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SO, AND I'LL CALL THIS, UH, MEETING OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION ORDER.
IT IS 5:33 PM WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
[a. Discuss the 2021 Grito Fest activities to be held on October 1 and 2.]
A DISCUSSED THE 2021 RETO FEST EX ACTIVITIES TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 1ST AND SECOND, MR. JOHNSON.I'LL SAVE, UH, JACOB SHAFER'S, FIRST G***O IN LLOYD'S COMMERCIAL FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE PLANNING A PRE FEST ON, UH, ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1ST AT TOWN SQUARE, STARTING AT FIVE 30, WE'LL HAVE THE, UH, MARIACHI'S, UH, PRACTICE.
THIS KAMIKA WILL ROAM THE EVENT GROUNDS AT SEVEN 30.
THE CTS BANDS IS A SELENA COVER BAND, WILL TAKE THE STAGE AND, UH, WILL BE FOLLOWED BY RAM HERRERA AND THE OUTLAWED BAND AT NINE O'CLOCK AND RAM WILL PLAY TO 10 30 ON, UH, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2ND BY CENTENNIAL PARK.
THE 14TH ANNUAL G***O FEST WILL KICK OFF AT FOUR 30 WITH THE MARIACHI'S LOS GATOS, AND AT SIX 15 A LOCAL BAND, UH, ESTELLO.
UH, LAURA, YOU MAY HAVE TO HELP ME WITH THIS ONE.
THAT ONE, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
YEAH, EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT SHE SAID.
I PRACTICED THAT ONE, BUT IT NEVER DID GET IT RIGHT.
UH, WE'LL TAKE THE, WE'LL WARM UP THE CROWN BEFORE RAMONA YALA AND HIS BAND WILL TAKE THE STAGE AT EIGHT 30.
THE G***O COMMITTEE IS VERY EXCITED TO FINALLY HAVE RAMON AYALA, AND THEY WANTED THE RAMON SINCE THE FIRST GRID FEST AT NC FOOT PARK.
AND, UM, JUST, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, BEFORE THE RODEO SHUT DOWN, UH, IN 2020, HE SOLD OUT THE STADIUM.
SO WE'RE EXPECTING A NICE CROWD FOR THAT.
UH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, BALLET FORK LOCO TEAMS PERFORMING ON SATURDAY.
AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING A GROUP FRIDAY NIGHT, AS WITH THE G***O FEST TRADITION, THE G***O CONTEST, THE SALSA ACCORDION, AND JALAPENO EATING CONTEST.
WE'LL BE HELD ON SATURDAY EVENING, SO YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO START PRACTICING.
UM, THIS IS THE SITE PLAN FOR THE PRE FEST, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CLIFF AND KYLE TO WALK YOU THROUGH ALL THE ACTIVITIES WITH THAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MAYOR.
THE, UM, JUST REAL QUICK, UH, SINCE THIS IS A NEW EVENT, UH, THE, THE PRE-PARTY OR THE PRE FEST, UH, WE WANTED TO GO OVER A COUPLE THINGS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, IT IS GONNA BE AT TOWN SQUARE.
THE, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, PARAMETERS TO HAVING ALCOHOL IN AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS YOU HAVE TO SECURE AN AREA WITH THE PEDESTRIAN FENCING.
SO IF YOU LOOK ON THE SCREEN HERE, ALL THE YELLOW LINES ARE GONNA BE RENT RENTED FENCE, LIKE, UH, YOU SEE AROUND CONSTRUCTION SITES THAT'LL ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN'T BRING ALCOHOL IN OR TAKE ALCOHOL OUT.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED BAR OR THE RED LINES HERE, THOSE ARE STREET CLOSURES.
WE EXTENDED 'EM FURTHER OUT SO THAT WE CAN GIVE PEOPLE AMPLE ROOM TO WALK IN AND OUT.
SO NOBODY'S WALKING OVER A OPEN STREET.
UH, WE HAVE THREE ENTRANCES, UM, ON THE SCREEN HERE.
UM, WE'LL HAVE POLICE AT EACH ONE OR CONSTABLES AT EACH ONE, MAKING SURE PEOPLE DON'T, UH, BREAK ANY RULES, WELL SIGNS POSTED, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME PRETTY COOL STUFF IN ADDITION TO THE MUSIC, UM, WE, UH, HAVE, UM, ORDERED A BUNCH OF THESE CUTS OUTS FOR THE, UH, LAZER RIA, A BUNCH OF CARDS ALONG THE, UM, THE LITTLE PATH AT TOWN SQUARE.
