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[00:00:03]

I NOW DECLARE THAT THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL HAS CONVENED IN AN OPEN SESSION, THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

[PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING]

THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN TRAINING ROOM A TO HOLD A CLOSED EXECUTIVE MEETING PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF VERNON'S TEXAS CODES ANNOTATED GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551, THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN SECTION 551.071, TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE AND DISCUSS LITIGATION IN SECTION 551.087 TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTERS.

THANK YOU.

I NOW DECLARE THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING IS RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE PRELIMINARY AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION AND ACTION RESULTING IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

OUR NEXT ITEM IS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ANDREW FORTUNE.

WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M ANDREW FORTUNE, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. THERE WE ARE.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'LL TRY TO BE SWIFT, AND I KNOW THERE MAY BE SOME QUESTIONS, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM AS WE GO ALONG OR AT THE END, WHATEVER YOU PREFER. I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT SINCE REDISTRICTING, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS WITHIN OUR DELEGATION, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

WE HAVE BRANT HIGGINS, WHO IS A NEW ADDITION AS WELL AS KATRINA PIERSON AND MITCH LITTLE WITHIN OUR DELEGATION.

SO A STATUS UPDATE. WE HAVE HAD 8901 BILLS FILED THIS SESSION, A LITTLE OVER 2400 ARE CITY RELATED, AND OUT OF THOSE, A LITTLE OVER 1800 ARE WHAT THE CITY OF PLANO IN OUR DEPARTMENT IS TRACKING.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF, AS THEY'VE BEEN ASSISTING US THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH OUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO KEEP A HOLD ON ALL OF THOSE BILLS. OUT OF THOSE, WE HAVE EIGHT WHAT WE'RE CALLING PRIORITY BILLS.

BEFORE WE PASSED OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WE BROUGHT THESE ISSUES UP TO THIS COUNCIL.

YOU ALL MOVED FORWARD AND GAVE STAFF DIRECTION FOR THESE PRIORITIES MAINTAINING LOCAL CONTROL, THE DART ISSUE, QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECTS AND THE PFC AND AT THAT TIME GROWING HFC ISSUE THAT WE HAD.

AND SO WE GOT TO WORK. WE HAVE A DART REFORM BILL THAT LOOKS AT RESTRUCTURING THE FINANCE.

WE HAVE A COMPANION IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.

DART GOVERNANCE BILL, WHICH REALLY WASN'T ONE THAT WE PURSUED, RATHER, IT WAS ONE THAT WAS FILED AT THE WILL OF A SENATOR, BUT WE HAVE SUPPORTED IT. A QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECTS BILL.

WE HAVE BOTH VEHICLES FILED IN EITHER CHAMBER.

PROJECT FINANCING ZONE FOR SOME OF THOSE ON THE COUNCIL WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

IT IS ANOTHER SIMILAR HOTEL TOOL THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE CITY WITH A THREE MILE ZONE WITHIN THAT ZONE.

IF YOU THINK OF ALMOST LIKE A TIF OR A TIRZ. THE STATE'S PORTION OF THE HOTEL TAX REVENUE WOULD BE ANY INCREMENT FOR 30 YEARS WOULD BE MOVED TO AN ACCOUNT FOR THE CITY TO ACCESS TO HELP THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

SO LARGE CITIES, LARGE CONVENTION CENTERS, DALLAS, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, ETC.

HAVE UTILIZED THAT TOOL. SIMILARLY, YOU HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN STATUTE SPECIFICALLY.

AND THEN HOUSING FINANCE REFORM. WHILE THESE ARE NOT BILLS THAT WE FILED, WE'VE CERTAINLY BEEN SUPPORTIVE AS THEY ARE MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THIS CLOSES THE LOOPHOLE FOR FOREIGN HFCS. SO THE SIMILAR PFC ISSUE THAT WE HAD CLOSING THAT LOOPHOLE FOR HFCS.

SO JUMPING INTO IT, WE DID OFFER UP A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE.

SO WE HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL OF WHAT YOU ALL WERE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH DART.

WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE GREAT LEGAL MINDS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HERE AND OTHERS, AND ASKED WHAT IS LEGALLY FEASIBLE.

AND SO WE PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE THAT WAS HEARD LAST WEEK.

IF YOU ALL WERE LISTENING, WE WENT TO WELL INTO THE NEXT MORNING WITH THAT TESTIMONY.

BUT IN SHORT, IT RESTRICTS FUTURE DEBT ISSUANCES TO THREE QUARTERS CENT PLEDGE THEY CAN STILL ISSUE DEBT, BUT IT'S MORE RESTRAINED. IT ENSHRINES THE 25% REBATE PROGRAM.

SO RATHER THAN CUTTING THE $0.01 SALES TAX, IT PROVIDES AN OPTION FOR CITIES WHO ARE UPSIDE DOWN LIKE US.

AS THE REPORT HAD STATED, TO CLAW SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK TO ADDRESS MOBILITY NEEDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

FAST TRACKS THE REPAYMENT OF EXISTING DEBT. AND IF A CITY WERE TO CALL AN ELECTION WHICH THE CITY AND THIS COUNCIL HAS NOT DISCUSSED DART MUST CEASE ISSUING NEW DEBT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CITY UNTIL THAT ELECTION, REALLY UNTIL THE TAXPAYERS HAVE MADE THEIR VOICE HEARD SO DARK, CAN'T RUN UP THAT NUMBER UNTIL THE CITIZENS HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION AND AGAIN,

[00:05:03]

DOESN'T CUT THE $0.01 SALES TAX AND IT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT EXISTING BOND SHAREHOLDERS.

THERE WERE CONCERNS WITH THE ORIGINAL FILED VERSION THAT IT MIGHT, WE'VE RESOLVED THOSE.

JUST MORE ON THAT BILL. WE DID START WITH CHAIRMAN SHAHEEN ON ONE OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES AS THE AUTHOR.

WE HAVE SINCE THEN HAD CHAIRMAN MEYER, CHAIRMAN PATTERSON AND FORMER CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, ALSO A DEMOCRAT, NOTABLY TERRY CANALES, JOINED AS AUTHORS.

WE DID HAVE THE HEARING. AND THERE LAID OUT OF THE NEXT STEPS, WE'RE ANTICIPATING, HOPEFULLY, THAT WE'LL BE VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE THIS WEEK AND WE'LL MOVE THROUGH THE HOUSE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AND THEN ON OVER TO THE SENATE TO REPEAT THE PROCESS AND IDEALLY GET TO THE GOVERNOR.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. WHAT QUESTIONS CAN I ANSWER FOR YOU ON THE DART REFORM BILL? THANK YOU, MAYOR. ANDREW, SINCE I'M A LEGISLATIVE NERD, IN ADDITION TO OTHER TYPES OF NERD, AND SINCE THIS IS MY LAST MEETING, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT I HAVE TO REITERATE THAT I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU ON LEGISLATIVE MATTERS, PARTICULARLY THIS DART BILL WHICH I'VE BEEN PURSUING FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.

AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE WITH WHICH YOU'VE CARRIED OUT THIS COUNCIL'S WILL.

AND I'M STILL GOING TO BE IN THE LEGISLATURE, SO I WILL SEE YOU AROUND.

BUT YOUR EFFORTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, SIR.

WHAT HE SAID. SO ANDREW, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

I THINK SHELBY AND I ARE THE ONLY TWO THAT CAME IN AT THE SAME TIME.

AND HE'S LEAVING ME, BUT WHEN WE BOTH CAME IN, I THINK THE FIRST THING WE NOTICED WAS HOW THE SERVICE DART IS NOT REALLY DOING WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PLANO AND THAT WE REALLY WANTED SOME REFORM.

AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU TOOK THAT BALL AND RAN WITH IT TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING SOME MOVEMENT AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK ALL OF US ARE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING YOU AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.

SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I'M JUST GOING TO SECOND WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS AND MAYOR PRO TEM TU SAID, I WILL MISS WORKING WITH YOU, YOU'RE EXCELLENT. ANDREW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK. YOU ROCK, AND THERE'S SMART BREVITY.

I FINALLY CAUGHT ON TO IT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECTS.

AS A REFRESHER FOR THIS GROUP, IT IS A STATE TOOL THAT WE HAVE TO BE AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE TO ACCESS.

IT DOES PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR US TO RECEIVE SOME OF THE STATE'S PORTION OF THE TAXES ON THE HOT TAX, AS WELL AS THE SALES TAX AND LOCAL MIXED BEVERAGE TAX.

CURRENTLY WE COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS.

THERE IS A QUESTION NOW THAT WE HAVE HAD IT HEARD IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE AS TO THE 1000 FOOT ZONE THAT WOULD CAPTURE RETAIL POTENTIALLY AROUND THE SITE.

