[CALL TO ORDER]
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GOOD EVENING.I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6:04 PM I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE WISH BEST WISHES TO COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS AS HE'S UNABLE TO BE WITH US THIS EVENING.
AT THIS TIME, I ASK MR. MAGNER TO TAKE IT OVER.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ITEM A'S VISITING.
WAIT A MINUTE, WE'RE NOT GONNA LET HIM TAKE IT OVER.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM A, VISITORS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS.
MR. MAGNER, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE ARE NOT IN RECEIPT OF ANY COMMENT CARDS IN ADVANCE OF THE 5:00 PM DEADLINE.
[B. CONDUCT INTERVIEW FOR ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION TO FILL THE POSITION OF LICENSED VETERINARIAN, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, CHAPTER 823]
GONNA GO TO ITEM B, REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE 2023 CARES CLASS PROGRAM AND PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES.UH, TONIGHT IS A VERY EXCITING NIGHT.
UH, OUR CITY SECRETARY, AMY MEMER, IS MAKING OUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT WE HAD A, UH, ZONING CASE OF INTEREST TONIGHT WITH ALL THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE AT ALL.
UM, TONIGHT'S, UH, CELEBRATION OF, UH, THE SIX CARES CLASS, OUR CITIZENS ACADEMY.
UM, AMY IS GONNA RUN THROUGH A, UH, A, A SUMMARY OF, UH, THE EIGHT WEEKS THAT, UH, THEY'VE ALL SPENT TOGETHER.
AND THEN MAYOR, UH, WE'LL INVITE YOU, UM, AND THE COUNCIL UP TO PRESENT THE, UM, CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION, UH, TO THE PARTICIPANTS AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATE FROM THE MAYOR AND THEN ARE ABLE TO, UH, BE CONGRATULATED BY THE COUNCIL, WE'LL HAVE YOU GATHER, UH, JUST, UH, TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT, I'M SORRY, OF THE, UM, SCREEN HERE.
AND THEN ONCE EVERYONE IS, UH, PRESENTED THEIR CERTIFICATE, WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN, IN THE FRONT HERE.
SO, UH, MAYOR, LET ME JUST TURN IT OVER TO AMY, BUT LET ME SAY THAT I KNOW EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WILL SHAKE THEIR HEAD, UH, IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS.
WHEN I SAY WE'VE GOT ONE OF THE, IF NOT THE BEST CARES PROGRAM AND ALL OF TEXAS, AND IT'S LARGELY BECAUSE OF AMY, UH, SHE'S BEEN IN CHARGE OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, BACK IN THE 1719, UH, COUNCIL TERM, AMY WAS, UH, FIRST TASKED WITH, UH, WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO CREATE THIS PROGRAM, AND IT'S BEEN HER, UH, PASSION EVER SINCE.
AND SO, AMY, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO TO MAKE, UH, A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND, UH, OTHER PARTICIPANTS THAT TAKE PART.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. MAGNER.
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR VISION TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT, OF COURSE COULD NOT BE DONE WITH ALL THE REST OF OUR STAFF.
YOU'VE ALL MADE IT THROUGH EIGHT SESSIONS, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR DEDICATING YOUR TIME EVERY WEEK TO THE CLASSES AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, SO HERE IS A PARTIAL, UH, PICTURE OF OUR CLASS.
NOT ALL OF 'EM WERE THERE THAT NIGHT, BUT THEY ARE PROUDLY WEARING THEIR CARESS SHIRTS.
AND SO LET ME TELL YOU WHO THEY ARE.
SO WE HAVE SEVEN WHO LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE, FOUR IN DISTRICT TWO, NINE IN DISTRICT THREE AND FIVE LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
WE HAD ONE WHO WAS 18 TO 25, 5 WHO ARE 25 TO 35, 10 WHO ARE 35 TO 55 AND NINE WHO ARE 55 PLUS.
AND IN THE RESIDENCE CATEGORY, WE HAD 10 MEMBERS IN THIS CLASS WHO HAVE LIVED HERE 10 YEARS OR LESS.
AND THAT IS, THAT'S A NEW, UM, PHENOMENON FOR, FOR THIS CLASS.
NORMALLY IT'S PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT NEW PEOPLE IN RICHARDSON HAVE, UH, JOINED THE CLASS FIVE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 11 TO 20 YEARS, 10, UH, I'M SORRY, 7, 4, 21 TO 30 YEARS.
