Nov 02, 2026 Parks, Trails, and the Environment Committee

[Call to Order]

[00:00:02]

OKAY, WE ARE READY TO CALL THE PARK. TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT.

NOVEMBER. SORRY. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DECEMBER. I WAS READY TO MOVE US RIGHT INTO DECEMBER. NOVEMBER 2ND MEETING TO ORDER AT 913.

[1. 26-3502A Approval of the October 5, 2026, Parks, Trails, and the Environment Committee Meeting Minutes]

AND THESE ARE FROM OCTOBER 5TH APPROVAL. SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. WE ARE MOVING QUICKLY THEN TO ITEM A, OUR FIRST BRIEFING WHERE WE HAVEN'T MOVED QUICKLY ON ANYTHING ELSE.

[A. 26-3498A The Use and Function of Solar Canopies for Fleet Management [Vincent Olsen, Director, Equipment and Fleet Management]]

AND I THINK IT'S FASCINATING. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU. AND GOOD MORNING. YES, VINCENT OLSON, DIRECTOR FOR EQUIPMENT AND FLEET MANAGEMENT.

AND YEAH, SOLAR CANOPIES ARE VERY EXCITING FRONTIER FOR US.

AND OTHER STATES LIKE ARIZONA HAVE ALREADY DONE SOME REALLY GOOD WORK IN PARKING LOT COVER, THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE USING THOSE.

AND I DON'T MEAN TO GET OFF TRACK AND GET OUT OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO BE HAD HERE.

SO WE'RE READY. I CAN GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE. OKAY.

ON THIS SLIDE, I'M REALLY KIND OF SETTING UP A COUPLE OF CONCEPTS HERE.

YOU SEE THREE PARTICULAR MODELS FOR US TO CHARGE.

THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS THE FAST CHARGE. HIGH AMPERAGE HIGH VOLTAGE GENERALLY USED FOR QUICK CHARGE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALSO FOR, FOR MEDIUM AND HEAVY TRUCKS, IT'S MANDATORY FOR THOSE TYPE OF TRUCKS TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE EVERY DAY TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF CHARGER. THE MIDDLE ONE, WHAT YOU'LL SEE DOWNSTAIRS AND L2 IS THE LEVEL TWO CHARGER, WHICH IS FOR OUR OUR MOTOR POOL HAS IT.

THERE'S ABOUT ANOTHER 60 OR 70 OF THESE AROUND THE CITY THAT ARE HARDWIRED INTO THE GRID.

ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS HERE REQUIRE HARD WIRING INTO THE GRID, GENERALLY TEARING UP INTO THE GROUND, PERMANENT FIXTURE TO THE ELECTRIC GRID. ON THE LAST SLIDE, YOU'RE FINDING THE SOLAR CANOPY.

THIS IS A TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS SOLAR STORAGE. IT'S KIND OF RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE BIG SOLAR SET OF SOLAR PANELS.

THERE'S A SERIES OF CLUSTER OF BATTERIES, AND THOSE WILL STORE VOLTAGE AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE OR ENERGY, I SHOULD SAY NOT VOLTAGE, BUT ENERGY. AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE QUANTITIES OF ENERGY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES.

BUT THOSE CAN BE WIRED TO THE GRID OR THEY'RE PURELY SOLAR.

SO FAR WE HAVE, I THINK, 17 OF THEM. ALL OF THESE ARE PURE SOLAR AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THEY ARE NOT ON THE GRID IF THEY WERE ON THE GRID, WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS USE THE SOLAR ENERGY FIRST TO CHARGE VEHICLES AND THEN DEFAULT TO THE GRID TO DRAW MORE ENERGY TO RECHARGE THE BATTERIES.

THE CAVEAT, OR THE KEY PIECE OF THAT, IS THAT IT STORES ENERGY, WHICH IS REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH ELECTRICITY AS AN ENERGY SOURCE.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT 17 OF THEM. WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

EACH ONE OF THOSE CANOPIES DOES, IT'S GOT THE CAPACITY TO HIT SIX VEHICLES, BUT IT'S ONLY GOT FOUR CHARGING CORDS ON THEM.

BUT SIX, YOU COULD PARK A CLUSTER OF SIX VEHICLES UNDERNEATH EACH CANOPY AND FUNCTIONALLY REACH EVERY ONE OF THEM WITH THE CABLES THAT WE HAVE.

THE OTHER UNIQUE FEATURE IN HERE SO FAR, WE'RE USING A SINGLE SOURCE FOR OUR CHARGERS.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT EVEN WHEN DONZELL WAS HERE THAT WE WENT THROUGH WAS TRYING TO FIND SOFTWARE CHARGERS AND, AND A A STRATEGY THAT IS CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD, TRYING TO TEACH DIFFERENT SOLAR CHARGING STRATEGIES, DIFFERENT SOFTWARE TO OUR CITY WOULD BE A HECK OF AN UNDERTAKING, YOU KNOW? SO HOW CAN WE MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AND UNIVERSAL AS POSSIBLE? SO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE COULDN'T REALLY COME UP WITH A SIMPLE, SIMPLER SOLUTION TO THIS.

IT'S SIMPLY ONCE SOMEONE GETS TO A VEHICLE, PLUGS THE VEHICLE IN, PRESENTS THE CARD TO THE RFID READER, IT'LL TRIGGER THE CHARGER AND THE VEHICLE CHARGES.

IT'S IT'S LITERALLY EASIER THAN PUTTING FUEL IN YOUR VEHICLE ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND IF YOU DO IT THE NIGHT BEFORE, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU CAN MAKE A HABIT OF IT, WHICH HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT THAT EXISTS ON THE, ON THE CONVENTIONAL FUELING SIDE TOO, WHERE PEOPLE LEAVE VEHICLES OUT OF FUEL.

I MEAN, WE HAVE PEOPLE RUN OUT OF FUEL AND WE LIKE TO TEASE THEM AND SAY, HOW DO YOU RUN OUT OF FREE FUEL? YOU MEAN YOU CAN GO TO THE GAS STATION? YOU KNOW, SO.

BUT WE COULDN'T MAKE IT ANY EASIER OR MORE UNIVERSAL THAN THAT.

AND WE'VE PROVIDED THREE SEPARATE TRAININGS, AND THEN WE DO SOME PERSONAL TRAINING WHEN PEOPLE WANT EXTRA HELP WITH IT.

[00:05:07]

SO THAT'S, THAT WAS ABOUT THE SIMPLEST THING WE COULD COME UP WITH.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THEY CAN PROVIDE ON OR OFF GRID ENERGY.

ABOUT 260 MILES OF RANGE IS WHAT'S STORED IN THESE CANOPIES.

SO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT YOU CAN CHARGE.

SO IF YOU CHARGE TWO VEHICLES, THEY GET HALF OF THAT.

SO THAT THAT 265 IS THE TOTAL. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL AVERAGE MILES ON A VEHICLE CHARGE, IT STILL MAKES REALLY GOOD THAT THAT VEHICLES TRAVEL, IT STILL MAKES PRETTY GOOD SENSE TO US.

EVEN IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ALVAREZ AND MARCEL STUDY OF 2019 2020.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE AVERAGING 30 TO 40 MILES A DAY ON A VEHICLE DURING NORMAL SEASON, WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF CAPACITY WITH THESE CHARGERS TO CHARGE MULTIPLE VEHICLES WITHOUT, WITHOUT CONVENTIONAL FUELS.

I TALKED ABOUT THE SIX VEHICLES SOLAR TRACKING FEATURE.

SO THAT CANOPY ACTUALLY ROTATES WITH THE SUN THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

SO AS LONG AS THERE'S ENERGY IN THAT CANOPY THAT THOSE CANOPIES WILL FOLLOW THE SUN, AND THAT'S GOOD FOR ABOUT 25% MORE ENERGY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE DAY RATHER THAN FACING, YOU KNOW, EAST WHEN THE SUN CAME UP AND THEN NOT FACING WEST IN THE AFTERNOON.

SO AFTER HAVING THESE THINGS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, WHICH WE'VE HAD, WE DO NOTICE IN THE SUMMER, IN THE WINTERTIME, WHEN THE DAY GETS SHORTER AND WE HAVE LESS SUNSHINE, THAT THEY SOMETIMES WILL RUN OUT OF ENERGY.

YOU KNOW, IT DOES EXIST, BUT ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE BEING CHARGED.

SO THERE IS A BIT OF A PENALTY, BUT ALL SUMMER LONG, ALL SPRING LONG AND ALL FALL LONG, WE HAVE ENOUGH SUNSHINE HERE.

I THINK WHEN I LOOKED IT UP IN THE VERY BEGINNING, IT WAS LIKE, OH, WELL OVER 260 DAYS OF SUNSHINE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO I MEAN, WE'RE RIGHT CLOSE TO WHAT THEY GET IN ARIZONA.

SO I MEAN, THERE'S PLENTY OF CAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO WORK IN THIS WAY.

SO WIND RATING 160 MILES AN HOUR OF THE HEIGHT ON THEM.

AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT HERE IN A SECOND ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER FEATURES ON THESE SOLAR CANOPIES.

ABOUT NINE FOOT SIX INCHES IS WHERE THEY'LL IF THERE WAS A FLOOD, WE MIGHT SEE THESE THINGS BECOME SHORTED OUT OR CIRCUIT BREAKERS TRIPPED OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS. SO THOSE ARE JUST THE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE GET.

DON'T THEY GET BLOWN OVER? NO. SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THEY DO HAVE AUXILIARY POWER IN THEM. I THINK I'VE GOT A LISTING RIGHT HERE OF THE OF THE FEATURES OF IT.

ADDITIONAL ONE TENTHS 240 SO IF WE DID HAVE A POWER LOSS HERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND WE NEEDED TO HOOK UP, WE COULD ACTUALLY HOOK UP TO THESE CANOPIES AND DRAW POWER, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER DEVICES WE HAVE LEFT IF WE HAD A GRID EVENT.

ONE THING I ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION ABOUT THESE THINGS, AND IT'S ON THIS SLIDE HERE, AND IT REMINDED ME IS THAT THEY'RE RELOCATABLE.

SO IF ONE OF THE REASONS WE LOOKED AT THIS, RATHER THAN TEARING THE APRON UP AT CENTRAL, AND THIS IS WHY WE PRIMARILY SET THEM AT CENTRAL, IS IF CITY COUNCIL COMES BACK AND SAYS THAT'S NOT THE BEST USE OF CENTRAL PROPERTY, WE STILL GET TO USE THIS INVESTMENT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WE CAN PICK IT UP. WE CAN, YES. AND WE OWN A TRAILER THAT DOES THAT SPECIFICALLY.

SO THE TRAILER, WE BACK IT OVER. STRAPS COME DOWN, FOLDS THE CANOPY, WE PICK IT UP AND WE CAN DRIVE IT OFF AND PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

IT'S NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE. IT'S ACTUALLY A LOT MORE WORK THAN THAT.

BUT THE POINT IS WE DON'T LOSE ALL THE INVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING THAT WE GET IN THE PARKING LOTS AT NIGHT.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL COVER IF YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, RAIN OR HAIL OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS.

AND THEY'RE NOT, WHEN WE HAVE THEM BUILT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHOSE CHARGER WE USE.

IF IN FIVE, SIX, EIGHT YEARS WE DECIDE TO REALIGN THE CHARGING STRATEGIES, WE CAN JUST CHANGE THEM RIGHT OUT.

THE SOLAR CANOPY DOESN'T CARE WHOSE CHARGERS WE USE.

CAN BE USED INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY. I KNOW THIS QUESTION IS GOING TO COME UP AND I'VE HAD IT BEFORE.

YES, INTERNALLY WE'VE KIND OF GOT THE BUGS WORKED OUT OF WHO'S USING IT, WHAT VEHICLES ARE USING IT, WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE USING IT. THE ONE THING WE HAVEN'T DONE IS GONE BACK, GONE BACK AND SURVEYED THE USERS TO SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.

NOW, I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE ONE ON ONE, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO AN OVERALL SURVEY FOR THE DEPARTMENTS AND PERSONNEL WHO ARE USING ALL OF OUR EVS AND GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM.

[00:10:04]

CAN YOU USE THEM EXTERNALLY? I'M GOING TO SAY THE ANSWER IS YES, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THAT.

AND I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD IDEA.

BUT I THINK THAT THE LOGISTICS AND THE PERSONNEL AND THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT AHEAD OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOME SCENARIOS THAT I'VE KIND OF DREAMT IN MY OWN HEAD.

SOMEBODY COMES UP AND CHARGES A VEHICLE AND SAYS TO US, HEY, I JUST CHARGED YOUR VEHICLE AT THIS STATION AND NOW MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON OR NOW MY VEHICLE DOESN'T DO THIS. THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ARE COMMON.

AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE CHARGERS FAULT, BUT THAT'S PEOPLE MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.

AND SO THEY'LL BE THAT OUTWARD FACING, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTS THAT I WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFF OR THE CAPACITY OR THE GUIDANCE FOR SOMEBODY DRIVES OFF AND DOES DAMAGE. HOW DO WE FIX IT? WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT? YOU KNOW AND THEN ANY OF THE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFF FOR THAT KIND OF SUPPORT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, SO I'M, I JUST THINK THAT THE DETAILS WOULD HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT HERE.

YOU KNOW AND I'M NOT. SO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

WHAT KIND OF VEHICLES DOES IT CHARGE? THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING THAT IT CAN'T CHARGE.

I THINK I WENT THROUGH THAT SLIDE THERE A MINUTE AGO.

WE'VE GOT VANS, WE'VE GOT SEDANS, WE'VE GOT MEDIUM DUTY SEDANS.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE LIGHT TRUCKS ON GRANT THAT ARE COMING IN, WHICH ARE REALLY KIND OF OUTSIDE OF THE C CAP, BUT IT'S KIND OF THE NEXT ITERATION OF WHERE WE SHOULD IF WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE 17 SOLAR CANOPIES AND WE'RE DISCUSSING MORE WITH WATER AND ACTUALLY SOME WITH PARKS ON SOME CARTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEMOING WITH THEM THAT ARE PURELY ELECTRIC 34 OUT OF THE, SO IF, IF THERE'S 17 CHARGERS OR THEY'RE 17 CANOPIES, EACH HAVING TWO CHARGERS, 34, THERE'S 34 CHARGERS OUT THERE PROVIDING 100% FREE ENERGY FOR VEHICLES.

WELL, OTHER THAN THE COST OF THE CANOPIES THEMSELVES THERE'S TEN DEPARTMENTS ACTIVELY BENEFITING FROM OFF GRID CHARGING.

AND MY ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF HAS BEEN VERY, VERY POSITIVE.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NOT HEARD ONE PERSON SUGGEST SOMETHING.

THERE'S A LOT OF HYPOTHETICALS AND A LOT OF OLD SCHOOL STRATEGIES OR CULTURE I THINK, THAT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, EVERYTHING'S BEEN VERY POSITIVE.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. OH, THIS WAS THE SLIDE THAT I KIND OF WENT THROUGH.

YEP. SEDANS, SUVS, PICKUPS, PASSENGER VANS, DELIVERY VANS.

SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ASK ME IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE ABOUT BREAKDOWNS, WHAT KIND OF DEFECTS FLAWS THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO FAR I'VE HAD WE'VE HAD MORE OPERATOR ERRORS THAN ANYTHING.

AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SWIPE A KEY IN YOUR CONVENTIONAL VEHICLE VEHICLE TURNS ON, GOES DROP IN GEAR AND YOU GO. SOME OF OUR VEHICLES ARE LIKE, ESPECIALLY OUR VANS, OUR PASSENGER VANS, IF THEY DON'T GET THE SEQUENCE RIGHT, THE SOFTWARE DOESN'T ENERGIZE TRANSMISSION SHIFTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD PANIC, THEY'D CALL US, OH, THE VEHICLE BROKE.

WELL, THAT'S NOT THE CASE. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SEQUENCE.

YOU HAVE TO LET THE SOFTWARE ENGAGE. THAT'S JUST THE WAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT.

SO. DELIVERY VANS, AS I'VE MENTIONED, WE IN PREVIOUS BRIEFINGS, THE DELIVERY VANS THAT RUN TO ALL FIVE SERVICE CENTERS ARE ELECTRIC. SO, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN.

THE MOTOR POOL HAS LARGELY BEEN REPLACED OR BEING BUILT WITH A LOT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

AS WE'RE TAKING VEHICLES OUT OF SERVICE AND KIND OF PUSHING STUFF INTO THE A CENTRALIZED MOTOR POOL THAT WHERE PEOPLE CAN SPOT RENT WHAT THEY DON'T NORMALLY NEED. WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH OF THAT WITH ELECTRIC AS WE CAN.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS HAVE REALLY KIND OF WITHDRAWN AND THEN COME BACK.

WE'VE HAD MAJOR ORDERS CANCELED. WE HAVE WE HAVE ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT COMING BACK IN THAT WE SHOULD SEE BY JANUARY TO INCLUDE SOME CHEVY BLAZERS SOME PICKUP TRUCKS. AND I THINK THERE'S ONE OTHER VEHICLE AS WELL.

SO, I MEAN, WE DID FIND OTHER STRATEGIES TO, TO MOVE THESE INTO THE FLEET, BUT SOME OF THE BIGGER ONES HAVE PULLED BACK.

SO THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES FOR A PERIOD OF TIME GETTING VEHICLES.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS IS AN INTERESTING SLIDE HERE.

AND I KNOW I HEARD THAT THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW I'D COME UP WITH THE $12,000 IN FUEL EXPENSE.

[00:15:06]

AND THAT'S AND WHEN WE SAY BLENDED BLENDED FUEL RATE, JUST BECAUSE WE USE SO MANY VARIATIONS OF FUEL, IT GETS VERY COMPLICATED TO TALK ABOUT. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT GAS? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT DIESEL? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT BIODIESEL? YOU KNOW, SO WE KIND OF BLEND THE RATE TO AND WEIGHT IT BASED ON THE GALLONS THAT WE USE.

