Feb 17, 2026 Parks and Recreation

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED THIS MORNING.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:03]

YEAH, FEBRUARY 17TH. IT IS 2026.

ROBIN, WOULD YOU GIVE US AN INVOCATION, PLEASE? YES.

THANK YOU. WOULD YOU BOW WITH ME, PLEASE? DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY.

WE ASK FOR WISDOM, DISCERNMENT.

WE ASK THAT OUR NEIGHBORS LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS.

GOD, PLEASE GUARD, GUIDE AND DIRECT OUR CITY, OUR STAFF AND AND ALL OUR PEOPLE IN OUR PROGRAMS. IT'S IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN AND AMEN.

ALL RIGHT. THANKS, ROBIN.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE HAVING ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO BRING BEFORE THIS BOARD? AND SPEAK ON. YOU WILL COME TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION.

AND ALSO YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO STATE STATE YOUR CASE.

ALL RIGHT. AND SEEING NO ONE COMING FORWARD, THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF OUR MEETING THIS MORNING AND MOVE FORWARD.

YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE MINUTES IN FRONT OF YOU FROM OUR DECEMBER 16TH MEETING.

[1. Minutes (Discussion and Action)]

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. MOTION CARRIES.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, THE BILL AND LILA CENTER,

[2. The Bill and Lila Senter Memorial Arboretum and Picnic Area (Discussion, Public Hearing and Possible Action)]

GOOD MORNING. LESLIE ANDREWS, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

I WANT TO SAY UP FRONT WE ARE THEY ARE STRUGGLING GETTING THE COMPUTERS TO WORK.

SO FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OLD SCHOOL WITH YOUR PAPER COPIES OF THE AGENDAS, AND I DO HAVE A COPY FOR YOU TO TALK OF WHEN YOU WHEN YOU GET UP THERE.

THE ITEM THAT IS BEFORE YOU.

NUMBER TWO, THE BILL AND LILA CENTER, MEMORIAL ARBORETUM AND PICNIC AREA.

IT'S A LOT OF WORDS. BUT A WHILE BACK MITCH HAD BROUGHT THIS CONCEPT TO US ABOUT SOME IMPROVEMENTS OUT AT KIRBY LAKE PARK.

BY THE PLAYGROUND. IT WAS A CONCEPTUAL IDEA AND ONE OF THE APPROVAL FROM PARKS BOARD SO THEY COULD ENTER INTO THE FUNDRAISING PHASE.

AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO BRING THIS BACK TO YOU ALL TODAY.

THEY HAVE BEEN FUNDRAISING AND THEY HAVE RAISED THE FUNDS THAT WE ANTICIPATE THIS TO COST. AND SO TODAY IS IS IT'S ONE IT'S ONE APPROVAL.

BUT THE TWO PARTS TO THIS ARE, ARE ONE THE APPROVAL TO TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT TWO TO NAME IT THE BILL AND LILA CENTER MEMORIAL ARBORETUM AND PICNIC AREA.

THEY DID REACH OUT TO THE CENTER.

FAMILY. IN YOUR PACKET IS A LETTER FROM STEVE CENTER.

WITH THE APPROVAL TO NAME THIS AFTER THE CENTER FAMILY.

AND I WILL INVITE MITCH.

RIGHT. HE IS THE. HE IS THE ONE THAT DID THE KIRBY LAKE MASTER PLAN.

AND HE IS ALSO THE ONE THAT HAS DESIGNED THIS IMPROVEMENTS OUT AT KIRBY LAKE.

SO, MITCH, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU UP TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.

I SEE I'VE GOT A THREE MINUTE CLOCK HERE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

MY NAME IS MITCH WRIGHT.

I AM A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, CITY PLANNER, AND DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT.

LIVE IN WEST LAKE HILLS, A SUBURB OF AUSTIN.

AND. BUT I GREW UP HERE.

I LEFT HERE IN 79 TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT I DO.

AND SO HERE, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO, YOU KNOW, COME BACK HERE.

DAD STILL LIVES, SO I'M HERE VISITING HIM AS WELL.

BUT TODAY IS ABOUT THE ARBORETUM.

I'M VERY PLEASED THAT WE HAVE REACHED OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL OF $100,000.

THAT INITIALLY WAS KIND OF A BACK OF THE NAPKIN ESTIMATE.

AND ONCE WE, YOU KNOW, WE CUT OFF THE FUNDRAISING AT THAT POINT WHEN I GOT THE WORD THAT WE HAD REACHED, YOU KNOW, SLIGHTLY OVER $100,000, AND THEN I'VE HAD TWO LEADING CITIZENS IN ABILENE COME UP TO ME AFTERWARDS AND SAY, I WANT TO I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE.

WHAT DO I DO? I SAID, WELL, WE'VE CLOSED THE FUNDRAISING, AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE HAVE TOLD ME, WELL, LET ME KNOW IF THE BIDDING FALLS SHORT.

AND SO I'M VERY PLEASED THAT WE HAVE OTHERS WAITING IN THE WINGS ONCE THE BIDS COME IN AND WE'LL SEE IF THERE IS ANY GAP AT ALL THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME FOLKS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO GIVE. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THIS EXHIBIT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WHAT'S.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET, BUT THIS WAS THE EARLY CONCEPTUAL PLAN.

[00:05:04]

FOR ONE, I'M ASKING THE CITY TO FUND SIDEWALKS ALONG THIS EDGE AND BUILD SOME ADA PARKING. THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE WE'LL DEAL WITH AT ANOTHER TIME.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE TREES ON HERE AND THE TRAILS, CONCRETE TRAILS IN THIS FRONT SECTION OF THE ARBORETUM, PICNIC TABLES SCATTERED AROUND, AND THEN THE POLLINATOR IN THE BACK WILL ONLY HAVE ON THE BID PACKAGE THIS TRAIL, WHICH WOULD BE A SOFT TRAIL GOING THROUGH THAT AREA. I AM PLEASED TO HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF MASTER NATURALIST, I MEAN, MASTER GARDENERS HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.

I WAS THINKING OF SOME MASTER NATURALISTS WOULD BE HERE AS WELL.

BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. I'VE GAINED A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS PROJECT OVER TIME.

I'M VERY EAGER TO SEE SHOVELS IN THE DIRT.

I WANT TO BE OUT HERE A LOT WHEN THAT'S GOING ON.

BUT ANYWAY, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT PACKET TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. IT DOES INCLUDE A BIRD BLIND THE TRAILS SOME SOME PLANT ID MARKERS AND AND SO WE'RE EAGER TO GET IT DONE.

AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY. THANKS, MITCH. ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD THIS MORNING? WE'LL OPEN THIS UP NOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS PROJECT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON.

PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. OKAY. AND SEEING THAT THERE IS NO ONE WANTING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT WE'LL OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION ON THE BOARD.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MITCH? WHAT'S OUR TIMELINE? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? I'M THINKING LESLIE MIGHT BE BETTER THAN THAT BECAUSE MY FIRST ATTEMPT, I FUMBLED THAT TOTALLY.

BUT ASSUMING THAT Y'ALL APPROVE THIS TODAY THEN WE WILL PUT THE PACKAGE OUT FOR ADVERTISEMENT. IT TAKES TO PUBLIC NOTICES.

IT TAKES ABOUT A MONTH TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEN WOULD GO TO CITY COUNCIL, PROBABLY IN THE APRIL TIME FRAME.

ASSUMING EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN.

WE COULD BE HAVING SHOVELS IN THE GROUND LATE APRIL EARLY MAY.

NOW, AS FAR AS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO BUILD IT, I DON'T KNOW THAT. IMAGINE SOME OF THAT WILL BE ON AVAILABILITY OF PLANT MATERIALS, BUT THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE IRRIGATION AS PART OF THAT.

THE SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTOR WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ON IDENTIFYING WHERE ALL THE VALVES ARE AND WHAT'S IN THE GROUND OUT THERE, AND THEN DO THAT. IRRIGATION LINES PRIMARILY, I MEAN, AS THE FIRST STEP.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF GRADING OVER WHERE THE BIRD BLIND IS BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN A RUBBLE DUMPING AREA OVER TIME BOTH AN OBSTACLE, BUT ALSO GIVING US A LITTLE BIT OF OPPORTUNITY.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SITE WORK TO BE DONE, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, LET'S TRUCK IN THE TREES, GET THE SOILS, GET THE MULCH.

AND ONCE THAT GETS ROLLING, THAT SHOULD GO PRETTY QUICK.

DO YOU HAVE TWO REALLY GREAT PROBLEMS? A RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICE TAG AND BEING OVERFUNDED ALREADY.

WHAT IS THAT $100,000 DO? LIKE WHAT IS WHAT ALL IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT? WELL THAT IS TO PAY FOR THE THE IRRIGATION, THE THE PICNIC, THE PURCHASE OF THE TREES SIDEWALKS, SIDEWALKS, TRAILS. THAT'S A LOT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH 100 K.

YEAH. LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A BACK OF THE NAPKIN, SO. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE NOODLED OVER THAT IN MY HEAD A LITTLE BIT OF, OKAY, IF WE HAVE TO CUT BACK, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? AND SO I HAVE SOME IDEAS.

I MEAN, THE TREES, THE BIG TREES ARE SIZED AT FOUR INCH, WHICH IS A THAT'S ALREADY A BIG TICKET ITEM.

YEAH. SO IF WE HAVE TO DROP DOWN TO A TWO OR A THREE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO WHITTLE ON IT AND THEN THE TRAIL THROUGH THE POLLINATOR GARDEN COULD BE DELAYED TO A FUTURE TIME WHICH WOULD MIGHT EVEN BE BENEFICIAL TO THE POLLINATOR GARDEN TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THOSE ZONES IN THERE.

SO THERE'S SOME, SOME, SOME ITEMS WE CAN PICK AT.

