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IT IS NOW 1:02.CALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO ORDER.
MOVE APPROVAL. CAN I GET A SECOND? I GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
JOHN STEPHENS, BOARD PRESIDENT.
HOW ABOUT THERE? YEAH, GREAT, AND IF I COULD I'LL FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AS TENNELL SAID, I'M JOHN STEPHENS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE DALLAS EDC, AND HERE TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR IN AN EFFORT TO BE EFFICIENT WITH YOUR TIME, I'LL PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF THE PRE-READ INFORMATION AND DO MY BEST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, THOUGH, I NEED TO EXPRESS MINE, AND ON BEHALF OF THE EDC, OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE CITY MANAGER, THE STAFF, THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AS WE BUILD THE EDC.
TC, ROBIN BENTLEY, HEATHER LIPSKA, ROBERT PEREZ, AS WELL AS THE FINANCE AND LEGAL TEAMS HAVE ALL BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND THE COLLABORATION HAS BEEN REALLY APPRECIATED. IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE FORMED.
IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE ONE. THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE FORMED AND WE'VE BEEN BUSY.
WE'VE ESTABLISHED THE CORPORATION, ELECTED OFFICERS, CREATED SIX OPERATING COMMITTEES AND THEN CHAIRS, APPROVED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, OBTAINED APPROPRIATE INSURANCE AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
WE CREATED A BUDGET, SOME BASIC OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, BOARD OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TRACKING SYSTEMS, AND INITIATED THE FILING PROCESS TO OBTAIN OUR TAX EXEMPT STATUS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE HAD DOZENS OF BOARD, EXECUTIVE, AND OPERATING COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY, AS WELL AS HOSTING OUR FIRST BOARD RETREAT AND INITIATING THE LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE'VE BEEN BUSY MEETING WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GROUPS TO GET THE CITY OF DALLAS EDC KNOWN AND ACCEPTED, TO PROMOTE DALLAS, AND TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY THAT WILL BENEFIT THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS, INCLUDING EXTENSIVE WORK ON THE NATIONAL CEO SEARCH.
WE PRESENTED AT UTD, AT THE DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL, DALLAS FRIDAY GROUP.
THERE'S NO REAL ESTATE AND DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER EVENTS AND HAVE MORE SCHEDULED.
WE'RE ONE OF THE SPONSORS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE THAT WAS HOSTED RIGHT HERE IN DALLAS, AND OUR TEAM TRAVELED TO INDIA WITH THE GOVERNOR'S TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
WE'VE MET WITH THE KOREAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HERE IN TOWN AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT AND THEIR ECONOMIC COUNCIL WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP ECONOMIC TIES.
LEARN WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE.
IN THE COMING YEAR, WE EXPECT TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON OUR GOALS.
IF WE WOULD, CAN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE? HERE'S OUR LOGO AND OUR STATEMENT THAT DALLAS IS THE EPICENTER OF BUSINESS GROWTH.
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WE CHOSE PEGASUS, THE WINGED HORSE FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT HAS MANY TIES TO DALLAS, BUT BECAUSE IT BRINGS WITH IT THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AS IT SOARS HIGH INTO THE SKY.THAT'S THE EPICENTER OF DFW, OF TEXAS, OF THE NATION, AND OF INTERNATIONAL GROWTH IN ALL INDUSTRIES, IN ALL ASPECTS, BENEFITING OUR CITIZENS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A ALL ENCOMPASSING, NOT LIMITING THOUGHT PROCESS, AND THE BYLINE OF EPICENTER OF BUSINESS GROWTH CAN BE USED IN MANY AREAS, MANY LOCATIONS, MANY INDUSTRIES.
WE PRESENT TO OUR REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON ON MAY 22ND, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE INFORMATION HERE AND REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE RENEWAL OF FIVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO COMPLETED THEIR INITIAL ONE YEAR TERM, AND THAT REQUEST FOR APPROVAL WOULD BE FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEAR TERM.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE CHRIS BRADSHAW, ALAN DORANTES, ARDO FUENTES, LINDA MCMAHON AND DANIA DUNCAN MORENO ALL HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND THE WORK, AND ALL HAVE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO COME, YOU KNOW, TO SIGN UP FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS AND WE'LL MOVE THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. WE ALSO MAY PRESENT SOME BYLAWS OR OTHER CORPORATE DOCUMENT CHANGES AS NEEDED.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH THOSE ISSUES WITH THE APPROPRIATE CITY STAFF.
I WOULD TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW UNDER THE CHARTER, THE BOARD, THE FULL BOARD, HAS TO HIRE ANYONE THAT GOES TO WORK FOR THE EDC.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY, YOU KNOW ANY VIEWPOINT THAT THERE'S SOMETHING DRAG.
THESE ARE JUST OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY ITEMS AT THE CURRENT TIME, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING ABOUT THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND TRY TO BE AS RESPONSIVE AS I POSSIBLY CAN BE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, MR. STEPHENS, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING THIS COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY, COULD YOU BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE THE FUNCTION OF THE EDC AND WHAT TOOLS IT WAS PROVIDED TO CARRY OUT ITS MISSION? YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUR MAIN FUNCTION IS TO BE A MARKETING AGENT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS TO CREATE TO EXCUSE ME, TO ATTRACT AND PROVIDE ECONOMIC GROWTH AS WE SEE IT, IN THE FORMS OF INVESTMENT AND JOBS.
WE WERE PROVIDED A ONE TIME FUNDING OF $7 MILLION.
THAT IS ON WHICH WE'RE THEN INTENDED TO BUILD OUR OWN FUNDING SOURCES GOING FORWARD OR, OR COME BACK TO THE CITY FOR A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
OUR INTERIM CEO IS ACTUALLY ROBIN BENTLEY OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OF THE CITY.
THAT'S WORKED QUITE WELL FOR US.
I WOULD SUGGEST IT'S BEEN A LOT OF EXTRA WORK FOR HER, BUT IT'S WORKED QUITE WELL FOR US, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH OURSELVES AS A COLLABORATIVE TEAM TO WORK ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.
WE VIEW OURSELVES AS HERE TO HELP, AND WE HAVE A 15 MEMBER BOARD THAT HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCES IN MANY OF THE AREAS THAT THE CITY FACES SUCH THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT RIGHT NOW, OUR UNDER OUR CURRENT ILA AGREEMENT, WE ARE FOCUSED ON MARKETING ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT.
IN THE FUTURE, THE COUNCIL COULD ASSIGN US TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, AND IN MANY CITIES, THE EDCS DO GET PROJECTS OVER PARKING SPACE MANAGEMENT OR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER ISSUES THAT THE CITY WANTS TO GET, YOU HAVE PEOPLE MOVE ON, BUT MOVE IN AN INDEPENDENT MANNER.
SO WILL YOUR REPORT TO THE COUNCIL ON MAY 22ND CONTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MISSIONS THAT THE
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EDC CAN CARRY OUT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY? YES. I MEAN, IT WILL INCLUDE MUCH OF WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, BUT OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO WORK ON.SO, FOR EXAMPLE, EFFORTS TO BRING THE US KOREAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE HERE TO DALLAS AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IT IN, IN LA, WHERE USUALLY ELSE WE HAVE A KOREATOWN HERE.
WE'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AS WELL AS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I'D SUGGEST THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
I KNOW WE'RE PARTICIPATING WITH ANOTHER GROUP WITH A NUMBER OF JAPANESE HEADS OF STATE THAT ARE COMING IN LATE MARCH, AND WE HAVE SOME BOARD MEMBERS WHO SPEAK JAPANESE AND WHO HAD LIVED THERE, AND SO THEY'LL BE ATTENDING THE US COUNCIL US CORPORATE COUNCIL ON AFRICA IS BRINGING ITS CONFERENCE HERE IN MAY, AND WE'RE COORDINATING WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT, A GUY NAMED JOHN OLAJIDE, WHO IS A LOCAL DALLAS RESIDENT, IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COUNCIL AND IS IS INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH THE PRO OFFICES IN BRINGING THAT CONFERENCE HERE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
I WOULD ALSO TELL YOU, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE ON CONNECTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN TRANSACTIONS WITH THE CITY'S OFFICES AND ASSISTING WITH ANY KIND OF WE'VE HAD A COLLECTION OF INCOMING CALLS ON BOTH REAL ESTATE AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE A FACILITATOR.
WE DON'T MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
SO WE VIEW OURSELVES AS FACILITATORS AND, IF YOU WILL, TEAM MEMBERS WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OF THE CITY, AND FINALLY, THE COUNCIL SET UP THE EDC AS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION WITH ITS OWN BOARD, ITS OWN POTENTIAL REVENUE SOURCES, SO THAT IT COULD PERFORM OR BE INVOLVED IN TRANSACTIONS THAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT CANNOT ITSELF.