AND THREE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 45 YEARS.
AND THEN WE HAD A VARIETY OF EMPLOYMENT, ABOUT HALF, UH, IN RICHARDSON, HALF OUT, AND THEN SEVERAL WHO ARE RETIRED OR SELF-EMPLOYED.
ALRIGHT, SO LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
IT'S EIGHT WEEKS, FIVE DIFFERENT VENUES, NINE 19 DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS, SIX TOURS, FIVE, SIX DEMOS, FOUR SCENARIOS OR GAMES, AND TWO CASE STUDY ACTIVITIES.
SO THEY WERE BUSY SESSION ONE STARTED OFF WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HUMAN RESOURCES AND BUDGET OFFICE, AND THIS WAS CALLED THE RICHARDSON WAY.
THIS SESSION IS A FOUNDATION OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
IT KIND OF GIVES THE GOVERNMENT 1 0 1 CITY MANAGER TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE THINGS THAT HIS OFFICE FOCUSES ON.
HE TALKED ABOUT CITY PROJECTS, HE TALKED ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
THEN FOR ME, THEY HEARD ABOUT RECORDS MANAGEMENT, CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT, ELECTIONS, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND HOW TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN OUR BUDGET OFFICER BUDGET, BOB GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE YEAR-ROUND BUDGETING PROCESS.
AND THEN WE SHOWED THEM A VIDEO OF THE HR, UH, OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW FUN IT IS TO WORK FOR RICHARDSON AND HOW MUCH THEY LIKE WORKING FOR RICHARDSON.
AND THEN JOSE MORENO, OUR HR DIRECTOR, GAVE AQ AND A ON THAT.
HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT RECRUITING
[00:05:01]
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.HERE'S A COUPLE PHOTOS FROM SESSION ONE.
I ALWAYS NEGLECT TO TAKE A LOT OF PHOTOS.
AND SESSION ONE, AS YOU GET THROUGH THE SESSIONS, I TAKE MORE AND MORE PHOTOS,
ALL RIGHT, AND HERE'S WHAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID ABOUT SESSION ONE.
UH, SO I'LL LET Y'ALL READ THOSE, BUT YOU CAN SEE BY THEIR COMMENTS THAT THE CLASS LEARNED THAT THE CITY DETERMINES PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET.
UM, THEY LEARNED ABOUT CURRENT CHALLENGES IN RECRUITING CITY EMPLOYEES.
THEY HEARD ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S VISION FOR THE CITY AND HOW STAFF IMPLEMENTS IT.
AND THEN THEY LEARNED WHAT A CITY SECRETARY DOES ONTO SESSION TWO.
THIS WAS HELD AT THE SERVICE CENTER, AND THIS CLASS WAS CALLED PLAN OUR WORK, WORK OUR PLAN.
THE CLASS HEARD FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THEY TOOK A TOUR OF THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER AND ACTED AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THEY REVIEWED, UH, CITY PLANNING, UH, ZONING CASE, AND AS A ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT CASE.
SO THEY LEARNED QUITE A BIT FROM THOSE, UH, REAL CASES.
AND THEY WERE REAL CASES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO COUNCIL.
SO THEY GOT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE REAL DETERMINATION WAS.
HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SAID ABOUT THAT.
AND THE CLASS WAS REALLY AMAZED TO SEE BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER.
I THINK EVERY CLASS IS ALWAYS REALLY AMAZED TO SEE WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES THERE.
UM, HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM THAT SESSION.
AND THEN ON TO SESSION THREE, THIS WAS HEALTH, SAFETY AND COMMUNITY, AND THIS WAS OUR MUNICIPAL COURT OFFICE, COMMUNITY SERVICES, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THE CLASS WATCHED A VIDEO PRO PRODUCED BY OUR VERY OWN CITV ABOUT THE COURT PROCESS.
AND THEN THEY HEARD FROM KIM PIERCE, OUR COURT ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT JURY DUTY AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
THEY ALSO HEARD FROM LINDSAY TURMAN ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICES CODE COMPLIANCE, AND THEY PLAYED A FUN GAME OF WHAT IS AND ISN'T A CODE VIOLATION AFTER THEIR MEAL.