PEOPLE CAN STICK THEIR HEAD IN DIFFERENT CARDS.
I THINK WE GOT NINE OR 10 OF THEM TAKE PICTURES, TAG 'EM, TAG US ON FACEBOOK, UH, INSTAGRAM OR WHATEVER.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THESE, UM, THESE POTS AND, UH, PINATAS THAT KIDS CAN ACTUALLY PAINT.
UH, WE GOT ALL THE LITTLE PAINT STICKS AND THINGS.
WE DID IT AT P PARK FOR POP POPUP, THE, UM, THE LITTLE POTS.
AND THEY WERE REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
AND, AND OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, FOOD TRUCKS OUT THERE AS WELL.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGED THAT MUCH ON, UH, SATURDAY'S, UH, EVENT.
UH, THIS IS DAY TWO NOW AT, UH, AT BICENTENNIAL.
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE, UH, IS GOING TO BE THAT WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE ROAD CLOSURES OF JUNETEENTH.
UH, SO WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE DOWN MARKET STREET.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'RE CLOSING MARKET STREET DOWN, AS SCOTT WAS SAYING, WE'RE ANTICIPATING A LARGER CROWD, SO WE DIDN'T WANT THE CROWD TO SPILL INTO AN OPEN ROAD THERE EITHER.
SO IT'S GONNA HAVE THE SAME, UM, BARRICADE LAYOUT AND EVERYTHING AS, AS, UH, JUNETEENTH DID, WHICH WAS, WHICH REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND THEN THE FOOD TRUCKS ARE GONNA REMAIN ON LEE AS THEY'VE BEEN ON THE PAST, SO IN, IN THE PAST.
SO THAT MARKET STREET'S JUST AN OPEN ROAD.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, AGAIN, AS SCOTT MENTIONED JUST A SECOND AGO,
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WE'LL HAVE THE ACCORDION CONTEST, JALAPENO WHEAT CONTEST, RITO CONTEST, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE INFLATABLES SPONSORED BY, UM, WAS BAYTOWN FIRST.UM, THEY DID THE, THE KIDS' CORNER, UH, JUNETEENTH AS WELL.
SO THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK AND DO THAT AGAIN.
SO WE'LL HAVE FREE INFLATABLE GAMES AND, AND DIFFERENT BOUNCE HOUSES AND THINGS OUT THERE FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY ON.
SO, AND WITH THAT, HAVE YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS, MAYOR.
SO I ACTUALLY ASKED ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR THIS ITEM ON THE, TO, TO PUT IT ON THE WORK SESSION.
AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A FEW REASONS WHY I ASKED THAT.
SO I'M, I'M HAPPY YOU GUYS WERE HERE TO, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
UH, BUT TYPICALLY YOU MENTIONED NEW EVENTS.
SO TYPICALLY COUNSEL IS AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS AND DELIBERATE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION ON NEW INITIATIVES, NEW EVENTS, ET CETERA.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE JUNETEENTH, FOR INSTANCE.
UH, I REMEMBER WE DISCUSSED IT AT A RETREAT.
UM, WE DISCUSSED IT AT EITHER ONE OR TWO WORK SESSIONS.
WE DISCUSSED IT AT EITHER ONE OR TWO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD AT LEAST THREE, IF NOT FOUR OPPORTUNITIES TO AT LEAST SHARE OUR, OUR OPINIONS.
AND, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS EVENT'S ALWAYS BEEN A ONE DAY EVENT, BUT IT, IT, IT APPEARS THAT IT'S BEEN DECIDED TO ADD A SECOND DAY, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, IN THE HISTORY OF THE EVENT.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE, IF THE BANDS ARE BOOKED AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LITERATURE'S BEEN PRINTED OR NOT.
UM, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MERIT DISCUSSION PRIOR TO BOOKING BANS AND DOING THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE CLOSING THE STREET DOWN ON A, ON A BUSINESS DAY, I UNDERSTAND, FOR THE ENTIRE DAY.
SO THAT WAS ONE CONCERN I HAD BECAUSE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS, ACTUALLY SINCE I'VE LIVED DOWN THERE FOR 16 YEARS, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE, THE STREET BEING CLOSED ON A BUSINESS DAY.
SO I HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
NOW, CERTAINLY THERE ARE BUSINESSES DOWN THERE THAT ARE GONNA ENJOY THAT ICE CREAM SHOPS OR WHATNOT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, I REPRESENT ALL OF THE BUSINESSES DOWN THERE, AND WE HAVE OPTICIANS, ATTORNEYS, INSURANCE OFFICE, OFFICE WORKERS, AND, AND I'VE CHATTED WITH TWO OF THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF GOT A GROAN FROM ONE, AND I, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE OTHERS YET.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOT TO, FOR US TO NOT SOLICIT THEIR INPUT.
