[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS]
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THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY TEXAS WILL NOW COME TO ORDER IN A WORK SESSION ON APRIL 22ND, 2025 AT 5:00 PM UH, ROLL CALL ANNIE MANN.WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[3. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING CONSOLIDATION OF THE PARKS BOARD AND THE SECTION 4B INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD]
REGARDING CONSOLIDATION OF THE PARKS BOARD AND THE SECTION FOUR B INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD.JOSHUA GUTIERREZ, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY.
SO TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS GONNA BE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION OF THE PARKS AND FOUR B BOARD WITH THE OVERALL THEME OF IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND A PROPOSAL FOR A STREAMLINED GOVERNANCE.
SO QUICK OVERVIEW, WE KIND OF WENT OVER THE PURPOSE.
WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THE LITTLE BACKGROUND OF EACH BOARD, IDENTIFY SOME REDUNDANCIES, PROPOSED SOLUTIONS, AS WELL AS THE NEXT STEPS FROM COUNCIL.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT THE PARKS BOARD, IT WAS ESTABLISHED TO ADVISE ON DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
IT IS COMPRISED OF MEMBERS APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL AND THEY PROVIDE INPUT ON THE PARKS, MASTER PLAN, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE PLANNING, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY RECREATION PRIORITIES.
THE FOUR B BOARD, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE FOUR B INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, IS FUNDED BY THE FOUR B SALES TAX.
NOW THERE IS A LIMITATION AS IT'S ONLY ONLY FOR AMATEUR YOUTH SPORTS AND THEIR MISSION INCLUDES FUNDING, QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS, SUPPORTING PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME REDUNDANCY AND OVERLAP.
I WILL ALLOW THE DIRECTOR IN A WAY TO GET TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT JUST TO HIT ON THEM, THEY OFTEN ADDRESS THE SAME PROJECTS, UM, CAUSING REDUNDANT DISCUSSIONS, OVERLAPPING IN PRIORITIES AND DUPLICATION OF STAFF TIME.
SOME OF THE BENEFITS FOR CONSOLIDATION CAN INCLUDE STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION AND STRATEGY BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS, UNIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL AS WELL AS TRANS, IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND MORE EFFICIENT USE OF CITY STAFF TIME AND BOARD MEMBER TIME.
A COUPLE OF PROPOSED OPTIONS WOULD BE OPTION A, THAT WOULD BE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS TO ENCOMPASS THE CURRENT FOUR B MEMBERS.
A COUPLE OF PROS TO THAT WOULD BE A FULL INTEGRATION OF A UNIFIED BOARD SIMPLIFIED STRUCTURE FOR THE ADVISORY ROLES.
COUPLE OF CONS COULD BE A LARGER BOARD MAY REDUCE THE AGILITY OF EACH OF THE BOARD, AND IT WILL REQUIRE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
OPTION B WE HAVE IS JUST REQUIRING JOINT MEETINGS BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS.
SOME PROS THAT WOULD PRESERVE THE CURRENT BOARD STRUCTURES, ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION AND A SHARED VISION.
IT'D BE EASIER TO, UH, IMPLEMENT ADMINISTRATIVELY AS WELL.
COUPLE OF CONS IS IT MAY STILL DUPLICATE STAFF WORKLOAD AND THE DECISIONS COULD BE DELAYED DUE TO COORDINATION LOGISTICS.
SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS CHIN WAY FOR A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
SO THIS EVENING, I THINK WE HAVE FOUR PARKS BOARD MEMBERS HERE, AND WE HAVE THREE, FOUR B MEMBERS HERE.
EACH BOARD MEETS, UH, ONCE A MONTH ON A MONDAY NIGHT.
UH, THE PARKS BOARD NORMALLY MEETS ON THE FIRST WEEK ON A MONDAY NIGHT, AND THE, UH, FOUR B, NO FOUR B BOARD MEETS ON THE FIRST MONDAY AND THE PARKS BOARD MEETS ON THE THIRD MONDAY.
UM, THE FOUR B BASICALLY FOCUSES ON FOUR B FUNDED PROJECTS.
UH, WE GIVE UPDATES, WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, UH, WE LOOK AT FUNDING, UM, AS FAR AS FUTURE FUNDING OF MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THEN WHEN WE MEET WITH THE PARKS BOARD, WE SOMETIMES GO OVER THOSE FOUR B PROJECTS.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, THE PARKS BOARD IS MORE OF A HOLISTIC BOARD.
THEY LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN, THEY TALK ABOUT, UH, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
UM, THEY'RE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN, UM, STAFF AND OUR CITIZENS OF LAKE CITY.
UM, BUT THERE IS SOME REDUNDANCY AND DUPLICATION.
I WOULD SAY THAT WHEN WE DUPLICATE AN UPDATE ON FOUR B FUNDED PROJECTS, MAYBE 30% OF THE TIME WE SPEND ON PARKS BOARD IS OVER FOUR B PROJECTS.
BUT WHEN WE MEET WITH FOUR B, THEY SOLELY FOCUS ON, UM, THE FOUR B FUNDED PROJECTS.
I THINK THAT BOTH BOARDS ARE HERE.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET INPUT FROM THEM, THEY THEY WOULD LOVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO SPEAK TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ANYBODY THAT HAS A OPINION, LOVE TO HEAR IT.
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GOOD EVENING.I'M CURRENTLY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE, UH, PARKS BOARD.
UH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, CITY, UH, STATE OF THE NATION BREAKFAST A FEW, UH, MONTHS AGO.
AND I KNOW PARKS AND REC UP REC CAME UP OFTEN AS ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS TO MOVING FORWARD WITH LEAGUE CITY IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
I THINK OUR CURRENT PARK BOARD HAS 31 YEARS OF PARK BOARD EXPERIENCE BETWEEN OUR SEVEN MEMBERS.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD FEELING OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AND THE DIRECTION WE SHOULD BE GOING.
