* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] SIX O'CLOCK. WE'LL CALL THE [1. CALL SESSION TO ORDER] CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION FOR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, 2025 TO ORDER. I'M START. ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR THOMPSON. COUNCILOR MORRIS? HERE. COUNCILOR GORDON? HERE. COUNCILOR PORTERFIELD? HERE. COUNCILOR MCKEAN? HERE. MAYOR GORDON. NOT HERE. MAYOR. STATUS HERE. FIRST ITEM. DISCUSSION [3.1. Discussion of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Calendar regarding Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Requests, and Outside Agency Funding (OAF) Requests (Kate Moriarty and Alberta Barrett)] OF FISCAL YEAR 2026. BUDGET CALENDAR REGARDING APPLE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, CIP, HOTEL, OCCUPANCY TAX, HOT REQUEST, AND OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING. OAF REQUEST. AND THERE'S DAN AT SIX O'CLOCK ON TOP. YOUR CLOCK IS UP. OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UM, WE WANTED TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO START TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE PROCESSES WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE, THE BUDGET GETTING KICKED OFF AND, AND STARTED. AND, UM, KIND OF WORKING BACKWARDS. I WANNA TALK ABOUT OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING AND THEN HOT TAX AND THEN, UM, KIND OF GO FROM THERE. BUT, UM, UP THERE IS THE, THE PROCESS FOR OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING, WHICH, UM, THE TIMELINE, UH, YOU KNOW, CARRIED OVER FROM PRIOR BUDGET CYCLES, HOW WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT. UM, WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THAT IN, IN SOME TIME. UM, THERE IS A, AN APPLICATION TIME PERIOD, UH, TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, ANY ORGANIZATION, UM, THAT IS GOING TO APPLY FOR OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING CAN SUBMIT THAT. UM, IT'S REVIEWED BY, UM, STAFF JUST TO LOOK FOR COMPLETENESS AND THEN, UM, UH, A COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE ACTUALLY REVIEWS THEM AND MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, WHICH CURRENTLY IS, UH, BROUGHT TO A COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN ADOPTED, UH, ONCE IT'S ADOPTED, FINANCE MAKES THE AWARDS, UH, NOTIFICATIONS TO THE ORGANIZATIONS. AND THEN, UH, WE'RE THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR ANY KIND OF AWARDS OR FOLLOW UPS AND DISBURSEMENTS. SO ON THE LEFT IS THE KEY DATES FOR THIS YEAR. APRIL 2ND IS THE DATE THAT THE FUNDING APPLICATIONS WILL BE POSTED TO THE WEBSITE ON MAY 14TH IS, UM, ANY KIND OF VIRTUAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION ON THE FUNDING, UH, REQUEST OR APPLICATIONS, ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ON THOSE ON JUNE 18TH WHEN THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE. AND THEN AT JULY 16TH, THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, OF THE AWARD IS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE TO THE REST OF COUNCIL. UM, SO THEN THE PROCESS, UM, UH, JUST FOR INFORMATION, JUST THE TYPICAL PROGRAMS ARE FROM THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING. UM, YOU HAVE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY, ABILITY TO REVIEW THE FINANCIAL REPORTS, UM, REQUEST ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. UM, THE AGENCIES ARE, UH, REQUIRED TO SUBMIT QUARTERLY REPORTS, UM, BASED ON THEIR PERFORMANCE AND TYPICALLY BASED ON OUR BUDGET, UH, FISCAL POLICY, UM, 1% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES, UM, ARE ALLOCATED TO THESE OUTSIDE AGENCIES. UM, THE STANDARD ONES IS THE HOPE ALLIANCE COUNTY CRISIS CENTER. UM, IN 26, IT'S 25,000 IS WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED. THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER IS 29,355 AND THE HEALTH DISTRICT IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND 243. UM, WITH THAT, IT LEAVES US ABOUT 193,000 TO OTHER, UH, AGENCIES, CIVIC PROGRAMS. I ASK YOU A QUESTION THEN. SURE. I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GIVEN, I FEEL LIKE THOSE THREE THERE HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THAT 1% PREVIOUSLY AND WE'VE GIVEN MORE THAN, DON'T WE GIVE MORE THAN 200 EACH YEAR TO YES. IT'S THE, IT IS THE 1 93 THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS YEAR, PLUS THOSE THREE, THOSE ARE KIND OF THE STANDARD ONES. AND IS IT 1 93 PLUS THOSE IS THE 1%? RIGHT. OKAY. RIGHT. I MEAN, IT IS, I FEEL LIKE OUR OUTSIDE, LIKE HU RESOURCE CENTER, UM, THE YMC, I FEEL LIKE ALL THOSE ADDED HAS BEEN MORE THAN 193 OR AM I OFF IN THE PAST? OKAY. THOSE AGAIN. I'M SORRY. I FEEL LIKE ALL THE ONES NOT INCLUDING THOSE HAVE BEEN WELL OVER 200 IN THE PAST. IS THAT, AM I THINKING? BECAUSE I'M THINKING LIKE HU RESOURCE CENTER ALONE, LIKE, LIKE 50 OR 60,000. JUST 75. SO, SO LAST YEAR, UM, THE, ALL THE OTHERS NOT THOSE THREE TOTALED 181,000. YOU JUST HELPED ME THROUGH IT. VERY GOOD. UH, SO I GUESS, UH, MOVING ON TO THE, THE NEXT, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IT, UM, THIS [00:05:01] IS ALSO A REIMBURSABLE PROGRAM, SO, UM, THERE'S NO UPFRONT FUNDING FOR, UM, THIS PROGRAM. UM, SO BACK, UH, AT THE JUNE 18TH MEETING, UM, COUNCIL EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN REVIEWING THIS PROCESS. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE IT BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING SO THAT WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT THAT PROCESS. IF WE NEED TO CHANGE IT, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THAT IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE APPLICATIONS GET POSTED TO THE WEBSITE AND WE START THE PROCESS DISCUSSION. YES, SIR. I, I CAN BE CORRECT IF I'M WRONG. I THINK SOME OF THE DISCUSSION BY, UH, A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LEAST WAS THE, TO DISCUSS THE, THE PROCESS OF WHEN IT'S BROUGHT TO COUNCIL BECAUSE, UM, I'M NOT SAYING I AGREE OR DISAGREE, BUT I THINK THERE WAS SOME MENTION ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT GETTING, IT GETTING, UH, THE COMMITTEE BRINGS IT TO CITY COUNCIL. THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES IT, BUT THEN DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE IT MIGHT CHANGE. AND SO THOSE AGENCIES MIGHT NOT GET WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA GET, EVEN THOUGH WE EXPLICITLY TOLD 'EM, HEY, THIS IS NOT AWARDED UNTIL COUNCIL APPROVES BUDGET. SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, IF THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE TIMELINE AND, AND TRYING TO SMOOTH THAT OUT. BUT IT'S KINDA ALL I REMEMBER ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED. IF, IF I HAVE THAT RIGHT, THE, THE ONLY TECHNICAL ISSUE THAT COMES UP IS, IS BASED ON PRELIMINARY BUDGET NUMBERS AND THEN WHEN THE BUDGET'S FINALIZED, IT'S USUALLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. AND SO THAT COULD TAKE AWAY A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS. IT'S USUALLY NOT A DRAMATIC CHANGE, BUT MM-HMM . IF YOU ONLY ASK FOR 10,000 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE GETTING SIX, THAT'S A DRAMATIC CHANGE TO YOUR REQUEST. SO, RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. I GUESS I WONDER WHY DO WE APPROVE IT IN JULY IF WE HAVE TO, WHEN IT REALLY MEANS NOTHING. THE REAL APPROVAL IS THE BUDGET APPROVAL. WHY NOT JUST WAIT, WHY NOT DISCUSS IT IN JULY? THEY JUST NO, I GET THAT. AND I THINK PART OF IT WAS TRYING TO MOVE IT UP SO THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THINGS LAST MINUTE MM-HMM . BUT YEAH, IT, IT CAN'T BE FINALIZED UNTIL THE BUDGET NUMBER IS FINALIZED. SO, IS IS THERE ANY REASON THAT ON OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING JULY 16TH IT SAYS RECOMMENDATION OF YET FOR HOT PLUMBING? IT SAYS THEY ARE ACTUALLY AWARDED. SO THE, THE PROCESS IS REALLY COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BETWEEN OUTSIDE AGENCY AND, UM, HOT TAX. SO FOR HOT TAX, UM, STAFF ACTUALLY MAKES, UH, DOES THE REVIEW AND MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL AND IT'S AWARDED, UM, OUTSIDE AGENCY. UH, WE REVIEW, UM, STAFF REVIEWS TO MAKE SURE THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETE. BUT THEN, UH, COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE ACTUALLY MAKES THAT RECOMMENDATION. IT'S NOW IT'S SPLIT UP AS THE EVALUATION. THANK YOU. WELL, ACCOMMO IS, AND I'M GOING OFF MEMORY, BUT GENERALLY THERE'S SOME REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE OUTSET AGENCY FUNDING. IT CAN'T BE FOR, UH, STAFF MONEY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IN THE PAST, EACH YEAR IT SEEMS LIKE WE, WE HAVE A REQUEST THAT LITERALLY SAYS IN REQUEST THIS IS GONNA GO TOWARDS STAFF FUNDING. AND SO IN MY MIND, I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW THE RULES. WE EITHER NEED TO ADJUST THE POLICY TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN, OR WE HAVE TO STOP APPROVING MONEY TO GOING, GOING TO PLACES THAT ARE USING IT FOR STAFFING. BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY IT'S NOT FOR THAT, AND WE DO, WE DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE, MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO CHANGE THE RULES IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT. ARE YOU SAYING HAVE, HAVE STAFF HEADED OFF BEFORE IT GETS TO US? 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T, WE PRETTY MUCH DIDN'T DO THAT AS THE L OUTSIDE AGENCY COMMITTEE LAST YEAR. IF THEY ASKED FOR STAFFING, WE'D, WE SAID, NO, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT. WE CUT IT DOWN TO WHATEVER WASN'T STAFFING. BUT ARE ARE YOU SAYING BECAUSE WELL AGREE, LET'S HAVE, LET'S HAVE, IF AN APPLICATION COMES IN THAT HAS THAT MAYBE STAFF COULD HEAD THAT OFF AND SAY, HEY, THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T . YEAH. I MEAN I DON'T MIND BEING THE BAD PERSON. RIGHT. WE KNOW THAT. BUT YEAH, IN A WAY, IF WE, IF WE WANT STAFF TO HANDLE THIS, THEN I THINK THEN STAFF NEEDS TO GO, HEY, THIS, THIS ONE, I DON'T, I THINK STAFF SHOULD TELL US WE REJECTED THIS BECAUSE IT WENT TO STAFF FUNDING AND BASED ON YOUR POLICY, BUT INSTEAD IT COMES THROUGH BECAUSE I THINK THE PROCESS IS SO MUCH BETTER NOW. IT GETS VERY POLITICAL ON GIVING MONEY AWAY. SO I, I'M, I'M NOT WANTING TO, I'M NOT WANTING STAFF TO BE PUT IN LIKE A BAD POSITION. UM, BUT I DO, AND I, AND I ALSO AM VERY AWARE THAT YOU PUSH THAT ISSUE TOO MUCH. PEOPLE JUST MANIPULATE THEIR BUDGETS TO SAY, OH, I'M GONNA DO THIS ITEM OVER HERE AND THEN THEY MOVE IT AROUND. IT GOES TO STAFF ANYWAY. SO PART OF ME IS LIKE, IS THAT EVEN A BIG DEAL THAT MONEY GOES TO STAFFING? IT'S JUST, IF IT DOES, WE PROBABLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT MORE OF A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT. WELL, IT'S KIND OF A POLICY THING TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. I MEAN, I'M KIND OF LIMITED IN WHERE I'D WANT TO PAY FOR STAFFING SOMEWHERE ELSE VERSUS PAYING FOR CITY STAFFING. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF, THAT'S KIND OF, WE'RE TRYING TO BE AN NEED, BUT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BUILD SOMEBODY ELSE'S ORGANIZATION. [00:10:02] SO I DON'T KNOW. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, THEY'LL JUST MANIPULATE THEIR BUDGET TO GET THEM TO WORK. SO PART OF ME IS WE, WE CORRECTED THAT 'CAUSE WE NOW HAVE CONTRACTS WITH THEM AND THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE CONTRACT FOR THE FUNDING. IS IT, ISN'T IT A REIMBURSABLE? YES, IT'S A REIMBURSABLE. AND SO WE HAVE THE CONTRACTS NOW THEY SIGN THE CONTRACT AND IF THEY DON'T DO WHAT THEY SAY IN THE CONTRACT, THEY DON'T GET THE FUNDING. I, I THINK MAYBE WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY HERE IS THE APPLICATIONS COME IN ASKING FOR THAT AND THEY GENERALLY GET REJECTED, BUT THEN IT'S TOO LATE. THEN THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO FIX IT. SO I THINK MAYBE GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY UPFRONT TO HAVE A REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION AND IF IT DOESN'T MEET SOME OF THE TECHNICAL THINGS THAT WE SAID WE WANTED OR DIDN'T WANT, THEN IT GETS KICKED BACK AND THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR SOMETHING TO CORRECT IT AND REAPPLY AND STILL GET IT IN THAT CYCLE. I THINK MAYBE THAT'S THE WAY TO IMPROVE IT. MY LAST IDEA IS IN SIX YEARS YOU'RE GIVEN THE SAME GROUPS. SOME OF THE SAME GROUPS, THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY EACH YEAR. THAT'S EVERY YEAR. THEY'RE OPEN TO CUTS. BUT IF WE KNOW NOW CONTRAPTION, WE HAVE TO GIVE THOSE THREE GROUPS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY UNTIL WE CHANGE THE CONTRACT. BUT IF WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GIVE SAY $40,000 TO THE HUNTER RESOURCE CENTER EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THEN WHY DON'T WE JUST MAKE IT TO WHERE THAT'S FOUR ITEMS. AND IF WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE 10,000 TO THE YMCA FOR SENIOR EXPENSES EVERY YEAR, THAT THAT WAY THEY AT LEAST KNOW ONGOING BUDGET UNTIL, I MEAN THE POLICY COULD CHANGE ANY YEAR, BUT THEN THEY JUST KNOW LIKE, HEY, BORING SOME ISSUE. UM, BECAUSE POTENTIALLY THE HU RESOURCE CENTER COULD INVEST IN ANOTHER BUILDING OR SOMETHING. AND IF THEY SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA USE PART OF THIS FUNDING AS OUR WAY TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE. UM, AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN JUST DIAL IT DOWN WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING 50 OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND. BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE DO A LOT OF WORK FOR THREE OR FOUR GROUPS TO GET THE SAME MONEY ALL THE TIME ANYWAY. AND WE REALLY OUGHT TO BE FOCUSED ON THE NEW GROUPS. NO, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T MIND REVIEWING SOME OF THE, SOME OF THOSE ONGOING ONES AND SAYING, YEAH, THESE ONES WE WANNA MAKE SEMI-PERMANENT PART OF THE BUDGET AND NOT HAVE IT BE, THEY HAVE TO REAPPLY EVERY YEAR AND HOPE IT GOES THROUGH AND HOPE THEY DON'T RUN INTO SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT, YOU KNOW, A, A DIFFERENT AGENDA THAT YEAR OR SOMETHING. SO YEAH, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. SO, SO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER THORNTON. SO ON THE 14TH WE DO KIND OF AN INITIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER, GO THROUGH THEIR APPLICATIONS, UM, AND THEN WE HA GIVE THEM A MONTH LATER TO ACTUALLY SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS OR WHEN THEY'RE DUE. ARE YOU REQUESTING THAT WE MAKE THAT EVEN LONGER? OH NO, I MEAN I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, THAT THERE WAS A, I GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS A PART WHERE YOU ACTUALLY REVIEW, REVIEW IT AND THEN GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO CHANGE IT. SO IF THAT'S HAPPENING, YES. OKAY. AND THEY STILL TURN IN SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S AGAINST THE POLICY THAT'S ON THEM. RIGHT. OKAY. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM A LITTLE BIT OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THEM AND THEN YEAH. OKAY. BUT IS THAT MAY 14TH DATE A REVIEW OF AN ACTUAL SUBMISSION? NO. SO THE, SO I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS, SORRY, QUESTION AN ANSWER. YEAH. SO THE VIRTUAL Q AND A SESSION IS SOMETHING THAT'S HOSTED BY, UH, FINANCING CHRISTIE. AND WE JUST BASICALLY FIELD QUESTIONS FROM INTERESTED PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING, HEY, IS THIS ELIGIBLE? NOT EVERYONE ATTENDS THOSE, THEY'RE RECORDED AND POSTED ONLINE. NOT EVERYONE GOES AND SEES 'EM. SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT THAT SESSION IS RIGHT THERE. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE JUST TO ASK QUESTIONS. SO THERE'S, ONCE THEY SUBMIT ON THE 18TH, THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO SAY, HEY, THIS DOESN'T QUITE MEET THE CRITERIA, OR WE HAVE QUESTIONS, CAN I, WE WANT TO KICK IT BACK TO YOU AND YOU HAVE AN X DATE TO GET IT BACK TO US AGAIN. THERE'S THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S FINE HAPPEN. OKAY. SO MAYBE WHAT WE COULD DO IS THROW IN ANOTHER DATE THERE BETWEEN MAY AND JUNE, UM, MAYBE PUSH THE MAY 14TH, UH, EARLIER TO DO QUESTION AND ANSWER AND THEN, UM, HAVE THAT TIME TO, TO REVIEW BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY SUBMIT. YEAH, MAYBE LIKE ON OUR BIDDING, YOU HAVE, YOUR APPLICATIONS ARE DUE, BUT THEN THERE'S, AND THERE A TIME IN A BID WHERE I THINK ABOUT THIS WRONG. YOU, YOU'VE GOT THE QUESTIONS, BUT THEN THERE COULD BE AN ADDENDUM SOMEHOW. THERE'S A WAY TO, AND THERE A WAY ON OUR BIDS FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT A BID BUT THEN ASK QUESTIONS AFTER THEY'VE DONE IT. YES. THERE, IT'S USUALLY DONE BEFOREHAND TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY SUBMIT THEIR, THEIR BID OR THEIR PROPOSAL. SO I MEAN THAT THEY'RE POSTED ON THIS FOR OUTSIDE, IT'S ON THE APRIL 2ND, THERE'S Q AND A VIRTUAL, WHICHEVER THAT DATE IS. BUT YOU GET A LOT OF LAST MINUTE APPLICATIONS AND 18TH OR MOST OF THOSE ALREADY FOR THAT DATE. UH, THAT ITEM, A MIXED BAG. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THAT'S UM, SOMETHING I'LL HAVE TO ASK CHRISTIE ABOUT. WELL THE THING IS THAT, I MEAN IF THEY, I MEAN IF THEY KNOW WHEN THE DATE IS AND THEY'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, TWO MONTHS, TWO MONTHS [00:15:01] TO DO THAT, I MEAN I DON'T MIND GIVING 'EM TWO OR THREE DAYS. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO YOU 10 DAYS OR TWO WEEKS. 