Apr 09, 2026 Joint Meeting of the Park Board of Trustees and the City Council

[1. DECLARATION OF A QUORUM AND CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[00:00:04]

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO OFFICIALLY CALL THE JOINT MEETING FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TO ORDER.

FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

AND I WOULD SAY IF YOU ARE TUNING IN AND WATCHING THIS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.

SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE. JUST A FEW HOUSEKEEPING CHORES HERE BEFORE WE OFFICIALLY OPEN OUR MEETINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THE AGENDA IS POSTED TO END AT 430.

COUNCIL. SO WE WILL BE ENDING THIS MEETING AT 430.

AS WE MOVE THROUGH. SO KIND OF KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH OUR ITEMS HERE AND YOUR INPUT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TIME TO GET THROUGH ALL THESE.

BY 4:30 P.M.. SO THAT'LL WORK OUT GOOD. BRIAN IS NOT WITH US TODAY.

BRIAN IS OUT TAKING CARE OF SOME BUSINESS, SO DAN BUCKLEY WILL BE FILLING IN.

OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WHEN IT COMES TO STAFF'S INPUT ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS. VERY GOOD. I'M OFFICIALLY CALLING THE MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 1:32 P.M.

FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH. AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM HERE.

COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR BROWN.

PRESIDENT. COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS. PRESIDENT. COUNCIL MEMBER FINKLEA.

PRESIDENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. BROWN. PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM ROBB HAS NOT ARRIVED YET.

AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBERS, PORRETTO AND RAWLINS HAVE NOT ARRIVED YET.

ALRIGHTY. THEY SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY. MOVING ON.

VERY GOOD. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR CHAIRMAN OF THE PARK BOARD.

JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAYOR AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER OUR PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

THE CITY OF GALVESTON JOINT MEETING TO ORDER ON APRIL 9TH, 2026 AT 1:30 P.M.

AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO. ROLL CALL. JASON HARDCASTLE HERE, GERALD WILSON HERE, BILL CLEMENT HERE.

BOB BROWN HERE. JAN COLLIER HERE. CARLOS GUERRA IS ABSENT.

JEANNIE HUGHES HERE. ELIZABETH MATTHEWS PRESENT.

AND ROBERT QUINTERO, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. MOST OF THESE ITEMS, IF YOU'LL NOTICE FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE TWO WITH OUR WORKSHOP TODAY IS DIVIDED UP INTO TWO SECTIONS.

OUR JOINT MEETING ITEMS WITH THE PARK BOARD. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THREE ITEMS FOR CITY COUNCIL AND OF COURSE PARK BOARD.

WE WON'T BORE YOU WITH THOSE ITEMS WHEN WE COME TO THOSE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO LEAVE AT THAT POINT.

MOST OF THESE ITEMS ARE PART BOARD ITEMS. IN THAT SECTION THREE HERE.

THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT REQUIRE THE CITY STAFF INPUT ON UPDATES.

AND WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, JASON, I THINK KEN BUCKLEY WILL HANDLE THAT FOR US HERE.

SO THANK YOU. GO RIGHT AHEAD. LET'S HAVE THREE A PLEASE JANELLE THREE A REVIEW THE FY 2425 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND PROPOSED

[3.A Review FY24-25 Key Performance Indicators and Propose FY 25-26 Key Performance Indicators]

AND THERE WERE SOME AGREED UPON KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AS WELL.

AND WE WANTED TO REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL ON THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE.

AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, MARTY, THAT YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION TO SHARE ALONG WITH CHERYL.

I DO, CHERYL AND MELANIE, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD, PLEASE.

AND, MELODY. SORRY, MELODY. I'LL JUST SHARE THAT CHERYL IS PARTICIPATING AS HER PART OF HER OFFICIAL CAPACITY IS THE BOARD LIAISON FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.

AND SO SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THIS TOGETHER.

AND I'M ASKING MELODY TO BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE SHE'S MORE OF A CONTENT EXPERT ON MANY OF THESE STATISTICS.

SO REAL QUICK BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT AT 135, FOR OUR MEETINGS PURPOSES, WE WELCOME ROBERT QUINTERO.

GREETINGS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO YOU SHOULD HAVE A HANDOUT IN FRONT OF YOU THAT HAS THE FRONT PAGE STARTS OFF WITH TOTAL COLLECTIONS FY 24 TO FY 26 PROJECTED AT THE TIME OF THIS DOCUMENT'S DEVELOPMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES IN THE 2026 PROJECTED SO THAT THAT BAR GRAPH IS A LITTLE BIT OUTDATED AT

[00:05:04]

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE ARE PULLING DATA FROM HOT COLLECTIONS SHORT TERM RENTALS, AND THEN AIRBNB AND VRBO THE MAJORITY OF THESE ITEMS PROBABLY MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS DOCUMENT WILL FALL OFF BECAUSE THAT PARK BOARD IS NOT NO LONGER PERFORMING THOSE TASKS. AND WE ALSO ARE INCLUDING PARK REVENUES AS YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT GRAPH WILL BECOME A LITTLE BIT SMALLER TOO.

BECAUSE WE WILL ONLY BE REPORTING OUT ON OUR BEACH PARKS MOVING FORWARD.

WE'VE GOT SOME REVENUE SHARING INFORMATION THAT IS THE REVENUE SHARING BETWEEN THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY OF GALVESTON.

WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED SOME TOTAL EXPENSES TO GIVE YOU A CONCEPT OF YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND THEN ON THE BACK PAGE, OUR OUR METRIC KPIS THAT ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUR COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT AND BEACH PATROL GROUPS ARE DOING.

WHAT WHAT SEAWOLF PARK WAS LOOKING LIKE BECAUSE IT HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO TO PRESENT ON OUR ENVIRONMENTAL KPIS.

THE PROGRAMS AND THE PROJECTS WE DO ALONG THE BEACHFRONT TO ASSIST OUR VISITORS AND GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION WITH HOPING TO EDUCATE THEM TO BECOME MORE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS OF OUR COASTLINE WHILE THEY'RE HERE TO VISIT.

AND THEN LASTLY THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT KPIS, WHICH MELODY IS MUCH MORE IN TUNE WITH THOSE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

AND AS JASON ALLUDED TO, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE WERE DEVELOPED AND CREATED OUT OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE TRUSTEES. TWO YEARS BACK. SO WE'RE I'VE ALLUDED TO ONES THAT WILL PROBABLY FALL OFF MOVING FORWARD, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE ON THE REST OF THEM TO REPORT YEAR OVER YEAR SO THAT YOU HAVE APPLES TO APPLES ITEMS TO LOOK AT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHERYL, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, MARTY? JUST WE'RE OPEN TO QUESTIONS. WE FEEL CONFIDENT WE CAN ANSWER THEM, BUT PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE YOU CAN STUDY THIS AT ANOTHER TIME AND CLEARLY WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.

I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS ANYTIME. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TRACK NEXT YEAR OR I SHOULD SAY THIS YEAR.

SO AND SOME OF THIS WILL DROP OFF, AS YOU MENTIONED, DUE TO THE PARKS MOVING OVER AND HOT COLLECTIONS MOVING OVER, BUT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT ALL.

WHAT ELSE YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN? BOB, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT.

BUT THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO START TRACKING ANYTHING THAT YOU FELT IS NEW AND NEEDS TO BE TRACKED, OR THAT WE DIDN'T TRACK IN THE PAST. I GUESS I CAN START IT OFF AT YOUR SUGGESTION, MARTY.

MARTY AND I AND THE PARK BOARD HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT AND REFERRED TO THE KPIS AS MAYBE WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, AND THAT IS OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RESIDENTS.

YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE RESIDENTS, LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT ALL OF THIS TOURISM IS DOING FOR THEM, GETTING THEM INVOLVED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND DOING A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH THEM ALTOGETHER AND TRYING TO MAKE THEM PARTNERS WITH US AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND TO THAT IDEA, JUST RECENTLY WE HAD AN UPDATE FROM CARMONA STRATEGIES.

THE PARK BOARD DID UPDATING WHERE THEY ARE ON THEIR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, AND THEY INTERVIEWED ALL THE PARK BOARD TRUSTEES, THEY INTERVIEWED CITY COUNCIL, AND I'VE DONE THEIR KIND OF DATA COLLECTING AND WHERE ARE WE AND WHAT WE WANT.

AND IT WAS VERY STRONGLY REFLECTED RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOING FORWARD, NOT ONLY IN THEIR KEY THEMES THAT SAYS RESIDENTIAL RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT, NEED FOR STRONGER PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND CONNECTION, BUT ALSO IN THEIR STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS, STRENGTHEN RESIDENT AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH PROJECTS.

SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THE PARK BOARD IS ON THE RIGHT PATH WHEN IT COMES TO RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT, GETTING THEM MORE INVOLVED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THERE MAY BE KPIS COMING OUT OF THIS AT ANOTHER AT A FUTURE TIME.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, I THINK THEY THEY HAVE HEARD THE PARK BOARD, THEY'VE HEARD THE CITY, AND THEY'RE INCLUDING THAT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, WHICH MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO ADDRESS AT A FUTURE JOINT MEETING WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT BECAUSE MARTY AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT.

OKAY. QUESTION I HAVE MARTY AND TWO PARK BOARD AND GENERAL JASON.

I KNOW WE HAVE 2026 PROJECTED OF THE HOT HERE.

HOW HAS THAT ARRIVED? HOW DO YOU DO? YOU WORK WITH SHEILA? DOES YOUR FINANCE GROUP WORK WITH SHEILA HERE AT THE CITY? IT IS. THE MATH IS ACTUAL PLUS FORECASTS FOR THE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.

[00:10:07]

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A BETTER TIME. BUT WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA ABOUT WHERE WE ARE YEAR TO DATE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY, A LOT OF DATA AND FORECASTING FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, TEXAS SPECIFICALLY, AND GALVESTON. SO ALL OF THAT GETS MELDED INTO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A VERY REAL FORECAST.

I'LL ALSO TELL YOU THAT OUR POSITION IS TO BE CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE THERE'S IT'S A LOT BETTER TO HAVE MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAN NOT. SO WE ARE CONSISTENTLY CONSERVATIVE IN EVERYTHING.

AND I THINK, I THINK THAT THE CITY STAFF WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

DAVID. SO I HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES.

AND HE SAID THROUGH PROJECTS. I'M CURIOUS AS TO FROM THE PARK BOARD, WHAT DOES, WHAT MIGHT A KPI LOOK LIKE TO SORT OF ADDRESS THAT? I WILL TELL YOU THAT I STRUGGLE WITH IT. IT'S OKAY.

AND, AND BY THE WAY, I'M NOT DUCKING. I REALLY STRUGGLE WITH IT BECAUSE SO MUCH OF IT IS SUBJECTIVE.

IT IS NOT A MATRIX. IT'S NOT DATA DRIVEN. AND, AND IF WE HAVE OR WE'VE DONE A RESIDENT SENTIMENT SURVEY IN 22, AND ANOTHER ONE WE'RE DOING THIS FALL.

SO AS WE ADD A NEW QUESTION, THERE WILL BE NO BACKUP.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO NO CONTROL FACTOR, RIGHT.

SO I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT. BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDE IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, WE THINK IT CREATES VALUE, THEN WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FAIR. IT'S REASONABLE THAT IT'S EQUITABLE.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'D ASK, WOULD YOU DO THE SAME THING IN THE CITY? WOULD YOU DO THE SAME THING OF, OF EVERY OTHER BOARD? I THINK THAT'S FAIR. I ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I BELIEVE I BELIEVE WE WORK REALLY HARD AT RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AND THE RESIDENT SENTIMENT AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL AND WHAT WE DON'T DO WELL, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THE FUTURE. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHERE WE STRUGGLE.

AND I'M OPEN TO CONVERSATION. PROBABLY NOT TODAY, BUT IN THIS FORUM.

BUT THE HARD PART IS NOT KNOWING THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT.

IT'S NOT KNOWING THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS.

IT'S HOW YOU GET THE MESSAGE OUT. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REALIZE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN THE NEWSPAPER.

WE HAVE A BEACH PATROL ARTICLE AND A COLUMN THAT I DO EVERY WEEK.

WE'RE IN THE NEWSPAPER. BUT THEN YOU FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE READING THE NEWSPAPER, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DO ALL THIS WORK, YOU FINALLY REALIZE WE'RE STILL JUST NOT REACHING ENOUGH PEOPLE.

I'M STARTING TO STUDY THINGS LIKE WHO'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TO REACH? LIKE, IS IT THE VOTERS VERSUS NONVOTERS? SO WE WILL HAVE A PLAN TO MUCH BETTER COMMUNICATE AND TRACK WHO WE'RE REACHING BECAUSE WE HAVE TOO MANY GOOD THINGS TO TALK ABOUT. I AGREE WITH MARTY ON THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE KPIS? THEY'RE CONCRETE, THEY'RE STRAIGHTFORWARD, THEY'RE MEASURABLE.

THEY'RE EASY TO MAKE COMPARISONS WITH. AND YEAH, WHEN YOU START ADDING IN SUBJECTIVE KPIS OPEN TO IT.

I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, A RIGID DOCUMENT.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FLUID AND CHANGEABLE AS WELL.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AS TRUSTEES.

WE'RE JUST NOT SURE HOW TO CAPTURE IT, BUT WE'RE OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS IF THAT BECOMES A PRIORITY THAT WE NEED TO DO.

DO YOU HAVE A TIME FRAME ON WHEN YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO KIND OF REPORT BACK TO US, MAYBE AT THE NEXT JOINT MEETING? I HAVE A PLAN. ABSOLUTELY. WELL, UNLESS IT'S NEXT WEEK.

IF THE NEXT MEETING IS IN A QUARTER OR OR SIX MONTHS, THEN ABSOLUTELY.

AND CARMONA, TO BE CLEAR IN THEIR REPORT, ACTUALLY SUGGESTED SOME STRATEGIES TO CONNECT WITH THE PUBLIC.

RIGHT. IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

OKAY. THANK YOU. BILL, YOU HAD A I DID HAVE A COMMENT.

FIRST OFF, CARLOS, CARLOS IS NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE ASKED HIM TO CHAIR THE BEACH PATROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE'VE GOT SOME VERY IMPORTANT INDIVIDUALS ON THAT COMMITTEE THAT WE NEED INPUT FROM WITH THE SUMMER COMING UP.

SO HE'S ATTENDING THAT. BUT COMMITTED TO WATCHING US.

ONCE THAT'S OVER WITH REGARD TO THIS, LET ME SAY THAT I THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE FINEST PR ORGANIZATIONS.

THERE IS RIGHT NOW ONE OF THE FINEST I'VE WORKED WITH IN MY YEARS IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY.

[00:15:05]

HAD IT INCORRECT. AND THE MOST COMMON RESPONSE FROM THEM WAS, WE'LL FIGURE A WAY TO DO IT.

SO IN ADDITION TO MEASURING IT I GOT A COMMITMENT FROM MOST OF THEM TO MOVE FORWARD, LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS AND NEW AVENUES OF PROVIDING INFORMATION TO OUR CONSTITUENCIES THE THE RESIDENTS, THE VISITORS, THE HOMEOWNERS THAT VISIT US ON THE WEEKEND SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE PARK BOARD CAN AND CAN'T DO AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THEM.

YES. AND MAYOR, I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT BILL HAS SAID.

AND DAVID, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE QUESTION UP, BECAUSE TRACKING DATA JUST TO TRACK DATA IS NOT WHAT WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS TO DO.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S MEANINGFUL AND IS MEASURABLE AND IT'S MEANINGFUL NOT ONLY JUST TO THE PARK BOARD, BUT ALSO MEANINGFUL TO THE CITY MEANINGFUL TO THE CITIZENS AND MEANINGFUL TO THE TOURISTS.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE FACTOR ALL OF THAT IN.

BUT TRACKING JUST TO TRACK IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS TO DO.

I HAVE A QUESTION ALSO. I KNOW THAT SITTING ON THE BOARD, I THINK THE THE PARK BOARD NOW IS ENHANCING THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOARD. IT MAY BE IN YOUR, IN YOUR KPIS NOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF OVERNIGHT STAYS FOR CRUISE PASSENGERS WOULD BE.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT REPORTED AS ONE OF YOUR KPI.

THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE CAN DO THAT. YEAH. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK IT'S RUNNING WHAT, 31% OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I HEAR PEOPLE REPORT THAT IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND IN MY OPINION, IT IS USUALLY REPEATED INCORRECTLY.

ROGER HAS DATA AND I THINK I'M NOT. I THINK ROGER'S CORRECT, BUT HIS DATA IS 31% OF HIS STATE ROOM OCCUPANTS SPEND ONE NIGHT PRE OR POST IN A HOTEL, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THAT'S 54% OF OUR OCCUPANCY, NOT CLOSE. I MEAN, NOT REMOTELY CLOSE.

IT'S JUST IT'S A BAD ASSUMPTION AND BAD MATH.

31% OF THEIR CUSTOMER OF THEIR STATEROOM RENTERS, IF YOU WILL, IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR TOTAL OCCUPANCY.

AND I DON'T DO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER. IT'S SEASONAL.

MELODY, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF, PLEASE FOR THE CAMERA.

HI. MELODY SMITH OF MARKETING. IT'S OKAY. IT WON'T BITE.

HI, MELANIE SMITH, MARKETING DIRECTOR WITH THE PARK BOARD AND VISIT GALVESTON.

WE USE SOME GEO TRACKING TECHNOLOGY. AND WHAT WE'RE REPORTING, IT'S SEASONAL BECAUSE AGAIN, WITH CRUISE LINES, THE GOOD NEWS IS THE MAJORITY OF THE CRUISE LINES ARE DURING OUR SHOULDER SEASONS AT NOVEMBER THROUGH APRIL TIME FRAME.

SO WE'RE AVERAGING ANYWHERE FROM 24% TO 28% IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE DATA THAT WE SUBSCRIBE TO.

IF WE COULD PUT THAT ON THE KPI AND MONITOR THAT ANNUALLY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE KPI SUBJECT? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE REMOVED BESIDES WHAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IS NO LONGER APPLICABLE? OR SHOULD WE JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE HAVE HERE WITH THE ADDITION OF THE MAYOR SUGGESTION? HEARING NO RESPONSE, I GUESS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

AND ARE WE STILL TRACKING QUARTERLY OR ARE WE TRACKING MOMENTS WHERE WE'RE HAVING OUR JOINT MEETINGS OR AND WE CAN TRACK QUARTERLY? WELL, WHAT IS THE SUGGESTION THERE? WELL, PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANNUALLY FOR SURE, BECAUSE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE COME TO BUDGET TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT BUT HOWEVER ELSE YOU FEEL WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, THAT'S MORE IN YOUR IN YOUR SIDE ON WHAT YOU THINK.

