Jul 27, 2021 City Council

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>>> GOOD MORNING, IT IS 6:00 P.M., JULY 27TH.

I CALL THIS SESSION OF MIDLOTHIAN CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. COUNCILMAN COFFMAN WILL LEAD US

IN INVOCATION. >> WOULD YOU BOW WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON. FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS THAT ARE SO EVIDENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY. I PRAY THAT YOUR HAND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ON OUR CITY AS WE DO OUR DAILY BUSINESS, AS WE LIVE LIFE, AS WE EAT, WORK, AND PLAY IN THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. LORD, I PRAY THAT YOUR HAND WOULD CONTINUE TO REST ON US AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH US TONIGHT AS WE DO THE BUSINESS FOR THE CITY.

LORD, I PRAY THAT IT WOULD BE YOUR WILL AND NOT OUR WILL.

AND THAT TONIGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT WHAT YOU HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE GIVE THIS NIGHT TO YOU.

LORD WE PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR PARAMEDICS, OUR MEN AND WOMEN AND PRAY THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD NIGHT FOR THIS CITY AND THOSE WHO SERVE IT SO WELL. IN YOUR NAME I PRAY AMEN.

[2021-332]

>>> ITEM 2021-332. RECEIVE A QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT FROM PATTERSON & ASSOCIATES.

AND WELCOME BACK. >>> YOU'RE DOING AN ABSOLUTELY SUPER JOB. BETTER THAN WE'RE SEEING IN THE MARKET UNFORTUNATELY. I HAVE A LITTLE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU AT LEAST THERE'S CHANGE COMING.

BUT IT'S NOT HERE YET. AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH A LOT WHAT YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE ABOUT THE FEDS SAYING AND EVERYBODY KNOWING THERE'S INFLATION OUT THERE.

THERE IS INFLATION EVERYWHERE. BUT WE HAVE TO DECIDE AND WHAT THE FED IS TRYING TO DECIDE IS IS IT PERMANENT OR IS IT TEMPORARY? THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THEY DO AND HOW QUICKLY THEY DO IT.

AND IT'S ALL DEPENDENT UPON GROWTH AND DEPENDENT UPON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH MANUFACTURERS AND SO FORTH.

AND I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED BEFORE AT OTHER QUARTERLY MEETINGS ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN.

SO HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A SUPPLY CHAIN.

AN IPHONE HAS 20,000 DIFFERENT PIECES IN IT FROM ALMOST THAT MANY MANUFACTURERS FROM THE RAW COMMODITIES ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

AND WHEN YOU GET A DISRUPTION LIKE WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST YEAR WITH COVID IN MOVING THE SUPPLIES AND PROVIDING THOSE SUPPLIES, IT'S A SUPPLY CHAIN NIGHTMARE OUT THERE WHICH KIND OF ROLLS THROUGH THE ECONOMY. AND IF YOU GET THAT KIND OF PRICE INCREASE AND DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THINGS, YOU ALL KNOW I'M SURE THAT THE COST OF A USED CAR HAS GONE UP ABOUT 38% AND IT'S BECAUSE WE CAN'T PRODUCE THE SEMICONDUCTORS THAT GO INTO THE NEW CARS. SO THE OTHER ONES ARE UP IN PERCENTAGE. SO WE'VE GOT THE SUPPLY CHAIN, THAT'S PRETTY MASSIVE. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET THAT GOING AGAIN THEN THE BEST WORD IS MASSIVE STIMULUS GOING INTO THE ECONOMY. SO MUCH MONEY GOING INTO THE ECONOMY AND SO MUCH LIQUIDITY GOING INTO THE ECONOMY.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE THROWING THAT INTO THE STOCK MARKETS.

THERE'S A RISK ON KIND OF SITUATION.

A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THE STIMULUS STOPS. BUT WE'VE HAD ABOUT $4 BILLION SINCE LAST YEAR THIS TIME IN STIMULUS AND INTO THE ECONOMY FROM BOTH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. NOW WE HAVE ON THE TABLE ANOTHER $3 BILLION COMING OUT FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND IN THAT CASE YOU'VE GOT EVEN MORE MONEY COMING INTO THE ECONOMY THAT'S GOT TO BE ABSORBED.

SO YOU HAVE KIND OF A SPIRAL WITH PRODUCERS, THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE SUPPLY CHAIN GOING.

THEN THE PRODUCER PRICE INDEX IS INCREASING BECAUSE THEIR PRODUCTION COSTS ARE GOING UP. AND THEN IT COMES TO THE

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AND WE SEE IT EVERYWHERE AROUND. IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE GROWTH, IS THE GROWTH WE'RE SEEING NOW AND HOPEFULLY NOT WITH THIS RESURGENCE OF COVID AGAIN AND THE DERIVATIVES FROM IT.

HOPEFULLY THAT'S NOT GOING TO SLOW US DOWN AGAIN.

BUT THIS GROWTH IS GOING TO CONTINUE, YOU SEE IT IN MANUFACTURING, THE MANUFACTURING IS UP WHICH MEANS THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE HIRES, THE HIGHER WAGES GOING IN THERE.

THAT ADDS TO THE INFLATION AND OF COURSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE TWO THINGS THAT THE FED WATCHES VERY CLOSELY, EMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION.

WE'VE GOT HIGH INFLATION NOW. THE QUESTION IS IS THAT GOING TO CONTINUE. YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH BUILDING GOING ON AROUND HERE. HOUSING IS ANOTHER AREA THAT IS WE'RE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE IT GOT SO EXPENSIVE FOR INSTANCE FOR LUMBER. AND THE LUMBER WAS OUTRAGEOUS.

THAT KICKED UP THE PRICE OF THE HOUSES.

THAT'S COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT NOW BUT ALL OF THE COMMODITIES, THE COPPER PIPES, THE ALUMINUM, EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO A HOUSE HAS GONE UP IN PRICE BECAUSE OF THE SUPPLY CHAINS.

SO IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCE AND DANCE THAT THEY'RE PLAYING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING TO SEE IS THIS GOING TO SLOW DOWN OR IS IT GOING TO CONTINUE.

AND THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT IS ON EVERYBODY'S MIND.

BUT THE HOUSING, FOR INSTANCE THE HOUSING IS UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND THERE. THOSE ARE THE PRICES OF HOME PRICES ON A YEAR OVER YEAR BASIS.

AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED DURING THIS WHOLE COVID SITUATION WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY ANTICIPATED WAS ALL OF THE PEOPLE WORKING FROM HOME AND THEY SAID WELL THIS IS GREAT I'M GOING TO WORK FROM HOME, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE OUT WHERE I CAN GET A HOUSE. I'M GOING TO MOVE OUT TO MIDLOTHIAN, I'M NOT GOING TO LIVE IN A CONDO DOWN IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS. AND SO THE HOUSING CONTINUES AND THERE'S SUCH A DEMAND THERE THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE. NOW WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE WITH THE PAYROLLS AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT.

IT TAKES UP A LITTLE BIT BUT WE'RE REALLY BASICALLY IN VERY GOOD STEAD. SO THERE IS, MR. MAYOR, SOME GOOD NEWS. I ALWAYS TRY TO BRING YOU SOME GOOD NEWS. THIS ONE I ENTITLED THE FED GRO GROWSAL -- GROWS TALONS.

WHEN THE FED IS ACCOMMODATING THEY PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE MARKET AND THEY JUST WATCH AND SUPPORT WHAT'S GOING ON ON BOTH ENDS OF THE CURVE WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU HERE IN A SECOND.

THOSE ARE DOVES. SO WHEN WE SAY THAT THE FED IS BEING VERY ACCOMMODATIVE AND PUTTING MONEY INTO THE ECONOMY AND HELPING THE ECONOMY, THEY ARE THE DOVES.

WELL, A LOT OF OUR FED PRESIDENTS ARE GROWING A LITTLE BIT HAWKISH NOW. THEY'VE GOT SOME TALONS TO GO IN HERE. SO THEY ARE MOVING SLOWLY, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE FAST BECAUSE IT DISTURBS THE MARKETS TO DO SO. BUT THEY WILL START TO TALK TO THE MARKETS ABOUT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT BEING LESS ACCOMMODATIVE.

THEY STARTED THAT TWO MONTHS AGO.

PROBABLY WE'LL GET A LITTLE MORE DEFINITIVE LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IN SEPTEMBER BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR ECONOMIC FORUM IN JACKSON HOLE. BUT THE ONE ON THE LOWER RIGHT HERE IS THE DOT PLOT. AND WHAT THE DOT PLOT SAYS IS WHERE THE PRESIDENTS WHO SIT ON THE FEDERAL OPEN MARKETS COMMITTEE, THE ONES WHO MAKE THE RATE DECISIONS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE SAYING OH THE RATES ARE GOING TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN BEFORE.

SO THAT DOT PLOT IS LOOKING A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS TO INVEST IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION.

AND THEY'RE NOT ALONE, THE CENTRAL BANKS ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE DOING THE SAME THING. THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT GETTING A LITTLE LESS ACCOMMODATIVE. FOR INSTANCE THE ONE THING THAT THEY'LL DO FIRST IS THEY WILL EVERY MONTH THEY BUY 120 BILLION WITH A B, WORTH OF LONG SECURITIES AND THEY'RE GOING TO START CUTTING THAT BACK. AND I'LL SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT. SO THE CENTRAL BANKS, EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD IS SEEING THIS GROWTH.

WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT'S REALLY GOING TO STAY OR NOT.

IS IT GOING TO BE PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY.

ONE THING THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AND THE CITY BUYS A LOT OF FANNIE MAES AND FREDDY MACS.

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SINCE THAT CAME ABOUT, THE TREASURY IS GOING TO KEEP THEM NOW. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PROFITS OF THOSE CORPORATIONS. WE COULD HAVE FIGURED THAT ONE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND THEY ARE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

SO WHEN YOU SEE A LOT OF FANNIES AND FREDDIES IN THE PORTFOLIO, YOU CAN KNOW THAT IS THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. THIS IS THE YIELD CURVE.

OF COURSE THIS IS WHERE THE UNITED STATES TREASURIES WHICH ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST MOST LIQUID MARKETS IN THE WORLD AND CONTROL OUR RATES ON OUR BONDS. AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING. I JUST WENT BACK TO MARCH OF 21.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S CHANGING A LITTLE BIT, THE RED LINE BEING IN JUNE. WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS OUT TO THE ONE YEAR OR TWO YEAR AREA, THERE'S SO MUCH LIQUIDITY IN THE SYSTEM, THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY IN THE BANKS THAT THE BANKS DON'T WANT MORE MONEY. THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY SLOSHING AROUND THE ECONOMY AND THEY STAY SHORT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND SO THAT UNCERTAINTY OF NOT KNOWING IS THEY PUT THE MONEY IN MONEY MARKET FUNDS AND IN BANKS WHO INVEST IN THAT SHORT PART OF THE CURVE.

SO AS THEY BUY MORE AND MORE AND MORE THEN THE PRICES GO UP AND THE RATES GO DOWN. SO WE HAVE TO GET RID OF SOME OF THAT UNCERTAINTY. THE CHANGE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS OVER IN THE LONG END. AND THAT'S OUT TO THE TEN YEAR AND THE 30 YEAR. WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE IS THE FEDS SUPPORTING THE LONG END. THE REASON THEY DO THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE BUYING SECURITIES AND THEY'RE MAKING THEM MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THE SUPPLY GOES DOWN WHICH PUSH THE RATES DOWN A LITTLE BIT. WHO DOES THAT BENEFIT? NOT THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN, BUT IT DOES SUPPORT HOME OWNERSHIP AND KEEPS THOSE MORTGAGE RATES DOWN WHICH ARE VERY, VERY LOW RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING IN THE PORTFOLIO BECAUSE OF COURSE YOUR MONEY IS AN OPERATING MONEY AND SO YOU'RE SPENDING A GREAT DEAL OF YOUR MONEY IN THE 1 AND 2 YEAR AREA, BUT NOT MUCH FURTHER.

SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH A VERY FLAT YIELD CURVE ON THE FRONT END. HOW THAT COMES ABOUT IN THE PORTFOLIO THEN IS THIS IS THE GENERAL.

AND THIS IS AT THE END OF MARCH LAST QUARTER AND THE END OF JUNE. YOU CAN SEE THE 112 TO 106, THAT'S YOUR NORMAL SPEND DOWN. THAT'S JUST SPENDING THE MONEY THAT YOU GOT FROM ALL OF THE TAXES AND PAYING THE PAYROLLS AND SO FORTH. AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT OUT THERE.

KEEP PUTTING THINGS ON THE PORTFOLIO WHICH EXTENDS THE WAM OR THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY.

UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT THOSE RATES FROM THAT VERY FLAT YIELD CURVE. SO THE END OF THE QUARTER IN MARCH WE WERE ACTUALLY A 36, A .36 AND NOW IT'S DOWN TO A .16.

SO THE EARNINGS THIS YEAR ARE MISERABLE.

THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT. THIS YEAR THE GENERAL FUND WHICH AVERAGES ABOUT 80 MILLION TO 100 MILLION HAS ONLY EARNED $171,000 BECAUSE WHEN YOU ONLY EARN .02, YOU'RE JUST NOT GETTING VERY MUCH. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS ASSET ALLOCATION IS CONCERNED.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT A LOT OF THE MONEY IS STAYING IN THE POOL. AND WHERE WE CAN BEAT THE POOL, WHERE WE CAN GO OUT INTO COMMERCIAL PAPER, MUNICIPAL, STATE AND LOCAL, HIGHER ED, AND SOME CDS THAT HAD BEEN ON THE PORTFOLIO FOR A WHILE. SO IT'S A LOT OF DIVERSIFICATION BUT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET THAT POOL FIGURED DOWN BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUCH MONEY IN A POOL, BUT YOU CAN'T RISK GOING TOO FAR BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY.

SO YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE MATURITY ASSET ALLOCATION ON THE RIGHT ON THE BAR CHART WHERE WE CAN GO OUT INTO THE TWO YEAR AREA, GRAB SOME BONDS, GET A LITTLE BIT OF YIELD ONTO THE PORTFOLIO. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE WORK WITH STAFF WHO ARE REALLY GOOD IN KEEPING US IN TOUCH WITH THE CASH FLOW NEEDS AND WITH YOUR NEW BONDS, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THOSE TOO. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM MARCH TO JUNE. YOU CAN SEE IT HASN'T CHANGED ALL THAT MUCH. A LITTLE BIT LESS IN THE POOLS,

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AND SO THEY'RE MORE WILLING TO ISSUE COMMERCIAL PAPER ON THE MARKET AND THEY WANT TO SELL THAT SO THEY'LL SELL IT AT A GOOD RATE. SO THAT'S PROVIDING A LOT OF GOOD BENEFIT TO THE FRONT END OF THE PORTFOLIO AND HOPEFULLY NOW IT'S STARTED UP AGAIN AND WE CAN PUT SOME MORE ON.

YOU HAVE DIVERSIFICATION LIMITS IN YOUR POLICY AND YOU CAN SEE YOU'RE WELL BELOW ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY SITTING IN THE POOLS. BUT EXCEPT FOR COMMERCIAL PAPER WE'RE RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT OR WERE AT THE END OF JUNE.

AND WE TRY TO KEEP THAT ONE UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE RIGHT UP TO YOUR DIVERSIFICATION LIMIT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE CAN GET THE VALUE RIGHT NOW. LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT SUB PORTFOLIOS, THIS IS MEDC AND I JUST RAN IT BACK TO FISCAL YEAR 20. IT'S NICE TO LOOK AT SOME PERCENTAGES AND INTEREST RATES WHERE THEY'RE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DECIMAL. SO THAT'S WHY I GO BACK THAT FAR. BUT YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENED. THE AVERAGE WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY ON THE PORTFOLIO IS BACK SO WE'RE GETTING MONEY INVESTED. BUT THE AVERAGE YIELD ON THE ENDING YIELD OR THAT BENCHMARK YIELD HAVE GONE FROM A .75 SO THREE QUARTERS OF A PERCENT DOWN TO SIX BASIS POINTS, SO .06%.

BUT THE PORTFOLIO IS LOOKING REALLY GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE STILL ON THE AVERAGE YIELD AT A .89, .87.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATION THERE AND OF COURSE ALL OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS ARE USING THAT MONEY A LOT.

SO WE HAVE TO KEEP A LOT LIQUID THERE.