UM, EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, I, I, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TRY TO GIVE THEM RESPECT AND, AND BE AS COURTEOUS AS I CAN TO THEM AND THE BUSINESSES THEY'RE TRYING TO OPERATE.
SO THAT, THAT'S ONE ISSUE THAT I, I THOUGHT WAS WORTHY OF DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION.
SECONDLY, UM, WE'VE NEVER HAD AN ALCOHOL COMPONENT AT GREDO.
SO THIS IS ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER NEW INITIATIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT ALONE I THOUGHT WAS WORTHY OF DISCUSSION.
UM, THIRD, IT IS TAXPAYER DOLLARS AFTER ALL.
UM, I KNOW WHEN WE DISCUSSED JUNETEENTH, WELL, MONEY WAS AN ISSUE AND IT, AND IT WAS TALKED ABOUT, BUT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF, OF THIS EVENT AS OF YET.
FOURTH, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, I JUST HEARD THIS FROM A CONSTITUENT.
APPARENTLY THERE'S SOME OVERLAP WITH ONE OF THE EVENTS THAT THE ACE DISTRICT IS GONNA SPONSOR, I THINK WITHIN A MATTER OF 30 DAYS OF THIS EVENT.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN SOMETHING FOR US TO TALK ABOUT AS WELL.
UM, I'VE ALSO TALKED TO A FEW FOLKS AND, AND, UH, NOT NOT ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT OTHER FOLKS, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GREDO COMMITTEE, THAT THOSE FOLKS WEREN'T REALLY ENGAGED FULLY IN, IN, IN THIS DECISION.
AND I, I, I GUESS I THOUGHT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AND DELIBERATE WITH THEM IN TANDEM, ACTUALLY.
UM, SO I, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WE WOULD HAVE THE BRIEFING TONIGHT IF, IF I WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
BUT LIKE I SAY, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH WHAT YOU'VE BEEN
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TASKED TO DO.SO, AND I, I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE CITY MANAGER BRIEFLY, UM, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND HIS PREROGATIVE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, WELL, COUNCILMAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUPPORTERS OF THE TOWN SQUARE.
WE JUST ASSUMED YOU WOULD BE HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I'M SUPPORTIVE.
I, I SUPPORT THE GOOD OLD FEST IN EVERY WAY.
HOWEVER,
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT LINE OF REASONING OR THAT LOGIC, I MEAN, BASED ON THAT, WE MAY AS WELL NOT HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEETINGS BASED ON THAT LINE OF REASONING.
SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE, HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH, WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TASKED WITH.
UM, AND THIS ISN'T A KNOCK ON GREDO FEST.
I SUPPORT ALL CULTURAL EVENTS EVERYWHERE IN THIS TOWN, ESPECIALLY TOWN SQUARE.
AND I, I CAN TELL YOU, I SIT HERE, 80% OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE HISPANIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW MOST OF THEM TOO OVER THE 16 YEARS I'VE LIVED IN MY DISTRICT.
SO I SUPPORT G***O FEST IN A BIG WAY.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THE PROCESSES WHEN IT COMES TO NEW EVENTS AND NEW INITIATIVES, AND COUNCIL HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR, OUR INPUT AND TO HAVE ALL OF OUR INPUT VALUED.
SO, LIKE I SAY, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, SCOTT, AND, AND CLIFF, WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY CONCERNS.
I DON'T WANT TO BEAT IT UP TOO MUCH, BUT I, I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK.
UM, I, I THINK FOR ME, DO I LOVE THE EVENT? I DO.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, I, I REALLY APPLAUDED, UM, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON AND HIS WHOLE COMMITTEE WITH JUNETEENTH AND, AND HOW THEY DID THE, THE MULTIPLE DAYS AND THE DIFFERENT EDUCA EDUCATION COMPONENT.
AND I HAD ORIGINALLY TALKED TO A COUPLE OF THE MEMBERS FROM RITO FEST, SO, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB WITH JUNETEENTH.
WE MAY WANNA THINK ABOUT DOING THIS FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, BECAUSE I KNEW PLANNING WAS ALREADY IN THE WAY FOR THIS YEAR FOR, FOR GRITO FEST.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HEARING THAT WE HAD THE ELLA, UM, WHICH WAS PROBABLY A PRETTY PENNY.
