Mar 19, 2026 TIRZ #1 Board of Directors Meeting

[1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.]

[00:00:05]

RECORDING IN PROGRESS. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. AND GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR MEETING TODAY. THIS MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER ONE IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. I'M GOING TO FOLLOW THE AGENDA AS PRINTED NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN'S CHURCH NUMBER ONE. WE'LL BE HOLDING A MEETING IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, ON THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH AT 2:30 P.M. AND WE'RE RIGHT ON TIME. AND ON THE FIFTH FLOOR IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S CHAMBERS. THE ADDRESS IS 404 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, 77640. THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD BY TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE. IN ADDITION, TO ALLOW THE PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE, A QUORUM MUST BE PRESENT BY THE TOURIST BOARD PHYSICALLY IN THE CHAMBERS ON THE FIFTH FLOOR. THE PUBLIC MAY PARTICIPATE WITH THE MEETING ID AND THAT NUMBER IS 85934872836, AND THE PASSCODE WILL BE 188004. WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE AGENDA AS PRINTED. WE'RE GOING TO ASK JUDGE GUILLORY TO TO START WITH THE INVOCATION FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE AGENDA AS PRINTED. THANK YOU, JUDGE GUILLORY. LET US PRAY. DEAR LORD, WE COME NOW, LORD, THANKING YOU FOR THIS BLESSED OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'VE AFFORDED EACH OF US, GOD, TO CONVENE HERE ON THIS DAY. GOD TO HANDLE THE BUSINESS OF THIS DAY. FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU BLESS EACH OF US WITH DISCERNMENT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE DECISIONS NECESSARY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THESE MANY BLESSINGS WE ASK IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, JUDGE GUILLORY. NEXT, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED QUORUM. WOULD

[2. Establishment of quorum and call to order.]

CHARLOTTE MOSES, MAYOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. JOSEPH GUILLORY, THE SECOND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE PRECINCT TWO, JEFFERSON COUNTY, PRESENT. JAMES GAMBLE, COMMISSIONER, JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN. JOSEPH JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER. SABINE-NECHES NAVIGATION.

DISTRICT PRESIDENT. RANDY T MARTIN, COMMISSIONER, PORT OF PORT ARTHUR NAVIGATION DISTRICT.

[3. Approval of Minutes from the previous Downtown Tax Reinvestment Zone TIRZ #1 Board Meeting held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.]

ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I'LL NOW CALL FOR A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN PASSED. NEXT WE HAVE

[4. Report from the Finance Director regarding the Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1) financial budget.]

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED FROM LAST MONTH BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER EXPENDITURE. AND ALL OF THE REVENUE IS GRABBED UPFRONT. SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS WHAT IS CURRENT AND ACTUAL AT THIS TIME. AND I STAND FOR QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS. DIRECTORS.

AT THIS TIME. AND THAT AMOUNT IS WHAT DID I SAY 279 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES SIR.

ANY QUESTIONS? DIRECTORS. CITY MANAGER. ALL RIGHT. WHAT IS THAT? 279 632 LYNN YES. YES,

[5. Presentation and possible action to adopt the Port Arthur 5-Year Downtown Implementation Plan.]

[00:05:06]

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DANA ESPINAL AND I AM THE DIRECTOR AT LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER. AND STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PART OF THE CORE TEAM THAT HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO HELP REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN. AND I'LL LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. I'M ELIZABETH CRAVENS, I'M HERE REPRESENTING MID-AMERICA CONTRACTORS. HELLO, CLAIRE JACKSON, MOTIVA ENTERPRISES. AND ARTHUR THOMAS DONNIE'S MARKETING CAFE. THANK YOU. OH, OKAY. LET'S TRY THIS. THIS WAY. THERE WE GO. SO WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH A PACKET. AND IN THE PACKET, THERE'S INFORMATION FOR YOU. THERE IS A COPY OF THE FULL FIVE YEAR DOWNTOWN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. AND THERE'S ALSO A COPY OF THE OVERVIEW AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY. AND AND THEN THERE'S A CONTACT SHEET THERE FOR YOU OF THE NAMES OF THE CORE TEAM AND THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION. IN CASE YOU WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT AND HAVE QUESTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE A, HAVE A CONSTITUENT ASK QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM TO REACH OUT TO US. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CORE TEAM, THE CORE TEAM AND THE PORT ARTHUR EDC. WE GOT TOGETHER A YEAR AGO. IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO THIS DAY AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN START IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE PLANNING THAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN. SPECIFICALLY, IT WAS A SPECIFIC CHAPTER IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT TO HELP REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN. AND THE PORT ARTHUR EDC AT THE TIME WAS ASKED TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS TO WHERE WE COULD HIRE CONSULTANT DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES TO GET IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN PLACE TO DO WHAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN SPOKE OF. OKAY, SO THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH EACH OTHER, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A SEPARATE PLAN. IT IS MEANT TO IMPLEMENT WHAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOLKS INVOLVED. AND IF YOU LOOK ON THE SECOND PAGE OF YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, YOU CAN SEE THE TIMELINE HERE WHERE THE PARTNERSHIP BEGAN IN FEBRUARY OF 2025. AND THEN WE DID A KICKOFF CALL AND STARTED ORGANIZING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, WHERE, AND HOW RIGHT WE ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS. AND THEN WE HAD A STRATEGIC VISIONING WORKSHOP THAT THE PUBLIC WAS INVITED TO COME TO, AND WE HAD IT OVER IN THE PRESS BUILDING, AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS AND CITY LEADERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE INTERESTED IN GETTING THE MAYBE SOME PROPERTY OWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN HELPING US DRIVE THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ON HOW WE WERE GOING TO GET THINGS STARTED, AND GETTING DOWNTOWN WHERE WE WE VISUALIZE IT TO BE OKAY. THERE WAS A MARKET ANALYSIS PRESENTATION DONE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FINDINGS OF THE MARKET WHERE SOME OF THE GAP ANALYSIS WERE WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESSES WOULD BE A TARGET FOR IMPLEMENTING IN DOWNTOWN.

