[00:00:03]
[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.
[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.THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
WELL, IN THIS CLIMATE WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE BONDS AND DO OVER 40 RESIDENTS.
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.
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.
THAT DECISION RIGHT THERE IS SAVING THE CITY A MINIMUM OF 600,000 A YEAR.
THAT SAVINGS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
[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.
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.
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.
BUT JANUARY WILL BE SOLICITING APPLICATIONS FROM INTERESTED PEOPLE.
SO DIVISION, REGULATIONS AND ZONING ORDINANCE, THOSE ARE BOTH TOGETHER.
CANDIDLY, IT'S NOT A MONEY ISSUE.
I MEAN, THEY EACH COST 75 TO $100,000 EACH.
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 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.
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.
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.IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T SEE DIRT FLYING, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT.
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.
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.
HERITAGE, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
WE HAVE THE COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED STEEL FREEMAN AS THE CONTRACTOR.
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT PLAN.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY HENCE THE TITLE, THE CUMMINGS ROAD.
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 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.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY? YES, MAYOR.
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.
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.
AND SO BASICALLY BOTH SIDES WOULD HAVE.
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.
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.
THEY'RE ALL MULTICOLORED. YEAH.
THE FIRST ONE, THE PARTRIDGE PIECE.
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.
[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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 KNOW IN MORNINGS WITH THE MAYOR HERE RECENTLY I THINK MOLLY WAS THERE 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ELIMINATED REDUNDANT POSITIONS.
I MEAN, 40 POSITIONS IN TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.
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.
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.
AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT HOW WE HANDLE PEOPLE.
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'S US DICTATING WHAT THOSE TERMS ARE.
CAMPUS WEST IS THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE OF THAT.
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.
GENERATIONS PARK WE WERE UPSIDE DOWN ON THAT THE DAY IT PASSED.
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 PROJECTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
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.
[00:35:07]
CHALLENGES OR DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.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.
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'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN WE'RE TALKING OCCUPANCY.
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 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.
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.
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.
[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.
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.
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.
THERE'S A REASON WHY COMMUNITIES BUILD NEW CITY HALLS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY THEY DO THAT.
BEDFORD LOOKS THE SAME TODAY AS IT DID 40 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A KID.
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.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.
AND EVERYONE KNOWS MOST EVERYONE KNOWS MY BACKGROUND.
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.
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.
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 WE OWE IT TO OUR STAFF.
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.
SO I'M ALL FOR THAT. THE ANIMAL SHELTER THAT I DID IT TOO.
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.
THE SENIOR CENTER I DID A FIRE STATION, THE TRAINING CENTER.
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.
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.
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 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'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.
AND I WAS REALLY VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE'RE AT.
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 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.
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.
THANKS. MAYOR, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.
OKAY. WELL, THAT WAS PRETTY EASY.
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.
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.
AND ANOTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO REVISIT, THE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD.
[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.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.
SO. AND I'D LIKE JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON A CHARTER REVIEW.
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.
AND THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL CREW UP HERE DURING THE SUMMER.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, JIMMY.
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.
SO I REALLY THINK I'M NOT KISSING UP TO Y'ALL.
I'VE ALREADY HAD MY REVIEW. HEY STOP HOGGING THE MICROPHONE.
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.
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.
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.
REVITALIZATION. WE'RE ALL ON BOARD ON REVITALIZATION.
THAT'S SOMETHING NEW WE NEED TO DISCUSS.
THAT'S PROBABLY AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, BUT YOU WANT US TO BE AWARE OF IT.
AND THEN CHARTER REVIEW. WE ARE BRINGING THAT BACK.
THAT'S YOUR LIST. WHO'S NEXT? COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
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.
[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.
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.
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 NEED TO RENT YOUR PROPERTY, FOR GOSH SAKES.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
STRAIGHT DOWN. HEY, PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK.
AND IT'S NOTHING THAT WE DID PARTICULARLY.
AND YOU'RE VERY YOU'RE VERY YOU'RE NOT PRETENTIOUS AT ALL.
AND I THINK THEY ALL ENJOY YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
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.
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.
IT'S REALLY A HUGE TURNAROUND FOR US.
WE'VE GOT A OH, LET ME FOLLOW THAT UP WITH DON'T SCREW IT UP.
CITY HALL. YEAH. I THINK IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING.
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 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.
[01:05:03]
I ONLY ASK THAT WE OBVIOUSLY WERE TAKING A LOOK AT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
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 WELL, THAT WAS FOR SALE.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ABSOLUTELY. SO I'D LIKE TO WAIT AND SEE.
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.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM THERE.
[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.
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.
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.
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'RE PUTTING ON THE FINER DETAILS WITH THAT.
WE PLAN THAT WILL BE STARTED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
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.
PERFECT. YEAH, I'LL CHECK THAT ONE OFF.
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.
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.
ONCE WE DIVE INTO THIS, WE HAVE MANY THOUSANDS OF RENTAL UNITS.
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.
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.
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.
[01:15:02]
LET'S BE REAL.AND H-E-B HAD A PLAN AT ONE TIME TO MAKE THAT A HIGH SCHOOL AREA FOR THAT HUGE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
I'M JUST GOING TO COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY IT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S A PIPE DREAM.
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.
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.
AND SO WERE RESIDENTS ARE LIKE, OH, THIS IS THE NEW BLUES FEST.
THEY WERE HAVING A REALLY GOOD TIME.
AND SO WE CAN KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IDEA.
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.
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.
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.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.
SO I'M GETTING A SENSE WE'RE IN AGREEMENT TO REESE PARK.
THIS EFFORT, CORRECT? OKAY, SO SOME FESTIVAL.
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 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.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A SENIOR CENTER, I'M GETTING 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.
POTENTIALLY WE'RE AGREEMENT ON THAT.
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.
BUT IS THAT IS THAT EVEN FEASIBLE FOR BEDFORD? IT IS.
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.
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.
WE, DAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ASSET AUDIT.
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.
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.
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.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
DAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH THE IOC ON METAL PARK.
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.
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.
I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR TO DO AND THEN ABSOLUTELY MORE IN THE FUTURE.
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.
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.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE MEETING WE'VE EVER HAD.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[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.
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 HE'S VERY EXCITED ABOUT DAN'S IDEA.
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.
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.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MID-JANUARY, SO WE'LL LET EVERYONE KNOW.
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.