AND, UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, I, I DID SIT IN ON THE INITIAL MEETINGS FOR THIS AND, UM, I, I DID TALK TO MY COLLEAGUE HERE AND, AND JUST APOLOGIZED TO HIM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT, HEY, CHRIS NEEDS TO BE IN THIS MEETING, THIS AFTER ALL IS HIS PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
AND SO, UM, I, I SHARED IN THE CONCERN ORIGINALLY THAT, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THIS IDEA.
I LOVE THE CONCEPT, I LOVE WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE.
AND IT SAID, BUT THE ACE DISTRICT IS HAVING A LATIN FESTIVAL LIKE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS BEFORE, UM, WOULD THERE BE A POSSIBILITY TO MAYBE PARTNER WITH THEM AND, AND BRING IN SOME OF THESE IDEAS INTO THEIR ALREADY SCHEDULED EVENT? UM, SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY ORIGINAL QUESTIONS AND WHY WE COULDN'T JUST PARTNER WITH THEM.
AND, UM, OVERALL, I, I THINK YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB.
I, I'M VERY SURPRISED OF HOW QUICKLY IT MOVED AND, AND GOT PUT TOGETHER.
AND SO I REALLY, UM, JUST APPLAUD YOUR WORK ON IT.
BUT THOSE WERE JUST SOME OF MY INITIAL LIKE, QUESTIONS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GTO FEST COMMITTEE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND, YOU KNOW, BE A PART OF THIS PLANNING PROCESS.
I MEAN, IF AFTER ALL IT IS BEING NAMED GTO FEST, PREQUEL OR WHATEVER, DID THEY HAVE A HAND ON ANY OF THIS? SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MAYOR.
'CAUSE I WAS IN THE, THE ONE MEETING THAT WE DID HAVE.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, OR THE, THE UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THIS WAS TO COMPLIMENT, BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT THAT WHAT YOU EXPRESSED, AT LEAST FROM THE RITO FEST COMMITTEE WAS THEY, THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN'T GONNA COMPLETE, YOU KNOW, COMPETE WITH THE SECOND DAY IN A SENSE, BUT IT WOULD COMPLIMENT IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE IDEA THAT THAT STAFF RUN WITH.
I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB OF, OBVIOUSLY, UH, LAURA AND I WERE THERE AND, UM, I MEAN, THEY HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, RIGHT? AND WE WERE LIKE, THAT'S WAY, I MEAN, THAT WAS, THAT'S, I MEAN, IT WAS A WHOLE FESTIVAL, BUT WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH WAS VERY CREATIVE.
I THINK REALLY THE ORIGIN OF THIS WAS AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL, AFTER THE SUCCESS OF JUNETEENTH AND THE, THE TWO DAY EVENT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, ONE COMPLIMENTING EACH OTHER.
MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I THINK THIS IS STILL THE CASE, ALTHOUGH RITO FEST IS, IS THE, IS THE EVENT ON SATURDAY WAS LIKE IN JUNETEENTH,
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UM, THE FRIDAY EVENT WAS A BAYTOWN PARKS AND REC EVENT THAT COMPLIMENTS JUNETEENTH OBVIOUSLY, IT, IT'S KIND OF THE PRECURSOR.AND THIS WAS KIND OF THE SAME IDEA.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT WAS THE IMPETUS.
AND THAT'S WHY IT KIND OF CAME ABOUT IN A SENSE, OUT OF THE BLUE, BECAUSE JUNETEENTH WAS ON THE, WAS ON THE 19TH AF ACTUALLY THIS YEAR.
AND SO, UM, BUT I WILL, I WILL AGREE WITH, WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, WE REALLY DO NEED TO DO, LOOK AT THE, LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
UH, THE ASPECTS OF IT, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND THERE WAS NO, NO DISRESPECT INTENDED, OBVIOUSLY WITH, WITH THIS EVENT, UM, ALCOHOL HAS BEEN, UH, THE ALCOHOL COMPONENT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S, IT'S ALREADY BEEN THERE AT, AT TOWN SQUARE ALLOWED.
IN FACT, I WENT TO ONE RECENTLY THAT THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
SO I JUST, I DON'T, I DON'T UNDER, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE LIKE ANYTHING THAT'S DIFFERENT IN A SENSE, UH, BUT IT IS A DIFFERENT COMPONENT.