LUCKILY, THEY HEARD FROM THE HEALTH DIRECTOR BILL OSEP ABOUT MOSQUITOES, RESTAURANT HEALTH INSPECTIONS AND ANIMAL SERVICES.
AND THE EVENING ENDED WITH A VIDEO ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, FOLLOWED WITH AQ AND A BY SCOTT GREESON FROM EMERGENCY MAN MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
AND SO HERE ARE SOME QUOTES OF WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT EVENING.
UH, MANY OF OUR CLASS MEMBERS WERE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES FROM EITHER THE TORNADO OR FROM WINTER WEATHER EVENTS.
UM, ALSO THE CLASS WAS VERY GOOD AT DETERMINING WHAT IS AND ISN'T A CODE VIOLATION.
SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE, UH, BEEN DOING THEIR HOMEWORK WITH THEIR HOAS, AND DEFINITELY, I KNOW THEY WERE GLAD THAT THEY ATE BEFORE BILL'S PRESENTATION, UM, AND MAYBE THEY WISH THEY HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE WARNING ABOUT THAT.
HERE'S A COUPLE PHOTOS FROM THAT SESSION.
THIS WAS RICHARDSON PD, A HIGHER CALIBER, AND THIS WAS THE, THE WHOLE EVENING WAS DEDICATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY VISITED WITH A SWAT TEAM, DEMONSTRATIONS, UH, DRONE DEMONSTRATIONS, AND GOT TO VISIT THE FORENSIC LAB.
HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
OF COURSE, THE CLASS ALWAYS ENJOYS THE PD EVENING.
IT'S DEDICATED THE WHOLE EVENING TO PD OPERATIONS.
THEY GET TO ENGAGE WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERS AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND SEE ALL OF THE, UM, VERY COOL TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY HAVE.
AND THERE'S SEVERAL PICTURES OF THIS.
THEY GOT TO PICK UP SOME OF THE, UH, EQUIPMENT AND FEEL HOW HEAVY IT WAS.
THIS IS A FORENSIC LAB, SO THEY GOT TO, UH, COMPARE THEIR CS CSI STORIES WITH, UH, REAL, REAL ACTION STUFF.
AND THEN HERE'S, HERE THEY ARE WITH THE DRONES LEARN.
THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE DRONES, HOW THEY'RE USED AND WHAT IT TAKES TO FLY THEM.
SESSION FIVE WAS BUILDING, MAINTAINING, AND SERVING RICHARDSON.
THIS WAS HELD AT THE SERVICE CENTER.
THIS WAS OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND OUR PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, THEY WERE WELCOMED BY THE CARES WELCOME SIGN THERE, AND THEN ALL THE EQUIPMENT WAS OUT FOR THEM TO SEE THAT EVENING.
SO THE STARTED OFF THAT EVENING WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TALKING ABOUT PROJECTS AND, AND HOW, UH, ENGINEERING WORKS WITH THE CITY.
AND THEN THEY TOOK A TOUR OF THE SCADA OFFICE, WHICH IS A REMINDER STANDS FOR SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION.
UH, SO THEY GOT TO SEE WHAT THEY DO IN THE CENTER AND, AND HOW, UM, THEY HELP TO MONITOR EVERYTHING IN THE CITY.
AND THEN THEY GOT TO GO OUTSIDE AND SEE ALL THE EQUIPMENT, GET DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVEN GET INTO SOME OF THE TRUCKS AND TRACTORS.
HERE'S SOME QUOTES FROM THE CLASS ON THIS SESSION, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC SERVICES.
AND THEIR ENTIRE TEAM COMES OUT TO,
[00:10:01]
UH, SHOW OFF THEIR EQUIPMENT.SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM DOING THAT.
AND HERE ARE SEVERAL PICTURES FROM THAT.
THEY GOT TO MEET PHILLIP, OUR RECYCLING MASCOT.
THEY ALSO GOT THE COVETED BLUE BAGS TO TAKE HOME WITH THEM.
THEY WENT INSIDE THE WATER TOWER AND SAW SOME OF THE BAIC EQUIPMENT IN ACTION.
THEY HA GOT TO GET INTO THE TRACTORS AS WELL AS THE TRUCKS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE LADIES LIKE THE BIG TRUCKS AND TRACTORS, MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN THE MEN
SESSION SIX WAS RICHARDSON FIRE DEPARTMENT AT YOUR, AT YOUR FULL SERVICE RESPONSE.
