* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:03] GOOD EVENING. I CALL THIS MEETING THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM ITEM, ITEM [A. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM] A IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS' FORUM, MS. EMER, OR EXCUSE ME, MR. MAGNER. HOW'S THAT? GOOD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WE ARE NOT IN RECEIPT OF ANY COMMENT CARDS IN ADVANCE OF THE 5:00 PM DEADLINE. UH, I DO KNOW WE HAVE, UH, ONE SPEAKER. SO LET ME JUST READ AN ABBREVIATED, UH, VERSION OF OUR NOTES HERE. UH, SPEAKERS, UH, WILL HAVE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MIN MINUTES AS INDICATED BY THE TIMERS ON THE WALL. PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS PROMPTLY WHEN THE TIMER BEEPS. UH, THE CITY COUNCIL MUST AB UP BY THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND WILL NOT AFFIRM OR OPPOSE ANY SPEAKER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. THE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER MAY RESPOND WITH FACTS OF POLICY OR DIRECT CITY STAFF TO RESPOND TO THE SPEAKER AFTER THE MEETING. A COPY OF THE CITY COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE, AND THESE GUIDELINES MAY BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. THE EVIDENCE IS ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION. AT THIS TIME, I'D ALSO ASK EVERYONE TO SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONES DURING THE MEETING. MS. ER, WE HAVE ONE CARD, MAYOR RANDY NORWOOD. GOOD EVENING. I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I TOOK A BREAK, . BUT RANDY, WELCOME BACK. PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS, NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. MY NAME IS RANDALL NORWOOD. MY ADDRESS IS 1506 CANTERBURY COURT, RIGHT DOWN THE HILL, HERE ACROSS THE CREEK. IT'S A PLEASURE TO COME BACK AND THANK YOU FOLKS FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE, BUT WE'VE GOT AN ELECTION COMING UP, BUT THAT'S NOT MY POINT TO BE HERE TONIGHT. I DANCE AT CARROLLTON, FARMER'S BRANCH, PLANO, RICHARDSON, AND MCKINNEY, STARTING IN DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND JUST THIS PAST SATURDAY, BETWEEN PROBABLY NINE 30 AND 10 30 IF YOU'RE GOING EAST ON CAMPBELL ROAD. AND AS YOU COME UNDERNEATH 75, SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET. THEY'RE NOT USING THE LIGHT. I WORE DARK CLOTHES TONIGHT. YOU CAN'T SEE 'EM. THIS LAST SATURDAY NIGHT, THERE WAS A CAR HIT THEIR BRAKES SO HARD. I WAS JUST MAKING A TURN OFF THE SERVICE ROAD. BUT I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE IN THOSE FOUR MONTHS, AND I GOT CONCERNED THAT'S ALL WE WOULD NEED FOR SOMEBODY GOING TO THAT HOTEL AND NOT USING THE LIGHT. YOU CAN'T SEE 'EM. THEY'RE DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT. THEY'RE NOT DRIVING FAST, BUT THOSE PEOPLE GO ACROSS THAT STREET INSTEAD OF WALKING DOWN AND USING THE LIGHT. AND IT'S DANGEROUS. UH, IT SCARED ME. IT HAPPENED TO ME ONCE. I WASN'T DRIVING VERY FAST. I WAS DRIVING 35, AND I CAUGHT HIM JUST BASICALLY, AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING 40. I WOULD'VE HIT THAT PERSON. SERIOUSLY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD, AND I WOULD HATE FOR US AS A CITY TO HAVE SOMEONE KILLED THERE OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THEIR FAULT, NOT THE DRIVER'S FAULT. AND I JUST WANTED TO COME AND CALL IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND MAYBE Y'ALL CAN HAVE YOUR SAFETY DIVISION. CHECK IT OUT, DO A SURVEY, AND MAYBE OUR CHIEF HERE HAS GOT SOME IDEAS ON WHAT MAYBE COULD BE DONE. BUT IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND IT HAPPENS, I, I'M SURE, ALMOST EVERY NIGHT, BUT I JUST HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT IT'S ON TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS AND SATURDAYS. I USED THAT PHONE, GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE DIFFERENT SENIOR CENTERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I'LL LET YOU GET ON WITH YOUR BUSINESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [B. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE COUNSELING PLACE] ITEM B, REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE COUNSELING PLACE, MR. MAGNER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, MAYOR, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE, UH, THE, THE, UH, CEO OF THE COUNSELING PLACE, UH, DEBORAH DOBBS AND HER TEAM WITH US. UH, DEB'S GONNA, UH, INTRODUCE THEM AS SHE TAKES THE PODIUM, BUT, UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, THE COUNSELING PLACE HAS BEEN A, UM, INTEGRAL PARTNER, UH, FOR THE CITY OF RICHARDSON. AND IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT CHIEF TITTLE IS HERE TONIGHT. WE REALLY WANTED TO, UM, COORDINATE THESE [00:05:01] BRIEFINGS AND HAVE, UH, CHIEF HERE, UH, AS, UH, COUNSELING PLACE, OBVIOUSLY, UH, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO RPD, UM, AND, UM, AND THEIR VICTIM'S ADVOCACY. SO, UM, I'VE ASKED DEB TO, UH, TO COME TONIGHT AND TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE COUNCIL IN PLACE HAS, UH, BEEN WORKING ON, AND IMPORTANTLY, WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE FOR, FOR THE FUTURE. UM, AS WE BEGIN TO, UH, TAKE SOME OF OUR DEEP DIVES FOR OUR BUDGET PREPARATION THIS SUMMER, UH, THIS WILL BE A, A VERY, VERY, VERY, UH, VERY IMPORTANT BRIEFING FOR US TO, UH, KEEP IN MIND. SO, THANKS, UH, DEBBIE, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO PREPARE FOR TONIGHT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU. UH, THANKS FOR HAVING US BACK AGAIN. UH, I'M HERE WITH TWO OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS. ASHLEY AKERS IS OUR VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DIRECTOR. SHE'S BEEN WITH THE AGENCY FOR MANY YEARS. I ALWAYS FORGET HOW MANY YEARS. UM, A LOT, MANY YEARS. AND LAURA, JOHN ALI, ALSO KNOWN AS SPEEDY. UH, SHE'S OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS DIRECTOR. AND THEN JONATHAN FLORES WILL BE JOINING US. UH, HE'S ACTUALLY WITH CLIENTS RIGHT NOW, AND HE'S NEWER TO OUR STAFF, BUT HE HAS MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR SERVICES. SO I WANTED HIM TO BE HERE AND HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET HERE IN TIME. BEFORE, BEFORE I'M DONE. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HIGHLIGHTING US AT THE STATE OF THE CITY. I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME MAYBE THAT THAT WAS DONE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHOSE IDEA IT WAS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UH, BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, THE NATURE OF OUR WORK KIND OF KEEPS US BEHIND THE SCENES. WE CAN'T PUT OR SHOULDN'T PUT PICTURES OF OUR CLIENTS OUT IN THE PUBLIC. UM, WE, WE CAN'T PUT THAT IN THE MEDIA. WE'RE KIND OF BACKSTAGE. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, I THINK WE CAN BE OVERLOOKED. I CAN TELL YOU, I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR WE'RE THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN RICHARDSON. UH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE ANYMORE, BUT IT'S KIND OF THE NATURE OF OUR WORK. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES. UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATED HAVING THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. AND I KNEW IN MY HEAD, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN AROUND 45 YEARS, BUT I BELIEVE KEN HUTCH ANDRY INTRODUCED US. AND TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT 45 YEARS, IT JUST, IT JUST HIT ME A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY WHEN I HEARD IT FROM SOMEONE. SO, WE'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY. THE CITY, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE RESPON. THEY'RE THE REASON WHY WE EXIST. UM, BACK IN 1979, THEY GOT TOGETHER TO CREATE OUR AGENCY. BACK THEN IT WAS KNOWN AS NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH SERVICES. AND, UM, SO WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP, THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE CITY. UM, SO I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH US. I WAS ASKED TO JUST GIVE LIKE A BRIEF OVERVIEW. UM, BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS WE HAVE, WE ARE, AND WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. SO AT OUR INCEPTION, WE WERE FOCUSED ON YOUTH, HENCE THE NAME NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH SERVICES. THAT WAS BACK IN 79 AND 81. WE GOT OUR, UH, NONPROFIT, UH, OR 5 0 1 C 5 0 1 C3 CERTIFICATION. AND AT THAT TIME, THE VICTIM'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS IN FULL FORCE. IT WAS, HAD A LOT OF MOMENTUM. SO WE LAUNCHED THE FIRST VICTIMS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, OVER THE YEARS, WE STARTED DOING MORE GENERAL COUNSELING SERVICES FOR PEOPLE, JUST FOR OUR COMMUNITY OVERALL. BUT NO MATTER WHAT THE PROGRAM, IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. OUR TEAM LOVES TO LEARN AND EMBRACE RESEARCH, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR HEALING OR FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. WE HAVE AN UNUSUAL SITUATION FOR A NONPROFIT, ESPECIALLY THAT WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS IN ADDITION TO TALK THERAPY. UM, YOU JUST WON'T SEE THAT IN OTHER PLACES. RARELY IN A NONPROFIT ARE YOU GONNA SEE THAT. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET INTO THE INTERVENTIONS AND THE STRATEGIES THAT WE USE. BUT THE REASON WHY I BRING IT UP IS THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR OPERATION, BUT ALSO, UM, IT, IT KIND OF MAKES SEPHORA SWIFTER HEALING. WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF TRAUMA. MOST OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE ENDURED SOME TYPE OF TRAUMA. AND WHILE TALK THERAPY HAS A PLACE, IT'S DEFINITELY HAS VALUE. IT, UH, CAN TAKE A LONG TIME TO HEAL WHEN YOU'RE JUST DOING TALK THERAPY. AND THERE'S ACTUALLY RESEARCH THAT CAME OUT A WHILE AGO THAT SAYS IT COULD ACTUALLY BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND, AND CAUSE MORE HARM THAN GOOD. SO WE INCORPORATE OTHER STRATEGIES, AND I LIKE TO SAY IT'S MORE MERCIFUL FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH A TRAUMA. THEY'RE GONNA HEAL FASTER. IT'S EASIER ON OUR STAFF. UM, WE HAVE VERY LOW, ALMOST NO TURNOVER RATE AT OUR AGENCY, WHICH IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF IN THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE DO. AND IT'S ALSO A, A BETTER USE OF MONEY. ALRIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE, IF, IF YOU ARE GOING TO INVEST IN THE COUNSELING PLACE, WE ARE GOING TO USE THAT MONEY WISELY. AND WE ARE GOING TO HELP PEOPLE HEAL ETHICALLY, BUT SWIFTLY SO THAT WE CAN HELP MORE PEOPLE. [00:10:02] TRYING TO FIND MY THING HERE. WHEN I WAS HERE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, IT WAS APRIL OF 2023, AND I WAS ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, . AND WE HADN'T HAD A BUMP IN A WHILE. AND WHEN I WAS HERE, I GAVE YOU PROJECTIONS, REALISTIC PROJECTIONS, NUMBERS THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD MEET. YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T INFLATE, UH, TARGETS IN ORDER TO ENTICE PEOPLE TO INVEST IN US, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO. AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE IN GREEN. AND IN THE FISCAL YEAR, 2024, WHAT WE DID IS IN BLUE. AND AS YOU SEE, I'M NOT GONNA READ 'EM ALL TO YOU. YOU CAN READ, BUT WE SURPASSED ALL OF THOSE TARGETS. I WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE STUNNED BY SOME OF THE NUMBERS. AND IT MAKES ME WONDER IF I NEED TO TALK TO THE STAFF ABOUT BURNOUT AND NOT TAKING ON TOO MUCH. 'CAUSE THAT'S A LOT. SO I, I, I WAS STUNNED BY THAT. SO I HOPE THAT IF YOU HAD ANY RESERVATIONS ABOUT INVESTING IN US, THOSE ARE ALLEVIATED WHEN YOU SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING. IN ADDITION TO EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS GO, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO EXPAND SOME SERVICES, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE ADDITION OF TWO THERAPISTS. WE HAVE CAROLINE DAMRON, SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT SHE'S A CHILDREN'S THERAPIST. AND JONATHAN FERES, HOPEFULLY WILL BE ABLE TO BE HERE. UM, THOSE TWO ADDITIONS TO OUR STAFF, ELEVATING THEM TO FULL-TIME FROM PART-TIME, HELPED US EXPAND OUR PROJECT POSITIVE PROGRAM THAT'S UNDER OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS. PROJECT POSITIVE IS A CURRICULUM. IT'S A VERY POPULAR CURRICULUM. IT'S MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION. AND FOR YEARS IT'S BEEN FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, LIKE MAYBE EARLY HIGH SCHOOL, IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT AGE GROUP. BUT WITH CAROLINE, WE COULD, WE CREATED THE PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS, KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE, AND THEN FOURTH THROUGH SIXTH GRADE. AND WE ROLLED THAT OUT LAST SUMMER AT THE, UM, PROJECT POSITIVE AT THE LIBRARY. AND THAT PICTURE THERE WILL SHOW YOU SOME OF THE KIDS EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT THE BRAIN. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THEY'RE EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT THE BRAIN, BUT THEY, THEY WOULD LOVE, THAT'S ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE ACTIVITIES, IS LEARNING HOW THE BRAIN WORKS. JONATHAN TRANSLATED PROJECT POSITIVE INTO SPANISH, AND I BELIEVE WE ROLLED THAT OUT AT THE LIBRARY LAST SUMMER. WAS THAT ALSO IN SPANISH, OR DO, IS THAT JUST THIS COMING SUMMER? DO YOU KNOW? JUST THIS SUMMER AND THE CLASSES FOR THIS SUMMER ALREADY FULL. WE ACTUALLY HAD TO IMPLEMENT REGISTRATION. WE CAN'T DO THE WALK-INS 'CAUSE IT'S TOO POPULAR. SO WE MADE A REGISTRATION AND ALL THE CLASSES ARE ALREADY FULL. SO WHILE I'M GLAD IT'S POPULAR, I'M KIND OF SAD IT'S FULL ALREADY. UM, THE OTHER THING WE DID WITH PROJECT POSITIVE, WITH A CONVERSATION BETWEEN SERGEANT P, SERGEANT P WHO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE STILL IS, BUT SHE WAS OVER THE POLICE EXPLORERS AT THE TIME. AND LAURA, JOHN AND I, WE MET, AND WE HAVE LAURA JOHN TOOK PROJECT POSITIVE TO THE RICHARDSON POLICE EXPLORERS. WE KNEW THAT SOME OF THE KIDS THAT HAD ENROLLED IN THAT PROGRAM WERE GOING THROUGH SOME DIFFICULT TIMES, GRIEF IN PARTICULAR. UM, AND SO WE WANTED TO HELP THEM WITH SOME MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND SOME SUPPORT. BUT ALSO, IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A CAREER, MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPERATIVE. I I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING, MAYBE PARENTHOOD THAT'LL TEST YOUR SANITY, I WOULD THINK MORE THAN BEING A COP. SO IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR FUTURE OFFICERS TO GIVE THEM SOME MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND REALLY HEALTHY COPING SKILLS BEFORE THEY GET INTO THAT LINE OF WORK. I CAN TELL YOU NUMBERS, I THINK NUMBERS ARE KIND OF BORING. UM, THEY DON'T REALLY GIVE YOU THE SPIRIT. THEY DON'T GET DIG DEEPER INTO THE SERVICES AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE. SO I ASKED, UH, LAURA JOHN TO TELL ME HER FAVORITE SUCCESS STORY. AND SHE GETS A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM JUDGE DAMORE, UH, FROM PARENTS AND STUDENTS. SO SHE SHARED WITH ME AN EMAIL THAT HAPPENED TO COME RECENTLY FROM A GRADUATE OF PROJECT POSITIVE. AND I'M GONNA READ THAT TO YOU. I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING FOR SAKE OF TIME, BUT I'M READ YOU MOST OF IT. HEY, MS. LOON, OMG. GUESS WHAT? I ACTUALLY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D MAKE IT. WHEN I FIRST STARTED GOING TO YOUR CLASSES, MY LIFE WAS A TOTAL MESS. I WAS SKIPPING SCHOOL, FIGHTING ALWAYS AN ISS OR OSS. AND THINGS WITH MY MOM WERE JUST BAD. I WAS SUPER UNHAPPY WITH MYSELF. I REALLY THOUGHT DOING DRUGS WOULD MAKE ME FEEL BETTER. BUT YEAH, I WAS WRONG. YOUR CLASSES HELPED ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTROL MY EMOTIONS, SEE WHAT WAS HELPING ME IN MAKING THINGS WORSE. AND REALIZE THAT DRUGS ONLY MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I WAS SMOKING WEED AND SKIPPING CLASSES, BUT IT GOT ME NOWHERE AND I WAS STUCK. YOU BELIEVED IN ME WHEN I DIDN'T EVEN BELIEVE IN MYSELF. YOU KEPT TELLING ME I'D FINISHED SCHOOL AND BE SUCCESSFUL. I THOUGHT YOU WERE CRAZY, BUT YOU NEVER GAVE [00:15:01] UP ON ME. AND NOW I ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN MYSELF AND I KNOW I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT. AND I DID. I'M IN SUCH A BETTER PLACE NOW. I HAVEN'T SMOKED SINCE LAST YEAR, AND I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU FOR STICKING BY ME AND HELPING ME DEAL WITH MY EMOTIONS, GIVING MY FAMILY A PLACE TO STAY WHEN WE WERE GETTING KICKED OUT. AND THANK YOU FOR THE IPAD. I'LL TOTALLY USE IT WHEN I START COLLEGE IN THIS FALL, START COLLEGE IN THE FALL. SINCE I STARTED THE PROGRAM, I'VE LEARNED HOW TO TALK TO PEOPLE BETTER THINK BEFORE I ACT AND UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING I DO HAS CONSEQUENCES. I'M SO GRATEFUL BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU IN THIS PROGRAM, I KNOW I'D STILL BE STUCK IN THE SAME PLACE. AND THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. PROJECT POSITIVE DURING COVID BECAME VERY PERSONALIZED. UH, WE WERE DOING IT VIRTUALLY, OBVIOUSLY, IN DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE KEPT THAT MODEL WHERE LORD JOHN STILL CUSTOMIZES IT AND KEEPS IT PERSONAL FOR EACH STUDENT. THE CLASSES, IF WE HAVE CLASSES, ARE VERY SMALL, OTHERWISE IT'S ONE-ON-ONE. AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU LEARN A LOT FROM THE STUDENTS. AND IN THIS CASE, WE LEARNED THAT HER FAMILY WAS LIVING IN A HOUSE AND THEY WERE PAYING RENT, BUT THE LANDLORD DECIDED HE, HE JUST WANTED THEM OUT. HE WANTED THE HOUSE FOR THE REASONS AND JUST SAID, YOU GET OUT BY TUESDAY. SO WE WERE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR HER AND EXPLAIN TO THE LANDLORD, THERE'S A, AN EVICTION PROCESS. AND THE FAMILY WAS ABLE TO STAY UNTIL THEY FOUND A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE WITHOUT BEING RUSHED. THE IPAD CAME FROM THIS YEAR. IT WAS A GRANT FROM HATTIE MAE FOUNDATION PREVIOUSLY. RICHARDSON WOMEN'S CLUB SUPPORTED THIS. WHEN WE HAVE KIDS THAT CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF IT, THEN WE HAVE IPADS THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM. AND WE DON'T TELL THIS TO THEM WHEN THEY START, BUT IF THEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM WITH THIS PARTICULAR GRANT, THEY CAN KEEP THE IPAD AND IT'S LIKE A GIFT, LIKE A GRADUATION GIFT. ALL RIGHT. WE ALSO HAD NEW SERVICES EMERGE IN OUR VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH THE ADDITION OF A FULL-TIME CHILDREN'S THERAPIST. WE CAN WORK WITH THE KIDS. JONATHAN FLORES IS, UH, ALSO DOING THERAPY IN SPANISH AND TRANSLATING OUR ADVOCACY STAFF, UH, ADVOCACY MATERIALS INTO SPANISH. AND HE'S ALSO A VICTIM ADVOCATE FOR SPANISH SPEAKING CLIENTS. JONATHAN IS BUSY, HE'S VERY BUSY. BUT A BIGGER PROGRAM EMERGED CALLED EMPOWER YOU. AND THAT WAS THE WORK OF ASHLEY AKERS. SHE PUT 10 YEARS OF HER EXPERIENCE AND HER EXPERTISE INTO A CURRICULUM FOR OUR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING OUT, SOME ARE OUT AND THEY'RE IN POVERTY. UM, THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS PROGRAM CAME FROM THAT HIERARCHY OF NEEDS. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THAT. MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THERAPY IS KIND OF HIGHER UP THERE. THE LOVE AND BELONGING, THE ESTEEM. AND IT'S VERY HARD TO REACH THOSE IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU'RE HUNGRY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GONNA SLEEP TOMORROW. SO ASHLEY PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM THAT IS EDUCATIONAL SKILLS BUILDING, UH, VERY DETAILED, PERSONALIZED SAFETY PLANS, AND HELPING ACHIEVE THOSE LOWER LEVEL OF THE TIERS, THOSE BASIC NEEDS. AND THEN WE GET TO THERAPY. SO THE ADVOCATES WORK CONSISTENTLY WITH THE, UH, VICTIMS THAT DECIDE THEY WANT TO ENROLL AND EMPOWER YOU. IT'S NOT, IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT MANDATORY, AND IT'S ALSO A COMMITMENT. AND I ASKED HER TO ALSO SHARE A SUCCESS STORY WITH ME WHO, AND THIS, IT'S HARD TO MAKE IT CONCISE, BUT I PROMISE YOU I AM. UM, THERE WERE SO MANY NEEDS THAT THIS PARTICULAR SURVIVOR NEEDED THAT, THAT WEREN'T BEING MET. SO MANY GAPS IN SERVICES. AND SHE, EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE. SHE HAD A PLACE TO LIVE, BUT IT WASN'T SAFE. SHE HAD A JOB, BUT SHE COULDN'T DO IT WELL BECAUSE SHE WAS ACTIVELY BEING STALKED. SO SHE HAD LEFT HER ABUSER, BUT THE STALKING WAS INTENSE. AND IT, UM, IT'S LIVING IN A STATE OF, IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS ANTICIPATORY TERROR, AND YOU CAN'T FUNCTION THAT WAY. UM, SHE ALSO HAD A CPS CASE OPENED, WHICH IS TYPICAL. IT'S, IT'S KIND OF STANDARD WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IF THERE'S A CHILD IN THE HOME, EVEN IF YOU'RE PROTECTING THE CHILD AND YOU'RE GETTING OUT, THERE MAY BE A CPS REPORT LAUNCHED. AND EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG, IT'S INTIMIDATING, IT'S STRESSFUL. UM, THEY ULTIMATELY MAY GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH RESOURCES, BUT IT'S NONETHELESS STRESSFUL AND DISTRACTING. SO WE, UH, THROUGH EMPOWER YOU, ASHLEY GOT HER OUTTA RELEASE MOVED, HELPED HER MOVE SOMEPLACE SAFE, HELPED HER REBUILD HER SUPPORT SYSTEM. OFTEN THAT'S THE FIRST THING TO GO. IT HAPPENS VERY SLOWLY. YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE [00:20:01] IT. THE SOCIAL ISOLATION, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE INGREDIENTS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND THEN BEFORE YOU KNOW, IT IS GONE. SO SHE REBUILT THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL. SHE HAD A SAFE HOME. HER, SHE STARTED DOING MUCH BETTER AT WORK BECAUSE THE PROTECTIVE ORDER THAT YOU HELPED GET IN PLACE FOR HER WAS ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE. SOME PEOPLE DON'T CARE IF THERE'S A PROTECTIVE ORDER IN PLACE, THEY DISREGARD IT. BUT FOR THOSE THAT DO, THEY DON'T WANNA GET ARRESTED. THEY DON'T WANNA GO TO JAIL. THEY RESPECT THE LEGAL SYSTEM. A PROTECTIVE ORDER IS PRETTY EFFECTIVE, AND IT CHANGED HER LIFE. UM, SHE ALSO HAS INTENSE SAFETY PLANNING BEING DONE. AND THE SAFETY PLANNING IS DYNAMIC BECAUSE IT CHANGES BASED ON THE SUSPECT'S WHEREABOUTS AND THE VICTIM'S WHEREABOUTS. SO THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT THEY, THEY, THEY KEEP AT IT WITH, WITH THE VICTIMS. UM, THE PART THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING IS WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO HELP HER WITH SOME OF THE EMERGENCY, LIKE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THAT SHE NEEDED. SO IN THAT WAY, OUR BOARD CHIPPED IN. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BOUGHT LOTS OF GIFT CARDS SO THAT SHE COULD USE THEM TO PAY HER LIVING EXPENSES. AND THEN SHE HAD MONEY TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY SO SHE COULD GET A DIVORCE. PEOPLE WILL SAY THERE'S LEGAL AID, BUT IF YOU HAVE A JOB, YOU'RE NOT LIKELY TO QUALIFY FOR LEGAL AID, BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE NEARLY ENOUGH TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY. SO THIS PROGRAM HELPED HER DO THAT. AND SHE'S JUST DOING, SHE'S DOING MUCH, MUCH BETTER. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HELP HER FOR AS LONG AS SHE NEEDS. ANOTHER NOTE TO THAT IS OUT OF MAYBE 260 SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS THAT WE HELPED IN FISCAL YEAR 20 24 5 WANTED SHELTER IN A TRADITIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SETTING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER LIKE GENESIS, OR HOPE TO STORE, IT'S VERY RARE THAT A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM NEEDS OR WILL BENEFIT FROM A SHELTER. AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE NEEDED THIS PROGRAM TO FILL IN THE GAPS. I'M GONNA BRIEFLY MENTION THIS. UM, IT'S A NEW SERVICES FOR 2025, JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT IT AND WONDER IS THIS MISSION CREEP? IT IS NOT. UH, YOU KNOW, CINDY SCHAFER WORKS WITH US. SHE STILL WORKS WITH US. SHE'S KIND OF AN EXPERT ON FOOD PANTRIES AND FOOD BANKS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES UP WITH OUR PROJECT POSITIVE STUDENTS, AND ALSO OFTEN WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, IT'S GONNA BE THE EVENING AND WE FIND OUT THEY'RE GOING HOME AND THEY DON'T HAVE FOOD. OR I'VE GOTTA GO GROCERY SHOPPING TOMORROW FOR MY FAMILY AND I HAVE $5 IN THE BANK. SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IS, UH, WE'VE BEEN APPROVED TO BE A PART OF NORTH TEXAS. FOOD BANKS RX PROGRAM IS FOR, UH, MEDICAL FACILITIES. AND WE ARGUED THAT WE FIT THE BILL BECAUSE MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, THEY'RE INTERTWINED. THEY'RE NOT SILOS, THEY'RE INTERTWINED, AND NUTRITION IS IMPERATIVE TO MENTAL HEALTH. SO THEY APPROVED US AND WE HAVEN'T, UM, COMPLETELY ROLLED IT OUT YET. THERE WAS A TON OF TRAINING AND SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT. BUT I WANTED EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT THESE ARE F THIS IS NOT A FOOD PANTRY FOR THE PUBLIC. THIS IS OUR CLIENTS, IS TO MEET AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR OUR CLIENTS WHO DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND GO THROUGH AN INTAKE PROCESS. THEY NEED IT RIGHT THEN, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS LIKELY CLOSED. AND SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT WITH NON, NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS. AND THEN THEY GET A VOUCHER WHERE THEY COULD TAKE THAT TO THE NETWORK OR THE GOOD PANTRY FOR CONTINUING SERVICES WITH FOOD. AND TWO, ALSO IN, UM, 2024, WHICH WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE IN 2025, WE LAUNCHED A SPECIAL EVENT. I DON'T LIKE SPECIAL EVENTS AT ALL. CINDY PERSUADED ME TO TRY ONE. UM, MY DEMANDS WERE THAT THERE'S NO RACING, THERE'S NO TROPHIES, THERE'S NO COMPETITION. THERE'S NO NEED TO CALL THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT TO SHUT DOWN ROADS. UM, IT'S GOTTA BE REALLY LOW COST AND IT NEEDS TO BE FUN AND MEANINGFUL. SO WE CAME UP WITH THE MINDFUL MILE. LOJO NAMED IT. IT'S A COLOR WALK. UM, AND YOU JUST WALK THROUGH THE PARK, HUFFINES PARK, YOU STROLL. YOU CAN DO BE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR YOU CAN BRING A STROLLER, NO SKATEBOARDS OR BICYCLES. BUT, UM, AND IF YOU DON'T WANNA WALK ANYMORE, YOU CAN JUST WALK OFF THE PATH AND GO LOOK AT BIRDS. THAT'S MY KIND OF SPECIAL EVENT. SO WE, IT WAS FUN. WE HAD A GOOD TURNOUT. WE'RE DOING IT. AGAIN. THAT'S THE QR CODE. IF YOU HAVEN'T REGISTERED OR IF YOU JUST WANNA DONATE TO SUPPORT IT, UH, THAT'LL COME UP HERE IN A SECOND. OF COURSE, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT CHALLENGES AND THAT LEADS INTO WHAT'S COMING UP IN THE NEXT YEAR. AND IT'S FUNDING. WHEN IS IT NOT FUNDING [00:25:01] WITH NONPROFITS? IT'S, SO IT'S ALWAYS FUNDING, RIGHT? UM, FOR A WHILE WE HAD SPACE ISSUES. UM, METHODIST RICHARDSON GRACIOUSLY OPENED SOME SPACE AT THE CAMPBELL ROAD HOSPITAL WHERE WE CAN DO OUR CLASSES AND STORE SOME THINGS. IT'S REALLY HELPFUL. SO SPACE ISN'T SUCH AN ISSUE ANYMORE. BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE WANNA DO. WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MEALS FOR OUR PROJECT POSITIVE STUDENTS. UH, WE GIVE THEM SNACKS. IT'S NOTHING TO FILL UP ON. IT'S NOT HEALTHY. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH PROPER MEAL. UM, WE ALSO NEED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE THAT OTHER NONPROFITS IN OUR AREA DON'T, THEY DON'T PROVIDE. UM, AND WE DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE THAT. MOST IMPORTANTLY IS SUPPORT FOR CURRENT SERVICES AND THE ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ACCOMMODATE DEMAND. IN 2025, WE'VE HAD TO PULL BACK. 2024 WAS GREAT. 2025, OUR BUDGET WASN'T SO GREAT. WE TOOK A HUGE HIT, UH, WITH VOCA FUNDING. WE HAVE, UH, VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT FUNDING FOR VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE. AND WE TOOK A HIT OF ABOUT $90,000. UH, THAT DID NOT, THAT WAS NOT HELPFUL, . UM, AND WHILE WE MAY RECOVER SOME OF THAT NEXT YEAR, I'M, I'M ALWAYS CONSERVATIVE WITH, UH, WITH A BUDGET. AND WE ALSO, IN 2025, HAD TO REDUCE SOME OF THE FREE SERVICES. WE JUST COULDN'T SUSTAIN WHAT WE WERE DOING IN 2024. UM, LEGISLATIVE CHANGES REGARDING OUR JUVENILE OFFENDERS HAVE CHANGED SO THAT WE NOW, WE HAVE MORE REFERRALS THAN EVER. AND THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE. AND WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE. SO WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO INCREASE OUR STAFF. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR STAFF IN THAT WAY, I'M GONNA HAVE TO LET STAFF GO IN ANOTHER AREA. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, NEVERTHELESS, WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING, WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT'S NOT THAT GRIM. WE'RE GONNA KEEP SERVING THE COMMUNITY. WE'LL KEEP PROVIDING STELLAR SERVICES. UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT IN THE, UH, DANGER OF CLOSING OUR DOORS. THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE DON'T GET A LOT OF GRANT FUNDS BECAUSE WE'RE IN A PRETTY GOOD SITUATION. WE MANAGE OUR MONEY WELL. WE'RE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE GET. AND WE ARE NOT ON THE VERGE OF CLOSING OUR DOORS. SO MOST FUNDERS SAY, WELL, YOU DON'T NEED OUR MONEY. AND SO THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES, UH, UNFORTUNATELY. SO IF YOU WANNA HELP US, THERE'S THAT QR CODE. AGAIN, MINDFUL MILE IS COMING UP. WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN. IT'LL BE ON THE 26TH. UM, WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF FUN ACTIVITIES, KID FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES BEFORE, AND THEN WE'LL STROLL AND THEN IT'S OVER. BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE. IF YOU CAN'T COME, YOU CAN DONATE TO SUPPORT IT. YOU CAN JUST, JUST SCAN THAT CODE. UM, AND I'M GONNA WRAP IT UP. THAT'S IT. 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. I KNOW THE CLOCK IS TICKING. SO, AND, AND THEY'RE HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TOO. OBVIOUSLY JONATHAN, JONATHAN DIDN'T MAKE, HEY, JOHN, NOW COME AROUND AND YOU CAN SIT RIGHT THERE. THAT IS JONATHAN FLORES. I WAS BRAGGING ABOUT YOU. NO, I, I TOLD THEM YOU'RE D YOU'RE HELPING CLIENTS. SO THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T MAKE IT UNTIL NOW. DO I KNOW YOU HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS LAST TIME? SO DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME OR MY STAFF? DEBBIE, THANK YOU FOR GREAT PRESENTATION, LORD JOHN ASHLEY, AND WHO JUST WALKED IN. JONATHAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU. WE'LL START WITH MR. HUTCHIN RIDER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST OFF, JUST A THOUGHT. LORD, JOHN, YOU MAY NOT WANNA BE KNOWN AS SPEEDY WHEN THE POLICE CHIEF IS JUST SITTING TWO CHAIRS DOWN. JUST GOING ON THE RECORD THERE AND SAY THAT. NO, I'LL ALL KIDDING. UM, JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO. VERY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO, TO HELP Y'ALL WHERE WE CAN. UM, AND I'LL CHALLENGE EVERYBODY. I, UM, I'VE ALREADY SIGNED UP. I'LL BE AT THE MINDFUL MILE COLOR WALK. I'VE ALREADY PUT MY MONEY TOWARDS IT. AND SO I'LL CHALLENGE EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S ON THE DAIS WITH ME. AND ALSO IN, ON, ON WATCHING TONIGHT IS PLEASE SUPPORT. UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. WE KNOW SO MUCH FROM THE NECK DOWN AT THIS POINT IN TIME, FROM A HEALTHCARE PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM THE NECK UP, WE REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND ALWAYS WHAT CAUSES ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ALL END UP HAVING. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A, WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND, AND, AND GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT AS A FAMILY. YOU DIDN'T, IT WAS, IT WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, OH, WE JUST DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CRAZY UNCLE FILL IN THE BLANK. YOU JUST DIDN'T DO IT. IT WAS, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. AND I'M SO PROUD THAT WE HAVE SERVICES LIKE Y'ALL THAT GET IT OUT OF THE DARK CORNERS OF THE, OF THE, OF THE, THE WORLD, IF YOU WILL. AND, AND SHINE LIGHT ON IT. AND YOU DO THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S, IT'S SO MEANINGFUL, IT'S SO IMPORTANT, AND YOU TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD. SO, UM, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. JUST WANNA SAY, PLEASE KEEP DOING IT. LOVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO [00:30:01] AND, UH, JUST KEEP UP THE EFFORTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MS. JUSTICE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK THAT KEN JUST TURNED IT INTO A COMPETITION INSTEAD OF A MINDFULNESS WALK, BUT, UH, I WILL BE THERE AS WELL. SO, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHO CAN FINISH. YEAH. YEAH. MINDFULNESS. IT TURNED INTO A COMPETITION ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHICH I FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT WHAT WANTED TO BE, I DON'T MEAN TO CUT, YOU MEAN? UH, I JUST, JUST FROM THE SUPPORT STANDPOINT. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. AH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THE GAUNTLET HAS BEEN THROWN. UM, I HAD A QUESTION. I KNOW THAT CINDY WAS WORKING WITH YOU ON FUNDRAISING. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AT ONE POINT A, UM, SORT OF LIKE A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN THAT YOU WERE WORKING ON OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'RE WORKING ON. OKAY. I, I KNOW THAT SHE CAME IN AS A CONSULTANT AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AS FAR AS FUNDRAISING. GOTTA TURN YOUR MIC ON. THANK YOU. WHO CAME IN AS A CONSULTANT? CINDY? OH, SHE'S, SHE'S STAFF. SHE IS STAFF, YEAH. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THAT'S, AND YEAH, SHE CAME IN. UM, 'CAUSE SHE, YOU KNOW, CINDY ALWAYS HAD THE MIDAS TOUCH AND YEAH. AND I COULDN'T HEAR YOUR QUESTION THOUGH. NO, I I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO NOW THAT SHE CAME WITH YOU AND THAT YOU WERE SORT OF TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDRAISING SHE WAS GONNA BE DOING AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY SORT OF UPDATE ON THAT OR IF IT'S STILL IN THE WORKS. WHAT WE HAVE CONFIRMED IS THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS, IS NOT A SEXY CAUSE. HMM. UM, SHE KIND OF WARNED ME ABOUT THAT YEARS AGO. 'CAUSE I THOUGHT, IS IT ME? YOU KNOW? YEAH. BUT MY PREDECESSORS HAD THE SAME STRUGGLE. RIGHT. WE WOULD BRING IN, IN A VOLUNTEER PERSON WHO'S A PROFESSIONAL FUND, DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, IN DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY JUST WOULD, IT WAS ALMOST DEMORALIZING. MM-HMM . AND OCCASIONALLY WE'LL GET A GRANT, LIKE I SAID, OFTEN IT'S, WELL, YOU DON'T REALLY NEED OUR MONEY. IT IS BECAUSE WE USE IT WISELY. MM-HMM . UH, WE HAVE NO DEBT. UM, AND WE, WE LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS. WE FUNCTION WITHIN OUR MEANS. AND SO, UM, THAT IS, I NEVER WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A DISADVANTAGE, BUT IT APPEARS TO BE, UH, THE LANDSCAPE DOESN'T LOOK GREAT. OUR, UH, INDIVIDUAL DONORS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THAT THEY'VE BEEN FOR 15 YEARS. AND LIKE, AS I WAS TELLING THE STAFF, IT'S, IT'S OUR FRIENDS AND OUR FAMILY WHO DONATE MM-HMM . AND, AND CONSISTENTLY DO. VERY RARELY DO WE HAVE A NEW INDIVIDUAL DONOR. YEAH. AND, UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT, IT'S NOT HOPEFUL. IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING. YEAH. UM, SO IS, I GUESS THE, THE SORT OF ATTEMPT TO EXPAND SERVICES, THINGS LIKE, UM, THE, UM, NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ABOUT HOW TO EXPAND SERVICES THAT WAY. UM, JUST LOOKING AT CREATIVE WAYS TO, TO BE, BE ABLE TO EXPAND YOUR SERVICES OR OFFER NEW SERVICES. YEAH. THAT'S MORE OF JUST, YOU KNOW, A, A ME A NEED THAT NEEDED TO BE MET LONG AGO. MM-HMM . UM, WE USED TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE KIND OF HAD EXPEDITED SERVICES PROVIDED, UM, BY THE NETWORK AND THEY JUST CHANGED THE WAY THEY DID THEIR SERVICE DELIVERY, WHICH KIND OF WENT BACK TO, WELL, YOU NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, AND THEN THEY GOTTA SHOW UP FOR THE APPOINTMENT, AND THEN THEY GOTTA GO THROUGH THIS INTAKE AND THEN THEY CAN GET SERVICES. AND THAT DOES NOT WORK FOR OUR CLIENTS. MM-HMM . SO, UM, WHILE THEY CAN DO THAT DOWN THE ROAD, THAT IMMEDIATE NEED NEEDED TO BE MET. AND, AND THAT HAD HAPPENED EVEN BEFORE. I MEAN, IF IT'S EIGHT O'CLOCK AND SOMEBODY YOU FIND OUT THEY DON'T HAVE FOOD YEAH. THEN WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, A GIFT CARD TO, TO GO SHOP. BUT IT'S NICE TO KNOW, WE MAYBE WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH SOMETHING TO GET THEM THROUGH LIKE THE WEEKEND OR A COUPLE DAYS, AND THEN THEY CAN REACH OUT TO OTHER, UH, LIKE THE GOOD PANTRY AND THE NETWORK. YEAH. OKAY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT'S A GREAT, AS FAR AS FUNDRAISING, IT GOES, YOU KNOW, THE MINDFUL MILES, IT'S FUN AND IT, AND IT, WE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, NETTED, UM, AND IT WAS HELPFUL, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE IT'S GONNA MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES. IT'S JUST COST OF THINGS ARE GOING OUR IT EXPENSES, BECAUSE WE HAVE HIPAA AND, YOU KNOW, CJS, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM, WE ARE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT OUR IT. AND THAT'S A, IT'S, IT'S EXPENSIVE. YEAH. UM, BUT OUR, WE HAVE NOTHING TO CUT EXCEPT STAFF. MM-HMM . WE, WE RUN SUCH A TIGHT SHIP. WE DO NOT HAVE AN OFFICE MANAGER. WE NEED A PART-TIME ADMIN ASSISTANT. THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. . UH, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO FAT TO TRIM. YEAH. AND, AND IT'S NOTHING NEW. WE DEAL THIS WITH A LOT. WE, WE JUST TOOK, WE HAD A HARD YEAR BECAUSE OF THIS VOCA CUT, BUT I, I THINK WE'LL RECOVER THAT IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. UM, BUT IT HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU BRING SOMEONE LIKE CINDY SCHAFER IN AND SHE'S GREAT. SHE'S WORKING HARD. MM-HMM . UH, IT'S JUST OUR INDUSTRY. UH, WE COMPETE WITH HOPE STORE GENESIS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT A SHELTER. WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OH, THEY THINK SHELTER. HMM. AND [00:35:02] OUR EXPERIENCE WITH OUR CLIENTS THAT ACTUALLY GO TO SHELTER, IT'S NOT, OH, IT'S, IT'S NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE. THEY'RE OFTEN ENTERING POVERTY. THEY HAVE A JOB, THEY HAVE TO QUIT IT TO GO TO THE SHELTER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SHELTER, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE THERE. AND SO, BUT I THINK THAT WHAT PEOPLE IN THEIR HEAD, EVEN ONE OF THE CHURCHES, A BIG CHURCH HERE, THEY SUPPORTED ANOTHER, A DOMESTIC, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER. LIKE, NOT ACKNOWLEDGING, LIKE, LOOK, WE WORK WITH 300 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON AVERAGE A YEAR. YEAH. SO IT'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE OKAY. BUT I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER. YEAH. I MEAN, IN ADDITION TO FUNDING, WHICH I KNOW IS PART OF THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY OR AS A COUNCIL? YEAH, LIKE, I MEAN, TALK ABOUT IT. OKAY. TALK ABOUT US. UM, AND WHEN PEOPLE, IF THEY BRING UP, I MEAN, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S NOT GOOD TABLE DINNER CONVERSATION, , YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, OH, I, I GO AND VOLUNTEER AT THIS PLACE AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, SAVING PUPPIES AND, AND THAT'S FUN. IT'S NOT FUN. IT IS NOT PLEASANT TO TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AND KIDS THAT ARE GOING HUNGRY. AND IT, IT, BUT IF THAT COMES UP, REMEMBER US AND TELL PEOPLE ABOUT US BECAUSE RICHARDSON IS NOT IMMUNE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. NOBODY IS. I MEAN, IT'S, IT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR, YOUR INCOME OR WHERE YOU LIVE OR ANY OF THAT. AND SO IT'S GONNA AFFECT RICHARDSON JUST LIKE, IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY, EVERY CITY. AND THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER, A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE WE HELP IN THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. DO YOU, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT LIKE, JUST, JUST LIKE TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT US? I DON'T KNOW, LIKE SHARE WHEN YOU, WE DON'T POST A LOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S KIND OF A CATCH 22 BECAUSE WE DISCOURAGE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH . IT'S JUST NOT. AND SO WE'RE NOT REALLY ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT WHEN YOU SEE IT, PLEASE SHARE IT. YEAH. IT'S JUST THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS MR. BARRIOS. UM, THANK YOU. AND I HAVE, EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN HUTCHIN WRITER SAID IT REALLY WELL. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY. I, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS I'M KIND OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. AND I DO REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO THE PRESENTATION, UM, HELP ME REMEMBER OR INFORM ME, HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS YOUR LINES OF SERVICE? ARE, DOES, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THEM, IT'S THROUGH REFERRALS, EITHER THROUGH PD OR THROUGH JUDICIAL SYSTEM. IT'S, UH, IS IT COUNSELORS? I MEAN, DO PEOPLE JUST CALL YOU AND SAY, I NEED HELP OR, YES. MOST OF OUR REFERRALS COME FROM THE RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN IT WOULD BE THE MUNICIPAL COURT. SOMETIMES THE SCHOOLS, UH, OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL OFTEN REFER PEOPLE TO US. UM, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU, AM I MISSING ANYTHING? COMMUNITY REFERRALS. YEAH, COMMUNITY REFERRALS. OTHER, OTHER, LIKE NONPROFITS WILL REFER PEOPLE TO US, JUST LIKE, WE'LL REFER TO EACH OTHER IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, SOMETIMES GOOGLE, BUT MOST OF THE REFERRALS COME FROM RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. WOULD YOU SAY WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS LIKE R-S-D-P-I-S-D OR RICHARDSON KIND OF, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR SERVICE AREA? OUR SERVICE AREA? YEAH. I MEAN, ARE YOU ALL OUR SERVICE AREA OR WHEN WE, WHEN WE MOVED, WE, WE SERVE RICHARDSON IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS, BUT EASILY 90%, THAT'S CONSERVATIVE. 90% OF OUR CLIENTS ARE RICHARDSON. AND, UM, SO WHILE WE MIGHT SERVE SOMEBODY FROM PLANO, THAT WOULD BE UNDER OUR FEDERAL GRANT. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING TO TURN ALMOST ANYONE WHO CALLS, WHO'S NOT A RICHARDSON RESIDENT, WE ARE HAVING TO REFER THEM OUT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHAT YOU MENTIONED, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT YOU MENTIONED, I THINK IT WAS 90,000 YOU WAS, UH, LOST IN FUNDING APPROXIMATELY. YEAH. OKAY. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS THAT 3% OF YOUR BUDGET? IS THAT WHAT PERCENTAGE MORE OR LESS? I DON'T KNOW. OKAY. I CAN'T DO MATH LIKE THAT IN MY HEAD. OKAY. OKAY. WE, WE, WE HAVE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET. OKAY. UM, ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE YEARS. VOCA WAS ABOUT, UM, IT WAS ABOUT ALMOST 400,000. AND THEN IT DROPPED. OKAY. SO WHAT IS, WE VOCA VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT. WE RECEIVE ALMOST $400,000 A YEAR. WE WERE, THAT'S SUPPLEMENTING THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE, UM, FUNDING FROM THE CITY. SO WE COULD DO A LOT, UH, IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, GRANT IMPACTS US TREMENDOUSLY. SO THERE WAS NATIONWIDE, [00:40:01] UM, CUTS, UH, WARNINGS THAT YOU BETTER NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU DON'T ABSOLUTELY NEED CUT TRAINING. AND SO WE DID, WE, WE CUT AS WE WERE, UM, ENCOURAGED TO DO. IT WASN'T THAT WE WERE REJECTED, WE REDUCED WHAT WE ASKED FOR BECAUSE WE'D BE MORE LIKELY TO GET IT. BUT, AND WE ALSO HAD TO COME UP WITH A MATCH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS. SO THEY HAVE THESE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS AND THEY'LL SAY YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH 20% OF IT. AND SO THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THAT THEN WE'RE HAVING TO COME UP WITH OUR PORTION OF THAT MASSIVE GRANT, WHICH MEANS WE'RE JUST SPENDING MORE OUT OF POCKET. AND THAT WAS THE, FOR THE 25 YES. FISCAL YEAR. THAT, THAT WAS, YES. SO FOR 2026, IT LOOKED A LITTLE BRIGHTER. AND SO I REVERTED BACK TO ASK FOR WHAT WE HAD HAD FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS. WE STILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH OUR MATCH, BUT I MEAN, THESE ARE THINGS WE'RE HAVING TO PAY FOR ANYWAY. AND SO, UM, SO WE STILL HAD TO COME UP WITH A MATCH. BUT I THINK 2025, AS FAR AS VICTIM SERVICES GO, I THINK THAT WILL BE BETTER. UM, BUT WE'LL KNOW, WE'LL KNOW AND PROBABLY THEY ALWAYS TELL US, UH, ALMOST ALWAYS TELL US AFTER THE GRANT YEAR HAS ALREADY STARTED. AND ASHLEY ALWAYS REMINDS ME, NOT TOO STRESSED TOO MUCH, BECAUSE WHILE THEY ARE VERY DEMANDING WITH PUNCTUALITY FROM US, UH, THEY ARE NOT SO PUNCTUAL. UM, IT'S A GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A RUN, IT'S MANAGED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THIS YEAR. WE FOUND OUT EARLY, DIDN'T WE? I THINK WE FOUND OUT IN LIKE SEPTEMBER. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED. SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE, UM, RESIGN BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GUARANTEE THEY HAD A POSITION 'CAUSE THEY HADN'T GIVEN US AN ANSWER. SO THIS, THIS YEAR, HOPEFULLY THIS, MAYBE THIS IS A TREND, AND WE'LL KNOW MAYBE SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER WHAT KIND OF FUNDING WE'RE GONNA GET. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR THE INSIGHTS. AND, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT MY CALENDAR THIS MORNING. I SAW THE COLOR ROCK. I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? BECAUSE I WAS CURIOUS. I, IF I'M IN TOWN, I'M, I WILL BE THERE. THERE'S A CHANCE I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN THAT WEEKEND. ALL RIGHT. WELL, YOU CAN STILL DONATE. THAT'S TRUE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE. THAT WE WILL DO. THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN ISSUED . UM, YEAH. AND I DIDN'T, I WAS GOING SO FAST THAT I, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO SAY. YEAH, THE REFERRALS COME FROM THE TON POLICE DEPARTMENT. JUST LIKE THESE PEOPLE JUST MAGICALLY APPEAR AND WE SERVE THEM. YEAH. THEY DROP OUTTA THE SKY SOMETIMES. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SOMETIMES. YEAH. SOMETIMES THEY DO . THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. WELL, THANKS FOR COMING AND, YOU KNOW, GIVING, GIVING US ALL THE GREAT UPDATE THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING AND JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN. EVERYONE, UH, YOU KNOW, I, BY LOOKING AT THE NUMBER, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M AN ENGINEER, I CAN DO MATH, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU DID THAT. UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A PROJECTION OF CERTAIN THINGS, CERTAIN NUMBER, BUT YOU HAVE EXITED THE NUMBER SOMETIMES LOOKS LIKE EVEN, UH, 90% OR 80%, UH, LIKE TOTAL SERVICES, 4,700 VERSUS 7,000 ACTUAL. SO THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER. AND I SEE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, NINE FULL-TIME AND PART, UH, FIVE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES TOTAL. SO, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THOSE SESSION TAKES UP, OR TWO. SO WHAT'S YOUR CAPACITY? I MEAN, IS THERE SOMETHING, HOW DID YOU DO THAT? THAT'S THE THING I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY. HOW DID YOU DO THAT? HOW DID WE DO THOSE SERVICES? YEAH. YEAH. I MEAN, THAT TIME, BECAUSE YOU HAVE CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 24 HOURS A DAY RIGHT. AND CERTAIN HOURS FOR THE BUSINESS. RIGHT. SO WHERE WAS THE MAGIC THING? SO THE 7,400, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT WAS, THAT THOSE AREN'T COUNSELING SESSIONS. SOMETIMES IT MAY BE A 15 MINUTE PHONE CALL. OKAY. UM, SOMETIMES IT MAY BE A TWO HOUR PHONE CALL. OKAY. UH, BUT, UM, BUT THERE, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS ALL COUNSELING SESSIONS. NO, NO. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS. NO, YEAH. I MEAN IT DOES. I MEAN, I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY THAT. DID YOU HAVE TO EXTEND YOUR OFFICE HOURS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS OR IT WAS ALL NO, THEY'RE JUST AMAZING. I MEAN, I SAW IT AND I WAS DOUBLE CHECKING. IT'S LIKE, DID I READ THAT RIGHT? UM, THEY STAY LATE. OKAY. SO THAT, THAT HAS SOME OUTSIDE, YOU'RE VERY BUSY. AND IT ACTUALLY WORRIED ME TO SEE THAT. YES. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE, WE, THE MENTAL HEALTH OF A STAFF IS AS IMPORTANT TO ME, IF NOT MORE SO THAN THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE CLIENTS BECAUSE IF THE STAFF IS BURNT OUT EXHAUSTED, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES. SO I DON'T, SO MY LEADERSHIP STYLE IS NOT, THE CLIENT IS FIRST. OKAY. THE STAFF IS, THE STAFF IS FIRST. AND SO WHEN I SEE THOSE NUMBERS, I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WE NEED TO TALK , BECAUSE I JUST VERIFIED [00:45:01] THOSE AGAIN TODAY. AND, AND IT IS AN AWFUL LOT. BUT WE, WE HAVE HAD, WE ALSO HAVE HAD SOME GRADUATE STUDENT INTERNS, AND THEY PROVIDED SOME OF THOSE SERVICES TOO. SO THEY'RE NOT LISTED AS STAFF. WE HAVE A CONTRACT COUNSELOR PART-TIME, BUT SHE ALSO PROVIDES SOME SERVICES AND SHE, SHE WASN'T ON THERE. WE JUST WON VERY PART-TIME. UM, BUT YEAH, IT, IT IS A LOT. IT'S A LOT. AND THAT'S A LOT. SO I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU ARE GETTING MOST OF THE REFERRAL FROM THE RPD, SO THAT TELLS ME THAT YES, ABSOLUTELY. THOSE ARE COMING FROM RICHARD, BECAUSE RRP D WOULD NOT GO OUTSIDE SAR OTHER SIDE. SO, UH, AND DID YOU HAVE TO SAY NO TO ANY SERVICES BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE ENOUGH STAFF? ENOUGH? WE'VE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY FAR FROM THE FRONT LINE NOW. UH, BUT THAT RICHARDSON IS A PRIORITY. SO PEOPLE WHO CALL FROM RICHARDSON, PEOPLE RESERVE SPOTS, THEY'LL KEEP SPOTS OPEN FOR RICHARDSON REFERRALS AND HAVE TO TELL OTHERS WHO CALL FROM OTHER CITIES THAT WE CAN'T HELP. AND WE'LL HAVE TO GIVE THEM REFERRALS ELSEWHERE, WHICH IS A SERVICE. OKAY. SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT 7,400, THAT'S PART OF THAT IS WE HELP THEM. WE DON'T JUST SAY, OH, WE CAN'T HELP YOU. WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM SUGGESTIONS OF OTHER PLACES THAT THEY GO TO. AND SO THEN THAT'S ACTUALLY CONSIDERED A SERVICE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. YES. OKAY. I MEAN, THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH IS, IS VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE AND IT'S A REAL ISSUE. I KNOW RPD, UH, THEY FACE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIELD EVERY DAY. SO THAT'S HOW I THINK THINGS GET REFERRED TO YOU SO THAT PEOPLE NEED SOME HELP. AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, EVERYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I AT LEAST I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR ANYTHING I CAN DO. I MEAN, THAT'S THE LEAST THING WE CAN DO. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU ARE, YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND MANY OTHER DEPARTMENT DOING FOR OTHER, OTHER PLACES. SO IT'S LIKE, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT TO MAKE EVERYTHING GOING TO TOWARDS THE POSITIVE DIRECTION OVERALL. IT'S NOT JUST ONE PIECE THAT WE CAN LIFT AND THEN DONE. IT'S LIKE COMBINATION OF WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO MM-HMM . TOGETHER. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. AND DEFINITELY, OF COURSE, WALKING IS A LITTLE HARDER, BUT DONATION, DON DONATING IS EASIER. SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER CAN CHALLENGE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN. UH, OTHERS WILL BE TAKING THOSE THINGS. UH, NOT JUST CHALLENGE, LIKE A CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE. THERE IS NO WIN. WE ALL WIN HERE ON THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. DORIAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IT'S A COMPETITION BY THE WAY. . . JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. ARE YOU GONNA BE THERE? ARE YOU GONNA BE THERE? I, I HAVE MY T-SHIRT READY TO GO? YEAH. ALRIGHT, GABE. OKAY. OKAY. UM, DEBORAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, YOU DID SUCH A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THIS. I MEAN, IT'S SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO JUST HEAR ALL THE BACKGROUND AND, AND, UH, REVISIT IT AGAIN JUST TO REFAMILIARIZE YOURSELF. YOU KNOW, I KNOW TWO PEOPLE ON YOUR STAFF, AND THAT'S JILL BLEVINS AND OF COURSE CINDY SCHAFER. SO, AND I KNOW HOW PASSIONATE THEY ARE ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY, WE'LL CALL IT. SO I HAD A, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS WEEKEND TO VISIT WITH, I GUESS THE VERSION OF PLANO CALLED THE TURNING POINT. AND, UH, I WAS THERE, UH, WELL PROVIDING A PROCLAMATION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WAS ABLE TO LISTEN TO ALL THESE PEOPLE, GET UP AND SPEAK ABOUT JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS. AND ALSO THE SERVICES WERE EXPLAINED TO ME MORE SO, AND IT SORT OF EDUCATED ME ON ON AND BROUGHT MORE AWARENESS OF, OF, OF WHAT THEY DO, UH, FOR THE, LIKE I SAID, THE PLANO VERSION. MM-HMM . SO, UM, I'M CERTAINLY ADVOCATING FOR THE COUNSELING PLACE HERE IN RICHARDSON, BUT, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY GOOD, UH, TO HEAR ALL OF IT. AND IT JUST, UH, KIND OF OPENED MY EYES A LITTLE MORE TO, TO UNDERSTAND IT, UH, BECAUSE IT SAW SOMETHING I DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. AND I, AND I, AND TOOK COUNSEL, HUTCHMAN, WRITER'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP, WE JUST DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS EITHER. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT IF YOU'RE GONNA BE PASSING AWAY OR HOW WILLS ARE BE WRITTEN OR, YOU KNOW, OR IF SOMEONE HAS AN ILLNESS, YOU JUST DON'T TALK ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, TODAY WE CAN TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS A LITTLE MORE. SO, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO AND THE STAFF AND, UH, ALL THE PROGRAMS YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S, UH, INVALUABLE, UH, AN INVALUABLE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSEL. DEBBIE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. ALRIGHT, [C. REVIEW AND DISCUSS TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION] WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM C REVIEW AND DISCUSS TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. MR. MAGNER. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. WE ARE, UH, APPROXIMATELY 60, UH, PERCENT OF THE WAY THROUGH THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND, UM, I'VE ASKED, UH, CHIEF, UH, UH, TITTLE WHO HAS BEEN LEADING OUR, UM, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TRACKING WITH, UH, KENT FILE TO, UH, COME AND PROVIDE [00:50:01] A, UM, UPDATE ON SEVERAL KEY BILLS, UH, KIND OF WITHIN EACH OF OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU WHEN WE, UM, PROPOSED THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. I DO WANNA KIND OF JUST REITERATE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A POINT IN TIME, UM, FROM NOW FOR THE NEXT, UH, UH, UH, 50 OR SO DAYS THAT'S REMAINING IN THE SESSION. THINGS ARE GONNA BE, UH, SO MUCH FASTER THAN THEY WERE THE FIRST 85 ISH DAYS OF THE SESSION. AND SO, UM, WHAT WE'VE PREPARED FOR YOU TODAY IS, UH, THE BILLS THAT WE ARE TRACKING THAT WE FEEL, UM, HAVE THE MOST RELEVANCE TO RICHARDSON'S SITUATION, BUT ALSO HAVE THE MOST LIKELIHOOD OF, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, IN THE COMING DAYS AND MAYBE COMING WEEKS. UM, UH, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT SURFACES, UH, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FIVE OR 10 DAYS FROM NOW AND GET GAINS TRACTION. UH, THAT'S WHY THESE GUYS ARE DOING SUCH A, A CLOSE, UH, MONITORING AND, AND, UH, YOU'LL, AS YOU'LL SEE A VERY, UH, GOOD TRACKING OF, UH, THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO. I ALSO WANNA, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR DUBBY, UM, SEVERAL TIMES, AS YOU'LL SEE HERE FROM CHIEF TITTLE. UM, WE'VE HAD TO TAKE ACTION VERY QUICKLY, UH, TO, UM, UM, UM, LOG OUR OPINION WITH RESPECT TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO A BILL. AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN DOING THAT. UM, UM, AS YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL TIMES ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT KEY BILLS. AND SO CHIEF THANKS TO YOU AND KENT, THANK YOU AS WELL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO GET US TO THIS POINT OF THE SESSION. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU CHIEF TO PROVIDE SOME KEY UPDATES HERE. THANK YOU, MR. MAGNER. UH, MAYOR COUNCIL. UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND I'LL JUST ECHO WHAT DON HAS ALREADY, UM, UM, MENTIONED IN THE SENSE OF, UH, HUGE THANKS TO, UH, CMOS OFFICE AND TO OTHER DIRECTORS ACROSS THE CITY. IT'S REALLY BEEN A, UH, TEAM EFFORT, IF YOU WILL, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT. BUT, UM, STATUS OF THE SESSION RIGHT NOW, WE ARE 84 DAYS INTO SESSION, AND, UH, THE BEST THING ABOUT THAT IS, UH, THERE ARE FEWER DAYS REMAINING THAN THERE ARE, UH, UH, BEHIND US. AND SO, UH, 56 DAYS REMAINING. UM, LOOKING AT MARCH 14TH, HAVING BEEN THE BILL FILING DEADLINE AND 8,900 BILLS WERE FILED DURING SESSION. WE ACTUALLY ANTICIPATED TML ANTICIPATED ABOUT A THOUSAND, I'M SORRY, 10,000 BILLS. LUCKILY WE DID NOT MAKE THAT. BUT, UM, WE ARE TRACKING 2000 PLUS BILLS HERE IN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON AND TML IS TRACKING AND HAS IDENTIFIED, UH, 2076 BILLS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT CITIES IF, UH, IF THEY MAKE IT THROUGH, UM, PASSAGE. UM, ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES AS IT RELATES TO OUR AGENDA IS ESSENTIALLY ENSURING THAT WE AS A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, YOU AS A COUNCIL, UH, CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUR VOICE, OUR VOICE IN AUSTIN. AND WE HAVE SEEN ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT BILLS BE FILED RELATED TO, UM, ESSENTIALLY ANTI LOBBYING. AND AS I TALK ABOUT ANTI LOBBYING, IT'S ANTI LOBBYING AS A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY OR A QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY OR ASSOCIATION SUCH AS TML, EVEN, UH, REPRESENTING US AND MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THAT, UH, YOU WILL SEE SB 19, UM, I MENTIONED A, ABOUT 10 BILLS HAVING BEEN FILED TO ADDRESS, UM, THE ABILITIES FOR US TO LOBBY. AND, UM, THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS TRULY GETTING SOME, SOME MOVEMENT. UM, IF ANY BILL IS GOING TO GET SOME MOVEMENT, THIS IS THE ONE WE WOULD PREFER. BUT OF COURSE, WE STILL OPPOSE THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. UM, THIS PROHIBITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISION FROM HIRING OR CONTRACTING WITH A PERSON WHO IS REGISTERED OR REQUIRED TO REGISTER AS A LOBBYIST. UM, IT DOES PERMIT, HOWEVER, AN ELECTED OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST LEGISLATION. SO THERE ARE SOME BILLS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN FILED THAT ARE MUCH FURTHER REACHING THAN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, BILL. IT HAS PASSED THE FULL SENATE 20 TO 11, AND IT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO, UH, HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS. UM, AGAIN WORKING WITH TML AS WE OPPOSE THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND THIS OVERALL PHILOSOPHY IN OUR FISCAL MANAGEMENT AREA OF, UH, CONCERNS AND PRIORITIES. THERE IS A HOUSE BILL, 1453. 1453 ACTUALLY TAKES AWAY THE MUNICIPALITY'S ABILITY TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION DEBT, UH, FOR CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY, UM, INCLUDING STREETS, ROADWAYS, UM, HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES, UM, PARKING, UH, STRUCTURES, ET CETERA. BUT THERE HAS BEEN A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE THAT WOULD REINSTATE THE ABILITY TO USE COS, UM, FOR UTILITY SYSTEMS, UM, A POLICE AND FIRE STATION FIRST RESPONDER TRAINING FACILITY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY OPPOSE. UM, PRIOR TO THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE, OUR ACTION THAT WE TOOK WAS, UH, SUBMITTING WRITTEN, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE, [00:55:01] BUT ALSO CONTRACT CONTACTING THE, UH, VICE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE PSA AND, AND HER OFFICE. UM, THIS BILL WAS ACTUALLY HEARD IN HOUSE PENSIONS, INVESTMENTS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES ON MARCH 11TH. I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THAT, UM, THE BILL REMAINS IN COMMITTEE, IN MY MIND THAT IS A GOOD SIGN, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, UH, NO GUARANTEE. BUT WHEN A BILL SITS IN COMMITTEE, UM, FOR A FEW WEEKS WITHOUT BEING VOTED OUT, UM, OFTENTIMES THE REASON IT'S SITTING THERE IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE VOTES TO GET IT OUT. UM, AGAIN, AS, UH, AS MR. MAGNER MENTIONED, NOTHING'S A GUARANTEE. AND, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, UM, CONCERNS OF VIRUS AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. UM, SENATE BILL 2015, UH, THE GOVERNING BODY OF A MUNICIPALITY MAY REQUIRE CERTIFIED TELECOMMUNICATION UTILITIES TO RELOCATE, UM, THE UTILITIES, UH, PROPERTY IN A RIGHT OF WAY THAT THE MUNICIPALITY'S EXPENSE TO PERMIT THE WIDENING, UM, OR STRAIGHTENING OF A STREET, ULTIMATELY MEANING THAT, UM, WE COULD MOVE IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE AT OUR EXPENSE. THAT WOULD BE A HUGE ISSUE FOR US. UH, WE OBVIOUSLY OPPOSING THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION. UM, THIS BILL HAS BEEN REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON SENATE BUSINESS AND COMMERCE. IT DOES HAVE A COMPANION BILL ON THE HOUSE. IT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON, UM, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS. AGAIN, UM, WE'LL CERTAINLY KEEP AN EYE ON THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND TRACK ANY MOVEMENT AND, UH, OFFER OPPOSITION IN VARIOUS FORMS AS, UM, AS IT, IF IT GAINS ANY MOMENTUM STAYING WITHIN FISCAL MANAGEMENT. UH, SENATE BILL 9 24, AMENDS CURRENT LAW RELATING TO ENTITIES THAT PROVIDE CABLE SERVICES OR VIDEO SERVICES TO PROHIBIT MUNICIPALITIES FROM CHARGING A CABLE FRANCHISE FEE ON A VIDEO SERVICE PROVIDER. CURRENT LAW, UM, ALLOWS US PROVIDER, UH, TO, UH, I'M SORRY, US, UH, TO CHARGE, UM, THE PROVIDER, 5% OF THEIR GROSS REVENUE. UM, AGAIN, 9 24 WOULD PROFI PROHIBIT US FROM, FROM DOING JUST, UM, THAT THAT ACTUALLY PASSED FAVORABLY, UH, BY THE FULL SENATE 23 TO SEVEN, UM, AT THE END OF MARCH. AND AGAIN, UH, WORKING WITH TEXAS, UH, MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, WE ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION. HOUSE BILL 1 34 CREATES A COMPLETE 180, UM, AS IT RELATES TO SOURCING ON, UM, UH, LOCAL SALES TAX AND USE TAX COLLECTION, MOVING FROM A HUNDRED PERCENT ORIGIN SOURCING TO ULTIMATELY DESTINATION SOURCING, UH, THAT WOULD IMPACT US SIGNIFICANTLY. UM, AS AS MANY, UM, WE ARE IN OPPOSITION OF THAT BILL, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. UM, ACTION WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN IS SUBMITTING, SUBMITTING WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS, UM, CONTACTING A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE BUTTON AND, UH, EXPRESSING OUR CONCERN TO THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION. HOWEVER, ON MARCH 24TH, THIS DID MOVE OUT OF COMMITTEE FAVORABLY AND, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK THIS BILL, UM, AS IT, UM, AS IT MOVES FORWARD. ONE GOOD THING RIGHT NOW IS IT DOES NOT HAVE A COMPANION BILL IN THE SENATE. SENATE BILL FOUR 14 REQUIRES A BALLOT SEEKING VOTER APPROVAL, UM, OF THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT OBLIGATIONS BY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, SPECIFICALLY STATES CERTAIN INFORMATION TO INCLUDE, UM, THE ESTIMATED INTEREST AND ESTIMATED COMBINED INTEREST AND PRINCIPLE. UH, AGAIN, THAT'S JUST INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE PLACED ON A BALLOT, UM, DURING, UH, THESE, THESE ELECTION PERIODS, UM, WE ARE MONITORING THAT AND, UM, THAT WAS VOTED FAVORABLY FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, UM, IN, IN MARCH 24, UH, OR I'M SORRY, MARCH 24TH, 2025, SENATE BILL 1173 IS ONE THAT WE ARE MONITORING. AND THIS WOULD INCREASE THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING THRESHOLD FROM $50,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE BILL WAS VOTED FAVORABLY FROM, UM, UH, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE OUT OF THE SENATE, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR SENATE LOCAL UNCONTESTED CALENDAR AGAIN ON MARCH 24TH, 2025. MORE INFORMATION STILL STAYING WITHIN THE FISCAL MANAGEMENT, UM, SECTION OF OUR PRIORITIES. THESE TWO BILLS ACTUALLY ARE, UH, ARE CONNECTED. ONE IS HB NINE, THE OTHER [01:00:01] IS HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION ONE. UM, THE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION IS GOING TO BE SEEKING A TEXAS CONSTITUTION, UM, CHANGE RELATED TO THE, UM, HOUSE BILL NINE, HOUSE BILL NINE CHANGES THE CURRENT TAX CODE TO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FOR A VALOREM TAXATION, UH, FOR A SPECIFIED PORTION OF THE APPRAISED VALUE OF TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNED AND UTILIZED FOR INCOME GENERATION. THE NOTABLE CHANGE IS THE REMOVAL OF THE PREVIOUS STIPULATION, WHICH SETS A BASELINE OF LESS THAN $2,500 IN TAXABLE VALUE AND CHANGING THAT TO A NEW PROPOSED EXEMPTION, GRANTING $250,000 OF APPRAISED VALUE FOR SUCH PROPERTIES. WE ARE IN OPPOSITION OF THAT, UM, ALSO PARTNERING WITH TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ON THAT. THIS BILL PARTICULARLY, UH, PASSED TO THE THIRD READING BY THE FULL HOUSE, UM, BY A VOTE OF 132 TO 12, UM, JUST LAST WEEK ON APRIL 2ND. AND AGAIN, UM, HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION ONE SEEKS A CHANGE TO THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION REGARDING AVALOR TAXATION. SPECIFICALLY, IT ALLOWS THE LEGISLATURE TO EXEMPT THE $250,000 OF THE MARKET VALUE OF TANGIBLE PER TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNED BY AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, THAT IS USED TO PRODUCE INCOME. ADDITIONALLY, A NEW TEMPORARY PROVISION IS ADDED, WHICH SPECIFIES THAT THIS EXEMPTION WILL TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2025. UM, WILL EXPIRE TWO YEARS LATER ON JANUARY ONE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE THAT WOULD BE, UH, SUBMITTED TO VOTERS IN AN ELECTION THIS COMING NOVEMBER, AGAIN IN OPPOSITION. AND THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION PASSED THE FULL HOUSE 1 32 TO 13. OKAY, LET ME JUST STOP. I MEAN, STATE THE OBVIOUS JUST FOR A SECOND. UM, ANY ONE OF THESE BILLS, UH, MAY ABSENT THE, THE, THE, UH, PURCHASING LEVEL BILL, BUT ANY ONE OF THESE BILLS COULD BE A SERIOUS CONSIDERATION FOR US AS WE, AS WE GO ABOUT, UH, BUDGET DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMING YEARS. BUT A COMBINATION OF THESE COULD, COULD BE FAIRLY DEVASTATING. UM, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE SALES TAX AND THE $250,000 B UH, BPP EXEMPTION. I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE ANTICIPATE LOSING AND THEN, BUT THEN MAYBE GAINING, REGAINING SOME OF THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, KENT'S GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF MAYBE ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TO $8 MILLION, UH, YEAH, WITH, WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE, UH, OF THE TWO 50. AND SO WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA MONITOR THESE, UH, VERY CLOSELY CONTINUE TO EXPRESS, UM, TO OUR, UM, DELEGATION, UM, AND, AND, AND WITH TML, UM, THE, THE SERIOUSNESS OF SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE BILLS AND WHAT IT COULD DO TO OUR ABILITY, UM, TO JUST REALLY PROBABLY DELIVER SOME OF OUR BASIC CORE SERVICES AND, AND FULFILL SOME OF OUR BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES. UM, AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, UM, COMMIT TO KEEPING, KEEPING YOU UPDATED, UM, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. UH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'D BE THROUGH OUR WEEKLY UPDATES, UM, THROUGH THROUGH YOUR PACKET OR, UH, ADDITIONAL UPDATES FROM GARY, UM, UM, HERE, UM, AS WE, AS WE CLOSE OUT THE SESSION, BUT I, I, THAT WAS A LOT IN THE FISCAL SESSION AND, AND I WAS WATCHING SOME, SOME OF YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. SO I WANTED TO STOP HERE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING, UH, JUST GARY, 'CAUSE THAT WAS, THIS IS, THIS IS BY FAR THE LARGEST SECTION OF THE BRIEFING, SO MAYBE WE CAN JUST TAKE A PAUSE AND WITH KENT AND GARY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT ANY OF THOSE BILLS, JOE. YEP. I WAS JUST ALWAYS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT, UM, JUST BASED ON PRIOR CONVERSATIONS, THAT SOURCING OF THE SALES TAX WAS, WAS REALLY KIND OF AN UNKNOWN FOR US AND NOT NECESSARILY A KNOWN NEGATIVE. SO WHEN DID THAT FLIP AND WHEN HAVE WE DETERMINED THAT IT IS GONNA BE SORT OF A KNOWN NEGATIVE? IT, IT HASN'T FLIPPED. YOU'RE RIGHT. OKAY. EVEN THE COMPTROLLER REALLY CAN'T GIVE US GOOD ESTIMATES. AND THAT CAME OUT IN THE COMMITTEE HEARING PRIOR TO, TO COVID 2020. WE HAD, WHEN THIS WAS BEING TALKED ABOUT AS A COMPTROLLER RULE CHANGE, WE HAD A, A STUDY DONE. AND AGAIN, IT'S, THEY'RE VERY ROUGH ESTIMATES. HE GAVE US A RANGE OF ABOUT FOUR TO $6 MILLION. OKAY? UM, YOU KNOW, OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS PROBABLY A LOT OF THE CORPORATIONS WE HAVE HERE, A LOT OF THEIR SALES GET SOURCED TO WHERE THE SALESMAN KIND OF OPERATES OUT OF WHICH IS HERE OR WHERE THEY TAKE THEIR ORDERS. AND SO THAT WOULD CHANGE IF IT GOES TO DESTINATION. NOW, THE FLIP SIDE IS FOUR TO $6 MILLION IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE THAT WE MIGHT LOSE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WOULD GAIN, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA BRING STUFF IN THAT THAT'S UNKNOWN. WE HAVE NO WAY OF EVEN ESTIMATING THAT. SO THERE WOULD BE AN OFFSET TO THAT FOUR TO 6 MILLION. UH, THE OTHER ONE DON TALKED ABOUT WAS THE HOUSE BILL NINE, THE $250,000 BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY. WE CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, PRETTY EXACTLY, UH, BASED UPON LAST YEAR'S CERTIFIED TAX RULE THAT WE HAD LOSE $2 MILLION GOING INTO THAT. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO [01:05:01] GREAT. THANKS GARY. SO, MOVING ON TO TRANSPORTATION, UM, ONE VERY NEAR TO US HOUSE BILL 31 87 WITH A COMPANION BILL OF SENATE BILL 15, UM, 57. UH, THIS PARTICULAR, THESE PARTICULAR BILLS ALLOW FOR THE REDUCED FUNDING, UM, BY UP TO 25% OF DEDICATED SALES AND USE TAX, UH, BY THOSE 13 MUNICIPALITIES WHO ARE COMMITTED TO DART. OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE OPPOSED TO THAT, UH, REFLECT BACK ON THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU ALL HAVE PASSED. UM, AND, UH, BOTH OF THESE PARTICULAR BILLS HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE, UH, CHAMBER COMMITTEES, UH, ONE ON MARCH 20TH, THE OTHER ON MARCH 6TH. AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THOSE BILLS FOR ANY MOVEMENT, UH, TO BE SET FOR A COMMITTEE HEARING FURTHER IN TRANSPORTATION, UM, BY HOUSE BILL 50, UH, 49 CHANGES TO THE, UH, MAKEUP OF THE SUBREGIONAL TRANSPORTATION BOARD, UH, TO NOW CONSIST OF ONE MEMBER APPOINTED FOR THE GOVERNING BODY OF EACH MUNICIPALITY, RATHER THAN, UM, 15 SEPARATE MEMBERS, UH, FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES. THE, UH, APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE PRINCIPAL MUNICIPALITY WOULD HAVE, UH, THE AUTHORITY TO CAST THREE VOTES UNDER THIS PROPOSED CHANGE, CONSOLIDATING THE VOTING POWER COMPARED TO PREVIOUS STRUCTURES. AND AGAIN, A COMPANION BILL THERE. UM, THAT COMPANION BILL BEING SENATE BILL 2118. BOTH OF THOSE BILLS HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO COMMITTEE, ONE BEING REFERRED TO, UH, HOUSE TRANSPORTATION ON APRIL 3RD, THIRD, AND THE OTHER BEING, UM, REFERRED TO SENATE TRANSPORTATION ON MARCH 24TH. UM, LOOKING AT ECONOMIC VIBRANCY, HOUSE BILL 1585, THIS LIMITS HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION'S ACTIVITY TO LOCAL AND PARTNER JURISDICTIONS, UH, REQUIRES THE DEVELOPMENT TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT FORM THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION THAT OWNS THE DEVELOPMENT. THIS BILL WOULD EMPOWER US TO TAKE A MORE STRATEGIC AND TAILORED APPROACH TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UH, ENSURING THAT TAXES, EXEMPTIONS, AND INCENTIVES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE WOULD SUPPORT THAT OR DO SUPPORT THAT. AND THE ACTION WE HAVE TAKEN ON THAT IS SUBMITTING, UH, WRITTEN COMMENTS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 1585, COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE PASSED FAVORABLY OUT OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AT THE END OF MARCH ON, UM, THE 31ST. ALSO, HOUSE BILL 21 REQUIRES THAT A HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION TO GAIN APPROVAL THROUGH A RESOLUTION OR ORDER FROM THE GOVERNING BODY OF EACH SPONSORING LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHEN OPERATING OUTSIDE ITS OWN DEFINED JURISDICTION. WE ARE MONITORING THIS BILL AND, UH, COMMITTEE ACTION IS PENDING IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AS OF MARCH 18TH, ECONOMIC VIBRANCY CONTINUED, UH, SENATE BILL 1160 MAKE SIGNIFICANT ALTERCATIONS OR ALTERATIONS, UM, TO THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR MUNICIPAL ZONING REGULATIONS AND BOUNDARIES. THIS EXPANDS FROM 200 FEET TO 1500 FEET, SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN, UM, OPPOSITION TO. EVEN IF IT CROSSES, UM, JURISDICTIONAL LINES FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER, WE WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO, UM, UM, MAKE NOTIFICATION FOR THAT 1500 FEET. UH, THIS BILL HAS BEEN REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON THE SENATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND, UH, THAT WAS ON FEBRUARY 28TH. AGAIN, NO HEARING ON IT, JUST REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE. SENATE BILL 8 78, UH, IMPACTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS BY PROHIBITING CITIES FROM USING PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS IN THE THREE 80 AGREEMENTS. SOMETHING THAT WE OBVIOUSLY OPPOSE, UM, ACTION TAKEN BY, UM, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, WORKING WITH THEM ON THIS PARTICULAR BILL, AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. BUT THIS BILL WAS VOTED FAVORABLY OUT OF THE SENATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON MARCH 26TH. IT HAS ALSO BEEN PLACED ON THE SENATE CALENDAR, UM, FOR APRIL 2ND. UM, AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, ONE ADDITIONAL IN THE ECONOMIC, UM, VIBRANCY HOUSE BILL 500. UM, THIS ACTUALLY ADDRESSES, UH, NUMEROUS FUNDS, BUT PARTICULARLY OF OUR INTEREST. UM, THIS BILL WOULD APPROPRIATE ALL UNENDED AND UNOBLIGATED BALANCES REMAINING FROM APPROPRIATIONS LAST SESSION FOR THE TEXAS SEMICONDUCTOR INNOVATION FUND, ALSO KNOWN AS THIS IS THE CHIPS ACT. UM, TAKING THAT AND PLACING IT IN PROGRAMS WITHIN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEXAS [01:10:01] SEMICONDUCTOR INNOVATION CONSORTIUM. UM, THIS IS AN AMOUNT ESTIMATED TO BE, UH, JUST SHORT OF, UM, 572 MILLION TO THE PROGRAMS FOR THE SAME PURPOSE FOR THIS, UH, UPCOMING TWO YEAR PERIOD ON THE BILL'S EFFECTIVE DATE, AGAIN, SUPPORTING THAT. AND, UH, THAT BILL DID PASS FAVORABLY FROM HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS AT THE END OF, UH, MARCH PUBLIC SAFETY HOUSE BILL 33. UH, THIS IS SEEKING TO, UH, ENHANCE PREPAREDNESS AND, UH, RESPONSE CAPABILITIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN TEXAS DURING ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENTS AND SIMILAR EMERGENCIES, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO IMPROVE, UM, UM, SAFETY AND RAPID RESPONSE IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS. WE ARE MONITORING THIS, AND WE HAVE ONGOING EFFORTS WITH TPCA TEXAS POLICE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION TO IMPROVE THIS CONTENT. THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL, UM, PIECE OF LEGISLATION. MCLOUGHLIN, THE AUTHOR OF THIS BILL WAS THE, UH, MAYOR OF UVALDE AT THE TIME OF THE SCHOOL SHOOTING THERE. UM, A LOT OF, UH, UH, CHALLENGING REQUIREMENTS IN THIS AND SOME DEADLINES TO MEET. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA MAKE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR BILL AND MAKE AN EFFORT TO, UH, MAKE THESE PROPOSALS, UH, UH, A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND WORK WELL WITH, UH, THAT OFFICE AS WELL AS OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES. UH, ACTION IS PENDING BY, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY, PUBLIC SAFETY AND VETERANS COMMITTEE FROM MARCH 19TH. UM, HOUSE BILL 41 REGULATES THE USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT FOR, UH, BY EXPLICITLY PROHIBITING GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES FROM ACQUIRING OR USING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OR RELATED EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES FROM COMPANIES EITHER OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY SPECIFIC FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS SUCH AS, OR SPECIFICALLY I SHOULD SAY, CHINA, IRAN, NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA, AND SYRIA. THIS PROVIDES AN EXCEPTION TO ALLOW EXISTING CONTRACTS FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT THAT ARE PLACED, UH, IN, IN PLACE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, AND TO REMAIN VALID UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2030. UH, WE ARE MONITORING THIS, AND THIS ACTION IS PENDING OUT OF THE HOMELAND, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY VETERANS COMMITTEE, UH, AS OF APRIL 2ND. THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE, UH, ADDRESS LAST SESSION. WE ANTICIPATED IT COMING, UM, FORWARD THIS SESSION. THE, UM, THE FIVE YEAR, UH, WINDOW THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS FAVORABLE AND, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. UM, AT RPD SENATE BILL EIGHT, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS SEEKING TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN SHERIFFS AND ICE. UM, OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, THEY ARE LOOKING TO, UM, COLLABORATE BETWEEN THOSE TWO ENTITIES BY FORMALIZING AGREEMENTS. THE LEGISLATION AIMS TO ENHANCE LOCAL MANAGEMENT OF IMMIGRATION RELATED ISSUES, COOPERATION AT BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, POTENTIALLY IMPACTING LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHIN TEXAS. WE ARE MONITORING THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. IT PASSED THE FULL SENATE, UM, 20 TO 11. THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS FOCUSING ON COUNTIES AND SHERIFFS, NOT ON MUNICIPALITIES AND PDS. AGAIN, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE STRONGLY MONITORING THIS TO ENSURE THAT THAT DOES NOT IN, UM, INFLUENCE ANY, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS. LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, JUST A NOTE HERE ON WATER, AS THE GOVERNOR'S ER, ONE OF HIS, UH, EMERGENCY ITEMS TO DEDICATE $1 BILLION A YEAR, UH, FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO TAP INTO NEW WATER SUPPLIES AND REPAIR EXISTING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, SENATE BILL SEVEN BY SENATOR PERRY. THIS IS, UH, A, A LARGE BILL, UM, SPECIFICALLY INTRODUCING A NEW OFFICE OF WATER SUPPLY CONVEYANCE COORDINATION WITHIN THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, UM, TO ENHANCE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, UH, THROUGH BETTER PLANNING, STANDARDIZATION, AND INTERCONNECT CONNECTIVITY AMONG PROJECTS, WE ARE MONITORING THIS, UM, PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION. IT WAS PLACED ON THE FULL SENATE CALENDAR FOR APRIL 2ND. UM, HOUSE BILL 23 AIMS TO ALLOW CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS THE AUTHORITY TO SEEK THIRD PARTY REVIEWS OF VARIOUS PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS. PROPERTY OWNERS COULD NOW, UM, GET INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED BY THIRD PARTIES. UM, IF THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY DOES NOT INSPECT WITHIN A DESIGNATED TIMEFRAME, REGULATORY AUTHORITIES ARE PROHIBITED FROM A, [01:15:01] REQUIRING APPLICANTS TO WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO THIRD PARTY REVIEWS. UH, WE ARE MONITORING THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION, AND IT WAS VOTED FAVORABLY FROM LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, UM, ON MARCH 27TH, MORE AS IT RELATES TO THE ENVIRONMENT HOUSE BILL 29. THIS ESTABLISHES NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR MUNICIPALLY, UH, OWNED UTILITIES, PROVIDING WATER THROUGH OVER 150,000 SERVICE CONNECTIONS. UH, THAT DOES NOT, UH, IMPACT RICHARDSON. RIGHT NOW. IT MANDATES VALIDATION OF ANNUAL WATER AUDITS WITHIN 180 DAYS OF FILING, AND REQUIRES DEVELOPMENT OF A WATER LOSS MITIGATION PLAN WITHIN ONE YEAR OF REAL WATER LOSS, UM, EXCEEDS SPECIFIC THRESHOLD. UM, THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WE WILL MONITOR THIS TO ENSURE THAT THE BRACKET DOES NOT CHANGE TO, IN, UH, IMPACT THE CITY OF RICHARDSON. AND VISITING WITH THE, UH, AUTHOR OF THIS BILL, HE SHARED THAT, UM, ONE OF THE, THE FIVE LARGEST CITIES IN, IN OUR STATE, UH, IS SAID TO HAVE LOST MORE WATER, UM, BY, BY SHEER INFRASTRUCTURE THAN ONE OF THE OTHER LARGEST FIVE CITIES HAS ACTUALLY USED. SO JUST REALLY IMPACTS THE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF WATER LOSS IN, UM, WHAT IS DRIVING THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION. UM, SENATE BILL 1190 IS THE COMPANION BILL TO, UH, HP 29 HOUSE BILL ONE 12, UM, BY REPRESENTATIVE BUTTON ESTABLISHES SCIENCE PARK DISTRICT, SPECIFICALLY FOR COUNTIES WITH POPULATION OF OVER 800,000 OR MORE. FURTHER, IT DEFINES THE DISTRICT PURPOSE TO EMPHASIZE THE PROMOTION OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, INDUSTRIES, AND GOVERNMENT. UM, SUPPORT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION, IT WAS, UH, SET FOR A HEARING IN HOUSE TRADE WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMITTEE ON APRIL 2ND, JUST TO TOUCH ON, UH, FEDERAL LEGISLATION, UH, AS IT RELATES TO PRESERVATION OF TAX EXEMPTION FOR MU MUNICIPAL BONDS CONCERNING OF, UH, LOSING THE, UM, TAX EXEMPT STATUS, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT HARD FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO FUND ESSENTIAL PROJECTS. THIS COULD LEAD TO A DECLINE IN THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES, UM, AND POTENTIALLY HIGHER TAXES AND FEES FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. UM, THE ACTION THAT WE HAVE TAKEN AS, UH, UH, MAYOR DOOBY HAS, UM, PINNED A LETTER AND WE HAVE, UM, PROVIDED THAT LETTER TO BOTH OF OUR US SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES HERE IN THE, UM, RICHARDSON DELEGATION. AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH EMAILS, UM, TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICES. AS WE CONCLUDE, I JUST KIND OF WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE OPERATIONS THAT WE DO ON A, UM, WEEKLY BASIS. CERTAINLY, UM, MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UH, COLLABORATING WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, SUCH AS TML, SUCH AS ISD, SUCH AS TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, CERTAINLY WORKING WITH UTD ON SOME THINGS, UM, AS WE, AS WE GAIN, UM, INFORMATION AND SHARE THAT WITH, WITH OUR COLLABORATIVE, UM, PARTNERS, UM, AS WE SEE THE SESSION MOVE FORWARD, UM, DON REFERENCED THE SPEED IN WHICH WE WILL SEE THE SESSION MOVE WITH, UM, ROUGHLY, UH, EIGHT, EIGHT WEEKS LEFT. UM, THESE COMMITTEES ARE CERTAINLY IN HIGH GEAR AS IT RELATES TO THEIR HEARINGS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. UM, HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT GETTING THAT INFORMATION. IT IS NOT SET FOR WHAT IS GOING TO BE HEARD IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK UNTIL PROBABLY, UH, THREE O'CLOCK TO FIVE O'CLOCK ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. AND SO OFTENTIMES WE ARE SCRAMBLING TO ENSURE WHATEVER IS SET FOR THE NEXT WEEK, UM, WE HAVE A QUICK CHANCE TO REVIEW AND LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THOSE PARTICULAR BILLS THAT ARE SET IN COMMITTEE, AND, UH, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, EITHER SUPPORT OPPOSE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH SOME OF OUR, UH, PARTNERS, UM, ENGAGE WITH TML AND, AND MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT. UM, AGAIN, THAT'S JUST A BIT OF WHAT OUR PROCESS IS HERE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING SOMETHING, UM, EVALUATING THOSE BILLS IN-HOUSE, UH, WITH OTHER DIRECTORS, WITH CMOS OFFICE AND MOVING FORWARD. UM, BEST THING OF THE PRESENTATION THOUGH, I WILL SAY IS, UH, SUNNY DIE, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE, UM, [01:20:01] MONDAY, JUNE 2ND. AND SO, UM, WE WILL SEE, UH, WHAT THAT DAY BRINGS US AND, UH, EVERYTHING, UH, IN BETWEEN. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'LL, I'LL CLOSE AND, UH, TAKE, TAKE QUESTIONS AND, UM, GO FROM THERE. THANK YOU CHIEF, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AWAY FROM HOME TO FIGURE ALL THIS OUT AND BE REPRESENTED US. SO, COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS MR. CORCORAN? JUST ONE MORE. UM, SO HB 23, I'M THINKING, I DUNNO IF THAT, IF I CAN HELP FIND YOU. THERE YOU GO. YOU ALMOST HAD IT. SO WHY IS, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THAT'S MONITOR OR NOT OPPOSE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T REALLY LIKE, IT'S JUST 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T IMPACT US FROM LIKE A, A FISCAL STANDPOINT OR, I MEAN, IS THERE, THERE'S NO DOWNSIDE TO SOMEONE HAVING A THIRD PARTY REVIEW INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM REVIEWING SOMETHING? YOU CAN JUST KINDA HELP WALK ME THROUGH THAT. SURE. UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE DO USE A THIRD PARTY FOR INSPECTION SERVICES. UM, WE DO ALL OF OUR OWN PLAN REVIEW INHOUSE, BUT WE DO USE A THIRD PARTY, UH, THIRD PARTY FOR INSPECTION SERVICES. UM, I THINK THE REASON WE WANNA MONITOR THIS IS BECAUSE, AND, AND WE COULD OPPOSE IT VERY EASILY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. UM, BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT ARE UNABLE TO HIRE THE TRADES THAT THEY, THE TRADE INSPECTORS THAT THEY NEED JUST TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BASIC SERVICES. AND I THINK, I THINK IT'S COMING OUT OF, I THINK THIS IS COMING FROM VERY SMALL COMMUNITIES, I SEE, OR SOME OF MAYBE EVEN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS, VERY LARGE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE TAKING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PROCESS PLANS AND CONDUCT INSPECTIONS. UM, AND SO AGAIN, I I THINK WE WANNA MONITOR THIS, UH, IF THIS HAD ANY, UM, IF THIS POTENTIALLY HAD ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE WAY THAT WE WOULD, WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES, WHICH I THINK WE HEAR TIME AND TIME AGAIN, ARE, ARE, ARE VERY EFFICIENT AND WE VERY THOROUGH. YES, WE DO. UM, I THINK THEN WE WOULD EASILY, WE WOULD QUICKLY CHANGE OUR POSITION. NO, I THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, CHIEF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS, GARY. GREAT JOB. THAT [D. LIBRARY UPDATE AND RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK] BRINGS US TO ITEM D LIBRARY UPDATE AND RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK. MR. MAGNER. WELL, MARY COUNCIL, IT IS NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK, AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE NOT JUST JENNY AND MARINA, BUT ON THE FIRST ROW THERE, UH, YOU SEE, UH, ALL OF OUR KEY LEADERSHIP FROM THE LIBRARY HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH US. AND SO, UH, WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO HAVE, UH, JENNY AND MARINA, UH, PROVIDE A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT UPDATES RELATED TO, UH, THE LIBRARY, AS WELL AS A LITTLE BIT OF A PREVIEW OF WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON PRESENTLY AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT, UM, IN THE, IN THE COMING, UM, MONTHS. AND ULTIMATELY AS WE, UH, WORK TOWARDS, UM, OPENING BACK UP IN, IN THE, UH, NEWLY RENOVATED LIBRARY AND SOME, SOME KEY THINGS THAT WE WOULD WANNA KEEP ON OUR MIND, UH, AGAIN, AS WE, UH, KIND OF GET READY FOR THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. SO, JENNY, THANKS FOR, UH, PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND THANKS FOR ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MAGNER, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO YOU, YOU ABOUT NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK, AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT THE LIBRARY. SO IN, UM, THE LIBRARY STRIVES TO SUPPORT YOUR GOAL, TO HAVE RESIDENTS AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS CHOOSE RICHARDSON AS THE BEST PLACE TO LOCATE, CONTRIBUTE, AND ENGAGE. AND IN TERMS OF YOUR STRATEGIES, TONIGHT, WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WAYS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN RESIDENTS AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS, AND TO PROMOTE AVENUES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT BY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND CUSTOMERS THROUGH UTILIZATION OF OUR NEW OUTREACH VAN ROVER. SO TONIGHT, JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW, WE'RE GONNA HIGHLIGHT NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE T-M-L-D-A AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN LIBRARIES FROM 20 20 24. UM, WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE RENOVATION. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE NEW RICHARDSON READS, ONE BOOK SELECTION, AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT'S NEW WITH THE LIBRARY. AND FINALLY, OUR LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMING YEAR WHERE WE HOPE TO, OR WE WILL MOVE BACK TO THE RENOVATED LIBRARY. SO EACH YEAR, THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION SELECTS A WEEK IN APRIL TO BE NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK. THIS YEAR THEY CHOSE APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH. AND THE THEME THIS YEAR IS DRAWN TO THE LIBRARY. THIS THEME HIGHLIGHTS THE VALUABLE ROLE LIBRARIES, LIBRARIANS, AND LIBRARY WORKERS PLAY IN TRANSFORMING LIVES AND STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES. THE THOUGHT IS, WHATEVER DRAWS YOU IN THE LIBRARY HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. SO PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE LIBRARY, GET A LIBRARY CARD, UM, BROWSE OUR SHELVES, JOIN A BOOK CLUB, OR FIND A NEW CREATIVE PROJECT WITH THE EMPHASIS ON DRAWING, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING OUR GRAPHIC NOVEL COLLECTIONS. WE HAVE GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, TEENAGERS, AND ALSO AN ADULT COLLECTION. [01:25:02] AND THEN ALONG WITH OUR GRAPHIC NOVELS, WE'RE HAVING ALL SORTS OF DRAWING ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. UM, WE'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING OUR DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF, AND WE'RE ENDING THE WEEK WITH AN, UH, OUR OUTREACH EVENT WITH ROVER AT THE PARKS EXTRAVAGANZA AT BRECKENRIDGE PARK. UM, WE STARTED CELEBRATING THIS CREATIVE WEEK THIS PAST SATURDAY WITH A VISIT FROM LOCAL AUTHOR AND CARTOONIST, ANDY HIRSCH. HE CAME AND DID A MINI WORKSHOP ON HOW HE WRITES AND ILLUSTRATES HIS GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR KIDS. UH, IN THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE HE HAD QUITE A CROWD. HE HAD OVER, HE HAD 124 PEOPLE STOP AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT DRAWING AND RIDING. AND THEN HE ALSO VISITED OUR OTHER SATURDAY EVENT, WHICH WAS READ TO MINIATURE HORSES. THIS IS JOYFUL HOOVES. THEY'RE, UH, UH, MINIATURE HORSES, OUR SERVICE ANIMALS. AND SO THEY CAME BY AND HAD, UM, FAMILIES READ TO THEM. WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR THAT EVENT, AND THAT WAS IN THIS ROOM, AND THEY DID NOT MAKE A MESS, SO, WHICH WAS GOOD. UM, SO FOR THE 20TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, THE RICHARDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS BEEN AWARDED THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN LIBRARIES. UM, WE ARE ONE OF 102 PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO GET THIS AWARD THIS YEAR OUT OF 542. SO THIS PUTS US IN THE TOP 19%. AND THEN THERE ARE 10 CRITERIA THAT A LIBRARY MUST COMPLETE TO GET THIS AWARD. SO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR ARE WE MUST PARTICIPATE IN OUTREACH EVENTS. SO WE PARTICIPATED IN 57 OUTREACH EVENTS AND TALKED TO OVER 19,000 PEOPLE AT THESE EVENTS. AND SO THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. INSIDE OF THE BUILDING. WE WELCOMED 232,000 PEOPLE TO OUR TEMPORARY SPACE. SO THAT'S ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF 720 PEOPLE A DAY. UM, AND THESE PEOPLE, AS THEY CAME, THEY CHECKED OUT OVER 834,000 ITEMS. THIS IS BOTH PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL ITEMS. SO, UH, WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. YOU HEARD FROM THE COUNSELING PLACE. TONIGHT WE HOST THEIR, UM, PROJECT POSITIVE DURING THE SUMMERS. UM, WE ALSO WORK WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE RICHARDSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE RICHARDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UTD, AND WITH OUR PARTNERS FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, WE HOST STEM EVENTS FOR CHILDREN. AND WE ALSO WORK WITH THE RICHARDSON ADULT LITERACY CENTER TO HAVE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR ADULTS. ANOTHER CRITERIA IS OFFERING NEW SERVICES. SO THIS PAST YEAR WE ADDED OUR SEED LIBRARY. TO DATE, WE'VE GIVEN OUT 440, 300 SEED PACKETS TO PEOPLE. UM, THEY'RE FREE. PEOPLE CAN COME AND GRAB UP TO 10. THERE ARE VEGETABLES, FRUITS, FLOWERS, AND HERBS. UM, WE'VE ALSO, PART OF THAT IS MARKETING OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. SO THE SEED LIBRARY WAS OUR NUMBER ONE SOCIAL MEDIA POST. WE REACHED OVER 78,000 PEOPLE WITH THAT ONE POST ON THE NEW SEED LIBRARY. WE CONTINUE TO OFFER MULTICULTURAL EVENTS, UM, SUCH AS THE CANTONESE OPERA AND COMANCHE NATION FIRSTHAND STORIES. AND WE CELEBRATE OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTHS EVERY, EVERY MONTH, AND WITH OUR COLLECTIONS AND HAVE DISPLAYS THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY. WE SUPPORT DIGITAL INCLUSION BY PROVIDING FREE PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESS WITH OUR COMPUTERS, AND THEN FREE WIFI IN THE BUILDING. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE WIFI HOTSPOTS FOR CHECKOUT. AND WE HAVE 24 7 ACCESS TO DATABASES AND DIGITAL MATERIALS. AND WE CONTINUE TO OFFER A VARIETY OF COMPUTER CLASSES TO TEACH NEW SKILLS AND TO HELP PEOPLE FIND NEW JOBS. SO, UH, MANY UPDATE ON THE RENOVATION. I KNOW NICK IS GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN HIS PRESENTATION, BUT THIS IS THE ARCHITECT'S RENDERING OF THE NEW SOUTHEAST ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING. AND THEN TO REMIND YOU, THIS IS THE NEW PUBLIC ART PIECES WE'RE GETTING. ONE WILL BE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING AND THE OTHER WILL BE IN OUR CHILDREN'S AREA HANGING FROM THE SECOND FLOOR. AND THEN WE WANTED TO BRING SOME NEW PICTURES. THESE WERE TAKEN IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT, THEY'RE GETTING READY TO INSTALL STEEL PLATES TO INFILL THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS. AND THEN ON THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, THEY'VE FRAMED MOST OF THE WALLS THROUGHOUT ALL FOUR FLOORS OF THE BUILDING. THIS IS THE STAFF AREA UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR. AND THEN THIS IS THE BASEMENT. THIS IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF, UM, THE, THE FURTHEST THEY ARE IN THE RENOVATION. THEY'VE STARTED PUTTING UP SHEET ROCK ON THE ROOMS. ON THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE OUR NEW MULTIPURPOSE ROOM. THE BACK CORNER IS THE MAKER SPACE. AND ACROSS THE BACK OF THE PICTURE, THOSE ARE OUR PODCAST ROOM AND STUDY ROOMS. AND WHERE THE LIGHT IS, THAT'S THE NEW ENTRANCE FROM THE SOUTH STAIR THAT'S BEING, UM, BUILT RIGHT NOW. AND THEN IN BOTH PICTURES YOU CAN SEE THE INFRASTRUCTURE UP IN THE CEILING. THEY'VE ADDED NEW MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING PIPES. THERE'S [01:30:01] NEW DUCT WORK AND THEY'VE ADDED A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM, WHICH WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE. AND THEN THERE'S A, ON THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE A GEOMETRIC PATTERN. THIS IS GOING TO BE REFLECTED ON THE WALLS. UM, THIS IS BY THE TWO PUBLIC ELEVATORS. SO AS PEOPLE COME OFF, THIS GEOMETRIC PATTERN WILL BE ON THE WALLS AND THE CEILING, AND IT'LL BE IN A PARTICULAR COLOR. IN THE BASEMENT'S GOING TO BE GREEN. SO AS PEOPLE COME OFF THE ELEVATOR, THEY WON'T BE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT FLOOR THEY'RE ON. EVERY FLOOR HAS ITS OWN COLOR. THEY STARTED, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW ENTRYWAY. THEY'VE POURED THE CONCRETE FOUNDATION. AND THEN THIS IS OUR NEW STORY TIME ROOM. UM, WE HAVE NEW WALLS. THIS IS ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND THE CIRCULAR, UM, UH, PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, THE CIRCULAR HOLE IS THE NEW PUPPET STAGE. AND THEN FOR THE DECORATIONS ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WE WANNA GIVE YOU A KIND OF A PREVIEW OF WHAT THE NEW MURAL IS GOING TO LOOK. B LIKE. WE'RE WORKING WITH CHAR CHARLES CLAUDE IN OUR CITY'S COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH A MID-CENTURY MODERN MURAL, WHICH IS CELEBRATES THE ERA OF THE BUILDING. THE 1960S. IT'LL HAVE CASTLES, FORESTS, ANIMALS, AND THERE'LL BE PICTURES FROM THE LIBRARY'S PASS. IF YOU CAN LOOK UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT, IF MANY OF YOU'LL REMEMBER MOROCCO, THE MONKEY AND HIS HOT AIR BALLOON THAT USED TO HANG IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA, UM, HE'LL NOW JUST BE PART OF THE MURAL INSTEAD OF PART OF THE, THE ART IN THE BUILDING. AND THIS MURAL WILL BE A PAINT BY NUMBER COMMUNITY MURAL PROJECT. SO CHARLES WILL COME IN AND, UM, SKETCH THE OUTLINES OF IT, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA INVITE, WE'LL INVITE YOU OUR LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS, STAFF FROM BOTH THE CITY AND THE LIBRARY, AND THEN ANY OUR LIBRARY BOARD MEMBERS TO COME IN AND HELP US PAINT IT. SO IT'S READY TO GO WHEN WE'RE READY TO OPEN THE BUILDING. AND THEN WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A VIEW OF, UH, THE NEW CITY HALL. THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE LIBRARY. THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS UP FROM THE THIRD FLOOR. UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT GOING ON ALREADY AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE CITY HALL PROGRESS AS IT PROCEEDS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. SO JENNY, THAT'S THROUGH THE NEW OPENING ON THE THIRD FLOOR THAT THEY CUT OUT. YES. SO THEY ACTUALLY, THEY HAVE, UH, COVERS RIGHT NOW TO KEEP THE RAIN OUT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO CATCH IT RIGHT BETWEEN THE HOLES, , SO, AND THEN THAT ONE'S OUTSIDE. UM, THE NEW ENTRANCE, I TOOK THAT ONE. SO JENNY'S GONNA BE THE FIRST LIBRARY DIRECTOR TO HAVE A MASTER'S IN LIBRARY SERVICES AND A BACHELOR'S IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. , SHE'S DOING AWESOME. SHE'S, IT'S BEEN A LOT. SHE'S STAYING ON, SHE'S STAYING ON THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM. . OKAY. AND NEXT UP, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RENA PATRICK. WE'LL TALK ABOUT RICHARDSON READS ONE BOOK AND WHAT'S NEW AT THE LIBRARY. THANK YOU ALL. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT. THIS YEAR'S RICHARDSON READS, ONE BOOK WAS REVEALED ON MARCH 27TH. UM, IT WAS WILD CHOCOLATE BY ROWAN JACOBSON. HE WILL BE HERE TO TALK WITH US ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH AT SEVEN 30 AT F-U-M-C-R. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING DAY WILL BE THE AUTHOR LUNCHEON, UM, ON THE 17TH AT 11:00 AM AT UTD EVERY YEAR. UM, RROB WORKS WITH RIS D'S HIGH SCHOOLS TO BRING THE AUTHOR TO THE STUDENTS. THIS YEAR AT JJ PIERCE HIGH SCHOOLS AT JJ PIERCE HIGH SCHOOLS, HE'LL MEET WITH THE STUDENTS FROM ALL FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, UM, FOR A WRITING WORKSHOP. UM, IN JANUARY, WE PRESENTED A NEW BOOK CLUB, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION AND ENGAGEMENT COMMISSION AND THE LIBRARY BOARD. IT'S CALLED PAGES OF PERSPECTIVE. THE AIM OF THIS CLUB IS TO PROVIDE LITERATURE THAT SPEAKS, THAT SPARKS ENGAGING, THOUGHTFUL, AND INCLUSIVE DISCUSSION IN A WELCOMING AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THIS CLUB IS DESIGNED FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO EXPLORE A BROADER RANGE OF CULTURAL TOPICS AND DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS. UM, WE ALSO HOPE TO ATTRACT A NEW AUDIENCE WHO MAY NOT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN A BOOK CLUB BEFORE. THESE TWO GROUPS OFFERED VALUABLE FEEDBACK TO, FOR US ON HOW TO ENCOURAGE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION, BRINGING GUESTS IN FROM THE CULTURE AND THE COMMUNITY TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION AND POTENTIALLY BRINGING AN AUTHOR TO SPEAK IN TO THE GROUP VIRTUALLY. THEY ALSO PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON HOW TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM ONCE IT'S UP AND RUNNING. UM, WITH THE ADDITION OF THIS BOOK CLUB, THE LIBRARY WILL HAVE EIGHT ADULT, UH, BOOK CLUBS NOW AND TWO YOUTH BOOK CLUBS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ONE STARTING ON JUNE 5TH. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE LIBRARY INTRODUCED A NEW EMAIL NEWSLETTER SYSTEM CALLED PATRON POINT, REPLACING OUR OLD OUTDATED SYSTEM. THIS NEW MARKETING SYSTEM INTEGRATES WITH OUR OUR LIBRARY CARDHOLDER DATABASE, ALLOWING US TO SEND, UM, [01:35:01] PERSONALIZED COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR PATRONS WITH CONSISTENT LIBRARY MAN UH, BRANDING. THESE INCLUDE WELCOME EMAILS FOR NEW CARDHOLDERS BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS, PROMOTIONS FOR LIBRARY EVENTS, REMINDERS ABOUT LIBRARY CARD EXPIRATION DATES, AND NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT ITEMS READY FOR PICKUP. PATRON POINT ALSO ENABLES ONLINE EVENT REGISTRATION AND PROVIDES SOME VALUABLE ANALYTICS. WE CAN NOW TRACK METRICS LIKE THE NUMBER OF EMAILS SENT, READ RATES, AND PENDING EMAILS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN OPENED YET. SO FAR, THE SYSTEMS ACHIEVED IMPRESSIVE RESULTS WITH MOST EMAILS HAVING A READ RATE OF 35% OR HIGHER, AND SOME EVEN GOING AS HIGH AS 78%. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, NORMAL READ RATES ARE BETWEEN 15 AND 25% NATIONWIDE. UM, SOME ARE AT THE LIBRARY. GAMING AND BOARD GAMES ARE BECOMING POPULAR AT THE LIBRARY. SO EARLIER THIS YEAR WE BEGAN CHECKING OUT BOARD GAMES FOR PATRONS TO PLAY AT HOME. THE ANNUAL SUMMER READING CLUB KICKS OFF JUNE 7TH WITH THE THEME COLOR, OUR WORLD FOR ADULTS, TEENS AND CHILDREN, AND THE LIBRARY'S YOUTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT PLANS TO HAVE ALL ABOUT ANIMALS, THE COLOR OF NATURE AS THEIR KICKOFF PERFORMER. WE HAVE A LOT OF ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS PLANNED THIS SUMMER FROM DANCING AROUND THE WORLD WITH INDIGENOUS CULTURES TO RISS D'S, BALLET FOLK GROUP. AND ON JUNE 14TH, THE LIBRARY WILL BEGIN HOSTING A NEW MONTHLY CREATIVE COMMUNITY CIRCLE WHERE PATRONS CAN GATHER TO CRAFT WITH EACH OTHER ON A PLANNED ACTIVITY, OR THEY CAN BRING THEIR OWN CRAFT AND SOCIALIZE AMONGST THEMSELVES TO SEE ALL OF THE PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THIS SUMMER. BE SURE YOU CHECK OUT YOUR, UM, FOUR PAGE FLYERS THAT WERE GIVEN TO YOU BEFORE. UM, STEAM ACTIVITIES CONTINUE TO BE POPULAR AND ENGAGING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS. SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING PROGRAMS. LIKE A TOUR OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM WITH NASA'S SOLAR SYSTEM AMBASSADOR MICHELLE WILD AND THINKER THURSDAYS WITH A POTATO CAR DERBY AND A LEMON POWERED SCIENCE. A NUMBER OF ART PROGRAMS ARE PLANNED FOR ALL AGES FROM MESSY BABY MONDAYS TO ART FOR ALL AND SMART ART. I LOVE THAT MIDDLE PICTURE BECAUSE IT, THEY WERE SO CREATIVE. UM, FOR MATH, MEGA MATH MEETUP, WE'LL FOCUS ON MATH ACTIVITIES USING HOT WHEELS, LEGOS, AND MANGA TILES. THE LIBRARY'S OUTREACH VAN ROVER MADE ITS DEBUT AT SANTA'S VILLAGE ADAPTIVE NIGHT IN DECEMBER. SO GLAD AS ONE OF THE COUNCIL TACTICS TO PROMOTE AVENUES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT. I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE ARE NOW FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL. WE TOOK PART IN LUNAR NEW YEAR AND STEAM FAIR NIGHT AT APOLLO JUNIOR HIGH, AS WELL AS FIVE OTHER SCHOOL VISITS. AND YOU CAN LOOK FOR ROVER IN THE COMMUNITY AT UPCOMING EVENTS LIKE THE PARKS EXTRAVAGANZA, UM, TEXAS IN INSTRUMENTS, EARTH DAY CELEBRATION, TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY BIKE RODEO, THE WILDFLOWER MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND THE SUMMER SAFETY KICKOFF. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING TO OUR RENOVATED LIBRARY. HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR MIND AS WE BEGIN PREPARING. THE FIRST IS THE DEDICATED, THE BRAND NEW DEDICATED AND EXPANDED MAKERSPACE. WE'RE LOOKING AT PURCHASING EQUIPMENT THAT ENCOURAGES THE LEARNING OF NEW SKILLS AND ENHANCING CREATIVITY. THESE ITEMS INCLUDE A LARGER 3D PRINTER, A LASER CUTTER AND ENGRAVER, A DYE SUBLIMATION PRINTER, PODCASTING EQUIPMENT, SEWING MACHINE S SURGES, AND KNITTING LOOMS. AND WE'RE ALSO HOPING WITH THE LOCAL HISTORY ROOM TO ENHANCE AND GROW OUR HISTORICAL RECORDS AND PHOTOS FOR THE PUBLIC TO BROWSE PRETTY EASILY. WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A LARGER OPENING DAY COLLECTION SINCE, UM, WITH THE EXPANDED CHILDREN'S AND TEENS AREA, WE'VE ADDED MORE SHELVES IN A VIBRANT DISPLAYS AND CREATING A DYNAMIC SPACE. WE'RE EXCITED TO FILL IT WITH EVEN MORE GREAT BOOKS. WE HOPE TO INCREASE PROGRAMMING. SO BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS, THE SUCCESS OF TASTE OF RICHARDSON AND THE NEW TEACHING KITCHEN IN THE RENOVATED LIBRARY. WE PLAN TO BRING THE EVENT BACK AND EXPAND OUR OFFERINGS WITH ADDITIONAL COOKING AND NUTRITION CLASSES. THIS WILL BE A COMPLETELY NEW AREA OF PROGRAMMING FOR ALL OF US. UM, AND THEN STAFFING. WE ANTICIPATE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF TO SUPPORT NEW PROGRAMS AND DESK COVERAGE DURING OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THIS SUMMER. WE'LL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AREAS AS WE PREPARE TO MOVE BACK AND MAINTAIN OUR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO OUR PATRONS. AND WITH THAT, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO FILL THEM. AWESOME. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MR. BARRIOS? THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. JENNY, UH, [01:40:01] VERNA AND OF COURSE THE STAFF. UM, WHAT'D YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO? EVERY DAY IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I WAS JUST IN THE LIBRARY YESTERDAY AND FOR THE REHEARSAL, FOR THE MURDER MYSTERY, UH, COMING UP NEXT WEEKEND. AND I ALWAYS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT, THE WALL, THE BACKSIDE OF THE, OF THE MEETING ROOM. UM, I'M, I ALWAYS GO BACK THERE 'CAUSE I LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S ON THE WALL EVERY TIME I GO IN THERE. AND YESTERDAY WAS SOME, UH, PICTURE STITCHING, I BELIEVE IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED, WHICH IS QUITE AN INTERESTING CONCEPT THAT I WAS TOTALLY UNAWARE OF, BUT IT WAS REALLY ME. AND JUST TO SEE THE VIBRANCY THAT THE LIBRARY, UM, IS, IS, UH, IS, IT'S JUST GREAT. IT'S JUST GREAT. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON. I MEAN, I'M JUST THE, UM, FROM STAFF, IT'S JUST TOPNOTCH AND THE PROGRAMS YOU PUT ON THE COMMUNITY LOVES IT. AND IT IS JUST MORE AND MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO BE COMING EVERY TIME YOU, YOU DO SOMETHING NEW. SO GREAT JOB TO EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. UH, ONE QUICK QUESTION, AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE ON SATURDAY I WAS AT AN EVENT, I'M GOING THROUGH LEADERSHIP FOR TEXAS AND I'M GOING THROUGH WITH THE, UH, MAYOR AND THE POLICE CHIEF FROM CEDAR HILL, AND THEY WERE BRAGGING ABOUT THEIR LIBRARY THAT THEY OPENED UP A YEAR AGO. AND I SAID, OH, WE'RE GOING THROUGH RENOVATION. THEY SAID, OH, HOW MANY SQUARE FEET? AND I DID NOT KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IN OUR LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, MORE OR LESS THE NEW ONE, OR THE OLD NEW ONE DOWN HERE. JUST CURIOUS. THAT'S OKAY. YOU CAN TELL ME LATER. 84, NO WORRIES. 84,000? YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I TAKE THAT BACK TO THEM. 'CAUSE UM, THEY WERE PRETTY PROUD OF THEIR LIBRARY AND I KNOW OURS IS QUITE LARGE. OH YEAH. OKAY. THANKS. . I WILL SAY THAT OUR CONTRACTOR WORKED ON THEIR LIBRARY AS WELL. OH, REALLY? , FIGURE IT OUT. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. OKAY, MS. JUSTICE. OH, THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST ONE QUESTION. ARE WE STILL ON THE SAME TIMELINE? WERE YOU THINKING Q1 ISH FOR COMPLETION? OR DO WE, HAS IT SLIPPED? DO WE KNOW? WELL, I I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY ON NICK'S PRESENTATION TONIGHT. IT IS MOSTLY ON THE SAME PROJECTION. OKAY. WOULD YOU AGREE? YEAH. Q1. Q1. OKAY, GREAT. I I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU. I MEAN, WE JUST HEARD A PRESENTATION OF ALL THE SERVICES THAT YOU DO, AND I HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, RUNNING INTO YOU SO OFTEN, IT UPS MY GAME. I SET GOALS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M READING AND TRYING TO READ MORE BOOKS BECAUSE I KNOW THE FIRST QUESTION JENNY'S GONNA ASK ME EVERY TIME I SEE HER IS, WHAT ARE YOU READING IF I DON'T ASK HER FIRST ? UM, AND AT THE, THE LAUNCH FOR RICHTON READS ONE BOOK, UM, I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE AND I SAID, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY PUSHED MYSELF LAST YEAR. I WANTED TO READ MORE BOOKS. AND I, I, I READ 36 BOOKS LAST YEAR. I NOT REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, BUT THEY SAID, OH, THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN JENNY WALKED UP AND SAID, JENNY, HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU READ THIS YEAR IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR? AND SHE SAID, 36 . SO IT TOOK ME 12 TO READ, UH, 12 MONTHS TO READ 36 BOOKS, AND SHE'D ALREADY READ 36. SO I, IT CONTINUES TO MAKE ME WANNA UP MY GAME. UM, AND I CONTINUED TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE SERVICES THAT YOU OFFER AND HOW MUCH YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, IT'S WILDLY IMPRESSIVE. AND THEN THE OTHER READER, GENE CENTER, HE ALWAYS ASKS ME THAT QUESTION TOO. HE'S ALWAYS, HE'S STUDYING FOR AN EXAM RIGHT NOW, BUT HE ALWAYS IS READING SOMETHING INTERESTING. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE, UM, THAT YOU DO. UM, THE DIGITAL STUFF THAT YOU DO, IT ALLOWS ME TO READ, UM, BOTH ON MY KIND AND TO LISTEN. AND THAT'S HOW I'M ABLE TO, TO GET THROUGH SO MANY BOOKS. AND SO I'M JUST SO PROUD OF WHAT YOU DO. UM, I MEAN, I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU SAID NOW, EVERY DAY, 700, SO MANY PEOPLE, 20. THAT'S, THAT'S WILD. LIKE, I KNOW IT'S THE MOST HEAVILY TRAFFICKED BUILDING. UM, EVEN IN THE TEMPORARY SPACE, IT HAS TO BE. AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST REALLY INCREDIBLE, UH, INCREDIBLE AND A TESTAMENT TO THE SERVICE. UM, AND I'M JUST REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU MAYOR PERILLO. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY YOU THANK, UH, FOR TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, CONGRATULATION FOR GETTING THIS AWARD, EVEN THOUGH GOING THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME WITH TEMPORARY LOCATION. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND THE SIZE, I KNOW THAT MANY TIMES THAT HAS BEEN STATED HERE, BUT WE HEAR SO MANY NUMBERS, IT'S DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER HOW BIG IS THE LIBRARY, HOW BIG IS THE OTHER CONSTRUCTION? UH, BUT OTHER ONE, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE PICTURES OF THE CONSTRUCTION. YEAH, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT PRESENTATION. YES, SIR. JUST BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, UH, SHE'S HERE, UH, DOING A LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON BRIDGE OR SHE'S JUST UNDERCOVER FOR SOME REASON, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANNE BANKS, WHO OF COURSE IS A GREAT PARTNER TO THE LIBRARY AND RALC. AND SO, UH, JUST THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND OBSERVING AND, AND WATCHING TONIGHT, ANN. ALRIGHT, DON, WE HAVE A PICTURE OPPORTUNITY. THERE'S OUR 20 YEAR PLAQUE. OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL. YES. COME ON UP. I'LL BE GREG . THERE'S GREG. OKAY, GREG WILL BE GREG . [01:45:01] COME ON. YOU TOLD ME ABOUT THAT. TO SAVE MONEY. JOB. SO I'M CURIOUS HOW MANY CITIES HAD 20 YEARS? LET'S, UH, COUNSEL, IF WE CAN GET YOU YOUR PARTS AND THEN LIBRARIES, STAFF, WE'RE GONNA PUT YOU, SO WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOU OVER HERE RIGHT NOW. LET'S SPREAD YOU OUT A LITTLE BIT. COUNCIL, GO AHEAD AND TO YOUR SPOTS AND THEN LIBRARIES WILL COME BETWEEN EACH ONE. OH, GO AHEAD. AROUND. HERE WE GO. AWESOME. AND WE'LL TAKE A FEW OF THESE. BIG SMILE, BIG SMILES AND SMILE. SMILE. GOOD CLOSER LEGS AND PERFECT. THANKS. THANK YOU. SORRY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, [E. REVIEW AND DISCUSS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECT UPDATES] THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM E REVIEW AND DIS DISCUSS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECT UPDATES. MR. MAGNER, GREAT MAYOR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TONIGHT TO HAVE NICOLA, DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS JOIN US. UM, GET THIS, THIS IS FUN TO SAY. NEVER IN THE CITY'S HISTORY HAVE WE HAD MORE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, UNDERWAY AT ONE TIME AND NEVER HAVE WE SPENT MORE MONEY ON CAPITAL PROJECTS THAN TODAY. OVER $480 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS. NICK AND HIS TEAM, ALONG WITH OUR, UH, GENERAL, GENERAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT AECOM, UM, ARE ARE DOING A REALLY NICE JOB, UM, PARTICULARLY, UH, AS NICK IS, UH, SETTLED IN IN HIS DIRECTOR AND APPLYING SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED, UM, FROM SOME OF THE EARLIER 2021 BOND PROGRAMS. AND SO WHAT I'VE ASKED NICK TO DO TONIGHT IS KIND OF QUICKLY RUN YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS, UM, THAT, THAT ARE, UM, MOST, UM, OBVIOUS, UH, AS WE DRIVE AROUND THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEN TO ALSO, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE LESSONS LEARNED, UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY UP TO DATE. AND HE'S GONNA CONCLUDE BY BEING RESPONSIVE TO ONE OF YOUR SPECIFIC TACTICS, WHICH WAS TO, UH, CREATE A, UM, A GIS MAP THAT WOULD ALLOW, UM, RESIDENTS TO GO ON AT ANY TIME AND TO FIND KEY INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT THESE PROJECTS. AND SO, M**K, UH, UH, NICK, I'M SORRY. LET ME TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND, UH, FOR FURTHER BRIEFING. THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. MAGNER AND COUNCIL OF MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. UM, REALLY EXCITED. UH, AS, UH, DON MENTIONED JUST A MOMENT AGO, WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT GOING ON. UH, FEEL PRETTY PROUD TO BE CUSTODIAN OVER SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY . UM, I GUESS, UH, THERE WE GO. JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA, WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO THIS EVENING. UH, JUST A LITTLE, LITTLE, UH, SUMMARY OF WHERE WE ARE, SOME OF OUR BIG PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING WITHIN THE BOND, SOME OF OUR OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE, UH, CHALLENGES. WE, WE DO MANAGE TO COME ACROSS FROM TIME TO TIME, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY THAT WE, UH, WE EMPLOY, UH, WE HAVE 110 DIFFERENT PROJECTS CURRENTLY THAT ARE PART OF THE CIP PROGRAM THAT, UH, EQUATES TO ABOUT 328 CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE MANAGING. THAT'S PART OF THOSE, UH, 110 PROJECTS. AND, UH, SOME TOTAL OF $483 MILLION. UH, THAT IS MADE UP WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AS YOU CAN SEE THERE. UH, AND [01:50:01] THAT MAP, UH, ON THE RIGHT KINDA SHOWS WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON OR IS IN THE PIPELINE, UH, RELATED TO THE BOND PROGRAM. AND, UH, THE REST OF THE CIP, UH, THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR CIP PROGRAM IS OUR PROP A THE, UH, WHICH COVERS THE STREETS, ALLEYS, AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS. UH, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE COLOR WHEEL ON THE SIDE, UH, GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND WHAT THAT MAKES UP OF THAT. AND THE COLOR RED IS THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION. UH, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP. THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF THAT GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF WITH THE AMOUNT OF BARRELS AND, UH, NECK DOWN LANES AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE GOT GOING. UH, I DID WANNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO POINT OUT THE BOND PROPER THAT WAS ELECTED WAS $102 MILLION. HOWEVER, WE DO FIND OTHER WAYS TO SUPPLEMENT, UH, FUNDING ON THOSE PROJECTS TO EXTEND OR ENHANCE THE SCOPES WITHIN THOSE PROJECTS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, JUST THE, THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE PROP A SECTION, WE'RE ACTUALLY MANAGING ABOUT 155 MILLION OF THAT IS, UH, GOING TO THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS. WE'RE MANAGING ABOUT 50% MORE THAN WHAT IS JUST IN THE BOND ON THAT FRONT. ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING IS THE CUSTER PARKWAY PROJECT. AND AS, UH, MR. MAGNER MENTIONED JUST A MOMENT AGO BEFORE WE WENT TO CONSTRUCTION WITH THIS SECTION, UM, WE REALLY STEPPED BACK AND LOOKED AT LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CUSTER ROAD SECTION AND HOW MANY HEADACHES WE KIND OF ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. SO WE STEPPED BACK AND LOOKED AT WHAT, WHAT DID WE FACE FOR PROBLEMS WITH RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITH THE CONTRACTORS. AND WE SET THE, THE, WE STRUCTURED THE CONTRACT DIFFERENTLY TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE NOT GONNA HAVE A, THE CONSTRUCTION SPREAD ACROSS THE WHOLE LIMITS OF THE PROJECT WITHOUT THE CONTRACTOR'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO KEEP PROGRESS MOVING FORWARD. SO WE, WE ALSO GAVE OURSELVES SOME LATITUDE THAT IF THE CONTRACTOR SHOWED UP WITH ENOUGH RESOURCES AND DEDICATED THOSE, WE COULD GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE LEASH AND ALLOW THE WORK TO PROGRESS IN A MORE RAPID FASHION. UM, SO FAR IT HAS BEEN WORKING VERY WELL WITH THE PARTICULAR, THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACTOR. THEY HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF RESOURCES AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY KIND OF FACED A LOT OF WEATHER ALONG WITH A LOT OF THE OTHER CONTRACTORS THIS PAST, UH, SPRING AND WINTER, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, STAY ON TRACK FOR SCHEDULE ON THAT PARTICULAR PART OF IT. IT HAS ALSO BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PROJECTS WE HAVE COMING TOGETHER. UH, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE'VE KIND OF HAD, UH, COME TOGETHER IN A VERY SMALL GEOGRAPHIC AREA, UH, DIRECTLY TO THE EAST OF CUSTER PARKWAY. WE HAVE A CANYON BROOK, CANYON VALLEY AND FOREST GROVE RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS ONE BLOCK REMOVED OFF OF PLEASANT VALLEY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE WORK THAT IS ONGOING ALONG RENNER AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR AT THE INTERSECTION OF RENNER AND, UH, CUSTER, WHICH ALL, UM, I'M SURE GOT THE JOY OF, UH, SEEING THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE WE HAD THERE ON THE SOUTHBOUND SIDE. AND, UH, WE HAD THIS ONE ALL PROGRESSING AND LOOKING AT CONVERGING EITHER BETWEEN RENTER OR AT PLEASANT VALLEY. SO WE REALLY WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE KEEPING ON TRACK OF SCHEDULES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE KIND OF HAD A CUTOFF POINT, UH, BECAUSE THE, THE CUSTOMER CONTRACTOR WAS MOVING AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T GONNA PROGRESS TOO RAPIDLY WHILE WE STILL HAD, UH, WORK GOING ON WITH THAT CLOSURE AND JUST COMPOUNDING ISSUES WITH, UH, TRAFFIC CONTROL. SO IT'S JUST AN ONGOING EFFORT AND IT'S ALWAYS A DYNAMIC MOVING TARGET. SO IT'S DAY AFTER DAY WITH THAT WITH ALL OUR PROJECTS, BUT WE ARE ON TRACK TO WRAP UP THIS PROJECT, UH, BY THE END OF 2026. UH, JUST A MOMENT AGO, I MENTIONED THE CANYON BROOK CANYON VALLEY FOREST GROVE PROJECT. UH, THIS PROJECT WE KINDA BROKE INTO INCREMENTS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MINIMIZING INCONVENIENCE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. PROJECT HAS BEEN PROGRESSING VERY, VERY WELL SO FAR. WE MANAGED TO WRAP UP THE FOREST GROVE PROJECT, OR FOREST GROVE PORT, EXCUSE ME, PART OF THE PROJECT. AND, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE UTILITIES ON THE CANYON BROOK CANYON VALLEY PROJECT, WHICH SHOULD BE WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR. GLENVILLE DRIVE, UH, WHAT CAN I SAY? GLENVILLE DRIVE'S A REALLY BIG FUN PROJECT. UH, WE ARE TAKING THAT PROJECT AND WE ARE NOT JUST RECONSTRUCTING, BUT RECONFIGURING THAT PROJECT. IT IS, UH, BEING CONVERTED FROM A TWO LANE IN EACH DIRECTION. SO A FOUR LANE ROAD TO A TWO LANE ROAD, BUT WE ARE ADDING BIKE LANES AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES OUTSIDE THE CURB LINE THERE. UH, THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS. THE FRANCHISE UTILITIES HAVE BEEN A REAL JOY ON THIS PROJECT. WE HAVE EVERY CARRIER THAT, UH, HAS UTILITIES IN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON DOES MANAGE TO GO DOWN THIS CORRIDOR. AND IN MANY CASES WE HAVE MULTIPLE FRANCHISE UTIL UH, COMMUNICATION LINES BY EACH CARRIER. AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY, THEIR RECORDS ARE [01:55:01] NOT AS ACCURATE AS OURS. , UH, WE COME ACROSS A LOT OF THEIR LINES. MANY CASES THEY HAVE LINES THEY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE THEY HAD. UM, AND IT IS LIKE A BOLUS SPAGHETTI TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHOSE LINE IS WHOSE THAT. UH, THAT HAS LED TO A LOT OF COMPLICATION AND DELAY. WE'VE, UH, WE'VE WORKED THROUGH IT, AS YOU CAN EVEN SEE HERE IN THE PICTURE, WE HAVE HAD TO KIND OF GAP RECONFIGURE AND, UM, RESEQUENCE AS NECESSARY JUST TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE WORK PROGRESSING. UM, , WE, UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS EFFORT. IT IS A DAILY BACK AND FORTH. WE, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE, UH, MOMENTUM THOUGH, HOWEVER, FROM THE F FROM THE FRANCHISE UTILITY FOLKS, AND WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS. THE, IF THERE IS A THERE, THE LIGHT IS AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. UM, WITH THE SECOND PHASE, UH, WHICH WE JUST STARTED, WE GOT TRAFFIC MOVED OVER TO NORTHBOUND, UM, FROM CAMPBELL, OR EXCUSE ME, FROM ARAPAHOE ALL THE WAY TO CAMPBELL. AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD RIGHT NOW. UH, THERE'S NOT NEAR AS MUCH UNDERGROUND WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE ON THE SECOND PHASE. THE MAJORITY OF ALL THE UTILITY WORK WAS PART OF THE FIRST PHASE. SO AS WE KIND OF START TO RAMP, UM, START TO WIND DOWN ON THE UTILITIES, THE PAVING WILL WILL COME ALONG AT A, UH, MUCH EARLIER. THERE WON'T BE AS MUCH LAG, UM, AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT PHASE HERE. BUT, UH, WE ARE GOD WILLING GONNA FINISH THIS PROJECT UP AS WE CLOSE THE YEAR OR BEFORE WE CLOSE THE YEAR. UH, WEST SHORE DRIVE WAS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UH, PHASING APPROACH ON THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PROJECT. WE BROKE INTO, UM, SMALL DETOUR, UH, SMALL CLOSURES AND DETOURS. SO WE DID NOT ALLOW THROUGH TRAFFIC. PART OF THIS WAS OUT OF NECESSITY, BUT SOME OF IT WAS PROOF OF CONCEPT AS WELL. UH, WE DID BUILD A LARGE, A, A LARGE 16 INCH SEWER LINE RIGHT DOWN THE CROWN OF THE ROAD, WHICH DIDN'T ALLOW US TO HAVE SAFE TRAFFIC, UH, TRAVERSE PAST THE EQUIPMENT AND, AND MATERIALS DURING CONSTRUCTION. BUT THIS HAS WORKED VERY WELL. THE CONTRACTOR HAS PROGRESSED, UH, AT A, AT A VERY GOOD RATE. UM, WE'RE WRAPPING UP THE PAVING ALONG WEST SHORE DRIVE RIGHT NOW. UH, ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO JUST POINT WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, WE HAVE ANOTHER COMPLIMENTARY PROJECT ALONG WEST SHORE THAT IS GOING TO GO FROM ARAPAHOE UP TO CAMPBELL. AND AT THE ARAPAHOE INTERSECTION, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GEOMETRIC OFFSET THERE AT THE ROAD. SO BETWEEN THIS PROJECT AND THE NEXT ONE, WE ARE WORKING TO CORRECT THAT AS WE, UH, MOVE FORWARD. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING IT EVEN BETTER THAN JUST DOING PAVEMENT REPLACEMENT. BUT THIS ONE, THIS PROJECT IS, UH, SET TO WRAP UP LATER THIS YEAR AS WELL. RICHLAND PARK IS A PROJECT THAT, IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT IS IN THE SLIDE DECK FOR THIS EVENING THAT ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT DESIGN. WE'RE NOT QUITE OUT OF DESIGN AND INTO CONSTRUCTION YET, BUT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE IT REALLY EMBODIES A LOT OF, UH, COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION WE HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC. SO WHEN WE START A PROJECT, WE WILL SEND OUT LETTERS THAT ANNOUNCE THE PROJECT, LET FOLKS KNOW THAT THEY'RE LIKELY GOING TO SEE SURVEYORS OR, UM, FLAGGING GOING OUT FOR MARKING THE UTILITY LINES AND SUCH. AND, UH, DURING THE COURSE OF THAT, ONE OF THE RESIDENTS AT THE CORNER OF WENTWORTH AND RICHLAND, UH, RICHLAND PARK REACHED OUT AND SAID, HEY, THERE'S A DRAINAGE PROBLEM. ARE Y'ALL FIXING THAT AS PART OF THE PROJECT? WELL, THAT WASN'T PART OF THE ORIGINAL SCOPE. WE WEREN'T REALLY AWARE THAT WE HAD THAT BIG OF AN ISSUE AT THAT LOCATION. SO WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF STEP BACK AND, UH, EXPAND OUR SCOPE WITH OUR DESIGN ENGINEER, HAD THEM PROVIDE, PROVIDE A DRAINAGE STUDY, AND, UH, WE REVIEWED THE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE PLANS. THEY'RE CURRENTLY WRAPPING THOSE UP AND, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DELIVER PROJECT THAT IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY SCOPED AND SOLVES A PROBLEM THAT, UH, WAS CAUSING SOMEBODY ELSE SOME ISSUES. UH, WE WILL BE BIDDING THAT LATER THIS YEAR. MOVING INTO OUR TRAFFIC SIGNAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSITION A, WE HAVE, UH, THREE SIGNALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING PHASE. WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE IN DESIGN, FIVE THAT ARE IN CONSTRUCTION, AND FIVE THAT ARE COMPLETED. AND, UH, AS WE MOVE INTO THE PROPOSITION B WHICH TAKES IN OUR PRO, OUR 2021 AND OUR 2023 BOND PROGRAM. WE HAVE FOUR OF THOSE PROJECTS, AND ALL FOUR OF THOSE ARE IN CONSTRUCTION. THAT IS OUR NEW CITY HALL LIBRARY RENOVATION, THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND FIRE STATION NUMBER FIVE. THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS, UH, WRAPPING UP THE INTERIORS RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF RELOCATING TO CITY WATER MAINS THAT ARE IN THE FRONT. AND, UH, ONCE THE WATER LINES ARE RELOCATED, WE'LL GET TO THE MONUMENT STAIRS, THE PUBLIC ART, AND ALL OF THE SITE WORK, UM, AS WE KIND OF WIND THAT DOWN. AND WE ARE LOOKING TO WRAP UP CONSTRUCTION, KIND OF MID-QUARTER THREE WITH THAT PROJECT. FIRE STATION FIVE IS TRACKING ALONG THE SAME TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION AS WELL. UH, THE INTERIORS ARE RAPIDLY COMING TO A, COMING TO A CLOSE AS WE WORK ON KIND OF FINISHING UP SOME OF THE EXTERIOR WORK, THE MASONRY, THE, UH, SITE IMPROVEMENTS [02:00:01] AND SUCH. WE ARE PUSHING TO TRY AND GET OCCUPANT BENEFICIAL OCCUPANCY, UH, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE WE WORK ON FINISHING UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING LIBRARY RENOVATIONS. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN REALLY TOP WHAT JENNY KIND OF ALREADY GAVE Y'ALL. UM, BUT HERE'S, HERE'S A COUPLE MORE NEW PICTURES. UM, BUT AS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE LOOKING TO WRAP THAT UP IN THE, UH, FIRST QUARTER AT 2026 NEW CITY HALL. UM, SHE DID TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MY THUNDER THERE, BUT, UH, AT LEAST I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO TALK ABOUT. THAT PROJECT IS OFF TO THE RACES. THE CONTRACTOR IS, UH, REALLY GOING GANGBUSTERS. THEY'VE SHOWED UP, THEY'VE DEMOED A LOT OF THE, UH, PARKING LOT PAVEMENT THAT WAS PART OF THAT ALREADY. THEY'VE STARTED WITH THE SITE IMPROVEMENTS. THEY ARE, UM, WORKING ON THE BUILDING PAD, AND I HEARD EARLIER THEY ARE ACTUALLY GONNA BE A COUPLE WEEKS AHEAD ON DRILLING PIERS AS LONG AS MOTHER NATURE DOESN'T THROW US A CURVE BALL. SO, UH, WE ARE TRACKING ON SCHEDULE FOR THAT FOR QUARTER ONE IN 2027. GONNA MOVING INTO OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM HERE. WE, UH, WE HAVE ONE PROJECT THAT IS IN DESIGN YET. UM, WE HAVE THREE THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY, AND WE'VE WRAPPED UP THREE, UH, THREE OF THOSE SECTIONS WITHIN THE BOND ALREADY ON THE SIDEWALK PROJECT OR SIDEWALK PROGRAM, UM, INTO OUR PROPOSITION D, WHICH WAS DRAINAGE AND EROSION. WE WRAPPED UP ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, WHICH IS THE LARGE DETENTION POND THAT WE BUILT OVER ON THE UTD PROPERTY AT UNIVERSITY IN CAMPBELL. AND, UH, THE OTHER TWO SECTIONS ARE EROSION PROJECTS, WHICH ARE PART OF THE HUFFINES CREEK AND CHESTNUT CREEK PROJECT, WHERE WE ARE BUILDING GABON AND TURF REINFORCING MAT. ALONG THOSE TWO SECTIONS OF CREEK, WE'RE ALSO BUILDING A 21 INCH SANITARY SEWER LINE THAT IS, UH, PART OF OUR CAPACITY NEED OUT OF OUR WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN ALONG THE HUFFINES CREEK BRANCH. THAT PROJECT, UH, SHOULD BE WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. BELTLINE AT HUNT BRANCH CULVERT, THIS IS A, I REALLY THINK THIS IS A GOOD SUCCESS STORY FOR US HERE. UH, WE, WE BASICALLY PUT AN 11 FOOT BY SIX FOOT BOX CULVERT ACROSS BELTLINE DRIVE, WHICH JUST BLOWS MY MIND THAT WE COULD CROSS THAT ROAD OR THAT ROAD WITH THAT BIG OF A BOX CULVERT. UH, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, WORKING OUT THE PHASING FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, AND, UH, WORKED A LOT WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY GROUP. WORKED OUT VERY WELL. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEPT ALL THE TRAFFIC CONTROL AND PHASING WITHIN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, SINCE THIS IS REALLY CLOSE TO THE CITY LIMIT LINE, UH, JUST TO KEEP OUT OF ANY KIND OF IMPACT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS OR ANY INPUT FROM THEM ON HOW WE WERE TO MANAGE THE CONSTRUCTION. SO IT HAS GONE VERY WELL. WE HAVE HAD VERY, UH, VERY FEW, UH, COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT. AND, UH, A REAL BIG PART OF THAT SUCCESS STORY KIND OF COMES ALONG WITH US MAKING SURE WE GAVE THE CONTRACTOR AS MUCH ROOM AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE ON THIS ONE, WE DID RUN INTO A LARGE AT AND T DUCT BANK WITH MULTIPLE FIBER LINES IN IT. AND IF WE DID NOT HAVE THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT WE PROVIDED THE CONTRACTOR THROUGH THE PHASING, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER HEADACHE TO, UH, OVERCOME AT THAT POINT. BUT, UH, THE PROJECT IS TRACKING VERY WELL. UH, WE'RE JUST ABOUT, UH, UPPING THE COTTONWOOD DRIVE AND OFF A BELTLINE WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO RESTORE TRAFFIC, UH, WITH NO INTERRUPTIONS ALONG BELTLINE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. UH, THIS PROJECT ALSO IS SET TO, UH, WRAP UP LATER THIS YEAR. OUR, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, MAKES UP THE ENTIRE PROPOSITION E THEY'RE REALLY KILLING IT. THEY GOT, UH, TWO PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THEY'VE, UH, THEY'VE COMPLETED NINE OF THEM SO FAR OUTTA THE BOND PROGRAM. AND, UH, KINDA TRANSITIONING OUTTA THE BOND AND INTO THE REMAINDER OF THE CIP PROGRAM. UH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT FUNDING, WE WERE RECIPIENTS FROM DART. UH, WE RECEIVED $14.3 MILLION OF PTI FUNDS, WHICH ARE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT FUNDS TO, UH, BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. AND OF THAT, OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE IDENTIFIED, WE ARE FUNDING, UH, FIVE OF THE PROJECTS ON THE RIGHT. TWO OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY IN DESIGN, AND THREE OF THOSE ARE IN CONSTRUCTION. UM, JUST WAYS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FURTHER ENHANCE AND MAKE THE DOLLARS GO EVEN FURTHER. I THINK ONE OF OUR PRETTIEST PROJECTS RIGHT HERE, CHERYL PARK, UH, PRETTY HARD TO NOT WANNA GO ON A SITE VISIT OVER CHERYL PARK ANY CHANCE YOU GET. BUT, UH, WE DID AN AWFUL LOT THERE RECENTLY AS WELL. UH, WE, WE WRAPPED UP THE COURSE TWO RENOVATIONS WHERE WE COMPLETELY DID EVERYTHING OUT THERE, INCLUDING NEW GRADING, LANDSCAPING, IRRIGATION, UH, SOME DID SOME CHANNEL, CHANNEL WORK AND LINING. IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL. UM, AS PART OF THAT, WE ALSO DID A NEW BATHROOM FACILITY ON BOTH COURSE ONE AND ONE ON COURSE TWO AS WELL. AND TODAY WE STARTED, UH, REPLACEMENT OF SOME OF THE CITY OWNED FENCE ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE GOLF COURSE. UH, THAT'S THE ONLY ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION WE HAVE UP THERE AT THE MOMENT. AND WE'LL BE WRAPPED UP, [02:05:01] UH, JUNE TIMEFRAME, OUR MAIN STREET, PHASE TWO PROJECT, GREENVILLE TO ABRAMS. WE, UH, IF THAT'S YOUR ROUTE TO WORK, I DO APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE THAT IS TOUCH AND GO WITH , WITH GETTING THAT DOWN TO ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION. BUT, UH, WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY, NOT JUST WITH OUR CONTRACTOR ON THE UTILITIES, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH ENCORE AS WELL AS ONE OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET THE OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL LINES THAT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE THERE. PUT UNDERGROUND SO THAT WHEN WE ARE ALL SAID AND DONE, WE'VE GOT THE BEAUTIFUL STREET SCAPE, WE'VE GOT THE NICE SKYLINE WITHOUT THE OBSTRUCTION OF THE OVERHEAD ELECTRIC LINES. UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK, UM, HAND IN HAND WITH ENCORE AND OUR CONTRACTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, EVERYTHING IS KIND OF RUNNING PARALLEL AND WE DON'T HAVE, UH, SEQUENTIAL TASKS WHEN IT COMES TO PHASING WITH THE, THE LINES AND SUCH. UM, SO THE PAVING WILL BE PHASED TO TRY AND MAKE THAT ALL HAPPEN. WE'LL BE DONE WITH THAT LATER THIS, UH, THIS YEAR AS WELL. AND ONTO OUR BIGGEST UTILITY PROJECT. AND IT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ONGOING PROJECTS IS OUR 8 25 PRESSURE ZONE PROJECT. UH, THIS IS A CMAR PROJECT, UH, CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK. WE HAVE ACTUAL, SEVERAL, SEVERAL DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THIS. WE'RE BUILDING A NEW GROUND STORAGE TANK, A NEW PUMP STATION FOR THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, AS WELL AS A LARGE, UH, DIAMETER WATER LINE. AND THEN WE ARE ALSO THROUGH A INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BY BUILDING A WATER LINE AND A METERING STATION FOR NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT. AND TO DATE, RIGHT TO DATE, WE PUT INTO SERVICE THE NEW GROUND STORAGE TANK, AS WELL AS OUR, THE CITY OF RICHARDSON WATERLINE. AND WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING VERY CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP THE NORTH SIDE PUMP STATION NUMBER TWO. THAT'S PART OF THAT. UH, AND WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP THE METERING STATION FOR NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT. BUT WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS THE ONGOING WORK TO BUILD THE WATER LINE FOR NOR TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT THAT IS GOING ON ALONG RENNER. UM, WE ARE ALSO ACTUALLY VERY PROUD TO, UH, TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT WE ARE, WE FINISHED THE IRRIGATION ALONG THE, THE MEDIAN AND WE ARE PLANTING THE SHRUBS AND TREES. SO WE ARE STARTING TO GET BACK TO BEAUTIFYING THAT PART OF THE CORRIDOR. UH, ONCE WE FINISH THAT, WE'LL GET THE HARDSCAPE AND EVERYTHING GOING IN, IN THAT GENERAL AREA AS WELL. AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT. UM, WE'RE FINISHING UP THE PAVILION STRUCTURE AT POINT NORTH PARK, AND WE DO HAVE THE NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT COMING IN IN MAY. SO WE'LL START TO DRAW THAT TO A CLOSE AND, UH, MOVE ON. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ENDED LAST YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 24. UH, WE DID REPAIR OR REPLACE 18.5 LANE MILES WORTH OF ROADWAY. WE REPAIRED OR REPLACED 8.8 MILES OF ALLEYWAY AND 9.2 MILES OF SIDEWALK. AND UNDER EACH ONE OF THOSE ARE THE TOP THREE CONTRIBUTORS FOR THOSE CATEGORIES. AND KIND OF HERE'S JUST SOME FUN FACTS OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE BOND PROGRAM. AND, AND, UH, 8 25 WITH THE AMOUNT OF LANE MILES OF STREET WE COMPLETED ALLEYWAYS, SIDEWALKS AND SUCH, WATER LINES, SEWER FACILITIES, AND PARK IMPROVEMENTS AS PROMISED. UH, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, WE DO HAVE TO WORK OUTSIDE. SOME MOTHER NATURE CAN BE YOUR FRIEND OR YOUR LESS, LESS THAN FRIENDLY PERSON TO YOU, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION. UM, BUT WE, WE DO JUST HAVE TO ROLL WITH THAT. THAT JUST IS WHAT IT IS. UM, BUT FRANCHISE UTILITIES ARE A CONSTANT, UM, COORDINATION ISSUE FOR US. WE, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE STRUGGLE WITH ACCURATE LOCATION OF LINES. WE STRUGGLE WITH RECORDS COMING FROM THE UTILITY COMPANIES, EVEN THOUGH WE DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COORDINATION WITH THEM AND DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION. IN SOME CASES, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THEIR LINES ARE OR HOW MANY THEY HAVE PER SE. SO WE'VE HAD TO, UH, IT'S JUST CONSTANTLY KEEPING YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL, AND IT'S JUST HAVING TO BE FLEXIBLE AND FLUID TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST AS NECESSARY. UM, WHEN WE DO GET A CHANCE TO GET WITH THEM, UH, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF LEAD TIME TO GET THEM TO IDENTIFY THEIR LINES, IDENTIFY A SOLUTION, AND THEN GO THROUGH THEIR OWN PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING TO RELOCATE THEIR FACILITIES. SO THAT KIND OF STACKS UP. AND IF WE, IT KIND OF REALLY HURTS US THE FURTHER WE GET INTO A PROJECT BECAUSE THERE'S LESS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CONTRACTORS TO WORK AT A DIFFERENT, UH, ACTIVITY ON SITE AT THAT POINT. SO IT'S, WE DO OUR DEAD LEVEL BEST, AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ADJUST AS NECESSARY. AND, UH, HOPE PEOPLE EXTEND A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE TO US AT THAT POINT. UH, WE DO WORK WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES LIKE TXDOT, NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, UH, OTHER CITIES. SO WHEN WE WORK WITH THEM, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THEIR COORDINATION AND THEIR PROCESSES AS WELL, AND HOW WE CAN TRY AND DOVETAIL WITH THAT. UH, THE OTHER PART THAT, UH, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WITH STAFFING AND MATERIAL PROCUREMENT, UH, THINGS WERE PLANNING OUT. [02:10:01] BUT RECENTLY WE'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF NOTICES THAT TARIFFS MAY BE IMPACTING US. AGAIN, FROM A TIMELINE AND A PRICE ESCALATION STANDPOINT. JUST ONE MORE THING OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, BUT WE JUST KEEP MONITORING IT AND ADJUST COURSE AS NECESSARY. UH, THE NEXT THREE ITEMS, STAGING TRAFFIC, CONTROL AND ACCESS. WE DEAL WITH THIS IN A, ON A DAILY BASIS. WE'RE ALWAYS, THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH ROOM TO BE ABLE TO SPREAD OUT AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. SO WE CONTINUOUSLY DO OUR BEST TO CREATE SAFE JOB SITES AND BE ABLE TO BE, UH, PROVIDE ACCESS AND MOVE FOLKS THROUGH THE, THE WORK ZONE SAFELY. UM, WE WORK WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY GROUP NONSTOP, OUR INSPECTORS AND OUR CONTRACTORS. IT'S JUST A CONTINUOUS STANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DELIVER THAT, UH, AS WELL AS WE WORK WITH OUR, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DELIVERING ALL THE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS AND THAT WE DON'T INTERRUPT THOSE, UM, DURING CONSTRUCTION. SO WE, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON PHASING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING THINGS SAFE AND, UH, NOT PUTTING ANYBODY OUT OF WATER, SEWER OR PREVENTING THEM FROM HAVING THEIR TRASH COLLECTED. AND THEN WE, WE DEAL WITH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN TRY AND KEEP THE CITY AS BEAUTIFUL AS POSSIBLE IN THE CORRIDORS. SO WE, WE TREAD AS LIGHTLY AS WE CAN RELATED TO LANDSCAPING OR ANY OTHER ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT, UH, FOLKS MAY, UH, PLACE AS FAR AS PRIVATE PROPERTY OR OTHER, UH, BEAUTIFICATION THAT THEY, THEY DO. BUT, UH, IT'S JUST A LOT OF COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, EITHER GET THAT VACATED AND PUT BACK AFTERWARD OR, UH, WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES CALL FOR, UH, AS COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. UM, WE DO AN, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO USE A LOT OF DIFFERENT METHODS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE CLEAR AND CONCISE MESSAGE PUSHED OUT TO FOLKS. IT, IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO, AND IT CUTS DOWN ON SO MANY QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF FRUSTRATION FROM FOLKS IF WE CAN GET FIRSTHAND INFORMATION OUT TO THEM. SO WE HAVE AN OVERALL STRATEGY. I'D LIKE TO START ON THE MORE GRANULAR LEVEL ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AND, AND WORK MY WAY UP. UH, AS I MENTIONED WITH RICHLAND PARK, WE SEND OUT LETTERS THAT KIND OF ANNOUNCE THE PROJECT BEFORE WE START DESIGN, GIVE FOLKS THE, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S COMING, WHAT TO EXPECT. AND THEN AS WE MOVE CLOSER INTO THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION PHASE, WE'LL SEND ANOTHER LETTER. UH, WE ALSO USE DOOR HANGERS AS A MORE IMMEDIATE, UH, OR A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, SCHEDULED TYPE MECHANISM. SO IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SCHEDULED WATER SHUTDOWN, WE, WE PUT A DOOR HANGER OUT WITH A 48 HOUR NOTICE SAYING IT'S GONNA BE OUT FOR THESE HOURS ON THIS DAY SO THAT FOLKS CAN SCHEDULE ACCORDINGLY, OR IF WE'RE CLOSING THE ALLEYWAY, SOMETHING ALONG THAT NATURE. UM, WE ALSO EMPLOY INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT MEETINGS WHERE WE'LL MEET WITH THE RESIDENTS ON SITE IF WE HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES OR IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS THAT JUST NEED TO BE ANSWERED. UH, ONCE AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEY GET NOT JUST THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WHY WE'RE DOING IT. UH, THAT'LL OFTEN GO AN AWFUL LONG WAY WITH FOLKS, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A TENSE SITUATION. AND THEN WE, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION IN THEIR HANDS SO THAT THEY, THEY KNOW WHO THEY CAN DIRECTLY CONTACT TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED RATHER THAN CALLING THE, UH, GENERAL NUMBER AND GETTING KIND OF PASSED AROUND UNTIL THEY FIND THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT, UH, PERSON TO DEAL WITH. AND THEN LAYER UP FROM THAT. UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE GENERAL. WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH, WHICH WE USE A COUPLE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS FOR THAT AS WELL. WE USE DIGITAL MESSAGE BOARDS. UH, WE'LL USE OUR BIG PROJECT SIGNS, THE BIG WHITE AND BLUE SIGNS WITH THE QR CODE ON THEM. UH, WE ALSO HOST OPEN HOUSE, UH, MEETINGS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS. I THINK CUSTER PARKWAY'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. WE, UH, WE HELD A COUPLE OF OPEN HOUSES FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT AT THE FIRST ONE. WE DID HAVE SOME PUBLIC INPUT THAT WE WERE SOLICITING AT THE MEETING, AS WELL AS A GENERAL INFORMATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE TRAFFIC, UH, CONTROL AND PHASING WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AND THEN WE, WE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH NEXTDOOR POSTS, AND WE, WE DO SOME BLASTS OUT TO THE, UH, UH, USING SOCIAL MEDIA. AND THEN WE WORK WITH, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES RELATED TO OUR HOAS, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS AND OUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS SO THAT WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT, UH, TO THOSE FOLKS AS WELL. AND THEN CITYWIDE, UM, WE DID HAVE A, WE DID HOST A COUPLE OF BIG, UH, OPEN HOUSES THAT WENT OVER THE ENTIRE CIP PROGRAM LAST YEAR, ONE IN THE SPRING AND ONE IN THE FALL, UH, WHICH WAS ONE OF OUR COUNCIL TACTICS. WE ALSO USE, UM, RICHARDSON, WE CAN REVIEW TO GET INFORMATION OUT ABOUT ANNOUNCING PROJECTS, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION KICKOFF AND SUCH. UH, WE HAVE PROJECT WEBSITES THAT WE'LL SET UP FOR THE LARGER PROJECTS LIKE CUSSER PARKWAY. UH, IT HAS ITS OWN WEBSITES SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE MORE GRANULAR LEVEL INFORMATION, UH, SINCE THAT IS A LARGE PROJECT THAT IMPACTS A LOT OF FOLKS. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS TRACKER MAP WEBSITE, WHICH IS CORE NET SLASH PROJECTS, WHICH IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR CONSULT TACTICS. WE'VE REALLY LEANED HARD INTO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM [02:15:01] OVER THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, AND IT, UH, IT'S GREAT. IT'S AVAILABLE 24 7. IT, WE'VE TRIED TO PUT THE KEY INFORMATION THAT WE BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR, AS WELL AS REITERATING THE, UM, PROJECT MANAGER'S CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT IF THAT INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE DIRECTLY ON THE WEBSITE, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO TO CALL TO GET THAT INFORMATION. AND, UH, WE'VE REALLY, REALLY TRIED TO USE QR CODES AS WELL ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO THAT QR CODE IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER THAT'S PASTED ON ALL OF OUR, UH, PROJECT SIGNS, THE BIG WHITE AND BLUE SIGNS THAT YOU SEE OUT THERE. WE PUT THIS ON ALL THE LETTERS THAT WE SEND OUT TO THE, UH, RESIDENTS, ANYWHERE WE CAN THINK TO PASTE THIS. UM, WE DO THAT AND THEN KIND OF DOVETAIL ON THAT WHOLE IDEA, WHICH THE IMAGE THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, WE HAD SOME REFRIGERATOR MAGNETS MADE, AND THAT'S GOT OUR LOGO ON IT AS WELL AS THE QR CODE. AND ANYTIME WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING OR A FACE-TO-FACE, UH, GATHERING, WE TRY AND GIVE THESE OUT. IT'S MORE PERMANENT, IT'S LESS LIKELY TO GET LOST THAN A LETTER. SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO GET THAT IN FRONT OF FOLKS, WE'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO PUSH THAT AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY OR, OR GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND BEFORE I DO A DEMO, I GUESS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER BEFORE I MOVE INTO THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE WEBSITE? MR. CHU? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ALL THE DETAIL UPDATE IN THIS CAPITAL PROJECTS. VERY EXCITED. UH, SO MANY PROJECTS GOING ON. UH, AND, UH, BUT OF COURSE, CONSTRUCTION IS NEVER REALLY DURING CONSTRUCTION , IT'S NOT FUN FOR PEOPLE TO WATCH FROM OUTSIDE. UH, MANAGING A SMALL, YOU KNOW, VERY COMPLICATED ALSO, BUT YOU HAVE 110 PROJECTS, BUT, UH, BUT THE CONTRACT NUMBER IS 328. I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM, BUT COULD YOU PLEASE SURE. JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT. MOST PRO MOST PROJECTS HAVE A DESIGN CONTRACT, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, AND THEN A MATERIALS TESTING CONTRACT. THAT'S, THAT'S MAJORITY WHERE THOSE, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE COMING FROM. OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S, THAT'S THE CLARIFICATION WHY THAT NUMBER IS TOO DIFFERENT THERE. NOW I'M GONNA ASK YOU FOR COUPLE PROJECTS, A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. SURE. UH, ON SLIDE NUMBER 25, YOU HAD THAT PROJECT, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN STREET PROJECTS FROM GREENVILLE TO, UH, ABRAM. WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECTS? UH, WHAT'S IN IT? SO IT'LL, IT'LL BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE, UH, WEST OF GREENVILLE. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS INSTEAD OF HAVING A MEDIAN, IT WILL HAVE A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE. SO IT'LL BE FIVE LANES OF PAVEMENT RATHER THAN FOUR LANES AND A MEDIAN. OKAY. ANY WATER SEWER YOU'RE DOING THERE? YES, SIR. WE'RE DOING THE WATER SEWER AND THEN THE STREET SCAPING AND PAVEMENT. AND IT'S STORM. NO, UH, THERE IS SOME STORM IMPROVEMENT. YES, SIR. YOU'RE DOING THAT ALSO. OKAY. SO IT, IT, IT, IT INVOLVES EVERYTHING AND WHAT YES, I THINK, UH, WHAT'S THE CONSTRUCTION? I KNOW YOU HAVE THE SCHEDULE THERE. SO YOU HAD, UH, WHAT, NINE, UH, NINE MONTHS CONSTRUCTION PERIOD? YES. THAT'S WHAT THE SCHEDULE SAID. YES. AND YOU ARE ON SCHEDULE AT THE MOMENT? YES, WE ARE AT THE MOMENT. UH, AND DO YOU REMEMBER THE BUDGET FOR THE CONSTRUCTION? YOU DON'T HAVE TO IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER. IT'S, IT'S TOO MANY NUMBERS TO REMEMBER. SO THAT'S, YEAH, I DON'T RECALL RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD EXACTLY WHAT THE, THE FINAL NUMBER IS ON THAT. OKAY. NOW THAT, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY OKAY, BECAUSE I, I DON'T EXPECT THAT TO REMEMBER 110 PROJECTS. 328 CONTRACTS. YES. UH, SO, AND FOR THE GR UM, GLENVILLE PROJECTS, GLENVILLE DRIVE PROJECTS, THAT'S ON SLIDE EIGHT THAT YOU HAVE. NOW THAT THAT PROJECT IS, UH, I'M SURE YOU DON'T REMEMBER THE DOLLAR FIGURE, THAT ROUGHLY 10 MILLION, 12 MILLION, 15 MILLION. IT'S ABOUT 20 MILLION, I BELIEVE. 20 MILLION PROJECTS. UH, IT'S PRETTY LARGE PROJECTS, 20 MILLION. I MEAN, WITH THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONSTRUCTION TIME, IT'S LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS. YES. CONSTRUCTION. IT'S, BUT, BUT AGAIN, I'M LIKE SO EXCITED THAT LEAST WE SEE THE, THE BAR IS TOO CLOSE TO THE END OF THE RED LINE , SO, UM, IT, IT CAN'T BE CLOSE ENOUGH. CAN'T BE CLOSE ENOUGH. I KNOW , UH, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME LESSON LEARNED. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GREAT PROJECTS TO, UH, UNDERSTAND LOTS OF THINGS. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SO MANY UNKNOWN FACTORS ARE COMING FORWARD. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW USEFUL THE PAST EXPERIENCE SOMETIMES, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING ALL THE NEW THINGS COMING UP IN THE MARKET TODAY, UH, YOU KNOW, SUPPLY CHAINS HAS BEEN DISRUPTED, AGAIN, FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTION, WHICH AT LEAST I DID NOT THINK THAT COULD HAPPEN, UH, FROM LAST YEAR. [02:20:01] SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. AND, UH, ALSO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE, ALL THE CONSTRUCTION SITES SAFE. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY BIG HEADLINES ANYWHERE, SO, WHICH IS GOOD. UH, AND, UH, THIS IS VERY CHALLENGING TO KEEP, KEEP UP WITH THE SAFETY THING. SO THE ODDS ARE GONNA BE HIGHER TOWARDS THE END OF THE CONSTRUCTION. SO JUST NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL, LIKE TOWARDS THE END, EVEN THOUGH SO FAR EVERYTHING IS GREAT. UH, AND WISH YOU THE BEST, UH, SO THAT WE COMPLETE ALL THE PROJECTS. SAFEWAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. BARRIOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION ON SLIDE 20. UH, I'M, THIS IS THE BE HUNT BRANCH CULVERT. FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THERE'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE COMPLAINTS ON THAT, UH, THAT I DRIVE BY THERE EVERY DAY. I LIVE JUST A FEW HOUSES SOUTH OF THAT, THIS PROJECT. AND, UH, GREAT JOB. I LOVE THE WAY THE TRAFFIC HAS FLOWN DOWN BELT LINE, SO I'M GLAD YOU POINTED THAT OUT. IT, YOU'VE KEPT IT TO TWO LANES, KEPT TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION. YOU, Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. UM, QUESTION, WHEN I READ THIS, I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M READING THIS BOTTOM CORRECT, WHERE THE RED ENDS, THAT'S WHERE THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO END, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO, LIKE WHEN I'M READING THIS, THIS IS TOWARDS THE END OF Q3, CORRECT? THAT IT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY FINISHED. MM-HMM . OKAY. ALRIGHT. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I WAS READING THOSE CORRECTLY AND UNDERSTOOD. AND IT WASN'T, UM, QUESTION YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES ABOUT HOW THE, UM, UTILITIES AND, UM, OH, OUR, UH, FRANCHISEES, HOW THOSE BECOME ISSUES. HELP ME UNDERSTAND FOR A NON-CONSTRUCTION GUY SURE. WHO, WHO KNOWS VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE WORLD OF CONSTRUCTION, UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND. SO WE COME UP WITH A PLAN, WE FIGURE OUT FUNDING. YOU DO YOU SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS BELTLINE PROJECT. SO THERE MAY BE GAS GOING THROUGH THERE, THERE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK OF ALL THESE AND THEN YOU REACH OUT TO THEM AND THEN THEY SEND YOU THE PLANS AND THEN YOU KIND OF, I GUESS PUT IT TOGETHER AND FIGURE IT OUT. I MEAN, IS WHAT'S THE PROCESS THERE AND HOW DOES THAT WORK USUALLY? SURE. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN. WE NOTIFY ALL THE COMPANIES. UM, WE ALSO CALL 8 1 1, WHICH IS THE COMPANIES THAT GO OUT THERE AND MARK THE FLAGS ALONG THE WALL SO THAT THOSE FLAGS AND LINES THAT ARE MARKED GET PICKED UP BY THE ENGINEERS SURVEYOR WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE SURVEY FOR THE PROJECT. UH, WE ALSO DO COORDINATION DIRECTLY WITH THE UTILITY COMPANIES. UH, WE HAVE A MONTHLY MEETING THAT WE HAVE WITH ALL THE COMPANIES. WE HAVE A CONFERENCE CALL RUN THROUGH PROJECT STATUS, UH, SEND THEM PLANS, UH, OR LINKS FOR WHERE WE ARE IN THE, UH, SYSTEM. SO WE SAY WE'RE WORKING ON THIS STRETCH OF ROAD BETWEEN THIS INTERSECTION AND THIS INTERSECTION, AND THEY, THEY PROVIDE US RECORDS OF THEIR, THEIR FACILITIES. AND THEN AS WE DEVELOP PLANS THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE PROVIDE THAT TO THE UTILITY COMPANIES FOR THEM TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACCURATELY DEPICTED, UH, AS FAR AS NUMBER OF LINES WHERE THEY ARE, UM, WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE, UH, CONFLICTS ON. BECAUSE UTILITIES TYPICALLY HAVE A, A DEPTH THAT THEY INSTALL TO. UM, SO THEY LOOK AT WHAT OUR PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE, UM, SEE IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICTS THAT THEY ANTICIPATE AT THAT POINT. AND THEN, UM, I MEAN, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO IZE THOSE PLANTS. IF THERE'S AN ABSOLUTE CRITICAL PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT, UH, WE KNOW IS GONNA BE A PROBLEM, WE WILL POTHOLE IT. UM, THAT IS JUST A LOCALIZED BUT FOUR INCH DIAMETER HOLE THAT THEY'LL, UH, USE A, UH, PRESSURE WASHER AND BACK TRUCK TO GET DOWN TO THAT IS, UH, THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT LIMITS. YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY VERY SPECIFIC WHEN YOU DO THAT TYPE OF METHOD. BUT IN GENERAL, WE, WE DO OUR BEST TO LOCATE ALL THAT. AND IF THERE IS ANTICIPATED CONFLICTS, GET THOSE RELOCATED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION. BUT, UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING OFF THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE IN THE GROUND, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN . YEAH. SO WE'RE, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO COORDINATE AND, UH, IT JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST. AND, ALRIGHT, SO, SO NICK, TO TO LAYMAN EYES IT YES. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY MARK WHERE THEY THINK THEIR UTILITIES ARE, OFTENTIMES THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY ARE. THAT'S CORRECT. RIGHT. AND IF WE SEND A FRANCHISEE A SET OF PLANS, AND THEY REVIEW THOSE PLANS AND THEY COME BACK AND THEY REVIEWED 'EM INCORRECTLY, WHAT IS OUR, WHAT IS OUR, WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE FOR THEM? THERE REALLY ISN'T. RIGHT. THAT'S THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. AND I MEAN, WE, WE CAN DO, WE CAN BE VERY THOROUGH. WE CAN DO ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE [02:25:01] THAT'S POSSIBLE WITHOUT LITERALLY REMOVING ALL THE CONCRETE AND LOOKING BELOW IT. UM, AND, AND THERE THERE'S JUST SIMPLY NOT A CONSEQUENCE. AND OFTENTIMES WHEN WE SEND THESE PLANS OFF, WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING TO GO IN THE EARLY STAGES BY THE INFORMATION THAT THEY REPORT TO US, BY THEIR OWN MARKINGS. AND THEN WE HAVE TO TRUST THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND THEN OFTEN, UH, TIMES, AS IS THE CASE OF CUSTER, UM, IF A NATURAL DISASTER HAPPENS OR IF THERE'S A MAJOR, UH, YOU KNOW, GAS LINE, UH, BREAK SOMEWHERE ELSE, ALL THAT RESOURCES THAT FRANCHISE GOES TO, TO DEALING WITH THAT, AND THEN A PROJECT LIKE CUSTER, THEY PAUSE AND THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WE CAN'T DO. WE CAN'T MOVE THE GAS LINE IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF CUSTER. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO GET BETTER AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY WORK WITH THE, UH, UTILITIES. BUT AGAIN, I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME IN A COMPLETELY BUILT OUT ENVIRONMENT, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO NOT REPAIR OUR STREETS ANYMORE, WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO REPLACE, YOU KNOW, ARAPAHOE TO CAMPBELL, YOU KNOW, CURB TO CURB. UM, WE ARE GONNA INEVITABLY RUN INTO ISSUES THAT ARE COMPLETELY UN YOU KNOW, WE, THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN ANTICIPATE 'EM OR IDENTIFY 'EM UNTIL YOU GET INTO THE PROJECT. AND I THINK THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE IS TO HELP EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING WE'RE NOT DOING ON THE FRONT END, IT'S JUST WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY AND THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE'RE, UM, WE'RE EMBARKING ON. I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO REBUILD THIS CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE AND AND OUR UTILITIES AND OUR, OUR FRANCHISE PARTNERS, UM, WE'LL GET BETTER, BUT IT'S NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE. AND, AND WE'RE GONNA INEVITABLY RUN INTO THINGS THAT WE, WE, WE CAN'T FORECAST OR PREDICT. AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT IN THE OLDER PARTS OF TOWN, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY OUR SIDE OF TOWN, THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S MUCH OLDER VERSUS UP IN THE PANHANDLE WHERE IT'S NEWER CONSTRUCTION, KIND OF A NEWER PART OF THE CITY. YEAH, YEAH. THE, AS BUILTS AND THE OLDER PART OF THE TOWN ARE GONNA BE MUCH MORE SUSPECT THAN IN, IN A NEWER, I MEAN, WHEN THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WERE CREATING AS-BUILTS IN, IN YOUR PART OF TOWN, THE TECHNOLOGY THEY WERE USING WAS DIFFERENT. THE SCIENCE THEY WERE USING WAS DIFFERENT THAN IN BRECKENRIDGE. RIGHT, RIGHT. SO BRECKENRIDGE IS GONNA NATURALLY BE MORE ACCURATE, BUT UM, UNFORTUNATELY WHERE WE'RE WORKING A LOT IS IN AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE IN THE FIFTIES, SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES RIGHT NOW. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE A MAGIC MAP OF THE CITY THAT SAYS WHERE EVERY GAS LINE IS, WHERE EVERY PHONE LINE IS WHERE EVERY, IF, IF YOU FIND THAT, PLEASE SHARE THAT. YES. . YES. RIGHT. UM, I THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE, OH, WHAT WAS THE OTHER THING I WAS GONNA ASK OFF OF THAT? I FORGOT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION. SURE, SURE. AND I MAY COME BACK IF I REMEMBER WHAT THAT, THAT LAST QUESTION WAS COUNCILMAN HUTCHEN RE THANK YOU MAYOR NICK. GREAT PRESENTATION. TWO, TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. WE HAVE FOUR MAIN PROJECTS. I ASSUME THAT WE'RE PRETTY WELL BOUGHT OUT ON THE FIRE STATION. YES. LIBRARY. WHERE ARE WE AT FROM A BUYOUT BOUGHT OUT PERSPECTIVE? I THINK WE GOT ABOUT 25% LEFT ON BUYOUT. CHARLES, YOU CONCUR ON THE VAST MAJORITY IS COMPLETE. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY FAR ALONG IN THE BUYOUT AND CITY HALL OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE THE BIGGIE. PROBABLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT WERE BOUGHT OUT. CORRECT. DO WE KNOW, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, 'CAUSE OF MY OTHER JOB, WE DO A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION. I'M HEARING THAT STEEL BEING ABLE TO SOURCE STEEL IN AMERICA VERSUS GOING TO OTHER PLACES BECAUSE OF THE TARIFFS. DO WE HAVE A FEEL YET FROM OUR CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT GETTING STEEL FOR OUR, FOR CITY HALL? 'CAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THAT AND ELECTRICAL, I THINK, I KNOW WE'RE DOING EMERGENCY GENERATORS EVERYWHERE, BUT IF I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR SPECS ARE, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S A GREAT CHANCE THAT WE'RE BUILDING THOSE HERE IN AMERICA. BUT DO WE HAVE A FEEL FOR THE STEEL? THAT'S WHAT I CONTINUE HERE TO HEAR IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTIES AT THE MOMENT. I ACTUALLY, I, I ACTUALLY THINK WE ARE BUYING DOMESTIC STEEL FOR CITY HALL DOMESTIC STEEL. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. SO THAT WILL, THAT'S A SOURCE DOMESTIC. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR HOW MUCH RISK WE HAVE SITTING OUT THERE FROM A TARIFF'S PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I CONTINUE TO HEAR IS THAT SEVERAL COMPANIES HAVE, HAVE SOUGHT CANADIAN STEEL AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A RUBBER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO GET INTO THE POLITICS, I'M JUST SIMPLY TRYING TO SAY WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. I KNOW WE, WE HAVE THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACTOR FOR CITY HALL HAS REALLY BEEN TRYING TO FOCUS ON EARLY OUT FOR THOSE, THOSE THINGS. THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP A PULSE ON THAT. UH, THEY'RE A VERY WELL ORGANIZED CONTRACTORS, SO I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO STAY AHEAD OF IT THE BEST THEY CAN. OKAY. SECOND QUESTION. SURE. YOU AND ME. OKAY. FORGET THAT SIDE OF THE ROOM. AT THE MOMENT, WE AS A CITY COUNCIL HAVE TAKEN SOME HITS BECAUSE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT. IS THERE ANYTHING FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION THAT WE AS A CITY COUNCIL COULD HAVE DONE, COULD HAVE ASKED, COULD HAVE INSTRUCTED, COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE RUN ACROSS? [02:30:01] IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY? US AS A CITY COUNCIL, NOT, I REALIZE Y'ALL HAVE LEARNED A LOT. I MEAN, THAT THERE'S BEEN LESSONS LEARNED AND WE'VE MADE CORRECTIONS AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT. I'M JUST ASKING, BEFORE WE WENT INTO THESE PROJECTS, WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY? I GUESS, I'M SORRY, DID DID YOU SAY WITH REGARDS TO THE FRANCHISE UTILITIES OR NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY THE ROADWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN BEATEN ABOUT THE HEAD AND NECK AND YOU KNOW, I, I ALWAYS, YOU, YOU, YOU MADE THE COMMENT THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF INTROSPECTION AND FIGURED, FIGURED OUT SOME LESSONS LEARNED AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO I KIND OF AM ASKING YOU THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT US. WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED, SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY? SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, INSTRUCTED, CHALLENGED, HOWEVER, HOWEVER YOU WANNA WORD IT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY THE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T, OKAY, THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS, IT'S JUST A HONEST QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR ESTIMATION, IS THERE SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED OR DONE DIFFERENTLY? OR IS IT JUST TRULY THAT WE RAN ACROSS THESE CHALLENGES AND WE'VE LEARNED AS WE'VE GONE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE JUST LIKE ANY ANYONE ELSE WOULD DO. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING, AND SOME OF THIS IS COMING OUT OF COVID, IS HELPING MANAGE EXPECTATIONS FOR DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE DO, I, I THINK THIS SLIDE ALONE, IT, WE DEAL WITH ANY NUMBER OF CHALLENGES ON ANY GIVEN PROJECT AND THEY'RE GOING BE DIFFERENT ON EVERY SINGLE PROJECT. UM, AND TO VARYING DEGREES. SO I THINK IF, I GUESS HAVING YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS TEMPERED, AND THEN ALSO IF YOU DO HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE UPSET OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES, TRYING TO HELP RESET THOSE EXPECTATIONS ON THAT FRONT, I THINK WOULD BE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HELP BECAUSE I DON'T, THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION IS NOT THAT CHALLENGING. , IT'S ALL OF THE OUTSIDE INFLUENCES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, BUT THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. AND BEING ABLE TO DELIVER IT ON TIME, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES OUTSIDE YOUR CONTROL, STEEL AVAILABILITY, WORKER SHORTAGE, FRANCHISE UTILITIES, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY KIND OF CONTROL OVER. WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO MANAGE THAT AND JUST HELPING OTHER FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE, WE'RE NOT JUST SITTING IDLE AND LETTING THINGS ROLL. WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO TRY AND KEEP EVERYTHING MOVING FORWARD AND NOT GET INTO THAT POSITION WHERE WE ARE BEHIND THE CURVE. BUT, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING I COULD ASK FOR, FOR HELP ON. SO, SO EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY. SO FROM, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S REALLY NOT A SYSTEMATIC CHANGE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE AS A COUNCIL. IT'S, IT'S MORE OF, LIKE YOU SAID, JUST TRYING TO HELP MANAGE EXPECTATIONS. THERE'S NOT SOME BIG ASK THAT YOU NEED OF US TO MAKE SOME WHOLESALE CHANGE IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS AND, AND DO 'EM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT YES, SIR. OKAY, GREAT. NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, I JUST HAVE A, I'M JUST FAIR QUESTION. I I, I DO, I, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I WEAR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT HI OUTSIDE OF THIS, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION WITHIN OUR, OUR HEALTH SYSTEM, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU DEAL WITH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. AND I THINK THAT, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LEVEL OF UN UNFAIRNESS LEVELED IN REGARDS TO JUST LIKE WHAT YOU JUST SAID, UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND SORT OF LIKE WHAT COUNCILMAN VARIOUS ALLUDED TO, UM, PROBABLY EVEN STRONGER THAN ALLUDED, BUT YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT IN A LOT OF THE AREAS THERE'S NOT PERFECT AS-BUILTS. AND SO YOU, YOU, WHEN YOU NO DIFFERENT, IF ANYBODY HAS EVER REMODELED A HOUSE OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU TAKE A WALL AND OPEN IT UP AND IT'S LIKE, OH, WOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A MAIN DRAIN LINE THERE AND YOU GOTTA MOVE IT. AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A FACT OF LIFE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO NARROW IT DOWN, PARDON MY FRENCH, BUT CUT OUT THE BS AND SAY THAT OVERALL, YOU KNOW, ON EVERY PROJECT YOU LEARN A LITTLE SOMETHING, BUT IT'S NOT THIS MAJOR O OVERHAUL CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? YES, SIR. WELL, CAN LET, LET ME JUST, LET ME, LET ME MAYBE KIND OF PUT A, A, A, A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN NICK'S ON IT. SO THE MAIN, THE MAIN PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE HAD ON CUSTER TO A LESSER EXTENT, WESTBURY CREEK AND GLENVILLE, UM, WERE NOTHING THAT THE COUNCIL COULD HAVE, NOTHING THAT THE COUNCIL COULD HAVE INTERVENED ON. RIGHT? WE HAVE A BIDDING PROCESS. IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT'S DICTATED BY STATE LAW. AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SELECT A CONTRACTOR, UH, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S A NEW CONTRACTOR, YOU'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHO YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED TO FOR IN THESE PROJECTS, RIGHT? SURE. UM, CUSTER AND PRAIRIE CREEK, THE CONTRACTOR PERFORMED POORLY. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WERE UTILITY ISSUES THAT, THAT WE COULD NOT GO OUT AND MANAGE AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM OURSELF. SO THAT WAS KIND OF A DOUBLE, A DOUBLE SWORD THERE. UM, ON GLENVILLE, I THINK WHAT NICK HAS DESCRIBED AS IS PROBABLY MOST ACCURATE. IT, IT WAS A, UH, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED PROJECT [02:35:01] THAT WAS, THAT WAS COMPLICATED EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE MUCH OF WHAT WE FOUND SUBGRADE WAS NOT ACCURATE AND NOT WHAT WE HAD ENVISIONED. SO I WOULD, I WOULD TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER AND SAY IT'S NOT ONLY THAT THE COUNCIL COULD NOT HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY, UM, I WOULD SAY IN THOSE THREE PROJECTS, UH, CITY STAFF, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REFINING RIGHT NOW ARE NOT, ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, CHANGE THE FACT THAT IF A UTILITY SAYS WE CAN'T GET THERE FOR SIX MONTHS, THAT RIGHT? I MEAN, THESE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO BETTER THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN MANY RESPECTS AND TO CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT WHILE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT'S GOING ON. BUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES, THE QUALITY OF WORK OF A CONTRACTOR, FOR INSTANCE, OR A UTILITY SAYING, WE CAN'T GET THERE AND YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT ON US. AND AGAIN, I ASK THAT QUESTION VERY SPECIFICALLY, WHETHER IT'S IN THE DESIGN PHASE OR WHETHER IT'S IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY NOT A CONSEQUENCE FOR A AT AND T OR, UH, ATMA. SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A CONSEQUENCE. IF THEY'RE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES AND THEY SAY IT'S GONNA TAKE THAT LONG TO GET THERE, THEN THAT'S HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THERE. UM, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO RICHARDSON IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, RIGHT? UH, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UM, WE CAN PLAN DIFFERENTLY. UM, IT'S, UM, A BYPRODUCT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR THESE FRANCHISE UTILITIES IN, IN SOMETIMES ALL OF TEXAS. I MEAN, WHEN THERE'S A BIG, WHEN THERE'S A BIG WINTER STORM OR THERE'S A HURRICANE, OR THERE ARE OTHER KIND OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND ALL OF THEIR RESOURCES GET PULLED THERE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA UNNECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE DELAYED AND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT. UM, I THINK THE REFINEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING, AGAIN, ARE TO CREATE SAFER ENVIRONMENTS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN CUSTER AND TO CR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION SO THAT THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, UM, IS, IS BETTER. UM, THE LAST THING I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, WITH RESPECT TO, AGAIN, NOT, NOT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE HERE, BUT, UM, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO RECONSTRUCT, UM, A CITY THAT'S, THAT'S A FULLY BUILT OUT CITY, THAT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PROPOSITION. AND I HEAR A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE APPLIED MAYBE TO GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT AND NEW CONSTRUCTION, SAY, WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO IT THAT WAY? AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO LET A COMMUNITY LIVE, UH, AROUND AN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE, RIGHT? YEAH. I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO, I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE LIVING THEIR LIVES, THEY'RE DRIVING THEIR CARS, THEY NEED THEIR TRASH PICKED UP NINE ONE, I MEAN, AN AMBULANCE OR AN EMS HAS TO GET THERE. AND SO IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION. THE BEST PRACTICES FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING ARE WAY DIFFERENT THAN THE BEST PRACTICES, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT WE SEE IN A LOT OF GREENVILLE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH QUITE HONESTLY IS JUST A LOT EASIER. , I MEAN, IT REALLY JUST IS A LOT EASIER. AND SO, UM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THE COUNCIL COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENT WHEN WE LET THOSE THREE PROJECTS OR WE AWARDED THOSE THREE PROJECTS AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, WE'RE REFINING. WELL, I DO AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I, I JUST WANNA ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE IS WE, WE, I THINK WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STAFF AND I THINK THEY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB, BUT IN FAIRNESS, I ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE A, WE ASK THE QUESTION OF IS THERE SOMETHING, IS THERE ANYTHING, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO LET US OFF THE HOOK OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES. IT'S WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, UH, WHENEVER, WHENEVER, AGAIN, OUTSIDE OF COUNSEL AT MY PROFESSIONAL JOB, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE TAKE IT ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN EVERY WHICH DIRECTION WE LOOK AT IT AND WE SAY, OKAY, WHAT, IS THERE ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE, WHERE WAS THERE ANYWHERE THAT WE COULD HAVE MADE A, MADE A TWEAK OR MADE A DIFFERENCE, OR WHATEVER. SO I JUST WANNA, NUMBER ONE, ASK THAT. AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS, TO YOUR POINT, ALL OF THE SUPPOSED EXPERTS THAT WE KEEP, YOU KNOW, HEARING THAT THINK THEY GOT ALL OF IT SOLVED AND FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT. I'M SORRY YOU DON'T, I'M JUST GONNA CALL IT TONIGHT. YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND WHEN YOU SIT THERE AND SAY THERE'S A THOUSAND OTHER WAYS THAT THINGS COULD BE DONE, IT'S NOT WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU OPEN THAT UP AND THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A MAIN LINE THAT'S NOT WHERE IT, IT'S SHOWN ON THE LS BELTS OR WHATEVER, YOU GOTTA STOP. YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA GET EVERYONE PULLED TOGETHER. THE ARCHITECT HAS TO BE THERE, THE ENGINEERING HAS TO BE THERE, YOUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOLKS, EVERYBODY HAS TO STOP, LOOK AT IT AND GO, OH BOY, OKAY, SO NOW WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? AND SO I JUST WANNA CALL IT WHAT IT IS BECAUSE I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MIND TAKING MY, I DON'T MIND ME AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TAKING LUMPS WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE LUMPS OR CITY STAFF TAKE LUMPS WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE CLUMPS. BUT DOUG ON IT, YOU GUYS, I THINK HAVE DONE DONE OUTSTANDING WORK AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE NAYSAYERS COME WALK IN NICK'S SHOES FOR, FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. AND I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT OF WHAT SURE OF THEIR, OF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. SO THAT'S ENOUGH. I'LL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX. LAST THING I'LL SAY IS NICK IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT SETTING EXPECTATIONS, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR ON THAT FIRST. UM, WE PUT, WE ACTUALLY PUT OUT THE START AND THE END DATE, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS, VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BUILDING IN FOR BUILDING IN FOR THE UNEXPECTED. [02:40:02] UM, AND, AND, UH, NOT NECESSARILY BEING SO TEXTBOOK ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S SUPPOSED TO TAKE AND REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT ON THESE MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WE NEED TO BUILD INTO OUR CALENDAR AND INTO OUR TIMELINE, UM, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE'RE GONNA FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD RATHER SET EXPECTATIONS WITH THAT MINDSET AND THEN FINISH EARLY THAN TRY TO BE TEXTBOOK AND FINISH LATE. RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE USING, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO UTILIZE THAT MINDSET WHEN WE GO ABOUT OUR, OUR TIMELINE PLANNING. YEAH. AND, AND YOU'RE A LITTLE DARNED IF YOU DO DARNED IF YOU DUMB. YEAH. BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL BE CALLED A SANDBAGGER. YEAH. SO THAT'S THE OTHER COMPONENT AS WELL, IN ALL HONESTY. THANK YOU MAYOR PRODU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I, I FORGOT ONE QUESTION AND YOU TOUCHED THAT ON YOUR LAST STATEMENT. UH, BUT I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THIS ONE. UH, YOU KNOW, EXPECTATION, THAT'S THE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, WE ALL UNDERSTAND. I THINK OUR PRECEDENTS, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT CONSTRUCTION IS NOT THAT SIMPLE THINGS. IT'S COMPLICATED. THE EXPECTATION IS FROM THEM IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE DONE. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I HEAR FROM PEOPLE, THAT WHEN THEY DRIVE, OKAY, HOW MANY DAYS LEFT? THAT'S THE THINGS. AND UH, YES, OF COURSE ON THE SCHEDULE, YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME FLOAT THE BUILT IN FLOAT. SO THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN FACTORS. I THINK THAT'S HOW WE CAN SHOW, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE TWO THINGS ON THE CONTRACT. THERE IS ONE SCHEDULE AND OUTSIDE ANOTHER SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE FLOW. SO THAT WILL HELP. NOW TO FIND THE START, DATE AND DATE, YOU HAVE THE PROJECT SIGNED. SO THERE YOU HAVE THE SIGN, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT DATE THAT IT SHOWS THAT IT'S GONNA GO THAT LONG, 365 DAYS, 700 DAYS. SO IF THERE IS A WAY NOW THAT YOU HAVE A CURE CODE, CURE CODE, SO THAT WILL HELP. BUT IF YOU HAVE A SIGN, IT'S DIFFICULT TO MANAGE 110 PROJECTS. THAT UPDATE SCHEDULE, UH, MIGHT NOT BE THAT SIMPLE DOING THAT ON THE SIGN ACTUAL, BUT ON THE CURE CODE, ON THE GIS MAP, THAT'S WHAT I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE THE GS MAP THAT'S COMING UP. UH, THAT'S ALREADY IN THAT, THAT'S AN ENDLESS POSSIBILITY WITH THAT MAP. MM-HMM . IT CAN DO THINGS. SO IN ITS INEXPENSIVE WAY, PUT MULTILAYER, LOTS OF THINGS. IT, THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING, I THINK. BUT WITH THAT, THE, WOULD THE QR QR CODE IS GONNA TAKE TWO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, OR IT IS GONNA GO TO THE CITY WEBSITE, HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK. IT WILL GO TO THE, UH, OVERALL MAP, WHICH WE'LL WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT THAT THE QR CODE WILL TAKE TO THE OVERALL MAP DEMONSTRATION. YES, SIR. I'LL GIVE THE DEMONSTRATION. I'LL SHOW YOU WHERE IT GOES. OKAY. I'M GONNA HOLD ON MY QUESTION. ANYTHING THEN I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA TRUST, LET'S NOT JUMP ON THAT THING RIGHT NOW. OKAY. YOU COUNCILMAN COR, THANK YOU. OH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WAS JUST GONNA ADD TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HUT RIDER SAID REAL QUICK, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, JUST LIKE A LITTLE MORE, MORE CONTEXT. I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE, UM, AN ADDED COMPLICATION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, OR ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, IT'S DONE IN TWO PHASES, RIGHT? CUSTER, NORTH AND SOUTH, UM, IS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. AND I REMEMBER I HAD A RESIDENT WHO THOUGHT THAT WE HAD HIRED THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT THIS RESIDENT DIDN'T LIKE, UH, FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THE CUSTER PROJECT. UM, BUT THIS RESIDENT JUST GOT CONFUSED BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY READ, UM, THEY SORT OF LIKE REREAD SOME OF THE OLD DOCUMENTS AND THOUGHT THEY WERE THE NEW PROJECTS. AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE COUNCIL AND OUR COUNCIL MANAGER FOR GOVERNMENT, I MEAN REALLY, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN RE I FEEL LIKE WHERE, WHERE IF PEOPLE WANT TO GIVE US ANY FLAG, IT'S IN SORT OF THE PLANNING OF WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AND THEN ALSO VOTING ON THE CONTRACTS PERHAPS. BUT ONCE IT GETS TO THIS PHASE, I MEAN, IT REALLY IS, IT REALLY IS CITY STAFF. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I THINK THAT IF IT EVER HAPPENED THAT IT COULD BE FAULTED ON IS IF, UM, YOU KNOW, IF A CONTRACTOR PERFORMS REALLY POORLY ON ONE OF THESE PROJECTS, AND THEN SOMEHOW WE VOTE AS A COUNCIL TO APPROVE THEM FOR A DIFFERENT ONE MM-HMM . AND LUCKILY OUR CITY STAFF HAS JUST BEEN REALLY PHENOMENAL ABOUT CATALOGING AND REMEMBERING THOSE MM-HMM . SO THAT THAT HASN'T, YEAH. SUPPOSE WHY THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. SO THAT WAS, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S MY POINT IS YEAH, YOU'RE, AND, AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, WE'VE ALL TAKEN OUR CARS IN SOMEWHERE AND HAD 'EM REPAIRED AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, I WON'T GO BACK THERE AGAIN. OKAY. YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHATEVER THAT SAYING SHAMEY WANTS FULL ON, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT IS, IT'S IT. YEAH. SO I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANNA BE FAIR TO THE WHOLE PROCESS AND TO EVERYONE INVOLVED. AND SO I JUST WANNA, I WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE. THANKS, NICOLA. WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO ONE EXAMPLE OR, OR SO ON THE MAP TO SHOW WHAT THE, EACH PROJECT ENTAILS IN TERMS OF INFORMATION. OKAY. SO THE QR CODE WILL BRING YOU HERE, WHICH IS, UH, CORE.NET/PROJECTS. UM, IT HAS AN OPTION FOR PHONE VERSUS DESKTOP. [02:45:02] YOU CLICK ON THAT AND THAT WILL BRING UP THE PROJECT TRACKER MAP. NOW, IT, IT WILL SHOW EVERYTHING. THE DEFAULT FILTER. UH, THERE'S THREE CATEGORIES OVER HERE, WHICH ARE BY PROJECT TYPE, SO DRAINAGE FACILITY, HARDSCAPE, SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER FILTER, UH, OVER HERE IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS BY FUNDING SOURCE. AND THEN ANOTHER FILTER DOWN HERE, WHICH IS PROJECT STATUS. SO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. SO ON, UH, AND THEN YOU, SO YOU CAN FILTER BY THAT, OR EXCUSE ME. UM, IT ALSO, IF YOU HAVE THE ALL FILTERS SHOWN ON ALL OF THEM, IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ONGOING. SO YOU CAN SELECT THIS THROUGH HERE BY THE NAME IF YOU KNOW IT, OR YOU CAN GO INTO THE MAP AND ACTUALLY PICK ON A PROJECT. UM, SO THIS, THIS LITTLE FLY OUT COMES OUT FOR ALL THE PROJECTS. IT'LL GIVE YOU THE NAME OF THE PROJECT, SHOWS YOU THE, UH, THE MAP SECTION OF IT AND WHAT THE LIMITS ARE, GIVES YOU THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT, THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT, THE PROJECT MANAGER AND THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THE DESIGN START, THE CONSTRUCTION START, AS WELL AS THE COST AND FUNDING SOURCE. SO WE TRY AND HIT REALLY THE BIG INFORMATION THAT WE THINK WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO FOLKS. UM, AND CERTAINLY IF THIS DOES NOT MEET THE NEED, UH, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO TO GET THE REST OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE SEEKING AT THAT POINT. UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FUNCTIONALITY IN THE FILTERING, UH, METHODS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE SET UP. UH, ONE THING I WILL POINT OUT, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR GIS TEAM RIGHT NOW TO, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE COLORS TO MATCH THE COLORS WE HAVE ON THE PRESENTATION WE JUST HAD, SO THAT IT'S REAL QUICK AND DISCERNIBLE. UM, WE CAN KEEP BUILDING ON, ON IMPROVING, BUT, UH, I GUESS I'M GLAD TO SHOW ANY OTHER FUNCTIONALITY THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THAT. NICK, WHEN DID YOU PUT THIS IN? HOW LONG HAS HAVE WE HAD THIS OPTION? THIS HAS, THIS HAS BEEN UP QUITE A WHILE. I WANNA SAY 18 MONTHS PLUS. 18 MONTHS BEEN UP. THANK DAN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. NICK, QUICK QUESTION. YES SIR. DO YOU HAVE TO UPDATE THIS LIKE MANUALLY ONCE A WEEK? IS THIS INTERACT WITH YOUR, YOUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. IT DOES INTERACT WITH OUR, OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE EACH ONE OF THE PROJECT MANAGERS GO THROUGH AND DO A WEEKLY UPDATE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON SO THAT THE INFORMATION IS NO MORE THAN A WEEK OLD. UM, THAT IS A BIG PART. IF IT'S OUTDATED INFORMATION, PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA HAVE CONFIDENCE IN IT AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT. SO WE MAKE SURE IT GETS UPDATED REGULARLY. LAST QUESTION. CAN I HAVE ONE OF THOSE, UH, FRIDGE MAGNETS? YES, SIR. WHENEVER YOU GET. THANK YOU. . I HAD 'EM, I HAD SOME ON MY DESK. I WILL GRAB THEM, UH, AS SOON AS WE WRAP UP. APPRECIATE. SURE. ALL ALRIGHT. SEE YOU. NO MORE QUESTIONS, NICK. GREAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, [F. REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST ] THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM F REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. ANYBODY HAVE ANY INTERESTING MR. BARRIOS MAYOR? UM, LAST SATURDAY, UM, ON THE FIFTH I HAD THE HONOR OF JOINING, UH, THE GREAT FOLKS OVER AT UT DALLAS IN RICHARDSON FOR THEIR ALUMNI AWARDS GALA. AND, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE THE EVENT THEY DID, UH, CALVIN AND DR. BENSON AND HIS TEAM DID AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING JOB. UM, AND IT WAS REALLY NEAT TO HEAR ALL THE GREAT WORK BEING DONE, NOT JUST HERE IN NORTH TEXAS, BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. UH, AND THE IMPACT RICHARDSON AND UTD HAS HAD, UH, IN AMAZING PROJECTS AROUND THE WORLD. UM, THEY HAD ALUMNI COME IN AND AWARDS WERE GIVEN AND JUST, JUST A GREAT PARTNER. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO THEM. UH, LOOKING FORWARD, QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MY WIFE WHO HAS A BIRTHDAY TOMORROW. CAN'T SAY WHICH ONE, BUT, UH, SHE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OLDER. AND THEN ON SATURDAY, THE RICHESON AS UH, WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE RICHESON ADULT LEARNING CENTER IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL MURDER MYSTERY FUNDRAISER. AND THERE ARE STILL TICKETS. I AM, UM, THE GREAT NEWS IS THERE ARE STILL TICKETS. EVEN BETTER NEWS IS, AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M ON THE CAST, BUT I'M BY FAR THE, UM, DEFINITELY NOT THE MOST TALENTED PERSON I CAST. SO IT'S, IT'S GUARANTEED TO BE A GOOD SHOW. UM, THERE ARE TICKETS FOR 85 AND THAT INCLUDES, I BELIEVE, UH, BEER, WINE, FOOD, THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO IF ANYBODY WHO IS LISTENING, PLEASE COME OUT, SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE AND A GREAT ORGANIZATION, OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. JUSTICE. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST A FEW QUICK THINGS. UM, JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER AT THE EISMAN CENTER WAS AMAZING. AS PART OF EISMAN CENTER PRESENTS, THEY TRANSPORTED THE EISMAN CENTER TO NEW ORLEANS AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY FANTASTIC. UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING ON, ON A CITY COUNCIL PAN [02:50:01] PANEL FOR THE NORTH TEXAS DISABILITY CHAMBERS DISABILITY ISSUES, UH, FORUM ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. IT'S THEIR INAUGURAL EVENT. UM, UH, OUR OWN DON MAGNER SERVED ON THE CITY MANAGER PANEL AS WELL. UM, JUST ABOUT WHAT, UM, PEOPLE, UM, WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISABILITY CHAMBER CAN DO TO GET INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND INTERACT WITH THEIR, THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND THEN FINALLY AT THIS PAST SATURDAY, ALTRUSA ANNUAL KINDNESS DAY, UH, WAS HELD. I LOVE THAT EVENT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT PROJECTS GOING AND A REALLY, REALLY INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO FOR, UM, UH, CHARITIES AROUND THE WORLD. SO, UM, KEEPING BUSY. THANK YOU, MR. . MAYOR, JUST TWO THINGS REAL QUICK. UM, FIRST OFF, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY BACK ON THE 26TH OF MARCH SINCE WE DIDN'T MEET, UM, PRIOR TO, UM, GO TO THE RICHARDSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL MEETING. AND WE HAD MARK HARRISON, WHO'S CEO OF NORTH TEXAS, PGA, RONNIE GLANTON, UM, WHO'S OUR HEAD GOLF PRO AND DA ING, WHO'S PROFESSIONAL GOLFER. IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING EVENT, JUST REALLY, REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME. AND THEN ON THE 28TH, UH, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO OUR OWN RICHARDSON FIRE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET. AND SO, UM, A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN THERE. UM, WE HEARD AMAZING, UM, 10, 11, 12 LIFESAVING STORIES AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO. SO JUST A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THEM FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THAT HAPPENS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. THANKS. AWESOME. ALRIGHT. WELL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS. THIS WAS A GREAT WEEK FOR US IN THE FACT THAT WE RECEIVED OUR AAA BOND RATING FROM STANDARD AND POORS AND MOODY'S, UH, FOR THE 15TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. 15TH STRAIGHT YEARS. 16TH STREET, 16TH STRAIGHT YEARS. EXCUSE ME. SO ANYWAY, THAT, THAT IS A GREAT HONOR AND WELL DESERVED BY OUR STAFF. AND YOU COUPLE THAT, COUPLE THAT WITH THE PERFECT AUDIT EARLIER, FEW MONTHS BACK, I THINK, UH, THE TEAM IS JUST AMAZING. UH, ALSO UM, WE HAVE SIGNED CONTRACTS THIS WEEK OR THIS PAST WEEK WITH UM, FILLING UP ALL OF LOCKWOOD. SO WE HAVE THE OAK HIGHLANDS BREWERY MOVING IN AND THE LAS LOMAS MEXICAN CUISINE MOVING IN. SO THAT'LL ALL BE WELL AND I'VE GOT TO GIVE STAFF, UH, SOME KUDOS THERE WITH THEIR ABILITY TO WORK WITH THAT AND ALSO HAVE THE VISION. WE TALK ABOUT THINGS WE'RE DOING. ONE THING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS PURCHASE SOME PROPERTY THERE, WHICH EXPANDED THE PARKING LOT, WHICH NOW ALLOWS THE PARKING FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO GET IN AND HAVE MORE SPOTS THAT ARE SAFE AND FUN YOU ALL GET INSIDE THERE. SO ANYWAY, LOTS OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING. THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THE CORE THAT'S STARTING TO BRANCH OUT AND COMPLETE PART OF THOSE VISIONS THAT WE HAVE SET FORTH. SO WITH THAT, SEEING NOTHING ELSE, WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN THIS MEETING AND IT IS 8:53 PM NOW WITH THAT, HAVING BEEN SAID, THIS MEANS ADJOURNED, BUT WE HAVE A SECOND CALLED MEETING THAT IS GONNA BE IN THE SPRING CREEK CONFERENCE ROOM, AND WE WILL CALL THAT MEETING TO ORDER HERE IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. AND PUBLIC IS WELCOME. IT IS A POSTED MEETING AND UM, WE WILL BE THERE SHORTLY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.