OKAY. HERE WE GO. [ CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:02] WE ARE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE TODAY. WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US THE INVOCATION. >> LOVING GOD WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS, DELIBERATE WITH AS MUCH MINDFULNESS AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE THINGS THAT THE CITY NEEDS US TO MAKE PROGRESS ON. WE THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED. WE THANK YOU FOR THE CITY STAFF. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD. MOST IMPORTANTLY WE THANK YOU FOR THE CITIZENS WHO DECIDE TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THESE ITEMS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SON, THANK YOU FOR THE LIFE YOU HAVE GIVEN US. WE LOVE YOU, AMEN. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT PRAYER WELCOME, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WELCOME TO OUR NEW PARKS BOARD MEMBER. WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE THIS MORNING AND LOOKING FORWARD TO [ PUBLIC COMMENTS] ALL OF YOUR GREAT INPUT AND EVERYTHING YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE. AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYONE HAVING ANY COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD TO THIS BOARD, PLEASE STEP FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION, AND YOU WILL HAVE . >> BY SPEAKING ON COMMENTS, I DON'T FORFEIT THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AT THE HEARING? MY NAME IS SAMUEL GARCIA. I AM GOING TO USE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO TALK ABOUT A DIFFERENT ISSUE. FIRST OF ALL, I WENT TO BOTH RIBBON CUTTINGS OF THE TOWN OF -- OF THE TWO NEW REC CENTRES. FOR YEARS AND YEARS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE PHILOSOPHY IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BUILDING, IT'S ABOUT THE PROGRAMS IN IT. WHEN I USED TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, I USED TO REMEMBER YEARS OF SAYING WE CAN BUILD THIS AND BUILD THAT BUT I WAS ALWAYS THE PERSON THAT SAID LET'S BUILD PROGRAMS AND LET THE BUILDING FALL. -- LET THE BUILDING FALL O. IF YOU BUILD PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIRABLE FOR PEOPLE, YOU FORCE YOURSELF INTO BUILDING FACILITIES BASED OFF OF NEED. YOU NEVER BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME. THAT'S A MOVIE THAT WAS A FANTASY, AND I ALWAYS SEE THAT AS BACKWARDS. THAT YOU BUILD SOMETHING AND SAY OKAY, THEN THEY WILL COME BASED OFF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. THE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES, OBVIOUSLY THE WEEK BEFORE IS WHEN I GOT UP AND I SPOKE AND I WILL SPEAK ABOUT THAT AT THE HEARING ABOUT THE NAMING OF IT. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN IN THAT. A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. VERY WELL DONE. IT SEEMED TO BE WELL BUILT. WHEN I WAS THINKING LIBRARIES, I WAS THINKING MORE THAN WHAT I SAW. I'M NOT SO SURE -- HOPEFULLY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE THINGS BUSTING AT THE SEAMS BECAUSE IT'S AN INDICATION AND I HAVE A FEELING IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I REMEMBER MOCKINGBIRD AND THE DOWNTOWN AND THINKING IT WAS KIND OF SMALL. BUT THE MAIN PROBLEM, AND I LITERALLY HEARD IT AT THE RIBBON CUTTING, AND THAT IS THE PROGRAMING. I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT WE ARE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE, EVENTUALLY HAVE OUR SENIORS MEAL PROGRAM. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WERE LITERALLY LOOKING FOR. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FEATURES THAT GO INTO THESE FACILITIES. A LOT OF FEATURES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR YOUNGER BUT THE IDEA IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS WHAT THE BELIEF WAS, THAT THESE PROGRAMS WERE PUT ON HOLD BECAUSE WE WERE LITERALLY TEARING DOWN BUILDINGS AND BUILDING NEW ONES. THAT IS THE IMPRESSION THEY HAD. AND IF YOU THINK THEY MISUNDERSTOOD, NO, THEY LITERALLY WERE SAYING WHAT ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, WERE ARE THEY AT. YOU REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY. THIS BOARD SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR THAT TO CITY COUNCIL. I DO NOT EXPECT BOARDS JUST TO BE APPROVED OR DON'T APPROVE. I EXPECT BOARDS TO BE ADVOCATES. AND IF YOU DON'T, I DON'T THINK YOU ARE DOING YOUR JOB AS A BOARD. YOU NEED TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY. YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND FIND OUT REALLY WHAT THAT IS AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT TASK OF THIS BOARD, OF THIS PARKS BOARD TO GO OUT AND DO A SURVEY OF THE COMMUNITY. >> TIME. >> THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC [1. Minutes (Discussion and Action)] COMMENT. IN YOUR PACKAGE, YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING. I WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THEM OVER, IF YOU HAVE [00:05:03] IT. AND WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND. >> SECOND. [2. Renaming Sears Recreation Center (Discussion, Public Hearing and Possible Action)] >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED. CARRIES. WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2, THE RENAMING OF SEARS RECREATION CENTRE. >> GOOD MORNING, LESLIE ANDREWS, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. IT'S EASY ON TOPICS LIKE THIS FOR ME TO COME AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT YOU EASIER AND SO WHAT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS IS THE RENAMING OF THE RECREATION CENTRE LOCATED IN SEARS PARK. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS SOME CONTROVERSY AND SO THE PARKS BOARD WAS ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NAMING OF THE BUILDING AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE POLICIES THAT PARKS BOARD HAS ADOPTED. PRIOR TO THE RENAMING THAT HAPPENED IN 2020, THE NAME OF THE REC CENTER WAS ARTHUR SEARS RECREATION CENTRE. IT HAD BEEN THAT FOR DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES. IN 2020, THERE WAS A REQUEST TO RENAME THE RECREATION CENTRE, A TASK FORCE AT THAT TIME TOOK A LOOK AT THE REQUEST, AGREED WITH THE REQUEST AND SO THE NAME WAS CHANGED. AS YOU KNOW, THINGS CAME OUT ABOUT MR. CHAVEZ AND HIS HISTORY AND SO CITY COUNCIL ASKED PARKS BOARD TO RELOOK AT THE NAME FOR THAT BUILDING. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS TODAY. IN THE MEANTIME, FROM WHEN CESAR CHAVEZ WAS REMOVED FROM THE BUILDING, UNTIL TODAY, WE HAVE GONE BACK, STAFF FOR EASE HAS GONE BACK TO CALLING IT SEARS RECREATION CENTRE. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT IS THE PERMANENT NAME. IT WAS JUST WHAT WE COULD CALL IT FOR THE COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL THE DECISION IS MADE ON WHAT THE NEW NAME WILL BE. PARKS BOARD HAS ADOPTED A NAMING POLICY. THE NAMING OF A PARK, PARK AREA, PARK FACILITY IS A SERIOUS MANNER. ALL NAMES CONSIDERED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD SHOULD BE SIGNIFICANT, APPROPRIATE CONSIDERATE AND ACCEPTABLE BY THE CITIZENS OF ABILENE. AND THAT'S A KEY POINT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO HAVING EVERYBODY -- TO HAVE IN EVERYBODY'S HEAD AS WE START THIS PROCESS. THE INDIVIDUAL GROUP ORGANIZATION REQUESTING THE NAME NEEDS TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY. WITH THAT APPLICATION COMES A SIGNATURE PAGE WITH A MINIMUM OF 50 RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF ABILENE ENDORSING THAT NAME. THAT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RENAMING OF A PARK, A BUILDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IS TO HAVE AN APPLICATION FROM SOMEONE. THEY WILL BE EXPECTED TO ATTEND PARKS BOARD MEETINGS THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS BEFORE A NAME CAN BE COMPLETE, FINALIZE, ACCEPTED. THE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL, IN THE EVENT THE PERSON IS A DECEASED PERSON, THEY WILL HAVE A PROMINENT IN ABILENE ELSEWHERE OR SHALL DEMONSTRATE CONTINUED COMMITMENT OR SUPPORT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A LOT OF WONDERFUL NAMES OUT THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATIONS IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PERSON HAS CONTRIBUTED IN SOME WAY TO PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE. THAT IS IN THE ADOPTED POLICY. IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT HISTORIC EVENT OR PLACE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FEATURE OF THE AREA, BENEFITS, ORGANIZATION, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT CAN BE USED IN RECOMMENDING A NAME. THE NAME SHOULD NOT DUPLICATE ANOTHER PARK OR FACILITY. IT SHOULD NOT ENDORSE OR ADVOCATE ANY RELIGIOUS OR SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS BELIEF. IT SHOULD NOT BE OBSCENE KETAMINE OR INTIMIDATE ANY RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP. IT SHALL NOT BE PROPOSED WITHOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE APPLICATION. END ONCE THE NAME IS SELECTED, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR 50 YEARS. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME AND IT HAS ONLY BEEN FOR FIVE BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN PARKS BOARD WAS ADOPTING THE POLICY IS THEY DID WANT TO CONSTANTLY BE CHANGING NAMES. AND SO THERE IS A MINIMUM OF 50 [00:10:01] YEARS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE -- WHICH GOES TO THE POINT OF HOW IMPORTANT THIS NAMING IS. WHEN ALL OF THIS INFORMATION CAME OUT, HERE WERE SOME NAMES THAT WERE SENT TO THE PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT OF POTENTIAL NAMES. ABILENE SUNSET RECREATION CENTRE, SEARS RECREATION CENTRE, BILLY ENRIQUES RECREATION CENTRE. BLUE BART NORTH RECREATION CENTRE. OLIVIA CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER. NORTH ABILENE RECREATION CENTRE. PRAIRIE DOG RECREATION CENTRE AND PRICKLY PEAR RECREATION CENTRE. SOME OF THESE ARE FUN, SOME OF THESE ARE NAMES OF PEOPLE. ARTHUR SEARS IS THE ONE THAT INITIALLY GAVE THE LAND FOR THIS PARK. THERE ARE DESCENDANTS OF MR. SEARS THAT DO STILL LIVE HERE IN ABILENE. SO WHENEVER WE GET TO THAT POINT OF WANTING TO RENAME THE RECREATION CENTRE, WE WILL HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THAT FAMILY, PER OUR POLICY, AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT NAME. THEY WILL THEN BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO PARKS BOARD EITHER FOR OR AGAINST OR SUBMIT A LETTER ABOUT EITHER ENDORSING THE NAME OR NOT ENDORSING THE NAME. VERBALLY, I'VE HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE SAY GO BACK TO SEARS. I'VE ALSO HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE MENTION BILLY ENRIQUES. WE ALL KNOW BILLY ENRIQUES. IS A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION. HE WAS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT DID THE SEARS MASTER PLAN I BELIEVE IN 2000. IN THE 15 YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE, HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION. OLIVIA CAMPOS. I DID NOT KNOW MISS CAMPOS. WE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON HER. I DO KNOW THAT SHE WAS PART OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS PART OF THE SEARS MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DONE IN 2000. SO I DO KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT SHE WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION IN THE CITY OF ABILENE. THE REST OF THESE NAMES ARE NAMES THAT PEOPLE GAVE US, AND WE ONLY HEARD FROM ONE TIME. WHAT WE ARE ASKING PARKS BOARD TO DO TODAY CACTUS IS A MULTISTEP PROCESS REALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY IS WE ARE OPENING THE DOOR FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS FOR THE RENAMING PROCESS. THERE CAN BE MULTIPLE WAYS THAT THIS COULD BE HANDLED THE PARKS BOARD CAN VOTE TO HAVE A TASK FORCE T REVIEWS ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS THAT WE RECEIVE, HELP WITH THE RESEARCH AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO PARKS BOARDS. PARKS BOARD CAN DO THAT ON THEIR OWN. THEY CAN ACCEPT ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS, HELP WITH THE RESEARCH AND THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A TASK FORCE CAN DO IT, OR WE CAN JUST WAIT AND SEE IF ANYTHING IS SUBMITTED TO THE PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT AS AN APPLICATION WITH THE REQUIRED PETITION. SO THAT IS REALLY WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY, IS REALLY OPENING THE DOOR AND STARTING THE PROCESS TO SEE WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH THE NAMING OF THE RECREATION CENTRE LOCATED IN SEARS PARK. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> IS THERE A TIME WINDOW THAT WE HAVE FOR SUBMISSION? >> ONLY IF YOU WANT TO DESIGNATE ONE. REALLY, THE WINDOW IS OPEN UNTIL YOU ALL FINALIZE THE NAME. >> THIS PROCESS WILL BE POSTED TO THE CITY WEBSITE OR PARKS AND REC WEBSITE? >> YES. WE WILL SAY WE ARE ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE RENAMING OF THE RECREATION CENTRE. IT WOULD BE EASIER IF WE HAD AN END DATE. SO IF PARKS BOARD DOES WANT TO MOVE QUICKLY ON THE RENAMING, I WOULD SUGGEST OPENING IT UP FOR THREE WEEKS TO BE ABLE TO HIT THE JUNE PARKS BOARD. OR IF YOU WANT TO OPEN IT UP FOR A MONTH TO SIX WEEKS, THEN WE WOULD HIT THE JULY PARKS BOARD MEETING TO HAVE THE FIRST CONVERSATION OF WHEN SOMEBODY WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. THEN IT REQUIRES TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS AFTER THAT. WE ALSO HAVE TO POST SIGNS IN THE PARK THAT RENAMING IS ON THE TABLE. THAT IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT OF THE POLICY. IT IS NOT JUST SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S NOT JUST TELLING PEOPLE. [00:15:02] WE ALSO HAVE TO POST THE SIGN IN THE PARK, MUCH LIKE PLANNING AND ZONING DOES WHEN THERE IS A REZONING CASE. >> THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF SIGNATURES IS 50 ACCORDING TO POLICY? >> CITY OF ABILENE RESIDENTS. >> YES, OKAY. IN ADDITION TO DOING THESE SIGN POSTED, IN ADDITION TO HAVING IT ON THE CITY WEBSITE, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT POPPED INTO MY MIND FOR GETTING IT OUT THERE A BIT MORE. ONE, SOMEONE MENTIONED IN THE PNC MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THAT THE QR CODES ON THE SIGNS FOR THE P LETTER AND Z CHANGES ARE REALLY HELPFUL AND I THINK THAT COULD BE A REALLY COOL THING TO INCLUDE IN THE SIGNS AT THE PARK FAIR LIKE IT TAKES PEOPLE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT OR THE PROCEDURE FOR HOW TO BE INVOLVED IN HELPING WITH THE NAME CHANGE. I WAS ALSO WONDERING IF WE COULD SOMEHOW MAKE A VIDEO EXPLAINING IT AND PUTTING IT ON THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA. >> I CAN REQUEST THAT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT SHE HAS ON HER PLATE RIGHT NOW. WE DO HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA PERSON IN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT COULD HELP PUT THAT TOGETHER. QR CODE WOULD BE VERY EASY. >> HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MAYBE A PRESS RELEASE? >> IT IS ALL PACKAGED TOGETHER. >> HOW LONG WAS IT THE ARTHUR SEARS RECREATION CENTRE? >> WE BELIEVE IT WAS FIVE DECADES. THE LAND, AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE IN FRONT OF ME BUT I BELIEVE 1929, 1919, SOMEWHERE IN THERE WAS WHEN THE LAND WAS ACTUALLY DONATED. BUT FOR A. OF TIME -- IT BECAME CITY LAND AND THEN IT BECAME A RECOGNIZED PARK LAND ART -- ARTHUR SEARS AND WE BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THE LATE 60S OR EARLY 70S. >> SO WHEN IT WAS RENAMED CESAR CHAVEZ, WAS UP FOR RENAMING AT THAT POINT. >> PRIOR TO THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN ADOPTED, THE 50 YEARS HAD NOT BEEN ADOPTED. BUT, YES, COINCIDENTALLY IT HAD BEEN JUST OVER 50 YEARS. >> I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS BUILT. I THINK I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS RENOVATED AND MODIFIED SEVERAL TIMES. >> YOU SAID OLIVIA CAMPOS. IS IT A TYPO HERE? >> I BELIEVE THAT IS HOW HER NAME IS SPELLED BUT I CAN DOUBLE CHECK. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYBODY ELSE? ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT TIMING? >> LESLIE PUT OUT SEVERAL OPTIONS. THE TASK FORCE IS AN OPTION, US KEEPING IT AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AS A BOARD IS AN OPTION. I WOULD SAY IF WE WANT IT TO BE SHORTER, KEEPING IT WITH THE BOARD, I WOULD CONSIDER THE ONLY OPTION IS MAKING A TASK FORCE THAT AUTOMATICALLY INCREASES THE AMOUNT IT'S GOING TO TAKE. YOU HAVE TO GATHER THOSE PEOPLE, FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE, GATHER THEM. I WOULD ASSUME AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO US. SO IF WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LONG VERSION, THEN IT'S US. >> IS IT 90 DAYS. >> TOTAL COMPLETION. >> THAT ALLOWS THREE WEEKS. >> THAT IS ALSO GIVING THE COMMUNITY TIME TO RALLY THE TROOPS IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND. I KNOW FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT BUT IF THERE ARE OTHERS INTERESTED, IT ALLOWS THE TIME. THAT'S MY THOUGHT BUT IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A SOONER TIMELINE. >> THERE IS NO TIMELINE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT. >> THE TIMELINE IS OVER WHEN WE PUT SOMETHING ON THE WALL. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. >> I WOULD THINK THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS THING OUT. IF WE ARE -- STATE THE TIMELINE AGAIN. >> IT REQUIRES TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS. 90 DAYS WOULD WORK WELL TO GIVE [00:20:02] PEOPLE A GOOD SOLID MONTH TO BE ABLE TO GET ONE MONTH TO SIX WEEKS TO GET APPLICATIONS IN PETITIONS SUBMITTED AND STAFF TIME TO VERIFY THE ADDRESSES OUR CITY OF ABILENE ADDRESSES, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THE FIRST HEARING WOULD BE IN JULY AND THE FINAL ADOPTION WOULD BE IN AUGUST. >> WE ARE DOING A TASK FORCE AND IF WE ARE DOING 90 DAYS, THEORETICALLY THE FIRST MONTH IS -- ON THE PUBLIC SIDE WELL I GUESS NOT THE PUBLIC SIDE BUT ON THE NONCITY OF ABILENE SIDE, IT'S COMING UP WITH SIGNATURES, COMING UP WITH IDEAS, RALLYING THE TROOPS KIND OF THING HERE ON OUR SIDE, IT'S FINDING THE TASK FORCE AND SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND THEN -- BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO GET TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS INSIDE OF THIS BOARD WITHIN A 90 DAY WINDOW, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO GET IT BACK WITH AT LEAST 45 DAYS BECAUSE OF HOW WE ONLY MEET ONCE A MONTH. UNLESS YOU WANT ANOTHER MEETING WHICH I DOUBT YOU WANT TO DO. >> IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET YOU ALL TOGETHER ON A MEETING. I WILL SAY THAT. YOU HAVE VERY BUSY SCHEDULES. >> SO WE MEET ONCE A MONTH BUT IN ORDER FOR US -- IT'S BASICALLY TO 45-DAY WINDOWS. 145 DAY WINDOWS OF GETTING EVERYTHING IN, GETTING THE TASK FORCE TO HAVE WHATEVER NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING BACK SO THAT YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO US. THAT IS STILL PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND. >> IT'S PROBABLY AS FAST AS WE CAN DO IT REALISTICALLY. >> WHAT IS A REALISTIC TIMELINE FOR SIGNS TO BE CREATED AND POSTED AT THE PARK? >> I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK. WE MAY STILL HAVE THE SIGNS FROM 2020. IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO GET THESE SIGNS AND POST THEM AND IT'S REALLY QUICK TO CREATE A QR CODE AND ADD TO IT. SO IT WOULDN'T TAKE LONG AT ALL. >> ARE YOU REQUIRED -- DO YOU GO BY BOARD? >> WE DO SIMPLE ALMOST LIKE YARD SIGNS THAT WE COULD DO HERE LOCALLY FAIRLY INEXPENSIVELY. >> I THINK ULTIMATELY THE WAY THE POLICY READS, WE ARE THE TASK FORCE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A NEED TO FORM AN OUTSIDE TASK FORCE, A SEPARATE TASK FORCE. THAT JUST DRAGS THE PROCESS. AND I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE BOARD'S AGREEMENT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH US BEING THE TASK FORCE. LET'S MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG. IT SOUNDS LIKE TO GET TO THE MEETING BE NOT ONLY REASONABLE BUT A LITTLE MORE EXPEDITIOUS TO TRY TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED. BY THE TIME THAT YOU POST EVERYTHING AND ALL OF THE LOCATIONS AND EVERYTHING YOU ARE GOING TO POST IN, WE HAVE EIGHT SUGGESTIONS ALREADY I GUESS CONCEIVABLY WE COULD HAVE 16. I DON'T KNOW BUT MY SENSE IS PROBABLY NOT BUT I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO DO. THERE ARE SOME VERY WELL KNOWN NAMES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM OPENING IT UP HERE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM OPENING IT UP TO MORE NOMINATIONS. BUT I THINK IF WE TRY TO TARGET AN AUGUST MEETING -- AND I THINK -- DO WE HAVE TO SUBMIT IT TO COUNCIL? >> NO, PARKS BOARD IS THE FINAL DECISION. >> THERE WE GO. WE CAN GET TO THAT AUGUST -- THAT AUGUST DATE AND TARGET THAT. THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE EXPEDITIOUS BUT IT'S TIME TO DO DUE DILIGENCE. >> THAT MEANS FROM TODAY, THERE IS NO ACTION ON THIS IN JUNE AND THEN IN JULY WE HAVE THE FIRST HEARING AND IN AUGUST IS THE FINAL HEARING. THAT IS EASY. I AM STILL QUESTIONING WHETHER IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR A SUBGROUP OF THIS GROUP TO HAVE AN INITIAL CALLING OF THE NAMES. TO ME, IT DEPENDS HOW MANY NAMES THERE ARE. [00:25:01] BUT EVEN THEN, FOR THE FIRST HEARING, WE CAN'T ASSUME THE FIRST HEARING IN JULY WOULD BE WHEN WE WOULD DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS IN JUNE. >> WHAT WE COULD DO IN JUNE IS IF WE HAVE ANY APPLICATIONS WITH PETITIONS, WE COULD PUT THAT FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION IN JUNE IF WE HAVE ANY BY THEN. BUT LEAVING THE WINDOW OPEN FOR 45 DAYS MEANING IT WOULD GIVE A LITTLE MORE TIME PASSED JUNE, THE JUNE MEETING, WE WOULD JUST SUBMIT TO YOU IN JUNE ANY APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS WE HAVE STARTING TO NARROW THE SCOPE. WE COULD DO THAT. AND THEN IN JUNE, IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANTED TO DO A TASK FORCE, SAY WE HAVE THREE AND YOU WANT TO HAVE A TASK FORCE TO VET THOSE THREE, WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL. >> I THINK THAT'S WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN IF THERE'S MORE THAN TWO. THE JULY MEETING, WE CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. DOESN'T THE JULY MEETING HAVE TO BE THIS IS THE ONE BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST HEARING IN THE PROPOSAL. >> IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS IS THE ONE. IN JULY, IF YOU STILL HAD TWO OR THREE, THERE STILL COULD BE A DEBATE AND A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THESE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR PROS AND CONS ABOUT THE VARIOUS NAMES AS WELL. IT'S THE SECOND MEETING WHEN IT BECOMES THE FINAL DECISION. >> SO THE SECOND MEETING, WE STILL DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A THIS IS THE ONE WE CAN STILL HAVE DISCUSSION AROUND AS MANY NAMES AS WE WANT AND DECIDE. >> IT'S WHATEVER PARKS BOARD RECOMMENDS, THERE HAS TO BE TWO MEETINGS. IN JULY, IF YOU SAY THIS IS WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING, IN AUGUST, YOU WOULD VOTE AND THAT WOULD BE FINAL. IN JULY IF YOU SAY THIS IS WHAT WE RECOMMEND AND AUGUST YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE IT TO THIS, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE A SECOND MEETING AND A HEARING IN SEPTEMBER. >> SO WE WOULD GET AN UPDATE IN JUNE ON WHAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. >> SO IN JULY WE COULD SAY WE ARE CONSIDERING THESE THREE? >> IN JULY YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY WE RECOMMEND THIS NAME AS THE FRONT RUNNER AND THEN THAT GIVES A MONTH FOR CITIZENS TO GIVE THEIR INPUT AND PROS AND CONS. >> I WAS LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR. WE WERE KIND OF FOCUSED ON A DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION. JUNE 16TH I THINK IS OUR NEXT SCHEDULED. SHOULD WE SAY JUNE 15TH IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION SO WE HAVE PRELIMINARY? >> I WOULD RECOMMEND JUNE 30TH. IT'S GOING TO TAKE US AT LEAST A WEEK TO TOITOI TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER, TO GET THE SIGNS OUT, TO DO THE PRESS RELEASES. I WOULD GIVE US AT LEAST A WEEK TO DO THAT. I THINK THE CITIZENS NEED MORE THAN TWO WEEKS FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO YOU FOR JUNE, WE BASICALLY HAVE TO BACK IT UP TEN DAYS. AND SO THAT REALLY WOULD ONLY GIVE A WEEK OR TWO FOR CITIZENS TO SUBMIT STUFF HERE SO I WOULD RECOMMEND TAKING APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS THROUGH JUNE 30TH. >> AND I WANT TO AFFIRM THE POLICY AS IT STANDS. I READ IT THROUGH A COUPLE OF TIMES YESTERDAY. I REALLY LIKE THE POLICY. I REALLY LIKE THE PETITION. I APPRECIATE THE LETTERS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED BUT I WOULDN'T WANT US TO USE THOSE LETTERS BY THEMSELVES AS A RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S ONE PERSON AS OPPOSED TO 50 PEOPLE. BOTH OF THOSE LETTERS ARE I ASSUME ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE BEHALF -- ON BEHALF OF THE PERSON THAT WAS GOING TO GET THE 50 SIGNATURES. BUT I'D LIKE STICKING WITH THE PROCESS. THERE'S A REASON THE CITY CREATED THE PROCESS. I'M ASSUMING IT WAS A PROCESS APPROVED BY OUR PREDECESSORS. I'D PREFER TO NOT TRAMPLE THAT. >> IF WE GIVE CITIZENS -- WE WON'T HAVE A SINGLE NAME FOR CITIZENS TO PRESENT IN JULY. >> IN JULY, WE WOULD PRESENT THE APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED JUNE 30TH TO YOU IN JULY WITH ANY RESEARCH THAT WE HAD DONE ON THOSE NAMES ON HOW THEY HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF ABILENE AND PARKS AND RECREATION. SO IT WOULD BE NARROWED DOWN TO THE APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS FOR THE JULY MEETING. SO THREE, I'M TO ASSUME, NAMES FOR YOU TO DISCUSS IN JUNE AND THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO THE PARKS BOARD TO EITHER ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE OR TO VOTE ON A NAME TO RECOMMEND TO MOVE FORWARD TO JULY. [00:30:01] >> SO WE COULD CHOOSE A SINGLE NAME AND THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST HEARING IN JULY. >> CORRECT. >> WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NARROWING THAT TO TWO OR THREE CHOICES? >> THE NARROWING WOULD BE HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE GET WITH 50 SIGNATURES. HOWEVER MANY THAT IS. STAFF WOULD NOT NARROW THE NAMES. WE WILL PRESENT TO YOU ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE 50 SIGNATURES THAT COME ALONG WITH IT. >> THESE ARE ALL GOING TO GET A FULL APPLICATION AND 50 SIGNATURES. >> SO WE WOULD HAVE THE NAMES, WE ARE DISCUSSING THE COMMUNITY -- >> ULTIMATELY COME UP WITH A SINGLE NAME IN JULY. >> CORRECT. >> WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE MORE THAN THREE THAN HAVE THE APPLICATION AND 50 SIGNATURES. HAVING SAID THAT, IT DID SOUND LIKE JUST BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY AND BECAUSE OF THE DISCUSSION WITH THE FAMILY, IF THE FAMILY WANTS ARTHUR SIERS TO BE AN OPTION, ARTHUR SEARS WOULD BE AN OPTION REGARDLESS IF IT RECEIVES AN APPLICATION? >> NO. >> NO. IT WOULD REQUIRE AN APPLICATION WITH 50 SIGNATURES. BECAUSE WE HAVE CHANGED THE NAME. THE FAMILY WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE NAME CHANGE. FOR IT TO GO BACK TO CYRUS, WE DEFAULTED TO THAT FOR SIMPLICITY WHILE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. BUT IT WOULD REQUIRE AN APPLICATION WITH 50 SIGNATURES TO GO BACK TO ARTHUR SEARS. >> OKAY. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMMENTS, THOUGHTS? DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET THE PROCESS GOING? >> YES. >> GREAT. >> AT THIS POINT -- >> I SAY YES, SIR. MY UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW IS WE ARE LEAVING IT WITH PARKS BOARD AND NOT SELECTING A TASK FORCE. >> I JUST DON'T WANT TO DRAG IT OUT. >> IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE LEAVING IT OPEN IF WE HAD RECEIVED TOO MANY APPLICATIONS, WE COULD SAY IS IT OKAY FOR THE TASK FORCE IF WE NEEDED ONE TO BE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THIS BOARD? >> AS LONG AS IT'S NOT MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE. IT HAS TO BE THREE OR LESS. >> OKAY. THAT IS FINE. >> THE PROCESS IS GOING TO BE HOW MANY WITH 50 SIGNATURES. I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ITSELF MY WORRY IS WHEN WE START FORMING TASK FORCES AND THEN WE ARE IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER AND TWIDDLING OUR FINGERS. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE EXPEDITIOUSLY. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE THOUGHTFULLY. BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WELL. DON'T DRAG IT OUT. >> AGREED. >> OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE WILL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO MAKE COMMENT ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM, RENAMING OF SEARS RECREATION CENTRE, PLEASE STEP FORWARD. YOU CAN IDENTIFY YOURSELF, YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOU WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES TO STATE YOUR OPINION. >> SAMUEL GARCIA. AS YOU KNOW, I AM THE PERSON THAT STOOD UP AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING THE DAY BEFORE YOU ALL TOOK THE SIGN DOWN AND MADE THE REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE SPANISH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WHO VOTED TO SAY WE ARE ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ASKED FOR THAT NAME. WHEN WE LEARNED ALL OF THE CONCRETE EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, WE WERE INDEED THE FIRST ONES TO STEP UP. WE VOTED TO DO THAT. I SHOWED UP AT THE MEETING. THE NEXT DAY, THAT SIGN WAS DOWN. THE MOST CONCERNING THING TODAY THAT I HAVE HEARD IS TO HEAR THE CHAIR USED THE TERM DRAGGING THIS OUT. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ENLIGHTENS ME. IT BOTHERS ME. THIS SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU ARE LIKE WE HAVE TO GET IT DONE BY THIS TIME. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. YOU TAKE YOUR TIME, YOU DO IT RIGHT. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. WHAT BOTHERS ME ALSO IS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF MISS CAMPOS. IT TELLS ME I'M NOT SO SURE HOW MUCH YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT SERIOUS. I'VE LIVED HERE 26 YEARS. [00:35:02] I HAVE WORKED AT SEARS, VOLUNTEERED AT SEARS, DONE EVENTS AT SEARS, I HAVE BEEN AT SEARS MORE THAN PROBABLY THE SEARS FAMILY HAS IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. I GUARANTEE IT. THIS IS A LATINO COMMUNITY IN THE AREA. ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID THAT IS BECAUSE IT REFLECTS THAT COMMUNITY. I'M GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME. YOU'VE GOT BUILT IN MATRIX THAT WILL BE -- THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO GO THROUGH THIS. THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE SITTING THERE DRAGGING IT OUT, FOURMAC TIME'S DRAGGING IT OUT THAT'S NOT DRAGGING IT OUT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY. HER PICTURE IS IN THE KITCHEN. WE HAD A RECOGNITION DAY AT SEARS REC, PUTTING HER PICTURE, MISS CAMPOS PICTURE IN THE KITCHEN. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT SHE WAS TO THAT. SO THE IDEA THAT NOBODY ON THE PARKS BOARD EVEN KNEW HER NAME OR HOW TO PRONOUNCE HER NAME REALLY BOTHERS ME. SO I WOULD TAKE OVER TIME MINIMUM THE END OF JUNE TO SUBMIT NAMES. I DO NOT THINK THAT YOU SHOULD GET ANYTHING UNTIL EVERYTHING IS SUBMITTED. BECAUSE IF THINGS COME IN EARLY, -- YOU SHOULD ALL GET IT AT THE SAME TIME. I DON'T BELIEVE YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN ANYTHING EARLY BECAUSE SOMETHING MAY COME IN AT THE END OF MAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I WOULD LOVE TO GET UP HERE -- I. WANT SOME INTERACTION. THIS IS A HEARING AND YOU CAN ASK ME QUESTIONS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA UP HERE I ACTUALLY HAVE A PERSONAL OPINION. MY BEST FRIEND'S NAME IS UP THERE. I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD NAME IT AFTER HIM. THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION. I'VE NEVER BELIEVED IN NAMING FACILITIES AFTER LIVING PEOPLE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THIS IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO DO THIS. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR REASON -- I. DON'T AGREE OR DISAGREE, I JUST WANT TO HEAR YOUR REASON FOR NOT NAMING A FACILITY AFTER A LIVING PERSON. >> BECAUSE IT TOOK DECADES TO LEARN OF THE HORRIFIC THINGS. I AM TALKING ABOUT MY BEST FRIEND SITTING UP THERE. BILLY ENRIQUEZ IS MY BEST FRIEND. PEOPLE ACCUSE US OF BEING RELATED. I MET HIM 26 YEARS AGO WHEN I MOVED HERE. I JUST NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY HAS OPINIONS ABOUT BILLY WHILE THEY ARE LIVING, THEY MAY USE THAT AND IT JUST BECOMES PERSONAL. I LOVE HIM, I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIM. IF HE CALLED ME TODAY, I WOULD BE ANYWHERE HE NEEDED ME TO BE. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT IT COMPLICATES THINGS AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT THAT. I'M GOING TO UPSET PEOPLE BY SAYING WHAT I'M SAYING BUT I'M THE PERSON THAT GOT UP HERE AND SAID TAKE THE NAME DOWN SO I'M NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP HERE AND DO THAT. IT'S JUST NOT GOOD. THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES THAT COULD GO WRONG AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO DISPARAGE HIM AT ALL AND USE THAT AND SAY WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE BILLY ENRIQUEZ BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE BILLY ENRIQUEZ. HE IS LIVING. I DON'T WANT THAT. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA. HE IS STILL AROUND AND PEOPLE CAN STILL ATTACK HIM. BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU, THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. A LOT OF US LOVE HIM AND KNOW THE THINGS HE HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY. HE WAS EVEN RECOGNIZED AT THE RIBBON CUTTING. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THE GUY HAS BEEN. I JUST DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING THAT. AND I'VE HAD TONS OF PEOPLE SUBMIT THAT TO ME. MY IDEA IS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS FAIR AND EQUITABLE. I'M NOT A FAN OF GOING BACK TO SEARS REC. PART OF THE AGREEMENT WAS TO SAY KEEP THE PARK SEARS, WE WILL RENAME THE REC CENTER. IT WAS KIND OF A COMPROMISE. SO YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND WATCH THOSE MEETINGS BECAUSE IF YOU START REDOING THE WAY YOU DID THINGS BACK THEN, YOU ARE DOING THE WRONG THING. THIS TIMELINE THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU NEED TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT. IF IT TAKES YOU FROM EIGHT MONTHS, IF YOU ARE INTO SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER, BLESS YOUR HEART, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. BUT THIS IDEA THAT YOU ARE DRAGGING IT OUT, IT BOTHERS THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A DRAGGING THING FOR ME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE STOOD UP, WE STOOD BEHIND OR WE SUGGESTED AND WE WITHDREW. WE DID THE HONORABLE THING. NOT MANY ORGANIZATIONS WOULD HAVE GOTTEN UP AND DONE WHAT WE DID. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO US BECAUSE WE FED PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR WITH THE THANKSGIVING DINNER. NAMING IT AFTER SOMEBODY THAT IS STILL ALIVE IS NOT ABOUT THAT [00:40:04] PERSON. IT'S THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN COMPLICATE THESE THINGS AND YOU CAN GO AND RESEARCH EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. I'M NOT SURE YOU WANT TO SAY LET'S GO OUT AND RESEARCH THIS PERSON THAT'S ALIVE AND LET'S GET INTO THEIR PERSONAL BUSINESS I DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA UP HERE AND I SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. I'VE BEEN PART OF RENAMING. WHEN WE RENAMED THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IT WAS NOT A LIVING PERSON. AND WE HAD SUGGESTIONS OF LIVING PEOPLE. I DID NOT CONSIDER THEM. THAT WAS MY PERSONAL MATRIX TO SAY IT WAS OFF THE LIST BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO THAT PERSON. I AM VERY PROTECTIVE OF BILLY ENRIQUEZ. I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW. THE MOMENT I HEAR SOMEONE TALK AGAINST HIM, I'M GOING TO BE UPSET. SO I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA, IT COMPLICATES THINGS. BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEBODY THAT PASSED AWAY OR THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT NAME RELATED AND SAY OKAY, YOU COULD BE MORE OBJECTIVE TO THAT BECAUSE THE MOMENT I AM TELLING YOU, RIGHT NOW THE MOMENT I HEAR SOMEONE SPEAKING AGAINST HIM, I JUST DON'T WANT THAT. THAT JUST COMPLICATES THINGS. THAT IS THE REASON THAT I JUST DON'T EVER THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I USE THE SAME PROCESS WHEN IT'S ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE LIVING NOMINATED AND I USED THAT AT THAT TIME. THAT WAS 12 YEARS AGO. >> MY COMMENT WAS MORE SO GOING BACK TO THE DRAGGING IT OUT. I THINK IT WAS AN UNINTENDED TERM TO USE BUT I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT IF ANYTHING, IT'S MORE SO TO SHOW PROGRESS AND KNOWING THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TAKING ACTIONABLE STEPS. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM WITH BEING JUDICIOUS ABOUT IT AND WHETHER IT DOES TAKE MORE TIME, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WERE COMING FROM IS TO SHOW THAT WE WERE TAKING ACTIONABLE STEPS AND SETTING DEADLINES HERE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THIS APPROPRIATELY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SOLICITING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED TO TO MAKE THE MOST INFORMED DECISION FOR. >> THEN THIS IS WHY YOU DO THAT. YOU SAY, HEY, WE ARE GOING TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. IF IT TAKES THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS TO DO IT, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. BUT IF YOU ARE JUST SET ON WE'VE GOT TO GET IT DONE BY THIS TIME BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DRAG IT OUT. IT ILLUSTRATES TO ME AND TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO REALLY GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO HAVE A SAY. JUNE 30TH IS A GOOD DAY. I BELIEVE THAT. IT GIVES YOU TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE 1ST OF JUNE. IT GIVES YOU JUST ABOUT THE WHOLE MONTH OF JUNE TO HAVE NAMES SUBMITTED. AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A MECHANISM TO DO THAT. I STILL DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD GET ANY OF THE NAMES -- TO BE EQUITABLE, YOU GET IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME, BE IT BEFORE YOUR MEETING OR WHATEVER, YOU GET IT AT THE SAME TIME AND EVERYBODY LOOKS AT IT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THESE RENAMING THINGS IS PEOPLE START TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE THE REALM OF WHEN THEY ARE SITTING AT THE BOARD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE NAME BUILDS UP AND THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND ONE NAME, SOMEBODY COULD ACTUALLY QUALIFY AND HAVE THEIR SUBMISSION BY JUNE 30TH BUT THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER NAME THAT YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR TWO WEEKS. IS THAT FAIR THAT THIS NAME HAS BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU FOR TWO WEEKS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU BASICALLY GET A SHORT WINDOW TO LOOK AT IT BEFORE THE JULY MEETING. THIS OTHER NAME COULD HAVE BEEN UP TO A MONTH, SIX WEEKS THAT YOU'VE HAD THIS NAME. THAT'S WHY I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD DO THAT. I DO NOT THINK YOU SHOULD DO THAT. IF YOU WANT TO BE JUDGED AS FAIR AND EQUITABLE, YOU NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH ALL OF THE NAMES. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SAY THERE WERE SOME OTHER MATRIX UP THERE THAT QUALIFY YOU. THEY HAD TO HAVE ASSOCIATION UP THERE. THERE'S OTHER THINGS, NOT JUST THE 50 NAMES. THAT'S A BIG ONE. IT'S NOT HARD. 50 NAMES IS PRETTY EASY. BUT THOSE OTHER THINGS ARE GOING TO SIPHON SOME OF THOSE THINGS OUT SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT. AND WHEN YOU GET THAT, THESE DIDN'T QUALIFY, WE ARE DOWN TO THESE SIX AND THEN YOU CAN GO FROM THERE. AND THEN YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE SIX, WE ARE HUMAN YOU ARE HUMAN. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM, YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THEM AT THE SAME TIME, NOT TO HAVE ONE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF OVER THE OTHER. SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU I AM GOING TO GET PHONE CALLS THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT WHAT I'VE SAID TODAY. THAT'S OKAY. I'M A BIG BOY. I STAND UP HERE AND DO THINGS [00:45:03] SOMETIMES AND PEOPLE SAY I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT. I DO IT BECAUSE IT'S TRUE. IT'S WHAT IT IS. I ALSO FEEL THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THIS IS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING -- THAT IS AN OLDER COMMUNITY THAT LIVES AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVE HAD PEOPLE THAT LIVE RIGHT THERE, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PARK, DIE IN THE LAST MONTH. THEY SIT RIGHT THERE. ANOTHER THAT DIED LAST YEAR. SOME OF THESE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS. THEY NEED SOMEONE TO STAND UP FOR THEM TO SAY THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY NEED ME OUT HERE DOING THAT. I DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THAT AREA BUT I PROMISE YOU I'M AS MUCH A PART OF SEARS AS THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND PROBABLY MORE THAN THE PEOPLE IT WAS NAMED AFTER. I'M TELLING YOU, TO ME, IT'S NOT ABOUT A NAME OR A HISTORY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHAT DID YOU PUT INTO THE REC CENTER? HOW DID YOU INTERACT WITH THEM, HOW DID YOU SUPPORT THE PARKS BOARD. WHENEVER THERE WAS A FIRE OUT THERE A FEW YEARS AGO, SOMEONE BURNED DOWN THE PAVILION -- THE PLAYGROUND, WE WENT OUT THERE AND DID A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE POLICE AND EVERYONE WAS SAYING WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FIND OUT WHO THIS IS. LIKE I SAID, I LIVED NOWHERE NEAR THERE BUT IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT IS OUR PLACE AS A COMMUNITY. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP, THEY WOULD SAY WE NEED LOCAL LEADERSHIP. THAT'S WHAT WE DO. SO IN A WAY, WE ARE SAYING IT'S MY JOB AS A COMMUNITY PERSON, AS A VOLUNTEER, THAT'S ALL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO GO OUT AND FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE'S IDEAS ARE REPRESENTED HERE. AND SO TAKE YOUR TIME. I LOVE THE WAY THEY WROTE THOSE THINGS. THEY GAVE SOME RULES BUT THEY DIDN'T SAY YOU HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY. YOU GET TO DECIDE THAT. BUT I WOULD VOTE ON THE SIDE OF TAKE YOUR TIME, GET IT DONE RIGHT. AT VERY LEAST -- IF IT TAKES ANOTHER COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND YOU HAVE TO GET DOWN TO IT AND CALL ANOTHER MEETING, YOU CALL ANOTHER MEETING. YOU GIVE IT ANOTHER MONTH. BECAUSE THIS IS FOR 50 YEARS. SO ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO IS NOT GOING TO MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. AND PLEASE DON'T USE THE WORD DRAGGING IT OUT ANY MORE. >> LET ME CLARIFY BECAUSE I MADE THAT COMMENT. I DIDN'T INTEND -- IF I MISLED YOU BY SAYING DRAG IT OUT, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR THAT. WE HAVE TARGET DATES. JULY AND AUGUST ARE TARGET DATES. TARGET DATES ARE NOT HARD DATES. IF WE NEED TO DRAG A -- EXCUSE ME. IF WE NEED TO EXTEND IT, I'M FINE WITH THAT. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. BUT LIKE WHAT MICHAEL SAID, BETTER LANGUAGE THAN I DID, WE NEED TO TAKE OUR TIME BUT WE NEED TO SHOW PROGRESS. WE NEED TO MAKE THIS PROCESS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PURPOSED ABOUT AND GETTING IT DONE AND TRYING TO GET IT DONE RIGHT. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TERM DRAGGING IT OUT. THAT'S HOW IT CAME ACROSS AND I APOLOGIZE. >> AND THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM -- PEOPLE THAT WILL SEE THIS WILL SEE IT ON TV. IF I DON'T MENTION IT, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE HEARING. SO I AM JUST GIVING YOU A PERSON WHAT I JUST HEARD. I APPRECIATE YOU STRAIGHTENING THAT OUT AND CORRECTING THAT. AND I'M JUST GOING TO ASK TO NOT USE THAT TERMINOLOGY BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE THING. THIS IS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE. THIS IS WHERE THEY GO AND HAVE BARBECUES AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES IN THE PARK. THE KIDS PLAY IN THOSE REC CENTRES. THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW FACILITY, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS SO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SOMEONE'S NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU WANT TO USE LANGUAGE THAT IS SUPPORTIVE HERE AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VOLUNTEERS. YOU ARE DOING THIS OUT OF THE GOOD OF YOUR HEART. I KNOW WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE PURE I DON'T QUESTION YOUR INTENTIONS. I'M JUST SAYING BE CAREFUL HOW YOU COMMUNICATE BECAUSE IF ALL THEY CAN SEE IS YOU ON VIDEO, THEY ARE NOT HERE, THEY ARE WORKING AND LUCKILY I HAVE THE BLESSING TO BE ABLE TO COME TALK TO YOU AND STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT. SO THAT'S MORE OF A CORRECTIVE THING THAT I AM SAYING HERE BUT TAKE YOUR TIME. DO THAT. LAY OUT A TIMELINE. ADJUST THE TIMELINE IF YOU HAVE TO. ADJUST YOUR MECHANISMS. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH A SUBCOMMITTEE BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO BE MAKING THE FINAL DECISION. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL ON THIS. SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. YOU MAY HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE JUST LIKE ROSTEN WAS SUGGESTING SO [00:50:06] THAT WHEN YOU NARROW IT DOWN YOU CAN HAVE CLARITY AND DISCUSSION. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEONE CAN'T SAY NO, I STILL WANT THIS. YOU'VE GOT A VOTING RIGHT. THE OTHER MEMBERS THAT AREN'T HERE TODAY, AREN'T THERE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS THAT AREN'T HERE TODAY? THEY NEED TO WATCH THIS MEETING BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU ARE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PROCEED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT SPIRIT LET'S SAY THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. EVEN THOUGH YOU SET A GUIDELINE, USE THE TERMINOLOGY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING FOREIGN THAT THEY MAY SEE ACROSS THE STREET. IT'S WHERE THEY GO TO HAVE THEIR BIRTHDAY PARTY OR DROP THEIR KIDS OFF AT THE LIBRARY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> ONE MORE COMMENT, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU ADVOCATING AND SPEAKING TO US TODAY. A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU SAID RESONATE WITH ME AS WELL. I MANAGE A PROGRAM FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THAT PROCESS THAT REALLY YOU DO HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WILL DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO MAKE EVERYTHING FAIR AND EQUITABLE. >> THANK YOU. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE HISPANIC LEADERSHIP MEMBERS ARE OUT HERE. IF YOU WANT TO BOUNCE SOMETHING OFF OF US, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, GO TO THE PARK, GO VISIT IT. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU'VE BEEN TO SEARS REC CENTER? YOU NEED TO GO BY THERE. YOU NEED TO GO SEE IT. GO ON A SUNDAY, PULL OVER. JUST WATCH THE ACTIVITY. YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW FAMILIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PARK, PLAYING BASKETBALL, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, BARBECUES, IT'S A VERY VIBRANT PARK WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILIES. SO I WOULD SUGGEST YOU GO DO THAT SO THAT YOU GET A BETTER FEEL OF THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. IT REALLY IS. BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG DEAL. WHAT WE DID THAT DAY TOOK A LOT OF GUTS. IT WASN'T ME. THAT WAS ON BEHALF OF THE HISPANIC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. NOT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS WILL SAY WE WERE WRONG. IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO DO THAT. THE HISPANIC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IS THERE FOR YOU GUYS IN CASE YOU NEED TO BOUNCE SOMETHING OFF. HOLLER AT ME. I WILL PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH ANY MEMBER. >> THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT? >> GOOD MORNING. I'M ANTHONY WILLIAMS. I VOLUNTEER -- AND BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I VOLUNTEERED IN THIS COMMUNITY ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE. ALMOST 40 YEARS I HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING. I KNEW MISS CAROL MARTINEZ, VICTOR CARRILLO, MARIA VELASQUEZ WHO IS A BALL OF DYNAMITE. I WORK WITH THEM. I LIVE ON THE NORTH SIDE THE ENTIRE TIME IN ABILENE. I KNOW THAT COMMUNITY. I PLAYED BASKETBALL FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT SEARS REC. AND I WOULD SAY THIS, BILLY ENRIQUEZ UNDOUBTEDLY, THE LAST 50 YEARS, HE IS UNMATCHED IN HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. AND BY THE WAY, HE LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHEN HE COULD LIVE ELSEWHERE. IF YOU PULL THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WOULD OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT RECOGNIZING BILLY. AND I JUST WANT TO BRING ATTENTION. WE HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WAS NAMED AFTER SOMEONE STILL LIVING. AND THE SCHOOL HAD THE WISDOM OF RECOGNIZING THE MERITS OF AN INDIVIDUAL NO MATTER IF HE IS DECEASED OR WITH A SPEAR BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING OF MERIT. IT WOULD BE HARD TO ARGUE THAT BILLY ENRIQUEZ DOESN'T MERIT THIS HONOR. HE IS NOT ONLY A GREAT LEADER IN THE SPANISH COMMUNITY KHAKI'S A GREAT LEADER IN THE CITY OF ABILENE. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD EASILY RALLY AROUND AND RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MERITS THAT. IT WAS NO SURPRISE THAT EVEN AT THE RIBBON CUTTING A FEW WEEKS AGO, HE WAS UP THERE. Y? BECAUSE HE SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE ADVOCATING FOR THAT COMMUNITY, LIVING IN THAT COMMUNITY, SERVING FOR THAT COMMUNITY, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IT IS A SACRIFICE. [00:55:02] I KNOW IT IS. BUT I APPRECIATE IT. ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF ABILENE, I WANT US TO NOT MAKE THINGS SO COMPLICATED AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT. AND I WOULD SAY DO WHAT I THINK IS OBVIOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ANY QUESTIONS OF ME? THANK YOU. GODSPEED. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, WE SHALL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SESSION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM. WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF A TARGET DATE. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ACTION. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT JUNE 30TH? >> I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE APPLICATIONS DO INCLUDE A SECTION WHERE THEY CAN DESCRIBE THE HISTORY OF THE PERSON AND THEY CAN SUBMIT ADDITIONAL -- OKAY SO THAT COVERS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS. I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF US GETTING ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS AT THE SAME TIME INSTEAD OF IT BEING AN ONGOING THING. AND I WILL ADD THAT THE CURRENT WINDOW OF RECEIVING APPLICATIONS, YES THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT NOT DOING ENOUGH OR GIVING ENOUGH TIME BUT IF WE MAKE IT TOO LONG, THERE'S ALSO A CONCERN ABOUT MOTIVATION AND ATTENTION. I WOULD WORRY THAT IF WE HAD TO GO SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER, PEOPLE JUST AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO IT ANYMORE. AND HAVING AN ABBREVIATED WINDOW, I THINK, CREATES MORE URGENCY, HOPEFULLY. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HOPE. IF IT TURNS OUT WE DIDN'T GET ANY APPLICATIONS WITHIN THAT TIME. , OF COURSE WE CAN CHANGE IT BUT THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THAT. >> JUST BECAUSE YOU RECEIVE AN APPLICATION WITH PETITIONS DOES NOT MEAN IF YOU DO NOT THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THIS IS 50 YEARS IF THE BOARD DOES NOT THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUBMITTED. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO LEAVE IT OPEN LONGER. >> ESSENTIALLY, WHILE THIS IS AN APPLICATION, THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE CALL A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. WE HAVE OUR CRITERIA LISTED IN THE DESCRIPTION OF OUR PROCEDURES. WE SHOULD CERTAINLY BE USING THAT TO CREATE SOME KIND OF SCORING. AND I THINK THAT WILL ALSO HELP THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S A RATING THAT FITS THIS CRITERIA OR IT DOESN'T AT ALL HERE I THINK WE CAN WEED OUT CERTAIN NAMES THAT WOULD NOT FIT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE. >> DIDN'T THAT NEIGHBORHOOD LOSE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOT LONG AGO? >> ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT JANE LONG? >> CAN I ASK ANTHONY? >> AS FAR AS TRADITIONAL ELEMENTARY, IT WAS TRANSITIONED. IT TRANSITIONED TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OKAY. COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ESTABLISH JUNE 30TH AS A DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING NOMINATIONS FOR RENAMING THE ARTHUR SEARS RECREATION CENTRE. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT WE WILL MOVE ON TO [3. Aquatics Report (Discussion)Adventure CoveSplash PadsChampions Day] REPORTS. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. >> I HAVE A CLEAR ROOM, DON'T I. >> DON'T TAKE THAT PERSONAL. [01:00:01] >> CHRIS GIBSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AQUATICS REPORT HERE IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR. WE DO HAVE AN OPENING ON MAY 23RD, THIS WILL BE THE 2026 SEASON. WE ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE WE ARE ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS FOR AFTER HOURS BUT FROM TALKING TO OUR MANAGER OUT THERE, WE ARE REALLY CLOSE TO FILLING UP. IF YOU WERE HAVING PLANS TO DO THAT, YOU MAY WANT TO GET ON THE BALL AND GET IN CONTACT WITH US THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. THERE ARE ALSO SWIM LESSONS AND THOSE TWO ARE FILLING UP QUICKLY. SPLASH PADS, ALL OF OUR SPLASH PADS ARE CLEAR TO OPEN EXCEPT NELSON. IT IS ONE OF OUR OLDER PADS AND IT'S BEING -- IT'S BEEN A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT TO GET IT GOING THIS YEAR. WE ARE WORKING HARD AND DILIGENTLY GETTING THE TECHNICIANS IN PLACE BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET THAT FIXED DONE. WE ARE AT THAT TIMELINE RIGHT NOW BUT WE'VE GOT THE REST OF THE SPLASH PADS UP AND RUNNING. I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE OUT USING THEM SO I THINK WE ARE GOING FULL STEAM AHEAD HERE AND I FORGOT ABOUT -- JUNE 20TH AND JULY 18TH, WE WILL OFFER A VERY POPULAR EVENT CALLED CHAMPIONS DAY. IT IS FREE ADMISSIONS FOR GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES, 50% OFF FOR UP TO FOURMAC FAMILY MEMBERS TO ATTEND AND IT'S A POPULAR EVENT. IF YOU HAVEN'T PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVENT, IT IS A FUN EVENT TO GO OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT THAT IS THE END OF OUR REPORT. ANY QUESTIONS? >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. [4. Parks Report (Discussion)April Work OrdersNelson Splash Pad SignFun Fact] PARKS DIVISION MANAGER. IN APRIL, WE COMPLETED 456 WORK ORDERS THAT TOOK 2921 HOURS TO COMPLETE WITH A TOTAL COST WITH PARTS AND LABOR OF 48,444. A LOT OF WORK WAS DONE IN APRIL. WHEN EVERYTHING WAS DONE WITH THE NEW SIDEWALK AND EVERYTHING GOING THROUGH, WE HAD TO MOVE THE SPLASH PAD SIGN. WE GOT THAT REDONE AND WE REINSTALLED IT. AND THIS TIME WE USED METAL POSTS SO IT WOULD LAST LONGER. TODAY, I WANT TO END WITH A FUN FACT, WHICH STATES THAT ROSE PARK'S TURF COVERS 1,176,120 SQUARE FEET, WHICH EQUALS 21 NFL STADIUMS. OUR CREWS MOW THAT PARK 16 TIMES A YEAR SO ESSENTIALLY THEY ARE MOWING 21 STADIUMS FOR A FULL NFL SEASON. THAT IS JUST A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF WHAT OUR GUYS DO. A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT THEY PUT IN TO DO THAT SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR GUYS FOR A FUN FACT. >> IS ROSE PARK OUR FAVORITE PARK -- BIGGEST PARK? >> FROM THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT OUR GUYS DO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> CHRIS IS HERE. [5. Recreation Report (Discussion)Recreation Center & Branch Library HoursRecreation Center MembershipYogaZine MakingOpen Gym] SAM NEEDS TO LEAVE. >> I GOT HIM TO COME BACK FOR CHRIS GIBSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PARKS AND REC. I AM STEPPING IN AND FILLING IN TODAY. I THINK IT IS PRETTY WELL KNOWN THAT REC CENTRES HAVE OPENED. WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE RIBBON CUTTING. OUR HOURS ARE MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY FROM NINE TO NINE. WE ARE OPEN NINE TO SIX ON WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. WE ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED ON SUNDAY. THE LIBRARY HOURS ARE 10:00 A.M. TO 6P M. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, SATURDAY TEN TO TWO AND THEY ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY. WE WANTED TO GET THAT BACK OUT TO PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN OUR OFFICE ABOUT WHEN WE ARE OPEN AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS OUT AND EVERYBODY WAS AWARE. MEMBERSHIP IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON. A REAL QUICK FACT-CHECK ON IT, LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP AND REC CENTER MEMBERSHIP ARE TWO SEPARATE MEMBERSHIPS. IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE THE LIBRARY, YOU ARE REQUIRED A LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP. IF YOU'RE IN THE FACILITY USING A REC CENTER, YOU NEED TO HAVE A PAID MEMBERSHIP THERE. THE MEMBERSHIP IS FREE FOR RESIDENTS. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DECIDED ON QUITE A WHILE AGO. IF YOU ARE A NONRESIDENT AND DON'T LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF ABILENE, IT IS $30 FOR THE YEAR [01:05:03] FOR A FAMILY UP TO SIX IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD. IT'S NOT BRINGING ALL OF YOUR FAMILY FROM OUT OF TOWN AND SIGNING THEM INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THIS IS FOR RESIDENTS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD. THERE IS A $5 NONDAILY PASS. WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS COMING IN RENT -- WORKING TEMPORARILY THAT MAY NOT BE HERE FOR A YEAR AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN USE THE FACILITY SO IT'S A $5 GUEST PASS AS A NONRESIDENT. IT IS A ONE TIME SIGN UP. THE ONLY THING WE ASK IS IF YOU CHANGE ADDRESSES, LET US KNOW SO WE CAN UPDATE OUR SYSTEM. YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO BOTH FACILITIES, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND. SO A ONE TIME REGISTRATION, MEMBERSHIP TO BOTH LOCATIONS. YOU CAN ACTUALLY REGISTER AND IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE QUICKER IF YOU GO TO OUR ABILENE WEBSITE SIGN UP LOCATION. YOU CAN DO THAT IN THE RECREATION CENTRES AS WELL. WE WILL HAVE STAFF HELP GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING WHY ARE YOU REQUIRING A MEMBERSHIP IF IT IS FREE. THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE WAIVERS THAT GO ALONG WITH USING THE FACILITY. FOR LEGAL REASONS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE WAIVERS CHECKED OUT AND PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE SIGNING. WE HAVE TO CHECK ALL OF THOSE BOXES OFF AND IT IS PRETTY PAINLESS. SOME THINGS THAT WE WILL BE OFFERING FOR YOGA IS $17 FOR DROP IN, $60 MONTHLY. YOU CAN GET ON THE WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THE DAYS AND TIMES. WE ARE DOING THURSDAYS FROM 9:30 TO 1015. IT'S CHAIR YOGA AND THEN HATHA YOGA. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HATHA YOGA IS. I KNEW JERRY WAS GOING TO ASK ME THAT BECAUSE HE'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT BURKE I. DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BURKE IT'S 10:30 TO 11:30. I WILL LEARN WHAT IT IS BEFORE I COME BACK THERE AND THEN WE HAVE THE SAME YOGA ON TUESDAYS 5:30 TO 6:30. ZINE MAKING. I DO KNOW WHAT THIS IS. THIS IS HAVING ONE SINGLE SHEET OF PAPER AND TURNING IT INTO A PAMPHLET BY CUTTING IT A CERTAIN WAY. IT'S CONSIDERED AN ART AND CRAFT ACTIVITY. IT IS APPARENTLY QUITE POPULAR. WE OPENED UP REGISTRATION ON THE 22ND WHEN WE OPENED THE CENTRES UP THE COST IS $30. IT WILL BE TWICE A MONTH. AGAIN, REGISTER ONLINE, GET A MEMBERSHIP AND YOU CAN REGISTER THROUGH THE SAME SYSTEM WE USE TO REGISTER MEMBERSHIPS. VERY POPULAR IS OUR OPEN PLAYTIME SPIRIT WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT OPEN PLAY BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING OFFERED A MULTITUDE OF ACTIVITIES AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO OFFER IN THE PAST. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT OPEN PLAY BASKETBALL. MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS, I CAN GO THROUGH THESE AGAIN BUT IT'S EASIER IF YOU GRAB ONE OF OUR PAMPHLETS OR GO ONLINE AND CHECK OUR TIMES OR REGISTER IN OUR SOFTWARE AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE TIMES AS WELL. THOSE ARE MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS AND THEN ON SATURDAYS. WE'VE STARTED TO SCATTER THEM OUT SO IT HITS â– EVERYBODY'S SCHEDULE SO THAT THEY CAN DO IT. VOLLEYBALL, WE ARE OFFERING THAT ONE NIGHT AS WELL THROUGHOUT BOTH LOCATIONS AS WELL AS PICKLEBALL, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY HAD FOLKS COME UP AND START PLAYING PICKLEBALL ON OPEN NIGHTS. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT PICKLEBALL. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO OFFER A TRUE PICKLEBALL EXPERIENCE LIKE WE WANTED TO, AND NOW WE CAN. WE WILL ALSO HAVE BADMINTON COMING UP ON PROGRAMING AS WELL. WE WILL FIT THAT INTO THE SCHEDULE SOMEHOW. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? >> PEOPLE CAN GO OUT THERE AND PLAY IN THE GYM WHENEVER IT'S OPEN IT'S JUST THIS IS WHEN YOU'RE SAYING COME NOW AND PLAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. >> IF YOU ARE A PICKLEBALL PLAYER -- WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE NETS AND ALL OF THAT. IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN OFFER ALL OF THESE AT THE SAME TIME. WE HAVE TO MIX AND MATCH BECAUSE WE SET UP THE FACILITIES TO DO THAT. THE FACILITY IS OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND USE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. [6. Senior Report (Discussion)Flag Day CelebrationJuneteenth] >> YOU ARE UP AGAIN. >> CHRIS GIBSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, PARKS AND RECREATION. WE NEED TO GIVE AN A RACE. SHE HAS GOT WAY TOO MANY -- I KNOW SHE IS WATCHING. THE FLAG CELEBRATIONS GOING ON TODAY AT THE SENIOR CENTRE. 1:30 ON JUNE 12TH. IT'S A GOOD GET TOGETHER TO COME AND HAVE PEOPLE APPRECIATE AND LOOK AT CELEBRATING FLAG DAY FOR EVERYBODY WE WILL HAVE IT ON THE PATIO WHICH I'M EXCITED ABOUT. [01:10:01] WE DON'T PROGRAM ENOUGH OUT THERE SO WE'RE GOING TO BE OUTSIDE MOVING AROUND ON THE BACK PATIO. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PATIO. WE ARE GOING TO START LEVERAGING THAT MORE FOR JUNETEENTH IS COMING UP. IT IS FAST APPROACHING, JUNE 19TH. IT'S AT ROSE SENIOR CENTER FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 4PM. THERE WILL BE A FREE LUNCH SERVED FROM 11 TO ONE. IT IS SPONSORED BY WEST TO EAST COMMUNITY. SO COME OUT AND JOIN US FOR JUNETEENTH. A CELEBRATION AND HAVE A FREE LUNCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [7. Zoo Report (Discussion)Animal NewsRecent EventsUpcoming Events] JESSIE. >> ZOO DIRECTOR. 'TIS THE SEASON. WE ARE HAVING OUR BABIES BORN IN THE SPRING. THIS IS OUR FIRST FOR THE YEAR, THIS IS THE MOTHER WHO HAD A NICE LITTLE BOY. SHE CAME FROM PORT MORRIS ZOO. A FIRST TIME MOM. SHE GOT IMPREGNATED AT TWO YEARS OLD WHICH IS THE YOUNGEST GIRAFFE I HAVE HEARD OF AND SHE CALVED AT THREE YEARS OLD. THEY ARE THRIVING. HE DID COME OUT A LITTLE SMALL SO WE HAD TO ASSIST HIM IN STANDING UP. ABOUT A FOOT SHORTER THAN THE AVERAGE DRAFT HEIGHT BUT HE IS NOW THRIVING BECAUSE THE KEEPERS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. MOST RECENTLY WE HAD ANOTHER GIRAFFE BORN TWO DAYS AGO. WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS RECENT EVENT LAST SATURDAY. WE DO THIS ANNUALLY FOR MILITARY FOLKS RETIRED AND ACTIVE. LOTS OF FOLKS CAME TO SEE THE ZOO. THEY GET FREE ADMISSION. WE ALSO FED THEM. IT WAS SPONSORED AND WE SAW OVER 2600 GUESTS. MANY ACTIVE OR RETIRED MILITARY. UPCOMING, IF YOU ARE A ZOO MEMBER, WE DO AN AFTER HOURS TWICE A YEAR. THAT'S GOING TO BE MAY 27TH FROM SIX TO 9PM. WE DO SOME ADDITIONAL CHATS, ANIMAL APPEARANCES AND BEHIND THE SCENE TOURS. IF YOU ARE AN ACTIVE MEMBER, PLEASE COME AND JOIN THE ZOO DURING SUNSET. THAT'S IT. ANY QUESTIONS? >> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. WE ARE AT THAT POINT OF OUR MEETING. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS? >> NO, SIR. VERY GOOD, IF THERE IS * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.