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[1. Open Meeting.]
THURSDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2023, AND THE TIME IS 6:01 PM AND THIS IS THE BRIEFING WORKSHOP OF THE LEANDER CITY COUNCIL.[2. Roll Call.]
CITY SECRETARY CRABTREE.WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER KATHERINE BATTALION PARKER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ESME MATTKE LEGIA.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID MCDONALD.
PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS CERNE.
[3. Discuss political sign placement and size, and receive sign ordinance update.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSS POLITICAL SIGN, PLACEMENT AND SIZE AND RECEIVE SIGN ORDINANCE UPDATE.UM, SO I'M GOING TO BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE SIGN ORDINANCE UPDATE AND POLITICAL SIGN PLACEMENT.
I'M GONNA SWITCH THE, THE ORDER.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, UM, SINCE, SINCE COVID, UM, ON SOME UPDATES TO THE SIGN ORDINANCE.
WE HAD A COMMITTEE THAT WE MET WITH, UM, WHERE WE GOT SOME SUGGESTIONS, UM, ABOUT UPDATES THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND WE KIND OF HAVE A SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR ITEMS WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, ONE BIG THING WE RECEIVE A REQUEST FOR IS, UM, DIRECTORY SIGNAGE.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A, A BIG DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS A LOT OF BUILDINGS IN IT, THEY WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LISTING OF ALL THE BUILDINGS AT THE FRONT.
UM, SO YOU CAN FIND PEOPLE RIGHT NOW THAT'S NOT SUPPORTED BY OUR ORDINANCE.
SO WE DO MASTER SIGN PLANS TO HELP ACHIEVE IT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO ADD IT AS A REGULAR REQUIREMENT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT CHANGING OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR FLAGS.
CURRENTLY, THEY'RE LIMITED, UM, TO THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING, UM, LOGOS.
UM, THIS HAPPENS AT, UH, MODEL HOME SITES WHERE THE BUILDER PUTS THEIR FLAG UP.
AND I THINK IT'S CHALLENGING TO ENFORCE AND WE THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD PROBABLY CHANGE AND JUST ADD TO THE ORDINANCE AS SOMETHING THAT'S PERMITTED.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG ITEMS THAT CAME UP, UM, IN OUR DISCUSSION WAS HUMAN SIGNS.
UH, THEY, THEY STRESSED ME OUT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I IMAGINE SOMEONE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY IN CARS AND HAVING ACCIDENTS.
UM, WE DID TALK TO THE CITY OF CEDAR PARK.
THEY DO ALLOW HUMAN SIGNS, BUT THEY MAKE IT TO WHERE THE SIGN HAS TO BE OUT OF THE RIGHT OF WAY AND IT CAN'T BE DISTRACTING.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MIRROR THEIR PROVISIONS AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
UM, IF IT BECOMES AN ISSUE, WE'LL PROBABLY COME BACK AND TRY TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE IF WE START HAVING ISSUES.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THESE CHANGES.
SO WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT PERMITS AND PLANNING, AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA LOOP IN POLICE NEXT CUZ SOME OF THESE ITEMS MIGHT TOUCH ON THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE IS, UH, ALLOWING HALO LIT CHANNEL LETTERS.
UM, TODAY THAT, THAT TYPE OF SIGN, THE RED, RED BRICK PIZZA SIGN WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.
SO THE WAY WE ALLOW IT IS WE DO A MASTER SIGN PLAN TO ALLOW AN ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL.
THIS WASN'T AS POPULAR, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING THINGS LIKE NEW INNOVATIONS THAT, UM, ARE MORE, UM, UM, INNOVATIVE.
I GUESS THEY'RE, THEY'RE NEWER, NEWER OPTIONS TO ADD.
UM, WE ALSO ARE TALKING ABOUT UPDATING OUR ELECTRONIC MESSAGING CENTER SIGNS.
UM, WE HAVE SOME THAT AREN'T GREAT, WHERE THEY'RE REALLY BRIGHT, REALLY FLASHY.
UM, WE, WE HAVE LEVELS THAT ARE REQUIRED, BUT WE DON'T, UM, SPECIFY IT VERY WELL.
SO WE FOUND A COUPLE OTHER CITIES THAT DO A REALLY GREAT JOB, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD, UM, ALLOW IT IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, BUT WE'D HAVE, UM, MORE REGULATIONS SO IT'S NOT AS DISTRACTING TO CARS.
AND THEN WE'RE CLARIFYING THE MEASUREMENT OF HEIGHTS.
WE'VE CREATED SOME IMAGES TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW THE SIGN HEIGHT IS MEASURED.
AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING SIGN HEIGHT ALONG ARTERIALS AND, UM, WE'RE ADDING IMAGES TO THE CODE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WITH A LOT OF THE TERMS. AND THEN THE BIGGEST REQUEST WE GET IS ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS.
SO WHEN OUR CODE WAS WRITTEN, UM, CABINET SIGNS WERE A REALLY BIG ISSUE, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE LIGHT BOX AND IT'S SITTING ON TOP OF STONE AND, UM, IT'S NOT AS PRETTY.
YOU SEE ALL THE, UM, LIKE THE ELECTRIC AND THE UGLY STUFF FROM THE STREET.
SO THE ORDINANCE WAS, UM, ADOPTED AND INCLUDED A REQUIREMENT THAT THERE'S A MASONRY SURROUND AROUND YOUR CABINET SIGN.
UM, SO THIS CAUSES A PROBLEM WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO ADD DIFFERENT MATERIALS, LIKE THE, THE ONES ON THE SCREEN.
THEY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED BY THE ORDINANCE, BUT THEY AREN'T BAD SIGNS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO ALLOW GOOD STUFF LIKE THAT AND STILL AVOID THE CABINET SIGN ON STONE.
SO TODAY WHEN PEOPLE ASK FOR THIS, WE DO A MASTER SIGN PLAN AND HELP 'EM GET THERE.
SO IT'S KIND OF RELIEVING STAFF OF SOME EXTRA WORK DOING THOSE INDIVIDUAL PLANS FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
AND ANOTHER STRANGE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE A, UM, MONUMENT SPACING REQUIREMENT.
UM, AND WE HADN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT TILL, UM, RECENTLY ON CRYSTAL FALLS, BUT THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT LOTS AND THEY'RE SEPARATED BY A STREET, BUT THERE'S A, A MINIMUM SETBACK FOR THOSE, THOSE SIGNS.
SO WE HAD TO GO THROUGH A VARIANCE PROCESS TO ALLOW 'EM TO BE CLOSER TOGETHER.
UM, THE INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE, UM, A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONUMENT SIGNS RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
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WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SPREAD OUT, BUT IT HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THIS PROJECT THAT WAS DIVIDED BY OUR DRIVEWAY.UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OPTIONS TO ADD SUPER FLAGS.
UM, SUPER FLAGS ARE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, WE CURRENTLY, THEY'RE PROHIBITED AND WE'RE LOOKING INTO A PROGRAM WHERE THERE WOULD BE A TIMEFRAME TO HAVE 'EM.
UM, THE CONCERN WITH SUPER FLAGS IS OVER TIME, UM, THEY'VE BECOME UGLY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO REGULATE THAT.
UM, SO IT MIGHT BECOME LIKE A TEMPORARY SIGN PERMIT.
AND THEN DARA'S FAVORITE TOPIC IS POLITICAL SIGNS.
UM, THESE ARE SOME PICTURES SHE SHARED WITH ME, UM, FROM A RECENT ELECTION.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA START WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON A, A MODEL SIGN REGULATION FOR POLITICAL SIGNS.
SO WE'RE CONSISTENT WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT LIMITS TO, UM, TO SIZE NUMBER AND THEN HOW THEY ARE, UH, DISPLAYED.
HAVE A COUPLE FUN PICTURES OF THAT.
AND THEN, UM, OUR, OUR NEXT STEP IS, UM, TO UPDATE OUR CODE, UH, TO ADDRESS THE INDU INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND REMOVE THE OUTDATED INFORMATION.
WE'RE GONNA DO SOME RESEARCH ON OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND SEE IF WE CAN GET ANY GOOD IDEAS.
WE KNOW OF SEVERAL CITIES THAT HAVE RECENTLY ADOPTED NEW ORDINANCES.
UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME NEW LEGISLATION THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THOSE REGULATIONS AND THEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON THE, UM, MODEL ORDINANCE.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, WE'RE HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
OH, I, I MEAN, I DO LIKE ALL THE CHANGES.
UM, BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS TIMING, HOW QUICKLY CAN WE, THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET THIS DONE? UM, SO I AM VERY GOOD AT ZONING ORDINANCES AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES, AND I CAN ADMIT SIGN ORDINANCES ARE HARD.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DO IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S NOW BECOME MORE OF A PRIORITY SINCE WE'RE PAST ALL OF OUR LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE UPDATES.
UM, SO I'M HOPING IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO PRESENT, BUT THAT'S OUR GOAL.
COUNSEL, OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR INPUT FROM US? I MEAN, IF YOU HAD SOMETHING, UM, WE HAVE THEM WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER THAT HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF IDEAS.
SO BRIDGET'S BEEN REALLY GOOD ABOUT SHARING THE CONCERNS WITH US.
BUT IF Y'ALL HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTS TO LOOK INTO, WE CAN.
SO IS THAT ADDRESSED HERE? UM, SOME OF THEM, I DIDN'T HAVE EVERYTHING IN THERE.
WE'LL HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LIST TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL.
UM, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE CONCERNS OR IS THAT THE BIGGEST ONE I THINK WE GOT FROM THE CHAMBER WAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE TEMPORARY SIGNS, THE BANNERS, THE SUPER FLAGS.
IT'S JUST SOMETIMES THEY'RE ABUSE, SO IT'S COMING UP WITHOUT A BALANCE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS ENFORCEMENT, UH, I THINK WE WANNA INCORPORATE THAT TOO.
LIKE HERE'S THE RULES, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU VIOLATE IT? RIGHT.
AND SOMETHING THAT IS, I GUESS, REASON REASONABLE AND APPLICABLE TO THE, THE PURPOSE.
UM, WHERE SOMETHING THAT IS MORE PERMANENT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY.
IF YOU PUT 11, THEN THEY ALL COME DOWN OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE, BUT MAKE SURE IT'S ENFORCED.
I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND HAVE SOMETHING CONSISTENT THAT APPLIES EVERYWHERE.
SO THEN THEY'LL BE SUPER FAMILIAR WITH WHAT TO DO.
I I LOVE THAT YOU CAN THANK DARA.
WELL, SHE PROBABLY GETS MORE COMMENTS THAN ANYBODY.
SO,
AND WORST CASE, IF WE SEE THE SIGN ORDINANCE LAGGING, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST POLITICAL SIGNS TO GET AHEAD.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY WOULD END UP TAKING LONGER.
IF IT TAKES LONGER, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE OTHER PART.
SO WE WON'T LET EITHER ONE HOLD THE OTHER UP.
UM, COULD WE GET EXAMPLES WHEN, WHEN YOU PRESENT THIS, COULD, CAN YOU GET, GIVE US EXAMPLES OF, UM, MAYBE SOME VIOLATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND SHOW US WHERE IT WAS WRONG AND WHAT, HOW, WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS? LIKE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED? I CAN TRY TO, YEAH, BECAUSE I, I THINK SOMETIMES WE GET, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES OF THEM, BUT I CAN WORK WITH, UM, CHIEF DAVIS OKAY.
I KNOW I'M, I'M SURE WE ALL GET, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE COMMENTS ABOUT THE SIGNS.
LIKE, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AND WE MAY BE GETTING PART OF THE INFORMATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, IS IT A SAFETY ISSUE? IS IT, UH, AN AESTHETIC ISSUE? WHAT IS IT? IS IT A PRIVATE PROPERTY ISSUE? UH, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US MAKING THE DECISIONS IF WE KNOW THE REASON BEHIND SOMETHING.
AND I THINK MOST OF THE AND EXAM REAL LIFE EXAMPLES, OTHER THAN THE ONES THAT WE HEAR, I WANNA, I WANNA KNOW THE WHOLE STORY.
I THINK MOST OF THE, THE ISSUES WE RUN INTO IS DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS OF WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING MM-HMM.
UM, BUT IF WE HAVE GOOD EXAMPLES, I
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CAN SHARE.YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE PROPOSING ONE THING AND THEN INSTALL SOMETHING ELSE? YES.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
I DID GET SOME REACH OUT, UH, FROM MULTI-FAMILY ABOUT SOME OF THEIR SIGNAGE.
SO WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THAT PERMANENT PROCESS, IS IT ALWAYS ASKED OF THEM? DO WE NEED TO DO A SEPARATE, WHAT DID YOU CALL IT? OH, THE MASTER SIGN PLAN.
WHEN THEY USUALLY, WHEN THEY GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE IT'S, UH, UNIQUE MATERIALS MM-HMM.
SO IT HAS A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH SIZE.
UM, BUT IT'S BEEN OUR PRACTICE TO DO OUR BEST TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM.
IF IT'S SOMETHING WE THINK MAKES SENSE TO APPROVE, WE JUST CAN'T.
SO WE'LL TELL 'EM TO DO A MASTER SIGN PLAN.
AND TO, COULD YOU INCORPORATE THE, THE, THAT THE FULL PROCESS OF, OF THESE APPLICATIONS? I MEAN, IF SOMETHING IS REJECTED, UM, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT RECOURSE DO THEY HAVE? IS THIS THE BOARD OF APPEALS? CAN THEY THEY GET A VARIANCE? YEAH.
IT GOES TO BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OR A MASTER SIGN PLAN.
SO, BUT YEAH, WE CAN OUTLINE THAT TOO.
IT WOULD NEVER COME TO US MM-HMM.
SO THIS, THEY DID AS PART OF A PUT, YOU COULD PUT SIGN REQUIREMENTS IN A PUT.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT.
THE ONES THAT YOU SHOWED US THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT ALLOWED, LIKE THE BACK LIT ONES THAT MM-HMM.
UM, WHICH WE APPROVE WITH MASTER SIGN PLANS.
WELL, I WAS WONDERING, UM, CURRENTLY IF SOMEBODY CAME TO YOU AND SAID THEY WANTED TO DO THAT, THEY, THE ONLY OPTIONS ARE TO EITHER DO A MASTER SIGN PLAN OR TO GO TO BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND APPEALS.
AND USUALLY, UM, WE DO THE MASTER SIGN PLAN BECAUSE THAT'S A, AN ATTRACTIVE SIGN THAT WE DON'T SEE AS AN ISSUE.
IS THAT AN EXTRA FEE? IT'S NOT, YEAH.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, UM, THEY, THEY TURN IN THEIR PERMIT APPLICATION AND INCLUDES THE, UM, THE PICTURES OF THE SIGNS, AND THEN A MASTER SIGN PLAN.
THEY WRITE A LETTER TO GO WITH THE PICTURES AND SHOW US WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO.
AND THEN WE WRITE A, A LETTER BACK.
WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE BIT COMPLEXES THAT ARE PUTTING IN MULTIPLE SUITES, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MASTER SIGN PLAN IF THAT'S NEEDED OR TYPICALLY YES.
THEY COME UP WITH THERE MM-HMM.
SO DO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD, UM, LIKE MAYBE GENERAL INFORMATION COMING FROM LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS COMING FROM THE CHAMBER OF FEEDBACK? YEAH.
AND THEN ALSO TO, AS FAR AS NEW PEOPLE COMING IN MM-HMM.
ANYTHING THAT ALLOWS US TO, TO, UM, TAKE THE BURDEN OFF OF STAFF YEAH.
AND ALSO MAKE IT EASIER ON SOMEBODY AND GET A BETTER PRODUCT.
AND FASTER, IT MAKES IT FASTER TO NOT THE MASTER SIGN POINT BECAUSE WE SAID THERE'S NO EXTRA FEES, BUT I THINK I, I DIDN'T HAVE MY MICROPHONE ON, BUT IT, BUT IT TAKES TIME, RIGHT? TIME IS, AND TIME IS ABSOLUTELY, UM, PROBABLY WORSE ENOUGH FEE END SOME CASES.
SO ANYTHING TO DO THIS WOULD BE AWESOME.
DID YOU NEED GUIDANCE ON THE POLITICAL SIGNS AT ALL? FIVE MAX A SECOND.
UM, YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH WHAT THE COUNTY HAS PULLED TOGETHER FOR ALL THE VARIOUS LOCA POLLING LOCATIONS.
WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWING, IT SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF THE COMMON IS MAYBE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE WHEN THEY'VE GOT SOME LIMITATIONS.
AND IF YOU HAVE A HOT LIMIT ON HOW YOU WANT THESE DONE, AND THEY HAVE TO USE LIKE H STAKES TO PUT THEM IN THE GROUND.
