[(EDC) Board Meeting/(CDC) Board Meeting on March 10, 2025.]
[00:00:03]
OKAY.THE TIME IS NOW SIX THIRTY FOUR AND I CALL THIS HU, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TYPE A AND TYPE B BOARD OF DIRECTORS INTO ORDER.
MAY I GET A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? CHAIR CLANCY.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER MCLAUGHLIN HERE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALL PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD ONE.
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NOPE.
MOVING ALONG TO FIVE PRESENTATIONS, 5.1, DISCUSS AND TO CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING A PRESENTATION FROM SV CINEMAS, LLC OF AN UPDATE ON PROJECT V.
CHRIS, DO YOU WANNA TALK INTO THAT MIC? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PLUGGED IN UNDERNEATH IT.
WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH THE UPDATE FROM THE LAST 30 DAYS IN TERMS OF A CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN CHRIS WILL ALSO LAY OUT THE NEXT 30 DAYS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FINISH WITH OUR, UM, BRANDING TEAM AND GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION OF THE NAME.
BUT FIRST I WANTED TO UPDATE THE GROUP AS WELL AS WE'VE, UH, IDENTIFIED A GENERAL MANAGER AFTER A NATIONWIDE SEARCH.
UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A CANDIDATE WHO IS, UH, HAS DISNEY AND HIS BACKGROUND, 12 YEARS AT DISNEY PUTT SHACK.
HE'S ALSO BEEN WITH SKER, UM, AMUSEMENTS, WHICH THEY RUN A BUNCH OF AMUSEMENT PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM DOLLYWOOD ALL THE WAY TO JUST OTHER FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS.
UM, HE IS GOING TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF JUDO, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, HE'S GOING TO MOVE HIS FAMILY THERE.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE READY TO GO IN DELIVERING ON THAT PIECE AS WE HAVE SHARED WITH YOU LAST TIME.
SO FROM THERE, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS.
WELL, YOU'LL BE, UH, PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE OUR PROGRESS.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT AS WELL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE OUTSIDE IS COMING ALONG NICELY.
THIS IS THE, UH, THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
UM, WE'VE GOT EVEN STOREFRONT DOORS IN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE HARD TO SEE 'CAUSE THEY'RE BLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE, THE EXTERIOR, ALONG WITH THE EXTERIOR, THE PAINT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT, I THINK TWO WEEKS FROM GETTING ALL THE CONCRETE DOWN, WHICH WILL HELP SINCE WE'VE GOT FINISHES STARTING THE LOBBY, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE TO THE LEFT, THAT'S WHERE THE, THE GRAB AND GO CONCESSION WILL BE.
THE MIDDLE PHOTO IS KIND OF A LOOK AS YOU COME IN THE DOOR.
UM, YOU LOOK OVER THERE TO BOWLING TO YOUR RIGHT.
AND THEN THE, UH, AND THEN THE VERY RIGHT PICTURE IS LOOKING FROM THE AUDITORIUM CORRIDOR BACK DOWN INTO BOWLING.
THIS IS THE BOWLING AREA ITSELF.
THIS IS THE FAR LEFT PICTURE IS BEHIND BOWLING, ACTUALLY.
THAT'S THE, THE POWER IT TAKES TO RUN THOSE PIN SETTERS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BOWLING IS MOVING INTO FINISHES.
BOWLING EQUIPMENT ARRIVES THREE 16.
SO NEXT WEEK, KITCHEN IS COMING ALONG GREAT AS WELL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HOODS ARE UP, UM, MECHANICALS TYING INTO THE HOODS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY HANGING STAINLESS STEEL IN THAT CENTER PICTURE ON THE WALL.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE DEFINITELY IN FINISHED STAGE.
UM, THE CITY HAS WORKED WITH US, UH, YOU KNOW, ON ALL THE INSPECTIONS AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THEM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'VE GOT THE ELECTRICAL IN PHASES AND WE'RE OPENING IN PHASES.
HERE'S THE RESTROOMS. WE'VE GOT, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FLOOR, TILES IN THE WALL, TILES IN, UM, THEY'LL START, UH, MECHANICAL.
AND YOU'VE GOT SOME HARD LEAD CEILINGS GOING IN THERE, SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT IN YET.
THIS IS THE AUDITORIUMS. UM, THIS IS THE, UH, UM, THE SMALLER AUDITORIUMS. THEY'RE TO THIS POINT.
WE'VE GOT THE DRAPERY GUYS ACTUALLY STARTED TODAY.
IF YOU SEE THAT PINK INSTALLATION ON THE FAR RIGHT PICTURE, THAT'S ACTUALLY INSULATION AND THE DRAPE GUYS ACTUALLY STARTED TODAY.
THAT WILL ALL BE COVERED WITH DRAPERY.
[00:05:01]
THIS IS THE SDX AUDITORIUM, THE, OUR DOLBY ATMOS AUDITORIUM.AS YOU CAN SEE WHAT PHASE IT'S IN.
UM, THE INSTALLATION'S GOING UP ON THE SIDEWALL.
I'M, I IMAGINE THIS WAS A WEEK AGO, SO I IMAGINE THAT'S ALL UP BY NOW.
UM, CEILING'S GOING IN AND, UH, SO IT'S, IT'S COMING ALONG NICELY AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE THE, AS THE LEFT PICTURE THERE, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE STRUCTURAL STEEL THAT CARRIES DOWN.
UH, THAT'S PART OF THE STADIUM.
AND THEN YOUR, YOUR MIDDLE PICTURE IS ACTUALLY THE, THE VIEW OF THE SCREEN WALL.
UM, IT'S HARD TO SEE THERE, BUT THAT'S ALL YOUR SPEAKER WIRE CONDUIT COMING IN.
AND THEN THE IMAGE ON YOUR RIGHT IS THE CEILING ITSELF.
SO THE CEILING TILE IS ALREADY IN, UM, THE IMAX UH, SPEAKER BRACKETS ARE ALREADY ACTUALLY ON SITE AS WE LOOK INTO THE WOR AS THE FOUR WEEK LOOK AHEAD.
AND WE HAVE AUDITORIUM WALL D DRAPERY, LIKE I SAID, IT, IT ACTUALLY STARTED TODAY.
UM, BOEING EQUIPMENT STARTS NEXT WEEK, WHICH THAT ENTAILS.
THEY'LL BRING IN ALL THE EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THE, UM, UM, ALL THE LANES.
SO THEY START ON THE LANES AND THEN THE EQUIPMENT COMES IN.
TYPICALLY THE LANES WILL COME IN FIRST.
THEY'LL SET UP A TRUSS SYSTEM AND THEN THE LANES SET AND THEN THE PIN SETTERS COME IN.
UM, WEEK THREE IS THE KITCHEN EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION BEGINS.
UH, WEEK FOUR WE GET SEAT DELIVERY.
PART OF THAT WEEK FOUR, WE ALSO GET PROJECTION DELIVERY, INCLUDING THE IMAX EQUIPMENT.
SO ONCE THAT STARTS, THEN IT'S ON ABOUT A THREE WEEK PROCESS BEFORE WE'LL HAVE START HAVING IMAX IMAGE ON SCREEN.
SO WE'RE STILL ON SCHEDULE TO MEET THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR TURNOVER DATE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING REALLY, WELL BRING OUR HELMS TEAM UP.
DO THEY JUST NEED TO HIT THE CLICKER RIGHT WHERE IT WORKS AT? YEAH, I'M JUST GONNA LOAD IT UP 'CAUSE I SENT A PDF, SO I HAVE TO TRADE TRADE SPOTS HERE.
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
I'M GONNA HIT A BUTTON AND SEE IF IT'LL TRIGGER IT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TECH FOLKS UP HERE JUST NOT DISPLAYING? SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE, THE BIG SYSTEM OR NOT.
SO I DID OH, GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
YEAH, IF IT'S, IT'S ON YOUR SCREEN, IT SHOULD BE ON, ON THOSE SCREENS.
ALL RIGHT, DYLAN, LET ME TRY THE PROJECTOR'S RED.
WELL, PROBABLY IF WE WERE LOOKING OPEN SOMETHING.
WELL, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S NOT.
JUST IMAGINE IF WE WERE MESSING WITH IMAX.
GOOD THING WE'RE NOT BUILDING THE THEATER.
ARE WE GONNA BE OUT? UH, IT'S NOT HERE.
WE CAN GO, THE OTHER PRESENTATION WAS A POWERPOINT.
UM, WHERE THEY CAN PLUG AND GO.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL THOUGH, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM'S WIRED.
IT HAS TO COME FROM THIS LAPTOP.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF THESE CORDS DOES THAT.
[00:10:01]
GONNA TRY CONVERTING IT TO A P TRY A, UH, POWERPOINT.DO YOU HAVE IT SAVED AS A POWERPOINT BY ANY CHANCE? CAN I HAVE YOU PUT IT, UH, DO YOU HAVE A USB PORT? BECAUSE I HAVE YOU PUT IT ON A USB.
IS THAT OKAY? THAT MIGHT BE THE WAY TO DO IT.
IT'S JUST THE FILE CAME OVER AS A PDF INSTEAD POWERPOINT.
AND LIKE, I MEAN, SHE CAN SEE IT ON HER SCREEN, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT'S NOT.
IT'S NOT FOR SOME REASON IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT READING ON THE MONITORS.
WE CAN LET HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
THEN WE'D HAVE AN AWKWARD PAUSE THOUGH.
SO THEN I COULD ASK YOU WHAT FIVE THINGS DID YOU DO LAST WEEK AT WORK?
WHILE WE GET THIS FIGURED OUT, IT THEN SHALL NOT.
I'M TRYING TO GET IT TO DISPLAY, BUT IT'S A PDF, NOT A GO, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, PDF DF EVEN WHEN YOU GO TO FULL SCREEN, IT WON'T.
DID YOU TRY TO CONVERT, RECOGNIZE IT IT TO PDFS? THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST, I THINK SHE WAS JUST SAYING WE'LL GET OUT THE FORM FOAM CORD OF FORM FOAM CORE EASEL PANELS.
WE CAN ALL GATHER ON MY PHONE AND LOOK AT ON
HOW ABOUT YEAH, BIRDS? OH, THAT'S WEEK.
WE THINK OF LIKE, UH, ACE VENTURA PET DETECTIVE.
OH LOOK, THERE'S, YEAH, WHATEVER THAT IS.
WHERE, WHERE'S THE, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, THAT'S THE DESKTOP.
OH, HERE WE IT TA INTER STAGE.
OH, WHEN OUR CURSOR IS LIKE ON ANOTHER SCREEN.
DO YOU WANT ME TO, I CAN KIND OF SEE, YEAH.
I DON'T THINK HIS CLICKER CLOSE THE TOOLS.
YOU PROBABLY JUST HAVE TO DO, CAN YOU DO DOWN PAGE DOWN? HOLD ON, GIMME A SECOND.
JUST CLOSE THE TOOLS AND IT'LL TAKE, IT'LL GO FULL.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO DO FULL SCREEN MODE.
WHERE IS THAT? DOWN? RIGHT THERE.
NOW SEE IF YOUR CLICKER WORKS.
MOMENT OF TRUTH PEOPLE, HERE WE GO.
GO BACK BECAUSE I HAVE ANOTHER POWERPOINT AFTER THIS.
[00:15:02]
GUYS, I'M CHRISTIAN HELM.UM, I'M THE FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL AT HELMS WORKSHOP DOWN IN AUSTIN.
UM, I'M JOINED BY RYAN KITCHEN'S, PARTNER IN BRAND MANAGER AND ALLY RUBINO, OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR.
AND WE'RE THE TEAM WORKING WITH, UH, THE EV TEAM ON THE CINEMA BRAND.
UM, AND ESSENTIALLY JUST WANTED TO COME IN TODAY AND SHOW YOU GUYS A LITTLE PEEK AT THAT SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THINGS ARE EVOLVING.
YOU CAN TELL WE'RE A BRAND AGENCY 'CAUSE WE WERE SHOWING OUR WORK AT THE VERY BEGINNING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT NECESSARY AT ALL.
UM, THAT'S WHAT BRANDING AGENCIES DO.
SO WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2010.
UM, WE'RE A FULL SERVICE BRAND AGENCY.
UM, AND WE REALLY SPECIALIZE IN HOSPITALITY AND CONSUMER GOODS.
UM, WE'VE CARVED OUT A NICHE TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON BRANDS THAT PEOPLE REALLY LOVE AND ENJOY AND ARE EXCITED BY, WHICH SOUNDS PRETTY OBVIOUS, BUT IT'S SORT OF A RARE THING IN OUR INDUSTRY AND WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR IT.
UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHY OUR AGENCY EXISTS, IT'S NUMBER ONE REASON IS TO BUILD BRANDS THAT BRING JOY AND VALUE TO PEOPLE'S LIVES.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS WHERE WE BRAG ON A BUNCH OF OUR CLIENTS, SOME GREAT TEXAS BRANDS LIKE HOWER BROTHERS, HEB, KOVAS, UM, BIG NATIONAL BRANDS LIKE HERSHEY, UH, TARGET, ET CETERA.
UM, IN OUR 15 YEARS WE'VE HAD A REALLY WONDERFUL LIST OF COLLABORATORS AND ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE HOOKY BRAND.
YOU'LL START TO GET YOUR FIRST LOOKS HERE.
SO ONE OF THE ANALOGIES THAT'S USED, UM, INTERNALLY WITH OUR TEAM THAT I'VE ALWAYS REALLY ENJOYED IS THE GOAL WITH THIS BRAND AND THIS VENTURE AND THESE LOCATIONS IS IF YOU'RE EXPECTING KIND OF AN HEB LEVEL, THEY WANNA DELIVER SORT OF A WHOLE FOODS FLAGSHIP LEVEL EXPERIENCE.
UM, SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT EVO WAS, THIS IS BIGGER, BETTER, STRONGER, FASTER, MORE EXCITING, MORE INVOLVED, UM, AND MORE ELEVATED, UM, WHILE STILL BEING REALLY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS.
UM, THIS KIND OF GETS TO THE HEART OF HOOKY AND THE INTENT BEHIND IT.
UM, THE IDEA OF PLAYING HOOKY FROM THE DAILY GRIND FROM YOUR COUCH AND PLAYING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE RIGHT UP THERE THAT YOU CAN SEE.
BUT THE BIG IDEA IS, UH, HOOKY WANTS TO CREATE THIS CALL TO ACTION FOR PEOPLE TO GET OFF THEIR PHONES, GET OFF THE COUCH, GET TOGETHER AND GO TO A PLACE THAT'S ACTIVE AND SOCIAL AND HAS VARIETY WHERE THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY WHERE YOU CAN REALLY INTERACT AND ENJOY YOURSELVES AS A FAMILY OR WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS.
GET A LOOK HERE AT WHAT THE EXTERIOR WILL LOOK LIKE.
FUN GRAPHICS IN THE BOWLING AREA.
LOTS OF FUN BRAND LANGUAGE WITH THIS.
AND THEN WE ALSO RAN FOCUS GROUPS WITH FOLKS 25 TO 55 IN REPRESENTATIVE, UM, POOLS ACROSS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE THE BRAND WILL LIVE.
AND GOT SOME REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE, I LIKE THE NAME.
IT STANDS OUT, IT'S NOT A BASIC NAME.
AND THAT GRABS MY ATTENTION AND PIQUES INTEREST.
UM, HOOKY SEEMS LIKE IT CATERS TO ALL AGE GROUPS.
SO FOR US ADULTS, THE KIDS, IT SEEMS TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, ET CETERA.
ANOTHER LOOK AT SOME OF THE MORE WORKING GRAPHICS IN THE BRAND SYSTEM, WHAT SOME OF THE MARKETING AND ADVERTISING MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
HEY, EVERYBODY LOVES POPCORN AND IT GOES ON.
UM, IT'S CLEVER, IT'S CUTE, IT DOES MAKE IT STICK OUT.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY VISIT, UM, IT WOULD PIQUE MY INTEREST.
UM, JUST FOR THE NAME, YES, THAT'S RYAN, A MOTHER OF TWO.
SO IT'S A REALLY FUN, VIBRANT, ENERGETIC SYSTEM THAT MATCHES THE ENERGY OF THE PLACE.
UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO A FORMER EVO AND WHEN YOU VISIT A HOOKY, IT'S A VERY KINETIC, UH, ENERGIZING, UM, JUST ACTIVE PLACE.
AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO CAPTURE THAT WITH THE BRANDING OR QUOTE.
IT'S CATCHING, KIND OF MAKES YOU THINK I'D BE LIKE, HEY GUYS, WANNA GO PLAY HOOKY? LET'S GO.
SO WHERE DID YOU GET THIS FEEDBACK? UM, YOU SAID 25 TO 55 YEAR OLDS.
UM, YEAH, WE RAN FOCUS GROUPS IN ALL OF THE REPRESENTATIVE N NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE A HOOKY, UM, BETWEEN 25 AND 55.
[00:20:02]
IT'S ALL OVER.SO THERE WERE CANDIDATES FROM UH, ACTUALLY BRETT IS RYAN, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC? 'CAUSE WE WE'RE BEING RECORDED.
THERE ARE FOLKS ACROSS EACH OF THE MARKETS.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME REAL QUICK? OH, RYAN KITCHENS.
UM, FROM FOLKS FROM FLORIDA, TEXAS, UH, INTO NORTH CAROLINA AS WELL.
SO THERE WAS A VARIETY OF FOLKS.
UM, BRETT, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE ACTUALLY IS IN ROUND ROCK, UM, WAS WHERE HE WAS FROM, BUT UM, THE WOMAN RYAN WAS BASED IN FLORIDA.
SO IT VARIES JUST BASED ON, UH, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT MARKETS THAT THE, THE BRAND IS ULTIMATELY GONNA BE IN.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE POLL GROUP WAS COMING FROM.
IT'S A PRETTY BROAD RANGE OF GEOGRAPHY.
CAN YOU POSSIBLY GO BACK TO THE FRONT? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU'D LIKE ME TO PAUSE.
SO ARE WE, IS THIS WHAT THE FRONT WHEEL LOOK LIKE? IS THIS THE FINAL? YES.
AT THIS STAGE THAT IS THE REP REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EXTERIOR.
THERE IS ONE SECTION, LIKE IF YOU COMPARE THIS NEXT TO CHRIS'S PHOTO WHERE THAT PATTERN IS ON THE, THE FRONT LEFT THAT IS NOW A, A FLAT WALL.
UM, THERE, SO THERE ARE SOME, SOME MINOR DETAILS THAT SHIFT.
BUT OVERALL FROM WHERE SIGNAGE IS PLACED, THE INFORMATION OF THE SIGNAGE, UM, OVERALL, UM, COLOR AND LOOK, UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT PATTERN AREA, UH, THE REST OF IT IS REPRESENTATIVE.
WERE THERE OTHER NAMES, UM, THAT YOU PLAYED AROUND WITH? OR IS THIS THE ONLY NAME THAT YOU HAD ASKED, UM, YOUR, UH, FEEDBACK POOL FROM? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE START WITH A LIST OF OVER 100 NAMES, UM, THAT GETS NARROWED DOWN TO 30 THAT COME INTO TRADEMARK, ET CETERA.
AND THEN THAT GETS NARROWED DOWN EVEN FURTHER.
UM, SO THERE ARE ALWAYS A HOST OF NAMES THAT YOU LOVE THAT GET RULED OUT.
'CAUSE THERE'S A PLACE IN POUGHKEEPSIE THAT HAS A SIMILAR NAME AND YOU CAN'T USE IT.
UM, SO IT'S A SORT OF CULLING OF THE HERD EXERCISE FOR SURE.
UM, ONE COMMENT AND THEN A QUESTION.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE, I MEAN, I SAW THE, THE EMAIL THAT THAT CHENEY SENT OUT BEFORE THIS MEETING AND I SAW THE NAME AND I WAS LIKE, HMM, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THEN SEEING IT ON THE SCREEN, I GET IT.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE KIND OF SLIGHTLY VINTAGE RETRO VIBE IS THAT, AND THEN THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT GOING TO BE CARRIED THROUGH THE REST OF THE CONCEPT? RIGHT.
DEFINITELY IS SLIGHTLY RETRO, VINTAGE.
THERE'S AN OLD MEETS NEW RIGHT.
UM, ASPECT TO IT AND ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AND, AND IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THAT REACTION, THE NAME INITIALLY, BECAUSE IF YOU SEE JUST A WORD ON A PIECE OF PAPER, IT CAN MEAN ANYTHING TO ANY ANYBODY.
IT'S THE INTENT BEHIND IT, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH IT, AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE IT WITH PEOPLE THAT REALLY CREATES THE VALUE FOR THAT NAME.
UM, AND FUNNY ENOUGH, IN AN INFORMAL POLL OF MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS, UM, AT HILL COUNTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN AUSTIN, ABOUT 75 KIDS, LESS THAN 10% HAD EVER EVEN HEARD THE WORD HOOKY.
IT'S WE'RE DRAGGING SOMETHING FROM THE PAST SURE.
INTO THE FUTURE AND RECLAIMING IT.
ANYTHING ELSE Y'ALL, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO I WAS WONDERING ON THE OTHER NAMES THAT, YOU KNOW, WERE CU AND IT, YOU HAD MAYBE SAY FIVE, WERE THERE ANY OTHER NAMES THAT WERE CLOSE TO HOOKY CLOSE IN TERMS OF LIKE, UM, IN RATING AND LIKE ABILITY AND ALL THAT CAME OUT OF THE FOCUS GROUPS? THERE'S A VARIETY IN THERE.
SOME OF WHICH HAD MORE, UH, AFFINITY AND SOME HA HAD LESS.
BUT THIS IS REALLY THE NAME THAT WE DUG THE DEEPEST WITH FOLKS ON ACTUAL, LIKE, EXPERIENCE AROUND IT AND HOW IT LOOKED A BIG PART OF IT'S OWN ABILITY TOO, WHERE YOU CAN STAND OUT AND REALLY OWN SOMETHING IN THE MARKET AND IT'S UNIQUENESS REALLY HELPS WITH THAT.
KIND OF A RELATED QUESTION, BUT BACK TO OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM.