IT'S LIKELY THAT THAT MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BILL.

WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, STILL PLEADING OUR CASE, AND ARE GOING TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE OTHER CITIES OF OUR SIZE FOR THAT. IF THAT IS TAKEN OUT, WE WOULD STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE 6% LEVIED ON THE HOTEL AND THE CONVENTION CENTER AREA IN TERMS OF SALES TAX.

AND AGAIN, JUST ON THAT BILL REPRESENTATIVE, CHAIRMAN LEACH AND SENATOR PAXTON WERE OUR JOINT AUTHORS.

WE HAD THE HEARINGS, AND THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS.

THEY'RE VOTING IT OUT OF COMMITTEE PLACING ON CALENDARS AND MOVING FORWARD. YEP.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE FOREIGN OWNED LAND BILL, SB 17 MAYOR PRO TEM TWO HAS BROUGHT THIS UP A FEW TIMES IN COUNCIL.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE. SENATOR COLE HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF INPUT.

AND ON THIS BILL THAT'S HAD AN IMPACT. IN SHORT, THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE BILL WOULD ALLOW OR WOULD PROHIBIT RATHER FOREIGN OWNED COMPANIES TIED TO CERTAIN ADVERSARIAL GOVERNMENTS.

SO AT THIS TIME, THAT'S CHINA, RUSSIA, NORTH KOREA, IRAN, FROM ACQUIRING PROPERTY IN TEXAS, IT DOES NOT PROHIBIT CITIZENS OR FOREIGN NATIONALS, SAY, WITH A GREEN CARD FROM PURCHASING HOMES, BUSINESSES, ETC.. AND THEN, OF COURSE, COUNTRIES THAT ARE NOT ON THAT FEDERAL LIST OF ADVERSARIAL GOVERNMENTS CAN STILL PURCHASE PROPERTY.

IT HAS BEEN VOTED OUT OF THE SENATE AND REPORTED FAVORABLY OUT OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE FOR IT TO GO TO THE FULL HOUSE TO BE CONSIDERED AND SENT TO THE GOVERNOR. AND THEN FINALLY, JUST A SUMMARY OF THE UPCOMING DATES.

IT'LL BE A BUSY MONTH. A LOT OF WORK STILL TO BE DONE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS.

[00:10:03]

AND I DO WANT TO BRAG ON OUR STAFF. I WENT A LITTLE TOO FAST.

I WAS GOING TO HAVE STEVE AND TANNER ON OUR STAFF PRESENT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE HOTEL PROJECT, BUT HE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

I CANNOT BE IN MULTIPLE COMMITTEES AT ONE TIME, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT AND CERTAINLY OF OUR STAFF.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'LL JUST ADD THAT YOU KNOW, WORKING DOWN IN AUSTIN AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS CAN BE A CONTENTIOUS PROCESS, A VERY DETAILED PROCESS, AND A VERY TIME CONSUMING PROCESS.

SO THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME WE SEE ANDREW, UNTIL JUNE 3RD OF 2025, WITH THE WAY THE SCHEDULE IS GOING IT'S BEEN AN ACTIVE LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOR PLANO, WORKING A NUMBER OF BILLS, NOT ONLY TRYING TO PASS SOME BILLS, BUT ALSO TRYING TO DEFEAT BILLS THAT MIGHT BE HARMFUL TO PLANO. AND BOTH STEPHEN AND ANDREW HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, INCLUDING SOME 23 HOUR DAYS TRYING TO STAY UP AND GET EVERYTHING DONE.

SO MUCH APPRECIATED FOR THEIR EFFORT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TOWARDS THEM.

ANTHONY, I WAS JUST GOING TO AMEND MY THANK YOU TO INCLUDE THE EXCELLENT STEPHEN TANNER.

YOU ROCK AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT ITEM IS NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DISCUSSION.

CALEB. YES. CALEB THORNHILL, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND SMART BREVITY.

I DID LIKE THAT. SO I'VE GOT A FEW UPDATES ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

JUST A REFRESHER OF WHERE WE WERE AT. SO THIS REALLY CAME OUT OF THE 2023 CITY STREET DESIGN STANDARDS UPDATE. THIS IS A PROGRAM WE'VE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

BACK IN ABOUT 2009, I BELIEVE THE PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.

WHEN WE UPDATED THE STREET DESIGN STANDARDS, WE INCLUDED TOOLS WITH OUR PROGRAM.

AND THEN IT ALSO IN THAT STREET DESIGN STANDARDS HAD A PRIORITY RANKING SYSTEM.

AND WHAT WE ASKED IS FOR A CONSULTANT TO COME ON BOARD TO GET THE PROGRAM UP AND GOING AGAIN.

AND WE BROUGHT THAT ACTION TO OR FOR CONSIDERATION TO COUNCIL IN AUGUST OF LAST SUMMER.

AND WE WERE TOLD JUST TO HOLD FOR NOW BECAUSE AGAIN COMES BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.

A COUPLE OF TOOLS THAT WE'VE ADDED. WE'VE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES.

YOU'LL SEE IN THE LOWER LEFT THE SPEED HUMPS WHICH YOU DO SEE IN AND AROUND TOWN, THE RAISED TABLE CROSSWALK ON YOUR RIGHT.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DOING THAT OVER HERE ON 15TH STREET.

SO JUST SOME DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT WE PUT IN THERE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS AND I'VE GOT A MAP HERE AT THE END, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS, WE GET SPEEDING AND CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC. THAT'S 99.9% OF THE COMMENTS WE GET.

SO FROM AN EVALUATION CRITERIA, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE WILL COLLECT BASED ON THE THE COMPLAINT OR THE CONCERN BROUGHT BY A CITIZEN.

AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT WILL ASK FOR A PETITION.

AND THESE WILL BE DONE ALL IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS.

AND BEFORE WE DO ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR EVEN START DESIGN, WE WILL FOLLOW THIS CRITERIA.

THIS IS WHAT THE CONSULTANT WILL BE BROUGHT ON TO ASSIST US.

WE HAVE THEM COLLECTING TRAFFIC SPEEDS, COLLECTING TRAFFIC VOLUMES.

AND THEN AT THE VERY END OF IT, BEING ABLE TO GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX MOST FITS HERE.

IF THERE IS A TOOL THAT WE MAY DO AN EVALUATION AND SAY, AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS AREA, BUT THAT'S WHERE THAT CRITERIA WILL HELP US SELECT THAT.

SO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I HAD A MEETING WITH CITY MANAGEMENT AND A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED US TO REVISIT THIS.

AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE WENT BACK TO THE CONSULTANT AND LOOKED AT THEM AND REVISED THEIR SCOPE.

THE ORIGINAL SCOPE WAS FOR TWO YEARS. AND SO WE TOLD THEM TO CUT THAT IN HALF AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS WHY IT WAS TWO YEARS.

ONE, WE ARE AT A POINT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC OR TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS ONGOING.

SO CAPACITY IS A CONCERN. WE GAVE UP A POSITION LAST YEAR TO MEET BUDGET REQUIREMENTS.

SO RIGHT NOW IT'S A VERY A BIG STRUGGLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

SO THE INTENT WAS TO BRING ON A TRANSPORTATION EXPERT, GET THE PROGRAM SET UP.

START WITH THE EVALUATION, START WITH THE DATA COLLECTION TO GET THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.

AND THEN IN THE END OF TWO YEARS, THEY WOULD HAND THE PROGRAM OVER TO THE CITY OF PLANO STAFF.

WELL, WE ASKED THE CONSULTANT TO DO IS IF THEY ONLY DID IT FOR ONE YEAR, WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE, AND THE NUMBER THEY CAME BACK WITH IS AN ESTIMATED $110,000.

THAT'S DOWN FROM THE ORIGINAL THAT WAS BROUGHT IN AUGUST OF 188.

[00:15:04]

AGAIN GOING FROM ONE YEAR TO TWO YEAR. THE REST OF THE SCOPE IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME.

JUST IT WOULD BE A HALF THE TIME FRAME SCOPE CHANGE.

AND SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS ASKED BY ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IS CALLED A HEAT MAP, THEIR LOCATIONS THAT WE GET REQUESTS. YOU CAN SEE IT'S, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.

AND LIKE I SAID, 99% OF OUR REQUESTS ARE EITHER FOR SPEED OR CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC OR BOTH.

BUT AND THIS IS A MAP THAT WE STARTED CREATING.

WE STARTED IMPLEMENTING THIS ONCE THE STREET DESIGN STANDARDS WERE UPDATED.

AND SO THESE ARE THE REQUESTS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

AND THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE. SO I'LL OPEN IT TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL REAL QUICK. COUNCILMAN RICCIARDELLI AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMER REQUESTED THAT THE CONVERSATION.