AND THIS WAS AN EVENING DEDICATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS HELD BACK AT THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER.
THAT CLASS HEARD FROM CHIEF VY, AND THEN THEY SAW SEVERAL DEMONSTRATIONS.
HERE'S SOME QUOTES FROM THE SURVEYS ABOUT THAT EVENING.
AND I DEFINITELY KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE SOME MEMBERS JOINING FOR THE NEXT, UH, FIRE ACADEMY.
SO FIRST THEY SAW AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WITH AN UNRESPONSIVE PERSON FROM START TO FINISH.
THEN THEY WITNESSED A FIRE ATTACK.
THEY ALSO GOT TO SEE AN EXTRICATION AND COMPLETE TEAR DOWN OF THE TOP OF THIS CAR.
AGAIN, THEY GOT TO PICK UP SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT AND SEE HOW HEAVY IT IS.
A COUPLE MORE PHOTOS ON THAT ONE.
SESSION SEVEN WAS HELD AT THE EISMAN CENTER WITH THE TOUR OF THE EISMAN CENTER AND A PREVIEW OF THE 2024 SEASON WITH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALLIE HALLE, ALLIE HAYNES HAMLIN.
THEN THEY HEARD FROM COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR GREG SOWELL ABOUT VARIOUS FORMS OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA THAT THE CITY USES TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO OUR CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS.
UM, AND THEY ALSO GOT TO SEE A REAL TIME VIDEO, UM, BEING MADE AT THE CLASS THAT EVENING.
HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT EVENING.
THEY REALLY THOUGHT THE TOUR WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
THEY LEARNED A LOT OF TIDBITS ABOUT THE BUILDING AND HOW IT WAS DESIGNED.
AND, UH, THEY LOVED THE PASSION OF THE STAFF.
THEY WERE ALSO IMPRESSED WITH THE QUICK, UM, AND PROFESSIONAL WORK OF CARLOS CORREA, WHO DID OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, WHO DID OUR VIDEO THAT EVENING.
SO HERE'S SOME PHOTOS ON THAT.
THEY WERE HAVING A SHOW THAT EVENING, A VERY BIG SHOW, BUT WE GOT TO, TO GET INTO THE, UM, THE THEATER BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED.
UM, AND NOW I'LL SHOW YOU A SHORT CLIP FROM THE VIDEO THAT WAS MADE THAT NIGHT.
I'M, I'M IN THE, UH, INSURANCE BUSINESS AND I, THE REASON WHY I JOINED THE PROGRAM MUST LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
UM, MY TWO FAVORITE CLASSES HAVE BEEN THE FIRE AND POLICE ACADEMY, UH, CLASSES I REALLY LIKED, UH, ENJOYED MEETING A NUMBER OF MY, THE FELLOW CITIZENS OF RICHARDSON, LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE CITY.
I REALLY ENJOYED, UM, LEARNING ABOUT THE CITY WORKS, THE PUBLIC WORKS.
THAT WAS REALLY, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND I REALLY APPRECIATED LEARNING WHAT THE, UM, EMPLOYEES DO FOR US.
IT'S, IT'S PHENOMENAL WHAT THE CITY HAS TO OFFER IN ALL THE LITTLE, UH, NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF EVERYTHING THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ALL WHAT MAKES EVERYTHING TICK FOR THE CITY.
AND, UH, SO I I, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
I'VE LIVED IN RICHARDSON FOR, YOU KNOW, GOING ON ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW, AND KIND OF THOUGHT I KNEW MORE THAN I DID
SO WITH CARES, I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT REALLY DIGS IN DEEPER AND YOU GET TO SEE SOME OF THE BEHIND THE SCENE THINGS, WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING, UM, THAT REALLY DOES MAKE IT THE WONDERFUL CITY THAT IT IS.
THIS ONE WAS CALLED PREP AND REED, WHICH STANDS FOR PARKS, RECREATION EVENTS AND PROGRAMS AND READ, ENJOY, AND DISCOVER.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE CLASS AT THE LIBRARY ENTRANCE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, LANGUAGES THAT SAY HELLO.
SO THEY, UH, THEY START, WE PLANNED ON THIS SESSION BEING AT THE SENIOR CENTER ORIGINALLY, BUT THE TIMING OF THE OPENING OF THE LIBRARY LIBRARY WAS PERFECT.
