>> DENISE. DO WE HAVE EVERYBODY IN?
[00:00:03]
DOES IT LOOK LIKE EVERYBODY'S IN? IS EVERYBODY IN THE MEETING? DID SHE NOT HIT JOIN THE MEETING?>> YOU GOT THE PRESENT IN VOTING THE GREEN BOX?
>> YEAH. ONE EXTRA STEP, JOSHUA.
GOOD TO SEE YOU. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SAY HI?
>> I KNOW. ARE YOU READY, DENISE? ARE YOU GOOD? WE'RE GOOD? WE WILL CALL THE ORDER.
[A. Regular Meeting Opening]
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF SACHSE WE'LL HOLD A REGULAR MEETING THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024.IT IS NOW 6:02 THAT WE'LL CALL THE MEETING ORDER TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
INITIAL, PLEASE STAND. I'LL LEAD US IN AN INVOCATION AND THEN THE PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> BOW OUR HEAD. OUR DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS EVENING THAT WE HAD TO MEET TOGETHER AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATION AND TIME AND SACRIFICE TO THE MEMBERS OF BOARD.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY STAFF AND FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
PLEASE BLESS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
BLESS THE MEMBERS OF ALL THE CITIZENS WITHIN OUR CITY.
WATCH OVER EACH ONE OF US WITH HEALTH AND WITH PROSPERITY AND ALL THAT WE DO.
PLEASE ESPECIALLY BLESS THE FIRST RESPONDERS WITH SAFETY.
PLEASE HELP US AS WE MEET TOGETHER THIS EVENING WILL BE GUIDED TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS TO HELP GROW AND DEVELOP THE CITY OF SACHSE AND BLESS US WITH PROSPERITY IN BOTH IN OUR HOMES AND ALSO IN THE CITY AND THESE THINGS WE ASK BEFORE AND DO SO IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.
>> JOIN THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO SECTION B1, 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 THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE BOARD IS PROHIBITED FROM DISCUSSING ANY ITEM NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE'LL TAKE COMMENTS UNDER ADVISEMENT.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY WRITING CARDS WITH THE EMAIL AT THIS TIME, AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE UNLESS MS. GRINGER WANTS TO COMMENT.
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM C, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[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.]
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 REQUESTS ITEM 1 APPROVED THE FEBRUARY 22, 2024 MEETING MINUTES.
ITEM 2, ACCEPT THE MONTHLY REVENUE EXPENDITURE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JANUARY 31, 2024.
ITEM 3, ACCEPT THE QUARTERLY INVESTOR REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2023.
>> I MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> YES. WITH THE NEW SYSTEM, WE'LL FIND OUT HOW THIS WORKS.
>> YOU'LL VOTE AND THEN YOU'LL CLICK "SAVE". THAT SHOULD DO IT.
>> OR IS IT NOT WORKING, JOSHUA?
>> I DIDN'T HAVE MY LOG IN SQUARE.
>> REALLY? YEAH, THIS WAS MINE.
>> THEN MAYBE WE'LL JUST DO EVERYTHING MANUAL TONIGHT THEN.
[00:05:02]
THEN WE HAVE SHOWS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.THANK YOU. WHAT ARE THE REST OF US JUST MANUAL IF THAT'S OKAY.
>> WE CAN DO THAT. ITEM D1, REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS RECEIVING REPORTS AND
[D.1. 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.]
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.JEROD, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO YOU FOR THIS PART.
>> MR. PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY BEING HERE TONIGHT.
WE ALL SOMEHOW WORE THE SAME THING.
>> HE'S OUT DOING US. THAT'S IT.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE SHIRT. JUST A COUPLE QUICK UPDATES THIS EVENING.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS VERY BRIEFLY LAST TIME.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE ON THEIR APRIL 1ST MEETING AGENDA TO APPROVE A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THE UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE, AS A STAFF, ARE COMBING THROUGH THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND THE DETAILS TO POTENTIALLY ADD OR SUBTRACT ITEMS BASED ON BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS OR REASONS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
WE'LL TAKE THAT TO CITY COUNCIL APRIL 1ST.
THAT'S THE UPDATE THERE MORE TO COME ON THAT EFFORT IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE AND SO FORTH ONCE WE GET EVERYTHING KICKED OFF, BUT YOU ALL WILL BE KEPT APPRISED OF THAT EFFORT.
NEAT THING FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WORKED ON THE SPONSORSHIP POLICY.
WE GOT OUR VERY FIRST SPONSORSHIP POLICY ITEM SUBMITTED TO US, SO IT WAS FOR THE SACHSE HIGH SCHOOL 2025 BOOSTER CLUB.
FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE NEWER WE WENT THROUGH AND DELIBERATED ON COMING UP WITH AN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED SPONSORSHIP POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR UP TO $5,000 TO BE BASICALLY SIGNED OFF ON AT THE STAFF LEVEL.
STAFF WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY BASED ON ANY DISCRETIONARY PURPOSES, WE COULD BRING CERTAIN THINGS TO THE BOARD IF WE WEREN'T SURE THAT IT FELL PERFECTLY WITHIN THE SPONSORSHIP POLICY.
BUT THIS ONE WAS PRETTY CUT AND DRIED.
WE WENT AHEAD AND WE'VE PROCESSED THE CHECK REQUESTS.
AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, WE SAID AS THESE CAME THROUGH, WE WOULD UPDATE THE BOARD RELATIVE TO ANYTHING THAT WE BACKED USING THIS POLICY.
THERE IS GOING TO BE A CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT ON 14TH APRIL, WHICH IS A SUNDAY.
WE HAVE A COUPLE TEAMS THAT ARE SPONSORSHIP LEVEL ALLOWED FOR US TO BRING INTO THIS TOURNAMENT.
IF ANY OF YOU ARE CORNHOLE PEOPLE I'LL SEND THIS OUT AND WE'LL GET SOME INVITE.
>> PRETTY BAD AT IT SO YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT IT.
>> THAT'LL BE A FUN OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT AND SUPPORT SACHSE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE A COUPLE JUST BUSINESS VISITATION ITEMS. AGAIN, DENISE, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER.
SHE'S BEEN DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB GETTING OUT THERE AND HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING AND MEETING WITH FOLKS AND DRIVING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HER TO GIVE A LITTLE UPDATE ON A SHOP LOCAL EVENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT SHE'S LOOKING TO PUT TOGETHER IN CONJUNCTION WITH SMALL BUSINESS WEEK AS WELL AS AN UPDATE ON THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS.
AS JEROD SAID, OF COURSE, WE'RE STILL DOING THE BUSINESS VISITS.
I'M STILL PROMOTING THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT ON THOSE VISITS AND THERE'S STILL INTEREST FROM THE BUSINESSES.
AS I SAID LAST MEETING, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO CONTACT THE PROPERTY OWNERS SINCE THEY'LL BE THE ONES THAT ARE SIGNING OFF AND APPROVING THOSE REQUESTS.
I'VE ALSO BEEN GAUGING INTEREST IN THE BUSINESSES FOR THE SHOP LOCAL PASSPORT PROGRAM, OR EVENT, AND JUST TRYING TO SEE IF BUSINESSES WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
IF WE DO THIS WILL BUSINESSES WANT TO PARTICIPATE? THAT'S BEEN GOING GREAT, THERE'S INTEREST THERE.
SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I'VE BEEN ON FIVE BUSINESS VISITS.
I'M HIDDEN TO MARKS, DOING GREAT.
>> I GOT A CALL JUST ON THE NOTE OF THE LOCAL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM.
I GOT A CALL DIRECTLY LAST FRIDAY, AND IT WAS A BUSINESS ALONG 78 ASKING ABOUT THE PROGRAM THEY HAD SEEN, THE PROGRAM ADVERTISED, AND IT LED TO CONVERSATIONS DENISE IS HAVING WITH OWNERS, AND SO THIS EFFORT HAS ENDED UP BEING A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET FRONT OF BUSINESSES, MEET, OR GET CONTACT INFORMATION FOR LANDLORDS OR PROPERTY OWNERS.
[00:10:05]
NOBODY HAS APPLIED FOR THIS YET.I THINK WE'RE STILL EDUCATING FOLKS ON THE PROGRAM, BUT WE THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> WELL, WE KNEW IT WOULD TAKE TIME.
>> WE KNEW THIS WASN'T IMMEDIATE. I DID GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOMEBODY, A FRIEND, A BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN THE AREA REACHED OUT AND SAID HE LOVED THE IDEA.
HE'S REALLY GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS.
I THINK PEOPLE WERE RECEPTIVE, NOW WE'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM TIME TO FARE WHAT THEY WANT TO.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. A FEW JUST UPCOMING EVENTS.
WE HAVE THE EASTER EGG HUNTS TAKING PLACE MARCH 23RD.
I WILL VERY LIKELY BE THERE WITH MY FOUR-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLDS, SO WATCH OUT.