I KNOW THAT THE CITY SIGN PROCESS TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IRRESPECTIVE OF, OF THE NAME, BUT HAVE Y'ALL ALREADY STARTED THE SIGN PERMITTING PROCESS? YES, SIR.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS BACK AND WE'RE, WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
'CAUSE WE ARE IN, WE WILL NEED YOUR HELP MOVING THAT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
[00:25:01]
I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT THAT.UM, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THE NAME BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT ENTAILS A CERTAIN CONNOTATION.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU GUYS COULD PUT TOGETHER ANOTHER NAME INSTEAD OF HOOKY, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL FOR ME.
THAT'S MY PERSONAL COMMENT AROUND THAT NAME.
HOW DOES EVERYBODY ELSE FEEL? DOES ANYONE, DO YOU, Y'ALL LIKE THE NAME.
OH, YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO DO? YEAH, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, UM, CONSIDERING ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, FACTORS THAT WERE IN PLAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, OUR PURVIEW TO TELL A PRIVATE BUSINESS WHAT TO NAME THEMSELVES.
UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF THE NAME, I'M, I'M EXCITED FOR THIS, FOR THIS PROJECT TO COME TO FRUITION FOR THE CITIZENS OF HU AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO OUR GRAND OPENING.
WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE NAME TOO.
WE'RE ROLLING IT OUT NATIONWIDE, SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH IT.
I, UM, JUST ONE, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT TOO.
UM, I REALIZE THE, THE ARDUOUS WORK IT IS TO COME UP WITH A BRAND NEW BRAND.
UM, AND ALSO THAT THAT INVESTMENT IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 11 LOCATIONS.
UM, PERSONALLY I THINK IT'S KIND OF COOL, UM, AND I'M EXCITED FOR IT.
SO THAT'S MY PERSONAL COMMENT.
MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO 5.2, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON A, A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF REGARDING THE BIZ THRIVE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION EFFORTS.
HOW DOES, HAD TO THINK FOR A SECOND.
UM, HI, MY NAME IS EMILY VITROS.
I AM THE BUSINESS RESOURCE SPECIALIST WITH THE CITY OF HU.
UM, AND ESSENTIALLY THE POINT OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO SHOWCASE THE WORK AND EFFORTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS ON THE BRE PROGRAM.
UM, MULTIPLE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, AND THEN SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS SOME MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'M SURE Y'ALL CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE A BLANKET SUMMARY OF WHAT, UM, THE PROGRAM DOES ENTAIL.
SO BRE IS BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION.
UM, SO OUR PROGRAM WITH HURO, AKA BIS THRIVE IS AN INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON THE PROSPERITY OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO SUPPORT SUCCESS THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO RESOURCES IN KEY AREAS SUCH AS BUSINESS EXPANSION, PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SOURCES OF FUNDING.
UM, WE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS AND WORK TOWARDS COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS.
SO WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE DO HAVE THREE DIFFERENT VALUE ADDS.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE OUR BUILDING BUSINESS SUCCESS EVENTS, AND THEN WE DO HAVE OUR ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS AS WELL AS A BUSINESS DIRECTORY AND CRM SOFTWARE.
SO THIS GRAPHIC RIGHT HERE, THIS IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE BIZ THRIVE EVENT THAT WE DID HAVE THIS PAST TUESDAY ON MARCH 4TH.
UM, SO THESE ARE GONNA BE QUARTERLY EVENTS, UM, THAT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY OR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS TO ATTEND A DISCUSSION, UM, FOR AN AREA OF BUSINESS THAT THEY WILL SEEK UNDERSTANDING.
THIS PROJECT INCLUDED INQUIRING PANELISTS, CONFIRMING CATERING AND WINE, CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION OF MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THIS FIRST SESSION, UM, WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED.
UM, IT WAS CALLED FINANCING AND TAXES FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS.
WE HAD SOMEBODY WITH SBDC SCORE, AUSTIN, UM, A LOCAL CPA.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD SOMEONE FROM JP MORGAN CHASE.
SO SBDC, JUST TO INFORM AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, EXCUSE ME.
UM, THEY PROVIDE COUNSELING AND TRAINING TO SMALL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING WORKING WITH THE BUS, UH, SMALL BUSINESS, UH, ADMINISTRATION, OR SBA TYPICALLY CALLED TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE INFORMATIONAL TOOLS TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES, STARTUPS, AND EXISTING, UH, BUSINESS EXPANSION.
UM, AND THEN SCORE AUSTIN IS ANOTHER RESOURCES RESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, THEY HAVE MENTORS THAT ARE EXPERIENCED ENTREPRENEURS OR HIGHER EXECUTIVES, UM, OR ANY KIND OF CORPORATE MANAGERS, AND THEY OFFER THEIR TIME ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
UM, SO I WANTED TO JUST EXPLAIN THOSE TWO.
UM, IT'S A COMMON ACRONYM WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE TO JUST PROVIDE CLARITY AS WELL.
[00:30:01]
TO THE TALKING POINT EARLIER, WE DID HAVE 14 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.WE HAD 26 OVERALL RSVPS, BUT DUE TO THE WEATHER AND SOME CANCELING OF THINGS, WE DID HAVE, UM, A PRETTY DECENT TURNOUT.
UM, WE HAD 11 PEOPLE WHO RSVP'D AND THEN THREE WHO DIDN'T.
SO THAT'S A GREAT TURNOUT AS WELL.
AND WHEN WE CONTINUE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD THAT WITH THESE QUARTERLY EVENTS, WE HOPE THAT THE NUMBER WILL GROW IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, I WILL SAY WE, UM, HAD EVERYONE WHO STAYED THROUGH THE PANEL AND THE NETWORKING PIECE, SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE AS WELL, AGAIN, WITH THE WEATHER BEING CONSIDERED.
UM, AND WE DID OFFER A NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY AND WE HAD, UM, WINE FROM HUDDLE, WINE BAR, AND, UM, SMALL APPETIZERS FROM HAPPY PANINI.
SO WE GOT TO SUPPORT TWO LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, WITH THE EDC FUNDS.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THOSE FUNDS.
UM, AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE, IT WOULDN'T, UM, ALLOW US TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF RESOURCE THAT WE DID FOR THESE BUSINESSES.
AND IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO GIVE BACK AND SHOW APPRECIATION TO THOSE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE DECIDED AND SELECTED TO DO THEIR BUSINESS IN HURO.
UM, CURRENTLY I'M IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR JUNE'S EVENT, UM, AS WELL AS BUSINESS DEPRECIATION EVENTS, UM, FOR THE WEEK OF NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY.
UM, I WILL HAVE DATES ONCE THEY GET FINALIZED, AND IF Y'ALL ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME IN ATTENDANCE IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
SO, UM, AND ESSENTIALLY THE TWO EVENTS IN MAY, UM, THEY'RE EACH GONNA BE A MORNING EVENT AND WE'RE GONNA OFFER A COFFEE AND PASTRY, UM, TO, EXCUSE ME, UM, TWO BUSINESS OWNERS OR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS TO GET COFFEE AND A PASTRY ON BEHALF OF THE CORPORATION.
UM, AS WELL AS I WILL BE THERE AND PRESENT TO PROVIDE ANY RESOURCES AND BE A PIECE, UM, TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND BUILD THAT, UH, RELATIONSHIP AND KIND OF CULTIVATE AND JUST DISCUSS.
UM, I'M ALSO PLANNING OUT MARKETING MATERIALS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE.
UM, I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE STILL NOT AWARE OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER AND THAT IT'S A FREE RESOURCE.
UM, SO BEING THERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IS ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO AND WORK ON WITH HAVING PHYSICAL MATERIALS.
UM, BUT YEAH, SO THAT'S JUST A QUICK LITTLE, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THOSE QUARTERLY EVENTS.
SO NEXT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON OUR CRM.
SO THIS IS OUR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
UM, THIS ESSENTIALLY IS AN AREA FOR ME TO UTILIZE ON THE BACKEND SO THAT I CAN KEEP ALL BUSINESS CONTENT AND, UM, ACCOUNT INFORMATION CORRECT.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW WITH SMALL BUSINESSES COMING IN AND OUT, SOMETIMES UM, INFORMATION GETS UPDATED.
UM, SO IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON UPDATING ALL INFORMATION AS WELL AS UPDATING ANY NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE, UM, CLOSING OUT ANY OLD BUSINESSES.
UM, AND SO THE ONE-ON-ONE VISITS, I WILL SAY, UH, CURRENTLY AT THIS MOMENT, UM, FROM OCTOBER 15TH WHEN I STARTED TO THIS PAST FRIDAY, UM, WE'RE AT 52 VISITS.
UM, I DID HAVE A VISIT THIS MORNING WITH ANOTHER, UH, BUSINESS THAT JUST MOVED AND HAS THEIR BRICK AND MORTAR, UM, IN THE AFFORDABLE STORAGE AREA, FERRY, FREEZE.
UM, AND THEN I DID MEET WITH THE CTE PROGRAM.
SO BOTH OF THOSE VISITS ARE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR, UM, WHEN THIS DATA WAS PULLED.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY THESE BUSINESS VISITS HAVE RANGED FROM ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THE HIPPO, HIPPO CLAUSE, CRAWL, STOP RECRUITMENT, UFD RECRUITMENT OR BUSINESS NEEDS, WHETHER THAT BE WORKFORCE EXPANSION PLANS, FINANCING OR PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY, OR ANY OTHER NEEDS THAT THEY MAY HAVE, UM, THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, UM, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE ABOUT FIVE MONTHS, UM, SO I'M STILL CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SURE AND UPDATING THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AGAIN, TO THE POINT, YOU KNOW, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VISITS, UM, PER MONTH, IDEALLY, UM, DEPENDING ON A BUSINESS'S SEASONALITY, UM, KIND OF MAKE SURE AND TIE THEM DOWN AND JUST, UH, AGAIN, OFFER THAT OPPORTUNITY OF THE RESOURCE THAT I AM, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEY CAN HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO THIS AGAIN, IS AN ONGOING PROJECT WITH MY ROLE, UM, AS NEW BUSINESSES COME IN AND DEVELOPERS, UM, UM, AND DEVELOPMENT GETS COMPLETED.
SO, UM, JUST QUICK LITTLE SYNOPSIS ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT SOUNDS REALLY EXCITING.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHEN YOU DO GO AND VISIT WITH THEM ONE ON ONE MM-HMM
SO, AND YOU SAY YOU SHARE WITH THEM THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
SO WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF RESOURCES DID YOU SHARE THAT ARE AVAILABLE? UM, SO TYPICALLY IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION AT HAND.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, I DO HAVE A TALKING POINT ABOUT, UH, PROJECT MAESTRO.
UM, SO WITH THEM SPECIFICALLY IT WAS A WORKFORCE SNEEZE.
UM, SO AT ONE POINT WE DECIDED FROM WHEN I STARTED ON, WE WERE GOING TO BUILD A PARTNERSHIP WITH TSTC.
'CAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE AN EXISTING RELATIONSHIP WITH HU OISD, WITH THEIR CTE PROGRAM.
UM, AND WORKED WITH HIM TO DISCUSS, UM, DIFFERENT OF SUBJECTS, WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO PUT YOUR ADVERTISING ON THEIR ONLINE DASHBOARD? DO YOU NEED TO ATTEND CAREER DAY, CAREER DAY FAIRS? DO YOU NEED TO CREATE JOB FAIRS? UM, HOW IS YOUR PARTNERSHIP CURRENTLY WITH THE ISC,
[00:35:01]
YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.UM, I WILL SAY TYPICALLY FOR SOME OTHER MEETINGS, IF I CAN GIVE THEM A LINK, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO LIKE SBDC THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, OR SCORE, UM, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, UM, IT STATEWIDE, UM, INCENTIVES AND GRANTS.
UM, I'LL SEND A LINK ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR.
THEY HAVE, UM, A GREAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS LIBRARY.
BUT I TRY AND GIVE THEM AS MUCH INFORMATION THAT I CAN PROVIDE.
AND IF I DON'T KNOW SOMETHING, I THEN GO AND RESEARCH TO SEE IF I CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATION.
OR MAYBE THEY HAVE TO SEEK AN ALTERNATIVE.
TYPICALLY I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET ALL THE INFORMATION FROM ME, BUT YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
DO WE HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN A, IN HATO? UM, SO YES, THAT IS ON MY NEXT SLIDE ON THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE 431 DISPLAYED ON THE DIRECTORY, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THE CRM THAT'S A DIFFERENT, WELL THE CRM AND DIRECTORY ARE TECHNICALLY TWO DIFFERENT, BUT THEY TIE INTO EACH OTHER.
UM, BUT 431, SO I JUST MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, THEIR BUSINESS IS IN HURO, SO I JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO COME.
SO IT COULD VARY, BUT RIGHT NOW, 4 31.
AND SO YOU SAID, HOW MANY TIMES A MONTH ARE YOU VISITING WITH OR A WEEK? IT DEPENDS.
UM, SO 52 IN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, I'VE MET WITH FOUR OR FIVE TIMES.
UM, AGAIN, IT RE REALLY DEPENDS ON THEIR SEASONALITY.
UM, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE IN AN AREA SOMETIMES CAN BE DIFFICULT 'CAUSE LIFE, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF WORK, THAT'S ALWAYS A FUN THING.
BUT, UM, IDEALLY AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HIT A MARK IF POSSIBLE.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE A THREAD OF COMMON NEEDS THAT YOU'RE FINDING WHEN YOU GO MEET WITH THESE BUSINESSES? UM, I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ONE OFF THE TOP OF MY MIND.
UM, I WILL SAY A COMMONALITY WOULD BE MAYBE FINANCIAL.
UM, SO I DO LET THEM KNOW WHERE OF LIKE WHAT PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD, UM, EVEN FROM A STATEWIDE LEVEL.
UM, EVER SINCE COVID-19, WE'VE NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SHIFT IS DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THERE ARE REALLY COMPETITIVE PEOPLE IN THE AREA.
UM, SO AGAIN, SINCE I'M STILL NEW TO THE INDUSTRY, UM, I DON'T HAVE A HARD DEFINITE ANSWER.
IT REALLY IS KIND OF SITUATIONAL.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? I WOULD JUST ADD YOUR EARLIER PRESENTATION.
DID YOU DO ANY SURVEYS OF THE ATTENDEES TO GATHER ANY DATA FROM YOUR, YOUR PERSPECTIVE? YES, SIR.
SO, UH, A SURVEY DID GO, UM, OUT TO THE ATTENDEES.
I JUST HAVEN'T, UM, EXPORTED THAT FILE AT THE MOMENT, BUT I BELIEVE I'VE HAD EIGHT OR NINE, UM, JUST TO GET ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK, WHETHER THAT BE IN REGARDS TO SOMETHING I DID, DID THEY LIKE AN ASPECT, WHAT ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN, UM, REALLY UTILIZE WITH THE NEXT ONE? DO WE NEED A BIGGER SPACE? THOSE THINGS.
UM, AS WELL AS THE SURVEY DID GO OUT TO THE PANELISTS.
SO EVERYONE WHO IS IN IN ATTENDANCE OUTSIDE OF STAFF, THEY DID RECEIVE A SURVEY.
AND I THINK THAT'LL HELP US WITH BUDGETING AND HELP YOU SO THAT IF THE EDC IS GOING TO USE TARGETED DOLLARS MM-HMM
TO ENHANCE THIS AND, AND CONTINUE THIS, UH, MOVING FORWARD, THE SURVEY INFORMATION PROBABLY WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY FOR YOU BUT TO SHARE WITH US MM-HMM
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY THEN IT HAS TO GO THROUGH APPROVAL PROCESS, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
I MIGHT, I MIGHT ADD TO THAT WE DON'T WANNA HAVE A BLIND SPOT AND BY NOT ASKING THEM ARE WE, ARE WE HITTING THE MARK? MM-HMM
ARE YOU GETTING THE RESOURCES YOU NEED? IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT HUDU CAN DO? MM-HMM
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DEFINITELY AM, UM, I PRIDE MYSELF IN.
I LIKE TO OVER COMMUNICATE 'CAUSE I WOULD RATHER HAVE TOO MUCH OF CONTEXT VERSUS A LITTLE AT ALL.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH HOW QUICKLY WE'RE GROWING.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS INFORMED AND UP TO DATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN UTILIZE AND MAKE SURE THAT I'M SPREADING AWARENESS, I TRY AND DO AS WELL.
UM, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE MEETING IN JUNE.
SO HAVE YOU GUYS, UM, DID I MISS THE, THE, WHAT THE FORMAT OF THAT MEETING IS GONNA BE? OR, OR THE CONTENT? ARE YOU STILL PREPARING THAT AT THIS POINT? UM, SO I AM STILL PREPARING THAT.
UM, WE JUST HAD THIS ONE THIS PAST TUESDAY, AND THAT'S THE FIRST ONE I'VE DONE FOR THE YEAR.
UM, I WANNA FOLLOW A SIMILAR FORMAT, UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO INVESTIGATING WHAT WAYS, AGAIN, WE CAN IMPROVE ON AND WHAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LOOSEN THE REINS ON X, Y, Z.
UM, SO AS SOON AS I HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND WE KIND OF HARDEN A DATE, UM, AND PICK A VENUE AND ALL OF THAT, I WILL MAKE SURE TO COMMUNICATE THAT OUT.
EMILY, DID YOU HAVE OTHER SLIDES? I DO.
I WAS WAITING UNTIL THE END TO ASK MY QUESTION.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, UH, THIS AGAIN, UH, ONE-ON-ONE
[00:40:01]
BUSINESS VISITS.THIS IS SOMETHING I, UH, REALLY TAKE PRIDE IN AND, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO DO MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UM, AGAIN, REFERENCING THE BLUE.DIRECTORY, UM, THIS IS WHAT A CONSUMER WOULD SEE IF THEY ARE NOT ON THE BACKEND.
UM, SO YOU CAN AGAIN, SEE A GRAPHIC OF THE MAP, UM, TO THE RIGHT THAT LISTS ALL THE BUSINESSES.
SO THERE'S 431, AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE LISTED THERE TO THE LEFT.
UM, SO LIKE 365 NAIL STUDIO, THREE T SEPTIC SERVICES, UM, 5 1 2 AUTO REPAIR, UH, 5 3 1 FLORIST.
THEY'RE IN, UH, HIGHLIGHTS OF HURO.
UM, WE DO UTILIZE THIS BUSINESS DIRECTORY, UM, BECAUSE A BUSINESS, NOT ONLY CAN I MANUALLY UPDATE THAT INFORMATION, A BUSINESS CAN ALSO GO IN AND UPDATE THAT INFORMATION.
SO IF THEIR HOURS OF OPERATION CHANGE, UM, IF THEIR WEBSITE CHANGES, IF THEY HAVE ANY KIND OF EDITS TO SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS, THEY CAN THEN GO ON THAT END AND MAKE AN EDIT.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NAME IS VERIFIED WITHIN THEIR ACCOUNT AND THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE CHANGES.
UM, SO AGAIN, UM, OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS, I'VE BEEN MAKING SURE TO, UM, KEEP UP TO DATE WITH BUSINESS INFORMATION, CONTACT INFORMATION, OR ANY OR ALL OTHER ACCOUNT INFORMATION.
UM, AS I CONTINUE TO OUTREACH AND SCHEDULE MEETINGS, UM, I HAVE ALSO BEEN, AGAIN, IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING ANY KIND OF OLD BUSINESSES, UM, TO AGAIN THE POINT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL, UH, INFORMATION IS UP TO DATE.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, DISCUSS SHOP SMALL SATURDAY.
THIS WAS INITIATIVE THAT I WAS A PART OF, UM, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD IN OCTOBER.
UM, SO THIS PAST YEAR, SO 2024, UM, WE, UH, HAD SHOP SMALL SATURDAY, UM, WHICH IS THE SATURDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING.
UM, AND WE, UH, VOICE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL.
UM, SO WE DECIDED TO DO AN ONLINE COMP CAMPAIGN AND PARTNER WITH EFD.
SO EFD IS A FREE MARKETING TOOL FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS TO SHOWCASE THEIR BUSINESS ON A COMMUNITY DIGITAL GIFT CARD.
THE COMMUNITY DI DIGITAL GIFT CARD, EXCUSE ME.
UM, IT ALLOWS RECEIVERS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES BY PURCHASING GOODS OR SERVICES, UM, FROM THE LIST OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE OPTING INTO THE PROGRAM.
WHEN A BUSINESS SIGNS UP, THEY'RE THEN ADDED TO A LIST OF PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES AS REPRESENTED TO THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT.
UM, THAT'S A GRAPHIC THAT I, UM, WORKED ALONGSIDE WITH OUR MARKETING ANALYST, JENNIFER DECON.
UM, SO CURRENTLY WE'RE AT 19 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING.
UM, WHEN I JOINED THE ORGANIZATION IN OCTOBER OF 2024, WE HAD 11 BUSINESSES ACTIVE SINCE 2022.
UM, FROM NOVEMBER, 2024 TO DECEMBER, 2024.
SO ONE MONTH WE INCREASED TO 19 BUSINESSES.
SO WE HAD EIGHT NEW BUSINESSES THAT SIGNED UP.
UM, SO THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING FOR ME PERSONALLY.
UM, I WAS HAPPY TO GET THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE, UM, IN PARTICIPATING DUE TO BUSINESSES.
UM, SO THE EFFORTS BEHIND THAT, I SCHEDULED ONE-ON-ONE, SO I WOULD DROP IN.
I HAD, UM, FLYERS, UM, TRYING TO ACTIVELY INTRODUCE THE PROGRAM AND BE A STORYTELLER OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND AGAIN, UM, SHOWCASING HOW THIS COULD BE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, MYSELF AND CHENEY AND THE REST OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UM, WE WORKED ON CREATING EITHER A PHYSICAL WREATH THAT, UH, CAN BE REFERENCED IN THE IMAGE TO THE LEFT.
UM, WE CREATED EITHER A PHYSICAL ONE OR A DIGITAL ONE.
UM, AND SO WE WOULD GIVE THOSE TO BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY, THAT WOULD BE A SIGN THAT THEY WERE OPTING INTO THE FD PROGRAM.
SO IT WAS JUST REALLY EASY FOR SOMEBODY TO GO OUT AND BE LIKE, OH, THAT PERSON IS A PARTY.
FDI CAN USE MY, UH, COMMUNITY DIGITAL GIFT CARD HERE.
