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HEY, HOW Y'ALL DOING? DOING ALRIGHT.[CC Briefings 07112023]
CALLED MEETING AND I'LL TURN IT RIGHT OVER TO CHERYL, DEION.CHERYL, EVERYBODY, WE HAVE A AT THE WATERS UPDATE, SO I'M GONNA INTRODUCE THE EPIC WATER STAFF WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY HAVING SOME, THEY'RE HAVING SOME EXCITING NEWS AND SOME CHANGING MANAGEMENT EPIC WATERS.
SO RICK, YOU WANNA COME UP HERE AND I JUST WANNA BRING YOUR TEAM UP AND LET'S INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM AND TALK ABOUT THE ROLES THAT THEY HAVE AND, AND KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN WATERS AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE, WHICH ARE GREAT POSITIVES.
UM, I, MY FIRST EMAIL WITH THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE GOES BACK TO 2015.
THAT'S HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY TOGETHER.
UM, IF YOU HAD DIDN'T NOTICE, WE WERE RANKED NUMBER THIRD OF ALL INDOOR WATER PARKS IN AMERICA BY USA TODAY.
AND YOU WERE THE ONLY CITY OWNED, UH, THE CITY OWNED FACILITY IN THE ENTIRE LIST ON BE REPUBLIC, I MEAN, ON INDOOR OR OUTDOOR PARK.
WE'RE ALSO HOSTING FLOW OF PALOOZA AGAIN, WHICH BE IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WE WERE ASKED TO HOST WORLDS FOR THE SURF COMPETITION AND THEY ASKED IF THE MAYOR WOULD GET BACK ON THE WAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE OUR OPENING WEEK.
AND, UH, THAT'S THE LAST TIME I DID IT.
SO, SO THERE'LL BE, UH, COMPETITORS FROM ABOUT 20 COUNTRIES COMING IN AND IT'S A THREE DAY FESTIVAL.
THERE'S A BAG FOR EACH OF YOU.
AND INSIDE THAT BAG YOU ALSO, THERE'S THE SAME DAY CODE.
THERE'S A, YOU SCAN THAT CODE AND THEY'LL PUT IT IN YOUR CALENDAR WHEN THE FLOWS, THE FESTIVAL'S GONNA BE.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED FOR ALL THE ACTIVITY HAPPENING OUT THERE.
UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH BOULDER.
WE'VE GOT A TWO PART ONE PRICE THING GOING ON.
WE'VE SOLD 800 IN THE FIRST THREE DAYS.
AND SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK WITH BOULDER.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH CONCORD HOSPITALITY TO GET HOTEL PACKAGES SO WE CAN GO DIRECTLY UP AGAINST KALAHARI AND GREAT WOLF LODGE.
'CAUSE BETWEEN LABOR DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY, IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT INDOOR RESORT FEEL.
AND THERE'S TWO COMPETITORS, RIGHT? THERE'S GREAT WOLF AND GREATVINE.
THERE'S KALAHARI DOWN ON ROUND ROCK.
AND SO WE WANT TO GO DIRECT UP AGAINST IT BECAUSE YOUR CAMPUS, OUR CAMPUS WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S OUT THERE, AND ESPECIALLY THE NEW FOUNTAIN SHOW, IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING EITHER OF THOSE COMPETITORS HAVE.
HOW TO GET MORE HOTEL STAYS WHEN HOTELS ARE READY TO GO.
UM, AND SINCE I HAVE ANOTHER HOUR AND 52 MINUTES TO GO, NO.
UM, SO SINCE WE STARTED THIS JOURNEY, I WAS ABLE TO GET MR. MICHAEL HAYES, WHO'S A TEXAN TO MOVE BACK FROM VERMONT.
'CAUSE HE DID NOT LIKE 40 BELOW TEMPERATURES.
AND HE'S BEEN WITH YOU SINCE EPIC WATERS OPENED.
AMERICAN RESORTS DOUBLED IN SIZE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO I OFFERED MICHAEL HAYES THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME VICE PRESIDENT OF ATTRACTIONS AND HE ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
AND WITH THAT WE HAD, UH, A NEED TO HAVE THE SAME LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD SINCE DAY ONE.
AND SO WITH MICHAEL GROWING INTO A NEW ROLE, I WANT TO DO ROB LAPIN, THIS IS A NEW GENERAL MANAGER AT THE FACILITY.
AND ROB HAS BEEN WITH AMERICAN RESORT MANAGEMENT FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW.
COMES FROM 25 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HOSPITALITY.
HE'S ALL ABOUT TRAINING LEADERS, THE FUTURE LEADERS, AND GETTING, UH, UH, OLD FASHIONED HOSPITALITY INTO, UH, INTO THIS POST COVID WORLD AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ALL COEXIST TOGETHER.
AND SO ROB'S ALREADY HAD A GREAT IMPACT AND WE, AT THE SAME TIME WE PROMOTED, UH, UM, JORDAN TIS TO ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER.
JORDAN'S BEEN AT THE PARK FOR FOUR YEARS.
AND, UM, SO YOU'RE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND WE WON'T MISS A BEAT.
WE OPENED A NEW CORPORATE OFFICE JUST DOWN THE STREET.
SO THE HOME OF GREG RESORT MAN IS STILL GRAND PRAIRIE.
BUT HERE'S YOUR IN-HOUSE TEAM AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US TALK FOR A COUPLE MINUTES.
WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF YOUR COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT WERE RELATED TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR VERY SMARTLY ASKED US TO LOOK AT, SEE WHAT WE CAN FUND OUT OF THE PARK MENU FUND.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH STEVE PLUMER, RAY
PARK PLANNER, UM, HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PHASING PLAN TO, AND SO I THINK WE CAN PROB WE WILL BE ABLE TO FUND IT.
THE TIMING WILL DEPEND ON AVAILABLE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE EXPECT FOR THAT YEAR FOR BUDGET.
SO IF YOU, WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS PRESENTING THAT AT BUDGET WORKSHOP.
SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE FACING, WE CAN CHANGE IT.
IT JUST MAY REQUIRE AN INFUSION FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU HAVE TWO DAYS THIS YEAR, RIGHT? SO FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING IS ONE DAY IN BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.
AND WHAT THIS IS, IS THAT QUARTER CENT PERPETUAL PARK FUND THAT ASKED, I'M LOOK AT WHI BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE SALES TAX COMING
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IN WHEN WE MAY BE FREE UP.YOU TOLD ME YOU'D TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND YOU TOLD ME YOU HAVE IT DONE BY NOW.
SO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY, MEGAN, THANK YOU.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE SEEING THE ACTUAL NUMBERS OF BUDGET.
SO DURING OUR LAST CONVERSATION, UM, DURING OUR LAST MEETING, WE BROUGHT TO YOU SEVERAL NAMES FOR OUR CONVENTION CENTER NAMING.
SO WE, UH, WE WANTED TO REVIEW THOSE WITH YOU AND THEN SEE IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING AND OR GET SOME ADDITIONAL DIRECTION.
WE DO HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT THAT IN CASE YOU ARE READY TO MAKE A DECISION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE NAMES THAT, UH, WERE BROUGHT, UH, THAT WERE BROUGHT UP.
UH, ONE OF THE FIRST ONES, UM, WAS JUST KIND OF KEEPING IT SIMPLE WAS MAKE, JUST CALLING IT GRAND PRAIRIE CONVENTION CENTER.
ANOTHER OPTION FOR THAT WAS GRAND PRAIRIE EVENTS AND CONVENTION CENTER.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO REALIZE IS THAT BECAUSE OF THIS FACILITY, WE WILL ACTUALLY NOT JUST BE HAVING CONVENTIONS, WE WILL ALSO BE HAVING HOPEFUL EVENTS SUCH AS A WEDDING OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPTION TO INCLUDE THAT IN.
THAT HELPS IN THE SELLING PROCESS.
WELL, THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT, THAT, UM, YOU GUYS INDICATED THAT YOU WERE, HAD A SOMEWHAT OF A PREFERENCE FOR WAS THE WORD EPICA.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF CREATED.
IT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE, BUT IT DOES KIND OF TIE TO EPIC CENTRAL CALLING IT EPICA EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING HAD GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS IN IT.
IT WOULD BE THAT, THAT LONGER VERSION OF IT.
THE OTHER OPTION THAT WE HAD WAS EPIC CENTRAL KEEPING WITH THE EPIC CENTRAL THEME.
EPIC CENTRAL EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS, GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.
SO THESE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL OPTIONS THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT LAST TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA HAVE ANY DISCUSSION.
I ALSO GOT, I ALSO NEED SOME DISCUSSION.
I, I, THOSE ARE ALL GOOD IDEAS.
UH, SOME OF US, LIKE THE EPICA WE WANTED TO TIE WITH GRAND PRAIRIE CONVENTION CENTER.
SOME OF US JUST LIKE GRAND PRAIRIE CONVENTION CENTER, THROWING THE EPIC CENTRAL EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS IN THERE IS KIND OF NICE.
'CAUSE IT GETS EPIC CENTRAL IN THERE.
I THINK WHEN WE ALL WROTE DOWN ON A SHEET OF PAPER RIGHT NOW, OUR FIRST CHOICE, WE MAY GET THREE CHOICES.
UH, BUT I'M OPEN TO JUST HEARING SOME THOUGHTS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS? UH, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE AFRICA DOMESTIC CONVENTIONS, WHICH IS KIND OF WHERE WE, WE WON A GRAND PRAIRIE UNIT AS KIND OF WHERE WE SETTLED ON A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME.
SO, UH, WHAT ELSE WE READY TO VOTE ON THAT TONIGHT THEN? CAN WE JUST WAIT UNTIL THE OTHER TWO HAVE MY OPINION MAYBE TO VOTE ON? I ONLY THINK WAITING UNTIL AUGUST 1ST, A COUPLE OF WEEKS IS GONNA MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN MARKETING AND BRANDING THE AREA.
I DON'T HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH WAITING, BUT, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP A WEBSITE RIGHT NOW SO WE CAN BEGIN THE SELLING PROCESS ON THAT.
AND THAT PROCESS TAKES ABOUT 90 DAYS TO, TO CREATE.
SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED EVERYTHING THAT WE WE'RE DEVELOPING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, BUT SOME OF IT CAN'T BE DEVELOPED UNTIL THE NAME CAN'T BE FINALIZED INTO THAT NAME IS DEVELOPED.
SO WE WOULD TRY LIKE TO TRY TO HAVE A DECISION AS, AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UM, JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
WELL, I, I DON'T WANNA GO ANY FURTHER THAN THE AUGUST MEETING, SO LET'S JUST TABLE IT TONIGHT FOR THE AUGUST MEETING AND LET'S VOTE ON IT.
OKAY, SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON, YOU HAD ASKED THIS TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE HARD COPY PACKET THAT MONA LISA JUST GAVE YOU, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE YOU ALL START YOUR DISCUSSION.
SO THIS IS THE BUDGETED MATTER OVER THE LAST THREE BUDGETED YEARS.
THE SECOND PAGE IS JUST A COMPARISON.
WE DID, UH, A WHILE BACK, YOU ALL ARE THE ONLY ONE OF OUR COMP CITIES THAT DO FUND ALCOHOL AND SPOUSAL TRAVEL.
SO WE WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT, UH, IN THE POLICY.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THE WAY YOUR POLICY IS NOW, UNLESS YOU CHANGE IT, IS EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CAN GET 20% OF THE TOTAL.
HISTORICALLY, WE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MANY COUNCIL
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MEMBERS THAT TRAVELED.UH, MR. FRIGO WAS REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT TRAVELED MODEST, TO BE REAL HONEST WITH YOU.
THAT WAS JIM SWOFFORD AND CHARLIE ENGLAND FRIGO AMENDMENT.
THAT, THAT'S WHY THAT'S IN THERE.
BUT HE WAS THE ONLY ONE ON COMMITTEES.
AND THEN NOW WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS ON COMMITTEES, WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WHICH IS ONE REASON WE INCREASED YOUR BUDGET.
NOW THIS WILL BE IN YOUR BUDGET WORKSHOP THIS YEAR, SO YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE AMOUNT AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
AND THEN THE LAST THING BEFORE I JUST LET YOU ALL, UH, TURN OVER TO YOU ALL ON THE LAST TWO PAGES.
THE REASON, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT 2223 TRAVEL, YOU'LL NOTICE THOSE LAST TWO ITEMS WILL ACTUALLY TIME WISE BEING YOUR 2324 BUDGET.
BUT WE HAVE TO PAY SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES NOW TO GET YOU ALL REGISTERED MM-HMM
AND SO, AND THEN LIKE ON THE LAST PAGE, THAT TOP ITEM, SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES WERE ACTUALLY PAID OUT OF THE 2021 BUDGET.
AND THEN SOME WERE ACTUALLY PAID 2122.
SO WHAT'LL HAPPEN, A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL REGISTER YOU GUYS THAT MAY BE IN ONE BUDGET YEAR, AND THEN YOUR EXPENSES FOR AIRLINES FOOD AND BEVERAGE MAY HIT THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT BEFORE Y'ALL.
WE'RE THE 17TH LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, TOP 150 IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE NOW HAVE THREE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS O KEY POSSESSIONS WITH NLC.
I WANT, ESPECIALLY THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND EVERYTHING THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO, TO SUPPORT THOSE COMMITTEES.
AT THE SAME TIME, IF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS CHOOSE TO GO TO BOTH THE N-L-C-T-M-L, THE TML, I THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT TO WHERE, UH, THIS BUDGET NEEDS TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE.
I THINK THAT F AND G ALONG WITH THE STAFF, NEEDS TO PRESENT US WITH A GOOD BUDGET DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE.
INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE, NOW WE'RE FIXING TO HAVE A BUDGET CYCLE.
UH, Y'ALL HAVE THE INFORMATION NOW.
UH, I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH KEEPING IT AS IS.
IF Y'ALL GO OUT TO EAT AND HAVE A GLASS OF WINE, UNLIKE ARLINGTON, I DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO BE DEDUCTING IT.
THE MAYOR OF ARLINGTON TOLD ME THEY DON'T DO P CARDS OVER THERE.
THEY PAY, THEY PAY FOR EVERYTHING THEMSELVES AND THEN THEY TURN IT IN.
AND HE SAID, WELL, IF I HAVE A OLD FASHIONED AT THE BAR THAT'S ON THAT DEAL, THEY JUST DELETE IT.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE COUNCIL, WE DIDN'T HAVE P CARDS.
BUT PERSONALLY, I DIDN'T HAVE NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE OPTION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER ARE HAVING ALCOHOL ON YOUR BILLS.
BUT, UH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE THE F AND G COMMITTEE FOR AND WE'RE FIXING TO COME UP ON THE BUDGET.
THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION FOR IT.
I JUST WANT US TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T BOX OURSELVES IN AND PREVENT, UH, ANY ONE OF YOU FROM GOING SOMEWHERE WHERE WE THINK AND YOU THINK IS A GOOD NEXUS FOR TAKING CARE OF OUR CITY.
I THINK IF WE DO, FOR THOSE OF US THAT DO TRAVEL, I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT WE COME BACK AND WE EITHER GIVE A PRESENTATION OF WHAT WE LEARN AND WHAT WE CAN ADD TO THE CITY.
OR AT LEAST EMAIL TO EVERYONE THAT DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO MAKE IT.
WHETHER, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY COULDN'T.
BUT I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT WE COME BACK AND SHARE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I WOULDN'T WANT A PRESENTATION, A NICE LITTLE WORD DOCUMENT TELLING US WHAT YOU DID.
I MEAN, LIKE, UH, I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THE, THE MEETINGS I GO TO, UH, I DON'T GET MUCH OUT OF ATTENDING THE ACTUAL DEAL.
I GET MORE OUT OF MEETING WITH FARM WITH MAYORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T MIND SAYING THAT IN MY EMAIL.
HEY, I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF THIS
THIS THING I ATTENDED, BUT I REALLY GOT A LOT OUT OF, FOR EXAMPLE, I WENT WITH CHIEF FIKE TO NEW ORLEANS AT CHASE WHEELER'S REQUEST FOR ONE OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
HIS MAJOR REASON THAT HE WANTED ME THERE WAS THE MAIN GUY THAT THEY HAD JUST APPOINTED TO THE OVERALL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN THE UNITED STATES WAS GONNA BE THERE.
I COULD HAVE GOT ON THE PLANE RIGHT AFTER THAT AND COME HOME AND I WOULD'VE BEEN FINE BECAUSE THE, UH, MEETING I WENT
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TO, THAT I ATTENDED WAS MORE FAR CHASE, NOT ME.SO, UH, I LOOK SORRY, PADLOCK STEPPING IN.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY SINCE IT, IT WOULD BE A COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TO COUNCIL MEMBER OR THE, THE WHOLE COUNCIL MEMBER WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEND AN EMAIL ABOUT IT.
THE STAFF COULD PRESENT THAT FROM YOUR, HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST? YEAH, I I THINK YOU EITHER PRESENT IT IN PERSON OR IF STAFF WOULD BE SPEAKING FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THEY WOULDN'T BE SPEAKING AT THE DIRECTION OF A COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO YOU, SO FOR EXAMPLE, COUNCIL MEMBER DEBOSKY CAN SAY, HEY, CHIEF FIGHT, TELL THEM THAT I FEEL THIS WAY.
BECAUSE THEN THAT'S NOT THE, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
BUT, SO, BUT WE CAN'T SEND A WORD DOCUMENT OUT.
SO COULD WE JUST ASK TO PUT ON THE, UH, BRIEFING AND WE DISCUSS IT TWO, THREE MINUTES AND THAT'S IT.
AND UH, AND UH, THAT WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE ATTENDED TWO, MAYBE ONE, IT'S HARD OF THE BIG SHOWS IN, IN VEGAS WHERE YOU MEET SO MANY PEOPLE.
MY LORD, I DON'T KEEP ALL THE NOTES AND I'LL GET RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
AND ON THAT, WHEN I GOT BACK, I WOULD WANT TO TAG TEAM IT WITH MARTY.
'CAUSE MARTY KEEPS BETTER NOTES THAN I DO.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO NO, NO, NO.
I CAN PAUSE AND I START GOING.
I, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A BUSINESS FOR 17 YEARS AND YOU LEARNED HOW TO DEDUCT EXPENSES AND TAXES.
I KIND OF APPLY THAT THOUGHT TO THIS.
IF YOU GO SOMEWHERE HAVING ONE MEAL, YOU GOTTA EAT ANYWAY.
SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA CONSIDER WHETHER THAT'S COMPLETELY PAID FOR, BUT YOU'RE IN A PLACE WHERE MEALS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOUR AVERAGE MEAL WOULD BE TO WHAT THAT NEW BILL WOULD BE.
AND, AND IF HAVING A DRINK OR TWO WITH A, A PERSON GETS YOU OVER THE PER DIEM.
WELL, WELL, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WITH A PERSON THAT, THAT CREATES THAT SPACE FOR YOU TO TALK AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING THERE TO LEARN THAN THAT IS A BUSINESS EXPENSE.
I GOT NO PROBLEM INCREASING THE BUDGET TO WHATEVER IT IS THAT GETS, ESPECIALLY OUR THREE MEMBERS THAT ARE ON COMMITTEES IN A ROOM WITH SOMEBODY OR IN A, IN A, IN A
I WOULD, SINCE WE HAVE THE F AND G COMMITTEE HERE, I, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A DOUBLE OUR PER DIEM DEFINE DOUBLE PER DIEM.
WHAT I THINK FOR BREAKFAST, WE HAVE $16 TO DOUBLE THAT.
WHATEVER WE'RE ALLOWED FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER.
WHAT, WHAT THE CITY STAFF, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WENT TO THE POLICY.
IT LOOKS LIKE LAST TIME WAS UPDATED IN 2018, IT APPEARS THAT WE GO BY GSA PER DIEM RATE.
WE DO, WE GO BY THE GSA, WE GO THAT IT, IT, IT FLUCTUATES FROM CITY TO CITY.
SO BREAKFAST IS 16, BUT BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL IS 30.
SO WHEN YOU COME DOWN TO WACO, IT'S $54.
SO IT FLUCTUATES FROM CITY TO CITY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING YOU ARE TRAVELING, YOUR EXPENSES ARE COMPLETELY REIMBURSED, YOU'RE GONNA BE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LOSE ANY MONEY.