SO WE WROTE, WE ROTATED IT OVER HERE, AND THEY GOT TO HAVE A TOUR OF THE LIBRARY, SO THAT WAS VERY GOOD.
HERE'S SOME OF THE QUOTES THAT THEY WERE SAYING ABOUT THAT.
SO DURING THE PARKS PRESENTATION, THEY
[00:15:01]
PLAYED SOME TRIVIA AND LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SOME OF THE PARKS AND OUR MANY SIGNATURE EVENTS AND NORMAL PARK OPERATIONS.UM, BEFORE THE LIBRARY TOUR, THEY PLAYED A GAME OF MAKE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, AND THEY LEARNED ABOUT PLANS FOR THE NEW LIBRARY, STORY TIME ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTEERING AT THE LIBRARY.
AND ALSO AT THE BEGINNING OF SESSION EIGHT, WE HAD SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WHO CAME AND TALKED ABOUT VOLUNTEERING IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
IN EACH OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS, THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE ONE EVENING TO TAKE ONE SHOT AT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND LET THEM GET THAT INFORMATION RIGHT BEFORE, UH, THEY GRADUATE SO THEY CAN THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANNA VOLUNTEER.
UH, SO ALL OF THEY, THEY HEARD FROM, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, ANIMAL SERVICES, EISMAN PARKS AND RECREATION.
AND THEN I REVIEWED THE BOARD OPPORTUNITIES ONCE AGAIN, HERE'S SOME PHOTOS FROM THAT EVENING.
THEY GOT TO SEE THE, UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME KIND OF TECHNICAL NAME FOR THAT MACHINE.
I DON'T, CAN'T THINK OF WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY GOT TO SEE IT IN ACTION, UH, SORTING THE BOOKS.
AND, UM, HERE'S A PICTURE OF THEM PLAYING THEIR GAME, AND THAT'S, THEY'RE CHOOSING THEIR OWN ADVENTURE.
AND THEN PICTURES OF THE TOUR.
I LOVE THIS PHOTO OF OUR LIBRARIANS.
WE ALSO HAD AN OPTIONAL SESSION.
THIS WAS OUR, LET'S SEE IT PROJECT TOUR.
AND THIS WAS A TOUR THAT STARTED AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
WE WENT TO THE UTD WATER TOWER.
WE VISITED THE WEST PRAIRIE CREEK CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE WENT TO DOWN COSTA ROAD MAIN STREET, AND THEN WE ENDED AT THE EAST, EAST SIDE PUMP STATION.
AND HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE TOUR.
I THINK INCORPORATING THE TOUR AFTER THE HEARING FROM THE ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC SERVICES REALLY HELPS THE CLASS MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROJECTS, UM, AND SEE THE WORK FIRSTHAND.
THEY GOT TO GO INSIDE THE UTD WATER TOWER, AND THEN WE HAD A SPECIAL TREAT THAT DAY.
ONE OF OUR CLASS MEMBERS WHO CAN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, HER NAME IS AVERY MCKITRICK.
SHE IS THE STATE SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR FOR UTD.
AND SHE HAPPENED TO BE VOLUNTEERING AT THE UTD ECO HUB THAT DAY.
AND SO AFTER THEY CAME OUT OF THE WATER TOWER, SHE GOT TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE ECO HUB AND ABOUT THE FOOD THAT IS THE FRESH FOOD THAT HAS GROWN THERE AND PROVIDED FOR THE COMET CUPBOARD.
AND THEN ALSO THEY HAVE BEEHIVES THERE AND THEY PROVIDE LOCAL HONEY TO THE, THE STUDENTS.
AND IT'S ALSO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IF THERE'S ANY LEFT.
AND THEN THEY ENDED AT THE EAST SIDE PUMP STATION.
WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER SPECIAL TREAT THAT DAY, IF YOU WILL.
WELL, I DIDN'T TELL YOU THE DATE, BUT IT WAS THE DATE OF THE LUNAR ECLIPSE
SO WE ALL GOT TO SEE THE ECLIPSE AT VARIOUS, UH, TIMES THROUGHOUT THE TOUR.
SO THAT MADE IT ALSO A GOOD DAY.