SO WE'RE REALLY SEEKING DIRECTION FROM YOU WHETHER YOU WANT THIS ACTUALLY BROUGHT BACK ON A FUTURE AGENDA AT THIS POINT.

BUT WITH SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HAD, WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GO AHEAD AND UPDATE SOME OF THE DETAILS OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY INCLUDED WITHIN THAT PLAN. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEKING DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TONIGHT, WHETHER YOU WANT US TO BRING THAT BACK ON A FUTURE AGENDA. OH, THANK YOU MAYOR. SO I'LL JUST START BY SAYING THANK YOU, CALEB, FOR THIS GREAT PRESENTATION AND FOR THE INFORMATION.

CALEB ACTUALLY DID THAT CALL WITH DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMER AND MYSELF WHEN HE WAS IN THE AIRPORT.

SO WAY TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, CALEB. THANK YOU.

I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH ON A POINT, WHICH IS THAT IN THE LAST BUDGET, OBVIOUSLY, YOU MENTIONED GIVING UP A POSITION THAT RESULTED IN SOME PROPOSAL COMING ON TO A CONSENT AGENDA FOR A POTENTIAL $180,000 CONTRACT.

I KNOW THAT SEVERAL OF US HAVE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN DOING THINGS IN-HOUSE AND OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE MORE EXPENSIVE WHEN THEY CHARGE BY THE HOUR. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I WON'T BE ON THIS COUNCIL FOR ANY MORE BUDGETS.

BUT I JUST WANT TO. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE WHEN WE DID LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.

AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE NOT PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CAPACITY TO DO THINGS IN-HOUSE.

THAT BEING SAID, YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER LAST AUGUST WE VOTED THIS DOWN 7 TO 1.

THE MAYOR WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WHO SAID WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH IT.

YOU KNOW, SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, I WAS OUTSIDE WITH MY KIDS, TWO OF WHOM ARE HERE, ACTUALLY ETHAN AND BENJAMIN.

AND YOU KNOW, CATHERINE IS NOT HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH CARS WHIZZING BY, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, BOY, WE'VE GOT REQUESTS ALL OVER THE CITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE CALLING IN AND SAYING, I'M NOT SURE THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS ARE SAFE.

AND YOU KNOW, I STARTED TO HAVE UNEASE ABOUT MY VOTE TO DEFER THIS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

SO YOU KNOW, WITH SO MANY KIDS ALL OVER THE CITY WHOSE SAFETY DEPENDS ON SAFE STREETS, WITH CAREFUL DRIVING AND TRAFFIC AT A REASONABLE SPEED, I STARTED TO LOOK INTO THIS. AGAIN, I TALKED TO COUNCILMEMBER PRINCE, WHO HAD PULLED IT OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA LAST AUGUST, AND WE BOTH TALKED ABOUT OUR MUTUAL PREFERENCE THAT THE CITY TRY TO DO MORE THINGS IN-HOUSE AND MINIMIZE THE OUTSIDE CONSULTING SPEND, WHICH I VERY, VERY MUCH AGREE WITH. BUT I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT OTHER PLACES TO TRIM CONSULTING EXPENSES.

RIGHT HERE WE'VE GOT 36 PENDING REQUESTS RIGHT NOW THAT WE ARE APPARENTLY NOT ABLE TO GET TO.

YOU KNOW, AT OUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS AND GIVEN THE SAFETY CONCERN, WHICH IS OUR NUMBER ONE FUNCTION AS A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE, THAT'S THE BASIC LEVEL BEFORE WE CAN PROVIDE ANY OTHER SERVICES ON TOP OF THAT.

I THINK WE NEED TO BE TAKING ACTION ON THESE NOW.

SO WHILE I WISH THIS COULD BE DONE WITHOUT A CONSULTANT, IT APPARENTLY CAN'T BE AT THIS TIME.

AS CALEB MENTIONED, IT HAS BEEN TRIMMED DOWN TO ONE YEAR AND $110,000, WHICH IS NOT MUCH MORE, OR PERHAPS EVEN LESS THAN THE COST OF ONE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITION, DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF POSITION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO I WOULD I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE GIVE DIRECTION THAT WE SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.

FOR THE ONE YEAR AND $110,000 CONTRACT SO THAT WE CAN CLEAR THIS BACKLOG OF 36 REQUESTS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STREETS ARE SAFE.

AND THEN I WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN TAKE IT OVER IN-HOUSE AFTER THAT YEAR.

YES. THANK YOU, CALEB, FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION.

YES. SAFETY HAS TO BE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY HERE.

BUT ALSO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS HERE, WE GOT TO LOOK AT THE EFFICIENCIES OF HIRING THESE OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IS A SPECIALTY ENGINEERING.

I MEAN, AND TO GET CALEB'S CREW SPUN UP ON THE NUANCES OF HOW TO PRODUCE AN ACCURATE DATA SET AND TO ANALYZE THAT

[00:20:02]

WOULD PROBABLY COST US MORE THAN $110,000, BECAUSE THERE'S EQUIPMENT TO RENT AND PLACEMENT OF THAT EQUIPMENT, MAINTENANCE OF THAT EQUIPMENT. AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST THE IF YOU'VE DONE IT ONCE, YOU'VE DONE IT TWICE, YOU'VE DONE IT THREE TIMES. GREAT. YOU GOT SOME EXPERIENCE. THIS IS HOW WE DID IT IN AUSTIN.

THIS IS HOW WE DID IT IN FRISCO. CALEB'S CREW I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY GUYS HAVE DONE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. SO AGAIN, IT'S A LEARNING CURVE.

SO WE WOULD LOSE SOME EFFICIENCIES THERE. THE SECOND PART I WANT TO TOUCH BASE WITH YOU ARE I GET REPEATED REQUESTS FOR SPEEDING.

YOU KNOW, TEENAGERS, HOT RODDING AND STUFF ALL AROUND LEGACY WEST.

THE POLICE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF RESPONDING WITH THAT.

BUT I STILL THINK WE NEED TO PUT THESE CALMING MEASURES THERE.

AND WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, FROM THE EVALUATION PERSPECTIVE, MAYBE ALSO GATHERED DATA FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE A LOT OF THIS THESE NOISE ISSUES ARE BEING REPORTED TO. SO I THINK WE NEED TO TIE THAT WITH, AGAIN THE SPEEDING AND THE SAFETY PROTOCOL AND THEN HIRING THROUGH A CONSULTANT. I THINK THAT'S JUST A WISE MOVE IN ITSELF.

SO THOSE ARE TIDBITS I WANT TO PROVIDE. THANK YOU.

SHELBY. THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THE RENEWED FOCUS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS RICCIARDELLI AND PRINCE, AND I APPRECIATE THE SLIMMED DOWN PRICE. I DO HAVE CONCERNS STILL OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

WHEN WE'RE ASKING OUR PEOPLE TO VOTE ON A RECORD HIGH BOND PACKAGE AND THE ATTENUATING FISCAL CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.

I'D LIKE TO ASK, WOULD A STUDY LIKE THIS FALL UNDER THE REGIONAL MOBILITY PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT CODIFYING IN THE DART BILL? HONESTLY COUNCILMAN I THAT'S MORE OF A PHYSICAL INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG THOSE LINES. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT A STUDY WOULD NECESSARILY QUALIFY.

WE'D NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER, THOUGH. OKAY.

THAT'S FAIR. I WOULD MAYBE RECOMMEND THAT WE WAIT TO SEE HOW THE DART BILL GOES.

I REALIZE THAT AT LEAST THREE OF US, MAYBE FOUR OF US, WILL BE OFF OF COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.

BUT DEPENDING ON HOW THE DART BILL GOES, TEE THIS UP BEFORE THE NEXT COUNCIL WITH THIS BACKSTORY SAYING THAT WHICHEVER WAY THE BILL GOES, THESE ARE THE OPTIONS BEFORE THEM.

THAT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. CALEB, THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO PUSH THIS.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A WHILE BACK, AND IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE NEED. I ALSO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE CUT THE POTENTIAL BUDGET DOWN FOR OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, BUT I'M HOPING I CAN SAVE US 100,000 PLUS MONEY BY GIVING YOU SOME ADVICE.

INADVERTENTLY, I PROBABLY STUDIED THIS AND LOOKED AT THIS, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.

WE HAVE GOOD FRIENDS THAT LIVE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET THAT IS A THRUWAY BETWEEN PRESTON AND HILLCREST.

SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE TRAFFIC GOING NORTH AND SOUTH. THEY HAVE MASSIVE CUT THROUGH.

