* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] HOWDY EVERYBODY. [1. Call to Order] TODAY IS TUESDAY, MAY 26TH, 2026, AND THE TIME IS 5:31 PM WE'RE HERE FOR THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE COPPEL CITY COUNCIL. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, SO I'M CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER. WE WILL BE [2. Executive Session (Closed to the Public) 1st Floor Conference Room] CONVENING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM. AT THE END OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, I WILL COME OUT AND ANNOUNCE WORK SESSION, AT WHICH TIME THE PUBLIC IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO JOIN US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THE TIME IS 6:02 PM WE HAVE RECESSED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'LL ENTER INTO WORK SESSION IN THE FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO JOIN US. THANK YOU. 6 0 7 KEON. WE'RE GONNA MOVE [3. Work Session (Open to the Public) 1st Floor Conference Room Citizen comments will not be heard during the Work Session, but will be heard during the Regular Session under Citizens' Appearance.] INTO WORK SESSION. WE'VE GOT, UH, FOUR ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AGENDA ITSELF. UH, WE ARE GONNA MOVE ITEM F ON CONSENT TO THE REGULAR SESSION, SO WE'RE GONNA PULL THAT ONE. THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE PRICE OF THE DEMOLITION FOR THAT ITEM AS WELL. UM, AND WHOEVER MAKES A MOTION ON THAT WILL NEED TO KNOW THAT NUMBER. IT HAPPENS TO BE $58,128. WELL, THAT'S CHEAPER. YES, IT IS. DO I NEED TO WRITE THAT DOWN OR WILL SOMEBODY ELSE? THAT'S A VARIABLE. PARDON? YOU GOT IT? YEAH, I GOT IT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON AGENDA? SEE NONE. WE WILL MOVE ON. THIS IS, UH, ITEM B IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS, MS. TON. SO I NEED TO PREFACE THIS BEFORE SHE GETS UP HERE. YOU GUYS SENT OUT, AND I APOLOGIZE, I WAS NOT CLEAR WITH LAUREN. I NEEDED EVERYONE TO GIVE ME A ONE THROUGH FOUR ON YOUR RATINGS, AND SHE JUST ASKED FOR FOUR SELECTIONS. SO IT ACTUALLY WORKED OUT OKAY THIS TIME. UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF YOU THAT ASKED FOR VISITS OR ABILITY TO SEE OTHER GROUPS. YOU, ANYONE IS WELCOME TO GO TO ANY OF THESE MEETINGS AND, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, METROCREST, THAT THEY WOULD WELCOME TO HAVE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL THERE EVERY TIME. UM, AND EVEN OUR REPRESENTATIVE DOESN'T ACTUALLY VOTE. SO IT'S A, IT'S A COURTESY POSITION, BUT YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME, I BELIEVE. BE YOU, YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT GOING TO THE SENIOR CENTER. IF I HAD PUT YOU ON THAT ONE, IT WOULD'VE THROWN THE WHOLE THING UP. BUT YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND THE SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHEONS ON TH ON WEDNESDAYS. I GO OVER DOWN THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DON'T, DON'T THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT APPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU CAN'T ATTEND. TO BE CLEAR, THERE'S ONE TOMORROW. SO AND COME ON OVER. AND I THINK DON HAD A SIMILAR REQUEST FOR ONE. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS AT THIS POINT, BUT I DID WHAT YOU HAD A, YOU HAD A REQUEST TO, TO BE PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE COMMITTEES. MAYBE IT WAS COG. I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. OH, WELL, YEAH. I MEAN, YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS IF YOU WANT TO. AND I WILL DO THAT FROM TIME TO TIME OR SIT IN OR WHATEVER. OKAY. SO ANYWAY, UM, I, I GAVE IT A, I GAVE, UM, I SET A COUPLE OF RULES. EVERYONE HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE COMMITTEE. NO ONE COULD HAVE MORE THAN TWO. AND THERE WERE SOME SPECIFIC REQUESTS THAT WERE MADE. UM, AND EACH ONE OF THOSE WAS HONORED. SO BASICALLY YOU GOT WHAT YOU ASKED FOR, EXCEPT THE COG. I, I COULDN'T DO THAT ONE. THAT'S FINE. BUT EVERYBODY ELSE I THINK GOT WHAT YOU ASKED FOR. SO, LAUREN? YES. SO MAYOR PROAM WALKER, DALLAS COLLEGE AND COPPEL ART CENTER FOUNDATION. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH, NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS COUNCIL MEMBER CAROL DALLAS, REGIONAL MOBILITY COALITION. COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES COPPEL, SENIORS AND COPPEL. ISD LIAISON, COUNCIL MEMBER PRIMAR, NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW METROCREST, SERVICES AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND COUNCIL MEMBER HILL IS WOVEN HEALTH CLINIC AND THE CARROLLTON FARMERS BRANCH. ISD IN LEWISVILLE. ISD THAT I THINK EVERYBODY GOT AT LEAST ONE OF WHAT YOU ASKED FOR. AND EVERYBODY GOT COVERED WITH ONE OR TWO AND WE COVERED ALL THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. SO UNLESS ANYBODY HAS A DISCUSSION, KEVIN, UH, I'LL JUST SAY REAL FAST AS FAR AS THE, UM, THE SENIORS GO, UH, RAMESH, UM, ALL COMES EVERY TIME, RIGHT? SO IF YOU WANT TO GET ON LIKE THE DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR LIKE THE TALKING POINTS OR [00:05:01] ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO COORDINATE THAT SO YOU GET ALL THAT INFORMATION. SO IT'S KIND OF ON YOUR REGULAR SCHEDULE, BUT JUST TO YOUR POINT THAT ANYBODY'S WELCOME TO GO AND I KNOW I FROM TIME TO TIME INVITE EVERYONE, BUT JUST, JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TIGHTEN UP COORDINATION. SO IT'LL BE ON THE RADAR A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER. I KEEP INTENDING TO GO, BUT WEDNESDAYS IS MY DAY TO GO INTO WORK AND IT JUST DOESN'T WORK OUT SCHEDULE-WISE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. I GO WHEN I CAN, BUT THEY HAVE 'EM ON SATURDAYS. IT JUST AS HARD FOR ME TO MAKE. SO THAT'S ONE O'CLOCK SENIORS. YEAH, I KNOW. I TOLD THE SENIORS IMPORTANT THINGS DO. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT THAT REALLY DOES. THANK YOU . HE'S GOT YOU COVERED WITH ROOMS LIKE THIS NEED FOR LOOKING OUT FOR YOU, SIR. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU LAUREN. APPRECIATE IT. UH, ITEM C IS A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SERVICE ORGANIZATION'S REQUEST. MS. JESSICA, EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAS THIS CHANGED SINCE FROM SOME COLOR CODING, SOME COLOR CODES JUST FOR KEVIN? YES. ALL THE PRETTY COLORS AND I'LL WAIT UPDATED FILES. WELL, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING. TONIGHT. I, I'M PRESENTING THE LIST OF APPLICANTS FOR THE CITY'S ANNUAL SPECIAL FUNDING PROCESS FOR SERVICE IN ART ORGANIZATIONS. UH, AS YOU KNOW, THESE GRANTS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE CRITICAL SERVICES PROMOTE ARTS AND CULTURE AND OFFER PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT COP HILL RESIDENTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS THREEFOLD. FIRST, WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUBMITTED FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 27 FUNDING APPLICATIONS. SECONDLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO IDENTIFY WHICH ORGANIZATIONS MEET THE CRITERIA TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO YOU AT THE JULY WORKSHOP. AND THIS IS ALL BASED ON YOUR COUNCIL GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED IN AUGUST 30TH, 2016, THAT WERE UPDATED ON APRIL 23RD, 2024 AND THIRD TO RECEIVE YOUR DIRECTION ON WHETHER TO ADD OR REMOVE ANY ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE RECOMMENDED PRESENTERS LIST. UH, THIS YEAR'S APPLICATION PERIOD WAS OPEN FROM APRIL 1ST THROUGH APRIL 28TH. UH, WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 23 APPLICATIONS. UH, 15 ORGANIZATIONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THE GENERAL FUND MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET. AND EIGHT ORGANIZATIONS QUALIFY UNDER THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, UH, OR HOT FUND IN FRONT OF YOU. OUR TWO SPREADSHEETS. UM, THE FIRST SPREADSHEET IS ARE THE, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ELIGIBLE UNDER HOT FUNDING AND THE SECOND SPREADSHEET WILL BE THE ONES ELIGIBLE FOR THE GENERAL FUND FUNDING. THE SPREADSHEETS INCLUDE THE ORGANIZATION NAME REQUESTED FUNDING AMOUNT, PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR REQUEST AND NOTES IDENTIFYING WHEN THE ORGANIZATION LAST PERCENTED, UH, PRIOR YEAR FUNDING COMPARISONS AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION BASED ON YOUR APPROVED CRITERIA. FIVE ORGANIZATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE JULY WORKSHOP UNDER THE APRIL, 2024 GUIDELINES. PRESENTATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR NEW APPLICANTS AND ALSO ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING MORE THAN 20,000 WITH AN INCREASE OF GREATER THAN 50% FROM THE PRIOR YEAR ALLOCATION. UH, THE FIVE ORGANIZATIONS RECOMMENDED TO PRESENT INCLUDE FOUR NEW APPLICANTS. WE DO HAVE THE COPPEL COMMUNITY GARDEN CORPORATION, THE COPPEL FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION, COPPEL HUMANE SOCIETY, AND THE COPPELL ISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS ONE ORGANIZATION, THE COPPEL COMMUNITY CORRAL, WHICH IS REQUESTING MORE THAN 20,000 WITH AN INCREASE EXCEEDING 50% FROM THE PRIOR YEAR ALLOCATION. THE REMAINING ORGANIZATIONS, UH, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING CONSIDERATION, BUT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION UNDER THE SAME CRITERIA. AT THIS TIME, STAFF IS SEEKING COUNSEL DIRECTION ON WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH THE RECOMMENDED LIST OF PRESENTERS OR MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS. AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION. NO, BRIANNA, QUICK QUESTION. SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS AND THIS IS HELPFUL AND EASY TO, UM, SEE. UM, SO COPPEL ISC EDUCATION FOUNDATION, EVEN THE FARMER'S MARKET, HAVE THEY NEVER MADE A REQUEST OR IS IT ONLY WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY, HAVE THEY NOT BEEN HERE BEFORE? THEY HAVE NEVER MADE A REQUEST THROUGH THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION PROCESS. THEY HAVE, [00:10:01] UH, ALTHOUGH RECEIVED FUNDING, TWO OF THE ORGANIZATIONS LISTED THE COP HILL FARMER'S MARKET AND THE GARDEN, THEY, THE COMMUNITY GARDEN HAS RECEIVED FUNDING THROUGH, BUT IT WASN'T REQUESTED. BUT NOT REQUESTED TO THE SERVICE WORK. OKAY, GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. YEAH. UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS. I AGREE. IT'S VERY HELPFUL. SO DO WE KNOW IF THE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND THE FARMER'S MARKETS ASSOCIATION ARE REQUESTING THIS IN ANY WAY RELATED TO THEIR SPLIT UP INTO TWO SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS? AND, UH, PART OF THE, WHAT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS, UH, PRESENTED TO US WAS THEY HAVE, WERE ONE ENTITY AND THEY WERE SPLIT INTO TWO ENTITIES. AND, UH, PART OF THAT, UH, I BELIEVE AS PART OF DUE TO THAT, BUT THEY WILL BE HERE IF YOU DECIDE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION AT THE JULY WORKSHOP. SO WE'RE JUST DECIDING IF, IF, IF THE COLOR CODED ONES ARE THE ONES WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OR IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS. CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DON. I AM IN FAVOR OF THE ONES YOU HAVE MARKED HERE, HEARING FROM THEM. UH, 'CAUSE PROBABLY TO YOUR, YOUR POINT A LITTLE BIT, THESE FOUR ON THE NON HOT PAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S $225,000 INCREASE, SO IT'S A MATERIAL INCREASE AND EVERYTHING. SO I CERTAINLY THINK WE SHOULD HEAR FROM THESE NEW ONES THAT HAVE NOT PRESENTED BEFORE. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THE LIST THAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED. THAT'S THE SUM OF IT. DO YOU ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION SHE WAS ASKED ? I'LL TRY TO DO THAT NEXT TIME. RAMESH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT, UH, EX MAYOR PORTER CAROL SAID, UH, I'M STILL COUNCILMAN. WOW. I'M HERE FOR THEM. UH, I, I ALSO LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM, UH, THAT'S $135,000 AND, UM, AT LEAST FOR MY BENEFIT, I WANT TO REFRESH, UM, WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THAT. AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM ON ANY GRANTS THAT THEY HAVE TRIED TO APPLY FOR. SO YES, WE CAN INCORPORATE THEM INTO THE LIST. YEAH. MIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY? I KNOW LAST ONE I GAVE YOU WAS WHAT, TWO MONTHS AGO? TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO. OKAY. IS THAT IT? OTHER THAN THEIR APPLICATION. HMM. OKAY. KEVIN? UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE FIVE THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED AND, UH, I'M ACTUALLY GOOD WITH RAMESH TOO ON, UM, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MUSEUM ABOUT THEIR DESIRE TO BE INDEPENDENT BY, BY BEING GRANT FUNDED AND STUFF. SO THAT, THAT UPDATE MAKES SENSE TO ME. EVEN THOUGH THAT IS A, UH, ONLY A 4% INCREASE IN THEIR ASK. THEY STILL, IT'S STILL A BIG ASK OVER SEVERAL YEARS. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE, WE'RE WE'RE BEING ASKED TO FUND $676,000, 876,000. I'M SORRY. CORRECT. ABOUT, UH, COMBINING BOTH THE HOT YOUR MIND MM-HMM . OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS NUMBER WASN'T SOMEWHERE HIDDEN IN HERE AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS, UM, BRIANNA. UM, SO I'M, I'M GOOD WITH, I'LL SECOND WHATEVER KEVIN NE SAID. I, I SECONDED HIS SECOND. OKAY. WELL I'LL THIRD IT. I I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT TOO, BUT, UM, HERE'S A, REMIND ME OF THE PROCESS. 'CAUSE WE GO THROUGH THIS EVERY YEAR AND I FORGET, UM, THE OTHERS THAT HAVE INCREASES, THEY DON'T MEET THE THRESHOLD, SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME BEFORE US, BUT WE'LL STILL SEE THE APPLICATION AND WE STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT. IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC YES, MA'AM. WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THE APPLICATION AND THE SUPPORTING MATERIAL AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND WE'LL, WE'LL DROP IT INTO THE COUNCIL SHAREPOINT SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE IF WE'RE, AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH EACH ONE AND SAY, YAY, WE WON'T, WE WON'T GO THROUGH EACH APPLICATION. NO. BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BEFORE WE SAY YES. YES. WE APPROVE THEM ALL. WE CAN SAY, OH, WE'RE NOT OKAY WITH THE, YOU KNOW, $10,000 INCREASE FOR X. YES. AND I, I WILL ADD SOME ADVANCED WARNING. IT'D BE NICE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE CONVERSATION. OKAY. THE CONVERSATION READY TO GO, BUT YES, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE SOMEWHERE IN THERE I HADN'T MISSED THAT. THIS WAS LIKE AN AUTOMATIC, THEY GET A YES. THUMBS UP BECAUSE THEN WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, IF I'M UNDER THE THRESHOLD, I CAN JUST KEEP INCREASING EACH YEAR. RIGHT. SO I WANNA BE MINDFUL OF THAT TOO. OKAY, THANK YOU. YEAH. MIKE, A FOLLOW UP, I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR EMAIL FROM TWO MONTHS AGO. THAT WAS A FINANCIAL INFORMATION. THAT WAS THE INFORMATION THAT THE COUNCIL, UH, HAD ASKED FOR. RIGHT? RIGHT. SO THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE WE WERE DISCUSSING ABOUT IF THE CITY DOESN'T FUND IT, [00:15:01] THE MUSEUM, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY RESOURCES OR INCOME COMING IN TO OPERATE IT. AND THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE CITY MAY HAVE TO TAKE OVER AND YEAH, WE HAVEN'T HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS SINCE LAST YEAR. I, I, THAT'S CORRECT. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, CHRIS. UM, THIS IS MORE ON THE LOGISTICS OF THIS EVENING THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UH, BE PRIVILEGED TO HEAR ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS. ARE THEY, WHAT'S OUR, WHAT DO WE TELL THEM WERE, THEY'RE LIMITED TO 10 MINUTE PRESENTATION OR WHAT? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IF WE HAVE SIX OF THEM NOW TO TALK ABOUT. ARE THEY 10 MINUTES EACH OR WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, DO YOU, DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE? YES. AND THE PRESENTATIONS WILL ACTUALLY WOULD BE MADE TO YOU AT THE JULY WORKSHOP. OKAY. SO THAT WOULD BE JULY 13TH TENTATIVELY. AND THE CRITERIA TYPICALLY WE GIVE THEM IN THE PAST HAS BEEN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. HOWEVER, THAT'S TO COUNSEL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THAT TIME, WE CAN DO THAT. UM, BUT TYPICALLY IN THE PAST, WE'VE GIVEN THEM ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. OKAY. AND THEN FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO ABOUT 10 IN TOTAL. YOU WANT 20 MINUTES? NO, I WOULD JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. VERY SUCCINCT. YEAH, WE'VE TRIED TO LIMIT SUCCINCT AND RELEVANCE. WE'VE TRIED TO LIMIT IT TO 10 MINUTES PER APPLICATION, DEPENDING ON QUESTIONS FROM THIS ESTEEM GROUP. YES. AND THAT'S STILL AN HOUR AT MINIMUM. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, WE JUST HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW ONES IN HERE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL. WE HAVE SO MANY NEW, THIS IS THE MOST NEW ONES I'VE EVER SEEN. RIGHT. SO, YES. AND THERE'S SOME BIG ONES TOO. SO VERY BIG. I'M GOOD. IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THIS? WE'LL ASK FOR THE SIX THAT ARE LISTED PLUS THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ITEM D IS A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PROPOSED OLD TOWN SPECIAL DISTRICT C. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT'S ITEM IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATIONAL OVERVIEW OF A POTENTIAL OLD TOWN SPECIAL DISTRICT FRAMEWORK AND INTRODUCE THREE FUTURE DECISION AREAS, BOARD COMPOSITION, NAMING, CONVENTION, AND GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES. THESE DECISION AREAS WILL INFORM FUTURE LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING AND STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS. NO ACTION OR DIRECTION IS REQUESTED THIS EVENING. STAFF WILL RETURN DURING THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WORK SESSION FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION AND COUNCIL DIRECTION AS WE CONTINUE EVALUATING OPTIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS. THE FIRST FOUNDATIONAL CONSIDERATION IS CREATING A SPECIAL DIS IN CREATING A SPECIAL DISTRICT IS THE BOARD COMPOSITION, WHICH INCLUDES GOVERNANCE, STYLE, BOARD SIZE, AND TERM LENGTH. THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE SPECIFICALLY IS WHO WOULD OVERSEE THE DISTRICT FRAMEWORK. AS PART OF STAFF REVIEW OF SIMILARLY STRUCTURED SPECIAL DISTRICTS, THERE ARE GENERALLY THREE GOVERNANCE APPROACHES THAT EMERGE. THE FIRST IS A COUNCIL, A BOARD WHERE GOVERNANCE IS COMPOSED OF THE CITY COUNCIL ITSELF. THE SECOND IS A COUNCIL APPOINTED BOARD WHERE COUNCIL APPOINTS COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, OR STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES. THE THIRD IS A HYBRID MODEL, WHICH COMBINES ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH APPOINTED STAKEHOLDERS OFTEN TO BALANCE MUNICIPAL OVERSIGHT WITH COMMUNITY OR BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES. ADDITIONALLY, SOME EXISTING SPECIAL DISTRICT LEGISLATION INCLUDES STAFF SERVING AN EX-OFFICIO ROLE TO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION. TONIGHT, THIS IS INTENDED ONLY AS AN OVERVIEW OF COMMON GOVERNANCE APPROACHES. THE NEXT CONSIDERATION FOR BOARD COMPOSITION IS BOARD SIZE THROUGH A REVIEW OF TEXAS SPECIAL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE BOARDS VARY IN SIZE, DEPENDING ON PURPOSE AND COMPLEXITY. SMALL BOARDS WITH THREE DIRECTORS CAN SIMPLIFY GOVERNANCE FOR A NARROWLY FOCUSED DISTRICT. FIVE MEMBER BOARDS ARE A COMMON STRUCTURE, INTEND TO BALANCE MANAGEABILITY WITH STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATION. SEVEN MEMBER BOARDS ALLOW FOR BROADER STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATION. AGAIN, THE INTENT IS SIMPLY TO INTRODUCE THE COMMON GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES USED IN SPECIAL DISTRICTS. THE FINAL CONSIDERATION RELATED TO BOARD COMPOSITION IS BOARD TERM STRUCTURE. SHORTER TERMS SUCH AS TWO YEARS ARE MORE COMMON IN SOME APPOINTED AUTHORITIES AND ALLOW FOR MORE FREQUENT TURNOVER. LONGER STAGGERED TERMS, OFTEN FOUR YEARS APPEAR MORE FREQUENTLY IN SPECIAL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES AND ARE INTENDED TO SUPPORT CONTINUITY AND LONG-TERM DISTRICT STEWARDSHIP STAFF ALSO INCLUDED A THREE YEAR STAGGERED TERM OPTION. WHILE THAT IS NOT COMMON STRUCTURE AND SPECIAL DISTRICT LEGISLATION, IT COULD BE CONSIDERED IF [00:20:01] COUNCIL WISH TO ALIGN APPOINTED BOARD TERMS WITH EXISTING COUNCIL TERMS. BOARD TERM STRUCTURE BECOMES AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION BECAUSE IT BALANCES CONTINUITY, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND BOARD REFRESH OVER TIME. BECAUSE OF THIS DISTRICT. BECAUSE THIS DISTRICT FRAMEWORK WOULD BE ESTABLISHED THROUGH SPECIAL LEGISLATION, COUNCIL HAS SIGNIFICANT DISCRETION WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING PROCESS. THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IS ESTABLISHED IN THE ENABLING LEGISLATION AND IS NOT FIXED TO IN ANY SINGLE STATUTORY TEMPLATE. THE SECOND FOUNDATIONAL CONSIDERATION IS THE NAMING CONVENTION OF THE SPECIAL DISTRICT AND REVIEWING EXISTING SPECIAL DISTRICTS WHOSE LEGISLATION REFERENCES ENTERTAINMENT, TOURISM, RECREATION, AND OR THE ARTS AS PART OF THE DISTRICT PURPOSE. DISTRICT NAMES COMMONLY REFLECT BOTH A PLACE AND A FUNCTION. IMPROVEMENT. DISTRICTS GENERALLY EMPHASIZE PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS, MAINTENANCE, OR ENHANCEMENT OF A PLACE. MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS ARE MORE COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH GOVERNANCE, COORDINATION, DISTRICT STEWARDSHIP AND ECONOMIC ACTIVATION. ENTERTAINMENT RELATED LANGUAGE MAY BE INCORPORATED WHEN DESTINATION ACTIVITY OR VISITOR SERVING USES ARE PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. THE INTENT TONIGHT IS TO FAMILIAR FAMILIARIZE COUNCIL WITH NAMING APPROACHES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE TEXAS SPECIAL DISTRICT LEGISLATION. AND THE FINAL CONSIDERATION IS DISTRICT GEOGRAPHY AND BOUNDARIES. UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS GOVERNANCE AND NAMING DISCUSSION ITEMS, THIS GRAPHIC REFLECTS PRIOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING THE GENERAL OLD TOWN GEOGRAPHY AND FUTURE GROWTH CONSIDERATIONS. THE AREAS SHOWN IN BLUE REFLECTS PRIOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING THE GENERAL OLD TOWN BOUNDARY FRAMEWORK. THE AREA SHOWN IN RED ILLUSTRATE A POTENTIAL GEOGRAPHIC ADDITION FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION AS PART OF EVALUATING HOW A SPECIAL DISTRICT COULD ACCOMMODATE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND GROWTH CONSIDERATIONS IDENTIFIED BY COUNCIL. AS STAFF BEGAN EVALUATING A POTENTIAL DISTRICT FRAMEWORK, THESE GEOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS BECOME IMPORTANT BECAUSE DISTRICT LEGISLATION ESTABLISHES THE BOUNDARIES OF THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK AND INFLUENCES THE TYPE OF USES CONTEMPLATED WITHIN IT. THIS MAP IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR A FUTURE COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS MAY ALSO BE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING WHETHER RESIDENTIALLY DEVELOPED PROPERTIES SHOULD BE INCLUDED OR CARVED OUT OF THE DISTRICT GEOGRAPHY. THE INTENT TONIGHT IS TO PROVIDE CONTEXT REGARDING HOW PRIOR COUNCIL DIRECTION MAY INFORM A FUTURE FUTURE SPECIAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY FRAMEWORK. TO RECAP, TONIGHT, I INTRODUCED THREE FUTURE DECISION AREAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POTENTIAL SPECIAL DISTRICT FRAMEWORK. FIRST, BOARD COMPOSITION INCLUDING GOVERNANCE STYLE, BOARD SIZE, AND TERM STRUCTURE. SECOND, THE NAMING CONVENTION, INCLUDING HOW TEXAS SPECIAL DISTRICTS COMMONLY REFLECT BOTH PLACE AND FUNCTION IN DISTRICT TITLES. THIRD, GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, WHICH BUILDS UPON PRIOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING OLD TOWN GEOGRAPHY AND FUTURE GROWTH CONSIDERATIONS. TONIGHT WAS INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATIONAL OVERVIEW OF THESE CONSIDERATION IN ADVANCE OF A FUTURE COUNCIL DISCUSSION. FINALLY, I WANNA PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE NEXT STEPS. THIS IS THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED DURING THE, UM, PREVIOUS RETREAT, HOWEVER I'VE ADDED TODAY'S DATE. AND THEN THE NEXT WORK SESSION. PHASE ONE FOCUSES ON DISTRICT FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING GOVERNANCE, STRUCTURE, NAMING CONVENTION AND DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. TONIGHT'S WORK SESSION IS INTENDED TO INTRODUCE THESE CONSIDERATIONS WITH THE NEXT WORK SESSION, FOCUS ON DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION FOLLOWING COUNCIL DISCUSSION. STAFF WOULD CONTINUE REFINING LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. PHASE TWO WOULD INCLUDE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ITSELF, INCLUDING DRAFTING, FILING, COMMITTEE REVIEW, AND LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT. IF ULTIMATELY PURSUED AND APPROVED, PHASE THREE WOULD FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDING GOVERNANCE, STRUCTURE AND DISTRICT OVERSIGHT. THIS CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S INFORMATIONAL OVERVIEW. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATION, NAMING CONVENTIONS OR GEOGRAPHIC CONCEPTS INTRODUCED. JIM, THANK YOU. MM-HMM . SO WITH RESPECT TO THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING WE WOULD PUT THAT IN THE ENABLING LEGISLATION. SO IF WE OPTED, LIKE IF, IF, IF, IF WE WANTED TO HAVE COUNCIL BE THE BOARD FOR THE FIRST YEAR, JUST TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THEN SWITCH TO A, AN APPOINTED BOARD IS AN EXAMPLE, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DO THAT ONCE THE LEGISLATION IS WRITTEN AND APPROVED? YES. SO THE ACTUAL LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE PROPOSING WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONSIDERATIONS. UM, OF THE ONES THAT I HAVE REVIEWED, I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT OPTION, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD COUNSEL DECIDE YOU WANT TO, ANYTHING THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO, THAT'S PART [00:25:01] OF WHAT FALLS UNDER THE COUNCIL DISCRETION. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU, RAMESH. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, GREAT PRESENTATION, KELLY. AND, AND MAYOR, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE NEXT WORK SESSION WE WILL ACTUALLY GO INTO THE DETAILS. UH, SO I APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN SHARE A COPY OF THIS SO WE WE'LL COME PREPARED FOR THE NEXT SESSION. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. I'VE GOT A QUESTION ON THE BOUNDARIES. DID I HEAR YOU IMPLY MAYBE SUBJECTIVELY THAT IT'S BETTER TO GO BIGGER THAN SMALLER SINCE IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE? SO BACK TO, UM, THIS ONE. SO THIS REFLECTS SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS HAD AT EITHER JANUARY FEBRUARY'S RETREAT IN TERMS OF WHAT TO INCLUDE. UM, IT'S REALLY GETTING UP TO COUNCIL DISCRETION, JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT SHOULD THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES WANT TO BE AMENDED LATER ON, IT WOULD NEED TO GO BACK THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS FOR THAT AMENDMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN JUST BECAUSE YOU DESIGNATED THAT WAY THAT IT WILL BE USED THAT WAY. CORRECT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I SO GO BACK TO THE CALENDAR, CALLIE. MM-HMM . SO WE'LL HEAR THIS IN TWO WEEKS OR THE DISCUSSION OF IT AND DIRECTIONS. HOW ARE YOU SEEING PHASE TWO KICKOFF OR BEGIN, OR HOW DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN PHASE TWO? SO, ONCE I RECEIVE THE DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION, I'LL WORK WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO BEGIN DRAFTING THE LEGISLATION, WHICH IS WHERE WE PUT ALL THIS CONSIDERATION INTO THE ACTUAL WRITTEN TERMS AS WELL AS THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED IN THERE, SUCH AS THE SOLUTION OF THE DISTRICT, UM, AND OTHER THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UM, AND THEN ONCE THE DRAFT REGISTRATION LEGISLATION IS, IS READY, UM, THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN A MEETING FOR FINAL APPROVAL BEFORE, UM, ANY MOVEMENT. AND THEN AFTER THAT IS WHEN WE WOULD SEND IT TO OUR, UM, LEGISLATORS. SO WOULD THIS, WHO WOULD BE THE CHAMPION OF THIS IN THE, IN THE LEGISLATURE? WOULD IT BE THROUGH THE HOUSE OR THROUGH THE SENATE? UM, THAT IS A STRATEGY THAT JUST HAVE NOT DISCUSSED YET WITH, UM, OUR LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS, CONSIDERING THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE ELECTION IS STILL UP. YEAH. THAT WILL HAPPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER. SO FIVE MORE ELECTIONS, BUT TO GO TO, YEAH, I KEEP FORGETTING ABOUT THOSE COMMON LITTLE ELECTION THINGS. UM, AND SO THAT WILL ALSO COME JUST POST-ELECTION WITH THE MAKEUP OF THAT TEXAS WILL IMPACT TEXAS LEGISLATURE. SO WILL THAT WILL IMPACT THE OUTCOME OR COULD IT YEAH, IT COULD. UM, SO THE REPRESENTATIVES ARE UP FOR A REELECTION IN NOVEMBER. UM, OUR SENATOR IS NOT, BUT JUST DEPENDING ON STATEWIDE, HOW THE ELECTIONS TURN OUT, THERE WILL BE A, A LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY BASED UPON THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU, . THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS? HOW MANY CITIES REQUESTED THIS TYPE OF REQUEST TO THE LEGISLATORS? UM, I CAN, I CAN RESEARCH THAT. UM, IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. THE, THE DATABASES WHERE ALL THIS INFORMATION IS HELD DO NOT SEEM WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO THERE'S A SPECIAL DATABASE OR SPECIAL DISTRICT DATABASE IN THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. AND THEN THE ASSOCIATED BILL NUMBERS ARE HOUSED IN A COMPLETE DIFFERENT DATABASE. SO JUST MATCHING THOSE UP WILL TAKE A LOOK. SO WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS SUCCESS RATE. HOW MANY CITIES REQUESTED, HOW MANY BEING APPROVED? ARE WE REALLY SPENDING OUR TIME AND THE MONEY? ARE WE GOING TO SKIP SOMETHING IN RETURN? SO FINALLY, SUCCESS RATE, UM, IS REALLY DIFFICULT. SO THE DATABASES, AGAIN, THEY, THEY DON'T MATCH UP ONE WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO THE DISTRICT NAME MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE BILL NAME. UM, SO IT'S A MATTER OF GOING BACK AND FINDING ALL OF THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT PASSED IN A CERTAIN YEAR, RESEARCHING BACK AND FINDING AN ASSOCIATED BUILDING WITH HOWEVER MANY LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS IT WAS, AND THEN GOING FROM THERE. SO IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, WE'LL JUST TAKE SOME TIME. I MIGHT GET HELP WITH THAT. GENERALLY IT'S PRETTY LOCAL IN NATURE. THE LEGISLATION WON'T HAVE MANY OBJECTIONS TO IT ORDINARILY WILL USE THE STATE REP, UM, WHO WILL RUN IT THROUGH FOR US. IF IT'S PURELY LOCAL IN NATURE OF THE LEGISLATIVE DISLIKE FOR CITIES IN GENERAL, GENERALLY DOESN'T SPILL OVER UNDER LOCAL BILLS. SO THE SUCCESS RATE IS USUALLY PRETTY GOOD THOUGH. GUARANTEES MIND YOU. BUT IT'S USUALLY PRETTY GOOD. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO USE LOBBYISTS FOR STANDING LIKE THIS. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW THE ONES THAT DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE THERE IS NO BILL, BILL AND IT'S NOT REGISTERED AT THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. SO THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO KNOW WHEN SOMETHING DIDN'T GET APPROVED. UM, SO THE NEGATIVE OF THAT IS THERE'S NO WAY TO SHOW THAT INFORMATION. UM, CAN, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE THREE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING ANY COUNSEL? OKAY. UM, ON THE BOARD COMPOSITION, [00:30:01] GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, WHAT DO YOU NEED SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DECISION. I'M GONNA ASK THAT FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE. MM-HMM . 'CAUSE TODAY'S THE DAY TO LET US KNOW WHAT DISTRICT INFORMATION YOU NEED. SO ON GOVERNANCE, JIM HAS ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT, HEY, DOES THIS GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT? THAT GIVES US INSIGHT TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT. RIGHT. WE LIKE THE LEGISLATION. I JUST KIND OF WONDERED ABOUT OUR OPTIONS, RIGHT? YEAH. START OUT ONE WAY AND RIGHT. TRANSFORM TO ANOTHER. RIGHT. UM, FOR ME, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, THAT WAS LIKE WITH THE HYBRID AT THE BOTTOM AND IT WAS APPOINTED, AND THEN IT'S COUNCIL BASICALLY MM-HMM . UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF EVENTUALLY GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM STAKEHOLDERS IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT ON THAT. SO, UH, MAYBE KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT, UM, ANY SPECIFIC STRUCTURES LIKE IS THAT MADE UP OF, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE DOWN THERE. UM, BUT I MEAN, LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, HAVE DONE. UH, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES THAT COMP, THAT HYBRID, UM, MEAN. YEAH. YEAH. WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF KIND OF WHERE, WHERE JIM WAS GOING. LIKE MAYBE THE COUNCIL IS THE FIRST ITERATION. UM, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT IS SET UP. AND THEN WE CAN TAKE OUR HAND OFF THE PROVERBIAL WILL A LITTLE BIT AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT, 'CAUSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT HAVING THAT INPUT FROM THOSE STAKEHOLDERS DOWN THERE IS IMPORTANT. UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE HAVE SOME ALIGNMENT ON VISION. I THINK THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE ON THAT. SO KEEP IN MIND WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALL THREE DIFFERENT COMPOSITIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY OPERATE UNDER. EXACTLY. WE HAVE ALL THREE. UM, I HAD DON FIRST AND THEN BIJU, AND THEN RAMESH. UH, I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THE BOARD WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. WHAT WOULD ALL THE DUTIES BE? WHAT, YOU KNOW, OVERSEEING THIS DISTRICT OR WHATEVER. WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY ENTAIL ON AN ONGOING BASIS? SO, 'CAUSE I'M NOT REAL CLEAR WHAT THAT WOULD BE. IS THERE A BUDGET OR IS IT JUST WELL, I DON'T KNOW. MANAGEMENT, GENERIC MANAGEMENT OF THE DISTRICT OR WHAT? SO YEAH, SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE HEARING ABOUT THIS DISTRICT, RIGHT? NO, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT GOVERNANCE AND THE BOARD. NOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE. THE SIZE OF THE BOARD. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT GOVERNANCE IN GENERAL, RIGHT? SO IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A COPY OF ANOTHER DISTRICT, HOW MANY BOARD MEMBERS THEY HAVE, WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES THEY INHERITED OR THEY, YOU KNOW, WROTE IT DOWN OKAY. AND BUDGETS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH WOULD BE EASY TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT ANOTHER DISTRICT DID SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE A INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS TO ASK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING SEVEN VERSUS FIVE OVERALL? RAMESH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M ACTUALLY, UH, FALLING ALONG THE LINE OF QUESTIONS. UM, I THOUGHT TODAY WE HAVE CRDC, UH, IS THAT A SPECIAL DISTRICT? AND UH, I'M TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN JUST, UH, IT'S NOT A SPECIAL DISTRICT. OKAY. IT'S THE TAXING ENTITY. OKAY. THIS IS DIFFERENT. REMEMBER, YOU'RE NOT PUTTING A PROPERTY TAX OR DOING ANY KIND OF TAXATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. OKAY? THIS IS DISTRICT WITH CERTAIN BOUNDARIES. GOT IT. OKAY. SO IT'S DIFFERENT, BUT IS THAT FAR? YOUR GOVERNANCE IS CONCERNED? OKAY. LET'S RAISE THE LEVEL MM-HMM . SO THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE CRDC IS WHAT THE MAYOR WAS TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S ONE LEVEL. CCPD, THAT'S ANOTHER LEVEL. CITY COUNCIL, THAT'S A THIRD LEVEL. YOU HAVE DIFFERENT GOVERNANCE MODELS, OKAY? THAT'S WHAT THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO. HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE GOVERNED? OKAY. RIGHT. AND TO THE POINT OF UNDERSTANDING WILL GET YOU THE LINKS TO THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE YOU APPARENTLY WANNA SEE SOME DIFFERENT ONES. THE REASON I SAY LINKS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE USUALLY FAIRLY LONG MM-HMM . UH, AND JUST REMEMBER THAT COMES AFTER YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW YOU WANT TO GOVERN AS FAR AS THE BOARD IS CONCERNED, THE DETAILS THAT COMES IN A LITTLE BIT LATER. YES, YOU GIVE US DIRECTION, BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING THERE'S KIND OF A STEP DOWN AS YOU START TO DIG INTO IT. SO, OKAY. WE HEAR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING THERE. UM, THE NAMING CONVENTION, YOU HEARD THE THREE OPTIONS ON THAT. IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY JUST ABOUT A PREFERENCE OF REVIEW AROUND THIS TABLE. I'M NOT SO SURE OTHER THAN JUST COMING UP WITH CONSENSUS AND SAYING, OKAY, IT'S A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OR, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. BUT THAT'S, IS THERE ANYTHING MORE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ON THE NAMING CONVENTION? NO, MY DIG IS THE INITIAL INTRODUCTION THAT YOU GAVE TO THIS WHOLE TOPIC THAT KIND OF TELLS US HOW WE ARE GOING. THAT'S THE GOAL OF THIS WHOLE SPECIAL DISTRICT. AND THAT GOAL WILL DRIVE THE GOVERNANCE. SO, UH, [00:35:01] TO ME THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION ON, ON GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE AN OPTION WHERE WE COVER MORE AREA. UH, THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION TO THE, TO THE WEST, BECAUSE Y'ALL DID TALK ABOUT THAT. IF I GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD, IF YOU PULL UP THE MAP, UH, BASED ON Y'ALL'S PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GONNA ASK IS DO YOU WANNA SEE A MAP THAT ACTUALLY HAS A LITTLE BIT LARGER, ENCOMPASSES A LITTLE BIT LARGER AREA? BECAUSE WE RECALL Y'ALL WERE DISCUSSING ACROSS FREEPORT YES. AND ACROSS BETHEL. UM, AND AT ONE POINT IN TIME, GRANTED THIS IS WHAT YOU SETTLED ON A WHILE BACK, UM, KNOWING THAT THIS DISTRICT CAN BE SOMETHING LARGER TO YOUR POINT, DOESN'T MEAN IT HASN'T NECESSARILY A, UH, YOU DO SOMETHING WITH IT, BUT IT DOES KIND OF SET IT UP. SO I'M THINKING THAT WE WANT TO BRING YOU A MAP THAT'S, THAT ISN'T HIGHLIGHTING ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAD THERE, BUT IT'S AT LEAST GETTING YOU SO YOU COULD SEE IT A LITTLE CLEANER THAN WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT NOW TO THE, CALL IT TO THE WEST. RIGHT? JUST BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT. UH, I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT TO THE SOUTH BECAUSE THE RAILROAD FACTS ARE THE NATURAL BOUNDARY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO IT. UM, SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT WE COULD BE PROVIDING YOU THAT'S MORE HELPFUL? OKAY. NO, ACTUALLY JOHN WAS FIRST. HE DID, HE GOT ME. HE GOT ME. I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE EVEN SAW YOU. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I SAID, WELL, WHEN HE'S PUSHING HIS CAMERA, I CAN SEE IT. UM, SO WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR THE DISTRICT? IF, IF THERE'S NO TAXING AUTHORITY, WHAT, UH, I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE ENVISIONING? WHAT AUTHORITY WOULD THEY HAVE? SO THAT IS ALSO UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNCIL. UM, IT, THE SPECIAL DISTRICT LEGISLATION ALREADY EXISTS. UM, THE ACT AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE ESSENTIALLY. UM, SO IF YOU GO BACK TO, UM, SEE TO THE UNDER MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS AND GOVERNANCE COORDINATION, ACTIVATION PROGRAMMING, UM, TYPICALLY WHERE THAT , I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. SAY WITH THE FORMATION OF THE SPECIAL DISTRICT, WE KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ALCOHOL ISSUE, RIGHT? SO THAT GETS INTO GETTING IT CREATED SO THAT ALCOHOL CAN BE SERVED AND EVERYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES. COUNCIL HAS TALKED ABOUT ACTIVATION OF, UH, THIS PARTICULAR AREA. AND SO WE'VE BEEN SETTING ASIDE FUNDS EACH YEAR FOR SOME ACTIVATION. WELL, NOW THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROGRAMMING AND EVERYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES, YOU COULD FUNNEL THOSE FUNDS OVER TO THE SPECIAL DISTRICT. IT'S A WAY, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF LIKE YOU DO WITH HOTEL MOTEL TAX OR GENERAL FUND. AND THAT WAY THEY HAVE A FUNDING IN PLACE WITHOUT THE TAXATION. UM, DIRECT TAXATION ON PROPERTY TAX. MM-HMM . RIGHT? MM-HMM . ANOTHER THING IS ON SALES TAX. ANY SALES TAX THAT'S GENERATED IN THERE. AGAIN, THIS GOES TO THE WAY YOU SET IT UP. UH, YOU COULD ACTUALLY SET IT UP SO THAT WHATEVER SALES TAX IS GENERATED IN THERE IS THEN A PORTION OF IT COULD BE FUNDING THE PROGRAMMING ACTIVATION AND RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. MM-HMM . THE TIF DISTRICT, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WHEN WE TOOK THE TOUR OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS. AGAIN, THE SPECIAL DISTRICT, WHATEVER YOU PUT IN THIS SPECIAL DISTRICT, THE MORE FLEXIBILITY YOU GIVE IT, THE MORE OPPORTUNITY. AGAIN, YOU DON'T, YOU CAN BE EXPLICIT. WE ARE NOT GONNA CHARGE A PROPERTY TAX, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SET UP PARAMETERS WHERE IT BECOMES A SELF-FUNDED DISTRICT. AWESOME. RIGHT? LIKE FOR MARKETING. YEAH. I MEAN, IF WE'RE, I'M GONNA MAKE THIS UP. LET'S JUST SAY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FUNDING A HUNDRED TO $150,000 A YEAR FOR THINGS DOWN IN . WHETHER THERE'S THE CELEBRATIONS OR THE MUSIC AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, WELL, WE COULD CALCULATE AND ESTIMATE WHAT THE SALES TAX IS THAT'S GENERATED DOWN THERE AND WE COULD SAY A PORTION OF THE SALES TAX, WHICH EQUALS THAT $150,000 OR WHATEVER STAYS IN THE DISTRICT, RIGHT? IT'S STILL THE SAME SALES TAX, BUT IT'S, RIGHT. AND IT'S STILL GOING TO THE SAME PURPOSE, BUT IT'S IDENTIFIED FOR THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SURE. YEAH. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN WRITE IN THE LEGISLATION. MM. OKAY. AND THAT'S WHERE THE GOVERNANCE COMES IN, RIGHT? RIGHT. YEAH, IT WOULD UNDER THOSE FOR SURE. RIGHT. LOOK AT, THANKS MIKE. MM-HMM . OKAY, GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT, UM, LET'S SEE HERE WITH, UM, UH, ACCORDING TO THE BOUNDARIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY [00:40:01] WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THAT NORTHWEST CORNER, UH, IS BRINGING THAT OVER TO, COULD YOU MOVE THAT UP OVER PLEASE? YEAH. UM, THE IDENTIFIED AS NUMBER FOUR, BRINGING THAT ALL THE WAY OVER TO FREE FREEPORT, I REMEMBER WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION. SO DEFINITELY WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT EXPAND MORE. AND THEN I AGREE WITH YOUR, UM, WITH YOUR, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND KIND OF THAT, UH, SOUTHWEST CORNER, MAKING SURE THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THAT AS WELL. UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY, I DON'T KNOW IF I REMEMBER, UH, JUMPING ACROSS REPORTS OR NOT. DID WE TALK ABOUT THAT? IT WAS JUST, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY LEAN MORE TOWARDS, LET'S MAKE IT BIGGER THAN WE THINK WE NEEDED. SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO SEE THAT MAP EXPAND, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT PUTTING IT COVERAGE FOR POTENTIALLY, UH, POTENTIAL FUTURE USE. UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, THE, THE BOARD MAKEUP, UH, WOULD THAT ALL, I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT WOULD LINE UP, UM, WITH MINDY'S DEPARTMENT AND STUFF, CONSIDERING THAT SHE'S, THERE'S ALREADY PROGRAMMING AND STUFF THAT KIND OF COMES THROUGH HER. IT'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES BOTH. SO, OKAY. SO THERE WOULD BE, UM, OKAY. THERE WOULD BE COORDINATION THERE. I DON'T WANNA GET TOO FAR IN THE WEEDS. I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT MAKES SENSE TO JUST KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHO, WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED IN THAT. SO KEEP THINKING ABOUT IT FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. ABSOLUTELY. . ABSOLUTELY. ALRIGHT. UH, GOT AND THEN JOAN. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO THE ASK FOR THE LEGISLATOR IS CREATING A APPROVING, A SPECIAL DISTRICT. AND THE SECOND ASK IS ALCOHOL USAGE WITHIN THE DISTRICT. UH, THAT'S THE PART THAT I'M GONNA HAVE TO DEFER TO CALLIE BECAUSE THE WAY THE SPECIAL DISTRICT LANGUAGE IS BEING SUGGESTED, IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN WE CREATE IT, WE HAVE TO SAY YES THAT THE ALCOHOL INCLUDE THAT LANGUAGE PART OF IT. CORRECT. SO WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT LANGUAGE IN THE SPECIAL DISTRICT. UM, AND THEN THAT WOULD CREATE A STATUTE WHICH THEN OVERRIDES THE TABC RULE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS WE ARE REQUESTING ADDITION TO ALCOHOL USAGE? THAT WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL'S DISCRETION. SO IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT, UM, AND SOME OF 'EM ARE ORDINANCES, SO WE CAN REGULATE THAT ON OUR OWN LEVEL, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT COME AUTOMATICALLY WITH THE DISTRICT. WHAT ARE THOSE? UM, THE ABILITY TO, UM, WELL, THE TAX TAXING IS PART OF THAT. THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT. THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNCIL. ONCE YOU HAVE THE DISTRICT DONE. UM, THE ABILITY TO, UH, MY QUESTION, I HAD A QUESTION RELATED TO THAT. PART OF THE FUNCTION OF THE, OF THE BOARD, WOULD THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SET HOURS OF OPERATION THAT THAT COULD BE ONE THING THAT WOULD COME IN, YOU MEAN 24 BY SEVEN? WELL, NO, UM, MAYBE PAST, PAST 9:00 PM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. MAYBE TILL 10 OR 10 30 OR 11, OR A BAR THAT WANTED TO STAY OPEN UNTIL TWO, THAT KIND OF STUFF. RIGHT, RIGHT. UM, THE ABILITY TO SHUT DOWN A ROADWAY FOR A MAJOR EVENT THAT WOULD, COULD BE WITHIN THE, THE DISTRICT, NOT THE CITY. SO IT, IT GIVES YOU A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING THAT AREA. YEAH. THE REASON I ASK, THERE ARE RESTAURANTS IN IRVINE OPEN UNTIL 5:00 AM WELL THAT THIS BOARD WOULD'VE THE ABILITY TO SAY NO TO THAT . I DON'T THINK WE, I DON'T THINK FIVE 5:00 AM WOULD BE TOO POPULAR. CAN I SUGGEST THE CREATIVITY OF THE COUNCIL IS ON THE TABLE. RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IN TWO WEEKS. IT'S LIKE WHAT DO YOU, IF YOU WERE TO DREAM OF WHATEVER THIS COULD BE, KNOWING WHAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE TOLD US THROUGH ALL THE SURVEYS, THROUGH ALL THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THROUGH ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COVERING THAT IN THE CREATION OF THAT DISTRICT. AND THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. UH, LET ME ALSO JUST SAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE ARE HEARING IS THAT THERE ARE SOME LEGISLATURES, NOT OUR TWO IN PARTICULAR, BUT THERE ARE SOME LEGISLATURES WHO ARE, UM, TRYING TO LIMIT THE CREATION OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND OR MAKE THEM GO AWAY. NOW, THEIR SPECIFIC ISSUE IS THE MUDS, THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICTS. BECAUSE THE PROLIFERATION OF THOSE OVER THE LAST PROBABLY 10 YEARS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T GUESS WHAT WE GAVE THE DEVELOPER THE RIGHT TO CREATE THE MUD. WE DIDN'T SET UP ANY STATUTORY LANGUAGE THAT LIMITS THE MUD ON THE TAXATION. SO WHEN THE PROPERTY OWNER MOVES INTO X, Y, Z COMMUNITY, THEY'RE PAYING THE CITY TAX AND MUD TAX, COUNTY TAX. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL DISTRICTS. AND AGAIN, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE NOT USING PROPERTY TAX IN THE, IN THE MUNICIPAL IN OUR SPECIAL DISTRICT. I SAY ALL THAT BECAUSE TO CHU'S [00:45:01] QUESTION ABOUT SUCCESS, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT. AND THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU GO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO GET THINGS DONE, IT JUST IS, IT'S JUST, IT GETS TO DAVID'S POINT THOUGH. YES, IT'S A LOCAL BILL, BUT LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S A CHAIRMAN WHO'S UPSET WITH YOUR ACCOUNT, WITH YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE, GUESS WHAT DOESN'T MOVE YOUR BILL. SO, SO HIRING A CONSULTANT OR LOBBYIST WILL HELP US. THAT'S WHAT HE MENTIONED. RIGHT. WE ALREADY HAVE THAT ON BOARD, RIGHT? YEAH. THEY'RE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH US, NOT JUST FOR THIS, BUT THEY'VE HELPED. RIGHT. I KNOW I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, LOOK HOW THIS IS THE THIRD SESSION WE'VE GONE THROUGH IN THE STREET SALES AND USE TAX AND WE GOT IT THROUGH TO CALENDARS AND IT DIDN'T GET OUT BECAUSE IT RAN OUT OF TIME. BUT THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN THREE SESSIONS THAT IT FINALLY GOT TO CALENDARS. YEAH. SO IT'S, IT'S PERSONALITIES , BUT WE HAVE, WE BELIEVE WITH, UH, SENATOR PARKER AND UM, SENATOR CASANDRA HERNANDEZ, GARCIA GARCIA, REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ, THEY HAVE BOTH HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, JIM, I THINK I HAD YOU DOWN NEXT. YEAH, JUST A REAL QUICK POINT. SO WHATEVER GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT WE DECIDE, WE'LL COMBINE WITH WHATEVER, LIKE DEDICATED TAX OR SALES TAX, WHATEVER WE DECIDE REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S IN THE FOOTPRINT. SO IF WE, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PEELING OFF SOME SMALL PART OR, OR PUTTING BACK IN SOME SMART, SOME, SOME SMALL PART OF SALES TAX GENERATED WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT, THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE WAREHOUSES. THEY COULD, RIGHT? AS LONG AS THEY'RE WITHIN THE DISTRICT BOUNDARY, THAT'S ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT WE CAN'T SAY, WELL THIS IS LIKE FIVE YEARS OUT AND NO. OKAY. IT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA STAY WITH WITHIN IT. AND THAT'S PART OF THE BEAUTY, UH, OF WORKING WITH IT. AND IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCE DISTRICT. YEAH. BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY, UH, OF YOU SET UP THE PARAMETERS, THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE SAYS, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS PORTION OF IT AND LET'S SAY TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THAT PORTION. YOUR GOVERNANCE GROUP CAN CHANGE THAT PORTION. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE LEGISLATION, DO IT. RIGHT. IT'S JUST YOU'RE WRITING THE LANGUAGE LOOSE ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU THE FLEXIBILITY SO THAT YOU CAN DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN WE COULD DO SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE. YEAH. OKAY. SO JIM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT DIVIDING OUR SALES TAX AGAIN? I MEAN WE ALREADY ARE DIVIDING INTO FOUR PORTIONS. NO, WOULDN'T BE A DEDICATED SALES TAX. IT WAS. I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF WE, IF WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, OF ALL THE SALES TAX GENERATED WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOME AMOUNT IN, SO IT'S SELF FINANCING THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT, THAT ANY BUSINESS WITHIN THE DESIGNATED FOOTPRINT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE, ANY SALES TAX THEY'RE GENERATING OUT OF THOSE WAREHOUSES, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE INCLUDED IN CALCULATING THAT AMOUNT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TO USE TO FINANCE THE DISTRICT. SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, A HONKY TONK OR A RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING THAT ONE WOULD ASSOCIATE WITH AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THEIR TILT WALL, LIVE INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES AND A SALES TAX THEY GENERATE WOULD STILL BE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT CALCULUS. THAT'S WHAT I WAS, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE NEED TO THANK CALLIE FOR ALL THE WORK SHE'S DONE. YEAH, IT GETS VERY CONVOLUTED. YES. THERE ARE 2300 DISTRICTS THAT I HAVE LOOKED HOW MANY? 2300 TOTAL. UM, AND ABOUT 400 THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OUR OURS, SO, WOW. WELL THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S A GREAT SAMPLING. I KNOW THERE'S LOTS I GET CROSSEY SOMETIMES. GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THAT IS THE END OF REGULAR SESSION. THE TIME IS 6 55. WORK SESSION. WORK SESSION. I'M SORRY. YOU SAY THAT'S THE FASTEST MAN WE'VE EVER THAT WAS NOT A UNINTENDED, UH, INVER COMMISSION THERE. THE TIME IS 6 55. WE'RE GONNA, WE CAN KEEP THIS. WE'RE RE YES, YOU MAY. WE'RE RECESS FROM OR WE ADJOURNED FROM WORK SESSION WILL MOVE INTO THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL AT SEVEN 30. STAND. GOT IT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THE TIME IS 7:31 PM WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE COPPEL CITY COUNCIL. [00:50:02] JUST AS A REMINDER, ANY PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK DURING OUR, UH, CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE MUST SIGN THE APPROPRIATE REGISTER LOCATED OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND LIST YOUR ADDRESS. UH, [4. Invocation 7:30 p.m.] WE WERE SCHEDULED TO HAVE DR. REVEREND, UH, DANIEL KIM OF THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH TO SAY OUR INVOCATION, UH, WHICH IS, UH, A SHAME SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE AS THIS IS HER LAST MONTH TO BE ASSIGNED TO COPPEL. SHE WILL BE REASSIGNED TO, TO, UH, CARROLLTON, TEXAS FROM NOW ON. SO AS A, UH, VERY QUICK FALLBACK, WE'D LIKE TO THANK FORMER MAYOR PRO TEM DON CARROLL TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION TONIGHT. WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE AND REMAIN STANDING, UH, FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LET'S PRAY. FATHER, WE COME TO YOU THIS EVENING THANKING YOU FOR ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER DAY THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED US ON THIS EARTH. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE BUILT. WE KNOW IT IS NOT BY CHANCE AND BY COINCIDENCE THAT ALL OF US ARE IN THIS PLACE AT THAT TIME, AT AT THIS TIME, UH, TO BUILD COMMUNITY HERE. WE ASK THAT YOU'LL BE WITH THE, UH, RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WE ASK THAT YOU WILL BE WITH THOSE OF US MAKING DECISIONS, THAT WE WILL HAVE MUCH WISDOM AND MUCH DISCERNMENT IN THE DECISIONS WE MAKE. WE ASK THAT THIS WILL BE A PEACEFUL PLACE AND THAT WILL, THAT THAT DISCUSSIONS WILL BE CIVIL. UH, WE THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LOVING US AND ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF US. WE LOVE YOU. WE ASK THIS ALL THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED. ITEM NUMBER [6. Proclamations] SIX ARE PROCLAMATIONS, AND THE FIRST ONE IS A PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF MAY AS MUNICIPAL CLERKS APPRECIATION WEEK. AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR VERY OWN MS. DEN TO COME DOWN FORWARD WITH ME. I'LL GIVE YOU TWO MINUTES TO REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SAY SOMETHING AT THE END OF THIS. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WHEREAS A PROFESSION OF MU OF MUNICIPAL CLERKS IS ESSENTIAL TO THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN TEXAS, ENSURING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE SMOOTH OPERATION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES. AND WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CLERK IS THE OLDEST AMONG PUBLIC SERVICE, AND WHEREAS THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS HAVE PLEDGED TO BE EVER MINDFUL OF THEIR NEUTRALITY AND IMPARTIALITY WHILE SERVING THE PROFESSIONAL LINK BETWEEN THE CITIZENS, THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES AND AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENTS AT OTHER LEVELS. AND WHEREAS TEXAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS SERVE AS THE OFFICIAL RECORD KEEPERS MANAGING VITAL DOCUMENTS, CONDUCTING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT AND ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN CITIES ACROSS TEXAS. AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND INTEGRITY IN THEIR WORK, OFTEN GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AND FACILITATE THE EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND WHEREAS THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION REPRESENTS MORE THAN 1,100 MUNICIPAL CLERKS WHO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SUCCESS AND EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK PROVIDED OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE INVALUABLE WORK OF MUNICIPAL CLERKS, ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THEY PLAY IN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF OUR CITIES. AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING THAT THE CITY OF COPPEL TAKE THIS HONOR TO AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR CITY SECRETARY LAUREN DEN FOR HER ONGOING DEDICATION, KNOWLEDGE, AND TIRELESS SERVICE. NOW, THEREFORE, I WESTS MAYS MAYOR, THE CITY OF COPPEL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 3RD THROUGH NINTH 2026 AS MUNICIPAL CLERKS APPRECIATION WEEK AND A WITNESS THERE. I'VE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE A SEAL OF THE CITY OF COPPEL TO BE AFFIXED THIS 26 DAY OF MAY, 2026. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. I MUST SAY THAT WORKING WITH YOU VERY CLOSELY, IT IS HARD TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH YOU'RE HAVING TO DO BEHIND THE SCENES TO HELP ME. AND I KNOW THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MUST FEEL THE SAME WAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT. I'M GONNA KNOCK THIS DOWN STEP. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. YEAH, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT. ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, [00:55:01] BIG SMILES. 1, 2, 3. AND I'M GONNA GET A CLOSE OF JUST YOU TWO HERE. 1, 2, 3. THANK YOU, MIKE, YOU'RE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DID YOU HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY? I THINK WE WERE BEING PHOTO BOMBED BEHIND US THERE. NO, NEVER. WELL, MAYOR, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IT HAS BEEN MY HONOR AND MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY. YOU THE COUNCIL, YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL. I APPRECIATE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY. OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM, AND HONESTLY THE TEAM HERE IN THE CITY, IT HAS BEEN A FABULOUS EXPERIENCE. I JUST HIT EIGHT MONTHS HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, ITEM B IS A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING MAY 17TH THROUGH 23RD AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK. I'D LIKE TO INVITE MR. GARZA AND SOME OF HIS COMPATRIOTS TO COME FORWARD. , I LOVE IT. IT'S GOOD. YEAH. , I LOVE HOW THEY, WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE, AND HIGH QUALITY OF THE LIFE OF CITIZENS OF COPPEL. AND WHEREAS THESE INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, AND EQUIPMENT COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE DEDICATED SERVICE TEAMWORK AND INNOVATION OF PUBLIC WORK EMPLOYEES. AND WHEREAS IN THE, IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF THE CITIZEN, CIVIC LEADERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND MAINTAIN AN INTEREST IN PUBLIC WORKS. AND WHEREAS THE YEAR 2026 MARKS THE 66TH ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION. NOW, THEREFORE, I WEST MAY MAYOR OF THE CITY OF COPPEL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 17TH THROUGH 23RD AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK. I ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY OF CAPEL IN SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE WHILE PROVIDING AND PROTECTING OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE AND QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WITNESSED THEREOF, I'VE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF COPPEL TO BE A FIXES 26 DAY OF MAY, 2026. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK. ALL RIGHT. EVERYBODY SQUEEZE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE , KEEP YOU LOOK GREAT. BIG THUMBS UP. POKE ANYBODY. PERFECT. . ALRIGHT. YOU'RE GOOD KEVIN. I CAN SEE YOU. ALRIGHT, THANKS SIR. ALRIGHT. AND 3, 2, 1. AND I'M GONNA GET JUST A CLOSE UP WITH THE TEAM HERE. SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ANGLE. ALRIGHT. GET THE HEDGEHOG IN. 3, 2, 1. THANK YOU. EVERYBODY NOW. WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. WE'RE NOT DOING YET. WE'RE NOT DOING YET. AM I, I NOTICED THE CAMERA WAS NOT FOCUSED ON US ON THAT LAST ONE, SO JUST KEEP THAT. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? SURE. MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK AND AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM. THESE PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP THE, THE CITY QUIETLY RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND. UM, MAINTAINING 400 LANE MILES OF PAVEMENT, 250 MILES OF SIDEWALK, 200 MILES OF WATER AND SEWER, 41 SIGNALED INTERSECTIONS, OVER 55 FACILITIES AND STRUCTURES OVER 250, UH, VEHICLES AND PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. SO THESE FOLKS ARE THE ONES THAT COME IN DAY IN AND DAY OUT, OVERNIGHT, UNCLOG YOUR STOPPED UP TOILETS, UH, DO THE, DO THE THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO, AND THEY DO IT ON A CONSISTENT REGULAR BASIS TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY. SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO. UM, YOU KNOW, WE SAY IT'S A GOOD DAY IN COPPEL IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. WHEN WE, OUR PHONES AREN'T RINGING, THAT MEANS YOUR TOILETS ARE FLUSHING. YOU CAN SHOWER, YOU CAN DRIVE TO YOUR DESTINATION EACH DAY WITHOUT TOO MANY RED LIGHT STOPS. BUT, UM, WE, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM DOES, AND WE, WE THINK, COUNCIL, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEKS AND, AND THANKS TO THE CITIZENS OF COPPEL. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARROLL. THANK YOU MAYOR. MR. GARZA, YOU SUMMED UP SORT OF, I KNOW WHAT YOUR WHOLE TEAM DOES AND I WILL JUST REITERATE WHAT A FABULOUS JOB IT IS. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU LOOK AT CITIES AND YOU THINK IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF THE [01:00:01] QUALITY OF LIFE AMENITIES THAT MAKE A CITY GREAT AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT IT IS, IT IS, THE FOUNDATIONAL PART IS WHAT PUBLIC WORKS DOES BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, THAT IS SUCH A, SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL PIECE OF A CITY. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE THE CITY. AND SO I REALLY DO THINK YOUR WHOLE TEAM FOR WHAT THEY DO AND THE WAY YOU DO IT, THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU DO IT, YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS SOMETIMES TO PROBLEMS THAT ARE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED OR DON'T HAVE AN EASY ANSWER. BUT THE ATTITUDE THAT YOUR, THAT YOUR TEAM, UM, APPROACHES ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH, I THINK IS SECOND TO NONE. UH, AND YOU ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THE, FOR THE RESIDENT AND EVERYTHING. SO I JUST THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR JUST THE FABULOUS JOB YOU DO AND FOR, FOR MAKING COPPEL GREAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT FOUNDATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WELL, YOU STOLE MY WORDS, BUT, UM, , NO. UM, MR. GARZA INTO YOUR WHOLE TEAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU GUYS DO A PHENOMENAL JOB. AND I WAS GONNA ADD, I MEAN, YOU LISTED EVERYTHING, BUT YOU ALL DO IT WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR CITY, UM, A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. AND WE CONSTANTLY RECEIVE TONS OF ACCOLADES FOR, UM, Y'ALL COMING OUT AND, AND AGAIN, SOLVING PROBLEMS THAT, UM, CITIZENS MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE OR THEY'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHERE TO GO AND, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO CALL YOU AND YOU'RE HAPPY TO COME OUT WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE IN A TIMELY FASHION AND SAY, LET ME FIGURE THIS OUT. LET ME HELP YOU. AND IF I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, I'LL DEFINITELY GET ONE FOR YOU. SO ALL THAT TO SAY IS, UM, TRULY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, SO TO THE ENTIRE TEAM, UH, JUST WHAT A FANTASTIC JOB THAT, THAT YOU GUYS DO. UM, I HAD THE HONOR TO SPEAK AT A, UM, UH, THERE WAS A TITLE COMPANY IN TOWN THAT HOSTED SEVERAL REALTORS AND THEY WERE KIND OF GETTING LIKE A, JUST AN UPDATE ON COPPEL. AND I HAD THE HONOR TO, TO, UH, BE INVITED TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE CITY. AND I MADE A COMMENT ABOUT, UH, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ENTER INTO COPPEL BECAUSE THE, THE ROADS ARE SMOOTH AND SO, AND YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE ALL THE REALTORS ARE LIKE MM-HMM. LIKE, BECAUSE THEY, THEY KNOW, UH, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THAT NOT ALL THE, THE COMMUNITY AROUND US HAVE THAT, UH, AMAZING INFRASTRUCTURE. I MEAN, AND ROADS ALONE, RIGHT? UH, I THINK COULD SEPARATE US. BUT, UH, THE OTHER ADDITIONAL THINGS, UM, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, THE SERVICE CENTER AND THE RENOVATION THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE DOING THERE AND STUFF, UH, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU GUYS SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO BE ABLE TO DO YOUR WORK OUT OF. SO JUST ALL THAT STUFF JUST GOES TO SAY THAT, UM, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF US, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER PRIM KUMAR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I GUESS I LEFT MY NOTES OPEN AND MR. CARROLL SPOKE FROM IT. UH, UH, THEY, THEY KIND OF COVERED EVERYTHING I WANTED TO SAY. I, I'LL CLOSE BY SAYING THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. UH, THE WONDERFUL JOB THAT YOU DO MAKES OUR LIFE EASY. WE DON'T GET COMPLAINTS BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALREADY SOLVED IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT YOU GIVE THE CITY OF COPPEL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, MAYOR, JUST TO ADD ONE MORE THING. THIS IS HEDGIE THE HEDGEHOG. SO HEDGIE HAS AN OFFICIAL NAME, BOB, THE BUILDER, THE HEDGEHOG. THIS IS HEDGIE THE HEDGEHOG. SO I TAKE IT, THIS IS THE INITIAL DEBUT. THIS IS THE DEBUT OF HEDGIE, THE HEDGEHOG . SO, UH, AND UH, FOR FUTURE REFERENCE BETWEEN ALL OF OUR MASCOTS THAT WE HAVE IN PD AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE WILL BE A MASCOT RACE ONE DAY. UH, YEAH. NOT IN THIS CHAMBER THOUGH, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO, TOO MANY STEPS, UH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. DON'T YOU HAVE ALL THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL? AND IF WE WANT THAT HERE, , SINCE WE'RE STILL ON NUMBER SIX, WE DO HAVE A REQUEST TO REVISIT ITEM A. UH, SO COUNCIL MEMBER OSA SMITH. THANK YOU, LAUREN. WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GIVE COMMENTS, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, LIKE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR EIGHT MONTHS AND I PROBABLY FEELS LIKE FOREVER. UM, WE'RE NOT EASY . AND YOU HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF REALLY JUST JUMPING IN, SOLVING PROBLEMS, UM, ACCOMMODATING OUR REQUESTS AND SERVING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, UM, WITH ALL OUR PARTICULAR SPECIFIC QUIRKY NEEDS. AND, UM, AND HAVE REALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO LISTEN. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. YOU'VE BEEN A PHENOMENAL ADDITION TO OUR TEAM, [01:05:01] AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SO MANY MORE YEARS WITH YOU, AND WE HOPE THAT, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE HERE TO, TO HELP YOU AND, UM, CONTINUE TO JUST MAKE CAPELLA A HOME FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. SO WELCOME HERE AGAIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PRIM KUMAR. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, MR. THO THO, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE POSITIVE ENERGY THAT YOU BRING. IT'S FANTASTIC. UH, AND WE WILL TRY TO LISTEN MORE TO OUR, OUR PRESIDENT, CITY MANAGER, MIKE. UH, HE'S BEEN TELLING US THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO MANAGE EIGHT CATS. UH, AND, AND HERDING US HAS BECOME DIFFICULT, SO WE'LL TRY TO DO BETTER. THANK YOU. WELL, THAT'S NOT FAIR. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT . AND THERE'S ONLY SEVEN CATS. WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU, ? ARE YOU A HEDGEHOG? I'M, I'M THE HEDGEHOG, YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, [7. Citizens’ Appearance] ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS OUR CITIZENS' APPEARANCE. AND P PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK MUST SIGN THE REGISTER AND LIST YOUR ADDRESS. PRESENTATIONS BY INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES EACH DURING WHICH TIME SPEAKERS MUST REMAIN AT THE PODIUM FACE FORWARD AND ADDRESS ONLY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER THAT THEY SIGNED UP IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AN ORDERLY AND RESPECTFUL MEETING ENVIRONMENT AND TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND BUSINESS SPEAKERS WILL ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS OUTLINED IN ORDINANCE 20 25 16 33. THERE WILL BE NO COMMENTS OR DELIBERATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL DUE TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. WE DO HAVE THREE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND THE FIRST ONE ON THE LIST IS MS. ANN DRAGON. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNE DRAGON. UM, I OWN THE HOME AT 6 26 STRATFORD LANE. IT IS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM 6 31 STRATFORD LANE, WHICH IS ON YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING FOR DEMOLITION APPROVAL FOR THE, UM, CONTRACTOR. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU THAT I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CITY STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR DEMOLITION. UM, THIS IS A BIOHAZARDOUS SITE AT THIS POINT. UM, I PERSONALLY WITNESSED THREE ADULT ARMADILLOS COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE FOUNDATION FRIDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON, WHICH IS A TIME THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE SEEING THOSE TYPES OF ANIMALS. UM, AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU SINCE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE AN OPPORTUNITY DURING THE AGENDA TO SUPPORT THIS. SO I SUPPORT THE STAFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS JOHN RAMSEY, AT LEAST I THINK IT'S RAMSEY, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. HELLO, MY NAME IS JASON RAMEY. SO, AND VERY BAD HANDWRITING. VERY BAD HANDWRITING. SO, UM, I, I AM ALSO HERE, UH, TO SUPPORT THE DEMOLITION OF 6 31 STRATFORD. I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET AT SIX 30. UM, WE'VE LIVED THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AT THIS POINT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING EXPERIENCE FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. THAT HOME HAS BEEN VACANT. WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF PROBLEMS. WE'VE SEEN ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, RANDOM INDIVIDUALS WALKING ONTO THE PROPERTY, TRESPASSING AT ALL HOURS. WE'VE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE OUT AT SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. IT'S JUST NOT SAFE FOR OUR KIDS IN THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE ON THE STREETS. WE'VE SM SMELLED GAS COMING FROM THAT PROPERTY, HAD TO CALL. IT'S BEEN ABANDONED AND, AND REPRESENTS A FIRE HAZARD WE BELIEVE AS WELL. UM, NOT TO MENTION THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD TO HAVE THE CITY COME OUT TO MOW THE GRASS, JUST TO DO BASIC STUFF. UM, AND MAYBE THE MOST TELLING. WE, WE'VE SEEN THE OWNER SHOW UP, RIP THE SIGNS OFF THE DOOR AND DO NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS. IT, IT, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. WE'VE TRUSTED THE PROCESS. WE'VE TRUSTED THE COUNCIL TO HELP US. UM, AND WE FEEL LIKE FIVE YEARS IS PLENTY OF TIME TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS FIXED AND GET THIS RESOLVED. AND SO WE, WE ARE HERE TO SAY THAT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND, AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT. OUR THIRD AND LAST SPEAKER IS ROB NICHOL. GOOD EVENING. UH, ROBERT NICHOL. UM, I LIVE AT 6 34 STRATFORD LANE, UM, ALSO ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HOUSE IN QUESTION TONIGHT, 6 31 STRATFORD LANE, ACTUALLY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS TO THE REMY'S, AND THEN ONE DOOR OVER FROM THAT, UH, WITH MS. DRAGON. SO WE'RE ALL THREE KIND OF EQUALLY ACROSS THE STREET AND HAVE WITNESSED KIND OF THE ONGOING DEBACLE THERE WITH THE HOUSE. I WOULD SAY, JUST TO ADD TO THE COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS AS A FAMILY AND AS A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I ALSO, I'M ALSO ON THE HOA FOR STRATFORD MANOR. I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THREE HOA MEMBERS. UM, WE'VE MET ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. UM, IT'S NOT ONLY LIKE [01:10:01] A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. UM, IT'S NOT ONLY A DEVALUING, I FEEL LIKE OF OUR, OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, A, A SAFETY ISSUE. AND WE'RE SEEING INCREASED ACTIVITY, NOT ONLY FROM THE RODENTS OF THE CITY OF COPPEL, UH, AND ALL THE ANIMALS. WE'VE SEEN COYOTES, WE'VE SEEN ARMADILLOS, WE'VE SEEN ALL NUMBER OF ANIMALS COMING IN AND OUTTA THE YARD AND AROUND THE HOUSE, BUT ALSO AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, CHILDREN, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND, AND MAYBE HIGH SCHOOLERS. AND NOT ONLY DURING THE DAY OR COMING BY WITH A CURIOSITY, AND ALSO LOOKING INTO THE HOUSE, TRYING TO GET INTO THE HOUSE. UM, WE HAVE, AND WE'VE HAD HAD TO CALL OUT POLICE FOR THAT REASON. UM, WE'VE ALSO SEEN PEOPLE GET DROPPED OFF BY CAR THERE IN THE WEE HOURS IN THE MORNING, 1:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM, UH, BECAUSE OF DOORBELL CAMERAS. AND SO, UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM. AND THIS, UH, NEIGHBOR HAS CONSISTENTLY RESISTED ANY EFFORTS TO, TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AND, UM, HAS LIED REPEATEDLY ABOUT THE PROPERTY TO THIS COUNCIL AND TO THE COURT, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TO A HEARING WITH THEM AT THE COURT PREVIOUSLY AS WELL, A COUPLE YEARS AGO. AND, UM, IT'S CLEAR TO US THEY'RE JUST STALLING AND WE'RE JUST TIRED OF IT. SO, BUT I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE STAFF AND, UM, THE COUNCIL ON MAKING A DECISION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT. MOVING [8. Consent Agenda] ON, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA. THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ROUTINE IN NATURE AND IS GENERALLY ENACTED IN A SINGLE MOTION NEEDED. ITEMS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THROUGH THE BUDGET OR PAST COUNSEL ACTIONS. ANY ITEM MAY BE PULLED AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. FULL DESCRIPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE SCREEN. WE ARE GONNA PULL ITEM NUMBER F, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY JUST SPOKEN ABOUT. UH, WE WILL CONSIDER IT DURING, AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, COUNSEL, IT'S ITEMS EIGHT A THROUGH EIGHT E. ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS A THROUGH E. SECOND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HENO HINOJOSA SMITH. ALL IN FAVOR, WALKER HINOJOSA SMITH, CAROL NEVILLES, PREM KUMAR, MATTHEW, NON OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [F. 2026-0228 Consider approval of a demolition contract with Garrett Demolition for a City initiated demolition of the substandard residential structure at 631 Stratford Lane in accordance with the Building and Standards Commission Order in the amount of $63,760; and authorize the City Manager to sign.] UM, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM EIGHT F I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, LOU A RAHEEL TO COME FORWARD. AND THIS IS CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A DEMOLITION CONTRACT WITH GARRETT DEMOLITION FOR A CITY INITIATED DEMOLITION OF A SUBSTANDARD RESIDENT STRUCTURE AT 6 31 STRATFORD LANE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,128, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN. I MUST, UH, UH, NOTE THAT THE AGENDA ITEMS SAID 63,760. THERE WAS A REVISED DEMOLITION BUDGET THAT CAME IN AT 58,128. MR. RAHILL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT, STAFF IS BRINGING FORWARD THE, THE 6 3 1 STRATFORD LANE CASE AND REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE MILITIAN CONTRACT TO CARRY OUT THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION ORDER FOR CITY INITIATED DEMOLITION OF THE SUBSTANDARD STRUC RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE. BEFORE I WALK THROUGH THE TIMELINE, I WANT TO FIRST PROVIDE THE CONTEST OF THIS CODE CASE. THE 6 31 STRATFORD LANE CODE CASE BEGAN WITH A STORM RELATED DAMAGE FROM THE 2021 WINTER STORM. LIKE MANY OTHER HOMES IN KALE IN THE WINTER STORM, THIS PROPERTY EXPERIENCED BURST PIPES. THE DIFFERENCE IS THIS, THE HOME WAS NEVER REPAIRED OVER TIME. WHAT BEGAN AS A PRIVATE PROPERTY DAMAGE BECAME A LONG-TERM CODE COMPLIANCE CASE, NEIGHBORHOOD AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY CLEARLY THE ISSUE IS NOT ONLY IMPACTING THE PROPERTY OWNER, IT'S ALSO IMPACTING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. IN FACT, STAFF HAS HEARD MORE FROM NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS THAN FROM THE HOMEOWNERS THEMSELVES. THE HOMEOWNERS OF THIS PROPERTY DID NOT RESPOND TO MOST OF STAFF COMMUNICATION ATTEMPTS UNTIL LAST WEEK, WHICH I WILL DISCUSS LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT. I WILL BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH THE PROPERTY BACKGROUND. THE CONDITION OBSERVED THAT DUE PROCESS PROVIDED AND THE BUILDING STANDARDS COMMISSION'S ORDER, AND THE ACTION STAFF IS REQUESTING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ITEM BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT. IT HELPS TO FIRST LOOK AT THE PROPERTY ITSELF AND HOW THE ISSUE BEGAN. THE PROPERTY 6 31 STRATFORD LANE IS A TWO STORY, APPROXIMATELY 5,800 SQUARE FOOT SINGLE FAMILY HOME. THE HOME WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 2001, AND THE CURRENT OWNER PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 2003. DURING 2021 WINTER STORM, [01:15:01] THE HOME SUSTAINED A SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FROM THE PURSE PIPES AFTER THE DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE FIRST FLOOR WAS LARGELY GUTTED WITHOUT REQUIRED PERMITS. NO REPAIRS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT THE PROPERTY SINCE THEN, BECAUSE DAMAGE WAS NEVER CORRECTED. THE PROPERTY MOVED FROM A STORM DAMAGE ISSUE TO LONG-TERM UNSAFE STRUCTURE AND CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUE ISSUE. ONCE THAT STORM DAMAGE REMAINED UNREPAIRED, THE NEXT QUESTION IS HOW STAFF BECAME AWARE OF THE FULL EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE HOME REMAINED VACANT ON UNREPAIRED FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, STAFF BEGAN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY. THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROPERTY. BEFORE THAT TIME FROM THE STREET, THE FULL EXTENT OF THE INTERIOR DAMAGE WAS NOT VISIBLE. A PERSON DRIVING BY COULD SEE SOME EXTERIOR CONCERNS, BUT THEY, BUT THEY COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING INSIDE THE STRUCTURE. SECOND, THE OWNER DID NOT OBTAIN THE REQUIRED PERMITS FOR THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE INSIDE THE HOME BECAUSE NO PERMITS WERE POOLED. THE INTERIOR CONDITION OF PROPERTY DID NOT COME THROUGH THE CITY. NORMAL PERMITTING AND INSPECTION PROCESS. SO THIS BECAME A CODE COMPLIANCE MATTER. AFTER NEIGHBORING, NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS BROUGHT CONCERN TO OUR CITY ATTENTION. ONCE THOSE CONCERNS WERE RECEIVED, STAFF REQUESTED VOLUNTARY ACCESS TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY. THE OWNER PROMISED US MULTIPLE TIME TO MEET US, THE PROPERTY, BUT HE NEVER SHOWED UP BECAUSE THE VOLUNTARY ACCESS, VOLUNTARY ACCESS WAS NOT PROVIDED. CITY STAFF FOLLOWED THE PROPER LEGAL PROCESS AND OBTAINED AN ADMINISTRATIVE INSPECTION WARRANT. WHEN WE DID THE INSPECTION, THE FINDING, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, STAFF OBSERVED GUTTED FIRST FLOOR EXPOSED ELECTRIC, REQUIRING OPEN SEWER LINES, FOUNDATION CONCERNS, RODENT ACTIVITY, BROKEN WINDOWS, BROKEN FENCE, AN UNSAFE UNARY CONDITION INSIDE THE PROPERTY. BASED ON THOSE FINDING, THE STRUCTURES WERE DETERMINED TO BE UNSAFE, UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY ON A NEED OF FORMAL ENFORCEMENT ACTION. DID THIS, LED STAFF INTO MORE MEASURED DUE PROCESS PATH. THIS TIMELINE HIGHLIGHTS THE MAJOR ACTION AND THE COMMUNICATION POINTS. IN THIS CASE, THE FULL CODE COMPLIANCE REPORT IS ALMOST 80 PAGES. SO I WILL NOT WALK THROUGH EVERY NOTICE, INSPECTION NOTE, PHOTO, EMAIL, OR PHONE CALL TONIGHT. INSTEAD, I WANT TO FOCUS ON SIX IMPORTANT EVENTS THAT SHOW HOW THIS CASE MOVED FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINT FOR TONIGHT. REQUESTED ACTION. THE CITY OPENED THE CASE IN FEBRUARY, 2024 AFTER RECEIVING NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINTS. FINAL NOTICE OF REPAIR WAS ISSUED IN DECEMBER, 2024. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. ACTUALLY NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THE OWNER EITHER AFTER VOLUNTARY ACCESS WAS NOT PROVIDED. WE OBTAINED A VOLUNTARY, WE OBTAINED A WARRANT TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT IN MARCH, 2025. THE INSPECTIONS OF THE FINDING I SHARED EARLIER IN THE SCREEN, THE SCREEN BEFORE, AFTER THE INSPECTION, THE CASE PROCEEDED TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION FOR TWO SEPARATE HEARINGS. I WILL DISCUSS THOSE HEARINGS IN MORE DETAILS IN THE NEXT TWO SLIDES. THE KEY POINT IS THIS, THE CASE DID NOT MOVE DIRECTLY FROM A COMPLAINT TO DEMOLITION. IT FOLLOWED A LONG PROCESS OF NOTICES, COMMUNICATIONS, LEGAL STEPS, INSPECTIONS, HEARINGS, AND OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLY. SO ON OCTOBER 2ND, 2025, THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION HELD THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND DETERMINED THE STRUCTURE WAS SUBSTANDARD. THE OWNER DID NOT APPEAR AT THAT HEARING. HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION DID NOT IMMEDIATELY ORDER DEMOLITION. INSTEAD, THE COMMISSION GAVE THE OWNER A CLEAR PATH TO REPAIR THE HOUSE. THE ORDER REQUIRED DES A PAVEMENT, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, REPORT A BUILDING PERMIT AND A COMPLETION OF ALL REQUIRED REPAIRS. BY DECEMBER 8TH, 2025. THE OWNER DID NOT COMPLY WITH THAT ORDER. NO PERMIT WAS OBTAINED, NO ENGINEERING REPORT WAS SUBMITTED, AND NO REPAIR WAS INITIATED BECAUSE THAT REPAIR OPPORTUNITY WAS NOT ACTED ON. THE CASE RETURNED TO THE BOARD, TO THE BOARD COMMISSION. AGAIN, THE REPAIR DEADLINE PASSED AGAIN WITHOUT COMPLIANCE. [01:20:01] SO THE CASE RETURNED TO THE BUILDING STANDARD COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 5TH, 2026. AT THAT HEARING, THE COMMISSION REVIEWED THE CONTINUED LACK OF PROGRESS, DETERMINED THE STRUCTURES WAS REME, SUBSTANDARD, UNSAFE, UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY. AT THAT POINT, THE COMMISSION ISSUED AN ORDER REQUIRING THE OWNER, THE LIEN HOLDER, THE MORTGAGEE, TO DEMOLISH AND REMOVE THE S THE STRUCTURE. BY APRIL 7TH, 2026, THAT DEADLINE ALSO PASSED. THE STAFF HAVE CONFIRMED AS OF YESTERDAY THAT THERE HAS STILL BEEN NO PERMIT APPLICATION, NO APPROVED REPAIR PLAN, NO STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT, AND NO DEMOLITION ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE. THE ORDER ALSO IMPOSED CIVIL PENALTIES OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY AFTER THE DEADLINE UNTIL COMPLIANCE IS ACHIEVED. SO AGAIN, THE DEMOLITION ORDER WAS NOT THE FIRST STEP. IT FOLLOWED A MIS REPAIR, DEADLINES, CONTINUED NONCOMPLIANCE AND UNSAFE CONDITION THAT REMAINED UNRE UNRESOLVED. WHILE THE BUILDING STANDARDS AND COMMISSION PROCESS WAS MOVING FORWARD, THE CITY ALSO USED THE MUNICIPAL COURT AS ANOTHER ENFORCEMENT TOOL. THE OWNER RECEIVED FOUR CODE ENFORCEMENT CITATIONS AND THE STATE FILED ONE FAILURE TO APPEAR. CASE DONOR PAID CLOSE TO $3,000 TO THE COURT AND THE COURT CASES ARE NOW CLOSED. HOWEVER, BAY COURT FINES DID NOT CORRECT UNSAFE CONDITIONS. FROM COURT STANDPOINT. THOSE CO THOSE CASES ARE CLOSED, BUT FROM A CODE COMPLIANCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, THE STRUCTURE REMAINS VACANT, REMAINS UN PREPARED, UNSAFE, AND UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY. THE MUNICIPAL COURT PROCESS ALSO REFLECTS SOME CHALLENGES. STAFF EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE CASE DIFFICULTY OBTAINING TIMELY RESPONSE IN COOPERATION FROM THE OWNER. EVEN THE COURT HAD A HARD TIME GETTING HOLD OF THE OWNER. THE PURPOSE OF CODE COMPLIANCE IS SIMPLY, IS NOT SIMPLY TO ISSUE CITATIONS OR COLLECT FINES. THE PURPOSE IS TO OBTAIN COMPLIANCE AND CORRECT UNSAFE CONDITIONS THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED IN THIS CASE. SO WITH UNSAFE CONDITIONS, STILL UNRESOLVED STAFFS BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT WITH A REQUESTED ACTION THAT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU SOON. BEFORE I STATE THE ACTION REQUESTED, I WANT TO UPDATE COUNCIL IN RECENT COMMUNICATION WITH THE OWNER. EARLIER THIS MONTH, EARLIER THIS MONTH, STAFF ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE HOMEOWNER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DETERMINE WHETHER SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT OR RESOLUTION WAS POSSIBLE. THE OWNER INITIALLY STATED THAT HE WILL BE OUT OF TOWN FOR THAT MEETING, SO HE CANNOT ATTEND. HOWEVER, ON MAY 21ST, HE CAME TO OUR OFFICE ABOUT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON. MET WITH MINDY I AND COREY POWELL. DURING THAT MEETING, THE OWNER REQUESTED AN EXTENSION AND ASKED TO REMOVE THIS ITEM OFF THE AGENDA TONIGHT. WE EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT WE COULD NOT DO THAT AND GRANT HIM AN EXTENSION BECAUSE THIS CASE, THIS CASE HAS BEEN ACTIVE FOR LONGER THAN TWO YEARS AND THE OWNER HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH ONE CITY TIMELINE OR A BUILDING STANDARD COMMISSION ORDERS. WE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE OWNER HAS THE RIGHT TO ADDRESS COUNSEL DIRECTLY, EITHER IN PERSON, DURING CITIZEN APPEARANCE OR BY SUBMITTING WRITTEN COMMENTS. THE OWNER INDICATED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND. STAFF ALSO ASKED, ASKED WHETHER HE COULD SEND A LEGAL COUNSEL. HE LETTER CONTACTED STAFF TO TELL US HE COULD NOT SECURE AN ATTORNEY IN TIME. STAFF ALSO ATTEMPTED AS OF YESTERDAY TO COORDINATE A ZOOM APPEARANCE, BUT THE OWNER STATED HE COULD NOT ATTEND THE ZOOM APPEARANCE EITHER. AT THIS POINT, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE DEMOLISHING CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,128 AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN IT. THIS ACTION WOULD CARRY OUT THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION ORDER FOR DEMOLITION AND RESOLVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS REMAINED UNCORRECTED FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. IF COUNCILS APPROVED THE DEMOLITION CONTRACT, THE DEMOLITION COST WILL BE ASSESSED AS A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY. DCA RECORDS CONFIRM THE LAND VALUE SUFFICIENT TO RECOVER THE FULL AMOUNT UPON A FUTURE SALE OR TRANSFER. THAT CONCLUDE STAFF REPRESE. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES. UM, CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY? DO WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS? I'M NOT, NO. OKAY. NO, NOT AT ALL. I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE QUESTION OR, OR WHAT'S BEING ASKED OF THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. [01:25:01] IT'S ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE, THE BUILDING STANDARDS COMMISSION PROCESS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO DI UH, FOR THE DEMOLITION. WE ARE JUST BEING ASKED TO FUND THE CONTRACT. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. THIS IS NOT AN APPEAL OF THE ORDER OF THE BOARD BILLING STANDARDS COMMISSION. YOU'RE SIMPLY BEING ASKED TO DO NOTHING BUT APPROVE THE CONTRACT OR APPROVE FUNDING FOR THE CONTRACT. THERE HAS BEEN NO APPEAL OF THE BOARD'S ORDER. AND EVEN IF THERE WERE, IT WOULD NOT BE TO THIS BOARD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I, THAT I AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL UNDERSTOOD THE CHARGE THAT IS BEING ASKED OF US TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SIMPLY ASKING TO FUND SOMETHING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. QUESTION FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. IT'S LOT OF WORK BEING DONE BY THE STAFF. MANY YEARS, LOTS, LOT OF HOURS STAFF WOULD DECIDE TO TAKE CARE OF ONE ISSUE. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. TWO QUESTIONS. NUMBER ONE IS THE NEW MEMO ON PAGE THREE TO FOUR, IT SAYS THE OWNER PAID THE OUTSTANDING COURT WINDOW FINE. HOW MUCH WAS THAT? ALTOGETHER IS ABOUT $2,900. $2,900. $21 PAID TO COURT. AND WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT WE FIND HIM FOR DIFFERENT COURT COMPLIANCE ISSUES, THE CITY HAD ON MULTIPLE OCCASION HAD TO GET AN ABATEMENT WARRANT TO REMOVE A BROKEN FENCE IN THE BACK. ANOTHER ONE TO CUT THE GRASS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. WE ALSO HIRED A PERSON TO DO BEST CONTROL IN THE PROPERTY BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GET ANY VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE FROM THE HOMEOWNER. SO EVERY TIME HE FAILED TO, TO DO SOMETHING, WE CITED HIM AND WE PROCEEDED TO ABATE THE PROBLEM. SO THE CITY WENT AND CUT THE GRASS. WE GOT A COURT ORDER AND ABATE THE PROBLEM? YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. MY SECOND QUESTION IS, YOU MENTIONED YOU HAD A MEETING WITH THE OWNER ON MAY 21ST. CORRECT, SIR. AND HE REQUESTED AN EXTENSION FOR THE DEMOLITION. RIGHT. WHAT HE REALLY REQUESTED IS TO PULL THE ITEM OFF THE COUNCIL AGENDA. BUT THAT POINT, WHEN HE CAME TO US, THE, THE, THE AGENDA WAS ALREADY PUBLISHED. OKAY. DID HE OFFER ANY RESOLUTION OR SETTLEMENT THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S COMING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE DEMOLITION. SO I'M ASKING DID THEY OFFER ANY SETTLEMENT OR ANY TYPE OF WILLINGNESS TO FIX ANY OF THE ISSUE? SO WE'RE NOT COMING HERE FOR DEMOLITION TONIGHT. WE'RE ONLY ASKING FOR THE FUNDING OF THE CONTRACT. IT WAS TWICE, CAME TWICE TO THE BOARD AND COMMISSION, SENATE, SUBSTANDARD COMMISSION ON TWO, MULTIPLE OCCASION, OCTOBER AND FEBRUARY. SO ON THERE WE TALKED ABOUT DEMOLITION. TONIGHT WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE, THE FUNDING. HE DID NOT PROVIDE US ANY EVIDENCE THAT'S GOING TO FIX IT ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE PROMISES HE MADE US FOR YEARS AGO. SO IT WAS THE EXACT SAME PROMISE. HE SAID, I HAVE THE MONEY FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY, HAVEN'T CASHED THAT CHECK. I SUED THEM. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT AND I MIGHT TAKE A LOAN. AND I THINK HE SENT THE SAME NOTE TO YOU GUYS WHAT HE TOLD US. BUT IT'S THE SAME THING WE'VE HEARD FROM HIM FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS. ONE. EXCUSE ME. FINAL QUESTION. YOU ARE ASKING FOR THE CITY TO SPEND 58,000 FOR THE DEMOLITION AND HOPING THAT WE WILL RECOVER THAT MONEY WHEN WE PUT THE LIEN ON THE PROPERTY AND WHEN THE OWNER SELLS THAT PROPERTY, WE WILL COLLECT THAT MONEY, CORRECT? YES, SIR. AND DO YOU KNOW, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY ADDITIONAL LIENS ON THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD PROCEED US OR RANKED BEFORE US? I, I'M NOT IN A SITUATION TODAY WHERE I COULD RANK THOSE LIENS. UH, I'M ONLY HERE TO ASK FOR THE $58,000 AND WE WOULD BLA THE LIEN. WHICH ONE COMES BEFORE THE OTHER? I HAVE, I CANNOT CONFIRM WHICH ONE COMES BEFORE THE OTHER. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER HEINA. HOST SMITH. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW LUE, IT'S FOR YOU OR CITY ATTORNEY. I WOULD RATHER RATHER ASK HIM , BUT JUST TO, JUST TO, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON UNDERSTANDING NEXT STEPS AND TIMING. SO WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE 58,000 SO MANY HUNDRED DOLLARS TO, UM, FOR THE DEMOLITION. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? AND WHAT'S THE TIMING ON THAT IF THIS WERE TO PROCEED? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNER. UM, BUT WOULD, AND I THINK SOMETHING'S BEEN PROPOSED, IMPOSE A SERIES OF, OF, I'M JUST GONNA CALL 'EM DROP DEAD DEADLINES. DEADLINES WITHIN WHICH A PERMIT MUST BE APPLIED FOR, UM, DEADLINES WITHIN WHICH WORK BUS [01:30:01] COMMENCE AND A DEADLINE WITHIN WHICH WORK MUST BE COMPLETED. UM, ABSENT AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND THE MONEY FROM THE COUNCIL, WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO MEANS OF COMPELLING HIM TO LIVE UP TO THAT KIND OF AN AGREEMENT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND LOUIS YOU NEED TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNER. BUT NOW IF THE HOMEOWNER CONTINUES TO MAKE PROMISES AND NOT FULFILL THEM, THEN WE WILL PROCEED WITH DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE. WE WILL FILE A LIEN. WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO DO THAT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I CAN'T VERIFY THIS 'CAUSE THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN IT WITH MAYO AND EYES, BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS IN FACT AN OUTSTANDING LIEN OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS ON THE PROPERTY. UM, MY PARTNER HAS REACHED OUT TO DALLAS, AND DALLAS HAS NO CLUE WHY THEY HAVE A LIEN OR WHAT IT'S FOR. I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT OUR LIEN WOULD PRIME THE DALLAS LIEN OR DALLAS' WOULD PRIME MARS. MY GUESS IS GONNA BE THAT THEIRS WAS FIRST FILED. SO THEIRS WOULD PROBABLY TAKE PRIORITY. HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIRS IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND. OURS WOULD BE 58, GIVE OR TAKE. UM, THE PROPERTY IS WORTH MORE THAN $150,000. AND IF IT'S SOLD, THEN DALLAS WOULD TAKE PROCEEDS FIRST FROM THE PROCEEDS OF SALE. UM, WE WOULD TAKE SECOND ASSUMING THAT THEIR LIEN PRIMES ARES, THE BALANCE WOULD BE GIVEN TO ORDER THE PROPERTY OWNER. UM, WE WOULDN'T SIMPLY FILE THE LIEN AND THEN WAIT FOR THE PROPERTY TO SELL. MIND YOU, WE ALSO WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY WITH COUNSEL APPROVAL DOWN THE ROAD TO FILE OUR OWN LAWSUITS TO FORECLOSE THAT LIEN AND MOVE THAT PROCESS LOAN AND RECOVER OUR FUNDS. OKAY. SO, SO YEAH, IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW, BUT NO, NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. 'CAUSE THAT, THAT WAS HELPFUL TOO. BUT I WANNA UNDERSTAND TIMING, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE CAN, WE CAN APPROVE THIS AND IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS AND I CONSIDER PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORS TO BE AN UTMOST PRIORITY AND IT'S HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. AND WHAT I'M SEEING, AND I KNOW THAT STAFF HAS SPENT NUMEROUS HOURS, UM, ON THIS, ON THIS HOME. SO I'D LOVE TO KNOW ALSO WHAT'S NEXT. COUNCIL MEMBER HENO SMITH, MAY I PROPOSE A QUESTION TO LOU? I YEAH, WE CAN ASK HIM WHAT, HOW YEAH, TELL ME TIMING AND PROCESS FOR NEXT STEPS. SO AGAIN, STAFFS RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL, DEMOLITION CONTRACT TONIGHT APPROVAL ALLOW US TO GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED AND BE READY TO CARRY OUT THE BSC ORDER. HOWEVER, DEMOLITION WOULD NOT OCCUR IMMEDIATELY. WE STILL NEED TIME FOR ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY. SO WE NEED TO GIVE THEM 30 DAYS TO REMOVE ANY PERSONAL BELONGING FROM THE PROPERTY. WE ALSO NEED TIME TO CONTACT THE UTILITIES TO GET THEM DISCONNECTED IF IT'S THE GAS, ELECTRICITY, OR ANY OTHER UTILITIES BEING DISCONNECTED. AND WE NEED TO PREPARE THE SITE. UH, SO WE NEED ABOUT 30 DAYS TO GET THAT DONE. IF THE OWNER'S ABLE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE BEFORE THE EXECUTION DATE, STAFF CAN WORK WITH HIM THROUGH A SIGN AGREEMENT REQUIRING CLEAR DELIVERABLES AND COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT HIM TO PULL A PERMIT AND PROLONG THE PROJECT FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. IF HE'S ABLE TO WORK WITH US WITH THE SIGN AGREEMENTS REQUIRING CLEAR DELIVERABLE AND COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, WE WOULD WORK WITH HIM. BUT WITHOUT THE SIGN AGREEMENT AND REAL COMPLIANCE STEPS, STAFF RECOMMENDS IT, IT, WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE. SO WE NEED ABOUT 30 DAYS. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER WALKER OR MAYOR PRO? TIM WALKER. I'M SORRY. THANKS, MAYOR. UM, AND I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY FOR, I LOVE YOU MAN. ATTORNEY , GETTING IN MY EXERCISE. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE'S NOT YET BEEN AN APPEAL OF THE BSC ORDER. HAS THAT APPEAL? APPELLATE DEADLINE PASSED? OH YEAH. SO, SO IT'S A FINAL ORDER? IT IS FINAL AND NON APPEALABLE. OKAY. AND EXECUTABLE. HENCE THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW. COUNCIL MEMBER PRIM KUMAR. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, ATTORNEY BOWMAN? UH, I'M SORRY. I THINK YOU SHOULD STAND, I THINK I'M JUST GONNA STAY HERE. UH, THIS MIGHT BE MY ONLY QUESTION FOR YOU. UH, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY, UH, THE DALLAS COUNTY LIEN IS ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND. I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND. AND, UH, I BELIEVE THE LAND VALUE IS APPROXIMATELY $250,000. OR, OR DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS? UH, I, I DON'T KNOW OFFHAND WHAT THAT IS. UM, YEAH, WE'VE GOT RECORDS THAT WILL INDICATE WHAT DALLAS, WHAT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT SAYS THAT IT IS. MM-HMM . I CAN, I CAN, I LOOKED IT UP TODAY AND IT WAS 250,000 EVEN. OKAY. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A RATHER CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT SUIT, BY THE WAY, QUICK QUESTION FOR EITHER ONE OF YOU. DO WE KNOW IF THERE IS A MORTGAGE LIEN FROM A BANK OR, OR ANY OTHER LENDER? I THINK THE TITLE IS CLEAR EXCEPT FOR THE DALLAS [01:35:01] LIEN. CORRECT. THE TITLE'S CLEAR. OKAY. BUT HE HAS LIENS ON IT. UH, A QUESTION FOR THE HOAI HAD SENT AN EMAIL RATHER LATE TODAY AROUND 2:00 PM IS THERE AN, UH, HOAI CAN ASK THE QUESTION? MM-HMM . OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, ALRIGHT. SO, UM, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT. UH, I, I'M VERY EMPATHETIC TO, TO WHAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE GOING THROUGH. UM, AND I THINK, UH, THEY HAVE SUFFERED A LOT. UH, I'M, I'M INCLINED TO DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS DECISION, AND I THINK THE STAFF HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN, IN, UH, ADDRESSING THE SITUATION. SO I HAVE NOTHING BUT POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY TO THE STAFF. THE ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY VALUES ABOUT $250,000. THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME COST IN, IN GOING AFTER AND, AND FORCING THE OWNER TO SELL IT. AND THEN WE HAD TO GO THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, DALLAS COUNTY TAKING THEIR PIECE. UM, AND I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT BEING THE FIDUCIARY FOR, FOR THE TAXPAYERS, THAT WE DO RECOVER THAT 58,000 PLUS AND ANY OTHER DUE THAT THE, UH, CITY HAS FROM THE HOMEOWNER. YEAH. IF WE GO FORWARD WITH FORECLOSURE, I MEAN IT FIRST, FIRST THING'S FIRST, WE'VE GOTTA GET THE DEMOLITION IN PLACE. ONCE DEMOLITION IS DONE, WE FILE THE LIEN. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE IF THE PROPERTY DOESN'T SELL ALL BY ITSELF OR THE OWNER DOESN'T SELL IT. IF WE CHOSE TO FORECLOSE THAT LIEN, WE WOULD COME BACK TO COUNSEL SEEKING PERMISSION. MM-HMM . AT THAT POINT IN TIME, YOU'D HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY YES, MOVE FORWARD WITHIN, THEN FILE THE LAWSUIT, AND THEN PROCEED WITH, UH, JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE AND, AND, AND AN ORDER OF SALE. AS SOON AS, AS SOON AS WE COULD. BUT YOU'D GET ANOTHER NOTICE. WE'D COME BACK TO COUNSEL AND ASK. AND, AND WILL THERE BE A COST FOR THAT, UM, FORECLOSURE? UM, YEAH, THERE WOULD, THERE WOULD BE COURT COSTS. THOSE COURT COSTS WOULD BE FACTORED INTO THE FORECLOSURE SALE THAT WE WOULD RECOVER THROUGH THAT PROCESS. OKAY. SO, SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT, UH, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE WILL RECOVER ALL THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE PUT IN. UH, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE, IF YOU CAN GIVE ME, IF IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAINTY THAT WE WILL RECOVER, UH, THE COST THAT WE PUT IN. OH, THERE'S NEVER A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAINTY. I MEAN, THIS IS, WE'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE AND HUMAN BEINGS. UM, THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL LIKELIHOOD OF FULL RECOVERY. OKAY. UM, MY GUESS IS GONNA BE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A FEW DOLLARS HERE AND THERE. THEY GET A CRUMBS THAT GET DROPPED OFF THE, OFF, OFF ON THE SIDE. BUT THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL, A SUBSTANTIAL LIKELIHOOD OF FULL RECOVERY. YES. AND, AND, UH, MR. BERMAN AND THEN LUE, I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, UH, IF WE APPROVE THIS PROCESS TODAY, UH, THERE IS STILL AN, UH, OPTION WHERE YOU WILL LOOK AT THE, THAT PROPERTY OWNER'S, UM, ACTIONS AND, AND DECIDE, UH, IF YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEMOTION. CORRECT. THE PURPOSE OF EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE FROM, FROM DAY ONE TILL TODAY IS THE CORRECT, UNSAFE CONDITION OF PROP ON THE PROPERTY. YEAH. THE OWNER DID NOT COMPLY WITH ANYTHING HE EVER TOLD US, BUT HOWEVER HE DECIDE TO COMPLY, AND WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH HIM AS LONG AS HE SIGNS AN AGREEMENT WITH US, WITH HAR, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME GOOD MILESTONES THAT GUARANTEE TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT THE PROPERTY WILL BE FIXED WITHIN 90 DAYS OR LESS. YEAH. SO WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH HIM IF HE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH US. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, MAYOR, GIVEN WHAT I'M HEARING, AND GIVEN THAT THE, UM, HOMEOWNER HAS SENT US AN EMAIL TELLING US THAT HE'S READY TO SPEND $325,000 NOW, THAT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO FIX ALL OF THE PROBLEMS. UH, UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT, UH, WE DEFER THIS DECISION TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AND AGAIN, I WANT THE NEIGHBORS TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'M COMPLETELY IN SUPPORT OF DEMOLITION. HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS DECISION IS COMING TO US, AND I WANT TO BE FAIR AND, AND GIVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH SIDES. MAKE A MOTION. YES. I'M MAKING A MOTION, SIR, THAT WE, UH, MOVE, MAKING A DECISION ON DEMOLITION, UH, UH, PAYING FOR THE DEMOLITION TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SO YOU'RE, SO TO REPHRASE, YOU'RE MOVING TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM TO A FIXED DATE OF JUNE THE NINTH. NINTH. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SEEING ONE, THE MOTION FAILS. COUNCIL MEMBER, NEVILLES, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM, UH, EIGHT F UM, WITH A DEMOLITION CONTRACT WITH GARRETT DEMOLITION, UH, FOR A CITY INITIATED DEMO, DEMOLITION OF A SUBSTANDARD RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE AT 6 31 STRAPPER LANE, [01:40:01] IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION ORDER AND THE AMOUNT OF $58,128. AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO I HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARROLL? UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER WALKER. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THAT'S MAYOR PRO TEM TO YOU, POWELL . GOD, UH, UM, IT, IT'S AN ONGOING JOKE. . SO I GUESS I SEE OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LARGER ISSUE, IS OUR HOUSING STOCK AGES IN TOWN. UH, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN COMPLIANCE ISSUES, AND I, I REALLY THINK THAT WE OWE IT TO ALL OF OUR HOMEOWNERS AFTER FIVE YEARS OF NEGLECT AND AFTER RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS AND ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE HAD TO LIVE WITH FOR FIVE YEARS. I THINK WE ACTUALLY OWE THEM A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO DEMOLISH THIS HOUSE AND TO APPROVE THAT. I ALSO THINK THAT WE OWE EVERY OTHER HOMEOWNER IN TOWN, UH, A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS WAS HAPPENING ACROSS FROM THEIR HOME, THAT WE WOULD TAKE THE SAME POSITION. BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT UNDERSTOOD THAT AFTER FIVE YEARS OF NEGLECT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, PUTRID CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, THEN I THINK WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE A WHOLE LOT MORE OF THIS. AND THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME GREATLY. UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN VOLUNTEERING IN ANY POSITION AT ALL IN THE CITY, THE ONE THING ABOUT OUR COMPLIANCE GROUP IS THEY ARE ALMOST TOO FORGIVING. THEY'RE VERY COLLABORATIVE. UH, THEY WILL DO ANYTHING TO WORK WITH A HOMEOWNER TO TRY TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM WITHOUT GOING TO THIS STEP. SO WHEN I SEE OUR COMPLIANCE FOLKS STEPPING UP AND SAYING, THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT, IT REALLY IMPRESSES ME BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY WANTED. ALL THEY WANTED WAS THIS GUY TO SHOW UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOME THAT HE OWNS. AND IF IT'S SO, IF IT'S OF SUCH LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO HIM THAT HE'S WILLING TO PAY $2,900 IN COURT COSTS, BUT HE'S NOT WILLING TO SHOW UP TO THE COURT, HE'S WILLING TO DO THAT, BUT HE'S NOT WILLING TO, TO RESPOND TO ANY OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS, AND YET WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RESPECT AN EMAIL FROM HIM REQUESTING FOR AN, AN EXTENSION. AGAIN, I I, I THINK THIS HAS GONE WAY BEYOND, YOU KNOW, GIVING HIM ANY MORE DEFERENCE OR TOLERANCE. I THINK WE HAVE TO GIVE SOME DEFERENCE AND SOME TOLERANCE TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD TO LIVE WITH THIS FOR FIVE YEARS. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO SEND A MESSAGE ACROSS TOWN THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THIS KIND OF CONDITION OR THIS KIND OF NEGLECT BY ANY HOMEOWNER IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT HAS SUCH A NEGATIVE DETERIORATIVE EFFECT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF EVERYBODY LIVING AROUND HIM. SO, I'M TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THIS CONTRACT. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S WILLING, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE LARGER HOLISTIC VIEW OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE QUALITY OF OUR LIVES, AND THE QUALITY OF OUR HOMES AND WHAT WE EXPECT OF EACH OTHER AS NEIGHBORS, I THINK IT'S WORTH INVESTING $58,000 AND DEMOLISHING THIS HOUSE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THIS KIND OF NEGLECT AND WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE THIS KIND OF ABUSE OF OUR NEIGHBORS. SO THAT'S WHERE I STAND ON IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PROTI, COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, I GOTTA SAY, UH, JIM, I THINK YOU, YOU SAID THAT, I'M SORRY, MAYOR PROTI, I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T WANNA GET YELLED AT. UM, MAYOR PROTI, I THINK SAID THAT INCREDIBLY WELL. UM, I, I, THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THIS THAT I LIKE. UM, I, I HATE THAT THERE IS A PROPERTY OWNER, UH, THAT WENT THROUGH THIS, UH, THIS STORM AND THE DAMAGE. I, I ABSOLUTELY HATE THAT. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SPEAKING FROM A A PERSONAL STANDPOINT, I HAD A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT WAS DAMAGED IN THE EXACT SAME STORM, AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS OF DEALING WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND TRYING TO GET MY BUSINESS TO RUN AT THE SAME TIME AND GET REPAIRS DONE. AND IT WAS, IT, IT WAS AWFUL. BUT WE DID IT. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I, I HAD THE SAME DRIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WAS UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MEET, UH, CITY CODE AND, AND ARE HONESTLY UP TO THE LEVEL THAT WE EXPECT HERE IN COPPEL. UH, SO IT'S NOT LIKE I DON'T HAVE EMPATHY FOR THE HOMEOWNER. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH, AND I ABSOLUTELY HATE THAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THAT. BUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE HERE FIVE YEARS OVER, FIVE YEARS LATER, RIGHT, WITH THREE OF THOSE YEARS WASN'T EVEN ON [01:45:01] THE CITY'S RADAR AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIX IT AT THAT TIME. I MEAN, WATCHING TESTIMONY THAT THEY, UM, SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN GET THEIR FIRST, UM, THEIR FIRST CONTRACTOR BID UNTIL 18 MONTHS LATER. WELL, I HAVE EMPATHY FOR THAT, RIGHT? THAT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. BUT THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF TIME, UH, TO GET THIS REPAIRED. UH, I WILL SAY, UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THE PROPERTY, THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, THAT HAVE SHOWN UP TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN, UM, TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. OUR COMMUNITY IS BUILT AROUND THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS CONTINUING TO SHOW UP AND SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I HATE THAT IT'S COME TO THIS, BUT, UM, I MEAN, AND ALL THE, FOR ALL THE REASONS WHY, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM STATED, UH, WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. IT'S, UH, IT, IT'S NOT THE COPPEL WAY. IT'S NOT THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, STRONG COMMUNITIES, SAFE COMMUNITIES, AND THIS JUST DOES NOT MATCH WITH THAT. SO UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO SUPPORT THIS, THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT, BUT I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW, THEN CAROL, THEN PRIM KUMAR. SO COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO GIVE CREDITS TO OUR STAFF FOR FOLLOWING UP FOR THIS MANY YEARS. THEY SPEND A LOT OF HOURS ON THIS. I ALSO WANT THANK THE NEIGHBORS. UH, I KNOW IT'S HORRIBLE, LIVING NEXT TO A HOUSE, UH, DETERIORATED THE WAY IT IS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION PROPOSED HERE, GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OWNER TO FIX EVERYTHING STAFF ASKED IN NEXT 30 DAYS. AND IF THAT DOESN'T FOLLOW THROUGH, I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF DEMOLISHING THIS HOUSE, BUT I WANNA GIVE THEM A ORDER FROM THE COUNCIL. YOU HAVE 30 MORE DAYS TO FIX THIS. SO THAT WOULD BE MY AMENDMENT TO THIS MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I NEED TO ASK FOR A, A SESSION WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, PLEASE, MAYOR, TO BE CLEAR, I'M SORRY. YOU HAVE TO READ OH, TO GO INTO EXHIBIT WHERE TO BE CLEAR, MAYOR, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A, THE CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE INTO A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM AS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 5 5 1 0.0712. YES, MA'AM. FOR THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL ADVICE FROM YOUR CITY ATTORNEY. AND THE TIME IS NOW 8:28 PM I WAS GONNA DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, . THE TIME IS 8 36. WE HAVE RECESS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, WITH CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY COUNCIL MEMBER. MATTHEW, I BELIEVE YOU HAD A MOTION THAT YOU WERE MAKING. YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MADE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY. AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THE DEMOLITION FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS, UH, TO REQUIRE STAFF TO REFRAIN? THE, THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION TECHNICALLY IS NO, YOU DON'T. UM, BILLING STANDARDS COMMISSION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO RENDER ITS ORDERS. IT'S ALREADY DONE THAT THE ORDER IS FILED AND NON APPEALABLE. THE, THE ASK OF THE COUNSEL TONIGHT. AND THE AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING THIS EVENING IS SIMPLY TO FUND THE DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE. UM, IT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF NOT JUST THE AGENDA, BUT I THINK COUNCIL AUTHORITY TO BE, UM, ISSUING OPERATIONAL MANDATES TO STAFF. THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THEREFORE, I'M GONNA WITHDRAW MY MOTION FROM THE FLOOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I LOST TRACK OF WHO WAS SPEAKING. WE HAD COUNCIL MEMBER CAROL PRIM KUMAR AND HINOJOSA SMITH. UH, SO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I'M NOT AS ELOQUENT AS SOME OF MY PEERS UP HERE. UH, BUT I WILL SAY THAT IN, IN ANY CASE, WHERE THERE WAS PUBLIC SAFETY, ENDANGERED, WHETHER IT BE FROM A STORM DAMAGE OR FROM, YOU KNOW, UTILITY EXPLOSION, ANY, ANY NUMBER OF THINGS, WE WOULD NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT FUNDING $58,000 TO BRING THINGS, UM, INTO A MANNER OF BEING SAFE. AND FURTHERMORE, THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT UNDER THE PURVIEW OF COUNSEL AT ALL ANYWAY, IT IS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT HAS ALREADY ENTERED A FINAL ORDER. I THINK IT IS CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WITH FUNDING THIS CONTRACT AS WRITTEN AND PROPOSED BY STAFF. THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER PRIM KUMAR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, UM, UH, NEIGHBORS ONE MORE TIME. I HOPE YOU HEARD ME SAY THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M IN, IN SUPPORT OF, UM, FINDING AN AND PERMANENT SOLUTION TO, TO NEIGHBORS. I MEAN, FOR ME, THAT WAS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST YOUR SAFETY AND, UM, COMFORT. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE DIVERSITY OF THE [01:50:01] CITY COUNCILORS, THAT WE LOOK AT THINGS, UH, FROM MULTIPLE SITES. AND, UM, SO THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO SEE IF WE CAN WAIT, UH, TWO MORE WEEKS. BUT I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS, UM, AND, AND, UH, SUPPORTING THIS MOTION TO, TO DEMOLISH AND, UH, HOPEFULLY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I WAS COMING FROM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF. UM, AND I THINK MAYOR PRO TEM WALKER SAID IT ELOQUENTLY, AND THAT IS THAT OUR STAFF DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB OF GIVING MORE, UM, THAN IS NEEDED OR EXPECTED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, AND TRIES TO WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, IN GIVING TIME FOR COMPLIANCE. AND SO IF WE'RE AT THIS POINT IN THIS JUNCTURE, THEN I FEEL CONFIDENT, MORE THAN CONFIDENT THAT, UM, OUR STAFF, UM, AND OUR HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY COULD IN THIS, IN THIS SITUATION. SO, UM, AGAIN, SAFETY IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBOR FOR COMING AND, UM, AND SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH US. UM, THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR TIME, AND I TOO WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SEEING NO OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION. WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM F IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,128. ALL IN FAVOR, WALKER, HINOJOSA SMITH, CAROL NEVILLE'S, PREM KUMAR, MATTHEW, NONE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL [9. 2026-0233 Consider award of City of Coppell Request for Proposal (RFP) #220 and approval of a contract to Innocity Partners LLC., for the Smart Cities Master Plan in the amount of $115,000.00 as provided for in the General Fund budget; and authorizing the City Manager to sign any necessary documents.] RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER NINE IS CONSIDER AWARD OF THE CITY OF COPPEL. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER TWO 20, UH, AND APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH INNO CITY PARTNERS, LLC FOR THE SMART CITY'S MASTER PLAN, AND THE AMOUNT OF $115,000 AS PROVIDED FOR THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. MR. LATRELL, WE HAVE A TRAFFIC PROBLEM. SORRY, NORMALLY , WE DON'T HAVE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. , I, I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT A, I'VE GOT A TECH, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S TRAFFIC. GO FOR IT. UH, JUST READ ITEM NUMBER NINE INTO THE RECORD AND YOU'RE UP. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. COUNSEL. THIS, UH, AWARD IS, UM, AN RFP THAT WAS RELEASED FOR A SMART CITY MASTER PLAN TO KINDA HELP WITH OUR ROADMAP OF THAT. YOU'VE SEEN SMART CITY PRESENTATIONS HERE RECENTLY AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO THIS RFP WAS RELEASED TO MULTIPLE VENDORS FOR ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE, DEVELOPING THIS SMART CITY ROADMAP AND PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A MORE STRATEGIC APPROACH, UH, UTILIZING OUR VISION 2040 PILLARS AND PLAN TO, UM, KIND OF GET THAT GOING. THEY WILL COME AND DO AN ASSESSMENT AND INVENTORY OF OUR CURRENT SMART CITY ITEMS AND PLACES OR THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, AS WELL AS MEET WITH INTERNAL STAFF, THE SMART CITY BOARD, AND HELP DEVELOP THAT FRAMEWORK AND KIND OF A ROADMAP FORWARD. SO I DID NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THIS, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LATRELL? COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE BRIEF DISCUSSION, UH, THERE, UH, ALMOST A PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, IT'S ALL GOOD. UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I, I, I REALLY APPRECIATED. UM, I FEEL LIKE, UH, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE SAW FROM THE SMART CITY BOARD HAD MORE TANGIBLE ITEMS TO THEM, UH, VERSUS KIND KIND OF BEING MORE, UH, AMORPHOUS OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE LESS TANGIBLE IF YOU WILL. UH, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FOR THE SMART CITIES, UM, AND HOPEFULLY THROUGH THIS, UM, MASTER PLAN, WE'LL SEE, UH, SOME THINGS COME OUT WHERE THERE ARE LIKE TANGIBLE SHORT-TERM THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO, TO TAKE THAT SMART CITY APPROACH, BUT ALSO KIND OF FOLDING INTO A LONG-TERM STRATEGY WITH SUSTAINABILITY, UH, IN MIND ON THAT. SO STRIKING THAT BALANCE, UH, I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS I WAS ON COUNCIL, IT WAS VERY, I DON'T KNOW, VERY ABSTRACT IF YOU WILL. SO, UM, WHILE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT, THAT VISION GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT RI RISE OUTTA THAT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THIS PROCESS. UM, I HOPE HOPEFULLY THAT WE'LL, UH, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO BE, MAYBE THERE'S SOME COUNCIL INPUT, UM, IF THEY GO THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO JUST SHARE THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT MASTER PLAN TAKE SHAPE. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE MEMO HERE. UH, THE HUN , [01:55:02] WHAT IS IT? IT'S A MEMO , UH, THE $115,000 THAT WE ARE APPROVING. UH, THE SMART CITY BOARD MADE A PRESENTATION AND THEY ITEMIZED THREE THINGS. THEY WANT TO GET IT DONE. MM-HMM . ARE WE TAKING CARE OF ANY OF THOSE THINGS WITH THIS MONEY? UH, NOT WITH THIS MONEY, NO. THIS, UH, IT'S BROKEN UP INTO THREE PHASES. SO 115 FLAT CONTRACT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED. SO BE 32 5 FOR THE FIRST TWO PHASES AND 50,000 ON THE DELIVERABLE OF IT. UM, THAT WOULD BE, I GUESS UP TO COUNCIL'S DISCRETION IF YOU WANTED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE ITEMS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AS, AS PART OF THE SMART CITY PRESENTATION. IF YOU WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE, THAT WOULD BE COUNCIL'S DECISION IF YOU WANTED TO SPEND MONEY ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WERE LISTED IN THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE, I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE A HAND GO UP FROM, UH, THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE SMART CITIES BOARD, COUNCIL MEMBER KUMAR? NO, MAYOR. MAYOR. OH, MAYOR. MAYOR PROTI TAKES PRECEDENCE. I'M SORRY. THANKS, MAYOR. APPRECIATE IT. SO, UH, MR. LATRELL, SO I GUESS THE REASON I ACTUALLY ASKED FOR THIS TO BE DEFERRED TO THIS MEETING, AND THE REASON I DID IS BECAUSE I, I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF THESE CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS THAT, THAT ARE ON THE SMART CITY BOARD. I, AND, AND TO ME, THIS CONSULTING CONTRACT KIND OF UNDERSCORES THERE. THERE'S A CERTAIN AMBIGUITY THERE. UM, WE JUST RECENTLY SAW A PROJECT THAT YOU PROPOSED AT MY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW I CAN TALK ABOUT IT. WAS THAT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? AND IT WAS BRILLIANT, AND THANK YOU. I I THOUGHT IT WAS FANTASTIC. I THINK THE SMART CITY BOARD HAS MADE A COUPLE OF CONCRETE PROPOSALS THAT WE COULD EVALUATE, UH, WE COULD PUT A BUDGET NUMBER ON. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, AND, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I COME TO THIS WITH A CERTAIN JADED EYE WITH RESPECT TO CONSULTANT CONTRACTS TO BEGIN WITH. 'CAUSE I'VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF THEM, UH, RETAINED EXPERTS, FINANCIAL ADVISORS, YOU NAME IT. AND, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST GENERIC, AND I THINK LARGELY AMBIGUOUS PROPOSALS I'VE EVER SEEN. YOU COULD APPLY IT TO ANYTHING. AND, AND THEY EVEN SAY REGIONAL, LOCAL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU HIRE US AND WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO FOR YOU. AND I, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS THE BEST USE OF, OF OUR FUNDS AT THIS POINT. YOU KNOW, THE SMART CITY BOARD HAS MADE A COUPLE OF, UH, SOLID RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE TWINNING. UH, WAS IT THE TWINNING OF THE DATA? DIGITAL TWIN? YES. YEAH, THE DIGITAL TWIN. UM, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP KIND OF RESUSCITATING THIS ISSUE ABOUT, UH, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. AND, AND IN THIS PROPOSAL, AND IN THE STAFF MEMO, IT MENTIONS INDIVIDUAL PILOT INITIATIVE IN MOBILITY. I PRESUME THAT IS HERALDING BACK TO THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE THING. THE IRONY THERE IN MY EYES IS THAT WHEN, WHEN THEY FIRST, WHEN THE SMART CITY BOARD FIRST THROUGHOUT THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE THING, IT WAS A NOVEL CONCEPT. IT WAS IN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A BETA PHASE AT TESLA AND THAT SORT OF THING. NOW WE'VE GOT WAYMO'S IN DALLAS, WE'VE GOT ROBO TAXIS ROLLING OUT. THE PRIVATE MARKET HAS ALREADY FILLED THE NEED. AND I, I DO SUPPORT THE LYFT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE TO GET EMPLOYEES FROM THE DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION HUBS TO EMPLOYERS HERE IN TOWN AS A SERVICE TO OUR EMPLOYERS. UM, AND I THINK WAYMO AND ROBO TAXII COULD ALSO BE ENLISTED IN KIND OF A SIMILAR WAY TO GET, YOU KNOW, MORE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, ELDERLY TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO THE PHARMACY, TO PLACES THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO SO THAT THEY HAVE SOME AUTONOMY AND RETAIN SOME INDEPENDENCE. I JUST DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE LOOKING INTO HAVING OUR OWN FLEET OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. SO I I, IF IT WERE TO BE, I WOULD, I WOULD GO AHEAD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S A, WE NEED TO KILL THAT IDEA, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. I'M JUST ONE OF SEVEN VOICES AND THE MAYORS INCLUDED AND ALL THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY ELSE. SO, BUT I, I JUST, I WOULD RATHER HAVE A MEETING WITH THE SMART CITY BOARD AND HAVE THEM COME TO US AND SAY, THESE ARE THE TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT WE REALLY SEE HAVING VALUE TO THE CITY LONG TERM THAT WE CAN DO. HERE ARE SOME COMPANIES THAT, THAT DO THOSE THINGS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT SOLICITING FOR BIDS, UM, AND HAVING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE BECAUSE I, I JUST, WE'RE GONNA END WITH A MASTER PLAN THAT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE LOT OF CONSULTANT SPEAK. WE'RE [02:00:01] GONNA PAY SIX FIGURES TO GET, AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GIVE US ANYTHING MORE CONCRETE THAN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IS MY GUESS. AND I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE HIRING A CONSULTANT TO FILL IN THE BLANKS FOR A, FOR A, A CITY BOARD THAT MAYBE WE'RE NOT COLLABORATING WITH CLOSELY ENOUGH AND WORKING WITH CLOSELY ENOUGH TO GET THE BENEFIT OF THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE, UM, ON SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE. AND I, AND, AND WORKING WITH THEM TOWARD THAT END, WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF. I MEAN, YOU'RE CLEARLY EXCEEDINGLY CAPABLE AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE RECENT MEETING. I CAN'T TALK ABOUT, UM, I THINK MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE BEFORE WE PULL THE TRIGGER ON A SIX FIGURE CONSULTANT CONTRACT. SO THAT'S, I I, I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, MR. LAND, UH, AND, AND COUNCIL TO KIND OF SAY MY PIECE ON THAT, IF I MAY. THAT'S THE AMBIGUITY IS KIND OF WHY WE WANTED TO PRESENT THIS AND BRING IT TOGETHER. UM, AND OOPS, SORRY. WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER RESH WAS ON SMART CITY BOARD, THEY EACH KIND OF TOOK A PILLAR OF THAT, UH, PLAN AND ATTACKED ONE EACH YEAR. WE COMPLETED THAT, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR WHERE WE BROUGHT SOMETHING FORWARD. SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK FORWARD, AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE OF VISION 2040, NOT DO THOSE TODAY PROJECTS THAT STAFF MAY ALREADY BE WORKING ON. SO THERE'S THIS FINE LINE OF TRYING TO BALANCE THAT, OF HOW DO WE LOOK FORWARD AND PLAN AHEAD. IT MAY NOT BE THAT WE'RE PRESENTING OUR OWN FLEET OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, BUT ARE WE PRESENTING OR PREPARING OUR ROADS? ARE WE PREPARING POLICIES IN PLACE FOR WHEN THE WAYMO DIES ON A TRAIN TRACKS? CAN THE POLICE OR A TOW TRUCK COME PULL IT OFF? DO WE HAVE THOSE KIND OF PROCEDURES AND POLICIES IN PLACE? RIGHT? SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET FORWARD IN THAT ROADMAP. AND KIND OF A STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO KIND OF HELP GUIDE, UM, THE SMART BOARD WHO IS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE DAY JOBS THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SPEND THIS AMOUNT OF TIME, AND IT'S NOT THEIR EXPERTISE, RIGHT? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, RAMESH IS A TECHNOLOGY PERSON, BUT HE'S PROBABLY NEVER DONE A SMART CITY ROADMAP OR PLAN, RIGHT? SO THIS VENDOR THAT WE ENDED UP SELECTING HAS DONE FRISCO, MCKINNEY, DALLAS COUNTY SMART CITY LAB IN DALLAS, UH, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, HARRIS COUNTY, YOU NAME IT. SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE DEFINITELY GOT THE, THE LEG UP THERE ON DOING THIS IN THE PAST AND FOR OTHER CITIES. SO COUNCILMAN FROM KUMAR, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WAS GOING TO MAKE, UM, SOME GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT MY COLLEAGUE HERE, KEVIN. I WAS SAYING THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS WERE DRY AND ABSTRACT, BUT I WON'T, UH, HE, HE'S RIGHT. HE WAS RIGHT. UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THAT TIME, THE REMIT OF THE BOARD WAS, WAS DIFFERENT. AND, UH, THANKFULLY THE, THE, YOU ARE CHANGED AND, UH, THE WAY THE BOARD IS FUNCTIONING NOW IS, IS ACTUALLY MORE EFFICIENT, I BELIEVE. UM, SO I I'M WILLING TO ADMIT THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB. SO ALWAYS LIVE AND LEARN, RIGHT? UM, MO MO MOVING ON TO, UH, UH, THE COMMENT THAT MY WONDERFUL COLLEAGUE, UH, MAYOR PROM, JIM WALKER MADE, UM, MR. WALKER. I MEAN, I, I I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PROPOSE THAT, UH, TECHNOLOGY AND, AND THE CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY, UH, IS KIND OF THE FASTEST, RAPIDLY, RAPIDLY CHANGING, UH, SCENARIO THESE DAYS. AND WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, THINGS ARE, UM, CHANGING A LOT TO EXPECT OUR, UH, VOLUNTEER, UM, SMART CITY BOARD TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, UH, WHILE IT'S, WHILE THEY MAY HAVE IT, THAT'S NOT THEIR FULL-TIME JOB. AND THEN, UH, IN MY QUESTION AND ANSWER THAT I HAD WITH THE STAFF, YOU GAVE ME A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE WHERE THE PARK PARK BOARD REACHED OUT TO AN EXPERT TO GET IDEAS ABOUT THE, UM, MASTER PLAN. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, UM, GOING TO ACTUAL EXPERTS WHO HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS, UM, IN MANY OTHER CITIES THAT, UH, IN A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT. AND I THINK, UM, BEING ON THAT I HAVE THE CURVE NOW IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TO WAIT SIX MONTHS OR, OR A YEAR. SO I COMMEND YOU FOR, FOR HAVING THAT PLAN AND I AM GOING TO COMPLETELY SUPPORT, UM, THIS, AND I HOPE, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO SAME, I THINK I'LL JUST ECHO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PRIMA KUMAR. UM, I JUST CALL YOU RAMESH, RIGHT? SO, BUT, UM, I, BUT I SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. MAYOR PROTE WALKER. I, I THINK ALL YOUR POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN. I THINK AS I, AS I LOOK AT THIS, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, THAT YOU MENTIONED AND ARE IMPORTANT [02:05:01] FOR US TO CONSIDER IS THAT THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY TO BRING THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THEN WE HAVE THE BOARD AND OUR VOLUNTEERS TO WORK ON SOME OF THE MORE SPECIFICS LIKE WE DO WITH PARK BOARD AND SOME OF OUR OTHER BOARDS, A BOARD BOARD. UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, A LOT OF OUR BOARDS FOLLOW OUR VISION 2030 AND VISION 2040 OR OUR MASTER PLAN. SO THERE'S SOMETHING FOR THEM TO WORK TOWARDS. UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO PUT ON THEM THE OBLIGATION TO IDENTIFY ALL THE GAPS THAT WE MAY HAVE FROM A SMART CITY STANDPOINT. UM, AND JUST LIKE RAMESH, I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE ALSO PRETTY TECHIE, BUT I ONLY KNOW WHAT I KNOW IN MY SPACE. AND, UM, AND SO I ACTUALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT OF BEING FORWARD THINKING AND LOOKING AT THIS FROM A, A BIGGER STANDPOINT. AND I MEAN, WE'VE HAD CONSULTANTS, UM, COME IN FOR MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO, OUR PARK SYSTEM OR OUR STREETS OR, UM, OTHER AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE CREATED, AGAIN, THAT FOUNDATION FOR US TO WORK TOWARDS. SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY, NO PUN INTENDED, I THINK IT'S A SMART MOVE, UM, FOR OUR SMART CITIES TO HAVE A MASTER PLAN AND SOMETHING TO WORK TOWARDS. AND, UM, AND JUST TO GIVE SOME GUIDELINES AND FRAMEWORK FOR OUR BOARD THAT I THINK HAS ALSO STRUGGLED WITH WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE WORKING ON AND WHERE DO WE ADD VALUE. SO I, I APPRECIATE THIS AND, AND I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM KUMAR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO CLOSE ITEM NUMBER NINE AND APPROVE IT AS, AS STATED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO HAVE A SECOND, SECOND ABOUT HEENA HOSA SMITH. ALL IN FAVOR? HINOJOSA SMITH. CAROL NEVILLES, PREM KUMAR OPPOSED WALKER. MATTHEW. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER [10. 2026-0236 Consider review of Lynn Jenkins appointment to the Smart City Board pursuant to Section 2-11-2 of the Code of Ordinances.] 10, THIS IS CONSIDER A REVIEW OF LYNN JENKINS APPOINTMENT TO THE SMART CITY BOARD PURSUANT TO SECTION 2 11 2 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. MS. THO, I WAS TRYING TO TALK SLOWLY SO YOU HAD TIME TO GET DOWN THERE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. LAUREN DEN, CITY SECRETARY HERE TO DISCUSS MS. JENKINS, HER, UH, ATTENDANCE. SHE HAS NOT BEEN IN ATTENDANCE AT THE SMART CITY BOARD IN A YEAR AT THIS POINT. UH, WE HAVE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO REACH OUT TO MS. JENKINS EVEN BEFORE I POSTED, UM, THIS MEETING. NOTICE TO INFORM HER THAT I WOULD BE CONSTRAINED TO BRING THIS ITEM BEFORE COUNSEL. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK ANYTHING FROM HER ON THAT. UH, THE BOARD SECRETARY HAS NOT HEARD BACK ANYTHING FROM HER. DESPITE THE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AT COMMUNICATION, MY PHONE CALL WENT UNANSWERED AND NO VOICEMAIL OPPORTUNITY. SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE PRESENTING YOU WITH THIS INFORMATION AND PURSUANT TO THE, THE, UH, CODE HERE, THE DIRECTION IS YOURS TO PROVIDE TO CITY STAFF. WE DO HAVE THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROCESS UPCOMING. AND SO, UM, JUST TO KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT THIS POSITION COULD THEN POTENTIALLY BE OPEN FOR, FOR THAT PROCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, HAVE WE HAD AN ALTERNATE, UH, SUBBING IN HER PLACE SINCE SHE'S BEEN, SHE IS AN ALTERNATE. SHE OKAY. SHE, I'M SORRY, I MISSED THAT THEN. OKAY. ALRIGHT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. HAS SHE MISSED, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER WALKER OR MAYOR PROTON WALKER. SORRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I TOLD YOU GET, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIMME SIX MONTHS. I'M THAT, IT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S ALL GOOD. IT'S ALL GOOD. UM, I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLE'S ASKED. SO SHE WAS THE ALTERNATE. SO DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO TAKE HER PLACE UNTIL THE NOMINATIONS ARE FOR THAT BOARD ARE APPROVED? WE DO NOT, BUT WE DO NOT OTHERWISE HAVE AN ATTENDANCE ISSUE ON THE BOARD EITHER. AND SO OUR REGULAR MEMBERS AND OUR ALTERNATE MEMBERS ARE OTHER ALTERNATE MEMBERS ARE IN ATTENDANCE. OKAY. SO SHE, SO SHE IS STILL AN ALTERNATE? YES, SIR. AH, THANK YOU. I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THAT EITHER. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SHE'S MISSED MORE THAN 25% OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PRIM [02:10:01] KUMAR, UH, MAY I LIKE TO CLOSE, UH, ITEM NUMBER 10 AND APPROVE AS STATED. SO WE COUNCIL MEMBER PRIM KUMAR, WE NEED A DIRECTION ON THE MOTION. UH, ALRIGHT. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT, UM, MS. LIZ JENKINS MOVE TO APPROVE, MOVE TO APPROVE THAT. UM, LYNN JENKINS BE REMOVED FROM SMART CITY BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SECOND ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? WALKER. HINA, HOSA SMITH, CAROL, NEVILLES, PREMAR. MATTHEW, NONE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM NUMBER 11 [11. City Manager Reports, Project Updates, Future Agendas, and Direction from Work Session ] IS THE CITY MANAGER REPORTS WITH PROJECT UPDATES, FUTURE AGENDAS AND DIRECTION FROM WORK SESSION. MR. LAN, WELCOME BACK. YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I FEEL MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU. UH, JUST SOME UPDATES. UH, THE FIRST IS THE BULLOCK AND HOW, UH, THE CONTRACTORS COMPLETED THE POOR ON HOW DRIVE AND IS PREPARING THE SUBGRADE FOR BULLOCK. Y'ALL RECEIVED AN EMAIL TONIGHT. UM, MY STAFF WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. THEY JUST RECEIVED IT TONIGHT AS WELL AND ADDRESSING SOME ISSUES, UH, WITH, UH, WITH THE FOLKS DOWN THERE, THE ROYAL LAND RECONSTRUCTION. THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEGUN UTILITY INSTALLATIONS AT THE SERVICE CENTER. UM, SOME OF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR WHEN WE HAD PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, UH, LUNCHEON OVER THERE. THE CONTRACTOR'S WORKING ON PUNCH LIST ITEMS. AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVE IN AROUND JUNE THE FIRST OR THE FIRST PART OF JUNE. THE JUSTICE CENTER, IF YOU'VE NOTICED THE CONSTRUCTION, THE MASONRY IS STARTING TO GO UP AND FIRE STATION THREE, YOU NOTICE IT'S GONE. UH, THE THE, UH, LIVING QUARTERS ARE GONE. THE DEMOLITION OF THE FIRE STATION THREE IS COMPLETE AND THE, UH, CONTRACTOR WILL BEGIN THE SLAB PREPARATION THIS WEEK. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT BUILDING DISAPPEARED VERY QUICKLY. IT DID. ITEM NUMBER [12. Mayor and Council Reports on Recent and Upcoming Events.] 12, RAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS ON RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TO THE FUN FOOD AND GROOVES ON MAY 15TH. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AND A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL IN OLD TOWN COPPEL. I THINK THIS JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT WE DO HAVE AN ATTRACTION DOWN THERE AND, UH, WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO, TO, UH, GET THE FOOT TRAFFIC THERE. SECOND ITEM IS A HARDY CONGRATULATIONS TO A, AN, UH, EXCUSE ME AND AINSLEY BRAMER. SHE'S A CO, UH, COPPEL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WHO WON A GOLD MEDAL IN THE SHOT PUT AT THE UIL TRACK AND FIELD STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS ON MAY 16TH. WE DO PLAN TO HAVE HER BE AT A COUNCIL MEETING SO WE CAN SEE MORE GOLD HERE. WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE HER HERE ON JUNE 9TH. HOWEVER, SHE IS A GRADUATING SENIOR, SO WE WILL PLAY BY HER SCHEDULE, UH, VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION. WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME OUR VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN US ON JUNE 4TH AT 6:00 PM AT THE OLD TOWN PAVILION FOR AN APPRECIATION EVENT. THIS IS A WEEK FROM THURSDAY NIGHT. WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE OUR VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE NOTHING ELSE ON, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS. ITEM 13 ARE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING ITEMS OF, OF COMMUNITY INTEREST WITH NO COUNCIL ACTION OR DELIBERATION PERMITTED. COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE, UM, THERE WAS NO ACTION NECESSARY FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO THEREFORE, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 9:02 PM. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.