[A. Regular Meeting Opening]
[00:00:08]
>> GOOD EVENING. I CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND CITY OF SACHSE WILL HOLD OUR REGULAR MEETING ON TODAY, THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.
IT IS NOW 6:03 PM TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
I'VE ASKED COUNCILMEMBER MICHELLE HOWARTH TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE US AND TEXAS FLAGS IN INVOCATION.
>> HEAVENLY FATHER WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT WE GATHERED HERE TOGETHER THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD YOU CHOSE TO DO IN SACHSE WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE BLESS US TO LISTEN RESPECTFULLY AND TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS AND WE ASK YOU TO PROTECT OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND KEEP THEM SAFE WHILE THEY DO THE WORK TO KEEP THIS COMMUNITY FUNCTIONING.
GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WE SAY THIS IN JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.
ITEM B, ONE IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD REGARDING ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY ON THE AGENDA.
THE TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE ACTING SECRETARY PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
ACCORDING TO TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE BOARD IS PROHIBITED FROM DISCUSSING ANY ITEM NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA BUT WILL TAKE COMMENTS UNDER ADVISEMENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS FOR THAT?
[C. Consent Agenda - All items listed on the consent agenda will be considered by the Board and will be enacted on by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Board member so requests.]
THEN WE WILL MOVE TO C, A CONSENT AGENDA.ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD AND WILL BE ENACTED ON BY ONE MOTION.
THERE'LL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS UNLESS A BOARD MEMBER SO REQUEST.
ITEM 1 IS APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 16, 2023 MEETING MINUTES.
ITEM 2, ACCEPT THE MONTHLY REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2023.
ACCEPT THE MONTHLY REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 2023 AND ACCEPT THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2023.
NUMBER 5, ACCEPT THE CITY OF SAXON INVESTMENT POLICY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 THROUGH 2024 AS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 4, 2023 AND ITEM 6 IS APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
>> I MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS.
>> I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
IS IT NOT COMING UP? IS IT JUST ME? THERE IT COMES.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT SLOWER.
DID YOU GET EVERYBODY IN? IF YOU GET ON THE WRONG SCREEN, YOU WON'T SEE IT.
YEAH. I I'VE BEEN GUILTY OF THAT BEFORE.
>> IT'S NOT WORKING. IT SAYS JOIN [INAUDIBLE]
[00:05:10]
>> IF IT'S NOT COMING UP, WE CAN ALWAYS DO A HAND VOTE.
>> TECH SUPPORT TO THE RESCUE.
>> I THINK OUR NETWORK SHOWED THE COMPUTER COMPANY AND YOU'RE THE ONE HELPING [LAUGHTER].
>> DID NOT GET IT RIGHT? THERE WE GO.
I THINK IT'LL SHOW THERE SOMEWHERE.
>> IT SAID THAT FULL MINUTE AGO.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM, IS NOT WANTING TO GO?
>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT, CAN WE JUST DO A VOTE BY SHOW OF HANDS ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. IS THAT OKAY?
>> LET'S READ EVERYBODY'S NAME INTO THE RECORD AND YOU CAN SAY YAY OR NAY.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TIME IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?
>> THE CITY SECRETARY WOULD NORMALLY DO THAT. DENISE.
>> READ EACH PERSON'S NAME AND THEY'LL VOTE.
THEY'LL GIVE YOU THEIR VOTE. YAY OR NAY, THAT WHAT'S IN THE RECORD VERBALLY.
>> IT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE TECHNOLOGY AT SOME POINT.
>> THANK YOU GUYS. GOOD TO SEE YOU. ITEM D,
[1. Conduct a public hearing for an infrastructure project generally located along Miles Road, north of Bunker Hill Road, known as Project Yosemite, for Vaquero Sachse II Partners, LP, its assigns, or related entities.]
REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS 1, IT SAYS, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG MILES ROAD NORTH OF BUNKER HILL ROAD, KNOWN AS PROJECT YOSEMITE FOR VAQUERO SACHSE TWO PARTNERS, LP, IT'S ASSIGNS OR RELATED ENTITIES.AT 06:11 I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
THERE WAS AN EMAIL COMMENT SENT IN.
I GUESS I NEED INDICATE WHO IT WAS.
MARTY HOBOK SENT THIS EMAIL IN.
LET ME READ THIS. JANUARY 18, OUR EDC PUBLIC MEETING PROJECT YOSEMITE PUBLIC HEARING QUESTIONS.
NUMBER 1, AT THE NOVEMBER 16TH EDC MEETING, I ASKED A SERIES OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING PROJECT YOSEMITE THAT THE EDC BOARD REFUSED TO ANSWER AND REFUSED TO RECORD IN THE MEETING MINUTES.
HOW HAS THE PUBLIC BEEN INFORMED OF THIS PROJECT AND HOW CAN WE INTERACT ON THE SUBJECT IF THE BOARD FAILS TO OFFER ANY GUIDELINES.
NUMBER 2, NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY CITY COUNCIL AS THE ITEM WAS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM.
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARING QUESTIONS, NUMBER 1, WHAT IS THIS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT? NUMBER 2, HOW MUCH IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT? NUMBER 3, IS THE CITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE COST AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROJECT? NUMBER 4, HOW MUCH IS THE CITY RESPONSIBLE FOR? NUMBER 5, WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE CITY FOR THIS PROJECT? NUMBER 6, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY TO RECOUP THEIR MONEY FOR THIS INVESTMENT THROUGH THE INCREASED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY? NUMBER 7, DOES STATE LAW REQUIRE A WRITTEN REPLY TO THESE QUESTIONS? AND WHEN CAN A REPLY BE EXPECTED? MY PREFERENCE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESPONSE IS OUT ON PUBLIC RECORDS SO THAT IT'S NOT A MATTER OF, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THESE TYPES OF QUESTIONS CAN'T BE ANSWERED YET BECAUSE WE'RE STILL NEGOTIATING WITH DEVELOPERS.
WE DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT YET.
WHEN YOU START GIVING THAT STUFF OUT PUBLICLY, YOU START TO LOSE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT.
AS WE WERE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION,
[00:10:03]
WE'VE AUTHORIZED CHAIR AND THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AGREEMENTS.CITY COUNCIL, I BELIEVE, DID THE SAME THING, AND THAT'S WHAT OUR ROLE IS.
THEN EVENTUALLY, ONCE THINGS GET APPROVED, IT'S MADE POSSIBLE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
OTHER PUBLIC QUESTIONS, WHAT I WANT TO, THROUGH PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AND SO FORTH.
SOME SIMPLE ANSWER IS NO, THE CITY IS NOT PAYING FOR ALL OF IT.
IS THERE ECONOMIC BENEFIT? WE WOULDN'T BE DOING IT IF THERE WASN'T, ISN'T IT? I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO RECOGNIZE, BUT WE CAN'T GIVE ALL THE DETAILS YET BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO NEGOTIATE AND WE WANT TO BE THE STRONGEST WE CAN BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE OUT THERE.
THE LAST QUESTION, STATE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THESE QUESTIONS. YOU GUYS ARE AWARE.
BUT AT ANY TIME, MR. HOBOLT CAN COME AND ASK CHAIR DIRECTLY OR JUST QUESTIONS AND WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
>> CAN I SAY SOMETHING AS WELL ON THAT TOPIC?
>> BECAUSE I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MY COMMUNITY AS WELL AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, WHAT IS IT, WHAT'S COMING? THEY SEE THESE THINGS THAT WE APPROVE AND IT SEEMS SECRETIVE.
WE HEARD THE GENTLEMAN SAY THAT IT WAS SECRETIVE.
ONCE YOU ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESS TO THEM, I THINK THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND IT AND THEY GO, OH, AND A LIGHT BULB GOES OFF.
BUT I THINK THERE IS BEING MISCONSTRUED BY THE FACT THAT WE USE CODE NAMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE SECRETIVE.
BUT WHEN WE DID EXECUTE WHAT WE DID, IT ALSO WAS JUST FOR THE NEGOTIATION OF THE AGREEMENT.
IT WASN'T THE APPROVAL OF ANY AGREEMENT, AND I THINK PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT EITHER.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT POINT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND I'VE HAD TO SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT OF ANTI-COMPETITIVE BEHAVIOR AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, LIKE HAVING A COMPETITOR MAYBE SWOOP IN AND TAKE YOUR DEAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. ANY OF THE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:15 PM.
[2. Receive any reports and presentations by the Sachse Economic Development Corporation President, Board Members, Executive Director, and staff regarding items of community interest; special events; announcements and activities; office, industrial, commercial, or retail business retention; and marketing projects.]
I GUESS ITEM D.2.RECEIVE ANY REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS BY SACHSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF REGARDING ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS, SPECIAL EVENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES, OFFICE, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL BUSINESS RETENTION AND MARKETING PROJECTS.
JARED, I WILL TURN THE TIME OVER TO YOU.
BOARD MEMBERS, IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR DECEMBER MEETING, SO I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A NICE AND SAFE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR AND YOU DIDN'T FREEZE TOO MUCH THIS PAST WEEK. STAFF REPORT.
WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO UPDATE YOU ALL ON A FEW THINGS.
WE'VE BEEN HARD AT WORK ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD TO JUST PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE.
FIRST UPDATE RELATIVE TO THE 5TH STREET DISTRICT.
IF YOU'VE DRIVEN OVER THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS WELL UNDERWAY.
UTILITIES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.
THE RECENT WEATHER HAS SLOWED THINGS A LITTLE BIT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
>> THEY'RE POURING CONCRETE TODAY. THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THEY'RE POURING CONCRETE FOR SIDEWALKS THIS WEEK.
THEY WILL BE DOING A STAMPED OVERLAY.
SO AGAIN, PLACEMAKING FEATURE, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE FABRIC LOOK FOR THE PEDESTRIAN PATHS AND THINGS.
THAT'LL BE THE WEEK AFTER NEXT.
