[ BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT NOTICE OF MEETING BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2023 4:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]
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AND I'LL CALL THIS MEETING THE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO ORDER.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, FIRST WE HAVE MINUTES,
[a. Consider approving the minutes of the Municipal Development District Special Meeting held on December 12, 2022. ]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE DECEMBER 12TH 22 MEETING, UM, FOR THE MBD.AND IT'S A SPECIAL MEETING THAT WAS HELD, SOUGHT TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE A AS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS WRITTEN.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, COMMENTS OR ABSTENTIONS? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[a. Consider a resolution authorizing the Economic Development Contract with Baytown Area/West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation.]
ITEM TWO A, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT WITH BAYTOWN AREA, WEST CHAMBERS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.THIS WILL RENEW, UH, IF APPROVED THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.
AS YOU KNOW, BJ AND HIS COLLEAGUES WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH US IN ADVANCING THE, THE INTEREST OF THE, THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
UH, IT'S OUR INTENTION OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR, UH, TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE REFINED AND IF NECESSARY, REDEFINED, UH, THE SERVICES PROVIDED, UH, BOTH BY THE EDF AND, UH, AND INTERNALLY.
BUT THAT IS FOR YOUR APPROVAL, SIR.
I HAD TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE EDF.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM TWO A IS WRITTEN.
[b. Consider a resolution approving Business Improvement Grant applications not to exceed $40,000.00 per each individual grant.]
TWO B, CONSIDERED RESOLUTION APPROV IN THE BAYTOWN IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATIONS NOT TO EXCEED 40, NOT TO EXCEED $40,000 PER EACH INDIVIDUAL GRANT.UM, SO BOARD THIS WAS, UM, TABLED, UH, I THINK FROM THE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER MEETING.
AND THE REASON THAT IT WAS TABLED IS THAT, UH, WE HAD, WE WANTED TO BRING BACK A, A, UH, NEW PROGRAM FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER AND DISCUSS, WHICH IS, UH, UH, AN ITEM LATER ON.
THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS SINCE, UM, SINCE LAST YEAR ON WHAT DO WE DO WITH THESE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE.
UM, IS IT UNFAIR TO THESE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING, UH, ON THE PROCESSING PIECE? UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR, TO HOPEFULLY DISCUSS THIS WITH Y'ALL.
IF Y'ALL, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO JUST APPROVE THESE APPLICATIONS AND START A NEW, WITH THE NEW PROGRAM AFTER THE DISCUSSION THAT THE BOARD CAN MAKE THAT DECISION RIGHT NOW, UH, CONSIDER THESE PAST APPLICANTS THAT THEY APPLIED UNDER THE OLD PROGRAM.
UH, OR WE CAN JUST PAUSE THEM, WAIT FOR THE DISCUSSION ON THE, UH, NEW PROGRAM AND THEN SEE IF WE WANT TO PUSH THOSE APPLICANTS INTO THE NEW PROGRAM.
AND SO I'LL LEAVE THAT OPEN TO THE BOARD TO DISCUSS AT THIS POINT.
UH, THERE IS MONEY TO PAY THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEN START THE NEW PROGRAM AS WELL.
UH, MY SUGGESTION TO, TO THE MDD, I KNOW A LOT OF MEMBERS, UM, KIND OF, KIND OF, THEY SAW THIS, I GUESS YOU'D SAY PROGRAM EVOLVE TO WHAT IT WAS.
MY SUGGESTION IS WE DO, WHAT, WHAT STAFF IS SUGGESTING, I THINK IS WE, WE'VE APPROVED WHAT HAS BEEN IN THE QUEUE TO GET THESE INDIVIDUALS PAID.
UM, I THINK THE PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD WILL CERTAINLY GO THROUGH A MUCH DIFFERENT PROCESS WITH THE CRITERIA, MORE OF THE INTENT, WHAT WE WANT, BUT ALSO TO MEET, MEET, UM, MORE STRINGENT GUIDELINES.
SO YEAH, I THINK IT'S NOT JUST STRINGENT GUIDELINES, BUT IT'D BE ACTUALLY A, A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS, RIGHT? FOR BOTH THIS, FOR BOTH FOR THE PROGRAM AND FOR THE BUSINESS OWNER ITSELF TOO.
SO, UM, BUT WITH THAT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE KIND OF NEW TO THIS, BUT I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST DIRECTION MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST ADD, UH, I WOULD ALSO, UH, ADD THE SAME RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I THINK WE WANNA FOLLOW WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE HOUSING NEED ASSESSMENT.
THOSE THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE QUEUE, THEY WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED.
RIGHT? THEY WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED.
SO I AM OKAY WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE.
ANY ANYONE ELSE NEED? YES, PRINCE.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE THREE THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE UNDER THE CURRENT PROGRAM MM-HMM
IT WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE AWARDED WHAT THEY WOULD BE AWARDED WHAT UP TO, WHAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE STAFF IS STILL GONNA GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT THE RECEIPTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROPER AND THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THEY WILL BE AWARDED WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWED UP TO UNDER THE CURRENT PROGRAM'S GUIDELINES.
I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT ALL, ALL BEING EQUAL, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO PROCEED IN IN THE CURRENT PROGRAM.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM.
BUT THESE FOLKS WILL BE ALLOWED.
SO I, I'D AGREE WITH THE CONSENT.
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UM, JUST ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO B, A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM TWO B, SECOND.ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SOME NOT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TWO, BE AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[c. Consider a resolution authorizing the Property Analysis, Sales, and Negotiations Services Agreement with Garfield Public/Private LLC, and the City of Baytown, for the Baytown Hotel and Convention Center Project.]
RESOLUTION.AUTHORIZING THE PROPERTY ANALYSIS, SALES AND NEGOTIATING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH GARFIELD PUBLIC PRIVATE LLC AND THE CITY OF BAYTOWN FOR THE BAYTOWN HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT.
IF YOU'RE MEMBER, UH, DURING THE COURSE OF, UH, OUR DELIBERATIONS ON THE HOTEL PROJECT, UM, CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND NAMING RIGHTS IN RESPECT OF THE HOTEL AND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THIS ACTUALLY BRINGS THIS FORWARD, BRINGS IT FORWARD NOW FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR US TO PROCEED, UH, TO SECURE THOSE SPONSORSHIPS AND ESSENTIALLY TO MONETIZE, UH, FURTHER THE VALUE IN THE, THE HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT, SIR.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA OF THOSE, UH, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO B, OR EXCUSE ME, TWO C.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NOT ALL.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM TWO C IS PRESENTED.
OPPOSED? NEXT, WE HAVE, UH, DISCUSSIONS
[a. Discuss proposed amendments to the Business Improvement Grant program policies and guidelines]
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BAYTOWN IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM, POLICIES AND GUIDELINES.NOW WE WILL TALK ABOUT NEW CRITERIA.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MARTIN SCRIBNER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, UM, AS OUR CITY MANAGER HAS ALLUDED TO, UM, WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM MORE ACCESSIBLE, MAKE IT, UH, HAVE A, A BIGGER IMPACT WITH THE CITY, UM, MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT IS, IS MEANINGFUL.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS, UH, IN, IN HOUSE AND SAYING, OKAY, WELL, WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES IS A, A REFINEMENT OF THE PROGRAM AREA.
UH, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REFORMATTING THE DOCUMENT ITSELF TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER TO DEAL WITH MAXIMIZING THE REIMBURSEMENT, REMOVING ANY BARRIERS THAT WE SAW.
