[00:00:01]
>> THE CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF ANNA WILL MEET ON 4/9/2024 6:00 PM IN
[1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Establishment of Quorum.]
THE ANNA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX CHAMBERS LOCATED 120 WEST SEVENTH STREET TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING.ONCE AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN OPEN SESSION AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE FILL OUT THE YELLOW OPINION SPEAKER REGISTRATION FORM AND TURN THAT INTO THE CITY SECRETARY BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS CALLING ROLL.
COUNCILMAN CARVER IS HERE SO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
THIS EVENING I'VE ASKED COUNCILMAN KEVIN TO GIVE THE INVOCATION AND WE'LL FOLLOW WITH THE PLEDGE.
>> FATHER GOD LORD, I JUST COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING WITH A THANKFUL HEART.
THANKFUL FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEND TIME AND ENERGY TO MAKE THE CITY OF ANNA THE PLACE THAT IT IS TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE AND MAKE IT THE BEST PLACE THAT IT CAN BE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE THAT VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, THAT SACRIFICE TIME AWAY FROM FAMILY TO DO WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ANNA.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THESE MEN UP HERE ON THIS DAIS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
LORD, LOOK AFTER OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS AND LOOK AFTER OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND KEEP THEM SAFE THIS EVENING AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK.
THANK YOU FOR JESUS IN HIS NAME I PRAY, AMEN.
>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM
[3. At the request of the Developer, the Public Hearing has been rescheduled to May 14th for an Ordinance to annex and zone one 11.2± acres and rezone 34.7± acres for a multifamily and commercial development. Generally located at the northwest and northeast corners of E. Foster Crossing Road and future S. Ferguson Parkway.]
3 WHICH IS LISTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEVELOPER.THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO MAY 14TH FOR AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX AND ZONE 111.2 +/- ACRES AND REZONE 34.7 +/- ACRES FOR A MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST CORNERS OF EAST FOSTER CROSSING ROAD AND FUTURE SOUTH FERGUSON PARKWAY.
>> I'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
I DOUBLE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
HERE'S SOME PROBLEMS WITH THIS BECAUSE I HAD SPOKE TO THE PLAYERS WHO INDICATED THAT THE REQUEST ACTUALLY CAME FROM HERE, THAT WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM APPARENTLY WANTING TO DELAY THIS UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.
I GUESS WHAT THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS, WELL IF WE GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE ELECTION THEN I'LL TELL YOU HOW I'M GOING TO VOTE ABOUT IT.
THAT SEEMS TO ME A LITTLE BIT A LITTLE BIT WEIRD.
WE'VE GOT ALL OF THIS, AND THE MAY 14TH THING IS A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST TWO, MAYBE THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE LAME DUCKS AT THE TIME.
THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF LAME DUCKS.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LAST VOTE THAT THEY'LL EVER GIVE UNLESS THEY RUN FOR REELECTION AGAIN.
THIS IS JUST A BAD LOOK ALL THE WAY AROUND.
IF I'M LIVING IN PECAN GROVE, WELL, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED.
WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE THE VOTE, GET IT OVER WITH, AND LET EVERYBODY BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.
WE CAN STILL MAKE THE APRIL 30TH.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING BECAUSE WE ONLY NEED THREE WEEKS. I'D COMMIT TO THAT.
I'VE ALREADY REARRANGED MY WORK SCHEDULE TO BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S A BAD LOOK, GUYS, BUT UP AND RUNNING.
>> I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION IN OUR CLOSED SESSION UNDER THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS.
[8. Closed Session (Exceptions). (Part 1 of 2)]
A, CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNCIL REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551.071.B, DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551.072.
C, DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551.074 MOTION TO ENTER CLOSED BY THE MAYOR.
HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CAIN. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> MAKE ANY ARGUMENT ABOUT THE TRANSPARENT THING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON FROM ITEM 3 OR ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ON ITEM 3.
[4. Neighbor Comments.]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEIGHBORS COMMENTS.AT THIS TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING AN ITEM THAT'S NOT ON THIS MEETING AGENDA THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
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I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER REGISTRATION FORM, MR. ROBERT HALBERG.>> GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS ROBERT HALLBERG, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU AND TO BE PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.
MY SOCIAL CIRCLE INCLUDES TWO GROUPS, DOCTORS AND OLD PEOPLE.
I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE DOCTORS.
I'M ACTUALLY NOT EVEN HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE OLD PEOPLE, BUT I DO RUN IN THAT SOCIAL CIRCLE.
I DO HEAR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE COMING UP QUITE OFTEN IS RENT HOUSES.
NOW, I REALIZE THAT'S A NATIONAL PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS ALSO A LOCAL PROBLEM.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR SOMEBODY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COME AND HELP US OUT.
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THESE FOLKS SHARE WITH ME APPEARS TO COME FROM ANECDOTAL INFORMATION THAT IS GLEANED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE FOLKS THAT I TALKED TO BELIEVE THE SAME.
I'M GOING TO AT LEAST OFFER A PATH, NOT JUST COMPLAIN, BUT OFFER A PATH THAT YOU MIGHT TAKE TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE.
I THINK THAT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS FORM A COMMITTEE, ALWAYS STARTS WITH THAT, MADE UP OF CITIZENS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE GOVERNMENT, AND CITIZENS FROM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, THOSE CITIZENS CAN BE DRAWN FROM HOAS BECAUSE THE HOAS AT LEAST HAS AN ORGANIZATION.
OR YOU CAN DRAW CITIZENS FROM THOSE AREAS, THOSE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE THE LARGER SHARE OF RENTAL UNITS, MAYBE THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE A 30% OR A 40% RATE, AS OPPOSED TO A PLACE THAT HAS MAYBE 1% OR 2%.
THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU USE WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUE.
HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT MAYBE NOT ALL OF YOU ARE.
IT MEANS TO DEFINE THE PROBLEM, WHICH MEANS UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT THESE RENT HOUSES CAUSE, GENERATE ALTERNATIVE ISSUES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE COMMITTEE GENERATING THOSE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS, EVALUATING THOSE SOLUTIONS, TALKING TOGETHER AS A GROUP, PICK A SOLUTION OR SOLUTIONS, MAKE A PLAN, EXECUTE THE PLAN.
NOW, EXECUTING THE PLAN MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND EVALUATE AND SEE WHAT DID WORK AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK ON THAT PLAN, AND THEN REFINE THE SOLUTIONS.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT KEEPS REVOLVING.
I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT IF YOU FOLLOW THIS COURSE, THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT MEETING MINUTES ARE POSTED EVERY TIME A MEETING IS HELD.
IF IT'S WITH THE HOAS, YOU SHARE THAT WITH THE HOAS BECAUSE THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE WEBSITES TO SEND THAT OUT, BUT ALSO PUT IT ON THE ANNA WEBSITE.
VERY IMPORTANT. AGAIN, AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, I BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR SENIORS AND THAT SABLE AND THAT HAS GONE OFF INTO THE ETHER.
LET'S FACE IT, NOTHING HAS REALLY BEEN DONE ABOUT THAT.
I CAN SAY THAT NOTHING HAS REALLY BEEN DONE ABOUT THAT.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN MOVED OVER HERE OR MOVED OVER THERE.
THAT ISSUE INVOLVED A SMALL SEGMENT OF ANNA.
EVERY PERSON IS A HOMEOWNER, AND THOSE HOMEOWNERS ARE VOTERS.
NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM OUT THERE, I KNOW THAT YOU PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THAT ISSUE, BUT TIME TO MOVE ON THAT, REALLY.
AGAIN, BEFORE THE WAVE COMES IN HERE OF PEOPLE SAYING WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? YOU'RE ALREADY GETTING THINGS LIKE THAT; PUSHBACK ON HOUSING, WHETHER IT BE RENTAL HOMES OR APARTMENTS.