YEAH, I HAD ONE MAYOR ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL KPIS.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY TO BE ABLE TO TRACK WHO'S DOWN HERE, WHO'S STAYING IN THE HOTELS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, WHO'S DOWN HERE FOR FEATHER FEST? AND HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE WE CAPTURING IN HOTELS OR THINGS LIKE THAT? JUST ALONG THE LINES OF THE CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER METRIC, IS THERE A WAY TO CAPTURE ENVIRONMENTAL VISITOR METRIC?

[00:20:09]

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER THINGS WE DO VERY WELL. WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUSINESS IS SPORTS RELATED.

WHAT? YOU KNOW, WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S CORPORATE RELATED, WHAT'S SMURF OR ASSOCIATION RELATED.

BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY'RE IN A HOTEL ROOM.

WE DON'T KNOW THAT. ALTHOUGH WE COULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE GROUPS THAT HAVE BOOKED HOTELS BASED ON THAT THEME.

SO I GUESS YEAR OVER YEAR, IF YOU CAN CAPTURE THE GROUPS THAT ARE BOOKED BASED ON THAT, THEN YOU'D HAVE SOME METRIC.

WE COULD ABSOLUTELY DO THAT THROUGH HOTEL BOOKINGS, BUT IT WOULD BE FAR LESS THAN THAN ACCURATE.

IT WOULDN'T CAPTURE THE WHOLE PICTURE. CORRECT. BUT IT WOULD GIVE YOU SOME METRIC. ARE WE GETTING BETTER AT IT? YES.

SOME METRIC METRIC TO TRACK. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. WOULDN'T CATCH THE WHOLE PICTURE. ONE OF THE REASONS I BRING THIS UP IS FOR YEARS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TYPE OF TOURISM THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE, AND IT'S BEEN QUOTED AS HIGH QUALITY TOURISTS, AND THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE ONE WHO STAYS LONGER AND SPENDS MORE MONEY.

AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO COME DOWN HERE FOR BIRDING AND THAT KIND OF THING ARE KIND OF FIT INTO THAT CATEGORY.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING IF IT WAS IF THERE WAS SOME WAY TO DO THAT.

SURE. I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE AND WE CAN. AND DOABLE.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, JASON? ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT FROM YOUR GROUP? I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING TO OUR NUMBERS AND GIVING US THIS GOOD INPUT ON HOW TO TRACK OUR PERFORMANCE AND EVERYTHING AND LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING NEXT TIME. VERY GOOD. LET'S MOVE TO THREE B, PLEASE.

[3.B Report on the Stewart Beach Drainage Project Findings and Recommendations]

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. ALL RIGHT. SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT STUART BEACH.

AND I THINK MARTY HAS SOME REPORTS ON SOME ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AT STUART BEACH AS WELL.

SO, MARTY, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU.

JASON. DIFFICULT CONVERSATION. AND AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE SETUP, IF YOU WILL.

CITY STAFF CAME TO ME AFTER A MEETING, I THINK TWO MEETINGS AGO, TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO AND SAID THEY'VE BEEN DIRECTED TO, TO CHARGE ME WITH REPORTING ON WHAT TO DO TO FIX THE SOUTH, THE SOUTH BEACH, SORRY, THE STEWART BEACH DRAINAGE PROBLEM WHICH I ACCEPTED HAPPILY. I'M HAPPY TO WORK ON IT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO KNOW THAT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THAT WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE AND OPEN LAWSUIT BETWEEN THAT AFFECTS THE CITY AND AFFECTS THE PARK BOARD.

SO I HAVE TO BE GUARDED IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO SAY. RIGHT? SO MOST OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS ABOUT LOOKING FORWARD RATHER THAN LOOKING BACKWARDS, I HOPE.

I HOPE I CAN DELIVER IT THAT WAY. DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY? SURE. OKAY. I THINK I'D LIKE TO START IS I WASN'T HERE AT THE TIME, BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH. AND WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT THE ORIGINAL PROJECT IDENTIFIED IN 2021 WAS BROUGHT UP FOR, FOR A, A VERY SPECIFIC FIX. AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE BETWEEN 45 AND 50 IN-SEASON DAYS ANNUALLY WHERE THE PARKING LOT WAS FLOODED AND WE DIDN'T HAVE REVENUE IN SEASON FROM PARKING AT STUART BEACH, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SOUTH BEACH. THAT THAT PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE PARK BOARD STAFF, PARK BOARD TRUSTEES, CITY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE DAY SINCE THEN OF LOST PARKING REVENUE DUE TO FLOODED BEACHES.

SO YOU COULD SAY AND UNDERSTAND MY HAND USE. YOU COULD SAY THAT IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT AND IT DID EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

ALL RIGHT. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE IT. YOU JUST HAVE TO TRUST THAT UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO ARGUE THAT WASN'T THE ORIGINAL INTENT, IT WOULD BE A LEARNING TO ME. LET ME GO FORWARD.

SO WHAT I'VE DONE SINCE THEN, AND I, WHEN I ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE IS I MET WITH SOME PEOPLE THAT I THINK ARE VERY CLOSE TO IT.

I HAVE MET WITH HER, WALPOLE, WHO HAS THE PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY EAST.

THE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY EAST. AND I THINK HE ALSO MAY EVEN BE THE PRESIDENT OF THEIR HOME, OF THEIR HOA.

[00:25:02]

I MET WITH SONIA PORRETTO AND I MET WITH HER DEVELOPER WHO'S BEEN WORKING WITH HER.

ACTUALLY BEEN IN THAT GROUP, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH HER FOR OVER TEN YEARS.

SO THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE I THOUGHT COULD ADD THE MOST.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THAT I ASKED EACH ONE OF THEM SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IS IT THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED? MEANING WHAT'S BROKEN? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE CHARGE AND I'M NOT DUCKING ANYTHING.

I WANT THIS FIXED AS MUCH AS ANYBODY ELSE DOES.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO CONSENSUS ON WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT THAT I MET WITH, SURVEYED, INTERVIEWED, ETC.. ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ALL VERY HELPFUL AND VERY, AND VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING THAT I HAVE A VERY STRONG OPINION. I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO AGREE WITH IT.

SOME OF YOU MAY NOT, BUT I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S THE MOST INTELLIGENT THING WE CAN DO.

ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I BELIEVE THE RFP WENT OUT FOR STUART BEACH REDEVELOPMENT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE OR NOT, BUT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN. NOT YET.

NOT YET. I HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT SHORTLY. OKAY.

IT MAKES AND I'M SORRY, I'M BEING DRAMATIC. IT MAKES ZERO SENSE TO ME TO SPEND A DIME ON A PROJECT WORKING ON SAND UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THAT REDEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE. FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE GOING TO BE A REDEVELOPMENT? RIGHT? WE HAVE TO GET THAT. I THINK THEY ONLY HAVE SIX WEEKS TO RESPOND, SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA SHORTLY.

ONCE IT GETS OUT. BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD MOVE SAND POTENTIALLY AND ADDRESS A PROBLEM THAT MAY BE THE MASTER. THE MASTER DEVELOPER, IF YOU WILL, SAYS, WHY DID YOU DO THAT? I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT SAND OVER THERE. OR I NEEDED THAT SAND OR THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAD IN MIND.

THAT'S ONE. TWO IS. I BELIEVE IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD.

WE COULD GO TO THE DEVELOPER BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO DO. THEY'RE GOING TO DO LAND WORK, RIGHT.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO STUFF NO MATTER WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE GRANT. IT MIGHT BE WAY MORE INTELLIGENT FOR US TO SAY WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT.

WE'LL HELP. WE'LL PAY FOR IT. BUT THEY MAY SAY IT'LL BE SO MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE IF WE DO IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME BY THE SAME GROUP.

YOU FOLLOW ME? IT JUST IT JUST MAKES DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME TO SPEND MONEY, REAL MONEY.

UNTIL WE HAVE THAT ANSWER AND I SAY THAT ANSWERS BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S YOU'VE BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROJECT.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S, LET'S JUST CALL IT FOR NOW.

LET'S JUST SAY WITHIN TWO MONTHS, WE SHOULD HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SUCCESS.

MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE'LL KNOW IF WE HAVE SOME SUCCESS. AND AT THAT POINT, THEN I'M VERY HAPPY TO MEET WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT THEY NEED.

WE HAVE A MEETING SET UP WITH THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME TELL ME FOR VERY LITTLE MONEY.

WE ARE GOING TO WRITE A CHECK, BUT IT'S AS BIG AS THE ISSUE IS.

IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT FROM THEM.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY YOU LEFT IT IN 2023? ALL RIGHT. AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT I WOULD THINK IN THREE WEEKS ISH.

WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL ENGINEERING REPORT AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM COME BACK AND EXPLAIN IT TO US AS TO HOW THEY PROJECTED WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

AND IS IT IN FACT DOING WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO 100%? THAT WILL HAVE IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE. THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT I WANT TO SHARE.

AND I HAVE PERMISSION TO SAY THIS IS I SPENT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH SONIA PORRETTO.

THERE'S A THOUGHT THAT WE MAY TALK ABOUT SOMEDAY THIS GROUP OR MAYBE A NEW GROUP IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

YOU WON'T BE HERE. I WON'T BE, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE KNOW FOR SURE.

RIGHT? I'M NOT SURE, BUT WHAT? WE SHOULDN'T THINK HARD ABOUT USING PORRETTO BEACH AND STUART BEACH IN ONE GIANT, ICONIC MASTER REDEVELOPMENT. BY THE WAY, PORRETTO BEACH, WE COULD PUT A HOTEL.

WE CAN'T PUT HOTEL ON STUART BEACH. IN MY MIND, TO NOT STUDY THAT IS SHORTSIGHTED AND THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT CONVERSATION.

[00:30:05]

THEY DO BILLION MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR DEALS EVERYWHERE FROM DUBAI TO FLORIDA.

THEY'VE WORKED IN WATER. I TOLD YOU, THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH HER AND THEIR EFFORTS FOR OVER TEN YEARS NOW.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR SOME SYNERGIES.

BUT AGAIN, EVEN THEN, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN UNTIL WE SEE WHAT WE GET FROM WHAT'S BEING SAID.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO LEAVE IT THERE, BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT THAT LEGAL WILL LET ME ANSWER.

AND BY THE WAY, I MEAN, WE'RE BOTH IN IT. SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE PRUDENT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO? YOU HAD MENTIONED THE RFP, MARTY, AND POSSIBLY WAITING TO LET THAT RUN ITS COURSE.

JANELLE LET'S READ THREE C AND THREE D. I WANT TO OPEN THESE TOPICS UP IN THE MIDST OF THIS DISCUSSION.

[Items 3.C. & 3.D.]

AND ANY INPUT THAT YOU SEE IS APPROPRIATE AT THIS POINT.

JANELLE. GO RIGHT AHEAD. OKAY. THREE C REQUEST AN UPDATE ON THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR STUART BEACH REDEVELOPMENT.

THREE D REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON THE TIMING OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BEACH PATROL HEADQUARTERS AT STUART BEACH.

SO, DAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE RFP AND MARTY HAD MENTIONED WAITING.

WHERE ARE WE ON THAT AND WHAT'S THE TIME SCHEDULED TO GO OUT APRIL 16TH? MIGUEL FINISHED ITS REVIEW YESTERDAY AND IT'S NOW IN PURCHASING AND IT'S SCHEDULED TO GO OUT ON THE 16TH.

IT'LL BE OUT FOR EIGHT WEEKS, NOT SIX WEEKS, EIGHT WEEKS.

IT'S A COMPLEX PROJECT AND SIX WEEKS SEEMS RATHER SHORT SIGHTED, IS GIVING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT AND DEAL WITH ALL THE COMPLEXITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT DEVELOPMENTAL THING THERE.

SO IT'LL BE OUT FOR EIGHT WEEKS. IT'LL GO OUT ON THE 16TH.

OKAY. HE'S PATROL HEADQUARTERS. HEADQUARTERS ARE CURRENTLY AT 30% DRAWINGS.

WE SHOULD BE AT 100% DRAWINGS IN A COMPRESSED PERIOD OF TIME.

I WOULD SAY IN THREE MONTHS WE HOPE TO HAVE IT OUT TO BID.

I KNOW COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED OR DID EXPRESS A DESIRE TO OFFER INCENTIVES TO HAVE PEOPLE COMPLETE EARLY STAFFS PROBABLY OPPOSED TO IT. WE'RE DEFINITELY OPPOSED TO THAT BECAUSE THE WAY YOU DO IT IS YOU, YOU GIVE THEM THE DATE AND THEY GIVE YOU A PRICE BASED ON THE DATE.

YOU DON'T GIVE THEM INCENTIVES SO THEY CAN PLAY WITH THE GAME.

WE JUST TELL EVERYBODY UP FRONT THAT WE WANT IT COMPLETED BY THIS DATE, AND THEY WILL BID ON IT ACCORDINGLY.

AND THAT WAY YOU, YOU KNOW, THE PRICE AND YOU'RE NOT PLAYING THE GAME WITH INCENTIVES.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO THIS.

BUT YOU KNOW, IF ALL WENT PERFECTLY AND WE DON'T GIVE THEM AN EARLIER DATE.

IT'LL BE JULY OF 27 FOR OCCUPANCY. COMPLETION COMPLETE.

OCCUPIED. OKAY. JULY 27TH. OKAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SAID IN CITY COUNCIL WAS BY SUMMER OF 2027.

YEAH. AND IF AND IF IT WAS COUNCILS DESIRE TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE THROUGH NOT INCENTIVIZE BUT PAY MORE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO HAVE IT DONE 30 OR 60 DAYS MORE. I'M SURE CONTRACTORS WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN BEING WHAT IT IS, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT KIND OF REALITY THAT IS.

IF THEY GO TO ORDER WINDOWS AND THEY CAN'T GET THE WINDOWS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH THE DELIVERY DATE.

WE GET WINDOWS ONE LOOK SOUTH, ONE LOOKS NORTH.

MARTY. THAT'S WHAT WE AGREED TO, I THINK. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU KNOW, WE'D RECOMMEND JUST DOING NORMAL PROCUREMENT WITH THEM.

GIVE THEM A DATE. CERTAIN WE WANT IT BUILT BY AND SEE WHAT KIND OF PROPOSALS PUT THE DATE IN THE CONTRACT? THIS IS GOOD. WE HOPE TO GET A LOT OF LOCAL PARTICIPATION.

WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO LOCAL BUILDERS. THIS IS A BEACH HOUSE FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES.

WHAT WE'RE BUILDING. WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOME MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT ON THE TOP.

BUT A LOT OF BEACH HOUSES HAVE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT ON THE TOP. SO YOU KNOW, THIS IS FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, IS A LARGE BEACH HOUSE. AND WE'VE GOT PEOPLE IN GALVESTON TO BUILD THOSE ALL THE TIME.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET SOME LOCAL PEOPLE BID ON IT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH JUST FIRMS FROM HOUSTON OR DALLAS OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO HOPE AND EXPECTATION AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION ALSO SORRY, WE HAVE OUR THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT HERE AT THIS POINT.

HAVE YOU HEARD FROM THEM? JANELLE. I HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER.

RAWLINS. HE HAD A MINOR EMERGENCY WITH FAMILY, BUT HE'S ON HIS WAY.

HE SAYS EVERYTHING'S OKAY. YOU KNOW, ON THIS SUBJECT OF THE DRAINAGE THERE AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL DISCUSSED THIS.

[00:35:01]

NOW, SAYING THAT, DAN, I WANT YOU TO WEIGH IN FROM THE CITY'S STANDPOINT TIMING THIS WITH THE RFP AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS BECAUSE YOU HAD TALKED WITH SOME OF THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THIS.

WE HAD ALL EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RFP BEING OUT AND WE'RE LEAVING THE DRAINAGE ISSUE AS SORT OF A WILDCARD.

AND WILL THIS DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM BIDDING ON IT IF THEY HAVE THAT HUGE UNCERTAINTY RELATED TO DRAINAGE? YOU KNOW WHAT MARTY SAID I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH I THINK THAT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.

BUT THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS YOU HAVE AFTER YOU GET A PROPOSAL AND YOU START TALKING ABOUT HOW THE PROJECTS ADVANCES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT COUNCIL ASKED FOR AND THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR IS THAT THE CITY ENGINEER BE INCLUDED IN ALL DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO DRAINAGE? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HAPPENING OR NOT, BUT WE'VE ASKED THAT THAT HAPPENS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL MAKE OUR ENGINEER AVAILABLE SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME SHEET AS WE PUSH TOWARD THIS SO TO SPEAK.

OKAY. I MAY HAVE MISSED THAT, BUT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

YEAH. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IT.

I THINK THE COLLECTIVE CONSENSUS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE TO NEGOTIATE THAT AS YOU GET CLOSER TO IT, SOME TYPE OF DESIRABLE PROJECT. RIGHT? EXACTLY.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND WE DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S GOING TO BID. WE'RE GOING OUT THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT THEY BID. YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME AND MAYBE THE SECOND TIME AND PERHAPS THE THIRD TIME, THEY ALL WANTED TO BUILD A HOTEL. BUT YOU CAN'T BUILD IT ON STEWART BEACH.

SO YOU KNOW, WHAT MARTY'S TALKING ABOUT NOW IS SOMEHOW YOU PARTNER WITH AN ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU CAN GET A HOTEL. SO DOES THAT MAKE THE WHOLE PROJECT ECONOMICALLY MORE FEASIBLE? WE BELIEVE IT IS. YOU KNOW IT DOES, BUT IT'S REALLY UP TO THEM.

WE'RE ASKING THEM TO PUT THEIR MONEY AT RISK, NOT OURS.

AND SO WE WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT KIND OF PROPOSALS WE GET.

YOU KNOW, MARTY, I LIKE THE IDEA. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP ABOUT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, ESPECIALLY ON COMBINING THAT PROPERTY AT PORRETTO BEACH.

NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THE ROAD WITH STUART BEACH AUTONOMOUSLY AND NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SOMETHING ELSE THAT COULD MAKE THAT MORE PROFITABLE AND MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE.

COUNCIL, LET'S OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION. ANY THOUGHTS? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DAN. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BEACH DRAINAGE THING THAT'S IN THE RFP OR THAT WAS THE LAST ONE I SAW.

THE RFP HAS IT AS AN ADD ALTERNATE. THAT'S IN THE RFP.

