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[00:00:03]

OK IT IS 6:02.

[CALL TO ORDER/GENERAL COMMENTS]

I APOLOGIZE FOR OUR TARDINESS.

I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION OF THE BEDFORD CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2022.

I JUST WANT TO SAY BEFORE WE BEGIN, I MAYBE I'M TOO MUCH OF A GEEK.

I ALWAYS LOVE THIS MEETING WHENEVER WE HAVE IT, BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DREAM A LITTLE BIT, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF LOOK AHEAD TO THE FUTURE.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF I DON'T MEAN TO GO INTO THANKSGIVING MODE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR AND A LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY.

BUT TO KICK THIS OFF, I'D LIKE TO HAND THIS OVER TO CITY MANAGER JIMMY STATHATOS, IF YOU CAN KIND OF GIVE US A RECAP OVER LAST YEAR AND MAYBE SOME OTHER TALKING POINTS

[Council strategic planning session to include discussion regarding the Council’s visions, goals, and related topics.]

AND THEN AFTERWARDS, THEN LET'S JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND WORK WITH THE STAFF GOING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

SO JIMMY, TAKE IT AWAY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL.

IT'S VERY EXCITING.

WHEN WE WERE PREPARING FOR THIS MEETING, KIND OF LOOKING AT WHERE WE WERE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO WHEN THE PROGRESS WE MADE, I MEAN, IT'S NOT TO BE COCKY, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY DUE FOR A VICTORY LAP. I MEAN, WE'VE I THINK WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE WE'VE REALLY ACCOMPLISHED A LOT IN A VERY SHORT TIME, RELATIVELY SPEAKING.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE ITEMS THAT WERE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN FROM LAST YEAR AND THEN GIVE AN UPDATE.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO DETAILS UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.

BUT SO LET'S JUST START AND I WON'T READ EVERY ONE OF THEM BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THEM.

BUT THE FIRST TWO, I KNOW THAT UPDATING THE COUNCIL MISSION STATEMENT, UPDATING THE COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE, THOSE WERE SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL ACTIONS AND COUNCIL REQUEST. WELL, THESE WERE ALL COUNCIL REQUESTS.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY THOSE CHANGES, I THINK, HELPED SET THE TONE FOR ALL THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD, BECAUSE IT JUST REALLY SET THE TONE.

I KNOW I'VE SAID THAT, BUT IT WAS IT REALLY SET THE TABLE FOR US TO TO MOVE FORWARD ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

AND NOT EVERYONE AGREED WITH EVERYTHING, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF HARMONY.

YES, SIR. CAN I INTERJECT ONE THING? ABSOLUTELY. SO LAST YEAR WE MET ON JUNE 1ST, 2021, AND AT THAT TIME COUNCIL WE HAD A DISCUSSION AND WE ESSENTIALLY OUTLINED 22 OR 23 ITEMS THAT WE WANTED STAFF TO INCORPORATE INTO ITS AFFAIRS.

SO YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY FOLLOWING THAT LIST? YES, SIR. YEAH. THANK YOU.

I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT.

AND SO THIS IS I'M GIVING AN UPDATE ON THOSE ITEMS. NOW, SOME OF THOSE ITEMS WERE WRAPPED IN, SO IT WON'T BE 23.

IT MIGHT BE 18 BECAUSE SOME OF THEM THERE WAS AN OVERLAP IN THE SCOPE, IF YOU WILL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME MONUMENTAL THINGS LIKE THE DEVELOPING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STREET IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.

AGAIN, I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE ITEMS, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE VERY NOTEWORTHY.

THAT WAS HUGE BECAUSE HISTORICALLY THE APPROACH HAD BEEN ALMOST PAY AS YOU GO.

AND SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE CAN ONLY DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF STREETS BECAUSE ONCE THE MONEY RAN OUT, THE MONEY RAN OUT.

WELL, IN THIS CLIMATE WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE BONDS AND DO OVER 40 RESIDENTS.

THE PLAN HAS US DOING OVER 40 RESIDENTIAL STREETS AS WELL AS ALL THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, AND IT'S HUGE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT HOW THE COUNCIL ALLOWED US TO DO HARWOOD AND THEN FOREST RIDGE AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO START ON BEDFORD ROAD, BEFORE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO DO ALL OF THOSE BACK TO BACK TO BACK BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT FOR MULTIPLE FISCAL YEARS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THAT.

AND SO THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S A BIG PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENT REALLY ABOUT PAY AS YOU GO OR ISSUE IN DEBT, BECAUSE IF YOU DO PAY AS YOU GO, WHEN WE SAVE UP ALL THIS MONEY TO DO THE ROADS, BUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAID IN HAVE MOVED, THEY DON'T REALLY GET THE BENEFIT OF THEIR INVESTMENT.

SO I LOVE THE APPROACH AND I THINK BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS, IT'S BEEN VERY POPULAR.

DISCUSS A POSSIBLE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS HELD, A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND AT THE TIME A CHARTER ELECTION WAS NOT CALLED THE MASTER PARKS TRAILS AND BIKE PLAN.

THAT WAS DONE IN. AND THE MAIN REASON THAT WAS DONE IS BECAUSE IT WAS THE COUNCIL GOAL, BUT ALSO IT WAS A COMPONENT OF THE GRANT APPLICATION WE SUBMITTED FOR THE TENNIS COURTS AND THEN OF COURSE IMPROVE THE AV PERFORMANCE AT CITY HALL.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL, AS YOU CAN HEAR US.

CREATE A PUBLIC ARTS POLICY PROGRAM.

THIS WAS HUGE BECAUSE WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A GUIDING DOCUMENT, IF YOU WILL, OR A STAFF MEMBER THAT COULD HELP CARRY THE BALL AND BRING THE COUNCIL'S ARTS GOALS, IF YOU WILL, TO FRUITION.

AND SO NOW WE'VE GOT THAT BLUEPRINT, THE OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR THE CENTER AT GENERATIONS PARK.

AGAIN, I'M ONLY MENTIONED SOME OF THE MORE NOTEWORTHY ONES, BUT THEY'RE ALL NOTEWORTHY.

BUT THAT IS THE YMCA.

THAT DECISION RIGHT THERE IS SAVING THE CITY A MINIMUM OF 600,000 A YEAR.

THAT SAVINGS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.

AND CANDIDLY, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON THE COUNCIL'S BEHALF, THEY WANTED TO BE CREATIVE AND LOOK AND I'M SORRY FOR MY VOICE.

[00:05:02]

THEY WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO BE CREATIVE AND SAVE MONIES SO THOSE SAVINGS COULD BE REALLOCATED TOWARDS MEETING MORE OF THE RESIDENTS GOALS.

AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S MY INTERPRETATION.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT IT WAS A HUGE HIT AND IT'LL ALSO ALLOW RESIDENTS AND ALL MEMBERS TO HAVE A LOT MORE PROGRAMS AND AMENITIES, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE OF WHAT THE YMCA OFFERS CITIZEN SURVEYS.

WE DO ANNUAL SURVEYS NOW OF OBVIOUSLY OF OUR CITIZENS, BUT ALSO NOT JUST FOR QUALITY OF LIFE, HAPPINESS, ETC., BUT RESTAURANT AND RETAIL PREFERENCES THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

BUT TO TAKE IT A NEXT STEP.

THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZES US TO DO ITS FLASH VOTING, BASICALLY TO WHERE MOLLY AND HER TEAM CAN SURVEY THE RESIDENTS IN REAL TIME QUICKLY ON CRITICAL ISSUES OR MAYBE ISSUES THAT THE COUNCIL JUST WANTS A LITTLE MORE PUBLIC INPUT.

AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TAX RATE DECREASE.

THE TAX RATE DECREASE WAS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE RESIDENTS AND THAT WAS WHY WE'VE GONE THAT ROUTE.

AND THEN IF YOU LOOK THE ARPA, WE'VE HAD THAT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

THAT WAS BASICALLY COVID FUNDING THAT WAS GIVEN TO ALL ENTITIES AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALLOWED US TO USE THOSE TO REINVEST IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARKS.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER USES.

BUT IT'S HELPED A LOT WITH FACILITIES.

WHAT IS. IT'S NOT GOING TO THE NEXT ONE.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

PROBABLY OUR OPERATOR ERROR.

SO THANK YOU FOR CLOSING THE DOOR, BY THE WAY.

OK. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS THAT WERE ON THE LIST THAT AREN'T COMPLETED YET.

CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN REVIEW.

CANDIDLY, THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THAT TO SET ASIDE THOSE FUNDS ALMOST A YEAR AGO.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE'RE DOING SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CANDIDLY DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY STAFF WISE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A CONSULTANT THAT PERFORMS IT, WE NEED SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT CAN BE THE LIAISON THAT'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

AND SO NOW WE'RE STAFFED UP TO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THE BEDFORD CITIZENS ACADEMY, THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT THE COUNCIL HAS REALLY PUSHED.

AGAIN, WE DID NOT HAVE THE STAFFING CAPACITY, BUT WE DO NOW.

AND SO THAT'LL KICK OFF IN JANUARY AND THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY COOL.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO KIND OF PULL THE CURTAIN BACK ON YOUR GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS.

AND MORE INFO IS COMING.

BUT JANUARY WILL BE SOLICITING APPLICATIONS FROM INTERESTED PEOPLE.

SO DIVISION, REGULATIONS AND ZONING ORDINANCE, THOSE ARE BOTH TOGETHER.

THOSE ARE STILL ON THE LIST.

CANDIDLY, IT'S NOT A MONEY ISSUE.

I MEAN, THEY EACH COST 75 TO $100,000 EACH.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

BUT THE ISSUE, AGAIN, IS HAVING THAT STAFFING CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE CONSULTANT TO GET THOSE DONE.

AND THE MASTER PLAN IS THE MOST CRITICAL ONE, AND THAT'S WHY WE PICKED THE MASTER PLAN.

BUT THE CONSULTANT WE'RE WORKING WITH ON THE MASTER PLAN AND THAT AGREEMENT IS COMING TO COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER, IS GOING TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHANGES TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS.

SO IT'S NOT ALL MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE AND I APOLOGIZE.

THE OTHER ITEM, THE NEXT ITEM CODE ENFORCEMENT.

WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.

WE'VE YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT CITY I'VE WORKED FOR, ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT EITHER THINK THAT THE CITY IS TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT OR THEY'RE TOO LAX.

AND I TALKED WITH A GENTLEMAN TODAY THAT LIVED IN BEDFORD OVER 30 YEARS, AND I WON'T GO INTO ALL OF IT, BUT THERE WAS A VIOLATION THAT WAS TURNED IN BY SOMEONE BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT CITY IT IS, CODE ENFORCEMENT IS INHERENTLY A REACTIONARY ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, UNLESS WE WANT TO HAVE 1000 CODE OFFICERS, IT'S JUST YOU CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.

ANYWAY, THIS GENTLEMAN WAS UPSET.

HE WAS LIKE, MAN, I'VE HAD THIS PARKED HERE AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN IT WAS PARKED BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO ANYWAY.

BUT IT'S BEEN HERE TEN YEARS AND NOW IT'S A PROBLEM.

IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU GOT AWAY WITH IT FOR TEN YEARS, YOU KNOW.

BUT IT'S TOUGH TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THE CODES ARE THERE AND WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THEM.

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THE COUNCIL REALLY RE-IMAGINED THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, HOW THEY WERE STRUCTURED, WHAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EXISTED, AND THEN NEXT, CREATE A CAPITAL ASSET STRATEGIC PLAN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STILL NEED TO DO NOW WE'RE STAFFED UP IN FINANCE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE AT THE VERY LATEST.

BEDFORD COMMONS YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN A LOT OF STEPS.

THEY'VE APPROVED THE DEVELOPER.

THE LAST MEETING THEY APPROVED ENGINEERING DOLLARS BECAUSE THE LAND HASN'T BEEN SURVEYED.

THERE ARE SOME FLOODWAY OR FLOODPLAIN THAT'S ON IT.

THERE'S OTHER TOPOGRAPHICAL ISSUES THAT AREN'T IN THE FLOODPLAIN.

THERE ARE A LOT OF HICKEYS THAT NEED TO BE SORTED OUT.

AND SO ANYWAY, BUT THAT IS ON IT'S GOING ON AUTOPILOT.

[00:10:04]

AND THE DEVELOPER IS MEETING CONSTANTLY WITH UNIQUE BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS.

SO THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.

IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T SEE DIRT FLYING, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ZONES, THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO TACKLE QUITE FRANKLY, WE DIDN'T.

REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN IT KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE ED ZONES.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE WE HAVE SOME SHOPPING CENTERS THAT LOOK VERY TIRED, QUITE FRANKLY.

AND SO WE ARE WORKING WE HAVE A FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

CANDIDLY, WE NEED TO PUT MORE TEETH IN IT.

BUT THERE'S ALSO THINGS.

WE HAVE A RESTAURANT THAT IS COMING TO ONE OF THE GATOR SHOPPING CENTERS IN FRONT OF BIG LOTS AND IT'S SORRY, IT'S GOING IN THE PARKING LOT AND IT'S CALLED SALAD TO GO.

THE REASON I MENTION THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE OVER PARKED.

SO WE'VE GOT TO SEE A CONCRETE THAT SET ASIDE AS IF EVERY DAY IS BLACK FRIDAY.

AND THAT'S NOT HOW CITIES HANDLE IT NOWADAYS.

SO WE'RE EVOLVING.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL MODIFYING THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE SOME OF THAT SEA OF CONCRETE.

HERITAGE, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.

WE HAVE THE COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED STEEL FREEMAN AS THE CONTRACTOR.

WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT PLAN.

IT'S COMING TO FRUITION.

WE SAW EVERYTHING THAT WE PUT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN GET THE ARCHITECT AND THE CONTRACTOR TOGETHER AND MAKE SOME GOOD FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS SO WE CAN KEEP THAT UNDER THE BUDGET THAT THE COUNCIL SET.

HERITAGE PLAZA AT GENERATIONS PARK.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE TALKED ABOUT A WAY TO WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD, WHILE WE REDEVELOP AND RENOVATE THINGS, WE WANT TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND RESIDENTS THAT HAVE LIVED HERE FOREVER, THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW, IF YOU WANT, OR THE TENURED AND THE NEW IS PROBABLY BETTER.