GENTLEMEN, I APPRECIATE AGAIN THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME TO SPEAK AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
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I CAN COME BACK AND REVIEW THAT WITH YOU IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS IF YOU LIKE.GLADLY WILL. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> ANY OTHER NEIGHBOR COMMENTS?
>> MAYOR, I HAVE ONE THAT WAS EMAILED TO OUR CITY SECRETARY AND THE COUNCIL.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE ON THE ABRIDGED VERSION, AND THE FULL EMAIL WILL BE IN PUBLIC RECORD.
CARRIE HUDSON, WHO'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF HER WORK CONFLICT, IS ONE OF THE OWNERS OF HAWAII FIVE-SNO, A LOCAL SHAVED ICE VENDOR HERE IN ANNA, TEXAS.
SHE'S A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND LIVES HERE IN ANNA, TEXAS.
LAST YEAR, THE CITY DECREASED THE NUMBER OF EVENTS AND HER COMPANY LOST SOME OF THE EVENTS DUE TO NON-LOCAL VENDORS BEING USED AS ITINERANT VENDORS.
THIS YEAR, HER COMPANY HAS LOST FIVE EVENTS AND WAS GIVEN ONE EVENT TO ATTEND.
LOSING THESE EVENTS WILL GREATLY IMPACT THE AMOUNT THAT HAWAII FIVE-SNO WILL BE ABLE TO DONATE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
AS A BUSINESS, SHE IS HAVING TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF ANNA TO SUPPLEMENT THE LOSS.
WHEN ASKED WHY HAWAII FIVE-SNO WAS NOT ATTENDING THE ANNA EVENTS, SHE SAID SHE WILL LET HER CUSTOMERS KNOW THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR CHOICE AND THAT SHE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO HER BEST TO SUPPORT ANNA, BUT THIS HAS HIT THEM FINANCIALLY AND WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT.
HER QUESTION TO THIS COUNCIL IS WHERE ARE THESE VENDORS WHEN THE SCHOOLS NEED SUPPORT, WHEN THERE'S IN NEED OF SPONSORSHIPS, WHENEVER THERE'S LOCAL FAMILIES THAT NEED OUR HELP? SHE SAID ONLY IN ANNA, THESE OTHER ITINERANT VENDORS THAT ARE NOT FROM ANNA ARE HERE FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, HAVE NO INTEREST IN BETTERING OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE'S APPROACHED THE CITY ABOUT GIVING LOCAL VENDORS PRECEDENCE, BUT CLAIMS THE CITY HAS NOT LISTENED.
SOME CITIES ALLOW LOCAL AND ESTABLISHED VENDORS TO APPLY FOR LOCAL EVENTS A MONTH BEFORE MAKING IT AVAILABLE TO NON-LOCAL VENDORS TO ENSURE LOYALTY.
SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHY ANNA IS NOT FOLLOWING SUIT.
AGAIN, ABBREVIATING THIS TO FIT WITHIN THE THREE MINUTES.
SHE SAID HER GOAL, AS WELL AS THE OTHER LOCAL SNOW CONE BUSINESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GIVE BACK TO ANNA, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO PLAY THIS ROLE BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS SHOWN AT THESE EVENTS AND BY THE NEIGHBORS SUPPORTING THEIR BUSINESS.
IN CONCLUSION, I URGE YOU TO START SUPPORTING LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES BEFORE LOOKING ELSEWHERE.
THANK YOU, CARRIE HUDSON, HAWAII FIVE-SNO.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM 5 RECEIVED REPORTS FROM STAFF OR CITY COUNCIL ABOUT ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.
[5. Reports.]
COUNCIL OR STAFF, ANY ITEMS THIS EVENING?>> MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND I'LL TAKE A MOMENT.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE STAFF IN THIS DEPARTMENT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, PARKS AND RECS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EITHER WAY, ALL OF THE STAFF FOR THEIR EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS EVEN BIGGER THAN LAST YEAR.
THEN I HEARD THE ADAPTED SECTION, EASTER EGG HUNT FOR THOSE KIDS, WHICH YOU NEED A LITTLE EXTRA 11 MORE.
BUT A HUGE HIT AND A LOT OF KID FROM OUTSIDE HAVANA CAME JUST FOR THAT.
AND ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO OUR POLICE AND FIRE FOR GIVING US SOME GREAT ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY EVENING.
IF YOU MISSED IT, THE SOFTBALL GAME, I HOPE THAT CONTINUES.
BUT I APPRECIATE, RYAN, YOUR STAFF AND THE HARD WORK THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL. ANYTHING ELSE? SIX, CONSENT ITEMS.
[6. Consent Items.]
THESE ITEMS CONSIST OF NON CONTROVERSIAL OR HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS REQUIRED BY LAW, COUNCIL, ANY ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT.[00:15:01]
>> MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEM 6A THROUGH D.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER TOTEN, WITH THE MOTION DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BAKER. ALL IN FAVOR?
7A ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION CONSIDER,
[7. Items for Individual Consideration.]
DISCUSS ACTION ON A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE NAMING OF PARK LOCATED AT 31 COUNTY ROAD 422 TO BE NAMED HASSE LAWRENCE MORGAN PARK. MR. MARSHON.>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT'S MY HONOR TO BRING THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL APPROVED A NAMING POLICY FOR OUR PARKS.
WE'VE MADE REALLY GOOD USE OF THAT POLICY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
I THINK I'VE BEEN A PART OF NAMING MORE PARKS HERE THAN I HAVEN'T IN REST OF MY CAREER ALL COMBINED. IT'S REALLY BEEN AN HONOR.
THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD CONSIDERED SOME OPTIONS.
ONE OF THOSE IS MS. HASSE LAWRENCE MORGAN.
SHE HAS A VERY SPECIAL CONNECTION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE'S BEEN HERE QUITE A LONG TIME.
SHE RAN A GROCERY STORE HERE WITH HER HUSBAND.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S PARTICULARLY UNIQUE IS THE LAST PARK THAT THIS COUNCIL NAMED WAS YANK PARK, AND MR. YANK WAS A VERY SPECIAL AND BELOVED NEIGHBOR.
THE COMMUNITY HAD SOME WONDERFUL STORIES ABOUT HOW MUCH THE COMMUNITY LOVED HIM.
WELL, HE WORKED WITH MS. HASSE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND LIVED IN THE BACK OF THE MARKET THAT'S LOCATED JUST THERE OFF FOURTH STREET.
WHEN YANK GOT TOO OLD TO WORK AND WAS IN POOR HEALTH, MS. HASSE CONTINUED TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.
THAT WAS THE KIND OF PERSON THAT SHE WAS.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ THE RESOLUTION AND HEAR SOME OF THE STORIES ABOUT MS. HASSE.
BUT IF IT PLEASES THE COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MR. BART MORGAN, HER GRANDSON, TO COME UP AND SAY JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT MS. HASSE.
>> HELLO, I'M BART MORGAN AND HASSIE WAS MY GRANDMOTHER.
MY BROTHER BILL AND MY SISTER MOLLY ARE HERE WITH ME AND MY WIFE.
EVERYONE WHO KNEW HASSIE, SHE WAS HASSIE, EVEN HER GRANDCHILDREN CALLED HER HASSIE, AND SHE WAS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
ONE OF THE STORIES THAT'S IN THE PROCLAMATION THAT SHE HAD HIRED A FELLOW TO HELP HER OUT WHEN MY GRANDFATHER DIED IN 1936 AND SHE HAD HIRED A FELLOW TO COME WORK IN THE STORE WITH HER.