THEY ARE EXPECTING RAIN IS WHAT I'VE HEARD.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, OUR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR SAID IT'S LOOKING LIKE RAIN ALL NEXT WEEK, WHICH COULD DELAY THINGS A LITTLE BIT, BUT PENDING GOOD WEATHER, ALEXANDER STREET COULD BE OPEN NEXT MONTH.
CERTAINLY VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THEN THE CONTRACTOR, OF COURSE, WILL CLEAN UP DEBRIS, REGRADE THE SITE, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES AND FOLKS HAVE BEEN PARKING ON THE SITE.
THEY'LL REGRADE IT AND THEY'LL SEED IT ESSENTIALLY TO BRING IT BACK TO THE WAY IT LOOKED BEFORE THEY STARTED CONSTRUCTION.
RELATIVE TO THE PHASE 2 PIECE, WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH OUR A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THREE BLOCKS WITHIN THE 5TH STREET DISTRICT THAT THE CITY AND, OR EDC OWN.
WE'VE ENGAGED WITH, AGAIN, OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ENGINEER TO DO BOUNDARY AND TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS ON THE REMAINING PROPERTY THAT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN SURVEYED.
AS YOU RECALL, AND FOR THE NEWER BOARD MEMBERS, WE DID THE DRAINAGE STUDY.
THEN WE, OF COURSE, DID THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT'S GOING ON NOW.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SECOND PHASE.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF INTERESTED PARTIES THAT HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE DISTRICT.
[00:15:02]
IT IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND DO THIS WORK TO CREATE THE FILE SO THAT THEY CAN START DOING TEST FITS FOR THEIR SITES AND SO FORTH.IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, SACHSE ROAD IS OLD HIGHWAY 78, WHICH IS AT TXDOT STREET.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STATE AND WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT TO GET THAT ALL TURNED BACK OVER TO THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN USE IT HOWEVER WE SEE FIT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE, OUR ENGINEERING GROUP RUNNING POINT ON THAT FOR US.
>> AT SUCH A MOMENT, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH SACHSE ROAD WITHOUT TEXT APPROVAL AT THE MOMENT.
>> WE CAN'T DO CERTAIN THINGS.
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT, YOU THINK, WE OWN ALL THIS, BUT THERE'S AN INSTRUMENT THAT WAS FILED OF RECORD YEARS AND YEARS.
WE BROUGHT IT UP, AND SO IT'S BEEN THIS INTERESTING PROCESS.
WE'VE INITIATED THE PROCESS OF THE TURN BACK FOR THE PHASE 1, SO THE AREA WHERE ALEXANDER TO THE ROUNDABOUT.
NOW WE'RE WORKING ON EVERYTHING FROM ALEXANDER TO 78.
THEY'LL SURVEY THAT, SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE MAINTENANCE COSTS TO THE STATE TO INDICATE, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING TO MAINTAIN THIS ROAD.
THIS IS WHAT WE INTEND FUTURE PAYMENTS BEING, EXTRAPOLATING THAT INTO THE FUTURE.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION. BUT FOR THE SAKE OF BILLINGSLEY STREET AND BOONE STREET, WHICH ARE THE OTHER TWO, WE'RE GOING TO SURVEY THOSE STREETS AND GET THE TRUE RIGHT OF WAY WIDTHS IN CASE WE EVER NEED TO DO ANY ABANDONMENT OR WHATEVER FOR THE SAKE OF POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
>> THE TXDOT RIGHT OF WAYS FROM LIKE THE '30S?
>> YES, MA'AM. THE OLD TOWN DISTRICT IS FROM LIKE 1916.
>> BUT SO AS WE GO DOWN THIS PATH, WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING ON THE RIGHT WAY.
AS OF TODAY, OUR ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THEM AND ASKED FOR A STATUS UPDATE ON THE FIRST PHASE OF THE TURN BACK.
BUT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE JUST COULDN'T GIVE AWAY OR SELL TXDOT LAND.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO TURN THAT BACK OVER TO US BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN MAINTAINING IT OBVIOUSLY SINCE THE CITY WAS INCORPORATED.
EVERYTHING FROM PATCHING, OVERLAYS AND SO FORTH.
>> WE HAVE SPENT SIX FIGURES JUST TO GET PERMISSION FROM SOMETHING 100 YEARS AGO.
>> SUPER INTERESTING HISTORY IN SACHSE.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION JUST TO CLARIFY? OBVIOUSLY, HIGHWAY 78 IS A TXDOT HIGHWAY.
>> YOU'RE SAYING TXDOT ALSO OWNS THE PORTION OF SACHSE ROAD FROM 78 OVER TO THE ROUNDABOUT?
>> WE BELIEVE THAT THEY OWN ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY LIMIT, POTENTIALLY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
>> IT'S BASICALLY STRIPS OF OLD RIGHT OF WAY.
>> RIGHT OF WAY. IT'S IN THE CITY SACHSE PROPERTY, BUT WE CAN'T JUST CUT IT UP.
THERE'S THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO GET PERMISSION FROM THEM FOR IT BECAUSE IT'S IN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY.
WE'RE JUST REQUESTING THAT THEY GIVE IT TO US IN LIEU OF MAINTENANCE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PAYING ALL THIS MONEY OVER TIME.
LITERALLY, A LINE ITEM IN MY BUDGET IS TO HELP CUT THE GRASS.
[LAUGHTER] WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT ALL TURNED BACK OVER TO US JUST TO AVOID ANY FUTURE ISSUES.
>> THE ENTIRE SACHSE ROAD, NOT JUST THAT ONE PORTION?
>> POTENTIALLY. BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THIS GROUP SPECIFICALLY, THAT PIECE, BECAUSE THERE'S A BOND 2021 PROJECT TO IMPROVE SACHSE ROAD ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY LIMIT.
THIS IS HELPING US UNEARTH SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THIS GROUP AND THE 5TH STREET DISTRICT PROJECT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW TO GET FLIPPED BACK OVER TO US.
REALLY FASCINATING HISTORY, PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU CARE TO KNOW.
>> THEN MASTER DEVELOPER YOU SEE HERE.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D LET YOU ALL KNOW WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE CIRCLING IN THE 5TH STREET DISTRICT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE KICKED AROUND IS THE POTENTIAL TO MASTER PLAN THE REMAINING PIECES OF THE DISTRICT.
THERE'S NOT AN AGREEMENT OR ANYTHING IN PLACE AT THIS POINT, BUT JUST SO THE BOARD KNOWS WE'VE STARTED CIRCLING THE WAGON ON
[00:20:04]
A POSSIBLE MASTER DEVELOPER TYPE SCENARIO TO HAVE IT DONE COHESIVELY AND IN ONE FELL SWOOP, AS OPPOSED TO THE CITY TAKING ON DEVELOPING IT IN CHUNKS.MORE TO COME ON THAT, BUT JUST AGAIN, AS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
>> FOR THE TOTAL SEVEN ON A TWO ACRE, YES, SIR. REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE.
DENISE HAS BEEN WITH ONE OF THE PUBLICATIONS THAT WE DO ADD IS THE DALLAS NEXT, WHICH IS A DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER PUBLICATION.
WE'RE ABOUT TO BE IN THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE, SO WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THEM ON THAT.
BUSINESS ATTRACTION, EVENTS, AND CONFERENCES.
THIS IS MY FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS HERE IT WAS REALLY GETTING FAMILIAR WITH PROPERTY OWNERS IN SACHSE AND STAKEHOLDERS IN SACHSE WHO OWNS THE BUSINESSES, WHO OWNS THE LAND.
NOW I'VE ZOOMED OUT A LITTLE BIT, ESPECIALLY WITH DENISE HERE, AND WE'RE LOOKING FROM MORE OF A SITE SELECTION STANDPOINT, STARTING TO CONTEMPLATE HOW DO WE GET IN FRONT OF THE SITE SELECTORS, THE CONSULTANTS THAT MAKE THE BIG DECISIONS FOR THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE RELOCATING AND SO FORTH, CALLERS AND NEW QUEST IS DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
AS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING, IN FACT, TODAY I WENT TO LUNCH WITH A COLLEAGUE IN ANOTHER CITY JUST TO TALK THROUGH THIS WHOLE WORLD OF EVENTS AND CONFERENCES AND SUMMITS THAT WE'VE NOT DIPPED OUR TOES INTO YET.
WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FOR THE SAKE OF SACHSE WHAT THE BEST POSSIBLE ROI IS RELATIVE TO, FLYING POTENTIALLY TO NEW YORK OR CHICAGO OR SOMETHING TO MEET WITH SITE SELECTORS AND WHICH PROVIDES THE BEST ACCESS TO THE KINDS OF FOLKS THAT MEET OUR TARGET INDUSTRIES.
WE'RE GETTING SOME GOOD INTEL FROM MY NETWORK.
PEOPLE ARE WEIGHING IN AND PROVIDING THEIR FEEDBACK.
WE HAVEN'T SELECTED A PARTICULAR CONFERENCE, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIVES ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE'RE EVALUATING WHAT THE BEST CASE WOULD BE FOR US, SOME GOOD OPTIONS.
MORE TO COME, WE'RE CERTAINLY EXPLORING THAT.
SOME THAT YOU'VE MAYBE HEARD OF LIKE SITE SELECTORS GUILD CONSULTANTS CONNECT, AND THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS, AND SO GETTING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, MAKING CONNECTIONS, AND WE'LL GET INTO THE TRADE SHOW STUFF, BUT SIMPLY JUST TALKING ABOUT SACHSE AND GETTING SACHSE INTO PEOPLE'S VERNACULAR.
IT'S IMPORTANT. WE'RE STUDYING THAT AS WE SPEAK.
COMPREHENSIVE RFQ, AND PLEASE JUMP IN ANY TIME WITH QUESTIONS.
WE'VE ISSUED THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AS INDICATED IN THE WEEKLY UPDATE.
WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS FROM FIRMS, WHICH IS GREAT, MEANING THAT THEY'VE SEEN IT.
WE PUT IT OUT ON BIDDING PLATFORM, SAFECAST, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE PUT IT OUT THERE ON SOCIALS.