LIKE YOU SAID WHEN, WHEN YOU USED THE, THE NAME RITO FEST, WHICH I, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THE CITY, UH, CAME UP WITH, THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING, 'CAUSE I DID SHOW THAT Y'ALL DID SHOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY NEAT THAT Y'ALL DID SHOW KIND OF THE, THE LAYOUT.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, THERE'S REALLY ONLY, OTHER THAN I GUESS A FEW OF THE, THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF TOWN SQUARE, UM, CLOSING TEXAS AVENUE, THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE REALLY CLOSED.
UM, AND I'M SURE WE CAN PROBABLY ALLOW SOME KIND OF ACCESS AT TSO IF THERE'S A WAY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BUSINESS HOURS UNTIL THEY CLOSE.
I THINK THEY'RE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO ENTER FROM THE REAR.
YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
I KNOW BDI, UM, WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO IS OFFER, OFFER THEIR SPACE FOR THE ENTERTAINERS TO KIND OF BE THE GREEN, THE GREEN ROOM.
SO THEY, AND THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE FOOT TRAFFIC AS FAR AS CUSTOMERS THAT COME IN AND OUT.
SO IT'S, IT'S NO IMPACT TO THEM.
AND AFTER THAT, THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT HAVE FOOT TRAFFIC THERE.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT OCCUPY BUILDINGS, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC THERE.
BUT I WOULD UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN.
UM, I'M HOPING WE HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
I WANT US TO HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM.
I THINK WE'RE HAVING A PARKING PROBLEM FOR, FOR DAY TWO WITH, UH, RAMALA.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE AN, AN EVENT THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN, ESPECIALLY FOR G***O FEST TOO.
IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT PEOPLE COMING TO BAY TOWN TO TOWN SQUARE COMING TO THESE BUSINESSES, EXPOSING THESE BUSINESSES TO, TO PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN HERE.
UM, RECENTLY, I, I RAN INTO SOME FOLKS THAT, THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO BAYTOWN, THEY'VE BEEN TO TOWN SQUARE, AND THEY, THEY JUST, THEY'RE LIKE, THEY JUST, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE TO THEM THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THIS HERE.
AND SO THESE TYPE OF EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IS GONNA HELP, I THINK, UM, JUST EXPOSE WHAT WE DO HAVE HERE.
BUT, SO I DO APPLAUD PARKS AND REC.
YOU BLEW ME AWAY WITH ALL THE IDEAS THAT YOU HAD.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE DONE ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES, BUT I THINK WHAT Y'ALL, WHAT Y'ALL SCALE SCALED IT DOWN TO SO THAT IT COMPLIMENTS RITO FEST, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
BUT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMENTS AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S MORE OUR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAN, THAN THEM.
SO I ALSO APPLAUD THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
I JUST WOULD TELL YOU, ME PERSONALLY, AS I CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PARKS, I'LL BE MORE COGNIZANT OF EVENTS THAT ARE IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION AS YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
AND I THINK IF THIS EVENT, UH, WE HOPE, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL THAT WE CAN DO IT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL HEARD THE SAYING ABOUT BEING INVITED TO THE PARTY AND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF INCLUSION, BUT THE TRUE INCLUSION IS INCLUDING THEM IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO I JUST FEEL RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST BEING INVITED TO THE PARTY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST OF THEM, UM, INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY BEING INCLUDED IN THE PLANNING.
AND, AND SO ON THAT THOUGH, UM, COUNCILWOMAN IT WAS, 'CAUSE I REMEMBER IN OUR CONVERSATION WAS WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO PROMOTE DAY TWO AT DAY ONE A LOT MM-HMM
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PARKS WAS SAYING, WAS, UH, HAVING THE RITO FEST, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR CHAIRS, HOWEVER, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL 'EM, THAT THEY WOULD BE KIND OF THE MCS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS SUGGESTING YOU MADE.
SO THIS, THE IDEA IS TO COMPLIMENT, COMPLIMENT THE EVENT SO THAT IT IS A TWO DAY EVENT THAT MAY TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT IF WE DO, UM, I THINK BECAUSE OF WHAT WE SAW IN JUNETEENTH AND EXPOSING CULTURAL EVENTS LIKE THAT TO BAYTOWN, I, I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS.
I THINK THESE ARE SOME STICKING POINTS, BUT, BUT WE DO CONSISTENCY IN THIS, HOW, HOW WE, HOW WE GOVERN FROM IT.
I GUESS THAT WOULD BE COUNCILMAN'S IN A SENSE.
HIS, HIS COMMENTS AND I, I CAN RESPECT THAT ANYWAY.
I THINK, I THINK THAT'S THE KEY.