SO THAT'S REALLY BASED ON THE KILOWATT HOURS AND THE BLENDED FUEL RATE.

THAT'S WHERE I HAD COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER. KEEP IN MIND LAST YEAR, WHILE THIS NUMBER MIGHT LOOK SMALL THE 38 OFFSETTING 3800 GALLONS, WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE THINGS ALL YEAR. YOU KNOW, WE ONLY GOT THEM LIKE THEY'VE PROBABLY GOT ABOUT MAYBE FIVE MONTHS WORTH OF USE, SIX MONTHS WORTH OF USE BEFORE WE STARTED TO DO THESE CALCULATIONS.

SO I EXPECT TO SEE THESE NUMBERS GROW PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND IF YOU LOOK UNDERNEATH THE WHERE IT SAYS 166.6MW, YOU SEE UNDERNEATH THERE'S A GREEN ARROW POINTING UP.

THAT'S REALLY COMPARING OUR USE TO LAST YEAR.

SO THAT'S TELLING YOU RIGHT THERE. I THINK THAT WE'RE UP 300% FROM LAST YEAR.

SO THOSE ARE WE WORKED A LOT WITH THIS SOFTWARE PRODUCER TO TELL THEM WHAT IT IS THAT GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SEE, BECAUSE WE WOULD GET A LOT OF ONE OFF INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE COMPLICATED TO DELIVER.

AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S HELPED IF WE CAN AGGREGATE DATA.

SO THAT GAVE US SOME QUICK COMPARISON TOOLS IN THIS PIECE OF SOFTWARE.

AND THE SAME THING ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE OTHER TWO TABLES AS WELL.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN BASICALLY REALLY RESTATING THE C CAP GOALS AND ALIGNMENT.

I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S WHEN WE LOOK AT LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES AND I, AND I'VE BRIEFED ON THIS CONCEPT BEFORE.

LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES, MAYBE IN A, IN A GENERAL SENSE, MEAN ONE THING, BUT IN THE INDUSTRY, THEY MEAN SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC. THEY'RE THEY'RE VEHICLES.

THEY'RE CLASS ONE AND CLASS TWO VEHICLES. CLASS ONE AND CLASS TWO ARE GENERALLY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING UNDER 10,000 POUNDS, INCLUDING MOTORCYCLES, WHICH I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT, BUT I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT'S IN THAT CALCULATION.

SO WHEN YOU WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS ME HOW MANY VEHICLES DO WE HAVE? IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT C CAP, MY ANSWER IS GOING TO INCLUDE SPECIFICALLY LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES.

AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER. SOMETHING AROUND 1700 1800 VEHICLES SPECIFIC IS LIGHT DUTY.

AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE THESE CONVERTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AND IT'S GOING TO JUST TAKE, CONTINUE TO TAKE SOME INVESTMENT THE WAY WE'RE DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW, BIG CHUNKS OF VEHICLE AT A TIME, BUILDING THE CONFIDENCE WITH THE WORK GROUPS SO THAT THEY CAN USE THEM AND GET THEIR JOBS DONE.

AND IT DOESN'T PUT THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AT RISK.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HEAR THE MOST. SO AND THEN NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

CHAIR RIDLEY QUESTION. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

AND VINCE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PLEASED I AM TO SEE THIS INITIATIVE, THIS MOVE TO SOLAR ENERGY USAGE IN OUR VEHICLE FLEET.

A FEW TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. DO THESE CHARGERS HAVE AN EMERGENCY CUTOFF SWITCH SO THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE OR A FLOOD, SOMEONE CAN JUST TURN OFF THE WHOLE THING? YES SIR. THEY DO. I WOULD SAY THAT I, WHEN I LOOK AT THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, IT'S UP ON TOP.

AND SO I, I'M LIKE, WELL, IF IT WAS ON FIRE AND THE BATTERIES ARE OVER THERE, I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING LOCATION FOR IT.

SO IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE. CAN THEY BE REACHED FROM THE GROUND BY A PERSON? NO THEY CAN'T. SO HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO REACH IT WHEN WE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET A WE WE GET A LADDER TO GO DO IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS NOT IDEAL IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, NO BATTERY FIRE.

OH, SIR. AND I AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WORTH TALKING ABOUT.

SO WILL THIS ALSO WORK WITH PLUG IN HYBRIDS? YES, SIR.

AS LONG AS AND THIS IS A UNIVERSAL PLUG IN STYLE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

AND, AND I THINK THAT PROBLEM IN THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN RESOLVED EVEN AS FAR AS THE TESLAS ARE CONCERNED, BECAUSE THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN TALKING TO US AS WELL.

[00:20:02]

SO I THINK EVERYTHING IS USABLE THAT I'VE SEEN.

EVEN THE MEDIUM DUTY PLUGS WILL COME THAT. DOES THE CITY OWN ANY TESLAS? NO, SIR. NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE, SO THAT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME.

SO HOW MANY OF THESE CANOPIES ARE SOLAR ONLY.

ALL 17 OF THEM. SO NONE OF THEM ARE HARDWIRED YET.

WE'RE HARDWIRED. AND YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF. HOW MANY SOLAR CANOPIES? THERE'S 17, BUT EACH OF THEM HAS TWO PEDESTALS FOR CHARGING.

SO 34. OH I SEE. YES, SIR. OKAY. AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT THE ON SLIDE TWO, THAT THE TYPE ONE CHARGER COULD BE USED FOR MEDIUM AND HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS.

DO WE HAVE ANY ELECTRIC HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES? WELL, WE DO HAVE A FIRE FIRE TRUCK THAT DOES CHARGE AT THAT EXACT LOCATION, BUT AS FAR AS WE HAVE THREE ON GRANT THAT ARE PENDING.

AND WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO SOME. WELL, I MEAN, THE BUS IS TECHNICALLY A MEDIUM DUTY VEHICLE GIVEN ITS GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT, SO. BUT THAT ACTUALLY CHARGES ALMOST COMPLETELY ON THE CANOPIES.

SO I MEAN, SANITATION USES IT QUITE OFTEN. WE USE IT FOR CITY COUNCIL TOURS OR NOT CITY COUNCIL TOURS, BUT TOURS, YOU KNOW, QUITE OFTEN. AND THAT ONE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY CHARGES ON SOLAR CANOPIES UP AT CANTON STREET.

SO IF THE CANOPY CAN CHARGE SIX VEHICLES AT A TIME WHEN THE BATTERIES DRAW DOWN, DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY FLIP OVER TO THE GRID? THOSE THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE GRID TO COMPLETE THE CHARGING CYCLE.

THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE DESIGNED TO WORK. OKAY.

AND BUT LIKE I SAID, NONE OF OURS ARE ON THE GRID CURRENTLY AT THIS TIME.

TO SOME EXTENT, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND A, GET A FEEL FOR LOCATION WISE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME OF THE BANG FOR OUR BUCK OUT OF AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER CENTRAL STAYS THERE OR NOT, YOU KNOW? DO WE WANT TO TEAR UP? BUT, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE SOLUTION, PART OF US FINDING THE SOLUTION HAD TO DO WITH SOME OF THE WORK THAT HAS TO GO IN TO PUTTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN. YOU KNOW, TEARING UP THE FRONT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE MET WITH ONCOR. WE MET WITH THESE.

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO GET ELECTRICITY? ENOUGH ELECTRICITY OVER HERE? WELL, THAT WHOLE APRON'S GOT TO COME OUT.

YOU GOT TO CUT THROUGH THIS. AND I'M LIKE YOU KNOW, SO CAN THE CHARGERS THAT YOU HAVE THAT ARE SOLAR ONLY BE RETROFITTED TO ATTACH THEM TO THE GRID? WELL YES, SIR. IN FACT I THINK I THINK TEN OUT OF THE 17 ALREADY.

YES. THEY DON'T EVEN NEED TO BE RETROFITTED. THEY JUST NEED TO BE HOOKED UP.

OKAY. AND FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM TO BUY MORE CANOPIES ALONG WITH THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES? WELL AS WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESSES AND I TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO DO A SURVEY OF THE OPERATORS BEFORE, SOME OF WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS GO BACK TO THESE, TO MY COUNTERPARTS AND MY PEERS AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE HAD GOOD SUCCESS HERE. SHOW THEM WHERE THEIR BUDGETS AREN'T BEING AFFECTED BY FUEL PRICE.

TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESSES AND HEY, THIS IS THE DIRECTION OF CAB, YOU KNOW.

AND WE'VE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH WATER DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICE HAS BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE.

YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE, ON THE VANS THAT ARE TRANSPORTING ANIMALS, BUT ON THE ON THEIR, IN THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE AND THEIR PATROLLING.

SO SOME OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, I JUST NEED TO GO OUT THERE AND STRATEGICALLY LOCATE THEM.

PARKS AND REC IS ANOTHER GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS WELL.

AND INTERESTINGLY, THEIR VEHICLES AND I HAVEN'T HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THEM YET.

SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THEIR VEHICLES REALLY LEND THEMSELVES TO THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE CAMPUS BASED, YOU KNOW, IN MANY INSTANCES AND, YOU KNOW, CAN BE CHARGED RIGHT ON SCENE, YOU KNOW, SO SO HAVE YOU BUILT IN ANY FUNDING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL CANOPIES? YES, SIR. EVERY YEAR WE'VE BEEN AND THIS GOES BACK SINCE SINCE WORKING WITH DON ZELL, WE'VE PUT ABOUT A MILLION AND A MILLION, 1 MILLION TO 1 MILLION AND A HALF OUT OF OUR OUT OF OUR FLEET BUDGET ACTUALLY FOCUSES IN ON THAT.

AND SO WE BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE, PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE AT NORTHEAST, AT SOUTHWEST, AT SOUTHEAST, AT CENTRAL. WE'VE GOT HERE AT THE CITY HALL WHERE WE CONVERTED EVERYTHING OVER HERE.

AND THEN WE PUT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SOLAR CANOPY INFRASTRUCTURE, MOSTLY FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

THE TIMELINE TO RECEIVE THESE THINGS IS PRETTY QUICK.

[00:25:03]

FOUR HOURS LATER, THEY'RE UP AND CHARGING. WELL, I THINK SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO ME AND PERHAPS TO THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE, WOULD BE SOME METRICS SHOWING HOW COST EFFECTIVE THESE CANOPIES AND THE ASSOCIATED ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE BY COMPARING THE SAVINGS IN FUEL COSTS, PARTICULARLY NOW AT ELEVATED COSTS FOR FUEL AND THE REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT WILL HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF THE ELECTRICAL CHARGING.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU MONITOR OR COULD YOU DO THAT? YES, SIR. WE LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VEHICLES BY CLASS, AND I KNOW THIS QUESTION HAS COME UP BEFORE OR VERSIONS OF IT, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT F-150S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIGHTNINGS.

YEAH. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIGHT KIND VEHICLES.

AND I HAVE A GOOD COMPARISON TO THEM. IT'S REALLY EASY TO SAY THIS.

YOUR VEHICLE A IS $1.14, VEHICLE B IS $0.57. AND THEN YOU SAY, WELL, HOW MANY MILES ON AVERAGE WILL THESE VEHICLES TRAVEL? AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF CALCULATIONS LIKE THIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, TO TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE A DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF BUDGET WISE FOR FLEET, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE USE OF VEHICLES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF EASY TO PREDICT, YOU KNOW, PROVIDED THEY PROVIDED THEY'RE USING THEM.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. COUNCIL MEMBER.

BLACKMON. THANK YOU. SO ON THE THE VEIN OF MONEY, RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I THINK, HAS PULLED BACK SOME GRANTS, BUT YET WE'VE GOTTEN SOME FROM RTC.

ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH MONEY AVAILABLE FROM OTHER SOURCES, OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DIP INTO OUR GENERAL FUND? WELL, THAT'S A THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S A BIG ANSWER.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO. WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PULLED BACK SOME OF ITS PRICING.

ONE THING THAT WE ALSO SAW WAS THE ACTUAL UPFRONT PRICING OF THE VEHICLES DROPPED.

OKAY, SO IT ALMOST HAD A IS A WASH. YES, IT WAS ALMOST A NET ZERO IMPACT.

BUT I DO BELIEVE WE'VE GOT SOME RTC FUNDING THAT HAS COME OUR WAY FOR SOME SITES.

IS THAT ALLOCATED IN YOUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT? NOT NOT ANY SITES THAT I'M AWARE OF. VEHICLES.

YES. BUT PHYSICAL SITES. NO. AND WE DO WE DID JUST REINTRODUCE SOME OF THESE SOLAR CANOPY PURCHASES FOR SOME REBATES THAT EXISTED. AND I THINK THEY WERE APPROVED IN LAST YEAR.

I JUST DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS WORKED OUT. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO BRING IT FORWARD. AND AND BEFORE I KNEW ALL THE DETAILS.

OKAY. I I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER. BAZALDUA. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. YES, SIR. I WANT TO START ON THE UTILIZATION PIECE.

EACH CANOPY IS RATED AT 265 MILES OF CHARGING PER DAY.

AND WE HAVE 17 CANOPIES. THAT'S ROUGHLY 450 TO 500MW PER HOUR A YEAR OF POTENTIAL OUTPUT.

YES, SIR. THE DECK REPORTS THAT WE ONLY HAVE 12MW PER HOUR.

THAT'S BEEN ACTUALLY USED, WHICH IS ABOUT 2 TO 3% OF THE RATED CAPACITY.

WHY DO WE HAVE THAT GAP SHOWN? NO, YOU ARE RIGHT.

WE HAVE MORE CAPACITY THAN WE ARE USING. A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH NOT GETTING OUR FULL FULFILLMENT OF VEHICLES.

YOU KNOW, I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HAVING.

60 VEHICLES CUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY PUT INTO THIS TO KEEP MEETING UP TO THAT POTENTIAL AND THAT EXACT, YOU KNOW, FROM A PERCENTAGE STANDPOINT ONE OF THE REPORT AND IT'S NOT IN THIS PRESENTATION DOES TALK ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL ARE WE USING SO THAT NOT ONLY CAN WE LOOK AT LOCATION WISE, IF WE HAVE LOW UTILIZATION, CAN WE RELOCATE THIS IF IT'S RELOCATABLE.

SO SO THAT IS A PART OF THE DISCUSSION. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SAYS, WELL, YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF EVS.

YOU SHOULD HAVE X NUMBER OF CANOPIES. NO, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

WE MIGHT NEED 2 TO 3 VEHICLES PER CANOPY FOR LOCATION.

THE EPA ON ITS WEBSITE ACTUALLY GIVES YOU A NUMBER FOR THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN IT AS HIGH AS EIGHT AND AS LOW AS FOUR.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE ARE NOT USING OUR CAPACITY.

I NEED TO GET MORE VEHICLES INTO THE HANDS OF OUR FLEET USERS TO START TO REACH THAT.

SO BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONING WITH THE VEHICLES.

BUT THE SOLAR CHARGERS MAKE UP 30% OF THE CHARGERS THAT WE HAVE.

YES, SIR. 34 OUT OF 114. AND THEY ONLY DELIVER ABOUT 7% OF THE UTILIZATION THAT WE ACTUALLY REPORT.

[00:30:05]

IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOMEHOW INCORPORATE SPECIFIED TIMING, SCHEDULE, ROTATION, ETC.

OF AN EXPECTATION FOR THESE SOLAR THINGS TO BE USED IF ONLY 7% IS GOING TO ACCOUNT FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR CHARGING, THEN WE'RE STILL CHARGING TRADITIONAL ELECTRICITY TO CHARGE THE REST OF THE FLEET.

WHEN WE HAVE THESE SITTING KIND OF DORMANT. NO, I MEAN, THESE ARE GREAT DISCUSSION POINTS.

AND I THINK PART OF IT IS A CULTURE CHANGE. AND US HAVING TO TEACH THE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF IT.

SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS KIND OF HAPPENING ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

THIS IS A NEW FRONTIER IN TRANSPORTATION AND FLEET.

AND SO, SO THIS IS A REALLY GREAT DISCUSSION.

AND MAYBE SOME OF OUR FUTURE METRICS INCLUDE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF A DEPARTMENT'S FUEL WERE USED WERE SOLAR OR WERE OFF GRID, YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN, THE POINT IS TAKEN ON ALL THOSE ISSUES. WELL, I WOULD SUGGEST THERE BE KIND OF A OVERHAUL OF WHAT THE NORMAL PRACTICES ARE SPECIFICALLY TO INCORPORATE THEIR SCHEDULED TIME FOR SOME OF THESE DRIVERS WITHIN, WITHIN OUR FLEET TO HAVE TO STOP BY ONE OF THESE SITES TO UTILIZE THESE TO START TO INCORPORATE, WE NEED TO START SEEING WHAT THE RETURN IS ON THIS INVESTMENT.

AND EVERY BUDGET YEAR, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCREASING OUR EV FLEET ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUSHES BACK THAT WE GET FROM CITY MANAGEMENT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT IT, AND THIS REPORT TELLS US THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.

THIS REPORT TELLS US THAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING A LOT MORE MONEY BRINGING OUR FLEET TO AN EV PLACE, BECAUSE WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN THAT IS SEVERELY UNDERUTILIZED.

SO CITY MANAGER, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

THIS IS A GREAT POINT OF DISCUSSION. AND I'LL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH OUR DIRECTOR, VINCE, TO LOOK INTO UTILIZATION, LOOKING INTO METRICS AND POTENTIALLY REPORTING BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH, WITH OUR POTENTIAL CHANGES. BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT INVESTING JUST TO INVEST IN STUFF, RIGHT? WE WANT TO TRULY SEE THE RETURN OF INVESTMENT.

WE WANT TO TRULY SEE SOME COST SAVINGS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL WHEN WE DO THAT.

THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE AND A BIG TRANSITION FROM OUR NORMAL FUEL DEPENDENCY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE US TO HAVE PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS IN PLACE FOR US TO TO SEE THIS REALLY TO TO ITS FULLEST.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THE METHODOLOGY ON, ON YOUR COST THOUGH.

IT, YOU HAVE THE, THE, ONE OF THE LAST SLIDES, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE SAID THAT 3800 GALLON FIGURE WAS CALCULATED.

HOW WAS THAT CALCULATED? WELL, THERE'S ON THE EPA'S WEBSITE OR, OR OTHER WEBSITES, YOU JUST PUT IN YOUR KILOWATT HOURS AND YOUR AND ASKED IT TO CONVERT IT FOR YOU. AND IT'LL DO THE CONVERSION. AND IF YOU WANT TO UNDERNEATH IT, IT'LL SHOW YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE KILOWATT HOURS EQUAL TO ROUGHLY 30, 30 MILES OR SOMETHING.

BUT WITH THAT SAME TOOL, I DID 12 MEGAWATT HOURS.

WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE SHOWN TO USE.

AND THAT WOULD TYPICALLY DISPLACE BETWEEN 1500 TO 2000.

SO THIS 3800 GALLON NUMBER IS, IS NOT ADDING UP TO ME.

AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT WE WERE USING TO FIND THAT MAYBE WE WERE USING.

I'M NOT SURE IF WE WERE USING DIFFERENT TOOLS, BUT I MEAN, I DID NOT PUT THE REFERENCE MATERIAL ON THERE, BUT I CERTAINLY CAN. IT'S I, IT WAS JUST WHAT WE GOT FROM THE SITE TRYING TO MAKE THE CONVERSION.

AND TO YOUR POINT ON NEEDING MORE FLEET ESSENTIALLY CONVERTED WHERE ARE WE WITH OUR C CAP GOAL TO GET TO 100% BY 2040? BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BEING OFF THE SPECIFIC DEFINITION OF CAP BEING EVERYTHING UNDER 10,000 NOT INCLUDING SQUAD CARS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE THERE YET TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 8 TO 10%, BUT IT'S, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK UP THE PACE TO GET THERE.

I KNOW THAT FOR SURE. AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT WASN'T FROM A LACK OF TRYING.

IT WAS JUST THE MARKET IS NOT RIGHT YET FOR IT.

WELL, AND THAT'S NOT ON YOU. THAT'S THAT'S BACK AT OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE MANAGING. AND THE THE FLEET THAT YOU'VE BEEN BUDGETED OUT.

[00:35:01]

WE HAVE A CAP GOAL FOR A REASON THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE POLICY MAKERS.

AND THAT CAN'T JUST BE A SUGGESTION. THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A METRIC AND A GOAL THAT WE ADHERE TO.

AND WE YOU KNOW, THE TIME IS TICKING. SO I, I WOULD ASK THAT THE NEXT TIME THAT WE GET A BRIEFING ON THIS, THAT IT BE COUPLED WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SHOWING A STRATEGIC AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, HOW WE'RE GOING TO BETTER UTILIZE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN TO GET TO THIS GOAL AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, SIMILAR TO A PHASED OUT APPROACH OF ANYTHING THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT NEEDS FUNDING, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN SUBSEQUENT BUDGET YEARS, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO FULLY GET TO OUR GOAL OF CAP.

BECAUSE IF WE'VE IF WE'VE GOT 14 YEARS UNTIL MEETING THAT GOAL, TO ME, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR IT TO BE AN ANSWER THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO MEET IT.

WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS IN OUR BUDGET CYCLE, THAT WE MAKE THE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO GET THERE.

SO THAT'S IF YOU CAN RESPOND IF YOU'D LIKE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK. ASSEMBLIES WERE TRANSITIONING.

SHE JUST TOLD ME THAT WE HAVE X HERE AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

NO, I HONESTLY DON'T THINK THAT ANY DEPARTMENT CAN.

I THINK IT'S CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. I THINK THAT THIS IS ABOUT BUDGETING, EXERCISE, AND THIS IS ABOUT AN INTENTIONALITY WHEN IT COMES TO ADHERING OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT TO REFLECT THE POLICY DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE PASSED.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GOALS IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY DECADES OUT TYPE GOALS LIKE THE C CAP HAS IN PLACE, WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL AND WE'VE GOT TO INVEST THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES FOR US TO MEET THESE METRICS.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS ONE TRAP ON.

THIS WAS IN THE VERY BEGINNING. WE'VE HAD SO MANY MANUFACTURERS COME AND GO, AND EVEN AS WE EXIST RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ABSTRACT.

SO WE DIDN'T GET A VEHICLE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE SUPPORT, WHETHER IT'S SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE, ANY OF THOSE PIECES AND PARTS, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM.

AND WHILE WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF STAYING AWAY FROM THAT, WE HAVE SEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN UPSTART THAT'S RECEIVED A, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A WHAT'S A DECENT PRODUCT.

BUT SIX MONTHS LATER, THEY'RE NOT IN BUSINESS ANYMORE.

NOW, FEDERAL, WE DO HAVE PROTECTIONS THAT SAY PARTS NEED TO BE AVAILABLE.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO PRODUCE AND SELL A VEHICLE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR TEN YEARS, THAT DOES EXIST.

BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THAT, THAT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TOUGH STRATEGY SOMETIMES TO FIND THOSE THINGS.

SO AND WE HAVE HAD ONE EXPERIENCE OF THAT, BUT IT WASN'T, IT'S NOT HUGE TO THIS POINT.

SO SO THAT A LITTLE BIT OF CAUTION ON THE VEHICLE SELECTION, I GUESS, IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FINE LINE. I THINK THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN THAT THE TECHNOLOGY ON ALL OF THIS IS CHANGING DRAMATICALLY.

MY MOTHER BOUGHT A HYBRID TEN YEARS AGO AND I'VE DRIVEN HER HYBRID.

ROB AND I BOUGHT AN EV SATURDAY MORNING. AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO CARS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

SO THERE IS A LOT. IT'S A FAST MOVING TECHNOLOGY.

AND I THINK IT MUST BE SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TO KEEP UP WITH IT.

BUT I AM VERY INTERESTED IN HOW WE COORDINATE THE DEPARTMENT'S USE.

IF I WAS FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA AND CHAIR RIDLEY'S THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT PERHAPS WE'RE NOT USING ALL OF OUR CAPACITY.

AND THAT SEEMS TO BE. AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DIRECTOR OLSON, BUT IS IT IS THIS THE DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT MAKING USE, OR IS THE. IS IT NOT AVAILABLE TO THEM SOMEHOW.

WELL. WELL, THE CAPACITY FOR THE VEHICLES WE HAVE IS BEING MET.

IT'S JUST BEING MET LARGELY THROUGH THE FAST CHARGE SYSTEM.

AND I THINK IT'S A SIMPLE DISCIPLINE ISSUE WHERE, YOU KNOW, HOOKING THEM UP TO THE SOLAR CANOPIES AT NIGHT.

IT'S A CHANGE OF PRACTICE. AND AND I DON'T WANT WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY UPDATE IS CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.

FINDING THE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ELECTRICAL USE AND SAY, OUR SHOP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND SHOP MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, THAT IN AND OF ITSELF DOESN'T NATURALLY EXIST BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT FIRMS. SO, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT CONNECTION, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.

OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM HAS BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF CONNECTING THESE TWO THINGS TO, YOU KNOW, TO PRODUCE THOSE KIND OF REPORTS ABOUT HOW MUCH ARE WE USING, WHAT ARE WE LEAVING ON THE TABLE? SO WE'RE MEETING ALL THE ELECTRICAL NEEDS.

WE'RE JUST NOT MEETING THEM IN THE MOST COST EFFICIENT WAY.

COST EFFICIENT WAY IS TO USE YOUR FREE ENERGY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, AND SO SAYING THAT TODAY HERE. SEEING THE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND KIND OF CONTINUING TO DRIVE THAT HOME.

WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS, WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST THINKING WE PROBABLY NEED AN UPDATE,

[00:40:05]

OKAY. THANK YOU. CHAIR BLAIR. THANK YOU CHAIR.

I ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GOT OUT OF THIS IS THAT WHEN WE'RE UTILIZING THIS TECHNOLOGY, THAT THE USERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING THE VEHICLES HAVE TO RELEARN THE SEQUENCING.

OTHERWISE YOU GET THEY COME BACK WITH THERE'S A FAILURE OF THE AUTOMOBILE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. IS THERE A PROCESS THAT IS IN PLACE THAT BEFORE SOMEONE CAN CHECK OUT OR UTILIZE ONE OF THESE VEHICLES THAT THEY ARE GIVEN SOME TYPE OF, OF, OF TRAINING AS TO HOW, WHAT IS THE NEW SEQUENCING? BECAUSE I CAN IMAGINE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, GOING FROM A HYBRID TO AN EV IS VASTLY DIFFERENT.

WHAT IF YOU'RE GOING FROM A TOTALLY GAS VEHICLE THAT YOU DRIVE ON A REGULAR BASIS TO THIS TECHNOLOGY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING? RIGHT. NO, THAT'S THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

AND, AND WE'VE DONE THREE TRAININGS AND THEN SOME PERSONAL TRAININGS WHEN EVERYBODY ASKS FOR IT.

BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. I THINK WE HAVE TO DO SOME MORE.

AND MAYBE BECAUSE WE ARE STARTING TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PRICE OF FUEL, WHERE IT IS THAT THERE IS A MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK FOR A DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN, MAYBE WE HAVE MORE TOOLS TO SELL THIS THAN WE EVER HAD.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THE PRICE OF FUEL IS LOW. YOU KNOW, THE PARITY, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MAYBE PARITY IN THESE TWO.

BUT TODAY, HOLY COW. YOU KNOW SO OUR DEPARTMENT HAS TO DO WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

I'M SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY BRAIN JUST GOES QUICKLY.

SO LET ME GO BACK AND, AND DO SOME, SOME THINGS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIKE, FOR FOR MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR ASKING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WERE I WAS GOING TO ASK.

SO YOU'RE SAVING ME TIME FROM GETTING THE ANSWERS.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME IT TAKES FOR A SOLAR A SOLAR PANEL TO RECHARGE? GREAT QUESTION. AND IT DOES DEPEND ON THE ACTUAL WEATHER AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE GET.

SO YOU'RE SAYING IN THE SUMMER IT CHARGES FASTER THAN THE FALL AND WINTER? WELL, THAT'S NOT PROBABLY THAT. THAT WOULD BE AN INACCURATE STATEMENT.

IT JUST HAS LONGER ACCESS TO THE SUN. SO LIKE MORE AFTER HOURS, AFTER NORMAL WORK HOURS, EXPOSURE TO THE SUN.

SO AND THEN GENERALLY WHILE A PERSON'S OUT IN THE FIELD, IT GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECHARGE.

YOU KNOW, ABOUT SIX HOURS, I THINK IS WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO, TO FULLY RECHARGE THE SOLAR CANOPY.

I MEAN, IT REALLY IS. IT REALLY IS NOT A SOLUTION FOR A HIGH INTENSE USE.

IT'S A SOLUTION FOR THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S A GOOD SOLUTION FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE MAYBE THESE 30 TO 40 TO 50 HOUR TRIPS A DAY, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE DOING INSPECTIONS OR WHATEVER, THEY'RE INVOLVED AND THEY'RE GOING TO A WATER REPAIR SITE AND THEN THE VEHICLE'S OFF.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A GOOD SUPPLEMENT FOR THAT.

AND THE NICE THING ABOUT CENTRAL SERVICE CENTER IS THAT IF SOMEBODY IS IN A DIRE STRAITS.

THEY'VE GOT ACCESS TO THE FAST CHARGER RIGHT THERE.

SO IT'S GOT BOTH BUILT INTO IT. SO SIX HOURS, I THINK, ANSWERS THE QUESTION.

AND I CAN, I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION EXACTLY BECAUSE IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.

SO LET ME ASK ANOTHER QUESTION. SO IF I HAVE AND MAKE IT WHERE IT'S USABLE IF I CHECK OUT A CAR THAT'S FULLY CHARGED AND I GO ABOUT MY DAY, STOP JUST IDLE, DO WHAT I NEED TO DO, IDLE SOME MORE, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE DAY OFF OF THAT CHARGE IF IT'S FULLY CHARGED WHEN I GET IN IT.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, SO HOW MUCH DOES ONE OF THESE SOLAR PANELS COST AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? DO WE OR DO WE JUST PURCHASE THEM OUTRIGHT OR DO WE PURCHASE THEM OVER TIME? NO, WE PURCHASE THEM OUTRIGHT. YOU. IF YOU WERE TO GET A QUOTES ON THEM, YOU'LL SEE IT ANYWHERE FROM 67,000 TO $80,000 THAT WE DO DO THE MORE EXPENSIVE UNITS JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE CAPACITY.

SO IN IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS WAS ASKING, IF WE PURCHASE THEM OUTRIGHT 60 TO 80,000 AND IS

[00:45:03]

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR US TO RECEIVE A BENEFIT FROM WHETHER WE WERE USING A HYBRID VEHICLE OR GOING FROM A TOTALLY GAS VEHICLE TO THIS TECHNOLOGY. THAT'S A IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND I HAVE A BACK OF THE NAPKIN. WELL, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.

OUT BETWEEN 8 AND 10 YEARS. BUT YOU YOU HIT A COUPLE OF VARIABLES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE PRICE OF FUEL COMPARATIVELY AND USING THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, PLUGGING IN AND TAKING THE ENERGY, WELL, JUST SAY IF, IF, IF, LET'S SAY THAT GAS IS WHAT IT IS TODAY.

AND WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS COMPLETELY UTILIZING THE TECHNOLOGY AS IT'S PRESCRIBED.

SO IF WE HAD A FLEET OF CARS JUST ON A, ON A, ON A PURELY IF EVERYTHING WAS CORRECT, JUST GIVE US A SCENARIO. HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO START RECEIVING A BENEFIT? AND WHAT VERSUS HYBRID AND GAS AND JUST LET US KNOW SO THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING.

SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. SURE. AND AND AND BASICALLY WHAT I HEAR MY MY COMMITTEE PARTNERS SAYING IS WE NEED SOME METRICS, WE NEED SOME SCENARIOS, AND WE NEED SOME METRICS THAT GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO VALIDATE THAT WE ARE OPERATING TO OUR EXPECTATIONS AND THAT WE ARE, AS A CITY, RECEIVING A BENEFIT FROM UTILIZING THIS TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE 60 TO $80,000 IS NOT CHEAP. THAT'S CORRECT.

AND IF WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THIS WAY, WE NEED TO SEE UPFRONT WITH THAT TO VALIDATE THE USE AND MAKE SURE THE EXPECTATION AND THE ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THAT EXPECTATION EXISTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM QUESTIONS.

NO. OKAY. SO WHAT I SEE AS THE BENEFITS WE WE KNOW WE HAVE A COST SAVINGS EVENTUALLY, BUT WE ALSO REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS? YES. CORRECT. YES, MA'AM. AND WE'RE NOT TAKING ENERGY OFF FROM THE GRID WITH THE CANOPIES.

AND SO WHEREAS MAYBE IT'S HARD TO PUT A NUMBER ON THE LAST TWO.

THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO OUR CITY. YES, MA'AM.

AND TO GET TO THE EARLIER, YOU KNOW, DEBATE ON WHAT A KILOWATT OR MEGAWATT OF DISPLACES IN TERMS OF FUEL.

I THINK AS LONG AS WE COME TO AGREED UPON FORMULA, WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

YOU KNOW, WHO'S WHO'S CALCULATION WE'RE USING AND WE CAN GET AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH. I THINK IF WE CAN JUST WORK ON MEASURING THE BENEFITS, IT WOULD BE.

YES, MA'AM. AND ENCOURAGING THE I DON'T WANT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO SAY.

THE MOST RELIABLE USE THE BEST, YOU KNOW, THE USE THAT GIVES US THE, YOU KNOW, THE MOST BENEFIT.

AND SOMEHOW GETTING EVERYBODY ON BOARD WITH THAT, I CAN SEE.

I CAN SEE THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF A STRUGGLE.

YES, MA'AM. IT'S. BUT WE'LL GET THERE. WE'LL GET BETTER THERE.

YEAH, EXACTLY. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR OLSON, FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH US, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT

[B. 26-3499A Conservation Management Presentation [Sean Johnson, Deputy Director, Dallas Park and Recreation; Brett Johnson, Superintendent-EQ, Dallas Park and Recreation]]

WE HAVE THE JOHNSON TEAM UP.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRWOMAN STEWART AND MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE. WE'RE EXCITED TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION TODAY REGARDING OUR CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN THE DALLAS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

BRITT JOHNSON, OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF OUR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ALSO KIND OF TOUCH ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SHARE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL BACK IN LATE SEPTEMBER,

[00:50:05]

COUNCILMAN BAZALDUA WAS PRESENT AT THAT CONFERENCE.

AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO BRITT. THAT WILL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AS IT PERTAINS TO CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT.

THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION, I'M GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF THE ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITIES OF DEALING WITH INVASIVE SPECIES.

YOUR MICROPHONE MAYBE, BRETT, IF YOU COULD JUST MOVE THAT A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU.

IS IT ON AND MAYBE JUST MOVE THE MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOU? OKAY. OH, THERE WE GO. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.

THANKS. IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION, I'LL BE GOING OVER SOME OF THE ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY OF DEALING WITH INVASIVE SPECIES IN OUR PARKS.

I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL REALITIES THAT COME WITH INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT, MAKING TOUGH CHOICES, AND GIVE A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR URBAN FORESTRY MANAGEMENT.