SO ANY DEVELOPER CAN CERTAINLY INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THEIR PROPOSAL.

BUT I WOULD IMAGINE YOU GET QUESTIONS ON THAT DURING THE QUESTION PERIOD.

I GUESS YOU WOULD RESPOND PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WAY WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE, RIGHT? YEAH. I MEAN, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO PROPOSE? THEY'RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO COME IN AND DO IT ALL ON THEIR OWN. OR THEY MAY COME IN AND SAY, WE WANT THE CITY OR THE CITY AND THE PARK BOARD. THEY LOOK AT US. I THINK MOST DEVELOPERS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT IT AS AS SORT OF ONE ENTITY.

THEY'RE GOING TO WANT IT FIXED OR THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT IT FIXED. THEY MAY SAY, YEAH, WE'LL DEAL WITH IT AS PART OF OUR PROJECT, OR WE'RE GOING TO WANT SOME KIND OF FINANCING OR SOME TYPE OF COST SHARE.

WE DEAL WITH IT AS WE PROGRESS, BUT IT IS AN ADD ALTERNATE AS PART OF THE IN THE RFP.

ALL RIGHT. THANKS. YES. THE PARTNERSHIP POTENTIALLY WITH PORRETTO BEACH.

HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT THIS LEGAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE GOING ON? WOULD THAT POTENTIALLY SPEED THAT UP? I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN SPEAK TO THAT FROM A COUNCIL STANDPOINT.

HOW WOULD HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT THAT SECOND HAND OVER THERE? I'M SORRY. WE PROBABLY CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT AT THIS POINT.

AND I AGREE. WELL, I MEAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF WE GO INTO THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH PORRETTO BEACH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT QUITE FRANKLY, WOULD HAVE TO BE TO SOME DEGREE DISCUSSED AND RESOLVED, I WOULD THINK. WELL, ANY SHAKING HIS HEAD, I CAN SAY THIS, I UNDERSTAND.

I CAN SAY THIS. I'M PRETTY SURE I DIDN'T USE THE TERM PARTNERSHIP.

IF I DID, I DIDN'T MEAN NO, NO, THAT'S THAT'S MY TERMS, NOT YOURS.

WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT THERE COULD BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND COMPLEMENTARY TO WHAT GOES ON.

PORRETTO BEACH IS IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AMENITIZED ON STUART BEACH, RIGHT? WE DO THE THINGS THAT PORRETTO CAN'T DO, AND I'M NOT.

I STILL THINK THAT IT WOULD BE THEIR PROPERTY AND CITY PROPERTY AND THAT THAT REVENUES AND THOSE THINGS WOULD BE LIKELY SEPARATE.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO I DON'T MAYBE IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AND I'LL STOP.

[00:40:01]

AND IT'S CONTEMPLATED AT THE SAME TIME. RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT? I'M JUST UNCLEAR. THE RFP THAT YOU HAVE PUT OUT AND I'M A LITTLE UNEDUCATED ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT PROCESS.

DO YOU POST THAT ON WEBSITES PLUS SEND OUT TO PARTICULAR DEVELOPERS THAT MIGHT HAVE A.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT GOES TO THE WIDEST ARRAY OF POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE DEVELOPERS FOR THE BEST HAS A BROAD LIST OF COMPANIES AND DEVELOPERS THAT THEY'LL BE DISTRIBUTING TO. PLUS IT'LL BE ADVERTISED NATIONALLY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO THROW A VERY LARGE NET TO TRY TO LURE DEVELOPERS INTO MAKING PROPOSALS, AND IT GOES OUT ON THE 16TH.

IT IS NOT OUT YET. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE.

ADD ONE PIECE TO THAT. THE CITY STAFF HAS BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE REST OF THE TEAM THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THIS. SO I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING WHEN WE GET TO THE VALUE OF THE PENNY.

BUT ONE THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE NOT.

I'M NOT PROPOSING THAT WE SLOW DOWN THE THE BEACH PATROL HEADQUARTERS IS BECAUSE WE IDENTIFIED THE LEAST VALUABLE PIECE OF LAND POSSIBLE. AND WE'RE TRADING THAT FOR ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE PIECES OF LAND.

SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

JEAN, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHERE WE'RE DISCUSSING THE BEACH PATROL HEADQUARTERS? I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE. I JUST IT IS IMMEDIATELY EAST, I MEAN, IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE RV PARK AND ALL THE WAY AGAINST THE SEAWALL WALL. IT USED TO BE. HAVE YOU BEEN HERE A WHILE? NOT THROUGH THE GO KART TRACK. I'VE DISCUSSED THAT.

DIDN'T SEE IT ON GOOGLE EARTH. YEAH. OKAY, I'LL LOOK THAT UP.

IT'S NORTH OF THE FREE PARKING. FREE PARKING AGAIN.

JUST TO BE CLEAR. AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE APPROVED PUTTING A NEW WATER TANK IN THAT SAME LOCATION.

RIGHT? NO, IT WON'T BE IN THE SAME LOCATION. AND IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA, THOUGH, RIGHT? IT'S GOING TO BE DOWN IN THAT GENERAL AREA, BUT NOT IN THE SAME LOCATION.

SO THEY CAN'T OCCUPY THE SAME SPOT. BUT I MEAN SOMEWHERE NEAR.

YEAH. GIVE THEM A LOT OF SHADE. OKAY. VERY GOOD.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? THERE YOU GO. JANELLE. LET'S MOVE.

[Items 3.E. & 3.F.]

ITEM THREE E DISCUSS THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, PENNY VALUE AND THE IMPACT ON THE FY 27 PARK BOARD.

BUDGET THREE F DISCUSS THE FY 27 BUDGET EXPECTATIONS AND ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.

GREAT. SO, AS I KNOW, COUNCIL IS AWARE THAT OUR BUDGET PROCESSES AT THE PARK BOARD START VERY EARLY BECAUSE IT'S GOT A CLEAR SEVERAL COMMITTEES, THEN THE TRUSTEES THEN COME OVER TO CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WILL HAVE THEIR CITY STAFF REVIEW IT AND EVERYTHING.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR BUDGET SEASON AS WELL, WELL INTO THE BUDGET SEASON ACTUALLY.

SO MARTY, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THESE TWO ITEMS AS WELL TO DISCUSS HOW IT RELATES TO OUR PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS IS THE HANDOUT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO.

I WANT TO START WITH WHAT I SAID A MINUTE AGO, THE CITY ALLOWED THE PARK BOARD TEAM TO WORK IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, AND WE KIND OF BROUGHT OUR RESEARCH AND OUR BEST GUESS.

AND THEY DID THEIRS. AND THROUGH THAT AND BY THE WAY, THROUGH THE INNER CIRCLE.

SHEILA'S TEAM HAD TO GIVE US THE VALUE OF THE PENNY ON MARCH 31ST, WHICH THEY DID A LITTLE EARLY, AND IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT. AND THE PENNY WENT FROM 3.21 TO THE 2027 PENNY WILL BE 3.33.30. MY OPINION IT'S ONLY AN OPINION IS THAT IT'S CONSERVATIVE.

LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S OKAY.

AND WHAT I WANTED YOU TO SEE IS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A PENNY IS, RIGHT? WHAT I GAVE YOU, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT, IS WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE'S $135,000 MORE IN BEACH CLEANING, AVAILABLE IN 27 THAN 2690 4000 BEACH PATROL. I'M LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM LINE VARIANCE NUMBER.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 270,000. BEACH 40,000 FOR A TOTAL.

IT'S $540,000 MORE IN 27 THAN IN 26. AGAIN, I BELIEVE IT'S CONSERVATIVE, BUT IT DOESN'T DOESN'T MATTER AT THAT POINT.

THIS ALLOWS US TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BUILD THE BUDGET.

DOES $540,000 SOUND LIKE A LOT OF MONEY? SURE.

[00:45:01]

AND SO THE FACT IS, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT MONEY.

IT IS TO YOUR POCKETBOOK, BUT IT'S NOT TO RUNNING THE PARK BOARD, ASSUMING THAT THE EXPECTATION OF THE PARK BOARD IS, IS THE SAME, WHICH THEN ALLOWS ME. YOU OKAY? YEAH.

THANK YOU. I'M SORRY I'M LATE. THAT'S OKAY. WHICH.

WHICH MOVES US INTO THE BUDGET. THE REASON WHY I PUT THESE TOGETHER IS BECAUSE, AS JASON SUGGESTED, WE'RE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF COUNCIL HAS A PLAN OR IF STAFF HAS A PLAN THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET. AS AN EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR THE DECISION WAS MADE TO ADD A 4% ADMINISTRATION FEE.

FINE. IS THAT IS IT GOING TO BE FOUR OR IS IT IS IT GOING TO BE NEW? I JUST WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE NEW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE WAY WE BUDGET. ARE WE STILL GOING TO HAVE TWO PARKS AND BEACH PATROL, YOU KNOW, AND VISIT GALVESTON? OR IS THERE CONVERSATION THAT IS THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING OR COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING? EVEN IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, IT WOULD SURE BE NICE FOR US TO KNOW NOW INSTEAD OF IN JUNE, JULY. AND AS YOU REMEMBER, LAST YEAR, IT WAS A REAL WORKOUT.

PLUS I WAS BRAND NEW AT THAT TIME AND I DIDN'T ACCEPT THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS, SO WE MADE IT FAR MORE DIFFICULT THAN WE SHOULD HAVE.

DAN, YOU DON'T EXPECT ANY NEW CHANGES? WE I'M ALL IN LAST YEAR.

THE ONE THING THAT THAT YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO, AND IT DOES MAKE AN IMPACT IS IF THE IF THE PENNY COMES IN HIGHER.

SO YOU RECEIVE THERE'S MORE STATE DOLLARS THAT COME FOR BEACH CLEANING AND BEACH MAINTENANCE.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET THOSE. THEY'RE NOT LIMITED BY OUR LOCAL.

SO IF EVERY DOLLAR THAT COMES FROM THE STATE.

THAT'S FOR BEACH CLEANING AND BEACH MAINTENANCE GOES TO THE PARK BOARD.

SO IF IT COMES IN ABOVE THE ESTIMATE, YOU'RE GETTING THOSE DOLLARS, YOU'RE GETTING WHAT THE BASELINE IS, AND THEN YOU'LL GET THAT THAT IS IN EXCESS OF THAT SO THAT YOU CAN'T BUDGET IT.

I MEAN, YOU CAN TRY, BUT IT'S ALL A GUESS. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF FOUND CANDY BASICALLY AS YOU AS YOU WORK THROUGH THE YEAR.

BUT IF, IF YOU KNOW, THE TOURISM PEOPLE ARE RIGHT AND THERE'S A BUMPER YEAR, THEN THE HOT PENNY WILL COME IN MORE, THERE WILL BE MORE MONEY FOR BEACH CLEANING IN BETWEEN US. SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

THANK YOU DAN. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? JANELLE.

IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND. WE'VE HAD. IT IS TWO. AT 2:17 P.M.

COUNCILMAN RAWLINS HAS JOINED THE COUNCIL MEETING AND THE JOINT MEETING WITH THE PARK BOARD.

WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT DRAINAGE, WHICH WAS ITEM THREE B, THIS WAS, I THINK, NEAR AND DEAR TO THE HEART OF COUNCIL MEMBER RAWLINS AND I'D LIKE TO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE'RE RUNNING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND THANK YOU EVERYONE.

BUT COULD WE SUMMARIZE FOR COUNCILMAN RAWLINS WHERE WE ARE ON THAT.

ON THE DRAINAGE SITUATION AND HOW WE KIND OF HAVE HAD A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? SURE. MARTY. OH, OF COURSE I'VE SAID ENOUGH. OKAY.

THE AS AS YOU KNOW, I WAS. PARK BOARD WAS CHALLENGED TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO, QUOTE, FIX THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM ON STUART BEACH. ALTHOUGH I CALLED IT SOUTH BEACH.

WHERE TO START? THE HISTORY IS. AND THE PROJECT WAS CONSIDERED AND STARTED IN 2021.

AND THE REASON FOR THE PROJECT AT THAT TIME, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, WAS TO STUART BEACH WAS REALIZING 45 TO 50 DAYS OF YEAR, 45 TO 50 DAYS IN SEASON OF WASHED OUT PARKING LOTS.

SO THAT NO REVENUE COULD BE GENERATED. IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT REVENUE LOSS.

THAT'S WHY THE PROJECT STARTED THE PROJECT THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2023.

THAT WAS THE GOAL, AND IT WAS APPROVED BY PARK BOARD, PARK TRUSTEES, COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF AND CITY ENGINEERING, I BELIEVE. BUT NONE OF THAT REALLY, REALLY MATTERS AT THIS POINT.

FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT IT WAS 100% SUCCESSFUL.

IF THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF WHY THE PROJECT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.

THERE HAS BEEN NO LOST REVENUE DUE TO FLOODED PARKING SPOTS ON STUART BEACH.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT WASN'T THE ENTIRE MISSION THAT YOU GUYS WERE ASKING FOR.

[00:50:03]

NONE OF THIS WAS JOINT WAS GROUP OR WALPOLE, WHO IS THE PROPERTY OWNER, AND I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOA IMMEDIATELY EAST OF STUART BEACH. JAMES HENDERSON, WHO IS A PROPERTY OWNER AND LONGTIME RESIDENT THAT'S STARED AT STUART BEACH FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

HE OWNS THE PROPERTY AND RV PARK. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

SONIA PORRETTO AND SONIA PARETO'S DEVELOPMENT PARTNER.

WHEN I STARTED WITH THE QUESTION, BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I WAS ASKED, WHICH IS TO GO FIX THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM.

AND SO YOU ASK EACH ONE OF THEM, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? YOU KNOW, WHAT IS. YOU ASK WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? AND NOT ONE, NOT, NOT TWO OF THEM SUGGESTED THE PROBLEM WAS THE SAME PROBLEM.

THEY ALL HAD A DIFFERENT OPINION OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS FINE.

AND THEN YOU ASKED, WELL, WHAT'S THE FIX? AND THEY ALL HAD A DIFFERENT OPINION TO FIX. CLEARLY IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT FIX IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. NEXT, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH IS BEEN ADVISED BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OPEN AND ACTIVE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY AND AGAINST THE PARK BOARD ABOUT A DRAINAGE PROBLEM, THAT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT THAT I CAN SAY OR SHOULD SAY.

SO I TOLD YOU WHAT I'VE DONE AT THAT POINT. WHAT IS COMING VERY SOON IS A MEETING WITH THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR, PART OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS TELLING US HOW DIFFERENT IS IT THAN WHEN IT WAS BUILT IN 2023.

WHAT HAS CHANGED, IF ANYTHING? THE ORIGINAL ENGINEER IS GOING TO TAKE A LOOK.

NO, NOT WE HAVE A NEW ENGINEER THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT, WHY WOULD YOU BRING BACK THE SAME, RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A NEW ENGINEER THAT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE ISSUE OF STEWART BEACH AND DRAINAGE.

WHAT WE ALL CAME TO AGREEMENT ON IS THAT I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IT'S THAT IT WOULD BE VERY UNWISE AND FOOLISH TO SPEND MONEY ON FIXING SOMETHING THAT MAY BE COMPLETELY UNNEEDED IF WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL RFP, WHICH GOES OUT ON APRIL 16TH, WITHIN EIGHT WEEKS, TWO MONTHS, WE WILL HAVE A GOOD IDEA AS TO IF WE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A DEAL.

IF SO, WHAT THAT DEAL MIGHT LOOK LIKE. I KNOW IT'S NOT CLOSE TO A DONE DEAL, BUT.

AND THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, THOUGH, IS WHY WOULD I SPEND ANY MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT THEY MAY SAY, WHY DID YOU MOVE THAT SAND? WE NEEDED THAT OR WHY DID YOU MOVE THAT SAND? THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. MAKE SENSE? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN AND DO THEIR OWN LAND WORK OR LAND OR ANALYZE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THEIR LAND.

IT ALSO COULD JUST BE THAT WE IDENTIFIED THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM AND WE NEED YOU TO PAY FOR IT.

OKAY. RIGHT. BUT IT MIGHT BE A LOT CHEAPER IF WHEN THEY'RE MOVING SAND, THEY'RE MOVING OURS TOO.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO. I THINK I CAN LEAVE IT AT THAT.

I MEAN, THAT'S ABOUT AS THOROUGH AS I CAN GET.

GO AHEAD. YES, SIR. SO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOPS, MAINLY WITH ME AS A CONTRACTOR. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT A I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR.

I, I DON'T DEAL WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT JUST GIVEN THE BASIC CONCEPT OF STARTING WITH A, WITH A BLANK PALETTE, YOU KNOW, IF I'M STARTING WITH A HOME SITE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TO DO DEMOLITION, I'VE GOT TO DO CLEANUP, I'VE GOT TO DO SUBSURFACE DEMOLITION WITH FOUNDATION. AND YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS ARE ALL UNKNOWNS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE PUSHED FORWARD WITH THE PAVILION THAT WAS SLATED FOR DEMOLITION FOR, YOU KNOW, SLATED FOR DEMOLITION WITH A BUDGET IN PLACE, I'M NOT MISTAKEN FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND IT WAS THIS COUNCIL THAT PUSHED FORWARD AND WE MADE THAT MOVE TO SET UP, YOU KNOW, TO SET UP FOR THE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A REALLY GOOD COMPETITIVE RFP IS WHAT I HOPE FOR. AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALREADY NOTES COMING BACK FROM ONE CONTRACTOR THAT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST LEAVES LEAVES OPEN A IT'S A WIDE OPEN GAP AS FAR AS AMENDMENTS, UNKNOWNS.

AND IT JUST IS NOT A, IT WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED A CLEAN PROJECT WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF STEWART BEACH FOR ANY CONTRACTOR TO BID ON WITHOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE IN THE RFP TO DEAL WITH THE DRAINAGE.

SO TO ME, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHETHER, YOU KNOW, I'VE USED THE WORDS WE NEED TO REPAIR OR FIX THE DRAINAGE AT STEWART BEACH.

[00:55:03]

NOW WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF FOCAL POINTS NOW, BUT YOU KNOW THAT THAT END OF OUR ISLAND IS HURTING.

IT'S HURTING FOR A FOCAL POINT AND IT'S UP TO US TOGETHER, SITTING AT A TABLE LIKE THIS TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY GOAL. MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM A, A WORK SITE THAT IS, THAT DOESN'T HAVE A, A BUNCH OF A BUNCH OF UNKNOWNS OR OR HAIR ON THE DOG AS FAR AS THAT, THEY'VE GOT TO WEED THROUGH TO, TO GIVE US THE PRODUCT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROUD OF.