THEY WERE BEHIND THE MEAT MARKET ONE DAY, AND THIS GUY MADE AN OFF COLOR REMARK TO HER AND SHE RAN HIM ALL THE WAY OUT IN 4TH STREET WITH A MEAT CLEAVER.
ONE OF THE STORIES I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, YOU COULD GET YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE WHEN YOU WERE 14 YEARS OLD, AND SHE WOULD LET ME DRIVE HER CAR.
SOMEBODY IN TOWN, A LADY SAW ME DRIVING TOO FAST AND A LITTLE BIT RECKLESS AND SHE TOLD HER AND SAID, "MS. HASSE, YOU NEED TO TALK TO THAT BOY, STRAIGHTEN HIM OUT.
I SAW HIM, HE WAS DRIVING TOO FAST." SHE SAID, "WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO BE TOO HARD ON HIM BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ABOUT HIS AGE, I NEARLY RAN MY DADDY'S BUGGY HORSE TO DEATH RACING SOME BOYS." THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON SHE WAS, SHE COULD DO ANYTHING.
THE ONLY THING I EVER KNEW THAT SHE WAS AFRAID OF WAS TORNADOS.
ANYTIME A GOOD BUNCH OF CLOUDS CAME UP, YOU COULD DEPEND ON HER HEADING FOR THE CELLAR.
BUT I WANT TO THANK ELDON BAKER FOR PUTTING HER NAME INTO CONSIDERATION AND MARK FOR ALL THE WORK HE'S DONE.
IT WILL BE A GREAT HONOR TO MY FAMILY IF YOU APPROVE THIS.
I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:20:02]
>> THANK YOU. THE PARK BOARD REVIEWED THIS, WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR THE POLICY AND FOUND SOME HISTORY ABOUT MS. HASSE AND FELL ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH HER.
LOVED THE CONNECTION TO YANK IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE HISTORY THERE.
WE THINK SHE REFLECTS THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS PARTICULAR PARK HAS NOT COME INTO OUR PARK SYSTEM QUITE YET.
IT'S SLATED TO DO THAT, HOPEFULLY, BEFORE TOO LONG.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 24 ACRES DOWN ON EAST FOSTER ROAD.
PART OF MR. JOHN ARNOLD'S DEVELOPMENT WILL BE PART OF THE PARK DEDICATION.
I WOULD CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> NO. I JUST WANTED TO THANK MARK FOR SPEAKING BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD.
THIS WAS A VERY ABBREVIATED STORY, BUT HE ENTERTAINED US FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, EVERYBODY WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING GOOD HISTORY TO ANNA, AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES TONIGHT.
>> ONE MORE THING I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SHE LATER MARRIED KEWPIE MORGAN, WHO WAS A VERY FAMOUS SILENT FILM STAR.
HE HAD FILMS WITH BUSTER KEATON AND ALL THOSE BIG NAMES.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE HAD SUCH A CELEBRITY HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING TO PROGRAM OUR PARKS AND ACTIVATE THEM.
SOME OF THE IDEAS WE'VE HAD IS TO MAYBE HAVE A KEWPIE MORGAN FILM FESTIVAL AT SOME POINT IN HIS HONOR AND JUST KEEP THAT TRADITION AND HISTORY GOING.
IT MAKES HER PARTICULARLY SPECIAL STORY.
>> JUST REAL QUICK, TO ADD ON TO THE KEWPIE MORGAN, BUSTER KEATON, THEY WERE FIRST COUSINS, CORRECT?
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A RESOLUTION.
THE RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ANNA, NAMING THE PARK LOCATED AT 3031 COUNTY ROAD 4202 HASSIE LAWRENCE MORGAN PARK.
WHEREAS THE PARK ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWED AND UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL NAMING THE NEW PARK FOR AN EARLY AND BELOVED NEIGHBOR NAMED HASSIE LAWRENCE MORGAN PARK AT THE JANUARY 29, 2024 PARK ADVISORY BOARD MEETING.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF ANNA TEXAS COUNCIL ADOPTED A POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR NAMING CITY PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS, AND OTHER RECREATION FACILITIES AND OVER 10, 2020.
WHEREAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED THE NAMING POLICY IN RESEARCHING MRS. MORGAN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE ANNA AREA HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY AND HER LIVING DESCENDANTS, AND WHEREAS MRS. MORGAN WAS BORN HASSIE KATHERINE LAWRENCE ON JANUARY 28, 1894.
WHEREAS MRS. MORGAN OPERATED A GROCERY STORE AND MEAT MARKET LOCATED IN THE CURRENT ANNA DOWNTOWN AREA, NEAR WHAT IS NOW 4TH STREET, WITH HER HUSBAND, ELDRED MORGAN.
WHEREAS MRS. MORGAN WAS WIDOWED IN 1936 AND OPERATED THE STORE WITH HER SON, AND LATER MARRIED HER LATE HUSBAND'S FIRST COUSIN, THE FAMED AMERICAN SILENT FILM COMEDIAN KEWPIE MORGAN, BORN HORACE ALLEN MORGAN, WHO PERFORMED IN VAUDEVILLE, STARRED IN SILENT FILMS WITH LAUREN HARDY, BUSTER KEATON, AND MANY OTHERS.
WHEREAS MRS. MORGAN WAS KNOWN TO BE A WOMAN OF STRONG CHARACTER, DETERMINATION, AND GRIT.
IT IS SAID THAT SHE ONCE CHASED SOMEONE OUT OF HER STORE WITH A MEAT CLEAVER FOR MAKING AN OFF COLORED REMARK.
WHEREAS MR. HENRY CLAY YANK WASHINGTON BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBOR IN ANNA FROM THE LATE 1800S THROUGH THE MID 1930S, WORKED AT THE GROCERY AND MEAT MARKET, LIVED IN THE BACK OF THE STORE, AND WAS CARED FOR BY MRS. MORGAN WHEN HE BECAME UNABLE TO WORK LATE IN HIS LIFE.
[00:25:05]
YANK WAS LOVED AND RESPECTED BY HER WHOLE FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR BY THE ANNA CITY COUNCIL ON APRIL 13, 2021.WHEREAS, GIVEN THIS HISTORIC CONTEXT OF THE TIME, MRS. MORGAN RESIDED IN ANNA DURING SEGREGATION IN THE US SOUTH BEFORE A LONG OVERDUE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THAT RESULTED IN THE EVOLUTION OF JIM CROW LAWS AND RACIAL SEGREGATION.
ALMOST DONE HERE. WHEREAS DESPITE ENDURING HARSH RESTRICTIONS, INHERENT INEQUALITY OF SO CALLED SEPARATE BUT EQUAL SEGREGATION RULES, MR. WASHINGTON WAS THE RESPECT AND AFFECTION OF HIS ANNA NEIGHBORS.
WHEREAS THE FRIENDSHIP AND CARE MRS. MORGAN EXHIBITED WITH MR. WASHINGTON, GAVE HOPE FOR THE INCLUSION THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY GROW TO BE PRINCIPAL VALUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEREAS MRS. MORGAN SOLD THE STORE IN 1940, SHE MOVED TO GRAND PRAIRIE DURING THE WAR AND WORKED AS A ROSIE THE RIVETER WHICH HENCEFORTH, AGAIN, EXHIBITING OUTSTANDING CHARACTER AND REPRESENTING THE STRENGTH, WORK ETHIC, COMMUNITY PRIDE AND PATRIOTISM FOUND IN SO MANY WOMEN DURING THAT TIME.
WHEREAS THE NAMING OF PARK AND OTHER RECREATION AREAS ARE TO ENSURE THAT GIVEN NAMES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE VALUES AND CHARACTERS OF THE AREA OR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVED AND WITHIN THE CITY OF AS A WHOLE.