THIS IS MDIC AND EDC AT THE END OF JUNE AND SO THE POOL AMOUNT IS HUGE THERE BECAUSE OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP.

SO IT'S A LOT MORE LIQUID THAN WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING ON THAT ONE.

THE MCDC TYPE B, SAME KIND OF STORY FROM A .8 AVERAGE YIELD DOWN TO A .08 IN A MATTER OF A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF.

BUT THE NONCASH PORTION WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT, WHAT'S REALLY BEING USED TO INVEST IS STILL UP AROUND A THIRD OF A PERCENTAGE POINT. AND OF COURSE THE BENCHMARK YIELD WHICH IS THE TREASURIES THE SAME WAY, .75 DOWN TO SIX BASIS POINTS. THIS IS MCDC, SAME SITUATION, THEY HAVE NEEDS FOR THEIR CASHFLOW.

SO A LOT OF THE PORTFOLIO IS LIQUID, 78% HERE.

HERE'S AGAIN WE'RE USING THE UNIS WHICH WERE REALLY GOOD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THEY'RE STARTING TO BE LESS EFFECTIVE NOW. KEEPING THE MINIMUM IN THE BANKS BECAUSE THE BANKS ARE SO FLOODED WITH MONEY, THEY JUST DON'T WANT ANYMORE. THAT'S WHY THE POOLS ARE -- AND MDA, HERE IS YOUR BIGGEST AUTHORITY WITH THAT CLOSING BALANCE AT 48 MILLION. THEY KEEP GROWING UP, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A LOT OF CASH NEEDS AND A LOT OF PLANS.

SO THEY'VE GONE, THEY'RE ENDING YIELD IS A LITTLE BIT SHORTER, BUT WE'VE EXTENDED THAT PORTFOLIO AS I SAY TO GET OVER THAT MOAT TO THE FLAT PART OF THE CURVE INTO THE HIGH YIELD AREAS. MDA LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

THE AGENCIES A LOT BIGGER PERCENTAGE OF THE PORTFOLIO.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THAT LITTLE PICK UP IN YIELD THERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THAT IS FROM THE 1 TO 2 YEAR AND ABOVE THE TWO YEAR AREA. SO OVERALL I JUST DON'T LOOK AT THE EARNINGS PART BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT $216,000 FOR THE YEAR IN 19-20, THIS QUARTER ABOUT 62.

SO IT'S AVERAGING NOW ABOUT 60,000 A QUARTER FOR THE EARNINGS ACROSS ALL OF THE SUBGROUPS.

AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM ARE YOUR BENCHMARKS AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S REALLY, THAT'S WHAT'S DRAGGING US ALL THE WAY DOWN.

AND IT'S GOING TO KEEP THERE UNTIL THE FED GROWS A FEW MORE

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SO ANY QUESTIONS? >> OBVIOUSLY THE RATES HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE FLOOR. AND I'M NOT A FINANCE PERSON SO FORGIVE ME, BUT HOW DO THE INTEREST INCOME THAT WE'VE BROUGHT IN OR ARE PLANNING TO BRING IN THIS YEAR COMPARE TO

PRE-COVID? >> OH.

>> I THINK THIS YEAR -- >> PROBABLY A QUARTER.

AN EASY WAY TO FIGURE IT IS THAT RIGHT BEFORE COVID HIT IN MARCH 2020, THE OVERNIGHT RATE WAS A 1.5%.

AND THE FED TOOK IT FROM 1.5 TO 0.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU GET THAT ABOUT FOUR BASIS POINTS OR .04% NOW. AND SO THAT KIND OF DROP IS TOTALLY EQUIVALENT TO WHAT YOU'VE LOST IN POTENTIAL INTEREST EARNINGS. I THINK, NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO REMEMBER THIS AND QUOTE ME NEXT TIME, I'M SURE, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO START TO SEE THIS BECAUSE MOST OF US WHO BUY THINGS AND PAY CABLE BILLS, INFLATION IS THERE.

IT'S GOING TO STAY THERE FOR A WHILE.

SO ONCE THE FED DECIDES AND THE OTHER CENTRAL BANKS DECIDE THIS IS GOING TO STICK, THEN WHERE THAT YIELD CURVE WENT LIKE THAT, THEN I THINK THE BELLY OF THE CURVE IS GOING TO COME UP A LITTLE BIT WHICH WILL GIVE US A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY ON THE CITY'S PORTFOLIO. I DON'T THINK IT WILL HAPPEN QUICKLY. THE FED IS SAYING THEY WON'T ACTUALLY RAISE RATES UNTIL 2023. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE MARKET DOESN'T SEE THEM, OH THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS SO THEY'RE GOING TO ANTICIPATE IT AND YOU'LL SEE THE RATES MOVE UP A LITTLE BIT FASTER. SO I THINK MAYBE NEXT YEAR IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER. BUT WE'RE STILL IN FOR ABOUT

ANOTHER 10, 12 MONTHS. >> SO THIS YEAR FOR THE FISCAL YEAR IT WAS ROUGHLY $117,000 OR SO.

SO WE WERE DOING 400,000 OR SO PLUS?

>> YEAH. WE CAME IN AT 215, ABOUT 200,000 IN INTEREST WHERE WE WERE CLOSER TO 500,000.

>> THANK YOU. >> WHAT GOES DOWN HAS TO COME BACK UP AGAIN. THAT PENDULUM WILL SWING, WE JUST HAVE TO BE READY FOR IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, LINDA. >> 2021-333, PRESENTATION OF

[2021-333]

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO WE'RE BACK TO THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN. SO YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED A BINDER WITH THE BUDGET WHICH REALLY TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WILL JUST BE AN OVERVIEW OF THAT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY -- COME FRIDAY WHEN WE START OUR FIRST ALL DAY BUDGET WORKSHOP.

SO WITH THAT I'LL GO THROUGH JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 21-22 PROPOSED BUDGET. SO WHAT IS OUR GOAL? OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR SERVICE LEVELS IN A VERY HIGH GROWTH ENVIRONMENT.

MAINTAIN OUR ADEQUATE FUND BALANCES TO PROTECT OUR BOND RATING AND ALSO STABILIZE SHOULD SOMETHING CHANGE IN THE ECONOMY.

WE'D ALSO LIKE TO ENSURE THAT OUR CRITICAL ASSUMPTIONS ARE CONSERVATIVE. THAT HELPS US KEEP OUR FINANCES STRONG. THIS YEAR WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOTER APPROVED BOND PROGRAM.

AND WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT TAX RATE OF 67.5 CENTS. THAT'S WHAT WE TOLD THE VOTERS WE WOULD DO EVEN WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS BOND PROGRAM. SOME OTHER PRIORITIES, AGAIN GOING BACK TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT BOND PROGRAM IS OUR FIRST ISSUANCE. WE TOLD THE COUNCIL ABOUT START ISSUANCE FOR HAWKINS RUN ROAD, THE DESIGN FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY AND THE CITY HALL LIBRARY, AND ENGINEERING FOR MCALPIN AND MOCKINGBIRD ROAD. WE WANT TO CONTINUE OUR ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM, INCREASING OUR ROAD MAINTENANCE BUDGET, AND ALSO A NEW ONE THIS YEAR IS TO LOOK AT SIDEWALK

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WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR STAFF.

STAFFING IS IMPORTANT. WE'LL KEEP ABREAST OF THE MARKET AND TRY TO ENHANCE OUR RETENTION AND OUR RECRUITMENT.

THAT INCLUDES COMPENSATION STUDIES.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT FIVE YEARS SINCE WE'VE DONE THE STUDY.

WE TRY TO DO THEM EVERY FIVE YEARS.

IT'S COMING UPON THAT TIME AGAIN WHERE WE LIKE TO GO OUT AND LOOK OUT AT THE MARKET AND SEE WHAT OUR COMPETITION IS DOING.

SORRY KEEPING UP HERE, I'M SORRY.

SOME GOOD NEWS, PROPERTY TAX BASE CONTINUES TO GROW.

WE'RE AT 5.65% GROWTH THIS YEAR. THAT FOLLOWS LAST YEAR'S 14.34%.

YOU MIGHT ASK WHY WAS IT SO FAR DOWN? THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE GOOGLE TAX ABATEMENT.

A LOT OF VALUE LAST YEAR AND THEN THE ABATEMENT KICKS IN THIS YEAR. SO THE GROWTH IS STILL REALLY GOOD EVEN THOUGH THIS NUMBER LOOKS LOW, IT'S BECAUSE THAT ABATEMENT CAME IN. SO OUR TOTAL CERTIFIED TAXABLE VALUE IS JUST UNDER $5 BILLION, THAT AMOUNT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. OUR FREEZE ADJUSTED TAXABLE IS JUST UNDER 4.6 BILLION. AND WHAT THAT FREEZE ADJUSTED IS OVER 65 PROPERTIES HAVE THAT FREEZE AMOUNT IN THERE.

SO THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE FROZEN AND THAT'S WHAT THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS. SO A LOOK AT THE TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE AGAIN, THIS IS A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE SAME NUMBERS, BUT YOU CAN LOOK BACK OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS AND SEE THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF HOW THOSE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO. YOU SEE WE'VE HAD SOME VERY LARGE YEARS WITH DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES, AND THEN WE'VE HAD SOME OF THE SINGLE DIGIT INCREASES.

PROBABLY WITHOUT THE GOOGLE ABATEMENT, WE'D PROBABLY BE PUSHING THE 10% MARK AGAIN THIS YEAR.

SOME MORE GOOD NEWS, SALES TAX REMAINS STEADY.

IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID. WE DID NOT KNOW WHERE WE WERE GOING WITH THAT AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT SALES TAX.

SO WE BUDGETED THAT NUMBER FLAT AND WE DIDN'T INCREASE IT AT ALL. THE GOOD NEWS IS IT REMAINS STEADY. WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE BIG DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES WE HAD BEFORE, BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS TRACKING ALMOST EXACTLY TO WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME.

SO WE UPPED THE BUDGET TO REFLECT THAT NUMBER THIS YEAR.

SO WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE IN SALES TAX BUDGETED FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. OBVIOUSLY BUILDING ACTIVITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO VERY FAR AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S TAKING PLACE.

WE EXPECT THAT THAT ESPECIALLY ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WE EXPECT THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE, ESPECIALLY WITH A LOT OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE BEING PUT ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.

WE ALSO EXPECT THE NONRESIDENTIAL GROWTH TO CONTINUE. SO WITH THAT, THIS WAS ALSO A COVID RELATED DEAL. WE BROUGHT THIS NUMBER DOWN LAST YEAR, NOT TRYING TO ANTICIPATE BUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S REMAINED STRONG AND STEADY SO WE BUMPED THAT NUMBER BACK UP IN THIS PROPOSAL. GENERAL FUND REVENUES FOR A HISTORICAL LOOK. THE BUDGET FOR 21-22 WE'RE PROPOSING JUST UNDER $41 MILLION IN REVENUES IN THE GENERAL FUND.

YOU CAN SEE THAT'S ABOUT A 9.3% INCREASE.

A LOT OF THAT DEALING WITH THE SALES TAX BUILDING RELATED ACTIVITY, ET CETERA, AND THE PROPERTY TAXES.

AGAIN YOU CAN LOOK BACK THERE AT THE HISTORY OF KIND OF HOW THIS NUMBER HAS INCREASED OVER TIME. AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THAT IS GENERATED BY THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS, IT BREAKS IT DOWN BY CATEGORY. YOU CAN SEE OUR TAXES, OUR AD VALOREM TAXES, OUR SALES TAXES, OUR PROPERTY TAXES.

BUILDING PERMITS YOU SEE A 60% INCREASE.

BUT WITH THE ACTIVITY WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR, PROJECTING THAT INTO NEXT YEAR, THAT'S A BIG INCREASE OVER WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN LAST YEAR WITH COVID.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL, THIS IS OUR CONTRACTS WITH ROED OAK, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ET CETERA. FINES AND FORFEITURES, THAT'S OUR CITATION REVENUE. THE OTHER CATEGORY, YOU SEE IT WENT DOWN 16%, YOU MIGHT QUESTION THAT.

THE BIGGEST BULK OF THAT NUMBER COMES FROM OUR TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE. THAT'S WHERE GOOGLE IS LOCATED SO THE TAX ABATEMENT ALSO AFFECTED THAT.

THAT REVENUE IS DOWN, BUT ALSO THE PAYMENT OUT IS DOWN TOO.

SO THERE'S AN OFFSETTING EXPENDITURE FOR THAT AMOUNT.

AND THEN THIS IS OUR TRANSFER THAT COMES IN FROM OUR UTILITY FUND. EXPENDITURE HISTORY, SIMILAR

[00:30:03]

YOU CAN SEE LAST YEAR'S WAS KIND OF THAT ANOMALY.

AGAIN WE HELD EVERYTHING, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PERSONNEL LAST YEAR IF YOU RECALL. THAT 2% DROP AGAIN, THAT WAS LOOKING AT THE COVID RELATED THING.

WE'RE BACK IN THAT GROWTH MODE AND WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD PERSONNEL AND CAPITAL THIS YEAR SO THAT BRINGS THAT KNURL UP TO -- NUMBER UP TO AN 8.2% INCREASE.

IT'S NO SECRET OUR PERSONNEL IS BY FAR OUR BIGGEST EXPENSE AT JUST OVER $26.5 MILLION. THEN WE HAVE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, SUPPLIES, DEBT, AND THIS DEBT IS PRIMARILY OUR CAPITAL LEASE. THIS IS NOT OUR INS OR OUR BOND DEBT. SO I DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE THOSE TWO. THIS IS JUST OUR CAPITAL LEASE STUFF LIKE ON OUR COPIERS, PRINTERS, ET CETERA.

CAPITAL ITEMS, PRIMARILY ROAD, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN EQUIPMENT PURCHASES. THE OTHER CATEGORY, THIS KIND OF ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THINGS. THIS IS OUR ELECTRIC BILL, FUEL BILL, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS IN THIS OTHER CATEGORY.

THE TRANSFERS, THIS IS GOING BACK TO THE TURS, I TOLD YOU THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN OFFSET IN THERE FROM AN EXPENDITURE STANDPOINT. THEN ALSO THIS IS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NON-PROFITS, ET CETERA. A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE PROGRAM PRIORITIES. AGAIN I MENTIONED ROAD REHAB.

WE HAVE $2 MILLION, AND WE HAVE A LISTING OF STREETS THAT WE'LL PRESENT TO YOU ON FRIDAY THAT KIND OF LINES OUT WITH THE STREETS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO REHAB NEXT YEAR.

THE SIDEWALKS, WE'VE JUST KIND OF INCORPORATED INTO OUR MAINTENANCE IN THE PAST, BUT WE WANTED TO BREAK THAT OUT AND WE WANT TO ENHANCE SIDEWALKS, FIX SOME SIDEWALKS DOWNTOWN.

AND THEN ALSO JUST A STREET MAINTENANCE, THIS IS CRACKED CEILING, POTHOLING, ET CETERA. AND WE WANT TO BOOST THAT NUMBER UP. OBVIOUSLY AS WE GET MORE STREETS AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THOSE SAFE.

PERSONNEL, MENTIONED THIS, WE GOT THE 4% INCREASE BOTH UNIFORM AND CIVILIAN. THIS TIES IN WITH OUR STEP PLAN FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS. WE WANT TO MAINTAIN BENEFITS TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET. I KNOW THE COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED THE INSURANCE BENEFITS AND THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THAT.

WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET.

AND LIKE I MENTIONED THE COMPENSATION STUDY HAS BEEN FIVE YEARS. WE WANT TO LOOK AT DOING THAT THIS YEAR TO SEE WHERE WE STAND. THESE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT RICK WE'RE -- STANDPOINT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE NEW POSITIONS IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT. ANOTHER SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED BY THE DISTRICT AND THEN TWO INVESTIGATIVE POSITIONS. WE HAVE A PART TIME CHAPLAIN AND VICTIM'S COORDINATOR POSITION, WE WANT TO MAKE THEM FULL-TIME.

AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DOING SOME UPGRADES TO THE GUN RANGE OUT NEAR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD THREE NEW FIREFIGHTER ENGINEERS, LOOKING TO START STAFFING THE LADDER TRUCK FULL-TIME AND THIS WILL BE THE FIRST STEP IN THAT PROCESS. ALSO SOME EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT, THE BREATHING APPARATUS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A TWO YEAR PLAN TO GET THOSE REPLACED AND ALSO THE BAY DOORS AT STATION 2 AND 3 TO MAKE THEM MORE LIKE STATION ONE HAS WITH THE BIFOLD QUICK OPENING DOORS BECAUSE WE'RE EXPERIENCING SOME ISSUES WITH THE CURRENT DOORS. AND ALSO LOOKING TO ADD A 911 DISPATCHER OR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.