AND ONE OF THE SCULPTURE PROJECTS THAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IN A LITTLE BIT I THINK HELPS KICK THAT OFF, DEVELOP A CAPITAL ASSET STRATEGIC PLAN.

IS THAT ON THERE TWICE? YEAH, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE STILL HAVEN'T DONE IT.

[LAUGHTER] CITYWIDE WIDE WIFI WE WE NOW IT'S WE'RE STARTING WITH THE PARKS QUITE FRANKLY BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO TACKLE AND IT'S MORE IMPACTFUL AND FROM AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND SO WE'VE ALREADY SOLICITED AND RECEIVED RFPS THE PROPOSALS AS A RESULT OF THE RFP.

WE'VE GOT OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR THAT STARTED ON MONDAY AND HE IS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH IT TO EVALUATE THOSE PROPOSALS AND THEN WE'LL BE COMING TO COUNCIL.

BUT THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.

OK. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT SO FAR? THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

I KNOW THAT'S THE LIST, BUT THERE'S STILL A FEW DAYS THIS WEEK.

OKAY. NO, IT'S REALLY I'M GETTING CHOKED UP.

YOU CAN TELL, BUT IT'S WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS, BUT HONESTLY, NOT TO BRAG, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF CITIES, THIS WOULD BE LIKE THEIR FIVE OR TEN YEAR PLAN.

BUT THIS IS IT'S ON THE I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO KRISSI ODEN, OUR CULTURAL PROGRAM CZAR, GURU, ALL THE ABOVE.

BUT THE COUNCIL, AS I MENTIONED, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TASKED US WITH OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC ART, BUT ALSO AS A WAY TO CAPTURE THE HISTORICAL ASPECT.

SO, KRISSI, WOULD YOU PLEASE.

THANK YOU. KRISSI, CAN I SAY ONE THING BEFORE YOU GO? AND I APOLOGIZE. THERE'S NEVER A GOOD TIME TO SAY THIS.

YOU MAY NOTICE MEMBER GAGLIARDI IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY HE'S HE'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TODAY BECAUSE HE'S TENDING TO SOME FAMILY ISSUES.

I KNOW THAT ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE HERE IN THE COUNCIL, WE DO WANT TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIFE, LYDIA, AND TO ROB ON THE PASSING OF MARION LEONARDSON, AND THAT ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH LYDIA AND ROB.

SO THERE'S NEVER A GOOD TIME TO SAY THAT.

I APOLOGIZE. I'M SAYING IT IN FRONT OF.

NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO SAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR BOYS RANCH HISTORICAL SCULPTURE.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PIECE.

SO THE ARTIST THAT WE COMMISSIONED WAS TASKED WITH CREATING A SCULPTURE THAT WOULD CELEBRATE THE PAST OF THAT SPACE AND BOYS RANCH AND ALSO CELEBRATE THE VISION MOVING FORWARD FOR GENERATIONS PARK AT BOYS RANCH.

AND SO THE SCULPTURE WILL HAVE THREE SIDES.

EACH SIDE IS BASED ON THE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF THE SPACE FOR BOYS RANCH.

SO THE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP FOR WHEN IT WAS BOYS RANCH, AND THEN THE NEXT PHASE OF THE SPACE FROM WHEN THE BRAC WAS THERE AND ALL THE OTHER BUILDINGS.

THAT'S THE SECOND TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP.

AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS THE MAP FOR THE CURRENT SPACE.

THE CURRENT GENERATIONS PARK AT BOYS RANCH.

[00:15:03]

AND SO WITHIN EACH MAP, THE ARTIST HAS INCLUDED VARIOUS OBJECTS AND THINGS THAT REALLY TELL THE STORY OF THE SPACE AT THAT TIME. AND SO THE POINT OF THE SCULPTURE ALSO IS TO TELL A STORY OF THIS SPACE, WHAT IT WAS, WHAT IT USED TO BE, AND WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE MOVING FORWARD.

AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS WHERE IT'LL BE PLACED.

WHAT YOU DON'T SEE ON HERE IS THAT THERE WILL BE A STEEL BACKING ON EACH SIDE SO YOU CAN REALLY READ WHAT'S ON EACH OF THOSE SIDES A LOT BETTER.

THAT'S JUST NOT IN THIS RENDERING YET, BUT WE PLACED IT RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT IF YOU'RE IN, IF YOU'RE WORKING OUT OR IN THE GYM AREA.

I THINK IT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE ALL OF THOSE WINDOWS.

AND WE WANTED TO PUT IT IN THIS SPACE WHERE IT ALSO VISUALLY CONNECTS THE WATER, WHICH HAS BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME, AND THE NEW BUILDING WHICH IS THERE NOW.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF REASONING FOR A LOT OF THE WAYS THAT THIS WAS CREATED.

AND ONCE IT'S INSTALLED, WE PLAN TO PUT A QR CODE NEAR IT SO YOU CAN SCAN IT AND THEN I'LL TAKE YOU SOMEWHERE THAT WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE PIECE, WHAT THE MEANING BEHIND IT IS, AND SOME HISTORY ABOUT EACH OF THOSE SPACES FOR THOSE TIMES.

SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED.

THAT'S FANTASTIC. YEAH.

ANY QUESTIONS? TELL US ABOUT THE WATER TOWER.

SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO THROW GRAY UP THERE, RIGHT? IT'S UP TO YOU. [LAUGHTER] PLEASE.

NO, PLEASE, NO. OKAY.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY HENCE THE TITLE, THE CUMMINGS ROAD.

THIS WATER TOWER.

IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE, I MEAN, THIS TOWER, IT'S NOT FUNNY, BUT INTERESTING.

THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

AND I THINK PART OF IT IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, BECAUSE IT'S FADED.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE YOU CAN'T JUST PAINT IT.

YOU'VE GOT TO REHAB IT.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE DIVERS INSIDE TO MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T ANY LEAKS.

I MEAN, IT'S WE'RE TALKING OVER $2 MILLION DOLLARS.

SO IT'S NOT A MATTER OF JUST PAINTING IT.

AND SO BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF AND I'M SETTING THE TABLE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CORPORATE WATER TOWERS THAT ARE AND I WANT TO BE CAREFUL IN MY WORDING BECAUSE Y'ALL MIGHT LIKE ONE THAT FITS THIS.

SO I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION, BUT THEY'RE VERY SAFE, VERY STERILE CORPORATE LIKE THE WATER TOWERS IN HURST.

IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY? YES, MAYOR.

YES MAYOR. OH OKAY.

AND THERE ARE SOME AROUND THE COUNTRY, EVEN AROUND THE METROPLEX, THAT ARE FUN TO WHERE WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING ON A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE YOU SEE IT AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN A COOL PLACE. YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT.

AND WE WANT TO BE WITH THE COOL KIDS.

YES. RIGHT. YES, EXACTLY.

IT'S FUNNY. SO ANYWAY, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THIS IS OK KRISSI AND THE MAYOR HAVE FORGOTTEN MORE ABOUT ART THAN I KNOW, BUT THIS IS CALLED THE MONDRIAN.

IT'S NAMED AFTER THAT ARTIST.

AND SO BASICALLY BOTH SIDES WOULD HAVE.

SORRY, LET ME GO BACK.

SEE IT'S RECOGNIZABLE.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE COLOR SCHEME AND IT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY ON BOTH SIDES.

AND THE LIBRARY CURRENTLY USES THIS MONDRIAN DESIGN, IF YOU WILL, AS WELL.

SO IT WOULD KIND OF BIND THOSE TWO.

THE NEXT ONE IS ALSO MONDRIAN.

IS IT STILL CONSIDERED MONDRIAN IF IT'S NOT AS COLORFUL? IT'S BASED ON.

IT'S LIKE GENERIC MONDRIAN.

SO ANYWAY.

DULL MONDRIAN. I'M GOING TO STAY WITH MY LIBERAL ARTS BACKGROUND.

SO ANYWAY, I'M JUST I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH.

I MEAN, THE DOG AND PONY OF EVERYONE.

I JUST WANT TO THE DEAL IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T ANY SURPRISES, THAT WHATEVER IS ON THE WATER TOWER HAS GENERAL CONSENSUS.

EVERYONE'S NOT GOING TO AGREE. I'M SURE ROB SAID I COULD TELL EVERYONE THAT HE WANTS HE LIKES THE COLOR ONE, THE MULTICOLORED ONE.

THEY'RE ALL MULTICOLORED. YEAH.

THE FIRST ONE, THE PARTRIDGE PIECE.

OH HE SAID. THE PARTRIDGE.

OKAY, LET ME JUST SHOW THESE KIND OF CRAZY.

THAT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF MY MORNINGS AFTER DRINKING TOO MUCH.

SO WHAT DO YOU ALL? DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT? I KIND OF LIKE THE WAVE.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

[LAUGHTER] JIMMY, HOW ARE THESE DONE? ARE THEY ACTUALLY PAINTED? ARE THEY SKINS OR WHAT ARE THEY? THEY'RE PAINTED.

WOW. SO WE GOT TWO OTHER WATER TOWERS THAT EVENTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO BE REDONE.

SO THE IDEA WOULD BE TO BRAND ALL OF THEM IN SOME.

YES, MA'AM. WHAT THIS ONE WILL CREATE WHAT THE OTHER TWO MAY BE SOMEDAY.

NOT NECESSARILY. I MEAN, THEY CAN ALL HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL FLAIR.

[00:20:01]

LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT ONE THAT THE NEXT ONE THAT MAKES SENSE FROM A REHAB STANDPOINT IS ONE OF THE FIRE STATION.

I MEAN, IT COULD HAVE MORE OF A FIRE THEME IF Y'ALL WANTED.

AND HOW LONG DOES THE PAINT LAST? DOES IT LAST QUITE A LONG TIME.

CHERYL? ISN'T IT TEN YEARS BEFORE YOU HAVE TO TOUCH IT UP? CAN YOU GOOGLE IT REAL QUICK, CHERYL? I'M JUST JOKING. AND I WONDER IF THAT'S THE REASON THEY ALWAYS DID THE WATER TOWERS PRETTY PLAINLY IS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TOUCH THEM UP.

YEAH, THERE WAS NO LABOR INVOLVED, BUT WE'LL GET YOU AN ANSWER.

SEEMS LIKE IT'S TEN YEARS, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER, OF COURSE, BUT.

SO THE ONLY THING ABOUT THE WAVE IS ONE HALF OF BEDFORD MAY NOT LIKE THE COLOR OF THAT.

SO YOU CAN LIKE PAINT THE EASTSIDE RED AND BLACK? WELL, TECHNICALLY, WE DON'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL IN BEDFORD.

YEAH, SO WE'RE.

WE DO OUR OWN THING.

YEAH, WE DO OUR OWN THING.

SO THIS IS.

YOU'RE JUST KIND OF YOU'RE JUST KIND OF SKETCH BOARDING STUFF, KIND OF IDEAS.

YOU'RE SEEKING YOU'RE SEEKING SOME SORT OF SENSORY RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL TONIGHT? YES, SIR. YEAH. IT'S IT'S OUT TO BID RIGHT NOW.

AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE GAVE THEM THE WILD LIKE THE OUTLIER OPTIONS.

THAT WAY WE WOULD HAVE BUDGET NUMBERS TO RUN WITH.

BUT, YOU KNOW, CANDIDLY, Y'ALL CAN'T VOTE TONIGHT.

BUT IT WOULD BE IDEAL TO GET SOME CONSENSUS OR A HEAD NOD ON WHICH ONE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE ONE WITH THE GOGAN PIECE ON IT.

YEAH. I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T GET ANY ROARING SENSE OF APPROVAL ON ANY OF THESE FROM YOU GUYS.

WE HAVE THAT WELL, I JUST I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF I KNEW HOW MUCH THESE COSTS.

YOU KNOW, LIKE THE MULTICOLORED ONE.

I LIKE HOW IT WOULD TIE TOGETHER WITH THE DESIGN WE HAVE AT THE LIBRARY, BUT JUST GIVEN ON THE THOUGHTS OF HOW MUCH, HOW LONG THE PAINT IS GOING TO LAST.

THEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT COLORS AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO TOUCH UP.

WELL, WHY DON'T WE SIMPLIFY THIS? LET'S SAY, GIVEN KNOWN FACTORS, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EXCRUCIATINGLY EXPENSIVE, THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO MAINTAIN THE COLOR SCHEME OVER TIME.

IS COUNCIL GENERALLY ON BOARD WITH LET'S DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THEM OTHER THAN JUST THROWING UP A LIGHT BLUE? AND PAINTING IT AS IS.

IS COUNCIL GENERALLY OKAY WITH YEAH, LET'S INCORPORATE SOME INGENUITY INTO THE DESIGN.

YEAH. OKAY. SO WE'RE ON BOARD WITH THAT.

I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS THE WHAT YOU CALLED THE WAVE.

THE WAVE, NOT THE PARTRIDGE BUS OR WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE MULTICOLORED ONE? I DON'T. CAN I SAY THAT? YEAH. YEAH. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

QUESTION WAS ASKED ABOUT IF IT IMPACTED PROPERTY VALUES.

I CANDIDLY, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON PROPERTY VALUES AT ALL.

I MEAN, I DON'T I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY IT WOULD HAVE ANY IMPACT BECAUSE THE THING IS, IT'S YOU CAN SEE IT FROM THE FREEWAY.

YOU CAN SEE IT FROM ALL OVER.

SO IT WOULD HAVE TO IMPACT ALL THE PROPERTY VALUES.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT CITIES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, FARMERS BRANCH, I THINK CARROLLTON, THE ONES THAT HAVE DONE VERY COLORFUL ONES, I MEAN, YOU COULD EASILY SAY THAT IT INCREASES THE VALUE OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO COME THERE AND SHOP BECAUSE THEY'RE ATTRACTED TO IT.

YEAH, BUT ISN'T A THAT'S THE ONLY THING. A QUESTION.

DO YOU WANT A HOUSE.

I MEAN, YOU GOT TO WATER AND NOW YOU'VE GOT THE PARTRIDGE BUT IT'S ELEVATED. IT'S NOT A GROUND STORAGE TANK.

BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU ALL TO DECIDE.