AND THE TIMES THAT WE'RE THERE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, WEEKENDS, TRAFFIC USED TO JUST BE I MEAN, IT WAS WHIZZING BY NOT A LOT OF CHILDREN, YOU KNOW FORTUNATELY, THAT LIVE THERE.

BUT THERE IS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OVER THERE. THEY GOT TOGETHER WITH THE HOA AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE SPEED BUMPS THE CUSHIONS PUT IN.

THERE'S NO FAST TRAFFIC PERIOD, ZERO ANYMORE.

NOBODY RACING UP AND DOWN THE STREET. THE I GUESS AGAIN, ONLY LOOK AT WEEKENDS.

THE EPISODE OF TRAFFIC THEMSELVES CUTTING THROUGH BETWEEN PRESTON HILLCREST IS ALMOST NOTHING.

YOU KNOW NOW. SO IT WORKS. AT LEAST IT WORKS IN THIS THIS INDICATION.

AND I WOULD THINK THAT THE SPEED CUSHIONS TWO THINGS.

I WOULD SAY THEY'RE PROBABLY THE LEAST EXPENSIVE OF THE ALTERNATIVES.

YOU KNOW, BESIDES DOING A ROUNDABOUT WHICH NO ROUNDABOUTS PLEASE.

LET'S DON'T DO THAT. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE CONSULTANT SAYS.

WOULD BE ALSO THEY'RE LEAST LIKELY, I WOULD SAY, TO DAMAGE VEHICLES THAT MAY NOT NOTICE THAT THEY'RE THERE AND THEY HAPPEN TO GO OVER THEM. EXCUSE ME.

THEY HAPPEN TO GO OVER THEM AT A HIGHER, LITTLE HIGHER RATE OF SPEED.

THE CARS ARE NOT GOING TO BOTTOM OUT. I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT MYSELF. I HAVE A CAR THAT SITS LOW TO THE GROUND.

I GO OVER 20 MILES AN HOUR. NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER.

SO SAVE $110,000, PUT SPEED CUSHIONS ON THE STREET.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE OTHER THING I THINK WE COULD DO, I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, IS UTILIZE THE SERVICES OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, PUT THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE WITH RADAR GUNS AT SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WILL THAT WILL SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN.

ALSO, IT'S A VOLUNTEER SERVICE, SO IT COST US NOTHING EXCEPT GAS AND, YOU KNOW, AND EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.

[00:25:02]

BUT THAT'S JUST MY $0.02 ON IT. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

YEAH. SO THE POLICE SERVICE, WHAT WE SEE FROM THAT IS AN IMMEDIATE REACTION SPEED SLOW DOWN.

BUT IT'S TYPICALLY FOR THE DURATION OF WHEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY OUT THERE.

SO WHETHER WE HAVE A STATIONED POLICE OFFICER ANOTHER SERVICE, THE SPEED TRAILERS AUTOMATIC, YOU KNOW, IT SLOWS THE SPEEDS DOWN, BUT THAT'S USUALLY THAT TEMPORARY TIME FRAME.

SO WHEN THE POLICE CAR MOVES OR THE SPEED TRAILER GOES AWAY IS WHEN THE SPEEDS START COMING BACK UP.

THE SPEED BUMPS, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. THEY WILL SLOW VEHICLES DOWN.

I THINK THEY ARE PROBABLY MORE DAMAGING DEPENDING ON YOUR CAR TYPE, YOU KNOW, AND CLEARANCE.

THEY DO CREATE CHALLENGES FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AS WELL.

SO I THINK THEY HAVE A USE, BUT IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON THE LOCATION AND WHAT'S GOING ON AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION.

YOU KNOW, AND ONE THING I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON IS IF THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

AND I MENTIONED THIS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IF THERE IS A SIGHT DISTANCE, IF THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE THE GEOMETRY IS CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION, WE WILL ADDRESS THAT.

WE WILL PUT IN A CIP PROJECT TO ADDRESS THAT.

IF IT'S SIMPLY SPEEDS AND CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO EVALUATE, BECAUSE IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE SIMPLY THAT THEY CAN'T SEE AROUND THE CORNER.

THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THROUGH THAT WAY BASED ON WHERE THEY NORMALLY GO.

BUT IF THERE IS A TRUE SAFETY ISSUE WITH IT, OTHER THAN SPEEDING AND CUT THROUGH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ADDRESS.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU. CALEB.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT ANTHONY SAID WHEN HE BROUGHT THIS BACK TO MY ATTENTION.

I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING PHYSICALLY. I WAS ON ZOOM FOR THAT MEETING BACK IN AUGUST, AND WE WERE PRETTY FOCUSED ON OUR BUDGET AND TRYING TO CUT COSTS WHERE WE COULD.

AND SO I DIDN'T KIND OF AT THAT MOMENT, I DIDN'T REALIZE THE ITEM WAS GOING TO BE PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT. I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TO CUT BACK ON THE COST.

AND AFTER TALKING WITH ANTHONY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON ON OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND REALIZING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM LEAVING COUNCIL, THAT HE DIDN'T LEAVE THIS UNDONE UNADDRESSED.

I APPRECIATED THAT, SO IT GAVE ME SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.

I UNDERSTAND COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH'S COMMENT ABOUT SAVING DOLLARS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE HOA.

I DON'T LIVE IN AN HOA, SO I DON'T. WE DON'T HAVE DOLLARS TO PUT TOWARDS THINGS LIKE THAT.

I ALSO FEEL LIKE AS A, AS A CITY, THAT JUST SHOWS US TAKING THAT ONE EXTRA STEP TO PRIORITIZE IN AN EQUITABLE WAY.

WHO WHAT SITUATIONS ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS IF WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING WITH CONCERNS ABOUT AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SHOW THAT WE HAVE PRIORITIZED SAFETY AND, AND ADDRESS THE SITUATIONS THAT WERE THE MOST, MOST DANGEROUS FIRST.

THE OTHER THING THAT WAS ON MY MIND WAS WITH THE BOND REFERENDUM COMING UP, I HAD HAD SOMEONE BRING UP A CERTAIN INTERSECTION BEING BUSIER BECAUSE OF OF ADDING THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS THERE. AND WHILE I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS, QUITE HONESTLY, ABOUT THERE BEING ADDITIONAL DANGERS THERE.

IN FACT, THE COMMENT WAS MADE ABOUT NEW DRIVERS AT THE CTE CENTER AND I SAID, GREAT, WE'VE GOT A NEW POLICE STATION RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WANT MY NEW DRIVER TO BE.

IF ASSUMING THE BOND GOES THROUGH. SO WHILE I DON'T HAVE CONCERNS, IT DID HAVE ME THINKING, YOU KNOW, IT IT DOES GIVE ME SOME ADDITIONAL ASSURANCES THAT IF THERE WERE TO BE A SITUATION OR AN INTERSECTION THAT BECOMES A CONCERN, THAT WE ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME THAT WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PRIORITIZE AND ADDRESS THOSE, THOSE MATTERS? SO FOR THE COST YOU KNOW, ANTHONY WAS SMART TO SEE THAT WE COULD SAVE MONEY BY REDUCING THE TIME FRAME.

AND I APPRECIATE KAYLA EXPLAINING THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT WOULD WORK.

I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE MONEY WELL SPENT, SO I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF IT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN MAKE A MOTION AT THIS POINT, OR WE WILL JUST BE SURE. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU.

ANTHONY. SHELBY, YOU HAD ANOTHER COMMENT. JUST A QUICK QUESTION, CALEB.

TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS, RIGHT. THE ONE YEAR CONTRACT THAT'S GOING TO BE GATHERING DATA JUST AT TEN LOCATIONS.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. ARE THOSE RELATIVELY DISTRIBUTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY OR ARE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM POINTS? IT'LL PROBABLY BE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM POINTS.

THE AREAS THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE.

WE'VE HAD REQUESTS AND TALKED TO BRIAN EARLIER.

BRIAN SHEWSKI, TRANSPORTATION MANAGER. WE HAD A REQUEST FOR SPEEDING AND CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC ON A STREET THAT HAD FOUR HOUSES ON IT.

[00:30:01]

WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO DO A VOLUME AND SPEED STUDY ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT ON A STREET THAT HAS WHERE NOTICEABLY MORE VOLUMES AND MORE SPEEDS, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON. NOW, I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT MENTIONED EARLIER. WE DO HAVE EQUIPMENT.

WE DO HAVE CAMERAS TO GO OUT AND PERFORM SOME OF THESE.

WE EVEN HAVE THE STAFF WITH THE KNOWLEDGE TO TO COLLECT THIS DATA.

