[1. Open Meeting.] [00:00:10] 22ND, 2026, AND THE TIME IS NOW 5:30 P.M. AND THIS IS THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE [2. Roll Call.] LEANDER CITY COUNCIL. CITY SECRETARY CRABTREE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER STEPHEN SHANK. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL HERRERA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. TONY BLAIR. COUNCIL MEMBER. ANNETTE. SPONSELLER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. ANDREW NORDEEN HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM BECKY ROSS HERE. MAYOR NICOLE THOMPSON. PRESENT. QUORUM IS PRESENT AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS ELIGIBLE TO DO BUSINESS. COUNCIL MEMBER STEPHEN CHANG IS ATTENDING THE [3. Discuss and consider action on the Second and Final Reading of an Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for the use and support of the municipal government of the City of Leander, Texas, for the Fiscal Year 2027; providing for and apportioning each levy for specific purposes; and providing when taxes shall become due and when the same shall become delinquent if not paid.] MEETING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE TODAY. ITEM THREE WILL DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE USE AND SUPPORT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF LEANDER, TEXAS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE ORDINANCE TO LEVY THE AVALON PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. AT THE SEPTEMBER 17TH MEETING, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE FIRST READING OF THIS ITEM ALONGSIDE OF THE FY 27 OPERATING BUDGET OF $84.1 MILLION. THIS BUDGET IS STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BY MAINTAINING OUR EXISTING TAX RATE OF 41.7 CENTS PER $100 VALUATION. THE TOTAL IS COMPRISED OF MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE OF 27.4 CENTS, AND THE DEBT SERVICE RATE OF 14.3 CENTS. WE CAN MAINTAIN THIS FLAT RATE BECAUSE LANDLORD'S TAX BASE EXPANDED WITH THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND RISING TAX VALUES. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS READING. THANK YOU. AND THIS WILL BE A ROLL CALL VOTE Y'ALL. SO I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 0.41728 $0.02 PER $100 VALUATION BE ADOPTED, WHICH IS THE SAME TAX RATE AS LAST YEAR AND 3.2% LOWER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND BRINGS IN 7.6% MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET DUE TO INCREASED PROPERTY EVALUATIONS AND NEWLY IMPROVED PROPERTIES ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR. SECOND. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NADINE. AND THEN PLACE ONE. I PLACE TWO. YES, YES. OKAY. PLACE FOR A PLACE FIVE. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM I AND I'M A I AS WELL. AND PLACE THREE IS NOT HERE. OKAY. ALL [4. Discuss and consider action on a Resolution authorizing creation of an Employee Benefits Trust; designating trustees of said Trust; and authorizing the Trust to purchase various forms of insurance for the benefit of city officers, employees, qualified retirees and dependents.] RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ITEM FOUR DISCUSSING. CONSIDER ACTION ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CREATION OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TRUST, DESIGNATING TRUSTEES OF SAID TRUST AND AUTHORIZING THE TRUST TO PURCHASE VARIOUS FORMS OF INSURANCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF CITY OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, QUALIFIED RETIREES AND DEPENDENTS. CITY MANAGER TODD. PARDON. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SORRY. I WAS LIKE, OH, THAT'S NOT SO. OKAY, I'LL TRY NOT TO BUTCHER IT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EXPERTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HERE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE EXPERTS COME FORWARD. SO EVERY YEAR, THE CITY GOES THROUGH A PROCESS TO SECURE A CONTRACT FOR OUR SUITE OF HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS. SO IT INCLUDES MAJOR MEDICAL IT INCLUDES VISION DENTAL. DEATH, DISABILITY, ALL THOSE THOSE INSURANCE PACKAGES. AND SO UNDER THE TEXAS INSURANCE CODE, THERE IS A PROVISION OF A TAX ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS THAT ARE BILLED BACK TO THE INSURANCE PROVIDER. AND THOSE RANGE THEY ABOUT IT ADDRESSES OUR BASICALLY, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFIT, OUR MAJOR MEDICAL. SO THE FIRST $450,000 IS SUBJECT TO A 0.87 5% TAX. AND THEN THE REMAINING GROSS GOES TO 1.7 $0.05. SO IF YOU