED.

A TON OF HIS TIME TO GIVE AN ASSESSMENT ON THE DEPOT.

SAVED US QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.

UM, HE'S PUT IN A TON OF WORK AND HE JUST HAND DELIVERED THAT REPORT TO ME TONIGHT.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT A FEW OF OUR COUNCILMEN HAVE BEEN OUT THERE AND SEEN, UM, SOME OF THOSE, UH, CONCERNS FIRSTHAND.

UM, SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU ON HOW, ON, ON HOW BAD THAT IS OR HOW GOOD IT IS.

BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S REAL GOOD.

UM, WE DO HAVE AN AIR CONDITIONER THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE.

WE'RE PREPARED TO REPLACE THAT AIR CONDITIONER.

WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT.

UM, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING THAT MONEY IN UNTIL I REVIEW THIS REPORT AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.

UM, ALSO, WE'RE WAITING ON SOME POTENTIAL, UM, UM, HELP WITH THAT AIR CONDITIONER COST AS WELL, LIBRARY SERIOUS FOUNDATION ISSUES.

THE FACILITY WAS CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT THE PROPER DRAINAGE, AND THE TREES HAVE CAUSED SOME SERIOUS FOUNDATION PROBLEMS. IT'S A SERIOUS CONCERN, AND I'VE SAID SERIOUS LIKE THREE TIMES 'CAUSE IT COULDN'T BE MORE IMPORTANT.

UM, AND IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED IN OUR FUTURE FACILITIES, UH, DISCUSSIONS IN OUR CIP.

BUT I'M GONNA MOVE ON FROM THAT.

I WANNA GET TO SOME EXCITING STUFF.

UM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'D LOVE TO SIT HERE AND SHOUT OUT ALL THE STUFF THAT THE LIBRARY HAS DONE.

MS. BRIANNA, UH, LONG HAS, HAS KILLED IT.

UM, I MEAN, I'VE GOT SO MANY DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS THAT ARE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB, BUT INSTEAD, I WOULD LIKE HER TO COME UP AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS.

SO, UH, MS. BRIANNA, IF YOU'LL COME UP AND, UH, SHARE SOME OF YOUR IMPORTANT NEWS WITH US, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

UM, I'M PROUD TO SHARE, PROUD TO SHARE THAT THE DICKINSON PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS RECEIVED THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LIBRARY EXCELLENCE AWARD THIS YEAR FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LIBRARY DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION.

THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES PUBLIC LIBRARIES ACROSS TEXAS THAT DEMONSTRATE OUTSTANDING SERVICE, INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COM THE COMMUNITY.

THIS RECOGNI RECOGNITION, UM, TRULY BELONGS TO OUR INCREDIBLE LIBRARY STAFF.

THEIR DEDICATION, CREATIVITY, HARD WORK, EVERY SINGLE DAY ARE THE REASON WE EARN THIS HONOR.

I'M SO DEEPLY

[00:20:01]

UM, AND THEY TRUST WHAT WE DO IS MEANINGFUL AND WORTHWHILE.

OUTTA 545 PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN TEXAS, ONLY 101 RECEIVE THIS AWARD PLACING OUR LIBRARY IN THE TOP 20% OF LIBRARIES STATEWIDE.

WITH THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR STAFF, PATRONS, CITY LEADERSHIP, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO GROW, SERVE, AND THRIVE TOGETHER.

UM, WE'VE WELCOMED TWO AMAZING NEW STAFF MEMBERS, AND AFTER A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAINING, WE PLAN TO MAKE ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR HOURS TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, WE ALSO HAVE PROJECT PROM GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH, UM, MEANS WE WOULD LOVE ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO DONATE, GENTLY USE PROM, DRESSES, GOWNS, SUITS, DRESS SHIRTS, SHOES, ACCESSORIES, ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP A STUDENT FEEL SPECIAL ON PROM NIGHT.

SOMETIMES THE COST OF AN OUTFIT IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING A TEEN FROM GOING TO PROM.

SO WE WANNA HELP CHANGE THAT.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA DROP OFF, ANYTIME THAT WE'RE OPEN, PLEASE JUST DROP IT OFF.

IT REALLY MEANS SO MUCH TO THESE GUYS.

UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME SPEAK WITH Y'ALL.

LIKE I SAID, SHE IS REALLY KILLING IT AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING, BUT IT'S NOT JUST HER.

UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY, UM, ARE REALLY KILLING IT.

SO, UM, WITH THAT, I WANNA MOVE ON TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

NINA, I'M VERY IMPRESSED MISS NINA BAKER.

I WANT YOU GUYS TO HEAR THIS, UH, HEAR THESE NUMBERS.

SO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CAPACITY IS 50 DOGS AND 40 CATS.

SO IN 2024, WHEN SHE TOOK OVER, OR AT LEAST WHEN, UH, IN HER, IN HER ROLE, WE WERE AT 71 AND 32, THAT'S 115% OF OUR CAPACITY WE'RE VERY OVER.

UM, LAST YEAR, 78% WE'RE AT 52 AND 1870 8%.

SO THAT'S A, THAT WAS A REDUCTION OF, UM, OF LIKE 36, 30 7% FROM 24 TO 25.

AND THEN FROM 25 TO 26, WHERE WE SIT TODAY, WE HAVE 30 DOGS AND EIGHT CATS.

TOMORROW WE'LL HAVE 29 AND FOUR, ANOTHER REDUCTION OF 37, 30 8%.

SO SHE'S REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB, AND I CAN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING.

AND, AND NINA, THIS IS NOT, UH, I WANT Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR NUMBERS COMING IN ARE LOWER.

THEY'RE STILL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE POTENTIALLY HIGHER, RIGHT? OUR INTAKE'S ACTUALLY HIGHER.

SO IT REALLY GOES TO SHOW THAT, UH, WITH A LITTLE ENERGY AND EFFORT AND ALL OF THE, UM, AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT SHE'S GETTING FROM ALL THE OTHER GROUPS, WE'RE REALLY GETTING THIS DONE.

SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, I WANNA REITERATE THE THANKS TO, UH, TO GREG TRANUM FOR OEM AND, UM, EDWARD, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE JOB THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.

UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HUGHES LANDING.

UM, WE JUST RECENTLY, UH, TODAY WROTE A CITATION TO THAT, UH, DEVELOPER, UH, FOR WORKING WITHOUT A PERMIT.

UM, SO THINGS GET, UH, GET OVERLOOKED.

WE PUT A, UH, OR ARE WORKING, UH, DURING A STOP WORK ORDER.

I APOLOGIZE, THAT'S NOT SO, UH, WE PUT A STOP WORK ORDER OUT THERE.

UH, THEY CONTINUE TO WORK, OR AT LEAST WE BELIEVE THAT THEY DID.

AND A CITATION WAS ISSUED.

UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE UDC AND THE ZONING MAPS, WE GOT A P AND Z'S MOVING A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WE WOULD PREFER, BUT, UH, BUT IT'S MOVING.

SO FEBRUARY 11TH, WE HAVE OUR NEXT ANTICIPATED WORKSHOP, AND THEN OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE, UH, FEBRUARY 17TH.

AND SO, UH, SO WE ARE MOVING, BUT NOT AS FAST AS I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN, BUT IT'S HAPPENING.

UM, WITH THAT, LET ME MOVE ON TO, UH, EMS. SO, UH, AS YOU MOST OF YOU KNOW, UM, CAPTAIN, UH, ROBERT ROBBINS WAS PROMOTED INTO THE DIRECTOR POSITION, AND HE IS NOW, UH, CHIEF OF EMS. AND I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY FORMALLY INTRODUCE HIM AS WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND, UH, UH, UM, MR. ROBBINS, I'D LIKE YOU, UH, CHIEF AND YOUR WIFE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COME ON UP.

WHY DON'T YOU, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, SAY A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF.

I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WATCHING, UM, ONLINE THAT DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

I, I'M JUST HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE.

I KNOW WE, I'VE INTRODUCED MYSELF BEFORE, BUT MY NAME'S ROBERT ROBBINS.

UM, I'VE BEEN WITH DICKINSON EMS FOR I BELIEVE, NINE YEARS NOW.

UM, I MOVED UP YOU, UH, TO THE, UM, CAPTAIN POSITION AND THEN RECENTLY WAS PROMOTED TO, UH, THE CHIEF.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, UH, MATT FOR HAVING THE, UH, CONFIDENCE IN ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS JOB, UM, AND THANK MY STAFF FOR MAKING MY JOB A LOT EASIER.

SO, UM, I'VE BEEN IN EMS FOR 33 YEARS.

I WAS EMS DIRECTOR IN KANSAS FOR NINE YEARS PRIOR TO THIS.

UM, THIS IS MY WIFE JOAN.

WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR, WHAT, 23 YEARS? 24 YEARS.

SORRY.

UH, MY SON WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.

SO, UH, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I,

[00:25:01]

SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN EMS. WE'RE, UH, SHORT ANOTHER PERSON, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO GET ONE HIRED TO, WE WERE FULL STAFF THERE FOR A MINUTE.

UM, BUT I'VE GOT A GREAT CREW GOING RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD.

THEY KEEP, MAKE MY JOB A LOT EASIER.

SO, MR. KERRY, YOU WANNA COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE? OH, SURE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, 24 7 OPERATIONS DON'T RUN WITHOUT, UH, STRONG WIFE.

BEHIND.

AND THAT IS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE FOR IT BECAUSE SHE'S THE ONE THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT.

WE.

SO, AND THAT, UH, THAT'LL DO IT FOR DEPARTMENT, UH, UPDATES.

MR. CAREY FOR ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

I GOT A QUESTION FOR MATT.

UH, I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.

I KNOW THAT LIBRARY, WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY JUST SEVERAL YEARS BACK AND IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED AT THAT TIME.

SO WE, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE ISSUE NOW? WAS THERE ANY WARRANTY WORK WITH THAT OR? SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT.

I'M NOT PREPARED, UH, TO SPEAK INTELLIGENTLY TO THE FACTS OF EXACTLY WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT RELATIVE TO WHAT UPGRADES OR WHAT REPAIR WORK THAT WE HAD DONE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMPANY THAT DID THAT WORK, WE MAY BE IN SOME, UM, STILL IN SOME LITIGATION ISSUES WITH THAT COMPANY AS WELL.

IS THAT CORRECT, MR. DO OR IS THAT RESOLVED? WHICH COMPANY IS THAT? UM, WE CAN TOUCH BASE ON IT LATER.

OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO GIVE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, LASTING NOT LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES.

UM, SO I, SOME OF THAT STUFF, AND IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE COVERED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT, UM, SO I CAN'T SPEAK INTELLIGENTLY TO THE, TO THE FACTS OF IT.

I JUST KNOW THAT, UH, THE ENGINEERING FIRM THAT CAME OUT AND TOOK A LOOK AT IT, SAID, TOOK A STEP BACK AND SAID, OKAY, UM, I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE A LONG-TERM PLAN.

THAT, AND THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER.

UM, AND WE'LL GET INTO THE SPECIFICS, UH, WHEN WE DO A A A A TRUE, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES UPDATE, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR CIP FOR SURE.

YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FUND IT.

ALRIGHT, NUMBER FOUR, PUBLIC COMMENTS.

MEMBERS

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

COMMENTS MAY BE GENERAL IN NATURE OR MAY ADDRESS A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM AND SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, NOT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR 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 TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

THE CITY COUNCIL MAY NOT DELIBERATE.

ALL RIGHT, FIRST UP, WE GOT MR. JOE WILBURN.

JOE WILBURN LIVE RIGHT HERE IN DICKINSON.

I WANTED TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EDC AND, UH, AND SAY THAT, UH, WE, WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF PASSIONATE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS EDC PROSPECT.

VERY PASSIONATE, VERY PASSIONATE, ONE WAY, VERY PASSIONATE.

THE OTHER, JUST AS WE DID BACK, UH, WHEN, UH, WE WERE PASSIONATE, UH, ONE GROUP WITHIN THE EDC AND THE COUNCIL WANTED ONE SET OF THINGS OVER AT WATER STREET.

ANOTHER GROUP WANTED ANOTHER SET, AND HOW FAST THINGS CAN CHANGE.

WE, WE HAD, UH, SOME REALLY GOOD BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND A GREAT YOUNG MAN DIED THAT WAS SUPPORTING OUR OPPORTUNITIES.

AND, UH, AND THE OTHER SIDE WHO HAD THEIR, WHO HAD THEIR BELIEFS AND, AND WANTS TO, UH, THAT WASN'T, WASN'T GETTING WHAT THEY WANTED AT THE TIME, UH, THEY GOT IN CONTROL.

MR. SIMPSON CAME IN AND, UH, AND PROMPTLY FIRED, UH, ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL, ME AND, AND KEVIN EDMONDS AND COUNCILMAN BILL SCHICK.

WE ALL GOT FIRED OFF THE EDC ON THE SAME DAY.

AND, UM, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF DICKINSON CHANGED.

IT WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

UH, UH, BILL MADE A DEAL TO GET BACK ON, TO SIT AND LISTEN TO HOW, HOW THINGS WOULD GO.

MAYBE HAVE SOME INPUT, BUT, UH, WE WOUND UP, YOU KNOW, WITH A, WITH A, UH, WITH A PARKING GARAGE INSTEAD OF RESTAURANTS.

AND, UM, AND THAT'S THE TALE OF THE TALE.

BUT WHAT, WHAT MY STORY IS HERE FOR IS HOW FAST THINGS CAN CHANGE AND ELECT.

ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, AND, UH, AND DECISIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

AND, AND THERE'S A CONSEQUENCE FOR EVERY ACTION, WHETHER IT BE GOOD, WHETHER IT BE BAD.

UM, SOMETHING'S ALWAYS GONNA CHANGE.

WE CAN'T HAVE

[00:30:01]

A CITY WHOSE STREETS, WHO WE JUST HEARD THIS MAN, THIS GREAT YOUNG MAN HERE SAY, UH, THESE STREETS ARE IN SUCH DISREPAIR.

DRAINAGE IS A PROBLEM, AND WE'RE GIVING MONEY AWAY TO, TO TRY TO ENTICE BUSINESS TO BE HERE.

AND I'M A BUSINESSMAN, UH, JUST, JUST CLOSED IN ON A, ON A DEAL IN SANTA FE.

THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A $900 MILLION, UH, PROJECT, UH, LAND WAS MINE.

I MADE THE DEAL.

IT'S A $900 MILLION ADD-ON FOR AVALARA, FOR, FOR, UH, FOR SANTA FE.

AND, AND I, I WAS THIS BIG IN THE ROOM.

THIS, THIS, I, I WAS SITTING AROUND MINES THAT ARE JUST SO GREAT.

I, I, I FELT LOST, ALTHOUGH IT WAS MY DEAL.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE WHEN THEY WANT TO COME TO YOUR CITY.

I PROMISE IF YOU MAKE A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME.

AND, AND WE MADE IT COMPETITIVE FOR THESE FOLKS TO COME.

ME AND MY GROUP SIT DOWN AND WE CREATED, UH, A REAL GOOD THING.

JUST LIKE WHEN BRETT FLOYD COME TO ME AND SAID, JOE, I MET WITH HIM AND I SAID, MAN, WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.

HE WANTED TO BUILD TWO FINE RESTAURANTS THERE.

BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FOLKS THAT WANTED TO GO THE OTHER WAY GOT IN CHARGE.

AND IT'S JUST LIKE IT IS NOW.

THERE'S PROBABLY A FOUR, THREE, MAYBE A, MAYBE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT THERE'S A FOUR, THREE ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE, AND, UH, ONE GROUP WANTS IT ONE WAY, ONE GROUP WANTS IT, THE OTHER, ALL ALL GREAT MINDS, UH, EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHING IN THEIR MIND THAT FEELS LIKE IT'LL WORK GREAT.

BUT, UM, BUSINESS SHOULD BE LEFT A BUSINESS.

AND, UH, TAXES SHOULD BE LEFT FOR STREETS AND PEOPLE TO MANAGE, PEOPLE TO MANAGE GRASS AND LIBRARY FOUNDATIONS AND, AND THINGS THAT WE NEED INSTEAD OF JUST STEADY SPENDING MONEY AFTER MONEY, AFTER MONEY ON, UH, CONSULTANTS AND, UH, MAYOR.

THREE MINUTES IS UP, UH, TO SUSPEND THE RULES.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I'M EXTENDING EVERYBODY TONIGHT, SO, WELL, I I'M ALMOST FINISHED.

I MEAN, UH, WE, WE'VE SPENT SO MANY MILLIONS IN IT, AND I'VE TRIED TO ADD IT UP.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S, IT'S OVER THE $25 MILLION MARK ON, ON JUST, UH, TO ME, NONSENSE.

I VOTED AGAINST EVERY CONSULTANT THAT WE, WE HAD BROUGHT UP ON THE EDC, DIDN'T VOTE FOR ANY OF THEM.

UH, I'M IN A DIFFERENT, I'M IN A DIFFERENT PLACE IN MY LIFE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE.

I SEE A LOT, I SEE A LOT OF BUSINESS DEALS A LOT, AND, AND I MAKE BIG BUSINESS DEALS.

AND, UH, I'M DEFINITELY NOT SMART ENOUGH TO PUT THOSE DEALS TOGETHER.

AND I'VE LEARNED THAT, UH, SINCE, SINCE MY FORTIES.

SO I SIT BACK AND, AND I BUY THE LAND AND I BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO HAVE THAT CAPABILITY.

AND IT TURNS OUT ALWAYS GOOD.

WE, WE ALWAYS WIN AND WE WIN BIG.

BUT I JUST DON'T SEE 14 PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO COME TOGETHER WITH THE SAME MINDSET.

THERE HAS TO BE ONE LEADER.

THERE HAS TO BE ONE MAN IN CHARGE, ONE MAN BEING, BEING WILLING TO STICK HIS NECK ALL THE WAY OUT.

IT HAS TO BE HIS MONEY.

IT CAN'T BE TAXPAYER'S MONEY THAT YOU'RE TAKING A CHANCE WITH PEOPLE.

PEOPLE CAN'T, UH, TRY TO GO INTO THE CITY BUSINESS OP OPERATE AND TO SEE IF THEY, IF, IF THEY REALLY HAVE THE, THE WHAT IT TAKES TO OPEN THEIR OWN BUSINESS.

IT'S JUST NOT GONNA WORK.

AND IT'S NOT DEMEANING TO ANYBODY.

NOT, IT'S NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD ABOUT ANY OF Y'ALL AT ALL.

IT'S JUST THAT 14 PEOPLE CAN'T GO IN THAT SAME DIRECTION AND TRY TO BRING IN THE BUSINESS THEY WANT AND MAKE IT WORK.

THAT'S, THAT'S MY OPINION.

HAS, UM, BROUGHT ME BACK TO SOMETHING I'VE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS, UH, WE GOT, IS IT, UH, ANN, UH, IS THAT MARK? MARK, LIKE WALMART? WALMART, OKAY.

AND MARK, SORRY.

THE R AND THE T WE'RE KIND OF, I JUST WANNA MAKE AND MART COME ON UP.

I'M ANN MART.

I LIVE AT EIGHT 60 FM FIVE 17 EAST IN DICKINSON.

THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL, TO THE CITY FOR RESTORING DICKINSON TO HEALTH.

I'VE LIVED HERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND I STAY UP TO DATE.

I READ THIS, UH, THE, UM, AGENDAS AND MINUTES.

I WATCH SOME OF THE VIDEOS, THANK YOU TO THE CITY FOR PROVIDING THOSE.

I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSION ON THE RAILROAD DEPO AND, UH, I'M INTRIGUED THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COME UP THE HOT AS A FUNDING SOURCE FOR IT.

UM, NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BECAUSE IT JUST ISN'T A LARGE ENOUGH REVENUE STREAM OR IF IT'S DOWN IN THE DETAILS OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING, UH, FOR THE DEPOT.

UM, BUT I, IT

[00:35:01]

IS THE CITY REALLY COLLECTING ALL THE HOT THAT IS DUE TO IT, IN PARTICULAR FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS? UM, WITHIN 300 FEET OF MY HOME, THERE ARE THREE AIRBNB PROPERTIES.

NONE OF THESE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS WITH THE CITY.

AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I LIVE WITHIN 300 FEET, IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN A HEARING, I WOULD'VE BEEN NOTIFIED.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS.

UM, AND SO SINCE IT NEVER WENT THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, ANY OF THESE PROPERTIES, IT MAKES ME WONDER, IS THE CITY REALLY GETTING HOT FROM THESE PROPERTIES? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PROPERTIES, I JUST WANT 'EM TO PAY THEIR SHARE TO THE CITY.

UM, I TRIED GETTING AN ANSWER TO THIS, UM, BY SENDING EMAILS AND VOICEMAIL TO THE CITY MANAGER.

UM, BUT I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE.

SO I AM HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE PURSUE ENSURING THAT ALL THE SHORT TERM RENTALS IN THIS CITY THAT YOU ARE COLLECTING THE HOT FROM THEM.

UH, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL OF THEM ARE, MAYBE YOU COULD SET UP A REALLY EASY WAY FOR CITIZENS TO REPORT THEM, BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THERE'S ONE OF THESE ON THEIR STREET.

MY OTHER TOPIC, , IS THE GRASSY EASEMENTS ALONG FM FIVE 17.

FOR THE FIRST 20 OR SO YEARS LIVING HERE, THE CITY PUT OUT A SMALL CONTRACT EVERY YEAR TO A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS WHO DID THE MOWING AND THE EDGING OF THOSE EASEMENTS.

AND IT ALWAYS LOOKED VERY, VERY NICE.

WELL, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY THAT CONTRACT QUIETLY DISAPPEARED AND THE EASEMENTS WEREN'T BEING MOWED AT ALL, AND THEY LOOK TRASHY.

