May 27, 2021 Council Workshop

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

[Call to Order]

[00:00:02]

THE SUN IS SHINING AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO HEAD INTO MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

IT IS 9:00 A.M.

IT'S MAY 27TH.

GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.

GOOD MORNING, STAFF.

AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE WATCHING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

LET'S GO AHEAD.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM FOR CITY COUNCIL.

JANELLE, IF WE COULD HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MA'AM.

MAYOR BROWN, PRESENT.

MAYOR PRO TEM COLLINS, HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SCHUSTER, HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER QUIROGA, PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER LISTOWSKI, HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ROBB, PRESENT.

VERY GOOD.

WE HAVE EVERYONE HERE COUNCIL, IF IT MET YOUR APPROVAL, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS MOVE ITEM 3 B TO THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA, IF WE COULD.

THAT'S OUR JOINT MEETING WITH THE WHARVES BOARD.

AND THEN WE COULD COME BACK TO ITEM 3A AND GO THROUGH OUR CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE ANY CONCERNS WITH THAT BOARD? VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD.

WE HAD THE HONOR THIS MORNING OF HAVING A JOINT MEETING WITH THE WHARVES BOARD.

SO, ALBERT, WE HAVE ALREADY OPENED OFFICIALLY OUR MEETING HERE WITH COUNCIL.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO OPEN YOUR MEETING WITH THE WHARVES BOARD.

HE'LL HAVE TO UNMUTE, ALL RIGHT.

ARE YOU MUTED THERE AT THE WHARVES BOARD? ARE THEY UNMUTED ON OUR END JANELLE? NO, SIR.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS IS THE QUIETEST I'VE EVER HEARD THEM [LAUGHTER] HEY THIS IS TODD SULLIVAN.

I'M ON BOARD, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.

I'M NOT AT THE PORT TO UN MUTE ON THEIR END.

GENTLEMEN IN THE WHARVES BOARD.

THANK YOU, TODD.

ON THE WHARVES BOARD AT THE MEETING ROOM THERE, IF YOU COULD UN MUTE ON YOUR END.

WERE CONNECTING, CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? YES, SURELY CAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALBERT, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, WE'VE ALREADY OPENED OUR MEETING.

[3B. Joint Workshop With The Wharves Board To Discuss The Following Items Of Mutual Interest (Brown - 40 Minutes): 1. Discussion of 2020 Financial Report and 2021 Budget 2. Update on Status of Cruise Terminal 3 3. Update of General Port Operations on Port Managed Properties]

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

TODAY IS THURSDAY, MAY 27TH, IT'S 9:03 AND WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THIS JOINT MEETING OF THE [INAUDIBLE] CITY COUNCIL ANGIE IF YOU COULD HAVE A ROLL PLEASE MA'AM.

YES, SIR.

CHAIRMAN ALBERT SHANNON HERE BY ELIZABETH BEETON.

SHE'S ON HER WAY.

TRUSTEE CRAIG BROWN, PRESENT.

TRUSTEE HARRY MAXWELL HERE.

TRUSTEE TED O'ROURKE HERE.

TRUSTEE JEFF PATTERSON HERE.

TRUSTEE TODD SULLIVAN.

I'M HERE [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE ROGER [INAUDIBLE] AND ANTHONY BROWN.

THANK YOU, ANGIE I DECLARE WE HAVE A QUORUM AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE SHOWS OUR SINCERE INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THE CITY OF GALVESTON KNOWS HOW THE PORT'S DOING.

DISCUSSION ITEMS 3 A CLARIFICATION OF CONSENT AND REGULAR CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS.

[INAUDIBLE] FOR CITY COUNCIL TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON CONSENT AND REGULAR ITEMS AGENDA ITEMS. MEETING.

WE CAN DISCUSS IF THAT MET YOUR APPROVAL.

THANK YOU THAT'S 3 B, OK, SO JOINT WORKSHOP WITH THE WHARVES BOARD TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS OF MUTUAL INTEREST.

DISCUSSION OF THE 2020 FINANCIAL REPORT AND 2021 BUDGET UPDATE ON STATUS OF CRUISE TERMINAL THREE.

UPDATE OF GENERAL PORT OPERATIONS ON PORT MANAGED PROPERTIES.

[INAUDIBLE] WOULD YOU LIKE TO START OUT? CERTAINLY.

CERTAINLY.

WELCOME EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME FOR US TO BE ON YOUR AGENDA.

[00:05:01]

I NOTICE WE'VE GOT FORTY MINUTES HERE, SO WE CERTAINLY IT'S AN OPEN FORUM.

SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION, OR ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT? PLEASE DO.

SO WE GO AHEAD.

AS SOON AS HE, ARE WE SHARING SCREEN ON THAT DAVE, YES SIR.

SO YOU SHOULD SEE SHORT JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION.

AND WE SEE YOUR SCREEN.

ROGER, THANK YOU.

PERFECT.

SO JUST BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, AS WE AS WE HAVE SEEN, JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION.

THIS IS A BOARD MISSION THAT WE THAT WE ADOPTED BACK IN, I BELIEVE, 2018.

THE BOARD APPROVED IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STAFF WORKING TO SEE BASICALLY WHAT OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE JOBS AND CREATE TAX REVENUES AND IN FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE PORT, ON THE CITY'S PROPERTY THAT THE PORT MANAGES, YOU KNOW.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF OUR MISSION.

GO AHEAD MOVE NEXT ONE.

OUR GOALS YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'VE WE'VE KIND OF AND THE LARGER SLIDE IS JUST YOUR INTRO SLIDE.

SO WE SHARE A SCREEN BECAUSE ITS MOVING OVER HERE.

THERE WE ARE.

OK, THERE WE GO.

MOVING INTO JUST QUICKLY OUR GOALS AND THE FINANCIAL AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, A LOT OF WHICH, YOU KNOW, TAKEN UP IN OUR NEW MASTER PLAN, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR NEW BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IN SPITE OF SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, OBSTACLES WE HAVE AS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, AMOUNT OF LAND, TRANSPORTATION, THE CONDITION OF THE PORTS, INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE DOING THE BEST AND WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OVER 2020 AND COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH WE REALLY TRY TO EFFECTIVELY INCREASE OVER.

EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, HAVING PUBLIC MEETINGS SO THOSE ARE OUR GOALS.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE WE INVEST IN PEOPLE, AS THE CITY DOES, TO MOVE OUR AGENDA FORWARD.

AND SO WE HAVE A GOOD STAFF HERE AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

MOVING ON, I MEAN, HERE'S JUST SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU SEE THE REAL I THINK THE BIG KEY TO, YOU KNOW, WHY WE'RE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE MOVING IS LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

AND RIGHT HERE, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL JUST POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE SO CLOSE TO OPEN SEAS THIS REALLY GIVES US A BIG ADVANTAGE OVER OTHER PORTS IN THE HOUSTON BASIN.

I THINK THE NEXT ONE DOWN AFTER THAT, THE CLASS RAILROAD CLASS TWO CLASS ONE RAILROADS.

I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE WITH THAT IS, IS WE HAVE TWO OF THEM HERE, AND THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AS WE TALK TO THE NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT GETS FOCUSED ON BY POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO CLASS ONE RAILROADS COMING IN HERE, WHICH CREATES A LITTLE BIT OF COMPETITION, WHICH ALLOWS THE BETTER PRICING MODELS.

AND THEN HERE AGAIN, YOU SEE THE REST OF THAT.

WE ARE THE FOURTH LARGEST HOME PORT IN RECRUITING IN NORTH AMERICA.

I THINK WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT HERE IN THE FUTURE.

LATER ON HERE IN THE PRESENTATION, WE, YOU KNOW, 2021 WAS KIND OF AN EXTENSION OF 2020 IN A WAY, THE LAST THREE QUARTERS OF 2020.

WE REALLY HAD TO MAINTAIN OUR EXPENSES, CONTROLLING THOSE COST.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INCREASE IN THE LABOR OF THIS HAS REALLY HELPED US KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER.

BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR AS YOU'LL SEE IN A FEW MINUTES IN A CAR FROM A CARGO STANDPOINT.

SO WE'RE MOVING A LOT OF CARGO RECORD NUMBERS OF CARGO IN AREAS.

AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE REVISE OUR BUDGET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR AGAIN, JUST TO KIND OF BE MORE REALISTIC WITH WHERE WE THINK THE CRUISE BUSINESS KNOW WITH 65 PERCENT OF YOUR REVENUE IS DEPENDENT ON THE CRUISE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF WATCH THAT REALLY CLOSELY.

SO WE'RE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED WITH THAT.

[00:10:03]

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AS YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE SOME OF THE HEADLINES FROM THE CDC OVER JUST OVER THE LAST WEEK, ROYAL CARIBBEAN HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR TEST CRUISES.

ARE WE FILED ALL OF OUR PAPERWORK WITH THE CDC AS REQUIRED WITH THE WITH THE AGREEMENTS AND WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES HERE IN TOWN AND IN THE COUNTY.

AND SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

YOU KNOW, IN A TIME WHEN WE'VE HAD LIMITED REVENUES, I MEAN, WOULD WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER? CERTAINLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL TO MOVE FORWARD ON PROJECTS THAT WE EITHER HAVE GRANT FUNDING ON OR ARE A RESULT OF THE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON PIER 10 WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THAT CARGO BUSINESS TO THE WEST END.

AS OF APRIL.

HERE'S OUR FINANCIAL SUMMARY.

I THINK IT WAS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, IN REALITY, OUR NET INCOME IS A NEGATIVE SEVENTY ONE THOUSAND FOR YEAR TO DATE APRIL.

BUT WHEN YOU ADJUST THAT FOR DEPRECIATION AND OTHER NON-CASH EXPENSES OR YOU ADJUST IT FOR THAT PRINCIPLE TO THE CASH EXPENSE, WE STILL HAVE TO GENERATE A POSITIVE CASH FLOW YEAR TO DATE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FROM MY STANDPOINT, THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR THE PORT IS WHERE WE ARE FROM A CASH FLOW STANDPOINT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR RESERVES FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE.

AND HERE'S OUR THAT'S OK DAVE GO AHEAD.

OUR 2021 CARGO NUMBERS.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR YOURSELF.

YOU KNOW, THE CARGO VOLUMES ARE UP FOUR POINT THREE MILLION UP.

IT'S UP OVER 2020 OVER FORTY SIX PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR.

WIND IS A BIG, BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO THAT.

LIQUID CARGO HAS HAS REALLY KIND OF IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OR SO HAS REALLY PICKED UP AS HAVE YOU CAN SEE, 257 PERCENT INCREASES IN OUR GRAIN EXPORTS.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUING AROUND THOSE LEVELS BECAUSE WE SEE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER THIS YEAR, WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT BY THAT TIME WE'LL HAVE DREDGED THE ENTIRE CHANNEL, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR LARGER SHIPS.

AND SO OUR TENANT ADM IN THE GRAIN BUSINESS IS PLANNING A BIG FOURTH QUARTER OUT OF HERE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED DEPTH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BRING IN BIGGER SHIPS.

SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.

YEAR TO DATE OUR GENERAL CARGO IS UP A BIG NUMBER.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT 2020 AND 21 WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT DELAYED BUSINESS AND WHAT THAT'S DONE FOR US IN TERMS OF CASH FLOW GENERATOR, YOU CAN SEE THE COMPARISON.

THEY ARE UP TWENTY ONE PERCENT OVER 2021, OVER TWENTY ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY THREE SHIPS COMING IN HERE AND UTILIZING OUR BERTHS.

WE WOULD ANTICIPATE SEEING A LITTLE BIT WE'LL SEE SOME DIP IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR BECAUSE OF THE CRUISE BUSINESS COMING BACK.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM A FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT, WE CERTAINLY HELP SUPPORT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN DELAYED BUSINESS, BUT VERY IMPORTANT.

OUR BOARD IS IS INVESTIGATING, ALONG WITH THE STAFF POTENTIAL WAYS THAT WE CAN WE CAN INVEST IN DELAYED BUSINESS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIMITED WITH AND WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING THE CRUISE TERMINALS HEAVILY FOR DELAYED BUSINESS.

BUT AS THE CRUISE SHIPS COME BACK, WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT BUSINESS BECAUSE I THINK OUR STAFF HAS MADE US ONE OF THE YOU KNOW, WITH THE CURRENT CUSTOMERS COMING IN, THEY HAVE REALLY BUILT THIS BUSINESS.

SO WE'RE GETTING THE REPUTATION FOR THIS BUSINESS HERE IN GALVESTON.

YOU KNOW, OVER 2018 TO AT THE END OF 2017, WE HAD ABOUT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND IN REVENUES AND LAST YEAR WE HAD SIX MILLION IN REVENUE.

SO IT'S GOOD, GOOD BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE] FOR US.

IT'S CERTAINLY WORTH LOOKING FURTHER INTO INVESTMENT INTO THIS AREA, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE STAFF LEVEL THROUGH ENGINEERING.

WE'RE LOOKING AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.

RETURN TO CRUISING.

THAT'S A BIGGIE.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE WE HAVE A CRUISE SHIP SITTING OUT HERE RIGHT NOW AT PIER ONE.

CT ONE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT.

I THINK OVER THIS NEXT MONTH, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE IN JUNE, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE

[00:15:01]

WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT RELATIVELY SOON WE'LL HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE TEST CRUISES.

I NOTICED IN MIAMI THEY'RE BEGINNING TO TEST CRUISING RIGHT NOW.

THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED, BEEN APPROVED BY CDC.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN HAS A BEGUN TEST CRUISING OVER THERE AS EVERYBODY GETS THEIR AGREEMENTS IN AND THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITY HERE WITH ROYAL AND CARNIVAL.

AND I THINK SEVERAL OF YOU ON THE CITY COUNCIL ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS.

BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH THE PORT, WITH UTMB OUR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN THE EVENT OF ANY OUTBREAK ON A SHIP, AS WELL AS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY FOR, YOU KNOW, ANY IF THERE IS AN OUTBREAK AND A POTENTIAL THAT INDIVIDUALS OR PASSENGERS CANNOT LEAVE THE AUTOMOBILE WHEN THEY WILL ALLOW.

AND 70 PERCENT OF MARKET IS DRIVE IN.

SO THEY WILL ALLOW SOME AFFECTED INDIVIDUAL TO LEAVE BY AUTOMOBILE.

BUT IF THEY HAVE TO LEAVE BY PLANE, THEN THERE WILL BE A QUARANTINE PERIOD.

SO THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE AGREEMENTS WITH THE HOSPITALITY.

SO ALL THAT IS HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR CARNIVAL.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS HAS ALREADY BEEN FILED WITH THE CDC.

AND THEN WE'RE ANTICIPATING TODAY THE FINAL SIGNATURES ON THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN AGREEMENT.

SO AS WE'RE SEEING RIGHT THERE, WE'RE READY.

WE'VE, YOU KNOW, THERE, AS YOU'VE SEEN, WHERE WE PUT OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND BOARD APPROVED SAFETY UPGRADES INTO THE TERMINALS.

AND SO WE ARE WE ARE PLANNING HERE FOR A JULY THIRD CRUISE BY THE CARNIVAL VISTA.

AND SO THAT'S ALL OUR EYES ARE ON FROM THE CRUISE BUSINESS ARE READY.

WE'VE GOT THE TERMINALS READY FOR CBP COAST GUARD ARE ALL ANXIOUS TO GET BACK TO WORK.

SO ALL THE PARTIES, THE STEVEDORES IN THE SHIP SERVICE PEOPLE ALREADY.

SO WE ARE, TOO.

AND WE'RE EXCITED.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE HAD 15 MONTHS OF REVENUE LOST, YOU KNOW, FOR 2020.

WE LOST ABOUT TWENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IN CRUISE REVENUES.

AND IN 2021 WE IF CRUISING STARTS IN JULY, WE'VE LOST ANOTHER EIGHTEEN MILLION.

SO FORTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS WAS A HIT THAT THE PORT TOOK BECAUSE THE COVID-19 ON THE CRUISE BUSINESS, SO WE ARE AIMING TO FIX THAT AND GET ROLLING AGAIN.

SO HOPEFULLY THE SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTERS WILL BE STRONG WITH THE CRUISE BUSINESS.

HERE AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT DOES.

YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF JOBS FOR THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SPENDING, YOU KNOW, THE TOURISM BOOST FOR RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY.

AND WE DID A TRAFFIC STUDY WHICH SHOWED A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND A LOT OF OUR PASSENGERS WHEN THEY COME TO THE CRUISE TERMINAL OR COMING FROM ON THE ISLAND.

SO WE SEE THAT.

WE SEE IT.

WE SEE THE RETAIL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE CRUISE BUSINESS.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE KIND OF MINIMIZED WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING ON OUR MASTER PLAN, WHICH WE ARE.

SO WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL WHEN THIS THING STARTS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON TRACK BECAUSE YOU LOSE 44 MILLION DOLLARS.

IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD ON MAJOR CAPITAL PLANS WITHOUT THAT REVENUE TO, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGING THE NEW BUSINESS.

YOU KNOW, MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS IS A NEW RENDERING THAT WAS UNVEILED IN THE TOURISM SUMMIT, JUST A DIFFERENT ANGLE OF THE TERMINAL.

BUT IT DOES GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON THE SIZE OF THE SHIP IN RELATION TO THE TERMINAL 110 MILLION I THINK WHEN THIS THING WAS ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED, IT WAS 100 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

BUT THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW, IT'S ABOUT AT 110 MILLION.

AND YOU COULD SEE THE NUMBERS THERE ON THOSE CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND THE OPERATION JOBS.

SO I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE IS, IS THAT WE WILL BE CREATING ABOUT 400 JOBS AT THE CRUISE TERMINAL.

AND THEN IN RELATION TO THE CRUISE TERMINAL TWO, YOU'LL REALIZE THEN.

[00:20:05]

AND MANY OF YOU SEEN A LOT OF ARTICLES, ABOUT THIRD CRUISE COMPANY COMING IN HERE, A FOURTH EXCUSE ME, A FOURTH CRUISE COMPANY COMING IN HERE.

SO WE ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST INITIALLY BRINGING SOME SOME CALLS INTO CRUISE TERMINAL TWO WITH A FOURTH CRUISE LINE.

AS YOU KNOW, DISNEY JUST SIGNED A 10 YEAR CONTRACT WITH US.

AND ONCE THE CRUISE TERMINAL GETS COMPLETED THEN THEY WILL DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT DISNEY COMES HERE THEY'LL STILL BE SEASONAL, BUT THEY'LL BE DOUBLING THE NUMBER FROM AROUND 12 CALLS WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW TO 26 CALLS OVER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE NEW TERMINAL BEING OPEN.

SO YOU CAN SEE CONSTRUCTION IS BEGINNING.

WE RECEIVED NOTICE THAT THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN WILL START TURNING SOME DIRT, MOVING, THINGS DOING SOME TESTING NEXT MONTH, EARLY NEXT MONTH.

SO WE'RE ANXIOUS TO GET THAT DONE.

WE'VE HAD GOOD MEETINGS WITH THE CURRENT TENANT HAD MEETINGS YESTERDAY GETTING ON THE SAME PAGE ON HOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE WOULD WE'D LOVE TO THANK WLL AND THEIR THEIR EFFORTS TO COOPERATE WITH US AND TO HELP MAKE THIS TRANSITION, I THINK IS A GOOD YOU KNOW, IT JUST SHOWS YOU GET GOOD TENANTS IN HERE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT AND WE NEED TO MOVE MOVING TOGETHER.

SO THAT'S GOING TO THAT'S HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK.

WE'VE DONE AROUND A MILLION ALMOST MILLION FOUR IN WORK ON THE WEST END TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

NEW BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, REPAIRS OF THE DOCKS OUT THERE.

WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME WATER, STORM WATER PIPING, NEW AND FRESH WATER LINES IN THERE.

SO AND I THINK IF YOU'VE NOTICED SOME OF THAT WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OUT THERE ON THE LAST HEAVY RAIN, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH KEEP THAT SIDE OF HARBORSIDE DRIVE FROM FROM BEING UNDER WATER IN THE PAST.

SO WE WORK WITH THE CITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO COORDINATE THOSE, COORDINATE THOSE EFFORTS JOINTLY.

WE HAVE A PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT NOW BETWEEN 33RD AND THE CRUISE TERMINALS, WHICH IS WE'RE INSTALLING A NEW WATER LINE THERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY ON INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY STILL GOING ON JUST TO GET READY FOR THE FUTURE.

SO YOU AND WE WILL WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL MEETINGS, PUBLIC MEETINGS AS CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON UPDATING THE PUBLIC ON.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AND POTENTIAL ROAD CLOSURES, WE DON'T SEE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO WE WILL KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ON WHERE WE ARE ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW TERMINAL.

ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] HERE, WHICH WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE JUNE 3RD, WHEN THIS IS THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WHERE IT WILL BE A GREEN MARINE PORT.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH A TESTING OF 14 DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE PART OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN AUDITED ON.

THESE 14 AREAS WILL MAKE US A GREEN MARINE TERMINAL, A GREEN MARINE PORT.

AND SO THEN WE WILL BE CONTINUALLY MONITORED TO MAINTAIN OUR CERTIFICATION ON THE GREEN MARINE.

AND WE'RE WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT SOME GROUND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELECTRIC CHARGING FOR AUTOMOBILES AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND CONVERSION OF SOME OF OUR EQUIPMENT TO EITHER PROPANE AND OR ELECTRIC, WHERE IT MAKES WHERE IT MAKES IT PRACTICAL, I SHOULD SAY.

SO GREEN MARINE IS A BIG CERTIFICATION FOR US GOING FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WE EXPECT, AS I AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, GREEN TO REALLY PICK UP, AS YOU'VE SEEN, METRO OF ONE OF OUR PORTS STEVEDORES HAS GONE INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH BNSF ON 17 ACRES SOUTH OF HARBORSIDE DRIVE.

AND THAT IS NOW OPEN.

YOU KNOW THAT.

AND THAT IS ALL NEW BUSINESS FOR THE PORT BECAUSE THAT'S FROM ONE MANUFACTURER.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE, I THINK, TO SEE STRONG WIND BUSINESS THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] AND MOSTLY INTO NEXT YEAR.

AND AS THAT BUSINESS GOES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I SEE IT AS A MOVEMENT FOR OFFSHORE.

I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

BUT THERE IS A MOVEMENT IN WASHINGTON TO TRY TO INCREASE OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY.

AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE I MEAN, I GOT TO BELIEVE WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION FOR THAT IF IF THAT THAT GETS DONE AND JUST CHANGED AND BECOMES A NEW FOCUS ON THAT.

[00:25:05]

I MEAN, EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE COMES FROM OUR YOU KNOW, OUR MASTER PLAN.

WE ARE WORKING, YOU KNOW, TO GET THE INTERNAL ROAD NETWORK DONE [INAUDIBLE] ON THAT TOTAL ABOUT SIX MILLION DOLLARS TO DO REDO THE ROADS ON THE INTERNAL NETWORK.

AND THEN AS WE YOU KNOW AS WE GET INTO THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER ISSUES THAT WE FIND WHEN YOU HAVE A PORT AS ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW, ON AND OVER THAT OLD PORT INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU EVER GO DOWN TO I KNOW, ONE OF OUR TRUSTEE'S ROBB SPIKED DOWN THROUGH THERE.

AND I MEAN, THERE'S BRICK ROADS, THERE'S GRAVEL, THERE'S DIRT.

AND AND SO OUR PLANS ARE IS TO BRING THAT FORWARD INTO THE CENTURY WITH THREE AND FOUR LANE ROADS GOING THROUGH THERE TO GET THE TRAFFIC OFF OF HARBORSIDE DRIVE SO THE WESTPORT COMPLEX IS, YOU KNOW, IS KIND OF OPENING UP AS WE SPEAK.

SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A NUTSHELL OF WHERE WE ARE.

YOU KNOW, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE WE ARE SELF-SUSTAINING.

WE HAVE TO OPERATE OFF OF OUR REVENUES.

WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT OUR MASTER PLAN WITH OUR OWN REVENUES.

WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME SOME DOING SOME POSSIBLY REFINANCING OF SOME DEBT THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE PRESSURE OFF THE DEBT SERVICE AND CASH FLOW NEEDS OF OUR CURRENT MORTGAGES.

OR I MEAN, OUR CURRENT NOT MORTGAGES THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WORD.

OUR CURRENT BONDS THAT ARE IN PLACE, 2001, 2014.

SO THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE MOVING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR CASH FLOW.

[INAUDIBLE] THAT'S ALL I HAVE CAN I FOLLOW UP WITH JUST A COUPLE WORDS.

THANK YOU.

LAST WEEK WE GOT AN UPDATE OF CREDIT OPINION FROM MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY I THINK EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH MOODY'S GREATS ALL OF THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT PUBLIC ENTITIES.

