[00:00:03]
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE MAY 6TH PARKS, TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE.
[Park, Trails, and Environment Committee on May 6, 2024.]
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 9:05.SO OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE MINUTES AS USUAL.
THESE ARE FROM THE APRIL 1ST MINUTES OR MEETING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION FOR APPROVAL. HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU. SECOND.
OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ALONG THEN TO OUR FIRST BRIEFING.
ARE WE OKAY? OKAY. SORRY, A LITTLE PAUSE THERE.
YES, MA'AM. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE AND TODAY IS THE KICKOFF, IF YOU WOULD SAY, FOR OUR SUMMER AQUATICS PROGRAM PREVIEW THAT WE WERE EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL WE PRESENTED TO THE PARK BOARD A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET OUR ALL OF OUR POOLS READY AND AS YOU SAID, THIS IS RAUL ROBLES.
HE'S OUR SUPERINTENDENT OVER AQUATICS, AND I'M JOHN LAWRENCE, OVER THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER OUR CITYWIDE ATHLETICS RESERVATIONS AND EVENTS DIVISION AND SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RAUL, AND HE'LL RUN US THROUGH THE BRIEFING, AND THEN WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS RAUL ROBLES SUPERINTENDENT OF AQUATICS DIVISION AND SO HERE WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE RECAP REVIEW FROM 2023 AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING FOR THIS NEW YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND SLIDE THREE.
SO AT OUR WATER PARK, WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND OPEN OUR DOORS TO MORE OF OUR VISITORS.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER BREAKING YEAR FOR 76,000 TO 78,000 PEOPLE THAT VISITED, WHETHER THERE WERE DURING REGULAR HOURS, SPECIAL EVENTS, PRIVATE RESERVATIONS FROM THE REC CENTERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO, LIKE, HOST THEM AT OUR FACILITY GENERATING OVER $1.2 MILLION.
WE ALSO SEE A BIGGER INCREASE IN OUR SEASON PASSES WITH 17% INCREASE ON THEM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OVER 300 SEASON PASSING HOLDERS NOW.
THEY GET AN INVITE AND THE INFORMATION TO RETURN.
NEXT SLIDE. AT OUR FAMILY AQUATIC CENTERS, WE HAVE 10/9 FAMILY AQUATIC CENTERS THAT WERE ABLE TO HOLD OVER 179,000IN ATTENDANCE.
AGAIN WE WERE HOSTING A SPECIAL EVENTS, RESERVATIONS SWIM LESSONS, SWIM TEAMS. AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GENERATE A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION.
THEY CONTINUE TO HOLD STRONG SERVING THE PURPOSES TO THE COMMUNITY 35,000 ATTENDANCE THERE.
SO WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, OUR MAIN PURPOSE IN AQUATICS IS WATER SAFETY.
SO BEING ABLE TO CONDUCT OVER 7000 SWIM LESSONS, HAVING 7000 ATTENDEES, AND KEEPING THE DROWNING PREVENTION RATE DOWN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
A LOT OF THOSE COME THROUGH DIFFERENT SCHOLARSHIP CAMPAIGNS THAT WE HOST.
ONE OF THEM IS THE ONE THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS CITIZENS, THEY PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER PARTNERS OUT THERE FROM, LIKE, AREAS LIKE KID SPRINGS AS WELL AS THE RED CROSS.
SO WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? [INAUDIBLE] THEY GO THROUGH SWIM LESSONS, THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SWIM TEAMS. SO THEY START DEVELOPING THE PASSION FOR THE SPORT.
WE HAVE A SERIES OF SWIM MEETS WHERE WE HAD ABOUT 600 ATHLETES REGISTERED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
JUST GOING OUT THERE, DOING THEIR BEST, ENJOYING THEIR TIME, GOING HOME WITH THAT LITTLE MEDAL AND JUST SHOWING IT TO THEIR FRIENDS THE SCHOOL YEAR AFTER THEY'RE DONE. AS SWIMMERS, THEN OUR NEXT GOAL IS TO INTRODUCE THEM INTO WHAT IS A JOB IN AQUATICS.
[00:05:07]
SO BECOMING A SWIM INSTRUCTOR, WHERE SOME OF THE KIDS THAT CAME FROM THE SWIM TEAM, THEY WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE CLASSES.SO FROM TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD A NEW 41 SWIM INSTRUCTORS 2023 AND A TOTAL OF 245 NEW LIFEGUARDS THAT GOT CERTIFIED AND THESE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE OUT THERE MAINTAINING OUR FACILITIES OPEN.
SO AS A TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE DIVISION, WE HAD A 2.6 EXCEEDING OUR GOAL, WHICH WAS 2.45.
YOU SEE THAT INTEREST AND THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO COME AND VISIT OUR FACILITIES.
ATTENDANCE STILL SLOWLY BUT SURELY RISING.
THE WEATHER HAS BEEN WORKING ON OUR FAVOR, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THE MAY SHOWERS JUST STOP IN MAY, AND WE HAVE JUST SHOWERS AT NIGHT TO KEEP THE THE REST OF THE DAY COOL.
SO WHAT IS OUR GOAL? OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN A VERY ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE THE LESS EXPENSIVE, MORE AFFORDABLE WITHIN THE METROPLEX, WHETHER IT'S LIKE DAILY ATTENDANCE, SWIM LESSONS OR ANY OTHER PROGRAMING AS WELL AS STILL TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME INNOVATIVE SPECIAL EVENTS TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME, THEY CAN COME TO OUR FACILITIES, MAKE A NICE MEMORY, GO HOME SAFELY, TELL THEIR FRIENDS, TELL THEIR FAMILY, AND WE CAN HAVE THEM BACK.
OUR SPRAYGROUNDS ARE ALREADY OPEN.
WE ARE SCHEDULED TO OPEN A FAMILY AQUATIC CENTERS AND OUR COMMUNITY POOLS RIGHT AFTER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, AND OUR FULL OPERATION WITH PROGRAMING THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY.
OUR TEN WEEK OPERATIONS WILL GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH AUGUST 4TH.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND WE JUST MADE A SMALL CHANGE ON OUR SCHEDULE.
FOLLOWING COVID, WE WERE RUNNING A SESSIONS AT THE FAMILY AQUATIC CENTERS, WHICH IT WAS REQUESTED TO JUST OPEN AND OPERATE JUST A FULL DAY.
SO WE LISTEN TO THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS, THE REQUESTS, AND WE HAVE MADE THOSE CHANGES TO PROVIDE A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR THE CUSTOMERS. IN HERE, IT SHOWS YOU THE SCHEDULE FOR THE WATER PARK.
EVERY FACILITY IS CLOSED AT LEAST ONE DAY OUT OF THE WEEK WE HOST SWIM LESSONS AND SWIM TEAMS AT [INAUDIBLE] SWIMMING AQUATIC CENTERS IN COMMUNITY POOLS.
WE ALSO ARE CONTINUING TO DO OUR SWIM LESSONS AT THE WATER PARK, WHICH GOT STARTED TWO YEARS AGO.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND AS FAR AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PRICE AND HERE'S AN EXAMPLE FOR LIKE WHAT RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT THE SEASON PASSES FOR BAHAMA BEACH ARE.
NEXT SLIDE AND THE NEXT ONE IS FOR OUR FAMILY AQUATIC CENTERS AND COMMUNITY POOLS.
SO YOU SEE OUR FEES ARE VERY AFFORDABLE AND A SEASON PASS FOR THE COAST GIVES YOU ACCESS TO ALL OTHER 18-19 FAMILY AQUATIC CENTERS AND COMMUNITY POOLS OUTSIDE OF THE WATER PARK.
NEXT SLIDE. SO TO GET THE ATTENDANCE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR VISITORS COME THROUGH THROUGH THE MAC TEAM AND THROUGH THE AQUATICS GROUP.
WE ARE HOLDING A REALLY STRONG MARKETING CAMPAIGN, WHETHER IT'S A SOCIAL MEDIA RADIO BANNERS THE SIGNS ON THE HIGHWAY MARQUEES, THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS VERY DEVOTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICE GETS SPREAD OUT AND WE ARE OPEN FOR THEM TO COME AND EXPERIENCE.
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NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND OUR EVENTS SO THAT THE WATER PARK WE HAVE A DALLAS [INAUDIBLE] VISIT THE ZOO, COME.THEY BRING A COUPLE OF ANIMALS.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE HAVE TICKETS THAT ARE SOLD FOR BOTH FACILITIES.
WE ALSO HAVE DIVE-IN MOVIES, CARDBOARD BOAT RACES.
YOUR PARK BOARD HAS STARTED A HASHTAG SLIDE CHALLENGE.
WE HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR AS NEW AS THE SPLASH AND DASH SERIES THAT WE HAVE.
WE ALSO DO WATER AEROBICS AND SENIOR AEROBICS, AND THOSE ARE VERY POPULAR AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE AND NONE OF THESE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT OUR AQUATICS TEAM.
SO ALL OF THESE STAFF STARTS 15, 16 YEAR OLDS.
THESE ARE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES, WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO GET AGAIN THROUGH OUR PROGRAMING AND UP, AS WELL AS THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE THROUGH WITH THE ISD WHERE WE GO IN AND WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SWIM LESSONS AND SWIM COACHING FOR THEM.
SO THE WATER SAFETY PART, THESE ARE YOUR LIFEGUARDS, 348 OF THEM, AND YOUR SWIM LESSON INSTRUCTORS.
THE 128 ARE YOUR SUPPORT, WHICH IS THE POOL MANAGERS, CONCESSIONS AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE SURE LIKE THE GROUNDS ARE GOOD AND WE'RE ABLE TO OPEN OUR FACILITIES. NEXT SLIDE AND RIGHT NOW OUT THERE, THE FULL TIME AQUATICS TEAM IS MAKING SURE THAT YOUR REQUISITIONS ARE UP, THAT ALL NEW CANDIDATES ARE GETTING A CHANCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME CITY OF DALLAS EMPLOYEES AND SPEND THE SUMMER WITH US.