THERE'LL BE SOME GOOD EXPOSURE FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE, WHAT WE'LL DO, THE BOARD, IN THE BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS HAS SET ASIDE 150, THE CITY SET ASIDE 150.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IS IN MARCH, AWARD A CONTRACT TO A CONSULTANT TO START THAT WORK.
WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS BY SPRING OF 2025 TO HAVE AN UPDATED MARKET BASED COMP PLAN.
THE PLAN WE AGAIN, YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK QUITE A BIT.
IT LED TO THE STATION, RIGHT? I'M SURE THE COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SPEAK MUCH MORE INTELLIGENTLY EVEN THAN I CAN.
IT'S NOT A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL, IT'S SIMPLY AN UPDATE.
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, LOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR REGION, AND THE CITY MANAGER IS VERY SET ON IT BEING A NUMBERS DRIVEN, MARKET DRIVEN PLAN.
THAT'S NOT JUST A DOCUMENT THAT SITS ON A SHELF, WE JUST PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT'S A WASTE OF TIME.
I'M WORKING ON THAT PROJECT WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, SO REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT, MORE TO COME.
>> ARE THERE ANY IDEA IF THIS IS REALLY GOING TO COST $300,000?
>> I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AS FAR AS THAT PIECE GOES, WHEN WE ISSUE THE RFQ, WE'LL GET THE STATEMENTS BACK, WE'LL SET UP INTERVIEWS WITH FOLKS, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE NEGOTIATING BEGINS.
[00:25:04]
THEY'LL SEND A PROPOSAL.IT'S LIKE IF WE WANT THIS STUFF THEN IT CAN.
IN THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS DOCUMENT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU ALL.
IT'S OUT THERE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, BUT GIVES A FRAMEWORK OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND IT MIGHT COST MORE OR LESS DEPENDING ON IF SOMEBODY COMES BACK AND LIKE WE'LL DO ALL OF THIS INCLUDING LIKE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE, BUILDING A WEBSITE, AND SUCH, AND SUCH.
BUT WE PROBABLY WON'T GET AN ACTUAL NUMBER UNTIL THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, SO THAT'LL BE MID FEBRUARY.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COMES BACK TO US AS A BOARD TO APPROVE? ONLY IF THEY WANT MORE THAN.
>> IF THERE WAS A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS SOME FUNDING.
I THINK WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IS WE WANT THE BOARD TO BE UPDATED ON LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON.
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE YET, BUT WHETHER IT'S BRINGING THE CONSULTANT IN TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL ABOUT FINDINGS AND SO FORTH, ALLOW FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S ALL STUFF THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET MORE OF THAT.
>> THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PLAN, THE CURRENT PLAN, THE 2017 PLAN, IN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY SET A BUDGET FOR IT, IT WENT OUT, CONSULTANTS CAME BACK AND SAID FOR THAT WE'LL DO THIS PIECE FOR THIS MUCH, BUT IF YOU WANT THIS OTHER STUFF, LIKE WE CAN ALSO DO THIS, THE MARKET SURVEY STUFF.
THEN THAT WAS LIKE AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I KNOW THE LAST PLAN THEY ENDED UP HAVING TO GO BACK AND ADJUST, DO SOME BUDGET AMENDMENTS TO, BASICALLY PURCHASE SOME ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT THEY HADN'T CONSIDERED IN THE INITIAL PLAN.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS ONE, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BUDGETS DON'T HIT.
WE DECIDE, DO I WANT TO CHANGE TO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO GET THESE ADDITIONAL SERVICES OR DO I WANT TO JUST STICK.
>> TO THE, YEAH. THEN THAT'S KIND OF A, CHOOSE YOUR POISON KIND OF THING, [OVERLAPPING] OR DO YOU REALLY WANT.
>> FOR MY EDIFICATION MAYBE GOES ON THE BOARD.
THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE BEHIND THIS, THIS MAY CHANGE ZONING IN SOME OF THE PLACE IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO HELP US SEE WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, WHAT THINGS WE CAN LOOK FOR, AND SET EXPECTATIONS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS WE'RE TRYING TO.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IF IT OPERATES, IF WE GET A SIMILAR RESULT TO THE LAST PLAN, WE SHOULD HAVE AN ACTIONABLE PLAN, THAT SHOULD SAY, YOU NEED TO DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT HERE, HERE, AND HERE.
THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THIS, THIS, AND THIS MAY BE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU NEED TO DO, YOU JUST SPEND THE MONEY LIKE YOU DID BEFORE [INAUDIBLE].
>> THE LAST PLAN WAS THE SEWER AND WATER EXPANSION DOWN AT THE STATION.
IT WAS CREATING THE OLD TOWN DISTRICT AND THE PGBT DISTRICT.
IT WAS THE ZONING UPDATES FOR THOSE TWO THINGS.
IT WAS SOME ORDINANCE UPDATES FOR ALLOWING, LIKE THERE WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PIECES.
THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, IF YOU DO ALL OF THIS, ALL THESE LITTLE TASKS AND ALL THESE THINGS IN THEORY, YOU WILL GET THESE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA.
>> THAT'S VALUABLE FOR THE CITY.
WE'VE GOT LIMITED LAND AND LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THE BEST ADVANTAGE IF WE CAN.
>> I THINK YOU PUT IT VERY WELL, THE PART THAT WOULD COST MORE FOR YOU ALL INFORMATION WERE THE ORDINANCE UPDATES, BECAUSE THERE WERE SUCH SUBSTANTIVE UPDATES TO THE PGBT DISTRICT ZONING STANDARDS AND THE OLD TOWN DISTRICT ZONING STANDARDS.
THE CONSULTANT TOOK THAT ON AND IT WAS A SEPARATE LINE AND THEY RAN WITH IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT BIG OF UPDATE REVISION REQUIRED THIS TIME.
WE'VE GOT THE RFQ, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU GUYS JUST TO HAVE IT.
YOU CAN SORT OF SEE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, FROM A FRAMEWORK. I MEAN, IT'S HOW MUCH THAT'S.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT'S GOING TO BE THE ORIGINAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COST OF CITY.
>> THE TOTAL PRICE FOR EVERYTHING I THINK WAS LIKE 367,000.
>> [OVERLAPPING] ALMOST AS MUCH JUST TO UPDATE IT.
BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE ROI THINGS, YOU SPEND THE MONEY.
>> WELL, YOU GOT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT, YOU GOT TO KNOW WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT, AGAIN, LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE NEED TO TAKE BEST ADVANTAGE OF AND DO IT RIGHT.
>> AND SOME DIRECTION ON HOW TO GET THERE.
>> AND PRIORITIZING WHICH PLACES NEED THE INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST.
>> DON'T BUILD ROADS TO NOWHERE IN HOPES THAT SOMETHING'S GOING TO COME, BUT YOU MIGHT NEED TO BUILD THE ROAD BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO.
>> I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST CLEAR THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE LAST PLAN WAS THAT
[00:30:03]
IF WE DIDN'T GO FIRST ON THAT INFRASTRUCTURE ON GEORGE BUSH, IT WAS NOT GOING TO DEVELOP.A DEVELOPER WASN'T GOING TO COME IN.
>> AND DO IT THEMSELVES OR WAIT FOR OUR PAY MONEY AND THEN HAVE US DO IT.
I'M TELLING YOU, AS SOON AS THAT PAPERWORK GOT SIGNED THAT THE CITY WAS DOING IT, PEOPLE STARTED CALLING.
IT WAS A BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME SITUATION, SO IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY FOR A GAMBLE.
>> BUT THEY WERE RIGHT, 100% ON THE MONEY.
>> DEFINITELY MORE TO COME ON THAT, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME, THE LAND USE PLAN, WE'RE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO UPDATE IT I THINK EVERY FIVE YEARS ANYWAY, SO IT'S AT THAT POINT.
>> JUST GOING TO TURN IT OVER AND LET MISS LEWIS GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
>> YOU GOING TO SKIP RED RIVER.
>> OOH I SKIPPED THAT, I'M SO SORRY.
[LAUGHTER] YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND I GOT A CANDY BAR SIT IN FRONT OF THAT. REALLY CANDY.
>> [INAUDIBLE] AND YOU SKIP IT.
>> ALL RIGHT. YEAH. ICSC AT RED RIVER, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAYBE ARE LESS FAMILIAR WITH IT, IT'S A TRADE SHOW, IT'S A RETAIL FOCUSED TRADE SHOW.
THE RED RIVER JUST MEANS IT'S IN TEXAS. HUGE TRADE SHOW, THE MAIN EVENT IS IN LAS VEGAS BUT BECAUSE OF TEXAS BEING SUCH A HOT MARKET AND SPECIFICALLY DFW, WE GET A TON OF VALUE JUST SET A STAY IN OUR OWN BACKYARD, SO FEBRUARY 1 AND SECOND, WE'LL BE DOWN THERE.
I'VE BEEN SETTING UP MEETINGS WITH BROKERS, DEVELOPERS, ANYBODY THAT WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO RETAILERS DIRECTLY BECAUSE IT'S A DEAL MAKING CONFERENCE, START ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TALK WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE POTENTIALLY VACANT SITES HERE IN SACHSE FOR EXAMPLE, MEET WITH THEM AND LIKE, WHAT DO YOU GUYS NEED? TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE.
DENISE HAS BEEN WORKING IF YOU WALKED IN AND YOU SAW WE HAD THOSE BANNERS PULLED UP.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THOSE DELIVERED TODAY EVERY YEAR WE UPDATE OUR TRADE SHOW COLLATERAL ONE SHEET DOCUMENTS AND IT'S BEEN VERY FRUITFUL FOR US LAST YEAR.
I THINK OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING HAVE SAID IT WAS THE BEST YEAR LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR I EXPECT TO BE EVEN BETTER.