[00:10:01]

I MOTION RUSTON AND SECOND.

SECONDED. JACK. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? VERY GOOD.

AND JUST FOR CLARITY IN THE MOTION, YOU'RE APPROVING THE PROJECT AND THE NAME.

YES. I'M SORRY, DID I NOT SAY.

I DID NOT SAY THAT? DID I? ACCORDING TO THE. ALL THE TIME.

ACCORDING TO THE PARKS BOARD POLICY, ONCE YOU NAME SOMETHING, IT CAN'T BE CHANGED FOR 50 YEARS.

YEAH. SO. YEAH. WELL, I MEAN, I JUST NEED A BIG SIGN.

SO LET'S TAKE CARE OF IT.

YEAH. LET'S DO. IT'S AN APPROPRIATE.

IT'S AN APPROPRIATE THING, YOU KNOW. AND I'LL ADD THAT I THINK THIS PROJECT IS A LONG TIME COMING AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

YOU KNOW, WE ALL DRIVE BY THERE ALL THE TIME AND JUST THINK WHAT IT COULD BE.

AND I THINK THERE'S ANYONE BETTER TO HONOR OR MEMORIALIZE THE CENTER FAMILY.

THAN HE DID TIP OVER THE FIRST DOMINO ON THIS PROJECT.

SO YEAH, I KNOW BILL WOULD BE VERY PLEASED AT THIS POINT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. VERY MUCH.

OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY GOOD. THANKS, MITCH.

APPRECIATE YOU THIS MORNING.

ALRIGHT. ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE AGENDA IS LEAGUE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP.

[3. League Management Workshop (Discussion, Public Hearing and Possible Action)]

I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR ME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

FROM THIS LOCATION. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT TALKING ABOUT LEAGUES FOR A WHILE.

AND SO REALLY, WHAT'S BEFORE YOU NOW IS A BIT OF HISTORY.

PARKS HAS BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEAGUES.

LEAGUES. AND I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TODAY.

TO BE MORE EXACT. I MEAN, I KNOW WE PARTNER WITH SOCCER, FOOTBALL, HOCKEY AND ALL OF THOSE SPORTS, BUT TODAY WE'RE IN PARTICULAR TALKING ABOUT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AND A LITTLE BIT OF PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF WHAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS.

HISTORICALLY THE CITY HAS PARTNERED WITH LEAGUES FOR LONGER THAN I CAN REMEMBER, EVEN BEFORE I CAME TO WORK FOR THE CITY, WHEN I HAD LITTLE GIRLS PLAYING SOFTBALL, I WAS ACTUALLY ON A BOARD.

SO I HAVE SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY, EVEN THOUGH MINE ARE GROWN AND IT HAS BEEN A FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN ON THAT SIDE OF IT BEFORE I DID COME TO WORK FOR THE CITY.

SO THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DYNAMIC BETWEEN THE CITY AND LEAGUES ON HOW TO MANAGE LEAGUES. AND OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU KNOW, PARKS ARE FUNDED BY GENERAL FUND.

AND SO IF THERE WAS A SHORTFALL, LEAGUES WERE VERY GOOD TO FILL IN THAT SHORTFALL. VOLUNTEERISM WAS VERY HIGH A FEW DECADES AGO.

AND SO WE DEPENDED A GREAT DEAL ON THESE THE LEAGUES, THE BOARDS, THE VOLUNTEERS TO REALLY HELP US KEEP THE FIELDS AND THE COMPLEXES GOING AND LOOKING GOOD AND CLEAN AND UP TO DATE.

AND AGAIN, SOME OF THE BENEFITS WERE BECAUSE OF SO MANY VOLUNTEERISM, SO MUCH VOLUNTEERISM OUT THERE WITH THEM DRAGGING THE DIRT, PAINTING THE LINES, CLEANING THE BATHROOMS. YOU KNOW, IT REALLY HELPED THE THE PARK STAFF.

THERE WAS ALWAYS AMPLE PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING TO HELP.

WHEN? DECADES AGO. AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK IN THIS POSITION, I CAN GO BACK 15 YEARS.

SO BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT THERE WAS A REAL FOCUS ON LEAGUES, AND SPORTS WERE MORE SEASONAL.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF KIDS WOULD PLAY MULTIPLE SPORTS.

THEY MAY PLAY SOFTBALL.

THEN THEY PLAYED RAN TRACK, THEN THEY PLAYED FOOTBALL, THEN THEY PLAYED BASKETBALL. THEN THEY WENT BACK INTO INTO, YOU KNOW, BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL AND SPORTS HAD MORE OF A SEASONAL FEEL THAN A YEAR ROUND COMPETITIVE FIELD. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP MOST OF THE TIME WITH THE CITY AND THE LEAGUES.

EVERY NOW AND THEN THERE WAS A HICCUP. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THERE WAS NOT BUT THERE WAS A HICCUP IN THE PAST OUR MOVING FROM THE PAST GOING TOWARDS THE PRESENT.

ABILENE HAS SEEN A 9.5% GROWTH IN THE LAST 25 YEARS.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE 130,000 PEOPLE, AND THAT EQUATES TO 21,600 PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND 17, WHICH ARE THE IS THE TARGET AGE OF WHERE WE SEE.

NOW, I WILL SAY THERE ARE SOME KIDS THAT START A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER,

[00:15:04]

STAFF LEVELS HAVE DECREASED OVER THE LAST DECADE DUE TO FINANCIAL FUNDING.

THE CITY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE STAFF IN THE PARKS AREA.

WE HAVE EVEN SEEN A DECREASE IN STAFF IN THE PARKS AREA, BUT WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF COMPLEXES TO MAINTAIN LEAGUES ARE STARTING TO MOVE.

HAVE REALLY WE HAVE SEEN THIS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, HAVE REALLY STARTED TO MOVE MORE FROM RECREATIONAL INTO SELECT AND COMPETITIVE AND MORE OF A SEASONAL TO YEAR ROUND.

IT SEEMS THAT CHILDREN ARE PICKING A SPORT EARLIER AND STICKING WITH THAT SPORT YEAR ROUND VERSUS GOING TO MULTIPLE SPORTS IN A REGULAR SEASON.

AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, IT HAS REALLY CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF MANAGEMENT OF THESE COMPLEXES.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN REALLY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, A HUGE SURGE OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF ABILENE PLAYING AT OUR COMPLEXES, ESPECIALLY IN SOFTBALL.

THIS IS WHERE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SOMEWHAT DIVIDE.

BASEBALL IS MANAGED. ALL OF OUR LEAGUES IN ABILENE ARE MANAGED BY LITTLE LEAGUE.

THEY FALL UNDER THEIR GOVERNING AND LITTLE LEAGUE.

THEY ARE PARTNERING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THERE IN DECIDES REALLY WHAT LITTLE LEAGUE AREA OR LEAGUE THAT THEY PLAY IN? AND IT'S VERY CLEAR CUT ON THE SOFTBALL SIDE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH NONPROFIT AND FOR PROFIT, THAT COVER THOSE ASSOCIATIONS.

THEY ARE NOT TIED TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN REALLY TIED TO A CITY.

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED IS AT LEAST 50% OF THE KIDS PLAYING IN SOFTBALL COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.

SO WHEN WHEN I SAY HERE, INNER CITY PLAYERS, I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE TAX PAYING FOOTPRINT AREA OF ABILENE VERSUS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST 5 TO 10 YEARS IS A REAL DECREASE IN THE ABILITY FOR VOLUNTEERISM.

THE LEAGUES HAVE STARTED PAYING SOMEBODY TO RUN THEIR CONCESSION STANDS.

THEY'VE STARTED PAYING SOMEBODY TO MANAGE THE FIELDS INSTEAD OF IT BEING VOLUNTEERS.

AND SO THAT DYNAMIC OF OF IT BEING ALL VOLUNTEERISM.

WELL, DON'T GET ME WRONG, THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERISM, BUT WE HAVE DEFINITELY SEEN A DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERISM.

AND SO THEY ARE STARTING TO USE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE MAKING IN OUR PARKS AND TO SOME EXTENT, SUPPLEMENTING PEOPLE WITH, YOU KNOW, A SMALL SECOND JOB OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I HAVE VOLUNTEERED IN A CONCESSION STAND AND MY HAT GOES OFF.

TO THOSE PEOPLE. IT IS NOT EASY WORK.

SO THIS HYBRID MODEL THAT THE CITY KIND OF WORKS IN, WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND AND RECREATIONAL LEAGUES HAS SOMEWHAT DEVELOPED OR HAS SOMEWHAT MORPHED OVER THE LAST 5 TO 10 YEARS.

AGAIN. THE CONTRACTS, WHICH USED TO BE SEASONAL, YOU KNOW, IN A SEASON WOULD BE BASICALLY FEBRUARY TO MAY AND THERE MIGHT BE A FALL BALL THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY BE SEPTEMBER.

OCTOBER. NOW THEY ARE WANTING FEBRUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 1ST, IF NOT JANUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST.

NOT THAT THE CITY IS OPPOSED TO GOING TO YEAR ROUND.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS DURING THOSE WINTER MONTHS, THAT'S WHEN THE CITY IS ABLE TO GET IN AND DO MAINTENANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO WHEN THERE'S HUNDREDS OF KIDS PLAYING GAMES.

AND SO NOT THAT WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO A YEAR ROUND CONTRACT, IT JUST LIMITS OUR ABILITY AND AND ACCESS TO THE COMPLEXES WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE DEDICATED TIME TO THOSE SOME OF THE DIVISION AND LABORS, THE CITY STAFF THEY DO THE FACILITY A MAJORITY OF THE FACILITY, MAINTENANCE, FIELD MOWING, IRRIGATION SCOREBOARDS AND OTHER RELATED THINGS. I WILL SAY SCOREBOARDS WERE SOMETHING THAT LEAGUES WERE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN UP UNTIL ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.