LOOK ACROSS OUR MAJOR MEDICAL ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY, THERE'S ABOUT $6.5 MILLION THAT WE PAY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE ACROSS ALL FUNDS. SO WE'VE BEEN OUT TO BID THIS YEAR FOR OUR LIFE INSURANCE OR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, THE SUITE OF BENEFITS THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND IN DISCUSSING AND GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WE CAN SEE SOME SAVINGS ON OUR PREMIUMS BY ESTABLISHING THIS BENEFITS TRUST. THE BENEFITS TRUST IS A VEHICLE UNDER THE TEXAS HEALTH INSURANCE CODE, AND IT'S A SPECIFIC A NONPROFIT TRUST THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF THE FUNDS THAT ARE USED TO PAY. AND THEY ALSO HAS [00:05:07] THE AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT FOR THOSE INSURANCE BENEFIT PROGRAMS IN ESTABLISHING THAT TRUST. IT'S A NONPROFIT TRUST. IT WOULD THEN AGAIN, BASICALLY EXEMPT US FROM HAVING TO BE SUBJECT TO THOSE PROPERTY TAXES. SO THE INSURANCE PROVIDERS, WITH THE ABSENCE OF THE TRUST, THEN ALSO HAVE TO COLLECT THOSE TAXES BACK AGAINST US WITH SOME ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. SO WE'RE ESTIMATING WE'LL PROBABLY SEE ABOUT A 2% OR BETTER SAVINGS ON OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS IF WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WHICH ON THE MAJOR MEDICAL WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT $150,000 IN SAVINGS ACROSS ALL FUNDS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THE WAY THE TRUST WOULD WE BE GOVERNED, AS WE'VE PROPOSED HERE IN THE RESOLUTION, IS CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. YOUR POSITIONS ARE ON THE BOARD. ARE ARE RUN CONTEMPORANEOUSLY WITH A CITY COUNCIL SEAT. SO WHOMEVER IS IN YOUR SEAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE PART OF THAT BOARD. SO IT WOULD BE A DULY OPERATING BOARD OF ITS OWN. SO WE WOULD HAVE MINUTES. THERE WOULD BE SPECIFIC ACTIONS AND THERE WOULD BE THOSE COMPONENTS THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY WITH REGARD TO HOW THIS WOULD OPERATE. WE PROVIDED IN THE STAFF REPORT A LIST OF 15 EXAMPLES OF CITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT ARE CURRENTLY STRUCTURED LIKE THIS. WE LOOKED AT LARGE CITIES, UNION SIZED CITIES AND SMALL CITIES. SO YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF CITIES IN OUR AREA SPECIFICALLY THAT HAVE THIS VERY STRUCTURE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TAX SAVINGS FOR THEIR PROGRAMS. SO WHILE IT'S NEW TO US, IT'S NOT A NEW PROGRAM AND NOT NEW TO MUNICIPALS USING IT KNOW MANY, MANY MOONS AGO WHEN I WAS IN KERRVILLE, WE ACTUALLY HAD BENEFITS TRUST WE HAD ESTABLISHED. SO IT'S IT'S IT WORKS. THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL ADVANTAGES TO THE TRUST. SO EVERY YEAR WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BUDGETING FUNDS INTO THE TRUST FROM THE VARIOUS FUNDS. WE BASICALLY WILL MODEL ENROLLMENT THAT WE HAD ON THE SYSTEM FOR THE YEAR PRIOR. THERE'S INVARIABLY THERE'S CHANGES. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, POSITION CHANGES, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND YOU SOMETIMES WILL BEGIN TO BUILD SOME RESERVE FUNDS WITHIN THE TRUST. YOU HAVE SOME OPTIONS MOVING ON INTO HOW TO DEPLOY THOSE FUND BALANCES AND OTHER CITIES. AS WE'VE OPERATED THESE, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO USE THOSE TO HELP STABILIZE PREMIUM RATE ADJUSTMENTS. THOSE DOLLARS COMING INTO THE TRUST WILL BE CITY DOLLARS, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION DOLLARS FOR THEIR PORTIONS THAT NEED TO GO TO PAY FOR THOSE PREMIUMS. ALL THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF THIS TRUST. AND ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES OR CONCERNS THAT ARE RAISED ABOUT CITIES HAVING THESE. NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. THANK YOU. PLEASE. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS YOU WANT TO START WITH, STEVEN OR. OH I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. PLACE ONE. WOULD YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I DON'T AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. PLACE TWO. SO CAN YOU CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE RESERVES WOULD BE ACCUMULATED? BECAUSE KIND OF THE PRESENTATION WE HEARD MOSTLY IS GOING TO BE COST SAVINGS, WHICH WOULD BE BASICALLY US PAYING LESS PREMIUMS. AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO PUT INTO THE PLAN BASICALLY WHAT THE PREMIUMS ARE. AND SO I KNOW LIKE IN MY OWN COMPANIES INSURANCE PLANS, SOMETIMES WE GET REBATES BACK FROM