WHEREAS THE HISTORIC NAMING OF THE PARK WILL BETTER ENSURE A SENSE OF PLACE FOR ALL NEIGHBORS AND DISTINGUISH THE PARK AS A PUBLIC SPACE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANNA THAT THE PARK LOCATED AT 3031 COUNTY ROAD 4202 HASSIE LAWRENCE MORGAN PARK.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE.
>> MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BAKER, DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND BY COUNCILMAN TOTEN. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> YES, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FAMILY.
ITEM B, CONSIDER DISCUSS ACTION ON A RESOLUTION AWARDING THE NATURAL SPRINGS PLAYGROUND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT TO 100 NEP SHIELD OF TEXAS INCORPORATED IN AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN A FORM APPROVED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT FOR PLAYGROUND AT NATURAL SPRINGS PARK.
AND I'M VERY BRIEFLY GOING TO GO OVER THE LOCATION OF THE PLAYGROUND, THE PROCESS AT WHICH WE WENT THROUGH THE BIDDING, THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS IN THE RFP SELECTION PROCESS.
AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THE WINNING DESIGN AND THEN OUR RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
ON THE PROJECT LOCATION, THIS IS SOUTHEAST OF THE NEW PARKING LOT THAT IS NORTHEAST OF THE EXISTING DOG PARK IN NATURAL SPRINGS PARK.
IT'S IN A GROVE OF TREES AND IT'S IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO AN EXISTING TRAIL.
THE PROCESS, WE FIRST DEVELOPED THE $400,000 BUDGET, WHICH IS COMING FROM THE PARK DEVELOPMENT FUND DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS LAST YEAR.
THEN WE DEVELOPED THE DESIGN CRITERIA.
WE DEVELOPED THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND BEGAN ADVERTISING THAT ON JUNE 2ND.
WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE TIME ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AT THE REQUEST OF SOME OF THE VENDORS BECAUSE IT TOOK SOME TIME TO PUT THE DESIGNS TOGETHER.
WE DID RECEIVE THOSE ON FEBRUARY 20TH.
WE TOOK IT TO THE FEBRUARY 29TH PARKS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, WHICH THAT WAS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED SPECIFICALLY AROUND THIS BIDDING PROCESS, SO WE COULD GET THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO GET A LOT OF DESIGNS SUBMITTED.
THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD TOOK THE DESIGNS THAT WE RECEIVED AND THEN NARROWED THOSE DESIGNS.
AND THE DESIGNS CHOSEN BY THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD WERE INCLUDED IN A PUBLICLY POSTED SURVEY THAT WAS ONLINE FOR TWO WEEKS FROM MARCH 11TH TO MARCH 25TH.
THEN THE WINNING DESIGN WAS PRESENTED AGAIN TO THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD ON MARCH 28TH.
[00:30:02]
THEN WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT OR THE CONTRACT WITH THE WINNER, WHO WAS HUNTER KNEPSHIELD.LET ME SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD ON THE SELECTION, WE HAD 21 DESIGNS SUBMITTED, WHICH I'LL GET INTO IN JUST A MINUTE.
AND THEY WENT THROUGH ALL 21 OF THOSE DESIGNS.
IT WAS A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT WAS OVER 140 SLIDES LONG, AND THEY SPLIT A GOOD 45-50 MINUTES GOING THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DESIGNS, DISCUSSING THEM.
THEY CHOSE NINE VERY GOOD DESIGNS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE ONLINE SURVEY.
THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS THAT THE VENDORS WERE ASKED TO ADHERE TO OBVIOUSLY STAY WITHIN THE BUDGET.
WE GAVE THEM THE BUDGET AND THIS IS A TURNKEY PROJECT.
EVERYTHING IN IT INCLUDING THE WALKWAY, CONCRETE WALKWAY AROUND THE PLAYGROUND, THE SURFACING, DRAINAGE, EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT.
THE GENERAL LOCATION WHICH I JUST SHOWED YOU, IT SEPARATED OR KEPT TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
SOME PLAY STRUCTURES ARE 2-5 YEAR OLD, SOME ARE 5-12 YEAR OLD, AND SOME ARE MIXED.
WE DIDN'T REALLY CARE AS LONG AS THEY PROVIDED SOME FOR EACH, WE DIDN'T CARE IF THEY WERE SEPARATED OR NOT.
PLAYGROUND MUST INCLUDE ACCESSIBLE ELEMENTS.
DESIGN MUST HAVE A NATURE THEME OR A TREE HOUSE THEME.
THE EXISTING TREES WERE NOT TO BE DAMAGED.
BECAUSE SOME VENDORS REPRESENT MORE THAN ONE MANUFACTURE.
WE ALLOWED UP TO THREE DESIGNS FOR EACH VENDOR.
THE CONTRACT MUST INCLUDE A COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ELEMENT.
THE EIGHT VENDORS THAT SUBMITTED WERE CHILD'S PLAY, GAMETIME, HUNTER KNEPSHIELD, LEE PARK, AND PLAY, WE BUILD FUN, WHIRLIX DESIGNS, KOMPAN, AND INNOVATIVE SPORTS SURFACING.
MOST TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE THREE DESIGN SUBMITTALS.
ONE ONLY SUBMITTED ONE DESIGN AND ONE ONLY SUBMITTED TWO.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, 21 DESIGNS WERE SUBMITTED BY THE EIGHT VENDORS.
NINE DESIGNS, EVERY VENDOR WAS REPRESENTED EXCEPT FOR ONE.
ON THE ONLINE SURVEY, IT WAS POSTED FOR TWO WEEKS.
WE HAD OVER 1,200 VOTES RECEIVED. IT WAS A WEIGHTED VOTE.
FIRST PLACE GOT THREE POINTS, SECOND TWO, AND THIRD ONE.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF WELL OVER 90, ACTUALLY I THINK IT WAS OVER 95% OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE ANNA RESIDENTS.
THE WINNER WAS HUNTER KNEPSHIELD.
THEY HAD OVER 650 POINTS MORE THAN THE NEXT CLOSEST.
IT WAS A PRETTY OVERWHELMING DECISION BY OUR NEIGHBORS.
THE HIGHEST DECK IS 15 FEET TALL.
IT HAS SEVERAL SLIDES, LOTS OF ACCESSIBLE ELEMENTS, IT HAS SEVERAL PERIMETER ELEMENTS, LOTS OF SHADE.
THIS SHOWS SOME OF THE INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS THAT ARE ON THE STRUCTURE AND THEN AT GROUND LEVEL, THIS GIVES YOU SOME IDEA, ALTHOUGH I WOULD CONSIDER THIS A WELL DEVELOPED CONCEPT, THE SURVEY HAS BEEN SENT TO HUNTER KNEPSHIELD AND THEY'RE MAKING SURE EVERYTHING GRADE WISE IS GOING TO WORK OUT, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE RIGHT THERE.
THIS IS JUST A DETAILED AND THIS IS IN YOUR PACKET IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO GREATER DETAIL.
SHOWS YOU WHAT EVERY SINGLE ELEMENT AND THEN ALSO THOSE NUMBERS IN THE FLIGHT BOXES TELL YOU HOW HIGH EACH DECK IS.
ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET FROM THE HUNTER KNEPSHIELD BID. THE NATURE THEME.
THEY'VE GOT TREE CANOPY ROOT STRUCTURES, THEY'VE GOT LOG STUMPS, HOLLOW TREE, AND INTERNAL LOW RISE PLAY ELEMENT.
MOST OF THOSE ARE ALONG THE PERIMETER.
IT'S A NATURE ANIMAL BASED PLAY STATIONS, TREE HOUSE, UPPER AND LOWER PLAY AREAS.
THERE ARE ACCESSIBLE ELEMENTS.
THERE'S A WHEELCHAIR TRANSFER STATION THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO LOWER LEVEL ELEMENTS INCLUDING, I THINK IT'S THREE SLIDES, BUT I KNOW IT'S AT LEAST ONE SLIDE.
