* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. WELCOME TO MY MAYOR'S [00:00:01] MESSAGE FOR MAY, 2023. I'M MAYOR RON JENSEN. OUR MUSIC ON MAIN SERIES CONTINUES THIS MONTH WITH THE LAURA LATIN BAND JOINING US ON THURSDAY, MAY 4TH AT THE FARMER'S MARKET. WE WILL HAVE CONCESSIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. DON'T FORGET YOUR LAWN CHAIRS AND DANCING SHOES. ELECTION DAY FOR 2023, GENERAL ELECTION IS TAKING PLACE SATURDAY MAY 6TH FOR CITY COUNCIL SEATS IN DISTRICT ONE, THREE IN PLACE, SEVEN AT LARGE. IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE DURING EARLY VOTING, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO DO SO. POLLING LOCATIONS WILL BE OPEN, 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM. FOR A LIST OF VOTING LOCATIONS, VISIT GTX.ORG/ELECTIONS. AFTER YOU VOTE, JOIN US FOR THE ANNUAL CINLE DE MAYO PARADE AND CELEBRATION. ALSO TAKING PLACE SATURDAY MAY 6TH. I'M THE GRAND MARSHAL OF THE PARADE. THE PARADE KICKS OFF AT 10:00 AM ON MAIN STREET. AFTER THE PARADE, WE WILL HAVE A FULL DAY OF CELEBRATIONS HERE AT CITY HALL PLAZA. THAT WILL INCLUDE DANCES, MUSIC, AND VENDORS. MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND@GPSD.ORG. OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT IS NOW HIRING FOR SEASONAL SUMMER POSITIONS, WHICH INCLUDE LIFEGUARDS, CAMP COUNSELORS, AND PARK MAINTENANCE. IF YOU KNOW ANY COLLEGE KIDS HOME FOR THE SUMMER, ARE TEACHERS LOOKING FOR A SUMMER JOB? PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM. FOR DETAILS ARE TO APPLY, VISIT GPTX.ORG/JOBS. WE WILL CONTINUE MY CYCLING WITH THE MAYOR'S SERIES ON THURSDAY, MAY 18TH. WE'RE GONNA MEET AT ACTION PARK NEAR LONE STAR PARK AT 6:00 PM. RIDERS OF ALL AGES AND SKILL LEVELS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. I WOULD LOVE TO MEET NEW NEIGHBORS. THIS IS MY FAVORITE RIDE. IT GETS OUT BEHIND TEXAS TRUST THEATER AND YOU'D THINK YOU'RE IN THE LOUISIANA SWAMPLANDS. THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION IS WANTING TO GET THE WORD OUT ON THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM. ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS CAN ENROLL TO RECEIVE A MONTHLY BENEFIT OF $30 ON THEIR INTERNET SERVICE. YOU'RE LIKELY ELIGIBLE IF YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE. OR IF YOU ARE SOMEONE YOU LIVE WITH CURRENTLY RECEIVES A GOVERNMENT BENEFIT LIKE SNAP, MEDICAID, WIC, OR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE. LUNCH FOR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, VISIT GPTX.ORG. LASTLY, I MET UP WITH OUR KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL COORDINATOR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND I'VE EVEN BROUGHT SOME FRIENDS WITH ME. TAKE A LOOK. HEY, I'M HERE WITH OUR KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL COORDINATOR, AMANDA MARONE. HEY, AMANDA. TELL US WHAT YOU DO IN KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL. AND WHAT Y'ALL DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO IN KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL. WE'RE HOUSED IN THE SALT, WASTE AND RECYCLING DEPARTMENT WHERE WE SEEK TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS TO ACT EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE AND BEAUTIFY THEIR COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT. THE SEA OF GRAND PRAIRIE HAS BEEN AN AFFILIATE OF KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL SINCE 1976 AND KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL SINCE 1996. DURING OUR 47 YEAR HISTORY OF KEEPING GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL. OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS ARE ADOPT A STREAM, ADOPT A STREET, AND THEIR COMMUNITY GARDENS. WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS THROUGH THE GREEN AND CLEAN CAMPUS PROGRAM AND PROVIDE THE KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIP. OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO MAKE GRAND PRAIRIE THE CLEANEST GREENEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN TEXAS. WOW. WHAT A NEAT GOAL. AND AMANDA, WE RECENTLY WON AN AWARD FROM KEEP TEXAS. BEAUTIFUL. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. WE DID. UH, SO YES. GRAND PRAIRIE WAS RECENTLY AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS BEAUTIFY TEXAS OUTSTANDING PROGRAM AWARD FROM THE KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM FOR THE BIG EVENT. THE BIG EVENT TAKES PLACE THE LAST SATURDAY IN MARCH, ANNUALLY AS A DAY OF CITYWIDE VOLUNTEERISM. DURING THE MOST RECENT BIG EVENT ON MARCH 25TH, 1600 VOLUNTEERS TOOK ON 100 SERVICE PROJECTS ALL AROUND TOWN, COLLECTING MORE THAN 43 TONS OF DEBRIS, CREATING A CLEANER PRAIRIE. THIS YEAR'S BIG EVENT WAS THE BIGGEST EVER. MY GOODNESS. THE TRASH. WE HAULED OFF THE VOLUNTEERS. AMANDA TELL OUR CITIZENS HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED. SO YOU CAN GET INVOLVED BY JOINING ONE OF OUR ADOPT A STREAM PROGRAMS, ADOPT A STREET OR COMMUNITY GARDENS. OUR NEXT ADOPT A STREAM CLEANUP IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE ON MAY 20TH. WE'RE DOING A KAYAK BASED CLEANUP, WHICH MEANS VOLUNTEERS GET FREE KAYAK AND GEAR RENTALS. WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE BETTY WARMACK LIBRARY TO OFFER FREE GARDENING CLASSES THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH, BEGINNING AT 2:00 PM OUR ADOPT A STREET PROGRAM ASKS THAT OUR VOLUNTEERS PICK UP LITTER ALONG A ONE MILE STRETCH OF ROADWAY AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER YEAR FOR GOOD STANDING AND AT LEAST SIX TIMES PER YEAR FOR GOLD STAR RECOGNITION FOR THE COMMUNITY GARDENS. WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE BEDS AT SEVERAL OF OUR LOCATIONS. JOINING THE GARDEN PROGRAM IS FREE. IN FACT, KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL PROVIDES THE GROWING SPACE SEEDS, SOIL AMENDMENTS, AND TOOLS YOU NEED TO GROW FRESH PRODUCE FOR YOUR FAMILY. SO WE WON THIS NORTH TEXAS COMMUNITY CHALLENGE, UH, FOR 2022. WE DID. TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT. YEAH. SO THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS IS INVITING ALL CITIES, ALL COMMUNITIES IN NORTH TEXAS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NORTH TEXAS COMMUNITY CLEANUP CHALLENGE. FROM MARCH 1ST THROUGH MAY 31ST, YOU CAN JOIN US BY PARTICIPATING IN AN OFFICIAL KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL CLEANUP OR HOSTING A CLEANUP WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. BE SURE TO LOG YOUR CLEANUP ACTIVITIES [00:05:01] ON OUR WEBSITE. I WANNA KEEP THIS TROPHY SO I INVITED SOME OF MY FRIENDS TO HELP US CLEAN UP. CALL GUYS. WE HAVE A TROPHY TO WIN. UNTIL NEXT MONTH, Y'ALL BE SAFE AND SHOW LITTLE KINDNESS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.