AND JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS OUT OF THAT, THAT THIS IS A SUMMARY [INAUDIBLE] WHARVE BOARD CREDIT PROFILE REFLECTS A BUDGET CONTROL AFTER FACING A PROLONGED HALT TO CRUISE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC THE PORT MANAGED TO OUTPERFORM ITS FISCAL 2020 BUDGET, WHICH HAS BEEN AMENDED EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC TO ASSUME NO CRUISING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, THE PORT'S GOOD LIQUIDITY POSITION REMAINED INTACT AND SLIGHTLY IMPROVED OVER 2019 WITHOUT NEGLECTING CRITICAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

THE PORT DEMONSTRATED ADEPT MANAGEMENT IN THE FACE OF UNPRECEDENTED REVENUE DECLINES DUE TO THE LOSS OF CRUISE BUSINESS FROM THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, POSITIVE CASH FLOW WAS SUSTAINED THROUGH FISCAL 2020 AND LIQUIDITY WAS PRESERVED WITHOUT SACRIFICING NEEDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THIRD PARTY OPINION OF THE STABILITY OF THE PORT FINANCIALLY.

I'D LIKE TO COMMEND ROGER AND HIS STAFF IN PARTICULAR, LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME, SUCH AS LAY DOCKAGE.

ROGER MENTIONED, OUR CARGO BUSINESS IS ACTUALLY UP GOOD MANAGEMENT OF EXPENSES.

SO MUCH OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HAVE BEEN MADE INTERNALLY BY OUR CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.

I THINK IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR, BUT IT SHOWS THAT ROGER AND HIS STAFF HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB IN MEETING THE CHALLENGE THAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN.

AND I THINK THE FUTURE IS QUITE, QUITE ROSY WITH THE HOPEFULLY RETURN OF CRUISE BUSINESS AND THE GOOD WORK OF STAFF TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS BY THE CDC TO GET THE PORT PREPARED FOR CRUISING.

SO HATS OFF I THINK HOPEFULLY THE CITY WILL SEE HOW GOOD THE PORT'S BEEN DOING.

I GUESS ONE MORE THING, AS I LIKE TO COMPLIMENT ROGER AND HIS EFFORTS TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TO WRITE ARTICLES, TO BE VISIBLE IN THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR PORT.

SO I THINK IT'S A I THINK AS AN INTERIM REPORT RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE PORT'S IN GOOD SHAPE.

THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] OTHER TRUSTEES WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT TO CITY.

WE APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I'D LIKE TO SAY JUST POINT OUT ONE THING, AND THAT IS THAT THE END OF THE PANDEMIC WILL ALSO BENEFIT CARGO BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST CRUISE THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THE

[00:30:04]

AND NEW CART WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 AS WELL.

SO THE 44 MILLION THAT ROGER WAS REFERRED TO WAS FOR CRUISE, BUT THERE WERE ALSO LOST REVENUES ATTRIBUTABLE TO CARGO.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT TO MENTION.

AND ALSO, AS WE MENTIONED AT OUR LAST MEETING, THE SUPPORT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM UTMB, THEY 'VE REALLY BEEN HELPFUL IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT WITH THE CDC.

AND THAT'S APPRECIATED, DR.

[INAUDIBLE] WITH THE COUNTY TOO ALSO I MEAN, HE HAS SPENT.

I MEAN, AND TONY CAN ATTEST THAT WE SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS FOR THE LAST MONTH GETTING READY FOR THESE DOCUMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE PRETTY INTRICATE DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, HAD TO BE FILED WITH CDC.

SO WE'RE READY.

I MEAN, LET'S JUST GET THIS THING, MOVING LET'S GET TO CRUISING BACK UP.

AND I THINK WE YOU KNOW, WE ALL SEE IT.

WE ALL BENEFIT FROM IT.

YOU KNOW, ALBERT AND ROGER WHARVES BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I THINK A FEW THINGS POP UP OR COME TO MIND WHEN WE HEAR HOW GOOD THE PORT'S DOING RIGHT NOW.

ONE IS THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PORT HAS REALLY GONE OUT TO DEVELOP NOT ONLY WITH THE CITY IN NEW TMB, BUT WITH THE PORT BOARD AND OTHER ENTITIES.

IT TAKES THOSE PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF GALVESTON'S COMMUNITY.

IT'S A BALANCING ACT AT THE PORT.

AND I THINK ONE THING THAT THIS PANDEMIC DELAYED WAS THE NEED FOR IN MAINTAINING DIVERSIFICATION AT OUR PORT.

AND I THINK THE PORT HAS DONE A EXEMPLARY JOB OF MAINTAINING THAT DIVERSITY, DIVERSIFICATION THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT COUNCIL.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE WHARVES FOR DAVID? YEAH, ROGER, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.

I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK GETTING YOUR [INAUDIBLE] READY AND GETTING THE LA CARGO MOVED WEST.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS OR CAN YOU COMMENT ON ANYTHING YOU'VE PLANNED IN THE NEAR TERM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA BETWEEN PIER 10 AND 14? YOU KNOW [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS WE HAVE WHAT WE'RE CALLING PHASE TWO OF THE INTERNAL ROAD NETWORK.

AND THE BOARD JUST APPROVED TUESDAY THE AFA AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE, WHICH IS REALLY THE BEGINNING OF THAT GRANT PROCESS OR THE BEGINNING OF THE REIMBURSEMENT STAGE OF THAT GRANT PROCESS.

AND WHAT THAT IS, IS TAKING THE ROAD FROM THE NEW CRUISE TERMINAL, BUILDING A COUPLE OF NEW ENTRANCES, OFF OF HARBORSIDE DRIVE.

FOR EARLY STAGES, OBVIOUSLY, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE PUTTING POSSIBLY CRUISE PASSENGER BUSINESS ON THAT NEW ROAD.

I MEAN, WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR PHASES OF THAT IS IT'S PROBABLY ALL TOTAL, ABOUT 25 TO 30 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE NOW IS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE ENGINEERING OF THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, WHAT WE WILL DO IS THAT INTERNAL ROAD DOWN THERE WILL TURN INTO A THREE LANE ROAD EVENTUALLY AS WE FINISH THE CRUISE TERMINAL.

YOU WILL SEE YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF NOISE DOWN THERE.

AT PIER 10 AS THEY START TO BUILD THE PILINGS.

I THINK WE'VE ALL HEARD THAT IN GALVESTON BEFORE.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

I MEAN, WE INTEND TO PUT THAT ROAD THROUGH THERE AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

WELL, YEAH, I ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT THAT ROAD ISN'T GOING TO OPEN UP SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT.

THAT AREA THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF TRADITIONALLY GRASS AND DIRT.

THERE'S NOT A LOT NOT BETWEEN THOSE TWO PIERS.

NO DOUBT AND NO DOUBT IF YOU IF YOU AND I THINK YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR MASTER PLAN.

YOU'VE SEEN THE PLANS FOR PIER 14, EVENTUALLY BETWEEN WHERE DELMONTE IS LOCATED NOW AND THE NEW CRUISE, TERMINAL FOR ACTUALLY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAT.

I THINK THAT'S PRIME PLACE FOR IT AND HELPS HELPS KIND OF, I THINK, BALANCE OUT THE THE STRAND AND STARTS MOVING SOME BUSINESSES CLOSER TO THAT AREA ON THE STRAND, WHICH SHOULD HELP REAL ESTATE VALUES AND BUILDING DOWN THE STRAND AS WE GET CLOSE TO PIER 10.

I THINK ULTIMATELY WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR MASTER PLAN, YOU KNOW, IF IN FACT WE PUT ANOTHER CRUISE TERMINAL DOWN THERE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THEN IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A PARKING DECK IN THERE, WHICH WOULD THEN ALLOW US TO POSSIBLY PUT SOME RETAIL AND EVEN OFFICE BUILDINGS OR PORT RELATED INDUSTRIES IN ALONG THE THE NORTH SIDE OF

[00:35:06]

THERE ALSO GOING, WHO KNOWS? BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN ON THE MAP NATIONALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE CRUISE BUSINESS OVER THE PAST TWO TO THREE MONTHS, ONCE THE CDC IS STARTED RESPONDING AND, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT WITH REGULATIONS.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

VERY GOOD COUNCIL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, BILL.

YES, ROGER.

I JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S BEING DONE AND THAT THE PELICAN ISLAND LOCATION, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PUT MORE INDUSTRY OUT THERE SO WE CAN GET BETTER PAYING JOBS? IT'S NICE TO HAVE THE THE CRUISE TERMINAL AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

BUT ALL YOU HAVE TO HAVE IS ONE STORM COMING IN HERE.

AND WE CAN'T YOU KNOW, WE NEED THAT DIVERSIFICATION TO BRING CARGO, PLUS THE CRUISE INDUSTRY INTO GALVESTON.

ANOTHER THING IS ARE Y'ALL WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO PUSH GALVESTON AS A DESTINATION POINTS, WHICH I THINK WE'D BETTER THE WHOLE ISLAND AS A WHOLE.

WELL, I MEAN, I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS BEEN THE AGE OLD QUESTION EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND UNTIL SUCH A TIME.

I THINK AS YOU GET BETTER TRANSPORTATION TO PELICAN ISLAND, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO GET ANY MAJOR INVESTMENT OVER THERE THAT NEEDS CONNECTIVITY WITH THE RAIL AND OR THE ROAD NETWORKS THAT WE HAVE.

SO I THINK ANY BUSINESS THAT WE LOOK AT RIGHT NOW AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY FEEL I HAVE SEEN FROM OUR LAST BOARD MEETING ON TUESDAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL LAY BUSINESS OR LAY TERMINALS ON PELICAN ISLAND, WHICH IS PROBABLY A 25.

AND BILL, AS YOU SAID, I MEAN, IT GETS IT GETS INTO BIG NUMBERS AGAIN.

SO, I MEAN, WHAT DOES THE PORTS FOCUS? WHAT IS THE PORTS FOCUS? AND WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAXIMIZE REVENUES IN THE SHORT TERM, TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE INTO MAJOR INVESTMENT ON PELICAN ISLAND WE DO STILL HAVE AN MOU WORKING TOWARDS A LEASE WITH THE LNG BUSINESS UP ON THE ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER? YOU KNOW, THAT'S SEVERAL YEARS AWAY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF OF BUNKERING OUT OF BUNKERING OPERATION UP THERE WHICH WILL ACTUALLY COMPLIMENT THE CRUISE BUSINESS AS WELL AS CARGO BUSINESS AS IT CONVERTS TO LNG.

SO THE SECOND QUESTION, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE TOURISM GOES, I MEAN, WE ARE WE'RE NOT REALLY IN THE TOURISM BUSINESS, BUT I KNOW THAT SOUNDS STRANGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING THE CITY'S ASSETS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR REVENUES AND TO TAKE THOSE REVENUES AND REINVEST THEM INTO THE PORT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY DON'T ARE NOT ACTIVELY IN THE TOURISM BUSINESS, ALTHOUGH WE BRING TOURISTS TO THE ISLAND.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW IN THAT AREA ABOUT AVAILABILITY OF WORKERS.

I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN EXPRESSED ABOUT HOW AFTER THE CRUISE BUSINESS PICKS BACK UP, HOW DOES THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, HOW DOES THE RETAIL INDUSTRY ACTUALLY HANDLE THE INFLUX OF THOSE OF THOSE PEOPLE COMING TO THE ISLAND? SO, I MEAN, FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT, WE BRING THEM HERE AND THAT.

AND I THINK I WAS ASKED THIS QUESTION THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MATTER IN MY MIND OF THE MARKET REACTING.

I THINK IT'S A SITUATION WHERE THE PORT IS BRINGING THE PEOPLE IN.

THERE IS CONVERSATION.

DO THESE PEOPLE REALLY STAY? WE KNOW THAT THEY DO.

WE'VE DONE STUDIES, THE PARKS BOARD DONE STUDIES THAT SHOW PEOPLE THAT STAY ON THE ISLAND AND COME TO OUR CRUISE TERMINALS.

SO I THINK THAT FROM OUR STANDPOINT, AT LEAST FROM MY STANDPOINT, THE MARKET IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT BUSINESS FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT.

YOU KNOW WE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE WOULD COOPERATE WITH TOURISM AND THE

[00:40:01]

BUT THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WE BUILD THE CITY'S ASSETS, WE MANAGE THE CITY'S ASSETS TO BRING THE TOURISM IN HERE.

AND GALVESTON MARKETPLACE WILL HAVE TO REACT.

WILL REACT TO HOWEVER, THAT IS MORE HOTELS, BETTER MORE RESTAURANTS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HERE AGAIN, WHAT I UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW, THERE IS SOME FRUSTRATION IS, IS THE WORKFORCE.

THE WORKFORCE IS HAVING PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, STAYING, YOU KNOW, KEEPING UP WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME TO OUR ISLAND.

SO I THINK AND I HOPE THAT ANSWERS ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT PELICAN ISLAND.

PELICAN ISLAND IT'S A JEWEL JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN, I MEET WITH THE THE PORT OF HOUSTON'S PORT DIRECTOR ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE BRAINSTORM ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO THINGS TOGETHER THERE, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THE LONG RUN, I MEAN, IN THE SHORT RUN, IT SOUNDS LIKE DR.

BROWN KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS THAN PROBABLY MOST OF US ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PELICAN ISLAND BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL CONTRIBUTING.

SO THAT'S A BIG PIECE ON WHAT HAPPENS ON PELICAN ISLAND.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE THAT WE REALLY NEED AND THEN I KNOW NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IS A RAIL BRIDGE TO PELICAN ISLAND BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN START BRINGING IN MAJOR INVESTMENT AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, BECAUSE THAT WAS I'M SORRY, I KEEP RAMBLING.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT, ROGER, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT ONE THING.

I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT.

WE NEED TO HAVE MAYBE AN INDEPENDENT RAIL STATION WHERE WE CAN GO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN POINT A TO POINT B, BETWEEN GALVESTON ISLAND TO PORT I MEAN, TO PELICAN ISLAND.

JUST HAVE THAT AS AN INDEPENDENT SYSTEM.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ADJACENT OR CONNECTED TO THE VEHICULAR TYPE TRAFFIC.

MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE IN BOTH BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW, STORM SEASON IS JUST A WEEK AWAY.

WE JUST HAD A LITTLE TROPICAL STORM AND WE GET ANOTHER STORM THAT BRIDE MAY NOT SURVIVE.

DISCUSS THE PELICAN ISLAND BRIDGE IN THE CURRENT STATUS OF THAT WHERE WE'RE HEADING.

MARIE, YOU HAD QUESTIONS ALSO.

I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH QUESTIONS AS I DO COMMENTS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK ROGER [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN THE BEST ADDITION TO THE PORT OF GALVESTON AND WHAT HE HAS DONE IN MANAGING THE PORT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOST TRYING TIME WITH THE PANDEMIC, HAS BEEN AMAZING THAT WE'RE STILL.

WITH A POSITIVE CASH FLOW, HE REALLY HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, AND ONE THING I WANT TO ADD, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU WATCHED THE MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE FOR THE AIRPORT WITH THE ADVENT OF CRUISES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH BRINGING IN THE NEW LINES, WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING CALLS FROM SMALLER COMMERCIAL AIRLINES ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING IN AIRLINES FROM MEXICO TO DO A PACKAGE AND CRUISE SHIP.

AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM ONE OF THE CRUISE LINES ABOUT HOW THEY MAY INVEST IN OUR AIRPORT TO MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT POSSIBLE.

I JUST THINK EVERYTHING THAT WITH A WELL WORKING INDUSTRIAL PORT, AS WELL AS THE EXPANSION OF OUR CRUISE LINES, PUTS US IN A GREAT POSITION FOR MORE POSITIVE GROWTH AND EXCITING TIMES.

AND I HAVE TO SAY, WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT PELICAN ISLAND OR AS WE TRY TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE OF RAIL, IF WE GET THAT LNG BARGE OPPORTUNITY, YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO LOWER YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, THAT'S GOING TO LOWER YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPERTY TAXES BETWEEN TEXAS CITY AND GALVESTON.

THE REASON OUR TAXES ARE SO MUCH LOWER IS BECAUSE OF INDUSTRY.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I AM VERY EXCITED AND I DO.

I SUPPORT ROGER ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AND EVERYTHING HE'S DONE WITH THE PORT AS WELL AS THE BOARD.

BUT ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MARIA.

APPRECIATE THAT.

AND COUNCILOR, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE WHARVES BOARD OR FOR ROGER [INAUDIBLE] ROGER ALBERT WHARVES BOARD THANK YOU.

[00:45:02]

THE BOARD'S VERY FOCUSED AND VERY ATTENTIVE TO THE NEEDS NOT ONLY OF THE PORT BUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND JUST ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN AND LADIES WITH THE BOARD'S BOARD.

GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MORE MEETINGS JOINTLY LIKE THIS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

CRAIG.

THANKS, GUYS.

NICE JOB.

WE NEED TO ADJOURN.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

WE ARE NOW BOARD MOVING TO ITEM 3 A, WHICH IS CLARIFICATION OF CONSENT AND

[3A. 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)]

JANELLE IF YOU COULD READ THAT, PLEASE, MA'AM.

ITEM 3 A 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. BEFORE WE START DISCUSSING OUR AGENDA ITEMS COUNCIL.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, IF WE COULD.

FIRST OF ALL, I'M DECLARING A CONFLICT TONIGHT ON 9 A..

SO IF THERE IS DISCUSSION AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT ON 9A DAVID, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I'LL LET YOU READ THAT LEAD THAT DISCUSSION.

SECONDLY, FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS THEY MAY KNOW, ITEM 7 A ON OUR AGENDA IS TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO CALL FOR THE ELECTION ON AUGUST 28TH DISTRICT ONE.

WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY APPROVING THAT ELECTION.

SO THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR AUGUST 28TH FOR DISTRICT ONE.

AND THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO MENTION TO COUNCIL BEFORE WE START OUR DISCUSSIONS OF ITEMS, THIS IS FOR CLARIFICATION.

IT'S NOT FOR DEBATE OR DISCUSSING BACK AND FORTH AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THESE ISSUES.

THIS IS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF.

SO IF WE COULD IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COUNCIL, IF WE CAN KEEP OUR THOUGHTS KIND OF GEARED IN THAT WAY.

SO SAYING ALL THAT, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO THE WAY MY SCREEN IS HERE.

I'M GOING TO MOVE WITH MARIE FIRST.

MARIE.

WELL HAVE TO STOP JOINING MEETINGS SO WE'RE ALWAYS SO I'M NOT ALWAYS FIRST.

I THINK THE QUESTIONS I WOULD HAVE ON THE ITEMS HAVE TO DO.

WELL, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH CONCERN ON THE GOLF CARTS.

WE ARE NOT VOTING ON THE GOLF CART ORDINANCE TODAY.

AND I KNOW PUBLIC HAD SOME CONFUSION ON THAT.

IT IS ON AS A WORKSHOP DISCUSSION ITEM.

ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE VOTING ON OR THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS ON IS THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONCERN FROM THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ENTITIES.

AND AS I READ THROUGH IT, I HAVE QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION, BUT IF I COULD JUST ASK, DO WE WANT MAYOR SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL THE ITEM COMES UP? WELL THE ITEM IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA WORKSHOP ITEM.

OK, MARIE SO IT'S ITEM FOR EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S ITEM 7 C AS IN CAT ON OUR AGENDA.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF STAFF, I THINK MIKE LOFTIN IS HERE, MARIE, TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

I DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO ME BY PARTICULARLY THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.

AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SHORT TERM RENTALS IN DISTRICT SIX THAT ARE MANAGED BY PROPERTY MANAGERS.

WHEN YOU READ THE ORDINANCE AND STATE PLATFORM PLATFORM, IT'S SORT OF A GENERAL [INAUDIBLE] PLATFORM, USUALLY REFERS TO A FORUM BY OWNER AN AIRBNB A COMPANY THAT HANDLES RENTALS.

I WAS WONDERING WHY WE CHOSE TO USE THAT LANGUAGE PLATFORM VERSUS USING

[00:50:02]

I'LL TAKE THE FIRST CRACK AT THAT AND DON CAN ADD TO IT.

I THINK THE WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS ORDINANCE IS TWO VERY SIMPLE FUNCTIONAL THINGS.

ONE, THAT IF YOU'RE COLLECTING STATE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, THAT YOU WOULD BEGIN TO COLLECT LOCAL TAX.

AND TWO, IF YOU'RE CARRYING ADVERTISEMENTS IN ANY FORM FOR ANY OF OUR SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES, THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THE PARK BOARDS REGISTRATION NUMBER AND INCLUDE THAT THERE.

AND WHAT I THINK THE ORDINANCE DID WAS TO FIND EVERYBODY THAT MEETS THAT REGISTRATION TEST AS A SHORT TERM PLATFORM.

IT'S NOT INTENDED TO USE THE INDUSTRY TERM TO MEAN ALL OF THE THINGS THAT IT MEANS.

AND I THINK THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN IS REALLY PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS START CARRYING THE PARK BOARD'S REGISTRATION NUMBER IN THEIR INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT IF THEY'RE DOING THAT.

AND MY SENSE IS THAT THEY ARE AND WE'RE TRYING TO TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME FROM A FUNCTIONAL STANDPOINT AND NOT A TERMINOLOGY STANDPOINT.

AND IF I COULD CHIME IN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO SECTIONS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.

THE ONE FOR THE SEATING PLATFORMS DEALS WITH ADVERTISING, AND IT PROVIDES FOR ADVERTISERS IN VIRTUALLY ANY MEDIUM WHATSOEVER THAT'S IN PRINT.

AND IT COULD INCLUDE ADVERTISING ON THE GREEN SHEET, PUTTING IT ON SOME FACEBOOK PAGE OR I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO THIS STUFF, BUT IN THAT ADVERTISING PORTION, IT STATES THAT IF YOU ADVERTISE YOUR UNIT, YOU MUST DISPLAY THE REGISTRATION.

NUMBER ONE OF THE CONCERNS I UNDERSTAND FROM THE PARK BOARD IS THEIR INABILITY TO TRACK THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT DISPLAY REGISTRATION NUMBERS.

I AM TOLD BY FINANCE THAT WE ARE LOSING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE A YEAR FROM PEOPLE NOT PAYING THEIR [INAUDIBLE] TAX BASE TO SECTIONS TAKEN TOGETHER ARE TO PROVIDE FOR [INAUDIBLE] SO THE PARK BOARD CAN TRACK THESE PEOPLE DOWN AND GET THEM TO PAY THEIR [INAUDIBLE] TAX.

SO IT DEALS WITH ADVERTISEMENTS OFF PLATFORM AND ON PLATFORM.

WELL, I GUESS I MEAN, I'VE DONE A LOT OF SHORT TERM RESEARCH ON SHORT TERM RENTALS BECAUSE AT ONE POINT I HAD LOOKED AT DOING A SHORT TERM RENTAL IN ONE OF THE PROPERTIES WE OWN.

AND THEN I DECIDED I NEVER WANTED A STRANGER SLEEPING IN A BED AND WENT AWAY FROM THAT.

BUT HAVING RENTED A LOT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT ACTUALLY BECAUSE I PREFER TO BE IN A HOUSE OR APARTMENT THAN A HOTEL, WHEN I READ THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO SHOW THE LICENSE, I THINK THE LICENSE NUMBER IS A WAY OF CONTROLLING IT.

BUT LET'S JUST USE AIRBNB AS AN EXAMPLE ON AIRBNB AND YOU HAVE THE LICENSE NUMBER.

AND A NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN YOU GO TO RENT, IT WILL SAY CONTACT THE OWNER AND REQUEST THE RENTAL.

SO AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE SENDING AN E-MAIL OR RARELY DOES IT HAVE A PHONE NUMBER AND YOU'RE CONTACTING THE PERSON WHO IS RUNNING THE PROPERTY.

WELL, IF YOU'RE RENTING IT THROUGH AIRBNB AND I'M MAKING UP SOME NUMBERS, THERE MIGHT BE A TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLAR CHARGE FOR DOING FOR ADMINISTRATING THAT DEAL.

SO A LOT OF TIMES THE RENTERS WILL CONTACT YOU OR THE RENT, WELL THE PERSON RENTING THE PROPERTY WILL CONTACT YOU AND SAY WELL YOU CAN DO IT DIRECTLY THROUGH ME.

AND THAT ELIMINATES THAT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLAR CHARGE.

[00:55:01]

IS THE MERCHANT OF RECORD, SO THEY ARE NOT PAYING HOT TAX THROUGH AIRBNB, THEY'RE PAYING HOT TAX THROUGH THEIR COMPANY.

SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE IS TO PICK UP ALL THE RENTALS THAT AREN'T FOLLOWING THE LAW AND THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN CURRENTLY.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY ACHIEVING THAT BECAUSE OF THAT WHOLE AND THE SYSTEM, SO TO SAY SO.