AS THE ADMINISTRATION, ADMINISTRATION OF THESE TYPE OF PROJECT PROJECTS, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT EXCELLENT STAFF THAT DO REALLY FINE WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY HEAR US AS A BODY SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT IDEA.
AND THE NEXT THING WE KNOW IS ON A PRESENTATION GOING FORWARD.
THIS CLIENT, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING CONCEPTUALLY WE'D LIKE TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED A LITTLE BIT IN THE PLANNING SIDE
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OF IT.SO I CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM STAFF 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE A FIRST CLASS EVENT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN PARKS DO ANYTHING BUT FIRST CLASS EVENTS.
BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH ALCOHOL, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS WITH THEM, THIS IS GONNA BE POTENTIALLY HUGE.
AND THE ALCOHOL COMPONENT IS GONNA ADD ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND DISCUSS UPFRONT AND THEN BUDGETING AND SO FORTH.
SO AGAIN, KUDOS TO THE STAFF, BUT I'LL PICK ON ADMINISTRATION A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT'S SOMETHING NEW.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE FOR IT, WE LIKE THE IDEA, LIKING THE IDEA DOESN'T MEAN NECESSARILY THAT I'M GONNA PROVE THE ISSUE.
UH, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME PRESUMPTIONS IN SOME OF THESE.
IT'S GOING, OH YEAH, COUNCIL SAID THEY LOVED IT, AND THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAIL.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE A LITTLE MORE OFTEN.
I THINK THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE COUNCILMAN WAS PUSHING.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR COMMENT.
OR SOMETIMES IT'S MORE DIRECTIVE IN NATURE, BUT US TAKING THAT AND BRINGING IT BACK SO WE GET A CONSENSUS, I THINK IT'S FAIR.
I DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY PRESUMPTIONS HERE.
THERE WAS, THERE, THERE'S NO AMBIGUITY.
UH, SO WELL, WELL, LET ME CLARIFY TO SAY THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY PRESUMPTIONS.
I MEAN, JUNETEENTH WAS IN JUNE.
IF, IF THE IDEA SPRUNG FROM JUNETEENTH TO DO THIS, I MEAN, WE'RE ALMOST TO SEPTEMBER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE VISITED, YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S, YOU KNOW, I, I LEFT YOUR, YOUR OFFICE AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A POINT, AND I AGREE WITH IT TO SOME DEGREE.
YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK COUNCILMAN PRESLEY WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE AND I AM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING.
THE THE POINT IS, EVERYONE UP HERE HAS HAD VERY GOOD IDEAS.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS HAD, HAS HAD GREAT IDEAS FOR MY DISTRICT, FRANKLY.
BUT WHEN, WHEN ANY ONE OF US HAVE AN ID HAS AN IDEA, OR STAFF HAS AN IDEA, JUST THE PROCESS IS FOR IT TO COME TO COUNCIL.
AND I, I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT I'VE AL I'VE ALWAYS FOLLOWED.
I'VE GOT THE BUMPS AND BRUISES TO PROVE IT.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.
AND, UH, I, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT LIKE I SAY, EVERYONE UP HERE TRIES TO BETTER ALL OF BAYTOWN.
THEY TRY TO BETTER NOT ONLY THEIR OWN DISTRICT, BUT OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL.
BUT THAT, THAT'S JUST THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE.
DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON YEAH.
WELL, TOO, NOW IS THIS THE FIRST ALCOHOL PERMITTED EVENT THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON AS A CITY? YES.
UH, WELL, I I'M SORRY, IT IS NOT, THIS IS THE SECOND, THE SECOND, YEAH.
PARTY ON THE PENINSULA WAS THE FIRST PARTY ON THE PENINSULA.
THAT WAS, UH, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UH, I KNOW WHEN IT WAS LAST YEAR ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW.
UM, I, I, I DO WANT TO AGREE WITH WHAT EVERYONE SAID BECAUSE WITH JUNETEENTH WE DID HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT FROM, UM, WHAT TYPE OF CELEBRATION IT WAS GOING TO BE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS GOING TO BE SPENT ON IT, AND WE DID DISCUSS IT QUITE EXTENSIVELY.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT IT WAS A, A SPRINGBOARD TO ADD TO G***O FEST.
I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME, BUT I THINK, WELL, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE BEFORE I GET AHEAD OF MYSELF, WERE THE, THE OWNERS OF THE BUSINESSES NOTIFIED AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING CLOSING OFF THE STREETS DURING THE WEEK, UM, BECAUSE IT MAY AFFECT THEIR BUSINESS.