AND AGAIN. WOULD YOU RATHER THE SCOOBY DOO BUS.

ABSOLUTELY. THAN THE PARTRIDGE. IS THAT AN OPTION? YEAH. YES. NO.

AND THE THING IS, LIKE I SAID, IT'S COMING FORWARD FOR Y'ALL TO ACT ON THE BID, SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT IT MORE AND IT WILL HAVE THE DIFFERENT COSTS THAT NIGHT AFTER THE FORMAL BID OPENING.

BUT IT'S REALLY JUST KIND OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT, IF THERE WERE ANY THAT PEOPLE DID NOT LIKE.

AND I'M REALLY TALKING TO THE OTHER FIVE.

I'M JUST. YEAH, I KNOW.

I KNOW IN MORNINGS WITH THE MAYOR HERE RECENTLY I THINK MOLLY WAS THERE TOO.

THERE WAS SOME RESIDENTS WHO LIKE THE THOUGHT THAT WE COULD PUT OUT SOME SORT OF A SURVEY TOO AND GET CITIZENS FEEDBACK ON SOME OF THE DESIGN OPTIONS TOO.

WE CAN DO THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE FLASH VOTE, WOULD Y'ALL LIKE US TO DO THAT? I MEAN, COUNCIL, YEAH, THERE'S A BIG HEAD NOD THERE.

[00:25:03]

TIMELINE ISSUE. YEAH THAT'S A TIMELINE ISSUE THE BID IS COMING NOVEMBER 8TH.

NOVEMBER 8. SO WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO MEET BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

WELL, IT'LL BE AT THAT NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

SO IT'S THAT MEETING? YES, SIR.

WE'LL GET A BID ON WORST CASE SCENARIO WHERE YOU JUST GO FROM THERE.

WE ARE. YEAH.

ON THE MOST. YEAH.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'LL START THE OFF TAKE ACTION ON NOVEMBER 8TH, BUT THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IT'S GETTING HIT AN AGENDA FOR YOU ALL BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS AND I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW, BUT WE HAVE TO DRAIN THE TANK AND EVERYTHING, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT ALL FINISHED BY MAY BEFORE WE ENTER THE PEAK SEASON FOR WATER CONSUMPTION. LET ME SAY THIS.

I KNOW I'VE OBSERVED PRIOR COUNCILS THAT SPENT 4 HOURS THINKING ABOUT THE BEDFORD BEE SO JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IMMEDIATELY GIVING YOU SENSORY INPUT RIGHT NOW DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT PROCESSING AND THINKING.

NO THAT'S COOL. BUT NOW YOU'RE SPARKING THAT IN OUR HEADS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE EIGHTH.

THANK YOU. AND I'M DEFINITELY NOT TRYING TO RUSH ANYONE, BUT OKAY.

EXCEPT WE NEED TO DECIDE BY THE 8TH.

BUT HURRY. YEAH, WE'LL DO THE FLASH VOTE.

MOLLY, CAN YOU DO THAT? AND THEN WE'LL SHARE THE RESULTS WITH YOU ALL.

STEVE, YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ONCE.

OKAY. THANKS, OH, ANY OTHER ANY OTHER THOUGHTS COUNCIL? ACTUALLY. LIKE THAT ONE. STATUTORY THINGS WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE WATER TOWER.

I KNOW THERE WERE THINGS IN TERMS OF LIKE DRAINAGE, BUT I REMEMBER IT WAS A FEW YEARS BACK WE HAD THE WATER TOWER PAINTING ON OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

AND I SEEM TO RECALL IT WAS SOMETHING YOU WERE AROUND BACK THEN TOO.

SO THERE WAS SOME LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN AUSTIN THAT REQUIRED US TO DO DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TOWER, LIKE THE MANHOLE, THE MANHOLE ENTRANCE AND THINGS OF THAT THAT DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THE COST OF DOING THOSE RENOVATIONS.

AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE $2 MILLION DOLLARS LYING AROUND, SO WE HAD TO PAUSE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, I THINK.

YEAH.

YES SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. AND OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, REALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ITEMS THAT ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS, WE'D JUST LIKE SOME FEEDBACK ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT US TO KEEP THOSE ON THE LIST OR WHAT WILL BE ON THE LIST.

BUT ANYWAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BEFORE WE OPEN THIS UP FOR A WIDER CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT RECAP, BECAUSE THAT WAS A LOT FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH.

I FEEL LIKE.

AND I DON'T KNOW. IT MAYBE I'M TOO, I ENJOY [INAUDIBLE] TOO MUCH.

I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE COME A LONG WAYS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 18 TO 23 ITEMS THAT COUNCIL AND STAFF HAS PRIORITIZED AND THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON, IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL DAY TO DAY FUNCTIONS THAT WE HAVE.

I REALLY AND I KNOW THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO DO HERE.

I MEAN, WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THIS.

AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

SOME OF THESE ISSUES, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, I MEAN, THERE'S NO SIMPLE OFF THE SHELF SOLUTION TO GETTING INTO THAT.

BUT I THINK TONIGHT, I THINK GIVEN THE MAKEUP THAT WE HAVE OF THIS COUNCIL AND I THINK GIVEN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN, I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO THINK BIG.

I THINK WE DON'T HAVE TO FALL INTO THE TRAP OF BEING SMALL MINDED, BUT RATHER LET'S LOOK OUT INTO THE FUTURE.

AND WHAT DO WE SEE FOR THIS TOWN? WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT THIS TOWN TO BECOME? I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THAT WE'RE IN A SPECIAL POSITION RIGHT NOW FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

ONE OF THOSE REASONS ARE THAT WE'VE GOT A FANTASTIC TEAM DOWN HERE AT CITY HALL.

AND MAYBE IT'S A BRAG.

MAYBE IT'S NOT A BRAG, BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN POSITIONS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE THAN THE CITY HAS EVER HAD BEFORE.

WE'VE GOT TO. YOU'RE OUR FIRST PROFESSIONAL CITY MANAGER WE'VE EVER HIRED.

WE WERE ALWAYS PROMOTING THE GUY WHO WANTED TO BECOME A CITY MANAGER.

BUT YOU CAME TO US AS A 25 YEAR VETERAN, AS A CITY MANAGER OR A TOWN MANAGER.

WE NOW HAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS IN ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS WITH EXPERIENCE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT, WHO HAVE THE TITLES BEHIND THEIR NAMES RATHER THAN US, JUST KIND OF PROMOTING FROM WITHIN OR FINDING THE CHEAPEST GUY WHO'S OUT THERE.

TALENT, TALENTS IS IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT.

EXPERIENCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND HAVING THE PEOPLE IN PLACE AT ALL THESE LEVELS, AT THESE POSITIONS.

IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHY WE'RE WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK BIG.

[00:30:04]

SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU, BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN FOREVER CHANGED WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP.

YOU KNOW, THE EXPERIENCE PAYS OFF.

YOU JUST LOOK OVER THE PAST YEAR.

BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE OF YOUR TEAM'S EXPERIENCE, WE FOUND WAYS TO SAVE MONEY.

WE FOUND WAYS TO FIND MONEY THAT WE HAD THAT WE HAD IN OUR GRASP.

BUT WE DIDN'T UTILIZE OUR RESOURCES PROPERLY.

WE REFINANCED DEBT.

WE SAVED MILLIONS THERE.

WE ELIMINATED REDUNDANT POSITIONS.

I MEAN, 40 POSITIONS IN TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.

WE'RE DOWNSIZING.

YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES.

YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO FIND WAYS TO CREATE SAVINGS SO THAT WE SPEND LESS ON MATERIALS AND THINGS THAT WE NEED THAN WE DID IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS. I THINK GENERALLY IT'S THE PROCESS OF BEING SMARTER WITH OUR RESOURCES THAT BECAUSE OF THOSE DECISIONS, IT'S PUT US INTO A POSITION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

I THINK WE AS A CITY, WE'VE BEEN THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX MAYBE IN THE PAST WE WERE TOO CONSTRICTIVE.

AND JUST LOOKING AT THINGS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THINGS A CERTAIN WAY.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY THE CASE NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH EXPERIENCE AT CERTAIN LEVELS, AND THAT EXPERIENCE BRINGS WITH IT NEW IDEAS THAT WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY APPLY TO HOW WE DID THINGS.

AND THAT REALLY IS APROPOS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STREETS.

IT'S APROPOS IN THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ENCOUNTERED WITH THE GENERATIONS PARK AND HOW WE WERE UPSIDE DOWN FROM THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

IT'S HOW WE ADDRESS AND WORK ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILIZING THE RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AVAILABLE AND BEING SMARTER WITH THOSE THINGS.

IT'S THE WATER TOWER.

I MEAN, THIS WATER TOWER HAS BEEN PUNTED FOR YEARS BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH IT.

AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT HOW WE HANDLE PEOPLE.

I THINK FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE DID YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW, IF WE WOULD HAVE SAID FIVE YEARS AGO THAT THIS CITY WOULD BE RECRUITING AND RELOCATING A $100 MILLION PLUS COMPANY FROM OUT OF STATE TO MOVE TO BEDFORD, THAT WASN'T A CONSIDERATION BACK THEN.

IT WASN'T A POSSIBILITY.

I THINK THIS COUNCIL AND WITH YOUR GUIDANCE, I MEAN, WE'RE DOING THINGS TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST.

IT'S ASSURING THAT THINGS THAT WE WANT ARE GOING TO COME TO THIS TOWN RATHER THAN THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT.

IT'S US DICTATING WHAT THOSE TERMS ARE.

CAMPUS WEST IS THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE OF THAT.

I KNOW I WAS IN MEETINGS.

I KNOW YOU WERE IN MEETINGS WHERE WE WERE BEING TOLD ONLY APARTMENTS CAN GO THERE.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET VALUE OUT OF THOSE IS PUT APARTMENTS THERE.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE WILL WAS AT THE TIME AND NOR IS IT NOW.

BEDFORD COMMONS. IT WAS THE SAME STORY.

IT WAS 96% MULTIFAMILY AND 4% RETAIL.

BOTH THOSE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE GOING TO TURN DIRT HERE IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AND THROUGH THE ACTIONS OF THE CITY, THROUGH THE ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL, WE'RE INVESTING INTO THIS CITY BY FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO PAY FOR THOSE PROJECTS THROUGH THE TIRZ, THROUGH THE TIFS, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXES ON THE REGULAR RESIDENTS, THAT WE'RE GOING TO LET IT.

WE'RE GOING TO LET THE GROWTH OF THIS CITY FINANCE THE GROWTH OF THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

GENERATIONS PARK WE WERE UPSIDE DOWN ON THAT THE DAY IT PASSED.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS PASSED IN A CERTAIN FASHION AND IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE DESIGN ON THAT WAS A CERTAIN WAY.

AND IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO REALIZE WE COULDN'T BUILD IT THE WAY THAT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED, FOR WHATEVER REASON.

AND THAT WAS A $3 MILLION DOLLAR HIT.

SO I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK THAT WE'RE IN A UNIQUE POSITION IN THIS CITY THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN.

AND IT STARTS FIRST WITH PEOPLE.

IT STARTS FIRST WITH THIS TEAM THAT WE HAVE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, TO ME, THAT GIVES US THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO THINK BIG.

IT GIVES US THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO DREAM A LITTLE BIT.

WE HAVE THE MOMENTUM.

WE HAVE THESE THINGS GOING.

WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

THEY'RE ABOUT TO HIT GROUND.

I THINK OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE THEY DESERVE THE BEST AND THEY DESERVE IF WE CAN DREAM BIG, I THINK WE CAN DREAM BIG FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO COUNCIL HERE TONIGHT.

THAT THAT'S THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT I REALLY WANT US TO FOCUS ON HERE GOING FORWARD.

I ALSO, I THINK THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNCIL, ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN DIFFERENT FACES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNCIL, IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN AFRAID TO TAKE ON

[00:35:07]

CHALLENGES OR DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.

NOT EVERYONE HAS LIKED OUR ANSWERS, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS WE'RE NOT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ON SOME OF THIS STUFF.

AND WE HAVE SOME BIG CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD AND WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING BE ABLE TO GET INTO SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES TONIGHT, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE THEM AND WE MUST ADDRESS THOSE GOING FORWARD.

BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHERE WE CAN GO FROM HERE BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND I REALLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SAY, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LIVE, THAT WE NEED TO WE NEED TO THINK FORWARD AND WE NEED TO ACT ACCORDINGLY AND IN SUCH A WAY THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE PROUD OF WHAT THIS CITY IS BECOMING AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

AND SO I HOPE THAT'S THE BASIS BEHIND ALL OF IT.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO START THIS CONVERSATION, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

I HAVE A HANDFUL OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE THEME BEHIND ALL MY RECOMMENDATIONS IS THINKING BIG.

SO NUMBER ONE FOR ME IS I WANT US TO GET SERIOUS AND TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.

THIS MEANS BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.

THE PURPOSE OF A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, ALTHOUGH WE'VE DISCUSSED IT LAST YEAR AND WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO GET ON THIS, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MOVING, NOW THAT WE HAVE NEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BREAKING GROUND ON HERE REAL SOON, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS CITY LOOK DIFFERENT.

IT'S TIME FOR US TO FOCUS ON THE PARTS OF THE CITY THAT NEED OUR ATTENTION.

SO I'M TALKING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.

THE GOAL IS WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE TURNOVER.

WE NEED NEW PEOPLE MOVING INTO THE CITY.

WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING WITH RESOURCES AND THE DESIRE TO INVEST IN OUR CITY AND PUT THAT INVESTMENT INTO THEIR PROPERTIES.

INVESTMENT IS VITAL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT ENCOURAGES THAT INVESTMENT INTO THEIR PROPERTY AND THEREFORE EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM THAT INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES.

AND THEN WE'RE TALKING OCCUPANCY.

ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE'VE GOT TO CLEAN UP THESE UGLY SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE EMPTY THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GHOST TOWNS.

WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE SHOPPING CENTERS TO EITHER TURN OVER OR CLEAN UP.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO ENCOURAGE THOSE OWNERS TO WANT TO FILL THOSE SPACES.

SO THOSE ARE NOT EASY THINGS TO ADDRESS.