RIGHT NOW IT'S THE WORKLOAD AND THE TIMING THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PRINCE. CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS OR OPTIONS? YEAH. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? YEAH. SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THE SPEED CUSHIONS ARE A GREAT OPTION FOR THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES. ARE ANY OF THESE A GOOD OPTION FOR GETTING EMERGENCY VEHICLES THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD QUICKLY AND SAFELY? YEAH. SO IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE LOCATION.

SO YOU KNOW, THE RAISE TABLE ESSENTIALLY SERVES AS A AS A SPEED DETERRENT, SIMILAR TO THE CUSHION.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RAISED TABLE IS THAT'S MORE PEDESTRIAN FOCUSED.

SO IF YOU HAVE A DOWNTOWN LOCATION THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A HIGH VOLUME OF PEDESTRIANS, YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE RAISED TABLE.

SO IT'S NOW SERVING THE PEDESTRIANS, BUT IT'S ALSO SERVING AS A SPEED DETERRENT.

THE ISLAND IS GOING TO BE AGAIN PEDESTRIAN FOCUSED.

NARROWING THE ROADWAY. WHILE IT MAY NOT IMPACT EMERGENCY VEHICLES FROM GOING OVER A HUMP, NARROWING THE ROADWAY TENDS TO SLOW CARS DOWN.

SO THAT'S WHERE THOSE TWO ON THE RIGHT ARE GOING TO BE MORE PEDESTRIAN FOCUSED.

BUT THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE. WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT THE BEST OPTION IS FOR THE LOCATION.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. CALEB, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'D LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER PROPOSALS ON THIS.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT IT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM. ITEM FOR CULTURAL ARTS PLAN.

MICHELLE. GOOD EVENING. I'M MICHELLE HAWKINS.

I'M THE DOWNTOWN PLANO MANAGER. FOR OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE CULTURAL PLANNING GROUP HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP THE COMPREHENSIVE CULTURAL ARTS PLAN THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF PLANO.

SO TONIGHT, DAVID SAUNDERS WITH THE CULTURAL PLANNING GROUP IS GOING TO PRESENT THAT PLAN TO YOU ALL.

AND THIS VISION IT SETS FORTH FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU, MICHELLE, AND GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. ON BEHALF OF THE PLANNING TEAM, WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE DRAFT PLANO CULTURAL ARTS PLAN TO YOU THIS EVENING.

THE NAME OF THE PLAN IS LIVE IN PLANO, WHICH CAME ABOUT FROM OUR ARTIST LED COMMUNITY SESSIONS LED BY PLANO ARTIST AMBER LEE.

AND IT CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY TOLD US.

HERE'S OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING. WE'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING PROCESS, WHAT WE LEARNED, THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES OF THE PLAN, IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING OPTIONS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, TIME FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.

SO LET'S START WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS. THIS PHOTO IS FROM ONE OF THE COMMUNITY POP UPS, A VERY CASUAL, FUN, CREATIVE WAY TO WEIGH IN ON A MUNICIPAL PLAN.

WE USED A COMPREHENSIVE MIXED METHOD RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.

THIS SLIDE REALLY IS INTENDED TO SAY THAT WE DID OUR HOMEWORK.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE PARTICIPATES IN CITY PLANNING IN THEIR OWN WAY OR NOT.

WE PROVIDED MULTIPLE TOUCH POINTS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO REGISTER THEIR VOICES.

WE ALSO DID SIGNIFICANT QUANTITATIVE AND SUPPLEMENTAL RESEARCH TO ROUND OUT OUR UNDERSTANDING.

OUR QUALITATIVE FACE TO FACE DISCUSSION TYPE ENGAGEMENT BEGAN WITH THIS ARTS FORUM LAST MAY.

HERE'S A SUMMARY OF OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH PROFESSIONAL STAKEHOLDERS.

WE MET WITH THE ARTS COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

WE MET WITH MANY OF YOU LAST SUMMER. ALSO, WE MET WITH CITY STAFF, LOCAL BUSINESSES, THE FAITH COMMUNITY, SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDERS, AND MANY MORE. WE ENGAGED WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH AUDIENCE DISCUSSION GROUPS, ARTIST LED COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY POP UPS.

WE DID A STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY AND A PARALLEL COMMUNITY OPEN SURVEY OPEN TO ALL.

[00:35:02]

THIS ALLOWED US TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE TIME OR INCLINATION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON.

WE DID A MARKET STUDY AND WE DID AN ANALYSIS OF YOUR CREATIVE ECONOMY.

HERE ARE THE MANY LOCATIONS OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS.

WE MET IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY AND THE WEEK, AND ALSO DURING MAJOR EVENTS.

SO WHAT DID WE HEAR? WHAT DO WE MAKE OF ALL THIS RESEARCH? WE HEARD THAT PLANO IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN ITS EVOLUTION.

AS MANY HAVE OBSERVED, PLANO IS MATURING AS A CITY AND A COMMUNITY.

IT HAS A VIBRANT ARTS COMMUNITY, CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND SUCCESSFUL MAJOR EVENTS.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. WE ALSO HEARD THAT PLANO RESIDENTS BELIEVE THE CITY IS LAGGING BEHIND OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION, AND NEEDS TO FOCUS ON ITS OVERALL CULTURAL VITALITY.

RESIDENTS SEEK A GREATER PRESENCE OF THE ARTS IN EVERYDAY LIFE, NOT NECESSARILY A CULTURE PALACE, BUT RATHER CREATIVE EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE CLOSE TO HOME AND PUBLIC SPACES AND IN RECREATION CENTERS, PUBLIC ART MURALS, OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE ART WITH OTHERS.

AND THE RESEARCH SHOWS UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT PLANO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE OUR ARTS PARTICIPATION.

THERE'S A STRONG MARKET FOR IT AMONG PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AND NEAR PLANO.

I SAID THAT PLANO HAS GOT A LOT GOING ON IN A VIBRANT ARTS COMMUNITY.

SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? THERE ARE MANY ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, ARTISTS, CREATIVES, CREATIVE BUSINESSES AND EVENTS. THERE'S A CONCENTRATION IN AND AROUND THE DOWNTOWN PLANO ARTS DISTRICT, OF COURSE, AND ALSO ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY.

PEOPLE VALUE PLANO'S CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMING.

HOWEVER, PLANO'S CREATIVE COMMUNITY IS UNDER-RECOGNIZED LOCALLY.

PEOPLE OFTEN DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEING OFFERED OR CAN'T FIND WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IN PLANO.

SO MANY RESIDENTS, AS YOU KNOW, LEAVE THE CITY TO ATTEND THE ARTS ELSEWHERE.

AND AS WE JUST SAID, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT UNTAPPED AUDIENCE POTENTIAL.

ALMOST 90% OF PLANO HOUSEHOLDS ARE ABOVE AVERAGE INTEREST IN THE ARTS.

SO WHAT ABOUT THE CITY'S ROLE IN THE ARTS? WE COMPARED THE CITY OF PLANO'S APPROACH TO THE ARTS TO SIX OTHER NORTH TEXAS CITIES, AND TWO ELSEWHERE, SELECTED FOR COMPARABLE POPULATION SIZE, SUBURBAN CHARACTER, AND PROXIMITY TO MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS.

WHAT ARE THE COMPARISONS? TELL US? SEVEN OF THE EIGHT CITIES HAVE CONSOLIDATED THEIR ARTS FUNCTIONS IN A DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION.

BY CONTRAST, PLANO'S ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS SEVERAL.

AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, CONSOLIDATION GENERALLY MAKES FOR BETTER POLICY COORDINATION AND COMMUNITY IMPACT.

PLANO DEMONSTRATES STRONG FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO ARTS AND CULTURE, ALLOCATING APPROXIMATELY $1.5 MILLION ANNUALLY TO GRANTS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN ANY COMPARISON CITY. THIS REPRESENTS ABOUT $5.10 PER CAPITA, AND PLANO COMPARED TO RICHARDSON'S $3.07.

IRVING'S $1.97 AND FRISCO'S $1.33 PER CAPITA.

PLANO'S CULTURAL FACILITIES ALIGN WITH REGIONAL STANDARDS, OFFERING SIMILAR VENUE TYPES AND CAPACITIES TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.

THE COURTYARD AND COX THEATERS ARE COMPARABLE TO OTHER SMALL VENUES IN THE REGION, THOUGH RICHARDSON'S EISEMANN CENTER, OF COURSE, STANDS OUT AMONG FACILITIES IN ALL COMMUNITIES, WITH ITS LARGE PERFORMANCE HALL SEATING 1600.

THIS SUGGESTS THAT PLANO HAS A STRONG FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS, AND THERE ARE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE COMMUNITY IMPACT OF THOSE RESOURCES.

AND AS WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A FEW MINUTES, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS PLAN FOCUS ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING CONSOLIDATING ARTS FUNCTIONS UNDER A CULTURAL AFFAIRS MANAGER.