I LOST MONEY ON MY LAST TRIP, NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY DO THIS.
EVERYBODY PAYS THEIR OWN TABS NOW, RIGHT? IT IS NOT THAT I PAID FOR THIS MEAL.
SO, BUT THEY ALL WENT TO MY PER DIEM.
IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
UH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE, UH, I, THE 20% THAT'S IN THE POLICY STATION REFUSED TO ME OF THE BUDGET.
SO 20% OF 70,000 IS WHAT? SO, SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT WAS DONE A FEW YEARS AGO.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED THAT.
WE PROBABLY NEED TO PULL THAT OUT.
I'LL TELL YOU WHY, WHY THEY DID IT.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED IT ANYMORE PER DIEM.
CAN WE GO OVER THE PER DIEM LEGALLY? Y'ALL CHECK INTO THAT.
Y'ALL JUST LOOK AT THIS, IT YOUR PROBABLY JUST YOUR COMFORTABLE, I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S PROBABLY Y'ALL'S COMFORT, UH, FOR A, A BUSINESS LIKE MINE DOING GOVERNMENT WORK.
YOU KNOW, THIS, IF I, IF I GOT A COST PLUS, I ONLY CAN CHARGE PER D IF I'M SENDING MY SALESMAN OUT, HE AIN'T ON A PER DIEM.
YOU KNOW, HE'S, HE'S DOING WHAT HE'S GOTTA DO TO ENTERTAIN.
US, WHEN I ALWAYS TRAVEL, I TRAVEL FOR THE PER DIEM AND IF IT WAS OVER, I PAID FOR IT MYSELF.
BUT I HAVE, I I I CAN DO THAT, MIKE.
I THINK THEY NEED TO LOOK AT IT.
COME BACK WITH US WITH SOME IDEAS.
WE'RE SUBSIDIZED WHEN WE GO TO SOMEPLACE.
UM, THERE'S SOME CITIES YOU CAN'T LIVE ON THE PER DIEM.
BUT I DO KNOW THIS, SOME OF US, WHEN WE TRAVELED, THE PER DIEM WAS PLENTY.
'CAUSE WE'D GO OUT TO EAT AND SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD PICK UP THE TAB THAT EVENING.
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ALL BEEN THERE.LET'S DON'T SAY WE HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT Y'ALL NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND COME BACK WITH US A RECOMMENDATION AT THE BUDGET.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO DISCUSS IS THERE WAS IN THE POLICY ABOUT WHAT TRIPS WERE ALLOWED FOR PROCEEDED TO BE ALLOWED AND HOW DO THEY TIE INTO THE CITY WHEN PEOPLE ARE TAKING TRIPS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TAKING TRIPS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT FOLKS ARE SPENDING AND WHAT ARE WE, WHAT HAVE WE GOTTEN TO RETURN ON INVESTMENT? SOME OF IT YOU DON'T.
SOME OF IT YOU DO, BUT, BUT A LOT OF THE STUFF AND WHO APPROVES THE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS LIST? SO DO WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OR WE KNOW THINGS FOR N-L-C-T-M-L UH, A WOMAN'S CONFERENCE, YOU KNOW, FOR LEADERSHIP, THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO PUT IN HERE.
BUT JUST BECAUSE ON A WEBSITE IT MIGHT SAY, WE, THIS IS MY OPINION, WE WELCOME CITY GOVERNMENT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE THEY WELCOME YOUR DOLLARS AND NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A TIE INTO THE CITY WHERE WE BENEFIT FROM THAT.
CASE IN POINT, I'VE GONE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS EVERY YEAR.
THERE'S NO TIE IN TO THE CITY NOW WHATSOEVER.
I I'M JUST GONNA LET YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN GO TO, BUT WHERE DOES IT REALLY TIE TO THE SIGNAL? WHO MAKES THAT DETERMINATION? IS JUST THE CITY MANAGER THAT SAYS THAT.
OR, AND WE DON'T WANNA SAY NO.
SO LET ME, LET ME, YEAH, LEMME ADDRESS YOUR, LEMME ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS.
A COUPLE THINGS THAT, AND Y'ALL ARE, Y'ALL LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY IT SAYS ELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE TRAVEL AT A MINIMUM.
WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS AT A MINIMUM IT WILL INCLUDE THE, INCLUDE THESE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING.
AND HERE'S THE ANSWER TO YOUR OTHER QUESTION.
WHEN, WHEN YOU ALL GO THROUGH YOUR COUNCIL ORIENTATIONS, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT REMEMBER, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I TELL YOU ALL IS WHEN YOU TRAVEL, YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S A CITY NEXUS BECAUSE YOU ALL REPORT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, NOT ME.
SO THAT'S REALLY YOUR DECISION THAT YOU HAVE TO REPORT BACK TO THOSE THAT ELECTED YOU.
AND THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IN ORIENTATIONS.
AND THEN A FINAL THING, I KNOW KATHY MAY HAVE YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD, KATHY? UH, I HAVE ONE FINAL THOUGHT.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE DEMAND THAT TYPICALLY WE USE THE IRS, THOSE ARE THE IR RS PER GIVEN RATE.
SO, AND WE'RE JUST WANTING TO KNOW IF CAN, WE CAN EXCEED IT.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ONE, ONE LAST THING.
UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU ALL I UNDERSTAND, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA REMOVE THE 20% AND I ACTUALLY FAVOR THAT BECAUSE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS ONE OF YOU ALL WILL START BUMPING UP AGAINST IT AND MONA LISA WILL LET YOU KNOW, AND THEN SHE'LL LET ME KNOW AND I'LL LOOK AT IT.
AND THERE'S STILL LIKE $40,000 LEFT IN YOUR TRAVEL BUDGET AS A COUNCIL.
SO I GO TO THE MAYOR AND I'LL SAY, MAYOR HERE, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO LET THEM GO AHEAD AND TRAVEL EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BUMP OVER THE BUDGET? HE'S ALWAYS APPROVED THOSE AS LONG AS THERE'S A CITY NEXUS.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A ISSUE TO WORK AROUND AT TIMES.
SO I THINK THAT IS AN ANTIQUATED PIECE OF THAT POLICY.
AND, UM, WHAT, WHAT IS ALLOWED THE GO OR NOT.
'CAUSE WHAT YOU MAY THINK DOESN'T HAVE A CITY NEXUS MAYBE DOES AS LONG AS THEY CAN EXPLAIN IT TO SHOW WHERE NECESSARY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE LEFT IT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND THAT'S WHY, UH, I ASKED STEVE FOR THE F UH, FOR THE PLANNING FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW WHAT TRAVEL THEY'RE DOING NEXT YEAR FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR TO PUT THAT THERE SO IT CAN BE PROPERLY BUDGETED TO COME WITH A BUDGET.
BECAUSE 20% OF SIX 9,001 PERSON, I THINK Y'ALL ARE GONNA REMOVE THE 20%.
BUT YEAH, I'M JUST USING THAT AND I THINK WE ARE TELLING THE F AND G WE WANT A FLEXIBLE BUDGET TO WHERE ALL EVERYBODY CAN TRAVEL IF IS WHAT THEY THINK THEY NEED.
THERE'S, IF THERE'S MONEY THERE, I'M GONNA TAKE IT.
AS I SAID IN MY EMAIL TO YOU, I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I'M GONNA TRAVEL TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO GO TO VEGAS OR NOW, OR NOT.
SO WHAT I GIVE YOU THE VEGAS TRIP OR, OR NOT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I WON'T KNOW UNTIL, SO I, I THINK Y'ALL HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, IN MY OPINION, TO COME UP WITH A GOOD BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR FOR TRAVEL.
YOU DO RAISE AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT FEEL LIKE HAVE A CITY NEXUS, BUT OTHERS MAY FEEL IT DOES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, MAYOR.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CONFERENCE FOUNDATION ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE DOES HAVE A CITY NEXUS.
THEY HAVE CITY, UH, SPECIFIC SESSIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THERE ARE OTHER AFTER HOUR NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MEET WITH OTHERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD TIE OUR HANDS, UM, AND RESTRICT TRAVEL THAT WE CAN PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT IS BENEFITING US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SERVE THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO TO AN ARTS FESTIVAL, UH, CONFERENCE THAT THEY CAN BRING STUFF BACK TO GRAND PRAIRIE, I, I DON'T WANT TO GO AND SAY THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECT NEXUS.
YOU CAN'T GO, HOW DO I KNOW THAT THEY CAN'T COME GO OVER THERE AND CREATE, UH, AND GATHER IDEAS THAT THEY CAN COME AND IMPLEMENT SOMETHING AT THE EPIC OR
[00:25:01]
AT PLAYGROUND? PLAYGROUND ADVENTURES.THERE'S VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T IMPOSE A STRICT BUDGET TO RESTRICT OURSELVES FROM BEING ABLE TO TRULY BE CREATIVE IN THIS OFFICE.
AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE HOW WE HAVE ENDOW.
IF IT'S EVER A QUESTION YOU SIGN OFF AND DECIDE IF YOU KNOW OR NOT.
I I MOST IMPORTANT TO THAT TOO, WHEN YOU ATTEND THE, WHEN THE CITY'S SPENDING THE CITY DOLLARS FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND, THEY MUST ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.
THEY CAN'T JUST NOT SHOW UP FOR ANYTHING.
SO I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO ATTEND EVERY ONE OF THE SESSIONS.
YOU NEED TO ATTEND ONE SESSION.
SO, AND I SPOKE TO THE STAFF IN REGARDS TO THAT.
SO I DON'T, HERE'S MY BOTTOM LINE.
I DON'T WANT, I DO NOT WANT ME OR YOU OR STAFF TO HAVE TO BE KEEPING TRACK OF, IF MIKE AND JOHN ATTEND THE SESSIONS, UH, WANT TO ATTEND THAT THING DOWN IN DUR DURANGO, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO.
I THINK IT'S A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE THING.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO ASK JOHN, WELL, DID MIKE ATTEND THESE THINGS? OR YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, MIKE? RIGHT.
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL.
AND THAT'S WHAT TOM HART AND I DID.
AND THAT'S WHAT STEVE AND I HAVE TAKEN THE POLICY OF.