AND THEN I'VE ALSO INCLUDED SOME FEEDBACK, OVERALL FEEDBACK OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, WE PROVIDED PARTICIPANTS A SURVEY AFTER EACH SESSION AND THEN THE OVERALL PROGRAM SURVEY.
AND WE REALLY ENCOURAGED THEM TO, TO FILL THEM OUT BECAUSE WE DO LOOK AT THOSE AND WE PROVIDE THEM TO OUR STAFF, AND WE TRY TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS EACH YEAR BASED ON THEIR FEEDBACK.
UM, WE DID GET SEVERAL GOOD SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'LL BE REVIEWING FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLASS'S CANDID FEEDBACK, BOTH POSITIVE AND AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO ENHANCE THE PROGRAM.
THIS IS A WORD CLOUD OF ALL THE WORDS THAT WERE USED IN THE SURVEY RESPONSES.
AND RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO, AGAIN, THANK OUR STAFF.
IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF THAT DEDICATES MANY HOURS AND GETTING THEIR PRESENTATIONS PREPARED.
AND THEN THAT EVENING COMING OUT AND ENGAGING WITH ALL OF THE CLASS MEMBERS.
THEY DON'T, UM, THEY, THEY HANG AROUND AND ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR STAFF.
I ALSO WANNA THANK MY STAFF, CRYSTAL BROWN.
SHE HELPED ME SET UP EACH EVENING AND SHE ALSO FILLED IN FOR ME ONE EVENING.
AND THEN VICKI SCHMIDT, WHO HOLDS DOWN THE OFFICE WHILE I'M PREPARING FOR CARES.
AND THEN AGAIN, I WANNA THANK MR. MAGNER AND THE CMO TEAM FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM AND ALSO COUNSEL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VISION OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING TO KNOW EACH OF THESE PEOPLE THIS, UH, OVER THESE PAST EIGHT WEEKS.
AND I KNOW WE WILL SEE MANY OF THEIR FACES AS THEY VOLUNTEER AND GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATING THEIR TIME, LEARNING ABOUT THEIR CITY.
AND I PRESENT TO YOU THE CLASS OF 2023.
AND NOW MAYOR, IF YOU ON COUNCIL WILL COME UP HERE, WE CAN PRESENT THEIR CERTIFICATES,
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WE'LL DO IT.BUT BEFORE I COME UP THERE, LET ME JUST ADD THAT MR. MAGNER WAS NOT THE CITY MANAGER WHEN THIS STARTED, BUT HE WAS ON THE TEAM AND HE UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH GREAT PEOPLE, YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING IT, AND THIS TEAM BACK HERE.
SO THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO, THANKS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE CARES PEOPLE.
WE'RE ABOUT TO CONGRATULATE YOU HERE IN A MINUTE AND GET SOME PHOTOS, BUT I DID NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AROUND AND SHAKE HANDS WITH EACH OF YOU INSIDE.
I WAS KIND OF RUNNING AND THEN I HAD TO COME IN HERE.
SO FORGIVE ME FOR NOT SAYING HI PRIOR TO NOW.
YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING NOW? YEAH.
DO YOU WANNA DO IT NOW OR AFTER? WE'LL DO IT AFTER PICTURES.
SO I'LL LET ALL OF Y'ALL SAY SOMETHING RIGHT AFTER PICTURES.
SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, THE MAYOR WILL HAND YOU YOUR CERTIFICATE AND THEN YOU CAN SHAKE THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S HANDS.
AND THEN AGAIN, LIKE DAWN SAID, IF YOU CAN STAND OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN AND THEN WE'LL GET A GREAT PICTURE AFTERWARDS.
SCOTT BRATCHER, DWIGHT BRIGGS.
I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE TONIGHT.
I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD SOME CONFLICTS TONIGHT.
THOMAS SANTIAGO, KIMBERLY, CISCO, STEVEN SPRINGS, JERRY STRONG.
I WAS GONNA SAY I WASN'T QUITE READY FOR THAT.
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AND SEAN'S SEAN YANG.SO IF Y'ALL WILL LINE UP WITH COUNSEL, IS GREG HERE? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, COUNSEL, TAKE A STEP FORWARD, TAKE STEP FORWARD THERE IF I CAN HAVE YOU COME PLEASE.
AND THEN COUNCIL, WE'RE MAKE SPACE.
WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON, WHICH OVER HERE.