THE ARBOR DAY JUBILEE, WHICH WILL BE APRIL 6TH, CONVENING AT THE MICHAEL J. FELIX COMMUNITY CENTER, IT'S AN ARBOR DAY EVENT THAT THE CITY DOES EACH YEAR.
I MENTIONED THE BATTLE OF THE BAGS.
AGAIN, I'LL SEND OUT A CALL FOR PARTICIPATION IF ANYBODY ON THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING OR PARTICIPATING IN THAT COMPETITION.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON APRIL 18TH, AND THEN JUST AGAIN, THE SUMMER NIGHTS CONCERT SERIES COMING UP J. K. SACHSE PARK THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME POP-UP PARK OPPORTUNITIES OVER THE SUMMER, SO LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN SACHSE FROM OUR PARKS AND RECREATION TEAM. THAT'S MY UPDATE.
>> DO WE SEE THAT CONCERT SERIES MOVING TO HERITAGE PARK, WHEN IT'S DONE THE NEXT YEAR, KIND OF THING?
>> THE POP-UP PARK WITHIN [INAUDIBLE] LIKE THEY HAD THEIR FIRST ONE LAST MONTH AND PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE IT.
THEY BRING OUT GAME TOYS AND THINGS.
>> THEY DID ONE [INAUDIBLE]. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S TOO COLD. [OVERLAPPING] IT'S STILL TOO.
>> YEAH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL, THE KIDS WILL, BUT THEY LOVE ALL THE OTHER GAMES.
>> A SHOCKING NUMBER OF RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY ASKING WHEN THE SPLASH PAD OPENS.
>> THAT 90 DEGREES, [LAUGHTER] MY KIDS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY AND NEED SOMETHING TO DO.
ITEM 2 RECOGNIZED SACHSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP TEAM FOR RECEIVING
[D.2. Recognize the Sachse Economic Development team for receiving the 2023 Economic Excellence Achievement Recognition from the Texas Economic Development Council.]
THE 2023 ECONOMIC EXCELLENCE ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION FROM THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.[NOISE] I THINK LAST YEAR WE MAYBE SENT OUT AN UPDATE THAT WE HAD RECEIVED THIS, BUT WE THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT THIS BOARD DOES AND CERTAINLY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AT THEIR MEETING THIS WEEK, THEY TOOK A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE WORK OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO WE RECEIVED THIS RECOGNITION THROUGH THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, SO YOU MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA AND YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO BASICALLY RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
WE'RE ONE OF 72 CITIES IN THE STATE THAT GOT THIS RECOGNITION, AND WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE THAT WE RECEIVED, BUT WE THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET A PICTURE WITH THE GROUP AND DOCUMENT WITH THAT CERTIFICATE.
MISS GRINGER HAS OFFERED TO TAKE THE PICTURE FOR US, IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO.
>> WHERE DO YOU WANT TO JUST START RIGHT HERE?
>> MAYBE COME DOWN HERE IN FRONT OF THE DAIS.
>> I NEVER WANT TO [INAUDIBLE].
[LAUGHTER] HERE IS THE RECOGNITION [INAUDIBLE].
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S RIGHT, BETTER THAN THAT.
>> BETTER THAN THAT. [LAUGHTER] IT WILL BE UNRECOGNIZABLE.
[00:15:08]
YOU GUYS ARE VOLUNTEERS AND THIS IS TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO COME HERE AND, CONSIDER THESE POLICY ITEMS AND SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE COUNCIL AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL AND MORE TO COME.
>> NOT WITHOUT YOU, MR. HOWARTH.
[D.3. Discuss the goals and objectives of the Type B Corporation.]
DISCUSS THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE TYPE B CORPORATION.I'LL START THIS, AND I KNOW THAT JEROD WILL JUMP IN IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU'VE ALL GOT THE LARGER SHEETS OF PAPER.
[LAUGHTER] THIS IS NEW FOR A FEW OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
A FEW OF US WERE HERE BACK IN JANUARY OF 2023, WE HAD A JOINT COUNCIL AND EDC WORKSHOP MEETING AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND TRYING TO BOTH QUANTIFY AND IDENTIFY THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE EDC WITH CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
TRYING TO GET, REALLY FOCUS THINGS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS LIST, YOU SAY, SCOTT, THIS IS NOT FOCUSED.
I GET IT, BUT REALLY BEFORE THIS LIST CAME TO US, IS ABOUT TWICE AS LONG SO IT ACTUALLY GOT CUT DOWN EVEN MORE AND PART OF OUR DISCUSSION LAST MONTH WAS THE IDEA, WE'VE GOT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY IS, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO AS A BOARD TO DO SOMETHING MORE OF A STRATEGIC PLAN? SOME OF THAT COMES INTO LOOKING AT THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES BUT A LOT OF THIS AS I'VE LOOKED AT IT, AND THIS IS MY VIEW, ONLY IF YOU WILL, SOME OF YOU MAY AGREE WITH IT, BUT IF YOU DISAGREE, I WANT TO KNOW THAT, THERE'S STILL TOO MUCH HERE.
WE CAN'T FOCUS IN, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON HERE ARE JUST THE NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS THINGS OF THE EDC STAFF.
>> YES AND SOME OF THE THINGS ON HERE ALREADY HAVE EXPIRED GOALS.
>> AS I LOOKED AT IT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO, AND I KNOW A LOT OF THIS, WE'LL COME TO MISS HOWARTH AND SAY WE GOT TO SEE WHAT THE COUNCIL BE ON BOARD THIS, BECAUSE WE DON'T GET TO NECESSARILY CHANGE THIS UNILATERALLY.
WE CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SAY, HEY, CITY COUNCIL, THIS IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.
BUT AS I LOOK AT THIS, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF VALUE IN WORKING THROUGH TRYING TO HOW DO WE NARROW THIS EVEN MORE AND MAYBE PUT OUR FOCUS TO FIVE OR SIX ITEMS VERSUS 20 OR 30 ITEMS AND TAKE ITEMS THAT ARE JUST THE NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE EDC TO SAY THAT ISN'T PART OF OUR OBJECTIVES, IT'S JUST THERE IS, THIS IS YOUR COURSE OF BUSINESS.
>> YEAH, I WANTED TO SAY TWO THINGS ABOUT IT.
NUMBER ONE, I THINK WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT ON THE EXCEL SHEET, IT LOOKS SMALLER THAN WHEN YOU ACTUALLY PRINTED IT OUT.
>> THIS MAKES IT LOOK, I TALKED TO JEROD ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.
I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT WHAT YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS, WHAT THE GOAL STATEMENT IS, THE STRATEGY, AND THE JUSTIFICATION.
I DO LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN WALK THROUGH EVEN IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE VERY FIRST ONE, STRENGTHEN SACHSE'S COMMERCIAL EMPLOYMENT BASE, AND THEN DEVELOPING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR IT.
>> I ALSO WOULD SAY THAT THE WHOLE LAST PAGE ARE ONGOING ITEMS WHICH I FEEL LIKE IF ANYTHING'S ONGOING, THAT'S MORE OF LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, A TASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A STRATEGIC GOAL THAT HAS A TIMELINE ATTACHED TO IT.
WE CAN ALMOST GET RID OF A WHOLE [LAUGHTER]
>> I THINK PROBABLY [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S RIGHT.
>> ANYTHING THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ONGOING DAY-TO-DAY WORK, WHAT THE STAFF HAVE TO DO TO GET THINGS DONE, IT'S NOT A GOAL.
IT'S NORMAL OPERATING BUSINESS ITEMS THAT NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE OBJECTIVE.
I THINK THAT WAS MY COMMENT LAST YEAR TOO AS WELL.
I, OF COURSE, ASKED FOR THE WHOLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE, GOAL STATEMENT IN IMPLEMENTATION, SO IT'S EASIER FOR ONE TO FOLLOW.
IT HELPS YOU NARROW DOWN LIKE, BASED ON READING THIS, THIS IS ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL ITEM, IT SHOULDN'T BE ON OUR PLAN.
DOES STAFF KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING? THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.
DO WE NEED TO PUT THEIR OPERATIONAL ITEMS AS A GOAL? [NOISE] I'M DEFINITELY WITH YOU, RICHARD.
>> MY THOUGHT PROCESS WHERE I'D LIKE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, BECAUSE OUR LAST MEETING WE AGREED UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'RE OPEN TO IDEA OF EXPLORING THE IDEA OF GETTING A STRATEGIC PLAN DONE.
[00:20:05]
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COSTS YET.WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO GET APPROVAL TO DO IT.
ANYTHING WE WANT TO TRY TO APPROVE PRIOR TO BUDGET OR FISCAL YEAR ENDING MEANS WE'VE GOT TO GO TO COUNCIL BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO GET A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND APPROVAL TO SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO SPEND THIS MONEY.
RECOGNIZE THAT IT COMES FROM OUR BUDGET, NOT FROM CITY BUDGET.