WE DON'T WANNA SAY NO IF Y'ALL FEEL LIKE IT CAN HELP US.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A LIMIT.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIMIT AS TO WHAT, AS HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET A COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SPEND, BECAUSE WELL RAISING TO 30%, THEN
UH, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTALS FOR TWO YEARS OF TRAVEL, THE NUMBERS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY WERE FROM 15, $1,600 TO $22,000.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO YOUR OPINION.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THIS COUNCIL TRAVELS MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNCIL I'VE EVER BEEN MADE OF.
I'M OPEN TO IT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TO, WHEN I'VE BEEN TO MEETINGS, I'VE BEEN THERE WHEN ARLINGTON HAS A WHOLE CREW WHERE THEY COULDN'T EVEN HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, AND WE ONLY HAD ONE THERE.
SO I DON'T MIND Y'ALL WANTING TO TRAVEL AND I DON'T WANT US TO BOX IN.
BUT THERE AGAIN, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO VOICE YOUR OPINIONS IN THE F AND G MEETINGS AND THE BUDGET, AND WE'LL VOTE ON IT.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO BOX US IN.
AND NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO DEBATE.
WHETHER WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, Y'ALL COME UP WITH A BUDGET, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ON THE F AND G COMMITTEE.
AND WE'LL FINE TUNE IT AT THE BUDGET RETREAT.
I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR THE TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES THE CITY HAS GIVEN TO GATHER INFORMATION THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY USE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WANTED TO DO WAS NEW OUT OF THE BOX.
BUT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE LABEL OF THE CHART.
UH, BUT IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMITTEES AND OTHER REPRESENTATION WHERE WE CAN REPRESENT GRAND PRAIRIE, I'M GONNA PUT MY NAME IN THE HAT, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'LL LEARN ABOUT.
BUT THAT, THAT, THAT TRAINING PROGRAM WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
IT WASN'T TRAVEL, BUT STEVE AND I TALKED ABOUT IT.
I SAID, MY GOSH, HOW COULD WE SAY NO TO THIS? YOU'RE WANTING TO SPEND THE TIME AND IT WILL EDUCATE YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, I THINK WE HAVE SOME MORE ADDITIONAL INPUT ON THE, UH, THE BRIEFING.
BUT I WILL SAY AGAIN, I AM, UH, THIS COUNCIL DOES MORE TRAVEL THAN ANY BEFORE.
WE'RE A DIVERSE COUNCIL EVERY TIME Y'ALL GO TO SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UH, AND I ONLY MENTIONED THE ONE TO MIKE ABOUT HE AND I AND JOHN, JUST BECAUSE WE JUST GOT THE EMAIL YESTERDAY.
UM, UH, IMMIGRATION, UH, YOU KNOW, THEN I, I LOOK, I GOT INVITED TO BE, I SENT YOU THE EMAIL.
I GOT INVITED TO BE ONE OF THE TOP 50 MAYORS TO BE ON THIS SPECIAL COMMITTEE AND GO TO MEXICO CITY.
WELL, GOODNESS, I I, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TIME I WANT TO GIVE.
AND THAT BEING ON THE INTERNATIONAL NLC TO ME SOMETIMES GETS TOO POLITICAL.
IF YOU WATCH THE MAYOR'S DEAL, I JUST DECIDED TO OPT OUT.
'CAUSE I, I'VE GONE TO THE MAYOR DEALS IN JANUARY AND THEY JUST TEND TO BE TOO POLITICAL FOR ME AND THAT, SO I OPTED OUT.
BUT I COULD HAVE EASILY, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, I WANT MAKE Y'ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
THAT WOULD BE CHERYL WHO'S GONNA LEAVE.
[00:30:01]
BE SEVERAL TEAM MEMBERS PRESENTING.BUT CHERYL WILL GIVE YOU KIND OF AN OVERVIEW.
WELL, CHERYL, I'LL LET YOU TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHY WE'RE HERE WITH THE UPDATE.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS WE KNOW WE'VE SPENT THE PAST COUPLE YEARS IS REALLY WORKING OUR DIVERSITY EFFORTS.
SO I'VE GOT TEAM OF FOLKS HERE KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE PLAN GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
AND ALSO WE, UH, IF WE, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A TESTIMONIAL, UH, FROM ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT ATTENDED, UM, OUR, OUR BUSINESS EXPO.
AND WE WANT SEE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME.
CHERYL, IF YOU WOULD MA'AM, PLEASE EMAIL THIS TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT PRESENT.
AND JUST GO AHEAD AND SEND OUT TO ALL OF COUNSEL.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WEIRD OF PEOPLE KIND OF COMING THROUGH AND, UM, I THINK YOU'LL LIKE YOUR BRIEFING THAT YOU SEE.
WE HAVE QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE'VE DONE AND SOME FUTURE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED AS WELL.
IN 2022, JUNE OF 2022, WE JOINED THE, OUR, THE NATIONAL NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL CERTIFICATION AGENCY, THE N-C-T-R-C-A.
WE BECAME MEMBERS OF THAT AGENCY.
THEY HAVE CONDUCTED SEVERAL CLASSES FOR US THROUGH THE YEARS.
THEY HAD A COUPLE AT OUR GP EXPO.
THEN IN JUNE OF 2022, WE MOVED TO PLANET BIDS AS OUR BID PARTNER.
WHEN WE MOVED TO PLANET BIDS, WE HAVE 1400 VENDORS HAVE REGISTERED WITH THE DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY THROUGH PLANET BIDS 201 OF OUR HUBS 144 WERE THE N-C-T-R-C-A CERTIFIED 195 WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES AND 91 LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THAT'S OF THOSE 1400 THAT HAVE REGISTERED.
WE POSTED OUR HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY VIDEO IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH ON OUR WEBSITE IN 2022.
WE PASSED THE RESPONSIBLE BANKING RESOLUTION ON JANUARY 3RD OF THIS YEAR, ENSURING BANKING SERVICES MEET DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TARGETS.
WE HAVE PROACTIVE PROCESS TO FACILITATE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN DEBT ISSUANCE BY HAVING MULTIPLE UNDERWRITERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN LOPEZ PRESENTED OUR INITIATIVES AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE JUST ISSUED AN RFP FOR OUR DISPARITY STUDY LAST MONTH.
PROPOSALS ARE DUE JULY 25TH OF THIS MONTH.
IF IT IS AWARDED, THE STUDY WILL TAKE ABOUT 12 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
WE ALSO PLAN TO HIRE A BUSINESS DIVERSITY COORDINATOR TO CONTINUE THESE EFFORTS AND HOPEFULLY BRING EVEN MORE GREATER TO THE TABLE.
I'M NOW GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR CONSULTANT, MS. KATRINA.
SHE'S WITH COURT HIIN SARTON CONSULTING, AND SHE'S BEEN HANDLING A LOT OF OUR CLASSES THIS YEAR, SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER HER TO CONTINUE.
UM, AS ANGIE STATED, I AM KATRINA BICK HIGGINS, AND I AM ACTUALLY THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF HIGGINS AND THORNTON CONSULTING SERVICES.
I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY, UM, HELPING, UM, NAVIGATE, UH, DIVERSITY, UM, AND INCLUSION FOR PROJECTS FROM JPS TO NOW.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THIS PRESENTATION.
SO OUR CURRENT INITIATIVES, UM, WE'VE HELD A COUPLE OF CLASSES AND I CALL 'EM CLASSES, BUT THEY'RE MORE OR LESS INFO SESSIONS, SESSIONS TO HELP GEAR UP AND ENGAGE OUR DIVERSE, UH, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE AND EXTERNALLY AS WELL.
SO ONE OF THE CLASSES I HELD WAS WHAT YOU NEED TO GET, WHAT YOU NEED TO GET CERTIFIED.
SO GETTING CERTIFIED, UH, HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH GRAND PRAIRIE, WE HELD THAT AS WELL.
CERTIFICATION TRAINING WITH N-C-T-R-C-A.
SO WE HAD A COUPLE OF THOSE, UH, VARIOUS WORKSHOPS.
AND SO INSTEAD OF GOING AND LOOKING AT THESE, UH, RESPECTIVE BUBBLES, WE ACTUALLY DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY ENGAGE AND SEE WHAT RESULTS CAME FROM THEM.
AND AS, UM, ANGIE SHARED, THESE ARE JUST STEPPING STONES WE HAVE TO ENGAGE AND THEN WE HAVE TO BUILD AND WE HAVE TO CONNECT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HELD, UM, A SWIM BEE TRAINING GROUPS, UM, INTERNALLY, WE HAD TO FOCUS ON THE INTERNAL TEAM TO ENSURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR INITIATIVE AND FOCUS ARE.
SO WE HELD THREE OF THOSE RESPECTIVE WORKSHOPS, UH, SEPTEMBER 29TH WITH THE PURCHASING TEAM, UH, AND ALSO AT THE POLICE STATION.
WE ALSO HELD ANOTHER ONE IN OCTOBER 6TH OF LAST YEAR WITH THE PURCHASING TEAM AGAIN.
AND THEN WE ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE WORKED WITH BLACK OWNED COLLECTIVE.
[00:35:01]
ATTENDEES IN THAT EVENT, UH, THAT WAS HELD HERE AT CITY HALL, UH, THE HISPANIC, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AS WELL AS THE GRAND PRAIRIE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.WE HELD A COUPLE OF WORKSHOPS, UM, ON HOW TO GET CERTIFIED THROUGH N-C-T-R-C-A, AND THAT IS THE CERTIFYING BODY THAT WE ARE REALLY CONNECTED WITH.
BUT THERE ARE OTHERS TO ENGAGE WITH IN THE DMW AREA.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD A FEW ATTENDEES, UM, 101 AND 25 IN THE OTHER.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SO FOCUSED, LASER FOCUSED ON THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVE TO BUILD OUR PRESENCE WITH THESE DIVERSE FIRMS. UH, WE ALSO, UH, HELD OUR GRAND PRAIRIE EXPO.
UH, WE HAD OVER 200 ATTENDEES RIGHT HERE IN THESE GREAT HALLS, UH, HARD HAT CONSTRUCTION EXPO.
THAT IS A WELL KNOWN EVENT THAT'S HELD IN THIS AREA EVERY YEAR IN MARCH, HELD BY DFW MINORITY SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
IT GARNERS ABOUT 10 A THOUSAND PLUS CONSTRUCTION RELATED BUSINESSES.
