* 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.
          [00:00:05]
          THE SECOND SATURDAY OF AUGUST MEANS A NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS NEAR, AND THAT BRINGS HUNDREDS OF GRAND PRAIRIE STUDENTS TO THE CHARLIE TAYLOR RECREATION CENTER TO PICK OUT FREE BACKPACKS, GET SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND EVEN GRAB SOME SNACKS. 
          I GOT A DINOSAUR ONE AND A MECHANICAL CANCER AND A REGULAR, IT'S THE CITY'S ANNUAL SCHOOL SUPPLY GIVEAWAY SPONSORED BY THE PARTS ARTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND WELLPOINT HEALTH SERVICES, A ONE-STOP SHOP TO HELP THE STUDENTS GEAR UP FOR A NEW YEAR IN THE CLASSROOM. 
          AND TO ALSO SHOWCASE FOR PARENTS SOME OF THE GREAT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM IN THE SAME COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'LL SOON SEND THEIR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL. 
          WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SERVICED PROPERLY. 
          FOR ME, OVER THE COURSE OF TIME IN THE CAREER, UH, I, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE WORD COMMUNITY A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH AND RIGHT THERE EMBEDDED IN THE WORD COMMUNITY IS THE WORD UNITY. 
          AND SO THE WHOLE IDEA IS HOW CAN WE SERVE? HOW CAN WE PREPARE OUR KIDS FOR SCHOOL? HOW CAN WE PUT A MEAL IN A PERSON'S HAND THAT MAY BE HUNGRY? HOW CAN WE DO ALL THESE THINGS? AND SO IT'S ALL ABOUT BRINGING OURSELVES TOGETHER UNDER THAT WORD. 
          UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY MAKES ME FEEL PROUD THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO STEP INTO SCHOOL ON THE FIRST DAY WITH ALL THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, BACKPACKS, WHATEVER THEIR NEEDS ARE SO THEY CAN SUCCEED. 
          IT'S JUST A JOY TO JUST GET ALL THESE RESOURCES TOGETHER AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS IN GRAND PRAIRIE HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND HAVE A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. 
          NEARLY 800 BACKPACKS WERE HANDED OUT DURING THIS YEAR'S GIVEAWAY EVENT. 
          1, 2, 3, 5. 
          THERE'S A NEW KIND OF RESTAURANT OPEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE'S, EPIC CENTRAL ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. 
          SIRIUS EATS IS A FOOD HALL STYLE EATERY OFFERING, BUILD YOUR OWN SHAKES, SLIDERS, AND PIZZA. 
          IT'S THE LATEST OFFERING FROM MILKSHAKE CONCEPTS, WHICH ALSO OWNS THE DORA AND THE FINCH LOCATED NEXT DOOR CUSTOMERS. 
          WERE EXCITED TO SEE THE FOOD HALL OPEN FOR BUSINESS. 
          IT'S DELICIOUS. 
          UM, THE SLICES ARE BIG. 
          THE PIECE OF SLICES ARE BIG, SO WE LIKE THAT. 
          BUT WE LOVE THIS, THIS ATMOSPHERE. 
          IT'S GOT THE BAND. 
          YOU GOT THE OPEN BAR FOR THE GROWNUPS, SO WE LOVE IT. 
          OFFICIALS SAY SERIOUS EAT WILL ADD TO THE CITY'S GROWING REPUTATION AS A FAMILY FRIENDLY DESTINATION. 
          WE WANTED THIS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO PROVIDE FAMILIES THAT COME OUT HERE AND WATCH THAT SHOW AT EIGHT 30 AT NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN HERE AND GET THEIR KIDS A SHAKE, GET THEMSELVES A COCKTAIL IF THEY WANT TO HAVE A PIZZA SIT DOWN OR STROLL AROUND OUT HERE EATING THAT SLATTER. 
          WE REALLY DO HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CONCEPT. 
