Apr 22, 2021 Council Workshop

I AM SPENCER PRIEST, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DOUBLETREE GALVESTON BEACH HOTEL AND CHAIR OF THE PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

MAUREEN PATTON? HERE.

JASON WORTHEN? HERE.

AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

ALL RIGHT, WELL.

IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU THIS MORNING.

SO JUST AS WE GET INTO OUR AGENDA ITEMS, DO WE HAVE ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS? OK.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON OUR AGENDA, I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR 2021 TOURISM SEASON PROJECTIONS.

SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES THIS MORNING AND JUST MENTION THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED OUR 2019-2020 INFORMATION IN THE PACKET THAT WE SENT OUT THAT'LL HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF OUR NUMBERS AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO TAKE MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE 2021 SEASON IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE.

AND YOU SAW IT DURING SPRING BREAK.

AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE TYPICALLY GAUGE OUR SUMMER SEASON IS GOING TO PERFORM BASED ON THE SPRING BREAK WEEKS.

WELL, IF THIS SPRING BREAK IS ANY INDICATION OF OUR BEACH DESTINATION.

HOLD ON TO YOUR FLIP FLOPS.

[00:05:02]

WHILE MANY OF OUR MARKETS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AND REBOUND AS OUR GROUPS HAVE NOT YET RETURNED AND CORPORATE TRAVEL IS STILL NOT WHERE MOST MARKETS WERE PRE-COVID, GALVESTON WITH ITS RESILIENCY AND TEXAS BEING OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

[INAUDIBLE] HELLO.

IF YOU COULD MUTE PLEASE, SIR.

YOU KNOW.

WE ARE JUST CONTINUING TO SEE INCREASES AND THESE INCREASES IN OUR VISITATION HAVE COME FROM A COMBINATION OF OUR SMALLER MEETINGS, WE'RE SEEING GROUPS RETURNING, OUR SPORTS TOURISM AND SOME RETURN OF THE EVENTS BACK TO THE ISLAND.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ALL OF THAT.

A KEY DRIVER OF THIS IS THE REMOTE WORKFORCE, ADDITIONAL SHORT TERM RENTALS ENTERING THE MARKET.

THE DAY TRIPPERS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT, THEY JUST KEEP COMING.

AND THAT'S JUST BEEN A YEAR AFTER YEAR CONVERSATION.

OUR CVB MARKETING TEAM HAS JUST DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB PROMOTING THAT COASTAL DISTANCING THING.

AND I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THAT.

AND SO YOUR MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT IS OPEN FROM THE ATTRACTIONS TO THE BEACHES TO DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT'S COMING UP AND COMMUNICATING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSIST WITH BALANCING THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS WITH THE TOURISM DEMANDS.

THE CVB SALES TEAM HAS CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON THE SPORTS TOURNAMENTS AND CHEER AND DANCE COMPETITION.

SO I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THAT WHEN YOU GO OUT TO EAT AT THE RESTAURANTS OR SHOPPING AT THE GROCERY STORES.

THE DANCE COMPETITIONS ON THE WEEKENDS AND EVEN ON THE SHOULDER DATE.

SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS AND EVEN THE SHOPPING.

AND THEY'VE JUST KEPT IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH THE MEETING PLANNERS.

AND WE'RE FINALLY GETTING THOSE THAT HAVE CANCELED THEIR EVENTS.

THEY'RE LOOKING TO ENTER INTO REBOOKING FOR THE FUTURE DATE.

SO THE PHONES ARE RINGING HERE AT THE HOTELS TO START REBOOKING.

THAT'S WELCOME NEWS FOR ALL OF US.

SO, ANYWAY, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ITEMS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES WITH OUR CVB ON THE PARK BOARD FOR FOCUSING ON TOURISM GALVESTON ISLAND, WHILE WE'RE STILL KEEPING OUR MIND SET ON TOURISM, PAYS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO I'LL PAUSE FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES.

ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? I'VE JUST ONE QUESTION, SPENCER, I KNOW WE RAISED OUR RATES ON THE SEAWALL FOR PARKING.

IT'S JUST MY OBSERVATION THAT HADN'T HAPPENED.

THE PEOPLE OUT THERE PARKING ON THE SEAWALL.

THAT HASN'T AND I ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE PACKET WE INCLUDED OF THE SLIDE ON SOME OF THAT.

AND IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME, I WILL GET INTO SOME OF THAT AS I MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PARKING AND SOME OF OUR PARKS AND OTHER NUMBERS.

SO I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT NEXT.

SO THANKS FOR TEEING ME UP.

SO SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTS I WANTED TO JUST SHARE WITH COUNCIL.

YOU KNOW, AND I MENTIONED SPRING BREAK EARLIER, SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS AS WE GET INTO THAT.

SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING AND WE INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE SINCE 2014.

WE WANT TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL SOME OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATES AND REVENUE NUMBERS.

AND THEN THERE YOU'LL SEE WE INCLUDED HOTEL OCCUPANCY ADR AND REVENUE NUMBERS.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT FROM 2014 TO 2021, OCCUPANCY IS ONLY GROWN TWO POINT THREE PERCENT FROM SEVENTY ONE PERCENT, UP TO SEVENTY TWO POINT SIX PERCENT.

HOWEVER, THAT AVERAGE DAILY RATE HAS GONE FROM ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE DOLLARS AND 70 CENTS, UP TO ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN DOLLARS AND 90 CENTS.

THAT RESULT IS THAT REVENUES HAVE GROWN FROM FORTY FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT AT SIX POINT THREE MILLION TO OVER NINE POINT ONE MILLION, OR ALMOST UP TO THE NINE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN HOTEL REVENUES.

THAT IS JUST HOTEL REVENUES ALONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SUPPLY GROWTH ON THE ISLAND AND JUST CONSIDER THAT THE ONLY INCREASE IN HOTELS HAS BEEN IN THE LIMITED SERVICE SEGMENT, MEANING THOSE WITHOUT SUCH SERVICES AS FOOD AND BEVERAGE, SPA, BALLET AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, AT FIRST WE TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH CLASS TRAVELER, BUT THE HIGH HEEL ON THE SAND BUT THAT'S NOT THAT IT'S THE ONE THAT'S STAYING LONGER, SPENDING MORE MONEY.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE.

YOU KNOW, AND AS WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF BUILDING PERMITS AND ALL THAT.

[00:10:01]

WHEN I FIRST STARTED WITH COUNCIL ONE THING I'D ASK WAS, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WISH WE'D LOOK AT SOME OF THESE FULL SERVICE HOTELS AND ALL THAT AND STILL GOING TO STAND BY THAT.

YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME FULL SERVICE BUILDERS COME INTO, ONTO THE ISLAND AND HELP US WITH THAT FULL SERVICE EXPERIENCE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF A FLOW CHART SHOW ON THE DATA? YEAH.

SO IN YOUR PACKETS THAT WE PROVIDED BE WHAT, ON THAT GALVESTON PARK BOARD UPDATE SECTION ON PAGE TWO, YOU'LL START SEEING SOME OF THAT SPRING BREAK OCCUPANCY INFORMATION.

SO PERHAPS HAVE SOME BEACH PARK NUMBERS, HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATES AND FORECAST.

AND SPRING BREAK, MARCH 7, 2014.

TWENTY THROUGH TWENTY ONE.

THOSE WILL BE ALL THE NUMBERS THAT I JUST PRESENTED AND ACTUALLY GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAIL THERE ON THE SCREEN.

SO I JUST GAVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS, BUT WE GO INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL IN YOUR PACKET WITH A LOT MORE NUMBERS.

I WAS GIVEN AN HOUR OR SO I'M TRYING NOT TO TAKE UP ALL THE TIME HERE.

SPENCER, WILL YOU HAVE HER ROLL UP, JANELLE, IF YOU DON'T MIND TO THE TOP WHERE THE PARK PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ARE.

AND YOU CAN SEE SPECIFICALLY DR.

BROWN'S QUESTION.

IN MARCH OF 2019, WE DID TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TRANSACTIONS FOR THE SPRING BREAK WEEKEND.

TWO WEEKS IN 2021, WE GET THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND.

THAT REPORT THAT RESULTED IN TWO HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS AS OPPOSED TO SIXTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO I'M.

GO AHEAD.

NO, NO, TAKE IT FROM THERE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY TO NOTE YOU KNOW, WE DID INCREASE THAT FEE FROM A DOLLAR TO TWO DOLLARS PER HOUR PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK DURING MARCH.

AND THEN THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS INCREASED BY MORE THAN 50 PERCENT YEAR OVER YEAR, INDICATING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VISITORS.

SO WITH THOSE NUMBERS, YOU'LL SEE THAT.

SO FROM 2019 TO TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND.

MARCH, 2020 TWENTY ONE THOUSAND NINETEEN SIXTY SIX AND THEN MARCH 2021 THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND NINE FIFTY ONE.

AND THE SEAWALL URBAN PARK TRANSACTIONS, THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT THERE.

SO, DR. BROWN.

YES, SIR, I THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT, APPRECIATE IT.

SPENCER.

AND SO IF I CAN, I WOULD ADD, THOUGH, THAT IT WASN'T JUST TO THE TWO DOLLARS, IF YOU LOOK DOWN, DELLANERA, STEWART BEACH AND EAST BEACH BROUGHT IN TWO TO THREE TIMES WHAT THEY DID IN 2019, WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE BENCHMARKING WE'RE NOT BENCHMARKING OURSELVES AGAINST 2020, RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO ALL OF OUR COASTAL ASSETS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND.

AND WHEN I TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE, THEY WOULD LOVE TO BE IN A PLACE LIKE GALVESTON WHERE WE'VE GOT BIG OPEN SPACE, SHORT TERM RENTALS, GREAT HOTEL PRODUCT, AND IT'S REALLY PROVEN RESILIENT FOR US IN THE SHORT TERM.

ALL RIGHT, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THERE? COUNCILMAN QUIROGA, DOES THAT HELP WITH YOUR QUESTION ? [INAUDIBLE] OK, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND JUST A NOTE ON THAT, SO WHEN YOU DO LOOK AT THAT GRAPH, YOU MIGHT NOTE THAT AND THINK THAT WHEN YOU SEE THAT 2016 NUMBER AND THINK THAT OCCUPANCY WAS THE KEY INDICATOR BY SAYING IT WAS THE HIGHEST.

BUT WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THAT REVENUE NUMBER, IT WAS ONLY SEVEN POINT FIVE MILLION, SO IT JUST GOES BACK TO WHAT I HAD SAID EARLIER AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT VISITOR WHO STAYS LONGER, PAYS MORE.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING, THIS FROM, YOU KNOW, ME WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY, IN THE HOTELS AND WE ARE SEEING IT FIRSTHAND.

YOU KNOW.

AS I HOPE, AS WE GET MORE MEETINGS SCHEDULED WITH COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO BRING BACK ADDITIONAL UPDATES TO SHARE ON OUR PERFORMANCE AND JUST CONTINUE TO TALK MORE ABOUT OUR TERRORISM CASE.

I WOULD GET INTO MORE ABOUT THE ASSETS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR FUTURE PRESENTATIONS.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE RESULTS, WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD NUMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, I MET WITH MY CORPORATE OFFICE HERE THIS WEEK AND THEY WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE LOOK AT GALVESTON AND WE JUST DON'T CELEBRATE OUR SUCCESSES ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT OURSELVES AS, OH, MY GOSH, IT'S ANOTHER WEEKEND, WE'RE GOING TO GET BEAT UP, WE'RE WORKING OURSELVES TO DEATH, AND WE JUST DON'T TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE RESULTS AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WOW, LOOK AT WHAT GALVESTON IS DOING COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE STATE, THE COUNTRY.

[00:15:01]

AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, PARK BOARD, THE STAFF, THE EMPLOYEES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY PHENOMENAL, THE RESULTS.

SO.

IT'S AMAZING, REALLY, WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED SO, BUT ANYWAY I DIGRESS.

SO, COUNCILMAN, COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME ON THE PERFORMANCE? KELLY, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? NO, JUST HOLD ON, BUCKLE UP AND HOLD ON, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A SUMMER AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT SPENCER STARTED TO TALK ABOUT OVER HERE IS THAT BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND INDUSTRY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE LIVE WITH INSIDE OF A COMMUNITY AND THAT THE INDUSTRY IS HERE TO SUPPORT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, OUR ECONOMY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT IN BALANCE.

SO YOU'LL HEAR THAT A LOT COMING OUT FROM US AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE MORE AND MORE VISITATION HERE ON THE ISLAND AND WANT TO STRUCTURE THAT IN A MANNER THAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES.

SPENCER, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

A LOT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT, SHORT TERM RENTALS.

WHAT IS THE CLIMATE BETWEEN THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PEOPLE AND THE HOTELS? THE CLIMATE? YES.

THE CLIMATE, THE CLIMATE, HOW WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN Y'ALL? THANK YOU.

SO, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD ACTUALLY DEFER MORE OF THAT TO THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION TO GET THEIR INPUT MORE THAN THE PARK BOARD JUST MANAGING THE.

ASSETS THAT.

AND I'M TRYING TO THINK IF I'VE HEARD MORE RUMBLINGS [INAUDIBLE] NOW, I'M ASSOCIATED WITH TWO HOTELS HERE ON THE ISLAND AND.

AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THIS WHOLE COVID EVENT.

WE MAINTAINED NUMBER ONE IN OUR COMP SETS ON OUR SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH REPORT, SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY THAT THEY TOOK ANYTHING OUT OF MY HOTELS.

WE PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

WE SAW AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CLIENTELE GOING TO THE SHORT TERM RENTAL THAN CAME TO THE HOTELS RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IS THAT CONTINUED SHIFT AND DECLINE IN REVENUES DUE TO THE 80 YARD DECLINE, AND THAT'S GOING TO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN MORE FEARFUL OF THE ENTIRE TIME WITH THE LEVEL OF SERVICE HOTELS AND THE CONTINUED SHORT TERM RENTALS IS THAT DILUTION OF HOT.

SO WHEN YOU ASK ME THAT, I LOOK AT IT FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR HEART AND THE REVENUE COMING INTO THE ISLAND, AND TO THE PARK BOARD.

SPENCER, IF I CAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER QUIROGA, I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT I SIT ON THE BOARD FOR GH AND LA AT TIMES AND THE SHORT TERM RENTALS HAVE POSITIONS ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, THEY'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, IN PUTTING A PRODUCT OUT THERE.

JUDD? HEY, SPENCER, I HAVE A QUESTION.

IT'S WILLIAM SCHUSTER HERE, YOU SAID THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT GOAL OF OUR TOURISTS WHERE WE WANT TO SEE THEM STAY LONGER AND SPEND MORE MONEY.

AND THAT'S BEEN A GOAL FOR A LONG TIME.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO THAT GOING ON RIGHT NOW? YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE HAVING SUCCESS IN IT.

DO YOU THINK IT'S PENT UP DEMAND FROM COVID? AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT IF IT IS ALL THE STUFF WE ARE DOING, WHAT ONE OR TWO FIELDS YOU THINK WE'RE LEADING AS FAR AS SPORTS, TOURISM OR ECO TOURISM? WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING TO GET THIS HIGH QUALITY TOURIST THAT WANTS TO STAY LONGER? BECAUSE THE REASON I ASK IS THAT IF WE'RE DOING THAT, OR DO WE NEED TO EXPAND ON WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT? SO I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL FACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILDING UP TO THIS IS THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE HOTELS AND THAT INVOLVEMENT OVER THE YEARS WITH OUR CVS WORKING SO CLOSELY, THE HOTELS HAVE BEEN EDUCATED ON SETTING NOT ONLY THE STAY RESTRICTIONS IN COMBINATION WITH THE MARKETING MESSAGE AND BUILDING THAT FURTHER OUT, WHETHER TARGETING THE DRIVE IN MARKETS.

SO WHEN WE STOP JUST MARKETING IN OUR BACKYARD BECAUSE HOUSTON WAS COMING NO MATTER WHAT.

SO WHEN WE STARTED GOING AND GETTING MORE OF THAT, SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN, THAT FURTHER OUT, THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY HELPED DRIVE THAT LONGER LENGTH OF STAY.

AND WE SEE IT IN OUR WHAT WE CALL OUR CRM REPORTS.

THE WHERE ARE THE CUSTOMERS COMING FROM AT THE HOTEL? SO NO LONGER IS IT JUST HOUSTON.

[00:20:03]

SO NOW WHEN IT RAINS, THE HOTELS AREN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY DUMPING RATES JUST TO TRY TO FILL LAST MINUTE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THOSE PEOPLE FROM DALLAS OR SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.

SO A LOT OF THAT IS BASED UPON THAT MARKETING MESSAGE.

NOW, COVID DID HAVE SOME TO DO WITH IT IN THIS SHORT TERM 2020, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE OFF WORK AND THEY WERE ABLE TO STAY OUT.

BUT IF YOU TAKE OUT 2020, WE HAD ALREADY STARTED SEEING THAT IN 2019.

SO THAT'S FOR THAT LONGER.

LENGTH OF STAY PERSON.

