[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
LORD, IT'S. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE IN ABILENE, TEXAS.WE ASK YOU TO GIVE US GRACE SO THAT WE CAN LEAD THIS CITY IN YOUR WAY.
LORD. LORD, WE ASK YOU JUST TO TO HELP US ALL, TO BE OPEN, TO BE COMPASSIONATE, TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE TODAY, TO DO THINGS THAT IS RIGHT FOR NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITY, BUT OUR CITIZENS AND OUR AREA.
LORD, WE ASK YOU TO WATCH ALL OVER THE LEADERS OF OUR US AND OUR STATE, LORD, AND ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND AND ALL THE MILITARY AND EVERYONE THAT KEEPS OUR COUNTRY SAFE FROM HARM. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. AMEN.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE TEXAS. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO TEXAS.
ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE WITH THIS NEW FORMAT.
COUNCILMAN. BEARD AND COUNCILMAN CRAVER WILL BE JOINING US IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
THIS IS A NEWER CONCEPT THAT WE'RE TRYING. THIS IS ACTUALLY A BUDGET RETREAT.
AND JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS WE WILL STILL HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP AROUND APRIL.
SO TODAY IS MORE OF AN ATMOSPHERE OF WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE STAFF GUIDANCE.
AND THE COUNCIL THE WAY THAT THEY WANT, NOT ONLY THE STAFF, BUT THE CITY TO GO IN THE FUTURE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE CAME UP WITH THIS NEW FORMAT THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TO TODAY'S BEING VERY PRODUCTIVE.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PRESENT IDEAS AND INFORMATION TO CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF.PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. AND THERE'S A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT, PLEASE. WHERE WE'RE STANDING.
I'LL BRING THE MIC TO YOU. YOU GOOD? SO SHAWNTE FLEMING.
ABILENE, TEXAS. NORTHSIDE. I WANT TO SAY TO OUR MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL, HONORABLE MEMBERS THIS IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. SO I WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT TODAY WE ARE HAVING A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT THE FORMER FANNIN FANNIN ELEMENTARY ON NORTH 18TH STREET.
SO LET US BREATHE. ABILENE. DID OBTAIN THAT BUILDING FROM THE ABILENE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND SO, AS ALWAYS, WE LOOK TO REVITALIZE THIS HISTORIC NORTH SIDE ABILENE SITE.
IT'S BEEN, I THINK, VACANT FOR LIKE 15 YEARS.
SO LOTS OF LOTS OF COLLABORATION, PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO DO SOME THINGS. THE CITY HAS ALWAYS WORKED WELL WITH US AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SERVING ABILENE, THE WHOLE CITY. THIS PROJECT IS A REALLY BIG PROJECT, AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
AND IT'S AT 2726 NORTH NORTH 18TH STREET. SO I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO BE CONFLICTING WITH THIS, WITH THIS SPECIAL RETREAT. BUT BUT I STILL WANTED TO DEFINITELY OFFER YOU GUYS TO, TO LIKE, COME OUT AND JUST SEE THE PLANS AND SEE WHAT WHAT WE ARE WANTING TO DO FOR THE SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FLEMING. TAMMY FOGEL, CITIZEN RESIDENT OF ABILENE, FEEL A LITTLE WEIRD AND DISCOMBOBULATED BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS A RETREAT.
ALTHOUGH I KNOW WHAT RETREATS ARE AND WORKSHOPS. I FIND IT INTERESTING WHEN WE CHANGE THINGS UP, SO I'M EXCITED FOR THAT. AND OF COURSE, I ALWAYS LIKE HAVING INFORMATION BEFOREHAND SO THAT I CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PREPARED IN WHAT I WAS SAYING SO, OR WHAT I WANTED TO COME AND TALK ABOUT. AND I LOVE THAT ABILENE ISD DONATED THAT FACILITY TO LET US BREATHE.
[00:05:04]
SO THEY CAN USE THAT INSTEAD OF IT SITTING EMPTY.AS FAR AS A CITIZEN OBSERVING THIS PROCESS OVER THE YEARS, I WAS JUST TELLING THE CITY MANAGER, EMILY, THAT FOUR YEARS AGO, IF YOU TOLD ME TO LOOK AT A BUDGET, I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED IN YOUR FACE, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY I WOULD DO THAT. BUT NOW I'M ACTUALLY SPENDING TIME READING IT, TAKING NOTES AND HELPING OTHER CITIZENS UNDERSTAND IT. AND SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IN THE BUDGET TIMELINE, THAT THIS IS A TIME WHERE Y'ALL MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON THE THE AGENDA AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITH NEXT YEAR'S WORKSHOP.
AND I USED TO THINK JULY WAS THE TIME BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE PRESENTED IT.
BUT BY THAT TIME IT'S PRETTY MUCH SET CONCRETE AND NO ONE WANTS TO TEAR IT UP AND START OVER.
AND I DO BELIEVE ALL OF Y'ALL GOT MY EMAIL WHERE I COMMUNICATED THAT.
I KNOW THERE'S STEPS IN THE WORK THAT THAT ARE ARE BEING THERE.
THERE'S THINGS BEING TAKEN PLACE THAT ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION.
BUT I WAS ALSO CONCERNED WHEN THE MEET AND CONFER WAS NOT DECIDED ON.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE AS I'VE READ IN THE BUDGET, OUR PRIORITIES ARE PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THESE FIREMEN AND THE POLICE BOTH NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED.
AND I HEAR ALL ABOUT THE NON CIVIL SERVANTS AND THEIR RETIREMENT AND THEIR COLAS AND ALL THIS STUFF, BUT I DON'T HEAR THAT COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC AS MUCH IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS. SO THAT'S A HUGE FOCUS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO RESOLVE AND AT LEAST HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE SO THAT WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO RESOLVE THIS.
IT'S HARD AS A CITIZEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I DO KNOW THAT AS A PERSON WHO HAS SPOKEN AT CITY COUNCIL AND IS ATTENDED CITY COUNCIL, MANY PEOPLE STILL COME UP TO ME AND TALK ABOUT THE STREETS. AND AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, OR AT LEAST I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ALL ABOUT IT MANY TIMES.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE ONE OPINION OF IT AND THERE'S JUST A DISCONNECT.
AND OF COURSE, TRANSPARENCY ALWAYS. I KNOW THAT THERE'S PRESENTATION SLIDES PREPARED AHEAD OF TIME.
AND EVEN IF YOU POSTED IT THIS MORNING, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG AND NOT HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT IS, BECAUSE I'LL ASK FOR THEM AND I'LL GET THEM BECAUSE THAT'S MY RIGHT AS A CITIZEN TO HAVE WHATEVER YOU SHARE HERE. BUT IT JUST IS NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WE NEED TRANSPARENCY EVEN IN THESE GREAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENTS FOR CONVERSATION. SO I THINK THAT'S MY TIME. ANYWAY, THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT MORNING AND AFTERNOON OF DISCUSSION. STILL, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BEFORE WE START, THERE IS A THIS IS NOT AN AGENDA.
[2. City Council Strategic Vision Planning Session & Discussion]
THIS IS JUST KIND OF A FLOW CHART. SO JUST SO COUNCIL KNOWS, THIS IS JUST SOMEWHAT OF A TIMELINE.WE DON'T HAVE TO STICK EXACTLY WITH THAT. SO I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO EMILY CRAWFORD, CITY MANAGER TO INTRODUCE SDR AND HOW THE RETREAT IS GOING TO WORK TODAY. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL INTRODUCE.
HELLO. OKAY. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE DOCTOR MIKE MORI.
HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC FORESIGHT.
THANK YOU. THAT'S A BIG NAME FOR A BUSINESS CARD WITH SDR.
AS YOU KNOW, WE AT THE CITY OF ABILENE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SDR FOR MANY YEARS.
AND MIKE SPECIFICALLY WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME AS BEING AN EXCELLENT FACILITATOR.
HE HAS BEEN DOING COUNCIL WORKSHOPS AND RETREATS FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT, HE HAD A 20 YEAR CAREER IN MINISTRY.
AND IF YOU CAN RUN A CHURCH, I THINK YOU CAN RUN A CITY.
AND SO THAT IS THE POINT OF THIS RETREAT TIME IS TO TAKE THE TIME TO TRULY CONVERSE ABOUT ABILENE, THE FUTURE OF ABILENE. AS WE KNOW, ABILENE HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY JUST OVER THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS THE TIME TO TRULY DIALOG ABOUT WHERE YOU SEE THE CITY GOING, WHAT INITIATIVES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US AS STAFF TO ENGAGE IN, AND WHAT OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES ARE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MIKE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. EMILY, AND NICE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
COUNCIL AND MAYOR APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO WORK WITH YOU.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I WAS GOING TO COME UP YESTERDAY AND SPEND THE NIGHT HERE.
MY WIFE SAID, OH, WHY DON'T WE GO ON A BIKE RIDE? WE LIVE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE LAKE IN GRAPEVINE.
SHE SAID, LET'S GO ON A BIKE RIDE AND YOU CAN GO UP EARLY IN THE MORNING.
[00:10:03]
AND SO WE DID. AND THEN WE GOT OFF THE TRAIL AND SHE DUCKED UNDER A TREE BRANCH, AND I TRIED TO KISS THAT TREE BRANCH.AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT IMPRINTED ITSELF ON MY CHEEK.
AND I THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE TO ABILENE EARLY IF IT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE THIS.
SO THERE YOU GO FOR THAT. BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WITH YOU TODAY.
I'M GOING TO SHARE SOME THINGS KIND OF EARLY ON, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE PRESENTATION, BUT WE'LL MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY TO LETTING YOU GUYS TALK TO EACH OTHER. WE'LL DO SOME KIND OF FREE FLOWING CONVERSATION.
WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME WITH THE STAFF. SO THEY'LL THEY'LL BE BUSY TALKING.
SO IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF THINK AND DREAM BIG ABOUT THE FUTURE.
WE GREW UP IN DUMAS UP NORTH OF AMARILLO. WHAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE MENTIONED WAS THAT MY DAD WAS ONE OF 13 CHILDREN BORN IN THE 20S AND THEN RAISED IN THE DEPRESSION, WAS A WORLD WAR TWO VET.
HE WAS NOT A FARMER, BUT MY GRANDFATHER WAS A SHARECROPPER.
AND BY THE TIME I CAME ALONG IN THE IN THE EARLY 60S.
I HAD COUSINS AND UNCLES THAT WERE FARMERS. AND SO, AS IS THE CASE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, MAYBE SOME OF YOU, I SPENT THE SUMMERS EARLY IN MY LIFE ON THE ON A TRACTOR PLOWING.
THAT WAS WHAT WE DID. AND IT WAS A GREAT LIFE.
IT WAS A GREAT LIFE. BUT IN THOSE DAYS, THE WAY THEY TAUGHT YOU TO PLOW IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY WE TEACH KIDS TO DRIVE. WHEN WE TEACH KIDS TO DRIVE, WE TELL THEM, MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS STAY IN YOUR LANE. THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST, WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO TOO FAST, CHIEF. BUT IF THEY DO, AND THEY'RE STILL IN THEIR LANE, YOU'RE OKAY.
OR TOO SLOW. GET OUT OF YOUR LANE. THAT'S A PROBLEM.
BUT IF YOU TRY TO PLOW LIKE THAT SO THAT YOU THINK I'M.
I'M KIND OF FOLLOWING MY ROADS. ROSE AND FOLLOWING MY ROSE.
I THINK I'M GOOD. THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHEN YOU GET TO THE END OF THAT FIELD AND YOU LOOK BACK, YOUR ROSE WILL BE JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, IT'S THAT YOU CAN'T USE THEM TO PLANT BECAUSE YOU NEED STRAIGHT ROSE TO PLANT.
AND SO THE WAY THEY TAUGHT YOU TO PLOW THIS IS LONG BEFORE WE HAD GPSS ON TRACTORS.
IN FACT, IN MY FAMILY, IT WAS LONG BEFORE WE HAD AIR CONDITIONED CABS.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD WEST TEXAS WIND. BUT THE WAY THEY TAUGHT YOU TO PLOW WAS WHEN YOU WERE ON THE EDGE OF A FIELD, YOU GOT YOUR EYE FIXED ON SOME STATIONARY OBJECT AT THE OTHER END OF THE FIELD.
COULD BE A FENCE POST, COULD BE A DIESEL FILLING TANK, COULD BE A BROKEN DOWN PICKUP.
IT DIDN'T MATTER. BUT YOU JUST HAD TO KNOW THAT'S WHERE I'M PLOWING.
AND THEN YOU JUST GET YOUR EYE ON IT AND YOU PLOW TO IT.
AND IT'S NOT VERY FUN. IT CAN BE KIND OF BORING.
BUT YOU JUST. AND YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT. DO I THINK I'M GOING STRAIGHT? IS THIS WHAT'S THE TERRAIN DO? WHAT ABOUT YOU? KIND OF JUST TUNE THAT OUT AND SAY THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND IF YOU DO THAT, WHEN YOU TURN YOUR OFFSET AROUND, YOUR ROLLS WILL BE JUST AS STRAIGHT AS THEY CAN BE.
AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE FOR ME, THAT'S BECOME MY BIG METAPHOR FOR STRATEGIC VISIONING, WHICH IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNCIL, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE AND YOU SHOULD BE SENSITIVE TO THE PUBLIC, AND YOU GOT ON HERE TO SERVE. BUT SOMETIMES YOU CAN YOU CAN GET SO THAT YOU'RE LIKE SO MOVED BY THIS AND THAT, THAT YOU SHIFT VERY QUICKLY. AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT THAT'S NOT THE BEST, IT'S THAT YOU HAVE TO CAST VISION, RIGHT? SO THAT STAFF CAN FOLLOW.
AND JUST LIKE PLOWING NEEDS STRAIGHT ROWS TO PLANT YOUR STAFF TO BE AT ITS BEST HAS GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PREDICTABILITY ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING. AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO TODAY IS FIGURE OUT COLLECTIVELY WHAT'S ON THAT FENCE POST OR WHAT,
[00:15:03]
WHERE IS THAT FENCE POST? WHAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT THIS COUNCIL FEELS LIKE THIS CITY NEEDS TO GO? AND I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE DISTINCT FROM IF, YOU KNOW, SHANE HAS HIS TWO PRIORITIES AND LYNNE HAS HIS TWO PRIORITIES AND MAYOR HAS HIS AND SO FORTH. AND BUT THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED.THEY'RE NOT COHESIVE. WHAT WE NEED IS A COHERENT, UNIFIED, IF I COULD SAY IT THAT WAY.
VISION. AND I THINK IN TALKING WITH YOU GUYS, THERE'S VERY MUCH THAT.
AND SO BUT BUT TODAY WE WANT TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT IT ARTICULATE IT.
IT'S GOING TO FEED BACK INTO THE BUDGET AS, AS THE MAYOR SAID.
BUT TODAY WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF STEP BACK AND SAY, WHERE IS IT WE'RE GOING? SO WE WE MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE PHRASE STRATEGIC VISION AND STRATEGIC PLAN. EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WE USE THOSE WORDS INTERCHANGEABLY.
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, A STRATEGIC VISION IS ABOUT DIRECTION AND PRIORITIES.
AND THAT IS BY VIRTUE OF THE CHARTER ELECTED OFFICIALS RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU CAST THE VISION, YOU SET THE PRIORITIES. BUT A STRATEGIC PLAN IS ABOUT PROCEDURE AND BUDGETS AND PERSONNEL AND INITIATIVES. AND THAT LARGELY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STAFF.
NOT THAT YOU DON'T WEIGH INTO IT, BUT THEY END UP BEING THE EXECUTORS ON MOST THINGS.
SO. SO THIS IS A LITTLE DIAGRAM WE CREATED. IT'S NOT PERFECT.
AND I'M GOING TO POINT OUT SOME OF THE IMPERFECTIONS WE GO.
BUT I THINK IT HELPS KIND OF GIVE US A PICTURE OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO YOU COULD START IT AT ANY PLACE, BUT LET'S START IT AT THE TOP THERE WITH COMMUNITY INPUT.
SO THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GETTING INPUT FROM YOUR COMMUNITY THROUGH SURVEYS, THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, THROUGH COFFEY AT THE DAIRY QUEEN OR STARBUCKS OR WHATEVER.
AND YOU'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE, THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO BE.
THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING THAT, YOU'RE WEIGHING THAT.
AND THEN ALSO YOU'RE GOING TO GET INPUT FROM YOUR STAFF.
NOW YOU'RE FREE TO TAKE SOME NONE OR ALL OF WHAT STAFF HAS TO SAY FOR SURE.
IT'S YOUR CALL. BUT MOST EFFECTIVE COUNSELS WANT TO KNOW, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN PUBLIC WORKS? WHAT DO YOU SEE IN PUBLIC SAFETY THAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN PLANNING DEVELOPMENT ON THE HORIZON THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT? SO YOU'RE GETTING THAT INPUT. BUT THEN THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING AND YOU GOT TO SAY, WELL, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK. AND THAT'S WHERE WE SAY CITY COUNCIL ENVISIONS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TODAY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR ABILENE TO BE LIKE 5 OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW? WHAT'S YOUR VISION FOR THIS COLLECTIVELY? AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO WORK BACKWARDS FROM THERE.
AND THEN EMILY AND THE STAFF ARE GOING TO CREATE WHAT WE CALL THE STRATEGIC WORK PLAN THAT SAYS, OKAY, COUNCIL, IF THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, THEN THIS IS HOW WE THINK YOU CAN GET THERE.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AFFIRM THAT.
AND A LOT LARGELY THAT'S THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT ALL THROUGH ALSO THROUGH DIALOG.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF GIVE AND TAKE. THERE'S A LOT OF GIVE AND TAKE BETWEEN THAT.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE BIG QUESTION YOU HAVE TO ANSWER AS A, AS A COUNCIL THIS COMES FROM JOHN CARVER, WHO'S KIND OF THE, THE, THE MASTER ON BOARD GOVERNANCE.
HE SAYS THERE'S THREE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO ANSWER.
WHAT GOOD ARE WE GOING TO DO? WHAT'S THE GOOD WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH? FOR WHAT GROUP? WHO'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IT AND AT WHAT COST? WHAT'S THE PRICE POINT THAT WE'RE WILLING TO TO GO AT? AND SO YOU MAY CREATE THIS VISION. AND MANAGER COMES BACK AND SAYS, OKAY, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GO.
AND THIS IS THE PRICE POINT. AND YOU GO, WHOA, WE CAN'T KNOW THAT.
THAT'S NOT THAT. WE CAN'T DO IT THAT FAST. IT'S OKAY.
[00:20:06]
AND THEN IT'S LARGELY THE RESPONSIBILITY STAFF TO EXECUTE.I'LL TELL YOU, IN ALMOST EVERY SETTING I'VE BEEN IN THAT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH YOU HERE.
AT SOME POINT COUNCIL WILL SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THEY'LL SAY, WELL, YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE GETTING THE CREDIT.
BUT REALLY IT'S THE STAFF THAT DOES IT. IT'S THE STAFF THAT GETS ALL THIS DONE.
THEY'RE THE ONES. AND THEN YOU WILL HEAR STAFF SAY SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, WELL, THAT'S TRUE, BUT WE COULDN'T DO IT IF COUNSEL DIDN'T DO THEIR PART.
SO IT'S IT'S THE SAME TEAM, DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, DIFFERENT ROLES.
RIGHT. AND BY THE WAY, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WHEN WE WORK WITH CITIES THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING, WHAT YOU HEAR FROM COUNCIL IS IT'S THEIR FAULT, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN WHAT YOU HEAR FROM THEM IN SECRET IS IT'S THEIR FAULT, YOU KNOW.
SO YOU GOTTA YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHERE ARE WE GOING? THAT'S OUR JOB TODAY. AND THEN THEIR JOB IS OKAY.
HOW HOW DO WE GET THERE? AND THEN, NO MATTER HOW FAR ALONG YOU'RE IN IT, AT SOME POINT YOU GOT TO STOP AND EVALUATE AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT'S CHANGED? WHAT ARE THE NEW DYNAMICS HERE? YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S LET LET'S REEVALUATE. SO THIS IS YEARS AGO.
NOW, YOU'LL PROBABLY REMEMBER THIS IF YOU'VE BEEN IN WEST TEXAS FOR A WHILE.
PLAINVIEW, CITY OF PLAINVIEW CALLED US AND SAID, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO A COUNCIL RETREAT, AND WE MAKE SOME PLANS FOR IT, YOU KNOW, AND BETWEEN THE TIME WE JUST SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AND THE TIME WE COULD START IT, CARGILL CLOSED THEIR THEIR OPERATIONS THERE. HUGE, HUGE BLOW TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A GAME CHANGER. BUT BECAUSE THEY SORT OF CAUGHT IT EARLY, THEY ADJUSTED.
AND JEFFREY SNYDER CAME IN AS THEIR CITY MANAGER, WHO STAYED THERE A LONG TIME.
AND MAN, THEY THEY HAD INCREDIBLE SUCCESS. HE'S HE'S SINCE MOVED ON.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN. RIGHT.
YOU'RE EXPERIENCING SOME OF THAT NOW WITH DATA CENTER.
BUT EVERY SO OFTEN YOU GOT TO STOP AND ADJUST.
ALL RIGHT. LET ME STOP AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
BUT BUT BEFORE YOU SAY IT, LET ME POINT OUT ONE AREA OF THIS.
I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT THE ONLY TIME YOU SHOULD GET COMMUNITY INPUT IS AT ONE FIXED POINT, BECAUSE REALLY, IF WE WERE REALLY DRAWING IT PROPERLY, WE WOULD SHOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING INPUT ALL THE TIME, BUT IT KIND OF MESSES UP, MAKES IT TOO, TOO BUSY OF A OF A DIAGRAM.
BUT BUT THAT'S JUST ONE THING. THOUGHTS ON THIS DIAGRAM AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THAT.
LOOKS GOOD TO ME. LOOKS GOOD. OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT'S JUST LIKE COMMUNITY INPUT.
YOU KNOW, EVEN BEFORE THIS MEETING. AND I DON'T MEAN TO PICK ON MR. BEANS, BUT HE HAD SENT AN EMAIL, AND I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU AND YOUR WIFE BOTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE THE COMMUNITY INPUT IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE START THIS PROCESS.
AND THOSE EMAILS AND INPUT THAT WE GET. SO AND YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THAT'S A CONTINUATION.
BUT WHEN WE DO START THIS PROCESS, WE DO WANT TO KNOW.
SO I THINK THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WAS, I WAS DOING A COUNCIL RETREAT AND YOU CAME IN AND AND BOY, YOU COULD CUT THE AIR WITH A KNIFE AND IT YOU KNOW, WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THEY HAD A BRAND NEW COUNCIL MEMBER IN THIS FAIRLY SMALL CITY, AND HE WAS WANTING TO BE VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE PUBLIC, GOOD THING.
BUT SO SOMEBODY WOULD GET ON FACEBOOK AND SAY, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THIS PART UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE'VE GOT A POTHOLE ON 18TH STREET. AND HE WOULD SEE IT, AND IT WAS IN HIS DISTRICT.
AND SO HE WOULD RESPOND, WE'LL GET RIGHT ON THAT. WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT CREATED SOME TROUBLE FOR THE STAFF, BUT THAT REALLY WASN'T WHERE THE TENSION WAS.
THE TENSION WAS WITH HIS FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY WERE BEGINNING TO GET PRESSURE LIKE, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT FOR US? WELL, IT'S MY YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE LIKE, HEY, THERE'S A PLAN.
[00:25:05]
AND HE'S JUST LIKE COMPLETELY CIRCUMVENTING THAT PLAN.NOW, HE HAD A PERFECT HEART. HE WAS NOT MEANING TO BE OUT OF LINE AT ALL.
BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHY THIS HELPS SAY, OKAY, THERE'S ALREADY A PLAN.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A WAY THAT THESE THINGS GET COMMUNICATED TO STAFF AND THEY FIT INTO THE, INTO THE, THE QUEUE, SO TO SPEAK. ALL RIGHT. ONE MORE THING I WANT TO GET YOU GOING ON HERE.
AND THEN WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO, TO GET YOU TALKING WITH EACH OTHER.
THIS IS A DIAGRAM THAT WE CREATED ABOUT THE TIME I CAME ON.
AND THIS THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT STARTED WITH WHERE DO CLASSES FIT? WE WERE TRYING TO SAY MAKE SURE WE HAD CLASSES IN ALL THE RIGHT AREAS, BUT WE REALLY QUICKLY REALIZED THIS IS NOT REALLY A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE CLASSES GO IN OUR CATALOG. THIS IS REALLY A DIAGRAM OF LEADERSHIP.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES KIND OF GETTING YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE FOUNDATION OF ALL LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP IS HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
THAT'S THE FOUNDATION. AND, AND AND AT THAT LEVEL, PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW YOU REGARDLESS OF YOUR TITLE OR OR WHAT, WHAT YOUR JOB IS IN THE ORGANIZATION OR HOW LONG YOU BEEN ON COUNCIL.
THEY'LL THEY'LL FOLLOW YOU REALLY BASED ON HOW YOU TREAT THEM.
THAT ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO COOPERATE WITH SOMEONE THAT TREATS US WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAN IF SOMEBODY JUST GRUNTS AT US, YOU KNOW, AND DOESN'T EVEN CARE ABOUT US. YOU KNOW, SO SO THAT'S THE FOUNDATION.
WHETHER YOU'RE ELECTED OFFICIAL, COUNCIL RESIDENT, YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE.
THEN THE NEXT LEVEL, THOUGH, IS WHAT WE CALL OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
AND AT THAT LEVEL, PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW YOU AND COOPERATE WITH YOU BECAUSE THEY THEY BELIEVE THAT YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS THAN THEY DO. SO YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH BUDGET CYCLE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND SO A NEW MEMBER ON COUNCIL KIND OF LOOKS TO YOU AND GOES, WELL, HOW DOES THIS WORK? HOW DOES THIS GO? OR YOU GET PROMOTED IN THE ORGANIZATION AND NOW YOU'RE A SUPERVISOR.
BUT THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE LIVING AT AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN ABANDON RELATIONAL LEADERSHIP. AND WE'VE ALL KNOWN PEOPLE THAT KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE JOB.
AND THAT PERSON, I DON'T CARE WHAT CITY THEY'RE IN OR WHAT ORGANIZATION THEY'RE IN OR WHAT INDUSTRY THEY'RE IN, IS ALWAYS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST WON'T DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF HOW YOU'RE TREATING THEM.
AND THAT GOES CERTAINLY FROM COUNCIL TO STAFF.
AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S VERY GOOD. ONCE IN A WHILE I SEE IT.
OH, MAN. THAT'S THAT'S CAUSING A PROBLEM. THEN THE NEXT LEVEL IS WHAT WE CALL SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP.
AND AT THAT LEVEL, PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW YOU BECAUSE THEY TRUST THAT YOU ARE PUTTING INTO PLACE SYSTEMS THAT WORK FOR THE WHOLE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT THERE TO MAKE IT WORK.
NOW, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE WEEDS AND CREATING THOSE SYSTEMS, BUT YOU ARE SAYING TO STAFF, HEY, WE NEED A SYSTEM THAT HANDLES THIS. WE THIS SYSTEM ISN'T WORKING ANYMORE? AND, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE RAISING YOUR KIDS, YOU GET A SYSTEM FOR HOW THEY GET TO SCHOOL AND WHO PICKS THEM UP AND HOW THEY GET TO SOCCER PRACTICE AND ALL THAT.
BUT AS THEY GET OLDER, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO? YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THAT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.
AND IT'S THE SAME WAY WITH CITIES. AS YOU GROW THE SYSTEMS THAT USED TO WORK FOR YOU BECOME OUTDATED AS TECHNOLOGY CHANGES. THE SYSTEMS THAT WE USED TO USE ARE NO LONGER USEFUL.
ANYBODY USE A FAX MACHINE LATELY? RIGHT. NO. PROBABLY NOT IF YOU DID.
COME TALK TO ME BECAUSE. BUT THAT USED TO BE CUTTING EDGE RIGHT.
I REMEMBER WHEN SOMEBODY SAID TO ME YOU NEED TO GET AN EMAIL ACCOUNT.
AND I LITERALLY SAID TO ASK THEM WHY WOULD I EVER WANT THAT.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, DUH. SO, SO YOU GOTTA YOU GOTTA CREATE SYSTEMS THAT WORK.
[00:30:02]
AND THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN AN OVERSIGHT CAPACITY, YOU HAVE TO BE HELPING ANALYZE ARE OUR SYSTEMS STILL WORKING FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR ORGANIZATION? BUT THEN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP IS WHAT WE CALL STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP.AND STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IS DIFFERENT FROM FROM THE OTHERS IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE.
THAT'S ONE WAY IT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE ALL THESE OTHER THINGS HAVE TO DO WITH NOW.
HOW ARE THINGS WORKING NOW? HOW ARE WE RELATING NOW? BUT STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT WHERE ARE WE GOING? IT'S ABOUT THE FUTURE. AND AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW YOU AT THAT LEVEL BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE A, THAT YOU ARE LEADING THE ORGANIZATION IN THE RIGHT WAY, IN THE WAY IT NEEDS TO GO.
AND AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN THAT FUTURE.
IT'S A IT'S A PREFERRED FUTURE THAT GETS THEM EXCITED.
IT ELICITS COMMITMENT AND THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN IT.
AND I HAVE SEEN A FEW TIMES AND I WON'T TELL YOU THAT THE CITY I'M THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, WHERE THE COUNCIL ENVISIONED A FUTURE, BUT A LARGE SEGMENT OF THEIR RESIDENTS DID NOT SEE THEMSELVES IN THAT FUTURE AS A PREFERABLE FUTURE. AND IT IT CAUSED A LOT OF BACKLASH.
AND EVENTUALLY THEY HAD TO COME BACK AND REVISE IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THAT COMMUNITY INPUT THING IS REALLY IMPORTANT ALL THE WAY AROUND.
NOW, SOMETIMES, AND WE ALWAYS GOT TO GIVE A LITTLE, THAT'S WHAT COMMUNITY IS ABOUT.
BUT THAT'S REALLY CRUCIAL. HERE'S THE SECOND WAY STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS.
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT CULTURE. IT'S ALL ABOUT CULTURE.
YOU GROW LEADERS FROM THE GROUND UP. NOBODY DOES THAT BETTER IN MY MIND THAN THE US MILITARY.
NO MATTER WHAT BRANCH YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY'RE THE BEST AT IT.
BUT YOU INSTILL CULTURE FROM THE TOP DOWN. CULTURE IN THE CITY OF ABILENE STARTS WITH THIS COUNCIL.
YOU ESTABLISH IT. WHAT KIND OF OF DECORUM ARE WE GOING TO HAVE? WILL WE TREAT OUR NEIGHBORS WITH DIGNITY AND HONOR? WILL WE TREAT EACH OTHER WITH DIGNITY? WILL WE TREAT STAFF WITH DIGNITY AND HONOR.
BUT AS YOU PROBABLY CAN KNOW FROM JUST WATCHING AND SOME OTHER CITIES WHEN THE CULTURE ISN'T RIGHT AT THE TOP, IT WILL INEVITABLY FLOW DOWNHILL AND POISON EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, SO. AND FOR ME, AS A LEADER, I THINK A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE DECISION I'M MAKING ON THE CULTURE OF THE TEAMS I LEAD. AND, YOU KNOW, I TRY NEVER TO MAKE A DECISION THAT I THINK IS GOING TO ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CULTURE. YOU KNOW, AND IF I HAVE TO, I WANT TO REALLY MAKE SURE I'VE GOT A GOOD REASON TO.
SO, OKAY, ENOUGH OF THAT TALK. HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.
PAIR UP AND WE MAY HAVE JUST A TRIAD HERE, BUT I THINK AND SAME HERE, LET'S DO THREE.
THE THREE OF YOU. THE TWO OF YOU AND THE TWO OF YOU.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. AND STEPH, Y'ALL CAN TALK IT AROUND, AROUND THE TABLE.
TALK ABOUT FOR JUST A MINUTE WHICH ONE OF THESE RELATIONAL OPERATIONAL SYSTEM STRATEGIC.
WHICH ONE IS YOUR IS YOUR STRONGEST. WHAT ARE YOU THE BEST AT.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO TALK ABOUT WHICH ONE IS WHAT I CALL YOUR GROWTH EDGE.
OKAY, SO WE'VE ALL GOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BEST AT.
AND MAYBE YOU SAY YOU'RE THE BEST AT ALL OF THEM, BUT MAYBE YOUR NEIGHBOR MIGHT NOT SAY THAT.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU BEST AT? AND THEN WHAT'S YOUR GROWTH EDGE? OKAY. SO TAKE FIVE MINUTES OR SO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN I WANT TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU. IS THIS INDIVIDUALLY OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY. KNOW ABOUT YOU INDIVIDUALLY OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. THIS IS YOU INDIVIDUALLY. GREAT QUESTION. OKAY. TALK IT UP. WE'LL HEAR BACK FROM YOU IN ABOUT SEVEN EIGHT MINUTES.
OKAY, FOUR MINUTES PAST WHAT IS HERE RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES. AND YOU ALSO LOOK AT THAT.
