Nov 17, 2022 City Council

[00:00:01]

RIGHT AT SEVEN O'CLOCK,

[1.CALL SESSION TO ORDER]

WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER SUTTON HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER THORNTON.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER CLARK.

HERE.

MAYOR PROTIME GORDON.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCKENZIE.

HERE.

COUNCILMAN KOLAR HERE.

MAYOR SNYDER'S HERE THAT BRINGS US TO INVOCATION WILL BE LED TONIGHT BY MAYOR PROTE GORDON SHALL PLEASE RISE HARD.

DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WE HAVE TO MEET TOGETHER TONIGHT, UH, TO DISCUSS THE AFFAIRS OF THIS.

A GREAT CITY OF HU WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR, UM, A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT WE HAVE TO MEET IN FOR THIS GREAT COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE THAT ENABLES US TO GOVERN OURSELVES AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNMENT PROCESS.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE CITIZENS THAT ARE HERE AND FOR THEIR, UH, SUPPORT OF THIS CITY.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO SERVE IN WHATEVER CAPACITY, INCLUDING THOSE OF US ON COUNCIL.

WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY STAFF AND FOR ALL THEY DO TO HELP SUPPORT US IN OUR DECISIONS.

WE ASK YOU TO BLESS US TONIGHT THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS WISELY, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO LISTEN INTENTLY TO, UM, THE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE GIVEN, THAT WE CAN DELIBERATE, WE CAN DISCUSS THESE THINGS, UH, THAT ARE, UH, VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND TO OUR CITIZENS, AND THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE, UM, DECISIONS IN A, A MANNER THAT IS PLEASING UNDER THE, WE ARE, UH, SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS COUNTRY AND FOR THIS NATION, AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVE TO, UM, UH, ELECT OUR LEADERS.

AND WE KNOW THAT NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE THAT BLESSED.

AND WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH WAR OR WITH FAMINE OR WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT, UH, THEY MAY BE BLESSED AND, AND, UH, THAT, UH, OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH THEM.

AND WE ARE GRATEFUL AGAIN FOR ALL OF OUR BLESSINGS.

AND WE ASK FOR THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

AMEN.

THE PLEDGE PLEDGE LY TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE IN INDIVISIBLE.

ALL RIGHT, THAT BRINGS US TWO PRESENTATIONS.

FIVE ONE'S BEEN PULLED.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON

[5.2. SkyBox/Prologis Presentation - Bob Farley]

I BELIEVE THEY WENT UPSTAIRS TO TRY AND GET IT TO LOAD .

FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOODS.

PERFECT.

I'M SORRY, BOB.

I'LL MAYOR COUNCIL, MY APOLOGIES.

I WAS ACTUALLY IN THE BACK WAITING FOR BOB AND HE, SO, UH, UH, MY NAME IS MIKE MENEZ.

I'M THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE HU ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.

IT IS, UM, WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I COME BEFORE YOU TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ROB MORRIS, WHO IS THE CEO OF, UH, SKY BOX DATA CENTERS.

THIS IS A PROJECT THAT THE EDC HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND, UH, WE'RE GLAD THAT WE'VE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO INK THE DEAL.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO IS GOING TO PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPREAD OUT SOME OF THE, UM, INITIATIVES THAT WE WANT TO HAVE WITH THE, UH, EDC BOARD.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAME IN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS CONCENTRATING ON, UM, EXISTING MARKETS THAT HAD NEW TECHNOLOGY.

AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT KNOW, DATA CENTERS ARE, WELL, THEY MAY SOUND NEW, THEY'RE FAIRLY NOW KIND OF A COMMON MARKET.

AND SO WITH, UH, SKY BOX NOW COMING IN, THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO IMPACT ON THE POSITIVE SIDE FOR THE CITY OF HU FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE HERE.

NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT IT'LL BE A BIG BOOM IN THE PROPERTY TAX BASE, WHICH WILL BE, UH, BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE HERE, ESPECIALLY, UH, THOSE RESIDENTS.

UM, YOU KNOW, SKY BOX HAS RECENTLY OPENED UP A DATA CENTER OVER IN FLUGER, AND SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT WHEN THEY OPEN THIS ONE UP, IT IS GONNA BE JUST AS PROSPEROUS AS IT IS OVER THERE.

UH, I WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE SKY BOX CEO.

HIS NAME IS ROB MORRIS.

UH, HE'S A FOUNDER OF, UH, SKY BOX DATA CENTERS.

HE'S BEEN LEADING THE ORGANIZATION FOR 15 YEARS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.

HE HAS A DEEP HISTORY IN THIS AND DATA CENTERS, BUT ALONG WITH THAT, HE HAS THE PRIVATE EQUITY CAPITAL INVESTMENT, UM, UH, BACKGROUND THAT HELPS HIM BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND BE ABLE TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, PUTTING THESE DEALS TOGETHER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, THE DRIVING FACTORS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE

[00:05:01]

UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT HE'S ALSO INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE OTHER LATEST TECHNOLOGIES IN BITCOIN, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN A, UM, A BIG BOOM, KEEPS HIM KIND OF UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S IN TECHNOLOGY.

ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS THAT I FOUND ABOUT HIM IS THAT HE'S BEEN A BOARD MEMBER FOR NINE YEARS FOR A, UH, ENTITY CALLED, UH, CAMP JOHN MARK, WHO FOCUSES ON PROVIDING A OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE CHRONIC, UM, AND MEDICAL CHALLENGES, AND THEY STILL ABLE TO GO TO A CAMP IN THE SUMMER.

AND SO, UH, I THINK HE'S BEEN AN IMPACT ON THAT ALSO, WITH WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT HIM.

IT'S PROBABLY STUFF THAT HE DIDN'T GIVE IT, GIVE IT TO US, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST GOTTA DO A LITTLE SEARCHING OUT IN THE, UH, INTERNET TO FIND THIS.

SO IT'S WITH THAT, THAT I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, I WANNA WELCOME, UH, ROB MORRIS INTO THE, UH, CITY OF HU AND WHAT HE IS, UH, PLANNING ON DOING WITH THIS COMPANY.

AND, UH, THE EDC IS, UH, FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM HERE.

AND WE'RE, UH, GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO MANY GREAT THINGS WITH ROB.

