* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] THAT WAS WHEN ROLL [CC Briefings 10102023] LOAD. IT'S OKAY. Y'ALL DON'T, THAT'D BE OKAY. SOMEBODY TIME. SO WE'RE GOING TO, YOU'RE STANDING UP LIKE THAT. YOU'RE NUMBER ONE. YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NUMBER TWO. . BUT SINCE YOU'RE THERE, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST, ESPECIALLY SO OUR GOOD FRIENDS CAN HIT THE ROAD AND GET BACK TO AUSTIN KIND. WE APPRECIATE IT. SUNBURN AND ALL. STOP THE VOUCHERS. STOP THE VOUCHERS. . YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE WEIGHING IN ON THAT AS A CITY. WE GO. COULD ALL POKE HIM LATER. GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT, WE GET STARTED. FIRST QUICK SHOUT OUT TO ANNA AND CAMERON ON FRIDAY. WE DID A CLEANUP, SHARED LEADERSHIP TEAM. THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE. THEY'RE THE CO-CHAIRS. SO WE DID GREAT WORK ON BELTLINE AND I WANTED TO THANK THE DIRECTORS FOR ALLOWING 'EM TO DO THAT. UH, REAL QUICK, I'LL BE REAL BRIEF JUST TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE INTERIM OF THE SESSION, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BRANDON. OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN STAYING UPDATED WITH TML, UH, THE NORTH TEXAS, UH, COMMISSION, AND THANK YOU MARTY. UH, BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR. AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE'VE BEEN STARTED MEETING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS. UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE DO A LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP, SO WE'RE GETTING A EARLIER START ON THAT TO START PREPARING FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATION SESSION. AND THEN ATTENDING TOWN HALLS, VISITING DELEGATIONS OFFICE, AND NETWORKING WITH OTHER CITIES. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, IT WAS REALLY BUSY AND APPARENTLY THURSDAY HAPPENS TO BE A VERY FAMOUS NIGHT. I REMEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER ZANU, UH, REPRESENTATIVE TURNER AND CONGRESSMAN ALL HAD TOWN HALLS ON THE SAME DAY. SO WE'VE BEEN ATTENDING THOSE. AND OF COURSE, WE DID DIVIDE AND CONQUER WITH THE COUNCIL AND THEN MEETING WITH OUR REGIONAL IDR. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE STARTED DOING WAS MEETING WITH THE IRS OF ARLINGTON AND IRVING. UH, 'CAUSE AS WE KNOW, ONE HAND IN THE ROOM, UH, ONE HAND RAISED AS A VOTE IN A ROOM, DOES LITTLE IN AUSTIN, JUST LIKE IN THIS PARTICULAR ROOM. SO WHO'S BEEN HELPING US TO GET MORE HANDS RAISED IN OUR BEHALF IS, UH, BRANDON. SO ENOUGH OF THE OPENING ACT AND NOW FOR THE MAIN ATTRACTION, UH, TURNED OVER TO BRANDON, UH, FOR FOCUS ADVOCACY. THANK YOU, GERALD. FOR THOSE OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE THAT DON'T KNOW BRANDON, AND SO OUR NEWCOMERS, BRANDON, IS PART OF FOCUS ADVOCACY, WHO HAS BEEN A LOBBYIST DOWN IN AUSTIN, HIS ROUTE FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW, BRANDON, SINCE, UH, EARLY 2006, 2006. AND, UM, SO WE ALWAYS HEARING BEFORE THE SESSION STARTS AND AFTER. AND SO THIS IS JUST A BRIEFING AFTERWARDS. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, HOW I KNOW, I KNOW WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO GIVE LOCAL CONTROL TO EVERYBODY, BUT BOY, THAT ETJ UH, LAW, THAT'S GONNA HURT. AND WE WE'RE STILL FIGURING OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT IT. BUT BOY, THAT ONE KIND OF SNUCK UP AND I KNOW WHAT, UH, THE LEADERSHIP IS AFTER DOWN THERE. AND, AND IN A WAY IT'S OKAY, BUT THEN IN A WAY, IT'S NOT OKAY. WE WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE LOCAL CONTROL, BE ABLE TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FATE. BUT MY GOODNESS, THIS REVERSES YEARS AND YEARS OF ORDINANCES, RULES, LAWS THAT WE'VE BEEN PLAYING BY. EVEN THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAS ALLOWED IT TO STAND AND, AND SAID IT'S LEGAL, AND THEN THEY'RE TRYING TO THROW IT OUT. SO THAT'S JUST A COMMENT. YOU CAN ADDRESS IT HOWEVER YOU WISH. UH, WE'LL GET TO IT IN THE PRESENTATION. HOW ABOUT THAT? THAT'S GOOD. THERE'S A, THERE'S A SLIDE ON THERE. THANK YOU. AND YOU'VE, UH, STOLEN MY, UH, MY INTRODUCTION. I'M, I'M BRANDON IAN, UH, WITH FOCUSED ADVOCACY. UM, MY PARTNERS, UH, COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY AS WE'RE IN SPECIAL SESSION. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIAL SESSION HERE IN A MOMENT. UM, CURTIS SEITZ, UH, IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE HOUSE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIAL, UH, SNAPPER CAR, FORMER TO LEGAL COUNSEL AND LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL, AND HER, UH, FORMER STAFFER, UH, IN TEXAS HOUSE. UM, WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF REPRESENTING THE CITY AS FOCUSED ADVOCACY SINCE 2011. AND I DO MEAN PLEASURE. UM, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR, OUR HISTORY WE'VE HAD TOGETHER HERE IN A MINUTE, JUST BY WAY OF, OF BACKGROUND AND REMINDER. BUT, UH, PRIOR TO THAT, AT ANOTHER FIRM, WE, WE HAD THE, THE PLEASURE STARTING WITH THE CITY. SO REALLY SINCE ABOUT 2006, 2007, UH, EVERY SESSION WE, UH, GET TOGETHER FORM A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UH, AND THEN GO DOWN TO AUSTIN AND WORK TO PASS, UH, GOOD BILLS THAT THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED AS, UM, AS, [00:05:01] UH, UH, PRIORITY ITEMS AND WORK TO DEFEAT DETRIMENTAL LEGISLATION. UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS OVER THE YEARS, THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF YOUR LEGISLATORS, BOTH PAST AND CURRENT, AND YOUR CITY STAFF, BOTH PAST AND CURRENT. UH, HERE'S A FEW EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS. STARTING, UM, JUST IN, IN 2009, THE PASSAGE OF WHAT WAS THE, WE CALL THE QUALIFIED HOTEL PROGRAM, WHICH IS IN TERMS OF BEEN A MAJOR FUND OF, OF, OF FINANCING FOR THE EPIC HOTEL PROJECT, A NUMBER OF OTHER, UM, ITEMS, BOTH BIG AND SMALL, EVERYTHING RANGING FROM, UH, AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO DONATE SURPLUS PROPERTY, UH, TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS. UH, TO, IN 2015, WE PASSED A, UM, A BRACKETED BILL THAT ALLOWED THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE TO HAVE A SPECIAL CARVE OUT FOR THEIR STREET MAINTENANCE, SALES TAX SELECTION, TO GET AN EXTENSION OF UP TO EIGHT YEARS IN TERMS TERMS OF WHAT THEY CAN PUT ON THE BALLOT, UH, AS RECENTLY AS 2021, UH, PASSING A BILL, UH, ALLOWING, UH, THE OPEN CARRY, THE IN AND OUT CARRY OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES AT EPIC, A NUMBER OF OTHER, UH, UH, SUCCESSFUL, UH, PIECES OF LEGISLATION ALONG THE WAY, INCLUDING SOME BILLS THIS SESSION, WHICH WE'LL GET TO IN A MINUTE, UH, BUT ENOUGH ABOUT, UH, US, UH, THE, UH, REAL STARS OF THE SHOW ON YOUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. I ALMOST RAN OUT OF ROOM ON THIS SLIDE BECAUSE GRAND PRAIRIE IS VERY UNIQUE IN HOW MANY LEGISLATORS IT HAS REPRESENTING IT. THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS HAS ALWAYS TREATED GRAND PRAIRIE IN A SOMEWHAT UNIQUE WAY THAT'S SORT OF, UH, COMPOUNDED BY THE, UH, YOU KNOW, GEOGRAPHICAL MAKEUP OF THE CITY BEING VERY LONG NORTH AND SOUTH, AND SPLIT BETWEEN TWO COUNTIES. AND SO, UH, A SPECIAL THANKS TO, UM, ALL OF YOUR LEGISLATORS RANGING FROM, UH, SENATOR NATHAN JOHNSON AND SENATORS BURWELL AND, AND WEST, UH, TO JESSICA GONZALEZ, YVONNE DAVIS, UH, CHRIS TURNER. UM, AND, UH, A NUMBER OF OTHERS YOU, YOU SEE HERE ON, ON THIS TABLE, AND I'M SORRY, SULLIVAN, UH, BO, I FORGOT TO MENTION IT. YOU SEE THAT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE BO HAS ABOUT 15% OF THE CITY, UH, REPRESENTATIVE TURNER AND GONZALEZ HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE CITY, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO OF 'EM. AND THEN SENATOR WEST HAS THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY IN, UH, THE SENATE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT TO, UM, UH, MINIMIZE, UH, UH, WHAT THE OTHER MEMBERS, UH, REPRESENT. UH, REPRESENTATIVE, UH, SENATOR BIRDWELL, FOR EXAMPLE, IS VERY RESPONSIVE TO, TO BEING VERY NEEDS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN A MINUTE. SO