SO AGAIN, UM, THE TWO GRAPHICS ON THE FAR LEFT AND THE FAR RIGHT, UM, THOSE WERE BOTH, UM, WORKED WITH IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR MARKETING ANALYST, JENNIFER ROQUE.
UM, BUT THESE ALL THREE ARE AN EXAMPLE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, UM, THAT TOOK PLACE FOR PROMOTING SHOP SMALL SATURDAY.
UM, THE GOAL FOR THIS YEAR IS TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES.
IDEALLY WE WANNA HAVE, UM, MORE BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, UM, AS WELL AS BRING AWARENESS, UM, OF THE GIFT D PROGRAM TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY UTILIZE THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR.
IT'S NOT JUST FOR SHOPS ON SATURDAY.
WE JUST ROLLED IT OUT DURING THIS TIMEFRAME.
AND THIS IS JUST FURTHER EX EXPLANATION ON UFD.
UM, SO ON THE LEFT THERE IS THE IMAGE OF THE DIGITAL GIFT CARD.
UM, IF SOMEBODY IS PURCHASING THE GIFT CARD, THIS IS THE SIDE THAT THEY WOULD SEE.
UM, AND THEN ON THE WEBSITE A LITTLE BIT LOWER DOWN AND THE IMAGE TO THE RIGHT.
UM, THIS AGAIN IS THE LIST OF BUSINESSES WHO ARE PARTICIPATING.
SO THEY CAN GO ON A WEBSITE AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE 19 BUSINESSES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING.
ALRIGHT, SO NEXT ONE IS THE HIPPO CLAUSE CRAWL.
SO THIS AGAIN, WAS ANOTHER PART OF
[00:45:01]
MY ROLE, UM, AND WORKED ALONGSIDE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM.UM, I HAVE A HANDFUL OF GRAPHICS UP HERE.
SO, UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 17 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE IN THE HIPPO CAUSE CRAWL.
SO WE DID HAVE TWO BUSINESSES, UM, WHO WERE OUTSIDE OF HURO IN REGARDS TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA SPECIFICALLY, THEY PARTNERED WITH A DOWNTOWN LOCATION THAT WAY THAT THEY COULD HAVE A SPACE TO BE A STOP AT THE CALL.
UM, SO TWO OF OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, YOU CAN SEE, UM, SHAPELY HEART, WHICH IS THE MIDDLE BOTTOM LEFT.
UM, THEY SAT IN WITH THE STUDIO.
SO REGINA AND HER TEAM, UH, WITH THE STUDIO, THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN THE BACK.
UM, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT MIDDLE PAGE ON THE TOP, THAT IS DAVID WITH POWER BREWING PROJECT.
HE CURRENTLY SITS AT THE ETJ IN THE AFFORDABLE STORAGE AREA.
UM, AND HE, UH, STAYED INSIDE, UH, MERGE BARBERSHOP.
SO THAT WAS REALLY COOL, HAVING A LOT OF BUSINESSES WHO WERE, DIDN'T HAVE A BRICK AND MORTAR DOWNTOWN, THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND THEY PARTNERED WITH SOME OF THEIR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UPPERS.
SO AGAIN, WE HAD 10 OF THE BUSINESSES WHO WERE LOCATED DOWNTOWN AND THEN SEVEN WERE EITHER IN ETJ OR THEY WERE, UM, IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF HURO AND THEY DID NOT PHYSICALLY SIT IN, UM, DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO EFFORTS INCLUDED GOING OUT TO BUSINESSES IN PERSON WITH FLYERS TO DISCUSS WHAT THE EVENT WAS.
UM, SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES, IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME, UM, PARTICIPATING AS A STOP.
UM, AND THEN A FEW OF THEM WERE RE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY WAS I GOING OUT IN PERSON, BUT FOLLOWING UP WITH CALLS AND EMAILS MM-HMM
UM, I MADE SURE COMMUNICATION FROM, UM, STARTED FROM THE START OF RECRUITING TO CONFIRMING WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE A CROSS STOP TO MAKING SURE THAT ALL BUSINESSES WERE INFORMED OF THE DAY OF EVENTS, UM, AND ALL DETAILS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THEY AROSE.
UM, THE DAY OF THE EVENT, I WAS THE POINT PERSON IF ANY OF THE BUSINESSES HAD ANY CONCERNS, QUESTIONS NEEDED, SUPPLIES, AND THEN PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, WE MADE SURE TO CHECK UP ON THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE DOING OKAY DURING BREAKDOWN.
SO DID YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A FOLLOW UP, UM, VISIT WITH THEM AND ASK THEM HOW DID THEY FEEL? WAS IT SUCCESSFUL? DID THEY DRAW ENOUGH PEOPLE? WAS IT SOMETHING THEY WANTED TO DO? AGAIN, THOSE SORTS OF QUESTIONS.
SO NOT ONLY DID THE ATTENDEES ALL GET A FEE, UH, A SURVEY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, I ALSO ASK THAT OF THE BUSINESSES AS WELL.
UM, AND I DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, IT'S JUST NOT PREPARED FOR THIS MEETING AT THIS TIME.
UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING I CAN PULL IF Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN.
WELL, I'M JUST INTERESTED IF THEY HAD ANY FEEDBACK ON HOW COULD YOU ENHANCE IT IF NEEDED.
UM, AND IT'S ITEMS THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED AS A TEAM AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA USE MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I LIKE OVER COMMUNICATION.
I LIKE TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE THE EXPERIENCE OVERALL BETTER AND, YOU KNOW, BE BETTER.
UM, IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO, UM, TO KIND OF ROUND UP, UM, THE LAST OTHER PROJECTS THAT I'VE WORKED, BEEN WORKING IN MY ROLE, UM, HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON BUSINESS EXPANSION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS.
UM, SO KIND OF HOW WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, UM, I HAVE BEEN LOOPED IN WITH PROJECT MAESTRO.
UM, SO WE DID START MEETING WITH HIM IN OCTOBER.
IT WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST WEEK THAT I HAD STARTED.
UM, AND THIS PROJECT IS STILL CONTINUOUSLY ONGOING.
UM, WE HAVE SCHEDULED WITH THEM TO, UM, MEET NOT ONLY TO TOUR THEIR FACILITY AND THEIR WORKSPACE, UM, WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD, UM, AND COMMUNICATED THEIR WORKFORCE NEEDS.
UM, SO WE DECIDED AFTER THAT FIRST INITIAL MEETING THAT WE WERE GONNA PARTNER WITH CSTC AND, UM, MEET WITH, UH, KARINA, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS HUNTER, WHO IS THE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS MANAGER, AND THEN A FEW OF THEIR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO WORK IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR, UH, TECHNOLOGY, WHETHER THAT BE A PROFESSOR OR EVEN OTHER STAFF AS WELL.
UM, AND SO WE HAD A MEETING FOR A FEW HOURS AND WE ULTIMATELY DISCUSSED, UM, HOW WE COULD ADVERTISE FOR MAESTRO BECAUSE HE DOES SUCH A HAVE, HE HAS SUCH A HIGH WORKFORCE NEED.
UM, SO AGAIN, I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, POSTING THE TST C'S ONLINE DASHBOARD, ATTENDING JOB FAIRS.
AND THEN, UM, THEIR TST C CAREER DAY.
UM, THEY ALSO GOT IT, UH, INVITED TO ATTEND, UM, TCS GRADUATION AS WELL AS A VIP.
UM, SO SOMEBODY TALK, OH NO, I JUST SAID NICE.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF I NEEDED TO PAUSE
UM, WE HOPE TO SEE A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP DURING THEIR EXPANSION OF THEIR BUSINESS.
UM, AND ALONG WITH OTHER PARTNERSHIPS, UM, HU ISD, THEIR CTE PROGRAM.
SO I ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING TODAY WITH TRAVIS CLARK, WHO IS THEIR DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND, UH, TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
UM, AND I WAS, UH, GRANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL AND VIEW ALL THEIR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON.
UM, SO IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE WHERE
[00:50:01]
SOME OF THEIR PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO EXPAND AND PUT MORE SPACE FOR THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, AND THE NEEDS THAT THEY ARE HEARING FROM AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE FOR STUDENTS, UM, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT.UM, SO AGAIN, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP AND SEE HOW WE CAN WORK IN PARTNERSHIP, UM, AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CULTIVATING THE TY UH, TALENT PIPELINE IN HURO.
DID YOU TALK TO TRAVIS ABOUT THE NEXT HIGH SCHOOL AND THE DESIGN THAT'S GOING ON THERE WITH RESPECT TO CTE? YES, WE DID.
UM, SO DURING THE PROCESS OF US TOURING THE FACILITY, HE MENTIONED, UM, SOME OF THE NEWER BUILDINGS, UM, AND WHAT WOULD BE AT WHAT LEVEL? UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A SECOND HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S IN DESIGN NOW.
SO HE DID MENTION THAT UM, SOME OF THE CTE PROGRAMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT, UM, THE HU HIGH SCHOOL LOCATION HERE WILL NOT OVERLAP TO THOSE, UM, CTE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA BE AT NORTH, UH, HU HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE EXPANDING, HAVING DIFFERING OPPORTUNITIES OR EVEN MOVING ANOTHER TO ALLOW, UM, A DIFFERENT ONE TO COME INTO HU HIGH SCHOOL, UM, THAT THAT WAS THERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, ANOTHER PROJECT THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS THE HU EDC WEBSITE COLLABORATION.
UM, I'VE WORKED WITH OUR MARKETING ANALYST, JENNIFER ROQUE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL INFORMATION, UM, IN REGARDS TO BIZ THRIVE PROGRAM WEBPAGE, UM, IT INCLUDES OUR, UH, BLUE.DIRECTORY LINK, UM, UPCOMING BIZ THRIVE EVENTS AND ANY KIND OF RESOURCES AS MENTIONED SCORE AND SBDC, UM, THOSE ARE JUST A HANDFUL OF RESOURCES, BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUOUSLY MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHATEVER INFORMATION WE GET IS PROVIDED, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS.
UM, ONCE THE WEBSITE IS DONE, THIS WILL BE, UM, A HUGE VALUE ADD FOR US BECAUSE WE CAN TRACK AND DIRECT INDIVIDUALS TO RESOURCES, UM, THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE, BUT ALSO HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, SO THAT ANY BUSINESS OWNER OR DEVELOPER OR ENTREPRENEUR, UM, THEY CAN DIRECTLY CONTACT OUR EDC TEAM.
UM, ANOTHER REALLY, UM, BENEFICIAL VALUE ADD FOR MY ROLE, UM, CONNECTING WITH OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS OR EDS, UM, THIS IS A REALLY BIG PRIORITY OF MINE.
UM, SINCE WE'RE IN AN EVER EVOLVING INDUSTRY AND, UM, WE HAVE LIKE COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA, UM, I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN A SIMILAR POSITION.
UM, SO THAT WE'RE, UM, ON TOP OF MIND OF CURRENT INDUSTRY TRENDS, UM, AND JUST BUILD THAT COMMUNITY FROM AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I HAVE A MEETING ACTUALLY WITH GEORGETOWN'S BRE STAFF MEMBER, UH, THIS WEDNESDAY.
AND I'M EXCITED TO DISCUSS WITH HER EXPERIENCE AND HER ROLE, UM, 'CAUSE SHE'S BEEN IN THERE A LOT LONGER THAN ME.
SO, UM, AND I KNOW SHE'S A VALUE ADD OVER THERE IN GEORGETOWN.
UM, THE LAST PIECE I WILL SAY, UM, THIS IS MORE IN REGARDS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO TEDC OR THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, UM, AND THEN BEDC, WHICH IS BASIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COURSE BEDC IS A COURSE, UM, THAT IS OFFERED THROUGH TEDC.
UM, SO WITH TEDC, UM, I'VE ATTENDED THE ANNUAL, UH, CONFERENCE IN THE WINTER CONFERENCE.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF NEW TRENDS IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, STAYING COMPETITIVE TO RETAIN TALENT IN HURO, UM, AS WELL AS NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, SINCE ATTENDING THESE CONFERENCES, IT HAS ALLOWED ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND CULTIVATE THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WITH BEDC, UM, SPECIFICALLY KIND OF TYING IT INTO THIS ONE, THIS COURSE, UM, IT IS A REQUIREMENT IF I DO WANNA FURTHER MY EDUCATION FOR A-C-D-E-C, UM, WHICH IS A CERTIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATION.
AND, UM, IF I PURSUED THAT EDUCATION, UM, IT IS REQUIRED THAT YOU TAKE A-B-E-D-C COURSE.
UM, SO IT'S WHAT'S REALLY NICE IS WE ALSO HAVE AN ALUMNI GROUP WITH OUR LINKEDIN PAGE.
SO ANYBODY WHO WAS IN THE BEDC, UM, COURSE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU GET ALL OF THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO I HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT ARE NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY IN EDC, THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE THAT NETWORK AND OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH, UM, LIKE MINDS.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND, UM, DO I HAVE A QUESTION? UM, DO YOU KNOW THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT? AND IF THE EDC IS PAYING FOR, UM, ANY OF THESE, UM, CONFERENCES, IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE LIKE A RECAP OF IT.
JUST SO WE CAN BRING SOME OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WAS LEARNED IN SOME OF THAT.
WOULD THAT BE OKAY? YEAH, THE TEDC DOESN'T PAY FOR ANY STAFF DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S, THERE'S TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS IN Y'ALL'S BUDGET FOR THE BOARD, BUT ANYTHING FOR STAFF IS PAID FOR BY THE CITY.
SO, UM, THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO ADDRESS IT IS JUST MY TAKEAWAYS AND HOW IT WOULD, UM, HELP ME AS AN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL.
[00:55:01]
AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION, WHICH I THINK WOULD ULTIMATELY HELP, UM, MY TIME AT HURO AND I KNOW, UM, IDEALLY HELP THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.I KNOW I THREW A LOT OF INFORMATION AT Y'ALL
I LIKE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE BUSINESSES.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE MET A LOT OF THEM.
52 BUSINESSES IN FIVE MONTHS IS GREAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE PUTTING OUT THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? EMILY? THE, UH, THE WEBSITE MM-HMM
WILL THAT BE ABLE TO BE SYNCED WITH LIKE THE COUNTY, THE ISD? WILL THAT LIKE LINK OUT TO THOSE ENTITIES WITH, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES OR RESOURCES? UM, I'M GONNA DEFAULT TO CHENEY REAL QUICK ON THAT ONE.
UH, WE WILL BE LEVERAGING LINKS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OUTWARD, BUT I GUESS I WOULD WANT MORE CLARIFICATION ON HOW WE LIKE WITH DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT ARE YOU, YEAH, JUST WITH WHAT THE COUNTY WOULD OFFER AS FAR AS ANY SORT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, ANY SORT OF CLASSES, TRAININGS, THINGS OF THAT.
IF THEY HAD A PAGE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE WOULD JUST BEING, 'CAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, I WOULD JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING YEAH.
ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET.
WE'RE LINKING OUT, THEY'RE LINKING TO US, UM, IF THEY'RE LOOKING IN HUDU, UM, YEAH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO YEAH, WE, THE HU EDC WEBSITE WILL HAVE A LINK FROM THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR COUNTY TIE, BUT WE'LL HAVE UPDATES AS FAR AS LIKE OTHER EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT MM-HMM
WHEN WE GET WORD OF THAT, WE WILL POST THAT ON THERE TOO.
SO WE WILL, WE'LL DEFINITELY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
WHATEVER WE FIND OR GET SENT TO US, WE WILL BE PUSHING OUT.
SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER TOUCH POINT FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT AS SUCCINCTLY AS POSSIBLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, I KNEW OF ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, BUT I WANTED CHANEY JUST TO CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, TODAY, MEANING WITH THE CTE PROGRAM, SPOKE WITH OUR MARKETING ANALYST, SHE ADDED IT TO OUR WEBSITE.
SO IF ANYBODY WE GET TRACTION ON OUR WEBSITE, THEY'LL THEN CLICK THAT AND THEN THEY CAN BE REDIRECTED TO THEIR WEBSITE.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT ANY KIND OF INFORMATION THAT'S LISTED ON THERE IS GONNA BE UP TO DATE.
BECAUSE, I MEAN, I KNOW WITH LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST WITH ALGORITHMS MM-HMM
AND, YOU KNOW, GOOGLE ADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BEING ABLE TO LINK TO MULTIPLE THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE THAT'LL GIVE US MORE TOUCHPOINTS, HOPEFULLY WITH BUSINESSES LOOKING IN THE HUDU AREA.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SEEING THE, THE GOOD PIPELINE THAT'S COMING FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE FROM A EAST WILLIAMSON COUNTY STANDPOINT.
I THINK ALL OF THOSE WOULD HELP TO, YOU KNOW, JUST REASSURE PEOPLE THAT HEY, HUDU IS A GOOD PLACE TO INVEST.
AND THEN, UM, A QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER.
OH, WAIT, I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER IT.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT WE DID THIS QUARTERLY, THIS QUARTERLY EVENT THAT WE'RE DOING, BIZ THRIVE MM-HMM
UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR, TALKING ABOUT PROJECTING THAT OUT WHILE WE ARE WORKING ON THE WEBSITE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT INTO THE HEY HUDDLE NEWSLETTER MM-HMM
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO CREATE OUR OWN NEWSLETTER WHERE WE CAN START TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SECTION WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRES MM-HMM
UM, ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS THE BOARD'S ACTIVITIES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A, A BIG, UH, YOU KNOW, POINT OF FRUSTRATION FOR OUR BOARD IS BEING ABLE TO, UH, AMPLIFY OUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND WORKING ON.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WILL YOU BE ABLE TO PUT INTO HEY HUDDLE, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KIND OF FORMULATE AND DEVELOP ON OUR OWN? UH, IT IS A CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SET IN STONE AT THE MOMENT, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, WITH BIZ THRIVE, UM, I WROTE OUT A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN AND THAT RAN FOR ABOUT FOUR WEEKS, THREE WEEKS, UM, OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, POSTS THAT WE HAD AND WE WERE ACROSS, UH, WE HAD A FACEBOOK INVITE, UM, OR EXCUSE ME, A FACEBOOK EVENT, UM, WITHIN THE CITY OF HU'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
AND THEN WE POSTED IN THE DISCUSSIONS THERE.
UM, WE HAD INSTAGRAM POSTS AND THEN WE ALSO HAD POSTS FOR LINKEDIN.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A RECAP VIDEO THAT'S GOING OUT, UM, TOMORROW AFTER TALKING WITH COMMS. SO, UM, I'M WITH YOU.
ANY KIND OF, UM, AWARENESS IS GREAT AND WE'RE DEFINITELY, UM, STARTING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, SO, OKAY.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US TO, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECT IS DEFINITELY TAKEN CARE OF, BUT MM-HMM
I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE DON'T HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T USE SOCIAL MEDIA, RIGHT? THEY DON'T USE
[01:00:01]
FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN.AND SO BEING ABLE TO GET ON AN EMAIL LIST, BEING ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCESS SOMETHING READILY, QUICKLY FROM THEIR CELL PHONES, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH ALL CITIZENS INSTEAD OF JUST THE CITIZENS THAT ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO, AS WE'RE DEVELOPING A WEBSITE MM-HMM
TO LOOK AT SOME SORT OF NEWSLETTER THAT WE COULD PUT OUT ON A MONTH.
I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
YOU'RE DOING THINGS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, DAY TO DAY, I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH CONTENT THAT WE CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER IN, IN A NEWSLETTER TYPE FORMAT AND SEND THAT OUT.
SO I JUST ENCOURAGE US TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT AVENUE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE UNKNOWN IN OUR CITY AND WE DON'T WANT THE NARRATIVE TO BE WRITTEN BY PEOPLE THAT DON'T ATTEND OUR MEETINGS.
AND SO, UM, I'D REALLY LIKE US TO, TO HOPEFULLY GET ON THAT PRETTY QUICK.
AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT TOO.
SO AT THE APRIL MEETING, SO THIS WAS OUR BRE UPDATE AT THE APRIL MEETING, WE'LL HAVE JENNIFER HERE, WHO'S OUR MARKETING ANALYST, AND SHE'LL HAVE A MARKETING STRATEGY PROPOSAL FOR Y'ALL.
AND IT WILL INCLUDE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS AND, UH, AVENUES TO COMMUNICATE BEAUTIFUL WORD OR CORPORATION, UH, INFORMATION.
LOOK FORWARD, FORWARD TO THAT.
THAT WAS GONNA BE IN MY DIRECTOR COMMENTS, BUT I FIGURED MIGHT AS WELL, MIGHT AS WELL TALK ABOUT IT NOW SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
AND I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, IT REALLY BLOWS MY MIND.
AND SO I'M SUPER EXCITED AND APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU'RE HERE IN HU AND THAT YOU SEE VALUE IN OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAM, AND JUST LOOK, REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, THE HEIGHTS THAT YOU'LL TAKE US WITH THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE TIME.
MOVING ALONG TO ECONOMIC DIRECTORS REPORT, 6.1 STAFF WILL PROVIDE UPDATES ON CRITICAL PROJECTS INCLUDING MEGASITE SPINE ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, HIGHWAY 79, AND COUNTY ROAD 1 32, INTERSECTION PROJECT WILLIAMSON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP, INCENTIVE SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION EVENT RECAPS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS.
IS EVERYONE READY?
UH, WANTED TO SHARE A FEW THINGS WITH Y'ALL TONIGHT.
UH, DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ON MEGASITE OR SPINE OR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO DISCUSS AN EXEC ON THE SPINE ROAD.
UM, SO I'LL JUMP TO THE HIGHWAY 79 CR 1 32 INTERSECTION.
I MET WITH MIDWAY, UH, AND THEIR RETAIL PARTNER WHO THEY HAVE, UM, COLLABORATED WITH ON THE, THE BIG PLANNED RETAIL SECTION.
SO RIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, AND SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MEET THEM, UH, WONDERFUL FOLKS.
UH, REALLY GREAT PEDIGREE, GREAT RESUME.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVING VERY HIGH LEVEL OF INTEREST, UH, IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO GO AND REVISE THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT PLAN TO ENLARGE THIS AREA TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THE INTERESTS THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING.
UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SHARE THAT, UM, THIS INTERSECTION IS MISSION CRITICAL.