SO I'LL LET YOU, UH, LISTEN TO ROB MORRIS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

WELL, THAT'S JUST ABOUT THE NICEST INTRODUCTION I THINK I'VE EVER HAD, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, STAFF, UH, EDC AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

UH, AS MIKE SAID, MY NAME IS ROB MORRIS.

I'M CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF SKY BOX DATA CENTERS.

UM, WE STARTED, UH, SKY BOX.

I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY ABOUT, UH, 15 YEARS.

WE STARTED SKY BOX A LITTLE OVER NINE YEARS AGO, UH, HERE IN TEXAS, UM, AND HAVE GROWN NOW TO SIX MARKETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND, UH, A LEADING, UH, PROVIDER, UH, AND DATA CENTER DEVELOPER, OWNER AND OPERATOR FOR FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.

UM, I WANNA APOLOGIES, IS THIS MY NEXT SLIDE? THERE WE GO.

UM, OUR SIX, UH, MARKETS, UH, MOVING WEST TO EAST SAN FRANCISCO, UM, UH, AND HERE IN TEXAS, DALLAS, HOUSTON, AND NOW THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN AREA WITH FLUGER, AS WELL AS CHICAGO AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA.

UM, WITH OUR, WITH OUR THREE CAMPUSES, UH, OR THREE MARKETS HERE IN TEXAS, HODO IS PLANNED TO BE THE LARGEST OF ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

UM, AS MIKE SAID, UH, THE, THE JV UH, PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY AN INCREDIBLE ONE.

UM, THIS IS WITH PROLOGIS, UM, AND WE'RE BUILDING WITH THEM IN, IN MULTIPLE MARKETS TODAY.

UH, THEY'RE THE WORLD'S LARGEST OWNER OF REAL ESTATE, UH, WITH ABOUT 1.2, EXCUSE ME, 1.2 BILLION SQUARE FEET OF REAL ESTATE GLOBALLY AND JUST UNDER $200 BILLION OF ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT.

AND THAT REALLY MEANS, UH, AND PROVIDES FOR TWO THINGS.

ONE IS ACCESS TO CAPITAL, UH, RELIABLE CONSERVATIVE CAPITAL IN AN OTHERWISE UNRELIABLE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT.

AND TWO, THESE ARE LONG-TERM STRATEGIC INVESTORS AND OPERATORS, WHICH IS THE SAME DIRECTIVE AS SKY BOX.

SO INCREDIBLE PARTNER.

AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A CAMPUS AT THIS SIZE AND THIS SCALE, UH, REALLY THE BEST GROUP, UH, WE COULD WORK WITH TO MAKE THAT A REALITY.

UM, SO WHY, WHY ARE DATA CENTERS IMPORTANT AND, AND WHAT ROLE DO THEY PLAY IN THE WORLD? I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU HEAR ABOUT THE CLOUD AND DATA CENTERS.

WELL, WHAT, WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN? UM, DATA CENTERS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY DRIVE ALL THE CONTENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND PROCESSING THAT WE DEPEND ON EACH AND EVERY DAY.

UM, THIS EMPOWERS OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, OUR BUSINESSES, ENTERTAINMENT AND BASIC COMMUNICATION, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IT DOWN TO A PERSONAL LEVER LEVEL, UM, WHETHER IT'S TELLING YOU ON A MAP, HOW TO GET HOME, CONNECTING WITH FAMILY VIA FACETIME, UM, OR SPENDING TIME WITH LOVED ONES AT HOME, WATCHING TV AND MOVIES.

THESE ARE ALL DRIVEN OUT OF THE DATA CENTER.

IT TOUCHES ALL OF OUR, OUR LIVES ON A VIRTUALLY CONSISTENT BASIS.

UM, JUST A JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF US, LET'S SAY WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF TOWN.

WE'RE SOMEWHERE, UM, SOUTHWEST OF AUSTIN, BUT WE NEED TO GET HOME TO HU HOW DOES THAT ACTUALLY OCCUR? AND SO ASSUMING YOU USE, UM, A, A MAPPING DEVICE SUCH AS GOOGLE MAPS, APPLE MAPS, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, YOU'RE GONNA TELL IT, YOU'D LIKE TO GET HOME TO YOUR HOME ADDRESS, AND YOU'RE GONNA INPUT THAT COMMAND ON YOUR CELL PHONE THAT WILL THEN GO TO A CELL PHONE TOWER.

THAT TOWER WILL THEN TAKE IT VIA FIBER OPTIC CABLE UNDERGROUND TO A DATA CENTER, SUCH AS THE SKY BOX DATA CENTER.

WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY FOR THE VARIOUS, UH, CLOUD AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES THAT WE HOST.

THAT DATA CENTER THEN GOES TO A SERVER THAT SAYS THEY WOULD GET, LIKE, LIKE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, HOW DO THOSE DIRECTIONS OCCUR? AND THEN THAT WILL FOLLOW THE SAME PATH BACKWARDS TO THE FIBER, THE CELL TOWER, AND THEN THE ACTUAL CELL PHONE ITSELF.

AND IT'S JUST, JUST A SMALL PIECE, A VERY SMALL INTERACTION, BUT YOU CAN THINK OF HOW MANY THINGS WE DO EVERY DAY THAT'S

[00:10:01]

AND JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE INVOLVED.

SO IF DATA CENTERS ARE NEEDED, UM, WHY ARE THEY GOOD FOR HU? THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE OF REALLY UNIQUE BENEFITS DATA CENTERS THAT ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER TYPE OF, OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.

FIRST, THEY BRING, UM, REALLY TREMENDOUS DIRECT AND INDIRECT ECONOMIC INVESTMENT INTO THE REGION.

UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S PUT INTO THESE FACILITIES, THEY ENCOURAGE GROWTH OF BUSINESSES THAT BOTH SUPPORT AND RELY UPON THE DATA CENTERS.

UM, THE PROXIMITY TO THE SITE IS SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OF THOSE REASONS AND A DIRECT REGIONAL BENEFIT.

UM, THEY ALSO PRODUCE GREAT HIGH PAYING JOBS COMPARED TO MOST OTHER ASSET CLASSES, UM, THAT YOU WOULD SEE OCCUPY THAT AMOUNT OF SPACE.

