* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] GOOD EVENING. [1. Establishment of quorum and call to order.] AT THIS TIME, WE WANT TO CALL TO ORDER OUR MEETING, UH, FOR OUR CHURCH BOARD MEETING, MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE TERMS. NUMBER ONE IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN TERS NUMBER ONE, WE'LL HOLD A MEETING IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ON THURSDAY, MAY 26TH, 2022 AT 3:00 PM AT PORT ARTHUR CITY HALL, FIFTH FLOOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS 4 44 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 7 7 6 4 OH. THE MEETING WILL BE ALSO HELD BY TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE. IN ADDITION TO ALLOWING IN PERSON ATTENDANCE, A QUORUM OF THE TOURIST BOARD WILL BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER, FIFTH FLOOR CITY HALL, 4 4 4 FOURTH STREET IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. THE PUBLIC MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING IN PERSON OR BY DIALING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOLL FREE NUMBERS AND ENTERING THE MEETING ID 8 3 4 7 3 9 4 0 3 3 1 AND PASS CODE 4 4 0 9 0 7. THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS AND ADOPT SUCH ORDERS, RESOLUTIONS, OR MOTIONS, AND TAKE DIRECT AND INDIRECT ACTION AS MAYBE NECESSARY CONVENIENT OR DESIRABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING MATTERS. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR PRAYER AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AFTER THAT WE'LL HAVE ROLL CALL MAYOR BARR. WOULD YOU LEAD US IN PRAYER, PLEASE? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. MAYBE WE ALL BOW WITH SOME CRAP, PLEASE. FATHER GOD. IN THE NAME OF JESUS. WE COME BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY AT THIS HOUR, DEAR GOD ASKING THAT YOU WOULD JUST HAVE MERCY UPON US. WE COME IN A SPECIAL WAY. EVEN BEFORE WE BEGIN THIS MEETING ASKING DEAR GOD, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ILL EFFECTED FROM THE ACTS OF, I WOULD CALL TERRORISM IN YOUR VALLEY, TEXAS, AND EVEN THE ACTS OF INSENSITIVITY TO RACIAL EQUALITY IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ALL OF THOSE WHO'VE BEEN AFFECTED. DEAR GOD HAVE MERCY UPON THEM. NOW, DEAR GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD JUST BLESS US HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. WE THANK YOU FOR NOT ALLOWING US OR HAVING US TO EVEN BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THOSE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. YET WE ARE SENSITIVE TO THOSE SITUATIONS AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD INTEREST HAVE MERCY UPON THOSE INDIVIDUALS. THEN DEAR GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS US AS WE WOULD BEGIN TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS OF THIS TOURIST BOARD. NUMBER ONE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND ALLOW US TO HANDLE THE BUSINESS ACCORDING TO YOUR HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS WILL THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS FOR HIS SAKE, WE PRAY. AMEN. AND THANK GOD AT THIS TIME, WE'LL REPEAT THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN UNISON, GREG ALLEGIANCE, TO THE FLAG OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE AT THIS TIME CITY ATTORNEY, IF YOU WOULD ESTABLISH A CORN FOR US, THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, THOMAS KEN LAW, CHAIRMAN COUNCIL MEMBERS, CHARLOTTE MOSES PORT OFFICE, CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, THURMAN BARTEE, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER, MICHAEL SHANE SINEGAL JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICTS, NUMBER SEVEN, COMMISSIONER JAMES GAMBLE, SABINE NATURE'S NAVIGATION, DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, JOSEPH JOHNSON PRESENT. UM, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY [2. Approval of Minutes from the previous TIRZ Board Meeting held on April 28, 2022.] AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE APPROVAL OF A MINUTES, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS TOURIST BOARD MEETING HELD ON APRIL 28TH, 2022, A SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, IF NOT, WE ALL MAY, UM, OR THE VOTE AND UNISON'S LAST SIGNIFIED BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. GREAT. [3. Update regarding the status of the Downtown TIRZ# 1 Project and Financing Plan.] AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE, UM, REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE DOWNTOWN TERS NUMBER ONE PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, WELL TODAY WE'RE HERE, UM, TO CHINA HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN, UH, SOME OF THE NEW, UH, DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE FINANCING PLAN [00:05:01] IN THE, UH, PROJECT PLAN, ONE OF OUR GOALS IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IS TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION IS UP TO DATE. AND, UM, I WANTED TO SEE IT, MR. ALLEN, OUR FINANCIAL EVOLVE ADVISOR, UH, WAS HERE. UH, HE'S HERE ON ZOOM APPEARING WITH US AND, AND MR. ALLEN, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU, AND ALSO MAYBE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR COULD JUST GIVE US, UH, ANOTHER, JUST GENERAL OVERVIEW OF, UH, WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR FINANCE PLAN. AND SO WE CAN AT THIS TIME TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH VARIOUS PROJECTS. UH, I'M SORRY. I'M IN THE AIRPORT. CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, YES, YES. UH, LAST YEAR IN SICK THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE AND THE HOT EXTENDED COLLEGE OVER, LIKE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PLACED ON THE WEST SIDE, ESSENTIALLY. WE'RE TEXAS CONFLICT. TEXAS STATUTE. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. ALLEN. AND IF WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I KNOW YOU'RE IN ROUTE SOMEWHERE, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN. BUT, UM, JUST TO KIND OF RECAP WHAT HE STATED IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS WAS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN LINE WITH THE COMPTROLLER. UM, THIS, UH, ENTITY HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 2013 AND WE, UH, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS WAY BACK IN 2013 AND WE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH VARIOUS PROJECTS. AND IT WAS CRITICAL THAT WE HAD ALL OF OUR FINANCES, UH, IN LINE. SO, UH, WITH HIS HELP AND THE FINANCE TEAM'S HELP, WE DO HAVE EVERYTHING. OUR, OUR PLAN IS COMPLETELY UP TO DATE AND, UH, IN, IN KEEPING WITH THE COMPTROLLER, UH, EVERYTHING IS ONLINE, UM, WHERE THEY CAN SEE THAT. UH, SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY INTEREST IN LOOKING AT OUR FINANCING PLAN, ALL OF OUR PAPERWORK IS, IS UP TO DATE. UM, AND AT THIS POINT I THINK WHERE WE WOULD SHIFT NOW. OH YES. AND THEN I AM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FINANCING PLAN REAL QUICK. SO WITH REGARD TO THE FINANCING PLAN, IF WE WANT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, UPDATES, ADDITIONS, UH, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT WE ARE IN LINE. AND THEN, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, MRS. DANIEL IS HERE, SHE'S THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR AND SHE COULD KIND OF GIVE US AN IDEA. UM, SO THAT WAS MR. ALLEN WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR FINANCE PLAN IN OUR PAPERWORK WITH THE STATE. AND THEN MS. DANIEL COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE FINANCIALLY. UM, KIND OF IN LINE WITH OUR FINANCE PLAN. I HAVE A QUESTION. HOW WOULD IT BE, UM, NAMED ON THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE? HOW IS THAT GOING? IS IT UNDER, YEAH, IT'S UH, THE CITY OF FORT BLOCKER, TURNER, NUMBER ONE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. TERS NUMBER ONE. UH, HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE THE UPDATE OF HOW OFTEN SIX MONTHS OR THE END OF THE FISCAL DEGREE? SO WE'RE SAYING THIS WEBSITE IS THE SAME AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE HAVE SIX MONTHS WARS. OKAY. THANK YOU. SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR MY MIC ON. AND UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR MISS MR. ALLEN, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ELABORATE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. AND, UH, THIS TIME WE WERE GOING TO ALSO ASK IN KEEPING WITH TALKING ABOUT FINANCES FOR MS. DANIEL, JUST TO GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE FINANCES, MS. FANG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Y'ALL HEAR ME. OKAY. YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY. UM, THIS IS JUST A LITTLE REPORT I PUT TOGETHER TO KIND OF SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE, WHAT [00:10:01] WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR. UH, FROM THE BEGINNING THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 21, THIS IS A LIST OF WHAT WE RECEIVED FROM EACH OF THE ENTITIES. UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 21,573. UH, WE HAD BUDGETED SOME MORE THIS YEAR. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE YET. WE DON'T DO THE BILLING UNTIL THE SUMMER. UM, I WILL TRY TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR YOU FOR THE NEXT MEETING, UM, THAT WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT CLEARER PICTURE OF HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THIS YEAR. I KNOW THE VALUES DID GO UP, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER. THIS IS JUST A BUDGETED FIGURE. UH, WE DID PLAN TO MOVE THAT MONEY, WHATEVER WE GOTTEN SO FAR OVER TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. NOW WE'RE PROBABLY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE 75,000. UM, BECAUSE LAST YEAR WAS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD ESTIMATED. SO, UM, WE'LL MOVE WHATEVER WE HAVE OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE MOVED OVER THERE TO CAPITAL. UH, SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE BILLINGS DON'T GO OUT UNTIL THE SUMMERTIME. UH, AND WE'VE NOT SPENT ANYTHING. UH, THERE AREN'T ANY PROJECTS GOING ON, UH, WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, SINCE WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS RIGHT NOW, WITH WHATEVER MONIES YOU HAVE THAT HAVE COME IN, YOU MAY WANT TO ALLOCATE SOMETHING FOR OPERATIONS. I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME EXPENSES THAT YOU MAY NEED TO SPEND OUT OF THIS MONEY OTHER THAN JUST FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS. SO, UM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND THEN GET BACK WITH VAL OR MR. BARTON AND LET THEM KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS FOR WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO BUDGET NEXT YEAR? UH, AS FAR AS SPENDING EXPENDITURES GO AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE SOME DOWNTOWN, UM, REVITALIZATION IMPROVEMENTS GOING ON, BUT THOSE ARE FUNDED FROM OTHER SOURCES. SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT. I DO HAVE A LITTLE REPORT ON THAT AS WELL, BUT THERE'S NOT BEEN ANY MONEY SPENT FROM THE TARS. WE HAVE THE FIBER OPTICS, UM, FROM THE GRANT, WHICH IS A $3.2 MILLION GRANT. AND THEN THE REST OF THE MONEY THAT'S OVER THERE IS FROM THE GENERAL FUND. SO WE'VE HAD SOME MONEY PUT OVER THERE AND WE HAVE, UH, THE AUSTIN AVENUE PARKING LOT, UH, THE FOURTH STREET IN WACO, PARKING LOTS, UH, WACO AVENUE, SIDEWALKS, AND THEN SOME, UH, SURVEYS. SO, UH, WE DO HAVE THOSE PROJECTS GOING ON AND I'LL PASS THIS OTHER LITTLE REPORT OUT AS WELL. JUST KIND OF BREAKS DOWN WHAT PROJECTS ARE GOING ON DOWNTOWN AND WHERE THEY'RE FUNDED FROM NOW. SO HOPEFULLY SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ADD SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED FROM CHURCH. SO, UM, JUST TO RECAP, YOU STATED THAT WE MAY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BALANCE