SPREADING OUT THE GRANTS AND OTHER RESOURCES.

FITTING PROGRAMING TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS. AND RESTARTING A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM.

WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES FOR ARTS AND CULTURE? FIRST, TO MAKE PLANO A RECOGNIZED COMMUNITY ARTS DESTINATION, NOT DALLAS, BUT RATHER A PLACE WITH MORE VARIED AND HIGHER QUALITY ARTS OFFERINGS, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES CLOSER TO HOME THAT ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE IN TERMS OF TIME, COST, AND LOCATION.

PUBLIC ART THAT YOU WALK OR DRIVE BY. LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCAL RESTAURANT OR BAR, AND AN ART CLASS FOR YOUR KIDS WITHIN A TEN MINUTE DRIVE.

OF COURSE, SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN PLANO, BUT WE HEARD ACROSS ALL GROUPS THAT PEOPLE WANT BETTER INFORMATION SOURCES.

[00:40:01]

YOU KNOW, BETTER WAYS TO LEARN ABOUT AND PLUG INTO THINGS THAT INTEREST THEM LOCALLY.

THEY ALSO DON'T JUST WANT THINGS TO ATTEND. THEY WANT HANDS ON ARTS ACTIVITIES.

PLANO RESIDENTS HAVE A SOPHISTICATED UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE THE ARTS PLAY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THAT EXPANDED. THERE'S ALSO MARKET DEMAND FOR VARIOUS FACILITIES OF VARIOUS TYPES AND FOR AFFORDABLE ARTISTS WORKSPACES. THE CITY FACES COMPETITION FROM DALLAS AND NEARBY CITIES, BUT IT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORGE ITS OWN YOUR OWN DISTINCT CULTURAL IDENTITY IN THE REGION.

LIKE WE JUST MENTIONED, PLANO ALSO CAN EMPHASIZE ITS INHERENT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES ITS CHARACTERISTICS LIKE ITS FAMILY FRIENDLY NATURE, INFORMAL SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE, AND DIVERSE POPULATION.

RESIDENTS IDENTIFIED LONG TERM PRIORITIES WITH A GO TO INFORMATION SOURCE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

SURPRISINGLY, THE SECOND LONG TERM PRIORITY WAS MAKING IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO LIVE AND WORK HERE IN PLANO AND NOT HAVE TO LEAVE TO PURSUE THEIR CAREERS. PLANO'S ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS DETAILED THEIR NEEDS, MORE PERFORMANCE, EXHIBITION AND STUDIO SPACES. ALSO BETTER CONNECTIONS, NETWORKING AND COORDINATION, ESPECIALLY COORDINATED MARKETING.

ARTISTS ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY HAVE LOW VISIBILITY IN PLANO AND SIMPLY SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK HERE AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR CREATIVITY.

PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR ARTS CITY ARTS FUNDING IS STRONG 65%.

TWO THIRDS OF RESIDENTS IN THE STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY.

NOW, WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLAN.

THEY'RE BASED ON THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL THE RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT, AND THEY PROVIDE THE MEANS TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S VISION AND PRIORITIES FOR ARTS AND CULTURE IN THEIR LIVES. THE PLAN FOCUSES ON THREE GOALS.

THE FIRST IS COMMUNITY. WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AND THEIR DESIRES FOR THEIR CULTURAL LIVES HERE IN PLANO.

THE SECOND IS CREATIVE COMMUNITY. WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR.

THE THIRD IS CITY GOVERNMENT. WHAT ROLE THE CITY CAN TAKE TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT EACH GOAL AND SOME SELECTED STRATEGIES.

THE COMMUNITY GOAL. THE FIRST STRATEGY IS ABOUT THE KINDS OF ARTS PROGRAMING THE COMMUNITY DESIRES AND MAY BE MISSING OR LESS AVAILABLE IN PLANO.

THE PUBLIC SEEKS A GREATER VARIETY OF MORE SOPHISTICATED PROGRAMING AS WELL AS PROGRAMING INTENDED FOR SPECIFIC AUDIENCES LIKE ADULTS.

YOUNG ADULTS. YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THINGS THEY NOW OFTEN LEAVE PLANO DEFINED.

THE SECOND STRATEGY CALLS FOR COORDINATED AND CITYWIDE MARKETING OF THE ARTS.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON NEEDS, AND IT'S ALSO ONE REASON PEOPLE DON'T ATTEND MORE IN PLANO, BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY DON'T LEARN ABOUT THINGS THAT INTEREST THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER.

THE SECOND STRATEGY CALLS FOR COORDINATED AND CITYWIDE MARKETING OF THE ARTS.

THIS WAS ONE OF ONE OF THE MOST COMMON NEEDS.

AND IT'S OH, I'M SORRY, 1.4 IS ABOUT PUBLIC ART.

THE CITY USED TO HAVE A PERCENT FOR ART PROGRAM, AND ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE ONE, IT'S DONE SOME RECENT PILOT PUBLIC ART PROJECTS LIKE THE SCULPTURES ON 15TH STREET.

THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE MORE PUBLIC ART, NOT JUST OUTDOOR SCULPTURES, BUT ALSO TEMPORARY AND INTERACTIVE PIECES, MURALS AND THINGS LIKE ARTIST DESIGN, UTILITY BOXES AND CROSSWALKS.

THIS OVERLAPS WITH 1.5, WHICH IS ABOUT CREATIVE PLACEMAKING.

PEOPLE EXPRESS THE DESIRE FOR MORE GATHERING PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHETHER IN MALLS, PARKS, DOWNTOWN, OR OTHER SPOTS. THEY OFTEN DESCRIBE PLANO AS VANILLA AND DESIRE A MORE INTERESTING AND INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO ACTIVATE AND ENLIVEN EXISTING SPACES.

NOW MOVING ON TO THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY. THIS GOAL FOCUSES ON THE NEEDS OF THE ARTS SECTOR AND WAYS TO BETTER ENABLE IT TO MAKE ART AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

2.1 IS ABOUT THE GRANTS PROGRAM, AND RECOMMENDS CHANGES TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO A BROADER RANGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATE NEW FUNDING CATEGORIES, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS. 2.2 IS ESSENTIALLY A CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE MARKETING PROGRAM WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT.

MARKETING REALLY SUPPORTS ALL THREE OF THE GOALS.

2.3 ACKNOWLEDGES THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF PLANO'S INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.

[00:45:03]

IT CALLS FOR FUNDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WORK OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER WAYS TO HIGHLIGHT AND MAKE USE OF ARTISTS LIVING IN PLANO.

2.5 THROUGH 2.7 FOCUS ON FACILITIES AND SPACES FOR THE ARTS.

WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THE NEED FOR A RANGE OF CULTURAL FACILITIES AND OTHER SPACES.

THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CALL FOR THE CITY TO DEVELOP OR PARTNER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT WOULD MEET IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY NEEDS.

SPECIFICS INCLUDE A COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF A 2017 STUDY.

ALSO, GALLERY SPACES, ARTISTS LIVE WORK, AND A CITYWIDE DIRECTORY OF AVAILABLE SPACES.

THE THIRD GOAL IS ABOUT EVOLVING THE ROLE OF THE CITY IN MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF FULFILLING THE COMMUNITY'S VISION.

3.1 CALLS ON THE CITY TO CONSOLIDATE ITS CURRENT ARTS FUNCTIONS INTO AN OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, OR MAYBE OFFICE OF CREATIVE LIFE. THE PLAN CALLS FOR THE CITY TO DO NEW THINGS, AND THIS WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE THROUGH INTERNAL COORDINATION.

3.2 RECOMMENDS A GENERAL REVIEW AND ALIGNMENT OF CITY POLICY TO BEST SERVE THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THIS MEANS REEVALUATING GRANTS, POLICIES, FACILITY USE POLICIES, AND EVENT PERMITTING.

IT ALSO MEANS COORDINATING CITY ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING RECREATION AND LIBRARIES.

3.3 IS ABOUT THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION. THE COMMISSION NOW PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON GRANTS ON THE GRANTS PROCESS.

THIS ENVISIONS BROADENING THE COMMISSION'S SCOPE TO INCLUDE ADVISING CITY COUNCIL ON ALL ARTS AND CULTURAL ISSUES.

YOU KNOW, EVERY CULTURAL PLAN RAISES EXPECTATIONS FOR MORE MONEY, FOR MORE RESOURCES AND QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

FIRST, A WORD ABOUT ROLES. THIS CULTURAL PLAN WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE CITY, AND ONE IMPORTANT PURPOSE WAS TO DEFINE AN APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR THE CITY MOVING FORWARD.