HOW DO YOU FORESEE THE EDC WORKING GOING FORWARD ONCE YOU RETAIN A PERMANENT CEO? WORKING WITH THE CITY STAFF AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT? YEAH. I THINK THE FIRST AND FOREMOST WILL ONCE WE HAVE A FULL TIME CEO, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FREE UP ROBIN TO GO BACK AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF HER FULL TIME JOB.
SECONDLY, WE'LL WE'LL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I STRONGLY VIEW THAT.
THAT THE CITY TEAM IS NOT EITHER STAFFED OR ALLOCATED FUNDS TO DO, BUT I STRONGLY BELIEVE THE COLLABORATION OF ALL ASPECTS IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
NOT ONLY WITH THE CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, WITH VISIT DALLAS, WHO WE'VE MET WITH THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL, WHO BRINGS IN, YOU KNOW, HAS A LOT OF CONTACTS WITH INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND WITH THE, YOU KNOW, OTHER CHAMBERS AROUND TOWN WHO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK AND, AND FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S REALLY VALUABLE IN DOING THAT AND DOING THE RIGHT WAY.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE OF THAT.
THEY HAVEN'T THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED.
WE'RE NOT MANAGING ANY PROPERTY.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THOSE YET.
WE'D BE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT AND WE'D BE INTERESTED IN ASSISTING WITH THAT.
NOT TO THE EXCLUSION OF ANYONE, BUT IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE DEVELOPING A REVENUE STRATEGY ON LONG TERM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE INITIAL TASKS OF OUR NEW CEO. US AS A BOARD, CREATING ALL THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND STRATEGIES AND THEN HIRING A CEO IS NOT THE BEST WAY IN MY MIND TO OPERATE THIS.
CHAIRWOMAN STEWART. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET MY HEAD AROUND WHAT AN EDC IS, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF NEW TO THIS.
SO YOU SAID THAT THERE ARE EDC AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.
OTHER CITIES. CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME A LITTLE BIT WHAT THEIR ROLE HAS BEEN? I MEAN, YOU'RE YOU'RE INDEPENDENT.
YOU'RE A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, I ASSUME, AND 501(C)(3) STATUS EVENTUALLY.
SO YOU'RE A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM THE CITY, YET YOU'RE CLOSELY COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN REVENUE SOURCES.
WOULD THAT EVER COME FROM THE CITY OR DO YOU HAVE OTHERS?
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YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STRATEGIES AROUND THAT? ARE THERE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS? I'LL STOP TALKING.IN OUR CASE, THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE HERE BECAUSE OUR SALES TAX REVENUES FROM THAT CATEGORY GO TO DART.
SO THAT'S ONE, TWO, IT'S COMMON FOR OTHER CITIES TO TAKE PARKING GARAGES OR UNDEVELOPED LAND THAT THEY WANT SOMEONE TO, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO DEVELOP OR OTHER FACILITIES YOU KNOW, MANAGING PARKING REVENUE STREAMS, OTHERS TO GIVE THOSE TO THE EDC AND LET THE EDC GUARANTEE THE CITY SOME LEVEL OF REVENUE, AND THEN IF THEY CAN IMPROVE IT, THEN THEY GET THAT FOR THEIR FUNDING, AND SO THOSE ARE THE COMMON THINGS THAT ARE DONE, AND WE'RE OPEN TO ALL THAT UNTIL WE GET A CEO, WE'RE NOT PUSHING TO ANY OF YOU OR TO THE COUNCIL TO HAVE US GIVE, GIVE SOMETHING WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY EMPLOYEES, QUITE FRANKLY, AND THAT'S ONE THING WE WEREN'T GIVEN ANY EMPLOYEES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT REALLY HAS BEEN AND IF IT HADN'T BEEN, I'D SAY THAT, BUT IT HAS BEEN, BUT WE NEED TO GET OURSELVES STAFFED UP AND, YOU KNOW, A NATIONAL SEARCH.
IT TAKES TIME, YOU KNOW, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WITH A LOT OF THE IT JUST TAKES A LONG TIME, AND IT'S NOT AS EASY TO RECRUIT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A STANDARD REVENUE STREAM, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WHEN YOU HAVE RESPONSIBLE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS STILL SAYING, OKAY, HOW EXACTLY ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT, BUT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS AND SOME OF THE SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES HERE, THEY'RE USING ALL OF THEIR IS IT SALES TAX THAT WE COULD PUT [INAUDIBLE].
ANY QUESTIONS? DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD.
YOU KNOW, THE EDC, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2007.
YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF AMAZED AT THE CITY THAT I HAD EDC.
SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS FOR THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS.
OTHER CITIES USE A $0.01 SALES TAX, GO TO EDC, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY HAD A REVENUE SOURCE.
SOMETIME CORPORATE BUSINESSES WHO COME TO CITY DALLAS.
SOMETIMES WE MOVE A LITTLE TOO SLOW.
THE EDC MOVED A LITTLE FASTER THAN THAN WE DO AS A PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT ALSO GET A GOOD I GUESS YOU LOOK AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE ARE IN THE CENTER OF AMERICA.
YOU LOOK AT EAST COAST, WEST COAST, LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT CEOS CAME HERE.
YOU KNOW, JOHN STEPHENSON, YOU KNOW, HE WAS WITH AT&T WHEN WE MOVED FROM SAN ANTONIO TO DALLAS.
SO THEREFORE HE'S GOING TO KNOW WHAT OTHER CORPORATE IS LOOKING FOR AS A PUBLIC SERVICE.
THEN WITH EDC, YOU TAKE THE POLITICAL OUT OF IT, THE POLITICS OUT OF IT.
IT'S STRICTLY A BUSINESS DEAL.
THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MONEY. THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT, BUT ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WE DID PUT A $7 MILLION SEED MONEY THERE FOR THEM TO HELP, BUT WE STILL IT'S HARD TO CREATE A NETWORK, A CORPORATION WITHOUT EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT A BUDGET, WITHOUT A NAME, AN ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, A FOUNDATION.
SO I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU WILL SEE, IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT TO THE BEST ONCE WE GET THE CEO ON BOARD, ONCE THEY GET ON THE BOARD, WE CAN LOOK AT AND I STILL WANT TO THANK ROBIN BENTLEY, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR HER BEING ON THE BOARD, BUT THEY DO HAVE SOME GREAT.
YOU LOOK AT THE BIO OF ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, THEY ARE A ROCK STAR.
I MEAN, THEY THEY GOT SOME GREAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO IT.
SO, JOHN, I GUESS YOU CAN DESCRIBE YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTOR.
YOU GOT MARKETING, YOU GOT ENGINEERS, YOU GOT ALL DIFFERENT TYPES.
KIND OF DESCRIBE THE BOARD WHAT KIND OF FEELING THAT AS A THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.
WHAT KIND OF BOARD THAT YOU HAVE.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A 15 MEMBER BOARD THAT WAS ALL APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THEY COME FROM YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THEY'RE ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT.
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SYMPHONY, KIM NOLTEMY.SO A GROUP OF REALLY TALENTED PEOPLE GENERALLY WORKING FULL TIME.
SO WE'VE GOT A VERY TELLING THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY THAT WE REALLY CAN BRING TO THE TABLE AND WE WILL WITH IS WHEN I REFERENCED IN MY OPENING REMARKS ABOUT A TRACKING AND ENGAGEMENT CONTACT LIST, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR BOARD, THERE'S PRETTY MUCH NO BUSINESS IN THE DALLAS REGION, DFW REGION, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IN MOST OF TEXAS AND MOST OF THE COUNTRY, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY.
WE CAN'T GET OURSELVES IN THE DOOR TO TALK TO.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN CONVINCE THEM TO DO ANYTHING THAT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, COMMON SENSE, GOOD BUSINESS, BUT WE HAVE THAT IN DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES BECAUSE OF WHERE EVERYONE HAS COME FROM AND THE EXPERIENCES WE'VE HAD AND THE CONTACTS WE HAVE, AND WE THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE'D LOVE TO BRING ADDITIONAL YOU KNOW, HEADQUARTERS HERE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S REALLY A HIGH LIKELIHOOD.
THERE'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY.
I CAME HERE IN 2008, BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES HERE TO GROW THEIR BUSINESSES, TO GET THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS HERE, TO ASSIST US IN WAYS THAT ASSIST THEM YOU KNOW, HEADQUARTER COMPANIES WHO HAVE THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS AND HEADQUARTER COMPANIES THAT ARE HEADQUARTERED IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS, BUT HAVE THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS IN SOUTHERN DALLAS WOULD BE A GREAT THING.