AND THEN, UH, AGAIN, KINDA LOOKING AT THE EVALUATION CRITERIA AND WHETHER THAT IS, IS, UH, UH, SUBJECTIVE OR OBJECTIVE OR HOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA DEAL WITH THAT? AND THEN WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NEXT? SO THE FIRST ONE IS THAT, UH, PROGRAM BOUNDARIES.
RIGHT NOW, THE ENTIRE CITY LIMITS IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE, FOR THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT.
SO I'LL, I'LL, UH, REFER TO THAT AS BIG FROM HERE ON OUT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S, UH, BASICALLY THE PROPOSED AREA THAT WE HAVE ON THE MAP WOULD BETTER REFINE THE AREAS WHERE THESE, UH, WHERE THE PROGRAM WOULD BE, UH, WHERE THE PROPERTIES WOULD BE PROGRAM ELIGIBLE, EXCUSE ME.
AND THEY REALLY KIND OF, UH, THE IDEA IS TO REALLY MAXIMIZE THE INVESTMENT IN THOSE AREAS AND ENHANCE THE, THE, THE EXISTING PROGRAMS, UH, AS WELL AS LOOK FOR SOME CATALYTIC EFFECTS IN THE AREAS AROUND, UM, AGAIN, WHERE THOSE YELLOW LINES.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S, UH, DECKER ROLLING BROOK TO MASSEY TOMPKINS, UM, NORTH MAINE, UH, THE SOUTH END OF GARTH ROAD, THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF 1 46.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IT, IT FOLLOWS ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH.
UM, SO THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE FEEL COULD REALLY MOST BENEFIT FROM, FROM THE, THE PROGRAM.
UH, NEXT IS THE REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT.
RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, THIS IS A ONE-TO-ONE MATCH REIMBURSEMENT.
SO THE MAXIMUM BEING $40,000 THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE BACK.
SO IF YOU'VE PUT IN $80,000 WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, FOR 40,000, UH, FROM THE CITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S REALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, HAS BEEN COMING IN PIECEMEALS.
SMALL THINGS, $2,000, $10,000, $15,000.
ARE THOSE AMOUNTS MAKING A REAL IMPACT? UH, UH, THAT HAS LASTING EFFECT ON THOSE AREAS? WE FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED BY SAYING, OKAY, SO NOW WHAT WE'VE GOT IS A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, AND IT'S ONLY LIMITED, UH, IN THE REIMBURSEMENT BY THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THAT FISCAL YEAR.
SO IF THE FIRST PERSON COMES IN, I THINK THIS YEAR WE HAVE $250,000 BUDGETED FOR THE WHOLE, FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
IF THE FIRST PERSON COMES IN AND THEY PUT IN A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF, OF INVESTMENT, THEN THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FULL TWO 50 RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UM, WHY, WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THOSE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS.
THE LITTLE STUFF IS, IS DEFINITELY HELPFUL TO THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT IT, WHAT'S THE, THE MOST BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY? UM, WE FEEL THAT IF WE'RE ENCOURAGING THOSE LARGER INVESTMENTS, AGAIN, WE'RE ATTRACTING MORE INVESTMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THOSE LARGER STRUCTURES.
WE HAVE SEVERAL BIG STRUCTURES THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING EMPTY FOR A WHILE.
UM, IT WOULD YIELD LARGER ENHANCEMENTS TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THOSE GENERAL AREAS.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE SEE WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS
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TO A STRUCTURE THAT DOESN'T REALLY, UH, TRANSLATE TO THE OUTSIDE, IT DOESN'T TRANSLATE TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS.UM, BUT, AND THEN AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE CATALYTIC EFFECTS ON THE, THE PROPERTIES NEARBY, THE CRITERIA.
UM, RIGHT NOW, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, YOU, YOU, THERE'S A SCORING SYSTEM.
YOU GOTTA HIT 60 POINTS MINIMUM TO BE CONSIDERED.
UM, AND THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE RUNDOWN THERE.
UM, YOU GET SO MANY POINTS FOR VISUAL IMPACT, LIFE SAFETY CODE, ECONOMIC IMPACT, COMMUNITY AND HISTORICAL IMPACT.
AND THERE'S A DIFFERENT WEIGHT TO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, OF IMPACTS THAT YOU'RE, UM, THAT YOU'RE SHOWING.
UH, THE APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW ARE REVIEWED AND SCORED BY A COMMITTEE MADE UP OF PEOPLE FROM FOUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
UM, SOME OF WHICH ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW ARE WE, I I THINK THE, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA THEMSELVES DON'T NECESSARILY LEND TO EVALUATION FROM CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS.
SO WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE IS ELIMINATE THE EVALUATION CRITERIA ITSELF AND THE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, UM, THERE, BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS NO OBJECTIVE WAY TO EVALUATE THESE CRITERIA.
IF YOU GO DOWN THROUGH THE LIST, THEY'RE VERY SUBJECTIVE.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO, TO COME UP WITH, UM, WHETHER THEY DO OR DO NOT OBJECTIVELY MEET THOSE CRITERIA.
SO IF WE REMOVE THOSE CRITERIA, WHAT WOULD THEN HAPPEN IS THAT STAFF WILL LOOK AT IT AND PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO M-D-D-M-D-D WOULD THEN MAKE THE FINAL CALL ON THAT AND DECIDE THE MERITS OF THE APPLICATION ITSELF, AGAIN, BASED ON IMPACT, BASED ON NEED, HOWEVER, THAT, THAT PANS OUT.
UM, BUT YOU GUYS ARE IN CHARGE OF THE, IN CHARGE OF THE MONEY.
SO, UM, WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT BASICALLY ON MD D'S, UM, VIEW.
SO THE APPLICATION ITSELF, WE ACTUALLY ASK FOR AN AWFUL LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM APPLICATION CURRENTLY.
SOME OF IT'S CONFUSING, SOME OF IT REALLY ISN'T NECESSARY.
SO WE'D LIKE TO REALLY PAIR THAT, THAT APPLICATION DOWN.
UM, IF YOU SEE THE, UH, THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN YOUR PACKET TODAY, UH, ONE OF THOSE IS OVER 30 PAGES.
SO IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO HAVE THAT MUCH INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS, THIS DECISION? UM, THAT SAID, WHAT WE WANT IS, IS AN APPLICATION THAT, AGAIN, IS ACCESSIBLE, IS USABLE.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO REARRANGE THE SECTIONS SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU NEED UPFRONT, AND THEN IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO INTERPRET, EASIER FOR STAFF TO ADMINISTER.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM DOESN'T CHANGE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF COMBINING THINGS WHERE THEY SHOULD GO, JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE USABLE.
UM, AND THEN PROBABLY WE WOULD PUT THAT INTO THE CURRENT, UH, CITIZEN SELF-SERVICE PORTAL AS WELL.
SO THAT'S REVIEWED IN, IN A MANNER THAT THE REST OF OUR, OUR APPLICATIONS ARE, ARE REVIEWED.
SO WE DO FEEL THAT THERE ARE A FEW BARRIERS RIGHT NOW IN THE CURRENT PROGRAM.
WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE AS MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN.
UM, THERE'S A, A WINDOW TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT RIGHT NOW.
SO IT, YOU CAN'T START THE PROGRAM WITHIN 90 DAYS OR START YOUR IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION APPROVAL.
BUT THEN A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR THIS, THEY FIND OUT ABOUT IT AT KIND OF, AT THE LAST MINUTE.