AND READING AND READING THROUGH THE ORDINANCE AND I'VE READ THROUGH A COUPLE OF TIMES, IT SOUNDS TO ME A LITTLE BIT LIKE WE'RE THE WAY IT READS, CREATING A MONOPOLY SITUATION FOR THE AIRBNB'S OR THE FOR RENT BY OWNERS.

OR MAYBE WE JUST HAVE TO BE CLEAR IN THAT LANGUAGE TO LOOK AT THE RENTAL LICENSE NUMBER, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA.

IN THE AREA WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT RENTING, IT REQUIRED A LICENSE NUMBER AND.

IT'S THE WAY THE WAY OUR ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN.

IT STILL DOESN'T PICK OFF THE RENTALS.

CAN I ADDRESS THAT FIRST? YES.

AND LET ME MENTION LET'S LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION AND NOT DISCUSSING ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER.

NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

GO RIGHT AHEAD.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A THERE'S A TAXATION SCHEME KNOWN TO HUMAN BEINGS THAT YOU CAN ELIMINATE THE BLACK MARKET FOR THE OFF MARKET TRANSACTIONS, WHICH ALSO GOES TO ANOTHER KEY POINT IN THE ORDINANCE, THAT WHEN YOU GET IN THAT SITUATION, THE OWNER IS STILL GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE HOT TAX GETS PAID.

NOW, THAT'S CAUSED SOME HEARTBURN FOR PEOPLE, BUT IF THEY ARE WITH AN AIRBNB AND AIRBNB COLLECTS THE LOCAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECEIPT OF THAT TRANSACTION.

AND ON THE RECEIPT, IT'LL SHOW THE NINE PERCENT CITY TAX HAVING BEEN COLLECTED.

THAT'S GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT.

NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE TIMES OUT OF A THOUSAND OR SOME VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE FOR THEM TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY EXERCISE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

ON THE OTHER CASES, THEY SIMPLY HAVE TO FILE A TAX RETURN AND PAY THE TAX OVER TO THE PARK BOARD.

AND THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY THAT WAY.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, MARIE? YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A MERCHANT ON RECORD WITH AIRBNB THEY ARE NOT PAYING YOUR HOT TAX, YOU ARE PAYING YOUR HOT TAX, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SIGN UP WITH A LARGE RENTAL COMPANY, YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF BEING A MERCHANT ON RECORD OR NOT.

AND THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IN THAT CASE HAS TO REPORT THE HOTEL TAX THEMSELVES.

AND WE'RE AND WE'RE TYING THE COLLECTION OF THE LOCAL TAX TO THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE STATE TAX IS ALREADY BEING COLLECTED.

AND IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF THEM ADDING NINE PERCENT TO THAT TRANSACTION SO THAT WE GET OUR MONEY TOO.

SO WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DO A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE CITY TAX COLLECTED? YES, MA'AM.

JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE NOW, WHERE WE LINE UP THE CFO FOR THE PARKS COURT AND I MONITOR THIS VERY CLOSELY.

WE LINE UP THE TOTAL STATE COLLECTIONS FOR THE MONTH ON A PER PENNY BASIS AND COMPARE IT TO OUR COLLECTIONS ON A PER PENNY BASIS.

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CLOSE THE GAP OVERNIGHT THIS YEAR.

I THINK THE ESTIMATE THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAS PUT FORWARD IS THAT BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE WOULD BE SOME THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE TO FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS BEHIND THE STATE ON A PER PENNY BASIS.

AND WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT TREND.

FOR IT TO COME UP OVER TIME.

THE THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, AND THIS JUST MAY BE A TERMINOLOGY THING, IS IT REFERS TO THE LEASE.

TYPICALLY A SHORT TERM RENTAL DOES NOT INVOLVE A LEASE AND MAY INVOLVE THE CONTRACT.

AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE ISN'T EVEN A CONTRACT IN PLACE, AT LEAST TYPICALLY

[01:00:02]

IS THERE ANY WAY WE AND I GUESS THIS IS A DON QUESTION, IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE THAT LANGUAGE MUCH MORE CLEAR? BECAUSE, AGAIN, A LEASE IMPLIES MORE OF A LONG TERM SITUATION THAN A SHORT TERM SITUATION.

IF THAT IS THE PLEASURE OF COUNCIL, TO ME, THE TERMS ARE SYNONYMOUS.

THE OTHER THING THAT I JUST WANT TO COMMENT, BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, I WOULD LIKE TO DEFER THIS TO OUR OUR SPECIAL MEETING IN JUNE, SINCE WE ARE HAVING TWO MEETINGS IN JUNE WITH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, IS I MEAN, THERE WERE A GROUP OF SHORT TERM RENTAL PEOPLE WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING THIS.

AND IT KIND OF BRINGS ME BACK TO A SITUATION THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE BEACH ACCESS PLAN.

THERE WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO MET AND ADDRESSED THE BEACH ACCESS PLAN, PUT HUNDREDS OF HOURS INTO IT AND THEN HAD BEACH ACCESS PLAN THAT WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THE PAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE AN ELECTION FOR SOMETHING THAT THIS ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE REVENUES THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE CITY AND MAKING SURE WE GET IT RIGHT.

WOULD IT BE AN ISSUE TO YOU TO JUST PUT TWO MORE WEEKS IN UNTIL WE HAVE THAT SPECIAL MEETING SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE GROUP THAT WAS GET MORE INPUT FROM THE GROUP THAT SPENT HOURS UPON HOURS STUDYING THIS TO HAVE MORE INPUT FROM THEM? BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT THEY SUGGESTED AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND THAT WOULD BE A DECISION OF COUNCILS, OF COURSE, MARIE.

AND IT'S KIND OF HARD, REALLY.

STAFF CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT A GOOD MARIE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY OTHER ITEMS BEFORE WE MOVE? OK, DAVID, YOUR NEXT UP STEP ON THE SCREEN.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS I NEED TO FIND, MY NOTES AGAIN HERE, 8 F AN 8 H MS. MAXWELL.

COULD YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE STRAND STUDY WHAT THAT IS? OK.

THAT WOULD BE ME.

ALL RIGHT.

FOR THIS STRAND STUDY, YES, COUNCILMAN COLLINS THANK YOU.

8 F IS FOR THE STRAND STUDY.

THIS IS A ADVANCE ASSISTANCE GRANT THAT'S COMING FROM FEMA FOR UNDER THE FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

AND WE APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT TWO YEARS AGO.

AND THIS IS FOR DOING A STUDY WITH THE BUSINESSES AND THE STAKEHOLDERS DOWN IN THE STRAND AREA TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL WAYS TO REDUCE FLOODING.

SO THIS WILL BE ABOUT A TWO YEAR STUDY.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR FUTURE GRANT FUNDING DOWN FOR THE BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA TO LOOK AT ALLEVIATING SOME FLOODING IN THAT AREA.

OK, VERY GOOD.

DAVID, AS YOU RECALL, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US BY CAROL HOLLOWAY AS A SUGGESTION.

YES, I DO.

I JUST WANTED TO GET THIS ON THE RECORD.

IT'S NOT BEEN WELL PUBLICIZED.

I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS ITEM IS ABOUT.

ITEM EIGHT EIGHT.

OH, IS THE MARSHAL WITH THIS? OR MAYBE PREFERABLY A QUESTION FOR HIM, BUT THE BUTCH IS ON.

OK, THIS IS ITEM EIGHT.

OH.

DOES THIS ITEM TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PER TRANSACTION COST TO PARKING ENFORCEMENT? BECAUSE AS WE GO TO THE SORT OF MORE AUTOMATED WAY OF WRITING TICKETS BASED ON LICENSE PLATES, I WONDER IF THIS CONSTITUENT ASKED ME THIS QUESTION, ARE THERE PER TRANSACTION COSTS THAT ARE FACTORED INTO THE OVERALL COST OF THIS THIS ITEM? AND SECOND, IS THIS THE SORT OF THING THAT'S EXPANDABLE TO COVER GOLF CARTS WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT? SO WE GET TO THAT POINT, BUTCH.

HE'S ONLINE.

DAVID, I KNOW I'VE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS OF BUTCH BECAUSE I RECEIVED THE SAME EMAIL AND HE ASSURED ME THAT THERE THAT THERE WERE SOME COSTS, BUT IT WASN'T IT WASN'T AS I MEAN, THEY'RE FIXED.

SO WE'LL GET.

[01:05:01]

HE MAY HAVE ON A PHONE CALL OR SOMETHING.

AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION IS, HAS THIS BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT? YES, IT HAS.

OK, VERY GOOD.

AND VERY BRIEFLY, ON ITEM SEVEN, B, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WINTER STORMS DON'T HAVE NAMES UNLESS, OF COURSE, WE'VE DECIDED TO BEND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND INSTEAD GET OUR WEATHER DATA FROM THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT AT THE WEATHER CHANNEL.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE MAYOR THANK YOU, PAUL.

JOHN PAUL.

YES, SIR.

MY ONLY QUESTION TODAY, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED, BUT EIGHT T SINCE THIS IS A HOT TOPIC IN MY DISTRICT WITH HEARDS LANE [INAUDIBLE] WATER LINE.

SO THIS CHANGE ORDER IS INCREASING THAT CONTRACT BY ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE THEY HIT A FORSSMANN WHEN THEY WERE DOING THEIR DIRECTIONAL DRILLING.

DO THEY NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY UNDER THAT OR IS THIS JUST WE ARE REPLACING THAT MAIN BECAUSE IT NEEDS IT AND IT'S TIME TO DO THAT.

TRINA.

TRINA CAN CHIME IN.

WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE THAT.

JOHN, WE DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.

BUT RIGHT NOW IN FRONT OF US, WE'VE GOT TO GET FIXED.

IT IS AN OLD MAIN.

IT IS.

IT WAS NOT IN THE BEST OF SHAPE TO BEGIN WITH.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WAS THERE, WHETHER THEY HIT IT OR WHETHER IT JUST BROKE.

BUT WE'RE DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT TRINA DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT, THOUGH? NO SIR YOU COVERED IT.

YEAH, BUT THE MAIN THING RIGHT NOW IS WE'VE GOT TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE WE HAVE IT ON A BYPASS.

SO THERE HASN'T BEEN A LEAK.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BYPASS.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN WE'VE HAD THESE HIGH TIDES, THE BYPASS BECOMES A PROBLEM FOR US.

SO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT ADDRESSED AND WE'RE GOING TO SLIP LINE IT AND MAKE IT MAKE IT SAFER GOING FORWARD.

OK, AND THEN JUST THE THE TIME INCREASE IN THAT CHANGE ORDER AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD HEARD, YOU KNOW, THAT HEARDS LANE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THEY STARTED ON THIS PROJECT DOING SOME OF THEIR CONNECTIONS OR THE WATER LINE CONNECTIONS THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT'S BEING DONE WITH THE TWENTY FOUR INCH LINE.

AND SO THAT ROAD HAS BEEN IN TERRIBLE SHAPE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO GET CALLS ON IT WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE REPAVED.

SO DO WE HAVE A TRINA SENT ME THE SCHEDULE A COUPLE DAYS AGO OR SO AND DO WE HAVE A REAL GOOD HANDLE ON WHEN THE ACTUAL ROAD WILL BE REPAVED AND IN BETTER CONDITIONS I MEAN THAT ROAD IS IS A MAJOR ROAD DURING THE SUMMERTIME WITH TRAFFIC COMING OFF THE ISLAND OUT OF MOODY GARDENS IN THE WEST END.

AND SO IT BACKS UP AND, YOU KNOW THAT ROAD CONDITION IS ONLY CAUSING MORE DELAYS IN TROUBLE FOR NOT ONLY THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA, BUT ALSO OUR TOURS HERE ON THE ISLAND.

SO ANY WORD ON WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THAT ROAD TO BE PAVED? YES, SIR.

SO IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE WE'RE STILL [INAUDIBLE] THE BOARD.

HOWEVER, ALL SIGNS ARE LOOKING LIKE LIKE SOME TIME IN AUGUST WOULD BE WOULD BE ABOUT THE TIME TO START PAVING HEARDS LANE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ONES WHERE WHAT WE WHAT WE ARE WHAT WE FOUND IN THE SUBSURFACE WAS NOT WHAT INDICATED THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DID PRIOR TO THE DEAL.

SO THAT ROAD HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE IT WAS INSTALLED IN THE 70S.

I'M SURE THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE AROUND FOR THAT BILL PROBABLY REMEMBERS THAT BETTER THAN ANYBODY.

SO WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF LEGACY ISSUES OUT THERE.

OUR HOPE IS TO GET IT PAID BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.

AND AND JUST SO OTHER PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, THE BOARDING HAS NOT BEEN DONE YET.

IS THAT CORRECT? THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GEAR UP ON THE BOARD.

WE DID ALL THE GEO TECH WORK, THEY'VE ORDERED THE PIPE, I BELIEVE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO THE BOEING COMPANY WILL BE MOVING IN.

THEY'LL DIG THE BOARD PITS AND THEY'LL BEGIN THE PROJECT, NOW WITHIN THE.

TIMEFRAME.

SO GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY.

AND SO THEY ARE, THAT ROAD WILL BE IMPACTED WHEN THEY DO THE BORING AND TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE REDIRECTED OR THE MAYBE ONE WAY OR WHAT'S THE SITUATION ON TRAFFIC CONTROL WHILE THEY DIG THE BORING PIT AND BORE THAT LINE UNDER [INAUDIBLE] LINE? SO IT'S GOING TO SHIFT AS THEY MOVE ALONG THE BORE PITS ARE GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY

[01:10:02]

WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE BORE PIT, IN SOME CASES, THE TRAFFIC CONTROL PLAN WILL DIRECT THE TRAFFIC AROUND THAT ONE SECTION AND OTHER CASES THEY'RE GOING TO GO DOWN TO ONE LANE, KEEP TRAFFIC MOVING AS BEST AS THEY CAN.

AND KEEP IN MIND, REMEMBER, WE SHIFTED TO THE BORING JOHN TO SAVE TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND SAVE SOME MAY SAVE TIME ON THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO OPEN TRENCH IT, WHICH WOULD HAVE CLOSED THE WHOLE STREET.

SO, YEAH, I MEAN, IF WE CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PLENTY OF NOTICE OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO REALLY AFFECT THEM ON HOW THEY MANEUVER THROUGH THE AREA.

BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

OK, I THINK THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANKS.

MARIE HAD HER HAND UP.

MARIE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ITEM? NO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD IN TO JOHN, BECAUSE APPARENTLY A PORTION OF MY DISTRICT, TOO, WHICH IS 73RD, PART OF OAKS, 74TH AND 75TH, IS HIGHLY IMPACTED BY THIS AND ESPECIALLY 74TH STREET IS HAVING ISSUES WITH FLOODING AND THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS RIVER PROJECT.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE EXCELLENT IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE, LIKE SEND IT OUT TO THE PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW BECAUSE I GET WELL, NOT AS MANY INQUIRIES AS JOHN, BUT A LOT OF INQUIRIES BECAUSE OF JUST THAT SMALL PORTION OF MY DISTRICT THAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, JOHN.

ABSOLUTELY.

JOHN, ANYTHING ELSE, SIR? I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

BILL, GO RIGHT AHEAD.

I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT HEARDS LANE PROJECT.

IT'S WELL OVERDUE.

AND I DO GET A LOT OF COMMENTS ON THAT THROUGH EMAILS BECAUSE I KNOW QUITE A FEW PEOPLE IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING FORWARD AND HAVING IT PAVED.

ONE OF THE ISSUES ONE CLARIFICATION ON IS, IS GLENN ON THE LINE? IS HE AVAILABLE.

GLENN? YES.

WELL, THAT'S OK, I'LL JUST WAIT.

HE'S ON THE LINE ON.

GLENN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I SEE CARRIE ON THE LINE, NOT GLENN.

CARRIE, YOU ON THE LINE? THAT'S OK.

I HAD AN ISSUE ABOUT THE CMS, BUT WE CAN DO THAT IN OUR AFTERNOON.

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? CARRIE? YES.

SORRY, LET ME GET GLENN, OK.

THANK YOU.

AND WHAT ITEM WAS THAT, BILL? THAT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE IN REFERENCE TO 8C, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE AN OVERALL QUESTION ABOUT THE CMS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR.

GLENN, WE'RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. OK, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE OVER THE C ON THIS PROJECT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL STATEMENT.

I'VE BEEN READING SOME OF THE CONSENT ITEMS FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I BROUGHT TO YOU WAS THAT WE KEEP USING THE TERM NOT TO EXCEED X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.

IF I WAS A CONTRACTOR AND YOU GAVE ME A CONTRACT SAYING NOT TO EXCEED X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, I'M GOING TO TRYING TO GET EVERY ONE OF THOSE DOLLARS.

SO IS THAT BEING CLARIFIED OVER THE STAFF REPORTS? IT SHOULD BE.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE IMPLEMENTED IT YET, BUT WE HAVE CERTAINLY TALKED ABOUT IT WITH DAN.

AND AS FAR AS KEEPING THAT, YOU KNOW, TO OURSELVES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY [INAUDIBLE], SO TO SAY.

[INAUDIBLE] MAKE SURE THE CONTRACTORS TRY TO DO, IN ESSENCE, GET THAT THAT MONEY AS WELL.

BUT RIGHT NOW ON THE, I DO BELIEVE WE ARE ADDRESSING IT ON THE STAFF REPORTS NOW.

COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE, BILL.

THAT WAS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON THESE THINGS SINCE I GOT HERE AT THE CITY.

AND I THINK IF PREVIOUS COUNCIL MAYBE WANTED THAT ASSURANCE THAT SOMETHING WASN'T GOING TO

[01:15:01]

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IN THERE.

BUT I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE, BILL.

THANK YOU, BRIAN.

I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION IS A WHILE BACK, AND THIS IS I'M TRYING TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION, I THOUGHT MAIN LANE INDUSTRIES WAS OUT OR DID I? THAT THEY CHANGED, BECAUSE MAIN LINE IS THE SAME AS TRUE, I THINK IT'S A SUBSIDIARY [INAUDIBLE], I BELIEVE THEY WERE SAME COMPANY.

THE SAME COMPANY? YEAH, I THINK I THINK.

MAIN LINE BECAME MC SQUARED.

TRINA, IS THAT HOW YOU UNDERSTAND IT? THAT IS CORRECT.

IT IS THE SAME COMPANY.

OK, BECAUSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER, BECAUSE I HAVE AN ISSUE THAT WE KEEP USING THE SAME COMPANIES AGAIN.

THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS OVERLOOKED THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE DISCUSSION ITEM, BUT WE'LL CATCH THAT NEXT GO ROUND ON THERE.

THAT'S ALL I GOT.

THANK YOU, BILL.

WILLIAM? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

BRIAN, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

I GUESS THIS IS FOR YOU, BRIAN, OR DELEGATE TO WHO IT'S FOR.

5A WITH OUR, ARE GOING FROM NOSE TO NOSE WITH OUR CDBG MONEY, LOOKING INSIDE OF SOME OF THE COSTS AND WHATNOT.

I SAW THERE WAS A SECTION FOR FOUR COMPLIANCE OFFICERS.

THAT'S ADDITION TO.

SO WE'RE ADDING FOUR MORE MARSHALS TO THAT TO HANDLE THESE ISSUES THAT ARE PRESENTED IN THIS BUDGET? NO.

THERE, I BELIEVE ALICE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I BELIEVE THEY'RE ALREADY EMPLOYED FOR US.

WE USE OUR MONEY EVERY YEAR TO CONTINUE STAFFING.

AM I CORRECT, ALICE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT, BRYAN.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND THEN MOVING ON TO A 7A, I GUESS IS MORE FOR JANELLE.

THIS IS WITH OUR UPCOMING ELECTION.

I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE LAST MINUTE.

WE JUST RECEIVED WORD WE COULD DO IT.

JANELLE, A LITTLE CLARITY.

I KNOW YOU EMAILED ME YESTERDAY AND I KNOW I MENTIONED THE IDEA OF EXTENDING THAT EARLY VOTE AND POSSIBLY THE FULL WEEK BEFORE TO SEVEN TO SEVEN.

YOU KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I SAW IN YOUR EMAIL THAT WOULD BE HARD TO DO, BUT MOVING FORWARD, SOMETHING WE COULD DO WITH OUR LOCAL ELECTIONS? AND IF NOT THIS ONE, THEN HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN? I'M SURE.

THE STATUTE CALLS FOR TWO DAYS OF TWELVE HOURS OF VOTING, DURING EARLY VOTING FOR MUNICIPALITIES.

SO WHAT I SUGGESTED TO YOU YESTERDAY, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHUSTER, WAS POSSIBLY FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS, WORKING OUT THE DETAILS IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY TO POSSIBLY PROVIDE MORE TWELVE HOUR DAYS.

CURRENTLY THEY'RE GOING BY THE STATUTE.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND FOR, LET'S SAY RESIDENTS WANTED A SATURDAY, DO THEY HAVE THAT OPTION TO SAME THING WITH THEIR, LIKE YOU SAID, WITH THE RUNOFF AND LIKE WE DID WITH THE FIFTEEN SIGNATURES FOR SATURDAY, POSSIBLY SUNDAY.

AND WE FIGURE, OK, WE PICK UP THAT COST OF THE CITY FOR SATURDAY? YES, WE WILL PICK UP THAT COST FOR SATURDAY.

COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO GRANT US THAT SATURDAY IF IT WAS A PETITION? YES, SIR, THAT'S CORRECT.

OK, THANK YOU.

THEN ONE LAST QUESTION SINCE OR ACTUALLY TWO MORE, SO SECOND TO THE LAST ONE SINCE A LOT OF MINE ARE ALREADY ANSWERED GOING THE LAST.

7C, JOHN, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS EARLIER WITH MARIE, BUT JUST THE SECTION IN OUR SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, JUST FOR A LITTLE CLARITY AS TO WHY THAT'S THERE.

I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU, YOU KNOW, AND JUST SO SOME CLARITY WITH WHY WE'RE PUTTING THAT IN THERE, BECAUSE THERE SEEM TO BE SOME QUESTIONS AND ISSUES WITH THAT JUST SO WE HAVE THAT IN OUR ORDINANCE AS TO WHY ON 19-118 WITH THE PLATFORMS AND THAT'S SECTION F.

IS THAT DIRECTED TO? THAT'S DIRECTED TO DON.

JUST FOR CLARITY AS TO WHY WE'RE PUTTING THAT ISSUE SEEM TO BE BROUGHT UP THROUGH A DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST WEEK AS TO THE HOMEOWNER BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, AIRBNB FAILING TO REMIT THEIR TAX AND WHATNOT.

WHAT AM I? WHAT ITEM IS THAT, BILL? THAT'S 7C.

THAT'S PART OF THE PLATFORM.

AND THAT'S SECTION F WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PLATFORM IN THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU.

THEY WAXED ELOQUENTLY.

YOU ARE THE OWNER OF A PROPERTY AND YOU RENT IT OUT AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL.

UNDER THE TAX CODE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO COLLECT THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FROM THE OCCUPANT CAN REMIT IT TO THE CITY.

IF YOU HIRE SOMEBODY TO RENT OUT YOUR PROPERTY FOR YOU, THEY ARE YOUR RENTAL AGENT.

[01:20:04]

IF THE AGENT FAILS TO PAY THE HOT TAX, THAT FAILURE IS IMPUTABLE TO THE OWNER.

AS A MATTER OF STATE STATUTE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF THE HOT TAX.

IF THE PLATFORM PAYS THE HOT TAX, YOUR OBLIGATION TO PAY THE HOT TAX HAS BEEN DISCHARGED BY THE ACT OF YOUR AGENT.

BUT THE APPLICATION WAS ALWAYS RESTING ON YOU.

I HEAR LOTS OF COMMENTS ABOUT, WELL, THERE'S AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE WHERE IF THEY AIRBNB AND PAY US A HOT TAX OR THEY DON'T PAY THE HOT TAX, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO GO BACK TO ME.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHY.

AN EMPLOYEE OF A COMPTROLLER HAS MADE THAT INTERPRETATION.

I UNDERSTAND THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE POLICY OF THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.

IF THEY WANT TO MAKE THAT POLICY, THAT IS UP TO THEM.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEIR POLICY IS NOT WELL FOUNDED IN STATE LAW, BUT THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE IS NOT MY PROBLEM.

THE CITY OF GALVESTON IS MY CLIENT AND TO THEY, I PAY ATTENTION.

SO HAVING SAID THAT, THAT LINE IS IN THERE TO ENSURE THAT OWNERS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE ON NOTICE, THAT THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY HOT TAX.

TO ME, IT IS A DUTY WHICH CAN BE DISCHARGED ONLY BY PAYMENT.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU VERY ELOQUENTLY.

OH, THANKS.

GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY.

WOULD YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MIKE, DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT OR JUST? I THINK DON SAID IT, BUT I'LL PUT A LITTLE EMPHASIS TO IT, AND THAT IS NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE TIMES OUT OF A THOUSAND OR SOME RIDICULOUSLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF TIME.