UH, AND WE REALLY, I BELIEVE, DO NOT WANT THAT FOCUS DOWN.
I BELIEVE COMBINING THE TWO BOARDS IS A POSSIBILITY.
LONGER MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS WOULD BE POSITIVE.
UH, BUT CURRENTLY THE PARK BOARD FOCUSES ON TRAILS, MASTER PLANS, SENIOR CITIZENS, SPECIAL, UH, POPULATIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS, CLASSES, PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS.
ATHLETIC FACILITIES IS WHAT OR BE MAINLY FOCUS ON.
SO I WOULD REALLY HATE TO DILUTE THE FOCUS OF THE SOUNDING GROUP OF THE, UH, PARKS BOARD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIVERSITY THAT GOES ON WITHIN THE CITY AND A LOT OF COMPONENTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE PROVIDING SPECIAL EVENTS AND PARK EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT.
AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION, I ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO OUR MEETINGS, REVIEW THE MINUTES, REVIEW THE AGENDAS, REVIEW THE VIDEOTAPES, AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE THERE'S A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS AND WHETHER THOSE DIFFERENCES COMMAND THEM TO STAY SEPARATE IF THAT'S YOUR DECISION TO MAKE.
BUT I THINK WE'VE BEEN FUNCTIONING WELL.
I THINK THE PARK, UH, AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, APPRECIATE THE INPUT WE GIVE THEM AND WE HOPE THAT CAN, CAN CONTINUE ON IN A POSITIVE WAY.
I AM JAY WILLIAMS. I'M, UH, VICE CHAIR.
AND UH, AS WE NOTED THE OTHER NIGHT, I AM THE LONGEST TENURED PERSON ON THE PARKS BOARD, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M QUITE THE OLDEST, UH, PRETTY CLOSE, BUT I'M NOT QUITE THE OLDEST.
SO, UM, FROM MY IMPRESSIONS, UH, THE PARKS BOARD'S PURPOSE IS TO BE A, UH, A SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR COUNCIL AND FOR CHEN AND THE PARKS BOARD OR PARKS STAFF.
UM, OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE NOT REALLY SEEN MUCH OTHER PURPOSE FOR US.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE BUDGETARY CONTROL OF ANYTHING.
WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS HERE AND THERE, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF PURPOSE OTHER THAN THAT.
UM, I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE, UH, WHEN I FIRST STARTED ON THE PARKS BOARD, UM, WE WOULD REGULARLY HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SOMETIMES THE MAYOR WOULD ATTEND OUR MEETINGS.
UM, AND THAT INFLUENCE I THINK, WAS VALUABLE TO SOME DEGREE BECAUSE THEY WOULD HEAR ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THAT HAS DIMINISHED OVER THE YEARS AND THAT, AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUESTION IN MY MIND AS TO WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS.
I CONSOLE MYSELF BY SAYING THAT I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN, UH, SWARM INTELLIGENCE.
I BELIEVE THAT A GROUP OF PEOPLE GENERALLY WILL COME TO A GOOD CONCLUSION, UH, MORE FREQUENTLY THAN AN INDIVIDUAL.
AND I FEEL LIKE OUR CONTRIBUTION IN THE MEETINGS TO, UH, STAFF IS OF VALUE.
MEANING CHEN GETS TO BASICALLY HEAR WHAT WE THINK AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, OUR REFLECTIONS OF WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT MIGHT BE THE NEXT STEP AND SO FORTH.
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UM, SO THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE FROM THE PARKS BOARD VIEWPOINT.UH, I ASKED LAST NIGHT AT OUR MEETING ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF FOUR B AND WE KIND OF CAME, UH, IN, IN INQUIRING FROM CHIN, AND WE'RE GONNA GET THE FOUR B GUYS TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL, BUT THAT IT WAS ABOUT, UH, BUDGETARY ITEMS. IT WAS ABOUT, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE MONIES WERE CORRECTLY INVESTED AND USED APPROPRIATELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF A FOUR B FUNCTION.
UM, AND THERE OBVIOUSLY IS AN OVERLAP BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
OUR, UH, FOCUS IS BROADER THAN FOUR B BECAUSE WE GO BEYOND JUST THE, UH, ATHLETICS ASPECT OF IT, BUT IT IS ENCOMPASSED IN HERE.
SO ULTIMATELY I THINK THE QUESTION AS IT COMES TO ME, I'M, I'M BEING PRESUMPTUOUS HERE, BUT I'M GONNA GUESS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I THINK AND I THINK THAT IT DOES MAKE SOME SENSE TO COMBINE.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE JOINT MEETING SITUATION.
WE HAVE HAD SOME JOINT MEETINGS, UH, BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES AND TRIMMING, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE JUST ONE ENTITY INSTEAD OF TWO.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, THE INFLUENCE THAT WE HAVE IS IMPORTANT TO US, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.
I REALLY FEEL THAT YOUR OPINIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT A PARK OR A PROJECT OR WHAT'S NEXT, BUT HAVING MORE INFORMATION IS CRITICAL TO MAKING GOOD DECISIONS AND I THINK THAT YOU WOULD ALL AGREE WITH THAT.
AND PARKS BOARD FOUR B BOARD IN BOTH CASES CAN OFFER YOU INFORMATION THAT COULD BE INSTRUMENTAL IN COMING TO GOOD CONCLUSIONS FOR THE CITY AS WE GO FORWARD.
ANYBODY FROM THE FOUR B OR ANYBODY ELSE FOR THAT MATTER? UH, MY NAME'S MARK BROWN, THE CHAIR OF THE FOUR B BOARD.
UM, SO JUST GET SOME OVERALL, JUST SOME THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ON, ON COMBINING THE TWO.