AT LEAST THAT'S HOW IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.
WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE EDUCATION PROCESS IS, IS WORKING A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENTLY FROM HERE ON OUT SO THAT THEY DO KNOW ABOUT IT UPFRONT.
UM, BUT IN THE PAST THAT THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE.
SO THAT KIND OF ELIMINATES THE ABILITY TO, TO DO THAT IF YOU HAVE THAT, THAT SHORT WINDOW.
UH, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A, A PRETTY SHORT TIMEFRAME TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S BASICALLY A FOUR MONTH WINDOW TO COMPLETE YOUR, ALL OF YOUR IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU ARE, UH, PROPOSING.
CONSTRUCTION DELAYS ARE COMMON AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T FORESEE.
SO WHAT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO DO IS TO, UM, EXPAND THOSE WINDOWS.
UH, REALLY MAKE THE ELIGIBILITY.
YOU CAN APPLY FOR ANY TIME, UH, PRIOR TO BASICALLY FINISHING THE PROJECT.
AND THEN BUILDING PERMITS EXPIRE AFTER 12 MONTHS.
IT WOULD BE A YEAR, A YEAR INSTEAD OF JUST FOUR MONTHS.
UM, WE DON'T WANT THAT TO GO ON FOREVER.
UM, WE THINK THAT IF YOU DID IMPROVEMENTS TWO YEARS AGO AND NOW YOU'RE COMING IN AND ASKING FOR THOSE FOR THAT, THAT REIMBURSEMENT, UH, THAT'S PUSHING A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO REALLY AGAIN, THE GOAL IS TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM, REALLY GET RID OF ANY OF THOSE BARRIERS THAT HAVE CAUSED PEOPLE TO NOT APPLY IN THE PAST, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE ACCESS, UH, BETTER ACCESS TO THOSE WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO NEXT, UH, OH, AND, AND I THINK, SO THIS HAS BEEN A REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM UP TO THIS POINT.
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REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM IS, IS A GOOD WAY TO GO.WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME APPLICANTS THAT WOULD PROBABLY COME FORWARD FOR THIS.
IF THERE WAS A WAY TO HAVE AN OPTION TO FUND THE IMPROVEMENTS UPFRONT, IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING, UM, A RISK TO THE CITY IF THEY DON'T COMPLETE THE PROJECT? SO WE ARE TALKING TO A COUPLE OF LOCAL BANKS TO SEE JUST KIND OF HOW THAT, THE DETAILS OF THAT WOULD WORK.
UM, SO WE, WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING OF MDD SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
AND IT MAY BE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT WON'T WORK.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST NOT AT THAT POINT YET, BUT WE'RE KIND OF HOPEFUL RIGHT NOW THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT AS AN OPTION.
SO WE'D HAVE AN OPTION A, THAT WOULD BE THE REIMBURSEMENT AND OPTION B THAT WOULD BE, UH, THE CASH UP FRONT AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO WORK THOSE MECHANICS.
SO TONIGHT WE'D, UH, LIKE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THIS BOARD ON WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, UH, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE MAY BE MISSING.
AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK NEXT MONTH, UH, FOR A FULL POLICY GUIDELINES, UH, FOR ADOPTION.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT DI DIRECTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT'S, DO WE JUST CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING? DO WE IMPLEMENT CHANGES RIGHT AWAY? DO WE WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST OF THE FISCAL YEAR? THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS HERE.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, OPEN TO THE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROGRAM.
MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, SO JUST TO CLARIFY, SO IF, IF I CAME IN AND SAID I NEED TO BORROW 50, $50,000 AND I GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION, UM, WOULD WE AS MDD BE ABLE TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE COULD ONLY TO THE MERIT OF YOUR PROJECT, WE CAN ONLY GIVE YOU 25,000.
WOULD WE HAVE THAT LEEWAY? OR IS IT ALL OR NOTHING? I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE THAT LEEWAY, BUT THE, UM, BEING CONSISTENT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
RIGHT? I THINK, UM, IF, IF THAT WERE THE CASE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE COULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE CRITERIA.
AGAIN, THEY'RE JUST REALLY HARD TO MEASURE.
UM, HOW DO YOU MEASURE HISTORIC IMPACT OR ECONOMIC IMPACT UNTIL THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD? SO, UM, I I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW, UM, CONSISTENT YOU CAN BE WITH THAT OTHER THAN MAYBE OVER TIME WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THIS BOARD AND WE BUILD THOSE INTO THE PROGRAM.
FOR NOW, I I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE OR LESS WIDE OPEN STAFF WOULD GIVE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT WE THINK THE SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS ARE AND, AND HOW, WHAT, WHAT, UM, WHAT BENEFIT THIS IS, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN LET MDD MAKE THE, MAKE THE CALL.
UM, AND MY SECOND QUESTION, OR, OR, OR COMMENT, UM, AND I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT, AND I, I AGREE WITH THE AREAS, PUTTING IT DOWN TO THE AREAS THAT YOU HAD ON THE MAP, UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA DON'T, I DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT ON SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE THAT BIG IMPACT FROM THE ONE THAT YOU SHOWED THE OLD WALGREENS, BUT THEY ARE STILL A SMALL, SMALL BUSINESS THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, THEY MAY HAVE COSTS THAT MAY RUN UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE MOVING INTO ONE OF OUR OLD BUILDINGS, THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE DEMOED COMPLETELY OR INTO ONE OF THE PAD SITES THAT WE HAD TO DO THE, THE SLAB REMOVAL, UM, THAT COULD ADD TO THEIR COST.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THIS IS SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND, AND YOU, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T, YOU PROBABLY MEANT THAT IT'S JUST, MAYBE I HEARD IT WRONG THAT WE WANT THIS HUGE LONG, UH, UH, LARGE IMPACT, UM, FOR THE GRANTS.
AND SO THAT WAS THE ONLY THING IS JUST I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE STILL KEPT, UM, IN MIND.
AND, UM, I'M WONDERING IF AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEY'RE WRITING THE APPLICATION AND, YOU KNOW, THEY BRING US THEIR BIDS, LIKE IT'S GONNA TAKE $25,000 TO DEMO AND PAY, AND I CAN'T SAY YES, IT'S GONNA TAKE THAT MUCH.
UM, AND USUALLY WHEN I GO TO MY INSURANCE TO, YOU KNOW, FIX MY CAR AND THEY WANT ME TO, AND THEY ASK ME, DO YOU WANNA HAVE YOUR OWN OR GET YOUR OWN BIDS? I HAVE TO PRESENT THEM MULTIPLE BIDS.
UM, SO WOULD WE BE ABLE TO, UM, GET SOME SORT OF APPROVED, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT SMALL BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE CARPET SERVICE, ELECTRICAL WORK, ET CETERA.
WOULD WE BE ABLE TO MAYBE PROVIDE THEM SOME SORT OF VENDOR LIST? WE, THEY
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MAY NOT HAVE TO GO TO THAT ONE, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE PROMOTING OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES THAT COULD DO SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.I'D BE STANDOFFISH ABOUT PROVIDING A LIST UNLESS WE KNEW IT.
UM, WE AS STAFF AREN'T REALLY ALLOWED TO, TO MAKE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS OF ONE COMPANY OVER ANOTHER.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE LEFT SOMEBODY OFF THE LIST, WE, WE COULD KIND OF PUSH OURSELVES INTO THAT CORNER.
I THOUGHT WE HAD A VENDOR LIST.