THEN ALL OF THE LOWER LEVEL ELEMENTS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THEM ARE ACCESSIBLE.
THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY BILL COMPONENT WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF THE SURFACING MATERIAL AND POSSIBLY SOME OF THE GROUND ELEMENTS.
IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY TIME
[00:35:01]
THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ELEMENT OF THIS WITH THE ACTUAL RIBBON CUTTING.WHEN WE FINISH IT, WE GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT.
THEN THE NEXT STEP, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT WITH HUNTER KNEPSHIELD.
BY THE WAY, THEY'RE BASED OUT OF BEN ALSTIN, THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
THE PRESIDENT GRADUATED FROM ANNA HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE IS INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
ONCE WE HAVE APPROVAL, WE'LL EXECUTE THE CONTRACT.
THEN WE'LL FINALIZE THE DESIGN.
LIKE I SAID, BASED ON THE TOPO EXACT TREE LOCATIONS.
PLAYGROUND MANUFACTURER IS EXPECTED TO TAKE 18-22 WEEKS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
THEY SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF NOVEMBER OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
>> MAYOR, I DO HAVE A FEW, AS MUCH AS I'VE BEEN BEHIND PARKS AND WANT TO MAKE THEM GREAT.
ANNA, AND EVER SINCE DAY ONE THAT I'VE GOTTEN ON HIS DIAS, I'VE SUPPORTED AND EVERYTHING.
BUT I JUST I I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF COUNCIL AND I'D LIKE TO GET THE REST OF THEIR OPINIONS ON IT.
I FEEL THE DIRECTION THAT WE GAVE FOR NATURAL SPRINGS WASN'T 100% FOLLOWED.
WE WERE MORE SO LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE NATURAL, SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WE ALREADY HAVE.
IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY THE ONE I VOTED FOR.
I WAS LIKE, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT.
BUT I DO WANT TO SPEAK ON WHAT I ASSUMED WITH THE DIRECTION WE GAVE THE STAFF WAS MORE NATURAL, NOT SOMETHING WE ALREADY HAVE.
I MEAN, THAT SAID EVERY OTHER PLAYGROUND, WE HAVE MORE OF AN ADAPTIVE TYPE FEATURE TO IT.
BUT PERSONALLY, I DO NOT SUPPORTED THIS EVENING.
BUT I DON'T KNOW I THINK I EVEN QUESTIONED THE LOCATION.
THAT'S JUST MY OPINIONS ON IT.
>> CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT ELEMENTS WERE NOT FOLLOWED? WHAT'S LISTED ON THIS?
>> IT WAS MORE SO WE ASKED FOR THEM TO BE FOR IT TO BE MORE NATURAL NOT TO KIND OF STAND OUT.
WE GAVE EXAMPLES OF BODY WINK PARK THERE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BUILD SHADE STRUCTURES FOR THEIR PARKS THAT THEY BUILT THERE.
WE'RE HAVING TO BUILD A SHADE STRUCTURE FOR THE PLAYGROUNDS.
IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE NATURAL FEELING OF THAT PARK.
I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE UPSET.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT A HUGE PLAYGROUND RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF IT.
>> WELL, THERE ARE SOME OTHER FEATURES [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK IN THE MIC.
>> LET ME ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THOSE ISSUES ON THE SHADE.
IT IS AMONG A GROUPING OF TREES, AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF NATURAL SHADE AROUND THE PLAYGROUND.
WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE ONE OF THE 21 DESIGNS THAT WAS SUBMITTED WAS A VERY NONTRADITIONAL NATURAL DESIGN.
IT HAD, NOW IT WASN'T WOOD, IT WAS A CONCRETE MATERIAL THAT WAS MADE TO LOOK LIKE HOLLOWED-OUT LOGS AND ROCKS.
EVERYTHING IN IT LOOKED VERY COMPLETELY NATURAL, TOTALLY NOT LIKE ANY OF THE OTHER 20 DESIGNS.
THAT DESIGN WAS DISCUSSED THOROUGHLY BY THE PARKS BOARD AND THEY OPTED NOT TO INCLUDE IT IN THE SURVEY.
THEY THOUGHT THE OTHER PLAYGROUNDS PROVIDED MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK.
BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THAT MATERIAL, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD, AND SO YOU DIDN'T GET AS MANY PLAY FEATURES AS YOU DID WITH THE OTHER DESIGNS AND SO THEY OPTED NOT TO INCLUDE THAT ONE.
>> I THINK I CAN SHARE SOME OF COUNCILMAN TOTEN OPINION.
[00:40:02]
I DO REMEMBER BACK WHEN I WAS FIRST PUT ON THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD 5, 6 YEARS AGO, THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED NATURAL SPRINGS, TO KEEP IT MORE NATURAL.BUT EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN OVER THERE, AND I GO OVER THERE QUITE A BIT BECAUSE OF THE DOG PARK, ETC, I GET MOSTLY MOTHERS THAT THERE'S NO ACTIVITY FOR THE LITTLES, THEY DON'T LIKE GOING THERE.
THEY GO THERE FOR THE DOG PARK, BUT THEY DON'T STAY VERY LONG BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING FOR THE LITTLE KIDS TO DO.
IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE NECESSARY EVILS.
WE KEEP IT NATURAL AND WHATEVER, BUT THEN THERE'S NOTHING FOR THE LITTLES TO DO.
I REALLY LIKE THIS DESIGN OF THE ONES WE HAD CHOICE OF.
THE FINE LINE HERE IS JUST TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT REAL NATURAL COMPONENT, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT IN THE $400,000 BUDGET.
I SAY THE NUMBER 1 COMMENT I GET IS WITH MOSTLY THE MOTHERS WITH THE LITTLE KIDS, THEY NEED SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO, AND THIS PROVIDES THAT, I THINK.
>> GUYS ASKED TWO QUESTIONS. ONE, COUNCILMAN TOTEN, WERE YOU ABLE TO VOICE THAT TO THE LIAISON OR THE PARKS BOARD BEFORE THEY STARTED PICKING FROM THE 21, OR WAS YOUR OPINION HEARD ON THAT?
>> WELL, WHEN WE GIVE A DIRECTION ON THE DAIS, I JUST ASSUMED THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE FOLLOWED.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIRECTION THAT WE GAVE THEM IN MARCH WHEN THEY CAME OR WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE NATURAL SPRINGS?
>> COUNCILMAN ATCHLEY, I WENT BACK AND I WATCHED.
ALL OF 2023 MEETINGS, I JUST DIDN'T RECALL THE EXACT MEETING AND WASN'T UNABLE TO FIND THAT PARTICULAR MEETING.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SAY SOMETHING [OVERLAPPING] AND YOU HEARD.
>> HE FEELS THAT HE WAS ABSENT THAT NIGHT, SO HE DOESN'T RECALL THAT CERTAIN MEETING.
>> I WAS PRESENT AT THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH THAT 100,000-PAGE PRESENTATION. EXAGGERATING, OF COURSE.
BUT YEAH, WAS A VERY LENGTHY PARKS ADVISORY BOARD, WE DID DISCUSS WHAT THE DESIRES WERE, AND I THINK WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT IT AT THAT POINT.
I THINK MR. WALKER BROUGHT THAT UP AS THE COST FACTOR OF TRYING TO HOLD THAT LINE.
AGAIN, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN TOTEN, WE DID GIVE DIRECTION TO TRY TO KEEP IT AS NATURAL AS WE CAN BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE VALUE ENGINEERING COMES INTO PLAY HERE AND THE BANG FOR THE BUCK.
>> I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN TOTEN ALSO.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE HE HAD A CHANCE TO SAY THAT IN THAT DEPARTS ADVISORY TOOK IT INTO ACCOUNT.