WE LOOK AROUND ON OUR WEBSITE NOW, YOU'VE GOT THE SITE DEVELOPMENT TOOL SWING.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN DEVELOP WITHIN OUR CITY.
THERE'S PLACES THAT NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED WITHIN THE CITY.
BUT WHERE TRULY SHOULD WE BE FOCUSING? I DO THINK IT'S PRETTY EASY THAT WE CAN NARROW IT DOWN TO ITS 5TH STREET, ITS 78 CORRIDOR, ITS PGBT.
THOSE ARE PRETTY EASY, BUT BEYOND THAT, I'M A SMART GUY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THIS STUFF.
I THINK HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT COULD GIVE US AN EVEN BETTER FEEL.
THE TIMING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAY HELP TO SAY THESE ARE THINGS WHERE WE NEED TO DO BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME FORWARD OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND MAYBE A YEAR, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, I DON'T KNOW, WHERE I THINK DEVELOPERS OR BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO COME IN ASKING FOR A LOT BIGGER DOLLARS FROM US.
MORE SO THAN, HEY, WE WANT 25 OR 50 OR 100, OR $200,000.
WE WANT A MILLION DOLLARS OR TWO MILLION DOLLARS, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD VISION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR US TO SAY, THAT'S THE THING THAT I WOULD STAKE A TWO MILLION-DOLLAR ASK ON.
AS I LOOK AT THIS, JUST WANT TO GET EVERYBODY ELSE'S FEEDBACK.
I DO WANT FROM MICHELLE HOWARD TO SAY, IS IT LIAISON TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO SAY, I DON'T WANT US WORKING IN THE CITY COUNCIL TO SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS THINKING? WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DO THAT WITHOUT US.
THAT'S GIVING YOUR FEEDBACK AND THEN GIVE JEROD THEN DIRECTION TO SAY YES, LET'S MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I'LL HAVE HIM EXPLAIN THE SEQUENCE OF WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SIT ON AND SAY, WELL, LET'S JUST WAIT TILL OCTOBER AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE QUICKER IF WE'RE ALL ON BOARD WITH IT.
I'LL STOP THERE AND JUST ELICIT FEEDBACK. YES.
>> AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT SPEAKING FOR THEM BUT FOR MYSELF, THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF TASK THAT'S STRICTLY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE YOU ALL HERE IS TO COME UP WITH THE GOAL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE CITY AND WHAT IS THE PRIORITY? BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY SPEND A DOLLAR ONCE, SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME PLAN TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT.
FROM A CITY COUNCIL STANDPOINT, I'M GIVING SOME ASSUMPTIONS HERE.
I'M NOT SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF BECAUSE THAT IS WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW.
IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING THAT MAKES LOGICAL SENSE, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM CONVINCING OTHER RATIONAL PEOPLE THAT IT'S THE WISE THING TO DO.
BECAUSE AGAIN, SPEAKING OF MYSELF, NOT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER BUT AS A LIAISON, WE WANT TO SEE THE TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE COLLECTED AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEVEL SPENT IN A WAY THAT PRODUCE RESULTS.
GETTING THERE IS THE PLAN, THE HOW AND WHAT, NOT THE DAY-TO-DAY HOW BUT THE BIG PICTURE HOW, WHAT ORDER IS WHAT WE ASK FROM THIS BOARD BECAUSE THERE'S ONE OF ME AND SOME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE LIAISONS TO OTHER BOARDS.
BUT WE'RE NOT THE KEEPER OF ALL GOOD IDEAS AND WE WANT TO SEE THAT COME OUT OF THIS BOARD.
>> NO, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT THOUGHTS OF FEEDBACK.
FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T PART OF IT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS.
I'M GOING LOOK AT YOU, JOSHUA. [OVERLAPPING]
>> CAN I GET A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND FIRST?
>> THERE'S A REASON THAT THIS IS QUITE THE WAY IT EXISTS, THE WAY IT IS.
IF YOU ARE UNAWARE, YOUR HISTORY AT THE CITY IS NOT AS LONG AS MINE AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE'S.
WE DID A BIG CHANGE IN THE STRUCTURE OF EDC IN 2021.
>> TWENTY-ONE, I THINK, AND CHANGED HOW THE REPORTING STRUCTURE WAS.
WE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OF HOW THE BOARD, GINA IS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUT JEROD REPORTS DIRECTLY TO HER, THAT TIED THE CITY OPERATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS TOGETHER.
BEFORE, THE BOARD WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT WAS
[00:25:01]
OVERSEEING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND FRANKLY, WE WERE NOT SEEING RESULTS FOR SEVEN YEARS.MAKING THAT CHANGE WAS NOT UNANIMOUS AND THERE WAS A LOT OF, I DON'T WANT TO SAY ILL WILL, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT THE CHANGES.
WE HAD THE ENTIRE BOARD, AND THE BOARD WAS UPSET, THE COUNCIL WAS UPSET.
WE SAT IN A MEETING FOR MULTIPLE DAYS IN A ROW TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE COULD AGREE ON, AND IT PUSHED, IT WAS EVERYWHERE.
THE FACT THAT WE COULD AGREE ON A LIST OF THINGS THAT WERE KIND OF ALL OVER IS WHERE THIS CAME FROM.
THIS WAS NEVER INTENDED, IN MY OPINION, TO STICK AS LONG AS IT HAS.
BUT YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE WHEN YOU HAVE 14 PEOPLE THAT DON'T AGREE.
I THINK WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TODAY THAN WE WERE THREE YEARS AGO AND THAT WE ALL HAVE OPINIONS AND FEELINGS ABOUT THE DIRECTION, BUT WE'RE ALL WILLING TO WORK AS A TEAM TO GET THERE.
THE PIECES YOU WANT TO KEEP, THE PIECES YOU WANT TO THROW AWAY, THIS WAS THERAPY, [LAUGHTER] THIS WAS GROUP THERAPY FOR THE GROUP.
THERE ARE GOOD THINGS IN HERE, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO IN THE WEEDS AND MAYBE NOT MEASURABLE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BE A FIVE-BULLET POINT, THREE THINGS YOU CAN MEASURE TO GET TO THE THING AND GO TO THAT EFFECT, BUT THAT'S AN OPINION [LAUGHTER] AND SOME BACKGROUND.
>> I FEEL LIKE YOU ALREADY ALLUDED TO IT.
THERE'S REALLY THE THREE AREAS THAT WE ALL KNOW WHERE THE FOCUS IS.
THESE ARE PRETTY MUCH CATEGORIZED BY THAT.
>> THEY ARE, SO THAT'S A GOOD PIECE OF IT, CITYWIDE.
I'M GOING TO GO TO JOSHUA, THEN CHRIS AND I'M COMING TO YOU GUYS NEXT, SO JUST JUST BE READY BECAUSE I WANT FOR PEOPLE AND THEN WE'LL COME TO THE OTHERS TOO.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU, SCOTT. I DEFINITELY AM INTERESTED IN GETTING A CONSULTANT.
BACK TO WHAT I MENTIONED LAST MONTH, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SAMPLE AND A QUOTE FROM THEM, GET AN IDEA.
USUALLY THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A SENSE OF AT LEAST A SMALL INSIGHT INTO WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IN STORE AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK AND MAYBE SOME PRICING INFO AS WELL.
FIRST THING I THOUGHT OF IS, ARE THERE ANY TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS THAT CAN GIVE US SOME INSIGHTS INTO, FOR EXAMPLE, X NUMBER OF INSTAGRAM USERS ARE USING THE APP AT THIS LOCATION IN THE CITY, OR CAN WE DO SOME TECHNOLOGICAL PLOTTING TO SAY THIS MIGHT BE AN AREA WHERE WE COULD DEVELOP? I WOULD HOPE THAT A CONSULTANT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> I BELIEVE WE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THAT.
>> WE HAVE SOME TOOLS THAT TRACK, SO PLACER.AI IS ONE.
CANDIDLY, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL CONTINUE KEEPING IT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
BUT YES, IT IS CELLPHONE-BASED DATA.
THIS EFFORT PREVIOUSLY LED TO PROCURING A COUPLE DIFFERENT TOOLS, SO PLACER.AI BEING ONE OF THEM AND THEN DATA AXLE BEING ANOTHER ONE.
WE DO HAVE SOME THINGS THAT A CONSULTANT MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO, MUCH MORE WIZARDRY, IF YOU WILL.
>> I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THAT JUST HIGH LEVEL PLACER.AI DATA THAT WE DID HAVE AVAILABLE.
WE CAN GO INTO THE DETAILS OF WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO KEEP IT ANYMORE, BUT I LEARNED SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING FROM THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT, JUST LOOKING AT IT, AND JEROD SAID IT AT A MEETING, IS MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE CITY TO EAT EVERY DAY.
I FOUND THAT VERY POWERFUL INFORMATION BECAUSE IT TELLS US WHAT ARE WE MISSING IN THE CITY OR WHERE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS GOING? THEY'RE GOING TO OUTSIDE CITIES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO JUST GRAB DINNER WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.