PARKS AND REC, WE'VE GOT A NEW PARK OPENING.

THAT'S THE PLAN IS TO OPEN PHASE TWO OF THAT PARK.

AND SO WANT TO ADD A MAINTENANCE WORKER AND SOME NEW EQUIPMENT.

A LOT OF THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW PARK.

SOME OF IT IS NOT. BUT SOME OF THIS GOES WITH THE NEW PARK. ALSO LOOKING AT PARK ENHANCEMENTS AROUND TOWN, LANDSCAPING, INCREASED LITTER PICK UP, THAT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE.

WE KIND OF KEEP INCREASING THAT PROGRAM.

MIDLOTHIAN PARKWAY BEAUTIFY OCCASION, YOU KNOW THAT THE MCDC DID THE PROJECT TO PUT THE TREES OUT THERE, THEY LOOK GREAT.

NOW WE'VE GOT TO WATER THEM AND MAINTAIN THEM.

SO THERE'S SOME MONEY IN THERE FOR THAT.

AND THEN INCREASED MAINTENANCE, WHEN WE OPEN THE COMMUNITY PARK, THERE'S GOING TO BE INCREASED CALLS TO RUN THAT.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO DO SOME MINOR SKATE PARK IMPROVEMENTS OUT AT HAWKINS SPRING.

[00:35:04]

BUT ALSO LOOKING TO EXPAND STORAGE ESPECIALLY AT THE PD.

WE HAVE ALL OF THE CAMERA, EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA.

SOME FLEET MAINTENANCE AND ALSO LOOKING TO DO SOME OUTDOOR WIRELESS UPGRADES. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WIRELESS NETWORKS AT SEVERAL OF OUR PARKS, ET CETERA, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO SOME UPGRADES THERE.

ON INTO THE UTILITY FUNDS, OUR WATER AND SEWER ACTIVITY, AGAIN JUST UNDER 25 MILLION IN REVENUE, THAT'S ALMOST A 10% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. ONE THING WE'RE SEEING HERE IS WE'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD GROWTH THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, BUT A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR SARDIS AND MOUNTAIN PEAK AREAS.

WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT MORE GROWTH IN OUR WATER CCM.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS REVENUE, WE BREAK IT DOWN INTO WATER SALES, ABOUT AN 8% INCREASE THIS YEAR.

YOU CAN SEE IT WAS RELATIVELY FLAT BUDGET LAST YEAR.

BUT I THINK THIS NEXT NUMBER WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SEWER ACCOUNTS, WE HAVE A LOT MORE SEWER ACCOUNTS BECAUSE WE GET INTO THE SEWER ONLY ACCOUNTS THAT ARE IN THOSE OTHER AREAS LIKE MOUNTAIN PEAK AND SARDIS. BUT LOOKING AT A 5% INCREASE ON THOSE ACCOUNTS. THE EXPENDITURES WILL BE A HUGE NUMBER AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT IN JUST A SECOND.

43% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, WHAT WE GET INTO WITH THIS FUND IS IF YOU RECALL WE'VE BEEN CASH FUNDING A LOT OF OUR EXPENDITURES. YOU SAW THE BIG 18% INCREASE IN 19-20, THEN IT DROPPED BACK BECAUSE WE COMPLETED SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS. WE HAVE ANOTHER PROPOSED PROJECT IN 21-22 THAT WE'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND THAT'S DRIVING THAT NUMBER, THE EXPENDITURE NUMBER UP.

SO WE LOOK AT THESE CAPITAL ITEMS, THESE ARE JUST THE LARGE TICKET ITEMS. THE CAPITAL DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE DOING WATER AND SEWER LINES AROUND TOWN. A LOT OF THIS HAPPENS IN THE ORIGINAL TOWN AREA. I THINK YOU'LL SEE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING BACK AND REPLACING SOME OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

IF WE HAVE INFILTRATION INTO OUR SYSTEM, WE DON'T WANT TO BE TREATING STORM WATER IN OUR SEWER SYSTEM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THOSE AND REPAIR THEM. DUMP TRUCK FRONT LOADER, THIS HAS TO REALLY DO WITH REMOVING SLUDGE AT OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT, WE HAVE TO DISPOSE OF THAT SLUDGE SWOME WAY.

A RISK AND RESILIENCY ASSESSMENT, THAT'S REQUIRED BY TCEQ. AND HERE'S THE BIG NUMBER, THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION, WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO THIS 8.5 MILLION EXPANSION WITH OUR CASH OR FUND BALANCE.

THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT NOT ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO BE SPENT IN ONE YEAR. BUT WE WANT TO IDENTIFY IT AND SHOW IT, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A MULTIYEAR PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO RUN NEXT YEAR AND PROBABLY INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. BUT WE THINK WE CAN PAY FOR THAT WITH CASH INSTEAD OF ISSUING DEBT FOR IT.

THE MEMBRANE REPLACEMENTS, THIS IS NOT A FULL MEMBRANE RACK, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS WE CAN REPLACE COMPONENTS OF THE MEMBRANES. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT AND REPLACE PIECES OF THE MEMBRANES AS POSSIBLE.

AND THEN THE HILCO SECONDARY POWER, OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY KNOWS THE ISSUES WE HAD IN FEBRUARY WITH POWER OUTAGES.

NOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EMPHASIS PLACED ON ALTERNATIVE POWER AND WHETHER THAT'S A SECONDARY POWER SOURCE OR GENERATOR POWER SOURCE, BUT WE CAN GET A SECONDARY POWER THROUGH HILCO. SO JUST A RECAP, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, 67.5.

MAINTAIN OUR STRONG FUND BALANCES, IMPLEMENT THE VOTER APPROVED BOND PROGRAM, INCREASE STAFFING LEVELS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, STILL CONTINUE TO PLACE EMPHASIS ON ROAD IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE, AND THEN OPENING OF OUR COMMUNITY PARK PHASE TWO. WITH THAT, I'LL TALK TO SOME OF THE MILESTONES. OBVIOUSLY TONIGHT THIS IS JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION. FRIDAY REALLY STARTS THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, IT STARTS AT 8:30. WE HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 3RD WHICH IS TUESDAY AT 6:00.

AND THEN THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY ANOTHER ALL DAY SESSION IF NEEDED AT 8:30. AUGUST 10TH, WE'VE GOT THAT AS A BUDGET WORKSHOP. WE'LL CLEAN UP ANY ITEMS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER THOSE PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE ALSO PROPOSED THE TAX RATE. COUNCIL HAS TO OFFICIALLY ADOPT IT TO START THE LEGAL PROCESS BY ADOPTING THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.

[00:40:01]

THAT'S A FRIDAY AND SATURDAY IF WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET. WE HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM IN THE PAST YEARS BUT WE HAVE THEM ON THE SCHEDULE ANYWAY.

AUGUST 17TH WE'LL PUBLISH THE LEGALLY REQUIRED NOTICES FOR THE TAX RATE. AND THEN THE 24TH OF AUGUST WE'LL ACTUALLY DO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.

AND THEN SEPTEMBER 14TH IS WHERE WE COME IN AND ADOPT EVERYTHING.

SO THAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS OVER THE NEXT MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF. WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE IT AND WE WILL START GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING IN THE BINDER ON

FRIDAY. >> I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK FROM STAFF THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

LOOK FORWARD TO OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS.

[2021-334]

THE COUNCIL INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY ON THE AGENDA. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNCIL. WE WILL NOT RESPOND BECAUSE IT'S STATE LAW. WITH THAT, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO HAS SIGNED UP. LISA HEALY.

SO YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THREE MINUTES.

I'LL GIVE YOU ABOUT A 30 SECOND WARNING.

>> AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME TIME TODAY TO SPEAK TO YOU.

MY NAME IS LISA HEALY, I LIVE AT 418 MILLIGAN DRIVE.

I MOVED HERE AT THE END OF OCTOBER AND INTO MY PERMANENT HOME RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. IT REALLY FELT LIKE I MOVED HOME. I'M FROM NEW YORK IF YOU CAN'T TELL FROM MY ACCENT. AND IT WAS A BIG MOVE.

IT WAS MY DAUGHTER AND I AND THERE WERE A FEW BLIPS ON THE SCREEN, THAT FREEZE IN FEBRUARY WHICH I THOUGHT I WAS MOVING AWAY FROM. AND THEN SOME OTHER THINGS WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD HITTING THE SCHOOLS.

AND THEN I REALLY GOT INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE MASK MANDATE BEING LIFTED. AND I STARTED WATCHING WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND THAT LEADS ME TO WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT. I AM PART OF A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION CALLED RESPECT MIDLOTHIAN 1888.

AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE AMERICAN SPIRIT IN MIDLOTHIAN, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, AND DEDICATED TO THE DELIVERY OF TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC EDUCATION.

WE BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES STRONG AND COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE CLASSROOM WITH OUR MISD ADMINISTRATION AND SCHOOL BOARD AND WITH CITY HALL.

SO I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US.

WE HAVE A WEBSITE, IT'S, EXCUSE ME, RESPECTMIDLOTHIAN.COM.

WE HAVE LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION THERE.

EVERYTHING IS FACTUAL AND SUPPORTED BY INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN RESEARCHED. AND WE ARE WORKING HOPEFULLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HERE IN MIDLOTHIAN AND OUR CITY IS THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR INFORMATION, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND JUST, IF YOU FEEL LIKE SUPPORTING US, THAT'S GREAT TOO. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. I KNOW OPEN ITEM 2021-331.

CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING -- >> CONSENT AGENDA.

>> PARDON ME. I TURNED A PAGE TOO SOON.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

MY APOLOGIES TO THE CITIZENS. THE CONSENT AGENDA, ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION WITHOUT SEPARATE DISCUSSION. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. DO I HAVE A MOTION?

[00:45:01]

>> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND SECOND.

PLEASE VOTE. THE ITEM PASSES 6-0.

NOW I WILL TURN THE PAGE. PUBLIC HEARINGS, I OPEN ITEM

[2021-341]

PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 55. >> THANK YOU.

IN 2009, 103 NORTH 1ST STREET WAS REZONED TO PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT NO. 55. THIS WAS ONE OF OUR EARLIER PLANNED URBAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS IN THE CITY LIMITS.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY ZONED SINGLE FAMILY FOUR DISTRICT.

UPON THE REQUEST WHEN THEY REZONED IT, IT ALLOWED FOR USES SUCH AS PROFESSIONAL OFFICE AND THE ORDINANCE WAS VERY SPECIFIC ON NO RETAIL USES. BRINGING UP TO TODAY, WE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FOR A USE TO ADD ON TO THAT PD TO OPEN IT TO ALLOW FOR A BEAUTY/NAIL SALON.

AFTER ANALYSIS AND REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED USE, WE HAVE RECOMMENDED APPROVAL THAT THIS DOES MEET ALL OF THE REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.04 AND THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. IT DOES MEET ALL PARKING REQUIREMENTS, IN ADDITION IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL PARKING THAT IS NEEDED, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY COULD COME BACK AND REQUEST ON STREET PARKING IF SO DESIRED.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL 7-0. WE DID NOTICE ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET. 0 CAME BACK IN FAVOR, 0 CAME BACK IN OPPOSITION. HOWEVER WE DID RECEIVE 146 LETTERS OF OTHER SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF THAT 200 FEET. AND WE RECEIVED NONE IN OPPOSITION. ONCE AGAIN WE DO FEEL THIS USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU. >> WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER.

HEATHER STEWART. NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE

THREE MINUTES. >> MY NAME IS HEATHER STEWART.

I ACTUALLY LIVE IN WASHINGTON, BUT MY BOSS OWNS THE PROPERTY SO I'M HERE FOR HIM. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD I JUST WANTED TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT HIM.

IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO MOVE FORWARD. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT I WAS JUST HERE FOR SUPPORT. THANK YOU.

>> I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

>> THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. >> MOVE TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE.

ITEM PASSES 6-0. OPEN ITEM 2021-342, CONDUCT A

[2021-342]

>> THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS ON THIS ONE. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 2450 PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY ALSO KNOWN AS LOT 2, BLOCK A WALNUT GROVE. ANY DRIVE-THRU SERVICE WITHIN A NONRESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT DOES REQUIRE A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. THE PROPOSED USE IS A COFFEE SHOP WITH A DRIVE-THRU, HOWEVER THE COFFEE SHOP IS GOING TO LESS THAN 1,000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE. THE COFFEE SHOP WOULD BE PERMITTED BY RIGHT. SO THE ONLY THING THAT THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IS FOR IS FOR THAT DRIVE-THRU SERVICE.

A LOT OF YOU WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH WHATABURGER DIRECTLY TO THE

[00:50:01]

THEY ARE PROVIDING FOR A FIVE CAR QUEUE FOR THE PROPOSED DRIVE-THRU SERVICE. ALTHOUGH THEY'RE ONLY SHOWING A FIVE CAR QUEUE, IF YOU MEASURE IT OUT IT PROVIDES FOR A LOT MORE THAN THAT. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 468 FEET OF QUEUEING DISTANCE. SINCE THE P&Z MEETING THERE WAS CURRENT REQUESTS FOR STOP SIGNS. THE CITY HAS PUT TWO STOP SIGNS HERE ON PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY, ONE AS YOU'RE COMING OUT OF THE WHATABURGER PARKING LOT RIGHT HERE, AND ANOTHER STOP SIGN RIGHT HERE FOR THIS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC ISSUES.

STAFF DID SEND OUT NOTICES TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET. WE EMAILED A TOTAL OF NINE LETTERS, ONE CAME BACK IN OPPOSITION, 0 CAME BACK IN FAVOR. STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS IS THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING TO BREAK IT UP IN PHASES.

WHAT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO DO IS TO BREAK UP THIS PARKING ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND THIS FUTURE INGRESS EGRESS POINT AND FUTURE CONNECTION POINT TO THE LOT DIRECTLY TO THE WEST WHICH WOULD BE RIGHT HERE. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT BE DONE WITHIN THE FIRST PHASE SO THAT WHEN THIS CONNECTION POINT DOES NEED TO BE MADE, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HAVE TO GET SOME SORT OF ACCESS ONTO THE PROPERTY TO BUILD INGRESS EGRESS.

THAT'S OUR TRADITIONAL PRACTICE IS TO BRING THIS TO THE PROPERTY LINE. ONE OF THE CONCERNS THE PROPERTY DOES HAVE IS THAT THERE'S DRAINAGE THEY'LL HAVE TO CONSTRUCT BY BUILDING THAT. BUT STAFF DOES RECOMMEND TO BUILD THAT AS PART OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

FIRST PHASE WOULD INCLUDE EVERYTHING YOU SEE HERE AND THIS IS WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING TO INCLUDE THAT.

THE NEXT CONDITION THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ALSO SUPPORTED, WAS FILE A CROSS ACCESS EASEMENT. THAT CROSS ACCESS EASEMENT IS SHOWN RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT HERE. AND THAT'S RECORDED AND FILED WITH THE COUNTY WHICH IS A TRADITIONAL PRACTICE AND DONE BY SEPARATE INSTRUMENT. ONCE AGAIN WE DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL. AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS

AT THIS TIME. >> I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SO THIS IS A MULTITENANT 7500 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING THAT THEY WANT TO ALSO ADD A DRIVE-THRU TO THE EXTERIOR.

>> THAT IS CORRECT. AND THE COFFEE SHOP WILL BE LOCATED IN THIS CORNER, LESS THAN 1000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.

>> DID THEY SHARE AT ANY POINT IN THE PROCESS, WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE THE OTHER TENANTS TO BE?

>> IT WOULD BE WITH THE PROPOSED PARKING REGULATIONS IT'S GOING TO BE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE AT THIS POINT.

AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND ANYMORE REGARDING

MORE SPECIFICS. >> OKAY.

>> IF I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, YOU SAID ALL DRIVE-THRUS HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. I THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE SOME DRIVE-THRUS LIKE PHARMACIES AND IT COULD BE BY RIGHT.

>> IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.04, IT STATES ANY BUSINESS WITH A DRIVE-THRU SERVICE IS REQUIRED FOR AN SUP IN CASE THE PD STATES IT'S PERMITTED BY RIGHT.