SOME OF THIS, WE GET DONE WITH MAGNETS ON THEIR TRUCKS, SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY SENT A BLAST THROUGHOUT THE THROUGHOUT THE CITY ANNOUNCEMENT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE DID.
WITHOUT THAT, IF WE WORK FOR THE CITY, YOU KNOW, BEST PLACE FOR YOUR CHILDREN IS TO START WITH US AS WELL AND, YOU KNOW PUTTING BANNERS OUT THERE, MAKING SURE WE HAVE YARD SIGNS ON EVERY TRAIL, EVERY PARK AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THE NEXT SLIDE AND THAT'S IT FOR US.
HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO VISIT OUR FACILITIES.
YOUR FACILITIES! THESE ARE GREAT PLACES WHERE YOU SEE EVERYBODY COMING IN JUST SMILING.
YOU MADE US SMILE WITH A PICTURE OF THE SLIDE CHALLENGE.
I THINK WE SAW PERHAPS PARK BOARD MEMBER HARRISON BLAIR IN A SUIT.
IS THAT RIGHT? HE WENT DOWN THE SLIDE INTO THE.
YES, HE TOOK ONE FOR THE TEAM THERE.
WE'LL START. WE'LL START TO MY RIGHT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
RAUL, CAN YOU LET US KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH LIFEGUARDS? AND IF WE HAVE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS TO START THE SEASON AND THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD THERE, WHAT WE'RE PAYING OUR LIFEGUARDS.
AS FAR AS OUR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM GOES YES.
WE DO HAVE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS TO START THE SEASON.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A WAITING LIST ON THE LIFEGUARDS.
THAT'S WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE THAT CURRENTLY THAT OVERFLOW.
SO AS OR CANDIDATES, LET'S SAY, OVERFLOWING CANDIDATES OUR LIFEGUARDS, OUR CONTINGENT FOR THEIR POSITION ON MAKING SURE THEY PASS BACKGROUND THE FISCAL AS WELL AS THE LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION IN THE NEED OF THEM NEEDING SOME EXTRA TRAINING.
[00:15:05]
WE ALSO PROVIDE THAT TO THEM AT NO COST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK FOR THE SUMMER AND WHAT'S THE HOURLY COMPENSATION? SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 1891.DIRECTOR JENKINS, THANK YOU FOR FOR COMING DOWN.
I AND JUST CONGRATULATE RAUL ON HIS GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE SEE LIFEGUARDS TRANSITION INTO DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS.
ON PAGE OR OUT OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WE'RE OFFERING, HAVE YOU ALL PUT A VALUE ON THAT, ON THE ALL THE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT EITHER GET FUNDED PRIVATELY OR THAT ARE DONE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, WHAT'S THE TOTAL SAVINGS TO OUR POPULATION? SO LAST YEAR, JUST IN OUR AQUATICS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP WAS CLOSE TO 30,000, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER 16,000 GIVEN FROM THE KIDS SPRINGS GROUP FROM RED CROSS.
THANK YOU. ON PAGE 28 AND 29 I'M GOING TO BE REQUESTING A BREAKDOWN BY AQUATIC CENTER THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE AQUATIC CENTER AND THEN ALSO ON REVENUE, IF WE CAN POTENTIALLY DROP THAT BY CONCESSION AND ADMISSION AND WITH THAT, WHERE ARE WE WITH NAMING RIGHTS AND POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT AQUATIC CENTERS TO HAVE NAMING RIGHTS? I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT.
JOHN JENKINS, DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
YEAH. SO WE'RE LOOKING YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CONTRACT JUST GOT APPROVED AND SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DOING ASSESSMENT ON ALL OUR WITHOUT THEY COMPLETED THE ASSESSMENT GIVING US A DOLLAR VALUE OF THINGS THAT THEY CAN MONETIZE IN THE PARK SYSTEM AND THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE THAT'S HIGH ON THE LIST IS BEING ABLE TO GET SPONSORSHIPS FOR ALL THE POOLS, WHICH THEREFORE CAN HELP OFFSET FUTURE COSTS THAT ARE SWIMMING POOLS.
IT'S DEFINITELY HIGH ON THE LIST.
THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE KNOW THAT OUR POOL SEASONS ARE NOT AS LONG AS WE ALL WOULD HOPE THEY ARE.
AND I KNOW THAT'S THROUGH MANY REASONS.
LIFEGUARDS, WHETHER THEY'RE THEIR SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE KIDS.
WE HAVE ONE INDOOR POOL FACILITY OVER AT BACHMAN, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT ALSO DIRECTOR JENKINS, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE CHALLENGED THE DEPARTMENT TO LOOKING INTO AN AUDITORIUM THAT COULD BE OPEN YEAR ROUND AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAYS HIGH ON THE LIST.
ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SWIM TEAMS WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH DISD.
CHAIR NARVAEZ QUESTION, I DO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE BIG ONE KIND OF WHERE MR. MORENO WAS KIND OF ENDING, NOT SAMUEL, BUT THE ONE BEFORE, WHICH IS BACHMAN THE INDOOR THERAPEUTIC POOL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND WE YOU SPOKE ABOUT SENIOR PROGRAMS. SO CAN I GET A TIMELINE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE? WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET IT REOPENED? BECAUSE AS YOU AS MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID, IT'S THE ONLY INDOOR POOL WE HAVE IN THE SYSTEM AND SO BASICALLY WE HAVE NO INDOOR POOL AND SO THAT MEANS THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT NEED THOSE THERAPEUTIC TRAININGS, THOSE THERAPIES OR SENIOR PROGRAMS, SWIM LESSONS, ALL OF THAT WATER SAFETY.
SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET THAT DONE? I'M SURE IT'S MONEY, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE GET IT DONE? AND HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN? YES. COUNCILMAN, THERE HAS BEEN AN UNFORTUNATE NUMBER OF EVENTS OUT THERE AND HERE, THE RECENTLY THE ONE THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING IS WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE DEHUMIDIFIER IN THE SYSTEM AND SO THAT HVAC, THAT PART OF IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO FIND THE PARTS FOR AND THEY KEEP THEY CONTINUE TO BE DELAYED.
IT'S NOT THE FUNDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE ALL THE FUNDS TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND ADDRESS THAT ITEM.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BUILDING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THEIR CONTRACTOR AND WORKING ON GETTING THAT ACCOMPLISHED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND WE ARE RECEIVING WEEKLY UPDATES. BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S LOOKING LIKE ANOTHER WEEK FOR THE PARTS AND MAYBE A WEEK OR TWO TO GET THEM INSTALLED.
ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.
YES, SIR. AND I JUST HAD TO GET IT OUT THERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF EMAILS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S OUR ONLY INDOOR POOL. THE NEXT THING IS ON THE SCHOLARSHIPS, I THINK THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FAMILIES, STUDENTS YOUNG PEOPLE
[00:20:03]
WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THESE SEASON PASSES OR DAY PASSES ARE SO AFFORDABLE SOMETIMES IT'S STILL OUT OF REACH FOR SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS.RIGHT. SO I WAS WONDERING, HAVE Y'ALL DONE ANY OUTREACH TO FRIENDS? THE FRIENDS OF GROUPS FOR THE DIFFERENT PARKS, THE DIFFERENT AQUATIC CENTERS, YOU KNOW, LIKE FRIENDS OF BACHMAN LAKE? I DON'T KNOW IF, YOU KNOW, HAS ANY OUTREACH BEEN DONE TO THEM TO SEE, YOU KNOW COULD THEY FUND SOME OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS OR.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE PROGRAM BEFORE.
SO HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, IS IT, YOU KNOW, IS IT JUST LIKE, OH, I WANT TO SPONSOR ONE.
CAN YOU SPONSOR TEN? YOU KNOW, CAN YOU SPONSOR, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE SEASON, YOU KNOW HOW DOES THAT WORK? AND THEN ARE THERE ANY OTHER NONPROFIT TYPE ORGANIZATIONS OR CHURCHES THAT YOU COULD PLACES OF FAITH THAT WE COULD ALSO DO OUTREACH TO? OR IS IT IS THAT JUST LIKE A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF OUR YOU KNOW, YOUR ABILITY TO DO IT BECAUSE OF TIME AND STAFF? NO, GREAT QUESTION.
OUR GOAL HAS BEEN INCREASING THE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WE PROVIDE.
WHEN I CAME TO THE CITY, I TOOK THAT RESPONSIBILITY WE'RE GIVEN ABOUT MAYBE 100 SCHOLARSHIPS A YEAR.
WE ARE WELL OVER 1000 SCHOLARSHIPS A YEAR.
WOW. AND THIS IS WITH THE PERIOD OF THE MAJORITY WITHIN THOSE TEN WEEKS.
WE PROVIDE SOME DURING THE YEAR FOR BLACKMON.
THE NUMBER THE NUMBER IS THERE.
WE ARE WORKING ON TRYING TO DEVELOP A WAY TO REACH OUT AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THOSE TO THOSE GROUPS AND FIND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL TO TO PROVIDE THE COST IS $56 PER KID RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY GET ONE FREE SESSION, WHICH IS EIGHT CLASSES.
THEN IT'S LIKE, NOW YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH, YOU CAN BECOME A LIFEGUARD.
IT'S LIKE SHOWING THEM THAT THERE IS JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND IT'S NOT JUST LIFEGUARD AND ALL THAT.