CLARITY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THESE POTENTIAL TENANTS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING CLEARLY WHAT THAT INTERSECTION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
UH, WHETHER THAT'S PHASED, UH, THE TIMING, KIND OF WHAT EACH PHASE CONSISTS OF.
UM, BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW WHAT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED AND WHAT THEY ARE, UM, REFERRING TO IS THE PREVIOUS GARVER DESIGN.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SOLICIT SOME SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL, UH, WHETHER THAT BE IN THE FORM OF JUST A FORMAL DISCUSSION, WHETHER THERE NEEDS TO BE ACTION OR RESOLUTION RENAMING THE PROJECT.
'CAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S IN OUR CIP AND I THINK IT'S LISTED AS THE CR 1 32 79 OVERPASS PROJECT.
SO PERHAPS CHANGING THAT TO INTERSECTION PROJECT, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT MATTER TO, TO THE RETAIL INDUSTRY.
AND THEY REALLY NEED TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THERE.
UH, AND GOT SOME VERY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ON THAT.
SO HAPPY TO, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL TO, TO Y'ALL AND THE, THE ENGINEERING TEAM AND CITY COUNCIL.
BUT I DID WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT, UH, MARCH 27TH COUNCIL MEETING IS WHEN WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOMETHING TO THEM, HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THEM TO VERY CLEARLY STATE WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE WITH THAT INTERSECTION, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[01:05:02]
SO THE ACTION WE TOOK LAST NIGHT TO HIRE YET ANOTHER THIRD PARTY EXPERT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT INTERSECTION TO EVALUATE HOW MUCH TIME DID WE KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD BY THAT ACTION? WE, SO IT WAS A REQUEST OF US, RIGHT? WE DIDN'T, IT, IT DIDN'T ADD ANY TIME TO IT AT ALL.WILL THAT BE DONE BEFORE THIS MARCH 27TH MEETING? WELL, NO.
'CAUSE I STILL HAVE TO BRING YOU BACK BIDS.
THAT WAS THE DIRECTION AT THE LAST MEETING WAS TO BRING BIDS SO NOTHING WAS APPROVED FINANCIALLY TO OKAY.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE THEN WHO'S ASKING WHO, WHAT ON THE 27TH? WELL, THE CORPORATION AND EFFECTIVELY MIDWAY AND THEIR, THEIR RETAIL PARTNER WOULD BE SEEKING CLARIFICATION FROM COUNCIL.
ON THAT INTERSECTION, BECAUSE IT IS A CITY PROJECT AT THE MOMENT.
SO, UH, BUT I JUST WANTED, BECAUSE IT'S CRITICAL TO THIS CORPORATION'S LAND AND DEVELOPMENT, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH KEEPING ON THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE'S, UH, MINDS AS WE PROCEED.
JAY, DO WE NEED TO TAKE SPECIFIC ACTION TO ASK FOR THAT ITEM TO BE AT CITY COUNCIL, THE, THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING? OR DO WE NOT NEED TO DO THAT? I THINK, I THINK WE CAN CONFER WITH LEGAL ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO REQUEST OF COUNSEL.
UM, I THINK SOME SORT OF LETTER OF SUPPORT.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE FOR THIS INTERSECTION, BUT I THINK EDC LEGAL IS GONNA NEED TO GET WITH CITY LEGAL AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ASK THEM FOR.
SO I THINK WE'LL DISCUSS, DISCUSS WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE, AND WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THE STRONGEST FIRMEST APPROACH THAT WE CAN, JUST TO GIVE A FINITE CLARIFICATION ABOUT WHAT THAT INTERSECTION IS INTENDED TO BE AND ITS IMPACT ON THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO JUST LET ME JUST SO THAT I, I UNDERSTAND THIS FULLY MM-HMM
UM, WE, OUR MAIN SORT OF ROADBLOCK, IF YOU WILL, NO PUN INTENDED,
UM, OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH, WITH OTHER THINGS.
AND THE RESPONSE IS SUBSTANTIAL.
SO CITY IS NOT THE ONLY TO BORROW WORD ROADBLOCK,
SO WE HAD MEETINGS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR WITH BOTH TDOT AND UPR.
UM, UPR DID NOT SAY NO, WHICH, IF ANYONE'S HAD TO DEAL WITH UPR, THAT IS A WIN IN AND OF ITSELF, THAT YOU DIDN'T JUST GET A FLAT NO THE FIRST TIME YOU ASKED FOR SOMETHING.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY WERE, UM, OPEN TO DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
THEY DID MAKE AN INITIAL REQUEST AND WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS TXDOT, THEY WANTED TO SEE A PHASED PLAN BECAUSE WHAT WAS SHOWN WAS KIND OF THE FINAL POTENTIAL, UM, FOOTPRINT AND DESIGN.
AND THEY WANTED TO SEE MORE OF A PHASED APPROACH BECAUSE THAT FINAL DESIGN MIGHT BE 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO THEY WANNA SEE WHAT THEY'RE AGREEING TO IN THAT INTERIM.
I BELIEVE GARVER IS, UM, SEEKING A SUPPLEMENT TO THEIR CON THEIR DESIGN CONTRACT FROM CITY COUNCIL.
SO I'VE JUST SEEN SOME EMAIL TRAFFIC ON THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER CAN SIGN OFF ON OR IF THAT'S GONNA GO TO COUNCIL ON THE 27TH AS WELL.
SO WHAT DOES THIS BOARD NEED TO DO TO GET US TO THAT POINT? UM, I THINK WE NEED COUNCIL TO GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION ABOUT WHAT THAT PROJECT NEEDS TO BE.
SO WE CAN LOOP IN, OBVIOUSLY MIDWAY AND NOW THIS RETAIL PARTNER.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN THE FEEDBACK DIRECTLY FROM THESE POTENTIAL TENANTS.
AND THAT'S PRETTY POWERFUL TO SAY.
WE WILL COME IF IT, IF THAT INTERSECTION IS LIKE THIS.
UH, AND THE MAIN THING IS JUST AT GREAT ACCESS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY KEPT SAYING IS WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE AT GRADE ACCESS.
BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS DESIGN, IF YOU'LL RECALL FROM GARVER ORIGINALLY, THAT WE'VE NOW PIVOTED FROM, WAS A DUAL ELEVATED INTERCHANGE.
SO THERE WAS NO ACCESS AT GRADE.
IT WAS YOU GO UP, TURN AROUND AND THEN COME DOWN AND ACCESS.
SO, UM, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE TENANTS HAS BEEN AT GREAT ACCESS THE WHOLE TIME.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED COUNSEL TO, TO COMMIT TO FOR THAT INTERSECTION.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ONE THE MOMENT? OKAY.
UM, WANTED TO GIVE SOME UPDATES FROM THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.
UH, DELEGATION JUST RETURNED FROM SOUTH KOREA AND JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME UPDATES.
THEY MET WITH THE US EMBASSY OVER THERE.
THEY ATTENDED SEMICON KOREA, WHICH IS A SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY FOCUSED, UH, TRADE SHOW.
UM, THEY VISITED WITH THE YOUNG AND CITY MAYOR, UH, WHO JOINED THEM FOR FOUR DIFFERENT MEETINGS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH 27 COMPANIES.
UM, GOT NINE NEW COMPANY CONTACTS, UH, 18 FOLLOW UP MEETINGS.
THEY DID TWO GROUP PRESENTATIONS, ONE TO A LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY GROUP,
[01:10:01]
AND THEN ONE TO A REAL ESTATE GROUP THAT OPERATES IN LIKE A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FOR THE TECH INDUSTRY.SO THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE SITE SELECTORS EFFECTIVELY FOR THE, THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY, UM, FOR A COMBINED 90 COMPANIES FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, SOUTH KOREAN BASED WORRY BANK IS GONNA BE OPENING NEAR LAKELINE MALL.
UH, THAT'S BEEN A CRITICAL ITEM FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO LOCATE HERE IN TEXAS AND CENTRAL TEXAS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM TO HAVE, UM, A, A FINANCING PARTNER HERE LOCALLY, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE SETTING UP THEIR FIRST LOCATION HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND HERE IN TEXAS, IT REALLY IS REASSURING FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN OPERATE THEIR FINANCES IN SOUTH KOREA AND HAVE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION, UM, HERE TO VIA THAT, THAT BANK LOCATION.
SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME THEM TO CENTRAL TEXAS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UM, ALSO A COMPANY CALLED SPACE WAVY.
THEY ARE A MODULAR HOME MANUFACTURER, SO THEY HAVE OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED IN TEXAS AND THEY'LL BE LOOKING FOR SPACE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
SO, UM, TO ASSEMBLE THEIR HOMES AS WELL AS HAVE A SHOWROOM SPACE.
UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO PROVIDE SOME SITE OPTIONS HERE IN THE HU AREA FOR THEM TO LOOK AT FOR THAT.
UH, AND THEN THERE WERE TWO NEW LEADS FOR MANUFACTURING PROJECTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT TRIP AS WELL.
ANY QUESTION THAT THE TWO NEW LEADS WERE FOR? UH, WELL, THEY'RE WILLIAMSON COUNTY, SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL BRING 'EM TO THE GROUP.
I'VE ALREADY SEEN ONE OF 'EM COME THROUGH WITH THE SPECS ON THAT.
SO WE'LL BE SUBMITTING A COUPLE SITES.
ANOTHER TRIP PLANNED IN IS JUNE.
TENTATIVELY IN JUNE, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IN OCTOBER AS WELL.
SO HOW HAVE THEY RESPONDED OR HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CHIP, THE AMENDMENT THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS PUT A PAUSE ON? UH, I'VE NOT GOTTEN FEEDBACK ON THAT.
SO SOME EVENT RECAPS FOR Y'ALL.
HU WINE BAR, WHICH IS AN EDC SUPPORTED BUSINESS, CELEBRATED THEIR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON FEBRUARY 28TH.
SO I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THAT CELEBRATION.
IT WAS VERY BUSY, LIKE PRETTY MUCH PACKED HOUSE, JUST EVERYONE IN GOOD SPIRITS.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS A REALLY FUN VIBE.
GREAT TO SEE, UM, SO MANY FOLKS OUT ENJOYING ENJOYING SOME WINE, UH, AND CELEBRATING THEIR ANNIVERSARY.
UH, COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE AND CITY STAFF HAD A LUNCH AND LEARN ABOUT MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS OR MMDS, UH, AS COMPARED TO PIS, WHICH IS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
SO, UM, I THINK I SHARED THAT PRESENTATION OUT, I BELIEVE WITH EVERYBODY.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO STAFF OR, UM, YEAH, PROBABLY STAFF.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE BREAKING QUORUM,
UM, AND THEN ALSO ON MARCH 4TH, AS EMILY REPORTED, WE DID HAVE OUR FIRST BIT THRIVE EVENT OF THE YEAR THAT EVENING.
NEXT ONE WILL BE COMING IN JUNE.
WE'LL SHARE THOSE DETAILS AS SOON AS THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
UPCOMING EVENTS, UH, AND REMINDERS FOR THE BOARD.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES ARE DUE FROM EACH OF YOU BY APRIL 30TH.
SO I BELIEVE THAT INFORMATION WAS SENT OUT WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS, THE ORDINANCE REQUIRING IT IN THE FORM.
UM, SO PLEASE GET THOSE IN AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
SO AS PART OF OUR WEBSITE UPDATE, WE WILL BE TAKING NEW BOARD PHOTOS.
SO, UM, WHERE, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE SEEN ON THE WEBSITE,
SO WE'LL BE TAKING THOSE PHOTOS.
UH, APRIL 14TH IS OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING.
SO WE'LL DO, WE'LL DO NEW BOARD PHOTOS THERE.
WE'LL DO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUP.
UM, OUR APRIL MEETING WILL ALSO INCLUDE A PRESENTATION ON THE WEBSITE, UPDATE AND PROMO PRO PROPOSED SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY FOR THE CORPORATION.
UM, THIS WEEK WE HAVE THE CHAMBER LUNCHEON ON WEDNESDAY OVER AT THE EAST WILLIAMSON COUNTY HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER.
THE SPEAKER, THIS, UH, MONTH IS OUR ISD SUPERINTENDENT, MS. JENNY NETHERLAND.
UH, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, THURSDAY, WE HAVE THE POWER BREAKFAST AT 8:00 AM ALSO OVER AT WILLIAMS EAST WILLIAMSON COUNTY HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER.
AND THIS MONTH'S POWER BREAKFAST IS GONNA BE A COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM.
SO, UM, REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND ENGAGE WITH THOSE THAT ARE RUNNING FOR SEATS ON CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING MAYOR.
UM, THEN THAT'S IT FOR THE EVENTS.
I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE AND CONGRATULATE THIS BOARD.
UM, TEDC RECOGNIZED THE CITY OF HUDU AND HU ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS, UM, OR AWARDED US THE ECONOMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD THIS YEAR.
I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
[01:15:01]
SINCE 2018 THAT THIS CORPORATION AND OR CITY HAS ACHIEVED THAT AWARD.UM, IT'S HEAVILY BASED ON STAFF BOARD AND COUNCIL TRAINING, UM, AND KIND OF MAINTAINING VARIOUS STATE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ATTENDING CONFERENCES, UM, VARIOUS CERTIFICATIONS AND COURSEWORK THAT'S DONE.
SO, UH, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT BACK FOR, FOR HUDA.
UH, I THINK I'M ENDING ON THAT NOTE.
C YES, THAT'S WHERE I'M ENDING, I'M ENDING ON THE HIGH NOTE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.
OH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR CHENEY BEFORE MOVING ON? GOOD ONE.
CHENEY, I HAD SOME FEEDBACK, UH, FROM A STAKEHOLDER ABOUT, UH, TRANSLATIONS ON THE WEBSITE.
I ASSUME WE'LL HAVE A TOOL SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TRANSLATE NOT ONLY THE EDC, BUT THE CITY'S WEBSITE INTO A LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CITY HAS, UM, UNDERGONE QUITE A BIT OF, UM, LIKE A DA COMPLIANCE AND AC ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE COMING.
I THINK THEY BECOME OFFICIAL IN 2026, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY UNDERTAKING THOSE.
SO THEY WOULD APPLY THOSE THEN TO THE EDC WEBSITE AS WELL.
SO I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY LANGUAGES AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT I KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THEIR ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
MOVING ALONG TO ITEM SEVEN, AGENDA ITEMS 7.1, DISCUSSED AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING COMMUNICATION OF PROJECT TIMELINES, FUNDING, AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, UM, THE SPINE ROAD PROJECT, PROJECT V AND PROJECT NQ TWO.
AND ON THAT NOTE, SINCE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN, UM, NAMED LIKE PROJECT V AND THINGS, CAN WE JUST, INSTEAD OF USING PROJECT V, CAN WE USE THEIR CURRENT NAME? THOSE ARE THE PROJECT NAMES.
AND SO THE INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS ARE UNDER THOSE PROJECTS, AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE FILED ON THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON FOR CONTINUING THOSE.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT, THAT THEIR CURRENT NAMES COULD HELP SOME OF THE CONFUSION.
I THINK THAT, THAT THE, THE PROJECT NAME AS A CODE IS THE ONE THAT'S IDENTIFIED.
I THINK THAT THAT UNDER THE, UH, PUBLIC, I MEAN THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT NOW THAT THERE IS NO BASIS IN ORDER TO DISGUISE THE CONTACT.
WE COULD INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE ACTUAL, UM, PROSPECT THAT WAS ENGAGED IN THE AGREEMENT, UM, ON, ON THE AGENDA.
UH, AND THE, UH, UM, I'M NOT AWARE, BUT I CAN LOOK INTO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S SOME CONNECTION THAT'S REQUIRED BETWEEN THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AND, AND THE, THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA ITSELF.
FOR, I THINK THAT KEEPING MAYBE A, A PARENTHETICAL WITH REGARDS TO THE PROJECT CONNECTED TO THE COMPANY WOULD BE MM-HMM.
IN, YEAH, FOR PROJECT NQ TWO, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IS A, A MULTI-TENANT, MULTI-BUILDING, MULTI, WELL NOT PHASE, THIS IS PHASED TWO.
SO THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR IS GONNA BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO, 'CAUSE AS BUSINESSES COME ONLINE, WE'RE GONNA BE LISTING OUT 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 BUSINESSES.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD MAKE JUST MORE SENSE.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S HOW IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO.
THAT'S HOW IT'S IN THE EDPA AND THE, THE ASSOCIATED RESOLUTIONS IS IN SUPPORT OF PROJECT AND Q2, ET CETERA.
SO JUST FOR CONSISTENCY, THAT'S HOW I'VE KEPT IT ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO REVISE THAT ACCORDING TO BOARD DIRECTION OR LEGAL DIRECTION.
IT WOULD BE BOARD DIRECT BOARD A BOARD DECISION TO MAKE.
UM, DO WE WANNA DO THAT NOW OR DO YOU WANNA DO IT IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? WELL, NO, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD, IT'D BE PUBLIC ACTION TO OKAY.
UM, TO ADD THAT I, I THINK THAT, UM, CHENEY DOES MAKE A A GOOD POINT WITH REGARDS TO THE CONNECTIONS.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF IN Q2 BEING THAT MULTI-PHASE, THE OTHER INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS WOULD NOT BE PART OF IT, BUT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO GENERALLY TALK ABOUT THE, THAT PROJECT BEING THE, UM, THE, UH, NEW QUEST DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK I WOULD JUST WANNA BE CAREFUL TOO, BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN WITH PROJECT V, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WAS EVO, BUT HAD WE BEEN COMMUNICATING IT AS EVO VERSUS THE PROJECT, OUR CONTRACT IS NOT
[01:20:01]
WITH THE, THE TENANT IT'S WORTH WITH THE LLC, WHICH IS PART OF PROJECT V.SO I THINK, AGAIN, IT'S JUST, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CLARIFY AND IF WE'RE ACTUALLY CLARIFYING IT OR MAKING IT MORE CONFUSING
SO NOW, IF WE WANTED TO SAY HOOKY ENTERTAINMENT IN THERE, THAT AGREEMENT ISN'T WITH HOOKY ENTERTAINMENT, IT'S WITH VERA.
SO IF WE WANNA REFER TO IT AS VERA, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC'S GONNA KNOW THAT AS MUCH AS THEY WOULD KNOW PROJECT V, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST, EVEN IF IT'S AS SILLY AS FORMALLY EBO NOW HOOKY PUT IT IN.
PUT IT IN PARENTES BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING BEAT UP BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF OUR FIDUCIARY.
AND SO I, I DON'T CARE IF THE AGENDA, ALL THE THINGS HAS PARENTHESES THAT LISTED OUT IN WHATEVER ITERATION.
I MEAN, YEAH, WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANNA DO.
THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT REQUIRES YOUR AGENDA TO IDENTIFY THE SUBJECT MATTER TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING.
UM, AND SO IF THE SUBJECT MATTER IS AS VERA CINEMAS, UM, YOU KNOW, AKA HOOKY, UM, THEN FORMALLY EVO YEAH.
FORMALLY EVO AND, UH, USED TO BE X, Y, Z, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT AMOUNT OF, OF OF DETAIL WOULD BE NECESSARY.
BUT I THINK THAT THE, THE, THE INTENT OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS TO FOCUS ON A, A, A, A NAME OR THE SUBJECT MATTER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS, SO THAT IF THE PUBLIC WANTS TO COME AND LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEW MOVIE THEATER THAT'S COMING INTO THE HUDDLE, THEY CAN'T, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S REALLY ULTIMATELY THE GOAL IS TO, UM, LET THEM KNOW WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND, UH, SO THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK OR, OR NOT SPEAK OR, AND JUST WATCH THE, THE ACTIVITY OF THE BOARD.
SO, UM, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AROUND THIS? UM, OR DO WE JUST GIVE DIRECTION? UHHUH
SO EITHER WAY, DID YOU WANNA DO MOTION FIRST TO TALK ABOUT THE AGENDA LANGUAGE, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THIS FIRST? OR, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THAT FIRST.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS REGARDING SOME SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED PUBLICLY RECENTLY.
SO I'LL JUST GO KIND OF SLOWLY 'CAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A LOT FOR PUBLIC TO, TO TAKE IN.
BUT, UM, FIRST OFF IS THE SPINE ROAD.
SO REGARDING THE FUNDING AMOUNT, SOURCES AND STRUCTURE ACCORDING TO CITY RECORDS, THE CURRENT FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EDC AND CITI IS FOR A TOTAL OF $18 MILLION.
CAN I STOP YOU REAL QUICK? YEP.
WHY IS THIS ITEM SAYING CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR YOUR NAME, BUT STAFF IS READING IT.
UM, I CAN READ IT IF YOU'D LIKE.
I JUST THINK, YEAH, WITH UP TO YOU, WITH THE PUBLIC OUTCRY, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER COMING FROM OUR CHAIR.
DO YOU HAVE IT, ERIN, OR DO YOU NEED A YEAH, I HAVE IT.
UM, YEAH, MY THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WOULD BE BEST UNDER ECONOMIC DIRECTOR'S REPORT, BUT I SEE THAT THAT'S, I HAVE NO PROBLEM READING IT.
UM, SO THE SPINE ROAD FUNDING AMOUNT SOURCES AND STRUCTURE, THE CURRENT FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN EDC AND CITY IS FOR A TOTAL OF 18 MILLION.
THE CONS, UH, THIS CONSISTS OF 12 MILLION IN BONDS ISSUED BY THE CITY AND THE WATER WASTEWATER DRAINAGE COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT.
THE CURRENT AGREEMENT REFLECTS THE SHRINKING OF, HEY, AARON UHHUH
SO THIS CONSISTS OF 12 MILLION BONDS ISSUED BY THE CITY AND A 6 MILLION CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY FROM THE UTILITIES FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE WATER WASTEWATER DRAINAGE COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT.
THE CURRENT AGREEMENT REFLECTS THE SHRINKING OF THE OBLIGATION OF THE EDC TO REPAY THE 18 MILLION TO THE CITY.
THIS REMOVAL OF THE REIMBURSEMENT COMPONENT WAS A RESULT OF ACTION BY BOTH EDC AND CITY COUNCIL AT THEIR JOINT MEETING ON JUNE 20TH, 2024.