I CERTAINLY DO AGREE THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE SCOPE NATURALLY, UH, THE FOUR B BOARD FOCUSING ON AMATEUR SPORTS FACILITIES, UM, WE'RE NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE TYPES OF FLOWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND, AND NATURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THE PARKS BOARD WOULD, WOULD BE CONCERNED THEMSELVES WITH.
SO IF YOU COMBINE THE TWO, I, I DO SEE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FOCUSED MORE ON THE FOUR B FINANCIAL ASPECTS SIDE OF THINGS, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT GONNA HAVE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE PARKS BOARD IS GONNA NEED TO DECIDE ON THAT THAT'S NOT RELEVANT TO SAY THE SCOPE OF THE FOUR B ITSELF.
UM, I WILL ALSO SAY ON THE FOUR B BOARD, I, I THINK THE MAKEUP IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON OUR BOARD THAT ARE COME FROM A CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND, UM, AND THEY, THEY'RE VERY AWARE OF LIKE FINANCES AND, AND UM, YOU KNOW, SCOPE OF WORKS AND, AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS ARE BEING BUILT IN A WAY THAT THAT HAS SOME OVERSIGHT, UH, FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, ENGINEERING AND, AND MAKING SURE THINGS ARE BUILT RIGHT.
AND THERE'S ALSO A CONSCIOUSNESS ON OUR BOARD TO MAKE SURE THE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED APPROPRIATELY AS THIS WAS VOTED ON BY THE VOTERS TO BE USED FOR AMATEUR SPORTS FACILITIES.
SO WE, WE DO TRY TO MAKE SURE THOSE FUNDS ARE ONLY, THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE CITY THAT HAS BEEN, ARE ONLY RELATED TO THOSE ASPECTS.
UM, SO NOW COMBINING THE TWO, I CERTAINLY DO SEE THE IDEA OF, UH, OF BRINGING THAT UP TO SOME EFFICIENCIES THERE.
UM, UM, WE'VE HAD JOINT MEETINGS IN THE PAST IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO KEEP OUR, OUR, OUR OUR UH, UH, IN ORDER TO STAY ALIGNED ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITIES, TYPICALLY WITH LARGE PROJECTS AND, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS THE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PARKS, UH, WHERE YOU WANT TO BUILD NEW THINGS.
I'LL SAY THOSE JOINT MEETINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD TO HOLD AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE TWO CHAIRS, TWO MOTIONS, TWO SETS OF MINUTES.
UH, AND I DON'T, I THINK THAT WOULD KIND OF LOSE THE POINT OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS TRY, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN MORE EFFICIENCY, IF YOU JUST WANT TO COMBINE THE TWO AND SAY, HAVE ME SOME MEMBERS OF THE PARKS BOARD OR ALSO MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE, OF THE FOUR B, UM, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO WAY TO GO OR, OR VICE VERSA.
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OTHER TOOL THAT I, THAT I AM AWARE THAT YOU HAVE IS YOU CAN ALSO APPOINT EX OFFICIO MEMBERS AS WELL.SO WHERE PEOPLE BASICALLY WERE NON NON-VOTING MEMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO ONE OF THE ON THE FOUR B COULD BE A MEMBER OF THE PARKS BOARD, BUT IN A NON-VOTING CAPACITY AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S IN YOUR, YOUR, YOUR RULES ON, ON ON BEING ABLE TO APPOINT PEOPLE TO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
UM, SO I MEAN, OVERALL I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THE BEST WAY TO STRUCTURE HAVING THE FOUR B DO ITS BUSINESS PART IN A WAY THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE YOU'RE ON THE FOUR B AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE FINANCES, BUT YOU'VE GOT AN HOUR AND A HALF OF, OF, YOU KNOW, OF, OF FLOWERS AND PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO, TO TO, TO SIT THROUGH.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW YOU GET TO TALK ABOUT THE FINANCES AND THE BUDGET.
SO I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE FOUR B WOULD, WOULD, WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE THE SAME PATIENCE FOR THAT SORT OF THING, JUST TO BE HONEST.
UM, DIFFERENT SKILL SETS, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WE'RE COMING FROM.
UM, I GUESS THOSE ARE ALL MY THOUGHTS, BUT I'LL HANG OUT HERE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE.
UH, WE, WE'VE HAD JOINT MEETINGS IN THE PAST AND THE WAY THAT THE, THE AGENDA WAS LAID OUT IS EACH AGENDA ITEM NEXT TO IT WOULD BE, UM, IDENTIFIED WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A FOUR B ITEM OR A PARKS BOARD ITEM.
UM, THEY DID TEND TO, UM, GO LONGER THAN THE REGULAR MEETINGS.
UM, I DID GET A CALL FROM A FOUR B MEMBER THAT'S NOT HERE TONIGHT THAT SAID IF WE HAVE JOINT MEETINGS AND THEY LAST A LOT LONGER, THEY PROBABLY WOULD STEP DOWN.
BUT ONE SOLUTION IS, 'CAUSE I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT FOUR B MAY NOT WANNA LISTEN TO PARKS BOARD ITEMS, BUT PARKS BOARD WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN TO FOUR B ITEMS. IF WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING, YOU LIST THE FOUR B AGENDA ITEMS FIRST, AND THEN YOU LIST THE PARKS BOARD AGENDA ITEMS. THAT WAY WHEN FOUR B'S IS FINISHED ADDRESSING THE ITEMS THEY CAN LEAVE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM, WE CAN MOVE ON WITH THE PARKS BOARD AGENDA.
SO I, I PUT THIS ON AND CALLED THE WORKSHOP ON THIS ITEM.
AND SO FIRST OF ALL, THINK BOTH BOARDS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I KINDA LOOK AT PARKS AS PROBABLY THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S HEALTH AND HUMAN SAFETY FIRST, UH, AND THEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN PARKS.
AND, AND A LOT OF WHAT MAKES YOU LEAGUE CITY UNIQUE ARE THOSE PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
AND THAT'S THE STUFF EVERYBODY LOVES.