I THINK WE CAN FIND A LOT OF THAT DATA IN THE PLACER.AI, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER ACTUALLY SEEN THE RAW DATA OF IT.
WE JUST HEAR REMARKS THAT YOU MADE BASED ON IT, BUT I THINK THERE COULD REALLY BE SOME INTERESTING DATA IN THERE COMING FROM WHAT I DO EVERY DAY IN MY DAILY LIFE AS A DATA ANALYST, AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE IT.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, BUT THERE IS SOME VERY INTERESTING DATA THAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM IT.
>> JUST MY OVERALL THOUGHT, A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH WOULD BE AWESOME.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
I CAN SEE IT WAS A LOT OF EFFORT.
BUT I THINK IF WE WANT TO SEE MEASURABLE RESULTS ANYTIME SOON, WE'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY HAVE TO GET MORE FOCUSED AND LIKE YOU SAID, NARROW THIS DOWN.
BECAUSE I THINK WE WANT TO SEE MEASURABLE RESULTS FASTER THAN JUST TEN YEARS FROM NOW AND BEYOND.
I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO NARROW AND, LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER,
[00:30:06]
TO FOCUS AND GET SOME MORE CONCISE MEASURES GOING ON HERE.>> NO THOUGHTS FROM ANYBODY ELSE? I WANT JARED TO THEN GIVE US A SEQUENCE OF HOW WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. JARED.
>> THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS, I THINK REALLY YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE HAVE BUSH 78 AND IF STREET, EVEN THOSE THREE THINGS.
LET'S RANK IT ON WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS RIGHT ON THE BAT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE WHERE WE NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY IN THE NEAR TERM.
>> I THINK WHEN WE ORIGINALLY DID THIS EXERCISE, WE DID A RANKING EXERCISE.
I REMEMBER IT WAS QUITE LABOR INTENSIVE.
THAT WAS JUST TO COME UP WITH THE ORDER THAT THESE ARE LISTED IN ON THIS SHEET.
>> NOT A LOT OF AGREEMENT IN THE RANKING.
I'M DOWN FOR THAT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE NEED IT.
>> OTHER THOUGHTS? REALLY IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN ADDITION TO IT.
OTHERWISE, I WANT TO TURN SOME TIME TO JARED AND SAY, HEY, WALK US THROUGH.
HE AND I TALKED ABOUT HERE'S WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO JUST WALK THROUGH THE STEPS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> THERE'S ONE THING I WANT TO ADD A BIT BUT TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT HE JUST SAID.
MY FIRST THOUGHT IS I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE OF 75 OR THE COLLIN COUNTY SIDE OF SACHSE, YOUR VIEW OF SACHSE IS GOING UP AND DOWN HIGHWAY 78.
I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A PRIORITY, BUT THEN THAT'S A VERY ANECDOTAL TYPE OF LOOK AT THINGS.
THEN GOING AND LOOKING AT SOME MORE DATA MIGHT SAY, WELL ACTUALLY THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PRIORITIZE HISTORY INSTEAD.
THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I WAS MENTIONING BY LOOKING AT THE DATA FIRST.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYONE ELSE FEELS, BUT I LOOK AT SPRUCING UP 78 AND DOING WHAT WE CAN THERE FIRST AS THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY MY PLACE TO START BEFORE LOOKING AT ANY DATA.
JARED, GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES, JUST WALK US THROUGH WHAT IT WOULD.
I WON'T EVEN GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND STUFF.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD DID A GREAT JOB.
YOU ALL HAVE THE PHYSICAL TANGIBLE COPY.
BUT I DID RECAP ON A SLIDE SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING NOW.
NARROWING FOCUS, VALUE AND BRINGING IN A PROFESSIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE MADE THE STATION POSSIBLE.
WANT CITY COUNCIL BUY IN, HAVE A GREAT STARTING POINT AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL GIVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE NEED.
THAT'S WHERE I'LL CAMP OUT FOR JUST A SECOND.
AS I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT'LL BE A BIG CAPITAL ITEM.
WE HAVEN'T DONE IT SINCE, 2015, WAS WHEN WE STARTED THE EFFORT.
I ASKED THE CONSULTANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING.
WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AT THE BOARD LEVEL ON AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THIS FITS IN WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO MAYBE GET THE COMP PLAN STARTED.
MAYBE SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, THEY CAN DO A LOT OF THEIR DATA AND ANALYSIS AND SO FORTH AND THEN POSSIBLY BRING IN THE CONSULTANT TO DO THIS WORK.
AGAIN, THEY FELT THAT THE TIMING WAS PRETTY GOOD RELATIVE TO, HEY, YOU'RE DOING THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND SO YOU ALL, THIS ISN'T A DISCUSSION ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE INCLUDED IN THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, VERY IMPORTANTLY, WAS HIGHWAY 78.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A DETAILED HIGHWAY 78 STUDY AND LOOKING AT OUR CORRIDORS AND OUR GATEWAY FEATURES, AND CERTAINLY CONTEMPLATING EVERYTHING FROM A MARKET STANDPOINT, WHICH IS, I THINK, WHAT MADE THE FIRST OR THE 2017 PLAN SO SUCCESSFUL.
THIS WOULD BE A SUPPLEMENT TO THAT AND REALLY GET INTO THE WEEDS MORE ON HOW THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHES THOSE GOALS.
THEY SYNCHRONOUS, IF YOU WILL.
RELATIVE TO NEXT STEPS TO THE PRESIDENT'S POINT,
[00:35:03]
SO DEFINING THE POTENTIAL SCOPE.THIS IS WHAT WE DID AGAIN WITH THE COMP PLAN.
I ENVISIONED A SIMILAR EFFORT WHERE WE WORKED THROUGH.
I WOULD PROPOSE COMING BACK TO THIS GROUP WITH A POTENTIAL SCOPE, PERHAPS AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
HERE'S WHAT I THINK WE COULD INCLUDE.
POSSIBLY HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS PRELIMINARILY WITH A COUPLE OF GROUPS.
WE'LL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE WANT TO GO RFQ OR SIMPLY JUST OFFER A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT TO PEOPLE.
EITHER WAY, OUR METHOD WILL BE TO TOUCH BASE WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS.
WE WOULDN'T JUST OFFER IT TO THE FIRST PERSON THAT WE TALK TO.
DO WE HAVE TO DO AN RFQ? NO, SIR.
WE DO NOT BECAUSE THIS IS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND IT'S A TECHNICAL REPORT, TECHNICAL DOCUMENT.
WE CAN DO AN RFQ BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO.
WE'LL EVALUATE THE MERIT OF WHETHER IT'S WE JUST SELECT A COUPLE FIRMS AND BRING THEM IN AND TALK TO THEM OR IF WE DO AN RFQ.
BUT WE'LL LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, THE TIMELINE AGAIN WHAT THE CONSULTANT SAID THAT'S WORKING ON THE COMP PLAN IS SIX MONTHS, WHICH TRACKS WITH WHAT IT WOULD PROBABLY REASONABLY TAKE TO, IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO AN RFQ TO GET ONE WRITTEN PUBLISHED AND ETC, SIX MONTHS TO GET.
THIS PROCESS REALLY KICKED OFF.
THEN BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS RELATIVE TO THE EVALUATION OF THE CALENDAR, THE TIMELINE, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE BUDGETED FOR IN FY 2025, SO THAT BUDGET ALLOCATION IS OCTOBER 1ST, OR IF, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME, POTENTIALLY LOOKING TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO HAVE THAT DONE THIS FISCAL YEAR.
I THINK WE WOULD JUST WORK THROUGH OUR FINANCE TEAM.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE OF US EXCEEDING OUR BUDGET ALLOCATION RELATIVE TO OUR OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES OR ANYTHING.
BUT JUST AS A MATTER OF A TRUE UP SO THAT OUR BUDGET REFLECTS AND IT'S ACCURATE BUT LIKELY BE SOMETHING WE'D WORK WITH FINANCE ON BRING BACK.
AGAIN MY POTENTIAL NEXT STEP I GUESS FOR THIS GROUP WOULD BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL WITH A SCOPE FOR A POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THEN WE CAN DISCUSS POTENTIALLY GOING TO COUNCIL POSSIBLY, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'D HAVE TO TALK WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND LIKELY WITH THE COUNCIL LIAISON.
WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON, OR IF IT'S SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD JUST LIKE TO REACT TO LATER.
WE WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
>> IF I PUT THIS IN A EVEN NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC, IF A MONTH FROM NOW IN OUR NEXT MEETING, WE DEFINED THE SCOPE AND WE ALL HAD DISCUSSIONS, SAID, WE LIKE THAT SCOPE.
THEN YOU TAKE THE NEXT MONTH TO MEET WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CONSULTING GROUPS AND SO THAT WOULD PUT US INTO MAY.