GOT BOOKED UP ON THURSDAY WITH MEETINGS ALREADY AND WE MEET WITH EDGE WHO REPRESENTS THE STATION WE CO OP MEETINGS AND BRING THE STAFF PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S A PRETTY DYNAMIC TEAM THAT WE TAKE WITH US DOWN THERE, INCLUDING THE CITY MANAGER IS VERY BIG INTO IT AND THERE'S NOBODY LIKES TO TALK ABOUT SACHSE PROBABLY MORE THAN THE CITY MANAGER, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SO SHE'S GREAT.
IT'S AGAIN, A BIG TRADE SHOW WE'LL HAVE MORE OF AN UPDATE AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT AND PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ABOUT MEETINGS THAT WE'VE GOT SET UP AND SO FORTH BUT IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR FOR US, AND SO DENISE HAS BEEN PLUGGING AWAY ON GETTING US ALL SET UP FOR THAT EVENT, THAT'S GREAT.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL LET [OVERLAPPING]
>> THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT.
VICE PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS.
SO THE WEBSITE WENT LIVE ON NOVEMBER 17, AND A FEW WEEKS LATER WE ANNOUNCED IT ON FACEBOOK AND LINKEDIN AND WE ALSO BOOSTED THOSE POSTS.
AND SO THE FACEBOOK POST REACHED OVER 1,000 PEOPLE AND THE LINKEDIN POST DID BETTER THAN IT USUALLY DOES THAN OUR NORMAL LINKEDIN POSTS.
SO AS SOON AS WE WENT LIVE WITH THE SITE, WE ALSO LAUNCHED OUR AUDIENCE EXTENSION CAMPAIGN WITH TRADE IN INDUSTRY AND THAT IS WHERE WE CREATED COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ADS AND WE PUT THEM INTO THE GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS GOOGLE DISPLAY NETWORK.
FROM THE ANALYTICS FOR THE WEBSITE, GOOGLE ANALYTICS AND OUR TRADE AND INDUSTRY ANALYTICS, WE CAN TELL THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO OUR WEBSITE ARE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT'S OUR HIGHEST CATEGORY OF PEOPLE COMING TO THE WEBSITE.
JUST A LITTLE OTHER NOTE, I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY DOING SOME BACK END WORK IN WORDPRESS FOR THE WEBSITE AND IT'S LIKE THE MOST USER FRIENDLY PROGRAM FOR BACK END, I GUESS DEVELOPMENT AND I'VE BEEN UPDATING OUR MAPS, AS JARED SAID.
LIKE WE'VE BEEN UPDATING THE ONE SHEETS AND
[00:35:01]
A COUPLE OTHER LITTLE THINGS AND SO I JUST GO IN THERE, MAKE THAT CHANGE AND IT'S UPDATED.THE WEBSITE WILL ALWAYS BE UPDATED LIKE IN REAL TIME, WHICH IS GREAT.
>> I LIKE THE LOOK OF IT, BY THE WAY.
>> WAY BETTER THAN THE HORSES, OF COURSE.
>> AND I'VE GOT THE DOWNLOADS PAGE HIGHLIGHTED HERE ON THE SCREEN SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED WAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND UPDATE THINGS ON OUR OWN [NOISE] AND I THINK THE DOWNLOADS PAGE IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIMPLISTIC PAGE IN THE WHOLE WEBSITE BUT IT'S ARGUABLY THE MOST VALUABLE BECAUSE IT'S GOT EVERYTHING YOU CAN EVER NEED, DEMOGRAPHICS, TRADE TARGET, INDUSTRY INFORMATION, AND SO FORTH.
DENISE HAS BEEN ABLE TO, OBVIOUSLY WE JUST RECENTLY UPDATED OUR ONE SHEET DOCUMENTS SHE'S ABLE TO GO IN AND SWAP THOSE OUT WITH THE LATEST AND GREATEST AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO GO THROUGH OUR DESIGN CONSULTANT, EISENBERG.
WE'VE BEEN PLEASED WITH THIS NEW SITE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ACCESS TO A DENIES MENTIONED GOOGLE ANALYTICS AND WE'LL SORT OF TRACK THAT A BIT MORE CLOSELY AND MONITOR THAT IN A WAY THAT WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY DOING BEFORE.
AND AGAIN, THE FACEBOOK BOOSTING WAS JUST FOR REFERENCE, WE POSTED ABOUT JAKES, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT OUR NORMAL REACH WOULD BE FOR OUR POST, BUT THAT ONE, I THINK REACHED OVER 7,000 PEOPLE.
>> THAT WAS GREAT AND [NOISE] I HEARD IT FROM JAKES DIRECTLY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY OPENED THIS DOOR WITHOUT DOING PAID FOR PROMOTION, THEIR OWN CAMPAIGN.
THEY DID NOT PAY ONE ADVERTISEMENT FOR SACHSE.
>> AND PACKED LIKE THE WHOLE TIME THEY'RE LIKE OPENED WITH RECORD HIGH NUMBERS FOR LIKE SALES.
SO THEY'RE LIKE, THEY LOVE THE CITY OF SACHSE THE EDC, THE COMMONS LIKE WE AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE PROMOTED FOR THEM AND THEY'VE NEVER AND ALSO THE INTERESTING THING I FOUND OUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'RE BUILDING THIS CONCEPT.
SO WE'RE THE VERY FIRST COMBINATION OF THE OLD JAKES, POLLS AND DIRT AND THEN A BAR.
SO THE FAMILY FRIENDLY DOUBLE CONCEPT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'RE BUILDING IT AND THEY DIDN'T PROMOTE IT AND IT'S DOING AMAZING.
>> TELL ME, SELLER FRIENDS [LAUGHTER]
>> YES, WE WERE KIND OF JOKING LIKE WE PAID ALMOST NOTHING TO BOOST THAT POST.
IT'S LIKE COMICAL HOW INEXPENSIVE IT WAS AND YOU LOOK AT THE RETURN, HERE'S 558 INTERACTIONS LIKE LIKES OR WHATEVER SO YEAH, THANKS FOR SAYING THAT THAT'S AWESOME. I LOVE HEARING THAT.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THINK WE NEED A TESTIMONIAL TO SHARE WITH OTHER BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE SACHSE.
>> YES. I MEAN, DEFINITELY THE MANAGER, STEPHANIE I'VE SPOKEN TO HER A FEW TIMES I'VE BEEN THERE A FEW TIMES [LAUGHTER]
>> ARE YOU A FREQUENT OFFENDER AT THAT [LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, IT'S RIGHT THERE AND IT'S PERFECT FOR OUR MOM MEET UPS, LIKE ONCE THE KIDS GO TO SLEEP, COME THERE NIGHT.
>> IT'S PERFECT. IT'S RIGHT IN THE TABLE HEAD ALL THE MOM LIKE IT'S OUR NEW LIKE YEAH.
BUT SHE WAS SHE WAS GIVING US LIKE SHE WAS SO HAPPY NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY AND THE WAY THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED, BUT ALSO THE THEY WERE HIRING TO WORK THERE.
SHE SAID IT WAS ONE OF THE EASIEST GROUPS FOR HER TO TRAIN, VERY COOPERATIVE ON TIME AND JUST HIGH SPIRITS SO THEY LOVE OUR COMMUNITY [OVERLAPPING]
>> DOING GOOD THINGS. THAT'S GREAT.
>> AND JUST TO THAT POINT SO I LOVE THAT YOU SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH US GOING TO ICSC SOON.
WE'RE MEETING WITH PEOPLE THAT BUY LAND, THAT DEVELOP LAND, AND THAT'S A STORY TO TELL.
THEY HAD BOTH BUILDINGS, 100% PRE LEASED THESE ARE GREAT TENANTS.
SO JUST TO KIND OF BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, JAKE IS DOING GREAT HERE'S THE NUMBERS.
IT'S JUST KIND OF GIVES US A REALLY THANK YOU FOR SHARING.
>> LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM UPDATE.
SO AS YOU ALL RECALL, WE APPROVED A LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM GIVING STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE ABILITY TO APPROVE UP TO $25,000 MATCHING GRANT AND SO WE'VE DONE SOME WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.
WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR ATTORNEY TO PUT THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT TOGETHER THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED IF SOMEBODY WAS TO APPLY AND GET APPROVED FOR THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT.
WE'RE WORKING ON A CAMPAIGN TO MARKET THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND THE CITY MANAGER,
[00:40:04]
AND I THINK FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL BEFORE IS MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS MARKETED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.WE'LL PUT IT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND DO THE TYPICAL STUFF, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO A BUSINESS VISIT PROCESS AND DELIBERATELY GOING OUT AND EXPLAINING THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE.
ALL THAT TO SAY WE WANTED FOR THIS PROGRAM TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OF A BRANDING, A UNIQUE BRANDING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OF FEED INTO THE OVERALL 78 CORRIDOR AS A WHOLE, RECOGNIZABLE PROGRAM THAT EACH YEAR PEOPLE KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THIS REFERS TO.
THE FUNDING FOR THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT, WE'VE HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING AS OF JANUARY 15 THAT FUNDING IS ABLE TO BE SPENT, AS YOU KNOW, IS AUTHORIZED IN THE BUDGET HELD A PUBLIC HEARING WE CAN SPEND IT.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, DENISE AND I ARE GOING TO SOFT LAUNCH THE PROGRAM AND ON BUSINESS VISITS COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE, START CALLING OWNERS OF BUILDINGS AND SO FORTH AND THEN DO A MUCH MORE ROBUST HARD LAUNCH SIMILAR TO LIKE WITH THE WEBSITE [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'LL PROMOTE IT EVERYWHERE AND WE'LL GET INTO BUSINESS VISITS ON THE NEXT ITEM BUT, WE'LL BOOST THE POST AND DO ALL THE THINGS BUT I THINK THIS ONE, IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND EFFORT CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH US ESSENTIALLY LIKE, HEY, THIS IS HOW YOU CAN GET THIS MONEY BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE OVERLY CUMBERSOME PROCESS, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
ONCE WE GET THAT BRANDING AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE A MUCH MORE DELIBERATE PUSH, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START SOFT LAUNCHING IT TO THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE WITHIN THE BOUNDARY NOW THAT THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE.
>> THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, FEBRUARY 15, SO WE WON'T BE MISSING VALENTINE'S DAY NEXT BOARD MEETING [LAUGHTER] SO YOU STILL HAVE TO MAKE A RESERVATION.
>> YOU CAN'T GET US OUT OF THAT, IS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL US.
>> THANK YOU, JARED. WE'LL MOVE RIGHT IN ITEM 3 YOU HERE AGAIN, JARED,
[3. Discuss and provide direction on the Sachse Economic Development business visitation program.]
DISCUSS PROVIDE DIRECTION ON THE SACHSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS VISITATION PROGRAM. SO I'LL LET YOU.>> THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM.
THERE WON'T BE ANY ACTION BUT WE'LL GET SOME DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD THIS EVENING.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN ON [INAUDIBLE] IS A PRETTY NEW BUNCH.
WHEN WE STARTED DISCUSSING THIS BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2021, I'M NOT SURE IF MAYBE RICHARDS.
>> I MIGHT HAVE BEEN BRAND NEW.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY FIRST MEETING.
>> WE STARTED DISCUSSING BUSINESS VISITATION AND I'LL BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
WHENEVER WE WENT THROUGH, WE DID OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
THE BOARD PRIMARILY HAD US FOCUS ON MORE OF THE BUSINESS ATTRACTION DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GOALS MOSTLY FOCUSED ON HIGHWAY 78 PGBT, 5TH STREET DISTRICT.
WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON THAT, MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH BROKERS AND SO FORTH.
BUT THIS BUSINESS VISITATION PIECE IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT EXIST, THEY'RE HERE NOW AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE A GOOD SERVICE TO THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME IN THE COMMUNITY.
BACK IN 2021, WE PRESENTED THIS TO THE BOARD, THE BOARD LIKED THIS HYBRID MODEL.
YOU CAN SEE THERE THE DARKER GRAY HIGHLIGHTED AREA REFERENCES THE HYBRID OPTION, SO YOU CAN SEE THE PURPOSE.
SOMETIMES IT'LL BE RELATIONAL, SOMETIMES IT'LL BE MORE INFORMATION GATHERING.
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES? MIGHT BE MORE OF A TEMPERATURE CHECK, WHEREAS YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE DATA CAPTURING.
THE BOARD, DEPENDING ON THE VISIT, IT MIGHT BE BOTH.
HOW FORMAL? DEPENDS ON THE CONTEXT, WHETHER IT'S SCHEDULED AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
THEN THE FORMAT. DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT, IT MIGHT BE SUCH THAT IT'S JUST ME OR IT'S JUST DENISE OR MAYBE IT'S BOTH OF US OR PERHAPS WE BRING THE CITY MANAGER POSSIBLY
[00:45:01]
FOR THE VISIT TO THE HOSPITAL OR SOMETHING, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.YOU CAN SEE WE DIDN'T ESTABLISH A PARTICULAR TARGET NUMBER OF BUSINESSES PER MONTH AT THAT TIME.
THEN YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM MATRIX THERE.
THE POSSIBLE ADD-ONS TO CONSIDER, SO ADDING A BUSINESS REQUEST VISIT FORM TO THE WEBSITE WHICH WE'VE DONE AND WORKING WITH EISENBERG, WHICH IS OUR DESIGN GROUP ON A ONE PAGER, WHICH IS OUR WELCOME TO SACHSE GUIDE, WHICH WE'VE DONE.
WE'VE PUT BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS TOGETHER.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER ADD-ONS TO CONSIDER THAT WE DIDN'T FOCUS ON QUITE AS MUCH AT THE TIME.
WE'RE REALLY NOT LOOKING TO PUT ANY KIND OF A VOLUNTEER GROUP TOGETHER OR ANYTHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO BUT JUST SOME BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT.
LOOKING BACK AT THOSE MINUTES, THE THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED, THE PROGRAM SHOULD BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY, SUPPORT BUSINESSES, CREATE PARTNERSHIPS, HAVE NO STRINGS ATTACHED TYPE OF CONTACT.
THEN RELATIVE TO THE NUMBER OF VISITS, KEEP IT MANAGEABLE.
BE CONSISTENT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO VISIT, TELL SOMEBODY YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, FOLLOW UP.
THEN A CONSISTENT STAFF PRESENCE.
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING? WHAT'S BEEN DONE? WE HAVE A SHEET THAT WE KEEP TRACK OF THE INFORMAL VISITS.
FOR THE MOST PART BEFORE DENISE GOT HERE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY INFORMAL.
I WOULD HAVE POPPED IN, SAID HELLO, INTRODUCED MYSELF.
SINCE DENISE HAS BEEN HERE, WE'VE BEEN DOING MORE.
AT THE TIME OF CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, SHE'LL REACH OUT TO A NEW BUSINESS OWNER AND SCHEDULE A TIME.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE EDC FACEBOOK, YOU SAW THAT SHE WAS AT THE PINNACLE HEALTH CENTER DOING A BUSINESS VISIT, TAKING PICTURES, MEETING THEM, POSTING ON FACEBOOK THE WEEK BEFORE NATURELOGICA SALON AND SPA, SO SCHEDULING THOSE DELIBERATE VISITS.
I SAID AND WE COMPLETED THE BUSINESS WELCOME KIT, WE ADDED THE REQUEST A BUSINESS VISIT.
YOU CAN SEE THIS IS ON OUR CURRENT WEBSITE.
WE'RE REACHING OUT TO BUSINESSES AT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
THEN DENISE HAS BEEN REACHING OUT TO OTHER CITIES IN OUR AREA TO JUST GET A FEEL FOR LIKE, OKAY, WHAT DOES YOUR PROGRAM LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO? SINCE NOVEMBER 2021 IN OUR SHEET, WE'VE TRACKED 27 VISITS.
IT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST THE ONES THAT WE'VE GONE IN AND DELIBERATELY LOGGED, LIKE WE COUNTED IT AS A BUSINESS VISIT.
>> THOSE 27, IS THAT ONLY FOR NEW BUSINESSES OR NEW ASSISTANT?
>> NO, MA'AM. I'LL BE IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AND THERE'S A GROUP THAT SELLS GOLF CARTS AND POP IN THERE AND URIEL'S, THE PIANO PLAY.
THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY THING HAS BEEN HELPFUL SO WE'RE ON A DISTRIBUTION LIST.
ANYTIME A BUSINESS GETS THEIR [INAUDIBLE] DENISE'S IMMEDIATELY REACHING OUT, CONNECTING WITH THEM.
THEY'RE GENERALLY QUITE HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH US AND MEET.
>> YOU SAID 27 BUSINESS OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME?
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRACKED IN OUR SHEET.
EVERY TIME WE GO TO MANNY'S OR SOMETHING, NOT NECESSARILY LOGGING THAT IN THERE, AND SHE'S DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB OF KEEPING TRACK OF THIS NOW THAT SHE'S HERE AND IT'S PART OF THE ROUTINE, YOU GO AND YOU LOG IT AND CHECK IT IN.
>> I WAS CURIOUS, CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF THE KEY FEEDBACK AND THINGS THAT YOU'VE PICKED UP FROM THOSE VISITS? > YOU'VE GONE ON A COUPLE RECENTLY. DENISE?
>> YES, I'VE GONE ON A COUPLE RECENTLY, AND AS JARED SAID, THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WHEN I SEND THAT EMAIL.
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF SACHSE.
THEY'RE HAPPY TO HAVE ME COME BY.
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WHEN I TAKE PICTURES.
YOU'RE GOING TO POST IT ON FACEBOOK? GREAT. CAN YOU FOLLOW ME? THEY'RE HAPPY. EVEN ON MY LAST ONE AT PINNACLE HEALTH, SHE WAS EVEN SAYING SHE HAD A FIVE-YEAR PLAN SO IF SHE DID WANT TO EXPAND, I WAS TELLING HER ABOUT TRYING TO GET OUR PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND AND SHE'S REALLY LOOKING TO EXPAND IN SACHSE.
THAT TRIGGERED ME TO THINK, WOW, SO WE DO NEED SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE A FORMAL PROGRAM WHERE IF SOMEONE DID WANT TO EXPAND, WE HAVE THAT FOR THEM, WE CAN HELP THEM WITH THAT.
THIS IS DEFINITELY WHERE TO START.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THING TOO IS SOCIAL MEDIA.
THEY JUST WANT THE POSTS AND THEY WANT THAT ENGAGEMENT.
>> WE'LL GET IN. GREAT QUESTION.
[00:50:03]
FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE SACHSE TIRE, WE JUST PARKED.RIGHT THERE ON 78, NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP BOUGHT IT.
IT LOOKS REALLY NICE NEAR 3RD STREET.
WE JUST POPPED IN AND THE GUY'S RUNNING HIS BUSINESS, HE'S GOT ONE EMPLOYEE WITH HIM AND HE'S TRYING TO CHANGE OIL OR SOMETHING.
BUT HE'S SO DELIGHTED THAT WE'RE THERE.
LIKE, THIS IS GREAT. NOW I HAVE A CONTACT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CULTURAL MARKETS AND GROCERS HERE IN SACHSE, WHICH IS NEAT.
WE POPPED INTO ONE OF THE ETHIOPIAN GROCERY STORES AND THEY WERE JUST SO HAPPY THAT THE CITY WAS THERE AND I THINK WE POSTED ABOUT IT AND YOU HAD PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE LIKE, I HAD NO IDEA THAT WE HAD THIS EVEN ON 78.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO ETHIOPIAN GROCERY STORES, WHICH IS PRETTY AWESOME.
I'VE POPPED INTO SOME AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU NEED? [LAUGHTER]
>> LIKE A VISIT FROM THE TAXING.
>> THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO, AND WE'LL GET INTO THIS IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE POP INS, BUT TRYING TO SCHEDULE IT WITH FOLKS, GET A FEW MINUTES, JUST CHECK IN AND THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET INTO THE POST CHANGES AND MODIFICATIONS.
BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE WORK ON DEVELOPERS AGREEMENTS.
I HAD MENTIONED DENISE HAS BEEN TALKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
I THINK WE'RE UP TO 2, 3 CITIES THAT SHE'S BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH, THEIR BRNE FOLKS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO MAYBE ADD A CONDITION TO OUR DEVELOPERS AGREEMENT, INCENTIVE AGREEMENT THAT IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
AFTER X DAYS OF OPENING, WE'RE VISITING WITH YOU, WE'RE COMING TO YOUR PLACE AND IT'S A DELIBERATE SIT DOWN.
SOME OF THE THINGS FOR EACH VISIT, GETTING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE CEO, SOMEBODY WHO WE CAN GO TO, WHO CAN MAKE DECISIONS AND WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS TO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, WE KEEP A LOG OF OUR TOP 10 EMPLOYERS AND THERE'S SOMETIMES A DISPARITY BETWEEN WHAT THE INFORMATION IS ONLINE VERSUS YOU CALL, THEY'RE LIKE, THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK HERE.
HAVING A CONTACT FOR HR TO GET THINGS LIKE EMPLOYEE COUNTS.
YOU SEE HERE FOR THE CEO TAKING SURVEY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS MAYBE A BIENNIAL BUSINESS CLIMATE SURVEY.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? SIMPLE SHORT FORM SURVEY.
GET SOME INFORMATION, WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHAT ARE YOUR CHALLENGES? WHAT'S GOING WELL? WE'RE HOPING TO BUILD UP TO THAT.
CONDUCTING THESE VISITS, CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE BEFORE WE'RE LIKE PUTTING A SURVEY OUT THERE.
IT'LL NEVER BE THE FIRST VISIT THAT WE'RE LIKE, HEY, BY THE WAY, TAKE THIS SURVEY.
WE WANT TO BRING THEM SACHSE SWAG.
HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU, AND THEN WORK UP TO A POSSIBLE BUSINESS SURVEY.
WE'VE GOT THE BUSINESS WELCOME GUIDE AND OTHER BRANDED MATERIALS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT DOING SOME SACHSE SOCKS.
PEOPLE WERE LOSING IT OVER THOSE THINGS.
THEN ALSO PROMOTING THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM.
OBVIOUSLY, ON HIGHWAY 78, THOSE ARE GREAT TOUCH POINTS, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE COMMUNICATING LIKE HEY, THIS IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
THEN REVIVING AND KEEPING A MORE UPDATED BUSINESS CONTACT LIST.
IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO LOGISTICALLY, BUT I THINK WITH THE TWO OF US, WE CAN KEEP THAT MORE UP TO DATE.
HAVE A TRUE INVENTORY OF BUSINESSES.
LIKE I SAID, TRYING TO SCHEDULE VISITS IF POSSIBLE.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO WORK OUT.
SOMETIMES THE POPPING IN IS THE BEST OPTION BUT TRYING TO SCHEDULE VISITS.
WE WANT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, LIKE THERE'S ONE BUSINESS OWNER WHO HE'LL TEXT ME AND BE LIKE, HEY, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS? I CAN JUST ANSWER, I CAN JUST RESPOND, AND IT'S, I THINK, A HELPFUL THING FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE CITY WHO THEY CAN GO TO AND ASK QUESTIONS.
PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROCESS FOR GETTING SIGNAGE OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE EXPANDING.
SOME OF THE SHORT TERM THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, SOME STAFF-DRIVEN BUSINESS VISITS.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT AREN'T JUST NEW BUSINESSES IN SACHSE, WE HAVE EXISTING BUSINESSES.
RELATIVE TO THIS NEXT BULLET POINT, CONTINUE REACHING OUT AFTER C OF O FOR THOSE NEW BUSINESSES TO CAPTURE THEM.
BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT TO DISMISS OUR EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS.
CREATING A STANDARD CHECK LIST.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW.
[00:55:01]
I DON'T ENVISION US HAVING A CLIPBOARD AND IT'S A ROBOTIC PROCESS.I WANT IT TO BE A NATURAL CONVERSATION, BUT JUST GENERAL THINGS LIKE LEAVING THEM WITH THE BUSINESS WELCOME KIT, LEAVING THEM WITH THE SWAG, GETTING SOME CONTACT INFORMATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN REALLY BIG, AND I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
PETBAR OPENED UP, WE DID A VISIT THERE.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO COORDINATE WITH SACHSE ANIMAL SHELTER ON CROSS PROMOTING.
THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN DOING LIKE, YOU ADOPT A DOG, YOU BRING IT TO PETBAR AND WE'LL WASH THE DOG FOR FREE OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE CONNECTORS, SO JUST HELPING PEOPLE CONNECT WITH PARKS AND REC STAFF.
WE HAVE A DEDICATED EVENTS PERSON NOW.
SOMETHING THAT DENISE DOES IS ANYTIME THERE'S A NEW BUSINESS OWNER, WE'RE SAYING HERE'S JORDAN'S INFORMATION, HERE'S THE CITY EVENTS THAT WE DO IF YOU WANT TO SPONSOR, YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED.
HERE'S THE CHAMBER CONTACT IF YOU WANT TO CONNECT WITH THE CHAMBER.
WE HELP COORDINATE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND SO FORTH.
THEN AS I'VE MENTIONED, WORKING UP TO A CITYWIDE BUSINESS SURVEY, PROBABLY BIANNUAL, SO EVERY TWO YEARS.
FOR THE SHORT-TERM, WE HAVEN'T HAD A METRIC AND WHAT WE THINK IS MAYBE STARTING OUT WITH TRYING TO DO FOR A MONTH, AND KEEPING AN INVENTORY OF WHO WE VISITED, TRYING TO HIT NEW BUSINESSES, TRYING TO GET TO ALL OF THE BRICK AND MORTAR TENANT SPACES IN THE CITY.
YOU GO AND YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT LITTLE OFFICE PARK AT OFF OF HIGHWAY 78, AND THERE'S EIGHT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES IN THERE AND BEING DELIBERATE ABOUT HAVING A TOUCH POINT WITH EACH ONE AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE STANDALONE SINGLE TENANT BUSINESSES.
STARTING OUT WITH FOUR A MONTH AND SEEING HOW THAT GOES AND HAVE THAT BEING AN INTERNAL MEASURE FOR US.
THAT'S IT RELATIVE TO WHAT I HAVE.
WANTED TO GET BOARD FEEDBACK, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
WE'RE NOT SEEKING ACTION, BUT IF THERE'S ANY SUGGESTIONS OR TWEAKS, MODIFICATIONS, I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR INPUT ON THIS.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO JUMP IN FIRST?
>> FIRST QUESTION I HAD, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STAPLES FOR WAYS THAT BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE CITY OUTSIDE OF US REACHING OUT TO THEM, LIKE OUTSIDE OF COMING TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR JUST CALLING THE MAIN NUMBER?
>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE PUT THE REQUEST A BUSINESS VISIT THING ON OUR WEBSITE.
I'LL BE HONEST, I DON'T THINK IT'S PROBABLY EVER GOING TO GET USED.
WE'RE CHECKING ABOUT, WE'RE OFFERING IT.
IT'S SOMETHING PERFUNCTORY. IT'S THERE IF YOU NEED IT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE MORE OF US MAKING THAT EFFORT.
SO I REFERENCED THE TIRE SHOP, GUYS SO BUSY JUST RUNNING HIS BUSINESS WITH LIMITED STAFF, PROBABLY NOT GOING TO THINK TO REACH OUT TO US NECESSARILY.
POPPED INTO LITTLE CAESARS WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED THEY WERE SO BUSY THAT HE COULDN'T EVEN, HE'S LIKE, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO EVEN THINK ABOUT A RIBBON CUTTING RIGHT NOW.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE MORE OF US MAKING THOSE CONTACTS.
AND HOPEFULLY ONCE WE'VE MADE THE CONTACT AND ESTABLISH THAT CONNECTION, THEN FOLKS FEEL COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT THERE'S A PERSON THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO WITH QUESTIONS LIKE, HEY I WANT TO EXPAND OR HEY, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
>> YEAH, I THINK THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK A LOT OF OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THIS.
AND THAT GIVES US AN ADVANTAGE IN TERMS OF RECRUITING NEW BUSINESSES.
I WOULD THINK THAT OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL VISITS TO VARIOUS BUSINESSES, MAYBE A PATTERN WOULD EMERGE ABOUT THIS IS THE TOP ISSUE THAT MOST OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE FACING, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S ONE.
ARE THERE ANY BUSINESSES THAT COME IN TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND HAVE CONCERNS?
>> ME PERSONALLY I RARELY HEAR FROM BUSINESS.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I HEAR ABOUT SOMETHING BUT IT'S MORE LIKE THE ONE I CAN THINK OF IS SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO, I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME, THE NEW INSURANCE AGENT THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE SONIC.
>> THE ALLSTATE THAT'S THERE WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO BUILD THAT BUILDING, THEY GOT HUNG UP FOR TEN MONTHS TRYING TO GET ONCOR TO MOVE A UTILITY POLE.
SHE CALLED ME AND SHE'S LIKE, I KNOW YOU'RE CITY COUNCIL, CAN YOU HELP? WE TALKED TO HER THROUGH EDC AS WELL.
[01:00:02]
AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, I GOT ONE PHONE NUMBER, BARRY YOUNG, WHO'S THE ONCOR REP FOR THIS AREA.I WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL DO ANY GOOD, BUT I'LL RATTLE THE CAGE.
I THINK THE MAYOR PROBABLY HEARS MORE THAN COUNCIL MEMBERS DO INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I THINK THE MAIN HURDLE FOR EDC IS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE VERY SMALL.
THEY'RE PROBABLY OWNER OPERATOR, ONE PERSON, AND THEY DON'T KNOW EDC EXISTS.
>> THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO TO SOMEONE.