I THOUGHT IN THE PAST WE HAD A VENDOR LIST THAT IF WE AS THE CITY NEEDED TO DO BUSINESS, THEY CAN GET ON OUR VENDOR LIST.
THAT'S, THAT'S FOR US, THAT'S DIFFERENT.
I'M GONNA MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT.
WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE, ONE THING THAT WE'RE JUST CONSIDERING IS FINDING DIFFERENT WAYS TO PARTNER WITH OTHER LOCAL PIECES.
I'M NOT SAYING IT CAN BE DONE.
I, I, I SHARE MARTIN'S HESITATION.
UM, BUT MAYBE IF WE CAN JUST DIRECT, THEY HAVE TO GET A QUOTE FROM SOMEBODY THAT'S WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT SHOWS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE CHAMBER.
UM, BUT WE CAN'T FAVOR ANYBODY AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE CAN LOOK THROUGH THAT AND SEE WHAT'S, WHAT'S AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY.
I HEAR WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE APPLICATIONS HAD $13,000 FOR PAINT MM-HMM
THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE HIGH FOR PAINT.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE, THE DESIRE TO KIND OF DOUBLE CHECK IT ACROSS.
BUT, BUT IF THEY BRING ME A RECEIPT AND IT SAYS THEY PAID $13,000 FOR PAINT, THEN THAT REALLY HAS BEEN THE, THE BENCHMARK, UM, UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
SO, I MEAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE YOUR OTHER QUESTION, UM, I APOLOGIZE, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION PRIOR TO THAT WAS, UH, OH, ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS? IT'S DEFINITELY, IT'S DEFINITELY STILL, UM, IT STILL AIMS AT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
IT AIMS AT STARTUPS, BUT ALSO WE, AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT OF WHATEVER IMPROVEMENTS GET MADE.
SO AGAIN, IF IT'S $13,000 WORTH OF PAINT ON THE INTERIOR OF A BUSINESS, OR IS IT THE $200,000 WORTH OF, OF IMPROVEMENTS TO A LARGER STRUCTURE THAT MAY HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING AREA.
UM, AGAIN, WE'D BRING THOSE TO YOU RIGHT.
UH, TO, TO DECIDE IF, IF THERE ARE MERITS TO THAT.
BUT, UM, I KNOW MYSELF, I I SEE THE, THE MERITS TO A, A LARGE IMPACT SUCH AS THAT.
AND WE, WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE NOW THAT COULD USE A LITTLE HELP.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT'S I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
UM, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE PROPOSAL TO, UM, REMOVE THE CAP OF 40,000? I JUST NEED THE VISUAL.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, TO DISCUSS THIS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU THINK, OR YOU WANT US TO DISCUSS MAKING THE IMPACT ON ONE PARTICULAR THING, LARGER, LIKE $200,000 OR WHATEVER.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF WE SPEND ALL THE MONEY ON ONE PARTICULAR BUSINESS AND THEN WE CAN'T FORESEE THE FUTURE OF SOMEONE COMING IN WITH, UM, ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT NEEDS 40 OR $50,000 THAT WOULD ALSO HAVE A, A BIGGER IMPACT? WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO CARRY THEIR APPLICATION OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT THEY MORE THAN LIKELY THOUGH, UH, COUNCILMAN, THEY PROBABLY, THEY'RE DOWN WAIT A YEAR.
SO IT, I THINK IT, I JUST WORRY ABOUT PUTTING ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR ITEMS IN ONE BASKET.
YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THAT ISSUE.
WHAT IF IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR WE GET 10 DIFFERENT ONES THAT I'LL ASK FOR $25,000? IT'S, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING.
WE'VE SPREAD OUT THAT IMPACT, WE'VE SPREAD OUT THE AMOUNT OF BENEFIT THAT WE CAN DO TO THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE? AND THAT'LL, AND THAT'LL REALLY BE UP TO YOU TO SET THOSE, THOSE PRIORITIES.
SO I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, THEY, THEY WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, DO WE TALK ABOUT NEED AND IF THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT, IF I CAN THROW OUT $500,000 OR LET'S SAY $50,000 AT, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT AND WAIT 10 OR 11 MONTHS TO GET REIMBURSED, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE NEED IN THE FIRST PLACE? I, AND, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT MAKING JUDGMENT CALLS, I'M JUST SAYING YEAH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BRING THESE QUESTIONS TO MIND.
HAS THE STAFF IN, IN RECENT HISTORY HAD, UM, PEOPLE APPROACH YOU ASKING FOR LARGER THAN $40,000 AND WANTING TO KNOW IF THE CITY WAS GONNA HAVE A PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UM, YES.
I MEAN, BUT RIGHT NOW, SO AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, ONE OF THE RESTAURANTS RECENTLY WAS AWARDED THE FULL 40 BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO PUT IN A, UM, A SPRINKLER SYSTEM MM-HMM
IT WAS, IT WAS OVER AN $80,000 SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
WE, WE APPRECIATE THAT AS AN, AS A, AS AN IMPACT, BECAUSE THAT IS A LASTING IMPACT TO THE BUILDING.
IT ENHANCES THE LIFESPAN OF THAT BUILDING.
WHOEVER COMES IN NEXT DOESN'T HAVE TO PUT IN A FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
SO WE, WE UNDERSTAND THE, THE BENEFIT OF THAT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SORTS OF INTERIOR, UM, TYPE IMPROVEMENTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE THAT
[00:25:01]
KIND OF IMPACT.WE WANT SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT WILL EXTEND THE LIFESPAN OF A, OF A BUILDING.
AND, AND SO WE, AND I, AND I KNOW THE, THE MAYORS BROUGHT THIS UP SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE, THE, UM, THE SPRINKLERS, THAT'S, THAT'S OFTEN AN ISSUE IN AN EXISTING BUILDING.
SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE'VE PROVIDED AN AVENUE TO HELP WITH THAT TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT AND THAT LASTS OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE BUILDING, THAT'S GREAT.
THAT, THAT IS A GOOD IMPACT FOR, FOR THAT.
SO IF IT'S $150,000 SPRINKLER SYSTEM, WHICH CAN BE, IS THAT SOMETHING THEN THAT YOU WANT TO PUT $75,000? THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT, THAT ARE INCLUDED.
AND THERE'S FOR, FOR THE BOARD, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT LIKE, STUFF LIKE THIS, THIS, THIS IS A BLANK CANVAS RIGHT NOW.
SO FOR Y'ALL, JUST A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING ON THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS, DOES THE BOARD WANT TO ONE, JUST RESTRICT IT TO A VERY NARROW AREA THAT YOU'RE TRYING, THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO REFOCUS AND THAT'S THE CITY'S PRIORITY, AND ALONG WITH MD D'S PRIORITY, THAT THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO DO THIS? OR DO WE WANNA SAY, HEY, ALL THE VACANT PROPERTY THAT'S IN BAYTOWN AND SOME THAT HAS LIENS ON IT, DOES THE MDD WANT TO THEN OFFER UP THAT THE MDD WILL PAY THE LIEN IF SOMEBODY BUILDS A HOME ON THE TAX LIEN THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY AND YOU'RE PAYING THE CITY OF BAYTOWN BACK, UH, THE THE TAX LIEN, BUT YOU'RE GIVING THE BUILDER AN INCENTIVE TO BUY THAT VACANT PROPERTY.
SO LIKE, WE CAN START THINKING OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO, TO LOOK AT THIS AND HOW Y'ALL WANT TO USE IT TO INCENTIVIZE OTHER PROJECTS.