IN MAY, WE WOULD HAVE AN IDEA AS TO POTENTIAL COST AND BE A A POSITION WHERE WE IF COUNSEL WANTED TO BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON OR DISCUSS AT THAT POINT PRESENTED TO THEM IN MAY FOR US AND IF THEY'VE GOT ANY FEEDBACK OR OTHERWISE, THEN FOR US TO DECIDE YES, WE'D GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS TO APPROVE AWARDING A CONTRACT.
BUT BEFORE WE CAN AWARD THE CONTRACT, WE'VE GOT TO GET APPROVAL FOR A BUDGETARY AMENDMENT ONLY.
GIVEN THE AMOUNT SO THE $150.000, EXCUSE ME, NOT $150,000 BUT OVER $50,000 IS THE CITY WOULD REQUIRE THAT IT COMES TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
OUR CURRENT CITY'S POLICY IS, ANYTHING OVER $50,000 THE CITY [INAUDIBLE] HAS TO BRING TO COUNCIL.
IF WE WERE TO OFFER OR AWARD A CONTRACT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, WE WOULD WANT TO GO AND GET THAT APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> BUT WE COULD AWARD THE CONTRACT, SAY, HEY, IT'S GOOD, PENDING APPROVAL BY COUNCIL.
>> WE COULD HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AND EVERYTHING BUTTONED UP.
>> BUDGET AMENDMENTS HAVE TO BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE EXPENDITURE IS MADE.
WE HISTORICALLY TRUE UP AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR,
[00:40:02]
BUT THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR WE STARTED DOING IT I THINK MORE QUARTERLY SO THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE JUST PUSHING IT OFF UNTIL SEPTEMBER.BUT THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS ON THOSE ITEMS BEFORE THE BUDGETARY AMENDMENTS ARE DONE?
>> WELL, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE GROUP SO FAR, WE WANT TO SEE WHAT CONSULTANTS COULD DO.
I THINK WE NEED TO SEE WHAT IS THEY CAN PROVIDE GIVEN IDEAS TO WHAT WE NEED TO PUT A SCOPE TOGETHER FOR THEM TO SAY, WHAT'S GOING TO COST TO DO THIS? DOES ANYBODY NOT LIKE THE IDEA? I THINK WE'RE PRETTY UNANIMOUS.
LET'S TRY IT, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
I THINK WE CAN. I DON'T SEE WHY WE COULDN'T.
IN THE MEANTIME, GOING TO JIM'S POINT.
BECAUSE THEN I DON'T WANT TO JUST SIT IN OUR HANDS FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE THEY DO THEIR WORK.
WE NEED TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS AT OUR NEXT PIECE.
WHEREAS MAYBE OUR PRIORITY TO DO, IF OPPORTUNITIES COME UP, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FOCUS OUR PRIORITIES? HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? SOMETHING MAY COME UP ON 78, BUT OUR PRIORITY IS PGBT OR SOMETHING IN THE MEANTIME.
I THINK THE COMMENT WAS MADE LAST TIME ABOUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. FRICK TALKED ABOUT, LOOK, A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THIS.
I THINK BECAUSE IT WAS FAIRLY RECENTLY DONE, IT'D BE SOMETHING WE COULD HAND OVER TO A CONSULTANT AND SAY, THIS IS AS OF ADOPTION, WHERE EVERYBODY WAS AT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY DO IN THIS LAST ITERATION, WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT, WE DIDN'T REALLY DO MUCH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, IT WAS MOSTLY THE BOARD, AND THEN WE BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL APPROVED IT, AND SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO RELATIVE TO GETTING RESIDENT FEEDBACK OR POSSIBLY DOING SURVEYS OR BUSINESS KIND OF ENGAGEMENT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE PIECE OF IT IS GOING TO BE THE OUTREACH AND GETTING INPUT AND FEEDBACK AND SURVEYS AND OPEN HOUSE EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO I'M NOT NECESSARILY SUGGESTING THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO, BUT A CONSULTANT CAN LOOK AT IT, CERTAINLY BE A SCOPE.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK WE NEED TO GET THIS TO THE CONSULTANT.
WE CAN'T DO ALL THIS AND HAVE THE CONSULTANT DO ALL THE WORK AND GO THROUGH ALL THIS TIME AND THEN COME BACK AND IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL DOESN'T AGREE ON OR THAT THEY CAN ALL COME TO AGREEMENT ON OR THAT WE DON'T EVEN ALL AGREE ON.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM LIKE, LISTEN, WE NEED THIS TO BE A LOT MORE FOCUSED, CONDENSED AND CONCISE BUT USE THIS, GO WITH IT, AND FINE, PICK OUT THE PIECES THAT MAKE THE MOST SENSE TOGETHER SO THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISAGREEMENTS AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY LONG PROCESS AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
I FEEL LIKE EVEN WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT'S OPERATIONAL ITEMS AND TAKE IT OUT.
WHY ARE WE STILL HAVING YOUR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL ITEMS IN OUR GOALS AND VISION.
YOU CAN MOVE IT TO A SEPARATE PAGE LET'S SAY IT'S OPERATIONAL ITEMS IF YOU WANT THEM TO SEE IT BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE PART OF OUR CONSIDERATION FOR GOALS AND VISION.
I'M THINKING ABOUT WHENEVER WE WENT THROUGH, CIRCLE BACK TO THE SPONSORSHIP POLICY, I REMEMBER IT WAS MR. CHANDLER, WE HAD A COUPLE BULLET POINTS.
YOU'RE LIKE, THESE DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE PUBLISHED PUBLICLY.
JUST TAKE THEM OUT. AGAIN, WE JUST RECENTLY, SO I WAS DOUBLE CHECKING.
I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED AT THE FULL ON CIRCLE.
WE COULD REMOVE THINGS AND IT COULD BE MORE OF A STAFF DOCUMENT, INTERNAL DOCUMENT.
IF THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THEN THEY CAN GO TO THE STAFF DOCUMENT TO SEE, OH, THIS IS WHAT, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE PART OF OUR GOAL.
FOR NEXT TIME, MAYBE BRING A SCOPE TO YOU ALL, TO BASICALLY WEIGH IN.
YOU GUYS CAN POKE HOLES IN IT OR ADD, SUBTRACT AND THEN IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF REACHING OUT TO FOLKS AND GETTING THEIR THOUGHTS ON POTENTIAL PRICE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH SOMETHING LIKE THIS COST.
DO WE EVEN HAVE A BALLPARK? SORT OF. WHERE SOME OF THIS STARTED WAS WE WERE GOING TO DO A TARGET MARKET ANALYSIS AND TARGET SECTOR ANALYSIS BACK A WHILE AGO AND SO WE STARTED ENGAGING WITH SOME FIRMS AND THERE WAS ONE THAT I THINK IT WAS GOING TO END UP BEING 50 SOMETHING THOUSAND FOR THEM TO DO TARGET SECTORS, TARGET INDUSTRIES AND SOME THOROUGH ANALYSIS FOR US.
THEY SCOPED IT ALL OUT AND OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T END UP GOING THAT ROUTE.
STAFF DREW THE PROCESS INTERNALLY.
BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION.
[00:45:01]
WHAT I'M SEEING EVEN IN THE COMP PLAN JUST FOR MARKET STUDIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, PROBABLY 50-75.I THINK MY QUESTION WOULD BE, AND MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE ACCOUNTING FOLKS.
THEY'RE USUALLY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HERE A LOT, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE TO THAT.
BUT L KNOW WE'RE NOT TOO FAR INTO OUR FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY APRIL AND IT STARTS ON OCTOBER 1.
BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, HOW ARE WE DOING TO OUR BUDGET? I HAVE THE REPORT OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT JUST SHOWS ME THAT WE'VE ONLY SPENT 36% OF OUR BUDGET.
BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY SO MANY MONTHS IN AND SO DO WE HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY SOMEWHERE THAT WE CAN USE OR IS IT GOING TO BE TOTALLY NEW MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN BUDGET FOR? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT SPENDING, WE OPERATE PRETTY LEAN, I GUESS TO PUT IT THAT WAY.
OUR SALES TAX REVENUES AND COLLECTIONS ARE EXCEEDING CERTAINLY WHAT OUR OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES ARE AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS PUTTING MONEY BACK INTO THE EDC FUND, IF YOU WILL.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE COLLECTING MORE SALES TAX YEAR OVER YEAR AND WE'RE NOT EVEN HITTING WHAT OUR BUDGET.
>> EVEN OUR BUDGETED SPEND IS LESS THAN HALF OF THE ACTUAL SALES TAX RECEIPTS.
OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT WE BRING IN.
IF WE DON'T HIT THE BUDGET, OR IF WE'RE BELOW BUDGET, WE'RE MUCH LESS BECAUSE THAT'S SOME OF THE NUMBERS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO SAY, WAIT, DO WE HAVE THE EXCESS? WELL, THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS LESS THAN WHAT WE'VE GOT EXCESS FOR THIS YEAR'S SALES TAX.