YOU KNOW, COMPANIES THAT COME TO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF UT SOUTHWESTERN'S GREAT RESEARCH OR BECAUSE THE LABS AT PEGASUS PARK OR THE TECHNOLOGY, THE TECHNOLOGY THERE, THEM ALSO HAVING THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE AND MANUFACTURE THEIR FACILITY, YOU KNOW, THEIR PRODUCTS IN THIS TOWN IN THE CENTER OF THE NINTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD, IN THE CENTER OF 30 MILLION POPULATION, OR 30 MILLION CUSTOMERS WITH GREAT TRANSPORTATION, AIR, RAIL, HIGHWAY.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO THAT, AND WE ARE UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT 15 MEMBER BOARD, AND AS CHALLENGING AS A 15 MEMBER BOARD CAN BE, AS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT DOES GIVE US A LOT OF CONTEXT.
SO WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY AND ABOUT BUILDING SYSTEMS THAT ARE GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT, AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT NECESSARILY OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO BECAUSE WE COME FROM DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE'RE VOLUNTEERS, BECAUSE WE WERE IN THOSE OFFICES BECAUSE WE DID WHAT THOSE PEOPLE DO.
YOU KNOW, OTHERS ON THE BOARD, ALL OF US WERE INVOLVED IN THIS WORK FROM OTHER PERSPECTIVES.
SO I'D SAY THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE HOPE TO BRING, AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILLING TO DO WORK FOR ON A VOLUNTEER. SO THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY FOR THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE TODAY, I BELIEVE, AT THE CITY TO DO THIS.
I THINK WE CAN HELP, IS ALL I'M SAYING.
MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD. THANK YOU.
I DID WANT TO JUST LET A FEW THINGS MARINATE, AND I'M GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO SPEAK.
SO WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT THIS ENTITY, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE BIT RELUCTANT, AND I STILL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO STEP OUT ON FAITH THAT IT WILL WORK BECAUSE WHAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE THESE GREAT PLANS, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT WE STILL SEE SOME OF THE SAME OLD PATTERNS WHERE WE NEVER SEEM TO GET ACROSS THE TRINITY AND SO WITH THE INVESTMENTS, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL PUT ON THE TABLE NOW, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND AND TRAVEL AND SHOP WHERE I WANT TO GO, THERE ARE MANY WHO CANNOT, AND SO THEY'RE STILL ASKING FOR AND WHEN I'M SAYING SHOPPING AND GOING, THAT HAS TO DO WITH SHOPPING FOR FRESH VEGETABLES MEAT THAT IS RELATIVELY FRESH, AND WE DON'T WANT TO JUST STRAIGHT OUT, EXCUSE ME OFF THE RANGE CUT UP, BUT WE DO WANT FRESH MEAT, AND SO WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS JUST WHAT WE WHAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE OFTENTIMES IS THAT WE ARE STILL RELEGATED TO CONVENIENCE STORES.
WE'RE RELEGATED TO FOOD TRUCKS.
WE'RE RELEGATED TO THE POSITION OF HAVING TO WAIT FOR SOME WHAT I CALL SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT, WHERE THEY'RE TESTING TO SEE HOW THIS MODEL WILL WORK IN THIS UNDERSERVICED COMMUNITY, AND SO WHAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT WITH ALL THE INFORMATION YOU JUST SHARED AND WITH ALL THE FOLKS, WITH ALL THEIR
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TALENT, IF THEY PULLED TOGETHER TO SEE HOW THEY CAN OVERCOME THAT BARRIER, WHICH STILL PRECLUDE PRECLUDES US FROM HAVING A QUALITY, A SELECTION OF QUALITY AND OPTION OPPORTUNITY TO SIMPLY SAY, I JUST WANT TO GO GET IN MY CAR, GET ON THE BUS AND GO 5 OR 10 MINUTES FROM MY HOME, BE ABLE TO GET UP A FRESH PICK UP, A FRESH HEAD OF CABBAGE, BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE ALL GET TO THAT POINT, I THINK I WENT TO THE STORE CHAIRMAN FRIDAY AND I PURCHASED SOME CABBAGE.SO BY THE TIME WE GET A GOOD SELECTION IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, WE MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUY CABBAGE BY THE TIME WE BY THE TIME WE GET WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. SO THAT'S ALL I'M HERE FOR TODAY IS JUST TO REITERATE, I SUPPORT YOU AS LONG AS YOU WE CAN SEE SOME RESULTS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED, AND WITH ALL THE TALENT AND THE CONNECTIONS I THINK THAT YOU ALL HAVE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING.
WE'RE GLAD, MR. CHAIR, TO HAVE TOM THUMB COMING TO REDBIRD, BUT WE'RE TIRED OF BEING THE ONE OFFS.
YOU KNOW WHERE YOU GET THIS, AND THEN IT'S 12 MORE YEARS OR TWO MORE DECADES BEFORE WE GET SOMETHING COMPARABLE TO THAT AND ON BEHALF OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTINUOUSLY CALL ME, TAP MY SHOULDER, CALL IN ON RADIO SHOWS AND SAY, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A GROCERY STORE? THAT'S ALL WE WANT, SIR, IS FOR THE MOST PART, IF WE CAN JUST GET THAT PART, I THINK THE OTHERS WILL FALL BECAUSE WE USED TO HAVE THEM BEFORE SOME TYPE OF FLIGHT KICKED IN AND THEY LEFT US AND I'M IN DISTRICT FOUR, THE CENTER OF DISTRICT CENTER OF SOUTHERN SECTOR 75216, 75241, PRETTY MUCH THOSE HARDEST HIT COMMUNITIES, AND SO THAT WITH THAT BEING STATED, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW, MISS STEWART, YOU'RE NEW TO THIS CONVERSATION.
I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT BACK WITH YOU.
LET ME JUST RESPOND REAL QUICKLY.
SO I BELIEVE IN THAT, AND WE DO BELIEVE IN THAT.
I WOULD TELL YOU FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, GENERATING LIVING WAGE PLUS JOBS, LIVING WAGE PLUS JOBS IS THE KEY MEASUREMENT STATISTIC FOR US OR ONE OF THEM IN OUR SUCCESS.
IF WE CAN DO THAT, I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE WILL BE ALSO TALKING ABOUT ATTRACTING NEW HOUSING, ATTRACTING NEW FOOD, YOU KNOW, GROCERY BUSINESSES PROVIDING HEALTH CARE TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THESE NEW JOBS, AND SO OUR LENS ON THINGS IS ABSOLUTELY CONSISTENT WITH THESE OVERALL SOCIAL POLICIES OF THE CITY.
OUR PIECE OF IT IS TO GENERATE THAT INVESTMENT AND GENERATE THAT JOBS, AND THOSE THINGS WILL COME.
I. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE GROCERY BUSINESS.
I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THAT, AND SO I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BEST WAY TO PROVIDE THAT IS FOR US TO GET THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF NEW, WELL-PAYING JOBS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY WILL BE BUSTING DOWN THE DOORS TO COME.
THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS FOR THE LONG TERM, AND THAT'S FOR THE LONG TERM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, QUITE FRANKLY, IF YOU WILL, KATHY, YOU REFERRED TO, I THINK, SOUTH OF THE TRINITY.
THAT'S WHERE SO MUCH OF OUR OPPORTUNITY EXISTS.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, UNT DALLAS IS A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY.
EXECUTIVE AIR CONTINUES TO BE A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY.
THOSE ARE ALL ALL SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIST AND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AND SEEING HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL AND VALUABLE, GENERATING JOBS IN THOSE AREAS AND BENEFITING THE CITIZENS THAT ARE THERE.
THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE THERE ARE REALLY, REALLY IS THE LONG TERM SOLUTION.
WE HAVE THAT FOCUS THOUGH OF INVESTMENT AND JOBS, AND COVER THAT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
ALL RIGHT. CHAIR, A QUESTION IF I COULD.
WITH THE WAY THIS IS SET UP, HOW EASY WOULD IT BE FOR A COUNCIL THAT WOULD COME AFTER US? SINCE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LONG, LONG, LONG HAUL FOR A COUNCIL TO DISMANTLE.
DID THEY EXIST AT THE WILL OF THE COUNCILS THAT COME AFTER US? OKAY. YES, AND NUMBER ONE, LET ME TRY TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.
IF YOU WANT TO GROW THE CITY, YOU WANT TO GROW DALLAS TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL CITY.
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IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GROW THE CITY.OTHER CITIES BEATING US, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN, TEXAS, PLANO, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY GOT ECONOMIC DEVELOP CORPORATION, BUT WHEN WE PUT THIS HERE AND GO BACK TO [INAUDIBLE], WE CAN DISMANTLE ANYTHING, BUT WE PUT A ECO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
IT TOOK US 20 YEARS JUST TO GET TO THIS POINT.
JUST IMAGINE WE WERE HERE 20 YEARS AGO, AND YOU'VE GOT, TOP CEO WHO'S DOING THIS? I SAID JOHNNY KING.
HE REPRESENTED ALL THESE CORPORATE COMPANIES.
ALL THESE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS.