RIGHT? YOU CAN DEVELOP INTO EVENTUALLY BECOMING, YOU KNOW, CITY STAFF IN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE CAN BE A CAREER JUST BECAUSE YOU WENT TO SWIMMING LESSONS, RIGHT? SO THIS IS A REALLY PHENOMENAL THING.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAD LIKE, A SWIMSUIT PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT NOT EVERY KID ALSO HAS A PROPER SWIMSUIT AND WE'RE PRETTY STRICT ON THAT RULE, AND WE HAVE TO BE AND WE DON'T WANT TO STOP ANY PERSON FROM BEING ABLE TO SWIM IF THEY DON'T HAVE A SWIMSUIT. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND SOME OF OUR SWIMMING POOLS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE WORST THING IS FOR, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY A YOUNG KID A YOUNG PERSON TO WALK UP. HAVE THEIR FEE OR HAVE THEIR SCHOLARSHIP OR WHATEVER, AND THEN GET TURNED AWAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PROPER SWIMSUIT.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, BECAUSE THAT SHOWED INITIATIVE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EQUITY FOR DIFFERENT FAMILIES AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE AND BASED ON THEIR NEEDS.
I'M ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT SWIMMING SEASON.
IT'S BECAUSE I SEE THE STUDENTS.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE POOLS IN EVERY SINGLE AREA.
RIGHT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK.
YOU'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB SINCE YOU GOT THERE.
MADE MAKING GREAT CHANGES AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SEE.
AND I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT WHETHER IT'S [SPANISH] AND GOOD LUCK THIS YEAR. KEEP IT UP.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DIRECTOR JENKINS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE REVENUE FOR BAHAMA BEACH.
THE 1.2 IS THAT NET OR GROSS? THAT WAS GROSS.
SO DO YOU HAVE A NET NUMBER? THAT WAS ACTUALLY NET.
[00:25:06]
WHAT IS THE TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS IN COMPARISON TO PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR IS ABOUT A 4% GROWTH AND SO IT'S NOT MUCH OVERALL BUT IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH OKAY.SO WE ARE COVERING EXPENSES THERE.
WE ARE STILL YOU JUST SAID IT WAS NET.
WE STILL HAVE A LARGER EXPENSE THAN REVENUE THERE AT BAHAMAS.
SO IT'S REALLY NOT NET 1.2 REVENUE.
WELL NO, WE COVER THAT PORTION OF IT, BUT WE DON'T COVER ALL OF OUR EXPENSES.
SO NO. SO HOW MUCH IS BAHAMA BEACH IN TOTAL TO OPERATE TO IN TOTAL TO OPERATE 1.7 MILLION OKAY.
SO MY QUESTION THEN IS WHAT IS OUR STRATEGY I MEAN TO BREAK EVEN.
RIGHT AND WHAT ARE WE AND GIVING A GOOD PRODUCT TO AT A REASONABLE COST.
BECAUSE YOUR COSTS ARE GOING TO BE THEY'RE KIND OF FIXED.
IT'S YOU KNOW, IF YOU OPEN IF YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE, THERE ARE 500.
SO WHAT ARE AND I NOTICED YOUR STRATEGIES I MEAN YES.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR TACTICS TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN.
HAVE YOU ALL DEVELOPED THAT BECAUSE I MEAN I'M LOOKING AT ARE THERE FAMILY PACKAGES WHERE YOU GET FOUR HOT DOGS 4 COKES OR CHIPS, GET AN ENTRANCE IN, LIKE, WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING? AND THIS IS ACROSS ALL OF THEM TO ENTICE MORE FAMILIES AND IF FAMILIES KNOW THAT, HEY, IT'S ONLY $50 FOR ME TO GO FOR THE AFTERNOON, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GO THAT, OH MY GOSH, I'M GOING TO GET NICKEL AND DIMED EVERY TIME I GET THERE AND I MAY END UP SPENDING 75.
BECAUSE OUR COST HAS REALLY ESCALATED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND WE NEED TO PAY A FAIR WAGE.
WE NEED TO PAY A FAIR WAGE, AND THE COSTS OF FOOD HAVE GONE UP LIKE I GET IT.
YES. OKAY, SO NOW IT'S THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE.
HOW DO WE BECAUSE WE NEED TO COVER THAT COST? SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT RAISING FEES AT SOME LEVEL.
BUT HOW DO WE BALANCE RAISING THE FEES VERSUS MAKING SURE WE KEEP IT AFFORDABLE AS WELL AND SO A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, YEAH, WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT RAISING FEES AT SOME LEVEL, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TURN AWAY ANY KIDS OF UTILIZING OUR POOLS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING BIG AFTER THE SPONSORSHIPS TO MAKE SURE NO CHILD IS TURNED AWAY AND THEN HOW CAN WE ALSO GET NAMING RIGHTS OR ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO OFFSET EXPENSES? SO WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE GAP THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
I THINK THE CREATIVE THING TO DO IS HOW DO WE LOOK AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR MAYBE, AND THAT WE WANT TO INCREASE CAPACITY THERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO, REALLY, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPLICE IT.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY GO MOLECULAR AND, BUT I DON'T THINK RAISING FEES OFF THE TOP IS KEY.
RIGHT AND THEY COVER THAT ON THE SEASON PASS, IS THAT PER PERSON OR PER FAMILY PER PERSON? OKAY AND IT MAY BE TRYING TO DO A FAMILY PASS.
SO IT'D BE LIKE A FAMILY OF FOUR, I KNOW.
BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS 60 FOR RESIDENT OR 80, I THINK I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A PRIVATE SECTOR LOOK AT THIS, AND I CHALLENGE Y'ALL TO DO THAT BECAUSE BUT I DON'T WANT TO RAISE THAT.
THAT'S. TO ME, THAT WOULD BE THE LAST THING AND IT WOULD BE A DOLLAR MAYBE.
RIGHT? RIGHT. I MEAN, I DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE.
WE TAKE FIVE CARS OUT THERE WITH ALL THE BOYS PILED IN AND IT WAS A FUN DAY AND THEY WERE EXHAUSTED AND BUT IT WAS AFFORDABLE AND THEY AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT FOR FAMILIES TO DO OR OR GROUPS OF FRIENDS AND I WAS A LIFEGUARD FOR SIX YEARS.
[00:30:02]
THOUGHT THESE PARENTS ENTRUSTED ME WITH THEIR MOST VALUED TREASURE AND SO YES, YOU COULD BECOME NOT EVEN A STAFFER, BUT A COUNCIL MEMBER AND SO BUT I DO THINK THAT I MEAN, I TOOK IT SERIOUS AND AND SO I IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT WE ARE PAYING A FAIR WAGE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ALWAYS THAT WAY BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SUMMER HELP.RIGHT AND BUT THEY ARE A VALUED ASSET IN THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT IS SOMEBODY, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU WANT EVERYBODY TO GET HOME SAFELY. SO AND THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE HAVE CHAIR WEST ON VIRTUALLY.
QUESTIONS? YES, I DO, THANK YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES. GREAT.
WELL, THANKS FOR THE BRIEFING.
I APPRECIATE IT AS I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL LIFEGUARD, TOO, JUST LIKE CHAIR BLACKMON WAS.
I REMEMBER MAKING WHEN IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO GET A RAISE UP TO $8 AN HOUR.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TO HEAR THAT WE'RE PAYING A FAIR WAGE TO FOLLOW UP ON CHAIR MORENO'S QUESTIONS ON THE STAFFING LEVELS FOR LIFEGUARDS.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WONDERFUL POOLS PROGRAM.
THE AQUATICS IS THE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR THINGS IN MY DISTRICT FOR KIDS, SPRINGS PARK.
IT'S PACKED ALL THE TIME AND I GOT A LOT OF CALLS.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU NOW HAVE A WAIT LIST FOR LIFEGUARDS? WHAT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN 2023 AND 24, AND WHY ARE WE NOT? CAN YOU GIVE ME CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEMS OF STAFFING THIS YEAR, THAT WE DID IN THE PAST? YEAH, I'M GOING TO HAVE RAUL MR. ROBLES GO IN DETAILS, BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT DALLAS DID FAIRLY WELL LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE WHEN IT CAME TO STAFF AND OUR POOLS COMPARED TO OUR PEER CITIES, I CAN TELL YOU HOUSTON ONLY OPENED HALF OF THEIR POOLS LAST YEAR.
DALLAS WAS ABLE TO OPEN ALL OF OUR POOLS.
THAT WAS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NOW, AS PART OF THAT, YES, WE WAS ABLE TO GET THE KIDS IN WORKING WITH OUR HR GROUP, WORKING WITH THE CITY HR, WE CAME UP WITH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS WHERE WE OFFER BONUSES, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE WAS ABLE TO STAFF THE POOLS UP PRETTY GOOD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
OKAY. I MEAN, WE WAS 100% AND WE HAD TO GET CREATIVE BECAUSE THESE YOUNGER FOLKS TODAY, THEY'RE NOT LIKE THE YOUNG FOLKS LIKE WE USED TO BE, JUST WANT TO STAY IN THE SUN ALL DAY. I'M JUST BEING HONEST AND SO WE GOT CREATIVE AND WENT TO THE SPLIT TIMES LAST YEAR.
WE'RE NOT DOING THAT THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, WE WAS ABLE TO BE OPEN UP 100% OF OUR POOLS LAST YEAR AS A RESULT OF BEING CREATIVE.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TOWARDS THE END OF THE POOL SEASON? AND THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE BEGINNING OF TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS.
WE START COMPETING WITH EVERYTHING ELSE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
KIDS, THEN THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR MONEY.
NOW THEY'RE FOCUSED ON GOING BACK TO COLLEGE.
THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON, AFTER THE 4TH OF JULY, IT'S A CHALLENGE.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU THAT THEY WON'T LEAVE AGAIN TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON.
YEAH AND ALL OF MR. JENKINS POINTS ARE OUR MAIN CHALLENGES.
END OF THE YEAR FAMILY VACATIONS.
WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY AND STARTED TO MAKE CHANGES AND THOSE ALTERNATIVE SCHEDULES.
LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE OPERATED 8 FULL WEEKS OUT OF THE TEN WEEKS.
SO IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE WERE MADE LAST YEAR.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT WE CONTINUE FOR THE FOLLOWING.
WE ARE GETTING TO A CHANGE WHERE THE NEW GENERATION IS STARTING TO BE MORE EAGER TO WORK.
SO WE'RE PUTTING OUR HOPES ON THEM.
WE ARE PROVIDING THEM WITH EXTRA MONEY.
BUT THE PAY AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S ALREADY HIGH.
PAYING, GETTING PAID 18, $19 AN HOUR.
WHEN I BECAME A LIFEGUARD, I WANTED TO WORK 40, 50, 60.
[00:35:05]
GIVE ME ALL THE HOURS.WE ARE LOOKING INTO A GENERATION THAT WANTS TO DO 27, 30 HOURS AVERAGE PER WEEK.
SO WE ARE WITH THE RESERVES OR THE EXTRA CANDIDATES ARE ON THAT HOLDING PEN.
WE ARE GIVING THEM THOSE OTHER HOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COVER ALL THE SWIMMING LESSONS AND THE PROGRAMING, AS WELL AS OPEN THE FACILITIES SAFE. WE CANNOT OPERATE A NEGATIVE ONE.
WE CANNOT OPEN THE FACILITY SAFELY.
SCHEDULE CAME, SO WE CLOSE A COUPLE OF DAYS [INAUDIBLE], BUT THE SAME STAFF THAT WORK THERE WERE ABLE TO MOVE TO MARTIN WEISS AND PROVIDE SOMETHING FOR THAT COMMUNITY OR JC.
ALL RIGHT. I'M SO WE CAN EXPECT POSSIBLE STAFFING CHALLENGES AFTER JULY 4TH.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND SOME THINGS YOU CAN INCENTIVIZE THEM.
WHAT KIND OF INCENTIVES DO YOU JUST HAVE, LIKE A CASH RESERVE THAT YOU CAN USE TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO STAY LONGER? OR WHAT TOOLS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR ARSENAL TO GET THEM TO STAY LONGER? TILL THE END OF SUMMER.
SO OUR INCENTIVE BONUS LAST YEAR WAS HEAVY TOWARDS THE END.
THOSE WERE WHERE THEY SEE THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF REWARD, AS WELL AS OUR I'M SORRY, HOLIDAYS.
THEY WANT TO GO BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
THOSE ARE OTHER KEY DAYS WHERE WE SEE THE LARGEST TIME OFF REQUEST.
SO JUST BY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS THEIR VACATION AS WELL, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME OF THAT TIME OFF AND WE ARE TRYING TO PUT AND INCENTIVIZE THEM TO BE THERE.
AND WE TRY TO DO TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL, THE BOARD AND ALL THE VISITORS WITH ENOUGH TIME AHEAD.
THAT WAY IT'S NOT JUST A SURPRISE THAT THE POOL IS CLOSED THE NEXT DAY.
HAVE WE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY FOR 24 TO TRY TO MITIGATE THE FALLOFF OF LIFEGUARDS THAN WE DID IN 23? OR ARE WE BASICALLY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL THESE PLANS, AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT IS IT BASICALLY THE SAME FOR 24 AS IT WAS FOR 23? BESIDES OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS? NO. AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT THE EXTRA STAFF OR THE EXTRA CANDIDATES LAST YEAR THAT ARE WANTING TO WORK FOR US.
SO WE'LL GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WE START LOSING PART OF OUR TEAM, OR THEY START INFORMING US THAT THEY'RE GOING THEIR LAST DAY OR THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THEIR SCHEDULE, WE'RE ABLE TO REACH BACK TO SOME OF THE STAFF, NOT THE STAFF, BUT THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE INTERESTED TO WORK FOR US TO SEE IF THEY'RE STILL AVAILABLE FOR TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE RUNNING LIFEGUARD CLASSES, LIFEGUARD TRAININGS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF JULY AND JULY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AND STILL MAINTAIN THE FACILITIES OPEN.
THAT WAS ONE OF OUR MAIN CHANGES FROM 22 TO 23.
OKAY. TRYING TO BRING STAFF IN ON BOARD IT.
CHAIR, I WILL JUST ASK YOU IF WE COULD IF YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT ON AN UPDATE HERE, EITHER THROUGH A MEMO OR SOME OTHER OR A BRIEFING, WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE, WHERE WE CAN TRACK THE MONTHLY TRACK, THE STAFFING LEVELS AT THE POOLS.
I KNOW I'M GOING TO GET CALLS ABOUT IT IN JULY AND AUGUST, SO I JUST WANT TO BE PREPARED FOR IT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE WILL TASK YOU GUYS WITH THAT AND FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THOSE NUMBERS.
CHAIR MORENO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
JOHN LAWRENCE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT YOU ARE OVER OUR GOLF COURSES AND TENNIS COURTS.
[00:40:02]
THOSE ARE PRIVATELY MANAGED, CORRECT? IT'S PRIVATE. IT'S A HYBRID.SO IS THAT THE CASE WITH THE AQUATIC CENTER OR I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR ROLE IS IN TODAY'S BRIEFING, IF THAT'S IF WE'RE PRIVATELY MANAGING OUR POOLS OR IF THEY'RE DONE BY INTERNALLY, THEY'RE RUN INTERNALLY BY CITY STAFF IN ALL CASES.
THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE]. CHAIR [INAUDIBLE] SORRY.
VERY QUICKLY, I WANTED TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THE STAFFING WAS I SEE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IF WE HAVE OTHER PART TIME STAFF AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SERVING DURING THOSE TIMES TO BE ABLE TO DO EXTRA HOURS IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, OR IF HAVE Y'ALL TRIED IT? AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT EITHER.
I MEAN, I GET IT, IT'S HOT OUT THERE.
IT'S I'VE NEVER BEEN A LIFEGUARD BEFORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE IT'S SOME YOU KNOW, NOT EASY WORK.
YOU HAVE TO BE WATCHING AND, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING AND YOU ARE YOU HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY, RIGHT? BUT THE THINGS YOU POINTED OUT ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, VERY FAIR FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE THE MAIN, YOU KNOW, CORE OF THE STAFF AT THAT POINT.
RIGHT? YOU HAVE YOUR REGULAR CORE THAT THE DIEHARDS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE.
RIGHT. BUT YOU KNOW, I WAS WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S POSSIBLE.
THAT IS CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD WITH OUR REC SERVICES STAFF AND TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY POSITIONS SEASONAL, PART TIME, THAT WOULD MIGHT BE WILLING TO COME OVER AND WORK IN THE POOLS TO AUGMENT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TRAINING REQUIREMENT THERE, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE LIFEGUARDS, BUT CAN WE PUT THEM IN OTHER ROLES AND TO HELP PUT THE LIFEGUARDS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND OR GIVE THEM A BREAK OR DAY OFF, WHATEVER THEY NEED? BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY AND WE WILL USE IT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
GREAT AND THEN I MEANT ALSO BEYOND THAT, LIKE, CAN YOU IF THERE'S PART TIME STAFF OUTSIDE OF PARK AND REC THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, SO I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY MIGHT MAKE A WHOLE BUNCH MORE THAN 18, $19 AN HOUR AND IT'S LIKE, YEAH, WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT PERSON AT THE SWIMMING POOL, RIGHT? BUT JUST TRYING TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, LIKE, IS THERE POSSIBILITIES WITH THAT? OR AND THEN ALSO OUTREACH TO SOME OF THE YOUTH GROUPS, LIKE THE ROWING CLUBS AND THE YOU KNOW, WELL, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S LIKE WE'VE DONE THE BEST OF EVERYBODY IN OUR REGION AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO NOT BE SHORT AND THEN I WAS BROUGHT UP TO DO LIKE THE MONTHLY BRIEFING AND ALL THAT.
IS IT EASIER TO DO A JUST TO CREATE A DASHBOARD THAT THEN ANYBODY CAN JUST LOOK AT INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SUCK UP TIME INSIDE A COMMITTEE OR MAKING YOU ALL HAVE TO PREPARE A REPORT AND THEN BRING IT TO US, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S JUST A DASHBOARD, AND THEN ANYBODY CAN GO LOOK AT IT.
WOULD THAT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT FOR YOUR TIME AND MAKING SURE I'D RATHER YOU BE TRYING TO GET THESE POSITIONS FILLED AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, THEN HAVING TO CREATE A REPORT FOR US EVERY MONTH.
WELL, WE DO TRACK OUR VACANCY REPORTS EVERY WEEK AND SO RAUL WILL PROVIDES ME THOSE NUMBERS.
AND SO IT WOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT AT ALL FOR US TO CREATE A DASHBOARD THAT WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, JUST TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY BI WEEKLY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
OKAY. I THINK WE'RE READY TO WRAP UP.
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR JENKINS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LAWRENCE AND RAUL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION, LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION, AND FOR BEING WILLING TO ANSWER ALL OF OUR OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT ESPECIALLY ABOUT STAFFING AND THEN JUST TO KEEP THAT REPORTING COMING IN WOULD BE GREAT.
MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, I JUST GOT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO BRAG ON RAUL ROBLES.
I HAVE TO, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT 30 YEARS AND WE ALWAYS HAD THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING ALL OUR POOLS OPEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON BECAUSE WE ONLY WOULD BE STAFFED UP MAYBE 80% AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON.
BUT SINCE HE'S TAKEN OVER, IT'S THE OPPOSITE.
BUT I WANT TO COMMEND THIS GENTLEMAN FOR BEING ABLE TO GET CREATIVE.
HE EVEN BROUGHT IN COOLING STATIONS FOR THE POOLS WHERE THESE KIDS I MEAN, I WON'T CALL THEM KIDS, TEENAGERS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OFF THE HOT POOL DECKS AND GO INTO COOLING STATIONS TO COOL OFF.