>> THEY DON'T KNOW IT'S EVEN A RESOURCE.
>> YEAH, IT'S A RESOURCE THEY COULD USE.
I KNOW THIS WASN'T IN SACHSE, BUT IN WILEY, I VISITED A BUSINESS THAT OPENED AND THEN I WAS ASKING HER QUESTIONS AND SHE WAS LIKE, I COULD DO THAT? I WAS LIKE, WELL YEAH, GO TO YOUR WILEY.
GO TO YOUR WILEY CHAMBER OF COMMENCE.
GO TO THEIR EDC, THEY CAN HELP YOU.
THEY WILL OFFER THE HELP. SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT'S AVAILABLE.
SO I HOPE WITH THE VISITS, WHENEVER WE'RE ADVISING THEM OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE, HOW WE CAN HELP THEM, WHETHER IT'S EDC OR EVEN THE CHAMBER, ANY RESOURCES WE'RE INTRODUCING THEM TO, HOW WE CAN HELP THEM MAKE THEIR BUSINESS BETTER AND HOPEFULLY STAY HERE IN SACHSE AND NEVER HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE OR IF THEY'RE EXPANDING, EXPAND IN SACHSE.
BUT YEAH, IT'S THEM KNOWING THAT THE RESOURCE IS EVEN THERE FOR THEM TO USE FOR ME IS OUR BIGGEST HURDLE.
AND THEN TRULY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S FREE, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF FOLKS.
>> IF YOU CAN DO A PROMOTION FOR SOMEBODY LIKE JAKES, THAT KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK FOR THEM.
A SMALL BUSINESS THAT ISN'T A JAKES.
IF YOU CAN OFFER THAT SAME BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.
THE PROMOTION OF THE WEEK. THE PIANO TUNER, I THINK IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE.
I HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A PIANO TUNER OVER THERE ON THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
I PROBABLY SENT HALF A DOZEN PEOPLE OVER THERE TOO.
I KNOW A PIANO TUNER IN TOWN, GIVE THIS NUMBER A CALL.
AND THAT I THINK IS THE USEFULNESS OF TRYING TO GET HIM OUT THERE IS THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN IF HE HADN'T GONE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW WE RAN INTO HIM.
SOMEBODY WENT OVER THERE, KNOCKED ON THE DOOR OR SOMETHING.
>> HE WAS SUPER FRIENDLY, MET THEIR WHOLE TEAM, TOOK PICTURES WITH THEM.
AND THAT'S THE GENTLEMAN ON OUR BUSINESS WELCOME GUIDE.
>> PROBABLY INITIALLY WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? [LAUGHTER]
>> I THINK THE BAR FOR HELPING SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES IS RELATIVELY SMALL.
LIKE PROMOTING THEM ON A FACEBOOK POST, OR IN AN INSTAGRAM POST.
THE HURDLES GETTING TOGETHER WITH THEM TO LET THAT HAPPEN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, OTHER THAN TRACK HUNTING THEM DOWN AND SAYING, HEY, WE CAN HELP YOU.
I THINK THAT'S HARD BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WE EXIST.
>> I TRULY HOPE WE DO DO THAT WITH THE VISITS, AT LEAST WHETHER IT'S TAKING PHOTOS WITH THEM THERE OR JUST TAKING PHOTOS FOR THEM.
DOING WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING AND PROMOTING THEM THROUGHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA SO THE COMMUNITY WILL KNOW.
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WHO MOVE INTO SACHSE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT'VE LIVED HERE FOR SO LONG.
BUT WE'RE SO INTO JUST THE WAYS WE KNOW, WE GO ONE WAY, WE COME IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLORE.
ON THE WEEKEND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO DO THAT YOU DON'T ACTUALLY EXPLORE OR SURROUND.
A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE ONE PERSON ORDER, THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW HOW TO USE SOCIAL OR THEY'RE NOT EVEN THERE.
YOU CAN'T FIND THEM IN YELLOW PAGES, GOOGLE.
THAT WE'RE TRULY HELPING SAYING, THIS BUSINESS IS HERE, IN THIS LOCATION THEY CAN SERVE THE SACHSE COMMUNITY AND DEFINITELY WE REPOST THAT.
I LIVE IN WOODBRIDGE AND ALL THE MOM GROOMS LIKE WHATEVER, EDC PULL SOMETHING, SOMEBODY'S PICKING IT UP AND REPOSTING IT TO EVERYONE.
>> THAT'S AWESOME AND PART OF HOW I THINK THIS GROUP AT THE DICE IS ABLE TO.
YOU ALL HAVE YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU RUN IN CIRCLES.
I THINK ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE VISITED, THEY ASKED US WHAT HE OWED US FOR THE FACEBOOK POST.
WE'RE LIKE, NO, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU.
WE JUST CARE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
>> THERE'S SO MANY SCAMS THESE DAYS.
THOUGHT YOU'RE JUST SELLING THEM SOMETHING.
I ECHO THAT SENTIMENT. HONESTLY I THINK PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THE MORE THAT WE CAN USE THAT TO MARKET THE CITY AS WELL AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THESE PROGRAMS AND HEY, EVERY CITY DOES.
BUT IF NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT, WHY NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND PRETEND WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT OFFER THE THING.
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] THE ONLY FEEDBACK I HAVE FOR THIS, MR. POTTS, IS I WOULD ACTUALLY CHALLENGE YOU GUYS TO MAYBE DO MORE THAN FOUR VISITS A MONTH.
[01:05:04]
BECAUSE 4 HOURS OUT OF 40 WORK DAYS DOESN'T SEEM VERY MUCH.YOU HAVE TWO OF YOU NOW. REMEMBER YOU DIDN'T USED TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE, IT WAS JUST YOU.
>> WHETHER YOU MAKE THAT YOUR GOAL OR NOT, THAT'S UP TO YOU.
EVEN IF YOUR GOAL IS FOR IT I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU GUYS TO DO MORE THAN THAT, ESPECIALLY AS IT GETS OFF THE GROUND.
WHICH LEADS ME TO MY QUESTION IS DOES ANYBODY EVEN KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY BUSINESSES THERE ARE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND EVERY SINGLE ADDRESS AND EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS NAME, I'M SURE IT'S ON RECORD WITH THE CITY, RIGHT?
>> HAS A BRICK AND MORTAR BECAUSE SOMEBODY OPERATING FROM THEIR HOUSES.
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND SOMETHING THAT I STARTED OUT, I ASKED A FEW FOLKS JUST LIKE, HEY, DO WE KNOW? BECAUSE, YOU'RE FIRE, THEY DO THEIR THING AND OBVIOUSLY ISSUE PERMITS.
THE ANSWER IS IF YOU JUST WERE TO LOOK AT THE SERVICE WE GET OUR DATA FROM, WOULD TELL YOU THERE'S 500 PLUS BUSINESSES IN SACHSE, THAT THERE'S NOT 500 PLUS BRICK AND MORTAR SPOTS.
I DID GET A LIST AND I WAS GOING TO TRY TO COME THROUGH IT AND GET A FEEL.
BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER HAS THE SAME THING, SHE'S LIKE, HOW MANY ARE THERE? WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET HIT ALL OF THEM IN SUCH AND SUCH AMOUNT OF TIME.
HONESTLY AND I WAS EXPLAINING THIS TO DENISE THE OTHER DAY A LOT OF IT IS GETTING IN THE CAR, DRIVING AROUND, AND JUST TAKING IN AN INVENTORY.
THE CITY'S CHANGING EVERY DAY.
IF YOU DRIVE BY BUNKER HILL, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT LOOKING SITE NOW WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.
>> I COULD WE JUST TAKE A LIST OF ALL THE CEOS? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T MISS ANYBODY.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME THAT ARE SMALL.
LIKE YOU SAID, THEY'RE IN SMALL PLACES, THEY'RE OFF THE BEATEN PATH.
MAYBE WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT PROBABLY NEED OUR HELP THE MOST.
I WOULD IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO DO THAT AND ALSO ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IS I WANT AN UPDATE ON ALL THE ONES THAT YOU DID THIS MONTH BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT BUSINESSES DID YOU VISIT AND WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS.
BECAUSE TO ME, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO THIS BOARD IS FINDING OUT WHAT THE BUSINESSES AND THE PUBLIC REALLY NEED.
WE COME HERE AND WE SIT IN HERE, WE TALK TO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
BUT NONE OF US TOUCH EVERYBODY, AND NONE OF US KNOWS EVERYBODY.
WE REALLY NEED ALL THE INFORMATION WE CAN GET.
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THIS PROGRAM.
I'M GLAD IT'S FINALLY BEING SOLIDIFIED.
BUT I WOULD JUST SAY LET'S DO MORE.
LET'S MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE'RE HERE AND THAT THEY CAN COME HERE AND THAT THEY CAN TALK TO US.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS AND AUTOMATICALLY THAT GIVES YOU ANXIETY.
TO HAVE A FRIENDLY FACE LIKE MR. POTTS AND DENISE, I DON'T KNOW HOW FRIENDLY YOUR FACE IS, MR. POTTS.
BUT TO HAVE DENISE THERE FOR SURE, IN FRONT OF THEM SHOWING THEM, HEY, I'M A REAL PERSON.
I'M NOT SOME GUY OVER FACEBOOK MESSENGER TRYING TO STEAL THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
[LAUGHTER] PLEASE COME TO US AND TALK TO US, AND WE'RE REAL PEOPLE HERE TO HELP YOU.
>> GREAT FEEDBACK. DENISE IS REALLY GOOD.
I JOKE THAT IF THE SOCIAL MEDIA POST IS BORING AND ANALYTICAL, IT'S PROBABLY FOR ME.
IF IT'S FRIENDLY AND KIND AND HAS PICTURES, IT'S PROBABLY FORM.
SHE'S GETTING PICTURES AND TAKING SELFIES.
[OVERLAPPING] IT'S BEEN GREAT. GREAT COMMENTS.