AND SO THAT WAS HELD AT A RANGER STADIUM.
AND SO IT ALLOWED ANDY TO REALLY GET TO KNOW A FEW OF THE, UH, CONTRACTORS AND MYSELF AS WELL.
ARLINGTON BLACK CHAMBER ENGAGES WITH CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE ALL THE TIME.
AND SO, UH, IN MARCH OF 20, MARCH 23RD OF THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HAD ABOUT 75 ATTENDEES TO LEARN HOW TO ENGAGE WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UH, PURCHASERS THROUGHOUT THE DFW AREA.
BUR, UH, LET'S SEE, HEB ACTUALLY ATTENDED THIS EVENT WAS WELL, UM, UH, ATTENDED HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE ARLINGTON BLACK CHAMBER.
WE DID A PRESENTATION, ANGIE AND I DID A PRESENTATION AT THAT EVENT.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO, AGAIN, AFTERWARDS, ENGAGE AND CHAMPION EVERYONE TO REGISTER AND PLANET BID AND, AND LEARN ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE WITH CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, UNDERSTANDING THE ALPHABET SOUP.
SO THESE ARE MY COURSES THAT I'M TEACHING THESE WORKSHOPS AND THE ALPHABET SOUPS ARE ALL OF THE ACRONYMS WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING.
N-C-T-R-C-A-D-F-W-M-S-D-C, THEY'RE ALL STAND, THEY ALL STAND FOR SPECIFIC THINGS.
AND AS LONG AS, UM, UH, THE INTENTION IS TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT IS APPLICABLE FOR YOU.
AND WE HAVE THREE ATTENDEES AT THAT INITIAL WORKSHOP.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO GEAR UP FOR ANOTHER ROUND AGAINST STARTING TONIGHT AND EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENT CERTIFICATION AVAILABLE.
UH, THE NEXT CLASS I TAUGHT WAS CAPABILITY STATEMENTS.
WHAT BUSINESS OWNERS DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT THEY NEED THEIR ONE PAGE, UM, RESUME ON THEIR BUSINESS, WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE, WHERE ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, AND HOW YOU WOULD ALIGN WITH US HERE AT THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO THAT CLASS, UM, ALSO HAD THREE ATTENDEES, BUT WE HAVE, UM, GARNERED SOME MORE ATTENDEES FOR THE UPCOMING CLASSES.
THAT'S A VERY BIG THING BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING THAT, UM, UH, CONSTRUCTION FIRMS AND SO FORTH, THEY ASKED THEM FOR THAT CAPABILITY STATEMENT, GETTING CERTIFIED, HELD TWO OF THOSE CLASSES.
SO ACTUALLY WALKING THEM THROUGH THE WEBSITE, ACTUALLY, UM, ASSISTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE DOCUMENTATIONS REQUIRED TO, THAT'S YOUR, UH, TAXES FOR TWO, THREE YEARS.
IT'S UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE LOGISTICS OF BEHIND GETTING CERTIFIED AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE.
AND SO WE HAD TWO LEADS FROM THAT, A MOWING COMPANY AND SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT COME OUT FROM THAT ONE, ONE OF THOSE CLASSES.
SO, AS I SAID, WE'RE GEARING UP FOR OUR NEXT ROUND, AND WE HAVE, AS OF TONIGHT FOR TONIGHT'S SIX O'CLOCK CLASS, WE HAVE EIGHT WHO ARE PREPARED FOR THE ALPHABET SOUP CLASS.
AGAIN, CAPABILITIES, STATEMENTS, AND THEN GETTING CERTIFIED.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GONNA HOST ANOTHER HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, HOW TO UTILIZE PLANET BID.
SOMETIMES YOU MAY JUST HAVE TO TAKE IT SLOWER FOR THOSE WHO MAY NEED THAT INTENTIONAL HELP.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET READY TO DO.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ATTEND THE GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE.
THAT'S HUGE, UM, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUGUST.
UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW CONTINUED FOCUS.
SO THIS IS FOR THE NEW PERSON WHO'S GONNA BE HIRED ON.
AND, UM, HE OR SHE ARE GOING TO, UM, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, THE NETWORKING EFFECT DESIGN BUILD AND CONSTRUCT MIXER, GOOD AND SERVICES, GOODS AND SERVICES BUSINESS MIXER, AND THEN ALSO A POWER PARTNERS EXCHANGE, MAKE THE RIGHT CONNECTION, JOINT VENTURE.
SO ENCOURAGING JVS, ENCOURAGING PARTNERSHIPS AND SO FORTH IN ORDER TO BID SUCCESSFULLY ON THESE PROJECTS.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO ANDY.
SO ON THE, UH, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SIDE, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE HAD A PRETTY EXCITING, ALMOST REALLY A FULL YEAR NOW, BUT DEFINITELY THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
AND, UH, AS WAS MENTIONED, UH, WE'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE A PART OF SOME OF THE, UH,
[00:40:01]
THE EVENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.OBVIOUSLY OUR SMALL BUSINESS AND SUBCONTRACTOR EXPO HERE AT THE, HERE AT THE CITY, UH, WE HAD A BOOTH SET UP THERE, MADE TONS OF GREAT CONTACT THAT EVENING AND, AND JUST WAS AMAZED AT HOW APPRECIATIVE PEOPLE WERE TO KINDA LEARN THE BEHIND THE SCENES OF HOW TO GET INVOLVED HERE AT THE CITY.
AND THEN AS MENTIONED ALSO THE, THE GLOBE LIFE FIELD EVENT FOR THE DFW, UH, MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
THAT HARD HAT CONSTRUCTION EXPO WAS, WAS REALLY GREAT FOR TWO REASONS, UH, AS, AS YOU MENTIONED, FANTASTIC CONTACTS, BUT ALSO REALLY A, A, A VERY WELL DONE EVENT.
AND SO I, I TOOK A A TON OF NOTES AWAY FROM THAT IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN BRING THAT BACK AND, AND DO SOMETHING OF A SIMILAR SCALE HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE WHEN WE DO OUR OWN.
AND THEN, UH, IF ALL GOES WELL THIS WEEK, UH, I AM REGISTERED TO ATTEND.
THERE'S A, A ARLINGTON BLACK CHAMBER OF CONGRESS.
IS THAT COVERED IN OUR TRAVEL POLICY?
UH, I'M HOPING, LIKE I SAY, TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THAT.
OUR, OUR MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET ADVENTURES MAY, UH, MAY TAKE PRECEDENT AND I MAY BE OVER THERE PUTTING OUT, UH, SOME, SOME LAST MINUTE FIRES BEFORE THE MATCHES.
BUT WE'RE GONNA DO OUR BEST TO, TO MAKE IT TO THAT ALSO.
SO, UH, THE OTHER KIND OF, UH, I FEEL VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THIS IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT WE CALL THE VERICO SOFTWARE.
THIS IS A SOFTWARE THAT, UM, WE'VE HAD A FEW MEETINGS ABOUT.
IT'S A, IT IS A SOFTWARE THAT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE CITY AGAINST WAGE FRAUD.
BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UH, IT'S A SAD STORY, BUT IT'S A, IT'S A PREVALENT PROBLEM ON THE EAST COAST INTO CHICAGO.
EVEN, UH, LOS ANGELES HAS HAD ITS CHALLENGES.
AUSTIN'S STARTING TO SEE ITS CHALLENGES WHERE, UH, A GENTLEMAN OR A LADY WILL WORK A 60 HOUR WEEK, HOWEVER, THEIR BOSS WILL ONLY PAY THEM FOR 40.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING THAT IT HAPPENS.
BUT THIS WILL BE A SOFTWARE THAT WILL LITERALLY BADGE EVERY EMPLOYEE OR EVERY, UH, CONSTRUCTION WORKER THAT WALKS ON SITE, THAT CONSTRUCTION WORKER WILL BADGE IN, BADGE OUT, WILL KNOW NOT ONLY THE NUMBER OF HOURS THEY WORKED, AND WE'LL COMPARE THAT AGAINST THEIR PAYROLL.
WE WILL ACTUALLY ASK FOR CERTIFIED PAYROLL FROM THE SUBCONTRACTORS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE PAYING THEIR EMPLOYEES FAIRLY.
BUT IT'LL ALSO ALLOW US TO CAPTURE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF EACH AND EVERY CONSTRUCTION WORKER.
SO, AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S, WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE SUBCONTRACTORS AND CONTRACTORS THAT WE WORK WITH, UH, ARE POTENTIALLY HISTORICALLY, UH, UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES, THERE'S SOME GAMES THAT CAN BE PLAYED THERE WHERE A MAN MAY PUT A COMPANY IN HIS WIFE'S NAME.
AND SO WE WANT TO REALLY START CAPTURING THIS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LADY OR GENTLEMAN WHO'S JUST THE LABORER, WHO'S SWEEPING AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO WE WILL LITERALLY BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF EACH AND EVERY, UH, CONSTRUCTION WORKER TO REALLY TELL US WHERE WE'RE AT FROM A HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS, UH, U USAGE AND PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS JUST A, UH, SUMMARY OF OUR, UH, CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE, UH, INITIAL, UH, HAVE, UH, EXECUTED OVER THE LAST, LIKE I SAY, 22, 23.
SO THE LAST 18 MONTHS, UH, WE'VE HAD 14 TOTAL CONTRACTS, BOTH ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SIDE.
AND JUST BASED ON OUR CURRENT PRACTICES, WHICH, UH, INVOLVES THE R-F-Q-R-F-P-P PROCESS AND THEN THE SELECTION COMMITTEE REVIEW, I, I'M VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SEVEN OF OUR 14 CONTRACTS THAT HAVE GONE TO HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES WITH OUR CURRENT STANDARDS.
SO THAT WAS A, A, A VERY, UH, POSITIVE, UH, RESULT TO SEE IT'S, WHILE WE ALWAYS FOCUS ON IT, IT'S NEVER BEEN AN ABSOLUTE SELECTION PROCESS, UH, CRITERIA.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CASE, ALL OF THE BEST QUALIFIED, UM, MOST, UH, YOU KNOW, MOST BENEFICIAL VALUE TO THE CITY GROUPS HAVE BEEN SELECTED.
AND OF THOSE 7 0 14 HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDER UTILIZED.