AND I THINK THAT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM IN FRONT OF EVERYONE FOR HIS CREATIVITY IN MAKING SURE WE HAVE ALL OUR POOLS OPEN, BECAUSE THERE IS NO THERE WAS NO CITY IN TEXAS THAT HAD 100% OF THEIR POOLS OPEN EXCEPT DALLAS LAST YEAR.
CONGRATULATIONS RAUL, FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN AND FOR BEING CREATIVE IN YOUR PROBLEM SOLVING.
[00:45:03]
WE ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE.OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON.
WE HAVE DIRECTOR EVANS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WHITE AND ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR FREDDY ORTIZ TO PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION INCENTIVE PLAN.
THAT'S A MOUTHFUL. I HAD TO MAKE SURE EACH OF THOSE WORDS WERE IN THE RIGHT ORDER THERE.
WE ESTIMATE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT 3500 HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH THIS RESIDENTIAL REBATE PROGRAM AND MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL WORK WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THEM.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OFF TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PAUL WHITE.
CHAIR STEWART AND PT MEMBERS IS DIRECTOR.
FREDDIE ORTIZ IS THE SENIOR COORDINATOR RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE PROGRAM.
SO HE'LL BE PROVIDING THE MAJORITY OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY, NEXT SLIDE.
HERE'S A PRESENTATION OVERVIEW WHERE WE'LL COVER THE BACKGROUND OF THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS AND TIMELINE MOVING FORWARD. ARE YOU ALL ABLE TO HEAR ME CLEARLY? OKAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
OKAY. THE PURPOSE OF THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION PROGRAM IS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS BY REPLACING GASOLINE POWERED LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT WITH ELECTRIC ALTERNATIVES. THIS PROGRAM ALSO ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
WHEN COMPARED TO ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT.
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ALSO OPERATES MORE QUIETLY, REDUCING NOISE POLLUTION IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
OKAY, THIS IS A BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE LET PROGRAM IN 2022.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PROVIDED FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT A PHASE TRANSITION FROM GAS POWERED LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT TO BATTERY OPERATED OR ELECTRIC HYBRID EQUIPMENT, AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ARE REQUESTING THE LET PLAN BY JUNE OF 2023.
OKAY. IN 2023, OEQS ALSO REACHED OUT OR EXCUSE ME.
IN 2023, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED $750,000 REBATE PROGRAM TO HELP RESIDENTS TRANSITION TO THE ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT AND IN 2023, OEQS ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE CORPORATE OFFICES OF MAJOR HOME IMPROVEMENT STORES IN DALLAS TO LEARN HOW THEY PARTNER WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ON INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. IN JANUARY OF 2024 WE STARTED DISCUSSIONS WITH 311 ON THE POSSIBILITY OF UTILIZING SALES FORCE TO CREATE AN ONLINE LET APPLICATION FOR RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS HOW WE COULD PARTNER WITH CITY HALL ON THE GOAL FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND LASTLY, THIS SPRING MODERN GEOSCIENCES SUBMITTED THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE LET PLAN TO OECS.
WE BRIEFED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN APRIL, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO SEEK RETAILERS OF ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY.
ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDES I WILL GO OVER THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS AND NEXT STEPS FOR THE LET PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY MODERN GEOSCIENCES.
NEXT SLIDE. AS PART OF CREATING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM DESIGN.
MODERN GEOSCIENCES MADE THE FOLLOWING COST ANALYSIS.
[00:50:02]
ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TOTALLY CONVERT TO ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT.AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ESTIMATED COST IS $24 MILLION.
WE'VE BEEN GRANTED $750,000 FOR OUR PROGRAM.
WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE RECOMMENDED REBATE AMOUNT IN THE PREVIOUS TABLE, THE PRICE FOR THE ELECTRIC VERSIONS OF LEAF BLOWERS, STRING TRIMMERS, OR PUSH MOWERS BECOME CHEAPER, THE SAME OR VERY COMPETITIVE COMPARED TO THE GAS POWERED VERSIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
WHEN YOU GRAPH THE INITIAL COST OF A GAS POWERED LAWNMOWER AND THEN INCLUDE THE ANNUAL COST OF FUEL AND MAINTENANCE OVER TIME, VERSUS THE INITIAL HIGHER COST OF A BATTERY POWERED LAWNMOWER THAT HAS NO GASOLINE COST AND NO OR VERY MINIMAL ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST.
ONCE YOU ADD IN A REBATE, THE TIME TO BREAK EVEN SHRINKS AND THE SAVINGS INCREASE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT, LET PLAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM DESIGN BASED ON A REVIEW OF EXISTING INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH RETAILERS.
WITH THIS OPTION, IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT A GAS MOWER FOR $300 AND THE EQUIVALENT ELECTRIC MOWER IS $400, YOU KNOW RIGHT AWAY THAT THE ELECTRIC MOWER WILL RING UP $300 AT CHECKOUT.
THE NEXT TWO OPTIONS ARE MODELED AFTER THE CURRENT NEW THRONE FOR YOUR HOME PROGRAM VOUCHERS.
A VOUCHER COULD BE PROVIDED TO EACH HOUSEHOLD WITH A DALLAS WATER UTILITIES ACCOUNT.
THE CITY COULD PROVIDE A REBATE FORM TO BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED WITH PROOF OF PURCHASE.
THE CITY COULD THEN ISSUE A REBATE AMOUNT AS A CREDIT TO THE RESIDENT'S WATER BILL.
SO THAT'S WHY WE LISTED ALL THREE.
THE PLAN ALSO STATES THAT IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT GAS POWERED LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT ARE TAKEN OUT OF USE, THE CITY MAY CHOOSE TO REQUIRE THAT THE GAS EQUIPMENT BE SURRENDERED PRIOR TO RECEIVING A REBATE.
THIS MAY LIMIT THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PRESENT AN OBSTACLE FOR SOME RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE THE REBATES, SO THE CITY MAY DECIDE THAT SURRENDER OF GAS POWERED LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT IS NOT REQUIRED, BUT COULD CONSIDER OFFERING AN ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT FOR SURRENDERED EQUIPMENT IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGE PROPER DISPOSAL.
THE LET PLAN INCLUDES SEVERAL SUPPORTING ACTIONS AND STRATEGIES THE CITY CAN IMPLEMENT TO EFFECTIVELY INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE INCREASE THE SORRY IN THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, AND BOLSTER SUCCESS SO THAT MORE RESIDENTS WILL CHOOSE ELECTRIC POWERED LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT.
HAVE DEMONSTRATION EVENTS WHERE RESIDENTS CAN SEE AND TEST OUT ELECTRIC LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT AND OF COURSE, ENSURE THAT PROGRAM MATERIALS AND OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES TO REACH OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
IN ADDITION TO IN-PERSON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE PLAN TO UTILIZE EMAIL CAMPAIGNS, WATER BILL INSERTS, PRESS RELEASES, PUTTING PROGRAM DETAILS AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS ON OEQS WEB PAGE ON DALLASCITYHALL.COM AND ONGREENDALLAS.NET.
ALSO, WE SEEK TO HAVE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE MADE THE SWITCH TO ELECTRIC LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT, SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ALSO SEEK ENDORSEMENTS AND SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS, INFLUENCERS AND LOCAL CELEBRITIES WHO CAN ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
WE PLAN TO ESTABLISH GOALS AND MILESTONES TO TRACK THE PROGRESS AND SUCCESS OF THE LET PROGRAM.
THIS METRIC CAN HELP ASSESS PUBLIC INTEREST IN PROGRAM OUTREACH.
[00:55:01]
WE CAN TRACK AND PERIODICALLY REPORT THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC LAWNMOWERS, STRING TRIMMERS, AND LEAF BLOWERS PURCHASED USING THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTS.
AND WE CAN GATHER FEEDBACK FROM PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO ASSESS THEIR SATISFACTION WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, REBATE AMOUNT, EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY, AND OVERALL EXPERIENCE.
ALRIGHT. WE ARE TALKING TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR PROCESS TO TRANSITIONING TO 100% OF THEIR LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT TO ELECTRIC POWERED BY 2027, PARKS, WHO HAS THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT OF ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, HAS TRANSITIONED 5% OF THEIR EQUIPMENT TO ELECTRIC. THEY ARE EXPECTING 10% TRANSITION BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSITION INCLUDES BUDGET SHORTFALLS, NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES TO INCREASE ELECTRICAL CAPACITY, CAPACITY TO POWER ALL THE BATTERY CHARGERS, NEEDED, BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, AND POWER PARITY BETWEEN GAS POWERED AND ELECTRIC POWERED EQUIPMENT.
OUR NEXT STEPS IN 2024 IS TO SEEK FORMAL COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE PLAN.
RELEASING THE RFP, SEEKING PARTNERSHIP WITH RETAIL PARTNERS, SELECTING VENDORS, FINALIZING THE APPLICATION PROCESS, AND IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THIS PROGRAM IN 2025.
WE PLAN TO INITIATE THE RESIDENTIAL REBATE PROGRAM.
CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS WITH DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR TRANSITION PROGRESS, INCLUDING BUDGET NEEDS.
HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH LANDSCAPE COMPANIES TO POSSIBLY EXPAND REBATE PROGRAMS FOR COMMERCIAL USAGE.
THE LET PLAN DOCUMENT CONCLUDES WITH SUGGESTIONS TO CONSIDER AS THE PROGRAM EVOLVES AND MATURES, SO LANDSCAPING BUSINESS IMPACTS TECHNOLOGY READINESS AND EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS.
FOR BACKGROUND, ACCORDING TO THE NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM DATABASE, THERE ARE OVER 2100 REGISTERED LANDSCAPING BUSINESSES IN DALLAS AND SURROUNDING AREAS. INCENTIVIZING PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPING BUSINESSES TO ADOPT ELECTRIC LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT COULD MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO AIR QUALITY.