YES, I KNOW IT'S NOT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN FIVE 17.

AND YES, I KNOW THE CITY NOW OCCASIONALLY GOES THROUGH AND KNOCKS DOWN THE BIG STUFF, BUT THEY DON'T EDGE AND IT STILL ALMOST ALWAYS LOOKS TRASHY.

AND SO WE WANNA DEVELOP THIS CITY.

WE WANNA BRING IN TOURISTS, WE WANNA BRING IN BUSINESSES.

IT WOULD REALLY BEHOOVE US IF WE COULD HAVE FIVE 17 NOT LOOK TRASHY WHEN YOU DRIVE INTO TOWN OR MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.

YOU WANT THIS TO BE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO.

SO PLEASE, WOULD YOU ENSURE THAT SHORT TERM RENTAL HOT IS BEING FULLY COLLECTED? AND PLEASE, COULD YOU FIND A WAY TO MAKE FIVE 17 NOT LOOK TRASHY ALL THE TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

THANK, ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR, UH, OH, SORRY.

CORRECTION.

UH, ACTUALLY, JOHN HARRIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO FOUR OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AWESOME.

THAT'S, OH, IS THAT WHAT FOUR IS? FOUR IS PUBLIC.

THERE WE GO.

TO GIVE BACK ONE DAY A WEEK.

SO, UH, I'M JUST HERE TO INFORM COUNSEL AND THE CITIZENS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM THAT THE NEXT DICKINSON POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY WILL BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 19TH.

AND I THINK I'VE CONVINCED COUNCILMAN EDMONDS TO, TO ATTEND, BUT I HAVE APPLICATIONS HERE CURRENTLY.

I THINK THERE'S ONLY ABOUT FIVE OR SIX FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR IT.

BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO LET YOU AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO, WHAT THE CITIZENS ON PATROL DO.

UH, WE ARE ANOTHER SET OF EYES FOR THE DICKINSON PD.

SO WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE PATROLLING, AND THERE'S GENERALLY SOMEONE PATROLLING AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK, BUT WE ALSO DO, UH, TRAFFIC CONTROL DURING THE PARADES.

YOU'LL SEE US OUT THERE WITH A VEST ON IN THE COP CAR WITH THE LIGHTS ON, OR A COUPLE OF THEM ACTUALLY.

UH, WE GO WHENEVER THERE'S SOME FUNCTION THAT, THAT DPD NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH.

BUT WHAT, WHAT WE DO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WHEN WE'RE PATROLLING IS WE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR STRAY ANIMALS.

WE'VE, WE'VE RE I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, OR THE PAIR THAT, THE PAIR OF US THAT DRIVE TOGETHER.

UH, WHEN A LOST PET, WE'VE REUNITED THOSE.

WHEN WE'VE SEEN A TREE BLOWN DOWN IN, IN AN ALLEY OR IN THE STREET, WE'RE OUT THERE.

WE UNIFY PUBLIC WORKS OR THE CITY MANAGER.

UH, WE'VE EVEN SEEN FOLKS THAT WERE IN DISTRESS FROM WHATEVER REASON, DRUGS, ALCOHOL.

WE'VE BROUGHT THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PROPER AUTHORITIES WE DO ON OUR CIRCUIT.

WE MAKE WELFARE CHECKS FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW LIVE ALONE THAT, UH, MAY NOT HAVE ANYBODY ELSE CHECKING ON 'EM.

SO WE GO BY AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY, STOP AND JUST KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

AND IF THEY ANSWER THEM, WE KNOW THEY'RE OKAY, CHECKING ON 'EM.

BUT IT'S A, IT'S A, AN IMPORTANT PART WE THINK OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S A REALLY GREAT WAY FOR FOLKS

[00:40:01]

THIS CLASS IS SIX WEEKS, ONE NIGHT A WEEK, GENERALLY ABOUT TWO HOURS.

AND THEN YOU LEARN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT HOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKS, HOW THE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKS, AND IT'S JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO I'VE GOT SOME APPLICATIONS HERE FOR ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED.

I'LL LEAVE THEM HERE, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

THANK YOU SIR.

UM, AND THEN, UH, WHAT I HAVE FOR THE NEXT ONE IS MR. CHRIS TUCKER, AND IT SAYS SEVEN E.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT TILL SEVEN E WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS? 70.

70.

I WILL PUT THAT ONE ON HERE, ACTUALLY.

LEADS US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WELL, IF THAT'S THE CASE, I HAVE NO MORE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.

I HAVE A COUPLE FOR SEVEN, OR ONE FOR SEVEN D AND ONE FOR SEVEN E.

UM, WHICH LEAD

[5. CONSENT 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 EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND DISCUSSED AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA.

DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE WITH ONE CORRECTION? OKAY.

UH, UNDER COUNCIL COMMENTS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HOLT IS LISTED TWICE AND I BELIEVE THE SECOND SET OF COMMENTS WAS ME.

SO, UH, MOVE TO APPROVE WITH THE UPDATE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED.

OLD

[6.A ORDINANCE NO. XXXX-2026 - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance to amend the official zoning map from (NC) Neighborhood Conservation zoning district to Urban Transition (UT) zoning district approx. ±0.19 acres located at 4404 E 25th St for 4 parcels of land of , parcel ID 612270; and 0.21 acres located at 4410 E 25th St , parcel ID 612271; and approx. ± 0.19 acres located at 4416 E 25th St , parcel ID 612272; and approx. 0.19 acres, located at 4426 E 25th St , parcel ID 183061; providing a repealer clause. (2nd Reading) (Community Development)]

BUSINESS SIX.

A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AND ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP FROM NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION ZONING DISTRICT TO URBAN TRANSITION ZONING DISTRICT FOR FOUR PARCELS OF LAND OF APPROXIMATELY PLUS OR MINUS 0.19 ACRES.

LOCATED AT 4 4 0 4 EAST 25TH STREET.

PARCEL ID 6 1 2 2 7 0 AND 0.21 ACRES LOCATED AT 4 4 1 0 EAST 25TH STREET.

PARCEL ID 6 1 2 2 7 1.

AND APPROXIMATELY PLUS OR MINUS 0.19 ACRES LOCATED AT 4 4 1 6 EAST 25TH STREET.

PARCEL ID 6 1 2 2 7 2.

AND APPROXIMATE 0.19 ACRES LOCATED AT 4 4 2 6 EAST 25TH STREET.

PARCEL ID 1 8 3 0 6 1 PROVIDING A REPEAL CLAUSE.

SECOND READING, MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND.

GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE? AND A SECOND.

SECOND.

UH, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS ABOUT THIS? IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED.

A I AM ACTUALLY PULLING SEVEN A.

SEVEN

[7.A. Discussion and possible action regarding future infrastructure, facility planning, and development of a Capital Improvement Plan. (Maggliolo)]

WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A BIT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.

AND THIS CAN MOVE, UH, TO THE NEXT MEETING, ESPECIALLY, WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INSIGHT ON THE DEPOT AS WELL AS, UH, THE LIBRARY AND A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS OF DISCUSSION WE NEED TO HAVE AS A COUNCIL.

UM, SO I PUT THIS ONE ON HERE, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL IT JUST BECAUSE I, THAT THING WE NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THAT SPECIFIC ITEM.

UM, SO SEVEN B DISCUSSION

[7.B. Discussion and possible action on a long-term marketing proposal for the City of Dickinson. (Maggliolo)]

AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A LONG-TERM MARKETING PROPOSAL FOR THE CITY OF DICKINSON.

UH, ALSO SOMETHING THAT I, I, I PUT ON THE AGENDA AND I REACHED OUT AND TALK TO A MARKETING TEAM THAT, UM, IN MY, IN MY PRIVATE BUSINESS, I, I WAS INTRODUCED TO AND I KIND OF SAW WHAT THEY DO, AND I WANTED TO AT LEAST PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL AS RE WELL AS STAFF TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME AND, UH, GIVE A PRESENTATION AND SHOW THE BENEFITS THAT THEY CAN DO FOR OUR CITY.

ONE OF MY BIGGEST COMPLAINTS FROM THE START OF ME BEING INVOLVED AS THE MAYOR HAS BEEN OUR, OUR LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION, OUR ABILITY TO, TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE AND TO ACTUALLY MODERNIZE THE WEBSITE, UM, AS WELL AS PRODUCING VIDEOS AND HAVING AN ENTIRE MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL.

THAT IS A TOUGH TASK TO ASK FOR ONE PERSON TO DO.

UM, WHEN THIS CORPORA OR THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, UH, WE WOULD GET A TEAM OF FOUR TO FIVE, UH, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE WANT.

I WOULD LET THEM PRESENT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THE OFFER OUT THERE.

UM, THEY WOULD BASICALLY RUN OUR ENTIRE WEBSITE.

THEY WOULD UPDATE EVERYTHING.

UM, THEY WOULD PUSH WHAT WE WANT TO GET OUT TO OUR CITIZENS, MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A SINGLE LINE OF COMMUNICATION THROUGH OUR, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT RUNS OUR CURRENT MARKETING SITUATION.

UM, BUT IT WOULD DO, WHAT IT WOULD DO IS FREE UP HER CAPABILITIES AS WELL AS OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COVERING DOWN, UH, ON POSITIONS THAT THEY ARE NOT HIRED TO DO.

UM, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS, UH, IT IS $5,500 A MONTH FOR THIS.

IT'D BE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN IDEA THAT I WANTED TO BRING.

THIS IS NOT ME SAYING WE NEED TO ROCK AND ROLL WITH IT.

[00:45:01]

THAT IS NOT MY DECISION TO MAKE.

UM, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT $66,000 A YEAR AND WE GET AN ENTIRE TEAM TO MANAGE OUR, OUR MARKETING PLATFORM, AS WELL AS GETTING OUR INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC MORE EFFECTIVELY.

UM, I THINK IT CAN HANDLE A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS. UM, SO WANTED TO OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION AND SEE WHAT ELSE'S THOUGHTS ARE NO QUESTIONS.

YOU BRING THEM AT A COUNCIL MEETING OR WHAT DO YOU I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD INVITE THEM, ABSOLUTELY.

I WOULD INVITE THEM TO COME TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO GIVE THEIR PROPOSAL SO THEY CAN IN INTELLIGENTLY ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

UM, MINE WAS AN INTRODUCTORY, UM, MEETING THAT WE HAD, AND IT WAS JUST, WELL, I THOUGHT ABOUT HIRING HIM FOR MY PERSONAL BUSINESS, UM, AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, LET ME SEE IF ALSO, LET ME SEE IF I CAN BRING YOU IN.

JUST, EVEN IF WE DON'T USE THIS, THIS PLATFORM OR THIS GROUP, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ENTERTAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE A HUGE ISSUE WITH GETTING INFORMATION OUT EFFECTIVELY.

UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, IT IS A, IT IS A TOUGH TASK TO ASK ONE PERSON.

UM, WITH THE LEVEL OF INFORMATION WE'RE TRYING TO GET ACROSS.

UM, THIS WOULD COVER DOWN D-M-D-E-D-C, OUR ACTUAL CITY, AS WELL AS ANY EVENTS THAT GO ON.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, I EXPLAINED TO THEM OUR, UM, OUR RAILROAD MUSEUM, THEY WERE LIKE, ABSOLUTELY, WE WOULD HAVE THAT THING ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PARADES, THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT THROW PARTIES HERE IN THE CITY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN NOW HELP WITH.

UM, THE OVERALL GOAL WOULD BE IF WE'RE, WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO GET THE WORD OUT.

PEOPLE CAN NOW SUBSCRIBE AND PAY FOR IT AND HELP US COVER THE BILL, BUT WE HAVE TO, ONE, WE HAVE TO HAVE A REASON FOR PEOPLE TO WANNA MARKET THROUGH THE CITY AND GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE CITIZENS.

SO IT, IT'S JUST A, UH, IT'S A STRATEGY THAT I KNOW A LOT OF CORPORATIONS ARE MOVING TO WHERE WE CONTRACT THAT SPECIFIC SIDE OUT.

BECAUSE IF WE HAD TO HIRE THREE TO FOUR MARKETING SPECIALISTS, IT'S GONNA COST US $140,000 A YEAR OR MORE.

AND THAT'S PART-TIME.

SO THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THE IDEA WE DON'T HAVE, SO FOR A LITTLE BACKGROUND GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN.

GO AHEAD.

SO DO WE NOT HAVE ANY OTHER CONTRACTS IN PLACE FOR THAT PURPOSE? NO, SIR.

NO, SIR.

WE DON'T.

JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT HAVE A, A PR SPECIALIST ON STAFF.

WE DO NOT HAVE A COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST.

AS WE ONCE DID, IF WE RECALL GOING THROUGH BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, WE CUT OUT SO MANY CUT OUT POSITIONS AND A AND, AND A LOT OF, UH, FLUFF IN THIS PAST BUDGET.

AND WE DID A GREAT JOB.

BUT STILL WE ARE, UH, WE ARE ALL WEARING MULTIPLE HATS.

WE ALL DO MULTIPLE JOBS.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO PUT ALL THIS ON KAITLYN.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO HER.

AND ONE THING THAT I HEAR THE MOST FROM ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN I SPEAK TO, AND THEY ALWAYS SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO GET THIS OUT HERE.

Y'ALL HAVE TO BE MORE ON VIDEOS.

GET YOURSELF, SOME PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE OUR PREVIOUS CITY MANAGERS STILL HERE, AND YOU KNOW THAT, THAT THAT FALLS ON MY SHOULDERS.

IT IS.

BUT MY FOCUS IS ON THIS ORGANIZATION AND INSIDE THESE WALLS, MY FOCUS IS ON BECOMING A BETTER ORGANIZATION EVERY DAY.

WHAT GOES ON OUT THERE, I KNOW WE NEED TO GET IT OUT THERE, BUT THAT IS NOT OF MY CONCERN AT THE MOMENT.

I'M CONCERNED ON RUNNING THIS EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT ORGANIZATION.

SO YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, MAYOR, WE DEFINITELY NEED IT.

UH, I WOULD LOVE TO IF WE CAN AND, UH, I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE A PRESENTATION.

WELL, MAYOR OH, OH, I WAS GONNA SAY, JUST TO CAVEAT ALL OF THAT.

SO WE ARE ASKING, UH, YOU KNOW, CAITLIN MCMILLAN, UH, AN EMPLOYEE OF OUR EDC TO MARKET OUR CITY, SO SHE IS FALLING DOUBLE DUTY ON EDC AND THE, UH, CITY STAFF AS WELL.

SHE'S, SO, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN YOU BOG DOWN OUR EMPLOYEES TO DO THE JOB, WE HIRED THEM FOR, UM, YOU START TO GET, UH, OVERLOADED AND NOW THINGS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

FOR INSTANCE, THAT HOT TAX, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT, BUT I DO KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN, UH, AT THE MAIN DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO UNCOVER SO MANY ISSUES IN THE LAST YEAR.

UM, CORRECT.

CONTACTS IS VERY MINIMAL.

AND IT WENT TO A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS.

UM, MOMENTUM WITH, WE HAVE REAL PEOPLE THAT WANNA DO BUSINESS HERE IN DICKINSON, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD IN A VERY LONG TIME.

SO, LIKE I SAID, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP US BECOME MORE EFFICIENT.

BUT ALSO THE THING THAT BOTHERED ME THE MOST IS OUR CITIZENS DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CITY.

THERE IS A SELECT FEW THAT ARE PAYING ATTENTION, AND I ALWAYS THANK THEM TO, UH, TAKING THEIR TIME TO ACTUALLY COME AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT I WOULD SAY OVER 95 OR MORE PERCENT OF THIS CITY, UH, IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT CITY HALL, UM, OR WHAT CHASE IS DOING, WHAT ANY OF OUR STAFF IS DOING.

UM, WE, WE NEED TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT.

ESPECIALLY IF YOU JUST LOOK AT, FOR INSTANCE, THE DMD SITUATION.

IT ENDED UP ON A, B, C NEWS THAT WE WERE PAYING FOR RENOVATIONS WHEN WE HAVEN'T PAID A DIME FOR THOSE RENOVATIONS.

THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT, UH, PUTS UP TURMOIL.

AND WHEN WE HAVE, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD,

[00:50:01]

AND WHEN WE, THEY SEE THIS AND WHEN THEY SEE THINGS THAT THE, THE TURMOIL BECAUSE OF WE DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION OUT, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THAT'S ONE THING WE CAN CONTROL IS BEING BETTER AT GETTING INFORMATION OUT.

AND THIS IS PART OF THAT PLAN, I GUESS.

SO, YEAH.

MAYOR, MAYOR, IF I COULD ADD, UH, ONE QUESTION WAS ASKED ABOUT PR OR ANYBODY ON TERM, IF I, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE USUALLY BROUGHT IN FOR A PROJECT AND MOST OF WHAT THEY'RE BROUGHT IN FOR HAS BEEN DATA COLLECTION, SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

AND THEN WHEN THE PROJECT RUNS OR HAS COME TO AN END OR THE WHATEVER RELEVANT BOARD DECIDED NOT TO GO FORWARD ON, SAY, A PROJECT, THEY WERE DISMISSED, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, UH, WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP, UM, AT THAT PRICE POINT.

YOU, YOU CAN'T GET, UH, A TEAM OF PEOPLE AT THAT PRICE POINT ANYWHERE ELSE.

I WOULD ALSO BE CURIOUS, UH, TO PROVIDE SOME CONSIDERATION IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE PUT INTO THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF DICKINSON AND DMD AND EDC.

'CAUSE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY, IF, IF WE COULD SHARE THE COSTS AMONG THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, IT MIGHT ALSO BE, UH, COST EFFICIENT FOR US.

BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

AND I'D ALSO BE CURIOUS, UH, TO, TO MAKE IT A LESS OF A BURDEN ON THE CITY, SPECIFICALLY IF WE SPREAD THAT ACROSS MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS.

ANYTHING ELSE THAT, UH, I GUESS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS THAT YOU'D LIKE ME TO PUSH TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE PREPARED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS? UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, OR AT LEAST HAVING THE DISCUSSION, I, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE DO IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, IT'S IRRELEVANT TO ME.

I, I'M GONNA STILL TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THE BEST I CAN.

I THINK THIS IS A, AN EXTREME VALUE ADDED, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS THAT WE'RE IN.

UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY EFFICIENT WITH OUR MONEY.

UH, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE IS YOUR OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, THE AEROSPACE ENGINE, UH, UH, INDUSTRY.

UM, BUT THEY HAVE DIRECT APPLICATIONS THAT COULD HELP US.

UM, ALSO THEY'D BE MODERNIZING COMING IN.

THEY WOULD BE PRODUCING VIDEOS FOR US TO PUT ON THE WEBSITE, UM, TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME AND, AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

SO THE TWO THINGS WE NEED MOST IS A GRANT WRITER AND A PR PERSON.

THERE'S NO DOUBT, MR. COUNCIL, I GOT ONE QUESTION MORE OR LESS FOR THE ATTORNEY.

IF WE DID SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WOULD WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP? GETTING AN RFP PUT OUT WOULD BE ONE WAY TO DO IT.

UM, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE SERVICES PROCUREMENT ACT TO SEE IF IT WOULD FIT UNDER A, UH, DEFINITION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.

'CAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO OUT WITH A RFP.

AND THE ONLY REASON I ASK, I THINK, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO LISTEN TO IT.

I'M FART.

BUT IF WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP, I WOULD LIKE FOR 'EM TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MAY GIVE THE PRESENTATION, BUT WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP.

WE GOTTA FOLLOW THOSE RULES SO THEY COME AND GET A PRESENTATION, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE GOT THE BID.

I DON'T WANT 'EM MAD AT US.

I WILL.

UH, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE'RE, I'LL BE VERY OPEN AND HONEST WITH THEM OF WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS WHEN THEY COME HERE.

THIS IS JUST A PRESENTATION.

THERE IS NO, AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A ONE YEAR CONTRACT YEP.

AT 5,000, WHATEVER IT IS, 60 SOME ODD GRAND, 5,500 A MONTH IS, IS WHAT TOTAL COST WOULD BE.

THAT'S ACTUALLY NOW BELOW THE THRESHOLD.

UH, THE LAWS CHANGED.

THAT HAS RAISED THE THRESHOLD, UH, FROM 50,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT.

SO, ALRIGHT.

WELL THEN I WILL, UM, IF COUNSEL, UH, DO YOU NEED A MOTION? IS DO YOU NEED ACTION HERE OR YOU JUST NEED TO WE JUST NEED TO, I'M JUST INVITING HIM SO I MEAN IT CAN, UM, WE JUST, THERE'S NO ACTION.

YEAH, THERE'S NO ACTION.

I WAS JUST, AS LONG AS EVERYONE'S OKAY WITH IT, UM, I WOULD, YEP.

I DON'T THINK IT CAN HURT.

NO, I AGREE WITH THAT.

SO THEN I WILL BRING THEM TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

I WILL, UH, RELAY THE MESSAGE AND, UH, HAVE THEM COME AND DO THEIR PRESENTATION.

UM, WE'LL GET ALL OF THE SLIDE DECK AND STUFF, UH, AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT WE CAN GET IT ON THE AGENDA.

UH, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ACCEPT THE COMBINED FI UH, FINAL REPORT OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SEVEN C

[7.C. Consideration and possible action to accept the combined Final Report of the Charter Review Commission and City Attorney Recommendations regarding proposed amendments to the City Charter. (Charter Review Commission)]

I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY, ARE WE ALLOWED TO GO ITEM BY ITEM IN A MOTION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM? OR DO WE HAVE TO DO IT OR DO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT IT AS WHOLE CAN?

[00:55:01]

I WAS GONNA SAY, WELL, THE, THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR ACTION IS JUST ACCEPTANCE OF THE REPORT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THE COUNCIL ACCEPTS THE REPORT OF THE, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS CHOOSING WHICH AMENDMENTS, IF ANY, TO SEND TO THE VOTERS.