BUT I THINK IT'S WE NOW HAVE THE MOMENTUM.

WE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.

SECOND ITEM FOR ME IS AND I'M GOING TO TEMPER THIS TO SAY WHEN I LOOK AT THINGS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE, AND PEOPLE'S DESIRE TO WANT TO BE PROUD OF WHERE THEY LIVE AND AND WHERE THEY HANG OUT, ONE ITEM KEEPS COMING UP TO ME THAT IT'S TIME TO REVIVE BLUES FEST AND WHATEVER ITERATION OF BLUES FEST WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER.

BUT IT'S TIME TO BRING THAT BACK BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PROUD FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE RESIDENTS HERE.

BUT IT'S ALSO A SOURCE OF IDENTITY FOR BEDFORD.

YOU CAN ASK A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE METROPLEX, HEY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BEDFORD? AND THEY REMEMBER BLUES FEST.

THEY MAY NOT REMEMBER WATER TOWERS OR GENERATIONS PARK, BUT THEY REMEMBER BLUES FEST.

BUT NOT ONLY IS IT A POINT OF PRIDE, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THAT BRINGS IN MONEY TO OUR BUSINESSES AND THEN THAT CAN ALSO SEGWAY INTO THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN OUR TOWN WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A MORE ENTERTAINMENT DRIVEN ECONOMY IN CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN.

THIRD ITEM, I'M JUST GOING TO GET OUT THERE AND SAY IT.

IT'S TIME TO START A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT A SENIOR CENTER.

WE HAVE DONE THE SENIORS A DISSERVICE.

HOWEVER WE GOT HERE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

BUT IT'S TIME FOR US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A SENIOR CENTER DIFFERENTLY THAN WE LOOKED AT IT IN THE PAST.

WE CANNOT LOOK AT IT FROM A RETURN OF INVESTMENT STANDPOINT.

IF WE LOOK AROUND TO SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES, ALL THOSE CITIES ARE INVESTING MONEY INTO THINGS SUCH AS SENIOR CENTERS.

I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT THE CENTER AT GENERATIONS PARK CANNOT ACCOMMODATE ALL THE PROGRAMING AND ALL THE NEEDS THAT OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY WANTS. AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S A PART OF THAT DESIGN TO EXPECT OR TRY TO FORCE THAT TO HAPPEN.

THE OLD BEDFORD SCHOOL HAS BEEN GOOD FROM A TEMPORARY STANDPOINT, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROGRAMING THAT THE SENIORS WANT OR DESERVE.

SO FOR ME, IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.

IT'S A POINT OF PRIDE ISSUE FOR OUR SENIORS, AND I THINK THEY DESERVE IT.

NOW, HERE'S MY CHALLENGE TO US THAT IF COUNCIL SHOULD AGREE WITH THIS AND STAFF AGREES WITH THIS, I THINK WE NEED TO GO TO THE VOTERS ON A SENIOR CENTER.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE GO TO THE VOTERS UNTIL WE CAN ASSURE THAT WE CAN BUILD IT AND WITHOUT RAISING TAXES SO THAT IT HAS A ZERO IMPACT.

SO THERE'S NO NEW TAXES.

[00:40:02]

FOURTH, FOR ME IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTSIDE THE BOX, BUT I ALWAYS LOOK AT THE CITY AS A JIGSAW PUZZLE.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE US TO CONSIDER A NEW CENTRAL FIRE STATION.

RIGHT NOW, OUR CENTRAL FIRE STATION, IT WAS BUILT IN 87.

SOME WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT VERY OLD.

BUT AGAIN, LOOK AROUND IN THE COMMUNITIES AROUND US.

THINGS CHANGE.

TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, TIME CHANGES.

THE NEEDS OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT TODAY ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE 35 YEARS AGO, 40 YEARS AGO.

AND THAT NOT JUST FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EQUIPMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT THE NEEDS TO ACCOMMODATE OUR CREW AND THE NEEDS FOR SPACE IS DIFFERENT TODAY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CITY, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT CITIES, THE JIGSAW PUZZLE, WE HAVE BEDFORD COMMONS COMING INTO PLAY HERE IN THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS.

THE WHERE THE FIRE STATION IS AT RIGHT NOW BECOMES VALUABLE PROPERTY IN THAT SCENARIO THAT IS MARKETABLE AND THAT IF WE WERE TO INCORPORATE IT INTO THE BEDFORD COMMONS DISCUSSION, THAT WE WOULD FIND THAT WE COULD CREATE A REVENUE SOURCE OUT OF THAT PROPERTY RATHER THAN AN EXPENSE.

AND AGAIN, TO ME, WE CAN'T HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT A CENTRAL FIRE STATION.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE NEED TO MAKE MODERN IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATING A STATE OF THE ART CENTER.

AND THEN THAT MAY ALSO NEED TO BE A CONVERSATION ABOUT CREATING A TRAINING CENTER AS WELL.

WE'VE HAD SOME BRIEF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT THAT CAN BE DONE ECONOMICALLY.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE GROSSLY EXPENSIVE TO CREATE A TRAINING CENTER FOR THEM IN THE PROCESS.

AGAIN, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A MANNER THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE VOTERS.

AND ASK FOR THE VOTERS APPROVAL FOR US DOING THAT.

AND THEN I THINK BEFORE WE DO THAT, ONCE AGAIN, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S NO NEW TAXES FOR THE VOTERS.

ITEM 5 FOR ME.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ELABORATE ON IT, BUT I'LL SAY THIS ONE THING THAT WE SEEM TO NEVER TALK ABOUT HERE.

WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, WE TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENTS, WE TALK ABOUT OUR CITY ASSETS AND OUR CITY FACILITIES.

BUT SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS FALLS IN THE CRACKS IS OUR ANIMAL SHELTER.

WE HAVE AN ANCIENT ANIMAL SHELTER THAT IS OVERCAPACITY, THAT WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME.

WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME MAINTAINING WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME STAFFING IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO A WELL RUN ANIMAL SHELTER.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT I'D LIKE TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION OF WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO IF WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF TAKING CARE OF THESE ANIMALS AND FINDING THEM HOMES WE NEED TO DO IT.

WE NEED TO DO IT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS A CONVERSATION POINT FOR US TO BEGIN THIS CONVERSATION.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE WITH THE ANIMAL SHELTER? AND THE LAST ITEM THAT I HAVE AND THIS ONE IS.

THIS ONE TO ME IS KIND OF A DEPARTURE FROM SOME OF MY CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST.

I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO TALK ABOUT A NEW CITY HALL.

ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE MOVE TO A COMMUNITY YOU SURVEY THE COMMUNITY YOU'RE MOVING TO AND YOU LOOK FOR THINGS THAT MAKE YOU PROUD OF THAT COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE AREN'T PROUD OF A COMMUNITY WHEN ALL THE CITY FACILITIES ARE 50 TO 100 YEARS OLD, THEY'RE ALL FALLING APART, THE ROOFS ARE LEAKING AND YOU WALK INTO IT AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING FROM ANCIENT HISTORY.

THAT'S NOT JUST RESIDENTS, THAT'S BUSINESSES, THAT'S PEOPLE WANTING TO BRING THEIR BUSINESSES HERE OR START THEIR BUSINESSES.

THERE'S A REASON WHY COMMUNITIES BUILD NEW CITY HALLS.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY THEY DO THAT.

BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO ASPIRE TO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR THIS AREA, WE'VE SPENT DECADES OF VERY LITTLE PROGRESS IN WHAT BEDFORD.

BEDFORD LOOKS THE SAME TODAY AS IT DID 40 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A KID.

BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO BE A POINT OF PRIDE FOR THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF BEDFORD AND THE FUTURE BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING TO BEDFORD.

I WANT THEM TO TALK ABOUT OUR CITY HALL.

ABOUT, WOW, WHAT A NICE CITY HALL.

I REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.

I WANT THEM TO SEE NEW BUSINESSES.

I WANT THEM TO SEE NICE STREETS.

I WANT THEM TO SEE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

THERE'S NOTHING MORE DEPRESSING TO SOMEONE WHO MOVES TO A COMMUNITY AND THEY JUST SEE OLD WORN BUILDINGS AND SHOPPING CENTERS AND VERY LITTLE ATTENTION PUT INTO THE ASSETS OF A COMMUNITY.

AND WE'VE DONE A POOR JOB FOR DECADES OF INVESTING IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK A CITY HALL GOES A LONG WAYS TO THAT INVESTMENT.

[00:45:06]

NOW, LET ME SAY THIS.

IT'S A LITTLE CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME A NEW CITY HALL IS GOING TO COST TENS AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

WELL, NO, IT DOESN'T.

THIS BUILDING RIGHT HERE IS BUILT IN 75.

I THINK THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR IS BUILT IN 65.

TWO WEEKS AGO, THE CEILING IN MY OFFICE IS LEAKING FROM RAIN.

WE'RE HAVING AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEMS EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH.

THE REALITY IS.

AND EVERYONE KNOWS MOST EVERYONE KNOWS MY BACKGROUND.

I'M A FINANCE GUY.

THE REALITY IS, I THINK WE CAN BUILD A CITY HALL AND PAY CASH FOR IT.

IF WE MOVE PRUDENTLY ON OUR INVESTMENTS IN THIS CITY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, IF WE MAKE SMART DECISIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS ON SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THOSE RESOURCES AND PAY CASH FOR A NEW CITY HALL AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

SO IT.

IT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US TO CONSIDER AS A GROUP.

I THINK IT CAN BE A HUGE SOURCE OF PRIDE AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT TO WHERE WE DON'T IMPACT THE RESIDENTS TAX BILL ONE PENNY IN THE PROCESS. AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY ENCOURAGEMENT IS TO BUILD US A NEW CITY HALL FOR CASH AND TO START THAT CONVERSATION NOW.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF MY LIST.

AGAIN, TO ME, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK BIG.

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US TO THINK BIG, AND THERE'S NO REASON WE HAVE THE MOMENTUM.

WE HAVE THE PEOPLE IN PLACE.

WE NOW HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S WELL RUN THAT HAS FOUND MONEY IN PLACES THAT WE ALWAYS HAD BUT WE NEVER FOUND BEFORE.

I THINK THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A SENSE OF PLACE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND MAKE THEM PROUD OF THE DIRECTION THAT THIS CITY IS GOING AND ENCOURAGE THE FUTURE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE MY ITEMS. COUNCIL HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO ONE BY ONE OR DO WE JUST WANT TO START THROWING THINGS OUT AND CHEWING ON THEM? OR WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER FARCO. SO LET'S JUST HAVE AN INTERACTIVE CONVERSATION.

WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE FORMALITIES, BUT LET'S JUST LET'S JUST THINK.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE NOTES HERE AND WE CAN KIND OF COMPILE THESE AT THE END.

MR. MAYOR I REALLY LIKE YOUR LIST.

I MEAN, I THINK I'M FOR EVERYTHING ON YOUR LIST AND I'M WITH THE MAYOR.

I THINK WE HAVE THREE BUILDINGS RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR STAFF IN.

I THINK IT'S INEFFICIENT.

I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR STAFF.

I THINK THERE'S SAFETY ISSUES IN THE BUILDINGS THIS OLD WITH THE LEAKING PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR SHOPPING CENTERS STEP UP, I THINK WE NEED TO STEP UP.

AND I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY COST EFFECTIVE IF WE CAN DO IT.

AND WITH BEDFORD COMMONS HERE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY HERE.

IF WE COULD COMBINE AND BUILD A CITY HALL THAT WE CAN HOUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE THREE BUILDINGS WE HAVE, WE'LL SAVE A TON OF MONEY.

SO I'M ALL FOR THAT. THE ANIMAL SHELTER THAT I DID IT TOO.

THAT'S DILAPIDATED.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND WE NEED TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.

BEDFORD BLUES FEST I'M A BIG PROPONENT.

I THINK IT WAS GREAT IT PUT US OUR IDENTITY OUT THERE.

WE HAD PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER, STAY IN OUR MOTELS, HOTELS AND SPEND MONEY.

YES. AND SPEND MONEY.

SO WE NEED TO DO THAT.

THE SENIOR CENTER I DID A FIRE STATION, THE TRAINING CENTER.

I'D LIKE TO SEE US POSSIBLY TALK WITH EULESS AND HURST TO SEE IF WE CAN COMBINE TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND RESOURCES.

IT'S PROBABLY USED.

CHIEF, HOW OFTEN WOULD A CENTER LIKE THAT BE USED BY JUST OUR DEPARTMENT ONLY? SO PROBABLY 40% OF THE TIMES WE'D BE USING IT.

60% OF THE TIMES IT MIGHT BE VACANT.

WELL, I MEAN, OUR GOAL WOULD BE HAVE A COMPANY CALLED AND LET ME SAY THIS WHILE YOU'RE COMING DOWN DURING BUDGET IT ACTUALLY CAME UP DURING BUDGET AND IT WAS A SURPRISING CONVERSATION WHERE WE WERE ASKING YOU QUESTIONS AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT WAS EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE.

AFFORDABLE. IT WASN'T ANYTHING LIKE I HAD ENVISIONED, RIGHT? YEAH. NO, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO BUILD FACILITIES AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN TO TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE YOU'VE SEEN WHAT A GIANT FACILITY LOOKS LIKE.

WHAT WE WANT IS FOR OUR EVERYDAY TRAINING.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING WE JUST ACTUALLY WERE AT A FACILITY THIS WEEKEND LOOKING AT IT THAT WAS OUTSTANDING AND THEY WERE ALL IN $407,000 FOR THE STRUCTURE DELIVERED READY TO GO TURNKEY.

SO THERE'S THE FIRE SERVICE.

THE VENDORS THAT BUILD THESE TRAINING CENTERS HAVE COME A LONG WAY.

WE USED TO BUILD BIG CONCRETE BUILDINGS, CLASS A FIRES, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

[00:50:05]

THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN TOWN.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE LIGHTING CLASS A FIRES IN TOWN.

NO ONE WANTS THAT IN THEIR TOWN ANYMORE.

SO THE BUILDING STRUCTURES ARE BETTER, MATERIALS AREN'T AS EXPENSIVE.