SO ALL, ALL GOOD NEWS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FRONT.
NEXT WE HAVE, KAY, SHE'S GOING TO CAN QUESTION THAT PROGRAM, UH, PROTECTION AGAINST FRAUD, UH, WAGE FRAUD.
WOULD IT ALSO CAPTURE THE PRIME CONTRACT, SPOKANE, THE SUB? SO, YEAH, WE HAD A COUPLE OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS, BUT WE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY PROTECT THE SUBS AGAINST THAT CURRENTLY, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
SO THIS IS THE, WHAT THEY CALL THE, UH, IT'S A WAIVER THAT THEY HAVE TO SIGN.
SO EVERY MONTH WE DO NOT PAY A PAYOUT FOR A CONTRACTOR UNTIL THEY GIVE US DOCUMENTATION THAT ALL OF THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS ARE FOR THAT DAY.
SO YEAH, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT PROTECTION IN PLACE AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY FOCUSED ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE VER
ARE WE ALREADY USING THAT OR WHEN WILL THAT
[00:45:01]
BE IMPLEMENTED? UH, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.SO NO, WE, WE ARE GONNA IMPLEMENT THAT ON OUR FIRST PROJECT, WHICH WILL BE THE PUBLIC SAFETY STORAGE BUILDING THAT WE'RE BUILDING RIGHT THERE ADJACENT TO THE SERVICE CENTER.
IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT A NINE, EIGHT TO $9 MILLION PROJECT.
IT'S A PERFECT KIND OF TEST GROUND SIZE WISE TO BE ABLE TO, TO GIVE IT A SHOT.
UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS THESE PROJECTS GET, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT ENORMOUS LIKE EPIC CENTRAL, YOU END UP WITH, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF, OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WHERE WE WANT TO KIND OF EASE INTO THAT.
SO THIS, THIS FIRST, UH, EXERCISE I THINK WILL BE GREAT.
THAT PROJECT WILL, WE'LL BE BRINGING A GMP TO YOU ALL ON CONSTRUCTION COST TO YOU ALL PROBABLY HERE IN THE NEXT, UH, I'M HOPING TO MAKE THE AUGUST MEETING, BUT IT MAY BE, IT MAY PUSH TO SEPTEMBER MEETING, SO WE'LL START THAT CONSTRUCTION HERE IN THE FALL.
AND WHO'S GONNA BE KEEPING UP WITH THE DATA FROM THAT SOFTWARE SO THAT, SO THE GREAT NEWS IS, IS THAT THE SOFTWARE, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPERS OF THE SOFTWARE, THEY ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO DO THE PAYROLL CHECK FOR US.
AND SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'LL, I'LL TAKE A KIND OF A, A BIG PICTURE LOOK AT, BUT THEN THEY'LL DIVE INTO THE DETAILS AND LOOK AT THAT CERTIFIED PAYROLL TO MAKE SURE THAT APPLES ARE LINING UP WITH APPLES AND THEY'LL SEND US BASICALLY A REPORT.
I WOULD DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED IN SIX MONTHS OR SO FROM STARTS, YOU KNOW, JUST CHECKING, GETTING CHECK-INS WITH THE DATA.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE HOW IT ALL KIND OF TAKES.
SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR INFO SESSIONS AND EDUCATING THE PEOPLE ON THIS, HOW ARE YOU PROMOTING THE, THE, THE EVENTS? UH, SO, UH, SO CURRENTLY WE PROMOTING THROUGH N-C-T-R-C-A, WE ARE PROMOTING IT THROUGH THE ARLINGTON BLACK CHAMBER, WHEREIN WE'RE PROMOTING IT TO ANY OF THE RESPECTIVE ADVOCACY AGENCIES WHO WILL, UM, ALLOW US TO PROMOTE IT.
SO A BIG CAVEAT, UH, WITH THAT IS THAT WE MUST BE A PART OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATION TO GET THE FULL BLAST SENT OUT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE, UM, UH, DISTRIBUTION LIST.
SO FOR NOW, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO JUST UTILIZE MY RELATIONSHIPS TO GET SOME OF THOSE, UH, REACHES AND THEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND SO FORTH.
I WAS GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA, MEDIA.
MARKETING'S DOING A LOT OF
AND LADIES, AREN'T WE ALSO PUSHING THAT THROUGH THE HISPANIC CHANNEL? YES, YES, WE ARE.
IF Y'ALL EVER CAN SHOOT US LIKE THESE FLYERS AS THEY'RE GOING ON SO WE CAN SUPPORT IT.
INSTEAD IT'S PEOPLE THAT MAY BE INTERESTED AS WELL.
HAVE WE APPROACHED, UM, THE SBA, I KNOW THEY HAVE SIMILAR TRAINING, MAYBE THESE WOULD BE A GREAT FIT, SOME OF THE ONES THAT YOU'VE BEEN TEACHING? OH, WE CAN DEFINITELY APPROACH, UM, THE SBA WITH THAT.
UM, BECAUSE ON YOUR, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ANGIE OR YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, HOW HAVE WE MAINTAINED CONTACT WITH CONTRACTORS THAT THE 2 35 CONTRACTORS THAT REGISTERED, UH, DURING THAT EXPO, HOW HAVE WE, HAVE WE MADE CONTACT MAINTAINED CONTACT WITH THEM, OR THEY COME AND THEY ON OWN? HOW ARE WE, ARE WE TRYING TO KEEP THAT RELATIONSHIP CONVERSATION GOING? WHAT HAVE, GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, I'M NOT CAST CONTRACT.
I THINK KAY HAS TOUCHED ON IT IN HER PRESENTATION.
SHE HASN'T, SHE HASN'T PERCENTAGE YET.
ALSO, WHEN WE ARE SITTING A, I'LL JUST WAIT FOR KEITH.
MAYBE'S GONNA BE HER PRESENTATION.
I CAN TELL YOU THOUGH, THAT SOMETHING, THERE'S PROBABLY, I THINK AT LEAST EIGHT, MAYBE 10 OR 12, UH, SUBCONTRACTORS WHO, UH, THEY AGAIN, CREDIBLE INTEREST IN THEIR DISCUSSIONS WITH ME THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT.
AND THEY OCCASIONALLY WILL JUST DROP ME AN EMAIL.
I, I'M IN CONSTANT MATTER OF FACT, I'VE REFERRED A FEW OF THEM ON TO EVEN THE CRICKET STADIUM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE'RE DIRECTLY IN CHARGE OF.
I'VE REFERRED THEM INTO TO, TO WILL SWAN WITH MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED SOME BIDS ON WORK THERE.
I I REFERRED 'EM ON TO MODERN CONTRACTORS WHO IS OUR CONTRACTOR ON THE NEW FACILITY SERVICES STORAGE BUILDING.
THERE WERE, UH, SEVERAL OF THOSE GROUPS PROVIDING SUBCONTRACTOR BIDS TO THEM ALSO.
SO IT'S, UH, I FEEL LIKE WE, WE MADE A, A GOOD SOLID, YOU KNOW, A DOZEN, LET'S JUST SAY EIGHT TO 10, 12 REALLY GOOD CONTACTS TO TOP OUT OF THAT.
I THINK THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
UM, YOU JOINED, UH, A GROUP LAST YEAR IN JUNE OF 2022.
HAVE WE JOINED ANY OTHER MINORITY CONTRACTING ASSOCIATIONS LIKE THE REGIONAL HISPANIC CONTRACTORS, THE REGIONAL BLACK HISPANIC, I MEAN REGIONAL BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION CON, UH, CONTRACT ASSOCIATION? HAVE WE LOOKED AT? NO, WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT.
DO DO WE HAVE A TIMEFRAME WHERE WE'RE GONNA LAST YEAR? I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE WHERE WE AT PROCESS.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE STILL TRYING TO EXPLORE.
WE WORKING WITH, WE ACTUALLY HAD THIS DISCUSSION JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO ABOUT WE, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
IF YOU GIMME THAT LIST, I'LL BE HAPPY TO
[00:50:01]
MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE SURE WE, THE LAST ONE, WOULD KURT JOHNSON COME BACK CLOSEWE MAYOR, I GUESS COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON HAD DEPUTY MAYOR PROM.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS ON ALL OF OUR CONTRACTORS ON COMPLETION OF THEIR PROJECT, DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF EVALUATION THAT WE, HOW WE EVALUATE HOW THEY PERFORMED ON THAT PARTICULAR WE DO, WE DO NOT HAVE A FORMAL DOCUMENT BY ANY MEANS, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A GREAT SUMMARY HERE.
AND IF IT IS CHIEF FIGHT, IF IT IS, IF IT IS A FIRE PROJECT, WE ALL, UH, WELL, OF COURSE.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, UH, SAY SOMEBODY COMES IN AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
IS, IS THERE SOME WAY YOU CAN DOCUMENT THAT? SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE KIND OF HAVE A, UH, YEAH, A CLOSEOUT PROCESS WHERE, WHERE WE, WHERE WE EVALUATE EACH GROUP AND IT SAYS, DON'T EVER DO USE YOUR NAME AGAIN.
AND THE GREAT, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TEAM EVALUATING THE FUTURE BIDS IS THE SAME TEAM THAT HAD THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE PREVIOUS PROJECT.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF CONTINUITY, BUT WE CAN ADD TO THAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA BRING UP, CASE'S GONNA COME UP, BUT I THINK WHEN ONCE WE HIRED THIS DIVERSITY COORDINATOR, I THINK THEY'RE GONNA REALLY, THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE CHARGES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE WITH THEM.
LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT DIVERSITY, UH, STUDY.
UH, THAT TAKES ME BACK TO, UH, WHEN I FIRST STARTED LEARNING ABOUT THIS, FOUND OUT THROUGH MEGAN AND FOUND OUT WHAT ARLINGTON HAD TO GO THROUGH.
UM, IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT ARLINGTON WENT THROUGH.
I READ THEIR WHOLE DOCUMENT AND MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT STUDY, AND THEN THEY TAKE DATA FROM THAT TO HELP THEM FORM WHAT THEY CAN SET AS GOALS IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, MEGAN, YOU HAVE TO DO THE STUDY FIRST.
THAT'S, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIXING TO DO.