AND AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, I HAD A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT MARKET ANALYSIS BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF SMALL BUSINESSES I NEEDED TO BE LOOKING FOR TO HELP GET READY TO START A SMALL BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR. SO THAT INFORMATION WAS VERY HELPFUL. AND THEN WE DID AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN PRESENTATION IN OCTOBER. AND THAT PLAN WAS A ROUGH DRAFT, IF YOU WILL. AND WE GOT SOME

[00:10:04]

OKAY. ONE QUESTION FOR YOU. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ACTION TEAMS, WHO'S GOING TO DEVELOP THE ACTION TEAMS, OR HOW ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE THOSE COMPRISED OF? I KNOW THAT WE, AS A COLLECTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE ARE TAXING ENTITIES. SO HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH THIS PLAN THAT YOU HAVE AND STREAMLINING THOSE ACTION TEAMS? YEAH. SO WE LOOK FOR INTERESTED PARTIES THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN DOWNTOWN. AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK AT SKILL SETS. SO WHAT CAN YOU BRING TO THE TABLE? WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS? ONE GOOD EXAMPLE THAT NOT TO STEAL ANYONE'S THUNDER, BUT USING RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SOME OF THOSE ITEMS WITHOUT STEALING OTHER PEOPLE'S TOPICS. SO, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER, THIS AGENCY, THE, THE CHAMBER, THE CITY, THE EDC, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, THIS IS NOT ONE THING THAT ONE GROUP CAN TAKE ON ON THEIR OWN.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ONE MORE. HI, CLAIRE.

[00:15:09]

SO JUST THEREAFTER, YOU KNOW, WE MET WITH BOTH THE MAYOR AND MYSELF, MET WITH THIS COMMITTEE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE EDC, THROUGH MR. STOKES, WHEN MR. STOKES WAS THERE. AND IF YOU REMEMBER, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE APPROVED THE RESOLUTION FOR $45,000 FOR RETAIL STRATEGIES TO BUILD ON THE DOWNTOWN PLAN. YOU KNOW, SO IT WAS LIKE REINVENTING THE WHEEL, YOU KNOW, SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO BRING THEM ALREADY. THE WORK IS ALREADY DONE. THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE THE WORK. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY, AS CLAIRE SAID, OF WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, WITH THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, WITH THE EDC TO FUND IT. AND I THINK THERE IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AS PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT FOR US TO GO BACK BOTH WE AS A CITY, AS AN ENTITY, PUT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME WITH THE EDC AND WORK WITH THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH ARE REPRESENTATIVES, BECAUSE EACH OF YOU ALL WHEN I SAY EACH OF YOU, ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, HAVE APPOINTED A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE EDC. THAT IN TURN WORKS WITH THE COMMITTEE. YOU KNOW, MISS COUNCILWOMAN EVA FIELD WAS A STRATEGIC PART OF WHAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, AND AS THEY SAID, IT INVOLVED A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT. YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS A VERY CREDIBLE PLAN WHICH WOULD SAVE US SOME TIME AND LOOK AT THE RESOURCES AND SEE HOW WE COULD WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, BECAUSE I THINK IT SAVES US SOME TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THOSE. IF WE STUDY THOSE AND IT PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY, A VERY SOLID OPPORTUNITY TO GET PICK SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND MOVE FORWARD TO GET SOMETHING DONE. YOU KNOW, AS YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET OF THE CURRENT FINANCES OF THE TURRETS, WE HAVE ABOUT PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO $300,000, BUT I'M SURE WE WILL GET BUY IN FROM THE EDC IF WE GO TO THEM WITH A PROPOSAL. AND I'M SURE AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, WE'LL PUT MORE MONEY INTO IT AS WE CONTINUE TO DO NEW BUDGETS. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND. NO PROBLEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUDGE GUILLORY, I NOTICED THAT YOU MENTIONED. THERE WAS SOME INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE. YOU KNOW, YOU CALLED IT CARROTS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE INCENTIVE? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO INCENTIVIZE A SMALL BUSINESS THAT HAS A EITHER A VACANT BUILDING LIKE THE ONE WE SEE IN ON PAGE 14 AND MOTIVATE THEM TO EITHER SELL OR REFURBISH, PREPARE FOR BUSINESS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT ABOUT THE VACANT PROPERTIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AS WELL? WHAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT OWN THOSE PROPERTIES, EITHER TO, TO SELL, TO MOTIVATE THEM TO EITHER SELL OR TO BUILD SOMETHING? BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S STANDING IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS IS THE PERSON THAT'S HOLDING ON TO THE PROPERTY. THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH IT. YES, SIR. SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY HAS PUT IN PLACE LEGISLATION TO HELP ADDRESS CITY ORDINANCES FROM A CITY ORDINANCE STANDPOINT, VACANT

[00:20:06]

OKAY? BECAUSE THAT IN ITSELF IS A DETERRENT ON GETTING SMALL BUSINESS TO INVEST IN DOWNTOWN.

SO IF WE CAN START GETTING THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED TO CODE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THE ORDINANCES, THEN THAT'S GOING TO HELP US RETRACT, ATTRACT, AND GET PEOPLE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN DOWNTOWN. AS FAR AS THE INCENTIVES, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS ALREADY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VEHICLES THAT THEY CAN USE TO ATTRACT FOR DOWNTOWN.

THERE'S THERE'S ABATEMENT INCENTIVES. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF INCENTIVES, WHICH ARE TAX INCENTIVES TO PROPERTY OWNERS. YOU HAVE TO OWN THE PROPERTY. IF YOU'RE RENTING PROPERTY AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN INCENTIVE, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. THOSE ARE MEANT TO BE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE PROPERTY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FOR THEM TO INVEST IN AND START WORKING ON DEVELOPING FOR A SMALL BUSINESS. AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT THE CITY OFFERS THAT THE EDC OFFERS THAT WE CAN USE TO HELP ATTRACT THOSE FOLKS TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.

DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SORT OF. SO IF YOU HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS LIKE A FOOD TRUCK, RIGHT? AND EVENTUALLY THEY WANT TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THAT, THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WILL WE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF WORKSHOP ASSISTANCE TO SHOW THEM THE PLATFORM? HOW YOU KNOW HOW STEP BY STEP THIS CAN HAPPEN AND HOW THE CITY INCENTIVES CAN BE APPLIED TO THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. YES, SIR. I HAVE A LIVING EXAMPLE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO ME THROUGH THE SBDC. WE HAVE ASSISTED MR. THOMAS IN PURCHASING THE PROPERTY THAT HE NOW OWNS IN ON PROCTOR STREET, WHERE HIS FOOD TRUCK IS AT EVERY DAY. AND WE HAVE HELPED HIM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING LENDER READY, DOING EVERYTHING HE NEEDS TO DO TO RUN A BUSINESS PROPERLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND NOW WE ARE WORKING ON A MOVING FORWARD FROM A FOOD TRUCK TO A BUILDING, WHICH EVENTUALLY WILL BE A FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT ON PROCTOR STREET. SO WE HAVE BEEN THERE. THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER HAS BEEN THERE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO GO TO THE PORT ARTHUR EDC FOR HIM TO GET INCENTIVES FROM THE PORT ARTHUR EDC FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR HIS BUILDINGS THAT ARE COMING TO THAT PROPERTY. AND SO I'LL LET YOU SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. WE ALSO WORKED WITH WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO DO A TAX ABATEMENT FOR THE BUILDING AS WELL, TO HELP OUT WITH THAT, TO KIND OF MAKE THIS A LITTLE MORE LONG TERM INSTEAD OF SHORT TERM. SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE SPDC HAS DONE TO HELP US OUT WITH THAT, AS WELL AS THE CITY, THE EDC. SO WE'RE WE'RE ALMOST THERE. WE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF NOW FINISHING UP OUR DESIGNS FOR THE INTERNAL PART OF THE BUILDING. AND WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, 2 TO 3 WEEKS, WE'LL BE WE'LL START BREAKING GROUND. SO, MR. THOMAS, IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES, WHAT WOULD THAT ONE THING BE? HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO DUPLICATE A COPY? THE FORMAT THAT YOU'VE ALREADY LAID OUT FOR, FOR YOUR BUSINESS? I WOULD SAY COMMUNICATION TALK WITH FOLKS. THAT'S, THAT'S DONE IT. TALK WITH FOLKS. THAT'S, THAT'S LIVING THIS STUFF ON A DAILY BASIS. WORK WITH THE CITY, WORK WITH THE EDC, WORK WITH THE SBDC. THAT COMMUNICATION IS BEING PUT OUT RIGHT NOW. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE STILL WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND SUPPORT THOSE FOLKS THAT'S TRYING TO DO THAT, BRING THOSE NEW BUILDINGS IN, BRING THOSE NEW BUSINESSES TO DOWNTOWN OR WHEREVER IN PORT ARTHUR. MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM TO HELP THEM, HELP THEM ALONG THE WAY. AND WHAT HAS THIS WHAT HAS THIS PROCESS MEANT TO YOU AS A AS A RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR AND AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, WHAT CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THAT ACTUALLY HAS MEANT TO YOU HAVING THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE? WELL, IT'S MEANT A LOT TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO I DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. AND I LOVE THAT. I DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. I CAN GET OUT THERE AND I CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THINGS. YES, WE'VE HAD SOME THINGS TO SLOW US DOWN, BUT I

[00:25:05]

I'M SORRY. Y'ALL JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BRING ME BACK UP TO SPEED. I'M ON THE WATER SIDE OF THINGS. SO YOU SPOKE OF TAX ABATEMENTS. SO WHAT'S ACTUALLY THE TAX ABATEMENT STRUCTURE? HOW MANY YEARS AND WHAT PERCENTAGES. WELL, THAT PART I HAVEN'T GOT TO YET. I'M I'M IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP. WELL I GOT THE MEETING SET UP WITH THE WITH THE APPROPRIATE PERSON.

I THINK IT'S PAM. PAM. I CAN'T REMEMBER HER LAST NAME. SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH HER TO GET THAT STUFF DONE. OKAY, SO YOU ALL SPOKE OF CONSULTANTS. WHAT CONSULTANTS DO YOU ALL HAVE WORKING OR DO YOU ALL HAVE CONSULTANTS THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO HELP WITH THOSE PROJECTIONS OF TAX ABATEMENTS? NO, NO, NO. ARE YOU ALL GOING TO LIKE KIND OF TAKE THE SAME STRUCTURE AS A, YOU KNOW, THE INDUSTRIAL SIDE OR HOW IS THAT WORK? I REALLY NEED TO KNOW. YEAH, THAT'S INDIVIDUAL TO HIS PERSONAL PROJECT. I THINK JUST REALLY SHARING HIS EXPERIENCE THE WALK THROUGH TO, YOU KNOW, ARRIVE WHERE HE IS NOW AND HE HASN'T NECESSARILY EXPLORED, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE PROCESS OF HOW IT'S GOING TO APPLY TO HIM INDIVIDUALLY AND HIS PROJECT. BUT THIS WAS JUST SIMPLY AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE SBDC CAN TAKE FROM A TO Z, ANY INTENDED OR INTERESTED PARTY TO COME INTO OUR DOWNTOWN AND WANT TO FLOURISH A BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, HE HE'S JUST BEING USED AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS FOLLOWED THE PROCESS. AND, YOU KNOW, TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE MORE ON WHAT HE WAS SAYING, ALL THAT HE HAS DONE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HIM AS A CORE TEAM. WE BECOME A RESOURCE TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN FORESIGHT THAT'S COMING ON BOARD. YOU KNOW, HIM HIMSELF, MYSELF, CLAIRE, WE BECOME A RESOURCE TO THESE OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE FUTURE ■DEVELOPMENT. SO THIS THE PROCESS I'M GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, THIS STARTED OUT IN 2001. IT WAS A DREAM. IN 2001, 2017, I CREATED A CAPSTONE PROJECT OUT OF IT WHEN I WAS GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE. AND THEN 2022, IT BECAME A VISION AND IT CAME ALIVE. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THIS PROCESS BEEN STARTED SINCE 2001, BUT IT REALLY CAME ALIVE IN 2022. AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF DANA FROM THE SBDC, WE STARTED WORKING TO GET ALL THESE THINGS, WORKING THESE THINGS OFF THE GROUND, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE READY TO START EXPANDING. OKAY. THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW WHAT OTHER BUSINESSES ARE YOU ALL TRYING TO BRING INTO THE AREA? ARE YOU ALL TRYING TO COURT? WHAT OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE YOU ALL KIND OF FOCUSED ON? SO THERE'S A TO BE FRANK AND HONEST WITH ALL OF YOU, I HAVE A LIST OF PORT ARTHUR CITIZENS WHO IS INTERESTED IN HAVING A BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. OKAY. WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO. AND THIS THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS GOING TO HELP US GET THERE TO WHERE, WHERE WE WE CAN HAVE FOLKS THAT GO THROUGH THE SBDC, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, UNDERSTAND WHAT A BUSINESS PLAN IS, LOOK AT FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS, LOOK AT THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT, SO THEY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE READY TO INVEST IN PROPERTY OR OPENING A BUSINESS, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. MAYBE THEY WANT TO LEASE AN OPEN A BUSINESS BECAUSE WE HAVE PROPERTY AVAILABLE FOR LEASE. SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, POTENTIAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO DO. AND THERE'S ALSO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN PORT ARTHUR THAT HAVE VIABLE BUSINESSES IN THE CITY THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND WHAT WE CALL THOSE SERIAL ENTREPRENEURS. AND A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR IS SOMEONE WHO HAS MULTIPLE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEY ARE INTERESTED. A LOT OF THEM ARE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN DOWNTOWN, BUT NO ONE, NO ONE IS READY YET BECAUSE THE ECOSYSTEM IS NOT READY YET. OKAY. THE ENTREPRENEUR ECOSYSTEM IS NOT READY YET. WHEN WE GET IT READY, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE. OKAY. DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. SO THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM, WHAT DOES THAT WHAT DOES THAT COMPRISED OF? IT CAN IT COMPRISES OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