SO THIS IS NOT SENDING IT TO THE VOTER.

THIS IS ACCEPTING CORRECT.

THE PROPOSAL.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO AND CORRECT BECAUSE THERE, PUSH EACH ITEM.

THERE'S A PROCESS IN THE CHARTER NOW, OKAY.

THAT SPEAKS TO THIS.

SO THE NEXT STEP IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AFTER WHICH, UH, WE HAVE TO PUT THE REPORT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

AND AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE WILL BRING FORTH A RESOLUTION, UH, WITH THE VARIOUS AMENDMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL MIGHT CHOOSE TO ORDER TO BE, UH, ADDED TO A SPECIAL ELECTION NEXT TIME.

PERFECT.

THEN I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE, UM, FINAL REPORT FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW? I, I WILL JUST NOTE A, UM, UH, AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART UNDER AMENDMENT THREE, UH, IN THE WORDING.

UM, THE COMMISSION HAD CHANGED IT TO 11 YEARS AS THE MAX LENGTH.

AND IN THE PROPOSED BALLOT LANGUAGE, I NEGLECTED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.

SO IT STILL SHOWS 12, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE THAT I WOULD PUT IN THE, UH, THE FINAL REPORT.

AND WHAT I'D ALSO DO IS, UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE CHAIRMAN, UH, IF, IF HE'S HERE, IS IT DR.

? RIGHT? THERE HE IS.

SORRY, I WAS LOOKING IN THE, IN THE CROWD.

AND, UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY.

THIS IS NOT A, NOT A FUN THING TO DO.

I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU'D RATHER BE SOMEWHERE ELSE THAN THIS.

BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND ALSO TO THE REST OF YOUR BOARD.

UM, D DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KARNEY? UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, SO, AND I, I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, OKAY, GO AHEAD.

UM, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE TERM LIMIT CONVERSATION.

UM, I'M CURIOUS, WHAT WAS THE RATIONALE FOR EXTENDING BY YEAR? AND NOT A TERM, JUST, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY.

I'M NOT ANTI TERM LIMITS.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, HAVING SERVED ON THE PREVIOUS CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, HOW WE WENT FROM 10 TO 11.

WELL, LET ME, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THIS OCCUPIED PROBABLY AT LEAST A MONTH OF CONVERSATION BY THE COMMITTEE.

AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, UH, THE COMMISSION ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS, UM, IT WASN'T TOTALLY UNANIMOUS.

WE ALL, WE, WE, WE DISCUSSED THINGS IN DEPTH AND WE VOTED ON 'EM AND LOOKED AT 'EM AND FINALLY CAME TO KIND OF A CONSENSUS.

NOW ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, I THINK THE INITIAL DISCUSSION REALLY WAS THAT THE COMMISSION DIDN'T WANNA HAVE A THREE YEAR GAP BETWEEN THE TIME THAT A PERSON COULD SERVE THEIR TERMS AND THEN SAY, APPLY OR, OR, OR RUN FOR MAYOR.

WE WANTED TO SHORTEN THAT AND WE ENDED UP KIND OF ON A COMPROMISE OF ONE YEAR GAP SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A GAP BETWEEN CONTINUOUS, UM, THREE YEAR TERMS AND THEN, UH, SAY A, A COUNCIL MEMBER RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

UM, THE IDEA THEN STARTED TO BE, DO WE STILL STICK WITH THE 10 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE OR CHANGE THAT TO 11 OR 12? PART OF THE COMMISSION REALLY WANTED IT TO BE 12.

THE, THE, THE REASON FOR 11, THAT'S A LONG ANSWER.

I'M SORRY.

I'M A SCIENTIST.

SO WE ALWAYS TALK LONGER THAN WE HAVE TO .

UH, SO THE, THE REASON FOR THE 11 WAS, WAS THIS, IF SOMEONE COMES IN TO FILL, UH, A VACATED TERM, SAY AFTER THE FIRST YEAR , THEN THEY MIGHT, THEN THEY MIGHT, UH, IN FACT, UM, SERVE ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS OF THAT VACATED TERM AND THEN STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THREE FULL TERMS. SO IF IT WAS, IF THEY, IF THEY ONLY SERVED ONE YEAR OF THAT THREE YEAR TERM, THEN 10 YEARS IS SUFFICIENT.

BUT IF THEY, IF THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE SUCH THAT THEY HAD TO SERVE TWO YEARS OF A FIRST TERM AND THEN WERE STILL ELECTED TO THREE FULL TERMS, THAT WOULD BE 11 YEARS RATHER THAN 10.

SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY THE WAY WE KIND OF WORKED THROUGH IT.

THE BILL, BUT, AND I'M JUST SAYING CURIOUS.

WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS REASONS.

NO, I'M KIDDING.

THAT'S A CUT LEVELS HERE.

I GUESS THE ONLY, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THAT THOSE TECH DID COME UP , THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD IS ARE DO WE, ARE WE LIMITED TO, WE HAVE TO PUT YEAR LIMITS OR CAN WE JUST SAY THREE FULL TERMS? AND SO ANY UNEXPIRED IS COMPLETELY IRE NOT UTILIZED.

UM, AND THEN I GUESS THAT KIND OF STILL FITS

[01:00:01]

'CAUSE IF Y'ALL HAD THAT CONVERSATION, IF THAT EVEN A POSSIBILITY.

WE, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THAT.

UM, THE ORIGINAL TERM LIMIT HAD A 10 YEAR MM-HMM .

LIMIT TO THAT.

AND SO THAT'S THE WAY THE CHARTER READS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE DISCUSSED, UM, DO YOU GET RID OF THAT? DO YOU CHANGE IT? UM, THE, THE COMMISSION BASICALLY FELT, UM, YOU GUYS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE ARE A LOT OF 'EM HERE.

DON'S OUT HERE, AND I DIDN'T SEE GARLAND.

BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THE, UM, THE, THE OVERALL FEELING WAS THAT WE STILL NEEDED THAT IN THERE.

AND, AND IF I COULD ADD A, A PIGGYBACK ON THAT, THE PREVIOUS CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, THERE WAS SPIRITED DISCUSSION WHEN WE GOT TO WHY NOT, WHY NOT COUNT? UH, WHY, WHY THE POSSIBILITY TO DISREGARD SOMEONE COMING IN ON UNEXPIRED TERMS? IT WAS, IT WAS, THEY, THEY, THEY, PEOPLE WERE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO THAT.

THEY WANTED, THEY WANTED A A DEFINITE YEAR.

NEXT QUESTION.

UM, THE ONLY OTHER ONE I HAD, UM, OUTTA CURIOSITY, WAS THERE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT ON THE TERM LIMITS SEPARATING THE MAYOR FROM CITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF TERM LIMITS, LIKE POS, THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE SERVING THEIR TERMS AND THEN THE VERY NEXT ELECTION WITHOUT A TIME OFF BEING ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR MAYOR? YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WHOLE QUESTION WAS, COULD SAY A COUNCIL MEMBER IMMEDIATELY RUN FOR ELECTION, UH, AS A MAYOR.

AND SO THE, THE, THE DISCUSSION REALLY WENT, YOU KNOW, IS THE MAYOR SEPARATE FROM THE COUNCIL IN FUNCTION? AND IN SOME CASES, YES.

UH, BUT THERE WAS ALSO A FEELING OF THE COMMISSION THAT WE DIDN'T WANNA MAKE A SEPARATE CASE FOR THE MAYOR AS OPPOSED TO RUNNING FOR ANOTHER COUNCIL POSITION.

BUT I THINK THAT THE, UM, SO WE DID NOT MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.

NOW, COULD THERE BE YES.

I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS FELT THAT IF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WANTED TO RUN FOR MAYOR, THAT INITIALLY WE WERE DISCUSSING, WELL, MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A GAP AT ALL.

BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT IF SOMEBODY WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEY WERE GOING TO, UM, TURN IN THEIR PAPERWORK TO RUN FOR MAYOR, THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT.

AND ONCE THEY ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD BE OFF OF COUNCIL AND THEY PROBABLY, BY THE TIME THEY DID A CAMPAIGN, WOULD HAVE A YEAR OF ONE A YEAR GAP AT LEAST.

ANYWAY.

BUT THE OTHER REASON FOR HAVING A GAP YEAR IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GAP YEAR, THEN YOU'RE SERVING CONSECUTIVE TERMS. OKAY.

SO IF YOU HAVE THE ONE YEAR GAP, THEN, THEN THAT SEPARATES THAT.

SO A PERSON, IF, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT, SAY A PERSON COULD RUN FOR MAYOR AFTER BEING ON COUNCIL, BUT THEY WOULD STILL BE LIMITED IF IT'S CONSECUTIVE TERMS TO THAT 10 OR 11 YEAR RULE, OR 12 YEARS, BUT NOW IT'S 11, UH, WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE A GAP YEAR, THEN THAT'S NOT CONSECUTIVE.

THAT'S, THAT'S AT LEAST THE WAY OUR, OUR ESTEEMED ATTORNEY AND EXPLAINED IT TO US WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON IT.

IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR, UH, THERE WAS DISCUSSION, UH, ABSOLUTELY AMONGST THE COMMISSION MEMBERS REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT TO DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE MAYOR VERSUS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND THE CONSENSUS, UH, WAS NOT TO DO THAT.

AND SO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER POSITIONS ARE TREATED ALL THE SAME.

AND SERVICE ON, UH, ANY ON EITHER OF THOSE SEATS WOULD COUNT AGAINST THE THREE FULL TERM TERM LIMIT.

SO, UH, I'M SORRY, BUT IF, IF A LAWYER CAN ANSWER MORE SUCCINCTLY, , I APPRECIATE IT.

SO, SO I GUESS THE, SO IF YOU ARE, LET'S SAY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RUNS FOR THREE STRAIGHT TERMS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, THEY ARE ABLE TO ALSO RUN FOR MAYOR AS THREE CONSECUTIVE, BUT THOSE CANNOT BE TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHEN THE, THE GAP.

SO THE GAP, BUT A YEAR OFF, YOU'RE NOT LIMITED.

SO BECAUSE THE, I GUESS THE BIG THING IS LIKE, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S THE MAYOR OR COUNCIL MEMBER, WE, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME VOTE.

SO FOR INSTANCE, IF I GET OFF, I CAN WAIT A YEAR COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, I WANNA RUN FOR COUNCIL AFTER THE TERM EXPIRATION, AFTER YOUR NUMBER, SORRY, AFTER YOUR NUMBER, YOUR MAXIMUM NUMBER OF TERMS, YOU STILL HAVE TO WAIT THREE YEARS TO APPLY.

WELL, WITH THIS CHANGE, IF YOU'VE FULFILLED YOUR THREE FULL CONSECUTIVE TERMS AND OKAY.

RIGHT NOW THE WAY THE CHARTER IS WRITTEN IS THE GAP IS THREE YEARS, BUT WHAT WE'RE CHANGING IT TO IS TO ONE YEAR THE COMMISSION PROPOSING CHANGE IF THE VOTER OKAY.

I JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION.

PERFECT.

TO COME TO ANY OF Y'ALL'S Y'ALL'S MEETINGS.

UM, THE OTHER QUESTION, LIKE I SAID, I APOLOGIZE.

I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE

[01:05:01]

UM, FORTUNATELY I GOT A LOT OF OTHER STUFF I, I'VE OBLIGATED MYSELF TO.

UM, BUT I'M GLAD WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER ONE, ACTUALLY.

UM, I KNOW RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UH, A QUORUM OF FIVE AND WE'RE GONNA CHANGE IT TO FOUR.

AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

IT'S A, WELL, IT'S THE PROPOSAL, RIGHT? YEAH.

I'M JUST ASKING AS IN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, YOU OPEN IT UP FOR A TIE, I GUESS IS THE ONE THING I WANTED TO BRING UP AND ASK IF THAT CONVERSATION WAS HAD.

SO IF WE HAVE A QUORUM OF FOUR AND WE DO BUSINESS WITH THOSE FOUR, THERE CAN BE A TWO TO TWO TIE, RIGHT? SURE.

SO NO MATTER WHAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THREE VOTES TO, TO PASS SOMETHING.

SO WITHIN THE SAME THING WITH FIVE PEOPLE HERE, STILL GOTTA HAVE THREE VOTES.

BUT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A TIE ABILITY.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATE LAW SAYS IT'S 50% PLUS ONE IS A QUORUM.

WE'RE ACTUALLY THE SAME THING.

WHETHER IT'S FOUR OR FIVE, THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAVE TO VOTE TO APPROVE IT.

YOU VOTE IN THE, I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING IS WHY ARE WE CHANGING IT TO A FOUR WHEN NOW YOU OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF, LET'S SAY HIM AND I DISAGREE ABOUT SOMETHING AND THEN HIM AND I DISAGREE, OR HIM AND THOSE TWO DISAGREE ABOUT SOMETHING AND WE'RE AT A TWO, TWO SPLIT.

WELL, WE GOTTA COME BACK TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND NOW WE GOTTA HAVE FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN TO VOTE.

'CAUSE WE'RE AT A TWO, TWO SPLIT.

SO, SO I, THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION OF LIKE, HOW DO WE HANDLE THE SPLIT TIE STUFF, WHICH THAT USED TO BE THE MAYOR'S DECISION TO IT.

IT'S A TIE, YOU KNOW, AND FOR A MEASURE OF TO PASS, YOU HAVE TO GET A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES.

AND SO YES, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LOWERING THE QUORUM REQUIREMENT TO FOUR, YOU KNOW, MEANS THAT IF YOU HAVE A BARE QUORUM, YOU COULD HAVE A TIE VOTE.

BUT AS THINGS STAND NOW, YOU COULD HAVE SIX MEMBERS SHOW UP ONE DAY AND STILL HAVE A TIE VOTE THREE, A THREE, NOT NO, I, I GET THAT.

BUT SAYING THE BARE MINIMUM IS FOUR.

RIGHT? WE CAN'T SAY YOU, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ODD NUMBER, BUT WE CAN SAY MINIMUMS AND WE CAN SAY MINIMUMS, RIGHT? YEAH.

I THINK, I THINK THE INITIAL DISCUSSION, OKAY, THAT'S WAS THAT TO HAVE A REGULAR MEETING, YOU WOULD ONLY HAVE TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE THERE.

AND SO IF, IF THE VOTE WAS THREE TO ONE, YOU COULD STILL PASS MM-HMM .

UH, ON, ON, ON AN ITEM.

BUT, UM, IF YOU'LL NOTICE AS YOU READ THROUGH THIS, WE ALSO KEPT, UM, A MAJORITY, UH, OF FIVE POSITIVE VOTES FOR CERTAIN ACTIONS, UM, IN, IN HIRING AND, AND IN FIRING MM-HMM .

CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.

AND I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE WE, WHERE WE CAME DOWN ON IT, THAT WE STILL WANTED TO HAVE THAT FIVE VOTE FOR CERTAIN CRITICAL ISSUES.

BUT THAT FOR A MEETING YOU WANTED TO HAVE FOUR.

AND I, IN MY OWN MIND, I THINK THAT, UM, THAT ALSO AFFECTS A LITTLE BIT OF THE OPEN MEETING ACT TO PREVENT, UM, UH, SAY FOUR MEMBERS FROM SHOWING UP AT A MEETING AND SAYING, WELL, WE'RE NOT A QUORUM, BUT WE CAN STILL KIND OF TALK ABOUT THINGS.

WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, I MEAN, IF YOU, IF THE QUORUM IS FIVE, UH, THEN FOUR PEOPLE COULD GET TOGETHER AND THEY'RE NOT A QUORUM.

BUT IF YOU HAVE THE QUORUM BEFORE, THEN YOU, YOU, YOU PREVENT, YOU PREVENT A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL, OF ENTIRE COUNCIL FROM HAVING A DISCUSSION THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED A QUORUM, AND YET HAVING ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS THAT, THAT WORKS FOR ME.

I, I, THAT'S, I JUST READ, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION AND UH, I, LIKE I SAID, I FIGURED Y'ALL YEAH.

IF I RECALL CORRECTLY AS WELL, WHEN THE QUORUM WAS ORIGINALLY FIVE, THAT WAS WHEN THE MAYOR COULDN'T VOTE ANYWAY.

GOT IT.

UM, BUT WE, WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES.

LIKE, LIKE, UH, UH, ATTORNEY DAWN MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD SOME TIMES WHERE THE COUNCIL, ONLY THREE PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND SOMETHING GOT LOCKED.

THREE THREE, SAME THING.

UM, DMD AND OTHER THINGS.

IT'S JUST, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

I MEAN, THE COUNTY COMMISSION, THEY HAD SOME, SOME THINGS WHERE ONLY FOUR PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND IT GOT LOCKED.

TWO, TWO.

UM, YEAH, I'M, I'M PERFECT.

I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION.

'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME TO MY HEAD, BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT, IT EXPLAINED THAT WAY.

THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

SO THAT IT WAS DISCUSSED MORE IN ONE MEETING.

, THIS IS, UM, UH, THE OTHER ONE IS THE, SO I HAVE ONE OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THE STIPEND.

UH, WHY ARE WE INCREASING OUR STIPEND? YOU'RE NOT INCREASING, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, YEAH.

WE'RE NOT INCREASING THE STIPEND.

STIPEND, THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW IS, UH, 75 DO $75 PER REGULAR MEETING.

MEETING OR IS A WORKSHOP, OR IS IT A BUDGET HEARING OR THOSE, BUT LOVE THAT IDEA.

UH, YOU'RE HAVING TWO REGULAR MEETINGS PER MONTH, AND IN SOME CASES YOU'RE HAVING MORE THAN TWO REGULAR MEETINGS AND YOU'RE HAVING WORKSHOPS AND YOU'RE HAVING OTHER THINGS.

AND SO IT WAS, IT WAS THOUGHT THAT INSTEAD OF DEFINING THAT, IT WAS EASIER TO SAY, LET'S KEEP IT AT THE $150, WHICH IS THE SAME AMOUNT AS NOW, BUT LET'S CALL IT, UH, IT'S CAPPED MONTHLY STIPEND.

AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH, WELL, IS THAT A REGULAR

[01:10:01]

I WOULD, I WOULD ADD THOUGH, JUST ON THAT WE DIDN'T GET PAID FOR WORKSHOPS OR EXTRA MEETINGS.

I KNOW.

UH, SO, BUT NO, WELL, IT DOES SIMPLIFY THE ACCOUNTING SIM SIMPLY PART OF THE, UH, THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE IS BEFORE WE WENT BACK TO TWO MEETINGS A MONTH, YOU WERE HAVING ONE REGULAR MEETING AND THEN ONE SPECIAL MEETING, SO YOU WEREN'T BEING COMPENSATED FOR YOUR SPECIAL MEETING.

CAN WE PUT THIS, UH, WELL, I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE OTHER QUESTION, BUT WE CAN'T, WE TRY AND PUT THE, THIS JUST TO, UM, JUST, THIS IS JUST TO ACCEPT THEM.

WHEN I'M JUST ASKING, JUST 'CAUSE I SAW YES, SIR.

PULL IT UP.

IF, IF YOU COULD JUST SO, SO THE AUDIENCE CAN, AND I GUESS HERE'S THE, THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, AND THIS IS KIND OF A BIG ONE.

UM, AND I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO SOME POLICE OFFICERS, UM, LOCALLY AND NOT LOCALLY.

WHAT WAS THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND PUTTING THE POLICE CHIEF UNDER CITY COUNCIL RATHER THAN KEEPING HIM UNDER OUR CITY MANAGER? YEAH, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING.

AND, UM, THE IDEA WAS THAT COUNCIL REALLY FELT THAT THEY SHOULD APPOINT THE, THE POLICE CHIEF AND, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY.

UM, BUT THERE'S, IT'S, IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND THE POLICE CHIEF BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER STILL, YOU KNOW, HAS TO BRING THE BUDGET TO THE COUNCIL.

THE COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE THAT THE WAY IT WAS, THE WAY IT IS IN THE CURRENT CHARTER, THE MANAGER, UM, BASICALLY APPOINTS WITH APPROVAL OF COUNCIL, THE POLICE CHIEF, UM, OR DOES THE, SO IN I ESSENCE, IT'S ALMOST THE SAME THING EXCEPT FOR, UH, THE, WE, THERE WAS SOME FEELING THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE COUNCIL BE INVOLVED IN THAT, BUT MY GUESS IS THAT THE COUNCIL WILL STILL HAVE THE CITY MANAGER, UH, GO THROUGH THE, SOME OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESSES AND, AND PROPOSE BACK TO COUNSEL THAT APPROVAL.

UH, BUT SO THAT WAS THE DECISION.

AND I GUESS THE, IT IT KIND OF THE RE YOU KNOW, UH, SO MR. WILBURN AND HIS COMMENTS ACTUALLY STEMMED A THOUGHT OF WHY THIS KIND OF TRIGGERED IS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, HE TALKED ABOUT THE 14 MEMBERS BETWEEN EDC AND COUNCIL, AND NOW YOU HAVE A POLICE CHIEF THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY, AND NOW THEY HAVE SEVEN BOSSES, UM, THAT CHANGE EVERY THREE YEARS POTENTIALLY.

SO I GUESS THE WHY ARE WE NOT PUTTING IT, I GUESS THIS IS FROM EVERYBODY'S RIGHT? IS WHY DON'T WE KEEP IT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER? AND THE CITY MANAGER IS WHO WE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE IF THE POLICE CHIEF ISN'T DOING HIS JOB.

SO WHEN WE HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES, RIGHT? THE PROBLEM IS, IS PEOPLE HAVE WEAPONIZED IN THE PAST, THE, UH, THE POLICE, UM, ESPECIALLY POLITICIANS MORE THAN CITY STAFF THAT CAN BE HIRED AND FIRED.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REALM BETWEEN HIRED AND, AND UM, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS.