THEY KNOW THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS, AND WHEN YOU GOT PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO GROW THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DALLAS.
WE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE GOT POLICYMAKERS, WE GOT POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, EVERYTHING.
WE ARE TRYING TO GROW THE ECONOMY OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
TO DO THAT, YOU GOT TO HAVE THE CEOS.
YOU GOT TO HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL KROGER'S CEO OR CALL AMAZON CEO, NOT US AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE WE ARE POLITICAL. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING GROWING.
THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS NOT CONTROLLED BY US AS POLICY MAKERS.
IT'S NOT CONTROLLED BY THE MAYOR.
IT'S NOT CONTROLLED BY THE COUNCIL.
IT'S CONTROLLED BY THEIR OWN PORTFOLIO, THEIR OWN BYLAWS AND EVERYTHING.
SO WE PUT THEM OUT THERE TO SAY, HEY, GO OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT CAN YOU DO? HOW CAN YOU MAKE DALLAS A BETTER CITY AND THAT'S WHAT ABOUT, AND LIKE I SAID, THEY JUST GOT STARTED.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN HIRE A CEO YET.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T HIRED NO ONE A SECRETARY.
THEY DIDN'T HIRE ANYBODY. THEY JUST NOT GETTING STARTED.
SO WE TOLD THEM, WHEN YOU GET STARTED, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO HIRE SOMEONE.
THEN THEY COME BACK. THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU GOT, BUT YOU GOT A ROCK STAR BOARD OVER THERE, AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORK ON THERE ON THE BOARD, THEY ARE DOING A VOLUNTEER. YOU LOOK AT THEIR RESUME, WE ARE THE COUNCIL IS DIVERSITY.
YOU GOT FEMALES, YOU GOT BLACK, YOU GOT LATINO, YOU GOT WHITE.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET THE CLARITY AROUND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE START DOING ALL THIS WORK, AND IS IT ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO ROLLING AND YOU MAY HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ANOTHER COUNCIL MAY DECIDE THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WANT, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT DO THEY MAY WHATEVER YOU JUST DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF THEIR OPERATION, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE GIVEN THEM SUPPORT AND WE'RE APPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS TO THAT COMMITTEE.
SO FOR ME, IT'S JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION SO THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING.
SO IF YOU LONG TERM CAN WE DISMANTLE OR PULL AWAY FROM THE AGREEMENT.
YES OKAY. THAT'S A LEGAL ASPECT.
HOW TO GET REMEMBER IT'S BYLAWS.
THEY GOT THEY GOT BYLAWS AND THEY REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
RIGHT NOW THERE IS A SEPARATE ENTITY.
YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT CONTROL THEM.
THEY DO NOT CONTROL US, BUT WE STILL REPORT TO US TO GET UPDATE.
OKAY? IT'S JUST ABOUT GETTING INFORMATION.
I'M VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF TRYING TO GET EVERY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.
YES. CHAIR ATKINS, IF I MAY, JUST A SLIGHT CLARIFICATION.
SO THIS IS AN INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UNDER ARTICLE 14 OF THE CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION.
SO THAT'S JUST TO CLARIFY AND PROVIDE A MORE RESPONSE TO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD'S QUESTION.
I WOULD SUGGEST YOU WE EXPECT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO STRIVE TO DO THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, APPRECIATE WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER GOING FORWARD AS OPPOSED TO HOW WE DISBAND THINGS.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL IN THE SENSE OF HAVING THIS REALLY POWERFUL 15 MEMBER BOARD WHO'S WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR OWN PERSONAL TIME AND EFFORT AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, STRIVING TO MAKE THE ENTIRE OF DALLAS A SUCCESS WITH THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN SOUTHERN DALLAS TO WORK TOWARDS THE POSITIVE AND WORK TOWARDS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE ALL PULLING IN DIRECTION, AND I WILL TELL YOU, THE 700 FOLKS WE OR OVER 700 FOLKS I'VE MET WITH, TALKED TO, DID PRESENTATIONS, YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED, AND MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE AT THE VARIOUS NUMBER OF NON-DALLAS CITIZENS WHO COME UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WITH YOU.
[00:35:04]
AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.WE'LL WORK WITH YOU, AND THESE ARE FROM OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, THESE ARE FROM CITIZENS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY OF DALLAS, HAVE THEIR BUSINESSES OUTSIDE.
THE NORTH DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS INVITED US TO SPEAK IN TWO WEEKS ON THE 20TH OF MARCH.
IN FRONT OF THEIR CONFERENCE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO INCLUDE US.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
THIS IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AT AND COLLABORATE WITH.
DECISIONS TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE FACTORIES AND ADD JOBS AND MOVE HEADQUARTERS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
WE NEED TO BE IN THIS FOR THE LONG TERM.
CHAIRMAN WEST. THANK YOU MAYOR AND LEADERSHIP.
GETTING THIS EDC STOOD UP AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES I KNOW WE ALL HAD A LOT OF OPINIONS ON THIS AND IT'S A GREAT DAY TO HEAR THE UPDATE TODAY, AND I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE IF I MISSED THIS, BUT TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT LIKE WHAT IS YOUR MAIN CONCERN LIKE SOME, IF THERE IS ONE, A HURDLE THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD? AND I GUESS ALONG THOSE LINES, WHAT'S WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE CONTINUING TO BE SUCCESSFUL? YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
FIRST, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO DETERMINE A LONG TERM FUNDING STRATEGY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE $7 MILLION.
I'M A FINANCE AND ACCOUNTANT GUY.
SO I'M, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE, AS CAREFUL WITH EVERY NICKEL AS POSSIBLE WATCHING IT, AND SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THREE YEAR RUNWAY HERE TO MAYBE THREE YEAR RUNWAY, BUT WE NEED TO FIND THAT, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, THERE ARE SO MANY AD HOC GROUPS, WHETHER IT'S THE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE KOREAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE, YOU KNOW, HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE NORTH DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE FORT WORTH.
SO THAT'S ONE, TWO IMMEDIATE, WHICH WE HOPE TO HAVE RESOLVED IN THE NEAR TERM, IS IT GETTING A CEO, AND THEN THREE IS IF YOU WILL, THE MAKING SURE THAT THIS GROUP AND THE COUNCIL ARE OPEN TO GIVING US PROJECTS, SO TO SPEAK, ASKING US, YOU KNOW, HELPING, HAVING US HELP SOLVE SITUATIONS, WHETHER IT'S ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPERTY OR WHETHER IT'S DEALING WITH SPECIFIC ISSUES, WE UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE THINGS, THE PACKAGES THAT ARE WRAPPED UP IN PERFECT BOWS, YOU KNOW, THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO GIVE TO US MIGHT BE DIFFICULT OR CHALLENGING, AND WE'RE OPEN TO THAT BECAUSE WE THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO PROVE OURSELVES.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I JUST THE RESPONSE FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GREAT.
THE RESPONSE FROM OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES AROUND THE METROPLEX HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD.
WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WHEN WE GET STAFFED UP AND MOVE FORWARD.
WE JUST NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP AND HELP ADD TO IT.
JUST THE LAST QUESTION. LAST COMMENT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, LOOK AT IT AS ANOTHER ENTITY OF THE CITY OF DALLAS. WE ARE THE POLICYMAKER.
WE ARE SAYING, HEY, HERE IS A COMPANY THAT IS DIVIDED UP, BUT WE'RE FOR THE SAME GOAL, AND IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES AROUND US, THEY TAKE A $0.01 SALES TAX AND THEY PUT IN THEIR EDC.
SO YOU THINK IF YOU TOOK YOUR $0.01 SALES TAX GO TO DART, YOU PUT $1 BILLION CORPORATION THAT MAKE MONEY AND INCLUDES MONEY THAT YOU WILL SEE WHAT WE WILL HAVE AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THIS, BUT WE DO NOT WANT US COUNCIL MEMBERS GET INVOLVED WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THEY NEED TO BE OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL SO YOU CAN WORK INDEPENDENT, AND SO THEY CAN GO AND DO THE THING AND DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T LEARN THAT IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION VERSUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, SOMETIMES WHEN BUSINESSES COME HERE, IT'S TOO HARD, IT'S TOO DIFFICULT, AND WE GET POLITICS INVOLVED IN THERE AND WE LOSE THE BUSINESS, WE LOSE THE CEO, AND SO RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHY WE DEVELOPED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
YOU LOOK AT ATLANTA, GEORGIA, YOU LOOK AT ALL THESE OTHER BIG CITIES WHO GOT IT.
THEY DO BILLIONS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THEY BRING A WHOLE LOT OF TAX REVENUE INTO IT.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, MR. STEPHENS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ALL THE VOLUNTEER WORK AND TELL YOUR BOARD WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[00:40:04]
THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TODAY.ONCE AGAIN, THANKS TO THE CITY FOR THE TEAM SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
NEXT ITEM WE WILL HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE MONTHLY TECHNOLOGY METRIC.