BUT GENERALLY SINCE THIS IS ZONED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, IT'S REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

>> WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION AND THEN WE HAVE THE APPLICANT. WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST, OR WOULD YOU LIKE THE OPPOSITION TO GO FIRST? THE APPLICANT IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD NOW.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO COME BACK IF NEED BE.

GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> MY NAME IS CLIFF PARKER.

I LIVE AT 1662 PLUM CREEK DRIVE IN MIDLOTHIAN.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME UP TONIGHT.

I BROUGHT A FEW SLIDES TO SHOW WHY I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE DRIVE-THRU AND WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED ME TO GET THIS PROPERTY. I'LL BE ACTUALLY OCCUPYING ABOUT

[00:55:02]

THE BRIDGEWATER DEVELOPMENT. I REFER TO IT AS THE HANOVER DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS KIND OF WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO THIS IS THE LOCATION THERE, WHERE IT WAS, THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS GOING IN, CHANGE THAT SLIDE, WITH THE 2,000 HOMES. OBVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY, WHAT THEY'RE DEVELOPING THERE SEEMED LIKE A VERY GOOD MOVE FOR OUR BUSINESS AND THE PROPERTY WE'RE MOVING INTO.

ONE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE WAS THE PROXIMITY TO HAVING ISSUES GOING ACROSS THE ROAD THERE WHICH IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE TRYING TO GET TO THAT.

I WENT OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY MEASURED IT TO SEE EXACTLY HOW FAR IT WAS FROM PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY TO WALNUT GROVE AND IT'S HALF A MILE FROM THERE TO THERE. THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE POINTED OUT WERE THE FRONTAGE ROAD THAT AS BRIDGEWATER STARTS TO DEVELOP AND MOVE UP NORTH INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT, THEY ARE TO HAVE A FRONTAGE ROAD THAT LEADS FROM PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY BACK UP TO WALNUT GROVE GIVING MORE SERVICE BACK UP AND DOWN THAT ROAD THERE. AGAIN THIS JUST SHOWS A CLOSER VIEW. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS WERE TO HAVE HOMES RIGHT THERE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING THERE OR THE PROPERTY LINE THERE.

AND THEY CHANGED THAT AND MADE THAT A MEDIAN CORNER PROPERTY.

NEXT SLIDE. THAT'S THE BUILDING THAT WE HAVE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU SO YOU CAN PICTURE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING TO THE CITY. IT'S KIND OF A CENTRAL PERK TYPE IF YOU THINK OF IF YOU'VE SEEN CENTRAL PERK ON THE SHOW FRIENDS OR WHATEVER, IT'S A SMALL COFFEE SHOP PEOPLE CAN GATHER.

THEY HAVE A FEW TABLES OUT IN THE FRONT.

THAT SORT OF THING. >> HOW MANY SQUARE FEET FOR THE

COFFEE SHOP? >> IT'S 980.

>> HOW MANY TABLES OR CHAIRS WOULD YOU HAVE INSIDE?

>> WE'VE GOT IT SET FOR SIX, BUT CLOSE TO 6 TO 7 MAYBE, SMALL TWO

PERSON. >> AND YOUR OTHER BUSINESS IS IN

THE BUILDING? >> YES, SIR.

>> WHAT IS YOUR OTHER BUSINESS? >> I'M A BUILDING CONSULTANT.

AND I HAVE AN ADJUSTING FIRM. >> JUST THE OTHER TENANTS OR PROPOSED OR SUSPECTED TENANTS OTHER THAN THE COFFEE SHOP?

>> THIS IS MY TENANT. I'M TAKING ABOUT 51% OF THE BACK. SO THE BACK, 3700, 3800 IS GOING TO BE MY BUSINESS. AND THE FRONT 800 IS GOING TO BE RIGHT NOW IT'S PROJECTED MAYBE A BARBER AND A COFFEE SHOP ON THE

CORNER. >> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT SPEAKER. >> REAL QUICK, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION.

DRY CLEANERS AND PHARMACIES WITH DRIVE-THRUS ARE PERMITTED BY RIGHT. I STAND CORRECTED ON THAT.

>> WOULD A BARBER REQUIRE -- >> NO A BARBER IN THE COMMERCIAL

DISTRICT IS PERMITTED BY RIGHT. >> SO YOU SAID PHARMACY AND DRY

CLEANERS. >> WITH THE DRIVE-THRU ARE

PERMITTED BY RIGHT. >> PERMITTED BY RIGHT WITH DRIVE-THRUS. OKAY.

NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN GUS. NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> YES.

GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS DAN GUS.

MY BUSINESS ADDRESS IS 2441 PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY IN MIDLOTHIAN. I'M THE GENERAL COUNSEL OF NS INC. IT'S A PRINTING COMPANY THAT'S BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

WE BELIEVE IT'S THE ONLY NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE COMPANY WITH

[01:00:05]

WE WERE RECRUITED TO OUR LOCATION ON PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY IN THE EARLY 2000S. AND AT THE TIME THE MESSAGE TO US WAS MIDLOTHIAN WANTS TO CREATE A NEW IMAGE INSTEAD OF THE SMALL TOWN WITH POLLUTING INDUSTRIES ON ONE END, IT WANTED TO ATTRACT MORE CLEAN INDUSTRY AND CLEAN BUSINESSES, SO WHAT WAS PROPOSED WAS A BUSINESS PARK AND THAT WE WOULD BE THE ANCHOR OWNER WITHIN THAT TO ATTRACT OTHER BUSINESSES, MORE IN KEEPING WITH WHAT MIDLOTHIAN WAS SEEKING TO DO.

SO WE INVESTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ACQUIRING THE LAND AND BUILDING A CLASS A CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS HERE IN MIDLOTHIAN.

AND IMAGERY OF OUR BUILDING HAS BEEN USED IN A LOT OF MIDLOTHIAN PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS IN ITS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CLASS A OFFICE PARK THAT WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE IT WOULD BE. WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAD A WHATABURGER, A FAST FOOD PLACE BEING THE ENTRANCE TO THIS CORPORATE OFFICE PARK. AND WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT THE NEW OFFICE BUILDING GOING IN, THAT WAS GREETED WITH ENTHUSIASM BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WE ENVISIONED FOR THIS OVERALL DEVELOPMENT. THEN WE WERE DISMAID -- DISMAYED TO FIND THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER FAST FOOD TYPE ENVIRONMENT RIGHT ACROSS FROM US. WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT GOING IN AND THE RESIDENCES THERE, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT DRAWING MORE TRAFFIC TO THE PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY POINT OF INGRESS AND EGRESS TO 287. THE REASON WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT IS SAFETY, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS THERE OVER THE YEARS. DURING THE P&Z MEETING, ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WAS LEAVING FOR HOME ONE EVENING, I GUESS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN TUESDAY LAST WEEK AND AS SHE EXITED ONTO 287, SHE WAS BROADSIDED AND SERIOUSLY INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED.

AND SO THAT IS CAUSING US TO REFLECT ON DO WE WANT TO BE IN A HIGH TRAFFIC RETAIL ENVIRONMENT, IS THAT WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR? NO. AND SO THE CITY HAS TO MAKE A DECISION. IS THIS WHAT THEY WANT FOR THIS ADDITION, DO THEY WANT IT TO BE MORE OF A HIGH TRAFFIC RETAIL TYPE PLACE, OR DO THEY WANT IT TO BE SUITABLE FOR A LARGE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS SUCH AS HAS BEEN THERE FOR THE NUMBER OF YEARS. WE WOULD PROPOSE THAT OUR CONCERNS BE GIVEN DUE CONSIDERATION FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THE SAFETY OF OUR VENDORS, THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS. WE ASK THAT YOU NOT PUT ANOTHER DRIVE-THRU BUSINESS RIGHT ACROSS FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, PARTICULARLY TO SERVE AS A MAGNET FOR ALL OF THE HOMES THAT ARE GOING TO GO IN THERE. THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO POINTS OF INGRESS AND EGRESS FROM THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.

ONE ONTO WALNUT GROVE, ONE ONTO 287.

WE WOULD PREFER NOT TO DRAW MORE TRAFFIC ONTO THE 287 EXIT.

IT IS JUST NOT IN KEEPING WITH WHAT WE THINK IS APPROPRIATE FOR OUR ESTABLISHED USE THERE. AND THEREFORE WE'RE OPPOSED TO THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE DRIVE-THRU.

WE WELCOME MR. PARKER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HIS BUSINESS OFFICE, BUT JUST NOT FOR THE DRIVE-THRU.

THAT'S ALL I NEED TO SAY. WE HEARD YOUR DENIAL OF THIS SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS. NEXT SPEAKER IS MIKE, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? I APOLOGIZE.

AGAIN NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> RIGHT. I'M MIKE MC GILL.

I LIVE IN ARLINGTON, I WORK WITH DAN GUS.

I HAVE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION AS AN OFFICER FOR 18 YEARS. WHEN I GOT HERE WE WERE JUST CONSTRUCTING THE BUILDING IN 2003, MOVED IN IN 2004.

AS DAN JUST INDICATED, AS A PUBLIC COMPANY AND TO ADD TO WHAT DAN INDICATED, NS WAS THE FIRST TEXAS CORPORATION LISTED ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE. SO WE HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. IT'S A GOOD ORGANIZATION AND WE WERE GIVEN MANY ASSURANCES THAT A PUBLIC COMPANY, WHICH WE WERE, WOULD BE ACCORDED SOME NICE SPACE IN THIS AREA, WHATEVER IN THE WAY OF HOSPITALS, WHATEVER IN THE WAY OF NONCOMMERCIAL RETAIL TYPE STORES WOULD BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

SO WE JUST FELT LIKE WITH ALL OF THE MONEY WE SPENT, WE WERE NOT GIVEN, I GUESS WE WERE SOLD A BILL OF GOODS ON WHAT WE WERE TO DO. SO I TOO AGREE WITH DAN, WE'RE OPPOSED TO THIS. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER TRAFFIC IN

[01:05:04]

TIME. >> THANK YOU.

>> DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TRENT?

>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE TXDOT GUY IN THE BACK ROW.

SINCE MIKE ISN'T HERE, YOU GET THE HOT SEAT TONIGHT.

>> TELL THE PEOPLE YOUR ROLE. >> SCOTT MARROW, I'M THE

ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER. >> SCOTT, USING THAT PICTURE RIGHT THERE, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS? I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY. BUT ABOUT THE SERVICE ROAD, ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT WILL GET MADE RIGHT THROUGH THERE, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS TODAY, IT WILL NOT LOOK LIKE THIS VERY

MUCH LONGER. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

ONE OF THE ITEMS WE WERE WORKING WITH THE BRIDGEWATER GROUP ON WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY IS AN IMPROVEMENT OF MORE SAFE ACCESS TO 287. OF COURSE THE NEW INTERCHANGE IS OPEN NOW FOR THE MOST PART, THE MAIN LANES ARE OPEN NOW.

IT IS GETTING TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE MORE QUICKLY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL HOMES WHICH ARE COMING UP, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED WITH BRIDGEWATER AND THEY EVENTUALLY AGREED TO AND TXDOT HAS AGREED TO THAT ALSO IS THE INSTALLATION OF A PORTION OR AN EXTENSION OF A PORTION OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD THAT TXDOT IS ALREADY BUILDING OR HAS BUILT. THE YELLOW LINE YOU SEE THERE IS APPROXIMATELY WHERE THIS WOULD OCCUR.

IT WILL BE BETWEEN THE EXISTING MAIN LANES AND THEN THE WHITE LINE YOU SEE BETWEEN THE PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY DRIVE AND THE MAIN LANES OF HIGHWAY. THERE'S ENOUGH ROOM TO PUT IN A FRONTAGE ROAD IN THAT LOCATION. CURRENT TXDOT PLANS END THE FRONTAGE CONNECTION FOR WALNUT GROVE ROAD BACK DOWN AT WHAT WOULD BE THE NORTH-NORTHWEST TERMINUS OF THAT ACCESS ROAD.

IT GOES IN FRONT OF THE NEW BAYLOR FACILITY.

SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THERE WHICH THEY ALREADY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT FRONTAGE ROAD TO GET BACK TO WALNUT GROVE ROAD, THEY'LL EXTEND THAT FRONTAGE ROAD DOWN TO PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY.

ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS THOUGH HAVING THAT IS ALL OF THE CARS COMING OUT OF THE LEFT TURN AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'VE AGREED TO AND TXDOT HAS AGREED TO IS WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD THAT THERE WILL BE A RIGHT TURN ONLY OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY. THERE WILL BE A PHYSICAL BARRIER BASICALLY TO KEEP THEM FROM MAKING A LEFT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. THEY WILL BE HAVING TO TURN RIGHT AND GO DOWN TO WALNUT GROVE ROAD AND DO THE TURN AROUND UNDERNEATH THE NEW BRIDGE.

YOU'LL STILL BE ABLE TO TURN LEFT INTO PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY, YOU'LL STILL BE ABLE TO TURN RIGHT INTO PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY, BUT OUR GREAT CONCERN WAS MORE EXPOSURE, PEOPLE CROSSING TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF THERE. SO THEY'LL BE DIRECTED DOWN TO WALNUT GROVE ROAD TO MAKE A U-TURN TO GO BACK THE WAXAHACHIE

DIRECTION. >> SO THAT CAR RIGHT THERE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO GO THIS WAY TO THIS WAY?

>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> SO TO HIS POINT ALSO, THAT ACCIDENT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN HOPEFULLY BECAUSE OF THE NEW ACCESS FOR 287 AND THE STATE AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF?

>> THAT'S THE INTENTION, YES, SIR.

>> AND THEN BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE SECOND RIGHT OF WAYS FOR

BRIDGEWATER AND 2500 HOMES. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> SO THERE MIGHT BE 1000 PEOPLE GO BY THERE A DAY?

>> YOU NEVER CAN TELL. >> I MEAN JUST FOR BRIDGEWATER

ALONE WHEN IT'S FINISHED. >> IT'S POSSIBLE.

THAT'S WHY WE REALLY INSISTED ON THAT HAPPENING AND THEY'VE AGREED AND TXDOT HAS AGREED WITH US.

>> THAT WAY WE'RE BEING FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITY'S MONEY, NOT THROWING IT OUT THERE LET BRIDGEWATER THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PAY FOR IT. IT'S NOT OUT OF OUR POCKET, IT'S OUT OF THEIR POCKET. BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING THE MOST

IMPACT. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> AND BRIDGEWATER WILL BE COMING IN AT THE OTHER END OF

PRESIDENTIAL PARKWAY? >> YES, ONE OF THEIR CONNECTIONS WILL BE AT THAT LOCATION. YES, SIR.

>> TRAFFIC ARGUMENT ASIDE WHICH I THINK IS EXTREMELY VALID, I CAN BACK UP WHAT MR. GUS SAID. IN 2002, I WAS HIRED AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 22 TO BUILD A MEDICAL FACILITY THAT'S DIRECTLY SOUTH

[01:10:03]

AND WE CAME BEFORE THE CITY AND WE WERE TOLD THAT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, OUR SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WAS GOING TO BE MEDICAL AND WE WERE ALSO TOLD THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WAS GOING TO BE STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL, HIGH-END WHITE COLLAR CORPORATIONS.

AND SO I CAN STAND FOR THAT ARGUMENT OF WHAT THEY WERE TOLD VERSUS WHAT'S REALLY BEING DEVELOPED THERE.

AND FRANKLY I THINK WHOEVER PUT A WHATABURGER THERE PROBABLY MADE A MISTAKE. AND SO TO BACK THAT UP WITH AN ADDITIONAL DRIVE-THRU IS CONCERNING TO ME IF THAT IS IN FACT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR CORPORATE SORT OF HEADQUARTERS AND CORPORATE SORT OF BUSINESS PARK IDEAL.

SO I'M HAVING A HARD TIME RALLYING BEHIND AN ADDITIONAL DRIVE-THRU SERVICE BASED ON WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT THAT SECTION OF TOWN TO BE? AND SO I HEAR THE ARGUMENT IS MY

POINT. >> AND I AGREE WITH YOU IF WE OWNED THE PROPERTY TO HAVE CONTROL OVER IT.

BUT WE DON'T OWN ANY OF THAT PROPERTY.

>> SURE. >> OUR BUSINESS PARK THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS, WE CONTROL ALMOST EVERY SINGLE THING THAT GOES ON IN IT.

THAT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY AND IT'S HARD TO CONTROL SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T USE IT FOR WHAT THEY MAY WANT TO USE IT FOR IF IT FITS WITHIN ALL OF THE --

>> BUT WE DO IT EVERY DAY, RIGHT.