I WANNA HEAR FROM OTHER MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
I MEAN, I LIKE THE, THE DIRECTION OF IT.
UM, I SHARE THE SAME, UM, THOUGHT.
I THINK I'M, I'M HESITANT TO ALLOW ONE PERSON TO GET THE FULL 250, UM, JUST 'CAUSE I THINK, UH, THERE'S A LIMITED NUMBER OF, OF FOLKS THAT COULD COME IN HERE WITH A, WITH AN APPLICATION READY TO SPEND $500,000.
UM, AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE MOST VALUE OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
SO I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'D LIKE TO SEE IT A LITTLE KIND OF STEP IT UP INCREMENTALLY.
MAYBE WE GO TO A HUNDRED ON THE MAX AND KIND OF SEE OVER THE NEXT YEAR WHAT KIND OF APPLICATIONS WE'RE GETTING IN, WHAT KIND OF EFFECTS WE'RE SEEING FROM THAT.
UM, BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF, OF PICKING SOME TARGET AREAS.
UM, I THINK THE ONES YOU HAVE THERE ARE, ARE SOME GOOD AREAS TO START.
UM, I LIKE THE DIRECTION IT'S GOING AND, AND I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT IF, IF WE ARE, IF WE HIT THE MAXIMUM QUICKLY IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, THEN WE WOULD SUGGEST A BUDGET TIME.
MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT AT, AT MAKING THAT MORE.
WELL, AND I'M GOING TO JUMP IN HERE WITH BOTH FEET.
UM, WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, OR WHEN THE, THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANTS WERE DISCUSSED, IT WAS AIMED AT THE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND EXISTING BUSINESSES AS A MATTER OF FACT, NOT NEW STRUCTURES, NOT BRAND NEW GRAND.
AND, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE, THE FOLKS THAT, THAT REDID THE HEB THERE ON NORTH MAIN AND INTO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE WONDERFUL, BUT IT, IT WAS TO, TO GET BUSINESS OWNERS OF CURRENT BUSINESSES TO IMPROVE.
THAT'S WHY THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT IMPROVE THEIR CURRENT FACILITIES, TO BRING THEM UP TO CODE, TO BRING UP THE STANDARDS, TO MAKE THE AESTHETICS LOOK A LITTLE MORE, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF MAYBE IN INCREASING THE CURRENT MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT, IF IT'S A HARD STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, OKAY, IT'S, LET'S SAY $50,000 MAX, UNLESS YOU'RE PUTTING IN A SPRINKLER SYSTEM THAT WE KNOW IS GONNA RUN 80,000, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S A HARD STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
SO MAYBE LOOK AT DOING THAT, THE IDEA THAT AGAIN, THAT THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL COULD COME IN WITH A GREAT IDEA AND A GREAT PLAN.
YOU KNOW, HALF MILLION DOLLAR THING WANTS 250,000.
THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED IN THIS PROGRAM.
IT WAS, IT WAS GEARED TOWARDS ENCOURAGING CURRENT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP TO, TO GET SOME MONEY BACK.
THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THAT.
SO IN REIMBURSEMENT, I AGREE WITH COMPLETELY.
UM, SO I'M A LITTLE LEERY WITH, WITH THAT ASPECT OF IT, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE MAYBE PUT IN A TIER SYSTEM THAT IF, AGAIN, IF IT'S A HARD STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT, LIKE A A FOR A RESTAURANT, IF IT'S NEW SPRINKLER SYSTEM OR THEY HAVE TO PUT IN A, UM, A GREASE TRAP SYSTEM, WHICH PROTECTS OUR PUBLIC WORKS SIDE OF IT.
SO, UH, A LITTLE LEERY WITH THAT, THE, UM, THE, THE ZONES THAT YOU PICKED OUT, IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT ONE.
UM, AND, AND I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION.
IS THE GAP ON ALONG ALEXANDER BECAUSE IT'S IN, IN THE RIZ, OR IS THAT JUST YEAH, I MEAN IT, YEAH, THAT IS IN, IN THE RI THINK WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID.
SO, SO WE'RE NOT, BY TAKING IT OUT, WE DON'T DOUBLE DIP, CORRECT IT.
WELL, I THINK IT'S ALREADY, THIS ALREADY INCLUDES, WE WOULD INCLUDE IT IN THE, IN THE, THE RIZ AREAS AS WELL.
SO NOT ONLY THE YELLOW LINES, BUT ALSO
[00:30:01]
THE RIZ.SO IT WOULD BE INCLUDED SOME, SOMEBODY ALONG ALEXANDER NOW THAT WE SHARE THE BORDERLINE
AND, AND THEN I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY IF WE GO TO THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE, THE BARRIERS ON IT.
YEAH, I, I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF SOMEBODY'S IN THE PROCESS WITHIN THAT 12 MONTHS, THEY HAVE A, AN EXISTING BUILDING PERMIT AND THEN THEY FIND OUT ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT THE BEST AT GETTING INFORMATION OUT, AND NO ONE IS.
SO IT IS KIND OF, THEY'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THROUGH THE PROJECT AND I REALIZE, OH WOW, I COULD APPLY FOR THIS AND GET A PORTION OF MY MONEY BACK.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE THAT OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FROM THERE, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, BUT YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, YEAH, I'D THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
MAYBE PUT SOME TEARS IN FOR THE AMOUNTS.
UM, MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE RIZ AREAS WOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE TARGET ZONES, UH, AND THEN, UH, REMOVE SOME OF THE BARRIERS.
I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S RIGHT ON LINE WITH WHAT COUNCIL HAS TALKED ABOUT.
UM, AND, AND THAT I'LL LET IT GO WITH THAT AND LOOK, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE REVISIONS.
I, I WOULD JUST DOUBLE UP ON MR. REYNOLDS' COMMENT.
THIS IS REALLY, THIS IS YOUR DOCUMENT.
SO WE HAVE IN-HOUSE DISCUSSED IT AND SAID, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE, BUT IN NO WAY ARE THESE THE FINAL ANSWER.
THESE ARE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE FEEDBACK TODAY.
AND, AND AGAIN, I LIKE THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY BUILDING IN SOME OF THE CRITERIA AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, REIMBURSEMENT, BUT ALSO I LIKE THE IDEA OF, OKAY, SOMEBODY'S LOOKING AT, AGAIN, A SMALL BUSINESS LOOKING AT TAKE OVER SOME TAX FORECLOSED PROPERTY.
COULD THEY USE THIS GRANT TO PAY OFF THE TAXES TO ALLOW THEM TO BUY THAT? I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET THE MONEY BACK.
SO THAT'S, WELL, ONLY THING I KEEP IN MIND ON THAT IS THAT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY TAXING ENTITY THAT YEAH.
WE'D HAVE TO BE ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BEFORE I MAKE MINE SUGGESTION? NO, I, YES, MA'AM.
UM, THE POINT THAT YOU HAD ON THERE, SO IF SOMEONE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OUTSIDE, THEY WOULDN'T QUALIFY AT ALL.
'CAUSE THEY WOULDN'T HIT THE 60 POINTS.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT.
UM, WE, WE JUST, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME APPLICATIONS IN THE PAST THAT IT'S A FEW SHELVES INSIDE, OR SOME PAINT OR SOME FLOORING OR THINGS THAT AREN'T, THAT, THAT'S NOT, YES, WE'RE HELPING A SMALL BUSINESS AT THAT POINT, BUT IS IT, IS IT AN IMPACT TO THE GREATER, TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY? AGAIN, THAT'S KIND OF UP TO YOU GUYS TO DECIDE WHETHER, WHETHER THAT HAPPENS OR NOT.