YOU KNOW, THE CRUISE SHIPS NOT BEING HERE HAS ALSO HELPED BECAUSE THAT CRUISE SHIP PERSON WAS A ONE NIGHT STAY.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THEY WERE ONLY COMING FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE, TYPICALLY, MAYBE A COUPLE OF NIGHTS.

BUT THAT'S NOT USUALLY BECAUSE THEIR VACATION WAS THE CRUISE SHIP.

SO NOT HAVING THE CRUISE SHIPS ALSO HELPS WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING HERE FOR THE ONE NIGHT STAY.

NOT SAYING THAT THE CRUISE SHIPS DON'T MATTER.

DON'T GET ME WRONG FOR THE POOR PEOPLE OUT THERE, YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT BEATING.

BUT THAT'S, I'M JUST SAYING THAT DID HELP WITH THE LENGTH OF STAYS.

NOW TO GETTING TO YOUR SPORTS.

SO THE CHEER MARKETS, THE DANCE MARKETS, THOSE HAVE BEEN BIG.

I KNOW BRIAN AND THE CITY BECAUSE I SAID ON IBC, WE'VE SEEN THE BASEBALL TOURNAMENTS.

SO THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS INCREASED WITH THE SPORTS FIELD AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUED MARKET.

THE, KELLY WAS IT, FRISBIE TOURNAMENTS THAT WE HAD OUT AT EAST BEACH.

OUR LARGEST VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT IN 30 YEARS, HAPPENED IN EAST BEACH THIS LAST YEAR.

THE SPORTS COMMISSION IS GOING OFF THE CHARTS.

AND THEN I THINK THE CONVENTION CENTER HAD THE, GOSH, GAMING TOURNAMENT, I CAN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT WAS CALLED, EGAMING? ESPORTS.

ESPORTS.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT, WE'VE TAPPED INTO THOSE TYPE OF SPORTS MARKETS.

CAN I JUST SUMMED THAT UP, SPENCER? COUNCILMAN SCHUSTER, WE ARE AN OUTDOOR RECREATION DESTINATION AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN INVEST IN OUR OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL ASSETS THAN THE MORE THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE.

THE FIELDS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT WHAT THEY'VE GOT IN LAKE CITY.

THEY'RE NOT THE FIELD OF DREAMS. I'M BEING BLUNT.

I AM.

THEY STILL SELL BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO A TOURNAMENT, YOU WANT TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE DOWN HERE AS POSSIBLE.

AND GALVESTON'S A DESTINATION.

WE'RE A FAMILY DESTINATION.

SO EVERY TIME THEY BRING ONE OF THOSE TOURNAMENTS IN, THEY DO WELL.

THEY MAKE MONEY BECAUSE THEY GOT A LOT OF PARTICIPATION BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S BRINGING THEIR WHOLE FAMILY.

AS LONG AS LITTLE JANIE IS DOING HER SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A WEEK VACATION DOWN HERE.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT SPENCER SAID IS WE WERE ALREADY PUSHING TO THE DRIVE-IN MARKETS.

[INAUDIBLE] CAME FROM OKLAHOMA, KANSAS CITY.

YOU WERE GOING TO SPEND LONGER HERE BECAUSE IT TOOK YOU LONGER TO GET HERE.

WE STARTED THAT YEARS AGO AND WHEN COVID HIT AND THE FLIGHTS ALL CAME DOWN.

HOLY COW, WE WILL GOLDEN BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN, HAVE YOU BEEN DOWN TO SEAWALL? LOOK AT THE LICENSE PLATES WHEN YOU COME DOWN.

IT'S JUST AMAZING WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE THAT CLOSE PROXIMITY MARKET AT HOUSTON THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING AFTER AND HAS BEEN A GREAT MARKET FOR US ALL THE TIME.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE [INAUDIBLE] YOUR INVESTMENTS.

MY PITCH IS TO PUT THOSE IN THE PARK BOARD GALAXY OF GALVESTON ASSETS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON, ASSETS THAT YOU HAVE.

IT'S GOOD FOR RESIDENTS AND IT'S GOOD FOR US IN THE INDUSTRY AS WELL.

AND NOT JUST THE TRADITIONAL.

WE NEED SOME CRABBING PIERS AND SOME MORE BOAT LAUNCHES.

WE SHOULD BE A WORLD CLASS RECREATIONAL DESTINATION COMMUNITY.

AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE, WE GET IN FOR FREE.

AS LONG AS IT'S NOT ON THE BEACH AND THE STATE, DOESN'T MANAGE IT, IF IT'S OURS, WE CAN DO THAT.

AND IF YOU'RE FROM OFF THE ISLAND, THEN YOU'RE PAYING A USER FEE AND THAT CAN HELP TO SUPPORT IT ALL.

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.

AND I SHOULD THROW IT OUT TO THE SOCCER FIELDS THAT IDC JUST APPROVED FOR FUNDING, TOO, OUT IN DISTRICT 6.

SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS STARTED FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUT MAN, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT TOURISM CAN PAY AS WELL.

GET THOSE TOURISTS TO PAY FOR HELP TO FUND THAT, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE.

ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? SPENCER, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THAT? YOU BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.

THAT'S ACTUALLY AN ITEM FOR US THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT TODAY.

THAT SOCCER COMPLEX, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF FUNDS FROM THE IDC PARK [INAUDIBLE] TO GET IT GOING.

[00:25:02]

IF WE'RE USING IT FOR THE SPORTS TOURISM IDEA.

WHAT PARTNERSHIP EXACTLY DO WE HAVE WITH THE PARK BOARD? BECAUSE MY ISSUE REALLY WITH IT IS ONCE WE BUILD IT, WHAT DO WE ,WHAT ARE WE REALLY DOING WITH IT OUT THERE? BECAUSE IT OBVIOUSLY, ONE THING THAT HIT ME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IS NOW MAINTENANCE SO THESE NICE FIELDS THAT WE WANT TO USE TO ATTRACT OUR PEOPLE HERE AND MAINTENANCE ON ONE FOOTBALL FIELD, SOCCER FIELD, PRETTY EXPENSIVE YEARLY.

AND THEN TIMES THAT BY FIVE TO SIX, YOU KNOW WHO DOES THAT FALL [INAUDIBLE]? THIS ISN'T A ONE TIME INVESTMENT LIKE [INAUDIBLE] PARK, LIKE YOU WOULD SEE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE CONSTANT MAINTENANCE, CONSTANT FUNDS TO KEEP GOING.

SO WHO EXACTLY WILL BE LEADING THE CHARGE ON THAT WHEN WE SAY SPORTS TOURISM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING FUNDING TO PAY FOR THAT.

WELL, THAT IS GOING TO BE A CITY ASSET.

SO, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE], KELLY AND I TALK ABOUT TOURISM PAYS AND INVESTING IN THE CITY ASSETS AND VISITORS PAYING FOR THOSE ASSETS.

SO THESE WOULD BE ALL FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, LET US COME BACK ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND LET'S START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

LET'S PUT THE PLANS TOGETHER.

HOW CAN WE GET THE VISITOR PAYING FOR THE CITY ASSETS? THAT IS OUR DREAM TO SEE HOW CAN WE REINVEST IN ALL THESE CITY ASSETS.

WE HAD OUR CITY PARKS, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE KELLY SAID, YOU KNOW, LET'S MAKE IT FOR THE RESIDENTS BUT LET'S LET THE TOURISTS PAY FOR THE CITY ASSETS.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE PARK BOARD WOULD LOVE TO SIT WITH CITY COUNCIL AND TALK ABOUT.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE TOURNAMENTS WE BRING IN IS PAYING A TOURNAMENT FEE, AND THAT'S ALL ACCRUING DIRECTLY TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SUGGESTED IS THAT IF YOU PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES, YOU CAN CHARGE MORE MONEY OUT OF THOSE BALLFIELDS.

WE'RE NOT CHARGING A LOT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE REALLY AND THIS IS NOT ANY CONDEMNATION THIS IS OLD INFRASTRUCTURE ON AN ISLAND, A BARRIER ISLAND THAT NEEDS SOME INVESTMENT.

AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER FIELDS.

BUT IF WE PUT SOME MORE MONEY INTO THESE, YOU CAN CHARGE MORE MONEY.

SO THE IDEA IS THAT YOU GET A RETURN ON IT.

I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE TO BALANCE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FIELDS ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST ALWAYS FOR RESIDENTS AND WE'RE PLAYING AROUND THEM AND SELLING THEM ONCE THAT THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION WITH WHAT SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD ALREADY, EVERYTHING FOR THE TOURISTS AND NOTHING FOR THE RESIDENTS.

THESE ASSETS SQUARELY SIT FIRST WITH THE CITY OF GALVESTON.

IF WE HAVE SOME BETTER SERVICES OUT THERE, WE CAN CHARGE MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE CHARGING ALREADY.

BUT ALL THOSE TOURNAMENTS WE'RE BRINGING IN ARE PAYING USER FEES.

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THOSE ANSWERS.

I HAD A QUESTION, WHAT ABOUT THE, MAYBE CONTRIBUTION OVER FROM THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX TO OFFSET MAKE THIS COST.

WE DON'T REPRESENT THE HOTEL MOTEL ASSOCIATION.

AND REMEMBER THIS, OVER THE LAST THREE, FOUR MONTHS, WE'VE PAID THE CITY OF GALVESTON FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF SEAWALL PARK, WE'RE GETTING TEED UP TO PAY ANOTHER THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF SEAWALL PARK THIS YEAR.

YOU KNOW, I HAD ALWAYS SUGGESTED THAT THAT MONEY SHOULD COME OUT OF YOUR PARKS AND INTO YOUR PARKS.

THAT'S A GREAT CONTRIBUTION FOR THE PARKS THAT WE OPERATE THAT ARE GENERATING, REVENUE GENERATING TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION OVER TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON PARKS THAT ARE PREDOMINANTLY USED BY RESIDENTS.

YOU KNOW, AND AS WE CONTINUE TO KICK UP AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT ONE AT THE STEWART BEACH AS WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE AMENITIES AND MAKE MORE MONEY, THAT WE CAN TRANSFER MORE MONEY BACK INTO THE SYSTEM FOR THE RESIDENTS AND FOR THE OVERARCHING SYSTEM.

THAT'S THE CONTRIBUTION THAT WE CAN MAKE.

RIGHT.

COMES FROM THE TRICKLE DOWN FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LOOK AT AT OUR BUDGET TIME ON HOW THAT MONEY WILL BE UTILIZED.

AND THEN WE HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD AND FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ALSO.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT ON THOSE MONEYS.

BUT MAINLY IT'S THAT TRICKLE DOWN MONEY THAT COMES IN THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT AT BUDGET TIME.

GOOD DISCUSSION, I THINK.

THANK Y'ALL.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE, SORRY.

AS KELLY SAID, WE HAVE AN NEXT ITEM, ITEM THREE ON OUR AGENDA DISCUSS STEWART BEACH DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS.

AND WITH US TODAY, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DAVID JACOBY.

AND DAVID, I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO YOU, SIR.

[00:30:04]

THANK YOU, SPENCER.

SO I'LL GIVE A BRIEF HISTORICAL CONTEXT HERE.

I THINK EVERYONE IS AT LEAST SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH STEWART BEACH AND THE ASSETS WE HAVE THERE.

BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S A PAVILION THERE THAT IS APPROACHING 40 YEARS OLD AND IS PAST ITS USEFUL LIFE AND TRANSITIONING INTO THE STAGE OF DETERIORATION NOW AND IN ADVANCE.

RECOGNIZING THAT THIS WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR, THE PARK BOARD A HANDFUL OF YEARS AGO BEGAN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR WHAT WILL BE THE PREDECESSOR TO THE CURRENT PAVILION THERE.

AND SOME TIME, EFFORT AND DISCUSSIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WAS UNDERTAKEN OVER THE COURSE OF2018, 2019, I BELIEVE, TO COME UP WITH NEW TYPES OF NEEDS THAT THE TYPES OF WANTS AND NEEDS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ON STEWART BEACH.

SO SOME OF THIS IS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT BEACH PATROL AND OTHER FUNCTIONS NEED TO HAVE IN THAT SPACE AND SOME OF THIS IS AMENITIES TO MAKE THAT PARK MORE USEFUL AND ATTRACTIVE TO TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS.

AND WHAT CAME BACK OUT OF THAT PROCESS WAS A PROPOSED PAVILION, I THINK WAS DEEMED TOO EXPENSIVE AND THE OLI WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY VISIBLE THERE.

SO WE TOOK A STEP BACK AND REEVALUATED WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET THE BEST YIELD OUT OF THAT PARK FOR GALVESTON.

AND WHAT WE KIND OF QUICKLY REALIZED WAS WE'RE NOT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS.

AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO HERE IS ESSENTIALLY A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO INSTEAD OF US SPENDING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT FOR US TO DEVELOP SOMETHING ON STEWART BEACH TO ACCOMMODATE RESIDENTS, TOURISTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, WHY DON'T WE TAP THE PRIVATE MARKETS AND HAVE THEM COME IN AND LET'S FIGURE OUT A DEAL TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE COME IN WHO CAN BETTER YIELD THAT ASSET FOR US AND BETTER CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO SERVE GALVESTON AND BE IMPACTFUL FOR TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS.

AND THIS, IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HERE SHARE THIS OPINION.

THIS IS THE FINEST BEACHFRONT REAL ESTATE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

YOU ARE ZERO TURNS AWAY FROM THE BIGGEST CITY IN OUR STATE.

YOU GO STRAIGHT INTO A DEAD END AND YOU'RE IN STEWART BEACH.

AND WE SEE THE FRUITS OF THAT NOW.

AND IT'S ONE OF OUR MOST VISIBLE AND OUR MOST POPULAR SITES.

SO WE STEP BACK TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD A DEAL LOOK LIKE WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

AND IT'S NOT A SIMPLE UNDERTAKING.

SO PART OF THAT PROCESS WAS, CAN WE EVEN ATTRACT SOMEONE TO COME IN AND DEVELOP SOMETHING ON THIS BEACH? AND THEN PART OF THAT IS IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO COME IN AND DEVELOP THIS BEACH ALONGSIDE US, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS FOR US.

IT WORKS FOR US IN TERMS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEED.

IT NEEDS TO WORK FOR US FINANCIALLY AND IT NEEDS TO WORK FOR US IN A WAY THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE ECOLOGICALLY PRESERVING THIS ASSET AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS AND FEELS GOOD FOR GALVESTON.

AND IT WAS DETERMINED FAIRLY EARLY ON THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD CHECK ALL THOSE BOXES.

SO WE HAD A TASK FORCE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, THE MEMBERS OF WHICH ARE IN THE PACKET, BUT LED BY MYSELF, DAVID COLLINS, MARTY CLOOK, JASON HARDCASTLE AND JASON WORTHEN AND THEN THROUGH THAT, WE'VE BEEN LIAISING PRETTY EXTENSIVELY WITH PARK BOARD STAFF ON PROJECTIONS OR INFRASTRUCTURE OR VARIOUS ASPECTS THAT REQUIRE ATTENTION, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

WE PUT OUT AN RFP TO SOLICIT A GROUP TO HELP US RUN THIS PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY SELECTED JONES LANG LASALLE AND JLL.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH JLL OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO BETTER FRAME WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND THEN ACTUALLY PUT OUT AN RFQ REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO GO OUT TO MARKET AND GIVE A HIGHER LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE POTENTIAL OF THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.

SO THIS [INAUDIBLE] INTEREST FROM WHICH WE CAN THEN DERIVE AN RFP REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND HAVE A MUCH MORE SPECIFIC SET OF CRITERIA.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING DEVELOPERS TO COME IN TO DO.

BUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ULTIMATELY DO IS CREATE A PROCESS WHEREBY THERE'S MULTIPLE POTENTIAL QUALIFIED BIDDERS AND WE SET THE RULES, WE SET THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT HERE.

AND THAT CAN BE THE SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS OF A DEVELOPMENT.

WE WANT TO SEE WHETHER IT'S GREEN SPACE, WHETHER IT'S RESTAURANT, WHETHER IT'S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR FOR EACH PATROL.

WE CAN SET TIMELINES AND BUDGETS AND WE ARE NOT BOUND TO PICK ANY ONE ONCE WE START AN RFP PROCESS, THOUGH, I THINK THE SUGGESTION HERE IS IF WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, WE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SELECT SOMEONE SO AS YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH YOUR BACK.

AND HERE THERE IS AN IMAGE THAT SHOWS VARIOUS TRACKS AND SEE YOU ALL DOWN HERE.

THERE'S A, B AND C.

SO B, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS THE AREA THAT WE ARE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER TO COME IN AND DEVELOP ALONGSIDE US, THAT IS THE AREA CLOSEST TO THE SEAWALL, IT PREVIOUSLY.

IT PREVIOUSLY HAS HELD VARIOUS AMENITIES, RESTAURANTS, RECREATION, GO CARTS, PUTT PUTT, THAT KIND OF STUFF.

[00:35:01]

SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A PROPOSED NEW USE THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN THAT PORTION OF STEWART BEACH, PREVIOUSLY.