SOME OF THOSE TOUGH CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE ARE RELATED TO THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US IN OUR TOOLBOX FOR INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT, WHETHER THAT'S VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER THAT'S MECHANICAL GRAZING, HERBICIDE OR PRESCRIBED FIRE.

IN THE END, WHAT I'M ULTIMATELY LOOKING FOR IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB.

AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WILL COME OUT OF TODAY IS WHEN IT COMES TO INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT, THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET, AND IT TYPICALLY REQUIRES MULTIPLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO ECOLOGY VERSUS EXPECTATIONS.

WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AND DIFFERENT OUTCOMES THAT ARE EXPECTED WHEN IT COMES TO INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT. FOR ME PERSONALLY AS A PROFESSIONAL WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST, WHEN I WEAR THAT HAT, WHEN I SEE A STAND OF PRIVET, I SEE AN AREA THAT I KNOW HAS VERY LOW BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. I KNOW THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT GROWS UNDER THERE.

AND TO BE BLUNT, IT IS NOT GOOD HABITAT. NOW, I PUT ON MY OTHER HAT AS BEING A FORMER WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER AND BURN MANAGER, AND I SEE A STAND OF PLANT THICK PLANTS SITTING THERE THAT UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS I CAN ALMOST USE IT AS A FIREBREAK.

YOU CAN HIT IT WITH A FIRE. IT AIN'T GOING ANYWHERE. BUT I ALSO KNOW I HIT IT WITH THE RIGHT CONDITIONS AND I MEAN THAT IN A NEGATIVE WAY.

IF WE HAVE HIGH WINDS, WE HAVE LOW HUMIDITY. SUDDENLY THAT STAND THAT I NORMALLY COULDN'T GET A FIRE TO RUN THROUGH.

IT'LL RUN HOT AND IT'LL RUN FAST. AND THAT IS A CONCERN THAT I ALWAYS HAVE NOW PUT ON MY PARK MANAGER HAT.

AND I KNOW I'VE GOTTA LOOK AT IT FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

THEN I'VE GOTTA LOOK AT IT FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT.

DOES IT CREATE BLIND AREAS? DOES IT ENCOURAGE UNSHELTERED ENCAMPMENTS? BUT ALSO, WE KNOW HISTORICALLY GOING BACK TO THE 1920S AND 1930S THAT WITHIN OUR PARK SYSTEM, SOME OF THESE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES WERE ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED PLANTINGS.

IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE ORIGINAL LANDSCAPING PLANS FOR KIEST AND LAKE CLIFF.

PRIVET IS A RECOMMENDED SPECIES. THINGS HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS.

WE KNOW FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT WHY WAS PRIVET INITIALLY? WHY WAS BAMBOO INITIALLY INTRODUCED? BOTH THOSE SPECIES WERE INTRODUCED FOR PRIVACY AND IT DOES A GREAT JOB OF THAT.

BUT IT ALSO SPREADS LIKE CRAZY. ONE THING I NEED EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER FROM THIS IS THAT PLANTS ARE USUALLY THE EASY PART HERE. YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBOR THAT LOOKS OUT THERE AND IS USED TO SEEING THAT VEGETATION BETWEEN THE TRAIL AND HIS HOUSE, BETWEEN THE PARKING, HIS HOUSE. HE'S GOT A MUCH DIFFERENT LOOK AT OUTLOOK ON IT THAN I DO.

BUT MY OUTLOOK MAY BE, HEY, THAT'S A THE FIRE RISK NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IN 2526, THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.

WE HAD ABOUT FIVE ACRES OF PRIVET THAT GOT CLEARED.

NOW, I UNDERSTAND ON THE SURFACE THAT MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A LOT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PARK SYSTEM IS ABOUT 23,000 ACRES.

BUT I WANT YOU TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS FIVE ACRES THAT WAS DEALT WITH THROUGH 22 DIFFERENT PROJECTS, BE IT EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS, MASTER NATURALIST PROJECTS POLICE CADETS.

[00:55:03]

NOW, IN YOUR MIND, I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE HAS SEEN THE PRIVET STANDS FIVE ACRES IS EFFECTIVELY FIVE FOOTBALL FIELDS WORTH OF PRIVET. THE VOLUNTEERS DO AN AWESOME JOB.

BUT YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND TOO, WHEN WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE USUALLY GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS ON ONE SITE.

WE'RE USUALLY GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE TIMES BEFORE WE START SEEING THE NUMBERS START TO TAPER OFF.

BUT WE HAVE FIGURED OUT THINGS LIKE, IF I'VE GOT AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT, IF I'VE GOT TEN PEOPLE WORKING FOR TWO HOURS TO TWO, 2 TO 3 HOURS SO THAT SCOUT CAN GET HIS HUNDRED COLLECTIVE HOURS ON HIS PROJECT, I CAN TYPICALLY GET ABOUT 0.1 TO 0.2 ACRES DONE DURING THAT PROJECT.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. BUT THIS IS WHERE I NEED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS THAT COME WITH PRIVET.

THE VOLUNTEERS ARE GREAT WHEN WE DO BIG BULK REMOVALS.

AND BY THAT I MEAN WE'RE GOING IN AND WE ARE CUTTING THE PRIVET, OR WE ARE GOING IN AND ON SOME LOCATIONS, AND WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT WILL POP THE PRIVET OUT BY THE ROOTS.

BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT FOLLOWING THAT, WE GET A LOT OF DEBRIS THAT COMES WITH THAT.

AND THIS IS WHAT IS CRITICAL FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONE ACRE OF PRIVET, IF WE CLEAR ALL OF IT OFF WITHOUT RUNNING IT THROUGH A MULCHER, WITHOUT RUNNING IT THROUGH A CHIPPER.

AND BY THE WAY, PRIVET CREATES AN INTERESTING CHALLENGE WHEN YOU TRY TO RUN IT THROUGH A CHIPPER.

IT'S VERY LIMBER AND CAN JAM IT UP REAL QUICK, SO YOU HAVE TO RUN OTHER STUFF THROUGH THERE.

SO IF WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A FIRE HAZARD, WE HAVE TO HAUL IT OFF.

AND ONE ACRE TAKES ABOUT 21 DUMP TRUCK LOADS TO HAUL OFF SO THAT FIVE ACRES REPRESENTS 105 DUMP TRUCK LOADS THAT THAT MY FORESTRY STAFF HAD TO FIGURE OUT THE LOGISTICS OF.

BUT AGAIN, I LIKE THAT SAYING ON THE BOTTOM, CUT IT TODAY, IGNORE TOMORROW OR WE'LL HAVE TO MEET IT AGAIN NEXT MONTH.

NEXT SLIDE. A LITTLE BIT MORE FUN NOTE IN 2526 WE HAD OPERATION GOAT GOING ON AND BETWEEN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, OUR PARTNERS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH DWU, WE HAD SIX PROJECTS THAT WENT ON. IN EACH PROJECT, WE WERE UPPING THE PUBLIC VISIBILITY JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE EACH TIME LEARNING LESSONS FROM EACH ONE. I'LL GET MORE INTO THE LESSONS HERE IN JUST A SECOND. BUT ALL TOLD, WE DID ABOUT 23, 23 ACRES AT WHITE ROCK. AND ALL TOLD WE DID ABOUT 150 ACRES BETWEEN THE SIX PROJECTS.

NOW EACH ONE OF THEM WAS SELECTED FOR DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES.

IN THE CASE OF THE BACHMAN GREENBELT, IT WAS BECAUSE TO BE BLUNT, I HAD A FIRE CONCERN WHEN IT CAME TO BACHMAN GREENBELT.

AND I IT'S IT'S SOME FAIRLY ROUGH COUNTRY OVER THERE.

AND BY THAT, I MEAN IT'S EXTREMELY THICK. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR OUR MY MULCHER OPERATORS TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE GOING BECAUSE IT IS SO THICK.

AND WE'VE GOT A HISTORY OF UNSHELTERED ENCAMPMENTS IN THERE.

AND THAT IS A VERY SCARY PROPOSITION WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A MULCHER AND YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

THE GOATS ARE A GREAT OPTION FOR OPENING VISIBILITY.

AND SO WHEN WE HAD THESE PROJECTS GOING ON, WE HAD ANYWHERE BETWEEN 265 AND 1000 GOATS AT ONE TIME.

SO WE WENT FROM THERE. WE PARTNERED WITH DWU, WITH DW TAKING A GENERAL LEAD DOWN ON THE AT&T TRAIL.

AND ON THAT ONE WE WERE RUNNING GOATS ON 50FT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TRAIL.

AND THE PURPOSE FOR THAT ONE WAS THAT IS IDENTIFIED AS A HIGH POTENTIAL HIGH FUEL LOAD AREA.

SO WE WERE MAKING SURE WE KIND OF HAD A, A SHADED FIREBREAK CREATED FROM THE AUDUBON CENTER UP AROUND TO GREAT TRINITY PARKWAY.

AGAIN, WE DID LEARN A DIFFERENT LESSONS AT EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTS.

GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE.

WE KNOW COMMUNICATION MATTER. ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, YOU SAW A GENTLEMAN SITTING THERE TALKING TO THE MEDIA THAT THAT'S MY FORESTRY MANAGER OF

[01:00:06]

SO WHEN WE STARTED HAVING THE MEDIA CONTACTS BETWEEN THE GOATS AND THE BALD EAGLES THAT WERE ALSO NEARBY WE HAD A TOTAL OF ABOUT 50 MEDIA CONTACTS LAST YEAR WITH 36 OF THEM BEING RELATED TO THE GOATS AND HAVING CARLOS BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OUR CONSERVATION, MANAGING AND MESSAGING AND WHY WE WERE DOING THE GOATS WAS A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY.

BUT AGAIN, THE COMMUNICATION MATTERS. WHEN WE DO THESE PROJECTS, WE HAVE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE MEDIA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK OFF IS EVERYBODY'S LIKE, OH, THE GOATS ARE GOING TO COME IN AND THEY'RE GOING TO WIPE OUT THE PRIVET. NOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO IS THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN WITH, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REALISTIC, REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS IS THE WORLD OF THE GOAT IS UP TO ABOUT 4.5FT TALL.

AND IF IT'S GREEN AND UNDER 4.5FT TALL, THEY'RE GOING TO EAT IT.

THE OTHER THING THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH FROM A FIRE STANDPOINT IS WHEN YOU'VE GOT 265 TO 1000 GOATS WALKING THROUGH AT ONE TIME, AND THEY ARE ALL, YEAH, THEY GOT THAT HOOF ACTION GOING.

THEY'VE GOT THEY'RE WALKING AROUND, THEY ARE BUSTING UP THAT THATCH LAYER, BUT THEY'RE ALSO BUSTING UP ANY CONNECTIVE SMALLER WOODY STEMS AND ALL UP TO ABOUT 4.5FT TALL. THAT REALLY HELPS SLOW.

IF YOU GET A FIRE STARTING TO GO, THAT WILL DAMPEN THE INTENSITY OF THAT FIRE.

BUT THE THING HERE TOO, I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND IS THE FOLLOW UP TREATMENTS ARE CRITICAL WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH PRIVET.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT AT LEAST 3 TO 5 GROWING SEASONS TO GET A HANDLE ON IT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH A LARGE SEED BANK THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. IF YOU DO NOTHING WITH IT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GOATS, WITHIN ABOUT SIX WEEKS, AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO THE GROWING SEASON, YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN IT.

IT WAS THERE. NOW, ME, WHEN I GO IN, I SEE THAT BUSTED UP THATCH LAYER.

I SEE THE THE THE WOODY STEMS THINNED OUT, I KNOW IT.

GENERAL PUBLIC MAY NOT INITIALLY SEE THAT. BUT LIKE I SAID, IN THE END, MY MAIN GOAL WHEN I'M RUNNING THE GOATS IS TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY FOR. WHEN WE COME BACK IN WHETHER IT'S VOLUNTEERS OR IT'S MY STAFF OR DWU STAFF TO RUN A FORESTRY MULCHER. NOW, WHEN WE DO THOSE FOLLOW UP TREATMENTS WITH THE FORESTRY MULCHER.

YES, IT IS GOING TO WE CAN REMOVE ABOUT AN ACRE A DAY.

WHEN WE DO THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE REALITY.

AND AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE EXPECTATIONS IS IF YOU TAKE OUT A WOODY SPECIES AND ALL YOU DO IS RUN THE MULCHER AND CHOP IT OFF AT THE BASE FOR EVERY STEM YOU REMOVE. IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW UP WITH ANOTHER TREATMENT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY FIVE STEMS, FIVE STEMS IN RETURN. SO IT IS A CHALLENGE. AND ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS IS A CHEMICAL.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO A LOT OF THE CHEMICAL ASPECT OF IT TODAY, BUT THAT IS OUR USUAL FOLLOW UP TREATMENT.

NEXT SLIDE. ONE OF THOSE TOOLS I DO GET ASKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT IS PRESCRIBED FIRE.

CURRENTLY, THE CITY OF PLANO, ARLINGTON AND FORT WORTH ALL USE PRESCRIBED FIRE WITHIN THEIR CITIES.

IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS ON A LOT OF OUR INVASIVE SPECIES.

NOW, I DO NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS ON SOMETHING LIKE JOHNSONGRASS, WHICH WE DO GET A LOT OF. IF I BURN IN AN AREA WITH JOHNSON GRASS THAT WE'RE PROBABLY, IT'S, IT'S FIRE DRIVEN, IT'S DRIVEN BY FIRE, WE'D PROBABLY ACTUALLY GET A WORSE JOHNSON GRASS ISSUE.

FIRE IS GREAT AT REDUCING ACCUMULATED FUEL LOADS.

HELPS SUPPORT A NATIVE ECOSYSTEM LANDSCAPE RESILIENCE, BUT IT ALSO HELPS WITH DEALING WITH GROWING WILDFIRE CONCERNS.

NOW, WHAT MAKES IT CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY FOR US COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER CITIES? WE HAVE LOOKED AT SOME AREAS THAT WOULD HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR IT.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE RUN INTO IS TECHNICALLY THE FIRE PART IS EASY.

IT'S A SMOKE MANAGEMENT THAT BECOMES A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF WHAT WE REFER TO AS JUST SENSITIVE TARGETS.

YOU CAN'T LAY DOWN SMOKE ON ANY KIND OF STATE HIGHWAYS. YOU CAN'T GET IT ON HOSPITALS. YOU CAN'T GET IT ON SCHOOLS. YOU CAN'T GET IT ON ELDERLY CENTERS.

WE HAVE THOSE SPREAD OUT ALL OVER THE CITY. SO IT DOES CREATE A CHALLENGE.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THROUGH VARIOUS PRESCRIBED FIRE AND FIRE TRAINING JUST SO THEY HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND ON IT.

[01:05:08]

I WILL SAY IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE HAD TWO GRASS FIRES IN ONE OF OUR PARKS THAT FRANKLY GOING BACK ABOUT 20 YEARS IS A BURN MANAGER.

I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER PRESCRIBED FIRE. IT WASN'T A PRESCRIBED FIRE, BUT THE WAY IT PLAYED OUT, IT I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER OUTCOME.

THE VEGETATION RESPONSE HAS BEEN AWESOME, BUT IN THE END, SMOKE WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING CREATES OPPOSITION.

AND WE KNOW THAT. NEXT SLIDE. AS WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED IN SEVERAL MANNERS, MANAGING EXPECTATIONS IS HARD. WE KNOW THAT OUR PARK USERS HAVE ONE SET OF EXPECTATIONS THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE.

THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM LOOK AT IT FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE THAT VISIBILITY WHILE I'VE GOT THE, SOME OF THE MORE NATURE SIDE OF THINGS, I WANT TO KEEP IT AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENHANCE WITH THE NATIVE RESTORATION PROJECTS.

ONE THING I DO WANT ON THIS SLIDE, IF EVERYBODY SEES THAT TOP LEFT HAND PHOTO WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS TO GET A AIR CURTAIN INCINERATOR APPROVED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO SEE, YOU'LL SEE THAT LITTLE PILE OF BIOCHAR THAT'S RIGHT THERE.

THAT'S WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF ABOUT THREE MONTHS OF BUILDING UP THE PILE TO BURN OFF AND ABOUT THREE HOURS OF OPERATING THE AIR CURTAIN. AND THAT WAS AGAIN, ABOUT ABOUT THREE ACRES OF PRIVET.

AND THAT'S HOW MUCH BIOCHAR WE GOT OUT OF IT.

SO JUST AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ON THERE. THE BOTTOM LEFT IS WHERE WE HAD CADETS FROM THE POLICE CADET ACADEMY COME OUT AND WORKED WITH THE SOME OF THE KIDS FROM THE REC CENTERS ON DOING A, A, IT WAS OUR FOLLOW UP PROJECT OUT AT BLACKMON GREENBELT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. BUT AGAIN, MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS NOT SELECTING THE TOOL. MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS SELECTING THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB.

AND RIGHT NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT TOOL IS USUALLY BUILDING UP PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP DO THOSE FOLLOW UP PROJECTS.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN RUN THE GOATS AND THEN WORK WITH A VOLUNTEER GROUP TO HAVE A PRIVATE PARTY AFTERWARDS, GREAT. BECAUSE THEN I CAN HAVE MY FORESTER, MY BIOLOGIST, COME IN AND HELP DO A CHEMICAL APPLICATION FOLLOWING THAT.

THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO BE MOVING AGAIN. THE REALISTIC EXPECTATION IS WE ARE LOOKING ON INVASIVE SPECIES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT 3 TO 5 YEARS AND USUALLY AT LEAST 2 TO 3 DIFFERENT TREATMENT TYPES TO TRULY GET A HANDLE ON THINGS.

AND IN THE END, PARTNERSHIPS COMMUNICATION CAN EXPAND OUR CAPACITY FASTER THAN THE BUDGETS DO NEXT.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE PACE FOR JUST A SECOND AND DO A VERY QUICK UPDATE ON THE TREE INVENTORY AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

IN 2526 WITH DAVEY TREE, OUR VENDOR WE DID INVENTORY 23,500 TREES.