'CAUSE THERE'S ONLY A MONTH BETWEEN THE JUNE, THE DUE DATE OF JUNE 18TH AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE JULY 16TH. SO IF YOU GIVE THEM TWO WEEKS, THEN YEAH, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD IF THE RECOMMENDATION HAPPENED THE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST INSTEAD OF CORRECT. THE SECOND MEETING IN JULY. RIGHT. DON'T BIG DEAL. YEAH, BECAUSE LIKE HE SAID, THERE'S TIME BETWEEN THEM AND BUDGET AND THE BUDGET. SO, BUT I DON'T, I LIKE THE FACT THAT C GETS TO LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE THE APPLICANT IS DOING WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO AND THEN WHAT CITI IS REQUIRING TO DO TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE, WHATEVER THAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO WHAT IS DRIVING THIS EARLY DATE? IS IT SOMETHING WITH THE OUTSIDE AGENCY FUND? LIKE THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES NEED THAT MONEY COMMITMENT SOONER THAN OUR SEPTEMBER DATE? UH, THAT I DON'T KNOW. I JUST KNOW THAT'S BEEN OUR PROCESS IN THE PAST. SO COULD BE BECAUSE WE NEEDED THAT BY THAT LAST DATE, JULY. SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE THE WHOLE BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET. MM-HMM . AND THAT WAS THE LAST COUNCILING MEETING. YES. AND I WOULD SAY JUST BUDGET. WHEN YOU WRITE THE BUDGET, JUST BUDGET, I MEAN OVERSIMPLIFYING, BUT 1% OF WHATEVER THE TOP REVENUE NUMBER IS TO WHERE AS THAT GETS ADJUSTED, THIS AUTOMATIC GOES KIND LIKE WITH HOT FUNDS, WE CAN, BECAUSE IN MY MIND YOU BUDGET THAT MONEY AND WE COULD APPROVE THE MONEY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. I REALLY DON'T SEE WHERE THE DEADLINE TO APPROVE THE MONEY IS AS LONG AS WE APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE. WHICH LET'S FACE IT, WE'RE GONNA GET 1% EVERY TIME. I MEAN AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BECAUSE STAFF REALLY, YOU DON'T CARE HOW IT GETS DIVVIED UP. YOU JUST NEED THAT NUMBER TO KNOW HOW MUCH CAN NEED TO BE UP. WELL YEAH, I MEAN WE CALCULATE THE NUMBER IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S 1% OF REVENUE AND THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT OUR REVENUE TO BE AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WHICH IS WHY BY THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT 1% NUMBER SOMETIMES SHIFTS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEN WE GET THE CERTIFIED ROLES THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN WE DETERMINE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGE IN WHAT WE THOUGHT THE TAX RATE WAS GONNA BE. OR Y'ALL MAY CHANGE THE TAX RATE ARGUABLY, WHICH THEN IN TURN CHANGES THE REVENUES. SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FULL ONE WE, WE KNOW WHAT WE CAN PROJECT THE 1% TO BE AT THE BEGINNING, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL ONE PERCENT'S GONNA BE UNTIL COUNCIL DECIDES WHAT THE TAX RATE IS. WE HAVE THE CERTIFIED ROLE, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF, WHICH IS NOT UNTIL THE END OF THE PROCESS. THAT SAID, I MEAN I PLUGGED IN THE 1%, BUT THEN I LIST IN THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS MAKING UP THAT 1% POINT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ERRING ON THE SIDE OF BEING AS TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE. BUT JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING IT THAT WAY DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY. IT'S ALREADY IN THERE AS A LINE ITEM FOR JUST ALL THE, THE FULL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF . THAT'S HOW IT'S IN THE BUDGET. SO LEVI, I SEE A PROBLEM WITH MAKING THE APPROVAL BY COUNCIL IN OCTOBER EVERY YEAR. THAT WAY WE'RE NOT, 'CAUSE EVERY YEAR LATELY WE'VE BEEN, WE GOT A NUMBER WE APPROVE THEN WE GET CERTIFIED ROLES, WE HAVE TO REAPPROVE OR ADJUST, THEN WE CHANGE THE TAX RATE, WE HAVE TO ADJUST IT. WE JUST WAIT TILL OCTOBER, THEN WE KNOW THE NUMBER. YOU'LL KNOW THE NUMBER WHENEVER THE BUDGET IS FINALLY ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER. AND THEN EVEN DO IT I SAME MEETING IF YOU WANT TO ARGUABLY, BUT YEAH, THEORETICALLY THE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING OR CAN'T COUNT ON WHAT THEY'RE GETTING UNTIL OCTOBER WHEN THE BUDGETS PASS ANYWAY. BUT YOU STILL HAVE APPLICATIONS DUE BY WHATEVER DATE. YEAH, BUT, AND GIVE STAFF TIME TO REVIEW AND WE SOME OF THOSE OUT IF NEED BE. BUT YOU ALSO WANNA GIVE THE OUTSIDE AGENCY ENOUGH TIME THAT IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE MONEY, AT LEAST HAVE SOME PLACEHOLDER. NOT NECESSARILY THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED. OTHERWISE IT GIVES THEM TIME TO LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES. THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET THIS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL BE. BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER LAST, LAST BUDGET CYCLE WE WENT KIND OF WENT BACK AND FORTH ON SOME OF THOSE. THAT'S WHAT I SAYING. I DON'T REMEMBER. I GUESS IT WAS, UM YEAH, YOU WERE NEW. YEAH, STILL. BUT BUT THAT GOES BACK TO IF WE ARE OKAY WITH CERTAIN GROUPS, WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY, ADD THEM UP AND SO THEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW TO REQUESTING MONEY, THEY DON'T KNOW THEY'RE GONNA GET ANYWAY. WELL THAT'S TRUE. LIKE THE UM, WHAT WAS THE MAINTENANCE? I WAS JUST THINKING OF THE OUTSIDE AGENCY THAT IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET CITY FUNDING, THEY CAN AT LEAST FIND IT. WHATEVER BUDGETS. I MEAN IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE DOING THE SAME FISCAL YEAR GOING IN OCTOBER, MAYBE TOO LATE FOR THEM TO GET, BUT I'M JUST GIVING BENEFIT. THEY WANNA ANYWAY UNTIL WE PROOF. WELL WE KIND OF DO. I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THE PER THE SEMI-PERMANENT ONES, WELL THE BENEFIT OF DOING IT THE WAY THAT IT IS CURRENTLY IS THAT THE ONES THAT AREN'T GONNA MAKE THE CUT ALREADY KIND OF HAVE A SIGNAL THAT THEY'RE NOT MAKING THE CUT. OKAY. BEFORE THEY GET INTO THEIR [00:20:01] BUDGET, YOU KNOW, TO BE DEFINED. BUT YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. SO THAT, THAT IS A BENEFIT OF DOING IT THIS WAY. THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT WE DO HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT IN THE OVERALL DOLLAR AMOUNT. SO MAYBE THAT'S WHERE WE, MAYBE THAT'S THE COMPROMISE. IT'S LIKE COUNCIL CAN STILL DECIDE WHO'S GETTING FUNDED, BUT THE ACTUAL FINAL DOLLAR AMOUNT WILL BE DETERMINED AT THE, AT THE FINAL VOTE. THAT'S GOOD. I THAT'S, THAT'S HOW I KNOW OPERATE TO WHERE THIS IS WHO'S GETTING MONEY. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE GETTING YET, BUT YOU JUST KNOW YOU'RE GETTING SOMETHING AND THEN SO THEY, THEY AT LEAST KNOW THEN THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET SELECTED, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DIDN'T GET SELECTED. SO THAT'S NOT A BAD IDEA. IF I'M, IF I'M A NONPROFIT AND I'M ASKING FOR 20 GRAND IN JULY, THE FASTER THAT I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA GET CONSIDERED FOR THAT, THE BETTER. SO I CAN GO TRY TO ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF MY POINT. THANK YOU. WE'RE OKAY PICKING THE NAME THEN DOING THE AMOUNT LATER? YEAH, YEAH. WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST, THEY PROBABLY NEED TO KNOW A GENERAL AMOUNT TOO. 'CAUSE LIKE ONE OF 'EM, WE CUT IT, IT WAS THE, UM, AMERICAN, AMERICAN LEGION. LIKE WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY CUT IT. SO IF WE JUST SAID YES, WE CAN ASSUME WE'RE GONNA COME OUT AND NOT NO. MAYBE GIVE THEM BACK TO BASICALLY WHAT THE PROCESS IS. RIGHT. AND SOME OF THEM ARE FOR SPECIFIC PROJECT, BUT CLEAR THAT HEY, THIS IS THE POINT NUMBER, LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN THE GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD OF THIS GIVE OR TAKE. OR WE ANTICIPATED AMERICAN LEGION WAS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION 'CAUSE OF THEIR RENT WAS, THAT WAS VERY UNIQUE. YEAH. SO THAT'S NOT OKAY. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. BUT I MEAN WE HAD A SITUATION, IT, IT WAS THE LEGION STILL, BUT SITUATION WHERE THEY WANTED MONEY TO BUY A VAN AND IF YOU ONLY GIVE 'EM HALF THE MONEY FOR THE VAN, THEY DON'T GET A VAN. SO THEY DON'T, IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD TO GIVE 'EM HALF THE MONEY. SO THEY KIND OF NEED TO KNOW ARE WE GETTING THE MONEY OR NOT? THEY DIDN'T GET AT THAT TIME. BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. I I THINK THAT MAKES SOME THINGS MORE COMPLICATED. OTHER PROGRAMS, IT'S LIKE, OH WE CAN ONLY DO $18,000 WORTH OF STUFF WHEN WE WANT TO DO 20,000. OKAY WE'LL DO 18,000. THAT'S GOOD. YEAH, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. THEY CAN, THEY CAN ROLL WITH IT, BUT OTHER TIMES IT'S A YES OR NO, IT'S A BINARY AND YOU KNOW, WELL IT CHANGES. WE'RE TRADING, WE'RE TRADING ONE PROBLEM FOR ANOTHER. USE THE SAME SYSTEM. MAYBE JUST CLARIFYING TO THE RECIPIENTS, THIS IS NOT A FINAL NUMBER. LIKE THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUT. YOUR FINAL NUMBER WILL BE DETERMINED IN OCTOBER, SEPTEMBER. WAS THAT IN THE APPLICATION FORM ITSELF? YEAH, BUT I MEAN WE'VE SAID THAT FROM THE DAYS TOO. BUT I MEAN IN WRITING, SO THAT COUPLE, THE LETTER, COUPLE LETTER, YEAH. AND I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN THE EMAILS THAT GO OUT AFTER THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHRISTIE IS VERY, VERY CLEAR, BOLD TYPEFACE IN THE EMAILS THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PRELIMINARY. UM, AND IT'S NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL THE BUDGET'S ADOPTED. AND MAYBE THIS BUDGET YEAR WE WORK ON PERMANENT ONES GOING FORWARD UNTIL SOMEBODY ELSE CHANGES IT THAT WAY YOU GUYS HAVE LESS WORK. THEY CAN HAVE MORE BECAUSE I JUST THINK THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME NONPROFITS I SEE US ALWAYS GIVING MONEY TO. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT'S OUTSIDE. WE GOT HOT NEXT. YES SIR. SO FOR HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WANTING TO PUT A PROGRAM ON THAT CAN ATTRACT TOURISM OR OVERNIGHT STAYS HERE IN HURO OR NEARBY CAN APPLY UM, UH, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. AND WE CAN UH, REQUEST FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, ANY POLICIES, UM, INSURANCE AND SO FORTH. UH, WE DO CHECK FOR COMPLETENESS. UM, ANY INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS DON'T ADVANCE. UM, HERE WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS, UM, IT'S REVIEWED BY STAFF WHICH CONSISTS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR MYSELF, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR AND THE CITY MANAGER DESIGNEE, WHICH IS UM, FOR THIS YEAR IN 25 I SHOULD SAY, UH, WAS UM, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. UM, ONCE WE PUT THAT TOGETHER, THEN WE SENT IT TO COUNCIL, THOSE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS, UM, AND FUNDING AND UH, SUBMIT THOSE TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. SO HERE THE KEY DATES ARE APRIL 17TH IS UM, WHEN WE PUT THE APPLICATIONS LIVE, UH, JUNE 26TH ARE WHEN THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE. AND THEN ON JULY 16TH IS WHEN WE PUT IT TO UM, FOR AWARD. UH, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, WITH HOT TAX WE DECIDED, I THINK IT WAS A YEAR AGO OR SO THAT WE BASE IT ON THE PRIOR YEAR'S REVENUE. SO, UM, WE ALREADY KNOW WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THIS IN THIS TIMEFRAME OF JUNE AND JULY, [00:25:01] IT'S BASED ON THE PRIOR YEAR. IT'S NOT ON WHAT WE ESTIMATE THE REVENUES TO BE OR OR BUDGET, IT'S ON THE NATIONAL. OKAY. SO FOR THIS YEAR WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT WE ACTUALLY COLLECTED AS OF NINE 30 OF 25. AND THE HOT FUNDS ARE AWARDED THEIR AWARD ON THE 16TH, BUT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY, THE CHECKS AREN'T CUT UNTIL OCTOBER OR THEY'RE IN THAT CURRENT YEAR OF BUDGET. NO, AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME. SO I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT PAGE. UH, UH, IT IS THE SAME AS THE OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING. IT'S NOT A UPFRONT COST, IT'S ALL REIMBURSABLE. SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHATEVER THEIR APPLICATION IS, WHATEVER PROGRAM OR PROJECT THEY'RE DOING, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT THEIR RECEIPTS. UM, UM, THEY HAVE AN AFTER ACTION REPORT THAT THEY NEED TO SUBMIT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR FUNDING, WHICH STATES, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY SPENT THE MONEY ON, WHAT TYPE OF HOTEL, UH, ACTIVITY THEY RECEIVED BASED ON THEIR EVENT. UM, AND THAT IS ALL REVIEWED AND VERIFIED TO THEIR, THEIR APPLICATION. SO ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE ANYTHING'S PAID TO THEM. AND IT'S ALL REIMBURSABLE. THERE'S NO UPFRONT COST TO CITY. OKAY. SO ON THAT, THAT BRINGS UP THE ITEM THAT CAME UP. I TALKED TO JAMES ABOUT. UM, SO WE AWARDED LIKE 60 OR SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE, I FORGOT WHAT'S THE ARTS COMMISSION CALLED? ARTS TODAY? ARTS TODAY. THEY DON'T HAVE 60 GRAND. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT ON THIS BIG FESTIVAL. AND WHAT WE BASICALLY SAID IS, AS SOON AS YOU GUYS PONY UP 60 GRAND OUTTA YOUR MONEY AND THEN BECAUSE THIS PAPERWORK WE'LL REIMBURSE YOU AND NO ONE'S WILLING TO TAKE OUT A MORTGAGE ON THEIR HOUSE. SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE RESOLVE THAT TO WHERE I DON'T WANNA JUST GIVE SOMEONE $60,000 AND HOPE THAT WE HAVE AN EVENT. BUT I ALSO THINK, I MEAN IS THERE A WAY, IS IT TOO TOUGH ON YOU GUYS ALBERTA TO WHERE IF THEY, LIKE AS THEY GET INVOICES, WE PAY THEM ON CERTAIN THINGS LIKE PORTA POTTY SECURITY? WELL THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH KOCH FEST AND WE ENDED UP BEING OUT THE MONEY BECAUSE THEN THEY DIDN'T HOLD THE FESTIVAL. WHAT UPFRONT MONEY? WELL THAT'S WHAT HE'S, HE'S ASKING IF THERE SHOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS PROCEDURE OR POLICY TO ALLOW, UH, EVENTS TO DO, YOU KNOW, AHEAD OF TIME OR WHATEVER. UM, 60 GRAND'S A LOT OF MONEY. IT IT, EVEN FOR AN EVENT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE SPEND ON OUR EVENTS. WE HAVE VERY, WE SPEND 60 GRAND, THE WHOLE GROUP COMBINED EVERY EVENT PROBABLY DOESN'T HIT 60 GRAND. SO YEAH, THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU SPEND THAT MONEY ON BECAUSE I MEAN I HAD A TALENT AND SECURITY AND LOGISTICS LIKE TICKETING AND K KIND OF THE PROBLEM IS THE, THE EVENT SOUNDS NICE, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT A MATURE ENOUGH ORGANIZATION TO AFFORD TO START INTO THAT EVENT, THEN WHY ARE WE GIVING YOU $60,000 TO HOLD AN EVENT THAT YOU'RE NOT READY TO HANDLE YET? YOU NEED TO GROW INTO IT. SO IF THEY'RE NOT READY TO DO A 60,000 EVENT, THEN MAYBE THEY NEED TO DO A 10,000 EVENT. YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING PLANS FOR 60,000 AND YOU KNOW, WELL, BUT IF THEY CAN'T MAKE IT WORK AND THE STRUCTURE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THEM, THEN THEY CAN'T MAKE IT WORK. AND IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THEM. IT'S OUR JOB. WE, WE CAN HELP THEM. BUT THAT'S HELPING THEM AN AWFUL LOT. UH, BELIEVE ME, I WE'RE RIGHT NOW THE DOWN PAYMENT FOR THAT MORTGAGE INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, LETTING THEM WE'RE WE'RE BASICALLY THE FINANCIAL ASURITY. SO THEY WOULD GO TAKE OUT A LOAN WITH ASSURITY FROM THE CITY THAT THE 60,000 WILL BE PAID BACK ON COMPLETION OF THE EVENT. THAT'S ONLY, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE ARE. YEAH, I'M GONNA SAY A DISAGREEMENT. 'CAUSE MY FEAR IS IS THAT EVERY YEAR THEY'RE GONNA WANT 60 GRAND TO PUT ON AN EVENT AND I'M LIKE, I DON'T MIND SOME SEED FUNDING. BUT IF YOU CAN'T PUT ON AN EVENT THAT MAKES MONEY, THEN THE WHOLE POINT OF ALL THIS IN MY MIND IS FOR THE, THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO PUT ON EVENTS NOT TO GET SOMEONE GOING. THEY GET UP AND RUNNING AND THEN STAFF'S ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYS. BUT IF WE PAY SOMEONE $60,000 A YEAR TO PUT AN EVENT ON, IT MAY BE CHEAPER FOR THE CITY JUST TO PUT THE EVENT ON AND US HIRE SOMEONE TO PUT ON MULTIPLE EVENTS. UH, BUT AGAIN, I THOUGHT THIS WAS MORE OF LIKE A ONE YEAR IN MY MIND I THOUGHT MAYBE TWO OR THREE AND WE'D DIAL IT DOWN. BUT THEN WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH HOW DO WE GET TO 60 GRAND, WE DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW. I WAS LIKE, UH, TWO 60 GRAND. SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY WERE APPROVED FOR UP TO 60. RIGHT. ? WELL I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TALKED TO 'EM IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE HOW DO WE GET STARTED? LIKE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO START IT BUT WE'RE, THEY SAID THEY'RE CONFIDENT THAT IF THEY DO A $60,000 EVENT, THEY GET THE MONEY BACK, THEN THEY'LL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FROM THAT TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF BANK BILL GOING FORWARD. IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE THEY NEED [00:30:01] A PRIVATE INVESTOR THAT BELIEVES IN 'EM. YEAH. THAT SAYS, HEY I'LL FRONT YOU THE MONEY AND THEN WHEN YOU GET PAID BACK IN THE CITY, YOU CAN BRING ME BACK. OR, OR MAYBE THEY INVEST IN IT, RIGHT? AND MAYBE THEY'RE AN INVESTOR. MAYBE THAT'S THE APPROACH THEY NEED TO TAKE IS LOOK FOR AN INVESTOR THAT KIND OF WANTS TO BE A FINANCIAL PARTNER WITH 'EM. WE PULL THE VOTES IN MIDDLE OF A MEETING