BUT I THINK FROM STAFF STANDPOINT, WE WOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT THAT AND GO, EH, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE US THE BANG FOR THE BUCK THAT, THAT THE, WE, WE BELIEVE THE PROGRAM WAS MEANT TO HAVE.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU COULDN'T, SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, FIRE SPRINKLERS BEFORE.
THAT'S AN INTERIOR TYPE IMPROVEMENT FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO THINK HAS, SO WHERE WOULD THAT FALL INTO? WHERE WOULD THAT FALL INTO YOUR POINTS OR INTO THE POINT? UM, CRITERIA? OH, RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE, TAKE THE PROPOSAL WOULD TAKE THE POINT SYSTEM AWAY.
SO WHERE THAT WOULD LINE NOW AGAIN, UM, THERE'S A LIFE SAFETY, UH, IMPROVEMENT THAT WOULD POSSIBLY, UH, BE ELIGIBLE FOR.
BUT AGAIN, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE HOW THAT FITS IN.
AND AS FAR AS LIKE THE AMOUNT, COULD WE DO LIKE A CAP AND THEN AFTER THAT, MAYBE A PERCENTAGE OR INSTEAD OF GIVING AWAY THE WHOLE TWO 50 OR, I, I'M, I'M ALREADY HEARING THAT THERE'S INTEREST IN MAYBE NOT GIVING AWAY THE FULL TWO 50 OR, OR WHATEVER THE BUDGETED AMOUNT IS THAT YEAR.
UM, THAT WE MAYBE I, I KIND LIKE, UM, COUNCILMAN LESTER'S IDEA ABOUT LET'S MAYBE JUST DO, UM, SOME SORT OF A TIERED SYSTEM.
SO I THINK WE'LL GO BACK AND DISCUSS THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH, UM, IF THAT MAKES, I KIND OF LIKE THAT IDEA.
SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK AND DISCUSS IT AND, AND, AND WE'LL BRING SOMETHING TO YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS? NOT, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST AFTER THIS, AFTER, AFTER Y'ALL'S INPUT.
THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES REALLY, AND I WANNA STICK WITH THAT INTENT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO EXPAND CERTAINLY CURRENT BUSINESSES IN, IN AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY, BECAUSE OF CODE OR WHATEVER, UM, IT WILL HELP THEM GET, GET, GET THAT EXPANSION.
SO I WANNA FOCUS ON THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
UM, I WOULD THINK LARGE, IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA BUILD, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HALF MILLION OR MORE, THEN WE HAVE OTHER TOOLS AT, AT, AT THE CITY'S, UM, DISPOSAL IN A SENSE WHERE IF IT'S A THREE 80, IF IT'S OTHER THINGS WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND WE HAVE OTHER TOOLS TO UTILIZE THERE TO OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
[00:35:01]
IS THIS, I I KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE TIER SYSTEM, UM, WHERE WE'RE KIND OF BEING MORE LOOKING AT IT, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? WE CAN SAY, WHAT IS YOUR PROJECTED SALES? AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT, THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND.UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE, IN ORDER TO MEET SMALL BUSINESSES AND MAYBE THEIR NEEDS, WE KIND OF OPEN IT AND SAY, FROM THIS TIMEFRAME IS GONNA BE SMALL BUSINESSES FOR THE FULL AMOUNT THAT'S BUDGETED.
IF THEY DON'T STEP FORWARD IN THAT TIMEFRAME, THEN IT GOES FOR OPEN TO ANYONE.
AND IF THAT'S ONE BUSINESS OR WHATEVER, THEN THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S STILL FAIR.
SO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING MAYBE THE TIER SYSTEM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I WOULD SAY IN A PHASE APPROACH THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA ENTERTAIN, I GUESS YOU'D SAY A CALL FOR PROJECTS FROM, FROM BUSINESSES FROM THIS DATE TO THIS DATE.
AFTER THAT IT WILL BE OPEN TO ALL BUSINESSES.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MONEY LEFT OVER, THEN, THEN, THEN OTHER INDIVIDUALS CAN, CAN, UH, APPLY.
AND IF IT'S ONE INDIVIDUAL, UH, BUSINESS, THEN, THEN THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE.
AND THEN IF THERE'S NOBODY THAT APPLIES THEN, OR WE DON'T EXPEND ALL THE FUNDS, THEN IT'LL, IT'LL CARRY OVER.
'CAUSE HOPEFULLY SOME, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE A, A BIGGER BUSINESS THAT'S TRYING TO, TRYING TO APPLY.
BUT THE IDEA, I THINK REALLY THE IDEA, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A HARD TIME REIMBURSING FOR PAINT.
I THINK, I THINK THE CRITERIA SHOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE WE PUTTING, ARE WE GONNA HELP A BUSINESS ACTUALLY MAYBE MOVE FROM A HOME-BASED BUSINESS TO NOW A STRUCTURE? SO I THINK THAT'S THE IDEA WE'RE TRYING TO GET, WE'RE TRYING TO INCUBATE, RIGHT? UM, 'CAUSE THIS, I MEAN WE'VE, WE'VE CALLED THIS MANY, MANY, WE TERMS, RIGHT? INCUBATOR OUT WALLS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THE IDEA IS WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET BUSINESS OWNERS IN BUSINESS IF THEY'RE FROM EITHER THEIR HOME DESK, WHATEVER.
AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO CERTAINLY TAKE CARE OF OUR CURRENT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO EXPAND.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE I WANT THE FOCUS ON.
UM, AND, AND MAYBE WE CAN REALLY FOCUS ON EDUCATING THAT IF IT'S WORKING THROUGH THE CHAMBER, HAVING THEM AND GIVING THEM ALL, ONCE WE DEVELOP THIS CRITERIA AND POLICY, LETTING THEM SEND THAT TO THEIR MEMBERSHIP SO THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN GO AND, AND, AND DISTRIBUTE THAT.
UH, I JUST, I WANNA SEE REALLY FOCUS ON, ON REALLY THE SMALL BUSINESS ITSELF.
WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOCUS ON LARGE BUSINESSES AND I THINK THE INTENT OF THIS WAS, WAS REALLY THAT TYPE OF ARENA.
I THINK THAT MESSAGE HAS COME ACROSS PRETTY CLEAR.
SO I, I, I THINK MY ONLY QUESTION FOR YOU, 'CAUSE I DO HAVE ONE PERSON THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, WOULD BE, HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU GOTTEN ENOUGH DIRECTION TO AT LEAST PROPOSE SOMETHING, UM, FOR THE NEXT MEETING? AND IT MAY, IT MAY BE NEXT MEETING, IT MAY BE A MEETING OR TWO.
SO I, I THINK WE'VE GOT ENOUGH DIRECTION TO BRING YOU SOMETHING, UH, THAT IS MORE OF A, UM, MORE OF A FLESHED OUT POLICY TYPE DOCUMENT.
WE DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S PREPARED THAT, THAT WASN'T, AGAIN, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THE, UM, IF THERE'S A WAY TO, TO RE OR TO TO PAY UPFRONT.
SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO THAT AS REALLY THE BIGGEST PIECE.