SO THERE'S NO WAY TO GET AROUND CORRUPT PEOPLE, RIGHT? WE DON'T MAKE RULES BASED ON CORRUPTION.

BUT I KNOW THAT I HAVE NO BUSINESS RUNNING A POLICE CHIEF.

I DON'T, I'M NOT A POLICE OFFICER.

NO, WE'RE GOOD.

UM, THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS JUST, UH, BEGINNING TALKS, RIGHT? THIS ISN'T GOING ON THE BALLOT OR NOTHING.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT Y'ALL THOUGHT BEHIND IT WAS.

NO, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE THOUGHT.

I THINK, UM, I THINK, AND THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THIS, UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, DO WE HAVE THE POLICE CHIEF RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING AND FIRING DEPUTIES OR OTHER OFFICERS, OR SHOULD THAT BE UNDER THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL? MM-HMM .

ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WAS THE CITY MANAGER MAY NOT REALLY KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE POLICE CHIEF.

SO SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS WE THOUGHT WERE BETTER IN THE HANDS OF A POLICE CHIEF.

WE ALSO THOUGH, MADE I THINK A NUMBER OF CHANGES, UH, TO WHERE, OR WE, WE CHANGED SOME OF THE WORDING SO THAT NO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER OR COUNSEL CAN IN FACT DIRECT THE POLICE CHIEF OR THE OTHER OFFICERS.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE INVOLVED IN, UM, IN THE APPOINTMENT, BUT NOT IN THE OVERSEEING.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE, THE CONCEPT OF SEVEN BOSSES, UH, DIDN'T REALLY COME UP BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT WE ALSO HAD COVERED THE FACT THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD NOT DIRECT THE POLICE CHIEF OR ANY OF THE STAFF, UM, INDIVIDUALLY.

SO, SO I MEAN, I CLEARLY WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING AND WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH IT.

AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT I FIGURED THIS, NONE OF THIS STUFF IS EASY.

THESE ARE GONNA BE HARD DISCUSS DECISIONS AND NOT EVERYBODY'S

[01:15:01]

GONNA AGREE.

SO I I, I COMPLETELY, THIS WAS, THIS WAS AT LEAST, UH, THREE OR THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS.

OH, GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

I'LL, I'LL COME BACK NEXT WEEK IF THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS, UH, OKAY.

AS YOU GO THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY ELSE? COMMENTS, CONCERNS? ALL RIGHT.

UH, MAYOR, CAN WE GET A PROCEDURAL QUESTION ANSWERED WITH RESPECT TO THIS PROJECT? WELL, WE'RE, WE, WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO WHENEVER WE DO EACH ITEM NEXT TIME.

SO THIS IS JUST TO PUT THESE, UH, UP FOR DISCUSSION.

SO I GUESS THE PROCEDURAL QUESTION I HAVE ON BEHALF OF STAFF IS, WILL, WHEN WE PUT THESE UP FOR DISCUSSION, WILL, AT THAT POINT THERE WILL BE A OVERALL VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL ADD ALL OF THEM TO, WE'RE GONNA DO EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE AND YOU'RE GONNA DO EACH INDIVIDUAL, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS EACH, THAT'S THEY ONE, RIGHT? SAY VOTE ON EACH ONE BY ITSELF AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

NEXT ONE WE HAVE IS CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF REAUTHORIZING THE LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF MUNICIPAL STREETS.

UH, SO IF THAT'S CASE ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL MOTION PASSES.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

[7.D. ORDINANCE NO. XXX-2026 - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance calling a special election for the purpose of reauthorizing the local sales and use tax for maintenance and repair of municipal streets. (Edmonds)]

MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND.

AND I HAVE, UH, WELL, I MOVE TO APPROVE AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND IT.

SIR, DO I GOT, I GOT A SECOND.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE COMMENT FROM MR. JOE WILBURN.

YOU GOT THIS SECOND MR. YOU GOOD? ALRIGHT.

UH, DO YOU WANT 70 E AS WELL, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO, I'LL TAKE 70.

SO 70, UH, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS ABOUT THIS SITUATION? I, I BROUGHT THIS UP AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COST SAVINGS.

UH, NEXT YEAR IS A NON-ELECTION YEAR FOR THE CITY OF DICKINSON.

SO ALLOWING THE REAUTHORIZATION TO OCCUR DURING THIS REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION AND IT PASSING ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR IT, UH, NEXT YEAR IN ORDER TO KEEP THE SALES TAX.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT UP.

SO IT IS ONLY AT A COST SAVINGS MEASURE.

MAKES SENSE TO ME.

ME AND I GUESS JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE WE DO IT ON AN ELECTION YEAR, IT WOULD MATCH UP GOING FORWARD.

WE WOULDN'T NEED TO, IT WOULD NOT FOR A LITTLE WHILE ANYWAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? ALRIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASS.

E CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFYING VOTERS OF THE CITY, A BALLOT PROPOSITION TO ABOLISH THE SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE DICKINSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

SEVEN

[7.E. ORDINANCE NO. XXX-2026 - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance calling a special election for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of the City a ballot proposition to abolish the sales and use tax for the benefit of the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation and increase the City’s sales and use tax for general revenue. (Shrader) (Part 1 of 2)]

INCREASE THE CITY AND INCREASE THE CITY SALES AND USE TAX FOR GENERAL REVENUE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ORDERING A NON-BINDING SPECIAL ELECTION TO CONSIDER DISILLUSION OF THE TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

AND ITS ASSOCIATED SALES TAX ADOPTING ADDITIONAL ONE QUARTER CENT SALES TAX SHOULD BE DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND, RESULTING IN NO NET CHANGE OF SALES TAX RATE FOR THE CITY OF DICKINSON, TEXAS.

UH, SO I HAVE A MOTION, DO I HAVE A SECOND? DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

MOTION DIES.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? YEAH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND NOT TO ABOLISH THE SALES TAX 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE WRONG WORDING.

BUT TO GIVE THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE QUARTER CENT SALES TAX THAT'S LEFT FOR THE EDC AND MOVE IT TO THE GENERAL FUND JUST LIKE WE DID IN THE UH, SEVEN D WHERE IT'S USED FOR GENERAL FUND FOR STREETS AND DRAINAGE.

WELL, SEVEN D IS A STREET AND MAINTENANCE TAX.

THAT'S A COMPLETELY, THAT'S NOT A GENERAL FUND.

IT'S A DIFFERENT, THEY TOOK HALF OF THE MONEY FROM THE EDC HALF IN SALES TAX.

SALES TAX, BUT ACTUALLY THE BALLOT LANGUAGE WOULD NEED TO SAY ABOLISH THE EDC SALES TAX.

AND THEY MOVED IT THAT QUARTER CENT FOR STREETS.

NO, I KNOW THAT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING MOVING THIS SECOND QUARTER TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR STREET AND DRAINAGE.

SO IT'S NOT THE GENERAL FUND, IT'S THE STREETS AND MAINTENANCE FUND.

STREET AND MAINTENANCE FUND.

WELL, I MEAN THOSE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

SO YOU PUT IT IN GENERAL FUND, BUT IT'S FOR STREET AND DRAINAGE.

SO IN THE BUDGET CYCLE YOU MOVE IT INTO STREET AND DRAINAGE.

BUT IF YOU LIKE THE TERMINOLOGY STREET AND DRAINAGE BETTER, I'LL USE THAT TO MAKE IT EASY.

WELL, SO I GUESS THE, THE THING IS, IS WE HAVE TO MAKE IT 'CAUSE THE VOTERS HAVE TO VOTE ON BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

SO IF IT'S GONNA BE, ALRIGHT, SO ALRIGHT THERE YOU MADE YOUR MOTION.

SO FOR THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND, BUT TO USE, WELL THE MOTION WAS NOT FOR THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND.

THE MOTION WAS TO, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND WAS SAYING IT WOULDN'T BE TO ABOLISH THE UH, EDC

[01:20:01]

THERE'S NO MOVING IT.

YOU ARE ABOLISHING A DEDICATED SALES TAX BECAUSE THAT SALES TAX CAN ONLY BE USED TO BENEFIT AN EDC.

UH, YOU ARE ABOLISHING THAT TO CREATE THE CENT SALES TAX INCREMENT LEFT BEFORE WE HIT, YOU KNOW, 2 CENTS MM-HMM .

AND SO, UM, AND THEN WE WOULD THEN EAT UP THAT QUARTER ASCENT INCREMENT BY INCREASING, WELL THE WAY THE ITEM IS LISTED BY INCREASING THE CITY'S GENERAL REVENUE SALES TAX, UH, TO TAKE UP THAT QUARTER ASCENT.

BUT YOUR MOTION WOULD HAVE IT BASICALLY BE ABOLISHED THE EDC DEDICATED SALES TAX AND ADOPTING OR INCREASING THIS.

WELL, I DON'T, DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE USING THE TERM A ABOLISH.

SURE.

BECAUSE THE VOTERS VOTED ON A HALF INCH SALES TAX.

I MEAN, UH, YEAH.

HALF IN SALES TAX FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND THIS ITEM WOULD BE ALSO IN THE PAST, TOOK AWAY, TOOK IT TO THE VOTERS AND THEY TOOK HALF OF THAT MONEY.

ONE QUARTER PERCENT.

YES SIR.

AND MOVED IT TO THE FOR STREETS.

AND BY USING THE TERM ABOLISH, WHAT SCARES ME IS, IS THAT WHEN YOU USE THE TERM ABOLISHED, THEN YOU'RE ABOLISHING THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX THAT WAS INCORPORATED IN THE, WITH THE EDC ELECTION IN 98.

AND BY DOING THAT, YOU WOULD WIND UP DOING AWAY WITH THE WHOLE HALF-CENT SALES TAX.

THAT'S WHY I'M AFRAID OF USING THE TERM ABOLISHED.

I MAY BE WRONG, BUT THAT WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM WHAT I KNOW HAPPENED, I'M A, I WORRY ABOUT USING THE TERM ABOLISH BECAUSE IT COULD ABOLISH THE WHOLE HALF-CENT SALES TAX.

WE GOTTA START FROM SCRATCH.

WELL THAT, THAT HELPS THAT HALF CENTS SALES TAX IS NO LONGER THERE.

IT WAS ALREADY, UH, REDUCED FROM CENT TO A QUARTER DESCENT.

UH, AND SO THAT HALF CENT SALES TAX IS NOT THERE.

IT'S NOW A QUARTER DESCENT AND YOU ARE TAKING IT DOWN TO ZERO.

SO THEY SAY IN FACT, ABOLISHING IT.

SO THE ONE THING THAT I READ OR NOT READ, THE STATE LAW STATES THAT IT CAN ONLY BE AS MINIMAL AS 0.12 CENT SALES TAX.

IF IT GOES BELOW THAT, YOU HAVE TO ABOLISH IT.

SO WE'RE NOT REDUCING IT LIKE Y'ALL DID PREVIOUSLY.

Y'ALL REDUCED IT, BUT IT STILL EXISTED THE MOMENT YOU PUT A ZERO, IT ABOLISHES IT.

YOU BROUGHT UP GOOD POINT.

AND MAYBE I SHOULD, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK TO MAKE IT NOT SO LONG, BUT THERE IS STILL THINGS THAT THE EDC ARE OBLIGATED FOR MM-HMM .

AND WHAT I, WHAT I WANT THE TAX TO DO IS IT HAS TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY WERE.

SO YOUR GENERAL FUND'S NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR, BUT ANY EXCESS BE SENT OVER TO, TO SCREECH AND DRAINAGE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD IT TO DO THAT, TO DO THAT.

IT WOULDN'T BE A, A BALLOT MEASURE LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

ACTUALLY HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.

COUNCILMAN TOWNSEND, WHAT IF WE WERE TO DO TRANSFER AN EIGHTH OVER THERE AND THAT WOULD LEAVE FUNDS FOR THE EDC TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS? 'CAUSE I THINK THAT PARKING GARAGE IS A 20 YEAR OBLIGATION.

CAN YOU SAY IT COULDN'T BE LESS THAN IT'S A ONE EIGHTH IS THE SMALLEST INCREMENT THAT YOU CAN HAVE.

WE CAN BE, YEP.

I THINK THE WORD, WHEN I SIT DOWN WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, MY WORD IS REALLOCATE.

UH, I MEAN I DON'T WANNA ABOLISH IT.

I'M WANNA REALLOCATE IT.

THE, THE QUESTION I HAVE.

SO ONCE AGAIN, WE NEED A MOTION, BUT I, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IS ARE WE PUTTING IT IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS WE CAN USE IT FOR ANYTHING WE NEED IN THE CITY? OR ARE WE PUTTING IT AND WE'RE INCREASING THE LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF MUNICIPAL STREETS, WHICH IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE FUND THAN OUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ALLOCATE WHICH, 'CAUSE IF WE PUT IT IN THAT STREETS AND DRAINAGE ONLY, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR STREETS AND MAINTENANCE.

THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, MY UNDERSTANDING, MAYOR.

'CAUSE I MEAN THIS CONVERSATION HAS COME UP BEFORE, UM, THERE'S BEEN EXPRESSED DESIRE TO REALLOCATE THE FUNDING, BUT APPARENT THE WAY IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME PREVIOUS IS THE WAY THE LAW IS SET UP, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE TO ABOLISH ONE AND THEN HAVE A SECOND BALLOT MEASURE TO GIVE THE PEOPLE THE OPTION TO THEN MAKE OR INCREASE ONE FOR THE OTHER.

BUT THERE WE COULDN'T MOVE IT AROUND.

THEY HAD TO BE TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS WITH, WITH TWO SEPARATE BALLOT INITIATIVES.

THAT'S AT LEAST THAT'S HOW IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME BEFORE.

SO WE NEED A MOTION BEFORE WE CAN

[01:25:01]

SO I NEED, I NEED SOMETHING OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUSH IT TO THE NEXT MEETING IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH THE RIGHT WORDING.

I MAKE A MOTION REALLOCATE THE, THE UH, THE MONEY THAT EDC GETS NOW TO THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THAT'S WHAT UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I DISCUSSED THIS THE OTHER DAY.

AND HE SAID THIS IS APPROPRIATELY FINE.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE TWO, TWO, UH, PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT THAT WAY.

LIKE SOME WHO HAVE, UH, ABOLISHED THEIR ACTUAL EDC AND THEN WANTED ANOTHER VOTE TO PUT IT TOWARDS PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION OR WHATEVER THEY WANT TO, THAT'S, THAT'S MY MOTION IS TO REALLOCATE IT TO THE GENERAL FUND THAT LETS THE COUNCIL DETERMINE THEN IF WE WANT TO USE ALL OF IT FOR EDC, ALL OF IT FOR STREETS, WE CAN DO THAT.

UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR THE MOTION? AND SO COUNCILMAN SCHRADER'S MOTION IS, IS JUST TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE AS DRAFTED.

'CAUSE THE ORDINANCE AS DRAFTED ACHIEVES EXACTLY THAT.

IT IS A COMBINED BALLOT THAT ASKS A COMPOUND QUESTION, THE FIRST PART OF WHICH IS TO ABOLISH THE EDC SALES TAX.

AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF WHICH IS TO INCREASE THE CITY'S GENERAL REVENUE SALES TAX BY THAT SAME COR SENT AND UH, TO COUNCILMAN SIMPSON'S QUESTION ABOUT THE BALLOT MEASURES HAVING TO BE SEPARATE.

UH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY CORRECT, SIR, UNTIL 2017 WHEN THE LAW CHANGED AND ALLOWS EXACTLY THIS, THE COMBINED BALLOT, UH, PROPOSAL SO THAT A CITY DOESN'T RISK ASKING TWO SEPARATE QUESTIONS.

ONE, DO AWAY WITH ATTACKS, WHICH VOTERS WILL SAY, HECK YEAH.

AND TWO, HEY, LET'S REIMPOSE THAT TAX TO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND THE VOTERS SAY, HECK NO.

AND THEN NOW YOU'VE LOST THE TAX.

AND SO THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW.

NOW I, I WANNA JUST KIND OF ASK THEM FOR CLARIFICATION.

ARE WE IN THIS UH, PROPOSAL, UH, WE TALKING ABOUT ELIMINATING THE EDC OR THAT WE'RE JUST HOLDING THE PURSE STRINGS FOR THE EDC? IT'S JUST, UH, TAKING AWAY THE TAX THAT IS THE EDCS REVENUE SOURCE.

RIGHT? IT'S NOT ABOLISHING DOES ELIMINATE ELIMINATE THE E-D-C-E-D-C ITSELF OR WE JUST HOLDING THE PURSE STRINGS? JUST THE PURSE STRINGS.

SO I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION AS INTO WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS, UM, IS THE FIRST QUESTION.

UM, AND I HAVE FOLLOW ON.

AND UM, SO I GUESS WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE? AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STREETS AND DRAINAGE 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 0.25 CENT SALES TAX.

UH, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING OUR REVENUE TO GENERAL FUND OF $2 MILLION MAY RIGHT POINT OF ORDER.

CAN WE, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO OPEN DISCUSSION? WE GOT A SECOND.

DO WE GOT A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT FOR DISCUSSION.

SECOND FOR DISCUSSION.

UM, ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.

SO I GUESS, WHAT IS IT? THE, WHAT IS OUR MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENT? BECAUSE WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS. UM, I GUESS SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION TO FIX ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS? NOT JUST STREETS AND DRAINAGE.

'CAUSE THAT'S NOT JUST OUR ONLY PROBLEM.

I'D LIKE TO SEE IT GO TO STREET AND DRAINAGE.

AND SO I GUESS HERE'S WHY THAT, THAT GIVES US SOME MORE DEDICATED MONEY.

TO THE STREETS AND DRAINAGE.

PEOPLE IN THE CROWD DID AS WELL.

BECAUSE THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU GET INTO A BUDGET AND YOU GET THINGS GET TIGHT, THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS THEY CUT POLICE CARS AND THEY CUT STREETS AND DRAINAGE.

OKAY? THIS GIVES YOU A DEDICATED FUND TO GO TOWARD THAT STREETS.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

WE NEED MONEY, SO LET'S NOT BUY NO POLICE CARS.

SO THEN WE HAVE NEXT YEAR WE HAVE TO BUY TWICE AS MANY 'CAUSE WE CUT IT OUT OF THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.

THIS GIVES YOU A DEDICATED STREAM TO KEEP REPAIRING THE STREETS THAT ARE IN BAD SHAPE AROUND HERE.

OKAY? SO IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS I SEE CUT OUT OF A BUDGET EVERY TIME.

NO, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, SO THE REASON WHY I ASK THAT QUESTION IS SO MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT AMERICA RIGHT NOW, YOUR AVERAGE EVERYDAY AMERICAN, UM, IF YOU TALK ABOUT A 65-YEAR-OLD, YOUR AVERAGE 65-YEAR-OLD HAS ON AVERAGE ABOUT $400,000 FOR RETIREMENT, RIGHT? WHEN YOU LOOK AT FULL WEALTH MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL PLANNING, THE THINGS, THE VERY SAME ATTRIBUTES MANY OF YOU SHOULD PROBABLY BE DOING IN YOUR PERSONAL LIVES.

UM, WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS. WE ALL HAVE OUR BILLS, WE ALL HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR HOUSE, WE HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.

WE GOTTA PAY FOR FOOD, WE GOTTA PAY FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE CITY.

WHEN WE'RE EAT, WHEN WE'RE REALLOCATING THESE FUNDS, ALL WE'RE DOING IS MOVING FROM THE LEFT POCKET TO THE RIGHT POCKET.

AND I COMPLETELY

[01:30:01]

GET IT.

WHY? BECAUSE OUR STREETS, WE DO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS. UM, HOWEVER, WHAT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS ACTUALLY COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION TO HANDLE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS. AND ONE OF THOSE BEING OUR DECLINING SALES TAX REVENUE.

ONE THING THAT WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS OUR INCOME IS SLOWLY GOING DOWN.

SO LIKE MANY OF US OUT THERE THAT WORK, OUR CONSTANT GOAL IS TO INCREASE OUR, OUR OUR, UH, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE BRING IN AKA, OUR SALARIES, RIGHT? WELL, WHEN YOU BRING IN MORE SALARY, YOU CAN AFFORD MORE STUFF.

NOW, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE, IS THE EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE AS AN ANALOGY IS IF I HAVE A CLIENT AND THEY'RE SITTING IN MY OFFICE AND THEY SAY, I HAVE THIS PROBLEM, RATHER THAN TAKING THE, THE, THE TIME AND COMING THROUGH, UM, A AN ACTUAL PLAN TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

THEY SAY, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE OUTTA MY RETIREMENT FUNDS.

WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 8.9% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE, RIGHT? YOUR, ANY FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL, ANYBODY THAT IS DEALING IN MONEY KNOWS THAT YOU SHOULD BE INVESTING AT LEAST 10% OF YOUR OWN PERSONAL WEALTH OR YOUR OWN PERSONAL INCOME INTO YOUR FUTURE.

RIGHT? SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RETIREMENT, SO I STILL DO BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUND.

WE STILL NEED TO HAVE OUR SHORT-TERM PROBLEMS, OUR UNEXPECTED FUNDS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S PART OF WHY OUR DMD HAS NOT BEEN UTILIZED THE RIGHT WAY.

SO THE IDEA IS WE HAVE OUR GENERAL FUND, THIS IS MY IDEA OF HOW TO HELP FIX THE EDC SITUATION.

AND I AM NOT DISAGREEING WITH MOST OF YOU THAT SAID IN THE PAST OUR EDC HAS NOT RAN HOW IT SHOULD HAVE.

AND I AM NOT DENYING THAT ONE BIT.