AND SO THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN. THAT'S, THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE GOAL.

MY NUMBER ONE GOAL IS LIKE, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, US AS A CITY AS A WHOLE, HAVING A PLAN FOR WHAT WE WANT FOR THE DRAINAGE.

THUS THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT THIS PROJECT. YOU KNOW, WILL WHAT WE HOPE FOR WITH THE, WITH THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROJECT.

I THINK THAT THAT'S A BIG PART. I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PARTNER WITH WHATEVER CONTRACTOR WE CHOOSE.

IT'S JUST, I, I REALLY FEEL AS A CLICHE THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET OUR DUCKS IN A ROW.

AND RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF ANSWERS FOR THEM.

SO I HOPE THAT YOUR MEETING TO. YOU KNOW, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PUT IN OUR COMMENTS FOR THE RFP OF.

WE KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW, WE. WE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS AS VERIFIED BY A NEW ENGINEER.

THIS IS WHAT OUR PLAN IS. AND. THIS THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE INCORPORATED INTO THIS RFP SO THAT THEY DON'T GO INTO THIS BLINDLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS, WHICH EQUALS MONEY AND A BUNCH OF SURPRISES.

AND SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN MY MAIN GOAL ALL ALONG.

SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT YOU SAID.

AND I, AND I DON'T THINK I SAID ANYTHING INCONSISTENT.

NOT AT ALL. THERE'S TWO PIECES I WANT TO ADD TO THAT.

IN CASE I DID MISS SOMETHING. BUT IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A HOUSE, YOU DON'T TEAR DOWN ALL THE TREES TILL YOU KNOW WHAT HOUSE YOU'RE PUTTING ON THAT LOT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. WE DON'T KNOW.

THE OTHER THING, WHICH I DIDN'T SHARE WITH YOU AND I DID SHARE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, IS I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A REALLY, REALLY BRILLIANT CONCEPT OF AN ICONIC DEVELOPMENT THAT INCORPORATED BOTH PORRETTO BEACH AND STEWART BEACH AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, PORRETTO BEACH CAN HAVE A HOTEL, STEWART BEACH CAN'T ALL OF A SUDDEN IT FEELS TO ME LIKE I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY IN MY POCKET.

I DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY READY TO WRITE A CHECK.

BUT IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IF WE THINK BIG, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING, THINK AS BIG AS WE CAN, THAT'S ACHIEVABLE. IT WOULD BE PRETTY AMAZING TO THINK THAT WE COULD TAKE ALL THAT SPACE AND MAKE A TRUE MUST SEE ATTRACTION ON THE SAND FOR TEXAS.

I AGREE, I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. SO I MEAN THIS, THIS IS WHAT THIS THIS ROUNDTABLE IS ALL ABOUT.

AND SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

I MEAN, I, I DON'T MIND PRESSURING IN MY POSITION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT THAT SOMEONE'S NOT DOING THEIR JOB, BUT I THINK IT JUST BRINGS TO THE FOREFRONT OF, HEY, WE NEED THIS.

WE NEED THIS REALLY BAD FOR THE BEACH PATROL TO START WITH AS A BASIC.

AND WE ALSO NEED THIS FOR THE ECONOMY OF THE ISLAND.

I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SEEN WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT WAS IN ITS HEYDAY, WHAT IT BROUGHT TO THE ISLAND AND IT CAN BE BROUGHT BACK AGAIN.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. WELL, MY PLEASURE AND THANK YOU.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, I THINK I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE TRUSTEES AGREE WHAT IT COULD BE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT WE KNOW WHAT IT COULD BE.

SO WE'RE IN SYNC. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.

AND AGAIN, I'M SORRY I WAS LATE. NO PROBLEM AT ALL.

SHARON, YOU. ONCE HE MENTIONED IT, I JUST. I WAS JUST NOTING THAT HE DID NOT SAY THE ICONIC IDEA, BUT HE WENT BACK TO IT. MARTY TAKE TWO WAS EVEN BETTER THAN TAKE ONE.

IT'S AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES, FOR GIVING US THE TIME TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THAT.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, TOO. IT'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE TO ITEM THREE G, ITEM THREE G OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE AS IT RELATES TO THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

[3.G Discuss Beach Ownership Assistance as it Relates to the Texas General Land Office]

THIS IS AN ANNUAL TOPIC, ACTUALLY. SO I KNOW THAT MARTY HAS AN UPDATE TO GIVE ON THIS AND SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL ON HOW WE PROCEED FORWARD COMING INTO

[01:00:03]

I REALLY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND NOT NOT MANY ANSWERS, BUT AS A WAY TO START THIS WE ARE CHARGED BY THE CITY TO CREATE CONCESSION CONTRACTS AND CLEAN THINGS.

AND YOU KIND OF KNOW WHAT WE'RE IN CHARGE TO DO.

AND IT'S AND WHEN IT COMES TO CONCESSIONS, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO DO THAT ON PUBLIC BEACH.

WE DO NOT APPROACH IT ON PRIVATE BEACH, WHICH IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED REVENUES FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE WE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

AND BY THE WAY, I'M NOT ARGUING. THAT'S NOT RIGHT. I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S A FACT.

MY QUESTIONS ARE AND BY THE WAY, I CAN SHOW YOU SOME THINGS YOU'D FIND VERY INTERESTING.

I'M NOT SURE I'M GOING TO DO THAT. I MIGHT DEPENDS ON HOW THIS CONVERSATION GOES, BUT IF WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ALLOW CONCESSIONS ON THAT BEACH, THESE ARE JUST HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS.

OKAY? ARE WE STILL SUPPOSED TO CLEAN IT? ARE WE STILL SUPPOSED TO HAVE PICK UP THE TRASH? ARE WE STILL SUPPOSED TO HAVE A LIFEGUARD STAND CLOSE? NOW, THOSE ARE REALLY OBVIOUS, IMPACTFUL KINDS OF QUESTIONS I'M ASKING.

AND BY THE WAY, I HAVE NO PROBLEM IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT FOR THE BEACH, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC OR PRIVATE.

THAT'S NOT MY POINT. AND IN FACT, IT COULD BE REALLY DIFFICULT IF WE GET TO THE POINT THAT WE HAVE ALL THOSE SERVICES BUT CAN'T CROSS A PRIVATE PART OF THE BEACH.

SO IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED THING. MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GET OFF THE DIME AND HOW CAN THE CITY HELP US? ARE YOU GOING TO OWN IT OR ARE WE GOING TO OWN IT? DO WE WORK TOGETHER? I DON'T, I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER AND I KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME I LOVE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. SO LET ME GIVE YOU SOME THOUGHTS FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO CALL ON DAN HERE IN A SECOND.

THIS SUBJECT HAS NOT FALLEN ON DEAF EARS AT THE CITY.

THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF PUBLIC NOTICE ON THIS, BUT WE HAVE MET REPEATEDLY.

HERE AT THE CITY TO DISCUSS THIS. WE'VE MET WITH STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE CLAIMING PRIVATE LAND DOWN THERE.

WE HAVE MET WITH THE G L O. I PERSONALLY HAD A MEETING WITH DON BUCKINGHAM ON THIS SUBJECT.

AND WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCHING AND ANALYZING AND COMING UP WITH A RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION IN OUR OPINION HERE. AND I, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE CITY THAT WE FEEL IT'S ULTIMATELY A G L O QUESTION OR SOLUTION TO THIS AND THAT WITHOUT THE G O'S BACKING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ON HOW THEY WANT TO HANDLE THIS, IT HANGS THE CITY OUT. OR WHOEVER MAY ENFORCE THIS, IT HANGS THEM OUT THERE WITH NOT THE PROPER SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE TO PURSUE THIS.

WE HAVE HAD AN ISSUE POP UP HERE RECENTLY. YOU MAY BE AWARE OF SIGNS BEING POSTED ON THE BEACH, AND I'M GOING TO. WE HAVE ADDRESSED THAT WITH THE G L, O, AND I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO DAN AND KYLE CLARK TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.

I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE, WHICH I WAS DEBATING WHETHER TO SHARE.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THE SIGNS THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF, THERE ARE NOW PAINTED SIGNS ON THE SEAWALL THIS BIG THAT SAY NO TENTS.

YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS WHERE THOSE ARE LOCATED.

AND I TALKED TO THOSE SIGNS. I TALKED TO LARRY THIS MORNING AND VINCE AND THEY, THEY'VE BEEN PAINTED OVER.

WE'RE TREATING THAT AS JUST AS ANY OTHER GRAFFITI.

AND THEY'VE BEEN LARRY REACHED OUT TO ME AND EMAILED VINCE AND I, AND VINCE GAVE HIM DIRECTION TO PAINT OVER.

AND THAT'S THE SAME THING I TOLD HIM. IT'S LIKE IT'S GRAFFITI, SO PAINT, PAINT OVER IT.

AND IF ANYBODY. I ONLY SHARED THAT. SO YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS PROBABLY NOT GOING AWAY.

NO IT'S NOT. IT'S WHAT HAPPENED AFTER. TO REITERATE WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE GLO, THE MOST RECENT COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THESE SIGNS, WHICH BASICALLY PROHIBITED PEOPLE FROM GOING DOWN.

WHAT THEY'RE CLAIMING TO BE PRIVATE BEACH AND DOING ANYTHING.

AND WE SENT THAT TO THE G L O AND ASKED FOR A RULING IN WRITING AND THEY DID IT.

SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. AND THEIR DETERMINATION WAS THE SIGNS HAD TO COME DOWN.

THEY GAVE THEY SENT A LETTER TO THREE DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND DIRECTED THEM TO REMOVE THE SIGNS WITHIN 14 DAYS OF THE

[01:05:07]

THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE WITH THEM, THEY WERE GOING TO DO A BEACHFRONT SURVEY.

THEY WERE GOING TO DETERMINE AND THEY WERE GOING TO, IN WRITING, PROVIDE GUIDANCE RELATED TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE CLAIMING IS PRIVATE BEACH.

THEY SEEM STEADFAST IN THEIR BELIEF THAT IF IT'S NOURISHED, IT'S NO, IT'S NOT PRIVATE BEACH.

BUT WE HAVE HEARD THAT ORALLY FOR YEARS. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT IN WRITING.

SO AS THEY, AS WE PROGRESS DOWN THIS ROAD, I WOULD SAY THIS IS A BIG STEP.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE SEEN THE GLOW STEP UP AND ADDRESS HEAD ON AN ISSUE RELATED TO SOMETHING THAT A PRIVATE BEACH OWNER DID. QUITE HONESTLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHO DID IT.

WE KNOW WHAT THE SIGNS SAID AND WHERE THEY WERE. SO THAT'S YOU HAD TO DRAW ASSUMPTIONS OF OF WHO DID IT, BUT THEY STEPPED UP, PUT HIM ON NOTICE. AND IN REFERENCE TO STATE LAW, THEY REFERENCED THEIR ABILITY TO FIND IF THE SIGNS AREN'T REMOVED. SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

YOU SAID THAT THE I HEARD THAT THE GLOW HAD AGREED TO DO A SURVEY OF ALL OF OUR BEACHES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS.

THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO. THEY WERE GOING TO DO SURVEY THE COASTAL BOUNDARY SURVEY AND FOR FUTURE NOURISHMENTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. ANYTIME YOU DO A BEACH NOURISHMENT, YOU HAVE TO DO A COASTAL BOUNDARY SURVEY TO DETERMINE OWNERSHIP.

CHERYL WORKED WITH HIM ON THAT. I'M WORKING WITH JILL.

WE'LL COORDINATE WITH HIM ON THAT. BUT THAT WAY YOU CAN DETERMINE WHERE STATE SUBMERGED LAND IS IS LOCATED.

ARE THEY GOING TO DO THAT? THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE ISLAND IN FRONT OF THE SEAWALL.

THE SEAWALL? YEAH. WE'RE DOING WE DID IT FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WE DID.

WE'RE DOING SOME FOR THE PROJECT AT THE BARTLEBAUGH.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST DOING IT IN AREAS WHERE WE'RE DOING BEACH NOURISHMENT.

YEAH. THE THE CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF THE SEAWALL IS THERE WAS SOME NOURISHMENT DONE PRIOR TO 2000, I BELIEVE. AND 2000 IS WHERE THE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT.

WHEN SAID YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COASTAL BOUNDARY SURVEY TO DETERMINE.

SO THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE. BUT THAT'S WHAT MR. BUCKINGHAM HAS INDICATED TO MAYOR BROWN WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GO BACK IN AND DO SOME OF THAT RESEARCH WHERE THOSE PROPERTIES AND WHERE THAT NOURISHMENT WAS DONE PRIOR TO THE COASTAL BOUNDARY SURVEY LEGISLATION GOING INTO EFFECT.

AND IT'S NOT THAT RELIABLE WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY OWNERSHIP IN THAT AREA.

THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD DETERMINE WHAT WAS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AND THEY WOULD BE IN COME DOWN HERE AND MEET WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AT CLAIMING PRIVATE LAND TO ADDRESS THAT WITH THEM, NOT GIVE US A TIME FRAME FOR THAT.

MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU THAT WAS COMING. WE HAD GERALD HAD HIS HAND UP.

I'M JUST CURIOUS, AND MAYBE THIS QUESTION HAS COME UP BEFORE, BUT THIS HOW HAVE OTHER COASTAL COMMUNITIES HANDLED THIS? I MEAN, THIS CANNOT JUST BE A GALVESTON ISSUE.

YOU GOT TO BE OTHER CORPUS PADRE. IT'S NOT GALVESTON'S ONE OF THE FEW THAT HAS PLATTED OWNERSHIP ON THEIR BEACH.

CORRECT. IT'S STATE PARK OR OR STATE PROPERTY.

NOT THE ONLY THOUGH ONE OF THE FEW HAS PLATTED OWNERSHIP ON THE BEACH, WHICH IS RARE.

I HAVE STREETS OUT THERE DATING BACK TO WHAT WAY? I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW. 1836 BEFORE THE SEAWALL.

ONLY 42% OF THE HISTORIC SEAWALL IS PUBLIC. THE REST IS ALL CURRENTLY 58%.

SHOWS AS PRIVATE AGAIN. YES. WOW. AND THERE ARE STREETS PLATTED OUT IN ON THE BEACH THERE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS. AND THESE INDIVIDUALS IN SOME INSTANCES HAVE BEEN PAYING THEIR PROPERTY TAX ON THAT LAND OUT THERE.

WOW. SO IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING, BUT WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE CITY THAT THIS IS ULTIMATELY A G O PROBLEM FOR US TO STEP OUT IN THE CITY AND SAY, DO THIS AND THAT WITHOUT THE G, L O S BACKING ON THIS, IT WOULD PUT US IN HARM'S WAY OUT THERE. SO WE ARE REALLY PUSHING IN THIS WRITTEN RESPONSE THAT WE GOT TODAY FROM THE G

[01:10:01]

FROM WHAT I CAN REMEMBER A LONG TIME AGO RELATED TO THE SPECIFIC ON A BEACH OWNERSHIP TYPE ISSUE.

ONE OF THE THINGS, JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT, IT'S NOT JUST THE BEACH UNDERNEATH OFF.

IT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE STREETS AND BLOCKS AND LOTS THAT ARE OWNED PRIVATELY UNDER OFFICE BY ALL OVER THE CITY.

THIS EXISTS BECAUSE PRIOR TO THE GRADE RAISING, IT WAS ALL PLATTED THE WHOLE CITY.

YEAH. THAT'S INTERESTING. ENGLISH BEAU. I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD CLEAN THE ENTIRE BEACH, BUT IF WE'RE USING PUBLIC DOLLARS TO CLEAN THESE PRIVATE BEACHES. HOT. YEAH, HOT TAX DOLLARS. BUT I MEAN, CAN WE ASK FOR A REIMBURSEMENT OR SOMETHING SINCE THEY'RE CLAIMING IT TO BE PRIVATELY OWNED? I'D LOVE TO, BUT I BELIEVE THE PARK BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAKE OUR BEACHES AS PERFECT.

YOU DON'T WANT TO POCKET? YEAH. YOU HAVE A DIRTY BEACH HERE.

THEY'RE THE ONES CLAIMING IT'S NOT. IT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT PUNITIVE, BUT IT SEEMS A LITTLE.

BUT WHAT REALLY HURTS IS THAT WILL HURT THE HOTELS AND THE RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESS.

BUT THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH US COLLECTING THEIR TRASH ON THEIR.

OH, EXACTLY. YEAH. I MEAN, THAT'S KEEPING THEM SAFE. YEAH, I'LL DO IT ON THE WEST END. A LOT OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OUT THERE TOO, SO IT'S NOT A RARE THING. I THINK THE THE REAL ISSUE AT HAND IS COMMERCIAL USE OF THE BEACH.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO GO USE THE BEACH. THAT'S I THINK THAT'S UNQUESTIONABLY CORRECT.

SO YOU CAN GO DOWN ON WHAT SOMEBODY SAYS IS PRIVATE BEACH.

YOU CAN'T UNDERTAKE A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS THERE.

COMMERCIAL PRACTICE THERE. BUT YOU CAN GO USE THAT BEACH.

SO THAT GETS TO THE CLEANING OF IT AND THE PROTECTION OF IT.

IT'S A PUBLIC BEACH. NOW, IF THE ARGUMENT THAT THEY'RE MAKING IS FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, VENDORS, JET SKI RENTALS, UMBRELLAS, CHAIRS. THAT'S A COMMERCIAL VENTURE, AND THEY'RE ARGUING THAT IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO TAKE THEIR PROPERTY FOR COMMERCIAL VENTURES. MARTY, WHAT I HEAR YOU STATING, THOUGH, IS HOW DO YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH CONCESSIONAIRE AGREEMENTS? I MEAN, ARE YOU WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT EXACTLY THE WAY WE AGREED TO THE INTERLOCAL, WHICH IS WE'RE JUST GOING TO DEAL WITH PUBLIC BEACH.

OKAY. BUT. I ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T SAY, AND IT'S MAYBE I'M BEING DRAMATIC, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ALLOW, WE, US ALLOW THIS STUFF, SOMETHING BAD COULD HAPPEN AND WE'RE LIABLE.

PROBABLY. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER HEARING I DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE STORY, BUT I HEARD ABOUT AN UMBRELLA, FLEW OFF A PRIVATE BEACH, HURT SOMEONE, AND THEY CAME AFTER THE CITY.

RIGHT. SO IT'S IT WOULD BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR OUR LIABILITY TO HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER ALL OF THAT.