AND IT'S FRANKLY THE FUN STUFF.
NOBODY CARES TOO MUCH ABOUT THE, THE SIZE OF THE WATER PIPES COMING IN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I DO THINK THERE'S EFFICIENCIES AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN IT OVER THE YEARS WHERE MAYBE THE, AND, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE SEEN THE, THE TWO BOARDS BE ON DIFFERENT PAGES AND JUST PLAYING FROM DIFFERENT SHEETS OF MUSIC.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE IDEAS AND THE MONEY, UH, TALKING TO EACH OTHER REGULARLY AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND THEN THE FOUR B OF COURSE IT IS FOR AMATEUR SPORTS IN THE LETTER OF THE LAW, BUT IN REALITY IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
THAT'S WHERE THE SENIOR PROGRAMS ARE HAPPENING, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S A FOUR B FACILITY, IT'S WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STUFF HAPPENING AT ALL THESE PARKS.
WHEN WE DEVELOP EVEN EVEN DOWN TO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND WHAT'S AN, WHAT'S AN OPTION FOR A WEST SIDE LIBRARY.
MAYBE IT'S A WEST SIDE COMMUNITY CENTER THAT'S PARTNERED WITH A PARK, SO THEN WE CAN LEVERAGE SOME OF THE FOUR B MONEY FOR THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE PARKING LOTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO IT'S THE FOUR B IS SUCH A VALUABLE FUNDING SOURCE FOR AMATEUR SPORTS.
AND THEN ALL THE OTHER KIND OF COMMUNITY NICETIES THAT I, I JUST THINK THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, MUCH MORE CONNECTED TO THE PARK BOARD.
I'M NOT, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OPINION TOO MUCH EITHER WAY BETWEEN OPTION A AND OPTION B.
UH, I THINK I'D LIKE TO TALK THROUGH IT AND SEE WHICH WAY EVERYBODY KIND OF FEELS WOULD WORK OUT BEST.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES, UH, FROM A PROCESS POINT OF PUTTING 'EM TOGETHER THE WAY THEY WORK AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT SAVING STAFF AN ADDITIONAL, UH, ONE WEEK OUT OF THE MONTH THAT THEY HAVE TO STAY LATE AND DO ALL THAT STUFF FOR CONTENT THAT IS 75% SIMILAR.
SO, UH, I WAS ON THE PARKS BOARD, UM, AND I TALKED ABOUT COMBINING THEM WHEN I WAS ON THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, I HAD SOME, UM, CONCERNS THAT, UM, THERE'S DISCONNECTS AS YOU MENTIONED ON THE FUNDING.
UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST ON THE FUNDING SIDE OF IT.
THERE'S DISCONNECTS ON THE PRIORITIZATION, UM, AND ALLOTMENT OF THINGS THAT GOES INTO THE PARKS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN WHERE THE FOUR B MAY THINK WE NEED 10 MORE BALLPARKS AND, AND THE PARKS BOARD MAY SAY WE NEED FOUR MORE BIRDING PARKS.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY BOTH ARE EXAGGERATIONS, BUT TO HAVE THEM ALIGNED ON THE SAME PAGE AND AND TO
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BE OPERATING FROM ONE PLAN CERTAINLY WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US.UM, WHAT WE DON'T WANNA END UP HAVING TO BE ARE ARBITERS BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS.
UM, THAT'S A SUREFIRE WAY THAT ONE OF THE BOARDS GONNA BE DISAPPOINTED.
UM, I ALSO THINK THERE IS A LOT TO BE SAID FOR SYNERGISTIC PARK DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A FOUR B BOARD THAT IS ORGANIZED AROUND AMATEUR ATHLETICS, YOU END UP WITH A COUPLE REPS FROM LITTLE LEAGUE, USUALLY SOMEBODY FROM PONY BALL, MAYBE AN AAU BASKETBALL PERSON AND THEN SOME FINANCE FOLKS.
UM, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT REPRESENTATIVE OF FOLKS WHO CARE ABOUT THINGS LIKE NATURE TRAILS AND BURNING AND, AND UM, FLOWER GARDENS.
UM, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT PARTS TOO.
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY AS YOU MENTIONED, TO FUND THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT FOUR B FUNDING TO MEET THOSE OTHER NEEDS AS WELL WITHOUT SACRIFICING ON THE, THE SPORTS STUFF IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE, WE KIND OF MISS OUT ON BY NOT HAVING THOSE VOICES TIED INTO THE FOUR B.
UM, AND I THINK SOMETIMES, UM, ON THE, THE PARK SPORT SIDE, WE'D GET A, A LITTLE DERAILED, UM, IN GOING DOWN THIS, WE NEED MORE THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
AND ALL WE'RE GETTING ARE BALLPARKS AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH REPRESENTATION, UM, FROM THE YOUNGER FOLKS WITH FAMILIES, UM, ON THE PARK SPORT.
UM, HAVING THAT TOGETHER, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR, I DO THINK THERE'S SOME DETAILS WE NEED TO WORK OUT, WHICH IS WHY I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING A WORK SESSION.
UM, I DO THINK THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE ON FOUR B THAT FOR SURE WOULD NOT HAVE THE PATIENCE TO SIT THROUGH, UM, FIVE MEETINGS IN A ROW TO TALK ABOUT WEIGHT FINDING SIGNAGE.
UM, JAY, I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER THOSE, UM, OR, OR YOU KNOW, WHAT SIZE LIGHT BULBS SHOULD BE HANGING OVER THE, UH, THE WALKING AREA AT LEAD PARK.
UM, BUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE TO HAPPEN.
AND I DO THINK, AS TIM MENTIONED, THE ONE GOOD IDEA WAS TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THE, SAY THE, THE AMATEUR ATHLETICS AND THE FOUR B STUFF MAYBE LUMPED UP FRONT.