UM, I DO WANNA TALK TO, UM, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT, UM, HOW WE WOULD KINDA USE THIS EITHER TIERED OR PHASED APPROACH.
UM, SO I, I, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING NEXT MONTH FOR YOU.
THAT'LL, THAT'LL, AND, AND IF WE FIND, IF WE DON'T HAVE DECENT INFORMATION ON THE, UM, THE PAY UPFRONT PIECE OF IT, WE'RE PREPARED TO PRESENT WHAT WE HAVE AND THEN COME BACK AND ADD THAT TO THE PROGRAM LETTER.
WE, WE, WE SEE THIS AS AN EVOLVING PROGRAM.
OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST PIECE OF IT, IT'S ALREADY BEEN AMENDED BEFORE.
SO WE SEE THIS AS THE NEXT, THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF THIS AND WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP ADDING TO IT AS WE FIND OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
AND, AND WITH THAT, SO I, I WOULD ASSUME, LIKE IN BANKING, SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AND GIVE SOMEBODY MONEY UPFRONT, I WOULD ASSUME THEN, THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASK FOR SOME TYPE OF FINANCIAL ASSURANCE FROM THEM THAT, HEY, WE, I DO HAVE THE MONEY.
HERE'S SOME BANK STATEMENTS TO SAY, UM, I'M GOING TO GET THIS DONE.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO TRY TO REDUCE THAT, THAT AMOUNT OF RISK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WE WOULD ONLY ENTERTAIN DOING IT IF THERE WAS NO RISK TO THE CITY.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION BEING THE ONE TO HOLD THAT RISK, AND THEN WE WOULD PAY THEM.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S GONNA WORK OR NOT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE, THE DETAILS OF HOW THAT MIGHT WORK.
JUST, WE TRIED SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK AT THE OUTSET OF THE PROGRAM AND NOBODY WOULD TOUCH IT, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS UNDER A DIFFERENT, IT WAS UNDER A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES.
SO THIS, WE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. ISAACS, YOU HAVE, UM, I'M ASSUMING THREE MINUTES, MR. PRESIDENT, HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? I'M DOING FINE.
HOW YOU DOING MS. ISAACS? UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT THIS AFTERNOON AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED.
UM, I'M PLEASED THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT MORE WAYS TO GAIN ACCESS FOR A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THIS, UH, IMPROVEMENT GRANT, I BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO NARROW THE SCOPE TO THE MOST, UH, BUSINESSES THAT NEED THIS THE MOST
[00:40:01]
AND, UH, THE MOST IMPACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH HERE IN THE CITY TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER.UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE DECIDE WHAT THESE METRICS ARE AND WHAT THESE NEW, UH, STIPULATIONS ARE, OR SOME FOLLOW UP ON THE CURRENT BUSINESSES, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS MEASURING, UH, THE IMPACT, UH, CONTINUOUSLY AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD.
YOU HEARD MR. SCRIBNER SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT LOOK FOR MORE FUNDING LATER ON IF IT'S ALL SPENT.
UH, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO, UH, MEASURE HOW WELL CURRENT FUNDING IS GOING SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT, UH, LATER ON TO HAVE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS FUNDING.
I HAD THE SAME CONCERNS THAT SOME OF YOU DID ABOUT THE $250,000 POSSIBLY GOING TO ONE PERSON.
I THINK THAT, THAT UNDERCUTS, UH, LIKE MR. UH, PRESIDENT WAS SAYING ABOUT THE, UH, THE INTENT OF THIS GRANT SUPPOSED TO HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE OR SMALLEST BUSINESSES.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, KEEP THE SCOPE FOCUSED ON THAT.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, THE METRO, UH, THE, UH, EVALUATION CRITERIA BEING TAKEN AWAY.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING IN, IN THERE, UH, SOME SORT OF POINT SYSTEM.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TERRIBLY RIGID, BUT SOME SORT OF POINT SYSTEM THAT WAY.
EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME PLAYING FIELD FROM A $10,000 EXPENSE TO A 40,000 EXPENSE.
THEY CAN HAVE THE SAME PLAYING FIELD AND JUST BE BASED SOLELY ON MERIT ALONE.
NOT WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW THEM, NOT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, YOU THINK IT'S GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT WITHOUT ANY SORT OF SCORING, UH, TAKING PLACE HERE.
SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE EVALUATION CRITERIA OR AT LEAST SOME EXTENT OF IT.
UH, I ALSO HEARD THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US AREN'T THE BEST COMMUNICATORS WITH PUTTING THIS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY HERE, BUT, UH, AS A PUBLIC ASSISTANT, I'VE BEEN HELPING AS BEST AS I CAN TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT.
AND I THINK WE COULD THINK CREATIVELY ON HOW TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, JUST SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THESE.
WHAT SORT OF CAMPAIGN CAN WE LAUNCH TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE? UM, WE'VE SEEN THE MAYOR AND OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT WE'RE DILIGENTLY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER, UH, NEW TOOLS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
UH, PERHAPS WE CAN THINK OF SOMETHING TO DO, UH, WITH THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH THE, UH, UH, BUSINESS, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET MORE FUNDING FOR THIS.
OFTENTIMES FOR THIS BOARD AND, AND CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, WE, WE FUND A LOT OF BIG BUSINESSES AND, UH, WE GIVE THEM TAX BREAKS, WE GIVE THEM INCENTIVES, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE CONTINUE TO, UH, KEEP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN MIND.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT DIRECTORS.
UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS? IF NOT, WE'LL GO ON.
SO WE'LL RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE
[a. Receive the Monthly Construction Status Report for the Baytown Hotel and Convention Center Project.]
MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORT FOR THE BAYTOWN HOTEL CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT.I'M HAPPY TO WELCOME, UH, HUGH CRONIN FROM BROADUS.
AND MARK BULLARD SHOULD HAVE JOINED US BY ZOOM, UH, HUGH, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THE, UH, MDD, IT'D BE HELPFUL JUST TO GO, UH, TO GO OVER THIS WITH YOU.
UM, WE EMPLOY BROADUS TO ACT BOTH ON OUR BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOND HOLDERS TO ENSURE THAT THE, THE WORK, UH, ON SITE IS, AS THE CONTRACTOR HAS TOLD US IT WOULD BE, UH, MARK AND THE TEAM AT THE GPP AS GARFIELD PUBLIC PRIVATE ARE OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, AND THEY'RE ALSO OUR AGENTS IN ENSURING THAT THE, UH, THE QUALITY OF THE BUILD IS, IS AS AGAIN, WE WOULD EXPECT.
UM, I'LL TURN OVER TO HUGH AND HE CAN TALK YOU THROUGH THE REPORT, WHICH WAS AS OFF THE END OF DECEMBER.
I HAVE A FEW OTHER, UH, UPDATES FOR YOU AS WELL, SIR, AFTER THAT, BUT I'LL ASK YOU TO, TO SPEAK TO THE, TO REPORT ITSELF.
MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, CURRENTLY THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY, UH, DPR IS BILLED 82% OF THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT.
WE HAVE REVIEWED THOSE PAY APPLICATIONS AND APPROVED THOSE FOR PAYMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR CONTRACT SCHEDULE, THE PROJECT DURATION, THEY'RE APPROXIMATELY 85% COMPLETE, UH, WITH THE WORK IN PROGRESS.
THE ORIGINAL SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE WAS THE 24TH OF FEBRUARY.
UM, WE EXPERIENCED, OR DPR EXPERIENCED SOME MATERIAL DELAYS.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE OF THAT.