THEM MID-YEAR OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE ALLOCATE IT OUT. THE EMPLOYEE PART PRORATED BASED ON WHAT THEY PAY IN VERSUS WHAT THE COMPANY PAY. AND IN YOUR CASE, THE CITY. AND I IMAGINE WE DO THE SAME THING. BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE ABOUT HOW THE MECHANISM, HOW THE MONEY ACCUMULATES IN THERE? AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE, OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE MONEY IN THERE. AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF OFFSETTING DIFFERENT PREMIUM INCREASES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SUBSIDIZING FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS TO BASICALLY MAKE IT A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND ALL THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T LIKE THE WORD THAT YOU USED THE WORD RATED, BUT IT STILL COULD, IT COULD STILL BE PULLED BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO PAY FOR ROADS OR OTHER THINGS. IF THERE'S A SURPLUS THAT GROWS ABOVE WHAT WE WOULD THESE. I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BECAUSE THESE FUND BALANCES ARE UNDER THE CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF THE TRUST. AND SO THESE FUNDS ARE BEING TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE TRUST. AND THEN THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THOSE FUNDS IS RESTRICTED TO SECURING THOSE INSURANCE BENEFITS. AND THEN HOW ABOUT HOW MONEY ACCUMULATES? YEAH. SO AS THE AS THE FUNDS ACCUMULATE, SO ANY OF THE UNEXPENDED BALANCES THAT ARE THERE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNTS AS ANY OTHER STANDARD FUND WOULD. YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE BANKED. AND SO WE'LL HAVE INTEREST [00:10:04] EARNINGS THAT WOULD GENERATE OFF OF THAT. IN ADDITION TO THAT. SO AS THE FUND GROWS, WE HAVE INTEREST EARNINGS THAT WOULD ACCUMULATE ON THAT BALANCE AS WELL. AND THEN AND THEN UNDER THE TRUST, YOU'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE THEN TO APPLY THOSE RESERVES OR THOSE FUND BALANCES AS YOU SEE FIT AS A TRUSTEE WOULD BE IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT FROM WHAT OUR GENERAL FUND IS IN, OR WOULD IT BE AT A POOLED ACCOUNT? IT'LL BE A SEPARATE ACCOUNT. OKAY. THANK YOU. PLEASE, FOR PLACE FIVE. OKAY. SO TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT TACT HERE ON THE BOARD ITSELF, HOW OFTEN WOULD THAT BOARD BE MEETING? WOULD IT BE PART OF REGULAR CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS, OR WOULD IT BE A SEPARATE MEETING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BOARD, DOESN'T IT. TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU KNOW, ONE WAY IS IT WOULD BE A BOARD. IT'S GOT ITS OWN AUTHORITIES TO CALL AND POST AND HOLD ITS OWN MEETINGS. OTHER CITIES AS WE'VE DONE THESE, WE'VE WE'VE WOULD POST AN AGENDA WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR THE BOARD TO ACT. SO LET'S SAY IT'S TIME TO AWARD THE HEALTH BENEFIT CONTRACT. THEN WE WOULD BASICALLY ADVERTISE A MEETING FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. YOU GO THROUGH YOUR. YOU OPEN YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, YOU'LL GO THROUGH A BUSINESS TO A CERTAIN POINT WHEN IT'S TIME TO GET TO THIS, THEN YOU WOULD BASICALLY. CLOSE YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN OPEN YOUR MEETING AS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THEN DO YOUR ACTION AND THEN CLOSE THAT MEETING OR ADJOURN THAT, AND THEN GO AND REOPEN YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THERE'S PROBABLY, I WOULD ANTICIPATE TWO TIMES OF YEAR THAT YOU WOULD DO THIS ONE AS AS WE ARE INITIATING THE BIDDING PROCESS. AND SO WE'D GO THROUGH THAT AND KIND OF WORK THROUGH WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE USING. AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE WOULD BE THE TIME TO REVIEW THOSE BIDS AND TO LOOK AT THAT AWARD AND TO AUTHORIZE THAT CONTRACT. BY DOING SO. DOES THAT NOW MAKE THAT PROCESS OPEN FOR PUBLIC STATEMENT? IN OTHER WORDS, COULD PEOPLE COME AND SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT A BETTER INSURANCE PLAN FOR YOU GUYS KIND OF THING? BECAUSE THAT BECAUSE THAT COULD HAPPEN, RIGHT? THEY CAN. BUT WE ARE GOING THROUGH A COMPETITIVE BID SOLICITATION PROCESS. SO SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST COME IN AND SAY, I GOT A BETTER THING FOR YOU, AND WE CAN JUST TAKE IT. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS. OKAY. AND WHAT TYPE OF VOTING ACTION IS REQUIRED FROM THAT BOARD? SO DO THE DO THE ACTIONS THAT BOARD HAVE TO BE UNANIMOUS? DO THEY HAVE TO ALL AGREE WITH THAT PARTICULAR BID OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE? IT'S THE CENTER VOTE. SO IT'D BE A STANDARD MAJORITY. SO STANDARD MAJORITY. AND THEN CAN EMPLOYEES PETITION THE TRUST FOR CHANGES TO BENEFITS. SO WOULD THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYEES TO COME FORWARD AND PETITION THE BOARD SAYING WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR BENEFITS? CAN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION X, Y AND Z, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE? I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE TYPICAL TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE AS WE HAVE THESE ITEMS TOWARD THESE BIDS BY CITY COUNCIL, EMPLOYEES CAN COME UP AND ADDRESS COUNCIL AT THAT TIME. THEY CAN SUBMIT THEIR THEIR CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME. SO IT WOULD FUNCTION RELATIVELY THE SAME WAY THAT IT DOES NOW. THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. JUST SOME QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, PRO TEM. OKAY. OKAY. PLEASE DO. SO SINCE WE'RE A BOARD AND I GUESS WE'D BE COVERED UNDER OUR TML INSURANCE FOR INDEMNIFICATION AGAINST ANYTHING RELATED TO LIKE HEALTH DECISIONS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY. OH, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING A MOTION? OH, GO AHEAD. GO FOR IT. MOTION TO APPROVE. I SECOND. I'LL SECOND. YOUR HONOR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. PLEASE. ONE. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WE'RE RAISING HANDS PLEASE. ONE. EXCELLENT. WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR. THANK YOU. THANK [5. Receive presentation and accept the 2026 Leander Public Arts and Culture Master Plan as revised pursuant to City Council direction at its meeting of June 5, 2025.] YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM FIVE, RECEIVE PRESENTATION AND ACCEPT THE 2026 LEANDER PUBLIC ARTS AND CULTURE MASTER PLAN AS REVISED PURSUANT TO CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION AT ITS MEETING ON JUNE 5TH, 2025. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION GREG ULMER WILL START AND THEN HE'LL INTRODUCE NAIROBI BULLOM L PARK COMMISSIONER. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL. I APPRECIATE THE TIME THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THIS AGENDA ITEM. THIS IS OUR LPAC MASTER PLAN. THIS IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT WE BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL BACK IN JUNE OF 2025. WE DID GET SOME GREAT ADVICE BACK FROM COUNCIL TO MAKE SOME REVISIONS, AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE TIME TO BRING THAT BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN THIS EVENING. FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE AT THAT TIME, [00:15:05] THE HISTORY AND THE TIMELINE, THIS STARTED AROUND 2023 WITH THE VISION TO CREATE A MASTER PLAN. A LOT OF OUR LPAC MEMBERS WERE IDENTIFYING SIMILAR ASPIRATIONS AND GOALS AND, AND THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO BRING TO THE CITY OF LEANDER. AND SO WE ENGAGED A CONSULTANT DESIGNING LOCAL WAS SELECTED AS OUR CONSULTANT TO ASSIST US IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN. WE DID BRING IT BEFORE COUNCIL, AS WE MENTIONED IN JUNE 2025, ABLE TO REWORK IT SINCE THEN. AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU THE RESULTS. AS OF TONIGHT, WE DO HAVE SOME SLIDES THAT WE'LL SHARE. THEY'LL KIND OF GO INTO MORE OF THE FINER DETAILS OF THE CHANGES FROM 2025 TO NOW. AND FOR THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE COUNCIL MEMBER I'M SORRY. LPAC MEMBER YOU'VE BEEN PROMOTED. LPAC MEMBER PLACE NINE NAIROBI HAS BEEN A HUGE CRITICAL PART OF THIS. WE APPRECIATE HER TIME AND HER EFFORTS FOR THIS. AND SO SHE HAS A QUICK PRESENTATION FOR YOU TO TO GO INTO THAT. AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AFTER THAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANKS, GREG. AND IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK AS A TEAM ON THIS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR HAVING US BACK TONIGHT. AND THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK LAST TIME BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK. WE WENT BACK AND INCORPORATED THE FEEDBACK INTO THE MASTER PLAN. AND I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS MUCH MORE ACTIONABLE. I THINK THE ONE OF THE MAJOR AND I'LL GET INTO THE SLIDES, BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR THEMES WAS THAT IT WAS ASPIRATIONAL AND NOT VERY ACTIONABLE, AND THAT WAS REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK BECAUSE NOW IT'S VERY ACTIONABLE. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, CLICK HERE. HERE'S WHERE WE LEFT OFF. WE PRESENTED IN JUNE 5TH OF 2025. YOU SUPPORTED THE THE VISION, THE OVERALL VISION, BUT NEEDED A LITTLE BIT OF REWORK. THE FEEDBACK WAS MAKE IT ACTIONABLE, DON'T REQUIRE NEW CITY STAFF. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PRIORITIES. AND, AND THAT WAS A BIG COMMITMENT TO ASK, BUILD A CASE BEFORE RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK WITH THE PRIOR ONE, WE HAD THIS VISION OF LIKE, LET'S JUST JUMP RIGHT TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. AND IT DIDN'T REALLY LIKE BUILD THE CASE OR WARM UP THE READER OF LIKE HOW WE GOT TO THOSE CONCLUSIONS. SO WE'VE, WE SHIFTED IT A BIT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND INVITE, DON'T MANDATE DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION. SO WE'VE ALSO MADE THAT CHANGE. SO TODAY WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT WE CHANGED, WHAT WE KEPT. AND THEN OUR REQUEST FOR APPROVAL. IT ALSO LPAC APPROVED THIS REVISION OF THE PLAN IN OUR PRIOR TO LAST MEETING UNANIMOUSLY. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE HAVE. SO FIRST, WHAT YOU LIKED IS STILL HERE, WHICH IS THE UTILITY BOXES, THE BANNERS, BALL COURT MURALS, AND NOW THESE ARE YEAR TWO NAMED ACTIONS. WE ARE ACTIVATING ALL PUBLIC SPACES FOR ART. EVERY CITY PLAN AND PUBLIC BUILDING DESIGN WILL INCLUDE AN ART AND CULTURE SECTION. LEARNING FROM OUR NEIGHBORS GEORGETOWN, ROUND ROCK, FREDERICKSBURG AND CEDAR PARK, AND THEN COMMUNITY LED CULTURAL EVENTS WITH CITY SUPPORT PACKAGES INSTEAD OF CITY ADOPTION WAS ONE OF THE OTHER MAJOR CHANGES. SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THE BIGGEST CHANGES THAT I APPRECIATE, AND I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE THE FULL MASTER PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU. BUT IF YOU MOVE TO CHAPTER FOUR, IT IS NOW IN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. AND WHAT I LIKED IS THAT IT INCLUDES TWO MATRICES, ONE BY STRATEGY AND ONE BY YEAR. SO COUNCILS AND RESIDENTS CAN TRACK PROGRESS. AND THEN YEAR ONE FOCUSES ON COMMUNICATION, LEARNING, COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND EASY WINS. ONE OF THE BIG FEEDBACK WAS THAT IT WAS TOO MUCH OF A COMMITMENT TO ASK THIS PLAN TO BE APPROVED BY DEMANDING NEW HEAD COUNT. SO WE'VE REMOVED THE HIRE OF A SECOND SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR AND REMOVED THE HIRE OF A PUBLIC ART AND CULTURE COORDINATOR. THE PLAN NOW RUNS ON EXISTING STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. STAFFING APPEARS AS A POSSIBLE LONG TERM GOAL, A FUTURE COUNCIL CHOICE, NOT A COMMITMENT IN THIS PLAN. THIS IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN, SO IT'S LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THAT TO BE A LONG TERM GOAL. AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, WE WARM [00:20:03] UP THE READER TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO BY NEXT ONE BY SORRY, BY MAKING A CASE FOR ART AND CULTURE. HOW WE GOT TO THIS, WE DID DESIGNING LOCAL, DID 20 STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND A BILINGUAL COMMUNITY SURVEY RECOMMENDATIONS NOW TRACED CLEARLY TO RESIDENT INPUT AND CITY GOALS. AND THE KEY TAKEAWAYS CLOSE EVERY CHAPTER. SO THE PLAN READS AS ONE COHESIVE STORY. THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE I REALLY ENJOYED. IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE TLDR AFTER EVERY CHAPTER. AND THEN INSTEAD OF REQUIRING DEVELOPERS, WE'RE INVITING THEM TO TAKE PART IN ARTS AND CULTURE. WE REMOVED THE 1% DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTION REQUIREMENT AND REPLACED IT WITH A DEVELOPER'S GUIDE TO SUPPORTING THE ARTS AND LEANDER EDUCATION AND TOOLS AND VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION. SO PUTTING TOGETHER THE, THE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO PARTICIPATE WITHOUT DEMANDING IT, ADDED A COMPANION BUSINESS OWNER'S GUIDE CONNECTING THE ARTS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEN DEVELOPER SUPPORT OF THE ARTS REMAINS WELCOME ON THEIR TERMS, NOT BY MANDATE IN THE PLAN. AND THE CORE VISION THAT YOU SAW IS STILL INTACT. THE FOUR GOALS ARE UNCHANGED, ARE UNCHANGED. MORE ARTS EXPERIENCES, ART THAT CELEBRATES AND UNITES ALL RESIDENTS, INVESTMENT IN A BEAUTIFUL AND FUN LEANDER, AND A BROADER BASE OF SUPPORT. LEANDER AS A SUBURB WITH A HEART ART THAT TELLS OUR STORY AND WELCOMES NEWCOMERS AND THE SAME COMMUNITY INPUT BUILT BOTH THE SAME COMMUNITY INPUT BUILT BOTH VERSIONS. THE REVISION