PARTS OF C THERE, WOULD BE PARKING AND THAT IS ALREADY USED IN PARK [INAUDIBLE] WOULD CONTINUE TO BE PARKING A AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE BEACH AND THE LARGEST AREA OF THE BEACH WOULD CONTINUE TO BE UNDEVELOPED AND UNIMPROVED LAND THAT WOULD BE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING BEACH AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE DIVISION OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS CLEAR WHEN I SAY STEWART BEACH, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS THAT GO DOWN TO THE OCEAN OR DOWN EVEN TO THE DEW LINE.

WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON THE PARCEL OF LAND THAT HUGS THE SEA WALL CLOSEST TO THE CENTER OF THE SITE THERE.

SO THERE WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH AN RFQ OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS HERE AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR TODAY AND WHAT WE WANTED TO BRING TO THE COUNCIL TODAY WAS REALLY JUST A SOLICITATION OF SUPPORT.

WE ARE NOT ASKING RIGHT NOW FOR ANY SPECIFIC COMMITMENT FROM COUNCIL OF RESOURCES OR MONEY, BUT GIVEN THIS IS A VISIBLE AND POTENTIALLY IMPACTFUL TO OUR ISLANDS OFFERINGS, BOTH FOR RESIDENTS AND FOR TOURISTS.

GIVEN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION HERE, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL ON THAT.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE PATH WE ARE TAKING FORWARD AS WE GO THROUGH THE RFQ AND RFP PROCESS, EXCUSE ME, AND ULTIMATELY GET RESPONSES.

WE WANT TO BE COLLABORATING WITH COUNCIL AND MAKE SURE COUNCIL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S COMING BACK, OPINE ON THOSE, HELP US MAKE SELECTIONS THERE AND HELP US MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS AS FEASIBLE AS WE EXPECT IT WILL BE.

SO THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

WITH REGARDS TO TIMELINE, WE ARE WORKING FOR A SITE VISIT FROM THE TEAM AT JOHNS LINE LASALLE IN THE UPCOMING MONTH HERE IN MAY.

THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO OCCUR EARLIER.

BUT AS WITH MANY THINGS, COVID HAS FORCED THE NEW REALITY UPON US.

AND THEN IN JUNE AND JULY, WE WOULD REALLY START TO RAMP UP THE COMMUNICATION WITH POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS AND HAVE THE RFQ DOCUMENT IN THEIR HANDS AND START HAVING SOME OF THESE POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS COME DOWN, AND PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND SEE THE SITE.

WE THINK THAT IS GREAT TIMING FOR US FOR A FEW REASONS.

A, IT IS NOT FAR FROM NOW AND KIND OF KEEP THE PROCESS MOVING.

BUT B, HAVING DEVELOPERS COME AND LOOK AT WHAT THE SITE CAN DO AND WHAT ITS POTENTIAL IS .

IN JULY WE'LL SHOW A LOT BETTER THAN IT MAY IN FEBRUARY.

SO WE THINK THAT'S A HELPFUL, WILL HELP THE TIMING FOR US.

SO, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE HERE JUST REALLY TO ASK FOR SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS.

AND NO SPECIFIC RESOURCE REQUEST AT THIS TIME.

BUT I'LL PAUSE THERE AND ALLOW FOR SOME QUESTIONS.

I HAVE THE QUESTION, HASN'T THIS BEEN DONE MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE? DID Y'ALL LOOK AT ANY OF THOSE PAST PLANS? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PARK BOARD HAS SOLICITED AT LEAST ONE THAT STANDS OUT IN MY MIND OR IF NOT TWO PREVIOUSLY.

OK, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

GO AHEAD.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, SINCE I STARTED, MARIE, WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH COMING TO COUNCIL PRESENTING TO PREVIOUS COUNCILS AND THEN COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT PLAN, BRING IT BACK TO COUNSEL, PRESENT IT, AND THEN SAID, WELL, GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND TRY THIS AND BRING IT BACK.

SO WE DO HAVE A MASTER PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL THAT WE WERE WORKING FROM.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED WITH AND WE'RE TASKED WITH.

WE'LL TRY SOMETHING ELSE.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE PARK BOARD GETS THE TURNOVER OF COUNCILS THAT WE GET IN A LOOP OR WE COME TO ASK FOR UP AND DOWN THE DIRECTION TO GO.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR COMING TO A RESOLUTION ON THIS SO WE CAN GET THAT DIRECTION OF WHERE THE PARK BOARD NEEDS TO GO, BECAUSE EVERY TIME, WE WANT THIS COUNCIL TO GIVE US JUST KIND OF SOME DIRECTION, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

AND I'LL ADD ON TO THAT.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LONGER TERM DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF PROCESS THAT WE CAN GET DONE WITHIN ONE FISCAL YEAR.

THIS IS THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT SPANS SEVERAL FISCAL YEARS.

SO I THINK TO PIGGYBACK ON SPENCER'S POINT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A BIT OF A THROUGH LINE HERE WITH COUNCIL.

AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TURN OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

BUT THERE IS A UNDERSTOOD DIRECTIVE WHERE COUNCIL AND THE PARKS BOARD CAN KIND OF

[00:40:06]

HAVE A MEETING OF GOALS HERE AND, YOU KNOW, SPENCER IS CORRECT.

THERE WERE SOME PRELIMINARY WORK THAT WAS DONE TO DO SOME MASSIVE ON THE SITE AND THERE'S SOME INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE SITE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT COULD BE PUT THERE AND WHAT DIFFERENT FACTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT ON THAT SITE.

AND WE USE THAT TO VERY HEAVILY INFORM THE PROCESS AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

BUT IN THAT TRI ITERATION WE WERE DISCUSSING THE PLAN AT THAT TIME WAS THE PARKS BOARD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FINANCE THAT PROJECT OURSELVES AND THAT DEVELOPMENT OURSELVES.

AND WE DID THAT.

AND I THINK THIS IS A FAR MORE EFFICIENT WAY FORWARD.

IF WE CAN HAVE A BETTER ASSET BUILT FOR OUR ISLAND, HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE BUILD IT FOR US.

AND INSTEAD OF US PAYING TWENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS TO DEVELOP THAT ASSET FOR US OUT OF OUR OWN BALANCE SHEET, WE USE TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE PAY US FOR IT AND WE'RE MAKING MONEY OFF THE PROCESS RATHER THAN SPENDING IT.

AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING HARD TO GET IT ALL IN LINE THERE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD FOR [INAUDIBLE] IN THE FUTURE HERE.

SO OUR EYES ARE FORWARD SO.

A [INAUDIBLE] THE COUNCIL AND PARK BOARD BEFORE.

WE MOVE WITH OTHER QUESTIONS HERE ON THAT.

DAVID, YOU'RE REQUESTING, YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT A RESOLUTION, DAVID JACOBY.

DAVID COLLINS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL BE BRINGING AS THE [INAUDIBLE] BACK TO COUNCIL COMING UP HERE? WELL, NOT IMMEDIATELY.

AND CERTAINLY COULD DO IT THAT WAY.

BUT I THINK DAVID'S PRESENTATION HERE TODAY IS MOSTLY TO JUST DEMONSTRATE TO COUNCIL THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP SO THAT COUNCIL UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE MOVING, THE DIRECTION WE'RE MOVING ON THIS SO THAT WE DON'T GET SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD.

AND AS A PRIVATE PARTNER, WE'RE TALKING TO AND COUNCIL SAYS, WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? SO I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP BRING A RESOLUTION TO THE TABLE ON THIS.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS MOSTLY TODAY INFORMATIONAL.

DO YOU HAVE OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? BUT THIS IS MOSTLY JUST TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE MOVING, WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO.

YOU KNOW, MARIE IS RIGHT.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PLANS IN THE PAST, THEY'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN AND BACK AND FORTH.

BUT AS SPENCER POINTS OUT THERE'S A MASTER PLAN THAT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2015.

THAT TASKS FOR OUR PARK BOARD WAS DEVELOPING THAT AREA.

AND I THINK THIS IS JUST THE CULMINATION OF THAT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING, I THINK, SOME MORE TRACTION NOW WITH THE NOTION OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

IT MAY EVEN NOT BE DOABLE.

THERE MAY BE HURDLES WE CAN'T GET ACROSS, BUT WE NEED TO ASK THIS.

AND I THINK THIS TASK FORCE IS EXACTLY THE APPROACH WE NEED TO BE TAKING ON THIS.

JUST A THOUGHT ON THAT, DAVID COLLINS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ANY CLEAR GUIDANCE FOR THE PARK BOARD, MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION IN OUR MAY MEETING AND AGAIN, I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING THAT FORWARD.

THE PARK BOARD HAS ALREADY FUNDED THE RFQ PROCESS SO DEEP INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS.

BUT I WOULD DO THAT.

I WORK WITH THE SPENCER MAYBE TO BRING A RESOLUTION ON THIS BACK TO COUNCIL.

WHERE ARE Y'ALL GOING TO PRIMARILY SEEK THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT? THE PARTNERSHIP? THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

SO THAT'S THE CORE OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

WE PROVIDE THE ASSETS AND THE OPPORTUNITY.

THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY PROVIDES THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR CAPITAL.

SO RATHER THAN THE PARKS BOARD PAY FOR THE PAVILION OURSELVES, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED PLAN.

WE'RE UNDER THIS DIRECTIVE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRIVATE COMPANY COME IN AND BUILD FOR US SOMETHING TO OUR SPECIFICATION, TO OUR LIKING, SUBJECT TO OUR APPROVAL BEFOREHAND.

AND THEN THEY CAN TRY AND LEASE OUT PREMISES, WHATEVER THEY BUILD? WE'RE LOOKING TO THE APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE ON THIS.

BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT THERE WOULD BE A PAYMENT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WOULD COME FROM THAT PRIVATE ENTITY.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT PAYMENT EXCEEDS WHAT STEWART BEACH ABSENT A PRIVATE COMPANY COMING IN WILL BE EARNING ON ITS OWN.

SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE DO BETTER THAN BREAK EVEN FROM WHERE WE PREVIOUSLY WOULD HAVE BEEN AND HAVE A MUCH BETTER ASSET PROVIDED.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ON THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN OF FINANCING AND BUILDING A PROJECT OURSELVES.

AS WE GO ON AND EVERYTHING AND YOU GUYS WANT TO ADD MORE AND MORE TO THE STEWART BEACH AREA.

ARE WE MORE OR LESS TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORS OUT THERE, WHO OWN PRIVATE PROPERTIES THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING INFRINGED ON? WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH THE NEIGHBORS.

[00:45:01]

THERE HAVE BEEN AMENITIES IN THE AREAS OF STEWART BEACH IN THE PAST THAT WE'RE ALREADY PROPOSING TO USE WILDLY DIFFERENT FOOTPRINTS OF STEWART BEACH FOR DEVELOPMENT THAN WOULD HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN DEVELOPED UPON.

I GUESS, KELLY, I CAN THROW THIS AT YOU.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE STEWART BEACH BARRIER? THOSE ARE PROPERTIES THAT BUTTRESS US.

WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE MANAGING PUBLIC SPACE ON THE BEACH, WHICH SOMETIMES HAPPENS TO BE PRIVATE, THEN THINGS CAN GET A LITTLE CONTENTIOUS SOMETIMES.

BUT ALL IN ALL, WE BRING OUR PARTNERS INTO THE PROCESS.

WE INVITE THEM OVER.

WE DO SHARE WITH THEM THAT WE SHARE, PREDESIGNED WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMPLEMENTS THEIR DEVELOPMENTS AS WELL.

[INAUDIBLE].

I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, DR.

BROWN YES.

WHEN YOU GO ALONG FORWARD WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT ABOUT YOU KNOW, WE HAD A HIGH FIVE HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO AND IN THE AREA OF THE PAVILION, IT FLOODED, WHICH BOTH SIDES OF THE STEWART BEACH AREA, THEY DIDN'T FLOOD.

SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY IS THAT AREA FLOODING AND YOUR TWO OUTER AREAS ON THE EAST AND WEST SIDE OF PAVILION NOT FLOODING? I CAN TAKE THAT ONE IF YOU LIKE, MR. CHAIRMAN.

SO, IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT? I'LL JUST INTRODUCE IT.

BUT WE DO HAVE A ONE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLAR FUNDED DRAINAGE PROJECT FOR STEWART BEACH THAT WE'RE STARTING TO IMPLEMENT NOW.

WE KNOW THAT STEWART BEACH IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY.

WE SIT BY ALL OUR NEIGHBORS AT THE PRESERVE.

WE SIT BELOW THE SEAWALL, BELOW WINGS AND MCDONALD'S AND ALL OF THAT TENDS TO GRAVITATE AND DRAIN TOWARDS THE BEACH.

PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, I BELIEVE THAT WHICH WAS ALSO USED AS A SAND SOURCE TO REPAIR THE SEAWALL BEACHES AFTER HURRICANE IKE.

SO WE TOOK EVEN MORE MATERIAL OFF THAT BEACH AFTER IKE, THOUGH THE PROJECT IS PREDOMINANTLY TO PUT SAND BACK ON THE BEACH SO THAT YOU HAVE A BUFFER ZONE.

IT FILLS, IT'S RESERVOIR ITSELF WHEN YOU'VE GOT MORE SAND ON THE BEACH.

AND SO I SUSPECT THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT'S DRAINING LIKE THAT IS I-45 COMES DOWN INTO STEWART BEACH.

SANDPIPER COMES INTO STEWART BEACH.

WINGS IN STEWART BEACH FOR DRAINAGE.

SO WE'RE GETTING FLOODED.

WE HOPE TO REMEDY THAT THIS OFFSEASON AND THANK YOU TO CITY COUNCIL, WHO HAS SUPPORTED THAT REQUEST FOR FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF IDC AND THE OTHER ONE POINT ONE MILLION CAME FROM THE GLO.

SO THANK YOU FOR PRIMING THE PUMP.

WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.

WELL, HAS THERE BEEN ENGINEERING STUDIES OUT THERE BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS.

OH, MY GOD, YES.

ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, THEY'RE SIGNED, SEALED ENGINEER STUDIES BY AN INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED ENGINEERING COMPANY, THE CITY OF GALVESTON ENGINEERING TEAM HAD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND GIVE COMMENT ON THAT.

THE GLO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND GIVE COMMENT ON THAT.

I SUSPECT I KNOW WHY YOU'RE ASKING, COUNCILMAN QUIROGA, BUT I STAND BEHIND THE PLANS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY ATKINS AND FEEL THAT THE WORK WE'RE DOING AND ALL INSTRUCTIONS THAT THEY GOT WAS TO DRAIN EVERYTHING TO THE OCEAN.

NONE OF THOSE PLANS INTEND TO DRAIN ON TO OUR NEIGHBORS, AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY DOING TO US.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

BUT THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS OVER THE YEARS, BECAUSE I'VE LIVED DOWN ON THAT PART OF THE BEACH WHEN I WAS A KID AND A LOT OF IT IS A SECRETION IN THOSE AREAS ARE REALLY BUILDING UP.

THAT'S WHY IT'S, FOR ME, I'M TRYING TO GET A VISUAL AND THE ENGINEERING THAT IS SUPPLIED TO YOU GUYS WHY THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE BEACH IS DIGRESSING AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS BUILDING IT UP ON EACH SIDE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF STEWART BEACH, THAT'S WHERE I'M TRYING TO COMPREHEND.

YOU'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THE ENGINEERING.

IT'S ACTUALLY ON THE PASSPORT WEBSITE.

IF YOU JUST GOOGLE GALVESTON PARK BOARD, STEWART BEACH DRAINAGE PROJECT, ALL YOUR ANSWERS CAN BE, ALL YOUR QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED RIGHT THERE.

AND ANYTHING THAT'S LEFT TO SWING BACK AROUND TO ME, COUNCIL MEMBER.

HAPPY TO GO OVER THEM.

ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON OUR STEWART BEACH DEVELOPMENT? THANK YOU, MR. JACOBY, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DISCUSSION ON THAT.

[00:50:04]

WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO ITEM NUMBER SIX ON OUR AGENDA, DISCUSS ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLAR RESTORE GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE.

EAST END LAGOON AND AGAIN, AND WE HAVE TRUSTEE STEPHEN CRITES, FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

I'M JUST STEPHEN CRITES I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR NATURAL HISTORY PROPERTIES, AND I AM ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EAST END LAGOON ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO SHARE OUR MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OUT OF THE EAST END LAGOON AND TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTS.

A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE EAST END LAGOON.

THE LAGOON IS SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR ACRE PARCEL OF LAND ON THE ISLAND'S EASTERN TIP THAT IS PRESERVED FROM DEVELOPMENT.

IT HOUSES A DELICATE ECOSYSTEM WITH A VARIETY OF COASTAL PRAIRIE PLANTS, A VARIETY OF BIRD SPECIES, FISH AND OTHER MARINE LIFE WITH FISHING AVAILABLE AND [INAUDIBLE] ACTIVITIES GO ALONG OUT THERE.

THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE CITY AND WAS DEDICATED TO THE CITY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD BE DEVELOPED IS A RECREATION AREA.