UH, THE CHILLERS THAT SUPPORT THE BUILDING, UH, AREN'T GONNA ARRIVE UNTIL LATER THIS MONTH, THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN USING TEMPORARY CHILLERS ON SITE, SO THAT WORK CAN STILL ADVANCE, BUT IT HAS IMPACTED THEIR SCHEDULE A BIT.
UH, THE CURRENT, UH, ANTICIPATED SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE IS 24 MARCH.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE REPORT IN OUR, UH, MONTHLY UPDATE THAT WAS SENT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
UH, I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'LL BE CHALLENGED TO REACH
[00:45:01]
THAT 24 MARCH SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION.UM, ALONG WITH THAT, THERE WAS ANOTHER MONTH BUILT IN TO FINAL COMPLETION AND THEN HOTEL OPENING.
SO WE DO HAVE A BIT OF A BUFFER.
UH, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON INCREASING, INCREASING THE CREWS AND POTENTIALLY WORKING EXTENDED HOURS.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE UNDER THE GUN.
IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO GO OUT THERE, UH, YOU COULD MOVE INTO A ROOM ON THE SECOND OR THIRD FLOOR TODAY.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABOUT FINISHED THERE.
THEY'RE DOING, UH, THE FINAL PUNCH ACTUALLY HAVE SCHEDULED PUNCH ON THE THIRD FLOOR, THE, THE INITIAL WALKS OF UNITS WITH HYATT, UH, AND THE DEVELOPER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ROOMS ARE MEETING THE STANDARD BEFORE THEY START TURNING OVER THE ROOMS. OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS ON, I, I WOULD ASSUME WHEN WE GET, WHEN IT'S SAFE, UM, PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND, AND GET US OUT AGAIN TO, TO TOUR IF WE CAN.
SO I WOULD KIND OF GET THAT WHEN IT'S NEAR COMPLETION.
I, I WOULD SAY ANYTIME AFTER NEXT WEEK IN THE NEXT, UH, YOU KNOW, NEAR THE END OF THIS MONTH WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO GO.
UH, BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE A LOT MORE, UH, AT LEAST TO THE GUEST ROOMS COMPLETE AND THE, UH, PROGRESS ON THE CONVENTION CENTER.
I WILL TELL YOU, I GET A LOT OF INTEREST IN, IN PEOPLE WANTING TO HOLD LARGE EVENTS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER ALREADY.
SO, UM, I KNOW THERE WAS A SALES MANAGER THAT WAS ALREADY ASSIGNED BY HYATT, AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, JUST TO, AGAIN, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE FINAL GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
WE ARE STILL IN DEEP IN CONVERSATION, DISCUSSION WITH DPR TO, UH, FLUSH THAT OUT.
I DIDN'T INDICATE TO YOU THAT THERE ARE COST OVERRUNS LIKELY ON FURNITURE FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE CONTRACT WITH DPR.
UH, AND I KNOW MARK FROM GPP AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PUSH THOSE COSTS DOWN AS FAR AS HE CAN.
BUT I'M, I'M TELLING YOU, I WILL, I'M ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL BE AMENDING THE DEVELOPMENT BUDGET PROBABLY AT THE NEXT MEETING TO RECOGNIZE THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS.
THANKFULLY, WE DO HAVE CONTINGENCY, WHICH WE SHOULD BE, UH, ABLE TO APPLY AGAINST IT, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU, WE'LL NEED TO, I BELIEVE, NEED TO, UH, AMEND THE DEVELOPMENT BUDGET TO REFLECT THAT, UH, ON THE FINAL GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
AGAIN, WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING THAT BACK TO YOU, HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, THERE ARE ITEMS OF COST, UH, THAT I THINK IN FAIRNESS, UH, WE SHOULD PAY, UH, THAT WERE NOT CAUSED BY THE CONTRACTOR, BUT BY FACTORS OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL THAT WAS WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT.
AND THOSE WOULD BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AND AGAIN, WOULD NECESSITATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT BUDGET.
UH, ALBEIT I'M HOPING TO CONTAIN, UH, AT LEAST THE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS WITHIN THE EXISTING CONTINGENCIES.
BUT, UH, MORE OF THAT HOPEFULLY BARN NEXT MEETING, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BUTTON THOSE OUT.
[b. Receive the Baytown Municipal Development District’s Quarterly Financial and Investment Reports for the Quarter Ending September 30, 2022.]
TO THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, FOUR B.SO WE RECEIVE THE BAYTOWN MD'S QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 22.
GOOD EVENING, THERESA MCKENZIE.
AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT.
UH, AS OF PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022.
UM, AS OF THE END OF THE YEAR, WE BROUGHT IN A LITTLE OVER $8 MILLION IN REVENUE.
OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES WAS A LITTLE OVER 6 MILLION, LEAVING US A FUND BALANCE OF $2.5 MILLION.
AND AS FAR AS OUR QUARTERLY INVESTMENT EARNINGS, WE BROUGHT IN $12,870 FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REPORT? OKAY, THANK YOU MA'AM.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE MANAGER'S REPORT, UM, I'D LIKE, UM, TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MS. MAYOR HERNANDEZ SERVED ON MDDI BELIEVE FOR 14 YEARS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, BUT CERTAINLY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, SO SHE, SHE DID, UH, PASS RECENTLY.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT, I KNOW I SPOKE WITH HER IN DECEMBER BEFORE HER PASSING, AND WE HAVE A CONVERSATION.
UM, SHE, SHE DID EXPRESS HOW, HOW MUCH THAT THIS REALLY MEANT FOR HER, CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE'S WAS A LONG MEMBER, UH, SERVING IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PARTICULARLY THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL, UH, WITH THAT.
AND SO I WANNA, UM, IF I, IF I MAY, AND IT WAS ON THE SUGGESTION ALSO COUNCILMAN ALVARADO, UH, TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SI SILENCE.
UM, I KNOW WHEN I SPOKE WITH MS. HERNANDEZ, SHE WAS SO WORRIED THAT WE WERE GONNA KICK HER OFF OF MDD AND, UH, AND WE DIDN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LONG, LONGSTANDING CITIZENS THAT SERVE IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES IN OUR CITY.
AND, UH, SHE, SHE JUST WANTED, SHE, IF SHE HAD THE ABILITY TO PHYSICALLY, SHE WOULD'VE CONTINUED TO SERVE.
[00:50:01]
I JUST ASK THAT WE HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR, FOR THE SERVICE SHE, SHE HAS PROVIDED TO THIS BOARD AND CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY.SO WITH THAT, UM, PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS.
[a. The next Baytown Municipal Development District meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 4:30 p.m., in the Council Chamber located at City Hall, 2401 Market Street, Baytown, Texas, 77520. ]
UH, MGD BOARD MEMBERS.UM, UH, THE NEXT MEETING IS, UH, CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 2ND AT FOUR 30.
UH, ONE THING TO CONSIDER THAT, UH, WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU, UH, TO DISCUSS IN THE FUTURE.
AS YOU HEARD, THE HYATT IS FINISHING UP, UH, WITH THE HYATT FINISHING UP.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEW PROJECTS FOR THE MDD BOARD TO, UH, UNDERTAKE.
SO WE'LL BRING THAT AND, AND THEN I THOUGHT WE'RE DONE.
AND SO WITH THAT, UH, BEING THAT THE, THE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT HAS ADDRESSED ALL POST AGENDA ITEMS, THIS MEETING OF THE MD IS NOW ADJOURNED.