>> NOT ONLY THAT, BUT AS YOU WERE SAYING TOO, AS OF FEBRUARY, WE'VE ALREADY COLLECTED 45% OF THE EXPECTED SALES TAX WE'RE EXPECTED FOR THE WHOLE FISCAL YEAR.
>> WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO BEAT THE BUDGET AGAIN, AND LIKE YOU SAID, WE ALWAYS HAVE A POSITIVE.
I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING.
>> NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION I THINK, AND THAT'S FAIR.
JUST I KNOW THAT QUESTION WILL COME UP WHEN WE ASK FOR A BUDGET MOVES TO SAY CATEGORIZE WHEN IT COMES.
SO AS SOON AS WE KNOW, WE WILL HAVE TO REFINE THOSE NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES SO THAT WHEN THEY ASK, WE'VE GOT SOLID ANSWERS FOR THEM.
BUT YEAH, $50-75,000 DOESN'T SURPRISE ME.
>> I THINK I'VE GOT MY MARCHING ORDERS.
>> IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE JEROD, THAT'S YOUR REQUEST. GO AND DO IT.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID THAT I REALLY LIKE.
FIRST, I LOVE THE IDEA THAT WHILE THE CONSULTING FIRM IS DOING THEIR RESEARCH, BECAUSE BOTH THINGS SHOULD MATCH UP LIKE LET'S SAY IT'S GOING TO BE A SIX MONTH PROCESS.
WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS WOULD PREFER MORE DINING OPTIONS.
MAYBE WE DISCOVER OVER THOSE SIX MONTHS THAT MAYBE LIKE A HARDWARE STORE OR SOME OTHER BUSINESS WOULD ALSO BRING VALUE.
AND THEN THE CONSULTANTS COME IN AND THEY RECOGNIZE THOSE SAME THINGS THAT WE SEE.
IT'S LIKE DOUBLE CONFIRMATION.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE MAIN THINGS THAT I JUST WOULD LOVE TO SEE US WORKING ON THAT MONTH TO MONTH TO BUILD OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE ALONG WITH WHAT THE CONSULTANTS COME BACK AND TELL US.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A PLAN THAT IS ACTIONABLE AND THAT GIVES US A GOAL THAT WE CAN GET TO.
LIKE I KNOW AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT FOLKS IN TOWN WANT TO SEE REDEVELOPMENT OF 78.
THEY WANT IT CLEANED UP. THEY WANT THINGS ADDED TO IT.
THERE IS A REASON THAT NONE OF THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, WHY IT'S LOOKED AT.
WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CONSULT.
IT'S LIKE TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT TO HELP MOVE THAT NEEDLE.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? WHAT'S THE ROADBLOCK? IS IT JUST IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL THERE'S NEW OWNERS AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT IT OUT, OR IS IT BECAUSE IS THERE ANOTHER ECONOMIC REASON THAT WE ACTUALLY COULD AFFECT? I DON'T KNOW THAT. THIS IS NOT MY JOB, BUT THERE'S A REASON BECAUSE THE MARKET HAS NOT GIVEN US WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
>> I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PARCEL SIZES TOO.
>> I THINK THEY'RE MAKING CHANGES TO THAT.
>> I THINK IT DOES. IF THAT'S WHAT COMES OUT OF A STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE WANT TO SEE.
MAYBE THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS IF YOU WANT TO GET TO A, YOU HAVE TO DO B AND SOLVE THE PARKING PROBLEM, OR SOLVE THE PARCEL SIZE.
>> SOLVE THE TRAIN TRACK SIZES.
>> TRAIN TRACK, YEAH. THAT'S A LITTLE OUT OF OUR SCOPE.
BUT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE DIRECTION ON BECAUSE THAT'S I THINK WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE ON THE 2017 COMP PLAN FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE WAS WHEN THEY SAID, "THIS IS WHAT WE WANT." THE CONSULTANT CAME BACK AND SAID,
[00:50:01]
"IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS." SOME OF IT WAS PLANNING, AND SOME OF IT WAS ZONING, AND SOME OF IT WAS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, LIKE THERE WERE A WHOLE LOT OF PIECES.I WANT TO SEE THAT IN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE THAT WHATEVER WE DECIDE, THE THING IS THAT WE CAN PULL THIS LEVER WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS TO GET A RESULT THAT WE WANT TO SEE.
>> IF IT'S PEOPLE IN TOWN WANT MORE RESTAURANTS, WELL, WHERE? OF ALL THE PLACES WE HAVE, WHERE DO WE FOCUS IF WE WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN? WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? WHAT NEST EGG DO WE HAVE TO PUT ASIDE AND NOT SPEND SOMEWHERE ELSE? BECAUSE WE WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
>> SOMEBODY WITH PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE GUIDE ME OR GUIDE THE BOARD TO GET THERE.
I THINK WE CAN AGREE ON A BIG PICTURE, AND THEN GET SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ON HOW TO GET THERE.
>> THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN BIG PICTURE.
>> REMEMBER, WE'VE TOLD HIM TO TAKE OUT ALL THE EVIDENCE.
>> THAT'S AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT A GOOD PATH TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, OKAY? ITEM NUMBER 4, DISCUSS, PROVIDE FEEDBACK,
[D.4. Discuss, provide feedback, and take necessary action regarding the operation of a farmers market within the 5th Street District.]
AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTION REGARDING THE OPERATION OF A FARMERS MARKET WITHIN THE 5TH STREET DISTRICT.GLAD TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT FORWARD TO YOU LET'S BE QUICK PRESENTATION.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW AS WELL AS EXPLAIN STRUCTURE AND ROLES RELATIVE TO WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ACTUAL ITEM WHERE WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IT, JUST SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
JUST BE THINKING ABOUT IT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. AS THE BOARD RECALLS, OR MAYBE SOME OF THE NEWER MEMBERS AREN'T AWARE, BUT THIS PROPERTY WAS ALL OWNED.
YOU SEE WHERE THE RED SHAPE IS LOCATED? THAT WAS PURCHASED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND IT WAS SOLD BACK TO THE CITY FAIRLY RECENTLY.
IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO GIVE THROUGH A 380 AGREEMENT AS PART OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE, IF THE CITY OWNED IT.
THAT'S A LOT OF JARGON, BUT JUST THE MECHANISM THAT WE HAD TO DO.
ANYWAY, THAT LEAVES THESE TWO ORANGE, YELLOWISH COLORED BOXES HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT EDC PROPERTY.
THE FARMERS MARKET SITE AS OUTLINED WOULD BE ON THE CITY PROPERTY.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM TO GET SOME OF OUR CONCERNS ADDRESSED BEFORE EXECUTING THIS CONTRACT.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE ALEXANDER STREET INFRASTRUCTURE AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT HAS WRAPPED UP.
THE CITY IS VERY INTERESTED IN ACTIVATING THE SITE WHILE WE'RE PLANNING FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT EFFORT IS CONTINUING.
THE ADOPTED BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING FOR ACTIVATION EVENTS.
WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONAL FUNDING, AS WELL AS MARKETING DOLLARS, AND SO FORTH.
BUT SPECIFICALLY, WE SET MONEY ASIDE FOR ACTIVATION EVENTS.
THESE AERIAL DRONE IMAGES WERE TAKEN FEBRUARY 15TH, SHOWS YOU ON THE TOP OF A LANDSCAPE VIEW OF THE SITE.
THEN ON THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S PRIMARILY LOOKING WHERE THE NEW PARKING SPACES WERE CONSTRUCTED.
THE CITY SITE, IS WHERE THE FARMER'S MARKET WOULD BE LOCATED, ADJACENT TO WHERE THE PEDESTRIAN, THE STAMPED CONCRETE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING ON ALEXANDER STREET, YOU SEE THE RED STAMPED CONCRETE TO THE FARMER'S MARKET, WE'RE ENVISIONING AS BEING RIGHT THERE.
YOU WALK ACROSS THE PEDESTRIAN AREA AND THAT IS WHERE THE VENDORS WOULD BE LOCATED AS WELL AS FOOD TRUCKS.
>> WOULD THEY JUST LEAVE ALL THE TREES AND EVERYTHING THERE?
>> THE TREES AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE NOT TOUCHED RELATIVE TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.
YEAH, THAT WOULD ALL THAT WOULD ALL STAY THE SAME.
A COUPLE OF JUST ITEMS OF NOTE, THE CITY IS NOT PAYING THIS COMPANY TO OPERATE THE FARMER'S MARKET.
IT IS A THIRD PARTY GROUP AND THIS IS THEIR THING.
THEY COME IN, THEY SET THESE UP, THEY RUN THEM, THEY MANAGE THEM.
THEY'RE ON SITE DURING THE EVENT, THEY GET THE VENDORS TO COME IN AND SO FORTH.
AND SO WE ARE NOT SELLING THEM LAND, WE ARE NOT GIVING THEM LAND.
WE'RE SIMPLY GOING TO BE EXECUTING A SPECIAL EVENT AGREEMENT WITH THEM FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, WHICH WE'VE CONTEMPLATED, A SIX MONTHS,
[00:55:03]
FOR THEM TO UTILIZE CITY PROPERTY FOR A FARMER'S MARKET.AGAIN, SET UP TAKE DOWN COORDINATION WITH VENDORS ALL THROUGH THIS COMPANY.