THE EAST END LAGOON IS OVERSEEN BY A CITIZEN LED COMMITTEE.

THE PARK BOARD CONVENES REGULARLY THE EAST END LAGOON ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE OUT AT THE LAGOON.

THANKS TO THE EAST END LAGOON ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND PARK BOARD MANAGER CHERYL BRITISHER, THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF SEVERAL UPGRADES.

THESE INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HALF MILE ADA ACCESSIBLE TRAIL TO THE PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE, OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AREA, AND INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF THE DOCK LAUNCH, ALLOWING FOR EASIER ACCESS FOR OUR GUESTS TO GET THEIR HUMAN POWERED WATERCRAFT LIKE KAYAKS AND STAND UP PADDLEBOARDS INTO THE WATER, ALONG WITH THE ADDITION OF SEVERAL ADA PARKING SPACES.

SO WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE A LOT OF WORK OUT THERE.

THE LAGOON AREA IS LOOKING REALLY GOOD THESE DAYS.

THESE IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CITY OF GALVESTON, CONCESSION FEES, GRANTS AND FOUNDATIONS.

AND TRULY, BECAUSE THE CITY GINTC AND THE GOL.

TO DATE, THE PARK BOARD HAS GENERATED IN GRANTS AND CONCESSIONS TEN DOLLARS OF OUTSIDE FUNDING FOR EVERY DOLLAR CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON TO THIS PROJECT.

AS WELL, THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OPENING THE AREA TO THE PUBLIC BY CREATING A BRAND IMAGE FOR THE NATURE PRESERVE, INSTALLING SIGNAGE, ORGANIZING PARKING AND OFFERING BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON TOURS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GALVESTON ISLAND TOURISM COUNCIL.

AND WE ALSO HAVE PROTECTION EFFORTS THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY, WHO HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVELY MONITORING THE SITE.

AND KRISTEN VALE, WHO WAS ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IS REALLY TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS.

AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF HER EFFORTS THAT SHE'S BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.

FOR FUTURE PROJECTS IN 2017, THE PARK BOARD RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY FROM RESTORE FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT AN OUTDOOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER AT THE LAGOON.

RESTORES IS FUNDING AVAILABLE TO COASTAL COMMUNITIES TO FACILITATE RECREATION AND TOURISM.

AND AFTER AN EXTENDED CONTRACTING PERIOD, THE PARK BOARD IS CURRENTLY EXECUTING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TECQ.

PROJECT COMPONENTS INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE OUTDOOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER BUT ALSO MORE FORMAL PARKING RESTROOMS, ADDITIONAL TRAILS AND INTERPRETIVE AND LANDSCAPE WORK.

ARCHITECTURAL UPDATES AND PERMITTING WILL BEGIN IN THE FALL OF 2021.

CONSTRUCTION IN 2022 AND TOTAL PROJECT COMPLETION NOT ENVISIONED UNTIL 2024.

SO THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROJECT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.

IN 2019, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A PARK BOARD PRESENTED BUSINESS PLAN THAT SEEKS TO OFFSET THE FREE PUBLIC AMENITIES SUCH AS ACCESS TO THE LAGOON.

, WITH THE FREE OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.

THE PARK BOARD WILL BEGIN LOOKING AT IMPROVED FISHING AND CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN REVENUE, USER FEES TO [INAUDIBLE] AT LAGOON IN 2022, AND WE EXPECT TO RETURN TO COUNCIL WITH SPECIFIC REQUESTS RELATIVE TO THESE REVENUE GENERATING OPPORTUNITIES AS

[00:55:04]

WE DEVELOP THESE AS WE DEVELOP OUT OF THE AREA.

THERE ARE TWO ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.

THE FIRST ONE IS WE ARE ASKING THE CITY'S SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF A FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS TO SUPPORT THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUTDOOR AMENITIES.

THE REQUEST WAS ENDORSED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL AT THE TIME OF APPROVAL OF THE BUSINESS PLAN, BUT REQUIRES SUBSEQUENT ACTION FROM THE COUNCIL TO DISPERSE.

THE SECOND ITEM IS A LONGER TERM ITEM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND WE WOULD ASK COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION OF BODDEKER ROAD SO THAT THE TRAFFIC BOOTS OR THESE OR OTHER OUTDOOR RECREATIONISTS CAN ENJOY THE AREA.

CURRENTLY, THE ROAD IS AN IMPEDIMENT TO ACCESSING THE AREA THAT NEEDS TO BE RAISED OR PROTECTED.

SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING OUT AT THE EAST END LAGOON.

AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE PROJECT OR OUR VISION.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE ANY OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAGOON.

WE'LL TAKE YOU OUT FOR A TOUR.

SO WITH THAT, IF ANYONE ON COUNCIL OR OTHERWISE HAS QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

STEPHEN, YOU ALLUDED TO IT, BUT I WANTED TO REMIND COUNCIL THAT IN 2019, MARCH OF 2019, THAT THE PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, STEPHEN.

THE COUNCIL VOTED POSITIVELY TO ENDORSE TWO THINGS.

ONE IS THE USE OF THE SUPPORT OF FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAGOON.

AND THE SECOND WAS TO AUTHORIZE THE PARK BOARD TO ACCEPT THE ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLAR RESTORE MONEY, WHICH, AS WE ALL KNOW, TAKES A LITTLE TIME FOR THESE THINGS TO GET THROUGH THE PIPELINE.

BUT HERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY SO THAT PORTION IS JUST REALLY INFORMATIONAL, THAT THE PARK BOARD HAS BEEN APPROVED TO ACCEPT THAT AND TO MAKE THAT CONTRACT WITH RESTORE THE OTHER PART THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AN AUTHORIZATION FOR THAT FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR ON A FUTURE, PERHAPS THE MAY AGENDA SO THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAGOON, NOW, WE'VE BEEN TOYING WITH THIS, WATCHING IT.

IT'S BEEN CREEPING ALONG HERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.

BUT I THINK WE'RE REACHING A CRITICAL MASS POINT NOW WHERE WE CAN REALLY BEGIN SOME SOME HIGH QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE.

AND I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S FULLY ON BOARD WITH THIS.

THEY REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FOLKS [INAUDIBLE] EAST BEACH, VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE LAGOON, THE PROTECTION OF THAT AREA.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COLLINS.

I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN TO THANK YOU.

PARK BOARD.

THIS ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS INFUSION OF CAPITAL THERE FOR THE EAST END LAGOON.

WONDERFUL PURSUIT ON YOUR PART AND WONDERFUL AWARDING OF THAT.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT INTERPRETIVE CENTER.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A GAME CHANGER.

AND I THINK THE SPRINGBOARD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT EAST END LAGOON AREA.

AND FOR.

COUNCIL, YOU'LL HEAR [INAUDIBLE] TALKING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.

SO PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT, WE'D LOVE FINDING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO USE.

ALL RIGHT.I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT AND REMIND EVERYBODY THAT TODAY, APRIL 22ND IS EARTH DAY.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A MORE APPROPRIATE DAY TO DISCUSS THE EAST END LAGOON AND THAT WONDERFUL ESTUARY THAN TODAY.

SO THANKS, STEPHEN, FOR THE DISCUSSION TODAY.

AND I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO GO OUT AND SEE THESE [INAUDIBLE].

ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN PRESENTATION OF OUR PARK BOARD 2021-2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

AND BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER TO KELLY [INAUDIBLE] TO REVIEW OUR CAPITAL PLANS, I JUST WANT TO GIVE COUNCIL A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS WE WERE JUST TASKED, WE HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH PROJECTING OUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

[01:00:01]

WE OVERSEE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND THIS JUST ALL BECAME PART OF THE INNER LOCAL WITH THE CITY AND THE PARK BOARD.

THE ORIGINAL THOUGHT PROCESS DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH I WAS A PART OF FROM THE BEGINNING, WAS JUST TO HAVE A PLAN SO WE CAN REINVEST BACK INTO THE ASSETS OF THE PARKS FOR WHICH WE MANAGE FOR THE CITY OF GALVESTON.

BUT THE INNER LOCAL PROVIDES THE AVENUE NOW TO REINVEST THESE BACK INTO THE PARKS.

AND WHAT THE PARK BOARD NOW NEEDS IS TO HAVE COUNCIL JUST TAKE AND GIVE DIRECTION ON THE PROJECTS, BUT PROJECTS ON THESE ASSETS.

THE PARK BOARD WILL RETURN OR WE'LL NEED TO RETURN IN JULY OR AUGUST TO GET THE FORMAL APPROVAL ON THE PROPOSED CIP TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE FUTURE.

21-22 AND FUTURE YEARS.

SO JUST KEEP IN MIND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THE TOURISM PHASE, AS I'VE BEEN SAYING, AS WE GET INTO THESE PROJECTS AND PLANS AND REINVESTING IN THESE ASSETS.

AND THEN I'LL JUST TURN THIS OVER TO KELLY AND SHE WILL GET INTO MORE OF THE PROJECTS FOR EACH OF THE PARKS.

SO, KELLY.

THANKS FOR SETTING THAT UP, SPENCER.

AS SPENCER INDICATED, THIS IS A FRAMEWORK TO BE ABLE TO GUIDE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE PARK BOARD, WHO MANAGES THESE ASSETS, AND THE CITY OF GALVESTON WHO OWNS THESE ASSETS.

WE HAVE TWO MAIN GOALS.

AND WHEN WE'RE STRUCTURING THESE BUDGETS, ONE IS TO CREATE A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO VISIT THE PARK, AND THE OTHER IS TO CREATE SOME REVENUES OFF OF THESE REVENUE GENERATING PARKS, NOT ONLY TO REINVEST INTO THE ASSET ITSELF, BUT HOPEFULLY THEN TO SUPPORT THE LARGER CITY OF GALVESTON RECREATIONAL PLAN.

YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR PACKET THAT YOU HAVE ONE SHEET FOR EVERY ASSET THAT WE MANAGE.

AND THEN WE ALSO INCLUDED ONE FOR THE BEACH.

THE BEACHES ARE THE STATE OF TEXAS BEACHES, HOWEVER, WE ARE WORKING A LOT WITH IDC MONEY AND BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SO MUCH COMING UP, WE WANTED TO SHARE THOSE.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE STRUCTURE OR PROGRAM OUT THESE EXPENDITURES OVER SEVERAL YEARS.

WE WANT TO SHARE THIS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE FIVE YEARS OUT WHERE WE'RE BEGINNING TO INVEST THE MONEY THAT THESE PARKS ARE GENERATING.

AND IF YOU'VE GOT FEEDBACK ON SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IN THERE, THEN THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME.

OR BEFORE WE FINALIZE THE DOCUMENT, THE DOCUMENT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY HAS ONLY INVESTMENTS THAT ARE OVER TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ALMOST ALL OF THE MONEY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN THE PARKS COMES EITHER FROM FEMA, REIMBURSEMENT, IT MIGHT BE COMING FROM INSURANCE.

FOR A WHILE WE WERE MANAGING TEXAS CITY [INAUDIBLE] OIL SPILL MONEY THAT WE HAD OBTAINED DURING THE TEXAS CITY [INAUDIBLE] OIL SPILL.

WE MANAGE GRANTS AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE BEACH USER FEES OR ENTRANCE FEES THAT ARE GENERATED IN THE PARKS THEMSELVES.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, NONE OF THESE ASSETS RECEIVE PROPERTY TAXES AND ARE SUPPORTED ONE HUNDRED PERCENT BY VISITOR FEES AND GRANTS.

JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE PAGE.

JANELLE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND THROWING THAT FIRST ONE UP? IT'S THE NORRIS BEACH JUST SO I CAN GIVE A FORMAT.

SO WHEN FOLKS LOOK AT IT, THEY'RE IN A POSITION TO GIVE US FEEDBACK.

OUR STAFF IS TAKING THIS OVER TO THE CITY STAFF.

WE'LL SIT DOWN AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT ON A TECHNICAL LEVEL, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT, SEE IF THERE'S ANY BIG PROJECTS THAT WE CAN BID OUT TOGETHER.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE [INAUDIBLE] ONE SECOND.

THERE WE GO.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE TOP OF THE PROJECT, THE TOP OF THE SHEET IS THE PROJECT NAME.

YOU'LL SEE RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON DELLANERA.

WE SHOULD START CONSTRUCTION ON DELLANERA IN THE FALL.

WE'RE DOING SOME BEACH NOURISHMENT EIGHT MILE ROAD DESIGN.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THEIR CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBER, ROBB, ABOUT THAT PROJECT.

WE'VE GOT A BREAKWATER WE'RE WORKING ON AT THE END OF THE SEAWALL THAT WE'RE INVESTING THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE THREE BIG BABE'S BEACH NOURISHMENT PROJECT.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE SUMMER COMING ACROSS.

THE ARMY CORPS JUST BID THAT OUT.

I WAS PURSING DOCUSIGN, I'LL TELL YOU, BECAUSE TWO WEEKS AGO I GOT A FIFTY MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT TO SIGN FOR THE GLO FOR THOSE BAY BEACH AWARDS.

AND IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER, I CAN'T SAY THAT I'VE EVER SIGNED A FIFTY MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT.

I WANTED TO PULL OUT MY MONT BLANC, BUT NOW SINCE IT'S ALL ELECTRIC, I JUST HAD TO GATHER PEOPLE AROUND MY COMPUTER AND SAY, LOOK, 50 MILLION DOLLARS FOR GALVESTON BEACHES.

AND THAT 50 MILLION DOLLARS WAS LEVERAGED BY THREE MILLION DOLLARS OF IDC FUNDING.

SO THE OTHER FORTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS AND SPENCER POINTED OUT, IS OPM, OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.

AND THAT'S A TERM WE LIKE TO USE HERE.

WHEN YOU GO DOWN, YOU'LL SEE THE FUNDING SOURCES ON THERE.

AND THEN WE MAKE A MIX OF WHAT MONEY IS COMING IN AND WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR SO

[01:05:01]

THAT YOU GET A FEEL FOR THAT.

I WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

AND OF COURSE, THE PRESENT YEAR AND THEN FIVE YEARS OUT IN THIS PARTICULAR SHEET, YOU'LL SEE THAT ALL OF THESE INVESTMENTS TOTALED NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE MILLION DOLLARS, ALMOST ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'LL INVEST IN GALVESTON BEACHES OR THE COASTLINE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

JANELLE, IF YOU TAKE THAT DOWN FOR ME.

SO THEN YOU'LL SEE BEHIND THAT THERE IS A SHEET, BURDELL IN OUR RV PARK, THERE'S A SHEET FOR EAST BEACH, THERE'S A SHEET FOR STEWART BEACH, AND ONE PERSON SEAWALL PARK AND THE EAST END LAGOON.

YOU WILL NOT FIND A CAPITAL INVESTMENT SHEET FOR THE SEAWALL URBAN PARK BECAUSE THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MADE OVER THERE ON THE CITY SIDE.

HEY, THEY LOOK GREAT.

LOVE THOSE PEDESTRIAN ISLANDS.

MOVING ACROSS THE STREET THERE.

I WANTED BEFORE I GIVE YOU JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PARKS, AS I MENTIONED ALREADY WAS [INAUDIBLE] BEACH.

OUR BIGGEST EFFORT THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE IN THE DRAINAGE.

BEFORE WE CAN DO ANYTHING ELSE TO THE SITE.

WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT THIS DRAINAGE BEING THE LOW LYING DEVELOPMENT THERE.

WE'LL BE PUTTING ONE POINT FOUR MILLION INTO THAT ONE POINT THREE, ACTUALLY.

AND THEN THE OTHER BIG INVESTMENT WE'VE GOT AT STEWART BEACH IS A CONCEPT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON CALLED MOBILE AMENITIES.

AND THE IDEA IS, IS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY BATHROOMS AND CONCESSIONS AND A LITTLE BIT OF SHADE DOWN BY THE USERS AND NOT JUST AT STEWART BEACH, BUT AT EAST BEACH.

AND MAYBE THESE ARE EVEN UNITS THAT WE CAN EVENTUALLY DEPLOY DOWN THERE ON THE WEST END.

THAT WHEN WE HAD A HURRICANE OR A CONTINGENCY TO THAT WITH OUR OWN EQUIPMENT, WE CAN GO IN THERE ARE CONTAINERS.

YOU PICK THEM UP, YOU LAY THEM ON THE TRUCK BED AND YOU SHIP THEM BACK OUT.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WHEN THE WEATHER'S GOOD AND WE'VE GOT VISITORS DOWN THERE, WE CAN PUT A SMALL CONCESSION IN THERE AND WE'LL HAVE A BANK OF BATHROOMS AND THEN SOME SHADE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

SO WE'LL BE INVESTING IN THOSE FIRST UNITS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CUSTOM DESIGN UNITS.

THE OTHER DAY WE'LL WILL ASK QUESTIONS.] I'LL CONTINUE IN DRAINAGE AT STEWART BEACH AS WELL, WE'LL BE TRENCHING THE ROADS AND RETRENCHING THE DRAINAGE THAT HAD BEEN THERE PREVIOUSLY AND PUTTING THE ROAD BACK DOWN INTERNALLY AND DOING SOME ROAD WORK ON THAT ROAD.