SO THE FOLKS WHO, WHO REALLY ONLY ARE FOCUSED ON THAT CAN GET IN, GET OUT.
THE FOLKS WHO, WHO FRANKLY I EXPECT ARE PARKS BOARD AND I THINK THEY HAVE FOR THE MOST PART DONE A BETTER JOB OF BEING A LITTLE MORE WIDE REACHING IN THEIR INTEREST.
UM, I HAVE A FILLING, THEY'LL STICK 'EM AROUND, THEY'LL SHOW UP ON TIME FOR THAT AND STICK 'EM AROUND.
UM, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO, TO PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO SOME THINGS LIKE WHEN WE DEFINE WHAT QUORUM IS, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN STILL CONDUCT BUSINESS IF WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE SIZE MIGHT GET UNWIELDY.
UM, MAYBE WE, WE DO SOMETHING LIKE DESIGNATE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SPOTS ON THE BOARD THAT NEED TO BE REPRESENTED BY, BY CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
LIKE I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE BE, UM, SOMEBODY FROM THE, THE, UH, NATURIST OR, OR UM, HIKING OR BIRDING COMMUNITY.
I THINK FOR SURE THERE HAS TO BE AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EITHER LITTLE LEAGUE OR GIRL SOFTBALL.
SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING OUT FOR EACH INTEREST EVEN AFTER WE COMBINE.
UH, 'CAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT IS IT TO TURN INTO THE FOUR B BOARD IS NOW EVERYTHING AND THE NEXT PARKS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN HAS 85 BALL FIELDS AND NOTHING ELSE.
UM, I ALSO DON'T WANT IT TO RUN OFF THE FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE FOUR B BOARD AND WE HAVE A PARSON TRAILS MASTER PLAN THAT IS FULL OF EXCELLENT DREAMS THAT WE CAN NEVER AFFORD AND INCLUDE NO BALL FIELDS WHEN WE KNOW THOSE ARE ALWAYS BOOKED TO CAPACITY.
UM, SO THOSE DETAILS, I THINK THE, THE SEQUENCING OF THE MEETINGS, AS JIM MENTIONED, GOES A LONG WAY.
I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE QUAM ROLE IN SOME EARMARKED SPOTS AND I THINK THAT HANDLES MOST OF MY CONCERNS.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IS THAT THERE'S ANYONE ON EITHER BOARD WHO HAS A SPECIFIC CONCERN IF IT DOES GET COMBINED AND IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
I THINK BOTH COUNCILMAN TRESSLER AND THE MAYOR'S POINTS ARE VERY VALID WHEN IT COMES TO STREAMLINING
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CITY GOVERNMENT AND SO FORTH.BUT I THINK IN THIS SITUATION HERE, I THINK I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF JOINING THE BOARDS TOGETHER AND GO WITH AT LEAST OPTION B FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
I THINK OPTION B ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, UH, MAYBE QUARTERLY TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES SUCH AS THIS.
I THINK THE FOUR BS WAS DEVELOPED CERTAINLY BY LAW, HAVE TO HAVE THE FOUR B.
UM, AND ITS PURPOSE IS NOT REDUNDANT TO THE PARKS BOARD.
THEY LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES.
THEY LOOK AT PLANS FROM EVERY DEVELOPER THAT COMES IN.
I'M SURE THE FOUR B UH, BOARD WILL NOT REALLY WANNA SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT PLANS OF PARTS COMING INTO DEVELOPMENT AND SO FORTH.
I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REDUNDANCY.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO MAYBE MAKE GOVERNMENT SMALLER, WHICH IS GREAT, AND BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMAN'S POINTS ARE, ARE VERY VALID.
UM, BUT TO COMBINE THEM I THINK WOULD BE PRESENTING DIFFERENT PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BECAUSE I, LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE CHEN SAID WHILE AGO, THERE WAS ALREADY ONE MEMBER THAT SAYS, I HAVE TO GO TO THE PARKS BOARD, I'M GONNA PROBABLY QUIT.
UH, THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT OF THE FOUR B UH, PURPOSE WHEN, WHEN IT WAS DEVELOPED, IT WAS FOR AMATEUR SPORTS ONLY, AND WE DON'T USE A LOT OF MONEY.
I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN COUNCIL HAS NOT BEING ENGAGED ENOUGH WITH FOUR B TO KIND OF STEER THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, WITH THE FUNDING.
UH, I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND CHEN, YOU MAY STAND UP AND, AND, AND TELL ME I'M WRONG OR SOMETHING, BUT I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S FUNDING HAS BEEN MORE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SIDE OF IT AND THE BUDGET SIDE OF IT INSTEAD OF THE FOUR B.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? HOW MUCH MONEY COMES OUT OF THE FOUR B? THE, UH, THE, THE FOUR B BOARD FOCUSES ON THE, THE CORSET SALES TAX.
THE PARKS BOARD ALSO WILL LIKE PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED, UH, WITH THE PARK DEDICATION FUND AND THEY ALSO REVIEW OUR OPERATING BUDGET ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS COMING OUT OF THE FOUR B FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, PROJECTS, I GUESS, IS IT 10%, 20%, I THINK YOU SAID EARLIER MAYBE 30%? OR WAS THAT I THINK 30% IS THE TIME THAT WE SPENT ON PARCH BOARD AND UH, IN RELATION TO FOUR B PROJECTS.
SO, BUT HOW MUCH FUNDING IS REALLY COMING OUT OF FOUR B INSTEAD OF THE OPERATION, UH, BUDGET OR OR PROPERTY TAX BUDGET FROM, FROM THE CITY? YEAH.
WE, WE HAVE A SPECIAL FUND FOR FOUR B AND I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS PROBABLY, UH, ONE HALF TO, UH, OF, OF THE, UH, ONE HALF OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, ONE HALF OF THE, OR MAYBE 40 TOWARDS MORE TOWARDS 40%.