UM, AND, AND ALSO THOSE JOBS ARE IN NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, REALLY HELPING A WORKFORCE LEAN INTO THE FUTURE FOR EVERYTHING, UM, THAT'S COMING IN FRONT OF US.

IT ALSO IMPROVES LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE'RE GENERALLY BRINGING IN LARGER AND MORE RELIABLE ELECTRICAL SERVICES THAT EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM, AND SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FIBER CONNECTIVITY, UM, USUALLY THAN WHEN THE DATA CENTER WAS THERE BEFORE.

BUT WHAT'S ESPECIALLY UNIQUE IS DATA CENTERS HAVE AN OUTSIZED RETURN, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, TAX REVENUE, BECAUSE WHILE WE DO EMPLOY, UM, HIGH PAYING JOBS, THEY'RE GENERALLY LESS THAN WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN AN OFFICE OR A WAREHOUSE.

BUT THE ECONOMIC INVESTMENT PER SQUARE FOOT FOR A DATA CENTER IS MANY TIMES MORE THAN WHAT YOU WOULD FIND FOR INDUSTRIAL OR OFFICE.

AND AS A RESULT, IT'S LESS TAXING ON THE PUBLIC SERVICES FOR THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.

THERE'S NOT AS MANY, UM, CARS THAT ARE NEEDED, NOT AS MANY, UH, TRIPS TO THE HOSPITAL AND NOT AS MUCH USE OF THE LOCAL, UM, SCHOOLS.

AND SO IT'S REALLY COMPARED TO ANY OTHER TYPE OF, UH, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND OUTSIZED RETURN, UM, SUSTAINABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY NOTICED, UM, HUO ENJOYS GROWING RESPONSIBLY AND SUSTAINABLY.

THAT'S VERY MUCH TRUE AS WELL IN THE DATA CENTER SPACE.

AND VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANIES, UM, WHICH RESIDE WITHIN THEM.

SKY BOX.

WE, WE DO UTILIZE THE BEST AVAILABLE AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES.

WE WERE, UH, WINNER, GLOBAL WINNER OF THE 2019, UH, DATA CENTER DYNAMICS, UH, AWARD IN, UH, UH, IN LONDON FOR ENTERPRISE DATA CENTER OF THE YEAR FOR A HIGH PERFORMANCE SUPERCOMPUTER THAT WE LAUNCHED, UM, IN HOUSTON FOR DOUG GEO SEISMIC SOLUTIONS.

UM, WE ALSO DO FOCUS A LOT ON, UM, SUSTAINABILITY WHENEVER IT COMES TO, UH, LEAD, UH, BOTH LEAD SILVER LEAD CERTIFIED AND EVEN LEAD GOLD ALSO, UM, ON OUR HOUSTON CAMPUS, NOT VERY FAR FROM HERE.

UM, AND SOMETHING WE DO A LOT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

FOR EXAMPLE, NRG RELIANT, UH, FOR THE GLOBAL, UM, COMPUTE HOSTING WE DO, UH, FOR THOSE COMPANIES.

UM, ALSO, AND THIS IS, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.

SKY BOX IS A GREAT NEIGHBOR.

UM, THESE, UH, TWO CAMPUSES YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, UH, THESE ARE BOTH HERE IN TEXAS.

UM, THE, UH, THE CAMPUS ON THE TOP THERE IS OUR DALLAS CAMPUS IN PLANO, TEXAS.

UH, AND THE PURPLE OUR RESIDENCES THAT YOU SEE ADJACENT.

UM, AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE IMAGE IS OUR HOUSTON CAMPUS IN KATY, TEXAS.

WE'VE BEEN IN OPERATION THERE FOR NINE YEARS, AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A SINGLE COMPLAINT ABOUT OUR OPERATIONS AND HAVE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER, UM, DURING VERY TRYING TIMES.

FOR EXAMPLE, DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, UM, I WAS, I WAS THERE ON SITE WITH OUR TEAM FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE FEW LOCATIONS THAT HAD CONSISTENT POWER WAS NOT FLOODING DURING THOSE EVENTS.

AND SO WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP HOST, UH, THE US MARSHALL SERVICE THERE, UM, FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS, AS THEY REALLY DID NOT HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE WHERE THEY COULD BE OPERATIONALLY STAFFED AT THAT TIME.

AND SO JUST REALLY FINDING OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, UH, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, OH, AND ALSO ONE SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT OF THIS TYPE OF ASSET CLASS, UH, FAILED TO MENTION IS, IS TRAFFIC.

THEY'RE GENERALLY LOWER TRAFFIC THAN OTHER TYPES OF REAL ESTATE USES.

UM, SO WE, WE BUILD THESE BUILDINGS TO ATTRACT THE WORLD'S BEST COMPANIES.

THESE ARE NOT OUR SERVERS INSIDE OF THE BUILDINGS.

THESE ARE LARGE FORTUNE 500 AND IN PARTICULAR FORTUNE 100 COMPANIES, AND ESPECIALLY MORE THAN EVER CLOUD, BUT ALSO ENERGY AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.

UM, THE INVESTMENT, UM, THAT IS MADE BY THESE COMPANIES CAN BE MANY TIMES EVEN THE INVESTMENT THAT WE MAKE IN THE BUILDINGS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND SO WE WORK VERY HARD, UM, WITH THE CITIES THAT WE PARTNER WITH IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THOSE BUSINESSES INTO THE FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL.

UM, JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES HERE OF, UH,

[00:15:01]

AND THEN JUST GENERAL LARGE FORTUNE 500 ENTERPRISE USERS SUCH AS BANKS, UM, AND ENERGY.

UM, FAST FORWARDING TO TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, NOW ACQUIRED 225 ACRES, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO REVEAL OUR PLANS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE, UM, AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

THIS IS TRULY A WORLD CLASS CAMPUS AND A WORLD CLASS LOCATION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, EMPLOYMENT, AND ACCESS TO SOME OF THE LARGEST TECHNOLOGY FIRMS ON THE PLANET.

WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO DEVELOP THIS GROUNDBREAKING CAMPUS WITH YOU AND, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS.

SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.

THANKS A LOT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU THANK YOU.

WELCOME TO HUO.

THANK YOU.

[6.CITY MANAGER COMMENTS]

JAMES ARP, CITY MANAGER.