WE BALANCE THAT WITH, PROPERTY OWNERS RIGHTS WITH NEIGHBORS RIGHTS AND IT ALL HAS TO COME INTO EFFECT AND THERE'S A BALANCE THERE SOMEWHERE. I'M SUGGESTING FOR ME PERSONALLY ON THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM, I WOULD FALL IN LINE WITH, I REALLY SEE THE IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AND THE NEIGHBOR AND HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING BEHIND IT I GUESS.

>> TRENT, HOW LARGE IS THE AREA OF THE PD?

>> THIS IS STRAIGHT ZONE, THIS IS ACTUALLY ZONED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. IT'S NOT IN A PD.

>> OKAY. AND WHAT AREA IS ZONED

COMMERCIAL? >> I BELIEVE THIS WHOLE ENTIRE TRACK RIGHT HERE IS ALL ZONED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

>> BY RIGHT WHAT CAN THEY DO? >> WELL ACCORDING TO OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IS OUR MORE INTENSE ZONING DISTRICT OF ALL OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS, YOU HAVE GENERAL PROFESSIONAL, YOU HAVE COMMUNITY RETAIL, AND THEN YOU HAVE OUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICT WHICH IS LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.

THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF RETAIL, PERSONAL SERVICES THAT ARE ALL PERMITTED BY RIGHT IN THIS DISTRICT.

AND THE PROPOSED ONE THAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW MEETS ALL OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS, ALL OF THE OTHER USES, EVEN THE LESS THAN 1,000 SQUARE FOOT COFFEE SHOP IS PERMITTED BY RIGHT IN

THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. >> SO IS ANYTHING IN PLACE THAT'S GOING TO STEER THIS DEVELOPMENT TO PROFESSIONAL

BUILDINGS. >> THEY COULD DO PROFESSIONAL OFFICE BY RIGHT UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICT.

>> MY QUESTION IS IS THERE ANYTHING IN PLACE THAT WOULD

STEER -- >> THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO TO FORCE THEM TO DO A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE.

LIKE IN THE PD IT SAYS STRICTLY ONLY PROFESSIONAL OFFICE ALLOWED HERE. THERE'S NOTHING IN PLACE IN THIS AREA JUST FOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICE.

>> AND IT'S AT THE FOOT OF BR

BRIDGEWATER. >> YEAH, HERE'S BRIDGEWATER, THE ENTRANCE TO BRIDGEWATER. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER RIGHT OF WAY THAT WILL BE RIGHT HERE. THAT'S THE PRIMARY INGRESS

EGRESS POINT. >> I'M THE ONE THAT COLORED ALL OF THE CONCRETE ODDS BEFORE BOTH GUYS THERE WERE IN THAT BUILDING. THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE.

AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING OUT THERE FOR YEARS UNTIL DR. RUBY PUT HIS PLACE OUT THERE.

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO GROW MORE AND MORE WITH BRIDGEWATER COMING IN. AND THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE LESS OF TWO EVILS BEING AT WHATABURGER OR I DON'T KNOW.

>> I WOULD SAY THAT THE BUILDING GOING IN THERE, IT DOESN'T SEEM MORE SOUND TO BE DEPENDENT ON THE APPROVAL OF THE DRIVE-THRU.

SEEING AS IT'S A 7500 SQUARE FOOT MIXED OFFICE USE, THIS SEEMS LIKE MAYBE, IT SEEMS LIKE ALMOST AN ATTEMPT TO JUST FILL THE NEED OF A PROPOSED TENANT, NOT NECESSARILY A HINGE POINT

FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF. >> I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY WE

[01:15:08]

>> IS THERE ANY ESTIMATION ON HOW MANY CARS PER DAY.

IS THIS A 24/7 OPERATION OR WOULD THE APPLICANT COME BACK, PLEASE. CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR PROFILE, HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK AND WHAT THE HOURS THAT YOU WOULD BE OPERATING THE DRIVE-THRU?

>> MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. JUST LOCAL BUSINESS HOURS.

WHEN WE ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT IT IT WAS GOING TO BE 6:00 A.M.

TO 6:00 P.M., 7:00 P.M. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A --

>> BUT YOU ARE GOING TO SERVE EARLY.

>> YES, SIR. >> QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE OPEN --

>> MOVE TO CLOSE THE OPEN HEARING.

>> SECOND. >> PLEASE VOTE.

PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. DISCUSSION COUNCIL.

>> THIS IS A FUTURE LAND USE PLAN SHOWING A REGIONAL MODULE.

>> I DON'T HAVE A STRONG OBJECTION TO IT.

BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, I THINK JUSTIN MAKES A GOOD POINT IN THAT A BUSINESS WITH A DRIVE-THRU ALMOST LOSE FOCUS ON THE BUSINESS AND EVERYONE PAYS ATTENTION TO THE DRIVE-THRU.

THE DRIVE-THRU ACTIVITY ENDS UP CONTROLLING JUST THE WHOLE FLOW OF THE PARKING LOT, HOW YOU GET IN AND OUT OF SPACES, HOW EASY IT IS TO GET FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, SO DRIVE-THRUS ALTHOUGH IN A MCDONALDS, YOU KNOW MCDONALDS HAS A DRIVE-THRU, A DRIVE-THRU IN A BUILDING THAT IS MIXED USE I THINK SHOULD TAKE SOME SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BEFORE WE JUST UP AND SAY YES OR NO BECAUSE IT WILL AFFECT EVERY TENANT, IT WILL EVERY CAR THAT COMES IN THERE AND LIKE THE APPLICANT SAID, LIKE A 6:00 TO 6:00 MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SITUATION, IT'S GOING TO CONTROL THAT SITE. TO ME IT SEEMS ALMOST LIKE A SMALL WIN IN USE FOR THE BUILDING ON THE LONG TERM.

>> I'M HAVING TROUBLE MAKING A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THIS AND THE

LAST DRIVE-THRU WE TALKED ABOUT. >> I WOULD SAY JUST TO COUNTER MY POINT, NOT COUNTER BUT SUPPORT MY POINT, THE LAST DRIVE-THRU DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD WAS A SINGLE USE BUSINESS.

SO THAT WHOLE LOT AS DESIGNED FOR A DRIVE-THRU, THE BUSINESS MODEL WAS DESIGNED FOR A DRIVE-THRU.

THIS ISN'T, SO I WOULD LIKEN THIS TO, WE APPROVED A DRIVE-THRU FOR ROASTED BEANERY AND I HAVE SINCE DECIDED THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING A DRIVE-THRU AROUND FOUR BUSINESSES.

SO EVERYONE THERE NOW HAS TO CONTEND WITH THAT.

>> BUT IS IT NOT THE IMPACT TO THE OVERALL TRAFFIC THE MAIN

CONSIDERATION? >> FOR ME IT'S NOT ONLY BECAUSE IN THIS SITUATION LIKE TED SAID WITH THE CHANGES THAT TXDOT IS GOING TO MAKE WITH THE FRONTAGE ROAD, THAT SITUATION OF PULLING OUT ONTO 287 IS GOING TO GO AWAY AND THEN WITH THE ACCESS POINT FOR THE HANOVER BRIDGEWATER DEAL, YOU'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING THOUSANDS OF CARS THROUGH THERE. SO TO SAY WE CAN PUT THAT MANY RESIDENTS COMING IN AND OUT, BUT A DRIVE-THRU WOULDN'T WORK

[01:20:02]

AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THERE, AND THEY CAME HERE WITH PRETTY TALL PROMISES IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE CITY AND THIS IS THAT SITUATION WHERE AND I'LL FINISH THIS WHERE THE RIGHTS OF THE EXISTING PROPERTY OWNERS NEED TO BE HEAVILY CONSIDERED BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TERM THING.

>> I FEEL THAT ONE ITEM THAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP SO FAR IS THAT WITH THESE OTHER COFFEE PLACES BEING BROUGHT INTO MIDLOTHIAN RECENTLY, WE HAVE HAD LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE QUEUE LENGTH. THE QUEUE LENGTH ON THIS ONE IS VERY SHORT AND THAT WAS A MAJOR STICKING POINT ON ALL OF THE OTHER PLACES AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PROPER LOCATION FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS. BECAUSE OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO

MAKE A MOTION TO -- >> IF ANYONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, GO AHEAD. BUT I'D LIKE TO HAVE CONTINUED

DISCUSSION IF YOU DON'T MIND. >> SURE, SIR.

>> MY NEXT STATEMENT IS SPECULATION.

WE DON'T KNOW, BUT AS IT GOES FORWARD, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF THESE RETAIL TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF BRIDGEWATER AND NOT PROFESSIONAL BUILDINGS.

THAT'S SOMETHING I'M HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OVER.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO DEVELOP MORE AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET PROBABLY MORE DRIVE-THRUS AND STUFF.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THIS PLOT DIFFERENT IS IT'S THE LAST PLOT BETWEEN HERE AND 287.

BRIDGEWATER IS TAKING THE REST. >> YEAH, BUT THIS TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE MINOR IN COMPARISON TO BRIDGEWATER.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE DWARFED. IT WON'T BE FELT.

>> BUT THAT'S WHERE I BROUGHT UP THE ROASTED BEANERY IN THE SENSE THAT WE APPROVED A DRIVE-THRU THAT'S NOW ENCIRCLING FOUR BUSINESSES, SO THE DRIVE-THRU TRAFFIC OF THE ONE BUSINESS IS AFFECTING EVERYONE IN THAT FOUR BUSINESS BUILDING.

>> BUT THE ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT TOO IS THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING, 51% OCCUPANT OF THE BUILDING CAN TELL THEM TO SHUT IT DOWN IF IT BECOMES A PROBLEM. IT'S HIS.

HE CAN SHUTDOWN THE DRIVE-THRU, HE CAN SHUTDOWN THE COFFEE SHOP.

AS OWNER OF THE BUILDING, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT IF IT

BECOMES A PROBLEM. >> AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A MCDONALDS OR A WHATABURGER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT A COFFEE SHOP.

>> AND NOT A CHAIN ONE AT THAT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO A MOTION?

>> THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROTECT THE AREA AND OUR CORPORATE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

>> DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, PLEASE?

>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY AS PRESENTED.

>> I'LL SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO DENY AS

PRESENTED AND SECONDED. >> SO A YES MEANS NO, CORRECT?

>> A VOTE FOR YES MEANS DENIAL OF THE DRIVE-THRU REQUEST.

>> A VOTE YES, MEANS YOU ARE DENYING THE SUP.

IT'S WORKING. SOMEBODY HASN'T VOTED YET.

PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES 4-2.

AND THEREFORE DENIAL OF THE DRIVE-THRU.

THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL GO TO THE REGULAR

[2021-343]

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL. >> THERE WE GO.

GOOD EVENING. A DESIGN FOR WATER AND SEWER LINES. BASICALLY WE'RE TRYING TO DESIGN FOR OUR NEXT PROJECT. ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS QUEUE

[01:25:04]

ALL IT'S GOING TO DO IS GIVE US A VALUE, A SCOPE OF SERVICES AND FEASIBILITY OF GETTING IT COMPLETED.

THIS IS A UTILITY PROJECT. IT IS WITHIN THE BUDGET PROCESS RIGHT NOW. WE CURRENTLY ARE WORKING ON SOME OTHER LINES IN TOWN. ONCE WE FIND OUT WHERE WE STAND IN THE FINAL BUDGET AND WHAT THIS COST COMES OUT TO BE, WE'LL PROCEED FORWARD WITH Y'ALLS PERMISSION AT A LATER DATE.

I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE WE AT? >> SO IF YOU JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT OLD TOWN AND I CONSIDER OLD TOWN FROM OVERLOOK TO 14TH FROM AVENUE B TO ALABAMA, WE'RE ABOUT 60%.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW, WE DID A BUNCH OF ALLEY WORK OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. WE'RE CONNECTING ALL OF THE ALLEYS SO BASICALLY ALLEYS RUN NORTH AND SOUTH.

WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT EVERYTHING GOING EAST AND WEST NOW. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT CURRENTLY HAPPENING. WE STILL GOT SOME WORK OVER ON 2ND STREET ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAIN STREET.

WHEN I SAY THAT, ABOUT 50%. >> I KNOW THAT'S A BALLPARK.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU. BUT WE ARE FOCUSING ON OLD TOWN.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON FIRE PROTECTION, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE WATER MAINS AND BETTER SEWER LINES.

SO THAT'S A POSITIVE. SO IT'S NOT ABOUT DEVELOPING GROWTH, IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF WHAT'S BEEN HERE.

>> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND SECONDED.

PLEASE VOTE. >>> THANK YOU.

>> I LOVE THE ENTHUSIASM, BUT I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO WAIT UNTIL I ASK FOR A MOTION. ITEM 2021-344, CONSIDER AND ACT

[2021-344]

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCIL. YOU PRETTY MUCH SAID IT ALL RIGHT THERE. MIKE IS VERY GOOD AT CREATING AN AGENDA AND HE WANTED ME TO PRESENT THIS.

OF COURSE THIS IS PART OF THE BOND PROJECTS AND THE FIRST ONE TO GO TO BID ON JUNE 30TH. WE HAVE NINE BIDDERS SO WE HAVE VERY GOOD REPRESENTATION. AND THIS CAME IN UNDER BUDGET AND WE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROCESS.

AS THE MAYOR NOTED, THE BASE BID FROM CIRCLE H CONTRACTORS WAS $3,742,545.30. THE ALTERNATE BID NUMBER TWO CONSISTS OF THE EXTENSION OF THE SIDEWALK, WE'RE BUILDING SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SEGMENT OF MT. ZION ROAD OVER TO MIDLOTHIAN PARKWAY, SO IT WILL EXTEND THE SIDEWALK FROM THE EXPANDED MIDLOTHIAN PARKWAY OF MIDLOTHIAN PARKWAY TO NEWER MT. ZION ROAD. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT ALTERNATE IS ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF MIDLOTHIAN PARKWAY WHICH COMPLETES THAT CIRCUIT BACK TO THE EXPANDED MT. ZION WHICH IS A PART OF THE HAWKINS RUN ROAD EXTENSION.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE ALTERNATE AMOUNT IS IS SOME SIDEWALK FOR MIDLOTHIAN PARKWAY. THERE'S A CONTINGENCY OF COURSE IN THERE, AND MENTIONED THIS WAS ALL WITHIN THE BUDGET ALLOTTED FOR THE PROJECT. I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>> JUST FOR CLARITY, SO HYPOTHETICALLY WE COULD WALK FROM BASICALLY FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH TO THE NEW ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL THERE. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> WOW, VERY COOL. >> THAT'S CORRECT, YES, SIR.

[01:30:05]

>> MOTION AND SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED, SECONDED. PLEASE VOTE.

AND IT PASSES 6-0. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[2021-345]

>> ITEM 2021-345, CONSIDER UPON AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE NATURAL GAS FRANCHISE TO SIENERGY LP, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS TO CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE PIPELINES AND EQUIPMENT IN THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN FOR TRANSPORTING, DELIVERY, SALE, AND DISTRIBUTION OF GAS IN, OUT OF, AND THROUGH THE CITY FOR ALL PURPOSES. PROVIDING SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SIENERGY HAS COMMITTED TO BUILDING A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE IN MIDLOTHIAN. THE TERM OF THIS FRANCHISE WOULD BE IN THE BEGINNING FROM THE TIME THAT WE GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED BY THE PARTIES THROUGH TO DECEMBER 31, 2031.

FRANCHISE FEES IN THE AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO 5% OF THE COMPANY'S GROSS REVENUES WILL BE PAID QUARTERLY TO THE CITY AND WITH THAT, I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ABOUT IT. THAT I DON'T KNOW YET.

BECAUSE THE PATH HAS NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.

I BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO US TO GET THAT APPROVED.

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE HERE. >> MY NAME IS DAVID.

I WORK FOR SIENERGY. >> WHAT'S YOUR POSITION?

>> DIRECTOR OF NORTH TEXAS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS ERIC FULLER, OUR BOY GENIUS ANALYST.

AND OUR BUSINESS ADDRESS. WE ARE PARTNERING CURRENTLY WITH DEVELOPERS WITHIN THE CITY PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED COMPETITION FOR THE MOST PART GAS WAS A ONE MAN SHOW, A ONE COMPANY SHOW. AND NOW WE'RE COMING UP HERE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS GETTING CREATIVE TO PROVIDE GAS TO RESIDENTS AND TO BID ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON ALONG 287 INDUSTRIALLY.