USING EQUIPMENT THAT IS HEALTHIER FOR THE OPERATOR COULD LEAD TO BETTER WORKER RETENTION.
TECHNOLOGY READINESS THE LET PROGRAM SHOULD SEEK TO REMAIN CURRENT TO CHANGES IN THE MARKET AS TECHNOLOGY CHANGES TO MEET THE SERVICE NEEDS OF THE USER AND EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS.
ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE SHARE OF LATINO EMPLOYMENT AND THE LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY IS APPROXIMATELY 2.6 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
ADDITIONALLY, LATINOS REPRESENT OVER 16% OF BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE INDUSTRY, MAKING LANDSCAPE SERVICES A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE LATINO COMMUNITY.
THIS WORKFORCE IS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY EXPOSURE TO CHRONIC AND ACUTE POLLUTANTS AND NOISE.
ALSO, THE INITIAL EXPENSE OF LANDSCAPING COMPANIES ACQUIRING ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING LAWN CARE, SORRY, LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT MAY LEAD TO HIGHER SERVICE COSTS, DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE ON A FIXED INCOME BUT RELY ON LANDSCAPING SERVICES.
THANK YOU GUYS. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
LET'S SEE. CHAIR BLACKMON, I'M GOING TO GO TO MY LEFT THIS TIME.
NO. CHAIR MORENO? THANK YOU. SO THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS PRIOR TO ME COMING ON THIS COMMITTEE.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE.
I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL APPROVED ABOUT 700,000, I BELIEVE, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
HOW DO WE SEE OURSELVES SUSTAINING THIS LONG TERM? AND WHAT OTHER OUTSIDE CITY DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE TO CARRY THIS ON ON YEARS TO COME? YES, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
[01:00:03]
SO THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT REALLY DON'T SPEAK TO LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT.SO YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CONTINUE TO TO INVESTIGATE THAT AVENUE.
WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH COG IN THEIR NEW AIR QUALITY PLAN TO SEE IF THEY CAN INVEST IN THIS PLAN AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN PRODUCTIVE.
I JUST DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT IS OUR GOAL TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCIES AND TEXAS AGENCIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS MORE SUSTAINABLE MOVING FORWARD.
YOU KNOW OUR WHOLE OUR HOPE IS TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH EPA AND DOT AND DOE TO LET THEM KNOW THIS IS A THIS IS THESE PROGRAMS NEED TO BE FUNDED.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WITH THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM.
FROM IF I'M FOLLOWING AND THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 220,000 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AND YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO START WITH THAT UNIVERSE OF FAMILIES.
I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BUSINESS SECTOR.
IN FACT, WE HAVE CONVERSATION THIS AFTERNOON WITH AN ASSOCIATION RELATED TO THIS, THIS TOPIC.
WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO MEET THEIR PERFORMANCE NEEDS AND THEIR FUNDING NEEDS MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE BUSINESS SECTOR IS, YOU KNOW, HAS DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE NEEDS THAN RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLDS.
RIGHT. AND SO HOW DO WE INVEST IN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE RIGHT WAY? AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOUSEHOLDS, DO WE HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT SET YET? I MEAN, IT CAN IT BE A LAWNMOWER AND A WEED EATER OR CAN IT JUST BE ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT? IS THERE A CAP ON HOW MUCH ONE HOUSEHOLD CAN? SO OUR ESTIMATE IS INVESTING IN 3500 HOUSEHOLDS ESTIMATING $200 PER HOUSEHOLD AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A SLIDE THAT IDENTIFIES.
I THINK IT'S $100 FOR ALAWNMOWER, $50 FOR A LEAF LEAF BLOWER, $50 FOR A EDGER, OR $50 FOR A TRIMMER.
I'M NOT SURE. HAVE WE CAPPED EACH HOUSEHOLD? I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE CAPPED HOUSEHOLDS AT THIS POINT.
NO, WE HAVEN'T CAPPED EACH HOUSEHOLD.
OKAY AND I SEE THAT IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY.
SO WOULD THIS EXCLUDE ANYONE WHO LIVES IN A DUPLEX OR QUADPLEX? WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. AND THEN LASTLY IS DISPOSAL.
PROPER DISPOSAL AND DISPOSAL COST.
WE'RE STILL INVESTIGATING THAT.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO START WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO MAKE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS PROVIDE THEIR GAS POWERED EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HINDER THE INITIATION OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT ONE OPTION MOVING FORWARD IS TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE.
IF YOU GIVE US YOUR GAS POWERED LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT, THEN WE MAY GIVE YOU AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR AMOUNT, MAYBE NOT $100, MAYBE 150 AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOME CITIES, SOME STATES HAVE THAT AS A REQUIREMENT.
ALSO, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, HOW TO APPROPRIATELY DISPOSE OF THE BATTERIES.
RIGHT. AND I KNOW CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE THINKING THROUGH THOSE CONCERNS AS WELL AND THIS IS JUST MORE OUT OF CURIOSITY AGAIN, NOT BEING ON THE COMMITTEE, RECALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEING FOR A MANDATE RATHER THAN A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
IS THERE A REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY AND NOT IN A DIFFERENT PLACE? YEAH, YEAH OH YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT'S SENATE BILL 1017 THAT WAS PASSED IN 2023.
YEAH. ORIGINALLY WE HAD CHANGED HAD PLANS TO BAN GAS POWERED LAWN EQUIPMENT.
BUT AFTER SENATE BILL 1017 WE'RE NOT WE CANNOT DO THAT ANYMORE.
[01:05:03]
SO THAT'S THE CHANGE.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CHAIR WEST.
I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL ON WHETHER WE SUPPORT THIS OR NOT.
YOU KNOW IMPROVING OUR AIR QUALITY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A 2020 EPA STUDY SAID THAT 68,000 TONS OF SMOG FORMING OXIDES WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 30 MILLION CARS ARE COMING FROM THIS EQUIPMENT EVERY YEAR.
I'LL, AND I WOULD SUPPORT ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS WHETHER FOR RESIDENTIAL ALSO FOR COMMERCIAL, AS LONG AS IT'S INCENTIVE BASED, IF WE EVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE IT'S MORE OF THE STICK VERSUS THE CARROT.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU GUYS ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON THIS AS AN INCENTIVE BASED PROGRAM.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
SO I WAS VISITING WITH MY COMMISSIONER TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, ANDREW SEGAL, ON FRIDAY AND IF WE LOOK ON SLIDE EIGHT, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE AND ANDREW HAD THE IDEA OR A WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE WOULD USE OUR LEAF BLOWERS AND OUR MOWERS I THINK MORE FREQUENTLY THAN SAY THE CHAINSAW.
SO COULD WE GET MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK IF WE TOOK SOME OF THESE THINGS, IF LIKE IF WE TOOK CHAINSAWS OFF AND USED THAT MONEY THEN TO, TO INCENTIVIZE MORE LEAF BLOWERS AND MOWERS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE AND I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW TREMORS OR AND EDGERS OR, I DON'T KNOW MAYBE HEDGE TRIMMERS. WE DO LESS FREQUENTLY I'M TRYING TO THINK, BUT IT WAS JUST A WAY TO MAYBE SHORTEN THAT LIST A BIT SO WE COULD SPREAD OUR MONEY OUT A LITTLE BIT TO MORE HOUSEHOLDS THAN JUST A LOT OF MONEY, MAYBE TO A FEWER NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS SORT OF A COMMON SENSE WAY TO APPROACH IT.
NOT THAT WE DON'T NEED OUR CHAINSAWS WHEN THE STORMS COME THROUGH, AND THOSE ARE MORE FREQUENT, BUT THEY'RE NOT WEEKLY, RIGHT AND THAT'S WHEN WE'RE USING OUR LEAF BLOWERS AND MOWERS AND ALL OF THAT.
I, THINK THAT'S THE BIG HICCUP HERE, WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENTS AT, AT PARKS.
I'M SURE THAT'S A THE REASON THAT'S A LOW PERCENTAGE IS PROBABLY FUNDING.
BUT I THINK ALSO, I THINK ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WILL BE THE VENDOR FOR PARKS, WHO PROVIDES A LOT OF THE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE. I BELIEVE THAT VENDOR IS GOOD EARTH AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE HURDLE.
NOW THAT'S A LARGE COMPANY, AND I BELIEVE THEY DO THIS YOU KNOW, FOR HAVE, I'M SURE MANY CUSTOMERS.
BUT IT MIGHT BE A TIME TO START A CONVERSATION AND PERHAPS THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED, BUT I JUST I SEE THAT AS A VENDOR OF THE CITY.
THAT'S JUST REALLY POTENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM THAT YOU ALL HAVE OUTLINED TODAY.
SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT IF THEY'RE NOT ANY.
NOW, WHERE DID YOU SAY THE MONEY IS COMING FROM? THOSE ARE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WILL BE MOVED TO A MULTI YEAR FUND.
HAVE WE VOTED? THIS IS YOUR PLAN, CORRECT? CORRECT, CORRECT. SO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET INCLUDED $750,000 FOR RESIDENTIAL REBATE PROGRAM.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S ONE GOOD THING.
DID YOU SAY THERE'S A SOMEWHAT OF A BUYBACK? I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT BUYBACK EQUIPMENT.
NOT YET. WELL, WE COULD INCLUDE IT MOVING FORWARD.
[01:10:06]
BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T WANT TO REQUIRE IT.SO, WE COULD INCLUDE IT, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO.
ALRIGHT. GOOD. I JUST WANTED YOU TO CHECK ON IT BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUYING.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO WORK OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE RUNNING AROUND STEALING EQUIPMENT AND THEN COMING TO GET PAID.
I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD PAYCHECK.
WOULD YOU BRING US THE CONTRACTS THERE IN MWBE? I WANT TO CHECK TO SEE THIS CONVERSATION KEEPS COMING UP AROUND WHO HOW MANY VENDORS OR SERVICING OUR CITY AND PARTICULARLY SINCE YOU MENTIONED ABOUT PARKS, I WANT TO JUST PIGGYBACK ON THAT BECAUSE I HAVE A GROUP THAT COMES DOWN EVERY YEAR, AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NORMALLY EXCLUDED FROM THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ASK THAT QUESTION BEFORE I BRING IT BACK UP AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH IT AND AFTER THAT I'LL GET WITH MISS LIZ PERERA ON JUST HOW WE ARE ALLOCATING THOSE DOLLARS AS IT RELATES TO EQUITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, I THINK THAT DOES IT FOR US.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. SO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOU'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO YOUR BUDGET UPDATE OR BUDGET BRIEFING.
I THINK DIRECTOR EVANS HAD A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
DID YOU WANT TO ASK THAT? OH, JUST MAKING SURE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO SEEK ADOPTION BEFORE BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL BACK ON JUST SO JUST GET ON.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET ON A COUNCIL AGENDA FOR COUNCIL VOTE ON THE PLAN ON THE LANDSCAPE TRANSITION PLAN? YES. I THINK WE'RE ALL READY ONCE WE GET A FEW THINGS ADDRESSED.
RIGHT. I'M BECAUSE I CAN'T SUPPORT THE PLAN, BUT I WILL MOVE IT.
I'M JACK IRELAND, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND BEFORE CARLOS DOES HIS BUDGET PRESENTATION TO EXPLAIN WHY WE WERE COMING BEFORE THE COMMITTEES THIS YEAR WITH BUDGET INFORMATION AT THIS TIME.
THE MAYOR AND GPM CHAIR WEST, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD REQUESTED TO SEE BUDGET INFORMATION SOONER THAN AUGUST WHEN WE TYPICALLY ROLL OUT THE BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL AND SO, MISS TOLBERT AND I TALKED ABOUT IT, WE SENT OUT A MEMO ABOUT A MONTH AGO INDICATING THAT WE WOULD BRING INFORMATION TO COMMITTEES BEFORE THE JULY RECESS.
SO WE'VE ALIGNED THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES.
THERE ARE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO THIS COMMITTEE.
MR. EVANS WILL GO OVER THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TODAY AND THEN NEXT MONTH THAT YOU'RE MEETING, PARK AND RECREATION WILL GO OVER THEIR BUDGET AND SO, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER EACH YEAR, YOU ONLY ADOPT ONE YEAR AT A TIME.
SO WHAT MR. EVANS WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY IS AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CURRENT YEAR FY 24 BUDGET, AS WELL AS TALK ABOUT THAT STARTING POINT THAT WE WILL USE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE MISS TOLBERT AND MYSELF AND THE DEPARTMENTS WILL BE WORKING WITH THE BUDGET OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AND BRINGING OUR RECOMMENDATION IN AUGUST. BUT THIS FY 25 PLANNED BUDGET IS WHAT WE HAD LAST SUMMER AS A BALANCED BUDGET.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR REVENUES AGAIN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR EXPENSES AGAIN.
COST ARE GOING UP, OF COURSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, RELATED TO PENSION.
WE'RE HAVING TO ADDRESS, MEET AND CONFER COSTS ARE GOING UP AND OTHER THINGS.
SO WE WILL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET.
CARLOS IS PROBABLY NOT ABLE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT HIS BUDGET'S GOING TO BE COME AUGUST, BUT HE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PLANNED AND IS OUR STARTING POINT FOR NEXT YEAR. SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE SOME OF THE BACKGROUND OF WHY WE'RE.
SO I'M GOING TO STEP ASIDE AND LET CARLOS TALK ABOUT HIS DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU. THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
WITH ME, I HAVE SHEILA DELGADO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OEQS, OUR BUDGET GURU.
[01:15:08]
WE'LL ALSO DISCUSS OUR PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES.NEXT SLIDE. SO WHEN IT COMES TO CITY OPERATIONS, OUR ROLE IS TO ENSURE THAT CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT JUST COMPLYING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, BUT WORKING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK AND ULTIMATELY BEING GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS.
REGARDING EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
OH. I'M SORRY. THE SLOT, THE SLIDE BEFORE THAT.
REGARDING OUR GOALS, WE'VE SUBMITTED THESE GOALS FOR FY 25 AND ARE RECEIVING FEEDBACK.
ULTIMATELY, WE ARE THINKING THROUGH HOW OUR GOALS CAN REFLECT OUR WORK.
AT OEQS WE HAVE EIGHT TEAMS THAT PROVIDE A WIDE VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS.
WE HAVE TEAMS LIKE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT TEAMS THAT REDUCE RISK AND ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP WHEN THE DEPARTMENTS OPERATE CITY FACILITIES.
THE CITY PURCHASES PROPERTY AND THIRD PARTIES WANT TO DEVELOP BROWNFIELD SITES.
WE HAVE TEAMS LIKE OUR WATER CONSERVATION TEAM THAT ADVANCE A MORE RESILIENT CITY.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR CECAP TEAM THAT WORKS WITH 18 DEPARTMENTS TO MEET OUR CECAP GOALS.
NEXT SLIDE. SO OUR BUDGET IS APPROXIMATELY $17 MILLION.
THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $6.2 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
THAT NUMBER WILL BE REDUCED NEXT YEAR LARGELY BECAUSE A ONE TIME FUNDING FOR THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION PLAN WILL BE MOVED TO A MULTI YEAR FUND, AS WE JUST DISCUSSED. WE ALSO RECEIVE ANNUAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT VARIOUS TOPICS AND THOSE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE WE'VE BEEN USED WELL.
WE'VE USED THE $500,000 FOR CECAP MARKETING.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD US ON KERA AND LA GRANGE.
REGARDING THE 500,000 FOR CECAP IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'LL BE CONDUCTING THE GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE CONDUCTING KEY EVENTS LIKE THE FIRST EVER REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE FORUM AND OUR AIR SUMMITS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS. NEXT SLIDE.
MOST OF OUR POSITIONS ARE EITHER FULLY OR PARTIALLY REIMBURSED.
WE ONLY HAVE 22 POSITIONS THAT ARE FULLY FUNDED BY GENERAL FUND.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SLIGHT DROP FROM FY 23 TO FY 24, LARGELY AGAIN DUE TO THE TRANSITION FROM $1.5 MILLION IN BROWNFIELD FUNDING TO A MULTI-YEAR FUND, AND AGAIN FOR FY 24 AND 25.
NEXT SLIDE. JUST A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS SLIDE.
LOOKING AT OUR FY 24 ADOPTED BUDGET PERSONNEL SERVICES ARE APPROXIMATELY $9.2 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, WE PRODUCE TWO SMALL REVENUE STREAMS FOR THE CITY.
THE FIRST COMES FROM FACILITIES THAT OPERATE OR MAINTAIN AIR POLLUTING FACILITIES.
NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE QUITE A FEW MEASURES, PARTLY BECAUSE WE SERVE SEVERAL ROLES.
SO I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL.
[01:20:03]
PRIORITY AREAS.NEXT SLIDE. SO SOME OF YOU MAY NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AFTER THAT, OUR OFFICE EXPANDED THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATION OF MULTIPLE TEAMS. OUR AIR COMPLIANCE CAME FROM OUR AIR COMPLIANCE TEAM, CAME FROM PUBLIC WORKS IN 2017.
SINCE THEN, OUR ROLE HAS EXPANDED AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE CECAP IN 2020.
NEXT SLIDE. SO WE CAN BRIEFLY DISCUSS OUR SERVICES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES.
OUR REGULATORY, AIR MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE TEAMS ARE OPERATING AND MAINTAINING AIR MONITORS AND CONDUCTING AIR INSPECTIONS FOR TCQ AND I'LL JUST NOTE THAT THE ASTERISK IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER DENOTES ACTIVITIES AND TEAMS THAT ARE ADVANCING BUDGETING FOR EQUITY.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR TWO GENERAL FUND TEAMS. WE HAVE A SIX PERSON CECAP TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES TWO PEOPLE TO SUPPORT OUR URBAN AG PROGRAM AND TWO PEOPLE TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING PROGRAM.
AGAIN, THEY ARE SUPPORTING 18 DEPARTMENTS AND IMPLEMENTING THE CECAP.
THE TEAM IS ALSO IMPLEMENTING OUR OWN PROGRAMS AND YOU SEE THE LONG LIST THERE.
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS LIKE SOLAR SWITCH, WHICH SAVED EACH PARTICIPATING RESIDENT AN AVERAGE OF $5,300 THIS YEAR FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR SYSTEMS ON THEIR HOMES. WE HAVE THE URBAN AG TEAM COLLABORATING WITH COLLABORATING WITH URBAN AG FARMERS TO INCREASE URBAN AG ACREAGE.
WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING PROGRAM.
I'LL NOTE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING $800,000 IN EPA GRANT FUNDING TO PURCHASE AND OPERATE AIR SENSORS.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS THE OTHER NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS THE OTHER GENERAL FUND TEAM.
THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AS YOU KNOW THEY JUST BRIEFED THIS BODY LAST MONTH.
I BELIEVE THEY CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PRIOR TO PURCHASING PROPERTY.
AND THIS TEAM IS LEVERAGING $1.5 MILLION IN EPA GRANT FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT OUR BROWNFIELD PROGRAM.
THE MS TEAM HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON PRODUCING CITYWIDE, ONLINE AND IN-PERSON TRAINING.
NEXT SLIDE. GENERALLY, OUR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT TEAM INSPECTS CONSTRUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES TO PROTECT OUR STORMWATER SYSTEM. THEY PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING SO FACILITIES KNOW THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND THEY ALSO RESPOND TO SPILL SERVICE REQUESTS.
SO THE CITY HAS REDUCED GALLONS PER CAPITA FROM 259 TO 280 FROM 2000 TO 2022.
NEXT SLIDE. AND FINALLY, OUR ZERO WASTE TEAM WORKS TO MAKE CITY BUSINESSES MORE SUSTAINABLE.
THEY IMPLEMENT OUR TAKE A PEAK IN MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING PROGRAMS. THEY ALSO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM RELATED TO ZERO WASTE.
[01:25:03]
SO NEXT SLIDE.I THINK WE CAN GO TO THE UPDATE ON BUDGET INITIATIVES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF BUDGET INITIATIVES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION PLAN.
OF COURSE, OUR BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM, GREEN JOBS, URBAN AG PROGRAMS. I'LL JUST NOTE, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR URBAN AG INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, WILL HELP URBAN FARMERS DO THINGS LIKE ACCESS UTILITIES, CONSTRUCT GROW LIGHT SYSTEMS, AND CONSTRUCT GREENHOUSES.
SO WITH THAT WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
OKAY. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR EVANS.
LET'S SEE. CHAIR NARVAEZ, CAN I START WITH YOU? OKAY. CHAIR MORENO. YEP.
CHAIR BLACKMON. SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK ON MY SOAPBOX THAT I HAD AT GFM.
SO THIS ISN'T A DIRECTION TO YOU, BUT THESE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, DID THEY COME FROM CECAP OR HOW WERE THEY DEVELOPED? GOOD QUESTION. SO WE'RE A SOME THERE IS ONE MEASURE FOR CECAP.
THERE ARE COMBINATION OF AGAIN WE'RE ONE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MEASURE ALL OF OUR TEAMS. THERE IS ONE CECAP MEASURE THAT ACTUALLY ATTEMPTS TO MEASURE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LET ME GO BACK.
WHICH SLIDE WAS THAT? SLIDE 10.
SORRY. OKAY. SO I COULD BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC AND YOU REALLY DON'T MEAN.
MY WHOLE THING IS TO SAY THAT WE AS A CITY, AS A COUNCIL, WE NEED TO INITIATE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS WAS ADOPTED IN 2020 AND IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID.
WE'VE NOW SEEN AND WE'RE HEARING THAT SUMMERS ARE GOING TO BE HOTTER THAN EVER.
WE'RE NOW SEEING MORE RENEWABLES PLAYING A BIGGER ROLE IN ERCOT AND DELIVERING ELECTRICITY TO OUR.
SO MY THING IS I'M TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE, THAT AND POSSIBLY EVEN EXECUTIVE STAFF THAT WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN, BECAUSE HOW CAN WE ASK YOU TO DEVELOP A PLAN WITH BUDGET AND RESOURCES IF WE HAVEN'T TOLD YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHERE WE NEED TO GO? AND SO I COME FROM THE WHOLE THING OF A VISION, A STRATEGY, TACTICS, RESOURCES AND THAT'S THE LINEAR PROCESS IN WHICH YOU DEVELOP A DIRECTION AND SO I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU.
IF WE'RE GOING TO COMPETE AS A CITY WITH THIS REGION AND THAT MEANS FIXING EVERYTHING FROM WHAT KIND OF QUALITY OF LIFE WE HAVE TO THE BASIC SERVICES OUR CITY DELIVERS, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH WATER? RIGHT? CAN WE GET ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO A CITY WITH HOUSING UNITS? DO WE HAVE A PERMITTING OFFICE THAT CAN SUSTAIN ALL THAT? AND THAT TAKES A COORDINATED EFFORT BY ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER AND SO I'M JUST ON EVERYONE.
WE HAD IT AT GFM AND I'M SURE MISTER WEST HEARD IT AND I'VE REFINED MY MESSAGING SINCE THEN.
BUT IF THIS CITY IS GOING TO COMPETE WITH THE REGION AND ATTRACT 10% OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE MOVING HERE, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE ARE GOING TO SURVIVE AS A CITY IS GROWING THE PIE.
I'M NOT DIRECTING IT AT YOU, BUT I FEEL I WAS ONCE IN YOUR SPOT.
IT IS HARD TO DEVELOP A PLAN WITH ALLOCATING RESOURCES IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND WE AS A CITY NEED A MAP AND WE NEED AS A CITY NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR RESIDENTS, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AROUND THIS HORSESHOE AND MOVE THERE.
I WASN'T ASKING YOU, IT WAS MORE FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ME.
YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE.
I COME FROM THAT SPACE HAVING WORKED FOR TWO BUSINESS GUYS AND MAYOR AND IN WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT, MIKE MILES AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WE KNEW WHERE WE WERE GOING. THIRD GRADE READING LEVELS WERE KEY.
HOW DO YOU GET THERE? AND THAT WAS THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ON WHEN WE GOT NEW REVENUES.
WHERE DO WE PUT THEM? SO THAT'S JUST MY SOAPBOX AND SO AND I'LL PROBABLY BE SAYING THAT AND WE AND I'LL PROBABLY BE SAYING THAT IN QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE TONS OF PLANS.
HOW DO THOSE PLANS WORK TOGETHER AND HOW DO THEY CREATE A CITY THAT IS 21ST CENTURY, THAT ATTRACTS THAT THE YOUNG FAMILY AND KEEPS THEM? HOW DO WE HAVE MORE HOME OWNERSHIP VERSUS RENTAL, YOU KNOW, AND SO AND THEN MAINTAINING A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE.
[01:30:04]
I HAD A WHOLE SET OF THEM THE LAST TIME.SO ANYWAY, IT'S NOTHING AGAINST YOU.
IT IS THAT WE NEED TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AS A COUNCIL AND WORK WITH OUR NEW LEADERSHIP AND REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS LOOKS LIKE AND HOW DO WE COMPETE IN THE REGION AND IN THE STATE, IN THE NATION, INTERNATIONALLY.
MAY I ADD INPUT THERE, CHAIR, PLEASE? YES, AND THANK YOU.
BUT OUR CECAP IS I LIKEN IT TO AN ACCORDION.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK OF HOW DO WE OPEN UP THE CAP AND REALLY DRILL DOWN ON THOSE OBJECTIVES THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO ZONE IN ON. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT MISTER EVANS AND HIS TEAM AND THE MULTIPLE PARTNERS WORKING IN THIS SPACE HAVE DONE YEOMAN'S JOB IN REALLY PUSHING IT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN WITH THE LIMITED DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE AND TRYING, AS CARLOS NOTED, LEVERAGING FEDERAL DOLLARS AND STATE DOLLARS WHERE WE CAN.
BUT YOUR GUIDANCE IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL TO TO WHERE DO WE WANT TO ZONE IN.
OKAY, I'LL HOLD MY RESPONSE FOR JUST A SECOND.
CHAIR WEST. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I WANTED TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND THEN ALSO STAFF FOR CONDUCTING THIS AND JUST TO GIVE EVERYBODY A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF WHY THIS IS HAPPENING TODAY, THIS BRIEFING SEVERAL OF MY OF OUR COLLEAGUES. I THINK BOTH OF WHOM ARE AT THIS COMMITTEE MEETING HAD PREVIOUSLY ASKED FOR US TO START HAVING BUDGET RELATED DISCUSSIONS EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE HUNGER GAMES.
COME AUGUST, WHEN WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
AND SO THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DIG INTO THE DIFFERENT BUDGETS OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND INSTEAD OF US TRYING TO DO ALL OF IT THROUGH GFM, WHICH WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE, WE'RE SENDING IT OUT TO ALL THE COMMITTEES AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT HERE.
STAFF DID A GREAT JOB TODAY AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BUDGET.
CHAIR WEST. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SO WHAT I'M LEARNING IN THIS JOB IS THAT WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF FOCUSES, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
SO I COMPLETELY WANT TO SUPPORT CHAIR BLACKMAN'S THOUGHTS ON NEEDING THE STRATEGIC PLAN, NEEDING TO HAVE THE DIRECTION ARTICULATED SO ALL OF US KNOW WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
I DO THINK FOR OEQS AS THE CECAP IS YOUR PLAN? RIGHT AND I WAS GOING TO CALL EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THE ATTACHED MEMO BECAUSE IT HAS SOME OF YOUR WINS IN THERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, OEQS HAS COMPLETED THE SOLAR SIDING STUDY FOR CITY PROPERTY AND THE PARK AND REC DEPARTMENT PROCESSED 200YD³ OF WOODCHIPS THAT WERE KEPT OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND PARKS AND REC ALSO HELD TEN BRANCHING OUT EVENTS AND PLANTED 770 TREES.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE CHALLENGED WITH IS WE NEED THE BIG PICTURE, AND WE NEED TO BE MONITORING AND LOOKING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HOW MANY TREES AND 200YD³ DIDN'T GO INTO THE LANDFILL.
SO THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO GET OUR HANDS AROUND.
BUT I DO THINK IT IS A TIME WE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH OUR BOND PROGRAM, AND I THINK THE THE CITY HAS SPOKEN AND SAID, YOU KNOW, AS CHAIR BLACKMON AND I WERE JUST SAYING, THE CITY IS SAYING, WE TRUST YOU.
WE'RE READY FOR YOU TO MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SO NOW WE'VE GOT TO ARTICULATE WHAT THOSE GOALS ARE AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED AND I THINK YOU ALL ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF OF HAVING YOUR PLAN AND HAVING SOME OF THOSE DETAILS READY TO IMPLEMENT AND YOU'RE, YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING THEM EVERYTHING FROM OUR LANDSCAPE TRANSITION EQUIPMENT TO EVERYTHING ELSE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND BEAR WITH US AS WE FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING UP HERE.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
NO? ARE WE ALL GOOD? OKAY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING A LITTLE BIT EARLY.
[01:35:05]
I WILL ADJOURN IT AT 10:40.