[00:00:01]
[* A portion of this meeting is without audio *]
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.[COUNCIL MEMBER DEL BOSQUE MEMORIUM]
WE ARE REMEMBERING OUR COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE DKI AND THE SERVICE HE GAVE TO OUR CITY.OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY WHO'S HERE TONIGHT, HIS LOVED ONES AND ALL WHO WERE TOUCHED BY HIS LIFE.
MIKE CARED DEEPLY ABOUT HIS CI CITY.
HE WAS ELECTED TO GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL IN 2017, AND THROUGH HIS REELECTION IN 2020 AND 2023, HE SERVED WITH PURPOSE AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
HE BELIEVED IN SHOWING UP, STAYING INVOLVED, AND DOING WORK THAT MATTERED TO THE PEOPLE HE SERVED.
HIS IMPACT WILL BE FELT FOR YEARS TO COME.
AS THE FIRST LATINO ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL, MIKE BROKE BARRIERS AND OPENED DOORS FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.
HE SERVED AS MAYOR PRO TEM IN 2021, THE 20 21, 20 22 YEAR.
AND AS DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM IN 2021, MIKE LEAVES A LEGACY OF MEANINGFUL WORK.
HE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN GRAND PRAIRIE'S ACQUISITION OF MOUNTAIN CREEK PARK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW THIS, BUT IT WAS IN DALLAS.
IT WAS DALLAS'S LAND, AND WE COULDN'T HARDLY DO ANYTHING.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER MIKE WAS ELECTED, HE GOT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE DISTRICT IN EAST WEST DALLAS THAT HAD IT AND WORKED OUT A DEAL WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT FROM DALLAS.
IT HELPED TRANSFORM IT INTO A PLACE FOR FAMILIES TOGETHER, AND WE RENAMED IT ME FAMILIA PARK.
HE ALSO ASSISTED IN SECURING $400,000 FROM DALLAS COUNTY FOR THE SYCAMORE PARK PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT IN 2025 SUPPORTED THE LAKE PARKS MASTER PLAN AND SPONSORED ANNUAL HEALTH FAIRS IN HIS DISTRICT AT CHARLIE TAYLOR RECREATION CENTER TO PROMOTE WELLNESS AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR RESIDENTS.
MORE RECENTLY, HE HELPED LEAD OUR FIRST HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH COMMITTEE FOCUSED ON CELEBRATING CULTURE AND PROMOTING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
HE ALSO GAVE HIS TIME AND ENERGY TO THE CITY COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, THE SPORTS FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN MANY CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS.
AMONG THEM WERE LULAC, WHERE HE WAS HONORED AS MAN OF THE YEAR IN 2021, THE ASSOCIATION OF HISPANIC MUNICIPAL LEADERS, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
[00:05:01]
OF CITIES ELECTED OFFICIALS, CONS, CONSTITUENCY GROUP, AND TARGET EVOLUTION, WHERE HE MENTORED YOUNG STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS.HIS SERVICE EXTENDED BEYOND CITY HALL.
MIKE SUPPORTED COMMUNITY FOCUS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE RYDER, TOMORROW'S LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES, AND THE GRAND PRAIRIE PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER.
IN 2025, HE WAS RECOGNIZED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PRESENTED TO HIM BY THE NAACP, AN HONOR THAT SPEAKS TO A LIFETIME DEDICATED TO SERVICE AT HIS CORE.
MIKE WAS A FAMILY MAN AND A MAN OF FAITH.
HE SERVED AS A PARISHIONER AT ST.
MICHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL CATHOLIC CHURCH, A VOLUNTEER COACH FOR YOUTH SOCCER AND BASEBALL, AND WAS FOUNDER OF THE ADE BOSKY FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP.
HE CARED DEEPLY ABOUT CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION.
MIKE HAS SURVIVED BY HIS PARENTS, ELOISE AND FRANK, THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
HIS SIBLINGS AND HIS TWO CHILDREN.
THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT WHO WERE THE LIFE OF HIS LIFE.
WE WILL REMEMBER MIKE, NOT ONLY FOR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT FOR HIS GENEROSITY AND HIS DEDICATED BELIEF IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
HE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.
ELOISA, I KNOW YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS.
WOULD YOU AND FRANK JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM? RIGHT UP RIGHT UP HERE, PLEASE.
CAN I HAVE SOMETHING TO PRESENT TO, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR YOUR SYMPATHY AND KINDNESS IN OUR TIME OF SORROW, WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK MR. BILL HILL AND CITY STAFF, MR. RAY, POLICE CHIEFS, HE AND HIS DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY ASSISTANT CHIEF TEAM SLIVA.
THE SUPPORT AND COMFORT THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED FOR US WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED BY OUR FAMILY.
AND MADE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER BLESS ALL OF YOU.
I WANT TO SHOW Y'ALL SOMETHING.
I WANNA PRESENT IT TO YOU, WHAT, WHAT OUR STAFF DID FOR YOU.
YOU WANNA HOLD THAT ONE PLEASE, SIR.
MICHAEL, WHEN HE WAS MAYOR PRO TIM, AND MICHAEL, I'LL GET YOU HOLD THIS ONE FOR A PICTURE.
GET, GET GET YOUR SON IN HERE.
LET'S TURN IT AROUND FOR A PICTURE, PLEASE.
MIKE, YOU KNOW MIKE HAD LUNCH WITH HIS MOM AND DAD EVERY WEEK, EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY.
RIGHT? UH, CAN'T IMAGINE THE SORRY.
UH, HE LOVED YOU AND YOUR SISTER.
HE WAS LOOKING TO TEACH THAT YOUNG MAN HOW TO FISH AND HUNT, BECAUSE THAT WHAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS MIKE LOVED TO DO.
HE'D TAKE YOU DOVE HUNTING FROM THE DAY YOU WERE HIS AGE, PROBABLY.
AND SO, UH, WE'LL BE PRAYING FOR Y'ALL AND KNOW THAT HE IS THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY FROM ALL OF US.
AND, UH, I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO JOHN.
JOHN, THEY WERE LIKE BROTHERS, UH, AND WOULD GO TO AUSTIN TOGETHER MANY TIMES.
OUR SISTER FROM DO YOU? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE KNOWN HIM FOR SO LONG, JOHN, KURT, AND KURT EVERY MORNING.
MIKE WAS GONNA TEACH HIM HOW TO FISH.
AND MAYBE GET HIM OUT DO HUNTING.
BUT HE WILL BE MISSED IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
[00:10:10]
THANK YOU.OUR, OUR PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN FROM JOSH, GIVEN BY JOSH BRISCO, THE GATEWAY CHURCH.
FOLLOWING THAT, OUR PLEASURES WILL BE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BESSIE ADAMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WE JUST WANNA TELL YOU, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE, THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH AND THE GREAT CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, WE'RE STANDING WITH YOU.
WE LOVE YOU, AND WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT YOU.
AND SO I THINK IT'S, I IMPORTANT AS WE PRAY TONIGHT, TO PRAY FOR ALL THOSE WHO'VE LOST LOVED ONES, THAT GOD WOULD COMFORT THEM DURING THE SEASON.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR HEARING OUR PRAYERS ON EARTH BELOW.
YOU, YOU DON'T JUST HEAR THEM.
AND TODAY, GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU.
AND WE FIRST WE JUST PRAY, GOD, YOUR CONTINUED COMFORT AND PEACE OVER THE FAMILY, OVER MIKE'S FAMILY, GOD, OVER EVERY SINGLE PERSON, LORD, WE THANK YOU GOD, FOR, UM, BEING A, A, A FATHER FROM HEAVEN WHO IS NEVER FAR YOU, NEVER LEAVE US OR FOR OR FORSAKE US.
YOU NEVER DESERT US IN OUR, IN FACT, IN OUR TIME OF NEED, YOU DRAW CLOSER TO US.
AND SO WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD, FOR DRAWING CLOSE TO THIS FAMILY AND BEING WITH HIM DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
AND WE PRAY, GOD, FOR, UM, ALL OF THE DECISIONS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, ALL OF THE THINGS COMING AHEAD OF US, LIKE THE BIG EVENT THIS SATURDAY AND, UH, RESURRECTION EASTER WEEKEND COMING UP, LORD, AND ALL OF THE THINGS HAPPENING, LORD, IN THE CITY, CITY, IN THE, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EVERYTHING, WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD, FOR GIVING US WISDOM AND GIVING US DISCERNMENT, LORD, FOR GIVING US UNITY.
AND, AND THIS, WE JUST SPEAK A BLESSING OVER THIS CITY COUNCIL AND OVER THIS MAYOR.
WE THANK YOU FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
WE PRAY YOUR BLESSING OVER THEM, YOUR PROTECTION OVER THEM, AND GO, WE PRAY, YOU CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS GREAT CITY, THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE GOD.
AND AS YOU, AS WE GO FORWARD, EVEN, EVEN THINKING OF EASTER, THANK YOU, FATHER GOD FOR COMING FOR US AND GIVING US LIFE.
AND, AND WE HAVE THAT RESURRECTION POWER LIFE.
SO WE PRAY THIS ALL, AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FAITH REPRESENTED.
BUT WE, I PRAY FOR THIS IN JESUS NAME.
PLEASE JOIN US IN RECITING THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO OUR US FLAG AND OUR STATE FLAG.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ON TEXAS.
FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO TEXAS.
ONE STATE, SAY UNDER GOD ONE AN INDIVIDUAL.
[3. Resolution Canvassing and Declaring Results of the March 14, 2026, Runoff Election to Fill a Vacancy for Unexpired Term of City Council Member Place 8 At Large]
THAT WE NEED TO DO TONIGHT IS CANVAS THE VOTE.BEFORE YOU, UM, IS A COPY OF THE RESOLUTION CANVASSING AND DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE MARCH 14TH, 2026 RUNOFF ELECTION TO FILL THE VACANCY FOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE EIGHT AT LARGE FOR AN, AN EXPIRED TERM.
AS DISCUSSED IN BRIEFING, UH, THE EXHIBIT A HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS FROM EACH OF THE COUNTIES.
AND THE VOTES STAND AT, UM, 1,935 VOTES FOR CANDIDATE KOCA AND 2012 VOTES FOR RODNEY ANDERSON.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR ACCEPT A MOTION.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE THAT WE APPROVE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER THREE.
I, SHORT TIME MAYOR PRO TEM JUNIOR ZANU, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR PROTI, KURT JOHNSON, ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
AY, OPPOSED, AY NAY, MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO NOTHING.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE HARD TO DO FOR A WHILE.
AND YOU KNOW WHY IT'S THIS EIGHT OF US WHILE WE'RE ON THAT SUBJECT, YEARS AND YEARS AGO, YOU
[00:15:01]
COULD APPOINT REPLACEMENTS.UM, SO THIS WILL REMAIN EMPTY.
AND THAT POSITION UNFILLED UNTIL A NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN DULY SWORN IN.
[4. Certificate of Election and Oath of Office for Council Member Place 8 At Large to Fill a Vacancy for Unexpired Term]
WE GET TO THE CERTI CUT OF ELECTION OF OATH.NOW, RODNEY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD WITH YOUR FAMILY AFTER YOU'RE SWORN IN, JUST PAUSE A LITTLE BIT.
'CAUSE I'LL GIVE DEPUTY, I'LL DO GIVE MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE MIC TO SAY HIS REGARDS AND THEN I'LL INVITE YOU UP.
WELL, AND, AND I PO YOU KNOW, IT IS TOUGH AFTER FOLLOWING WHAT WE JUST HAD TO DO.
BUT THIS IS A JOYOUS OCCASION FOR YOU, RODNEY.
AND I'M SORRY WE'RE HAVE TO DO IT THE SAME NIGHT, BUT, UM, UNDERSTOOD.
IT IS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING, YOU AND YOUR, YOUR FAMILY AND SUPPORTERS.
WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO STAND? RIGHT HERE.
I'LL, I'LL, THERE I TAKE DIRECTION PRETTY EASY, CAM.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL GRAND PRAIRIE MEMBER AT PLACE AT LARGE PLACE EIGHT AT LARGE.
THAT, THAT IS A, THAT IS A, THAT'S A LOT.
CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL CITY GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE A PLACE EIGHT AT LARGE AT LARGE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
CAN I JUST STAND RIGHT HERE? NO, THAT, THAT MEANS, THAT MEANS Y'ALL.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIMM, JUNIOR ZANU, AS IS CUSTOMARY.
UM, I PROMISE I WASN'T GONNA TEAR UP BEING UP HERE, BUT IT'S TOUGH.
UM, CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY JUNIOR.
WE, WE NEED THE PEOPLE TO HOME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
YOU DON'T TO BE QUICK, JUST BE LOUD.
I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SERVE.
I WAS 22 YEARS OLD AND YOU GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE CITY, AND IT IS BEEN SUCH A BLESSING.
I'VE GROWN IN THIS ROLE, AND IT'S A VERY BITTERSWEET FEELING LEAVING TODAY.
UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I OFFER MY CONDOLENCES TO MIKE DEBOSKEY'S FAMILY.
UM, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR.
I WANNA THANK CITY MANAGER BILL HILLS.
WHENEVER I'VE CALLED ON Y'ALL FOR ASSISTANCE OR GUIDANCE OR MENTORSHIP, YOU GAVE IT TO ME.
I WANNA THANK THE RESIDENTS OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
YOU BELIEVED IN ME AND YOU ALLOWED ME TO SERVE.
UM, IT IS VERY HARD TO LEAVE TODAY.
IT REALLY IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED THIS.
I I LOVE THIS WORK AND I KNOW I'M GONNA BE SERVING IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY, BUT I LEARNED SO MUCH HERE.
SO, RODNEY, I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU, AND IF I CAN BE OF SERVICE OR ASSISTANCE AS YOU TRANSITION INTO THIS ROLE, YOU HAVE MY NUMBER, GIMME A CALL.
AND, UH, JUST TO THE RESIDENCE OF GRAND PRAIRIE, THANK YOU AGAIN.
I'M GONNA MISS Y'ALL IN THIS ROLE, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU AND ANOTHER THANK YOU.
[00:20:40]
COUNCIL MEMBER SHOTWELL, YOU'VE GOT YOUR LIGHT ON.I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR TO YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET, UH, PARTING, PARTING MR. ZANU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN AUSTIN SOLVING TEXAS'S PROBLEMS, LET'S STILL HAVE LUNCH AT THE AIRPORT, AND WE'LL SOLVE THE REST OF WORLD'S PROBLEMS LIKE WE HAVE BEFORE.
RODNEY, WHILE YOU'RE UP, GO AHEAD AND COME UP.
DOES THAT MAKE HIM LEGAL? YES.
I HAVE TO PUT MY GLASSES ON AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR.
UH, GUYS, I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS KNOW JUST HOW GOOD A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT JUNIOR ZANU WAS.
JUNIOR DID A, DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
HE CAME IN, HE LISTENED, HE LEARNED, AND I WILL TELL YOU, HE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT STATE REP AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN IN THAT SEAT.
UH, HE HAS THE RIGHT TEMPERAMENT, THE RIGHT, UH, UH, THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.
AND HE AND I HAVE ALREADY TALKED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
AND, UH, I WILL TELL YOU, HE'S, HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB AS, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, JUNIOR, I, IF I HAD A HAT ON, I'D TIP IT TO YOU.
UH, AND I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR RUNNING FOR THAT BECAUSE IT, IT GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BE BACK IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT THAT DID, THAT, DID A TON OF WORK.
IF I TRIED TO THANK THEM ALL, UH, UH, IT, I WOULD MISS SOMEBODY.
UH, BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT I REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO.
YOU KNOW, FIRST, UH, HEATHER, MY WIFE, UM, SPOUSES.
SPOUSES, UH, AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, UH, THEY TAKE THINGS REALLY PERSONAL.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.
UH, THANK YOU, HEATHER, FOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO RUN.
AND FOR THOSE THAT KNOW THE STORY THIS TIME, I ASKED HER IF IT WAS OKAY TO RUN THE LAST TIME I DIDN'T.
AND THERE'S STILL A, THERE'S A, THE FUNNY STORY BEHIND THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MY DAD.
UH, MY DAD IS HERE TONIGHT, BENNY, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM.
UM, WHEN I WAS A STATE REP, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT MY GRANDFATHER, UH, MY BIGGEST FEAR WAS NOT FAILURE.
MY BIGGEST FEAR WAS, UH, TARNISHING MY FAMILY'S NAME.
I, I SURVIVED THREE TERMS IN THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT DOING THAT.
AND I FULLY INTEND TO DO THE SAME HERE.
HIS BEST FRIEND CHARLIE, WHO'S RIGHT NEXT TO HIM.
CHARLIE'S KINDA LIKE MY, MY, UH, UM, HE'S LIKE MY SECOND FATHER, BUT HE'S REALLY MORE LIKE THE OLDER BROTHER THAT NEVER GREW UP.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW CHARLIE, UH, UH, CHARLIE DOESN'T HAVE ANY GRAY HAIR.
AND CHARLIE'S NOT MUCH YOUNGER THAN MY DAD.
BUT THERE'S, AND, AND THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY MORE, BUT THERE'S ONE MORE.
SHE'S SOMEONE I, I TOOK TO THE POLLS TO VOTE.
I I, I, I GOT IN THE CAR AND I PICKED HER UP AT, AT THE RETREAT AND TOOK HER TO VOTE.
UH, AND SHE, SHE IS ONE OF THE, SHE REPRESENTS GRAND PRAIRIE.
SHE'S SOMEBODY THAT, SHE'S, SHE'S FROM CALIFORNIA.
SHE'S LIVING CALIFORNIA AND SHE'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS OF, WE, THERE WERE SO MANY MORE LIKE THAT.
[00:25:01]
WANTED TO, TO TO POINT HER OUT BECAUSE SHE, SHE MADE A, MADE A A POINT TO BE HERE TONIGHT.AND I SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ANTOINETTE PLE, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO FOLKS, JUST, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, I WANTED TO POINT HER OUT BECAUSE, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, VIVIAN, SANDY, UH, UH, SCOTT, EMILY, I MEAN, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU GUYS SO VERY MUCH.
AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, UH, FOR ENTRUSTING ME WITH THIS, THIS, UH, CITYWIDE SEAT.
AND MAYOR, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
[5. Certificates of Recognition for Grand Prairie High School Students Jacob Ramirez and Brady Golden]
ARE YOU HERE? VERY SIR.AND THEN AFTER I PRESENT YOU, I'D LIKE FOR BRADY GOLDEN TO BE READY TO COME DOWN.
BUT JACOB, WHY DON'T YOU UP HERE BY YOURSELF.
DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE TONIGHT? MAYOR, COME ON UP HERE.
EMILY, DID YOU, I'VE ALREADY HAD A PICTURE, BUT I'LL COME GIVE YOU A HUG.
IN HONORED IN CELEBRATION OF WINNING THE STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP, NOT SECOND, WINNING IN THE 285 WEIGHT CLASS AT THE 2 26 UIL STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT TOURNAMENT, HOUSTON, HE'S THE FIRST STUDENT IN THE 124 YEARS HISTORY OF GRAND PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS WHERE REBECCA AND I GRADUATED NOT 124 YEARS AGO,
I THINK WE COULD PUT A PAIR OF BOXING GLOVES.
ONLY YOU COULD BOX IN THAT CLASS.
BRINGING GREAT PRIDE TO THE SCHOOL AND THE ENTIRE GRAND PRAIRIE COMMUNITY.
BY THE WAY, AUTHORITY BEST IN ME IS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
I HAVE ISSUED THIS HONOR TODAY A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.
DIFFERENT WEIGHT CLASS, OF COURSE.
WHAT GRADE IS HE IN? HE'S A JUNIOR.
ARE YOU, WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN? I'M A SENIOR, SIR.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
PROTE.SO BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO YOU, I HAVE SOME SPEAKERS.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND READ THE PUBLIC COMMENTS RULES AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN THE CONSENT AGENDA.
CITIZENS MAY SIGN UP TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
ALL SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMENT CARD PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.
FOR ITEMS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES FOR ALL ITEMS. CITIZENS MAY SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES ON ANY ITEM SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING, INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, OR CITIZEN COMMENTS.
APPLICANTS FOR ZONING MATTERS MAY SPEAK FOR FIVE MINUTES.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL OBSERVE THE RULES OF DECORUM AND EXHIBIT ORDERLY AND RESPECTFUL CONDUCT DURING THE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHALL DIRECT THEIR REMARKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND NOT THE AUDIENCE.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR ADDRESS, NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
[00:30:04]
NO, IT'S NOT YET.WE DO SEND COMMENTS AFTER
UM, READING INTO THE RECORD, REMAIN.
ARI, I DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK, BUT PLEASE RECORD MY SUPPORT.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, MS. PATSY RAY.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND TO THE AWAIT IN PUBLIC THAT ATTENDED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT.
I SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT D WORTH THAT LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER BECAUSE WE ARE PROUD OF OUR CENTER OUT THERE.
I ASKED CITY COUNCILMAN MS. BE, UH, BESSIE, ADAM, WHAT KIND OF RETURN AND TALK TO OUR, I THINK RON IS THE MANAGER OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
I'M STILL LEARNING ALL MY PEOPLE AT PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, HOW MUCH RETURN WE WERE GOING TO GO GET ON THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT.
AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING THEM THE MONEY THAT THEY, THE MONEY'S IN THE BUDGET FOR THEM TO GET WHAT THEY NEED AT ALL THREE PLACES THE SUMMIT SH SHOT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT, PATSY.
I LIVE ON HARPERS FERRY DRIVE, UH, GRAND PRAIRIE.
UM, I AM SPEAKING IN REGARDS TO ITEM NUMBER 11.
IS THAT THE ITEM YOU HAVE FOR ME? YOU SAID 10, I MEAN, I'M NO, BUT YOU CAN, WHICH ITEM DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON? UH, 11.
JUST WANTED TO BRING UP, I WAS SURPRISING 'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO BRIEFLY LOOK AT THE HOE AGENDA, BUT I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT WE'RE JUMPING ON A BANDWAGON ON CRUCIFYING, SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN DECEASED FOR OVER 33 YEARS AND MAKING CHANGES TO PEOPLE'S NAMES.
AND I, I THINK WE NEED TO BE FAIR, UM, ONE, BECAUSE HE'S NOT HERE TO DEFEND HIMSELF, AND THERE'S ALSO A PENDING ALLEGEDLY LAWSUIT RIGHT NOW AGAINST DOLORES HUERTA, UH, THAT WAS FILED ON SEPTEMBER OF 2025.
UM, AND THAT LAWSUIT ALLEGEDLY IS IN REGARDS TO WHISTLEBLOWER AND WRONGFUL TERMINATION, DISCRIMINATION, NEPOTISM, AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
SO I, IF THIS IS BECAUSE OF ACTIONS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ARE FACTS, UM, IT COULD BE HEARSAY, WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT IT, IT HAS SPREAD WIDE, UH, ALL THE WAY TO AUSTIN.
RIGHT? AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A, BE A LITTLE MORE DILIGENT TO SEE BEFORE WE JUMP ON THAT BANDWAGON AND SEE WHAT EVERY EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING.
ADAM 12, HAROLD, HAROLD, HAROLD WILLIS, 5 3 8 LINLEY.
WHAT IS A HYPER-CONVERGED INFRASTRUCTURE PLATFORM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY DATA CENTER? SORRY, KI PENNY, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.
IT IS A BIG COMPUTER SYSTEM, REALLY BIG, REALLY, THAT CONVERGES A LOT OF THINGS.
UH, IS THIS THE, HOW 9,000 OR WATSON
WHAT WILL BE THE LIFE ON THIS SYSTEM? DO WE THINK? FIVE YEARS.
WHEN WILL THIS SYSTEM BE INSTALLED? IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW SOON WE CAN EXECUTE THIS PURCHASE ORDER.
SO WE RIGHT NOW, WITH THE WAR GOING ON, THE THREAT OF INFORMATION BEING HACKED, HACKING INTO HER FROM OUR FOREIGN ENEMIES BEING HACKED IN.
WHAT TYPE OF PROTECTION DOES THIS SERVICE GIVE US AGAINST HACKS? SINCE THIS IS PUBLIC SAFETY, THERE CAN BE NO DOWNTIME FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, SO THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS SYSTEM IS, IS THAT IT'S GONNA BE IN OUR DATA CENTER.
SO IT'S GONNA BE PROTECTED BY THE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF CYBERSECURITY THAT WE HAVE.
DATA CENTER, JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT IS REPLACING IS YES, CORRECT.
[00:35:01]
THEN THE DATA CENTER LOCATED AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY.SO IT'S A SECURED THE IN THAT BUILDING.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE BACKUP GENERATORS, WE HAVE POWER FAILURE, THIS THING WE'LL BE ABLE TO SMOOTHLY TRANSITION WHEN WE LOSE ELECTRICITY AGAIN.
WE HAVE UNINTERRUPTED POWER SUPPLIES AND JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT WE HAVE NOW.
IS IT JUST SWAPPING IT OUT THAT, THAT'S FINE.
SO THAT WILL COME OUT OF GENERAL REVENUE FUND ON ANY KIND OF BOND FUNDS OR, UM, IT'S COMING OUT OF A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUND.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THIS ONE'S GONNA KEEP EVERYTHING IN PUBLIC SAFETY RUNNING 24 HOURS A DAY.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
TO REMEMBER.UH, HEARING ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL IN REGARDS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM SIX THROUGH 10, REMOVE, UH, ITEM 11 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVE ITEMS 12 THROUGH 13.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM KURT JOHNSON, WHO WILL BE, WE'RE NOT NAMING A MAYOR PRO TEM UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.
SO AS DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, HE AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMES THE NEXT IN LINE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BESSIE ADAMS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[11. Remove Cesar Chavez / Dolores Huerta Holiday from the City calendar and establish April 10th as Dolores Huerta Holiday]
I'D RECOGNIZE.ON ITEM 11, I MAKE THE FOLLOWING MOTION.
I MOVE TO AMEND THE CITY CALENDAR TO REMOVE CES CHAVEZ DELORES FOR THE HOLIDAY TO RE REMAIN THE MARCH 31ST, 2026 CITY HOLIDAY AS DOLORES WTA HOLIDAY, AND THEN OBSERVE DOLORES WTA HOLIDAY ON APRIL 10TH, BEGINNING FISCAL YEAR 2027.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY DE BY COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN LOPEZ.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER GEORGIA.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
ITEM CITIZEN COMMENTS.CITIZEN COMMENTS, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A WHILE, WE USED TO HOLD CITIZEN COMMENTS AT THE END.
TRINA HALL, TRINA, THANK YOU FOR THE PRETTY ARRANGEMENT YOU MADE FOR MIKE DEL BOSKY.
UM, ME AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER THAT HAS AUTISM.
SO IT'S A SPECIAL DEAL THAT I KNEW MY GRANDDAUGHTER WOULD WANT HIM TO HAVE IT, THEM, THE FAMILY TO HAVE IT.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING IT AND HAVING IT.
I LIVE AT 2 2 2 5 AVENUE BI LIVE IN THE AVENUES
SO I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M ASKING OUR CITY TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE STEPPING UP ON OUR, GETTING SOME THINGS DONE FOR OUR AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND AUTISTIC ADULTS.
CHILDREN DON'T GROW OUT OF IT.
WE NEED MORE IMPROVEMENTS ON GETTING ABILITIES FOR 'EM, SPECIAL ABILITIES FOR HOUSING, SPECIAL ABILITIES FOR EDUCATION, SPECIAL, AND AS WELL AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CREATING THAT NEEDS CHILDREN BE ABLE TO CREATE WITH ART BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT HELPS THEM A LOT MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
IT, IT IMPROVES THE CHILDREN WITH AUTISM WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY HAVE MINDS THAT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE.
AND SO I'M ASKING THAT OUR CITY TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN OUR CHILDREN.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE RUTHIE JACKSON.
WE DON'T HAVE JIM SWAFFORD NOW WE DON'T HAVE MAC DEBOSKY.
SO HECK, I WANTED TO BE THERE LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR DEBOSKY, BUT TWO OF MY GRANDKIDS TESTED POSITIVE FOR FLU B.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND ANYBODY WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF.
UH, ANOTHER LOSS FOR GRAND PRAIRIE.
UM, WE'LL GET SOMETHING OUT RIGHT NOW TONIGHT, WHAT YOU SAW WAS SOME HISTORY, NOT GOOD HISTORY BACK
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IN THE NINETIES.GRAND PRAIRIE MAYOR DWAYNE MCGUFFY IN THE LATE EIGHTIES.
DWAYNE MCGUFFY MADE IT VERY CLEAR, I'M SIMPLY MAYOR OF GRAND PRAIRIE TO RUN FOR CONGRESS AS A REPUBLICAN, I'M USING THIS POSITION TO ADVANCE MY POLITICAL CAREER.
JUNIOR RNO HAS PLAYED THE SAME CARD.
JUNIOR RNO HAS ADVANCED HIS OWN POLITICAL CAREER AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
HOW MUCH DID THESE TWO ELECTIONS COST THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS 5,050,000? SHOW US WHAT THIS ELECTION COST US FOR THESE TWO ELECTIONS.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW ERA IN POLITICAL POLITICS RIGHT NOW.
JUNIOR ZANU SHOULD PAY THE TAXPAYERS BACK FOR THESE TWO ELECTIONS BECAUSE THIS WAS SIMPLY A MOVE ON HIS BEHALF TO ADVANCE JUNIOR ZANU.
HOW MANY TIMES DID I CALL JUNIOR ZANU AND SAY JUNIOR SOUTH OF 20, WE DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY AGAIN.
JUNIOR SOUTH OF 20 SPECTRUM CABLE IS OUT AGAIN.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LAST JUNE, I WAS HOME FOR ABOUT EIGHT DAYS AFTER MY SEVEN HOUR BACK SURGERY WITH MY 40 STAPLES IN MY BACK.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND LOST ELECTRICITY AGAIN, WHERE IT WAS JUNIOR.
JUNIOR WAS TOO BUSY LOOKING AT ADVANCING HIS OWN POLITICAL CAREER.
JUNIOR WAS HERE FOR ONE REASON, TO ADVANCE JUNIOR.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE HIM.
I LIKED HIM TOO BECAUSE OF ME.
I TOLD JUNIOR BACK IN 21, I DIDN'T WANNA RUN IT, DIDN'T WANNA VOTE AGAINST GREG GESNER, BUT I WAS SO DISGUSTED BY REPUBLICANS AFTER JANUARY 6TH, I TOLD JUNIOR, THE VOTES AREN'T IN NORTHWEST GRAND PRAIRIE.
THE POWER BASE IN GRAND PRAIRIE IS ON THE PENINSULA.
THERE'S WHERE THE BLACK VOTERS ARE.
JUNIOR KNOCKED A LOT OF DOORS FOR JUNIOR, BUT JUNIOR FORGOT TO CALL PEOPLE BACK.
JUNIOR'S IN FOR REALITY THERAPY.
WHEN HE GETS DOWN TO AUSTIN AS A MINORITY DOWN THERE AND A DEMOCRAT, HE'LL FIND OUT WHAT'S SITTING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM MEANS.
AND ON THE TALL BOW COMMITTEE.
SO I JUST WANT TO GET THAT OUT THAT WHEN YOU 26, YOU YOUNG AND DUMB, YOU GOT SOME LIFE EXPERIENCES AHEAD OF YOU.
I HAD A WHOLE OTHER PRESENTATION READY UNTIL I CAME TODAY AND HEARD WHAT WAS SAID.
AND I WANT, FIRST OF ALL, MY CONDO TO MIKE.
WE DIDN'T GET ALONG VERY WELL IN TERMS OF POLITICALLY, BUT MIKE WOULD ANSWER MY PHONE CALLS.
JOE JUNIOR WOULD RESPOND TO ME AND SAY, HEY, WHAT DO YOU NEED, CHARLIE? SO I DON'T, NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY SAY JUNIOR DIDN'T RESPOND.
JUNIOR CALLED ME SEVERAL TIMES ON ISSUES.
AND TO ME, BEING ON COUNCIL IS ABOUT RESPONDING EVEN TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T AGREE WITH.
AND THAT, TO ME IS TRUE SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
AND I WANT TO, I WANNA COMMEND BOTH MIKE IN HIS, IN, IN HIS, UH, LIFE AND THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE DID FOR COUNCIL AND THANK HIM FOR THE CITY GRAND PRAIRIE ON MY BEHALF AS ONLY ONE CITIZEN OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND ALSO, I WANT TO THANK JUNIOR FOR WHAT HE DID.
I WISH HIM WELL IN, IN THE, IN THE STATE.
WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN PART, 'CAUSE I NOW I'VE GOT A LIMITED TIME, A THREE MINUTE RULE NOW IS I WANT TO TALK FIRST OF ALL ABOUT THE GO BOND.
MY CONCERN ABOUT THE GO BOND IS BASICALLY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNCIL OVER THE PAST YEAR, ROUGHLY, WE PASSED PROP A, WHICH INCREASED TAX THE QUARTER SENT.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER WE INCREASED TAXES AGAIN BY GOING TO THE MAXIMUM RATE ALLOWABLE BY STATE LAW IN THAT MEETING.
AND THEN THIS SCOPE BEING WOULD INCREASE TAXES AGAIN.
SO THAT'LL BE A THIRD EFFECTIVELY TAX INCREASE IN APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR.
AND IF YOU GO BACK EVEN MORE IN HISTORY, YOU KNOW, THE GO BOND THAT TOOK PLACE ALSO.
SO NOW WE'VE GOT FOUR DIFFERENT TAX INCREASES IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT CONCERNS ME, I WENT TO AN HOA MEETING A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND I WAS, UH, STUNNED BY SOME OF THE INFORMATION I WAS, I HEARD.
AND BY THE WAY, KURT ALSO RESPONDS TO MY CALLS PRETTY WELL EASILY.
AND I APPRECIATE KURT AND, AND TEXT.
I I COULD JUST TEXT HIM AS WELL.
AND, UH, I, I JUST NEED TO I GUESS KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WE TELL THEM UPFRONT THERE'S FOUR EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE SHOULD
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YOU CHOOSE TO PASS THIS GO BOND.THAT'S JUST STRAIGHT DOWN THE ARROW OF HISTORY OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT STREET, MAIN STREET FAIR, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY OR $461,000.
THAT MONEY COULD VERY WELL BEEN USED TO PROVIDE PAY RAISES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
TO MY UNDERSTANDING, ONLY SOME OF THE POLICING GOD RAISES ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SRO AGREEMENT WITH THE, WITH THE ISDS.
OTHER THAN THAT, NO ONE GOT IT.
THAT MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN VERY WELL USED TO SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO SUPPORT OUR POLICE AS OPPOSED TO A THREE DAY FAIR THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ATTENDED BY GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE FISCALLY MANAGE OUR MONEY AS BEST WE CAN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR OF CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS ROE AVARI, RESIDING GRAND PRAIRIE AT 24 7 6 DOCKSIDE DRIVE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MR. RODNEY ANDERSON SURROUNDING TONIGHT AS OUR PLACE EIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE WHO ALSO RAN ON THE PLATFORM TO BRING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY TO CITY GOVERNMENT IN MY PREVIOUS CITIZEN COMMENTS I MADE AT THE JUNE 17TH, AUGUST 5TH, AUGUST 19 AND SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
I REQUESTED FOR THE CITY TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO PANELS ON MY DRIVEWAY COMPLETE TO MY GARAGE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE EROSION AND BOARD UNDER MY DRIVEWAY BY THE CITY, CAUSED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE CITYSIDE, UH, WATER SERVER WASTEWATER CLEANUP.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIM FOR SENDING ME HIS LAST RESPONSE LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2025, AS WELL AS HIS EMAIL JUST SENT THIS MORNING DENYING MY REQUEST TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO PANELS OF MY DRIVEWAY.
AND CONSIDERING ALL MATTERS CLOSED AND THAT APPROPRIATE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN IN REGARDS TO OTHER ITEMS WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY AND SPECIFIC REASONS PROVIDED DUE TO THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, I HAD TO MAKE A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TO OBTAIN SPECIFIC REASONS WHY A SUBSEQUENT RULING WAS ALSO PROVIDED BY THIS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
IN REGARDS TO EXEMPTIONS, THE CITY REQUESTED TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION THAT REQUIRED THE RELEASE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION, I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY BY THE CITY TO REVIEW THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON MARCH 5TH.
BASED ON MY VIEWING OF THE RECENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED, I HAVE THE FOLLOWING CONCERNS.
THERE IS, ONE, THERE IS NO DOCUMENTED DEVALUATION OF THE NEW INFORMATION I PROVIDED TO THE CITY FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MY DRIVEWAY TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO PALLETS PANELS.
TWO, THE POOR WORKMANSHIP ISSUES CAUSING PONDING ALONG MY REPLACED DRIVEWAY BY THE CITY REMAINS NOT ADDRESSED.
THREE, MY REQUEST FOR DETERMINING AND ADDRESSING THE STREET AND GUTTER SETTLEMENT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND NEIGHBOR HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN IGNORED AND NOT ADDRESSED.
FOUR, THE BROADER COMMUNITY RELATED ISSUES OUTLINED REMAIN UNRESOLVED TO MOVE FORWARD CONSTRUCTIVELY.
I REQUEST THE FOLLOWING, ONE EXPLANATION OF THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS PREVIOUSLY REFERENCED, INCLUDING PROVIDING REASONS WHY TO INCLUDE WHAT WAS DONE.
TWO, A DETAILED ITEMIZED BREAKDOWN OF THE CAUSE ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.
JUSTIFICATION FOR ALL THE CHARGES I'M EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THE CLAIM.
750 RECORDS PROVIDED, WHICH WILL MULTIPLE COPIES OF THE SAME EMAIL AND TO INCLUDE ANY APPEAL PROCESS.
A CLEAR PAN PLAN AND TIMELINE TO ADDRESS THE REMAINING DRIVER REPLACEMENT OF THE TWO PANELS COMPLETE TO THE GARAGE AND WORKMANSHIP ISSUES.
FOUR, CHANGES TO CERTAIN EXISTING POLICIES AND CREATING POLICIES WILL NONE EXIST.
AND FIVE, STATUS UPDATE AND RESOLUTION OF THE BROADER OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY RELATED ISSUES.
MY REQUEST TONIGHT IS TO MEET WITH THE CITY MANAGEMENT THANK STAFF TO DISCUSS IT.
THANK YOU FOR THE EMAILS YOU'VE SENT US.
[14. Contract with Elite Golf, LLC, for operations and management at Tangle Ridge Golf Course in the amount of $72,000/Annual Flat Fee for one year with the option to renew for four additional one-year terms, plus possible incentives, with a not to exceed amount of $144,000 for any single year, for a total of $720,000 ]
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR, WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER 14.STAFF, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT WE WILL GET TO THE CITIZEN COMMENTS.
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HOLD ON ONE SECOND.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, RAY SERTA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS ARTS AND RECREATION.
WE CAME BEFORE THE FINANCE AND GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF TANGLE RIDGE GOLF CLUB.
AS THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT ENTERED ITS FINAL YEAR WITH NO RENEWALS REMAINING.
DURING THAT MEETING, WE PRESENTED SEVERAL POSSIBLE OPERATING MODELS AND ASKED THE COMMITTEE GUIDANCE ON HOW THEY WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PROCEED.
THE COMMITTEE DIRECTED US TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR A FULL SERVICE MANAGEMENT FIRM TO OVERSEE THE ENTIRE OPERATIONS, INCLUDING CLUBHOUSE, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, AND MAINTAIN OPERATIONS.
FOLLOWING THAT DIRECTION, OUR TEAM MOVED FORWARD WITH THE RFP PROCESS.
WE CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PROPOSALS, PROPOSALS RECEIVED AND EVALUATED EACH SUBMISSION BASED ON OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, AND OVER FALL OVERALL FIT FOR TANGO RIDGE.
TODAY WE'RE HERE TO SHOW YOU SHARE THE RESULTS OF THAT PROCESS AND PRESENT OUR RECOMMENDATION FIRM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STEVEN BOWLES, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE FINANCIAL DIVISION CHIEF, AND CHRIS MAHOKY, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO WALK YOU THROUGH MORE IN DETAILS.
UH, AS RAY SAID, I'M STEVEN BOWLES, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL DIVISION CHIEF OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
UM, RAY ALSO MENTIONED BACK IN AUGUST OF THIS PAST YEAR, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAME BEFORE THE FINANCING GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE AWARE THAT THE CURRENT VENDOR AT TANGLE RIDGE GOLF COURSE WAS ENTERING INTO THE FINAL RENEWAL, UM, THE 10TH AND FINAL RENEWAL ON THEIR EXISTING CONTRACT, AND THAT IT WOULD BE COMING TO AN END WITH NO RENEWALS REMAINING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
UM, TO ADDRESS THAT, WE PRESENTED THREE OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
ONE WAS TO ISSUE AN RFP SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT THAT IS TO, UH, LOOK FOR AN OPERATOR TO MAINTAIN THE, UH, CLUBHOUSE AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPERATIONS AT THE COURSE WHILE THE CITY MAINTAINS THE COURSE ITSELF.
OPTION TWO WAS TO ISSUE AN RFP TO OPERATE ALL ASPECTS OF THE OPERATION TO INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE COMPONENT.
OPTION NUMBER THREE WAS TO ISSUE NO RFP AT ALL AND FOR THE CITY TO TAKE, UH, ASSUMPTION OF ALL THE OPERATIONS AT TANGLE RIDGE.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE F AND G COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT WE PUT OUT TO BID AN RFP TO OPERATE ALL ASPECTS OF THE OPERATION.
WE ISSUED THE RFP ON AUGUST 25TH.
IT WENT OUT IN THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, AS WELL AS WAS POSTED ON PLANET BIDS.
AND IT WAS ALSO SENT OUT TO 41 DIFFERENT IDENTIFIED VENDORS IN THAT SPACE.
THE CITY RECEIVED NINE RESPONSES.
THE TOP SEVEN OF THOSE RESPONSES WERE INTERVIEWED, INCLUDING THE CURRENT VENDOR AT TANGLE RIDGE.
THE HIGHEST SCORING AT THAT, THE, THE TWO HIGHEST SCORING VENDORS BY THAT POINT WERE IT BROUGHT BACK FOR A SECOND ROUND INTERVIEW HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS WE SELECTED ELITE GOLF MANAGEMENT AS THEY HAD THE HIGHEST SCORE, UM, TO BE OUR RECOMMENDATION.
ELITE GOLF WAS FOUNDED IN 2009.
THEY OPERATE 10 COURSES UNDER MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS IN SIX DIFFERENT STATES.
FOUR OF THOSE MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS ARE FROM MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES, VERY SIMILAR TO TANGLE RIDGE.
THEY ALSO HAVE FOUR LOCAL COURSES HERE IN OUR AREA, INCLUDING SOUTHERN OAKS GOLF CLUB AND BURLESON IRVING GOLF CLUB AND IRVING WHITESTONE GOLF CLUB IN BENBROOK AND HARBOR LAKES GOLF CLUB IN GRANBURY.
THEIR OWNER, KEITH FLAT, IS FROM THE FW AREA.
HE GREW UP PLAYING AT GRAND PRAIRIE MUNICIPAL COURSES, UM, BOTH AT, UH, WHAT WAS CALLED GRAND PRAIRIE MUNICIPAL NOW PRAIRIE LAKES AND HAS ALSO PLAYED TGO RIDGE SINCE IT OPENED BACK IN THE NINETIES.
UH, KEY FLAT AND SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM ELITE GOLF ARE HERE TODAY.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, ELITE'S PROPOSAL INCLUDES $12,000 OF THEIR OWN FUNDS TOWARDS CAPITAL COMMITMENT AT THE, UH, AT THE SITE BASED ON OUR JUDGMENT.
AND THIS COULD BE IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE OR COURSE, UH, UP TO THE CITY'S JUDGMENT.
THE CONTRACT ITSELF INCLUDES A $72,000 ANNUAL FLAT FEE FOR MANAGE OF THE ENTIRE OPERATION, INCLUDING THE GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE.
AND THEN THERE ARE ADDITIONAL TIERED INCENTIVES UP TO AN ADDITIONAL 72,000 FOR 144 MAXIMUM AMOUNT PAID OUT ANNUALLY.
FOR THAT, THE CITY RECEIVES A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE NET PROFIT OF THE GREEN OR THE, THE GOLF REVENUE, WHICH INCLUDES THE GREENS FEES, CART FEES, RANGE FEES, AND ANNUAL PASS FEES.
WE ALSO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE NET PROFIT OF PRO SHOP RETAIL SALES AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES.
I HIGHLIGHT THOSE TWO BECAUSE IT'S A STARK DIFFERENCE FROM OUR CURRENT CONTRACT WHERE WE RECEIVE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE
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GROSS PRO SHOP AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES, 5% AND 10% RESPECTIVELY.AS FAR AS THE BOTTOM LINE TO THE GOLF FUND, WHICH I'D REMIND EVERYONE AGAIN, THE GOLF FUND IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ENTER ENTERPRISE FUND FROM THE CITY'S, UH, GENERAL FUND OR EVEN THE PARK VENUE FUND.
IT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY SALES TAX OR ANY OTHER TAX.
UM, IT IS COMPLETELY SELF-SUFFICIENT ON ITS OWN OPERATING REVENUES.
UH, OUR 2026 PROJECTION WITH THE CURRENT VENDOR PUT OUR REVENUES AT JUST SHY OF $2.2 MILLION, UH, UNDER A FULL YEAR WITH ELITE GOLF MANAGEMENT.
WE'D BE LOOKING AT CLOSER TO 2.7.
THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE THERE, THAT HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS, UH, IN THAT INCREASED REVENUES WE GET FROM FOOD AND BEVERAGE AS WELL AS FROM THE PRO SHOP RETAIL SALES.
THAT IS, WITHOUT RAISING ANY RATES OR CHANGING ANY OTHER COSTS AT THE, AT THE COURSE.
EXPENDITURES DO INCREASE AS WELL WITH TAKING ON THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE FULL AMOUNT AND THE PRO SHOP FULL AMOUNT, WE WILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL OVERHEAD THAT'S BUYING THE PRODUCT THAT WE'RE TURNING AROUND AND THEN SELLING.
BUT THE NET IS A POSITIVE TO US.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT OUR PROJECTIONS THIS YEAR BEING AROUND 243, 240 $4,000 IN NET PROFIT AT TANGLE RIDGE A YEAR UNDER ELITE GOLF.
AGAIN, WITH NO CHANGES TO COST TO THE CUSTOMERS, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A LITTLE OVER 400,000.
UH, THAT'S A CHANGE OF ABOUT $160,000, WHICH MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT AGAIN, UH, THE GOLF FUND IS ENTIRELY SELF-SUFFICIENT.
EVERY DOLLAR MATTERS IN THAT FUND.
OVER THE COURSE OF A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, WE'D BE LOOKING AT ADDING $2 MILLION TO THE BOTTOM LINE, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.
SO BASED ON ALL OF THAT, THE PARKS AND ARTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A CONTRACT WITH ELITE GOLF MANAGEMENT AFTER THEY SCORED THE HIGHEST AND ALL OF OUR EVALUATIONS, WE RECOMMEND AWARDING JUST A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH OPTIONAL RENEWALS, WHICH THE CITY CAN EXECUTE AS AT ITS DISCRETION, GIVING US MORE FLEXIBILITY.
IN THE FUTURE, IF THE CITY DECIDES TO CHANGE COURSE, UH, THE TOTAL AMOUNT WOULD NOT EXCEED 144,000 ANNUALLY.
THAT'S IF ALL OF THE INCENTIVE TIER ARE REACHED, WHICH WOULD BE A TOTAL OF $720,000 OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS IF ALL INCENTIVES WERE REACHED.
AND ALL, UH, RENEWALS WERE EXECUTED WITH THAT.
WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL.
WE WERE BRIEFED ON THIS AND ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS DURING THE BRIEFING.
UH, I SUGGEST WE GET TO THE SPEAKERS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE 'EM AT THAT TIME.
YOU CAN STAY CLOSE 'CAUSE I MAY NEED YOUR HELP ANSWERING THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT GO AHEAD, ERIC HEADEN.
MR. MAYOR, EVERYBODY, I'M NOT USED TO BEING ON THIS SIDE OF THE MICROPHONE, SO THIS IS, UH, INTERESTING FOR ME.
SO ANYWAY, I'M IN GENERAL, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
UM, I, UH, HAVE SPENT FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY AT, UH, TANGLE RIDGE.
I'VE DEPOSITED MANY BALLS INTO THE BUSHES AND THE LAKES AND YOU KNOW, SO I'VE MADE LOTS OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GOLF COURSE.
UM, I RIDGE ONE OF MY FAVORITE GOLF COURSES I'VE EVER PLAYED ANYWHERE.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST THAT THE VENDORS BEING PAID.
CAN THEY PAY SALARIES? CAN THEY KEEP THE MAINTENANCE UP AT THAT LEVEL? UH, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S ENOUGH THERE TO ME TO PAY THE SALARIES TO PERFORM THE MAINTENANCE AND THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
THEY WON'T BE PAYING IT OUT OF THE 72,000.
THAT'S PART OF THEIR EXPENSES.
THAT'S PART OF THEIR EXPENSES.
SO THE CITY'S PAYING OUT OF CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN.
THIS BE FOR, THIS WILL BE FOR A MANAGEMENT CONTRACT OVER THE FACILITY.
SO IF YOU LOOK BACK ON HERE, UM, ELITE GOLF, UH, MANAGEMENT, WE'RE EXPECTING THEIR REVENUES TO BE THAT 2.7, THEIR EXPENDITURES TO BE THAT 2.28.
THAT'S WHERE THEIR PERSONNEL WOULD COME OUT OF SALARIES AND ALL OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE HIRING PROBABLY THE SAME PEOPLE.
AND IF OUR PARTS DEPARTMENT, NOT ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES, VERY FEW OF 'EM ARE CITY EMPLOYEES ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SEPARATE CONTRACT WITH MARK.
UH, BUT IF A PARK EMPLOYEE WANTS TO STAY IN THE PARK SYSTEM AND ELITE DOESN'T PICK HIM UP, WE'LL KEEP 'EM IN OTHER PLACES.
BUT THERE'S, THIS IS BASED ON THEM PAYING PEOPLE THE SAME SALARIES MM-HMM
PRETTY MUCH THAT YOU'RE GETTING PAID NOW.
SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO ALL THAT WITH 70 2001.
I WAS GONNA SAY, THERE'S ANOTHER, THERE'S NO, THAT'S JUST THE FEE.
ALL THOSE EXPENDITURES, UH, FOR EVERY ONE OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT'S WORKING TODAY ONCE, IF, IF WE CHOOSE TO DO THIS, WE'LL FLIP AND BE PAID BY THEM AND IT'LL BE REDUCE WHAT THEY OWE US BECAUSE IT'LL REDUCE THEIR PROFITS.
MY ONLY, MY OTHER CONCERN, AND I'VE HAD DISCUSSED THIS WITH YOU BEFORE, THAT HAS BEEN
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A TAXPAYER FUNDED FACILITY.CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE TAXPAYERS, WE DON'T GET A BREAK.
CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS DON'T GET A BREAK ON WHAT WE PAY FOR GREEN FEES.
ARLINGTON GIVES A BREAK TO THEIR RESIDENTS FOR THEIR CITY GOLF COURSES.
SO SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DID AWAY AT THAT 10 ROUND CARD AND THAT STILL TRAPS ME BECAUSE THAT WAS THE BREAK THAT I WAS GETTING.
APPRECIATE YOU SITTING ON THIS SIDE FOR THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU'VE SAT ON THIS SIDE FOR OTHER BOARD.
WELL, I LOVE THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND SO AS A A NOTE TO EVERYBODY, OUR TWO GOLF COURSES ARE RUN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
PRAIRIE LAKES IS RUN BY THE CITY, BY EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY FOR SOME REASON WHEN WE OPENED UP TANGLE RIDGE, HOW LONG HAS THAT CONTRACT ORIGINALLY? I MEAN, STARTED IT, IT'S JUST NOT 10 YEARS.
MARK HAS HAD THE CONTRACT FOR HOW MANY YEARS? 30.
THIS IS HIS THIRD 10 YEAR CONTRACT.
THIS IS HIS THIRD 10 YEAR CONTRACT.
SO WE, FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER DECIDED TO GO OUT AND SEE WHAT'S UNDER THE TENT ELSEWHERE.
WE'RE NOT SAYING MARK DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB OR DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB.
I'VE KNOWN MARK SINCE HE WAS THE PRO AT WOODCREST.
UH, BUT THE F AND G COMMITTEE ASKED OUR STAFF TO LOOK OUT AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT JEWEL FOR SURE.
WELL, THAT'D BE LIVING IN THE PAST.
HOW LONG WERE YOU MAYOR? UH, THREE I I ONLY SERVED THREE TERMS IN THE EIGHTIES AND ONE YEAR ON THE COUNCIL BEFORE THAT.
SO, AND, UH, IT FEELS GOOD TO BE HERE AND ESTEEM CITY MANAGER, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM NOT HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK.
I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AGAINST ELITE.
I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST ELITE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE CITY.
AND BY THAT I MEAN I BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD BE BETTER SERVED BY KEEPING IT UNDER CITY EMPLOYEE.
I THINK THAT, WELL, JERRY, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN.
IT'S NOT UNDER CITY EMPLOYEE RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN THE WAY IT IS AT PRAIRIE LAKE.
UNDER THE CER THE WAY IT IS AT PRAIRIE LAKES, THAT WE'D BE BETTER SERVED BY DOING THAT AT ANGLE RIDGE FLIP, CHANGE IT TO SOMETHING LIKE WE'RE DOING AT PRAIRIE LAKES.
AND TO EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING AT PRAIRIE LAKES BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD THERE.
BURT'S BEEN THERE 10 YEARS AND, AND THE LAST FIVE YEARS, EACH YEAR HAS BEEN A RECORD YEAR FOR HIS BEING THERE.
AND I, I THINK THAT BURT COULD MANAGE BOTH OF THOSE COURSES AND PUT GRAND PRAIRIE ON THE MAP EVEN MORE.
HE HAD AN ADAPTIVE GOLF TOURNAMENT OUT THERE FOR ADAPTIVE GOLFERS.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT HIS PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, IT WAS A GREAT A PER JOB.
IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND I SHOULDN'T, UH, BURT WOULDN'T WANT ME DOWN HERE SINGING HIS PRAISES.
I'M DOWN HERE AND IF I'M ON THAT SIDE, I REALIZE I COULDN'T BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE, AND THE ESTEEM PARK DEPARTMENT THAT YOU HAVE MAKE THOSE PERSONNEL DECISIONS.
BUT HE'S DONE SUCH AN EXCELLENT JOB AND I BELIEVE THAT WE REWARD PEOPLE FOR DOING GOOD JOBS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER REWARDING BURT FOR THE EXCELLENCE THAT HE'S DONE THERE.
HE TOOK OVER AN OPERATION THAT WAS LOSING 200,000 THE YEAR BEFORE HE CAME THERE AND THEY'RE MAKING 700,000 NOW AND THAT NET 500,000 NOW.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO KEEP IT UNDER THAT TYPE OF MANAGEMENT.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THE CITY TO MAINTAIN MORE CONTROL AND RESPONSIVENESS FROM THE CITIZENS WHEN WE'RE, WHEN THEY'RE UNHAPPY, UH, WITH THE EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON OUT THERE.
WHEN YOU HAVE A MANAGEMENT COMPANY, YOU LOSE SOME OF THAT CONTROL AND, UH, RESPONSIVENESS.
I'VE BEEN ON THE WRONG SIDE OF DECISION MAKING ON THESE KIND OF CONTRACTS.
WHEN, WHEN WE WERE, WHEN I WAS MAYOR, WE, UH, WERE VOTING TO, WE WERE DECIDING TO BRING THE AMBULANCE SERVICE INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FORT WORTH DIDN'T DO IT THAT WAY.
I THOUGHT IT WE COULD MAINTAIN IT UNDER CONTRACT.
SO I WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AT THE TIME.
I WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY THERE BECAUSE IT WAS MUCH BETTER THE WAY IT IS.
THANK APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BACK YEARS AND YEARS AGO.
[01:05:01]
MAHONEY AGAIN, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, I DUNNO HOW WE'RE GONNA VOTE TONIGHT, BUT, UH, TANGLE RIDGE HAS NOT BEEN RUN BY CITY EMPLOYEES FOR THE WHOLE 30 YEARS.MAYOR, I'M SORRY, JUST AS POINT OF INFORMATION.
AL AL HAS BEEN THAT RUNS IN THE PRO SHOP, HAS BEEN THERE 30 YEARS.
I KNOW HE IS NOT, BUT, BUT THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, I LOVE BURT TOO.
UH, MICHELLE, YOU GOT THE FLOOR.
MY NAME'S MICHELLE MAHONEY AND I LIVE AT 2133 LAMAR.
AND LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE IS CONSIDERING HANDING OVER ONE OF ITS MOST VALUABLE PUBLIC ASSETS.
TANGLE RIDGE GOLF CLUB TO A PRIVATE MANAGEMENT COMPANY OUT OF LAS VEGAS.
AND THE QUESTION IS, WHY, WHY WOULD WE GIVE UP CONTROL OF A SUCCESSFUL REVENUE GENERATING COURSE THAT ALREADY BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY? NORMALLY I THOUGHT YOU BRING IN A MANAGEMENT COMPANY WHEN YOUR BUSINESS IS FAILING, BUT TANGLE RIDGE ISN'T FAILING.
IT HAS MADE A PROFIT THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
IT'S GENERATING REVENUE AND THAT REVENUE STAYS HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO HAND SOMETHING OVER THAT IS WORKING AND ALLOW ANOTHER COMPANY FROM LAS VEGAS TO PROFIT OFF THE MONEY IT MAKES PRIVATE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES ARE NOT HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE NOT HERE TO SERVE THE RES THE GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS.
RIGHT NOW, IF THE CITIZENS, IF WE THE CITIZENS DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, WE CAN COME HERE AND STAND AT THIS PODIUM AND BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
BUT UNDER A PRIVATE OPERATOR, THIS WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE BECAUSE THOSE DECISIONS MOVE INTO CONTRACTS.
MICHELLE, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
IT IS NOW AND IT'S NOT BEING RUN BY THE CITY NOW.
IT WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE NO MATTER WHAT WE CHOOSE TONIGHT, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, AND MR. BALLS AND MR. SERTA WERE KIND ENOUGH TO CALL ME AND EXPLAIN THINGS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND ANSWER MY QUESTIONS I HAD AT THAT TIME.
AND I HAVE A FEW MORE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
SO WHEN I KNOW EARLIER THEY TALKED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE WITH THE, ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND THE MOWER AND THE TRACTOR HELD EVEN THEY WERE, THEY WOULD STILL BE TANGLE RIDGE MEAN THEY WOULD STILL BE OURS THAT THE TAXPAYERS BUT THE ELITE GOLF WOULD USE THEM.
BUT MY QUESTION IS NOW, UM, WHAT, SO IF THEY BREAK, IF THEY BREAK, WHO WOULD, UH, WOULD IT BE A 50 50 SPLIT ON FIXING THEM OR WE FIX THINGS THAT ARE BROKE? WE WOULD FIX THE THINGS THAT ARE BROKE.
WOULD THEY STAY ON TANGLE ON THE PROPERTY OR WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO BE USED ELSEWHERE AT ANOTHER GOLF COURSE? WE CAN.
'CAUSE THE OTHER GOLF COURSE HAS ITS OWN EQUIPMENT.
SO THEY WOULD ALSO, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE SWITCHING THINGS BACK AND FORTH.
AND THEN IT'S GONNA BE RUNNING BASICALLY THE SAME WAY IT IS.
JUST THAT IF WE CHOOSE TO, NO MATTER WHAT WE CHOOSE, WE HAVE A LOT OF CHOICES.
WE WOULD HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE IT WITH MARK AND HIS GROUP.
'CAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW.
BUT ARE WE CAN DO CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING AND HIRE IT ALL DONE.
WE COULD ARE WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT OR RECOMMENDING AN HIRE FIRM, WHICH IS IN EFFECT WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS AN ENTITY RUNNING IT, NOT THE CITY.
AND SO DO WE EXPLORE THE IDEA OF KEEPING IT IN-HOUSE AND HAVING THE CITY RUN IT? AND IF SO, WE CAN EX WE'RE WE CAN DO ANY OF THOSE TONIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA OKAY.
BUT THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN CHOOSE.
WE CAN CHOOSE TO TABLE THIS, DO NOTHING.
TELL 'EM TO NEGOTIATE, TELL 'EM TO PUT WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T TELL 'EM HOW TO MANAGE.
WE WOULD NOT TELL THEM TO HIRE BERT OVER BOTH.
WE WOULD GIVE THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTION OF WHAT TO DO.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MOTION'S GONNA BE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU IT'S NOT BEING RUN.
AND SINCE I'M ASKING, WE'RE HAVING A CON CONVERSATION, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT THEY WILL STILL BE UNDER OUR CONTROL.
JUST LIKE WHEN I GOT COMPLAINTS ON TANGLE RIDGE, WE CALLED MARK.
RAY WENT OUT THERE THE NEXT DAY AND MET WITH THEM EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT A CITY EMPLOYEE.
HE'S CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS AND RUN A GOOD COURSE.
AND THEN HOW WOULD THE MERCHANDISING WORK AND WHO WOULD BUY IT ALL? WE WILL AND, WE'LL, WE WOULD BUY IT ALL AND WE GET THE, WE GET THE PROFITS OFF OF IT.
AND THEN THE FOOD THE SAME WAY WITH THE FOOD AND THE BEVERAGE.
AND THEN EVERY, UH, AND THEN, UH, DID ANYBODY FROM THE PARKS BOARD, NOT THE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE PARKS BOARD, GO AND CHECK OUT THE LOCAL COURSES? I HAVE NO IDEA.
THIS DID NOT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK YOUR TIME'S UP ON MICHELLE.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING TONIGHT.
WE DID GO OUT AND TOUR, UH, IRVING GOLF CLUB.
CHRISTOPHER DOL, COME ON, CHRIS.
BASEBALL SEASON'S ABOUT TO START.
I LIVE AT 27 27 CASTLE COVE DRIVE.
BEEN A GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENT FOR NOW 40 YEARS.
[01:10:01]
FOR CHOOSING ME FOR THE, UH, ZONING BOARD OF, UH, ADJUSTMENTS.SO, LIKE ERIC, I HAVE THAT FEELING OF BEING HERE AND SAYING, I'M FACING THIS WAY INSTEAD OF THIS WAY.
THANK YOU, RON, FOR MANY YEARS WITH YOU, RODNEY, ALL THE TIMES THAT YOU YELLED AT ME WHEN I WAS REFEREEING IN, UH, GEORGIA, YOU'VE BEEN SO NICE.
AND OTHER TIMES I DON'T GIVE YOU EXTRA TIME FOR DOING ALL THAT.
ERIC HEINE WHO SAID THAT, UH, HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, FOLKS ARE RESPONSIVE TO US AND, UM, THAT GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF BREAK WITH THIS.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CONTRACT.
BUT WE'RE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ECHOED THAT BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU CONSIDER THAT, LOOK AT THAT.
BUT THAT'S IRRELEVANT TO THE DECISION TONIGHT.
WE SAID, WELL, THEN I WILL GET BACK TO, I AGREE WITH, UH, MAYOR INTO THAT.
I AGREE WITH MAYOR DEEBO, YOU HAVE 50 CENTS, SO WE CAN SAY WE DID SOMETHING.
UH, I AGREE WITH MAYOR DEEBO DON'T LIKE IT.
WHO'S BA
AND MAYBE THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN YOU SEE SOME ACTIVITY LIKE THAT FROM SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, THAT MAYBE RECONSIDER THE CONTRACT AND LOOK AT HIM AS PART, PART OF THIS.
HE MAY NOT HAVE BID ON THIS PARTICULAR THING, BUT YOU CAN SET THIS ASIDE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAYBE LOOK AT HAVING THAT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIVE TO, UH, US AS CITIZENS.
YOU, YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD ASSURE US OF THAT.
I DON'T THINK I NEED ANY MORE TIME.
ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, MY WIFE.
SEE Y'ALL OUT AT THE BALLPARK.
I PROMISE I'LL YELL AT ANY QUESTION.
THAT CONCLUDES, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS.
UH, WE'VE HAD, I THINK ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UH, UH, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL? I'D RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON, UM, MAYOR FOR QUESTIONS OR A MOTION, WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO STAFF AND F AND G AND WHO ELSE? PROBABLY, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON SINCE THIS IS IN HIS DISTRICT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS AND I KNOW YOU'VE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO THIS.
UM, FROM MY STANDPOINT, I'M NOT A GOLFER, BUT MY HUSBAND IS.
I DO KNOW AS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT TANGLE RIDGE IS A GYM, AND I KNOW IT'S WELL RESPECTED IN THE GOLFING WORLD.
UM, NOW WHEN I LOOK AT THESE OTHER FOUR THAT ELITE HAS IS ALREADY RUNNING, I DON'T HAVE ANY THAT REALLY STAND OUT TO ME AS BEING EXCEPTIONAL.
AND, UM, I'M JUST NOT SOLD YET ON THE IDEA OF THEM STEPPING IN.
I I REALIZE IT'S JUST FOR A ONE YEAR CONTRACT AND WE COULD REEVALUATE.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE SHOULD, UH, BEFORE I CAN BE COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND SUPPORT IT, I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS.
IT WAS PROPERLY, 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T COME UP.
UH, HOW MANY ROUNDS ARE PLAYED ANNUALLY, PLUS OR MINUS? JUST GIMME A BALLPARK NUMBER AT PRAIRIE LAKES.
LAST FISCAL YEAR, IT WAS ABOUT 68,058 K 68.
AND AT TAN RIDGE IT'S ABOUT 52 7 AND HALF 47.
ALRIGHT, THAT, THAT'S ALL THE INFO I NEEDED FROM YOU, MY FRIEND.
AND WHEN WE HAVE A MOTION, THEN I'LL HAVE SOMETHING DURING THE DISCUSSION OF A MOTION MAYOR.
COUNCIL WIMMER ANDERSON, MR. MAYOR, UH, I KNOW I'M, I I THINK MY MICROPHONE IS ON.
UH, I I, I, I'VE GOT SOME QUESTION ON, ON THE FINANCIALS AND I, I'M A NUMBERS GUY AND WHEN I SEE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OF NEW OPERATING REVENUE, AND, AND I'M SORRY YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THE BRIEFING.
OH, I, I, I, I WAS OUT HERE AND I, I HEARD, I KNOW THE, THE NEW REVENUES.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO START BUYING THINGS.
OH, I, WELL, THAT, THAT WOULD BE ON
[01:15:01]
THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE REVENUE, THE NEW REVENUES BECAUSE OF THE WHAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE FROM SELLING.WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHERE I'M, THAT'S WHERE I'M HEADED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IN, IN, IN, IN OUR CONTRACT, IF I HEARD IN THE BRIEFING SESSION, WE GET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE ON THE GROSS SIDE.
AND A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH, I THINK FIVE AND 10.
I'M TRYING TO BACK INTO THE MATH BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING HERE IS BASICALLY ANOTHER $500,000 OF OPERATING REVENUE.
SO THAT MEANS THERE'S, THERE'S HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OF PROFIT, YOU HAVE TO ADD SOME OF YOUR EXPENSE.
SO SOMEWHERE, SOMEWHERE I'M HAVING, I'M HAVING A REAL DIFFICULT TIME GETTING FROM 2.1 TO 2.6 WITH NO INCR BECAUSE YOU ALSO JUST BECAUSE OF THE FOOD AND THE PRO CENTER.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO BACK OUT AND, AND I KNOW THAT, SO THAT'S WHY HE NEEDS TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND LET US KNOW.
AND THAT, THAT'S THE PRO, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BACK OUT THE 10% AND THE 5%.
SO SOMEWHERE THE, THE MATH AIN'T MATH INTO ME.
AND I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO, I'M NOT TRYING TO TO JUMP YOU.
I JUST, I'M, I'M HAVING A REAL, I'M, I'M HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THE MATH.
AND THE OTHER THING I'M HAVING IS WE'RE TAKING A, WE WOULD BE TAKING A CITY ASSET AND I'M NORMALLY A PRIVATIZATION KIND OF GUY.
I, BUT I HAVE, I, I'VE GOT CHALLENGES WITH, WITH TURNING IT OVER TO A MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT ADDS A HUNDRED AND A HUNDRED, YOU KNOW, 70 TO 144,000 IF THEY HIT THEIR INCENTIVES.
AND SO CAN YOU HELP ME GET THERE ON THE MATH OF WHAT ARE WE TAKING AWAY AND THEN WHAT ARE WE ADDING? GOOD.
SO ON THE OPERATING REVENUE SIDE, SO ON, AS YOU'D ALREADY MENTIONED ON THAT 2026 PROJECTION, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT WE WOULD GET ROUGHLY 10%, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE TO START WITH.
10% OF THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE, WE ESTIMATE WHAT THE CITY WOULD TAKE IN, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THAT 2,192,000.
WHICH MEANS IF WE WERE TO GET, THAT'S 10% OF THE GROSS.
WHICH MEANS IF WE WERE TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE GROSS, WE WOULD BE GETTING ABOUT $500,000.
THEN WHERE THE EXPENDITURE COMES IN, IS THERE, ON THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE SIDE, WHERE THAT NUMBER IS INCREASED ON THE EXPENDITURE TO COVER THE COST OF THOSE GOODS, THE CURRENT CONTRACT IS FIVE.
I I I, I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE BUYING THE PRODUCT SIDE.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE THIS IS WHERE, UH, AGAIN, HA HAVING A LITTLE MORE, HAVING SOME MORE TIME, WHICH, UH, TO, TO YOUR CREDIT, UH, UH, RAY, Y'ALL REACHED OUT TO ME A COUPLE DAYS AGO.
AND WE, WE DID TALK SOMEWHAT ABOUT THIS.
AND SO I, I, SO I'VE GOT TWO, I'VE GOT TWO ISSUES.
ONE IS THE NUMBERS, AND TWO IS TURNING OVER A CITY ASSET TO A MANAGEMENT COMPANY WHEN WE HAVE EMPLOYEES AND STAFF THAT COULD DO IT THEMSELVES.
THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M NOT, AND, AND TO THAT POINT, UH, IF WE WANT TO HAVE IT RUN BY THE CITY, IT WOULD CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
WHICH WE CAN DO, BUT IT WOULD CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
UH, DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT OR DO DO THAT, BUT, AND I, I'M NOT ADVOCATING ONE FOR THE OTHER.
I'M JUST, I I'M JUST, WE'RE JUST GATHERING INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
I'VE BEEN UP HERE FOR ALL OF, UH, HALF HOUR.
SO, UH,
AND YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS, SO MANY QUESTIONS, WE MAY NEED TO TABLE IT.
BUT THAT'S, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THAT UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT THAT WE ARE UNDER, WE GET FIVE AND 10% OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE FOOD AND MERCHANDISE.
CORRECT? 10% ON FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
SO WHEN WE GO TO THE, IF WE ARE GOING TO THE NEW CONTRACT, WE GET A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU, YOU MENTIONED 5%, 10%.
YOU USED TO USE THE 500,000 TO MAKE IT 50,000 UNDER 2026.
AND THEN YOU INCREASE, IF WE WENT TO THE NEW MANAGEMENT CONTRACT, HOW MUCH WE WOULD GET IN EXCESS.
SO CURRENTLY WE'RE PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $243,000.
UH, HOW MUCH DID WE EARN LAST YEAR? BY TWO 12? SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
NO, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LAST YEAR.
HOLD ON, I'VE GOT IT HERE IN MY NOTES.
LAST YEAR, RIDGE DID THREE 80.
SO WE'RE, ARE YOU GUYS TAKING MORE OF A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH ON THE NUMBERS SO THAT YEAH, SO WE UH, WE USED FOR THE PROJECTIONS, WE USED THE ACTUALS THROUGH FEBRUARY WHEN WE PUT THESE PROJECTIONS TOGETHER.
AND THEN WE USED THE HISTORICAL DATA FROM THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO MAP OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE ONLY CHANGE IN INCREASE WOULD BE THE ONE 60 IS THE WAY I SEE IT.
[01:20:01]
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE FOR UPON A POTENTIAL NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY.AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE'VE HAD, THE CITY HAS NOT MANAGED ITS COURSE FOR 30 YEARS.
SO, SO WHEN WE'RE SAYING, GIVING IT, IN MY OPINION, TO A NEW MANAGEMENT CO COMPANY, WE'LL JUST CHANGE THIS.
ANY OTHER CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE, WE GO FROM ONE VENDOR TO THE NEXT BASED ON THE BEST VALUE, POTENTIALLY THE BEST VALUE FOR THE DOLLAR, UH, FOR THE CITY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL UNDERSTANDING.
FIVE TO 10% IS UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT CONTRACT THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE CITY TO GO TO THE NEW CONTRACT.
WE GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THOSE ITEMS UP UNDER THE NEW CONTRACT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDERSON, VERY QUICKLY, IT'S A, WE'RE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GETTING 10% OF GROSS AND WE'LL BE GETTING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF NET.
AND THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN GROSS AND NET MAY BE THE SAME.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST FORECASTING BASED ON HIS, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE USING THEIR BEST EFFORTS.
THEY'RE USING THEIR BEST EFFORTS BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA.
BUT I JUST, I WANTED EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO GET THAN PROFIT
AND SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES IT IS.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNEW THAT.
HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT I DO KNOW.
WE GOTTA MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS UP IN SEPTEMBER, UH, IN SEPTEMBER.
AND HE COULD, HE COULD TAKE A MONTH TO MONTH IF WE, IF WE SO CHOSE.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE LIGHTS.
UM, WHO, WHO WANTS TO TAKE A STAB AT A MOTION? I DON'T RECOGNIZE.
ITEM 14 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF FAILS FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
UM, WE NEED TO GIVE THEM SOME DIRECTION.
WELL, MAYOR, SINCE UH, THAT DIDN'T GET A SECOND, I GUESS IT WOULD PROBABLY, UH, BE PRUDENT OF US TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, TABLE THIS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
MAYBE TILL THE SECOND MEETING NEXT MONTH.
AND LET'S GIVE STAFF SOME DIRECTION IN.
I CAN'T GIVE DIRECTION IN THE TABLING.
UM, NO, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD GIVE STAFF DIRECTION.
EVERYONE, YOU'VE GOT A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO TABLE IT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION? SECOND.
SECOND TO TABLE UNTIL THE SECOND MEETING IN APRIL.
UM, STAFF YOU CAN'T DISCUSS TABLE.
UM, YOU CAN DIS YOU KNOW, I LEARNED SOMETHING BEING ON THE RTC.
YOU CANNOT DISCUSS THE MOTION, THE TABLE IF YOU'RE MOVING THE TABLE AT LATER ON THAT NIGHT.
BUT IF YOU'RE MOTION TO TABLE IS FOR A FUTURE EVENT, YOU CAN DISCUSS IT.
I THINK TABLING RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST OPTION.
UH, YOU HEARD WHAT WE, OUR COMMENTS WERE GET WHAT BILL WORKS.
WE MAY OR MAY NOT ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
WE MAY OR MAY NOT TELL Y'ALL TO HIRE STAFF.
WE MAY OR MAY NOT SAY, NEGOTIATE WITH DAVE TO EXTEND IT.
[15. Public Hearing and Ordinance designating property generally located south of Prairie Ridge Blvd in Grand Prairie as Tax Abatement Reinvestment Zone No. 1 (the Zone), for the purpose of providing tax abatement on business personal property within the Zone in accordance with Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code]
ITEM 15.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
TONY RAMIREZ, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
TODAY WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, UM, THE NEXT THREE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS 15.
THIS IS FOR THE ABATEMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
SO THIS IS IN REGARDS TO A DESIGNATION OF A REINVESTMENT ZONE.
[01:25:01]
IS IN, UH, FOR, UH, CHAPTER THREE 12 ABATEMENT AGREEMENT.AND THE LOCATION FOR THIS IS SOUTH OF PRAIRIE RIDGE, UH, ON 1452 ACRES ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND THIS REALLY ALLOWS THE CITY TO REDIRECT THE PROPERTY TAX FROM ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING.
AND THEN, UH, SO THIS IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW US WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IN THE NEXT TWO.
I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THAT, DON'T WE COUNSEL? WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS.
WANNA CALL PUBLIC HEARING FIRST? DO THOSE FIRST? HAROLD WILLIS.
WE'LL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK ON ALL THREE OF 'EM.
THIS IS JUST CARVING THAT ZONE OUT.
DEFINE CARVING OUT THE ZONE, PLEASE, TONY.
SO THIS BASICALLY CARVES OUT A PORTION OF THE ENTIRE GOODLAND DEVELOPMENT ON THERE, WHICH IS, UH, LISTED ON 1452 ACRES.
AND THERE'S A MAP TO THE, UH, FAR RIGHT THERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PURPLE PORTION, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT OUT IN THE GOODLAND DEVELOPMENT.
ON THIS CARVE OUT, HOW MUCH IS IT NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT? THERE, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE, UH, IS A CONSIDERABLE SETBACK PUT FOR HERE.
HERE, HERE'S WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU.
THIS IS PART OF THE GOODLAND DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDENT, GOODLAND AND PROVIDENCE.
PROVIDENCE, THE OWNERS OF GOODLAND, CAME UP WITH THIS LOCATION TO NOT INJURE THE HOMES THEY'RE BUILDING IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
SO THEY PURPOSEFULLY SET IT WELL ASIDE AND AWAY FROM HOMES.
ARE WE TALKING A QUARTER OF A MILE? HALF MILE? I DON'T KNOW.
HOW FAR FROM HOMES? UM, 200 YARDS.
NO, I THINK IT'S, UH, MEGAN OR CHERYL.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE ACTUAL LENGTH? UH, BILL? HOW LONG, HOW FAR IS IT? IT'S ABOUT 700.
BUT THE TOPOGRAPHY IS SUCH THAT IT SITS 700 YARDS IS A LONG WAY.
THERE'S A BERM BELOW AND THERE'S A BERM THAT PROTECTS THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
BUT FROM WHERE THEY, THE RESIDENTS, IT'S THE SAME DEVELOPER.
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE A PROBLEM SELLING HOMES CLOSE TO THIS DEVELOPMENT IN THIS ZONE.
APPLICATION WITH THE BERMS. WHAT? ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING.
WHAT OTHER WILL THE PEOPLE IN THE HOMES THAT ARE NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THIS? THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE.
THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT HEAR IT? THEY, WE HAVEN'T GOT TO THE POINT OF THIS DOESN'T READ.
THAT'S JUST WHEN YOU'RE JUST HEARING THE NEWS, LIKE THE PEOPLE DOWN IN GREENBURG COUNTY COUNTY, THIS ISN'T A, UH, THE DATA CENTER, THIS ISN'T A CRYPTO CENTER.
THIS THE DATA CENTER LIKE WE APPROVED IN, UH, NORTH GRAND PRAIRIE NOT TOO LONG AGO.
AND IT MEETS THE NOISE REGULATIONS FOR, FOR OUR WAREHOUSE DATA CENTER.
WELL THIS IS THE TYPE OF THINGS WE NEED TO BRING OUT RIGHT NOW DURING THIS, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING, UM,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING A LOT OF MONEY HERE THAT, UM, THAT WE NEED TO GET ANSWERS AS CITIZENS AS TO WHAT EXACTLY LIKE THE OLD LINE IN THE MOVIE.
SHOW US THE, SHOW US THE MONEY AND SHOW US.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ARTIST RENDERING COMPUTER GENERATION OF WHAT THESE BURNS WOULD LOOK LIKE TO PROTECT? WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO DRIVE OUT THERE.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT, MAYOR, THANK YOU HAROLD, TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IN A MEETING.
UM, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, THIS DOES NOT COVER THE ENTIRE GOODLAND AREA.
IT ONLY COVERS THE AREA THAT'S USED FOR DATA CENTER RIGHT NEXT MELINDA VEMO.
I PUT, I PUT DOWN ON MY CARD 15, 16, 17.
SO I'LL CALL YOU BACK UP FOR 16 AND I'LL CALL YOU BACK UP FOR 17.
WELL, I, I REALLY WOULD PREFER JUST TO PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ALREADY, UH, COMPOSED OF.
I CAN GET SOMEONE TO PASS THOSE OUT.
WE MAY HAVE TO GET THOSE ANSWERS TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING.
SO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE ATTACHMENT ON YOUR WEBSITE IN REGARDS TO THE AGREEMENT OF THE ABATEMENT.
WE'RE NOT ON THE ABATEMENT YET.
WELL, IT, IT KIND OF TALKS ABOUT TEXT.
WE'RE NOT ON THE AB ABATEMENT YET.
SO THEN MAYBE I NEED TO UNDERSTAND, SINCE WITH TONY
[01:30:01]
RIGHT HERE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SETTING ASIDE THIS LAND SO WE CAN VOTE ON THE ABATEMENT.I'LL CALL YOU BACK UP HERE WHEN WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE ABATEMENT.
WHICH TONY, WHAT ITEMS? THE ABATEMENT? 16.
THAT'S WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET INTO THE, THE MATH.
THIS IS JUST SETTING UP WHERE WE CAN GIVE AN ABATEMENT.
WELL I WANNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOU GUYS TO POSSIBLY CONSIDER FLOORING THIS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC THAT ARE VERY FAMILIAR.
THIS HAS BEEN ADVERTISED IN THE FORT WORTH TELEGRAM.
I'LL CALL YOU BACK UP HERE FOR ITEM 16.
HOWEVER, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COMMENT ON IT, THEY CAN DO SO.
REMEMBER THIS ISN'T MONEY YET.
THIS IS JUST CARVING OUT THE LAND, CARVING OUT THE DATA CENTER.
PATY RAY 2217, EL PASO, GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.
I WANT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS A CITIZEN OF THIS CITY, WHAT THIS HEARING IS ABOUT FOR 10 YEARS OF TAX AGREEMENT.
THAT'S THE NEXT, THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM.
I'LL CALL YOU BACK UP FOR THE NEXT ITEM.
BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING ALSO.
I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 15.
SECOND BY COUNCILMAN, BASICALLY ADAMS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THERE MAY BE SOME NEW PEOPLE OUT HERE TONIGHT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE RULES OF DECORUM HERE.
IF I DON'T HEAR A NO, EVERYBODY VOTED YES.
I DON'T LOOK, I DON'T TRY TO HEAR EVERYBODY'S SPECIFIC VOICE ON A YES, BUT THEY BETTER SAY NO IF IT'S GONNA BE A NO.
'CAUSE I TAKE EVERYBODY AS A YES IF I DON'T WANNA HEAR A NO.
[16. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Approval of a 10-Year Tax Abatement Agreement with Amazon Data Services, Inc., for the development of a Data Center Campus at the Goodland Development generally located south of Prairie Ridge Blvd in Grand Prairie]
16.THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR CONSIDERATION OF A 10 YEAR TAX ABATEMENT WITH AMAZON DATA SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DATA CENTER CAMPUS AT GOODLAND DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF PRAIRIE RIDGE BOULEVARD IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMPANY IN, IN ELLIS COUNTY.
HOW FAR DOWN IT IS? AWS IS A SUBSIDIARY OF AMAZON AND IS A US BASED COMPANY IN THE WORLD'S LEADING, MOST COMPREHENSIVE CLOUD COMPUTING PLATFORM COMPANY THAT PROVIDES ON DEMAND INFRASTRUCTURE, AI CAPABILITIES, STORAGE DATABASES, AND OVER 240 OTHER SERVICES TO MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE.
THE COMPANY IS KNOWN FOR ITS BEST IN CLASS DATA CENTER INNOVATION WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SUSTAINABILITY.
AWS IS CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD AS IT IS THE MOST ADVANCED TECH COMPANY IN THE WORLD.
UM, YOU COULD SEE THE INFORMATION THERE PRESENTED, UH, 800,000 SQUARE FEET ON PHASE SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
AND REGARDING THE ACTUAL ABATEMENT, WE ARE LOOKING AT A 65% TAX ABATEMENT ON NEW BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY ONLY.
THE VALUE OF THIS ABATEMENT IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 70 MILLION.
THE ANNUAL COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION IS GONNA BE PART OF THIS PACKAGE, WHICH WILL BE DONE INTERNALLY FROM THE TEAM THERE.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS INCENTIVE IS PERFORMANCE BASED AND WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INCENTIVE MEETS THE PERFORMANCE CRITERIA.
THIS PROJECT WILL BE SUPPORTING, UM, OR THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF 200, UH, 750 FULL TIME POSITIONS BY THE YEAR 2040 WITH A MINIMUM SALARY STARTING AT $70,000.
THAT INCLUDES A STRONG BENEFITS PACKAGE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
IF THEY DON'T MEET THE, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COMPANY DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT YEAR? THEY FORFEIT ANY, UH, INCENTIVE GRANTS OR
[01:35:01]
ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S RELATED TO THE AGREEMENT? WELL, SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE TO HIT AN EMPLOYMENT DEAL TILL 2040, THAT'S, UH, PASSED THE ABATEMENT TIME, IT'S OVER.SO THEN WHAT HAPPENS? WELL, THE, THE ACTUAL, THIS ACTUAL AGREEMENT DOESN'T GO INTO PLACE, UH, UNTIL 2031.
SO, UM, AH, THEY STILL HAVE TO START CONSTRUCTION.
AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
THE ABATEMENT CAN'T START TILL AFTER THERE'S SOMETHING THERE TO ABATE.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE THAT'S 'CAUSE I, I WAS AFRAID SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT CATCH THAT TOO.
NO, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO, PATSY, YOU CAN COME ON UP NOW.
YOU FILLED OUT A CARD FOR THIS PATSY RAY.
MELINDA RA, I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL CONTENT THAT YOU PROVIDED, TONY.
IN REGARDS TO THE START OF THE AGREEMENT, GOING BACK TO MY PREVIOUS QUESTION THAT I MENTIONED IS I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS ATTACHED ON THE WEBSITE AND IT APPEARS TO BE NOT THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT BE SEEING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE.
UM, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THERE THAT HAS NO STIPULATIONS AS HE MENTIONED.
AND, AND I THINK AT HIS AS HIS QUESTION IS, WILL WE BE DOING CLAWBACKS? WILL WE BE IN, UH, PROVIDING SOME KIND OF, IN, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HEY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE, THIS AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES BY THIS CERTAIN TIME AND SO FORTH.
UM, THE COMPANY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HITTING THEIR, THEIR HIRING CRITERIA.
CLAWBACKS USUALLY HAPPEN WHEN THE PAYMENT IS ALREADY PAID AND THEN WE CAN PULL THE PAYMENT BACK.
BUT IN THIS CASE, THEY WILL NOT BE GRANTED AN ABATEMENT UNLESS THEY, UNLESS THEY MEET THE CRITERIA.
SO NOTHING WILL BE OUT OF POCKET UNTIL THEN.
MY QUESTION WAS, THE AGREEMENT THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE WEBSITE IS THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE SIGNED IF PASSED? BECAUSE I, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE CORRECT AGREEMENT THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE SEEING UNLESS IT'S WHAT WAS THE ATTACHED WEBSITE.
BUT WHAT WAS, THERE'S A LOT OF MISSING INFORMATION.
THERE'S A LOT MISSING INFORMATION.
WAS THE FULL AGREEMENT ON THE WEBSITE? NO, IT'S NOT.
THE MAP IS, IT'S IT'S IN THERE.
IT'S IT, I'M SORRY, MEL, ANSWER THE QUESTION SO THEY CAN HEAR IT.
THE MAP IS WHAT'S ON THE MAP IS ON THE WEBSITE.
THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE IN THE COMMUNICATION.
NO, THE MAP IS WHAT'S ATTACHED.
WHAT COULD THEY PULL UP ON THE WEBSITE? THE MAP.
THAT'S THE WEBSITE FOR REASON ONLY.
AND, AND THE, THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE IN THE, UM, COMMUNICATION, BUT THE AGREEMENT ITSELF IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.
THE FULL AGREEMENT IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.
WELL I FOUND IT ON THERE SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE WE'RE WELL, IT'S ON THE CITY'S RIGHT.
IT, IT HAS BEEN SENT TO ENTITIES.
SO THAT MIGHT BE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING SO IT IS ON SOMETHING.
JULIE DOSER, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, THERE WAS A NOTICE REQUIRED TO BE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
THAT NOTICE GIVES SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE BASICS OF THE AGREEMENT, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT.
THAT, SO THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
SO GOING BACK TO ITEM 16 ON THE 10 YEAR ABATEMENT, UM, AND IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE PROVIDED, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS SINCE I, SINCE I STILL HAVE SOME TIME.
I THINK WHAT WE BEST DO IS GIVE THOSE QUESTIONS TO TONY AND WE GET THE ANSWERS TO YOU.
AND, AND WHAT THOSE ANSWERS BECAUSE YOUR'S ABOUT UP.
WOULD THOSE ANSWERS COME TO ME TODAY OR WHENEVER? AS QUICK AS YOU CAN GET TO 'EM, PROBABLY TOMORROW.
THANK HAROLD WILLIS, COULD YOU PLEASE GO BACK TO THE OTHER SCREEN ABOUT THE $40,000 THAT, UM, WILL BE GIVEN TO BUSINESSES ANNUALLY, $40,000 TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES? WHO, WHO'S GONNA DECIDE WHERE THIS MONEY GOES? THEY ARE.
JEFF BEZOS IS THE MANAGEMENT AT THIS SITE WILL BE DECIDING? NO, NO, THIS IS THE LOCAL MANAGEMENT WILL BE DECIDING IF THIS IS ALL WE CAN GET OUT OF JEFF BEZOS IS 40,000 BUCKS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE GETTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF THE PROPERTY TAXES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, IF I'M AT LIBERTY TO GIVE THE FINAL NUMBER, TONY, AM I YOU CAN, UH, ROUGH ESTIMATE SIR.
AFTER THEY'RE UP AND RUNNING, IT'LL MEET A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS
[01:40:01]
TO THE CITY.JUST THINK OF HOW MANY POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS WE NEED TO HIRE IN THE NEXT YEARS $100 MILLION.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN FUND A LOT OF THINGS WITH A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT THAT A HUNDRED MILLION WON'T START FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS, 11 YEARS.
WHEN WILL IT START? WHEN THEY OPEN UP.
BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE 'EM THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP.
THE, THE PORTION WILL BE, THE COLLECTION OF ALL OF THAT WILL BE THE SUM OF THE 10 YEARS AFTER IT OPENS.
YEAH, AFTER 10 YEARS, THEN WE GET THE MONEY.
NO, WE GET ABOUT $10 MILLION A YEAR.
WE'RE GETTING $10 MILLION A YEAR.
HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT IT IS, HAROLD.
IT'S A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE PROPERTY TAX FOR 10 YEARS AND IT WILL START UP MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LOWER BUT GROW FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR TWO.
'CAUSE AS THEY ADD MORE DATA AND AND COMPUTERS IN THERE, IT'S GONNA GROW.
AFTER 10 YEARS, WE WILL HAVE COLLECTED ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION AND AS THESE TAX INCENTIVES ROLL OFF, THAT DOUBLES BECAUSE IT DOESN'T GET GIVEN TO ANYBODY ELSE.
MY, MY ISSUE IS THESE ARE JEFF BEZOS IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR PERSON AND WE'RE GLAD HE'S PICKING GRAND PRAIRIE TO BUILD SOMETHING.
JEFF BEZOS IS PART OF THE GOOD AMERICAN OLIGARCH THAT DOES NOT PAY TAXES.
JEFF BEZOS DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS AT THE WASHINGTON POST.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT JEFF BEZOS TO US AS ABOUT A COMPANY WANTING TO COME DO BUSINESS IN OUR CITY.
YES, I KNOW, BUT JEFF BEZOS SPENT $50 MILLION ON HIS WEDDING LAST YEAR AND I COULD CARE LESS FOR PLASTIC SURGERY.
SO HOW ABOUT JEFF KICKING US IN ABOUT MORE THAN 40,000 A YEAR HERE.
IF THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OVER 10 YEARS.
OKAY, BUT THE 40,000, SEE THAT'S IRRELEVANT.
I WISH WE HADN'T HAVE EVEN PUT THAT IN THERE.
WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S CONFUSING MAYOR, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 40,000 COMMUNITY.
THEY MAY BE DOING MORE STRETCH OUT 40,015.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MUCH HAROLD.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS ON ITEM 16.
IF ANYBODY WISHES TO COME FORWARD AND SAY SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.
TEXAS IS GROWING WHETHER WE WANT IT TO OR NOT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING DATA CENTERS ALL OVER TEXAS.
WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT PROVIDENCE BOUGHT THIS 5,000 ACRES OVER 10 YEARS AGO AND PARTNERED WITH THIS CITY TO PICK UP A LOCATION IN OUR CITY.
THEY COULD HAVE CHOSEN OUT OF OUR CITY RIGHT ACROSS THE CITY LINES AND NOT ASK US FOR ANY MONEY, BUT NOT ASK US FOR ANY GUIDANCE EITHER.
THEY COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTY.
MANY DATA CENTERS ARE GOING INTO COUNTIES 'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THE REGULATIONS OF CITIES.
THIS COMPANY, THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND ON THIS ITEM HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD TO WORK WITH.
AND I'M PROUD THAT IT'S CHOSEN GRAND PRIX TO BE THE BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT.
IT'LL BE MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT MIDLOTHIAN ANNOUNCED A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN THEY BUILT THE GOOGLE FACILITIES IN MIDLOTHIAN.
OURS IS MORE THAN DOUBLE AND WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM AS MANY INCENTIVES AS INCENTIVES AS MIDLOTHIAN GAVE GOOGLE.
YOU'RE, I OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC, PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU CAN, YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN.
HA HAVING HEARD THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TODAY, THE ABATEMENT IS PENNIES TO THE DOLLAR.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNSEL TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD AND APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.
THESE TYPES OF GAME CHANGING THINGS DON'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.
IF YOU WANNA GOOGLE A CITY THAT HAS HIT A BON BANANA, GOOGLE, WILLOW, WILBUR, TEXAS, IT'S A, IT'S BEEN A GAME CHANGER.
IT'LL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR US GOING FORWARD.
'CAUSE HOUSES DO NOT PAY FOR THEMSELVES FOLKS.
HOUSES DO NOT PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE WAREHOUSING AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE CENTERS
[01:45:01]
LIKE THIS HELPING US PAY FOR IT.AND IF I MAY ADD, IF YOU LOOK AT JUST YOUR NUMBER, IF IT'S GOOD, NO, YOU CAN ADD ANYTHING NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE, WHATEVER YOU WANT.
IF I MAY ADD THE 70 MILLION ABATEMENT, JUST A SIMPLE MATH IS 30 MILLION TO THE POSITIVE PLUS JOBS PLUS THE PACKAGES THEY GET.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S JUST SIMPLE MATH.
MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 16 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
AND SECOND, I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NOW I FOLKS, I DON'T, I I WANNA BE UPFRONT WITH YOU TRANSPARENT.
EVEN THOUGH, UM, WE'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE TRANSPARENT.
UM, WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM A 15 YEAR INCENTIVE POINT BLANK.
WE WANTED TO GIVE 'EM A 15 YEAR INCENTIVE.
WE COULD NOT DO IT WITH A SIMPLE TENURE PER ITEM 16.
WE HAD TO GIVE THEM A TENURE THERE.
SO WE'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL FIVE IN THIS AGREEMENT TO MAKE THE AGREEMENT RUN FOR 15 YEARS.
WE WORKED OUT WITH THEM BASED ON WHAT THEY WERE GETTING FROM OTHER CITIES AND WE ARE GIVING THEM LESS FROM OTHER CITIES AND STILL PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR.
AND IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE GET A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
DID I SAY A HUNDRED MILLION? TONY,
[17. Consider Approval of a Chapter 380 Economic Development Incentive Agreement with Amazon Data Services, Inc., for the development of a Data Center Campus at the Goodland Development generally located south of Prairie Ridge Blvd in Grand Prairie]
YOU'VE GOT THE FLOOR.THIS IS, UH, ITEM NUMBER 17, CHAPTER THREE 80.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THIS DOES BEGIN AFTER THE TAX ABATEMENT PERIOD DOES EXPIRE.
THIS IS A FIVE YEAR PERFORMANCE BASED GRANT WITH A REBATE OF 65%.
UM, THE ESTIMATED, IT'S THE SAME REBATE AS THE FIRST 10 YEAR.
WE JUST TO GET AN ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS.
ANY QUESTION FROM STAFF? I MEAN FROM COUNSEL.
THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS.
I'M LOOKING AT LINE ITEM NUMBER 17 IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW.
WE ARE, UH, THERE IS NO MENTION ON LINE ITEM NUMBER 17 ABOUT THE FIVE YEARS, BUT I DO SEE IT IN THE PRESENTATION.
UH, ALTHOUGH YOU DID MENTION THAT IT WAS A 65% SAME, SAME AS THE 10 YEAR BEFORE.
BUT UM, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE IT MENTIONS PERSONAL PROPERTY, THAT BASICALLY MEANS THE EQUIPMENT.
THAT BASICALLY MEANS THE EQUIPMENT, NOT THE BUILDING, NOT THE LAND.
AM I CORRECT TONY? IT'S THE BUILDING.
IT'S INCLUDING THE INSIDE THE BUILDING.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE, I THINK YOU, I THINK YOU HAD IT.
IS IT THE BUILDING? IT IT IS WHAT'S INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
THAT'S THAT'S PERSONAL PROPERTY.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THE VALUE IS IN A DATA CENTER.
AND THAT COMPUTER WE BOUGHT, I UNDERST UNDERSTAND THAT.
SEVEN, IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA BREAK GROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO WE'RE LOOKING MORE THAN 15 YEARS TO GET THIS DONE.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA OH YEAH, WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANY MONEY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANY MONEY COME BACK TO US, WON'T SEE ANY MONEY FOR FIVE YEARS.
A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT BY THE TIME THEY, BECAUSE NOW YOU'VE GOT TO GO.
SO LET LET ME CLEAR THAT UP REAL QUICK.
UH, THERE'S SOME WHAT IF THERE'S CONTAMINATION ISSUES AT WHAT, AT WHAT POINT? WHO'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE? BECAUSE THAT LAND THAT IS BEING USED, THAT LAND IS IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
WE WILL RESPOND TO ANYTHING HAZARD OR NOT JUST LIKE WE DO IN THE WAREHOUSES IN NORTH GRAND PRAIRIE.
ANYTHING IS IN OUR CITY WE WILL RESPOND TO.
AND THAT'S AT THE TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE, CORRECT? OF COURSE IT IS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GETTING MONEY APART.
SO THAT DOESN'T AFFECT THE $10 BILLION THAT AMAZON IS GOING TO BE MAKING AT THAT FACILITY, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT THEM AT ALL.
AND WE WON'T KNOW BEFORE WE EVEN PUT THE GROUND TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT CONTAMINATED AGAIN AT THE CITY EXPECTS, OH, WE HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT CAN GO UP TO $2 MILLION IF THERE IS CONTAMINATIONS.
HAROLD, YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF IT BY NOW, AREN'T YOU, BUDDY? OH, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA HIRE SOME POLICE
[01:50:01]
OFFICERS AND SOME FIREFIGHTERS FOR YOU.AH, WELL WHEN WILL WE SEE THE MONEY TO DO THAT? WE WILL SEE THE MONEY ONCE THEY START BUILDING.
AND THAT WILL BE AT LEAST WHEN DO YOU THINK, UM, IT'S IT BETWEEN THREE TO FIVE YEARS, MAYBE SOONER THAN IT TOOK ROSES.
BUT THEY AIN'T EVER GONNA BUILD IF WE DON'T PASS THIS TONIGHT.
IS ALL OF THIS DEVELOPMENT ENTIRELY IN ELLIS COUNTY? IT'S ALL IN ELLIS COUNTY, YES.
I GUESS THIS MINIMUM SALARY OF 70,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE WORKING, THERE'S GONNA BE FORKLIFT OPERATORS OR THERE GONNA BE PEOPLE BEHIND A COMPUTER.
IT'S PROBABLY, IT'S MAINLY TECHNICIANS, WIRING TECHNICIANS, COMPUTER NERDS.
THIS ISN'T A WAREHOUSE THAT YOU DRIVE A FORKLIFT AROUND.
THIS ISN'T, UH, ORDER YOUR PART AND YOU GO IT SHIPS TO AN A AMAZON TRUCK.
THIS IS SOMETHING THEY DON'T WANT ANY LATENCY.
WHEN I HIT THE KEYS ON THIS TO ORDER ANYTHING, IT'S A DATA CENTER TO TURN DATA OUT AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, GET THAT ORDER AND TO DO AI, NOT JUST ORDERS.
BETWEEN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS ARE FIRE STATION 12 AND ADDITIONAL A SUBSTATION FOR THE GRAND PRIX POLICE.
WHAT ARE ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INPUTS WILL WE HAVE TO PUT IN DOWN THERE? NOTHING UNTIL AFTER THAT'S BUILT AND WE HAVE PLANS, UH, FOR OUR STATION 12 WAY OUT THERE IN A SUBSTATION.
BUT WE'VE GOT PLANS TO ADD ANOTHER, UH, SHIFT OUT THERE, ANOTHER BEAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE GOODLAND HOMES PAY US A FEE THROUGH THE DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN THE CITY.
IS THIS THE SAME CHAPTER 3 89, 3 80 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT TOOK APARTMENTS OFF THE TAX ROLLS? NO, IT IS NOT.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE
I'M SEE MAYOR, I'M NOT AS SMART AS YOU MAYOR, SO I HAVE TO, I'M NOT SMART.
I JUST, I HAVE A LOT OF GOOD, HARDWORKING PEOPLE SURROUNDING ME WORK.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, HAROLD, THIS STARTED BACK WHEN TOM HART WAS HERE AND STEVE DIED, WORKED WITH PROVIDENCE ON THIS LOCATION.
THAT'S HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN GOING.
WE OWE IS ANYBODY FROM PROVIDENT HERE TONIGHT? ANYTIME YOU SEE SOMEBODY FROM PROVIDENT WHO RAISED YOUR HAND, THANK YOU.
THEY COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO BUILD IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT THEY CHOSE HERE.
RECLAIM JUST ABOUT 30 SECONDS OF MY TIME.
THIS IS WHY AS TAXPAYERS WE GET, SO RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE, THINGS ARE PRETTY TOUGH ON FOLKS.
WE GOT A WAR GOING ON COSTS GOING OUT THE ROOF, ATMOS IS JACKING UP EVERYTHING, ELECTRICITY, THE WHOLE BIT.
IT'S JUST, WE HEAR FROM REPUBLICANS ABOUT THE MIRACLES OF THE MARKETPLACE THAT WE DON'T NEED GOVERNMENT AS BAD.
WELL, GOVERNMENT IS MAKING JEFF BEZOS MORE BILLIONS.
SO THAT'S ALL THAT WE'RE ASKING IS HOMEOWNERS.
THOSE OF US WHO ARE PAYING A HIGH AMOUNT FOR HEALTHCARE RIGHT NOW, WE SEE THESE TYPES OF THINGS COMING IN.
WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO QUESTION THIS.
YOU HAVE FORM EVERY RIGHT QUESTION IT, WHETHER IT'S JEFF BEZO OR YOU DOING IT, OH MY
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THIS IS GOOD FOR OUR CITY AND GOOD FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE IT HERE.
SO WHEN THIS DOES COME FORTH, I DO SEE THAT 10 MILLION AND I DO SEE ADDITIONAL COPS AND FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO THIS OUT OF THAT 10 MILLION.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN, I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU
TONY, SAME QUESTION, JUST DIFFERENT TIME.
THE 150 EXTRA JOBS WILL COME BETWEEN THE THIS FIVE YEAR PERIOD AFTER THE 10 YEAR AFTER THE 10 YEAR YEARS.
COME IN, IN THIS FIVE YEAR PERIOD AND IT'LL HAVE TO BE AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD THEY HAVE THEM, CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WE SUSPECT THEY'LL DO IT FASTER.
AND, AND MAYOR, I GUESS FOR A SECOND WHILE I GOT THE FLOOR, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW THAT 65% OF THIS SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT SIX 35% OF A LOT IS STILL A HECK OF A LOT.
AND THEN AFTER THE 15 YEARS, A HUNDRED PERCENT IT'S GRAVY THEN.
SO I I THINK WE'D BE MORE HONEST TO PASS IT ON THIS.
I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM YOU
[01:55:01]
SINCE YOU GOT THE FLOOR.WELL, I'M GONNA LET KURT DO KURT.
UH, I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT TO, UH, MELINDA FOR COMING OUT HERE.
THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GO, UH, LOOK AT THE PACKET AT PAGE 2 93.
YEAH, IT DID MENTION ABOUT THE FIVE YEARS, UH, WHERE WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE, JUST SO IT WAS THERE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, AND WE WILL GET YOU THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
TONY, YOU GAVE THEM TO OUR STAFF.
WE WILL GET YOU EVERY ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 17 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
THIS IS THE, THIS COULD BE THE BIGGEST SINGLE ITEM IN THE HISTORY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
IF IT HAPPENS, IT WILL BE THE BIGGEST BY FAR.
AND SHE'S WITH AWS SHE WAS ONE OF THE ONES I WAS SPEAKING AT THAT HAS ANSWERED EVERY ONE OF OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT WATER, ELECTRICITY.
UH, YOU DON'T GET DIRECTS FROM JEFF BEZO.
Y'ALL ARE RUNNING INDEPENDENTLY.
YOU DO A GREAT JOB AND WE LOVE YOU PICKING GRAND PRAIRIE.