COMMITTEE CHAIR AND CHAIR MEMBERS, I AM ANDREW ESPINOZA, YOUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR.
WITH ME TODAY, I HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VERNON YOUNG AND OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SAM ESKANDER.
HERE ARE OUR TALKING POINTS FOR TODAY.
SO JUMPING RIGHT INTO METRICS, YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, THE PERMIT SUBMITTALS FOR NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS DECREASED FROM 185 TO 146, ABOUT A 27% DECREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH OF DECEMBER.
SO THAT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE VERY ROBUST AND SUCCESSFUL.
THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED PERMITS WITHIN FOUR MEDIAN DAYS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
SO OVERALL THE TEAM IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE RECEIVED 11 NEW COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, SIX COMMERCIAL ADDITIONS, 200 COMMERCIAL REMODELS.
SO REMODELS CONTINUES TO BE A VERY FAST PACED ENVIRONMENT IN DALLAS 23 COMPLEX COMMERCIAL Q-TEAM PROJECTS, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD SIGN, AND THEN WE ISSUED THE SAME DAY 20 MINOR COMMERCIAL Q-TEAM PROJECTS.
SO THOSE ARE YOUR SMALLER COMMERCIAL FINISH OUT AND INTERIOR REMODELS.
NEXT SLIDE. CONTINUE WITH METRICS.
AS YOU KNOW, AS A DIRECTOR, MY COMMITMENT TO OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNCIL WAS TO PROVIDE CLEAR NUMBERS, DATA INFORMATION THAT IS USEFUL FOR EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAKE DECISIONS WITHIN THEIR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE PUBLISHED HEAT MAPS AND TABLES OF ALL PERMITS ISSUED BY MONTH ON OUR WEBSITE.
HERE ARE THE LIST OF JOB CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE VACANT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
WITH THAT I WILL SAY, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT 17 OF THOSE ARE PART TIME POSITIONS.
SO? SO THE TRUE VALUE, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE PART TIME JOBS, WOULD BE 65.
OUR ENGINEERING TEAM PROGRAM UPDATES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING AND STANDING UP A THIRD Q-TEAM TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PAIN POINTS FOR OUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS, WHICH IS RELATED TO SITE DEVELOPMENT. OUR PROGRAM SHOULD BE UP AND ACTIVE THIS MONTH.
ON FEBRUARY 15TH, WE MET WITH THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY TO GO OVER THE PROGRAM AND ITS WORKING DETAILS, AND FOR THE MOST PART, THE FEEDBACK WAS VERY POSITIVE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE EVEN WILLING TO GIVE US THEIR PROJECTS AS A PILOT TO SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT ROLLING THIS OUT.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN I JOINED THE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON WAS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RESPONSIVENESS, AND SO WE IMPLEMENTED A TELL US HOW WE'RE DOING CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY THAT GOES OUT ON EVERY EMAIL, EVERY BUSINESS CARD, EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA PIECE, ANY MARKETING MEDIA THAT WE PUBLISH W E SEND THAT OUT.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WE'VE RECEIVED 452 SURVEYS WITH AN OVERALL 91% SATISFACTION RATE, AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THIS WAS TO HEAR FROM OUR CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES WERE, AND THEN HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE.
[00:45:09]
A SATISFACTION RATE OF 90%.OUR GOAL IS 100%, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT TO IMPROVE IN THAT AREA.
NEXT SLIDE. AGAIN, FOCUSING ON OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PARTNERED WITH THE MATRIX GROUP, WHICH IS AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT, TO COME IN AND EVALUATE OUR CUSTOMER ADVOCATE OPERATIONS.
THEY CAME IN, DID A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT BY VISITING OUR DEPARTMENT, VISITING WITH TEAM MEMBERS PERFORMING DESK STUDIES, REVIEWING OUR POLICIES AND WORK INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCESSES, AND THE FIVE CATEGORIES OR THE FOUR CATEGORIES THAT ARE COVERED WERE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION, CUSTOMER INFORMATION AND INTERACTION, OUR CALL CENTER, AND THEN OUR PROCESSES AND TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION.
SO AS SOON AS THAT STUDY IS COMPLETED, I WILL REPORT BACK TO YOU ON THEIR FINDINGS, AS WELL AS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT TO DELIVER BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
FEE UPDATES, SO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS PARTNERING AGAIN WITH THE BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT TEAM TO AGAIN PROVIDE CLEAR FORECASTS AND INFORMATION TO OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS REVIEWED 131 OF THOSE FEES AND OF THE 131 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MADE RECOMMENDED CHANGES ON 98 OF THOSE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVISIT THOSE ON THE NEXT FEE STUDY, AS IT WAS NOT A DEPARTMENT WIDE FEE STUDY.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH ITS AND COMPUTRONIX.
THAT'S THE VENDOR THAT OVERSEES THE POSSE SOFTWARE SYSTEM.
OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO TEST THESE FEES AS THEY ROLL THEM OUT, TO MAKE SURE THEY FUNCTION AND ARE CALCULATED CORRECTLY, AND THAT WAY, A CUSTOMER DOES NOT HAVE TO CALL US AND SAY, HEY, YOU CHARGE ME THE WRONG, WRONG FEE.
WE'RE ALSO TESTING PRIORITY TWO, WHICH IS ANOTHER 125 FEES.
ALL IN ALL, THE SHORT IS BY MID-MARCH, WE SHOULD BE COMPLETE WITH TESTING AND ABLE TO IMPLEMENT WHATEVER THIS COUNCIL RECOMMENDS.
AS YOU KNOW, I'M A VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT.
ALSO, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OUR VERY FIRST 2022-23 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT.
IT'S ABOUT A 40 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE GREAT WORK OUR TEAM HAS DONE, AS WELL AS INTRODUCTIONS TO THE TEAM, AND THEN ALSO YOU SEE THE UPCOMING OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
SO WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS? OUR NEXT STEPS OR WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED, I APOLOGIZE, WAS TO LAUNCH THE SELF-CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THAT IS LIVE AND POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE WANT TO FINALIZE THE FEE STUDY.
WE WANT TO COMPLETE OUR PHASE THREE TRANSITION TO STEMMONS.
I WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MATRIX GROUP, A STUDY ON THE DSD CUSTOMER ADVOCATE SECTION, AND THEN WE WANT TO ALSO FINALIZE OUR COMMERCIAL PERMITTING DASHBOARD.
THAT IS THE LAST SLIDE, AND SO WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
I REALLY JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT SELF CERTIFICATION.
HOW DID WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO EVERYONE ON THAT, THAT THEY CAN SELF CERTIFY.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE HOSTING SOME CLASSES OR JUST WORKSHOPS, OR DO YOU NOT FIND THAT NECESSARY AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP? SO WHAT WE DID LEADING UP TO THIS IS WE POSTED IT ON OUR WEBSITE SOCIAL MEDIA.
[00:50:10]
UPDATED. THANKS.WELL, I SIMPLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO SHOW MY AND SHARE MY CONFIDENCE IN YOU IN THE TEAM AND STAFF THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO OVERCOME, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SHOWING US TO OVERCOME SOME OF OUR, YOU KNOW, THE BUGS IN THE PROGRAM.
SO I JUST CONTINUED, I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW ON THIS RECORD AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING ON THE PUBLIC AND THOSE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, THOSE IN THE BUILDING THAT I DO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TO GET THINGS FLOWING AS THEY SHOULD BE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO ALSO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL IN A VERY COMPETITIVE TIME, AND THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE PULLING THE TALENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE.
SO, BUT I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THESE OTHER PARTNERS, SUCH AS THE CORPORATION THAT LEFT AHEAD OF US, THEY REALLY HAVE A COMMITMENT TO THIS CITY TO GROW.
I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET BETTER AND BETTER.
SO TO YOU ALL OF YOU, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, MISTER ANDREAS, AND OF COURSE, THIS COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OUR CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T LET FOLKS KNOW HOW WE'RE FEELING AND WE GIVE THEM SOME VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, SOMETIMES THEY JUST KIND OF FEEL LIKE WE JUST CONTINUE TO BEAT THEM DOWN AND GET OVERWHELMED, AND I'M SURE WE AS A COUNCIL MEMBERS FEEL LIKE THAT, TOO.
WHEN YOUR CONSTITUENTS KEEP SAYING YOU AIN'T DOING NOTHING AND YOU WORKING REAL HARD, BUT WE DON'T SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND SO I JUST HAPPENED TO TURN THE MIRROR AROUND AND LOOK AT MYSELF, AND I KNOW THAT I WOULD NOT WANT ANYONE TO KEEP BEATING ME DOWN, AND I KNOW I'M WORKING.