ALL THE OWNER IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS HAVE A RECEIPT FOR THE TRANSACTION PRODUCED BY THEIR AGENT, IN THIS CASE, A PLATFORM, A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND THE THE RECEIPTS THAT I'VE SEEN THAT OWNERS AND RENTERS GET ON THESE RENTAL TRANSACTIONS INCLUDES THE TAX AS SEPARATE ITEMS. SO THAT REALLY SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT.

THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT GENTLEMEN.

AND LAST QUESTION, BRIAN.

[INAUDIBLE] I THINK THAT'S THE 25TH STREET CHANGE ORDER COMING IN, IS THAT A LITTLE UNDER I GUESS YOU'D SAY, BUDGET IS UP FOR THAT CHANGED ORDER FOR.

YES, IT'S A REDUCTIVE CHANGE ORDER.

TRINO, CAN YOU COMMENT? YES, SIR.

AS WE'RE NEARING THE END OF THAT PROJECT, WE'RE GOING TO TIDY UP SOME OF THE LINE ITEMS. SO WITHIN THIS CHANGE ORDER, WE ARE ACCOUNTING FOR SOME OF THE EXTRA ACTIONS, ACCESSIBLE RAMPS, DRIVEWAYS, CURBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WERE ADDED.

THE, A LOT OF THE DRAINAGE COMPONENTS WERE REMOVED FROM THIS PROJECT, INLETS AND SOME OF THE MINOR COMPONENTS, BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY REAL POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE PROJECTS.

IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE A WASTE OF MONEY WITH THAT BEING REMOVED.

WE'RE SEEING THE DEDUCT OF TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE K.

AND WHAT, THIS LAST QUESTION I HAVE ON THAT ISSUE.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE FUNDS, WHERE DO THEY GO? DOES IT JUST GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND OR? APPARENTLY THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE SET ASIDE, THEN IT GOES RIGHT BACK INTO ANOTHER PROJECT.

OK.

THANK YOU, SIR.

APPRECIATE IT.

EXCUSE ME, MR. MAXWELL, THAT DOESN'T GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND? NO, THAT'S THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S A SEPARATE, DEDICATED FUND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND JUST AN UPGRADE ON 25TH STREET.

IT IS STILL ON TRACK TO BE COMPLETED, I BELIEVE, IN AUGUST; RIGHT, TRINO? YES, SIR.

IT'S GOING TO BE WELL BEFORE THEN.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT KIND OF GOT STARTED UNDER OUR NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM HERE WITH TRINO AND THE OTHERS.

AND THAT WAS ON TIME AND IN GOOD SHAPE.

HALLELUJAH.

YEAH, NO, WE'VE GOT THAT.

TRINO HAS STEPPED THAT UP.

HE CAME IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC IN WINTER STORM URI, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT AS WELL USE THE NAME, DAVID, BUT HE'S PICKED UP OUR OTHER PROJECTS AND DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB WITH IT.

SOMETIMES I THINK HE ACTUALLY GOES HOME, BUT HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB FOR US IN

[01:25:02]

SO, I KNOW BILL'S ALWAYS AND RIGHTLY SO, ALWAYS ON US ABOUT OUR PROJECTS AND I THINK WE'VE TURNED THE CORNER ON THAT, BILL, WITH TRINO.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING THAT, BRIAN.

YES, SIR.

I GOT TO GET USED TO THE OTHER DAY.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A STREET LIGHT INSTEAD OF A STOP SIGN.

IT KIND OF CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD.

SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT COMING TO A HEAD, THANK Y'ALL.

THANK YOU, WILLIAM.

APPRECIATE IT.

WE'RE MOVING.

MARIE, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP REAL QUICK THOUGHT.

YEAH.

CAN I HAVE ONE MORE, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION ON THAT RENTAL AGENDA ITEM.

SO ARE THE AUDITING SCHEDULE GOING TO BE THE SAME ON THE DCA AS THEY ARE ON OUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES? I DO NOT KNOW WHAT GLENN'S AUDIT PLAN WILL BE.

THOSE ARE TYPICALLY HANDLED BY REFERRAL BY THE PARKS BOARD.

I THINK THE DECISIONS YOU MADE, AUDITS WERE MADE BASED ON A RANDOM BASIS, A RANDOM SELECTION BASIS, UNLESS THERE IS A SPECIFIC PIECE OF INFORMATION GIVEN BY A PERSON THAT A CERTAIN LOCATION IS OPERATING AND NOT PAYING THEIR HOT, THEN I THINK IT GETS ELEVATED.

AND, MARIE, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

I ASKED WITH JUST MY THOUGHTS.

HE SAID, YES, IT WILL BE AN EQUITABLE AUDIT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE AUDITING VIA THE PARK BOARD'S REGISTRATION NUMBERS THERE.

JUST SO I HAVE HEARD FROM ONE CITY IN PARTICULAR THAT WAS ON THE VCAS AND NOW THEY'RE GOING AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF AUDITING THE VCA.

HAVE WE CLARIFIED THAT DIRECTLY IN OUR CONTRACT, THAT WE WILL HAVE FULL ABILITY TO AUDIT ? LET ME COMMENT.

WE ARE DOING AN ORDINANCE AND NOT A VCA.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I PERSONALLY HAD WITH VCAS IS THE PROBLEMS WITH AUDITING.

BY USING THIS ORDINANCE, WE EVADE THE ISSUES THAT ARISE WITH THE USE OF THIS CASE.

AND MY ADDITIONAL RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS WERE RESOLVED BY THE EMPHASIS ON THE INCLUSION OF REGISTRATION NUMBERS.

RIGHT.

SO WE'RE NOT DOING A VCA.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

OK, THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU, STAFF.

AND WE'RE NOW MOVING TO ITEM 3C, PLEASE, JANELLE.

[3C. Discussion Of The Policy For Board/Commission/Committee Appointments (Robb/Brown - 15 Minutes) 1. District Oriented Nominations (Robb/Brown) 2. Ranking Oriented Nominations (Brown)]

THIS IS ON OUR ACTION ITEMS THIS AFTERNOON.

COUNCIL, WHICH ITEM 9B AS IN BOY.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS OF DEALING WITH THE NOMINATIONS.

AND THESE REALLY APPLY TO THE HOW THESE WILL THESE CANDIDATES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHARVES BOARD AND PARK BOARD WILL BE NOMINATED.

WE HAVE TWO APPROACHES TO THAT.

ONE APPROACH THAT I HAVE PLACED OUT THERE AND ONE APPROACH TO COUNCILMAN ROBB IS PLACED COUNCILMAN ROBB.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MENTION YOURS, PLEASE? YES.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY.

WHEN I BROUGHT THE SUBJECT UP INITIALLY IT WAS SAID TO ME BY A NUMBER OF COUNCIL PEOPLE AS THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE AND THAT CLEARLY ISN'T THE CASE.

JANELLE, COULD YOU SHOW THE DOCUMENT ON THE ORDINANCE THAT HAS A HISTORY OF WHEN THAT CHANGES MADE PLACE? ACTUALLY, THE SECOND SCREEN, OK? OK, SO THERE WERE A SERIES OF CHARTER CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BEGINNING IN 2014 THAT ADDRESS THE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND HOW THEY WERE APPOINTED, AS WELL AS WHO COULD SERVE ON THE BOARD AND SO FORTH.

SO AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PROGRESSION, IT STARTED BACK IN 2014 AND THAT HAD TO DO

[01:30:05]

COULD YOU JUST READ A BRIEF SUMMARY OF EACH? YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE, BUT WHAT THE CHANGES WERE IN PROGRESSION TO NOW.

SURE.

SO RESOLUTION 1438 FROM SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2014 SAID THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR SHALL APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE CITY'S BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES FOR CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES THAT CONTAINS SEVEN MEMBERS BY EACH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTING THE CORRESPONDING POSITION AND THE MAYOR APPOINTING POSITIONS SEVEN AND THEN RESOLUTION 1441 FROM SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2014 JUST FURTHER DEFINED THE BOARDS THAT OPERATE UNDER THAT POLICY.

AND THE BOARDS WERE LISTED IN THAT RESOLUTION THAT YOU CAN SEE THE WHARVES BOARD WAS IN THERE, ALSO THE PARK BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

AND THEN IN RESOLUTION 1626 FROM JULY, 28TH OF 2016, THE COUNCIL VOTED THAT INTERVIEWS WOULD BE CONDUCTED FOR PARK BOARD, WHARVES BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THOSE THREE BOARDS WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE LIST OF COMMITTEES THAT OPERATE UNDER THAT POLICY.

AND THEN RESOLUTION 2036 ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER, 2020, FURTHER DEFINED THE INTERVIEWS, WRITTEN ANSWERS AND SO FORTH WITH THE RANKING SYSTEM.

OK, JANELLE, COULD YOU GO TO THAT OTHER SCREEN PLEASE? OK, OK, SO SINCE WE WENT TO THE RANKING SYSTEM, WELL, FIRST, LET ME DO A LITTLE [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE'RE EACH ELECTED TO OUR POSITION BY THE CITIZENS IN OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY TRUST US ENOUGH TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEM.

AND THEY OBVIOUSLY WITH THE MANY ISSUES WE HAVE ON COUNCIL TODAY WITH GOLF CARTS AND RENTALS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXPRESSING.

SO I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR ORDINANCES OR COME TO THE RANKING SYSTEM SINCE WE PUT THE RANKING SYSTEM IN PLACE, I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH EACH BOARD.

SO IF YOU GO TO THE WHARVES BOARD AND REALLY MY DISTRICT IS VERY WELL REPRESENTED.

SO IT'S FUNNY, THEN I'M THE ONE BRINGING THIS UP.

SO ON THE WHARVES BOARD, WE HAVE SIX MEMBERS THAT AGAIN, HISTORICALLY WERE ALWAYS APPOINTED BY THE DISTRICT.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT THREE AND WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT SIX.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY REPRESENTING TWO DISTRICTS ON THE WHARVES BOARD.

SO THERE IS NO APPOINTMENT FROM DISTRICT ONE, THERE IS NO APPOINTMENT FROM DISTRICT TWO, SO FORTH AND SO ON.

AND THEN WE COME TO THE PARK BOARD AND ON THE PARK BOARD, AS IT CURRENTLY READS, THERE IS THREE MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT SIX.

BUT THAT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE I BELIEVE JASON HARDCASTLE HAS EITHER MOVED OR IS MOVING TO MY DISTRICT.

TWO MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT TWO, ONE MEMBER FROM DISTRICT THREE AND ONE MEMBER FROM DISTRICT FOUR AND ONE MEMBER FROM DISTRICT FIVE.

A LITTLE BIT BETTER REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD, BUT AGAIN, NO ONE FROM DISTRICT ONE.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE THE SAME TYPE OF THING.

YOU HAVE THE, WE HAVE FROM DISTRICT SIX, WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT FIVE.

WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS.

AND FROM DISTRICT THREE, WE HAVE ONE MEMBER.

SO THE REASON I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO AWAY FROM THE RANKING SYSTEM IS ONE, I DON'T THINK IT BEST REPRESENTS OUR CITIZENS AND WHY THEY PUT US HERE.

WHEN WE WERE AS IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN DONE AND NOT CHANGE UNTIL PART IN 2016, IN PART IN THAT 2020 EACH DISTRICT MEMBER SUBMITTED SOMEONE FROM THEIR

[01:35:08]

AND IT MAY BE A CASE WHERE SOMEONE FROM THEIR DISTRICT DID NOT APPLY, BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE ABILITY OF NOMINATING SOMEONE WHO BEST REPRESENTED WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICT WON.

AND I THINK THE RANKING SYSTEM HAS TAKEN US AWAY FROM THAT.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS IF YOU LOOK AT THESE THREE ARE MAJOR BOARDS, THERE IS ONE HISPANIC PERSON AND WOMEN WISE, THERE ARE THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANNING.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE AND ONE HISPANIC PERSON.

ON THE PARK BOARD.

THERE IS ONE WOMAN GENERALLY ALL MEN, AND IT'S HARD TO TELL, BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THERE'S ANY HISPANIC PEOPLE.

AND THEN ON THE WHARVES BOARD THERE IS ONE WOMAN THAT WAS APPOINTED.

I JUST THINK OUR BOARD SHOULD REPRESENT MORE OF OUR CITY.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M PRESENTING THIS TO YOU ALL AND WHY I THINK WE SHOULD GO.

I MEAN, WE STILL EVEN HAVE DISTRICTS ARE NOMINATING PEOPLE.

THERE IS STILL A VOTE ON IT.

AND SO THE PERSON MAY HAVE TO PUT UP TWO OR THREE PEOPLE, BUT IT'S STILL REPRESENTING WHAT THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT BLENDS.

I MEAN, THE ONE THING THAT THINK DOES IS THAT IT DOES LEAVE A WIDE OPEN DOOR FOR STACKING BOARDS.

AND THAT, IN MY OPINION, IS NOT REPRESENTING OUR PEOPLE.

IT'S REPRESENTING A SPECIAL INTERESTS.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M REQUESTING THAT NOT TO TAKE AWAY THE INTERVIEW.

SO I THINK THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS GREAT NOT TO TAKE AWAY THE FACT THAT WE GOT TO VOTE ON OPPONENTS, BUT TO TAKE AWAY THE RANKING SYSTEM BECAUSE I THINK IT TAKES AWAY EQUALITY IN OUR CITY.

THANK YOU.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MARIE.

ON THE ON OUR AGENDA IS A ANOTHER CHOICE FOR COUNCIL.

THIS WAS PUT OUT THERE BY REQUEST, JUST TO GIVE COUNCIL A CHOICE IN THE WAY THAT WE HAD DONE THIS IN OUR LAST MEETING AS WE APPOINTED PARK BOARD REPRESENTATIVES.

IT'S A RANKING SYSTEM.

BOTH OF THESE SYSTEMS, AS MARIA MENTIONED, AND IN THIS RANKING SYSTEM, IT'S BASICALLY HOW THE NOMINATIONS ARE DONE TO, IN MY OPINION, TO ADDRESS THE DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR COMMITTEES AND BOARDS.

WE HAVE TO GENERATE MORE COMMUNICATION WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN GALVESTON AND ENCOURAGE APPLICATIONS.

AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT, I THINK RECENTLY COULD BE MISTAKEN.

BUT DURING OUR LAST APPOINTMENT PROCESS IS NOT FOR THE PARK BOARD, BUT BEFORE THEN, WE HAD MORE APPLICANTS THAN WE'VE HAD, I THINK, IN MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS HERE ON THE ISLAND.

SO I THINK THE KEY, NO MATTER WHAT CHOICE WE MAKE ON THE NOMINATIONS, THE KEY IS MAKING SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE PROPERLY WITH ALL PHASES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND GENERATE GOOD APPLICATIONS COMING THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THE RANKING SYSTEM IS WHAT WE EXPERIENCED, AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME, ALLOWS THE COUNCIL TO VOTE ON THAT.

OR TO RANK THERE CANDIDATES, JANELLE THEN GIVES US THOSE RANKINGS SO THAT WE CAN THEN BE THE FIRST NOMINATION OR SO, WE DO NOT HAVE TO APPROVE THOSE.

THOSE ARE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MOVE TO THE SECOND RANKED OR THE THIRD RANKED.

SO THESE ARE TWO SYSTEMS BEFORE YOU.

I THINK YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE RANKING SYSTEM.

DAVID? THANK YOU, DR. BROWN.

I WILL POINT OUT THAT BOTH SYSTEMS REQUIRE FOUR POSITIVE VOTES.

FOUR AFFIRMATIVE VOTES IS NECESSARY TO APPOINT ANYONE.

THIS IS JUST ABOUT THE PROCESS BY WHICH NOMINEES ARE BROUGHT FORWARD.

WHEN THIS WAS IMPLEMENTED FOR THESE MAJOR BOARDS AS IT ACTUALLY, I GUESS WE ONLY DO IT FOR THE MAJOR BOARDS BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM AMOUNTED TO FIRST PERSON TO THROW THEIR HAND UP, GOT TO MAKE THE NOMINATION.

AND COUNCIL IS LOATH TO SAY NO TO PEOPLE.

[01:40:01]

AND THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING I THINK WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS TO SMOOTH THE SYSTEM OUT, STOP THE PROCESS OF PEOPLE THROWING THEIR HAND UP JUST FIGHT TO SEE WHO GOT TO BE FIRST AND TO AVOID EMBARRASSING PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO BE CLEARLY VOTED AGAINST.

NOT CLEARLY, BUT I MEAN VOTED AGAINST.

SO BY IMPLEMENTING THE RANKING SYSTEM, THEN JANELLE GIVES THESE BACK TO THE MAYOR.

THE MAYOR HAS A SENSE OF COUNCIL, WHAT THEIR LIKELY PREFERENCES ARE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A FOUR VOTE SYSTEM.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THERE, YOU CAN SUSTAIN.

YOU CAN YOU CAN VOTE.

NO, BUT THIS THIS EXCLUDES THE SYSTEM OUT.

I THINK IT WORKS VERY WELL.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MARIE.

BEFORE WE LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COUNCIL INPUT HERE ON THIS COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY OTHER THOUGHT ON EITHER ONE OF THESE BILL, THEN WILLIAM, THEN JOHN.

BILL, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CONCUR WITH MARIE.

I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THAT METHOD.

BUT LET'S NOT BE POLITICAL ABOUT THIS.

IT TAKES FOUR VOTES AND WE ALREADY KNOW WHO'S GOING TO GET THAT, PROBABLY GOING TO GET THAT SEAT.

SO WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM BEING POLITICAL AND GET THE BEST QUALIFIED PEOPLE OUT HERE.

LAST ONE THAT WAS ELECTED, WE HAD AND I AGREE WE NEED MORE HISPANICS.

WE NEED MORE BLACKS.

WE NEED MORE WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE.

BUT THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE LAST APPOINTMENT WE HAD.

WE HAD TWO WOMEN WITH OUTSTANDING RESUMES AND THEY WERE OVERLOOKED.

AND LET'S FACE IT, IT WAS ALL DONE POLITICALLY.

SO LET'S GET DOWN ON THE TABLE.

LET'S GET IT OFF OF THE TABLE.

SO LET'S BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER AND JUST PICK THE PERSON THAT IS QUALIFIED.

I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.

I DON'T CARE IF HE'S BLACK, WHITE, GREEN, PURPLE, BUT WE DO NEED DIVERSITY BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIVERSE POPULATION AND IT IS UNFAIR TO OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WHEN I MET AND TALKED WITH MAYOR ROSEN.

AND DAVID'S CORRECT FOUR VOTES, SO LET'S VOTE FOR THE POSITIVE PERSON THAT WILL MAKE A CHANGE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO COME AND PUT THEIR NAMES IN THE BECAUSE THEY ALREADY FEEL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BIASED AGAINST ANYWAY.

SO THAT'S MY INPUT.

AND I THINK WE NEED A BETTER SYSTEM.

AND I AGREE WITH MAUREEN.

WILLIAM, GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

MY COMMENTS ARE ON THIS IS YOU HAVE TWO SYSTEMS BEING PROPOSED.

SO OBVIOUSLY WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO NOMINATIONS, APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, IT NEEDS TO BE THE FAIREST SYSTEM, THE MOST ETHICAL AND THE MOST DEMOCRATIC AND THE MOST OPEN.

I THINK THERE'S ISSUES WITH BOTH.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

BOTH OF THEM AREN'T PERFECT.

THEY DO BOTH WANT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU NEED VOTES FOR VOTES FOR A CANDIDATE WITH THE NOMINATION.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE GOOD INTENTIONS THERE.

BUT DO YOU START SEEING MORE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BY HAVING LIMITED APPLICATIONS OR LIMITING THE NOMINATION? DOES IT CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY OF YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS PERSON THAT MAY HAVE HELPED ME.

I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO NOMINATE THIS PERSON.

WE VOTE FOR MY CANDIDATE THIS TIME AROUND.

ARE WE GOING TO VOTE FOR YOURS NEXT TIME AROUND OR TRAITS THAT SYSTEM OF KIND OF RUBBER STAMPING, SWAPPING VOTES FOR CANDIDATES? BUT THEN ALSO WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS INSTANCE WHERE WE HAVE AN OPENING FOR DISTRICT ONE AND IT'S THEIR CHANCE TO NOMINATE AND THOSE PEOPLE MAY MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE WITH THE RANKING? I THINK WE CAN IMPROVE ON THAT SYSTEM.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I DON'T KNOW IF LET'S SAY WE HAVE 10 PEOPLE APPLY.

AND WHEN I RANK MY PEOPLE, DID WE FIX THAT ISSUE TO WHERE IF I GIVE SOMEBODY A 10, DOES THAT JUST TAKE THEIR OVERALL RANKING TO WHERE THEY DON'T GET INTO THE NOMINATION? OR IS THERE A WAY WE CAN MAYBE CAP THAT TO WHERE YOUR NUMBER IS NO LOWER THAN THREE OR FOUR AND ALMOST TALLY IT LIKE A GOLF SCORE.

AND THEN ANOTHER ISSUE I HAVE WITH IT IS WITH THE RANKING IS I'D REALLY KIND OF ALMOST LIKE FOR US TO DO IT IN OPEN WHEN WE EMAIL OUR RANKINGS TO JANELLE AND KIND OF GIVE OUR REASONINGS IF WE'RE DOING THAT.

SO, I MEAN, IF YOU INCLUDE THE COMMUNICATION OF THE RANKING, ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF COMBINING BOTH INTO A SYSTEM WHERE IT'S OPEN, EFFICIENT AND FAIR, SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU WILLIAM, JOHN.

I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, READING BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS, IT'S A LITTLE IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO FOLLOW WITHOUT THE OTHER

[01:45:02]

AND WHEN MARIE WAS GIVING HER TALK ON EACH ONE OF THESE, SHE SAID REMOVE THE RANKING SYSTEMS BUT THE RANKING SYSTEMS IN BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT COMES DOWN TO THE RANKING SYSTEMS AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THEY START TO ALTER THE SYSTEM.

AND SO COULD SOMEONE GIVE ME A SHORT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE DIFFER? ONCE THAT IS, WHAT'S THE RANKING SYSTEM IS TURNED BACK IN? WELL, I'LL GIVE MY INPUT ON THAT, JOHN, BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

I HAD TO REREAD THROUGH THESE TO OF GET THAT CLEAR IN MY MIND.

BUT WE WILL RANK ON BOTH OF THESE APPROACHES THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.

WE WILL RANK THESE CANDIDATES ON BOTH APPROACHES SPEAKERS] ON THE DISTRICT APPROACH, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS BEFORE US HERE ON THE DISTRICT NOMINATION APPROACH THAT COUNCILWOMAN ROBB HAS KIND OF BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION HERE YOU WILL, OF THE DISTRICT HAS THE FIRST NOMINATION.

AND IF THAT IS NOT APPROVED, THEN YOU GO TO THE RANKING SYSTEM FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.

NOW, THAT'S THE WAY I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS YOUR INTENT, THAT THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION.

AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T PICK THAT UP THERE AND WE WOULD STILL DO INTERVIEWS AND IT WOULD JUST BE DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS.

THERE WOULDN'T BE A RANKING SYSTEM.

IT WOULD YOU KNOW, I LIKEN IT TO THE AIRPORT APPOINTMENT WHEN AT THE LAST MEETING, JOHN PAUL HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE.

IT WAS HIS SORRY, MY PHONE KEEPS RINGING.

IT WAS HE NOMINATED A PERSON.

THAT PERSON MAY OR MAY NOT BE FROM HIS DISTRICT.

AND ACTUALLY, I THINK IT WASN'T FROM HIS DISTRICT.

BUT IT WAS THE PERSON HE THOUGHT WAS BEST SUITED FOR THAT, SO WAS JOHN PAUL.

YOU HAVE A NOMINATION.

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUT IN THAT POSITION? AND HE NOMINATED THE PERSON FOR THAT POSITION.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, IS TAKING THESE BOARDS BACK TO THE WAY WE USED TO, A POINT WHERE EACH DISTRICT GOT TO NOMINATE A PERSON.

AND IT MAY BE THAT THEIR FIRST NOMINATION DOESN'T MAKE IT SO THEY CAN GO TO A SECOND PERSON OR MAY BE IN A DISTRICT THAT NO ONE PUTS IN A APPLICATION THEY CAN CHOOSE.

BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT REMOVING THE RANKINGS.

SO, I MEAN, AS I READ THIS, THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S WRITTEN EITHER.

BOTH OF THESE HAVE A RANKING SYSTEM IN THERE.

AND THEN, MARIE, IT SOUNDS LIKE I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE READING THIS AT THE IF YOUR POSITION IS UP FOR APPOINTMENT, THEN YOU WOULD NOMINATE SOMEONE YOU WOULD HAVE.

JOHN, WE KIND OF LOST BECAUSE YOU'RE FROZEN THERE FOR A SECOND, STILL ARE.

WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR JOHN'S SCREEN TO COME BACK UP, DAVID, YOU HAD A COMMENT.