BUT IN THE END, I DIDN'T SEE ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC THE ENTIRE TIME THIS WAS BEING VOTED ON.
EVERYONE WAS EXCITED TO HAVE AN OPTIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, A TON OF VOTES RECORDED, I'M ASSUMING.
ARE YOU GOING TO POST THIS ON OUR WEBSITE MAYBE FROM THE WINNING DESIGN PART AND DOWN OF YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT?
>> YES, SIR. WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
>> COUNCIL, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
FIRST OFF, I THINK STAFF EXECUTED THE SURVEY, THE USAGE OF THE PARKS BOARD FLAWLESSLY.
I THOUGHT DUE PROCESS, I WENT WELL AND MATTER OF FACT, WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS, THEN WE GET ABOUT 1,000 OF THOSE VOTES.
THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY ENGAGED [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE WAS A MASSIVE SURGE AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
>> YEAH. I TOO VOTED ON THIS ONE, NOT KNOWING ANY OF THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPERS INVOLVED AND TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS A ANNA NATIVE, THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.
HOWEVER, THIS IS BITTER-SWEET.
IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT TO COMMUNICATE WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AMONGST THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
THEY WERE GLAD TO BE PART OF THIS, BUT THEY'VE ALSO FELT LIKE THEY'VE BEEN PIGEONHOLED INTO THE PARTS THEY GET TO SPEAK INTO AND THE PARTS THEY DON'T GET TO SPEAK INTO.
IN THE LAST PARKS BOARD MEETING, THEY'VE INITIATED AGREEABLE WITH STAFF, THAT WE NEED TO ENTER INTO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR NATURAL SPRINGS PARK.
ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHED THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, THE WORD NATURAL HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE STUMBLING BLOCK, ALL THE WAY BACK TO PUTTING FOUNTAINS.
AS BEFORE, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE CURRENT STAFF THAT WE HAVE, THERE WAS A COUNCILMAN ARGUING THAT THOSE WEREN'T NATURAL, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MEANT TO PROTECT THE NATURAL NATURE OF IT.
[00:45:02]
THE PARKS BOARD HAS BEEN TALKING TO ME ABOUT, IS THERE ANY WAY TO POSTPONE THE INSTALLATION OF THIS PARK WHILE THEY CONSIDER ALL THE OPTIONS.ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT'S ON THE TABLE IS THAT THERE'S THE POTENTIAL OF CONVERTING WHAT'S THE PARKS BUILDING, WHERE THEY KEEP ALL THEIR EQUIPMENT OVER TO AN EVENT CENTER, WRECK CENTER, SENIOR CENTER.
WE'VE ALSO HAVE PROTECT THE MONARCHS.
WE HAVE A PRAIRIE GARDEN THAT AFTER APPROVING A TREE ORDINANCE, ENDED UP REMOVING A LOT OF TREES FROM THE PARK.
THE PARKS BOARD IS ASKED, CAN WE JUST PUMP THE BRAKES? FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS ENTIRE PARK.
ALL THE MANY IDEAS THAT COME OUT OF THE NEIGHBORS' COMMENTS, THE DOG PARK.
MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE DOG PARK ARE REALLY CONCERNED, CONVERSELY TO WHAT COUNCILMAN BAKER HAS HEARD, AND WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING THIS AMENITY NEAR THE DOG PARK.
OTHERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TREES, BUT THAT WAS ALREADY ADDRESSED.
I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL THAT WE LET THE PARKS BOARD DO WHAT THEY REALLY NEED TO DO AND PROVIDE TO US A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I'M FINE WITH APPROVING THIS VENDOR, BUT NOT EXECUTING TONIGHT AND LET THIS BOARD DO WHAT THEY DO WELL.
THAT'S FOR EVERYONE'S CONSIDERATION.
>> I AGREE WITH SOME OF WHAT YOU SAID THERE, BUT I ALSO AGREE THAT THERE WAS, WHAT? NINETEEN-HUNDRED AND SOMETHING PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN ON THIS AND OVERWHELMINGLY LIKE THIS DESIGN.
I NEED CLARIFICATION ON WHAT WHAT IT IS YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO RIGHT NOW.
>> WELL, IN THE QUESTION YOU HAD EARLIER, WAS THE PARKS BOARD GIVEN PROPER DIRECTION ABOUT KEEPING NATURAL? I WAS THERE. IT WAS A VERY LONG MEETING.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A CONVERSATION, AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT THAT PART OF IT.
I JUST FEEL IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION TONIGHT ON THIS AND POSTPONE IT FOR ANY REASON, OUR NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO WONDER YOU, ARE WE REALLY LISTENING TO WHAT THEY WANT? THAT'S EVERY SINGLE TIME I'M OVER THERE.
SOMEBODY ASKED WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS TO DO WHILE THEY'RE HERE?
>> I AM JUST COMPLETELY CONFUSED BY ALL OF THIS.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROCESS THAT WAS FOLLOWED.
GREAT. THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION HERE OF HOW THEY FOLLOWED THAT PROCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
I THINK THE COUNCILMAN TOTIN TO YOUR POINT THOUGH, THE NATURAL COMPONENTS.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BONNIE WINK PARK IN MCKINNEY, WHICH I KNOW WAS NOT ONLY A PUBLIC VENTURE, BUT IT WAS A PRIVATE VENTURE WITH A LOT OF DONATIONS THAT CAME IN.
THAT PARK WAS WAY OVER $400,000 TO CONSTRUCT, AND THAT WAS YEARS AGO.
I DON'T MIND GOING ANY DIRECTION.
WE NEED TO IF A BOARD NEEDS MORE TIME OR WHATEVER.
BUT I THINK THE THING THAT I CAUGHT OUT OF LISTENING TO EVERYBODY IS THE BIGGEST COMPONENT YOU'RE DEALING WITH IS A $400,000 BUDGET.
I THINK TO GET MORE CREATIVE AND TO MAKE IT MORE NATURAL OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT PROJECT WE LOOK AT IN ANNA OR ANY OTHER CITY RIGHT NOW.
TIME IS MONEY WHEN YOU'RE IN THIS TYPE OF INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT.
BUT COUNCILMAN BAKER, TO YOUR POINT, WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE ANNA NEIGHBORS ON THIS.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT PROCESS HAD BEEN FOLLOWED AND WE WERE AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, WHICH WAS A VOTE BY THE NEIGHBORS WHO ELIMINATED MULTIPLE OF WHAT WAS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE $400,000 BUDGET.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU CAN DELAY SOMETHING AND ASK SOMEBODY TO GO BACK AND PRESENT A NEW PLAN.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT NEW PLAN IS GOING TO COST MORE THAN WHAT THESE 21 VENDORS PROVIDED AT 400,000.
>> THIS ISN'T IN CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
BUT JUST AS WE JUST APPROVED NAMING THE GIANT GREER PARK, WHICH IS, I DON'T REMEMBER, 20 ACRES OR SOMETHING.
MOST OF WHICH IS FORCED IF YOU WANT A NATURAL COMPONENT LIKE A BODY WINK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE NOT MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS ISN'T GOING TO GET CHEAPER IF WE WAIT ANY FURTHER,
[00:50:05]
NOTHING GETS ANY CHEAPER.>> HERE'S SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE EXPRESSED.
WE JUST EXPERIENCED THIS WITH SLATER CREEK PARK, WHERE WE HAD A SET OF BATHROOMS THAT WERE BEYOND THE REACH OF ANOTHER CHILD AMENITY TO BE REALLY USEFUL, WE ENDED UP BUILDING ANOTHER SET OF BATHROOMS CLOSER TO THE SPLASH PAD.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THAT THIS AMENITY IS ALSO NOT WITHIN REACH OF THE BATHROOMS PROJECTING OUT OUR TREND.