AND THE REASON IS, IS YOU HAD A BUNCH OF INDIVIDUALS WITH PET PROJECTS, AND I'M GONNA CALL IT HOW I SEE IT, RIGHT? YOU HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT WERE PUSHING THEIR OWN PERSONAL AGENDAS RATHER THAN HAVING A GROUP OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AN EDC BOARD SAYING, THERE IS ONLY ONE OVERALL MISSION THIS EDC SHOULD BE DOING, AND THAT'S GROWING OUR REVENUE.

THE SAME REASON IS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COMPARE US TO LAKE CITY, THEY COMPARE US TO PARA LAND, THEY COMPARE US LIKE, WHY AREN'T WE DOING THIS THING? IT'S BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND THIS IS ANOTHER ANALOGY, ARE THE SAME THING AS SOMEONE'S PARENTS OR SOMEONE'S GRANDPARENTS MAKING HIGH QUALITY INVESTMENTS FOR LONG TERM GROWTH AND THEN PASSING IT DOWN.

AND NOW THEY HAVE ALL THIS MONEY TO DO EXTRA SPECIAL THINGS WITH, WE CAN'T COMPARE THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT IN THE DISTRIBUTION PHASE, JUST LIKE A LOT OF OUR GIVE BACK PROGRAMS SHOULD HAVE NEVER EXISTED.

WE ARE NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO BE GIVING MONEY AWAY TO NONPROFITS.

WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO BE GIVING AWAY TO INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.

HOWEVER, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL NEVER SAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT REINVEST SOME OF OUR MONEY INTO OUR FUTURE PLANS TO HELP CONTROL THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.

WHAT I, WHAT I'M ASKING EVERYONE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL IS, IS DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE TWO HIGHEST ROIS ARE FOR ANY DEVELOPER OF ACTUAL PROJECTS? THE FIRST ONE IS GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOMES, THE SECOND ONE IS MULTIFAMILY USE.

SO I DO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.

WE SHOULD NOT BE PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS, BUT WE HAVE A VERY FINITE AMOUNT OF LAND HERE.

AND IF WE DO NOT, WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING A DIME OF MONEY ACTUALLY AWAY.

WE SHOULD HELP IMPROVE OUR CITY, THOUGH WE SHOULD BE DEALING IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BRAD ELMORE'S SITUATION IN PARKVIEW ON THE WEST SIDE.

WE HAVE A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF $575,000.

IN THAT PROJECT, HE'S GONNA PRODUCE A $60 MILLION PROJECT THAT IS GONNA BE BREAKING GROUND THIS MONTH.

RIGHT? SO THAT IS A TOTAL TAX REVENUE INCREASE FOR ALL OF US, RIGHT? THE OTHER THING THAT HE AGREED TO DO IS DO A 12,000 SQUARE FOOT OF MIXED USE RETAIL RIGHT THERE ON FIVE 17.

SO THAT IS A GOOD INVESTMENT.

THE OTHER THING HE'S DOING IS HE'S BUILDING A ROAD FOR BENTWOOD TO ACTUALLY GIVE THEM A SECOND FORM TO GET OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING HE'S REQUIRED TO DO, BUT IT'S SOMETHING HE AGREED.

YES, HE WAS WELL IT, OKAY.

SORRY, CONTRACT.

IT'S IN HIS CONTRACT.

I GOT THAT.

HE'S NOT DOING, HE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT WASN'T IN THAT CONTRACT THAT THEY SIGNED.

EXACTLY.

WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, IS THERE THAT IS A GOOD, THAT IS A GOOD IDEA, RIGHT? WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

UM, ANYONE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS I CAN TURN ANY, ANY AVERAGE AMERICAN THAT MAKES $60,000 OR MORE INTO A MILLIONAIRE IN 35 YEARS.

WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE DO IT? IS BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE THE VISION.

IT'S VERY HARD TO STAY DIVERSIFIED, MANAGE RISK, AND NAVIGATE THIS ONE CRAZY WORLD WE LIVE IN.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS WE NEED TO USE OUR GENERAL STREET FUND AND OUR FUNDS, UH, FOR OUR TODAY PROBLEMS. BUT IF WE DO NOT INVEST AT LEAST SOMETHING INTO OUR FUTURE, WE WILL DIE WITH INFLATION JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.

WHEN YOU RELY JUST ON SOCIAL SECURITY, EVERYONE DIES WITH, MANY OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD PROBABLY HAVE INVESTMENTS AND THEY'VE ALLOCATED PARTS OF THEIR SALARY TO THOSE INVESTMENTS MANY

[01:35:01]

WHY IS OUR CITY WORKING DIFFERENTLY THAN A BUSINESS? I DO AGREE.

THERE IS A FLAW.

THERE IS A HUGE FLAW.

AND WE NEED TO CREATE BYLAWS THAT RESTRICT THIS CITY FROM DOING, MAKING POOR DECISIONS, AND ALSO OVER ALLOCATING ASSETS TO ONE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.

SO IT CAN BE DONE.

TELL ME ONE CITY AROUND HERE, OTHER THAN LAKE CITY THAT HAS 120,000 PEOPLE AND $180 MILLION BUDGET, TELL ME A CITY AROUND HERE THAT HAS NOT EFFECTIVELY USED THEIR EDC THAT WE'RE COMPARING OURSELVES TO WEBSTER, FRIENDSWOOD PEARLAND.

UM, I TALK TO THE PEARLAND MAYOR ALL THE TIME.

SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I'M ASKING HOW DO WE FIX THAT PROBLEM TO GROW OUR REVENUE AND NOT JUST TAKE FROM PAUL AND PAY PETER.

SO IF WE NOW INCREASE OUR TAX SALES REVENUE AND NOW YOUR GENERAL FUND GOES UP, YOUR SALES TAX REVENUE THAT GOES INTO YOUR STREET FUND GOES UP AND AT SOME POINT WE DISSOLVE THE EDC BECAUSE WE HAVE NO MORE LAND TO DEVELOP.

THE PLAN SHOULD BE TO GET RID OF THE EDCI.

I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH MANY OF OF YOU IN THE ROOM, BUT UNTIL WE FULFILL THE NEED THAT WE HAVE, UM, BUT DONE ARE THE DAYS I WILL NEVER GET ON BOARD WITH GIVING OUR MONEY AWAY.

I WILL NEVER GET ON BOARD WITH A PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT WHEN THEY ARE NOT TIED TO THE PERFORMANCE, FOR INSTANCE.

THERE ARE TOOLS WE CAN USE.

THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN USED THE RIGHT WAY IN THE PAST.

THE LAST THING I'M GONNA SAY, AND I PROMISE I WILL STOP TALKING, MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TALK TO ME ARE NOT BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER INVESTED BEFORE.

IT'S 'CAUSE THEY HAD A POOR MONEY MANAGER.

THEY HAD A POOR FINANCIAL PLANNER, THEY HAD POOR ADVISORS, PEOPLE INSIDE THEIR BUSINESSES, THEY HAD PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T DO THE JOB.

AND WHAT THEY DID IS THEY DIDN'T SHUT THEIR BUSINESS DOWN.

THEY DIDN'T STOP INVESTING.

THEY GOT NEW MANAGERS.

BUT WE JUST HIRED SEVEN NEW MANAGERS BASICALLY IN THE LAST YEAR.

WE ALSO HAVE A WHOLE NEW EDC BOARD.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS, IS THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE THE ULTIMATE CONTROL HERE AT COUNCIL, JUST LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT WITHIN THE CITY.

BUT I'M NOT DISAGREEING.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE ULTIMATE CONTROL.

AND I AGREE WITH MR. JOE WILBURN OUT THERE, THAT WE NEED TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF CHIEFS AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF INDIANS.

SO THEY NEED TO DO THE WORK.

BUT THE THE WHOLE THING IS, IS IF WE DON'T GIVE THEM LEFT AND RIGHT LATERAL LIMITS, YOUR PERSONAL AGENDAS WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS COME OUT.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE, WE FIX AT THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

SOMETHING I FIX ON A REGULAR BASIS.

BUT YOU DON'T STOP INVESTING.

YOU CHANGE YOUR MANAGER, YOU CHANGE YOUR ADVISORS, YOU CHANGE COURSES.

YOU DON'T JUST SAY, I'M GONNA THROW IN THE TOWEL AND CALL IT A DAY.

WE HAVE A $200 MILLION PROBLEM AND WE'RE THINKING WE'RE GONNA FIX IT WITH FOUR.

IT'S GONNA TAKE 50 YEARS.

SO AS SOMEONE THAT THAT'S, THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS OF, OF HOW WE DO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT WHAT WE TEACH ANY OF OUR YOUTH, OR WE SHOULDN'T BE ANY OF OUR, OUR FELLOW AMERICANS.

THIS IS NOT WHAT I PREACH IN, IN BASIC FINANCIAL PLANNING.

SO I GUESS WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR HOUSE, YOU CAN'T JUST PUT ALL YOUR MONEY IN YOUR HOUSE.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO MAKE OUTSIDE INVESTMENTS AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE, UH, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES.

IF YOU CALCULATE IT 35 YEARS, $6,000 A A YEAR WITH AN 8% RATE OF RETURN, YOU HAVE 1 MILLION TH UH, $47,000 AT THE YEAR.

55 YEARS OLD.

IF WE START AT 20.

BUT FOR SOME REASON NO ONE DOES IT.

IT'S 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY MAKE MISTAKES.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF US HAVE MADE HORRIBLE DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTING.

THAT'S ALSO WHY YOU DIVERSIFY.

YOU DON'T THROW ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

THERE'S PRINCIPLES THAT PREACH THIS STUFF.

UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S MY BIGGEST QUESTION IS HOW DO WE FIX THOSE PROBLEMS. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION AND I REALIZE ASKING IT NOW, I MAY HAVE TO WAIT TO GET THE ANSWER IN CONSULTATION, BUT IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, A, A LARGE PORTION OF THE EDCS BUDGET COMES FROM THREE 80 THAT THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IS GIVING 70 TO 100% REBATES ON.

AND I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF A MEASURE LIKE THIS PASS, NUMBER ONE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE THREE 80 AGREEMENTS AND NUMBER TWO, WOULD THEY, WOULD WE EVEN BE ALLOWED TO REALLOCATE THE FUNDING SEEING AS IT CAME FROM A THREE 80 AGREEMENT? UH, YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, UH, IN CLOSED SESSION.

SO MAYOR, YOU ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE LAND THAT WE STILL OWNED NOW

[01:40:01]

IS NOT THE TIME TO GET RID OF THE EDC WHILE WE STILL OWN LAND AND WE STILL HAVE MAJOR DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S 14 PEOPLE AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

AND I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

NOTHING EVER GETS DONE IN OUR CITY BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS.

WE STILL HAVE AN EMPTY LOT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL WAS GONNA BE A MARKET DECADES AGO.

WE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON STUDIES THEN WE PAID $400,000 MORE TO KILL A PICNIC GROUND PROJECT.

WE'VE BEEN WASTING MONEY FOR DECADES.

HELL GENERATIONS.

IT SEEMS IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO SEE ALL THESE OTHER CITIES AROUND US UTILIZE AN EDC AND DEVELOP AND MOVE, GROW THEIR SALES TAX.

BUT WE CAN'T.

THAT'S THE MOST FRUSTRATING PART.

I, UH, I JUST WANT THIS CITY TO SUCCEED.

I WANT US TO FIX THE DRAINAGE.

THE STREETS SET UP THE NEXT GENERATION FOR SUCCESS AND WE ARE NOT DOING THAT.

VERY PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

UH, I THINK YOU ASKED ABOUT SALES TAX GOING DOWN.

OF COURSE THE ECONOMY'S ECONOMY AIN'T DOING IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.

BUT ONE OF THE LARGEST, UH, SALES TAX, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, AND COUNCILMAN SIMPSON CAN CORRECT ME ON THIS ONE.

WE DID AWAY WITH THE THREE 80 SALES TAX.

'CAUSE THREE, TWICE IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS, WE HAD TO PAY BACK A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY TO THE COMPTROLLER BECAUSE UH, THAT WAS OUR ROCK.

YES SIR.

THEY PAID MORE MONEY THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE AND THE COMP WANTED THEIR MONEY BACK.

SO THAT'S ONE REASON WHY YOUR SALES TAX DROPPED THAT ONE YEAR.

IS BECAUSE WE DID AWAY WITH THAT THREE 80 AGREEMENT SO THE CITY WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.

IN ABOUT THREE YEARS OF HAVING TO OVERPAY, BEING OVERPAID ON SALES TAX AND THEN HAVING TO REIMBURSE IT, I REIMBURSE IT BACK OUTTA GENERAL FUND.

THAT'S PART OF YOUR PROBLEM.

AND THAT WAS A LARGE PART OF YOUR PROBLEM.

SO I WAS A COMP I'M SORRY.

OH, GO AHEAD.

I WAS ON THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE TODAY.

THERE'S TWO ENTITIES THAT THEY LIST THAT RECEIVED THOSE THREE 80 AGREEMENTS.

ONE IS DMD AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE CITY.

IT DOESN'T SPECIFY THE EDC.

SO DOES THE CITY ACTUALLY RECEIVE THOSE MONIES OR DOES THE EDC ACTUALLY RECEIVE THOSE MONIES? NO, SIR.

IT'S THE CITY AND THE DMD PAYS BACK MOST OF THE PORTION FOR THOSE REBATES.

BUT THE ONES THAT THE EDC GET, THE CITY PAYS BACK OUTTA THEIR GENERAL FUND.

CORRECT? YEAH.

BA BASICALLY THE DMD IS REATING SO THAT THE EDC CAN KEEP ALL OF THEIRS.

WELL, EDC CAN'T REBATE IT ANYWAY BY LAW, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

SO IT COMES OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND.

SO I'M GONNA ASK, CAN WE SUSPEND THE RULES AND TAKE THIS TILL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, YES.

I MAY I JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING ON OUR TRUCK? YES, SIR.

JUST, JUST, UH, QUICKLY.

UM, SO I ACTUALLY TRACKED DOWN OUR TRUCK AND THAT 'CAUSE THAT'S A, I THINK $116,000 THAT COMES RIGHT OUT OF, OUT OF MY BUDGET FOR THAT.

UM, SO I DID LOOK INTO THAT.

WHAT THAT WAS, WAS ARCH ROCK ENTERED INTO THAT SALES AGREEMENT AND THEN ACTUALLY SUED THE STATE SAYING THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TAXABLE.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE HAVE THAT REBATE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY A LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT BY ARCH ROCK, THAT THAT DOES HIT US.

WELL, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE HAD TO DO IT TWICE.

TWICE.

I, YEAH, THEY, THEY, THEY DID IT TWICE.

THEY, THEY, THEY'VE DONE IT EVERY THREE YEARS.

AND I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE WEEDS ABOUT A SPECIFIC COMPANY, BUT BASICALLY SAID COMPANY FINDS OUT THEY PAID THE COMPTROLLER TOO MUCH.

THE COMPTROLLER WRITES THEM A CHECK BACK, THEN THEY COME TO THE VARIOUS ENTITIES AND, AND WRITE US.

WE HAVE TO WRITE A CHECK TO GET THEM SQUARE.

YEAH, BUT WE HAVE OTHER THREE EIGHTIES BESIDES THE AFOREMENTIONED COMPANY.

SO, SO I GUESS THE, OR WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.

IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? SUSPEND IT? IS THAT WHAT YOU ASKED? PLEASE? ALRIGHT, LET'S SUSPEND IT FOR, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO WE'LL GO INTO EIGHT A WAIT A MINUTE, DON'T YOU, I MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT.

OH, MY, I'M SO SORRY, SIR.

YEAH, SORRY.

THAT THE COMMOTION WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED, THE, THE DANG MOTION IN THE FIRST PLACE IS WHAT GOT ME ALL THROWN OFF.

I APOLOGIZE, SIR.

AND THIS IS, UH, I WAS HOPING TO SEE YOU AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW.

YOU, AND WE HAVE ONE ASSET AND ONE ASSET ONLY.

I FEEL LIKE YOU WANTED THE STATE.

WELL, MAYBE HE CAN.

I I DON'T THINK HE WANTS TO STICK AROUND AND DO THAT.

AND, UH, MAYOR, I, I JUST WANT SAY GREAT, GREAT BUNCH OF GREAT GROUP UP HERE.

EVERYBODY'S BUSINESSMAN.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY WANTS BUSINESS IN DICKINSON.

LET ME TELL YOU FROM A BUSINESSMAN'S PERSPECTIVE, WITHOUT SPENDING ANOTHER NICKEL ON, UH, ANY CONSULTANT TO COME AND MARKET YOUR CITY, UH, THAT'S FREE.

AND THAT'S HAVING YOU SEVEN GUYS CALL CHANNEL 13 OR CHANNEL 11 AND SAYING, HEY, WE'D LIKE TO INTERVIEW WITH Y'ALL.

WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN DICKINSON, TEXAS, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT EASY AND WE'RE GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS, THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND SHOW YOU HOW EASY IT IS.

AND WE WANT

[01:45:01]

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TELL 'EM THIS.

WE HAVE ONE ASSET AND SOME OF OUR CITIZENS DON'T WANT TO USE IT.

AND THAT'S DICKINSON BIO.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO OFFER.

ANYBODY THAT COMES HERE, WE GOT A BUNCH OF VACANT LIVES WITH OUR SALES LINES THAT'S BEEN ON THERE FOR 50 YEARS.

WE'VE GOT ALL THAT, BUT WE GOT AN ASSET WE'VE NEVER USED.

AND THAT'S DICKINSON BIO.

AND THE TAXES WILL START FLOWING IN WHEN YOU START, UH, CREATING BUSINESS ALONG THIS BIO, THERE'LL BE PEOPLE THAT, UH, WILL SELL, THEY'LL WANNA SELL, THEY'LL SELL FOR MONEY THAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPY.

UH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO INVEST IN IN YOUR PLACE.

AND, AND, UH, AND, AND PEOPLE WILL GET WEALTHY.

WEALTHY.

SOME PEOPLE WILL WANNA STAY AND BE PART OF THE HUSTLE BUSTLE, BUT THERE'S ONE ASSET DICKINSON HAS TO OFFER AND EVERYBODY IN HERE IS GONNA AGREE WITH IT.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO, DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT BIO, BUT THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO GROW IN DICKINSON.

THE REASON YOUR GROCERY STORES ARE SHUT.

YOU HADN'T, YOU HAVEN'T USED YOUR TOOL AND, AND YOU HAVE SUCH A VALUED ASSET.

AND OUR BIGGEST ASSET IS WHAT'S SITTING HERE IN FRONT OF ME THAT ALL OF Y'ALL AGREE THAT YOU NEED MORE SALES TAX MONEY AND YOU'RE WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO DO IT.

AND IN ONE TV AD, BELIEVE ME, I DID IT IN HITCHCOCK, TEXAS, AND I WENT OUT AND PROMOTED THAT HITCHCOCK WOULD DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CREATE BUSINESS.

IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DYNAMIC NOW.

IT'S, IT IS TURNED, IT'S TURNED 180 DEGREES.

THEY DON'T WANT BUSINESS REALLY IN HITCHCOCK, TEXAS ANYMORE.

UH, THEY KIND OF FIGHT IT FOR SOME REASON, BUT IT, BUT SINCE 1997, IF YOU'LL LOOK AND SEE WHAT HITCHCOCK WAS IN 1990 SECOND, 1997 WHEN I BOUGHT THE OLD BLIN BASE AND, AND, AND DRIVE DOWN 2004 AND HIGHWAY SIX.

NOW THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON.

THERE WAS A LOT BEING IMPROVED.

AND PART OF THAT WAS BECAUSE THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED, AND ALONG WITH ME, I WENT TO LOTS OF MEETINGS.

HEY, HITCHCOCK'S OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE LAND FOR SALE AND WE'D LIKE PEOPLE TO COME IN HELICOPTER COMPANIES.

I I, IT, IT IS A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE CAME TO HITCHCOCK.

YOU GUYS COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH NOT EVEN A DOLLAR SPENT.

GET UP IN YOUR SUITS AND SAY, DIG, UH, DICKINSON, TEXAS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU.

WE GOT SOME LAND ON THE, ON THE BIO.

I'M NOT SAYING DICKINSON NEEDS TO OWN ANOTHER ACRE OF LAND, BUT THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A RESTAURANT HERE.

WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A TRINKET CHOP HERE.

AND I'M TELLING YOU, UH, YOUR, YOUR PROBLEMS WITH YOUR MONEY WOULD BE SOLVED OVERNIGHT.

AND, AND THE EDC UH, BEING ABOLISHED, WILLIS, WILLIS, TEXAS DID IT, I THINK IN 2021, THEY WENT IN AND THEY ASKED THEIR EDC TO DISPERSE, GO IN AND SAY, HEY, WE WANNA VOTE THE BOARD OFF WHEN WE GET OFF THE BOARD.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY BOARD MEMBERS LEFT.

THEY HAD A, HAD AN ELECTION IN AN ELECTION YEAR AND, AND ASKED THE CITIZENS TO REALLOCATE ALL THE MONEY THAT WAS GOING TO THE EDC TO EITHER GENERAL FUND OR ROAD, ROAD AND STREETS.

AND, UH, IT PASSED.

THE CITIZENS PASSED IT.

AND, UM, I I JUST THINK THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH MONEY WASTED.

AND TRAVIS, YOU'VE GOT, UH, MAYOR, YOU, YOU'VE GOT GREAT IDEAS AND YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU UNDERSTAND MONEY AND YOU KNOW HOW IT WORKS.

I UNDERSTAND BUSINESS AND I KNOW BUSINESS WORKS.

AND I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU MAKE IT EASY ON BUSINESSMEN AND YOU GIVE THEM, YOU GIVE 'EM A PLACE TO COME, THEY'RE GONNA COME RUNNING.

THEY'RE GONNA COME SO FAST.

IT'S GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE TO HANDLE THE INFLUX OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT.