IS PUBLIC OR DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO PULL VOTES? WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION AND YOU CAN TAKE ACTION. SO I'M JUST MORE WONDERING, IS ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT THAT WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION? NO. NO. IS THERE ANYBODY THAT, THAT'S NOT A GROUP THAT THEY, THAT SAY OR ANYBODY THAT THINKS THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE TO THIS? OR DOES EVERYBODY THINK IT'S ALL REIMBURSABLE AND THEY GOTTA FIGURE IT OUT? LEMME ASK THE FIRST QUESTION BUT NOT THE, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE ASKED THE QUESTION. YOU ASK IF ANYONE, YOU ASK IT ALL. IS THERE ANYONE THAT IF SOMEONE MAKES A MOTION TO CHANGE IT, THEN THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW, I SUPPOSE RIGHT? I I THINK IT'S GOTTA BE REIMBURSABLE. I MEAN MM-HMM. EVERYBODY'S GOT GREAT IDEAS, HAVE SOMETHING TO COMMUNICATE. 'CAUSE WITHOUT A MOTION, THERE'S NO COMMUNICATING. I'LL JUST WAIT UNTIL THE END BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK STAFF'S GONNA HAVE TO COMMUNICATE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. LIKE, HEY THIS IS WHAT THE COUNCIL SAID. UH, RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY. MM-HMM OKAY. WELL I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE REIMBURSABLE BECAUSE WHAT IF YOU GIVE 'EM THAT MONEY, NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY'RE GONNA EVEN SPEND IT ALL OR GET IT OR WE'RE GONNA GET IT BACK. WELL I LOOK AT IT LIKE THIS FROM A SPENDING, UH, IT'S LIKE I TOLD MY KIDS IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO SPEND SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY. AND SO IF I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU 60 GRAND, YOU'LL SPEND ALL 60. IF I SAY, HEY YOU GO OUT AND DO SOME SHOPPING, THEN COME BACK, I'LL REIMBURSE YOU. YOU MAY NOT SPEND 60, YOU MAY SPEND 30. AND SO THEN THE TAXPAYER, NOW WE HAVE 30,000 TO FUND ANOTHER PROGRAM. UH, THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD OPERATE WITH THIS IN MY OPINION. BUT NOW EVERY TIME I SEE MY NEIGHBOR IT WAS LIKE, BUT SEE ER, THE HOT BY STATE LAW HAS TO BE EXPENDED ON THOSE CATEGORIES FOR THAT PURPOSE. AND IF THEY SPEND MONEY AND IT'S NOT, IT'S OUTSIDE IT, WE CAN'T PAY IT. OR IF WE DID PAY IT, WE'D HAVE TO GET THAT. SO IF YOU GAVE THEM THE MONEY AHEAD OF TIME, WELL YOU DON'T GET TO CONTROL HOW THEY SPEND IT. SO THEY SPEND IT ON AN ITEM THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN APPROVED, THEN WE GOTTA GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE MONEY BACK. THAT'S WHAT FROM SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY. RIGHT? RIGHT. MY ONLY OTHER COMMENT ON THIS IS I REALLY WOULD LIKE THIS. WE WENT ABOVE THE 15% IF I REMEMBER I KIND OF MANIPULATED SOME THINGS. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT A HARD CEILING. MAX IS MAX AND NOT GO ABOVE THAT. BECAUSE I LOOK AT THE HOT MONEY, THAT MONEY AS IT GROWS WITH THE THIRD HOTEL AND POTENTIALLY A FOURTH AND A FIFTH. THAT HOT MONEY COULD BE WHAT BUILDS CONVENTION CENTER. WE DO HAVE A DEVELOPMENT THAT'S WON THE CONVENTION CENTER. AND SO, AND WHEN YOU BUILD A CONVENTION CENTER, THEN YOU CAN COLLECT A HIGHER, UH, PERCENTAGE OF YOUR HOT PACKS. AND SO THEN IT KIND OF STEAM ROLLS AND ROUND ROCK USE THEIR MONEY TO BUILD A STADIUM OR IMPROVE IT. AUSTIN'S DOING A 1 BILLION, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THEY DO IT. A $1 BILLION, UM, CONVENTION CENTER ALL WITH HOT FUNDS. AND SO I'M LIKE EVERYTHING WE GIVE AWAY. UM, BUT ANYWAY, FOR ME I LIKE IT'S JUST TO STAY MAX 15 AND THAT IS OFF THE TAX CODE. SO THE MAX THAT WE CAN AWARD FOR PROMOTION OF THE ARTS IS 15% OF OUR HOT TAX REVENUES. SO HOW'D WE GO ABOVE IT? WHAT'D WE DO TO GO ABOVE IT? WE DIDN'T. WE STAYED RIGHT AT IT. SO WE'RE GIVING PEOPLE 60 AT THE HEART. THE ARTS PEOPLE GOT 60, BUT THEY DID. BUT PART OF IT WAS FROM PROMOTION OF ARTS AND THE OTHER WAS FROM UH, ADVERTISING AND UM, MARKETING. YEAH. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. TO ME, THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. YEAH. BUT OUT OF THE PROMOTION OF THE ARTS, THE MAX IS 15%. SO FOR THEM THEY GOT LIKE 45,009 60 SOMETHING. SO THAT WASN'T THE 15%, BUT THAT WAS THEIR SHARE FOR THE PROMOTION. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. ALL THOSE EVENTS. I, I DON'T, WHEN AN ART EVENT COMES AND TAKES 15% AND THEN TAKES MONEY FROM ANOTHER, UH, TO ME IT'S LIKE I SAID ABOUT PAYING FOR SALARIES, YOU'RE JUST MOVING MONEY AROUND TO GET WHAT PEOPLE NEED. TO ME IT'S GOTTA BE, YOU'RE THE ARTS PROGRAM. AND SO IF WE'RE GIVING 15% TO ARTS, 15% IS A MATCH IS WHAT I'M THINKING. NOT 15%. AND THEN, HEY, WE CAN GET YOU SOME MORE OUT OF THIS OTHER BUCKET OVER HERE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY TAKEN AWAY FROM. SO YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE TWO CATEGORIES FOR PROMOTIONS THEN ONE SEVEN AND AND THEN YOU HAVE THE, THE ARTS BOOKS. THE ONE, SO YOU SAYING MAYOR, MAYOR MAKES A GOOD POINT. I MEAN YOU CAN DOUBLE DIP FOR PROMOTIONS [00:35:01] ON ARTS AND YOU CAN, I GUESS YOU CAN DOUBLE DIP IN ARTS AND FOR RESTORATION PRESERVATION. SO THE QUESTION I THINK MAYOR BRING UP ARE WHAT I ANY DOUBLE DIP ON UH, ACROSS FOR CATEGORIES. YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN. YEAH, CAN I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T WANT TO, DOESN'T WANT TO. RIGHT. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS LEGALLY YOU APPLIED LEGALLY, UH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO PROMOTION OF THE ARTS AND ADVERTISING AND MARKETING FOR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION. IT'S ONE AND NOTHING ELSE. YOU CAN PICK ONE LOOK. YEAH. BUT TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE, AGAIN, WE PROBABLY NEED TO VOTE. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE FOR ME, IF WE'RE HAVING AN ART FAIR THAT WE'RE USING TWO OR THREE BUCKETS TO GET WHAT THEY WANT. WE'RE UM, BUT LIKE JAMES SAID, I MEAN IT HAS TO BE, AND I THINK DOTTIE BROUGHT IT UP, IT HAS TO BE FOR ATTRACTING TOURISTS AND BRINGING PEOPLE TO OUR HOTEL INDUSTRY. MM-HMM HEADS FOR US, RIGHT. HEADS AND BEDS AS THE STATE CODE SAYS. YEAH. UM, OTHERWISE THEY DON'T QUALIFY AND WE CAN'T SPEND THE MONEY FOR IT. I'M FEELING AS OTHER, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THE EVENT WAS CALLED WITH THE TREE LINING. AS OTHER EVENTS LIKE THAT ARE PUT ON OTHER, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, I CAN SEE THEM WANTING TO GO, HEY, WE WANNA DO ANOTHER DEAL. AND IF YOU HAVE LIKE A MULTICULTURAL EVENT AND SOMEONE SAYS WE NEED, YOU KNOW, 5,000 BE REIMBURSED OR 10,000 BE REIMBURSED AND WE'RE GONNA DO THIS EVENT. TO ME, THE MORE GROUPS THAT SEE THAT, THEN INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE GROUP REPEATEDLY, WE CAN HAVE FOUR OR FIVE THAT GROW THEIR EVENTS OVER TIME, THEN YOU CAN HAVE, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S SAYING THAT THE UM, CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING WAS THE BEST THEY'VE EVER HAD. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S BECAUSE SOMEONE PUT MOST OF IT ON ASIDE STAFF. I THINK IT'S A VARIETY OF THINGS. I THINK YOU HAD TO DOWNTOWN PEOPLE MORE, MORE INVOLVED AND MORE COMMITTED TO IT THAN THEY WERE BEFORE. 'CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE DID IT. AND NOW I SAW PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND A LITTLE FRANTIC 'CAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS RIGHT AND THAT WAS RIGHT. THEY NEVER DID THAT BEFORE. AND I THINK THE MORE WE GET GROUPS TO DO THAT, WE CAN HAVE 10 AND WE DON'T HAVE THE COMPLAINTS ANYMORE EITHER THAT THEY TOOK OVER OUR PARKING, THEY SHUT THE ROAD DOWN BECAUSE IT'S THEM SHUTTING OWN ROAD, THEIR OWN ROAD DOWN. IS, IS THERE ANY QUESTION AS TO THE TIMING? IS THERE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS CHANGING OUR CALENDAR? I MEAN SINCE IT'S ON THE PRIOR YEAR'S ACTUAL REVENUES, I DON'T, I DON'T FORESEE THAT AS A PROBLEM FOR COUNSEL UNLESS YOU WANNA SEE IT DIFFERENT. NO, THAT WAS GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO DO, SO WE NEED A VOTE ON I GUESS JUST ONE CATEGORY PER ORGANIZATION. YEAH. SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I FORGOT WE'RE MAKE MAKE A MOTION. YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT IT HAS TO STAY AS A REIMBURSEMENT. OH YEAH. AND NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALSO LIMITING IT TO ONLY ONE BUCKET OF THE APPROVED ONE CATEGORY. YEAH, ONE IZATION PER ORGANIZATION. ALRIGHT, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT HOT FUNDS ARE PUT CAN BE RE OR UM, CAN BE GRANTED PRIOR TO REIMBURSEMENT. I'M TRYING TO THINK IF THAT'S A WAY TO GET IT TO WHERE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT VOTE. THEY CAN BE GRANTED PRIOR TO REIMBURSEMENT, WHICH IS NOT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A NO, NO, HE'S LOOKING NOT. NO, I'M LOOKING INSTEAD OF, YEAH. WELL LEMME PLUG A SECOND A SECOND SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT. OKAY. SO HERE'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. IF WHEN I SAY KEEP IT LIKE IT IS, THAT'S JUST AN EASY YES. I'M LOOKING FOR A VOTE WHERE WE CAN SAY, LOOK WE, WE LITERALLY BROUGHT UP THAT EXACT ISSUE AND WE SAID YES OR NO. AND SO IF THIS PASSES THEN WE WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO BASICALLY CUT THEM A $20,000 CHECK IF THEY NEEDED AND THEN WE'D FAIR OUT THE PAPERWORK LATER. NO, WE COULDN'T CUT WITHOUT THE CONTRACT. THAT WOULD YEAH, WE WOULDN'T, THAT WOULDN'T IDE THE AUDIT. YEAH, YOU GOT THE REST OF THE PAPERWORK. YEAH. AND THAT CAN'T BE AN UPFRONT ON A HOT CAN IT, I MEAN MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE TAX CODE, IT'S ONLY REIMBURSABLE 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO VERIFY THAT. DID THEY TRULY BRING THAT SO HE CAN, HE CAN'T ARGUE AGAINST IT BECAUSE HE MADE THE MOTION. BUT I THINK WE'VE JUST CALL THE VOTE. 'CAUSE I THINK I KNOW HOW WHAT IT'S GONNA GO. YEAH, WE'RE OKAY. OKAY. THE POINT TO GET, I I I THINK YOU, I I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BUT I, I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE ON BOARD AND I DON'T KNOW IF, I'M TRYING TO DO IN A WAY TO WHERE IT WOULD BE LIKE WE HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS. YOU COME BACK AND SAY, LOOK, WE, HERE'S OUR PROBLEMS. WE HAVE SECONDARY NO, YOU'RE, [00:40:03] WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE WORDING ON THE MOTION I WROTE DOWN WAS HOT FUNDS CAN BE GRANTED PRIOR TO REIMBURSEMENT. ALRIGHT. COUNCILOR THOMPSON, A MAYOR THORNTON MAY, COUNCILOR MORRIS, NO. MAYOR STEIN, NO CUSTOMER. GORDON NAY, PORTERFIELD, NAY CUSTOMER KING NAY. THEN WE HAVE TO DO THE OTHER ONE ON THE, UH, WHAT WAS IT, JAMES? ONE ONE BUCKET ONLY ONE OF THE APPROVED CATEGORIES FOR HOTEL. SO THEN I'LL MAKE A, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT HOT FUND WAIT WHERE THAT HOT FUND GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS CAN ONLY COME OUT OF ONE CATEGORY. CATEGORY. APPRECIATE THIS, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU DO, THIS IS ACTUALLY TOUGHER THAN WHAT I ONE WOULD THINK. . ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. UM, MAYOR PRO THORNTON AYE. ARY THOMPSON. AYE UH, MAYOR SENATOR. AYE. ARY KING AYE. BE GORDON. AYE. DR. MORRIS? AYE. COUNCILOR PORTERFIELD AYE PASSES SEVEN ZERO. IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS WE NEED TO DISCUSS ON THIS STUFF? THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION. NO THANK YOU. AND GOING THROUGH IT ALL AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR GUYS' EXPECT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS OF CRUNCH, NOT BE LATE NIGHTS OR DURING, AT 6:41 PM. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.