CHANGES THE HOW BUT NOT THE WHY OF OF WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. AND THEN TODAY, WE WOULD LOVE TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL. AND, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF CHANGES, BUT THIS IS A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR THE NEW UNIFIED COMMISSION TO, TO TAKE A PLAN THAT THAT HAS BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL AND HAS HAD COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. AND SO WE ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THE REVISED ARTS AND CULTURE MASTER PLAN. WE BELIEVE WE'VE ADDRESSED ALL OF THE CONCERNS. THE YEAR ONE ACTIONS CARRY NEGLIGIBLE, NEGLIGIBLE COST AND REQUIRE NO NEW STAFF AND THEN APPROVAL. THAT'S PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE NEWLY FORMED LEANDER HERITAGE, RECREATION AND CULTURE ADVISORY BOARD BEGAN. THE LOW COST, HIGH VISIBILITY WORK IMMEDIATELY. SO WITH THAT, WE OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL SAY THANK YOU. I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS. I FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. YEAH. BUT WE GAVE THAT FEEDBACK LAST YEAR, LAST SUMMER, AND I KNOW IT TOOK SOME TIME TO WORK THROUGH AND GET THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE. AND THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THAT TWO YEARS, I GUESS, SINCE THIS PROCESS STARTED. BUT IT'S STILL VALUABLE, AND I THINK IT'S INFORMATION THAT THE CITY CAN STILL IMPLEMENT. EVEN THOUGH THE DYNAMICS OF LPAC HAVE CHANGED. SO I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. I KNOW YOU WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS WITH STAFF AND WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE USED TO CREATE THIS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THAT. AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF HOURS AND A LOT OF TIME SPENT ON THAT. BUT I DO THINK IT'S STILL VALUABLE WORK AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT AS A CITY GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PLACE. ONE DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY ECHOING THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE ON THIS. YOU KNOW, I WAS SWORN IN IN, IN MAY. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT YOU ALL PRESENTED IN JULY. AND SO I KNOW IT'S BEEN A PROCESS OF REVISIONS AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE PROVIDED AT THE TIME AND INTEGRATING IT INTO THIS DRAFT. I REALLY JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, I THINK FOR, FOR TODD OR FOR GREG THAT ARE JUST KIND OF RELATED TO LOGISTICS. I WAS KIND OF WONDERING ON THE, THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS ATTACHED. WE HAVE A LOT OF REFERENCES, OF COURSE, TO LPAC. AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST FORMED HRC A. I THINK IT'S WE AGREED TO CALL IT FOR THE SHORT ACRONYM. AND I'M WONDERING IF WE ADOPT TONIGHT, ARE WE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES WITHIN THE DOCUMENT, I GUESS, TO HRC HRCA AND THE CHARGE OF WHO WILL BE TAKING THIS ON BEFORE WE FORMALLY ADOPT IT, OR DO WE NEED TO I DON'T WANT TO DELAY THE ADOPTION OF THIS, BUT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE WORDING AND PARTS OF THIS OVERALL DOCUMENT BEFORE WE FORMALLY ADOPT IT TO REFLECT THE HRC? I THINK, YEAH, IF YOU'RE READY TO ADOPT IT, YOU CAN ADOPT IT WITH GIVING US [00:25:01] DIRECTION TO CHANGE THOSE REFERENCES TO THE APPROPRIATE ENTITY. SO, SO I THINK WE CAN DO THAT AND TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION. OKAY. THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. PLEASE DO. SO I THINK THIS THING GOES BACK MORE THAN TWO YEARS, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN YOU AND I MET WITH GREG, I THINK MARK THOMAS AND MIKE KNEW. I THINK THAT'S WHEN BEFORE THE THE VENDOR HAD BEEN SELECTED WHO WAS GOING TO COMPLETE IT, BUT THE ACTUAL WORK OF IT. YEAH, IT GOES BACK QUITE A WAYS, THIS WHOLE THING. SO IT'S BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY AND IT'S SO EXCITING THAT WE GOT THIS, YOU GOT HERE. AND, AND I AGREE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING IN GENERAL, I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS LOOKING THROUGH THE ACTION, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND ALL THAT IS THAT IT'S REALLY GOING TO REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE ADOPTION OF THOSE FOCUS GROUPS TO PICK UP SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S IN HERE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF OUTSIDE PEOPLE, A LOT OF OUTSIDE INPUT FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THAT. AND SO I THINK, I THINK THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, YOU KNOW, PARKS AND REC OR HR OR WHATEVER WE'RE CALLING IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED ORGANIZATION. AND YOU HAVE A LIBRARY MASTER PLAN, YOU HAVE A PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE PLANS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT I IMAGINE YOU DO. AND, AND SO IMPLEMENTING THIS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ALL THAT, I KIND OF HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, LIKE HOW WOULD YOU, HOW DO YOU GUYS PLAN TO MANAGE THAT? AND THIS REALLY ISN'T A REAL QUESTION ABOUT LPAC IN GENERAL, THIS PLAN, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD ALL THIS TOGETHER? BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S LIKE 25 ACTIONS IN THIS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK OUR INTENT IS TO BRING BEFORE THE BUDGET IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS ANOTHER UPDATED PARKS MASTER PLAN. AND SO THE GOAL OF THAT WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE THIS INTO THAT OVERARCHING PARKS MASTER PLAN AS WELL. SO THAT WOULD BE THE IDEA AT THIS POINT IS PURSUE THAT PARKS MASTER PLAN AND THEN INCORPORATE ELEMENTS OF THIS INTO THAT AS WELL, OR REFERENCE IT AT THE VERY LEAST. OKAY. BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PARKS AND REC PLAN, THE ONLY TIME ART IS IN THE PLAN IS WHEN IT'S IN THE WORD OF PART. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY IN BETWEEN. YEAH, IT'S NOT IN THERE AT ALL. IT'S SO. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I KNOW THIS ISN'T BINDING AND EVERYTHING. I THINK THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT IS GREAT. I DO LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS ABOUT REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT IS MULTICULTURAL LOOK LIKE, AND HOW DO WE APPLY THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THIS FOCUS GROUPING STUFF COMES IN AND DOING THAT. AND I THINK IN HERE YOU ALSO ENUMERATE NAILING DOWN EXACTLY WHAT OUR EVENTS ARE IS AN IMPORTANT THING. I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR PARKS, BUT LPAC IS ALSO LAYING THAT OUT HERE. WHAT ARE WHAT ARE THE THINGS I THINK YOU ALSO PUT IN THERE? THE INTERESTING. IF YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE, I THINK IT IS ONE MORE. MAYBE IT'S ONE MORE. WELL, ANYWAYS, WHAT WHAT IT WAS WAS YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT WE NEED TO, TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES AND PULL THEM TOGETHER AND THAT YOU CAN PARTNER WITH GROUPS, BUT WHERE IT'S NOT A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, IT'S AN ACTUAL EVENT, BUT WE'RE HELPING FACILITATE IT. SO WHICH IS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT HOW DOES THE CITY FIT INTO EVENTS, HOW DOES THE CITY FIT INTO THINGS? AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT. AND PART OF YOUR DOCUMENT IS ACTUALLY WORKING TOWARD THAT. SO I THINK THAT'S VERY FORWARD THINKING. I THINK THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND AND STUFF. I ALSO THINK THE, THE DEVELOPER'S GUIDE, THE BUSINESS OWNER GUIDES, THOSE ARE GREAT EXAMPLES OF THINGS WHERE PARTNERING WITH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE MAKES SENSE AND, AND THINGS, BUT IT IS I MY ONLY THING HERE IS IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF COORDINATION BETWEEN PARKS AND THE PUBLIC TO KIND OF MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU, PLEASE, FOR I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. IT'S GREAT. PLEASE. FIVE I, OF COURSE, ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO TAKING ON THE REALLY DIFFICULT JOB OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO EXECUTE ON ARTS IN ANY ONE COMMUNITY. I WAS IN GEORGETOWN THIS WEEKEND, AND I NOTED THAT THERE. I THINK IT'S ONE SECTION OF THE SQUARE THAT'S LIKE THE ARTS PARK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, WELL, THAT'S AN INTERESTING WAY OF HOW YOU'RE ACTUALLY DEDICATING A SPACE TO ARTS, WHICH WE'VE DONE IN VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, WAYS WITH THE PARKS AND THE SCULPTURE GARDENS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT I THINK THE MAIN THING THAT I GET OUT OF THIS, AND AGAIN, ECHOING THE THE COMMENTS BEFORE TREMENDOUS WORK, THIS WAS A REALLY I THINK I EVEN SAID THAT I SAID, THIS IS A FANTASTIC ASPIRATIONAL PLAN [00:30:04] WHEN WE FIRST SAW IT. NOW I SEE MUCH MORE EXECUTABLE. I THINK IT ACTUALLY ALIGNS QUITE NICELY WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE. COUNCIL