UM, TONIGHT, UH, I'M GONNA START WITH SOME, SOME MORE SERIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC HAD BEEN ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, UH, VERY PROUD, UH, TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS GOT THE CHECK REGISTER ONLINE STARTING WITH THIS, UH, FISCAL YEAR.

SO ALL OF THE CHECK REGISTER FOR OCTOBER UP TO THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER IS NOW ONLINE, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSTED THERE GOING FORWARD.

AND THEY WILL WORK THEIR WAY BACKWARDS AS TIME ALLOWS IN ORDER TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION UP ON THE WEBSITE.

UM, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO FIND IT AS JUST CHECK, AS JUST SEARCH FOR THE CHECK REGISTER AND THE SEARCH BOX ON THE WEBSITE, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET TO IT.

IT'S UNDER THIS FINANCIAL SERVICES WEBPAGE.

UH, C I P UPDATE.

THE BIDS FOR 1660 AND 79 NORTH WERE OPENED THIS WEEK.

UH, THAT'S THE RIGHT TURN LANE ON SOUTHBOUND 1660 ON WESTBOUND HIGHWAY 79, AS WELL AS SOME TRAFFIC LIGHT, UH, IMPROVEMENTS.

ONCE TECH DOT HAS APPROVED THE LOW BIDDER, THE CONTRACT WILL COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, AND THEN WE WILL BE, UH, MOVING FORWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION.

UH, THERE'S AN, UH, AN, AN ADJOINING ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE SERVICES FOR THE ENGINEERING FIRM TO DO THE INSPECTIONS IN THE, UH, MATERIAL TESTING AND WHATNOT.

UH, FOR THAT PROJECT.

1660 IN LIMBER, WE ARE IN RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION AND, UH, THE PUBLIC PROBABLY DOESN'T KNOW TOO TERRIBLY MUCH ABOUT THE STATUS OF THAT, BUT THERE ARE EFFECTIVELY ROUGHLY NINE PARCELS THAT THAT NEEDED TO BE ACQUIRED FOR THAT PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASE WITH APPROVAL.

FOR TEXT DOT, UH, WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE PARS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO OF THE NINE PARCELS, UH, ALREADY CLOSED.

UH, A THIRD PARCEL IS SET TO CLOSE ON THE 28TH OF NOVEMBER, SO THAT WILL BE, UH, PARCEL THREE.

UM, WE'RE EXPECTING A, A COUNTER OFF OFFER ON ANOTHER PARCEL.

UH, SO THAT ONE SHOULD BE POTENTIALLY ABLE TO BE WRAPPED UP PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND THEN THAT LEAVES US WITH, UH, FOUR PARCELS, UH, THAT BASICALLY ARE ONE OWNER, UH, THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH.

AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ONE PARCEL THAT IS VERY LIKELY TO DELAY AT LEAST UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY OR MARCH BECAUSE OF SOME TITLE CLOUDS.

SO THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THAT RESOLVED AND, UH, AND TAKEN CARE OF.

BUT, UH, IF, IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE REST OF THESE, UH, LOCKED IN, UH, LOCKED IN PLACE, UH, IT'LL JUST BE THAT ONE LAST PARCEL THAT THE, THE TITLE CLOUD IS ON THAT WOULD BE HOLDING US UP.

AND AS SOON AS THAT'S DONE, WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT, UH, PHASE OF APPROVAL THIS MORNING.

WE WERE HAPPY TO HOST KVU TV WAS HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WERE AWAKE EARLY ENOUGH TO WATCH THAT, BUT, UH, THERE WAS A, A BLOOD DRIVE HERE, SO IT WAS, HUO HAS HEART REGIONAL BLOOD DRIVE.

UH, MAYOR SNYDER DID A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING THE CITY AS ALONG WITH, UH, CHIEF YARBOROUGH.

UH, THEY WERE UP NICE AND EARLY ON THE, ON THE TELLY, AND, UH, WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT.

UH, OVER 60 DONORS GAVE BLOOD TODAY.

IT WAS RIGHT HERE IN, IN CITY HALL CHAMBERS, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON THAT THE HOLIDAY DECOR IS ALREADY UP.

ALLISON WANTED TO MAKE VERY, VERY, UH, SURE THAT, UH, WHEN THE CAMERAS WERE IN HERE ROLLING, THAT THERE WAS SOME FESTIVE, UH, FEEL.

SO, UH, STAFF YESTERDAY AFTER OUR, UH, OUR HOLIDAY, UH, THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON, UH, GATHERED UP TOGETHER AND GOT THE DECOR THAT YOU SEE UP, UH, YESTERDAY.

SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

VERY PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND FOR MAKING SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE LOSS OF OTHERS.

[00:20:01]

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT, UH, TURNOUT AND WE REALLY HOPE TO TRY TO TURN THAT INTO AN ANNUAL EVENT, UH, TO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED, UH, IN THE, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.

ALSO, WE WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE ORANGE SANTA TIME.

SO IT'S, WE'RE HOPING TO SUPPORT ORANGE SANTA IN A BIG WAY.

THIS IS, UH, GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS THE PUBLIC EDUCATION VERSUS PUBLIC SAFETY VOLLEYBALL GAME AT THE HU HIGH SCHOOL.

UH, SO THAT SH PRETTY EXCITING, BUT IT'S A FUNDRAISER FOR THE ORANGE SANTA.

THERE'S SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS ATTEMPTING, UH, TO SPIKE AND SERVE AND BLOCK AND, UH, EVERYTHING THAT GOES TO, UH, PLAY IN VOLLEYBALL, EXCEPT USUALLY FOR ME IT WAS FALLING DOWN OR TACKLING PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHY THEY DON'T LET ME PLAY ANYMORE.

SO, UM, BUT OR SAN IS A PROGRAM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL'S LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.

UH, EVERY YEAR THEY BASICALLY COLLECT GIFTS AND FOOD ITEMS AND PROVIDE BRIGHTER CHRISTMASES FOR HU FAMILIES.

AND THAT MIGHT BE IN FINANCIAL STRESS OR, OR EXPERIENCING SOME SORT OF TRAGEDY.

UH, THERE'LL BE A FEW KEY SPOTS AROUND TOWN, INCLUDING HERE IN THE CITY HALL LOBBY, WHERE YOU CAN DONATE NEW TOYS AND GIFTS, UH, FOR, FOR HUO CHILDREN FROM AGES BIRTH UP TO AGE 18.