I DO NEED TO UPDATE THAT NUMBER. THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY 57.

IT IS NOT 40. 40 WAS WHAT WAS UNDER OUR ORIGINAL INITIAL 185.

WE GOT AN ADDITIONAL 5000 TO TAKE IT TO THE 235.

DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, WE GOT ALL OF THE MAINTAINED AREAS AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE INVENTORIED, AND THAT ACCOUNTED FOR 6440 TREES. SO THAT WAS ABOUT 25% OF OUR OVERALL INVENTORY.

WE GOT OLD CITY PARK, FAIR PARK, LYNDALE, KEAST, REVERCHON, AND OBVIOUSLY ABOUT ANOTHER 50 PARKS IN ADDITION TO THOSE WITH VARIOUS PRIORITIES. WHAT THE INVENTORY DOES GIVE US IS IT TELLS US THE EXACT LOCATION OF THESE TREES WITHIN THE MAINTAINED PORTION OF THE PARKS.

IF WE HAVE A PHOTO SET OF 3 TO 5 PHOTOS FOR EACH TREE, IT TELLS US THE SPECIES, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR OUR ASH MAINTENANCE, AND IT GIVES US A 4D SCAN OF EACH TREE AND GIVES US THE GENERAL HEALTH THAT SUPPORTS OUR PLANNING.

EACH TREE WITH A SMART ENTRY INVENTORY HAS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 AND 20,000 DATA POINTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

WITH THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT RIGHT HAND SIDE, I CAN TELL YOU IN THE MAINTAINED PORTIONS AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE,

[01:10:06]

AND THAT IS WHY THE GIDDINESS INFORMATION WAS CRITICAL TO US.

PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH WITH WHITE ROCK LAKE, WITH THOSE 6440 TREES.

WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AN I TRE VALUE OR A VERTICAL VALUE THAT INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, SHADING, HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET REESTABLISHED. YOU KNOW, THOSE TREES JUST AT WHITE ROCK LAKE ARE WORTH OVER $20 MILLION, OR APPROXIMATELY $3,154 PER TREE. NOW WE HAVE THE DATA TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUT OF THOSE 300 OR OUT OF THOSE 6400 TREES. WE ALSO NOW KNOW WE HAVE THE DATA TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE OVER 800 PECAN TREES.

AND WHY THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US WAS WE WENT THROUGH A STRETCH IN SEPTEMBER AND AUGUST, WHERE WE WERE LOSING AT LEAST ONE LARGE LIMB OR COMPLETE TREE FAILURE, MOSTLY WITH PECANS EVERY DAY.

OKAY. AND THAT'S JUST A RESULT. TWO THINGS AND 23 AND 24.

WE HAD WINTER NIGHTS, THEY GOT DOWN BELOW ZERO.

A LOT OF OUR TREES DID NOT ACCOMMODATE THAT. WELL, THEY'RE NOT ADAPTED FOR DEALING WITH THAT COLD.

AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND AND TWO YEARS LATER, THAT'S ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR A TREE TO DIE OR START TO GO INTO DECLINE SEVERELY.

AND WE BACK IT WITH 60 DAYS OF DROUGHT AND WE START GETTING LARGE TREE FAILURES AROUND THE CITY.

NOW WE HAVE THE DATA TO SHOW WHERE WE CAN EXPECT THAT TO OCCUR.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH THERE UP AT WHITE ROCK.

I CAN NOW TELL YOU NOW THAT WE HAVE THE DATA IN PLACE, THAT THE MOST VALUABLE TREE IS, TO BE BLUNT ABOUT THE MOST KNOW NOTHING LOOKING TREE.

YOU CAN IMAGINE WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE, IT'S A MULTI-STEM LIVE OAK, AND IT IS JUST SHORT OF $29,000 VALUE TO THAT ONE TREE.

IT IS A LARGE MULTI-STEM THAT'S OVER THERE NEXT TO DIXON BRANCH.

BUT IF YOU LOOK OVER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THIS IS THE KIND OF INFORMATION WE GET IN THE TREE INVENTORY, THAT 4D SCAN. WE'VE GOT THE EXACT LOCATION OF THAT TREE.

I CAN NOW GO THROUGH ON THE PARKS THAT WERE DONE AND PULL UP THE TREES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVAL.

I CAN TELL YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, IN GLENDALE PARK, WE GOT 859 TREES, AT WHICH POINT CURRENTLY WE HAVE 36 TREES THAT BASED PURELY ON THE DATA THAT'S IN THAT SURVEY, THAT 36, 36 OF THOSE TREES LIKELY NEED TO BE REMOVED.

NOW, BEFORE WE DO ANY KIND OF REMOVALS LIKE THAT, WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE REACHING OUT TO OUR PARK BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THAT KIND OF REMOVAL OPERATIONS GOING ON.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW ACROSS THOSE 23,500 TREES, AS WE'RE STARTING TO GET THE DATA THAT WE'VE ONLY HAD FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW BECAUSE IT TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET THE DATA CLEANED UP THAT IT APPEARS AS A GENERAL AVERAGE THAT ABOUT 6% OF OUR TREES ARE DEEMED NEED TO BE REMOVED.

BUT ULTIMATELY THAT TELLS US ABOUT 20 OR ABOUT 94% OF OUR TREES ARE IN GOOD TO FAIR CONDITION IN OUR PARKS, WHICH IS AWESOME. BUT IN THE END, WE UNDERSTAND THAT 6% OF 23,000, THAT'S STILL A LOT OF TREES THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.

NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. AND LET ME GO OVER SOME OF OUR CONSERVATION CHALLENGES WITH INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND GIVE YOU ALL A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE TREE INVENTORY. THANK YOU.

THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. GOOD TO KNOW THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE GATHERED FROM THE TREE INVENTORY HAS BEEN SO USEFUL AND IMPORTANT.

AND I WILL START TURNING IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS.

CHAIR BLAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I FOUND IT TO BE COMPLETELY INFORMATIVE. AND YES, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOAT CLEARING IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

THAT'S WE GOT A LOT OF GOATS IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

[01:15:03]

SO DO I FIND IT TO BE A BETTER ONE? TO BE BLUNT, NO.

AND LIKE I SAID, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS GETTING ACROSS. IT IS NOT IT'S NOT A SILVER BULLET.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THE GOATS IS HONESTLY TO OPEN UP ACCESS AND OPEN UP VISIBILITY FOR FOLLOW UP TREATMENTS.

SO YOU USE GOATS FOR TO, TO AS A FIRST START BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING.

IDEALLY, YES, THERE IS A. AND I KNOW THAT WHAT YOU SAID IS WHEN YOU UTILIZE THE GOATS THAT YOU FIND A LOT OF ENCAMPMENTS, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE, THE THE RIVER TRINITY RIVER AND THOSE AND THOSE TYPE OF AREAS.

HOW DO YOU PROTECT THE GOATS FROM THOSE UNHOUSED RESIDENTS? BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU GET IN THAT TYPE OF, OF COVERAGE AND FOLIAGE, THE THE UNHOUSED RESIDENTS CAN BE A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN ANY OTHER. YES, MA'AM. SO A COUPLE THINGS POP UP.

I WILL JUST SAY THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR FIRST CHALLENGING LESSONS WHEN IT CAME TO THE GOATS WAS THERE'S NOTHING LIKE ABOUT 450 IN THE MORNING GET GETTING A CALL FROM THE VENDOR THAT THE FENCE IS GONE, THAT WHAT'S GONE, THE, THE, THE ELECTRIC FENCE THAT GOES AROUND THE GOATS ARE COMPLETELY GONE.

THEY ATE IT. NOT OPEN. GONE, AND AN UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUAL HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN THE ENTIRE FENCE.

BUT WE DID LEARN FROM THAT. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS AT LEAST UNTIL SUNUP, THE GOATS DON'T GO ANYWHERE, SO THEY'VE ALWAYS GOT A SECONDARY FENCE READY TO GO IN, IN PLACE.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE FENCE WAS INITIALLY TAKEN DOWN, IT WAS REPLACED WITHIN ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER THE FENCE.

THAT WAS AN ONGOING CONCERN IN A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS.

BUT IN THE END, THERE IS A SHEPHERD THAT IS WITH THE GOATS 24 OVER SEVEN.

AND TODAY BEYOND THE ISSUE WITH THE FENCE DISAPPEARING, WE NEVER ACTUALLY HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE, THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND THE GOATS. SO I, I NOTICED THAT YOU I'M GONNA CHANGE DOWN TO TREE TREE PRESERVATION AND TREE INVENTORY. YES, MA'AM.

I NOTICED THAT THERE ISN'T VERY MANY. WELL, THERE IS NONE.

NO, NONE OF YOUR TREE INVENTORY WAS IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

DISTRICT EIGHT DOES HAVE LOTS OF NATIVE TREES THAT ARE.

DECADES OLD. CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THERE'S NONE LISTED IN YOUR PRESENTATION? SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION, I JUST I INITIALLY JUST WENT WITH WHITE ROCK BECAUSE THAT'S EASY.

IT IS SUCH A LARGE DATABASE FOR ME TO KIND OF PLAY WITH AS AN EXAMPLE WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF TREES THAT WERE DONE IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

THE PROBLEM IS IT'S KIND OF TOUGH TO CLASSIFY SOME OF OUR PARKS THAT ARE LARGER PARKS THAT MAY CROSS COUNCIL DISTRICTS.

I'VE GOT CURRENTLY, I'VE GOT 8656 TREES THAT ARE EITHER ALONG TRAILS OR IN PARKS THAT CROSS COUNCIL DISTRICT LINES.

AND I'M HAVING TO WORK WITH THE CONTRACTOR OR THE, I MEAN, THE VENDOR TO DEFINE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY BECAUSE LIKE I SAID WE DO HAVE TREES, I CAN TELL YOU FIRESIDE, I GOT ALMOST 300 TREES THAT WE INVENTORIED AT FIRESIDE.

AND YOU HAVE RILEY, I BELIEVE YOU GIVE ME JUST A SECOND.

YES, MA'AM. YES. ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF TREES. IT LOOKS LIKE CLOSE TO 600 THAT WERE INVENTORIED IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

BUT JUST AGAIN, FOR THE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE. RILEY TEEGARDEN.

TEEGARDEN C RICKETTS BRANCH. AND THERE'S A LOT.

SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THAT COMMUNITY'S CONCERN IS AS DEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING, YOU'RE LOSING THESE THREE, THESE 30 WHAT ARE THESE 30,000 TREES? TO BEING JUST SLAUGHTERED BY CLEAR CUTTING AND AND THE SOUTHERN AREA OF THE CITY ARE VERY MUCH ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSED.

AND WITHOUT THE COMMUNICATION OF WHAT WE HAVE, IT'S HARDER TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE TO JUST CLEAR CUT. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A ITEMIZATION OR SOME TYPE OF, OF INVENTORY

[01:20:06]

WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CUTTINGS THAT WEREN'T AUTHORIZED.

AND THEY NEED THESE TREES NEED TO BE PROTECTED.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM. WE NEED TO, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RECAP SOME OF OUR FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WE HAVE BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS DECIDED TO DO SOME DESTRUCTION THAT WE DON'T GET THE VALUE OF PUTTING THAT INTO THE COST AND THE OF THE DAMAGES THEY HAVE DONE. I DO HAVE AND I DO, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I CAN ADDRESS THAT FOR JUST A SECOND.

KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS JUST INITIALLY WHEN THE TREE SURVEY WAS BEING SET UP.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE DONE OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.

THIS WAS JUST THE FIRST YEAR. THAT THAT'S JUST WHY THAT FOR FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

INITIALLY, JUST FOR THE FIRST YEAR, I ONLY HAD THE AVAILABLE.

THE CONTRACT FOR AT THE TIME WAS FOR 18,500 TREES.

SO I HAD TO BE VERY JUDICIOUS WITH HOW WE PRIORITIZE THAT INITIAL SET NOW.

ESPECIALLY WE ARE ABOUT 50% DONE WITH THE TREES AND PARKS.

AND SO WE STILL HAVE CAPACITY TO DO MORE. AND SO WE'LL BE CERTAIN TO ADDRESS DISTRICT EIGHT, YOUR CONCERNS AND D8 INVENTORY IN THOSE, BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF OF NATURAL GROWN TREES THAT ARE GETTING CUT EVERY DAY THAT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPLACE IN OUR LIFETIMES. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY ON THIS.

WELL, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS IN THE COUNCIL WHO WILL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THESE TREES REPLACED.

I KNOW THERE WAS ONE TREE THAT A DEVELOPER CUT JUST CUT AND IT WAS ABOUT 200 YEARS OLD.

AND BECAUSE THERE IS NO INVENTORY, WE JUST LOSE THINGS TO DESTRUCTION. YEAH. AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE AND WHAT WE CAN.

AND TO MAYBE HAVE POLICY AND PROCESS THAT IN PRESERVING OUR NATIVE TREES, HOW WE DO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WE CAN STILL DEVELOP, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING CLEAR CUTTING DEVELOPMENT MUST BE BE PRUDENT AS TO WHAT IS ALREADY THERE. AND JUST ALSO A REMINDER TO THAT WHILE PARKS HAD OUR INVENTORY DWU AND STREETS WERE ALSO HAD SAY IN DWU IN PARTICULAR, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I CAN JUST SAY THEY, THEY'VE GOT OVER 200,000 THAT WERE INVENTORIED THROUGHOUT THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST AND FLOODWAY MANAGEMENT AREAS.

SO WE NEED TO INCLUDE AN INVENTORY BY DWU. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US? SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT. YES, MA'AM HAS THEIR OWN INVENTORY.

PARKS AND REC HAVE THEIR OWN. SO YES, MA'AM. SO WHAT WHAT HAPPENED IS WE, THE CITY AS A WHOLE CONTRACTED WITH DAVEY TREES. AND DWU WAS LOOKING AT DOING A MORE TRADITIONAL INVENTORY BECAUSE I'VE GOT THE THE SMART INVENTORY, WHICH WAS DONE BY LIDAR WITH LASERS THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS IT AKA A MAINTAINED PORTION OF OUR PARK.

SO IT'S VERY APPLICABLE TO THE PARKS. D.W. HAD A MORE TRADITIONAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND INVENTORY THAT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST AND THE FLOODWAY MANAGEMENT AREAS. AND WE DO WORK WITH THEM THROUGH THE FORESTRY TECHNICAL TEAM TO LOOK AT OUR SHARED PROPERTIES.

I SURE WOULD LIKE TO JUST, JUST ON A SIDE NOTE, YES, MA'AM, WE DEFINITELY SHARE YOUR CONCERNS.

WE MEET WITH THEM BIWEEKLY AND WE RESUME MONTHLY MEETINGS AS WELL.

SO WE'LL DEFINITELY SHARE YOUR CONCERNS WITH THEM. THANK YOU. AND JUST FOR FUN, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GET MY GOATS INTO YOUR PROGRAM SO WE CAN RECEIVE SOME BENEFITS OF OUR GOATS IN DISTRICT EIGHT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN USING THEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY GOATS I HAVE. I KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY HORSES, BUT NOT GOATS.

THANKS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. NO. CHAIR. RIDLEY.

COUNCIL MEMBER. BLACKMON. THANK YOU. WHITE ROCK LAKE, MAYBE.

OH, MAYBE. WHITE ROCK LAKE. SO THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I WAS THE RECIPIENT OF A OF A GOAT OPERATION AND IT WAS A VERY IT PEOPLE LOVED IT.

I MEAN, I WENT OUT THERE AND GOT PICTURES MADE TOO, AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

BUT I MEAN, SO MY QUESTION IS, IS YOU'RE KIND OF SAYING, YES, IT'S NOT YOUR IT'S NOT GOING TO CURE EVERYTHING, BUT IT STARTS THE PROCESS, LIKE YOU SAID, TO START THAT WAY YOU CAN GET IN AND START REALLY ANALYZING WHAT'S GOING ON.

[01:25:05]

AND THEN THE INITIAL ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF WHAT HAPPENED AT WHITE ROCK.

AND THEN WE HAD TWO PARTNERS THAT STEPPED UP AT WHITE ROCK TO GET MORE DONE OUT THERE.

LAST YEAR WE HAD THE, THE MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS HAD TO FIND IT WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, RIGHT TO DO THE GOATS.

CURRENTLY, WE ARE WORKING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET WE HAD NORTH HAVEN TRAIL WAS DONE AGAIN IN EARLY OCTOBER.

SO WE HAD A PARTNER THAT COVERED THAT ONE. AND WE'RE CURRENTLY TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET.

SO WILL THIS BE INCORPORATED IN BUDGETING MOVING FORWARD, OR ARE YOU GOING TO JUST DO IT ON A NEED TO LIKE ONE ONE OFFS? IT'S BEEN A ONE OFF ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GOAT OPERATION THAT WE DO HAVE.

SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT OUR LINE ITEM BUDGET TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND FUNDING FOR THAT.

OKAY. BECAUSE I MEAN FIRE IS A VERY BIG DEAL, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST SUMMER THAT WE'VE HAD AND PRIVET IS EVEN IS, AS YOU KNOW, AT WHITE ROCK LAKE, WE FIGHT IT, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR.

AND AND SO THESE INVASIVE SPECIES CAN REALLY OVERTAKE THE GOOD PRAIRIE LANDS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN.

AND SO AND, BUT GOATS EAT EVERYTHING. AND SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT PRIVET IS AND WHAT IS A PRAIRIE GRASS, THEY WILL EAT EVERYTHING. AND SO I DO THINK IT'S A BALANCE, BUT I WOULD, I MEAN, IF YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR.