ONE HALF OF THE PARKS BUDGET, PARKS BUDGET IS COMING OUT OF THE FOUR B.
IS IT USED FOR AMATEUR SPORTS? NO, SIR.
UH, EACH, EACH ONE HAS ITS OWN.
THE PARKS BOARD MAINLY LOOKS AT PROJECTS IN A GENERAL FUND.
AND THE FOUR B FOCUSES ON JUST THE SALES TAX AND FOUR B FUNDED PROJECT.
ANGIE, WHAT IS THE GENERAL FUND PARK BUDGET? WHAT IS THE FOUR B BUDGET NUMBERS? THE FOUR B IS ONLY MORE THE HOMETOWN HEROES AND FOR SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE OF TRAIL THAT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
CAN YOU GET THE NUMBER? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
MY POINT IS, IS THAT WE'RE NOT BUILDING A PARK ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN AND ASTON FOUR B TO FUND IT MOST OF THE TIME.
UNLESS THERE'S, UNLESS THERE'S AMATEUR SPORTS.
UNLESS IT'S TIED TO AMATEUR ATHLETICS YES, CORRECT.
AT SWIMMING POOL OR SOMETHING THAT WE WANT THAT.
SO I, I'M, I'M NOT TOTALLY AGAINST IT, UH, BUT I WOULD THINK IT WOULD SERVE A BETTER PURPOSE IF WE HAD MEMBERS FROM THE FOUR B ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, MAYBE HAVING A, A JOINT MEETING EVERY QUARTER TRYING TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND EVEN HAVING COUNCIL INVOLVED IN THE, IN AT LEAST ONE MEETING A YEAR.
UM, THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE IS, IS IS B BECAUSE I DON'T THINK BY BRINGING OTHER PEOPLE INTO THE PARKS BOARD OR THE PARKS INTO FOUR B IS GONNA SOLVE A LOT OF ISSUES.
NOW MY ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THE FOUR B, THEY DO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS, BUT THEY DON'T MEET MONTHLY.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO BUSINESS TO MEET THE, THE FOUR B BOARD HAS, HAS STATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MEET WHEN THERE'S ACTION ITEMS. OKAY, SO WHEN'S THE LAST FOUR B MEETING? WE HAD ONE, UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD THE MEETING LAST TWO MONTHS.
SO THERE AGAIN, NOW WE'RE BRINGING IN PEOPLE FROM THE FOUR B TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I, I JUST SEE A CONFLICT THERE.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO MEETINGS THAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO BE AT.
I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEAL AND IT'S, UM, A GRAND GESTURE TRYING TO MAKE GOVERNMENT
[00:30:01]
SMALLER AND I'LL DO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN TO, TO, TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.BUT I THINK HAVING OPTION B WOULD BE A BETTER APPROACH THAN, UH, TAKING THE TWO BOARDS AND TRYING TO PUT 'EM TOGETHER.
JUST MY, MY POINT OF VIEW ON IT.
SO I'M OPPOSED TO, TO THESE TWO COMMITTEES BEING JOINED, THEY TRULY ARE CITIZENS COMMITTEES AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, SKILL SETS AND INTERESTS THAT PEOPLE COME INTO THIS.
AND ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT'S BEEN KIND OF DISCUSSED UP HERE IN JUST THE LAST 15 MINUTES WAS THAT WE WILL HAVE, IF THEY COMBINE WELL, WE'LL JUST PUSH ONE SIDE OF IT AND THE REST OF THEM CAN JUST STAY LONGER AND WAIT.
AND AMONG ITSELF TO SAY THAT ONE PERSON'S TIME IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THE OTHER ONES.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN EXPERTISE IN WHAT THEY WANNA BRING AND THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE BIRDING AND THE FLOWERS AND ALL THAT PIECE.
THAT'S THE REASON WE HAVE THIS SEPARATE COMMITTEE BECAUSE, AND WE WANT TO FINANCE PEOPLE TO DO THEIR SPECIALTY.
AND YES, IF THEY DO INTERTWINE, THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NOT JUST WITH THIS COMMITTEE, BUT WITH SEVERAL COMMITTEES.
SO I THINK A OPTION THAT WOULD, COULD OVERCOME SOME OF THIS WOULD JUST BE IF WE ACTUALLY JUST HAVE THE LIAISONS THAT WE HAVE AND THEN THEY COME OVER AND THE LIAISON SHOW, UH, THE PARKS BOARD LIAISON GO TO THE FOUR P, THEY TALK OVER, THEY HAVE THEIR MOMENT ON IT AND THEN VICE VERSA.
AND THEN THAT WAY THEY'RE BOTH SHARING INTO THE, UH, EACH, EACH GROUP GETS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE, EACH COM, THE TWO COMMITTEES GET TO POKE OUT THE ISSUES.
SO I THINK THAT'S A BETTER WAY I'M AGAINST LINKING THESE TOGETHER.
I, I DON'T THINK WHAT I SAID HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH SAYING ANYONE'S TIME WAS MORE VALUABLE THAN ANYONE ELSE'S.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS MISCONSTRUED THAT WAY, BUT I SAID WAS, I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE ARE MANY ON THE FOUR B WHO ONLY HAVE THE INTEREST OF PROMOTING THE AMATEUR ATHLETICS IN LEAGUE CITY.
AND THAT I FEEL THE PARKS BOARD IN GENERAL HAS A MUCH BROADER INTEREST.
BUT WHAT I FEEL HAS BEEN LACKING IS THE, UM, FULL REPRESENTATION ON THAT PARKS BOARD IN PARTICULAR WHEN WE WORK THROUGH THE PARKS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN TO SPEAK UP FOR THOSE AMATEUR ATHLETICS.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN IT, IT'S JUST THE, THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN ON IT AS OPPOSED TO THE FOUR B.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT, I WAS IN SAYING THAT THEIR TIME MATTERS LESS, IT'S THAT, IF ANYTHING I WAS SAYING I THINK THEY'RE MORE COMMITTED IN GENERAL BECAUSE THEY ARE WILLING TO SIT THROUGH ALL THOSE EXTRA THINGS.