UH, AND IF YOU'RE WANTING TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION, YOU CAN ALWAYS VISIT THE HIPPO NATION.ORG WEBSITE.

BUT ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WILL BE AT THE, UM, THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING EVENT.

THERE'LL BE ANOTHER DONATION BOX THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

UH, SO AS YOU COME OUT TO, TO, TO SEE THE FESTIVE LIGHTS AND, AND CELEBRATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, YOU CAN ALSO DONATE THERE, UH, REGISTRATIONS GOING ON FOR THE YOUTH, THE HUDDLE YOUTH BASKETBALL WITH GAMES STARTING IN JANUARY.

YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR PLAYERS NOW ON THE PARKS AND RECS WEBPAGE, AND THEN CALENDAR UPDATES.

SO, UH, SHOP SMALL ALL FALL IS NOW KICKING OFF INTO SHOP SMALL SATURDAY.

SO ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH, HISTORIC DOWNTOWN HU INVITES YOU OUT FOR GREAT DEALS, UH, ON ANY HOLIDAY GIFTS BETWEEN 11 AND THREE.

UM, AND THAT'S GENERALLY IN THE AREA OF EAST AND, AND FARLEY STREETS.

THERE'LL ALSO BE A SPECIAL MARKET HOSTED BY THE CITY INSIDE ONE 11 EAST, FEATURING SOME HOME BASED SMALL BUSINESSES.

UM, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING FROM FOUR TO EIGHT, UH, BY THE HENRIETTA HIPPO.

WE'LL HAVE LOCAL CHOIRS AND LOTS OF, UH, FESTIVE FUNDS.

SO THAT'S THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING THAT WE'LL BE DOING, UH, THAT EVENING.

AND YOU CAN GO TO HU TX.GOV AND PICK UP ANY OF THOSE ITEMS OFF OF THE CALENDAR AND FIND INFORMATION ON THEM.

SO, AND THEN, UH, JUST GENERAL REFLECTION ON THANKSGIVING SINCE IT'S NEXT WEEK.

JUST, JUST A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE AND WELL WISHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR EVERYONE AS THEY'RE REFLECTING BACK ON THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE THANKFUL FOR.

AND, UH, WE JUST PRAYING AND WISHING FOR SAFE TRAVELS FOR ANY OF THOSE THAT MIGHT BE TRAVELING TO VISIT FAMILY DURING THIS TIME.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS SIR.

NEXT WE'LL GO TO CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS SEVEN,

[7.CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]

DO YOU HAVE ANY GENERAL COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE.

NOBODY ELSE DOES.

UM, I JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND HAVE A SAFE TRAVELS TO AND FROM AS FAMILIES COME INTO HU AND AS YOU'RE LEAVING TO GO OTHER PLACES, UM, IT'S A TIME TO BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND JUST EVERYONE BE SAFE ON THE ROADS CUZ IT'S AS HIGH TRAVEL TIME.

AND SINCE WE'RE NOW THE KIND OF THE SECOND YEAR PAST C I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE TRAVEL THIS YEAR.

UM, SO JUST PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.

SO, UM, EVERYBODY HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

THANKS SIR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEARING, THEN WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM SEVEN TWO, CITY COUNCIL.

THE LIAISON REPORTS, I HAVE ONE FOR THE, UH, PARKS ADVISORY BOARD.

SO THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD, THEY MET LAST WEDNESDAY, UM, LAST MONTH, UNFORTUNATELY.

UM, THEY DID NOT HAVE QUORUMS, SO THEY DIDN'T TAKE ANY ACTION, UM, LAST MONTH, BUT WE WERE ABLE, OR THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET, UM, LAST WEDNESDAY.

UM, AS FAR AS THE VETERANS MEMORIAL GOES, THERE IS NO UPDATE, UM, SINCE THE MEETING LAST WEEK.

UM, THEY ALSO, UM, ARE STILL DISCUSSING CHANGES TO THE PARKLAND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES.

UM, SO THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT, WORKING WITH, UH, P AND Z AND ALSO LEGAL ON REALLY TIGHTENING IT UP AND, UH, SO THAT IT CAN BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, UH, FOR REVIEW.

AND, UM, SO THAT'S LIKELY GONNA BE, I THINK THEY WERE HOPING FOR DECEMBER.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE LIKELY IN THE NEW YEAR THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT COME TO US.

SO, UH, THEY DID TALK ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE PLAN FOR COMPLETING FRITZ PARK, UM, IT'S KIND OF BEING REVIVED AND, UM, SO THE PARKS BOARD'S GONNA BE REVIEWING THAT AND KIND OF UPDATING THE PLAN FOR THAT SO THEY CAN, CAN MOVE FORWARD AND BRING THAT TO COUNCIL AS WELL.

SO THAT'S IT.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER LEADS ON REPORTS?

[00:25:01]

UM, UNFORTUNATELY OUR, OUR LIBRARY, UH, ADMINISTRATOR HAS LEFT THE CITY.

WAS THAT HER LAST DAY? YES.

YEAH.

SO YEAH, TODAY WAS HER LAST DAY.

SO WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING INTO THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THAT POSITION AS A CITY.

UH, BUT I KNOW CITY STAFF HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME REVIEWING WITH HER BEFORE SHE LEFT ALL THE PLANS FOR HOW TO KEEP THE LIBRARY RUNNING, HOW TO KEEP EVERYTHING GOING IN THE INTERIM, UM, UNTIL THEY FIND A REPLACEMENT.

SO EVERYTHING SHOULD KEEP GOING AS IT HAS BEEN.

THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME PAUSE IN SOME OF THE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT THEY PROVIDE JUST BECAUSE OF STAFFING.

BUT, UH, THE LIBRARY HOURS SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED.

UM, THEY PASS, UM, KIND OF A VISION FOR THE LIBRARY.

THEY DECIDED NOT TO GO AND REALLY CHANGE MUCH BECAUSE THEY WANNA LEAVE IT KIND OF AS IS.