SO YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, I THINK, CHAIRMAN, AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS COMMITTEE, I MEAN, THIS DEPARTMENT CAN COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AND KEEP GIVING AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
COUNCILMAN RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSITIONAL MOVE TO STEMMONS.
CAN YOU TELL US IF ALL OF YOUR PERSONNEL HAVE MOVED THERE? AND WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF TO ALLOCATE $5 MILLION IN BOND PROCEEDS FOR BUILD OUT OF THAT FACILITY. SO CAN YOU TELL US IF THAT RELATES TO YOUR OFFICE OR SOME OTHER OFFICE THERE? COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WAS ASSIGNED HALF OF THE FIRST FLOOR AND THEN FLOORS SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH.
OF THOSE FLOORS, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS, I WOULD SAY, 90% DONE WITH EVERYTHING.
THERE'S SOME MINOR TOUCH UPS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
I WOULD SAY ABOUT HALF OF OUR TEAM IS THERE.
SO WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS, BUT WE'RE NOT IN 100%.
MY GOAL IS TO HAVE EVERYONE IN THERE BY THE MONTH OF MARCH.
I'M NOT SURE IF OUR ACM WANTS TO COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL, AND I'M USED TO SEEING IN YOUR MONTHLY PRESENTATIONS, THE GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS TO PROCESS A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT.
DIDN'T SEE IT HERE. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IT IS FOR FEBRUARY? COUNCILMEMBER I REMOVED THE GRAPH ONLY BECAUSE I RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK HERE.
YES, SIR. SO IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE THREE ABOUT MID, MID POINT IN THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED PERMITS WITHIN FOUR DAYS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
IF YOU CAME IN THROUGH THE RSVP PROGRAM AND PAID THE EXPEDITED FEE, YOU GOT IT THE SAME DAY.
OKAY, SO THE FOUR DAYS IS AN AVERAGE FOR THE MONTH? YES, SIR. OKAY. IT ISN'T THE BEST PERFORMANCE.
THAT'S CORRECT. YES, SIR. OKAY, AND WITH REGARD TO THE FEE STUDY AND THE INCREASE IN FEES DO YOU ANTICIPATE RECOMMENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 98 OF THE 131 FEES BY THE END OF THIS MONTH?
[00:55:01]
OUR GOAL, AND I'LL DEFER TO MY ACM IF HE WANTS TO JUMP IN HERE, BUT OUR GOAL WAS TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT ALL OF THEM THIS COMING NEXT VOTING CYCLE.DOES THAT MEAN MARCH? YES, SIR. OKAY.
YES, AND BY ALL OF THEM, YOU MEAN 98.
ALL OF THE FEES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED OR STUDIED THROUGH THE FEE STUDY.
WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT ALL OF THOSE I BELIEVE WAS 131.
COUNCILMEMBER RIDLEY, VERNON YOUNG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
SO THERE WERE 131 THAT WERE STUDIED.
THERE WERE 98 THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 33 THAT'S ON THE BACK BURNER, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY JUST KIND OF WANTED TO DIAL DOWN ON THAT, AND SO IN OUR NEXT FEE STUDY WILL WE'LL LOOK AT THE HOLISTIC APPROACH, BUT AT THIS POINT 98 OKAY, AND IF THEY ARE IMPLEMENTED BY APRIL 1ST, WILL THAT PROVIDE A POSITIVE CASH FLOW FOR THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR OR CALENDAR YEAR? VERNON YOUNG, AGAIN, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE SIX MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR, AND SO IT WOULD BE HALF OF THAT 19 MILLION THAT WOULD BE A FULL RECOVERY THAT WE WOULD ACHIEVE IF WE HAD MOVED FORWARD IN OCTOBER AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WEREN'T READY.
SO WE'RE RIGHT AROUND NINE MIL.
SO RIGHT NOW, WITH NO CHANGES OUR FUND BALANCE WILL BE RIGHT AROUND TEN MIL COME SEPTEMBER.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE WON'T REACH FULL COST RECOVERY THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S ACCURATE BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE APPROVAL.
RIGHT. SO WILL WE IF WE DO APPROVE IT BY APRIL 1ST, WILL THAT RESULT IN A 50% COST RECOVERY OR WHERE ARE WE IN THAT SCALE? BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING AS THE VOLUME MAINTAINED.
YES, SIR. IT WILL BE A 50% COST RECOVERY.
OR AGAIN ROUGHLY NINE MILLION OF THE PROPOSED 19 MILLION.
OKAY, SO HOW MUCH WOULD WE END UP LOSING IN TERMS OF NOT BEING AT 100% COST RECOVERY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR? WE'RE WE'RE LEAVING APPROXIMATELY 9 TO 10 MILLION ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW AND I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED IT BEFORE, ABOUT 1.5 MILLION, EVERY MONTH THAT WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. CHAIRMAN STEWART.
CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ. CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PART TIME INSPECTOR PLUMBERS HVA I DID TALK TO YOU EARLIER. THESE PART TIME EMPLOYEES THAT YOU SAID THEY HAD TO BE MASTERS.
LIKE A MASTER ELECTRICIAN OR MASTER PLUMBER.
WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE A MASTER IN ORDER TO BE A PART TIME? BECAUSE MOST OF THE MASTERS DO NOT DO THE WORK.
THEY JUST PULLED THE PERMIT UNDER MASTER LICENSE.
OKAY, BUT MOST PERMIT THAT IS PULLED PLUMBING ELECTRIC AND MECHANICAL.
IT'S A JOURNEYMAN WHO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT 15 JOBS HERE TODAY, PART TIME.
SO WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THE PART TIME EMPLOYEE WHO'S A JOURNEYMAN DO THE WORK, AND YOU CAN FILL THE JOB WITHOUT SAYING THEY HAD TO BE A MASTER ELECTRICIAN OR THE MASTER PLUMBER OR WHATEVER. COUNCILMEMBER YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
I RECENTLY MET WITH OUR HR DEPARTMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE MQS.
A MASTER'S LICENSE IS NOT REQUIRED.
BUT IN HERE YOU SAY THEY DO THOUGH? THAT'S HOW THE JOB JOBS WERE CREATED AND THOSE WERE SET FOR US, BUT LOOKING BACK, WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S A LITTLE OVERREACHING BECAUSE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK TO FIX THAT.
MATCH IT. TO ME, THIS IS A BIG DEAL.
SO WE GOT 15 JOBS IN WHICH THEY ARE PART TIME.
SO THESE 15 JOBS COULD BE FILLED.
[01:00:02]
YOU KNOW, IF WE I MEAN, IT'S AN AIR DEAL, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HAVE TO BE A MASTER TO BE A PART TIME, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A MASTER WITH HIS CERTIFICATE TO DO A PART TIME.SO COUNCIL MEMBER, AGAIN, YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
WHEN THESE JOBS WERE CREATED, THAT WAS THE MQ REQUIRED A MASTERS, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU 100%.
OUR GOAL IS TO ADJUST THOSE DOWN TO MAYBE SOMEONE AT A JOURNEYMAN LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO HELP US PERFORM THESE INSPECTIONS AND SO WE'LL WORK TO CORRECT THAT.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE NEED TO GO TO HR MANAGEMENT? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO GET THIS CHANGED? HONORABLE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE MAJED AL-GHAFRY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE MODEL THAT SHOULD WORK BEST IS A MODEL WHERE YOU HAVE INSPECTORS GENERAL INSPECTORS WORKING UNDER A MASTER ELECTRICIAN OR PLUMBER.
NO DIFFERENT THAN IN THE ENGINEERING WORLD, YOU HAVE AN EIT OR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A PE LICENSE, WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO REVIEW PLANS BUT STILL WORKS UNDER THE AUSPICE OF A REGISTERED CIVIL ENGINEER.
SO IT'S NOT A ROCKET SCIENCE, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
SO CAN YOU GET BACK ON THAT NEXT MEETING GIVE US THE STATUS OF THAT WAS THE PROPER PROCEDURE.
YES, SIR. BECAUSE I THINK THOSE 15 JOBS CAN GET FILLED.
THE NEXT QUESTION WHEN WILL YOU BRING THIS BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR A VOTE? I DIDN'T SEE IT ON THE PAGE FOR THE FEES.
WHEN DO WE COME BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL? THE FEE WILL BE WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE 27TH OF MARCH, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY A SPECIFIC POINT THAT MR. RIDLEY RAISED, WHICH IS THE IMPLEMENTATION ON APRIL 1ST.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE APRIL 1ST.
IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE LIKE MAY 1ST, AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLECT FIVE MONTHS WORTH OF YOU KNOW, THE ADDED FEES. SO THERE WOULD BE SEVEN MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE WOULDN'T BE COLLECTING THE ADDITIONAL FEES.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT IN THIS PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY THE DATE IS NOT IN HERE.
THE NEXT STEP. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS.