I MEAN, IT SHOULD BE A LONG TERM PART OF OUR.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE IT IN OUR WHITE ROCK MAINTENANCE PLAN.

MAYBE OPEN THAT UP AND AMEND IT AND ADD THE GOATS.

SO THAT WAY YOU CAN THEN YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, LIKE PARTNERS CAN PAY FOR IT OR WHATNOT.

BUT I DO THINK GOATS ARE AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN ADDRESSING BIG OVERGROWN AREAS BECAUSE THEY WILL GET IN AND THEY WILL THEY WILL GO TO TOWN. THEY CAN THIN OUT AN ACRE TO AN ACRE AND A HALF A DAY.

OKAY. AND THEN NEXT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ASH TREES ARE, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU SAID 25% OF OUR OVERALL TREE CANOPY IS AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE. DID YOU SAY THAT OR. SO, SO FAR IN OUR MAINTAINED AREAS AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE, IT'S ONLY ABOUT 343 OF THEM OUT OF 6000.

OKAY. IS WE ONLY HAVE THREE. I WILL SAY, WE DO KNOW IN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, WITH DWU AND OUR MORE NATURAL RIPARIAN AREAS, THAT YES, WE ARE SEEING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 24 AND 28% OF THE TREES OVER TEN INCHES ARE OUR, OUR I MEAN OUR ASH.

YES, MA'AM. AND SO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE PROBABLY CONSUMED EVENTUALLY.

IS THAT A FAIR. MOST LIKELY WE WILL START. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SIGNIFICANT FORAGING.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAD LAST YEAR, WE HAD 12 OUT OF 13 MONITORING TRAPS THAT TESTED POSITIVE FOR EAB.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME. SO YES, WITH IT WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, 3 TO 5 YEARS, WE WILL BE LOSING ABOUT 90 ABOUT 90% OF THOSE TREES.

AND BY YEAR TEN, OKAY, WE WILL LOSE 99% OF THEM DO.

ARE WE? I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE AREAS, BUT DO WE HAVE A PLAN? ARE WE GOING TO START REPLANTING OR WILL WE LOOK AT I MEAN, WHAT IS.

BECAUSE IF THEY'RE GOING AWAY. YES. AND A TREE CANOPY DOES WE'VE DECIDED IT DOES MATTER.

YES MA'AM. AND SO ARE WE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW IN MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THEY GO AWAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO REPLENISH THAT STOCK. SO I CAN TELL YOU ON THE PARK SIDE OF THINGS.

YEAH. WE OUR FORESTRY CREWS HAVE STARTED WHEN A ASH TREE SHOWS SIGNS OF GOING INTO DECLINE WE WILL SCHEDULE IT TO GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THAT TREE. IF IT IS IN AN AREA WHERE IT WILL BE VISIBLY NOTICEABLE, JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE.

THERE'S A CLUSTER OF ABOUT TEN OF THEM IN THE DEAD CENTER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK. THAT WILL BE VERY NOTICEABLE.

AND THOSE TREES AND THOSE ARTERIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY GOING INTO DECLINE. SO THERE'S A REPLACEMENT STRATEGY. YES.

OKAY. YEAH. YES. AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. THERE IS A REPLACEMENT STRATEGY.

WE KNOW THAT THE BORE IS GOING TO DO ITS THING.

AND IT WILL THEY WILL COME DOWN. AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PLANNING OR HAVE SOME KIND OF A PLAN.

SO SO REALISTICALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF THE BECAUSE IT HAS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAD SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON WHITE ROCK LAKE IS WE DO KNOW IT IS A VERY LARGE RIPARIAN AREA THAT HAD THE POTENTIAL, LIKE I SAID, AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO THE NATURAL AREA,

[01:30:04]

AND I KNOW DWU THEY CAN PROVIDE THEIR OWN. I KNOW THEY ARE LOOKING AND PLANNING FOR THAT.

AND WE'RE USING THAT INFORMATION TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE NEED TO BE PLANTING.

TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD OUR FIRST ASH SPECIFIC BRANCHING OUT EVENT AT LONGVIEW PARK.

BECAUSE LONGVIEW PARK DOES HAVE A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ASH THAT WILL BE LOSING HERE SHORTLY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. COUNCIL MEMBER. BAZALDUA.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. BEFORE I START, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF OF HEARING A SIMILAR BRIEFING PRESENTATION FROM BRETT AT THE NATIONAL RECREATION PARKS CONFERENCE.

AND IT WAS IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE NOT ONLY YOUR PASSION AND YOUR EXPERTISE, BUT ALSO SEEING PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY REALLY LEAN IN TO LEARN FROM THAT AND FROM YOU.

SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU KUDOS BECAUSE IT'S A THANK YOU.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE DALLAS AT THE STAGE, ON THE NATIONAL STAGE AND REALLY SHOWING WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

WITH THAT SAID, YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION MAKES A STRONG CASE THAT THE RIGHT TOOL MATTERS.

AND I THINK THAT THE PRESENTATION IS ALSO VERY HEAVY IN PHILOSOPHY, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF GRANULAR NUMBERS AND DATA FOR US TO GET METRICS. SO I THINK THAT THIS COMMITTEE AND THE PARKS BOARD WOULD BENEFIT GREATLY FOR US TO SEE SOME OF THIS QUANTIFIED IN DATA SPECIFICALLY IN THE OPERATIONS THE GOAT OPERATIONS, FOR INSTANCE WHAT, WHAT SHAPE OF CONSERVATION ACRES AND DOLLARS IS GOING TO SOUTHERN DALLAS PARKS.

AND WHERE THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST FITS IN THIS PLAN.

I KNOW THAT THAT WAS MENTIONED, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NEEDS TO BE SOME LIKE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL TYPE COLLABORATION TO GET US THE TRUE NUMBERS.

BUT I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GAVE US WHITE ROCK AS AN EXAMPLE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXTENSIVE FOR US TO UNDERSTAND EQUITABLY WHERE IT IS THAT WE'RE INVESTING THESE DOLLARS TO, TO REMEDIATE WHERE THE BIGGEST ISSUES ARE.

IF IT'S SILOED OUT, I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING REPORTS LIKE WE HAVE TODAY IN HOW THIS IMPACTS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? AND HOW YOU ALL ARE UTILIZING THE TOOLS WITHIN YOUR CHEST TO ADDRESS THE PARKS ASSETS.

BUT WE HAVE A LARGER PROBLEM AT HAND HERE. THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, TO SEE WORK TOGETHER MORE.

FAIR PARK HAS OVER 2000 TREES IN INVENTORIED.

HOW IS THAT DATA INFORMING THE POTENTIAL FUTURE FAIR PARK REDEVELOPMENT AND WHAT IS THE CANOPY PLAN FOR THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS? I'LL TAKE THAT ONE INITIALLY. OKAY.

SO AS WE WERE MOVING FORWARD ON THINGS WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIR PARK I WAS ASKED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT INVENTORIED.

THE GOOD THING I WILL SAY ABOUT FAIR PARK IS I GUESS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PROFILE NATURE OF IT FOR YOU THAT THOSE TREES HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF MAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS. SO COMPARED TO A LOT OF THEM WE ONLY HAD OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WANT TO SAY BY DATA, I THINK THERE WAS ONLY LIKE A RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVALS AT THIS POINT IN TIME WHICH, WHICH IS GOOD. AS FAR AS GOING BEYOND THE, THE FAIR PARK THAT I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER.

HONESTLY, AT THIS POINT, LIKE I SAID I AM WORKING WITH MY, THE FORESTRY TEAM AND THE STAFF THAT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON MAINTENANCE AT FAIR PARK TO MAKE SURE WE GET A A GOOD MAINTENANCE PLAN.

A FORMAL MAINTENANCE PLAN ON THOSE TREES PUT IN PLACE.

I JUST ASK THAT WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THIS DATA AND SEEING IT AS JUST A COUNT INSTEAD OF LEVERAGING THAT FOR POTENTIAL RFPS THAT ARE ABOUT TO BE ISSUED OUT, WE NEED TO LEVERAGE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN EVERY ASPECT THAT WE CAN.

AND ANY REDEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON FAIR PARK NEEDS TO ALIGN WITH OUR CANOPY GOALS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE CONCRETE JUNGLE OF OF FAIR PARK AND REALLY GREEN THAT UP AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE THAT FEEDBACK REGARDING THE COSTS AND, AND THE METRICS THAT I, I'D LOVE TO SEE US GET,

[01:35:02]

IF WE COULD SEE WHAT IS MOST ADVANTAGEOUS WHAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE DOLLARS TO AND WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTFUL. ON SLIDE FIVE, IT SAYS THAT ONE ACRE OF PRIVET CAN TAKE 21 DUMP TRUCK LOADS.

YES, SIR. IS WHAT, WHAT DOES HAULING, WHAT DOES OUR HAULING COST PER ACRE COME OUT TO AND IS BY BIOCHAR ON SITE BEING SCALED UP TO REDUCE THAT DEMAND. SO WE WOULD WE WOULD LOVE TO SCALE IT UP, BUT I WILL JUST SAY ON THE AIR CURRENT INCINERATOR, THEY IT COMES WITH ITS OWN CHALLENGES ON THE LEGAL SIDE OF IT.

IT CAN ONLY BE USED. WE PARTNER WITH GREEN SPACE DALLAS ON THE AIR CURTAIN INCINERATOR.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH IT IS IT CAN ONLY BE USED ON PROPERTIES WHERE THE INCINERATOR IS 300FT OFF OF THE PROPERTY LINE.

SO THAT GREATLY RESTRICTS WHERE, WHERE IT CAN BE USED.

LIKE IN THAT PHOTO, IT WAS THE BACKSIDE OF THE OLD FAIR OAKS SERVICE CENTER.

AND ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE, IT'S LITERALLY 305FT TO THE BOUNDARY.

WE WOULD, BUT OTHERWISE. YES. NOW BRUSH THE BRUSH PART.

COMPONENTS CAN GO TO TRANSFER STATIONS. SO YOU DON'T HAVE A LONG HAUL ON THAT.

BUT AS SOON AS YOU GET ANY KIND OF LARGE BODIES, THAT'S NOT REALLY THE APPROVAL.

BUT ANYTIME YOU GET LARGE BODIES, THOSE HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT TO MCCOMAS.

AND CAN WE AS A PART OF THE FOLLOW UP, GET THE WHAT? THAT COST IS BROKEN DOWN PER ACRE, PLEASE. YEAH, WELL, WE CAN WORK ON THAT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE FOLLOW UP TREATMENT MATTERS AND IT HAD EMPHASIS PUT THERE WITH ASTERISKS.

AND SO IS FOLLOW UP ACTUALLY FUNDED RIGHT NOW, OR ARE WE JUST GETTING AS FAR AS THAT INITIAL? AND IF SO, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR AN INITIAL TREATMENT TWICE INSTEAD OF INVESTING THE NECESSARY DOLLARS TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE INITIAL INVESTMENT OF THE FIRST TREATMENT AND ACTUALLY HELPING TO MITIGATE IT INSTEAD OF IT BEING A BANDAID.

SO FAR IN 2025, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO FOLLOW UP TREATMENTS ON ALL 22 OF OUR PROJECTS.

MOST ARE SCHEDULED TO GET MORE THIS YEAR. THANKFULLY, A LARGE PORTION OF OUR PRIVATE RELATED PROJECTS ARE BEING CONDUCTED BY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT I WILL IF YOU WOULD LET ME GET BACK WITH SPECIFIC NUMBERS.

AND WHEN, WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US EXAMPLES WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE INVENTORY EXPANDING BEYOND THE 40 PARKS THAT WE'VE SEEN? OKAY. SO LIKE I SAID THAT 40 WAS WITH THE ORIGINAL 18, 500 WHEN THERE WAS AN OVERAGE OF ABOUT 5000 TREES JUST BECAUSE OF HOW FAST THEY CAN PICK IT UP.

AND THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S HOW WE END UP GOING FROM 40 TO 57 PARKS ON THERE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU REPEAT THE LAST PART OF YOUR QUESTION? HOW DOES IT TIE INTO OUR CANOPY GOALS? OH, OKAY.

SO LIKE I SAID, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE'RE AT APPROXIMATELY ABOUT HALF THE PARKS BEING DONE.

AND SO IF THE FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE TO FINISH THAT OUT, THEN WE CAN.

FINISH OUT GETTING THOSE MANAGEMENT PLANS BY EACH PARK.

WELL, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN ONLY GIVE US A PRESENTATION BASED ON THE RESOURCES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.

IF YOU WERE TO BE GIVEN A GENIE IN A BOTTLE AND ALL THE WISHES THAT YOU COULD.

YES, SIR. WHERE ARE WE LACKING? IN A TRUE DEPICTION OF HOW WE ARE PRIORITIZING BUDGETING FOR THE ISSUES AT HAND? NO. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, VERY TIGHT YEARS WE'RE LOOKING AT PRIORITIZING CERTAIN THINGS VERSUS THE OTHER.

I WOULD SAY THAT THIS, THE CONTENTS OF THIS TYPE OF A PRESENTATION ISN'T AS SEXY AS BRINGING IN A BRAND NEW REC CENTER ISN'T AS, AS YOU KNOW, WIDESPREAD SUPPORTED TO BRING IN A NEW SPLASH PAD.

BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR PARK SERIES MOVING FORWARD.

[01:40:01]

THE PRESENTATION KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS WHAT THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES HAVE BEEN. SO JUST KIND OF RULE OF THUMB, WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE 15 K FOR 11 ACRES ON THE GOAT REMOVAL.

SO WE WANT THE GOAT OPERATION PROCESS. SO WE'LL LOOK AT WE'LL LOOK AT OUR BUDGET TO SEE THOSE RETREATMENTS.

WE'LL GET A COST PER OCCURRENCE AND SEE WHAT THAT IS.

AND THEN WE'LL BUILD OUT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE. AND FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO THE SAME TOKEN I, BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CANOPY INVENTORY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ASH TREES THAT ARE GOING TO FALL OTHER, IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AS WELL. I REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THIS COMPREHENSIVELY.

WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDING.

AGAIN, JUST SIMILAR TO WHAT I WAS MENTIONING WITH THE FLEET ON HOW THAT COULD BE PHASED OUT OVER THE NEXT 510 YEAR BUDGETS, BUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET DATA, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL THAT'S GOING TO PUSH FORWARD THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE MUCH MORE APPEALING, MUCH MORE EXCITING AND TANGIBLE.

BUT IF WE HAVE A DYING TREE CANOPY, FOR INSTANCE, OR JUST OVERGROWTH OF VEGETATION, THESE PARK AMENITIES ARE NOT GOING TO BE UTILIZED TO THEIR FULLEST.

BUT THAT'S ALSO THE SAME THAT WE COULD LOOK AT IN ANY OF OUR DWU PROPERTIES THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, ETC. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF SCRUTINY WHEN IT CAME TO COUNTING TREES.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THAT THERE'S SOME REAL BENEFIT AND INFORMATION, DATA COLLECTED FROM THE INVENTORY THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.

NOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN TO FUND ACTUALLY ADDRESSING IT.

BUT IF WE'VE GOTTEN ALL OF THIS DATA TOGETHER AND THEN WE END UP LOSING ASSETS AND HAVING TO KIND OF PLAY CATCH UP ON THE BACK END INSTEAD OF GETTING PROACTIVE IN THE FRONT END WITH THIS DATA. I THINK THAT IT'S THE SCRUTINY WOULD HAVE BEEN, WILL BE, WILL AT THAT POINT BE SOMEWHAT JUSTIFIED.

RIGHT. AND SO NOW IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FUNDING THESE ISSUES.

I THINK THAT OUR ASH BORER ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE EXACERBATED VERY QUICKLY.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN AND GET AHEAD OF IT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. SO I JUST AM, AGAIN, ENCOURAGING INSTEAD OF HAVING JUST A PHILOSOPHICAL PRESENTATION, WHICH IS GREAT. AND IT HELPS US WITH DATA WE NEED TO SEE THESE NUMBERS AND HOW WE NEED TO DEVOTE DOLLARS TO IT AND HAVE A PLAN YEAR OVER YEAR AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AND IT SHOULDN'T BE PIECEMEAL AND IT SHOULDN'T BE RETROACTIVE.

IT NEEDS TO BE PROACTIVE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

ABSOLUTELY. WELL, WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD SOME GREAT CONVERSATION.

AND PROBABLY SUPERINTENDENT JOHNSON, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BRING YOU BACK FOR MORE AS YOU HOPEFULLY HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO MORE TO, TO COUNT TREES AND MORE OF THE PARKS. AND JUST, I THINK WE DO HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE EMERALD ASH BORER.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. MAYBE YOU COULD BRIEF US ON THAT AT THE NEXT PRESENTATION AS WELL.

THANK YOU. LIKE I SAID, WE WE DO WORK THROUGH THE FORESTRY TECHNICAL TEAM.

WE DO HAVE THE EMERALD ASH BORER RESPONSE PLAN THAT IS.

YES. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE I BELIEVE YOU STARTED WORKING ON THAT YEARS AGO, IF I RECALL.

SO. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.

AND THANK YOU, DEPUTY DIRECTOR. WE WILL BE WE ARE FINISHED NOW WITH THIS PRESENTATION.

AT THIS POINT, I AM GOING TO MOVE TO OUR BRIEFING MEMO.

[D. 26-3501A Upcoming Agenda Item: November 10, 2026, City Council Agenda Item #26-3421A: To authorize a third amendment to the Materials Recovery Facility Develop, Operate, and Manage Contract with FCC Environmental Services Texas, LLC and Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, S.A. dba FCC, S.A., to temporarily modify revenue sharing, host fees, and recycling education contributions for an initial three-year period, with two one-year renewal options, while continuing recycling processing services at McCommas Bluff Landfill without a City processing payment [Clifton Gillespie, Director, Department of Sanitation Services]]

SO WE'LL DO THAT IF WE JUST, YOU KNOW, QUICKLY ADVANCE THROUGH THIS AND WANT TO TAKE THE NEXT PRESENTATION ON OUR EXTERNAL EXTERNAL FUNDING.