>> JUST ON 287 INDUSTRIAL? >> 287, ANYWHERE WHERE THE PROJECT WILL TAKE US. SO WE'RE NOT GOING INTO WHAT YOU CALL BROWNFIELD WHICH IS INNER CITY AND TEARING UP STREETS AND STUFF LIKE THIS. THIS IS MORE THE GREENFIELD, NEW DEVELOPMENTS, NEW PROJECTS GOING ON AROUND THE CITY.

>> DID I HEAR CORRECTLY -- >> WE PAY THE CITY A 5% FRANCHISE FEE WITH CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS, SO THEY'LL SEE A 5% FEE ON THEIR BILL. WHEN WE PARTNER WITH THE DEVELOPER, WE TRY TO COVER AS MUCH COST AS WE CAN WHEN

POSSIBLE. >> WHERE ARE YOU BRINGING GAS IN

THE CITY? >> CURRENTLY WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ALONG 287 AND 67.

THERE'S A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE THAT WE'RE

WORKING WITH. >> OKAY.

>> ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. WEST SIDE PRESERVE.

>> WHERE ARE YOU GETTING GAS? >> SO WE TAP OUR GAS OFF OF TRANSMISSION LINES. WE HAVE A PROJECT UP IN MANSFIELD WHERE WE HAVE OUR GAS FEED FROM WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO

RUN ALL THE WAY DOWN. >> RUNNING DOWN FROM MANSFIELD

TO MIDLOTHIAN? >> YES, SIR.

>> NOW I'M BETTER UNDERSTANDING YOU.

>> YOU ALSO DO HAVE BUSINESS IN KAUFMAN COUNTY, ELLIS COUNTY,

ALL AROUND. >> YES, SIR.

SO WE ARE IN FORNEY, SALINA, FORT WORTH.

>> HOW CLOSE ARE YOU GOING TO BE TO MY HOUSE?

>> VERY CLOSE IF YOU LET US. >> I JUST WANT A LITTLE CLARIFICATION, OUR FINANCIAL IMPACT SOURCES, FRANCHISE FEES IN THE AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO 5% OF THE COMPANY'S GROSS REVENUES WE PAY QUARTERLY TO THE CITY, BUT YOU SAID A 5% FEE WILL BE

ADDED TO THE BILLS? >> RIGHT.

SO ON OUR REVENUE COMING FROM EACH RESIDENT THAT'S CONNECTED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WILL BE ASSESSED A 5% FEE ON THE GROSS

[01:35:05]

>> SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GO OVER SOME POINTS THERE. MY NAME IS AARON FULLER SIENERGY, SORRY THIS IS MY FIRST TIME UP HERE.

>> WELCOME. >> OUR COMPETITORS USE THE SAME EXACT THING. SO MOSTLY FRANCHISE FEES AND GROSS UTILITY TAXES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS ON THE CUSTOMER BILL AND IT'S PASSED THROUGH TO THE MUNICIPALITY.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM.

>> SO YOU'RE NOT PAYING THE CITY 5%.

YOU'RE HAVING EACH CITIZEN WHO USES YOUR GAS TO PAY 5%.

>> YES, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. AND IT SHOULDN'T BE CONFUSED IT'S ALL OF THE COMPANY'S REVENUES, IT'S WHAT THEY'RE

GETTING FROM OUR RESIDENTS. >> UNDERSTOOD.

>>> HOW WAS THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT SELECTED AND AWARDED?

>> IT'S A FRANCHISE. >> ATMOS HAS A LARGE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN NORTH TEXAS.

AND THEY WERE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN FOR A LONG TIME.

AND THAT'S HOW IT ORIGINALLY GOT AWARDED THROUGH MOST OF NORTH TEXAS. AND SO THIS IS JUST SOMEONE COMING IN NOW TO COMPETE WITH THEM.

>> OKAY. COUNCIL?

>> COULD YOU PROVIDE FOR ME A LITTLE BIT OF BACK STORY AS TO HOW YOUR COST OF GAS IS CREATED. BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE BRINGING GAS IN THAT YOU'RE BUYING OR CREATING OR MINING OR WHATEVER AND TRUCKING IT UP SO TO SPEAK THROUGH YOUR PIPELINES.

>> SURE. I ACTUALLY HAVE THE MAN HIMSELF

HERE. >> YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE

GOING TO GET TO DO. >> I KIND OF JUST CAME ALONG FOR THE RIDE UP FROM AUSTIN. COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION

REAL QUICK. >> BASICALLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS HOW IS YOUR PRICE OF GAS COMPRISED VERSUS --

>> SO WE'RE REGULATED BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, AND OUR RATES ARE DESIGNED IN A VERY SIMILAR WAY AS ALL OF OUR COMPETITORS ACROSS THE STATE. SO IT'S A FLAT MONTHLY CUSTOMER CHARGE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED. I HAVE THE NUMBERS UP HERE.

OURS IS ABOUT I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU WRONG, HOLD ON.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OF DIFFERENT SERVICE AREAS.

SO $17.25 A MONTH FOR JUST THE FLAT MONTHLY CUSTOMER FEE.

AND THEN THERE'S A USAGE CHARGE OF ABOUT .3632 PER HUNDRED CUBIC FEET. SO THERE'S A USAGE CHARGE AS WELL AS A FLAT MONTHLY FEE IN ATMOS AND ALL OF THE OTHER GAS COMPANIES IN THE STATE DO THE SAME THING.

AND OUR RATES, IF YOU'RE CURIOUS, ARE VERY MUCH IN LINE

WITH THOSE COMPETITORS. >> IN LINE ABOVE OR IN LINE

BELOW? >> OUR BASE RATES, SO THERE'S, YOU KIND OF PEEL BACK THE ONION LAYERS A LITTLE BIT.

BUT OUR BASE RATES ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ATMOS BUT THERE'S ANOTHER COMPONENT OF YOUR BILL CALLED A PURCHASE GAS FACTOR, AS A UTILITY COMPANY WE DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY OF THE GAS WE PURCHASE AND TRANSPORT THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION LINES, THAT'S ALL BASED OFF OF THE SERVICE WE'RE PROVIDING.

SO WHEN YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT, WE DO A BIG JOB OF KEEPING THAT, THAT'S THE BIG PART OF MY JOB, TO KEEP THAT COST OF GAS DOWN. SO BY THE END OF THE TIME THE CUSTOMER GETS THE BILL, THEY KIND OF SEE APPLES TO APPLES RATHER THAN A MUCH HIGHER BASE FEE AND THEN THE GAS COST KIND OF EVENING THINGS OUT IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> GOT IT. THANK YOU.

>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

IF NOT, I WILL TAKE A MOTION. >> MOVE TO APPROVE.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE, IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> OKAY, PLEASE VOTE.

ITEM PASSES 6-0. THANK YOU.

[2021-346]

[01:40:05]

MAY BE REQUIRED. >> WELL THIS AGENDA ITEM IS NECESSARY FOR US TO APPLY FOR THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOTTED FOR THE AMERICAN, I CALL IT ARPA, BUT IT'S THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT FUNDS THAT WERE APPROVED A FEW MONTHS BACK. THOSE FUNDS BECAUSE OF OUR SIZE CITY GO TO STATE. AND THE STATE DETERMINES HOW THAT ALLOCATION OCCURS. IN OUR CASE IT WAS OUR ESTIMATE WAS BASED ON OUR POPULATION OF 33,532.

AND IT'S ESTIMATED THAT ULTIMATELY WE COULD POTENTIALLY RECEIVE $7,310,000. THAT APPLICATION HAS TO BE MADE BY AUGUST 2ND. SO WE'RE HERE RIGHT BEFORE THAT DEADLINE TO GET THIS APPROVED. SO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL DISTRIBUTE THE FIRST CRUNCH OF THE FUNDING. THEY'LL DO 50% FUNDING UP FRONT AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK ABOUT I BELIEVE A YEAR LATER AND DO THE OTHER 50% FUNDING. THE FUNDS HAVE TO BE USED FOR COSTS INCURRED FROM 3/31/21 THROUGH 3/31/2026.

THE CITY MUST SPEND OR HAVE OBLIGATED CONTRACTS FOR THE FUNDS BY MAY 31, 2024. THE FUNDS ARE RESTRICTED TO VERY SPECIFIC ELIGIBLE COSTS. BECAUSE OUR IMPACT AS A CITY WAS NOT AS SEVERE DURING COVID AS SOME OTHER CITIES, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE AREAS. BUT WE MOST DEFINITELY HAVE INVESTMENTS IN WATER, SEWER AND PARTICULARLY THAT WE NEED TO DO AS FAR AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. AND AT THIS POINT THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE WE ARE FOCUSING ON FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO USE THESE FUNDS FOR.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

>> 7.3 MILLION. >> WELL THAT'S THE MAX THAT WE COULD GET FOR A CITY OUR SIZE. BASED ON THE INITIAL CALCULATION. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A FINAL NUMBER, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUBLISHED THAT THEY BELIEVE WOULD BE OUR SHARE. I BELIEVE WE CAN, YES.

>> WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE THE MONEY?

>> I BELIEVE IT COMES IN LIKE I SAID IN THESE TRAUNCHES.

YOU GET 50% UP FRONT. YOU HAVE TO BE JUSTIFIED, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE SPENT ALL OF IT BEFORE YOU GET THE FUNDS. SOMEWHAT, BUT THIS IS VERY

RESTRICTED. >> YOU MENTIONED WATER AND SEWER. AND THOSE ARE TYPICALLY FUNDED

BY THE UTILITY FUND, RIGHT? >> YES.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING THAT IT MIGHT COULD BE USED FOR THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE

BENEFICIAL? >> WELL IT COULD, HAD WE PAID PREMIUM PAY FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT COULD HAVE REIMBURSED US FOR THOSE.

WE DID NOT DO THAT AS A CITY. IF WE WERE TO PUT IN A BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT IS ONE THAT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO IT AS WELL. THOSE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE ONLY

THINGS I CAN THINK OF. >> I'M JUST THINKING ALONG THE

[01:45:03]

THE -- >> AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SO RESTRICTIVE. I MEAN IT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD THAT OH MAYBE WE CAN BUY GENERATORS TO HELP FOR FUTURE EVENTS LIKE WE HAD WITH THE FREEZE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY FIT THE DEFINITION.

IT'S VERY NARROW. >> OKAY.

SO I KNOW Y'ALL ARE JUST ASKING --

>> RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR APPROVAL.

BUT WE CAN ALWAYS GO THROUGH AND VET OUT --

>> WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT IT LATER?

>> YEAH. >> I'LL KEEP MY QUESTION BRIEF BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID THERE.

BUT IS THIS 7.3 REFLECTED IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET?

>> NO, IT IS NOT. >> SO THEN THE IS IT 8.5 MILLION ANTICIPATED IN THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT MODIFICATIONS, THESE FUNDS CAN GO TOWARDS THAT? IS THAT WHY WE'RE THINKING WE MIGHT GET IT DONE IN A YEAR OR TWO?

>> WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT THE FUNDING TO DO THAT WITH THE CURRENT FUNDING WE HAVE. WE DIDN'T BANK ON THIS.

LIKE THE LAST ROUND IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET THE FUNDING.

SO WE DIDN'T PLACE ANY RELIANCE ON THIS MONEY.

>> SO THAT BEING SAID, IF WE FRONT LOAD THE COVERAGE OF THAT EXPANSION OUT OF OUR UTILITY FUND, CAN WE BACK PAY?

>> I THINK WE COULD. WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THAT FUND TOO.

BUT I THINK WE COULD REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR THAT.

>> THANK YOU. >> IF THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL TAKE A MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE.

IS THERE A SECOND? PLEASE VOTE.

ITEM PASSES 6-0. 2021-347, CONSIDER AND ACT UPON

[2021-347]

>> WELL I WILL WARN YOU THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF SEVERAL THINGS THAT I MAY BE BRINGING FORWARD THAT WERE ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE THIS LAST SESSION. THIS PARTICULAR ONE AS YOU READ IN THE CAPTION, MAYOR, IS SPECIFIC TO FIRST RESPONDERS.

AND THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.

AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH WHEN A PERSON IN THIS ELIGIBLE CATEGORY ARE ORDERED TO QUARANTINE OR TO ISOLATE DUE TO THEIR EXPOSURE TO A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, AND GENERALLY THAT'S DEFINED BY THE

CDC -- >> WHILE ON DUTY.

>> WHILE ON DUTY, YES, THAT'S TRUE.

WHILE ON DUTY. I LEFT THAT PART OFF, DIDN'T I? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S USUALLY DEFINED AS BY THE CDC OR SOME OTHER HEALTH OFFICIAL THAT WOULD CONSIDER IT TO BE A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE. IT ENDS WHEN IT'S DETERMINED THAT THE EMPLOYEE IS NO LONGER A RISK TO OTHERS.

THE PAID LEAVE IS INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT, IS NOT INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT THE SALARY BEYOND THE NORMAL HOURS.

SO IT'S THEIR NORMAL WORK HOURS. THEY CAN'T HAVE WORKED A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND THEN THEY GET SUPPLEMENTED AND IT THROWS THEM INTO OVERTIME. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF REASONABLE COST RELATED TO THE QUARANTINE INCLUDING LODGING, MEDICAL, AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES IF THAT'S REQUIRED. AND THE CITIES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REDUCE SOMEONE'S SICK LEAVE BALANCE, VACATION BALANCE OR ANY OTHER LEAVE. THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL LEAVE THAT IS PLACED ON, THE BURDEN OF THIS IS PLACED ON THE CITY.

AND AS I SAID, IT'S SWORN POLICE OFFICERS, CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, AND DETENTION OFFICERS BY DEFINITION. AND IT DID GO INTO EFFECT JUNE 15, 2021. SO UPON APPROVAL, IT WILL BE

[01:50:08]

>> I MEAN THIS SEEMS LIKE A MASSIVE, I'M JUST SAYING ON THE RECORD, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A MASSIVE NEVER ENDING POTENTIALLY

DISASTROUS BLANK CHECK. >> WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE QUESTION OF LIKE WHAT LEVEL SUPERVISOR, IS IT THE CHIEF

LEVEL AND CITY ADMIN? >> I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE CHIEF THAT WOULD MAKE THAT ULTIMATE DECISION.

DOES IT PROVIDE FOR ANY OVERSIGHT OF THE SUPERVISION AND THE DECISION TREE IN THAT CONTINUAL --

>> IT WON'T BE A MID LEVEL COMMANDER OR SERGEANT.

>> I DON'T ENVISION THAT AT ALL. >> THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

>> AS A FIRST RESPONDER MYSELF, MY DEPARTMENT HAS JUST UNDER 3,000 OFFICERS. 20%, JUST OVER 20% CAUGHT COVID IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. I THINK HOUSE BILL 2073 IS LONG OVERDUE. FIRST RESPONDERS PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE DURING THE WORST MOMENTS OF COVID ANSWERING CALLS AND BASICALLY WHAT IT'S SAYING IS IF YOU'RE A FIREFIGHTER AND YOU GO TO A CALL FOR SERVICE AT AN ADDRESS AND YOU COME DOWN WITH COVID, THAT WHEN THEY QUARANTINE YOU FOR HOWEVER LONG, 10 TO 14 DAYS, THAT THAT TIME PERIOD IS PAID, NOT PAID ON TOP OF YOUR NORMAL SALARY, IT GUARANTEES THAT YOU GET THAT TIME OFF AND THAT IT'S PAID IS WHAT IT'S BASICALLY SAYING.

>> I DON'T THINK ANYONE DISAGREES WITH THAT, WE ALL SUPPORT THAT. BUT OUR CONCERN, OR MY CONCERN IS IN SOME ENVIRONMENTS MAYBE NOT ELLIS COUNTY OR MIDLOTHIAN, THE RETURN TO DUTY PROCESS HAS BEEN PRETTY LAX AND IT SHIFTS FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT AND IT COULD BE ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT PRETTY OPEN ENDED.

I KNOW I HAD SOME EMPLOYEES OUT FOR SIX WEEKS BECAUSE I COULDN'T MEET THE EVER CHANGING CDC GUIDELINES.

>> I CAN TELL YOU, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT AT OURS, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.

A LOT OF THESE ARE CASE BY CASE SITUATIONS, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SIGNS OF FIRST RESPONDERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT OR BEING ALLOWED TO. IT'S BEEN A NONFACTOR.