BUT CULTURAL PLANS BY NATURE INVOLVE PARTNERSHIPS.

THEY'RE OFTEN DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MUNICIPAL MASTER PLANS.

THE PLAN CAN'T BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT PARTNERSHIPS AND THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, ARTISTS, CREATIVE BUSINESSES, CORPORATIONS, AND, OF COURSE, RESIDENTS.

THE PLAN DETAILS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH SECTOR TO TAKE A ROLE IN ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN, AND INVITES EVERYONE'S PARTICIPATION. AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, OF COURSE, IS KEY TO SUCCESS OF THE OVERALL PLAN AND IN CONSULTATION WITH CITY STAFF. STARTING POINTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS.

STAFF WILL LEAD MOST ACTION STEPS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, CALLING ON PARTNERS AS NEEDED.

STAFF WILL ALSO FORM AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ACTION TEAM TO PROVIDE TO ADDRESS ACTION STEPS INVOLVING TWO OR MORE DEPARTMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE A BROADER PERSPECTIVE. OTHER STARTING POINTS ARE TO CREATE A CENTRALIZED ONLINE MARKETING AND INFORMATION HUB, AND TO REVAMP THE GRANTS PROGRAM. LONGER TERM PRIORITIES WILL BE ESTABLISHED AND FUTURE ACTION PLANS DEVELOPED AS PART OF THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN AND BUDGETING PROCESS. THE CURRENT LEASE. THE CITY CURRENTLY FUNDS ITS ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS, PRIMARILY FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND FROM GENERAL FUNDS. VERY CONSISTENT WITH OTHER TEXAS CITIES, THESE SUPPORT THE CITY'S ARTS GRANTS.

PROGRAMS. SPECIAL EVENTS. CITY OWNED CULTURAL FACILITIES AND LIBRARY AND REC PROGRAMS. STAFF HAS ALSO SECURED GRANT FUNDING FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY FOR THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT, PUBLIC ART AND OTHER USES. AND SO THESE ARE ALL INVALUABLE WAYS TO PAY FOR THE ARTS AND SHOULD CONTINUE.

THERE ARE ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR NEW REVENUES FOR THE ARTS IF THE CITY CHOOSES TO REVIVE ITS CURRENT PUBLIC ART, ITS PERCENT FOR ART PROGRAM. THIS WOULD GENERATE ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR PUBLIC ART IF IT EXPLORES AN ART INCENTIVE OR REQUIREMENT FOR PRIVATE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. THIS WOULD ALSO GENERATE NEW FUNDS FOR PUBLIC ART OR ART SPACES.

MANY CITIES FORM A NONPROFIT FUNDRAISING ARM OF FRIENDS OF THE ARTS TYPE FOUNDATION TO RAISE PRIVATE DOLLARS TO SUPPORT COMPELLING COMMUNITY NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN A CULTURAL PLAN. THIS IS COMMONLY DONE FOR LIBRARIES AND PARK SYSTEMS, AND CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING NEW MONEY TO THE TABLE.

AND OF COURSE, PLANO PARTICIPATES IN CAPITAL BOND ISSUES EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO.

AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO HELP FINANCE CULTURAL FACILITIES PROJECTS.

AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENT ATTENTION.

AND WE INVITE YOUR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[00:50:02]

APPRECIATE THAT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANTHONY.

THANK YOU MAYOR. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORK ON THIS PLAN.

I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WERE IN IT.

YOU MENTIONED INCREASING ACCESS TO CITY PERFORMANCE VENUES, WHICH I THINK IS IS IMPORTANT.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD ABOUT. HOW WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE GO ABOUT INCREASING ACCESS TO EXISTING VENUES? WELL, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE THIRD GOAL, THE CITY GOAL, IS TO REEVALUATE THE FACILITY USE POLICIES.

THAT WAS NOT PART OF OUR SCOPE TO ACTUALLY DELVE INTO THAT.

BUT WE DO KNOW FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND THE ARTS COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.

COMPETING PRIORITIES FOR THE USE OF STAGE TIME AND ACCESS TO THE THEATERS.

AND IT'S JUST TIME TO REEVALUATE THAT NOW IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE ARTS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. AND ALSO, YOU TALKED ABOUT PRIORITIZING PLANO ORGANIZATIONS FOR GRANTS AND RENTALS.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COURTYARD THEATER RIGHT NOW IF I'M AN ARTS GROUP IN ALLEN, I GET THE SAME PRIORITY AS AN ARTS GROUP IN PLANO.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE POLICIES ARE IN THE NEARBY CITIES.

YEAH, NO, I WAS SAYING. SO? SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.

ALAN. I WAS JUST SAYING I WAS JUST PICKING A DIFFERENT CITY. SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT IN PLANO IS GETTING THE SAME PRIORITY TO SIGN UP FOR A DATE AT THE COURTYARD THEATER AS A PLANO ARTS ORGANIZATION DOES? THAT, I DON'T KNOW. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR JASON.

BUT I THINK THE POINT IS THERE'S SOME THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGING ISSUES THAT STAFF HAS BEEN CONFRONTED WITH IN TERMS OF THE FACILITY USE POLICIES. THERE ARE COMPETING INTERESTS, AND WE THINK IT'S JUST TIME TO REEVALUATE THAT, TO REVISIT IT.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE BY STAFF THROUGH THEIR INTERDEPARTMENTAL ACTION TEAM.

IN LIGHT OF WHAT, AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WELL AS WHAT THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS NEED AND DESIRE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I HAVE SOME COMMENTS. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE WANTING TO DO QUESTIONS FIRST OR IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE TIME, MAYOR, TO MAKE COMMENTS? YEAH, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. OKAY. SOUNDS GREAT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER PRINCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH. THERE YOU GO. I GOT CUT OFF. NOW I CAN HEAR, YOU KNOW, IN MY LAST MEETING.

I'M DONE. I'VE GOT A FEW MORE THINGS TO SAY, FOLKS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HEAR ME ANYMORE.

I DID NOT CUT YOU OFF. I'M JUST GIVING YOU A HARD TIME.

OKAY? I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION, AND WHAT I APPRECIATE MOST ABOUT IT IS I THINK A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE HEAR ARTS AND THEY THINK PAINTINGS, PEOPLE DANCING, PEOPLE SINGING, PEOPLE PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT.

BUT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL TOOK IT A LITTLE BROADER THAN THAT.

AND YOU WENT INTO THE PLACEMAKING, THE WAY PEOPLE FEEL IN A SPACE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

AND I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, JUST AS YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT HOW WE REDESIGN AGING PARKS AND WE UPDATE THINGS LIKE THAT AND WE REDESIGN AGING RETAIL. AND WE LOOK AT REDESIGNING OR REHABILITATING NEIGHBORHOODS AND WORK WITH HOA. THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD THESE LITTLE SPECIAL ELEMENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED THROUGHOUT.

AND EVERY TIME THAT WE WORK WITH DEVELOPERS AND THEY COME BEFORE US JUST AS WE ASK THEM TO ADD GREEN SPACE, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO THINK ALONG THESE LINES.

AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT IT'S VERY COMPLEX TO ADD THESE LITTLE SPECIAL MOMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS PAINTING ON THE SIDEWALK, A PLACE WHERE SOMEBODY COULD DO HOPSCOTCH OR SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD CREATE A CHECKERBOARD AND THEN THROW THE CHECKERS OUT THERE.

AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR RESTAURANTS GET CREATIVE ABOUT THIS, AND THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL AREA, BUT THEY MAKE IT GREEN. AND THEN THEY THROW CORNHOLE OUT THERE.

AND SO I THINK IF WE ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE WE'RE WORKING WITH TO GET MORE CREATIVE ALONG THESE LINES WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT ALL ON THE CITY, THOUGH. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ENCOURAGING US TO DO THAT.

I THINK WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO THINK ALONG THOSE LINES AND PUT THOSE INTO THE PROJECTS THEY'RE BRINGING BEFORE US.

WE TOTALLY AGREE. AND IT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THERE ARE MANY SMALL OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS BIG, BIG PROJECTS, BUT MANY SMALL OPPORTUNITIES TO ENLIVEN JUST THE FABRIC OF EVERYDAY LIVING WITH CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS. YEAH. OKAY. I'M BACK, I'M BACK, I'M

[00:55:01]

BACK. YEAH, I GUESS IT LOOKS LIKE NOBODY ELSE HAS COMMENTS, SO I'LL MAKE I'LL MAKE MY COMMENTS.

SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER PRINCE, AS IS TYPICAL PUT THAT VERY WELL.