MOVING ON TO EAST BEACH.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS IN EAST BEACH THIS YEAR.

IT'S A LOT OF JUST REGULAR MAINTENANCE.

MOST OF OUR EFFORT ON THAT SIDE OF THE ISLAND IS GOING TO GO INTO THE EAST END LAGOON.

AND AS STEPHEN PRESENTED, WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE PAVILION TO DEVELOP, BUT WE'VE GOT TRAILS, LANDSCAPING, BATHROOMS AND PARKING OUT THERE.

SO YOU'LL SEE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK OUT THERE.

OUT AT SEAWALL PARK, WE HAVE EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT IS GOING IN DEVELOPMENT.

WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME REPAIRS ON THE SHIPS IN THE SUBS WITH THE KABALA.

SO THERE'S SOME WORK FOR MOORING OUT THERE.

NOW THAT WE'VE TAKEN DOWN THE PAVILION, WE'LL BE PUTTING RIPRAP ALL AROUND THAT AREA WHERE THE PAVILION HAD BEEN AND IMPROVING THAT AS WELL.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT AN EFFORT WITH THE FEMA TO EXPAND, TO SEEK APPROVAL TO EXPAND THE FISHING PIER OUT THERE.

THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR MOST PRODUCTIVE ITEMS. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO POTENTIALLY USE SOME FEMA MONEY TO LEVERAGE MORE OF THE FISHING OUT THERE.

MR. CHAIR, I SEE THAT TRUSTEE JASON HARDCASTLE HAS BEEN ABLE TO JOIN US AND JUST WANTED TO SAY HELLO AND LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT.

WELCOME JASON.[INAUDIBLE] AND THEN THE FINAL ITEM IS DELLANERA, JUST LIKE YOU IN THE CITY, OUT IN THE WEST END, WE'RE GRAPPLING WITH DRAINAGE.

SO DELLANERA AS WELL.

WE NEED TO DO SOME ROADWORK.

WE'VE GOT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS THERE FOR NEXT YEAR.

RAISE THE ROAD AGAIN AND TRENCHED THAT IN SOME AREAS.

ALL TOLD, IF THIS PROPOSAL, AS WE'VE PUT FORWARD, IS APPROVED BY YOU AND FUNDED, WE'LL BE SPENDING ABOUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN CITY OF GALVESTON PARKS IN THE NEXT YEAR.

I'LL LEAVE THIS DOCUMENT WITH YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE? YOU FEEL FREE TO FUNNEL THEM, EITHER THROUGH YOUR STAFF WHO WILL BE MEETING WITH OUR STAFF AND HAPPY TO TAKE THIS UP OR REACH OUT TO ME OR KIMBERLY DANESE DIRECTLY AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW.

YOU WILL SEE IT AGAIN IN JUNE OR JULY WHEN WE ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR HAND, THEN SAY, YES, WE WANT THESE INVESTMENTS IN THESE ASSETS.

I'M LOOKING AT THIS CHART OF THE HISTORIC STRETCH BETWEEN THE 12TH STREET AND 61ST RE NOURISHMENT, ARE WE GETTING FEMA MONEY FOR THAT? THAT IS A TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE REPAIR PROJECT.

THE CITY OF GALVESTON HAS NO FUNDING IN THAT PROJECT, NOR DOES THE PARK BOARD.

[01:10:02]

SO WE ARE GETTING FUNDING FROM FEMA? THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE IS GETTING FUNDING FROM FEMA.

WE ARE NOT MANAGING THAT PROJECT.

WE'RE NOT TOUCHING THE MONEY FOR THAT PROJECT.

WE'RE NOT THE RECIPIENT OF THE PROJECT WORKSHEET.

SO IS IT A GLO? YES, SIR.

OUR ROLE IN THESE BEACH NOURISHMENT PROJECTS IN THIS CASE IS THAT WE HOLD THE PERMIT.

SO WE'RE INVOLVED BECAUSE WE HOLD THE PERMIT, BUT ALL OF THE FINANCING IS COMING THROUGH THE GLO AND FEMA.

DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE DATE WHERE THAT'S GOING TO START? I DO HAVE AN ESTIMATED DATE, BUT I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT IT'S PROBABLY TOWARDS THE FALL/ WINTER TO 21-22.

WE GOT TO GET THROUGH THE BABE'S AND DELLANERA FIRST.

OK, AND THEN FOR THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM THERE AT STEWART BEACH, WE GET ANY FUNDING FROM THAT FROM FEMA? THAT PROJECT IS AT ONE POINT FOUR, ONE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GRANTED FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM IDC AND ONE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, BILL, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO THE CONSTITUENT THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING THAT THE SEAWALL NOURISHMENT BEACH WILL BE A TRUCK HAUL PROJECT.

THERE WILL BE NO TUBES LAID ON THE GROUND.

SO WE'LL JUST GO OUT THERE AND WE'LL HAUL SAND FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ISLAND AND DUMP IT ON THE OTHER.

RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ON THE CIP? GREAT, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN IN JUNE OR JULY WHEN WE BRING IT BACK THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER COLLINS FOR AN UP OR DOWN.

MY PLEASURE.

OK, WELL, BEFORE WE MOVE TO ADJOURNMENT, I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME JUST TO THANK COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.

I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU IN JUNE OR JULY.

IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO BRING BACK, PLEASE FUNNEL THAT THROUGH MR. COLLINS, OR SEND THAT DIRECTLY TO KELLY OR MYSELF.

WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PUT THAT ON A AGENDA ITEM.

YOU KNOW, BEFORE I JUST WRAP UP AND ADJOURN, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO OUR REAPPOINTMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP IN OUR FUTURE MONTHS.

AND I HOPE I AM ABLE TO COME BACK AND PRESENT TO YOU OUR UPDATES AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

SO, AS YOU CAN TELL, BEEN VERY INVOLVED WITH THIS, WITH THE PARK BOARD AND THE TRUSTEES AND HAVE SOME BIG PLANS AS WE TALK TOURISM PAYS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEES, FOR GETTING UP EARLY.

AND YOUR PARTICIPATION IS ALWAYS VERY VALUABLE.

SO YEAH.

SPENCER, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU.

AND THE PARK BOARD AND PARK BOARD STAFF.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

GREAT PRESENTATIONS OF YOUR TOPIC CHOICE WAS RIGHT ON ON ALL OF THESE ITEMS. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THESE ITEMS COME BACK ON AGENDA, ON OUR AGENDA IN THE FUTURE VIA YOUR LIAISON, COUNCILMAN COLLINS.

AND ONE LAST COMMENT THROUGH YOUR PRESENTATION HERE, IT SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT IDC IS TO THE PARK BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.

THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

IT'S BEEN WORKING WELL AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE PARK BOARD.

THANK YOU, SPENCER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, MAYOR BROWN, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT, SO.

CAN I GIVE IT A COMMERCIAL REAL QUICK? WE WILL BE HOSTING ON MAY 5TH, OUR SEVENTH ANNUAL TOURISM SUMMIT.

AT THREE THIRTY IN THE AFTERNOON, WE WILL HAVE OUR OWN MAYOR BROWN ON THE STAGE WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN, WHO WILL BE SHARING ON THE STAGE WITH US THE PLANS FOR THE THIRD TERMINAL.

PERHAPS YOU'VE SEEN THEM ALREADY.

WE HAVEN'T, SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD INVITE YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME JOIN US THAT DAY, EITHER VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON FREE, AND WE'LL PROVIDE LUNCH AS WELL.

WELL, BEFORE I CLOSE OUT THE MEETING, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY LAST COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR ME OR ANY OTHER TRUSTEE? OR STAFF? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN.

AND WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED THAT 9:14 A.M.

FROM THE PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

GREAT MEETING WITH PARK BOARD.

MOVING ON NOW WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA.

[01:15:02]

JANELLE, ITEM 3B, PLEASE MA'AM.

[3B. Receive Presentation For Shriners Hospital Expansion Project And Provide Staff With Direction On Moving Forward (M. Hay - 10 Minutes)]

ITEM 3B, RECEIVE PRESENTATION FROM SHRINER'S HOSPITAL EXPANSION PROJECT AND PROVIDE STAFF WITH DIRECTION ON MOVING FORWARD.

FROM OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, MICHELLE HANEY.

MICHELLE? HI, GOOD MORNING.

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.

OK, PERFECT.

YES, WE ARE COMING TO YOU TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE ON ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAPPENING HERE IN GALVESTON.

THE EXPANSION OF THE SHRINERS HOSPITAL, AS YOU MAY KNOW, BEING IN, I GUESS, JANUARY OF 2020.

THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MERGE THE GALVESTON AND HOUSTON LOCATIONS TOGETHER.

SO THE HOUSTON OPERATIONS WERE GOING TO MOVE TO GALVESTON, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PATIENT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY WORLDWIDE, BECAUSE SHRINER'S HAS BEEN TREATING PATIENTS INTERNATIONALLY SINCE AROUND GALVESTON SINCE '63.

I THINK HOUSTON WAS MUCH LONGER THAN THAT.

SO ANYWAY, THEY HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS OF THE EXISTING HOSPITAL.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINT.

THEY HAVE PURCHASED SOME PROPERTIES SURROUNDING THEM AND ACROSS THE STREET, AS YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'LL [INAUDIBLE] WAS IN THE PARKING LOT THERE.

THEY PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY TO EXPAND.

THEY WOULD LIKE TO BUILD SOME RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND A PARKING GARAGE.

SO HAD A PRE DEVELOPMENT MEETING WITH THE CITY IN FEBRUARY.

AND THE INITIAL DESIGN CONCEPT WAS TO BUILD ACTUALLY ON TOP OF POST OFFICE STREET.

AND WE ASKED THEM TO COME BACK WITH SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT TRAFFIC TO CONTINUE TO FLOW.

SO THEY ARE COMING TO US TODAY, WITH SOME CREATIVE METHODS TO ALLOW THEIR EXPANSION AND STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE GOOD PATIENT CARE, GET THEIR PATIENTS AS CLOSE TO THE HOSPITAL AS POSSIBLE, BUT SO FAR AS TO HAVE A FLOW OF TRAFFIC ON POST OFFICE.

SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU FROM PERKASIE ARCHITECTURE.

AND I BELIEVE MR. DE LA CRUZ IS HERE TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION, TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE DESIGN CONCEPTS.

AND BASICALLY TODAY, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE OK WITH THIS TYPE OF A PROJECT.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST ONE IN GALVESTON WHERE A STRUCTURE OF THIS SIZE IS GOING TO EXPAND OVER A STREET.

WE'VE HAD SKY BRIDGES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT CONNECTING MOST RECENTLY THE ANICO PROJECT WHERE THEY BUILT THEIR PARKING GARAGE AND ARE SPANNING THEIR SKYBRIDGE OVER.

WE HAVE USED A LICENSE TO USE AGREEMENT WITH THEM ON THAT PROJECT, BUT THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT LARGER.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL WERE OK WITH IT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH YOU BRINGING BACK THOSE OPTIONS AND AGREEMENTS.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IF MR. DE LA CRUZ, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO GET YOUR PRESENTATION OUT IN ACTUALLY, I'M FILLING IN FOR CATHERINE CALLAWAY.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, JERRY'S ON THE PHONE AS WELL.

SO I'LL LET YOU GUYS TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

SURE.

SO I AM CATHERINE CALLAWAY.

I'M WITH KIRKSEY ARCHITECTURE AND WE ARE AN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM AND ALSO THE PROUD WINNERS OF THE GOLDEN BUCKET AWARD, MULTI YEARS FOR THE AAA SANDCASTLE COMPETITION.

WE HAD TO SKIP IT LAST YEAR, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING BACK ON THE BEACH IN AUGUST FOR THAT.

BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE SHRINER'S PROJECT.

THANK YOU, MICHELLE, FOR THAT INTRO.

AND WE'VE GOT A FEW FOLKS FROM THE SHRINER'S TEAM ON THE CALL.

AND SO THEY'LL FILL IN, TOO, AS QUESTIONS, COME UP.

BUT FIRST, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS, AS MICHELLE SAID, WE HAVE THE AERIAL HERE SHOWING THE EXISTING SHRINER'S HOSPITAL.

AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LAND TO THE SOUTH TO BETWEEN EIGHTH AND NINTH STREET, WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ALONG THESE KIND OF BLUE SHADED AREAS.

THE LIGHTER AREAS ARE BUILDINGS THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW PROJECT.

AND SO LOOKING AT ROOF PLAN HERE, YOU CAN SEE AGAIN THE EXISTING SHRINER'S HOSPITAL TO THE NORTH.

HERE'S THE GARAGE THAT SHE MENTIONED THAT WOULD BE SPANNING ACROSS POST OFFICE.

ABOUT THREE HUNDRED CARS THERE AND THEN TWO STORY HOUSING BUILDING WHERE

[01:20:01]

THERE'S ABOUT 40 UNITS THAT WOULD HOUSE THE FAMILIES WHO ARE THERE ON TEMPORARY BASIS WHILE THE CHILDREN ARE GETTING TREATED IN THE HOSPITAL.

AND SO JUST CREATING THIS EXPANDING THE SHRINERS CAMPUS AND CREATING MORE OF A FULL CAMPUS EXPERIENCE FOR THE FAMILIES WHO ARE COMING THERE FOR TREATMENT.

AND WE HAVE THE LANDSCAPE PLANS INCLUDED, AS MICHELLE REFERENCED, WHERE WE'RE EARLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE.

AND SO JUST STARTING TO SORT THROUGH WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ON THE GROUND.

SO THIS STARTS TO SHOW HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THERE'S TREES ALONG THE STREET.

WHAT IS THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE LIKE? AND OF COURSE, FOLLOWING THE CITY ORDINANCES ON PLANTINGS AND LANDSCAPE.

THIS IS THE HOUSING AREA KIND OF FLOOR PLAN WHERE THEY'LL HAVE AN INTERNAL COURTYARD FOR THE FAMILIES AND THEN MAKING THAT CONNECTION TO THE EXISTING HOSPITAL AND A KIND OF MEANINGFUL WAY THAT JUST KIND OF ZOOMS IN AT THAT GROUND LEVEL THERE.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT SOME ALSO ALWAYS LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THE SITE, WHERE HOW ARE WE MANAGING STORM WATER AND MAKING SURE THAT WHAT FALLS ON THE SITE IS MANAGED ON SITE AND USING AN APPROACH SUCH AS THESE BIO SWALES WHERE IT ALLOWS THE STORM WATER TO INFILTRATE SLOW DOWN BEFORE IT IS DISCHARGED ONTO THE STREET.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE INITIAL CONCEPTS THERE.

SO HERE'S SOME RENDERINGS.

THESE ARE ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T FULLY INTEGRATED OUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN YET.

BUT THIS GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE SCALE AND KIND OF WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE WITH THE EXISTING HOSPITAL THERE IN THE BACKGROUND.

AND THEN HERE'S THE TWO STORY HOUSING PORTION AND THEN THE GARAGE STANDING ACROSS THE STREET.

WE'RE STILL CONSIDERING WHETHER THE GARAGE IS THREE OR FOUR STORIES.

THIS SHOWS THE FOUR STORY OPTION AND THEN THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY HERE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

HERE'S A VIEW LOOKING AT WHAT THE FACADE MAY LOOK LIKE ON THE GARAGE ALONG NINTH STREET.

AGAIN, THERE WOULD BE TREES AND LANDSCAPE HERE, BUT STARTING TO CONSIDER WHAT KIND OF SCREENING ELEMENT MAY BE ON THE FACADE AND WHAT WE WOULD SEE.

AND THEN THERE'S THE ENTRANCE THROUGH POST OFFICE.

ALSO, THIS IS LOOKING DOWN ON POST OFFICE, BACK TOWARD THE GARAGE WITH THE HOUSING ON THE RIGHT.

WHAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DISCUSSING WITH MICHELLE AND THE STAFF IS HAVING POST OFFICE BE ONE WAY FOR THIS PORTION, FOR THIS BLOCK.

IT'S ALREADY ONE WAY GOING EAST ALONG AFTER 8TH STREET.

BUT THIS WOULD JUST PULL THAT ONE WAY BACK TO START AT NINTH STREET INSTEAD TO ALLOW FOR BETTER TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT.

AND HERE'S A LOOK AT WHAT THE HOUSING IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE, WHERE THERE'S BRICK MASONRY THAT TIES INTO THE HOSPITAL KIND OF ESTHETICS, AND THEN ALSO A COMBINATION WITH SORT OF HARDY BOARD SIDING MATERIALS THAT HAVE MORE OF THAT RESIDENTIAL FEEL.

AND THEN THE LOOK FROM ALONG EIGHTH STREET BACK AT THE HOUSING AND THAT INTERNAL COURTYARD THAT THEY'LL HAVE THERE.

AND THEN THIS IS THE MAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE HOUSING.

THIS IS KIND OF INTERNAL HUB OF THE CAMPUS WHERE THE HOSPITAL IS HERE ON THE LEFT AND THEN THE GARAGE ON THE RIGHT.