HOPEFULLY THIS INTERNET CONNECTION IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME TO GET THROUGH THIS.

SO THE WAY I READ THIS NOW WE NOMINATE I MEAN, WE HAVE RANKINGS.

THE PERSON, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, WHOSE DISTRICT OR POSITION IS UP FOR NOMINATION.

THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND AGAIN, SORRY, JOHN, WE FROZE AGAIN THERE.

MAYBE IF EVERYBODY MUTES YOU MIGHT UNFREEZE.

DAVID, LET'S GO AHEAD AND COME ON, JOHN.

YOU CAN DO IT.

SO THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHOSE POSITION IS UP FOR APPOINTMENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOMINATE THEIR CHOICE.

IF THAT PERSON DOES NOT GET FOUR VOTES, THEN DOES DO WE CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD OF THAT

[01:50:01]

YOUR SECOND THOUGHT IS WAS IN THE ORDINANCE HERE.

NOW, MARIE SAYS THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE INTENDED.

SO MARIE GO AHEAD RIGHT AHEAD.

WELL, I COULD THE PERSON COULD COME UP WITH THE SECOND.

AND IF THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, I APOLOGIZE.

I DIDN'T PICK THAT UP TO HAVE THE RANKING SYSTEM, WE COULD HAVE THE RANKING SYSTEM IN PLACE.

BUT I GUESS WHAT MY MAIN PURPOSE OF BRINGING THIS UP WAS TO GO BACK TO THE DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS.

AND AGAIN, THE RANKING SYSTEM CREATES WHERE A SYSTEM WHERE IT MAY NOT BE THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON FOR THE POSITION, BUT IT TAKES AWAY ANY ABILITY FOR THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO BE DOING, I MEAN, WHAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANT.

I JUST THINK IT MAKES FOR A MORE EQUAL PLATFORM WHETHER WE HAVE THE RANKING SYSTEM IN IT OR NOT, BECAUSE, YES, THE PERSON COULD GO TO THE THIRD PERSON ON THE RANKING.

BUT MY INTENTION WAS TO TAKE THE RANKING OUT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE EQUALITY ACROSS THE BOARD ENDS, BECAUSE I THINK IT MAKES FOR STACKING OF BOARDS.

OK, WE'VE HAD THIS ON OUR AGENDA.

WE CAN DISCUSS IT MORE LET'S KIND OF WRAP THIS UP DAVID.

YEAH, I'LL BE QUICK.

I WANTED TO ADDRESS WILLIAMS POINT ABOUT THE ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THE RANKING SYSTEM WAS SET UP FIRST TIME AROUND WAS THAT YOU COULD BY NOT RANKING EVERYBODY.

YOU COULD YOU COULD GAME THE SYSTEM AND CHANGE THE ORDER OF RANKING.

BUT JANELLE AND I HAVE WORKED OUT A WHAT'S CALLED AN INSTANT RUNOFF SYSTEM WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY COUNTING VOTES BY POSITION THAT ELIMINATES THAT PROBLEM.

SECONDLY, THESE ARE PUBLIC RECORD.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS YOUR CONCERN, WILLIAM.

BUT ONCE THESE RANKINGS WERE MADE AND JANELLE HAS THEM THEY ARE PUBLIC RECORD CAN BE CAN BE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK SHE POSTED THEM LAST TIME AROUND.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT QUALIFICATIONS, WHAT QUALIFIES SOMEBODY FOR A BOARD AS A RULE IS THE WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.

YOU CAN SAY MY CANDIDATES MORE QUALIFIED THAN YOUR CANDIDATE BECAUSE MY CANDIDATE DID THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER.

BUT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE BOARDS, IT'S THE WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.

YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON THEM TODAY.

YOU COULDN'T SAY, WELL, HE'S QUALIFIED BECAUSE HE DID THAT OR SHE'S QUALIFIED BECAUSE SHE DID THAT.

MOST OF THE TIME, PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO STEP UP ARE THE PEOPLE WE WANT TO WORK WITH.

IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO THE WORK.

THAT'S THE MAJOR QUALIFICATION.

I THINK DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS JUST CREATES A PATRONAGE SYSTEM THAT I THINK THE RANKING SYSTEM HAS IS PRETTY WELL PUT TO BED.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

THERE'S ONE MORE COMMENT ON TO WHAT DAVID JUST SAID.

WELL MARIE, WE HAVE WILLIAM HAD HIS HAND UP TO REALLY GET THROUGH HIS THOUGHTS.

WILLIAM, GO RIGHT AHEAD.

THANKS, DAVE.

I APPRECIATE YOU CLEARING THAT UP.

I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THOSE RANKINGS WERE OPEN AND GETTING SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT THEY WERE.

SO I DO LIKE THAT NOW, KIND OF WRAPPING UP MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON IT, YOU KNOW? YES, DISTRICTS, WE CAN NOMINATE OUR CANDIDATES, BUT DOES IT CREATE THE SITUATION ALSO THE BEING A LITTLE MORE DISTRICT CENTRIC JUST BASED ON WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD VERSUS ISLAND [INAUDIBLE] AS FAR HOW YOU'RE ADVANCING OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE? SO FOR ME, IF YOU'RE FOR DOING RANKING AND YOU'VE GOT A CANDIDATE WHO YOU THINK IS THE MOST QUALIFIED, LET IT BE KNOWN.

THIS PERSON IS THE MOST QUALIFIED THIS IS WHO I WANT.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT KIND OF GETS AWAY FROM.

I THINK THE MORE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF GOING BACK TO DISTRICT NOMINATED CHOICES.

THAT'S JUST MY OPINION ON THIS STUFF.

MARIE WE'VE GOT JUST A SHORT TIME HERE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PLEASE.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.

IF YOU GO THROUGH THE HISTORY OF APPOINTMENTS AND YOU LOOK AT THE THREE MAIN BOARDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHEN IT WAS DONE BY DISTRICT APPOINTMENT, WE HAD A MORE FAIR AND EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION OF THE STUDY BY THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE USING NOW, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT RANKING.

WE HAVE A LESS EQUITABLE POSITION IN THOSE THREE MAJOR BOARDS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WORKED WELL.

DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT RANKING.

IT WORKS WELL FOR SINCE WE HAD THIS ORDINANCE IN PLACE, 30, 40, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS.

AND SINCE WE PUT THE CURRENT SITUATION IN PLACE, WE HAVE LOST THE EQUALITY.

[01:55:03]

AND I THINK BY PUTTING IN THE WAY WE'RE DOING THE APPOINTMENTS NOW, IT DOES NOT BEST SERVE OUR CITY.

OK, WE HAVE TO TWO CHOICES AVAILABLE TO US.

WE'LL DECIDE ON THOSE OR NOT.

AND ON THE AFTERNOON, JUST A COMMENT.

COUNCILMAN, QUIROGA YOU MAY FEEL THESE ARE POLITICAL.

I KNOW MY CHOICES ARE NOT, BUT THAT'S I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN FEELING ON THAT.

SO WE'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD SINCE YOU [INAUDIBLE] EXACTLY WHAT MARIE SAY IS MORE BENEFICIAL FOR EACH DISTRICT, IF WE GO WITH THIS RANKING SYSTEM, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW ARE GOING TO IT'S ALREADY SET IN STONE.

SO LET'S NOT KID OURSELVES.

YOU NEED THE FOUR VOTES.

AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IF YOU WANT YOUR CANDIDATE IN THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOING AROUND TRYING TO GO AHEAD AND SOLICIT FOR THAT CANDIDATE.

SO LET'S NOT BE POLITICAL AND CALL A SPADE A SPADE.

SO THE ONLY FAIR AND EQUITABLE WAY TO DO IT IS EXACTLY WHAT MS. ROBB SAID.

HER DISTRICT.

IF WE HAVE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO APPLY IN MY DISTRICT, THEN SO BE IT.

LET US RANK IT THAT WAY.

OK, VERY GOOD.

THANKS, BILL.

WE'LL DISCUSS THIS FURTHER THIS AFTERNOON.

MOVING TO ITEM THREE D.

[3D. Discussion Of Golf Carts, Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, And Off Highway Vehicles (Legal - 15 Minutes)]

THREE D DISCUSSION OF GOLF CARTS, NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLES.

WELL, WE'VE GOT THROUGH SOME WEIGHTY SUBJECTS AND NOW WE'RE ON SOME LIGHTER SUBJECTS HERE.

SO VERY GOOD.

I WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE OPEN THIS UP TO DISCUSS AND DON IS GOING TO PRESENT THIS TO US.

I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT SHE MENTIONED SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE ARE NOT VOTING ON THIS ITEM TODAY THE PUBLIC PROBABLY REALIZES THAT EACH ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS WITH GROUPS, RENTAL GROUPS, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, INDIVIDUALS CONCERNING THIS SUBJECT.

THIS HAS BEEN A SUBJECT THAT WE'VE HAD AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS OUR RESIDENTS.

SO WE HAVE HAD GOOD INPUT ON THIS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS MORE NOW AND SEE HOW WE EVENTUALLY WANT TO HEAD WITH THIS ORDINANCE DON.

GO RIGHT AHEAD.

AND I HOPE BUTCH IS ON TO JOIN ME.

HOW DO YOU WRAP YOUR HANDS AROUND A TOPIC LIKE A GOLF CART? I WILL TRY.

WE HAVE HEARD THE COMMENTS OF COUNCIL AT THE LAST MEETING, AND IT IS OUR INTERPRETATION OF THOSE COMMENTS THAT GOLF CARTS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED IN A WITH A VIEW TOWARDS ENHANCING THE SAFETY OF THE USE OF THOSE THINGS AND APPLYING THOSE SAFETY MEASURES.

UNIFORMLY AS A RESULT, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT DOES A NUMBER OF THINGS.

LET ME HASTEN TO ADD, IT DOES NOT PROHIBIT A NEW USE ON THE SEAWALL.

UNDER THE ORDINANCE, YOU CAN OPERATE YOUR GOLF CART ON THE SEA WALL EAST OF 61ST STREET, WEST OF 61ST STREET, AND AS A STATE HIGHWAY.

AND YOU CANNOT OPERATE A GOLF CART ON A STATE HIGHWAY.

THE PRESENT ORDINANCES PROHIBIT OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS ON A NUMBER OF STREETS, MOST NOTABLY AVENUE O AND P.

T HE PRESENT, PROHIBITIONS ARE RETAINED IN THIS ORDINANCE AND THEREFORE THIS IS NO CHANGE.

I THINK MOST PROMINENT IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE REQUIRING A REGISTRATION OF GOLF CARTS THROUGH THE TAX OFFICE THAT IS DONE IN FURTHERANCE OF AN INSPECTION SYSTEM THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE THINGS LIKE THE AVAILABILITY OF SEATBELTS, LIGHTS,

[02:00:05]

WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THAT THEY BE INSPECTED, WHICH CAN SPEAK MORE TO THAT.

HE HAS A NUMBER OF PLACES THAT WILL INSPECT GOLF CARTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMPLIANT WITH OUR REQUIREMENTS.

I BELIEVE THIS ORDINANCE IMPOSES A LIMIT OF AN INSPECTION FEE OF TEN DOLLARS, BUT I SUSPECT A SMART INSPECTION PLACE WOULD JUST DO IT FOR FREE BECAUSE IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN AND THAT'S HOW MUCH BUSINESS IS GENERATED.

WE INCORPORATE SOME ITEMS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

STATE LAW PROHIBITS THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS AT NIGHT.

STATE LAW PROHIBITS THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS MORE THAN TWO MILES AWAY FROM THE LOCATION WHERE THEY'RE NORMALLY PARKED OVERNIGHT.

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE CITY OF GALVESTON HAS NEVER ENFORCED THAT ASPECT OF STATE LAW.

WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO INCORPORATE IT IN INTO THIS ORDINANCE.

BUT THE OPERATION AT NIGHT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE.

WE FELT THAT HAD BEEN INVOKED BY THE COUNCIL AND THEREFORE IT IS INCLUDED IN THIS ORDINANCE.

ALSO IS THE I THINK, IN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS RELATED TO OPERATION ON THE SEAWALL.

WE HAVE PROVIDED THAT GOLF CARTS WOULD NOT BE OPERATED IN THE LEFT HAND LANE OF A MULTI-LANE STREET, BUT INSTEAD THEY HAVE TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT.

GOLF CARTS ARE A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE AND AS A RESULT, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DISPLAY THE ORANGE TRIANGLE THAT YOU SEE ON HOPEFULLY ON ALL OF THEM.

SLOW MOVING VEHICLES ARE REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE WHILE OPERATING ON A STREET.

BUTCH HAVE I HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS, YOU THINK OF LOOKING AT ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I WANT TO REITERATE IS THE PURPOSE OF THE INSPECTION.

WHAT WE FOUND IS THE HONOR SYSTEM IN YEARS PAST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT'S REQUIRED IN THAT ORDINANCE.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE FINDING THAT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE AND THEY'RE NOT INSTALLING THE EQUIPMENT PROPERLY.

WE'RE FINDING SEAT BELTS IF THEY ARE INSTALLED, INSTALLED WITH A SHEETROCK SCREW OR PART OF A SILVER INSTRUMENT OF FIBERGLASS MODEL, WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO HOLD IT ANY TYPE OF AN IMPACT, WHETHER THEY HAVE THE POWER OF FREEDOM OVER THE ARM OR WHATEVER ELSE.

AND SO IF IT'S THERE, IT'S NOT AT ALL.

CONDITIONS OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS INSPECTION IS TO GET EVERYTHING IN UNIFORM AND MAKE SURE AT LEAST IT'S ALL WORKING AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, JUST LIKE YOUR CAR DRIVING ON THE STREET AND HAVING A UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND IS A SAFETY ISSUE JUST AS DANGEROUS ON ONE END OF THE ISLAND IS THE OTHER END OF THE ISLAND FROM THE INSPECTION OFFICE WOULD BE THERE.

WE GOT ALL OF THE GOLF CART REPAIR FACILITIES ON THE ISLAND.

THEY'RE ALL ON BOARD AND THEY'RE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.

AND WE EVEN HAVE MOBILE MECHANICS WITHIN THE CITY.

SO THESE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A TRAILER OR THEY CAN'T GET IT TO A REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE IT'S NOT RUNNING OR WHATEVER.

WE HAVE MOBILE MECHANICS THAT CAN COME TO THEIR FACILITY OR THE HOUSE AND PERFORM THE REPAIRS OR INSPECTIONS THERE SO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT ANYWHERE.

THE STATE DOES REQUIRE A NEW LICENSE PLATE WE'RE REQUIRING IT AS WELL THAT WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE PARKING BECAUSE OUR AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS ON OUR VEHICLE WILL READ THAT LICENSE PLATE RATHER THAN HAVING TO STOP AND READ THE PERMIT.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A HELP FOR US ENFORCING PARKING WHENEVER THEY'RE ON THE SEAWALL [INAUDIBLE].

IN PERUSING THE ORDINANCE I ALSO NOTICED THAT WE INCLUDED SOMETHING THAT WAS

[02:05:06]

WHILE IN USE AND THE NOTICE THAT IT'S TO OPERATE ONLY IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE OF [INAUDIBLE] LANE STREET.

ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

WE HAVE COUNCILMAN COLLINS FIRST AND THEN COUNCILMAN QUIROGA, DAVID AND THEN JOHN PAUL.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE LAST POINT DON JUST MADE APPLIES TO RENTALS.

NOT EVERYONE, AM I CORRECT? MY PERSONAL GOLF CART DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE A PLAQUE TELLING ME WHAT STREETS I CAN OPERATE ON.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S THE RENTAL UNITS.

THAT WAS THE ISSUE OF CONCERN.

RIGHT.

SOMETHING I WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE ALL GOTTEN A THOUSAND EMAILS, PUSHBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS, OPERATING IT ON A STATE HIGHWAY, REQUIRING A LICENSE PLATE, NOT OPERATING YOUR GOLF CART AT NIGHT AND STAYING IN THE RIGHT LANE.

THESE ARE ALL ELEMENTS ALREADY IN STATE LAW.

WE'RE NOT CREATING NEW LAW HERE.

WE'RE SIMPLY INCORPORATING THESE THINGS INTO OUR ORDINANCE.

WE DIDN'T JUST OVERNIGHT DECIDE TO RESTRICT GOLF CART USAGE AT NIGHT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A PROBLEM LIKE DOWNTOWN IN SLOW ENVIRONMENTS OR ON WEST END WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS USING THEM.

I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ISSUE, BUT THE POINT IS, IT'S THE STATE LAW, YOU DON'T LIKE IT.

GO TALK TO THE LEGISLATURE WHEN IT COMES TO REGISTRATION, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AT SOME POINT.

I DON'T CARE IF WE CHARGE RESIDENTS FOR REGISTRATION OR NOT.

I WANT TO I THINK WE NEED TO BE FUNDING ENFORCEMENT WITH CHARGING FEES ON THE RENTAL CARTS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.

AND I THINK IF WE CAN SOLVE THE ENTIRE PROBLEM, IF WE MOVE THEM TO THE RIGHT LANE ON THE SEAWALL AND WE ENFORCE SEATBELTS, KIDS DRIVING AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE HIGHWAYS, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE GET TO 61ST STREET, THEY TURN DOWN 61ST SO THEY GO RIGHT ON OUT TO SEA WALL.

THAT'S BEEN A PROBLEM.

BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS GENERATED.

THE THE THE COMMENTARY AS HAVING GOLF CARTS ON THE SEAWALL IN THE LEFT LANE, SLOWING UP TRAFFIC, MOVE THEM TO THE RIGHT LANE, HALF YOUR PROBLEM GOES AWAY.

AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO OPERATE AS FAR AS SAFETY AND INSPECTION AND THAT SORT OF THING GOES, IF YOU'RE GOING TO OPERATE A VEHICLE ON THE STREET SAFETY REQUIREMENTS ARE JUST IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY OUGHT TO BE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT EITHER.

EVEN THOUGH I DON'T SEE THIS AS A COMPLEX ISSUE, THERE'S JUST BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF CONVERSATION IN THE PUBLIC THAT'S CONFUSED THIS.

IF PEOPLE WOULD READ THE STATE LAW, WE PUBLISHED THE STATE LAW AND LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LAW IS ON THIS, I THINK WE COULD CURE A LOT OF THIS ISSUE.

THAT'S MY COMMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, DAVID.

COUNCILMAN QUIROGA.

I THINK WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.

I VISITED MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT RENT THESE VEHICLES AND THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE.

SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE PICKING ON THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THIS THING.

I'M PRO BUSINESS.

I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN WE'RE TURNING AROUND AND CHARGING THESE GUYS TWO HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS AND WE'RE CHARGING RESIDENTIAL PEOPLE ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEN WE DROP IT DOWN TO FIFTY DOLLARS I DON'T DRIVE ON THE WEEKEND ON THE BOULEVARD BECAUSE I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE, SO I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF TOURISM, TOURISM HERE, I GO OFF THE STREET.

MANY OF THE VIOLATIONS I SEE ARE NOT THE OWNERS OF THESE BUSINESSES, BUT THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES, YOUNG KIDS TURNING MAKING U TURNS GOING DOWN AVENUE O GOING DOWN THE AVENUE P.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THAT.

SO I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF CHARGING A BUSINESS ALL THIS MONEY THERE ARE THERE TO MAKE MONEY.

THEY'RE ALSO PROVIDING SERVICES.

THEY'RE ALSO ARE GIVING JOBS TO PEOPLE THAT NEED THESE JOBS, WHETHER IT'S PART TIME, FULL TIME.

THAT'S UP TO THEM.

NOW AS FAR AS THE TEN DOLLAR FEE, WHERE IS THE GOVERNMENT COMING AROUND AND TELLING BUSINESSES THAT YOU CAN ONLY CHARGE TEN DOLLARS? I DON'T LIKE GOVERNMENT INTERFERING WITH BUSINESS.

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S TEN DOLLARS OR FIVE DOLLARS.

YOU CANNOT TELL A BUSINESS WHAT THEY CAN CHARGE TO DO AN INSPECTION.

IF YOU EVER OWN A BUSINESS, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GOT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT BILLS TO PAY, INSURANCES FOR YOUR OWN COMPANY.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

YOU'RE LOOKING I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT THIS.

SO I DISAGREE WITH THAT.

AND THEN IF THE OPERATION AT NIGHT IS STATE LAW, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

[02:10:04]

BUT WE NEED THE IF WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE THESE PEOPLE, WE NEED TO BE FAIR.

ACROSS THE BOARD.

YOU'VE GOT FOUR THOUSAND IN A RESIDENTIAL AND YOU'VE GOT FOUR HUNDRED, I THINK, AND IT WAS FORTY THAT ARE BUSINESSES.

AND WE SHOULDN'T PLACE ALL THE EMPHASIS ON BUSINESS.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, LAST CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE LATE ENTREPRENEUR MR. GEORGE [INAUDIBLE] WAS CORRECT.

IF YOU CAN BE YOU CAN HAVE A BUSINESS IN GALVESTON, YOU CAN MAKE IT ANYWHERE IN THE STATE.

SO THAT'S MY POINT.

WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE BUSINESS.

WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND AS FAR AS FEES.

WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND CHARGE IT STRAIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD AND NOT PUT ALL THE BURDEN ON THE BUSINESS BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT SOMEBODY WENT IN THERE AND DROPPED THE SPEED LIMIT, FOR WHATEVER REASON.

AND NOW THEY ARE SPENDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GO AHEAD AND BUY THE EQUIPMENT THAT THE LAST COUNCIL, I GUESS, OPENED UP A PANDORA'S BOX.

THAT'S MY COMMENTS.

WE THANK YOU, WE HAVE COUNCILMAN LISTOWSKI.

AND THEN COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILWOMAN ROBB.

OK, LET'S SEE IF MY CONNECTION WORKS BETTER THIS TIME.

I'M ROOTING, FOR YOU JOHN PAUL, I'M TRYING HERE THE YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY I MEAN, THE THING I HEAR THE MAJORITY OF, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR RESIDENTS, IS A NIGHT LIMITING THE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE DIDN'T ENFORCE THAT BEFORE, I WOULD I WOULD SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T ENFORCE IT AGAIN AND ELIMINATE IT FROM THIS ORDINANCE IF THE REQUIRING THE STATE REQUIRES HEADLAMPS AND TAIL LIGHTS.

I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULD NEED THOSE ON THE GOLF CART IF WE'RE NOT OPERATING IT AT NIGHT.

AND THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SEE ON THAT PLAQUE IS THAT THE FINE THAT IF YOU DO NOT OBEY THOSE RULES, YOU WILL BE FINED UP TO FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I THINK THAT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS THAT I'M SEEING IS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTING THESE CARTS AND THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES.

I THINK THE PLAQUE ON THE CART IS A GREAT THING, BUT WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE THAT IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THE RULES, YOU WILL BE TICKETED AND IT WILL COST YOU MONEY.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT ON THE PLAQUE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO AT LEAST TWO OF THESE OPERATORS THAT ARE RENTING CARTS AND THEY DON'T MIND PAYING THE REGISTRATION FEE.

THEY WANT EVERYBODY TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE RUNNING THESE OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE.

AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE ONES THAT DO FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS AND WANT TO MAKE IT SAFE AND WANT TO CONTINUE BUSINESS TO HAVE THESE KIND OF ROGUE RENTAL COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE REGULATIONS.

AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GIVING THE INDUSTRY A BAD REPUTATION.

SO KNOW, TALKING TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM, THEY'RE OK WITH THESE FEES AND THEY WANT TO SEE EQUAL AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD OUT THERE.

AND THEY THINK THAT THE REGISTRATION FEES WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND IT WILL MAKE THE INDUSTRY A SAFER INDUSTRY OVERALL.

SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE REGISTRATION FEES.

I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.

THANK YOU JOHN COUNCILMAN.

SCHUSTER.

EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN ROBB, I'M SORRY, WILLIAM, THEN THEN YOURSELF, GO RIGHT AHEAD MARIE.

WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, I ECHO WHAT JOHN PAUL JUST SAID, ESPECIALLY THE COMMENT THAT WE'RE REQUIRING PEOPLE TO HAVE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS AND BUT THEY CAN'T DRIVE THEIR CART AT NIGHT.

WHAT WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THEM? BUT I THINK I'M THE ONE WHO OPENED THIS CAN OF WORMS BECAUSE I BELIEVE AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE GOLF CARTS ON THE SEA WALL.

WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS ORDINANCE IS WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH RENTAL GOLF CARTS AND NOW WE'RE PUNISHING OUR CITIZENS FOR AN ISSUE THAT EXISTS WITH RENTALS.

SO, AGAIN, THE TOURISTS IS THE PRIORITY.

FIRST IS OUR RESIDENTS.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STATE LAW AND I THINK IT'S FIVE FIVE ONE DASH THREE OR FIVE FIVE ONE DASH, WHAT YOU READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE, AS I DID IT SAYS ON THINGS LIKE LICENSE PLATES IT SAYS A CITY OR COUNTY MAY REQUIRE A LICENSE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF MAYS IN THERE VERSUS SHALLS.