          LISTEN, IT'S, IT'S DESIGNED TO BE FUN. 
          THE FOOD IS FANTASTIC, BUT ULTIMATELY WANT PEOPLE TO COME HERE, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND HAVE FUN. 
          YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR AND MENU OPTIONS BY VISITING EAT-SIRIUS.COM. 
          IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR THE GRAND PRAIRIE LIBRARY'S SUMMER READING CLUB. 
          ALTOGETHER, OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE READ OVER 3 MILLION MINUTES HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING AND SO IS HOW THE LIBRARY STAFF SAID THANK YOU. 
          HERE YOU GO. 
          TWO CHICK-FIL-AS. 
          DON'T FORGET YOUR STICKER WITH THEIR SRC COSMIC ADVENTURE SCI-FI SUMMER FINALE. 
          A FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY SATURDAY MORNING CELEBRATION WITH ALL KINDS OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES. 
          1, 2, 3, LIKE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES WITH COSMIC CHARACTERS. 
          A SPACE THEMED COMMUNITY ART PROJECT. 
          DO IT YOURSELF. 
          CARDBOARD ART, ENGINEERING, MAKE IT AND TAKE IT FINGER BALANCING ROBOTS AND GLOW IN THE DARK BRACELETS. 
          SO TO GO ON IN, WE JUST SLAMMED THROUGH THE DOOR. 
          BUT THE BIGGEST STAR OF THIS SHOW, COURTESY OF THE FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY, WAS THE NOBLE MOBILE PLANETARIUM. 
          A MESMERIZING AND ENTERTAINING WAY TO EDUCATE EVERYBODY THAT WENT INSIDE ABOUT ASTRONOMY AND THE WONDERS OF OUTER SPACE. 
          WE'RE WRAPPING EVERYTHING UP WITH OUR BIG SCI-FI PARTY TO JUST CELEBRATE ALL THE READING THAT WE'VE DONE AND ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE'VE DONE. 
          AND WE FEEL LIKE WITH THESE EXPERIENCES, WITH THESE HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS, KIDS ARE LEARNING AT EVERY TURN. 
          AND THE GOOD NEWS IS IT'S NOT OVER YET. 
          THERE'S STILL TIME LEFT FOR EVEN MORE READING, LEARNING, AND FUN BEFORE THIS YEAR'S SUMMER READING CLUB ENDS. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          YOU STILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST TO FILL OUT AND TURN IN YOUR READING LOGS. 
          FOR EVERY LOG YOU FINISH, YOU CAN GET A PRIZE, WHICH COULD EITHER BE A COUPON, A BOOK, OR SOMETHING FROM OUR TREASURE CHEST AND TEENS AND ADULTS. 
          CHECK OUR FLYERS AND HANDOUTS. 
          SRC 2024 CONTINUES THROUGH AUGUST 31ST. 
          [00:05:02]
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO GPTX.ORG/LIBRARY. 
          THIS WILL BE SEEN FROM A GREATER DISTANCE SO THE WHOLE BOTTOM WILL BE DOING EXTRA COLOR TO DARKEN IT. 
          IT'S A PROJECT UNLIKE ANY OTHER EVER SEEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE BEFORE BECAUSE IT MEANT GOING WHERE NO ONE HAS EVER GONE BEFORE. 
          UH, 140 FEET AND HIGHER FOR OVER SEVEN MONTHS. 
          THAT'S WHERE ARTIST ERIC HAND WAS HAPPY TO GO WHENEVER HE COULD TO PUT HIS VERY UNIQUE SKILLS TO WORK METICULOUSLY AND CAREFULLY HAND PAINTING THE THREE MASSIVE EYE-CATCHING MURALS THAT HAVE GIVEN AN UNMISTAKABLE IDENTITY TO THE CITY'S NEW WATER TOWER THAT STANDS PROUDLY ABOVE FIRE STATION NUMBER THREE ON ROBINSON ROAD. 