[00:30:03]

I UNDERSTAND TAKING A LOOK AT THIS. SO I'M JUST ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY, REALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW WE ALL WANT TO SEE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT SMALL, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THE FUNDING MECHANISMS. SO HOW I MEAN, HAVE YOU ALL REACHED OUT TO CERTAIN BANKING INSTITUTIONS OR THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEY JUST LET ME JUST WITH THAT. YES, SIR. OKAY. SO LET ME JUST BE CLEAR, AS WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE MRS. DANA BEING PART OF OUR CORE TEAM AND OUR COMMITTEE, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL AND VERY FORTUNATE THAT SHE DOES FORM PART OF OUR CORE TEAM. WE SBDC IT IS THEIR PRIME FOCUS. THAT IS WHAT SHE DOES. IT IS WHAT SHE DRIVES. OUR CORE TEAM IS HERE TO TRY TO GET STEP A ROLLING. OKAY. AND AND THAT IS TO TRY TO GET DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES, YOU KNOW, REENGAGED FOR THEIR SECOND PIECE OF THEIR CONTRACT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES PROVIDING TO US A VERY, VERY VITAL ROLE IN THE PROCESS. AND THAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WE NEED THAT. OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO DO THE LEG WORK, BUT WE NEED THEM TO KIND OF PROVIDE THE ROADMAP. AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE NEED THEM TO BE REENGAGED IN, IN, YOU KNOW, SIGNING THEIR SECOND TERM CONTRACT. AND WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING FOR THAT SECOND TERM FOR THEIR CONTRACT. OKAY. AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE ARE HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU, WHAT THEIR PLAN IS PROVIDING. AND WE'RE DOING IT IN IN PIECES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE COLLABORATING, PRESENTING TO YOU WHAT ALL THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT WHAT THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER, EXCUSE ME, IN THIS PLAN. AND WHAT THEY'RE SHARING WITH US IS WHAT MR. BURTON WAS SHARING, WAS SHARING WITH YOU A MINUTE AGO, IS THEY PROVIDE IT TO US LOW HANGING FRUIT ITEMS THAT WE CAN DO AS, IN A SENSE, INITIATING THE PROCESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. AND THIS PLAN IS IS IT FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT. YEAH, IT'S A FIVE YEAR PLAN. AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN GETTING APPROVAL TO GET THIS FUND TO GET THEM SIGNED ON FOR THE SECOND TERM, IS TO GET THESE THINGS ROLLING, TO GET THEM SEEN IN THE DOWNTOWN, TO SEE THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT CAN BE DONE, THAT ARE CONSIDERED THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, SO THAT THE POTENTIAL SMALL BUSINESSES OR EVEN BIGGER BUSINESSES TAKE INTEREST BECAUSE NOW THE, THE, THE COSMETIC, THE VISUALS HAVE CHANGED. AND THAT IS OUR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE DREAMING THAT THIS WILL DRAW THOSE PEOPLE, INCLUDING OURSELVES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY ALREADY IN PROCTER STREET AND WE WANT TO SEE PROCTER STREET REVITALIZED. WE WANT TO, TO BRING IT TO, TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAT WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THIS PLAN THAT DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES IS PROVIDING TO US, BECAUSE NONE OF US HAVE PUT THIS TOGETHER.

YOU ALL PUT A STRATEGY PLAN TOGETHER THAT DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES HAS TAKEN AND BROKEN DOWN FOR US SO THAT WE CAN TAKE IT PIECE BY PIECE AND SHOW PROGRESS IN THE DOWNTOWN'S BOOTS ON THE GROUND, GETTING EVERYBODY IN BITS AND PIECES INVOLVED. AND THAT'S KIND OF

[00:35:06]

WE TAKE PLACES LIKE THE PEOPLE'S. THE PEOPLE'S PARK ARE DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR MURALS, YOU KNOW, USING SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR IDENTITY AND APPEAR AND APPEAL FOR FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THEN STRENGTHENING CAMPUS, DOWNTOWN CONNECTIONS. THIS BASICALLY IS WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH WITH PORTER, WITH LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR, EXCUSE ME. AND THAT'S BASICALLY DESIGNING STREETSCAPE ELEMENTS, BANNERS AND PUTTING LIGHTING DOWN DOWN THE STREET FROM THE COLLEGE DOWN TO THE DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR AREA, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT ALSO BEAUTIFY AND LIGHTING PUBLIC SPACES INSTALLED, DECORATIVE AND OVER. THANK YOU. INSTALLING DECORATIVE OVERHEAD, OVERHEAD LIGHTS, TREE WRAPS AND STRING LIGHTS TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND AND NIGHTTIME AND NIGHTTIME VIBRANCE, AND ALSO ACTIVATE VACANT. VACANT STOREFRONTS. NO, THIS IS A THIS IS A GOOD ONE, RIGHT? THIS IS THE BEST ONE, I THINK, OUT OF ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, LAUNCHING A LAUNCHING A FACEBOOK PROGRAM TO IMPROVE BUILDING, BUILDING, BUILDING FACETS AND DISPLAY WINDOWS FOR MORE INVITED IN DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCES. THESE ARE SOME OF THOSE LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE CAN UTILIZE TO KIND OF GET THINGS GOING QUICKLY. AND FOLKS CAN SEE A CHANGE DOWN THERE, AND THEN ALSO GIVE THEM A REASON TO WANT TO COME BRING THEIR BUSINESS DOWN THERE. AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, WHEN I ORIGINALLY STARTED LOOKING FOR A LOCATION FOR MY LOCATIONS FOR, FOR MY BUSINESS, DOWNTOWN WAS MY FIRST WAS MY FIRST THING.

BUT WHEN I GOT ON THIS, THIS COMMITTEE, I SAID, WELL, LET ME PUT, I'D RATHER PUT MY, MY BUSINESS DOWN HERE BECAUSE ONE, WE NEED IT. WE NEED MORE RESTAURANTS DOWN HERE. AND TWO, JUST WANT TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. MAKE SURE THAT OUR OTHER FOLKS THAT WANT TO COME DOWN TO THIS AREA KNOW THE REASON I CAME DOWN HERE. I CAME DOWN HERE ONE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GREAT LOCATION. I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO PUT A BUSINESS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE CAN PROSPER DOWN HERE. AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS BY SHOWING, BY LEAD BY EXAMPLE. NEXT TIME, ARTHUR, BRING SOME BURGERS, MAN, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. SMASH FOR SURE.

BEFORE YOU GO, LIZ, LET ME ASK THIS. YES, SIR. DID YOU WANT TO ASK YOUR QUESTION? CITY MANAGER? ARE YOU GOOD? I'M GOOD. HERE, PUT YOUR MIC ON. I JUST WANT TO PUT YOUR MIC. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ELIZABETH HAD TAKEN THE PLUNGE ALREADY. SHE HAS MADE AMERICA RIGHT AT THE TOP OF PROCTER STREET, AND SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. EVEN BEFORE THE. WELL, THE TOOTH WAS ALREADY CREATED, BUT SHE HAS HAD A DISTINCT PRESENCE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, AND WE'RE JUST FORTUNATE TO HAVE OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE ALPHA COMING ALONG AS WELL. SO AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, ELIZABETH, WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO, GIVE US AN IDEA AS TO WHAT YOU NEED FROM US. AS IT IS, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH MONEY RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET TO THE SECOND STAGE AND FEES FOR OUR RETAIL STRATEGIES TO COME BACK, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WILL MAKE A DECISION, YOU KNOW, AS TO HOW THEY WILL WORK WITH YOU

[00:40:05]

DEFINITELY. YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. THE ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, I'M LOOKING AT THE TIMELINE. GOING BACK TO THE TIMELINE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS THIS WHOLE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION WAS PAID PAID FOR BY THE EDC. YES, SIR. SO WHY DIDN'T THEY CHOOSE NOT TO PAY FOR THE SECOND IMPLEMENTATION? WHAT WHAT HAPPENED OR OR WHAT'S GOING ON WHERE WE DID DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO PRESENT TO THEM THE PLAN. AND IT JUST WASN'T RECEIVED IN A WAY WHERE IT WAS GOING TO BE APPROVED FOR A SECOND TERM. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WAS A PARTICULAR REASON, AND THAT'S AFTER THEY PAID FOR IT INITIALLY. THAT IS CORRECT. WHAT WAS THE COST INITIALLY FOR THIS FIVE YEAR IMPLEMENTATION? IT WAS $24,999. IF THAT'S IF THAT'S THE SECOND YEAR. EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME. I SPOKE OUT OF TURN. WHAT WAS THAT? I WANT TO SAY IT WAS ROUGHLY 42, 43,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. YEAH, BUT LET ME REMIND YOU, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. HAD OUR PRESIDENT CEO FROM THE MR. STOKES, AND THEN WE HAD THE EXIT OF MR. STOKES, AND THERE WAS A VACUUM WHEN THE REPORT CAME IN, YOU KNOW, SO IT TOOK SOME TIME TO, FOR CRYSTAL TO GET INTO PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS CONTINUITY OF LEADERSHIP. AND YOU HAD A CHANGE OF CHAIRMANSHIP AS WELL AT THE BOARD LEVEL AT THE EDC, WHICH MADE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DELAY, YOU KNOW, AND TO GET THINGS ROLLING. BUT I THINK WE'RE AT A TIME NOW WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO GET THINGS ROLLING. YES, SIR. YOU KNOW. YEAH. DID I STATE IT PROPERLY THAT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. IT WAS A CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT AND MAYBE THINGS LOST IN THE CHANGE IN THE TRANSITION. AND WHEN WE DID PRESENT, THERE WAS A LOT OF LOST FACES, AS IN WE WEREN'T THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY UP TO SPEED WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON ALL YEAR AS WE PRESENTED IN THE TIMELINE. AND IT, IT JUST WAS NOT APPROVED, WASN'T ACCEPTED, YOU KNOW, VERY WELL BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T VERSED IN IT. THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN FRANK, PLEASE LET ME SAY TO YOU, YOU KNOW, AS SITTING ON THIS COMMITTEE ALSO AS WELL, OF COURSE, I, I SIT WITH TWO HATS ON. I HAVE A HAT AS A COUNCILMAN AND I HAVE A HAT HERE ON THIS TOURIST COMMITTEE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY WITH THE OTHER HAT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL IS WE ARE SO EXCITED AND, AND, AND THE COUNCIL, OF COURSE, AS HAS HEARD THE VOICE OF THE CITY, BECAUSE WE WENT BACK TO THE CITY TO TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES AND TO GO AND TO GET THE VOICE OF THE CITY HEARD FOR PROMOTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN HAVING THE PROPOSITION BEFORE THE CITY TO ENGAGE IN TYPE B PROJECTS AND ALL OF THAT. SO YOU HAVE OUR FULL THROATED SUPPORT IN THAT REGARD, BECAUSE THE LEADERSHIP DID CHANGE ON THE EDC. I THINK THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A LITTLE GRAY AREA. I BELIEVE THAT THE TOURIST COMMITTEE WILL THIS IS GOING TO GET SUPPORTED BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE THIS IS GOING TO GET SUPPORTED. I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME NUANCES ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK THAT IT.

I THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE THE SUPPORT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL WANTS. AND WE DO LISTEN TO THE EDC. THEY ARE APPOINTED. BUT UNDERSTAND SUCCINCTLY THAT THE COUNCIL IS THE GOVERNING BODY. YES, FROM THAT PARTICULAR STANDPOINT. AND SO IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHICH POT OF MONEY IS GOING TO HAPPEN OUT OF. I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT.

BUT UNDERSTAND THIS IS WHAT THE CITY WANTS. THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT. THIS IS WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THAT'S I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE WE HAVE A WE HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO BE HAD BECAUSE THE EDC AND THE COUNCIL ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGING IN A WORKSHOP HERE PRETTY QUICKLY BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH IS HAPPENING. SO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DISCUSS. BUT MAN, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND KNOW THAT WE ARE ON BOARD. WELL, I CAN SPEAK PROBABLY COMFORTABLY ON BEHALF OF OUR TEAM. THAT'S VERY REFRESHING TO HEAR. AND WE'RE EXCITED WITH YOU. AND WE

[00:45:01]

SO IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT YOU CAN SAY YOU NEED THE MOST, WHAT WOULD THAT ONE THING BE THAT WOULD HELP THIS DOWNTOWN PROJECT BE SUCCESSFUL? WITHOUT QUESTION? WELL, I WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER THAT IN A TWO PART NEED. SO OUR FIRST NEED IS THE SECOND YEAR TO RENEW DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES. CONTRACT IS $24,999. THAT'S ONE AND TWO. BEING ABLE TO FUND THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.

I UNDERSTAND THOSE DETAILS. WE HAVE NOT SORTED THOSE OUT JUST YET, BUT TRULY THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GET US OFF AND RUNNING. WE'RE GOOD. CHAIRMAN YES, CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU. THAT WAS SUCH A NICE SEGUE TO WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY. AWESOME. SO GOOD.

WHAT? GO AHEAD. THAT WAS A NICE THING. SO MY SEGUE INTO THIS IS COMING BACK TO THE TOURS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY REALLY NEED MONEY FOR A CONSULTANT, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE SOME MONEY AND YOU CAN CHOOSE A PROJECT IN THIS PLAN RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU CAN HELP CONTRIBUTE TO, AS OPPOSED TO PAYING FOR CONSULTANT. IS THAT SO? YOU CAN JUST USE WHAT YOUR FUNDING MECHANISM POWER IS TO HELP FILL IN A PIECE OF THE GAP FOR THIS PLAN. THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, BUT THAT'S THAT'S YOUR POSSIBILITY TO CHOOSE TO DECIDE. YEAH. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? EXACTLY. AND IT MAKES SENSE. USING TOURIST FUNDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IS WHERE WE IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WHICH MAKES SENSE, WHICH IS WHICH HAS ME FLUMMOXED FROM THE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHY THE EDC WOULD NOT BE DOING RIGHT JUMPING ON THIS PROJECT FULL BORE. RIGHT? AND SO IN OUR LAST, OUR LAST TOURS MEETING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PERHAPS HIRING A CONSULTANT TO PREPARE PROJECTS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S ALREADY A STARTUP DONE OF THAT. IT IS. AND YOU COULD LITERALLY, I GUESS, LOOK THROUGH THIS AND DECIDE WHICH OF THOSE PROJECTS YOU MIGHT WANT TO ACTUALLY CONSIDER OR NOT CONSIDER AT THIS POINT UNTIL YOU HAVE MORE MONEY. SO LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME SAY ONE THING. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY. LET ME SEE, MISS. MR. CHAIRMAN, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU AND LET ME MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU COULD CONSIDER. AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP. CITY ATTORNEY, I THINK WHAT THE CRUCIAL NEED RIGHT NOW IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SENT TO YOU PERSONALLY AS AN ATTORNEY. GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE THAT. SAY THAT AGAIN. SOMEBODY ONLINE. MR. CHAIRMAN, WE CAN'T SEE. SO GO AHEAD AND MUTE THE THE ZOOM. OKAY. THAT'S THE MAYOR. THAT'S ME. OKAY. GO AHEAD. YEAH. MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK THE CRUCIAL NEED RIGHT NOW IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PHASE TWO OF THE IMPLEMENTATION IS DONE. THEN YOU GET INTO THE STAGE OF ACTUALLY SHOVEL READY PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SHOVEL READY PROJECTS. BUT I THINK YOU NEED THAT GUIDE AND YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT GUIDE THAT THEY NEED FOR SHOVEL READY PROJECTS. AND I THINK BASED ON WHAT IS THERE, BECAUSE IT LOOKS VERY SOLID. I READ THE DOCUMENT RETAIL STRATEGIES WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST US IN GUIDING US FURTHER, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR NEXT PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION. THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU THAT AT THIS POINT IS CORRECT. IT'S TRUE WILL HELP US GET TO THE NEXT STEP. THAT'S RIGHT. YES. AND DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES IS A DEPARTMENT OF RETAIL STRATEGIES. YOU HEAR THOSE WORDS INTERCHANGEABLY DURING PRESENTATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS. RETAIL STRATEGIES IS THE MOTHERSHIP, IF YOU WILL. AND THEY HAVE A DEPARTMENT IN RETAIL STRATEGIES THAT JUST FOCUSES ON DOWNTOWNS. THEY, THEY RIGHT NOW, THEY CURRENTLY ARE ASSISTING 200 COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IN HELPING THEM WITH THEIR DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES. AND

[00:50:06]

TOGETHER WITH DOWNTOWN AND THE COLLEGE WITH DOWNTOWN AND PUTTING SOME TYPE OF STREET STENCIL IN. AND THERE'S EXAMPLES OF STREET STENCILING PROJECTS THAT ARE DONE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. IN THAT PLAN, THEY'VE GIVEN YOU SOME EXAMPLES TO LOOK AT. A DIFFERENT PROJECT WAS THE MURAL INSTALLATION ART MENTIONED TO YOU AN ORAL MURAL PROJECT? WE TALKED IN THE IN THE PLAN, IT IDENTIFIES THE OLD FLOAT BARN OF MARDI GRAS AND THAT BIG SIDE BLANK SIDE OF THAT THAT FACES THE PARK WOULD BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR MURAL.

AND I ALSO KNOW THAT MOTIVA IS INTERESTED IN DOING A MURAL WITH ON ONE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.

SO WE WOULD HAVE INITIALLY TWO MURALS THAT WE COULD GET STARTED FAIRLY QUICKLY AND START GETTING, YOU KNOW, THAT PROJECT UP AND RUNNING. I DID TAKE THE LIBERTY OF HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE ART DEPARTMENT AT LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR, AND THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING US IMPLEMENT THOSE MURALS AND THE PLANNING FOR THOSE MURALS.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS THINKING ABOUT WHO WITH THE CITY DO WE GET ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DESIGN AND WHAT THE DESIGN LOOKS LIKE. SO WE HAVE SOMETHING TO GO BY TO GET A PRICE OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PUT THIS MURAL ON A BUILDING. AND OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO DO THE MURAL AS WELL.

BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE COST IS SO WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET THE FUNDING IN PLACE TO DO THE MURAL AND GET THAT STARTED. AND THAT COULD THAT COULD START AS EARLY AS THIS SUMMER IF WE CAN GET THAT UP AND ROLLING. THE THIRD LOW HANGING FRUIT PROJECT WAS STREETLIGHT BANNERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LCPA. AGAIN, WHEN YOU READ THE PLAN, IT'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT TYING THE CAMPUS WITH DOWNTOWN TO MAKE IT INVITING FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND PEOPLE TO COME DOWNTOWN AND EAT AND SHOP. AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE THINK WE FEEL LIKE THAT STREET BANNERS TO TIE THE DOWNTOWN WITH THE CAMPUS AND INTEGRATE SOME OF THE BANNERS ON PROCTOR WITH THE CAMPUS IS ANOTHER LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WE COULD START. AND THEN THE LAST ONE WAS THE PARK ENHANCEMENTS AND PUTTING SOME PARK ENHANCEMENTS TOGETHER. AND YOU HEARD IN THE DESIGN PORTION OF THE FOCUS AREA ABOUT PUTTING SIGNAGE UP AND SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC ARTWORK. YOU CAN ALSO HAVE PLANTINGS LIKE. PLANTERS AND, AND PLANTS AND TREES AND PLANTINGS TO MAKE TO MAKE THE PARKS A LITTLE BIT MORE INVITING. SO THOSE WERE JUST A SHORT LIST OF SMALL HANGING FRUIT PROJECTS THAT WE FELT LIKE WE COULD GET STARTED IMMEDIATELY, LIKE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO GIVE US SOMETHING TO START WORKING ON. OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF HAD A Q&A SESSION DURING THE PRESENTATION. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN ANSWER FOR YOU? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME. I GUESS THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, HAVE YOU GUYS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE PACKET AND ENSURE SO THAT THAT WAS WHAT I WAS KIND OF GETTING RIGHT HERE? WELL, IF YOU HADN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THROUGH IT, I MEAN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO. ONE LAST QUESTION. YEAH. GO AHEAD. HOW HOW, HOW HOW

[00:55:05]

OKAY. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE IF THE THE BOARD DOESN'T MIND TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO TALK TO DOCTOR HANEY AND MY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO HELP YOU DEVELOP, COME BACK AND DEVELOP A DRAFT FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR YOU AND PRESENT IT TO YOU. YOU KNOW, SO OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN UNDERTAKE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA APART FROM THIS. YEAH, APART FROM THIS, THIS IS LOW HANGING FRUIT. WE GOT TO PICK AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT. BUT THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A GUIDE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT FOR PROJECTS THAT WE UNDERTAKE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THAT WOULD COMPLEMENT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS WELL. OKAY. SO IF IF THE BOARD IS OKAY, I COULD ASSIST YOU WITH THAT FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, TO GO FOR A CONSULTANT TO DO THAT FOR YOU. AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. I THINK COMMISSIONER JOHNSON BROUGHT IT UP LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, HIRING A CONSULTANT. AND THAT'S THE GAME PLAN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN PLACE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WHAT WE ALREADY APPROVED ON THIS BOARD. I MEAN, YOU GOT ALL THESE TAXING ENTITIES AND WE HAVE TO BRING UP SOME GOALS. REMEMBER I GUESS THREE MONTHS AGO, FOUR MONTHS AGO, THE SUGGESTION BY ONE OF THE DIRECTORS WAS TO COME UP WITH A WISH LIST YOUR TOP THREE BASED UPON YOUR DIFFERENT ENTITIES. ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THINK THEY HAVE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IN OUR TERMS AREA. I'M GOING TO SHARE THAT THE THE BOUNDARY AND IF WE COULD, WITH COMMISSIONER MARTIN, THE BOUNDARY AREA, IF WE CAN DO THAT, I KNEW WE HAD IT UP EARLIER. SHARE THAT WITH COMMISSIONER MARTIN. BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT AND WE WANT TO HELP OUT WITH THAT AS WELL. SO ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I THINK YOU'RE ON A ROLL AND I

[01:00:02]

EXACTLY. AND I THINK BECAUSE OF ART, YOU KNOW, SO MANY TOURIST BOARD, HE WAS PART OF SO MANY CITIES BEING A CITY ATTORNEY, I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP. AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M VAGUE ABOUT IT, BUT IF YOU CAN RESEARCH THAT FOR US AND GIVE US THAT INFORMATION BACK, I'D ALSO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. MR. CHAIRMAN, A LOT OF THE IDEAS THAT YOU'VE FLOURISHED OUT ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND THEY'RE EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BUT THIS PARTICULAR BOARD FOCUSES MAINLY ON INFRASTRUCTURE. CORRECT. ON MURALS OR ART. CORRECT. THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT ARE RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE HELPFUL.

YES. AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PLAN, YOU MIGHT SEE SOME OF THOSE IDENTIFIED IN HERE. AND YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE THE OPPORTUNITY MAYBE TO FORM A SUBCOMMITTEE AND LET US BE ADVISORS TO THE BOARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH WITH THIS PROJECT. AND WITH THAT, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY. OH YES, SIR. SO SEEKING FUNDING ON THIS, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THESE PEOPLE AGAIN? DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES. YES, SIR. WOULD THE PERSON WHO FUNDED OR THE GROUP THAT FUNDED, IS THAT THE POINT OF CONTACT THAT YOU'LL BE DEALING WITH? IS THAT THE LEAD? NO. THE WAY WE HAVE THE CORE TEAM SET UP IS IS THAT RIGHT NOW I'M SERVING AS THE LEAD FOR THE TEAM. AND THEN THE WE REPORT BACK. SO WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND DO UPDATES, GIVE YOU UPDATES AND PROVIDE UPDATES. AND AGAIN, IF WE ARE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BOARD, THEN YOU WILL BE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS REQUIRED OR NEEDED. OKAY. DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OH, YES OR NO, I GUESS I CAN I CAN FIGURE THAT WE WOULD BE THE ONES FUNDING THE PROJECT. ALL THE THE CONSULTANT. THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE ASKING FOR. BUT WHO IS GOING TO BE THE LEAD? WHAT GROUP WOULD BE THE LEAD? WILL IT BE EDC THAT'S THE LEAD OR WILL IT BE THE TERRORISM WOULD BE TOURS OR THE CITY? YES, IT WOULD BE TOURS. SO THE PERSON WHO PAYS FOR IT IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LEAD. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HELP. YES. BUT THEN WE HAVE THE THE CORE TEAM. AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN IDENTIFIED RIGHT NOW. I'M THE PERSON THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE LEAD FOR THE CORE TEAM. AND I HELP COORDINATE WITH EVERYBODY FOR THE FOR THE TEAM. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR THE THE CONTRACT WOULD BE THROUGH WITH THE TOURS OR THE CITY. I'M NOT SURE HOW STRUCTURALLY THAT WORKS, BUT YES, SIR, IT WOULD BE THE FUNDING AGENCY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? DIRECTORS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK

[6. Discussion and possible action to issue Request For Qualifications for Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ# 1) Consultant.]

[01:05:05]

[7. Discussion and possible action to schedule the Board Meeting for April 2026.]

23RD SO HOW ABOUT WE POST THE 30TH? YEAH, THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY. YEAH. WHAT HAPPENED ON THE WEBINAR? ARBITRATION. ARBITRATION. OH, OKAY. OKAY. LOOK AT YOUR SCHEDULE.

DEPARTMENT HAS A HEARING. OH, I WILL BE IN COURT THAT DAY. THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE. WHAT? Y'ALL KNOW SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW? OKAY. YEAH. IN APRIL, APRIL 30TH. OKAY. ARE WE OKAY WITH THAT? NO, THAT'S A THURSDAY FOLLOWING. THAT SHOULD BE A THURSDAY. THE LAST THURSDAY. OKAY. OKAY. THE LAST THURSDAY. WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU.

TORI. SAME TIME. YES. TWO 3230. SAME PLACE, SAME TIME. OKAY. WE GOT THAT OUT THE WAY. CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YOU GOT SOMETHING? YES, COMMISSIONER. MARTIN? YES, SIR. EXCUSE ME.

THE INTERRUPTION, BUT LAST TIME WE HAD A MEETING HERE, WE SPOKE ABOUT ACTUALLY POSSIBLY EXPANDING THE TERRORISM. WE SPOKE ABOUT THE BARRIERS, THE BARRIERS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

RIGHT. THAT WAS THE THAT WAS THE CHOICES EITHER EXPAND INTO PLEASURE ISLAND OR HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER BOARD. BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT PASS IT DOWN. THE EXPANSION THAT COULD POSSIBLY TAKE PLACE. I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD AREA TO TAKE IN. YOU NEED ONE MORE? YES, YES. ONE OF THEM. NO. I GOT THE ONE THAT'S FRONT AND BACK. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT.

LOOK AT THE SECOND PAGE. AND THE ON THE FIRST PAGE IT GOES FROM THE BRIDGE TO MEMORIAL FROM 19TH STREET BACK DOWN TO WOODWORTH, WHERE YOU ALL ARE DOING A PROJECT ALREADY ENHANCEMENT OF WOODWORTH. SO. YES, SIR, IT SHOULD BE ON THE BACK PAGE. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. YES. YES, SIR. OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF A PLEASURE ISLAND THAT WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT, INCLUDING. SO. SO YOUR REASON FOR WANTING TO EXPAND IT TO SO DEEP NORTH.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? ARE WE GOING TO CAPSULIZE. WHAT? WELL, YOU'LL BE TAKING IN ALL OF THESE OTHER BUSINESSES AND ALSO RESIDENTS IN THE AREA BECAUSE YOU PROVIDED CLARITY TO ME LAST, LAST BOARD MEETING THAT WE WOULD ONLY REVITALIZE BUSINESSES OR WE CAN HELP RESIDENTS ALSO. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES DOWN GULF WAY UP MEMORIAL WITHIN THIS AREA THAT ENCOMPASS THE WHOLE TOURIST BOARD. IF WE TAKE THEM IN FOR AN EXPANSION. YEAH, WE WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. YEAH, I JUST I JUST WANTED TO THROW IT ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION.

OKAY, WE DE TORI. Y'ALL GOT THAT? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, WE GOT IT. CITY ATTORNEY.

YOU GOT SOMETHING? WE'LL BRING IT BACK. WE'LL PUT IT ON THE NEXT, WHICH WILL BE THE 30TH AT 230, RIGHT? YES. ALL RIGHT, PAM, YOU GOT SOMETHING? PAM, SLEEP BACK THERE. ALRIGHT. COLETTE, YOU WALKING UP? YEAH. I DON'T MESS WITH PAM, YOU KNOW CITY MANAGER ALRIGHT. YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON PAM. I WOULD URGE THE BOARD AGAIN TO

[01:10:04]

BUT I CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AT THE NEXT MEETING. GREAT. ALL RIGHT, DIRECTORS, YOU GUYS HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT. AS I HEARD A NEGATIVE SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. CITY MANAGER ARE YOU GOOD. I'M GOOD. ALRIGHT.

SOME PROGRESS TODAY. ALRIGHT. I'M SATISFIED. ALRIGHT. SINCE THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, I CALL FOR AN ADJOURNMENT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? MAY I HAVE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, WE ADJOURN THIS MEETING. ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS. I NOW ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 348 CENTRAL STA

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.