SO THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE CHAINS WHERE THEY'RE HANGING THEM ON CHAINS OR STACKING THEM ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IF YOU PREFER FOR THEM TO HAVE OR NOT, TO HAVE HUMANS HOLDING STACK SIGNS OUT THERE AND WHERE IT'S JUST STRAIGHT, EACH CANDIDATE CAN HAVE FIVE SIGNS AT EACH POLLING LOCATION AND USE THE H STAKES.
I DIDN'T REALIZE WE COULD REGULATE IT AT ALL, HONESTLY.
AND JUST, UM, THE CURRENT SIZE WE HAVE, DO YOU LIKE THAT SIZE OR DO YOU WISH FOR 'EM TO BE BRING FORWARD SMALLER SIGNS? UH, THE TYPICAL YARD SIGNS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN LIMIT THAT.
IT'S ONLY YARD SIGNS AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS, SO I LIKE THAT MYSELF.
WE HAVEN'T, LIKE, WE JUST RECEIVED YEAH.
THIS, UM, VERY COMPREHENSIVE LISTING OF ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, WOULD IT BE ALL RIGHT, UH, SINCE THIS ISN'T IMPACTING BUSINESS AND THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYTHING COMING UP.
I GUESS THE L I S D ELECTION IS COMING UP IN MAY, BUT NOTHING ELSE FROM US.
THE, THE MAY, THE MAY ELECTIONS WILL COME UP.
UM, WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
THE MAY, MAY ELECTIONS TYPICALLY AREN'T AS, UM, OVERLOADED WITH SIGNS AS THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
SO SINCE WE WOULDN'T BE PUTTING IT IN PLACE
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RIGHT AWAY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO BRING THIS BACK AS A DISCUSSION TOPIC FOR COUNSEL MM-HMM.UM, COUNSEL, DO YOU WANNA THE NEXT MEETING OR ONE MONTH FROM NOW? I HAVE NO PREFERENCE.
DEPENDS ON THE, WHATEVER'S ON THE AGENDA.
WHATEVER HAS A SHORTER AGENDA THAT IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S ROOM, THEN LET'S JUST DO IT.
LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR.
IF YOU'LL EMAIL ME YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AND THEN I CAN COMPILE THEM ALL TOGETHER FOR THERE TO BE A DISCUSSION FOR Y'ALL, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UH, NOW ON THE ONE WE DO WANT TO IMPLEMENT QUICKLY, I HAVE MY QUESTIONS.
UH, WHAT ABOUT, UM, LIKE BANDIT SIGNS? IS THERE ANY CHANGE TO HOW WE HANDLE THOSE UNDER THE SIGN ORDINANCE? IS THAT LIKE REALTOR OR LIKE MM-HMM.
ARE YOU PROPOSING TO, I'M WONDER RIGHT, RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT.
IT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE DISCUSSIONS.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT PROCESS FOR YOU? UM, SO BANDIT SIGNS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ALL.
UM, WE DO HAVE A POLICY WITH OPEN HOUSE SIGNS.
UM, THEY CAN'T BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND I THINK THERE'S, UH, HOURS OF OPERATION OR DAYS AND HOURS THEY CAN BE UP.
I'D HAVE TO GO READ IT TO BE HONEST.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME LIMITS ON OPEN HOUSE SIGNS.
SO THEY CAN'T BE LIKE IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY INTERSECTIONS LIKE THEY USED TO BE.
WE HAVE THAT, UM, SIGN KIOSK PROGRAM WHERE UM, THEY PUT THE, THE BUILDER'S NAMES RIGHT, BUT THEY, THEY CAN'T HAVE 'EM DURING CERTAIN TIMES.
I KNOW THEY HAVE THEM ON THE WEEKENDS MM-HMM.
THAT'S, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY NOT ALLOWED.
THEY'RE AT LEAST USED TO BE SOME SORT OF APPLICATION PROCESS AND THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GET STICKERS.
UM, BUT IT HAS TO BE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
IT CAN'T BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, CUZ THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE FOR DRIVERS AND TRAFFIC.
UM, AND THEN, SO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THOSE SIGNS IN RELATION TO OTHER THINGS.
SO LIKE I SEE THAT ALL THE TIME GOING THROUGH CEDAR PARK TALKING ABOUT THEIR SIGN ORDINANCE MM-HMM.
THE FLAG FOOTBALL THING, STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I COULD SEE WHERE THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL LIKE TO, UM, LEANDER YOUTH SOCCER MM-HMM.
I KNOW THEY'VE HAD ISSUES BEFORE WITH TEMPORARY SIGNS AND SO I WAS JUST HOPING TO SORT OF PICK YOUR BRAIN ON THAT, HOW OFTEN THAT COMES UP.
AND I DON'T KNOW FROM OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANNA DO TO ADVERTISE.
I DON'T MIND, UM, REACHING OUT TO CEDAR PARK TO FIND OUT ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOME, I MEAN, THE CHAMBER JUST DID THAT FOR THE EXPO.
BY THE WAY, THERE'S ONE IN CRYSTAL FALLS WALL PARKWAY THAT FLEW OFF AND I KEEP MEANING TO STOP AND PICK IT UP, BUT I HAVE IT
I KNOW YOU DID NOT PUT IT THERE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, LIKE MYSELF WILL GO AND PICK UP THE SIGNS AND PUT THEM IN PLACES THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
UM, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT THEM AND THEY JUST PUT THEM ANYWHERE.
SO I, I THINK THAT IF THERE WAS SOME GUIDELINES IN THAT WAY, WHOEVER IS OFFERING THOSE SIGNS, IT'S EITHER PRINTED JUST LIKE THE DISCLAIMER ON THE, ON A, UM, POLITICAL SIGN.
I KNOW IT'S SQUISHY ABOUT WHAT WE CAN REGULATE.
WE CAN'T REGULATE THE CONTENT AND THE SIGN, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE A TEMPORARY SIGN PROCESS THAT WOULD ALLOW THINGS OF COMING TO THE INTEREST MM-HMM.
THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE SEE.
SOMETIMES THE SIGNS AND THEY'RE HASTILY STUCK OUT THERE LIKE FOR AN HOUR.
UM, AND ESTATE SALE AND GARAGE SALE.
THERE IS A GARAGE GARAGES FOR THOSE GARAGE.
GARAGE SALE PERMIT OR SIGNS ARE ALLOWED.
YOU TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE IN, HAVE 'EM UP AND WEAR THEY DO IT AND IT'S FREE.
I THINK WHEN I SEE THE FOOTBALL OR COMMUNITY ENTRANCE SCIENCE MM-HMM.
IS THAT IN CEDAR PARK? IN CEDAR PARK? MM-HMM.
SO YOU CAN TELL WHICH ONES ARE LEGAL AND WHICH ONES ARENT.
THOSE ONES NEVER HAVE THE THING.
BUT I CAN DEFINITELY TALK TO THEM AND SEE HOW THEY DO IT.
AND THEY JUST, UM, UPDATED THEIR ORDINANCE IN 2017.
SO IT'S ONE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT CUZ THEY HAVE A LOT OF COOL THINGS THEY'VE DONE, SO THANK YOU.
DON'T TELL THEM I SAID, HEY ROBIN.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE SIGNS THAT WE POSTED FOR WATER USAGE? DO WE, I THINK THERE'S AN EXEMPTION FOR GOVERNMENT SIGNS.
LIKE WHEN WELL, AND WE WERE UNDER, UH,
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DISASTER THE EMERGENCY CONDITIONS MM-HMM.BUT I THINK, DO WE NEED TO AS WELL EXPLICITLY SAY ANY OF THAT? I THINK IT, I THINK IT IS, BUT I CAN DOUBLE CHECK THAT TO MAKE SURE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DOING A SIGN ORDINANCE THAT'S GONNA PROHIBIT OURS AND THEN GOING TO PROCESS.
UM, WHAT WE ALWAYS HEAR FROM BUSINESS OWNERS IS IT'S SO HARD TO GET A SIGN MM-HMM.
AND I KNOW CAMINO SOFTWARE SHOULD HELP MM-HMM.
UM, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEING REVIEWED AS PART OF THIS TOO IS WHAT IS THE CURRENT PROCESS? IS IT TOO COMPLICATED FOR OUR MOM-AND-POP BUSINESSES THAT WANNA DO SOMETHING? HAS THAT BEEN LOOKED AT AS WELL? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
SO CAMINO'S GONNA HELP THEM GET THROUGH THE, THE STEPS TO SUBMIT.
UM, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THE QUALITY OF THE SUBMITTAL.
UM, WE'LL HAVE INSTANCES WHERE THEY TURN IN THE SIGN, THEY SHOW US THE DIMENSIONS, BUT THEN THEY'LL HAVE A PICTURE OF A DIFFERENT BUILDING THAT HAS A DIFFERENT SIZE AND IT JUST DOESN'T ALL MATCH.
SO WE GO BACK AND FORTH A LOT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK INTO.
UM, AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO TALK TO CHIEF DAVIS? NO, HE'S NOT AVAILABLE TO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION THOUGH? OH, SORRY.
QUICK BEFORE YOU GO AWAY, GET YOUR STEPS IN.
ARE DO WE ALLOW DIRECTIONAL SIGNS? BECAUSE I WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT.
LIKE IN SHOPPING COMPLEXES? YES.
ON THE OUT YOU CAN HAVE ARROWS POINTING LIKE INTERNAL TO THE PROJECT.
IS IT LIKE JUST ARROWS OR DOES IT HAVE LOGOS AND NAMES? IT HAS LOGOS AND NAMES.
I CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS.
SORRY TO SURPRISE YOU, BUT I'M JUST, UM, WONDERING BECAUSE IT'S YOUR JOB TO SORT OF ENFORCE THESE THINGS.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT HASN'T BEEN COVERED ON HERE THAT YOU THINK LIKE, THIS MAKES SENSE? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SEE SOMETHING WE GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT? NO, NO.
EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DISCUSSED IS, UH, WHAT, WHAT ROBIN AND I HAVE WORKED ON.
UM, THE POLITICAL SIGNS WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO, UH, GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO WILINGTON COUNTY.
SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.
THEY, THEY SAY 15, UH, NO MORE THAN 15 EXCEPT IF THEY'RE BEING HELD, UH, IN THEIR HANDS.
BUT WHATEVER'S BEING HELD HAS TO MATCH THE SIZE, UH, REQUIREMENTS AND HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
SO THEY DO ALLOW 72 HOURS AFTER THE EVENT.
WE, WE ONLY ALLOW 24 AFTER THE, THE ELECTION.
DO WE EVER CITE ANYBODY FOR LEAVING THEM UP? NO.
OH, WE CONFISCATE AND THEN WE TRY TO HOLD ONTO 'EM.
IF, IF THEY, WE CALL 'EM UP, UH, WHOEVER WE HAVE AS A CONTACT.
UH, AND IF THEY DON'T PICK 'EM UP, THEN WE DISPOSE OF THEM.
BUT THE GOAL IS TO TRY TO MIRROR WHAT WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS DOING.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ONE UNIFORM MODEL ACROSS SHEETS WITH EVERYBODY.
THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT WANTS.
UM, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR ROBIN.
WHAT ABOUT SIGNS INSIDE BUSINESSES? DO WE HAVE REGULATION ON THOSE? SO YES.
YOU HAVE, UM, REGULATIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS IS GONNA BE HARD TO, TO EXPLAIN.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR, YOUR BUILDING AND IT HAS, UM, ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.
WHEN YOU PUT A SIGN ON IT, IT HAS TO FIT WITHIN THE PLANE OF THE BUILDING.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? SO YOU, YOU COULDN'T TAKE A, A SIGN, LIKE IF THIS IS YOUR, UM, THIS IS YOUR BUILDING FRONT, YOUR SIGN CAN'T GO LIKE THIS AND GO ACROSS IT CAN'T GO OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
IS THAT? I CAN GET YOU SOME PICTURES TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT MEANS.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, SIGN LIMITS.
IT'S JUST SUPPOSED TO BE PROPORTIONATE TO THE BUILDING.
CAN'T BE LIKE A BILLBOARD ON THE FRONT OF AN OFFICE.
DO YOU MIND SHOWING US, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE 'EM, PICTURES THAT SHOW WHAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THAT IS EVERYTHING FROM ME.
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD? THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT WITH US.
THIS HAS BEEN REALLY HARD, SO THIS IS FANTASTIC.
WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN THE BRIEFING WORKSHOP AT 6:26 PM PLEASE BE IN YOUR SEATS AT SEVEN FOR OUR MEETING.
[4. Open Meeting, Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance.]
GOOD EVENING.TODAY IS THURSDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2023.
AND THE TIME IS 7:00 PM AND THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LEANDER CITY COUNCIL.
REVEREND JOANNA FONTINE CRAWFORD WITH LIVE OAK UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH WILL BE PROVIDING THE INVI INVOCATION TONIGHT FOLLOWING THE INVOCATION, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGES OF
[00:25:01]
ALLEGIANCE.WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN A SPIRIT OF PRAYER, SPIRIT OF LIFE, GOD OF DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS, WHICH WE CALL BY MANY NAMES OR NO NAME, BUT WHO CALLS EACH OF US BELOVED, WE LIFT UP THIS PRAYER STORMS, LITERAL STORMS MAY BE WITH US THROUGH THE NIGHT.
MAY ALL OF OUR PEOPLE BE PROTECTED AND SAFE, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST VULNERABLE.
MAY OUR TREES, WHICH HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH THIS YEAR, DROUGHT, ICE WINDS, MAY THEY SURVIVE YET AGAIN TO PROVIDE US WITH SHADE AND BEAUTY.
AND FOR ALL OF THOSE GOING THROUGH THE METAPHORICAL STORMS OF LIFE RIGHT NOW, ADDICTION, DISEASE, HEARTBREAK, FINANCIAL STRAIN, THREATS TO THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY, MAY THEY KNOW HEALING AND WHOLENESS.
AND MAY THEY FEEL THE LOVE OF THIS COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE.
WE KNOW AS WE READ IN PSALM 30 IN THE HEBREW BIBLE, THAT JOY COMES IN THE MORNING.
MAY WE WAKE TO THE BEAUTY OF A WORLD THAT HAS SURVIVED ITS STORMS TO TREES BUDDING WITH LEAVES OF GREEN TO WILD FLOWERS IN OUR PARKS AND BY OUR ROADS.
AND TO THE ARTISTRY OF EACH OTHER'S UNIQUENESS.
MAY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ADULTS IN FRONT OF US AND THE CHILDREN WHO ARE ALREADY GIVING OF THEMSELVES BE NURTURED AND BLESSED WITH DISCERNMENT AND WISDOM.
IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS SACRED AND TRUE, WE SAY AMEN.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
JUSTICE STRAW, THE TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD ONE INVISIBLE.
THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL REVEREND, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[5. Roll Call.]
ALL RIGHT, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CITY SECRETARY CRABTREE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER KATHERINE BATTALION PARKER.COUNCIL MEMBER SME MATTEL AND GORIA HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID MCDONALD.
HERE, MAYOR PRO NICOLE THOMPSON.
PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS ICK.
HERE CORRU IS PRESENT AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS ELIGIBLE TO DO BUSINESS.
[6. Public comments on items not listed in the agenda. Public comments on items listed in the agenda will be heard at the time each item is discussed by Council. [All comments are limited to no more than 3 minutes (6 minutes if translation is needed) per individual.]]
NUMBER SIX, NON AGENDA ITEM, PUBLIC COMMENTS.FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS PRIOR TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE AGENDA ITEM AND DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, INDIVIDUALS THAT SUBMITTED COMMENTS VIA THE WEBSITE WILL ONLY HAVE PHYSICIANS READ INTO THE RECORD.
ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THE COUNSEL AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DURING NON-AD AGENDA ITEM PUBLIC COMMENTS, THIS IS A TIME FOR YOU TO COMMUNICATE WITH COUNSEL, BUT IT IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.
THAT IS CONSIDERED DELIBERATION BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WHEN I CALL YOU UP, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND WHATEVER YOUR COMMENTS ARE.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UM, THREE MINUTES IS MIGHT BE HARD FOR ME CUZ AT MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING I SPOKE FOR 20 MINUTES AND THEY HAD TO CUT THE MIC OFF AND DRAG ME OFF THE STAGE AND I MIGHT HAVE HAD A LOT OF BOURBON TOO.
I GREW UP IN A SMALL EAST TEXAS TOWN.
MOVED TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AFTER I GRADUATED FROM SAM HOUSTON STATE.
AFTER 20 YEARS I WANTED TO COME BACK TO TEXAS.
I BOUGHT NINE ACRES ON TWO 90 AND I LOVE IT.
I'VE SUPPORTED MANY OF YOU WITH LARGE SIGNS IN MY FRONT YARD.
UH, GOTTA SEE TWO OR THREE HERE RIGHT NOW.
SO EVERYONE WHO'S DRIVING DOWN AT THE GATES IS CRYSTAL FALLS.
HAD TO DRIVE BY MY PROPERTY CUZ YOU GUYS HAD THAT NICE SIGN MEETING EARLIER.
GOT TO SEE THESE BIG ASS SIGNS.
UM, I'VE JUST SOLD MY PROPERTY AND PURCHASED A LOT IN BRYSON AND LEANDER.
I DIDN'T WANNA MOVE UP TO LIBERTY HILL CAUSE I LIKE THIS COMMUNITY.
I'VE GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS HERE.
I HAVE SEEN THE RAPID GROWTH OVER THE LAST 19 YEARS.
I'VE SEEN THE STRUGGLES THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH, WITH THE GROWTH.
I HAVE TO APPLAUD YOU FOR STEPPING UP FOR ALL THE TASK, WATER, PARKS, POLICE, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT THE ISSUE THAT I'M HAVING, YES, I HAVE AN ISSUE, OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T BE HERE JUST TO GO, HEY, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
IS, UM, I WANNA START PAYING TAXES IN LANDER.
I'M YARDS FROM, FROM THE CITY.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF PROUD OF YARDS FROM THE CITY JUST BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA PAY CITY TAXES.
BUT NOW I WANNA PAY CITY TAXES.
BUT THIS IS MORE TO YOU, I THINK IS PERMITS.
MY BUILDER SAYS THEY CAN'T GET PERMITS FOR FOUR TO EIGHT WEEKS AND MAY BE LONGER.
SO NOW I HAVE TO GO RENT A HOME FOR SIX MONTHS WAITING FOR PERMITS AND MY HOUSE TO BE BUILT.
[00:30:01]
UM, THE CITY IS SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ON PARKS, POLICE INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA.WOULDN'T IT BE PRUDENT TO HIRE A COUPLE MORE PEOPLE TO GET THE ISSUE CAUGHT UP? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S ONLY TWO PEOPLE IN THE PERMIT OFFICE.
BUILDERS I CAN LIE, I GUESS, RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I CAN'T START PAYING TAXES UNTIL, UNTIL I CAN MOVE INTO THIS, INTO THE CITY LIMITS ALONG WITH THE REST OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SAME THING.
I CAN'T VOTE FOR YOU ALL UNTIL THAT HAPPENS.
I CAN'T SERVE ON A LANDER BOARD, WHICH I SAW YOUR POST THE OTHER DAY.
YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR LIKE EIGHT BOARD MEMBERS FOR THREE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ON ONE OF THOSE.
UM, I JUST ASKED THAT YOU GUYS LOOK OVER THIS ISSUE AND THIS IS MAYBE MORE YOU THAN ANYONE.
SO MAYBE I SHOULD JUST YELL AT YOU.
I, I WISH, I WISH, YOU KNOW, I, I WISH I COULD STAY FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING, BUT I HAVE TO HEAD HOME AND START PACKING CAUSE I HAVE TO BE OUT OF IT SOON ALSO.
OH, I'VE GOT 32 SECONDS OF, I'M TAKING ALL MY 32 SECONDS.
ALSO, I HAVE A TRACTOR AND A LAWNMOWER FOR SALE AND SOME HORSE SADDLES IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO BUY SOME HORSE SADDLES.
UH, BUT I GOTTA GET THAT OUT OF THE BARN TOO.
SO ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO TALK AND SAY I'M STAYING IN LEANDER, WHICH IS GOOD FOR SOME AND MAYBE NOT OTHER, NOT GOOD FOR OTHERS.
BUT
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UH, I LIVE AT 1 45 DANA BLUE DRIVE IN HU, TEXAS.
BUT MY VFW OPPOSE IS AT 87 60 RANCHO 2243 IN THE GREAT CITY OF LEANDER MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TIM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A THE IMMEDIATE PAST COMMANDER OF V FW POST TEN FOUR TWENTY SEVEN.
I WANT TO GIVE A, AN UPDATE ON HOW PROUD AND AND HONORED WE ARE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND A LOT OF THIS IS A THANK YOU TO THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY.
WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A PARTNER AND A GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN.
AND I WANT TO JUST GIVE Y'ALL AN UPDATE ON, ON, ON SOME, SOME RECENT SUCCESSES OF THE LA OF THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, VFW POSTS SUBMIT A COMMUNITY SERVICE REPORT, UH, EVERY MONTH.
AND THAT'S ADDED UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND IT'S, IT'S BASED ON PROJECTS, YOUTH PROJECTS, AMERICANISM, MILEAGE HOURS, AND THEN REAL DOLLAR DONATIONS.
SO ALL OF THAT ADDS UP TO A TOTAL IMPACT OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT OUR POST HAS DONE OF OVER $441,000.
NOW, THAT'S NOT A $441,000 REAL DOLLARS.
THERE'S SOME DOLLARS IN THERE WHERE WE WRITE CHECKS.
BUT WHEN YOU ADD UP MILEAGE AND TIME AND HOURS OF VOLUNTEER, WE'RE ALL, WE'RE AN ALL VOLUNTEER, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, WE'VE BEEN AN ALL-AMERICAN POST.
THAT'S THE HIGHEST HONOR YOU CAN RECEIVE IN THE VFW, AN ALL-AMERICAN POST FOUR OUTTA THE LAST SIX YEARS.
SO WHEN YOU SEE A RED, WHITE, AND BLUE HAT, UH, AND LAST YEAR WE WERE NUMBER ONE OUT OF OUR DIVISION, THERE'S ABOUT 6,000 POSTS IN THE WORLD.
UH, WE WERE NUMBER ONE IN OUR DIVISION OUT OF 486 POSTS.
AND THAT IS MOSTLY DUE TO COMMUNITY SERVICE.
A LOT OF THAT'S COMMUNITY SERVICE, MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS, UH, ET CETERA.
WE PARTICIPATED IN FOOD DISTRIBUTION, SUPPLEMENTAL FUNERAL DETAILS.
WE DON'T HAVE A STANDING HONOR GUARD, BUT WHEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COME TO US AND SAY WE NEED HELP WITH CELEBRATION OF LIFE CEREMONIAL RIFLE TEAM, WE HAVE A BUGAL.
IN FACT, WE'RE DOING ONE TOMORROW MORNING, UH, IN CEDAR PARK FOR ONE OF OUR MEMBERS THAT THAT ASKED.
AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE TAKING PART IN THAT MYSELF.
UH, OUR POST COMMANDER IS BACK HERE, UH, UH, COMMANDER JOHN JERS, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A GREAT PRESENTATION HERE IN A FEW MOMENTS.
FROM, FROM TERRY CRAIG HOSPITAL VISITATIONS, WE INTERFACE WITH LOCAL VA FACILITIES.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATED NOW THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH YOU AND KATHY HOWELL WITH REA CROSS AMERICA.
WE ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN YOUR NINE 11 AND VETERANS DAY CEREMONIES, AND WE'RE HONORED TO TAKE PART IN THAT AND, AND PROVIDE SPEAKERS.
WE SUPPORT THREE SCOUT TROOPS, TWO BOY SCOUT TROOPS, ONE CUB SCOUT TROOP, OUR VOICE OF DEMOCRACY AND PATRIOTS PENN SCHOLARSHIP.
AND THAT IS A, A PATRIOTIC ESSAY CONTEST FOR GRADE SIX THROUGH EIGHT AND GRADES NINE THROUGH 12.
WE HAVE A VA CERTIFIED SERVICE OFFICER DAVID STATING, WHO CAN HELP ANY VETERAN.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE VFW YET WITH THEIR VA CLAIM.
SO WE HAVE THAT, WE HAVE THAT ABILITY.
WE ARE AN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY GENERATOR.
UH, AND I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LEANDER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTOR SINCE 2016.
OUR POST HAS BEEN A MEMBER FOR MORE THAN 17 YEARS AND I'M, AND I'VE SERVED ON OUR, ON OUR TOURISM, UH, BOARD, UH, WITH, WITH THE CHAMBER.
AND, AND MIKE NEW IS, IS ON THAT.
WE'VE BROUGHT IN SOME BUSINESS TO THE CITY TO, TO THE HOTEL AND GENERATED HOT TAX.
AND WE HAVE HOST A MAJOR, UH, I B C A, UH, BARBECUE COOKOFF EVERY YEAR THAT GENERATES ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
SO WE ARE A PROUD MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND WE'RE HONORED TO SERVE.
UM, HONORED TO SERVE, HONORED TO SCARE ME A LITTLE BIT.
HONORED TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND WE CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH TO BE A PARTNER.
DAVE MCDONALD IS A MEMBER OF OUR POST CEDAR PARK MAYOR PRO TIM AND THEIR MAYOR PRO TIM.
JIM M AND MOR AND KEVIN HARRIS ARE MEMBERS OF OUR POST.
AND WE TURNED 50 IN TWO YEARS.
SO WE WERE CHARTERED IN 1975 IN CEDAR PARK
[00:35:01]
AND, AND I CAME TO LEAN IN 2000 AT OUR CURRENT LOCATION.THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE HONORED TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
KAT HOWELL, MA UH, PICKLE MASON HOUSE.
AND THIS IS ALMOST AS BAD AS FOLLOWING MY MOTHER,
UM, UH, I, THIS EVENING I'M SPEAKING ON PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, NEXT MONTH I WILL, UH, PICK UP WITH THE HISTORICAL, UM, PORTION OF THE EVENING, UH, TONIGHT.
FIRST THING I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY IS PLEASE WRITE DOWN YOUR OWN STORY ABOUT YOUR, YOUR LIFE, WHO YOU ARE, YOUR FAMILY, AND PASS IT ON TO YOUR, YOUR NEXT GENERATION.
WE HAD A, UM, UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD A BAD ACCIDENT THIS PAST WEEKEND AND SOMEONE MENTIONED MY GRANDFATHER SWED.
HE PASSED AWAY 21 YEARS AGO, AND HIS IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY WAS STILL SO LARGE THAT SOMEONE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO IT WAS, MENTIONED HIS NAME TO WHERE PEOPLE WERE CALLING ME AND ASKING HIM ABOUT THEM.
SO PLEASE WRITE YOUR STORY DOWN FOR YOUR YOUNGSTERS.
UM, THE MAIN THING I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TONIGHT IS ON MARCH 24TH AND 25TH IS MASON HERITAGE DAYS AT THE MASON HOMESTEAD, WHICH IS ON BAGHDAD ROAD NEXT TO YAY.
MAYOR CHRISTINE HAS THE FLYER.
UM, THE, THE EVENT IS TWO DAYS ON FRIDAY IS THE ADULT NIGHT.
WE HAVE, UM, A TRIVIA CONTEST, WHICH I WILL BE MCING AND THEN, UM, FOLLOWED BY TOURS OF THE HOUSE.
AND THEN ON, UM, SATURDAY IS WHEN THE KIDDOS WILL COME OUT.
WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN THAT'S TEACHING ROPING FARMER.
PETE IS TEACHING SEED PLANTING.
WE HAVE THE SEED LIBRARY FROM THE LIBRARY.
UM, MY BROTHER AND EDWARD WILL BE DOING BRANDING.
THERE WILL ALSO BE UHNOT TYING, UM, CANDLE MAKING THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITY OH, IN A PETTING ZOO.
AND I WILL BE DOING MORE HOUSE TOURS ON SATURDAY.
AND WE WILL HAVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
SO JUST THAT LITTLE TIDBIT RIGHT THERE.
I HOPE YOU EVERYONE CAN COME OUT AND JOIN US.
I AM SO SORRY IF I PRONOUNCE THIS WRONG.
AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER, JONATHAN SIGNED UP WITH A DIFFERENT ADDRESS AND NO LAST NAME.
IS THERE ANOTHER JONATHAN? IT'S OH, MR. WRIGHT? YES.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHED TO SPEAK TONIGHT?
[7. Recognitions/Proclamations/Visitors. Mayor's Monarch Pledge]
ALL RIGHT.MOVING ALONG TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN PROCLAMATION.
TONIGHT, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL PROCLAMATION.
WE ARE DOING THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.
UM, THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM THAT DIFFERENT MAYORS DO TO HELP BRING AWARENESS TO MONARCHS AND, AND HOW WE TAKE CARE OF THEM AS THEY PASS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WHEREAS THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY IS AN ICONIC NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES WHOSE MIGRATION AND LIFE CYCLE FROM CATERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
AND WHEREAS BOTH THE WESTERN AND EASTERN MONARCH POPULATIONS HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT DECLINES IN CITIES, TOWNS AND COUNTRIES HAVE A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY TO HELP SAVE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF LEANDER IS PROUD TO JOIN THE EFFORT, AND I MAYOR CHRISTINE DEL SIGNED THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION'S MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE AND HAVE OFFICIALLY COMMITTED TO TAKING MEANINGFUL ACTION TO PROTECT THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY COMMENDS THE LOCAL GIRL SCOUTS AND THE LEANDER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO PLANT WILDFLOWERS, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THEM AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO WATER CONSERVATION.
AND WHEREAS EVERY LEANDER RESIDENT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE MONARCH BY PLANTING NATIVE MILKWEED AND NECTAR PLANTS TO PROVIDE HABITAT FOR THE MONARCH AND POLLINATORS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR CHRISTINE DELLY DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THURSDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2023 IN THE CITY OF LEANER AS MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE DAY AND WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE HEARING TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF LEANER TO BE AFFIXED ON MARCH 16TH, 2023.
UM, SO WHEN I MENTIONED THAT THIS IS SPECIAL, IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE BUTTERFLIES, IT'S BECAUSE, UM, THIS SORT OF CAME TOGETHER AT A PERFECT TIME WHEN ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ARE GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE, STAFF AND PARTNERS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THEIR PART IN THIS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LEAD OFF WITH BILL TEETER, HE'S OUR CONSERVATION COORDINATOR AND A CITY STAFF MEMBER.
[00:40:01]
UM, AND THIS PLEDGE WAS BROUGHT TO US BY MR. TEETER.ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
UM, MAN, MY WORK IN WATER CONSERVATION, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOING CONSERVATION FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLES.
ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT ONES THAT WE LOOK AT TOO IS, IS CHANGING HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEIR LANDSCAPES.
AND SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS AND UM, AND LANDSCAPING FOR, TO, TO FIT THE HILL COUNTRY.
AND IN MY TRAVELS IN THAT AND, UH, MY PREVIOUS WORK, UM, IT CAME ACROSS THIS PROGRAM CALLED THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.
AND IT'S, IT REALLY FITS WITH WATER CONSERVATION CUZ WE CAN TALK ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO PLANT, UH, FOR WATER CONSERVATION.
BUT IT ALSO HELPS THE MONARCH, UH, THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY.
THEIR NUMBERS ARE, UH, DRAMATICALLY, UH, REDUCED FROM WHERE THEY WERE 30 YEARS AGO.
UM, IN FACT, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS, THERE WAS TALKED ABOUT PUTTING THEM ON THE, UH, THREATENED, UH, THREATENED SPECIES LIST.
UM, IN FACT, UH, UM, THE, UH, OF THE, UM, FEDERAL WILDLIFE PEOPLE SAID THAT IT QUALIFIED FOR THAT LIST, BUT BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, BUREAUCRATIC WORK THAT HAD TO BE DONE, IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE TO GET THEM ON THERE.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A REBOUND SINCE THEN, BUT THEY'RE STILL, UM, THEY STILL NEED TO NEED SUPPORT.
SO WHAT WE DO WITH THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE IS WE JUST PROMISE TO TAKE A FEW STEPS, UH, A FEW ACTIONS OVER THE, THE YEAR TO PROMOTE, UM, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MARK AND THIS PROBLEM AND HOW TO HELP.
UM, THERE, IT GENERALLY HAS TO DO WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION.
UM, WE, UM, WORK, WORK WITH, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND COMPANIES TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT DOING MONARCH FRIENDLY PLANTING OR TO ST YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, UM, STAYING AWAY FROM MOWING MILKWEED IN THE SPRING.
IF THEY CAN AVOID IT SOMEHOW MOW AROUND IT, JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.
ALSO ASKING RESIDENTS TO DO THE SAME.
UM, AND AWARENESS ABOUT PLANTING THE NECTAR PLANTS.
UM, THE MONARCH COMES TO THIS AREA EVERY SPRING HEADING FOR THE CANADIAN BORDER.
IT GOES NORTH IN, IN FOUR GENERATIONS AND THEN IT COMES, COMES BACK SOUTH IN THE FALL.
SO, UH, WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE LOTS OF FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE SPRING AND THEN THE FALL.
SO IT'S REALLY, IT'S, UH, THE MONARCH PLEDGE IS A GREAT WAY TO, UM, TO UM, YOU KNOW, SET UP SOME, SOME ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE CAN SET UP, UH, EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND, YOU KNOW, BE ONLINE POSTINGS, UM, AND ALL JUST A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
HAVE EXPERTS COME INTO TOWN AND, AND MAYBE TALK AT THE ACTIVITY CENTER.
UM, THIS KIND OF, KIND OF CAME ABOUT CAUSE I WAS TALKING TO BLAKE REYNOLDS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, CONSERVATION.
HE WANTED TO DO MORE EDUCATIONAL TYPE PROGRAMMING AND I BROUGHT THIS UP AND HE WAS ON BOARD.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS CAME TO BE.
AND THEN BRIDGET BRANT, PRESIDENT OF LEANDRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
MS. BRANT, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH WILDFLOWERS? YES.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE OBVIOUSLY A PART OF THIS PLEDGE.
UM, WE STARTED OUR WILDFLOWER TRAIL.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY NOW A TRAIL CUZ THERE'S GONNA BE TWO STUFFS ON IT NOW,
UH, WE STARTED OUR TRAIL IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARKS AND REC.
BIG SHOUT OUT TO MARK AND HIS TEAM.
UH, WE HAD AN IDEA, BROUGHT IT TO, UH, THE MAYOR'S BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE ALONG WITH PARKS AND RECS TO REALLY START EMBRACING WILDFLOWERS IN LEANDER.
SO OUR REGION IS PART OF THE WILDFIRE TRAIL.
HOWEVER, OVER THE YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT, MOST OF THE WILDFLOWER FIELDS THAT ONCE WERE IN LEANDER, EVEN AS LITTLE AS FIVE YEARS AGO, ARE NOW SUBDIVISIONS, WHICH IS GREAT AND HAS CREATED GROWTH, BUT IT'S ALSO DESTROYED OUR WILDFLOWER POPULATION.
AND THAT FURTHER IMPACTS OUR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS AROUND IT.
INCU, INCLUDING THE BEAUTIFICATION, I MEAN, WILDFLOWERS ARE JUST INCREDIBLE.
SO, UM, WE LITERALLY, IN ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE MEETING ALL DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO START PLANTING WILDFLOWERS.
THAT'S HOW LONG, THAT'S HOW MUCH IN-DEPTH RESEARCH IT TOOK TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD WITH THIS BIG PROJECT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A NO-BRAINER PROJECT.
AND SO IMMEDIATELY, UH, WE REACHED OUT TO PARKS AND RECS.
THEY'VE ALREADY, UH, WE PLANTED OUR FIRST FIELD IN THE FALL WITH THEIR ASSISTANCE.
SO YOU WILL SEE THOSE COMING UP.
EVEN NOW, THEY'RE STARTING, YOU CAN ALREADY SEE 'EM.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU WANT TO GO SEE THE WILDFLOWERS COMING UP, YOU CAN SEE THEM COMING UP.
UM, RIGHT AFTER THAT, THE GIRL SCOUT T TROOP REACHED OUT TO ME, THE GIRLS, AND I'LL LET THEM TALK ABOUT THEIR PART OF THIS, UM, REACHED OUT.
AND SO WE ARE GONNA BE PLANNING OUR SECOND FIELD NOW AT BLEDSO PARK.
UM, AND WE NOW ALSO HAVE A BOY SCOUT TROOP.
I JUST TALKED TO TONY AND WE HAVE A BOY SCOUT TROOP COMING IN FOR OUR THIRD FIELD.
[00:45:01]
FOR ALL OF US, NOT JUST MY GOAL, BUT THE GOAL OF EVERYBODY PARTICIPATING IS THAT ESSENTIALLY IN EVERY SINGLE PARK IN LEANDER, IN EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ALREADY HAVE NORTHLINE ON BOARD FOR ALSO CREATING A WILDFLOWER ZONE IN NORTHLINE.UM, BUT EVERY SINGLE PLACE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FLOWERS IN LEANDER, THAT THEY BE WILDFLOWERS.
AND THEN WE HAVE DEDICATED SPACES FOR IT.
SO VERY SIMILAR, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE GRAND SCALE AND THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS THINK ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT FOR THE POLICE AND EVERYBODY COMING OUT TO MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS.
WELL, WE WANNA DO THE EXACT SAME THING IN THE SPRING AND FALL AND HAVE EVERYBODY COME OUT AND PLANT FLOWERS.
AND SO, UM, P E C IS ALSO HERE.
THEY HAVE BEEN A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THIS.
THEY HAVE PROVIDED US WILDFLOWER SEEDS TO GIVE OUT FOR FREE AT THE CHAMBER SO ANY RESIDENT CAN COME AND PICK UP WILDFLOWER SEEDS IF THEY WANT TO START PLANTING THEM AS WELL, IN ADDITION TO BEING A HUGE PART OF THE GIRL SCOUTS PROJECT.
SO I'LL LET AGAIN THEM TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE ARE STARTING OUR OFFICIAL WILDFLOWER TRAIL MAP THIS YEAR, SO YOU'LL SEE IT IN OUR NEXT YEAR'S GUIDE TO LEANDER.
OUR LONG-TERM INTENTION IS TO CREATE IT AS A DESTINATION.
SO WE HAVE OFFICIALLY APPLIED WITH THE LADY BIRDS ONTO WILDFLOWER CENTER TO BE A STOP ON THEIR TRAIL.
UM, AND SO WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT TO COME BACK.
WE KNOW WE NEED MORE WILDFLOWERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND REALLY JUST USING IT NOT ONLY AS A BEAUTIFICATION, AS A WATER CONSERVATION, AS A GREAT PLANNING AND REASON FOR PEOPLE TO BE IN OUR PARKS, BUT ALSO AS A DESTINATION, PEOPLE WILL COME TO SEE THOSE WILDFLOWERS.
AND SO, UM, IT REALLY IS, IT SEEMS IT'S SUCH A SIMPLE PROJECT, BUT IT CAN HAVE, IT WILL HAVE SUCH A HUGE IMPACT.
AND SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO GET TO BE A PART OF IT AND TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU TONIGHT.
NOW, UH, ONE OF OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, JARED FIELDS, WITH P E C AND JARED AS YOU'RE COMING UP, I JUST WANNA TELL A LITTLE STORY.
UM, THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT CITIES AND, AND THE COMMUNITIES WORKING ON THE WILDFLOWERS AND THE MONARCHS WAS FROM JARED AND IT WAS THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD AS EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN FOR COVID, WHICH WAS ALMOST EXACTLY THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, AND WE SAT IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WITH CITY MANAGER BEVERLY AND MR. NEW, AND I FORGET WHO ELSE WAS THERE.
I THINK MS. CRABTREE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT MR. FIELDS WAS ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT FROM P C, AND THEN WE WENT RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND WATCHED AS EVERYTHING NATIONWIDE SHUT DOWN IN A PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SURREAL EXPERIENCES.
AND THREE YEARS LATER, I AM SO EXCITED YOU ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THAT IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER.
UH, JARED FIELDS PRONOUNCE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE, UH, FOR A FUN TOPIC.
UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
AND, UM, I, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT DRIVING OVER HERE TODAY.
UM, WHAT A ODD DAY THAT FRIDAY BEFORE SPRING BREAK.
UM, SO THAT'S WHEN, UH, EARLY 2020, THAT'S WHEN, UM, FROM OUR CEO WE LAUNCHED OUR WILDFLOWER SEED PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE HAD THESE, UH, SEED MIX PACKETS THAT WE'VE GIVEN OUT FOR FREE.
THAT'S WHAT BRIDGET WAS DISCUSSING AVAILABLE AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE'VE HAD, UH, THEM AT OUR DISTRICT OFFICES AT OTHER CHAMBERS.
UM, OTHER PARTNERS, CIVIC GROUPS HAVE HAD THEM.
UH, THEY'VE HANDED OUT AT EVENTS, THEY'VE DONE NIGHT SKY, UH, GROUPS, UM, MASTER, UH, GARDENERS NATURALIST.
THEY'VE HAD 'EM AT GROUP AT EVENTS.
UM, WE SERVE 8,100 SQUARE MILES.
UH, AND ALL OF THAT AREA, JUST LIKE HERE IS PART OF THE MIGRATORY PATH FOR, UH, MONARCHS.
WE ALSO SAW THE DECLINE IN NUMBERS AND THE, UH, THE EASEMENTS THAT WE SERVE, THE RIGHT OF WAY WE SERVE.
UH, WE ARE PUTTING OUT A MIX OF THESE SEEDS AS WELL SO THAT, UM, THEY DON'T GROW AS HIGH, UH, IN THE RIGHT OF WAYS.
IT'S GREAT FOR, UM, NOT JUST US, BUT UH, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE, UH, SERVE AS WELL.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ALONG WITH JUST THE, THE SEED PACKETS, WE DO A LOT OF YOUTH, UH, ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION.
WE HAVE EDUCATION MATERIALS FOR SCHOOLS, UM, OR PEOPLES WHO USE AT HOME IF THEY WANT TO LEARN MORE.
AND, UM, WE, UH, BESIDES HAVING THESE SEED PACKETS, UH, WE ALSO WERE CONTACTED BY THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP HERE.
UH, THEY WILL SPEAK AND, UH, WE'RE ASKED TO HELP WITH THE DONATION FOR THE SEED PLANTING THAT'S COMING UP.
UH, SO WE HAVE 15 POUNDS OF WILDFLOWER SEED MIX, UH, THAT WE'RE DONATING, UH, TO HELP COVER, UH, AN ACRE OF LAND.
15 POUNDS I GUESS, FOR ABOUT AN ACRE, WHICH IS, UM, YOU'LL STAND IN A MINUTE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S OUR, OUR PROGRAM AND, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING
[00:50:01]
TO DO TO HELP, UM, HELP SAVE THE MONARCHS, UH, AND ENJOY THEIR BEAUTY FOR YOUR YEARS AND GENERATIONS TO COME.AND FINALLY, ONE OF OUR BIG COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THIS.
WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT OUR GIRL SCOUTS WHO ARE WORKING ON THEIR SILVER AWARD PROJECT.
SO LADIES, BAILEY AND ASHLYN, WILL YOU PLEASE COME UP AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROJECT AND HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE? WELCOME.
I'M BAILEY AND THIS IS ASHLYN.
AND WE ARE WITH TROOP 2 5 59 AND WE'RE WORKING ON OUR SILVER PROJECT.
UM, WE WANTED TO THANK THE CHAMBER AND PARKINSON REC AS WELL AS P E C AND THE MAYOR FOR HELPING US BEAUTIFY OUR CITY.
BLEDSO PARK IS SUPER SPECIAL TO US AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FLOWERS GROW.
OVER THE YEARS, OUR PROJECT AND COLLABORATION WITH THE MONARCH PLEDGE TO HAND IN HAND, THIS PROJECT WILL BE SUS SUSTAINABLE PROJECT WE CAN WATCH FOREVER.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL HAVE DONE AND WE ARE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE MICROPHONE REALLY QUICK.
SO NOT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM KNOWS WHAT A SILVER AWARD IS.
CAN ONE OF Y'ALL SPEAK TO THAT? UM, A SILVER AWARD IS LIKE THE SECOND HIGHEST, UM, AWARD YOU CAN GET IN GIRL SCOUTS AND IT'S WHERE YOU TAKE, UM, HOURS OUTTA YOUR TIME AND HELP WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AND WHAT IS YOUR SILVER AWARD PROJECT? HELP BEAUTIFY OUR CITY BY PLANNING WILDFLOWERS.
AND SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DO? PLANT FLOWERS,
UM, UM, BUT I BELIEVE YOU'RE DOING A BIG PUBLIC PLANTING AT BLOOD CELL, RIGHT? UM, YES.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE CUPS OF SEEDS WITH PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER TO HELP US AND, UM, PLANT SEEDS AROUND BLOOD, SO, AND WAIT FOR THEM TO GROW SO THEY CAN BE ALONG THE NICE TREE OUT THE HILL.
AND, UH, MOMS, DO Y'ALL WANNA COME UP AND HELP SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN BE INVOLVED? YEP.
WE ARE THE MOMS AND VOLUNTEERS.
ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T VOLUNTEER TO DO THIS PART TOO, SORRY.
UM, I MOVED TO LANDER 12 YEARS AGO AND I WATCHED SOME OF OUR, SORRY.
SOME OF OUR, UM, BLUE BONNET FIELDS BE TAKEN DOWN.
AND SO WHEN WE WALKED UP TO BRIDGET AND BROUGHT THIS IDEA TO HER AND SHE SAID, YES, LET'S DO IT.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MY KIDS HAVE HAD BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT BLEDSO PARK.
WE'VE PLAYED ON THE SOCCER FIELDS, WE'VE BEEN THERE, SO WE'VE WATCHED EVERYTHING KIND OF BLOSSOM AND THEN NOT.
UM, THE CHAMBER HAS A LIST THAT PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP ON, AND WE WILL BE HOPEFULLY PLANNING THIS WEEK.
UM, PARKS AND REC IS WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THE FIELDS READY FOR US, WHICH WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR.
UM, WE HAVE SOME SPONSORS WHO ARE HELPING US.
THAT BOX OF SEEDS RIGHT HERE IS, IS GONNA BE AMAZING.
SO, UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, EXCUSE ME, AND SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED US IN COMMUNITY TO SHOUT OUT TO THE LEANER EXPO, UM, A PLUS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION.
THEY'RE GIVING SOME MONEY TO THE GIRLS TO PURCHASE CS.
SAME WITH LORI AT HONDA, LEANER HONDA AS WELL FOR SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE SO THANKFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS.
GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR NAME ON THAT LIST.
UM, IT'S ON THE LEANDER CHAMBER WEBSITE, AND WE WILL BE HOPEFULLY GETTING THAT OUT SOMETIME THIS WEEK WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME JOIN US AND HELP US.
I THINK WE'VE JUST BEEN WAITING FOR THIS RAIN THAT'S COMING IN TONIGHT, RIGHT? YES.
WE'RE WAITING ON, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE RAIN.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, THE GIRLS FOR BRINGING THIS PROJECT TO US AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
LET'S ALL HAVE A PHOTO WITH EVERYBODY THAT'S MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN.
YOUR PHONE, RIGHT? WE DON'T, BAILEY, ONCE YOU GET TO FRONT, YOU AND ASHLEY GET THE FRONT TO HOLD HIS FEET.
OR Y'ALL CAN JUST TAKE A BAG OUT AND HOLD IT UP.
[00:55:11]
COME ON, MOM.YOU GUYS SCOOT OVER A LITTLE BIT MORE.
[8. Receive presentation on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day event.]
ALL RIGHT.AND NOW ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS ALSO A BIG, BIG ONE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE A PRESENTATION ON VIETNAM VET VETERANS MEMORIAL DAY FROM TERRY CRAIG, THE VFW.
WELL, I'M SO GLAD THAT I WAS PRECEDED BY FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES, BECAUSE NOW I'M GONNA BRING SOME WORMS UP HERE TO THE SHANE.
I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF THE ROBERT JOHN LEHMAN VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST HERE IN LEANDER.
AND WE THANKED THIS DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING.
ON NOVEMBER 11TH, 1984, WHILE PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN WAS ACCEPTING THE PRIVATELY FUNDED VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALLS TRANSFER TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEFENSE SECRETARY, CASPER WEINBERGER WAS THE PRESIDENT'S REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TRADITIONAL VETERANS DAY, WRE LANE AT THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.
IN HIS REMARKS, HE SAID, A NATION WHICH FORGETS THE SACRIFICES OF ITS HEROES IS A RISKS ITS VERY EXISTENCE.
IS THAT STATEMENT STILL RELATIVE TODAY? IF YOU THINK YES, THEN YOU HAVE THE REASON OUR ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO AC UH, ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF OUR VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY, ON MARCH 29TH, AMERICA WILL RECOGNIZE THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY.
ON THIS DATE IN 1973, THE LAST US COMBAT TROOPS LEFT VIETNAM, THE COMMAND GROUP, MACK V, OR MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMMAND WAS DEACTIVATED.
AND THE LAST ACKNOWLEDGED P O WS WAS RELEASED BY NORTH VIETNAM TO RETURN HOME.
THE VIETNAM WAR IS A STORY OF SERVICE MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, COLORS, AND CREEDS, DRAFTEES, AND VOLUNTEERS WHO CAME TOGETHER TO COMPLETE A DAUNTING MISSION.
IT IS A STORY OF AMERICANS FROM EVERY CORNER OF OUR NATION WHO LEFT THE WARMTH OF FAMILY TO SERVE THE COUNTRY THEY LOVED.
IT IS A STORY OF PATRIOTS WHO BRAVED THE LINE OF FIRE TO CAST THEMSELVES INTO HARM'S WAY TO SAVE A FRIEND, AND FOUGHT OUR AFTER HOUR, DAY AFTER DAY TO PRESERVE THE LIBERTIES WE HOLD DEAR IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL.
AND IN COMMUNITIES CRISSCROSSING AMERICA, WE FIND MONUMENTS DEDICATED TO THE SOLDIERS, MARINES, SAILORS, AIRMEN, AND COAST GUARDSMEN, WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT, ONE SUCH MONUMENT TO OUR VIETNAM VETERANS SENSE CONSTITUTION GARDENS ADJACENT TO THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON, DC SIMPLY CALLED THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL.
IT CONSISTS OF TWO ANGLED PIECES OF POLISHED BLACK GRANITE, EACH 246 FEET, NINE INCHES LONG, THAT ANGLES OUT AND TAPERS FROM ITS APEX, AND IS ETCHED WITH THE NAMES OF OUR FALLEN COMRADES AND SISTERS FROM THAT WAR.
AS OF MEMORIAL DAY 2017, THERE
[01:00:01]
ARE 58,318 NAMES NOW LISTED ON THE 144 PANELS OF THAT POLISHED BLACK GRANITE WALL.THE FIRST KNOWN CASUALTY WAS RICHARD B FITZGIBBON OF NORTH WEYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS, LISTED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSES, HAVING BEEN KILLED ON JUNE 8TH, 1956.
HIS NAME IS LISTED ON THE WALL WITH THAT OF HIS SON, MARINE COR LANCE CORPORAL RICHARD BEAG, FITZGIBBON III, WHO WAS KILLED ON SEPTEMBER THE SEVENTH, 1965.
IN FACT, IS THERE ARE THREE SETS OF FATHERS AND SONS ON THE WALL.
39,996 NAMES ON THE WALL WERE JUST 22 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.
THE LARGEST AGE GROUP, 33,103 WERE 18 YEARS OLD.
12 SOLDIERS ON THE WALL WERE 17 YEARS OLD.
FIVE SOLDIERS ON THE WALL WERE 16 YEARS OLD.
AND ONE SOLDIER, PFC DAN BULLOCK WAS 15 YEARS OLD.
997 SOLDIERS WERE KILLED ON THEIR FIRST DAY IN VIETNAM.
1,448 SOLDIERS WERE KILLED ON THEIR LAST DAY IN VIETNAM.
THERE ARE 31 SETS OF BROTHERS ON THE WALL, THAT'S 31 SETS OF PARENTS WHO LOST TWO OF THEIR SONS, EIGHT WOMEN ARE ON THE WALL.
BRAVE AND DEDICATED NURSES WHO CARED FOR THE WOUNDED AND GAVE COMFORT TO THE DYING.
244 SOLDIERS WERE AWARDED THE MIDDLE OF HONOR DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
153 OF THEM ARE ON THE WALL, BEVILLE, OHIO, WITH A POPULATION OF 475, LOST SIX OF HER NATIVE SONS.
THERE ARE 3,417 TEXANS ON THE WALL.
TWO HEROES ON THE WALL WERE CITIZENS OF OUR LEANDER COMMUNITY.
MARINE SERGEANT MICHAEL FRANK FLYNN AND AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM YOUNG DUGAN WARS ARE NOT FOUGHT BY GOVERNMENTS AND NATIONS, BUT BY THE SACRIFICES OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES OF OUR CITIES AND SMALL COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR NATION.
LIKE THE MARINES OF MOSEY, THEY LED SOME OF THE SCRAPPIEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TEAMS THAT THE LITTLE ARIZONA COPPER TOWN OF MOSEY POPULATION 5,058 HAD EVER KNOWN AND CHEERED.
THEY ENJOYED ROARING BEER BUSS IN QUIETER MOMENTS.
THEY RODE HORSES ALONG THE CORONADO TRAIL AND STOCKED A DEER IN THE APACHE NATIONAL FOREST.
AND IN THE PATRIOTIC CAMARADERIE TYPICAL OF MOE'S MINING TOWNS, THE NINE GRADUATES OF MAZI HIGH ENLISTED AS A GROUP IN THE MARINE CORPS.
THEIR SERVICE BEGAN ON INDEPENDENCE DAY, 1966, EXCUSE ME, ONLY THREE RETURNED HOME.
THE BUDDIES OF MIDVALE, LEROY TAFOYA, JIMMY MARTINEZ, TOM GONZALEZ, WERE ALL BOYHOOD FRIENDS AND LIVED ON THREE CONSECUTIVE STREETS IN MIDVALE, UTAH ON FIFTH, SIXTH, AND SEVENTH AVENUES.
THEY LIVED ONLY A FEW YARDS APART.
THEY PLAYED BALL AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SANDLOT BALL FIELD, AND THEY ALL WENT TO VIETNAM.
IN LATE 1967, ALL THREE WOULD BE KILLED.
LEROY WAS KILLED ON NOVEMBER 22ND, THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN F KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION.
JIMMY DIED LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER ON THANKSGIVING DAY, AND TOM WAS SHOT DEAD, ASSAULTING THE ENEMY.
ON DECEMBER 7TH, PEARL HARBOR DAY, THE MOST CASUALTY DEATHS FOR A SINGLE DAY OCCURRED.
DAY ONE OF THE TED OFFENSIVE 245 AMERICANS PERISHED.
THE MOST CASUALTY DEATHS FOR A SINGLE MONTH CAME
[01:05:01]
DURING PHASE TWO OF THE TED OFFENSIVE.THE 31 BLOODY DAYS OF MAY IN 1968, SAW 2,415 AMERICANS KILLED.
FOR MOST AMERICANS WHO HEAR THIS, THEY WILL ONLY HEAR THE NUMBERS THAT THE VIETNAM WAR CREATED TO THOSE OF US WHO SURVIVED THE WAR, AND TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DID NOT.
WE SEE THE FACES, WE FEEL THE PAIN THAT THESE THESE NUMBERS CREATED.
WE ARE HAUNTED WITH THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY WERE OUR FRIENDS, FATHERS, HUSBANDS, WIVES, SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
THIS MARCH 29TH MARKS 50 YEARS SINCE THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
ACCORDING TO THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION'S ESTIMATES, VIETNAM VETERANS ARE DYING AT A RATE OF 530 PER DAY.
OUR LEANDER VETERANS POST LOST THREE VIETNAM VETERANS AND THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS LATE IN JANUARY, WHICH HAS PROMPTED MY STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, THE S**T THE CITY HAS SHOWN FOR ALL OUR VETERANS IN LEANDER.
BUT IN LIGHT OF THE RAPIDLY DECLINING NUMBERS OF OUR VIETNAM VETERANS, WE ASKED THE CITY TO ASSESS, ASSIST US BY ALLOWING AND PROMOTING A NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERANS DAY EVENT IN OUR OWN BEAUTIFUL LEANDER.
VETERANS PARK STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THROUGH REMEMBRANCE AND RECOGNITION CEREMONIES, OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES FIND SOME SOLACE IN THE SACRIFICES THAT WERE MADE.
AND THROUGH OUR COMRADESHIP AND SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER, WE FIND HEALING.
IN CLOSING, MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THERE ARE NO NOBLE WARS, JUST NOBLE WARRIORS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON THIS PROJECT.
COUNSEL, IF YOU WILL COME DOWN FOR A PHOTO WITH THE, UH, WITH THE VETERANS GROUP HERE.
WILL NOW TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.
[9. Staff Reports Brush removal update Water update]
NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER NINE, STAFF UPDATE.GOOD EVENING, PUBLIC WORKS, DIRECTOR ALLISON.
UH, THIS ITEM WILL GIVE A COUPLE UPDATES ON HOW OUR BRUSH REMOVAL EFFORTS ARE GOING, BOTH WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AND THEN, UM, SOME UPDATES ON THE V C R U A, UH, RAW WATER LINE REPAIR.
[01:10:01]
SO, UM, AS YOU REMEMBER, THE CURBSIDE BRUSH REMOVAL, UM, AND PICKUP STARTED BY THE CONTRACTOR, UM, ON FE FEBRUARY 27TH.THEY'RE RUNNING ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO SIX TRUCKS, UM, 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM EVERY DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UM, THEY STARTED WITH A COUPLE.
THEY GOT UP TO AS MANY AS SIX.
THEY'VE KIND OF SETTLED ON, ON ABOUT THREE TRUCKS NOW.
AND AGAIN, IT'S HITTING THOSE LARGE, UH, LEVEL THREE DEBRIS AREAS, UM, WITH THE REALLY, REALLY LARGE PILES.
SO, UH, TO DATE, AS OF YESTERDAY, UH, WE SPENT JUST OVER $330,000 ON THE DISPOSAL, AND THEY'VE COLLECTED OVER 16,000 CUBIC YARDS OF BRUSH.
SO THIS HAS BEEN IN 12 KIND OF FOCUSED NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY'VE, THEY'VE CLEARED TO DATE.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL HAVE A MAP HERE IN A MINUTE, BUT PUBLIC WORK STARTED SHORTLY AFTER THE, UH, THE CONTRACTOR DID.
UH, WE DO 10 HOUR SHIFTS, SO WE DO FOUR TENS, UH, 7:00 AM TO 5:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
SO, AND AGAIN, THESE AREAS ARE THE SMALLER LEVEL, UM, SIZE, DEBRIS AREAS, EXCUSE ME.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TARGET 49 DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, BUT ONLY 367 CUBIC YARDS.
SO IN COMPARISON TO, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN AT THIS FOR 17 DAYS AND 16,000 CUBIC YARDS, UM, WE'VE BEEN OUT AT JUST NINE DAYS AND ONLY 367, BUT WE'VE CLEARED 49, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT GO BACK TO THAT NEXT YES.
UHHUH
ISN'T THAT AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE IT APPEARS WHERE YOU'VE HAD, MIGHT HAVE DEBRIS SHOW UP SOMEWHERE WHERE IT PROBABLY DIDN'T ORIGINATE THERE, THAT TREE MAYBE WASN'T IN THAT HOUSE?
AND, UM, WE CAN PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THIS IF COUNCIL HAS QUESTIONS.
WE, WE, UM, THE WAY WE ORGANIZE THIS AND HOW PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING SORT OF IN TANDEM WITH TFR AND, AND SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE.
UH, WE TRIED TO MINIMIZE, UM, INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT JUST CONTINUALLY PUT BRUSH PILES OUT DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE COMMUNICATED CONSISTENTLY SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROCESS IS WE'RE ONLY DOING ONE RUN, ONE PICKUP PER HOUSE.
WE'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT WITH THAT, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF, UM, PUSHBACK, SIGNIFICANT PUSHBACK ON THAT.
I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND OUR PURPOSE IN DOING THAT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE STILL INSTANCES WHERE WE SEE MAYBE SOMEONE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, OF OUR SERVICE THAT THE PICTURE BELOW WAS, WAS ONE, UH, WE TOOK AND WE'RE NOT, UM, WE STILL PICKED IT UP BECAUSE IT WAS, IT, IT MET OUR, OUR STANDARD OF, OF PICKUP, AND WE WERE GOING THROUGH THAT ONE PASS.
BUT, BUT THOSE TREE BRANCHES THERE THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THAT, THAT PROPERTY WERE CEDAR TREES AND WE DID NOT SEE ANY CEDAR TREES ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, NOW WE DIDN'T BOTHER THE THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT IT DID, WE DID WANNA BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THERE ARE INSTANCES LIKE THAT.
THERE'S OTHER EXAMPLES OF THAT AROUND TOWN, BUT VERY, VERY SMALL.
UH, BY AND LARGE, MOST PEOPLE HAVE COMPLIED WITH OUR REQUESTS TO GET BRUSH OUT TO THE CURB AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE HAD SOME POSITIVE MESSAGES, UH, FROM FOLKS WHERE WE'VE CLEARED THEIR, UH, THEIR PROPERTY IN THEIR AREA, AND ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE, UM, THAT HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY BRUSH.
GRAMME SAYS ONE OF THOSE, UH, OVERLOOK ESTATES WAS ONE OF THOSE.
AND, AND, AND A LOT OF THE, EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT TFR CLEARED, UM, HAS HAD HEAVY BRUSH PILES.
THOSE ARE THE ONES I THINK FOLKS ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF OUR ABILITY TO COME IN AND BRING A GRAPPLE TRUCK AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE OF THOSE PILES, BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY IS OVERWHELMING FOR A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS.
SOME PEOPLE CAN MANAGE IT, CAN TAKE CARE OF IT, BUT IT'S, IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING FOR A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO WE HAVE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, UH, PUSHBACK, BUT REALLY NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE, UH, FOLLOWING OUR RULES AND OUR GUIDANCE AND, AND BEING GRATEFUL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO JUST TO GO TO THE MAP, UM, THE LIGHT GREEN AREAS ARE THE AREAS THAT THE CITY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS TEAM IS CLEARED.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN THE CENTER, UM, THE DARK GREEN AREAS, KIND OF THE OLDER PART OF TOWN WHERE YOU'D EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE DEBRIS, LARGER TREES, ESTABLISHED TREES HAS BEEN WHERE WE'VE FOCUSED THE CONTRACTOR.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS KIND OF STARTED ON THE, THE NORTHERN END, AND WE'VE KIND OF WORKED DOWN REAGAN AND, AND THEN THESE, UH, POLKA DOT AREAS HERE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE YET TO, UM, TO TACKLE AND, UH, KIND OF WORKING OUR WAY WEST.
SO GRAND MESA TREVISO, UM, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, OLD TOWN HERE IN THE MIDDLE THAT, THAT WE'LL, UM, WE'LL GET TO IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER VISUAL, UM, AGAIN, KIND OF THE CENTRALIZED LOCATION FOR, FOR THE TFR TEAM.
AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS KIND OF HITTING THAT OUTER, OUTER RING.
WE HAVE SIX NEIGHBORHOODS REMAINING.
[01:15:01]
UM, COUPLE OF THEM ARE PRETTY BIG GRAND MESA.WE'RE HOPING THE CONTRACTOR WILL, UM, BE ABLE TO WRAP THAT UP IN THE NEXT, UH, WEEK OR SO.
AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO FOCUS AND SHIFT THE CONTRACTOR TO COME OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE DROPPING OFF A LOT OF OUR DEBRIS.
WE'RE DROPPING OFF ALL OF OUR DEBRIS AND WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE, UH, CITYWIDE CLEANUP COMING UP.
SO, WHICH WILL GET MORE DEBRIS.
SO, UM, ONCE THE CONTRACTOR FINISHES IN GRIMMY, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THEM MOVE OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS CUZ THEY CAN REALLY QUICKLY LOAD IT, UM, FASTER THAN WE CAN INTO, UM, ROLL OFFS OR THEIR EQUIPMENT AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS WILL WRAP UP THOSE LAST KIND OF FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH MASON CREEK, CAPROCK FAIRWAYS, THERESA, AND THEN, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE OLD TOWN DISTRICT.
I THINK THAT'S THE LAST THING I HAD ON BRUSH.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GO INTO THE, THE B C R A REPAIR OR IF MIKE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD FOR ME, UH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THE BRUSH, UM, WHERE IT SAYS AREAS IN PROGRESS.
SO THE, THE CONTRACTOR IS CURRENTLY IN GRAND MESA.
UH, I DON'T HAVE QUITE WHERE OUR CREWS FINISHED UP TODAY.
UM, MIKE GRAYLEY HASN'T SENT OUT HIS EMAIL TODAY, SO, UM, I, I BELIEVE WE'RE IN MASON CREEK, UM, IN THAT AREA.
SO WE'LL BE MOVING, MOVING OVER THERE QUICKLY.
AND I, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT JUST, JUST IN CASE Y'ALL GET EMAILS, SOME OF THE EARLY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE TOTALLY CLEARED MM-HMM.
SO JUST IF Y'ALL ARE READY FOR THAT DISCUSSION LATER, UH, WE'RE READY TO STAND PAT OR TAKE OTHER DIRECTION, BUT WE DO THINK WE CAN STAY WITHIN THE HALF MILLION EXPOSURE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WITH THE CURRENT, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AND EVERYTHING, WAITING A YEAR OR TWO FOR HAVING THAT, UH, REIMBURSED WOULD MM-HMM.
UM, AND A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
WHEN THE, UM, WITH THE EXPIRATION OF THE, THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL COME OUT TO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN CLEARED AND START CITING CORRECT.
THEY THEY CAN'T BUT GO AHEAD, MIKE.
UM, WE ARE DISCUSSING KIND OF THE PLAN OF ACTION FOR THAT, WHAT WE'VE COMMUNICATED TO RESIDENTS WHO ARE STILL QUESTIONING ABOUT ADDITIONAL BRUSH, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE CLEANUP EVENT IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE TOLD THEM THAT WE WILL LOOK AT STRONGER ENFORCEMENT AFTER THAT EVENT CUZ WE WANT TO GIVE FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MANAGE THE BRUSH THAT THEY HAVE IF IT'S STILL ON THE CURB AND, AND THEY'VE BEEN PASSED TO, TO MANAGE THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THAT TO OUR DROP-OFF EVENT AFTER THAT POINT.
WE'LL EM EMPLOY A STRATEGY, UH, TO LOOK AT ENFORCEMENT.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL KIND OF ASSESSING SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MIGHT BE A PROBLEM.
WE KNOW THERE'S A FEW HERE AND THERE.
AGAIN, WE DON'T THINK IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE A LOT OF, UH, ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND IF WE CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT THE MESSAGE ABOUT OUR CLEANUP EVENT ON APRIL ONE, WE THINK THAT'S GONNA SOLVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING TODAY.
BUT EVEN THEN, WE, WE THINK IT'S MANAGEABLE AND WE DON'T THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO, DO ANYTHING TOO STRICT ON, ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE.
BUT, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE MEETING PROBABLY NEXT WEEK, UH, OR THE WEEK AFTER TO, TO REVIEW SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
AND ALL OF OUR CLEANUP EFFORTS ARE JUST ON RESIDENCES, CORRECT? IT'S NOT ON LIKE HOA OWNED LAND.
WE HAVE FOCUSED ALL OF OUR ENERGY AND, AND TFR S RESOURCES ON, UM, THE SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES.
UM, WE, WE DO SEE SOME PUSHING, UH, BRUSH TO THE CURB ON ARTERIALS.
UH, I'VE SEEN IT ON LAKELINE ESPECIALLY, UM, EVEN, UH, COMMERCIAL LOCATIONS.
WE'RE REALLY NOT PUTTING, UH, OUR RESOURCES IN THOSE AREAS.
WE ARE STICKING TO THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
SO A LITTLE SUMMARY ON THE B AREA WAY PIPELINE REPAIR.
THE, UM, DAN KIND OF COVERED WHAT THE REPAIR ENTAILED LAST MEETING AND THEN, UM, THAT REPAIR WAS COMPLETE ON MARCH 1ST.
UM, TOOK A COUPLE DAYS TO REFILL PIPELINE, GET THE WATER PLANT UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.
AND THEY STARTED DELIVERING WATER ON MARCH 4TH.
UM, MARCH 6TH, WE MOVED BACK FROM PHASE THREE, WHICH WAS HAND WATERING ONLY, UM, TO THE PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE ONCE A WEEK.
UM, JUST A SUMMARY OF THE USAGE DURING THE REPAIR, WE, YOU KNOW, WERE KIND OF LIMITED ABOUT 9 MILLION.
WE WERE TARGETING TO STAY UNDER THAT FOR SANDY CREEK ONLY.
UH, WE AVERAGED 7.4, BUT WE DID PEAK OUT AT 8.6.
UM, AFTER THE REPAIR, UH, WHERE OUR, UM, PRODUCTION CAPACITY IS UP, UP IN THAT 25 RANGE, UH, WE DID SEE A JUMP UP.
WE'VE AVERAGED ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF SINCE THEN AND WE PEAKED YESTERDAY AT 10.3.
I'VE GOT A GRAPH KIND OF SHOWING, UM, WE WERE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, LEADING UP TO THE REPAIR AND OUT OF THAT FREEZE
[01:20:01]
KIND OF IN THAT SIX AND A HALF RANGE.AND THEN WE CAME INTO THE REPAIR KIND OF IN THAT SEVEN AND A HALF RANGE.
WE SAW THIS KIND OF HEAT, UM, COMING WITH NO RAIN AND, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'D WANNA BE CAUTIOUS WITH THE REPAIR UNCERTAINTY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE GONNA COMPLETE ON TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT AHEAD AND MOVED TO PHASE THREE AT THAT POINT.
SO, UM, WE SAW THAT PEAK KIND OF RIGHT BEFORE THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETE, BUT THEN, UM, DID SEE THAT DOWNTURN IN USAGE.
AND THEN ONCE B C R U A WAS BACK ONLINE SHOWN IN GREEN, UM, WE, WE CAME BACK OUT OF, OUT OF PHASE TWO.
AND THEN I THINK DAN'S GONNA PROVIDE SOME UPDATES ON, UM, KIND OF HOW WE'RE MONITORING GOING FORWARD.
DAN GREENSVILLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITY OF LANDER.
UM, SO THE REPAIRS ARE DONE, UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN REPAIRED PROBABLY AS, UM, STURDY AS THEY CAN BE.
DOUBLE AND TRIPLE MEGA LUGS, UM, REINFORCED, UM, UH, FOR ENFORCEMENT TO PREVENT HORIZONTAL, UM, MOVEMENT.
UM, ADDITIONAL SANDBAGS OR GROUT BAGS WERE ALSO PLACED.
UM, AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, SEVERAL, SEVERAL HUNDRED OF THOSE.
SO, UM, I THINK THE REPAIR IS ABOUT AS HARDENED AS IT CAN BE.
UM, AND SO WE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE, UM, HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT, UM, WITH A COMBINATION OF THINGS, THE PIPE BEING IN, UM, POTENTIAL COMPROMISED, UH, UM, OPERATIONS OR COMBINATION ERROR COULD HAVE BEEN A CAUSE.
UM, IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE MEGA LUG.
UH, IT WA IT, IT, THE MEGA LUG DID LOOK LIKE IT WAS PUT ON CORRECTLY.
UM, BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE, UH, FOR THIS CASE.
AND SO, UM, UH, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FAILURE WITH THAT.
WHEN IN ITSELF, UM, RIGHT NOW IT DOES INDICATE THAT WE'RE OPERATING AT 20% CAPACITY AND THAT ONLY MEANS THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE'RE TAKING.
UM, WE DO HAVE FULL CAPACITY OF THE PLANT.
WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS OPERATE IN RANGES, UM, WHICH, WHICH IS GOOD.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF OPERATING IN A RANGE OF SEVEN AND A HALF TO 15 AND WE'LL RUN ONE CONSTANT SPEED PUMP AND THEN, UH, WHAT WE CALL VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE PUMP.
UM, WHICH CAUSES THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SURGE THROUGH THE PIPE, WILL BE THE ONE THAT, THAT THEY TURN ON AND OFF TO MAINTAIN, UM, WATER GOING IN OR OUT.
AND THEN, UM, THE B C R A STAFF IS GONNA COORDINATE WITH CITIES TO, TO SAY, HEY, I NEED YOU TO TAKE MORE WATER, LESS WATER TO KEEP WITHIN THAT RANGE SO WHEN WE GET PAST THE 15, CUZ WE'LL NEED MORE WATER AND THEN CEDAR PARK AND ROUND ROCK, AND THEN THEY'LL RUN, SAY TWO CONSTANT PUMPS AND THEN USE THE VARIABLE FIXED DRY PUMP AGAIN, ADJUST, ADJUST FLOWS AND WORK WITH THE CITIES TO COORDINATE THAT EFFORT.
SO, UM, THEY'RE KIND OF WORKING THAT PLAN THROUGH RIGHT NOW IT'S, UM, I I CALL THE PHASE ONE SEVEN AND A HALF TO TO 15.
AND, AND WHEN WE GOTTA GET PAST THAT, THEN WE'LL, YOU KNOW, CLICK INTO THE, TO THE NEXT RANGE.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, WE ARE DOING WEEKLY INSPECTIONS.
THEY ARE DOING MEASUREMENTS RIGHT NOW.
THEY HAVEN'T, UM, SEEN ANY INDICATION OF, OF MOVEMENT ON THE PIPE OR, UM, SO FORTH.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, WELL IT'S ALL GREEN, WHICH IS GOOD.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE REPAIR, BUT WHAT IS THE TRIGGER TO GO FROM STAGE TWO TO STAGE ONE FOR WATERING? SAY AGAIN NOW THAT, SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN STAGE TWO FOR WATERING MM-HMM.
I WAS GONNA SAY THE DEEP WATER INTAKE.
SO DO WE JUST NEED TO GET RID OF STAGE ONE
SO WE'RE, I'M GONNA HONEST, WE JUST MET WITH, UM, ON, THEY HAVE LIKE SIX LETTERS, SO I CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR TITLE.
UM, IT'S, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH THEIR, BUT WE MEET WITH THE, THE OTHER CITIES WHO ARE, UM, USERS OF THE WATER FROM THE LAKE, UM, L C R AND UM, GINA'S GONNA TELL ME THE SIX LETTER TITLE.
IT'S THE HIGHLAND LAKES SPERM WATER, UM, COALITION, CITY COALITION.
YOU STILL, IT DOES HAVE TWO CS.
SO, SO WE JUST MET WITH THEM, UM, LITERALLY THIS PAST WEEK.
WE GO TO THEIR REGULAR, UH, MEETINGS.
UH, JEAN AND I DO, UM, OWNER AND OTHERWISE.
AND SO THE CONVERSATION AMONGST THE CITIES AND, AND THAT GROUP IS TO GO TO, UM, A ONCE A WEEK WATERING MAYBE MORE ON A, ON A PERMANENT BASIS DUE TO THE FACT THAT ONE GRASS REALLY, IF IT'S WATERED CORRECTLY, AND, AND I HAVE MY EXPERT BACK THERE, BILL, IF IT'S WATERED CORRECTLY, UM, ONCE A WEEK, IT'S PROBABLY ADEQUATE.
THERE'LL BE TIMES IT TURNS BROWN, BUT GEORGETOWN HAS THE, UH,
[01:25:01]
UH, LET IT BROWN, DON'T FROWN.I DON'T KNOW, THEY GOT SOMETHING.
SO, SO, SO THE, THE THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY IF IT, UH, WHAT WAS IT? IT WAS A GUY SITTING IN A CHAIR, UH, FISHING AND HE LET YOUR LAWN RELAX WHILE YOU RELAX.
SO, UM, THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE.
SO WE, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF CONCEPT OF, YOU KNOW, RESERVING, CONSERVING OUR, OUR WATER FOR THE LONG TERM.
AND SO, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE IN IT, WE'RE ALREADY IN IT.
AND, AND GINA AND I CAN PROBABLY SAY WHEN EVERYBODY GOES WELL, WHO'S IN ONE DAY OF WATERING, WE ALWAYS ARE LIKE, YEP, THAT'S US AND WE'RE GONNA BE THERE FOR FIVE MORE YEARS AT LEAST.
AND SO, UM, SO ANYWAY, THE GROUP AS A WHOLE IS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S A LONG ANSWER TO THE, WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER GO BACK TO STAGE ONE STREET.
WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY HAVE TO REEVALUATE THAT, THAT WHOLE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND CONCEPT.
BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.
AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET IN WITH THE, WITH THE GROUP AND, AND KIND OF GET COALITION BEFORE WE MAKE ANY CHANGES, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK WE ADJUSTED THOSE PHASES AROUND 2020 ISH.
UM, AND I, BEFORE THAT WE STILL HAD PHASES, BUT THEY WERE, THEY WERE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
BUT I THINK WE'VE BEEN IN STAGE TWO OR HIGHER FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, I WANNA SAY.
IT WAS LIKE, I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE 20 12, 20 13 AFTER THE BA FIRES.
YEAH, AFTER I THINK AFTER THE, UM, YEAH, AFTER THE DROUGHT ENDED.
I THINK THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS AT THAT POINT AND WE ONLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS.
SO THERE WERE VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS.
IT WAS SUGGESTIONS FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER.
IT WAS JUST SEASONAL AND SO IT WAS SEASONAL.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SEPTEMBER TO MAY THE OTHER WAY YOU COULD WATER WHENEVER AND THEN OKAY.
BUT WE HAVE HAD TWICE A WEEK OR ONCE A WEEK FOR AT LEAST THE LAST THREE YEARS OR SO.
UM, I THINK THE ONCE A WEEK IS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE TRENDING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE.
THE STATE OF TEXAS WATER, UH, WATER STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT BASICALLY THE WHOLE STATE IS GONNA BE SHORT ON WATER IN ABOUT 15 YEARS.
SO I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT IS, IS GOING TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER THAN JUST LEANDER.
YEAH, IT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE, UM, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, THE COALITION GROUP THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS GOOD, IT HAS, UM, RIGHT NOW I THINK SIX CITIES AS MEMBERS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF, LIKE, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT A COUPLE MORE, WHICH I THINK IS, UM, VILLE AND, UH, NO PORTERVILLE'S THERE, PRETTY HILL IN THE MARBLE FALLS.
LIBERTY HILL, MARBLE FALLS WERE THE OTHER TWO CITIES THAT THEY'RE GONNA, UH, TRY TO, UH, BRING INTO THE, INTO THAT, THAT GROUP, WHICH WILL BE GOOD.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PIPELINE REPLACEMENT COMPLETION ANTICIPATED NEXT WINTER.
AND SO, UM, UM, THE OC GROUP ACTUALLY JUST TALKED AND, UM, UM, B C R A STAFF GENERAL MANAGER AND WALKER PARTNERS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND, UM, BUT THEY HAD TO LOOK CUZ WE'RE USING THE BCR UH, WE'RE USING, UM, ARPA ARPA FUNDS FOR THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ON HOW WE GO ABOUT, UH, SOLICITATION AND OTHER THINGS.
SO, UM, WE DON'T LOSE THE CAPABILITY OF USING THOSE FUNDS.
SO THAT'S THE PARALLEL RAW WATER LINE? YES, THE PARALLEL RAW WATER LINE THAT WE GOT FUNDS FROM THE COUNTY, UH, TO COMPLETE.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BUY THE PARTS, IN THIS CASE IT'S THE PIPELINE, WHICH ARE, HAS A LONG LEAD ITEM, PROBABLY SEVEN OR EIGHT MONTHS.
SO IF WE CAN BUY THOSE PARTS UP FRONT, UM, AND GET 'EM ORDERED, UM, THEN, UM, THAT'LL ALLOW US TO ADVERTISE FOR THE, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PART OF IT A LITTLE BIT LATER CUZ IT'S GONNA TAKE THAT LONG TO GET THE PARTS.
BUT IF WE CAN GET 'EM SOONER, THEN THAT'LL LINE US UP TO DO THE REPLACEMENT IN, UH, IN THE WINTER AT THE LOWEST FLOW, UH, IS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT.
UM, BUT THE, THE PLAN IS, THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS, IS TO HAVE IT DONE BY, UH, MARCH, APRIL OF 24, IF NOT SOONER.
IF WE CAN WORK OUT THOSE DETAILS, THAT WOULD BE WHEN IT'S FINISHED, THAT'S WHEN IT'S RIGHT COMPLETED.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
SO THIS, I READ THAT AS END OF 24? NO, YOU MEAN END OF 23? I, THE, THE, WELL, IT WON'T BE THE END OF 23, BUT THE BEGINNING OF 24.
WE, WE TALK ABOUT SOMETIMES WE, WE MIX UP THE 2324 CUZ WE THINK OF WINTER, SUMMER, AND FOR US IT'S NEXT WINTER, SO, UM, IT WILL BE DONE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE SUMMER
UM, BUT YES, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHTY, THANK YOU.
THAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE UPDATE.
[ CONSENT AGENDA: ACTION]
SPEED IT UP.ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNSEL, YOU'LL BE CONSIDERING CONSENT.
NO SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASS
[01:30:01]
IS UNANIMOUSLY[25. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case Z-22-0048 to amend the current zoning of TF-2-B (Two-Family) to adopt the Lion Drive Minor PUD (Planned Unit Development) with a base zoning district of SFT-2-A (Single-Family Townhouse) on three (3) parcels of land approximately 1.14 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R619654, R619653, and R61952; and more commonly known as 507-519 Lion Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case Z-22-0048 as described above.]
ONTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZONING CASE Z 22 DASH 0 48 TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF TF DASH TWO DASH B TWO FAMILY TO ADOPT THE LION DRIVE MINOR P U D PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH A BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF S F T TWO, A SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE ON THREE PARCELS OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 1.14 ACRES, PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE LION DRIVE MINOR PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THIS PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED FOR DUPLEXES AND IT'S PLOTTED INTO THREE LOTS.
UM, AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE TWO UNITS PER LOT.
AND, UM, WHEN THEY CAME IN FOR THEIR PERMITTING PROCESS, UM, THEY DESIGNED THEIR PLANS, UM, TO THE SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE SETBACKS, AND THEY HAVE AN EXISTING DRAINAGE EASEMENT THAT CAUSES THEM SOME, SOME ISSUES WITH THE SETBACKS.
SO THEY'VE REQUESTED A MINOR PUT TO CHANGE THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO IT'S NOT INCREASING THE DENSITY, IT'S JUST CHANGING HOW THE HOUSE IS PLACED.
UM, THIS REQUEST WAS REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FEBRUARY 23RD, AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE REQUEST.
STAFF IS ALSO RECOMMENDING APPROVAL AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THERE'S NOT AN APPLICANT PRESENTATION, CORRECT YOU ON SPEAK PRESENTATION OR HERE FOR QUESTIONS? YOUR HONOR.
WITH THAT, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
NOBODY HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WAS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHED TO SPEAK ON THIS? ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL NOW DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING ZONING CASE Z 22 DASH 0 0 48 AS DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY.
COUNSEL, IF STAFF'S GOOD WITH IT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES
[26. Discuss and consider action on Development Agreement Case DA-22-0004 Hilltop Development Agreement and the Collateral Assignment of Rights Contract located on one (1) parcel of land approximately 105.064 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R560473; generally located at the southwest corner of CR 280 and the future extension of Lakeline Boulevard, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.]
UNANIMOUSLY.THANK YOU ONTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
ITEM 26, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CASE DA 22 0 0 4, HILLTOP DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND THE COLLATERAL ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS CONTRACT LOCATED ON ONE PARCEL LAND, APPROXIMATELY 105.064 ACRES, PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE HILLTOP SUBDIVISION.
UM, THIS AGREEMENT WILL, UM, ALLOW FOR OVERSIZING OF WATER LINES AND ESTABLISHMENT OF ROADWAY ADEQUACY FEES.
UM, DURING OUR REVIEW PROCESS, WE EVALUATE THE SURROUNDING AREA AND STAFF FELT LIKE IT WAS NECESSARY TO OVERSIZE THE WATER LINES TO SERVE, UM, THE NORTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE CITY.
UM, THE OTHER PART OF THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES IMPROVING COUNTY ROAD TWO 80.
WELL, FIRST THIS IS THE EXHIBIT FOR THE WATER LINE, SO THIS IS TWO 80 HERE, AND THEN LAKELINE HERE.
LAKELINE HAS NOT BEEN BUILT YET, BUT THEY'RE EXTENDING WATER IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN THIS IS AN EXHIBIT THAT SHOWS THE PORTIONS OF TWO 80 THAT THEY'RE GOING TO IMPROVE AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
UM, SO THIS IS GONNA BE HELPFUL TO THE FUTURE RESIDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE EXISTING ROADWAY TODAY.
AND, UM, THE APPLICANT IS HERE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
AND I'M ALSO AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, COUNSEL, WHY THERE IS THE REST OF TWO 80 ON OUR C I P? YOU KNOW, THE STUFF LEADING UP WHERE IT COMES IN LEADING UP FROM THE, FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST ON TWO 80, RIGHT? THERE IS THAT, IS THAT IS WHAT, WHERE ARE WE AT ON THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THAT ROAD? SO THIS COMES OVER FROM, I, I THINK I'M THE, THIS IS NORTH BAGHDAD.
IT COMES FROM NORTH BAGHDAD AND, AND, AND GOES AND THROUGH IN FRONT OF THE, THE WATER, THE ELEVATED STORES, WATER TANKS RIGHT THERE FOR, UH, GRAYWOOD ESTATES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND SO, UM, SO YES, THERE IS A CIP P PROJECT TO, THAT'S ON US, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WELL INTO THE FUTURE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S ON THERE, BUT, UM, AT THE TUNE OF, OF, I REMEMBER $15 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT, RIGHT? UM, BUT YES, IT IS ON A MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR OKAY.
FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT AS DEVELOPMENT OCCURS IN THAT AREA.
AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS WHAT'S HIGHLIGHTED THERE.
SO WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS, UM, UM, WE, WE HAD LOOKED AT THAT ROAD AND EMILY, OUR CITY ENGINEER MM-HMM
AND, UM, THE, THE FIRST PART, GREATWOOD ESTATES ACTUALLY DID MAKE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO IT.
SO, UH, EMILY TOOK THAT AND TOOK A VIDEO OF IT AND SENT IT TO THE DEVELOPERS AND SAID, YOU KNOW, IN SO MANY WORDS, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT YOUR RESIDENTS TO BE DRIVING ON? AND SO THE, THE HILLTOP HAPPENS TO BE THE FIRST ONE THAT ARE THERE.
THERE'S FOUR DEVELOPMENTS IN THAT AREA.
AND IF WE COULD GO BACK REAL QUICK, JUST TO GIVE YOU A, WHOOPS, I'M OUTTA CONTROL.
SO REAL QUICK, THERE'S FOUR DEVELOPMENTS HERE.
ONE HERE, WHICH IS HILLTOP ONE HERE, WHICH IS
[01:35:01]
GREATWOOD ESTATES SOUTH.AND THEN YOU HAVE ONE HERE, WHICH IS, UM, UM, LEANDER ESTATES.
AND THEN WE HAVE ONE MORE UP HERE THAT'S SULLIVAN, WHICH IS ABOVE, UH, GREATWOOD NORTH ESTATES.
AND SO ALL OF 'EM WERE BEING BUILT KIND
AND WHAT, WHAT OCCURRED, UM, IN ENGINEERING, UM, UH, FOUND US IS THAT ALL FOUR OF 'EM WERE BEING BUILT AND THEY WERE JUST PUTTING WATER LINES THAT JUST KIND OF ONLY MAINTAINED THEIRS AND WEREN'T MOVING IT ALONG.
WELL, THAT WAS ALSO TRUE FOR THE ROAD.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, UH, THIS AGREEMENT IS TAKING CARE OF, WHICH IS HILLTOP IS, IS PUTTING IN PART OF THE WATER LINE.
UM, LEANER ESTATES WILL PUT THE REST OF THE WATER LINE IN AND, AND THEN, UM, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT'S GONNA WORK WITH THEM ON, UH, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE FOR FUTURE ROAD AND THEN TO HELP FINISH THAT ROAD TO, TO THE END OF THEIR PROPERTY.
AND MAYBE IF, UM, SOME OTHERS, AND THEN WE NEED TO TALK WITH, UH, GREATWOOD ESTATES, UM, POSSIBLY FOR, FOR SOME OF THAT.
BUT ALL, ALL THREE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, UM, HAVE OVERSIZING OF WATER LINES TO FACILITATE GETTING WATER BASICALLY PAST THEM TO THE OTHER AREAS ON TO THE WEST THERE.
THIS IS ONE WHERE IT WAS GOOD COORDINATION AMONGST, UH, PLANNING, ENGINEERING AND BRINGING ALL THE DEVELOPERS IN AT ONCE TO SHOW 'EM, LOOK, YOU ALL ALSO NEED TO COORDINATE HELPING US FACILITATE, MAKING SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE GONNA FUTURE GROWTH AND THE RESIDENTS ARE GONNA GET SOMETHING THAT'S, UM, DRIVABLE AND WATER AND SO FORTH.
SO, UH, MR. BEVERLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CER TH THIS IS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF EXACTLY WHY WE BROUGHT THE IMPACT FEES.
AND THAT IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU WOULD HAVE THOSE IN PLACE BEFORE GREATWOOD ONE, DEFINITELY GREATWOOD TWO.
UH, THIS ALSO SPEAKS TO WHY THAT, I MEAN, AGAIN, THE WATER LOOP, YOUR, YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE WATER LOOP.
YOU HAD LEGACY ISSUES WITH GREATWOOD ONE.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHY THAT QUADRANT HAS THE HIGHEST IMPACT FEES BECAUSE I, I'VE MENTIONED THIS, I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO DEVELOPERS.
IT'S SO MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU BUILD FROM THE MIDDLE, BUT ONCE YOU GET OUT TO HOPSCOTCH TYPE DEVELOPMENT, YOUR PROBLEM BECOMES THE DAY THOSE RESIDENTS MOVE IN, THEY HAVE THE EXPECTATION THAT THE CITY CAN SOMEHOW BOND TO BUILD A ROAD ALMOST TO NOWHERE OTHER THAN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE MATH DOESN'T PENCIL OUT.
SO I WOULD EXPECT, I'M NOT SURE, DAN, I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT ROAD IN ENTIRETY OF IT IS PROBABLY A DECADE OUT.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT IS THE, THE PAIN INVOLVED WITH THE DEVELOP, I HATE TO USE THE WORD, THE DEVELOPER DRIVEN MODEL VERSUS THE CITY REALLY SAYING, OKAY, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS HERE, IT'S GOTTA, YOU'RE EITHER GONNA PAY A WHOLE LOT ON THE FRONT END TO DO IT THAT FAR OUT, OR YOU'RE GONNA ATTACH TO IT FROM THE MIDDLE, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT LEAVES THE, THE TAXPAYERS HERE WITH THE BURDEN AND IT ALSO LEAVES THOSE RESIDENTS WITH AN UNREALISTIC EXPECTATION.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE HAD A MOTION ON THIS.
MOTION TO APPROVE? YEAH, I'LL SECOND.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PASSAGE UNANIMOUSLY.
[27. Discuss and consider action on the purchase of up to seven (7) various fleet vehicles from Gunn Buick GMC, Ltd. pursuant to the BuyBoard 601-19, in the amount of $302,006.90; and authorize the City Manager to execute any and all necessary documents.]
ITEM NUMBER 27, DISCUSSING CONSIDER ACTION ON THE PURCHASE OF UP TO SEVEN VARIOUS FLEET VEHICLES FROM GUN BUICK GMC LIMITED PURSUANT TO THE BY BOARD 6 0 1 DASH 19 IN THE AMOUNT OF $302,006 AND 90 CENTS, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.EXECUTIVE FINANCE DIRECTOR POWERS.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
TYPICALLY, UH, THE ITEM TO PURCHASE VEHICLES THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET WOULD NOT COME BEFORE YOU ON THE REGULAR AGENDA BEYOND CONSENT, BUT, UM, I WANTED TO BRING THIS ON REGULAR FOR TWO REASONS.
ONE IS TO, UM, UM, BE CLEAR WITH THE COUNSEL THAT THIS IS NOT THE LAST, UM, VEHICLE ORDER THAT YOU WILL SEE THIS YEAR.
WE STILL ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO OBTAIN, UH, BIDS FOR, I THINK IT'S EIGHT, UH, VEHICLES THAT, UH, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SECURE, UH, BID BIDS FOR.
BUT, UH, WE WANTED A STRIKE WHILE THE IRON WAS HOT WITH THIS, UH, VENDOR BECAUSE, UH, HE'S, UH, THEY STILL HAVE SOME VEHICLES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE, UH, BY BOARD PURCHASING CO-OP.
UM, THE OTHER REASON THAT WANTED TO, UH, PUT THIS ON REGULAR TO JUST, UM,
[01:40:01]
AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PURCHASING COOPERATIVE, UH, WE WEREN'T SURE THAT WHEN TONIGHT CAME, THAT ALL SEVEN WOULD STILL BE AVAILABLE.UH, SO, UM, IN CASE THAT CHANGED, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT.
UH, I'M AFRAID WE'RE DOWN TO SIX.
UM, BUT, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE, IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, WE'LL PLACE THE ORDER TOMORROW AND WE'LL CONFIRM WHETHER WE HAVE ALL SEVEN OR WHETHER IT'S DOWN TO SIX BECAUSE, UH, THEY, UH, ARE IN SUCH HIGH DEMAND, THEY WON'T HOLD THEM, UM, UH, FOR TOO LONG.
THIS IS ON, UH, REQUESTED TO BE ON REGULAR AND NOT CONSENT.
THE VEHICLES ARE EITHER, UH, BUDGETED IN THE GENERAL FUND OR IN THE VEHICLE REPLACEMENT RESERVE FUND.
AND THEN THERE'S ONE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
SO, UM, UH, WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[28. Discuss and consider action on an Ordinance amending Ordinance No. 22-079-00 adopting the annual budget of the City of Leander, Texas for Fiscal Year 2023.]
AND ITEM 28, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 22 DASH 79 DASH ZERO, ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF LEANDER, TEXAS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.EXECUTIVE FINANCE DIRECTOR POWERS, WELCOME BACK.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
TYPICALLY, WE BRING ONE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AROUND THIS TIME AFTER WE HAVE CLOSED THE BOOKS FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
AND THE, THE AUDITORS HAVE MADE THEIR PRESENTATION IN, IN PRIOR YEARS.
THIS, THIS ITEM WOULD, UH, ALMOST ENTIRELY BE PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED AND STARTED IN THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR, UM, BUT NOT FINISHED.
SO ADDITIONAL APP OR RE APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR NEED TO BE CARRIED FORWARD.
OR IT TAKES CARE OF, UH, ITEMS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, DURING THE YEAR THAT WERE NOT BUDGETED OR WERE UNDER BUDGETED.
SO SOME OF WHAT IS BEFORE YOU IS THAT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, TWO NEW, NEW ITEMS THAT, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN BEFORE YOU YET.
SO, UH, THIS AMENDMENT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IN, IN PRIOR YEARS.
BUT, UM, I'LL GO THROUGH THE, THE HIGH LEVEL AND THEN AT, WHEN I'M DONE, UM, LARRY WERN, OUR, UM, GOLF GENERAL MANAGER, WILL DISCUSS THE REQUEST THAT'S, UM, COMING OUT OF THE, THE GOLF FUND.
BUT IN THE GENERAL FUND, UH, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN VARIOUS WAYS SINCE THE, UH, RETREAT YOU HAD BACK IN IN JANUARY, UM, THE CITY MANAGER HAS RECENTLY INSTRUCTED THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO, UH, REDUCE THEIR TRAVEL AND TRAINING BUDGETS BY 50%.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALL SUBMITTED OUR PROPOSALS TO HIS OFFICE AND HE'S REVIEWED THOSE AND, AND, UM, EITHER APPROVED THEM OR, UH, TOLD US TO WORK ON IT AGAIN.
AND, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL DONE WITH, UH, WITH THOSE REQUESTS.
SO THAT REDUCTION, WHICH AMOUNTS TO, UM, ALMOST $300,000, $290,000 IS REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT AS A DECREASE.
UM, THE OTHER DIRECTIVE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UM, GAVE US, AND, AND WE HAVE RESPONDED AND HE'S EVALUATED IN THE GENERAL FUND, UH, WE ARE HOLDING VACANT 12 POSITIONS THAT WERE NEW THIS YEAR.
THERE WAS, THERE'S NOT ANY, UM, ANY, ANY EMPLOYEES IN THESE POSITIONS.
THESE WERE, THESE WERE NEW POSITIONS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT NOT, UH, FILLED AS OF YET.
SO, UM, HOLDING THOSE 12 POSITIONS, NONE OF WHICH, BY THE WAY, NONE OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, BUT HOLDING THOSE 12 POSITIONS VACANT FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR WOULD, WOULD EQUAL A SAVINGS OF $910,000.
UM, WE ARE MONITORING THE, THE REVENUES, UM, SALES TAX AND DEVELOPMENT FEES PRIMARILY MONTH TO MONTH.
SO, UM, WHAT WE HAVE COMMUNICATED TO THE DEPARTMENTS IS THAT WE WILL, WOULD THE CITY MANAGER REVISIT THESE POSITIONS, UM, UH, AS NEEDED, UM, BUT PROBABLY NOT BEFORE THREE MONTHS FROM NOW.
BUT, UH, THE OTHER ITEMS IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT ARE IMPACTED WITH THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT INCLUDE SOME, UM, VEHICLE PURCHASES THAT WERE APPROVED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET IN PRIMARILY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
[01:45:01]
THAT, UH, DUE TO ALL THE ISSUES WITH DELIVERY AND SUPPLY, DID NOT, UH, OCCUR UNTIL THIS FISCAL YEAR.SO THOSE FUNDS LAPSED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WENT INTO RESERVES.
ONE OF THE REASONS THE, THE, THE HEALTHY RESERVE BALANCE THAT THE AUDITOR MENTIONED, NOT ENTIRELY, BUT THAT'S PART OF IT.
SO, UM, UH, THAT IS ONE OF THE, THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THIS, IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THERE WAS ALSO A COUPLE OF PURCHASES FROM THE IT, IT DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY PLACED THE ORDER, UH, AT THE END OF, TOWARDS THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR.
IT WAS BUDGETED IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, BUT, UM, AGAIN, DUE TO DELIVERY ISSUES, UH, IT, UH, DIDN'T GET COMPLETED UNTIL THIS FISCAL FISCAL YEAR.
UM, IN THE, UM, HOTEL OCCUPANCY FUND, UH, THERE ARE TWO CHANGES RECOMMENDED THERE.
ONE IS, UM, I HATE TO SAY IT'S HOUSEKEEPING.
IT'S A LARGE AMOUNT, BUT THE, UH, IT AMENDS, IT AMENDS THE AMOUNT THAT'S BUDGETED FOR THE, UH, CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THAT IS A FORMULA DRIVEN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UH, IT'S BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF, OF REVENUES THAT, UH, ARE, UH, COME IN FOR WHATEVER REASON.
LAST YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE BEING ME, UH, INCREASE THE, THE EXPECTED HOTEL, UH, TAX REVENUE BECAUSE THE RECEIPTS WERE COMING IN FROM THE HOTEL, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.
UH, SO WE BUMPED THAT UP TO, TO BE MORE ACCURATE, BUT WE DIDN'T ADJUST THE CHAMBER'S CONTRACT AMOUNT.
IT'S IF ONE GOES UP, SO DOES THE OTHER.
IF ONE GOES DOWN, SO DOES THE OTHER.
SO THIS JUST SQUARES THAT, UH, OVERSIGHT.
THE OTHER ITEM IN, IN THE HOTEL TAX FUND IS A, UH, RECOMMENDED HOTEL FEASIBILITY STUDY.
AND, UM, THIS IS BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE CITY MANAGER LEVEL AND, AND WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, AND, UH, WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS A JOINT VENTURE OF, UH, ISSUING A SOLICITATION TO HAVE A MARKET FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED TO HELP WITH, UM, UH, DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS, RECRUITING, UH, A FIRST CLASS OR, OR FULL SERVICE HOTEL.
SO THAT, UM, THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY FUND, UM, BUT WOULD NEED TO BE, UH, BUDGETED.
I WANTED TO DIGRESS JUST A MINUTE ON THE, SINCE WE'RE ON THE HOT, HOT TAX FUND, UM, I DID MENTION TO, UH, SEVERAL STAFF, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN, UH, AT THE, UM, BOARD MEETING OF THE, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION THAT, UH, HOTEL MOTEL FACT TAX FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR THE SUPPORT OF ARTS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WAS WAY OFF, I SAID 1% OF THE, THE, THE REVENUES, UM, I SHOULDN'T TRUST MY MEMORY, IT'S, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY 15% NOW.
THERE ARE STILL THE SAME CONDITIONS THAT IT, THAT THOSE FUNDS NEED TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS, UM, SUPPORTING, UM, WHAT'S CALLED HEADS AND BEDS SUPPORTING THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
SO IT STILL HAS THOSE SAME RULES, BUT IT'S NOT 1%, IT'S UP TO 15%.
AND, UM, SINCE I'VE GOTTEN IT'S SO BADLY WRONG, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY MAYBE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO TO, TO, UH, UH, REVIEW THAT STATUTE AND, AND MAYBE GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT THAT, UM, WHAT THAT REALLY, REALLY IS AND, AND GET ME OFF THE HOOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, BUT ANYWAY, I, I THINK THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
I WAS IN THE, UM, VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUND THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
THERE WERE VEHICLES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WERE BUDGETED LAST YEAR TO BE REPLACED.
THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP, UH, AND, AND BE DELIVERED UNTIL THIS FISCAL YEAR.
IT JUST NEEDS TO BE REBUDGETED AND THE UTILITY FUND.
WE HAVE, UM, SIGNIFICANT BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, THE, UM, WATERLINE FAILURE LAST SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
AND THEN THIS MOST RECENT REPAIR, UH, THAT'S TO THE TUNE OF 1.25 MILLION.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE SUFFICIENT WATER REVENUES, UH, COMING IN, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
[01:50:01]
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO, UM, UM, DUE TO, UM, THE CONTINUED, UH, OUTSIDE RATE PAYERS, UH, APPEAL.SO THAT COVERS BOTH LEGAL SERVICES.
WE HAVE A, UM, UH, A, A THIRD PARTY PROF, UH, LEGAL FIRM ASSISTING OUR CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL AS OUR RATE CONSULTANT.
SO THOSE EXPENSES, UM, HAVE GONE OVER WHAT WE BUDGETED AT THIS TIME.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT I ALSO WANT TO LEAVE TIME FOR MR. UM, WARNER TO SPEAK ON THE GOLF COURSE PROPOSAL.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO, UM, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT I JUST COVERED.
COUNSEL, ANYTHING? NO, I THINK WE'RE GOOD SO FAR.
COUNSEL, UH, LET ME SEE IF I GET THE RIGHT BUTTONS HERE.
UM, WE'LL GO OVER THIS PRESENTATION RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
SOUNDS LIKE IT'S STARTING TO GET ANGRY OUT THERE.
SO, UM, CAME TONIGHT TO, UH, DISCUSS OUR PROPOSAL TO, UH, UH, AUGMENT OUR STAFF, UH, AT THE GOLF COURSE.
UM, AS YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE, UH, WE'VE HAVE EXPERIENCED, UM, UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH OVER THE LAST, UH, 13, 12, 13 MONTHS.
IT'S BEEN KIND OF CRAZY AND, UH, WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES AND DO THINGS TO, TO, TO KEEP THE BUSINESS RUNNING.
BUT NOW IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO, UH, START AUGMENTING WITH PERSONNEL
UH, WHERE WE'RE HIT, WHERE WE'RE, UH, HURTING THE MOST IS ACTUALLY THE, UH, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT, UH, PARTS OF THE DIVISION.
AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE CART FOLKS, THE FOLKS THAT, THAT DO THE, THE BRUNT OF THE HARDEST WORK.
UH, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CLEAN THE CARTS, UH, STOCK 'EM, MAKE SURE THEY'RE READY FOR FOLKS, UH, WHEN THEY COME INTO PLAY.
UH, BUT THEY ALSO DO MORE THAN THAT TO TAKE CARE OF THE DRIVING RANGE.
THEY TAKE CARE OF ALL THE ENCORE AMENITIES AND, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT, UH, COME WITH THAT.
UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE USUALLY THE FIRST, UH, FIRST IMPRESSION.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST IMPRESSION OF, OF ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND WE'RE, UH, UH, WORKING REAL HARD.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF HELP WITH, UH, VOLUNTEERS, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF RUN TO THE END OF THAT.
UH, JUST FOR COMPARISON, UH, KIND OF FROM THE GROWTH, UH, TO THE DEMAND, UH, TO PULLED SOME NUMBERS IN 2020 THROUGH, UH, THIS YEAR PROJECTED TO BE UP AROUND 2.3 MILLION, UH, IN REVENUES, UH, BY, BY YEAR'S END.
UM, AND YOU, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL, UH, FTS AVAILABLE HAVE, HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY GROWN IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND JUST FOR REFERENCE, UH, WE ALSO, UH, HAVE SOME COMPARISON HERE FROM, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES IN THE AREA, PLUS ONE OF THE PRIVATE LOAN COURSES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT, THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL ROUNDS, UH, AND THE GUEST SERVICES STAFF MAKEUP, UH, EACH OF THESE KIND OF COURSES, UH, AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE KIND OF, WE'RE, WE'RE TRAILING SIGNIFICANTLY WITH ABOUT 16,000 ROUNDS PER FTE.
UH, JUST, JUST CAN'T KEEP UP WITH IT AT THIS POINT.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE REALLY, REALLY WORKED HARD, BUT WE'VE JUST, I THINK, PUSHED THEM TOO FAR.
AND, UH, IT'S TIME FOR, FOR US TO START PAYING IN, IN SOME OF THESE POSITIONS TO DO THE WORK THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO INSTEAD OF USING VOLUNTEERS.
SO THE PLAN IS, IF YOU APPROVE IT, IS TO ADD A FULL-TIME, UH, GUEST SERVICES SUPERVISOR AND, UH, TWO PART-TIME, UH, GUEST ATTENDANCES, GUEST SERVICES AT TENANTS, UH, NOW AT MID-YEAR.
UH, AND THEN I WILL, UH, ADD TWO MORE PART-TIMERS, UH, INTO THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL, UH, YEAR 2024.
UM, THAT'LL, THAT'LL TAKE US UP TO, I BELIEVE, 6.7, UH, FTE'S TOTAL.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE 'EM.
NO MINDS BASICALLY JUST BE FOR RICK AS FAR AS OVERSEEING YOUR BUDGET, RICK, WITH WHAT WE'RE BEING, UH, I KNOW YOU GUYS, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW TOO.
HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING IS, IS EVERYTHING OKAY? OKAY.
UM, JUST AS RE REGARDING THIS AS, AS FAR AS THE ASK AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA APPROVE TONIGHT, UM, OVERALL THIS IS, UM, YOUR MANAGEMENT OF THE BUDGET.
WE'RE FEELING GOOD, UH, WE'RE FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE PROPOSAL HERE FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, YES.
I MEAN THE, THE, THE GOLF COURSE IS DEFINITELY HEADING THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ROBERT DID YOU AT THIS VERY MOMENT, HOW MUCH TO THE, TO THE GOOD WE ARE, UH, VERSUS THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY BEFORE LARRY, UH, GOT WITH US, WELL, THE, THE, UM, THE ANTICIPATED REVENUES I THINK, UH, LARRY AND I ARE, ARE, ARE TRACKING SIMILAR.
SIMILARLY, I THINK, UM, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS, UH, EASILY $500,000 MORE THAN BUDGET.
HE MAY HAVE A LITTLE HIGHER NUMBER THAN THAT, BUT, UM, THAT IS, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, WELL BEYOND
[01:55:01]
THE ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT'S, UH, BEING ASKED FOR IN THE, IN THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.UM, SO THE REVENUES ARE THERE DEFINITELY TO SUPPORT THIS.
SO THE, THE INCREASE IN PROJECTED REVENUE, IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE RATES OR INCREASE IN NUMBER OF PLACE PLAY? YEAH, SO THAT WAS ALL FACTORED IN IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
SO IT'S LEGIT, I SHOULDN'T SAY LEGITIMATE INCREASES, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
YOU KNOW, WE TAKE A PRETTY GENERALLY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH DURING BUDGET AND I JUST HAVE TO ASK.
ARE WE HAVING ANY HIGH TURNOVER? CUZ I THOUGHT IN THE PAST YOU GUYS HAVE SAID SOMETIMES EMPLOYEES WEREN'T STAYING THAT LONG.
IS, ARE WE SEEING KIND OF AN IMPROVEMENT ON THAT GOLF THAT THIS PARTICULAR UM, THIS PARTICULAR DIVISION OF, OF, OF THE BUSINESS UNIT, OH, SORRY.
THIS PARTICULAR DIVISION HISTORICALLY IN INDUSTRY WIDE IS, IT'S THE LOWEST LEVEL THAT FOLKS COME IN.
TYPICALLY IT'S EITHER RETIRED FOLKS OR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS OR YOUNGER FOLKS, COLLEGE, SUMMERTIME, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, IT, WE DO HAVE SOME TURNOVER, BUT IT'S PRETTY NORMAL FOR ALL CITIES CUZ IT'S RIGHT.
GETTING THE YOUNG FOLKS, I GUESS WE EXPECT TO, WE EXPECT TO HAVE SOME HIGH SCHOOL KIDS START APPLYING AS, AS SCHOOL GOES OUT AND THEN, BUT WE HAVE SOME RETIREES THAT'LL STICK AROUND.
I WILL SAY I HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN ABOUT THIS, BUT I READ YOUR UPDATES EVERY MONTH AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VERY FISCALLY CONSCIOUS AND, AND, UM, LOOKING AT HOW SERVICE IMPROVES, UM, OUR INCOME.
UM, AND IF THE CITY MANAGER IS GOOD WITH IT, THEN I THINK I'M OKAY WITH IT.
BUT I'M STILL HAVING HEARTBURN.
I'LL SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, HOUSE IS UNANIMOUSLY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE IRRIGATION SOMEDAY.
[29. Council Member Future Agenda Items [Any deliberation of or decision about the subject of the inquiry shall be limited to a proposal to place the subject on the agenda for a subsequent meeting.]]
ALL RIGHT, ITEM 29, COUNCIL MEMBER, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANY DELIBERATION OF OR DECISION ABOUT THE SUBJECT OF THE INQUIRY SHALL BE LIMITED TO A PROPOSAL TO PLACE THE SUBJECT ON THE AGENDA FOR A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.COUNSEL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TONIGHT? OKAY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS ACTUALLY.
UH, I KNOW THAT UPCOMING WE HAVE UM, WE HAVE AN ITEM IN ONE OF OUR FUTURE AGENDAS SOON ABOUT PUTTING A CROSSING FOR STUDENTS BASICALLY OVER BY RALPH HIGH SCHOOL ACROSS CRYSTAL FALLS PARKWAY.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAD THE BIG TRAFFIC, UH, PLANNING STUDY A YEAR OR TWO AGO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT TRAFFIC PLANNING FOR EAST CRYSTAL FALLS PARKWAY BETWEEN 180 3 A AND REAGAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE DETAILED PLANS ON THAT OR IF WE NEED TO DO A STUDY, BUT I THINK WITH ALL OF THE RESIDENCES THAT ARE THERE AND LAKEWOOD PARK AND THE SCHOOLS, I THINK, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY MORE THAT'S NEEDED, UM, FOR SAFETY IN THAT AREA THAN JUST THE, THE CROSSING.
AND THEN ALSO, WE TALKED ABOUT REPLACING SOME VEHICLES TONIGHT AND WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT POLICE VEHICLES.
UM, WHEN WE DO TALK ABOUT THOSE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ANALYSIS, UM, AND MAYBE WE, MAYBE WE CAN UPDATE OUR PLANNING ON THOSE.
IF WE WENT TO HYBRID VEHICLES, THEY TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE UPFRONT IN COST, BUT WE, SINCE POLICE VEHICLES TEND TO IDLE A LOT, THEY WOULD BE RUNNING ON BATTERY.
AND SO THERE'S A POTENTIAL TRADE OFF IN WHAT WE WOULD SPEND IN GAS AND THE ELECTRIC PART OF THE MOTOR, UM, MEANS THAT THEY REQUIRE LESS MAINTENANCE.
AND SO IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE SLOWLY TRANSITIONING TO THAT.
FORD HAS A PROGRAM FOR THOSE AND SO I'M HOPING WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS ON LOOKING AT THAT AND WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR BUDGET OVER TIME.
SO THOSE ARE MY ONLY TWO ITEMS. THANK
[30. Council Member Closing Statements.]
YOU.UM, ITEM 30, COUNCIL MEMBER CLOSING COMMENTS.
JUST HAVE A GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY.
WE'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF NOTIFICATIONS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S, WE'RE HAVING A REPEAT PERFORMANCE OF THE WEATHER, SO BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.
WISHING ALL THE KIDS IN LEANDER ISD A HAPPY SPRING BREAK.
AND UM, I MENTIONED IT ON THE LAST CITY COUNCIL.
THAT SPRING CLEANUP IS IN APRIL.
UM, DROP OFF YOUR ITEMS AND YOU CAN ALSO DROP OFF YOUR BRUSH TOO.
HOPE YOU GOT YOUR RAIN JACKET.
I'M JUST HOPING FOR NO HAIL AND LOW WINDS RIGHT NOW,
CORRECT? I WAS GONNA MAKE SURE THAT I WAS GONNA
[02:00:01]
MAKE SURE THAT I WAS POINTED OUT.YES, PRO 10, STAY SAFE AND GOODNIGHT.
AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS AS WE HEARD ABOUT EARLIER TONIGHT.
MASON HERITAGE DAYS IS COMING UP NEXT WEEKEND.
COME OUT FRIDAY NIGHT FOR TRIVIA AND ADULT NIGHT.
AND FAMILY DAY IS THE NEXT DAY, SATURDAY THE 25TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM IT IS A FUN TIME OUT, UM, WITH THE KIDS LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE OLD TIMEY THINGS AND WHERE WE CAME FROM.
UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER EVENTS COMING UP THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT.
APRIL 1ST, RESIDENTIAL SPRING CLEANUP SPONSORED BY CLAUSON DISPOSAL FROM 8:00 AM TO NOON AT THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY.
UM, IT HASN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT APRIL 2ND.
OUR EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA AT BENBROOK PARK.
FESTIVITIES START AT NOON, BUT THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT TIMES FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
AND THEN BILL TEETER, OUR WATER CONSERVATIONIST HAS AN UPCOMING GREEN THUMBS TALK AT LEANDER ACTIVITY CENTER.
I BELIEVE I WILL PROBABLY BE THERE BECAUSE WE GOT IN AN ARGUMENT AT MY HOUSE THIS WEEKEND PULLING WEEDS.
IT'S COMPLICATED, AND THAT'LL BE APRIL 12TH AT NOON AT THE LEANDER ACTIVITY CENTER.
IF YOU ARE 55 AND UP, Y'ALL ARE HAVING ALL OF THE FUN, ALL OF IT.
THERE'S SOME UPCOMING TRIPS HAPPENING TO THE BLUE BONNET AIR SHOW IN BURNETT RODEO OF AUSTIN NEXT WEEK.
ALL OF THESE EVENTS THAT I JUST MENTIONED FROM MASON, HERITAGE DAYS TO ACTIVE ADULTS ARE ALL AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, LEANDER, TX.GOV, EVERYTHING FOR YOU.
UM, ALSO, WE ARE ALWAYS, ALWAYS LOOKING TO SHOP LOCAL IN LEANDER BECAUSE WHEN YOU SHOP LOCAL, YOUR TAX DOLLARS STAY FUNDING OUR POLICE EMERGENCY SERVICES, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED, TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
SO TONIGHT WE PICKED UP DINNER FROM LEANDER CHIPOTLE.
WHEN YOU'RE OUT THIS WEEKEND PICKING UP DINNER, PLEASE PICK UP FROM LEANDER.
OKAY? UM, AND ALSO, OF COURSE, EVERYBODY STAY SAFE WITH THAT.
WE ARE GOING CAN, CAN I SAY WHAT NICOLE'S WANTING TO SAY? OH, WAS NICOLE WANT YOU TO SAY SOMETHING? SHE WANTS TO SAY IT'S BURN IT.
THAT'S AN HONOR OF, UH, FRANK STYLES
[31. Convene into Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.074, Texas Government Code, to discuss city manager goals. Reconvene into open session to take action as deemed appropriate in the City Council's discretion regarding city manager goals.]
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT ITEM NUMBER 31, CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IF NEEDED, PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 51 0.074 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS CITY MANAGER GOALS.ALL RIGHT, WE ARE RECONVENING INTO OPEN SESSION AT 9:20 PM TO TAKE ACTION AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S DISCRETION.
REGARDING CITY MANAGER GOALS, MAYOR PRO TEM, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? NO ACTION WITH THAT COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED ALSO AT 9:20 PM GOODNIGHT.