AGENDA ITEM 5.1, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A VOTE OF SEVEN ZERO AND ACTION TO APPROVED BY HEDC WITH A VOTE OF FOUR OH, MOVING ALONG TO PROJECT NQ TWO.
DO YOU WANNA READ THE DOCUMENT ACCESS TOO IN THERE? OKAY.
SO DOCUMENT ACCESS, UM, YOU CAN REVIEW THIS AT THE HEDC OR POSSESSES PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURES PURSUANT TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT TO DATE, TWO PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE SPINE ROAD PROJECT
[01:25:01]
HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND BOTH RESULTED IN THE RELEASE OF THE DOCUMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION WE RECEIVED.FOLLOWING THESE LEGAL PROCESSES ENSURES CONSISTENCY AND APPROPRIATE PROJECTIONS FOR ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING THE HEDC AND THE CITY PROJECT IN Q2.
UM, TOWN QUEST COMMONS PHASE TWO, UM, INCLUDING ACADEMY AND CHEWY'S, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL RETAIL AND RESTAURANT SPACE.
THE CURRENT AGREEMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON MARCH 23RD, 2023 VIA RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2023 DASH 0 4 1 WITH A VOTE OF SEVEN DASH ZERO, I MEAN SEVEN ZERO, AND APPROVED BY THE HEDC ON MARCH 30TH, 2023 VIA RESOLUTION R DASH 2023 DASH ZERO 13 WITH A VOTE SEVEN ZERO.
THIS PERFORMANCE BASE INCENTIVE IS COMPOSED OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE HEDC AND SALES TAX REIMBURSEMENT FROM BOTH THE HEDC AND THE CITY.
THE MAXIMUM GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE IS 4 MILLION OVER 12 YEARS.
IF ALL PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE MET, BEGINNING WITH THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR ACADEMY, THE SALES TAX REIMBURSEMENT IS A MAXIMUM OF 5 MILLION OVER 12 YEARS.
THE REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS AND TAPERS DOWN TO 50% FOR YEARS 11 AND 12.
THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY AND EDC BEGIN RECEIVING SALES TAX REVENUE FROM THIS PROJECT IN THREE YEARS.
PROJECT FEE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, THE CURRENT AGREEMENT WAS APPROVED BY HEDC ON JUNE 17TH, 2024 VIA RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2024 DASH 10 AND A, AND A VOTE FROM, UH, FOUR ZERO AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 6TH, 2024 VIA RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2024 DASH 22, WITH A VOTE OF SIX ZERO.
THIS PERFORMANCE BASE INCENTIVE IS COMPOSED OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE HEDC AND SALES TAX REIMBURSEMENT FROM BOTH THE HEDC AND THE CITY.
THE GRANT FUND'S MAXIMUM IS 4 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS.
IF ALL PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE MET, BEGINNING WITH THE OPENING DATE OF MAY IN MAY OF 2025, THE SALES TAX REIMBURSEMENT MAXIMUM IS 1.5 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS.
THE PROC OR THE PERCENT OF SALES TAX REIMBURSEMENT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS AND TAPERS DOWN TO 50% BY YEAR EIGHT.
THE CITY AND EDC BEGIN RECEIVING SALES TAX REVENUE FROM THIS PROJECT IN THREE YEARS.
ALL ACTIVE INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ON TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE.
AN EASY WAY TO GET THERE IS TO SEARCH INCENTIVES ON THE CITY OF HUTTO WEBSITE, SELECT THE SEARCH RESULT TITLED INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS.
THAT PAGE IS, CONTAINS A LINK DIRECTLY TO THE HEAD PAGE ON THE COMPTROLLER'S SITE.
AND THEN MY INTENTION OF SHARING THIS INFORMATION IS FOR TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY ON THESE ITEMS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR READING THAT.
UM, I JUST, THERE WAS NO BACKUP MATERIAL IN OUR, WHAT WE WERE SENT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T USUALLY HAVE BACKUP MATERIAL, SO I JUST HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS AND SEEING THAT STAFF WAS READING SOMETHING THAT WAS IN YOUR NAME, THAT'S WHY I ASKED WHY THAT WAS HAPPENING.
BUT THANK YOU FOR READING THAT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE PUBLIC AND, UM, I'M REALLY, YOU KNOW, PROUD OF THIS BOARD AND HONESTLY, PROUD MADAM CHAIR OF YOU FOR READING THAT AND SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT, SO THAT WAY, UM, THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS THAT WE ARE, UM, BEING RESPONSIBLE AND, AND DOING THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO ULTIMATELY, UM, BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE CITIZENS OF HUDU, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR READING THAT.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? OKAY.
SO GOING BACK TO WHAT WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT BEFORE ABOUT NAMING, UM, IN THE LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY, UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PUT CURRENT NAMES AND PARENTHESES SO THAT, UM, PUBLIC HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PROJECTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ONCE, ONCE WE'VE GONE FROM NGA AND AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED, THEN THE UPDATES YOU YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEN THE PUBLIC COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE.
I'LL, I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.
WE MAY HAVE TO WORK WITH COUNSEL ON MAKING SURE THAT THE AGENDA LANGUAGE IS SUITABLE, BUT RIGHT.
LEGAL COUNSEL REVIEWS FOR TOMA COMPLIANCE EVERY OKAY.
[01:30:01]
AND EACH ONE OF THOSE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE AT THE COMPTROLLERS HAS THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS CONTRACTED WITH YOU FOR THOSE INCENTIVES.SO WE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRY TO MATCH THOSE UP TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND HOOKY IS SPELLED H-O-O-K-Y.
AND IT'S, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S NO E HOOKY.
'CAUSE I, I, I KEPT ON THINKING IT WAS, SORRY, IT WAS HOOKY AND HOOKY SOUNDED KIND OF STRANGE, BUT HOOKY MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE.
BUT, SO ONCE I UNDERSTOOD THAT I WAS PRONOUNCING IT WRONG, IT, IT'S LIKE PLAIN HOOKY FROM SCHOOL PLAYING HOOKY.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN PLAY HOOKY.
I THINK THAT WOULD'VE GIVEN SOME CLARITY TO IT THEN.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE HOCKEY, BUT MIXED UP.
I'VE, I'VE GOT, UM, A MOTION BY MYSELF, CHAIR AARON CLANCY AND SECONDED BY TREASURER HENRY GIDEON.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THIS ITEM? YEAH, IT'S, UM, I WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS MOTION.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS RAISE, THIS BRINGS INTO QUESTION TOO MANY VARIABLES.
I KNOW THAT OUR LEGAL HAS SAID THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THINGS, BUT I THINK WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT COULD CHANGE AND, UM, FOR LACK OF PUTTING SOMETHING OUT THAT'S NOT CORRECT, AND THEN HAVING TO REDACT IT, THEN PUT IT BACK OUT, I THINK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME UNEXPECTED EXPECTATIONS OF STAFF, UM, AS WELL AS FOR US TO GET OUR DUCKS IN A ROW BEFORE WE PUT SOMETHING OUT.
AND SO, UM, I JUST THINK THIS OPENS US UP TO TOO MANY UNKNOWN VARIABLES.
AND SO I WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS MOTION.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO YOU GUYS REVIEW THE, THE AGENDAS, RIGHT? WE, I MEAN, DO YOU SEE, DO YOU FORESEE A REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, IF THE AGREEMENTS MADE PUBLIC, IF IT'S ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE, ET CETERA, DO YOU SEE ANY REASON WHY SOMETHING MIGHT BE CALLED BACK OR HAVE TO BE REDACTED? TO BRIAN'S POINT, BECAUSE I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M INFORMED BEFORE I VOTE.
NOT NECESSARILY REDACTED, BUT THE, WHETHER IT'S ON THE PUBLIC, ON THE, UH, COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE IS IRRELEVANT TO YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND SO HERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PROVIDE GREATER TRANSPARENCY BY PROVIDING GREATER INFORMATION ON YOUR AGENDA.
RIGHT? UM, ONCE THE PROJECT IS NO LONGER, UH, OR THE PROJECT NAME IS NO LONGER NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE PROSPECT OR THE PROJECT, RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA, I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THE MOTION ONLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT TRANSPARENCY AND, AND LIMITING CONFUSION TO OUR CITIZENS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL PROJECT NAMES, YOU KNOW, I'M, I SUPPORT THAT.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR ANSWERING ANY OTHER QUESTION OR DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? YEAH.
I, MORE, MORE IMPORTANT I THINK THAN TRANSPARENCY, WHICH ADMITTEDLY IS IMPORTANT, IS, IS THIS BOARD'S FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF GIVES ME PAUSE FOR THIS MOTION.
AND, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO AGREE WITH BRIAN IN THIS ONE.
I DON'T THINK I CAN SUPPORT IT.
WELL, MY, SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION TO CLARIFY, RIGHT? LIKE, IF, IF WE ARE ALREADY AT A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE SERVED THAT ROLE SURE.
AND PEOPLE WANT TRANSPARENCY, UM, IF IT IS NOT A BREACH OF A FIDUCIARY, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PROSECUTABLE, RIGHT? THEN WHY SHOULDN'T WE JUST SAY, HEY, IT'S THE MOVIE THEATER, YOU KNOW? LIKE IT'S, I'M NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, RUFFLE ANY FEATHERS HERE, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING AND THAT IF THERE WAS SOME WAY, MAYBE THERE'S A KEY THAT WE PUT ON OUR WEBSITE THAT SAYS, HEY, HERE'S ALL OUR PROJECTS.
HERE'S WHAT THE, THEY ACTUALLY REFER TO.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME SOLUTION TO THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY IF THIS IS WHAT IT IS, BUT I, I THINK TRANSPARENCY IS, IM IS IMPORTANT AT SOME POINT.
AND, AND, AND YOU COULD, YOU COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE A NAME, IT WOULD BE THE HOOKY MOVIE THEATER.
IS, IS WHAT THE PROJECT, WELL, THAT, THAT'S THE SUBJECT MATTER THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PROJECT B PARENTHESES, HOOKY MOVIE THEATER.
SO IT, IT'S DOESN'T REALLY NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE AS RA OR, OR THE SPECIFIC NAME.
THAT'S REALLY THE, THE, THE KEY FOR PURPOSES OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND SO PROJECT V FOR SOMEBODY WHO JUST GOT HERE A YEAR, YOU KNOW, UH, LAST MONTH OR SIX MONTHS AGO, THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHAT PROJECT V IS UNLESS THEY HAVE TO GO RESEARCH IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE A RISK COMES IN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT PROVIDES THE PUBLIC WITH FAIR NOTICE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS MM-HMM
SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S THE CONCERN.
[01:35:01]
TO PROVIDE YOU WITH CONSERVATIVE ADVICE SAYING IF YOU, THE MORE, THE MORE YOU PROVIDE, THE LESS LIKELY THERE IS TO BE A CHALLENGE THAT YOU DIDN'T PROVIDE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.UM, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE BOARD MEMBER MCLAUGHLIN? UM, I THINK WE'D NEED MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS BEFORE I REALLY FEEL A HUNDRED PERCENT READY TO SAY YES OR NO.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY NO RIGHT NOW.
I WAS GOING TO SAY ABSTAIN, BUT IF WE CAN HAVE MORE DISCUSSION.
'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE I QUITE FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REPERCUSSIONS WOULD BE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST ABOUT READY TO LAUNCH AND OPEN.
SO I'M NOT CLEAR ON WHAT YOU KNOW WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DON'T INCLUDE THE CURRENT NAME.
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DO INCLUDE THE CURRENT.
WE PROBABLY NEED TO, AND MAYBE WE JUST NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE MOTION.
WELL, WE WE'RE TAKING THE VOTE.
WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO CORRECT THE ROBERTS RULES RIGHT FOR A SECOND.
SO COUNSEL, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF A CALL, THE QUESTION, AND WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS.
SO THE RESCIND YOUR MOTION, THE, THE QUESTION IS TO CLARIFY THE, THE, THE MOTION.
AND SO THE MOTION RIGHT NOW IS TO, UM, PROVIDE, FOR INSTANCE, USING PROJECT V AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, PROJECT V PARENTHESIS, SUBJECT MATTER SUCH AS MOVIE THEATER OR, YOU KNOW, NEWQUEST DEVELOPMENT OR WHAT, WHAT, WHATEVER THE, THAT LANGUAGE IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE A GREATER, UM, DISCLOSURE OF THE ITEM PARENTHESES.
UM, INSTEAD OF GIST PROJECT FEE, UH, DUE TO THE, UM, THE, THE LACK OF NECESSITY OF MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY AS TO WHO THE PROSPECT IS THAT IS LOCATING HERE, THAT WE'RE CONTRACTED WITH COUNSEL.
IF I MAY, WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN FOR THE MOTION IS TO INCLUDE CURRENT NAMES, NOT TYPE OF FACILITY, BUT THE ACTUAL NAMES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT BE GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT THAT.
SO IF THE INTENT IS NOT TO DO THE NAMES, BUT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE.
SO IF WE
I, I JUST THINK THAT THE SUBSEQUENT YEAH.
AND, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH MOTION AND KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT.
LET'S RESEND THE MOTION AND FURTHER FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
MY, MY, IT, IT WAS JUST IN THE LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY.
SO THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ELSE, BUT JUST TRYING TO BE, UM, LIKE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROJECT V, SOME NEW CITIZENS MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND SO IF WE CAN PUT CURRENT NAMES OR IF WE WANNA TALK ABOUT SUBJECTS, I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
IT'S WHATEVER WE ALL DECIDE IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT JUST SO THAT WE HAVE MORE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY COULD ALWAYS COME TO, TO THE MEETING AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
THEY COULD EMAIL, UM, I MEAN, WE JUST HAD A, AN EXAMPLE OF WE PUT SOMETHING OUT.
WE ALL THOUGHT IT WAS THAT, AND THEN WE HAD TO CHANGE IT.
I MEAN, I JUST DON'T THINK IT LOOKS GOOD PUTTING SOMETHING, IT MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE UNTIL IT IS OPEN DONE.
I MEAN, WE JUST HAD AN EXAMPLE OF THIS.
SO I JUST, I MEAN, I, I FEEL LIKE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, GEORGE AND I MAKE, IT DOES MAKE SENSE, BUT WE JUST HAD AN EXAMPLE ABOUT THIS.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON THERE, THAT'S WHERE THE HESITATION LIES.
I, I, I FEEL LIKE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND YOU'RE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS, BUT THIS JUST HAPPENED.
THE, THE, THE RISK THAT YOU TAKE IS THAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO CHALLENGE, UH, SOME ACTION THAT THE BOARD TAKES WITH REGARDS TO PROJECT V AND ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN DO SO ON THE BASIS THAT YOUR AGENDA DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE DISCLOSURE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE DISCUSSION, THEN THE ACTION OF THIS BOARD CAN BE CO BE RENDERED VOIDABLE BY NOT VOID.
SO IT CONTINUES TO BE GOOD, BUT IF SOMEONE CHALLENGES IT AND THAT CO AGREES WITH THEIR COMPLAINT, THEN WHATEVER YOU'VE DONE IS NO LONGER VALID, WHICH COULD CAUSE SUBSEQUENT DOMINO TYPE OF CONCERNS WITH BREACHES OF AGREEMENTS OR, OR OTHER TYPES OF ACTION THAT WOULD, THE BOARD WOULD NEED TO RATIFY THAT AGAIN TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE CONCERN.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE PROJECT NAMES OR SOMETHING THAT ARE VERY, UM, UH, RECOGNIZED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR PURPOSES OF, OF CONFIDENTIALITY, UM, I'M JUST RAISING THE POINT THAT, THAT
[01:40:01]
IF THERE IS NO BASIS FOR THE CONFIDENTIALITY TO CONTINUE, THERE WOULD BE SOME RISK THAT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COULD CHALLENGE THE ACTION OF THE BOARD ON ANY PRO ON ANY PROJECT THAT'S NOT POSTED WITH A ADEQUATE SUBJECT MATTER.IF THAT'S WHAT A COURT WOULD DECIDE.
GEORGE, CAN I ASK A, A QUESTION? 'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO BRING IT TOGETHER.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO INCLUDE IN PARENTHESES THE INTENDED USE OF THE FACILITIES IN THE PROJECT UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THEY ARE OPEN? SO FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE HOOKY ENTERTAINMENT.
WHO KNOWS IF THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT IT'S GONNA BE UNTIL IT'S OPEN? MM-HMM.
SO FOR PROJECT V, COULD WE NOT SAY IN PARENTHESES FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER OR FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT VENUE, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, WHEREAS FOR PROJECT NQ TWO AND PARENTHESES, WE CAN PUT ACADEMY CHEWY'S, THOSE ARE OPEN AND OTHER RESTAURANT AND RETAIL TO BE DETERMINED.
DOES THAT, WOULD THAT CAPTURE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE? DOES THAT MAKE THE BOARD COMFORTABLE? I'M TRYING TO PLAY MEDIATOR
I I THINK THAT THAT, I MEAN, IT, THE, THE MANNER IN WHICH WE CAN SATISFY THE, THE TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENT UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS, IS, YOU KNOW, MANY AND, AND MANY FACETED MM-HMM
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THE SHOPPING CENTER, THE NEWQUEST SHOPPING CENTER HAS A SPECIFIC NAME, THEN WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS AT THAT CENTER.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER IS A, I SAID MOVIE THEATER, BUT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT IS MORE, IS IS MORE ACCURATE, I THINK.
UM, AND SO, SO YEAH, THE, WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER, THAT TYPE OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPLANATION, UM, WOULD CLEARLY, UM, BE DEFENDABLE IF THERE WAS EVER A CHALLENGE THAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THE, THE ORIGINAL PROJECT NAME AND PROJECT USE MM-HMM
AND THEN AS, AS THINGS ARE ABLE TO GO FURTHER IN EXPLAINING, UH, AFTER WE HAVE GOT GOTTEN OUT OF THE CONFIDENTIALITY PERIOD, AND WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN WITH OUR PUBLIC OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, NAME OR NO NAME UNNAMED TO BE NAMED LATER, WHATEVER, THE OTHER CAVEATS CAN BE ADDED ALONG TO THOSE DESCRIPTIONS.
UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AS WE BUILD AGENDAS, UM, IT, AT EACH ITERATION OF ACTION OR DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE TAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE CAN BE REVEALED MM-HMM
DEPENDING ON OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE, THE, THE EXAMPLE BRIAN IS TALKING ABOUT IS WE, WE WERE DEALING WITH A SURPRISE AND A BIG FLAUNT OF A SPECIFIC NAME, AND WE NEEDED TO FIND OUT FROM THE INVESTORS AND WHETHER WERE THERE ANY CONTRACTUAL CONCERNS TO PROTECT THE CORPORATION'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT CONTRACT.
AND IT, AND IT GOT OUT BEFORE WE COULD EXERCISE OUR FI FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL SEE THIS AGAIN.
'CAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU THAT
WE'VE LEARNED THIS, UM, IN WRITING, PERIOD, END OF STORY A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY TOO, I RESPECT THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH PRIVATE CAPITAL THAT'S COMING IN TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AGREED THAT WE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN SOME FASHION.
BUT FAR BE IT FOR US, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, TO NECESSARILY DICTATE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT A NAME, WHAT NAME IS GONNA BE USED MM-HMM
AND YEAH, THE, I'LL BACK UP TO THE ORIGINAL THING.
MOST OF OUR PROJECTS, UM, NOT NECESSARILY REAL ESTATE ITSELF, BUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT.
AND AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING, WE PROVIDE A, A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A MANUFACTURER WITH A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES THAT'S GOING TO PUT A 10 MIL, $10 MILLION INVESTMENT, A CAPITAL INVESTMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, DISCUSSED WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER IS.
AND SO, UM, ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT TYPE OF SUBJECT MATTER CONNECTED TO THE, THE, THE PROJECT NAME MAY PROVIDE GREATER TRANSPARENCY TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A LOCATION, IF IT'S GOING TO OCCUR ALONG HIGHWAY 79, OR IF IT'S GONNA OCCUR AT THE MEGA SITE OR WHAT, WHATEVER THAT CASE, WE CAN, WE CAN DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO DEFINE A, UM,
[01:45:02]
A, UM, AN ACCEPTABLE MEANS BY WHICH TO DESCRIBE THE PROJECT, UM, TO HELP RECOGNIZE WHAT PROJECT IS WHAT, BECAUSE I, I'LL ADMIT, SOMETIMES I'LL LOOK AT A, A PROJECT NAME AND GO, WHAT, WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN? WHAT'S, WHAT IS STRAT OR SQL WITH, WITH I GOT 'EM MIXED UP OR, SO, YOU KNOW, I, AND SO I, I THINK THAT THE, THAT THE PUBLIC COULD GET THEM MIXED UP TOO.SO COULD WE TABLE THIS FOR LIKE A, OR JUST COULD WE MAKE THIS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? UM, 'CAUSE I THINK WE ALL DO WANT, I MEAN, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE ON THE BOARD.
I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF HERE AND JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT, IT WOULD BE GOOD IF THERE WAS MORE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THINGS TO THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK OF AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION TO AGAIN, PROTECT OUR FIDUCIARY AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS DON'T GO GO WAY.
AND KELLY, WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT TO SUPPORT THAT, UH, SUGGESTION, GEORGE, IF WE COULD MAYBE HAVE TWO OR THREE SAMPLE WAYS FROM A LEGAL LENS THAT YOU WOULD MAYBE SAY, WE COULD PHRASE THIS, THIS MATTER.
WE, I THINK EVERYBODY SORT OF AGREES WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH RESPECT TO TRANSPARENCY, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE THE NEXT TIME WE DISCUSS WE HAVE TWO OR THREE LEGAL EXAMPLES USED IN THE REAL WORLD PERHAPS, AND WE THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE, THE MOST APPROPRIATE OR JUDICIOUS WAY TO FRAME THE MOTION CORRECTLY THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
WE'D LIKE TO, UH, WOULD, I MEAN, COLLABORATE WITH CHENEY AND FIND A A MEANS TO DO THAT.
THAT WOULD JUST BE A MOTION TO TABLE FOR UNTIL NEXT MEETING.
MOTION TO TABLE UNTIL NEXT MEETING.
SO I HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE UNTIL NEXT MEETING.
SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR MATT MITTEN.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? NO.
MAY I GET A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? BOARD MEMBER THOMPSON AYE.