MAYBE AT THE END ABOUT WHEN, AGAIN, WE MEET AGAIN, WE MEET ON A ONCE A MONTH. SO MAYBE BY THE NEXT MEETING, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET WITH THE COUNTY AND SEE IF I CAN GET THEM, UH, GET THE ESTIMATES FOR WHAT WE'LL BE BILLING. SO, AND IS THIS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE OR, YEAH, THAT'S THE TOTAL. THAT'S THE TOTAL. YEAH. YEAH. SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT'S EXPECTED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND THE NEXT UPRIGHT, RIGHT. I'LL TRY TO GET SOME ESTIMATES FOR YOU FOR THE NEXT, FOR THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND. OKAY. OKAY. UM, COMMISSIONERS, YOU GUYS HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR? UM, I WAS ASKING THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE HANDMADE COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. NO, NO YOU DON'T. OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST NOT AS LIGHT ON US CITY ATTORNEY. SO THIS, THIS REPORT IN WHERE WE'RE HEADED, I GUESS, BECAUSE WE, LIKE I SAID, WE WERE MORE IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WORKING ON GETTING THINGS IN LINE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, THE, THE RACE WHERE WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT PROJECTS BECAUSE AS WE ARE ABLE TO GET PROJECTS IN, THEN WE'LL BE BRINGING MORE MONEY IN THE TERS AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, OUR BALANCES WILL BE ABLE TO INCREASE. SO I WOULD, WHAT I, WE HAVE EVERYTHING BASICALLY IN LINE IN TERMS OF ALL OF OUR PROCEDURES. SO WE'RE READY NOW TO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHEN WE GET TO THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA TO START TALKING ABOUT, UH, PROJECTS, HOW WE CAN GET PROJECTS INTO THE TERS AND THAT WE'LL GET THOSE BALANCES UP SO WE CAN, WE CAN DO DO THINGS. SO, UM, NOW'S THE TIME FOR US TO START TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, PROJECT IDEAS AND GETTING THEM IN. OKAY. AND SYDNEY ATTORNEY, I THINK THAT'S IN NUMBER THREE. WELL, WE WE'RE STATING, [00:15:01] UM, HERE, UM, PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN. SO WE DON'T, WE CURRENTLY, LIKE YOU SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROJECTS AT THIS TIME. UM, WE DO HAVE THE ONE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT OF OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN STARTED. WE HAVE THAT ONE FIRST DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH AURORA AND THEY'LL BE GETTING STARTED, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THEY GET STARTED, THAT'S GOING TO ENHANCE THE VALUE. AND THEN OF COURSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE, UH, AS THE VALUES GO UP, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE MONEY. SO WE JUST HAVE ONE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S BEEN SIGNED. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS HOW DO WE NOW TAKE THOSE NEXT STEPS TO GETTING MORE AGREEMENTS FOR OUR UTTERS. GREAT. ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. QUESTIONS [4. A discussion on Marketing Strategy.] AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS DISCUSSION ON MARKETING STRATEGY. OKAY. UM, JUST TO GET STARTED, UH, WE DID WANT TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON A FEW THINGS. UH, THE FIRST STEP WE WERE TOLD BY COUNCIL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL BY THE BOARD IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, HAVE OUR START START WORKING ON OUR MARKETING PLAN. AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS WE TOOK IS JUST TO GET ON THE WEBSITE. SO WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE ON THE WEBSITE. UH, THIS IS KIND OF OUR, W IT IS LAUNCHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE WHERE UNDER TOURS. UM, AND WE CAN JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE HAVE THIS CAN NOW BE SEEN ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND WE CAN UPDATE IT. LET ME KIND OF GO BACK DOWN, GO BACK TO THE TOP AND I'LL JUST KIND OF GO OVER IT. SO THERE'S A TAB, UH, WHEN YOU GO TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S WEBSITE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GO TO IT. AND IT SAYS TERS AND THEN WENT FROM THERE. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING TO THIS. AND, AND, AND, UM, MRS. GIBBS IS WORKING WITH US AS WELL. UH, IT GIVES OUR HEAD OR, UH, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, DOWNTOWN TAX REINVESTMENT ZONE. AND THE FIRST, UH, HEADING JUST KIND OF TELLS FOLKS WHAT IS UTTERS. IT GIVES THE DEFINITION OF A TERRORIST. IT ALSO, THE SECOND TAB TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE TERRORS AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. IT TALKS ABOUT WHEN WE STARTED NEXT, THE THIRD TAB SAYS, UH, BOUNDARIES OF THE TERRORS. AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF SMALL TO READ, BUT, UH, IF Y'ALL CAN JUST HOLD IT RIGHT NOW, IT GIVES THE CITIZENS A MAP OF THOSE BOUNDARIES. AND WE DO INTEND ON PUTTING A BETTER ARIEL. THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A GENERIC MAP WHERE PEOPLE CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT IT IS, AND ALSO LISTED. THEY TELL YOU WHAT STREETS, UH, UNDER THE BOUNDARIES, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING SOME MORE DESCRIPTIVE MAPS ON THERE. MR. HOLLAND WOULD BE WORKING WITH US WITH MR. TRAN AS WELL, BUT THAT'S OUR FIRST MAP THAT TELLS PEOPLE WHERE IT'S LOCATED AND IT GOES, GIVE THE BOUNDARIES. THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IT DISCUSSES THE PARTICIPATING ENTITIES, WHICH ARE THE CITY, THE COUNTY DURING THIS DISTRICT'S EVIDENCE OF BEING NATURE'S NAVIGATION DISTRICT. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IN THE FUTURE WE HOPE TO HAVE OTHER ENTITIES INVOLVED. WE HAVE A LIST OF THE BOARD SHOWING EVERYONE THE BOARD, YOU HAVE ALL Y'ALL, UH, INFORMATION. AND, UH, FOR THE CONTACT INFORMATION, WE DO ASK THAT THEY CONTACT THE CITY. SO WE WERE GOING TO BE ADDING THAT INFORMATION. WE HAVE ANOTHER TAB THAT TALKS ABOUT INCENTIVES AND IT'S, AND IT'S VERY, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ON THE WEBSITE AND, UH, KIND OF START TALKING TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING A TAB TO THE INCENTIVES, TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AGREEMENTS THAT WE OFFER THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS. UM, AND, UM, IT GIVES AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE. AND THEN IT ALSO TELLS US WHO TO CONTACT. IF WE CAN GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OKAY. AND IT ALSO TELLS US LIKE WHO TO CONTACT. AND I BELIEVE WE DID TELL THEM AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW THAT THEY CAN CONTACT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO TALK MORE ABOUT INCENTIVES THAT WE OFFER. SO ON OUR WEBSITE, WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING THE, THE, GIVING THEM SOME DIFFERENT MAPS WHERE THEY CAN REALLY ZOOM IN AND SEE, UH, AND ALSO THE WE'RE GOING TO REALLY EXPAND OUR INCENTIVES, UH, WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT TYPE OF INCENTIVES WE HAVE. SO THAT'S, THAT'S KINDA, THE FIRST STEP WAS GETTING THAT WEBSITE UP AND IT IS UP AND WE'RE GONNA BUILD ON OUR WEBSITE. AND SO WE WANTED YOU TO SEE THAT. UM, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AND THEN OUR NEXT STEP. AND I THINK MR. CHARLES IS CHARLES WILLIAMS IS HERE TOO. HE MAY HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS, BUT WE WANTED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF A MARKETING PLAN, YOU KNOW, USE THE WEBSITE AS THE FIRST STEP. AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOMEONE WORK WITH US TO HELP US STRATEGIZE TO GET THE WORD OUT, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE, WE READY, WE'RE READY AND WILLING TO ENTER INTO DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, BUT PEOPLE, AS YOU ALL DIRECTED US NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE. SO IN KEEPING WITH THAT, WE WANT TO EXPAND OUR WEBSITE AND THEN, UH, START WORKING WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS ON MARKETING, [00:20:03] MADAM CHAIR, UH, AND WITH, WITH THE MARKETING CONCEPT AND MANNER. AND I KNOW I SEE, UH, INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PORT, HOW, HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO BRING IN THE PORT IN TO THE CHURCH SO THAT WHEN WE BEGIN TO, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL MARKETING PROGRAM THAT WE WOULD HAVE ALL OF THE PLAYERS IN PLACE, HOW CLOSE ARE WE TODAY? THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING. OH, WELL, THEY'LL NOTIFY US. YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE WILL, UM, MR. WILLIAMS AND I, IF, IF, IF AN ENTITY WOULD LIKE TO JOIN, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON GETTING THAT PAPERWORK TOGETHER AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY EXPANDING OUR GREAT, YEAH. THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT. UM, THE, UM, WEBSITE LOOKS GREAT. I THINK THAT THIS IS COMMENT. UM, ME, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD START AS A FIRST STEP LOVE TO SEE US IN THAT MARKETING STRATEGY HAVE A BILLBOARD LIKE WE DID FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BASICALLY SOMETHING THAT SAYS CHURCH BOARD, UM, UH, MAGAZINES, UM, A FIVE BY SEVEN GRAPHIC FLYER THAT THEY CAN PUT OUT OUR EIGHT AND A HALF BY 11 GRAPHIC THAT CAN BE FRONT AND BACK. THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS ON THE BACK, AND THEN IDENTIFYING THE AREA ON THE FRONT, SOMETHING TO THAT NATURE. BUT THERE'S, UM, JUST STARTING AT THIS STARTING POINT IS JUST GREAT. AND THE, UM, IS THAT MAP INTERACTIVE? CAN THEY CLICK ON CERTAIN AREAS AND EXPAND IT? IS THAT AN INTERACTIVE MAP? YEAH, I THINK AN INTERACTIVE MAP WOULD BE ABLE FOR THEM TO LOOK ON OUR WEBSITE, CLICK ON THAT LINK AND THEN BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE AREA AND BE ABLE TO SEE THAT, UM, WOULD BE SOMETHING I THINK WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE MORE, THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL THAN JUST A, A MAP THAT WE JUST HAVE THERE. UM, BUT OUR INTERACTIVE MAP, JUST SUGGESTIONS THAT I THINK FOR MARKETING, I KNOW YOU HAVE A MARKETING PERSON, UM, BUT, UM, I LIKED DOING STUFF. SO ANYWAY, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING SOMEONE TO HELP US WITH THOSE STRATEGIES THAT HAS THAT SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT THAT'S WHERE IT'S OUR NEXT STEP ON THE MARKETING, BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST NEED TO KNOW WE'RE HERE SO WE CAN GET THEM OVER HERE AND LET THEM KNOW ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER. AND THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS WE CAN OFFER AT WHATEVER POINT IN THE MEETING. UH, MR. WILLIAMS, I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM ELABORATE ON, ON THAT A LITTLE MORE, HOW WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT. THAT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP. I'M GLAD THAT IT'S THERE. THANKS MR. WILLIAMS. THANK YOU. UM, I GUESS THERE'S TWO BASIC IDEAS WHERE THE TERS ONE IS THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT NEW DEVELOPMENT. SO IF YOU HAVE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WON'T SUPPORT A PARTICULAR LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, THEN YOU CAN USE THE TERRORS AS MEANS OF FINANCING THE IMPROVEMENTS. LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE FILES. I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED IN THE PAST THAT WATER AND WASTEWATER CAPACITY, INCREASING STORM WATER CAPACITY, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, OTHER UTILITIES. I KNOW IN ANOTHER PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON HERE WITH THE CITY IS RELOCATING UTILITIES, THE MAJOR EXPENSE, UH, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING DOWNTOWN. AND SO THAT'S AN ISSUE WE NEED TO DEAL WITH, UH, THAT'S THE PUBLIC PART, THE PUBLIC PART TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO ISSUE A BUILDING PERMIT. SO THE PLACE CAN GET BUILT. THEN THERE'S A PRIVATE PART, WHICH IS THE PART THAT SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT. THEY MAY BE ABLE TO DO A PROJECT, BUT THEY NEED A LITTLE HELP. THEY NEED SOME MEANS OF FINANCING, PARTS OF THE, UH, COMING TO THE COST OF IMPROVEMENTS. AND THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH CAN DO. YOU CAN PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOAN OR GRANT CAN SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT. SO IF THEY NEED, UM, IF THE BUILDING IS ALMOST THERE, BUT NOT QUITE FINANCEABLE, BUT IN THE TERMS CAN ACT LIKE A THREE 80 AGREEMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU ALL WERE FAMILIAR WITH, I THINK, UH, WHICH IS, UH, UH, AN AGREEMENT THAT IS AVAILABLE UNDER THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION IN SECTION 3 84 CITIES, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO DO LOANS AND GRANTS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES. AND THAT CAN BE A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC, EXCUSE ME, PRIVATE IMPROVEMENTS. SO YOU HAVE THE PUBLIC PART, WHICH IN A LOT OF CASES YOU NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE IT PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO ISSUE THAT BUILDING PERMIT, TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. AND THEN THE PRIVATE FINANCING PART. THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT TURNS CAN DO. SO THE QUESTION IS THE CHICKEN AND EGG, WHICH COMES FIRST, BUT A LOT OF CASES, THE LEAD TIME ON PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS TAKES A WHILE. AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE CITIES WORK ALREADY ON ITS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS CAN HELP BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED. AND THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS A PROPER SEQUENCE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS, AN OFFICE BUILDING, OR WHATEVER FACILITIES, THE OTHER THINGS YOU'RE LOOKING AT. IF, IF YOU HAD A PORT NEARBY THAT WAS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP THE PORT, UH, DO PARTS OF THEIR FINANCING. UM, THEY'RE NOT HERE YET, BUT WE LOVE TO HAVE THEM. I'M SURE AT THE CITY. AND, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THERE. AND THEN [00:25:01] THERE ARE ALL THE PRIVATE KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT A PORT INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THAT, THAT THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE 20,000 FOOT VIEW OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTS THAT YOU CAN DO THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, UH, DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, HAVE IT READY, ISSUE THAT BUILDING PERMIT MAKE THING HAPPEN, OR THEY COME AND SAY, WE CAN ALMOST GET THIS FINANCE, BUT WE NEED A LITTLE HELP HERE. THEN ULTIMATELY THERE'S SORT OF A AESTHETIC PART. HOW DO YOU WANT THIS TO LOOK? WHAT KIND OF VISION DO YOU HAVE? THIS IS THIS GOING TO BE, WHAT DOES DOWNTOWN LOOK LIKE IN YOUR VISION? WHAT SHOULD IT BE LIKE? AND THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN REALLY HELP REALIZE. YOU CAN HAVE THAT AS YOUR OVERALL PLAN, AS YOU DO YOUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE IMPROVEMENTS, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS STREET FURNITURE OR TREES OR WHATEVER IS APPROPRIATE. UH, THAT'S WHERE IT TURNS CAN HELP TOO. SO IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AUTHORITY. SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE FOCUS ON, SORRY, SHOULD WE FOCUS ON WITH JUST CERTAIN AREAS? I MEAN, IT, IT IS ALSO A BIG WIDESPREAD AREA, LIKE MAYBE FOCUSING ON CERTAIN STREETS OR THE SMALL CHUNKS OR THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. I THINK A VISION, IF IT'S WHERE MOTIVA OR OTHERS ARE MAKING INVESTMENTS, YOU OUGHT TO FOCUS, SAY FOCUS AROUND THERE, UH, AND LINK ELEMENTS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SORT OF GET INTO YOUR VISION OF WHAT THIS TERM IS CAN MEAN. WHAT HAS A TOURIST, AND THEN MAKE SURE YOU PUT A SIGN UP THAT SAID, THIS IS FINANCED BY, BY VIRTUE OF THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE. TAKE A LITTLE CREDIT FOR YOURSELF. NOT A LOT, BUT JUST ENOUGH. SO THAT BECOME PERCEIVED AS A MEANS OF DOING IT. YES. MA'AM. YEAH. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? SORRY. UM, SINCE WE ARE FOUR FO WE DID MENTION THE PORT, UH, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE PORT AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO KNOW, AND I'M QUITE SURE THEY'D LIKE TO KNOW, IS THE, IS THE PORT IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA MAPPED OUT AREA? IT IS. OKAY. YEAH. WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE OPEN MEETINGS, ALL ABOUT WHAT TOPICS WE DISCUSS. OKAY. BUT YES. RIGHT. THE PORT IS PART OF THE PORT FACILITIES WITHIN THE TERMS, IS THAT RIGHT? YES. WELL, IT JUST BROUGHT ME TO, YOU KNOW, THE MARKETING STRATEGY BECAUSE, UM, AND, AND WITH THE MARKETING STRATEGIES, IF W IF WE'RE BRINGING IN CERTAIN ENTITIES, THEN, UH, I'M QUITE SURE THAT THOSE ENTITIES HAVE THEIR MARKETING STRATEGY STRATEGIES, AND MAYBE WE CAN PIGGYBACK ON SOME OF THEIRS. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I MENTIONED THAT. RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO THROUGH THE PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS. YOU CAN SAY, WE'RE PARTICIPATING, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS ELEMENT OF IT. WE WANT AS IF WE'RE THE XYZ PORT AND WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, THE TERMS TO HELP US WITH. RIGHT. BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PORT AUTHORITIES, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, UM, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO HELP, TO HIGHLIGHT AND SHOWCASE PORT AUTHOR, AS WELL AS THE PORT OF PORT AUTHORS OFF JUST SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, JUST TO TIE IN. YEAH. AND IF YOU, IF YOU THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT COULD WE DO, WE HAVE A VERY BROAD AUTHORITY, AND IF THERE'S PORT IMPROVEMENTS, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP OUT WITH IT. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND WE'RE ALSO IN OUR VISION, WE WOULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT HOW WE ATTRACT, YOU KNOW, SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE BUSINESSES. IT'S. SO IT'S, IT GOES FROM THE, ALMOST TO THE MOM AND POP TO THE BIG, THE BIG BUSINESS AS WELL, QUITE OFTEN, TOO, ON THE MOM AND POP IS WHERE THE, WE CAN'T QUITE MAKE IT WORK, BUT WE COULD HAVE HAD SOME TERS MONEY TO DO IT. UH, BUT A LOT OF IT, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE PRIVATE PART OF THE TERMS THAT PROBABLY IS THE MOST HELPFUL, BECAUSE PROBABLY, I ASSUME THAT ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE TO SUPPORT A MOM AND POP OPERATION MOM AND POP SIZE OPERATION. BUT IF YOU NEEDED SOMETHING BIGGER, MORE EXTENSIVE, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN HELP OUT WITH THAT, BUT YOU CERTAINLY CAN HAVE, AND SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR THAT KIND OF SUPPORT. OKAY. WE CAN KIND OF TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. OKAY. THANK YOU. I, I, I HAD A QUESTION. YES. AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP IN TERMS OF THE MOMS AND POPS THE INDEPENDENCE. UM, IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN [00:30:01] INCLUDE IN THAT MARKETING STRATEGIES, THE CAN DUES AND THE DUES OF THE TERMS, RIGHT. W WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO AND HAVING A POLICY SETTING ASIDE JUST EXACTLY WHAT A YEAR, STARTING BACK AGAIN WITH THE VISION, WHAT IS IT THAT PICTURE OF FUTURE SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR THE TERRORS THEN? WHERE DO WE HAVE THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS? EVERY ONE OF THOSE HAS WITHIN THAT BIG PICTURE, A GOAL, AND YOU CAN HAVE A GOAL THAT HAS LIMITS INS AND OUTS, AND WHAT MAKES, UH, I, I TEACH SCOUTS A LOT IN BOY SCOUTS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IS SMART GOALS, AND EVERY GOAL HAS TO BE SMART, SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, RELEVANT, AND TIMELY. SO I'D HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC. IT HAS TO BE MEASURABLE. MEASURABLE IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT LETS YOU FIGURE OUT WHETHER YOUR GOAL IS BEING ACHIEVED OR NOT ATTAINABLE. IS THIS, THIS, IS THERE SOMETHING WE WANT TO GET INTO RELEVANT, OBVIOUSLY THAT HELPS US ZONE AND THEN TIMELY. CAN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH TO HAVE AN EFFECT? I LIKED THAT. I LIKED THAT. I LIKE THAT ACRONYM. OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. UM, ANY, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UH, HAVE, UH, COMMENTS? OKAY. THE QUESTION I'D LIKE TO, UM, JUST KIND OF AT THIS MOMENT, THE EDC, I'M SORRY, OUR DOWNTOWN PLAN. HOW WOULD THAT COLLABORATIVELY WORK WITH THAT? YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A DOWNTOWN PLAN THAT WE'VE DONE. UM, WOULD THAT WORK WITH TERS AND COMBINATION? THERE IS A VISION, THERE IS A PLAN WRITTEN SO THAT WE CAN, UH, COLLABORATE AND PUT THOSE THE TERMS AND THE DOWNTOWN PLAN TOGETHER. SO THERE IS A WRITTEN PLAN, A CITY MANAGER. HOW COULD WE KIND OF PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, COME UP WITH A DOWNTOWN, LIKE YOU SAID, A VISION FOR DOWNTOWN. I THINK WE HAVE, UH, UM, YEAH, THE QUESTION IS SORT OF TRUING THEM UP AND MEASURING THE PARTS AND WE'LL LINKING IT TOGETHER. BUT I ASSUME THE CITY MANAGER, I THINK THE DOWNTOWN PLAN CAN SERVE AS THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE TOOTH AS WELL, BECAUSE, UM, WHY WE AS THE DOWNTOWN PLAN COVERS THE WHOLE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THERE ARE CERTAIN CATALYST AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE DOWNTOWN PLAN THAT IS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOURISTS, LIKE THE BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, UM, FOR WHERE A RURAL GROUP STARTED. AND, UM, THE EDC IS ESTABLISHED IT, THE FOOTPRINT OUT THERE. AND, UM, WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE RURAL GROUP HAS IDENTIFIED FOUR BLOCKS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THAT, WHICH WE, AS CANDY INDICATED WHEN WE GET THE, UM, THE, THE, THE APPRAISALS FROM, FROM, FROM THE COUNTY, WE WILL SEE THAT AS WE HAVE MOST OF THE, UM, THE INCOME WILL BE GENERATED FROM, TO START OFF WITH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHY YOU CAN PUT THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT SORT OF BUILDING ON ITSELF. AND AGAIN, THE DOWNTOWN PLAN HAS LEAD, UM, VERY, UM, BROADLY, UM, VERY SPECIFICALLY DECONDITIONED ANALYSIS OF ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT PARTICULAR ERA. SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CATALYST THAT WE, WE IT'S ALMOST IMMEDIATELY READY TO BUILD UPON, YOU KNOW, IT SERVES AS A SPECIAL INCENTIVE BECAUSE HERE IT IS THAT AN INVESTOR WOULD COME IN, IT WOULD NOT HAVE TO ON THE GO ALL THESE, UM, ENGINEERING STUDIES THAT WOULD BE RETRIED BECAUSE THEY DON'T OWN PLAN HAS ALREADY PROVIDED THAT FOR THEM. YOU KNOW? SO THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO BRING OUT BECAUSE WE WERE NOT STARTING FROM SCRATCH. WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE ALREADY. WE JUST NEED TO BUILD THEM, YOU KNOW, PUT THEM TOGETHER SO THEY CAN WORK FOR US AND IN THIS, AND WE JUST BUILD FROM THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THAT DOWN. THAT'S AN ESSENTIAL PIECE TO, UM, DOWNTOWN AND MAKING THOSE THINGS WORK TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY. UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE, UH, I GUESS WE'RE DONE WITH THE MARKETING STRATEGY DISCUSSION, NUMBER FIVE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO NUMBER FIVE. THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. THANK YOU. [5. A discussion and possible action regarding future TIRZ development projects.] NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FUTURE TERS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS? UM, I GUESS WE JUST MAY WE TALKED ABOUT AT ONE POINT, UM, I GUESS IT KIND OF OVERLAPS IN THE LAST DISCUSSION WE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE HAVING SOME TYPE OF WORKSHOP OR DISCUSSION ON WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS WE WANT TO UNDERTAKE. YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, I GUESS, WOULD, THAT WOULD BE, UM, MR. WILLIAMS WOULD BE PUBLIC, WAS MAYBE FOCUSING ON SOME AREAS WHERE WE WANTED TO MAKE THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE MANAGER WANTED TO KIND OF ELABORATE, BUT WE, I GUESS NOW WE KIND OF ZERO IN ON WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING PRIVATELY YET. CAUSE WE GOT TO DO THE MARKETING FOR THE PEOPLE TO COME IN, BUT [00:35:01] IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW ON, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE HE SAID, THE WATER, THE SEWER, THE ROADS, BUT I ENDED UP THE MANAGER ONE TO 11, I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE. UM, WHEN CANDY PROVIDES US WITH, UM, THE FUNDING THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. UM, AND IT'S, THE TIMING IS GOOD BECAUSE WE ARE JUST TODAY. WE JUST STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE CITY. UM, SO IN THE NEXT, MAYBE 30 TO 60 DAYS, WHEN WE GET A GRASP AS TO HOW MUCH OF THE, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE, UM, APPRAISAL WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD GET A FULL MCGRATH AS TO WHAT WE COULD PUT INTO THE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL BUDGETS THAT WOULD REFLECT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR. SO ALSO, SO I THINK WE WERE RIGHT ON SPOT. SO WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO THINK OF AT LEAST ONE OR TWO CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IS WHAT I'M GATHERING. AND WE'LL, WE'LL PUT SOME TYPE OF BUDGET TOGETHER. MR. WILLIAMS, WOULD THAT BE, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO, SO WITH THIS UPCOMING BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON PUTTING A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS BUDGET TOGETHER AT ONCE. WE SEE WHAT WE WANT, MAYBE LIKE I SAY, SPOTLIGHT CERTAIN AREAS, HOW MUCH IS AVAILABLE. IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE MONEY IT'S FUNDED. UH, WE, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY BUSINESS TO DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO WE HAVE NO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS UP MAYOR WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES. I WAS GOING TO SEE IF YOU WANT TO OFFER A MOTION UM, [Additional Item] BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION TO JUDAH, UH, LET ME JUST RECOGNIZE THE REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PORT BEING HERE WITH US, YOU KNOW, UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LONG DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PORT, UM, WORKING WITH US IN JOINING THE CHURCH AND EMCEEING THE PORT IS CENTRALLY LOCATED AS, UM, PART OF OUR DOWNTOWN AS WELL. UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE PORT WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO US THIS AFTERNOON? ANYTHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? I THINK THE POOR SAID THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING US. IT'S GREAT TO SEE Y'ALL AND WHAT AN OUTSTANDING BOARD. SO, UH, I'M SCOTT SHELDON. I'M AN ATTORNEY THAT REPRESENTS THE PORT TO PORT ARTHUR FROM THE MORLEY ANDREY LAW FIRM. AND WITH ME IS, UH, BECKY UNDERHILL. I THINK MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW BECKY, UM, SHE'S THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING AT THE PORT. AND, UM, EVEN THOUGH I'M THE ATTORNEY, I WOULD SAY THAT SHE KNOWS A LOT MORE ABOUT HERS THAN I DO BY VIRTUE OF HER EXPERIENCE. UM, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE INVITE, UM, SOMEONE FROM VAL'S OFFICE, UM, NOTIFIED US OF THE MEETING AND KIND OF TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO ASK BECKY TO COME WITH ME. BUT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME. I KNOW YOUR RECORDS WOULD SHOW THAT, UM, MANY YEARS AGO, UH, UM, CARL PARKER AND DAVID BELVIN VISITED THE PORT ABOUT FORMING THE TERS AND IT'S KIND OF UNDERGONE A LOT OF CHANGE, BUT WITHOUT REALLY ANY OF THE KIND OF ORGANIZATION THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE, AND, UM, CERTAINLY WITH THE CITY PLAY IN THE ROLE THAT IT'S PLAYING AND YOUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE BEING INVOLVED, UM, EVERYTHING SOUNDS GREAT. I ONLY MENTIONED THAT FIRST MEETING BECAUSE THE PORT WAS HONORED TO BE CONSIDERED. AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM A LOT OF OUR MEETINGS, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO BE HERE AND ACCEPTED THE INVITE, UH, WAS BECAUSE THERE IS INTEREST IN HELPING ANY WAY TO DEVELOP PORT, PORT ARTHUR, AND PARTICULARLY THE TERS BOUNDARIES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BECKY AND I WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT CAME UP IN THE VERY FIRST MEETING, AND IT WAS COMMISSIONER ALBRIGHT WHO WAS ON OUR BOARD AT THAT TIME AND NO LONGER IS, BUT IT APPEARED TO US AT THAT MEETING MANY YEARS AGO THAT THE BOUNDARY ACTUALLY IS HOUSTON AVENUE. AND, UM, UH, AT LEAST AT THAT MEETING, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT, UM, ANYTHING ON THE WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON AVENUE WAS OUTSIDE THAT BOUNDARY. AND YOU ALL MAY KNOW THAT THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR'S ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, THE SEAFARERS BUILDING, AND THEN A LOT OF PROPERTY RUNNING DOWN THE WEST SIDE OF, OF HOUSTON AVENUE IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR. AND THEY WANT THAT DEVELOP, BUT THEY HAD INDICATED THAT [00:40:01] IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE THE BOUNDARIES TO BE EXPANDED, TO INCLUDE THE PROPERTY ON THE WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON AVENUE, AS WELL AS THE EAST SIDE. AND, UM, UH, MR. BELVIN INDICATED IN THAT MEETING THAT, UM, HE THOUGHT THAT THAT COULD BE DONE. BUT, UM, WHEN I SAW THE BOUNDARIES UP ON THE SCREEN, IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE IT'S STILL IN THE SAME PLACE. UH, BUT THAT I KNOW WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PORT. UM, THE OTHER THINGS, UM, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE HAVE REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED, UM, WHEN MR. ALLEN GOT ON THE PHONE AND TALKED ABOUT GETTING THE FINANCES, UH, THE FINANCIAL REPORTING IN ORDER HAVING BOARD BOARD MEETINGS, UM, BYLAWS ARTICLES, IF THAT STUFF IS ON YOUR WEBSITE, THEN I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. AND I, I, I'M EXCITED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WHEN BECKY AND I GO BACK TO THE NEXT PORT BOARD MEETING, WHICH I THINK IS IN JUNE, WE WILL REPORT HOW MUCH PROGRESS THAT Y'ALL MADE. AND CERTAINLY, UM, I, I KNOW THAT THAT THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING. SO, UM, WITH THAT, I MEAN, WE WE'VE GOT GOOD INFORMATION TO BRING BACK TO THEM. AND, UH, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER INVITING US TO, TO TALK ABOUT IT. BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS IS THE BOUNDARY ISSUE. AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT GO ABOUT, UM, CHANGE IN THE BOUNDARIES, BUT IF IT COULD INCLUDE THAT PROPERTY, IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR, YES, THERE IS A PROCESS TO DOING THAT. THAT'S NOT VERY DIFFICULT. UH, WE CAN WORK TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT OUR NEXT STEP TO TALK ABOUT EXPANDING THOSE BOUNDARIES. AT ONE POINT, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT ANYWAY, BECAUSE THOSE BOUNDARIES WERE ORIGINALLY SET OVER ALMOST 10, 20 13, SO ALMOST 10 YEARS. SO YES, WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON THAT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE OR TAKE ANY MESSAGES BACK TO THEM NEXT. YES. NEXT ENGENDER ITEM. I ACTUALLY WROTE THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT EXPANDING IT. THE MAYOR WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A YEAH. W WELL ATTORNEY AND TO, UH, WILL, BECAUSE I THINK Y'ALL DID IT EARLIER. I ASKED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MARKETING STRATEGY PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I KNOW WHENEVER I CAME ON AS MAYOR AND I WAS INFORMED OF THE CHURCH AND WHEN I BECAME A, AN ACTUAL BOARD MEMBER THAT HAS BEEN, UH, UH, AS A PET PROJECT OF MINE, TO BE SURE THAT YOU ALL TO BE INCLUDED, UH, BECAUSE, UH, WE KNEW THAT LEGALLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD NOT BE BEING ATTACHED TO THE ENTITY, BUT THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR COULD BE, AND THE PROXIMITY OF THE AREA OF, SO, UH, AN ATTORNEY JUST ANSWERED WHAT I, THE BIG QUESTION THAT I HAD OF HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE, OR IF THERE WOULD BE ANY DIFFICULTY AT ALL. I THINK THE LEGAL ASPECTS HAS ALREADY ANSWERED. SO THE INCLUSION OF THAT PROPERTY, AND I DID MAKE A NOTE OF IT, WHEREAS IF HOUSTON AVENUE, UH, AND I THINK I SPEAK TO SENTIMENTS PROBABLY UP THE, A BOARD THAT WE WANT THIS TO BE A FUNCTIONING BOARD, AND WE WANT TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BE OF THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CHURCH. SO, UH, I THINK WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO ENHANCE AND EVEN EXPEDITIOUSLY MOVE ON THE INCLUSION OF THAT PROPERTY SO THAT YOU ALL CAN GO BACK, UH, MAYBE AFTER THE JUNE MEETING WITH THE REAL, REAL, UH, WRITTEN, UH, FARMER INTERPRETATION OF YOUR BECOMING A MEMBER BY MAYBE AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER. SO THAT WHEN WE PUT THIS INTO OUR MARKETING, UH, PACKAGED TOGETHER AS MR. JOHNSON, THAT SAID, WE CAN EVEN USE THE EXPERTISE OF WHAT YOU ALL HAVE FROM THE, FROM, UH, THIS PARTICULAR DOWNTOWN AREA, ALONG WITH THE MARKETING, WITH THE, UH, MASTER PLAN THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN MOSES ALLUDED TO, AND, UH, THE, UH, THOUGHTS OF A BABY WHOMEVER WE WOULD HAVE FOR OUR MARKETING EXPERT, UH, YOU KNOW, FATHER STORIES THAT WE WOULD ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE, BECAUSE WE STILL AT THE INFANCY OF THAT. AND I CAN RECALL EVEN THE MEETINGS, UH, EARLIER WHERE WE DID NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL REPORT THAT, UH, WAS KANSAS, YOU'VE GIVEN US THE DATE, YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE WE HAD NEVER GONE THIS FAR IN, IN, IN, IN OUR BUSINESS DEALINGS. BUT AS YOU SAID, YOU CAN LET, UH, BARRY AND THE BOARD KNOW THAT WE ARE MAKING THE PROGRESS. I BELIEVE THAT'S NECESSARY TO SHOW YOU ALL THAT WE WANT YOU HERE. AND WE ARE HANDLING IT ACCORDING TO, I GUESS, THE LAWS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AS WELL AS WHAT THE APPLICABLE FAR [00:45:01] AS HE HAS AS A BOARD. AND WE WILL TAKE THAT MESSAGE BACK. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER HUGE, UM, ITEM OF IMPORTANCE TO THE PORT IS THAT D D SEVEN AND, AND THE SABINE NATURE'S NAVIGATION DISTRICT ARE REPRESENTED AND PARTICIPATING BECAUSE, UM, IT, IT, IT SHOULD BE, UH, ALL MENTAL ENTITY OR TAXING ENTITY, UH, PROJECT, EXCEPT OF COURSE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'LL BENEFIT IF THIS ALL WORKS LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO. SO ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. AND, UM, AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE INVITE THAT THANK YOU, MR. ATTORNEY, SHELDON. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS. DO WE DISCUSS THEM WHEN I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO A GERMAN? MS. CHAIRMAN NEED A SECOND. THANK YOU. NEED A SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. AT THIS TIME WE WILL, UM, SAY THAT OUR MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED CLOSED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.