NOW, DO YOU REMEMBER FROM THE LAST SHOT? WE'LL TAKE, UH, LOWER ELEVATION FIRST,
OKAY, MS. JUSTICE, YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS, MA'AM? I DO.
SO, UM, I WILL JUST SAY, BUYER BEWARE, YOU MAY WIND UP ON THIS DAAS NOW THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH CARES.
SO NO, REALLY, WE, WE REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE YOU GOING THROUGH IT.
I HAVE DONE ALL THE CITIZEN ACADEMIES AND ALL THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES, AND THIS WAS BY FAR ONE OF MY FAVORITE BECAUSE I WAS REALLY INTERESTED, UH, IN WHAT OUR CITY GOVERNMENT WAS DOING.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO IT.
UM, CURTIS AND I WERE IN THE SAME CLASS AND IN ONE OF OUR EXERCISES WE CREATED STARBURST PARK AS PART OF OUR PARK PLANNING EXERCISE.
SO I REALLY HOPE YOU FOUND IT AS FULFILLING AND, AND ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS I DID.
UM, I REALLY, REALLY THANK YOU TO YOU AND THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF FOR, FOR TAKING THE TIME, UH, AND ENGAGING WITH OUR CITY.
I, I WAS GONNA MENTION THAT JENNIFER AND I WERE IN THE SAME CLASS TOGETHER, CLASS TWO.
I, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE GOING THROUGH THIS CLASS.
I, I FEEL LIKE THIS CLASS IS, UH, INVALUABLE TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE COMING FROM LR AND GRADUATING THROUGH LR TO CARES.
IT IS PROBABLY, I'D SAY, WELL, THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT.
BUT, UH, CARES IS BY FAR ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONE BECAUSE YOU GO BEHIND THE SCENES,
[00:30:01]
YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE CITY AND ITS, UH, INTRICACIES AND HOW IT OPERATES.SO I HOPE Y'ALL HAD A REALLY GOOD TIME.
AND, UM, AND PLEASE, PLEASE TRY AND LOOK TOWARD FIRE AND THE POLICE ACADEMY, IF YOU WILL.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING THE, UH, COMMITMENT AND MAKING THE JUMP TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
AND, UM, I KNOW IT'S, YOU GOT A LOT GOING ON IN LIFE AND IT'S NOT EASY TO GET INVOLVED, BUT, UM, BUT NOW THAT YOU ARE, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING IT AND, AND FOR SIGNING UP TO BE ESSENTIALLY KNOWLEDGE AMBASSADORS FOR THE CITY.
UM, PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME TO YOU ASKING YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT GOES ON HERE ALL THE TIME, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE EQUIPPED TO ANSWER IT AND BE TRUE LEADERS, UH, IN RICHARDSON.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THE JUMP TO DO THAT.
I'LL DITTO EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE COMMITMENT.
AND THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS, DID YOU AGREE WITH US WHEN Y'ALL DID THE ZONING CASE? THAT'S ALL I WANT TO KNOW.
CONGRATULATIONS TEACHING EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL.
AND THANK, UH, THANK YOU AMY AND APPRECIATE YOUR ENERGY AND, UH, COMMITMENT.
AND YOU MADE, UH, OUR LIFE EASIER.
AND I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE'S LIFE EASIER DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THEY DECIDE TO RUN.
UH, AND UH, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE SO MANY KNOWN FACES OUT THERE.
THAT'S HOW I KNOW YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, AND, UH, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW RICHARD IS SO STRONG THAT HAVING SO MANY PEOPLE, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMITTED AND, YOU KNOW, THINK BEST ABOUT OUR CITY.
UH, AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU, YOU KNOW, IN MANY OTHER PROGRAM, MANY OTHER PLACES, MAYBE SOMEDAY OVER HERE, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED SOMEDAY.
AND UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL, I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHERS, BUT THE DECISION WHEN THIS PROGRAM CAME, IT WAS NOT JUST OUR CITY MANAGER, PROBABLY EVEN THE PREVIOUS PREVIOUS COUNCIL.
SO I WAS NOT HERE WHEN THAT DECISION WAS MADE, BUT I WISH I WAS THERE.
THIS IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT CAME OUT THAT TIME.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE INVOLVED.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS BUSINESS MEETING ADJOURNED AS OF 6:37 PM Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT EVENING.