AND WHEN THEY HAVE SOMEBODY NEW IN CHARGE OF THE LIBRARY, LET THEM COME IN, SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING, AND THEN KIND OF WORK ON ANY CHANGES THEY WANNA MAKE TO, TO THE VISION OF THE LIBRARY AND THE PLANS FOR THE LIBRARY FROM THERE.

UM, SO REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT, UH, COLLEEN TIERNEY DID WHILE SHE WAS HERE.

SHE CAME AT A VERY ROUGH TIME FOR THE CITY.

SHE BUILT UP THE PROGRAMS IN A VERY DELIBERATE MANNER TO BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE.

WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE THE LIBRARY'S BEING USED ABOUT AS MUCH AS IT WAS PRIOR TO COVID.

I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY STARTING TO EXCEED PRE COVID LEVELS IN SOME OF THE USAGE.

UM, AND SO IT'S KIND OF GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.

UM, AND THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO, TO WHAT COLLEEN DID WHILE SHE WAS HERE.

SO WISH HER THE BEST OF LUCK IN HER NEW POSITION.

AND, UH, GOOD LUCK TO JAMES AND, UH, CITY STAFF FINDING, FINDING A QUALITY REPLACEMENT.

THANKS SIR.

ANY OTHER LADIES? LIAISON REPORTS, RIGHT? WE'LL GO ON TO SEVEN THREE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS.

HEARING NONE THERE, WE'LL GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

[8.PUBLIC COMMENT]

WHEN THE TIME GETS DOWN TO 30 SECONDS LEFT, THE LIGHT WILL GO FROM GREEN TO YELLOW AND THEN AT THE END OF THE THREE MINUTES, YOUR LIGHT WILL GO RED.

FIRST UP WE HAVE JAMES WEAVER.

OKAY, PASS.

THEN WE HAVE IDA WEAVER MAKE A SHORT ONE.

HI, IDA WEAVER.

I LIVE IN HUO.

UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO, WELL, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH, UM, ON THE DUAL OFFICE HOLDING LAWS IN TEXAS.

AND, UM, I CAME ACROSS THIS DOCUMENT FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE WHEN GREG ABBOTT WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL.

SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT IT STILL APPLIES.

UM, THERE ARE, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF REFERENCE TO, UM, UM, COURT OPINIONS, COURT DECISIONS AS WELL AS, UH, AG OPINIONS.

AND UM, I FOUND IT, I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO YOU ALL IF YOU COULD PULL IT UP.

IT'S CALLED TEXAS DUAL OFFICE HOLDING LAWS MADE EASY.

AND UM, I'M SURE IF YOU SEARCH FOR THAT, IT'D POP RIGHT UP.

THERE WERE TWO PARAGRAPHS IN PARTICULAR THAT JUST FLOORED ME.

UM, IT'S SET UP WITH QUESTIONS, UH, COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DUAL OFFICE HOLDING THINGS, WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY CONFUSING, UM, TO Y'ALL HAVE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN KNOCKING IT BACK AND FORTH QUITE A BIT.

UM, PAR UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, MAY A PERSON REFUSE PAY OR BENEFITS OF AN OFFICE.

AND WHAT IT BASICALLY SAYS IS, WHETHER IT'S AT THE STATE LEVEL OR AT THE CITY LEVEL, WELL, HERE'S WHAT IT IS.

MAY A PERSON REFUSE A MONUMENT, PAY OR PAY THE PAY OR BENEFITS AN OFFICE AND THE ANSWER IS NO.

THEN IT SAYS IF A STATE STATUTE OR A CITY ORDINANCE FIXES A SALARY OR OTHER FORM OF COMPENSATION FOR AN OFFICE, THE COMPENSATION ATTACHES TWO AND IS INSEPARABLE FROM THE OFFICE.

SO IF WE LOOK AT THAT FROM A, JUST A VERY SIMPLISTIC POINT OF VIEW, IT APPEARS THAT COUNCIL SEAT SIX HAS BEEN VACANT FOR OVER

[00:30:01]

SO, UM, IF PAY IS INSEPARABLE FOR OFFICE, AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

AND DOWN IN, UH, FOOTNOTE NINE, THERE'S SEVERAL, UH, COURT CASES, THERE'S AN OPINION FOR THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL, COUPLE OF THEM.

SO IT'S WELL DOCUMENTED AND IT'S A SHORT LITTLE PARAGRAPH.

A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY CANNOT SIMPLY ELIMINATE THE PAY OR BENEFIT FOR A LOCAL OFFICER IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS SITUATION.

SO IT'S KIND OF UPSETTING, UM, CUZ ALL THOSE VOTES THAT WERE TAKEN AND COUNSEL, THE PERSON SITTING AT THE CHAIR, UH, WAS VOTING ARE THOSE, ALL THOSE VOTES INVALID NOW AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND REDO ALL THOSE VOTES CUZ IT COULD HAVE CHANGED THE FIND THE, YOU KNOW, THE VOTE.

OKAY, IN PARAGRAPH 15, SORRY, IS THE TIME UP? YES, MA'AM.

MOTION LET THE SPEAKER FINISH.

PARDON? OH, SORRY.

THE TIME'S UP.

I'M SORRY.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

MOTION TO LET THE SPEAKER FINISH.

SECOND.

WELL, IT'S, TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

THE TIME, THE TIME'S UP.

OKAY.

IT'S GOT A, ANYWAY, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT.

PARAGRAPH 15 IS REALLY GOOD.

OKAY, THANK YOU MA'AM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT THAT BRINGS

[9. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED MOTION BY A MAYOR PROM GORDON APPROVING? THE CONSENT IS CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS IS PRESENTED.

I'LL SECOND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER KOLAR, I WAS GOING TO, IF PEOPLE WERE GONNA TAKE THE ITEMS OFF, I WAS GONNA ASK FOR 96, 97 TO BE PULLED, BUT I CAN JUST VOTE ACCORDINGLY.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? UH, BEFORE WE VOTE, I'D JUST LIKE TO MENTION ITEM NINE TWO.

UM, THIS IS, UH, TO ESTABLISH A SCHOOL ZONE ON FM 6 85, THEREBY THE HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, I SPECIFICALLY HAD A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD REACH OUT TERRENCE OWENS, AND HE WANTED TO THANK THE CITY FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT AND FOR DOING THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE'S WANTED TO HAVE DONE FOR A WHILE.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO PERSONALLY THANK AND EXTEND THAT THANKS TO OUR CITY MANAGER WHO WAS DRIVING ON THAT ROAD WHEN HE FIRST MOVED INTO HUTTO AND WONDERED WHY THERE WASN'T THE SCHOOLS ZONE THERE AND TOOK ACTION AND TOOK CARE OF IT.