>> I GENUINELY THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO GO BACK TO JAKES AND TALK TO THE MANAGER STEPHANIE AND PUT THAT ON OUR WEBSITE IN TERMS OF LIKE MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF EFFORT TO MAKE THESE VISITS AND TO SCHEDULE THEM.
MAYBE I'M BEING A LITTLE BIT GREEDY HERE, BUT I'M THINKING LIKE IF I MAKE A VISIT TO JAKE, I MIGHT ASK THEM, LIKE IN THE FUTURE, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO HELP OUR NEXT RIBBON CUTTING BE ALSO A FANTASTIC EVENT FOR THOSE FOLKS? MAYBE JERSEY MIKE'S ISN'T GOING TO WANT TO COME OVER TO JAKES LIKE COMPETITORS OR WHATEVER, BUT THE COFFEE BAR MIGHT HELP.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I WOULD WANT TO KNOW IF I'M VISITING A BUSINESS IS WHAT CUSTOMER LISTS DO YOU HAVE? OR WHAT CITY OF SACHSE RESIDENTS DO YOU HAVE? WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SUPPORT OTHER BUSINESSES IN SACHSE THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY IN THE SAME INDUSTRY AND A COMPETITOR SO THAT WE CAN GROW MORE OF A GRASSROOTS STYLE OF SUPPORT.
HOPEFULLY SOMEONE COMES IN THAT'S THINKING ABOUT STARTING A BUSINESS IN SACHSE AND THEY HEAR ABOUT IT AND WE HAVE THAT WORD OF MOUTH GOING AS WELL.
>> I'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT CROSS PROMOTION.
SACHSE IS A PRETTY WELCOMING PLACE. I THINK LIKE SACHSE NUTRITION, THEY CONNECTED WITH THE FITNESS PLACE NEXT DOOR AND THEY DO SOME CROSS PROMO STUFF.
[01:10:04]
I KNOW SOME OF THE DENTISTS.DR. CAPADIA, HE'S COMPETING WITH OTHER DENTISTS, BUT THEY'RE HANGING OUT AND DOING PICTURES WITH EACH OTHER.
I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT CERTAINLY.
>> OTHER COMMENTS. I'LL GIVE YOU JUST A COUPLE.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE VISITS.
I THINK FOR ME THE KEY [INAUDIBLE] WHAT ARE THREE THINGS YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF EVERY VISIT? I KNOW WE WANT TO GET CEO'S NAME, HR PERSONS, AND THINGS LIKE BECAUSE WE HAVE CONTACT.
WHAT ELSE IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF? WHAT IS IT'S GOING TO REALLY HELP US THE MOST MORE THAN JUST GETTING TO KNOW THEM AND SAYING, HEY, WE CAN POST THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE CAN SPREAD THAT WORD, AND SO FORTH? BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AS AN EDC.
WE'RE NOT JUST A MONEY-GIVING ORGANIZATION.
IF SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, I NEED MONEY TO HELP EXPAND THIS. CAN WE DO THAT? IN SOME CASES, YES, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE US.
TO WHERE WE CAN VERY EASILY EXPLAIN TO THEM THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO.
I LOVE, I REALLY DO, IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD, OUR NEW BUSINESS GUIDE.
>> WHICH NEEDS TO BE UPDATED ADMITTEDLY.
>> WE HAVE TO UPDATE IT, BUT THE OTHER THING THAT MAYBE GOES WITH IT MAYBE IT'S A ONE PAGE THING THAT JUST SAYS, CALL IT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, BUT CALL IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SAYS YOU KNOW WHAT, BUSINESS OWNERS ASK US THIS, WHAT CAN SACHSE DO FOR YOU? IT'S WHAT WE CAN HELP YOU IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM GETTING A UTILITY POLE OUT OF THE WAY, WE'VE GOT THE PEOPLE TO CALL TO TALK TO.
YOU'RE TRYING TO EXPAND SOMETHING OR IMPROVE YOUR BUILDING, WE DO HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO ARE THE OTHER BUSINESSES AROUND HERE, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.
BECAUSE WE GOT TO BE CAREFUL. TO SOME DEGREE, WE'RE TIPTOEING ON THE LINE OF EDC VERSUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE DON'T WANT TO FALL ON THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SIDE OF THINGS.
WE NEED TO STAY EDC SIDE OF THINGS.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT SO WE DON'T STEP ON THEIR TOES.
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO THINK THAT, WAIT A MINUTE, WE GOT THE EDC, WE'LL HAVE THEM DO OUR JOB FOR US.
I THINK MORE THAN FOUR VISITS A MONTH, IF YOU CAN, I THINK IT'D BE GREAT.
WE JUST THINK WHAT ARE THE THREE OR FOUR THINGS WE WANT TO GET OUT AND THEN DOCUMENT IT.
SO NOW YOU CAN CREATE A BIG DATABASE OF, YOU KNOW WHAT, BUSINESS OWNERS ARE ASKING US THESE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME, AND I'VE GOT A QUICK ANSWER.
SO EVEN IF YOU CAN'T BE WITH THEM, I'M BUSY BECAUSE I'M A SINGLE GUY RUNNING MY BUSINESS, CHANGING THE OIL, SO YOU KNOW WHAT, I JUST WANT TO LEAVE YOU THIS, SACHSE WANTS YOU HERE. WE LIKE YOU HERE.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE QUESTION ASKED RIGHT NOW, BUT LET ME SHARE WITH YOU SOME QUESTIONS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP AND WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE THAT BENEFIT.
THAT'S THE THING FOR ME THAT IF WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THAT.
OTHERWISE, IF WE JUST ON VISITS, WE FEEL GOOD, WE SHAKE THEIR HANDS.
THEY LOVE US, THEY'RE HAPPY, WE FEEL GOOD, BUT'S IT'S LIKE WHAT DID I GET?
>> SO THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENTS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT COULD BE ALSO USEFUL TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A CONTACT HERE THAT WILL ANSWER THE PHONE AND DO THEIR BEST TO HELP THEM.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARILY ANYONE'S FIRST REACTION WHEN YOU GIVE THEM A PHONE NUMBER TO A GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE USEFUL OR THAT YOU WON'T GET INTO VOICEMAIL JAIL, THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ACTUALLY LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT LET ME FIND OUT, BUT THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY A RESOURCE THAT'S USEFUL, AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE VIBE YOU GET.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO GOOGLE A NUMBER AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF YOU CALL CITY OF SACHSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ANSWER THE PHONE AND TAKE A QUESTION.
ANYBODY'S KNEE JERK REACTION TO SEEING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PHONE NUMBER UNTIL YOU TELL.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IF YOU JUST SEE IT IN HERE, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO CALL.
>> PROBABLY NOT BECAUSE THE PLACE IS BURNING DOWN.
>> I LIKE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM.
I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I REALLY DO.
>> GREAT FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE, MR. DECKER?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY ONE MORE THING JUST ECHO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, TOBIAS.
I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE LIKE HE WAS SAYING AT LEAST ONE QUESTION THAT YOU ASK EVERYBODY.
I THINK AN EASY THING THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY ASK AND THAT WOULD GIVE US AN INDICATION ON HOW THE COMMUNITY IS GOING WOULD JUST BE 1-5 STARS, HOW GOOD IS YOUR BUSINESS DOING? ARE YOU A ONE STAR? ARE YOU A FIVE STAR? DO YOU LOVE IT HERE? ARE YOU STRUGGLING? I THINK THAT DATA WOULD HELP US KNOW ARE THERE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING? IS IT EVERYBODY IN THE STATION IS DOING GREAT, BUT EVERYBODY ON 78 IS NOT? I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS, WE HAVE MORE THAN JUST, I HEARD FROM THIS GUY THIS ONE TIME.
[01:15:02]
THAT'S IT'S ACTUALLY, OF OUR LAST 15 VISITS, 14 OF THEM SAID THEIR BUSINESS IS DOING FIVE STARS.JUST BACK TO WHAT HE WAS SAYING, I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S RECORDED AND KEPT AND ALL THAT.
>> DOCUMENT. THAT'S IMPORTANT.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION OR DATA ON WHICH MONTHS OF THE YEAR ARE THE BEST FOR OUR BUSINESSES AND WHICH ONES ARE THE LOWEST?
>> IF WE DO IT BY SALES TAX DATA THAT COMES IN, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT THROUGH THE FINANCIALS.
WE CAN LOOK TO SEE WHAT SALES TAX REVENUE COMES IN MONTH BY MONTH.
>> DOESN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING [OVERLAPPING] ABOUT BUSINESSES THAT DON'T GENERATE SALES.
>> [OVERLAPPING] YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO OPPOSE THE BUSINESS, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET THAT TYPE OF DATA.
>> SO WE KNOW, BEING MORE OF A LITTLE BIT OF A YOUNGER FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT BUSINESSES DIP IN THE SUMMER, BUT SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES GOT TO ACTUALLY BE DOING BETTER IN THE SUMMER.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I'D BE CURIOUS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] BUT THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION, SAY, WHEN IS YOUR BEST TIME OF THE YEAR? IS IT JUST STEADY? IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS. IF WE COME UP WITH SOME VERY DIRECT QUESTIONS, THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT WE CARE.
WE'RE NOT JUST THERE TO [INAUDIBLE] WASTE 10, 15 MINUTES OF THEIR TIME.
WE WOULD WANT TO ASK THE QUESTIONS WE KNOW HOW TO HELP THEM.
>> TO YOUR POINT, WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TOES, BUT MAYBE WE COULD HELP MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT MAYBE LIKE A JUNE EVENT WOULD BE GREAT TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES, MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER TIME OF THE YEAR THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING.
RECENTLY THE CITY HAS HIRED A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIST AND THEY'RE BRAINSTORMING ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENGAGE BUSINESSES IN DARK DAYS OF SUMMER.
THEY'RE DOVETAILING ALONG WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS WEEK AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGHLIGHT BUSINESSES, A GREAT POINT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, JARED [PHONETIC].
>> UNLESS ANYBODY IS ITCHING TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE, [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU-ALL VERY MUCH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.