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION TO APPROVE THE CORPORATION'S MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR JANUARY, 2025.
HI, GOOD EVENING BOARD CHRISTINA BISHOP, CITY CONTROLLER, UH, EMAIL OUT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO YOU AND THE FINANCIAL PACKAGE, UH, FRIDAY EVENING.
I HOPE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW.
THE ONLY, UH, COUPLE OF COMMENTS I WANTED TO MAKE WAS, IT WAS A BIG CASH OUTFLOW MONTH FOR YOU.
YOU HAD A MILLION DOLL, JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS OUT TO ALLIANCE BANK FOR YOUR ANNUAL PRINCIPAL PAYMENT, AND YOU ALSO HAD A SEMI-ANNUAL INTEREST PAYMENT ON YOUR, UH, BONDS THAT WERE USED TO BUY THE MEGA SITE LAND WITH.
UH, THE ONE FAVORABLE THING I WANT TO MENTION, UM, IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAD A REALLY FANTASTIC SALES TAX MONTH.
UM, IT WAS 28% HIGHER IN THIS FEBRUARY'S COLLECTION THAN LAST YEAR'S, AND IT'S ACTUALLY THE HIGHEST SALES TAX MONTH YOU'VE EVER HAD IN HU.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I'M HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY IT WAS HIGHER? UH, 28% HIGHER THIS FEBRUARY THAN IT WAS LAST FEBRUARY.
AND, AND ACTUAL DOLLARS IT WAS 400.
AND CHRISTINA, COULD YOU POSSIBLY EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO? UM, I HAVE, I HAVE THOUGHTS, UM, BUT I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE, UH, COMPTROLLER'S, UH, LISTING OF WHO'S PAID IN THIS MONTH AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS YET.
UM, BUT, UH, THIS IS MAYBE SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT, UM, IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, DURING A FUTURE CASH FLOW ONCE I GET THAT DATA.
IS THIS, UM, SO ON THE BUDGET REPORT UNDER CONTRIBUTION FROM CITI, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR PERCENTAGE REMAINING IS LIKE 113.8 80%.
IS THAT BECAUSE THE PROJECTION WAS GONNA BE LOWER FOR THAT MONTH? YEAH, SO WE ACTUALLY, THIS IS, UH, THE DOLLARS COMING IN FOR THE SPINE ROAD.
UH, SO WHEN WE SPEND MONEY WITH JORDAN FOSTER THE E THE CITY WILL REIMBURSE FOR THAT.
WE REALLY JUST THOUGHT THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD BE FURTHER ALONG WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET, SO WE JUST KIND OF EXPECTED THAT ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ALL THE OUTLAY WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THIS YEAR.
UM, AND ACTUALLY, UH, WE WILL HAVE TO BRING A, A FUTURE BUDGET AMENDMENT RELATED TO THESE TWO LINE ITEMS. UM, IN DISCUSSING WITH OUR AUDITORS THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, THEY
[01:50:01]
DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE RECORDING AND A REVENUE AND EXPENSE FOR THIS.UH, THEY JUST THINK IT SHOULD ALL BE HANDLED THROUGH THE BALANCE SHEET AND SAYING, UH, BECAUSE REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'VE GOT A CAPITAL OUTLAY ON THE CITY'S BOOKS FOR WHAT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING.
AND THE EDC ALSO HAS CAPITAL OUTLAY ON THEIR BOOKS.
SO IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE TWO BIG, THE WAY IT'S BEING REPORTED IS THAT YOU HAVE TWO BIG ASSETS.
UM, SO WE WILL BE CHANGING THAT.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE AUDIT TO WRAP UP AND GET THOSE PROPOSALS.
THAT'S NOT GONNA RESULT IN A FINDING, IS IT? UM, IT MAY.
SO THEN WE'LL NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO TO CORRECT THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, OR, SORRY, APPROVE THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
SO I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER BRIAN THOMPSON AND SECONDED BY TREASURER HENRY GIDEON.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? NO.
CAN YOU CALL A VOTE PLEASE? VICE CHAIRMAN MINTON AYE.
UM, ITEM 7.3, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING AMENDMENTS TO THE CORPORATION'S TYPE A AND TYPE B BYLAWS.
SO, UM, WE DID GET SOME GREAT FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ONE LAST OPPORTUNITY.
WE ARE GONNA BE BRINGING FORWARD THOSE PROPOSED REVISIONS AT THE APRIL MEETING, SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT Y'ALL WANTED IN THERE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT COULD, COULD WE HOLD OFF ON THIS UNTIL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION, SINCE WE HAVE IT ON EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE TYPE A, A AND TYPE B BYLAWS? THAT MAY QUESTION.
YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION I'D LIKE TO ASK COUNSEL IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OH, I HAVE A STATEMENT I WANTED TO READ AT THIS AGENDA ITEM, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYONE.
SO, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START.
UM, AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORK OF THE EDC BEING POLITICIZED.
THIS BODY IS NOT A POLITICAL ENTITY.
ALL MEMBERS SITTING BEFORE YOU ARE APPOINTED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS AFTER AN APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS, BUT NOT IN ELECTED POSITIONS.
WE ARE VOLUNTEERS AND TAXPAYERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ARE HERE TO SERVE THE TYPE A AND TYPE B CORPORATIONS.
WE GOVERN FOR THE BENEFIT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITIZENS OF HEDO.
WHILE CITY COUNCIL IS THE AUTHORIZING ENTITY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOT BOUND BY THE SAME FIDUCIARY DUTY TO THIS BODY AS THE CORPORATION'S BOARD MEMBERS, THE ABILITY FOR THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO ITS ATTORNEY AND MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CORPORATION IS PARAMOUNT, IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.
THE CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZED AND EMBRACED THIS POSITION WHEN IT APPROVED THE FIFTH AMENDED BYLAWS FOR THE CORPORATIONS, WHICH INCLUDED AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ON THIS POINT.
ARTICLE FIVE, CONFIDENTIALITY.
IT STATES THAT ALL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION OR MATERIALS ENTRUSTED TO OR OBTAINED BY DIRECTORS OR STAFF OF THE CORPORATION IS CONFIDENTIAL.
THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE BOARD RECOGNIZE THAT THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE HARMFUL TO THE CORPORATION'S PURPOSE, PROJECTS OR PROSPECTS IF DISCLOSED.
WHEN THEY APPROVED OUR CURRENT BYLAWS ON AUGUST 4TH, 2022, I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CALL UPON ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ACT, TO PREVENT THE RELEASE OF CONFIDENTIAL CORPORATE INFORMATION TO ANYONE WITHOUT THE BOARD'S EXPRESS APPROVAL.
IF A BOARD MEMBER RELEASES CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, THIS BOARD IS REQUIRED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE REMOVAL OF ANY DIRECTOR FOUND VIOLATING THEIR DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY.
I FEEL THE SAME SHOULD APPLY TO ANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS FOUND BY THE BOARD AS RELEASING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
BASED ON THIS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING MOTION.
I MOVE TO TEMPORARILY AND IMMEDIATELY PROHIBIT ANYONE OTHER THAN THE BOARD MEMBERS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND THE CORPORATION'S GENERAL COUNCIL FROM ATTENDING EDC EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETINGS, UNLESS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD IN OPEN SESSION UNTIL SUCH TIME AMENDED BYLAWS MAY BE APPROVED AND CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL, AMENDING THEM TO FURTHER ENSURE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE BOARD'S CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION EXCHANGED WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL, AS WAS THE INTENT OF THE BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL IN 2022 WHEN
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THEY APPROVED THE CURRENT BYLAWS, SORRY I THIS LONG.THIS INCLUDES A REQUIREMENT THAT AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS DAY IN ADVANCE OF A MEETING ANY UNINVITED BUT OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE PERSON WHO WANTS TO ATTEND THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MUST SUBMIT THAT REQUEST IN WRITING, STATING THE SPECIFIC ITEM OF INTEREST.
THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER THE REQUEST AT THE TIME THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS CALLED FOR AT THAT MEETING.
AND THIS WILL ALSO REQUIRE THAT ANY UNINVITED BUT OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE PERSON PERMITTED TO ATTEND, WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN A CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT APPROVED BY GENERAL COUNSEL IN A FORM THAT ENSURES THE CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE SAME MANNER AS AND WILL ADHERE TO THE SAME FIDUCIARY DUTIES EXPECTED BY THE CORPORATION'S BOARD MEMBERS WITH REGARD TO THE INFORMATION ACCORDING TO MIRIAM WEBSTER.
AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT FIDUCIARY TONIGHT, BUT I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO INTO THE, THE DEFINITION OF IT.
A LEGAL OR ETHICAL OBLIGATION OF TRUST, CONFIDENCE, AND CANDOR REQUIRING A PERSON FIDUCIARY TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ANOTHER BENEFICIARY, FIDUCIARY DUTY, A LEGAL OR ETHICAL OBLIGATION OF TRUST, CONFIDENCE AND CANDOR, REQUIRING A PERSON TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ANOTHER KEY ELEMENTS OF FIDUCIARY DUTY.
DUTY OF CARE, ACTING WITH A DILIGENCE AND CARE, A REASONABLE PERSON WOULD EXERCISE IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
DUTY OF LOYALTY, ACTING SOLELY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE BENEFICIARY, AVOIDING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, DUTY OF GOOD FAITH, ACTING HONESTLY AND FAIRLY WITHOUT DECEPTION OR CONCEALMENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE CANNOT LIE.
A BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY OCCURS WHEN A FIDUCIARY FAILS TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE BENEFICIARY.
IN THIS CASE THE EDC POTENTIALLY LEADING TO LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.
WHILE IT IS NOT ILLEGAL FOR POLITICIANS TO LIE, SPIN, OR SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT TO SWAY THEIR AUDIENCE, A FIDUCIARY MUST ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH AND CAN BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE IF THEY DO NOT.
RECENTLY, WE HAVE HAD CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VISITING OUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS AND THEN TO MY KNOWLEDGE, DISCUSSING THE CONTENTS OF SAID, MEETING WITH OTHERS NOT IN ATTENDANCE, REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO PROJECT V, ITEM 13.3 AND LAST THURSDAY, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THE MAYOR'S SUBSEQUENTLY REQUESTING TO REVIEW THAT MEETING'S, EXECUTIVE SESSION RECORDINGS, WHEREBY THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN LARGE PART ARE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGED.
I WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD TO SAY IT IS MY OPINION THAT THESE VISITS AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ARE POLITICALLY DRIVEN AND NOT OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE CORPORATION AS A FIDUCIARY TO THIS ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME.
AND MY ETHICAL STANDARDS WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO BE SILENT.
MY HOPE IS TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO CONFIDENTIALITY AND AND TO PROTECT THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF CONVERSATIONS AND AGREEMENTS UNTIL SUCH TIME, IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR ITEMS TO BE MADE PUBLIC.
THIS BODY AS IS ALREADY HAS IN DEPTH OVERSIGHT BY CITY COUNCIL.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES IN THE BYLAWS.
SECTION 4.2, CITY COUNCIL MUST BY A VOTE, APPROVE ANY CHANGES PROPOSED TO OUR BYLAWS.
SECTION 1.3, NO INCENTIVE OR PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT CAN BE FINALLY EXECUTED WITHOUT A MAJORITY VOTE FROM CITY COUNCIL.
SECTION 2.4, CITY COUNCIL CAN CALL A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AT ANY TIME PROVIDED PROPER NOTICE IS GIVEN.
OUR BYLAWS ALLOW FOR REVIEW OF RECORDS WITHIN THE GOVERNING LAW, WITHIN THE GOVERNING LAW.
SECTION 1.4 ANNUAL CORPORATE BUDGET MUST BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL SECTION 1.3.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY DOES ONE MEMBER OF COUNCIL NEED A RECORDING OF A CONFIDENTIAL MEETING THAT WAS ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED? WHAT IS THE INTENT? IF THE INTENT IS TO DAMAGE THE CORPORATION, ITS BOARD MEMBERS, ITS CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS, OR PARTNERSHIPS, I WOULD BE AT BEST REMISS AS A FIDUCIARY NOT TO CALL THIS MATTER TO ATTENTION AND TO TRY TO TAKE STEPS NECESSARY TO REVISE BYLAWS TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY IN THE FUTURE.
SEE, AS AN EDC BOARD, WE MAY NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION OR A CLOSED MEETING TO DISCUSS SENSITIVE MATTERS LIKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEGOTIATIONS, LEGAL ISSUES, OR INTERNAL MATTERS, AS THESE TOPICS OFTEN REQUIRE CONFIDENTIALITY TO PROTECT SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
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NOT TO HOLD INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT TO PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF SOME COMMON REASONS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEGOTIATIONS, COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
SOMETIMES IT'S TO DISCUSS SENSITIVE FINANCIAL INFORMATION OR TRADE SECRETS SHARED BY A BUSINESS PROSPECT, SUCH AS LOCATION DETAILS OR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHEREBY THE STAKEHOLDERS MAY BE HARMED BY A PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, FINANCIAL, OR OTHER INCENTIVES TO DELIBERATE ON THE OFFER OF FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVES TO A BUSINESS PROSPECT, WHICH COULD BE SENSITIVE AND REQUIRE CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSION TO REACH AGREEMENT FOR BEING DISCLOSED LEGAL MATTERS, PENDING LITIGATION TO DISCUSS STRATEGIES, SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS, OR LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO PENDING LAWSUITS OR LEGAL DISPUTES, DISCIPLINARY MATTERS TO ADDRESS DISCIPLINARY CONCERNS, WHICH REQUIRE A CONFIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT TO PROTECT INDIVIDUAL REPUTATIONS AND ENSURE PROCESSES ARE CONDUCTED FAIRLY.
ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE BOARD AND ITS LEGAL COUNSEL BOARD EVALUATIONS TO DISCUSS THE PERFORMANCE OF BOARD MEMBERS OR THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, WHICH REQUIRES A CONFIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT TO FOSTER A CANDID DISCUSSION, CRISIS MANAGEMENT TO DISCUSS URGENT FINANCIAL OR REPUTATIONAL CONCERNS, WHICH REQUIRE A CONFIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING.
TO RESTATE THE IMPORTANT DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE EDC AND COUNCIL IS THAT AS A MEMBER OF THIS NONPROFIT BOARD, WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY.
AND WHILE COUNSEL IS THE AUTHORIZING ENTITY, THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE CORPORATION ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE BOARD'S MEMBERS.
I BELIEVE THIS CHANGE IN THE BYLAWS IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THIS CORPORATION AS HATTO GROWS AND TO PREVENT POLITICS FROM BEING A DISRUPTIVE OBSTACLE TO GETTING THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE.
ANOTHER REMINDER, DOLLARS THAT GET SPENT ARE ULTIMATELY APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL AND ANY EXECUTED AGREEMENTS IN DISCUSSION AT RECENT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ONCE EXECUTED AND MADE PUBLIC, WERE VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THAT BODY.
THESE AGREEMENTS ARE ALSO ON THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW.
IN CLOSING, COUNCIL HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE THE PEOPLE IN THESE SEATS, SHOULD THEY SEED THE NEED.
I'M RESPECTFULLY MAKING THIS APPEAL ON RECORD TO THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO NOT POLITICIZE THIS CORPORATION DURING THIS UPCOMING ELECTION IN MAY, AND TO ALLOW THE USUAL ALREADY IN PLACE BYLAWS OF THESE CORPORATIONS AND THEIR OVERSIGHT MECHANISMS TO DO THEIR JOB.
SO THIS BOARD CAN STAY BUSY DOING HOURS.
I ALSO ASK THAT AS WE CONSIDER THIS BYLAW CHANGE, COUNCIL MEMBERS ATTENDING OUR UPCOMING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS TREAT OUR BOARD MEMBER VOLUNTEERS THIS CORPORATION AND THE WORK IT IS CHARGED TO DO WITH RESPECT, KEEPING PROTECTED INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL AND HONORING THIS BOARD AS A FIDUCIARY TO PROTECT ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
SO I BELIEVE THERE'S A MOTION YEP.
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO READ IT AGAIN? I NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
I
WAIT, WHAT WAS THE MOTION? LET ME GO BACK TO THAT PARAGRAPH.
I READ ALL THAT WITHOUT MY GLASSES.
I MOVED TO TEMPORARILY AND IMMEDIATELY PROHIBIT ANYONE OTHER THAN THE BOARD MEMBERS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND THE CORPORATION'S GENERAL COUNSEL FROM ATTENDING EDC EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETINGS, UNLESS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD IN OPEN SESSION UNTIL SUCH TIME AMENDED BYLAWS MAY BE APPROVED AND CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THEM TO FURTHER ENSURE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE BOARD'S CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION EXCHANGED WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL, AS WAS THE INTENT OF THE BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL IN 2022 WHEN THEY APPROVED THE CURRENT BYLAWS.
THIS INCLUDES A REQUIREMENT THAT AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS DAY IN ADVANCE OF A MEETING ANY UNINVITED BUT OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE PERSON WHO WANTS TO ATTEND THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MUST SUBMIT THAT IN WRITING, STATING THE SPECIFIC ITEM OF INTEREST.
THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER THE REQUEST AT THE TIME THE EX EXECUTIVE SESSION IS CALLED FOR AT THAT MEETING.
IS THAT CLEAR? AND THIS WILL ALSO REQUIRE THAT ANY UNINVITED BUT OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE PERSON PERMITTED TO ATTEND, WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN A CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT APPROVED BY GENERAL COUNSEL AND A FORM THAT ENSURES THE CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE SAME MANNER AS AND WILL, WILL ADHERE TO THE
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SAME FIDUCIARY DUTIES EXPECTED BY THE CORPORATION'S BOARD MEMBERS WITH REGARD TO THE INFORMATION.SO WE HAVE A FIRST, UM, A MOTION ON THE TABLE BY, UH, BOARD MEMBER KELLY MCLAUGHLIN, AND WE HAVE A SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR MATT MITTEN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? CAN I MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? YES.
SO I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT SITTING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE BOARD DO NOT ATTEND EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU STATED IS, I AGREE WITH IT, BUT I THINK ALSO BOARD MEMBERS THAT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SIT ON THE BOARD, WE, LIKE YOU SAID, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE ABILITY TO REMOVE ANYBODY THAT WE THINK CAN BE REMOVED.
WE ALSO GET OUR UPDATES FROM STAFF WHO IS PRESENT IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
AND IF WE ARE MOVING IN A DIRECTION AS A BOARD TO NOT MAKE THE EDCA POLITICAL, YOU KNOW, TOOL, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE BOARD MEMBER WHO IS ALSO A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO NOT ATTEND EXECUTIVE SESSION AND TO BE UPDATED ABOUT EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, HAPPENINGS BY THE, UH, STAFF MEMBER THAT IS, UM, PRESENT IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, I DO WANT TO ASK LEGAL, BECAUSE I HAVE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THIS AND I DO SEE THAT OTHER CITIES IN OUR COUNTY DO THIS, UM, WHERE YOU HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO SITS ON THE BOARD BUT DOES NOT ATTEND EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO I KNOW THAT IS, OR I HAVE THE QUESTION IS THAT DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO DO THAT? SO IT WOULD REQUIRE A BYLAW CHANGE BECAUSE UNDER YOUR CURRENT BYLAWS, UM, EACH BOARD MEMBER IS ENTITLED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION UNLESS THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A LEGAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, IT'S NOT YOUR COMPANY GETTING INTO.
UM, THEN, THEN YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY AT ANY TIME TO REMOVE YOURSELF, UM, FROM AN EXECUTIVE SESSION YOU CAN VOLUNTARILY NOT PARTICIPATE.
AND, UM, BUT UNTIL, UNTIL THAT TIME, UM, THAT A BYLAW CHANGE IS MODIFIED, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE BYLAW CHANGES, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD COULD CONSIDER WHEN WE COME BACK OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WELL, AND, AND THE, THE HOWEVER, THIS, THE SITTING CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS ON THE BOARD IS BOUND BY THE SAME FIDUCIARY OBLIGATIONS AS WE ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE A BOARD MEMBER.
SO WHEN I'M MAKING THIS MOTION, IT'S REALLY FOR, FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ON OUR BOARD TO BE IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN SITUATIONS NOW WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE QUESTIONING, YOU KNOW, WHO'S SAYING WHAT AND THIS, AND IF WE CAN'T BE CANDID AND HONEST AND FORTHRIGHT AS FIDUCIARIES TO THIS ORGANIZATION IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, THEN IT'S, IT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE POINT? SO THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON FOR THIS, THIS MOTION IS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB AND WE CAN'T DO THAT IF WE ARE, YOU KNOW, FEELING LIKE THERE'S SOME OVERSIGHT THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE, THAT WE CAN'T TRUST TO KEEP THAT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE THAT PERSON DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION THAT WE DO.
SO I GUESS LIKE I'M, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, BUT ALSO LIKE, BECAUSE IT IS IN OUR BYLAWS THAT THEY CAN ATTEND A MEETING, UM, IS THAT MOTION EVEN ALLOWED? THAT'S THE MOTION IS TO AMEND THE BYLAW.
AND, AND THAT UNTIL THE BYLAWS CAN BE AMENDED, BECAUSE THERE'S A PROCESS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, RIGHT? MM-HMM
WE HAVE TO VOTE, WE HAVE TO AGREE, WE HAVE TO PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL.
BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS AND BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FACED WITH, UM, THE MOTION IS THAT WE, WE DON'T ALLOW THOSE, WE DON'T ALLOW THAT NOW UNTIL WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND THE BYLAW.
THE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOTION IS BEING MADE, UH, BASED ON THE INTENT OF THE BYLAWS TO ENSURE CONFIDENTIALITY.
AND WHEN YOU TAKE THAT A A AND YOUR FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ORGANIZATION, UM, I BELIEVE THE, THE MOTION, UH, WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
THE, UM, YOU, IF THERE IS A CONCERN WITH REGARDS TO THE MOTION AND THE BYLAWS, THEN THE CITY COUNCIL COULD OBVIOUSLY TAKE THAT UP AT A, AT ANOTHER MEETING, UH, IF THEY HAVE A CONCERN WITH IT.
UH, BUT I THINK YOU'VE ASKED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL'S
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SUPPORT, UH, IN CONNECTION WITH CA MAINTAINING THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE, OF THE BOARD.AND SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS TO WHETHER THEY WOULD LIKE TO GARNER THAT RE RAPPORT OR NOT.