CORRECT, AND SO WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PUT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT SECOND BULLET FINALIZED THE FEE STUDY ADOPTION PROCESS, WHICH WAS A REFERENCE TO ADOPTING THE PROPOSED FEE.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT IT'S COMING BEFORE COUNCIL.
WE HAD TO DO SOME HOMEWORK IN THE FIRST TIME WE APPROACHED THIS IN DECEMBER, THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS AND WE NEEDED TO MEET WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO REVISIT THIS, AND SO THAT SECOND BULLET I COULD HAVE PUT SOME MORE LANGUAGE IN THERE.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE ADOPTION OR THE PROPOSED ADOPTION FOR THE PROPOSED FEES.
OKAY. SO THEREFORE, CAN WE CORRECT THIS NOW THAT THIS FEE STUDY ADOPTION HAS COME TO FULL COUNCIL ON MARCH 27TH? SO FOR THE RECORD, COULD WE SAY THAT MARCH 27TH FOR THE FULL COUNCIL, CAN YOU CORRECT THAT AND SEND IT OUT TO THE FULL COUNCIL? YES, SIR. WE'LL BE HAPPY, AND IF I MAY CLARIFY SOMETHING, WE TALKED ABOUT 98 OF THE 131 FEES.
THE OTHER 33 FEES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, STARTING IN OCTOBER 1ST 2024 OKAY.
FOR THAT. SO AND THAT WILL ADD ANOTHER $1.5 MILLION OF PROJECTED REVENUES.
SO THE DOCTOR FEE. SO WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING TO THE COUNCIL.
BECAUSE EVERY MONTH WE LOSE $1.5 MILLION.
ALSO, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH UPDATED FEES, AUTOMATIC UPDATED FEES.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY. AMENDMENTS BRIEFING MEMOS D AND E.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTION? D, E AND F I, THINK D, E, AND F.
COUNCILMAN RIDLEY, YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON FIRST.
D, E OR F? TAKE YOUR PICK. THIS WOULD BE D.
[01:05:03]
ORIGINAL CONTRACT REQUIRED A BRICK SECURITY FENCE ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE, WHY WOULD WE PERMIT THEM TO NOT BUILD THAT FENCE, BUT INSTEAD PUT UP A FEW CAMERAS, WHICH ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME BARRIER THAT A FENCE THAT A WALL IS.IT DOES NOT COMPLETELY WRAP THE PROPERTY AND SO THEREFORE DOESN'T PROVIDE COMPLETE SECURITY.
THE PROPERTY OWNERS TOLD US THEY WOULD RATHER INVEST IN A CAMERA SYSTEM TO SECURE THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, AND SO WE'RE BRINGING THIS OPTION TO THE COUNCIL TO SEE IF THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE TO ADDRESS THE SECURITY CONCERNS.
WELL, I DON'T FIND IT ANYWHERE NEAR A REPLACEMENT FOR A SOLID FENCE.
WHO'S GOING TO MONITOR THESE CAMERAS? ANYONE, AND THAT'S NO PROTECTION.
SO THEY SEE SOME GUY IN THE BACK YARD ON THE CAMERA.
WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? THEY'RE THERE. YES.
WELL, WILL THAT SECURITY COMPANY BE ON THE PREMISES OR WILL THEY BE TEN MILES AWAY? IT WILL NOT BE AN ON SITE TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, POLICE MONITORING.
IT WOULD BE A SECURITY COMPANY LIKE AN ADT TYPE OF MONITORING.
WELL, AND WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE CAPABILITIES DO THEY HAVE SIMILAR TO ANY OTHER MONITORED CAMERA.
IF THEY SEE A CRIME IN PROGRESS THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, ALERT THE POLICE.
THE OWNER HAS MET WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NOBODY'S TALKING ABOUT WOOD HERE.
AGREED, THAT WAS ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE THAT THEY BROUGHT TO US WAS POTENTIALLY DOING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FENCE, BUT THESE HIGH TECH CAMERAS MONITORED FOR THE REMAINING TERM IS WHAT WE ARE BRINGING TO YOU TODAY TO SEE IF THE COUNCIL WILL AGREE TO THAT SUBSTITUTION.
COUNCILMAN, YOU KNOW, THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION THAT THERE'S APARTMENTS RIGHT BEHIND THAT LOCATION.
THERE IS A FENCE THERE A BRICK, A BRICK FENCE, A WOODEN FENCE.
IT REALLY DON'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE.
THEY CAN CLIMB OVER THE FENCE ANYWAY.
THIS IS A FOOD DESERT, THIS STORE.
WE PUT $3 MILLION INTO THIS STORE, AND THIS PARTICULAR STORE THAT IF IT CLOSED DOWN, THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'LL GET OUR MONEY BACK, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY STORE WE GOT OVER THERE, BUT WE HAVE WENT THROUGH THE NPO OFFICERS HAVE BEEN OVER THERE THAT WE DON'T PUTMONITOR CAMERAS OVER THERE.
WE GOT TO RESPOND AT THAT LOCATION TO DO THAT, BUT THE NPOS, THE SOUTH CENTRAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY DID GO. THEY LOOKED AT IT, THEY DID EXAMINATION, THEY LOOK AT IT, AND THEY SAID, THAT A CAMERA'S PROBABLY THE BEST DEFENSE, BECAUSE THAT WAY THEY CAN MONITOR WHO GOING OVER THERE. THEN ALSO THEY WORKING WITH APARTMENTS COMPLEX.
WHEN I GO OVERSEAS IN TAIWAN AND TAIPEI, YOU DON'T SEE POLICE, YOU SEE CAMERAS, THEY SEE CAMERAS EVERYWHERE, YOU KNOW, AND THE CAMERAS THEY'RE PUTTING IN, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS, NUMBER ONE, I DON'T WANT A GROCERY STORE GOING TO CLOSE DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE FIGHTING OVER, YOU KNOW MAYBE 20 OR $30,000, BUT THE CAMERAS ARE GOING TO COST MORE THAN 20 OR $30,000, AND THEY'RE GOING TO MONITOR IT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LOSE A GROCERY STORE IN A FOOD DESERT.
SO I WOULD BE SUPPORTING SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS STORE IS THE ONLY STORE WITHIN A 5 TO 10 MILE RADIUS OF ANYONE OVER THERE, AND WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY OTHER STORE TO COME IN THAT AREA, AND SO WITH THIS AMENDMENT TO THEIR CONTRACT AND THEY ARE PUTTING THE MONEY HERE, THEY'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE MPO OFFICER AND WITH CAMERAS OVER THERE, AND WE THINK CAMERAS ARE THE BEST DEAL.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT THE PREDATORS THERE SO THEY CAN CLIMB OVER THE FENCE, THE BRICK WALL BUT CAMERAS DO SHOW A FACE, YOU KNOW.
I THINK YOU KIND OF COVERED IT.
THIS ONE SINCE IT HAS TO DO WITH SECURITY I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST HEAR FROM DPD.
[01:10:03]
I KNOW THEY DON'T PARTAKE IN CONTRACTS LIKE THIS, BUT AT LEAST HEAR FROM DPD.I MEAN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WHERE IT'S LIKE IT'S WHEN YOU DON'T SEE THE BARRIER, YOU, YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE MY MIND IS GOING, HOW DO YOU STOP ANYBODY? BUT THEN I ALSO CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IF THERE IS A MONITORING SERVICE AND THESE FOLKS ARE DOING THEIR JOB, THEN YOU HELP DETER CRIME WITH THE CAMERAS AS WELL.
SO BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN GET DPD TO AT LEAST GIVE US A REPORT OR GIVE US SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR FINDINGS WITH THE VENDOR, AND IF SO, IF WE CAN JUST HAVE IT SO THAT I THINK DPD DID A REPORT BECAUSE THEY DID DID A SURVEY, THEY CAME OUT.
THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE NUMEROUS TIMES.
MATTER OF FACT, THE OLD JUST TOLD THEM PUT BAIT CARS THERE.
THEY DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET THERE.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DPD HIRING DPD.
I'LL DO THE POLICE. THEY DOING EVERYTHING, BUT THEY SAID THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION THAT CAMERAS, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEIR FACE THERE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN CLIMB THE WALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, CATCH IT ON THE, ON THE, ON CAMERA, GET THEIR FACE ON CAMERA.
SO VERY GOOD. YEAH. IF WE CAN GET THAT REPORT OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY GAVE IN ORDER TO GIVE THAT RECOMMENDATION, I THINK IT MEANS A LOT IF DPD'S THE ONE THAT I THINK THE MAIN ISSUE IS THAT THE FENCE IS BEHIND THE STORE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING ON THE SIDES, AND SO PEOPLE CAN JUST WALK RIGHT AROUND IT.
RIGHT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PART.
SO IT'S JUST AND HEATHER'S ALSO REMINDING ME THE CAMERAS WILL REQUIRE 30 DAYS OF RECORDED STORAGE.
SO IF THERE ARE CRIMES, THERE WILL AT LEAST BE SOME ON-SITE EVIDENCE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THAT'S MY ONE REQUEST, AND OF COURSE, WITH THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FENCE.
THERE WAS JUST SOME JUST PUTTING A FENCE JUST RIGHT ON THE BACK OF IT.
YOU CAN WALK RIGHT AROUND THE FENCE.
SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE ISSUE.
YOU WALK RIGHT AROUND AND KEEP GOING IN.
IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED FENCE.
SO BUT IF I JUST THINK THAT'LL HELP, IF WE CAN ALL GET THAT REPORT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A CONSCIOUS CHAIRMAN STEWART. THANK YOU.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION. DO THEY HAVE SECURITY? ARE THEY PLANNING TO HAVE SECURITY AT THE STORE? THEY CURRENTLY HAVE SOME CAMERAS AT THE STORE.
THIS WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL, AND THEN THEY DO HAVE.
PERSONNEL ACTING AS SECURITY AT THE AT THE DOOR OF THE STORE.
WHAT IS PERSONNEL ACTING AS SECURITY? LIKE LIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROVIDING SECURITY? SECURITY GUARDS. PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAINED TO BE SECURITY GUARDS.
OKAY, OKAY. BECAUSE I THINK THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS WELL.
SO IT'S WHEN WE GET LAX AND WE JUST YOU'RE A SECURITY GUARD AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE HAVING FOR DINNER AND YOU'RE NOT FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HAPPENING IN THE STORE AT THAT MOMENT.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW I DON'T KNOW THE SITUATION WELL ENOUGH TO HOW TO PUT IN THAT ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE, BUT IF THERE COULD BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE WHERE WE ASK THEM TO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL OFFICER, THE SECURITY GUARD, THE SECURITY COMPANY, AND, AND EVERYBODY COULD SPEND SOME TIME WHEN NECESSARY REVIEWING FOOTAGE OR WHATEVER.
IT JUST I THINK IF THERE'S A TEAM EFFORT BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, SECURING THE PROPERTY WITH A PHYSICAL BARRIER IS GOING TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN WALK AROUND IT, BUT A PHYSICAL BARRIER WILL BE MORE OF A DETERRENT, BUT ALL OF IT WILL BE MORE OF A DETERRENT. IT WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IF WE ASK THEM TO DO THESE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THEIR NPO AND THEIR SECURITY TEAM.
BASICALLY, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE DEVELOPER, BUT I CAN TELL YOU BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THEM OVER THE LAST MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS, I THINK THEY WOULD BE AMENABLE TO THAT.
SECURITY IS A BIG CONCERN FOR THEM.
THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF THE SECURITY CONCERNS AT THE STORE.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF COST AND SINKING A HUGE AMOUNT OF COST INTO A ONE TIME FENCE.
RIGHT NOW, WHILE THE STORE HAS VERY THIN PROFIT MARGINS VERSUS AN ONGOING SECURITY COST THROUGH STAFFING AND CAMERAS SEEM TO MAKE MORE SENSE FINANCIALLY TO THEM, BUT I THINK THEY WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT SUGGESTION AND WE'LL TAKE IT TO THEM, AND MS. STEWART, THEY DO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH NPO OFFICERS.
MATTER OF FACT, THEY THEY GENERALLY MEET AT MY OFFICE ONCE A MONTH.
THE OWNER MEET THE COMMUNITY, MEET THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL, MEET IN THERE.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING, YOU KNOW, IN OFFICE WITH THE RESIDENT.
THERE IS A FENCE IN THE BACK OF IT.
THEY GOT BARBED WIRE ON THE FENCE.
SO THEREFORE IT IS A FENCE THERE, AND THEY DO CLIMB OVER THE BARBED WIRE FENCE.
SO THEREFORE A BRICK FENCE AIN'T GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A FENCE ALREADY THERE.
[01:15:02]
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE A FENCE.THERE IS A FENCE ALREADY THERE.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A FENCE THERE, BUT ALSO THE KEY IS THAT WE DO HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF APARTMENTS COMPLEX OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, WHICH ARE THREE, THREE, THREE PERSONAL LIFE.
IN THOSE APARTMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF [INAUDIBLE] VILLAGE, YOU KNOW, THOSE THE PINKS AND THE BROWNS, THOSE SOME BAD LITTLE APARTMENTS, AND SO THEREFORE, WE'RE AN APARTMENT BEHIND THAT HAD BEEN SOLD, AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO HAVE SECURITY IN THEIR APARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT PROPER SECURITY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A STORE, IT'S A SURROUNDING AROUND THE STORE THAT GO OVER THERE AND CREATE PROBLEM, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT A GREAT BUSINESS PARTNER, AND THIS IS NOT A STORE THAT, THAT JUST A FLY BY NIGHT STORE.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE STORED THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, HAVE BEEN CALLING, MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY, BEEN HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH DPD. THEY GOT BAIT CARS OUT THERE.
THEY DID EVERYTHING TO TRY TO DISCOURAGE APARTMENT AND MATTER OF FACT, JUST FROM THE SCHOOL.
SO THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HANG OUT ON THE CORNER OF THE GROCERY OF THE GAS STATION.
SO IT'S NOT AN AREA THAT YOU THINK IS HEY, PUT A BRICK FENCE IS GREAT, BUT YOU NEED CAMERAS.
TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STORE DO NOT CLOSE AND BE IN A FOOD DESERT.
YES, MA'AM. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD.
IS THIS THE SAME LOCATION THAT WE THAT WE PUT THE FENCE IN BACK IN 2016 OR 17 OR SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT? YES. THIS IS THE SAME LOCATION WHERE THE CITY FUNDED THE COST OF A FENCE.
THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID PART OF THE WORK BUT DIDN'T FINISH THE FENCE, AND SO THAT'S WHY WHEN WE BROUGHT THE ITEM TO COUNCIL AFTER THE STORE CLOSED AND A NEW OWNER WAS COMING IN AT THE LAST MINUTE, AN ADDITION WAS MADE TO REQUIRE THEM TO FINISH THE FENCE.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE THAT AT ONE TIME AND THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, BUT AT ONE TIME WE RECEIVED A GRANT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID FOR THOSE FUSION CAMERAS WHERE YOU COULD THEY WERE MONITORED FROM DOWNTOWN.
SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE MIGHT.
I'M JUST GOING TO PASS THAT OFF TO YOU.
YOU'RE NOT TOO FAR FROM PAUL QUINN.
YOU HAVE THE NEW APARTMENTS COMING IN, AND THE STUDENTS, OF COURSE, THEY'RE COMING IN WANTING TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORE WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO OR WHEN WHEN I GUESS THAT IT'S STILL OLD SCHOOL WHERE THE CAFETERIA IS CLOSED ON THE WEEKEND.
YOU HAVE TO GO FIND SOMETHING TO EAT AND EAT.
SO, BUT I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
IN TERMS OF THE FUSION CAMERAS, THAT MIGHT ALSO BE A SOLUTION.
THAT WILL HELP THAT. SO WE JUST SO THAT YOU DON'T JUST LOSE THAT SHOPPING OPPORTUNITY.
WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT. COUNCILMAN RIDLEY? WILL THE STORE BE OPEN 24/7? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS OPEN 24/7.
WILL THE ON SITE SECURITY GUARDS HAVE ACCESS TO THE CAMERA FOOTAGE OR WILL THEY NOT? I PRESUME SO, BUT THAT'S A QUESTION I WOULD WANT TO DO.
YOU KNOW THAT, HEATHER? FOR SURE.
WELL, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WORTH CHECKING ON BECAUSE EARLIER YOU SAID THAT IT WOULD BE MONITORED FROM A REMOTE STATION, AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S NOT MONITORABLE ON SITE, HOW EFFECTIVE THAT'S GOING TO BE? AND IS IT EVEN THE SAME SECURITY COMPANY? WE'LL CHECK ON THAT.
IT WAS A CITY. IT WAS OUR REQUIREMENT THAT THE FEED BE MONITORED.
SURE, BUT WE'LL SEE EXACTLY HOW THEY PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THAT, AND WHAT ARE THE REPERCUSSIONS IF THEY DON'T MONITOR, IF THEY DON'T ABIDE BY THIS NEW AGREEMENT, IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS WHERE WE ARE NOW.
IT WOULD BE A POTENTIAL DEFAULT, BUT REMEMBER, WE ARE A SUBORDINATE LENDER.
IT WOULD PROBABLY CLOSE THE STORE.
THANK YOU, AND ANOTHER QUESTION ON D, E, OR F?
[01:20:09]
WITH THAT, WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH CHAIRMAN [INAUDIBLE] AT 3:30.SO IF WE CAN GET A CORNER OF GET ON VIRTUAL OR WHATEVER, AND HOPE Y'ALL CAN BE THERE AT 3:30.
I'LL CALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.