>> ONE THING I SEE THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED YET, YOU'VE GOT IT, I TELL YOU TO GO HOME, I'VE GOT TO GET HIM IN HERE TO WORK TO TAKE YOUR PLACE. THAT'S THE PART THAT'S GOING TO

COST. >> COVERAGE WILL BE AN ISSUE FOR

THE DEPARTMENTS. >> THE COST OF SOMEBODY TO TAKE

THEIR PLACE. >> BUT CHIEF, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE EARLY ON, MORE THAN A

COUPLE, THAT WERE QUARANTINED. >> WE HAVE SOME RIGHT NOW TODAY.

>> AND WE'VE HAD TWO MORE, BUT THEY'RE NOT QUARANTINED ARE THEY? THE TWO NEW ONES?

>> I'M SORRY. >> WHAT WAS THE QUESTION?

>> I WAS SAYING WHEN THIS OCCURRED TO US IN THE FIRST ROUND OF COVID, WE HAD A NUMBER OF OFFICERS GOING INTO

QUARANTINE. >> SO FROM DAY ONE WHEN COVID HIT TO TODAY, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS.

WE DID THINGS TO SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES I DON'T ENVISION US DOING AGAIN. FIRST RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, WE

[01:55:01]

WE WOULDN'T DO THAT AGAIN. I THINK IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE NEWS, YOU KNOW THAT THE VARIANTS ARE OUT THERE AND THEY'RE RISING. WE ARE BEING AFFECTED CURRENTLY BY COVID WITH SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WE HAVE TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T COME TO WORK. SO THIS NEW LEGISLATION, IT'S IN EFFECT NOW, WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IT AND THEY'LL BE GUARANTEED THAT MONEY.

IN THE PAST THEY'VE JUST USED THEIR OWN SICK TIME OR THEIR OWN VACATION TIME. ONCE THE 80 HOURS, IT WAS MANDATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RAN OUT.

WE'LL SIGH THAT THE CITY EXTENDED THAT BEYOND WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSED, IT ENDED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

THE CITY WENT AHEAD AND EXTENDED THAT FURTHER BECAUSE WE WEREN'T QUITE OUT OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE PANDEMIC COMING TO A CLOSE.

>> WITH THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM COVER THESE COSTS? PLEASE, I DON'T MEAN THIS QUESTION BADLY.

BUT DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE COST IMPACT IS GOING TO

BE? >> I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD ESTIMATE IT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO MIGHT COME DOWN WITH COMMUNICABLE DISEASE. WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT HISTORICAL NUMBERS AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING FOR NEXT YEARS.

>> ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS HOW ARE WE GOING TO MANAGE THAT, AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS.

JUST LIKE ANN SAID IT'S US TELLING AN EMPLOYEE DON'T COME TO WORK. WE'RE ONLY DOING THAT IN TESTED POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS AND IF THEY'RE SYMPTOMATIC.

IF THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED AT WORK, WE'RE TELLING THEM THEY CAN COME TO WORK, WEAR A MASK WHILE THEY'RE IN THE STATION.

IF YOU'RE IN YOUR BUNK ROOM OR YOU'RE TAKING A SHOWER IN THE BATHROOM, YOU CAN REMOVE YOUR MASK, BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO MANAGE THAT THE BEST WE CAN BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE TO TURN THE WHEELS. WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYBODY AT HOME.

AT SOME POINT WE'VE GOT TO COME TO WORK AND DO OUR JOB.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS OBVIOUSLY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO HEAR THAT IT WAS AT THE CHIEF LEVEL OR THE CITY ADMIN LEVEL, SOMEBODY THAT WE HAVE A TOUCH POINT WITH.

>> AND I DO WANT TO ADD ONE THING.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO COVID, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY IS THINKING OF RIGHT NOW.

BUT IT COULD BE ANY KIND OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE.

>> TO COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

>> I'LL SECOND. >> PLEASE VOTE.

6-0. DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK.

[2021-348]

CORPORATION. >> THANK YOU MAYOR, AND COUNCIL.

THIS EVENING WE ARE BRINGING A CONTRACT TO YOU WITH DESIGN WORKSHOP. THERE WERE SEVEN RESPONSES TO THIS RFP THAT WENT OUT I THINK IN THE MARCH TIME FRAME.

MCDC DID ALLOCATE UP TO $350,000 FOR PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN. WE DID GET SEVEN RESPONSES, WE INTERVIEWED TWO COMPANIES FROM THOSE SEVEN RESPONSES AND SELECTED DESIGN WORKSHOP. I THINK THERE WERE ABOUT FIVE OF US IN THAT SELECTION COMMITTEE. WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THE CITIZEN INPUT, STAFF INFORMATION THAT THE STAFF THAT WILL BE

[02:00:02]

THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO ALLOCATE THAT PLAN.

SO SOME OF THE TASKS THAT THEY HAVE IS INITIATION, COMMUNICATION ENGAGEMENT, A S.W.A.T. ANALYSIS FOR OUR PARKS, OUR CURRENT PARK CLASSIFICATION, RECREATION TRENDS LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE, QUALITY ASSURANCE, AND THEN RECREATION OPERATIONS FOR OUR REC SPORTS, HOW IS FOOTBALL, HOW IS SOFTBALL GOING.

THEN WE'LL HAVE FOCUS GROUPS, SURVEY WORKSHOP WITH THE LOCAL POPULATION AS WELL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN.

AND THEN STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND THEN WORKSHOP AND DRAFT PLAN. SO THE ORIGINAL RESPONSE CAME IN I BELIEVE I THINK IT WAS A 181. IT'S A PARKS MASTER PLAN AND WE FIGURED THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE MEETINGS THAN WERE ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR THIS. WE DID HAVE HIM BUMP UP THE PLANNED DOCUMENTATION AND ADOPTION THEY ADDED.

IT WENT FROM 36,000 TO 56,000 ON THAT ONE TASK.

SO THEY ADDED $20,000 TO THAT AND THAT IS WHAT BROUGHT US TO $200,500. SO WITH THAT I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THIS PLAN.

AND IT IS A 12 MONTH SCHEDULE ON THAT.

>> I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION. >> YES, SIR.

>> IS HEATHER INVOLVED IN IT? >> OH YEAH, SHE'S ON AN ISLAND RIGHT NOW SO I GET TO CARRY THIS.

SHE'S GOING TO BE CARRYING THIS, BUT FOR TONIGHT I GET TO.

>> SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO DELAY ANY OF THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE OR PLANS FOR PARKS UNTIL THIS IS DONE, RIGHT?

>> YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS NO.

BUT LET ME CAVEAT THAT WITH IF THERE IS A CHANGE OF SCOPE IN A CURRENT PROJECT AND I WILL THROW IT OUT THERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING SPORTS PARK WITH YOUTH SOFTBALL, IF THERE'S A CHANGE OF SCOPE, WELL WE CHANGE ALL OF THOSE TO ADULT SOFTBALL AND WE GO FROM 275-FOOT FIELDS TO 300-FOOT FIELDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I AM NOT GOING TO PROMISE THAT THIS DOES NOT DELAY THAT. BUT IF THERE'S THINGS MARCHING ALONG RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE PLUGGING ALONG AT, THOSE CONTINUE ON. AND THOSE WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE MASTER PLAN. SO THIS MASTER PLAN ISN'T GOING TO GO THROUGH AND DESIGN EACH SPECIFIC PARK IN MIDLOTHIAN.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN OVERREACHING PLAN TO MOVE US FORWARD.

SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

>> YEAH. >> WILL IT TAKE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, EVERY HOA PARK, ALL OF THAT SPACE INTO

CONSIDERATION? >> YES, SIR.

>> ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. >> NOT NECESSARILY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THOSE AREN'T ALWAYS PARKS.

NOW THEY WILL TAKE IN THE TWO JUNIOR HIGH FIELDS, THE TENNIS COURTS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

A LOT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE OPEN SPACE ON THEM THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY TRULY UTILIZE AS OPEN SPACE OR PRACTICE AREAS FOR RECREATION SPORTS, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

I THINK WE ARE TYPICALLY ALLOCATING PRACTICE SPACE ON OUR FACILITIES. SO PROBABLY A LITTLE FURTHER CLARIFICATION NEED TO HAPPEN WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>> WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, RIGHT?

>> YES, SIR. WE DID DO IT 2012, IT NEVER GOT APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL THOUGH. WE GOT IT TO THE --

>> THE ACTUAL PLAN DIDN'T GET APPROVED OR THE FUNDING FOR TO

DO A PLAN? >> THE ACTUAL PLAN.

WE DID THE WHOLE PLAN AND IT DIDN'T GET APPROVED.

>> WHAT'S THE TYPICAL LIFE SPAN OF ONE OF THESE THINGS?

>> TEN YEARS I THINK. AND THIS SHOULD COME WITH A TEN

YEAR SCOPE OF WORK. >> HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND ON THAT? BALLPARK COST?

>> THE MASTER PLAN IS A GUIDELINE FOR GOING FORWARD.

IT'S NOT APPROVAL, CORRECT? SO WE HAVE NOT PREEMPTED ANY, LIKE THE TRAILS, IT MAY CALL FOR TRAILS, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO --

>> THIS IS JUST A PLAN. >> THAT WE WORK TO.

>> YES THIS IS A PLAN TO SPEND THAT CAPITAL.

>> SO WHILE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE AND ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO PARTICIPATE, ENCOURAGE THE PARKS, ANYBODY AND EVERYTHING

PARTICIPATE. >> AND THERE IS A HUGE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT TO THIS. THEY'LL BE OUT IN PARKS, THEY'LL

[02:05:01]

I MEAN THERE'S A HUGE SEGMENT OF THAT.

>> THAT WAY THIS DOCUMENT CAN REFLECT WHAT THE COMMUNITY TRULY

WANTS. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND HOPEFULLY YES, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

>> BUT THE PLAN IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PARK DEPARTMENT STRAIGHT TO COUNCIL OR WILL IT GO THROUGH --

>> THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR HAND IN IT AT SOME POINT.

>> IS ALAN BACK THERE? >> THE ANSWER IS YES.

>> YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO SPEAK EITHER, DID YOU?

>> NO, SIR. ALAN NICKS, MCDC.

WHEN WE STARTED A WHILE BACK IN THE PLAN WAS BECAUSE WE LOST THE MONEY WHEN WE WERE DOING A COMMUNITY PARK.

WE WANTED THAT GRANT AND THEN WE LOST THOSE POINTS AND YOU LOST $750,000 THAT WE COULD HAVE TAKEN.

YES. AND SO AT THE POINT, THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AS A GROUP WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE IS PICKLE BALL MORE IMPORTANT THAN A TENNIS COURT, IS IT BASKETBALL COURT, SOFTBALL FIELDS, BASEBALL FIELDS, A FOOTBALL FIELD, A SOCCER FIELD, WHAT IS IMPORTANT? WELL WE WERE ALL GETTING TO CHOOSE.

AND THEN WHEN THIS PLAN AND HEATHER BROUGHT THIS PLAN UP TO US, THE COMMUNITY CAN CHOOSE. LET THE COMMUNITY GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK. LET'S REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND LET THEM TELL US AND LET THEM LOOK AT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE FROM A BIGGER SCOPE AND THEN KIND OF GIVE US DIRECTION.

AFTER THE PLAN IS OVER, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN THAT THEY PRESENT TO US ON THESE ARE THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT. SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE PICKLE BALL YOU NEVER HEARD OF. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BECOMES A HOT SPORT AND WE HAVE NO COURTS. SO WE SEE IT AS A STEPPINGSTONE THAT CAN REALLY HELP US AS WE GO FORWARD WITH OUR PROJECTS.

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.

>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION I THINK TO APPROVE AS IS. AND SECONDED.

PLEASE VOTE. IT PASSES 7-0.

[2021-349]

>>> I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ONCE BEFORE. SO WE TRY TO TAKE THAT INPUT AND DEVELOP A POLICY FOR INCLUDING NAMES ON THE MEMORIAL.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS EVER A FINAL DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO PUT NAMES ON IT.

SO LET ME JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE.

SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS OBVIOUSLY FEEDBACK ON POLICY, BUT TWO TONIGHT WE ARE BUILDING THE VETERANS MEMORIAL SLASH TRIBUTE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, AND I THINK IT IS TOO LATE IN THE PROCESS TO ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE'S NAMES ENGRAVED ON IT BEFORE THE OPENING.

BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO GET DEFINED IS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE NAMES AT ALL AND THEN IF WE ARE, WE KIND OF NEED TO DEFINE WHAT NAMES, KILLED IN ACTION, ALL VETERANS THAT SERVED, ET CETERA, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE HOW WE NOT LAY OUT THE WALLS BUT ENGRAVINGS, QUOTES ON THE WALLS, DO WE LEAVE SPACE FOR NAMES, ET CETERA.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.

THIS POLICY, I'LL JUST KIND OF RUN THROUGH QUICKLY, WHAT WE DRAFTED BASED ON WHAT WE HAD HEARD BEFORE AND THAT WAS JUST WE LAID OUT SOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WHICH THEY WERE PRETTY SIMPLE, SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES, LIVED IN MIDLOTHIAN OR THE ETJ, SERVED AFTER THE YEAR OF INCORPORATION WHICH WAS 1888 AND THEN THEY HAD TO BE HONORABLY DISCHARGED.

WE LAID OUT SOME PROCEDURES WE COULD GO THROUGH IF WE WERE GOING TO PUT NAMES ON THERE, HAVING A COUNCIL APPOINTED COMMITTEE AND THEN WITH THE COMMITTEE AND STAFF HELPING TO VET THROUGH THESE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND THEN ULTIMATELY BRING THAT BACK BEFORE COUNCIL TO APPROVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IF WE WANT TO PUT NAMES ON IT. THIS WAS JUST A START TO THE

[02:10:03]

DIALOGUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >> BEING ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROPONENTS OF PUTTING NAMES ON IT, MY WIFE HAS TWO UNCLES THAT BOTH SERVED, ONE IN WORLD WAR II THE OTHER IN CAREER.

THEY LIVED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS BECAUSE IT DIDN'T EXIST BACK IN THE '30S AND '40S. ONE OF THAT STARTED A COMPANY BACK THERE. AND NEITHER ONE OF THEM COULD BE ON THE WALL BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY BORN ACCORDING TO YOUR RULES, THEY SERVED IN THIS CITY, THEY GREW UP HERE, THEY WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL HERE, EVERYTHING WAS DONE HERE AND THAT'S PART OF THE RECOGNITION, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE NAMES OFF OF IT.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE SPEAKERS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BILL VINCENT.

AND YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> MY NAME IS BILL. I'M HERE TONIGHT WITH MY WIFE, MARTHA, AND WE LIVE AT 5050 PROSPERITY ROAD IN MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS. I WOULD SAY WE ARE BLUE STAR PARENTS. AND MY WIFE IS THE MEMBER OF THE BLUEBONNET CHAPTER OF THE BLUE STAR MOMS. ON MAY 6TH WE WERE A PART OF A COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE VETERANS TRIBUTE OR MEMORIAL. DISCUSSION WAS HAD AND DECISIONS WERE MADE AND SOME OF THE DECISIONS WAS TO HONOR THOSE WHO SERVED THAT WERE FROM MIDLOTHIAN.

AND THEIR NAMES TO BE ENGRAVED IN THE STONE WITH THEIR BRANCH OF SERVICE. AND THAT A QR CODE WOULD BE INCLUDED AT THE SITE TO GIVE THEM FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE VETERAN IF THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL OR JUST THEIR HISTORY. THE DISCUSSION OF THIS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN TO, I THINK Y'ALL HAVE HAD TO SET ASIDE EVIDENTLY THE COMMITTEE THAT WE MET AND MADE SOME DECISIONS AND HAD SOME ACTIONS WAS TOTALLY STOPPED AND NOT EVEN DISCUSSED WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WERE THERE, THE CITIZENS THAT WERE EVEN PART OF THIS COMMITTEE. IT WAS HALTED, NO COMMUNICATION CAME BACK TO US AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL. WE UNDERSTAND Y'ALL HAVE HAD SOME NICE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT. AND SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE LED TO JUST THE QR CODE ONLY AND I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT LIKE THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL. MILLIONS OF THOSE THAT VISIT THIS EACH YEAR JUST TO COME AND GET AN ETCHING AH -- OR SCRATCHING OF THEIR LOVED ONES, THEIR FAMILY, THEIR FRIEND TO HONOR THEM AND TAKE IT BACK HOME.

IN MY OPINION YOU'RE DENYING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT RIGHT.