          TIMES HAVE CHANGED SO THERE'S MORE ATTENTION TO THESE WATER TOWERS AND THEY BECOME A LANDMARK AND PEOPLE IDENTIFY AREAS WITH THE WATER TOWER. 
          JUST THE WATER TOWER ON ITS OWN IS AMAZING BECAUSE WE KNOW WE BUILT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA SUPPORT OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS AS WELL AS FUTURE RESIDENTS AND THE GROWTH OF THE CITY. 
          BUT IT WAS ALSO A LOT OF FUN WORKING WITH THE ART AND JUST SOMETHING CREATIVE FOR YEARS TO COME. 
          WE CAN LOOK AT AND HAVE PRIDE THAT WE ARE A PART OF, BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO THE PREDECESSOR THAT IT WILL SOON REPLACE AND EQUIPPED WITH 21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL HANDLE TWICE THE WATER CAPACITY AND PROVIDE EVEN BETTER QUALITY. 
          THE NEW TOWER IS STATE OF THE ART IN EVERY WAY, AND THANKS TO THE VISION OF CITY LEADERS AND ONE AMAZING ARTIST THAT INCLUDES A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE GRAND PRAIRIE LANDSCAPE THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO PASS BY IT EVERY DAY ARE ALREADY GETTING TO ENJOY STAFF. 
          WORKED WITH CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO COME UP WITH IMAGES THAT REALLY REPRESENTED THE CITY AND WHAT WE CAME UP WITH, THE EPIC JOE COOL LAKE AND LONE STAR PARK, WHICH IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE SCENE BECAUSE OF THE, THE COLORS. 
          AND IT WAS REALLY THE HARDEST AND THE MOST CHALLENGING, BUT I THINK IT REALLY ADDS SO MUCH TO THIS TOWER. 
          AND HE WOULD KNOW PROJECTS LIKE THIS HAVE NOW BEEN ERIC'S SPECIALTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. 
          I'VE BEEN IN LIKE 45 STATES AND I'VE BEEN FROM NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA TO AUSTRALIA. 
          BUT HE SAYS THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT HAS LEFT HIM WITH LASTING MEMORIES, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN HE EXPECTED, MAINLY DUE TO TEXAS WEATHER FROM FREEZING SNOW, ICE, TORNADOES, HIGH WINDS, HAIL, FLOODS, YOU NAME IT. 
          TEXAS HAS HAD IT THIS YEAR AND I'VE WITNESSED IT. 
          BUT HE ALSO GOT TO WITNESS PLENTY OF SPECTACULAR GRAND PRAIRIE SUNSETS TOO, LIKE THE ONE HE LEFT HOVERING ABOVE THE CITY FOR ALL TO SEE. 
          AND HE ALSO GOT TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND WHILE UP IN THE AIR ON APRIL 8TH, THE DAY OF THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. 
          AND WE GOT TO SEE THE WHOLE HORIZON, HOW IT TURNED DARK AND IT LIGHTENED UP AGAIN. 
          AND THAT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT AND IT WAS NEAT TO ACTUALLY BE IN MY ELEMENT UP THERE IN THE LIFT. 
          THAT WAS A, A SPECIAL ONE. 
          WHAT HE DID FOR GRAND PRAIRIE IS PRETTY SPECIAL TOO. 
          WELL, ERIC IS AMAZING AND IT'S BEEN A JOY TO WATCH HIM TAKE THE CITY'S VISION AND MAKE IT COME TO LIFE. 
          MY BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT OF WORKING UP IN THE AIR AND WORKING IN A NEW COMMUNITY IS SEEING THE PRIDE IN THAT COMMUNITY. 
          IT'S A BLESSING AND IT'S ALSO VERY GRATIFYING. 
          OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW STATE OF THE ART WATER TOWER WILL BE READY TO SERVE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES BY THIS FALL.
* 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.