THEY HAVE CONCERNS, BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL, SOME OTHER NEIGHBORS AND MYSELF, THAT, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THIS, WELL NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD SOME BATHROOMS. THEN WHAT NEXT? THERE JUST REALLY IS A CONCERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO DIMINISH THE NATURALNESS OF THIS AND EVENTUALLY JUST OVERWHELM THIS PARK AND MAKE ANOTHER ACTIVITIES PARK AND NOT BE A SERENE PARK LIKE IT WAS ORIGINALLY COMMISSIONED.
MY APOLOGIES, MAYOR. AS FAR AS THE BOARD GOES, THEY'RE FINE WITH THE CITIZENS DECISION.
THEY LOVE THIS PART. THERE WAS NOT ANY COMPLAINT THAT THIS WAS THE CHOSEN VENDOR BY THE SURVEY.
IT'S JUST THE LOCATION OF IT WITHIN SIDE OF NATURAL SPRINGS PARK.
>> WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO TABLE ANY EXECUTION OF THIS? IF WE'RE OKAY, I'D LIKE TO APPROVE THE VENDOR AND COMPLETE THAT PART.
POSTPONE THE BUILDING OF THIS PART UNTIL WE COMPLETE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO PRESENT TO THIS COUNCIL.
>> YES COUNCILMAN BEFORE MR. PETERS SPEAKS, I WANT IT JUST TO HIM TO ARTICULATE WHAT THE PRICE OF THIS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THIS PLAYGROUND.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE US BEING ABLE TO BUILD THIS PLAYGROUND AT THIS COST MOVING FORWARD, BUT I CAN HAVE MR. PETERS TALK ABOUT THAT.
>> BUT HOLD ON, I HAVE A LEGAL QUESTION, AS WELL.
THE ONLY THING, COUNCILMAN CARVERS, IF YOU TAKE A STEP BACK, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN IMPROVE THAT VENDOR IF YOU'RE MAKING CHANGES TO THE DESIGN OF THE CURRENT PLAYGROUND AND COST, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH A BIDDING PROCESS, AM I CORRECT?
>> IN THIS PROCESS, WAS IT A SELECTION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES?
>> YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO EVALUATE WHETHER WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH, NOT NECESSARILY COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
>> I DON'T THINK YOU COULD IMPROVE AT SEAL PROPOSAL, SO JUST TABLE IT OR DENY IT.
>> YOU CAN YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE IT IS WHAT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING.
>> CAN I JUST GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THE PARKS BOARD IS WANTING TO DO AND WHEN THEY VOICE THESE CONCERNS? MR. WALKER JUST GAVE IN HIS PRESENTATION THAT THIS VOLUNTARY BOARD WENT THROUGH 140 SLIDES AND TOOK AN HOUR TO DISCUSS 21 SOMETHING PARKS.
THEY KNEW WHERE IT WAS GOING TO GO THE ENTIRE TIME.
WAS THERE NO DISCUSSION THEN ABOUT, HEY, MAYBE WE SHOULD ADD INTO THE COST BEFORE WE SEND IT TO THE VOTERS OR TO THE NEIGHBORS BATHROOM SO THAT IT GOES FOR MORE THAN 400,000 BEFORE WE APPROVE IT, SO THAT THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE DEVELOPER OR THE DESIGNER IS TRYING TO COME UNDER IN THEIR BUDGET.
WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IT SEEMED LIKE WE GET THIS, WE PUT IT ONLINE.
THIS SOUNDS TO ME LIKE WHEN WE WERE ARGUING ABOUT PAINTING THIS WATER TOWER OVER HERE.
THEN WE DO IT, AND THEN WE GO, WELL, WE DON'T LIKE TO VOTE, BUT WE'LL DO IT ANYWAYS.
IF WE'RE GOING TO ARGUE THIS ALL THE TIME, WE SHOULD STOP DOING ONLINE VOTES AND JUST MAKE A DECISION, AND HAVE THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD SEND US A PARK IN A BATHROOM.
>> ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THAT.
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE PARKS BOARD.
I HAD BEEN ON THE PARKS BOARD PRIOR TO BEING ELECTED HERE.
>> YEAH. BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEIR CONCERNS ARE BEING VOICED TO THE COUNCIL.
>> WELL, THE NATURAL SPRINGS PARK HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT.
AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE A WRITTEN COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN, BUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NATURAL SPRINGS PARK A NUMBER OF TIMES AND PUTTING SOME PLAYGROUND FEATURE THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE ISSUES.
>> I KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, THEY VOICE IT, THEY SAY HEY, BUT WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK A PARK SHOULD GO HERE.
>> THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS HERE BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED HERE.
>> AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL.
>> YEAH. EXACTLY. BUT TO YOUR POINT,
[00:55:02]
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE ISSUE ABOUT BATHROOMS HAD EVER BEEN BROUGHT UP.TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT EVER BEEN ADDRESSED, SO THAT IS A LEGITIMATE QUESTION.
>> I'LL REPRESENT THE REQUESTS, THE MOTION, WHAT DUE PROCESS TAKE PLACE.
>> I GUESS THIS WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
IF WE DO TABLE THIS, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE BUDGET THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT DOING? WHAT'S TIME GOING TO COST THEM?
>> TYPICALLY, WHEN WE GO THROUGH A BID PROCESS, USUALLY THE PRICES ARE GOOD FOR SOMEWHERE 30-45 DAYS, WHICH IS USUALLY JUST ENOUGH TIME TO RUN THROUGH THAT PROCESS, MAKE A SELECTION AND GET IT AWARDED SO THAT WE CAN ENTER INTO A CONTRACT.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE LIMITING THING THAT FORCES YOU TO MAKE A DECISION.
YOU NEED TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON WHAT YOU FEEL IS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE CONTRACTOR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HONOR THOSE PRICES.
IF WE DELAY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVISIT ALL THEIR PRICING TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF IT CHANGED.
THE LONGER YOU WAIT TO ENTER INTO THAT CONTRACT, THE MORE THOSE PRICES ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE.
>> OTHER THAN A BATHROOM, WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS?
>> THEIR CONCERNS WERE ALSO WHERE IT'S LOCATED IN THE RIGHT NOW, IT'S WHERE THE PICNIC TABLES ARE.
NOW THIS MEETING, JUST IN FAIRNESS, WAS NOT THE ONE THAT I INTENDED AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT COUNCILMAN BAKER WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT.
BUT THE WAY THE BOARD'S TALKING TO ME AS SOME OF THE MEMBERS IS THE DESIGNS.
NO, THAT'S WHAT'S BEING COMMUNICATED.
IN FAIRNESS, THERE HAS BEEN SOME GENERAL COMMUNICATION THAT THEY FEEL LIKE STAFF IS GIVING THEM MORE DIRECTIONS THAN LISTENING TO CONVERSATION AND VETTING OUT IDEAS THAT IS MORE JUST RUBBER STAMPING BEHAVIORS IN THESE BOARDS.
THEY'RE REALLY WANTING TO BE ABLE TO JUST PLAN OUT, FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THIS PART AND COMMUNICATE TO THIS COUNCIL A HOLISTIC PLAN, INCLUDING THIS PLAYGROUND.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO DO.
>> I THINK WE TAKE LESSON LEARNED FROM THIS.
BUT WE HAVE ANNA NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE VOTE INTO THIS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT.
WE'VE RECEIVED NO NEGATIVE COMMUNICATION FOR THIS PROJECT.
I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND DO SOME LESSON LEARNED THAT WE DO, TAKE A LOOK AT, MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THINGS LIKE THIS THAT WE HAVE ISSUES LIKE BATHROOMS AND PICNIC TABLES, AND PARKING AND WHATEVER ELSE GOES WITH IT.