AND SCOREBOARDS ARE NOT CHEAP TO MAINTAIN.

THERE'S A LOT OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND THINGS TO THAT.

SO THE CITY, THE CITY AGREED TO TAKE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SCOREBOARDS, REPLACEMENT OF SCOREBOARDS, BECAUSE WE DO WANT THE KIDS TO HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH ACTIVE SCOREBOARDS WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE PLAYING FIELD MOWING.

[00:20:03]

IN THE CONTRACT, WE DO GIVE THE LEAGUE THE OPTION TO CHOOSE TO, TO MOW THEIR OWN COMPLEX OR FOR THE CITY TO DO IT.

SO WE DO HAVE TWO THAT DO DO THEIR OWN MOWING WHILE THE THE CITY DOES THE REST.

THE LEAGUES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHEDULING, PLAY MANAGEMENT FIELD PREPARATION, DIRT WORK LINING MARKETING.

LITTER PICKUP, JANITORIAL.

WHEN THEY'RE UNDER CONTRACT.

AND AND SO THERE, THERE IS A FAIRLY GOOD, EASY DIVIDE BETWEEN OUR, OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE LEAGUE'S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

PER THE CONTRACT. WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS AND PULLING IN SOME OF THIS INFORMATION ONE OF THE VALUE ADDED THINGS THAT TEND TO BE FORGOTTEN IS WHAT THE CITY DOES CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE LEAGUES AND WATER, ELECTRICITY AND, AND TRASH COLLECTION.

OVER 2025 PARK STAFF SPENT 5963 HOURS OF LABOR.

THAT'S THE AVERAGE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A 2.6 FULL TIME STAFF. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY DEDICATED TO THESE LEAGUES, BUT THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE ARE SPENDING ON THESE COMPLEXES IS EQUIVALENT TO 2.6 FULL TIME. FULL TIME STAFF IN THESE AREAS.

LET ME FLIP OVER. THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS SUBSIDY WISE WITH US PAYING THE WATER, THE ELECTRICITY IN THE TRASH IN 2025, THE CITY SUBSIDIZED THESE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL COMPLEXES, $214,143.

SO THERE IS THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT THAT THE CITY HAS IN PAYING FOR WATER, ELECTRICITY, TRASH, CLEANUP, AS WELL AS THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE PUT INTO THESE FIELDS. NOW, I WILL SAY AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE PUTTING 2.6 PEOPLE INTO THESE FIELDS TO TRY AND MAINTAIN THEM.

THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TO TO KEEP THESE COMPLEXES TO THE LEVEL THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

IDEALLY WE WOULD WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE.

MORE. PUT INTO THESE FIELDS AND COMPLEXES.

THEY ARE AGING. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, TO BATHROOMS, CONCESSION STANDS, PROBABLY.

I'M GOING TO SAY IN ABOUT 12 YEARS I MAY BE OFF A LITTLE BIT ON A COUPLE OF YEARS.

WE DO TRY TO FIX FENCES YOU KNOW, HANDLE PLUMBING ISSUES, THINGS LIKE THAT AS THEY ARISE.

BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME, SOME SUBSTANTIAL FENCING REPAIRS THAT NEED TO DO TO ALL OF OUR COMPLEXES INTO THE NEAR FUTURE. AND WE DO HAVE SOME COMPLEXES THAT ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING ADA COMPATIBLE.

AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS MOVING FORWARD INTO, INTO THE FUTURE. SO WHERE WE ARE TODAY THEY ARE WE ESTIMATE 15 TO 20% OF THE KIDS ARE PLAYING BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.

THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS IN THIS AGE GROUP THAT THERE IS FOR OUR SIZE, CITY, BETWEEN 3200 AND 44,320 KIDS THAT DO PLAY BASEBALL SOFTBALL IN 2025 ABILENE ONLY HAD 2732 THAT WERE PLAYING BASEBALL, SOFTBALL ON OUR LEAGUES.

BUT AGAIN, WITHIN THIS, THIS IS 50% OUTSIDE OF THE SEMI OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. THAT'S CLYDE, JIM, NED, HOLLY VIEW STANFORD, YOU KNOW, SO SO WE'RE ACTUALLY REGIONALLY HELPING SUPPORT BASEBALL SOFTBALL.

IT IS NOT JUST IN ABILENE.

SOME OF THE THINGS ALSO THAT HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS THE RISING COST IN ELECTRICITY AND WATER.

THERE'S ALSO A REQUEST FROM THE LEAGUES THAT THE CITY, SUPPLY MORE TRASH DISPOSAL FOR SOME OF THE LEAGUES.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF TOURNAMENTS.

OR SOME OF THE LEAGUES ALSO HAVE A HIGHER NUMBER OF KIDS.

SO A HIGHER LEVEL OF TRASH DISPOSAL IN THE CITY HAS AGREED TO TAKE ON THAT COST.

THREE YEARS AGO NOW, THE CITY DID A GRANT PROGRAM.

LAST YEAR WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT MOVING INTO 2026.

THAT WAS FUNDED AT $200,000.

AND SO THOSE REQUESTS TO THE LEAGUES WILL BE GOING OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT SOME OF THESE COMPLEXES

[00:25:01]

SO WHILE THESE ARE YEAR ROUND SPORTS, SPRING IS DEFINITELY THE HIGHER USED SEASON THAT WE SEE. SO SOME OF THE AND WE KIND OF BREAK THIS DOWN INTO MULTIPLE AREAS.

AGAIN, IT'S LEAGUE PLAY VERSUS SELECT TRAVEL, PLAY VERSUS TOURNAMENTS.

LEAGUE PLAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HISTORICALLY THAT PARKS BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL HAS WANTED TO SUPPORT TO SUPPORT KIDS HAVING ACCESS.

ANY KID FROM ANY WALK OF LIFE ANYWHERE IN ABILENE, TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO A COMPLEX AND BE ABLE TO PLAY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PARKS BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED.

BUT WITH THIS CHANGE OVER THE YEARS, FOR IT TO BE MORE SELECT, MORE TRAVEL THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO SEE REALLY THE COMPLICATIONS.

BECAUSE WHEN DO WE MOVE FROM LEAGUE PLAY TO SELECT TRAVEL PLAY STILL USING OUR COMPLEXES.

BUT THEY'RE BUT NOT GETTING THE SALES TAX, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES WITH THEM PLAYING WITHIN THE CITY.

AND ALSO IT COMES TO FUNDRAISING AND LEAGUE PLAY IS AS IS, VERY ECONOMICAL. ANY CHILD IS GUARANTEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON A TEAM IF IF THEY SIGN UP, SELECT AND TRAVEL PLAY.

THERE IS A HIGHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FROM THE FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT A CHILD CAN BE PUT ON A TEAM.

AND SO THAT IS REALLY THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE LOOK AT VERSUS LEAGUE PLAY AND SELECT PLAY. A THIRD LEVEL OF OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR FIELDS IS TOURNAMENT PLAY.

WHAT WHAT THE STATE LAW SAYS IS REVENUE GENERATED IN PARKS MUST STAY IN PARKS.

AND SO WE DO REQUIRE ANYBODY ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT WITH US TO SUPPLY THEIR FINANCIALS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS MONEY GOING INTO OUR OUR FIELDS THEIR VERSION OF OF HELPING SUPPORT.

AGAIN, THAT'S DIRT WORK.

THAT'S CHALK. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LITTLE, LITTLE MAINTENANCE THINGS THAT MAY HAVE A NEED TO HAPPEN THAT DON'T RISE TO OUR LEVEL.

AND THERE ARE SOME LEAGUES THAT REALLY STRUGGLE AT THE PRICE POINT THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CHARGE TO, TO BREAK EVEN.

AND THERE'S OTHER LEAGUES THAT ARE HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY ABLE TO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS, I'LL JUST SAY ARE HEALTHY.

ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THAT HAS HELPED, THAT IS TOURNAMENT PLAY TOURNAMENTS CAN BRING EASILY BRING IN 10 TO $15,000 PER TOURNAMENT.

AND THAT IS A PRETTY HEFTY AMOUNT OF MONEY.

WE DID HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME IN FULL DISCLOSURE, WHERE WE WERE SEEING QUITE A BIT OF EMBEZZLEMENT IN VARIOUS LEAGUES, NOT JUST BASEBALL SOFTBALL, BUT IN OTHER IN OTHER AREAS.

AND SO WE DID PUT IN THE CONTRACT THAT THE TREASURER DOES HAVE TO GO THROUGH A TRAINING.

WE AND BY REQUIRING THE FINANCIALS, WE HAVE A LITTLE BETTER ABILITY TO SEE IF THERE IS A DRASTIC CHANGE WITHIN THE FINANCIALS.

WELL, WHILE WE ARE NOT BIG BROTHER AND WE DON'T DEEP DIVE INTO WHERE IS EVERY PENNY GOING? IT'S JUST KIND OF A PULSE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE THAT THE MONEY IS GOING WHERE THE MONEY SHOULD.

AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE NOT HAD A REPORT OF EMBEZZLEMENT.

SO I'M HAPPY TO. IT SEEMS THAT THAT IS WORKING.

SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE AND SOME OF THIS I HAVE ALREADY TOUCHED ON GOING TO THE YEAR ROUND SPORTS VERSUS JUST SEASONAL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARK STAFF AND LEAGUES, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE PLAYING THAT ARE FROM OUTSIDE OF OF YOUR CITY. IT TAKES MORE TO KEEP THOSE COMPLEXES UP AND GOING, AND WE DO NOT HAVE THAT EXTRA STAFF OR BUDGET TO INFUSE IN THOSE AREAS.