IF YOU WANT ONE COMMERCIAL ON CHANNEL 13 OR 11 OR TWO, AND I PROMISE YOU, YOU'LL BE OVERWHELMED WITH PEOPLE WANTING TO COME YOUR CITY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

AND, UH, I DID WANT TO JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT THE WILLIS.

UM, THE REASON WHY WILLIS GOT RID OF THEIR EDC IS 'CAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE A CDC.

SO THEY WERE ACTUALLY COLLECTING TWO PROPER OR SALES TAXES, AND THEY STILL CURRENTLY HAVE THE CDC THAT IS A BOARD.

I I THINK THEY ABOLISHED THE, THE EDC TO GET THE CDC.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS.

THEY HAD 'EM AT THE SAME TIME.

DID THEY HAVE 'EM AT THE SAME TIME? YES, SIR.

WELL, YOU CAN, YOU CAN MOVE ALL OF THAT MONEY TO THE CDC FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, BUT WELL, IT'S STILL A BOARD.

IT'S STILL A BOARD STILL.

IT'S THE SAME THING AS THE EDC, THE, IT'S STILL A NONPROFIT CORPORATION.

SO NOTHING CHANGES A ONE MEMBER BOARD.

NO, NO, NO.

IT, OKAY.

IT'S, NO, AND LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THINK HE'S JUST A DIRECTOR, BUT I FIGURED YEAH, NO, I GET IT.

I BELIEVE IT'S JUST A DIRECTOR.

WHICH MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

WELL, 'CAUSE THERE'S, WE, WE'VE GOT BRILLIANT MINDS.

I WISH, I WISH DR.

KEARNEY.

YEAH, HE'S SUCH A GENTLEMAN.

, HE'S SUCH A BRILLIANT MIND.

HE WAS ON THE EDC FOR, FOR MANY YEARS.

DID, DID LOTS OF GOOD THINGS.

I WISH, I WISH ONE DAY HE WOULD SAY SOMETHING BAD ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, BUT HE'S NOT .

AND, UH, I, I WANT APPRECIATE AND WHAT YOU DO, I REALLY DO.

UH, HE, HE, HE'S A GOOD GUY.

WE GOT ANOTHER GUY SITTING RIGHT BEHIND HIM.

UH, MR. TUCKER.

EDC THAT WAS A BAD PERSON.

VERY VALUABLE MAN, UH, TO HAVE ON THE EDC.

MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T, I CAN'T THINK OF ONE GUY, ONE, ONE PERSON THAT I SERVED WITH ON THE

[01:50:01]

BUT IT RUNS GOOD PEOPLE.

THEY'RE A, THEY'RE APACHE A SCAPEGOAT, UH, HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO ONE.

AND IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT MAY HAPPEN HERE.

ONE COUNCILMAN, ONE COUNCILMAN CHANGE CAN CHANGE ALL OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EDC, UH, ONE.

AND, UH, AND THEN ALL OF YOUR DREAMS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TOMORROW TO ONE OF THESE GUYS.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE MAJORITY VOTE.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT, UH, ONE PERSON IN ALL OF WHAT YOU PLAN, NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING, ALL OF IT GOES AWAY.

IT OVERNIGHT IS GONE JUST LIKE THAT.

I, I, I, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING I, I STAY AWAKE LATE AT NIGHT EVERY NIGHT THINKING ABOUT THAT.

SO I, I APPRECIATE IT.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[ 8. EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION(S)]

WE WILL BE OUT TO TALK.

SO EIGHT 50, UH, FINE.

I JUST DIDN'T

[9. ACTION ITEMS FROM EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION(S)]

UH, OUR ORIGINAL CONVERSATION THAT WE SWISHED IN WITH SEVEN E, UM, WITH THE, UH, ABOLISHMENT OF THE SALES AND USE TAX TO THEN REALLOCATE IT TO THE CITY'S GENERAL REVENUE FUND.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, OPEN IT UP BACK UP AT 10 14 AND, UH, A, UH, NINE A AND NINE B, WE HAVE NO, UM, ITEMS TO, UH, DE DECIDE ON.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO,

I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT.

UM, I GENUINELY, THE ONLY REASON WHY I SIT IN THIS SEAT IS 'CAUSE I GIVE A S**T ABOUT THIS CITY.

AND I KNOW I JUST SAID A WORD THAT I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY.

I DON'T REALLY CARE.

I REALLY DO CARE ABOUT THIS CITY.

IT'S THE REASON WHY AFTER THE MARINE CORPS, I BROUGHT MYSELF BACK HERE.

I BROUGHT MY ENTIRE FAMILY HERE.

I BUILT MY BUSINESS HERE.

I OWN THREE PIECES OF PROPERTY HERE IN DICKINSON.

THE SUCCESS OF THIS CITY HAS TO HAPPEN.

OR EVERY DOLLAR I'VE INVESTED HERE FAILS.

RIGHT? I HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY IN THE CITY OF DICKINSON, AND I WOULD NEVER EVEN SECOND GUESS IT.

I LOVE THIS PLACE.

I'M NEVER LEAVING.

SO I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU HEAR ME TALK ABOUT THINGS AND YOU MIGHT THINK I'M ATTACKING, UM, I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT'S JUST MY PASSION.

SOMETHING I GENUINELY AM CONCERNED ABOUT WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY.

IT'S WHY I'M AT THE HIGH SCHOOL EVERY TUESDAY FOR TWO HOURS, HELP TEACHING THAT STUFF TO YOUNG ADULTS.

UM, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH MANY INDIVIDUALS OUT HERE THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS TODAY THAT WE HAVE TO FIX, BUT WE ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS TOMORROW THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

SO WHATEVER THAT IS, OBVIOUSLY US COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH IT.

BUT I, I DON'T, UM, AND THIS IS THE BEST PART ABOUT OUR COUNTRY, IS WE'RE ALLOWED TO BE FRIENDS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND STILL BE ABLE TO SIT AT A TABLE AND BREAK BREAD WITH EACH OTHER AND HAVE NORMAL DISCUSSIONS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN THE PAST THAT I THINK THIS COUNCIL HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED.

UM, SO I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY, UH, SENSITIVE TOPIC, BUT DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY POINTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UM, BEFORE WE DO ANY TYPE OF VOTING? UM, UH, I KNOW I GOT, I GOT A THOUSAND THAT I COULD DO AND, BUT ANY, ANYBODY ELSE? WHAT IS THE MOTION THAT IS ON THE FLOOR? THE MOTION IS AS IT'S READ READS, UM, WHICH IS TO, THIS IS A BINDING, UH, ORD, UH, BINDING ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ABOLISH THE 0.25 CENTS SALES, TAX SALES AND USE TAX THAT BENEFITS THE DICKINSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND WOULD MOVE IT AND INCREASE.

SO THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THE CITY'S SALES AND USE TAX FOR GENERAL REVENUE.

WHO MADE THAT SECOND? SO YOU MADE THE MOTION.

AND THEN THE SECOND WAS, WAS MR. EDMONDS.

AND THE, THE ONE THING I, I GUESS IS WHAT IS THE FACTUAL EVIDENCE? AND I, I'M GENUINELY ASKING BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE, I HAVE EVERY DEVELOPER AGREEMENT, I HAVE EVERY DOCUMENT WE CAN THINK OF WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY VALUES, HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT, HOW MUCH WE DIDN'T SPEND, ALL OF THAT STUFF.

WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS RIGHT THIS SECOND, RATHER THAN GIVING THIS COUNCIL A CHANCE TO FIX IT.

UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR, IS THE, THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THAT THIS IS THE NECESSARY MOVE.

[01:55:04]

WELL, I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK ON THAT.

I WOULD OKAY.

I WOULD RATHER SPEAK ON OH, SPEAK ON WHATEVER YOU WANT.

I, I JUST, THAT WAS A QUESTION I JUST THREW OUT THERE.

THE, UM, IT IS NO SECRET THAT I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THE EDC.

I DO ADMIT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MISTAKES MADE IN PAST COUNCILS, EDCS, CITY MANAGERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

WE ALSO HAVE A COUNCIL RIGHT NOW THAT ACTUALLY GETS ALONG.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ALL HEADED THE SAME DIRECTION.

I THINK THAT WE CAN DIRECT THE EDC IN THE MANNER THAT WE WANT THEM TO GO.

UH, WE NEED TO GET SOME SALES TAX AND AVALOR TAX INTO THIS CITY.

AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO DO THAT.

UM, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR FIVE YEARS PLUS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, UH, AND TO HAVE A DEDICATED PERSON THAT KIND OF RUNS THIS, THIS, UH, HAVE A DIRECTOR THAT, THAT'S HIS SOLE JOB IS TO DO THAT.

I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

WE ALL HAVE OUR LIVES.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO SIT DOWN AND BABYSIT THE EDC MATTERS ON AN HOUR BY HOUR BASIS.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT DOES THAT, HAS THE PROFESSIONALISM TO DO THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO GUT THE EDC BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH GOOD THAT CAN COME FROM IT IF IT'S MANAGED PROPERLY.

IF THIS COUNCIL'S WILLING TO DO WHAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO AND MANAGE THE EDC AND THE EXPECTATION AND HAVE A CLEAR VISION AS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE NEED TO DO THAT.

WELL, I'M, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP, UH, MR. FUNK IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE SPENT MANY HOURS.

'CAUSE I, I TRY TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT I'M DISCUSSING FROM THE, THE EXPERTS.

UM, BUT, UH, MR. FUNK AND I HAVE ACTUALLY, HE USED TO WORK IN MY INDUSTRY AND, UM, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE WITH THE PREVIOUS TWO DIRECTORS OF THE EDC.

UM, SAME THING, LIKE YOU SAID, I THINK THIS COUNCIL WILL HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.

YOU MAKE A POOR DECISION, YOU GO AWAY.

IT, I MEAN, THAT'S THE NATURE OF IT.

IF WE LOOK AT THE HOUSTON ASTROS IN 2017, THEY HAD TO GUT THE TEAM BECAUSE OF THE CHEATING ALLEGATIONS.

THEY DIDN'T SELL THE TEAM, THEY DIDN'T GET RID OF THE TEAM.

THEY GUTTED IT, FOUND NEW MANAGER, NEW PLAYERS, AND THEY STARTED OVER.

THEY, THEY COMPLETELY CLEANED HOUSE.

SO THERE IS VALUE TO RECOVERING.

UM, JUST LIKE I ALSO THINK THAT IF IT IS POSSIBLE, AND WE DON'T LOSE ANY, ANY, ANY, UM, TOOLS, IF DAVE'S THE ONLY ONE WORKING ON THIS THING INSIDE OF THE CITY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

THE ISSUE IS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE AN ALLOCATION, UM, THE MOMENT WE'RE ALL OFF OF, OFF OF COUNCIL AND WE HAVE IN THE NEXT FORM, AND IT'S IN THE GENERAL BUDGET, THEY CAN MOVE IT TO WHATEVER THEY WANT IT TO DO.

THAT DOESN'T EVEN MEAN IT'S GONNA GO TO STREET FUNDS.

THEY COULD GIVE IT AWAY IF THEY WANTED TO.

SO IT, IT'S ALMOST, ONCE AGAIN, LIKE I SAY, I ALWAYS GIVE IT AS AN ANALOGY AS WE ARE DEDICATING PART OF OUR SALARY TO OUR 401K, TO OUR IRAS, TO OUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS, TO OUR SI WHATEVER THE F WHATEVER INVESTMENT YOU'VE SEEN FIT.

LIKE, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MADE A TON OF MONEY IN REAL ESTATE.

YET WE ALSO THINK IT'S A BAD THING FOR US TO HOLD AN APPRECIATING ASSET IN REAL ESTATE.

NOW, ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T LIKE THAT WE HOLD PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT ARE NOT ALLOCATED TO VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

I, I THINK IT IT, BUT YOU'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT AN APPRECIATING ASSET.

UM, MANY INDIVIDUALS IN DICKINSON HAVE GROWN THEIR ACTUAL WEALTH WITH REAL ESTATE, RIGHT? SO, UM, NOW NEVER THINK THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.

BUT IF WE CAN HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE'RE GROWING OUR SALES TAX AS A PARTNER WITH DEVELOPERS, NOT FRONT LOADING IT WITH A BUNCH OF INCENTIVES, A BUNCH OF LUMP PUMP, LUMP SUM PAYMENTS, AND A SIX YEAR RUNWAY, UM, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

AND I, I WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

UM, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.

'CAUSE I ALSO AGREE WITH MR. WILBURN, WHEN WE HAVE THIS MANY CHIEFS AND WE HAVE THIS MANY PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS, UM, IT'S VERY HARD TO MANAGE.

IT'S THE SAME THING WITH, UH, ANYTHING WE DO IN LIFE, UNLESS YOU ARE PERSONALLY DEDICATED TO IT.

ONLY WE ARE GONNA ALWAYS HAVE TO WORK AS A TEAM.

AND IF WE'RE NOT EFFECTIVE AT COMMUNICATING THE PROBLEMS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA SOLVE IT.

'CAUSE ONCE AGAIN, I ALWAYS ASK FOR THE PLAN.

I HAVE A 10 PAGE PLAN OF HOW I WANT TO HELP FIX IT.

BUT I'M NOT EVEN GONNA GET A SHOT TO EVEN PROPOSE THIS TO E-D-C-D-M-D CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE HAVE SIX OR FIVE PEOPLE ON CITY COUNCIL THAT GOT A SHOT AT THE EDC.

WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CROWD THAT GOT A SHOT AT HELP FIXING THE EDC.

[02:00:01]

ALL I'M ASKING IS, LET US COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LEAST TRY BEFORE WE JUST SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S THROW IN THE TOWEL.

AND I'M, I'M WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT IF WE CAN'T DO IT, WE CAN'T DO IT.

BUT WHAT I DON'T EVER ACCEPT IS I'M NOT GONNA JUST GIVE UP.

THAT'S NOT, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT'S NOT THE MARINE IN ME.

SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S MY TWO PIECE.

UM, WE HAVE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY, UH, ESPECIALLY WITHIN OUR EDC, OUR CITY MANAGER.

HE'S THE ONE THAT IS GONNA MOLD IT ALL TOGETHER.

UM, I TRUST HIS JUDGMENT.

I TRUST, UH, THE THINGS THAT HE'S BEEN DOING THE LAST, WHAT, 10 MONTHS NOW? SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND MOST OF THE PROBLEMS WERE THE PEOPLE.

EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER, I'VE ALWAYS ASKED WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? AND NO ONE HAS EVER GAVE ME NUMBERS OF ACTUAL BAD, BAD INVESTMENTS.

NOW, THERE'S INEFFICIENT INVEST INVESTMENTS AND THERE'S A LOT OF RISK INVOLVED WITH SOME OF OUR INVESTMENTS.

IT'S WHAT I DEAL IN IS RISK MANAGEMENT.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH DECISION MAKING THAT IS NOT THE TOOL ITSELF.

THAT IS THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.

THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IS WHAT WE HAVE TO, TO FOCUS ON.

SO WHEN WE START MAKING HEADWAY, WHEN WE START REALLY MAKING, UH, UM, TRACTION WITH SOME OF THESE QUALITY PROJECTS WITH QUALITY INDIVIDUALS, MORE PEOPLE WANT TO BE INVOLVED.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING.

NO ONE WANTED TO GET INVOLVED WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR, EVER BECAUSE OF ALL THE DISGRUNTLEDNESS THAT HAPPENED WITH OUR OLD CITY MANAGER, THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER BEFORE THAT, THE PREVIOUS ONE BEFORE THAT, THE PRE WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO LABEL.

BUT NO ONE WANTED TO GET INVOLVED.

AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S BE THE EDC BOARD, THE DMD BOARD, OR CITY COUNCIL.

I THINK EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE COMING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY RUN AND WIN, WE ALSO HAVE GREAT TALENT IN THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET INVOLVED.

WE HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUND.

I MEAN, DR. HOLT, EVERYONE KNOWS HIM AS A SURGEON, BUT NO ONE KNOWS HIM ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF THE BUSINESS DEALINGS THAT HE'S DONE.

AND WE'RE NOT GONNA USE ANY OF HIS EXPERIENCE TO TRY TO FIX THIS COURSE.

SO, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING OURSELVES INTO BEFORE THIS.

THIS IS NOT MY DECISION TO MAKE.

THIS IS US SEVEN.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION AND WE GOTTA LIVE WITH IT, MAYOR.

UM, BUT I KNOW MY, MY KIDS ARE GONNA WANNA LIVE HERE.

SO YES.

LOOK, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CLARIFICATION.

FOR CLARIFICATION, EXCUSE ME.

WE'RE NOT, WE, I'VE HEARD THE WORD GUT THREE TIMES MM-HMM .

FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST 10 MINUTES.

WE'RE NOT, AND I'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT PEOPLE.

WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DISSOLVING THE EDC.

NO, I GET IT.

THAT'S NOT OUR CON THAT'S NOT OUR CONSIDERATION.

THE ONLY THING WE'RE CONSIDERING IS MOVING TYPE X FUNDS TO MAKING THEM TYPE Y FUNDS.

WELL, SO, AND I, I, I GOT THAT.

BUT HERE'S THE OTHER, HERE'S MY OTHER QUESTION, THEN.

WHY DO WE HAVE A DEDICATED SIT STREET AND MAINTENANCE FUND? AND WE, WHY DON'T WE JUST PUT ALL OF IT IN THE GENERAL FUND? IT'S AN OPTION.

BUT, RIGHT.

AND, BUT THE VOTERS RIGHT NOW HAVE DECIDED TO HAVE A DEDICATED STREET MAINTENANCE FUND.

WE ALSO CAN TAKE THOSE REACTIVATION OF THOSE FUNDS OR REAUTHORIZATION OF THOSE FUNDS, EXCUSE ME, AND MAKE THEM GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS.

THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO MAKE THEM DEDICATED TO STREET AND SIDEWALKS MAINTENANCE.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A BENEFIT TO DOING SO BECAUSE WITH THE BENEFIT WITH DOING SO, THEN YOU HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS WILL BE MAINTAINED.

THE VOTERS HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT STREETS AND SIDEWALKS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED WITH THOSE FUNDS.

I, I GOT THAT.

I'M SAYING WOULDN'T THE GENERAL FUND ALSO, THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN, THAT WOULD BE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO I'M GETTING AT IT IS WE DO THAT.

WE ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS.

SO WHEN WE'RE OFF COUNCIL AND SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT VISION, THEY CAN'T GO IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THOSE STREET FUNDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE'RE PULLING THOSE AND WE'RE GONNA USE 'EM FOR WHATEVER WE WANT.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN YOUR SITUATION RIGHT NOW.

THAT PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAD DONE JUST THAT.

MM-HMM.

AND IT'S NOT LEGAL.

AND I GOT IT.

I I COMPLETELY, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT I KNOW.

HE CALLED ME ONE DAY AND WAS LIKE, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

COULD WE, COULD THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THAT WAS, IT WAS THE STREET AND MAINTENANCE FUND.

UM, WHAT, WHAT, I GUESS HERE'S, I KIND OF JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, BUT THE, UM, I'M JUST MAKING CLARIFICATION.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RESOLVING THE EDC.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT KICKING PEOPLE OFF THE BOARD.

WE'RE ONLY CONSIDERING WHETHER TO USE THOSE FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VERSUS, UM, TO EDC VERSUS PUTTING THEM IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH I BELIEVE I ASKED IF AT SOME POINT A PROJECT CAME AVAILABLE, COULD WE ACTUALLY MOVE THOSE FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND BACK TO THE EDC? AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. NAM, I THINK YOU SAID THAT WAS AFFIRMATIVE.

WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN BY MOVING IT BACK TO THE EDC.

[02:05:01]

COULD THE GENERAL FUND, UM, PAY FOR, I GUESS, COULD THE CITY USE GENERAL FUNDS, UM, DEVELOPMENT FOR EDC PROJECTS FOR THROUGH EDC? SO COULD WE TAKE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS? WELL, NOT THROUGH EDC, NOT THROUGH THE EDC.

THE CITY COULD ITSELF ENTER INTO LIKE A TAX ABATEMENT OR THREE 80 AGREEMENT YES.

IN THE CITY'S NAME WITH A DEVELOPER, UH, TO INCENTIVIZE THAT DEVELOPMENT.

THAT COULD BE DONE.

SO I GUESS I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE, UM, AND THIS IS MORE OF BETWEEN LEGAL ADVICE.

SO WE HAD A MEETING MARCH 24TH, 2025, OR WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.

AND I WAS TOLD BY, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY THAT WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.

UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, BECAUSE WE HAVE OBLIGATIONS IN 2031.

SO DO WE HAVE THIS OBLIGATION OR DO WE HAVE THIS RIGHT TO DO SO TO DISSOLVE IT? 'CAUSE THIS IS A WRITTEN MEMO FROM YOU.

AND NOW THE THING, EXACT THING YOU'RE SAYING IS COMPLETELY GOING AGAINST WHAT YOU TOLD US A FEW MONTHS AGO.

UH, ACTUALLY THAT'S NOT CORRECT.

UM, WHAT I, WHICH PART IS NOT CORRECT? UH, YOUR ASSERTION THAT I CHANGED MY OPINION.

THE MEMO THAT YOU POINT TO YEP.

IS ABOUT ABOLISHING THE EDC.

THE ACTION PROPOSED TONIGHT IS NOT TO ABOLISH THE EDC.

THE ACTION PROPOSED TONIGHT IS TO REPEAL THE SALES TAX THAT BENEFITS THE EDC.

CORRECTED MR. MAYOR WITH, WELL, THEY DIDN'T JUST DO THAT ROAD, THEY HAD TO DO THAT ROAD.

THAT, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

I, THAT'S TRYING TO MAKE SURE I KNOW WHERE I'M, WHERE I'M AT.