UH, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, BOARD MEMBER THOMPSON IS THAT, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT AS AN, AS AN OP OPTION FOR BYLAW CHANGE WITH REGARDS TO THE ACCESS.
BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, UM, IF YOU CHOOSE TO, UH, NOT PARTICIPATE, YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY AND THERE'S NOTHING, YOU KNOW, NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, IT'S UP TO YOU.
CAN I JUST, I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A, LIKE A PROCESS KIND OF MAYBE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT OPTION, THE CURRENT BYLAW STATE THAT THIS CORPORATION CAN BE MADE UP OF UP TO FOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CORRECT? MM-HMM
FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS EMPLOYEES, BUT IT'S A COMBINATION OF FOUR TOTAL.
BUT FOR, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THEY COULD SAY WE WANT FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS CORPORATION BOARD.
THEY WOULD, WOULD REQUIRE A BYLAW CHANGE.
SO WITH THAT PROPOSED EXEMPTION, I GUESS THAT THE COUN THE BOARD MEMBER THOMPSON IS PROPOSING, THAT WOULD SEVERELY IMPACT THE ABILITY OF THIS BOARD, RIGHT? DO WORK TO TAKE ACTION OUTSIDE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER TOO.
AND AS FAR AS YOU BEING A VOTING MEMBER OF THE CORPORATION OF THE BOARD, YOU NOT HAVING APPROPRIATE INFORMATION COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION COULD IMPACT THE OUTCOME OF, OF THOSE ITEMS. SO I THINK THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS WELL, IS UNDER, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE ACTUAL EXECUTION OF ACTION BY THIS BOARD? SO JUST WANNA THROW THAT OUT THERE.
AND I THINK THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S A, THERE'S A QUESTION I HA A LEGAL QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK IN THE BACK.
AND, UM, PRACTICALLY ALSO, IF, IF YOU ONLY HAD FOUR B BOARD MEMBERS AT A MEETING AND YES.
AND YOU BAIL AND WE DON'T HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MEETING, WE DON'T HAVE A BOARD MEMBER.
SO, UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS IT MORE, UM, IN THE BACK.
WELL, AND MIGHT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE THE POS THE MOTION, THE REASON WHY I MADE THIS MOTION CLEAR IS JUST THAT I WANT THE MAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BOARD AS A FIDUCIARY, UM, IS PROTECTED AND THAT ANYONE IN THAT ROOM HONORS THE SAME FIDUCIARY OR CONFIDENTIALITY.
UM, THIS ISN'T ABOUT TRYING TO LIMIT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST ABOUT TRYING TO KEEP OUR BOARD FROM BEING A, BEING POLITICIZED, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND, UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, TWO AND A HALF DAYS, UM, WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT, THAT E EFFORT AND ENERGY COULD HAVE BEEN PUT TOWARD, UH, MUCH MORE USEFUL, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UM, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION.
SO, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE HAD AN AMENDMENT, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A SECOND TO THE AMENDMENT.
SO ARE YOU, ARE YOU WITHDRAWING YOUR AMENDMENT UNTIL YOU, OKAY.
MY, UH, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE AMENDMENT, I'M GOOD ON MY ACTION LANGUAGE.
ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SO KELLY, I, I GENERALLY SUPPORT THIS, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH COUNCIL'S, UH, ADMONITION THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE ARE ACTING IN A FIDUCIARY ROLE IN, IN PROCEEDING WITH A VOTE TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND ESSENTIALLY IT PUTS THE DIALOGUE TO THE POLITICIANS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO CREATE SOME BYLAWS THAT WILL PUT BUMPER GUARDS TO PROTECT THE, THE INTEREST OF THIS CORPORATION, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME RECOGNIZING THAT THE COUNCIL HAS AUTHORITY OVER THIS BOARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? MY COMMENT WOULD JUST BE THAT UNTIL THE, UM, BYLAWS ARE AMENDED THAT, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ANYBODY CAN COME INTO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
SO I'M, AND NOT ANYBODY BUT CITY COUNCIL CAN COME INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO THAT'S WHY I'LL, I'LL SAY NAY ON THIS, BUT IN, IF THE BYLAWS ARE CHANGED THEN WE'LL GO, GO THAT ROUTE.
AND SO, AND THEN WE'LL CHANGE THE BYLAWS SO THAT WE'LL BE POLITICALLY, I MEAN CORRECT.
UM, CAN YOU CALL A VOTE PLEASE? MM-HMM
[02:15:01]
CHAIRMAN.WE STILL MAY NEED TO RECALL THIS ITEM AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS.
WE'LL DISCUSS FURTHER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, 7.4, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING CORPORATION'S ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IN THE ICSC TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA ON MAY 18TH THROUGH MAY 20TH, 2025.
UH, SO IN THE APPROVED CORPORATION BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, UM, AND IN RECALLING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UM, THE ALLOCATION SET ASIDE BY THIS CORPORATION FOR ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AT THE ICSE RETAIL TRADE SHOW THIS YEAR, UM, THE BOARD HAD INTENDED FOR TWO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO GO.
UH, SO THIS IS AN ITEM FOR Y'ALL TO DISCUSS WHO'S AVAILABLE, WHO WANTS TO GO? I WOULD LIKE TO NOTATE THAT, UM, THE COSTS HAVE GONE UP SINCE THIS ITEM WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
UM, EVEN BEYOND THE MARKET INCREASE THAT THAT STAFF TRIES TO ANTICIPATE.
UH, SO I BELIEVE WE HAD, UH, $850 BUDGETED PER REGISTRATION AND IT IS, UH, 1,050.
UH, BUT I WILL SAY ALSO THERE ARE SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN THE TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCES LINE ITEM, WHICH THIS FALLS UNDER, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE THE ATTENDANCE OF THE TWO BOARD MEMBERS STILL.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTATE THAT INCREASE.
SO, UM, THIS WOULD BE JUST ACTION REGARDING WHETHER WE WOULD LIKE TWO MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD TO ATTEND YEAH.
'CAUSE WE'LL NEED TO START GETTING REGISTERED AND ALL OF THAT TOO, SO, OKAY.
JUST DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD ABOUT WHO'S AVAILABLE, WHO WANTS TO GO, AND THEN DESIGNATING THOSE TWO FOLKS SO THAT STAFF CAN, CAN COORDINATE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO PUT, UM, SOME MORE PARAMETERS AROUND, I GUESS NOT PARAMETERS, BUT, UM, EXPECTATION I GUESS FOR WHEN WE COME BACK AND DISCUSSION AND, UM, SOME GOALS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ATTENDING.
WELL, I THINK THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
'CAUSE I THINK IF THERE'S GONNA BE EXPECTATIONS BEYOND ATTENDANCE, THEN PEOPLE WOULD WANNA KNOW THAT PRIOR TO SAYING YES, I'LL GO OR, OR I'D LIKE TO GO.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE I CAN NOTATE THAT.
SO THINGS AND OR BUSINESSES THAT WE'D LIKE.
'CAUSE THERE ARE, I'VE ATTENDED AND THERE, THERE'S, I THINK IT'S A GREAT, UM, CONFERENCE TO GO TO AND THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD HAPPEN THERE.
AND IF WE'RE A BOARD LOOKING TO BRING IN CERTAIN VENDORS, THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TALK TO THEM.
I THINK THAT LAST TIME, CHENEY, YOU HAD MET WITH A, A FEW DIFFERENT, UM, I DIDN'T ATTEND LAST YEAR.
WAS THERE SOMEBODY THAT MET WITH A BUNCH OF VENDORS, UM, STAFF PRIOR TO THAT? WASN'T THERE MEETINGS THAT WERE SET UP? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.
WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT WE COULD DO IS WHEN WE ATTEND, LIKE, HAVE SOME TYPE OF GOAL AROUND ATTENDANCE.
SO WHETHER THAT BE, UM, MEETING WITH CERTAIN VENDORS OR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST SHOW UP.
AND ARE YOU REFERRING I DID SET UP A SPREADSHEET AND HAD ASSIGNED LIKE YES.
'CAUSE WE HAD KIND OF GONE THROUGH ALL OF THE LIST OF REGISTRANTS.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES.
THEY WEREN'T MEETING SET UP AHEAD OF TIME, BUT THEY WERE TARGETED BOOTHS THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GO BY AND TRY TO TALK WITH THE FOLKS THERE.
UM, YEAH, I REMEMBER WHAT YOU'RE TALKING.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? YES, THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO.
BUT IT'S DONE AS A FACT FINDING NOT AS REPRESENTATIVE OF BEING SENT BY THIS BOARD.
YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING FOR THIS TWO INDIVIDUALS.
OH, ARE NOT SPEAKING IN, IN LAS VEGAS FOR THIS BOARD.
THEY'RE JUST GETTING, GATHERING, GATHERING INFORMATION, PASSING IT ON AND THEN IF IT COMES FORWARD.
I I WOULD SAY IT'S A, A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
SO YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF REPRESENTING HUDU AND HEY, COME INVEST YOUR CAPITAL HERE IN GRABBING SOME INFO, BUT YOU'RE NOT MAKING DEALS WHILE YOU'RE INVESTING.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE, THE BOARD STAY CONSIDERATION.
SAYING I'M NOT AVAILABLE ON THE 20TH, SO I WOULD, I'M NOT AVAILABLE AS WELL.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN THAT IN THE FUTURE.
COULD WE HOST IT HERE IN HU
I DON'T THINK YOU EVEN, WE DON'T HAVE THE ROOM.
[02:20:01]
COULD HOST IT.I COULD POTENTIALLY GO, I DON'T QUITE HAVE MY SCHEDULE.
BUT DOES ANYBODY ELSE, I'M NOT AVAILABLE TO GO.
I WOULD BE OPEN TO GO, UM, AS A BACK IF, IF NO ONE ELSE ON THE BOARD JUST THERE'S TWO MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED, CANNOT GO, I'D BE GLAD TO GO.
WHAT ABOUT THE IDEA OF SE OR HAVING GEORGE ATTEND WITH US? WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE OR LEGAL? UM, IT'D BE LEGAL.
UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP REPRESENT Y'ALL AT, AT THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'RE PAYING FOR ME TO BE OUT FOR THERE, I'LL HAVE TO ALSO MAKE SURE I CAN ATTEND.
BUT, UM, THE, UM, I I WOULDN'T CHARGE THE, THE CORPORATION FOR THE ATTENDANCE.
I MEAN, I, I THINK AS WAS DISCUSSED, THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT DEAL MAKING GOING ON, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT LEGAL COUNSEL WOULD BE REQUIRED.
AND I THINK, UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A BUDDY SYSTEM.
SO IF GEORGE IS AVAILABLE AND WANTS TO GO, BUT I THINK AS FAR AS DOING WORK, WOULD YOU BE CHAR WOULD YOU BE CHARGING US? I'M SORRY? WOULD YOU BE CHARGING US IF YOU WENT? NO.
NO, I MEAN IF, IF, IF YOU'RE SENDING ME OVER THERE TO GLAD HAND AND, AND, AND WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT, AND TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, OBVIOUSLY I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, ANYTHING ON MY CALENDAR EXACTLY FOR THOSE DAYS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN FORCE IT IN THERE BETWEEN BRING REAL ESTATE AND A TRIP TO IRELAND IN JUNE.
IF I HAVE TO
SO IT'S REALLY JUST A FORM OF NETWORKING IS, IT'S A BIG LIKE TRADE SHOW CONFERENCE.
I THINK, UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN, THAN NETWORKING.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TOOLS WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX, DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE ON THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES, THE MEGA SITE, OTHER AVAILABLE PARCELS IN THE CITY OF JUTO THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY TIED TO, NOT OWNED BY THIS CORPORATION, BUT AVAILABLE.
SO IT, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT PREPARATION THAT GOES INTO IT AND IT'S, IT'S EFFECTIVELY A MARKETING AND SALES TRIP.
YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL HU TO THE, TO THE TENANTS AND DEVELOPERS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING CERTAIN THINGS TO THE COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE ARE.
THAT'S WHAT AARON WAS REFERRING TO WITH KIND OF THE, THE SPREADSHEET BREAKDOWN AS WE WENT THROUGH.
UM, AND IDENTIFIED RESTAURANT, RETAIL, OTHER SERVICES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN EVERYONE KIND OF DIVIDED AND CONQUERED.
BUT I THINK Y'ALL HAD FOUR PEOPLE LAST YEAR, WASN'T IT? THREE BOARD AND ONE STAFF.
SO IT'S UH, IT'S VERY INTENSE.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS LIKE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.
UM, DO WE HAVE, SHOULD WE MAKE ACTION AROUND THAT NOW OR SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL WE GET CLOSER? WE CAN DO THAT IN APRIL.
UH, I THINK ACTION TONIGHT WOULD BE PREFERABLE.
JUST, AND EVEN IF IT'S JUST TWO OF THE THREE SELECTED, WE'LL GO THAT WAY.
WE CAN COORDINATE, BUT I JUST NEED THAT AUTHORIZATION FROM THE BOARD ABOUT WHO'S, WHO'S ELIGIBLE TO GO.
AND IT WILL BE TWO OF YOURSELF.
BOARD MEMBER MCLAUGHLIN OR BOARD MEMBER GONZALEZ, JUST KIND OF FIGURING OUT WHO REALLY WANTS TO GO, WHO HAS THE AVAILABILITY.
I KNOW YOU NEED TO STILL CHECK YOURS.
SO, UH, EVEN IF IT'S THAT, THAT HELPS.
I THINK IF WE WAIT UNTIL APRIL ONE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY MORE IN REGISTRATION BECAUSE THE EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION WILL BE GONE.
UM, AND THEN THINKING ABOUT HOTEL BOOKINGS, THEY'RE ALREADY FILLING UP FLIGHTS.
ALL OF THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE CAN GET THAT.
SO THE ACTION WOULD JUST TO APPROVE TO BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND.
WOULD THAT BE THE ACTION? AND THEN, UH, FINALIZING WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE LATER.
JANIE, ARE YOU, ARE YOU GOING THIS YEAR? NO.
IS THERE A STAFF MEMBER GOING THIS YEAR? NO.
UM, DID WE ADEQUATELY FUND FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR ALL THREE OF THEM TO GO? UM, DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.
SO I BELIEVE IN THE LINE ITEM FOR TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCES.
UH, WHEN I LOOKED AT IT IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE INCREASES THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN THAT LINE ITEM FOR, FOR TWO PEOPLE TO GO, UH, IN THE, THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS OF THE CORPORATION, THEY WERE HAD SPECIFIED TWO PEOPLE.
I MEAN YOU CAN CHANGE THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UH, IT JUST PENDING AVAILABLE FUNDS I THINK WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE.
I THINK YOU COULD REALLOCATE MARKETING FUNDS.
'CAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A, A MARKETING PROGRAM.
[02:25:01]
SO STAFF'S NOT GOING NO, NO STAFF IS GOING.IS THERE A REASON? YES,
UM, AND HAD ACTUALLY MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD AT THE TIME THAT THE BOARD NOT ATTEND EITHER.
UM, AND IN THOSE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, THE CORPORATION AT THE TIME DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO LEAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTENDANCE.
AND SO THEY SAID, WELL, HOW ABOUT WE PAIR IT DOWN TO TWO BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS YEAR IT WAS THREE.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THEY CHOSE TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS AT THAT TIME.
AND SO MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, OTHER SIMILAR CONFERENCES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? WELL, THIS IS A, NO, THIS IS THE, THE BIG RETAIL TRADE SHOW.
UM, ICSC HOSTS EVENTS ALL OVER DIFFERENT REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, THEY DO HAVE ICSC, RED RIVER, THAT WAS IN JANUARY, I THINK.
UM, AND MIDWAYS RETAIL GROUP ATTENDED THAT.
SO STAFF WAS ALREADY ATTENDING ANOTHER PAID TRAINING DURING THE SAME TIME THAT REGISTERED BOARD FOR BEFORE THOSE DATES CAME OUT.
SO, UM, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT MIDWAY'S RETAIL GROUP DID ATTEND.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION OF STAFF AT THE TIME ON, ON THE STAFF SIDE WAS WE HAVE MIDWAY AND THEY SHOULD BE PROMOTING THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES AND THAT DOES ENTAIL A LOT OF THE RETAIL RESTAURANT SERVICE INDUSTRY HOSPITALITY THAT WE WANT TO BRING TO HUDU IN GENERAL.
AND SO THAT WAS A CONSIDERATION WHEN STAFF WAS EVALUATING HOW TO BEST, UH, ALLOCATE FUNDS AND REQUEST THOSE APPROVALS.
THE, I DON'T KNOW IF MIDWAY WILL BE THERE, BUT THEIR RETAIL PARTNER WILL BE THERE.
AND WOULD WE BE ABLE TO LIKE, I GUESS WE COULD SET UP MEETINGS AHEAD OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THESE PEOPLE OR IS THAT YEAH, SOME PEOPLE DO THAT.
UH, OR SOME, SOME DEVELOPERS AND AND RETAIL TENANTS ENGAGE THAT WAY.
I WOULD EXPECT THAT THE, THE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN, UM, MEETINGS DIRECTLY WITH TENANTS THAT THIS RETAIL GROUP WOULD BE NEGOTIATING JUST OUT OF CONFIDENTIALITY.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF BEEN HOW THAT INITIATES RIGHT.
UNTIL THEY CAN GET MORE COMMITMENT AND THEN THEY'LL BRING IT MM-HMM
TO THE BOARD, BUT THEY USUALLY TRY TO KEEP ATTENDANCE TO A MINIMUM
IN THOSE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN, WITH THE CURRENT BOARD WITH REGARDS TO INCLUDING A STAFF MEMBER? WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? IF THERE'S ANY DIFFERENCE? YEAH.
WELL, SO THE, THE BOARD HAS CHANGED, UM, SINCE THE THE BUDGET TIME PERIOD.
AND SO IF THE BOARD, I'M JUST, THIS BOARD IS NOT CONSTRAINED BY PRIOR BOARD ACTION, IF THE BOARD WANTED TO TAKE DIFFERENT ACTION AND IDENTIFY OTHER INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER THEY'RE STAFF OR, OR THE NUMBER, IT'S, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD NOW TO MAKE THAT DECISION IF THEY FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
SO DOES THE BOARD WANT MORE MEMBERS TO ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE? I MEAN, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT I KNOW I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD SINCE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
IMIS NEW, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA GO THEN I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE STAFF, HAVE A MEMBER STAFF WITH US IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO WELL, SPECIFICALLY IN ECONOMIC, I MEAN, WE NEED THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
WE NEED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF, BUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF SEEMS LIKE THE MOST, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW SOMETHING, WE CAN BE LIKE, CHENEY, WHAT'S THIS? WELL, THE DEMOGRAPHICS, WHAT'S THAT? AND THEN SHE'LL TELL US AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW YEAH.
HAVE THE EDC WEBSITE WITH US, THEN WE, WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED?
IF THE MONEY'S THERE, I WOULD RECOMMEND AN EDC MEMBER.
I I WOULD, ARE YOU AVAILABLE OR NOT? I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO GO? SHOULD THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENT ITSELF SELF
UH, OPPORTUNITY TO BE AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND WALKING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE.
TRYING TO, SHE'S LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GO
UM, I, I LOOK LIKE I CAN BE AVAILABLE.
LEMME MAKE SURE WE'LL GET YOU A HALL PASS FOR JAMES
I MEAN, IT'S TWO, IT'S TWO, IT'S EFFECTIVELY THREE DAYS, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY TWO DAYS.
IT'S REALLY ONE FULL DAY AND TWO TRAVEL DAYS, RIGHT? NO, IT'S, UH, TWO FULL DAYS, A HALF DAY.
SO YOU COME IN THE NIGHT BEFORE
[02:30:01]
AND THEN IT'S ALL DAY.WELL, DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME YOU COME IN, THERE'S THE OPENING KEYNOTES AND ALL OF THAT AND THE INITIAL NETWORKING AND THEN IT'S ALL DAY AND THEN ALL DAY AND THEN HALF A DAY.
SO THAT THIRD DAY YOU CAN, YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN GET YOUR FLIGHTS RIGHT, FLY OUT AND GET BACK THAT IT'S, IT'S INTENSE
SO DO YOU FLY IN ON THE 17TH AND COME BACK ON THE 21ST? OR YOU FLY IN ON THE 18TH AND LEAVE ON THE 21ST? WHAT'S YOUR USUAL IT, IT USUALLY DEPENDS ON THE BUDGET.
UM, I HAVE USUALLY LEFT SAME DAY, UM, ON, ON THE FINAL DAY.
BUT WHEN I'VE ATTENDED, I ALSO FLY IN THE PREVIOUS DAY BECAUSE WE'VE HAD BOOTHS SET UP, WHICH TAKES AN ENTIRE, LIKE EIGHT HOUR DAY.
SO THE LAST TIME I WENT, I WENT THE NIGHT BEFORE, SET UP ALL DAY AND THEN NIGHT.
I THINK THESE DETAILS CAN BE WORKED OUT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT TWO BOARD MEMBERS AND CHENEY GO
I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE SOME TIME TO WORK SOME THINGS OUT DEPENDING ON WHETHER WE HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS AND CAN DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT OUTTA MARKETING TO COVER THE COST.
SO TWO BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
I'VE GOT A MOTION BY TREASURER HENRY GIDEON AND SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER KELLY MCLAUGHLIN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? NO.
UM, CAN YOU CALL VOTE PLEASE? YES.
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING, UH, BOARD PARTICIPATION IN THE UPCOMING PRELIMINARY PROCEDURE WEBINAR TRAINING COURSE BY THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ON MARCH 20TH, 2025.
SO, UM, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IS PRETTY ACTIVE IN TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
AND HE GETS A LOT OF THE UPCOMING TRAININGS AND HAD SENT THIS TO ALL OF US WHO HAVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND SAID, HEY, SHARE THIS WITH YOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, SEE IF THERE'S AN INTEREST.