WE CAN DO THAT OR WE CAN JUST MOVE EXTERNAL FUNDING TO ANOTHER MEETING.

BUT I DO THINK THE, THE AMENDMENT TO OUR RECYCLING CONTRACT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.

SO WE HAVE DIRECTOR GILLESPIE HERE, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I KNOW I'M GOING TO EMBARRASS YOU AND PROBABLY MYSELF, BUT I WAS TALKING TO MY TWIN GRANDSONS THIS MORNING, AND I TOLD THEM I HAD A MEETING WITH MR. CLIFF. SO MR. CLIFF IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE HE HAS HE HAS TO DO WITH TRASH TRUCKS.

AND IF YOU'RE A TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD BOY WITH A BIG PICTURE WINDOW AND YOU WATCH BULK TRASH AND REGULAR TRASH, IT IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING THING. SO I HAVE TOLD THEM IT'S MR. CLIFF'S JOB TO DO THAT. THEY ALSO KNOW ABOUT MISS SARAH, AND THEY WILL SOON KNOW ABOUT MR. RYAN AND PARKS. AND I JUST THINK IT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE ACTUAL PEOPLE BEHIND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY ENGAGE WITH.

[01:45:02]

THEY JUST THINK YOU'RE THE BEST EVER. SO WITH THAT INTRODUCTION, WE'LL PLEASE BE SURE TO TELL THEM I SAID HELLO.

I WILL. I WILL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M CLIFF GILLESPIE, DIRECTOR SANITATION.

JOINING ME AT THE TABLE IS RICK WHITE, BUSINESS MANAGER WITH SANITATION THAT OVERSEES THE CONTRACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

AND JOINING US ONLINE IS ANDREA RODRIGUEZ. SHE'S REPRESENTING FCC ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, THE CONTRACTOR IN THIS IN THIS MATTER.

SO TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON NOVEMBER 10TH.

IT CONCERNS THE OPERATING AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY'S RECYCLING FACILITY LOCATED AT MCCOMAS BLUFF LANDFILL.

SINCE 2017, FCC ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES HAS OPERATED THE FACILITY KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY AS A MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY, OR MRF FOR SHORT, WHICH PROCESSES RECYCLABLE MATERIALS COLLECTED THROUGH SANITATION'S RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING PROGRAM AS WELL AS MATERIALS.

FCC COLLECTS FROM THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS PROCESSES FROM THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS.

UNDER OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT, THE CITY DOES NOT PAY FCC TO PROCESS OUR RECYCLABLES.

INSTEAD, WE RECEIVE REVENUE THROUGH HOST FEES, COMMODITY REVENUE SHARING, AND CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS RECYCLING EDUCATION.

THE CITY CURRENTLY RECEIVES APPROXIMATELY $1.3 MILLION ANNUALLY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, PRIMARILY FROM HOST FEES ASSOCIATED WITH FCC PROCESSING RECYCLABLE MATERIALS FROM THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS AT THE FACILITY.

THE ECONOMICS OF RECYCLING HAVE BEEN HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE CHALLENGING.

AS SUCH, FCC HAS REQUESTED FINANCIAL ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO CURRENTLY UNFAVORABLE RECYCLING COMMODITY MARKETS AND INCREASING OPERATING EXPENSES. THEY REPORT THAT PROCESSING COSTS INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 33% BETWEEN 2020 AND 2025, AND THAT THE FACILITY HAS EXPERIENCED OPERATING LOSSES PER TON IN SEVEN OF THE LAST NINE YEARS.

AFTER REVIEWING PHC'S FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH ASSISTANCE FROM AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONTRACTS, FINANCIAL PROVISIONS AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MADE TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGREEMENTS FINANCIAL TERMS. IN 2019, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT, WHICH SIMILARLY PROVIDED TEMPORARY FINANCIAL RELIEF THROUGH ADJUSTMENTS TO CERTAIN PAYMENT PROVISIONS.

AND THAT AMENDMENT ALSO EXTENDED THE PRIMARY TERM OF THE CONTRACT THROUGH THE END OF 2034.

SO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD MODIFY REVENUE SHARING, REDUCE HOST FEES AND ADJUST RECYCLING EDUCATION CONTRIBUTIONS FOR AN INITIAL THREE YEAR PERIOD WITH THE OPTION OF TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR EXTENSIONS.

IT ALSO PROVIDES PROVISIONS TO RESTORE EXISTING PAYMENT TERMS IF HOPEFULLY MARKET CONDITIONS IMPROVE DURING THIS PERIOD.

THE AMENDMENT IS EXPECTED TO REDUCE SANITATION REVENUE BY APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION ANNUALLY.

WE'VE ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR THIS IN THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET AND NEXT YEAR'S PLAN BUDGET, WITH NO RESULTING IMPACT ON SANITATION RESIDENTIAL SANITATION RATES DURING THOSE YEARS.

AND IMPORTANTLY, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE RECYCLING PROCESSING SERVICES AT NO COST, AND THE UNDERLYING CONTRACT TERM AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED.

WE BELIEVE THESE ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE LONG TERM VIABILITY OF RECYCLING PROCESSING SERVICES WHILE PROTECTING THE CITY'S INTERESTS.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

DIRECTOR GILLESPIE, ONE THING YOU HAD MENTIONED BEFORE WAS A COMPARISON OF THIS CONTRACT TO CONTRACTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THAT FOR OUR COMMITTEE? RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO THE, THE, THE MARKET AROUND RECYCLING HAS CHANGED SO MUCH SO THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR RESEARCH AND OUR CONSULTANTS RESEARCH, THE CITY MAY BE THE ONLY MAY HAVE THE ONLY CONTRACT LEFT IN THE COUNTRY WHERE WE HAVE NET REVENUE.

IT SEEMS AT THIS POINT, EVERY OTHER MUNICIPALITY THAT'S ENGAGED IN RECYCLING IT'S A NET EXPENSE TO THE CITY FOR THAT RECYCLING PROCESSING SERVICES.

SO THERE'S PROBABLY SOME IN MOST CASES, THERE'S SOME AMOUNT OF REVENUE SHARING, BUT IT'S A NET EXPENSE TO THE CITY.

SO IT IS IN OUR INTEREST TO MAINTAIN THIS CONTRACT SO THAT WE AVOID CREATING NEW EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE TO PASS ALONG TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

[01:50:06]

THIS AMENDMENT WOULD BE FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD.

HOPEFULLY THE MARKET CHANGES AROUND THOSE RECYCLABLE COMMODITIES AND WHAT THE CONTRACTOR IS ABLE TO SELL THOSE MATERIALS FOR DURING THAT TIME.

THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR EXTENSION OPTIONS THAT IF WE AGREE TO THAT AND MARKET CONDITION, CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS PERSIST. WE COULD EXTEND THIS TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I WILL START TO MY LEFT CHAIR.

RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO MR. GILLESPIE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO VERIFY THE CONTRACTOR'S STATEMENT THAT THEY'VE LOST MONEY? SEVEN OF THE LAST TEN YEARS AND THAT THEIR COSTS HAVE INCREASED 33%.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THEIR BOOKS? YES. YES, SIR.

WE HAVE. SO WE WE DID A INFORMATION REQUEST WITH THE VENDOR.

AND WE ENGAGED OUR, ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS TO REVIEW THEIR THEIR FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

AND ON OUR END, WE DO, WE, WE SEE WHAT THEIR PROCESSING COSTS ARE ON A MONTHLY BASIS WHEN WE'RE PROCESSING REVENUE SHARE NUMBERS. SO WE CAN, WE WERE ABLE TO VALIDATE BOTH THEIR, CLAIM OF INCREASED PROCESSING COSTS, AS WELL AS THEIR OTHER COSTS AND THE THE MARKET CONDITIONS AROUND THE SALE OF THOSE COMMODITIES.

SO DO THEIR COSTS EXIST AS A FUNCTION OF THE VOLUMES? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THERE ECONOMIES OF SCALE THAT COULD REDUCE THEIR COST PER UNIT IF WE INCREASE THE VOLUME OF RECYCLING? SO I THOSE PROCESSING COSTS WOULD GO UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL.

BUT THERE ARE ECONOMIES OF SCALE. SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN IF THERE WERE TO BE A SIZABLE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF RECYCLED MATERIALS PROCESSED THROUGH THE FACILITY THAT COULD ALSO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE, THEIR SITUATION, THEIR FINANCIAL OUTLOOK, AS WELL AS REVENUE TO THE CITY. WHAT IS YOUR PROJECTION ABOUT THE VOLUME OF RECYCLED MATERIALS? IS IT FAIRLY STABLE OR DO YOU ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE? THE AMOUNT OF MATERIALS THAT THE CITY COLLECTS FOR RECYCLING IS VERY STABLE.

I WISH IT WERE HIGHER. IT HOVERS AROUND 20%, WHICH HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT.

SINCE THIS, SINCE THIS CONTRACT HAS BEEN IN PLACE WE ARE ENGAGED IN NEW STEPS TO TRY TO IMPROVE THAT NUMBER HERE SOON. THE OTHER THING THAT IMPACTS IT IS THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT FCS IS BRINGING IN THROUGH THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS.

SO THEY HAVE PRIVATE CUSTOMERS AND OTHER CITIES THAT ARE ALSO BRINGING MATERIALS TO THE FACILITY.

ULTIMATELY, THE THERE IS A FINITE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT CAN BE PROCESSED THROUGH THE FACILITY.

IT'S ONLY SO BIG. THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MATERIAL THAT CAN BE PROCESSED AT ANY ONE TIME.

SO THERE IS CAPACITY. NOW AT SOME POINTS IT MOST CERTAINLY IS AT CAPACITY.

BUT THAT THAT SORT OF VARIES. THAT I, AND I CAN'T, I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS ON THEIR ARRANGEMENTS WITH OTHER, WITH THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS. SO IF THE CONTRACTOR IS LOSING MONEY AT THE CURRENT RATES, WHY WOULD YOU REDUCE HOST FEES FOR NON-CITY RECYCLABLE MATERIALS? I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO WANT TO INCREASE THEM.

WELL, THAT'S PRIMARILY WHERE THAT IS ONE LARGE COMPONENT OF WHERE THEY'RE LOSING MONEY.

WE HAVE A, IS IT 50% REVENUE SHARE WITH FEES.

REVENUE SHARE IS 50%. YEAH. WE'RE RECEIVING 50% REVENUE SHARE.

FROM THEIR MATERIALS, THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE BRINGING IN.

SO IN FACT, THE MAJORITY OF REVENUE THE CITY IS RECEIVING IS THROUGH THAT HOST FEE REVENUE SHARE AS THE COMMODITY VALUES FOR THOSE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS OFTEN IS LESS THAN THE, THE PROCESSING COSTS IN TERMS OF OUR REVENUE SHARE.

SO WE'RE ESSENTIALLY LETTING THEM HOLD ON TO THAT MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WE HOPE IN TURN THEY'RE ABLE TO REINVEST INTO THE FACILITY AND AND STABILIZE THEIR, THEIR FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

WELL, BUT ONE WAY TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO INCREASE THE HOST FEES.

SO WHY ARE YOU REDUCING THEM INSTEAD? THAT JUST REDUCES THEIR REVENUE.

[01:55:01]

IT IS WHAT WE ARE RECEIVING AS A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR REVENUE FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS.

SO THE MORE WE CHARGE THEM, THE MORE I SEE, THE MORE MONEY WE TAKE AWAY FROM THEM.

WELL, COULDN'T THEIR FEES TO THEIR CUSTOMERS FROM OTHER CITIES BE INCREASED TO ADD TO THEIR REVENUE? THE CONTRACTORS ON ON THE JOIN THE MEETING VIRTUALLY IF.

WOULD YOU LIKE FOR THEM TO WEIGH IN OR. SURE.

OKAY, ANDREA, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THAT.

SURE CAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. YES, BUT YOUR CAMERA NEEDS TO BE ON.

OKAY. CAN YOU SEE ME NOW? YES. OKAY. HI. MY NAME IS ANDREA RODRIGUEZ, AND I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR POST COLLECTIONS FOR FCC.

I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY NEAR WITH LIVE ON THIS AMENDMENT.

REGARDING YOUR QUESTION, WE DID INCREASE EVERY SINGLE FEE AND WE ACTUALLY TERMINATED CONTRACT OR DIDN'T BID AN AGGRESSIVE CONTRACT FOR A CUSTOMERS THAT THEY WERE NOT MAKING US MONEY.

AS CLIFF WAS SAYING THIS CONTRACT IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY PROBABLY THAT DOESN'T PAY ANYTHING FOR RECYCLING.

WE RECENTLY LET GO OF ONE CONTRACT WITH A CITY NEAR THE DALLAS AREA BECAUSE IT WAS NOT, IT WAS NOT PROFITABLE FOR US. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.

THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT WHENEVER WE BRING MORE MATERIAL TO THE FACILITY, THE HOST FEE MAKE IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO BE ALSO COMPETITIVE ON THE MARKET BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY ALMOST $20 A TON TO THE CITY IN ORDER TO BRING MORE MATERIAL.

SO THOSE ECONOMIES OF SCALES THAT YOU ARE TALKING, IT'S REALLY A VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE THEM WHEN JUST AT THE DOOR, I HAVE TO GIVE TO THE CITY $20 A TON FOR MATERIAL THAT I'M BRINGING.

I'M HOPING THAT THIS EXPLAIN TO YOU A LITTLE BIT.

WELL, LET ME GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF JUST WHAT SERVICE THE CITY OF DALLAS THROUGH ITS CONTRACTOR FCC, PROVIDES TO NON CITIES THAT RECYCLE THEIR MATERIALS.

ARE WE JUST ACTING AS A COLLECTION POINT AT THE MCCOMAS BLUFF LANDFILL? AND YOUR OPERATIONS ARE CENTRALIZED THERE. SO YOU DRAW IN CUSTOMERS FROM OTHER CITIES.

HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO WE DID RECEIVE MATERIAL FROM OTHER CITIES AROUND FROM PRIVATE AND FROM CITIES ITSELF.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF MESQUITE, THEY BRING ALL THE MATERIAL TO OUR FACILITY.

THEY HAVE A SEPARATE CONTRACT AND LET'S SAY ANOTHER PRIVATE HAULERS LIKE REPUBLIC FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT.

THEY BRING THE MATERIAL THAT THEY COLLECT TO CITIES AROUND TO THE FACILITY.

WE CHARGE THEM A FEE AND WHICH IS IT'S A HIGH FEE, BUT IN SOME INSTANCES, THEY WILL PREFER TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH PLANO TO ANOTHER FACILITY.

BECAUSE THE $15 OR THE $20 A TON THAT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE IN OUR FEES TO BE RECOVERED, IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT FOR BEING COMPETITIVE. SO THERE IS COMPETITION FOR YOUR SERVICES IN THE METROPLEX, SPECIFICALLY IN PLANO.

RIGHT, RIGHT. AND YOU HAVE TO STAY COMPETITIVE.

SO IS THERE ANY ROOM TO INCREASE YOUR FEES TO THOSE NON CITY ENTITIES AND STILL BE COMPETITIVE? OR ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU IN THAT EQUATION? SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT, WE'VE BEEN INCREASING OUR FEES TO TRY TO BE COMPETITIVE.

BUT AGAIN, THESE HOSPITALS WOULD MAKE IT REALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OUR PROCESSING COSTS ARE INCREASED A LOT SINCE COVID HAPPENED. AND ALL THE LABOR INCREASED A LOT AFTER COVID.

THE PROCESSING COSTS COST INCREASE. AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE COST FEE THAT WE NEED TO PAY TO THE CITY.

SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH.

THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION IN THE MARKET IN THE METROPLEX AREA FOR RECYCLING.

WELL, ARE YOU LOSING MONEY DOING THAT SERVICE TO NON DALLAS CITIES? NO, WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT ENGAGING IN ANY IN ANY MATERIAL THAT BRINGS A FACILITY THAT WE'RE LOSING MONEY.

WE'RE NOT ENGAGING IN THAT. OKAY. SO YOU ARE MAKING MONEY AT THE CURRENT RATES.

NO NO NO. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE VOLUME COMES FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.

[02:00:02]

IS THAT A PROFITABLE BUSINESS AT YOUR CURRENT RATES AT THE CURRENT RATE FOR THE VOLUME OF OTHER CITIES.

WE ARE. YEAH. THEY ARE PROFITABLE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. BAZALDUA. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SO I WAS CURIOUS, FIRST AND FOREMOST ON THE REVENUE REVENUE LOSS HAS ALREADY BEEN BUILT INTO THE ADOPTED BUDGET. WHY WAS IT ASSUMED BEFORE COUNCIL TOOK ACTION? YEAH. MR. BAZALDUA, THE THIS REQUEST WAS BROUGHT TO US 12 MONTHS AGO AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THOROUGH DUE DILIGENCE ON THE REQUEST AND WE'VE JUST GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THIS AMENDMENT HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED AND READY TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

THE OFFSETTING, WE ARE OFFSETTING THIS REVENUE LOSS THROUGH COMMERCIAL LANDFILL REVENUE, WHICH WE'VE BEEN EXCEEDING OUR ANTICIPATED BUDGET ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

SO THAT IS HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE ANSWER IS IT WASN'T READY TO BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL.

UNTIL NOW AND THERE WAS WE WERE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT IT WAS A STRONG POSSIBILITY.

SO WE DID PLAN FOR IT. IN THE BUDGET. I JUST, I APPRECIATE YOUR REASONING, BUT THE, THE MATH ISN'T ADDING UP. YOU ALL HAVE HAD THIS ON YOUR TABLE FOR 12 MONTHS.

WE'RE LITERALLY 30 DAYS INTO A NEW FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.

AND YOU ALL MADE AN ASSUMPTION AND YOU BASICALLY MADE A POLICY DECISION BEFORE THE POLICY BODY WEIGHED IN ON IT.

AND SO I GUESS THAT LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION.

WHAT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO SAY NO TO THIS AMENDMENT.

AND WHY WAS IT ASSUMED? INSTEAD OF, AT THE VERY LEAST, HAVING A BRIEFING MEMO PRIOR TO US PASSING THE BUDGET WITH THIS BUILT INTO IT? YES, SIR. IF THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT PASS, THE THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENT WILL CONTINUE AS IT AS IT IS. ANY COMMERCIAL LANDFILL REVENUE THAT THAT WE RECEIVE ABOVE BUDGET WOULD BE PROGRAMED TOWARDS OUR CAPITAL BUDGET AND CAPITAL PLANNING.

I MEAN WITH THAT ANSWER, IT DOESN'T TELL ME THAT ALL OF THE DUE DILIGENCE WAS DONE.

YOU'VE MADE AN ASSUMPTION AND YOU HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF AN OUTCOME.

BUT THE DUE DILIGENCE WAS NOT DONE. BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO DENY THIS AS THE BODY, YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS AND ABSORB ELSEWHERE.

AGAIN, THE MATTER WAS NOT READY TO BE BROUGHT TO FULL COUNCIL TO FOR CONSIDERATION.

THERE'S STILL NEGOTIATIONS THAT WERE GOING ON DURING THE BUDGETING BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

AS THERE WAS NO, AS WE WERE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY FUND THIS FOREGONE REVENUE SITUATION.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT IMPACT TO OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

SO I JUST, I. MADAM CHAIR, THIS, THIS JUST SPEAKS TO A FLAWED PROCESS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO COME UP, BUT I AM, AM REALLY GETTING TIRED OF FEELING LIKE WE ARE BEING STRONG ARMED BY STAFF TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON A SPECIFIC OUTCOME THAT THEY ARE EXPECTING AND EXPECTING IS REALLY THE KEY WORD HERE. THIS IS NOT ALLOWING FOR THE DUE DILIGENCE TO BE DONE BY THE BODY.

WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THIS UP AS A POLICY MATTER.

THIS IS BASICALLY TELLING US WHAT WE SHOULD DO.

THAT'S NOT HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. I AM MAKING A RECOMMENDATION AND THAT IS WHAT THIS RECOMMENDATION, THE THAT YOU'RE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION, IN MY OPINION, AFTER THE FACT.

AND SO THE THE MEMO THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US AND WITH ESSENTIALLY OUR MARCHING ORDERS YOU'VE ONLY PROMISED THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO IMPACT THE RESIDENTS FOR ONE FISCAL YEAR, TWO FOR THROUGH 28 APOLOGIES, TWO FISCAL YEARS. SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? AND ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PIECEMEAL THIS? ARE WE GOING TO BANDAID FIX THIS. RIGHT. WE ARE TRYING TO WELL, LET ME LET ME BACK UP AND SAY

[02:05:02]

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOT COULD HAVE. RIGHT. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. THAT IS ON ME. THE WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A SITUATION WHERE THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENT IS IS SORT OF IN THE BALANCE AND FOREGOING THIS REVENUE FOR, FOR AMOUNT OF TIME WHILE WE WHILE THE, THE CONTRACTOR LOOKS TO, LOOKS FOR OTHER SOLUTIONS WHILE WE LOOK TO SEE IF THE MARKET WILL CHANGE IS ULTIMATELY BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE WHICH, WHICH MAY BE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO LOSE MONEY IN THE VIABILITY OF THIS CONTRACT DOES NOT WORK OUT FOR THEM AND THEY WALK AWAY.

IT TO THE BEST OF OUR RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT IF WE WERE TO REBID THIS TODAY, WE WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A COST TO THE CITY OF 3 TO $5 MILLION A YEAR, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE PASSED ON TO THE RATEPAYERS.

SO WE ARE LOOKING TO TO PAUSE THINGS, HOPEFULLY CONDITIONS CHANGE.

IF NOTHING ELSE BY EVERYONE. TIME TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE PLANS.

SHOULD THE VIABILITY OF THIS ARRANGEMENT NOT LAST THE FULL TERM OF THE CONTRACT? I THINK THAT THAT'S GOOD IN THEORY, BUT IF IT TOOK YOU 12 MONTHS TO COME UP WITH THIS SOLUTION THE NEXT TWO YEARS, FISCAL BUDGETS THAT ARE ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS AN IMPACT, I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE ALREADY STARTING TO GET WORK ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.

BECAUSE I WOULD HOPE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT BAND-AIDS ON THERE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT ITEMIZED LINE BY LINE ON WHAT THOSE CUTS LOOK LIKE FOR THE HOST FEES, REVENUE SHARING, AND EDUCATION. AND THEN TO THAT NOTE, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW I MEAN, I THINK THEORETICALLY CUTTING EDUCATION AS A WHOLE, THE REASON IT'S EVEN A LINE ITEM IS THAT IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO MORE CONTAMINATION.

SO WHICH RAISES WHICH IS GOING TO ESSENTIALLY RAISE COSTS.

HOW ARE WE OFFSETTING THAT? ARE WE LEVERAGING OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT? ARE WE INVESTING IN OTHER PLACES TO COMPENSATE FOR TAKING AWAY FROM THE EDUCATION COMPONENT, WHICH IS SO CRITICAL FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO, TO HAVE? ABSOLUTELY. SO WE HAVE RECENTLY, WELL, WE ARE IN THE SORT OF THE FINAL STAGES OF A PROCUREMENT FOR MARKETING SERVICES AROUND RECYCLING EDUCATION AND CONTAMINATION REDUCTION.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NOT DONE. WE'VE RELIED ON OUR PREVIOUS BUDGET FOR FOR WASTE DIVERSION EDUCATION TO TO ATTEND EVENTS TO HAND OUT GIVEAWAYS, THAT SORT OF THING.

AND HAVE A STAFF TO DO THAT. THE STRATEGY THAT WE'VE TAKEN NOW IS RATHER THAN SPENDING THE MONEY ON THE STAFF AND ATTENDING EVENTS. WE'RE PUTTING THAT MONEY INTO FUNDING AND OUTREACH AND MASS MEDIA OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO, TO GET MORE ATTENTION FROM MORE PEOPLE ON THE, ON THE SUBJECT MATTER.

SO ULTIMATELY THE RECYCLING, THE, THE REVENUE FROM THE RECYCLING EDUCATION FEE.

IT WAS JUST ONE COMPONENT OF THAT. WE STILL HAVE A SIZABLE BUDGET AROUND WASTE DIVERSION EDUCATION.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT WHAT IMPACT THIS NEW STRATEGY HAS.

THANK YOU. AND MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, I REALLY DON'T LIKE FEELING LIKE IT'S A WASTE OF OUR TIME FOR COMMITTEE WORK, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST CRITICAL OF POLICY MAKING AND FOR US TO BE GIVEN PRESENTATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS FROM STAFF. BUT IT'S REALLY IN A WAY THAT'S TELLING US WHAT WE NEED TO DO BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE IS IS NOT VERY EFFECTIVE FOR US TO DO OUR JOB. AND IT CAN ALSO TRANSLATE TO A WASTE OF OUR TIME.

SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL CHAIR BLAIR OR CHAIR WEST, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING. WELL, WHAT I WAS GETTING FROM MR. BAZALDUA, THE CITY DOES NOT DO MARKETING, PERIOD.

IF WE ARE TO EDUCATE AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO.

AND DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT YOU WERE THAT THAT PART OF THE PLAN WAS TO NO LONGER GO TO EVENTS AND, AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE. IF I SAID THAT IT WAS A MISSTATEMENT.

NO, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. RIGHT. SO I WAS JUST ASKING WHAT WAS SAID.

[02:10:02]

THAT FUNCTION MOVED BACK TO SANITATION AS WELL AS THE BUDGET.

SO SANITATION ALREADY HAS AN OUTREACH TEAM THAT GOES AND ATTENDS EVENTS.

WE'RE UTILIZING THOSE EXISTING PEOPLE RATHER THAN THE SEPARATE TEAM OR HAVING TWO TEAMS DOING VERY SIMILAR FUNCTIONS.

SO OUR OUTREACH TEAM IS ATTENDING THE EVENTS.

AND PROVIDING THAT RECYCLING EDUCATION TO SCHOOL CHILDREN OR AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, ALONG WITH THE INFORMATION THEY WOULD PROVIDE ABOUT GARBAGE PICKUP OR BRUSH AND BULK PLACEMENT OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WHICH IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO UTILIZE THAT ZERO WASTE BUDGET.

FOR, IN THIS CASE, A, A MARKETING CAMPAIGN AROUND RECYCLING CORRECTLY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT.

AND I BELIEVE I BECAUSE THERE'S EVERY DAY I LEARN SOMETHING NEW.

WHEN I GO TO AND I HAVE TO RETHINK THE WAY I DO RECYCLES FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT INDUSTRY STANDARDS? IF WE'RE DOING, IS THERE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROCESS USED SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT WE COULD LEVERAGE AND BE MORE PROFITABLE HERE THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY? WE ARE ALWAYS, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WAYS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND TO OPERATE BETTER IN TERMS OF OUR OWN COLLECTIONS AND WASTE DIVERSION OPPORTUNITIES.

THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY AROUND WASTE DIVERSION IS GOING TO BE IS COMPOSTING AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.

AGAIN, WE HAVE THE BEST WE HAVE THE BEST FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT IN THE COUNTRY CURRENTLY.

I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING AT WASTE MANAGEMENT IN A SILO THAT RECYCLE, COMPOST TRASH PICKUP. THAT ARE, THAT YOU'RE LEVERAGING IS COSTING MORE OVER HERE.

BUT WE'RE SAVING OVER HERE. I FIND SILO THINKING TO BE INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE IN SILO THINKING, YOU ONLY LOOK AT THIS AND YOU DON'T LOOK AT A BIGGER PICTURE.

I CHALLENGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT A BIGGER PICTURE AND A BETTER WAY TO, TO MANAGE ALL OF WASTE AS OPPOSED TO THE WAYS YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT PER SILO.

I KNOW WHEN I GO TO CALIFORNIA AND IN LA, RECYCLING IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND AND THERE'S FEES THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY IF YOU DON'T RECYCLE WELL OR THE CORRECT WAY.

BUT, AND I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE A REAL WELL, A REAL GOOD JOB ON, ON SHARING HOW WE ARE TO RECYCLE. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE BRINGING IN RECYCLABLES FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND THE COST THAT IT'S TAKING TO BRING THAT PRODUCT IN AND TO SEPARATE IT OUT? IF THEY'RE NOT TAUGHT TO DO THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'RE TAUGHT, THEN WE'RE OVERWORKING OR THE COMPANIES ARE THAT ARE THEY'RE OVERWORKING TO BRING IN RECYCLABLES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

SO I KNOW YOU SAID. THAT THERE'S COMPETITION UP NORTH.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ALLOW THE COMPETITION TO TAKE OVER AND JUST TAKE IT AWAY.

AND WE DON'T BECAUSE IT'S NOT COSTING US. WE'RE NOT THE ONE.

THE CITY OF DALLAS IS NOT THE PROBLEM, IN MY OPINION, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING.

AM I CORRECT? OKAY. WELL, LET ME BACK UP TO THE SILOS.

I WOULD I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENTS, BUT I WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOU THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN SILOS.

WE OPERATE IN INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH INVOLVES EVERYTHING FROM PREVENTING WASTE CREATION IN, IN THE FIRST PLACE, ALL THE WAY THROUGH LANDFILLING, IF THAT'S NECESSARY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE PICTURE ALL THE TIME WITH REGARDS TO MATERIAL COMING IN FROM OTHER LOCATIONS INTO THAT FACILITY.

THAT'S HOW THAT'S WHERE MOST OF OUR REVENUE, THE CITY'S REVENUE THAT WE'RE GETTING COMES FROM THE, THE VIABILITY OF THE OPERATION. IF, IF OUR CONTRACTOR IS ONLY TAKING MATERIAL FROM US IS NOT THERE.

WE WOULD THEN BE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER ARRANGEMENTS THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY COST US MONEY.

[02:15:05]

WE LOOKED AT THIS AS PART OF THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

THEY ARE REQUIRED. THERE ARE A LOT MORE STRICT LAWS AT THE STATE LEVEL REGARDING WASTE DIVERSION THAT DON'T EXIST HERE.

THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT LOCALLY TO TO SORT OF FORCE INCREASED WASTE DIVERSION.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET. I THINK WE'RE STILL LOOKING STRONGLY AT ARE STILL TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO COMMIT TO VOLUNTARILY RECYCLING ITEMS. BUT IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.

AND IF IF WE'RE SENDING OTHER CITIES OR OTHER PRIVATE CUSTOMERS ELSEWHERE AND NOT TO THE FACILITY AT OUR ON CITY PROPERTY. IT MOST LIKELY COSTS US SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.

I TAKE I'LL ACCEPT THAT. AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT INFORMATION.

I HAD TO ASK TO, TO FLESH IT OUT FOR MY OWN APPRECIATION IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

I'M SURE THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE LISTENING WHO ALSO HAVE THE QUESTIONS.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. BUT I WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I FIND THAT WE ARE AT THE CITY IS REACTIVE INSTEAD OF BEING PROACTIVE. AND WHAT I HEARD FROM MY, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER IS THAT WE'RE BEING PUT IN A REACTIVE POSITION WITH THIS AMENDMENT OPPOSED TO BEING ALLOWED TO BE PROACTIVE.

AND THAT NEEDS. AND I AGREE, WE NEED TO RETHINK THE WAY INFORMATION IS BEING BROUGHT TO US SO THAT WE CAN MAKE POLICY DECISIONS THAT ARE PROACTIVE AND NOT PROCESS DECISIONS THAT ARE REACTIVE.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. SO IF I COULD, IF I MAY.

I DO AGREE THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE NOW DURING THIS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A PROACTIVE STEP.

IF WE WERE DOING NOTHING, THEN WE WOULD FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THE CONTRACTOR MAY WALK AWAY AND WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE PLANS.

BY DOING THIS PROACTIVE STEP OF MAKING THIS TEMPORARY FINANCIAL ADJUSTMENT TO THE CONTRACT, WE ARE ALLOWING TIME FOR FOR MARKET CONDITIONS OR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS TO CHANGE.

WE'RE ALSO ALLOWING TIME FOR THE CITY TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE PLANS IF ULTIMATELY THIS DOESN'T WORK OUT. AND COUNCILMEMBER, IF I MAY LIKE CLIFF SAID, WE SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD.

WE LOOKED AT IT MORE FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, NOT NECESSARILY POLICY MAKING.

WE DIDN'T THINK WE WERE THERE YET WITH POLICY.

BUT BUT YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELL TAKEN. THANK YOU.

OKAY. GO AHEAD CHAIR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

SO, CLIFF, ARE THERE ANY C CAP GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH PERCENTAGE OF WASTE MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED? THERE ARE GENERAL C CAP GOALS AROUND THAT. JUST GENERALLY MENTIONING INCREASED RECYCLING WASTE DIVERSION.

THERE ARE NO HARD NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE C CAP GOAL.

HOWEVER, OUR LOCAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH WAS UPDATED IN 2022, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS AFTER CAP'S ADOPTION IN 21, ADDRESSED THAT WITH WITH HARD NUMBERS, WHICH I HAVE RIGHT HERE.

REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL LANDFILLED BY 35% BY 2030, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 20% AND BY 45% BY 2040. SO THAT LOCAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN ALSO IDENTIFIED THAT AT THE POINT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DIVERT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE VEGETATIVE WASTE THAT WE COLLECT THROUGH THE BRUSH AND BULKY ITEM PROGRAM, WE WILL EASILY MEET THAT GOALS, EVEN IF WE ONLY MAKE SMALL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING COLLECTION, ALTHOUGH OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THERE AS WELL.

SO I WOULD SAY YOU KNOW, 35% BY 2030 IS, YOU KNOW, UNLIKELY, HOWEVER, THAT 45% BY 2040 STARTS TO LOOK MORE REALISTIC AS WE'RE ALSO WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY TO DEVELOP COMPOSTING

[02:20:03]

I THINK YOU HAVE GOTTEN SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT AND THAT PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.

SO LET US KNOW IF WE CAN GIVE YOU MORE FEEDBACK, BUT I THINK YOU PROBABLY HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT TYPE OF QUESTIONS WILL COME UP EITHER BEFORE THE 10TH OR ON THE 10TH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ALL RIGHT. I'M JUST GOING TO MOVE EVERYONE.

WE WILL NOT DO THE EXTERNAL FUNDING BRIEFING.

OBVIOUSLY. I THINK THIS MORNING WE'VE PROBABLY HIT OUR LIMIT AND WE'LL GET THAT RESCHEDULED.

THE FORECAST FOR DECEMBER IS A C CAP REPORT AND UPDATE WITH IMPLEMENTATION PLANS, AS WELL AS A PARK PLANNING AND DESIGN UPDATE ON PROJECTS. SO BOTH OF THOSE WILL BE VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATIONS.

I DO BELATEDLY WANT TO WELCOME ASSISTANT EXCUSE ME, ASSISTANT MANAGER ELENA CIOCAN.

SHE WILL NOW BE OUR LIAISON TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND WE WELCOME YOU.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO THANK ASSISTANT MANAGER LIZ SARDAO.

SHE'S BEEN AWESOME AND AMAZING, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK WITH US OVER THE LAST, I THINK, THREE YEARS. SO IT'S BEEN GOOD WORKING WITH YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ASSISTANT MANAGER.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU. OKAY. PRETTY SMOOTH TRANSITION I THINK.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 1135.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.