BUT I DON'T WANNA LOSE THE INPUT FROM THE FOLKS WHO HAVE THAT VERY NARROW FOCUS AND INTEREST IN THE AMATEUR ATHLETICS.
THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING WITH.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MANY FOLKS IF WE WORK OUT A WAY WHERE WE DROP THE QUORUM NUMBER TO WHERE THEY CAN STILL CONDUCT BUSINESS.
UM, IF, IF FOLKS WANNA SHOW UP FOCUS MORE ON ONE PART THAN THE OTHER, I WOULD HOPE THAT A LOT OF THE FOLKS WILL MAKE IT TO BOTH.
UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE, THE FOUR BEEF SIDE OF IT IS THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO INCORPORATE OTHER STUFF IN THE PROJECTS.
AND THAT THE, THE PARK SPORTS SIDE OF IT IS CONSIDERING THAT DO WE, WE MAY WANT 5,000 ACRES FOR, FOR A NATURAL PARK, BUT WE HAVE 4,000 ACRES TO START OUT AND WE STILL NEED 150 ACRES OF BALL FIELDS.
UM, SO I THINK THE, THE BENEFITS THERE.
MY OTHER CONCERN, I REMEMBER THE ABSOLUTE CHAOS THAT WAS THE JOINT COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PARK AT THE INTERSECTION OF CALDER AND IRV, WHICH IS BEING FUNDED, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN ENTIRELY OR NEARLY ENTIRELY WITH FOUR B FUNDS.
BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE IT MORE THAN JUST A BALLPARK AND MAYBE WE WOULD'VE HAD IT AS MORE THAN JUST A BALLPARK HAD IT NOT BEEN A PROJECT THAT ORIGINATED SOLELY FROM FOUR B.
[00:35:01]
AND WHEN I SAY JUST A BALLPARK, I ACKNOWLEDGE FULL WELL THAT THE PLANS INCLUDED THIS GOLF AND, AND, UM, TRAILS.SO NOT JUST, UH, YOUTH TEAM SPORTS, BUT UM, IT, IT MIGHT'VE BEEN NICE TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON THAT, UM, TOGETHER AND TRYING TO DO A JOINT COMMITTEE END UP WITH YOUR TIME OR MY TIME AND ALL THOSE SILLY ISSUES.
UM, I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE IT GET DOWN TO A SINGLE COMMITTEE FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE BEST SOLUTION OR THE ONLY ONE, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S A BIG BENEFIT THERE, COURTNEY.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, OF TRYING TO STREAMLINE THINGS, INTRODUCE EFFICIENCIES INTO, UH, MAYBE SOME, SOME BLOATED OR REDUNDANT SYSTEMS. UM, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T SACRIFICE VALUE OR, OR QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TIME THAT THEY INVEST ON THESE BOARDS.
UH, THEIR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT, THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE, ARE VALUED.
UH, IF WE WERE TO MERGE THESE THINGS, I, I WOULD, I WOULD KIND OF GO WITH OPTION B ON THIS FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT IT'S LESS FORMAL.
YOU CAN BETA TEST WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT, UH, CHAD HAD TO ADDRESS HIS CONCERNS.
UM, AND THEN TRY IT OUT THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
MY HOPE IS THAT THESE TWO BOARDS WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO ORGANICALLY WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AND, AND TO, YOU KNOW, I I THINK, UH, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN TRESSLER MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A SYNERGISTIC EFFECT.
UH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO O ON THIS IS TAKE BOTH, BOTH ENTITIES SHARED EXPERIENCES, THEIR OPINIONS COME UP WITH A BETTER JOINT PRODUCT FROM BOTH OF THEM.
NOT THAT, UH, THAT THERE'S ANY DEFICIENCIES IN THE INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE ON THE PARKS BOARD RIGHT NOW? SEVEN.
AND AND WHAT'S THE REQUIREMENT AS FAR AS UM, FOUR B MINIMUM? SEVEN FOUR.
ARE THEY'RE BOTH FULLY, THEY'RE BOTH FAILED? YES.
WHAT'S THE, UH, WHAT'S OUR OPTIONS IN TERMS OF QUORUM? WE CAN SET IT TO BE HALF QUORUM ARTIFICIALLY TO ANY NUMBER THAT WE WANT.
SO RIGHT NOW IF WE HAVE, UM, THE GENERAL RULE, UNLESS WE SPECIFY OTHERWISE IS IT'S THE MAJORITY.
SO, UH, HALF OF, SO IT WOULD BE WHATEVER.
IF IT'S 14 THEN IT WOULD BE A EIGHT WOULD BE QUORUM UNLESS WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SPECIFIES OTHERWISE.
UM, YES ANGIE, JUST FOR INFORMATION, JUST GET US SOME INFORMATION ON THE, THE OTHER PART TOO BECAUSE I WAS, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PARK HAD CALDER AND ERWIN WAS MORE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDING PARK'S DEDICATION FEES.
I THOUGHT FOUR B ONLY GAVE US ABOUT 7,000 FOR THAT PART.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST GET US THE INFORMATION.
THE HOUSE PARK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK.
FOUR B MY UNDERSTANDING IS PROGRAMMED FOR FOUR B.
EVERY BIT OF, EXCEPT FOR IF WE DECIDED TO DO THE MEMORIAL CABIN AND MAINTENANCE AS WELL.
UM, SO YOUR QUESTION BEFORE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PARKS DIRECTORATE AS A WHOLE, THAT INCLUDES THE LIBRARY.
UM, THE FOUR BM AND O PORTION WOULD BE ABOUT 27%.