SO THAT'S AWESOME.

MAYOR PRO.

TIM, WHILE I DO APPRECIATE THE KUDOS, I I WOULD BE REMISS TO MENTION THAT, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSONNEL AND THE CHIEF AND THE OF THE HUO ISD POLICE FORCE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO GET THAT DONE TOO.

SO IT WASN'T A A, A SINGLE PERSON THAT THAT CAUSED THAT TO HAPPEN, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE KUDOS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT TECHO AND GETTING THAT DONE.

FOR SURE.

THANK YOU.

WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, UM, FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS SCHOOL ZONES, THERE'S A PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED SINCE MAY OF, I BELIEVE IT WAS MAY OF 21.

AND SO FOR FUTURE REQUESTS, ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE SO THAT THERE'S NOBODY THAT HAS AN ISSUE.

YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL OR THE PRINCIPAL'S APPOINTEE MAKE A REQUEST TO THE CITY.

EACH REQUEST MUST INCLUDE A NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, OR THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, SCHOOL NAME, AND SCHOOL HOURS.

AN APPLICATION FOR A STUDY GOES TO THE CITY OF ENGINEERING'S DEPARTMENT.

IT'LL BE RETURNED TO THEM WITH THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. THE, UM, THE ORDINANCE HAS ALL THAT, AND THEN THERE'S ELIGIBILITY THAT'S IN THERE SO THAT IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR IN THE CITY COUNCIL WHO FEEL THAT SCHOOL ZONES SHOULD BE PUT IN INSTEAD OF WAITING, WE ALREADY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE.

AND, UM, THERE'S REALLY, IT'S A REALLY QUICK PROCESS.

SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE CAN REVIEW AS A CITY COUNCIL COMING UP.

UM, WHAT THOSE ENTAIL, MIKE, FOR, IF YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU, WHAT IS THE ORDINANCE NUMBER JUST FOR REFERENCE TO BE ABLE TO FIND IT A LITTLE FASTER? OH DASH 20 21, 29, CHAPTER 22.

ANYWAY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK DIRECTLY ON NINE SEVEN.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, GO GET

[00:35:01]

AND I BELIEVE BRINGING THE ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE AND HAVING MORE CONTROLS OVER IT IS GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL TO GET PROJECTS DONE AND MAYBE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROLS IN PLACE.

SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU MR. IP, FOR PUSHING THIS.

ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE COUNCIL MEMBER THORNTON AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER KOLAR AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER CLARK.

AYE.

MAYOR TIM GORDON.

AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SUTTON AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER KENZIE AYE.

MAYOR SNYDER.

AYE.

MOTION PASSES.

SIX ONE BRINGS US TO

[10.1. Public hearing, discussion, and possible action and approval of the first reading of an ordinance to create Hutto Megasite Tax Reinvestment Zone Number Three, (the “Zone”), for the purpose of promoting redevelopment within the corporate limits of the City of Hutto, providing for the expiration and duration of the Zone, the Board of Directors, the Tax Base and Tax Increment, and TIF Fund. (Legal)]

SO WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7 36.

IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FORMATION OF THIS TERMS. MAYOR.

COUNSEL, DO YOU WANT A PRESENTATION ON THE PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT THE PUBLIC HEARING'S ABOUT? IS THERE A PRESENTATION? YES.

OKAY.

I DIDN'T SAY THAT SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS OR NOT.

RIGHT.

UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING.

BOB FARLEY, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AS YOU KNOW, UM, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, IN ADDITION TO THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING ON PROJECTS, WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE TOOLS AND THE TOOLKIT THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT I BELIEVE HU'S GONNA HAVE GOING FORWARD.

AND I THINK, UH, WE SHARED WITH YOU ALL IN THE WORKSHOP PROBABLY A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, UM, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT A TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE LOOKS LIKE.

UM, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HIT A FEW OF THOSE SLIDES, UM, AGAIN, TONIGHT, AGAIN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE IN EVANGEL, YOU CAN GET THAT FIRST SECOND ONE UP, I GUESS.

UM, I'M SURE WHERE THE, WHICH ONE IS THIS? IT? WHICH ONE? IT'S THE SECOND SLIDE.

SORRY.

NOT THIS ONE.

NO, YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT ONE.

IT'S JUST THE SECOND, SECOND SLIDE IN THE, IN THE DECK.

THERE WE GO.

OKAY, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST THERE.

OKAY.

SO AGAIN, TURS IS A TOOL, UM, THAT'S COMMONLY USED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO FINANCE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY IN A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA.

UM, ESSENTIALLY IT'S GRABBING FUTURE TAX REVENUES FROM PARTICIPATING TAX UNITS AND THEY'RE USING THOSE INCREMENTS TO, UH, PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, IT'S USUALLY REFERRED TO AS ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE RECEIVED FROM THESE FUTURE PROPERTIES AS A TAX INCREMENT.

WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU KIND OF HOW THAT WORKS HERE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES.

AND TRAVIS, UH, JAMES FROM TXP WILL KIND OF GO THROUGH THE SAME, A LITTLE BIT FASTER PRESENTATION, BUT THE SAME GENERAL PRESENTATION AS WE USED IN THE WORKSHOP PREVIOUSLY.

UM, AGAIN, IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE POTENTIALLY LARGE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS TO BE MADE AND YOU WANT TO USE THE GROWTH THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN A VERY SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA TO HELP FUND THAT, UH, GOING FORWARD AND OBVIOUSLY AREAS LIKE THE MEGA SITE, WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED TONIGHT, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME SIGNIFICANT ROAD AND PERIPHERAL IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS ONSITE IMPROVEMENTS TO GET THE FULL BENEFIT OUT OF THAT, UM, AREA AND GET THE FULL TAX ADVANTAGE SO WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE GROUPS LIKE, UH, THE DATA CENTER FOLKS THAT CAN, CAN OCCUPY THIS SPACE AND, AND BUILD THE LONG TERM TAX BASE OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO IF YOU'LL GIVE US A FEW MINUTES, UH, TRAVIS WILL HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORKSHOP AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THE PUBLIC ASK YOU QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM FURTHER.