NOT SAYING WE DIDN'T DO THAT HERE, I'M JUST SAYING THAT THAT'S A LESSON LEARNED WE LOOK AT GOING FORWARD.
>> OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO PROVE.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BAKER. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND BY COUNCILMAN ATCHLEY. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> MOTION PASSES. MOVING ON TO ITEM 8, CLOSED SESSION UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551, CITY COUNCIL. I'M SORRY.
IT'S ROADWAY ITEM C. CONSIDER AND DISCUSS ACTION ON A RESOLUTION FOR A CHANGE ORDER FOR THE LEONARD AVENUE EXTENSION PROJECT TO INCREASE THE PROJECT SCOPE TO INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EASTERN TWO LANES OF LEONARD AVENUE FROM GARDENDALE HOLLOW LANE TO EAST FOSTER CROSSING ROAD.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WILL BE BRIEF.
AS MOST OF YOU LIKELY RECALL, WE DO HAVE A MAJOR ROADWAY PROJECT FOR THE EXTENSION OF LEONARD AVENUE FROM THE ANNA CROSSING NEIGHBORHOOD OUT TO THE COLLIN COUNTY OUTER LOOP.
COUNCIL AWARDED THAT PROJECT IN JANUARY AND THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD.
[01:00:05]
THEY'VE MOBILIZED AND THEY'RE GETTING WORK DONE OUT THERE ON THE SITE.DURING THAT TIME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN RED WHICH IS A SEGMENT OF LEONARD THAT IS A TWO LANE CONCRETE ROAD AND THE OTHER TWO LANES HAVE NOT YET BEEN BUILT.
THE PROJECT THAT WAS AWARDED IN JANUARY IS SHOWN IN YELLOW, AND SO THAT IS TO BUILD A FOUR LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY ALL THE WAY DOWN.
THE SECTION IN RED, THE INTENT WAS ALWAYS FOR THE DEVELOPER TO CONSTRUCT THAT WHEN THEY BUILD THE ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND THE DEVELOPER HAS BEEN MOVING THAT PROJECT FORWARD.
WE DO HAVE ENGINEERING PLANS FOR THE ROAD.
WE'VE REVIEWED THOSE, BUT THEY ARE NOT IN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE DO EXPECT THEM TO BEGIN WORK ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT SOME POINT LATER THIS YEAR.
WHAT STAFF DID IS, WE TOOK THOSE PLANS FOR THAT SEGMENT OF ROAD AND WE WENT TO OUR CONTRACTOR, WHO'S WORKING ON THE SEGMENT DOWN TO THE OUTER LOOP, AND ASKED THEM TO GIVE US A PRICE SO THAT WE KNEW WHAT THAT PRICE WOULD BE IF WE WERE GOING TO ENTER INTO A CHANGE ORDER TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THEM BUILD IT.
THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS IS THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A SITUATION WHEN THE SOUTHERN SECTION OPENS, WHERE YOU GO FROM FOUR LANES TO TWO LANES, BACK TO FOUR LANES TRANSITION.
ESPECIALLY OBVIOUSLY WITH THAT OCCURRING RIGHT THERE ADJACENT TO WHERE THE JUNIOR HIGH IS AND ALL OF THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC, WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS GOING TO CREATE A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR NEIGHBORS.
THE DISADVANTAGE TO CHANGE ORDERING THIS INTO THE PROJECT IS THE CITY WON'T BE MADE WHOLE UNTIL THAT ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOP.
BASICALLY THE DEVELOPER WAS GOING TO BUILD THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILD THAT SECTION OF ROADWAY AND THEN THEY WOULD RECEIVE ROADWAY IMPACT FEE REIMBURSEMENTS TO MAKE THEM WHOLE.
INSTEAD WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IT AND THEN THE ROADWAY IMPACT FEES FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WILL COME AND BASICALLY MAKE THE CITY.
STAFF DOES FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BEST OPTION.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER $600,000 BUT IT IS ALLOWED, IT IS BELOW THE 25% MAXIMUM THRESHOLD FOR A CHANGE ORDER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ON A PUBLIC PROJECT.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE CHANGE ORDER TONIGHT.
IT WOULD ADD ABOUT 45 DAYS TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT TIME.
AGAIN, WE THINK IT'S WELL WORTH IT.
THE CONTRACTOR HAS EXPLAINED TO US THAT IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY BEGIN ADDING THIS INTO THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND GET WORKING ON IT SO THAT THEY WOULD OPEN THE WHOLE ROAD AT THE SAME TIME.
I DO WANT TO THANK OUR CIP MANAGER, JUSTIN CLAY.
HE DID A LOT OF THE LEG WORK, WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR ON THIS TO GET OUR PRICING AND EVERYTHING TO A POINT WHERE WE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND WE FELT LIKE WE COULD GET THIS DONE AND BRING IT FORWARD TO YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION, BUT JUST A COMMENT.
HAVING BEEN OVER THERE DURING THE SCHOOL OPEN AND CLOSE TIMES, IT'S NEEDED.
>> THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS THAT TXDOT IS NOT A RELIABLE STATE AGENCY TO PERFORM WITHIN A TIME FRAME THAT THEY HAVE PROMISED THIS COMMUNITY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
I THINK ANY RELIEF THAT THE CITY AND ITS UNFORTUNATELY OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PICK UP IN ORDER TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPLAINTS, IS BUILD MORE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WELL, WHEN THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL NOT PERFORM THEIR DUTIES, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON IT.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY NEEDED BECAUSE THE DAY THAT A MAJOR ACCIDENT OCCURS REGARDING SCHOOL KIDS ON A YELLOW SCHOOL BUS, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO SCHOOLS THROUGH THAT AREA, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG DEAL.
APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S WORK ON THIS. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I JUST HAVE ONE. I'LL SECOND THE COMMENT THAT TXDOT SUCKS AND THEY NEED TO TAKE ANNA INTO MORE CONSIDERATION THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE BEEN.
IS THERE ANY LEGAL LIMITS TO THE AMOUNT OF CHANGEOVERS THE CONTRACT? IS THERE ANY OTHER CHANCES THAT COME BACK WITH MORE REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING? DO YOU SEE THAT?
>> ON THIS PROJECT, I DON'T SEE IT.
THE GOOD THING IS THE ROADWAY PROJECT FROM FOSTER CROSSING DOWN THE OUTER LOOP IS THROUGH AN OPEN FIELD, SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF UNKNOWN UTILITY CONFLICTS AND BEING ADJACENT TO SOMEBODY'S HOUSE WHERE WE DIG AND WE FIND THINGS SO
[01:05:04]
WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE ORIGINAL CONTINGENCY FUNDS AND BUDGET THAT COUNCIL APPROVED FOR THE PROJECT WILL COVER THE FULL PROJECT.WE ANTICIPATE THIS WOULD BE THE ONLY MAJOR CHANGE ORDER THAT WE WOULD SEE ON THE PROJECT.
>> MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE. SECOND.
>> MOTION BY THE DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEAM.
SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BAKER. ALL IN FAVOR.
EIGHT CLOSED SESSION UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551.
[8. Closed Session (Exceptions). (Part 2 of 2)]
CITY COUNCIL MAY ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION, DISCUSSED THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS, A, CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNCIL REGARDING PENDING OR CONFLATED LITIGATION.TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551071, B, DISCUSSED TO DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551072 DISCUSSED DELIBERATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551087, D, DISCUSSED DELIBERATE PERSONNEL MATTERS.
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551074.
MAKE A MOTION ENTER CLOSED AT 7:42.
>> MOTION BY THE MAYOR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CAIN. ALL IN FAVOR.
>> YES. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE GOING TO ENTER CLOSED AT 7:42.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.