[I. Call Meeting to Order]
[00:00:02]
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH, AND I'M GONNA CALL THIS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER.
WOULD ALL PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WOULD THE CITY SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MITCHELL.
[II. Citizen Comment Period with City Council]
NEXT UP, CITIZEN COMMENTS.AT THIS TIME, MAY I ASK ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK, PLEASE DO SO.
WE ASK THAT YOU LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND THAT YOU DIRECT THOSE COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU FILL OUT A CITIZEN COMMENTS FORM AND SUBMIT THAT TO EITHER MYSELF OR THE CITY SECRETARY.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE REGISTERED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COME FORWARD? SEEING NONE? I'M GONNA CLOSE CITIZEN COMMENTS.
UH, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, I'M GONNA BRING UP THE VFW ITEM FIRST.
[6. Consider approval of a Resolution of the City of Kyle, Texas, Authorizing the Mayor or City Manager to Execute an Agreement with the Kyle/Buda Post 12058 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America Inc. for the lease and occupancy of city property at 107 Veterans; Making Findings of Fact; and Providing for Related Matters. ~ Jerry Hendrix, Interim City Manager]
RIGHT.WE'RE GONNA START WITH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF KYLE, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE KYLE BUTTA.
POST 12 0 58 OF THE VETERANS FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE LEASE AND OCCUPANCY OF CITY PROPERTY AT 1 0 7.
VETERANS MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT, ET CETERA.
UH, MR. HENDRICKS, MAYOR, COUNSEL FOR THE RECORD, JERRY HENDRICKS, INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
SO BEFORE YOU, IS A TEMPORARY LEASE AGREEMENT SO WE CAN, UH, GET THE VFW FOLKS FROM THEIR CURRENT BUILDING, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL TO THE BUILDING WE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED ON 1 0 7 VETERANS.
THE REASON WE LIKE TO, UH, MAKE THAT MOVE WITH THEM IS WE'VE KNOWN FOR A WHILE THAT THE BUILDING THAT THEY'RE IN IS IN NEED OF SOME REPAIRS.
BY MOVING THEM OUT, IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO FULLY ASSESS WHAT THOSE REPAIRS ARE NEEDED, MAKE A PLAN FOR FUTURE USE OF THAT BUILDING THAT PROPERTY, OR FIND, UM, ANOTHER MORE APPROPRIATE SPOT FOR THEM.
SO I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, AND OBVIOUSLY VFW IS HERE AS WELL.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UM, MR. HENDRICKS, UH, COUNCILOR FORCE KALE.
UM, AND THIS ITEM REALLY MAKES ME EXCITED.
UM, I AM A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAVE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, UM, HELPING THEM MAYBE WITH SOME LAND SWAP OR SOME, UM, BUILDING SWAPS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS, THIS IS TEMPORARY IN THE SENSE THAT I KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO OWN THEIR OWN LAND IN ORDER TO GET, UM, FINANCIAL, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, FUNDING FROM THE STATE OR, OR FROM THE FEDERAL.
UM, AND SO IF THERE IS A WAY DURING THIS INTERIM THAT WE COULD ASSIST THEM WITH THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE AS WELL.
THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND, UM, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM REGARDING THAT, THEY CLARIFIED WHAT THEIR RULES ARE.
THEY DON'T NEED TO OWN THE LAND OR THEY DO NEED TO OWN THE BUILDING.
SO WE HAVE SOME IDEAS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO VET OUT THAT WE'LL BRING BACK TO COUNCIL.
AND THEN CAN, CAN THEY CLARIFY THAT? CUZ WHEN, WHEN I DID HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THEM, IT WAS BOTH AND SO THEY MUST HAVE UPDATED THAT INFORMATION, IS THAT CORRECT? THEY DID.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, SECOND MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KALE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, JERRY, FOR LOOKING INTO THIS.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE IT.
I'M EXCITED CUZ THEIR ROOM IS GONNA BE BIGGER FOR US TO GO AND HAVE BREAKFAST, SO THAT'S VERY EXCITED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS CAME OVER ALL.
[1. [Postponed 1/17/2023] Authorize and execution of a Purchase Order to Pounds Group, LLC DBA SULLIVAN CONTRACTING SERVICE, Round Rock, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $378,730.00 for the design, construction, materials, and equipment for various capital improvements at the James Adkins Swimming Pool located in the City's Gregg-Clarke Park. ~ Mariana Espinoza, Director of Parks & Recreation]
[2. [Postponed 1/17/2023] Discussion and possible action of making the City of Kyle Pool entry free of charge and directing staff to engage in communication with the local High school’s swim teams, to discuss partnership program providing lifeguards jobs during the Summer to the swim team students. ~ Daniela Parsley and Bear Heiser, Council Members]
UH, MOVE TO AGENDA ITEMS ONE AND TWO.AGENDA ITEM ONE IS AUTHORIZED IN EXECUTION OF, UH, PURCHASE ORDER, UH, TO POUNDS GROUP LLC, DVA SULLIVAN CONTRACTING SERVICES, ROUND ROCK, TEXAS, IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $378,730 FOR THE DESIGN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE JAMES ATKIN SWIMMING POOL.
LOCATED IN THE CITY'S GREG CLARK PARK.
AND AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION OF MAKING THE CITY OF CARPOOL ENTRY FREE OF CHARGE AND DIRECTING STAFF TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS SWIM TEAMS TO DISCUSS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS, PROVIDING LIFEGUARD JOBS DURING THE SUMMER TO THE SWIM TEAM STUDENTS.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE FIRST ITEM, I BELIEVE, BUT WE WANNA START WITH THE SECOND ITEM TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
UH, YEAH, SO THE IDEA HERE, UH, WITH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKING THE POOL FREE, OBVIOUSLY THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAVE BEEN, UH, DIFFICULT IN TERMS OF BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND, UH, GIVEN HOW MUCH WE'VE DISCUSSED JUST IN THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS, TRYING TO, UM, BRING MORE, UM,
[00:05:01]
FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES TO THE, TO THE PARKS, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE.AND, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE, I WANT TO TRY TO IN ADVANCE, UH, SEE IF WE CAN'T START USING THE POOL AS, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY BONDING TYPE OF, UH, PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO COME TOGETHER WITH IT BEING THE ONLY POOL ACCESSIBLE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SOME FUN IN THE SUMMER, UH, AT A POOL, UH, AT GREG CLARK PARK.
I WANT TO TRY TO MAKE IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE'VE LOOKED AT THE, THE REVENUE NUMBERS, UH, THAT THE CITY BRINGS IN EVERY, UH, YEAR FOR THE POOL.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT, UH, DOLLAR FIGURE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE SAID SINCE I, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M NEW HERE, UH, BUT FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS IS, IS TO TRY TO LESSEN THE PAINS OF GROWTH THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING.
AND IF WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 15 TO $18, UH, AND THEN YOU THINK OF FOOD, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT IT COSTS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO FEED YOUR KIDS AT THE, OR YOURSELVES MM-HMM.
SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOK TO, UH, TO THE REST OF COUNCIL HOPEFULLY TO SUPPORT, UM, TO SUPPORT THIS AGENDA ITEM.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF HOW WE COULD TRY TO KEEP THE POOL OPEN, UM, ON A MORE CONSISTENT BASIS GIVEN THE, THE HIRING STRUGGLES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
SO, WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLORIDA COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA ADD TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEISER WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, IF, IF RESIDENTS LEAVE AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE A POOL AS PART OF THEIR HOA, UM, IT CAN BECOME PRICEY FOR THEM TO, DURING THE SUMMER, BRING THE KIDS EVERY DAY.
CUZ I KNOW MY KIDS GO TO THE POOL ALMOST EVERY DAY DURING THE SUMMER.
SO IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY OF THREE AND YOU HAVE TO BE PAYING FOR YOUR THREE KIDS TO GO EVERY DAY, THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL FOR, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES IN NEED.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT MAYBE REMOVING THOSE, UM, CHARGES SINCE REALLY THE REVENUE ISN'T, ISN'T REALLY HUGE.
UM, AND TO THAT, I WAS THINKING IF THERE IS A WAY THAT WE COULD WORK WITH THE LOCAL SWIM TEAMS, UH, FROM THE SCHOOLS AROUND THE AREA, MAY BE PROPOSING SOME SORT OF PARTNERSHIPS TO, I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING FOR THEM TO WORK FOR FREE.
UM, WE WILL PAY THEM, UM, BUT HAVE SOME SORT OF CERTIFICATE OR PARTNERSHIP.
THOSE KIDS ARE GONNA BE PROBABLY OFF DURING THE SUMMER.
IF THEY COULD COME AND WORK FOR US AS LIFEGUARDS, THAT WILL BE FANTASTIC.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME BECAUSE I KNOW MOST OF THESE KIDS PROBABLY WILL TRY TO GO AND WORK AT THEIR LOCAL HOA POOLS AND LET'S JUST GO AND GET THEM WHILE WE CAN SO WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES STAFFING THE POOLS.
AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER, HE HAS SOMETHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT MAY MAYOR PRO TIM.
UH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, I KNOW WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE HAVING A SHORTAGE WITH THE, UH, LIFEGUARD SITUATION AND ALSO TRYING TO REBUILD THE SWIMMING POOL AFTER THE SNOWSTORM.
IT WAS, UH, VERY COSTLY AND VERY TIME CONSUMING.
AND BECAUSE OF, UH, WE WERE GETTING OUT OF POST COVID IN A WAY.
UM, I LOOKED AT THIS AGENDA ITEM, I LOOKED AT IT AND WAS COMING UP WITH DIFFERENT, UH, MAYBE, UM, SUGGESTIONS.
UM, ONE WOULD BE, INSTEAD OF DOING A WEEK LONG KIND OF, UH, DEAL WHERE WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET THAT WE WOULD OFFER FRIDAYS AS FREE FRIDAY, WHERE WE COULD HAVE FAMILIES TO COME TO THE POOL BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 12 AND FIVE OR WHATEVER THEIR HOURS ARE.
UH, CAUSE I KNOW IN THE MORNING THEY HAVE SWIM LESSONS, THEY HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT GO THERE THAT UTILIZE IT.
BUT IF WE SAY ON FRIDAY WE HAVE FRIDAY FREEBIE WHERE, COME TO THE KYLE POOL, WE CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO WHERE THE FAMILIES CAN COME IN FOR FREE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN ALSO INTERACT OUR CITY EVENTS.
WE CAN GET THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OUT THERE TO PROMOTE SUMMER PROGRAMS. WE CAN ALSO GET THE PUBLIC, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, OR THE PUBLIC, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO COME OUT AND DO SOME KIND OF ACTIVITIES TO INTERACT WITH THE FAMILIES TO NOT JUST SAY, COME OUT FOR FREE, BUT WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY ITSELF WITH A LOT OF THEIR PROGRAMS. UH, WE CAN ALSO DO WATER SAFETY DAY AS WELL WHEN WE'RE DOING IT ON A FRIDAY.
[00:10:01]
UH, TO BRING UP A GOOD POINT, WHAT, UH, MS. PARSI WAS SAYING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS I'VE TALKED TO, UH, SOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A LOT OF THEIR, UM, THEIR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS OR THEIR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS ARE REQUIRING HOURS FOR VOLUNTEER HOURS.AND IT REALLY HELPS FOR THEIR, UM, THEIR TRANSCRIPTS.
AND WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THEIR, UH, LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION.
A LOT OF THESE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ARE ASKING, OKAY, WELL WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR COMMUNITY? HOW DO YOU VOLUNTEER? OR WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE YOU GONNA DO? WE CAN IMPLEMENT SOME KIND OF PROGRAM IN THAT SENSE, YES, TO HAVE A, UM, MAYBE A, A SALARY FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS OR TO SAY, HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY ON FRIDAYS WHEN IT'S FREE.
UH, WE CAN GET STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEN ALSO ENCOURAGE, UH, THEM TO HAVE A LOVE FOR SWIMMING AND ENJOY THAT SPORT.
THAT COULD BE A SUGGESTION THERE.
INSTEAD OF, UH, WE CAN START OFF WITH JUST ONE DAY A WEEK AS BEING FREE, AND THEN WE CAN JUST BUILD FROM THERE.
THAT WAY WE CAN ALSO HAVE A BETTER GOOD IDEA ABOUT OUR BUDGET FOR, UH, ADMISSIONS.
AND THEN WE CAN STILL BE ABLE TO BRING IN SOME FUNDS FOR THE POOL, BUT ALSO OFFER THAT, UM, THAT EXTRA INCENTIVE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW.
ON FRIDAYS, YOU CAN COME TO THE POOL FOR FREE.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE HAVE FAMILIES COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT DAY, AND THAT COULD BE AN INTERACTIVE DAY.
AND WE CAN, WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
WE CAN EVEN DO MOVIES AT THE POOL KIND OF DEAL TO BRING IN MORE ATTRACTION ON THAT END.
AND IF WE WANTED TO SET UP SOME KIND OF VENDING OR, UH, FUNDRAISING FOR SCHOOLS, IF THEY WANT TO COME IN AND GET A HEAD START WITH THEIR FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS, WE CAN EVEN DO THAT TOO.
UH, LIKE WITH HAYES OR LAYMAN, IF THEY HAVE BAND BOOSTERS, UH, IF THEY HAVE THE SWIM TEAM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN MAKE A COLLABORATION ON THAT END.
BUT IT'S, THOSE ARE JUST, UH, SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS I HAVE REFERENCING THIS ITEM.
OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL FORCE KA.
UM, SO I GUESS IF I COULD ASK MARIANA SOME QUESTIONS, SHE, OR MAYBE IT MIGHT EVEN BE PEREZ.
UM, BUT I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UM, WHAT IS THE CURRENT, UM, DOLLAR AMOUNT GENERATED FROM THE POOL? MARIANA ESPINOZA, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR? SO OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, UM, ANNUALLY IT AVERAGES ABOUT 50,000.
UM, IT FLUCTUATES, BUT THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE AVERAGED BETWEEN 12 AND 14,000.
UM, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE FREEZE THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH.