[02:15:02]

AND I AGREE WITH WHAT JOHN PAUL SAID ABOUT PEOPLE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

I MEAN, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT.

[INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE THE WEST END RESTAURANT AND MARINA AND PEOPLE MIGHT DRIVE THEIR CART DOWN THERE AT NIGHT.

AND IT'S NOT PRESENTING AN ISSUE.

THEY'RE NOT THE ONES THAT WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH.

IT'S ACTUALLY A MORE CONVENIENT WAY OF TRAVELING.

I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT I THINK IT'S HAVING A FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR FINE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS BREAKING THE LAW.

AND I'LL USE A PERFECT EXAMPLE, RIDING A GOLF CART ON THE BEACH, THAT IS.

AND MOST TIMES THE RENTAL GOLF CARTS, I MYSELF, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF MY CONSTITUENTS, HAVE CALLED THE POLICE OUT ONE YOU KNOW, I LOVE OUR POLICE.

BUT WE IF WE TAKE UP ALL OUR TIME WITH THESE TRIVIAL THINGS, IT'S TAKING THEM OFF THE STREET AND ACTUALLY PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS.

BUT I HAVE SEEN POLICE GO OUT.

THEY TELL THE RENTAL GOLF CART PERSON TO TAKE THE GOLF CART OFF THE BEACH AND THEY'RE GIVEN A WARNING.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT PERSON AGAINST THE WARNING? THEY HIT SOCIAL MEDIA SAY, HEY, IF YOU'RE RENTING A GOLF CART, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DO SOMETHING THAT'S ILLEGAL, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A TICKET ANYWAY? I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH FINING THESE OFFENDERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S CREATED THIS WHOLE ISSUE TO BEGIN WITH.

I DON'T THINK PERSONALLY THAT JUST ALLOWING THE GOLF CARTS TO BE ON THE RIGHT LANE IS GOING TO STOP THE ISSUE OF A LACK OF CAR SEATS, BABY CAR SEATS.

I HAVE SEEN I DON'T KNOW WHY WHEN PEOPLE RENTING GOLF CARTS, THEY THINK THE MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE TO PUT THE CHILDREN IN IS IN THE BACK OF THE CART.

THAT IS SO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

I WOULD LIKE US IN THIS AUDIENCE TO HAVE A DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN COMMERCIAL GOLF CARTS AND RESIDENTIAL GOLF CARTS BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CLEAR INTERPRETATION OF THE STATE LAW BECAUSE, AS I SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF MAYS, NOT SHALLS.

THANK YOU, MARIE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO WRAP THIS UP HERE.

WILLIAM, YOU HAVE A COMMENT THAT I'LL SAY A FEW WORDS AND WE'LL MOVE RIGHT ON.

GO RIGHT AHEAD.

YEAH.

FOR FOR ME, THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I'M HEARING A LOT FROM THE EMAILS, THE ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE FURTHEST OUT OF OUR HANDS AND THAT'S THE CURFEW ISSUE.

BUT ME PERSONALLY, THE CURFEW, FINDING THAT OUT, IT DOES CHANGE A LOT OF MY IDEAS ON THE OVERALL APPROACH TO GOLF CARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP, BECAUSE YOU KNOW A RENTAL CAR, IF I RENT MINE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TO A TOURIST, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT.

BE DRIVING AT NIGHT TIME, BUT REALLY MOST SHOPS ARE GOING TO CLOSE AT WHATEVER HOUR AND OPEN UP AT A REASONABLE HOUR IN THE MORNING.

SO IT'S MOSTLY RESIDENTS BESIDES THE MULTIDAY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

AND I'M REALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO TELLING KELLY IN NOVEMBER THAT WE CAN'T GO TAKE A CRUISE, YOU KNOW, AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK WHEN IT GETS DARK.

SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, IT FEELS LIKE THE RESIDENT IS GETTING PUNISHED ON THE CURFEW MORE THAN SO.

SO IT DOES SEEM TO ME LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING FEES.

I GET IT FOR THE RESIDENT.

I'M COOL WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENTIATING THE COMMERCIAL AND THE RESIDENT.

BUT IF I CAN'T DRIVE ON AT NIGHT, I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY RATE GO DOUBLE OVERNIGHT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL THAT NIGHT TIME ISSUE GOT BROUGHT IN.

SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON IT.

WILLIAM, I APPRECIATE IT, I'LL WIND THIS UP WITH THE EXPONENTIAL RISE OF GOLF CARTS ON OUR ISLAND.

I THINK HAVING A GOLF CART ORDINANCE AND RELOOKING AT THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENRY.

I WANT TO APPLAUD, APPLAUD STAFF.

THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO US TO SERVE AS A PRELIMINARY DRAFT.

PERSONALLY, I THINK GOLF CARTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FUNCTION AT NIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW, DON, HOW WE ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND AS OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER STAFF AS WE LOOK AT THAT VERY

[02:20:02]

SECOND OF ALL, THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT THE SEATING IN THE ORDINANCE.

IT SAYS, I THINK SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF WOULD ONLY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE MANUFACTURERS ALLOWED SEATING.

I DO KNOW THAT THESE BACK SEATS ARE ADDITIONAL SEATS ON THAT.

I WOULD RECOMMEND JUST ME MAYBE LOOKING AT THAT IN THE WORDING OF THAT SO THAT WE WOULD BE A LITTLE CLEARER ON THAT.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, I THINK THE ORDINANCE IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE'LL LET STAFF WORK ON THIS AND THEN BRING BACK TO US ANOTHER ORDINANCE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT.

WE MAY HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP ON THIS ALSO.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL APPRECIATE IT.

[3E. Discussion Of An Annual Registration Fee And Other Related Topics For Short Term Rentals (B. Maxwell - 30 Minutes)]

DISCUSSION OF AN ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE AND OTHER RELATED TOPICS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.

AND BRIAN, I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO YOU IF YOU COULD.

THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A WORK IN PROGRESS.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SEVERAL OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMPANIES HERE IN GALVESTON ON THIS.

WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT A WHOLE LOT CLOSER THAN WE WERE WHEN WE PREVIOUS MET.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY BROUGHT FORWARD IS THEY WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SERVICES THAT WOULD HELP STEM SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET REGARDING SHORT TERM RENTALS AND TO HELP ENFORCE SOME CITY ORDINANCES AS THEY SURROUND SHORT TERM RENTALS.

THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY A REGISTRATION FEE AS PART OF THAT TO COVER THAT.

WE HAVEN'T DETERMINED WHAT THAT FEE WOULD BE BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THEM TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, WHAT SERVICES THEY WANT AND AND WHAT ELSE THEY WOULD LIKE US TO PROVIDE.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE LOCAL GROUPS THAT MANAGE THE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS.

THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY DO RENT HOMES.

AND IT'S APPARENT TO ME THAT THEY WANT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS.

THEY'RE WILLING TO INSTITUTE A FEE.

SO WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY HAPPEN IS ONCE WE GET ALL THIS AGREED TO WITH THEM AS TO EXACTLY NOT AGREED TO THAT THEY WON'T GET TO AGREE ON THE FEE, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US WHAT SERVICES THEY WANT.

WE'LL PROVIDE A BUDGET AND A BUSINESS PLAN THAT SUITS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THIS IN A WAY WHERE THE CITIZENS DON'T PAY FOR IT.

THERE'S A LOT OF A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS.

FIFTY THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THIS ISLAND THAT DON'T HAVE OR OPERATE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE TAXED TO PAY FOR ENFORCEMENT ON SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMPANIES COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BACK INTO THAT.

AND I THINK THAT WE'LL END UP WITH A GOOD PLAN.

WE'RE WORKING ON THEM.

I KNOW THEY'VE REACHED OUT TO BOTH THE PARK BOARD AND MYSELF TO WORK FURTHER ON THE ORDINANCE.

WE'LL BE GETTING WITH THEM HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK.

AND HOPEFULLY BY JUNE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING FORTH SOME SOME DRAFT LANGUAGE FOR YOU GUYS TO TALK ABOUT.

THANK YOU, BRIAN.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE.

I DON'T WANT TO HURRY THIS ALONG, BUT I THINK THIS IS PART AND PARCEL OF HOW WE WILL APPROACH THE VCAS AND THINGS THAT KIND OF GOES TOGETHER HAND IN GLOVE.

SO IF WE COULD HAVE THAT AT OUR JUNE MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

SURE, SURE.

LET'S GET QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

MARIE WE'LL START WITH YOU.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT VERSUS A QUESTION.

AND I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP IN A NUMBER OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.

AND I HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS LATELY, IT SEEMS EVERY WEEKEND AND SOME DURING THE WEEKS.

BUT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE VERY INVOLVED.

AND I KNOW WHAT I THINK THE RENTAL THE REGISTRATION FEE NEEDS TO BE STEEP ENOUGH THAT IT PUTS THE OWNERSHIP ON THE RENTAL COMPANY.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE QUALIFY IT BY BEDROOMS OR BECAUSE IT I KNOW A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY QUALIFIES THE NUMBER OF RENTALS, BY BEDROOMS. SO IT MAY BE SOMETHING.

THREE BEDROOMS OR LESS IT'S A FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR ANNUAL FEE, OVER FOUR BEDROOMS OR [INAUDIBLE] ITS A THOUSAND DOLLAR FEE, AND I KNOW THAT SOUNDS EXTREMELY STEEP, BUT I'LL REFERENCE A COUPLE EXAMPLES.

A FRIEND OF MINE COMING DOWN, AND I THINK IT'S JULY AND THEY'RE RENTING A HOUSE FOR THEIR WHOLE FAMILY IN [INAUDIBLE] BEACH.

THERE ARE TEN DAYS.

THEY'RE PAYING SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.

WELL, THAT'S A PROPERTY THAT COULD OBVIOUSLY AFFORD A THOUSAND DOLLAR RENTAL FEE.

[02:25:03]

AND IF THEY'RE PAYING FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR, THAT'S EXACTLY FOUR DAYS OF RENTALS.

AND BELIEVE ME, I'M A SUPPORTER OF BUSINESS, BUT I'M ALSO A SUPPORTER OF NOT HAVING TO HAVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TIED UP IN LOUD MUSIC CALLS.

FORTY TWO RENTALS IN A SIX BEDROOM HOUSE.

I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED THE MONEY TO WHETHER IT'S WHICH I KNOW, BRIAN, SPOTS HAVE BEEN EXPANDING OUR CITY MARSHALS AND DEPARTMENTS.

SO THEY'RE COVERING WEEKENDS, WHICH IS WHEN MOST OF THESE ISSUES COME INTO PLAY.

BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THESE BIG PARTY HOUSES SUCH AS THE BEACH BOXES IS IT'S OUT OF CONTROL.

THEY ARE SLEEPING.

I JUST HEARD OF ONE THAT IS [INAUDIBLE] BAY FRONT THAT'S ON STUART ROAD.

AND THEN IT'S A FIVE BEDROOM HOUSE AND THEY'RE ADVERTISING SOMETHING LIKE 32 RENTALS IT SLEEPS 32.

SO WE HAVE TO CONTROL THAT.

AND BEDROOM SEEMS TO BE A GOOD NUMBER TO LIMIT OCCUPANCY AS WELL AS TO SET THE ANNUAL FEE.

AND I TALK ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY THE FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR A YEAR NUMBER AT MY MEETINGS.

AND I HAVE NOT SEEN A LOT OF RESISTANCE, BUT THAT'S THAT'S MY OPINION WE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY THAT DOESN'T PUNISH OUR TAXPAYING CITIZENS BY MAKING THEM PAY MORE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHETHER MARSHAL OR POLICE, TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY.

I AGREE WITH YOU, MARIE, AND I TOOK THE NOTES ON THAT.

AND I'LL BRING THOSE UP WHEN WE MEET WITH THEM AND WE'LL TRY TO GET FINISHED FOR LUNCH BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR STOMACH GROWLING.

[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY ROSIE WHO HATES THE MEETINGS YOU KNOW, THAT YEARLY ANNUAL FEE WITH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO ENFORCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.

OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS HEAR THE NOISE TRASH PARKING AND ALL THAT STUFF.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ONGOING THING, NOT ONLY FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT RESIDENTS AS WELL HERE IN GALVESTON.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

NOW, I WILL SAY, THOUGH, SINCE IT IS RELATED TOPICS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS OUTSIDE OF THE OBVIOUS REGISTRATION.

AND YOU KNOW, THOSE ISSUES I JUST TALKED ABOUT, IT FEELS LIKE WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS.

IT'S A NEW INDUSTRY THAT KIND OF BLEW UP OVER THE LAST DECADE HERE IN GALVESTON.

IT'S KIND OF GROWN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY UNREGULATED, BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE'VE KIND OF PATCHED THESE IDEAS AS WE'VE GONE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF LATE TO THE PLAY, PUTTING IT TOGETHER AS WE'RE GOING WHILE WE'VE SEEN A GROWTH OF, YOU KNOW, OVER TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED THREE THOUSAND, WHATEVER NUMBER YOU WANT TO THROW OUT THERE, IT'S JUST MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO.

SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO SHORT TERM RENTALS WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FROM TEN YEARS AGO OR WHATEVER, WHERE DOES THAT FIT IN OUR OVERALL HOUSING IDEAS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY? WELL, DO WE HAVE A MENTION OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR IDEAS WITH OUR HOUSING WHERE WE HAVE THAT SHORT TERM RENTAL IN THERE? I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY, NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES, QUALITY OF LIVING.

IS THAT PART OF THE OVERALL DISCUSSION AND I LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE OF AN OVERALL IDEA OF WHERE WE WANT AHEAD WITH THESE THINGS INSTEAD OF JUST KIND OF PIECING TOGETHER AS WE GO.

SO THAT'S JUST MY COMMENTS ON IT.

THANK YOU, BILL.

I JUST HAVE TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

ONE ADDRESSED TO DON, DON.

I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE SHORT TERM RENTALS AS BEING A BUSINESS.

I BELIEVE HE SAID THERE WAS A LAWSUIT PENDING.

DO YOU KNOW THE STATUS OF IT? YES.

THE STATUS IS, IS THAT IT'S STILL WAITING FOR THE SUPREME COURT TO DEAL WITH

[02:30:03]

I HAVE IT.

THERE'S A NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.

SUPREME COURT HAS WHERE IT WILL INFORM ME WHEN A DECISION IS MADE ON THAT CASE.

I'M TRIGGERED IN ON IT.

THEY RELEASE THEIR ORDERS GENERALLY ON FRIDAY.

AS SOON AS THEY MAKE A DECISION WE'LL HEAR ABOUT IT TONIGHT.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT UNDER ANY TIME CONSTRAINT TO ACT.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, SINCE MY OPINION, I CLASS MYSELF, CLASSIFY IT AS A BUSINESS.

I AGREE.

AND IT'S THEY'RE COMPETING WITH THE HOTEL MOTEL PEOPLE AND MY QUESTION.

THE OTHER QUESTION IS THIS, WHAT IS THEIR STANDING AS FAR AS SINCE THEY ARE LEASING OUT TO THE PUBLIC? DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT GET INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS UP TO THEIR STANDARDS AS FAR AS THE HOTEL IS BEING DONE? THAT'S PART OF IT.

THE OTHER THING IS.

I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, GUYS, BASICALLY ONE OF THEIR LIABILITIES, IF LET'S SAY WE HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL, RENTS OUT A UNIT AND WE HAVE 10 OR 15 PEOPLE, WHERE DO THEY STAND? OR I HAVEN'T READ THE ORDINANCE YET, THEIR LIABILITY FOR FIRE, ANY KIND OF PROBLEMS THAT MAY EXIST, MAYBE HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OR EIGHT OR NINE PEOPLE STARTED A RIOT.

WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS AND WHAT ARE THE INSURANCES THEY HAVE TO PAY TO COVER SUCH INCIDENCES THAT MAY OCCUR? IS THE CITY GOING TO BE LIABLE BECAUSE WE GRANT THEM THEIR OR SHORT TERM RENTALS? THEY'RE MAKING REVENUE.

SO THAT'S MY CONCERN IS WHAT IS THE CITY OR WHAT IS THE COUNTY DOING TO REGULATE THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE PAYING FOR SOME KIND OF INSURANCES PLUS OTHER TAXES THAT MAY BE DUE FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.

THE CITY HAS NO SUCH LIABILITY IN THE AUSTIN CASE SAYS WHICH IS THE ONE ON APPEAL.

DEALT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PUTTING A POPULATION LIMIT WITHIN THE SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT WAS STRICKEN.

THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SUPREME COURT TO ADDRESS IN THEIR OWN TIME.

APPARENTLY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, BILL.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS? BRIAN THE ONLY OTHER THING I'D MENTION, I THINK AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU PUT YOUR THOUGHTS TOGETHER ON THIS NEED TO INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT AT THE PARK BOARD FOR MONITORING, COMPLIANCE OF REGISTRATION AND SO FORTH.

SO AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, PARK BOARDS INCLUDED IN THE MEETING.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT, MAYOR, THAT THAT PARK WOULD BRYSON FRAZIER'S OFFICE AND THE CITY HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY WELL TOGETHER.

WE REALIZE WE HAVE AN IT PROBLEM ON THE PARK BOARD SIDE TO BE ABLE TO TRACK AND ENFORCE THIS.

BUT WE'RE WORKING VERY WELL TOGETHER ON THIS TOPIC.

GOOD TO HEAR.

VERY GOOD.

WELL, THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, BRIAN.

WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM THREE F PLEASE JANELLE.

[3F. Discussion Of Authorizing Juneteenth As A City Holiday (Schuster/Brown - 15 Minutes)]

THIS IS A MATTER COUNCIL THAT PERSONALLY, I THINK IS WELL OVERDUE.

AND I COMMEND COUNCILMAN SCHUSTER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

WILLIAM, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

THANKS, CRAIG.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I WON'T KEEP YOU ALL TOO LONG.

I KNOW EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO GET TO LUNCH, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITY.

I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STRAND THE OTHER DAY AND I WAS COMING UP TO THE INTERSECTION OF 22ND AND STRAND.

AND I HAPPENED TO LOOK UP AND I NOTICED OUR NEW BEAUTIFUL MURAL HAS BEEN CREATED IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON.

AND I STARTED THINKING, MAN, THIS IS A PLACE THAT JUNETEENTH HAPPENED.

THIS WAS THE PLACE THAT GENERAL GRANGER GENERAL ORDER NUMBER THREE, THAT IN THAT ORDER SAYS THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS ARE INFORMED THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCLAMATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE OF THE UNITED STATES, ALL SLAVES ARE FREE.

THIS INVOLVES AN ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.

THIS INVOLVES, ONCE AGAIN, AN ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.

AND YOU'LL FIND THOSE WORDS ABSOLUTE EQUALITY AT THE MURAL ON 22ND AND STRAND.

FOR ME, JUNETEENTH REALLY DOES SPEAK TO THE MEANING OF ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT STARTED IN GALVESTON.

OBVIOUSLY, GENERAL ORDER NUMBER THREE WAS READ AT THAT VERY PLACE, 22ND AND STRAND, AND

[02:35:01]

SORRY TO GIVE YOU ALL A HISTORY LESSON THIS MORNING, BUT I COULDN'T TAKE MY TEACHER HAT OFF FOR A SECOND.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THERE IS A PUSH ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO MAKE THIS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.

A CITY IN GALVESTON COUNTY HAS ALREADY BEAT US TO THE PUNCH.

LA MARQUE I BELIEVE, HAS THIS AS A CITY HOLIDAY.

THERE ARE CITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE THIS, I'VE FOUND AT LEAST 18 DIFFERENT STATES THAT HAVE AT LEAST ONE CITY HAS A CITY HOLIDAY.

AND I HAVE AT LEAST TWENTY THREE DIFFERENT CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT WHEN YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, YOU LEARN ABOUT THE HOLIDAY.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM MENTIONS JUNETEENTH STARTED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS.

SO FOR ME AND YOU, YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE JUNETEENTH BEING HONORED AS A CITY HOLIDAY.

CITY EMPLOYEES GIVEN THE DAY OFF AND IN GALVESTON WERE THE PLACE THAT IT STARTED.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, JUST LAST WEEK, WE SAW THIS MURAL BEING DISPLAYED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.

JUNETEENTH IS NOW, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BEEN GETTING MORE AND MORE POPULAR OVER THE LAST HOWEVER MANY YEARS.

PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY HAVE READ THIS ARTICLE AND THEY'VE SAID THEMSELVES, MAN, LOOK AT THAT PLACE.

GALVESTON THAT REALLY VALUES ABSOLUTE EQUALITY AND OUR JUNETEENTH WILL NEVER COMPARE.

NUMBER WISE TO HOUSTON, NEW YORK JUST SIMPLY POPULATION.

BUT THE ENERGY HERE SHOULD NOT BE MATCHED BY ANYBODY WHERE THE STORY IS REVEALED.

AND IN MY OPINION, GALVESTON IS A BETTER PLACE THAN ALL THOSE CITIES ON THAT LIST THAT GET THE DAY OFF THAT REALLY APPRECIATING ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.

SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

I'VE TALKED TO BRIAN ABOUT THIS ISSUE THIS YEAR.

I KNOW IT BECOMES A BUDGET ISSUE, BECOMES A COST WITH CREATING A NEW HOLIDAY.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE CALENDAR DOES SPEAK FAVORABLE FOR US WANTING TO DO THIS THIS YEAR.

IT DOES FALL ON A SATURDAY, IN MY OPINION.

YOU COULD GIVE A FRIDAY OFF, A THREE DAY WEEKEND IN 2022 IT DOES FALL ON SUNDAY, ONCE AGAIN, A FRIDAY, THREE DAY WEEKEND.

AND THEN IN 2023 IT FALLS ON MONDAY, ONCE AGAIN A THREE DAY WEEKEND.

SO FOR ME IT COMES DOWN TO AND I'D LIKE YALL INPUT ON IT WITH A DISCUSSION OF DO WE WANT TO HONOR THIS DAY, THE DAY OF OR DO WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE OF A THREE DAY WEEKEND REALLY WHAT WOULD OUR EMPLOYEES REALLY WANT TO SEE AS FAR AS THIS HOLIDAY WHEN WE SPEAK OF ABSOLUTE EQUALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY? SO I'LL OPEN THAT UP FOR ALL TO DISCUSS AND EACH OTHER'S INPUT ON IT.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT ON IT.

BEFORE WE OPEN THAT UP, BRIAN, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS? NO, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHUSTER REACHED OUT TO ME AND WE'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT DO IT, STAFF.

AND CERTAINLY OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY ON STAFF THAT WOULDN'T WANT A HOLIDAY IN JUNE, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS IS.

I DO AGREE WITH WITH WILLIAM THAT, WOW, WE'RE KIND OF GETTING LAPPED HERE BECAUSE WE'RE THE CITY THAT WHERE ALL THIS BEGAN AND WERE THE ONE CITY THAT'S NOT NOT TAKING UP THE CAUSE.

THERE IS A FISCAL COST TO THIS.

IT'S ABOUT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

HOWEVER, THAT'S NOT ALL CASH COST BECAUSE IT'S A BANK HOLIDAY FOR A LOT OF OUR GROUPS THAT WORK TWENTY FOUR SEVEN ANYWAY.

SO THAT'S A DEFERRED COST.

SO THEY MAY NOT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE ALL THAT COST IN ONE YEAR, BUT THAT'S THE COST OF ANY HOLIDAY THAT THE CITY GIVES.

I WILL COMMENT THAT YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU DO IT, YOU KNOW, IF IT FALLS ON A WEEKEND, YOU CAN ALWAYS CHOOSE.

IT WORKS BEST FOR US TO CHOOSE A FRIDAY OR A MONDAY BECAUSE THAT EASILY ALLOWS US TO SHIFT SANITATION ROUTES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT ON OBSERVED DAY, YOU CAN YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHEN IT FALLS ON A WEEKEND, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE EITHER A FRIST OR A MONDAY ANYWAY.

IF YOU CHOOSE ON ACTUAL OBSERVED DAY, THAT'S TRULY A COUNCILMAN DISCUSSION AS TO HOW YOU HONOR THE HOLIDAY FOR PARTICIPATION AND EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO BUT WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.

HOWEVER, COUNCIL WANTS TO PROCEED.

AND KUDOS TO THE HISTORY LESSON.

SCHUSTER YOU SHOULD REALLY BE A HISTORY TEACHER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THAT WITH YOUR LIFE, BUT HE'S RIGHT THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW, I'VE KIND OF GOTTEN SHAMED BY A COUPLE OF THE CITIES THAT DO IT ALREADY THAT, HEY, HOW COME YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS? BUT COUNCIL MEMBER SCHUSTER BROUGHT IT UP AND STAFF STANDS READY TO DO WHATEVER COUNCIL WANTS TO DO.