[00:35:03]
YEAH, WELL, I'M NOT GREAT HOW THE LONG TERM EFFECTS WILL BE.SO YEAH, I REALLY LOOK AT YOU AS STRATEGIC. YOU'VE GOT THAT.
YOU'VE GOT THAT BRAIN I DON'T HAVE. AND THESE ARE MY OPINIONS.
I'M OPERATIONAL. YOU KNOW ME. YEAH. I'M BLACK AND WHITE.
EVERYTHING THAT IS SO THOUGHT OUT. AND YOU KNOW ME, I'M JUST.
WELL, THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE BEST OPTION. SO YEAH, I THINK THIS WORKS GOOD IN OUR CULTURE.
YEAH. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING. BUT I THINK IT IS A GOOD A YES.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW THAT THAT THAT'S WHAT I REALLY ADMIRED ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S IT'S NOT A COMPLIMENT, BUT THIS IS THE TRUTH. IT'S JUST THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S EYE OPENING. IT MAKES ME.
IT MAKES ME A BETTER PERSON. DID YOU TO KNOW THAT.
YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S LOOKING OUT FOR THE LONG TERM.
WELL, IN THE BALANCES, I WOULD SAY THAT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'VE JUST GOT MY HEAD IN THE CLOUDS OR I'M SHOOTING FOR THAT. YOU NEED THE GUY GOING, WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY KEEP THE CITY RUNNING. YES, IT'S A GOOD, GOOD. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE TWO? ARE WE HOW DO YOU FEEL ON THOSE? I THINK WHEN YOU DO THIS AND THIS, IT KIND OF COMPLEMENTS THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, BLACK AND WHITE IN THE LONG TERM.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE COMPROMISE. WE COME TOGETHER ON WHAT'S GOING TO WORK BEST.
I THINK IT'S FROM OUR RELATIONS. YOU KNOW, YOU AND I ARE BOTH INVOLVED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT BUSINESS GROUPS AND, YOU KNOW, LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE BUSINESS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO I THINK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THESE TWO SEPARATE INSTINCTS THIS WAY.
YEAH. THE RELATIONAL I THINK MORE PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY'RE GETTING INVOLVED.
YES. RIGHT. BOTH OF US. NOW YOU'RE BEING HEARD.
YEAH. THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE. AND THAT MAKES THE SYSTEMS WORK.
WHERE OVERALL, DO YOU THINK WE FALL OR LEAN TOWARDS? PROBABLY. PROBABLY. YEAH, I WOULD AGREE. YEAH.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WE'VE NEVER DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WE WERE TALKING, YOU KNOW, TO GET OUTSIDE OF OUR BOX.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE BOTH IN THE MIDDLE THERE. NEITHER ONE OF US, YOU KNOW, WE GOT OUR AGENDA, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TODAY.
AND YOU KNOW ME, I'M ANTHONY WILLIAMS, I LOVE TRADITION, I LOVE OUR HERITAGE.
YEAH, IT'S ABOUT TO BE A WHOLE NEW TOWN. BASICALLY.
TWO MORE MINUTES. COUNCIL. YEAH. WELL, TO BE HONEST, THESE THESE THESE KIND OF THINGS YOU'RE DOING FOR CHARITIES, YOU KNOW, OR BE INVOLVED WITH. I TYPICALLY HATE IT, BUT I WILL SAY I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MEETING JUST BECAUSE IT DID.
I WAS LIKE, OH, MAYBE THIS WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT INTO THE STRATEGIC SIDE, AND WE CAN KIND OF SEE A LITTLE BIT LONG TERM, MAYBE FIVE, TEN YEARS.
YEAH. YEAH, WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
BECAUSE WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO BECAUSE PEOPLE SAID, WELL WHAT'S YOUR TEN YEAR PLAN? I SAID, YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A YEAR BY YEAR BY YEAR BUDGET AND YOU DON'T WANT TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT A COUNCIL IN TEN YEARS NEGATIVELY. YEAH. BUT THEN AGAIN, THIS GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
YEAH. ESPECIALLY I WAS I CAN'T REMEMBER SOMEBODY WAS TELLING ME IT WAS JUST KIND OF RANDOM.
RIGHT? IT KIND OF KIND OF YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO LIKE SCRAMBLE TO CATCH UP.
AND I SAID, NO, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE'RE IN CONTROL THERE.
WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT'S ALL THE OTHER. I WOULD SAY THE ONE THING WE DIDN'T PLAN ON IS ALL THE OTHER DATA CENTERS COMING IN. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SO LET'S HEAR BACK FROM YOU COUNCIL AND KIND OF, KIND OF JUST GET A GET A FEEL FOR THINGS.
I TALKED TO LYNN AND SHANE FIRST AND THEY AGREED TO, TO TO BE CONFESSIONAL FIRST.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LET THEM TALK. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
SO SO WHAT WAS YOUR STRONG SUIT. OPERATIONAL AND SYSTEMS IS MINE.
STRATEGIC IS WHERE I NEED TO PUSH INTO, OKAY.
I NEED TO PUSH INTO THAT STRATEGIC. YEAH. WHICH WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NO MATTER HOW GOOD OF A MANAGER YOU ARE AND ALL OF YOU HAVE TO BE GOOD MANAGERS. YOU COULDN'T WIN AN ELECTION IN ABILENE.
[00:40:03]
BUT IN THIS CAPACITY, YOU'RE NOT. THE MANAGER'S RIGHT.ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET OVER TO THIS GROUP, THIS TRIAD. WHAT WHAT WHAT DID Y'ALL SAY? I'M PROBABLY MOST ORIENTED STRATEGICALLY. OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I HAD A HARD TIME WITH THE OTHERS. OR PROBABLY THE GROWTH AREA THAT I THINK THE GIFTS CAN BE SOMETIMES THE GREATEST HINDRANCE. AND SO MAYBE BECAUSE I AM SO FORWARD THINKING OR BIG PICTURE.
IT INHIBITS ME SOMETIMES TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THE HARD CONVERSATIONS OPERATIONALLY.
YEAH. SO THAT MIGHT BE YEAH, I CAN RELATE TO THAT FROM MY OWN SELF.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPUTATIONAL DRIVERS IN A MINUTE I WANT TO TELL A STORY.
REMIND ME OF THAT. SO ALL RIGHT. MIGUEL I FEEL LIKE I'M MORE OF A SYSTEMS GUY, OKAY? I LOVE UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS WORK. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU'RE GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE, YOU'RE GONNA KNOW WHAT THE INPUTS ARE FIRST.
YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW JUST CITY WISE, I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL THESE IDEAS.
AND YOU, YOU HAVE THIS VISION FOR WHERE YOU WANT THINGS TO GO.
YEAH. IF YOU KIND OF DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SET GOALS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE. RIGHT? YEAH. YOU GOT TO ANALYZE IT FIRST FOR SURE. OKAY.
STANLEY. WELL, I, I LANDED ON OKAY? BECAUSE MY JOB.
I DEAL WITH PROFESSIONALS. WORK WITH ME A LOT SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INPUT.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS. AND I KIND OF LET THEM DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. AND A LOT OF WHAT MY JOB IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES WHAT DOES THE STAFF NEED? WHAT DOES THE COUNCIL NEED? I TRY TO PROVIDE OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. HOW ABOUT THESE GUYS? YOU WANT TO TAKE IT? I'LL TAKE IT. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT BLAZE AND MYSELF BECAUSE HE'S EXTREMELY STRATEGIC AND I'M EXTREMELY OPERATIONAL.
OKAY? I'M BLACK AND WHITE. BLAZE IS THE ONE THAT'S ALWAYS THINKING, YOU KNOW, NOT REPERCUSSIONS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? WHAT IS THIS GOING TO INTACT? AND SO THAT REALLY KIND OF TAKES CARE OF OUR SYSTEMS BEING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
WE'RE NOT POLAR OPPOSITES. BUT I THINK WHAT IT DOES IS IT BRINGS WONDERFUL CONVERSATION FROM WHAT IS BLACK AND WHITE AND WHAT CAN BE OR WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN THAT AND SO ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WITH OUR RELATIONS.
WE BOTH ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONS, AND I THINK THIS ACTUALLY PUTS US IN A GOOD MIX ON OUR SYSTEMS. BUT I THINK MY WEAKNESS IS, IS IS I NEED TO BE MOVING TOWARD MORE STRATEGIC OUTLOOK.
ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD. BLAISE, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
YEAH I MEAN I WOULD AGREE I THINK WE WERE RIGHT ON THE SAME PAGE.
I THINK OVERALL IF YOU WERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW AS A COUNCIL WHERE WE AT, I THINK WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I WOULD SAY TOP END OF OPERATIONAL INTO, INTO SYSTEMS. WE'RE ALL I FEEL LIKE EVERY ONE OF US IS REALLY GOOD ON THE RELATIONAL SIDE, WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS IS ESPECIALLY WITH THE DATA CENTERS AND THE THE MASSIVE, AS YOU SAID, REPERCUSSIONS AND CONSEQUENCES THAT THIS IS BRINGING ON OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE ONE DATA CENTER, BUT ALL THE ACCOMPANYING DATA CENTERS MOVING INTO OUR, OUR REGION. I THINK WHERE WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BENEFIT TODAY IS THAT STRATEGIC VISION OF GOING, WHAT IS WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE IN 5 OR 10 YEARS? SO I'M EXCITED. YEAH, I LOVE THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS AT THE EXACT RIGHT TIME FOR SURE.
AND THERE'LL BE SOME TIMES TODAY WHEN WHEN I MAY ASK YOU A QUESTION OKAY.
IS THAT STRATEGIC OR IS THAT OPERATIONAL. BECAUSE OF ITS STRATEGIC.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. BUT IF IT'S OPERATIONAL LET'S WRITE IT DOWN HERE.
SO IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA. WE'LL REFER IT TO THE STAFF.
BUT WE WANT TO SPEND OUR TIME REALLY AT THE STRATEGIC LEVEL.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S WE WANT TO HEAR FROM ALL THE TABLES. BUT LET'S HEAR FROM FROM THE CMO OVER HERE.
WHAT WHERE WHERE WERE OUR STRENGTHS AND WHERE ARE THE GROWTH EDGES HERE? WELL, WE ARE VERY WELL BALANCED, ACTUALLY. EACH ONE OF US FELT LIKE WE HAD A DIFFERENT STRENGTH AND, AND AND HONESTLY DIFFERENT GROWTH EDGES TOO. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING THAT WE ARE UNIQUELY COVERING THE ENTIRE PYRAMID.
THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S A GREAT TEAM YEAH.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS WAS MAX DUPREE, AND MAX DUPREE WAS THE CEO OF HERMAN MILLER FURNITURE COMPANY.
SO MY OFFICE FURNITURE. REALLY? AND IT WAS A GREAT AUTHOR AND WROTE SEVERAL BOOKS.
BUT BUT THE BEST ONE WAS LEADERSHIP AS AN ART.
AND IN IT, HE HAS THIS GREAT PHRASE THAT I REPEAT ALL THE TIME.
[00:45:03]
YOU HAVE TO ABANDON YOURSELF TO THE STRENGTH OF OTHERS.YOU HAVE TO ABANDON YOURSELF TO THE STRENGTH OF OTHERS.
SO YOU MIGHT YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, GROWTH EDGE ISN'T A FATAL FLAW, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL YOUR TIME, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAKE YOUR YOUR WEAKNESS, YOUR STRENGTH.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THING.
OKAY. YES. ASK LYNN. THANKS, SHANE. LYNN WANTED TO TALK AND I WOULDN'T LET HIM.
LYNN SAID NO. I THOUGHT I MADE IT. THANKS. APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M MORE OPERATIONAL IN SYSTEMS AND LESS GOOD AT RELATIONAL.
I TEND TO SEE NUMBERS AND PLANS AND PROCEDURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I'M NOT GOOD AT QUANTIFYING THE EFFECT THAT HAS ON PEOPLE.
YEAH. OKAY. HE'S NOT STRONG HEADED. YEAH. YOU MISSPELLED SUCCESS ON THE AGENDA BY.
YEAH. I ALWAYS SAY I'M PROVIDING JOB SECURITY FOR OTHERS THAT COME BEHIND ME.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOOD. ALRIGHT, SO SO WE WANT TO DO.
NOW LET'S MOVE INTO START THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
BUT YOU WANT TO CREATE A ROBUST PLAN THAT CAN SUSTAIN YOU OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO I FOUND THAT THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO TO TO COME AT IT FROM A FEW DIFFERENT ANGLES.
AND ONE OF THOSE ANGLES IS WHAT WE CALL REPUTATIONAL DRIVERS.
BUT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS BLAZE WAS TALKING ABOUT FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS FROM NOW.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR AS A COUNCIL AND AN ORGANIZATION AND A COMMUNITY? OKAY, SO YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY STORY TRAVIS REMINDED ME OF.
I GREW UP MY UNCLE WAS A MENTOR BEFORE WE USED THE WORD MENTORS.
SO FROM THE TIME I WAS THREE YEARS OLD, HE NURTURED ALL THIS LOVE FOR SPORTS.
ONE OF THOSE WAS BUM PHILLIPS, RETIRED OR NOW PAST HEAD FOOTBALL COACH FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS.
AND THEN HIS SON, I MEAN, WADE PHILLIPS. WADE PHILLIPS HAS PROBABLY FORGOTTEN MORE ABOUT FOOTBALL THAN THE REST OF US WILL EVER KNOW. I'LL TELL YOU, HE GREW UP IN THE RIGHT WAY, BUT HE WANTED THE REPUTATION BECAUSE HE SAW HIS DAD BEING THAT WAY OF BEING A PLAYER'S COACH. HE LOVED PLAYERS. AND IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS AT THE DALLAS COWBOYS, IT WAS GREAT AT FIRST, BUT THE STRUGGLE THAT BUM HAD. I MEAN, THAT WADE HAD, WAS PUTTING INTO PLACE SYSTEMS THAT WOULD HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND EVENTUALLY HE THAT THAT COST HIM. AND IT'S JUST AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT YOU SAID.
YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH CAN BECOME WHAT? YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS.
YEAH. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPUTATIONAL DRIVERS, WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR SOME THINGS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE HANDCUFFED BY THOSE THINGS TOO. SO SO HERE'S WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO DO. THINK WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU BACK INTO TRIADS.
AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REPUTATIONAL DRIVERS YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR ON THE COUNCIL ORGANIZATIONALLY, COMMUNITY WISE, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THIS CITY, THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS BOARD THAT THEY SAY IS TRUE ABOUT YOU.
OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR ME BEFORE YOU START TALKING.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO WRITE THEM DOWN.
SO JUST BECAUSE IT MAKES THAT LIST, NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE OUR LIST.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. READY. GO. AND STEPH YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING.
WE'LL HEAR FROM Y'ALL TWO ON THIS. OKAY. COUNCIL.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN. FOR? ORGANIZATION.
[00:50:05]
I GOT SOME CITY STAFF WATCHING. COUNCIL COUNCIL ORGANIZATION AND CITY.LIKE. LIKE ALMOST I THINK THEY SPEAK TO. DIVERSE UNIFICATION.
I SAY THAT AGAIN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU SPELL DIVERSE UNIFICATION. DIVERSE UNIFICATION.
I LIKE WHERE WE ALL HAVE A BUNCH OF IDEAS, BUT WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
WE ALL COME TOGETHER. THAT'S. THAT'S WHAT THIS HAS BEEN.
THE FUNNEST COUNCIL THE LAST FEW YEARS IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ONES THAT ARE COMPLETELY ALTER THEIRS TO CAUSE PROBLEMS, ALTHOUGH THERE'S GREAT STAFF TO DO THAT.
SO WE'VE WE'VE HAD THIS DIVERSITY AND CONVERSATION, BUT THEN WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS SAY WE'RE A COUNCIL ONE. IT MAY BE FIVE TWO VOTE, MAYBE SIX ONE VOTE, BUT AFTER THE VOTE, THAT'S THE WAY THE COUNCIL VOTE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, I VOTED NO BEFORE. AND SO IT'S JUST I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF AN OXYMORON, BUT YEAH.
AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. I MEAN, IT GETS PRETTY VICIOUS BOTH IN THE MEETINGS AND AFTER.
AND THAT'S ONE THING I DO LOVE ABOUT THIS COUNCIL IS THAT AFTER THE MEETING, WE MAY HAVE A GOOD DEBATE, BUT IT NEVER REALLY GETS PERSONAL. AND THEN AFTER WE WALK OUT THE DOORS AND WE'RE VERY GOOD REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY LIKE. YEAH, THAT WE REPRESENT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WROTE DOWN, UNIVERSE? WHAT DID YOU SAY? UNIVERSE. UNIFICATION. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S ONE.
AND JUST KIND OF THE END OF THE DAY. END OF. THE YEAR FOR RIGHT NOW.
FOR WHAT? WE'RE FOR ABILENE. OH, YEAH. SO NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK? ORGANIZATION. I ALWAYS THE WORD THAT COMES TO MIND, MY ASPIRATION.
AND I THINK WE'RE WE'RE MUCH BETTER THAN A LOT OF CITY STAFF, WOULD BE RESPONSIVE.
I THINK WE'RE VERY GOOD ABOUT BEING RESPONSIVE.
OUR STAFF IS I'D LOVE FOR IT TO BE BETTER JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO BE THE NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, IN THE NATION. BUT LIKE I WILL SAY THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR STAFF IS VERY GOOD ABOUT BEING RESPONSIVE. I'D LOVE TO PUSH IT THAT OR REALLY EMBRACE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK EVEN COUNCIL IS. BUT I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH YOU ON THE RESPONSIVENESS, ALL THOSE THINGS.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. AND I THINK I KNOW. SOMETIMES THEY THEY HAVE REQUESTS AND THINGS THAT ALMOST MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE. BUT FOR THE REALLY THE LEGITIMATE REQUESTS, YOU MADE A LIST AND THEY REALLY TRY TO I HATE TO USE THE WORD LET'S TAKE CARE OF SOME THINGS AT WORK. YEAH, JUST THE IMPORTANT THINGS.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO? WELL, AND ONE THING, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS BEFORE, ROBERT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS DUE TO ROBERT OR IF THIS IS HOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN, BUT THE ORGANIZATIONAL SETUP, LIKE, I FEEL LIKE DEPARTMENT WISE, WE ARE VERY GOOD.
LIKE, IT IS A VERY SYSTEM IN PLACE, LIKE THERE'S CLEAR LINES.
IT'S A YOU KNOW, EMILY WAS ABLE TO STEP IN AND AFTER, YOU KNOW, A MONTH OR TWO, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GOOD. AND MAYBE IT'S JUST ME BEING INVOLVED WITH THE SMALLER CITIES GOING.
IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT'S IT'S VERY. ROBERT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT REPUTATION OF BEING HARD TO WORK WITH, HARD WORK WITH, AND IT'S HARD FOR, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN TIM JONZE KIND OF STREAMLINING PROCESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S BEEN REALLY ALL, ALL OF THEM WORKING TOGETHER. IT'S JUST INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH THEIR DEPARTMENT, THEY DO THAT.
THEY DO THAT ALL OVER THE YEARS. I WOULD AGREE CITYWIDE VERY COMFORTABLE.
I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THEY WERE LIKE BEING KIND.
BUT WE KNOW WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE WANT TO GET SOMEWHERE. YES. THAT'S THE CITY.
IT'S A LOT MORE MANAGEABLE IF THEY THINK OF, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NOT THINKING.
YEAH. AND KEEPING THE FAMILY THE FAMILY KIND OF CENTERED APPROACH.
OUR ADVANTAGE IS THAT WE'RE SET APART. AND SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT ANOTHER LARGE TOWN FOR TWO HOURS, BASICALLY, OR AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY. SO IT'S KIND OF US.
AND IF WE KIND OF STAY FAMILY CENTERED, WE KIND OF ARE ABLE TO KEEP OUR IDENTITY.
WHEREAS A LOT OF THE METROPLEX COMMUNITIES JUST BLEED OUT AND THEY DO DIFFERENT.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT'S THESE SMALL TOWNS. A COUPLE MORE MINUTES JUST KIND OF GOING AWAY.
SO. YEAH. YEAH. I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT ELSE?
[00:55:08]
WHAT DO YOU SEE THE CITY REPUTATION WAS LIKE IN 5 OR 10 YEARS.WHAT DO YOU WHAT WOULD YOU WANT US TO BE KNOWN ABOUT? ANOTHER BIG WORD INDUSTRY. DIVERSIFICATION. THROW SOME SYNERGY IN THERE.
I'M BIG ON THE DIVERSITY. YOU'RE NOT. YOU'RE ANTI-DIVERSITY.
YOU CAN'T STAND IT. THAT'S WHY I'M NOT A CPA.
MY MIND DON'T WORK THAT WAY. IT'S ABOUT FACTS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S LET'S HEAR BACK FROM YOU. AND HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.
LOOK AT YOUR LIST AND THINK, WHAT ARE MY TOP TWO CLEAREST OR MOST URGENT REPUTATIONAL DRIVERS? WE'LL EVENTUALLY GET THEM ALL UP THERE, BUT SO THAT WE HAVE TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO SHARE.
LET'S GIVE ME. GIVE ME TWO OF YOUR BEST TO BEGIN WITH.
AND, MIGUEL, WE'LL START WITH YOU. AND YOU AND TRAVIS TALKED.
YEAH. YOU'RE TOP TWO. LIKE, OKAY, IF I COULD ONLY HAVE TWO.
THESE ARE THE. THESE ARE THE MOST CLEAREST OR URGENT TO ME.
FOR COUNCIL, I WOULD SAY CLEAR VISION. OKAY. VERY GOOD.
WHAT ELSE? COMMUNITY WISE, I WOULD SAY KIND OF IN THE BROADEST SENSE, I GUESS.
TO SUM IT UP, WOULD BE LOVES THEIR NEIGHBOR TAKES CARE OF ONE ANOTHER. OKAY.
VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON. LET'S DO THIS GROUP.
GIVE ME TWO. YOU WANT TO USE YOUR BIG WORD? YEAH.
BIG PHRASE. WELL, YEAH. ON COUNCIL I'M GOING TO CALL IT DIVERSE UNIFICATION.
OH, I LIKE THAT. THAT WAS NOT MINE. THAT WAS HIS.
WHICH WHICH IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF INPUT FOR THOUGHT INPUT.
BUT WE ALL COME TOGETHER AS A COUNCIL UNIFIED WHEN WE MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION.
WELL, THAT'S AN EDUCATION. YEAH. IT'S PERFECT.
ALRIGHT, GIVE ME ONE MORE. FOR ORGANIZATION, WHICH I KIND OF CONSIDERED STAFF RESPONSIVENESS.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ALREADY REALLY GOOD AT RESPONSIVENESS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER AT.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH CITY IS NUMBER ONE, BUT I'D LOVE FOR US TO BE NUMBER ONE. BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF STAFF, IT'S ABOUT RESPONSIVENESS, NOT JUST TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT TO ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY DOING WELL AND REPUTATION WISE. THAT'S WHAT I LOVE. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S A THAT'S A HIGH ASPIRATION AND CERTAINLY WHAT YOU WANT. AND YOU GUYS GOT A GREAT CHANCE I THINK OF BEING THE SECOND BEST CITY IN THE, IN THE WORLD.
BUT GRAPEVINE WHERE I LIVE IS THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
IT'S HANDS DOWN THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION. WHERE IS THAT AGAIN? WHO? I DON'T KNOW WHY I NEVER GET INVITED BACK TO ANOTHER CITY.
WHEN I SAY THAT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S VERY GOOD.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND GET YOU MORE. BUT LYNN AND SHANE, GIVE ME YOUR TOP TWO.
THAT'S NOT UP THERE ALREADY. OKAY FOR ME, AND THIS IS THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO THE TO THE ONE, REALLY. BUT I WANT US TO BE KNOWN FOR OUR COMMON SENSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY THAT NOT ONLY CREATES A LOW REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESSES TO GROW, BUT THAT WE ADOPT A POLICY OF ALLOWING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH SO WE DON'T GET BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE THAT THAT AS THE FREE MARKET TAKES CONTROL I'M A FREE MARKET BELIEVER RIGHT IS THE FREE MARKET FILLS THE GAPS AND DOES THE THINGS THAT IT DOES.
IT WILL TAKE CARE OF HOUSING. IT'LL TAKE YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS WILL GET TAKEN CARE OF BY THE MARKET. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL THOSE THINGS KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN IT AND WE DON'T GET BEHIND.
WHAT IS IT THAT'S SAYING COMMON SENSE IS NOT THAT COMMON.
BUSINESSES CAN AFFORD TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY. YEAH.
DATA CENTER. THE NEXT LAB WITH ENERGY, ALSO WITH HEALTHCARE IS THAT PROFESSIONALS ARE ARE COMING TO ABILENE THAT ARE ENGAGED WITH AND INVOLVED WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT BENEFITS NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
YEAH. THAT'S GOOD. I LOVE THAT. THAT'S EXCELLENT.
[01:00:04]
OKAY. AND ADAPTIVE AND ADAPTIVE IN THE CONTEXT OF SIMILAR TO RESPONSIVENESS BUT ADAPTING TO THE EXTERNAL CONDITIONS THAT IMPACT US ACROSS THE PYRAMID, THINGS CHANGE. WE HAVE FIVE GENERATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE, FOR EXAMPLE.THAT'S A RELATIONAL CONTEXT FOR ADAPTIVE. THERE ARE SYSTEMS THAT NEED TO BE REFINED OVER TIME.
YOU MENTIONED THAT EARLIER. SAME THING TO STRATEGY.
SO ADAPTIVE KIND OF CUTS ACROSS ALL ALL THE PYRAMID.
YEAH. SO ADAPTIVE AND ADAPTIVE TO CHANGING IN ECONOMY CHANGES IN ECONOMY.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PUSH HARDER AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PULL PULL BACK.
SO THAT'S VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO BACK THE OTHER WAY.
WE'LL GO BACK TO, TO SHANE AND LYNN. WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE? IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE UP HERE.
WELL, IT'S NOT EXPLICITLY. IT MAY BE INCLUDED IN COMMON SENSE, BUT I WROTE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
OKAY, FROM THE COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE.
MAYOR OR BLASE? ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE THAT YOU SAY? WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY UP THERE ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL SIDE.
OKAY. IN SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS. OKAY. YEAH. I'M GOING TO PUT IN SYNC. THAT'S A BIGGER WORD FOR ME. BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? YOU GOT A THERE'S GOT TO BE UNITY.
I WOULD ADD THAT THAT I WANT US TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYER.
OKAY. OKAY. I'M NOT. I'M. I'M GOING TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANT TO GET IT DOWN FOR NOW. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT OVER HERE? WHAT ELSE DID YOU SAY OR DO YOU THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT? THAT'S NOT UP THERE AT ALL. ONE THAT KIND OF FITS.
LIKE YOU THROW THIS IN ANY CATEGORY. BUT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO LISTEN AND YOU KNOW, FROM ACROSS ALL ALL THE LAYERS THERE KIND OF FALLS INTO THE RESPONSE THAT, OKAY, I'M GOING TO PUT IT IN PARENTHESES.
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY TRUE. CERTAINLY TRUE. OKAY.
ANYTHING ELSE. LET'S ASK STAFF ANYTHING THAT THAT JUST START KIND OF ANYTHING THAT Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT'S NOT IN SOME WAY REFLECTED ON THIS LIST.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE. THE BIGGEST THING WAS JUST FOCUSING ON MY QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE HAVE A BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO WANT TO BE HERE, IN THIS COMMUNITY OF PLACES. YEAH, YEAH. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT THIS TABLE? SIMILAR. WE HAD RESPONSIVE. WE HAD RESPONSIBLE.
I THINK WE WERE ALSO THINKING FISCALLY AND WHAT WE HAVE TO TO MANAGE AND RELIABILITY AND.
YEAH. WELL, THAT'S WE WE TELL FACILITATORS SOME OF Y'ALL MAY KNOW THAT MY ASSOCIATE, REINA DRISCOLL, USED TO LIVE IN ABILENE AND LIVED DOWN THE STREET FROM SHANE, AND SHE'S GREAT. SHE LIVES UP IN THE GAINESVILLE AREA NOW.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FACILITATORS THAT WORK FOR US? THAT IS, WE SAY THEY HAVE TO BE THREE THINGS.
THEY HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE, RELIABLE. AND THEN THIS IS ONE YOU'LL LAUGH AT.
BUT BUT YOU KNOW, YOU UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE TO BE RELAXING.
IF WE'RE NERVOUS THE WHOLE TIME, LIKE IS HE GOING TO DO IT OR IS HE NOT GOING TO DO IT? WE DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH HIM, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN BE RESPONSIBLE, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. YOU GOT TO BE RESPONSIVE.
YOU GOT TO BE A RELIABLE AND YOU GOT TO PUT US AT EASE.
SO ALL RIGHT, HOW ABOUT THIS TABLE? WHAT WHAT WOULD YOU ADD TO THIS LIST THAT'S NOT UP THERE ALREADY I WOULD I'M NOT SURE THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT TRUST, FAITH, HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY THAT IF BOTH COUNCIL DOWN AND CITIZENS UP, THAT STAFF IS WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL, AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THE ANSWER THEY WANT TO HEAR.
BUT IT'S COMING FROM A GOOD HEART AND A GOOD PLACE AND TRYING TO ADHERE TO THE STRATEGY.
YEAH. SO SO SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF SORT OF THE ABILITY
[01:05:10]
TO, TO TO WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW. RIGHT. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WELL.STAFF AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WORK WELL TOGETHER.
I THINK IT'S MORE OF A FATE IN THAT IF THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, THAT IS TRULY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND THE SECOND ONE I WOULD THROW OUT IS A LOT LIKE WHAT ANNETTE SAID WAS QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE LOOKING TOWARDS WHAT WE WANT TO BE AND HOW WE WANT TO GET THERE. YEAH. YEAH. FOR SURE. OKAY. LAST GROUP.
GIVE US ONE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. THAT'S MAYBE NOT UP THERE.
OR HIGHLIGHT ONE THAT ALREADY IS. SO I KIND OF TOOK WHAT LESLIE WAS SAYING.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD WRITTEN DOWN, TOO, BUT I THINK TO SUMMARIZE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, IN MY OPINION, IS HIGH INTEGRITY. JUST AN ASSURANCE OF HIGH INTEGRITY.
I WANT TO PUT IT RIGHT THERE WITH IT OKAY. VERY GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. YOU FORGOT REMOVE ESCALATOR DON FROM THE FROM THE AIRPORT.
IS THAT ON THERE. REMOVE THE ESCALATOR AND LAND.
CAN'T BE A SINGULAR PRIORITY. LAND. IT HAS TO BE.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S TAKE ABOUT LET'S TAKE ABOUT A TEN MINUTE BREAK AND COME BACK IN TEN MINUTES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE GEARS AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK THEN ABOUT WHAT ARE THE PRESSING PROBLEMS THAT A GOOD STRATEGIC VISION SLASH PLAN HAS TO ADDRESS. SO WHAT ARE THE NEEDS WE'RE NOW WE'RE KIND OF THINKING OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES THINKING ABOUT OTHERS.
WHAT DO WE GOT TO ADDRESS. SO TEN GOOD WORK TEN MINUTES.
I KNOW MARI AND HER BUNCH OF REALLY GOT CREATIVE IN HERE, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT AT FIRST.
BUT WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF AND I ALWAYS WANT TO COMPLIMENT THEM ON A JOB WELL DONE.
BE BACK IN TEN MINUTES AND WE'LL START AGAIN TEN MINUTES.
TO VISIT. AND WE'LL PUT YOU IN TWO GROUPS OF THREE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO JUST GO AROUND NUMBER ONE AND TWO.
WE'LL PUT OUR ONES HERE. WE'LL PUT OUR TWOS KIND OF BY THE FLAG.
AND THERE'LL BE THREE OF YOU IN EACH GROUP. SO TRAVIS, YOU'RE NUMBER ONE MAN.
OF COURSE. NO OFFENSE, MIGUEL, BUT WHAT A LOSER.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALMOST NUMBER ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO.
PLEASE LET ME BE ONE, TWO. MAN ONE. OF COURSE TWO.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. LIN, YOUR GROUP ONE'S OVER BY THE FLAG.
OKAY TWO'S BACK OVER HERE. AND HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT.
PRESSING NEEDS. AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT? WE GOT TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. WE GOTTA MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S OPERATIONAL. I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOU WEAK.
POUND THE TABLE AND SAY WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, THIS IS WHAT WAKES YOU UP IN A COLD SWEAT.
IT'S WHAT YOU KNOW, MAKES YOU NOT ABLE TO GO TO BED.
IT'S WHAT YOU GET PASSIONATE ABOUT. AND PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, I GOT IT.
THAT'S ENOUGH. WHAT REALLY MATTERS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE NEGATIVE, BUT WE GOTTA SOLVE PROBLEMS. GOOD STRATEGIC PLANS SHOULD SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND WHAT YOU GOT TO DO IS LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS THAT GOT TO BE SOLVED AND WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. WE MAY NOT GET ALL THOSE RIGHT, BUT WE GOTTA WE GOTTA START THINKING ABOUT OKAY, SO TAKE YOUR CHAIRS. YOU CAN SIT DOWN, GIVE YOU SOME TIME.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS YOU HAVE.
IS THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. AND WE'LL LEAVE YOU ALL TOGETHER, OKAY.