AND SO I'M JUST STARTING TO DEVELOP KIND OF HOW THIS AREA IS MAYBE ACTIVATED AND BE EXPERIENCED BY THE VISITORS.

I HAVE THE FLOOR PLANS HERE, BUT HAPPY TO TO BACK UP AT ANY RENDERINGS OR OTHER VIEWS TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

THANK YOU, CATHERINE.

THE COUNCIL JUST LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ON YOUR THOUGHTS AND WHETHER YOU'RE AVAILABLE WITH THIS CONCEPT OF GOING ACROSS AND STAYING ACROSS POST OFFICE.

AND SO.

JANELLE, COULD YOU SO I COULD SEE COUNCIL, COULD YOU? THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU JANELLE.

WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE SHRINERS HOSPITAL GROUP AND THE ARCHITECTS.

THEY CAME WITH THE PLAN EARLIER [INAUDIBLE] THAT WAS REQUESTING THE ABANDONMENT OF POST OFFICE IN THAT AREA.

CITY STAFF WORK WITH THEM AND THEY WERE VERY COOPERATIVE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WORKING

[01:25:02]

ON A PLAN THAT WAS MORE CONDUCIVE TO MAINTAINING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ATMOSPHERE IN THAT AREA.

SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

WE HAVE QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE DAVID AND THEN MARIE AND JOHN I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.

YES SIR.

CATHERINE, THANK YOU FOR THAT TODAY.

AND MICHELE, THANKS FOR WORKING THROUGH THIS WITH THEM.

I WAS WITH THE MAYOR WHEN WE MET WITH SHRINERS EARLY ON AND HELPED TO EXPRESS THE CITY CONCERNS AND I THINK SHRINERS AND KIRKSEY HAVE DONE GREAT JOB OF COMING BACK WITH A NEW PLAN AND SHOWING US THE WAY THAT WE COULD DO THIS.

AND I THINK WE'RE ON BOARD WITH HELPING EXPAND THIS VERY IMPORTANT FACILITY.

THANKS.

MARIE.

I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK IT'S A GREAT SOLUTION VERSUS GIVING UP POST OFFICE.

I THINK IT'S EXCITING TO SEE OUR ALREADY INCREDIBLE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES EXPAND MORE INTO A MED CENTER.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

JOHN PAUL.

ABSOLUTELY SAME HERE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY, AND IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION.

AND I WANT TO ASK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD HANDLE ON CITY SIDE THE LTU OR IS THAT WHAT TYPE OF AGREEMENT WE WOULD HAVE IN PLACE FOR A STRUCTURE OF THIS NATURE? I MEAN, I KNOW WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST WITH SKY BRIDGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IS IT THE SAME PROCESS ON OUR SIDE THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST? SO IN SPEAKING WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND YES, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LEANING TOWARDS.

THEY PUT TOGETHER THE MOST RECENT ONE WITH AMERICAN NATIONAL FOR THE LICENSE TO USE FOR THEIR SKYBRIDGE.

AND THERE IS SOME RIGHT OF WAY I DON'T WANT TO SAY ENCROACHMENT.

BUT USAGE OF RIGHT OF WAY FOR SOME OF THE LANDSCAPING AND SUCH COMING OUT BEYOND THE PARKING GARAGE.

SO THAT'S WHAT THEY UTILIZED WITH THE AMERICAN NATIONAL [INAUDIBLE].

AND THEN ACTUAL STREET INFRASTRUCTURE IS THIS WILL THIS STRETCH OF POST OFFICE, BE PRETTY MUCH COMPLETELY REBUILT, SIDEWALK WISE AND IN THE STREET ITSELF? LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE THE PROJECT IS PRETTY MUCH THAT ENTIRE BLOCK.

CATHERINE, ARE YOU? RIGHT.

IT WILL NEED SOME SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL WORKED OUT YET AS FAR AS EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING WHERE.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT.

OK, SOUNDS GREAT.

AGAIN, THE PROJECT DOES SPAN THAT ENTIRE BLOCK, SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COUNCIL OR COMMENTS? VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU, MICHELE.

THANK YOU, CATHERINE FROM KIRKSEY.

AND I WANT TO SAY WHAT A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY THE SHRINERS HOSPITAL IS BRINGING TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THESE CHILDREN, NOT ONLY THE BURNS TYPE CARE, BUT ALSO ORTHOPEDIC AND CLEFT PALATE CARE.

WHAT A WONDERFUL SITUATION.

WE'RE VERY, ANXIOUS TO HAVE THEM HERE AND EXPAND ON OUR CAMPUS AND THEY'RE BRINGING ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WILL BE COMING ONTO THE ISLAND FOR THIS FACILITY.

IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY HAVE IT'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MICHELE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS JERRY GANTT AM I MUTED OR CAN I SPEAK? WE CAN HEAR YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD SIR.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU AND TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN.

I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR ALL OF THE SHRINERS HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN.

AND WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RELOCATE OUR ORTHOPEDIC PROGRAM FROM HOUSTON TO GALVESTON.

AND CERTAINLY FROM THAT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH REMODELING THE WHOLE INTERIOR OF THE HOSPITAL TO ACCOMMODATE THAT AND TO UPDATE IT.

WE DECIDED TO PRESENT AN OPTION TO UPGRADE THE FAMILY HOUSING PARENT HOUSING THAT

[01:30:01]

WE'VE HAD ON SITE THAT WERE MODULAR BUILDINGS THAT WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE REALLY ADDED ANYTHING ESTHETICALLY TO YOUR LANDSCAPE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL LIKE ACTUALLY DOES IT.

IF YOU'LL NOTICE, WE KIRKSEY HAS DRESSED UP THE PARKING GARAGE WHERE IT'S NOT JUST A NORMAL PARKING GARAGE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS VERY PLEASING TO LOOK AT.

SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE SHRINERS AND THE CHILDREN, WE'RE SO PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.

WE WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR BEING A WILLING PARTNER AND ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR A HUNDRED YEARS AND TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO GET CARE ANYWHERE ELSE.

BUT THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.

AND THANK YOU, MICHELE AGAIN.

MOVING TO ITEM 3 C, PLEASE JANELLE.

[3C. Clarification Of Consent And Regular City Council Agenda Items - This Is An Opportunity For City Council To Ask Questions Of Staff On Consent And Regular Agenda Items (20 Minutes)]

ITEM 3 C, CLARIFICATION OF CONSENT AND REGULAR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO ASK QUESTIONS ON STAFF, ON CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDA ITEM.

BEFORE WE CALL ON THESE COUNCIL, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON.

THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES ON THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, ITEM SEVEN C AND SEVEN D WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.

WE WILL NOT BE ADDRESSING THOSE TWO PARTICULAR ITEMS. ITEM 7 A AND 7 B IS ON OUR WORKSHOP AGENDA, AS YOU KNOW, COMING UP HERE A LITTLE LATER ON THIS MORNING.

SO IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, IF YOU COULD HOLD THOSE FOR 7 A AND SEVEN B TILL WE GET TO THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS. ALSO THIS AFTERNOON, COUNCIL, I'M GOING TO BE DECLARING A CONFLICT ON ITEM EIGHT U, WHICH IS THE MARDI GRAS CONTRACT.

SO IF THERE IS DISCUSSION DURING THIS CLARIFICATION TIME ON 8 U THAT INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO COUNCILMAN COLLINS MAYOR PRO TEM TO LEAD THAT DISCUSSION.

NOW THAT WE HAVE OPENED THAT UP FOR CLARIFICATION, MARIE, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.

YES, MA'AM.

AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THE ITEM.

IT'S ON OUR WORKSHOP AGENDA, AS 3 I.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL TO BE PRESENT AND HOPEFULLY REVEREND JOHNSON WILL BE BACK BY THEN.

SOUNDS GOOD.

AS YOU KNOW, ON THREE I, COUNCIL WILL BE VOTING ON THAT COMING UP AT OUR MAY MEETING.

THERE ARE TWO I WOULD RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, THERE ARE TWO ORDINANCES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR THIS PARTICULAR NOMINATION APPOINTMENT PROCESS.

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COUNCIL, PLEASE REVIEW BOTH OF THOSE.

LOOK THROUGH THEM THEY'RE IN YOUR PACKET THERE.

AND SO WHEN WE GET TO THEM ON OUR MAY MEETING FOR CITY COUNCIL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S ACTUALLY ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, BUT I KNOW I HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

YES MA'AM.

AND I WONDER AT SOME POINT I'M NOT NOT SURE WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE, WHERE WE CAN [INAUDIBLE] TO THE PUBLIC AND UPDATE ON THE CITY'S PLANS THIS WEEKEND ON ADDRESSING THE POTENTIAL CAR SHOW ISSUES.

I HAVE THAT DOWN.

THANK YOU MARIE.

I HAVE THAT DOWN FOR OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS SESSION, AS WE COME UP TO THAT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

LET'S START OFF COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU AWAY THE SCREEN SET UP FROM ME.

COUNCILMAN QUIROGA, ANY QUESTIONS CLARIFICATION ON THE AGENDA, SIR? YEAH, I GOT TWO.

ONE IS THE WRECKER I THINK THE ORDINANCE THAT WANTS TO COME UP AND THE CONTRACT FOR THE MARDI GRAS.

LET'S TAKE THE WRECKER FIRST, THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, BILL THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OFF THE AGENDA AT THIS POINT.

BUT BRIAN, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT?

[01:35:03]

DID YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS BILL ON THAT? I'M JUST WONDERING WHY WE'RE REDOING THE THE WHOLE ORDINANCE AGAIN.

I THOUGHT IT WAS WORKING TO BEGIN WITH.

WELL, YES AND NO.

SOME OF THE WRECKER COMPANIES WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH JUNK AND ABANDONED VEHICLES.

SO WE WERE TRYING TO CORRECT IT.

WE MET WITH THEM.

THEY ALL AGREED.

BUT APPARENTLY SOMEBODY CHANGED YOUR MIND.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE WITH IT.

OK, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS.

I WAS TRYING TO WRITE DOWN THE ITEMS BUT THIS ITEM IS GOING TO BE TAKEN OFF THE AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEETING CORRECT? YES, SIR.

OK, VERY GOOD.

AND YOU HAVE MARDI GRAS DAVID, I'M GOING TO TURN THAT DISCUSSION OVER TO YOU, SIR.

THAT REMIND ME WHICH IT'S ON REGULAR AGENDA.

THAT IS 8 U 8 U THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M SORRY.

COUNCILMAN QUIROGA YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT IT.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN WE HAVE DOCUMENTS PUT OUT AND THERE'S NO NAME, NO SIGNATURE.

I LIKE TO KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THE AUTHOR OF THE DOCUMENT WHO APPROVED IT, AND THEN AGAIN, THE FINAL APPROVAL [INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL.

SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHO WROTE THE CONTRACT? MR. [INAUDIBLE], ARE YOU IN THE MEETING WITH US THIS MORNING, OR DONNA MAY BE.

HERE I AM.

OH, THERE YOU ARE SIR.

ALRIGHT I JUST CAN'T SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN.

SORRY, CAN YOU ANSWER COUNCILMAN QUIROGA'S QUESTION ON HOW THIS DOCUMENT WAS CREATED? YES, I CAN I BELIEVE.

THE PREVIOUS MARDI GRAS THE MAIN PERSON WHO WORKS ON THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH MARDI GRAS IS DAVID SMITH UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CITY MANAGEMENT AND WITH INPUT FROM VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS.

DAVID SMITH TOOK THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT THAT WAS IN EFFECT.

SO I THINK IT JUST ENDED AND MODIFIED IT IN ITS PRESENT USE.

IT WAS AMENDED TO REFLECT, I BELIEVE, THINGS THAT WERE IN THE RFP MANAGEMENT.

BRIAN, DAN HAD INPUT.

I HAD SOME INPUT BEVERLY WEST HAD SOME INPUT.

WE WOULD HAVE LITTLE DISCUSSIONS AND DAVID WOULD GO BACK AND INCORPORATE THOSE ITEMS. SO I WANT TO GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT TO DAVID SMITH WITH HIS PATIENCE IN THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.

BUT IT REALLY IS A TEAM EFFORT, BUT IT REALLY IS PRIMARILY THE HEAVY LIFTING IS DONE BY DAVID.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.

I LOOKED AT THE 2011 2017.

AND OF COURSE, THIS ONE HERE IS WHY ISN'T THERE AN ESCALATION BASED ON THE CPI OR A FLAT RATE OF X AMOUNT PERCENTAGE TO INCREASE AND TO LOWER THE TAX BURDEN ON THE PUBLIC? WELL, THERE'S NO PROPERTY TAX OR SALES TAX INVOLVED IN THIS AT ALL.

SO THERE'S THE ONLY TAX INVOLVED IS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, WHICH ARE VISITORS.

THE TAX IS THE TAX IS A TAX.

CORRECT.

YOU'RE SORT OF RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH STICKY WICKETS ATTACHED WITH HIGH TAX.

IT'S MIND BOGGLING AT TIMES.

YEAH, IT'S PRETTY RESTRICTIVE.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE CHOSEN TO ADDRESS THE ESCALATION THROUGH THE PER HEAD COST VERSUS IN THE ACTUAL ANNUAL FEE.

IT'S A MATTER OF SEMANTICS.

WE COULD HAVE SHIFTED IT OVER TO THE ANNUAL FEE VERSUS THE HEAD TALK.

BUT BEING THIS IS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, IT KIND OF HELPS THE CITY SHARE IN THE RISK.

BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE CITY TO HAVE NO RISK.

BUT THAT'S NOT A SUBJECT.

THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS IF WE DON'T DO MARDI GRAS [LAUGHTER].

THERE'S ALWAYS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS THAT THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE PROMOTER, WHOEVER WELL IN THIS CASE, WE ONLY HAVE ONE IS OFFSET BY THE ADVERTISEMENT AND OTHER ENTITIES SUBTRACTED FROM THAT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE'RE CHARGING THE PROMOTER.

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT NUMBERS COMPARED TO OFFSET THE COST FROM

[01:40:06]

AGAIN, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX IS BEING USED FOR CLEANUP AND POLICE AND FIRE AND E.M.S.

WHERE IT'S A MAJORITY OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO.

IS THAT AN INCORRECT STATEMENT, DAVID? THAT'S CORRECT.

SO I'M ALSO LOOKING AT THAT, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT I READ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR IS THESE TAXES ARE THEY'RE SPECIFIED WHAT THEY NEED TO BE USED FOR.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

AND LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF THESE IF YOU LOOK AT A VALUE LIKE RIGHT NOW, WE RAISED TWO DOLLARS, WE WENT FROM ONE DOLLAR TO 2 DOLLARS.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT I SEEN, YOU HAD A REIMBURSEMENT WELL, A CHECK SIGNED OVER TO THE CITY FOR SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH IS ONE TICKET PER HEAD NOW, I BELIEVE AT THAT PARTICULAR ONE THAT WE HAD CLOSE TO.

IF YOU TAKE THE SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS AND YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES WHAT THE VENDOR WAS RECEIVING, I BELIEVE IN THIS ESTIMATE THAT IT WAS TWENTY DOLLARS.

THE REASON WHY THAT CAME OUT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW THAT WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HIGH PRICE, BUT I SAID, WELL, I DON'T GO DOWN THERE SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CHARGE.

BUT IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES 60, THAT'S ONE POINT TWO MILLION.

THAT'S NOT CONSIDERING ALL THE OTHER AMENITIES THAT THE PROMOTER WOULD BE ENTITLED TO.

SO WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS A FAIR AND EQUAL BALANCE OF THAT CONTRACT.

SO THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO LOOK AT.

AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CONTRACT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND HAVE A LOT MORE INPUT.

THE OTHER THING IS WHY AREN'T WE BRINGING THIS UP TO AN OPEN DISCUSSION TO THE PUBLIC? I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO COME IN AND DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THE PROS AND CONS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOWN THERE ON THE STRAND ARE AMORE OR LESS COMPLAIN THAT THEY HAVE SHUT DOWN THEIR BUSINESS FOR A NOTHING MORE THAN A BIG PARTY DOWN THERE.

SO THESE ARE THE THINGS I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL AND THESE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.

THERE ARE SOLUTIONS.

WE JUST TAKE THE RIGHT APPROACH.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, BILL.

WILLIAM.

YEAH, PART OF BILL'S QUESTION, HE ASKED, ISN'T SOME OF THIS LIKE THE HOT TAX USAGE? ISN'T THAT WHAT'S BEING DECIDED RIGHT NOW IN APPEALS COURT LIKE TODAY OR THIS RIGHT AS WE SPEAK? DON.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY QUITE SURE THAT THE USE OF HOT IS DIRECTLY BROUGHT UP ANY APPEAL, IT HAS TO DO MORE WITH THE ACCESS TO THE STREETS, THE PURPORTED LACK OF PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND VARIOUS CLAIMS SUCH AS ANTITRUST.

SO NOW LET ME CHECK WITH BEVERLY, BUT I DON'T THINK HOT IS DIRECTLY ATTACKED.

AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WITH THIS NEW CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, WE SAW IN THE PAPER AND I'VE READ IT, WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND CAN WE KIND OF JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THIS TRANSPARENCY, WHAT WE'VE DONE.

AS FAR AS THE BIGGEST CONCERN, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS A RIGHT TO A VENDOR SPOT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I CAN PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT.

SO THERE ARE SOME KEY CHANGES IN THIS YEAR'S CONTRACT.

ONE WAS THE ATTENDANCE FEE WAS DOUBLED OVER THE DOLLAR A HEAD.

AND THAT'S INDICATED ON PAGE TWO AND THREE IN SECTION SIX.

ALSO, THE STRAND IS THIS IS NEW.

THE STRAND BUSINESS HAVE THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL FOR VENDOR SPACES.

AND THAT IS ILLUSTRATED ON PAGE THREE, I BELIEVE, SECTION SEVEN.

THE SPONSORSHIP FEES ARE ADJUSTED A LITTLE BIT WHERE THOSE CAN ONLY CREDIT THE EVENT FEE AND NOT THE DOLLAR A HEAD FEE.

AND THAT IS ILLUSTRATED ON PAGES FOUR AND FIVE, SECTION I BELIEVE, 10.

AND ALSO WE DID ADD SOME WORDING IN REFERENCE TO THE ORDINANCE, WHICH ADVISES THAT WHOEVER THE ORGANIZER IS HAS TO ALLOW RESIDENTS, THEIR GUESTS AND THEIR BUSINESSES ACCESS INTO THE ENTERTAINMENT AREA THROUGH A PASS SYSTEM.

AND THAT IS DEFINED IN PAGE SEVEN, SECTION TWENTY.

DAVE.

IF I CAN ADD INTO MR. SCHUSTER.

YES, MR. FLORES DOES WANT TO RAISE THE HOT TAX ISSUE.

HOWEVER, HE HAS NO STANDING TO DO THAT.

SO THAT CLAIM IS IMPROPERLY MADE.

DAVID, CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION ON THE

[01:45:03]

FROM ONE DOLLARS TO TWO DOLLARS.

THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE THE PROMOTER WOULD CHARGE BECAUSE IT'S UP TO HIM TO CHARGE THE FEE COMING IN.

SO BASICALLY, WHAT ANY GOOD BUSINESS PERSON WILL DO IS TO PASS IT ON TO THE PUBLIC ANYWAY.

THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.

I THINK THAT'S HAVING A TWENTY DOLLAR ENTRY FEE.

IT MAY GO UP TO 22 DOLLAR ENTRY FEE I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PRIVILEGED TO THAT BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT INFORMATION OR HE'S NOT TELLING US WHAT HE'S CHARGING [INAUDIBLE].

RIGHT.

AND ALSO AFTER OUR DISCUSSION, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO IN THERE AND EXAMINE AND REVIEW THE ATTENDANCE RECORDS ON THE MARDI GRAS, IN EFFECT, SINCE THAT IS BEING A QUESTION, THAT WILL BE ONE THING THAT WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THE FOLLOWING MARDI GRAS.

WELL, THEN I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT.

WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO AUDIT.

AND HOW MANY AUDITS HAVE WE DONE SINCE 2011? WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO IN AND REVIEW THE ATTENDANCE RECORDS.

AND WE HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE PROMOTER TO DISCUSS THOSE ITEMS. HE ADVISES US THAT THAT IS GENERATED THROUGH A COMPUTER PROGRAM.

I THINK AT ONE TIME WE DID LOOK OVER SOME OF THOSE RECORDS IN THE FUTURE WE WILL PROBABLY REVIEW THOSE AS WELL.

THERE ARE OTHER LARGE EVENTS WHICH WE HAVE GONE IN THERE AND CHECKED THE SAME TYPE OF INFORMATION AS WELL, ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VENDORS WHO ARE HIRED ARE UTILIZING THE CITY OF GALVESTON AS THE TAX RECIPIENT.

WELL MY QUESTION AGAIN IS HOW MANY AUDITS HAVE WE DONE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS OFFICIALLY.

ON MARDI GRAS? CORRECT.

OK, I HAVE NOT PERFORMED ANY AUDITS.

THE ONE THING I'VE DONE IS FIELD SURVEYS WHERE I DO CHECK THE AREAS AS WELL AS THE PAPERWORK.

I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT PERFORMED ANY AUDITS ON MARDI GRAS.

SO YOU DO SPOT CHECKS.

EXACTLY.

OK, AND THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE IS WHY ARE WE PURSUING IT? CAN WE HOLD OFF ON THIS THING? BASICALLY BECAUSE IT'S STILL UNDER LITIGATION.

SO IT MAY GO IN FAVOR OF MR. FLORES.

IT MAY NOT.

SO WHY ARE WE RUSHING INTO THIS? WE CAN REALLY LOOK IN OVER THE CONTRACT AND HAVE COUNCIL READ IT AND HAVE ANY INPUT TO QUESTION IT, BECAUSE, LIKE, AGAIN, MY OTHER THING IS THE PURPOSE OF BEING A BALANCED AND EQUAL FOR THE PROMOTER AS WELL AS FOR THE CITIZENS OF GALVESTON.

WE'RE REALLY NOT IN A RUSH.

I MEAN, THESE THINGS TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO PUT TOGETHER.

WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER LARGE EVENTS NOW.

WE'VE KIND OF DRAG THIS OUT BUT COVID HAS DELAYED IT DRAMATICALLY IT WAS ONE REASON WHY WE DISCUSSED IT IN THE MARCH 25TH WORKSHOP.

SO YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TIME TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT AND RECEIVE INPUT AND ALSO REVIEW THE MEDIA AND THE COMMENTS INVOLVED AS WELL.

IT'S THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE THIS OR VOTE ON IT TODAY.

THAT'S I GUESS.

DAVID.

BACK TO YOU.

IS IS THERE ANY NEED TO RUSH INTO THIS THING? THERE'S NO NEED TO RUSH.

WE NEED TO GET IT.

WE NEED TO GET ON THE [INAUDIBLE].

THAT'S THAT'S TOTALLY UP TO THE COUNCIL.

WHATEVER YOU ALL DESIRE, WE'LL MOVE THAT WAY.

OK, SO IT'S OK.

I GOT YOU DAVID.

THAT'S ALL I HAD, MR. COLLINS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MARDI GRAS CONTRACT COMING UP TODAY.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN.

IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.

THAT WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON.

AND MAYOR BROWN WILL BE BACK WITH US.

I HAVE ON MY SCREEN HERE FOR CLARIFICATION DAVID COLLINS.

DAVID.

JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

ONE IS ON THE PARKING PERMITS.

I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA.

I TEND TO WRITE THE QUESTIONS DOWN AND FORGET WHAT THE ITEM NUMBER IS.

SEVEN THIS AFTERNOON.

HOW ARE TRAILERS BEING TREATED IN THIS PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR MR. PHILOSOPHY OR MR. [INAUDIBLE] OR MR. BUCKLEY, THE DIFFERENCE IN PARKING A CAR PARKING A TRAILER PARKING AN RV.

ACTUALLY, IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, THERE IS ONE CHANGE WE WERE GOING TO BRING FORWARD DURING THE PRESENTATION TODAY TO ADDRESS.

THERE'S A WORD UNDER 34120A, WHICH SAYS TRAVEL TRAILER THAT SHOULD JUST READ TRAILER.

SO OK VERY GOOD.

TRAILER WILL BE ADDRESSED DIRECTLY AS A TRAILER.

AND SECOND QUESTION, THERE'S A TWENTY FOUR HOUR LIMITATION ON RV'S AND THAT

[01:50:02]

KIND OF THAT KIND OF THING.

YES SIR.

I WAS WONDERING IS THAT REALLY LONG ENOUGH.

I'VE HAD TWO PEOPLE SAY THAT TWENTY FOUR HOURS IS A PRETTY SHORT PERIOD FOR BRINGING IT IN FROM WHEREVER YOU'RE STORING IT, GETTING IT CLEANED UP, GETTING IT STOCKED AND GETTING READY TO LEAVE.

AND THE QUESTION IS, COULD THAT BE EXPANDED TO FORTY EIGHT HOURS AND WILL THAT HAVE A DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE? I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH SIR, BUT THAT'S COMPLETELY UP TO COUNCIL.

WHY IS THAT? JUST BECAUSE.

THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT WOULD YOU'D BE REACHING THE POINT WHERE THEY WOULD BE MONOPOLIZING THE CURB REVIEW IN ABOVE 48 HOURS.

WHAT IS THE NORMAL RULE TODAY FOR MONOPOLIZING THE CURB? FORTY EIGHT HOURS.

IT IS FORTY EIGHT HOURS.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

AN RV WOULD TYPICALLY TAKE UP TWO OR THREE VEHICLE SPACES.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CONCERN.

THAT'S THE CONCERN OF ANYBODY THAT TRIES TO FIND A PARKING SPOT.

IF YOU GO DOWN THERE AND THERE'S MULTIPLE RV'S PARKED ON THE STREET.

THAT'S TOTALLY A POLICY CALL GUYS.

WE'RE NOT NOBODY IS DYING ON THE SWORD ON THAT ONE.

WE'RE GOOD WITH WHATEVER YOU PICK.

I JUST DON'T SEE THAT AS A BIG ISSUE.

BUT, I MEAN, MAYBE I'M WRONG.

JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ONE IN MIND.

AND I HAD AN RV ONE TIME AND THEY'RE RIGHT.

YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE LEAVING FRIDAY, YOU USUALLY BRING IT TO THE HOUSE LIKE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY TO START STOCKING IT UP, GETTING CLEANED UP AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

I GET IT.

BUT IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS, IS THAT WHILE THAT MAKES IT MUCH MORE CONVENIENT FOR ME, IT MAY REALLY STINK IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING.

AND WE'LL GET INTO THIS MORE, OF COURSE, WHEN WE GET TO THAT ITEM, OK.

CORRECT.

AND I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT VERBIAGE IN G TWO II THE PHRASE IS BORROW A RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT AND TALKING ABOUT PENALTIES AND VIOLATIONS.

SHOULD THAT NOT READ TO BORROW A PERMIT OR A PASS? BECAUSE BORROWING THE PERMIT WE MAKE THE DISTINCTION IN THIS VERBIAGE BETWEEN PERMIT AND PASS PERMIT BEING THE THING YOU STICK TO THE WINDOW AND PASS BEING THE THING THAT YOU CAN MOVE FROM CAR TO CAR.

AND THIS MAKES IT A VIOLATION TO BORROW OR LOAN, A PERMIT NOT A PASS.

IT SHOULD PROBABLY BE BOTH, BUT OK, ALL RIGHT MAYOR THAT'S ALL I HAD ON THIS ONE.

VERY GOOD MOVING TO COUNCILWOMAN ROBB MARIE.

OH, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I WAS JUST BEING TRIPOD CHALLENGED, SO YOU SAW MY HAND I LOST MY TRIPOD THERE.

[LAUGHTER].

I'M MOVING ALSO TO YOU, MARIE, FOR ANY CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA ITEMS? NO, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHN PAUL.

I THINK THE ONLY, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SEVEN A AND B MORE DURING OUR ACTUAL MEETING IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES SIR AND WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT COMING UP IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.

OH AND WORKSHOP 2 YEAH.

AND THEN SO MY ONLY QUESTION, I THINK IS 8 B AND IT HAS TO DO WITH TXDOT MONEY OR IMPROVEMENTS, AND ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SEAWALL WHEN IT COMES TO HERE, IT SAYS TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES AND THEN PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS.

AND SO ARE WE LOOKING AT WITH THAT MONEY, WHAT ALL IS THAT LOOKING TO FUND WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE SEAWALL IMPROVEMENTS.

SO COUNCILMAN LISTOWSKI THIS IS ROBERT WINIECKE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THIS IS A FUNNY OPPORTUNITY, CAME UP THROUGH TXDOT KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND DO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON SEAWALL AND HELP REDUCE TRAFFIC SPEEDS AND EVERYTHING.

SO ONE THING IT DOES IS IT WOULD FUND A SEGMENTED CURB ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF SEAWALL BETWEEN THE PARKING AND THE SIDEWALK, WHICH WOULD CREATE A SEPARATION FOR VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS SO WE DON'T HAVE VEHICLES PARKING ON THE SIDEWALK, REDUCING THE PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF IT.

THE SECOND COMPONENT WOULD BE TO INSTALL A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT 75TH AND SEAWALL AND 89TH AND SEAWALL.

SO YOU WOULD HAVE NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS DOWN THERE TOWARDS THE WEST END OF THE SEAWALL.

AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE WOULD BE LIKE WE WERE DOING, THERE AT TWENTY SEVENTH STREET WHERE WE'VE GOT THE MEDIANS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN TO GO AHEAD.

AND YEAH, EVERYBODY LIKES THOSE RIGHT TO SHORTEN THE CROSSING PATHS AND MAKE IT

[01:55:04]

SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS.

THIS WOULD FUND IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THAT AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG THE SEAWALL BETWEEN 6TH STREET AND 103RD.

SO BASICALLY, INSTEAD OF HAVING A GOOD LONG MILE LONG STRETCH OF ROADWAY, PEOPLE GOING 40, 50 MILE AN HOUR, YOU WOULD HAVE THESE STRATEGICALLY PLACED NARROWING POINTS OR CHOKING POINTS OF THE ROADWAY TO HELP REDUCE THE SPEED, BUT ALSO PROVIDE SAFER LOCATIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS.

AND THEN THE LAST COMPONENT WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL CROSSING.

WE HAVE THE SAN LUIS WITH A HAWK SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD HAVE MAST ARMS THAT GO OUT OVER THE ROADWAY AND ACTUALLY GET THOSE LIGHTS IN PEOPLE'S FACES MORE SO.

SO IT'S IT'S A MULTITUDE OF OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS.

OK, THAT ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.

AND I GUESS IF I COULD GET JUST A LITTLE MORE AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DETAIL AT THIS TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MEDIANS I PERSONALLY LIKE THE MEDIAN THERE AT 27TH STREET.

I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT.

I THINK IT IMPROVES PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

IT'S A TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICE.

I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS OVER THE SUMMER AND SEE WHAT THAT REALLY DOES.

BUT I HAVE I HAVE FIELDED SO MANY, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS ON WHY WE'RE DOING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY OF IT REGARDING THE EMERGENCY LANE, OF COURSE, THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO SEE FOR MANY YEARS NOW.

AND THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HARM EMS AND FIRE FROM GETTING TO CALLS.

SO IT'LL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO KIND OF SEE HOW THAT WORKS, SEE IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES WITH IT OVER THE SUMMERTIME, LIKE I SAID.

BUT AGAIN, PERSONALLY, I LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO DO GOOD.

AT THE END OF THE DAY.

THE SEGMENT OF CURB THAT YOU SAID IS GOING ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

SO WHAT'S HAPPEN THERE? WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE COUNCIL MEMBER LISTOWSKI IS OVER THE YEARS AS THE COUNTY HAS PAVED THE SEAWALL, THEY HAVEN'T BUILT IT UP TO THE DEPTH THAT THEY'VE LAID ASPHALT DOWN.

SO WE'VE LOST THE CURB.

AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY PARKING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SEAWALL TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM THE PARKING LANE TO THE SIDEWALK.

SO WE END UP WITH THEM PARKED ON THE SIDEWALK AND WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR AND THEY DO SO BECAUSE THE SEAWALL, FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, THEY DON'T WANT TO OPEN THEIR DOORS INTO TRAFFIC, SO THEY JUST PULL UP ON THE SIDEWALK.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THAT BECAUSE AS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE OBVIOUSLY PLENTY OF DISCUSSION ON THE SIDEWALKS ARE REALLY BUSY AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS WE CAN FOR THE PEDESTRIANS UP THERE.

YEAH, YEAH.

TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

AND THEN YOU BROUGHT UP, OF COURSE, THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS IN FRONT OF SAN LUIS AND HOLIDAY INN.

YEAH CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE TO GO IN.

AGAIN, I GET SO MANY COMMENTS ON THOSE SIGNALS.

THE BIGGEST THING IS WE'VE GOT TO GET THEM OFF OF SOLAR AND GET THEM ON A REGULAR POWER, BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN THE ACHILLES HEEL IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, IS THAT THE SOLAR PANELS ARE GIANT WIND SAILS AND WE'RE EITHER HAVING TO TAKE THEM DOWN IN THE ADVANCE OF ANY KIND OF WIND EVENT OR THE WIND TAKES THEM DOWN FOR US AND PUTS THEM OUT OF SERVICE FOR UNGODLY AMOUNTS OF TIME, BECAUSE AS WITH EVERYTHING THESE DAYS, WE CAN'T GET PARTS.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT FOR US.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE HAD NO AUTOPEDS IN THAT AREA SINCE WE'VE PUT THEM UP, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

AND CURRENTLY THEY ARE NOT WORKING.

IS THAT RIGHT? ONE IS.

THE ONE IN FRONT OF SAN LUIS IS WORKING NOW, THE ONE BY THE HOLIDAY INN IS WE'RE WAITING FOR PARTS ON THAT ONE.