I'M GONNA WORK BACKWARDS FROM, UH, MOST RECENT TO WHAT WE DID. AND I'M GONNA PAUSE REAL QUICK AND, AND INTERRUPT AND, AND SAY, NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE RIGHT AFTER SESSION TO DO A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. UH, BUT BETWEEN, UM, A, A PERSONAL FAMILY MATTER THAT, THAT, UH, HAPPENED IN MY LIFE AND A NUMBER OF SPECIAL SESSIONS THAT OCCURRED, UH, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET UP HERE UNTIL JUST NOW. UH, BUT, BUT THAT SAID, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND WE'LL START WITH WHERE WE ARE. UM, SPECIAL SESSION NUMBER THREE WAS, UH, STARTED YESTERDAY, WAS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK BY THE GOVERNOR, CALLED LAST WEEK BY THE GOVERNOR. UH, HE PUT FOUR, UH, ITEMS ON THE CALL. UH, WHAT IS THE, AND THIS IS, BY THE WAY, THE, THIS IS THE LANGUAGE FROM THE PROCLAMATION. THIS IS IN THE EDITORIALIZING ON, ON MY PART AND MY FIRM'S PART. THIS IS THE, THE VERBIAGE FROM THE CALL ITSELF WITH WHAT, UH, HE AND OTHERS ARE CALLING EDUCATION FREEDOM, UH, OFTEN REFERRED TO HIS VOUCHERS, UH, IS SORT OF ITEM NUMBER ONE, IF YOU WILL. AND THEN, UM, SOME ENHANCED ORDER SECURITY, UH, WITH SORT OF A THREE PART, UH, PIECE TO IT INCLUDES, UH, AUTHORIZING PEACE OFFICERS TO REMOVE, UH, LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, UM, ENHANCE PENALTIES FOR SMUGGLING PERSON IN OR STASH HOUSES, AND MORE FUNDING FOR, UH, BORDER BARRIER INFRASTRUCTURE. UH, AND THEN PIVOTING TO, UH, AN INTERESTING ITEM THAT DOES HAVE A, A, A DEFINITE MUNICIPAL, UH, ANGLE ON IT AND COULD INVOLVE US IN SEVERAL WAYS. AND THAT'S THIS, UH, UH, ISSUE, UH, ABOUT WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS COLONY RIDGE, WHICH IS AN UNINCORPORATED, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, DOWN, UH, NEAR HOUSTON. UM, AND, UH, HAS SOME ALLEGATIONS OF, UM, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, UH, ACTIVITY AND HOUSING, SORT OF A SANCTUARY CITY, IF YOU WILL, IF YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT IS NOT A CITY TO BE CLEAR. UH, AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING, UM, UH, DISCUSSION FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. AND HEARKENS BACK TO WHAT THE MAYOR ASKED EARLIER ABOUT THE ETJ ISSUE. UH, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET TO TALK MORE ABOUT ETJ DEVELOPMENT, PROBABLY IN THIS UPCOMING SESSION. MY PREDICTION IS THAT, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PROBABLY ENHANCED, OR AT LEAST THERE'S GONNA BE EFFORTS, WHETHER THEY PASS OR NOT, REMAINS TO BE SEEN. BUT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOME ENHANCED EFFORTS TO, UM, AUTHORIZE [00:10:01] THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, T-D-H-C-A, UH, TO HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT IN SOME OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. SO I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A DEBATE COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU. UH, AND THEN LASTLY, THIS, UH, COVID RESTRICTION. SO, SPECIAL SESSION NUMBER THREE IS NOW OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY. UH, THIS WAS IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED BY THE KEN PAXTON IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, UH, WHICH IS, UH, WAS QUITE, UH, INTERESTING, UM, HISTORIC MOMENT. UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, PAXTON WAS EVENTUALLY ACQUITTED BY THE SENATE ON ALL 16, UH, CHARGES, UH, THAT STOOD UP. UH, MEANING THERE WERE MORE CHARGES, BUT A FEW OF THEM WERE DISMISSED, UH, OUT OF HAND. UM, IT REALLY WASN'T EVEN CLOSE. UH, NONE OF THE ARTICLES RECEIVED MORE THAN 14 OTHER REQUIRED VOTES. UH, YOU READ, UH, ABOUT A COUPLE OF, UH, LONE REPUBLICANS THAT VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, A STARK CONTRAST TO THE MORE THAN 70% OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED BEFORE THE IMPEACHMENT. SO THAT'S SET UP A A REALLY INTERESTING PRIMARY ELECTION SITUATION ON THE GOP SIDE OF THE HOUSE WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF FIREWORKS. EVEN AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY WITH PAXTON SAYING HE'LL BE FILING, UM, ARTICLES COMPLAINT, UM, IN SOME OF THESE HOUSE MEMBERS, UH, WITH THE LOCAL DAS. UH, JUST OF NOTE, UH, ALL WAS NOT OVER FOR OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL. HE STILL FACES A, A LONGSTANDING STATE SECURITIES, UH, UH, FRAUD CHARGE, UH, THAT LOOKS TO FINALLY BE UNDERWAY IN THE HOUSTON COURT AFTER 10, ALMOST 10 YEARS OF, OF DELAY. AND THERE'S STILL AN ONGOING BI INVESTIGATION. SO ALL IS NORMAL IN AUSTIN. OKAY. UH, WE HAVE A, UH, THIS WAS ALL BEEN, UH, PROCEEDED BY THE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION, UH, WHERE THE LEGISLATURE FINALLY PASSED, UM, A, A PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND A, UH, FRANCHISE TAX RELIEF BILL, UH, THAT DO, UH, A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ALL CONCLUDED JULY 13TH SOON. YOU'VE HEARD ENOUGH ABOUT THAT WITH JUST THE QUICK HIGHLIGHTS. THERE'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVEN THOUGH TAX RATE COMPRESSION, THERE'S THIS MASSIVE, UH, RAISING OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, 4,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND. UH, AND THEN THERE'S THIS VERY INTERESTING, UM, 20% APPRAISAL CAP ON NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES. THAT'S A, THAT'S A FIRST, AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. UH, AND SO NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES UNDER $5 MILLION RECEIPT, 20 MILLION APPRAISAL CAP THAT DOES HAVE A THREE YEAR SUNSET ON US AS A LEGISLATURE, WILL HAVE TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT AND REAUTHORIZE THAT. AND THEN, VERY INTERESTINGLY, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR A LONG TIME, BY THAT MEANING IT'S BEEN CALLED FOR BY CERTAIN FACTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR A LONG TIME, AND THAT IS THE ELECTION OF, UH, OUR APPRAISAL, UH, DISTRICT, UH, BOARD MEMBERS. UH, AND THEN ON THE FRANCHISE TAX, THEY DOUBLED THE, THE EXEMPTION AMOUNT FROM 1.2 MILLION TO 2.4 MILLION, UH, EFFECT APPROXIMATELY 67,000 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS NO LONGER PAYING THE FRANCHISE TAX. SO THEY HAD A GIANT SURPLUS, AS YOU KNOW, AND THEY LOCKED DOWN A LOT OF TAXES COULD . UM, SO, UH, PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD A REGULAR SECTION, SIR. YES, SIR. GOOD QUESTION. YES, SIR. AND PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS AS I GO. I'M SORRY, I, I'M MOVING FAST. JUST IN TO RESPECT Y'ALL TIME. I GOT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. SO AS THE STATE IS CUTTING THE M AND O, UH, BY 7% FOR HUNDRED IN VALUATION, ARE THEY STEPPING IN TO FILL THAT GAP AS WELL? SO THERE, THERE IS INCREASED FUNDING, UH, FROM THE LEGISLATURE FOR, FOR, UM, UH, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING. YEAH. UH, BUT THE, THE COMPRESSION, UM, IS REALLY JUST THAT IT'S, IT'S TRULY JUST COMPRESSING THE RATES SO THAT YOU, THAT'LL RAISE, YOU KNOW, IN ESSENCE, THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. I ASKED A QUESTION BECAUSE THEY NEVER PASSED THE EDUCATION FUNDING BILL DURING THE REGULAR RECESSION. SO THAT THE TEACHER, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TEACHER PAY RAISE BILL? YEAH. SO THERE'S SO FAR NOT A TEACHER PAY RAISE BILL, AND THE INCREASE FOR, UH, PER PUPIL, THEY NEVER PASSED THAT BACK IN MAY. THEY NEVER PASSED THAT. SO I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS, THEY, THERE WAS A DEAL ON THAT, OR ARE SCHOOL JUST GONNA TAKE A CUT WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES? THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION, AND THIS IS JUST SPECULATION THAT IN THE, UM, VOUCHER SLASH EDUCATION FREEDOM, UH, THE PAY, IT WILL, UH, POTENTIALLY, UH, UH, SOMEWHAT PARALLEL CONVERSATION WILL GO ALONG REGARDING SCHOOL FUNDING AND OR TEACHER PAY RAISE WITH THAT. SO I THINK THE ANSWER IS TO BE DETERMINED. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, CUT AND THE SCHOOLS ARE GONNA LOSE REVENUE AND THE REVENUE NOT FACTORED BY THE STATE AS OF RIGHT NOW, BASED ON THIS LAW THAT WAS PASSED. I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD SAY NO, THEY HAVE NOT CUT SCHOOL FUNDING, [00:15:02] UH, THAT, THAT, THAT BETWEEN WHAT THEY DID AND THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, UM, THAT THEY, THEY THINK THAT THEY'VE ENHANCED SCHOOL FUNDING. I'M NOT SAYING THAT, UH, AND I'M NOT A SCHOOL FINANCE EXPERT. UM, BUT, AND AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, TO BE CONTINUED IN THIS POTENTIAL POTENTIALLY IN THIS IS IN THIS SESSION. I'LL, I'LL SAY THIS, IF, UM, EDUCATION VOUCHERS, UM, DO NOT PASS, IF THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE VOTES REQUIRED TO GET IT PASSED, THEN, THEN I DON'T THINK THEY'LL DO ANYTHING MORE ON EDUCATION. I THINK IF THEY'RE GONNA PUT MORE DOLLARS IN FOR EITHER TEACHER PAY OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO EDUCATION, UH, VOUCHER. MY, MY PREDICTION IS THE VOUCHERS WOULD'VE TO BE A PART OF THAT. CAN I MAYOR? YOU BET. ON THE, UH, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO 100,000, WE HAVE FIVE TAXING ENTITIES, NONE OF WHICH ARE THE STATE. AND MAYBE I'M A LITTLE, I I'M SORRY. THAT'S THE ISD EXEMPTION. THE SD EXEMPTION, THAT'S THE ISD EXEMPTION. YES. DOES THAT, DOES OUR, ID ALREADY DO THAT. OUR ISD ALLOWS US TO DO 40 THAT TO BE A VOTE NOVEMBER ON THAT. THIS WOULD RAISE IT TO A HUNDRED IF IT PASSES IN NOVEMBER. BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT, I, US IT AFFECTS YOU AND ME AS A TAXPAYER, BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT US AS A CITY AT ALL. THANK YOU. AND THEN SECONDARY NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTY, IS THAT ALSO SCHOOLS OR IS THAT, THAT'S CROSS THE EVERY PROPERTY PERIOD UNDER 5 MILLION. THAT'S NOT HOMESTEADING. CAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT REAL FAST? THE, UH, THREE YEAR SUNSET? SURE. ABSOLUTELY. IT, IT JUST MEANS THAT, UM, IT GOES AWAY IN THREE YEARS UNLESS THEY REAPPROVE IT IN THREE YEARS, IT'LL BE OFF THE BOOKS UNLESS THEY TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION. AND THE REASON WE, I KNOW ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE THE BRIER BILL SUNSET PRETTY SOON, AND YOU'VE EXPLAINED THAT TO ME. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S SUNSET, IT'S DONE. UNLESS THEY REAPPROPRIATED IT, IT'S DONE, DONE. IT'S NOT UN UNCOMMON FOR A LAW TO HAVE SOME SORT OF SUNSET ON IT. NOT EVERY LAW DOES, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY MANY DO. IS THE BRIER BILL THE SAME EQUIVALENT TO THE QHP? IS THAT THE SAME THING? UH, THE BRIER BILL? WELL, DEPENDS ON WHICH BRIER BILL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE KICKBACK FROM THE STATE FOR RIGHT, FOR THE 6% BUILDING CONVENTIONS, UH, THAT, UM, AN EL AN ELEMENT OF THAT BILL DOES HAVE A SUNSET AND, AND AN ELEMENT OF THAT BILL DOES NOT HAVE A SUNSET, HAS THAT FOR A CLEAR AS MUD ANSWER. AND, AND WHAT IT DOES, THE ELEMENT THAT DOES HAVE A SUNSET BASICALLY KILLS IT. THE ELEMENT THAT HAS A SUNSET, UH, IS, IS ON THE ADDITIONAL THOUSAND FOOT ZONE AROUND THE HOTEL. AND AT SOME POINT THAT'S SO, IT, IT, UH, IT LEAVES IT, BUT IT LEAVES IT JUST TO THE HOTEL CONVENTION CENTER. IT DOESN'T DO ANY SURROUNDINGS. SO IT, IT, IT REALLY, IT DOESN'T KILL IT, BUT BOY, IT SURE MINIMIZES IT, IT MINIMIZES IT. A THOUSAND FOOT ZONE IS, IS IN. SO COUNCIL MEMBER SCA, THAT'S WHAT THEY KIND OF DID TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE NOT KILLING IT. IF YOU WANNA BUILD A HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER, YOU STILL CAN, BUT YOU DON'T GET ANY OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE RESTAURANTS RETAIL AROUND IT. AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT SUNSET IS 2027. I HAD BEEN TOLD 2028, BUT 2027, I MEAN, IT, IT'S GONNA SUNSET PRETTY SOON. I'LL LOOK IT UP AND GET BACK TO YOU, BRANDON, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S 2027. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? I'LL MOVE ON. IF NOT. UM, SO, UH, GETTING THEM FINALLY DOWN TO THE REGULAR SESSION. UM, YOU SEE HERE, UH, A STATISTICS, UH, TABLE THAT WE ALWAYS INCLUDE THAT SHOWS YOU HISTORICALLY, NUMBER OF BILLS FILED, NUMBER OF BILLS PASSED, PASSAGE RATE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND YOU, YOU QUICKLY SEE DOWN AT, AT THE BOTTOM FOR OUR, OUR MOST RECENT SESSION, UH, IN, IN 2023, REALLY, UH, UNUSUAL NUMBERS THAT I'LL JUST JUMP AHEAD AND, AND INTERPRET HERE. THE, THE 8,000, EXCUSE ME, 345 BILLS IN JOINT RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE FILED IS AGAINST AN AVERAGE OF ROUGHLY 7,000 IN EACH OF THE LAST FOUR SESSIONS. UH, SO AN ENORMOUS, ENORMOUS SPIKE. UH, JUST AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF BILLS, THE LIKES OF WHICH WE'VE NEVER SEEN. UH, IN ADDITION, WE HAD AN EXTREMELY LOW PASSAGE RATE. UH, YOU SEE THE 15% PASSAGE RATE VERSUS, UH, WHAT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, UH, 14 SESSIONS OR, OR ROUGHLY 28 YEARS, A 24% PASSAGE RATE. UH, ALTHOUGH IN, IN MORE RECENT TIMES, WE HAVE SEEN A DECREASE. BUT THIS WAS NONETHELESS A, A RECORD SETTING. AND IN FACT, THERE WAS REALLY FOUR RECORDS SET IN THIS LAST SESSION. MOST BILLS FILED, UH, MOST BILLS FAILED LOWEST PASSAGE RATE AND HIGHEST FAILURE RATE, WHICH SORT OF GO HAND IN HAND. UH, SO IT [00:20:01] WAS A WILD SESSION FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. AND, AND, AND THAT WAS A REALLY BIG UNDER, YOU KNOW, CURRENT OF THE ENTIRE SESSION. UH, SO AGAINST THAT, WE HAD YOUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UH, STARTING, UH, IN, IN, UH, LAST AUGUST OF 22. UH, I SAY LAST AUGUST, MEANING O OVER A YEAR AGO AUGUST OF 22, UH, WE HAD OUR, OUR LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP SESSIONS UP HERE WITH, UH, 20 PLUS CITY STAFF MEMBERS, WHERE WE IDENTIFIED DOZENS OF POTENTIAL IN, UH, ISSUES TO EXPLORE. EVENTUALLY THROUGH A PROCESS THAT THAT, THAT ULTIMATELY CONCLUDED WITH COUNSEL MAKING FINAL DECISIONS. WE, WE LANDED ON FOUR PRIORITY ITEMS AND THEN SORT OF TACKED ON A FIFTH ONE THAT, THAT HAS THAT ASTERISK THERE. BUT THE, THE AGENDA OFFICIALLY CALLED FOR THE INCLUSION OF HIV CRICKET INTO THE MAJOR EVENT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM, UH, AND INCREASE PENALTIES FOR, UM, FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENSES, UM, AUTHORITY TO DO ELECTRONIC POSTINGS INSTEAD OF PAPER POSTINGS HERE AT CITY HALL FOR, FOR YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS. UH, AND ENHANCED, UH, REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATELY OWNED EXOTIC ANIMALS, UH, WRITTEN TO THE, THE, UM, ESCAPE COBRA INCIDENT. AND THEN VERY IMPORTANTLY, UH, AN AN ITEM THAT WOULD, UH, CALLING FOR THE ELIMINATION OF TEMPORARY PAPER LICENSE PLATES. UH, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE WERE, UH, SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF REP OF, UH, SENATOR WEST, EXCUSE ME, AND REPRESENTATIVE JESSICA GONZALEZ, UH, TO GET, UH, SENATE WHAT BECAME SENATE BILL 2325 PASSED. I WON'T TELL YOU THE, THE LONG STORY 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TIME, AND IT'S NOT THE VENUE. BUT BOY, THIS, THIS IS, IS, IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE AS THERE EVER COULD BE A FOLLOWING, A BOUNCING BALL THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, PROCESS, UH, UH, SENATOR WEST AND REPRESENTATIVE GONZALEZ FILE A BILL IN EACH CHAMBER. UH, EVENTUALLY WE FILE, WE ROLL THOSE TWO BILLS INTO ANOTHER BILL, HOUSE BILL, 1950, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, GRACIOUSLY CARRIED BY, UH, A WEST TEXAS LEGISLATOR WHO HAS A GOOD FRIEND NAMED REPRESENTATIVE KING. KING. KING KING GETS THAT BILL PASSED IN THE HOUSE, GETS IT OVER TO THE SENATE, IT DIES IN THE SENATE, WE FOLD IT ALL INTO ANOTHER BILL, SENATE BILL 2325, GRACIOUSLY CARRIED BY SENATOR ZINI, UH, FROM DEL RIO, AND REPRESENTATIVE LU FLORES, A FRESHMAN, UH, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FROM AUSTIN. AND THAT BILL, UH, WITH, BY THE WAY, UH, THE HELP OF CHAIRMAN BRIAN BIRDWELL, WHOSE, UH, COMMITTEE THIS ALL WENT THROUGH IN THE SENATE, WAS ABLE TO GET THIS DONE. UM, SO IT WAS, UH, A, A VERY CLASSIC, UH, DON'T, DON'T BLINK, YOU'LL MISS IT, UH, KIND OF PIECE OF, OF LEGISLATION, UH, AND, UM, VERY THANKFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT INCLUDED. UH, AND THEN ALSO SUCCESSFUL. AND, AND BY THE WAY, I WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE CITY STAFF. IT SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT EARLIER. BUT, UH, UH, AN INCREDIBLE JOB, UH, BOTH BY GERALD AND MEGAN AND, UH, MARTY. UH, IN ADDITION, UH, TO, UH, MARTY COMING DOWN AND TESTIFYING, UH, ON THIS BILL AS WELL, WHERE, WHERE HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB. UM, AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL DID A FANTASTIC JOB ON THIS TOO. SO, UH, KUDOS TO EVERYBODY TO GET THAT DONE. UH, SUCCESS HAS A, HAS A, A LOT OF FATHERS, AS THEY SAY. UM, AND THEN ON THE, UH, TEMPORARY TAGS ISSUE, HOUSEHOLD SEVEN 18 WAS PASSED. THIS WAS A LITTLE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD BILL, A, A, A DOGGED EFFORT, IF YOU WILL, BY REPRESENTATIVE CRAIG GOLDMAN FROM FORT WORTH, AND AGAIN, SENATOR WEST. UM, UH, AND IT WAS REFERRED TO AS THE, UH, BRANDED SIDE, UH, ACT. YOUR, UM, UH, CHIEF CAME DOWN AND PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF VERY, VERY LENGTHY STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, UH, AND DID A, A, A FANTASTIC JOB. UM, AND SO THAT BILL NOW, UH, WILL REQUIRE, UH, ALL PLATES, UH, TEMPORARY TAGS TO BE ISSUED BY DMV ISSUED ON, UH, METAL, UH, PLATES, AND FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HAVE ACCESS, UH, TO THAT DATABASE. UH, SO FANTASTIC PIECE OF LEGISLATION. UH, THE EXOTIC ANIMALS BILL AND THE ELECTRONIC POSTING BILL, UH, DID NOT PASS. UH, BUT, UH, A SPECIAL THANKS FOR REPRESENTATIVE TURNER AND REPRESENTATIVE GONZALEZ AND LISTENING TO THE CITY FILING THE BILLS AND GETTING THAT CONVERSATION STARTED. VERY TYPICAL IN THIS LINE OF WORK FOR THESE THINGS TO TAKE MULTIPLE SESSIONS. AND WE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON THOSE, UH, THIS SECTION. SO THAT IS THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THE SLIDES, MAYOR, ABOUT OTHER ISSUES THAT HAPPENED DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND I DON'T WANNA DRONE ON, I KNOW Y'ALL GOT A LOT TO GET TO TODAY, UH, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, UH, THE GOVERNOR HAD HIS PRIORITIES AND MOST OF THEM PASSED. [00:25:01] UH, YOU SEE THE TWO THERE AT THE BOTTOM, RIGHT, THAT DID NOT SCHOOL CHOICE AND BAIL REFORM WERE BACK FOR SCHOOL CHOICE. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO BAIL REFORM. UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER HEADLINE MAKING, UH, PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT YOU READ ABOUT DURING THE LEGISLATION RANGING FROM TRANSGENDER AND TRANS ATHLETE ISSUES, DEI, UM, UH, UH, UH, TENURE, UH, AND, AND, UH, UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENTS. UH, WE, WE WRAPPED UP THE SPECIAL SESSION WITH A ALMOST RECORD NUMBER OF VETOES, UM, MANY OF WHICH WERE, WERE VERY TRANSPARENTLY VETOED, UM, BECAUSE OF, OF, OF, UH, CERTAIN LEGISLATORS, UH, LACK OF SUPPORT FOR EITHER PROPERTY TAX RELIEF OR VOUCHERS. UH, AND WE DID HAVE SEVERAL BILLS VETOED THAT RELATED TO CITIES. AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THEY MAY BE BACK. SOME ARE GOOD, SOME ARE BAD. UH, BUT STAY TUNED, BECAUSE IN MANY OF THE VETO MESSAGES, WHEN I SAID TRANSPARENTLY, I MEANT THE GOVERNOR VERY TRANSPARENTLY SAID, I'M VETOING THIS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET TO TAX RELIEF AND WE DIDN'T GET TO VOUCHERS, AND WE'LL VISIT THEM IN A FUTURE SPECIAL SESSION AFTER WE GET TO TAX RELIEF AND VOUCHERS. SO, UH, I THINK THERE'S A, A, A GOOD CHANCE, UM, THAT WE'LL, WE'LL COME TO, UH, BACK TO THESE NUMBER OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENED THIS SESSION ON THE MUNICIPAL SIDE FOR BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS. I WANT TO NOTE WHAT WE CALL THE COMMUNITY CENSORSHIP OR TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING. BILL DID NOT PASS. ULTIMATELY, IT PASSED THE SENATE AS IT CONTINUES TO DO EVERY SESSION. UM, DESTINATION SALES TAX SOURCING, WHICH IS AN ISSUE OF, OF, OF CONCERN TO THIS CITY DID NOT PASS. UH, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF BAD LAND USE BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS, UH, MINIMUM LOT SIZE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, A BAD THREE 80 BILL THAT DID NOT PASS. UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, THE PREEMPTION BILL DID PASS. UH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IF YOU WANT. UH, BUT I'LL, I'LL WRAP UP BY JUST TO, TO ANSWER THE MAYOR'S QUESTION ON THE ETJ RELEASE BILL. UM, THAT, THAT WAS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, LONG IN THE MAKING AFTER THEY ELIMINATED ANNEXATION, THEY BEING THE LEGISLATURE, ETJ WAS SORT OF NEXT UP ON THE MENU. UM, AND THEN AS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IT'S NOW SORT OF, UH, IRONIC IN, IN, YOU KNOW, IN LIGHT OF THIS COLONY RIDGE ISSUE, EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT THE LIKES OF A, OF A, OF A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ETJ. UH, SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PAUSE, HAPPY TO PROVIDE THIS PRESENTATION AND HAS SEVERAL OTHER SLIDES EVEN AFTER THIS IS AN APPENDIX ABOUT A RANGE OF BILLS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT PASS, THAT AFFECT MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS. UH, BUT I'M GONNA STOP THERE AND ASK FOR QUESTIONS. DO THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS COMING? JUST CUSTOMERS? UH, HOUSE BILL 2127, THE DEATH STAR RAMEY BILL, IT'S CURRENTLY, IT WAS CURRENTLY BLOCKED BY A JUDGE, RIGHT? AND IT'S GOING THROUGH COURT AT THE MOMENT. YES. UH, SO ON JULY 3RD HERE, THAT, ABOUT THAT FOURTH BULLET POINT DOWN, CITY OF HOUSTON FILED A LAWSUIT, UH, IN TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, DECLAR, UH, DECLARING IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL. UM, AND, UH, A COUPLE OTHER CITIES, UH, HAVE INTERVENED. AND SO RIGHT NOW IT IS, IT IS TIED UP IN THE COURTS AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT, SO IT'S CURRENTLY NOT EFFECTIVE. CORRECT. CORRECT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? RASHAD, QUICK QUESTION ON THE LAND USE. YOU MENTIONED BILLS THAT HAVE DIED. DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GONNA BRING BACK THE DEALS, LAND USE BILLS, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, SMALL LOTS OR PRODUCTS IN FUTURE SESSIONS? FOR SURE. PROBABLY NOT IN THE SPECIAL SESSION WOULD BE MY GUESS. UH, YOU KNOW, MY CRYSTAL BALLS AS FLAWED AS EVERYBODY ELSE IS, RIGHT. BUT, UM, IN FUTURE SESSIONS FOR SURE. ANYBODY ELSE? YES, COUNSEL, ONE LAST QUESTION, SORRY. NO PROBLEM. WITH A DU ACCESS ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, YES. ARE THOSE, IS IT BECOMING MORE OF A BIPARTISAN ISSUE THAT YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE SUPPORTING THAT, LIKE IN, IN THE LEGISLATURE? WHAT ARE YOU SEEING REGARDING THOSE ISSUE? I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY FAIR TO SAY. THERE'S, I MEAN, THERE'S A LITTLE BIPARTISANSHIP ON BOTH SIDES, RIGHT? UM, THERE'S CERTAINLY A, A, A, A STRONG BENT IN LEGISLATURE FOR I WANNA BE ABLE TO DO WITH MY PROPERTY, WHAT I WANNA BE ABLE TO DO WITH MY PROPERTY. AND YOU SEE SOME REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT. AND THEN YOU SEE SOME REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS ON BOTH SIDES OF, HEY, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE REGULATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? [00:30:01] A LOT OF THOSE BILLS, BY THE WAY, WE KILLED WITH, UH, PROCEDURAL TACTICS. IT, IT WASN'T, UH, A LEGISLATURE VOTING IT DOWN OR STOPPING IT. IT WAS A BILL THAT WAS VERY MUCH ON ITS WAY TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND IT WAS KILLED ON WHAT, WHAT IS CALLED A POINT OF ORDER. UM, AND SO THERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SUCCESSES THAT WERE ABLE TO CLAIM THAT WAS CERTAINLY A, UM, YOU KNOW, SNATCHING VICTORY FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT, OR DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON, YOU KNOW, WHICH SIDE OF THE, THE ISSUE YOU'RE ON, I SHOULD SAY. THANK YOU BRANDON. AND AGAIN, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. I KNOW YOU HAD TO TAKE CHARGE AND WENT OVERSEAS TO GET YOUR SISTER BACK. AND THANK YOU. OUR CONDOLENCES. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. LET'S HOP DOWN TO NUMBER THREE RIGHT NOW. HOTEL UPDATE. NOW WE'LL COME BACK TO NUMBER ONE. WE CAN DO, DON'T WORRY, CHECK IT OUT. SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE UPDATE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR HOTELS AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA OPEN. SO THEY'RE GONNA, THE CONCOR TEAM IS HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. SO I'M NOT GONNA STILL UP REAL QUICK DISCUSSIONS. DO ALL OF YOU KNOW ALL OF THE LADIES HAVE Y'ALL? I THINK REINTRODUCE 'EM. OKAY, I'LL INTRODUCE THIS. AND THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. I WAS HERE A WHILE BACK AND THERE WAS ONLY THREE OF US, UM, TOTAL HIRED. NOW THERE'S A WHOLE TEAM, WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT. I'M CHRISY BUR THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES FOR CONCORD HOSPITALITY. WE ARE GOING TO MANAGE THE HOTEL AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITY AND MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL. THESE ARE MY TWO LADIES THAT WORK FOR ME THAT ARE GONNA RUN THE SHIP EVERY DAY. THIS IS DONNA REYNOLDS, DONNA, SHE'S OUR GENERAL MANAGER OF BOTH PROPERTIES. AND LAUREN BROWN, OUR DIRECTOR OF SALES. HELLO. HOWEVER, WE HAVE A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE NOW, SO WE'LL GET TO THAT. DONNIE, YOU WANNA I DO. ALL RIGHT, . SO DONNA ROLLS, LIKE I SAID, LAUREN BROWN, WE HAVE NOW HIRED OUR DIRECTOR OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE. JORDAN ELODIE DOES SAY, RIGHT? I'M STILL L-L-O-D-L-L-O-D. SHE JUST STARTED YESTERDAY. SO SHE'S OUR HUMAN RESOURCE, UH, MANAGER. RACHEL EKE IS SENIOR SALES MANAGER. RADIANT IS OUR EXECUTIVE CHEF. UM, MARO IS OUR FRONT OFFICE MANAGER. CARLA IS A CATERING AND EVENT SALES. AND THEN DAVID IS CHIEF, UM, ENGINEER. AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR TWO ROBOTS WHO ARE JUNE AND JOHNNY. JOHNNY, I'M JOHNNY AND JUNE. SO THIS IS OUR STAFF. WE INCLUDE THEM. THIS WILL PICK UP, WE ARE GONNA ADD JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT POSTED. UM, EVERYTHING FROM FRONT DESK TO HOUSEKEEPING TO MANAGERS TO FOOD AND BEVERAGE. IT'LL BE EXCITING. UM, PEOPLE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. AND WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS HIRING PEOPLE LOCAL, HOPEFULLY. UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT COMING SOON. A HUNDRED ASSOCIATES APPROXIMATELY IS WHAT WE'LL BE ADDING TO THE COMMUNITY. ALRIGHT, SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOTEL AND HOW WE'RE DIFFERENT. WHAT'S GREAT IS IN ONE BUILDING YOU CAN HAVE AN EXTENDED STAY, WHICH IS, IF YOU'RE COMING FOR MORE THAN FOUR NIGHTS, WE HAVE KITCHENS. THEY'RE ALMOST SUITE LIFE THAT YOU CAN LIVE. AND, AND THEN IN THE SAME BUILDING, WE HAVE A REGULAR HOTEL THAT IF YOU'RE COMING FOR TWO NIGHTS, THREE NIGHTS FOR BUSINESS, THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED AND IT'S UNDER ONE ROOF, WHICH IS NOT COMMON. AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE THIS AMAZING COMMISSION CENTER THAT YOU GUYS ALL KNOW ABOUT. AND YOU CAN DO WEDDINGS, SOCIAL EVENTS, MEETINGS, YOU NAME IT, WE CAN DO IT FOR YOU, WE CAN HOLD ANYWHERE. AND I THINK THAT'S NEXT. UM, IT'S OUR CONVENTION CENTER. WE CAN HOLD ANYWHERE FROM A THOUSAND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FIVE PEOPLE. WE CAN ACCOMMODATE ANY OF THAT. SO, UM, EXCITED FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS TO SEE THAT IT IS COMING ALONG. UM, HOPEFULLY SOON WE WILL HAVE SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE TOURS. AND THEN AS WE GET CLOSER, WE'LL HAVE A FEW VIP OPENING EVENTS. AND THEN IN FEBRUARY WE'LL HAVE BIG EVENTS, UM, WHERE WE WANT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THAT WILL GO OUT AND MORE TO COME ON THAT COMING INVITATION. CONVENTION STATES, LIKE I SAID, UM, ACCOMMODATES UP TO 800 GUESTS IN ROUNDS, A THOUSAND IN THEATER. UM, SAVE ARC AUDIO VISUAL. SO EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TODAY TO TEAMS, PEOPLE IN, WE HAVE THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SOME CONVENTION CENTERS HAVE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY WE'RE GONNA PUT INTO THIS CONVENTION CENTER. SO IT REALLY WILL BE ABOVE ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE SEEN IN DALLAS AREA OR REALLY A LOT OF CITIES EXP THIS IS WHAT REALLY MAKES US STAND OUT. AND I THINK ALL OF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT COMING TO THIS HOTEL WILL NOT JUST BE A MEETING IN A HOTEL STATE. IT WILL BE AN EXPERIENCE ACROSS THE ENTIRE PROJECT FROM WALKABLE RESTAURANTS TO WATER PARKS TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CLIMBING. IT'S EVERYTHING THAT YOU EVER WANTED. WE'RE GONNA DO A TON OF STUFF TO PROMOTE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS DIFFERENT. SO IT'LL BE AN EXPERIENCE. [00:35:01] THIS IS A SNEAK PEEK AT OUR PACKAGES. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COME AND DO AN EPIC EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY GET A ROOM AND THEY GET TO PICK WHAT PACKAGE THEY WANT OR WE'LL HAVE SOME PACKAGES ALREADY DONE WITH THE RESTAURANTS AND OUR PARTNERS, WE ARE ALREADY COMMUNICATING WITH THEM. THEY'LL BE A PART OF OUR OPENING. UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST US BRAND OPENING, IT'S EVERYONE WILL BE A PART OF THAT. SO, OKAY, SO WHERE WE GO WITH HILTON. HILTON ALSO WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO WITH ADVERTISEMENT IN GENERAL, JUST BEING A PART OF HILTON, WE GET A LOT OF ADVERTISEMENT. UM, SO WE TAKE PART IN THAT. THAT'S FREE ADVERTISEMENT FOR US HAVING THEIR NAME ON OUR BUILDING. SO WHAT HILTON DOES IS BASICALLY THEY GO IN AND DO WHAT THEY CALL AMPLIFY, WHICH GETS TO 343 IMPRESSIONS, 7,100 CLICKS, WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL GET US TO 540 ROOM NIGHTS JUST FOR THAT AREA. SO THAT'S JUST IN LIKE A MONTH'S TIME. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY COLLECTED FROM ALL HILTON GARDENS, FROM WOODS AND THE BRANDS WERE OPENING. THOSE ARE THE STATS FOR THAT. SO WE ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING WITH THEM. WE'VE BUILT A LOT OF HILTONS, WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT AND HOW TO MAXIMIZE. WE GET ROI REPORTS BOARD PARTICIPATING IN THAT. AND IT'S HARD BEING PART OF THE BRAND. THAT'S BEFORE WE SPEND ANY OF OUR DOLLARS ON ANY ADVERTISEMENT. THAT'S JUST BEING ALTON, UM, OPTIMIZATION SOLUTIONS. THAT'S TO PUT YOU AT THE TOP. ONCE WE OPEN HOW WE'LL GET TO THE TOP. IF YOU GOOGLE WHERE, SAY GRAND PRAIRIE, GRAND PRAIRIE OR COMMISSION CENTERS IN THIS AREA AT ALL COMMISSION CENTERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE WILL OPTIMIZE WITH HILTON AND WITH OUR DIGITAL MARKETING TEAM SO THAT WE QUICKLY GET TO THE TOP OF THAT. BECAUSE AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IF YOU SCROLL, YOU LOOK IN GOOGLE IN ABOUT THE FIRST THREE AND THEN YOU, THAT'S WHO YOU GO WITH A LOT OF TIMES. SO WE'RE ALWAYS STRIVING TO THE FIRST THREE. UM, GOOGLE ADS, THAT'S ANOTHER THING. AS SOON AS WE OPEN, YOU'LL GET GOOGLE ADS TO GET PLACEMENT AND THAT GETS US TO THE TOP FAST AS ONCE WE GET TO THE TOP, IT'S ALL ABOUT WHO SEARCHING AND HOW WE GET THERE AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN, UM, ON OUR WEBSITES. AND I MEAN, I CAN GO INTO A TON OF DETAIL. THERE'S SO MUCH FINE VISUAL THESE DAYS, BUT IT'S, WE HAVE A WHOLE TEAM THAT DOES NOTHING BUT MAKES SURE STEPS IN THERE THAT EVERY SEARCH THEY FIT FOR GRAND PRAIRIE, FOR DALLAS, FOR ANY WEDDINGS WE'RE GONNA PULL UP. AND THEN THE POWER OF HILTON IS ABSOLUTELY THE POINTS. PEOPLE ARE HUGE IN HILTON POINTS. ONCE WE OPEN, WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN A NEWSLETTER THAT GOES OUT THAT WE ARE UP AND IT WILL GO TO EVERY HILTON HONORS, UM, MEMBER THAT BASICALLY SPLASHES THAT THIS IS OPEN, WHO WE ARE, WE'LL PRESENT IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE HILTON TEAM OF SALES. SO THEY START SELLING THOSE FROM NATIONAL TO THE RESERVATION DESK. SO WE WILL HAVE ALL THOSE. LAUREN, THEY'RE ACTUALLY A BIG OFFICE HERE. WE'VE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF THAT, UM, PRE OPENING. SO WE'VE BEEN AT THOSE SHOWS TELLING 'EM WHO WE ARE. WE WILL GIVE THEM A SNEAK PEEK HERE IN UM, IN THE AREA, IN THE HILTON FOLKS IN THE AREA TO SEE THE ALREADY. AND THEN OF COURSE COMMERCIALS. HILTON HAS COMMERCIALS. COMMERCIALS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. UM, FOR US TO DO A COMMERCIAL ON OUR OWN WOULD BE VERY PRICEY. HOWEVER, WE WILL, OH, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE TO DO A COMMERCIAL? I MEAN IT DEPENDS ON HOW LONG COMMERCIAL WOULD STATIONS. UM, MARRIOTT PAYS A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR SOME OF THEIR COMMERCIALS PER COURTYARD. YOU HAVE TO HAVE MASS, UM, AMOUNT OF HOTELS FOR IT TO BE AFFORDABLE. ANYTIME A BRAND DOES IT, EVERY HOTEL IN THAT BRAND IS CHARGED. BUT IT'S SO LITTLE ON A P AND L BECAUSE THEY SPREAD IT IN THE MASSES. WHEN SPRING HILL SUITES, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN MARRIOTT CAME UP OR HOME TWO WITH HILTON CAME UP, IT TOOK UNTIL THEY GOT TO A HUNDRED HOTELS WHERE IT'S EVEN BE AFFORD. SO, SO THAT'S WHERE IF WE TRIED TO GO DO OUR OWN COMMERCIAL AND BE, BUT WE CAN PLAY OFF OF THEIR COMMERCIALS. IS THAT COMMERCIAL LIKE THAT PRICED POINT? IS THAT NATIONWIDE MARKET OR JUST NOT A LOCAL MARKET? YOU CAN DO DO THEIR EXPENSIVE TO, DEPENDING ON THE STATION, WHEN WE DO GRAND OPENINGS, WE WILL INVITE AND DO THINGS THAT WE WILL TRY TO GET COVERAGE. AND WE DO THAT IN EVERY CITY. WE HAVE GOT COVERAGE LOCALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BRAND OPENING. AND AS WE DO EVENTS HERE, WE'LL DO THE SAME. YOU INVITE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN GET SOME LOCAL COVERAGE FROM WITHOUT ACTUALLY PAYING . UM, AND THEN WE'LL LOOK INTO, SO IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND YOUR RETURN, IT'S HARD TO DO AN ROI AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ON SOCIAL NOW AND ACTUALLY SAY, I SPENT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THIS IS THE REAL NICE I GOT FROM IT AND THIS IS WHERE MY MONEY SHOULD GO AND THIS IS WHERE MY MONEY SHOULD NOT. SO IT'S VERY HARD TO GET ROI ON IT. UM, BRANDS HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM IT A LITTLE BIT. THEY SEEM LESS ROI UNLESS THEY'RE TAGGED WITH NFL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND AS YOU SAW A COURTYARD GO TO NFL, IT REALLY HAS BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE FOR WHAT THEY'RE GETTING BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING NETFLIX AND HULU AND NOT LOCAL STATIONS. SO IF YOU GO TO BRAND, UM, WE REP ALL BRAND, UH, BOARDS TOO. COURT ISLAND CONCORD DOES, THEY REALLY ARE GETTING AWAY FROM TV. NOT ALL THE WAY, BUT THEY'RE NOT SPENDING AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO TV. THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF THE PLANES. I KNOW Y'ALL SAT ON PLANES. MARRIOT BUILT FROM UP ON THE PLANES. THEY DO A LOT OF THAT TOO BECAUSE IT REALLY REACHES PEOPLE. [00:40:01] SO SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SAME OF COURSE. UM, MARKETING FIRM IS EPIC CENTRAL TO KEEP THE SAME MESSAGE FILMING AND WE'LL BE INCREASING AWARENESS, IMPROVING CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT ALL THROUGH FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, THERE'S A LOT OF TIKTOK SUPER INFLUENCERS WILL USE. UM, DALLAS IS HUGE IN TIKTOK. IF YOU'RE NOT OUT THERE ON TIKTOK, IT REALLY IS MAIN, IT HAS PUT A LOT OF RESTAURANTS ON THE MAP HERE. IT'S A HUGE THING. I FOLLOW ALL OF 'EM. SO, UM, WE WILL PLAY IN THAT WORLD TO PUT US ON THE MAP AND GET US MOVING. AND THEN THAT'S ALL WE HAVE. SO ANY QUESTIONS ON, I WANTED TO GO FAST SO I CAN BE TIME. WHEN ARE YOU OPENING? DECEMBER 7TH IS OUR DATE GOOD? THAT'S WHAT ANDY AND HE SHOULD KNOW SAID THAT WE'RE STILL DOING THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THE 14TH. YES. SO WE ARE DOING THE RIBBON CUTTING. THAT WILL BE A VERY, JUST VERIFYING YOU ANDY, THAT WILL BE A VERY SMALL INTIMATE AFFAIR. THE RIBBON CUTTING. UM, 'CAUSE OUR BIG EVENT WILL BE IN FEBRUARY, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT YOU'D WANT US ALL THERE ON 14TH. YOU EVEN WANT ALL YOU THERE ON 14TH. YES. THE PAINTING OF THE BUILDING IS GONNA BE THE HOMEWOOD SUITES THROUGHOUT FOR BOTH BUILDINGS. NOW HOMEWOOD IS ONE SIDE AND HOME GARDEN IS THE OTHER. IT'S TWO DIFFERENT BRANDS. HOMEWOOD IS SUITES THAT HAVE KITCHENS AND THEY'RE REALLY HARD. NO, HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE PAINTING, THE COLOR PAINTING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE, THE COLOR. WHAT'S THE COLOR? IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE HOMEWOOD SUITES COLOR FOR BOTH BUILDINGS OR BOTH BUILDING IS GONNA BE THE SAME COLOR. IT IS MORE FOR HOMEWOOD. YEAH, ON THE OUTSIDE. SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU MEANT LIKE THE, WHAT'S THE COLORS GONNA BE? SAME COLOR ON BOTH HOTELS. YEAH, WE GOT, WE GOT YOUR PARKING SIGN UP, PARKING YEARS. OH. SO YOU KNOW, MORE BASE POINTS. POLITE. WELL YOU NEED TO STAY WITH US. WE'LL MAKE YOU WHERE YOU GOING? YEAH, THEY JUST SEND ME YOUR NUMBER. I'LL, WE'LL GET YOU DONE FOR ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD. SO FOR THE TRADE SHOWS, YOU SAID 64 BOOTS. WHAT ARE THE SIZE? UH, THEY'RE EIGHT FOOT TABLES. EIGHT. THAT'S A LOT. THANKS. YEAH. UM, A LITTLE HISTORY FOR THOSE YOU IN THE ROOM AND NEW ONES. THIS WAS NOT EASY WITH THE COMPTROLLER TO PICK THIS SIZE. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CONCORD. THE BRIER BILL, MOST BILLS DON'T GET DOWN IN THE WEEDS. IT JUST SAYS YOU GOTTA BUILD A LARGE CONVENTION CENTER. WELL, WHAT'S LARGE? AND UH, WE HAD TO GET SENATOR WEST INVOLVED TO FINALLY GET THE COMPTROLLER TO AUTHORIZE A SIZE FOR US. WE WENT DOWN THERE, WANTED THIS SIZE. THAT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH, BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD A 25,000 SQUARE FOOT WENT. WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THAT BIG. IT WAS SO TO GET THIS APPROVED BY THE COMPTROLLER TO GET THAT 6% BACK FOR THE 10 YEARS, WHICH IS REAL CRITICAL. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE BRIER BILL. ALTHOUGH BILL, I'VE ALWAYS CALLED THE BRIER BILL. UH, IT WAS NOT EASY. YOU WERE THERE WITH US MEETING HIM AND ALL, BUT SENATOR WEST DID A LOT OF, COME ON, GIVE HIM A NUMBER, TELL HIM, AND I THINK WE SETTLED ON 13,000. I FORGET WHAT'S 10, 10,000. SO THAT, THAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS NOW YOU CAN'T GET PRE-APPROVAL. YEAH. THERE IS A, A FUNNY STORY. UH, IT WASN'T SO FUNNY AT THE TIME, , UH, WE, WE GOT A REJECTION LETTER FROM THE COMPTROLLER. UM, WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING ON A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING THE FIRST WHATEVER, WHICH WAS ON BEACH FORT WORTH AND THE ARMY DALLAS. WE GOT A REJECTION LETTER FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AND, UH, TOM HART SITTING THERE, THEN TOM CALLED ME AND HE SAID, BRANDON, BEFORE I TELL YOU YOU'RE FIRED, YOU NEED TO TELL ME THAT WE HAVE A PLAN TO GET THIS STRUNG AROUND . AND UH, IT WAS NOT EASY. IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS NOT EASY. YEAH. SO I'LL GIVE YOU MY DIAMOND NUMBER. I MEAN, , I'LL TELL YOU THIS, I DON'T WANNA STAY ENOUGH NIGHTS ANYWHERE TO BE, I'M NOT AN ELECTED OF JUST LEAVE IT THERE. NOW I AM. TELL YOU. SO THAT STORY. ANYBODY ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE? BYE BRANDON. HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME. THANK Y'ALL. THANKS GUYS. WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE ALL SAFE. THANK, THANK Y'ALL. APPRECIATE IT. UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE, BEFORE WE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS COMING. RIGHT? DO WHAT I MEAN WE ALL KIND OF KNEW AND LET'S DON'T BE UPSET ABOUT IT. I MEAN IT IS WHAT IT IS. UH, BUT BILL HAS AN IDEA GOING FORWARD, NOT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ONE. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THESE TONIGHT. BUT [00:45:01] BILL HAS A SUGGESTION FAR AS GOING FORWARD THAT HE JUST MENTIONED TO ME BEFORE TONIGHT'S MEETING. SO BILL, TAKE THE FLOOR AND GIVE US YOUR SUGGESTION GOING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT YEAR. UM, MY SUGGESTION TO THE COUNCIL AND MOVING FORWARD BEGINNING IN JANUARY IS BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF THE SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS THAT WE CREATE A PERIOD FOR SUBMISSION FROM JANUARY ONE TO JANUARY 31 IS THE PERIOD OF TIME WHERE A REQUEST FOR FUNDING CAN BE SUBMITTED. AFTER THAT IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED, IT'LL BE A CUTOFF TIME AND UNTIL THEY CANNOT SUBMIT AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR. THE REASON I'M SUGGESTING THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE TO THE POINT NOW WHERE Y'ALL ARE RECEIVING REQUESTS ALMOST EVERY MEETING MM-HMM . AND WE, IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US AS STAFF AND FOR YOU AS A COUNCIL TO BUDGET WHAT YOU WANT TO SPEND IN SO FAR AS THIS IS CONCERNED. SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AS STAFF IS BRING IT BACK TO YOU AND WITH A PROPOSED BUDGET AND WE WILL BASE IT ON THOSE THAT YOU HAVE APPROVED TO DATE OKAY. AND MOVE FROM THERE. AND THAT WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING SOME ORDER TO THE PROCESS OF REQUESTING FUNDING FROM THE CITY FOR THE DIFFERENT EVENTS. WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? COULD WE CONSIDER YOUR SUGGESTION ON SAYING CONSIDER, UM, DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN EVENT FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR. SO WE CAN BUDGET FOR THAT. WE COULD DO IT FOR NEXT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WORKSHOP. RIGHT. ARE YOU OKAY WITH DOING IT THIS WAY FOR THIS TIME? ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. KIND OF GET US STARTED. YES SIR. LET'S LET HIM DO THAT. AND I DON'T DISAGREE. WE CAN DO IT. I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO DO IT DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. 'CAUSE THAT CAN GETS 'EM GOING ON JANUARY 1ST IF THERE'S AN EVENT IN JANUARY 1ST. BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL BILL. I LOVE THE IDEA. UH, AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE SOME ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT DO MORE THAN ONE EVENT, BIG EVENTS, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING EVERY ONE OF 'EM. AND I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T DO EVERY ONE OR SHOULD NOT OR SHOULD, BUT ONCE WE HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER, BUT ONE APPLICATION WE CAN KIND OF SEE INSTEAD OF DOING A PIECEMEAL OUT, AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE, WHO WANTS TO BE THE ONE THAT DENIES SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, I'LL GO FIRST. YEAH. SO I'LL, BUT AS YOU, I DON'T KNOW TO, I I THINK WE SHOULD LIMIT THAT TO 500 EACH JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY GIVEN HER MONEY ALREADY THIS YEAR. A LOT OF THIS STUFF SHE CATERS HERSELF SO SHE'S GONNA BE PAYING HERSELF AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE A BIG SOT BEEN LONGER COP THREE OR THE FOURTH WOULD BE WHO'S THE PERSON THAT'S BEYOND THIS ORGANIZATION? UH, DOMINGUEZ. OKAY. YOU SAID SHE'S, YEAH. IS IT, IS THAT PART OF FOUR? IS SHE PART OF FOUR ALSO? YOU SAID YOU SAID ONE, ONE THROUGH THREE. THREE DOWN THREE. THE WHAT'S THE PLEASURE? YOU KNOW, I 500 SEEMS A LITTLE LOW, BUT THAT, BUT THE, THE 9,000 SEEMS A LITTLE HIGH, YOU KNOW, BUT IF THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL WANNA DO, 500, I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH A THOUSAND EACH RIGHT NOW THE FIRST TIME. BUT WHATEVER Y'ALL WANT TO DO, I, I SUPPORT WITH, WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN DEBOSKY SAID. UH, I DUNNO ABOUT HOW JOHN FEELS ABOUT IT. THEIR HISPANIC EVENTS I DON'T WANT AND I WANT TO HELP THEM. YEAH. WHICH THEY ALREADY GET. SHE ALREADY GET SPONSOR MONEY FROM OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND OUR STATE REP. BUT, AND I, YEAH, I'D GIVE 'EM TO AND YOU GIVE 'EM SOME. SO DOES SHE HAVE, DOES THAT UH, ORGANIZATION HAVE OTHER EVENTS THAT WE DO SPONSOR? YES. YEAH. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY HE, HIS SUGGESTION. GOOD. RIGHT. SO I'M GONNA HEARING, UH, ALL WE NEED IS A MOTION OUT THERE. SO ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. WHAT ABOUT NUMBER FOUR? I DON'T KNOW WHO NUMBER FOUR IS. LULAC. LULAC. BEFORE WE REVIEW THAT ONE, ONE EDIT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE IS REMOVING GLTB FROM THAT. CORRECT? JUST FOR THE, THE FEAR OF COMBINING POLITICS WITH GOVERNMENT. THAT'S OKAY WITH ME. JUST REMOVE THE G LT THAT MAKE A MOTION OUT THERE. SOMEBODY. WE'LL SEE IF YOU GET, WELL, 10 K IS FOR THOSE ITEMS. SO IS THE THEY WANT LESS THAT WE REMOVE ONE OF THOSE ITEMS? WELL, OR THEY STILL WANT THE SAME AMOUNT. IT'S, IT, THOSE ITEMS IS WHAT THEY PARTICIPATE THAT THEY HAVE TO GO AND TRY TO RAISE FUNDS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE, THESE ARE NOT ONLY THE CITY CHAPTER, BUT ALL THE CHAPTERS THAT ARE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT THEY NEED HELP FOR, UH, RAISING FUNDS SO THE KIDS CAN GO TO THE CONVENTIONS. ARE WE GONNA LIMIT GOTV IN IN THE NO, WE'RE GONNA REMOVE IT. [00:50:01] WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE IT AS PART OF THE MOTION WE'RE GIVEN. IT'S JUST FOR FACE THEN. UM, JUST TO POINT CLARIFICATION. YES, YES. UM, SO BECAUSE THIS IS CITY DOLLARS, THERE NEEDS TO BE A DIRECT PUBLIC PURPOSE TOWARDS THE CITY. SO ANY, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S A NATIONAL CONVENTION I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST, UM, THAT TYPE, USING MONEY TOWARDS THAT TYPE OF THING NEEDS TO HAVE A IMPACT TOWARDS THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE DIRECTLY. SO WE YOU YOUR SUGGESTION WE STRIKE THAT ALSO. YES. MEGAN, WHAT IF SOME OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO THAT CONVENTION THAT'S EMBRACING HISPANIC HERITAGE ARE FROM THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE? CAN THERE NOT BE AN ARGUMENT MADE TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE ? YOU COULD AND I, SO, UM, MAYBE PART OF THE MOTION COULD JUST BE TO HAVE STAFF WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE FUNDING IS SPENT ON PURPOSE EASIER. WOULD THAT WORK? YOU KNOW, WE CAME BACK FROM, UH, NLC AND ASKED STAFF THEN TO BRING YOUTH UP TO, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HUGE GATHERING OF YOUTH AT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES OF DC AND MAYBE YOU JUST TAKE, NOT TAKE AWAY FROM HERE, BUT HOWEVER Y'ALL WANNA DO IT. BUT I THINK HER CORRECT HER WAY OF WORDING IT WOULD HELP. OKAY. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THEM TO A NATIONAL CONVENTION IF THEY'RE GRAND PRAIRIE STUDENT. YOU THINK THEY SHOULDN'T BE? I THINK THEY SHOULD BE. OH, IT SHOULD BE SOUND LIKE YOU SAID. SHOULDN'T, SHOULDN'T BE. YEAH. I, I, I THINK, I THINK TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY. I THINK MEGAN DOESN'T, WHAT SHE'S WANTING US TO DO DOESN'T PRECLUDE THAT. PREVENT IT. PREVENT IT. SO BY TAKING THAT, THE MOTION, WE'RE NOT TAKING IT OFF. RIGHT. WE'RE KEEPING IT, WE'RE JUST ADDING THE CAVEAT. WE'RE JUST ADDING, YEAH, WE'RE ADDING LANGUAGE. THE CAVEAT IS THAT STAFF WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD BET TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS THE LAW. THAT'S ALREADY NO MATTER OF THE LAW. WE'RE NOT SAYING THEY CAN'T GO. CAN'T DO IT. ALRIGHT. LIKE I SAID, WE CAN'T VOTE IN HERE ON IT, BUT WE'LL HEAR A MOTION OUT THERE. COUNCILMAN MAY, MAYOR PRO TIMM LOPEZ. YEAH, THE ONLY THING I ASKED BILL, I I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TIMEFRAME, BUT JUST LOOK AT THE OVERALL POLICY TO ME IT'S, IT'S TOO GREAT. I THINK WE NEED TO ADD MORE CHECK MARK JUST TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT CAN SUBMITTED. I AGREE. SO I'LL ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UM, BRING US BACK SOMETHING, LOOK AT SOMETHING AND, AND SEE HOW WE COULD MAKE IT A LOT CLEARER TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND HAVE IT BACK TO US BEFORE JANUARY SO WE BE ABLE TO GET IT TO WILL DO. ALRIGHT SIR. MAY I? YES. UM, WITH THE, UH, LARGE REQUESTS, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF ORGANIZATION, WHICH SOMETIMES PRECLUDES SOME OF THE SMALLER FOLKS THAT WANT A HUNDRED DOLLARS SPONSORSHIP, RIGHT? SO WITHIN THAT BILL, COULD YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO, IN MY OPINION MAYBE UNDER A HUNDRED DOLLARS, A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND UNDER, IF YOU DO A REQUEST, CITY MANAGER CAN SAY THAT'S A GREAT DEAL. IF WE'RE BE ASKING, WE ALREADY HAVE 500 THINK IT'S 500. SO I CAN JUST GET 500. YEAH. WITHOUT GOING COUNCIL. CORRECT. ONE TIME. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND THAT'S JUST EVERY OTHER WEEK. WELL, IT'S UP DISCRETION UNTIL HE'S TOO DISCRETIONARY. WE CHANGE IT. THAT MAYOR, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M ASKING FOR US TO PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET. HEY, YOU'RE, WE'VE ALREADY SAID YES, MAYOR. YES. WITH THAT COMMITTEE THAT YOU SET UP THAT'S INVESTIGATED THIS, WHAT HAVE Y'ALL FOUND? NO, I DIDN'T SET ONE UP. COPS UP? NO, NO. MY AD HOC COMMITTEE. I SET UP THAT HE'S THE CHAIR. HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. GOT ALL KIND OF ADC. YEAH. AND WHAT IS THE TIME AROUND TIME TO HAVE SOMETHING TO IT THAT WE'RE WHAT GONNA HAVE IN NOVEMBER? I'M NOT GONNA FORM AD HOC ON IT EITHER. THIS AD HOC MAY BE THE LAST AD HOC I EVER DO. ? NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD AD HOC COMMITTEE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM Y'ALL. UM, AND THIS, UH, SO AGENDA REVIEW, MAYOR PRO TE ALRIGHT, UM, WANNA SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT SENDS OUT TO Y'ALL. I NEED CLARIFICATION ON, THERE'S A BUTTON GETTING TABLED. DO YOU SEE THAT? YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THAT MOTION? IT'S THE BOTTOM OF PAGE FIVE, BUT IT'S 49 ITEMS ON PAGE SIX. . SO IT'S NINE BE UP. DISCUSS TONIGHT. NOPE, IT'S TAPD. OKAY. 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. 44 ARE BEING TAPD. AND I WANTED TO LOVE THE TABLE A LOT MORE BECAUSE THE RANGER STARTED AT 7 0 3. MAYOR? YES SIR. 27. [00:55:01] 27 ADAM 27 MICROCHIPPING. WHO CAN TALK ABOUT MICROCHIPPING? GO AHEAD. I GOT IT. THANK YOU. SO, UH, THE GOAL OF THE, UH, ITEM 27 IS TO TRY AND GET OUR, UH, OUR PETS TO GET LOOSE BACK TO THEIR OWNERS. SO, UM, THIS IS COMMON FOR OTHER CITIES OUR SIZE. THEY'RE EITHER CHARGING CITIZENS A FEE OR REGISTRATION TO HAVE A PET. BUT IN OUR VIEW, THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY VALUE TO THAT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REUNITE THE OWNERS WITH THE PET. OR THE OTHER OPTION IS THE MICROCHIP. AND THAT'S, UH, AGAIN, TRY TO GET, UH, HOME. WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE ORDINANCE? ARE WE REQUIRED PEOPLE? YES. YES, SIR. NOT REGISTER MICRO SHIFT. CORRECT. IT, IT, WELL, WELL NO. UH, IT'S VERY INEXPENSIVE. IT'S, BUT THE ANSWER IS NO. IT'S $15, $15 NUMEROUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR US ASSISTANCE TO COME AND GET IT DONE FOR REDUCED PRICE OR, AND IF A CITIZEN'S DOG OR CAT AND IT'S WHAT IS THE GRAND? WELL, OUR GOAL IS TO REUNITE THEM WITH THE OWNER. SO, UH, IF A FAMILY MEMBER COMES AND FINDS THE PET AND THEY'RE NOT MICROCHIPS, WE'RE JUST GONNA MICROCHIP. SO IF THE CONCERN IS THEY'RE GONNA GET A CITATION, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE RESIDENT CALLS. Y'ALL TEXT THE DOG TO THE, TO PRAIRIE FALLS COMPLAINING ABOUT IT. WHAT ARE Y'ALL GONNA DO IF THE DOG ISN'T MICROCHIP COMPLAINING THAT THERE'S A DOG? NOT MICROCHIP. NO. YOU KNOW, I HAD THAT RESIDENT THAT WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DOG IN THE HEAT AND SHE TOOK IT TO THE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND WAS HAVING ISSUES THERE. AND THE DOG LISTEN TO MICROCHIP, I PRESUME. WHAT WOULD, IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO TURN OVER A DOG TO PRAIRIE POLICY YEAH, THAT'S NOT MICROCHIP. THE THE CHALLENGE I THINK WOULD BE WHO, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT CITATION, WHO TO RIGHT. BUT SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR THAT LOST DOG. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THE DOG WAS LEFT IN THE HEAT OR WHATEVER WAS LOST IN THE HEAT. AND A CONCERNED RESIDENTS SAW THAT THEY WERE DRIVING AT THAT LATER DID, TOOK IT TO, UH, THE SHELTER. HOW, AND SOMEONE'S TRYING TO FIND IT, DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE DOG IS AT. ARE Y'ALL THEN GONNA FIND THE, THE DOG OWNER THAT DOES COME TO THE SHELTER LATER? NO, I, I, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME TRACKING, SIR. BUT, BUT LET, MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION THIS WAY. I, HE FINDS IT, IT'S NOT CHIP. HE TURNS IT IN. I GO PICK IT UP. ARE YOU GONNA FIND ME? NO, THANK YOU. YOU'RE MICRO CHIP. THAT AUTHORITY EXISTS, BUT YOU'RE NOT, THE GOAL IS TO, TO, TO TRY TO GET MORE PETS. BUT WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE HAVING MY QUESTION. THAT'S HIS QUESTION. WE'RE HAVING A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH OVERCROWDING RIGHT NOW. WE QUALIFY AS A NO KILL SHELTER BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY HAVING TO PUT DOWN ANIMALS THAT ARE, UH, ILL INCREDIBLY VICIOUS. WE WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. SO THE GOAL HERE IS TO TRY TO GET, UH, RESPONSIBLE OWNERS TO MICROCHIP THEIR ANIMALS. SO IF THEY COME TO OUR SHELTER, WE CAN GET 'EM BACK OUT. THIS IS NOT TO, UH, GENERATE REVENUE. SO YEAH. NOW THAT'S IT THERE. LET ME BE CLEAR, SIR, IF I MAY, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU, THERE WILL NEVER BE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY WON'T GET A CITATION. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY JUST DUMBING THE LAW, THAT IS NOT YOUR INTENT. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS COME APPLY FOR ONE OF THESE FUNDS FOR $10,000 NEXT MONTH AND WE'LL APPROVE IT REALLY QUICK. THE POLICE CHIEF WILL NOT BE APPROVED FOR REFUND, FOR, FOR MICROCHIP. THAT IS YOUR QUESTION, SIR. YES, THANK YOU. YOU BET, MAYOR. COUNSEL FOR ITEM NUMBER 36. THE REASON IT ON INDIVIDUAL IS BECAUSE, UM, F AND G REQUESTED IT TO BE ON INDIVIDUAL AFTER A, UM, ONE OF THE FITTERS WHO WAS NOT THE HIGHEST FITTER CAME AND HAD SOME CONCERNS WITH THE BIDDING PROCESS. JUST SO YOU KNOW, I, I INVESTIGATED IT AND, UM, THERE WE DID EVERYTHING FINE. EVERYTHING WAS ABOVE BOARD. I SO YOU'RE STILL RECOMMENDING WE APPROVE 36? YES, SIR. AND I BUT IT'S NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE OF THAT. CORRECT. BUT I SPOKE WITH THE, THE LOSING BIDDER. HE SEEMED SATISFIED. I DON'T, I I DON'T SEE HIM HERE TODAY. I DON'T THINK HE'S COMING. I THINK HE WAS CONFIDENT IN THE RESPONSE THAT, THANK YOU FOR GOING OUTTA YOUR WAY AND I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE CROWNS BACK. Y'ALL DON'T KNOW IF CROWNS WAS JUST UH, FOUR BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET FROM MY BUSINESS AND MANY OF MY EMPLOYEES WHEN IT WAS OPEN WOULD GO DOWN THERE AND EAST LONG, LONG TIME AGO. 'CAUSE WE'RE RIGHT THERE ON THAT STREET. MAYOR PRO PHARMACY, I HAVE A QUESTION, MEGAN. ITEM 13 DISCUSSING ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? [01:00:03] SO MAAM, FROM TIM, I'M GONNA WANT YOU TO DO THE TABLING ALSO. OKAY. WHERE YOU TRY THEM ALL TOGETHER OR ALL TOGETHER. CAN'T WE TABLE ALL THOSE AT ONCE? YES SIR. YES. THANK YOU. STAFF. WHOEVER'S RUNNING THE FRONT DESK, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, AND 44 BEING TABLED, YOU MAY TELL ANYBODY THAT'S SIGNING UP WHO, WHO HANG, WHO'S GOT FRONT Y'ALL, Y'ALL TAKE CARE OF WHOEVER'S GOT FRONT DESK, TAKE CARE OF IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT HAVE SIT THERE. OKAY, THE GOVERNMENT, THE CITY COUNCIL MAY CONDUCT CODE SESSION PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5 1 SUB CHAPTER D OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE DPC, TO DISCUSSING THE FOLLOWING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ITEM ONE, SECTION 5 5 1 0.071. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY SHORT TERM RENTALS, REYNOLDS LEGAL UPDATE ON SENATE BILL 2038. ITEM TWO, SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY ITEM FOUR, SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS. WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO SEE AT YOUR REGULAR MEETING. * 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.