IT'S A LONG AND IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
AND ARLINGTON AND MIKE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT ARLINGTON AND I FOUND OUT THEY DIDN'T DO IT AS A HARD NUMBER, BUT THEY DID, THEY DID THE DIVERSITY STUDY AND IT CAME IN, THEY SET UP THE GOOD FAITH PROGRAM, THEY SET UP THE GOOD FAITH PROGRAM, AND THEY SET UP A PART OF THEIR CITY LIKE WE'RE FIXING TO DO TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO I WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, A LITTLE BIT BEHIND, WISH WE'D DONE IT SOONER, BUT, UH, I I, IF YOU WANTED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, I HAD THE OLD EMAILS, I CAN'T FIND 'EM NOW.
THEY SHOWED THE DIVERSITY PROGRAM THAT ARNE WENT THROUGH AND ALL THE RESULTS AND WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY USED TO COME OUT OF IT.
SO I'M GOING TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW WE'VE TIED IN, UH, DIVERSITY INITIATIVES IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, UM, STARTING WITH THE EXPO IN JANUARY.
SO EVERYTHING I WILL PRESENT TO YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS DONE WILL BE, UH, FOR, FOR THIS YEAR, STARTING WITH THE EXPO, OUR KICKOFF ENTREPRENEUR AND THEN OUR FRANCHISE YOU INITIATIVE.
UH, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE EXPO ATTENDEES.
UH, WHAT I DID WAS I TOOK THE LIST, THE REGISTRATION LIST FROM AMY AND CLEANED THE LIST UP TO SEPARATE BETWEEN CONTRACTORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE THERE, UM, WHEN THEY REGISTERED.
AND SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE SENT ANY APPLICABLE INFORMATION TO THOSE THAT WERE REGISTERED AS CONTRACTORS FROM TO, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON'S POINT TO THOSE, UH, REGIONAL HISPANIC, UM, CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MINORITY CONTRACTORS, THOSE TRAININGS, ET CETERA.
I'VE SENT THOSE TO THE CONTRACTORS AND THEN I'VE MAINTAINED MONTHLY CONTACT WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS REGISTRANTS FOR OUR PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAD COMING UP.
UM, I DID A POST EXPO SURVEY 'CAUSE WE'RE CLOSE TO THE SIX MONTH MARKS SINCE THE EXPO TOOK PLACE TO JUST SAY, SINCE ATTENDING THE EXPO, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? HAVE YOU REGISTERED AS A VENDOR? HAVE YOU ATTENDED A WORKSHOP? HAVE YOU CONNECTED WITH ANYONE FROM THE EXPO? AND JUST SO WE CAN GET INFORMATION ON WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ATTENDED AND THEN WHAT DID YOU DO GOING FORWARD? AND I'LL ALSO DO THAT CHECKPOINT WHEN WE GET TO THE YEAR AND THEN COME BACK WITH TO YOU ALL TO TELL YOU ALL WHAT THEY'VE SAID.
AND HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME THE NUMBERS FROM EVERYTHING WILL INCREASE.
UM, 'CAUSE I GOT SEVERAL EMAILS.
I AM REGISTERED AS A VENDOR WAITING ON THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE DID HAVE THOSE NUMBERS INCREASE FOR VENDOR REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION FROM THE EXPO ATTENDEES.
OUR PROGRAM SESSIONS FOR ENTREPRENEUR, UM, WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, WE HELD THOSE TWICE A MONTH AND WE WERE DOING IT ONCE A MONTH, BUT THEN WHEN WE DID SEE POST EXPO SURVEY, WE GOT ALL THE, UM, INPUT FROM THE ATTENDEES ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN SESSIONS.
SO WE ENDED UP INCREASING THOSE SESSIONS.
THE ATTENDANCE VARIED BETWEEN 30 AND 40.
UM, WE HAD OUR LAST SESSION TODAY STARTING A NONPROFIT, WHICH WAS I MOST HIGHLY
[00:55:01]
ATTENDED AT 69.AND THEN FRANCHIS U WAS ABOUT 54.
FRANCHIS U WAS EVERY WEEK IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, AND WE HAD 48 TO 54 THAT ENTIRE MONTH.
AND THEN ALL THE OTHER SESSIONS WERE BETWEEN 30, UM, AND 40 ATTENDEES.
ALL THE SESSIONS ARE RECORDED AND PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR ANYONE WHO REGISTER OR DID NOT REGISTER.
THEY CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE RECORDINGS.
IT ALSO HAS A LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND FREE, UH, RESOURCES.
ANYTIME WE GET A, A FREE RESOURCE SENT TO US, OR I BECOME AWARE OF ONE I POSTED TO THE WEBSITE AND I INCLUDED IN MY MONTHLY EMAIL TO THE SMALL BUSINESS DATABASE THAT WE HAVE.
SO WHAT'S COMING UP FOR, IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, WE HAVE A BUSINESS LENDING ROUND TABLE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHASE BECAUSE CHASE HAS A RACIAL EQUITY COMMITMENT FOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THEY ARE DOING THIS IN A, A VARIETY OF COMMUNITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRUE FUND, UM, WILLIAM MANN, UH, CDFI IN FORT WORTH, AS WELL AS THE SBA.
SO THEY WILL ALL BE IN ATTENDANCE.
THIS WILL BE AT THE EPIC THEATER HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND THEN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH GRAND WITH AMAZON.
I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY LAUNCHED THE BLACK BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM IN SEATTLE AND THEY ARE NOW BRINGING IT TO TEXAS.
AND GRAND PRAIRIE WILL BE THE FIRST CITY THAT WILL HOST THIS TRAINING.
AND WHAT THE TRAINING DOES IS IT SPEAKS TO SMALL MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES ABOUT HOW TO DO BUSINESS ON THE AMAZON PLATFORM IF THEY HAVE A PRODUCT, AS WELL AS HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH AMAZON.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE AT THE RUTHIE JACKSON CENTER ON THE 23RD FROM, I BELIEVE IT'S 11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AND THEN IN A CONTINUATION FROM OUR BUSINESS, UH, BOOTCAMP AND KICKOFF, THE NORTH TEXAS ENTREPRENEUR EDUCATION TRAINING CENTER, WE'LL HAVE THE BUSINESS COHORT AND THAT WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE LADIES THERE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HOST THE SMALL BUSINESS EXPO.
UM, AFTER THE EXPO THIS YEAR, THE TEAM INTERNALLY HAD A MEETING ABOUT HOW TO STRUCTURE IT GOING FORWARD AND DECIDED TO POSSIBLY HAVE THE SUBCONTRACTOR IN CONTRACTOR EXPO SEPARATE FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS EXPO.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TENTATIVELY AT HOSTING THAT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER IN MARCH.
AND THEN ON THIS THURSDAY, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, SPONSORING, UH, BEING A SPONSOR AT THE N-C-T-R-C, A STATE OF THE AGENCY LUNCHEON.
AND THAT AGENCY, THEY, UH, TRINITY DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING WHAT THAT ACRONYM WAS AND WHAT THEY DO.
SO WE WILL BE AT THAT LUNCHEON THIS WEEK AND WE WILL GET FEEDBACK ON IF ANY OF THE BUSINESSES IN GRAND PRAIRIE HAVE GOTTEN CERTIFIED, WHAT THE CERTIFICATIONS LOOK LIKE, AND IN DOING BUSINESS WITH PUBLIC ENTITIES.
SO I TRIED TO HIGH, I TRIED TO HIGH LEVEL THAT AS BEST AS I COULD.
SO ANY QUESTIONS, DIRECTIONS, UH, GO BACK TO
UH, I SAID, UH, 23.5% ARE REGISTERED, ARE REGISTERED AS A VENDOR WITH THE CITY GRAND PRAIRIE.
WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT, I WAS WONDERING, UH, WHY ONLY 23 OUT OF 200, TWO 3% OUT OF 235? AND IS THERE ANY WAY, HAVE YOU GUYS SENT THEM EMAILS FOR ONE TO REMIND 'EM TO REGISTER OR DO WE CARE, OR HAVE WE SENT THEM OUR VIA EMAIL TO ALL THIS 235? THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE OUT HERE FOR PROCUREMENT, WHETHER THEY REGISTERED OR NOT.
THAT WAY THEY, OH, WAIT A MINUTE.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND REGISTER TO TRY TO BID ON THIS PROCESS.
I THINK WE CAN INCREASE THAT NUMBER SUBSTANTIALLY IF WE, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE.
SO I'M ASKING ARE YOU EMAILING THEM THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THE ONES WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED AND THE ONES THAT REGISTER TO TRY TO INCREASE IT? WELL, FOR ME, UH, THE, I'VE UTILIZED THE EXPO REGISTRATIONS FOR PUSHING OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS, NOT NECESSARILY THE HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH.
YEAH, I WOULD SAY I, I THINK THE THING IS WE PROBABLY NEED TO, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE CAN TAKE THAT LIST AND USE, UM, USE THAT BOARD TO HELP LET MEMBERS KNOW.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF THOSE VENDORS TOO ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY OUT.
2 35 PEOPLE ARE NOT NECESSARILY VENDORS AS WELL, BUT I LIKE YOUR IDEA AND WE'LL TAKE THEM.
YEAH, I JUST THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA CREATE THAT MUCH OF AN EFFORT JUST TO, HEY, BLASTED OUT TO THEM.
IT'S THAT THAT SAME PERCENTAGE, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE FOR HISPANIC, BUT THEY DON'T, SMALL BUSINESS, THEY WERE REGISTERED AS A VENDOR.
I'M NOT GONNA THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE DID, BUT WHEN I SEND OUT THE SURVEY AGAIN, I CAN ACT, I CAN ASK THAT, ADD THAT QUESTION TO SO IT CAN BREAK DOWN.
IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO TIE IN THE HISPANIC CHAMBER WORK HAND IN HAND? YES.
ANOTHER ONE, ACTUALLY, MY BAD.
I KNOW
IS THAT HAPPENING ON ZOOM OR IN PERSON? IT'S IN PERSON AT THE RUTHIE JACKSON CENTER.
IS IT POSSIBLE ONE TO ALSO LIKE HAVE LIKE A HYBRID MODEL WHERE PEOPLE CAN ZOOM IN AND OBSERVE IT? BECAUSE I'M SURE A LOT OF FOLKS, ONCE THEY HEAR ABOUT THAT THEY
[01:00:01]
WOULD LOVE TO ATTEND, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MAYBE LEAVE WORK.WHAT TIME IS IT GONNA YEAH, 11.