AND IT'S ALSO RESTRICTED SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PLAY BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT THE LEAGUES ARE PUTTING IN THE FIELDS, WHICH WE GREATLY APPRECIATE. THEY WANT TO LIMIT ACCESS TO THOSE FIELDS, AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO ALLOW ALL CITIZENS TO HAVE ACCESS TO OUR PARKS.

BUT WHAT WE'RE NOT SEEING IS, IS IF A, IF SOME OF Y'ALL REMEMBER A LOT OF PICKUP GAMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT OUT AT COMPLEXES, THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY LITTLE OF THAT THAT WE SEE NOW WHERE WE'RE USED TO.

[00:30:04]

WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT SO MUCH ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO HAVE, AND ALSO AS MUCH AS THEY ARE SCHEDULING.

I HAVEN'T WHAT I HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON IS BECAUSE THEY ARE SCHEDULING SUCH LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND THEY'RE HAVING SPRING LEAGUES AND THEN SUMMER LEAGUES AND THEN FALL LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS EVERY MONTH.

THE FIELDS ARE NOT GETTING REST.

THIS THIS IS GRASS FIELDS, AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE REST THAT THEY NEED TO TRULY HAVE A REALLY GOOD, COMPLEX HIGH QUALITY COMPLEX.

THE FIELDS DO NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO REST, AND SOME OF THEM JUST AREN'T GETTING THAT.

THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH USE ON THAT.

AND SO THEN THE THEN THE COMPLEX STARTS SUFFERING.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IS REALLY A VIOLATION OF SOME OF THE CONTRACTS AND PEOPLE WANTING TO HAVE KEYS SO THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM. TURNING ON WATER.

WHEN WE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE.

WE DO HAVE TO FOLLOW CITY WATER RESTRICTION LEVELS.

AND SO TURNING ON WATER WHEN WATER IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TURNED ON THE CITY DOES CHARGE A LATE FEE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE TURNING ON LIGHTS WHEN IT IS NOT IN LEAGUE SEASON.

WELL, PEOPLE ARE TURNING ON LIGHTS AT ALL HOURS.

THEY'LL TURN ON ALL FOUR COMPLEXES FOR, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3 PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND AND PRACTICE.

AND THERE IS A COST THAT COMES WITH THAT.

OR TRYING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COMPLEXES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED.

AND WE DO HAVE A FEW SITUATIONS WITH THAT WHERE THEY WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE AND THEY DO, AND THEY ASK FOR FORGIVENESS INSTEAD OF PERMISSION.

WE TRY TO HAVE REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERYBODY, SO, YOU KNOW, TO TRY AND MITIGATE THAT.

BUT IT DOES HAPPEN. AND AS PARK'S BOARD KNOWS, AND I DID TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

THERE IS A PLAYER USE FEE.

IT IS $20 FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF ABILENE.

$25 FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY OF ABILENE.

THAT'S HOW WE'RE SO EASILY ABLE TO GAUGE HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE PLAYING IN OUR SYSTEM THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

THERE HAS BEEN EVER SINCE THIS WAS IMPLEMENTED, A BIT OF PUSHBACK ON THIS FEE.

THERE IS THEY BELIEVE THAT THAT PAYING THIS, IT OFFSETS WHAT THE CITY'S COSTS INTO THESE COMPLEXES ARE. AND THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING ACCURATE.

INCLUDING WHAT WE ARE MAKING OFF PLAYER FEES WHEN YOU FACTOR IN MAINTENANCE, WATER, ELECTRICITY, TRASH, THAT GOES BACK TO THE WE ARE STILL SUBSIDIZING BY $214,000.

SO WE ARE BY. NO, WE ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE.

MAYBE A FOURTH. COVERING WHAT OUR COSTS ARE IN THESE COMPLEXES, BECAUSE IT'S CALLED A PLAYER USE FEE, WHICH SEEMED TO BE IN ONE SENSE, IT'S VERY EASY TO. THAT'S A PLAYER.

THAT'S WHERE THEY LIVE TO CHARGE THAT FEE.

IT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT A LOT OF OTHER CITIES DO.

NOW THEY MAY HAVE FIELD USE FEES.

ALL OF THEM HAVE A FEE.

IT'S JUST WHAT THEY CALL IT.

AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WHERE THIS ONE IS A PLAYER FEE.

AND SO THE PARENTS KNOW THAT THEY ARE PAYING $25 TO THE CITY.

IN ANOTHER CITY, THE LEAGUE MAY BE PAYING THE FIELD USE FEE.

AND THE PARENTS NEVER REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT FEE IS OR HOW MUCH A PART OF WHAT THE COSTS ARE. SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING NECESSARILY ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER CITY FROM FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, IT APPEARS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING MONEY FROM KIDS PLAYING IN IN OUR COMPLEXES.

I TOUCHED ON TOURNAMENTS.

WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TOURNAMENTS TOURNAMENT REVENUE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT TRACKED IN THE PAST.

LAST YEAR, WE STARTED TRYING TO TRACK THAT WE STARTED SENDING A FORM TO EVERYONE WHO HAD A TOURNAMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE TO TELL US WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING.

WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YET TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT, BECAUSE LAST YEAR WAS REALLY THE FIRST YEAR WE STARTED ASKING FOR THAT INFORMATION.

WE HAVE TRIED TO RESTRICT ANYBODY WANTING TO HAVE A TOURNAMENT TO BE A NONPROFIT.

SO PARTNER MAKING REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THAT WE ARE THAT THEY ARE IN PARTNERSHIP IF A

[00:35:05]

WE DID DENY THAT REQUEST THIS LAST YEAR, BUT THAT IS AN ELEMENT THAT IS OUT THERE, AND WE MAY SEE A HIGHER INCREASE OF GOING BACK TO THE OVERUSE OF FIELDS WHEN YOU WHEN YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF KIDS PLAYING YEAR ROUND AND THEN YOU'RE PUTTING TOURNAMENTS ON TOP OF THAT EVERY WEEKEND OR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF TIMES A MONTH.

AGAIN, IT'S GOING BACK TO THE WHEN ARE THESE FIELDS GOING TO BE ABLE TO REST FOR THE GRASS TO REGROW? AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY STOPPING ON GRASS, EVENTUALLY IT'S GOING TO DIE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FIELDS TO REST IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'VE NOTICED IS, IS PEOPLE OR, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ENTITIES WANT TO HAVE TOURNAMENTS.

SO THEY'RE POSTING ON FACEBOOK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A TOURNAMENT AT OUR COMPLEX WITHOUT EVER GOING THROUGH THE CITY TO BOOK THE COMPLEX, TO SEE IF IT'S AVAILABLE, TO SEE IF THEY CAN PARTNER WITH THE LEAGUE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE REGULARLY HAVE TO MONITOR SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS TO TRY AND KEEP UP WITH WHAT PEOPLE ARE ADVERTISING THAT THEY WANT TO DO IN OUR PARK SYSTEM. SO THAT WE ARE MEETING STATE LAW AS WELL AS LOCAL ORDINANCES.

SO TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE ABILENE'S POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO GROW 10 TO 12,000 OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BRINGING US UP TO 140 TO 142,000.

BASED ON THE 15 TO 20% OF KIDS THAT TYPICALLY PLAY IN SOFTBALL, WE DO ANTICIPATE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN, AND KIDS WANTING TO PLAY.

OF COURSE, THESE NUMBERS ARE DEPENDENT ON HOW ALL THIS UNFOLDS.

NO ONE, NO ONE HAS A CRYSTAL BALL IN THIS.

BUT REALLY, WE ARE WANTING TO TAKE A FROM A STAFF LEVEL.

WE ARE WANTING TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO LEAGUE MANAGEMENT AND REALLY GET GOOD FEEDBACK FROM PARKS BOARD ON WHAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY OF ABILENE WANTS TO GO WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING LEAGUES? THERE'S MANY MODELS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

THE CURRENT MODEL, LIKE I SAID, IS SOME SOMETHING OF A HYBRID CITY LEAGUE PARTNERSHIP. THERE'S A CITY MODEL WHERE THE CITY TAKES ON MORE OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPLEX. THERE'S THE LEAGUE MODEL WHERE THE CITY HANDS OFF EVERYTHING, AND, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A LEASE TYPE MODEL.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND I WILL SAY, JESUS, WHO IS THE PARKS DIVISION MANAGER, HAS SPENT SIGNIFICANT HOURS RESEARCHING OTHER CITIES, WORKING WITH OTHER PARTNERS, TRYING TO SEE WHAT THEY DO BEST PRACTICES, WHAT WORKS WELL, WHAT DOESN'T WORK WELL SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND COME UP WITH WHAT WE HOPE TO BE A GOOD MODEL MOVING FORWARD TO FOR THE FUTURE.

SO REALLY TODAY, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS FEEDBACK FROM PARKS BOARD ON, REALLY YOUR THOUGHTS OF THIS AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SEEING AS YOU INTERACT IN THE COMMUNITY FROM A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

I'M HOPING TO HAVE A TASK FORCE COME FROM THIS MEETING TODAY THAT CAN SPEND THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MONTHS REALLY DOING A DEEP DIVE INTO THIS INFORMATION.

AND WE AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE LEAGUES YOU KNOW, WHILE WHILE STAFF ARE 2 OR 3 OF US MAY HAVE REGULAR INTERACTIONS WITH 1 OR 2 BOARD MEMBERS, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE THAT GOES INTO THESE LEAGUES THAN JUST 2 OR 3 PEOPLE, EITHER FROM THE STAFF LEVEL OR FROM THE BOARD LEVEL.

SO REALLY HAVING SOME GOOD MEETINGS WITH, WITH THE LEAGUES, WITH THE PARENTS, WITH THE UMPIRES ON WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS AND BAD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS ADOPTED BY PARKS BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL IN TIME FOR US TO IMPLEMENT IN 2027. IN JANUARY, LATE JANUARY IS WHEN WE TYPICALLY SEND OUT THE CONTRACTS FOR A FEBRUARY 1ST START DATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR, SO THAT BY HAVING STARTING THIS CONVERSATION IN FEBRUARY OF 26, WE'RE HOPING TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN 26 SO THAT WE ARE READY TO GO WITH WHATEVER THE NEW MODEL LOOKS LIKE IN 2027.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.

OKAY. A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE COVERED.

AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, LESLIE.

[00:40:02]

COMMENTS, IF YOU HAVE ANY.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'VE GOT A FEW THAT I WANTED TO TO ASK, BUT I GUESS I'LL KICK IT OFF.

YOU SAID THE PARTICIPATION LEVEL RANGED BETWEEN, WELL, AROUND 2730. THAT INCLUDE TRAVEL BALL.

THAT IS PEOPLE THAT HAVE THAT WE KNOW HAVE ENTERED INTO A LEAGUE AND PAID THE 20 OR $25 FEE. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE SOMEBODY WHO CALLS US UP AND SAYS, WE'RE TRAVELING THROUGH TOWN.

WE WANT TO HAVE A PRACTICE THAT IS ONLY THOSE THAT ARE HAVING REGULAR PRACTICES IN IN ABILENE, BUT THAT DOES ALSO INCLUDE THOSE TRAVEL SELECT TEAMS, TRAVEL BALL TEAMS IN THAT NUMBER IF THEY REGISTER WITH LEAGUE NO.

IT IS ONLY THOSE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN A LEAGUE.

SO I WOULD I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE NUMBER WITH THAT.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY GETTING CLOSER TO THAT AVERAGE RANGE WITH THE AMOUNT OF AND THAT IS TOTALLY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I HAVE COME INTO MY OFFICE ON A REGULAR BASIS ASKING FOR SPONSORSHIPS, TRAVEL BALL TEAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH I GET QUITE A FEW ON A REGULAR BASIS.

ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD OVER HERE.

LET'S SEE. WHERE WAS IT? OKAY.

WITH THE INCREASE IN TOURNAMENTS AND EVERYTHING, HOW DO WE HANDLE THE WHAT KIND OF FEES DO WE CHARGE THE STATE LITTLE LEAGUE ORGANIZATION? BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD THEIR STATE, THE WESTERN STATE USED TO BE EVERYBODY WENT TO WACO. NOW I THINK THEY GO INTO TWO PLACES.

WE DO NOT CHARGE THEM ANYTHING.

THAT IS PART OF STATE LITTLE LEAGUE'S REQUIREMENTS IS THAT EVERYTHING IS IS FREE.

AND ALL OF THAT IS MANAGED BY THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

I DO. THEY DO GO OUT AND PARTNER WITH GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPLY MEALS TO GET A TRAILER FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO COOL OFF, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE WORKING, WORKING A LOT OF GAMES.

BUT THE CITY DOES NOT CHARGE THE STATE LITTLE LEAGUE A FEE SO THAT THAT'S ABSORBED BY THE CITY, THAT IS ABSORBED BY THE IT REALLY IT'S ABSORBED MORE BY THE PEOPLE THAT HELP PUT IT ON. SO FOR, FOR THE WALLY BASEBALL LITTLE LEAGUE, I WOULD SAY THEY ABSORB MOST OF THE EXPENSE OF THAT.

THEY ARE ABLE TO CHARGE A $3 PARKING FEE THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY PARKS BOARD AS WELL AS THEY SELL ADVERTISING BOOKS WITH ADVERTISING IN IT.

THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO ABSORB SOME OF THAT COST FOR THE DIRT WORK FOR THE CHALK, FOR YOU KNOW, THE BATHROOM SUPPLIES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

THE CITY DOES NOT CHARGE FOR A FOR THE USAGE OF ACTUALLY PLAYING ON OUR FIELDS.

AND I WILL SAY THAT'S THE SAME FOR ALL TOURNAMENTS.

THERE IS A SPECIAL FORM THAT A GROUP HAS TO FILL OUT TO WANT TO PLAY A TOURNAMENT.

THEY DO ALMOST ALL WELL, ALL OF THEM WANT TO CHARGE A PARTICIPANT A SPECTATOR FEE, AND THEY KEEP THAT MONEY.

WE DO NOT. WE CHARGE $25 PER TEAM.

AND SO IF THEY HAVE 20 TEAMS, IT'S $25 PER TEAM.

IF THEY HAVE 15 TEAMS, IT'S $25 PER TEAM.

THAT IS THE EXTENT OF WHAT WE CHARGE THE TOURNAMENTS AT ANY LEVEL, WHETHER IT'S A FOR PROFIT OR NONPROFIT.

WE HAVE NOT APPROVED FOR PROFIT TO HAVE TOURNAMENTS.

AT THIS POINT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT WITH IN 2026.

WHAT WOULD BE THE GOAL OF ALLOWING THE FOR PROFITS TO COME IN? YOU CAN SAY REVENUE, IT'S FINE.

WELL, AND I'M NOT SURE THERE IS ONE.

ABOUT THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY WOULD BE SALES TAX FROM HEADS AND BEDS, YOU KNOW, GAS STATIONS, GROCERY STORES THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHILE THESE TOURNAMENTS CAN MAKE QUITE A, YOU KNOW, TEN, $12,000 PER TOURNAMENT, I WOULD SAY ALL OF THAT WOULD GO BACK WITH THE ORGANIZATION. ORGANIZATION THAT PUTS THE TOURNAMENT ON.

IT STAYS WITH THE ORGANIZATION.

AND SO REALLY THE IMPACT WOULD BE HEADS IN BEDS.

IS THERE SOMETHING KEEPING US FROM CHARGING THEM MORE IF THEY'RE GETTING GENERATING THAT MUCH REVENUE? IT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY PARKS BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL.

AT THIS POINT, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A AND FEE SET FOR THAT AND WHAT? SO IF ONE OF THE BIGGEST OR ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS YOU KEPT COMING BACK TO THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS ALLOWING THAT LAND AND THAT GRASS TO REST?

[00:45:04]

OTHERS ARE ON IT ALL THE TIME.

I SAW A FLARE GO UP. YEAH.

HEY. CORONADO, PARKS DIVISION MANAGER. SO TYPICALLY YOU WANT TO HAVE IF YOU IF YOU'VE GOT THREE SEASONS GOING IN THE YEAR, YOU WANT TO HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS IN BETWEEN TO REST THE FIELDS. THE OTHER THING THAT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS DURING THE WINTER TIME, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT YOU KNOW, US GETTING IN THERE AND DOING MAINTENANCE.

THE OTHER THING THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO AS A PARKS DIVISION MANAGER SINCE I GOT HERE, IS WHAT GOES INTO THE FIELDS AS WELL, IS YOU GOTTA AERATE THEM, RIGHT? AND YOU GOTTA FRACK THE FIELDS.

LIKE, ALL THAT COMPACTION OF THE DIRT JUST KEEPS GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER.

SO YOU GOT TO GO IN THERE AND AREA.

YOU GOT TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FRACK A LITTLE BIT.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FERTILIZING AND WATERING.

RIGHT. AND AND ALL THAT STUFF.

SO IT DOES TAKE SOME AMOUNT OF TIME TO LET THOSE FIELDS REST LIKE THEY SHOULD TO GET THEM TO LOOK AS GOOD AS OTHER CITIES.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET IS, WHY IS MY FIELDS NOT LOOKING LIKE THESE OTHER CITIES? WELL, THAT'S THE REASON WHY.

AND SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT TIME TO GO IN AND DO THAT, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THE PARK STAFF, YOU KNOW, BUT THE LEAGUES THEMSELVES, IF THEY WANT TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK WITH THEM AND SHOW THEM HOW TO DO IT, BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT TIME TO REST.

SO. SO I WOULD LET'S JUST SAY IF WE DIDN'T PLACE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THIS, THESE LEAGUES WOULD BE USING THESE FIELDS PROBABLY 100% OF THE TIME.

SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY ON US.

SO THE SO LET'S SAY THAT DID HAPPEN.

LET'S SAY WE JUST LET THEM USE THEM AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED TO.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO LIKE, WOULD WE ALL OF A SUDDEN WOULD WE HAVE TO LIKE EVENTUALLY JUST STOP COMPLETELY AND TEAR OUT EVERYTHING AND COMPLETELY REDO ALL OF THE GRASS? OR LIKE, WELL, I MEAN, EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THESE FIELDS. THE OTHER THING THAT GOES INTO THIS IS YOU GOT TO CUT LIPS, RIGHT? THAT, THAT WHEN YOU DRAG THE FIELDS, IF YOU KNOW, YOU DO THEM THE SAME WAY EVERY TIME, WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT EVERYBODY DOES.

THEY GO ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND. AND WE'VE ASKED THE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT MAINTAIN IS TO STAY AWAY AT LEAST A FOOT AND A HALF AWAY FROM THE LIP, AND THEN RAKE THAT BY HAND SO YOU'RE NOT PUSHING THAT DIRT TO THE LIP.

SO IF YOU EVER GO OUT TO THE FIELDS AND YOU SEE THIS BIG MOUND RIGHT BEHIND SECOND, THIRD AND FIRST IS BECAUSE THAT DIRT KEEPS THE INFIELD GETS GETTING PUSHED, SO THAT LIP GETS BIGGER.

SO YOU GOT TO GO IN THERE, CUT THE GRASS OUT, LEVEL IT BACK DOWN AND THEN COME BACK.

THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS TOO IS THOSE FIELDS. THEY GET WORN DOWN.

SO THE LEVEL OF THE FIELD OF THE INFIELD KIND OF GO DOES THIS RIGHT.

SO WHENEVER YOU SEE RAIN, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE AREAS THAT HOLD WATER.

SO THEY THEY'RE NOT GRADED RIGHT.

AND EVEN THE OUTFIELDS, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO GRADE THEM AND REDO THAT. SO THERE IS SOME MAINTENANCE.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE REALLY NICE FIELDS, YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE WORK TO DO ALL THAT.

AND EVENTUALLY, YES, THERE'S GOING TO COME A TIME WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND REGRADE THE FIELDS AND ALL THAT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE, WHICH IN THAT MOMENT, THAT'S NOT JUST A BEAUTIFICATION ISSUE, THAT'S A PLAYER SAFETY ISSUE. YEAH, EXACTLY.

YEAH. YEAH. BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE A BALL THAT HITS THE LIP AND GOES UP AND HITS A KID IN THE FACE. YEAH.

SO DID IT HAPPEN? I HAD A DAUGHTER.

YEAH. FOR SURE. IT'S NOT PRETTY.

SO, YEAH, ALL THAT COMBINES MAKES ME THINK, LIKE, I WOULD THINK THAT THE THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE JUST DETERMINING WHAT'S OUR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT THOSE TOURNAMENTS AREN'T GOING TO WANT TO SAY THAT'S YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY WHATEVER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WE HAVE IS TOO MUCH AND IS RIDICULOUS.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE DON'T DO THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, WHY ARE ABILENES FIELDS SO AWFUL? SO IN MY MIND, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH OUR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND THEN WE SCHEDULE AROUND THAT. AND I WILL TELL YOU FROM MY STANDPOINT, I WANT THE FIELDS TO LOOK AS GOOD AS THEY WANT TO LOOK FOR FIELDS TO LOOK.

I MEAN, I WANT OUR FIELDS TO LOOK TOP NOTCH LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES.

AND BUT IT IT TAKES WORK.

IT TAKES WORK, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO DO ALL THAT.

SO YEAH. OH, GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY AS, AS BOTH A PARENT AND A FORMER BOARD MEMBER AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR KIDS WHO'VE GOTTEN TO PLAY ON THE ON ABILENE'S FIELDS.

AND WE APPRECIATE SO MUCH WHAT THE CITY DOES AND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THAT WE'VE HAD FOR

[00:50:02]

I THINK IT'S REALLY OBVIOUS AS WELL, THAT IT IS CERTAINLY TIME FOR US TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF A TASK FORCE TO REENGAGE SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.

IT IS INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'VE GONE, WE'VE DONE TRAVEL BALL AND THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN ONE TIME THAT WE HAVE A FAMILY OF FIVE AND WE'VE PAID $20 A PERSON, INCLUDING OUR, OUR KID, TO GO TO A GAME, TO GO TO A TOURNAMENT FOR JUST JUST TO PARK AND WALK IN, THAT'S $100 FOR OUR FOR OUR FAMILY.

AND SO AND THAT'S THAT WASN'T HERE IN TOWN, BUT IT WAS A, IT WAS AT A TOURNAMENT THAT A LOT OF ABILENE KIDS WENT TO.

AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE CITY WANTS TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND ENGAGE IN IT, WHETHER IT IS DOING A DEEPER DIVE FOR THE TOURNAMENT FEES, WHERE THAT GOES TO, LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THIS PROFIT NONPROFIT MODEL TO HELP SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THE COST FOR FAMILIES.

I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY FAR TOO EARLY IN THE CONVERSATION TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO THERE, BUT I LOVE THE IDEA THAT, HEY, ABSOLUTELY, LET'S FIGURE OUT A TASK FORCE TO BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD AND INVESTIGATE THIS IN A WAY THAT THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF ABILENE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR KIDS TO CONTINUE TO PLAY, BECAUSE THAT'S CLEARLY, TO ME, WHAT THE WHAT THE GOAL IS HERE. AND SO WE WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM DOES AND THE WORK THE CITY IS DOING TO TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR OUR KIDS. THANK YOU.

YEAH. COMING FROM AN ERA WHERE I WAS DRAGGING THE FIELD WITH A CHUNK OF CHAIN LINK AND A COUPLE OF ROPES AND WALKING AROUND MYSELF IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY MOTORIZED EQUIPMENT AT ALL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THESE LEAGUES DO OR NOT, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

IT IS A LOT OF WORK. AND AND THAT KIND OF BRINGS ME TO TWO QUESTIONS.

WE'VE TALKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER LEAGUES THAT USE CITY PROPERTY THAT USE CITY FIELDS OTHER THAN BASEBALL? I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE? WHAT ARE THOSE? WE DO HAVE INLINE HOCKEY.

IT IS AT CAL YOUNG PARK.

SO THEY DO. THEY HAVE A DEDICATED AREA, THEIR FIELDS.

THEY USE THE BATHROOMS IN THE PARK, BUT WE DO SUPPORT HOCKEY.

WE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY SUPPORTED SOCCER BEFORE THE ROCK OPENED.

WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH HOW ALL OF THAT IS, IS SHIFTING OVER. YOU KNOW, WE POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE SOME PEOPLE COME BACK AND, AND ASK FOR SOME PRACTICE LOCATIONS.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK I HAVE SEEN THE TRANSITION OF SOCCER GO FROM FROM OUR COMPLEXES TO THE ROCK.

AND THEN FOOTBALL. WE DO SUPPORT FOOTBALL.

WE DO HAVE ONE STADIUM AT ROSE PARK WHERE WE HAVE FOOTBALL.

AND BECAUSE MOST OF FOOTBALL IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE IT USED TO BE ALL LEAGUE PLAY THAT HAS NOW GONE TO ALL TRAVEL PLAY.

AND SO REALLY WE'RE WORKING WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS MORE IN 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE A GAME IN ABILENE VERSUS TRAVELING SOMEPLACE ELSE.

SO WE DO PARTNER WITH THEM.

IT IS NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL IS ALSO WITH I WOULD SAY THE DODGE COMING ONLINE AND THEN THE ROCK COMING ONLINE.

THEY HAVE BEEN A HUGE HELP IN TAKING SOME OF THE RELIEF OFF OF THE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE.

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT WITH I DON'T KNOW, I SAW A STORY WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, MAYBE THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TALKING ABOUT STANLEY.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THE CITY ESTIMATES ARE, INCREASED TAX REVENUE FROM ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON.

IT WAS A TO ME, IT SEEMED LIKE A CRAZY BIG NUMBER.

DIFFERENCE IS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT BUDGET REQUESTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO INCREASE PARKS BUDGET.

BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OF THESE, THERE ARE THESE COSTS THAT CONTINUE TO TO INCREASE AND CONTINUE TO RECUR.

AND IF WE WANT TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH OPPORTUNITIES, THE FACILITIES AS WELL AS THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THESE FIELDS THAT CAN BE USED FOR REVENUE GENERATION, WITH THESE TOURNAMENTS COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN, TEAMS COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

THAT PART OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AND WOULD LIKE STAFF TO LEAD IN THIS IS, IS TALKING ABOUT BUDGETING YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF THE IF THE CITY IS SEEING A NICE INCREASE IN OUR REVENUE AND OUR TAX REVENUE INTO OUR COFFERS YOU KNOW,

[00:55:05]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS. STAFF PROBABLY HAS A BETTER IDEA AND COULD COME UP WITH A BETTER IDEA, BUT I KNOW STAFF IS WORKING ON IT.

I AM NOT THAT STAFF, OKAY, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO.

YEAH, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE THE CAPTAIN OBVIOUS SITUATION IS THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT. SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OR QUESTIONS FOR LESLIE? WHAT ABOUT OUR PARKS FOUNDATION? COULD WE CREATE A FUND TO MAINTAIN FIELDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? POTENTIALLY. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT CREATING A PARKS FOUNDATION THAT WAS PUT ON HOLD WHEN RECREATION WAS CLOSED FOR THE REBUILD OF THE TWO RECREATION CENTERS.

THAT HAS THAT CONVERSATION HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT BACK UP AS OF YET.

BUT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES OUT THERE BESIDES GENERAL FUND THAT WE ALSO COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT FOR FUTURE REVENUE SOURCES FOR PARKS. THAT IS A MUCH LARGER CONVERSATION.

YES, IT DOES MAKE ME WONDER.

I MEAN, I KNOW MY BRAIN'S TRYING TO MAKE A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE DYNAMIC THAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING WITH OUR CITY PARKS, HELPING NEIGHBORING AREAS HAVE AVAILABLE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEIR KIDS TO PLAY IN LEAGUES, AND MY BRAIN WANTS TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH, LIKE THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, WHICH BRINGS IN STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS TO TO TO SUPPLEMENT SURROUNDING RURAL AREAS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY POSSIBILITY FOR THAT KIND OF THING WITH, WITH LEAGUE PLAY, BUT BUT IT'S WHAT MY BRAIN WANTS TO THINK.

OKAY. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. AT THIS POINT IN TIME WITH ITEM AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER THREE WE'LL ENTER INTO PUBLIC HEARING PHASE.

ANYONE HAVING A INPUT OR COMMENTS THEY WANT TO MAKE REGARDING THE ISSUE OF THE LEAGUE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP THAT WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH. PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

HELLO? CYNTHIA. ALVIDREZ.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL KNOW ME. JACK. HEARD YOU'RE NEW. I THINK YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY HERE. YOU WERE HELPING EDDIE PUGH WITH THAT WHOLE CASE. ROBIN, YOU'RE WITH STAN. AND ROSTON IS WITH A NONPROFIT.

I HEAR A LOT OF ISSUES HERE.

ONE OF MY MAJOR ISSUES IS WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH THE PARKS FOR YEARS.

PROBABLY ALMOST A DECADE, IF NOT LONGER, UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF LESLIE ANDREWS. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER MAYBE REPLACING HER.

EXCUSE ME? REPLACING HER BECAUSE NOTHING IS GETTING DONE.

WE'RE HAVING TO GO OUT AND ADVOCATE ON OUR OWN BEHALF TO GET ANYTHING DONE.

WE HAVE TO TAKE IT TO SOCIAL MEDIA.

THEN THERE'S PUBLIC PRESSURE. THEN YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN AWAY.

I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEADS ANYMORE THAT THE CITY IS IN CHARGE OF.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE NONPROFITS THAT ARE INFILTRATING OUR PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.

THERE WAS TWO WHILE I WAS SITTING HERE THAT WERE MENTIONED.

AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HISTORICALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE REVENUES THAT COME IN WITH PARKS AND RECS. THEY GET RECYCLED BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, SO THEY DON'T EVEN GO BACK TO OUR PARKS AND RECS.

WE DON'T NEED WEST TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.

WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER NONPROFIT WITH THEIR LITTLE FINGERS IN OUR POCKETS BECAUSE WE'RE STRUGGLING OUT HERE. WHAT WE NEED ARE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE THE TAXPAYER AND THEIR CHILDREN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR MINDS WHEN THEY MAKE DECISIONS. NOT NON-PROFITS, NOT THEIR POLITICAL APPOINTEES, NOT THEIR CHURCHES, NOT THEIR PERSONAL.

VENDETTAS OR ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE THE COMMUNITY AND THE TAXPAYER NEEDS TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL'S MINDS, OF LESLIE'S MINDS, OF JANINA'S MINDS, OF ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE.

THE TAXPAYER ULTIMATELY, IS WHOSE MONEY YOU'RE SPENDING.

NOT YOURS, NOT STANS, NOT WHOEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE TIED TO BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. SO THE PROPER ALLOCATIONS OF PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS WOULD DO A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF GOOD ONE. AND TWO, THE JUST THE JUST THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PARKS. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN ROSE PARK.

THEY STILL HAVE A HORRID TRACK OVER THERE. THERE WAS AN ELDERLY MAN WHO FELL, HAD A BIG KNOT ON HIS FOREHEAD.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT TO ME REGARDING THEIR INJURIES AT YOUR PUBLIC PARKS. AND WE'VE HAD DAVID PITTMAN SITTING ON HERE FOR YEARS.

WE STILL. AND THE PARKS, SOME OF THEM LOOK GREAT.

SOME OF THEM LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.

SO THE DOG AND PONY SHOWS THAT Y'ALL ARE HOSTING UP HERE, THEY LOOK AND THEY SOUND GOOD ON THE VIDEOS THAT,

[01:00:04]

AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT SOME OF Y'ALL ARE SITTING HERE BECAUSE IT'S EITHER A STEP UP YOUR POLITICAL LADDER OR YOU'RE INFILTRATING OUR PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS FOR WHATEVER BOURGEOISIE PERSON YOU REPRESENT OR WHATEVER NONPROFIT YOU REPRESENT, OR WHATEVER POLITICAL.

LYRICAL CANDIDATE THAT YOU REPRESENT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

SO Y'ALL ALL NEED TO DO BETTER, AS DOES THE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY.

ANY MORE COMMENTS? OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SESSION AND MOVE FORWARD WITH POSSIBLE ACTION. LESLIE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED US TO APPROVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY? OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN THE NORMAL PROCESS OF.

AND I NEED YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO FORM A TASK FORCE.

YES. OKAY. OKAY. VERY GOOD.

MAYBE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE.

OKAY. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A SECOND AND A THIRD.

ROBIN. AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, A LEAGUE TASK FORCE LEAGUE.

A LEAGUE ELITE TASK TASK FORCE.

YEAH. WE ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION.

YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

AND THE SECOND IS OKAY. VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE FORMATION OF A TASK FORCE.

AND A SECOND AS WELL. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD.

[4. Upcoming Parks and Recreation Board Meetings (Discussion)]

IN MARCH, WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE.

INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE WORKSHOP.

THIS IS REALLY MORE OF A DEEP DIVE FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN PARKS AS A WHOLE.

I EMAILED Y'ALL THE CHAPTER FIVE FROM THE 2023 PARKS MASTER PLAN, WHICH LISTS ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL OF THE PARKS IN THE CITY OF ABILENE.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, 1 TO 3, 3 TO 5, 5 TO 10.

CITY COUNCIL DID HAVE A WORKSHOP EARLIER THIS MONTH, END OF JANUARY. YOU KNOW, REALLY LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE AS A WHOLE FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE.

BUT PART OF THAT INCLUDES THE PARKS SYSTEM.

AND SO REALLY, WHAT WE BOTH CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING FOR IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM PARKS BOARD ON WHERE YOU WANT TO PUT OUR OUR TIME AND ENERGY.

ON THE STAFF LEVEL, WE HAVE THE BUDGET.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, IS IT A LOOK AT ALL THE RESTROOMS? IS IT LOOK AT THIS PARK VERSUS THAT PARK.

IS IT LOOK AT I MEAN, THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF IS IT LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN AND WHAT WAS IN THE 1 TO 3 YEARS AND SEE WHERE WE CAN START.

IS IT THE ADA COMPONENT.

IS IT IS IT LEAGUES, YOU KNOW, VERSUS OPEN GRASS FIELDS? I MEAN, THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF WAYS THAT THIS CAN GO.

IT WASN'T A CONVERSATION THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A BIT LONGER.

JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR.

SO FOR THE NEXT MONTH WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING AROUND.

NOT THAT Y'ALL DON'T TRAVEL AROUND ALL OF OUR PARKS REGULARLY AND LOOK AT THINGS AND AND HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS, BUT REALLY, MORE OF A DEEP DIVE AND A DIRECTION FROM PARKS BOARD ON WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE CITY STAFF TO PUT OUR, OUR TIME AND ENERGY AND BUDGET.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH IN MARCH.

I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR THAT.

IN APRIL WE NEED TO CHANGE THE THE DATE AND TIME FOR APRIL.

THE THIRD TUESDAY IS NOT AVAILABLE.

AND SO I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THIS ROOM'S CALENDAR.

I WAS GOING TO LOOK AT THE THIRD WEDNESDAY AND I COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT A DIFFERENT TUESDAY. BUT NEEDED TO PUT ON YOUR, ON YOUR RADAR THAT I DO NEED TO MOVE THE APRIL PARKS BOARD MEETING TO A DIFFERENT DATE AND TIME.

SO IF YOU HAVE SOME QUICK GUIDANCE TODAY, I CAN START LOOKING INTO THAT.

OR I CAN LOOK AT THE CALENDAR AND THEN YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE I CAN GET A QUORUM IN APRIL.

BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE WE DO HAVE TO MOVE THAT DATE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THAT IF YOU PRESENT US OR SEND US OUT AND LOOK AT 2 OR 3 DATES AND

[01:05:02]

I'VE DONE IT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT I'VE DONE IT WHERE WE'D HAVE A OPTION TO SELECT BETWEEN 2 OR 3 DATES.

OKAY, I CAN DO THAT. I ALSO WANT TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDARS.

TENTATIVE. APRIL 22ND RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE TWO NEW RECREATION CENTERS.

YEAH, WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE.

I'M SAYING THIS OUT LOUD PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

BUT APRIL 22ND IS WHAT WE HAVE ON HOLD FOR A RIBBON CUTTING.

WE HAVE IT 130 TO 330.

THE INTENTION IS TO DO BOTH RECREATION CENTERS AT THE SAME TIME.

DO ONE AND THEN TRAVEL TO TO THE OTHER ONE.

I CAN SEND THAT DATE AND TIME OUT TO YOU AS WELL, BUT ALSO WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP FOR WHAT'S COMING IN APRIL.

APRIL 22ND, 130 TO 330 IS PENCILED IN WITH MORE DETAILS TO COME.

THAT'S EXCITING. THAT IS EXCITING.

A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS.

YES THERE HAS. YES THERE HAS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S FOREVER FOR LACK OF EFFORT.

FROM WHAT? PARKS AND BOARD AND STAFF, PARK STAFF, PARKS AND REC STAFF PUT FORTH.

AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE EFFORTS THAT EVERYBODY DOES, GETTING A SHOCKING AMOUNT OF THINGS DONE.

IN FACT. YEAH. SO. OKAY.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO DIVISION REPORTS.

[5. Parks Report (Discussion)]

I GUESS THAT'S JESUS. GOOD MORNING.

JESUS. CORONADO PARKS DIVISION MANAGER AGAIN.

SO WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOU.

I THINK IT WAS LAST MONTH THAT WE SHOWED YOU WHERE THE GUYS WERE WORKING ON PUTTING THE PAVILION PARK PAVILION BACK.

THAT WAS DESTROYED BY A FIRE.

SO IT IS UP NOW, AND IT LOOKS GREAT.

SO IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO GO BY THERE, GO CHECK IT OUT.

LAST WEEK MYSELF AND STAFF WERE DOWN IN CORPUS CHRISTI FOR THE TRAPS RODEO AND STATE INSTITUTE. OUR GUYS DID REALLY WELL.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE COMPETITION WAS VERY, VERY TOUGH. I AT ONE POINT, I THOUGHT I SAW SOMEBODY GO TWO WHEELS ON THE ZERO. TURN AROUND THAT OBSTACLE.

I MEAN, I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMEBODY DRIVE A TRUCK AND TRAILER THROUGH AN OBSTACLE COURSE.

LIKE THE CITY OF SCHERTZ DID.

COME TO FIND OUT, I TALKED TO THAT PERSON, AND HE USED TO PULL A TRUCK AND TRAILER AT RODEOS, SO THAT TO HIM, WAS VERY EASY.

SO OUR GUYS DID VERY WELL.

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE THEY ENDED UP AT BECAUSE THEY ONLY SCORED FIRST THROUGH THIRD.

BUT I AM VERY PROUD OF THEM.

THE OTHER THING THAT COMES OUT OF THIS IS THE CAMARADERIE.

THE GUYS SPENDING TIME TOGETHER, COMPETING TOGETHER, CHEERING EACH OTHER ON, NOT ONLY CHEERING OUR TEAM ON, BUT ALSO CHEERING PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE. I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU EVER GET THE CHANCE TO GO AND EXPERIENCE THIS PERSONALLY, I TRULY RECOMMEND IT. IT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE GUYS.

AND JUST A TIDBIT WE ARE GOING TO HOST THE WEST REGION RODEO AND WORKSHOP IN ABILENE AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO WE'LL BE ON OUR HOME TURF.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING THE CHAMPIONSHIP BACK FOR THE WEST REGION.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR, WE'LL MIGHT EVEN BRING A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BACK. SO I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR Y'ALL.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR IS THIS COMMENTS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I JUST APPRECIATE IT. OKAY.

OOPS. I TURNED MY AGENDA OVER.

RECREATION. OH, AND OF COURSE.

[6. Recreation (Discussion)]

SO, AS LESLIE SAID, WE ARE IN BUSY REC MODE.

WE NOW HAVE OUR TWO MANAGERS THAT STARTED AS OF YESTERDAY.

SO THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING AND WORKING AND WORKING ON ALL THESE WONDERFUL PLANS.

SO VERY, VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM ON MY TEAM.

SO WE WILL THIS WEEKEND WILL BE HAVING OUR LUAU FOR OUR DADDY AND DAUGHTER DANCE.

SO FAR WE'VE SOLD ABOUT OVER 400 TICKETS, AND A LOT OF THEM LIKE TO BUY THEM AT THE DOOR AND WAIT. BUT WE ARE READY TO HAVE A WONDERFUL LUAU.

A LOT OF FUN ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THAT EVENT.

SO FROM 6 TO 9, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE SPREAD THE WORD, WE ARE STILL SELLING TICKETS.

[01:10:02]

[7. Seniors Report (Discussion)]

FRIDAY WAS LOVE DAY. WE HAD A FANCY TEA PARTY IN THE MORNING, AND THEY WROTE LOVE POEMS TO THEIR FRIENDS.

AND THEN WE HAD ICE CREAM FLOATS THAT AFTERNOON.

SO CUPID CAME TWICE. AND NOW WE ARE STARTING A NEW STUDY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO START TRYING TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO WE ARE GOING TO DEEP DIVE INTO NATIONAL POLAR BEAR DAY.

SO THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO START STUDYING ABOUT ANIMALS.

SO THEY DECIDED, I SAID, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DRESS LIKE A POLAR BEAR. SO WE JUST SETTLED FOR WEARING WHITE THAT DAY.

SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME HOT CHOCOLATE AND APPLE CIDER.

I HOPE THAT DAY IS A LITTLE BIT COLD.

AND WE ARE GOING TO WATCH A MOVIE ABOUT POLAR BEARS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START A STUDY ON DIFFERENT ANIMALS EACH MONTH. SO YOU THINK THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT. SO ANY QUESTIONS.

WE COULDN'T GET THE ZOO TO BRING US A POLAR BEAR, BUT THAT WOULDN'T WORK.

I LEGIT THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A POLAR PLUNGE WHERE Y'ALL ARE GOING TO GO, OH NO.

WELL, THEY DID ASK IF MAYBE A SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE GET A HOT TUB IN THE BACK OF OUR PORCH, BUT I SAID, NOT TODAY.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY. SO THAT'S A POLAR DESIGN.

I KNOW I SAID THAT'S NOT A POLAR BEAR PLUNGE, BUT I WON'T BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.

I WILL NOT. THAT IS OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THANKS. THANKS. OKAY. VERY GOOD.

THANKS, ANN. JESSE POTTEBAUM, ZOO DIRECTOR, JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE

[8. Zoo Report (Discussion)]

THIS IS THE HISTORY SINCE WE STARTED THIS FUNDRAISING EVENT, AND IT'S JUST SHOWN IT OFF. THE ATTENDANCE OF COMING TO CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN THE BLUE, YOU'LL SEE, IS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION. WE DO CELEBRATE THEN. ZOO LIGHTS. IT WAS AN ADDED FUNDRAISING EVENT THAT PROLONGED THE CELEBRATION.

THIS ALLOWS SANTA AND THE REINDEER TO GO NORTH POLE, BUT ALL THE LIGHTS ARE STILL IN THE ZOO, SO THAT PORTION IS FREE FOR MEMBERS AND THEN REGULAR ADMISSION FOR GUESTS SO YOU CAN SEE ITS GROWTH.

IT'S NOW UP TO ABOUT 31,000, AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO SEE THAT GROW AS WE MOVE FORWARD. QUICK UPDATE ON OUR BLACK RHINO UHURU.

WE ARE BREAKING GROUND WITH THE NEW EXPANSION WITH THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO MOVE SOME ANIMALS OUT AND ONE OF THEM'S GOING TO BE UHURU.

HE'S A SOUTHERN BLACK RHINO. HE'S GOING BACK TO HIS ORIGINAL HOME, FOSSIL RIM. WILD ANIMAL PARK.

THAT'S OVER IN GRANBURY.

BUT HE WAS JUST RELOCATED YESTERDAY, AND THE TRANSPORT WASN'T VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND HE'S HAPPY HE REMEMBERED HIS OLD DIGS.

HE'S. WE GOT A VIDEO OF HIM TRAMPING AROUND HIS OLD YARD, SO HE REMEMBERED IT. WE ARE BRINGING BACK THE BLACK RHINO, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THE EASTERN BLACK. SO WE ALREADY HAVE TWO ANIMALS TAGGED FOR US TO GET AND RECEIVE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF.

WILD DAYS IS THE NEXT FUNDRAISING EVENT. THIS IS GOING TO BE FREE FOR MEMBERS, BUT IT'S AN EXPERIENCE WITH LIVE SHOWS AND WILD EXPERIENCES WHERE GUESTS CAN ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN LIVE ACTION SHOWS.

THEY CAN COME ON STAGE IF THEY'RE PICKED OUT OF THE AUDIENCE AND INTERACT WITH THESE ANIMALS. THEY'LL ALSO BE BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS THAT PEOPLE CAN UPGRADE AND DO THESE NICE UP CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH ALL THESE VERY MAGICAL AMBASSADOR LIKE ANIMALS FROM KANGAROOS TO NOW. EVEN RECEIVED A NEW AMBASSADOR.

I CAN'T ANNOUNCE WE'LL ANNOUNCE IT DURING THE HOLIDAY SHOW, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT FURRY LITTLE ANIMAL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE.

AND THAT STARTS MARCH 7TH THROUGH THE 15TH.

AGAIN, IT'S FREE FOR MEMBERS. AND THAT'S THE SPRING BREAK. SPRING BREAK DATES.

ANY QUESTIONS? I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU THE TIMELINE OF YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF ON THE NEW FACILITY, THE NEW RHINO EXHIBIT? YES. WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.

YEP. IT'S GOING TO BE ROUGHLY RIGHT AROUND 465 DAYS OF CONSTRUCTION WITH SOME INCLEMENT WEATHER. THAT PUTS US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE EARLY JUNE, IF NOT LATE JUNE OF 2027.

JUST SOME EXCITING THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AT THE ZOO.

YEAH, THE EXPANSION IS NOT ONLY AN EXPANSION OF RIJINO, IT'S GOING TO BE A MULTI-SPECIES YARD THAT ALLOWS US TO HERD MANAGE OUR DRAFT HERD ALONG WITH SMALL LITTLE ANTELOPE SPECIES, AS WELL AS BRINGING IN NEW SPECIES LIKE CHEETAH PORCUPINE, MEERKATS AND A TWO STORY CAFE THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENJOY A MEAL INSIDE HVAC CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS VIEWING LINES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLASS.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.

AND WITH LOCAL CONTRACTING NOW AND A LOCAL CONTRACTOR.

YES, YES, THE CROW GROUP.

WELL, AND THE OTHER THING IS, IS IMPRESSIVE. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY YOU NEED TO GO BY AND SEE THAT C-130.

YEAH. IF YOU JUST GO NORTH OF THE PARKING LOT, IT'S SITTING RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE PLACED RIGHT ON THE LION EXHIBIT. IT'S GOING TO BE IMPRESSIVE. IT IS.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPRESSIVE. OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR JESSE? ALL RIGHT. THANKS, JESSE. APPRECIATE IT. APPRECIATE STAFF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. Y'ALL Y'ALL ARE A BLESSING TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND HARD WORK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

[01:15:02]

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS? I WAS GOING TO SAY IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT IT DESERVES TO BE SAID.

LESLIE, WE HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN YOU. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO. YES.

THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU AND ALL. EVERY ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS DO AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB.

THANK YOU. IN THE MIDST OF A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION AND JOB.

SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW. THANK YOU.

AND I THINK MOST OF BABBLING THAT'S PAYING ANY ATTENTION IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I AGREE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU ON MY BEHALF AS WELL AS ALL MY STAFF.

THEY WORK VERY, VERY HARD AND THEY CARE A GREAT DEAL.

YES THEY DO. WELL, IT'S JUST IT'S I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR A DAY OR TWO AND IT'S JUST FUN TO WATCH THE EFFORT AND AND THE PROGRESS.

SOMETIMES WE THINK IT'S SLOW, BUT BUT IT'S IT'S THE RIGHT KIND OF PROGRESS.

AND SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SO VERY MUCH WITH WHAT YOU DO.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? IF NOT, WE SHALL STAND ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.