I WILL SAY IT'S EASIER TO TEACH IT TO TALK TO TEENAGERS THAN IT IS AMONG YOUR PEERS.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

VERY GOOD COUNCILMAN COLLINS.

IT'S INTERESTING, THOUGH, WE RANK JUST BELOW THE CROWD 15 YEAR OLDS.

WHAT ARE OUR CITY HOLIDAYS RIGHT NOW?

[02:40:02]

WHAT CITY HOLIDAYS DO WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS TODAY? UH, LET ME START IN JANUARY.

WE HAVE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY [INAUDIBLE] BRINGING ME THE LIST.

WE HAVE IT HANGING ON THE REFRIGERATOR.

ALL RIGHT.

IT'S LET'S START OFF.

WE HAVE NEW YEAR'S DAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.

WE DO GOOD FRIDAY, MEMORIAL DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY OBSERVED MEANING WHICHEVER DAY IT FALLS ON LABOR DAY, VETERAN'S DAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS DAY AND DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE OBSERVATION.

BUT TYPICALLY THAT'S CHRISTMAS EVE.

CHRISTMAS DAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE'S NOT ANYTHING WE COULD ELIMINATE IN THAT BUNCH.

NO, NO, NOT THAT.

YEAH.

THE MOST RECENTLY ADDED HOLIDAY WAS VETERAN'S DAY.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD AD FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS DAY EVENTS HERE.

NOW, THESE ARE THESE ALL SOUND GOOD.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ANYTHING WE COULD TAKE OFF THAT LIST IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT'S PASSé, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT.

THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.

VERY GOOD.

COUNCILWOMAN ROBB.

WELL, ALONG THE SAME LINES OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER COLLINS WAS SAYING, I KNOW A LOT OF SCHOOLS WILL DO AN EITHER OR ANNUALLY LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OR PRESIDENTS DAY.

AND IT'S EVERY OTHER YEAR WHERE THEY SHIFT A HOLIDAY TO HAVE A QUALITY.

AND I'M CERTAINLY ALL ABOUT EQUALITY, HENCE WHY I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS, WHETHER WITH OR WITHOUT RANKING.

BUT HOW DO OUR SCHOOLS FOLLOW THIS AS A HOLIDAY? THEY'RE OUT OF SCHOOL IN JUNE.

OH, OK.

NOW I WAS JUST JUST JUST QUESTIONING.

BUT I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR THIS.

WITH THE FISCAL COST OF JUST ONE YEAR, I GUESS SIMILAR TO WHAT DAVID WAS ASKING, IF THERE WAS A WAY TO BALANCE IT WITH ANOTHER HOLIDAY TO NOT HAVE THE ADDITIONAL COST.

AND DO OTHER CITIES DO THAT? NO THE CITIES I SPOKE TO AND WILLIAM MAY HAVE OTHERS, THE ONES I SPOKE TO ADDED IT IS AN ADDITIONAL I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT GAVE UP A HOLIDAY FOR IT.

BUT WILLIAM, DID YOU FIND ANY OF THAT IN YOUR RESEARCH? I'VE FOUND LIKE ONE OR TWO, CITIES I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT WHERE MAYBE THEY POLLED CITY EMPLOYEES THAT THEY WANTED TO DROP.

BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN HOLIDAY OR CREDIT THE FLOATING HOLIDAY IDEA.

I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE FLOATING IDEA.

IT KIND OF TAKES AWAY A LITTLE BIT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLIDAY.

BUT, YEAH, OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE SOME OPTIONS ON HOW THEY DO IT REALLY WELL MARIE, WERE YOU DONE I'M SORRY.

I HAD QUESTIONS I WAS TRYING TO ANSWER YOURS ON HOW THEY DID THAT.

SO BUT YEAH, THAT'S HOW OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE IT.

THANK YOU.

THIS AS FAR AS THE ACCENT? ARE WE BASICALLY SAYING, LET'S SAY COUNCIL WANTED TO APPROVE THIS? ARE WE APPROVING THIS YEARLY OR CAN WE DO THIS AS A THREE YEAR THING? BECAUSE THE CALENDAR FALLS NICELY, IN MY OPINION, FOR THREE DAY WEEKENDS AND THEN LEAVE THE CONVERSATION OPEN FOR THE DAY OF OR THAT WEEKEND? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE STARTING TO HONOR THE HOLIDAY, ENERGY'S GOING TO GROW AROUND IT.

OBVIOUSLY, IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT ALREADY IS.

SO, I MEAN, WELL, MOST FESTIVALS BE ON THAT SATURDAY, SUNDAY TYPE DEAL WHERE THAT FRIDAY MORE OR THAT MONDAY AFTER IS MORE BENEFICIAL.

THAT'S WHERE I FALL INTO A LITTLE UNCLARITY ON DOING THE HOLIDAY.

YEAH.

I MEAN COUNCIL CAN APPROVE YOU APPROVE OUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULE EVERY YEAR SO YOU CAN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE IT EVERY YEAR.

OK, THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, WILLIAM, WHAT I WOULD DO TOO, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO STEP UP AND TO BECOME MORE FORMALLY RECOGNIZED, AS THE FOUNDATION FOR FOR THIS EVENT.

SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND IF YOU COULD GET WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THERE, YOU'LL BE WORKING WITH BRIAN ON THIS ALSO.

AND YOU CAN BRING BACK TO COUNCIL SPECIFICS ON THIS.

PERSONALLY, I THINK PICKING A DAY A SPECIFIC DAY, NOT HAVING A RESERVE DAY IS MORE APPROPRIATE ON THIS.

BUT YOU COULD WORK WITH STAFF AND THEN BRING BACK WHAT YOU FEEL IS THE MOST

[02:45:03]

THANKS.

I APPRECIATE IT.

YES.

WELL, SHOULD WE NOT TAKE SOME ACTION NOW? THIS IS OUR MAIN MEETING AND JUNETEENTH WILL HAVE COME AND GONE BY THE TIME WE BY THE TIME WE HAVE ANOTHER ANOTHER MEETING ANY OTHER SPECIAL ANY SPECIAL MEETING.

BUT ISN'T THIS SOMETHING WE SHOULD TAKE ACTION ON PRETTY DARN QUICK? WELL, WHETHER YOU DO IT ON OBSERVED OR NOT IS NOT A IS NOT AN ISSUE THIS YEAR.

SO YOU COULD TAKE ACTION ON IT FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN WILLIAM CAN BRING IT BACK FOR SUBSEQUENT YEARS, IF THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCIL WANTS TO DO.

AND WE HAVE THE JUNE 17TH MEETING.

SO.

WELL, THAT WILL ALL THAT WOULD BE I WOULD ASK YOU NOT DO THAT TO ME, CRAIG, BECAUSE THAT CAUSED THAT.

I NEED A LITTLE BIT OF NOTICE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A HOLIDAY.

OK, WELL, THEN I GUESS LET'S JUST APPROACH IT LIKE THAT THIS AFTERNOON SO WE COULD TAKE ACTION ON GIVEN THIS FRIDAY OFF AND HONORING IT OFFICIALLY THIS YEAR, THEN APPROACH IT IN THE NEXT YEAR UP TO THIS.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE.

OK, THANKS, BRIAN.

THANK YOU, WILLIAM.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS COUNCIL? APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND MOVING TO ITEM THREE G IS IN GREEN AS IN GREEN PLEASE JANELLE.

[3G. Discussion Of The Process For Reporting Water Leaks To The City And How To Improve Upon The Process (Robb/Quiroga - 15 Minutes)]

AND MARIE THIS WAS YOUR ITEM.

GO RIGHT AHEAD.

WELL WE SEEM TO HAVE A DISCONNECT WHEN IT COMES TO HOW YOU REPORT A WATER LEAK.

AND I'VE HAD TWO OR THREE, FOUR, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PHRASE MAYBE FIVE OR TEN.

SOME IF YOU CALLED THE WATER DEPARTMENT TO REPORT A WATER LEAK.

THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE WHO HANDLE IT.

THAT'S HANDLED BY PUBLIC WORKS.

AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT MAY OR MAY NOT REFER THE LEAK TO PUBLIC WORKS.

SO THEREFORE, THE PERSON WHO FOUND THE LEAK AND IN THOSE CASES WHERE THERE'S BEEN AN ISSUE, IT'S BEEN ON THE CITY SIDE, THE PERSON KEEPS CALLING AND YET NOTHING IS DONE ABOUT THE WATER LEAK.

AND IN SOME CASES, THE LEAK HAS GONE ON FOR DAYS UPON DAYS.

I THINK THE OTHER THING I FOUND OUT IN THE PRIMARY ON THIS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL GO ONLINE AND THEY'LL SUBMIT THE PROBLEM ONLINE.

AND APPARENTLY THE ONLINE HAS EVEN MORE FALL THROUGHS WHERE IT NEVER ACTUALLY GETS TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT HANDLES THE WATER LEAK.

SO WHAT MY GOAL WITH THIS IS, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA THE ACTUAL SYSTEM, BECAUSE THERE IS GREAT CONFUSION FOR OUR CITIZENS.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WE PAY HIGH WATER BILLS NOW WHEN THEY SEE A CITY LEAK GO ON FOR TEN, TWELVE DAYS AND NOT BEING ADDRESSED, IT'S VERY DISTRESSING NOT.

TO MENTIONED THAT THAT COST US A LOT OF MONEY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CLARIFY EXACTLY HOW THAT DEPARTMENT WORKS AND I KNOW I'VE FORWARDED TO BRIAN.

SO, BRIAN, I KNOW YOU CAN COMMENT ON THIS LIKE THAT ONE LADY.

AND IT WAS IN [INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, WHO KEPT CALLING? WHO KEPT CALLING? THEY KEPT TELLING HER, OH, YOU DON'T TELL US.

YOU TELL THIS DEPARTMENT SHE WOULD CALL THAT DEPARTMENT AND THEY'D SAY, OH, NO, IT'S THIS.

OUR CITIZENS ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR CITY.

AND YET THEY'RE MAKING THEY'RE JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS OR JUST SIMPLY IT DOESN'T EVER GET DONE.

WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I KNOW TRINO WILL BACK ME UP ON THIS BECAUSE HE'S BEEN HEARING IT FROM ME SINCE HE GOT HERE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING IT TO YOU THIS BUDGET SEASON IS IS A 311 SYSTEM FOR THESE TYPE OF THINGS WHERE WE HAVE A IT MAY NOT BE 311 IT MAY BE A DEDICATED PHONE NUMBER, BUT WE'RE ALL OF THIS GOES TO A CENTRAL REPOSITORY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU CALL STREETS FOR STREETS, YOU CALL PUBLIC WORKS FOR WHAT YOU CALL MUNICIPAL, UTILITIES FOR WATER.

YOU CALL SANITATION FOR SANITATION ISSUES.

AND SOMETIMES DURING THE DAY, THEY ALL GET ANSWERED BY THE SAME PERSON.

AND IF YOU CALL AT NIGHT, IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING THAT FORTH IN THE BUDGET TO RESOLVE.

MOST OF THIS HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING ISSUE FOR ME TO GET DONE HERE.

I THINK IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT BECAUSE I THINK WE'LL SAVE ENOUGH TO COVER IT LONG TERM AND TRINO HAS ALREADY WORKED ON THIS AND BROUGHT FORTH SOME STUFF TO ME.

LOOK AT PRETTY IMPRESSIVE STUFF.

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

WE'LL BUDGET FOR A PORTION OF IT WHERE WE GET THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM RESOLVED.

BUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, IT'LL BE A PRETTY GOOD IT'LL BE A REALLY COOL SYSTEM FOR US TO HAVE.

[02:50:01]

BUT AGAIN, I WOULD RATHER MY POLICE, YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED A THEME HERE, I'M REALLY TRYING TO GET MY POLICE OFFICERS AND MY POLICE DISPATCHERS FOCUSED ON POLICE ISSUES.

AND SO WE'VE GOT A GOOD PLAN FOR THIS.

AND WE WERE ALREADY WORKING ON IT BEFORE YOU BROUGHT THIS UP.

BUT WE APPRECIATE THAT.

WE UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION WITH IT.

AND WE'LL HAVE IT FOR YOU FOR BUDGET.

IN THE MEANTIME, SINCE IT IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE THIS IS RESOLVED, CAN YOU MAKE A ONE PAGER? YEAH, CLEAR CUT.

IF YOU SEE THIS CALL, X, Y, Z GOT YOU, IF YOU SEE THIS.

I MEAN, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES NOW PEOPLE ARE JUST CALLING ME, WHICH I USUALLY KIND OF RESOLVE, BUT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RELY ON CALLING THEY'RE COUNCILPERSON WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY CALLED TEN OTHER PEOPLE AT THE CITY YOU MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU CALL ME, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO THINK I GOT IT DONE FOR YOU QUICKLY, ALMOST ALWAYS.

IT'S ALREADY IN THE QUEUE AND THEY'RE ALMOST ALWAYS ON TOP OF IT.

BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT MARISSA CAN HELP PUT TOGETHER THAT FORWARD.

MARISSA'S ON LINE RIGHT NOW.

SHE'LL PUT TOGETHER A GREAT ONE PAGE REPORT THAT WE WILL NOT ONLY SHARE WITH COUNCIL FOR YOU TO DISSEMINATE, WE'LL PUSH IT THROUGH ALL OF OUR MEDIA SOURCES AS WELL.

CAN WE ALSO PUT A COPY OF THAT? AND AGAIN, I WANT A SIMPLE SWEEP.

[INAUDIBLE] AND OUR WATER BILLS, WE'RE SOMEWHAT LIMITED, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO GET SOMETHING IN THE WATER BILLS.

YES, MA'AM.

OK, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS THIS TOPIC? THANK YOU, MARIE.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD, MARIE.

VERY GOOD.

[3H. Discussion Of Water And Sewer Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) And American Rescue Plan Grant Funding (M. Loftin - 30 Minutes) In spite of the investments of recent years, the City's water and wastewater systems are in need of substantial improvements. The City's newest federal grant offers an opportunity to make strides forward in modernizing and rehabilitating these systems.]

AN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, GRANT FUNDING.

MIKE, GO RIGHT AHEAD, SIR.

OK, JANELLE, DO YOU HAVE THE POWERPOINT READY TO GO? WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

WE'VE GOT A WELCOME PROBLEM AND THAT IS WHAT TO DO WITH TWENTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS.

GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, JANELLE.

OK, THAT'S COMING TO THE CITY IN A DIFFERENT FORM THAN OTHER DISASTER RELATED OR PANDEMIC RELATED GRANTS.

THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT CREATED TWO RECOVERY FUNDS.

AND OUR MONEY IS COMING THROUGH THE LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUND.

IT'S TWENTY SEVEN MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE DOLLARS.

IT'S FUNDED DIRECTLY TO THE CITY FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

AND WE ARE TAKING STEPS NOW TO GET ACCESS TO THE CASH.

HALF OF THAT GRANT IS AVAILABLE TO US NOW AND THE SECOND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO US IN TWELVE MONTHS TO THE DAY AFTER WE'VE TAKEN THE FIRST THE FIRST DRAW.

THIS IS A SPEND THE MONEY ON ELIGIBLE PROJECTS TYPE GRANT AS OPPOSED TO REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR MONEY THAT WE WOULD SPEND, WE HAVE GOT TO FILE OUR FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT ON OUR PROGRESS ON USE OF THE FUNDS ON AUGUST 31ST FOR THE PERIOD THAT IN JULY 31ST.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS BRINGING YOU RECOMMENDATION BASED ON WHAT WE'VE GOT IN THE PRESENTATION HERE TODAY FOR YOUR JUNE AGENDA TO APPROVE AN ALLOCATION OF THESE FUNDS.

NEXT SLIDE.

A LOT OF WORDS ON THE SCREEN, THESE ARE THE FOUR ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY CATEGORIES AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON CATEGORY D.

THIS IS OUR WHEELHOUSE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

EMERGENCY IS LARGELY PASSED OUT AND IT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR POLICY REALM AND SERVICE REALM.

THE ESSENTIAL WORK IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE RECOMMENDING.

SPENDING ANY OF THIS GRANT ON AS A ONE TIME FUNDING SOURCE.

WE'D HAVE TO REPLACE IT.

THE REVENUE LOSS, THE WAY THEY'RE DEFINING IT UNDER C IT'S NOT VERY BENEFICIAL TO US TO LOOK AT THAT.

OK, THE GENERAL REVENUE CATEGORY OVERALL DID NOT LOSE GROUND SALES TAX.

A FEW ISOLATED OTHER TAXES DID.

BUT THAT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO TO MAKE THE CASE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WATER AND SEWER INVESTMENTS WITH THIS MONEY.

[02:55:02]

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T DO WITH THE MONEY, YOU CAN'T JUST PUT IT IN YOUR POCKET, CAN'T USE IT FOR PENSION FUNDS, CAN'T USE IT TO PAY DEBT SERVICE.

AND YOU CAN'T JUST SPEND IT ON ANY KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK PEOPLE WERE THINKING INITIALLY THAT WAS THE CASE.

AND YOU CAN'T USE IT AS A MATCH ON OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S WHERE WE STAND AS OF TODAY WITH OUR WATER AND SEWER PROGRAM AND THE BOND FUNDS.

WE'VE GOT SIXTEEN POINT TWO MILLION LEFT FROM THE TWO WATER AND SEWER CERTIFICATE OBLIGATIONS, SALES THAT GAVE US ABOUT 70 MILLION DOLLARS TO BEGIN WITH AND WE'VE AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR ALL BUT SIXTEEN POINT TWO MILLION OF THAT IN THE PIPELINE.

WE'VE GOT FOUR POINT SEVEN MILLION THAT'S BEING SET ASIDE FOR THE WATER AND SEWER LINES FOR THE 37TH STREET PROJECT AND WHAT WE DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO MAKE OUR BOND FUND MONEY GO FARTHER THE ELECTED GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT TAX SUPPORTED BONDS WAS TO PICK UP THE WATER AND SEWER LINE PORTIONS OF THOSE STREET PROJECTS WITH THE WATER AND SEWER BONDS.

AND THAT'S THAT'S ALLOWED US TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK ON THE STREET DRAINAGE SIDE.

BUT WE'RE SETTING ASIDE FOUR POINT SEVEN MILLION FOR THE 37TH STREET PROJECT.

THEN SIMILARLY, THE COUNTY STREET BOND PROJECTS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PICK UP THE COST OF THE STREET AND FOR 23RD STREET AVENUE S.

WE'RE RESERVING SIX AND A HALF MILLION FOR THAT.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF SMALL PROJECTS WITH THE PORT AND TXDOT AND THEN THERE'S CONTINGENCIES AND COST OF INSPECTION FOR ONGOING PROJECTS.

SO THE SIXTEEN POINT TWO MILLION IS SPENT.

IT'S OBLIGATED.

IT'S SPENT.

AND WE HAD ANTICIPATED DOING A WATER AND SEWER CO SALE ABOUT THIS TIME THIS YEAR, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS MONEY WAS GOING TO DROP IN OUR LAP, MEANING THE GRANT NEXT SLIDE.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TRINO PEDRAZA, WHO IS YOUR DIRECTOR OF WATER AND SEWER.

THANK YOU, MIKE.

SO AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TEAM, ESSENTIALLY WE ARE HOPING TO FOCUS THE FUNDS ON THREE DIFFERENT PROJECTS, THE ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT FOR 16 MILLION DOLLARS, THE REBUILDING OF THE PIRATES BEACH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, EIGHT POINT FIVE MILLION, AND THEN A SANITARY SEWER INFLUENT INFILTRATION PROGRAM MEANT TO REHAB A LARGE CHUNK OF OUR SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM THAT'S INUNDATED WITH TIDAL WATER AND GROUNDWATER, WHICH IS TAKING UP CAPACITY AND SOME OF OUR PLANTS AND STUDYING SOME OF THE GROWTH.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AMI SYSTEM IS BECAUSE OUR CURRENT AMR SYSTEM IS AT THE END OF LIFE, ITS LEGACY.

THE COLLECTORS AND AMPLIFIERS ARE NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED.

THE SOFTWARE PLATFORM IS SOON TO BECOME UNSUPPORTED.

AND IF WE DO, NOTHING WE'LL END UP BEING FORCED TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE SIZE OF A METER OF A METER READING DEPARTMENT AND GO OUT AND MANUALLY READ METERS.

SO THIS IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO STEP IN TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF METERING INFRASTRUCTURE AND BEGIN OUR OWN SMART CITY INITIATIVE.

WITH THIS PROJECT, WE WOULD REPLACE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR WATER METERS WITH NEW STATE OF THE ART SOLID-STATE OR ULTRASONIC TYPE METERS THAT PICK UP MORE OF THE WATER GOING THROUGH IT.

THESE METERS WOULD HAVE MORE TECHNOLOGY AS PART OF IT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY TAMPERING, REVERSE FLOW, IF THERE IS ANY TEMPERATURE ISSUES, PRESSURE ISSUES.

SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS COME WITH THE ABILITY TO DO REMOTE CONNECT THIS REMOTE CONNECT DISCONNECT CAPABILITIES.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REMOTE CONNECT DISCONNECT, THERE ARE A LOT OF FUNCTIONS FOR IT.

FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE SIMPLE SIDE, ANY TIME SOMEBODY MOVES IN OR MOVES OUT, WE HAVE TO ROLL THE TRUCK TO GO OUT THERE [INAUDIBLE] SORRY ABOUT THAT, AND MANUALLY CLOSED THE METER AND THEY GO OPEN IT WHEN SOMEONE'S MOVING IN.

[03:00:01]

SO HAVING A SYSTEM WITH THIS CAPABILITY WILL ALLOW US TO TAKE ACTION FROM A COMPUTER WITHOUT ROLLING THE TRUCK, AND THAT WOULD SAVE SOME FUNDS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOUGH, DURING CATASTROPHIC EVENTS LIKE A HURRICANE OR LIKE THE RECENT FREEZE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION FROM A COMPUTER ISSUE, REMOTE CONNECT DISCONNECT COMMAND, AND THEN BE ABLE TO SHUT PEOPLE'S WATERS OFF, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED OR WHEN WE DESIRE TO, AND THEN WHEN THEY NEEDED IT BACK ON A SIMPLE PHONE CALL AND THE CLICK OF A COMPUTER WOULD OPEN THEIR METER RIGHT BACK UP.

THE ONLY TRUCK ROAD THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY WOULD BE IN CASE THERE WAS A FAILURE ON THE REMOTE CONNECT DISCONNECT.

AND ALSO ON THIS ONE TRAIN, JUST TO POINT OUT, WE HAVE, AS WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TALKED ABOUT A LOT, THIS MEETING.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENCES THAT ARE NOT PERMANENT HOMES HERE IN GALVESTON.

AND IN A LOT OF INSTANCES, WE GET CALLS WHERE MY NEIGHBOR SAYS THAT I HAVE A LEAK AT MY HOUSE.

I CAN'T GET DOWN THERE.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THE CITIZENRY WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY KILL THE WATER TO THE HOUSE.

AND A LOT OF THESE FOLKS TOO COME DOWN AND WORK ON THE WEEKENDS AND THEN THEY ARE CALLING US TO EITHER DO A SHUT OFF OR RECONNECT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING WORK ON THEIR HOUSE ON THE WEEKEND.

AND WE DON'T YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STANDBY CREWS THAT RUN THE WEEKENDS.

BUT THOSE ARE THAT'S AN EXPENSIVE WAY TO HANDLE THAT.

THIS CAN BE DONE REMOTELY.

JUST POINTING THAT OUT.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.

THAT WAS PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST EVEN GO BACK TO THE RECENT FREEZE THIS TECHNOLOGY WOULD HAVE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING THING TO HAVE AT OUR FINGERTIPS.

OUR REACTION TIMES WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT, A LOT FASTER.

WE MAY HAVE SAVED OUR SYSTEM.

HAD WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN PLACE? YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS IN PLACE, WE HAD TO HAVE SO MANY CREWS WANDERING THE STREETS, TRYING TO DO REMOTE I'M SORRY TRYING TO SHUT OFF CUSTOMERS METERS AND THEN OPEN THEM BACK UP.

WE HAD THE PUBLIC WORKS HELPING US.

WE HAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HELPING US.

WE HAD THE COUNTY COME IN AND HELP US.

AND THEN, I MEAN, MANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WERE REACHING OUT TO US TO INCLUDE [INAUDIBLE] SETTING UP HER OWN GROUP TO WALK, YOU KNOW, TO TO WALK HER AREA WHERE IT WAS THE NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

SITUATION, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY WILL GIVE US ADVANCE NOTICE WHEN WE'RE LOSING PRESSURE, LET US TAKE ACTION ON IT AND THEN REACT AFTERWARDS.

IT ALSO WORKS TO THE CITIZENS BENEFIT, TOO, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES.

AND I'VE WORKED JUST I THINK WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT AN ISSUE WITH THEIR WATER BILL AND THIS CAN ACTUALLY GIVE LIVE MONITORING AND THOSE TYPE THINGS WHERE WE CAN LOOK RIGHT NOW AND SAY, YOU SAY THERE, EVERYTHING'S TURNED OFF IN YOUR HOUSE, BUT WE'RE SEEING FLOW RIGHT NOW.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF BENEFIT TO THIS.

AND THE BENEFIT OVERALL IS REALLY TO THE CUSTOMER BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SAVE THE SYSTEM MONEY.

IT'LL KEEP US FROM HAVING TO JUMP UP RATES IN THE FUTURE TO COVER A LOT OF THESE COSTS.

AND IT'LL ALSO SAVE US IN THESE MASSIVE EVENTS.

AND DON'T UNDERSELL THE ABILITY TO DO THIS WITH HURRICANES, WHERE WE CAN PREEMPTIVELY DO SOME SOME CUT OFFS SO WE DON'T BLEED OUT LIKE WE DID DURING HURRICANE IKE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE SECOND PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TO REPLACE THE PIRATES BEACH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT SERVES THE SEWAGE SHED BETWEEN 11 MILE ROAD AND 13 MILE ROAD FROM THE BEACH TO BAY THIS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS VERY OLD.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE THAT'S ON THE PRESENTATION, YOU CAN SEE ONE AREA WHERE IT'S PRETTY RUSTED UP, IT'S BREAKING APART.

BUT THE ENTIRE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS PICTURE.

AND THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO.

NOW, AS PART OF THIS, WE ALSO INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT SO THAT WE CAN ALLOW FOR MORE GROWTH IN THE AREA.

WE ARE HARDENING THE PLANT BY BUILDING IT TO MODERN STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, WITH CONCRETE WALLS AND RAISED OFF THE FLOOR FOR FLOOD PROTECTION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND ON THIS, JUST TO COMMENT ON THIS, WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB IN TOWN HARDENING THESE RESOURCES.

THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST FORAY INTO GETTING THESE RESOURCES HARDENED ON THE WEST END AND WHAT TRINO HAS TALKED ABOUT.

YOU SAW THE RUST DAMAGE HERE.

PART OF THAT IS RELATED TO THIS NEXT ITEM.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE THAT THE TO KIND OF GO IN TANDEM, BECAUSE WHAT'S AFFECTING OUR SYSTEM MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE CALL I&I, WHICH IS THIS INFILL INFILTRATION OF SALT WATER INTO OUR SYSTEM.

AND ANYBODY THAT'S LIVED IN GALVESTON FOR A MINUTE KNOWS WHAT SALT WATER DOES TO ANYTHING IT TOUCHES.

SO YOU'RE SEEING THAT IN OUR SYSTEM.

[03:05:01]

SO IT WAS ALREADY BUILT JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WE WOULD DO THINGS ANYWAY.

SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND TO ALSO EXPAND CAPACITY AS WE GET INTO I&I THEN I'LL SHUT UP.

IS THAT THE OTHER PURPOSE OF I&I IS THAT IT IT WILL FREE UP HUGE AMOUNTS OF CAPACITY IN THESE PLANTS.

NOW, WE CAN KEEP GOING ABOUT LIFE THE WAY THEY HAD DONE IT IN THE PAST, WHICH IS WE HAVE TO EXPAND PLANTS.

THAT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S EIGHT POINT FIVE MILLION FOR PARTS ALONE.

BUT IF WE DO GOOD, I&I WORK ONE.

IT SAVES THE PLANTS FROM BECOMING WHAT PIRATES' HAS BECOME BECAUSE OF THE SALT WATER INUNDATION.

BUT IT ALSO FREES UP HUGE AMOUNTS OF CAPACITY IN ALL OF THESE PLANTS, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR THE EXPANSION THAT WE NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT AND SUCH IN THE BIG, VAST, VACANT AREAS ON THE WEST END.

SO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IS TERRAMAR, WHERE WE HAVE HUGE AMOUNTS OF I&I AND WE'VE GOT THAT WE'VE GOT THAT PLANTED CAPACITY NOW.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH EITHER WE EITHER HAVE TO EXPAND TERRAMAR, WHICH WE MAY EVENTUALLY WE'D LIKE TO EVENTUALLY DO TERRAMAR LIKE WE'RE DOING PIRATES' ANYWAY TO TO HARDEN IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT IT'S NOT TO THAT POINT YET.

BUT WE'RE TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO LIMIT DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY CAPACITY AT THE PLANT BECAUSE IT'S FILLED UP WITH SALT WATER.

SO IF WE HAVE A GOOD I&I PROGRAM, WE'VE ALREADY MADE SOME GREAT STRIDES WITH THIS, WITH TRINO HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THAT ALREADY.

BUT THERE'S A HUGE BENEFIT TO THIS.

AND THE BIGGEST BENEFIT OF I&I GUYS, WE HAVE IT ALL OVER THE ISLAND.

THIS WILL DO WORK ALL OVER THE ISLAND.

BUT THE BIGGEST BENEFIT IS GOING TO COME TO YOUR TO YOUR WEST ISLE WASTEWATER PLANTS AND THE AIRPORT PLANT, WHICH BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING HUGE AMOUNTS OF I&I AT THE AIRPORT.

MATTER OF FACT, JOHN [INAUDIBLE] WILL TELL YOU MUCH OF THE TIME BECAUSE THEY TAKE OUR EFFLUENT AND USE IT TO WATER THE GOLF COURSE AND EVERYTHING OVER THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF DAYS THEY CAN'T EVEN TAKE OUR EFFLUENT BECAUSE IT HAS SO MUCH SALT IN IT.

SO KNOW I&I IS A HUGE PROBLEM.

THIS IS A THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY, TRULY HARDEN OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM.

WE'VE HARDENED THE PLANTS NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO HARDEN THE SYSTEM THEM.

THANK YOU, BRIAN.

WELL, WELL YOU CAPTURED THE SLIDE, REALLY? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS SLIDE FOR I&I, WERE PROPOSING TO PUT TWO POINT EIGHT MILLION INTO THIS FUND.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR.

THE ONE THING, THE TWO POINT EIGHT DOLLARS MILLION WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

IT'LL TAKE A LARGE BITE OUT OF THE PROBLEM.

AND SO IN OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, WE DEVELOPED A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO GO OUT THERE, COLLECT DATA AND THEN MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT DATA.

WE USE EQUIPMENT LIKE THE SEWER LINE, RAPID ASSESSMENT TOOL, CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISING.

AT TIMES WE USE SONAR AND LASER PROFILING.

AND THEN WHAT WE DO WITH THAT DATA IS WE DETERMINE THE CONDITION AND THE LEVEL OF BLOCKAGE OF PIPES AS WELL AS THE CONDITION OF MANHOLES.

AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT DATA, WE GO AHEAD AND WE SCORE IT AND THEN WE BEGIN TO TAKE THE NEXT LEVEL OF OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM TO IT.

WE GO OUT THERE AND WE TRY TO PROACTIVELY [INAUDIBLE] THESE BEFORE THEY BECOME AN OVERFLOW AND THEN SEE WHAT'S CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND ATTEMPT TO FIX IT.

NOW, THIS PICTURE YOU SEE RIGHT HERE IN THIS SLIDE IS IN THE TERRAMAR SEWER SHED AREA.

AND THIS IS ONE OF HUNDREDS OF PICTURES THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, THAT THERE'S A LARGE LEVEL OF GROUNDWATER ON THIS PICTURE.

AND WHEN WE OPEN UP THE MANHOLE, YOU CAN SEE INSIDE THE MANHOLE THAT ALL THE LIQUID THAT YOU SEE IN THERE IS REALLY THAT INFLOW AND INFILTRATION.

THAT IS NOT THE TYPICAL LIQUID THAT YOU CAN SEE INSIDE A SEWER MANHOLE.

YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE A LOT OF DEBRIS AND [INAUDIBLE] AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH YOU SEE HERE IS WATER.

AND WE SEE THAT THROUGH A LOT OF PORTIONS ON OUR ISLAND.

AND THIS WATER IS JUST TRAVELING TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

IT'S TAKING UP THE CAPACITY INSIDE OF OUR PIPES.

AND THEN WE'RE SPENDING ENERGY AND CHEMICAL MONEY TREATING GROUNDWATER INSTEAD OF TREATING SEWER RECENTLY DOING THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON 18TH STREET.

WE FOUND A LARGE I&I ISSUE AT HARBORSIDE AND 17TH.

AND SO THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF I&I GOING INTO ONE OF OUR LARGER MANHOLES THAT FEEDS THE MAIN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND WHAT WE RECOGNIZE IS THAT WHEN WE FOUND THIS, WE PLUGGED IT WILL BE PLUGGED IT RIGHT BEFORE A RAIN EVENT AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE.

WE WERE THINKING WE NEED TO GET THIS THING FIXED.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RAIN EVENT.

I HAD A CALL FROM MY SUPERINTENDENT OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND SHE WAS SO GRATEFUL [INAUDIBLE] SHE WAS SO GRATEFUL WHEN SHE WAS SAYING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL DID

[03:10:01]

BUT TYPICALLY WHEN WE GET HIGH TIDES AND WE GET RAIN, I SEE A SPIKE FROM FOUR MILLION TO FIVE MILLION GALLONS A DAY, JUMP UP TO SEVENTEEN, EIGHTEEN.

AND THEN THIS RAIN EVENT, I DIDN'T SEE MORE THAN SIX.

AND THEN SO WHAT WE DID IS WE HAD TO PLUG, BUT WE ACTUALLY TOOK CARE OF THE ISSUE.

AND OVER THE NEXT WEEKEND, IT KEPT RAINING AND WE KEPT REACHING OUT TO HER TO SEE WHAT SHE WAS WITNESSING ON HER SIDE.

AND SHE NEVER SAW A SPIKE, YOU KNOW, ABOVE SIX TO EIGHT MILLION GALLONS.

SO THAT ONE SILVER BULLET TOOK CARE OF ABOUT 10 MILLION GALLONS WORTH OF FLOW DURING ANY HIGH TIDE OR RAIN EVENT.

AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO FIND AND CORRECT THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.

AND AGAIN, KUDOS.

WE'VE BROUGHT ON AN EXCELLENT TEAM DOWN PUBLIC WORKS WITH TRINO, AND THIS IS ONE OF HIS PASSIONS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE STRIDES, WE'RE GOING TO I THINK WE'RE FINALLY TURNING THE CORNER WITH THIS.

WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE JUMP START TO US TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED.

AND IN LONG TERM, THESE ARE ALL PROJECTS.

NONE OF THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE JUST, WOW, IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS.

THESE ARE PROJECTS WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ANYWAY.

AND THESE WERE FEES AND EXPENSES, LARGE EXPENSES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET PASSED ON TO THE RATEPAYERS AT SOME POINT.

SO THIS IS GOING TO RELIEVE A LOT OF THAT BURDEN ON THEM, TOO, AND ALLOW US TO COMPLETE THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT MIKE OUTLINED THERE ARE IN THE QUEUE AND GET THIS DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO PASS ON A RATE INCREASE TO THE CITIZENS, WHICH IS A BIG GOAL OF OURS TO TRYING TO KEEP THAT COST AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

AND BRIAN, MIKE, THIS WILL COME BACK TO US IN JUNE, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

THIS IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION SO LET'S OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.

ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? YES, MARIE.

I'M SO HAPPY FOR BOTH OF THE PROJECTS AND THE PIRATES BEACH AND ON THE TERRAMAR WASTEWATER PLANT.

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU THINK WE CAN ADDRESS THAT TERRAMAR WASTE WATER PLANT WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON.

I KNOW IT'S KIND OF ADDRESSED PROPERTY BY PROPERTY, BUT WHAT WOULD THE TIMELINE BE FOR THAT? WELL, FIRST, BEFORE TRINO STARTS, WE'RE WORKING THAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING THAT WATERSHED NOW.

SO WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THIS, BUT THIS IS GOING TO GIVE US A HUGE JUMPSTART ON IT.

SO AT A PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO, WE HAD BROUGHT A STAFF REPORT SEEKING PERMISSION TO SPEND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY K TO RESTORE MANHOLES SPECIFICALLY IN THE TERRAMAR BASIN.

THAT WORK IS HAPPENING THIS ENTIRE SUMMER.

THOSE ARE 50 OF THE WORST OF THE WORST MANHOLES THAT WE HAVE OF ONCE WE GET THOSE KNOCKED OUT, WHILE THAT'S GOING ON, WE'LL HAVE CAMERAS INSIDE THE PIPE AND SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN FIX WITH THIS.

MONEY WILL BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND USE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES LIKE HERE TO REPLACE PIPE WILL BE ABLE TO GO AND RESTORE CLEAN OUT DEWPOINT REPAIRS OR WHOLE SYSTEM REPAIRS IF WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO.

MEANWHILE, WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING, OUR CITY ENGINEER IS GOING THROUGH A STUDY WITH A DIFFERENT ENGINEERING FIRM TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS FAR AS UPSIZING AND REBUILDING THE TERRAMAR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND I THINK IN TIME HE'LL BE BRINGING SOMETHING FORWARD THAT DANIEL [INAUDIBLE].

BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT NOW TO START INCREASING FLOWS INTO THAT PLANT BECAUSE OF THE WORK TRINO IS DOING.

SO GOOD WORK, TRINO.

THAT'S OUR GOAL.

OUR GOAL WAS TO FIND SOME OF THESE BIG HOLES LIKE WE DID OVER THERE ON THE 17TH AND HARBORSIDE, GET THEM CORRECTED AND THEN WATCH THAT REDUCTION OF I&I GO DOWN DURING A NORMAL LOW TIDE EVENT.

WHEN IT'S DRY, THAT PLANT REALLY ONLY SEES LIKE 40 PERCENT OF ITS ACTUAL CAPACITY.

SO THEN YOU GET HIGH TIDE, YOU GET RAIN AND IT JUMPS TO TWO HUNDRED PERCENT.

THAT'S A LOT OF OPENINGS INTO OUR SYSTEM.

AND WHILE A LOT OF THIS IS DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS ALL THOUSAND CUTS AT SOME POINT, BUT TRINO IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

THERE'S GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO HIT A FEW LARGE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE A HUGE CHUNK OUT OF IT RIGHT AWAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH THIS MONEY.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE SO MUCH.

WELL, EVERYONE AT CITY HALL, BUT THE WORK THAT TRINO AND ROBB HAVE DONE IN MY DISTRICT WITH ALL THE ISSUES WE'VE BEEN HAVING SINCE THE TROPICAL STORMS AND THE FREEZE, WHICH WE'LL DECIDE WHETHER THAT'S NAMED OR UNNAMED, I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.

AND I JUST SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YOU GUYS DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

AND WHILE THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM, A LOT OF THIS IS ALL FOR IN TOWN TOO GUYS.

THE AMI HAS HUGE BENEFITS FOR TOWN BECAUSE AS WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH THE STRS, WE

[03:15:05]

SO THIS IS A HUGE PLUS FOR US AND FOR A CITY LIKE GALVESTON.

SAME THING WITH THE I&I.

WE ALL KNOW THE TIDE NOW IS INFLUENCING.

IT'S NOT JUST AN ISSUE OUT AND ON THE WEST END ANYMORE.

IT'S AN ISSUE IN OUR IN OUR STREETS BEHIND THE SEAWALL WHERE THE STREETS ARE FILLING UP WITH WATER JUST ON A SUNNY DAY.

SO WE'VE GOT TO STOP THIS I&I.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE DRAINING THE STREETS THROUGH OUR SEWER PLANTS AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO END WELL FOR ANYBODY.

THANK YOU TRINO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS.

MY THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, GUYS.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN JUNE WITH THE COMING FOURTH [INAUDIBLE].

JANELLE ITEM THREE I PLEASE.

[3I. Report Of City Council's Park Board Representative (Collins/Brown - 10 Minutes)]

YES, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'LL MAKE THIS REALLY QUICK.

THE PARK BOARD, THROUGH THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE PARK BOARD TRUSTEES HAVE SENT OVER A RESOLUTION FAVORING OUR MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR ORDINANCE TO ENHANCE THE COLLECTION, BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IS WHAT THE PRIMARY FUNDER FOR THE PARK BOARD IS.

SO WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT OVER THERE.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE COUNCILOR YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR AFTERNOON AGENDA A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE INVESTIGATION OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUART BEACH.

WE'RE NOT IN THE PLANNING STAGE ON THAT.

THIS IS JUST SEARCHING FOR A COMPANY THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN STUART BEACH AND WHETHER WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PERFORM A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO ENHANCE THE AMENITIES OUT THERE, BECAUSE, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE PAVILION WE HAVE IS REACHING THE END OF ITS LIFE.

SO THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON.

AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER THAN THAT THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU, DAVID.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR DAVID? ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MOVING JANELLE TO ITEM FOUR, PLEASE.

[4. PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS OF COUNCIL, OFFICER BOARDS, AND CITY MANAGER]

WE HAVE A FEW PROCLAMATIONS.

THANK YOU.

JANELLE, COULD YOU GO AHEAD AND PUT THOSE ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE, MA'AM? SURE.

THIS IS DECLARING OPAL LEE DAY FOR THE NATIONAL JUNETEENTH FROM THE NATIONAL JUNETEENTH OBSERVANCE FOUNDATION JANELLE IF YOU COULD READ THE FINAL PORTION OF THAT, PLEASE.

THEREFORE, WE, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 31ST, 2021 AS OPAL LEE DAY IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN THIS OBSERVATION.

AND AS COUNCIL MAY KNOW MRS. LEE IS FROM FORT WORTH, SHE HAS BEEN TOURING THE NATION, BRINGING THE THOUGHT OF MAKING JUNETEENTH A NATIONAL HOLIDAY TO EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

ALSO.

AND SHE WILL BE WALKING HERE AT 7:30 IN THE MORNING, MEMORIAL DAY DAY AND SHE'LL BE STARTING I THINK IT'S ABOUT A TWO AND A HALF, TWO AND A HALF MILE WALK THAT SHE WILL BE LEADING.

SO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE FROM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS OPAL LEE PROCLAMATION THAT'S ON THE LINE? HEARING NO RESPONSE, JANELLE, IF WE COULD GO TO NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, PROCLAMATION PLEASE.

CITY OF GALVESTON PROCLAMATION, THEREFORE, WE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 16TH, THROUGH 22ND 2021 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON AND CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH THE ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN PROVIDING OUR PUBLIC WORKS, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH PUBLIC WORKS OFFICIALS MAKE EVERY DAY TO OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, COMFORT AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

THANK YOU, JANELLE.

OUR ITEMS ON OUR WORKSHOP AND ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA TODAY BRINGS TO

[03:20:04]

WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.

IS THERE ANYONE, BRIAN, YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS.

I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON HOW IMPORTANT OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREWS ARE TO THE CITY.

THEY'RE THE BACKBONE OF WHAT WE DO.

YOU KNOW, THEY WORK 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, AND THEY WORK IN CONDITIONS THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANT TO WORK IN.

SO I'M ALWAYS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEM.

AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT IN CELEBRATION OF THIS COUNCIL MEMBER ROBB, I BELIEVE IS HOSTING SOME PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS FOR LUNCH ON FRIDAYS TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR WORK.

SO WELL DESERVED WORK HARD AND IF YOU EVER SEE THEM ON THE STREET, YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THEM JUST TO HEAR FROM YOU AND TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY REALLY WORK HARD AND TRY HARD.

AND AGAIN, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREW WITH TRINO AND ROBB AND WITH BRANDON OVER THERE.

WE HAVE REALLY TURNED THE CORNER WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS GROUP AND OUR CONSTRUCTION AREAS AND STUFF.

VERY PROUD OF THEM, VERY PROUD.

CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THEM [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE NEXT BUDGET COME AROUND, WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND GIVE OUR OUTSIDE FORCES A LITTLE BUMP IN THEIR PAY.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S PART OF OUR SALARY SURVEY THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, MAKING SURE WE'RE FAIR WITH THEM.

GOOD ROBB.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? YES.

DR. BROWN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPROVING THIS PROCLAMATION FOR US.

THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN DOING SINCE 1960 EVERY YEAR.

SO IT'S JUST A GREAT PROMOTIONAL THING TO GET THE WORD OUT OF THE WORK THAT PUBLIC WORKS OFFICIALS DO.

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE 260 EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

AND LAST WEEK WE ALL PARTICIPATED IN A LUNCH THAT THE SOUTHEAST CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS PUBLIC HORSE ASSOCIATION HOSTED.

IT WAS THE SAME PROGRAM WHERE THEY WENT AHEAD, GOT DONATED FOOD.

THE CITY [INAUDIBLE] GRACIOUSLY COOKED IT FOR EVERYBODY AND THEN THEY HAD VOLUNTEERS COME OUT AND BRING IT TO US.

SO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WERE ABLE TO HAVE A NICE MEAL LAST WEEK AND PARTAKE IN SOME BALLPARK FOOD.

THANK YOU, ROBB.

WE HAVE MANY UNSUNG HEROES HERE AT THE CITY IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE'S PART OF THAT GROUP.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

YOU DO APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION.

IT'S NOT LISTED ON OUR AGENDA.

BUT WOULD YOU BRING THAT UP, PLEASE, MA'AM? OK, CITY OF GALVESTON PROCLAMATION, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, IN RECOGNITION OF THE VITAL ROLE THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY HAS PLAYED IN THE HISTORY AND WELL-BEING OF THIS CITY DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 1ST, 2021 THE 175 ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST SITTING IN GALVESTON OF A UNITED STATES COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS BIRTH OF THE TEXAS FEDERAL JUDICIARY DAY.

THANK YOU JANELLE THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY OUR NEW FEDERAL JUDGE, JEFFREY BROWN.

AND JUDGE BROWN.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

SURE, MR. MAYOR? AND I'LL MAKE IT BRIEF.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY WHEN TEXAS BECAME A STATE 175 YEARS AGO, CONGRESS CREATED ONE FEDERAL COURT, ONE SINGLE JUDGE TO SERVE THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND CONGRESS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED THAT THAT COURT SHOULD SIT IN GALVESTON.

AND THIS COMING TUESDAY IS THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST TIME THAT COURT SAT.

AND THE GALVESTON COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION IS HOSTING AN EVENT THAT EVENING TO COMMEMORATE THAT.

AND THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE FEATURED AT THAT EVENT.

AND SO ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE WHO WORKS AT THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE HERE IN GALVESTON, I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCIL AGAIN FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT EVENT IN GALVESTON HISTORY.

THANK YOU, JUDGE BROWN.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, TOO.

AND HE'S A NEW RESIDENT HERE ON THE ISLAND AND HAPPENS TO LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED BLOCKS IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

HE'S MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.

SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU, JEFF.

APPRECIATE IT.

VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THIS SECTION? COUNCIL? HEARING NO RESPONSE WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM FIVE, PLEASE, JANELLE.

[5. COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS]

AND THESE WERE SENT TO THE COUNCIL FOR EACH ONE OF THESE TO SEE EACH INDIVIDUAL

[03:25:03]

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU JANELLE.

APPRECIATE THAT.

WE ARE NOW AT THE END I WANT TO COMMENT ON 21026 AND I MAY NEED MR. [INAUDIBLE].

I HOPE I PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. THIS THING WAS REGISTERED APRIL 16 2021 .

LET ME LET ME INTERJECT HERE.

WE NEED TO GET CLARIFICATION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

THESE ITEMS ARE POTENTIAL SUITS AGAINST THE CITY.

AND DON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.

THE ONLY PURPOSE WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IS A REQUIREMENT IN THE CODE [INAUDIBLE] BE PUBLISHED AT CITY COUNCIL ON THE AGENDA? AND IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC CLAIM THAT YOU WANT TOLD, YOU WOULD HAVE TO NAME IT SPECIFICALLY AND PUT IT ON AN AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.

AND SINCE LITIGATION IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY WITH ANY OF THESE CLAIMS, I WOULD SUGGEST IT BE DONE IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE DON'T WANT TO RISK OUR INSURANCE COVERAGE.

I AGREE WITH YOU THERE, DON.

AND THE THING I NEED TO DO IS I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO MEET WITH YOU BECAUSE I RECEIVED THE EMAIL THAT IS I GUESS I CAN USE YOUR TERM APPEARS TO HAVE RAMIFICATIONS ON SOME OF THE STAFF AS WELL AS SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO I NEED TO GET THAT OVER TO YOU SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

AND IF WE NEEDED TO DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE MEETING, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO DO SO.

THE COFFEE POT IS ALWAYS ON.

NO, NO SUGAR THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VERY GOOD.

WE ARE NOW AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA COUNCIL.

IT IS 12:27 P.M.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS, THE STAFF THAT WAS HERE AND OTHERS THAT PARTICIPATED.

COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

WE ARE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED OF OUR WORKSHOP MEETING AND WE WILL RECONVENE AT 5:00 P.M.

IN PERSON TONIGHT.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE STAY TUNED.

YEAH.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU.

HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON.

YOU TOO.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.