AND THEN BECAUSE OF COVID, NOW DOES THAT AMOUNT INCLUDE SALARIES THAT WE PAY TO STAFF? SO THOSE, THAT AMOUNT IS JUST REVENUES.
SO SALARIES, UM, EXPENDITURES FOR THE POOL, ABOUT 112,000 A YEAR.
AND THAT INCLUDES CHEMICALS, PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT.
SO DOES THAT MEAN WE WERE FUNCTIONING AT A DEFICIT? YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A P POOL.
IT'S, IT'S LIKE A POST OFFICE.
SO I AM, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF DECREASING, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT WE CHARGE AND I THINK A FREE FRIDAY OR MAYBE EVEN JUST A GENERAL OVERALL DISCOUNT.
CUZ MY FEAR WITH JUST SPECIALIZING ON A DAY IS THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD, UM, BE OVERRUN ON THAT DAY.
RIGHT? SO IT MIGHT BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
UM, AND IF WE COULD DO EVEN LIKE SPECIALS ON, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT DAYS OF THE WEEK, MAYBE YOU GET A FREE BAG OF CHIPS OR I DON'T, OR JUST DECREASING THE COST ALTOGETHER.
UM, I WOULD HATE TO, TO LOSE EVEN MORE KNOWING THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FUNCTIONING AT A DEFICIT, UM, THAN, THAN WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION THEN WOULD BE TO PEREZ AND, AND TO ASK HIS FINANCIAL OPINION.
MAYOR, MAYOR EM, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M PERVEZ MA CITY'S DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN, YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY THIS.
IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO MAKE MONEY.
IT HAS, IF YOU LOOK BACK IN THE HISTORY, IT IS ONE OF THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, ITEMS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGETS EVERY YEAR.
AND IF YOU GO BACK, YOU CAN GO BACK 10, 12 YEARS SINCE THE POOL WAS, UH, CONSTRUCTED AND PUT IN SERVICE.
THE EXPENDITURES HAVE ALWAYS EXCEEDED THE REVENUE STREAM.
THE LAST TWO YEARS WE BROUGHT LITTLE OVER 14,000.
THE YEAR BEFORE THAT WAS 14,000.
SO THE COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO COUNSEL IS THE PART THAT YOU NEVER HEAR PROFESS SAY
[00:15:01]
YOU DO AWAY WITH THIS FEE, IT'S NOT GONNA HURT US.UH, WE, WE, WE CAN ABSORB IT VERY EASILY IN THE PARKS AND REC BUDGET.
WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN THE NEXT PROPOSED BUDGET.
IT IS NOT EVEN ROUNDING IN, IN TERMS OF ABSORBING $14,000.
I MEAN, WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THIS TO COME OUT OF THE PARKS BUDGET.
IF WE DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO TO COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO TAKE A HIT ON THE PARKS.
AND THEY WON'T AND THEY WON'T COUNCIL MEMBER.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY COME BELOW BUDGET.
WE HAVE ENOUGH ROOM IN VACANCY SAVINGS AND OPERATING COSTS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENTS, THEIR OPERATIONAL, UH, ACTIVITIES WILL NOT BE IMPACTED BY $14,000.
AND THEN, AND THE NEW YEAR, WE'LL START OUT AS IF COUNCIL WANTS TO PROCEED IN THAT DIRECTION, WE WILL START WITH THAT ASSUMPTION THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY POOL REVENUES.
SO I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE TO JERRY, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THE CITY COMING TO SWIM AS WELL? DO WE HAVE LIKE AN ID CARD OR HOW WOULD THAT WORK? SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A NON-RESIDENT DATE PASS FEE.
UM, SO HOW WOULD WE KNOW WHOEVER'S COMING IN IS A NON-RESIDENT.
I SHOW ID, YEAH, THEY JUST SHOW AN ID AT THE DOOR AND THEN THEY SAY, YOU LET, WHAT IF THEY'RE LIKE YES OR NO, 15.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE DO THIS, THAT WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT.
NOT THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T DESERVE TO GO SWIMMING TOO.
AND SO THE OTHER, UM, THOUGHT THAT PARKS HAD TOO, THAT'S BEEN A CONCERN.
LIKE OF COURSE OUR NUMBER ONE TO MAKE ALL OF OUR FACILITIES MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
UM, HOWEVER, LIKE SOMETIMES IN OUR EXISTING PARK RULES, YOU HAVE TO BE WITH SOMEBODY IF YOU ARE UNDER 12, WHO'S OVER 12.
AND SO WE JUST DON'T WANT LIKE IT TO BE FREE.
AND THEN CAN PEOPLE USE THAT KIND OF AS A DAYCARE AND JUST DROP THEIR KIDS OFF INSTEAD OF GOING TO CAMP OR WHATEVER.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD JUST BE ONE CONCERN.
WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AT AMENDING OUR PARK RULES IF WE DID, UM, GO TO FREE DAYS.
I MEAN, ALSO RIGHT NOW HOAS DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE SEASON PASSES.
AND I KNOW OF TWO HOAS THAT BUY SEASON PASSES FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THEN GIVE THEM OUT TO THEIR RESIDENTS TO COME USE THE POLL.
SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF ANOTHER NOTE.
IF YOU WERE TO MAKE CHANGES, THANK YOU CUSTOMER, UH, YEAH.
BUT THE, UM, THE RENTAL FEE, I, I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD STILL STAY BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU WANNA RENT OUT FOR A PARTY FOR A SPECIFIC GROUP AND THAT'S ALMOST THREE OR $400, ISN'T IT? CORRECT.
SO LIKE, AS PERVEZ MENTIONED, REALLY OUR DAY PASSES NOT OUR MAIN REVENUE BUILDER.
RIGHT? WE, UM, THE REVENUE THAT THE POOL DOES MAKE IS FROM POOL RENTALS.
SWIM TEAM AND PRIVATE LESSONS.
UM, AND I WOULD THINK THAT THOSE CAN STAY, UM, LIKE FOR THE SWIM TEAM, UM, MAYBE FOR A PARTY RENTAL.
BUT I SEE THE POOL AS ANY OTHER PARK.
AND THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT COME OUT OF TOWN TO STAY WITH A FAMILY MEMBER FROM KYLE AND WANT TO USE THE POOL.
BUT I WOULD THINK THAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WILL BE VERY, VERY MINIMAL.
CUZ IF SOMEBODY COME LIVES FROM BUDDA, THEY'RE LIKELY THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THEIR, THEIR OWN POOLS IF THEY HAVE A POOL.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN AT LEAST LEAVE IT FREE, UM, DURING THE WEEK AND THEN KEEP MAYBE THE RENTAL FOR SPECIAL CURRENT.
THE CURRENT DAY PASS FEE IS VERY MINIMAL.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE A NON-RESIDENT, IT'S $5.
SO IT'S NOT, AND I'LL KEEP THE, THE NON-RESIDENT ONE IF, IF IT'S UP TO ME.
THIS IS ONE SOMETHING I, FOR SOME REASON I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.
AND, UM, THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UH, PERVEZ, THANK YOU FOR THE DATA AND YOUR ASSESSMENT HERE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING NOSTALGIC ABOUT A COMMUNITY POOL AND IT BEING FREE AND TRYING TO BRING AS MANY PEOPLE OUT, UM, AS POSSIBLE.
IF WE JUST LOOK AT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I MEAN, THE POOL BROUGHT IN $360 IN 2019.
2020, WE HAVE THREE STRAIGHT YEARS OF NEXT AND NO USE, UH, OF THE POOL.
AND AS WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE HERE, UH, THE AUTHORIZATION OF $378,730 FOR, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE POOL.
IF WE CAN'T GET PEOPLE TO THE POOL.
UM, IT SEEMS A LITTLE SILLY TO BE INVESTING SUCH A HIGH DOLLAR FIGURE EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY BEEN, UH, APPROVED.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A REALLY BIG INVESTMENT.
AND IF WE WANT TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS POOL, UM, THEN LET'S, YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT FREE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR RESIDENTS, IF THEY SHOW ID,
[00:20:01]
AND I KNOW WE CAN GET IN THE LOGISTICS OF HOW TO, UM, LOOK AT POLICY WITH KIDS, AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT UNDER THE AGE OF 12 AND JUST BEING DROPPED OFF.OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE FIGURED OUT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS, UH, TAKE PLACE FROM A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE WITH THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THESE PARKS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE VISION FOR DOWNTOWN, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO START GETTING PEOP CONDITIONING PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS TO COME DOWNTOWN SO THAT WHEN WE DO INVEST MORE MONEY IN DEVELOPING DOWNTOWN, THAT PEOPLE ARE ALREADY USED TO BEING THERE AND THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UH, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D ASK FOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT IF, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS ARE ON THE FENCE OR A FEW OF YOU, UH, I'D, YOU KNOW, BE WILLING TO COMPROMISE IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING AND WE CAN TRY IT FOR A MONTH AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS FOR THE FIRST MONTH AND LET'S JUST TREAT IT LIKE A LITTLE SPRINT AND, AND SEE IF IT WORKS.
UH, AND YOU GUYS ARE ALL SATISFIED, WE CAN, WE CAN KEEP GOING.
UH, BUT I THINK IN THE MEANTIME WITH ALL OF THESE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, THERE'S WAYS TO OFFSET THE COST AS COUNCIL MEMBER ZUKO WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH PARTIES.
WE COULD USE SOCIAL TO PROMOTE BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT THE POOL.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S A WAY TO START OFFSETTING COSTS.
AND THEN ALSO WITH FOOD, UH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, NO ONE'S SUGGESTING HERE, UM, THAT WE MAKE FOOD FREE AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER THING THAT WE CAN DO TO START CHIPPING AWAY AT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING IF IT WAS NOT FREE.
UM, DO WE HA THAT PARKING LOT ALLOWS FOR FOOT TRUCKS TO COME, DOES IT? YES, MA'AM.
BECAUSE DO WE CHARGE FOOT TRUCKS TO COME AND LIKE IF WE WERE TO SAY, HEY TO THE FOOT, TRUCKS CAN COME AND PARK OVER HERE OUTSIDE THE POOL.
THEY PAY THE ESTABLISHED A VENDOR FEE FOR THE DAY.
BECAUSE I WOULD SAY THAT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER IF WE HAVE FOOT TRUCKS ALLOW OUTSIDE THE POOL.
USUALLY DURING THE SUMMER'S ABOUT A COUPLE THAT, UH, RESERVE THAT PARKING LOT FOR THE SUMMER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A, A VENDOR, UM, BOOTH INSIDE THE POOL THAT WE CAN JUST LIKE ALSO SELL CHIPS AND HOT DUCKS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONSIDER DO SHIP STRENGTHS AND CANDY TO PUT CONCESSION ITEMS. SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TOO AND LEAVE THE POOL TO BE FREE, CONTINUING TO CHARGE FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND EVENTS IN THE NON-RESIDENT FEE.
AND THEN ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS TO TRY TO GET, UM, LIFEGUARDS SECOND DURING THE SUMMER MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KALE THAT WE APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.
IS THERE DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW? YEAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD SOME DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF RULER REGULATION REGARDING THE AGE REQUIREMENTS AND CONFIRMING RESIDENT VERSUS VERSUS NON-RESIDENT.
UM, IT'S, IS THERE, I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT ON A ONE YEAR BASIS TO SEE IF IT WORKS OUT OR, AND THEN MAYBE BRINGING IT BACK AFTER A YEAR TO DISCUSS UM, HOW IT'S WORKING, IF THAT'S, IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY WITH BRINGING THAT BACK AS WELL.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
YEAH, I THINK THE KEY TOO, UM, WITH THE WHOLE VOLUNTEER AND I'M WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS WILL BE, THEY'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A LOT OF TRAINING.
LIFEGUARDS GO THROUGH A LOT OF TRAINING, ALMOST A MONTH FULL OF TRAINING BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO GO OUT AND SAVE LIVES.
SO, UM, WE'LL ALSO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, REACHING OUT TO THE SWIM, THE LOCAL SWIM TEAMS AND NORTH LEMAN HAS A SWIM TEAM.
UM, A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT GO TO JOHNSON ARE LEAVING KYLE TOO, SO MAYBE WE COULD DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO THEM AND TRY TO PARTNER TO GET SOME LIFEGUARDS QUESTION.
DO Y'ALL HAVE MUSIC AT THE POOL? WE, WE HAVE MUSIC OR IS IT A SPEAKER? IS IT A QUIET, QUIET? IS THERE A QUIET POOL? CAUSE AS OF LAST SUMMER, WE HAVE SPEAKERS THAT PLAY MUSIC AT THE POOL.
WHEN DID THIS, WAS IT THE END OF LAST SUMMER THAT, THAT Y'ALL FINALLY GOT MUSIC DOWN THERE? WELL, YEAH, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S MUSIC BEFORE LIKE THREE YEARS AGO MM-HMM.
CUZ YOU NEED THAT ELEMENT TO REALLY MAKE IT FUN.
JUMP IN THE POOL, GET YOUR BEAT GOING, WHATEVER.
BUT I DON'T WANT THAT, THAT POLE TO BE QUIET DOWN THERE.
PUT SOME MUSIC, TURN, TURN SOME MUSIC ON.
THERE IS MUSIC AND I KNOW SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE TO TURN IT DOWN BECAUSE WHEN THE LIFEGUARDS PULL THEIR WHISTLES MM-HMM.
UM, BUT THERE IS MUSIC OUT THERE NOW.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER TO, UH, MAYOR PROTE? UM, TO, TO ECHO ON EVERYBODY'S, UH, MOTIONS.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND IS FOR CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT, A POLICY OF REMOVING THE ENTRY FEES AND TO DEVELOP A POSI POLICY OF ADMISSIONS FOR THE PUBLIC CITY POOL.
[00:25:01]
CAN COMBINE THOSE TWO TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THE POLICY TO REMOVE IT AS FAR AS LIKE THE STEPS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE.AND THEN ALSO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADMISSIONS ITSELF GOING FORWARD, BEING FREE AS FAR AS WHAT'S REQUIRED, WHAT'S ACCEPTABLE, WHAT ARE THE RULES AND THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO COME ALONG WITH IT.
UH, THE AGE THAT NEEDS TO BE THERE.
UM, EXPECTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO AGAIN, DO THIS FREE, UH, I'M SURE WE WANT TO PREVENT, LIKE WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO JUST DROP OFF THEIR KIDS FOR THE DAY AND THEN THAT'S IT WITH NO SUPERVISION.
UM, I DON'T, I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF DEMEANOR FROM PEOPLE THAT WOULD JUST DO THAT.
UM, BEING THAT IT IS FREE, BUT I, I THINK, UH, IF WE DEVELOP A POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, WE CAN ALSO LOOK AND UPDATE ANY POOL POLICIES THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
AND TO ALSO INCLUDE, UH, REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOLS FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
YOU'RE DEFINITELY GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CURRENT, UH, POOL RULES THAT ARE POLLS IN OUR COURT ORDINANCE AND SEE IF ANY REVISIONS NEED TO BE MADE.
THIS IS JUST A, A SIDE NOTE FOR YOU, MARIANA, BECAUSE I REALLY APPRECIATED WHAT MAYOR PROTO SAID ABOUT PROGRAMMING THE POOL.
I KNOW YOU DO SOME AND I BELIEVE WE DID MOVIES AT THE POOL LAST SUMMER OR MAYBE THE SUMMER WE HAVE A DIVE IN MOVIE.
YEAH, JUST MAYBE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING SOME MORE OF THOSE OR PUSHING OUT THE, THE PUBLICATION NOTIFICATION ABOUT THOSE EVENTS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THAT WAY WE CAN JUST GAIN SOME MORE TRACTION FOR AN EXCITEMENT AROUND THE POOL.
WILL DO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IS SHE, SHE CAN AMEND HER MOTION CAUSE THAT WAS A LOT
HER, NO, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT DANIELLA COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GIVEN MORE DIRECTION AND IF WE CAN MAKE, AMEND THE MOTION, YOU CLOSE THE FIRST MOTION AND THEN LET'S AMEND THE SECOND MOTION AND THEN PUT EVERYTHING THAT WE SET INTO IT SO STAFF HAS CLEAR DIRECTION.
SO WE EITHER NEED TO VOTE ON THAT EXACT MOTION.
YOUR MOTION? NO, NO, THAT WAS DE COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY'S MOTION.
SO WE EITHER NEED TO VOTE ON THAT OR WE NEED TO AMEND VOTE TO AMEND IT.
AMEND IT, AND INCLUDE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
SO THAT IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION SECOND.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT
UH, THE MOTION ON THE, THE FLOOR IS TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM TWO BASICALLY IS WRITTEN.
SO IF THAT, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND TO ADD THE ADDITIONAL SCOPE, UH, THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO, I WANT, I GOT A COUPLE COMMENTS.
SO NUMBER ONE, THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT, IN MY OPINION, WE NEED TO HAVE CONTEXT AROUND THAT.
SO THE HISTORICAL REVENUE IS 50,000.
THE LAST THREE YEARS THE POOL HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY A VARIETY OF ISSUES.
UH, DAMAGE TO THE POOL CAUSED BY SNOW.
VD CAUSED THE POOL TO BE CLOSED.
UH, WE HAD A LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE THAT CAUSED THE POOL TO BE CLOSED AND UH, WE HAD A PANDEMIC THAT CAUSED, CAUSED THE POOL TO BE CLOSED.
SO THE IDEA OF IT BEING 12 TO 14,000, I THINK IS PROBABLY NOT, UH, THE RIGHT NUMBER TO THINK ABOUT THIS COMING SUMMER BECAUSE THOSE ISSUES ARE BEHIND US.
THE POOL'S GONNA BE READY TO GO.
HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE THE, UH, LIFEGUARD ISSUES THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST.
SO I DO THINK THAT DEMAND, UH, FOR THE POOL IS GOING TO BE HIGH.
SO MY CONCERN IS NOT ABOUT MAKING THE, UH, GETTING RID OF THE REVENUES, ALTHOUGH I THINK WE'RE GETTING RID OF 50,000, NOT 12.
UH, MY CONCERN IS CAPACITY ISSUES AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE MAKE THE POOL FREE.
UH, ART, IS IT LIKELY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE EXCEEDING CAPACITY ON A REGULAR BASIS, IN WHICH CASE WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ACTUALLY PROVIDING A GREAT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S NUMBER ONE, IT'S ALWAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT FULL, WHICH IS A LOT OF KIDS IN THAT THING.
UH, AND NUMBER TWO, PEOPLE ARE BEING TURNED AWAY REGULARLY.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT EITHER OF THOSE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS HAVE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.
UNLESS, HAVE YOU ALREADY EXPERIENCED THE POOL BEING AT CAPACITY AT VARIOUS TIMES? SO IT HASN'T BEEN IN CAPACITY RECENTLY, BUT WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS SUMMER, ESPECIALLY CUZ COUNCIL APPROVED THE INCREASE IN PAY WAGE FOR LIFEGUARDS.
RIGHT? SO WE'RE ALREADY INTERVIEWING, WE'VE ALREADY ALREADY, YOU KNOW, OFFERING, YOU KNOW, TEMPORARY OFFERS.
UM, SO STAFFING'S LOOKING PROMISING FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW LIKE EVERYONE'S COMING BACK OUT TO THE POOL.
LIKE COVID IS KIND OF BEHIND, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA START COMING BACK OUT.
UM, IF THE POOL IS AT CAPACITY, WE SHUT IT DOWN.
[00:30:01]
HOPING IN THE LOOK AND PROMISING FOR MORE STAFF THIS SUMMER, RIGHT? SO TO ME, THE REASON FOR ADDING THE ONE TO $3 FEE IS THAT IT, UH, HELPS ADDRESS CAPACITY ISSUES.SO THE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE CREATING A PUBLIC POOL, UM, EVERY PUBLIC POOL I KNOW OF HAS A NOMINAL CHARGE, UH, INCLUDING MY HOMETOWN.
UM, SO, BUT IF YOU MAKE IT FREE, WHICH PUTS IT AT CAPACITY ALL THE TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE.
UH, BUT TO ME IT'S ALSO WORTH GIVING IT A SHOT.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S BECOMING A PROBLEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
I WILL SAY I KIND OF LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER TOBIAS OR MAYOR PROTE TOBIAS'S SUGGESTION OF HAVING, HAVING IT BE FREE ON CERTAIN DAYS AND PAID ON OTHER DAYS, NOT SO MUCH FOR REVENUE, BUT FOR, THERE MAY BE THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER GO ON DAYS WHEN IT, YOU KNOW, IS PAID BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL POPULATION OF THE POOL WOULD BE LOWER.
THOSE STAFF DAYS, THAT ALSO HELPS WITH STAFFING CUZ YOU KNOW WHAT DAYS YOU NEED TO STAFF MORE GUARDS.
SO ALL THOSE ARE JUST THOUGHTS THAT ARE IN MY HEAD AS FAR AS, UH, ISSUES.
BUT I DO THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BLOCKBUSTER A YEAR.
SO MAKING IT FREE, I I JUST HAVE THAT CONCERN OF IT BEING TOO BLOCKBUSTER THAT ACTUALLY CAUSES PROBLEMS, UH, MAYOR PROTON.
AND SO, NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE, BUT AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE THE SUGGESTED MOTION THAT I WOULD'VE MADE WOULD BE FOR CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT DEVELOPING A POLICY TO REMOVE THE ENTRY FEES TO WHERE YOU WOULD DEVELOP A POLICY TO SAY, YES, ON FRIDAYS WE CAN OFFER THIS AT A CERTAIN TIME OR DURING THE WEEK.
F WHAT, WHAT TIME DOES THE POOL CLOSE AGAIN? IT'S AROUND SIX.
AROUND SIX BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, THE LOCAL, CAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE SUMMER CAMP.
THERE'S SOME TEAM THAT GOES IN AND THEN WE HAVE REYNOLDS YOU HAVE SUMMER CAMP AS WELL? MM-HMM.
SO AGAIN, DEVELOPING A POLICY TO REMOVE THE ENTRY FEES, THAT WOULD MEAN TO SAY LIKE FROM THREE TO SIX IT WOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT YOU WOULD ALSO CHARGE UP TO A CERTAIN POINT.
UH, AND ALSO PART OF THAT WOULD BE TO DEVELOP THE POLICY ADMISSIONS TO WHERE IF WE DO GO ALL THE WAY FREE MONDAY THROUGH, I MEAN TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, IF WE'RE GONNA JUST WIPE THE FEES OUT COMPLETELY, THAT YOU WOULD DEVELOP AN ADMISSIONS POLICY AS, AS MAYOR WAS SAYING, CAPACITY.
I KNOW IT'S NOT A FIRE HAZARD, BUT THE SAFETY ISSUE OF THE LIFEGUARDS.
CUZ IF YOU DO OPEN IT UP AGAIN, I THINK A LOT OF HOAS ARE GONNA BE LIKE, LIKE, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE.
SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING, HEY LOOK, I'M BEING CHARGED THIS MUCH $300 A MONTH FOR MY HOA.
I CAN GO TO THE POOL FOR FREE.
AND KYLE, THAT WOULD BRING A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE OUT.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE RUN INTO, UM, A SCENARIO TO WHERE YOU HAVE OVERCROWDING AND IT MAY BE OVERWHELMING ON CERTAIN DAYS OR CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY FOR LIFEGUARDS.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER ON THAT END.
IF, IF YOU WERE TO WANTING TO GO WITH, UH, THE PARTICULAR MOTIONS OR IDEAS OF, OF WHAT TO DO GOING FORWARD ON THAT END.
SO IS COUNCIL MEMBERS PARSLEY'S MOTION STILL ON THE TABLE HERE? YEAH, THE ORIGINAL MOTION'S ON THE TABLE TO APPROVE THE ITEM.
UH, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE WE AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO INSTRUCT CITY STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, A PLAN FOR, UM, REMOVING, UH, FEES FOR RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
UH, AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE VERIFY THAT, WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL ID FOR KIDS OR A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT HAS, UH, DOCUMENTED ADDRESS ON IT.
UH, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME REVENUE PROJECTIONS IF WHAT WE COULD DRIVE ON THE WEEKENDS, IF WE'RE, IF CAPACITY IS AN ISSUE, LET'S LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY WE COULD BRING ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO, TO ATTEND THE POOL AND, AND MAKE IT FREE.
WHAT WHAT WE WOULD, UH, AN OPTION FOR MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, BEING FREE WITH THE, UM, WITH CHARGING STILL ON THE WEEKENDS, THE, THE SAME FEES THAT WE WERE CHARGING LAST YEAR, OR IF YOU HAVE NEW RECOM, IF YOU WERE PROPOSING NEW FEES FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO TO ADDRESS, UM, UH, MAYOR MITCHELL AND COUNCIL MEMBER TOBIS, HIS CONCERN ABOUT CAPACITY IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS JUST THE LEGAL CAPACITY FOR THE POOL AND, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE A LIFEGUARD AT THE DOOR CHECK, YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE CLICKER, UH, TO DO ACCOUNT FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE COME IN AND OUT.
UM, SO IF THAT'S OKAY, I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK YOU GUYS TO PUT TOGETHER WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
FREE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, CHARGING SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND THEN A POLICY FOR, UM, THAT WOULD ADDRESS, UM, THE AGE, AGE AND CAPACITY.
[00:35:01]
SO WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? WHY DON'T WE WITHDRAW OUR MOTIONS? THAT'S A LONG, AND THEN GO WITH, I THINK MARY PRO TIM'S MOTION WAS THE CLEAREST AND CLEANEST.AND, UM, AND WE CAN JUST, WE CAN JUST GO WITH THAT, WHICH IS TO DIRECT STAFF, BRING BACK A POLICY.
TRYING TO, TRYING TO CAP, UH, CAPTURE THE DISCUSSION.
I THINK AT THIS POINT IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
DO I NEED TO REQUEST TO AMEND IT AGAIN? WELL, YOU JUST SAID I MOTION TO AMEND, BUT THAT DOESN'T, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY ARTICULATE THESE AMEND, SO, OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION ABOUT APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO.
THAT'S KIND OF, LET'S CAN HOW ABOUT WITHDRAW AND THEN I WILL WITHDRAW MY MOTION.
SO LET'S LET MAYOR PROTE, CUZ YOU HAD THE, YOU HAD THE LANGUAGE ON THE POLICY.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD.
WITH THIS, UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION REFERENCING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE IN OR ACCIDENT NUMBER TWO, CORRECT.
TWO, UM, FOR CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT DEVELOPING A POLICY TO REMOVE ENTRY FEES AND TO DEVELOP A POLICY OF ADMISSIONS AND FOR THE CITY POOL TO INCLUDE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH LOCAL, UH, HIGH SCHOOLS FOR, UM, THE STUDENTS.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KZ.
THEIR DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION.
I THOUGHT THAT GOT IT PRETTY WELL.
IS THAT Y'ALL AGREE WITH THAT? THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS B VERY SAYING THAT IN A MUCH MORE CLEAR FASHION THAN I DID.
ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO ZERO.
UM, MARIANA, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHEN WE'LL SEE THAT? COME BACK NEXT COUNCIL MEETING? AS LONG AS JERRY REVIEWS IT BEFORE THEN.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, SECOND.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KELSER.
DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL FAVOR SAY AYE.
[3. [Postponed 1/17/2023] Discussion and possible action for reducing sewer blockages and clogged drains from disposing of food containing fats, oil, and grease (FOG). City could provide one fat trapper and scraper per household during holiday season. ~ Miguel A. Zuniga PhD, Council Member]
RIGHT, NEXT UP IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION FOR REDUCING SEWER BLOCKAGES AND CLOGGED DRAINS FROM DISPOSING OF FOOD CONTAINING FATS, OIL, AND GREASE.FOG CITY, UH, COULD PROVIDE ONE FAT TRAPPER AND SCRAPER PER HOUSEHOLD DURING HOLIDAY SEASON.
UH, THIS ONE I WAS JUST, UH, LOOKING AT SOME RESEARCH FOR.
WHEN ARE THE HEAVY USES, UH, FOR RESIDENTS AT HOME WHEN THEY START COOKING? TYPICALLY IT'S NOVEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER.
EVEN SOME OF JANUARY THERE'S MORE COOKING JUST CUZ THERE'S MORE GATHERINGS.
AND A GOOD STAY AHEAD OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS TO COLLECT YOUR OWN OIL, VEGETABLE OIL, FAT AND GREASE, UH, FROM YOUR COOKING, UM, ITEMS AT HOME.
AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT AND THEY'LL DUMP IT IN OUR, IN THEIR SINKS.
AND OVER TIME IT DOES TAKE TIME, BUT THERE WILL BE A BUILDUP AND IN SEWERS AND IT ADDS TO CORROSION HAPPENING FASTER AND IS CAN REDUCE SOME SMELLS.
BUT IF WE LOOKED AT, UM, JUST YOUR TYPICAL HOME, UH, 10 POUNDS JUST TO BE ON THE LOW SIDE, 10 POUNDS, THAT'S GONNA GET THROWN AWAY.
IF THAT ENDS UP IN OUR DRAIN AND LET'S JUST SAY 50,000 HOMES, WE MIGHT HAVE LESS OR MORE.
THAT'S 500,000 POUNDS OF FATS OILS IN GREASE.
UM, THAT DOESN'T BREAK DOWN THAT FAST.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY 500 TONS OF STUFF IN OUR SEWERS.
SO IF YOU ACCUMULATE THAT OVER YEARS, AND I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES, WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO, UH, HIGHER VOLUME RESTAURANTS YET.
SO I THINK THAT IF WE ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS, UH, DURING THAT SEASON TO HEY, UM, GET A LITTLE CONTAINER, MAYBE WE CAN PUT A STICKER ON IT THAT SAYS KYLE PUBLIC WORKS.
IT WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE, HEY, HERE'S A LITTLE RECYCLING BOX.
SO DUMP YOUR OIL IN THERE, DUMP YOUR FAT, AND THEN DROP IT OFF.
AND THAT'S JUST GONNA GO TO THE LANDFILL.
BUT I'D RATHER HAVE IT IN THE LANDFILL THAN ON OUR WASTEWATER.
AND THEN WITH OUR GROWTH, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE AND I'M GETTING IT FROM OTHER CITIES, THEY'VE GOT PROGRAMS THAT SHOW A LITTLE VIDEO AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU DON'T WANT DOWN YOUR DRAIN.
SCRAPE IT OFF, PUT IT IN THE TRASH, WE'LL COME COLLECT IT FOR YOU.
SO I'M SAYING COMMUNITY WOULD BE MORE INVOLVED IF IT HAD A LITTLE BUCKET DOLLAR, A BUCKET AT LOWE'S.
PUT A LABEL ON IT, KYLE PUBLIC WORKS, DROP IT OFF SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO IMPACTS OUR ENVIRONMENT AND IMPACTS OUR WATER STREAM.
AND WE'RE GONNA PAY DOWN THE ROAD IF WE HAVE A BLOCKAGES AND CLOGS.
[00:40:02]
SO MY SUGGESTION WAS JUST, THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO BRING IT TO, CAN WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION MAYBE ON A LITTLE PUBLIC NOTICE OR PUBLIC WORKS PAGE, JUST, HEY, LET'S ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THEIR PART AND, UM, COLLECT THEIR OWN, UM, FAT OIL GREASE BUCKET.WHICH, WHICH I MEAN I DO IT, I MEAN EVERYBODY DOES IT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE GARBAGE DISPOSALS, BUT NOT EVERYBODY MIGHT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE HURTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT BY NOT DOING THAT.
SOMETHING REAL SIMPLE WE COULD DO.
IT'S ENCOURAGING THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE PUT DOWN OUR DRAIN.
ANY COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSAL? COUNCIL FOR PARSLEY? THANK YOU.
SO I THINK WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS LIKE BABY WIPES.
UM, THOSE ARE A LOT BIGGER THAN THE FATS.
NUMBER TWO, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WE CANNOT GIVE PEOPLE BAGS IF WE DON'T EDUCATE THEM.
SO, UM, I OWN A BAKERY FOR YEARS.
SO IF, BUT IF WE DON'T EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS, WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET THEM TO USE THE BAGS.
I LET MY FAT GET SOLID IN THERE.
AND PUT IT ON THE TRASH AND IT'S GOING TO END UP IN THE LANDFILL ANYWAY.
SO, UM, I THINK INSTEAD OF JUST PROVIDING A FAT TRAP FOR PEOPLE TO CATCH THAT, UH, WE COULD TALK TO MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS TO COME UP WITH AND MAYBE OUR, UM, WITH RACHEL AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF EDUCATION.
BUT I, I THINK PROVIDING FAT TRAPS FOR RESIDENTS WON'T DO ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING IF WE DON'T EDUCATE THEM.
AND, AND EVEN MAYBE HAVING A LABEL.
THE FLAT TRAPPER, JUST TO CLARIFY, IS THE COFFEE CAMP.
SHE SAID WE WERE PROVIDING, I'M NOT, WELL, YOU KNOW, I USE MY BUST BAG.
NO, NO CAN, AND I JUST DUMP IT IN THERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THAT'S A COFFEE CAN THAT SAYS PUBLIC WORKS HERE, USE IT FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH JANUARY AND THAT'S GONNA REDUCE 10 POUNDS OF FAT.
BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE YES.
FOR THEM TO EVEN COME CLOSE TO DO.
SO IT'S OF THAT'S TWO COMPONENT.
WE NEED THE EDUCATION AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE SOMETHING OR HARPER HARPER YOUR THOUGHTS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE HARPER WILDER PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
EVERY, EVERY LITTLE THING WILL HELP.
IF YOU'LL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS FOR YOU.
WE ASKED FOR, UM, A PRE-TREATMENT EMPLOYEE.
UM, WE'RE GO HAVING A PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM, UH, INITIATED HERE.
WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IT RIGHT NOW.
KATHY RAKER WILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND UH, I THINK IT'S GONNA ADDRESS A LOT OF THE FOG, UH, FAT OIL AND GREASE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING.
SO IF YOU'LL GIVE US JUST A LITTLE BIT, WE'RE GONNA COME WITH A FULL PROGRAM AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO TELL EVERYBODY.
WELL, WITH THE PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF IT, THEY'LL BE DIRECTING IT, EVERYTHING.
IS THERE LIKE A TIMELINE THAT YOU, YOU CAN GIVE US SO WE CAN KNOW TO COME BACK? SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO HIRE THAT PERSON, PUTTING THE STUFF TOGETHER TO, FOR THE, UH, JOB DESCRIPTION, EVERYTHING FOR IT RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK.
UM, WE REALLY WANTED THAT PERSON TO GET IN, UH, WHEN WE START DOING THAT PROGRAM.
SO IT'D BE FIRST SELECT THE CANDIDATE, UH, HIRE THE CANDIDATE AS SOON AS THEY CAME ON, THAT'S WHEN KATHY PUBLIC WORKS AND THIS PERSON WOULD GET TOGETHER.
NOW WE HAVE INFORMATION FROM SEVERAL OTHER CITIES AS WELL AS T C Q THAT'S PROVIDED US A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA KIND OF LOOK AT THESE OTHER CITIES AND MORPH THAT INTO WHAT'S BEST FOR US.
AND, UH, SO I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'LL TAKE QUITE AS LONG AS JUST STARTING FROM SCRATCH AND NOT KNOWING ANYTHING.
UM, BUT I, I, I STILL SAY WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OUT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE MONTHS OUT, I WOULD SAY.
IS THERE ANY INFORMATION THAT STAFF CAN PROVIDE TO COUNCIL THAT WE CAN SHARE ON OUR FACEBOOK? BECAUSE I'M GONNA BE HONEST, IT'S ABOUT TO BE SUPER BOWL TIME.
EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE FRYING CHICKEN AND THERE'S GONNA BE THAT GREASE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST, I ASKED, UH, WARREN CHRISTIAN, WHO'S MY, UH, WATER WASTE WATER DIVISION MANAGER, UM, IF WE'RE EXPERIENCING ISSUES IN THE GREASE.
WE USED TO A LONG TIME AGO, UM, NOT SO MUCH NOW.
UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY SAID, THE UH, THE RAGS, THE BABY WIPES ARE OUR BIGGEST ISSUE THAT AFFECT OUR LIFT STATIONS.
THEY AFFECT OUR, OUR TREATMENT PLANT.
BUT I THINK SOME OF THE EDUCATION'S ALREADY GETTING OUT THERE OR HAS GOTTEN OUT THERE TO SEE
[00:45:01]
THAT IMPROVEMENT IN GREECE.NOW YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE NEW RESTAURANTS, WHICH ARE A COMMONPLACE FOR, FOR THE BUILDUP OF GREASE THAT ARE COMING IN, UH, EVO AREA.
THINGS SUCH AS THAT WHERE YOU'RE SEEING NOT JUST ONE BUT SEVERAL RESTAURANTS THERE.
THESE WILL BE CONCENTRATION AREAS THAT OUR PRE-TREATMENT PLAN WILL HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT IDENTIFYING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN GREASE TRAPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WE'RE REALLY CONCENTRATING ON THAT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT GREASE ISN'T AN ISSUE.
UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS OVERALL.
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT NOT JUST THE GREASE AND NOT JUST THE FAT THAT GETS INTO OUR WATER, BUT ALSO THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT PAINT, USED, MORTAR OIL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, THOSE THINGS I'M SURE ENDS UP IN THE WATER.
IT ENDS UP IN, IN PEOPLE'S YARDS AND SO FORTH WHEN WE'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A CONTAINER OR A BAG THAT WILL BE PLACED OUTSIDE FOR THE CITY TO PICK UP.
UM, THERE'S BEEN COYOTES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD
SO WE HAVE WILD ANIMALS, WE HAVE JUST ANIMALS, PERIOD.
GETTING A HOLD OF THESE ITEMS. WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE CONSIDERATION OF THAT.
WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CONSIDERATION OF WHO'S GONNA BE PICKING THIS UP IF THEY, IF WE WERE TO GO WITH A PLAN LIKE THIS.
UH, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING SOMEBODY AND I KNOW THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY LOOK AT ALL THOSE AVENUES OF HOW TO GO ABOUT COLLECTING OR EDUCATING EVERYBODY WHEN IT COMES TO THE FOG AND ALSO THE BABY WIPES.
UH, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO LOOK AT THE MOTOR OIL PAINT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT JUST POURED DOWN THE DRAIN OR POURED IN THE SEWER OR POURED DOWN THE STREET IN THE CURBSIDE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO IT'S JUST THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
BUT THIS PERSON THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD, IS THIS GOING TO BE ON THE NEW BUDGET, UH, PROPOSAL AS FAR AS A NEW EMPLOYEE? OR IS IT ALREADY BUDGETED OUT? THIS HAS ALREADY APPROVED.
SO THIS LAST, THIS PAST ONE, IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
SO I GUESS WITH THAT, IF YOU ALREADY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S GONNA BE LOOKING AT BEING HIRED, YOU'RE GETTING KATHY INVOLVED THE CITY.
I THINK IF WE COULD JUST WAIT TO WHERE WE GET IT ALL IN ORDER, WE HIRE THE PERSON AND THEN YOU COME UP WITH A PLAN, WE CAN INCLUDE MR. ZUNIGAS ITEMS AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S A, IT'S ALL OF THOSE ARE EACH GOOD IDEAS.
AND I CAN INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ON THE FAT WILL AND GREASE ON OUR, THAT'S PUBLIC WORKS WEBPAGE.
SO TO ECHO, UH, TO BS AND DANIELA, THE EDUCATION FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS IMPORTANT.
SO I WOULD LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW, DO YOUR PART, LET'S TO BE GREEN FOR, FOR THIS ENVIRONMENT.
RIGHT? SO WHOEVER YOU'RE BRINGING IN THAT WE CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE SPECIFIC AT THE PUBLIC'S WORK PAGE.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK IT WOULD BE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS DOES? LIKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, HEY, YOU'RE A KID.
YOU LEARN ABOUT, UH, RECYCLING AND SUSTAINABILITY.
IT STAYS IN YOUR, IN YOUR MIND.
SO COUNCIL HEISER, UH, THANK YOU.
UH, IF YOU RECALL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARSLEY AND I TOUR THE WASTEWATER FACILITY? YES, SIR.
ABOUT A MONTH AGO, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE HOLIDAYS AND IN WALKING AROUND AND SEEING THE TANK, THE DIFFERENT TANKS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS TOLD IS THAT THERE WAS A LARGE BUILDUP OF GREASE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS, WHICH WASN'T, UH, NORMAL.
MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MEASURE LEVELS OF GREASE BUILDUP IN THOSE, UM, THOSE RETENTION AREAS? I, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU CALLED THEM SPECIFICALLY, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY TO KIND OF MONITOR, UM, THE INFLUX OF GREASE SO THAT IF WE WERE, CUZ WHAT I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND, UM, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THIS IS, UM, A MOTION TO, UM, TO WORK WITH, UH, COMMUNICATIONS TO PUT OUT A, YOU KNOW, A SOMEWHAT COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION PLAN AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, GREASE, BABY WIPES, THINGS OF THAT VARIETY.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN MEASURE ON YOUR END THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT, ARE WE SEEING ANY CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR FROM THE PUBLIC BASED ON WHAT YOUR READINGS ARE ON A DAILY BASIS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE? I CAN, I CAN DISCUSS WITH TIM AND WARREN AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND SOME FIND SOME WAY TO, TO, UH, PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
UH, EVEN IF SHOWING THE VIDEO
THAT SHOWS THE GREASE AND PUT IT OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC FOR THEM TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW GROSS IT IS,
WELL, IT SMELLS, IT, IT IS CAUSING THE SMELL AT THE PLANT.
SO, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS IN THOSE TIMES IS, IS THE WORST TIME.
[00:50:01]
WHERE I SAID BEFORE, WHERE WE SEE 'EM IN THE PAST WAS, YOU KNOW, OUT HERE AND ESPECIALLY OUR OLD CLAY LINES AND STUFF, THEY CAUSED A LOT OF WREAK AND HAVOC, UH, UH, IN THOSE OLD CLAY LINES AND WE'D HAVE STOPPAGES LEFT AND RIGHT.WE'RE NOT SEEING THOSE LIKE WE USED TO BACK THEN.
UM, ANOTHER THING IS HAVING THIS, UH, PERSON, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO OUR, UM, DO OUR GREASE TRAPS, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT.
HAVING THEM PUT ON BACK TOWARDS, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO MS. AMBER ABOUT WORKING SOMETHING OUT LIKE THAT TO WHERE WE CAN BE THE ONES, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYBE BEING OVER THOSE CREASE TRAPS EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
AND THIS IS, UH, MORE IN BUILDING DEPARTMENT'S FIELD CUZ IT'S ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
UM, BUT BECAUSE IT'S CONNECTED TO THE WASTEWATER, MAYBE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT WITH THIS PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM AND THIS PRE-TREATMENT PERSON THAT WE'VE SAID IS A GREAT TIME TO KIND OF FIX A LOT OF ISSUES IN ONE.
SO JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, MR. MAYOR, IF MAY I, UH, RECOMMEND A MOTION GO AHEAD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU HARPER, IF YOU COULD GO BACK WITH YOUR TEAM AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MEASURE, UM, LEVELS OF GREASE AND BABY WIPES.
THE THINGS THAT CREATE THAT, THAT BUILD UP THAT YOU SHOWED US IN THE, IN THE FIRST, UH, IN THE FIRST BUILDING THAT WE, THAT WE TOURED AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, UM, STAFF WITH COMMUNICATIONS TO PUT TOGETHER A, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION PLAN AROUND THE, THE HAZARDS OF, OF, YOU KNOW, GREECE AND THE THINGS THAT WE JUST LAID OUT.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD AT LEAST ADDRESS THE PROBLEM IN THE SHORT TERM.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN, HE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KALE.
WE DIRECT STAFF TO ENGAGE IN A, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, UH, UH, INITIATIVE.
UH, AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER COMPONENT? IF HARPER AND HIS TEAM CAN MEASURE, UH, EFFECT, LIKE MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EDU OF THE EDUCATION COMMUNICATIONS IS DOING SO THAT WHEN THEY DO HIRE SOMEONE AND THEY BRING ON SOMEONE NEW, THAT PERSON KNOWS WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE OR HURDLE THAT NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME.
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION A, AROUND THE ORIGINAL MOTION OF DO WE WANT TO HAVE GREASE TRAPS? DO WE WANT TO GIVE AWAY SOMETHING FOR TO THE COMMUNITY? SO THAT WOULD BE JUST THE ORIGINAL GOT IT.
SO I, UH, SORRY LORD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPRISE OUR BE SEWER SAVVY CAMPAIGN.
SO THAT'S WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING.
WE PUT SOME SUPER SAVVY, UM, VIDEOS OUT THERE.
THERE WAS ONE WHERE I THINK JASON WAS LIKE, HE GET A BUCKET OF WATER TOILET PAPER, YOU SPIN IT UP.
I THINK WE STILL HAVE TOILET PAPER GOES AWAY.
AND THEN YOU PUT THE BABY WIPES IN THERE SPINNING OUT AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST CLOG UP THE SPINNER.
SO, BUT THAT'S, IT'S, HE'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY'S WATCHING ANYMORE.
SO REPRISING, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
ONE THING I WAS WORRIED ABOUT IS LEVELS OF GREASE AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO SHOW THAT TO SEE IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY MAKING AN IMPROVEMENT OR NOT, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT AN INFLUX OF, OF NEW PEOPLE TOO.
SO YOU'RE EDUCATING THESE PEOPLE, BUT THEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE NEW PEOPLE AND NEW SUBDIVISIONS COMING IN MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S, ARE WE REALLY, ARE WE REALLY, UH, GETTING A TRUE FEELING THERE? BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE EDUCATED THESE PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S SO MANY NEW PEOPLE COMING IN.
THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE WITH EACH DEVELOPMENT BRINGS A PACKAGE OF EDUCATION WHENEVER THEY JUST CLOSE IN A HOME.
IF YOU GUYS IFS HAS ANY IDEAS TO BRING BACK ABOUT THAT, THAT'D BE SOME SORT OF BROCHURE THAT THEY CAN STICK IN THEIR FRIDGE SO THEY SEE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
IT'D BE GREAT FOR APARTMENT COMPLEX TO HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THE FLUSHINGS AND, UH, GREASE THAT THEY POUR DOWN THE DRAINS, ALL OF THAT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL BAKERS SAY, AYE.
[4. [Postponed 1/17/2023] Discussion and possible action on creating a dedicated email and phone line w/ voicemail (to be read aloud) for citizens to submit public comments without being present at a meeting. ~ Bear Heiser, Council Member]
ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP.AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO, UH, ON CREATING A DEDICATED EMAIL AND PHONE LINE WITH VOICEMAIL TO BE READ ALOUD FOR CITIZENS TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS WITHOUT BEING PRESENT AT A MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF A BIGGER PICTURE IDEA, UM, THAT I HAVE.
JUST COMING OFF A CAMPAIGN AND GOING OUT AND TALKING TO AS MANY VOTERS, UH, AS I DID, VERY FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT, UH, CITY GOVERNMENT DOES.
AND I THINK THAT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN GETTING FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, IF THERE'S ONE THING I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE ALL APPEAR CAN AGREE ON IS HOW TOXIC NATIONAL POLITICS HAS BECOME AND HOW THAT'S SPILLED INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH ONE OF YOU, UH, TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE, UM, UM, TO, TO MAKE LOOC OUR, TO MAKE US MORE ACCESSIBLE, TO MAKE OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE.
OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE RULES IN PLACE AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, DEADLINES OF, OF WHEN PEOPLE COULD CALL IN AND LEAVE, UH, ASK QUESTIONS OR GIVE FEEDBACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE DEDICATED EMAIL I THINK IS
[00:55:01]
PRETTY CUT AND DRY.YOU COULD ALSO HAVE A DEADLINE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT LEAVES ENOUGH TIME FOR STAFF TO REVIEW, TO WEED OUT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT, INAPPROPRIATE THINGS PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T READ OUT LOUD HERE, UH, AT A COUNCIL MEETING, BUT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, UH, AS COUNCIL TO MAKE US MORE ACCESSIBLE AND TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION.
FOR US TO HAVE THE BEST CITY, UM, WE NEED TO BE, WE NEED TO HAVE OUR FINGERS ON THE PULSE OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING, FEELING, WANTING.
AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A REALLY, A GOOD FIRST STEP.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOK AT, UH, TNR WHEN WE DID THAT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THE TWO MEETINGS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND WE'RE EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE.
AND IT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALK AWAY THINKING THAT WE DID GOOD WORK FOR THEM.
AND, UH, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, I THINK WE ALL, UH, WE ALL ARE DRIVEN BY THAT MOTIVATION OF, OF DOING GOOD AND SEEING IT MANIFESTING ITSELF IN THE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, WHY I, YOU KNOW, JUST IN ABOUT FOUR MEETINGS NOW.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF THIS.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK COUNSEL TO CONSIDER, UM, YOU KNOW, ASKING STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR, UH, A CALL IN PHONE LINE THAT CAN BE, UM, LISTED ON LIKE FACEBOOK PAGE, SOCIAL CHANNELS, THE WEBSITE, AND, UM, THE APP ALSO.
AND, AND, UH, ALSO THE EMAIL, THE CORRESPONDING EMAIL ADDRESS.
UH, WITH THAT I YIELD THANK YOU.
I HAVE SOME, UM, UH, PRIMARILY MY THOUGHTS GO BACK TO WHEN WE DID HAVE, UH, WHEN WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND THERE, THERE WAS A CALL IN LINE WHERE PEOPLE COULD CALL AND WAIT AND MAKE COMMENTS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO ASK PROBABLY SOME QUESTIONS OF PAGE AS FAR AS, UH, THE PARAMETERS IN WHICH WE COULD EXPAND OUR CITIZEN COMMENTS.
BUT JUST G GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, THE, THERE ARE JUST SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH ALLOWING PEOPLE TO JUST, UH, SEND IT, SEND AN EMAIL FROM AN EMAIL ADDRESS, AND EXPECT THAT THAT EMAIL WILL BE READ ALOUD.
UH, AND THEN WITH THE PHONE, PHONE LINE AND VOICEMAIL, IT'S THE SAME THING.
WHEN WE DID IT, WE WERE GETTING CALLS FROM OUTTA STATE, UH, AND PEOPLE WERE LEAVING VOICEMAILS, UH, OR, OR PEOPLE WERE MAKING COMMENTS THAT WERE, UH, REALLY OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WHAT TYPICALLY YOU GET IN A, IN A CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
SO FOR ME, THERE'S, THERE'S THE QUESTION OF WANTING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE TRYING TO DO.
UH, REALLY BEING PROACTIVE TO GO OUT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE SENDING, GIVING THEM INFORMATION THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND, UH, INDIVIDUALLY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MEETING ITSELF OF A, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, THERE IS SOMETHING SORT OF SACRED ABOUT, UH, HAVING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK ON THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE BEFORE US COMING HERE AND, UH, SIGNING UP AND, AND SPEAKING.
CUZ NOT ONLY CAN THEY SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING, UH, THEY CAN SPEAK DURING PUB PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO TECHNICALLY SPEAK ON, UH, ANY ITEM THAT THEY WANT, UH, IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
UH, I REALLY DO THINK THAT HAVING FOLKS COME HERE, UH, IN PERSON, UM, BESIDES THE FACT THAT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE ACCEPTED WAY THAT IT'S DONE ACROSS THE NATION, UH, IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF SIDE EFFECTS, DRAWBACKS, AND WAYS THAT, UH, JUST EMAILS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE, IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE, UH, UH, SOMEONE COULD CALL AND LEAVE A VOICEMAIL AND THAT WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE COUNCIL.
SOMEONE COULD SEND AN EMAIL AND THAT IS FORWARDED TO THE COUNCIL.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO REQUIRE THAT AT THE MEETING.
WE MUST READ ALOUD WHATEVER EMAILS GET SENT TO THAT.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE GONNA FILTER IT, HOW DO YOU FILTER IT BASED ON THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT? THERE'S A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS.
YOU, YOU CAN GET IN YOURSELF INTO LEGAL TROUBLE BY JUST SIFTING OUT.
AND THEN HOW DO YOU VERIFY? CAUSE WE, WE MAKE PEOPLE FILL OUT CITIZEN COMMENTS, FORM 'EM, STATE THEIR NAME, PUT THEIR ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER, UH, ALL OF THAT IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FEEDBACK WE ARE RECEIVING OR THE COMMENTS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE FROM THE VERIFIED PERSON.
IT'S JUST ALL, IT'S ALL VERY STRUCTURED AND, AND, UH, THOSE OTHER THINGS JUST LEND THEMSELVES TO, I MEAN, SOMEONE COULD JUST COPY AND PASTE AND SEND THE SAME THING.
AND I WANT THIS READ ALOUD ON EVERY ITEM, ON EVERY AGENDA, SAME THING.
AND I WOULD'VE TO SIT THERE ON EVERY ITEM AND READ WHATEVER SOMEONE WROTE.
UH, SO THERE'S JUST A TON, A TON OF WAYS FOR THE, THE PHONE AND EMAIL POLICY THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO BE ABUSED, UH, IN MY OPINION.
I, AND WE DID IT FOR A PERIOD AND IT WAS ABUSED.
SO I HAVE, UH, THE ONLY EVIDENCE THAT I HAVE SHOWS THAT THAT CAN BE THE CASE.
SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ON IT.
MAYOR PROTO, UH, I KIND OF AGREE IN THAT SENSE.
[01:00:01]
BE VERY MINDFUL IF WE TO DO THIS CUZ I COULD GIVE A 1 800, 2 3, WHATEVER NUMBER IT IS AND SAY, YES, MY NAME IS BEAR HEISER AND I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AND I'M NOT REALLY THAT PERSON.UM, OR IT COULD BE USED SOMEBODY ELSE'S ALIAS AND IT COULD GO ON TOPIC.
IT COULD BE THAT THIS PERSON JUST MAY JUST WANNA MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
UH, VERSUS AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CITIZENS COMMENTS, WE WELCOME COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS EARLY AGENDA, WISHING TO SPEAK AND ENCOURAGE TO SIGN IN AND MAY SPEAK FOR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING THIS TIME CONCERNING CITY BUSINESS.
AND THEY MUST OBSERVE THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
HOW DO WE KNOW WE REGULATE THAT? IF WE ALLOW THAT TO WHERE AFTER THAT THREE MINUTE WE CUT 'EM OFF, UM, IT STARTS A FIRESTORM.
AND AGAIN, ALSO, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, AGAIN, WHAT IS LEGALLY, IF THEY SEND IN AN EMAIL AND IF SOME OF THE ITEMS ARE POLITICAL, IN ANOTHER SENSE, IS IT CITY BUSINESS? CUZ IF WE'RE GONNA KEEP TO THAT CONTEXT, UH, AGAIN, EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
BUT I GUESS IF WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK AT IF IT IS, UH, IF WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THE RULES OF COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE GONNA TAKE AWAY? WHAT ARE WE GONNA SUBTRACT? I DIDN'T SAY THAT WORD.
UH, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT I SAID AND SO FORTH.
SO THESE ARE JUST THINGS TO CONSIDER IF WE WERE TO GO THIS ROUTE AND ALSO TO LEAVE VOICEMAIL AND SO FORTH.
IS THIS THE REAL PERSON THAT WE'RE HAVING TO, THAT'S BASICALLY CALLING IN AND SPEAKING? I THINK WITH, UH, IF, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UM, MS. KIRKLAND, BUT WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE COME IN AND SIGN UP, IT'S DOCUMENTED, RIGHT? IT'S AN OFFICIAL, UH, CITY, OFFICIAL CITY, UH, OPEN RECORDS DOCUMENTATION THAT THIS IS THE EXACT PERSON THAT ACTUALLY SIGNED IN TO SPEAK.
WE ON THE CITIZEN COMMENT FORM, THERE'S A PLACE WHERE THEY BASICALLY SWEAR THAT THEY ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE.
UM, AND THAT FORM IS KEPT FOR TWO YEARS.
SO I, IT'S, IT'S, I I I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND WE WANT THEM TO BE MORE ENGAGED AND WE WANT TO MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO BE ENGAGED.
UH, BUT I JUST ALSO CONS CAUTIOUS THE LEGALITY OF IT ALL AND CAUTIOUS THE, UH, THE, UM, THE PERSON THAT WOULD BE CALLING IN IF THAT IS A LEGITIMATE INDIVIDUAL WITH THAT NAME AND WITH THAT PERSON THERE.
CUZ IT COULD START MY OPINION A FIRESTORM, UH, IN SOME CONTEXT OF WHERE IF THIS IS NOT THE PERSON AND, AND THIS IS SOMEBODY COMING CALLING FROM OUTTA STATE, WHICH THEY CAN, I GUESS WE DID IN COVID, THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL OF, OF WHO, UH, WE HAVE COME UP AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, IT, IT'S LEGIT ON THAT END.
UM, I GUESS MY OVERALL QUESTION TO STAFF WOULD BE, DO WE KNOW IF OTHER CITIES DO THIS? AND IF THEY DO, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE I, I GET BOTH SIDES.
I SEE WHERE WE DO WANNA GET THAT FEEDBACK AND WE WANNA BE CAREFUL.
SO HOW DO WE FIND THAT HAPPY MEDIUM? CAN WE FIND THAT IN LIKE WHAT OTHER CITIES DO? UH, MAYOR COUNCIL PAGE, SON, CITY ATTORNEY.
FOR THE RECORD, WHEN THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA LAST TIME, I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER CITIES HAD IN THEIR POLICIES.
MOST CITIES ALLOW A PROCESS FOR CITIZENS TO PROVIDE EMAILS ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND THAT THOSE ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY, AND, AND THIS IS NOT TO, UM, SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD, BUT MOST OF, MOST OF THE CITIES DO NOT.
UM, AND THEY SPECIFICALLY, SPECIFICALLY SAY, WE DO NOT HAVE THESE EMAILS READ AT THE MEETING.
THEY LET THE PUBLIC KNOW IT WILL BE SHARED WITH COUNSEL, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE READ.
THE ONE EXCEPTION THAT I SAW IS IN A PUBLIC HEARING CONTEXT OR AN AGENDA ITEM CONTEXT, IF SOMEONE IS, IS FOR OR AGAINST AN ITEM, THEN THAT MAY BE NOTED IN THE RECORD IN SOME WAY.
UM, THE LEGAL ISSUES THAT ARE, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ARE AN OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND, UM, COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS AND FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
AND SO IF WE'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF, UM, WHERE THE COMMENTS ARE BEING READ OR RECORDED AND PLAYED AT A COUNCIL MEETING, IF THERE'S SOME WEEDING OUT OF WHAT COMMENTS ARE PLAYED ARE NOT, THEN THAT PUTS THE CITY IN THE, UH, POSITION OF HAVING TO COMPLY WITH FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH MEANS YOU CANNOT, UM, YOU CANNOT, UH, CHOOSE NOT TO PLAY OR NOT SHARE THAT INFORMATION BASED ON THE CONTENT.
THERE HAS TO BE A NEUTRAL TIME, MANNER, PLACE TYPE OF REGULATION AROUND THAT.
AND YOU CAN ADDRESS DEC QUORUM, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, BUT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HIGH BAR.
PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO CRITICIZE, AND THAT'S IN STATUTE AND IN THE CONSTITUTION.
[01:05:01]
SECOND ITEM WOULD BE HOW IS THAT INFORMATION READ? IF YOU HAVE A CITIZEN, IF YOU HAVE A STAFF MEMBER OR A COUNCIL MEMBER READING AN EMAIL OR THAT IS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPEN MEETINGS COMPLIANCE ISSUE THERE.SO THOSE ARE THE, SOME OF THE LEGAL PARAMETERS.
I'M GONNA, SO I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE TO COUNCIL MEMBER HEISER ON HOW HE THINKS, UM, THAT, HOW WOULD THIS WORK? HOW DO YOU GUYS WANT, HOW DO YOU WANT THIS TO LOOK? UH, SURE.
I'D LOVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
JUST A COUPLE, UH, WROTE A COUPLE NOTES HERE.
JUST IN APPEALING TO TRY TO APPEAL TO ALL OF YOU.
WE LIVE IN A VERY DIVERSE CITY.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHOSE ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.
THERE'S ALSO FACTORING IN THE PEOPLE, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE, NOT EVERYONE FEELS COMFORTABLE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF SPEAKING PUBLICLY, SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE.
UH, YOU KNOW, MR. MARY, YOU'RE QUITE INTIMIDATING.
BUT ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GONNA FACE THE SAME CHALLENGES, YOU KNOW, UH, JENNIFER'S, YOU SAID SOMEONE HAS TO CHECK A BOX THAT SAYS THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE.
IF WE'RE NOT VERIFYING ON THE BACK END, THEY, WE REALLY, IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM.
UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S, I WOULD SEE IT AS THE SAME PROBLEM.
UH, MARCO, CAN I ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS? MAYOR, COUNSEL MARCO 40, DIRECTOR OF IT.
UH, ARE THERE WAYS THAT YOU COULD FILTER OUT, IF WE WERE TO PUT IN PLACE RULES AROUND LANGUAGE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SWEARING, HATE SPEECH, THINGS OF, OF THAT VARIETY, COULD WE FILTER OUT THOSE EMAILS USING, UM, YOU KNOW, BASED ON YOUR EXPERTISE? UH, NOT AUTOMATICALLY.
SOMEONE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO REVIEW THOSE MESSAGES AND THEN, UH, EXTRACT THOSE THAT, AND EDIT IT, EDIT THAT.
LIKE WITH MY, LIKE WITH MY GMAIL ACCOUNT, LIKE, I CAN FILTER OUT CERTAIN WORDS SO THAT THINGS DON'T COME THROUGH.
WHETHER IT'S BASED ON AN EMAIL ADDRESS EXTENSION, A DOMAIN EXTENSION, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, WORDS.
IT'S, IT'S A FREE SPEECH ISSUE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T FILTER IT OUT IN THAT WAY.
IF, IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC RULES IN PLACE AND PEOPLE ARE IN VIOLATION OF THOSE RULES AFTER CHECKING A BOX PER SE, LIKE WE HAVE A FORM RIGHT NOW WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO FILL OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, CHECKING A BOX TO SAY LIKE, I'M FOLLOWING THE RULES, OR I WILL FOLLOW THESE RULES AND THEN THEY PROCEED TO THE NEXT SCREEN AND LEAVE THEIR, THEIR COMMENT VIA EMAIL.
OR IS THAT, I MEAN, WOULD THAT BREAK RULES? OR IS, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH FIRST AMENDMENT? YOU, YOU CAN HAVE DECORUM, RULES OF DECORUM AND ENFORCE THOSE AS FAR AS HOW THAT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE, THE SOFTWARE OR THE PROGRAM.
WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT, IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
UM, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A MOTION.
UH, I'M HEARING ALL YOUR CONCERNS AND I WANT TO, UH, ASK STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN, UM, BASED ON RULES, LEGALITY, FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, UM, AND A PROCEDURE FOR HOW WE COULD DO THIS.
I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE HAVE TO, I'M HEARING ALL OF YOU, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE LIKE HOW WE COULD DO IT.
CUZ I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE HERE WOULD CONCEPTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S LOGISTICAL HURDLES.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER A, UM, A PROCESS FOR HOW WE COULD CREATE A PHONE LINE, AN EMAIL ADDRESS, WHILE COMPLYING WITH, UH, ANY SORT OF LEGAL HURDLES.
IS THAT, DID I MAKE COHERENT SENSE THERE? WELL, PROPOSING A MOTION IS NOT THE SAME AS MAKING A MOTION.
THE WAY TO DO IT IS FOR EVERYONE.
IF YOU WANT A MOTION, SAY, I, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION.
I'LL SECOND IT SO WE CAN HAVE MORE DISCUSSION IF, IF WE NEED TO.
THE MO MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEIS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ZUNIGA TO DIRECT STAFF TO, UH, BRING BACK A POLICY COMPLIANT WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT ALLOWS FOR EMAILS, UH, TO BE SENT, UH, TO THE CITY AND READ ALOUD AT COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND A DEDICATED VOICE LINE THAT ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE TO LEAVE MESSAGES TO BE READ, ALLOWED AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AS THEIR DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.
I'M SUPER STRONG AGAINST THIS PERSONALLY.
I CAN THINK OF JUST RIGHT OFF THE BAT, I CAN THINK OF LIKE, UH, SAY YOU HAVE A CONTROVERSIAL ITEM.
YOU GET, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON THE, UH, FACEBOOK WALLS, ALL THE TROLLS MM-HMM.
UH, IT'D BE VERY EASY TO RILE THEM UP AND WEAPONIZE THEM AND FORCE A HUNDRED COMMENTS TO BE READ AT A COUNCIL MEETING AHEAD OF A CONTROVERSIAL ITEM.
SO, UH, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE AND THEY'RE WELCOME TO COME DOWN HERE, BUT GENERALLY THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO COME DOWN, YOU FIND OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO HAVE SOME KEYBOARD COURAGE AND MAKE THEIR COMMENTS KNOWN ON FACEBOOK OR IN, UH, AND SOMEONE WHO WILL ACTUALLY COME AND STAND BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND SPEAK.
[01:10:01]
SO, YEAH, TO ME IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CIVIC PROCESS.IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION CUSTOMER BRADSHAW? YEAH, I GUESS JUST FOR MYSELF, AFTER BEARING WITNESS TO THIS SYSTEM BEING ABUSED DURING COVID, AND I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KALE AND MAYOR PRO TIM, WE'RE ALL HERE FOR THAT AS WELL.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND GOING BACK TO SOMETHING AFTER SEEING IT BEING TREATED AND MISUSED IN THAT WAY.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF TOO MANY TIMES WHEN THERE WERE WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER WHAT WE WOULD SEE NOW, LIKE ACTUAL CITIZEN COMMENTS COMING THROUGH IT, IT MAINLY WAS MORE SO FOR THE NEGATIVE, AT LEAST ON THE LAST BIT FROM WHEN I WAS SITTING IN THIS SEAT.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO GET BEHIND SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I DO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE INTENTION WITH IT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE MAYBE SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVES OUTSIDE OF THIS AS TO HOW WE CAN CREATE MORE OF A WELCOMING AND INVITING INTERACTION BETWEEN COUNCIL AND OUR RESIDENTS.
I'D LIKE TO ADD CUT CUSTOMERS.
UH, I, I CAN SEE IT FROM THE, ALSO THE POINT OF VIEW OF HOW ABUSED IT COULD BE, BUT, AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ABOUT THIS.
SO THERE'S A SCHOOL BOND RIGHT NOW, AND, UM, YOU CAN SUBMIT BOND TALK.
THERE WAS TWO BIG FORUMS. A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY MISSED THEM CUZ OF WORK.
UM, SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE COUNCIL ITSELF GETTING EMAILS, UM, WHETHER WHEN THEY GET FILTERED, NOT NECESSARILY EMAILS THAT HAVE TO BE READ THERE, UNLESS THIS IS CONTROVERSIAL FOR THE, UH, FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
BUT I, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF COUNCILS SEEING PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, AND THEN TO WHATEVER DISCRETIONS WE NEED TO IMPOSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES IT, WHAT MAKES IT BECAUSE, UM, UM, GIVING THEM A PLAT, GIVING THE COMMUNITY A PLATFORM TO SUBMIT.
UH, WE ARE IN A MORE HIGHLY TECHNICAL AGE, RIGHT? SO WE SHOULD BE UTILIZING MORE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY AND WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE, MANY MORE RESIDENTS TO THIS CITY.
AND, UH, SO THAT, THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.
I I JUST WANNA KEEP AN OPEN MIND ABOUT THIS.
UM, I, I USUALLY VOTE TWO WAYS LEGALLY AND MORALLY.
THIS CAUSES A HUGE LEGAL ISSUE FOR ME BECAUSE THAT FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS GONNA BE A SLIPPERY SLOPE WHEN WE SIT AND LISTEN OR WHEN WE READ SOMETHING.
AND AS ELECTED OFFICIALS OR STAFF, WE'RE REMOVING STUFF, WE'RE REALLY ASKING FOR SOME LIABILITY IN THAT.
AND I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THAT UP TO STAFF, AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HAVING TO DECIDE WHAT WE DO.
I AM AMENDABLE AND I, I I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A WAY FOR RESIDENTS TO COMMUNICATE VIA A WEBSITE IF THEY JUST WANNA SEND US HOW THEY FEEL OR, AND WE CAN ALL ACCESS THAT EQUALLY.
UM, I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS KIND OF FREE FOR ALL.
LET'S WRITE AND THEN WE'LL SAY WHAT WE WANT.
EVEN THOUGH I'M ALL FOR PEOPLE SPEAKING OUT, IT, IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
AND WE AS A COUNCIL OR AS STAFF HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO READ OUT LOUD.
UM, AND SO FOR THAT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE CURRENT MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IF I, IF I COULD JUST ADD, ADD MINE AND I'LL BE DONE.
WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH FREEDOM OF SPEECH, UH, YES, WE DO LIVE IN A VERY UNPREDICTABLE SOCIETY.
UH, I HAVE MENTIONED THAT MANY TIMES, BUT WHO'S GOING TO BE THE ONE THAT SAYS, I CAN'T SAY THIS WORD, OR YOU CAN'T SAY THAT WORD.
AND WHO'S GONNA BE THE ONE THAT'S GONNA READ IT? YOU KNOW, WE COULD GO UP THERE AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, CITIZEN'S COMMENTS WILL BE READ BY X, Y, AND Z.
THEN IT'S LIKE, WELL, OBVIOUSLY THAT PERSON ALWAYS SUPPORTS THAT NO MATTER WHAT, OR COUNCIL MEMBER'S GONNA READ THIS.
I THINK WE ALREADY GET THOSE EMAILS FROM RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TNR.
COUNCILMAN TOBIAZ, PLEASE LISTEN TO ME.
THIS IS WHY I SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.
AND THEY GIVE THEIR INFORMATION TO ME SO I CAN MAKE THAT DECISION.
UH, WHEN YOU DO OPEN UP THIS KIND OF STUFF, AGAIN, I, I DON'T GO TO FACEBOOK AND ALL THAT STUFF TO WHERE WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMMENTING AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND SAYING STUFF ABOUT THE CITY, I KNOW SOME MEMBERS MAYBE DO, I DON'T, I ALWAYS REFER EVERYBODY.
IF YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME DIRECTLY, HERE'S MY PHONE NUMBER, HERE'S MY EMAIL ADDRESS.
I DON'T GO ON FACEBOOK AND GO BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH ON THIS STUFF.
UM, YES, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF IT ALL.
BECAUSE AGAIN, SOMEBODY COULD CALL IN
[01:15:01]
AND WRITE AN EMAIL SAYING, I'M THIS PERSON AND IT'S NOT.AND IT COULD BE JUST A VINDICTIVE WAY TO WHERE THEY JUST WANT TO GET A MESSAGE OUT OR USE IT FOR A POLITICAL PLATFORM.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THAT.
THIS PUBLIC COMMENT HAS TO DO WITH CITY BUSINESS.
HOWEVER, PEOPLE WANT TO ADDRESS IT.
IF THEY WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND RAISE, UH, THEIR FLAG OF A DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEM OR TO GO AFTER PUBLIC OFFICIALS, BY ALL MEANS THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT.
BUT I JUST BE VERY CAUTIOUS BY JUST OPENING IT UP NATION, WHEREVER, CUZ YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS PERSON IS, AND I, YES, I'M GONNA GET AN EMAIL FROM SOMEBODY OR SOMEWHERE THAT IT COULD BE SOMEBODY FROM ANOTHER STATE OR SOMEBODY FROM ANOTHER CITY RESPONDING.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE READ IT OUT LOUD, AND THEN WE START SAYING, WELL, I'M GONNA EDIT THIS OUT BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, OR I DON'T LIKE THE WAY HE SAID THIS, OR I FELT OFFENDED HERE.
THAT TAKES AWAY THAT PERSON'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
AND, AND I GET THE IDEA THAT YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE BILINGUAL.
THEY MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO COME OUT AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT IS WHO WE ARE AS A DIVERSE CITY COUNCIL.
AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, WE ARE DIVERSE.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT SPEAK SPANISH.
WE DO PEOPLE HERE OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
UH, WE ARE OPEN AND WE HAVE THAT OPEN.
UH, I THINK, UH, ON, I THINK WHAT, UH, MAYOR OR MR. HEISER IS TRYING TO REACH IS HOW CAN WE ENGAGE IT EVEN MORE? AND IF IT MEANS SETTING UP AN EMAIL OR DEDICATED PHONE LINE, UM, TO BE READ OUT LOUD, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT HE'S GETTING AT.
BUT FOR ME, ON A LEGAL ASPECT, TAKING AWAY CERTAIN PEOPLE'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR CERTAIN TYPES OF LANGUAGE THAT MAY, WE MAY FEEL THAT MAY BE OFFENSIVE, UM, TAKES AWAY FROM THAT PERSON.
SO AT, AT THIS TIME, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY HERE.
UH, LEGALITIES ASIDE, IF YOU, IF LEGAL COMES BACK AND SAYS, THIS ISN'T A VIABLE THING FOR US TO DO THAT THERE'S TOO MUCH RISK INVOLVED, I'LL LET IT GO.
UH, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANNA PUT ANY ONE OF US HERE IN JEOPARDY, UM, FOR LEGAL REASONS.
WITH, WITH THAT SAID, UM, SEPARATELY, WE'VE ALL, UH, I THINK EVERYONE HERE, UH, ALL SEVEN OF US HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WOULD BE A, A GOOD THING.
IN, IN THEORY, UH, OBVIOUSLY THEORY DOESN'T EXIST ON A MAP FOR THE SAKE OF THE EXPRESSION, BUT WE FEARS HAVE BEEN SHARED HERE.
AND WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M FEELING SITTING HERE IS THAT, UM, AGAIN, LEGALITY ASIDE, IF IT'S NOT VIABLE, LET'S, UM, WE'RE MAKING A FEAR-BASED DECISION AS A COUNCIL BECAUSE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING WHEN WE KNOW THAT SOMETHING GOOD COULD HAPPEN.
WELL, I BELIEVE MOST OF US SHARED EXPERIENCE, NOT FEAR, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WELL, I, I, I DIDN'T SHARE, I DIDN'T, BUT WHAT I WAS, WAS RECOMMENDING, UH, BEFORE WAS THAT STAFF JUST PUT TOGETHER WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE.
I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO DO IT, I WAS JUST SAYING LET'S LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
SO WE HAVE A HALF BAKED IDEA TO ACTUALLY CONSIDER THAT COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE FEARS.
I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE, I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AT LEAST TO SEE WHAT STAFF COULD PUT TOGETHER AND THEN, YOU KNOW, GO FROM THERE.
THAT'S ALL I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, UM, BECAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE FAMILIES, IT'S HARD TO GET HERE.
UM, COUNCILOR PARSLEY, UM, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A QUICK SUGGESTION.
UM, SO MAYBE UPDATING EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER'S WEBSITE, UM, WITH MORE INFORMATION OF WHAT RESIDENTS CAN DO MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL, LIKE MM-HMM.
UM, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, SINCE I DO KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE DOING THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE, A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS SAID, OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
I CANNOT MAKE MY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND THE DIRECTION I GOT WAS LIKE, THEY CAN DIRECT THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO YOU.
AND THEN IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN READ THOSE COMMENTS OUT LOUD OR JUST HAVE THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS ON YOUR EMAIL AND BRING THOSE FORWARDS WHEN WE'RE HAVING THE MEETING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
BUT MAYBE UPDATING OUR PAGES AND SEE HOW TO REACH OUT TO SO-AND-SO.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF ONE OF US SPEAKS A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE,
[01:20:01]
THEN JUST HAVE THAT ESTABLISHED IN, THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE.AND MAYBE JUST MOVING THE COUNCIL MEMBER PAGES TO SOMETHING THAT IS MORE VISIBLE SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY LIKE, YOU KNOW HOW IN THE WEBSITE WE HAVE THREE TABS, LIKE RESIDENTS BUSINESS, SOMETHING ELSE, HAVING A SIDE ONE THAT SAYS, UM, REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THERE'S JUST AN INDIVIDUAL TAB THAT IS EASIER TO SEE MY HELP.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT LETTING THE RESIDENTS KNOW HOW TO REACH OUT TO US EASIER WHEN THEY HAVE CONCERNS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP FOR US TO BRING FORWARD THEIR COMMENTS.
SO I JUST WANT TO GO AND ADD LIKE KIND OF WHAT, UH, CITY CENTER WAS THAT OTHER CITIES ARE SAYING, OKAY, SEND AN EMAIL AND WE'LL RELAY IT TO COUNCIL.
WE COULD, WE DO HAVE SOLUTIONS FOR THAT.
WE COULD CREATE A DISTRIBUTION GROUP WITH EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU THAT ARE ADDED ON THERE.
AND WHOEVER SENDS AN EMAIL, ALL OF YOU WILL GET THAT.
UM, SAME THING WITH VOICEMAIL OR MESSAGES.
I COULD CREATE A IVR MENU GIVING THE INSTRUCTIONS, UH, THAT THEY HAVE A THREE MINUTE TIMER, YOU KNOW, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN WHEN IT GETS, UH, WHEN THEY FINISH IT, IT SENDS OUT, UH, MP3 PLAYER TO EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS.
SO, I MEAN, AS ALL OF THAT IS GREAT.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M IN SUPPORT OF ALL OF THAT.
AND IN FACT, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT.
WE HAVE A, AN EMAIL ADDRESS THAT ALL CITY COUNCIL OR, YOU KNOW, AT CITY OF KYLE.COM OR, OR WHATEVER IT IS, WHERE YOU CAN EMAIL ALL OF US.
YOU KNOW, I GET EMAILS AND VOICEMAILS FROM RESIDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I KNOW THE MAJORITY OF US DO TOO, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.
THE, THE, THE IMPORTANT, UH, POINT IS TO SAY THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNICATION LINES ARE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK TO US.
AND ALLOWING FOR, UH, THE CITIZEN COMMENTS PERIOD AT THE BEGINNING OF AN AGENDA TO BRING IN A LOT OF, UH, NEW WAYS OF COMMUNICATING AND REQUIRING EMAIL READING AND, AND VOICEMAIL LISTENING.
THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE I DON'T GO, AND I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE STAFF SPEND TIME PREPARING SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
SO, UH, LISTENING TO BEAR EVERYBODY'S TALKS HERE, UM, I WOULD KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT LIKE, IF WE WANNA MAKE THIS ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLIER FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE ENJOYABLE, A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR 'EM, COULD WE ALSO MAYBE LOOK AT MAYBE AN EVENT WHERE KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS CAN COME HERE, SIT AROUND, KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IS, HOW DOES THEIR LITTLE CITY GOVERNMENT WORK SO THAT THEY LEARN, UM, THAT THIS IS AN INVITING PLACE.
THIS IS THEIR, THIS IS THEIR BUILDING THIS, THEY PAY FOR THIS ULTIMATELY.
AND, UH, THEY, THEY UNDERSTAND THE WAY THEIR LITTLE CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS.
SO WE WANT TO, I WOULD SAY, LET'S MORE OF AN EDUCATION THING AND LET'S, SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL INTIMIDATED, UM, IN THIS COMMUNITY TO COME HERE AND SPEAK.
UM, THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT, BUT JUST TO HELP WITH THE, UM, THIS IS NEW TERRITORY FOR ME.
I, I, LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR, FOR, UH, PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT IT MUCH EARLIER.
I THINK THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM MIGHT HELP WITH THAT.
I LOVE THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BY THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT I'M ALL RIGHT.
I, I, WE READY TO CALL FOR THE VOTE OR WANNA KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT? WANT WE JUST BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? WHAT ARE WE VOTING? SO THE MOTION IS TO DIRECT STAFF, TO BRING BACK POLICY THAT ENCAPTURE THAT CAPTURES THE AGENDA ITEM HEADING TO ALLOW FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS TO BE READ ALOUD, UH, FROM EMAILS, AND TO ALLOW FOR VOICEMAILS TO BE LEFT AND PLAYED, ALLOWED AT MEETINGS, AND TO LOOK AT ALL THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT AND BRING BACK A POLICY WHICH WE COULD OR, UH, ADOPT OR NOT AT THAT TIME.
AND THAT COULD INCLUDE WHAT MARCO WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT WITH THE DISTRIBUTION LISTS BASED ON EMAIL AND PHONE CALLS.
THAT WOULD BE CLEAR, ACCURATE.
WELL, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR AGENDA LANGUAGE IS NOT ABOUT DISTRIBUTION LISTS.
IT'S ABOUT CITIZEN COMMENTS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO WE, WE, WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR, OKAY.
SO THAT WE'RE NOT SORT OF LIKE BACKEND TO GET THEM TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANT.
AS IT RELATES TO DISTRIBUTION LISTS AND, AND VOICEMAIL SETUPS THAT CAN BE FORWARDED TO COUNCIL.
THAT SHOULD BE IN A SEPARATE MOTION MM-HMM.
THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.
AND THAT MOTION'S TO BRING BACK A POLICY TO THAT EFFECT.
SO, MAYOR, DO YOU WANT TO SPECIFY WHEN YOU WANT THAT BROUGHT BACK WHAT YOU THINK VOTE? I I DON'T, BUT IF OTHERS DO, LET US TAKE THE VOTE ON THAT.
WE'LL, UH, UH, I'M JUST GONNA SAY ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, YOU WANNA MAKE ANOTHER MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK, UM, UH, ACTUALLY JUST, JUST TO CREATE IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO CREATE A DISTRIBUTION LIST.
UH, AND TO IMPROVE, UH, AND VOICE DEDICATED VOICEMAIL.
THAT WOULD BE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO, TO DIRECT STAFF
[01:25:01]
TO CREATE A DISTRIBUTION, UH, TO DIRECT STAFF, TO CREATE AN EMAIL DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM AND VOICEMAIL, A DEDICATED VOICEMAIL LINE WHERE, UH, CUSTOMERS OR RESIDENTS CAN, UH, SUBMIT FEEDBACK.UH, AND THAT THAT FEEDBACK WOULD BE FORWARDED TO ALL OF COUNCIL AS RECEIVED.
I WAS SECOND ABOUT MAYOR PRO TIMMS, WHO I HEARD.
UH, IS THERE A DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL IS IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
SEE, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS, GUYS.
[5. [Postponed 1/17/2023] Discussion and possible action on bringing back the KAYAC program. ~ Bear Heiser, Council Member]
UM, NEXT UP, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO BRING BACK KAYAK.COUNCILMAN HEISER? YEAH, THIS ONE IS PRETTY CUT AND DRY.
I THINK KAYAK WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED, UH, YEARS BACK TO, UH, INVOLVE, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT AND HELPING THEM, UH, BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES.
AND, UM, I THINK TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ZUNIGA WAS SAYING A COUPLE MINUTES AGO, UM, THAT ADDRESSES I THINK IS A REALLY GREAT FIRST STEP TO TRYING TO, UM, UH, ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION FROM YOUNG PEOPLE.
I, I JUST QUICK, UH, ANECDOTE.
LIKE I WAS, UH, I ONLY CARED ABOUT SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, I READ BOX SCORES, THAT'S ALL I READ.
UH, I HAD, BUT THEN I HAD A GOVERNMENT TEACHER WHO REALLY ENGAGED ME IN, UH, TAUGHT ME AND DISTRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNANCE.
AND, UM, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I OWED BACK TO THE COMMUNITY OR SOCIETY, WHETHER IT BE AN EDU LIKE TEACHING OR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
AND HERE I AM, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TO KIND OF, TO CREATE THAT SAME, UH, EXAMPLE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL COULD PARTICIPATE IN TRYING TO, UM, TO SHOW KIDS THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT.
UH, CUZ I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE.
AND ALSO, UH, IT'D BE GOOD TO GET, UH, A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON, UH, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY FROM, UH, PEOPLE WHO DON'T USUALLY SHOW UP AT OUR MEETINGS.
THE, THE, JUST FOR CONTEXT, THE PROGRAM NEVER WAS CANCELED.
IT WASN'T CANCELED, BUT IT, UM, IT KIND OF DIED THROUGH COVID.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE IT A PRIORITY AGAIN.
UM, THANK YOU CUSTOMER PARLEY.
UM, SO I AM COMPLETELY IN FAVOR.
I THINK THAT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEISER IS BRINGING UP, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE PROGRAM STOPPED AND WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR US TO BRING IT BACK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT DEPARTMENT WAS HANDLING THAT.
JERRY HENDRICKS IN OUR CITY MANAGER FOR THE RECORD, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TASKED WITH THAT.
AND, AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF RE REACTIVATING THAT.
AND MARIANA'S PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THAT IF, UH, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.
AND MARIANNA, DO YOU NEED ANY HELP FROM US? OR WHAT WOULD YOU NEED FROM US IN ORDER TO GET THAT MOVING? BECAUSE IT'S VERY EXCITING.
MARIA, ESP, MARIA SPINOZA, PARKS MIGRATION DIRECTOR.
IT'S REALLY THE MOST HELP WE NEED IS KINDA JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT.
SO, UM, SINCE THERE WAS A CHANGE IN STAFF AND THEN PARKS WAS ASSIGNED TO CAS, UM, AMY, OUR RECREATION MANAGER IS KIND OF THE LEAD FOR KAS NOW AND SHE'S ALREADY GOT THE ENTIRE WEBSITE UPDATED.
THE NEW APPLICATION IS NOW ONLINE, SO STUDENTS AGES 14 THROUGH 18 CAN GO AHEAD AND STARTED APPLYING ONLINE.
SHE'S BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH LEHMAN AND IS NOW REACHING OUT TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS NOW THAT IT'S SECOND SEMESTER.
UM, SO REALLY JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT.
AND SO HOW MANY MEMBERS CAN THEY BE FOR KAYAK? SO KAYAK INITIALLY STARTED WITH 16 MEMBERS, AND TO BE HONEST, I'D HAVE TO SEE IF THERE'S A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS.
AND WILL OUR CHILDREN BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT OR NOT? AS FAR AS I KNOW.
I AM, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM.
WELL, IT'S ALREADY ON THE WORK, SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FOR IT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER, PARTIALLY SECONDED BY COUNCIL HEISER THAT WE DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK THE KAYAK PROGRAM AS THEIR DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION.
SO WHAT KIND OF A, I GUESS, FUNDS DO THEY NEED? I MEAN, TO OPERATE, I MEAN, COULD WE GIVE THEM SOME KIND OF, UM, WE USED TO HAVE 10 OR 20,000 SO THEY COULD WORK ON A PROJECT BECAUSE I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOME SORT OF, SOME SOMETHING COMMUNITY BASED SO THAT THEY'RE ACTIVE AND DON'T LOSE INTEREST IF, UM, IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING ON MAYBE SOMETHING CUZ THEY NEED TO GO FUNDRAISE IT.
SO THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR INCLUDES $10,000 FOR THE KAYAK PROGRAM.
THAT'S TO PAY FOR THEIR FOOD, WHATEVER ADVERTISING, WHATEVER EXPENSES THEY INCUR.
IF THEY DON'T SPEND IT, CAN WE CARRY
[01:30:01]
IT OVER AND THEN ADD MORE TO IT? IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? THAT'S A POSSIBILITY AND THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE.AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR 14 TO 18, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH THE SCHOOLS TO INCORPORATE LIKE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND TO KIND OF EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT CITY COUNCIL DOES AS WELL.
UM, I, MAYBE NOT ELEMENTARY KIDS, BUT, UM, EVEN THOUGH I, I WOULDN'T PUT PAST THEM TO BE INTERESTED, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN BE SOME KIND OF LIKE, UM, SOME KIND OF NOT KAYAK FOR LIKE YOUNGER KIDS, LIKE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
CAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHEN THEY REALLY START TO GET INTERESTED.
OR IF WE JUST DO FORTUNE TO 18, WE COULD, WE COULD CALL IT CAMMACK, KYLE AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
YEAH, IT COMES, THIS IS YOUR ITEM TO PUT YOU ON THIS SPOT HERE, MAYOR.
UH, BUT I, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I WAS IN PUBLIC WITH MAYOR AND, UH, A TEACHER FROM KYLE ELEMENTARY, UH, APPROACHED HIM AND WAS VERY, VERY EXCITED TO SEE HIM CUZ HE SPOKE IN HER CLASS, I THINK A YEAR PRIOR AND, UH, TOOK A PICTURE TOGETHER.
SHE WAS JUST RAVED ABOUT HOW MUCH THE KIDS JUST LOVED, UH, THE EXPERIENCE OF HEARING FROM OUR MAYOR.
SO TO, UH, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES KALE.
I THINK THAT'S, UM, A FANTASTIC IDEA TO TRY TO, TO EVEN DO OUTREACH TO, TO YOUNGER KIDS FOR THAT, UH, EXACT REASON.
UH, BECAUSE IT, IT DOES MATTER AND PERHAPS WE COULD GO SPEAK AT SOME OF THESE LOCAL SCHOOLS TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM.
UM, CUZ I, I SEE IT BEING A REALLY COOL THING CUZ I THINK THAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE BEEN VERY COLLABORATIVE LATELY AND I THINK THAT WE COULD DO SOME REALLY COOL THINGS WITH, WITH SOME OF THE LOCAL KIDS.
I'LL JUST BE REAL, REAL QUICK.
PERFECT IDEAS FROM EVERYONE ON THAT END, BECAUSE AGAIN, MOST OF YOUR STUDENT COUNCILS START IN JUNIOR HIGH MM-HMM.
SO IF YOU CAN INCORPORATE THAT WITH THE JUNIOR HIGH KIDS OR ANYBODY THAT COMES IN, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR MOCK STUDENT COUNCIL MEETINGS HERE AND THEY CAN SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE UP HERE AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSIONS, WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN YOUR SCHOOL AND SO FORTH, AND WHAT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN THE CITY.
UH, ONE OF THE PROJECTS I REMEMBER THE KAYAK DID WAS TO GO TO ROUND ROCK AND SEE THE INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND, WHICH THEY BROUGHT BACK TO WHERE IT'S NOW LA VERDE AND ALSO OVER HERE.
SO THEY DO GREAT WORK ON THAT END.
AND, UH, SO WITH THAT, I'M ALL IN FAVOR WITH THAT, SO I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR.
YEAH, AND I WAS, I WAS GONNA ACTUALLY JUST PIGGYBACK ON THAT.
SO THE INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS, UH, KAYAK HAD AN IMPACT ON THAT.
OUR, UM, SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN.
AND, UH, YOU COULD EVEN SAY BY EXTENSION, THE VIBE TRAIL, SOMETHING THAT THEY DID AN ENTIRE CITYWIDE, UH, SIDEWALK STUDY.
UH, AND THEY CAME UP HERE WITH AN OPEN HOUSE AND I GOT TO, YOU KNOW, A WHILE BACK, GOT TO PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK.
AND THEN THE SKATE PARK, THEY DID A, THEY DID A SURVEY OF ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS AS FAR AS WHAT AMENITIES DO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WANT THE MOST.
UH, AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE SKATE PARK WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS A HIGH PRIORITY, WHICH IS WHAT LED ULTIMATELY TO THE SKATE PARK BEING ADDED TO OUR CIP P LIST AND TAKEN TO THE VOTERS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A, UH, A GROUP THAT IS DESIGNED TO SORT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, EAT COOKIES AND, AND BE SILLY.
IT'S REALLY, IT'S A, IT'S POWERFUL AND IT ENCOURAGES, UH, VOTING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT VOTING AGE, BUT IF THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THAT, YOU CAN EXPECT THEY'D PROBABLY BE VOTING AS SOON AS THEY TURN 18.
SO, UH, IT'S BEEN A SADNESS FOR ME TO SEE KAYAK SORT OF WITHER AWAY AND IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
I WOULD EXPECT TO GET IT BUILT BACK UP.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL AS A COUPLE CHARTER SCHOOLS NOW THAT ALSO HAVE, UH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND THEN THERE ARE HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL AGE.
UH, SO ALL OF THOSE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUPS THAT WE COULD DRAW FROM.
AND IT, I DO AGREE THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE AN EFFORT, UH, ON ALL OF OUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING, UH, APPLICANTS FROM ALL OVER.
BUT, UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CUSTOMERS? DID YOU JUST, YOU SAID THE LAST WORDS, UM, IF WE, NOT TO MAKE IT TOO POLITICAL, BUT YES.
COULD WE GET FULL REPRESENTATION IN THE PROGRAM? I MEAN, EVEN IF, EVEN IF IT'S BY DISTRICTS, YOU WOULD, I MEAN, SO THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY HAS A, THE YOUTH OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAS INPUT IN THEIR PARKS AND WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.
KIND OF LIKE, I MEAN, YOU DON'T WANT TO SKEW IT ALL ONE GROUP.
YEAH, I THINK, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET, I DON'T WANNA GET, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THAT, BUT YEAH.
IN, IN, IN YEARS PAST, THERE'S, THERE'RE THE, THE BEST FUNCTIONING GROUPS HAD MEMBERS FROM EVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THERE WERE LAYMAN, THERE WERE HAYES, GOOD REPRESENTATION, UH, THERE, UM, WHAT'S THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOL? JOHNSON JOHNSON.
UM, AND, UH, AND SO, BUT NOW WE HAVE IDEA AND WE HAVE,
[01:35:01]
UM, NOT, NOT VERITAS, WHAT IS IT CALLED? THE NEW CHARTER SCHOOL.I'M REALLY SUPPOSED TO KNOW THEM.
AND THEN THERE ARE HOMESCHOOL CO-OPS THAT MEET IN CHURCHES AND OTHER GROUP PLACES AS WELL.
SO IT WOULD BE COOL TO TRY TO GET REPRESENTATION FROM ALL OF THOSE GROUPS, BUT IT'S GONNA JUST TAKE MM-HMM.
SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION, I'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO GO SPEAK WITH ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME, IF ANY OF THESE SCHOOLS.
AND IF WE ALL COULD GO, THAT'D BE FANTASTIC, BUT, UH, YEAH, FOLK.
[IV. Executive Session]
RIGHT.WE, WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO I'LL READ US INTO IT.
UH, UH, HOPEFULLY IT WON'T TAKE LONG.
PURSUANT CHAPTER 5 51, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CITY COUNCIL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONVENE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS, TIME IS DEEMED NECESSARY.
DURING THIS MEETING, COUNSEL MAY CO CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO ANY LAWFUL EXCEPTION CONTAINED IN CHAPTER 5 51, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, INCLUDING ANY OR ALL THE FOLLOWING TOPICS, POSSIBLE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANT SECTION 5 51 0.072 TO DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE DOWNTOWN PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
IT'S 12:02 PM I'M GONNA CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
THERE IS NO ACTION TAKEN DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE WILL BE NO ACTION TAKEN.
[8.
Take action on items discussed in Executive Session, including approval of an agreement to purchase real property upon the terms set forth in the Commercial Contract – Improved Property.
]NEXT UP IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT TAKES AC ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, INCLUDING APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE REAL PROPERTY UPON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE COMMERCIAL CONTRACT, IMPROVE PROPERTY.I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A COMMERCIAL CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1 0 8 WEST CENTER STREET IN THE AMOUNT OF $800,000, PLUS ANY CLOSING COSTS IS PROVIDED IN THE CONTRACT.
AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR INS INTERIM C MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO CLOSE ON THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY.
SECOND MOTION BY THE MAYOR, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MAYOR PARSLEY.
IS THERE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? I'D LIKE COUNCILMAN ZUNIGA.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT TO POSTPONE UNTIL WE HAVE AN APPRAISAL VALUE FIRST.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER FLORES? YEAH, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY IN FAVOR OF THIS RIGHT NOW WITHOUT HAVING, UM, A MORE DEFINITE, UM, IDEA OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH THIS BUILDING.
UM, I ALSO AM NOT IN FAVOR OF IT TO SPEND, UM, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN WE SPENT ON THE BUILDING RIGHT BESIDE IT.
AND SO, UM, FOR THOSE REASONS, WITHOUT HAVING AN APPRAISAL, UM, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? CUSTOMER HEISER.
IF, UH, KEEPING DOWNTOWN, THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UM, A PLACE THAT IS GONNA FEEL LIKE, UH, GONNA REMAIN LIKE KYLE, UM, NOT LIKE NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT USING EXISTING STRUCTURES THAT HAVE CHARACTER AND HISTORY BEHIND IT.
UH, IF THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, THEN UH, I THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ACQUISITION FOR OUR ABILITY TO MAIN, MAINTAIN CONTROL OF WHAT DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THIS ALLOWS US, FOR THE MOST PART TO COMPLETE, UM, AT LEAST A PHASE GIVEN THE PROXIMITY, UH, OR WHERE THE BUILDING EXISTS WITH, UH, THE REST OF, UH, CITY, UM, CITY, THE CITY BUILDING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.