WE ARE CONSIDERING A WEEKLY MARKET ON SATURDAY FOR THE INITIAL TERM THAT THEIR PREFERENCE IS TO DO A MARKET WEEKLY.
AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WHERE WE NEGOTIATE WITH THEM ON THE FREQUENCY THAT MIGHT END UP BEING TOO MUCH.
I'VE MET WITH POLICE CHIEF, FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADS ACROSS THE CITY TO DISCUSS THIS AND WORK OUT POTENTIAL ISSUES OR AVOID ANY PITFALLS OR TRAPS THAT WE'RE NOT MAYBE THINKING OF ON OUR OWN.
>> HOW MANY VENDORS, ARE THEY ESTIMATED?
>> POTENTIALLY 40 IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CONTEMPLATED.
GREAT QUESTION, AND RELATIVE TO THE VENDORS.
SO WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE PROHIBITING SALE OF.
>> LIKE WHAT? FIREWORKS. I MEAN.
>> LITERALLY, FIREWORKS. WEAPONS.
>> THC, ALCOHOL, CBD, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE COMPANY, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PRETTY STRICT STANDARDS FOR VENDOR REQUIREMENTS.
THINGS HAVE TO BE HOMEMADE OR ARTISAN, THEY HAVE TO BE HOME GROWN, OR RAISED, I GUESS IN THE EVENT, MEAT OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT THEY AVOID IS THE RESALE OF THINGS AND PEOPLE COMING IN, I'M GOING TO SELL YOU THIS WHATEVER.
>> YEAH. SO IT'S ALL INTENDED TO BE HOMEMADE.
>> QUESTION ON THE CONTRACT, I KNOW YOU SAID THIS SIX MONTHS.
SO DID THE SIX MONTHS COME UP? BECAUSE POSSIBLY CONTRACT NEGOTIATION FOR A PERMANENT, LIKE A RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING COMING INTO THAT SITE TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO CONCLUDE OR DO WE HAVE A CLAUSE OF TERM IN THE EVENT THAT WE GET A PERSON INTERESTED OR BUSINESS INTERESTED IN BUILDING AND USING THAT FOR RESTAURANT OR EVENTS OR ANY PURPOSE GREATER THAN A FARMERS MARKET.
>> YEAH, SO THE SIX MONTH TERM THEY ARE, IT'S LIKE DATING.
LIKE THEY'RE TESTING US OUT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
I WILL SAY THIS MARKET REACHED OUT TO US.
THERE IS A LOCAL RESIDENT WHO IS INVOLVED IN THESE MARKETS, WAS VERY INTERESTED IN BRINGING ONE TO SAXY.
WE JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE THE PERFECT SITE FOR IT AND SO THE SIX MONTH TERM IS JUST A STARTING PLACE.
AS YOU KNOW WE'RE LOOKING, WE HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE HOPPER RELATIVE TO PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING OUT IN TERMS OF IF HYPOTHETICALLY SOMETHING WAS TO NEED TO GET STARTED IMMEDIATELY, WHICH I CAN TELL YOU THAT CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AND ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING AND STUFF, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM.
>> ARE WE ABLE TO ASK FOR THAT PROVISION IN THE CONTRACT RIGHT NOW?
>> THAT'S RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH NOW.
OBVIOUSLY, THE PARKING SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED, IT'S MOST CONVENIENT WHERE THEY'RE AT CURRENTLY.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE PHASING AND EVERYTHING ON THE FIFTH STREET CONSTRUCTION STUFF.
CORRECT. SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, I HAVE KIND OF RECURRING MEETINGS WITH THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN, TALKING TO MASTER DEVELOPERS AND SO FORTH.
THEY'RE ALL AWARE THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION WITH THEM.
BUT YES, WE WOULD TRY TO WORK WITH THEM.
WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD FIT IN THE INITIAL CONCEPT PLANS FOR THE DISTRICT.
WE HAD ALWAYS CONTEMPLATED SOME GREEN SPACE FOR THIS THING.
>> IT'S LIKE A PRE ACTIVATION.
>> YEAH. THE MARKET, IN CARROLLTON, THEY'VE GOT ONE IN CARROLLTON, THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR TEN YEARS.
SO THEY'VE GOT SOME REAL LONGEVITY.
THEY'RE OPERATING IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO WE WOULD BE COLLECTING SALES TAX FROM THE VENDORS THAT HAVE TO PERMIT SALES TAX.
A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST RELATIVE TO ROLES.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS.
I SENT TO OUR ATTORNEYS A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT EDITS SO THE CITY WOULD BE THE LANDLORD PROVIDING THE SPACE.
THE REASON WHY THIS ITEM IS COMING BEFORE YOU ALL THIS EVENING IS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF THE PROPERTY THAT THE CORPORATION OWNS IN TERMS OF OVERFLOW, POSSIBLE VENDOR PARKING, INCIDENTAL USE AS A RESULT OF THE FARMER'S MARKET.
WHAT THE FARMER'S MARKET HAS ASKED IS THAT WE HELP PROMOTE THE EVENT CHECK THAT'S GOING TO BE FINE.
[01:00:02]
PROVIDE THE SPACE STAFF PRESENCE.IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A FIGURING OUT WHAT THE INTEREST IS, THE FREQUENCY OF THESE AND SO FORTH.
I'M INTENDING TO BE THERE, DENISE.
WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS FROM THE CITY THAT HAVE SAID THAT THEY'D BE WILLING TO BE THERE AS WELL.
JUST AGAIN, HAVE A CITY STAFF PRESENCE TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THE MARKET MANAGER THAT WOULD BE THERE.
JUST AS A INFORMATIONAL NOTE, SOMETHING WE MIGHT BE DOING IS PAYING FOR OVERTIME OUT OF THE EDC BUDGET TO HELP ALLOW FOR, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, OFF DUTY OFFICERS OR BRINGING IN PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS TO HELP STAFF THE EVENT IF PEOPLE NEED HELP FINDING PARKING AND SO FORTH.
THE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR MARKET SET UP AND TAKE DOWN, THEY'LL SHOW UP A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE MARKET AND GET EVERYTHING SET UP.
MARKET HAPPENS, THEY TAKE IT ALL DOWN AND THEY LEAVE COORDINATING WITH VENDORS THAT'S ALL THROUGH THE COMPANY.
THEN THE MARKET VENDORS IS ON SITE.
VENDORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN TRASH.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CWD ON DIFFERENT SOLID WASTE OPTIONS.
JUST AGAIN, BRING AN UMBRELLA AND IT WON'T RAIN.
WE'RE THINKING THROUGH THE MOST INTENSE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS.
COORDINATING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AGAIN, WE'LL BE LOOKING TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND THEN REALLY START PUSHING THE COMMUNICATION AND SO FORTH WE MIGHT CONTEMPLATE.
THERE MIGHT BE A NEED TO DO SOME THINGS TO GET THE SITE A BIT MORE READY TO HAVE FOOD TRUCKS.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME TABLES OR POSTS TO BLOCK OFF FOR THE VENDOR PARKING, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT INTENSE PERMANENT STRUCTURES, BUT JUST THINGS TO HELP MAKE THE SITE MORE AMENABLE TO THIS KIND OF AN EVENT.
THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE ACTION BEING RECOMMENDED RELATIVE TO ALLOWING THE VENDOR TO UTILIZE THE EDC SPACE.
THAT MOTION WE PUT TOGETHER, IT'S VERY LENGTHY, BUT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING WE TAKE THIS ACTION.
AGAIN, IT'S INTERESTING, THE CONTRACT IS NOT APPROVED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS SAYS SUBJECT TO CITY APPROVAL OF THE TERMS SPECIFIED.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE CONTRACT, BUT WHAT THIS ACTION DOES IS IT SAYS IF APPROVED, THEN WE'VE CHECKED OUR BOX, ESSENTIALLY, WE'VE TAKEN THIS STEP.
>> WE'RE APPROVING THE USE OF THE LAND THAT WE OWN.
>> JUST THE LAND OWNED BY THE EDC.
>> I DON'T HAVE A GRAPHIC, BUT WHAT WE'VE PRELIMINARILY TALKED ABOUT IS THE MARKETS, THEY WANT THEIR VENDORS PARKING AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY WANT THE SPACE FREED UP FOR THERE TO BE FLOW.
SO THEY'D COME IN, THEY'D SET UP, AND THEN THEY DIP OUT.
WHAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING IS HAVING THEM PARK ON THAT MIDDLE BLOCK, WE PUT SOME LIME TREATED SUBGRADE DOWN ALLOWING FOR PEOPLE TO PARK THERE, VENDORS, AND THEN THEY WOULD BASICALLY DIP OUT.
THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE PORTAJOHN'S ON SITE DEPENDING ON HOW BUSY THEY END UP BEING, AND THAT MIGHT BE A PLACE WHERE WE'D WANT TO PUT THEM AND SO FORTH.
AGAIN, USING THE SITE, THINGS INCIDENTAL TO A FARMER'S MARKET.
IS THE MARKET ITSELF GOING TO BE ON THE CEMENT SURFACE OR ARE YOU GOING TO PUT DOWN A SURFACE? IS THERE ENOUGH PARKING AND SURFACE AREA TO DO ALL THIS? BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IF IT RAINS, WHAT HAPPENS?
>> GREAT QUESTION. WE'VE TALKED THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO HAVE A MARKET IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CERTAINLY.
THEY HAVE OTHER MARKETS WHERE THE VENDORS ARE ON THE GRASS, AND WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THEY'LL BRING TARPS AND THINGS.
IF THE WEATHER WAS TERRIBLE OR THE GROUND WAS SUPER SATURATED OR IT WAS SUPER WINDY, THEY WOULD PROBABLY JUST WANT TO CANCEL ANYWAY.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO FORCE IT.
THE PARKING AREA YOU CAN SEE OVER HERE, AGAIN, IT'S JUST A LIME TREATED SUBGRADE.
IF THEY'RE PARKING ON IT, WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GROUND WASN'T SO WET THAT PEOPLE WERE TRACKING MUD AND THINGS EVERYWHERE.
AND IF THAT DID HAPPEN, WE'D HAVE TO WORK THROUGH GETTING A CONTRACTOR TO COME HELP CLEAN UP THE SITE, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. SO THOSE ARE THINGS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE THAT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION PIECE IN OUR BUDGET.
[01:05:04]
IT'S INTERESTING, LIKE I SAID, IT'S CITY PROPERTY, BUT WE BUDGETED FOR THESE ACTIVATION EVENTS, AND SO WE'RE CO-DOING THIS ESSENTIALLY, BUT IT'S REALLY BOTH PARTIES.>> I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKE THE IDEA.
THE FIRST WOULD BE WEEK 1 TO WEEK 10, ARE THERE ANY PROJECTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW MANY VENDORS, HOW MANY ATTENDEES? BECAUSE MY THOUGHT THERE IS WHAT TYPE OF ADDED CONGESTION TO TRAFFIC IS THERE POTENTIAL FOR? I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION ALSO.
>> YES, SIR. THEY COULD BE 1,000 PEOPLE IS WHAT THEY'VE SAID.
THEY'RE OPEN FROM, I THINK WHAT THEY'RE ENVISIONING IN THE APRIL, MAY MONTHS WOULD BE A 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM THING.
WHAT THEY'VE TOLD ME IS IT'S GENERALLY ABOUT 10-15 MINUTE AVERAGE TIME.
BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF THESE FOLKS, YOU'RE JUST PARKING, DOING A SWING THROUGH, AND YOU'RE DIPPING OUT.
PEOPLE MIGHT STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER IF THERE'S FOOD TRUCKS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE FOOD TRUCKS EVERY SINGLE WEEK THAT MIGHT CAUSE PEOPLE TO WANT TO STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
SO WHAT I WILL BE DOING, MY NEXT STEPS IS AGAIN, ONCE WE GET CONTRACT SQUARED AWAY, WORKING ON LIKE A PARKING EXHIBIT FOR FOLKS AND TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
WE KNOW HOW MANY SPOTS THAT THERE ARE IN THE DISTRICT.
THERE'S 26 ALONG ALEXANDER STREET.
THERE'S 50 IN THAT LOT THAT WE JUST BUILT.
THERE'S ABOUT 50 ON FIFTH STREET, BUT WE SUSPECT THAT PEOPLE WILL ALSO WANT TO BE PARKING ON BILLINGSLEY, ON BOONE.
SO WE'LL DO SOME THINGS TO MAYBE TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM PARKING ON GRASS AND PULLING INTO THE BAR DITCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'LL BE AN EFFORT.
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN THEY WERE RUNNING BACKYARD ON FIFTH ON THAT PROPERTY WITH NO PARKING AT ALL, THEY WERE HANDLING ABOUT 500-700 PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY PARKING SPACES AT ALL.
>> NOW, WE HAVE 50 BRAND NEW SPOTS THERE.
>> THERE'S A LOT. AND FIFTH STREET WASN'T WIDENED YET EITHER, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ON-STREET PARKING EITHER.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE PARKING THERE THAN THERE WAS.
PARKING WAS TIGHT, BUT IT WORKED MOSTLY BECAUSE THERE WAS A GRAVEL.
WE'D HAD THAT KIND OF GRAVEL LOT THERE NORTH OF ALEXANDER.
>> I LOVE THE IDEA OF I THINK IT BRINGS VALUE AND HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES GET OUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, AND ALSO, AS A PRECURSOR TO LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S THINGS GOING ON IN THE FIFTH STREET AREA.
I THINK SOME FARMERS MARKETS DO THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND I'M WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT DOING SUNDAY AS WELL.
>> FOR THIS FIRST SIX-MONTH TERM, BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO SOME FOLKS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AND GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK, I THINK WE'D PROBABLY WANT TO GET OUR FEET WET A LITTLE BIT FIRST, MAYBE TRY ONCE A WEEKEND.
BECAUSE MY BIGGEST GOAL IS FOR THIS NOT TO BECOME A STRAIN ON OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE TRULY A PLUG AND PLAY.
THE VENDOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, PARKS FOLKS AREN'T HAVING TO GO OUT THERE ON MONDAYS AND PICK UP TRASH, AND SO FORTH, SO STARTING A LITTLE BIT SMALLER AND THEN POTENTIALLY EVALUATING.
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A FARMER'S MARKET DESERT IN THE AREA FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS.
I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FOLKS IN AND AROUND SACHSE THAT END UP WANTING TO PARTICIPATE AS A VENDOR.
SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HIT, BUT I THINK WE WANT TO BITE OFF A SMALLER BIT OF THE APPLE INITIALLY AND EVALUATE, AND GO FROM THERE.
>> WHEN DO YOU ENVISION THIS STARTING?
>> THEY SAID THEY WANT 6-8 WEEKS AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION TO MARKET AND GET ALL THEIR VENDORS SQUARED AWAY AND EVERYTHING.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE GETTING HOT BY THE TIME THERE.
>> BUT THEN, FOR VEGETABLE GROWING SEASON, THAT'S ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE START SEEING THEIR FIRST HARVESTS.
I JUST PLANTED SOME OF MINE TODAY.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE A VENDOR?
I USUALLY JUST USE FACEBOOK TO SELL SOME OF MY EXTRAS,.
>> THE ONLY THING I CAN KEEP ALIVE IN THE TEXAS HERE IS PEPPER, SO MORE POWER TO YOU.
>> YOU'RE AHEAD OF ME ON THAT.
>> I USUALLY TURP OVER THERE. YEAH, I TURP OVER.
>> I DEFINITELY LIKE THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING TO DRIVE TO RICHARDSON TO GO TO THE FARMERS MARKETS, SO I'M ALL IN FOR THIS.
>> CAN I ASK, IS IT THE DOW RICH SQUARE THAT YOU GO TO?
>> GOOD. I DO HAVE A LOT OF PLUMPS THIS YEAR, SO MAYBE YOU MIGHT SEE ME GAS..
I COUNTED OVER 300 AND I STOPPED COUNTING.
>> WE'RE KEEPING A PORTION OF YOUR FUNDS.
[01:10:03]
>> AS JARED MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE DO AN ACTION ITEM, A MOTION.
>> I'M WILLING TO SET A MOTION.
DO I HAVE TO READ THAT? I SAID I'M WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION. DO I HAVE TO READ THIS WHOLE THING?
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SACHSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PARKING LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH FOUR SEASON MARKETS INC OR ITS RELATED ENTITIES FOR THE PARKING OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND INCIDENTAL USE OF THE PROPERTY ON BLOCK 34 AND BLOCK 40 IN THE ORIGINAL TOWN OF SACHSE SUBDIVISION, GENERALLY LOCATED BETWEEN SACHSE ROAD, FIFTH STREET, BILLINGSLEY STREET, AND BOONE STREET IN CONNECTION WITH THE OPERATION OF A FARMER'S MARKET, SUBJECT TO CITY APPROVAL AND APPROVAL OF AND THE TERM SPECIFIED, AND AN APPROVED AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND FOUR SEASON MARKETS INC TO ALLOW THE FARMERS MARKET EVENT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ARE WE STILL NOT IN? IS THIS A MANUAL FOR THREE OF THEM STILL FOR TODAY?
>> FOR THIS MEETING? [INAUDIBLE].
>> I'LL LET DENISE PUT ALL THAT IN.
SO THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
OUR LAST ITEM 5IS ADJOURNMENT.
IT IS 7:13 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU-ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP TONIGHT AND FOR BEING HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> I'M EXCITED FOR THE FARMERS MARKET.
>> I'M NOT SURE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.