MEMBER HERRERA MENTIONED THE FOCUS GROUPS. I THINK THIS LINES VERY, VERY NICELY WITH HOW WE ENVISION THAT PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT TO START TO TO CREATE ITSELF, RIGHT? BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND BEYOND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU NEED TO DEVELOP A VISION IN ORDER TO EXECUTE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CITY IS DOING IN GENERAL. COUNCIL MEMBER HERRERA MENTIONED SEVERAL MASTER PLANS. WHILE THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP BETWEEN EACH OF THE MASTER PLANS, THERE'S NOW VISIONS THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC ON VERY SPECIFIC AREAS THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO FOCUS ON, AND IT'LL BE UP TO US TO BRING THOSE TOGETHER AND EXECUTE ON THAT. BUT THAT'S BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THIS CITY FOR A WHILE, AND THAT THERE WASN'T REALLY A VISION TO TO GO ENACT. IT'LL CHANGE, IT'LL ADJUST, IT'LL, IT'LL MANAGE ITSELF OVER TIME. AND THAT'S NORMALLY HOW THAT HAPPENS. BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I THINK THIS IS TREMENDOUS WORK. I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF, OF L PACK AND, AND STAFF FOR DOING THIS BECAUSE THIS THIS IS ME. THIS IS A THIS IS A HEAVY LIFT. THIS IS NOT EASY. THIS IS NOT EASY WORK. SO, YOU KNOW, KUDOS. THANK YOU. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL FULLY SUPPORT APPROVAL ON THIS MAYOR. SO YEAH, THANKS AGAIN FOR THE MUCH IMPROVED PLAN. MY ONLY COMMENTS AND, AND, AND THIS MAY BE ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR, BUT JUST WANTED TO, I GUESS, SAY IT OUT LOUD. BUT AS THIS GOES THROUGH AND THE ACTION PLANS THAT ARE PUT IT, IT'S GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. RIGHT? SO AS THINGS ARE IMPLEMENTED AND AS THE COMMITTEE IS PULLING THEIR THINGS TOGETHER BEFORE SOMETHING COMES TO COUNCIL, I WANT TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL THAT IT HAS BEEN VETTED THROUGH PARKS. THE MONEY'S THERE, ALL THE THINGS ARE THERE. AND IT'S AND IT'S NOT AN IDEA THAT WE THAT WE GO OFF ON A TANGENT ABOUT. I ESPECIALLY LIKE ABOUT PUTTING THIS TOGETHER ABOUT THE EVENTS. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT AS WE GO THROUGH AND CREATE THE ART AND, AND CREATE ALL THESE THINGS THROUGH THE CITY, I JUST, IT NEEDS TO, TO FLOW THROUGH A PROCESS THROUGH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THAT WHOLE BUDGET FALLS THERE. RIGHT? AND SO WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THAT'S, THAT FUNDING IS THERE BEFORE WE SEE SOMETHING. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. WILL YOU BE ANSWERING THAT? YEAH. I'D BE OKAY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. WILL YOU BE RESPONDING TO THAT. ABSOLUTELY. FULLY SUPPORT THAT. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. EVERYTHING WOULD BE VETTED THROUGH PARKS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING MATCHES AND THE BUDGET IS THERE AND, AND READY TO HANDLE ALL THOSE THOSE GUIDELINES. SO EXCELLENT. IT'D BE VETTED BEFORE IT'D COME BEFORE COUNCIL. ABSOLUTELY. AND THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE JUST BECAUSE LEANDER PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION AND THEN LEANDER PUBLIC ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION, NONE OF IT HAD EVER HAD A MASTER PLAN DONE AT ALL THERE. SO THIS WAS THE FIRST UNDERTAKING IN THE 10 OR 12 YEARS, HOWEVER LONG THE COMMISSION HAD BEEN TOGETHER. SO THIS WAS IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU FOR GETTING THAT WORK DONE, EVEN THOUGH IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO WORK THROUGH. AND THEN EVEN THOUGH THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMISSION IS DIFFERENT NOW, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING ACTIONABLE WE CAN IMPLEMENT AS A CITY THROUGH PARKS AND REC. SO IT'S STILL IMPORTANT WORK. SO THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. I CAN'T HEAR YOU ON THE MIC, ON THE MIC, ON THE MIC. I'M EXCITED. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL ARTS AND CULTURE MASTER PLAN AND YOU WERE A PART OF IT. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THERE. DO YOU NEED THAT OR NO. YES. I OH, GOTCHA. I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE LPAC MASTER PLAN WITH THE CHANGES OF THE NAME THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT. RIGHT. OKAY, I SECOND. YAY. THANK YOU. PLACE ONE. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT. THE TIME IS * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.