OK, SO WE'VE GOT ONE FUNCTIONAL HERE SOON, CORRECT.

HOPEFULLY SO WITHIN ANOTHER MONTH OR SO AT THE LATEST, DEPENDING ON PART ARRIVAL.

OK [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT, JOHN, BEFORE WE LEAVE THAT TOPIC, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, SIR, WE'VE GOT COUNCILMAN SCHUSTER.

COUNCILWOMAN ROBB, I THINK WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS ON THAT.

YEAH I ACTUALLY HAD THAT ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO ASK I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP JOHN.

SO OVERALL, THIS IS BASICALLY WE'RE APPLYING FOR A GRANT JUST TO MAKE THE SEAWALL OVERALL MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY FROM 6TH STREET, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY DOWN TO 103RD IS THAT CORRECT.

AND ESPECIALLY AT 75TH AND 89TH STREET THOSE ARE HIGH PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AREAS, BOTH OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS DOWN THERE AS WELL AS THE CONDOMINIUMS. AND AT 89TH STREET WE ALSO HAVE THE FISHING PIER AND NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A BOWLING ALLEY AND SOME OTHER STUFF IN THAT LOCATION THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC DOWN THERE.

SO THOSE SIGNALS WE'VE DONE, THE TRAFFIC STUDIES ON THOSE THEY'RE

[02:00:01]

MERITED AND WE'RE HOPING WE CAN GET FUNDED BY TXDOT ON THOSE BECAUSE THAT'LL HELP OUT TREMENDOUSLY OUT THERE AND TXDOT OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO HELP US WITH THAT.

AND BRIAN, IF I CAN CHIME IN THE INTERSECTION AT 75TH AND SEAWALL, THAT 75TH STREET SEEMS TO BE A NICE ROUTE DETOUR FOR ALL OUR GPS UNITS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CARS AND ON OUR PHONES THAT'S SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC'S BAD ON 61ST GO DOWN, STUART, TO SEVENTY FIFTH, MAKE A LEFT, THEN MAKE A RIGHT ON SEAWALL.

AND NOW THEY HAVE TO DO THAT RIGHT THROUGH A STOP SIGN.

SO A SIGNAL WOULD ACTUALLY HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT CONGESTION THAT WE SEE THERE.

AND COUNCILWOMAN ROBB MARIE.

AND UNDENIABLY I THINK THE LIGHT AT 75TH STREET WILL HELP.

BUT IT ALSO THEN GIVES CONCERN, ESPECIALLY TO THE RESIDENTS WHEN YOU GET STUCK AT STUART AND 75TH.

AND IF I KNOW, I USE THAT AS A CUT THROUGH.

BUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HAVRE LAFITTE ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS BACK IN THAT AREA.

THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT IT IS GOING TO CAUSE EVEN MORE A BOTTLENECK ON STUART.

SO MY ONE REQUEST WOULD BE WHEN WE GET THAT LIGHT IN, CAN WE ALSO THEN DO A TRAFFIC STUDY AGAIN? AND I KNOW IT WAS DONE IN THE PAST AT 75TH AND STUART.

I THINK THE SMARTEST THING TO DO IS LET'S HOPEFULLY GET THE SIGNAL AT 75TH AND SEAWALL AND THEN WE CAN DO THE STUDY, WHICH WITH THE SIGNAL ON THE SEAWALL THAT MAY ACTUALLY CHANGE THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ENOUGH ON SEVENTY FIFTH AND STUART TO MERIT SOME CHANGES THERE.

BECAUSE IT COULD MAKE IT BETTER OR IT COULD MAKE IT WORSE.

MAKE IT WORSE.

AND I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS FROM MY RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA ABOUT THE CONCERN THAT IT COULD MAKE IT WORSE.

IN THE 17 YEARS THAT I LIVED THERE, I ALWAYS TOLD MY NEIGHBORS TO GO TO 81ST STREET AND USE THE SIGNAL.

I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAD.

ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN SCHUSTER YOU READY.

YEAH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, IT'S I GUESS THEY'RE RELATED 8 C AND 8 B LOOKING AT SAND CRANE HILL.

SO TODAY WE'RE APPROVING THE SCOPE AND THE PLANS SEGMENT OF THIS PROJECT, CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND THEN MOVING FORWARD IN MY HEAD THAT'S BASICALLY JUST DUE TO A CLAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE MORE LIKE A RUBBER STAMP ON THIS PROJECT SINCE WE'RE COMMITTING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE OVERALL PROJECT.

ARE WE YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE IDC BUDGET FOR OUR PARKS, WHAT IMPACT IS THIS HAVING FOR THE FUTURE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS AROUND THE ISLAND? WELL, I'LL CHIME IN ON THAT.

AND THEN STAFF MAY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.

THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT IDC, WILLIAM THAT'S A GOOD POINT ON HOW IT IMPACTS OUR OTHER PARKS.

IDC VOTED THAT IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AND OF COURSE, THIS DESIGN AND SO FORTH AND DUE DILIGENCE THAT WERE BEFORE US THIS AFTERNOON TO APPROVE IF THAT'S APPROVED THAT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT PARK.

IDC, THOUGH, FELT THAT IF WE DID MOVE FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION, WE WOULD DO IT VIA A LOAN SO THAT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO BORROW MONEYS TO PAY THOSE BACK OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

THE LIFE OF THE IDC AND I HAVE EXTRA MONEYS TO HELP BE AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING PARKS IF WE NEED IT.

NOW, BRIAN OR OR SOMEBODY WOULD KNOW TO MAKE THESE PREMIERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT SO WE LOOKED AT Y'ALL BROUGHT IT UP TODAY.

POTENTIAL MAINTENANCE COSTS FROM A STANDPOINT AS FAR AS A YEAR, BECAUSE IN MY HEAD, YOU KNOW, I JUST KNOW JUST BEING AROUND THE BASEBALL FIELD 365 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR, IT GETS EXPENSIVE, TAKING CARE OF SURFACES, FIELDS, AND YOU'VE GOT QUITE A BIT OUT THERE.

SO WHERE DOES THAT FUNDING COME FROM? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T A ONE TIME COMMITMENT OF ONE FIELD.

IT'S TEN THOUSAND TO TAKE CARE OF A YEAR WITH WATER STRIPING LAWN LABOR.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT OVER TEN YEARS, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN JUST MAINTENANCE.

AND EVERYBODY WANTS FIRST CLASS AMENITIES.

BUT AS YOU POINT OUT, FIRST CLASS AMENITIES COST A LOT OF MONEY TO MAINTAIN.

THE MONEY WILL COME FROM PROBABLY A THERE'LL BE SOME ONGOING FUNDING IN IDC TO HELP MAINTAIN IT, AS WELL AS SOME GENERAL FUND, AS WELL AS THE LEAGUES THEMSELVES.

ALWAYS CONTRIBUTE TO HELP.

OK, ALL RIGHT.

IT WOULD BE A COMBINATION.

AND BRIAN CAN I JUST ADD ONE THING.

YES.

AND SO IF YOU KNOW THAT SPORTS TOURISM INITIATIVE HELPS BY INCREASING SALES

[02:05:02]

TAX, WHICH THEN FUNNELS BACK INTO THE IDC.

SO THERE IS OBVIOUSLY THE OPTION IF THAT'S SUCCESSFUL BRINGS IN MORE REVENUE TO [INAUDIBLE] THE SALES TAX, THEN WE'LL HAVE MORE MONEY TO SUPPORT MAINTENANCE AND OTHER PROJECTS.

THANKS MICHELE.

APPRECIATE IT.

PRETTY GOOD.

ANYTHING ELSE, WILLIAM? YEAH, SORRY ONE MORE ITEM.

CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN TO ME 8 M.

EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE WITH OUR IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE APPROVING MONEY FOR I'M SORRY YEAH 8 M.

AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING THERE FOR THE SALE OF OUR SANTA FE WELLS THAT WE HAVE.

BRANDON, DO YOU OR TRINO WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? YES, I CAN ADDRESS IT.

WE WERE APPROACHED BY A WATER DISTRICT ON THE MAINLAND THAT WAS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING SOME OF THESE WELLS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE DORMANT.

THEY'RE NOT BEING USED BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BRING THEM UP TO A USABLE LEVEL.

IT'S A LITTLE COST PROHIBITIVE.

SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE APPRAISING THE WATER RIGHTS AND THE LAND AND THE PROPERTY THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE PUT SOMETHING OUT FOR BIDS TO ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF SELLING THE WELLS.

IT'LL JUST DEPEND ON A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE LOOK AT.

BUT WE NEED TO EVALUATE IT FIRST.

SOME BACKGROUND ON THESE WELLS.

WHEN WE WENT ON GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY IN THE 90S, IT TOOK AWAY A LOT OF THE USE OF THESE WELLS.

WE CAN GET, IN THEORY, UP TO ABOUT EIGHT MILLION GALLONS A DAY OUT OF THESE WELLS, WHICH IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF WHAT WE USE IS NOT A LOT.

AND THERE'S NO DIRECT PATH TO GET THAT WATER TO US AND THE WATER NOW, DOESN'T NEED TO COME TO GALVESTON FROM THE WELLS.

IT NEEDS TO GO TO GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY.

SO GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY NOW HAS BUILT IN RESERVES AND SUCH FOR US.

AND WE'VE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT, IN ADDITION TO THIS ONE WATER DISTRICT THAT HAS SOME INTEREST IN ONE OF THE WELLS, ALSO TURNING THE REST OF THE WELLS OVER, SELLING THE REST OF THE WELLS OR TRADING THEM OR SOMETHING TO GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY, BECAUSE THAT'S ULTIMATELY BECAUSE WHILE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUMP THE WATER OUT OF THE WELLS, WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TREAT THE WATER OUT OF THE WELLS TO DO ALL THE NEW STANDARDS AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES ABOUT.

SO IN THE HIGHWAY SIX LINE THAT THEY USED TO COME DOWN, NOW IT'S STILL THERE, BUT IT RUNS THE OTHER DIRECTION.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON IN THE COMING YEAR OR TWO TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH THESE WELL, ISSUES AND WE'VE TALKED TO GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY ABOUT IT AND AS WELL AS THE OTHERS.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS IF THERE'S SOME TYPE OF ISSUE, THE CITIES THAT HAVE WELLS WITHIN THEIR OWN CITY LIMITS WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRANSPORT AS LONG THEY WILL GO LIKE THEY DID DURING THE FREEZE, THEY WILL PULL UP ON WELL AND ALLOW THE GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY WATER TO FLOW TO US.

ANYTHING ELSE? VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, WILLIAM.

I SAW BILL QUIROGA'S HAND COME UP.

BILL, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? YEAH, I JUST SAW ON THE LIGHTING OUT THERE AT THE HOLIDAY INN IN THE SAN LUIS.

THE VERBIAGE THAT IS PLACED OUT THERE.

I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONFUSED.

THEY SEE A DOUBLE RED BLINKING LIGHT.

THEN IT'LL GO TO A RED LIGHT IS THERE ANYWAY WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING MORE OF A CAUTION TO STOP, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN THE TWO BLINKING RED LIGHTS, BECAUSE EVEN AFTER THE SEQUENCE IS TIMED OUT, THEN THE BLINKING RED LIGHTS COME OUT AGAIN AND HOLDS UP THE TRAFFIC FOR 4 OR FIVE SECONDS.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY SOMETIMES.

YEAH, THERE'S A SIGN UP THERE THAT EXPLAINS IT ALL, BUT IT'S NOT EASILY SEEN.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ROB WANTS TO ADDRESS.

BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT COUNCIL MEMBER.

LET'S KIND OF WRAP THIS UP, DAVID.

I JUST WANT TO ENDORSE WHAT COUNCILMAN QUIROGA JUST SAID, THAT RAPID BLINKING LIGHT MAKES NO SENSE TO PEOPLE.

AND FOR THEM TO STOP AND READ THAT SIGN, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A HECK OF A LOT LONGER THAN IT IS FOR THEM TO STOP AT THE RED LIGHT.

IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE TRAFFIC CODE AND ON THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE TEST, BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME FOR ALL OF US.

SO I AGREE.

[LAUGHTER] IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY RUN INTO IN A NORMAL COURSE OF A DAY.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

I HAD ONE ITEM, COUNCIL I'M GOING TO BRING UP IT IS ITEM 8 A AS IN APPLE.

THIS ITEM HERE IS IF YOU READ THE PACKET MATERIAL THE PORT HAS GONE ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN FOR THE CITY BACK IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN, I THINK IT WAS.

OVER THIS TIME, THE AMOUNT OF PREMIUMS THAT ARE BEING PAID BY PORT EMPLOYEES

[02:10:03]

COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF EXPENDITURES FOR HEALTH CARE FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES HAS BEEN UPSIDE DOWN FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

AND YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN ASSUMING THESE COSTS TO MAKE UP FOR THAT SHORTFALL WITH THE PORT.

THE PORTS CONTRACT WITH THE CITY HAD EXPIRED THIS LAST DECEMBER, WHAT'S ON OUR AGENDA HERE IS AN INTERLOCAL TO KEEP THE PORT ON OUR CONTRACT UNTIL THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, TO ALLOW THE PORT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING HEALTH INSURANCE OR TO RENEGOTIATE WITH THE CITY ON HOW THEY COULD STAY ON OUR PLAN HERE.

THIS IS ON THE WHARVES BOARD AGENDA FOR THIS COMING TUESDAY ALSO.

AND MIKE LOFTIN WILL BE PRESENT AT THEIR MEETING TO MAKE A LITTLE PRESENTATION ON THIS.

MIKE, I KNOW YOU'RE ON THE CALL HERE.

JUST REAL QUICKLY, I WANT TO CONFIRM WITH YOU THAT THE INTERLOCAL THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA HERE THAT ALSO WILL ALLOW US TO RENEGOTIATE IF THE PORT WANTS TO RENEGOTIATE, TO STAY ON OUR PLAN AND PAST THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

IS THAT CORRECT, SIR? I BELIEVE IT'S CORRECT.

I HAD A QUESTION ON THE MEMO SINCE WE'RE SELF-INSURED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES.

MARIE, GO RIGHT AHEAD.

AND IN THE MEMO IT DISCUSSED THAT WE FOUND OUT AFTER THE BUDGET YEAR THAT THE COSTS HAD BEEN HIGHER.

TYPICALLY, COMPANIES I WORK WITH IN THE PAST OR OF OTHER COMPANIES THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT MY HUSBAND HAS WORKED WITH OR FOR YOU WOULD REVIEW IT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND WHAT APPEARED IN THAT MEMO WAS IT CAME AS A SURPRISE A YEAR LATER, OR AND I JUST WAS WONDERING WHY WE'RE NOT REVIEWING THEM MORE OFTEN? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

THE HEALTH BOARD THAT OVERSEES THE PLAN, THAT INCLUDES CITY EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THE HR DIRECTOR AND MYSELF AND ALSO THE CFO FOR THE PORT, LOOK AT THAT EVERY MONTH.

THE PROBLEM IS THE LAG TIME BY OUR ADMINISTRATOR IS TYPICALLY FORTY FIVE DAYS TO GET THE INFORMATION IN.

THE TREND THAT WE SAW WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE BUDGET LAST SUMMER, DIDN'T ANYWHERE COME CLOSE TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REPORTING FOR JULY AND EVERY MONTH SINCE THEN THAT GOT TO US ON A FORTY FIVE DAY DELAY.

SO WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF IT.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN MY CAREER THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST VOLATILE IN CITY GOVERNMENT FINANCE.

ONE IS SALES TAX.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.

THE OTHER IS HEALTH BENEFIT COST.

I'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN A NUMBER OF TIMES AND IT'S A REASON WE DO QUARTERLY MONITORING AS A CITY AND A REASON THAT THE BOARD LOOKS AT THE PLAN MONTHLY.

MAYBE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT OUR ADMINISTRATOR IF THERE'S SUCH A LAG TIME, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS REALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE TO BE QUITE FAR BEHIND WHAT A TYPICAL REPORTING WOULD BE ON A SELF INSURED COMPANY.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO PRESS BLUE CROSS ON THAT.

BLUE CROSS I WILL SAY THIS BLUE CROSS IS A VAST IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATOR.

OK, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MARIE ON THAT.

NO, I THINK SO.

OK, VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

WE'RE ZIPPING THROUGH OUR AGENDA.

WE CAN SEE.

VERY GOOD ITEM 3 D PLEASE, JANELLE.

[3D. Discuss The 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) And HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Planning For Proposed Objectives And Projects In The Amount Of CDBG $1,166,618 And HOME $246,705. (A. Law - 10 Minutes)]

THREE D.

DISCUSS THE 2021 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT CDBG AND HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP HOME PLANNING FOR A PROPOSED OBJECTIVES AND PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF CDBG ONE MILLION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN DOLLARS IN HOME TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIVE DOLLARS.

COUNCIL THIS IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE COMING UP HERE IN THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE MS. ALICE LAW WITH US FROM OUR GRANTS AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT, MS. LAW.

GO RIGHT AHEAD.

YES.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.