AND SO I THINK WITH THE WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE PART OF IT, PLUS, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE UNDER $500,000 FOR A BUILDING, IT ISN'T THE HARDEST THING TO COME BY. AS FAR AS THE USE WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE IT TO BE IN BEDFORD SO WE CAN KEEP OUR UNITS IN SERVICE WHILE THEY'RE THERE.

AND WHAT WE WHAT YOU DO IS UTILIZE YOUR RESERVE FIRE ENGINE WHEN YOU GO THERE.

SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR RIG READY TO GO.

IF A CALL POPS, YOU CAN GO IF YOU HAVE TO GO.

BUT I MEAN, LITERALLY, YOU CAN'T TRAIN THERE EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

SO WE CERTAINLY COULD LOOK AT ARRANGEMENT.

WHAT I'VE HAD IN THE PAST IS WHAT WE WOULD CALL LIKE A REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER, VERY SIMILAR IN SIZE OF WHAT WE'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT HERE.

AND I'VE ALWAYS OWNED IT.

AND THEN FOR FOLKS TO UTILIZE IT, THERE'S JUST KIND OF A HELP THAT FOLKS WILL PAY INTO IT .

IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BUILD SOME TYPE OF THE JPA OR SOMETHING, BUT THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO IF IT'S EASY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO USE, HAVE THEM JUST HAVE A GENERAL PARTNERSHIP AND NORMALLY DO YOU CHARGE FOR THAT FOR THE OVERALL MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY, WHICH ISN'T HUGE, BUT ENOUGH TO COVER THE COST AND SUCH.

SO THERE COULD BE SOME ARRANGEMENT WE COULD TALK TO THEIR FOLKS ABOUT.

IT IS GOOD TO GET PEOPLE IN THERE.

IT IS GOOD TO HAVE IT USED.

IT IS GOOD FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER.

I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH NEFTA.

WE'RE WORKING PRETTY HARD TO INCORPORATE MORE COMMON POLICIES AND TRAINING GUIDELINES WITH THAT GROUP, AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE OUR LOCAL GROUP THAT WE GO TO FIRE EVERY TIME WE HAVE FIRE HURST IS THERE OR EULESS IS THERE OR WE'RE ALL THERE TOGETHER, WE'RE A TEAM.

SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THEM COME AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THEY WOULDN'T.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD EXPLORE FOR SURE.

BUT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO BUILD THIS THING IN BEDFORD.

SO TALKING ABOUT HOW FAR WE'VE COME IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT THIS COUNCIL, WE'RE ALL UNANIMOUS IN THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN THE CITY, WE'RE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE, AND THAT ALSO MEANS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO THAT YOUR PEOPLE WERE HAVING TO BUY THEIR OWN SUPPLIES, THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T BUYING THEM FOR THEM.

IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW FAR WE CAN GO IF WE TRY.

YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS FIRE DEPARTMENTS GO, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A GREAT SPOT.

YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PROVIDED HAS BEEN AS GOOD AS ANYWHERE, ANY PLACE I'VE BEEN.

AND I THINK THAT THAT BIG, BIG THING IS I APPRECIATE THE DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE STATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR FEMALES AND ALL OUR FOLKS.

SO THEY ARE COMFORTABLE AT WORK AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT AND THEN ALSO THE TRAINING FACILITY.

AND FOR US, BOY, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF LAST TWO THINGS IN OUR LIST, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE OUTSTANDING APPARATUS AND WE HAVE GOT UP TO SPEED ON ALL OF OUR TURNOUTS, EQUIPMENT.

AND I DID MENTION TO YOU, WE DID A FULL INSPECTION OF ALL OF OUR STATIONS AND EQUIPMENT, OF ALL THE GEAR THIS YEAR, WHICH WE HADN'T DONE IN THE PAST.

AND I WAS REALLY VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE'RE AT.

WE'RE IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT. SO AND I MEAN, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO HAS A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR UP AND COMING FIREFIGHTERS NOW, TOO.

SO, I MEAN, THAT'S THEY ARE RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD.

IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, JUST A SMALL LITTLE STORY TO BRAG A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONE OPENING FOR FIREFIGHTER.

WE'VE GOT I THINK WE'RE ABOUT 50 APPLICATIONS.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, IF YOU TALK TO ANY OTHER CITIES AROUND HERE SOUTHLAKE JUST HAD TO GO THROUGH A HIRING PROCESS, DIDN'T WASN'T ABLE TO GET ANYONE.

AND THEY'RE TAKING A PAUSE BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THEY CAN'T RECRUIT SOMEBODY.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT THE STATION TODAY AND MOLLY WAS THERE DOING A FUN LITTLE SKIT WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS.

AND THERE'S A REALLY GOOD MORALE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING THEMSELVES AND IT'S A FUN GROUP AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD.

AND WE HAD OUR OPEN HOUSE THE OTHER WEEKEND AND SAW A FEW OF YOU THERE, AND THAT WAS AWESOME.

I HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND REALLY THANK US FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS JOB.

SO WE'VE GOT A GOOD GROUP WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE THAT APPRECIATE BEING IN HERE AND ARE SEEING THE DIFFERENCES THEMSELVES AND HOW THEY'RE KIND OF BEING TREATED AND THOUGHT ABOUT.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, CHIEF.

THANKS. MAYOR, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.

OKAY. WELL, THAT WAS PRETTY EASY.

COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES.

WERE YOU VOLUNTEERING? YEAH, I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE ROW HERE.

WELL, I HAD SIX ITEMS THAT I'D WANTED TO DISCUSS, BUT YOU HAD.

I DID FIVE OF THEM.

YES. YOU DID FIVE. WHAT'S THE LONG TERM CAPITAL PLAN? YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT OUR AGING FACILITIES AND WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REMODELED, THE FIRE STATION ANIMAL SHELTER, ESPECIALLY IN CITY HALL, DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN, WORKING ON IT, LOOKING AT HOW TO REVITALIZE SOME OF OUR AGING APARTMENTS, MAYBE DEVELOP SOME SORT OF INCENTIVES TO REVITALIZE THOSE, KEEP WORKING ON BECOMING A DESTINATION.

WITH ALL OUR SPECIAL EVENTS.

AND ANOTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO REVISIT, THE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REESTABLISH THAT BOARD, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH POSSIBLY A SENIOR CENTER.

[00:55:04]

I THINK WE NEED TO ESTABLISH THAT BOARD AND NOT JUST YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON THE OBS, BUT LOOKING AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SENIORS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

YOU BET. ANOTHER ITEM WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT IS THE POLICE STAFFING.

I'D LIKE TO SEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE STAFFING TO SAFELY COVER THE EXPANDED ACTIVITIES.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT GOING ON IN THE CITY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE ALL THE WAY FROM BEDFORD COMMONS DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, OFF A 157.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.

SO. AND I'D LIKE JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON A CHARTER REVIEW.

YES, SOME ITEMS ON THAT.

I THINK REAL IMPORTANT TO BE THEY WORKED ON.

YEAH, AND TO TOUCH THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN PUBLIC.

WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP ON PART OF THE THING INITIALLY.

I KNOW MOST PEOPLE KNOW THIS.

THE CLOCK RAN OUT ON US IN MAY BECAUSE WE GOT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS KIND OF TOO LATE FOR US TO MOVE ON QUICKLY.

AND THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL CREW UP HERE DURING THE SUMMER.

BUT NOW THAT WE DO, I WOULD IMAGINE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE CAN REVISIT THAT AND THEN ANTICIPATE BRINGING THAT FORWARD IN THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, JIMMY.

I JUST STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AS YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE WHAT ALL YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED, YOU AND YOUR STAFF.

THANKS. THANK YOU, SIR.

YOU'VE BEEN HERE JUST THAT LITTLE TIME, AND YOU'RE NOT THE ROOKIE ANYMORE.

MAY I SAY SOMETHING? YES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES AND MAYOR.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. HONESTLY, I'VE WORKED FOR CITIES.

I'VE GOT A LOT OF COLLEAGUES THAT WORK FOR CITIES THAT THEY AND THEIR STAFF MIGHT HAVE GREAT IDEAS, BUT THEN THEY COME TO A COUNCIL AND HIT A BUZZSAW.

SO I REALLY THINK I'M NOT KISSING UP TO Y'ALL.

I'VE ALREADY HAD MY REVIEW. HEY STOP HOGGING THE MICROPHONE.

I KNOW I'M FILIBUSTERING.

NO, I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM.

TOP TO BOTTOM. AND IT TAKES ALL OF US BECAUSE YOU ALL CAN SAY NO A LOT.

AND A LOT OF THE PROGRESS WOULD BE HALTED.

SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING SO.

THERE IS AND I HATE TO KEEP BEING A CHEERLEADER, BUT I'M JUST OBSESSED WITH IT.

YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE MATTERS.

AND IT ALSO THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO BELIEVE WHO ARE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE PAYING SOMEBODY TOO MUCH.

BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS LOOK AT WHAT YOU GET FOR WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

AND WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND THE EXPERIENCE AND THE DILIGENCE THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IS IS WORTH IT.

THE SAVINGS IS TREMENDOUS.

AND SEEING THE PROGRESS.

PEOPLE ARE NOTICING IT.

SO I THINK MR. STEVES, THE LONG TERM CAPITAL PLAN THAT'S KIND WE'RE WORKING, ANIMAL SHELTER.

YEAH, I GUESS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS A LAST YEAR ITEM, BUT WE HAVE FUNDED IT IN THIS BUDGET, SO THAT'S COMING NOVEMBER 8TH.

REVITALIZATION. WE'RE ALL ON BOARD ON REVITALIZATION.

BECOMING A DESTINATION.

LOVE THAT.

SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD.

THAT'S SOMETHING NEW WE NEED TO DISCUSS.

PD STAFFING.

THAT'S PROBABLY AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, BUT YOU WANT US TO BE AWARE OF IT.

AND THEN CHARTER REVIEW. WE ARE BRINGING THAT BACK.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S YOUR LIST. WHO'S NEXT? COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.

OK. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU BROUGHT UP EXCEPT FOR I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BLUES FEST REINVENTED.

YES.

I ALSO DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE A THREE DAY EVENT.

THINK JIMMY, WHEN HE FIRST CAME ON, HE SAID IT WAS RIDICULOUS FOR US TO DO A THREE DAY EVENT.

YEAH. AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT OUGHT TO BE A VARIETY OF MUSIC BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY LIKES BLUES, AND I JUST THINK IT SHOULD BE SPUN UP A LITTLE BIT AND THAT IT'S BEEN GONE FOR THREE YEARS.

I THINK MAYBE THIS IS THE TIME IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.

REDEVELOPMENT, I SEE PROBLEMS WITH OUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING UP DIFFERENT WAYS THAT CITIES HANDLE IT. AND THEY'RE EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE IN CERTAIN CITIES THEY FINE THEM IF THEY DON'T RENT THEM.

AND THAT SORT OF ENCOURAGES THEM TO EITHER RENT THEM.

AND WHAT I'VE BEEN READING IS COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OFTENTIMES WILL THINK THAT THEY'LL GET MORE RENT IF THEY HOLD OFF SIX MONTHS, THEY MIGHT GET HIGHER RENT IN THE NEXT IN A YEAR WHERE AS IF YOU FINE THEM, THEN FOR NOT HAVING THEIR PROPERTY RENTED, THEN THEY GO AHEAD AND RENT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

SO IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEM RENT THEIR FACILITIES.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TOO MANY EMPTY BUILDINGS AND THAT'S BEEN A COMPLAINT FOR OVER 10 OR 15 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ON THAT CONVERSATION WE HAVEN'T TRULY TAKEN THAT ON.

ABOUT WHAT? WHAT DO WE HAVE IN OUR QUIVER? TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THOSE PROPERTIES, TO INVEST IN THOSE PROPERTIES, MAKE THEM MORE ATTRACTIVE AND FOR PEOPLE TO GET THOSE SPACES RENTED OUT.

WELL, AND I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WATCH P&Z AND I THINK THEY I KNOW THAT SOME COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE

[01:00:01]

CHEAPER THAN OTHERS, BUT THEN YOU PUT PEOPLE IN THESE PROPERTIES, THEY RENT THEM AND THEN THEY FIND OUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS. AND I'M THINKING IN PARTICULAR OF A SANDWICH SHOP THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT HE HAD TO ACTUALLY MOVE OUT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO PATHETIC.

AND, THERE WERE BUILDINGS THAT JUST REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONDEMNED BEFORE ANYBODY CAME IN.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER PROCEDURE WOULD BE FOR THAT, BUT WE CAN'T ALLOW IT.

YOU KNOW, REALLY, IF WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO CLEAN UP THEIR HOME PROPERTIES, COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES NEED TO BE CLEANED UP ALSO.

SO ON THE THING ABOUT FINING THEM, THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING WE CAN IT'S MOSTLY FOR A REALLY EXPENSIVE COMMUNITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND FOR WHAT I'VE SEEN IN SAN FRANCISCO.

BUT I DO THINK THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S WORKING IN SAN FRAN.

TEXAS MIGHT BE A RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO WITH PROPERTY.

YEAH, YEAH. PROPERTY RIGHT.

SO IT MAY NOT EVEN BE A POSSIBILITY.

BUT I DO THINK THAT ALL OF OUR CITIES NEED TO KIND OF EVALUATE THAT.

AND I CAN READ I'VE READ WELL, PEOPLE SAY THERE'S A TAX ADVANTAGE TO NOT RENTING OUT YOUR PROPERTY.

WELL, THERE'S NO TAX ADVANTAGE TO THAT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S STUPID.

YOU NEED TO RENT YOUR PROPERTY, FOR GOSH SAKES.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S THE RUMOR.

THE SENIOR CENTER, I AGREE THEY GOT THE SHAFT, BUT I KIND OF LIKE, WHAT I WOULD PREFER TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

I WANT IT TO BE EVALUATED SENSIBLY.

LIKE SUPPOSE THEY LIKE GENERATIONS PARK WHEN IT OPENS UP AND THEY LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE AND AND THEY STILL LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON.

I MEAN, BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE INVESTMENT FOR US.

WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE IT WOULD GO.

I DON'T KNOW. I'M A LITTLE BIT SHY ABOUT THAT ONE.

WELL, I THINK THESE ARE LEAPS OF FAITH AND THE CHALLENGE IS US FOR BE SMART.

THE ONLY WAY I WOULD GET BEHIND SOMETHING IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CONDITIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MET THERE.

AND YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S GOT TO BE ECONOMICALLY SENSIBLE, SENSIBLE, REALISTIC.

AND TO ME THAT MEANS NO NEW TAXES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE THOUGHT OF THE RESIDENTS BEING INVOLVED IN THAT IN THAT DECISION.

FIRE. I AGREE.

FIRE. WE DO NEED A FIRE STATION AGAIN.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO, BUT THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, JIMMY.

AND THE TRAINING? I THINK THE CHIEF MADE IT REALLY CLEAR.

CLEAR, CLEAR AS DAY THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THEY NEEDED THEIR OWN TRAINING FACILITY ALL BY THEMSELVES.

AND THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT THEY WOULD USE IT PRACTICALLY NONSTOP AND THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO BE SHARING THOSE FACILITIES WITH ANY OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY TO YOU, CHIEF, AS I WAS TALKING TO A LOT OF YOUR GUYS OVER THERE ON SATURDAY AND.

THEY BELIEVE THE MORALE AND EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF YOU.

AND THEY SET IT STRAIGHT UP.

STRAIGHT DOWN. HEY, PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK.

AND IT'S NOTHING THAT WE DID PARTICULARLY.

IT'S JUST YOU.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY, ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE TALK SO GREATLY ABOUT THEIR CHEAP LIKE THEY DID IT.

AND YOU'RE VERY YOU'RE VERY YOU'RE NOT PRETENTIOUS AT ALL.

YOU'RE JUST VERY CALM.

AND I THINK THEY ALL ENJOY YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

SO HE'S TURNING RED NOW.

WELL, AND I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, BUT A LOT OF THEM TOLD ME THAT, CHIEF.

I MEAN, AND THEY ALL SAID THE MORALE WAS TERRIFIC.

SO CONGRATULATIONS.

THEY APPRECIATE THE CASH HANDOUTS THAT YOU GIVE REGULARLY.

WELL, THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WERE REALLY RETICENT WHEN THEY HEARD YOU WERE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA.

YOU KNOW, TEXANS DON'T REALLY CARE FOR THAT.

BUT BUT THEY SAID THAT YOU'VE REALLY TURNED THINGS AROUND AND THEY JUST THEY LOVE CALIFORNIA.

NO, I'M TEASING. BUT SO YOU CALIFORNIA, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO BUT CONGRATULATIONS.

IT'S REALLY A HUGE TURNAROUND FOR US.

CITY HALL. YEAH.

WE'VE GOT A OH, LET ME FOLLOW THAT UP WITH DON'T SCREW IT UP.

OKAY? OKAY.

CITY HALL. YEAH. I THINK IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING.

ANIMAL SHELTER, OF COURSE.

IT'S JUST, IT'S TOO BAD THAT WE HAVE ALL THIS HUGE, TERRIBLE LIST.

I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T INVESTED IN OUR ANYTHING AND THAT'S. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WERE IN A POSITION TO IN THE PAST, BUT, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT MORE ECONOMIC CREATIVITY THAN WE'VE EVER HAD IN THIS CITY.

BUT I DO THINK WE STUCK OUR HEAD IN THE SAND A LOT SO THAT WE'RE HAVING TO PAY FOR A LITTLE BIT OF THIS.

BUT IDEALLY, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXES.

BUT I DO THINK YOU TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS ON THIS.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER WAY TO DO IT.

OKAY, THAT'S A GOOD LIST. THAT'S A HEALTHY LIST.

COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN? THANK YOU, MARY. FIRST OF ALL, ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES BROUGHT UP EVERYBODY THAT'S MENTIONED SO FAR, FANTASTIC LIST.

I MEAN, CLEARLY WE HAVE A PULSE ON THE WAY WE SEE THE CITY AND THE WAY WE WANT IT TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE.

I DO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS ON A FEW OF THEM FROM YOUR FIRST ONE ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT FOR PLAN FOR THE CITY.

[01:05:03]

I ONLY ASK THAT WE OBVIOUSLY WERE TAKING A LOOK AT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.

WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

I WOULD LIKE A FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE TO HELP REVITALIZE THE SOUTH SIDE OF BEDFORD FOR THAT REASON.

SO PART OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN AND PART OF A PART OF THIS REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, I SHOULD SAY, I WANT IT TO BE A LITTLE SUBSET SECTION FOR THE SOUTH SIDE IN GENERAL AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE IT.

THAT'S FOR YOU SOUTH. ALL RIGHT.

THAT WAS YOUR WIFE.

THAT WAS WELL, THAT WAS FOR SALE.

OH, NOT MY WIFE.

OH, SHE'S IN SAINT LOUIS.

I DIDN'T SEE I COULDN'T SEE WHO WAS ON.

OKAY, SECOND ONE, REVIVED BLUES FEST FESTIVAL.

I'VE NOT BEEN SHY TO SAY I'M NOT A FAN OF BLUES FEST FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

THE TIMING WAS NEVER VERY GOOD.

AS OF NOW, I KNOW THAT IRVING HAS THEIR OWN BARBECUE AND BLUES FESTIVAL LITERALLY IN OCTOBER, WHEN THE SAME TIME WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO DO OURS AND WOULD COME UNDER A LOT OF COMPETITION.

I THINK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A FESTIVAL, YOU HAVE TO LOOK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO DRAW THE MOST PEOPLE, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THAT ANCHOR.

LAST TIME I REMEMBER SPEAKING ABOUT THIS, I SPOKE ABOUT GRAPE FEST, RIGHT? AND I ALWAYS MADE THE COMMENT, WHY DOES EVERYONE GO TO GRAPE FEST? IT'S THE WINE, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE IT APPEALS TO MORE PEOPLE.

AND I ALWAYS ASK OURSELVES WITH BLUES FEST, ARE WE A BLUES FEST OR ARE WE A BARBECUE FESTIVAL? WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE.

AND SO NOT ONLY THAT, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH LOSING MONEY IN THE PAST ON THIS FESTIVAL.

AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO REIMAGINE WHAT THE CITY FESTIVAL COULD BE.

IN MY MIND, THIS IS ME JUST SNOWBALLING AND SOMEBODY WILL PROBABLY NOT LIKE IT, BUT GOING ALONG.

POLKA MUSIC. POLKA? YEAH, YEAH. ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT MIGHT WORK.

NO, BUT IN REAL, I THINK A BEDFORD BREWS AND BARBECUE FESTIVAL, I THINK WOULD BE MUCH BETTER.

WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

ONLY FOR THE FACT THAT IT'LL ATTRACT NOT ONLY MORE PEOPLE BUT A YOUNGER CROWD AND REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE CITY.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT A CITY HAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S SOMETHING UNIQUE FOR THE CITY WITH A VARIETY OF MUSIC.

THAT'S JUST AN IDEA I THREW OUT THERE.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE TIMING FOR BLUES FEST, LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS.

I THINK THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO REIMAGINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE CITY, FOR THE SENIOR CENTER.

I LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED AND A LOT OF IT IS OUR ASSETS, BUILDINGS.

MATTER OF FACT, YOU LOOK AT IT, NEW CITY HALL, ANIMAL SHELTER, FIRE STATION, SENIOR CENTER.

THERE'S A LOT OF CITY ASSETS.

AND SO. I MEAN, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT THE SENIORS, THEY GOT THE SHORT END OF THE STICK, THIS WHOLE THING.

AND SO BUT THEN AGAIN, WE BUILT AN ENTIRE FACILITY, A MULTIGENERATIONAL FACILITY, TO ACCOMPANY MULTI GENERATIONS, INCLUDING SENIORS.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US WAIT ON THAT.

BUT MY CONCERN OUT OF ALL OF THIS IS AT SOME POINT WHEN WE START BUILDING ALL OF THESE NEW ASSETS FOR THE CITY, YOU KNOW, YES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE GREAT FOR NOW.

BUT IN 20 YEARS WHEN THAT ROOF STARTS TO LEAK, THAT'S MORE MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND DOWN THE ROAD.

SO WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT.

AND THE REALITY IS WE'RE PAYING THE PRICE FOR NOT MAINTAINING OUR ASSETS.

EXACTLY. AND SO WE'RE DOING THAT NOW.

AND SO HOPEFULLY COUNCILS IN THE FUTURE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT.

BUT IF WE HAVE TOO MANY ASSETS, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

SO I THINK YOU MENTIONED BEFORE MAYOR HAVING AN ASSET AUDIT, TAKING A LOOK AT THAT AND BEING STRATEGIC ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT KIND OF CAPITAL, WHAT, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING THOSE FACILITIES.

SO I DON'T WANT US TO OVER EXTEND OURSELVES AND THEN 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD NOT BE ABLE TO FUND A ROOF.

SURE. SO, THAT'S MY PIECE.

AND SOME OF THAT TOO, THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH US LOOKING OUT INTO THE FUTURE FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BECAUSE I THINK WE'LL GET A BETTER AWARENESS OF WHAT OUR COSTS ARE GOING TO BE TO MAINTAIN AN AGING FLEET OF ASSETS.

AND WE'LL FIND THAT WE'LL GET A COST BENEFIT IN NEWER FACILITIES, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN DO THOSE NEWER FACILITIES WITHOUT INCREASING THE RESIDENTS TAXES.

BUT IT'S A JIGSAW PUZZLE.

ABSOLUTELY. SO I'D LIKE TO WAIT AND SEE.

AND THEN IT JUST TO GO OFF WHAT AMY SAID, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO GO TO A VOTERS, I'D LIKE TO GO TO THE VOTERS.

THAT'S THERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE FIRES THE ANIMAL SHELTER IN THAT.

WAIT AND SEE. YES. WELL, ANIMAL SHELTER, THAT'S A NEED THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD TOO LONG ON THAT ONE.

THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.

NEW CITY HALL.

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM THERE.

IT'S A SENSE OF PRIDE.

I THINK WE PAY CASH FOR IT.

[01:10:01]

YEAH. I THINK IF WE MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES IN THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS, WE'LL FIND THAT WE CAN PAY CASH FOR THIS THING.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A WAY TO TAKE PRIDE IN OUR CITY AND FOR THE RESIDENTS.

SO I'M FULLY ON BOARD TO EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS FOR MY LIST.

OH, THAT WASN'T EVEN YOUR LIST.

YEAH. YEAH. WELL, I ALREADY MENTIONED THE ASSET AUDIT.

MAYOR PRO TEM. SAY, WOULD YOU MENTION LONG TERM RENTALS? LONG TERM RENTAL? YEAH.

YOU GOT IT. LONG TERM RENTALS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD ON THAT WITHIN THE CITY.

HAVING A WAY TO CAPTURE THOSE THOSE FUNDS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE CITY.

CAPTURE AND REGULATE. YEAH, AND REGULATE.

OH, SHORT TERM RENTAL.

SORRY. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.

NO LONG TERM RENT. YEAH, SORRY.

SHORT TERM RENTALS. BACKUP SHORT TERM RENTALS AND HOW TO REGULATE THAT CAPTURE.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE DOING RIGHT NOW? YEAH, IT'S ANDREA.

CAN YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE? IT'S. YEAH, IT'S LAUNCHING NOW.

EVERYTHING ALL APPROVED. WE WERE WAITING ON THE NEW OPEN GOVT.

CLEARED GOVT. TOO MANY GOVTS.

ANDREA, GO AHEAD. SO WE ARE, WE ARE UNDERWAY WITH THAT.

AS YOU ALL RECALL, LATE LAST YEAR YOU APPROVED THE LEGISLATION ALLOWING US TO DO THAT.

SO WE MOVE FORWARD AND WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET A PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT'S TRACKING THOSE.

SO WE'RE PUTTING ON THE FINER DETAILS WITH THAT.

THE ONLY REASON WE HAVEN'T KIND OF HIT GO YET IS THAT PROCESS IS LINKED WITH OUR WHOLE NEW PERMIT PROCESS AND WE'RE STILL WORKING SOME KINKS OUT WITH THAT.

SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO PILE ON A WHOLE NEW PROGRAM ON TOP OF A SYSTEM THAT'S BRAND NEW AND WE'RE STILL WORKING THE KINKS OUT.

BUT HONESTLY, WE ARE.

WE PLAN THAT WILL BE STARTED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

I MEAN, SO WE'RE ON OUR WAY AND WE'RE SLOWLY DOING IT NOW AS WE'RE MADE AWARE OF PROPERTIES THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING A CONCERN.

SO WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THOSE OWNERS AS THEY'RE IDENTIFIED TO US.

AND WE GO AHEAD AND SAY, BY THE WAY, HERE'S OUR PROGRAM.

AND SO IT'S KIND OF A GOOD WAY FOR US TO START TESTING THINGS WITH OUR PROCESS AND MAKING SURE WE'VE GOT THAT SET.

SO WE'RE WE'RE MOVING.

AND YES, SO HOPEFULLY A YEAR FROM NOW, WE'LL HAVE A LOOK BACK AND KIND OF SEE WHAT THOSE REVENUES ARE LOOKING LIKE ON THAT PROGRAM AND KIND OF SEE WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO FOR US.

PERFECT. YEAH, I'LL CHECK THAT ONE OFF.

OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU.

THAT WAS EASY. LONG TERM RENTALS ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF ORDINANCE FOR THEM, TOO, BECAUSE I JUST READ IN THE PAPER THIS MORNING THAT OAK CLIFF AND SOME OF THE AREAS SOUTH OF DALLAS HAVE GOT MORE RENTALS THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

SO I DO THINK THE RENTAL THING IS STARTING TO GROW AS FAR AS COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START INSPECTING THOSE, TOO, JUST FOR THE SAFETY AND THE WELFARE.

SO ONCE SHORT TERM GETS UNDERWAY AND THAT IS AGAIN, KINKS WORKED OUT, WE'RE SMOOTH IN THAT SENSE.

WE WILL THEN GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LONG TERM RATE.

YOU WERE GOING TO COME TO COUNCIL ON LONG TERM FOR DISCUSSION LATER, WEREN'T YOU? WE ACTUALLY ALREADY SET THE POLICY IN PLACE, SO THE POLICY IS THERE.