IF YOU TAKE OUT THE LIBRARY AND JUST DO PARKS OPERATIONS AND PARKS REC, THEN IT WOULD UH, BE EQUAL TO ABOUT 37%.
AND THAT'S JUST THE M AND O, WHICH IS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
THAT IS THE PORTION THAT GOES TOWARDS THE HOMETOWN HEROES AND A COUPLE OF MAINTENANCE OF TRAILS.
UH, THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL 6.83 MILLION THAT WAS PROGRAMMED IN 25 FOR, UM, THE CORPORATION SIDE OF THINGS, WHICH IS THE CIP PROJECTS.
AND SO AS WE BRING ON HAL PARK BEING ANOTHER MAJOR FOUR B PARK AND THEN PUT THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT PARK UNDER FOUR B, THAT 37% IS QUICKLY GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PUSH 50% RIGHT.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THEY JUST HAVE TO, THEY JUST HAVE TO COORDINATE MUCH MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER.
UH, SO I THINK MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO IS EXPLORE A COUPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT VOTING TONIGHT OR ANYTHING, SO IT SEEMS LIKE MOST PEOPLE LIKE OPTION B.
UH, SO WE CAN LOOK AT HOW THAT WOULD WORK, UH, HOW THE OPTION B WOULD WORK AND THEN LOOK AT, UH, REFINING OPTION A AND WHAT THE RULES WOULD
[00:40:01]
BE AROUND THAT AS WELL AND WHAT THE TOTAL COMBINATION OF THE BOARDS LOOK LIKE.WE CAN BRING THIS BACK AND WHATEVER AMOUNT OF TIME, COUPLE, COUPLE MEETINGS, UH, LET EVERYBODY CHEW ON IT FOR A WHILE AND, AND COME BACK WITH IT.
I JUST THINK AS WE'RE BUILDING HAL PARK, IT WILL, IT WILL SHIFT IT MUCH MORE TO THE MAINTENANCE BEING DONE AT FOUR B.
AND I THINK THAT PARK'S ALSO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A JOINT PARK, RIGHT LAST MEETING OR THE MEETING BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING IN THE MEMORIAL GARDEN THERE, WHICH IS CLEARLY NOT A AMATEUR SPORT IN ANY WAY.
UH, AND AS WE BUILD OUT THE NEXT BIG PARK, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO SERVE MORE THAN ONE NEED BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF BIG CHUNKS OF LAND.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO DO MORE THAN JUST BALL FIELDS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE BIG CHUNKS OF LAND AND PRIORITIZE HOW MUCH IS GOING TO BE FOR BALL FIELDS, FOR PASSIVE RECREATION, FOR NATURE RECREATION, FOR TRAILS, FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS, FOR ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES THAT COME IN THERE.
AND LEVERAGING THE ONE DEDICATED OR THE, THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF DEDICATED FUNDS WE HAVE, THE FOUR B SALES TAX WILL JUST BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UH, TO MAKE ALL THOSE WISHLISTS OF THE NON AMATEUR SPORTS STUFF TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT MONEY.
I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL TO DO SO, TOM, THANK YOU MAYOR.
IF THIS DOES HAPPEN, I WOULD BE VERY HESITANT FOR US TO REALLY CHANGE THE QUARREL MISUSE OVER THE MAJORITY BECAUSE IF WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE SYNERGIES OR IF WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE EXPERTISE OUT OF BOTH ACCEPTING THAT THEY WON'T ACTUALLY SHOW UP ALREADY ACCEPTING THAT THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IS ALREADY SAYING THAT IT'S DEFEATING ITSELF.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE IT TO WHERE ENOUGH OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY SHOWING UP THE ONES THAT CARE SO THAT WE CAN GAIN THE EXPERTISE FROM BOTH SIDES.
I'M GONNA GO THE OPPOSITE WAY AND SAY THAT IF WE'RE PURSUING OPTION B WHERE THEY'RE DOING JOINT MEETINGS, THAT WE WAIVE QUORUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE JOINT MEETINGS.
'CAUSE THAT WAS PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS GETTING THE, THE TWO BOARDS TO AGREE ON TIME TO MEET AND, AND THEN SHOW UP AND HAVE QUORUM.
SO WE'LL WORK ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND UH, KIND OF SEND THOSE OUT TO COUNCIL AND GO FROM THERE.
AND THEN WE CAN, UH, BRING THIS BACK AND WHENEVER WE FEEL THAT WE'VE GOT TO, UH, TO A PLACE THAT IT'S, UH, IT'S WORKABLE.
SO NO REAL TIMEFRAME ON BRINGING IT BACK, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON IT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE, UH, COUPLE WEEKS, MONTHS AND THEN BRING IT BACK.
ANYBODY ELSE AFTER THE DISCUSSION HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? UH, JUST ONE THING TO BRING YOU ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, WHICH I'M SURE YOUR ATTORNEY IS AWARE, UM, IS PROBABLY ALREADY THINKING OF IT, BUT JUST SO THE COUNCIL'S FULLY AWARE AS WELL.
SO TO KEEP IN MIND THE FOUR B IS TECHNICALLY A FOUR B INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS A CORPORATION, IT HAS A KIND OF LEGAL EXISTENCE A LITTLE BIT SEPARATE FROM THE CITY.
IT HAS ITS OWN ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE REDUCING QUORUM REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, DO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
YOU MAY BE SOME LITTLE HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH ON OUR END TO TRY TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON, ON, ON THAT SIDE OF THINGS.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MEMBERS COMING TODAY AND SHARING AND, AND GIVING YOUR OPINIONS.
I THINK IT HELPED, UH, QUITE A BIT.
AND WE'LL, UH, TAKE THIS BACK, THINK ABOUT IT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND THEN IF YOU KNOW, YOU WALK OUT HERE TONIGHT AND THINK OF SOMETHING LATER, EMAIL ALL OF US AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS.
AND AT 5 44 THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS MEETING IS.