AND THE TABLES. Y'ALL STILL GOOD WITH EACH OTHER? ANYBODY MAD WANTING TO ENTER THE TRANSFER PORTAL YET? ALL RIGHT, OFF YOU GO. TEN MINUTES. WHAT MAKES YOU WEEP? FOUND A TABLE. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN PSALM 42 RIGHT NOW.
YEAH. OH, SRB2. HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THAT. DITTO. DITTO. AND.
I MEAN, I'VE HEARD ABOUT REGRETS NOW. I WOULD SAY I WOULD AGREE WATER FOR SURE.
[01:10:05]
I THINK HOUSING IS PROBABLY NUMBER ONE. WATER FOR SURE.CHILD. CARE TO HEAR ABOUT THE MOST? IT'S JUST FROM LIKE OUTSIDE OF HOUSING.
LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT TAKES LIKE I WOULD SAY, TRAFFIC.
ISSUES AND THEN TRAFFIC. :44.. I THINK IT'S GOING TO INCREASE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CAPACITY. WONDERFUL.
GREAT FOR US, ESPECIALLY ON THIS SECTION NEXT TO THE CHICKEN PLACE.
TWO BELLS, APPARENTLY, THAT HAVE A SLOW DEATH SECTION IN THE BACK.
IT IS. IT IS BECAUSE I PICK MY DAUGHTER UP A LOT FROM MARS.
SO I KNOW PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND. OKAY, THAT'S FINE FOR ME, I WOULD SAY I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY SAID. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REALLY DELIBERATE WITH THIS SURPLUS THAT DON'T ALLOW US TO SUSTAIN THIS DISCUSSION.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT. PEOPLE GIVING YOU THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY, WELL, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CHANGE IS TERRIBLE. THAT'S WHY.
BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME ISSUE WITH OUR CITY ENGINEER THAT WAS LIKE.
THE LAST TIME WE ASKED YOU TO INSTALL. IT. YEAH.
BUT EVEN TODAY, WE SEE ISSUES THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
THE COMBINATION OF DATA CENTERS, GUYS TO GUIDE, TO TRAIN, TO HELP THEM TO GROW SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE UP IN THE ORGANIZATION AND STRETCH THEM. SO WE HEADED DOWN RIGHT TO THE CORNER SECTION, DO STRATEGIC PLANNING.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO GO FROM HERE? THE POPULATION NEEDS ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T YOU CANNOT YOU CANNOT JUST ASK THEM TO DO SOMETHING. UNTIL THEN, YOU MUST DO THIS.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WORRY ABOUT MOST. THIS ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, WITH THE CHANGING STANDARDS, THE INABILITY TO HIRE EMPLOYEES.
SO YOU DON'T GET A CITY ENGINEER AT A COLLEGE, RIGHT? OH, GOSH. AND LAST TIME WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SER, THEY WERE VERY FRANK AND SAID, WE STRUGGLE WITH THESE THINGS.
IT'S JUST THE IMPLICATIONS TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING.
A LOT OF THEM, INSTEAD OF SAYING, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS PROFESSIONAL THAT'S MAKING MORE THAN I CAN, I EXPLAINED.
IT'S TERRIBLE. YEAH. THAT'S HOW YOU FIX THAT.
YEAH. THERE'S SO MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT YEAH. SO THERE'S SOME HUGE IMPLICATIONS, WHICH WAS STILL YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING I WAS THINKING IS JUST THE AGE, THE AGE OF OUR CITY, THE AGE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH STILL ALWAYS CONTINUES TO GO BACK TO FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S TAX FUNDING OR FEES, THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS, MAINTAIN HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT AND CREATE AND VIABLE OKAY AT AN AFFORDABLE ONLY HAVE WEAK CONTRACTION.
I MEAN, WHO EVEN KNOWS WHAT'S AFFORDABLE. I MEAN SUSTAINABILITY.
YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH, WE'RE TALKING INTERESTING.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SERVICE LEVEL SUSTAINABILITY AS WELL.
YEAH. YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE SYSTEM AND KEEP THE INTEGRITY OF IT.
AND YOU KNOW THESE POSITIONS AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
OKAY. BUT. OF COURSE, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE ALSO IS AS EXPENSIVE AND DISRUPTIVE TO US AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR. POLITICIANS TALK AND IT GOES BACK TO SB TWO, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU'RE GETTING LESS AND LESS ABILITY TO RAISE REVENUE AND YOU'RE LOSING FLEXIBILITY.
YEAH. IT'S KIND OF LIKE GETTING COMPRESSION FROM BOTH DISTURBANCES.
[01:15:04]
YEAH. BECAUSE THE THE THE HEADLINE THAT THEY LIKE TO THROW OUT IS A BREAK.YEAH YEAH I KNOW I SAW THOSE I WAS GOING TO I LIKE KITKATS, YOU KNOW I COULDN'T FIND A YOU KNOW THE LITTLE JINGLE EVERY. NO. IS THAT A KITKAT. YES. YES. GIVE ME A BREAK.
PICK ME UP. AND THAT KIT KAT BAR. IS THAT A RESET? NO, THAT WOULD BE A PROBABLY 80S, MAYBE 80S, 90S.
IN THE PAST? EXACTLY. SPEAKING OF THAT, YOU SEEM TO BE FORGETTING THAT HE WAS A COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME, THAT THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN THE WORLD MADE IT FOR THOSE GUYS.
YES. YES, YES. REMEMBER WHEN HE USED TO HAVE BLACK HAIR? IT WAS IN THE LATE EARLY 90S. YEAH. I GOT THIS WOMAN WHO'S SEVEN YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME, AND, OF COURSE, MY KIDS. OKAY, I HAVE TWO MORE MINUTES. YEAH.
DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS. ANY COMMERCIALS ABOUT IT? YEAH.
GO TO YOUTUBE AND FIND HIM. SB TWO FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY HAS TO BE. WITHOUT PRICE. THANKS, BUT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO ANY RELATIONS PIECE.
RIGHT. THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG ONE. YEAH, YEAH.
AND IT'S ALL OF THIS. IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO US. IT'S THE POLARIZATION THAT I THINK.
THAT JUST THE ATMOSPHERE, THE SOCIETY, IT'S IT'S IT'S THE CITY CULTURE.
BECAUSE I HAVE COME FROM CITIES WHERE MUNICIPAL IS NOT SYSTEM.
AND IT'S LIKE, THIS IS WHAT I THINK. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE BECAUSE THE TAX BILLS, THE DEPOSITIONS AND IT'S THERE, IT'S LAST WEEK.
OR SO. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. YOU'VE SEEN IT ALREADY WITH HIS PARENTS.
OKAY. I FIGURED YOU'D SEND IT TO ALL OF US INDIVIDUALLY.
WELL. YEAH. BUT HE'S. JUST GOING THROUGH THE SCHOOL DAY.
THAT'S THE ACCEPTABLE STUFF, IS WHAT HE'S SAYING.
THIS IS BECAUSE EACH ONE HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE TEMPERATURES ALREADY.
OKAY. ARE YOU READY, OR DO YOU NEED SOME MORE TIME? WE'RE GOOD. YOU'RE GOOD. YOU GUYS GOOD OVER HERE.
OKAY, LET'S LET'S START WITH YOU. Y'ALL CAN JUST STAY IN YOUR TRIADS, IF YOU WILL.
FOR NOW, HELP ME. LET'S START WITH YOU. GIVE ME.
GIVE ME TWO OF THEM. WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM UP THERE, AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THEM. YEAH. TOP TWO PROBLEMS, I WOULD SAY HOUSING NUMBER ONE. OKAY. WATER. OKAY.
VERY GOOD. LET'S GO TO HERE. GIVE ME A COUPLE.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S REALLY PRESSING? IN MY OPINION, IT'S IMPLICATIONS FOR CITIES FROM WHAT THE STATE PASSES DOWN TO US, LIKE, MANDATES, THINGS LIKE THAT. I'LL ADD STREETS TO THAT TOO.
OKAY. EVERYBODY'S TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT YOUR TURN AND YOU'RE TAKING AWAY.
I GOT IT ON THERE JUST SO I WON'T FORGET IT. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU HAVE, MAYOR OR YOUR GROUP? THE FIREMAN'S RETIREMENT FUND. OKAY.
OKAY. AND SIMO, WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT'S NOT UP THERE? MICHAEL, DO YOU WANT TO. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE OURS? MINE WAS SUSTAINABLE. SUCCESSION PLANNING, THE ABILITY TO HIRE QUALITY PROFESSIONAL STAFF BASED ON OUR CURRENT PAY PLAN. YEAH, THAT'S YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS YOUR GROWTH COMES, THERE'S GOING TO BE STRESS ON HOW YOU CONTINUE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES.
YEAH FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. LET'S LET'S GO AROUND THE THE ROOM.
[01:20:03]
LET'S GET THEM UP THERE AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THEM. WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS HAVE. WE'LL START WITH Y'ALL'S TABLE. GIVE ME ONE THAT'S NOT UP THERE OKAY.OKAY. HOW ABOUT THIS TABLE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT'S THAT'S MAYBE NOT UP HERE ALREADY.
YEAH. WE LOVE WATER. WE LIKE WARM WATER. NOW I GUESS THE TWO THAT STOOD OUT IN OUR GROUP ONE WAS ACTUALLY THIS CONVERSATION, A CLEAR VISION AND WHY WE'RE DOING THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT COUPLED WITH THAT WAS MAYBE A WILLINGNESS OR EVEN AN EAGERNESS FOR CHANGE OR ADAPTATION, SEEING THINGS NOT BEING THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE, AND JUST LIVING IN A KIND OF STAGNANT ENVIRONMENT VERSUS INNOVATING AND IMPROVING.
OKAY. INNOVATION. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT THIS TABLE? WE ALL AGREE. NUMBER I SAY NUMBER ONE AS FAR AS COMPENSATION RETAINING ATTRACTING WORKFORCE AND THE NEED FOR THAT.
AND ON MY OWN SOAPBOX, I FEEL COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL, ESPECIALLY AFTER CYBER ATTACK, THINGS VERY CLOSELY TIED TO EACH OTHER AND HOW THAT SUPPORTS THE INTERNAL CULTURE AND RETAINING 42. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN IRONIC THING, ISN'T IT? WE HAVE MORE TOOLS FOR COMMUNICATION THAN EVER BEFORE, AND COMMUNICATION IS MORE COMPLEX THAN EVER BEFORE.
RIGHT? IT'S REALLY IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT HERE'S SOMETHING I'VE COME TO OBSERVE. IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE WITH COMMUNICATION, IF IT'S A CHALLENGE, CONGRATULATIONS. IT MEANS YOU'RE ALIVE. IT MEANS YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO COMMUNICATE. THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
AND THERE ARE SOME CITIES LIKE THAT, TOO. BUT YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THEM.
SO I'M NOT SAYING YOU SHOULDN'T MAKE IT A PRIORITY.
BE GOOD AT IT. EXCEL AT IT, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY, DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP ABOUT IT AND DON'T BEAT OTHER PEOPLE UP ABOUT IT EITHER, OKAY? BECAUSE IT JUST MEANS YOU'RE ALIVE AND YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING AND THAT'S THAT'S THE CHALLENGE OF IT.
ALL RIGHT, LAST GROUP. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU ADD TO THIS? YOU COVERED ALL OF OURS, I THINK. BUT WE MIGHT ADD SOMETHING ABOUT A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
OKAY. FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. OKAY. COUNCIL.
LET'S LET'S GET YOU TO KIND OF I WOULD ADD ONE MORE CHILD CARE IS ONE THING THAT I HEAR AS WE GROW, THAT IS A MAJOR COMPLAINT THAT I HEAR ABOUT FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
THE HIGH COST OF CHILD CARE OR THE THE LACK OF.
YEAH, YEAH. LIKE, COULD I ADD ONE? SURE. I CAN'T NOT ADD THE CHALLENGE OF FUNDING BEING ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN AN AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, A GROWING WORKFORCE.
SO CHALLENGES WITH FUNDING. AND I COULD ALSO RELATE THAT TO HB2 AND THE STATE LIMITATIONS.
YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH IT FOR SURE.
I'M JUST GOING TO I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE SCRATCHING, BUT I'LL BE ABLE TO READ IT.
BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT IT FOR A FEW MINUTES. COUNCIL AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS LIST, THINGS YOU WANT TO ADDRESS IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN. WHAT HOW WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? LET'S LET'S TAKE THEM KIND OF ONE AT A TIME FOR A LITTLE BIT. HOUSING.
WHAT'S WHAT'S WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET'S DO IT THIS WAY.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS IT'S WORKING? WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS NOT WORKING? SO LET'S LET'S TAKE IT THAT WAY. WHAT'S WORKING IN THE HOUSING AREA AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING THAT WE NEED TO RETHINK A LITTLE BIT? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE DON'T BUILD HOUSES. RIGHT? RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHICH WITH PROGRAMS LIKE REBUILD ABI, REBUILD, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT I DO KNOW ABOUT IT.
THAT COUPLED WITH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT SAFE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR ZONING ORDINANCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT ALLOW FOR THE FREE MARKET TO RESPOND TO THE HOUSING DEMAND. WE WE CAN'T HAVE THE GROWTH RATE CRIPPLED BY REGULATION.
RIGHT. IT'S GOT TO BE SAFE. BUT WE'VE GOT TO LET PEOPLE RESPOND QUICKLY.
AND THE MARKET RESPOND QUICKLY BECAUSE THE PRESSURES ON IT ARE HAPPENING QUICKLY.
IF THE PRESSURES ARE SLOW, THEN THE MARKET CAN RESPOND SLOWER.
[01:25:03]
BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON OUR LOCAL HOUSING MARKET, BOTH RENTAL AIRBNB, HOTEL MARKET, ALL THOSE THINGS. WE'VE GOT TO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A SYSTEM.AND I THINK WE LARGELY DO. THERE'S ALWAYS WAYS TO IMPROVE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO ALLOW THE FREE MARKET TO RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS THE PRESSURE IS APPLIED, OR ROUGHLY SPEAKING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD.
IS IT RV PARKS. IS IT APARTMENTS. IS IT IS IT CHEAPER SINGLE FAMILY HOMES? IS IT ONES THAT WILL LAST FOR 100 YEARS? WITHOUT QUESTION WHAT THE ACTUAL MAKEUP OF OUR HOUSING LOOKS LIKE? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE THROES OF WE NEED HOUSING NOW.
WE DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS. BUT THERE ARE SOME THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF, YOU KNOW, NOW WE HAVE 50,000 RV PARKS HERE, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES WHEN WHEN THE DEMAND IS NO LONGER THERE, WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE AS A COMMUNITY? SO I THINK FOR COUNCIL, IT'S IT'S WALKING THAT TIGHTROPE IF WE NEED HOUSING.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES.
YEAH. IT'S SORT OF LIKE TO BE VERY SIMPLISTIC.
SOME OF THIS MORE OF THIS, NOT MUCH OF THIS AND NONE OF THIS.
I MEAN, RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE KIND OF CATEGORIES.
RIGHT. SOME OF THIS MORE OF THIS, LITTLE OF THIS, NONE OF THIS.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WHAT WHAT ELSE HOUSING WISE? JUST TRYING TO GET YOU TO BE THINKING, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE DIVING DEEPER THIS AFTERNOON ON ALL THIS.
SO IT'S GOOD TO KIND OF GET ALL THIS OUT ON THE TABLE.
OKAY. AND THAT NOT ONLY AFFECTS JUST THIS BOOM FOR OUR DATA CENTERS, IT AFFECTS THE CENTER.
SO IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO WHAT LIN'S SAYING.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH REGULATION THAT THINGS ARE SAFE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE.
EASY ENOUGH TO WORK WITH THAT. A LOT OF HOUSING CAN GET BUILT.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE THROUGH ZONING AND, AND ORDINANCES.
YEAH, THEY'RE NOT SHORT TERM, REALLY, BECAUSE NOT ONLY THE BILL 21 BED DOWN, BUT THE CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE B-21 IS LIKELY TO LAST 3 TO 5 YEARS AFTER THE DATA CENTER STUFF IS OVER. YEAH, RIGHT.
AND SO THOSE PRESSURES, WHILE THEY MAY LOOSEN A LITTLE, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE HIGH.
YEAH. AND I AGREE WITH BLASE ABOUT WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN THE END WHERE LIKE WE JUST DID OUT ON OUT OFF ELMDALE ROAD WHERE MANDATED THE REMOVAL OF ALL THE MOBILE HOMES. YOU KNOW, ALL THE RVS, WHENEVER YOU WHENEVER THEY CLOSE UP SHOP, THEY GOT TO TAKE ALL THAT STUFF OUT OF THERE AND LEAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE BEHIND. YOU KNOW AND THAT'S A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO OKAY.
WE NEED IT NOW. THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO FILL THE GAP IN THE SHORT TERM.
BUT IT STILL TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION. YEAH I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT.
AND THINKING WHEN IT'S WHEN IT PLATEAUS AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW EVEN DECLINES A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT DO WE WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE THEN. SO LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND.
NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO KEEP THAT IN MIND MORE THAN THE SEVEN OF YOU.
STUDENT HOUSING AS WELL. I KNOW THE UNIVERSITIES ARE STRUGGLING.
AND SO THAT HAS A KNOCK ON EFFECT FOR AQ MCMURRAY, HSU GOING OUR STUDENTS DON'T WANT TO COME HERE ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES FOR FOR RENTALS. AND SO THE UNIVERSITIES ARE KIND OF PAYING THE PRICE TOO.
RIGHT. AND SO JUST TO GO BACK TO WHAT LYNN SAID AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON, YOU KNOW.
YEAH, THE CITY DOESN'T BUILD HOUSES, BUT HOUSING IS LIKELY TO BE ONE OF YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OF HOW YOU FACILITATE THE HOUSING NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE CITY. SO ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO ON.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WATER. WHAT DO YOU WHAT WHAT'S WORKING WELL THERE WHAT'S NOT WORKING WELL THERE.
SO THERE'S THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING.
ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN PURSUING SINCE BEFORE I GOT ON THE COUNCIL, WHICH WAS IN THE, YOU KNOW, 2009. AND IT WAS. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET A NEW RESERVOIR, AND WE
[01:30:08]
RAN INTO SOME SNAGS AND RESETS, BASICALLY UNDER COVID BECAUSE THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND WE NEED TO GET BACK ON THAT BECAUSE LONG TERM, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLY, NOT JUST GOOD WATER TREATMENT.RIGHT. SO THOSE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THAT WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON IS PUSHING FORWARD WITH THE SUPPLY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL COME BACK TO THESE, BUT I'VE PROBABLY GOT TO MOVE US ON UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ON WATER.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW, TO SHANE'S POINT, 100% AGREE.
BUT I ALSO THINK YOU HAVE TO PARSE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER STRUCTURES.
I THINK, LYNN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF REPLACEMENT BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE FORWARD THINKING, AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO KIND OF TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS NOW INSTEAD OF ALWAYS RESPONDING AND REACTING TO BREAKAGES? YEAH, YEAH. WE CAN SET OURSELVES UP FOR THE SAME SITUATION WE GOT INTO WITH OUR STREETS.
YEAH, RIGHT. WHERE NOW? NOW OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALREADY AGING AND ON THE WATER SIDE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE AT CRISIS LEVEL OR ANYTHING, BUT IF WE DON'T START GRADUALLY REPLACING THE OLDER THINGS, WE'RE GOING TO GET BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL JUST LIKE WE DID WITH STREETS. RIGHT? FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS AGO.
NOT REACTIVE. REACTIVE ONLY. ALL RIGHT. SPEAKING OF STREETS, LET'S MOVE TO THAT.
I'M GOING TO TIE THIS ONE DOWN INTO NUMBER 11 HERE.
BUT WHAT'S WORKING WITH STREETS AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING WITH STREETS.
WELL, WE IMPLEMENTED IN 2017, 2018 A STREET MAINTENANCE FEE ON THE UTILITY SERVICES BILL.
THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT THAT STREET MAINTENANCE FEE IS A SET FEE.
AND IN THE 5 OR 6 YEARS IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED, INFLATION HAS TAKEN ABOUT 40% OF THAT.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO KNOW THAT THAT INFLATION IS EATING UP A LOT OF THAT.
YEAH. SO YOU NEED TO CONTINUE. YOU MIGHT NEED TO FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT TOO.
RIGHT, RIGHT. I'M NOT TOUCHING IT. BUT I'LL SAY THAT I THINK ONE ISSUE WE HAD WITH IT YEARS PAST IS PEOPLE WOULD BE LIKE, WELL, MY STREET NEVER GETS REPAVED. SOMEONE ELSE'S STREETS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, FIRST IN LINE.
AND I THINK THE STREET ADVISORY STREET ADVISORY MAINTENANCE BOARD, I THINK IT'S THE STREET MAINTENANCE ADVISOR ADVISORY BOARD HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT AND THAT THAT CITIZEN INPUT. HEY, MY STREET AND THERE'S, THERE'S INPUT FROM RESIDENTS AND THEIR STREET EVENTUALLY GETS ON.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S BEEN A GOOD KIND OF FUNNELING OF, OF PROJECTS.
AND HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY YOUR STREET WILL BE ON.
SO I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD ADDITION THAT MADE SEVEN YEARS AGO, MAYBE.
OKAY. THAT STUDY ON THE STREETS THAT WE DID PRODUCED A PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX.
RIGHT. AND BACK THEN WHEN AND I THINK THE NUMBER WAS 360, 30, 330 MILLION OF TOTAL NEED.
IF WE WERE TO REPLACE ALL THE STREETS ALL AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS A TERRIBLE IDEA. BUT THE RATE OF DECLINATION OF THE ROADS WAS OUTPACING OUR ABILITY TO REHAB OR REPLACE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, STAFF CAN CORRECT ME, BUT I THINK WE PRETTY MUCH FLATTENED THAT RIGHT.
WE'VE STOPPED THE CURVE FROM CONTINUING TO DECLINE.
IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHEN WE GET TO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE SURPLUS? MONEY IS PUSHING THAT CURVE UP WHERE WE'RE REPLACING FASTER THAN THE DECLINATION IS OCCURRING BECAUSE, YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ABOUT A 7 TO 10 YEAR WINDOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SURPLUS, RIGHT. IF WE BUDGET PROPERLY AND A LOT OF IT NEEDS TO GO TO THAT IN MY OPINION.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS VERY REGULATORY STUFF.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS ONE FOR A MINUTE. WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS AND WHAT'S WORKING.
WHAT'S NOT WORKING. AND WHERE'S BRIAN WHEN YOU NEED HIM.
I KNOW. YEAH. WE I MEAN, WE DO HAVE A, WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT'S ACTIVELY WORKING ON SOLUTIONS AND OPTIONS FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED. THERE'S NO NOT FUNDING THAT, YOU KNOW.
[01:35:01]
OKAY. GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. AND AT THE SAME TIME, ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK WHERE WE DON'T GET IN THAT POSITION AGAIN.YEAH. YEAH. SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND CORRECT THE THE THE SITUATION FOR THE FUTURE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING THAT. THAT'S WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT ONE? WHAT'S WHAT'S WORKING? WHAT WHAT DO YOU NOT WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS NOT WORKING? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO DIFFERENT? WELL, I'LL JUMP INTO THE SECOND PART, WHICH MICHAEL BROUGHT UP.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I MENTIONED TO YOU, IS THAT WE HAVE A HARD TIME FILLING POSITIONS LIKE CDL POSITIONS PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH BUILDING TRADES FOR DOING INSPECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S LUCRATIVE TO BE OUT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WE CAN'T COMPETE THERE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE SOLID WASTE DRIVERS.
WE NEED BUS DRIVERS. WE NEED PEOPLE DOING INSPECTIONS FOR THESE HOUSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE BUILT.
YEAH. I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE KIND OF REPUTATION YOU WANT AS A CITY THAT TAKES PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE JIMMY JOHNSON SAYS IN FOOTBALL, IT'S NOT THE X'S AND O'S, IT'S THE JIMMY AND JOE'S THAT GET IT DONE.
AND SO YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, AS YOU PLAN, THINK THROUGH.
HOW DO WE PROVIDE SUCCESSION PLANNING SO THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
AND HOW ARE WE KEEPING THE QUALITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES? ARE WE RETAINING QUALITY EMPLOYEES? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I CAN JUST TELL YOU FROM MY WORK WITH OTHER CITIES.
JUST WHAT YOU SAID AS AS AS THE JOB MARKET IS GROWING AND IT'S ATTRACTIVE, YOU HAVE TO COMPETE WITH IT AT LEVELS YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PAY AS MUCH IN EVERY WAY, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE COMPETITIVE, OR ELSE YOU JUST WON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE. AND THEN YOUR YOUR CITY DECLINES.
AND SO THAT'S THAT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR SURE. OKAY.
WE'VE KIND OF BEEN TALKING ABOUT VISION COMMUNICATION.
WE'VE GOT TIME FOR JUST ONE MORE HERE. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE THE FUNDING CHALLENGES.
AND MAYBE AS THAT RELATES TO MANDATES, WHAT'S WORKING WELL, WHAT'S NOT WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT AS YOU LOOK ON THE HORIZON FOR, FOR THIS AREA, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE THE ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY TAX WITHOUT A REVENUE REPLACEMENT STRATEGY.
THAT'S SCARY. I DON'T LIKE PROPERTY TAX ANYMORE.
ANYBODY ELSE DOES. BUT I HEAR A LOT ABOUT GETTING RID OF THAT OR REDUCING IT.
BUT I DON'T HEAR OKAY, HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THAT REVENUE.
YEAH. YEAH. IT'S THAT'S THAT'S PROBLEM. AND WE HEAR ABOUT THAT EVERY ELECTION CYCLE.
BUT WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE TO FUND ALL THESE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AS A CITY IN PROPERTY TAXES.
YEAH. YEAH. WE DON'T WANT A 22% SALES TAX RATE.
RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. WHEN YOU WHEN YOU GO BUY CLOTHES AND YOU PAY 22%, YOU KNOW, NEARLY A QUARTER OR MORE FOR SALES TAX, THAT'S GOING TO GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. AND AT LEAST ONE STUDY I READ SAID THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO REPLACE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, WHICH CREATES AN UNSTABLE REVENUE STREAM FOR THE CITY.
BECAUSE AS THE ECONOMY EBBS AND FLOWS, SALES TAX EBBS AND FLOWS, AND SO YOU'RE TRYING TO BUDGET OFF OF A MOVING REVENUE STREAM ALL THE TIME THAT GROWS AND DECLINES MONTH OVER MONTH SOMETIMES, RIGHT. IT'S JUST NOT A STABLE WAY TO BUDGET.
BUT IF SOMEONE COMES UP WITH AN IDEA, I'M ALL EARS. THAT'S GREAT. I'D LOVE NOT TO PAY FOR IT. I KNOW A LOT OF THESE ITEMS. THESE ARE BIG TICKET ITEMS, AND WE HAVE TO STRATEGICALLY PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND THESE THINGS.
YEAH. IT'S IT'S NOT A. OH, WELL, THIS IS A STREETS AREN'T A ONE YEAR THING.
WATER IS NOT A ONE YEAR THING. THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONTINUOUS.
AND HOW DO WE PLAN AND STRATEGICALLY PUT FUTURE COUNCIL, NOT ONLY JUST US, BUT IN A GOOD POSITION TO DEAL WITH THESE CHALLENGES? AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY MOVES FORWARD. YEAH. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE COMPLETELY GOVERNED BY THE URGENT.
YOU HAVE TO THINK ALSO ABOUT WHAT'S THE IMPORTANT.
AND YOU'VE GOT TO THINK LONG TERM, EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE PRESS YOU TO THINK IMMEDIATE AND YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO RESIST THAT. AS LEADERS SO FOR, FOR GOOD.
[01:40:02]
OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? EMILY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD ON THIS ONE? WELL, CERTAINLY. AND I REALIZE IT'S A VERY VOLATILE SUBJECT IN REGARDS TO TAXES AND FEES, BUT NOTHING.WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO SOLVE THESE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS WITHOUT REVENUES AND THE ABILITY TO SATISFY THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO. SO MY CONCERN IS JUST THE UNAFFORDABILITY.
FOR US TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THE WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE IS EXCELLENT, EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES, HIGHLY TRAINED, HIGHLY SKILLED, GREAT ROADS. ALL OF THAT COMES BACK TO A REVENUE STREAM.
AND SO AS CITY MANAGER, THAT IS WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT IS HOW CAN WE AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES THAT THE PUBLIC WANTS AND THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE AND IT AND IT BE AFFORDABLE TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL? IT'S PRICES ARE GOING UP FOR EVERYONE. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I'VE KIND OF WATCHED A SHIFT WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING THIS IN 2011.
ALMOST EVERY COUNCIL YOU WORKED WITH SAID, WE WANT, YOU KNOW, THE LOWEST POSSIBLE EFFECTIVE TAX, WHATEVER LEGALLY THE THE LOWEST EFFECTIVE TAX RATE IS.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED. AND A LOT OF PLACES DID THAT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT EVENTUALLY THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST SCENARIO BECAUSE IT IT KEPT CITIES FROM BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I'VE WATCHED OVER THE YEARS NOW I'M HEARING MORE COUNCILS TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN LOWER THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, BUT NOT MAYBE LOWERING IT TO THE TOTAL THAT THEY COULD.
RIGHT. BECAUSE JUST WHAT YOU SAID, HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICES, GREAT STREETS, ETC., ETC., IF YOU DON'T HAVE FUNDING? SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THAT'S YOUR ISSUE, NOT MINE.
BUT THAT DIDN'T REALLY SUSTAIN ITSELF ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
AND THAT'S NOT REALLY WHERE I THINK THE, THE LEADING EDGE CITIES ARE THINKING, YOU CERTAINLY WANT TO LOWER IT IF YOU CAN, BUT MAYBE. MAYBE NOT THE ENTIRE RATE. ALL RIGHT, LET'S STAY IN THE SAY YES.
OH, YES. OKAY. YES. THANKS, SHANE. I THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, CITY HALL, THE MAINTENANCE BUILDINGS, ALL THOSE THINGS, MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T LET THEM FALL INTO A HOLE OF NOW WE'VE GOT TO PUT A BUNCH OF MONEY UNPLANNED INTO REPLACING OR MAJOR REPAIRS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF MINOR NEEDS THAT ARE JUST MAINTENANCE LEVEL TODAY. YEAH. MY OLD MAN CAP BACK WHEN I FIRST GOT ON WAS DURING THE 2008 2009 CRISIS AND WHEN WE WHEN AT THAT TIME WE HAD AN ACTIVE FIVE YEAR CIP AND MOST OFTEN IT WAS FUNDING FIRE APPARATUS AND WHEN SALES TAX JUMPED BACK UP RIGHT AFTER THE THE ECONOMIC CRISIS.
THEN WE ESTABLISHED A FIRE APPARATUS REPLACEMENT FUND, WHICH REMOVED IT FROM THE CIP.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO THEN FOCUS THE CIP ON WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE ON.
AND SO BUT BUT OVER TIME, COUNCIL WOULD OVERRIDE PLANNING AND THE ZONING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE LIKE, WHY ARE WE EVEN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS? BECAUSE YOU'RE REJECTING EVERYTHING WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND DOING YOUR OWN THING. AND THERE WAS A WHOLE POLITICAL DYNAMIC THAT CAME INTO PLAY. AND AND IT KIND OF JUST FELL BY THE WAYSIDE.
WE HAVEN'T DONE IT IN 4 OR 5 YEARS AT LEAST. PROBABLY LONGER THAN THAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOT LET US GET IN A HOLE WITH REGARD TO OUR BUILDINGS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND REEVALUATE BRINGING BACK THE CIP. AND IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE CHARTER.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IT. IT'S JUST WE'VE NOT BEEN DOING THAT.
YEAH. THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT POINT. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE URGENT BUT IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT LONG TERM. YEAH FOR SURE IT WILL BE URGENT.
YEAH. IF YOU DON'T ADDRESS IT IT BECOMES URGENT DOESN'T IT.
OKAY I WANT TO ASK YOU TO STAY IN YOUR SAME GROUP, AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO WORK NOW ON SWOT ANALYSIS, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE GOING TO START WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY GET MOVING TO LUNCH HERE PRETTY QUICK. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT SHOULD OUR PRIORITIES BE.
BUT I WANT JUST FIRST TO SPEND SOME TIME ON STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS.
[01:45:09]
AND YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF YOU KIND OF GOT THIS ONE TIME EXCESS SALES TAX FUND.YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON.
SO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT SAME THING.
STAFF WE'LL HEAR BACK FROM YOU IN A FEW MINUTES AND GO FROM THERE.
YES. IT'S GOOD TO HEAR. THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM.
LIKE. 2030 40S. NOW, ABOUT A MINUTE. HE'S AT THE FOREFRONT OF HIS MIND, LIKE REMOVE THAT.
WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. YEAH, THERE'S PROBABLY BOTH.
A HAND YOURSELF DOWN. WE'RE NOT GETTING DISTRACTED TO BE CAREFUL.
YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. AND CREATE THIS CAVITY AND CRATER.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS THIS CAVITY GROWING ORGANICALLY.