AGAIN, THE ABILITY FOR US TO DO IT IS THERE AND ALSO KIND OF THE SAME THING AS WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH.

SOME OF THOSE WERE MADE AWARE OF THEM THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT.

WE'VE SAID LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET YOU REGISTERED AND KIND OF SLOWLY START THAT PROCESS.

THE THE ONLY HICCUP THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME ON THAT IS THE SHEER NUMBER THAT WE ARE FINDING THAT WE HAVE.

ONCE WE DIVE INTO THIS, WE HAVE MANY THOUSANDS OF RENTAL UNITS.

AND SO FOR US TO GET THEM REGISTERED, GET TO THE RIGHT PROPERTY OWNERS, GET THEM INSPECTED AND CONTINUE THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IS A BIG THING.

SO AGAIN, I HATE TO KEEP GOING BACK TO OPEN GOV, WHICH IS OUR PERMIT LAUNCH, BUT GETTING THAT KINKS WORKED OUT ON THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO HAVE SMOOTHER IMPLEMENTATIONS WITH BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM.

BUT THE SHEER NUMBER OF LONG TERM, IT WILL TAKE US 18-24 MONTHS TO GET THROUGH ROUND ONE OF GETTING THESE FOLKS ON BOARD JUST BECAUSE OF THE SHEER, THE SHEER NUMBER OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE A SHORT TERM RENTAL? SHORT TERM RENTAL IS ANYTHING 30 DAYS OR LESS, AND THEN LONG TERM IS LONGER THAN THAT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

SO CHECK THAT OFF. CHECK THAT ONE OFF.

OKAY. ALSO WANTED TO HAVE A WAY FOR THE CITY.

THIS IS JUST KIND OF MORE NARROWLY FOCUSED ON MURALS THROUGH THE CITY.

WE HAVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE TURNING DIRT IN AND TALKING ABOUT BEDFORD COMMONS TAKING OVER THERE AND INDUSTRIAL AND SO CAMPUS WEST.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US FIND WAYS TO INCORPORATE SOME MURALS THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT ACTIVATES THE SPACE AND GETS PEOPLE INTO THAT SPACE.

AND SO IDENTIFYING THOSE PLACES NOT ONLY THERE BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL.

AND ALSO DON'T KNOW THIS, THIS IS JUST A SHOUT OUT HERE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THE METAL PARK LAND.

I'M GOING TO BE HONEST.

[01:15:02]

LET'S BE REAL.

H-E-B IS LOSING STUDENTS.

AND H-E-B HAD A PLAN AT ONE TIME TO MAKE THAT A HIGH SCHOOL AREA FOR THAT HUGE PIECE OF PROPERTY.

AND IT'S NOT A GOOD LOCATION.

I'M JUST GOING TO COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY IT.

NOT A GOOD LOCATION.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S A PIPE DREAM.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE CAN MAKE THAT LAND BE FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE IT COULD BE A HUGE INVESTMENT FOR US.

OKAY, GOT IT.

THAT'S WHAT I. THAT'S IT.

THAT'S IT. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWKINS? OKAY, SO. THE ROOKIE OF THE GROUP.

YEAH. ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGE IS GOING LAST.

YOU KNOW, IT MADE IT EASIER FOR YOU.

YEAH, IT IS. INCLUDING SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LIVES ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND DIDN'T HAVE A BETTER COUNCIL MEMBER CHAMPION THE SOUTH SIDE.

IT FEELS GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE AWAY MY THUNDER.

BUT. OKAY, THANKS FOR TALKING TO ME.

SO WE KNOW WE GOT YOUR LIST COVERED.

SO I JUST DO WANT TO REITERATE WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT IT'S ACTIONS, NOT JUST WORDS.

SO WE ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE LIKE THAT THE SOUTH SIDE HAS SPECIAL NEEDS, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ACTUALLY COMMIT TO PAPER ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE PART OF THAT, FOR THE HISTORIC PART OF BEDFORD THAT WAS BUILT FIRST.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE BLUES FEST, I AM IN ALIGNMENT.

WELL, I'M THINKING OF IT AS BLUES FEST, AND I ACTUALLY LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN'S IDEA BECAUSE I WENT TO BEERS, BRATS AND MORE.

AND SO WERE RESIDENTS ARE LIKE, OH, THIS IS THE NEW BLUES FEST.

THEY WERE HAVING A REALLY GOOD TIME.

I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY THE BEDFORD LIBRARY FOUNDATION'S OPPORTUNITY TO FUNDRAISE, BUT IT DID SEEM LIKE THAT WAS DEFINITELY A DRAW FOR RESIDENTS TO COME THERE.

AND SO WE CAN KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IDEA.

THERE WAS MUSICAL ACTS THERE.

THEY WEREN'T BLUES, AND SO MAYBE THE ANCHOR CAN BE A HEADLINER BLUES BAND, BUT THEN HAVE OTHER ACTS THAT ARE DIFFERENT GENRES AND INCORPORATE THOSE THINGS TO THIS MAIN FESTIVAL YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.

I ALSO, I THINK COUNCILMAN STEVES ALSO MENTIONED THIS A LONG WAY, COUNCILMAN COGAN WITH AGING APARTMENTS AND INSPECTIONS.

SO I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THE SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF OUR APARTMENTS WHERE IT'S KIND OF BEEN A, WE ONLY HONE IN ON A COMPLEX WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES.

I KNOW WE HAVE AN INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT IS BEING RETOOLED, BUT HAVING ADDITIONAL EMPHASIS ON THAT RELATED TO THE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD, I KNOW WE'VE HAD PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ADDITIONAL ADVISORY BOARD AND COMMISSION OPPORTUNITIES.

I WANTED TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE A VOLUNTEER WITH AT BEDFORD.

SO I DID TALK TO JIMMY YESTERDAY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY HARD TO, IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED, LIKE FINDING INFORMATION AND THEN THE THE PAGE THAT TO VOLUNTEER THEIR STUFF IT'S OLD AND HOW TO FOLLOW UP.

AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO THINK HOLISTICALLY.

AND DOES THAT GET SOLVED WHEN WE ROLL OUT THE NEW WEBSITE? IT COULD BE OKAY, BUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S WE THINK ABOUT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE I LIKE BRINGING THE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD BACK, BUT THERE COULD BE THINGS LIKE I'M GOING WITH MY MAYOR PRO TEM AND SAY, WELL THOUGHT OF WE HAVE A LOT OF TENANT SURVEYS IN BEDFORD, SO MAYBE IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE A TENANT ADVISORY BOARD BECAUSE THEY'RE A BIG CONSTITUENCY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, I MENTIONED THIS TO JIMMY YESTERDAY TO WAS KIND OF HAVING A PIE CHART OR SOME THERMOMETER OF WHAT PROGRESS IS, BECAUSE I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING UP LIKE WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT FOR COMMENTS AND WE HAVE A PAGE AND WHAT INFORMATION, BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR PROGRESS IS ON, LIKE OUR PROJECT TIMELINE OF OUR BIG IDEAS, OR WE HAVE THIS PHENOMENAL STREET IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO HOW ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS IN THOSE THINGS? I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE ON HOW WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

AND I THINK EVERYBODY COVERED EVERYTHING ELSE.

I REALLY CAN'T ADD TOO MUCH MORE COMMENTS TO WHAT WAS SAID ALREADY.

OKAY. SO I'VE BEEN TAKING NOTES HERE.

HOW ABOUT WE TAKE THE ITEMS THAT WE ALL SEEM TO HAVE ON OUR LIST AND WE MAKE WHATEVER TWEAKS TO THEM.

REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.

SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE'S ON BOARD WITH THAT.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION.

WE'RE TALKING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.

[01:20:01]

I WILL BE.

LET ME SAY THIS. I WAS BEING POLITE AND NOT SEGREGATING ONE PART OF TOWN OVER ANOTHER, BUT I FULLY AGREE WITH YOU.

THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS AND CLEARLY THE SOUTH SIDE WOULD BENEFIT SOME OF THAT.

BUT TO ME, THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN IS ALSO A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION WHERE WE ALSO TALK ABOUT CODE, WHERE WE ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW TO GET CREATIVE WITH ENCOURAGING THAT INVESTMENT. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF A DISCUSSION HERE.

IS EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT ON THAT ONE? THEN BLUES FEST? WE ALL SEEM TO HAVE AN OPINION OTHER THAN COGAN.

NO, HE HAD A DIFFERENT OPINION.

BLUES FEST TO ME IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FESTIVAL, NOT JUST BLUES.

I'M TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU ALL.

I THINK IT IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

IT IS AN IDENTITY FOR US.

WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.

WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE NOW IN CONDUCTING THESE EVENTS AND HOW TO DO THEM MORE SUCCESSFULLY PERHAPS THAN WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

SO I'M GETTING A SENSE WE'RE IN AGREEMENT TO REESE PARK.

THIS EFFORT, CORRECT? OKAY, SO SOME FESTIVAL.

NOT NECESSARILY BLUES.

YEAH. YEAH.

BEST OF US HAS ALREADY TAKEN.

CAN'T DO THAT ONE. I'VE GOT OLD.

HE DOES. AND HE'S WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.

I'M HEARING UNANIMITY ON ANIMAL SHELTER.

I'M HEARING THAT.

I'M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN SOME OF YOUR LISTS.

MASTER PLAN. YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT.

WHERE ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT? ALL RIGHT. REVITALIZATION PLAN, COMP, PLAN AND LIST.

LET'S TALK ABOUT.

SO GETTING A SENSE HERE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A SENIOR CENTER, I'M GETTING LUKEWARM.

I'M GETTING WARM TO LUKEWARM.

HOW ABOUT THIS AS A BEGINNING CONVERSATION OF WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? REGARDING THE SENIOR CENTER, HOW ABOUT THAT? WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TODAY FOR A CERTAIN PRICE, FOR A CERTAIN SIZE, BUT IT'S A BEGINNING TO FIGURE OUT WE ARE GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT.

I THINK, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, DAN, WE'RE GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT OF THE CENTER OPENING UP AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT.

BUT WE ALSO ARE TAPPING INTO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE JIMMY'S OF THE WORLD BECAUSE YOU'RE USED TO MULTIPLE FACILITIES, ACCOMMODATING SENIOR NEEDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

BUT WE WILL GAIN SOME GLEAM, SOME SOME WISDOM OUT OF ONCE THE CENTER GETS GOING, TOO, BUT WE CAN BEGIN THE PROCESS OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR A SENIOR CENTER.

POTENTIALLY WE'RE AGREEMENT ON THAT.

OKAY. ASK A QUESTION.

JIMMY, LIKE GRAPEVINE'S GOT THAT GIGANTIC BUILDING.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THAT STREET IS, BUT IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A PRISON.

IS THAT JUST POLICE AND JUSTICE? BECAUSE LIKE MR. VARGO EVEN SAID.

WE HAVE A LOT OF BUILDINGS THAT WE NEED TO BUILD, BUT IT ALWAYS SEEMS MORE EFFICIENT TO ME TO HAVE EVERYBODY HOUSED UNDER ONE ROOF, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

AND IT'S MORE EFFICIENT AS FAR AS TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

BUT IS THAT IS THAT EVEN FEASIBLE FOR BEDFORD? IT IS.

I MEAN, I THINK LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT THESE THREE BUILDINGS, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT EFFICIENTLY LAID OUT.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT BUILDINGS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE EMPLOYEE PER SQUARE FOOT, IF YOU WILL, THERE'S A LOT OF WASTED SPACE TO WHERE WE COULD PUT ALL THREE BUILDINGS, WE COULD CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THEM, AND IT WOULD BE VERY EFFICIENT.

BUT LIKE IF YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT MOVING LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, THEIR CAMPUS HAS GOT RISEN.

IT'S GOT POLICE AND ADMINISTRATION.

YOU KNOW, THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, OKAY, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? BECAUSE THE POLICE FACILITY IS STILL SALVAGEABLE, YOU KNOW, BUT DEFINITELY PUTTING THESE THREE BUILDINGS TOGETHER.

I MEAN, IT WOULD IT WOULD IT WOULD BE A HOME RUN AND IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE TRY TO PAY THEIR WATER BILL AT BUILDING A OR GO TO COURT BUILDING C, YOU KNOW, AND CARRYING PEOPLE ALL THE TIME OUT HERE.

YEAH. SO IT IS FEASIBLE UNLESS IF THERE ARE SOME SERVICES THAT YOU ALL WANT CONSOLIDATED IN THE TRADITIONAL CITY HALL THAT ARE A LITTLE UNORTHODOX AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ALL WOULD.

I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S FEASIBLE BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S A RESOURCE, IT'S A SAVINGS.

YEAH, BIG TIME.

WE, DAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ASSET AUDIT.

IT'S A LOOSE CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING AS A COUNCIL IN PARTICULAR WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH BUDGET AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THROUGH THE NATURAL COURSE OF US DOING BUSINESS, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTENDING TO DO WITH OUR FACILITIES? YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY COST ANY MONEY, BUT IT'S AN EVALUATION OF WHAT ASSETS WE HAVE AND THE CONDITION THAT THEY'RE IN AND WHAT WHAT THE POTENTIAL LIFESPAN IS FOR THOSE FACILITIES. YES, SIR, ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THE ASSETS ALREADY, THE FIXED ASSET INVENTORY, IF YOU WILL.

[01:25:05]

IT'S A MATTER OF CONSOLIDATING EVERYTHING.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE IT'S IT'S SOMETHING A LOT OF IT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR OUR INSURANCE ANYWAY.

SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF LUMPING IT ALL TOGETHER.

SO, YES, CERTAINLY. AND SO ARE WE GOOD AS A GROUP SAYING WE WANT TO ASK THAT AUDIT ON OUR LIST? ALL RIGHT. LET'S TAKE LET'S TAKE CITY HALL.

I'M GENERALLY HEARING AGREEMENT THAT WE BEGIN THIS CONVERSATION.

ALL RIGHT. NOW I'M GOING TO TEMPER SOME OF THESE ITEMS. I'M NOT GOING TO ADD IT TO THE LIST, BUT I THINK THE GOAL IS TO BE ECONOMICALLY PRUDENT.

I THINK THE GOAL IS WHEN THERE'S A SCENARIO THAT WE POTENTIALLY WHERE THERE'S A POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS, THAT WE GO TO THE VOTERS ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS. THAT'S JUST A GENERAL AGREEMENT HERE.