YES, I THINK THERE'S SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY THAT COMES INTO THAT.

I CAN ADDRESS THAT MORE THAN I CAN. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN PROTECTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU TALK ABOUT LIABILITY ISSUES. YEAH, IT DOESN'T ANYBODY CAN FILE A LAWSUIT.

ALL THEY NEED IS $15 OR WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GO DOWN TO THE COURTHOUSE.

REALLY? IS IT MORE THAN THAT NOW? I DON'T KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.

CAN YOU GUIDE ME ON THIS? WHEN I VISITED WITH COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM, THEY INFERRED THEY WOULD BE HERE IN THE SUMMER FOR THE SURVEY.

IS THAT. NO IDEA. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER.

DON'T KNOW ME. EXCUSE ME. SHE HASN'T HEARD A DATE EITHER.

THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN ONE. THEY HAVEN'T? NO, SIR.

AND WE'RE GETTING AWFULLY CLOSE TO SUMMER. YES WE ARE.

YEAH. I DO APPRECIATE THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT.

THEY I'M ON A WHATSAPP WITH THEM. SO THAT'S HOW I SAW THE SIGNS WAS THEY TAKE PHOTOS.

SO EVERY DAY I CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING I NEED TO GO LOOK AT.

SO THAT'S HOW I SAW THE SIGNS. SO I WENT DOWN THERE AND TOOK PHOTOS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I APPRECIATE THEM TAKING PHOTOS OF THOSE ITEMS. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? YES. BEAU CAN YOU GIVE YOUR BEST ASSESSMENT OPINION THAT WE WON'T HOLD YOU TO OF WHAT? ASSESSMENT VEGETATED OR WHAT WAS THE WORD YOU USED, NURSED, NOURISHED.

THAT'S KIND OF AN AMBIGUOUS THING. WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THAT? NOURISHED. NOURISHED IS JUST WHERE THEY, THEY, THEY PUT SAND ON THE BEACH.

IT'S JUST THAT'S, IT CAN BE THE BIG PROJECTS THAT WE DID FOR CAPITAL FOR THAT CHERYL DOES IN FRONT OF THE SEA WALLS.

IT CAN BE JUST PUTTING SMALL AMOUNTS ON THERE, BUT JUST PUTTING ANYTHING ON THERE TO TRY TO BUILD BACK A BEACH PROFILE THAT'S THAT'S BEEN ERODING. IS THAT THAT'S ON KEPPRA. WELL, NO, THAT'S THAT'S JUST A TERM THAT THE ENGINEERING AND THE COASTAL COMMUNITY USES.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST ANYTHING WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP A BEACH PROFILE THAT'S ERODING.

[01:15:04]

I KNOW THAT THAT WAS A CONTENTION. NO. SO WHAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE G L O IS, LIKE I SAID, PRIOR TO 2000, I BELIEVE. WELL, SINCE 2000, ANYTIME YOU DO A BEACH NOURISHMENT, YOU HAVE TO DO A COASTAL BOUNDARY SURVEY, WHICH DETERMINES EXACTLY WHERE THE STATE SUBMERGED LAND IS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

PRIOR TO 1999 OR 2000, THAT LAW WAS NOT IN EFFECT.

SO WHEN THEY WENT OUT AND DID BEACH NOURISHMENT PROJECTS, THEY JUST WENT OUT THERE. THEY DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE THAT DEFINED LINE.

SO, AS WHAT JILL HAS INDICATED TO US IS, THERE WERE SOME THAT SOME NOURISHMENT FROM THE SEAWALL PRIOR TO THAT TIME.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE KIND OF THE CONFUSION IS AT TO SAY, OKAY, WELL, WHERE, WHERE WAS THE STATE SUBMERGED LAND BEFORE WE DID BEACH NOURISHMENT IN THE 80S? DIRECT ANSWER IS YES. THEY NOURISHED SOME BEACH THAT PEOPLE ARE NOW CLAIMING.

YEAH, THERE'S THE YEAH. BUT THAT'S WHERE THE, THE THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT BETWEEN THOSE BEFORE THAT LAW CAME INTO EFFECT.

AND REALLY JUST JUST FOR MY OWN KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S ALL JUST.

YEAH. ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS? YES. REAL QUICK BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

I KNOW MARTY, YOU'VE BEEN NAVIGATING A FEW MINEFIELDS HERE.

BUT THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS THAT WE'RE STICKING WITH THE STATUS QUO WITH THE INTERLOCAL, AND THIS IS JUST FOR PART WORK STUFF, SO WE KNOW HOW TO PROCEED THROUGH THE BUSIEST SEASON.

WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE STILL GOING TO CLEAN ALL BEACHES, STILL GOING TO KEEP THEM SAFE WITH BEACH PATROL.

AND ANY COMMERCIAL EFFORTS IS GOING TO BE WITHHELD ONLY TO THE PUBLICLY OWNED BEACH REAL ESTATE.

IS THAT CORRECT? I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, YES.

OKAY, PERFECT. GOOD SUMMATION. PERFECT. VERY GOOD.

[3.H Discussion OF Boddeker Road as it Relates to the Ability to Access East Beach, Produce Revenue for Future Amenities and Preserve Visitor Perception of Galveston]

AND BEFORE WE START WITH THIS, I THINK ELIZABETH MATTHEWS HAS TO LEAVE AT 248, AND WE CAN WELCOME IN.

CARLOS GUERRA, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

LET ME GO AHEAD AND STEP OUT TO MAYOR. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. I'LL BE BACK SOON. ALL RIGHT. SO FOR THIS LAST ITEM, THIS IS A DISCUSSION THE DEPARTMENT STAFF WAS INTERESTED IN HAVING, AS IT DOES REMAIN, ONE OF THE CITY OWNED PARKS THAT EAST BEACH.

I'M SORRY THAT THE PARK BOARD IS MANAGING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AS WELL.

AND THERE IS CONCERN, AS WE LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY GENERATE AS MUCH REVENUE TO BE SHARED WITH THE CITY AS POSSIBLE AT THIS LOCATION. THE ACCESSIBILITY IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF A HINDRANCE OUT THERE AS WELL.

SO I KNOW MARTY HAS SOME MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S THE OVERARCHING INTRO AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MARTY.

YOU REALLY HIT IT ON THE HEAD. IT'S WELL, I'LL BE MORE SPECIFIC.

THE THE TWO PROFITABLE PARKS ARE NOW BEING MANAGED BY THE CITY.

THE TWO NOT PROFITABLE PARKS ARE MANAGED BY THE PARK BOARD.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME TO MAKE THEM PROFITABLE, TO GENERATE POSITIVE CASH FLOW TO COVER OUR EXPENSES, ETC.. RIGHT? WE ALL KNOW WHAT BUSINESS IS. IT FEELS REALLY WEIRD TO ME.

WE'RE IN AN AWKWARD POSITION THAT. WHAT AM I REALLY GOING TO DO ON STUART BEACH? IT'S PROBABLY VERY SHORT TERM. HOPEFULLY, IF THE RFP IS SUCCESSFUL.

AND THEN I LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HOW AM I GOING TO GENERATE A BUNCH OF REVENUE OVER THERE AND MAKE IT REALLY NOT ICONIC? MAYBE. BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO GENERATE A LOT MORE INTEREST? HOW ARE WE GOING TO USE IT TO HELP INCREASE THE REPUTATION OF TOURISM IN THE CITY AS WELL AS FOR LOCALS? AND I WILL BE 100% HONEST TO YOU. AGAIN, I'M NOT BEING DRAMATIC.

I WILL NOT DRIVE MY CAR ON THE ROAD. I WILL NOT DO IT.

I'VE DONE IT. AND EVERY TIME. AND IF I HAD A RELATIVELY NEW TRUCK, I'M NOT SURE I WOULD DRIVE IT.

IT'S THAT BAD. NOW IT'S MY GUESS IS TO FIX IT IS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN EASY FIX AT ALL. BUT I ALSO, YOU ALL KNOW ME WELL ENOUGH NOW THAT.

OKAY, SO LET'S FIGURE IT OUT, RIGHT? WE CAN'T JUST KEEP HIDING FROM IT BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE.

AND SO I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO FIGURE OUT IS LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT IS THE OPTION? IT'S MAYBE IT'S A ZILLION DOLLARS.

[01:20:03]

SO WHAT DO WE DO? YOU KNOW THAT WE WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT IN THE PAST.

I'M GOING TO GO TO THE BOTTOM LINE. IT'S MONEY.

YOU CAN'T PAY THAT. YOU'VE GOT TO ELEVATE QUITE A BIT THAT ENTIRE PART OF YOUR DRIVE.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO BRIDGE DOWN THERE TOO. AND THAT'S GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY.

SO I AGREE WITH YOU, MARTY. WE CAN'T KEEP SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DISCUSS THIS.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT. I'M GOING TO BRING IN STAFF.

DAN. MAYOR. QUITE HONESTLY. DRIVE IS BEING IMPACTED BY SEA RISE.

IT'S BEING IMPACTED BY SAND DRIFT. AND QUITE HONESTLY, IT IS A ROAD WITH A SINGULAR PURPOSE TO ACCESS EAST BEACH. THE BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS OF GALVESTON IS WAY DOWN THE LIST.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING STREET MONEY, AND I THINK MILLIONS IS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THAT ROAD, YOU HAVE TO GET THE SHIP CHANNEL OFF TO TRY TO PREVENT FURTHER EROSION FROM WAVES AND TIDES.

AND THEN YOU'D HAVE TO CREATE A NEW SUBSTRUCTURE AND A NEW ROAD IN.

IT'S, IT IS A HUGE PROJECT. YOU KNOW, QUITE HONESTLY, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS A FEW YEARS AGO AND SHOULD THE CITY JUST ABANDON THE ROAD? YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER ENTRANCE TO EAST BEACH WHICH IS IN A, ON AN ACCRETING BEACH AND AN ACCRETING AREA.

PERHAPS IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE THERE. AND UTILIZE THAT VERSUS BODDICKER.

BODDICKER USED TO BE THE SINGULAR ENTRANCE TO THAT BEACH FOR YEARS, DECADES.

BUT NOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER WAY IN. AND IT MAY BE THAT WE COLLECTIVELY DECIDE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE PATH FORWARD.

BUT THE CITY HAS DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDING AS UNLESS COUNCIL.

AND THEIR WISDOM CAN FIGURE A WAY TO IDENTIFY FUNDING TO DO THAT.

IT WOULD BE A HUGE PROJECT. IT HAS NO REVENUE SOURCE, SO YOU CAN'T.

IF BONDS, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO PAY FOR IT.

BILL, YOU HAD YOUR HAND IN THAT, DID I? AND I AGREE, DAN, THIS IS THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS THAT ARE EXTREMELY TOUGH. AND I JUST WANT TO THROW A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL ITEMS IN THE MIX HERE FOR, FOR US TO KEEP IN OUR MINDS. NUMBER ONE IS THE EAST END LAGOON AND THAT NATURE PRESERVE.

AND WE'VE SPENT SOME MONEY AND HAVE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PLANS TO IMPROVE THAT AND PROVIDE IT TO THE PUBLIC, BOTH CITIZENS AND VISITORS, AS A NATURE PRESERVE.

AS DAN SAYS, NOT MUCH REVENUE THERE. UNLESS WE COULD SOMEHOW INCORPORATE IT INTO THE ENTIRE EAST END, THAT EAST PART AS A, AS ONE PARK WITH AN ENTRANCE FEE.

GETTING A SOURCE FOR A REVENUE SOURCE FROM THAT EAST END LAGOON IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

THE OTHER ONE, WHICH IS MORE, I THINK, OF A CITY CONCERN THAN THAN A PARK BOARD CONCERN.

AND THAT IS THE USE ALONG THE SHIP CHANNEL BY FOLKS ON BODDICKER DRIVE.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT ABANDONING IT IS WHAT ARE WE DOING TO THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION? SO I'M NOT THIS IS A CASE WHERE I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU, I HAD A SUGGESTION FOR A SOLUTION.

I DON'T. BUT AS WE CONSIDER THIS AND CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THE IDEA THAT FOR LARGE EVENTS ON THE EAST BEACH, FOR THE EAST IN LAGOON, AND FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT USE BODDICKER DRIVE, WE'VE GOT TO INCLUDE THOSE IN THE DISCUSSION AND DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO ADDRESS THEM AT 2:50 P.M.. COUNCILMAN PORRETTO HAS JOINED THE MEETING.

IS THERE AN ABILITY TO GET A DETERMINATION UNDER THE CATEGORY OF MAINTENANCE TO UTILIZE HOT TAX ON THESE REPAIRS? IT'S I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WOULD PUT HEADS IN BEDS.

[01:25:05]

I MEAN, WE UTILIZE IT TO MAINTAIN OUR BEACHES AND THAT IS THE ACCESS TO OUR BEACH.

I JUST, I, I'D LOVE TO JUST ASK THE QUESTION AND GET TOLD NO, BUT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF BEING TOLD POSSIBLY OR YES, WE CAN ALWAYS TRY THAT. AS WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL BEFORE, THERE'S AS FAR AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL, THERE'S NO HOT POLICE. YOU KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF HOT.

AND IF YOU WANT TO DO EAST BEACH DRIVE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE OF HOT.

SO SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO DO WITHOUT WHAT THEY HAVE NOW, TOO.

JUST TRYING TO PUT THAT THINKING CAP ON, YOU KNOW? RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EAST END LAGOON, WHERE IS THE ENTRANCE TO EAST END LAGOON? IS IT WAY DOWN OR IS IT UP BY THE TOP BY THE SEA WALL? YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DESIGN EAST END LAGOON, WHERE CAN THAT ENTRANCE BE? THAT'S UP TO THE DESIGNERS THAT THAT BUILD IT, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FLOODING AND STUFF ISN'T AS BAD THE CLOSER TO THE SEAWALL.

SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK LOTS OF STUDYING BUT WE DON'T SEE THE VALUE OF COMMITTING CITY COUNCIL FOR THE DRAINAGE PROJECT AT STEWART BEACH.

SO I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT FIT SIMILAR CATEGORIES.

IT POSSIBLY COULD. I MEAN, THE ISSUE THOUGH IS DAN MENTIONED IS YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THAT HEART FROM SOMEWHERE WE DON'T HAVE.

OH I AGREE. YEAH. WE NEED TO GENERATE. WE JUST NEED TO GENERATE MORE.

WELL THAT'S TRUE AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT. AND IF STUART BEACH GETS DEVELOPED MORE, I MEAN, HONESTLY, SITTING THERE BECAUSE I TOOK SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE IN TOWN, IT'S A PICTURESQUE PLACE.

YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THE PRETTIEST SITES OUTSIDE OF THE BEACH IN GALVESTON.

AND FOR US TO SIT THERE AND GO, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY VALUE TO THE PEOPLE OF GALVESTON, I THINK IS SELLING THE PEOPLE OF GALVESTON SHORT, QUITE HONESTLY, BECAUSE IT'S A NATURAL VIEW. IT'S IT'S A BEAUTIFUL VIEW.

AND THE WILDLIFE, I MEAN, I'M JUST AMAZED THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER ROAD TO GET TO IT.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE UTILIZED BY THE PEOPLE OF GALVESTON MOST OF THE TIME.

I MEAN, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE UNTIL YOU GO DOWN THERE. AND ANYWAY, SO DAN, I AM YOU KNOW, I'M LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION. I KNOW BODDICKER IS GOING TO BE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT YOU MENTIONED OPTION TWO. SO HOW MUCH WOULD THE OPTION TWO COST? BECAUSE DELAYING THE FIX IS NOT GOING TO REDUCE THE COST.

OPTION TWO YOU SAID THERE'S ANOTHER ENTRY TO ONLY HAS TWO ENTRANCES.

SO I MEAN, IT CONNECTS TO APPLE PARK ROAD. YEAH.

APPLE PARK ROAD GOES DIRECTLY INTO EAST BEACH.

IT HAS TWO ENTRANCES WHICH IS LESS THAN OPTIMAL.

AND THEN YOU HAVE APPLE ROAD AT THE OTHER END, WHICH IS A DIVIDED PAVED ROAD UNTIL IT GETS TO THE PARK.

AND THEN IT'S A PAVED ROAD ALL THE WAY TO THE SAND TO THE SANDERSON.

WELL, IT GOES AROUND. YEAH, IT'S THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD.

OKAY. FIRST YOU KNOW, YES, I FOR ROAD, IT'S A IN AND OUT OUT OF THESE FIELDS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU GET TO THE END OF APPLE ROAD, IT'S AS DAMAGED AS BODEGA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST RIGHT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE LAST PART WHERE THE ENTRANCE OUT OF THE ROAD THAT CONNECTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO APPLE ROAD TO THE TO THE END. IT'S NOT MAINTENANCE.

IT'S HOLES. I DRIVE, I DRIVE EVERY DAY THROUGH IT JUST TO GO AND CHECK OUT EVERYTHING AROUND BECAUSE I LOVE THAT AREA.

THAT'S ONE OF MY QUESTIONS. IS THAT WILL IT BE, MAINTENANCE BETTER THAN WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.

IF WE CLOSE DOWN BO DECKER, LET'S SAY WE DECIDE NO ABANDONED BO DECKER.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE. AND THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD APPLE ROAD WILL BE ENOUGH IN AND OUT OUT OF EAST BEACH.

IF FOR SOME REASON WE START DOING MAYOR EVENTS AT.

AT THAT END. IS IT ENOUGH TO GO IN TRAFFIC TO GET IN AND OUT? IT'S SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE IN AND OUT OF OF EAST BEACH BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAIN THING.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, IF YOU HAVE A MAIN EVENT, A BIG EVENT IN EAST BEACH.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE ABLE TO GET POLICE AND EMS OR FIRE THROUGH THAT ROAD TOWARDS THE EAST BEACH TO GET FROM THE ENTRANCE ALL THE WAY TO WHERE THE PAVILION IS. AND MOST OF THE TIME THAT'S THAT SUN.

IT'S KIND OF SOFT. CARS GET STUCK THERE COMPARED TO THE DISTANCE FROM THE ENTRANCE IN BOEDEKER TO THE PAVILION.

AND TODAY WE'RE JUST TALKING TO, TO TO THE FIRE CHIEF SAYS HE GOES AND CHECKS BEAU DECKER EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THE FIRE TRUCKS CAN GO THROUGH AND THEY DON'T FALL INTO A HOLE.

SO OKAY, LET'S CLOSE. LET'S THINK IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE TO TO FIX BEAU DECKER WE WE STAY ON THAT ROAD.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO MAKE IT A VIABLE ENTRANCE AND A BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCE TOWARDS TOWARDS EAST BEACH? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION. I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO PUT A PLAN TO IT, I'LL TELL YOU.

BODDICKER USED TO BE THE ONLY ENTRANCE, BUT NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE, RIGHT? CORRECT. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THEY UTILIZED EAST BEACH AND IT WAS FAR MORE ACTIVE THAN IT IS NOW WITH ONE ENTRANCE.

[01:30:05]

IS IT OPTIMAL? PROBABLY NOT. BUT HAVING TWO ENTRANCES IS IDEAL.

BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF EVENTS ARE YOU GOING TO HOST DOWN THERE. YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN THE THERE WAS A CONCERT SOME YEARS AGO.

IT WAS QUITE A MESS. AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THAT IS PROBABLY NOT A REASONABLE APPLICATION FOR THE PARK AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE UNLESS YOU BRING THE PEOPLE IN FROM REMOTE PARKING, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S A HOW IS THE PARK USED AND THE SANDCASTLE EVENT ALREADY? IT JUST CLOGS UP. YEAH, THEY'RE COMING. THEY'RE COMING BOTH WAYS.

I CAN IMAGINE IF WE ACTUALLY GET A STUART V DEVELOPMENT GOING.

AND THEN WE STILL USE EAST BEACH WITH THINGS FOR THINGS LIKE THE SANDCASTLE EVENT RIGHT THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED TWO WAYS IN AND OUT. WELL IT DEPENDS.

I MEAN WHERE SANDCASTLE GOING TO BE IF IT'S CONTINUE TO BE EAST BEACH, YOU USE THE EAST BEACH PARK DOWN BY EPFL ROAD.

IT JUST IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF NUTS TO ME FROM A LIFE SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, TO HAVE BEACHES THIS HEAVILY USED IN ONLY ONE WAY IN AND OUT, ESPECIALLY THE ONE WAY IN AND OUT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT IS INADEQUATE FOR THAT ONE WAY IN OR OUT.

I KNOW IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT IN MY PERSPECTIVE. AND TIP TO TIP, THERE'S A LOT OF THE REASONS I THINK THAT WE WOULD REALLY LOVE TO HAVE BEAU DECKER WE TALKED ABOUT HOT MAYBE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE WHOLE ROAD. ARE THERE ANY.

I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY GRANTS THAT WE COULD USE THE HOT FOR MATCHING FUNDS, FOR INSTANCE, TO GET SOMETHING DONE? WE COULD. I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I GET REDOING THE WHOLE ROADS A BIG PROJECT, BUT FOR FIXING IT FOR THE CURRENT CONDITIONS, I MEAN, WOULD BE SCHUSTER FEES BE OUT OF THE QUESTION.

JUST TO PATCH IT. YOU MEAN RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, THAT'S I MEAN, MAKE IT USABLE RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHICH USER FEES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I MEAN, EACH BEACH GETS A BEACH USER FEES, BEACH GETS A BEACH USER.

I MEAN, IT'S THE ONLY SEAWALL GETS BEACH USER FEES. YEAH, BUT WHAT PIECE OF THE PIE WOULD YOU WANT TO PULL? THAT'S PROBABLY NEED TO BE BEACH BECAUSE IT'S IT'S RIGHT UP THERE NEXT TO IT.

THE PROBLEM IS, I MEAN, ONCE YOU DO REPAIR THAT MONIKER DRIVE IN A MATTER OF MONTHS, IT'S HARD TO GET DOWN.

WELL, THE PARK BOARD GRADES IT ALREADY, RIGHT? OCCASIONALLY YOU GET SAND OFF IT, TOO.

WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. WE STILL GO IN AND FILL POTHOLES.

JUST FOR SAFETY KIND OF ISSUES. BUT. DON'T GREB THE STAND OFF WHEN IT GETS COVERED UP WITH SAND ANYMORE.

WE HAVE. YES, BUT IT'S NOT PART OF ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.

NO, IT IS NOT EXACTLY WHEN IT GETS IMPASSABLE.

I THINK THEY DEAL WITH IT WHEN REQUIRED. YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A SUBJECT FOR MANY YEARS, GOING BACK TO PREVIOUS JOINT MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL AND THE PARK BOARD.

WELL BEFORE MARTY WAS OUR CEO. I KNOW THAT I REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS ON MOVING THE MAIN ENTRANCE AS DAN SAID, TO EAST BEACH, TO APPLE PARK ROAD AND THEN CONVERTING THE BODDICKER INTO KIND OF A HYBRID ROAD SLASH TRAIL THAT CONNECTS EAST. IT'S PRIMARILY A TRAIL THAT CONNECTS EAST BEACH TO EASTERN LAGOON.

TO ALSO THE. I ALWAYS FORGET. IS IT FORT TRAVIS? YEAH I KNOW. YES. FORT TRAVIS UP THERE AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S A SCENIC CORRIDOR A THE RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS CAN ENJOY AS WELL, BUT THE TRAIL WOULD BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN EMERGENCY VEHICLES OR TRAFFIC WHENEVER THERE IS AN EVENT DOWN THERE THAT WOULD, WOULD NEED IT. AND THEN THERE WAS A DISCUSSION TOO, IS THAT THERE COULD BE PARTNERSHIPS, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT COULD HELP WITH THE TRAIL AND THE SCENIC AREA IN THIS CORRIDOR AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME OF THE LARGEST MARKET CAP PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES FLOATING RIGHT BY THAT ROAD EVERY SINGLE DAY AS WELL. AND I THINK WHAT, WHERE MARTY'S WANTING TO KNOW AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IS IF THERE IS ANY OTHER SOLUTION OTHER THAT COULD BE EXPLORED BY EITHER BY US AS THE PARK BOARD OR THE CITY OR TOGETHER AS WELL. COLLABORATION FOR ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS SUCH AS THAT? OR IS IT JUST THE BURDEN OF THE PARK BOARD TO FIGURE OUT OR THE BURDEN OF THE CITY TO FIGURE OUT? LET ME ASK A QUESTION. AND THIS IS THE OIL SPILL HORIZON MONEY CAME TO BE UTILIZED ON THE EAST END LAGOON. I THINK IT WAS CHERYL. WAS IT 1.4 BILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS FOR $1.3 MILLION, AND THAT HAS BEEN INCREASED OVER TIME DUE TO HOW MUCH TIME HAS PASSED.

[01:35:05]

FOR THE EASTERN LAGOON. YES, SIR. AND HOW MUCH IS COMING FROM THE HORIZON? OIL SPILL MONEY. 100% OF THE $3.2 MILLION. IS THERE ANY WAY TO REDIRECT SOME OF THAT MONEY? NO, SIR. THE SCOPE OF WORK IS SET. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT FUTURE BUCKETS OR FUTURE PROCESSES.

THROUGH THAT WE COULD NOT EXPLORE THAT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE TC WHO IS ADMINISTERING THE FUNDS FOR TEXAS.

BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE A ROAD THAT'S VIABLE DOWN THERE, WHATEVER THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE, YOU'D HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE EAST, THE WESTERN ENTRANCE TO GET DOWN THERE TO THAT.

SO THE ONE ADVANTAGE AND DAN ALLUDED TO THIS IS THE LOCATION FOR THE RESTORE PROJECT IS HIGHER UP ON THE ROAD.

IT'S JUST RIGHT AFTER THE BRIDGE. SO BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL THAT THERE'S A BRIDGE THERE TOO.

AND THAT BRIDGE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND MAINTAINED ALSO NOT JUST THE ROAD.

RIGHT, RIGHT, EXACTLY. AND THAT BRIDGE IS GOING TO COST SOME MONEY TO ELEVATE THAT BRIDGE.

YES, SIR. I HATE TO USE THIS WORD, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME KIND OF PLANNING FOR THAT ENTIRE EASTON AREA IN THE EASTERN LAGOON AND THESE ROADS.

I THINK SITTING AROUND HERE IS GOOD TO DISCUSS IT, BUT WE NEED SOME EXPERTISE TO DO THAT LITTLE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THAT AREA.

YEAH, YEAH, WE REALLY DO. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROCEED WITH THAT, IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THE PARK BOARD COULD LOOK AT.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT THAT'S SUCH A VALUABLE RESOURCE DOWN THERE.

BUT WE NEED TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE THAT GUIDES US ON THIS.

I DON'T THINK WE KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW DOWN THERE.

SO THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL FEELING. I AGREE. SO WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL TO DESIGNATE SOMEONE TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT? ONE OF THE, THE ORGANIZATION'S MAYBE THE PART BOARD STARTS THE PROCESS OR WOULD THE CITY RATHER START THE PROCESS? OF COURSE, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONE ANOTHER. IN MY MIND, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE PARK BOARD TO TAKE THIS ON.

THIS IS MORE IN YOUR EXPERTISE DOWN THERE, YOUR MANAGEMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE COULD SET UP A SYSTEM LIKE WE HAVE AT THE BOARD RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE A REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE THAT'S FORMED OF INDIVIDUALS FROM THE BOARDS BOARD AND FROM CITY COUNCIL, AND IT COULD BE THAT WE COULD HAVE A DUAL TYPE COMMITTEE SET UP TO WORK WITH THAT DOWN THERE.

SO BUT WE NEED WHATEVER THE IS. I JUST WE NEED TO HAVE EXPERT PLANNING DOWN THERE.

THIS IS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH AND BUT AND WE'VE GOT THIS THREE POINT SOMETHING MILLION GETTING READY TO BE UTILIZED.

WE NEED TO SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. THAT WOULD EITHER COMPLEMENT THAT OR POSSIBLY NOT COMPLIMENT THAT DOWN THERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL REMIND YOU OF. NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE PART WHERE IT DID EXACTLY THAT.

AND THEY BOUGHT A PROJECT TO BUILD A HOTEL AND GLAMPING AND AN RV PARK AND TAKE OVER THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE EAST END OF THE SEA WALL AND DOWN ONTO BODDICKER. SO MY RECOMMENDATION, WHEN WAS THAT? YEAH, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A MISCHARACTERIZATION AT BEST.

AND WHAT WAS BROUGHT HERE? THAT IS NOT TRUE. I'M SORRY BEFORE YOU GOT ON BOARD, BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

I'M SURE I DON'T REMEMBER THAT AT ALL. BUT THERE WERE THERE WERE PLANS.

YES. THERE WERE. ABSOLUTELY WERE. AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS PERHAPS COUNCIL PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE TO THE PARK BOARD.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO DELEGATE IT TO THE PARK BOARD TO COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS.

PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BEST. AND WE'VE LEARNED THIS THROUGH EXPERIENCE, IS THAT FOR COUNCIL TO GIVE PARK BOARD SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT THEIR VISION IS SO THAT THEY'RE WORKING TOWARD THE VISION THAT COUNCIL WANTS, INSTEAD OF BRINGING ONE THAT WOULD BE SHUT DOWN ONCE IT GOT HERE.

JUST A RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE OF HIS HISTORY, WE COULD GET THIS ON THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA AND WEIGH INTO THIS, GIVE GUIDANCE. THIS WOULD BE A NEW COUNCIL FUNCTION THAT WOULD COME UP HERE AFTER MAY 2ND.

YOU LOVE SAYING THAT. IT'S EASY TO SAY IT'S EASY.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT DOWN THERE.

AND THAT'S KIND OF BEEN SETTING GORMAN ATTENDED FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

YES. I NEED A GROUP THAT CAN ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THAT AND TAKE AND TAKE TIME WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO DO THE ANALYSIS.

[01:40:01]

I AGREE, SO WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

I'LL HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR APRIL 23RD AND WE WILL DISCUSS THAT AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL.

GOOD. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? JASON. IF YOU WOULD LIKE FELT COMFORTABLE THEN CLOSING YOUR MAIL.

I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL, THANK THE PARK BOARD FOR BEING HERE.

I IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE PARK BOARD OVER ALL THESE YEARS.

AND AS THE YEARS HAVE GONE BY, IT SEEMS LIKE OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES THAT ARE THERE NOW WITH THE NEW CEO.

THIS IS THE BEST REPORT WE'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME WITH THE PARK BOARD.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU. MARTY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR SIX YEARS. YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN, I GUESS AT 3:12 P.M.

THAT WE WILL ADJOURN OUR BOARD MEETING. THANK YOU EVERYONE.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COUNCIL WILL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.

IT'LL BE. I'LL HAVE MORE. 317. LANTZ FOR PUNISHMENT.

[4.A Discussion of parking related issues at Gonzalo’s Restaurant (Robb/Rawlins/Porretto - 10 min)]

[ *A portion of this item is unavailable*]

YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE MORE OF THOSE TWO HOUR PARKING, 8 A.M.

TO 6 P.M. RESIDENTIAL PERMITS EXEMPTED. EXPLAINED EXPLAINED TO ME THAT, WELL, THE REASON THEY'RE LESS STRINGENT THAN THEY ARE ON NINTH STREET IS BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE OF UTM AND ALL THE PEOPLE TRYING TO PARK AROUND UTM.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS OVER ON 14TH AND POST OFFICE THAT INFLUENCE THAN IT IS OVER NINTH IN POST OFFICE.

AND SO I UNDERSTAND, I KIND OF GET THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF GOTTEN DOWN TO AN ISSUE OF OF THE RESTAURANT ACCOMMODATING THE RESTAURANT WITH THE SIGNAGE THEY NEED AND THE NEIGHBORS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THAT AREA.

RIGHT. THEY'RE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO PARK IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE.

I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKGROUND ON IT THAT THAT I UNDERSTAND.

AND I THINK TONY GONZALEZ LIVES, RIGHT? OR HAS A BUSINESS RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNER OF NINTH AND POST OFFICE AND HAS TALKED TO A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD JUST HEAR FROM WHAT HE'S HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.

YOU KNOW WE DON'T NORMALLY HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I KNOW LAST MEETING WE HAD SOME PUBLIC COMMENT LET'S HAVE ONE PERSON COME UP AND GIVE JUST SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS REAL QUICKLY. I DON'T KNOW IF ANGELA'S HERE OR NOT.

TONY. COME ON UP, SIR. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? GOOD.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? GOOD. TONY, IF YOU COULD KIND OF MAKE THIS BRIEF.

IF YOU WOULD. ABSOLUTELY. TONY GONZALEZ. I'M A902 POST OFFICE STREET.

BEEN THERE OVER 30 YEARS, MAYBE. SO I WAS 24 YEARS OLD AND BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.

I NEVER HAD ANY IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE THIS FAST FORWARD AND NOW I'M 57 DEGREES BEAU.

BUT ANYWAY IT'S BEEN A, AN ISSUE I THINK RECENTLY.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A, I DON'T THINK IT'S A CITY OF GALVESTON PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT A GONZALEZ PROBLEM. IT'S A GROWING PAINS PROBLEM.

I MEAN, THEIR BUSINESS IS DOING INCREDIBLE. AND I LOVE SEEING THAT.

HONESTLY, IT GIVES ME CHILLS SOMETIMES WHEN I SEE HOW MUCH PEOPLE GO AND SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS, I LOVE THAT. SO IT'S REALLY A. THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS THERE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S BY CHANGING THE THE TWO HOUR PARKING AND RESIDENTIAL EXEMPT.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THEM.

YES, MAYBE A SMALL BIT, BUT I THINK A LOT LESS THAN THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO.

IT'S GOING TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD A LOT MORE.

24 SEVEN AS OPPOSED TO THOSE GUYS NEXT DOOR, YOU KNOW TO ME WHEN YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL PARK ACROSS THE STREET.

SO WHEN SHRINERS BUILT THAT GINORMOUS PARKING GARAGE THEY BUILT.

THEY MADE THAT A TWO HOUR PARKING, WHEREAS BEFORE IT WAS RESIDENTIAL PARKING.

SO IF ANYTHING, WE LOST RESIDENTIAL PARKING. AND THEN, SO NOW THEY HAVE INCREASED THE TWO HOUR PARKING THERE ACROSS THE STREET THERE.

AND FOR THEIR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH, THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH PARKING AT DINNER TIME AFTER 06:00, I THINK IT'S AFTER 5 OR 6. THAT'S WHEN THEY STOP ENFORCING THE LAW THERE.

SO YOU CAN PARK THERE ANYTIME AFTER THAT TIME ANYWAY.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE IN THE EVENING. IT'S JUST FROM EIGHT FROM 8 TO 5.

BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE THE TWO HOUR PARKING THERE.

SO I DON'T THINK BY CHANGING IT'S GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

AND AS FAR AS SUNFLOWER, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE. BUT THEY HAVE A TWO HOUR PARKING. BUT NO ONE'S YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE PATIENTS THAT ARE GOING TO PARK AT SUNFLOWER OR THE STUDENTS TO TAKE A QUICK EXAM AND COME BACK TO THEIR CAR.

THEY DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME. ALTHOUGH SUNFLOWER SEEMS TO BE CLOSE TO THE UNIVERSITY. IT'S NOT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RIGHT IN THE HEART OF IT AND STUFF, YOU KNOW? SO BUT YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN,

[01:45:07]

I SAID, HE'S GOING TO TAKE THIS PLACE TO ANOTHER LEVEL.

I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS LEVEL, BUT. AND HE DID. AND I WAS SO HAPPY FOR HIM. THEY DO SUCH AN INCREDIBLE JOB THERE. AND I, I PROMOTE THE PLACE, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A GONZALEZ PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT A CITY OF GALVESTON PROBLEM. IT'S JUST GROWING PAINS, WHICH IS GOOD.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT IN THE ISLAND. IT'S GROWING PAINS, YOU KNOW. BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HARMFUL TO THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT COME AND SHIFT WORK AND STUFF.

IF YOU COME TO YOUR HOUSE, OF COURSE, YOU'RE NOT ENTITLED TO THIS LEVEL. BUT I GET IT.

BUT YOU SHOULD BE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PARK AT LEAST WITHIN THE BLOCK, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, GUY COMING HOME WITH A COUPLE OF KIDS IN HIS CAR LATE AT NIGHT, HAVING TO PARK A BLOCK UP THE STREET BECAUSE IT'S BEING FILLED WITH TWO HOUR PARKING.

THAT'S NOT FAIR TO TO SOMEONE THERE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN PULL ALL THE STUDENTS IN THE WORLD.

ANYBODY ELSE AND PETITION THIS AND THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THIS IS ISLAND PEOPLE, NOT JUST ISLAND PEOPLE, BUT THESE THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FIBER OF THE COMMUNITY WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS THAT'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY IT, YOU KNOW. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE THE WRONG CHOICE TO, TO MAKE IT A TWO HOUR PARKING, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S EVEN IF IT IS RESIDENTIAL EXEMPT, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE HARMFUL TO THE WHOLE AREA.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T, BUT IF THEY CHOOSE TO LEAVE SOMETIME, WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH THE TWO HOUR PARKING FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR NO REASON.

AND LAST THING I'LL SAY IS AT ONE POINT I HAD, I'VE HAD IT FOR 30 YEARS.

I OPENED UP A FINE DINING RESTAURANT FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS CALLED 901 POST OFFICE.

THEY'RE ACROSS THE STREET AT MY OTHER HOUSE AND THEN AT THE OTHER HOUSE THAT I HAD, I, I LEASED IT OUT TO HEY, MIKEY'S THAT'S WHERE HEY, MIKEY'S GOT THEIR START AT MY LOCATION THERE.

SO WE HAD THREE THRIVING BUSINESSES DURING THE DAY AND IN THE EVENING, AND THERE WERE JUST PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH AND THINGS WERE GOING WELL.

I MEAN, THERE WAS NEVER AN ISSUE WITH ANY PARKING OR PERMIT.

THE TWO HOURS, THIS AND THAT AND TICKETS, IT WASN'T THAT TYPE OF THING.

AND THAT WAS WITH THREE THRIVING BUSINESSES GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.

SO I THINK THAT'S JUST A LOT OF THIS IS WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE NEIGHBORS AS WELL, HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US ALL IN A NEGATIVE WAY, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, IT'S NOTHING TOWARDS THEM.

I MEAN, THERE ALTHOUGH WE SHARE THE SAME LAST NAME, THERE'S NO RELATIONSHIP WHATSOEVER THERE. BUT BUT THEY'RE DOING GREAT AND THEY'RE JUST HAVING GROWING PAINS, WHICH IS GREAT. AND THEN MAYBE SHRINERS CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT IN THAT BIG GARAGE THAT THEY HAVE WHERE THEY CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ARE LITERALLY SURROUNDED BY UTM PARKING AND SHRINERS PARKING, I MEAN, LITERALLY.

SO MAYBE SOMETHING COULD BE DONE WITH THEM TO KIND OF LET SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR THAT OR WHATEVER.

BUT THANK YOU. GOT A QUESTION? TONY, YOU'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.

THOSE AFTER SHRINERS WAS BUILT, ALL OF THOSE PARKING SPACES ALONG THERE NOW ARE NOW JUST TWO HOURS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT RESIDENTIAL AT ALL.

SO THOSE. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE OKAY. BUT WHEN THEY THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY CLOSE POST OFFICE, BUT THEY MADE IT NARROWER WHERE IT GOES UNDER THE PARKING GARAGE.

SO THOSE PARKING SPACES WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE SERVICE, I GUESS OUT OF CIRCULATION.

IS THERE, DO YOU THINK THERE'S MORE OR FEWER TWO HOUR PARKING PLACES NOW THAN THERE WERE BEFORE? I THINK THERE'S MORE NOW BECAUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SHRINERS, THAT'S ALSO TWO HOURS.

THAT'S ALSO TWO HOUR PARKING. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD BECAUSE EVEN A BLOCK AWAY FROM ME, THERE'S THE RED ONES THAT SAY NO, NO PARKING, RESIDENTIAL, RESIDENTIAL EXEMPT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S NO PARKING 24 OVER SEVEN, YOU KNOW.

SO YEAH, I MEAN, IF ANYTHING THAT COULD, THAT COULD BE A WORSE SITUATION THAN WE'RE IN NOW WHERE IT'S JUST RESIDENTIAL.

IT COULD BE RESIDENTIAL 24 SEVEN AND IT'S NOT THAT.

SO AT LEAST THEIR GUESTS CAN COME AFTER FIVE AND PARK WHEREVER THEY WANT.

SO THERE'S ALSO TWO HOUR PARKING SIGN AT THE 10TH AND POST OFFICE WHERE THAT IT'S A VACANT BUSINESS I THINK, BUT HAS THAT ANGLE PARKING RIGHT THERE. AND THERE'S SO THOSE ARE TWO HOUR SIGNS AND THERE'S NO BUSINESS THERE RIGHT AT THE MOMENT.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ONE BUSINESS ON THE GO.

THEY HAVE LIKE A CABLING COMPANY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A WELL-OILED MACHINE THERE AS WELL. I THINK THEY'VE BEEN GRANDFATHERED IN WITH PARKING THAT THEY HAVE. SO THAT'S NEVER AN ISSUE. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I SIT OUT THERE, I'M THERE ALL THE TIME, OF COURSE, AND I SEE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PARKING THERE, THE TWO HOUR PARKING THAT THE CITY GRANTED THEM OR GRANTED US, AND THEY'RE PARKING AND THEY'RE RUNNING TO UNIVERSITY FOR, FOR A MEETING OR WHATEVER, AND THEY COME BACK OUT.

THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT TO, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT LIKE EVERYBODY THAT'S PARKING FOR TWO HOURS.

THEY'RE GOING TO GONZALEZ TO EAT. THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE, SOME PEOPLE AREN'T. BUT I MEAN, THAT'S JUST KIND OF THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M SEEING ON A DAILY BASIS, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S IT'S TIGHT. BUT I MEAN, IT'S IT'S UTM.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S GROWING PAINS, WHICH I LOVE. SO.

OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU GUYS.

COUNCIL WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. IS THERE ANY DIRECTION THE COUNCIL WANTS TO TAKE ON THIS? I MEAN, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS, HE SAID THAT IF WE

[01:50:06]

AND SO AND JUST IN THE LAST WEEK, I'VE HEARD FROM EIGHT PEOPLE ON THAT STREET THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION OF IT.

SO I MEAN, IF YOU TOOK A SURVEY, IT'S LIKELY THAT NOBODY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE SIGNAGE.

IT'S MY GUESS. WHY DON'T YOU KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE? IF YOU FEEL THAT WE NEED TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION FOR THAT HERE AT COUNCIL, GET IT ON THE WORKSHOP AND WITH RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.

LIKE TO ASK HEATHER ABOUT DO YOU HAVE ANY PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS OVER THERE IN THAT AREA? OR IS IT STANDARD PARKING ENFORCEMENT ALL AROUND UTB IN THAT SAME WAY? SO I'M HEATHER MORRISON, THE CITY MARSHAL HERE IN GALVESTON.

SO IN TERMS OF THE ENFORCEMENT YOU KNOW, WE. RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT WE WRITE ANY MORE TICKETS OVER THERE THAN WE DO.

MOST OF OUR TICKETS ARE FOR THE OVER PARKED AND SO SPECIFICALLY IN THAT AREA.

NOW, I KNOW WE HAD AN INCIDENT THE OTHER DAY WHERE SOMEBODY WAS PARKED MORE THAN TWO HOURS AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET ONE OF OUR PARKING OFFICIAL HAD SPOKEN WITH THE DRIVER AND HE WAS A REPAIRMAN FOR THE ELEVATOR SHAFT.

AND SO SHE USED HER DISCRETION NOT TO ISSUE HIM A CITATION ON THAT.

SO USUALLY THE DIRECTION I HAVE FOR THE PARKING OFFICIALS IS TO USE USER DISCRETION.

BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S SUBJECT TO, YOU KNOW, FOR REVIEW.

SO I CAN'T, I DON'T REALLY HAVE STATS FOR THAT SPECIFIC AREA, BUT YOU KNOW, MY PARKING OFFICIALS WRITE, YOU KNOW, WRITE A LOT OF TICKETS. AND SO IF THERE'S A VIOLATION, THEY'RE MORE THAN LIKELY TO TO, TO WRITE A CITATION. BUT I CAN CERTAINLY WE CAN DRILL DOWN AND FOLLOW UP AND COME BACK WITH SOME NUMBERS SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT AREA.

I'M SURE WE COULD PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER. I ASSUME YOU HAVE THIS SAME PRETTY ACTIVE TICKET.

RIDING ALL AROUND YOUTUBE? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE FOUR PARKING OFFICIALS THAT WRITE CITATIONS, AND EXCEPT FOR SATURDAY, WE HAVE THREE ON DUTY UNLESS SOMEBODY TAKES OFF.

SO THEY HIT THE PRIMARY AREAS, UTMB AND DOWNTOWN AND THE SEAWALL OF THE PRIMARY AREAS THAT THEY'RE THAT THEY'RE GOING AROUND AND CHECKING FOR VIOLATIONS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU HEATHER, I APPRECIATE IT.

ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS COUNCIL? I'M GOOD.

[4.C Discussion of Downtown Amenities including but not limited to Public Restrooms (B Brown/C Brown - 20 min)]

DID WE GO BY FOUR BUT WE MISSED FOUR C. WE'RE GOING TO SKIP FOUR.

OKAY, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND MARIE MIGHT BE HERE, BUT.

YES. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, YEAH. I HOPE SHE REVIVES SHORTLY.

OKAY, GO RIGHT AHEAD. BOB, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL.

THERE WE ARE. WELL, THIS THIS THIS AGENDA ITEM CAME UP.

I HAD A MEETING DOWNTOWN RECENTLY WITH ABOUT 25 DIFFERENT MERCHANTS ON THE STRAND.

AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE MAYOR WAS THERE AND WE HAD DAVID SMITH THERE AND MIKE DEAN WAS THERE.

AND WE, WE TALKED, I LISTENED, AND WE TALKED.

AND THEN ABOUT 45 MINUTES OR SO, WE HAD A A PRETTY GOOD LIST OF THEIR PRIORITIES.

AND WHAT ROSE TO THE VERY TOP PRIORITY WAS RESTROOMS ON THE STRAND.

NOW, THERE ARE ALREADY RESTROOMS AT THE TRANSIT TERMINAL AT 25TH AND STRAND.

BUT WHAT THE MERCHANTS KEPT TELLING ME WAS THAT THEY REALLY HATE TELLING PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY MAYBE ELDERLY PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WITH KIDS, ANY KIND OF MOBILITY ISSUES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A RESTROOM, OR THAT THEY GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN 25TH AND STRAND TO USE THE RESTROOM THAT ROSE TO THE TOP OF ALL ALL THE ISSUES. SO WE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ACTUALLY HOW WOULD WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK ABOUT A BUILDING A RESTROOM DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE DEALING WITH FLOODPLAIN REGULATION.

AND SO IT'S EITHER GOT TO BE PORTABLE OR IT'S GOT TO BE UP SO HIGH IN THE AIR THAT YOU'RE RAMPING WOULD BE IMPRACTICAL.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT, WELL, MAYBE WE CAN BUILD A PORTABLE RESTROOM SOMEWHERE ON DOWN, NOT UNLIKE THE LOOS, EXCEPT ON THE SEA WALL, EXCEPT THAT THEY CAN BE HAULED AWAY IN CASE THERE'S AN EMERGENCY OF SOME KIND OF FLOOD.

OR THE OTHER THING THAT CAME UP WAS THAT I THINK MIKE DEAN BROUGHT THIS UP OFFERED TO USE HIS BUSINESS THERE AS A PUBLIC RESTROOM. IF THE CITY COULD PROVIDE SOME INCENTIVES OR SOME ASSISTANCE IN THE OPERATION OF IT TO HELP DEFRAY THE THE ADDITIONAL WATER COSTS, SUPPLY COSTS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS AND THAT KIND OF THING.

AND SO IF ANYBODY IS LOOKING FOR A RESTAURANT, A RESTROOM IN THAT AREA, YOU COULD SAY, WELL, YOU CAN USE THE RESTROOM. SO WHAT WE'RE WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AROUND TO HERE IS THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS OF DOING THIS.

THE, THE SHORT TERM SOLUTION WOULD BE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO ARRIVE AT SOME KIND OF CITY PARTICIPATION THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE DOWN THERE TO USE

[01:55:04]

AND IN THE LONG IN THE LONGER TERM, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER A PORTABLE RESTROOM SOMEWHERE NEAR OUR TRANSIT STOPS.

WE HAVE TROLLEY TROLLEY STOPS. THERE'S LIKE THERE'S 3 OR 4 OF THEM DOWNTOWN.

AND IF WE DID THAT, THEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE THIS, THIS GRANT THAT'S COMING UP, THIS FTA GRANT THAT'S COMING UP TO, TO, TO FUND SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WE HAD A SHORT TERM, SHORT TERM ANALYSIS AND A LONG TERM ANALYSIS.

AND WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO DO IS BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO WORK, WORK ON THOSE TWO IDEAS AND THEN IN THE SHORT TERM, TRY TO ARRIVE AT SOME KIND OF CITY PARTICIPATION ON SOME LEVEL TO ALLOW BUSINESS OWNERS TO OPEN THEIR RESTROOMS AND THEN BEGIN TO DO RESEARCH FOR A LONG TERM SOLUTION THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY USE. WE COULD USE THIS GRANT, THIS 24 MILLION GRANT TO PAY FOR BECAUSE IT'S GEARING UP RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. ON THE SHORT TERM, YOU WOULD LOOKING FOR COUNCIL TO MAYBE REQUEST THAT STAFF COMES BACK WITH SOME TYPE OF INPUT ON ASSISTING THESE BUSINESSES THAT WANTED TO OPEN THEIR MEET WITH MIKE HAS VOLUNTEERED, YOU KNOW, TO, TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE MEET WITH HIM AND SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY COULD WORK OUT.

ALL RIGHT. YES. MARIE WHY WOULD WE USE THE BATHROOMS IN THE TRANSIT BUILDING.

WELL YOU DO. YOU WOULD USE THE BATHROOMS IN THE TRANSIT. BUT WHAT THE WHAT THE MERCHANTS WERE SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE ONES A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THAT THE, THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE, PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE, YOU KNOW, FROM HOUSTON OR SOMETHING.

WHEN THEY GET HERE, THEY DRIVE AROUND, FIND A PARKING PLACE AND INSTANTLY THEY GOT TO USE THE RESTROOM. SO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE ON THE 20TH AND STRAND AND THEN YOU TELL THEM THEY GOT TO GO FIVE BLOCKS TO GO TO THE RESTROOM.

IT'S NOT VERY PRACTICAL. AND ESPECIALLY IF IT'S OLDER PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WITH A BUNCH OF BAGS OR KIDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THIS IS KIND OF A, A PILOT PROJECT, YOU KNOW, A PROOF OF CONCEPT. I'M NOT SAYING DO THIS FOREVER.

I'M JUST SAYING, LET'S TRY IT AND SEE IF IT WORKS.

YOU KNOW, IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME SOME KIND OF SIGNAGE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE WITH THE FACILITIES KEEPING IT UP.

THE OTHER, THE OTHER SUGGESTION I WOULD HAVE IS THAT THE CHAMBER IS MOVING TO THE STRAND, AND SO IS GALVESTON. AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT VISIT GALVESTON.

WILL ACTUALLY HAVE RESTROOM FACILITIES. AND THAT MAKES MORE SENSE THAN USING A PRIVATE ESTABLISHMENT.

THAT WE WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH VISIT GALVESTON.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE MOVING TO? I THINK.

YEAH. IT'S BETWEEN 23RD AND 24TH AND DOUG MCLEOD'S BUILDING WHERE ATRIUM BOUTIQUE USED TO BE.

WELL, SEE, THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE TRANSIT CENTER, BASICALLY.

SO. NOT REALLY. YEAH. FURTHER DOWN WHERE THE PROBLEM IT ISN'T, IT IS BETWEEN ONE BLOCK AWAY.

IT'S ONE BLOCK AWAY. SO WHERE'S CHAMBER MOVING TO? THEY'RE MOVING TO DOUG MCLEOD'S BUILDING. I DON'T REMEMBER THE ADDRESS THAT'S ON STRAND TWO, BUT VISIT GALVESTON WOULD BE THERE TOO. AND THAT'S THE VISITOR CENTER.

AND THAT WOULD BE TYPICAL WHAT YOU NEED IS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE RIGHT THERE.

YOU NEED SOMETHING ON. ACROSS FROM WHERE MIKE DEAN'S IS.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YEAH. YOU NEED SOMETHING ON THE THE EASTERN SIDE.

ON THE EASTERN END IS WHAT YOU NEED. AND POST OFFICE HAS NO POST OFFICE.

YEAH. THERE'S NOTHING OVER THERE EITHER. YEAH, IT'S IT'S QUITE A PROBLEM DOWN THERE.

I WAS IN FREDERICKSBURG OVER THE WEEKEND AND THEY HAVE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR DOWNTOWN, A BRAND NEW PUBLIC RESTROOM FACILITY RIGHT THERE.

IN OUR MEETING, SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP AN OLD TOWN.

SPRING HAS A RESTROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR OPERATION THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS KIND OF LIKE THE THE LITTLE HISTORIC LOOKING LITTLE BUILDINGS THEY HAVE THERE OR SOMETHING. WELL, THE SO WE, WE DO MITIGATE OTHER MITIGATION STUFF FOR LIKE THE DOMINO'S HAS LIKE THE GATE WHERE THEY CAN PUT UP.

RIGHT. SO THEY'RE STILL BUILT LOWER, BUT THERE'S A HIGHER LEVEL OF FLOOD PROTECTION.

IS THERE SOMETHING MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING LIKE AN UNREALISTIC TOILET IN THE ER.

I MEAN, CAN WE GET IT DESIGNED? THINK OF THE ELEVATION.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ELEVATION. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LIKE. JUST LIKE PROOFING.

WELL, I MEAN, YEAH. FLOOD PROOFING. AN OPEN WATER LINE.

RIGHT. OR OPEN A SEWER LINE. RIGHT. SO YOU JUST, I MEAN, I.

MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU BASICALLY HAVE A LID OVER THE TOILET SEAT THAT LOCKS DOWN AND IS SOMEWHAT AIRTIGHT IN

[02:00:05]

I'M SURE SOMEBODY HAD THE SAME ISSUE. SO MAYBE WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND ACTUALLY HAVE THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.

THE RESTROOMS ON THE GROUND. IT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.

YOU KNOW, AND THE IDEA OF PLACING THEM AROUND TRANSIT STOPS, YOU KNOW, ALREADY TROLLEY STOPS IS WE MIGHT HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE PUT THERE. I'M NOT CLEAR ON, BUT WE ALL KNOW IT WOULD HAVE TO CONFORM TO THE FLOODPLAIN.

BOB, WOULD YOU WOULD COUNCIL BE OPEN TO HAVE COUNCILMAN BROWN WORK WITH STAFF TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF APPROACH AND CHECK IN TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL. SURE, TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF PLAN ON UTILIZATION OF THE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES MONEY. THAT'S 24 MILLION THAT'S GOING TO BE DOWN THERE.

AND LOOKING AT, AS ALEX MENTIONED, SOME OTHER THINGS, AND AS MARIE MENTIONED, LOOKING AT OTHER BUSINESSES OR OTHER NON-PROFITS THAT MAY BE DOWN.

YEAH, THERE COULD BE. WELL, IDEALLY THERE WOULD BE BUSINESSES A LITTLE FURTHER TOWARDS THE EAST THAT MIGHT BE WILLING TO USE THEIR RESTROOMS IN THE SHORT TERM TEMPORARILY, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF SEEN AS A NOT A LONG TERM SOLUTION.

IT'S JUST SEEN AS SOMETHING TO GET GOING, YOU KNOW, AS QUICKLY.

AND IN FACT, MIKE'S MIKE'S HERE. MIKE, YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT? SURE. I WAS GOING TO SAY WHEN I NEED TO GO TO THE RESTROOM, I'LL GO IN AND BUY SOMETHING TO EAT OR DRINK AT MIKE'S PLACE AND THEN USE ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME. IS THAT HOW MUCH YOU'RE ASKING OFF YOUR WATER BILL? NO. NO, NO. AND WHEN BOB WAS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THE MERCHANTS, THE YOUNGER MERCHANTS HAD BEEN THERE FOR A MINUTE.

THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS. THEY REALLY WANTED, YOU KNOW, A RESTROOM OPPORTUNITY.

IT WASN'T JUST A STRAND, THOUGH. IT WAS THE POST OFFICE, RIGHT BETWEEN STRAND AND POST OFFICE.

THERE'S A BIG GAP OF ABILITY RIGHT THERE. BUT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE.

LIKE, IF YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE CREDIT ON THE WATER BILL, WE'LL MANAGE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST AS EASY, RIGHT? IT'S NOT AS EASY AS 18%. WELL, YOU GUYS CAN DO IT ANYWAY.

SO IT'S BUT IT'S INCENTIVIZING EVERYBODY ELSE.

SO I'M THE 2300 BLOCK. YOU GO OVER TO THE NEW BUILDING, WHICH IS THE WE'RE ASKING IS WHAT'S THAT PLACE CALLED? OLSEN SQUARE. HE HAS A BATHROOM IN THERE, BUT HE DOESN'T OPEN IT BECAUSE IT'S $1,000 A MONTH IN PAPER FOR PUBLIC BATHROOM IN A PRIVATE BUILDING.

SO INCENTIVIZE FACUNDO TO HELP OUT. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF POLICING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

SO WE WOULD NEED WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE FROM YOU.

LIKE IT IS A IT'S NOT A PUBLIC BATHROOM. SO IT'S NOT MINE.

MINE AREN'T HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. THEY'RE FROM 1986 BEFORE ALL THAT WAS A THING.

AND SO WE'D HAVE TO HAVE SOME RELIEF THERE BECAUSE I THINK A PUBLIC BATHROOM PROBABLY HAS TO BE HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE.

ADA IT WOULDN'T QUALIFY. AND THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE THAT I DON'T THINK WOULD QUALIFY, BUT THEN YOU COULD GO DOWN ONE BLOCK AND GET NACHOS AND SAY, HEY, MAN, SO JUST LET PEOPLE USE YOUR BATHROOM.

DON'T RESTRICT YOUR BATHROOM DURING YOUR OPEN HOURS.

ALLOW US A LITTLE POLICING. FOR SOME FOLKS WHO WOULD ABUSE THIS PRIVILEGE, RIGHT? AND THEN GO DOWN ONE MORE BLOCK, THERE'S THE BREWERY. THE NEW BREWERY USED TO BE HUBCAP THOSE GUYS OR THE WINE BAR ACROSS THE STREET.

AND THEN WE'RE WHEN WE'RE OPEN, IT'S GOING TO BE CLEAN AND READY 100%.

YOU CAN GO UP ONE BLOCK TO THE BLACK PEARL OR THE PROLETARIAT OR MALMO.

THEN YOU START BUILDING THESE LITTLE NETWORKS OF SOMETHING WITH A CATCHY NAME.

IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO USE IT WHILE THEY'RE OPEN. THERE'S NOBODY DOWN THERE. THE PEOPLE AT NIGHT ARE GOING TO PEE IN THE BUSHES, BUT THE REST OF IT'S GOING TO BE FINE, RIGHT? IT JUST ALLOWS A QUICK FIX. AND THEN YOU DEVELOP THE REST OF THIS WITH YOUR GRANT.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS. OH, MORE THAN THAT PROBABLY.

WELL, SO THAT'S THAT WAS THE IDEA, RIGHT, THAT YOU WOULD APPROACH NOT NOT JUST ME INDIVIDUALLY GO 2400 BLOCK.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF RESTAURANTS APPROACH ANOTHER ONE, RIGHT? THAT'S JUST A SIGN THAT'S OUTSIDE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO USE THE BATHROOM ON THE QUICK AND THEN BE DONE WITH IT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, OMAR WE HAD THAT AS THE PUBLIC RESTROOM THERE FOR POST OFFICE AND IT WAS UTILIZED QUITE A BIT, I WOULD SAY.

AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF ON A SHORT TERM BASIS WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

I WOULD SAY, THOUGH, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF MAINTENANCE IF YOU'RE A PUBLIC RESTROOM.

OH MY GOODNESS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CONSTANT MAINTENANCE OF THAT RESTROOM THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

AND BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOME WAY THAT THAT COULD BE WORKED OUT IN SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE FOR THAT.

I THINK, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S GENERALLY CONSIDERED THAT THE CLEANLINESS OF YOUR RESTROOM REFLECTS THE CLEANLINESS OF YOUR KITCHEN.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT IT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY WORRIED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE BATHROOM,

[02:05:03]

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT YOU COULD CREATE SUPPLY PRETTY QUICK AND WORK ON THE LONG TERM SOLUTION.

OKAY. AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP DOING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR 40 YEARS.

WE'LL LET YOU USE THE BATHROOM, RIGHT? UNLESS YOU DO SOMETHING REALLY BAD IN THERE, THEN WE'LL BAN YOU FROM OUR BATHROOMS. BUT OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST A GOOD BUSINESS DECISION.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE DOES, BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, LIKE HE HAS A FULLY FUNCTIONING RESTROOM THAT IS A NEGATIVE TO HIM.

THE RESTROOM ACTUALLY USED TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC BACK WHEN MR. USED TO BE, AND THEY CLOSED IT ON THE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING THAT TOOK YOU UP TO A DOOR THAT ACCESS TO THAT BATHROOM. I REMEMBER THAT. YEAH.

WELL, MAYBE BOB, WON'T YOU LEAD THE WAY AND GET SOME THOUGHTS TOGETHER? AND IF IT REQUIRES COUNCIL ACTION ON THIS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

OKAY, I'LL DO THAT. THANKS, MIKE. THANKS, MIKE.

[4.B Discussion of traffic issues with the Iron Man event (Robb/Rawlins/Porretto)]

SO THIS YEAR THE IRON MAN, WHICH HAPPENED TO FALL ON SUNDAY.

THE TRAFFIC WAS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL ISSUE.

NOT SO MUCH HEADING EAST, BUT HEADING WEST. WE WENT TO CHURCH.

WE LEFT AT 10:00 AND THE TRAFFIC HEADING WEST WAS BACKED UP TO 61ST STREET. SO IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE HAD A HEART ATTACK OR NEEDED AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THERE.

AND THEN WHEN WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK FROM CHURCH, I ALSO HEARD FROM AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE THAT WERE TRYING TO GET TO CHURCH ON THE WEST END SINCE IT WAS PALM SUNDAY ESPECIALLY. THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO MAKE IT TO CHURCH, BUT ONCE.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME IT OPENED. BUT WHEN WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK AND IT WAS 1233 005 HEADING WEST WAS OPEN, BOTH LANES WERE OPEN, AND YET THEY STILL HAD THE SEA WALL FUNNELING TO ONE LANE. SO IT WAS STILL BACKED UP EVEN THAT LATE AT 21ST. SO IF YOU TRIED TO DETOUR DETOUR TO STEWART, YOU COULD NOT DETOUR TO STEWART.

YOU COULD NOT DETOUR EVEN THROUGH THE AIRPORT.

YOU COULD NOT DETOUR TO TAKE A SIDE ROAD. SO YOU WERE LITERALLY TRAPPED.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO CHANGE THE DATE OF IT, IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN TOWARDS THE END OF SPRING BREAK.

NEVER GOOD TO HAVE IT ON LIKE PALM SUNDAY. LIKE, WOULD THEY BE OPEN TO MOVING TO JANUARY, WHICH IS A DEAD MONTH? I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S A GOOD EVENT.

I KNOW IT PUTS HEADS IN BEDS. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE.

I KNOW I'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRAFFIC, BUT THIS YEAR THAT I THINK BECAUSE IT WAS PALM SUNDAY, IT WAS TEN TIMES WORSE THAN IT'S EVER BEEN. BECAUSE IF THE TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP TO 61ST STREET, THAT MEANS IT WAS BACKED UP ALL THE WAY DOWN 61ST STREET AND PROBABLY BACKED UP ON 45TH, BECAUSE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO GET TO THE WEST END OF THE ISLAND.

SO DURING IRONMAN, THERE ARE BETWEEN 11 AND 1.

THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THEY HAVE SET UP, IT'S VERY TIGHT AND THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET HUNG UP ON TRAFFIC JAM.

WE WATCH ONE LOCATION THAT CRISSCROSSES. IN FACT, I HAVE A HANDOUT.

[02:10:01]

I'VE KIND OF CIRCLED THE AREAS THAT GIVE US PROBLEMS. YOU CAN REVIEW THIS LATER ON. THANK YOU.

AND THE AREAS WE WATCH OUT FOR IS AND YOU SEE IN THAT DIAGRAM IS A AND B, THE B IS JUST WEST OF JAMAICA BEACH.

AND AT THAT POINT THE BIKES HAVE TO CROSS OVER FROM THE TRAFFIC LANE TO HAVE TO CHANGE LANES.

SO WE PUT OFFICERS AT THAT LOCATION. AND WHAT WE DO DURING A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, YOU HAVE SO MANY BIKES THAT IT JUST HOLDS UP THE TRAFFIC AND SECTION B IS A PROBLEM. EARLIER IN THE DAY, SECTION A IS RIGHT THERE AT VIEW BOULEVARD AND 3005.

AND BETWEEN 1130 AND 130 THERE'S ALWAYS A TRAFFIC JAM BECAUSE WE WERE THERE.

10:00. YES MA'AM. AND IT AT 10:00 IT WAS BACKED UP BEYOND 61ST STREET.

IT WAS IT, IT WAS BACKED UP. AND IT IS A PROBLEM DURING THE WHOLE TIME.

THE OFFICERS THAT WE PUT AT THOSE LOCATIONS, WE TELL THEM TO WHAT WE CALL THREAD THE NEEDLE. I HAVE A SERGEANT OUT AT THE 13 MILE ROAD.

I'M SORRY, THE WEST OF JAMAICA BEACH, WHO MAINTAINS THAT MAKE SURE IT WORKS PROPERLY.

WENT OUT THERE AND CHECKED. THAT WAS OKAY. WE HAD NEWER OFFICERS AT 305 AND VIEW BOULEVARD.

I ALSO HAD THE ASSISTANT CHIEF ON LOCATION WORKING THIS EVENT, AND HE ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THOSE OFFICERS AND TOLD THEM, YOU NEED TO THREAD THE NEEDLE. WHEN YOU GET A GAP BETWEEN THOSE BIKES, YOU'VE GOT TO SHOOT THESE CARS THROUGH. SO THEY STARTED TO PICK IT UP. IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT, TRAFFIC WILL BACK UP. YES, MA'AM, IT WILL.

AND THAT IS A PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SAME PLAN.

THEY HAD 3005. BOTH LANES OPEN HEADING WEST. AND NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY TO GET THERE, YOU COULD NOT. SO IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU'RE SITTING 35, 40 MINUTES. YOU PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO GO SIDE ROADS.

EVERYTHING WAS BARRICADED. YOU WERE STUCK. YES, MA'AM.

I MEAN, THAT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. WHEN 3005 NORTH OF THAT WAS OPEN, BUT GOING WEST, BOTH LANES WERE OPEN, BUT YOU COULD NOT GET TO THEM. AND AFTER YOU AND I HAD SPOKE ON MONDAY AND YOU REQUESTED ME TO REACH OUT TO IRON MAN, WHICH I HAVE, AND WE WILL HAVE SOME MEETINGS, AND I WILL PASS ON YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEM, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH WHATEVER THEY CAN.

COME TRY TO FIX THIS EVENT. THEY'RE WILLING TO LISTEN.

ABSOLUTELY. I DID DISCUSS WITH THEM THE POSSIBILITY OF MOVING IT TO A SLOWER MONTH.

THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE LONE STAR RAWLINS OTHERS, THEY'RE IN A PATTERN WHERE THEY HAVE THEM IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WE FALL INTO THAT GAP.

THE PROBLEM IS EASTER ACTUALLY ROTATES AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND THEY CHECKED IN.

THE NEXT TWO YEARS OF IRON MAN. SHOULD NOT AFFECT EASTER THAT MUCH.

THIRD YEAR OUT, IT PROBABLY WILL, BUT IT STILL AFFECTS TRAFFIC.

YES MA'AM. IT STILL GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, WHETHER IT'S EASTER OR NOT.

AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. NEVER BETTER, AND ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN THE OTHER PART OF THE ROAD IS OPEN. BUT YOU CAN'T GET TO IT. I MEAN, YOU HAD EVERYTHING BLOCKED OFF.

THE AIRPORT WAS BLOCKED OFF, EVERYTHING. ALL PEOPLE WANTED TO DO WAS TO GET NORTH OF IT.

SO IN TALKING ABOUT THAT, WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT TO MY ATTENTION, THE UNIT ACTUALLY THE OFFICER SECURED THAT LOCATION AT 122.

I DID THE DRIVE BY. 132 AND I DID NOTICE THAT THE BARRICADES ARE STILL UP.

I CONTACTED THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT, TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD AND ESCALATE IT AND PULL THE BIG ARROW SIGN AND THE BARRELS TO THE CURB, WHICH THEY DID. THEY REPORTED BACK TO ME AT 146.

BUT YOU ARE CORRECT, IT DOES CAUSE A TRAFFIC SNARL.

IT DID MORE OF A SNARL THIS YEAR AT 305 THAN IT DID WEST OF JAMAICA BEACH.

I KNOW, BUT WHEN IT'S BACKED UP ALL THE WAY TO 61ST DOWN SIX.

I MEAN, IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN TO THE WEST END.

YES, MA'AM. AND WE WATCHED THAT. SO AT 1:04 P.M., SPOTTER REPORTED THE LAST OF THE LINE IS 77TH AND SEAWALL BOULEVARD.

IT WAS ALSO SPOTTED AT 12:54 P.M. AND AT 1:34 P.M..

AT 1:34 P.M. FROM 77TH AND SEAWALL. THEN THE LINE STARTED TO DECREASE BECAUSE WE OPENED THAT UP.

WE TRY TO WATCH THESE THINGS. I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION.

YES, IT DOES JAM THINGS UP, ESPECIALLY DURING CERTAIN PARTS OF IRONMAN.

WE RESTRUCTURED THIS SEVERAL TIMES WITH THEIR TRAFFIC PATTERN.

IT'S BEEN THE SAME FOR 20 YEARS AND 2014, THOUGH.

WE HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS BECAUSE KOBE BOULEVARD WAS A ONE WAY TRAFFIC ENGINEERS GO IN THERE.

THEY RUBBER STAMPED IT, TEXTILE APPROVED IT. SO WE HAVE TWO WAY TRAFFIC AT THAT LOCATION.

SO I WILL FOLLOW UP IF YOU REQUESTED. YOU CAN'T GET OFF THE SEAWALL AND I WILL SPEAK TO THEM WHEN I HAVE.

[02:15:05]

IT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE IS WHEN I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT TRAFFIC, WE HAVE A SIDE THAT WE CAN GET THE AMBULANCES THROUGH, PLUS WE HAVE AN AMBULANCE ON STANDBY FOR THE EVENT ITSELF.

BUT WHEN I GO THROUGH THERE, SOMETIMES I GET JAMMED UP IN THAT TRAFFIC. BUT WE DO HAVE AN AVENUE TO THE RIGHT OF THAT SIGN THAT YOU SAW, THAT THE AMBULANCE CAN GO ON THROUGH AND GET TO THEIR LOCATION.

FOR THAT MATTER, WE CAN RUN THEM DOWN THE WRONG WAY IF WE HAVE TO.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE OUR MAN IS VERY ORGANIZED. THEY HAVE TRAFFIC PLANS, THEY ARE NOT THE BEST.

AND THEY SAID THEY ARE WILLING TO LOOK AT THIS AGAIN AND COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF SOLUTIONS.

AND THEY'RE ASKING IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS.

I WOULD LOVE TO BE IN THE NEXT MEETING THAT YOU I THOUGHT YOU WERE MEETING WITH THEM THIS WEEK.

I WAS TRYING TO GET THEM IN HERE FOR THIS, BUT IT WAS SO QUICK THEY COULDN'T. AND THEY DID OFFER THEIR THEIR.

I'M SORRY THEY COULDN'T SHOW UP, BUT THEY SAID THEY'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO COME IN THERE AND MEET WITH STAFF ON THAT TO DISCUSS THIS. THEIR RESPONSE IS THEY'VE REVIEWED THIS PLAN.

IT'S BEEN IN PLACE. THEY'VE WORKED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. DUSTIN SIMS, WHO'S NOW A CAPTAIN, WORKED VERY HARD WITH THEM TO TRY TO MAKE THIS BETTER THAN IT WAS.

AND IN TRUE HONESTY, WE HAD ONLY 1400 BIKES THIS YEAR, SO WE HAD A SMALLER AMOUNT.

BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH THAT 3005 COVE WAS A PROBLEM.

AND YES, TRAFFIC DID NOT GET IT OPENED UP RIGHT AWAY.

IT WAS A PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN INUNDATED BY COMPLAINTS, BUT MORE SO PEOPLE WERE QUITE UPSET THAT THEY DID NOT GET TO GO TO CHURCH YET. YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN? I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND.

SO WOULD YOU INVOLVE COUNCILWOMAN ROBB AND SEE IF WE CAN WORK OUT AN ARRANGEMENT TO ADDRESS THIS? WILL DO. YES, MA'AM. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? I DO JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.

MY LUNCH EVENT RAN LATE, BUT I HAD TO DEAL WITH AN ALARM AT MY HOUSE.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF OUR ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.

IT'S 3:56 P.M. AND WE ARE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.