LIKE I SAID AHEAD.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANY OR COMMENTS? JUST A CLARIFICATION.

IF WE TAKE ALL THE MONEY THAT'S GOING INTO THE EDC, HOW DOES IT FUNCTION IF IT HAS NO MONEY? I MEAN, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE NOT ABOLISHING THE EDC, BUT WE'RE CUTTING OFF ANY MONEY GOING TO IT, HOW DOES IT CEASE TO EXIST? I MEAN, IT, IT, IT, SO A COUPLE THINGS.

I DON'T THINK IT DOES.

AT LEAST NOT IN ANY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE EXTERNAL MARKETS GONNA PERCEIVE AS IT ACTUALLY EXISTING MM-HMM .

TWO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO JUST MENTION, I WANTED TO DOVETAIL ON, ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS I JUST HEARD, AND JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD THIS EVENING, BOTH FROM PUBLIC COMMENTS AND FROM SOME OF THE COMMENTS UP HERE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS.

PART OF THOSE NEEDS ARE BECAUSE WE HAVE DECLINING REVENUE.

I'VE WORKED, I, I SPOKE WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TODAY.

YOU KNOW, CITY REVENUES ARE DOWN 13% FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

OUR SALES TAX PROJECTION THAT I HAVE THROUGH JULY IS SALES TAX IS GONNA BE DOWN ANOTHER 16, 16%.

WE ARE THE ONLY CITY IN THE AREA WITH DECLINING SALES TAX.

SO, KIND OF GOING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS ANALOGY OF SAVING FOR OUR, IN OUR 401K OR IRA, RIGHT? THAT EDC MONEY NEEDS TO BE INVESTED, NOT SPENT, NOT GIVEN AWAY.

AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I WILL TELL YOU I SPENT THE FIRST SIX, SEVEN MONTHS HERE IN THAT OFFICE GOING THROUGH THE RECORDS, SCRATCHING MY HEAD.

AND IF WE NEED TO, TO, I, I, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I, THAT I HEARD TONIGHT.

UM, THROUGH, THROUGH DIFFERENT AVENUES, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN EITHER TRY TO REBRAND THIS THING, CHANGE OUR, I I, I HEARD THE DISCUSSION AROUND CONTROL.

UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING'S GOTTA BE APPROVED BY THIS BOARD.

WE CAN CHANGE THE, SOME OTHER THINGS AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CONTROL BY, BY THIS BODY, UH, AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.

BUT WE NEED TO BE REINVESTING IN PROJECTS THAT, ON THAT GENERATE A VALOREM AND SALES TAX FOR THE CITY ONLY.

WE DON'T NEED TO BE SPENDING WHAT I SAW 30,000 ON THIS STUDY, 50,000 ON THAT.

I DON'T NEED, I DON'T NEED A, TO PAY A CONSULTANT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO TELL ME MY REVENUE'S DOWN.

I SEE IT.

RIGHT? I CAN DO MY OWN RESEARCH AND, AND AND, AND DO, AND YOU KNOW, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, I WORKED IN HIS INDUSTRY.

I HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS TO DO IT.

UM, WE, BUT WE NEED TO INVEST.

IF YOU STRIP THAT MONEY, AND, AND I, THIS IS NOT MY FIRST GOVERNMENT JOB, OKAY? MY DAD WAS CAREER.

SBAI WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

ONCE YOU REALITY, ONCE THOSE DEDICATED FUNDS GET REALLOCATED, NO MATTER HOW WELL INTENDED, THEY DON'T CIRCLE BACK.

SO THEN YOU COME BACK TO, AS MR. DOME POINTED OUT, SO THEN WHAT'S YOUR TOOL? RIGHT? INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE DONE.

SOME THINGS NEED TO BE DONE TO BRING THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN BECAUSE THEY, THERE'S A FEW THINGS

[02:10:01]

THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.

I HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR ONLY ASSET IS, IS THE BAYOU.

THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

OUR LOCATION'S ALSO, THE BA A A BIG ASSET, RIGHT? AS WELL AS THE BAYOU.

HOW DO WE ACTIVATE THAT? THEY, THEY WANT TO ACTIVATE THE BAYOU.

THERE'S SOME GREAT IDEAS OUT THERE.

BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS, IS OUR NUMBERS DO NOT SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPERS COMING IN HERE.

SO WE NEED TO SUBSIDIZE 'EM.

SO IF YOU USE THE TAX ABATEMENT, NOW YOU'RE PREVENTING REVENUE FROM COMING TO THE ENTITY THAT NEEDS MONEY.

THE EDC FUNDS, NO MATTER HOW THEY WERE SPENT IN THE PAST, THE PURPOSE OF THE EDC FUNDS IS TO INVEST IN THESE PROJECTS.

SO THE TAX ABATEMENTS AND PREVENTING THAT MONEY FLOWING BACK TO THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE E-D-C-E-D-C DOLLARS IN THAT BUDGET NEEDS TO BE USED TO INVEST IN THESE PROJECTS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE ALL THE CITY TAX MONEY BACK TO A DEVELOPER.

'CAUSE THAT'S NOT TURNING THE DIAL.

THAT'S NOT GETTING US WHERE, WHERE WE NEED TO GO.

I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY PROPOSE, YOU KNOW, A MANDATE FROM COUNCIL TO THE EDC BOARD.

AND, AND THIS WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE MY JOB A LOT EASIER, TO BE HONEST, GENTLEMEN, IS YOU MANDATE THE EDC DOES NOT APPROVE ANY PROJECT THAT DOESN'T HAVE, THAT DOESN'T DO ONE OF THREE THINGS.

AVALOR TAX, SALES TAX OR CHANGE THE NUMBERS THAT HELP US WITH OUR BUSINESS RECRUITMENT.

WE HAVE 90% LEAKAGE IN THIS TOWN.

THAT MEANS 90% OF THE DOLLARS THAT SOMEBODY SPENDS OF THEIR DISPOSABLE INCOME GOES TO TEXAS CITY, LEAGUE CITY, SANTA FE, WHEREVER.

WHY IS THAT? WE DON'T HAVE VERY GOOD DR.

HOLE.

DO WE HAVE GREAT DINING OPTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA TAKE A BUNCH OF CLIENTS TO? NO, WE HAVE ONE OR TWO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT.

RIGHT? WE CAN'T GET THOSE BUSINESSES RECRUITED HERE BECAUSE OF WHERE OUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME, WHERE OUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, MEDIAN INCOME POPULATION NUMBERS AND OUR TRAFFIC COUNTS ARE.

SO THE ONLY THING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS SPENDING THAT MONEY AND INVESTING THAT MONEY, AGAIN, NOT SPENDING, INVESTING THE, THE DOLLARS INTO PROJECTS THAT ARE TURNING THE DIAL SO WE CAN BRING IN THE HIGHER, HIGHER RETAIL OPTIONS.

SO WE HAVE A GREATER NUMBER OF RETAIL OPTIONS.

SO WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEY LEAVING THE CITY.

IN FACT, IF WE GET GOOD ENOUGH QU GOOD QUALITY PLACES IN HERE THAN THE RESIDENTS FROM TEXAS CITY AND LEAGUE CITY WILL COME HERE AND VISIT THOSE PLACES AND BOOST OUR, OUR TAX REVENUE, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT LIKE, MY, MY, MY DREAM WORLD WOULD BE TO BE LEAGUE CITY WOULD BE FOR ME TO NOT NEED TO EXIST.

MY JOB AS I SEE IT, IS TO WORK MYSELF OUT OF A JOB.

IF WE MAKE THE RIGHT INVESTMENTS AND WE SAY STEADFAST ON WHAT THESE GOALS ARE, THEN IN 15, 20 YEARS YOU'LL BE LIKE LEAGUE CITY AND SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES WHERE YOU DON'T NEED AN EDC.

WE'LL, WE WILL HAVE THOSE REVENUES COMING IN.

WE, WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH LAND.

WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY.

BUT IF WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, MY, MY OTHER FEAR IS, IS WE'RE STARTING TO GET GOOD TRASH IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS SINCE YOU ALL HAVE COME ON, SINCE MR. CAREY'S BEEN HERE, THE, THE DISCUSSION AROUND US HAS CHANGED.

DEVELOPERS CALLED ME WHEN I SAT IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF THIS BODY, AND I SPOKE ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT BACK IN OCTOBER.

THAT FOLLOWING WEEK, MY PHONE RAN, RAN, RANG OFF THE HOOK.

I HAD TWO BILLIONAIRES SIT, BILLIONAIRES SIT, COME AND SIT IN MY OFFICE.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S HAPPENED HERE BEFORE WANTING TO DO INVESTMENT HERE.

I'VE SPOKEN TO FOUR DEVELOPERS.

I GOTTA BE CAREFUL WHAT I SAY, BUT I CAN'T NAME SPOTS.

BUT FOR DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO COME IN AND BULLDOZE SOME THINGS AND REDO IT, RIGHT? WE'RE STARTING TO GET THAT ATTRACTION IN.

THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO TURN THE DIAL, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT PREVIOUS, UH, BAD DEALS.

AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.

AND YOU WANT TO ASK ME A QUESTION ABOUT SOME OF THESE BAD DEALS.

I'M ON THE MIC, I'M ON CAMERA.

I'LL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT I, WHAT I THINK BAD DEALS WOULD'VE NEVER WRITTEN THEM.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DEALS THAT WE NEED TO WRITE? WE NEED TO WRITE DEALS THAT MAKE THESE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT HAVE THAT ONE, HAVE THE INVESTORS, RIGHT? HAVE THE DOLLARS, HAVE THE VISION, HAVE THE KNOW-HOW TO ACTUALLY BRING THESE, THESE PROJECTS TO LIFE.

AND THEN YOU CRAFT YOUR DEAL.

I THINK ONE OF THE COMMENTS MAYOR WAS MAKING EARLIER IS THERE'S CERTAIN, OR, OR I THINK MR. TOWNSEND

[02:15:01]

'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT WAS WHAT WAS IN THE DEAL.

WE NEED TO CRAFT THESE DEALS.

SO WE'RE DEVELOPING NOT ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIPS, NOT A SITUATION WHERE A DEVELOPER COMES IN, LIKE MOST OF THEM, HEY, I'M GONNA BUILD THIS THING.

I'M GONNA FLIP IT THE SECOND I CAN AND I'M OUTTA HERE AND I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT GOES THERE AND WHAT HAPPENS TO IT IN FIVE YEARS.

SO CRAFT THE DEALS DIFFERENTLY SO THAT THEY, THAT DEVELOPER HAS A REASON TO BE HERE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

AND IT, AND IT BECOMES VESTED IN OUR SUCCESS BECAUSE OUR SUCCESS BECOMES THEIR SUCCESS.

AND IF YOU CRAFT THOSE DEALS APPROPRIATELY, YOU CAN GET THESE THINGS MOVING FORWARD.

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PAST, GENTLEMEN.

I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I SAT HERE FOR SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS.

I DON'T DENY A THING THAT THAT'S BEEN SAID.

OKAY? I THINK ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS BASICALLY JUST HIRED A BUNCH OF CONSULTANTS TO DO A BUNCH OF REPORTS.

AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE? I FRANKLY DON'T KNOW.

I CAN TELL YOU, I CAME IN HERE, WE HAD EIGHT OR NINE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR ANY, ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TO $15,000 A YEAR.

I CANCELED ALL OF THEM.

WHY? THOSE TOOLS AREN'T BAD.

BUT WE HAD A BUNCH OF TOOLS THAT DON'T MEAN ANYTHING TILL WE CHANGE THESE NUMBERS.

ONCE WE CHANGED OUR NU NUMBERS.

YEAH, OKAY.

MAYBE YOU BUY ONE OR TWO.

I DON'T THINK WE EVER NEED TO BE ADVERTISING IN THE UK OR WHATEVER IT IS WE WERE DOING.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I, I, I CAN'T, I I CAN'T FIX THE PAST.

I CAN'T GO BACK IN TIME.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS HOW WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND WE'VE GOT A REVENUE PROBLEM AND WE NEED TO MAKE THE INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE.

IF WE GENERATE, WE, WE, WE START GENERATING MORE SALES TAX, THEN THAT, THAT STREET AND MAINTENANCE FUND GOES, STARTS GOING UP.

BUT IF WE TAKE EVERYTHING NOW AS THE, AS, AS THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, FROM BEING IN FINANCE MYSELF, WE FIX THE TOMORROW PRO.

WE, WE FIX THE TODAY PROBLEM.

WHAT ABOUT THE TOMORROW PROBLEM AND THE NEXT MONTH PROBLEM? AND THE NEXT YEAR PROBLEM REVENUES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO SLIDE.

THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT THEY'RE NOT.

SO I, I WOULD, I I I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO CHANGE A FEW THINGS, RIGHT? LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE CONTROL, YOU KNOW, REBRAND IT AND TRY TO GET A FRESH START.

I EVEN THINK THERE'S A WAY TO MAYBE CONTRIBUTE.

I HAVE TO LOOK, I DON'T WANNA SAY THIS RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE I GOTTA DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, TO, TO, TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

BUT WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT WE HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE TO TOGETHER.

I I'VE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL OF YOU OFFLINE BEFORE.

I ENCOURAGE THAT.

I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE IN WORKING WITH MR. CAREY.

BUT WE'RE HERE ALL DAY.

WE THE COME ASK, ASK FOR A MEETING WITH MR. CAREY AND MYSELF.

WE'RE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK.

I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO AT LEAST ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CONCERNS IS I, I, I'VE, I I SORT OF HEAR, AND, AND IN TALKING WITH PEOPLE, WHILE YOU ALL WERE INSIDE GETTING A, A BIT OF A EDUCATION MYSELF ON THE HISTORY.

UM, SO UNDERSTANDING THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO MAYBE SKIN THAT CAT WITHOUT THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.

SORRY FOR ALL THE ANALOGIES.

ANYWAY.

THAT'S JESUS.

NO, AND I CAN VOUCH FOR MR. FUNK.

I HAVE BEEN IN MULTIPLE MEETINGS.

I HAVE MET WITH THESE BILLIONAIRES WHO THERE'S PROBABLY NEVER BEEN BILLIONAIRES IN CITY HALL DICKINSON, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MUCH.

WE HAVE SO MUCH MOMENTUM.

GOOD THINGS ARE OCCURRING TO ME.

I ALMOST TAKE IT PERSONAL.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE, I ALMOST FEEL LIKE IT, THIS ENTIRE AGENDA HAS BEEN A STRAIGHT SLAP IN MY FACE.

YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY THE POLICE CHIEF FROM THE CITY? OKAY, LET'S TAKE IT AWAY, AWAY FROM THE CITY MANAGER, THE POLICE CHIEF, CITY SECRETARY, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE A TOOL AWAY FROM THEM WHEN THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO DO SOME GOOD.

WE'RE NOT EVEN HAVING A CHANCE OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME GOOD.

LET'S JUST TAKE IT FROM 'EM.

BECAUSE WHAT THE PEOPLE DID IN THE PAST, I'M SORRY, I'M NOT MR. MILSON.

HE'S NOT MR. SKIPWORTH.

WE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

THAT'S NOT MR. KIRTLAND HOLDMAN.

THEY'RE NOT HERE.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE HERE TRYING TO DO SOME GOOD AND LET'S JUST TAKE IT AWAY FROM 'EM BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

THAT'S WHY I'M SO FRUSTRATED.

WE CAN DO SOME GOOD HERE.

WE HAVE SO MUCH MOMENTUM, GREAT THINGS ARE OCCURRING AND IT'S LIKE WE'RE JUST GOING TO SHOOT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT.

THAT AFTER OH, NO PROBLEM.

AND, AND I, I THINK TOO, WE HAD SUCH GREAT MOMENTUM AND EVERYBODY WAS WORKING SO WELL TOGETHER, BUT THEN WE HAD THIS AGENDA ITEM PUT ON, WE LOST A $20 MILLION INVESTOR OFF OF THE EAST END PROJECT.

NOW IS THAT THE END OF THE WORLD? IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD DEVELOPER WHO HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACCESS TO CAPITAL.

SO ONE INVESTOR, 20 MILLION INVESTOR LEAVES TALK TO 'EM

[02:20:01]

WE GOT OTHER GUYS.

SO THOSE ARE ALSO THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WE NEED TO BE DOING BUSINESS WITH AND BRINGING IN.

WE NEED THOSE TYPES OF FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING RID OF SOME OF THESE OTHER SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT HAVE HAD PROJECTS AND BUSINESSES HERE AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.

AND MOVE THINGS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

MR. FONT.

I, I, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT JUST SO I'M CLEAR, YOU'RE SAYING WE LOST A POTENTIAL $20 MILLION INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM? YES, WE DID, SIR.

IT, IT, IT WAS TO, TO CLARIFY, IT WAS THE, THE DEVELOPERS, ONE OF THE INVESTORS BEHIND THE DEVELOPER WHO BASICALLY THEY WERE KEEPING EVERYTHING EV EVERYBODY IN PLACE.

'CAUSE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, ALL SIGNS WERE MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN THAT PARTICULAR INVESTOR WHO'S BEEN WAITING ON THIS PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME NOW, JUST SAID, LOOK, I'M DONE.

RIGHT? AND, AND PULLED OUT.

NOW AGAIN, IF WE'RE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A DEAL KILLER BECAUSE THOSE RIGHT, THE RIGHT COMPANIES CAN JUST FILL THAT BACK IN.

SO, BUT, BUT WE DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TRACTION THAT WE'RE GENERATING.

AND YOU'RE HEARING ALL THIS TRACTION AND WE'RE GETTING ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN.

THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOW TUNING INTO THESE MEETINGS.

BECAUSE THINK ABOUT IT, IF YOU WERE GOING TO INVEST 20, 30, $50 MILLION, ARE YOU GONNA TURN TUNE INTO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING? YOU PROBABLY ARE.

BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU TALK TO SOME DEVELOPERS, ONE OF THE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT MANAGING RISK EARLIER, AND I'M, I AM SORRY.

I, I, I'M, I'M PROVIDING AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN.

SO WE JUST UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING FROM ALL DIFFERENT ANGLES.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT IS, IS RISK IS RISK MANAGEMENT.

IF THERE'S, IF FOLKS ARE AREN'T COLLABORATIVE AND WORKING TOGETHER, IT'S A RISK WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT.

RIGHT? SO, AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE SAW.

SO I JUST SHOT, UH, UM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM, UH, ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? I HAVE LOTS OF NUMBERS HERE.

STATS.

I'D LIKE TO END MY MOTION TO DO A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM REDISTRIBUTION OF THE EDC FACTS.

REALLOCATION.

SO NON-BINDING REFERENDUM AS READ, LET, LET THE VOTER VOTE ON.

AND THEN, SO I HAVE A, MY NEW MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I, I'LL ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT.

HE HAS, I THINK IT WAS YOUR ORIGINAL MOTION AND I SECONDED IT.

AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT.

SO IF I MAY ASK A QUESTION THEN, 'CAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK IT ANYWAY.

THE WAY THE MAYOR READ THE QUEST, THE QUESTION FOR THE VOTE, AND BEFORE WE WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IT WAS TO REALLOCATE THE EDC TO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING BACK TO A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM ON THE, IT'S STILL A SPECIAL ELECTION, STILL DOING, DOING AWAY WITH IT.

IT'S JUST A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM.

WE GET TO SEE THE, UH, BASICALLY IT'S A, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S A TEMPERATURE CHECK.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO? UM, I JUST WANNA BE SURE WHAT I VOTED HIM.

THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION.

AND, AND I GOT ONE MORE FROM MR. YES, SIR.

GO AHEAD.

FROM MR. FONT, I DON'T LIKE YES, MEN.

SO IF I'M, I TELL YOU, IF I'M GOING ONE WAY WITH SOMETHING AND IT'S GOOD, YOU SAY IT'S GOOD, THAT'S FINE.

BUT I'M ONE PERSON THAT TELL, AND I'VE HAD THIS WITH, WITH MR. CAREY AND HIM AND MR. UH, MAGNO.

IF I'M OUT IN LEFT FIELD, I WANNA BE TOLD I'M OUT IN LEFT FIELD.

AND WHY, SO BETWEEN THE EDC BOARD AND THIS COUNCIL, IF ONE OF 'EM HAS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T LIKE, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT YOU CAN COME AND TELL US THAT, HEY, THAT'S IN LEFT FIELD AND AND GIVE US AN EXAMPLE AND LET US KNOW WHY I DON'T WANT TO YES, MA'AM.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT STUFF THAT'S NO GOOD.

WE ALL KNOW IT, IT WASN'T ANY GOOD.

BUT WE'VE GOTTA HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN COME IN HERE AND TELL US, HEY, THAT AIN'T A GOOD PROJECT.

EVEN IF THE CITY MANAGER THINKS IT'S A GOOD PROJECT, IT AIN'T A GOOD PROJECT.

I DON'T WANT TO, I JUST DON'T WANT TO.

YES, MA'AM.

I MEAN, THE PICNIC GROUNDS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.

YOU COME UP HERE AND YOU FOUGHT FOR IT, AND I KNOW I HAD A MEETING WITH YOU AND YOU WERE HAPPY THAT IT WAS DEAD.

[02:25:01]

WELL THAT WAS A DIFFERENT BOARD AND THAT WAS A DIFFERENT JUST SAYING.

AND I DIFFERENT, I MEAN, DIFFERENT CITY MANAGER BY DOING THAT THOUGH, YOU PUT YOURSELF ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK TO BE TERMINATED AND I GET THAT.

BUT WE GOTTA HAVE SOMEBODY THAT TELLS US THAT OUR IDEALS ARE GOOD OR OUR IDEALS AREN'T ANY GOOD.

WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYBODY JUST ALWAYS TELLING US, HEY, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU, MARK ON THAT ONE.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME YOU AND I BOTH FULLY AGREE.

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE.

YOU CHANGE THAT .

NO.

AND SO I WILL SAY THAT, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS ADDRESS WITH ALL OF MY CLIENTS IS YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIKE WHAT I HAVE TO ALWAYS SAY, BUT IT'S GONNA BE THE RIGHT THING THAT YOU NEED TO HEAR.

UM, AND SOMETHING THAT, UH, I WILL SAY TO, UH, MR. FUNK IS, HIM AND I HAVE NOT ALWAYS SEEN EYE TO EYE.

WE HAVE HAD DIS HEATED DISCUSSIONS.

WE HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT IT'S ALSO BASED OFF OF FACTS.

AND THAT'S THE ONE THING I WILL ALWAYS, UH, I WILL GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR, IS HE HAS NEVER BEEN SHORT ON FACTS.

UM, AND HIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS EMOTION.

HE WASN'T TIED TO ANY OF THIS STUFF.

SO I HAVE VALUED HIS, HIS OPINION AND HIS EXPERTISE.

UM, BUT ALSO, THIS IS WHY WE DO THIS.

WE HAVE THIS, THIS COMMUNITY, UM, BACK AND FORTH AS RESPECTFUL INDIVIDUALS AND SAY, LOOK, I, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T SEE YOUR VISION AND I NEED YOU TO, YOU KNOW, BETTER.

TELL ME WHY.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WAS SO ADAMANT AGAINST RI GETTING RID OF THE PICNIC PARK.

WELL, LOOK AT THE, LOOK AT THE PROJECTIONS.

THEY WERE COMPLETELY FLAWED.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY HAD, UM, THEY HAD FOOD TRUCKS THAT WERE MAKING MORE SALES TAX REVENUE THAN OUR MCDONALD'S.

I DON'T KNOW ANY FOOD TRUCK IN DICKINSON, TEXAS THAT'S MAKING MORE MONEY THAN MCDONALD'S.

SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH ALSO RESOURCES, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SITTING ON THIS COUNCIL THAT CAN ALSO SEE THROUGH THE BULL CRAP.

THAT CAN FEED THROUGH.

ALRIGHT, WELL I SEE THAT JUST LIKE THE IMPACT STUDY CHA UH, MR CARE, WHAT WE SAW WITH LAGO MAR EAST, THEY TRIED TO SAY, WE DON'T NEED TO HELP YOU.

WELL, WE NEED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WILLING TO FIGHT AND SAY, WELL, WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE, THEN WE NEED TO START SAYING NO.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HASN'T DONE IN A LONG TIME, IS START SAYING NO TO PEOPLE.

THE MORE YOU START SAYING NO, PEOPLE START REALIZING THERE'S PROBABLY VALUE THERE.

THEY SEE THE VALUE, AND NOW YOU GET A BETTER QUALITY PARTNERSHIP.

SO I, AND, AND IF, IF I, IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR.

UM, JUST, I, I MADE MY OPINIONS KNOWN PRIVATE AND, AND WAS GIVEN A, A, A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, BUT BY SOME OF THE FOLKS AT THE TIME.

BUT THAT PROJECT'S ALSO THE ONE WHERE, YOU KNOW, I STARTED CIRCLING THE INFORMATION OF HOW'S THIS FOOD TRUCK GONNA MAKE AS MUCH AS OUR MCDONALD'S ON I 45? RIGHT.

SO TRYING TO GET THE INFOR AT LEAST TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.

HEY, NOBODY ACCOUNTED FOR MAINTENANCE BUDGET AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT KIND OF COME WITH THAT.

UM, AND I, FRANKLY, I, I FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE TO BE, YOU KNOW, THAN I DID BACK THEN.

I WAS STILL FAIRLY EARLY IN MY TENURE.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, IS, I MEAN, ULTIMATELY YOU'RE ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS COUNCIL.

I AM.

AND, AND I WANT YOU, YOU TO FEEL COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT YOU'RE ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS COUNCIL.

NO.

WELL, AND I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HAS TO COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.

I GET IT.

THE ULTIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY THOUGH, COMES BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.

NO ACTION OF THAT BOARD CAN DO ANYTHING WITHOUT COMING HERE.

AND IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, IT ISN'T GONNA HAPPEN.

CAN I, I, I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION AND GO FOR IT.

I LOVE IT.

AND THIS WAS ON THE, UH, MICROPHONE, THE, UH, DRIVEWAY FOR THE, UH, CHIROPRACTOR OUT THERE, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED A DRIVEWAY ENHANCEMENT PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THEN IT WAS CHANGED TO AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.

IT WAS, WAS THAT IT WAS AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.

I THINK, I THINK THE ORIGINAL IT WAS CHANGED.

THE ORIGINAL WAS SOMETHING LIKE A DRIVEWAY ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.

THE ORIGINAL AGENDA ITEM WAS NOT THE APPROPRIATE TERMINOLOGY FOR IT.

IT WAS, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE A INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT UNDER, UNDER THE EDC.

SO WAS THAT CHANGED TO MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE TO THE COUNCIL? OR WHY WAS IT CHANGED? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK IT WAS CHANGED TO MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE TO THE COUNCIL.

IT WAS, IT WAS CHANGED.

'CAUSE THE APPROPRIATE VERBIAGE WASN'T IN TERMINOLOGY WASN'T BEING USED ON THE ORIGINAL ITEM.

SO I THINK THAT WAS YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE THE ONLY REASON IT IS COMING OUTTA THAT AND SAYING, UM, GUYS, LOOK, THINGS HAVE TO FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY AND THAT THE LANGUAGE WASN'T APPROPRIATE.

AND I KNOW SANTA FE HAS SAID, WE'VE GOT OUR THUMB ON THEIR NECKS RIGHT NOW.

AND YOU KNOW, AND I'VE HEARD, OH, YOU'RE GONNA GET RID OF DAY.

I, I HAVE NO INTENT ON GETTING RID OF YOUR JOB.

MY, I'M THINKING I'M GONNA MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN WORK FOR TWO MASTERS.

[02:30:01]

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT.

IF WE'VE GOT AN EDC BOARD NOW, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT DIFFERENT IDEAS, BUT MAYBE WE COULD HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD.

I JUST DON'T THINK YOU CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS.

PERIOD.

AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD, I KNOW YOU'RE ALREADY UNDER THE, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WHEN YOU WERE PUT UNDER THE CITY HALL.

USED TO BE A SEPARATE BOARD, SEPARATE DIRECTOR, EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY THERE.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, SO I, I THINK I'M DOING THE RIGHT THING, BUT SOME PEOPLE DON'T.

I, I, WELL, I, I, I MEAN, I, I'D LOVE TO GET TOGETHER AND, AND TO, AND TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT THERE IS ALIGNMENT.

'CAUSE I WILL TELL YOU AGAIN, I'M ON THE MICROPHONE.

I'M HEARING THE PUBLIC, I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT OUT LOUD.

THERE WAS A TIME, AND I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, I TOLD MR. CAREY, UM, YEAH, I FEEL LIKE I AM WORKING FOR 14 DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND, AND CAN'T GET ANYWHERE.

I, I, I SAID THAT TO HIM.

UM, I DON'T FEEL THAT WAY, UM, ANY ANYMORE.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE.

I THINK THERE'S MORE, MORE ALIGNMENT, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME, SOME WAYS TO FURTHER ENSURE THAT THAT ALIGNMENT OCCURS.

UM, MY BOARD IS AN ADVISORY BOARD.

THIS COUNCIL IS THE, IS THE ULTIMATE GOVERNING BODY.

SO I I, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT OUR RECENT EDC APPOINTMENTS, THAT WAS A FOUR THREE SPLIT ON THAT.

SO DO WE ALL AGREE? NO.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

AND LET ME BE, UH, SO WITH THE FOUR THREE SPLIT, I ACTUALLY WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THE ONLY REASON I VOTED AGAINST IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE I WANTED TO VOTE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL INDIVID INDIVIDUAL, UM, MEMBER.

MEMBER.

I DID TOO.

IT WAS, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INDIVIDUALS.

I DIDN'T WANNA VOTE FOR ALL FOUR.

I, I THOUGHT IT WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER IDEA TO HIT EACH INDIVIDUAL.

THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON I VOTED AGAINST IT WAS BECAUSE I WOULD'VE LIKED TO SEE US VOTE ON EACH INDIVIDUAL, UH, CANDIDATE, UM, AND TALK ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE SEPARATELY.

BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

IT'S FINE.

WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON WITH IT.

THAT I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD AS IT STANDS.

UM, HOWEVER, I, I WOULD, THE LAST THING I'M GONNA SAY, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO A VOTE UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY, IS DO NOT LET THE SINS OF, OF, OF SOMEONE ELSE HINDER OUR ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD.

UM, I GOT IT.

THERE IS TONS OF SCAR TISSUE AND IT, IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY THE WORDS, TRUST ME.

AND I DON'T LIKE SAYING THOSE WORDS.

TRUST ME.

I NEVER, I WILL NEVER SAY THOSE TO MY CLIENTS.

NEVER GONNA SAY THEM TO YOU GUYS.

I WILL EARN YOUR TRUST WITH MY ACTIONS, WITH THE WAY WE PRESENT OURSELVES.

UM, THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE.

THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN PROVE TO YOU.

YOU JUST GOTTA GIVE US TIME.

I, I, WE CAN'T FIX THIS ALL OVERNIGHT.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HURDLES OVER THE LAST YEAR, YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN AROUND.

SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.

I'M GLAD IT WAS ON THE AGENDA, EVEN THOUGH IT, IT, UH, IT IS CONTENTIOUS, BUT I THINK THAT WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.

UH, AND WE JUST WANT THE CITY TO THRIVE.

THAT THAT'S IT.

NO, NO OTHER AGENDA OTHER THAN THAT.

UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS FROM ANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS? I MAYOR.

UM, YES, SIR.

SO, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, NOW, THE ITEM IS A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM.

UM, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT MARKETING EARLIER.

FOR THE COUNCIL TO CALL A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM, WHICH THE COUNCIL DID FOR THE FIREWORKS ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THAT WAS AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS ADOPTED.

UM, I RECALL WITH THE FIREWORKS PUBLIC NOT UNDERSTANDING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE TEMPERATURE IS OF THE BOARD, UH, OF THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.

BUT I, I JUST REMEMBER EXPLICITLY WHEN WE PUT THE NON-BINDING REFERENDUM ON FIREWORKS ON THE AGENDA, AND IT, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE VOTED.

OH, YEAH.

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION BETWEEN, WELL, WHY DON'T WE HAVE FIREWORKS ALREADY? WE VOTED ON IT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE EVERYBODY'S TEMPERATURE IS ON THIS, BUT IF IT PASSES, I, I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER MESSAGING AROUND THAT.

AND TO THE POINT OF THIS BEING A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM, UM, I, I NEED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE REFERENDUM WOULD BE FOR.

BECAUSE THE TERM REFERENDUM IS A TERM OF ART.

IT REFERS TO THE RECONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED.

SO THAT'S THE POWER OF REFERENDUM VERSUS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POWER OF INITIATIVE WHERE PETITIONERS WOULD PROPOSE THE ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE.

A REFERENDUM IS WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE, BUT WANTS TO TEE UP THE QUESTION OF SHOULD WE KEEP THIS ORDINANCE? WHICH IS WHY THE NON-BINDING REFERENDUM ON THE FIREWORKS ORDINANCE WORKED IN OUR CHARTER.

THERE IS THE PROVISION

[02:35:01]

AND SO WE TEED UP THE QUESTION TO THE ELECTORATE OF, SHOULD WE DO AWAY WITH THAT ORDINANCE HERE? I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE REFERENDUM WOULD DO.

LIKE WHAT IS THE ADOPTED ORDINANCE THAT WE WOULD BE TEEING UP AND ASKING THE ELECTORATE TO DO AWAY WITH? SO, SO IS THERE SUCH THING AS A NON-BINDING INITIATIVE? I MEAN, THERE, YOU USED THE WORD INITIATIVE.

SO, SO IT'S, IT'S LAID OUT IN THE CHARTER AND, AND NO, THERE IS NOT A, UH, INITIATIVE, UH, THAT IS POWER THAT'S GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL TO, TO CALL.

'CAUSE AN INITIATIVE IS TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE.

WHAT THE COUNCIL ALREADY HAS THE POWER TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE.

SO, UH, THERE'S JUST THE POWER LISTED UNDER REFERENDUM STATING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL HAVE THE, THE POWER TO CALL AN ELECTION FOR A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM, BUT NOT INITIATIVE, BUT THE REALLOCATION OF THE SALES TAX OF THE EDC.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE PROPOSED OR, OR POSSIBLE, UM, REPEAL OF AN ADOPTED ORDINANCE.

SO I'M JUST LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE VOTERS.

SO, UH, YES, SIR.

I UNDERSTAND.

BUT I, I'M, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE, THE CHARTER.

SO HERE'S THE QUESTION I HAVE WITH THAT.

LIKE THIS.

SO THIS GOES BACK TO THE FIREWORKS.

IT, WHEN YOU DO A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM, WE AREN'T DOING OUR JOB.

RIGHT? SO OUR JOB AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS TO GET OUT INTO THE PUBLIC AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT.

RIGHT? I'M AT EVERY EVENT I CAN POSSIBLY BE AT.

I'VE TALKED TO AS MANY CITIZENS AS POSSIBLE, AND I ASK 'EM, WHAT DO THEY WANT? RIGHT? WELL, WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE THE, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE, UH, INTESTINAL FORTITUDE TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS FOR THIS CITY.

NOW, IF WE WANNA SEND IT TO THE VOTERS, MAKE IT BINDING.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEND IT TO THE VOTERS, THEN LET'S NOT SEND IT TO THE VOTERS.

BUT HERE'S THE, WHAT I WOULD WOULD REMIND EVERYONE IS HOW MANY VOTERS, SO WE HAVE 12, I THINK 12,000, UM, THEREABOUTS, UH, ABOUT 12,000, UM, UH, REGISTERED VOTERS HERE IN DICKINSON.

HOW MANY OF THEM KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? HOW MANY KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THE CITY? HOW MANY OF THEM KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF TRUE DEVELOPMENT? HOW MANY OF 'EM KNOW, UH, OR ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON? THERE ARE, UH, A, A GROUP OF CITIZENS THAT ARE HEAVILY PAYING ATTENTION.

AND I, I WISH MORE DID I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SIT IN AND LISTEN TO THESE MEETINGS.

YOU CAN LEARN A LOT HERE, THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT.

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, WHAT I WOULD CHALLENGE, UH, AND THINK ABOUT THIS IS IF WE WANT TO DO THIS, THERE IS NO IF AND OR BUTS WE EITHER DO IT OR WE DON'T.

THERE IS NO, LET ME GET A TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND THEN LEMME PUT IT ON THE NEXT ELECTION.

'CAUSE IF WE GET IT AND WE DON'T AND, AND PUT IT IN FORCE, NOW EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE SUPER UPSET.

SO FROM NOW UNTIL MAY, WHAT IF WE FOUND A WAY TO, TO FIX IT? RIGHT? WELL, WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE BECAUSE WE DID A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM.

UM, WHICH ONCE AGAIN, IF WE WOULD'VE JUST MADE THE DECISION IN THE PAST WITH THE FIREWORKS, WE WOULD'VE NEVER HAD ALL THE PROBLEMS IF THEY WOULD'VE JUST CALLED IT WHAT IT WAS AND SAID, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS.

UNFORTUNATELY, NO ONE WANTS TO MAKE A HARD DECISION BECAUSE THERE'S AN ELECTION COMING UP, IS WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE.

SO LET'S JUST MAKE THE DANG DECISION AND OWN UP TO WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.

IS, IS, IS WHAT I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND.

UM, I, I DON'T LIKE THE, THE HALF IN, HALF OUT THING EITHER ALL IN OR ALL OUT.

BUT I, I WISH WE COULD JUST, YOU KNOW, DO A SURVEY, BUT THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT IN AN ELECTION.

WE'RE GONNA GET 2000 VOTES, MAYBE.

WELL, TO SAY THAT'S THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

THAT'S THE WILL OF THE VOTERS, NOT THE WILL OF THE 12,000 REGISTERED VOTERS THAT DIDN'T EVEN KNOW AN ELECTION HAPPENED.

AND THIS IS WHY IT GOES BACK TO, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A MARKETING CAMPAIGN, IT'S THEIR INFORMATION CAMPAIGN.

I DON'T WANNA MARKET THE CITY AS IN TRYING TO GET BUSINESSES TO COME HERE.

WE NEED TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO GET IT TO ALL THE CITIZENS.

SO WE NEED, AND THIS IS THE SAME REASON WHY I'M DOING THE THING IN FEBRUARY.

SO, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S JUST MY TWO BITS.

I CAN'T MAKE A MOTION.

I'M JUST HERE TO VOTE.

SO, AND ALSO THAT WAS MY, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL OPINION.

SO, SO DO YOU NEED MORE CLARIFICATION OR WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO ON THIS FOR MY MOTION? I MEAN, WELL, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO, UH, CALL AN ELECTION ON A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM.

AND I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW WELL WHAT ADOPTED ORDINANCE, WHAT ORDINANCE ALREADY ADOPTED THE REFERENDUM WOULD BE ABOUT.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT A REFERENDUM IS, IS TO TEE UP A QUESTION OF YAY OR NAY ON THIS ORDINANCE THAT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

SO I, I GUESS I OF

[02:40:01]

CURIOSITY, WHAT LEGAL MECHANISM CREATES SALES TAX? BECAUSE FROM WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU'RE SAYING WE CAN'T DO A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SPEAKING TO AN ORDINANCE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

CORRECT? YES, SIR.

AN ORDINANCE, THIS WAS AN ELECTION HELD BY THE CITIZENS IN 1998 TO FORM AN EDC .

THE REFERENDUM IS NON-BINDING REFERENDUM IS DO WE WANT TO TAKE PART OF THAT SALES TAX THEY GOT LEFT AND PUT IT IN THE GENERAL FUND, YES OR NO NON-BINDING.

RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THE, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAYING ELECTION IS.

BUT WHAT'S SAYING, THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FIREWORKS WE GET IN HERE, THEN WE DON'T WRITE THE TERMINOLOGY AND WE SCREW IT ALL UP WHERE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOTING FOR.

THIS WAS A CUT AND DRY DEAL.

THAT'S WHAT THEY ASKED FOR.

IT'S A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT IN THE GENERAL FUND, YES OR NO.

GOT YOU.

BUT WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE ATTORNEY IS, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

NON-BINDING, THE ATTORNEY, NON-BINDING REFERENDUMS ARE ONLY ON ORDINANCES.

AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT CREATED THE EDC OR ALLOCATED THE SALES TAX, HE'S SAYING WE CAN'T AN ORDINANCE OR HE WOULDN'T HAVE PASSED.

I DON'T, YEAH.

WOULDN'T WE HAVE PASSED AN ORDINANCE TO PASS THE, YOU WOULD'VE CALLED AN ORDINANCE TO CALL FOR AN ELECTION AND THAT'S IT.

SO WELL, UM, UH, I'M HERE.

I GOT THE MOTION AND A SECOND, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN A LEGAL MOTION.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO NOT AN APPROPRIATE MOTION IS WHAT HE'S SAYING? CORRECT.

CAN WE, ALL RIGHT.

UM, WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE IT APPROPRIATE? IT'S GOTTA BE BINDING.

WELL, IT WOULD BE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE, THE ORDINANCE.

IT EXACTLY AS, AS IT ADOPT THE ORDINANCE IS THE ONLY WAY THAT IT COULD, THE ORDINANCE, IF ADOPTED, WOULD SEND THE QUESTION TO THE VOTERS, THE ACTUAL QUESTION OF TAKING THE SALES TAX FROM EDC AND PUTTING IT INTO GENERAL REVENUE.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO? WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO, UM, POSTPONE.

I WAS GONNA SAY FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION, WE MOVE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.

WE CAN POSTPONE TO THE NEXT MEETING.

I THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA PERSONALLY, JUST GOING DOWN THIS ROAD AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST MAKING SOME INROADS.

I, I AGREE WITH TRAVIS ON THIS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA AT THIS POINT.

BUT I'M WILLING TO DEFER THIS CONVERSATION TO THE NEXT MEETING.

I'D LIKE IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

IF YOU CAN'T TELL US WHAT TO DO NOW, HOW I CAN DO A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM.

UH, I, I'D LIKE TO E IT RIGHT.

AND ENTERTAIN THE OPTION.

LET'S GO DO SOME RESEARCH, ENTERTAIN IT IF IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT BEFORE WE MAKE THIS DECISION.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT.

SO DO YOU, UM, SO THAT MEANS, DO YOU AMEND YOUR, I I WITHDRAW MY, MY SECOND.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE, UH, POSTPONE, POSTPONE IT AND PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

IS THAT GONNA BE TOO, IS THAT GONNA BE TOO LONG TO NOT HAVE IT ON THE BALLOT? UH, NO SIR.

THERE'S THE TIMELINE.

AND THE NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH, UM, WE GOTTA BUILD ON A NEXT MEETING OR IT CAN'T GO ON.

THAT'S CORRECT.

PERFECT.

AS LONG AS WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE MORE MEETING, WE'RE GOOD.

AND IS THIS GOING IN AS IF THIS GOES LIKE THIS? IS THIS CONSIDERED AN ORDINANCE WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO READINGS OR CAN ONE READING DO IT? AN ORDINANCE THAT DEALS WITH TAX IS EXEMPTED IN THE CHARTER FROM THE REQUIREMENT OF TWO READINGS.

SO AN ORDINANCE TO CALL THIS SELECTION CAN BE DONE.

WE DO IT WITH ONE IN ONE READING THAT UNDER THAT PROTOCOL OF THE ORDINANCE.

SO THE MOTIONS, MOTION.

SO POSTPONE, POSTPONE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED.