[1. Open Meeting.] [00:00:02] JUST THINK IT WAS LIKE I WAS I WAS I LISTENED BACK. THE TIME IS NOW 6 P.M. AND TODAY IS TUESDAY, JULY 7TH, 2026. AND THIS IS OUR BRIEFING WORKSHOP. CITY SECRETARY CRABTREE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER STEVEN CHANG, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL HERRERA, COUNCIL MEMBER NATALIE BLAIR, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER ANNETTE SPONSELLER, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW NODDING, MAYOR PRO TEM BECKY ROSS, MAYOR NICOLE THOMPSON PRESENT. THE CITY COUNCIL IS HERE. WE'RE ELIGIBLE TO DO BUSINESS. I GUESS WE ARE ON ITEM THREE AND [3. Brisa Byford with CivicBrand will conduct a Brand Audit Workshop to receive direction from the City Council regarding the alignment of the recommended focus areas for developing the brand strategy and identity design.] WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION BY CIVIC BRAND, BUT WE'LL HAVE AN INTRODUCTION BY OUR ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER, KENT ELSA. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL 4TH OF JULY. WE HAD A REALLY AMAZING LIBERTY FEST. YEAH, THANKS TO PARKS AND RECS. AND SO WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START BACK UP AFTER THAT HOLIDAY WITH OUR FIRST PRESENTATION FOR COUNCIL WITH THE BRANDING PROJECT. THIS IS A BRAND AUDIT PRESENTATION. AND SO WHAT THAT IS, IS CIVIC BRAND FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS HAVE HAD INTERVIEWS WITH COUNCIL, HAVE HAD INTERVIEWS WITH STAFF AND ALSO HAVE HAD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AS WELL WITH FOCUS GROUPS AND ON SITE VISITS HERE, AND ACTUALLY TOURS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE AREA, AND HAS REALLY BEEN LEADING THAT EFFORT WITH CIVIC BRAND. AND SO SHE'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CIVIC BRAND FOR SOME FOCUS AREAS TO HELP DEVELOP THE NEXT STEPS, WHICH IS DEVELOPING THAT BRAND STRATEGY AND THE ACTUAL IDENTITY DESIGN. SO THIS IS REALLY LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOUNDATIONAL PIECES FOR THIS NEXT STEP THAT'S REALLY GOING TO REALLY KIND OF COME TO FRUITION. SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS THIS ALONG TO BRISA. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU KENT, AND GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. YEAH, I'M EXCITED TO TO PRESENT THIS AUDIT TO YOU. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT. YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN DOING A TON OF RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT. THIS AUDIT IS REALLY LIKE OUR REPORT BACK ON WHAT WE FOUND. SO IT IS ORGANIZED BY FOUR FOCUS AREAS. AND THOSE FOCUS AREAS REALLY ARE TO US WHAT WE THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THE THAT WE FOUND THAT THE BRAND NEEDS TO ADDRESS OR SPEAK TO IN SOME WAY. SO TODAY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THOSE FOCUS AREAS. YOU'RE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM AS NEEDED BECAUSE THEY ARE THOSE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES FOR THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAND AND THE STRATEGY AND IDENTITY PHASE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE ON BOARD, FEEL, FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE FOCUS AREAS. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROCESS THUS FAR. SO WE KICKED OFF IN SEPTEMBER. WE'VE DONE, WE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS KIND OF DOING COUNCIL INTERVIEWS IS, IS COUNCIL PLACES WE'RE CHANGING. SO WE MADE SURE WE GOT EVERYONE COVERED. WE DID A STAFF SURVEY. SO WE SURVEYED ALL OF STAFF TO, TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEIR CHALLENGES WITH THE CURRENT VISUAL IDENTITY? WHAT DO THEY WANT THE BRAND TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT DO THEY WANT THE BRAND TO SPEAK TO? WE ALSO DID A COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY. SO THAT WAS MORE ABOUT JUST UNDERSTANDING LEANDER AS A WHOLE. LIKE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LEANDER AND GETTING COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON THAT? WE DID A SITE VISIT HERE BACK IN APRIL WHERE WE DID A FULL TOUR. WE DID A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE EVENT THAT HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT STATIONS THAT FOLKS COULD, COULD COME AND GIVE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK. THEN WE DID SOME ENGAGEMENT POP UPS AND DID A STAFF WORKSHOP WHILE WE WERE HERE AS WELL. AND THEN THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN ROUNDING OUT THAT VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT. SO WE DID SEVERAL VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUPS AND VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REALLY, JUST, LIKE I SAID, UNDERSTAND FROM A RESIDENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER PERSPECTIVE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LEANDER? WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT LEANDER? WHAT DO THEY LOVE ABOUT LEANDER? WHAT DO THEY WANT? YOU KNOW, WANT TO SEE IT GROW INTO WHAT THEY DON'T WANT TO CHANGE? ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IS WHAT WE DISCUSSED TO ULTIMATELY PUT TOGETHER THIS BRAND AUDIT. SO THE FOUR FOCUS AREAS. THE FIRST IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT VISION AND DIRECTION AS AN ORGANIZATION AND THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, MOSTLY WITH STAFF AND WITH YOURSELF. IT'S PROACTIVE. LEADERSHIP MEETS THIS IDEA OF SERVICE WITH HEART. THE SECOND IS REALLY MORE FOCUSED ON JUST KIND OF THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. AND WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF LEANDER AS IT CONTINUES TO GROW. SO ERASING THE DESTINATION DEFICIT WHILE MAINTAINING CHARACTER THROUGH INTENTIONAL HUMAN SCALE DEVELOPMENT. THE THIRD IS STEWARDSHIP OF THE HILL COUNTRY. THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO BASICALLY EVERYONE WE TALKED TO IS KIND OF WHAT SETS LEANDER APART. SO WE'LL GET INTO THAT. AND THEN THE FOURTH, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF KIND OF A TOOLS LOGISTICAL KIND OF FOCUS ON THAT ONE WHEN ACTUALLY APPLYING THE VISUAL IDENTITY AND THE BRAND ITSELF. SO UNIFYING A FRAGMENTED IDENTITY. SO I'LL GO [00:05:04] THROUGH KIND OF SOME, SOME SLIDES THAT DETAIL EACH OF THOSE FOUR FOCUS AREAS. I'LL GO THROUGH SOME FASTER THAN OTHERS. AND THEN WE CAN DO KIND OF DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS AT THE END. SO THE FIRST FOCUS AREA PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP MEETS SERVICE WITH HEART. WE HEARD THAT QUITE A BIT. THIS IDEA OF SERVICE WITH HEART, THAT AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, AS THE ORGANIZATION GROWS, AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NEW CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT GROWTH. AND AS STAFF CONTINUES TO, TO WANT TO DO EVEN BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE AND, AND REALLY BE THAT FIRST TIER MUNICIPALITY IN THE REGION. HOW CAN THEY DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WHILE MAINTAINING THAT ACCESSIBILITY, THAT KIND OF SMALL TOWN CONNECTION AND BEING ABLE TO COME UP TO, TO SOMEONE ON STAFF OR SOMEONE ON COUNCIL AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT AN ISSUE. SO IT'S REALLY THAT SERVICE WITH HEART, RIGHT? HAVING THAT MORE PROGRESSIVE, BUSINESS ORIENTED APPROACH AS AN ORGANIZATION, BUT MAINTAINING KIND OF THE PERSONAL CONNECTION ALONGSIDE WITH THAT. SO FROM MY INTERVIEWS WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS FAR AS WHAT IS SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST DOING A LOGO REDESIGN PROJECT, RIGHT? IT'S MUCH DEEPER TRYING TO REALLY GET AT THE STORY AND THE VISION. AND HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT YOU AS A CITY ORGANIZATION MAKE? ONE IS A DEFINED VISION. AND IN THE FUNNY THING I THINK ABOUT THAT ONE IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK FOLKS, LIKE JUST WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT LEANDER? THERE WAS TROUBLE NAILING THAT ONE THING OR GIVING LIKE, YOU KNOW, A SOLID, UNIFIED VOICE OR ANSWER TO THAT KIND OF ONE QUESTION. SO THAT FIRST ONE, A DEFINED VISION AND IDENTITY THAT REALLY GIVES RESIDENTS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. UPDATED, COHESIVE DESIGN TOOLS, BECOMING A FIRST TIER CITY, RIGHT? WHICH THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SALARY RANGES THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN COMPETE WITH THAT, THAT ATTRACT THAT TALENT, NOT BEING VIEWED AS A LITTLE BROTHER TO, TO NEARBY COMMUNITIES, INCREASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, REALLY CAPITALIZE ON THE ACCESS TO THE HILL COUNTRY AS A UNIQUE DIFFERENTIATOR FOR LEANDER. YOU KNOW, THE BRAND, HOW DOES THAT PLAY A ROLE IN MANAGING GROWTH RESPONSIBLY? RIGHT? GROWTH IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT IS HAPPENING. HOW CAN THE BRAND KIND OF SHAPE THAT TO MATCH THE VISION OF THE COMMUNITY AND OF COUNCIL, BECAUSE IT IS AT THIS KIND OF CRITICAL INFLECTION POINT, RIGHT, BETWEEN BEING AND OPERATING AS A SMALL TOWN GOVERNMENT AND BECOMING THAT BIG CITY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OPERATION. SO IT'S IN THIS TENSION POINT. HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THAT? HOW CAN THE BRAND SPEAK TO THAT AND, AND KEEP WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL TOWN KIND OF ASPECTS WHILE WHILE HELPING THE CITY MOVE FORWARD. SO STAFF, THEY ENVISION A CITY GOVERNMENT THAT REALLY DOES TAKE ON THAT MORE CORPORATE BUSINESS ORIENTED APPROACH, RIGHT? TO BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE EFFECTIVELY, MORE EFFICIENTLY, PRIORITIZE CREATING A STRONG SENSE OF PLACE, A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY, FOSTER A VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY THAT CAME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT WHAT. WHAT DO PEOPLE LOVE ABOUT LEANDER IS ITS DIVERSITY AND THE DIFFERENT ALL THE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND ETHNICITIES AND CULTURES THAT YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WITHIN LEANDER. BUT A GOVERNMENT THAT IS ALWAYS APPROACHABLE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FOCUSED. SO REALLY GOING BACK TO THAT SERVICE WITH HEART, AND THAT IS THE LEADER IN THE REGION AND BEYOND. AND THEY HOPE THE BRAND PROVIDES UNITY, RIGHT, WITH HOW STAFF INTERACTS WITH THE PUBLIC. IT ENABLES THEM TO BE MORE CONSISTENT ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, ACROSS THE BOARD. IT FEELS AUTHENTIC, AND IT FEELS SOMETHING RELEVANT TO LEANDER TO TODAY, BUT ALSO INTO THE FUTURE. AS LEANDER CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, INCREASES CIVIC PRIDE REALLY PROVIDES THAT CLEAR, SHARED LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE WHAT MAKES LEANDER SPECIAL, RIGHT? SO IT'S KIND OF IN EVERYONE. THEY COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION IMMEDIATELY. IT HELPS THEM SEE HOW DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER. IT'S ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED AND IT DOESN'T SIT ON THE SHELF, RIGHT? IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY LIVES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, AND THAT IT HELPS THEM ATTRACT MORE AMENITIES AND MAJOR BUSINESSES. IT NEEDS TO COMMUNICATE. IT'S A HELPFUL, PROACTIVE, READY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS KIND OF GOVERNMENT. IT'S ALIGNED. IT'S ENGAGED. BUSINESSES CAN THRIVE HERE. IT'S A THE CITY GOVERNMENT HAS A STRONG SERVICE FIRST PHILOSOPHY. IT'S A GREAT EMPLOYER, GREAT BENEFITS. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, COMPETING, COMMUNICATING TRANSPARENTLY. AND SO SOME THINGS THAT KIND OF DESCRIBED THE LOOK AND FEEL THAT THE STAFF SAID WERE TERMS LIKE FRESH, TRADITIONAL, APPROACHABLE AND COMMUNITY CENTERED RELIABILITY, VIBRANT AND FORWARD THINKING GROWTH. SO REALLY BACK TO THAT FOCUS AREA, RIGHT? BALANCING THE, THE GROWING, BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT, MORE EFFECTIVE WHILE MAINTAINING THAT ACCESSIBILITY IN THAT SERVICE WITH HEART. THE TOP FIVE CORE VALUES. SO THIS WAS ASKED IN A SURVEY TO STAFF. THEY IDENTIFIED THESE INTEGRITY, SERVICE EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HONESTY AND TRUST AND RESPECT. BUT OTHER VALUES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT CAME UP THAT THEY THOUGHT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT WERE TERMS LIKE SMALL TOWN HEART, BIG CITY VISION, QUALITY OVER QUANTITY, RIGHT SERVICE FIRST REMAINING QUOTE [00:10:04] HUMAN DESPITE SIZE. AND TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OUT THOSE VALUES, STAFF NEED TO SEE LEADERSHIP, MODELING AND CULTURAL CONSISTENCY, PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S TIED TO THOSE VALUES. TRANSPARENCY, MULTI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION AND REALLY THINKING BIG. THE THINGS THAT MADE STAFF PROUD TO WORK FOR THE CITY GOVERNMENT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY IMPACT THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO SEE EVERY DAY, RIGHT. AND THINGS THAT THEY DO, IT'S A GREAT, SOLID TEAM OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH. AND REALLY, THAT POTENTIAL AND FUTURE OF LEANDER AS IT CONTINUES TO GROW AND EVOLVE, WHAT DOES MAKE IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES? WE ASKED THAT TO BOTH STAFF AND TO RESIDENTS ON THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, BUT IT'S THAT SLEEPING GIANT POTENTIAL. IT'S REALLY GOT ENGAGED, DIVERSE RESIDENTS. IT IS, QUOTE, GROWING WITH HEART, RIGHT? SO SO BACK TO THAT FOCUS AREA TRANSIT AND ITS GEOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGE, THE, THE KIND OF IN BETWEEN, LIKE SMALL TOWN MINDSET, BUT BIG CITY REALITY AND, AND NAVIGATING THAT AND ALSO A LACK OF ESSENTIAL SENSE OF PLACE. WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE COMP PLAN PROJECT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. SO WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THAT TEAM AND SPEAKING WITH THE CPSC TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. AND SO AS LEANDER GROWS, THE CPAC SPECIFICALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SERVICE FIRST MINDSET IN CITY LEADERSHIP IS PROTECTED. AND THAT COMMUNITY FIRST MINDSET IS PROTECTED IN RESIDENCE. I MENTIONED WE DID A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE ON OUR SITE VISIT. SO YOU'LL SEE SLIDES LIKE THIS THAT KIND OF GO OVER THOSE RESULTS. SO ON THIS PARTICULAR BOARD, WE HAD A KIND OF PAIRS OF WORDS AND PEOPLE KIND OF THIS OR THAT. THEY COULD CHOOSE WHICH WORD THAT THEY FEEL BEST REPRESENTS REPRESENTED. LEANDER. SO TO, TO THOSE FOLKS THAT PARTICIPATED AT THAT EVENT, LEANDER IS MORE GROWING CITY THAN SMALL TOWN. IT'S MORE LAID BACK THAN AMBITIOUS, MORE INNOVATIVE THAN TRADITIONAL, MORE COMFORTABLE THAN BOLD, MORE PRACTICAL THAN VISIONARY, MORE AFFORDABLE THAN ELEVATED. SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT AT TENSION WITH EACH OTHER AND LIKE, KIND OF MIGHT FEEL LIKE OPPOSITES. SO IT'S UP IN THE NEXT PHASE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TOUGH PART OF IS HOW DO WE STRIKE THAT BALANCE? THAT FEELS LIKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND THEN WE ASKED AT THAT SAME EVENT AS LEANDER GROWS, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO PURSUE? SO IT'S THINGS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAME UP A LOT. I'M SURE THAT'S NOT A SURPRISE. PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND COMFORT. YOU KNOW, ALL ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND CONVENIENCE, REALLY ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS. YOU KNOW, MORE THINGS TO DO WITHIN CITY LIMITS, MUSIC AND ARTS ACTIVITIES, UPGRADED COMMUNITY CENTERS, BEAUTIFICATION AND GREENERY. WE ALSO ASKED WHICH SMALL SCALE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD MAKE LEANDER THE BEST VERSION OF ITSELF. AND MOST OF THESE SUGGESTIONS WEREN'T ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY SMALL SCALE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY REALLY FOCUSED ON THINGS LIKE PEDESTRIAN COMFORT, NEIGHBORHOOD MAINTENANCE, NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY, AND, AND CREATED SPACES FOR CREATING SPACES FOR LOCAL ARTS, LOCAL MUSIC ACTIVITIES. WE ASKED ON OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY. WE ASKED, HOW WOULD YOU CURRENTLY RATE THE STATE OF CIVIC PRIDE IN LEANDER? RESPONDENTS COULD CHOOSE FROM VERY POOR ALL THE WAY TO EXCELLENT. YOU CAN SEE THAT MOST KIND OF FELL IN THAT AVERAGE RANGE. SO THIS IS JUST A GOOD BENCHMARKING QUESTION FOR AFTER WE KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND IT STARTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED TO ASK IT AGAIN IN A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, AND SEE HOW WE CAN CHANGE THESE NUMBERS. AND THEN A NOTE JUST FROM COMMUNITY INTERVIEWS THAT WE DID IS IT SEEMED LIKE WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE FOLKS THAT WE SPOKE WITH ONE ON ONE IS THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS IS IMPLEMENTED, IT'S EXECUTED. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SITS ON THE SHELF. SO IN THE SECOND FOCUS AREA, AND IF I HAD TO PUT A LITTLE STAR BY ANY ONE OF THE FOCUS AREAS, I WOULD PERSONALLY PUT IT BY THIS, THIS ONE, I THINK THIS IS THIS REALLY GETS AT THE MEAT OF WHAT CAN A BRAND DO, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST AN ENHANCED VISUAL IDENTITY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MODERNIZED TOOLS AND, AND GUIDELINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR STAFF TO USE, BUT REALLY GUIDING HOW THE COMMUNITY GROWS AND HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE. SO ERASING THE DESTINATION DEFICIT WHILE MAINTAINING CHARACTER THROUGH INTENTIONAL HUMAN SCALE DEVELOPMENT. I'LL READ A FEW THINGS FROM THIS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT. JUST TO UNDERSTAND LEANDER. SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR RESEARCH, LEANDER IS CURRENTLY GRAPPLING WITH A, QUOTE, DESTINATION DEFICIT, RIGHT? THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING, BUT RESIDENTS STILL CITE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO LEAVE AND GO TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TO DO THE THINGS THEY WANT OR TO, TO GET CERTAIN SERVICES. AND SO THERE'S DEMAND FOR NEW THINGS TO BE WITHIN CITY LIMITS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE TO DO THAT. RIGHT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S THIS KIND OF FRUSTRATION WITH WITH, QUOTE, COPYCAT FATIGUE, RIGHT? NOT WANTING IT TO BE JUST DEVELOPMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE IN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY. BUT WHAT'S SPECIAL AND HOW CAN IT BE UNIQUE TO LEANDER, YOU KNOW, SO THAT DOESN'T BECOME OVER COMMERCIALIZED SO THAT IT MAINTAINS AS IT GROWS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT CHARACTER AND THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL STILL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CERTAINLY NOT. AND SO THIS FOCUS AREA IS REALLY ALL ABOUT HOW IS THAT THAT TENSION? HOW CAN THE BRAND SPEAK TO THAT? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT NEED FOR MORE AMENITIES, BUT DESIRE TO [00:15:05] MAINTAIN THAT SMALL TOWN CHARACTER. SO FROM OUR ENGAGEMENTS WITH STAFF, RIGHT, STAFF REALLY PLACE STRONG EMPHASIS ON THINGS LIKE INTENTIONAL DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? WELL PLANNED, BEAUTIFUL, CONNECTED COMMUNITY, FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. AND I'LL POINT OUT THAT FOURTH ONE IS SMALL HOME TOWN COMMUNITY FEEL, RIGHT. AND WE ASKED THEM THE SAME QUESTION THAT WE ASKED AT THAT PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE. WHAT SHOULD THE CITY PURSUE AS IT GROWS? AND THE NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WAS TO MAINTAIN LEANDER SMALL TOWN CHARACTER AND THEN COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. RIGHT. IT'S REALLY CLEAR PEOPLE LOVE LEANDER OR LOVE THAT LEANDER IS QUICKLY GAINING MORE AMENITIES, MAKES IT MORE CONVENIENT PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK, BUT THEY ALSO DON'T WANT IT TO GROW TOO MUCH, RIGHT? THEY DON'T WANT IT TO LOSE THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL. SO THAT MEANS PRIORITIZING CONNECTEDNESS, A SLOWER PACE OF LIFE THAN NEARBY COMMUNITIES, AND REALLY THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY MINDSET, RIGHT? SO THE CITY NEEDS TO BE INTENTIONAL IN DEVELOPMENT. SMALL TOWN, BUT DONE WELL IS A, IS A VERBATIM QUOTE FROM SOME COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS THAT I THINK SUMMARIZES THIS QUITE WELL, RIGHT? NOT FEELING LIKE AN AVERAGE SMALL TOWN, FEELING LIKE A SMALL TOWN WITH INCREDIBLE QUALITY AND CARE PUT INTO EVERY DECISION. MANY RECOGNIZE THAT LEANDER DOESN'T HAVE A STRONGLY DEFINED IDENTITY NOW, BUT ARE EXCITED THAT IT HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS PROJECT THAT WILL SHAPE THAT IDENTITY. OBVIOUSLY, QUALITY FOR LIFE, FOR FAMILIES IS, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO, TO MANY RESIDENTS. AND SO THAT MEANS THINGS LIKE SAFETY, FAMILY FRIENDLY AMENITIES, WALKABILITY, PARKS, TRAILS, DIVERSITY FRIENDLY PEOPLE, ETC. YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING A SMALL TOWN FEELS THE COMMUNITY GROWS WAS REALLY A COMMON THING. I THINK IN, IN MOST, IF NOT ALL OF OUR FOCUS GROUPS. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABILITY. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? IS THE, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT CONTINUE AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS? HOW CAN THERE BE MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR KIDS THAT GROW UP HERE, RIGHT, OR FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO SO THAT IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE FOR ALL AGES. THE COMMUNITY. THE TOP THREE ATTRIBUTES OF LEANDER. THIS CAME OUT OF THE SURVEY. REGIONAL ACCESS AND PROXIMITY. IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR FAMILIES. AND THEN THAT THIRD ONE SMALL TOWN FEEL. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY LOVE ABOUT LEANDER. THIS ONE. OBVIOUSLY SOME OF IT MIGHT BE HARD TO SEE, BUT JUST A COOL VISUALIZATION. ON THE SURVEY, WE ASKED, WHAT THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE LEANDER? SO THIS ONE IS ABOUT JUST THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. SO OBVIOUSLY THE LARGER THE WORD, THE MORE OFTEN IT WAS USED. SO IT'S THINGS LIKE GROWING FRIENDLY, COMMUNITY, FAMILY SAFE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE WORDS LIKE CROWDED OR CONGESTED, YOU KNOW, SUBURBAN, PEACEFUL, CLEAN. THEN WE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION, BUT HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE PEOPLE OF LEANDER? SO TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, PERSONALITY AND VALUES, BUT STILL A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS CAME UP FRIENDLY, DIVERSE, KIND, HARD WORKING, FAMILY, WELCOMING, NEIGHBORLY, NICE, ACTIVE, HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY. SO REALLY, AGAIN, THAT THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL AND BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS ABOUT HERE IN LEANDER, YOU CAN WALK YOUR DOG AND THE PERSON WALKING THEIR DOG DOWN THE STREET IS GOING TO SAY HI TO YOU AND LOOK YOU IN THE EYE. AND THAT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CITY IS GROWING ON THIS QUESTION SPECIFICALLY? SO THIS KIND OF BUILDS ON A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED IN YOUR COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WAS COMPLETED RECENTLY. ESSENTIALLY, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, RANKING QUESTION. HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO RECOMMEND LEANDER AS A PLACE? AND WE ASKED TO, TO RELOCATE A BUSINESS OR START A BUSINESS TO SHOP AND TO EAT, RELOCATE A BUSINESS OR START A BUSINESS WAS KIND OF NUMBER ONE IN THAT ORDER. BUT STILL, YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM THERE, RIGHT? 5.6, FOUR OUT OF TEN, THEY'RE STILL KIND OF MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, RIGHT? AND SO HOW CAN WE GET THOSE NUMBERS UP? RIGHT? KIND OF ANOTHER BENCHMARKING TYPE THINGS AS MORE AMENITIES COME INTO THE COMMUNITY, HOW CAN HOW CAN IT BE MORE LIKELY TO BE RECOMMENDED WHILE MAINTAINING THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL? WHAT WOULD MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE? IT'S THINGS LIKE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DISTINCT, WALKABLE CORE. OBVIOUSLY, NORTHLINE IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A HUGE POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, COULD FILL THAT THAT NEED. BUT I THINK THERE WERE THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ALSO MENTIONED OLD TOWN WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT IMPORTANCE TO, TO THEM. AND IT'S POTENTIAL REALLY INFRASTRUCTURE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS, EXPANSION OF WALKABILITY AND CONNECTIVITY, UPGRADED PUBLIC FACILITIES, LONG TERM WATER SECURITY. HOWEVER, FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SURVEY RESPONSES, THERE WAS KIND OF AN UNCERTAINTY ABOUT HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. RIGHT. OR LIKE WHAT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LEANDER? KIND OF A UNSURENESS ABOUT HOW TO ANSWER THAT EVEN ON OUR SURVEY. AND THEY'RE KIND OF THREE [00:20:01] BUCKETS THAT I WOULD SAY THOSE THOSE QUESTIONS FELL WITHIN ITS THAT KIND OF THE STRIP MALL EFFECT, WHICH I THINK I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, RIGHT? DEVELOPMENT, BUT NOT BEING TOO GENERIC. AND THEN IT JUST FEELING LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY, THAT DESTINATION DEFICIT OF LEAVING LEANDER FOR SERVICES AND ENTERTAINMENT AND THEN EVEN JUST HIDDEN OR UNKNOWN ASSETS, PEOPLE NOT KNOWING EVEN WHAT'S IN WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THE, THE BUSINESSES OR THE RECREATION ACTIVITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE. NOT NOT REALIZING KIND OF WHAT IS WHAT LIES WITHIN THEIR OWN CITY LIMITS. AT THAT OPEN HOUSE. AND THEN ALSO AT THE POP UPS, WE ASKED, WHAT SHOULD LEANDER BE KNOWN FOR THAT WOULD MAKE YOU PROUD? SO TRYING TO GET AT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, FEELS RELEVANT, BUT ALSO FEELS LIKE SOMETHING FUTURE FORWARD AND THAT LEANDER COULD GROW INTO AS WELL, REALLY STRONGLY KIND OF CENTER AROUND PRESERVING A SMALL TOWN IDENTITY WHILE STRATEGICALLY DEVELOPING WALKABLE, CULTURALLY RICH, FAMILY FRIENDLY INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT PARKS, TRAILS, WALKABILITY, SMART DEVELOPMENT, A VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY, COMMUNITY CULTURE. IT'S FAMILY CENTRIC, SMALL TOWN VIBE. AND THEN I'LL POINT OUT THE HILL COUNTRY IDENTITY BECAUSE WE'LL KIND OF GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN FOCUS AREA THREE. SO JUST TO, TO SET UP THAT. AND THEN WE ASKED, IN WHAT WAYS HAS LEANDER'S GROWTH BEEN BENEFICIAL TO YOU? RIGHT? THEY DO LIKE THE PROXIMITY AND CONVENIENCE OF SHOPPING, RETAIL, DINING, YOU KNOW, EXPANDED DINING OPTIONS. DIVERSIFYING THE TAX BASE HELPS EASE PRESSURE ON, ON HOMEOWNERS AND PROPERTY TAXES. RIGHT. BUT ALSO INCREASES THEIR PROPERTY VALUE. THERE'S CLOSER, CLOSER, ESSENTIAL SERVICES. SO THAT HELPS WITH QUALITY OF LIFE. AND THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS. NOW FOCUS AREA THREE, AND I REALLY DO THINK TWO AND THREE GO PRETTY HAND IN HAND. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP BETWEEN ALL OF THEM. BUT ESPECIALLY I THINK TWO AND THREE. TO GO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ASKED FOLKS WHAT MAKES LEANDER SPECIAL, THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOME STRUGGLE, RIGHT? HOW EXACTLY TO ANSWER THAT? BUT IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WASN'T THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T STRUGGLE WITH OR, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY CAME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT'S YOUR PROXIMITY TO THE HILL COUNTRY. AND THAT AS A GEOGRAPHIC AND TOPOGRAPHIC ASSET THAT NO OTHER COMMUNITY CAN REALLY CLAIM IN THE SAME WAY. AND WANTING TO PRESERVE THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER OTHER CITIES ARE MORE BUILT OUT. THERE'S MORE OPEN SPACE HERE. WE CAN STILL KIND OF EXPERIENCE THAT. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S PARTS IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE VIEWS AND YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT? EVEN TO ME, I DIDN'T REALIZE LIKE HOW CLOSE IT WAS. AND I'VE BEEN TO THE AUSTIN AREA SEVERAL TIMES, YOU KNOW, THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE THE DIFFERENTIATING FACTOR FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. IN FACT, STAFF, THEY NAMED HILL COUNTRY STEWARDSHIP AND PRESERVATION AS ONE OF THE VALUES OR CHARACTER CHARACTERISTICS THAT SHOULD BE REALLY BE CENTRAL TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT'S MISSION AND VISION. RIGHT. AND THEY SAID, AS LEANDER GROWS AND GROWS, ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING TO PURSUE IS PROTECTING LEANDER'S NATURAL RESOURCES, OPEN SPACES, AND SMALL TOWN CHARACTER. THE CPAC AS WELL. YOU KNOW, LEANDER HAS BENEFITS. IT'S OBVIOUSLY ITS PROXIMITY TO AUSTIN AND JUST IN THE METRO AREA AND AND THE HIGHWAYS AND THINGS. IT'S REALLY EASY TO GET AROUND, BUT IT CAN STILL KIND OF BE ITS OWN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY SEPARATE FROM THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A MIX OF PEOPLE WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. IT'S AN UP AND COMING PLACE AND IT'S GROWING QUICKLY, BUT IT'S STILL VERY COMMUNITY ORIENTED. AND THEN THE TOPOGRAPHY AND RIVER, ESPECIALLY THE WAY THE MORE BUSINESS SIDE OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, KIND OF MEETS THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. AND THAT INTERESTING KIND OF MIX, RIGHT? MAKES FOR A REALLY INTERESTING DYNAMIC. THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SURVEY, REALLY WHAT THEY ENJOY MOST, IT SEEMS ABOUT LIVING HERE IS THAT BALANCE OF IT'S A REALLY PEACEFUL PLACE TO LIVE, RIGHT? IT'S KIND OF A SANCTUARY, BUT IT'S GOT A LOT OF REGIONAL CONVENIENCE AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT PLACE FOR FAMILIES. THEY HAVE A REALLY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE CITY'S QUIET, SAFE, CLEAN ATMOSPHERE AND REALLY VALUE THE GEOGRAPHIC TIME OF LIVING ON THE EDGE OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. RIGHT. THEY'RE PROUD OF THAT, THAT TOPOGRAPHY, THEY'RE THEY'RE PROUD OF QUIET, UNPRETENTIOUS CIVIC EXCELLENCE, THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND THE STORIES HERE ON THE PREHISTORIC AND ARCHEOLOGICAL HERITAGE KIND OF GO ALONG WITH THAT, THAT GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY AS WELL. AND IT'S UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THAT HILL COUNTRY TOPOGRAPHY, BECAUSE IT'S AN EMERGING MULTICULTURAL CITY. AND BECAUSE IN A WAY, IT IS A BLANK CANVAS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, RIGHT? THEY CAN REALLY SHAPE ITS OWN FUTURE. LEANDER RESIDENTS KIND OF ALL SEEM TO SHARE THESE VALUES. IT'S INTENTIONALLY ANTI AUSTIN. THERE'S A NOSTALGIA AND SMALL TOWN PRESERVATIONIST KIND OF SENSE, PRACTICAL FAMILY AMBITION, YOUTH ADVOCACY, AND THEN NEIGHBORLINESS, NEIGHBORLINESS AND COMMUNITY COHESION. CONNECTION, RIGHT. BEING ABLE TO TO SAY HI AS YOU WALK THE DOG. ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE MENTIONED A HANDFUL OF TIMES WE ASKED BOTH STAFF AND AND AT THE EVENT, WHAT SHOULD LEANDER PURSUE AS [00:25:01] IT GROWS? WE ALSO ASKED WHAT SHOULD LEANDER PROTECT? AND IT WAS PARKS, TRAILS, TREES, NATURAL GREEN SPACES AND OPEN SPACES, RIGHT. AFFORDABILITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, WATER SUPPLY AND PUBLIC TRANSIT. WE ALSO ASKED, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE PEOPLE OF LEANDER COMPARED TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES? AND REALLY, THEY DESCRIBE IT'S WELCOMING, ACTIVE, DIVERSE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE HERE ARE WARM. THEY'RE DOWN TO EARTH, RIGHT? THEY USE WORDS LIKE FRIENDLY, LAID BACK, FAMILY ORIENTED. IT'S KIND OF BALANCING THE THE MORE TRADITIONAL VIBE WITH THAT INCREASINGLY MODERN, EDUCATED AND VERY DEMOGRAPHIC. BUT THERE ARE SOME GROWING PAINS STILL, RIGHT? BUT THERE'S, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A FEELING OF, OF DISCONNECT DUE TO GROWTH, WHICH, WHICH MAKES SENSE AND IS TO BE EXPECTED WISHING FOR A MORE CENTRALIZED DOWNTOWN OR MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. SO KIND OF SPEAKS TO DON'T LOSE THAT, THAT CONNECTION PEOPLE OR PLACES THAT PEOPLE FEEL THE MOST. LEANDER IT'S OLD TOWN. IT'S THE PARKS, TRAILS AND NATURAL SPACES. IT'S LOCAL HANGOUTS AND FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES, RIGHT? IT'S TRAINS, DINOSAURS AND REGIONAL LAW, AND IT'S COMMUNITY EVENTS AND THEN FOCUS AREA FOR. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TOOLS AND THE THINGS THAT STAFF NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO, TO USE THE VISUAL IDENTITY TO COMMUNICATE THE BRAND, TO APPLY IT. RIGHT? WHAT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THAT AREN'T KEEPING UP THAT STAFF NEEDS HELP WITH IS REALLY WHAT A LOT OF THIS FOCUS AREA HAS TO DO WITH. AND SO THEY CURRENTLY, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE CURRENT IDENTITY, LACK OF UNIFIED STANDARDS TEMPLATES, RIGHT? SO KIND OF JUST FROM A COMMUNICATIONS PERSPECTIVE, OUTDATED AND CLUNKY VISUALS, IDENTITY GAPS FOR, FOR SPECIFIC FACILITIES. SO FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE GOLF COURSE, RIGHT? THEY'VE GOT TO COMPETE WITH OTHER PRIVATE GOLF COURSES. SO THEY NEED TO, TO LOOK AND FEEL ON PAR WITH THAT KIND OF A SMALL TOWN ESTHETIC VERSUS THE ECONOMIC AMBITION OF LEANDER. AND, YOU KNOW, DO VISUALS MATCH THAT ECONOMIC AMBITION? AND THEN SUBBRANDING CONSISTENCY, RIGHT, BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE USING TO REPRESENT THEIR OWN DEPARTMENTS. IS THERE A COHESIVE SYSTEM FOR THAT? AND LOOK AND FEEL FOR THOSE? AND THEN WE ALSO ASKED AT THE OPEN HOUSE, WHAT WOULD HELP YOU BETTER CONNECT WITH THE ENTIRE LEANDER COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST YOUR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD OR AREA. IT'S THINGS LIKE CENTRALIZED FESTIVALS, MORE CONNECTED PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, CIVIC HUBS, AND MORE COHESIVE DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND ONLINE SPACES. AND WE ALSO ASKED ON THE SURVEY, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT? SO, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO THE CIVIC PRIDE ONE, BUT MEASURING THAT RESPONDENTS PERSONAL EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT. SO ONE THROUGH SEVEN SCALE, THE AVERAGE RATING WAS A 4.7. IT DOES THE HIGHEST AVERAGE SCORES DO TEND TO SKEW OLDER. THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON. USUALLY IT HAS TO DO WITH YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY LONGER. YOU OWN PROPERTY. YOU HAVE KIDS THAT ARE GROWING UP HERE, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THOSE FOUR FOCUS AREAS JUST TO, TO SPEAK TO THEM AGAIN, PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP MEETS SERVICE WITH HEART. SO, YOU KNOW, GROWING, ACCOMPLISHING MORE AS A CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT NOT LOSING THE ACCESSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THAT. TWO, ERASING THE DESTINATION DEFICIT WHILE MAINTAINING CHARACTER THROUGH INTENTIONAL HUMAN SCALE DEVELOPMENT. SO HOW DO YOU GROW WHILE NOT LOSING THAT ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS, RIGHT? NOT FEELING TOO BIG? YOU CAN DO THAT THROUGH THE SCALE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN THE WAY THAT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS DEVELOPED, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, GROWTH IS GOING TO HAPPEN. THREE STEWARDSHIP OF THE HILL COUNTRY. SO REALLY FOCUSING ON THAT AS THAT IS A DIFFERENTIATING FACTOR AND PEOPLE REALLY LOVE THAT. SO DOING THE WORK TO, TO PROTECT THAT, RIGHT. AND THEN FOUR UNIFYING A FRAGMENTED IDENTITY, REALLY GIVING STAFF THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE COHESIVELY. THINGS LOOK GREAT, SOUND GREAT. THEY ARE ABLE TO, TO DO THEM QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. SO I'LL, I'LL BRIEFLY KIND OF TOUCH ON OUR NEXT STEPS AND THEN I'LL, WE CAN JUMP BACK TO, TO WHEREVER WE, WE NEED TO, TO TALK ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. SO AFTER TODAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL GOOD WITH THOSE FOCUS AREAS, YOU FEEL LIKE WE'VE, WE'VE DONE THE WORK, WE'VE UNCOVERED WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW. THEN WE'LL WORK TO DEVELOP AND FINALIZE THE BRAND STRATEGY FOR SWISS STAFF. THE BRAND STRATEGY IS WHAT IS THAT VISION? IT'S THE BRANDING WORDS. RIGHT? SO NOT DESIGNING ANYTHING YET, BUT FROM A NARRATIVE STANDPOINT, REALLY DEFINING THAT VISION THAT WE, YOU KNOW, PULLED OUT OF OUR ENGAGEMENTS WITH WITH YOU ALL AND WITH THE COMMUNITY. WHAT IS THE BRAND IN WORDS WE WORK TO, TO DO THAT WITH STAFF FIRST AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO DESIGN. OKAY. WHAT ARE THE DESIGN TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT VISION, RIGHT? DOES IT LOOK LIKE THAT? DOES IT LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT? WE'LL, WE'LL WORK THROUGH THAT WITH STAFF. AND ONCE WE GET, WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE, THE NARRATIVE STRATEGY PART AND THE VISUAL PART IN A SOLID PLACE WITH [00:30:01] STAFF, THEY FEEL BOUGHT INTO IT. THAT'S WHEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, PRESENT EVERYTHING TO YOU FOR APPROVAL TOGETHER. AND THEN AFTER WE HAVE THAT, WE WILL PACKAGE THE FINAL DELIVERABLES, WHICH ARE BRAND GUIDELINES. SO, YOU KNOW, THE DON'T SKEW THE LOGO, USE IT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE IT THIS SMALL, THESE ARE THE COLORS, ETC. THESE ARE THE FONTS. BUT THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS THAT PLACE BRAND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. SO THAT IS BEYOND THE VISUAL STUFF, BEYOND, YOU KNOW, UPDATING A BANNER FOR, FOR A TABLE. HOW CAN THE STRATEGY REALLY AND THAT VISION EMBED ITSELF INTO DECISION MAKING AT THE THIS COUNCIL AND STAFF LEVEL. RIGHT. AND SO THAT THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WILL HAVE SOME GUIDELINES AROUND THAT. IT'S SOME KIND OF CATALYST PROJECTS THAT WILL SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT FALL 2026 FOR, TO, TO WRAP UP OUR PROJECT. AND I BELIEVE THAT. LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT THIS LAST SLIDE. YES, IT IS. SO, KENT, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD THAT I DIDN'T COVER, BUT OTHERWISE I'LL I'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. WELL, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING SUCH A SUCCINCT OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR ALL OF THESE MONTHS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE INFORMATION YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER AND PUT TOGETHER, SO WE KNOW WHAT TO FOCUS ON. CAN YOU GO BACK TWO SLIDES, PLEASE? RIGHT THERE. SO HOW CUSTOMARY IS IT FOR A CITY TO MOVE OR AN ORGANIZATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH? FOUR BRAND FOCUSES AS A, I KNOW YOU SAID TWO AND THREE ARE REALLY CLOSELY ALIGNED. SO IS IT BETTER FOR US TO KEEP THE FOUR, OR DO WE NEED TO DRILL DOWN MORE INTO SOMETHING A LITTLE SHORTER? SURE. YEAH, NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO FOCUS ON ALL FOUR. OKAY. THE NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER FOUR HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT, RIGHT. AND THE TOOLS AND THINGS THAT WE'LL GIVE OUT IN THAT DESIGN PHASE. AND THEN TWO AND THREE REALLY HAVE MORE TO DO WITH THEY'LL WILL INFORM THE STRATEGY PIECE AND THE VISION AND THE NARRATIVE. SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY ON PROJECTS, JUST TO GIVE YOU A RANGE WHERE WE USUALLY END UP WITH ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 5. SO WE'RE RIGHT ON THAT. WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. EXCELLENT. I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE GREAT. AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT I PERSONALLY WOULD HAVE POINTED OUT AS WE WALK THROUGH IT. SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY IS IN LINE THINKING MOSTLY THE SAME THINGS FROM THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL AND SEE IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO HOP BACK TO. PRO TEM, I'LL START WITH YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO WALK BACK THROUGH? ACTUALLY, IT WAS JUST I WROTE DOWN TWO THINGS. I MEAN, I FELT THE PRESENTATION WAS DEFINITELY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT JUST TWO RANDOM THOUGHTS THAT I SAID AS YOU WENT THROUGH IT IS THERE'S VERY FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM HERE, RIGHT? BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE IN LAND ARE, ARE TRANSPLANTS OR. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE EVEN IF YOU'VE MOVED UP FROM AUSTIN, BUT IT'S JUST A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING. SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT IN ALL OF THIS. AND THE OTHER THING I KNOW, SMALL TOWN WAS SPRINKLED LIKE IN 98% OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT IT GOT ME TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE I ALSO AM FROM A VERY SMALL TOWN. SO AND FOR ME, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SMALL TOWN, BUT IT'S JUST CHARACTER IN GENERAL, RIGHT? BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE LARGER PLACES AND EVEN THE VERY POPULAR TOWN TO OURSELVES, EVERY BUILDING IS BUILT THE SAME WAY. THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT DIFFERENTIATES ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND SO FOR ME, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SMALL TOWN, BUT IT'S JUST CHARACTER IN GENERAL. AND I THINK YOU DO THAT THROUGH THE BEAUTIFICATION, THE ART, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SUCH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AREAS WITHIN OUR CITY THAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT FEEL, BUT ALL TOGETHER, IT CREATES THIS REALLY AMAZING VIBRANCY. YEAH, YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT. AND BECAUSE WHEN EVEN I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT, AND I THINK EVEN KENT AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS WHEN PEOPLE SAY SMALL TOWN FEEL THEY'RE NOT REALLY MEANING IT'S PHYSICALLY SMALL, THEY ARE MEANING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, RIGHT? THE CHARACTER AND THE I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY ON THE STREET. THEY'LL LOOK ME IN THE EYE, THEY WON'T TURN AND LOOK AWAY. YOU KNOW, IT'S THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT COULD EXIST IN A MILLION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, RIGHT? IT'S IT'S THAT CHARACTER. IT'S IT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THANK YOU. PLACE FIVE. THANK YOU. THIS WAS REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE. I THINK IT'S COMPREHENSIVE. I REALLY THINK IT IT SHOWS THAT THE INVESTMENT WE'VE MADE HERE IN REVIEWING THIS AND GETTING THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IS INFORMING OUR DECISION MAKING GOING FORWARD. AND I THINK IT REALLY GIVES US A A DEFINED NARRATIVE. LIKE WE'RE STARTING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IS THE WORDS MATTER, RIGHT? AND I WOULD ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF MY, [00:35:06] MY SEATMATE HERE, MISS ROSS SMALL TOWN IS I, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD PUT OUT THAT WE NEED TO AVOID USING THAT WORD OR THOSE WORDS TOGETHER. RIGHT? THIS SMALL TOWN HAS A DIFFERENT CONNOTATION, AND IT BRINGS ABOUT A DIFFERENT VISUALIZATION IN PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO AVOID, RIGHT? I, I DO LIKE THE SERVICE WITH HEART. I THINK THAT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL. AND THEN TALKING ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE HILL COUNTRY, BUT WE HAVE TO BE PURPOSEFUL IN THE WAY THAT WE DO OUR BRANDING. AND THEN THE ACTIONS THAT THE CITY TAKES IN CONCURRENCE WITH THAT BRANDING. WE CAN'T BE STEWARDS OF THE HILL COUNTRY, AND THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS, BUT BUILD A DATA CENTER. THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO REALLY, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR NARRATIVE IS AND HOW IT IT AIDS US IN GOVERNING GOING FORWARD. RIGHT. AND THE INTENTIONALITY. THERE WAS A COUPLE THINGS THAT I, THAT I NOTED. I THINK, I THINK IT WAS BRILLIANT THAT YOU CALLED OUT THE ATTRACTING TALENT WITH COMPETITIVE SALARIES. THAT IS TANTAMOUNT BECAUSE WE CANNOT GET THERE WITH THE WITHOUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE. AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT. SO DEFINITIVELY. I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CALL OUTS THAT I SAW, AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. I THINK OUR BRAND MUST SIGNAL CAPACITY AND CARE AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK YOU'RE KIND OF SURFACING THAT. THERE IS, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT DEFINITE DESTINATION DEFICIT, THE COPYCAT COPYCAT FATIGUE IS, IS THAT'S REAL. THAT IS REAL. AND WHILE WE ARE FINDING THOSE CONVENIENCES COMING TO OUR CITY, IT DOES TEND TO BE VERY DUPLICATE. RIGHT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S A MEANS OF THE ECONOMY. THE ECONOMY IS PUSHING THAT PER SE. BUT I THINK WE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE JUDICIOUS IN THE WAY THAT WE ACTUALLY MANAGE SOME OF THAT. LIKE SOME OF IT IS OUT OF OUR CONTROL, BUT SOME OF IT NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, PURPOSEFUL. AND OUR OUTREACH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUTREACH TO BRING IN UNIQUE PARTNERS IN THAT, IN THAT PROCESS. SO I LOVE THE INTENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I THINK OLD TOWN IS VERY CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT THE THAT THE CITIZENS WANT TO SEE THAT. I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF FEEDBACK THERE. THERE WAS SOMETHING WHEN YOU GOT INTO THE IDENTITY, THE FRAGMENTED IDENTITY PIECE, CLUNKY. I WOULD WANT TO EXPAND ON THAT. LIKE, WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THAT? I MEAN, IS IT IS IT IMMATURE? IS IT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE COACHING YOUTH ATHLETICS, YOU TALK ABOUT KIDS AND THEY'RE CLUNKY, RIGHT? THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE PUPPET. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? LIKE, WHERE ARE WE IN THAT? I AND THE, THE, THE BRAND FUNCTIONING AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONNECTIVE TISSUE. AGAIN, SUPER HUGE CALL OUT FOR ME BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE SPOKEN OF MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THE CONSISTENCY OF MESSAGING AND THE VIEWING OF THE MESSAGING. IT NEEDS TO LOOK THE SAME, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S COMING TO BRAND SENSITIVITIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THERE WAS ONE LITTLE CALL OUT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG OF A DEAL THIS IS. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT IN TUNE WITH WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING. AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF THINGS PER SE, BUT ALSO TO WHOM THAT IS AIMED, RIGHT? LIKE, WHO WERE WE AFTER HERE? THERE'S A REALLY FINE LINE BETWEEN WHAT THE BRAND CAN DELIVER FOR THE CITY, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT JUST APPEALS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY BROUGHT IT BOUGHT IN. WE NEED TO WE THIS NEEDS TO BE A SELLING POINT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT BOUGHT IN TO LEANDER, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S OUR RESIDENTS OR WHETHER IT'S BUSINESSES COMING IN, HOWEVER IT IS, WE, YOU KNOW, POSITION THAT THAT'S SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHILE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TODAY THINK AND WANT, WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE THE PEOPLE OF THE FUTURE, RIGHT? SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT, I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO ENOUGH, IF THERE'S ENOUGH HERE FOR THE, FOR A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC, I, I DIDN'T GET THE NUMBER SENSE HERE, AND MAYBE YOU CAN EXPAND ON THAT AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. LIKE, WHO ARE WE TALKING TO? AND WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE FROM AN, FROM AN AGE DEMOGRAPHIC? RIGHT? I KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THESE COMMITTEES AND THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OLDER BY AND LARGE. SO I'D BE INTERESTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW, WHAT KIND OF YOUTH IMPACT OR YOUTH FEEDBACK WE GOT. SURE. OTHERWISE, I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC. AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE WHERE IT GOES NEXT. AWESOME. THANK YOU. YEAH. TO ANSWER YOUR LAST QUESTION THERE, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE [00:40:05] TOP OF MY HEAD, THE SURVEY, THE DISTRIBUTION AND IN TERMS OF AGE, RIGHT? BUT IT DEFINITELY DOES SKEW PROBABLY 35 UP. AND THEN A LOT OF THE, THE FOCUS GROUPS, DEFINITELY SOME OLDER, BUT ALSO PROBABLY A LOT OF LIKE KIND OF YOUNG ISH FAMILIES WHERE A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WE TALKED TO. YEAH. AND I'LL ADD IN THE FOCUS GROUPS TOO, THERE WERE A LOT OF YOUTH ADVOCATES. SO A LOT OF PARENTS HERE, OR COACHES OR THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY WERE ALSO REPRESENTING KIND OF THE YOUTH PART. SO WHEN YOU HEAR STUFF ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT AND ABOUT THE RECREATIONAL STUFF, I MEAN, THOSE ARE STUFF THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE REPRESENTATION ON THE YOUTH SIDE, BUT WE CAN LOOK THROUGH THE SURVEY RESULTS. I THINK WE HAD OVER 800 SURVEY RESULTS, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT. IT'S ONLINE WITH OVER A THOUSAND SURVEY RESULTS WE HAD LAST YEAR WITH THE COMMUNITY SURVEY. SO WE CAN GET THAT WITH COUNCIL AND SHOW YOU ALL KIND OF BREAKDOWN WITH THE THE SUBMISSIONS FOR THAT. AND IT KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE THAT MIRRORS OUR POPULATION, WHICH IS MAJORITY FALLS IN THAT RANGE 35 TO 55 OR WHATEVER WITH YOUNGER FAMILIES. OKAY. THANK YOU. PLEASE, FOR IT. SO I'M GOING TO ECHO THE PRO TEM AND NOT AND COUNCIL MEMBER NADINE, THE SMALL TOWN. IT'S JUST DISINGENUOUS. SURE, WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT 100 000 PEOPLE. AND I WOULD, I WOULD SAY DEFINE IT LIKE DEFINE BREAK IT DOWN. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? DOES IT MEAN TALKING TO YOUR NEIGHBOR? DOES IT MEAN, YOU KNOW, CHARACTER? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? AND DEFINE IT MORE THAN SMALL TOWN FEEL? BECAUSE THAT'S STILL TOO BROAD. AND IT SEEMS VERY DISINGENUOUS FOR A CITY OF 100 000. I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. THE HIDDEN OR UNKNOWN ASSETS FEATURE, AND HOW SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW BUSINESSES THAT ARE RIGHT IN THEIR BACKYARD. THANK YOU. I THINK WHEN WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SMALL TOWN CONNECTION AS A BETTER WAY, I GUESS, TO DESCRIBE, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT PEOPLE WANT IS THE CONNECTION, NOT A SMALL TOWN FEEL. I THINK CITY MANAGER PARKER AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT BEFORE THAT. EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. THAT'S NOT REALLY REALISTIC. AT 100 000 PEOPLE, WE ARE NOT TECHNICALLY A SMALL TOWN. RIGHT. SO I THINK IT IS THE CONNECTION PIECE. TOTALLY. AND I WAS SHARING WITH HIM THAT WHEN WE WERE AT THE JULY 4TH, AMERICA 250 AND JUNETEENTH EVENTS, WHICH ARE THE MOST RECENT EVENTS THAT WE HAD. THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE KEPT TALKING ABOUT, THAT THOSE EVENTS FELT LIKE COMMUNITY, AND THEY FELT VERY CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY BY COMING. SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR. AND I NOTICED THAT YOU MADE THAT REFERENCE IN HERE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S TOTALLY THOSE THINGS. AND IN THAT STRATEGY PHASE, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL GET INTO LIKE, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC WORDS THAT REALLY CAPTURE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE WORDS PEOPLE USE TO US. WE LIKE THE SMALL TOWN FEEL, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE KIND OF READING BETWEEN THE LINES. ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, OF LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? SO WE'LL REALLY DIVE INTO THAT IN THE, IN THE STRATEGY PHASE. THANK YOU. PLACE THREE. FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK THAT IT'S VERY TIMELY, ONCE AGAIN, WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT BE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF, THE COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY, IT REALLY JUST SHOWED THAT WE ARE IN A TRANSITION PHASE AND WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON DEFINING IT. AND THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD SET PRECEDENTS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GROWING, DEVELOPING AND WHAT MODERNIZATION OF OUR CITY LOOKS LIKE. AND SO THERE WERE PROBABLY THREE FOCUS POINTS THAT I WANTED TO EITHER ASK ABOUT OR KIND OF TALK ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING. ON THE FIRST FOCUS AREA, YOU DEFINITELY TALKED ABOUT THAT. THERE WERE MANY THINGS THAT WERE CREATING KIND OF TENSION. I KIND OF WANTED YOU TO EXPAND ON WHERE YOU SAW THE TOP TWO, YOU KNOW, MOST TENSE OR HIGHEST TENSION IN PLACEMENT IN TERMS OF THAT FIRST PRIORITY OR FOCUS AREA? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT NOW. SURE, I CAN DO THAT. YEAH. SO OKAY, THE TENSIONS REALLY SO THAT'S WITHIN, YOU KNOW, STAFF. AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S TWO THINGS. I THINK ONE, IT'S, IT'S CAPACITY AND RIGHT. THE COMMUNITY'S GROWING, IT'S GROWING REALLY QUICKLY. STAFF ONLY HAS A LIMITED AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, LIMITED CAPACITY. AND HOW DO THEY KEEP UP WITH THAT? HOW DO THEY PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE WHEN THEY HAVE MORE DEMANDS? RIGHT. GOTCHA. SO EXPONENTIAL GROWTH AND LIMITED PEOPLE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE SERVICES. YES, EXACTLY. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE REALLY IS KIND OF WHAT, WHAT THAT FOCUS AREA IS CALLED IS LIKE, HOW DO THEY GROW AND, AND BECOME, YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST TIER [00:45:07] MUNICIPALITY IN THE, IN THE REGION, BUT NOT LOSE THE CHARACTER, THE CONNECTION, THE, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING A NICE CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE AND BEING REALLY HELPFUL, LIKE AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AS THEIR, AS THAT CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS THERE ARE MORE DEMANDS ON THEM, HOW DO THEY MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN STILL EXECUTE ON, ON THOSE DEMANDS WHILE REMAINING FRIENDLY? LIKE, COOL. GOOD TO WORK WITH PEOPLE, RIGHT? YEAH. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ONCE AGAIN, JUST LENDS TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THIS EXERCISE BEING REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHAT IS SCALABILITY LOOK LIKE? LONG TERM GROWTH IS GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, AND CHANGE IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IS CODEPENDENT ON HOW YOU SHAPE IT? AND SO I THINK THAT DEFINITELY SPEAKS TO THAT. THE OTHER PIECE THAT I KIND OF ECHOED THE SENTIMENTS OF MAYOR PRO TEM ROSS ON THIS WAS THERE WAS THE QUESTION ABOUT COMMUNITY PRIDE AND CONNECTION, AND IT WAS A FAIRLY LOW I THINK IT WAS LIKE 4.70, YES. HUM. OUT OF SEVEN. YES. I THINK I THINK GOING BACK TO MAYBE THERE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK TO RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TEN, POSSIBLY 20, 30 YEARS, THE CONNECTION TO THE CITY IS VERY DEEPLY ROOTED. IT'S GENERATIONAL. THERE IS A LOT OF PRIDE. BUT I SEE AS NEWCOMERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD THAT EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? AND THEN I THINK WE EVEN CIRCLED AROUND IN TERMS OF HAVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO GREW UP HERE TO STAY HERE. SO LIVE HERE, GET HERE, BE CONNECTED. THERE ARE LIMITATIONS THERE. AND SO I THINK THAT ALSO KIND OF LENDS TO THAT LOWER SCORE RATING. AND THEN THE THIRD THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY INTERESTING OF WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP WAS THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE HILL COUNTRY. AND SO IT JUST KIND OF BROUGHT TO LIGHT HOW WE PROBABLY DON'T FOCUS ABOUT FOCUS ON THAT AND BUILD AROUND INFRASTRUCTURALLY ECONOMICALLY AROUND THAT PIECE OF OUR JEWEL THAT THAT'S HERE IN THE CITY. AND SO I WAS, IT JUST KIND OF STARTED TO GET MY BUSINESS MIND RUNNING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT LONG TERM KIND OF CORRELATES WITH THE OTHER PIECE THAT I THOUGHT WAS BIG WAS OF COURSE, INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS A HIGHLIGHT. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A UNIQUE CAVEAT WAS TYPICALLY WE HEAR ABOUT TRAFFIC, RIGHT? SO EAST WEST TRAFFIC, TOLL ROADS, YOU NAME IT, WE GOT IT RIGHT. BUT I THOUGHT WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING IS THERE WAS A LOT OF CONNECT, A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON WALKABLE SPACES AND THAT COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND, AND HIGHLIGHTING NATURAL RESOURCES. I WAS REMINDED ABOUT THE DINOSAUR TRACKS THE OTHER DAY. SO MY KIDS WERE LITTLE, VERY, VERY LITTLE WHEN WE CAME HERE. AND WE ALWAYS WENT THERE. AND NOW SOME THINGS HAVE BUILT OUT. AND SO I EVEN HAVE A PICTURE OF ALL THREE OF MY LITTLE BOYS AT TWO, FOUR AND SIX, YOU KNOW, ON THE DINOSAUR TRACK. AND SO I WAS LIKE, HOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WAYS WE CAN CAPTURE THAT? BECAUSE THAT COMES, THAT GOES BACK TO KIND OF OUR BRAND AGENCY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND NOT LOSE THAT NECESSARILY IN THE SCALABILITY AND GROWTH. AND THEN I HAVE SOME CURIOSITY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONCE THIS, THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETE, WHAT IS THE WHAT IS AFFORDABILITY REALLY MEAN? SO IF WE LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR CITY, THE WORD DOESN'T NECESSARILY CORRELATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT POPULATION THAT'S EDUCATED, SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO FINDING IN THIS BRANDING DEFINITION WHAT AFFORDABILITY MEANS TO US SO THAT WE CAN EXERCISE SOME SUPPORT IN THAT AREA. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT POINT. AND THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANKS TO. ALL RIGHT. SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE ABOUT CURRENTLY RATE THE STATE OF CIVIC PRIDE IN LEANDER. SO 31% BASICALLY HAVE A NEGATIVE VIEW OF CIVIC PRIDE, WHICH IS WHICH IS SKEWED. SO SO WE'RE A LITTLE HEAVY ON THAT, BUT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY HAVE PRIDE. AND THEN WHEN YOU GO OVER TO THE. SLIDE WITH, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE CITY KNOW THAT? MY QUESTION ON THIS IS OUT OF TEN. SO FIVE IS PRETTY POOR. WHAT IS A WHAT WOULD BE, WHAT DO YOU USUALLY SEE ON THESE KIND OF AREAS? FOR MOST CITIES THAT ARE HAVE A BRAND THAT HAVE HAD A BRAND AND THEY'RE WORKING ON IT AND ALL THAT? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. AND I WILL SAY IT'S NOT USUALLY VERY DIFFERENT. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE MOST CITIES WE WORK WITH ARE NINES AND TENS. AND THIS IS AN ANOMALY. I WOULD SAY USUALLY IT DEFINITELY CORRELATES WITH SIZE. USUALLY THE SMALLER THE COMMUNITY WE'RE WORKING WITH. SO NOT, NOT LEANDER, BUT IS, IS USUALLY LOWER ON THESE TYPES OF THINGS UNLESS THEY HAVE LIKE A REALLY SHINING TOURISM ASSET FOR SOME REASON, LIKE THEY'RE [00:50:01] USUALLY IN THE, THE FOURS, I WOULD SAY, BUT I WOULD THE AVERAGE, I THINK IS PROBABLY ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN 5 AND 7. OKAY. AND SO, SO THEN ON THE SHOPPING AND THE EATING, WE'RE ACTUALLY LOW, WHICH IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE THINGS WE'RE STRONGER IN THESE DAYS THAN THE ONE THAT PEOPLE ARE RATING UP. YEAH, IT'S A GOOD POINT. SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING AND THEY THINK IS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BEAT UP THE SMALL TOWN PART, RIGHT? SO WHEN I HEAR SMALL TOWN, I THINK OF NO TALL BUILDINGS. I THINK OF THAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUST GETS AT ME. I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SEE WHEN PEOPLE RAMP UP AGAINST THINGS IN THE CITY AND THEY GET WORKED UP ABOUT THINGS, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY THE SMALL TOWN PART. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE REASON THEY LIKE THE SMALL TOWN IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG COMMUNITY, AND BY THAT WE HAVE GOOD EVENTS. I MEAN, WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT RUNNING EVENTS. WE HAVE PEOPLE SHOW UP AND WHEN THEY COME DOWN TO OLD TOWN FOR 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT THINGS WE'VE HAD DOWN HERE, THEY CONNECT BECAUSE WE TAKE OVER THE WHOLE AREA, WHICH GIVES YOU THAT SMALL TOWN EFFECT. AND SO I THINK THAT'S I REALLY THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. I THINK WHEN PEOPLE ARE WALKING AROUND IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY SEE EACH OTHER AND ALL THAT. THEY'RE NOT GETTING RUN OVER BY CARS UNLESS THEY'RE ON OSAGE. YOU NEED TO STOP IN THERE ANYWAYS. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE SEE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LIKE, OH, WE NEED TO GO LIKE, REALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S AN OLD, OLD WEST OR OLD MAYBERRY KIND OF THING. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT. WHEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, ON WHAT LEVEL OF STAFF DID WE TALK TO? WAS IT THE MANAGERS OR WAS IT CAN WE GO DOWN TO HOW WHAT WHAT WAS THE LEVEL ON THAT? IT WAS OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM. SO EVERY PERSON FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF DEPARTMENT HEADS OR DIRECTORS. THEY HAD SOMETIMES ONE OF THEIR STAFF MEMBERS FILL IN IN THOSE MEETINGS, TOO. AND IT'S A QUESTION FOR ME, ACTUALLY. THE SURVEY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL STAFF, RIGHT? YEAH. SO WE DID AN INTERNAL STAFF SURVEY AS WELL. SO ALL STAFF HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THAT. YEAH. SO IT'S REALLY IT'S IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE MANAGEMENT ON THE ONE PART. IT'S, IT'S EVERYBODY FROM SOMEBODY PUSHING THEM OVER TO SOMEBODY WHO'S RUNNING THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, SOMEBODY WHO SELECT SOME THINGS AND DO AN ENGINEERING AND ALL THAT. OKAY. THE DEFINITELY THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN HERE. IT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE HEARING. YOU KNOW, YOU DRIVE AROUND, YOU HEAR THINGS, YOU GO PLACES, YOU SEE THINGS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE BASICALLY WE GET A LOT OF FRANCHISES. WE DON'T GET ANYTHING THAT'S VERY SPECIAL. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY DESTINATIONS. IF WE TRY TO ATTRACT DESTINATIONS, THEY SAY WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, WE DON'T HAVE EMPLOYMENT, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THESE THINGS. AND SO IT'S IT'S TOUGH. AND SO THAT IT REFLECTS THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF THE BRAND IS TO COMMUNICATE WHO WE ARE, WHO LEANDER IS, WHO WE ARE AS A CITY, WHAT WE VALUE AND ALL THAT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP ARE REALLY THINGS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING THE HILL COUNTRY. IT'S A GREAT THOUGHT, BUT PEOPLE OWN THE LAND AND THEY CAN PRETTY MUCH DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH IT IN A LOT OF CASES. AND SO IT'S VERY TOUGH TO PROTECT THE HILL COUNTRY, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN THEY'RE SAYING THAT, THEY'RE SAYING THEY WANT NO MORE BUILDINGS, WHICH KIND OF TIES INTO THIS. AND IT'S NOT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT REALITY. I DO THINK THAT THE GATEWAY TO THE HILL COUNTRY IS A GREAT IS A GREAT POINT. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN I WAS KIND OF READING THROUGH THIS AND THINKING ABOUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT OF A COMPASS. A COMPASS BRINGS PEOPLE TO YOU AND ALSO BRINGS YOU HOME. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WE HAVE IN HOME AND DESTINATION GOES TO THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT. AND SO WHEN I START THINKING ABOUT VISUALLY, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS TOGETHER? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO ALL THE BRANDING? BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN IDENTITY AND WE'RE GOING TO BASICALLY IMPOSE SOMETHING BECAUSE NUMBER FOUR ON YOUR THING WAS FRAGMENTED IDENTITY, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. I MEAN, WE HAVE WE HAVE THE DINOSAUR TRACKS. WE HAVE, WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, AND WE HAVE TO PICK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PULL TOGETHER FOR OUR IMAGERY AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD ON THIS. AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE REALLY HAVE IS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO TO SEE WHAT WE SEE HERE. WE WANT THEM TO COME HERE AND ENJOY IT, AND WE WANT THEM TO. AND I THINK THAT TO ME, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I GET FROM THIS SURVEY. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT. I MEAN, I JUST THROW OUT A COMPASS BECAUSE I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS. ONE POINTS TO THE HILL COUNTRY, ONE POINTS TO NEANDERTHAL LADY, ONE POINTS TO THE DINOSAUR TRACKS AND ONE POINTS TO GEORGETOWN, I GUESS. BUT BUT I JUST KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I THINK OF THAT, SOME KIND OF IMAGERY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH IN A SLOGAN THAT KIND OF TAKES US WHERE WE WANT TO GO. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BASICALLY STACK EVERYTHING ON TOP OF THAT. AND SO IT'S, IT'S TOUGH. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD PUT NUMBER FOUR IN THERE, [00:55:05] BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO IMPOSE SOMETHING IN THE FIRST THREE. SO I WOULD JUST I DON'T I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT'S A FOCUS AREA BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO PICK SOMETHING. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. PLEASE. ONE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. ALSO APPRECIATE MY, MY COLLEAGUES FEEDBACK. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LAST IN THIS CASE, A LOT OF THE COMMENTS HAVE MAINLY COVERED, BUT I THINK JUST PRACTICALLY YOUR PRESENTATION AND OUR EXERCISE HERE TONIGHT KIND OF REINFORCES THIS IDEA OF THE FRAGMENTED IDENTITY. JUST TAKING SOME NOTES AS WE'RE CHATTING. AND MY HOMETOWN OF ROSEVILLE, MINNESOTA, WHERE I GREW UP FROM 1970 TO 2020, ONLY GREW BY 5000 AND HAS BEEN BETWEEN 30,000 AND 35,000. IN CONTRAST, OUR CITY HERE HAS GONE FROM APPROXIMATELY 60,000 IN 2010 TO, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST CALL IT 100,000 TODAY. SO A METEORIC RISE IN TERMS OF POPULATION. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN NORDIN THAT POINTED OUT THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT HAVE MOVED TO OUR CITY IN THE LAST, LET'S CALL IT 10 TO 20 YEARS ARE NOT FROM THIS AREA. THEY'RE NOT FROM AUSTIN. THEY'RE NOT FROM OUR STATE. AND SO WE HAVE MANY FACTIONS COMING HERE, LIVING HERE TOGETHER. AND WE'RE IN THIS COMPRESSED AREA OF TIME IN WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD OUT A CITY. EVERYTHING'S RAPIDLY GROWING. SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING, I THINK, IS A LOT OF NOISE ABOUT WHAT DIFFERING FACTIONS OF THE CITY WANT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, I REMEMBER TALKING TO FOLKS THAT SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AMENITIES. WE NEED MORE MAJOR OUTLETS. WE DON'T HAVE THE MAJOR OUTLETS THAT CEDAR PARK OR ROUND ROCK HAVE. I ALSO HEARD FOLKS SAY, WELL, WE HAVE TOO MANY OF THOSE. WE NEED SOME MORE SMALL TOWN SHOPS, AND I THINK BOTH CAN BE RIGHT. RIGHT. ALL THESE THINGS COMING TO OUR CITY, I THINK FOLKS HAVE A CONCEPTION THAT WE'RE ALWAYS THE ONES CHOOSING. THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT'S OKAY. I THINK WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THIS IDEA THAT WE CAN REALLY PICK AND CHOOSE ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE WAY THAT OUR CITY DEVELOPS THAT WAY. I MEAN, PAST, OF COURSE, OUR MASTER PLAN AND WHERE WE WANT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF BUSINESS TO BE MORE PRACTICALLY FOR THIS EXERCISE. I THINK, AS COUNCILMAN NOTED, WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A BRAND IDENTITY. WHO IS IT THAT WE ARE? RIGHT. SO I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH HAVING FOUR IN THERE. I THINK THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE SOME SOME FRICTION. JUST TWO POINTS THAT I ALSO WANT TO TOUCH ON ARE. NAOMI NOTED THAT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE SAYING WHEN WE SAY AFFORDABILITY. THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A CONTRARY STATEMENT, BECAUSE LEANDER HAS FOCUSED ON AVERAGE ARE MORE EDUCATED. THEY HAVE HIGHER INCOMES THAN THAN NORMAL. WHEN I THINK OF THE WORD AFFORDABILITY, I THINK PEOPLE MIGHT MEAN VALUE. OUR CITY IS A GOOD VALUE TO BE. YOU GET A LOT OF HOUSE FOR THE MONEY. YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF VALUE IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOLS, IN TERMS OF OUR COMMUNITY ASSETS. I THINK THAT VALUE IS MORE WHAT'S BEING CONVEYED THERE. AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SMALL TOWN, I'M GOING TO BE WITH EVERYONE HERE. THAT SMALL TOWN'S NOT TALKING ABOUT MAYBERRY. IT'S MORE SO COUNCILMAN ANDY AND I CHATTING ABOUT THIS. IT'S MORE SO A BYGONE ERA OR GROWING UP. I THINK IN A IN A TIME IN WHICH YOU CAN TRUST YOUR NEIGHBORS TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR DOG IF YOU'RE OUT OF TOWN OR TO CHECK YOUR MAIL IF YOU'RE ON VACATION OR YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, IF POWER GOES OUT, YOUR NEIGHBORS CAN HAVE YOUR BACK. THOSE SORTS OF NEIGHBORLY CONNECTIONS. SO THAT'S ONE ASPECT IS THE EVERYDAY BIT YOUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS. BUT THEN AS A CITY, DO WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, RIGHT? IF THERE'S A MAJOR DISASTER, DOES EVERYONE SHOW UP? DO WE ALL GET TOGETHER MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR FOR MAJOR EVENTS? IS THERE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S LIKE, I'M PROUD TO BE FROM LEANDER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR WE HAVE OUR OLD TOWN FESTIVAL, WE HAVE LIBERTY FEST. THESE ARE THINGS THAT MAKE ME PROUD TO BE FROM HERE. SO I KNOW IT GOES BACK TO THE FRAGMENTED IDENTITY BIT. I DON'T WANT TO LEAN INTO IT TOO MUCH. I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S THERE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A FOCUS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST EXPERIENCING GROWING PAINS. IN MY OPINION, EVERY MAJOR CITY, EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS HAD TO START FROM SCRATCH HAS GONE THROUGH THIS PERIOD. I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE TALKING IN THIS MANNER 20, 30 YEARS FROM NOW. JUST I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'VE GOT HERE IS PRETTY SPOT ON AND KIND OF REFLECTS WHAT I'VE HEARD AND CHATTING TO FOLKS. SO APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE RESPONDENTS ON THE S A DID WAS THERE A QUESTION AND I DON'T REMEMBER. I'M SORRY. WHEN I DID MINE A WHILE AGO THAT DIFFERENTIATED ARE YOU FROM THIS AREA OR HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN IN LEANDER? I DON'T REMEMBER, I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE HAVE ASKED HOW LONG I'D HAVE [01:00:02] TO LOOK BACK AT THAT. BUT WE DID ASK LIKE, DO YOU LIVE IN LEANDER? YES. NO. AND THEN IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY WOULD TELL US WHERE. OH, MY RELATIONSHIP TO LEANDER IS. WELL, I WORK THERE, SO I'M YOU KNOW, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER. WE ASKED HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN HERE. OKAY. THAT I THINK WOULD HELP CLEAR UP SOME OF THIS. ALSO, IF WE KNEW IF PEOPLE WERE RESPONDING BASED ON I'VE BEEN HERE TEN YEARS, LESS THAN FIVE YEARS, I'M FROM HERE. SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF IT WAS IN THERE OR NOT. I DID WANT TO GIVE OUR CITY MANAGER OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME IN. SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR? WELL, I THINK ALL THIS INFORMATION IS TIMELY, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AND SO, AS KENT HAD ALLUDED TO, WE ARE ALSO COLLABORATING, COLLABORATING, EXCUSE ME, BETWEEN THIS AND THE COMP PLAN, A LOT OF THE COMPONENTS, YOU KNOW, ALL FOUR OF THESE. AND I WAS JUST KIND OF DOING SOME QUICK LITTLE GOOGLING ON SOME OF THESE CONCEPTS AS WE TALK ABOUT IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE SPONSOR AND WE'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT CHALK ART, YOU KNOW, EVENTS AND, AND KIND OF SIDEWALK KIND OF THINGS TO CREATE LIVING SENSE OF PLACE. BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT URBAN DESIGN AND PLANNING, PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER. THIS IS THE FOUNDATION PIECE THAT'S HELPING US TO REALLY CREATE THE PICTURE OF WHAT THAT MEANS. AND THEN WHAT'S KIND OF NEAT WITH THIS, WITH THIS EFFORT IS CREATING STRATEGIES THAT WILL THEN HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, WHAT'S THE RECIPE FOR THOSE, AND THEN HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE, AND THEN HOW GRAPHICALLY WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THESE. SO I THINK WHAT'S REALLY NEAT WITH THIS IS THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THIS AND THE COMMUNITY LIVABILITY SURVEY THAT WE DID. IT'LL BE REALLY INTERESTING AS WE LAUNCH THIS, AND THEY COULD GO TO SEE HOW THIS MAY IMPACT WHAT WE SEE WHEN WE DO THE UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY LIVABILITY COMPONENT, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE STARTING TO EMBRACE AND, AND BEGIN TO INCULCATE THOSE CONCEPTS INTO OUR STRATEGIES AND WHAT WE'RE THINKING, AND THEN WHAT THE PHYSICAL FORM OF THE CITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. SO IT'S NOT JUST WHAT WE DO WITHIN IT, BUT HOW DOES IT FEEL? HOW DO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CONNECT THIS? THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS THIS REMINDS ME OF ONE OF OUR EARLIER WORKSHOPS WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. AND COUNCILMEMBER ZERNIKE, ACTUALLY, WE WERE STRUGGLING. WE HAD THESE HOURS LONG CONVERSATIONS GOING, Y'ALL MAYBE REMEMBER, REMEMBER THAT TOO. BUT BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT WHAT MR. ZERNIKE DESCRIBED WAS A CITY OF INDIVIDUAL, SPECIFIC KIND OF NODES THAT ARE INTERCONNECTED. AND THAT WAS THE IDEA OF EMBRACING WHERE WE HAVE UNIQUE IDENTITIES WITHIN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD OR SEGMENTS OF THE CITY, YET CONNECTING IT TOGETHER AND CENTERING THAT AROUND THE HUB, WHICH IS KIND OF OLD TIMEY OLD TOWN AND NORTHLINE. SO ALL THIS KIND OF GOES, AND I KEEP THINKING BACK BECAUSE WHEN HE DESCRIBED THAT AT THAT MEETING, EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, OH, THAT WAS IT. YOU KNOW, HE KIND OF HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME WHEN WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION. SO THIS ALL SEEMS WAS KIND OF COOL. IT'S JUST SEQUENTIALLY SEEMS TO BE BUILDING OFF OF THAT CONCEPT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAY BACK AT THAT TIME. COOL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. I HEARD TWO PEOPLE I BELIEVE SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE THAT FORD NEEDED TO BE THERE. AND I THINK YOU NEED CONSENSUS FROM US ABOUT THAT. SO HOW ARE THE REST OF YOU FEELING? SO I THINK THAT. UNIFYING A FRAGMENT IDENTITY, IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST LIKE A BULLET POINT OR A TASK ITEM AS, AS YOU GUYS, I FEEL KIND OF LIKE MAYBE TOOK IT MORE AS IT'S MORE LIKE, LIKE NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT LEANDER IS THAT KIND OF THAT KIND OF FRAGMENTED IDENTITY WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THEY WERE ASKED, OH, WHAT IS LEANDER? AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WELL, REALLY? NO, GOT SOME OF THIS, GOT SOME OF THAT. THAT'S WHAT I TOOK. UNIFYING THAT FRAGMENTED IDENTITY AS AND FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE HILL COUNTRY. I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WHILE, YOU KNOW, LANDOWNERS HAVE THEIR LAND AND THEY CAN DEVELOP IT, WE DEVELOP THE TREE ORDINANCES, WE DEFINE TREE MITIGATION STANDARDS, WE DEFINE BUILDING ORDINANCES, SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES. ALL OF THOSE THINGS COULD LEAN TOWARDS STEWARDSHIP OF THE HILL COUNTRY WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT REALM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER. OH YES PLEASE. THREE YEAH, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T REALLY FOCUS ON ON FOCUS AREA FOR PARTICULARLY BECAUSE ONE, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE GENESIS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. I THINK IT'S CORRELATING AND HOW TO UNIQUELY DEFINE WHO WE ARE WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS. AND I KIND OF SPOKE A LITTLE BIT [01:05:02] EARLIER TO THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT I'VE MET ALONG, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGNING AND IN ALONG IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS AND HAVE GENERATIONS OF STORIES. AND SO THEIR ROOTS ARE VERY DEEPLY CONNECTED TO LEANDER. WHEN IT WAS LIKE ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WHOLE FAMILY AND THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WENT THERE. WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK TO SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE FAIRLY RECENT, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S BRINGING THEM AND CONNECTING TO THEM. I RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE AT THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL THAT HAD BEEN HERE FOR LESS THAN THREE WEEKS, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS SOME THERE WAS A DRAW. THIS WAS THE CONNECTING POINT THAT THEY FELT THEY NEEDED TO INVEST IN AND EVENTUALLY MOVE THEIR FAMILY TO. WHAT WAS WHAT WAS THAT DRAW? WHAT WAS THAT CONNECTION? IS IT BECAUSE THEY'RE FAMILY ORIENTED? SO I THINK THERE'S THESE THERE ARE FRAGMENTS THAT NEED TO BE THERE. I THE TYPICAL RULE IS, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF JUST GO BY THE POWER OF THREE. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S MINDS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, BUT I, WE, WE DO NEED TO REALLY DEFINE WHAT THAT IS AND HAVE A COLLECTIVE CONNECTION CONNECTING POINT AS WELL AS SOME OF THESE OTHER PRACTICUMS THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINGS OF THAT. LIKE, I FEEL LIKE THAT ACTUALLY IS THE NUCLEUS OF THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. SHOULD THE QUESTION I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH FOUR. AND I THINK TO THAT POINT, IF I'M FOLLOWING IT CORRECTLY, ALL FOUR OF THESE ARE THEIR INNER CONNECTED. I DON'T SEE THEM AS FOUR INDIVIDUAL THINGS. I THINK IT IS THINK OF AS FOUR FOCUS AREAS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP BETWEEN THEM ALL. BUT THEY EACH TAKE A DIFFERENT PIECE OF THE PIE. AND SO FOR ME, I DON'T THINK FOUR IS OVERWHELMING AT ALL. I THINK IT ADDRESSES THE BIG PIECES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. AGAIN, YOU GUYS ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. I WOULD DEFER TO YOU, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST A GUIDELINE, THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE. AT THE END OF THE DAY. I THINK IT'S JUST GIVES US SOME FOCUS AREAS. AND ALL OF THIS COMES TOGETHER TO WHATEVER THE BRAND IS AT THE END OF THE DAY. SO I THINK FOR US TO TRY TO GET AHEAD OF THAT IN A THOUGHT PROCESS WOULD BE WOULDN'T BE PRUDENT. SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST GO WITH THE SUGGESTIONS AND SEE WHERE THAT TAKES US. ALL RIGHT. YOU HAVE YOUR ANSWER. YEAH. I'M GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL FOUR. ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS OR THINGS YOU NEED TO GET FROM US BEFORE? NO. OKAY. SO WE'LL USE THESE FOUR FOCUS AREAS TO HELP DEVELOP THE STRATEGY PART AND BUILD THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE ACTUAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT. AND SO ONCE WE KIND OF HAVE PUT TOGETHER A DRAFT FOR THAT, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION WITH COUNCIL TO REVIEW EVERYTHING AS WELL. SO YOU'LL SEE ALL THE STUFF THAT WILL BE DEFINED FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS INFORMATION HERE AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ALIGNED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT TO DEVELOP WITH THE BRAND STRATEGY AND THE IDENTITY MOVING FORWARD. SO IT WILL BE A PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO INVOLVE COUNCIL WITH AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, PLEASE, FOR I WOULD ALSO SAY, DEFINING WHAT FIRST TIER IS. YES. SO GOOD POINT. IT COULD BE ONE THING TO ONE CITY MANAGER OR ONE STAFF MEMBER OR ONE THING TO ANOTHER. JUST MORE JUST KIND OF DEFINING WHAT THAT EQUATES TO. SURE. VERY GOOD COUNSEL. DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR ANYTHING TO ADD AT THIS LEVEL? NO, I DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING I WASN'T SUPER AGAINST. NUMBER FOUR, I JUST OKAY, THANK YOU. AMENABLE. OKAY. I'M GLAD YOU'RE AMENABLE. OKAY. BUT I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. GO FOR IT. SO WHEN I WAS LOOKING. SO WHEN WE GO TO THE WHAT IS IT? THE PEOPLE PUT WORDS IN A NUMBER OF WORDS AND THEN IT POPS IT UP. OH THE WORD CLOUD. YES. YEAH. WHATEVER IT'S CALLED. SO IT'S INTERESTING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORDS ON THE WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE LEANDER, RIGHT. SO WE HAVE FRIENDLY, THE BIGGEST ONE IS GROWING, RIGHT? SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE THING. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK RIGHT ABOVE THAT, IT'S A SPRAWLING A LITTLE SMALLER, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TRAFFIC CONGESTED, CROWDED GROWTH, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN GROWING BORING. AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IN THIS, HOW MANY OF YOU LOOK AT THEM AND YOU GROUP THEM POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE THINGS. WHAT WOULD WHAT WAS THE BREAKDOWN? WAS IT 5050? PRETTY MUCH. I'D HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT THAT AND TELL YOU BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. BUT I GUESS JUST TO SAY LIKE WE WE USUALLY ASK THIS QUESTION, IT'S KIND OF A STANDARD ONE WE USE BECAUSE IT [01:10:04] GIVES US A GOOD GENERAL SENSE. IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A VERY SCIENTIFIC WAY TO LOOK AT IT. RIGHT. BUT IT GIVES A GOOD LIKE BIG PICTURE SENSE. AND I WOULD SAY THAT IN GENERAL, ACROSS THE BOARD, THERE IS A PROBABLY ABOUT 5050 MIX LIKE OF ALL CLIENTS THAT ARE POSITIVE WORDS AND NEGATIVE WORDS. SO SEEING THAT IT WASN'T LIKE A SHOCK TO US, I GUESS. AND HOW MANY WORDS DO PEOPLE USUALLY WRITE? LIKE SO WE GAVE THEM. YEAH, WE GAVE THEM THREE. IT IS BROKEN OUT INTO LIKE, YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT THREE BLANK SPACES. OF COURSE, SOME PEOPLE PUT A WHOLE SENTENCE IN ONE AND YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, PEOPLE FOLLOW IT PRETTY WELL. IT'S INTERESTING. THE VARIETY OF WORDS. YEAH. THAT'S ALL I GOT. OKAY. WELL, I THINK THAT THAT IS ALL WE HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST WORDS FOR US? NO, BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TAKE YOUR TIME TODAY AND FOR FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. AND, KENT, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SHARE WITH US? I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED FROM COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WORK. OKAY. AND CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE NEXT STEPS? I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATES ON THAT. I'M SORRY. FALL. YEAH. THERE. SO LET ME GET THERE. THERE WE GO. YEAH. AND I CAN OVER TO IT. SURE. SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS NEXT MONTH OF JULY OR THIS MONTH, AND THEN PARTS OF AUGUST TO ACTUALLY WORK ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAND STRATEGY INTERNALLY. AND THEN ALSO START THE PIECES FOR THE IDENTITY DESIGN. AND SO ONCE WE KIND OF HAVE THOSE PIECES TOGETHER, WE'LL SCHEDULE ANOTHER WORKSHOP WITH COUNCIL AND KIND OF WALK THROUGH THAT PHASE. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY A LATE AUGUST OR EARLY SEPTEMBER TIME FRAME MAYBE. YEAH, TO TBD BECAUSE IT DOES DEPEND LIKE WE COULD FEEL LIKE WE NAIL IT ON THE FIRST ONE, AND THEN WE GO TO STAFF AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, THIS IS WAY OFF AND WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED. BUT I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A POSSIBILITY. SO AROUND THERE. YEAH. SO AND I THINK WE'RE PLANNING TO ADOPT, YOU KNOW, THE FULL GUIDE, BRAND GUIDELINES, NEW IDENTITY REVEAL AND EVERYTHING AND THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND THE PLACE BRAND IMPLEMENTATION AROUND OCTOBER. YEAH. SO. YEP. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, THE TIME IS 712. WE ARE ADJOURNED. OH, SORRY. YEAH. I THINK ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT HERE AND NOW WE'RE TALKING BRANDING. WE'RE TALKING IMAGERY HERE. BUT THAT'S ONLY PART OF THE EFFORT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. THIS IS JUST PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. THE NEXT PIECE OF THIS IS OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, LOOKING AT PROACTIVE REACTIVE COMMUNICATION COMPONENTS. SO FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IT, WE APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN IN SOME SECTORS ABOUT, OH, WE'RE SPENDING ALL THIS EFFORT ON BRANDING. THIS IS JUST THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US OF THAT. YES, THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN RAISED THAT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN RELEASED THEIR BRANDING AND PEOPLE GOT VERY ANIMATED AND VOCAL ABOUT THAT. AND BUT OUR BRANDING IS NOT JUST A LOGO. IT IS ABOUT STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. SO THANK YOU. ALL * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.