11:00 AM REGISTRATION OPENS AT 10 AND STARTS AT 11.
IF THEY CAN'T LEAVE WORK, MAYBE THEY CAN ZOOM IN POSSIBLY OR TWO.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO CREATE A GRAPHIC OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISSEMINATE ONLINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE AMAZON IS NOW FINALIZING THE CONTRACT WITH RJC AND ONCE THEY FINALIZE THAT, UM, THEY ALSO HAVE A USE OF LOGO POLICY THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
SO ONCE THEY FINALIZE ALL THAT, WE'RE GONNA PUT TOGETHER THE MARKETING PIECES AND WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GUYS GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND I'LL ALSO ASK THEM ABOUT THE, UH, ABILITY TO RECORD OR, UM, STREAM IT.
I WOULD DEFINITELY ASK THEM THAT.
THE QUESTION I DID HAVE DOWN HERE ABOUT THE AUGUST, 2030 EVENT.
UH, WOULD PEOPLE BE, WOULD YOU PRE-REGISTER? YES.
HOW WOULD THEY, I KNOW THEY DON'T WANT MARKET.
HOW COULD YOU JUST SEND IT TO US SO PEOPLE, WHEN YOU SEND THE INFORMATION, COUNCILMAN KNOW ALSO SEND HOW TO REGISTER SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE THAT AS ONE STOP SHOP.
AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO A PRESS RELEASE, UM, FOR THE EVENT AS WELL.
'CAUSE IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR AMAZON TO BRING IT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS IN GRAND PRIX TO BE THE FIRST LOCATION.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO DO ALL THAT.
THOSE PRESS RELEASES, WHERE DO THEY GO? BECAUSE I FIND, SO WE GOT THREE COUNCILMAN ON
UM, AND THEN MARTY WORKS WITH THE TEAM SOMETIMES UP AND PICK IT UP AND POST IT.
WELL, WE ALSO SET OUT TO THROW OUR CHAMBERS, TO YOUR POINT, THE, THE ONE WE RECENTLY RELEASED RE-RELEASED OF ALL THREE.
UH, IF THEY DON'T PICK IT UP, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PUT IT ON THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
SO WE CAN'T FORCE 'EM TO PUT IT OUT.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ALSO A PRESS RELEASE WEBPAGE ON, I THINK IT WAS CAMMI, LIKE WHERE THEY PUT ALL THE PRESS RELEASES.
EVEN IF IT'S NOT CAPTURED, THERE'S ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, THERE'S ALL THE PRESS RELEASES THERE HOUSE.
WE CAN'T FORCE THE DISSEMINATION.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FOR EVERY DAY I WAKE UP, GO TO WEBSITE OR THE PRESS RELEASES TODAY.
BUT I THINK THIS ONES GONNA GET SOME TRACTION 'CAUSE IT'S, UH, AMAZON PARTNERSHIP.
UM, SO MARCH FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS EXPO, WHICH THAT WILL BE THE FIRST OF ITS SORT SEPARATED FROM THE CONTRACTOR'S EXPO.
DO WE HAVE A MONTH FOR THE CONTRACTOR'S EXPO? NOT YET.
NOW IS THAT MARCH, 2024? THAT'S THIS.
WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PUSHING THAT BECAUSE OF OUR FISCAL YEAR AND THE WAY THE NATURE OF HOW, UH, WE HAVE MONEY THAT COMES AVAILABLE FOR NEW PROJECTS.
SO REALLY I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE MORE APPROPRIATE IN THE OCTOBER NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S EVEN SOMETHING THAT WE COULD MAYBE TRY TO PULL OUT THIS OCTOBER, NOVEMBER MIGHT APPEAR IN 2023.
AND I'M CURIOUS IF WE'RE GOING TO USE THE SAME LOCATION AGAIN.
WELL, BUT KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU GO BACK, IF KATE, COULD YOU GO BACK TO YOURS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO ONLY 17% OF THE FOLKS WHO SHOWED UP WERE CONTRACTORS OF THAT 235 ONLY.
SO BASICALLY WHAT, 35, 35 OR 40 FOLKS WERE CONTRACTORS.
SO A LOT MORE WERE IN THE SMALL BUSINESS CATEGORY.
AND SO I THINK THAT THIS FACILITY WOULD WORK WELL IN TERMS OF SIZE AT LEAST UNTIL WE GREW OTHERWISE.
BUT YEAH, WE WE DEFINITELY WILL TALK ABOUT THAT AS A GROUP.
IMPRESSIONS OF VIDEO? WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT.
I, I'LL, I'LL WATCH THE VIDEO.
I SAW THE GUY TALKING SEND IT TO US.
THAT WAS EMAILED, RIGHT? IT WAS EMAILED, YEAH.
UH, MAYOR PRO TIMM UH, LOPEZ RUNNING LATE.
HE'LL BE HERE FOR THE REGULAR MEETING.
DEPUTY MAYOR PROTE WILL GO OVER THE, THE AGENDA REVIEW.
UM, COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM SEVEN THROUGH 32? YES.
CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON ITEM 31? ITEM 31? WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE? IS THAT THE WINDOW PULLING? WE'RE PULLING, PULLING IT.
WE GOT AN EMAIL TABLE IT TONIGHT.
OKAY, SO MARK THAT DOWN FOR MAYOR PRO TIMM TO TABLE, I BELIEVE.
ITEM 22, THE WATER TOWER SITE LEASE.
NORE KNOWS THE QUESTION I ASKED HIM TO.
UM, HE WAS ASKING ABOUT, UH, WHETHER THE RADIATION FROM CELL TOWER ANTENNAS THAT WE WERE PUTTING ON OUR WATER TANKS WOULD GET INTO THE WATER.
I KIND OF GOOGLED A LITTLE BIT WHAT I COULD, CAME UP WITH SOME INFORMATION.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE PUT THE ANTENNAS ON THE WATER TOWER AS A SMALL REVENUE FOR THE CITY AND THEY PROVIDE BETTER COVERAGE FOR THE SERVICES.
[01:05:01]
DOES IT HURT THE WATER? SO THE FED, WELL FIRST OF ALL, IT'S REGULATED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES FOR THE AMOUNT OF RADIATION THAT IS EMITTED.UM, IT'S PROJECTED AWAY FROM THE TOWER.
IN YOUR OPINION, DOES IT HURT THE WATER? THERE'S NOT ENOUGH.
SO IT'S PROJECTED AWAY FROM THE TOWER.
AND THEN CONCRETE AND STEEL ALSO CREATE A BARRIER.
SO IF THERE'S ANY RESIDUAL RADIATION GOING CONCRETE, WHAT'S OPINION ON THIS? AND I'M GONNA READ OUT.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE THE TABLE AND JUST LET DO SOME MORE RESEARCH? DOES THAT TALKED? THERE'S NOT REALLY A LOT OF RESEARCH ON IT.
'CAUSE THIS IS FROM THE AMERICAN CAMPUS, SO YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHETHER IT'S YEAH.
A CALL EPA OR SOME OTHER FOLKS AGENCIES WHO MIGHT, WE'LL KEEP LOOKING INTO IT, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DEFINITIVE TO GIVE YOU AN EXPERT OPINION.
WE DON'T THINK IT DOES, BUT WE CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAINTY.
AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THE QUESTION UP.
SO ARE OTHER CITIES PUTTING 'EM ON THEIR WATER TOWERS? OH, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WHAT? YES, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
ALMOST EVERY WATER TOWER WILL PASS.
HAS THE ANTENNA ON, UH, WHAT DO Y'ALL WANNA DO TONIGHT? UH, LEAVE IT ON THE AGENDA.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO PULL THAT TABLE IF THEY CAN, BUT RIGHT NOW I'LL LEAVE IT ON THERE.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION.
IT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND I THINK WE SHOULD RESEARCH IT.
I MEAN, AND DO YOU, DO Y'ALL WANT TO TABLE THIS? NOT RESEARCH? YES.
WELL, DO Y'ALL WANT TO? YES, LET'S JUST TAKE, WE'LL TAKE MATT KNOW WE'VE DONE SOME MORE LOOKING INTO IT.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD THINK, MAYOR.
UM, IT'S DOESN'T, IT'S NOT SUBSTITUTE, IT JUST THE WRONG NAME WAS PUT ON IN ONE AREA.
WE'RE GONNA PRINT IT OUT AND PUT IT AT YOUR COUNCIL.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO FOR THE MOTION? JUST APPROVE IT AS PRESENTED SO WE DON'T SAY ANYTHING.
WE JUST APPROVE IT, RIGHT? WE DON'T PULL IT OUT OR SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
AND THEN ON, UM, ITEM 32, WE'LL ALSO NEED TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
OH, SHE SAID 32 FOR CONSIDERATION.
YEAH, I WAS, WE'RE PULLING IT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I'M ALL, I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO, UH, APPROVE TWO NEW SPORTS COURT MEMBERS.
WE'RE DOWN TWO, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
IF WE APPROVE THESE TWO, UH, CHOICES THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO APPROVE WILL BE A MAJORITY MINORITY SPORTS CORP.
AND WE WILL HAVE TWO LATINOS AND TWO BLACK, UH, MEMBERS ON IT.
SO I'D THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO PROVE JUNIOR ZANU AND JOHN, UH, JOHN STEWART TO THE SPORTS CORP.
AND I'M GONNA ASK, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SPORTS COURT, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR CODE TIM, UH, CLEMSON TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
WE ARE ALSO TONIGHT THE CERTIFICATION OF RECOGNITION.
ITEM SIX, STEVE ILLA, HE'S STILL IN CALIFORNIA WITH THE MARIACHI GROUP AND POSTED A POST, ANOTHER POST, A PICTURE OF OUT THERE TODAY.
SO HE'S NOT GONNA BE HERE TONIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GET HIM THE CERTIFICATION.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY CONDUCT A COES PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5 1 SUB CHAPTER D OF GOVERNOR CO PCA TO DISCUSS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING.
ITEM TWO, SECTION 5 5, 1 0.072 DELIBERATIONS REGARDING REAL PROPERTY ITEM FOUR, SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 DELIBERATIONS REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.