I AGREE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST ADD CHARACTER THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN THESE SMALL WAYS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND ALSO THAT IT'S NOT ALL ON THE CITY. YOU KNOW, I WAS REALLY ENCOURAGED IN THIS IN THIS REPORT TO, TO SEE THAT WE DO DEMONSTRATE STRONG FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO ARTS AND CULTURE.

SOMETHING FOR THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHO MAY NOT HAVE READ THE REPORT.

PLANO'S CONTRIBUTION OF $1.5 MILLION ANNUALLY TO THE ARTS THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REPRESENTS $5.10 PER CAPITA, WHICH COMPARES TO RICHARDSON'S $3.07. IRVING'S 197 AND FRISCO'S $1.33.

AND YOU KNOW, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE.

SO I THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE CONTINUED OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE ARTS FUNDING THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, WHICH ARE ILLEGALLY RESTRICTED REVENUE THAT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR THINGS LIKE ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT SOME OF THE IDEAS FOR REVENUES THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE OR ESPECIALLY DEBT BECAUSE OF HOW TIGHT OUR BUDGET CURRENTLY IS.

I MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY JUST HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT $110,000 FOR A PROJECT RELATING TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

I THINK THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW TIGHT OUR BUDGET IS EVERY YEAR.

WE KNOW THAT WE RUN OUT OF MONEY FOR THE GREAT UPDATE, REBATE AND TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE WHICH ARE HOUSING RELATED PROGRAMS AND ALSO, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT A $648 MILLION BOND PACKAGE ALREADY ON THE BALLOT.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE FUNDING ARTS PROGRAMS THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND INCREASING THAT AS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX INCREASES AS WE PROJECT. I THINK ALSO THE ARTS AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, PHILANTHROPY WITH OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY IS A GREAT IDEA, AND I WOULD CHAMPION THAT AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO PARTNER WITH THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY.

I WOULD EXERCISE A NOTE OF CAUTION ABOUT SUBSIDIZING FOR PROFIT ARTISTS EXCEPT THROUGH OUR NORMAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT APPLIES TO ALL SORTS OF FOR PROFIT ENTERPRISES. AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD NEED TO CREATE MORE CITY REVENUE THAN THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR THAT TO BE APPROPRIATE, AS IS TYPICALLY THE CASE.

AND TOWARD THAT END, I WOULD LOOK TO MAYBE CHANGE ON PAGE 46, WHERE THE CITY'S ROLE SAYS THE CITY SERVES PRIMARILY AS A FACILITATOR, FUNCTIONING AS THE LOCAL ARTS AGENCY TO ENSURE THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY HAS NECESSARY RESOURCES AND CAPACITY TO COUNCIL MEMBER PRINCE'S POINT, I THINK THAT REALLY READS LIKE IT'S ALL ON THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR JOB TO ENSURE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND CAPACITY.

I THINK WE PARTNER WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR CORPORATE COMMUNITY, WITH THE ARTS COMMUNITY.

AND SO I'D LOVE FOR THAT TO INSTEAD READ AS THE LOCAL ARTS AGENCY, HELPING TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND CAPACITY TO THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. AND THEN AGAIN, ALSO REGARDING DEBT PAGE 31 OF THIS REPORT POINTS OUT THAT PLANO'S FACILITY PORTFOLIO ALIGNS WITH REGIONAL STANDARDS, OFFERING SIMILAR VENUE TYPES AND CAPACITIES TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.

AND SO I WOULD IN THE SHORT TERM, GIVEN THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A $648 MILLION BOND PACKAGE OUT THERE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS COMING UP AGAIN IN 2029.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT ABOUT DEBT FOR VENUES BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER NEEDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ISSUE DEBT FOR.

AND THEN A COUPLE OF FINAL POINTS, I'D LOVE TO SEE OUR EFFORTS REALLY FOCUSED ON THINGS WITH A PUBLIC FACING BENEFIT.

SO I LOVED YOUR MENTION OF YOUTH AND PARTICIPATORY ARTS PROGRAMS. I THINK THOSE ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES WHERE THERE'S A BROADLY DISPERSED COMMUNITY BENEFIT.

AND SO I LOVE THAT IDEA. I'M A LITTLE MORE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE WORKSPACE SUBSIDIZING IDEA.

JUST BECAUSE OF YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THAT CONFERS A MORE FOCUSED BENEFIT ON ONE INDIVIDUAL SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THE HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN LAST TIME.

AND THEN FINALLY, I SUPPORT THE CONSOLIDATION OF STAFF WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS ALREADY.

I AGREE WITH JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM. THERE WAS ONLY ONE COMMENT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RICCIARDELLI MADE THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE ARTS GROUP, AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CITY'S ROLE IN FACILITATING THE ARTS.

[01:00:05]

UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE ARTS GROUP IS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE LEADERSHIP, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CENTRALIZED PLACE FOR THE ARTS.

OTHERWISE, NO OFFENSE TO ALL OF OUR ARTS PEOPLE.

CREATIVE PEOPLE ARE VERY CREATIVE, BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ALSO LOOKING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BENEFICIAL TO ALL GROUPS AND TO ALL CITIZENS.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THING THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK WAS THAT MULTIPLE TIMES I'VE HEARD THERE NEEDS TO BE A CENTRALIZED GROUP WITHIN THE CITY.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A DEDICATED CITY STAFF MEMBER OVERSEEING THE ARTS.

AND SO THAT THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY THING VERY DIFFERENT THAT THAT I DISAGREE BASED ON THE INPUT THAT I'VE HEARD.

I LOVE THE IDEAS ABOUT TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY AS WE'RE REVITALIZING AREAS TO INCORPORATE THE ARTS.

AND THEN AS THE BOND REFERENDUM WAS BROUGHT UP I ACTUALLY SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.

IF THAT PASSES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS PASSES, THAT'S NEW SPACE THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED.

AND I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COLLABORATE WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WITHIN THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO CREATE SPACES THAT CAN BE USED BY BOTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ALSO ARTS GROUPS. AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THAT.

AND I THINK THE TIMING OF THIS IS GREAT. YOU KNOW, IF THE BOND DOES PASS AND THERE ARE THESE NEW FACILITIES ON THE HORIZON, I'M GLAD THAT THE ARTS ARE FRONT OF MIND SO THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO CREATE THESE NEW SPACES AND INCORPORATE THE ARTS INTO IT.

APPRECIATE IT. MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD QUICKLY CLARIFY, AND I'LL DO IT IN LESS THAN 60S, I PROMISE.

SO I AGREE WITH WHAT DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMER SAID.

AND TO CLARIFY, I WASN'T SAYING THAT THE CITY SHOULDN'T PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE.

I AGREE WITH THE DESIGNATED STAFF PERSON AND THE FACILITATION ROLE.

I WAS JUST SAYING, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY SHOULD TAKE ON, ON ITS SHOULDERS KIND OF BEING THE, THE ONE THAT HAS TO ENSURE FUNDING FOR ALL OF THE ARTS NEEDS.

I THINK FUNDING NEEDS TO COME FROM THE CITY THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES AND THEN FROM OTHER SOURCES AS WELL.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HEAD OF THE ROUNDTABLE, YOU KNOW, CHAIRING THINGS, LEADERSHIP FACILITATION ROLE. I THINK THE CITY CAN DO THAT.

AND I'D ALSO LOVE TO THROW IN, AS YOU POINTED OUT, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMER, AS WE DO ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OURSELVES AS THE CITY.

WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND MAKE ART.

I WAS AT TML ONE TIME, AND I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT PUBLIC ART IN LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN OR SOMETHING WHERE THE CITY HAD HAD RESIDENTS COME IN AND THEY COULD PAINT SOMETHING. I THINK IT WAS LIKE A PAINT BY NUMBERS ALMOST, THAT THE RESIDENTS COULD DO TOGETHER.

I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT AT CITY FACILITIES. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT REPORT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INFORMATION AS WE GET MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM IS CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDAS.

IS THERE AN ITEM THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE? SORRY, MR. MAYOR. ME AGAIN. I'LL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM ITEM K, SO I'M PULLING THAT OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY. SHELBY, I'M LOOKING UP TO CONFIRM. I THINK I'D LIKE TO PULL OFF ITEM F.

OKAY. AND, LISA, WE HAD SOME SPEAKERS FOR THREE OTHERS.

CORRECT? FOR D AND G. SORRY. SO THERE'LL BE D, F, G AND K.

I SEE M TOO. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SESAME STREET RIGHT NOW.

YEP. THERE IS AN M. YES. OKAY. SO. SO D F G K AND M. ALL RIGHT. LOVELY. NEXT ITEM, COUNCIL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND FUTURE AGENDAS.

OKAY. WE'LL TAKE A RECESS AND RETURN IN FIVE MINUTES.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.