MAYOR COUNSEL AGAIN, TRAVIS JAMES WITH TXP SAME PRESENTATION YOU SAW BEFORE.

I'M JUST GONNA HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS TO GET THROUGH THIS QUICKLY, BUT JUST TO REMIND THE PUBLIC, WE, WE WENT OVER THIS LAST TIME, IT'S THE SAME SLIDE DECK.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN TERMS OF THE DURATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE TAX INCREMENT, THE BOUNDARIES, EVERYTHING IS THE SAME.

THIS IS THE GRAPHIC THAT EVERYBODY USES.

THERE'S A BASE VALUE THAT'S SET FOR 2022.

SO ALL THE REVENUE YOU'RE GETTING OFF THAT MILLION TO $2 MILLION YOU COLLECT, IT'S 50%.

A FUTURE TAX REVENUE FOR 25 YEARS WOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE TAX INCREMENT ACCOUNT.

YOU WOULD KEEP THE OTHER 50% JUST LIKE NORMAL.

I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND FOLKS, OOPS,

[00:40:01]

THERE WE GO.

IT'S NOT A TAX INCREASE.

THE TAX RATE GOES UP AND DOWN.

THIS DOESN'T IMPACT THE TAX OWNER, UH, THE TAXPAYERS OR THE CITIZENS AS WE TALKED ABOUT.

WE KEEP TRACK OF THAT WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

THAT'S PART OF THE BOUNDARY.

THESE WERE THE STEPS WE WENT OVER LAST TIME.

THESE ARE BY STATE LAW.

WE ARE CURRENTLY AT NUMBER THREE AND FOUR.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO ATTACHED TO YOUR PACKET IS THE PRELIMINARY PROJECT AND FINANCE PLAN.

WE ARE HAVING THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.

YOU WILL HOPEFULLY APPROVE THIS.

YOU THEN APPOINT BOARD MEMBERS.

THEY HAVE TO, AND I'LL HELP WORKING WITH BOB AND THE EDC AND DOTTIE CREATE WHAT'S CALLED THE FINAL PROJECT AND FINANCE PLAN.

THE TOURIST BOARD APPROVES IT AND IT COMES BACK TO YOU ONE MORE TIME.

SO YOU HAVE MULTIPLE OVERSIGHTS AND SAVES IN THIS PROCESS.

THIS IS JUST AN IMPORTANT STEP WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR.

WE HAVE TO DO IT BY THE END OF THE YEAR TO LOCK IN THAT 22 BASE VALUE.

IF WE SLIP IT ALL INTO 23, WE LOSE A YEAR.

SO THIS TOOL HAS TO GET PUT IN PLACE.

THE BOARD CAN MEET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

I KNOW WE'RE HITTING THE HOLIDAYS, WE CAN WORK ON THAT PRELIMINARY PLAN IN JANUARY.

BUT THE KEY IS TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN YOUR APPROVAL.

THIS IS THE BOUNDARY OF THE MEGA SITE TOUR.

AS YOU KNOW THIS BETTER THAN I DO, THIS IS IN YOUR PLAN AS WE TALKED LAST TIME, AND I HAVEN'T UPDATED IT.

SOME OF THESE PARCELS ARE NOW IN THE CITY LIMITS DUE TO THOSE PURCHASES.

SO THIS WILL BE UPDATED AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE WORK ON THAT FINAL PROJECT AND FINANCE PLAN.

BUT THIS WAS USING APPRAISAL DISTRICT DATA AND I KNOW WE NEED TO UPDATE THIS.

SO THAT WILL BE DONE IN THE FINAL, UM, PROJECT AND FINANCE PLAN.

WE TALKED LAST TIME ABOUT A COUPLE OF THE KNOWN PROJECTS WITHIN THE ZONE.

AGAIN, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TONIGHT ON THE PLANS FOR WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITHIN THE ZONE.

IT'S ABOUT 1500 ACRES.

MOST OF ITS AGRICULTURE.

IT HAS ABOUT A 1.6, 1.7 MILLION BASE VALUE.

THAT'S THE VALUE WE'LL LOCK IN FOR 22.

WE DID THE FORECAST.

25 YEAR FORECAST, ASSUMED BOTH HU AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY PARTICIPATE FOR THAT.

THEY EACH CONTRIBUTE, UH, 50% OF THEIR TAX INCREMENT.

I ASSUME THE 2.5% APPRECIATION THAT FLUCTUATES OVER TIME.

AND THEN WE TALKED LAST TIME ABOUT HOW I TOOK WHAT'S LIKELY THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN AND PHASED THAT IN OVER FIVE TO 10 YEARS.

AND THEN I JUST GREW THAT FORWARD FOR THE BALANCE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE DISCOUNT RATE LAST TIME.

IT COULD BE AROUND 150 MILLION NOMINAL.

IF YOU TOOK OUT A LOAN TODAY, SOMEONE MAY GIVE YOU ABOUT 75 MILLION IF YOU PAY THEM BACK WITH THAT 5% INTEREST.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT OVERPASSES INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

THE COST AND THE DETAILS BOB CAN SPEAK TO.

BUT THOSE THINGS WILL GET WORKED OUT IN THAT FINAL PROJECT AND FINANCE PLAN.

AND SO IN THAT PLAN WILL DO A BETTER JOB, WE'LL PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED ALLOCATION OF THOSE FUNDS AND HOW THEY'LL GET SPENT SORT OF BY THE BUCKETS.

AND SO IN THAT FINAL PROJECT AND FINANCE PLAN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.

INFRASTRUCTURE REIMBURSEMENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, ROADWAYS, OVERPASSES, ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO I KNOW I COVERED A LOT.

YOU HEARD THIS BEFORE AND I KNOW IT'S HERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE OR ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS TRAVIS.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO COME UP AND SPEAK NOW? RIGHT.

HEARING NONE.

IS THERE ANY ACTION FOR THE COUNSEL, MAYOR AND COUNSEL? YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU.

UM, AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU CAN CLOSE IT AT THIS TIME AND THEN, UH, TAKE UP THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ORDINANCE RIGHT THEN.