I I I, I CAN SEE WHY COUNCILMAN PRESLEY WOULD'VE MOST DEFINITELY WANTED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THESE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES, THESE ARE THESE INDIVIDUALS LIVELIHOODS AND PUTTING MYSELF IN THEIR SHOES, I COULD SEE WHERE, UM, A KNOCK ON THE DOOR OR, OR A PHONE CALL WOULD'VE BEEN ACTUALLY, UM, I I, I WOULD'VE WANTED THAT.
UM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT BDI AND UM, TSO WERE, ARE WILLING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN THROUGH THE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TI MEAN, I'M JUST, I I THINK WE'RE WORKING WITH TSO, WE'RE WORKING PD I, BECAUSE I TALKED TO GILBERT YESTERDAY.
HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN THERE? A LONG TIME.
I, I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN PROPER TO GIVE THEM A COURTESY CALL AND JUST SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT.
LET'S, UM, YEAH, I'M SURE THEY'RE GONNA DO A, I MEAN THERE'S, YEAH, THEY STILL HAVE, WHAT, SIX WEEKS OR SO? SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY, THOSE ARE FAIR COMMENTS, SIR, AND WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THAT IN A DIRECT ADVISEMENT.
UM, I AM EXCITED FOR THIS, MAN.
IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT A BIGGER VENUE, HINT, HINT,
[00:25:01]
TO HOST SOME THINGS LIKE THIS.I, I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TWO DOWN SQUARE.
YEAH, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE CAN HAVE BICENTENNIAL TWO DAYS, LIKE WE DO 4TH OF JULY.
THAT JUST TAKES FUNDING AND DISCUSSIONS DIDN'T HAVE BICENTENNIAL.
I'M JUST SAYING THERE'S, YEAH, LET'S TRY THIS OUT FIRST.
THERE, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE.
I'M CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK WITH THE LINEUP.
WHO'S THE GUY IN THE CHAIR? I DON'T WANNA PRONOUNCE HIS NAME WRONG.
THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET US THE FIRST ONE.
BUT RAMERA IS, IS ALSO A HUGE HIT.
UM, AND TO BRING HIM TO THIS VENUE IS A GREAT DEAL.
HE BROUGHT 5,000 PEOPLE TO CHEMO.
SO WE'RE THINKING WE MAY HAVE ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE IN THIS AREA HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN WE GET A THOUSAND, THOSE NUMBERS, BUT
WELL, I DO COMMEND PARKS ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT JUNETEENTH WAS AN INSPIRATION TO DO SOME BIGGER, BETTER AND GREATER THINGS HERE IN BAYTOWN.
UM, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THIS IS GONNA TURN OUT.
I DO, WHEN I ASK ONE QUESTION, HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR THE JALAPENO EATING CONTEST?
WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON THE LIST.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW I GOT INTO THE G***O COMPETITION.
WE'LL, UH, THEY, THEY SIGN 'EM UP THE DAY OF, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL, THEY'LL ANNOUNCE AND YOU COME UP THERE AND, AND THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THE TATTOO FOR THE LOSER? BRING, BRING MILK? I WON'T LOSE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, EVERYBODY WHO COMES IN AFTER SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, THEY'RE ALL LOSERS.
I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE NOT FIRST OR LOSE IN MANY, IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND I'M NOT GONNA BE LAST.
WHAT IS THE, UH, RECORD FOR HOW MANY JALAPENOS ARE EATING? OH, THERES LIKE 10 OF THEM IN A BOWL.
AND SO THEY JUST HAVE TO FINISH ALL OF THEM.
ALTHOUGH YOU CAN EAT THE MOST THAT NO, IT'S WHOEVER FINISHES FIRST.
WE HAD A BAND FROM MEXICO THAT CAME IN AND THE BUS DRIVER SIT THERE AND ATE HIM LIKE HIS CANDY JUST ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER AS FAST AS HE PUT 'EM.
HE, HE GOT TOOK AWAY THE TROPHY.
WHAT, SO WE HAVE, IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL JALAPENO KIT.
WELL, I WILL, I WILL SAY, JUST TO BACK UP, I MEAN, I WILL SAY YOU BLEW ME AWAY WHEN Y'ALL DID PRESENT Y'ALL'S IDEAS ON, ON WHAT COULD TAKE PLACE THERE.
SO LET, LET'S GIVE IT A TRY AND I THINK IT'S GONNA WORK OUT WELL.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN, UM, COMPLIMENT, OBVIOUSLY RETO FE I THINK RETO FIT, I THINK THEY TWO IS GONNA BE PHENOMENAL.
I THINK WHAT WE SAW IN, IN JUNETEENTH WAS, WAS KIND OF THE IMPETUS OF THIS IDEA.
OKAY, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM, UM, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
[b. Discuss the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2021-22 Proposed Budget.]
B, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE PRO PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2122.I GUESS IT'D BE AN OPPORTUNITY IF THERE'S ANY ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS INFORMATION BROUGHT, UH, FORTH TO ALL THE COUNSEL THROUGH EMAIL TODAY FROM MR. WOOLERY.
SO OTHER THAN OTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU JUST WANNA UPDATE COUNSEL ON, ON THAT.
UM, AND WHAT WAS THE EMAIL THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU? SO YOU'VE GOT, SHOULD HAVE TWO THINGS IN FRONT OF YOU.
ONE IS INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, POSITIONS.
AND THE SECOND IS, UH, PROPOSED TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS.
THERE'S ONE, UH, THE ONLY REAL SUBSTANTIAL TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT IS THE REMOVAL OF THE POSITION FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UM, THAT REMOVES 103,560 FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, THE OTHER REST OF THE TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS ARE MORE MOVEMENT WITHIN, UH, LINE ITEMS RELATED TO BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S, UH, NO NET CHANGE ON THE, THE BOTTOM LINE WITH THOSE.
SO, UM, IF YOU ALL, UM, TAKE UP YOUR BUDGET TONIGHT, WE WOULD, UM, PROPOSE THAT YOU PASS IT WITH ALSO WITH THIS, UM, LIST OF TECH TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS.
I DID ALSO WANT TO COME BACK AROUND AND FOLLOW UP.
SO THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THE WORK SESSION ABOUT THE WAGES AND WHAT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER ON THE SALARIES.
THE LIST THAT YOU HAD IN FRONT OF YOU WAS JUST THE SALARY.
IT DID NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE BENEFITS.
UM, SO I DID WANT TO JUST FOLLOW UP AND, AND MAKE THAT CLEAR.
SO THAT ADDS ABOUT 30% OR SO ROUGHLY BALLPARK 22 SOMETHING 20 ROUGHLY.
SO WAS THAT TOTAL ACCOUNTED FOR? I MEAN, THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET.
IT'S JUST THAT, THAT OVERVIEW SALARY, THE SHEET THAT YOU HAD WAS JUST THE ACTUAL SALARY.
AND THOSE SALARIES WERE PRORATED.
NO, SOME WERE, THEY'RE NOT FOUR MONTHS.
ALTHOUGH YOU TOLD US WHEN, LIKE THERE WERE SOME POSITIONS THAT WERE LIKE BASED OFF WHEN THE SHELTER OPENED.
[00:30:01]
OFF OF WHEN THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY BE EMPLOYED.THE, THE SALARY YOU SAW WAS 12 MONTHS.
SO EVERY, EVERY DOLLAR THAT WAS SHOWN TO COUNSEL WAS BASED OFF A 12 MONTH SALARY.
AGAIN, AS WE DESCRIBED, SOME OF 'EM, AS WE START POSTING THE POSITIONS, IT WILL POST POTENTIALLY
BUT THAT'S THE BUDGETED NUMBER FOR NOW.
YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS WITH THAT, THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR A YEAR OF THAT POSITION? I THINK WE WERE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE VETERINARIAN.
NO, MY, MY CONCERN WAS ACTUALLY THAT WE WEREN'T OFFERING ENOUGH AT ALL, EVEN WITH THAT BEING A 12 MONTH SALARY.
AND WHEN IRA RAISED THAT QUESTION, IT CAME BACK AND SOMEONE SAID THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A PRORATED SALARY, THAT THAT WASN'T THE 12 MONTH SALARY.
NOW I, I SAID IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE FIRST YEAR IF WE, WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T NEGOTIATED A SALARY FOR THAT POSITION AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HIRE SOMEBODY FROM OCTOBER 1ST, SO IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO COME.
SORRY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
I'M SORRY FOR THAT MISUNDERSTANDING.
WE'RE CLEAR NOW, RIGHT? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, I'M GOOD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET? YES.
IF NOT THEN WE'LL GO TO ITEM ONE C.
DISCUSS ANY OR ALL OTHER AGENDA ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
IF NOT, THEN THIS WORK SESSION HAS, BEING THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL HAS ADDRESSED ALL POSTED AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS WORK SESSION.
THIS WORK SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.