RIGHT. OKAY.

LET'S SEE NOW, FIRE CENTRAL FIRE STATION AND TRAINING FACILITY.

I'M HEARING JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HESITANCY, BUT I'M GENERALLY HEARING LET'S START THIS CONVERSATION.

SAY, THOUGH, THAT I THINK WE PROBABLY I THINK EVEN THE CHIEF SAID THAT WE COULD PROBABLY DO THE TRAINING FACILITY ALREADY OVER THERE ON BEDFORD ROAD.

WASN'T THAT WHAT HE EXPRESSED TO US DURING BUDGET? SO AND IF THIS GOAL GETS DELAYED, I STILL THINK WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT, BECAUSE I DO THINK.

YEAH, BUT AT LEAST AT LEAST NOW WE'RE FORMALLY GOING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT LET'S LET'S LOOK AHEAD NOW.

LET'S SEE WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

DAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH THE IOC ON METAL PARK.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A NATURAL THING THAT'S INGRAINED INTO OUR DAY TO DAY WORLD HERE, IS THAT WE'VE GOT A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ISD.

I MEAN, WE ALL WE'RE ALL FAMILY, WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER.

THEY KNOW WE WANT THAT PROPERTY AND WE WANT THEM TO SELL THAT PROPERTY.

SO YEAH, THAT'S JUST AN ONGOING CONVERSATION IF YOU MAKE THEM SEE THE LIGHT.

JIMMY YEAH, THAT'S ALL I SAY.

THE I'M CURIOUS ON DAN'S ISSUE, ON THE MURALS, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT FITS IN THE CURRENT ARTS PLAN THAT WE HAVE. WELL, IF KRISSI COULD COME UP PLEASE, KRISSI, I'LL TELL YOU, THAT WAS.

I KNOW. JUST I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF, BUT I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE WANTED THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE PUBLIC ART POLICY SO WE WOULD HAVE THE FRAMEWORK TO MOVE FORWARD.

YES, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

SO STEP ONE WAS CREATING THAT FRAMEWORK FOR US TO THEN GO BY WHEN WE APPROACHED DIFFERENT BUSINESSES OR OUR OWN BUILDINGS TO CREATE A MURAL.

I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR TO DO AND THEN ABSOLUTELY MORE IN THE FUTURE.

SO I LOVE THAT YOU SAID THAT.

I THINK THAT'S AMAZING. ABSOLUTELY.

AND I GUESS MY MY MIND WAS JUST WITH THESE NEW BUILDINGS COMING UP, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BEDFORD COMMONS. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT PLACES ON THOSE STRUCTURES WOULD BE FITTING FOR FOR A MURAL.

ABSOLUTELY. AND ALSO THINKING ABOUT SCULPTURES AND OTHER JUST PUBLIC ART PIECES THAT WOULD WORK BEST IN THOSE SPACES.

SO, YES, THANK YOU.

I PULLED UP TO FOREST RIDGE AND HARWOOD, AND I LOOKED AT OUR BEAUTIFUL GENERATIONS PARK AND I SAW THAT BROWN CLAY BUILDING WITH THE BASEBALL FIELDS.

YES. I THOUGHT MURAL.

YES. SAME.

THAT COULD BE A REAL BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU SEE IS THAT BROWN CLAY THING.

YES. THE BUILDING. AND I THOUGHT, OH MAN, THAT COULD BE A REALLY HIGHLIGHT RIGHT THERE.

BUT THERE IS SOME TALK OF LIKE GIVING HAVING SOMEBODY CONTRACT THAT.

SO MAYBE WE CAN MAKE THAT PART OF THE CONTRACT.

THEY HAVE TO PUT A MURAL.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE MEETING WE'VE EVER HAD.

YOU WANT IT? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KRISSI.

THE. I'M BRINGING THIS UP.

THIS WAS SOMETHING NICHELLE HAD.

CAN WE GET SOME CLARIFICATION? YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT INSPECTIONS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT ATTENTION IN INSPECTIONS FOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND STUFF? CAN WE CAN WE HAVE JUST A QUICKIE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THAT IS RIGHT NOW? AND. YES, ANDREA, IF YOU CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING FROM THAT THAT MAKE YOU REFINE YOUR YOUR THOUGHT WHILE SHE'S COME UP HERE, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ALL PASS THOSE BASICALLY MINIMUM HOUSING STANDARDS THAT GIVE US A LOT OF TOOLS TO LIKE WITH TEETH.

BUT, ANDREA, IF YOU COULD.

YEAH. SO WE DO HAVE A MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT'S IN PLACE.

WE'VE GOT TWO DESIGNATED INSPECTORS THAT THAT IS ALL THEY DO IS ROUTINELY INSPECT FULL ON ONCE A YEAR, JUST ABOUT TWICE A YEAR. AND THEN AGAIN AS COMPLAINTS FOR THINGS COME ABOUT.

SO WHICH IS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A LOT MORE OFTEN THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.

SO THEY'RE ENGAGED ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS.

SO I'VE GOT TWO INSPECTORS THAT SPLIT BETWEEN OUR 35 APARTMENT COMPLEXES RIGHT NOW.

I WILL TELL YOU, I WE ARE VERY MUCH ON BOARD WITH TAKING A LOOK AT THAT.

[01:30:05]

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S A NICE PROGRAM.

WE DO INSPECT, WE LOOK AT CERTAIN THINGS.

BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THERE'S THERE'S AREAS WHERE WE CAN KIND OF DIG DEEPER.

WE CAN EITHER AGAIN, KIND OF INCENTIVIZE.

I THINK WE NEED TO GET A LITTLE MORE STRICT ON CERTAIN THINGS, ON SOME OF THE QUALITY OF SOME OF THESE MINIMUM HOUSING CODES.

SO WE ARE DEFINITELY ON BOARD ALONG THE LINES OF LOOK SEE INTO OUR INSPECTION PROGRAM.

I'M SORRY, HOW WOULD YOU HOW WOULD YOU TERM THAT IT LOOKS LIKE? WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A BAD I MEAN, REALLY I THINK IT'S REALLY JUST AN EVALUATION OF OUR CURRENT MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION PROGRAM.

LET US EVALUATE THAT AND SEE IF THERE IS AREAS FOR US TO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.

WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE CODE AND POLICE ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR TYPE THINGS IN MANY OF THESE COMPLEXES. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY.

I WOULD BE GLAD AND HAPPY TO ADD THAT TO OUR LIST.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT'S KIND OF BEEN OUT THERE, RIGHT? YOU TELL ME TO GO AND WE'LL GO.

AND SO THAT THAT MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT'S DISTINCT FROM, I GUESS, A LONG TERM RENTAL WHERE LIKE IF IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT'S BEING RENTED, THAT'S A DIFFERENT PROGRAM.

YES. YEAH. SO WHAT'S GREAT NOW IS BETWEEN THE THREE, WE ARE COVERING ALL TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL THAT DO EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY BETWEEN THE SHORT TERM RENTALS, AIRBNB, VRBO, TOO. I RENT THE HOME FOR A YEAR TO I'M IN AN ACTUAL APARTMENT COMPLEX.

SO YEAH, I'M WE'RE HAPPY.

DOES THAT COVER WHERE YOU WERE GOING WITH THAT IDEA? WELL, I MEAN, I WAS MAINLY THINKING OF THE APARTMENT, BUT I WASN'T, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE LONG TERM RENTAL CONVERSATION IS TAKING PLACE.

YEAH. YEAH.

YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

WE JUST NEED TO NOW GET OVER KIND OF THE PROCESS HUMP, IF YOU WILL, TO KIND OF GET IT GOING.

AND WE'LL BE BACK IF WE HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S A BIG UNDERTAKING.

I DO HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF.

YOU ALL DID FIND US AN ADDITIONAL CODE OFFICER.

AND SO WE HAVE BEEN GEARING EVERYBODY UP KIND OF DIVVYING DISTRICTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE ROLLOUT.

SO WE'RE WE'RE JUST ABOUT THERE.

SO WE COMFORTABLE WITH ANDREA'S ADVICE HERE ABOUT AN EVALUATION OF THE MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION PROGRAM.

OKAY. AND DO WE HAVE A HOTEL INSPECTION? I BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS MAINLY WITH THE HOTELS IS THAT OUR POLICE ARE I'M SORRY, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL DO AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ON THOSE OTHER THAN PARTICULAR.

THAT WAS NOT A FREUDIAN SLIP, I PROMISE.

MAYBE ON A FEW, BUT YES.

SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES A FULL ANNUAL FIRE INSPECTION FOR A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.

AND WE DO WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM.

SO IF THEY NOTICE BLATANT THINGS, THEY WILL GO, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HAPPENING OVER HERE.

THAT'S THE ANNUAL WHERE THEY SHOW UP IN THE TRUCK AND WE'RE HERE TO INSPECT.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND SO THAT DOES HAPPEN WITH ALL OF THOSE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WERE YOU THINKING ANYTHING THERE? YOU'RE JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY OTHER TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO BRING SOME OF OUR LOVELY ONES INTO.

TEAR DOWN OUR COMPLIANCE.

ONE OF THE TWO. I DON'T DISAGREE.

I THINK SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET WORKED OUT.

AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT CORRIDOR PLAN, MASTER PLAN, REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.

STEP ONE IS ABSOLUTELY THIS MASTER PLAN.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, THE GROUP THAT WE ARE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH ON THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY AND JUST A BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH BUILT OUT COMMUNITIES AND CREATIVE WAYS THAT DON'T THAT AREN'T ALWAYS FINANCIALLY CONNECTED TO LOOK AT REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

SO VERY MUCH OUT OF THE GATE, THIS, THIS MASTER PLAN IS GOING TO AT LEAST THROW OUT THEIR THOUGHTS ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

ATTENTION TO SOUTH BEDFORD CERTAIN CORRIDORS THAT COULD PROVIDE SOME IDENTITY TO US AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AREAS WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED SERVICES SUCH AS THIS IS OUR SUCH AND SUCH DISTRICT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THEY WILL START TO KIND OF PUT THOSE THINGS OUT AND AT LEAST GIVE US THOSE IDEAS AND THEN WE CAN THEN DIVE IN AND GO DEEPER.

SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S OUR BIG UMBRELLA AND THEN WE CAN START TO TACKLE THOSE OTHER PLANS UNDERNEATH THAT AS THEY AS THEY THROW THINGS OUT.

BUT I THINK TO YOUR POINT ON THESE PERHAPS HOTEL MOTELS, I BELIEVE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR ZONING AMENDMENTS, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WILL KIND OF NATURALLY SHAKE OUT ON SOME OF THAT.

THANK YOU. OK.

THANK YOU, ANDREA. NISCHELLE, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE A VOLUNTEER.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MAYBE BENEFITS FROM THE WEBSITES GOING TO GET IMPROVEMENT THAT WE'RE AT THE BEGINNINGS OF A RE-IMAGED BOARD AND COMMISSION PROGRAM.

I DO WONDER ABOUT TYING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO SOME OF THE THOUGHTS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME MORE CITIZENS BOARDS.

[01:35:08]

I WONDER ABOUT HAVING A CONVERSATION AND BRAINSTORMING ABOUT OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THE RESIDENTS MIGHT LIKE THAT COULD INCLUDE A SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD AND MASTER PARKS BOARD, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

BUT MAYBE, MAYBE THIS SEGUES INTO THAT.

YOU OKAY WITH THAT? OR, COUNCIL, ARE WE OKAY WITH A CONVERSATION IN THE NEAR FUTURE ABOUT POTENTIAL NEW BOARDS? A CONVERSATION TO BEGIN THAT.

OKAY. OKAY.

WHAT HAVE I MISSED? ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.

I HAVE NINE ITEMS. LET ME GO OVER THEM AGAIN.

I'M JUST GOING TO, I'M NOT GOING TO ELABORATE, BUT REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FESTIVAL, ANIMAL SHELTER, SENIOR CENTER, ASSET AUDIT, CITY HALL, FIRE STATION AND TRAINING FACILITY EVALUATION MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION PROGRAM CONVERSATION ABOUT NEW BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND WE MENTIONED CHARTER REVIEW.

OUR CHARTER REVIEW. WE ARE COMING BACK.

THE ANTICIPATION WAS BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

WE GOT TO GET THROUGH HOLIDAYS AND STUFF.

SO AND THEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED OR WE'RE FULL COUNCIL NOW.

YOU ALL OKAY WITH THAT? YES, SIR.

MAY I SAY SOMETHING? I JUST WANT TO SAY ON THE SIGNATURE EVENT, IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST CRITICAL JUST BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET GOING.

AND I'LL TELL YOU.

OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR, MARK LONG, HE'S WATCHING, SO I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T GIVE HIM A BIG HEAD, BUT HE'S KIND OF A SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF PARKS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT HE'S MADE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, HE'S DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED AND HE'S MANAGED SOME REALLY, REALLY COOL EVENTS.

AND HE'S VERY EXCITED ABOUT DAN'S IDEA.

I KNOW WE WANT THE COUNCIL BUY IN, BUT HE IS THE MISSING COMPONENT TO KIND OF TAKE OUR EVENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.

OKAY, WHAT ELSE? JIMMY, THERE SEEMED TO BE AN OPEN THERE'LL BE A GRAND OPENING FOR GENERATIONS PARK AND THAT MARK WILL DO IT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

IT HAS SLIPPED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN.

THE WORD EVERYONE HATE OR THE WORDS EVERYONE HATES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING ONE NOW IN EARLY TO MID-DECEMBER.

IT WOULD BE A SOFT OPENING.

AND THEN WE'LL DO A FORMAL ONE WITH THE FORMAL GRAND OPENING AND EVERYTHING AND THE UNVEILING OF THE SCULPTURE IN JANUARY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT MID-JANUARY, SO WE'LL LET EVERYONE KNOW.

BUT THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH AND INVITE THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYTHING.

OKAY, THANKS. OKAY.

SO I WILL END WITH LET'S MAKE BEDFORD A DESTINATION.

WE'RE GOOD. OK UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANYTHING ELSE.

I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 7:40.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

STAFF LET'S HAVE FUN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.