SO THAT IS A STRENGTH THAT COMES RIGHT. BACK INTO THESE OTHER ONES.
BUT I STILL LIKE THAT FRAMING. RIGHT. RIGHT. LIKE I SAID LEADING OFFICIALS WERE NOT TRYING TO RAISE GROWTH AND EVEN ELEVATED WITH HELP TO HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE TO SURVIVE JUST TO SURVIVE.
IT'S NOT EVEN A MEASURE OF, OF, OF TRYING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY'RE TRYING TO COUNTER SB TWO. THAT NEEDS TO BE THE NARRATIVE THAT WE'RE DRILLING INTO OUR SOULS, INTO OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL ABOUT. THIS IS WHAT THIS IS THE STATE CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT AND MAKE THESE CHANGES THAT INFLICT THIS ON US. BUT WE RETAIN CONTROL. WE RETAIN CONTROL WELL, AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITIES. BECAUSE THE DEFAULT IS I MEAN, WE CAN WE CAN ALL GO TO TO PLAY THIS.
ONE THING I SHOULD CLARIFY, YOU CAN THINK BOTH COMMUNITY LIKE THE POPULACE AS WELL AS THE ORGANIZATION ON THIS AND STAFF SAYING FOR YOU STAFF, YOU MAY THINK MORE ABOUT ORGANIZATION. THAT'S OKAY.
BUT THIS IS REALLY A BOTH END. ALL RIGHT. KEEP GOING.
YEAH. SO INTERESTINGLY I WAS STICKING WITH THIS.
I THINK THE STRENGTH IS IT MIGHT SOUND COUNTERINTUITIVE.
AND I THINK OUR TAX RATE IS DESCRIBING CHALLENGES WOULD BE A BIG BECAUSE WE ALREADY ALL OF THESE THINGS WE CAN DETERMINE HOW TO BEST CALIBRATE THAT WHERE YOU KEEP IT IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND. YOU WANT TO BE THE ONE TO SAY THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, I WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN DO THE ANALOGY THAT WENT FROM $0.80 TO $0.50, BECAUSE THE SAMSUNG 30 CENT DIFFERENCE IS JUST THE SALES TAX PIECE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO TUNE TO.
I KNOW THIS IS FIVE, TEN YEARS, BUT IF YOU'RE COMING BACK, WHICH WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO.
WHAT THAT COULD BE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. YEAH, I THINK SO.
I JUST WE GET TO DICTATE, WRITE AND STRUCTURE WHAT IS A MORE ORGANIC NEW INDUSTRY AND NEW TYPES OF JOBS, PROFESSIONAL JOBS THAT THAT PRINCIPLE OF WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO PAY FOR? WHAT COST QUESTION WHAT GOOD, WHAT GROUP, WHAT COST? WE CAN STILL DEFINE WHAT COST A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE AT LEAST WE'RE NOT LIVE HERE AND ENJOY OUR COMMUNITY.
WE GOT TO HAVE A JOB, RIGHT? RIGHT, RIGHT. YEAH.
SO WE STILL HAVE TIME. IT'S NOT A JOB. I THINK THAT IT'S A BALANCE.
THAT'S TRUE. THERE'S NO WAY THAT OUR TAX RATE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND THE ABILITY TO ONCE AGAIN MANAGE THE PAY PLAN, AND ALSO TO MANAGE ALL THESE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE TWO ARE NOT ON PARALLEL LINES. THE COST INCREASES ARE ON A MUCH HIGHER INCLINE.
[01:50:01]
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO DO BY OUR TAX RATES.I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH TODAY WE MAY BE OKAY, I HAVE A HARD TIME SAYING WE DID SAY STRING, BUT I THINK THEY GET SOME MONEY TODAY. BUT I KNOW IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE STRENGTHENING BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE LCD SCREENS AND THE COST. THE COST OF INFLATION. SO IT DOESN'T.
THERE'S NO AVENUE FOR A DUPLEX MULTIFAMILY, ANY OF THAT.
THIS IS ALL RENTAL RETAIL PRIMARILY. AND SO THAT THAT TO ME IS A IS A HOME IS GROWTH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT DOES PROVIDE ADDITIONAL.
RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. THIS WAY WE CAN HAVE A 5% TAX RATE.
OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A HOME OWNERSHIP OF 60% TAX RATE IN THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO CAPTURE ANY OF THE VALUE COMES FROM THIS UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH, I THINK WILL MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT. I DON'T DISAGREE, BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE SUCH A HUGE INFLUX OF TAX.
AND BECAUSE OF THE CAP. WELL, SOME SOME LIKE A DEEP HOLE.
THAT'S RIGHT. WHAT ARE WHAT ARE OUR STRENGTHS OUTSIDE OF HAVING OPPORTUNITY THROUGH OUR TAX RATE. GET AWAY FROM BY THE INCENTIVE. I MEAN PEOPLE ARE I MEAN THE CITY IS ITSELF.
I THINK THAT I THINK THAT WHERE THE STRENGTH IS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, IN ALL HONESTY, BECAUSE OF THEIR ABILITY TO NUMBER ONE, THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT A CLUSTER. THEY BASICALLY ARE A GROUP OF ONE.
IT'S A GOOD THING, BUT IT'S ALSO KIND OF A. YOU DON'T SEE IT IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
YOU JUST DON'T. THE FACT THAT THEY DO WORK TOGETHER, THAT THEY DO RESPECT EACH OTHER AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE DIVERSE OPINIONS, IS A HUGE STRENGTH WITH A COUNCIL THAT'S DYSFUNCTIONAL, ISN'T IT? YEAH, YEAH. YES. YEAH, I YEAH, I WOULD SAY I THINK OUR STAFF IS A STRENGTH.
A LOT OF LONGEVITY IN THE, IN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR THEM TO BE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
SO YOU MENTIONED IT YOURSELF AFTER YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS HERE, THAT YOU WERE SURPRISED THAT THEY SAW IT AS A LOT OF THAT IS ONCE AGAIN, BASED ON PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP AND ONCE AGAIN, MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE NEEDED TO, WHETHER IT'S BRINGING IN GOOD BLOOD OR WHETHER IT'S ASKING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ASSISTING IN ISOLATION.
AND I THINK WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE'VE GOT A GOOD FOUNDATION ON THIS.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO FOLLOWING DIRECTION. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO CHANGE.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT DIRECTION TO GO. I THINK THAT THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THEIR OWN TRAJECTORY, IT DOESN'T LINE UP AND THEY JUST ARE ALL THE TIME IN CONFLICT.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PREVENT YOU FROM DOING THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO.
I'M WONDERING IF THEY NIXED THAT. THEY HAD THOSE ON THE FRONT TABLE SUCCUMB TO THE CYNICISM. LET ME GO PICK THEM UP.
AND THAT'S WHY I COUNCIL. THIS IS JUST A GUIDELINE.
THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THAT'S BLED INTO THE COUNCIL WE STILL HAVE.
SO MANY YEARS SINCE THAT IMPACT. IT'S NOT PERFECT.
SO YOU HAVE IN MIND THE VALUES THAT ARE ORGANIC, RIGHT? YEAH, DESPERATELY. THAT'S A TREMENDOUS STRENGTH.
YEAH. I THINK THEY'RE ONE AND THE SAME. COUNCIL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? YEAH. THE OTHER THING THAT SURPRISED ME, I KNOW WHO I MUST GET OUT THE DOOR, BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY PUNTED ON EVERYBODY THAT I'M GOING TO PUNT ON.
AND THEY KNOW. THEY ALREADY KNOW THEY ALREADY GOT THEIR PHONE CALL. BY THEN, I'M JUST KIND OF.
[01:55:02]
IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. YOU GET THEM DONE. IN A WHILE.I MEAN, AS SOON AS SHE GETS IT. OH, SHE HAS TO GO IN THERE.
YEAH. YEAH. HE GOES IN MONDAY. YEAH, IT IS FOR THE BUSINESS.
ALRIGHT. ARE WE ABOUT READY, KELSEY? WHAT'S READY? YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S MORE TIME. GIVE ME A COUPLE MORE MINUTES.
NOT AS A BIG DEAL AS YOU THINK. THANK YOU. THERE AIN'T NO EXTENSION FOR THAT ONE.
YOU BETTER GET READY. OH, OKAY. OKAY. SORRY. IT'S NOT A CONTEST.
ON HOW MANY. YOU INVITED ME HERE SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT BOTH WAYS.
YEAH, YEAH. THE COST OF HOUSING IS DIFFERENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ONCE AGAIN TO IDENTIFY.
THOSE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS NEEDS. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET USED TO OVER THE YEARS, THERE COULD BE SOME NEW CREATIVE SOLUTIONS WE HAVEN'T BEEN PRESSED TO FIND BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM.
YES. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW THE INNOVATION PIECE, I DON'T THINK INNOVATION AS ACTUALLY MORE INNOVATIVE.
THIS HAS BEEN SO. I DO THINK THAT OUR OUR ABILITY TO PIVOT.
SB TWO IS GREAT, BUT I THINK IT JUST REQUIRES.
CAPABILITY TO. SEE THIS AS A DEFAULT. I'M A PATRIOTS FAN, WHEREAS THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO TO MITIGATE IT.
WE'RE A COMPLETE TEAM. I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF EITHER.
IT'S JUST THAT. YOU HAVE TO SPEND LONGER FOR THE SEAHAWKS.
I GUESS IT'S JUST DO THEY HAVE A OKAY, LET ME CALL US TOGETHER AND WE'LL WE'LL KIND OF GET THESE UP HERE. LET'S LET'S TAKE LET'S TAKE STRENGTHS GO ALL THE WAY AROUND, AND THEN WEAKNESSES GO ALL THE WAY AROUND, ETC.
SO WE'LL START OVER HERE WITH THE MAYOR'S GROUP. WHAT? WHAT'S A COUPLE? GIVE ME, GIVE ME TWO STRENGTHS THAT YOU CAME UP WITH.
ONE IS GROWTH. WHETHER IT'S NATURAL OR OR WORK WISE.
IT'S JUST WE HAVE GROWTH. YEAH. THAT'S GOOD. OKAY.
WHAT'S ANOTHER ONE I PUT DOWN FROM THE INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE WITH REGARD TO HEALTHY DISCUSSIONS, HEALTHY DISAGREEMENTS. BUT THEN A AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE WORKING AS A TEAM TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT IN THE MAJORITY ON A DECISION THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU CAN YOU WANT TO HAVE ROBUST DIALOG. YOU CAN DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE, RIGHT? AND IT'S CRUCIAL. COUNCIL LOVE. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GET A COUPLE OF STRENGTHS FROM THIS GROUP.
WHAT WHAT ARE SOME OTHER STRENGTHS YOU ADDED? WE PUT PRETTY SIMILAR TO THE SECOND ONE THERE, BUT JUST OUR LOCAL ECONOMY IN GENERAL RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF MOMENTUM COMING INTO ABILENE.
YEAH, YEAH, YOU HAVE MOMENTUM, THAT'S FOR SURE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A PRETTY STRONG AND STABLE STAFF.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S. YEAH, WE MAY HAVE RETIRED, YOU KNOW, RETIREMENTS AND WHATNOT, BUT IN GENERAL, OUR STAFF IS VERY STRUCTURED DEPARTMENT WISE, AND IT'S A VERY STABLE FROM AT LEAST MY PERSPECTIVE, A VERY STABLE AND STRONG STAFF. OKAY. THAT'S A THAT'S A STRENGTH.
YEAH. VERY GOOD FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S A COUPLE OF STRENGTHS FROM FROM THIS GROUP HERE.
WELL WE WERE GOING TO SAY THE COUNCIL BUT THAT ONE'S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN. WE WERE GOING TO SAY THE STAFF, BUT THAT ONE'S BEEN TAKEN. WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE TABLE THE THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
[02:00:06]
BUT WITH ACTION AND WITH MONEY AS WELL. THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM, FROM LOCAL PHILANTHROPY. IT'S DEFINITELY A COMMUNITY FOR SURE.ALRIGHT, LET'S GET AROUND THE TABLES HERE. GIVE ME A GIVE ME A STRENGTH FROM THAT TABLE.
DON'T SAY LEADERSHIP. Y'ALL ARE ALL WAITING FOR. LEADERSHIP.
OKAY. ORGANIZATION. ALRIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? DIVERSE ECONOMY TEAM.
SO I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE ECONOMY. THERE'S DIVERSE THOUGH. ALRIGHT. THIS TABLE. WELL GIVE ME, GIVE ME A STRENGTH THAT'S NOT UP THERE ALREADY. IT'S NOT UP THERE ALREADY.
THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT WE REALLY KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT WE HAVE A GOOD COMMUNITY SUPPORT OF LIKE THE THE MILITARY BASE, OUR POLICE AND OUR FIRE. WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR THOSE AGENCIES OR THOSE TYPES OF AGENCIES, BUT OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY COOL. OKAY.
VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT THIS TABLE RIGHT HERE? WHAT'S A STRENGTH THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED IS OUR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.
YES, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT TOO. LOCATION IS EXCELLENT.
ALL RIGHT. LAST TABLE. OURS ARE PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH.
PRETTY MUCH CAME UP WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID. THAT'S GOOD ALIGNMENT.
THAT'S GOOD. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO BACK HERE. LET'S TALK ABOUT WEAKNESSES.
WHAT'S A COUPLE OF WEAKNESSES THAT YOU HAVE COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR STAFF.
YEAH. THAT'S ONE. ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S ANOTHER ONE OUT OF THAT GROUP? AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. YEAH. YEP. OKAY.
THIS GROUP WHAT. THE INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE. BUT WE ALSO PUT THE WHAT SHANE MENTIONED EARLIER CIP PLAN LIKE LONG TERM THINKING AND LACK OF CIP. THANK YOU. YEAH I PUT NEED CIP PLAN. YEAH OKAY.
EMILY Y'ALL'S GROUP, ARE WE ABLE TO BE AS AGILE AS WE NEED TO BE OKAY.
CONSIDERING THE TIMES AND BUREAUCRACY GENERALLY MOVES SLOWLY.
YEAH, THAT'S THE TENSION. IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT LIN'S TALKING ABOUT. THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT.
KEEP IT LIGHT. BUT IT'S GOT TO BE SAFE. YOU GOT TO BE AGILE, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE MISTAKES.
SO THERE'S TENSION THERE. AND I WOULD SAY THE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU SEE BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF ARE YOUR BEST ASSET FOR ADDRESSING THAT. RIGHT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS, EVERYTHING'S HARDER, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU HAVE GOOD HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, WHEN YOU GOT A PROBLEM, YOU CAN SAY, WELL, LET'S TALK IT OUT. YOU KNOW, IS IT A LITTLE MORE THIS WAY OR A LITTLE MORE THAT WAY? AND NOT EVERYTHING BECOMES A, YOU KNOW, A REFERENDUM ON LOYALTY, SO TO SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? WEAKNESS FROM THIS GROUP? NOT THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID. OKAY, HOW ABOUT IN THE CORNER POCKET? THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. OKAY, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE CIP PLAN, RIGHT? YEAH. IF WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THAT, LET'S CHECK IT THERE.
AND THEN ALSO TO WHAT HAS ALREADY MOVED UP TO HIRING AND RETAINING YOUNGER STAFF.
OKAY. RETAINING STAFF. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT HERE? SO WE HAVE WE HAD SOME ROBUST DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE.
WHAT WHAT WE KIND OF WHAT I SUMMARIZED IT AS WAS HAVING A NOT HAVING A PROPERLY INFORMED POPULACE WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF SOMETIMES THERE'S THINGS THAT WE, AS STAFF KNOW WILL BE OR COULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT INFORMING THE COMMUNITY OF WHY IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE A HARD TIME COMMUNICATING THAT THE POPULACE MAY NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY WE WE THINK THAT THIS STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE BUILT OR THIS, THIS THING NEEDS TO GO AWAY SO THAT WE CAN BUILD A NEW THING FOR YOU AND THE ADVANTAGES OF THAT NEW THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[02:05:05]
SOMETIMES WE AS A COMMUNITY DON'T SEE THAT UNTIL IT'S BUILT.YEAH. WELL, SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT THAT DOESN'T WORK IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
REALLY? WE LIVE UNDER A ROCK. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION UNTIL SOMETHING GETS OUR ATTENTION AND WE'RE LIKE, WHAT? YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE I'LL HAVE FOR SURE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THIS GROUP. WHAT'S A WHAT'S A WEAKNESS? INFRASTRUCTURE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LAST GROUP. I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID IS MAYBE JUST RESISTANCE TO CHANGE. THERE'S LOTS OF NOT IN MY BACKYARD MENTALITY.
WE ALL WANT THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE TO US.
YEAH. YEAH. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR COUNCIL AND LEVELS OF STAFF OF, YOU KNOW BEING ABLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD SOME THINGS TRANSPARENCY, STRONG ETHICS, GREAT INTEGRITY, WHICH SOMETIMES MEANS SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE AND SAYING, YES, IT'S GOING TO GO HERE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS GOOD FOR YOU AS WE CAN AND BE AS ACCOMMODATING AS WE CAN.
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIE, YOU KNOW, AND WE WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
WHAT GOOD ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR WHAT GROUP, AT WHAT PRICE, WHAT COST? YOU KNOW WE HAVE A GUY THAT WORKS FOR US. WILL HAMPTON USED TO BE ON STAFF AT ROUND ROCK.
HE WAS THEIR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. AND JUST HAVE INCREDIBLE RESPECT FOR WILL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ROUND ROCK WENT THROUGH ALL THAT GROWTH, AND THEY HAD A VERY GOOD SYSTEM THAT ENGAGED THE PUBLIC, INFORMED THE PUBLIC, LET THEM PARTICIPATE. SOMETIMES MADE CHANGES ACCORDING TO WHAT PUBLIC WAS SAYING TO ACCOMMODATE, BUT STILL MOVE THINGS FORWARD. AND THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD THEY'RE STILL DOING THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW BROOKS THERE, BUT GREAT, GREAT CITY AND WILL'S WITH US.
HE'S A SUPER TO THIS. OKAY, LET'S GO TO THIS GROUP FIRST.
NO OFFENSE. OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT ARE THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES OVER HERE? I THINK TWO CAME TO MIND FOR ME. ONE LAKE, FORT PHANTOM.
AND THEN TWO LEVERAGING AI, USING IT TOWARDS COST COMPARISONS AND TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE JUST BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, I'M NOT TOO GOOD WITH AI, YOU KNOW, CHATGPT AND WHATNOT, BUT I HAD A BUDDY.
I WAS TALKING TO A BUDDY AND HE IS VERY GOOD. AND HE RAN AND RAN AND RAN.
THE NUMBERS COMPARED SAN ANGELO, MIDLAND, ODESSA AND ABILENE.
BUT IN GENERAL, WE'RE ACTUALLY BETTER WE'RE PAYING LESS PER MILE TO PAY THAN SAN ANGELO OR MIDLAND.
AND ALSO A LITTLE THING THAT HE KEPT SAYING WAS ABILENE IS MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT ON ITS STREET COSTS THAN THAN THOSE OTHER CITIES ARE, WHICH WAS NICE. NICE TO HEAR THAT WE'RE OUT OF THOSE THREE.
WE'RE MORE TRANSPARENT. AND SO I WAS ABLE TO REALLY CRUNCH THE NUMBERS. BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I THOUGHT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS HEAR LEVERAGING AI FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE. I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THIS PIPE, YOU KNOW, FOR TEN MILES OR HOW MUCH THESE VEHICLES SHOULD COST OR THIS STRUCTURE SHOULD COST OR WHATEVER.
HOW MUCH IS DALLAS PAYING? HOW MUCH IS SAN ANGELO PAYING FOR THAT? AND THEN WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT WITH THE WITH THE BIDDERS OF GOING, HEY, THEY'RE PAYING 20% LESS. WHY ARE YOU CHARGING US? YOU KNOW, 20% MORE? I MEAN, THE USE OF AI IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF THE FUTURE.
AND WE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ONLY IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER.
IT MAKES MISTAKES, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER.
SO AT SOME POINT WE'RE PROBABLY EVEN GETTING THERE.
IF WE DON'T USE IT WE'RE BEHIND. YOU KNOW WE'RE PAYING MORE FOR OUR PRODUCTS.
YEAH, YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO ADD. OKAY. AND THEY MAY BE ABOUT TO SAY IT, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR TOWN AND FOR THE NEXT DECADE IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO OCCUR FOR ANOTHER 2 OR 3 GENERATIONS.
AND SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO STEWARD THAT WELL TO MAKE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY IF WE HANDLE IT RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO COME AROUND AGAIN FOR A WHILE. THIS THIS WAY.
RIGHT AT THIS SPEED, AM I? I MEAN, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE A PESSIMIST, BUT IT'S JUST NOT VERY LIKELY THAT WE EXPERIENCE THIS KIND OF GROWTH THIS FAST OR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S A IT'S A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY.
[02:10:03]
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO ASK THIS QUESTION THINKING ABOUT ALL THE DATA.YOU TAKE THE DATA CENTER. I KNOW THERE'S MORE, BUT WHAT DOES THIS MAKE POSSIBLE FOR ABILENE? THAT'S THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE POSSIBLE ON THE TAIL END OF THIS AND, OR EVEN AS IT GOES, THAT WERE NOT POSSIBLE BEFORE. AND SO THAT THAT IS YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT'S A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO OVER HERE. WHAT DO YOU GOT FOR US, MIGUEL? YEAH, I KNOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THREE UNIVERSITIES.
CISCO'S GROWING. THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION WITHIN THIS TOWN.
EVERYBODY, THERE'S A BIG PRESSURE FOR YOU TO GO TO DALLAS AND GO TO THESE BIGGER CITIES.
DCOA IS BRINGING IN ALL THESE NEW JOBS. WE'RE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY.
OUR QUALITY OF LIFE JUST KEEPS GOING UP AND UP AND UP, AND I THINK WE HAVE A BIG OPPORTUNITY TO CAPITALIZE ON RETAINING A LOT MORE PEOPLE IN ABILENE AFTER THEY GET THEIR EDUCATION. YEAH, FOR YOUNG ADULTS, I'M SAYING A LOT OF THE JOB MARKET FOR YOUNG ADULTS IS REALLY ON THE RISE. AND THAT SPEAKS, YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY FOR SURE.
ALRIGHT. LET'S GO TO THIS GROUP. WHAT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DID Y'ALL TALK ABOUT? I GOT IT. I THINK THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBER BEERS POINT.
WE TALKED ABOUT KIND OF THE INTERESTING JUXTAPOSITION BETWEEN THE MANDATES OF SB TWO AND THIS UNPRECEDENTED EVENT THAT WE'RE HAVING ON THE GROWTH SIDE, BUT WE CAN'T FULLY CAPTURE THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE NOW WE'RE HANDICAPPED BY SB TWO.
SO IT KIND OF TIES INTO DIFFERENT THREADS EDUCATING THE POPULACE, RUNNING THE NUMBERS, TELLING THE STORY ABOUT, YEAH, THERE IS THIS LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE MECHANICALLY CHALLENGING TO CAPTURE THE VALUE, BUT STILL DOING THE HOMEWORK OF AT LEAST GOING THROUGH THE THOUGHT EXERCISE OF WHAT OPTIONS DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE TO HAVE MORE SHORT TERM, BUT ALSO LONG TERM SUSTAINED VALUE OVER THE LONG TERM FROM THIS KIND OF FLASH IN THE PAN ECONOMIC ONE OFF OPPORTUNITY? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO JUST SLIP THROUGH OUR HANDS LIKE WATER.
THERE IS CAPTURING THAT CAN OCCUR, BUT IT'S HOW DO YOU BEST DO THAT POLICY WISE.
THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT COMMENT. AND AFTER RIGHT AFTER LUNCH, WE'LL KIND OF DO AN EXERCISE WHERE WE LOOK AND SAY, WHAT DOES INCREDIBLE SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT'S TELLING YOUR STORY IN SUCH A COMPELLING WAY THAT IT OVERCOMES THOSE CHALLENGES. SO OKAY. EXCELLENT. LET'S GET LET'S GET OPPORTUNITIES TO GO THIS WAY THIS TIME.
WHAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY YOU GUYS SEE THAT WE DON'T HAVE UP THERE YET.
WE SAID DEVELOPMENT PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES ALONG LINE 23.2 OKAY A 20 AND 322.
OKAY. VERY GOOD. HOW ABOUT HERE? WE TALKED FOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HOW THERE ARE SOME GOOD MID RANGE QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS EXISTING TRAFFIC ACCESSIBILITY.
BUT WE'RE KIND OF I SAID NOT TO SAY IT LACK BUT WE'RE LACKING SOME OF THOSE CROWNING JEWELS.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL I THINK LIKE WHAT COUNCILMAN WAS SAYING ABOUT THE LAKE.
WHAT FAN? YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS WE COULD BUILD ON TO REALLY BE SPARKLY THINGS.
YEAH, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO ATTRACT SOME AMENITIES FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT YOU HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE, AND THAT'LL BE FUN. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. RIGHT HERE.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE REALLY TALKED MORE ABOUT WAS JUST THE OPPORTUNITY OF THAT POTENTIAL INCREASE IN FEES THAT WE COULD FUND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY FUND IN A TYPICAL BUDGET.
JUST LIKE THE ONE OFF PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD MAYBE ACCOMPLISH.
OKAY. WITH THE EXTRA REVENUE WASN'T ANTICIPATED.
VERY GOOD. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WHAT DO YOU GUYS HAVE OVER THERE? REALLY? THERE'S NOTHING. NOTHING NEW. IT'S TALKED ABOUT THE AI DATA CENTER AND DIOCESE GROWTH AS WELL THE OPPORTUNITIES AT THAT POINT. JUST JUST WITH WITH NEW PROFESSIONS COMING INTO TOWN, NEW SERVICES COMING TO TOWN.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LAST ROUND. LET'S START HERE.
THREATS. WHAT'S A THREAT? WE PUT CYBERSECURITY TOO SOON.
TOO SOON? YEAH. OH, WE STARTED WITH HIM. IT'S ALWAYS A THREAT.
[02:15:04]
YEAH, IT IS ALWAYS. WHAT DO WE HAVE? STAFFORD.YEAH. INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, STAFF RETENTION. OKAY.
YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S ALL WE GOT? YEAH.
OKAY. MAYOR'S GROUP WATER DEMANDS. WATER DEMANDS? YEP. ANYTHING ELSE? ON STAFF SERVICES. I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF ALREADY UP THERE. YEAH. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT CHEMO? COST ESCALATION? YEAH. YEAH. FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S START WITH YOU GUYS. WHAT'S THE THREAT YOU TALKED ABOUT? STATE LIMITATIONS. LEGISLATIVE LIMITATIONS. I WAS GOING TO PUT STATE LEGISLATURE.
NO OFFENSE IF YOU'RE IN THERE. HOW ABOUT HERE? WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE ADVANTAGE OF THE GROWTH THAT ABILENE HAS, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE PROPER PLANNING ALONG WITH THAT GROWTH.
YEAH. I WAS GOING TO PUT NEED FOR PROPER PLANNING.
FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT HERE? WE MENTIONED TARGET POTENTIAL SAFETY WISE AS FAR AS DATA CENTERS JUST ARE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD. YEAH. YOU GOT A TARGET ON YOUR BACK. LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ELIMINATED MORE THAN HALF OF THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO MITIGATE THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS? YEAH, I JUST PUT THAT UNDER STATE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE I MEAN, LET'S HOPE NOT.
BUT IT'S A REAL IT'S A REAL THING. SO OKAY, SO HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE'RE GOING TO BREAK GET YOUR LUNCH, COME BACK.
WE'LL JUST HAVE YOU SOME TIME TO TALK AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN WE'LL AS I CAN KIND OF SEE EVERYBODY'S WRAPPING UP WITH LUNCH.
WE'LL WE'LL RECONVENE AND GET GOING AGAIN. ANY ANY LAST WORDS BEFORE WE BREAK FOR LUNCH.
AND WE'RE GOING TO EAT IN HERE. IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD WORK, GOOD WORK.
NOBODY FELL ASLEEP, SO IT'S GOOD. AND LET'S EAT.
LET'S EAT. A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT WITH THE REPUTATION OF DRIVERS, IT SEEMS TO ME THIS WAS A PRETTY EASY COME TO TEN, AND I WANT TO JUST.
IF THERE'S ANY ONE OF THESE COUNCIL, YOU'RE LIKE, NO, ABSOLUTELY.
DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT. I WANT TO KNOW NOW SO I CAN BE AWARE.
SO CLEAR VISION. WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS THE COUNCIL OF THE CLEAR VISION.
WE WANT TO KNOW AS A CITY THAT CARES FOR ONE ANOTHER.
COUNCIL. WHERE WE HAVE DIVERSIFIED UNIFICATION.
AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE, RELIABLE AND ADAPTIVE.
NUMBER FIVE, THAT WE HAVE COMMON SENSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY, POLICY THAT ALLOWS INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP PACE, IF THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. SIX HUT! CHANGE THIS UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT HOPEFULLY IT'S OKAY.
HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE WITH ATTRACTIVE AMENITIES.
CAREFUL SAYING WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT TO ATTRACT.
YOU KNOW THAT. I WANT TO SAY IT'S ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT AMENITIES.
NUMBER SEVEN, EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
AND BEING AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE. NINE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, I KNOW HOW TO USE BIG WORDS.
IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. THAT KIND OF GRAB IT.
DID I MISS ANYTHING THAT WAS REALLY CRUCIAL TO YOU FROM YOUR LIST? ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO BE I'M GOING TO BE I'LL BE KIND OF DOING THAT WITH ALL OF THESE, THE PRESSING NEEDS AND THE SWOT ANALYSIS. SO THEN IF IT NEEDS TO BE WORDSMITH AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, I'LL GET THE STAFF TO HELP ME WITH THAT. SO OKAY NOW WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE GEARS.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO INTEGRATE YOU COUNCIL WITH THE STAFF FOR A LITTLE BIT FOR THIS NEXT EXERCISE AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, YOU CAN KIND OF GO WHERE YOU WANT TO AT DIFFERENT TABLES.
SO I'M GOING TO PUT LET'S SAY THERE'S, THERE'S SIX OF YOU.
RIGHT. AND THERE'S FOUR TABLES. SO YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU CAN GO TO WHATEVER TABLE YOU WANT,
[02:20:01]
BUT MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT MORE THAN TWO OF YOU AT A TABLE.AND HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AS A TABLE.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS TOPIC. I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IF ABILENE WAS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN WE COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE, EVEN IN OUR WILDEST DREAMS. AND THE WAY I WANT YOU TO GET AT THIS IS I'M GOING TO GIVE EACH TABLE A PIECE OF NEWSPRINT AND A MARKER, AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO IMAGINE THAT, LET'S SAY IT'S, IT'S THIS IS 2026, SO LET'S CALL IT 2040. IT'S 2040. AND TEXAS MONTHLY IS DOING A COVER STORY ON THE AMAZING ABILENE, TEXAS. WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST ALMOST 15 YEARS.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS THINK, WHAT WOULD THAT STORY BE? ARE WE GOING TO SAY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PRINT OR THE TRUTH? THAT'S TRUE, I CAN'T COMMENT I'VE BEEN THERE.
YEAH. SO SO WE WANT WE WANT YOU TO LET'S LET THEIR YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T DONE A NEWS A MAGAZINE PRINT IN A LONG TIME, BUT THEY'RE DOING A SPECIAL 1 IN 2040 BECAUSE THE AMAZING STORY OF ABILENE.
WHAT WOULD THAT STORY BE? GIVE US SOME HEADLINES.
GIVE US WHAT SOME OF THE TOPICS WOULD BE. MAYBE GIVE US A QUOTE OR TWO THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
WHY WOULD THEY DO A STORY THAT ABOUT YOU? BECAUSE YOU WERE SO SUCCESSFUL, WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL? AND I WANT YOU TO THINK THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, SOME OF THE PRESSING PROBLEMS THAT YOU ADDRESSED, SOME OF THE THE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CAPITALIZED ON, SOME OF THE STRENGTHS THAT YOU BUILT ON, SO FORTH AND SO ON. SO YOU CAN KIND OF DRAW ON STUFF THAT YOU'VE DONE ALREADY AND MAYBE SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVEN'T.
OKAY. BUT YOU CAN DRAW, YOU CAN USE SYMBOLS. YOU CAN DO THIS.
YOU CAN WRITE SENTENCES, BUT NOT PARAGRAPHS. OKAY.
AND NOW THIS IS WHAT A COLLEAGUE OF MINE CALLS TOTAL BLUE SKY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO RAIN IN THIS STORY. THERE'S NOTHING GOES WRONG.
YOU'RE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN YOU COULD POSSIBLY DREAM OF.
OKAY. EVEN IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS. ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? SO, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, I WANT YOU TO GO TO A TABLE.
STEPH, YOU ALL STAY THERE. YOUR CHANCE TO MOVE.
MISSED FOR THIS TIME. AND SIMO, YOU GUYS GO WHEREVER YOU WANT TO.
OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. GO AND I'LL GET YOU YOUR NEWSPRINT.
AS YOU GET STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. I GET A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT THE NEWSPRINT.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THE TACTIC GOING IN HERE. YEAH.
IT GIVES YOU ALL YOUR MONEY BACK. IS THAT WHAT YOU DID? I LOVE IT. YOU WANT TO GO? I WAS JUST GOING TO BRING THIS UP HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW.
AREN'T YOU SMART? YEAH. I WASN'T HERE, I WAS JUST DROPPING OFF A CHAIR.
BUT IF YOU WANT ME TO BE HERE, JUST LET ME BACK MY CHAIR UP THERE.
ALL RIGHT. THIS TABLE'S LOOKING A LITTLE THIN.
HERE'S YOUR SHEET AND A MARKER. HAVE SOME FUN.
THIS IS THE HARDEST FOR ME. MENTALLY THAT'S POSSIBLE.
[02:25:13]
YEAH. THAT'S TRUE. YEAH. THANK YOU. I LOVE. YOU GUYS.ALL RIGHT, HAVE SOME FUN. I ALREADY BEEN RETIRED.
COLONEL IN THE US ARE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CITY POPULATION? SO.
95% HAS THE HIGHEST PAID MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
NO RAIN IN THIS AREA. I WANT TO LIVE IN ABILENE, TEXAS.
BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN BUT SAY, I LOVE THAT.
WE GET IT. YEAH, THEY LIKE TO THROW A LOT OF MONEY DOING THIS.
15 YEARS. HE DOESN'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? IN VERY REAL TERMS? HOW IN THE LAST 15 YEARS OVERCAME THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT DESTROYING AFFORDABILITY? WHAT THAT MEANS IS OBVIOUSLY IN MY BACKYARD OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
BUT WE DID, RIGHT? YEAH, IT WOULD BE. THEY ARE.
AND IT'S OUT THERE MOST, I THINK, ABOUT VALLEY WEST TEXAS CHIEF, FORMER CHIEF AT ACU, JIMMY ELLISON.
HE WENT DOWN TO MONT BLANC I THINK, OR SOMETHING, SOMETHING MONT BELVIEU DOWN THERE ON THE COAST.
AND THEY HAVE SO MUCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS THEY HAVE NO BUDGET PROBLEMS AT ALL.
IT'S NOT IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT DO WE HAVE NEVER HAD FUNDING ISSUES BECAUSE OF ALL THE OIL AND GAS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. DO WE REALLY WANT THAT? THE QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT THAT NUMBER ONE? BUT IF WE WERE IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT WHERE FUNDING WAS NOT IN PLAY, INCLUDING NUCLEAR. SO. THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT AND ALL THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE BILLS. WELL, THERE IS ONLY IF THEY DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY TEN YEARS WHERE WE DON'T START TO USE AI CHAT 30. YEAH. DO THE PROMPT AND I CAN YOU SEE THAT? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE DRAWING OVER HOW ABILENE'S 20 YEAR PLAN BECAME A NATIONAL MODEL FOR CITIES AND FOSSIL FUEL CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER WAS IN ABILENE. COMMUNITY SUPPORT ISN'T A PROGRAM, IT'S THE CULTURE DIVERSIFIED.
I'VE JUST TAKEN NOTES. CITY COUNCIL POLARIZATION ISN'T INEVITABLE.
AND WHERE THE WEST TEXAS. IS FASTEST RESPONDING CITIES.
I COULD GO FOR THAT TOO FAST IN WHATEVER THEIR SPHERE IS.
EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. AND YOU CAN PUT CITY COLLEGE.
IN THE US OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND ATTRACT TOP PUBLIC SECTOR TALENT TO BUILD CAREERS.
SAY EVERYONE HAS AN EXCELLENT RESPONSIBILITY.
ABILENE DELIVERED BIG RESULTS WITHOUT BIG TAX HIKES.
ABILENE SURPASSED. ALL THE LITIGATION. HE SAID TO ME. A FEW OF THEM, TO ME, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT SURPASSES 15 YEARS.
THE METRO QUINTET THOUGHT OUT WELL ENOUGH ON THE FRONT END AND REALLY COULD IMAGINE TIME.
TRAVEL AND CONVENTIONS. AND TO START DRAWING.
THAT MAY BE THE MSA, BUT YEAH, NOT THE FIRST ONE.
ME TOO. ARE YOU ARE YOU ANYTHING LIKE LIKE NOT LIKE AN ACTUAL.
20 YEAR PLAN FOR RECREATION. TOURISM. TOURISM.
TOURISM. THAT'S. THAT'S A HEADLINE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, YOU KNOW.
[02:30:09]
AND WE COULD TWEAK IT TO TO MATCH OURS BECAUSE YOU SEE CHATTER LIKE THAT.BUT IT'S FORGETTING TO TURN IT BACK ON. OH YEAH.
BUT WE NEED TO DO THAT. BUT YEAH FOR THE TV FOLKS.
YEAH THAT'S GOOD. THE NATIONAL, THE NATIONAL MODEL, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOUR THOUGHTS? YEAH. WE DIDN'T JUST PUT A NICE PLAN WE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED.
YEAH, EXACTLY. AND SOMETIMES HOST THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO.
OH, WOW. TAKE THAT FROM TEXAS. THEY ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AT ONE TIME DURING COVID.
REALLY? OH, YEAH, THEY DID. BUT I KIND OF SUGGESTING WE TWEAK IT.
SO THE ORIGINAL IS HOW ABILENE HOSTS THE NATIONAL FINALS ROLE MODEL FOR MID-SIZED CITIES.
AND MAYBE IT'S HOW ABILENE'S RECENTLY COMPLETED.
YEAH. SOMETHING SUCCESSFULLY. WE GOT THE BACKSIDE OF THIS.
NOW IF YOU NEED ANOTHER SHEET, I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU.
OKAY. YEAH, HE GOT SOME GOOD ONES HERE. TO ME.
YEAH THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S BLUE SKY.
YOU JUST SURPASSED DENVER. I LOVE THAT WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU COME UP WITH A GREAT IDEA.
2414 SO YOU CAN ALSO DRAW IF YOU HAVE A PEN HOWEVER Y'ALL WANT TO DO IT.
YEAH. ABILENE. AND. SURPASSED THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST CULTURAL. WELL, I WAS GOING TO, BUT JEFF WAS GOING TO BE OUR SCRIBE.
WELL, I'M JUST WRITING OUT HERE. MY HANDWRITING IS TOO BAD.
COME ON, MATT, JUST TAKE THE BULLET FOR JEFF.
JEFF. NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO READ IT IF I DO.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, AN INTERACTIVE HISTORY TO THE SHINING CITY ON THE HILL.
WE THINK THAT WITH A LITTLE EXPLANATION, WE THINK IT IS RIGHT.
I'M JUST LIKE I'M THE MAYOR OF ALL THIS. I LIKED WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
I THINK IT SOMEWHAT DOVETAILS INTO. THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IS TO SAY THIS.
YEAH. HERE'S A PART OF THE CULTURAL HUB FOR. YOU.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALSO DRAW IF YOU WANT TO DRAW SYMBOLS OR PICTURES.
ILLUSTRATIONS. YOU CAN DO THAT TO MUSEUMS. OKAY.
YEAH. YOU CAN ALSO DRAW IF YOU WANT TO DRAW SOMETHING TO SYMBOLIZE IT.
PICTURES THERE. PUTS ME BEHIND YOU. ALL RIGHT, SIR? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE AMENITIES? THE GROWTH ONES.
IN DIVISION ONE AND NATIONAL FOOTBALL STADIUM.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS ABILENE. GREW WITHOUT OUTGROWING ITS ROWS.
THE SECOND ONE WAS THE FIRST. AND WHAT A THING.
OF COURSE, THERE WASN'T BASKETBALL BEFORE THAT.
THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS. YES, WE'RE PROUD OF BASKETBALL TEAM MAKING IT TO THE FINALS.
YEAH. REALLY COOL. PUT THEM ON THE MAP. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S THE BIG ONE FOR MY TEAM.
YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. THIS TEXAS CITY QUIETLY. DALLAS.
COME ON. I LIKE THAT. AND IT COULD BE PARKS. IT COULD BE STREETS.
IT COULD BE HOUSING. IT COULD BE. YEAH, ALL OF THAT.
WIDE OPEN. IT'S WIDE OPEN. IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING SMART.
I MEAN, EFFICIENT. WELL, JUST THAT TAGLINE OF BOTH OF THEM.
BOTH OF THOSE? THE OUTGROWING ADOPTING TECHNOLOGY, AND THEY BECAME ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE.
ALMOST LIKE. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS CLICHE, WHICH WAS THE GROWTH ONE.
[02:35:09]
OH, OKAY. OKAY. THIS BECAME ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE.AND THEY HAD A LOT. I LIKE THAT ONE. I GUESS I NEED A BETTER DREAM.
BIG, RIGHT? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE THAT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE IT? IT'S A REFLECTION. THERE ARE SOME CITIES LIKE.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, I'M HEARING ABOUT THAT A WHILE BACK.
I SHOULD KNOW THAT PRECEDENT. YEAH. WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING CERTAIN AREAS AND WE KNOW OF PLACES AND I CAN'T NAME THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT A LOT OF MY PINEAPPLE. SO I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY. AVERAGES HERE. FOOD IS ALLOWED.
YES. YES. SO YES, I WOULD GET SUFFICIENT WATER.
ANY EDITS? WHAT A MESS. SO, DID YOU HEAR THE LAUGHTER COMING OUT THE BACK? THE OTHER ONE. I THINK HAVING SOMETHING I SUPPLIES.
OKAY. NO, NO, JUST MAKING SURE YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
THIS ENTIRE THING. YEAH. YOU WERE. YOU WERE. RIGHT.
AND YOU. WERE SITTING IN TWO YEARS. OKAY. HE DID SAY TO DREAM BIG.
YEAH, YEAH. DREAM BIG. NO LIMITS ON THIS ONE.
LIN. VEGAS STOLE IT FROM STEALING IT FROM VEGAS.
I MEAN, IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT. WOW. SO? SO THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WHAT? ON THIS LIST. THERE'S NOT AS MUCH HOW.
BUT THAT'S OKAY. YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW IT'S OKAY.
WOW. OH, I LIKE THAT. THAT'S NOT ACCURATE. YEAH, IT WAS A.
THOUSAND YEARS. YES. BLUE SKY, BLUE SKY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU HEAR.
WITH THE LARGEST MAN MADE LAKE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HANG OUT.
NO, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT WITHOUT. YOU DON'T DON'T DON'T SAY THAT AFTERWARD.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. YOU'RE ROLLING NOW. ARE THEY GOOD FOR, LIKE, A NATION THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERY SINGLE WORD? YOU'RE SMILING. INSIDE IT'S LIKE. YEAH.
AND THEN LIKE A MANAGED. HOW YOU DRAW A HAPPY.
YEAH. NOBODY KNOWS THAT. BUT I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S WHY THE OTHER.
WAY TO DO IT. TO. YEAH YEAH YEAH. THERE YOU GO. YEAH. NO HOMELESS PEOPLE.
FOR A CITY TO EXPERIENCE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AND MANAGED IT WITHOUT PROPER PLANNING.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE BETTER THAN AUSTIN RUBBED IN THEIR FACE. YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM THE. IT'S A PLAY ON WORDS, BUT IT'S A CAPITAL. YEAH, RIGHT OVER THERE. THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH. LIKE A STORYBOOK. YEAH, YEAH. SHOULD WE DO THE STORY OF A CAPITAL OF AMERICA? RIGHT? YEAH. THE CAPITAL CITIES. AND IT IS. I DON'T KNOW. THEY SAY PEOPLE 2026 ANYONE.
IT MAKES ME A LITTLE ANXIOUS BECAUSE. I DOUBT IT AT ALL.
[02:40:01]
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE. OH NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.YEAH OH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH THAT'S HOW I.
NO NO NO. WELL THE OTHER THING IS THE PIECE OF IT THAT WAS THE, THE NATURAL PLACE THAT THEY'VE GOT THE PLANS FOR THAT AS WELL. THE SPELLING CITY COUNCIL OR WHATEVER.
THAT SECOND. PLACE. AND GUESS WHAT. WE HAVE A GOOD COLOR AND THAT'LL BE A GOOD POWER.
COLOR. THAT'S THE PLAN OF LIFE.
I ONLY HAVE THE SPACE TO DRAW, BUT YOU GOT TO PUT AN EXCLAMATION POINT IN THE END.
IT'S GOTTA BE. I JUST GAVE HIM THE ANSWER. NO CHEATING.
Y'ALL NEED TO BUILD A WALL TO SAVE MY LIFE. YEAH.
THAT'S RIGHT. ANYBODY WANT TO DRAW SOMETHING? YEAH. NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. OH, YOU CAN SPARE TO ABILENE WITH GROWING PAINS.
YEAH, YEAH. GIVE US SOME BULLET POINTS ABOUT WHAT'S.
ABOUT WHAT? WHY? WHY IS THAT TRUE? IT'S NOT EXACTLY STICK FIGURES.
YEAH. THAT'S TRUE. THERE'S SOME BIG BEST HEALTH IN AMERICA.
LUKE'S GOT I CREATE FOR A VISUAL ON MY LAND. IS.
THAT RIGHT? DO YOU WANT TO HELP? ABILENE. 95% OF ABILENE IS THRIVING. HEALTHY OBESITY IS NONEXISTENT, AND FOOD DESERTS ARE NONEXISTENT.
THAT COULD ALMOST BE THE QUOTE. IF YOU CAN SEE IF YOU CAN READ MY HANDWRITING.
OH, NO. THIS IS WHY I'M NOT WRITING. I TYPED THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO HEALTH IS LITERALLY RIDING ON THIS TITLE. AS IT IS.
LANAKILA. WHO? ARE YOU? OH, YOU GOT THE LAST QUESTION? YEAH, HE'S ACTUALLY ASKED. OH, YEAH? YEAH. SHE'S GOT LIKE, TEN PAGES OF IT. YEAH. OOH, THAT WAS THEIR GIFT.
I GOT THEM, HER PARENTS. IT'S NOT A QUANTITY CONTEST.
THIS IS MY HANDWRITING, DUDE. DON'T DON'T DON'T PROJECT YOUR INSECURITY OVER.
IT. DON'T YOU TELL SOME MORE STORIES. NO, WAIT.
THERE'S LYNN'S STORY. OH MY GOD. HE USED TO WORK FOR ME ON THE STREETS.
OKAY, TAKE ABOUT FIVE MORE MINUTES. YEAH, WE'RE DOING GREAT.
THIS IS THE OVERACHIEVER TABLE NOW. ALREADY HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
MAN, WE EVEN GOT LYNN. GOT GOOD HANDWRITING. IT'S A CONTEST.
THAT'S PART OF THE OVERACHIEVEMENT. IT'S OKAY.
YEAH. THAT'S FINE, THAT'S FINE. GREAT. GREAT.
ALL RIGHT. HOW'S THIS GROUP COMING? YOU'RE HIDING YOURS. I SEE YOU'RE WINNING.
I GOT IT, MIGUEL. THAT'S GOOD. ALRIGHT, WE'LL AIM AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE'LL HAVE YOU PUT IT UP OVER THERE. OKAY. SO WE CAN.
AND EVERYBODY CAN TALK IT THROUGH WHOEVER'S GOING TO BE YOUR SPOKESPERSON.
SO Y'ALL CAN DECIDE WHO YOUR SPOKESPERSON IS.
YOU DECIDED IT'S MARIA. SHE'S GOT NO ONE.
I BELIEVE YEAH, I BELIEVE IT IS. OH THAT'S A YEAH, THAT'S.
YEAH, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. WE FOUND OUT. WHAT? QUANTUM LEAP, FAMILY ACTIVITIES AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE'VE GOT QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE HEADLINES. I DID LIKE YOUR YOUR PHRASE, QUANTUM LEAP.
ZOOMING BACK TO THAT TV SHOW. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
IS THE THE CORNER POCKET TABLE READY? OVER HERE.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING. SO I'LL START WITH THIS.
DO YOU NEED ANYTHING? I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. NO.
[02:45:04]
IT'S OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S COOL. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THESE UP ON THIS THING THIS TIME SO Y'ALL CAN SEE THEM HERE.OKAY. THESE ARE STILL. WE ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD.
WHAT? EXPLOSIVES, BRO. THIS GROUP STILL FINISHING UP.
GIVE THEM JUST A SECOND. I. THINK THE OTHER ONES, PHYSICAL ENTITIES OR HOW LONG IT TAKES TO COMPLETE. SAY IT. WAS PROBABLY LIKE, OH MAN, HE REALLY DELIVERED.
FOR OTHER. PLAYERS. I MEAN, WHAT? ARE WE DOING? OH, THAT'S A GOOD WAY. TO START. I THINK THAT'S GREAT. WELL, Y'ALL CAN GIVE YOURSELF GRADES.
YEAH, WE CAN VOTE ON THAT. THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, TRAVIS. BUT NOT FOR ME TO GIVE HIM A GRADE.
YEAH, I'VE STAYED IN THIS BUSINESS A LONG TIME.
ALRIGHT. YOU READY? ALRIGHT. Y'ALL WANT TO GO FIRST? OH WE DO. OF COURSE. OH, OH. THE MAYOR SAID HE WANTS TO GO FIRST, SO HE DOES.
OH, OKAY. SO LET'S LET'S PUT OUR SHEETS ON THAT SCREEN OVER THERE SO WE CAN READ THEM.
EVERYBODY WILL. IT WON'T HURT THOSE. THE THE.
YEAH. THEY SHOULD STICK. LET'S SEE. OH. YEAH.
WE HAD A GRAND REVEAL. GOT A PLAN? BUT IT'S SIX.
OKAY. ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S LET'S. ARE YOU THE. YOU'RE THE SPOKESPERSON, LYNN.
ALRIGHT, TALK US THROUGH IT. LYNN. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH BLAKE.
BLAKE REAGAN ASKED. ONLY ONE. YEAH, RIGHT. HIGHEST PLAYED IN HAPPY CITY OR I'M SORRY, HIGHEST PAID, HAPPIEST CITY EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THAT'S VERY SWEET. TRAVEL HUB FOR THE SOUTHWEST, SURPASSING DENVER.
CULTURAL HUB OF THE SOUTHWEST FOR MUSEUMS AND INTERACTIVE HISTORY.
ACU WINS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. HEY, INDIANA WON IT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, COME ON, IT'S POSSIBLE. NO OFFENSE.
HIGHEST NUMBER OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES PER CAPITA.
SECURED WATER CAPACITY FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. AND I WILL DIG THAT LAKES GOING TO BE.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE. WE HAVE NO STRAY DOGS OR CATS.
LARGEST OIL DEPOSIT FOUND ON LAND OWNED AND MINERAL RIGHTS OWNED BY THE CITY.
LOWEST TAX RATE IN THE STATE AND AGAIN LAYS ONLY ONE MORE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND. GOOD JOB. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. WE HAD A FEW TITLES OF OUR ARTICLE AND KIND OF THE KEY QUOTE FROM IT.
SO FIRST ONE, HOW ABILENE'S 15 YEAR PLAN BECAME A NATIONAL MODEL.
ABILENE'S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH CAME WITHOUT GROWING PAINS, AND IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.
THE. LAST TITLE IS ABILENE IS WHERE TOP PUBLIC SECTOR TALENT GOES TO BUILD CAREERS.
SHANE'S SYNTHESIS OF KIND OF KEY QUOTE EXISTING NODES WOULD BE FROM STORYBOOK CAPITAL TO STARGATE.
NICE. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. THE KEY THING THERE MIGHT BE THAT 50 YEAR, 15 YEAR PLAN.
[02:50:02]
YEAH. OKAY. HERE WE GO. YEAH. NICE.I LIKE IT. OUR ARTICLE TITLE IS ABILENE ASCENDANT.
THE WEST TEXAS TOWN THAT LEVERAGED CHEAP POWER, SMART DEFENSE AND RELENTLESS INNOVATION IN ONE BIG.
THERE IS AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ON CHIEFS PHONE RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE A LITTLE AI HELPED. THE SECTION POWER PLAY RENEWABLES AND AI DIETS REBORN.
THE DEFENSE ANCHOR PEOPLE, EDUCATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
WAS WAS ANOTHER SECTION OF THAT ARTICLE. WE LIKE THE THE LAST QUOTE OF IT BEING ABILENE EXECUTED RELENTLESSLY PROVED MIDSIZE TOWNS CAN COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THROUGH ITS STRENGTHS OF LAND, ENERGY, PEOPLE AND PARTNERSHIPS.
THAT'S A QUOTE FROM MAYOR WELDON HURT, OUR 25 TERM MAYOR.
OH. THAT'S GOOD. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. BLAZE.
YOU'RE UP. LET ME KNOW. WE CAN DO MORE THAN ONE SHEET.
SO. OH. BUT LOOK AT WHAT HE LEFT VISIBLE. OH, MAN.
SO WE PUT ABILENE, THE CAPITAL, CORRECTLY SPELLED OF WEST TEXAS, FOR QUALITY OF LIFE.
95% OF ABILENE FAMILIES ARE THRIVING, HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE.
WE KIND OF GAVE UP ON THE OTHER 5%. SO GREAT CITY PRIVATE TECH PARTNERSHIPS.
WE HAD SOME OTHERS, BUT AGAIN, WE DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD GO FOR MORE THAN ONE THE IN 15 YEARS.
WE ARE THE BEST EMPLOYER IN THE US. NO TURNOVER AND THE HIGHEST PAID MILLIONAIRES AS CITY STAFF.
I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE, SO THAT'S GOOD.
NOW WE KNOW WHERE STANLEY'S AT. REQUEST WAS THAT WE BE SUED EVERY DAY SO THAT WE WOULD.
ALL RIGHT. GIVE HIM A HAND. ALL RIGHT. JUST KEEP YOUR SEATS FOR FOR A MINUTE.
AND NO OFFENSE, BUT I'M GOING TO MOVE THIS ONE TO THE MIDDLE HERE.
SO. SO HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT? JUST GIVE ME COUNCIL A TAKE AWAY FROM DOING IT.
WHAT WHAT WHAT KIND OF. WHAT IS THIS? ELICIT FROM YOU WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS.
GIVE ME A TAKE AWAY FROM DOING IT. WE'LL START OVER HERE. GENUINELY HAVE POTENTIAL IN ABILENE, TEXAS. YES. HUGE POTENTIAL. YEAH. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW IT, BUT YOUR THREAT IS NOT THAT YOU DREAM TOO BIG AND DON'T HIT IT.
THE THREAT FOR ABILENE IS THAT YOU SET THE BAR TOO LOW, AND YOU DO HIT IT.
IT. THAT'S REALLY THE THREAT, THE THREATS. NOT DREAMING TOO BIG BECAUSE YOU DO MAYOR.
NO, I MEAN, THERE'S NOT A CITY THAT I THINK OF IN MAYBE ANYWHERE, BUT CERTAINLY IN TEXAS THAT HAS MORE OPPORTUNITY AND POTENTIAL THAN THAN THIS ONE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL. ALL RIGHT, LYNN, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY TAKE AWAY FROM JUST THE EXERCISE ITSELF.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A COUPLE MORE THINGS WITH IT. BUT NO.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SHANE, WHAT'S THE TAKE AWAY FROM DOING JUST DOING THIS.
IT'S FUN TO DREAM AND WORK ON SYNTHESIZING WHAT SOME OF THOSE DREAMS COULD LOOK LIKE, SO THAT WE CAN BOIL IT DOWN TO, HOPEFULLY, SOMETHING ACTIONABLE. YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THERE HERE A LITTLE BIT, BUT YEAH, FOR SURE. TRAVIS, HOW ABOUT YOU WHAT'S WHAT'S A TAKEAWAY FROM JUST PARTICIPATING IN IT? I THINK WHEN I LOOK COLLECTIVELY AT WHAT WAS WRITTEN SOME OF THE TENETS OF WHAT WE SHARED EARLIER ABOUT STRENGTHS COME TO FRUITION AND WHAT WOULD BE WRITTEN. YEAH, ESPECIALLY THE COLLABORATIVE PIECE.
YEAH. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S COOL. VERY GOOD. MIGUEL, YOU SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME KIND OF VISION OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND SEE WHERE IT'S GOING, WHERE WE WANT TO GROW, WE WANT TO LIVE ABROAD. WE WANT PEOPLE TO LOVE OUR COMMUNITY, ENJOY OUR COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S A PROSPEROUS TOWN.
YEAH, WE ALL KIND OF AGREE ON THAT, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, TALKING TO EMILY AND THEN ALL OF YOU IN THE INTERVIEWS, IT'S VERY CLEAR THERE IS A LOT OF ALIGNMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT EMPHASIS THAN OTHERS, BUT IT'S IT'S A SAME ALIGNMENT.
[02:55:02]
AND, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE ME, THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN EVERY CITY BY ANY MEANS.SO SO WE'RE WE'RE WAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE THERE.
ALL RIGHT, BLAISE, HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT'S THE TAKEAWAY? YEAH, I REALLY LIKE THIS DISCUSSION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE KIND OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, ON COUNCIL AND JUST IN GENERAL POPULATION WE THINK OF IN TERMS OF THE WHOLE CITY, LET'S MOVE THE WHOLE CITY FORWARD.
SO WHEN YOU ASK, HEY, WHERE IS ABILENE IN 15 YEARS, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO SAY, HEY, NO OBESITY, NO FOOD DESERTS. YEAH, SPECIFIC.
AND SO WHEN WHEN YOU ASK SOMEONE FROM THAT DEPARTMENT, HEY, WHAT IS THE IDEAL ABILENE? IT'S VIEWED THROUGH THE PRISM OF HEALTH, RIGHT.
AND FROM FROM SOFTWARE TECH. IT'S WHAT IS THE IDEAL ABILENE.
WELL, IT'S GREAT CITY PRIVATE TECH PARTNERSHIPS A WEST TEXAS SILICON VALLEY.
AND SO IT'S A GOOD REMINDER TO ME OF, YEAH, WE TALK IN GENERAL TERMS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALSO NEED TO FACTOR IN EACH PERSON IS VIEWING IT WHAT THEIR IDEAL ABILENE IS, IS IT'S COMING FROM A DIFFERENT SEGMENT, AND WE NEED TO KIND OF INCORPORATE THAT IN. SO IT WAS GREAT. I MEAN, EVEN THE JOKE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT ABOUT STANLEY LITIGATION, THAT'S HIS WORLD.
AND, AND THAT'S A PART OF ABILENE THAT MOST PEOPLE WON'T CONSIDER IT.
BUT THAT IS THAT'S WHAT MAKES ABILENE ABILENE FOR HIM.
AND SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE IMPORTANT INSIGHTS I THINK, THAT WE NEED TO FACTOR IN.
YEAH. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO STANLEY'S IS YOU GET SUED, BUT YOU WIN EVERY TIME, RIGHT? THAT'S THE THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT. OKAY. WELL, IN JUST A MINUTE I WANT TO HAVE YOU WALK THROUGH AND LET'S IDENTIFY FROM EACH TABLE WHAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE ONE OF, IF NOT THE MOST STRATEGIC ITEMS. BUT BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID.
MAYOR MAYBE MAKE A COMPARISON BETWEEN SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE CITY OF FRISCO BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PARALLELS THAT I THINK ARE ARE WORTH NOTING? AND ONE OF THOSE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING THEIR COUNCIL RETREATS LIKE THIS EVERY YEAR FOR SOME 15 YEARS OR SO. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS WHEN WE GOT READY TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW BIG DREAMS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SOMEBODY WOULD SAY, WE WANT A FOUR YEAR, WE WANT A FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITY IN FRISCO.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT FOUR OF THEM, BUT THEY HADN'T HAVE ANY. AND THE NEXT YEAR WOULD COME AROUND AND THEY STILL DIDN'T HAVE ANY, BUT THEY PUT IT BACK ON THE LIST TONS OF YEARS. THEY WOULD SAY, WE WANT TO GET A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY TO PUT THEIR HEADQUARTERS HERE.
AND THE NEXT YEAR THEY DIDN'T GET IT AND THEY PUT IT BACK ON THE LIST.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO I WOULD SAY TODAY THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.
THEY TALK ABOUT FORTUNE 100 COMPANIES, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ONE.
YOU WON'T ACCOMPLISH 100% OF WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT, BUT YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH EXACTLY 0% OF WHAT YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT. THAT'S THE TRUTH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DREAM BIG.
I'VE SEEN THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER. ORGANIZATIONS BECOME WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT.
YOU BECOME IT. YOU TALK ABOUT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO BE THE, YOU KNOW, ENERGY CENTER, AND THEN YOU START MAKING DECISIONS THAT HELP YOU GET THERE. YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BEST QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND THEN YOU FIGURE OUT YOU START HAVING THOSE.
YOUR CHALLENGE IS TO DREAM TOO LOW AND YOU DO HIT IT.
SO I WANT YOU TO THINK BIG BECAUSE I MEAN, HEY, IT'S HARD ANYWAY.
IT'S JUST AS HARD, MAYBE HARDER. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT SAID, LET'S GO THROUGH AND THINK BACK HERE OUR OVERACHIEVERS AND MY APOLOGIES TO THIS TABLE, WHICH YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD USE ANOTHER ONE. WHAT OUT OF THESE THINGS, JUMPS UP TO YOU AS BEING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OR STRATEGIC.
AND IF YOU NEED TO MOVE AROUND TO SEE IT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. SO WHAT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OR STRATEGIC STATEMENT THAT YOU SEE ON THIS? HE SAID TO THE WHOLE GROUP OR THAT GROUP OR ANY OF YOU SAY, JUST, JUST TELL ME WHAT WHAT DO YOU ANYBODY CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS.
[03:00:01]
I WAS GOING TO SAY THE MOST STRATEGIC THAT MY EYES ARE DRAWN TO.I'M SURPRISED AND LET IT SLIDE. WAS EVERYTHING KIND OF CONNECTED OR SAID ABILENE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE REST OF THE STORY? BUT I THINK ABILENE JUST KNOWING THAT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON.
OKAY, FOCUS ON ABILENE. VERY GOOD. SOMEBODY ELSE WEIGH IN ON IT.
I HADN'T NOTICED THAT. THAT'S A VERY GOOD OBSERVATION.
WHAT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OR STRATEGIC STATEMENT OUT OF THERE? DREAM BIG. MINE IS ENERGY. THIS ONE, ABILENE HAS THE HIGHEST CAPACITY OF ENERGY.
ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY DISAGREE ON THAT ONE? I'M GOING TO CIRCLE THAT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS DRAWN TO TOO. MAYOR.
ALRIGHT LET'S MOVE TO THE MIDDLE HERE. ABILENE, THE CAPITAL OF WEST TEXAS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE.
95% FAMILIES ARE THRIVING. WHAT'S THE MOST AND GREAT CITY? PRIVATE TECH PARTNERSHIPS? WHAT'S THE MOST STRATEGIC OR SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT ON THERES.
THIS ONE. OKAY. AND THEN I WOULD ALSO SAY THIS ONE, MAYBE A LITTLE LESSER, BUT FOR SURE THE THE TECH PARTNERSHIPS.
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH CAME WITHOUT GROWING PAINS, AND IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.
WE KNOW FROM THIS TEAM AND FROM STORYBOOK CAPITAL TO STARGATE, HOW ABILENE MANAGED EXPLOSIVE GROWTH WITH MINIMAL PAIN BECAME A NATIONAL MODEL FOR OTHER MID-SIZED CITIES. WHAT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OR STRATEGIC STATEMENT THAT'S ON THAT ONE? PLAN. THE PLAN THE FIRST ONE. IS THAT WHAT? ANYBODY ELSE DISAGREE? THAT'S THE ONE I THOUGHT OF TOO. IT'S LIKE, WELL, THEY'RE DREAMING THIS BIG.
WHAT? AND Y'ALL ARE LIKE, HERE'S HOW, HERE'S HOW.
OKAY, YOU CIRCLE THAT ONE. ALL RIGHT, ABILENE ASCENDANT, THE WEST TEXAS TOWN THAT LEVERAGED CHEAP POWER, SMART DEFENSE, RELENTLESS INNOVATION. AND ONE BIG THE POWER PLAY RENEWABLES AND AI.
DYESS REBORN PEOPLE EDUCATION, QUALITY OF LIFE.
WHAT'S THE MOST STRATEGIC OR SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT THERE? I LIKE THE WORD LEVERAGE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THESE THINGS COMING AT US.
ANYBODY DISAGREE OR HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT YOU PICK IS KEY DICE.
AND WHAT DID YOU SAY OVER HERE ALSO BECAUSE IT HAD THAT RELENTLESS.
YEAH. THE RELENTLESS I UNDERLINED THAT THE RELENTLESS INNOVATION AND DICE.
ALL RIGHT. SO NOW JUST JUST KIND OF WE'RE GOING TO DRAW THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
AND WE'RE FIXING TO PUT COUNCIL TO WORK. AND STAFF'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE SHORT BREAK.
SO JUST KIND OF THINK THROUGH WHAT WE'VE, WHAT SOME OF THESE BIG DREAMS. HOW YOU USE ENERGY. THAT'S BIG. QUALITY OF LIFE CITY.
OR WE SAY PUBLIC PRIVATE TECH PARTNERSHIPS. WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE 15 YEAR PLAN.
A VERY SOLID PLAN LEVERAGING POWER, DEFENSE, INNOVATION AND DAIS.
SO IF YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT, WE'RE GOING TO ADD A LITTLE BIT NOW, COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
AND YOU CAN DRAW FROM ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE THING THAT'S NOT PUT ON HERE IS HOW YOU SOLVE THE HOUSING ISSUE, BUT YOU GOT TO SOLVE THE HOUSING ISSUE TO MAKE ALL OF THESE POSSIBLE, RIGHT? SO YOU GOT TO THINK BIG, BUT YOU ALSO GOT TO REMEMBER THE THE PROBLEM.
SO ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S DO YOU NEED A QUICK BREAK OKAY? OKAY. JUST LET'S COME BACK TO OUR TABLES. COUNCIL SIT AT THE TABLE.
STAFF YOU AROUND THE ROUND TABLES. BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE YOU AT THIS MOMENT.
[03:05:04]
WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU VERY SHORTLY. BUT YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK HERE, SO THANK YOU, JOHN. ALL RIGHT. GOOD WORK GUYS. THAT WAS A FUN THING FOR ME TO WATCH YOU GUYS DO. NOW WE'RE GOING TO SINCE THIS IS A HIGH TECH CITY, WE'RE GOING TO USE SOMETHING THAT'S VERY HIGH TECH AND THAT IS INDEX CARDS. AND SO LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT NO CITY FUNDS WERE USED TO PURCHASE THESE INDEX CARDS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY ARE EXPENSIVE AND HIGH TECH.ALL RIGHT. SO EACH OF YOU COUNCIL HAS FIVE. AND HERE IS THE RULES.
YOU GET TO WRITE ONE IDEA PER INDEX CARD. I'LL COUNT THEM UP.
I'VE BLAZE, CAN YOU DOUBLE COUNTING THERE? MAKE SURE IT'S OKAY.
OKAY. AS I SAY, IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE I MADE A MISTAKE.
BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, SO. SO YOU GET TO WRITE ONE IDEA PER CARD.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO WRITE ON THERE ARE, IF YOU COULD CHOOSE FIVE YOUR FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WHAT WOULD THEY BE. AND I WANT YOU TO WRITE THEM IN A CERTAIN WAY.
I WANT YOU TO WRITE THEM IN A VERB OBJECT PATTERN.
THAT'S THE VERB REVENUE. THAT'S THE OBJECT. THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.
SO SO THAT'S HOW YOU GOT TO RIGHT NOW WE DO A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE WORK.
IF YOU TALKED TO MICHELLE GRANT ABOUT WHAT SHE PUT ON THE TEST.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. DON'T TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE GOING TO IN A MINUTE. BUT FIRST YOU GOT TO GET YOUR PRIORITIES WRITTEN.
ARE YOU WANTING JUST TWO WORDS OR. WE WRITE A FULL SENTENCE? YOU CAN WRITE A FULL SENTENCE, BUT I'M MOSTLY INTERESTED IN THE THAT VERB OBJECT SO THAT I CAN TELL, LIKE BECAUSE I'M NOT LOOKING IN A MINUTE. LET ME JUST LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.
WE'RE GOING TO GET COLLECTIVELY 5 TO 7 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL AGREE ON.
AND THEN FOR EACH OF THOSE PRIORITIES WE'RE GOING TO WRITE OBJECTIVES OR MILESTONES.
YOU MIGHT CALL THEM KPIS NOT GOALS NOT SMART GOALS.
THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM. YOURS IS TO SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT.
SO IN THE PROPER STAFF, PEOPLE WILL BE AT EACH OF THE TABLES.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME ON IT. SO THE PRIORITIES I THINK OF THEM AS ROCKS.
BUT LIKE THE PRIORITIES ARE ARE THEY QUARTERLY OR ARE THEY KNOW THINK THINK 5 TO 10 YEARS.
YEAH. AND BIG ROCKS IS A GOOD WAY TO SAY IT. SO THINK OF COVEY'S IN THE BIG ROCK THINGS.
THESE ARE YOUR BIG ROCKS. SO YOU KNOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY PAVING 17TH STREET RIGHT.
THAT'S THAT'S A LITTLE PEBBLE. IT'S IMPORTANT IF YOU LIVE ON 17TH STREET.
BUT WE NEED YOU TO THINK BIGGER. OKAY. ALRIGHT.
GO. THIS IS WHERE YOU ALL GET A BREAK.
ONE IDEA PER CARD. IF YOU CHEAT, SOMEBODY WILL CATCH YOU.
AND FEEL FREE COUNCIL. IF YOU NEED TO COME UP AND LOOK AT THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS, WALK AROUND, THAT'S FINE. LOOK BEHIND YOU.
[03:11:52]
AND ONCE YOU GET YOUR CARDS DONE, JUST HOLD ON TO THEM. WE'LL WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO IN THE NEXT SEGMENT HERE.I SAW LYNN LOOKING AT MINE. JUST A TATTLETALE.
RETALIATION. THAT'S WHAT THAT IS CAN I STOP? ALL RIGHT. SHANE, ARE YOU DONE? I'VE GOT FOUR OUT OF FIVE.
OKAY. GIVE YOU A MINUTE. HOW ABOUT YOU, TRAVIS? I'M DONE. OKAY. TRAVIS. YOUR GUN. MIGUEL. WE'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE MINUTES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WORTH THIS MUCH, BUT.
DO IT FOR A RECURRING FEE. THERE'S LIKE, I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THIS FOR.
HOW MANY TERMS WAS THAT? 29 TERMS FOR NOTHING.
[03:15:03]
THAT'S $29. YEAH. OOH, OOH.DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S 97 YEARS? THAT'S. 29 TERMS IS 97 YEARS.
SO 27 TERMS. OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS 27 YEARS. OKAY.
A LOT. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY NOW. A LOT OF MONEY.
YEAH. IT'S A GOOD RETIREMENT PLAN. YEAH. YEAH.
OKAY, NOW HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. I WANT TO KNOW WHO HAS BEEN ON THE COUNCIL THE LEAST THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME. OKAY, MIGUEL, WHO'S BEEN ON THE COUNCIL THE LONGEST? SHANE. OKAY. SO MIGUEL AND SHANE, YOU'RE GOING TO PAIR UP.
WHO'S BEEN ON THERE? THE NEXT LONGEST, BESIDES SHANE, THE MAYOR AND WHO'S SECOND LEAST? NO, I'M SECOND LEAST. I THINK YOUR SECOND. SECOND LEAST.
SO THE TWO OF YOU ARE TOGETHER, AND. AND THAT'LL PUT LYNN AND TRAVIS TOGETHER.
SO YOU ALL NEED TO PAIR UP. YOU'LL HAVE TEN CARDS, POTENTIALLY TEN DIFFERENT PRIORITIES.
YOU GOT TO GET DOWN TO FIVE BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU.
OKAY. SO YOU CAN THREATEN. YOU CAN LIE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS. YEAH. WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET DOWN TO FIVE.
BUT ONCE YOU AS A PAIR HAVE SAID, OKAY, THAT CARD DOESN'T COUNT.
PUT IT ASIDE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK TO IT, SO FIGHT HARD FOR IT, MIGUEL, BECAUSE ONCE YOU LET GO OF IT, IT'S GONE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, PAIR UP AND WE'LL LET YOU GUYS WORK IT OUT.
SIMPLEST MOVEMENT IS Y'ALL TWO SWITCHING. OH, MIGUEL.
YEAH, I CAN MAKE IT TO THE MAYOR AFTER A CERTAIN TIME.
IT'S JUST LIKE. JUST DO THAT. HE'S. MAYOR. YEAH.
DO THIS, DO THAT. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. MUSICAL CHAIRS.
YOU'RE AT TEN AS A PAIR. GET DOWN TO FIVE. GO.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. WHAT YOU GOT INCREASING AMENITIES IN ABILENE FOR SINGLES YOUNG FAMILIES.
THIS IS A. HIGHLY COMPETITIVE STAFF. AND. I BROKE MINE, I BROKE STREET AND THEN WATER. I BROKE THE IT'S NOT HERE AND WE CAN JUST USE YOURS SINCE IT'S FINE.
OKAY. I'LL LET YOU GUYS DECIDE WHO WHICH STAFF NEEDS TO BE AT WHICH TIME.
AND THEN I HAVE SOMETHING WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC HOUSING.
YEAH. AND THEN I HAVE I WON'T KNOW WHO THOSE SHOULD BE, BUT.
YEAH. THERE YOU GO. AND THEN THE THREE OF YOU ALL CAN JUST MOVE.
I WOULD SAY JUST MOVE AROUND TO WHATEVER TABLES OR KIND OF KIND OF COMMUNICATION.
THIS IS KIND OF. WOULD YOU LIKE THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PROTECTING THE CITY? OKAY. AND THE RESIDENTS WITHOUT. YES, SIR. SO STREAMLINING THOSE THINGS.
YEAH. BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT COMES INTO THE THE STATE MANDATES.
OH YEAH. OKAY. SO THAT WAYS FOR OTHERS TO GET AROUND.
YEAH. WHERE'S THE YOUNG PEOPLE. THAT'S A RINGING IN THE MOUTH.
YEAH. AND THEN WE GOT TWO, I GUESS. YEAH, YEAH, ESPECIALLY AS FAR AS RETAINING THEM.
OKAY. VERY GOOD. THESE TWO, I THINK, KIND OF TOGETHER.
THEY DO? YEAH THEY DO. AND THIS IS MORE GENERAL.
I KIND OF IT'S THE SAME THING. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH.
YOU WANT ME TO, I THINK. OKAY. YEAH. WE GOTTA DO IT ANYWAY.
YES. AND THEN WE JUST USE THESE TWO. I LIKE THIS ONE BETTER THAN THIS ONE.
OKAY. AND THEN MAYBE THIS, THIS ONE. AND SEE WHICH ONE? THIS ONE. ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT. IF IT KNOCKS OUT ONE OF THESE ONE.
ALWAYS THAT WAY. YEAH. JUST ONE. OH, PROBABLY TIES IN WITH CHILDCARE.
OKAY, SO WE CAN KNOCK THAT ONE OUT AND PUT THIS ONE HERE.
COME, PLEASE. YEAH. INCREASING I-20 OR FORT BENTON.
ALL RIGHT. YEAH, I THINK THIS ONE I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH. OKAY. LET'S SEE. SURE. WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST FIVE? ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. FIVE. YEAH. SO THESE ARE THE FIVE, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW. RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. GOOD. GOOD.
YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. YOU NEED SOME? I DIDN'T SEE ANY.
[03:20:04]
GOOD LUCK ON READING MINE. YEAH. NO, IT'S PRETTY BAD.COMMISSIONERS. YEP. OKAY, I KNOW THAT GOES TO PLACE OKAY.
AND WE COMBINED. LIKE, WELL THIS IS KIND OF A CLOSE SERIES.
LET'S PUT IT TOGETHER. YEAH OKAY. SO JUST THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT IT IS SHANE, DID YOU ALL PUT ON YOURS AS WELL? INCREASING CITY COUNCIL SALARIES. YEAH, YEAH.
DOUBLING CITY COUNCIL SALARIES OUT OF ZERO. YEAH YEAH, YEAH, WE NEED TO.
YEAH. I THINK CLYDE GETS CLYDE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GET 50 A MONTH, MAYBE A MONTH.
50 A MONTH, I THINK A HUNDRED A MONTH OR SOMETHING.
NO WONDER THEY CAN'T BUILD A PIPELINE. YEAH. MIDLAND.
MIDLAND GETS SORRY 70. THE MAYOR GETS 75 A MEETING AND COUNCIL GETS 30 A MEETING AND THEN SAN ANGELO, THE MAYOR GETS 4200 A YEAR AND COUNCILMEN GET 3600 A YEAR.
WOW. YEAH. YEAH. I WOULDN'T HAVE GUESSED THAT.
YIKES. AND THEN, LIKE, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN LIKE THAT IN SAN ANGELO? YEAH. LIKE, WAS THAT, LIKE, SINCE THERE'S, LIKE.
I LOOKED IT UP ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. YEAH. I MEAN, IF THEY'RE GETTING PAID THAT A LONG TIME AGO, THAT'S. OH, YEAH. YEAH. SO I DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN THAT WAY.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET BIG CITIES LIKE DALLAS, THEY GET PAID PER MEETING.
BUT IT'S ALL BASED ON ATTENDANCE. OH, BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE 3 OR 4 MEETINGS A MONTH.
RIGHT. WELL THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE LIKE FULL TIME SALARY.
OH, YEAH. YEAH. OH, YEAH. FOR SURE. MAYBE FORT WORTH IS TOO I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I BET THEY ARE. YEAH. YEAH. WHAT IS HER NAME? DO YOU REMEMBER? NO. SHE HAS A PRETTY BIG ONLINE PRESENCE.
THE FORT WORTH ONE. BUT I CAN SEE HER FACE. I KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WELL. OH, WOW. BIG BLACK SUV IN HER OWN DRIVER.
MAN. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE RIGHT THING. COULD I GET MY CARDS BACK? YEAH. I MEAN, STANLEY ASKED FOR THE MONEY, AND HERE WE ARE.
YEAH. MAKE A MOTION FOR HER OWN CD. DRIVER. SEE HOW THAT GOES.
I LOVE, I LOVE, THOUGH THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN.
LISTEN, I GET PAID A DOLLAR, LIKE. CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN.
I TOLD SOME FOURTH GRADERS AT TLCA THAT YESTERDAY.
WHAT? OH, YEAH. THEY STARTED GIVING YOU MONEY.
THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, HE NEEDS IT. SHE EVEN HAD SHE HAD A DRIVER.
SHE HAD AN ASSISTANT FOLLOWING HER. YEAH. YOU KNOW.
YOU HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE BETTER. IT JUST MAKES THEM.
YEAH. WHAT DOES THAT DO? WHAT DOES THE COUNCIL MEMBER DO? IT'S TRUST.
YEAH. OR $1. IT REALLY IS NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
OR LIKE IT'S LIKE 50 BUCKS. THAT'S JUST A WASTE OF MONEY.
OKAY. YOU KNOW THAT'S AN ACTUAL SALARY WHERE YOU COULD POTENTIALLY SOMEONE COULD QUIT THEIR JOB OR SAY, HEY, I'LL RUN BECAUSE I CAN'T I CAN'T DO BOTH BECAUSE I WORK AT AN AUTO MECHANIC SHOP. THEN YOU OFFSET THAT. BUT SHORT OF THAT, IT'S JUST KIND OF WASTED MONEY.
IT IS. YEAH. AND STIR THINGS UP. YEAH. DROP IT ON STAFF LAP.
WE'RE OUT SOME OF YOUR LANGUAGE, SO I FORGET IT ON MY GRANDPARENTS.
BUT FEEL FREE TO AS YOU WANT ME? YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE HERE? NO PROBLEM. OKAY, SO LET'S DO THIS. LET ME READ THROUGH THEM, AND THEN I WANT YOU TO LET'S IDENTIFY WHAT OCCURRED ON AT LEAST TWO OUT OF OUT OF THE THREE. SO STRENGTHEN DIAS STEWARD RESOURCES, IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND DIVERSIFY ECONOMIC SECTORS. THAT WAS GROUP ONE.
SO VERY SIMILAR TO THAT ONE. INCREASE AND SLASH INCENTIVIZE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR FOCUS ON GROWTH AROUND LAKE FORT PHANTOM BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.
[03:25:05]
AND FIVE WAS ADDRESSED INFRASTRUCTURE. WAS THAT KIND OF EGREGIOUS? OKAY. SO GROUP THREE WAS IN PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY I ENCOURAGE YOU, IT WAS A LITTLE MORE WELL THERE WAS MORE TO IT PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT WHILE PROTECTING THE CITY AND RESIDENTS WITHOUT EXCESSIVE BUREAUCRACY.SO BUT I DIDN'T WRITE IT BECAUSE THAT BECOMES, TO ME AN OBJECTIVE THAT YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE DOING, THAT WE WANT TO DO IT THIS WAY. THAT'S WHAT INCREASE AMENITIES.
IT WAS PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON DRAWING IN NEW FAMILIES.
BUT YOU CAN'T JUST SAY NEW FAMILIES, ONLY OLD FOLKS TO INCREASE AMENITIES.
THREE COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR CITY STAFF, FOR INCREASE HOUSING ESPECIALLY, I'M GOING TO SAY DIVERSE HOUSING OPTIONS BECAUSE THAT WAS MAKE SURE IT'S AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE.
YEAH, YEAH I 20 THAT'S A 20. YEAH. IT'S BECAUSE I LIVE 820 ALL THE TIME.
YEAH I'M IN A LOOP. OKAY. SO LET'S JUST GO THROUGH AND WE'LL CIRCLE THE ONES.
WHICH OF THESE ARE THERE ANY OF THEM THAT OCCUR ON ALL THREE.
I DIDN'T THINK SO. JUST RIGHT OFF THE, THE BAT, BUT WHICH ONES OCCURRED IN AT LEAST TWO INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY RIGHT THERE. INFRASTRUCTURE THREE AND FOUR ON TWO AND THREE IS INCREASE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WHERE ELSE IS INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE BOTTOM TWO.
RIGHT THERE. ADDRESS INFRASTRUCTURE. YEAH OKAY.
WHAT ELSE IS ON THERE. TWICE IS THREE AND FOUR.
THREE ON TWO AND FOUR ON THREE AND COLUMN THREE.
NUMBER FOUR. AND FOUR ON THREE. OKAY. AND ARE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT ARE ON THERE? MORE THAN TWO TIMES. DEVELOPMENT IS ADDRESSED.
YOU'VE GOT DEVELOPMENT HERE. AND. THIS IN HERE OR HERE.
COLUMN ONE. NUMBER FIVE. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY.
SO LET'S KIND OF STOP THERE AND SEE WHAT SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.
WE'VE GOT IN NO ORDER. BECAUSE WHEN I GIVE THESE TO YOU I'M GOING TO ALPHABETIZE THEM.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T ALPHABETIZE THEM, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO SAY, WHY DID YOU PUT THAT ONE? NUMBER FOUR. THAT SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THESE ARE OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. NO FAMILY HAS ONE PRIORITY.
NO BUSINESS HAS ONE PRIORITY. NO CITY HAS ONE PRIORITY.
ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT I'M SEEING IS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER IS.
AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE FOR NOW. THE NOUNS, THE VERBS.
OUT. INFRASTRUCTURE. PUBLIC SAFETY. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. HOUSING. THOSE ARE THE FOUR, RIGHT? OKAY. NOW. I ALWAYS SAY YOU HAVE LIKE IF YOU HAVE MANY PRIORITIES, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PRIORITIES. SO WE GOT TO BE THAT'S THAT BALANCE AGAIN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
YOU KNOW YOU GOT TO HAVE A BALANCE. YOU CAN'T HAVE SO MANY PRIORITIES THAT EVERYTHING IS.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS THAT VISION THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
KEEP IT IN MIND THAT SOME OF THESE MIGHT FIT UNDER THE FOUR.
ONE OF THE FOUR WE HAVE. SO LET'S LET'S TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT.
ARE YOU ASKING THE ONES THAT ARE NOT CIRCLED TO FIT UNDER ANY OF THE CIRCLED ONES.
YEAH. WHAT WHAT'S WHAT'S NOT CIRCLED THAT EITHER.
YEAH. YOU COULD SAY IT FITS UNDER ONE OF THOSE FOUR.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT LEAVING STUFF OUT.
[03:30:05]
STRENGTHENING DIETS AS PART OF A SOLID ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.IN MY OPINION, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING. YEAH.
SO IS GROWTH AROUND LAKE FORT PHANTOM AND SO IS INCREASE AMENITIES AND I-20 DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S ALL AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. YEAH.
SO THEY COULD ALL FIT AS OBJECTIVES UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YEAH OKAY. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO WRITE IT THIS WAY JUST SO I'LL REMEMBER IT.
THAT FITS UNDER THERE. INCREASING AMENITIES. DID YOU SAY THAT'S UNDER DEVELOPMENT? YEP. YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THESE GROWTH AROUND LAKE FORT PHANTOM IS ECHO DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK SO, TOO. AND THIS ONE TOO. RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY. SO THAT BRINGS ME TO YOU'RE STILL WORKING WITH FOUR ARE. COMPETITIVE WAGES. STEWARD RESOURCES.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. DO ANY OF THOSE RISE. FIRST OF ALL, ARE ANY OF THEM THE SAME, AND DO ANY OF THEM RISE TO THE LEVEL THAT YOU WOULD SAY THEY NEED TO BE A STRATEGIC PRIORITY? COMPETITIVE WAGES WOULD FALL UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT JUST POLICE AND FIRE.
IT'S EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ITS INFRASTRUCTURE. AND EVERYTHING DEALS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. OKAY.
WHAT I HEAR WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM ON THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, COUNCIL? IF WE CAN'T ATTRACT EMPLOYEES, THEN SAFETY GOES DOWN.
SO I THINK IT'S AN ELEMENT OF IT FOR SURE. OKAY.
WE MIGHT WRITE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE PRIORITY THAT IT'S YOU KNOW, HIGH QUALITY ORGANIZATION, WHICH PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PART OF.
RIGHT. OKAY. THAT PUTS YOU AT FIVE. NO. NO, IT'S STILL FOUR. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH. PUT YOUR FOUR. I'M SORRY. GOOD. GOOD CATCH.
SO WE HAVE THE STEWARD RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IS THAT A IS THERE A PLACE THAT THAT GOES OR DOES ONE OF THEM STAND ALONE? STEWARDING RESOURCES CAN GO LOTS OF PLACES. YEAH.
IT'S PART OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. IF WE DON'T STEWARD THE MONEY THAT'S GENERATED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WELL AND REINVEST IT PROPERLY AND USE IT PROPERLY, THEN YOU DON'T MAINTAIN THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT IT'S ALSO PART OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO REBUILD THINGS AND REPLACE THINGS AND REPAIR THINGS.
IT SEEMS TO ME IT GOES A LITTLE BETTER UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? THAT'S FINE. THAT'S GREAT.
BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO BE BUILDING IT, TAKING CARE OF IT.
AND BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE TO DO. OKAY.
THAT LEAVES US. WE'VE NOT ADDRESSED THIS ONE.
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN GROUP TWO.
WHOEVER YOU ARE, YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT. LOBBY IT FOR IT.
OR THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT NOW THAT YOU KIND OF SEE, YOU GO.
I MEAN, I'M NOT. THIS IS YOUR CALL. I THINK COMMUNICATING WHAT WE DO IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE WE CAN DO ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT HOW DID YOU TELL THE PUBLIC HOW THEY ARE RECEIVING THOSE BENEFITS? SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THOSE THINGS IN ORDER FOR US TO COMPLETE THE JOB PER SE.
OKAY. AND I'D GO A STEP BEYOND THAT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE OUR CITY MESSAGES PRETTY WELL.
THE GAP IS GETTING CITIZENS TO ENGAGE IT. IT'S NOT THAT THE MESSAGE ISN'T OUT THERE.
YEAH I THINK. BUT THERE'S JUST SO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES RIGHT THERE WORKING AND RAISING THEIR FAMILIES AND GOING TO SCHOOL AND DOING THEIR THING, AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO US. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THAT'S THE MYSTERY TO SOLVE.
TO ME, FROM A MESSAGING STANDPOINT, THE MESSAGE IS OUT THERE ARE OUT THERE.
[03:35:03]
YEAH. THEY JUST WE JUST HAVE TO GET PEOPLE TO ENGAGE WITH IT. RIGHT.WHAT'S THE POPULATION OF ABILENE RIGHT NOW? ONE 3131.
YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A BIG CITY OR YOU'RE A MEDIUM SIZED CITY.
YOU'RE CERTAINLY NOT A SMALL TOWN, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GROW.
AND THIS CAN CONTINUE TO BE MORE IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF LIKE I KNOW WE TALKED TO SOME OF US, TALKED ABOUT THIS ON THE PHONE. AS PEOPLE COME IN, YOU WANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT BLEND OF, HEY, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND WE'RE NOT LOSING THAT IDENTITY.
I KNOW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A PRETTY BIG ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO END UP WITH TWO ABILENE'S, RIGHT? THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ALL THESE YEARS, ONES THAT JUST CAME IN, YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL A PART.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN'T CONTROL ALL OF THAT. BUT BY VISIONING AND SAYING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, YOU ATTRACT PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WHAT'S THAT ON ITS OWN? YEAH. YEAH. AS A STRATEGIC PRIORITY.
IT'S ALSO I DON'T MEAN THIS IN AN UNHEALTHY WAY.
IT'S ALSO POLITICAL IN NATURE BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, HEY, THIS IS OUR POLICY THAT WE WANT WE WANT TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND IT'S IMPORTANT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO SAY THOSE THINGS.
SO. OKAY. SO LET ME MAKE SURE I GOT IT RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A BREAK. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
AND NOT COUNTING VERBS, WE'VE SAID INFRASTRUCTURE.
PUBLIC SAFETY OR POSSIBLY ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT MIGHT FIT ALL THAT IN THERE.
DIVERSIFY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS NUMBER THREE.
HOUSING NUMBER FOUR. AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN FIVE IS FIVE.
WE WRITE ABOUT THAT. OKAY. SO HERE'S WHAT YOU GET TO DO.
TAKE ABOUT A 15 MINUTE BREAK. WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER. SO WE'RE GOING TO ASSIGN YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT FIVE OF THEM.
WE'LL WE'LL DO A ROUND OF THREE AND THEN A ROUND OF TWO.
WE'LL SAY, OKAY YOU'RE TAKING THIS ONE. YOU'RE TAKING THIS ONE.
YOU'RE TAKING THAT ONE, TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON EACH PRIORITY WILL WORK WITH THE STAFF TO HELP CREATE REALLY GOOD, CLEAR OBJECTIVES. WHEN YOU COME BACK, I'LL KIND OF GIVE YOU MY EXPLANATION OF WHAT THOSE ARE.
OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. GOOD WORK.
TAKE A BREAK. WE'LL COME BACK. DO NOT WANT TO HELP ME ON HOW I'M WORRIED. WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THEN WE WANT TO SAY. WELL, WE WANT REALLY RESOURCES FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
SO I WROTE IT, AND I'M NOT SURE I GOT IT RIGHT.
RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND CITY ORGANIZATION.
AND IS THAT AM I DON'T WANT I DON'T WANT TO PUT THIS IN A DIRECTION YOU DIDN'T WANT IT TO GO.
SO WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS YOU DON'T WANT RESOURCES JUST FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE RESOURCE THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
SO AND THEN THE OTHER PART THAT GOT PULLED IN WAS FUNDING.
WHAT WE'RE DOING. OKAY. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF YOU TAKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE ONE, A COUPLE OF YOU TAKE THIS ONE. THE RESOURCES ON ORGANIZATION, PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THREE AND FOUR FOR NOW.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF YOU ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'LL DO A ROUND OF IT. YOU GUYS WILL GET A NEWSPRINT.
WE'LL ASK YOU TO WRITE. I DON'T KNOW, 3 TO 5 GOOD OBJECTIVES.
AND I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT THOSE ARE IN A MINUTE. WE'LL COME BACK AND REPORT OUT, AND THEN WE'LL BREAK UP AND ASSIGN SOME OF YOU TO THIS ONE, AND SOME OF YOU TO THAT ONE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
[03:40:02]
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OBJECTIVES OR MILESTONES HERE'S THE WAY I LIKE TO HELP YOU DO THEM.WELL, THINK OF US THINK AS OBJECTIVES AS THOSE STATEMENTS THAT TELL US WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AT THE RIGHT SPEED TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THIS PRIORITY IS.
SO I ALWAYS USE THIS ILLUSTRATION. IT'S DUMB, BUT IT'S TRUE.
WHEN WHEN MY OLDEST SON GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, WE LIVE IN GRAPEVINE.
HE WENT TO OKLAHOMA STATE. HE'S AN ARCHITECT.
HE'S DONE WELL. WE STILL HAD TWO TEENAGERS AT HOME, AND MY WIFE WOULD SAY, LET'S GO SEE ZACH AND MEREDITH, HIS NOW WIFE, AND BE IN THE SPORTS LOVER THAT I AM.
I WOULD SAY, LET'S GO SEE A FOOTBALL GAME AND SEE HIM AT A GAME.
OKAY, SO WE MAKE THAT AGREEMENT. SO I KNOW IF I'M GOING TO GO TO THE GAME, THAT'S THE BIG PRIORITY.
BE AT THE GAME. GO EAT AT ESKIMO JOE'S. BE THERE FOR ALL THAT STUFF.
SO I KNOW I GOTTA PULL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WITH MY WIFE AND TWO TEENAGERS.
HAPPY, SAD OR INDIFFERENT. BY A CERTAIN TIME, I KNOW I'VE GOT TO HIT I-35 BY A CERTAIN TIME, AND I'VE GOT TO TURN AND GO NORTH, NOT SOUTH LIKE I WANT TO DO, SO I CAN GO WATCH MY BELOVED BAYLOR BEARS.
I GOTTA GO NORTH, RIGHT? I GOTTA CROSS THE RED RIVER BY A CERTAIN TIME, ETC., ETC.
NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE THE COMPLETION OF THE VISION.
OTHERWISE, IT'S JUST A DREAM. THAT'S, TO ME, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
WITH MILESTONES. WHEN YOU REACH A MILESTONE OR MILE MARKER.
YOU HAVEN'T COMPLETED THE VISION. DON'T BREAK YOUR ARM PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK, BUT YOU GOT TO DO IT, OR ELSE YOU CAN'T REALLY REACH THAT VISION. ANOTHER WAY TO THINK OF IT IS THESE ANSWER THE QUESTION WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? SO IF WE SAY, FOR EXAMPLE YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOUR OBJECTIVES OUGHT TO HELP ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR EMILY.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? DO YOU MEAN YOU WANT EVERY HOUSE TO HAVE FREE WI-FI? IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN? NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE MEAN.
WE MEAN THIS. OKAY, SO THAT'S. NOW I'M NOT LOOKING FOR TACTICS OR INITIATIVES.
SO IF IT'S DOWN TO THE TACTICS OF I WANT YOU TO PAVE 17TH STREET BY THE END OF THE YEAR, LIKE.
THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. IS THAT DOES THAT RESONATE? OKAY, ENOUGH OF THAT SAID. SO I NEED TWO OF YOU TO SAY THAT YOU WANT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IS THAT THIS THAT TABLE. SO REALLY THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU NEED TO ASK IS DO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH THIS GROUP? OH NEVER MIND. OKAY. SO SHANE, YOU WANT ON THAT ONE? WHO ELSE WANTS IT? LYNN OKAY. Y'ALL GOT INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHO WANTS THAT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S BLAZE AND MIGUEL.
ALRIGHT, SO, MAYOR, YOU'RE BY YOURSELF OVER HERE WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UNLESS TRAVIS COMES BACK. IF TRAVIS COMES BACK, WE'RE GOING TO PUT HIM OVER HERE WITH THE MAYOR.
OKAY. ALRIGHT, I'LL BRING YOU A SHEET AROUND SO YOU CAN DO IT, BUT Y'ALL START WORKING ON IT.
3 TO 5 REALLY GOOD OBJECTIVES OR MILESTONES THAT TELL US WHAT YOU MEAN BY THIS TOPIC.
WHEN YOU GET READY FOR IT. THERE YOU GO. THAT WAS A BETTER DAY.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GIVE YOU THIS FOR WHEN Y'ALL ARE READY FOR IT.
[03:45:02]
Y'ALL HAVE A MARKER. I'LL GET YOU A MARKER, TOO.WHAT WAS IT? 3 TO 5 OBJECTIVES. OVER WHAT HORIZON? YEAH. GREAT QUESTION HERE. 3 TO 5 OBJECTIVES OVER FIVE YEARS.
THINK OF FIVE YEAR HORIZON. THERE YOU GO. I'LL BRING YOU ALL MARKER.
OH, YOU HAVE A MARKER. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE OTHER.
SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS. THAT.
WE'RE A LITTLE OFF. TOO FAR OFF FOR THAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE POPULATION IS 1000. AND SO THAT'S.
WHERE WE ARE NOW. PLANNING. YEAH. YOU KNOW HOW LIKE HOW? ABOUT 1.82. ONE. POINT SEVEN.
TWO. YEAH, I LIKE THAT. WHAT? IS YOUR STRUCTURE IS AN INTERNAL. SOCIAL MEDIA.
YEAH. AND ALSO ALSO. SORRY ABOUT THAT. NO PROBLEM.
WE PUT YOU IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SIDE. SO BAIL THE MAYOR OUT.
HE'S IN TROUBLE. SO IT'S LIKE, WHATEVER WE DECIDE.
TO DO? NOT SOME OF IT. YES, WE NEED EDUCATION, BUT IT'S MORE OF A.
FUNCTIONAL WAY OF. THAT'S WHAT I ALREADY STARTED.
PUTTING IN THE WORK. WE WANT TO BE CLEAR. WHAT? WELL.
WATER. WATER IS LANDLOCKED BY THE TREATMENT USED TO TREAT SEIZURES.
90. $0.09 AN HOUR. YOU KNOW, IT'S BAD ENOUGH WE MADE IT. YOU KNOW. SO WHERE ARE WE IN THE TRIAL? YEAH. ANY DEPARTMENT? OTHER DEPARTMENTS? YOU KNOW, OUR WATERS AND STUFF.
SO KNOWING ME, THAT'S PART OF IT. WHEN WE GO.
THROUGH 2020. TWO. BUT ALSO. BECAUSE, I MEAN ALL THE GREAT WATERFRONT STREETS. ACCORDING TO HER, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M JUST
[03:50:07]
GONNA WRITE IT DOWN. 20 YEARS AGO. OH, THAT WAS GREAT.YEAH. WELL, THIS IS YOU SHOULD REALLY SPEAK TO WHAT THAT TELLS. YOU. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER PROJECT OR SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW. BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT.
HERE. EVERYBODY. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO.
EDUCATION AND FEELINGS. ABOUT PEOPLE.
YEAH, RIGHT. YEAH. JESUS. OKAY. I THINK.
THIS IS WHAT WE DO. THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. EDUCATION.
SOUNDS. LIKE A WASTE OF. WORDS. NO, IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOOD FOR YOU. IT'S. JUST ONE WAY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. WHERE THEY ARE WHEN THEY ARE SHOWING UP.
IT'S JUST THERE. AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYOR.
WE NEED TO BE. TALK TO EVERYONE ABOUT IT.
NO. I DIDN'T. I DID NOT SAY A WORD. I STARTED PLAYING THAT SONG.
LOOK, HE'S ALREADY TRYING. TO FALL BACK ON.
ANYTHING THAT'S NOT YOU. BUT IT'S ALL GOOD.
HE'S 16. AND? THOSE THINGS ALSO EXIST.
WHAT IS IT? IT'S ONE THING. THAT I KNOW. WE'RE GETTING STRAIGHT IN YEAH. SO. YEAH.
AND WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO. HAVE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. OKAY. YEAH. AND THEN IT IS SAFE. TO USE THE TERM. ANYONE FIXES THE PROBLEM. THE QUESTION COMES WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH.
IT. I KNOW SHE DOESN'T KNOW. BUT LIKE A FRIEND SENT ME, SO I WAS GETTING ALL THESE THINGS.
SO THAT'S ONE WAY. SO THE NEXT STEP IS NOT JUST SO YOU SEE.
SO THERE ARE TWO PROCESSES. THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS 60.
FIVE YEARS OLD. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. THIS.
IS WHETHER WE ACTUALLY NAIL IT OR MAYBE JUST USE IT.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT. YOU KNOW, IN YOUR LIVING ROOM YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
[03:55:04]
IT'S JUST LIKE JUST THERE. IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S NOTHING.IT'S NOT LONG ENOUGH. SO. NO, IT'S PROBABLY BIGGER THAN THAT. I'M THINKING.
SOMETHING LIKE A VISUAL TRIGGER. A VISUAL TRIGGER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT.
ARE IN A LOT OF. DIFFERENT WAYS. NOT ALL OF US, BUT I HAVE. AND SO THERE WAS AS FAR AS USABLE. IN THE PAST FEW. YEARS AGO WE WERE ASKING.
THE COUNCIL. TO. LOOK AT THIS POINT BECAUSE.
OBVIOUSLY AS A. CITY OR A CITY IN THE.
SENSE THAT. IT DOESN'T LOOK SO.
CLEARLY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. YEAH, I FIGURED YOU'D LIKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WELL, MAYBE. LIKE THE MAYOR SAID AT THE START.
IT'S A WATER DROP. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. YEAH.
NO. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. MAYBE THAT'S. I THINK HE'S LIKE.
A LEATHER LIKE. BUT SOMETHING LIKE A MONSTER.
PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT IN THAT LITTLE BITTY.
YOU SEE, THOSE THAT CARE ABOUT THAT AREA WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO DO.
THAT ALL. RIGHT. YEAH. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT.
I. THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I MEAN. LIKE, THIS IS WHAT I'M CLICKING ON AND JUST PROTECTING THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL. BUT WHAT IS THE WAY TO SUMMARIZE IF YOU'RE DOING IT. JUST BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE LESS RISKY. YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS. SO THAT'S WHERE I REALIZED THAT.
THIS IS NOT THE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN.
I STILL DO IT PRIMARILY. WHY DID YOU DO THAT? I MEAN, I DON'T. I STILL DON'T.
KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN? AND HE'S STANDING RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, WE HAVE BULLET POINTS, BUT WE ARE NOT SURE HOW THESE NEED TO BE WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY.
THAT'S LIKE, WHAT RESULT DID YOU SEE THAT INDICATES WE HIT COMMUNITIES.
I THINK MORE IT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU IS IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE, CAN YOU TIE SOME CURRENT INITIATIVES THAT YOU'RE DOING TO IT, OR DOES IT ALLOW YOU AS A TEAM TO THINK, OH, HERE'S SOME INITIATIVES WE CAN CREATE THAT SUPPORT IT? THAT'S THAT'S HOW YOU WOULD MEASURE A GOOD OBJECTIVE.
YEAH. YEAH. I MEAN, I DEFINITELY THINK THERE'S MULTIPLE GOALS OR TASKS.
[04:00:03]
YEAH, YEAH. IF YOU IF THAT I THINK YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE END USER SO TO SPEAK BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, YES I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT AND WE CAN DO THAT.SO THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS. SO COULD YOU SAY AFTER YOU KNOW OF ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.
SO WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO BE DESCRIBED. I DON'T MIND.
YEAH. YOU COULD HAVE YOU KNOW I'M NOT PRESCRIBING THIS, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU DO DO YOU GUYS DO BIENNIAL SURVEYS THAT GET INPUT THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE.
I MEAN, I CAN SPEND ANYBODY'S MONEY. SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE.
RIGHT. BUT THAT'S WHY, LIKE, HOW DO WE WE'RE ENGAGING THEM, GETTING FEEDBACK ON STUFF EVENTS THAT YOU HAVE AS A CITY WOULD, WOULD FOLLOW AND MAYBE WHAT YOU WANT THOSE EVENTS TO BE LIKE.
THEY WERE HE HAD NEVER BEEN HERE. OH, WELL IT WASN'T IT WAS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.
SO THAT'S THAT'S SOME THINGS I GOT. OKAY. YEAH.
ALL RIGHT. DOES THAT HELP? YES. OKAY. THAT'S SO GOOD.
YEAH, IT WAS GOOD. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WAS COMFORTABLE SAYING SOMETHING DIRECTLY ABOUT THE SURVEY.
I THINK THAT'S. SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO RECEIVE INPUT.
I THINK, YES, DIVERSIFICATION OF INPUT OR FEEDBACK OR WHATEVER.
YEAH, 100%. AND I AGREE. YES. THAT 1ST MAY BE ANOTHER ONE.
IS THAT DIVERSITY OF OF CATCHING UP OR PRODUCTION.
DO YOU WANT TO DO IT SINCE I WASN'T IT MAY GET LOST IN TRANSLATION SINCE I MISS A LOT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INPUT, RIGHT? WE'RE SAYING HAVE A LOT CLEAR.
ACCURATE. JUST THINKING ABOUT IT FOR REFLECTIVE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
INTENTIONAL. INTENTIONAL SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT.
YEAH. MULTIPLE THROUGH MULTIPLE AVENUES. BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT RECEIVING INPUT THROUGH MULTIPLE AVENUES. IF YOU HAVE ANY INTENTIONAL FEEDBACK OR INTENTIONAL.
INTENTIONAL AND. MULTIFACETED, I THINK.
BUT. FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT DIVERSE APPROACHES, THEN HOW DO WE GET THE.
INPUT FROM. DIVERSE POPULATIONS. BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS, RIGHT? IT'S THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. IT'S THE RESIDENTS.
RESIDENCES. THE WELL TO DOS AND THE LOW TO DOS.
ANYONE. ALL ASPECTS OF THE COMMISSION. FROM FROM FROM ALL ASPECTS IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
OH, YEAH. THERE YOU GO. AND THEN WHAT YOUR TEAM WOULD DO, EMILY, IS THINK, OKAY, WHAT INITIATIVES ARE WE ALREADY DOING? AND THEN WHAT NEW THINGS DO WE NEED TO DO THAT HELP THEM? NO, Y'ALL WON'T DO THAT. THAT'LL BE LATER. THAT'LL BE MORE LATER.
SO YOU SHOULD BE EXPANDING. OKAY. HOW ARE WE COMING OVER HERE? YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE TO WRITING SOMETHING. YEAH, I THINK WE SOLVED ALL THE PROBLEMS. OKAY, GREAT. GREAT. WELL, YOU DON'T WANT LYNN TO BEAT YOU BECAUSE HE'LL SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
HE'S. HE'S RIDING ALREADY, THAT'S ALL. THAT'S ALL.
I'M. HE'S RIDING. YOU CAN'T SEE IT, BUT HE'S RIDING.
[04:05:03]
YEAH. OKAY. WE'RE RIGHT HERE. ALL RIGHT. ABOUT FIVE MORE MINUTES OR SO, GUYS.YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT A MINUTE FOR ME. YOUR HUSBAND? OH. NO GUESSING. YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE BECAUSE SHE CAN'T R E M I N E N G RE AND THAT.
MIGHT. MY HANDWRITING. IS TIRZ. YEP. TWO E'S AM I? WHY THE SHORT STRAW? THAT'S RIGHT.
IS A MUNICIPAL. UNIT. OF MUNICIPAL INFORMATION.
SORRY. SORRY I KNOW. WE ALSO HAVE THIS IDEA OF. WELL, THAT MAY BE UNDER INTENTIONAL INPUT.
AS FAR AS THAT KIND OF MORE OF THAT DIALOG, TWO WAY PERSON.
I HAVE THE WORD INTEGRATED FROM CITY GALLERY.
LET'S JUST PUT THAT IN OUR WORD, WHICH IS TRUE BECAUSE SO ARE WE TRYING TO IS THIS ONE CONNECT? WHAT WHAT WERE YOU SAYING ABOUT THIS? OH, THE LAST ONE.
YEAH. YEAH. NO, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE IF WE DIDN'T REALLY COVER ANYTHING.
I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT HERE ABOUT JUST THE DIVERSITY OF OUR EXPRESSION OR, YOU KNOW, PODCAST.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE, THE MULTIPLE MEDIUMS ENGAGE WITH MULTIPLE MEDIUMS WITH, YOU KNOW, YEAH, YOU CAN ALMOST ADD THAT TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
DOES THAT IMPACT THE EDUCATION PIECE? OH, RIGHT.
THIS IS INTENTIONAL EDUCATION. 35. IT DOES FEEL LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO FILL A GAP THAT MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND BY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. THE EDUCATION COULD ALSO FALL UNDER, LIKE THE CITIZENS ACADEMY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO CITIZEN EDUCATION INITIATIVES. YEAH, I LIKE TO.
I LIKE THE WORD PROACTIVE. LIKE WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE AND TARGETING VARIOUS WAYS TO EDUCATE, COMMUNICATE OR WHATEVER. DIVERSIFYING OUR EDUCATION ACADEMY.
YEAH. DO YOU ALL HAVE A CITIZENS ACADEMY? WE HAD ONE, BUT NOT I THINK IT STOPPED WITH COVID.
WELL DO WE? LAST YEAR WE WERE ACTIVE. AND THIS YEAR.
YEAH. BUT THERE'S EDUCATION. IS THAT IS THAT KIND OF YOUR VERSION OF, LIKE, ABILENE 101? YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. NOT ABILENE 101. MUNICIPAL.
MUNICIPAL. BUT THE CHAMBER DOES. ABILENE. BUT THEY HAVEN'T ABILENE.
ABILENE ONE. AND THEY DO. THEY DO THE BUSINESSES AND THE NON-PROFITS IN THAT ONE.
OKAY. IS THAT, IS THAT GO PRETTY WELL FOR THEM? OKAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD PARTICIPATION IN THE CHAMBER.
ONE FOR SURE. THAT'S GOOD. WE'RE COMING IN AND WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING OUT IN A ROBUST WAY AND.
WHICH HONESTLY LIKE THE STREETS AND STUFF IN THE OPERATIONS LIKE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
YEAH I'M SAYING LIKE LIKE I KNOW THIS IS GOOD.
THAT'S A GOOD. SERVICE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. HE'S.
WHICH IS THE. SERVICE LINE. RADKE. SERVICE LEVEL.
RIGHT. JUST THINKING OF OUR EMPLOYEES. I DON'T KNOW IF.
OKAY. YES. DO Y'ALL WANT TO SAY ANYTHING EXPLICITLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY SINCE THAT'S WHERE THIS ORIGINALLY STARTED AND WE KIND OF REDIRECT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LOSE THAT.
I DIDN'T CALL TO WORSHIP. THE SHORT VERSION. THE SHORT VERSION OF.
THE SCREEN. BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE ANOTHER ONE, RIGHT?
[04:10:02]
IT'S LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO A HOSPITAL THAT JUST HAS DOCTORS.YEAH. OKAY. NO, NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL DIDN'T JUST FORGET.
OH, YEAH. WE WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. SO YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT. LYNN, HOW ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE? YOU ABOUT. GOT IT. WHAT? ALL OF THIS MATTERS.
ALRIGHT, SO A COUPLE MORE MINUTES. EACH. EACH GROUP.
NON-EMERGENCY. NO. OH. THANK YOU. OH. THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S GOOD. ALL RIGHT. FOUR IS GREAT. WOULD YOU WRITE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON TOP? NOT THAT I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT. NO, BUT NOT THAT I WOULDN'T KNOW IT.
BUT JUST IN CASE I SOUND LIKE.
I'M GETTING UP THERE. MAYOR. WELL, I SEE WHAT I SEE.
THOSE SILVER ALERTS ON THE ON THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, ON THE HIGHWAY, I ALWAYS LIKE.
IS THAT ME? ARE THEY LOOKING FOR ME? IS THAT.
I LIKE IT, IT LOOKS GREAT TO ME. OKAY. WOULD YOU WRITE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT. DON'T. DON'T WORRY. I'LL FIGURE OUT A TITLE FOR IT.
WE'VE KIND OF MOVED AROUND ON TITLE, SO. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. YOU ARE GOOD. ALL RIGHT, LYNN, YOU'RE GOOD.
YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, LET'S YOU CAN JUST I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO BRING COUNCIL BACK TO THE YOU STAFF.
WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? YES. LYNN'S ALREADY UP.
LYNN, YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? COME ON UP HERE. HE LIKES TO BE FIRST.
YOU CAN. I'M GOING TO PUT THIS INTO Y'ALL'S LAP, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT.
OKAY. YEAH. BRING IT UP HERE AND PUT IT ON HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING OURS UP.
OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. ALRIGHT, LYNN, YOU'VE GOT THE FLOOR.
ALL RIGHT, WE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE FIVE POINTS FOR WITH PEOPLE OVER THERE.
I GOTTA GET OVER HERE. YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT IT AT THE FRONT.
NUMBER ONE, FUND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AT A RATE THAT EXCEEDS ASSET DETERIORATION.
THAT INCLUDES STREETS, WATER, STORMWATER, SEWER LINES.
IT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUDES OUR BUILDING AND FACILITIES THAT WE CURRENTLY OWN.
NUMBER FOUR REESTABLISH A ROLLING FIVE YEAR CIP INFORMED BY MASTER PLAN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO USE THE CIP ENROLLED EVERY YEAR.
WE NEED MASTER PLANS FOR THE WHATEVER WE MAY ALLOCATE THE CIP FOR, WHETHER IT'S STREET REPLACEMENT, SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT FUNDING, THE INFRASTRUCTURE. THEN NUMBER FIVE, ENSURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT IMPEDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ALL RIGHT. LET ME ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT LAST ONE.
WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, MICHAEL BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF AN AREA OF TOWN THAT'S.
I GOTTA MOVE OVER HERE. SORRY. THE THE AREA WEST OF CEDAR CREEK.
SOUTH OF WARE CREEK. I MEAN, WEST OF CATCLAW.
I'VE GOT CEDAR. I'VE SAID CEDAR CREEK ALL DAY LONG.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNDEVELOPED LAND THAT IS DEVELOPABLE WEST OF OF CATCLAW CREEK.
I GOT IT RIGHT THAT TIME. OKAY. BUT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO SEWER SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE, AND WE'RE ON A GRAVITY FEED SYSTEM, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPABLE LAND THAT DEVELOPERS WILL PROBABLY BE INTERESTED IN BUILDING, HOUSING, RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
BUT WE HAVE ZERO SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE.
I GOT IT. SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO GO AFTER, IT'S FIVE YEAR PLAN TO GET SEWER OUT, THREE YEAR PLAN TO GET GRAVITY FED SEWER OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. I GOT IT, I GOT IT. THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD. HEY. GOOD JOB.
GIVE THEM A HAND. ALL RIGHT, WHO'S NEXT? LET THEM GO.
WE'RE STILL GO TO ANOTHER TABLE. ALL RIGHT, COME ON UP.
WHO'S WHO'S REPORTING? BLAZE. ALRIGHT. YEAH. SHANE.
WORDSMITH. THAT'S ALRIGHT, I LIKE THAT. I ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US ALL THIS IN SOME KIND OF.
[04:15:04]
OH YEAH. I'M DOING A REPORT. YEAH, YEAH, IT'D BE VERY FUNCTIONAL FOR YOU.SAFETY AND CITY ORGANIZATION. WE CAME UP WITH A LOT OF THIS WAS IN RELATION TO HIRING AND KIND OF AS ABILENE GROWS, POTENTIALLY 50, 60,000 OVER THE NEXT EIGHT, NINE, TEN YEARS, HOW THAT LOOKS AS FAR AS HIRING PROCESS.
POLICE AND FIRE ARE GOING TO BE TIED DIRECTLY TO POPULATION.
CERTAIN OFFICERS HAVE TO BE PER 1000 WHEREAS FINANCE ZOO.
ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AREN'T TIED TO POPULATION, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO STILL NEED MORE PERSONNEL.
AND SO HAVING A COORDINATED HIRING PLAN ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL CRITERIA, I THINK IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF NOW BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO RAMP UP REAL FAST OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, ALL THE WAY THROUGH NINE, TEN YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSE TO POTENTIALLY DOUBLE OUR POPULATION.
SO I THINK THAT'S KEY. CIP FOR TECHNOLOGY WHAT IS THIS EFFICIENCY THROUGH ACHIEVING EFFICIENCY THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY, WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW, WITH THE FIRE AND POLICE OR NEW, NEW SOFTWARE FOR FINANCE, AS THEY RAMP UP AND DEAL WITH LARGER DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY.
AND A PROACTIVE TECH APPROACH KIND OF SAW THAT WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE CYBER ATTACK INCIDENT.
BEING PROACTIVE. BUT ALSO THIS TIES IN WITH THE, THE CIP FOR THE TECHNOLOGY GETTING AHEAD OF THE NEEDS OF SOME OF THAT TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION SO THAT WE'RE NOT REACTING, WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE AND BEING PROACTIVE.
BUT AND THEN FIVE WAS MAINTAIN A COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE PER THE NATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE PULLING IN. WE WANT TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE, PULLING IN FIRE POLICE ALL THE DEPARTMENT SERVICES FROM EVERYWHERE IN ADDITION TO TRAINING TRAINING IN-HOUSE.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE AS COMPETITIVE AS WE CAN.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GROW BY 30% OVER THE NEXT EIGHT, YOU KNOW, EIGHT, NINE YEARS. SO WE'VE GOT A RAPID SCALE UP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR. AND NOEL, YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ON IT.
OKAY. SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE BETTER METRICS THAN OTHERS.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. YEAH. SO HOW DO YOU QUANTIFY FOR FINANCE AND SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED TO ALSO RISE TO SUPPORT WITH IT? YEAH, THE STAFFING WE HAVE TO SPEND A BIT MORE TIME TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THAT METRIC FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
YEAH. LET'S CALL THEM SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS. YEAH THAT'S GREAT.
ALL RIGHT. GREAT WORK. GIVE THEM A HAND. AND AND EMILY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU ABOUT THIS A MOMENT AGO, BUT LET'S ASK ABOUT THIS ONE. DOES THIS GIVE YOU THE CLARITY YOU WANT NEED FOR NOW? KIND OF. OKAY. HOW DO WE BUILD A WORK PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THOSE THINGS? YES, I CAN. I CAN VISUALIZE THE GOALS THAT COULD GO UNDER THOSE BY WHICH TO SUPPORT THEM.
OKAY, GREAT. AND DID YOU GET TO SEE THEM? YES.
THE SAME THING ABOUT THE ONE ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME AWAY GOING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY MEANT BY THAT. IT'S OKAY IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT ONE IS BETTER. WHOA.
OKAY, GREAT. ALL RIGHT. SHE IS. YOU NOTICE HOW SHE CAN HANDLE THAT? ALL RIGHT. WHO'S DOING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH TRAVIS? TRAVIS. TRAVIS, COME ON UP. DID YOU GET THAT? YES, WE WE REWROTE IT. OKAY. OKAY. TAKE IT AWAY.
I'M TRYING THE BEST I CAN. I KNOW IT'S STILL CRICKET.
PROACTIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION INITIATIVES. QUALITY.
EFFECTIVE INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS. PURPOSEFUL COLLABORATION WITH VOICES FROM ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ELABORATE ON IT? ANY OF IT. OR YOU CAN JUST LEAVE IT THERE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I AM.
[04:20:05]
AND I SHOULD ASK COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU ON THIS? NOPE. GOOD. AND I'M GOING TO SAY, EMILY, YOU PROBABLY KNOW YOU HELPED WRITE THESE.SO ANYTHING YOU NEED HELP WITH? LIKE YOU'RE GOOD.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD. ALRIGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET SOMEBODY ELSE, RIGHT? OKAY. ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THIS NOW. WE'VE GOT TWO MORE TO GO.
SO WE'LL HAVE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WORKING ON ON THESE TWO.
THESE ARE BIG ONES. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING STOCK.
I JUST PUT IT THAT WAY BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS INVOLVED IN HOUSING AS WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO I NEED THREE VOLUNTEERS THAT WANT TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR COUNCIL LYNN, SHANE AND MIGUEL.
AND THAT MEANS THE THREE OF YOU HAVE HOUSING.
OKAY. OKAY. NOW, WHERE DO YOU WANT THEM TO GO FOR THIS? PROBABLY. LET'S ALL STAFF KIND OF LIKE GET UP AND WE'LL RESHUFFLE.
AND YOU ALL KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO, WHETHER YOU NEED TO BE IN ONE OF THOSE.
ALTHOUGH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IS KIND OF IN BOTH.
SO TIM, I'M SORRY. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KILL YOURSELF.
SO, SO COUNCIL, LET'S PUT THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE DOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THAT TABLE AND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE DOING HOUSING, LET'S PUT YOU AT THIS TABLE BY THE DOOR, OKAY.
AND SAME THING. YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE US 3 TO 5 OBJECTIVES.
Y'ALL DID REALLY GOOD WORK ON THESE. I WANT TO TELL YOU I'M PROUD OF YOU.
NICE JOB. AND I'LL BRING YOU PAPER HERE IN A SECOND.
I DON'T KNOW THAT. ALL STAFF. YEAH, YEAH. GREAT.
IF NOT, MAYBE HANG OUT. YEAH. YOU'VE GOT SOME.
YOU GOT SOME OTHER TABLES IN THE MIDDLE. Y'ALL CAN.
Y'ALL CAN PLOT TO TAKE OVER WEST TEXAS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M A LITTLE MORE THAT ONE. ON THIS SIDE. I DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE. I WOULD HAVE.
ALL RIGHT, LORI, I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS TO YOU.
YOU CAN DELEGATE IT. AND HERE'S A HERE'S A MARKER.
I DON'T MEAN TO LEAN OVER YOUR SHOULDER, BUT I'M READY TO STAND UP. OH.
THIS IS WHAT? OH. IS THIS WHAT THIS IS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
I FINALLY FOUND THE RIGHT TABLE. WHAT IS THIS, THE DREAM TEAM? YEAH, I COULD SEE IT. YEAH.
AND YOU MAY HAVE AND DON'T DON'T FORGET ABOUT DYESS EITHER.
AND I WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S BIG ON THIS ONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE PUT UNDER HERE UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS AMENITIES.
SO THINKING ABOUT HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAKES POSSIBLE MORE AMENITIES OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT, RIGHT. SO AMENITIES ARE NOT NECESSARILY THINGS YOU YOU PROVIDE.
SOME OF THEM MAY BE, BUT ALSO IT'S MAYBE PROVIDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES AMENITIES POSSIBLE.
ALL RIGHT. I'LL LEAVE YOU ALL ALONE. HELP ME.
CALL ME IF YOU NEED HELP. THAT'S THE.
BEDROCK OF FOUNDATION DEVELOPMENT. YOU DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
[04:25:07]
ENERGY. WHAT DO THEY MEAN? IS IT JUST THE WAY THAT WE DO WHAT WE DO HAVE? IT'S IN BAD SHAPE THAT. WE CAN JUST THROW THAT ONE AWAY.THINGS. MICHAEL, CAN YOU COME OVER HERE FOR A SECOND? YES, SIR. YES, SIR.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE QUESTION.
WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE WILL THEY HAVE LEAVING THE BASE IN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS? YOU KNOW, THE BIG THING THAT THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO NEED IS JUST MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE MAJOR BUILDING TRADES.
CONCRETE IS A BIG ONE TO GET THE CONCRETE PLANT THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE NORTH SIDE, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT THAT MILITARY DRIVE. MILITARY.
BUT BEYOND THAT, REALLY, IT'S JUST THE BASE HARDENING, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL PREPARED FOR THE NUCLEAR CAPACITIES AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BASE AND WITH THE COMMANDERS. AT THIS POINT, I THINK THAT THEY'RE ALL GEARED UP TO MAKE ALL THAT HAPPEN.
MY ONLY CONCERN FOR THEM IS THE SAFETY OF THEIR STAINING PROCESSES.
ABILITY OF TREES TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING.
THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WE'VE GOT GOING ON AND ALONG INTERSTATE 20 AND THE NEW BASS PRO SHOP, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES ARE ALL COMPETING FOR THE SAME TRAILS.
SO THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF TRADESPEOPLE, WHICH IS CAUSING A LOT OF INCREASE IN COSTS.
I THINK THAT SHORT TERM HOPEFULLY MAYBE YOU KNOW MORE.
AND WHEN I SAY SHORT TERM, PROBABLY 5 TO 7 YEARS.
BUT AS FAR AS OUTSIDE CAPACITY, THE THING THAT THEY'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE SAME THING.
WE HAVE BEEN RESILIENCY WITH OUR WATER SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE POWER, BUT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THE GENERATOR SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE OUR PLANTS ARE GOING TO BE OPERATIONAL BEFORE LOSE ATP OR OKAY. SO SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN MOST.
THE WATER TOWERS HAVE SOME ISSUES AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S JUST THAT'S ALL ON THEM. IT'S ALL ON THEM.
THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN REALLY DO UNLESS WE END UP WITH SOME TYPE OF STATE GRANT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
WITH THE STATE GRANTS, THEY USUALLY HAVE A SHORT TIMELINE FOR SOME REASON, MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS.
SO LAST WEEK THING WE DID FOR THEM WAS PART OF THEIR IT INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE DID THAT AS PART OF A STATE GRANT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
THEY HELPED SUBSTANTIALLY THE YES AND THE OTHER ONE FOR MILITARY PURPOSES.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT ANOTHER ONE AS WELL. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MILITARY AFFAIRS TO SEE IF WE CAN'T WORK TOGETHER TO PUT THOSE APPLICATIONS OUT THERE AND TRY TO GET ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING. BUT REALLY, THEIR BIG ISSUE THAT THEY HAD THIS LAST TIME WAS MAKING SURE THIS SINCE WE DID NOT GET THE FUNDING FOR THAT WORKING TO REMOVE ELECTRIFICATION. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY.
I WOULD DEFINITELY BE WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT? YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF CHICKEN AND THE EGG. I THINK WE WANT TO KEEP THEM IN THE CITY LIMITS IN CONSTRUCTION AND DON'T REALLY REPLACE IT UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND FIX ALL THAT LAND IN BETWEEN.
THE PLAN WAS TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT IN ADVANCE.
WE'RE GOING TO UPGRADE TO CONCRETE, ALWAYS BE MAKING SURE THAT SECONDARY BASE ACCESS FOR CONSTRUCTION IS IMPORTANT, TO LET THEM TEAR IT UP DURING CONSTRUCTION AND FIX IT AS WE CAN, AND THEN ALL THE WAY DOWN.
YES, SIR. THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH, I THINK WE WE WEATHERED THE STORM.
[04:30:01]
WE'RE GOING TO NEED THOSE SAME TRADES. AND IS THERE ANY RESOURCE THAT WE CAN TAP INTO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS AS FAR AS EXPANDING THE BIDDING PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE ANY CITY OR STATE THE BIDDING PROCESS IS BASICALLY OPEN TO EVERYBODY.THE PROBLEM YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRACK OUTSIDE OF TRADES.
NOW THEY'VE GOT ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. I'M DABBLING TO STAY IN ABILENE.
CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO STAY. YOU'VE HEARD YOURSELF THE HOTELS ARE GOING FOR $400 A NIGHT, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO BRING IN OUTSIDE HELP THAT YOU'RE PAYING 25 BUCKS AN HOUR AND THEN 400 BUCKS A NIGHT FOR THEM TO SLEEP. SO I THINK THAT AT THIS POINT, WE'VE DONE WHAT WE CAN TO REACH OUT TO COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US WITH SOME OF OUR INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY THAT WE NEED TO DO.
ARE YOU USING WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN LANSING BUT ALSO HELPING US INTERNALLY? WE JUST LEARNED THE OKAY. WHEN I GOT BACK FROM THAT, THE RULE IS LIKE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN MAKE MORE OVER IN THESE OTHER FACILITIES IN OREGON.
SO WE'RE HIRING THIS THIRD PARTY COMPANY BASE TO COME IN.
WE'RE GOING TO ADVERTISE OR DO OUR BEST TO FILL IT. AND THEN THE OTHER PLAN IS WE'RE BACKFILLING THAT WITH WE'RE DOING ON THE SITE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CITY HALL TO BRING THEM IN. AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET CERTIFIED SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME FULL INSPECTORS FOR THE DIFFERENT TRADES.
THAT WOULD BE PLUMBING. ELECTRICAL. SO THAT'S SOMETHING.
WE'LL SEE. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. I'M ALSO VERY IMPRESSIVE.
IN SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DOLLARS INTO THESE EMPLOYEES.
AND THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE JUST NOW GETTING PEOPLE INTO THEM AND THEY'RE SO CLEAN.
COMING OUT THAT IT'S IT'S CAUSED THIS GAP IN TIME WHERE WE DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE UNDER THEIR BELT. AND TO CHANGE OUR PACE, EVEN THOUGH. WE'RE NOT WHERE WE CAN COMPETE WITH SOMEBODY THAT YOU. KNOW. WE'RE TRYING TO.
GET CREDIT AND THEN MAYBE WE WIN THEM OVER WITH OUR.
PERSONALITY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE? MY FRIENDS HAVE STARTED THAT YOU WERE COMMITTED TO SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE THAT.
AND HENDRICK. AND THAT GETS US 17 MONTHS. BUT THE CITY OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH, YEAH.
YEAH. SO HOW DO YOU THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAME TO MIND THAT.
WE DO THAT NOW. AND OR SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION.
AND THEN THEY ASKED US FOR SIX MORE YEARS. AND IF THEY DO IT RIGHT.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE CAN USE IT. BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY HUGE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN BARELY GET KICKED OUT OF THEIR UNITS AND IT'S SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
I MEAN, IT'S IT'S NOT RIGHT THAT IT'S HAPPENING.
SO I THINK EVEN EVEN A TAX CREDIT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IS STILL AROUND.
I MEAN. I GUESS MY CONCERN IS OKAY, SO WITH REGARDS TO QUALITY, LET'S SAY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THE DEMANDS HERE. LET'S START FROM OUR SIDE.
WE WILL APPROVE IT AND THEN WE PAY THIS TRADE OFF.
YEAH THAT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE TRADES TO ATTRACT THEM TO KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT MY FACILITIES. THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR. HOW DO YOU JUST
[04:35:09]
WANT TO KNOW THAT? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO? CREATIVE AREAS THAT YOU'VE COME UP WITH, THAT KIND OF PIONEERING? YEAH, IT REALLY IS. IT'S LIKE. DO YOU AGREE? YEAH.ALL WE NEED NOW IS THE BULLET THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TO TRY TO COME UP WITH STRATEGIES.
I'M SURPRISED. YEAH. NO. IT'S A. TRAINING HORSE FOR HORSES. CAN YOU MAKE MYSELF HORSES. SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT THAT AGAIN.
OKAY, SO WHY IS THAT? THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY APPROVED.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER. ONE WHERE YOU DON'T WANT.
TO GET THEM. SO IT'S ACTUALLY IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY NICE.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO SAY YEAH YEAH YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT.
WE KNOW MAJOR PLACES RIGHT NOW THAT NEED SIDEWALK LABS.
SO. THE GOOD NEWS IS NOTHING NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, THIS IS SIDEWALKS. THAT GOES BACK TO THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THIS RESIDENTIAL.
AND SO WE'RE NOT CREATING ADDITIONAL MASTER PLANS.
COMBINING THESE PLANS TOGETHER AND FINDING FUNDING, WE'VE GOT, I THINK IT'S MORE JUST LITERALLY LAND DEVELOPMENT, GEOGRAPHY, IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE SUITABLE AND SIDEWALK COVER.
NEW STREET DESTRUCTION IS. NOT A GRANT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE.
YEAH. A LOT OF THOSE SITES AVAILABLE. YEAH. THERE THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR SIDEWALKS AND AND THAT'S WHY WE THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING SURE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED.
AND EVEN THOUGH. YEAH. DESIRE.
BUT THERE'S A PLAN FOR SHOULD WE JUST PRONOUNCE THE PROPERTY OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY? THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT. JUST STAY IN TOWN AND MAKE THEM DO IT.
OR AN INCENTIVE TO FIX THAT. PROBLEM. THAT'S AWESOME.
AND YOU KNOW THAT WE AT ONE TIME WE PICKED UP WITH REGARDS TO THAT.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO CALL IT. INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THE STRATEGY. SO YES THERE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE VERSUS.
3 OR 4. THAT'S GOT SOME CONSTRUCTION TO GET ON THAT.
AND AS. I DOES. HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY ABOUT ENERGY AS A PART OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? THAT'S A BIG ONE. OKAY. WE HAVE THESE JOB SECTORS.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCENTIVIZE THESE TYPES OF INCOMES? TO A DEGREE, THAT'S NOT JUST THE COST TO THE OWNER OF THE NEW PROPERTY.
WHAT CAN WE DO INFRASTRUCTURE WISE. BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN BASICALLY THESE COMPANIES.
PIGGYBACK ON THAT. SO BUT WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE IN THE 80S.
SO WE WERE SO HEAVILY RELIANT ON OIL AND OIL BUST.
SO. WHY DID GHOST TOWN? BUT IT WAS REALLY CLOSE.
[04:40:03]
DIVERSE, DIVERSIFYING OUR SECTORS. RIGHT. SO HE'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF GOING AFTER DIFFERENT TYPES OF SECTORS.YEAH I THINK THE GENESIS. YEAH THAT WAS A 23 YEAR.
YEAH. WE'RE ALL 150. THIS IS GOING TO BE AFRAID.
AND WE'D HAVE A YEAH YEAH I KNOW. NEVERTHELESS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ON THE 40 YARD LINE. WE GOT 60 YARDS TO GO. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OTHER SECTORS OUT THERE THAT CAN ATTRACT YOU.
AND THEN WHEN ONE SECTOR FAILS, WE STILL ARE KIND OF SOMEWHAT PREDICTABLE FOUNDATION UNDERNEATH THIS FINANCIAL FOUNDATION, WHETHER THAT BE. TO CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.
THAT'S GOOD ONCE THEY'RE GOING AFTER THESE. I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU HAD YOU MAY GIVE US I MEAN, I'M NOT AWARE OF GIVING US INFORMATION OF THINGS THAT THESE COMPANIES WOULD HAVE TO ALSO CHECK.
IS IT MAINLY JUST SOME MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE WATER? YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS BEING IN GOOD SHAPE FOR THEM TO DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT HAVE NEVER GIVEN US FEEDBACK OR THINGS THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WE WENT THROUGH THIS EXERCISE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S STRAIGHT WATER AND YEAH, YEAH, THERE MAY BE.
SOME. THINGS FOR US TO DO. MAYBE THERE'S EVEN SOME EARTHWORK ON THE SIDE, BUT THAT'S PART OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
WHAT'S. YOUR. PERSPECTIVE ON THAT? I MEAN, WE'RE LETTING THE MARKET GO DOWN TO US. OR DO WE HAVE OUTREACH TO THEM? I STILL DO COME VISIT AND TAKE ME OUT OF FALLS AND ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. OKAY. BUT THEY'RE JUST OVER TIME.
DID YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL PROGRAM OF OUTREACH, OR.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO LET THE MARKET GO? HEY, HOPEFULLY ENOUGH. THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S REALLY THE FRONT WINDOW.
OKAY. OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. WE DON'T MARKET AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SO. HERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE. YEAH. AND KIND OF WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING AS WE GET BACK AND TRYING REMEDIES HERE ON THE GROUND PERSPECTIVE IS WHAT'S MAKING THEM EITHER SHY OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW. SO YEAH, THE LARGEST OIL RESERVES IN THE WORLD.
YEAH. IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE MINERAL RIGHTS.
YEAH. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF. OKAY. TRY TO WRAP IT UP IN THE NEXT TEN MINUTES OR SO.
ABOUT TEN MINUTES TO WRAP IT UP. WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO FOR US TO ALSO KEEP THAT GOING ON SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST. OKAY. YEAH. WE LANDED A NICE PLACE.
IT'S DRIVE OUT OF THERE. THEY SEE THINGS. THAT'S NOT A VERY DEVELOPED PATCHES.
YES, YES. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, YOU START DRIVING, IT'S LIKE, OH, WOW.
OKAY. YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THEY DRIVE PAST THE ZOO AND START GOING AROUND.
IT'S LIKE, WOW. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, THIS STUFF.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DEVELOPED I THINK THIS IS HUGE CONSISTENCY.
AND STILL TALKING ABOUT JUST. NOT ALL WATER OR.
SEWER. YEAH. WELL, THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS I HAVE TO DIVERSIFY.
SHOULD THERE BE ENOUGH MONEY TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO QUALITY OF LIFE VERSUS.
TRADITIONAL STUDIES? I THINK IT'S AN INCREASE IN.
YES. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
OKAY. YOU KNOW, AND I THINK YOU'RE BASICALLY.
[04:45:03]
SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO INTO. SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS RECENTLY.WHAT DO YOU DO. THERE'S. JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS.
YES, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. I LIKE THAT. AND I ALSO.
YEAH. LIVABILITY FEATURES. OH, YEAH. YEAH. WE USED AI TODAY.
IS COMING. FOR HER LIFESTYLE. RIGHT? YEAH. RIGHT. YEAH, I JUST LIKE I GOT IT HERE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE AND MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSING ONE? IT'S INVISIBLE. DO YOU WANT TO RIDE IT REAL QUICK? SO I JUST CHECKED GPT. SO CHECK THIS OUT. I WANT TO INCREASE AND DIVERSIFY.
HOW MANY NEW HOMES? AND BUILT, NOT PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
I THINK YOU MIXED TWO. LIVABILITY FEATURES. MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL.
ENHANCING AMENITIES. LIFESTYLE. AMENITIES. SO WE'RE AT 2000 7000.
7000. WELL, I THINK I THINK IN MY MIND IT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT DIVERSIFYING AND IMPROVEMENTS AND LIFESTYLE. YOU DO THE BEST, YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN.
THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT. YOU'RE OUT OF THE OBJECTIVE. DO THE BEST YOU CAN. TEN MINUTES.
WE'RE WORKING ON IT. WE'RE GETTING THERE. I'LL LET YOU READ. YEAH, BUT EVERY MINUTE.
TRAVIS, YOU LOVE TO TALK TO ME. TRYING TO WRITE WHAT YOU SAY.
IT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE. BUT EVERY MINUTE THAT YOU TAKE LONGER, YOU NEED MORE HOUSING.
OKAY, SO, LIKE, THERE YOU GO. I CAN'T. IT'S ALL GOOD.
MATTHEW'S GOT SOME POINTS THAT MIGHT BE GOOD. YOU'VE GOT SIMILAR NOTES. ALL RIGHT.
HOW ARE WE COMING OVER HERE? GROUP READ THEM OUT. OKAY.
ALRIGHT. Y'ALL ARE ABOUT THE SAME PLACE AS THEY ARE.
THESE ARE THE BIG. THESE ARE BIG ONES. THEY ARE.
BUT, BOY, YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT. I'M IMPRESSED.
THIS IS PROBABLY. THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO STILL WORK ON.
RIGHT. RIGHT. AND THEN AND THEN KIND OF GOING.
PARTIALLY GOING BACK. TO NEUTRAL ONE. IF IT WAS A VERY PUBLIC AND VERY PUBLIC AND THEY WERE TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CITIES THAT THEY WANTED THEIR CORPORATE OFFICES TO GO TO.
AND THIS IS BUT ALL THE CITIES WERE WERE BASICALLY EQUAL ON WHAT THEY OFFERED.
AND THE DECIDING FACTOR WAS THE LIFESTYLE AND FAMILY SUPPORT THAT THAT COMPANY WAS GOING TO PROVIDE.
THAT'S A CONDENSED VERSION. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH IT IS.
I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. WELL, CAN YOU THROW THAT IN THE CHAT AND SAY, HEY, THE SAME WORDING, BUT CAN IT MAKE IT MORE. JUST EMAIL IT TO ME, MAN.
OKAY. YEAH. OH, YEAH. YES MATTHEW. WE'LL DO THAT.
BUT I STILL HAVE TO VISIBLY SEE WHAT HE'S LIKE.
YEAH. SERIOUSLY, IF YOU'LL GIVE ME ENOUGH BULLETS ON THERE, I CAN EXPLAIN IT.
YOU CAN'T EMAIL IT TO ME AND I'LL I'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.
SO MAKE SURE THAT EMILY FEELS CLEAR ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
OH. GO AHEAD. NO NO, NO. YEAH. AND IT GOES BACK TO.
THAT KIND OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE.
[04:50:04]
OH, THAT'S. AN INTERESTING QUESTION. YEAH. OH.YEAH. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WANT. WE'LL GIVE YOU THE LAND FOR HIM.
NEXT TO AN OIL WELL, NEXT TO A FIVE LANE ROAD AND A COLLEGE DORM.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE FRIENDLY. THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU. HEARD ABOUT IT FROM THAT. SIDE.
SO. JESSE'S GONNA WATCH IT LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
YEAH. YEAH, EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT, JESSE RUSSELL.
THAT THEY JUST WON'T LET THE GENIE OUT OF THE BOTTLE.
YEAH, IT THROWS EVERYONE OUT. BUT IF WE KEEP RIDING IT, THEY GOT ON UFOS. OH, NO. NO, NO. YOU CAN'T DO THAT PART.
WE CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S NOT A GOOD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NO, AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS AND SGR EITHER.
PEOPLE SAY YOU DID A RETREAT AND THEY TALKED ABOUT UFOS.
OKAY, SO WHY DID YOU. INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING.
WELL, THIS IS THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING. IT'S IT'S NOT A OVER THERE, NOT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S ACTUALLY A MEETING ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THAT IS NICE.
THAT WAS INTERESTING. YEAH. THAT'S A THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.
YEAH. THERE'S A LOT OF THAT'S GOING THROUGH THIS.
YEAH. SELENA ALITO ALL OF THAT. AND TO SEE HOW THEY THEY HAD ENOUGH.
HE'S WATCHING US. OKAY, TRAVIS, YOU GOT YOURS.
YES, SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HOW'S MY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP? YOU GOT HIM? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S LET'S REPORT OUT.
AND WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? ALL RIGHT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU GET TO GO FIRST. WHO'S PRESENTING? THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? MORRIE'S DELEGATING. THAT'S GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO GET BACK HERE.
EVERYBODY JUST PUT IT RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT SUPPLY CHAIN.
INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OF TRADESPEOPLE.
THAT'S A CONCERN. IS HAVING ENOUGH TRADES NOT ONLY FOR CITY PROJECTS BUT PROJECTS CITYWIDE.
AND HOW CAN WE DO THAT? WE TALK ABOUT SOME DIFFERENT IN THE WEEDS THINGS.
SO WE DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE LIST. BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE FELT LIKE WE SHOULD WORK TOWARDS.
PLANNING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS AFTER MAJOR CONSTRUCTION INITIATIVES.
IN PARTICULAR, WE WERE TALKING WITH MICHAEL ABOUT DAIS AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE THERE.
AND BASICALLY IT'S JUST DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAINTAIN THE ROADS.
UNTIL THEY'RE DONE. AND THEN WE'LL COME IN AND DO A FULL RECONSTRUCTION.
SO THERE'S A NICE ROAD IN PLACE AFTER ALL THE TRUCKS HAVE BEEN TEARING IT UP.
SPECIFICALLY INCREASED INVESTMENT IN LIFESTYLE AMENITIES.
A LOT OF THINGS, AS YOU LOOK AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BIGGER COMPANIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT WHERE THEY WANT TO PUT A HEADQUARTERS, WHERE THEY WANT TO BRING PEOPLE YOU MAY HAVE MULTIPLE CITIES THAT HAVE SIMILAR SCORING ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE, LIKE WATER AND HOUSING AND WORKFORCE.
AND SO THE THE DECIDING FACTOR IS WHAT KIND OF AMENITIES ARE THERE? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THAT PEOPLE CAN DO WHEN THEY'RE NOT WORKING?
[04:55:02]
YEAH. SO HOW CAN WE INCREASE THAT? AND THEN DIVERSIFYING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FUNDING SOURCES INSTEAD OF HAVING JUST AD VALOREM TAXES, SALES TAXES, HAVING THAT OIL WELL, WITH ALL THE OTHER REVENUE COMING IN FROM THAT, SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE NOT AS HAMSTRUNG IN A SENSE, OR BEHOLDEN TO THE LIMITATIONS OF HB2 AS WE FACE THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING AND AND STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THAT.SO HAVING ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE TO HELP US MEET THE NEEDS THAT WE WILL BE RUNNING INTO.
YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND.
IT'S A BIG ONE. EMILY, ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS? I ACTUALLY DO, SO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OF TRADESPEOPLE.
THEY'RE WORKING AT HENDRICK. AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE FINISHED AND HAVE THEIR THEIR CERTIFICATE OR THEIR TRAINING'S DONE, THEN THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THAT NUMBER OF MONTHS THAT THEIR TRAINING WAS PAID FOR TO WORK FOR HENDRICK AFTERWARDS.
AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TRADES WHERE WE'RE HELPING THEM WITH EDUCATION AT TSTC, AND THEY'RE KIND OF INTERNING HERE. AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE DONE THAT MONTH FOR MONTH TRANSFERS TO THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY, THEY'RE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE CITY. AND DON SAID, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT WITH SOME THINGS WITH THE DRIVERS CDL, BUT EXPANDING THAT INTO THE TRADES AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE A MEANS OF HOPEFULLY EXPOSING THEM ENOUGH TO THE CITY THE CITY'S PEOPLE AND THE PROCESSES TO WHERE SOME OF THEM WILL EVEN WANT TO STAY BEYOND THEIR COMMITMENT TIME.
OKAY. SO THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CITY ORGANIZATION IN REGARDS TO THE TRAINING.
WELL, AND AND THEN IT WAS THE DISCUSSION OF ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPAND THAT TO WHERE THE BENEFIT HAPPENS CITYWIDE? HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE TRADES TO COME IN. BECAUSE THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF TRADES.
WE'RE WORKING ON TRAINING TRADES BUT THERE'S JUST A LARGE DEMAND.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOT JUST THE IDENTITY CENTERS AND DIETS, BUT, YOU KNOW, BASS PRO SHOPS AND OTHER PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND GROWTH AND BUILDING THAT'S HAPPENING IN ALL OF THOSE NEED THOSE TRADES, PLUMBING, ELECTRICIAN, HVAC THAT WE'RE SHORT ON.
RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE TO HAVE PLUMBING INSPECTORS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS IF YOU TAKE THOSE KIDS OUT OF TSC THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THOSE TRADES, USE THIS, A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IN EXCHANGE FOR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN REALLY IMPEDE.
IF YOU CAN'T GET A PLACE INSPECTED AND A CO ISSUED, THEN ALL OF THIS IS FOR NOTHING, RIGHT? THEY CAN'T TAKE THEY CAN'T MOVE INTO THE BUILDING.
AND THAT WAS JUST A METHOD THAT WAS MENTIONED OF, OKAY, CAN WE TAKE A BRAND NEW GRADUATE FROM TSC AND YOU KNOW, OR WE INCENTIVIZE HELPING THEM WITH THEIR SCHOOL IN EXCHANGE FOR A MONTH FOR MONTH SERVICE TO THE CITY FOR FOUR YEARS OR WHATEVER.
AND WE GET SOME BUILDING INSPECTORS OUT OF THE DEAL AND CAN GET SOME CEOS ISSUED.
SO THE WAY I READ IT WAS INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU MEANT.
IT'S IT'S MORE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING DEVELOPMENT LOOK LIKE TWO DIFFERENT DEVELOPING THE PEOPLE, DEVELOPING THE PEOPLE DEVELOPING AND TRAINING COULD SAY INCENTIVIZE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE THAT TO ME, I'M SEEING IT AS THE CITY IS GOING TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT.
AND NOW THAT I UNDERSTAND, WE MAY NOT HAVE TO REWRITE IT, BUT I READ IT AS WE'RE GOING TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN TRADESPEOPLE. SO I SO THAT'S THAT WAS JUST MY YEAH INCENTIVIZED TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRADESPEOPLE.
THANK YOU THAT. YEAH THAT HELPED ME ANYWAY OKAY.
APPRECIATE IT. ANYTHING ELSE? NO I THINK I UNDERSTAND THEM ALL.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT, COUNCIL ON THE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, SHANE, ABOUT LIFESTYLE, AMENITIES. IT'S CERTAINLY IMPORTANT, NO DOUBT.
[05:00:06]
WAY AND EVEN DISAGREE ON STUFF. THAT'S A HUGE ATTRACTION FOR CORPORATIONS THAT WANT TO COME HERE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE THEIR PEOPLE TO CITIES THAT ARE SO DYSFUNCTIONAL AT THE GOVERNANCE LEVEL THAT WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT. AND I WOULD JUST SAY, I'VE WATCHED HOW YOU GUYS INTERACT AND NOBODY'S PERFECT, BUT YOU ALL DO REALLY GOOD.YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF LIKE YEAH, OF COURSE. BUT BELIEVE ME, IT'S NOT.
SO GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT. BLAZE WITH THAT. QUIT FIGHTING WITH LYNN AND COME UP HERE AND TALK HERE.
SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAST 5 OR SIX YEARS IS REALLY NICE.
HOUSING BEING A TOP PRIORITY. AND SO WHAT WE CAME UP WITH ONE MORE.
SO WE'RE AT 2000. WE NEED TO ROUGHLY GET TO 7000 PER YEAR.
BUT NUMBER ONE, OPTIMIZE ZONING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF DOING THAT WITH THE LDC. REVAMP KIND OF COORDINATING COORDINATING A LITTLE BETTER ON THAT TOWARDS THE GOAL OF, OF STREAMLINING HOUSING FOR GOOD QUALITY HOUSING.
TO IDENTIFY AND PROMOTE INFRASTRUCTURE READY AREAS FOR HOUSING.
THIS IDEA I REALLY LIKE. I THINK WE ALL REALLY LIKE. THIS IS WHERE BASICALLY A COLOR CODED MAP OF AREAS OF INFILL DEVELOPMENT, AREAS THAT UTILITIES DEPARTMENTS CAN HIGHLIGHT AND GO.
THIS IS A VERY READY AREA. WE'VE GOT ALL THE CONNECTIONS READY.
IT'S GREEN. YOU CAN BUILD YOUR SUBDIVISION HERE WITH MINIMAL COST, ETC..
BUT IF YOU WANT TO PAY MORE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE WORK. YOU CAN STILL BUILD THERE. SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY TELLING BUILDERS WHERE TO BUILD, BUT WE'RE SHOWING THEM, HEY, WE NEED HOUSING FAST.
THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO IDENTIFY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
THREE CREATE A NEUTRAL DEVELOPMENT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND I THINK NOEL HAD SUGGESTED LIKE A BUILDERS SUMMIT WHERE YOU HAVE THE LOCAL BUILDERS BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY OUTSIDE BUILDERS COME IN AND GET FEEDBACK. WHAT'S SLOWING YOU DOWN? WHAT? WHAT ARE THE HURDLES? WHAT WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? AND JUST KIND OF A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH OF HOW CAN WE TRIPLE CHARGE THIS, THIS PROCESS. AND SO HAVING KIND OF A MAYBE A HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION SUMMIT TYPE OF SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE STAFF AND HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION KIND OF WORK ON A SUMMIT, I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT. AND THEN FOR EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES TO MODIFY THE FLOODPLAIN AND THE FLOODWAY CONSTRAINTS, SO MUCH OF ABILENE, OR AT LEAST THE UNDEVELOPED AREAS ARE UNDER FLOODPLAIN RESTRICTIONS AND SO FREEING UP A LOT OF THAT AREA SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY BE BUILT IN, I THINK IS GOING TO BE CRUCIAL. SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR THAT WE IDENTIFIED.
ANYONE MATTHEW, OR ANYONE WANTING TO KIND OF EXPOUND ON ANY OF THESE THAT I DIDN'T DIDN'T EXPLAIN.
IT'S GOOD. COULD HAVE SAID IT BETTER. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
GIVE HIM A HAND. GOOD JOB. NICE JOB. ALL RIGHT, WE GOT AN A+.
AND. YEAH. LORD, THAT WAS TERRIBLE. COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER.
ALL RIGHT, CITY MANAGER IN A PART OF ALL OF THIS, ANYTHING YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT? NO, A LOT OF IT. IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG, A BIG LIFT, BUT I THINK IT'S WHERE I UNDERSTAND IT.
OKAY, LET ME PULL TRAVIS, PULL YOU BACK AROUND THE THE YOU.
AND WHO ELSE AM I MISSING? MIGUEL? WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE RUNNING GOOD, SCHEDULE WISE.
AND THE MAYOR SAID I GET A BONUS IF WE GET OUT, YOU KNOW, EARLY.
SO I'M TRACKING FOR THAT. SO LET ME KIND OF TELL YOU WHAT WE'LL DO NEXT, AND THEN SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING EMILY, YOU WANT US TO TO TO DIVE INTO BEFORE WE ADJOURN.
I'LL KIND OF DO THAT WITH THE PRESSING PROBLEMS AND STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES SO THAT IT'S IT'S A GOOD, CONCISE, NOT TOO WORDY REPORT. BUT THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, CAPTURING THESE FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND
[05:05:09]
THE OBJECTIVES THAT COME UNDER EACH OF THOSE.I'LL SEND THAT TO CITY MANAGER IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, AND THEN SHE WILL, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH IT. IF WE NEED TO WORDSMITH IT, CHANGE SOME THINGS UP, BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY COME TO YOU.
AND THEN ONCE THAT'S DONE, AND PROBABLY EVEN BEFORE THAT'S OFFICIALLY DONE, THEY WILL BEGIN DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIC WORK PLAN THAT REALLY FLESHES OUT WHAT INITIATIVES ARE ALREADY GOING ON THAT SUPPORT THESE? WHAT NEW INITIATIVES ARE THEY GOING TO START? AND WE'RE GLAD TO HELP WITH THAT IN ANY WAY THAT WE NEED TO.
SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN FROM IT. OKAY.
QUESTIONS FOR ME ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING EMILY YOU WANT TO ASK ABOUT REGARDING THAT.
I DON'T THINK SO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DO.
HAVE I MISSED ANYTHING? HOW DID WE DO COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES? WAS THIS THE BEST SESSION EVER? MAYBE. IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, I'M I'M I'M I'M PRETTY NOTORIOUS.
I'M NOTORIOUS FOR SAYING THAT THAT THAT BEST THAT WEST TEXAS'S BEST TEXAS.
AND YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH PROVEN IT TODAY, SO HATS OFF TO YOU GUYS FOR THAT.
AND YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT AND ADJOURN US.
BUT I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU. SERIOUSLY.
I'M EXCITED. I MEAN, YOU OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU CAN FEEL I LOVE THIS CITY AND THIS AREA.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE FUTURE, AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD FOR YOU.
WE JUST LET SOMEBODY VOLUNTEER TO DO FROM THE, FROM THE COUNCIL TAKEAWAYS AND KIND OF GO FROM THERE.
SO WHO WANTS TO START? ON TAKEAWAYS. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
MIGUEL, WHAT WHAT'S THE TAKEAWAY FROM TODAY? FOR ONE, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR US.
SO IT'S KIND OF REALLY COOL TO SEE THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND YOU GAIN A LOT OF INSIGHT DURING THIS. AND SO I, I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH TODAY AND I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY THE DIRECTION BASED UPON THIS WHOLE ENTIRE THING WHERE WE'RE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GO.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. SO YOU WENT FIRST.
SO YOU GET TO CHOOSE. DO WE GO TO YOUR RIGHT OR TO YOUR LEFT? YOU LET TRAVIS TAKE TAKE THE WHEEL. SURE. ALRIGHT, TRAVIS.
YOU'RE UP. I THINK IT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST BE REMINDED OF A LOT OF THE. YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M GOING TO LOOK BACK A LITTLE BIT THE TRUST THAT WAS BUILT WHEN ROBERT WAS HERE, THAT CONTINUED TO CARRY ON. NOW THAT EMILY'S HERE BECAUSE OF THE FREE FLOWING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND SO I THINK THAT JUST COMES TO MIND, BUT I THINK ALSO, I ECHO WITH WITH WHAT MIGUEL SHARED.
I APPRECIATE YOUR APPROACH. I APPRECIATE THE HOMEWORK THAT YOU DID.
HE DID A TON OF HOMEWORK PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, WHICH I APPRECIATED BECAUSE YOU UNDERSTOOD A LITTLE BIT OF OUR PERSONALITIES AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY. AND SO, YEAH, JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT FRUIT COMES FROM IT.
OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU SHANE. TAKEAWAYS. THANK YOU.
IT'S AS AN OPERATIONAL MINDSET PERSON. IT'S GOOD TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT HOW ARE OTHER THINGS COMING AND INTERPLAYING AND POSSIBLY INTERFERING WITH WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR OUR FUTURE FOR THE CITY. AND AND SO IT WAS HEALTHY FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND, AND HAVE SOME THINGS BROUGHT TO MIND THAT, OKAY, THAT'S A CHALLENGE I HADN'T HADN'T CONSIDERED.
SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND HERE'S SOME THINGS.
AND I HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE QUITE A BIT WITH IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE DISCUSSION IN PARTICULAR, THAT THAT WAS REALLY EASIER TO DIVE INTO BECAUSE IT'S OPERATIONAL.
[05:10:10]
OH BUT YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB WITH THAT THOUGH, TOO.ALL THAT TALK WAS VERY GOOD. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAD TO BRING ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND, AND HELP DEFINE A DIRECTION AND A VISION FOR WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
GOOD. THANK YOU. LYNN. YOU'RE GETTING PAID, SO I'M NOT GOING TO ECHO THE THANK YOUS.
THAT'S THAT'S FAIR. AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF OUR RELATIONSHIP NOW.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB TODAY. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR FACILITATING.
YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST OFFER SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
15 YEARS AGO NOW OR SO, SOME OF THE STAFF IN HERE REMEMBERS THIS.
I REMEMBER WATCHING COUNCIL MEETINGS, TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT DAYS WE WERE GOING TO FURLOUGH EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY. AND SALES TAX HAD FLUCTUATED SO MUCH THAT DURING THE IT WAS PROBABLY DURING THE OH EIGHT DOWNTURN. AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD STAFF THAT WE WERE HAVING TO THAT COULDN'T COME TO WORK AND GET PAID FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK ABOUT TODAY WHERE WE ARE, THESE ARE REALLY GOOD PROBLEMS TO HAVE.
YEAH. THERE WE NEED DELIBERATE PLANNING. THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
BUT ABILENE IS IN A REALLY, REALLY GOOD POSITION RIGHT NOW.
IT'S BEEN A LOT WORSE. AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT OVER AT THE TABLE OVER THERE.
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHAT THE OLD BUS WAS LIKE IN THE 80S.
AND WE'RE JUST SO FAR AHEAD OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN HISTORICALLY.
AND WE'VE GOT TO STEWARD THIS WELL AND BE DELIBERATE.
AND WE'VE GOT TO BE DELIBERATE ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF THESE RESOURCES AND STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE USE THIS TIME THIS SEASON IN THE CITY'S HISTORY TO REALLY SET THE TONE FOR THE NEXT TEN, 25, 30, EVEN BEYOND YEARS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND IT'S A IT'S REALLY EASY TO BE ON COUNCIL WHEN THERE'S SURPLUS FUNDS, YOU KNOW.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO USE THOSE PROPERLY AND RESPONSIBLY AND CONSERVATIVELY? AND I'VE BEEN REALLY ENCOURAGED BY THE DISCUSSIONS TODAY.
STAFF, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT. THANKS FOR ALL THE INSIGHT INTO THINGS. YEAH.
YEAH. THAT'S IT. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
ALRIGHT, BLAZE, WE'LL COME TO YOU. SO I'VE, I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THESE TYPE OF STRATEGIC DISCUSSION DAYS FOR A NUMBER OF CHARITIES OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS. AND TO BE HONEST, I DREAD THEM.
I DO NOT LOOK FORWARD TO THEM. A LOT OF TIMES THEY ARE, IN MY OPINION, A WASTE OF TIME.
THERE IS ONE MANY YEARS AGO THAT THAT IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO THAT ONE, BECAUSE THAT THAT NONPROFIT WAS GOING THROUGH A REVENUE AND AN IDENTITY CRISIS. AND THAT WAS A VERY NEEDED STRATEGIC MEETING.
AND IT IT SAVED THAT SHIP. AND SO THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR IT.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB TODAY. BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH A REVENUE CRISIS, FORTUNATELY. BUT WE ARE AT A, AT A, AT A CROSSROADS AND THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT CAN FREEZE US IN.
AND SO THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE, I WOULD SAY OVER THE NEXT, THE ONES WE MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND REALLY OVER THE NEXT 1 TO 2 YEARS, I THINK WILL HAVE A DEFINING LONG LASTING IMPACT ON ABILENE.
AND SO THIS WAS FOR ME. I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF TAKING.
FROM AN INSIGHT, BUT ALSO FROM HOPEFULLY FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE.
OKAY. THIS IS WHERE WE WANT THE CITY TO HEAD.
I THINK THAT JUST THAT ONE, ONE DISCUSSION, I FORGET WHAT THE TOPIC WAS, BUT GETTING THE INSIGHTS FROM HEALTH AND FROM TECH AND JUST THAT PRISM OF OF SEEING EACH, EACH PERSON, EACH DEPARTMENT IS VIEWING ABILENE THROUGH THEIR, THROUGH THEIR PRISM.
AND SO TAKING ALL THAT TOGETHER, I THINK IS GOING TO BE THE THE KEY, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING, HEY, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS THAT WE'VE GOT TO WE'VE GOT TO BRING AND COALESCE TOGETHER. AND I THOUGHT JUST FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD INSIGHT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE CAN GET LOST IN THE BIG PICTURE AND SOMETIMES WE GOT TO REMEMBER, HEY, THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS THAT WE GOT TO KIND OF ALL COALESCE TOGETHER. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT JUST FOR, FOR ME TO SEE.
[05:15:01]
AND I, AND I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO BE ON COUNCIL.LIKE LYNN SAID, WITH THE REVENUE I THINK WE TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC REINVESTMENT AND INVESTING SMARTLY.
THERE'S THE QUICK, QUICK DECISION, ESPECIALLY ON HOUSING THAT BALANCE, YOU KNOW, DO WE DO WE GO THE CHEAP FAST SATISFIES THAT HOUSING NEED VERSUS THE QUALITY LONG TERM. AND THERE'S NOT A RIGHT OR WRONG DECISION IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT GOING TO BE AS NEEDED.
BUT THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING INVOLVED.
I ACTUALLY GAINED A LOT FROM IT. SO THANK YOU.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. MAYOR, BEFORE WE GO TO YOU, EMILY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY CLOSE OUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE RISK ON DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A STANDARD ANNUAL EVENT FOR YOU ALL.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU, MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, FOR LISTENING TO MY IDEA AND SAYING, YEAH, LET'S DO IT, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL FOR ME AS COMING INTO THIS CITY WITHOUT A LOT OF HISTORY.
AND I KNOW THAT IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR STAFF AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE AND THE BUDGET.
SO IT'S INCREDIBLE TIME, A BIG COMMITMENT FOR YOU ALL.
AND THANK YOU FOR ENGAGING. YOU ALL WERE HIGHLY ENGAGED AND AND WE AS STAFF TRULY APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE ALL IN IT TOGETHER IN DAYS LIKE, THIS REMINDS ME THAT IT'S TEAM ABILENE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR, WE'LL LET YOU HAVE THE FINAL WORD.
IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM, BUT WE ALL UNDERSTAND WE HAVE JOBS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET TO HAVE THESE ROUNDTABLE CONVERSATIONS A LOT LIKE THIS.
AND, I I MEAN, IT'S JUST THIS NEW IDEA, THIS NEW CONCEPT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL.
IT'S BEEN VERY ENJOYABLE. BUT TO TO GET TO HAVE THESE NOT JUST WITH OUR COUNCIL, BUT WITH OUR STAFF, I'M, I'M BLOWN AWAY HOW GIFTED AND TALENTED OUR STAFF OF ABILENE, TEXAS IS.
IT MAKES ME LOVE THIS CITY EVEN MORE. WOW. AND IT MAKES ME LOVE EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER LIKE THIS.
SO I APPRECIATE STAFF SO MUCH. MIKE, I APPRECIATE YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE CITIZENS WHO CAME HERE TODAY.
THAT DOES MEAN A LOT. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND I THINK THIS WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT. IT IS NOW 3:14 P.M.
AND THIS MEETING OF ABILENE CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED.
GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.