>> 30 SECONDS. >> NOW YOU THINK OF A QR CODE, VIRTUAL WALL, WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS TO NOT TAKE TECHNOLOGY OUT OF THIS BUT TO INCLUDE IT WITH IT. AND I BELIEVE TO HONOR OUR VETERANS FROM MIDLOTHIAN IS TO DO IT WITH THEIR NAME AND A QR CODE. WE'RE NOT DENYING TECHNOLOGY.

BUT WE WANT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO BE HEARD.

THANK Y'ALL. >> THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER IS BRANDY. I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA THINGS TO SAY BUT LET'S KEEP IT --

>> I'LL KEEP IT AS FAST AS I CAN.

I'M BRANDY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING NAMES ON THE VETERANS TRIBUTE.

TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE ABOUT ME AND MY QUALIFICATIONS, I AM A MIDLOTHIAN GRADUATE. MIDLOTHIAN IS MY HOMETOWN.

I HAVE BEEN ON THE VETERAN COMMITTEE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I KNOW AND UNDERSTAND FULLY THE PURPOSE AND THE REASONING BEHIND THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE REGARDING THIS TRIBUTE. I AM ALSO AN ARMY VETERAN, I'M THE WIFE OF AN ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS VETERAN, THE ARMY TO AN ARMY VETERAN AND MOTHER TO AN ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIER.

I'M THE DAUGHTER TO A VETERAN, AND A GRANDDAUGHTER TO A VETERAN, AND A NIECE TO FOUR AIR FORCE VETERANS AND THE COUSIN OF A VETERAN. I'M ALSO A NURSE, I'M A MEDIC IN

[02:15:02]

I HAVE TREATED THOUSANDS OF VETERANS IN THE VA HOSPITALS, CLINICS, AND THEIR HOMES IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES.

I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT AND I WILL GRADUATE IN DECEMBER WITH MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN NURSING.

ULTIMATELY MY GOAL IS TO OBTAIN ANY NURSE-PRACTITIONER IN PSYCHOLOGY TO WORK WITH VETERANS WITH PTSD.

I'M HOPING TO ANSWER SOME CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS TONIGHT REGARDING THE ISSUE OF INCLUDING NAMES ON THE WALL.

ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS REGARDING A POLICY, I HAVE RESEARCHED OTHER CITIES POLICIES REGARDING ENGRAVING NAMES ON A MEMORIAL FOR VETERANS TO BE BURIED IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.

TO BE BURIED IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY, A SOLDIER MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WHO DIES ON ACTIVE DUTY, A VETERAN WHO IS ACTIVELY DISCHARGED AND A CITIZEN OF THE U.S. ANY CASES THAT WERE IN QUESTION WERE REFERRED BY YOU TO THE VA REGIONAL OFFICE FOR APPROVAL.

IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO ADOPT THE SAME POLICY TO FIT THE MIDLOTHIAN ETJ. THIS LEADS TO THE NEXT CONCERN OF WHO WOULD BE ON THE COMMITTEE AND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THOSE ON THE COMMITTEE. AT A MINIMUM MY SUGGESTION FOR WHO IS ON THIS COMMITTEE IS AS FOLLOWS, ONE PERSON FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, ONE PERSON FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, AND ONE PERSON FROM THE VETERANS COMMITTEE.

I WILL VOLUNTEER FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

I BELIEVE I HAVE GIVEN MY QUALIFICATIONS TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE. WHO OUT HERE REALIZES THERE ARE MISTAKES ON THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

DO YOU REALIZE THAT? THERE ARE 114 MISTAKES ON THAT WALL. ONE SOLDIER IS REPRESENTED ON THE WALL THREE TIMES. TWO TIMES IT'S SPELLED CORRECTLY AND ONE TIME IT IS SPELLED INCORRECTLY.

13 OTHERS HAVE THEIR NAMES ON THEIR TWICE, MANY OTHER NAMES ARE MISSPELLED AND THEN SPELLED CORRECTLY OR HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THERE ARE ALSO AT LEAST 25 NAMES OF SOLDIERS WHO ACTUALLY SURVIVED THE WAR AND SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ENGRAVED. HOW DID THEY FIX THESE ERRORS? IT ISN'T UNTIL ONE OF THE PANELS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED WHEN THEY FIX THE ISSUES. UNTIL THE PANEL NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED THE NAME WILL NOT BE REMOVED OR FIXED.

IT IS ESTIMATED THERE ARE 19 MILLION VETERANS IN THE U.S.

THE ODDS OF A VETERAN COMMITTING A CRIME TO THE POINT OF WANTING TO REMOVE HIS OR HER NAME OFF THE WALL ARE LESS THAN 0.57%.

IT IS VERY UNLIKELY WE WILL HAVE TO FACE THE DECISION TO REMOVE A NAME OFF THE WALL. THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL HAS 58,318 NAMES ENGRAVED ON THEIR WALL. THE PANELS RANGE FROM EIGHT

INCHES TALL TO TEN FEET TALL. >> COULD YOU BEGIN TO WRAP UP

PLEASE? >> YEAH.

IN COMPARISON TO ALWAYS, THAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 685 NAMES ON EACH PANEL. I DID SOME ROUGH ESTIMATIONS ON THE NUMBER OF VETERANS WE WILL NEED TO ADD ON THE WALL AND TO ACCUMULATE THAT TO WHAT OUR POPULATION IS, WE HAVE 190 TO ABOUT 380 OF OUR CURRENT POPULATION WOULD HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY. WHEN WE ADD UP ALL OF THE NUMBERS, WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO PUT ON A WALL FOR OUR LENGTH IS 13,700 NAMES. WE HAVE WHAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY AT

THIS POINT IN TIME AS 3,000. >> ALL RIGHT.

>> 3,250 NAMES WE WOULD NEED TO ADD TO THIS WALL.

THAT'S NOT EVEN 24% OF THE TOTAL SPACE WE WOULD NEED TO DO.

ALL I'M SAYING IS WHO ARE WE BUILDING THIS WALL FOR? ARE WE BUILDING IT TO LOOK FOR NOTORIETY OR ARE WE BUILDING OUR VETERANS? OUR VETERANS WANT THAT NAME ON

THE WALL. >> I'M TRYING TO SET WHAT WE'RE TO DO HERE. CHRIS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, AND COUNCIL JUMP IN IF YOU SEE IT DIFFERENTLY.

WE'RE MOVING TO HAVE THE VETERANS MEMORIAL TRIBUTE WITH THE OPENING OF THE PARK AND HOPEFULLY HAVE IT BY VETERANS DAY THIS YEAR. THE QUESTION IS DO WE WANT NAMES ON THE WALL, YES OR NO? AND IF IT'S NO THEN WE'LL DO INSCRIPTIONS. IF THE ANSWER IS YES, DO WE WANT TO TRY TO DO IT NOW IN THIS TIME FRAME OR DO WE WANT TO SET SAY VETERAN'S DAY 2022 TO GIVE US TIME TO SET THE POLICY AND VET THE NAMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE NAMING POLICY RIGHT NOW. WE JUST NEED TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE MEMORIAL RELATIVE TO THE

OPENING. >> I THINK TRYING TO GET THE NAMES ON, IF WE WANT NAMES AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM ON THERE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET THEM ON BY THIS YEAR. SO I THINK WE WOULD PUSH AND LOOK AT NOVEMBER 11, 2022, TO GET THE PANELS ENGRAVED.

BUT THE BIG DECISION OF NAMES, NO NAMES BECAUSE IF THE COUNCIL DESIRES NOT TO DO NAMES, THEN WE NEED TO FIND SOMETHING TO PUT ON

[02:20:01]

>> AND THIS QUESTION, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET THE NAME POLICY

NAILED DOWN RIGHT NOW? >> NO.

>> MAYBE SOME INTENT, BECAUSE I AGREE WITH TED, IF A PERSON IS FROM MIDLOTHIAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DEFINE.

IF A PERSON IS FROM MIDLOTHIAN, THEN THEY OUGHT TO BE CONCERNED.

>> IN WORLD WAR II IF YOU LIVED, I THINK IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE HAVE A MIDLOTHIAN ADDRESS. AND YOU MAY HAVE NEVER LIVED IN MIDLOTHIAN, YOU NEVER LIVED IN ETJ, YOU WENT OUTSIDE THAT, BUT

YOUR ADDRESS WAS MIDLOTHIAN. >> AND I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT. SO THESE DETAILS CAN BE WORKED OUT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS OR MONTHS.

>> YEAH, THAT'S THE QUESTION IF THE COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME FEEDBACK

ON DETAILS. >> I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION FROM STAFF THAT THIS WOULD BE THE FINAL, THIS IS JUST BASED ON THE NOTES WE TOOK AND TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE SO WE CAN START THE DISCUSSION ON THE POLICY.

AND YOU CAN READ IT OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT WOULD ENTAIL A COMMITTEE BEING APPOINTED BY COUNCIL, THE MAKEUP OF THAT COMMITTEE, THAT'S CERTAINLY UP TO YOU GUYS AND WHO'S ON THAT COMMITTEE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE ENVISIONED WAS THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD APPOINT A COMMITTEE TO HELP VET THE NAMES AND THAT COMMITTEE WOULD ULTIMATELY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION.

OF COURSE STAFF WILL BE HERE TO HELP GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND TRY TO GO THROUGH THE VARIOUS RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO VET THE NAMES. BUT THAT COMMITTEE IS THE ULTIMATE ONE THAT WOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.

>> I JUST WANT TO JUMP IN REAL QUICK BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD THIS ON A PREVIOUS MEETING AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT LENGTH.

JUST TO RECAP WHAT YOU SAID, WE'RE SIMPLY DECIDING AT THIS POINT NAMES OR NO NAMES, YES OR NO, AND WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT

STEP WITH THAT DECISION. >> AND WHEN WOULD THE NAMES BE IN THIS GO ROUND OR LATER? I AGREE WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO

THIS. >> I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THE

-- >> SO COULDN'T IT BE A SIMPLE, I'M NOT GOING TO JUMP A MOTION, BUT COULDN'T IT SIMPLY BE MAKING

A MOTION -- >> I DON'T THINK WE NEED A

MOTION DO WE? >> IT SAYS CONSIDER AND ACT.

>> IF YOU TELL US WE ARE PUTTING NAMES ON THIS WALL, THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW SO THAT WE DON'T PUT A BUNCH OF, COME BACK WITH A BUNCH OF INSCRIPTIONS OR QUOTES AND

STUFF. >> IF WE MAKE A MOTION --.

>> IN MY OPINION IS WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE NAMES THING

FURTHER BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT. >> IF WE VOTE OR NOT VOTE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE CAN COME BACK LATER AND CLARIFY THAT OR CHANGE IT OR GET MORE DETAIL. WE ARE NOT LOCKING OURSELVES.

WE WANT NAMES BUT NOT THIS GO ROUND.

>> SO I MAKE A MOTION IF WE'RE GOOD.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY I'VE ALWAYS BEEN WITH YOU GUYS SINCE AT THE BEGINNING AND MY ONLY CONCERN WITH THE NAMES, I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER WITH NAMES.

I THINK A MUCH COOLER EXPERIENCE, RIGHT.

MY ONLY CONCERN WAS ALL OF THE DETAILS GATHERING THE NAMES AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON STAFF. SO IF YOU AS A STAFF FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ASSEMBLING A DREAM TEAM COMMITTEE THAT CAN TAKE SOME OF THE LOAD OF STAFF OFF, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THE NAMES. IF WE CAN TRULY TURN IT OVER TO THAT COMMITTEE AND THEY REALLY HOLD THE BALL AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AND NOT OUR LIMITED STAFF.

>> YEAH, I THINK WE PLAN TO BE INVOLVED FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT COLLECTING THOSE NAMES AND WE'LL USE THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE AWARE OF TO HELP VET THAT OUT. BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING FOR HELP FROM THE COMMITTEE. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

AND PEOPLE MAY HAVE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE NOT AWARE OF FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT. IN OUR RESEARCH THAT WE DID BEFORE, WE FOUND SOME RESOURCES THAT WE COULD GO AND TRY TO FIND. BUT WE'LL TAKE ALL THE HELP WE

CAN GET FROM THE COMMITTEE. >> I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME RESOURCES RIGHT THERE. WE NEED TO ENLIST THEM.

[02:25:01]

>> I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE OR DIRECT STAFF TO PROCEED IN PLANNING TO PUT NAMES AND BRANCH OF SERVICE ON THE

WALL FOR A 2022 -- >> WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AND CHANGE IT IN THE FUTURE?

>> YES. >> IF Y'ALL APPROVE THIS AND WE KNOW WE'RE PUTTING NAMES ON THERE, WE CAN PROCEED DOWN THAT

PATH. >> AND THE DETAILS.

>> WE'LL COME BACK AND DECIDE THE COMMITTEE PROCESS, BUT YES WE'RE GOING FOR NAMES AND BRANCH OF SERVICE AT THIS TIME.

THAT'S MY MOTION. >> BUT IT WAS SAID EARLIER THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT MORE.

>> DURING COMMITTEE PROCESS. SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW THROUGH MY MOTION IS I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT WE DIRECT STAFF TO APPLY THE NAMES AND BRANCH OF SERVICE TO THE WALL WHICH WILL BE DECIDED THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.

>> OKAY. >> WE'RE SAYING PUT NAMES ON THE

WALL. >> I THINK WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT

AS THIS COMMITTEE IS FORMED. >> THE NAMES ARE GOING ON THE

WALL. >> I'M SORRY, I MISUNDERSTOOD.

>> WHAT CLASSIFIED WHAT NAMES ARE GOING ON THE WALL, HOW THEY GET THERE, ET CETERA, THAT'S WHAT GOES THROUGH COMMITTEE.

THAT'S MY MOTION. AND THAT'S YOUR SECOND.

>> YEAH. >> YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION?

>> I'M ALL FOR NAMES, BUT AS THE SPEAKER SAID, THERE'S MISTAKES ON THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL. I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. ANY MISTAKES IF DONE PROPERLY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON SOMETHING OF THIS IMPORTANCE.

AND IF WE START OURSELVES DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE WANTING TO PUT THOUSANDS OF NAMES ON THINGS, WHO'S GOING TO SPEND THE THOUSANDS OF MAN HOURS TO VET THESE PEOPLE, WHERE THEY LIVE.

I JUST THINK THAT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR US.

>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION? AND DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> YES. >> I MADE A MOTION.

>> JUST FOR CLARITY, WE ARE POTENTIALLY PROVING YOUR MOTION IS TO APPROVE PUTTING NAMES ON THE MEMORIAL AND THEN LATER ON THE COMMITTEE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO VET THOSE PEOPLE, HOW TO ESTABLISH THEM, AND THEN THE TIMING ON GETTING THE ACTUAL

NAME. >> IS THE MOTION INCLUDING ANY SERVICE MEMBER, DIED, DECEASED SERVICE MEMBERS?

>> THAT'S ALL THROUGH THE -- >> WE'RE JUST SAYING PUT NAMES

ON IT, PERIOD. >> THEY'RE WONDERING WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO PLAN FOR NAMES OR NO NAMES.

I'M SAYING PLAN FOR NAMES. >> WE'RE JUST PROVING THAT NAMES WILL BE ON THE MEMORIAL. NOT THAT WE'RE PUTTING THEM THERE, BUT THEY WILL BE ON THE MEMORIAL AT SOME FUTURE DATE.

MAKE A DISTINCTION HERE. WE WILL BE PUTTING THEM ON THERE. SO WE HAVEN'T SET WHAT THE POLICY IS, WE HAVEN'T SET THE PROCESS IN PLACE YET AND THE GOVERNANCE OF THAT. WE'RE JUST TELLING STAFF BUILD THE MEMORIAL AND HAVE IT OPENED FOR VETERAN'S DAY THIS YEAR WITH THE PARK BUT WITHOUT NAMES BUT KNOWING THAT NAMES WILL COME THE NEXT YEAR. THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.

>> YES. >> YES.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE.

IT PASSES 6-0. WHAT STAFF NEEDED IS -- OKAY.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE MEMORIAL AS A VETERAN, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

IT IS A GREAT DESIGN. AND IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

ARE WE GOING INTO SESSION? SO AT 8:29, WE ARE BREAKING FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'RE

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

[02:30:06]

>>> AT 8:38 WE'RE BACK INTO REGULAR SESSION.

AT 8:38 AND A HALF WE STAND ADJOURNED.

OH I'M SORRY, THERE WAS NO ACTION

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.