UM, DID NOT CHECK THAT THERE WAS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO, UM, GIVEN THE TIMELINE, I I WANTED TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WANTED TO, UM, ALLOCATE FUNDS TOWARD AND THEN APPROVE A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF YOU.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE CURRENT BUDGET IN THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT LINE ITEM, WHICH THIS WOULD FALL INTO.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHO WANTS TO, IF THE CORPORATE, IF THE BOARD IS IN AGREEANCE AND THEN WE CAN GET THAT.
YEAH, I WENT ON TO SCHEDULED TO SIGN UP 'CAUSE I GOT THE EMAIL AND IT, I THINK IT'S $45.
HE SAYS, IS THIS COVERED? I WOULD BE INTERESTED, BUT IT'S THE, THE SAME THING YOU DID.
I WOULD NEED TO KNOW LIKE TIMES, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S A 11 O'CLOCK.
I HAVE IT ON MY CALENDAR STILL.
I WAS GONNA SAY IT'S LIKE IT IS A WEBINAR SO YOU DO IT FROM HOME.
OR FROM WORK, IT'S LIKE 11 TO ONE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OH, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR ALL OF US TO DO THAT.
WELL, ROBERT RULES IS ALWAYS GOOD TO LEARN.
I MEAN, I KNOW I NEED TO, DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA LEARN ROBERT RULES IN TWO HOURS.
THERE THERE'S A NUMBER OF, UM, TACTICS OR, OR PROCEDURES LIKE STRATEGIES, I GUESS THAT THAT CAN MAKE THE MEETING MUCH QUICKER, MORE EFFICIENT.
I, I DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE ON MY CALENDAR, BUT WAS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE FUNDS TO, FOR ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO TAKE IT CAN TAKE IT.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER KELLY MCLAUGHIN, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR MATT MITTEN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? NO.
CAN YOU CALL A VOTE PLEASE? TREASURER GIDEON AYE.
7.6, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP TO CONTINUE THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS OF THE BOARD.
SO I PUT THIS ON AS AN OFFICIAL AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE UH, AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING WE SAID, HEY, YEAH, SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA.
[02:35:01]
CHECK AVAILABILITY, SEND AN EMAIL.SO
SO Y'ALL LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE AVAILABLE, HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND WE WILL SCHEDULE IT.
JUST AS A GENERAL COMMENT, CHENEY, I GET ABOUT HALF OF THE EMAILS I THINK YOU SEND OUT ON THIS THING, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN IT ISSUE OR WHAT, BUT BRING THAT IN.
ARE YOU TAKING YOUR OTHER EMAILS? BECAUSE THIS THING YOU JUST SAID YOU SENT OUT.
OH, AND ALSO OUTLOOK HAD A, A BIG GLITCH LAST WEEK, SO A LOT OF THOSE EMAILS COULD HAVE GONE INTO CYBERSPACE AND I KNOW I'M STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH THE IPAD.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR IT ISSUES TO IT.
OTHERWISE YOU CAN EMAIL SUPPORT.
SO I'M ASKING FOR SOME SUPPORT FROM THE INSIDE.
SO WHEN'S OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING? APRIL 14TH.
DO YOU ALL WANT TO DO IT AN HOUR, MAYBE TWO HOURS BEFORE? WELL, I THINK WHEN WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE LIKE A THREE HOUR BLOCK TOGETHER, JUST FOCUS ON FINISHING THIS SO IT DIDN'T TURN INTO SUCH A MARATHON MEETING.
THIS IS JUST MY, UM, SCHEDULE, JUST SO EVERYONE'S AWARE.
LIKE I'M WORKING EVERY SINGLE WEEK MOVING INTO APRIL, SO MY AVAILABILITY IN APRIL IS OPEN, BUT I'M WORKING THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
SO, UM, IF WE WANNA LOOK, WOULD IT BE OKAY TO LOOK INTO APRIL FOR EVERYONE? BUT IF MOST PEOPLE ARE HERE IN MARCH, THEN THAT'S OKAY TOO.
I DON'T, THE 18TH AND 25TH OF APRIL ARE OUT FOR ME.
BUT THE FOURTH AND LET'S SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MEET BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
SO IF WE GET SOMETHING OUT OF THAT MEETING, WE CAN THEN VOTE ON IT MM-HMM
IN THE REGULAR MEETING AND WE'RE NOT DRAGGING IT OUT INTO MAY.
THAT, YEAH, THAT WAS THE HOPE.
THE OTHER THING IS WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE, HAVE THE START PLAN WRAPPED UP MM-HMM
SO THAT THAT CAN INFORM SOME OF THE STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF REGARDING COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO OBVIOUSLY IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, IT DOESN'T, AND WE'LL JUST GO BASED ON OUR OTHER INFORMATION AND, AND RESEARCH AND THEN INCORPORATE WHATEVER DOES GET DECIDED ON, TRY TO ALIGN THAT.
IS THIS TRY, IS THIS GOING TO BE A WEEKEND MEETING OR A WEEKDAY MEETING? I MEAN, I WOULD PREFER WEEKDAY IN THE EVENING.
UM, SO HOW DOES THE FIRST WEEK IN APRIL, FIRST OR SECOND WEEK DAY IN APRIL LOOK FOR EVERYONE? IS THERE A SPECIFIC DAY? FIRST? APRIL IS.
UH, IF IT'S A SATURDAY, I'M NOT AVAILABLE.
WELL, THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, I, I'M OKAY.
HOW ABOUT APRIL 3RD? DOES THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE? THAT JUST A THURSDAY? THERE'S A COUNCIL MEETING THAT NIGHT.
WHAT ABOUT THE FIRST ON APRIL FOOLS? THE FIRST OR THE SECOND? THE SECOND.
I HAVE AN OUTSIDE OBLIGATION ON THE SECOND.
WOULD THE FIRST BE OKAY WITH EVERYONE? YEAH.
SO BRIAN, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU TOO? UM, APRIL 1ST.
IT, IT'S TOO FAR OUT RIGHT NOW FOR ME TO, THE FIRST IS REALLY HARD.
YEAH, IT'S TOO, I HAVE A CLOSING THAT DAY, BUT IT'S, MY SELLERS ARE OUTTA STATE, SO I, I THINK OKAY.
HOW ABOUT THE FOLLOWING WEEK THEN? HOW ABOUT, LET'S LOOK AT THE SEVENTH THROUGH THE 11TH.
UM, DO, DO ANY OF THOSE DAYS LOOK GOOD TO YOU? NO.
SO ARE WE BACK TO THE FIRST
WHAT ABOUT MONDAY? I KNOW Y'ALL USUALLY MEET ON MONDAYS.
IS THE, THE, I FINE OPEN FOR EVERYBODY.
MONDAYS IS KIND OF BDC DAY ANYWAY, RIGHT? SO YEAH.
THAT MONDAY BEFORE APRIL STARTS.
ERIN, DOES THAT WORK? I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE NOT BACK.
I WASN'T SURE IF YOU WERE LIKE, I GET BACK ON THE 30TH.
SO 31ST IS PERFECT IN THE EVENING.
WHAT TIME ARE WE PROPOSING FOR THAT? THIS I HAVE AN EVENING EVENT.
THE USUAL, THE USUAL MEETING TIME.
SIX 30 OR AGAIN, THAT'S UP TO Y'ALL.
I MEAN, STAFF CAN ACCOMMODATE.
UM, YEAH, I'VE GOT AN EVENING EVENT.
YOU HAVE AN EVENING EVENT? MM-HMM
HENRY, WHAT TIME DOES IT START? DAYTIME RIGHT AT SIX.
SO COULD WE, I MEAN, WOULD ANYBODY BE AVAILABLE TO DO DAYTIME STUFF ON THAT MONDAY? YEAH, I'M AVAILABLE ALL DAY.
SO ANYTIME I'M NOT AVAILABLE DURING THE DAY.
[02:40:01]
WHAT ABOUT 4:00 PM IS THAT A LIKE FOUR TO SIX? IS THAT WORK OR IS THAT STILL THAT'S FINE FOR ME.HENRY, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? FOUR TO SIX? YEAH.
'CAUSE UH, MY, MY EVENTS HERE LOCALLY.
YOU COULDN'T NOT MAKE IT AT FOUR.
BACK TO THE FIRST AND SECOND
WHAT ABOUT
BUT BRIAN, YOU SAID YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON THE FIRST, RIGHT? I MEAN, AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE FIRST, I'LL KNOW, I'LL KNOW WHAT WHAT I CAN DO.
I MEAN THAT'S THREE WEEKS OUT.
SO WHY DON'T WE TENTATIVELY WHAT TIME CAN YOU GET THERE, MATT? ON THE FIRST TUESDAY.
UM, IT WOULD NEED TO BE AT BEST AFTER FIVE 30.
SO DO YOU GUYS WANNA DO LIKE FIVE 30 TO SEVEN 30 ON TUESDAY? THE FIRST? HE HAS TO, I WOULD SAY TENTATIVE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
TENTATIVE, BUT YES, FOR ME, THAT'S A YES FOR ME.
DO WE NEED AN OFFICIAL MOTION OR IS THAT, WE'RE GOOD WITH DISCUSSION ON THAT CONSENSUS.
OH, BY THE WAY, THE, UM, THAT PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE MEETING THING, THE WEBINAR IS MARCH 28TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 11:30 AM OKAY.
UM, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON TEAM BUILDING AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOARD PARTICIPATION.
SO THIS WAS A HOLDOVER FROM LAST MEETING.
I KNOW THAT LAST MEETING WENT REAL LATE, SO WE WERE KIND OF PUSHING SOME THINGS THAT Y'ALL COULD.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL BROUGHT SOME IDEAS.
I ASKED FOR THAT IN THE EMAIL I SENT OUT.
WE'LL, WE'LL GET IT FIGURED OUT.
SO DISCUSSION AND THEN WE CAN, UH, IF YOU GUYS CAN FIGURE OUT MAYBE JUST SOME, EITHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO, UM, STAFF'S HAPPY TO LOOK INTO ACTUAL AVAILABILITY OF THAT TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES.
SIMILARLY, IF YOU CAN GIVE SOME DIRECTION ON WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO, THEN STAFF CAN GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT AVAILABILITY AS FAR AS VENUES AND AVAILABLE DATES.
I THINK SHOWING UP TO, UH, HOOKY ON OPENING DAY WOULD BE A FANTASTIC TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE.
MAYBE CARVE OUT A MEETING ROOM.
Y'ALL COULD GET INTO VIRTUAL REALITY GAMES,
UH, I KIND OF ALSO, UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT KIND OF VOLUNTEER, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, BUT I REALLY LIKED WHAT EMILY SHARED WITH US EARLIER AND IF I COULD HELP HER, YOU KNOW, A FEW TIMES I'D LIKE TO DO THAT.
YES, TO MEET WITH BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE NEED TO REALLY PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THEM.
WE WANT THEM TO STAY, WE WANT THEM TO GROW.
WE WANT THEM TO FEEL THAT IT'S AN, A GOOD EXPERIENCE TO ESTABLISH THEIR BUSINESSES HERE IN HURO.
I LIKE ALL THAT SHE SHARED WITH US AND UH, IT WOULD JUST BE FUN TO MAYBE HELP HER CARRY SOME OF THE LOAD A LITTLE BIT.
HOW MANY COMPANIES DID SHE MEET AND JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS.
IN THE FIVE MONTHS SHE'S BEEN HERE, SO SHE'S REALLY ROCKING IT.
I'M GLAD THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
DID YOU HAVE ANY VOLUNTEER TEAM BUILDING THOUGHTS? ADDITIONAL? WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WE HAVE A CONSENSUS OF, UM, SHOWING UP AT HOOKY ENTERTAINMENT, UM, OPENING DAY AND THEN, UM, SEEING ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FROM EMILY ABOUT HOW WE CAN, UM, MEET WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, IS THE CONSENSUS.
AND I DO THINK THAT GOING TO MEGAN'S EVENT, ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, ANYTIME WE CAN COME BACK AND CIRCLE
[02:45:01]
BACK WITH THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WE HELPED WITH MM-HMMWHETHER IT'S A CELEBRATION OR A RIBBON CUTTING THAT NEEDS TO GET ON OUR CALENDARS.
LIKE WHEN PANINI OPENED UP, I WENT A FEW DAYS AFTER THEY REMODELED JUST TO, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATE THEM.
YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP ON THE WORK THAT'S DONE IN HERE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
NOT THAT Y'ALL, AND SOME OF Y'ALL MAY ALREADY DO THAT, I'M SORRY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE CALENDARED.
I MEAN, I'M ON THE CHAMBER AMBASSADOR, UH, COMMITTEE AND I GET E CALENDAR INVITES TO ALL THE RIBBON CUTTINGS.
SO IF ANYONE IS, IF HEY, I HAVE A TUESDAY THAT I'M WHATEVER, IS THERE ANYTHING GOING ON? LIKE I'M HAPPY TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, CALENDAR INVITES OR GIVE PEOPLE HEADS UPS ON, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T ALWAYS MAKE EVERY SINGLE ONE, BUT I DO TRY TO MAKE THEM A LOT.
UM, THERE'S COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT GO ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS AS WELL, SO, UM, YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO HELP FACILITATE ANY OF THAT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK MOST OF US HERE ALREADY KIND OF SERVE ON BOARDS AND VOLUNTEER AND, AND DO A LOT OF THAT STUFF, UM, INDIVIDUALLY, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN SHARE IN SOME OF THAT AS A GROUP, THEN THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA TOO.
UM, IS, DOES THE CHAMBER HAVE A NEWSLETTER? I MEAN OH, YEAH.
YEAH, BECAUSE UNLESS I KNOW ABOUT IT, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GO.
I MEAN, IF IT'S LIKE, I'M LIKE THAT IF IT'S NOT ON MY CALENDAR, LIKE I, IT DOESN'T EXIST.
SO I TRY TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THERE.
UM, BUT THE, THE CHAMBER HAS A WEBSITE.
UM, THEY, AND THEY ALSO DO A REALLY GREAT JOB IN, UH, FEATURING DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES AS WELL AS NONPROFITS, YOU KNOW, AND GETTING THE WORD OUT OF EVENTS AND STUFF THAT LIKE THAT, THAT ARE GOING ON.
SO IF, IF YOU GUYS CHECK THAT OUT, YOU'LL FIND SOME STUFF TO DO THERE TOO.
IF YOU COULD HELP FACILITATE THAT, LIKE SHARING THE MONTHLY CALENDAR OR I'M NOT SURE HOW OFTEN IT GOES OUT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IT'S LITERALLY LIKE THEY EMAIL EVERY MONDAY A NEWSLETTER.
SO ANYONE CAN GO ON THAT SITE AND SIGN UP FOR IT.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA OFFER SOME RESOURCES FOR Y'ALL TOO.
SO YOU CAN GO ON THE CHAMBER WEBSITE AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR CALENDAR OF EVENTS.
SO YOU CAN SEE ALL THE RIBBON CUTTINGS COMING UP, ALL THE CELEBRATIONS, THE POWER BREAKFAST, THE CHAMBER LUNCHEONS, ALL OF THAT.
YOU ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THE CITY'S CALENDAR, WHICH HAS ALL THE FARMER'S MARKETS, ALL THE CAMPS, ALL THE PARKS AND REC EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT WAS ONE ANOTHER THING I WAS GONNA OFFER UP TO THIS BOARD IS TO HAVE Y'ALL VOLUNTEER AT CITY OF SPONSORED EVENTS.
SO LIKE THE EGG HUNTS COMING UP, THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT.
UM, THE LIBRARY HAS AMAZING PROGRAMMING AND THEY ARE KILLING IT WITH PROVIDING A VERY DIVERSE OFFERING FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THE TYPES OF PROGRAMMING THAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER.
SO THOSE EVENTS ARE ALSO ON THE CITY CALENDAR.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S RESOURCES THAT ARE JUST A ONE CLICK AND YOU GUYS CAN SEE ALL, ALL THE THINGS, UH, ALL THE GREAT THINGS FROM THOSE TWO ENTITIES AT LEAST.
BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS BOARD TO ENGAGE ALSO AND, AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY ACCESSIBLE WAY.
DO YOU THINK IT MAKES SENSE? OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST, SO AT THE CHAMBER WHEN WE HAVE OUR, I HAVE AN AMBASSADOR NAME TAG, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND IT'S GOT THE CHAMBER'S BRANDING ON IT.
AND IT HAS MY NAME AND IT HAS MY BUSINESS NAME, BUT IT HAS THE CHAMBER'S BRANDING ON IT BECAUSE I'M, WHEN I'M DOING AMBASSADOR WORK, I'M THERE REPRESENTING THE CHAMBER.
UM, IT, IT, DOES IT MAKE SENSE IF WE'RE GONNA BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY OR WHATEVER FOR CERTAIN EVENTS TO WHERE WE WOULD, WE SHOULD IDENTIFY OURSELVES IN SOME KIND OF WAY? OR WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? IS THAT JUST WELL, AS A, AS A MARKETING PERSON BACKGROUND, YES.
YOU SHOULD BE MARKETING YOUR BRAND AND THIS CORPORATION'S BRAND ALL THE TIME.
WE USED TO HAVE, WE DO WE STILL HAVE, THINK I STILL NEED TO ORDER IF THEY'RE NOT EXPENSIVE, LIKE SHOULD WE LIKE MAYBE GET SOME MORE OF THOSE FOR NEW? I THINK I JUST HAVEN'T ORDERED 'EM FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS YET, BUT THE, THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE 'EM AND ED, ED STAFF HAS THEM WHEN WE ARE ENGAGED IN EVENTS THAT ALIGN WITH THE CORPORATION.
IS IT, DIDN'T Y'ALL HAVE SHIRTS IN THE PAST? YEAH, WE HAD SHIRTS EMBROIDERED.
SO, UM, THAT'S AN OPTION TOO, RIGHT? UM, WE HAVE THAT IN THE BUDGET.
NO, THAT WOULD BE, THAT'D BE PART OF THE MARKETING FUNDS THAT GEORGE LIKES TO
WE HAVE ROTARY SHIRTS, WE HAVE MAKE SURE WE CUT THAT.
I'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH EVENT IT IS.
WE HAVE, UM, UH, WHAT WAS THE OTHER THING? BUSINESS VISITS WITH EMILY.
[02:50:01]
WITH BRE AND THEN I JUST WOULD MAKE ONE OTHER RECOMMENDATION IF ON OUR OWN, AND IT'S UP TO THIS BOARD, BUT EACH MONTH IF WE CARVED OUT MAYBE 30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE WHERE EACH MEMBER TALKS ABOUT WHERE THEY MAY HAVE GONE THIS A THING.IN REFERENCE TO THEIR ROLE, NOT AT REPRESENTING THE BOARD, BUT HEY, I WENT TO THIS RIBBON CUTTING, IT WAS GREAT, OR WHATEVER.
OR I VOLUNTEERED FOR THE EASTER EGG EVENT.
IT'S KIND OF BUILDING INTO THAT TEAM BUILDING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND HOW WE MIGHT GIVE BACK.
UM, SO THAT WAS JUST REALLY A DISCUSSION.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY ACTION THERE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR, OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OKAY.
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION TO APPROVE THE CORPORATION'S MINUTES FROM THEIR QUARTERLY JOINT MEETING WITH HOW TO CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2024.
REGULAR MEETING ON JANUARY 9TH, 2025.
SPECIAL CALL TO JOINT MEETING WITH THE HU CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 3RD, 2025.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ALL THE MINUTES AS PRODUCED, AS WRITTEN, AS RECORDED.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, FIRST, UM, BY BOARD MEMBER KELLY MCLAUGHLIN AND SECONDED BY TREASURER HENRY GIDEON.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? MAY I CALL? UH, MAY YOU PLEASE CALL A VOTE BOARD MEMBER THOMPSON.
SO THIS IS ITEM EIGHT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE ARE ADDING, UH, 5 5 1 0.072 TO INCLUDE 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONAL MATTERS.
THE BOARD NOW RECESSES THE OPEN MEETING AND RECONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 ATTORNEY CONSULTATION 5 5 1 0 8 7 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND 5 5 1 0 7 2 REAL PROPERTY TO DELIBERATE UPON AND SEEK LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING THE LITIGATION BY BRANDON ROAK AGAINST THE HU ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CORPORATION'S.
TYPE A, TYPE B BYLAWS, PROJECT V, PROJECT HSC PROJECT, MY ASTRO SPINE ROAD CONSTRUCTION, UM, PROJECT, THE MEGASITE PROJECT, PROJECT TITAN PROJECT FLEX PROJECT STRAT THREE PROJECT SEQUEL, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES.
CONSIDERATION OF THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY BY THE CORPORATION AND THE EVALUATION OF AVAILABLE CORPORATE FUNDS FOR INCENTIVES.
CONSIDERATION OF THE DUTIES OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL SEEK INFORMATION REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND EXECUTIVE SESSION RE UH, RECORDINGS.
THE TIME IS NOW 9 27, UM, TO ALLOW TO PARTICIPATE.
AND THEN TO WHAT EXTENT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE UM, WHAT, SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO, WOULD SOMEBODY AUTHORIZE THE PARTICIPATION OF COUNCIL MEMBER X TO ATTEND THE EXECUTIVE SESSION OR WHAT PORTION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION YOU WANT THEM TO ATTEND? GEORGE, DO THEY NEED TO MAKE A MOTION IF THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE TO ATTEND? IS SO WOULD THE MOTION ONLY BE IF THEY WANT TO ALLOW, ATTEND.
ALL I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I GET, I JUST WANNA BRING UP, GET MY MINUTES RIGHT ALL
[02:55:04]
BUT YOU YEAH, YOU TOLD ME EARLIER TOO.SO YOU HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANT TO ATTEND.
AND IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL, WHETHER OR NOT, SO IT'S BECAUSE OF THE, THE ACTION THAT WE TOOK.
WOULD THEY NEED TO SIGN SOMETHING, UH, THAT STATES THAT THE MEETING'S CONFIDENTIAL AND CAN'T BE SHARED WITH ANYONE THAT'S NOT IN THE ROOM? WE'D HAVE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER QUICKLY FOR THEM BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING STARTS FOR THEM TO BE ENTERED INTO.
SO, SO YEAH, I THINK WE JUST, WE JUST GO TO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH OUR BOARD AND OUR COUNCIL AND OUR STAFF.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO, THERE, THERE WOULD BE NO MOTION UNLESS THERE'S, THERE'S NO MOTION UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION.