Sep 14, 2023 Special Municipal Development Committee

[00:00:20]

SO,

[ BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT NOTICE OF MEETING BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT SPECIAL MEETING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 4:45 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]

IT IS 4:47 PM WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

WE HAVE OUR ITEM ONE A IS TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER

[a. Discuss and consider the recommendation of the Boards and Commissions Ad Hoc Committee regarding the Municipal Development District Board.]

UM, YES MA'AM.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

UM, SO IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UM, WE DISCUSSED, UM, SOME CHANGES TO OUR MDD PROCESS, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, MS. BETON COURT RECOMMENDING THAT WE BRING THIS ALSO TO THE MDD BOARD.

UM, WAS THAT YOU? IT WAS MARTIN.

IT WAS MARTIN.

THANK YOU MARTIN.

UM, .

IT WAS YOU.

IT WASN'T ME.

UM, THAT, TO BRING THIS TO MDD.

SO THEY ARE ALSO AWARE OF SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING.

UM, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION, JUST WANNA GIVE FEEDBACK, UM, FROM OUR MDD MEMBERS.

AND, UM, FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT HERE, WHAT WE'VE ASKED, UM, IS FOR, UM, OUR CITY CLERK, UH, TO COMBINE, UM, THEIR FEEDBACK THROUGH EMAIL OR HOWEVER THEY WANNA SEND IT TO HER.

SO WE CAN SEE THAT BEFORE, UM, ACTION IS TAKEN, UM, THROUGH COUNSEL.

UM, SO YOU'LL NOT BE THE LONE WOLF, MR. GARY.

SO , UM, SO WE'RE GONNA PROCEED, UM, I CAN'T, LEMME SEE IF I CAN SEE IT ON HERE.

YEAH.

SO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO REVIEW BOARDS AND COMMISSION, UM, IS MYSELF, UM, SARAH GRAHAM, DISTRICT TWO, AND HEATHER BENTON, COURT DISTRICT FOUR.

UM, AND SO OUR, UM, PURPOSE WAS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS POLICIES, PROCESSES, AND PROCEDURES FOR ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

UM, SO IT WASN'T JUST FOR MDD, UM, AND AS A REMINDER, UM, SOME OF THIS, UM, DIRECTORS YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN AT A PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, TO BRING IT BACK.

SO CURRENTLY THE PURPOSE OF MDD IS TO MANAGE SALES TAX RECEIVED TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWTH THAT WILL ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.

UM, THERE'S CURRENTLY 13 MEMBERS, AND THAT'S THE SEVEN ELECTED, UM, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WHICH SERVE AS, UM, DIRECTORS AND OUR SIX NON-ELECTED, UM, MEMBERS, WHICH ARE AT LARGE CITIZENS, UH, APPOINTED BY COUNCIL.

UM, OUR MEETINGS ARE HELD MONTHLY ON THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH.

THE PROPOSAL, UM, IS TO, UM, UH, RESTRUCTURE AND HAVE THE PURPOSE BE THE MANAGE THE SALES TAX TAXES RECEIVED TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWTH THAT WILL ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.

UM, WE DID HEAR YOU IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER, UM, UH, WELL, WE DID HEAR COUNCIL, UM, WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE KEPT IT AT SEVEN MEMBERS.

SO EACH COUNCIL AND, UH, MAYOR, UM, CAN STILL, UM, SELECT SOMEONE AT LARGE TO SERVE ON THIS NEW STRUCTURED BODY.

UM, MEETINGS WOULD BE, UM, HELD CONCURRENTLY WITH CITY COUNCIL MEET, UH, COUNCIL MEETINGS AS NEEDED.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ABSORBING, UH, MDD BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO AWAY WITH IT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE MDD.

AND SO WE'RE GONNA ABSORB THAT INTO, UM, THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS ALONG WITH THE, UM, UH, WHAT IS IT, THE PUBLIC FACILITY OR HOSPITALITY AND PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION.

SO ALL OF THAT WOULD BE, UM, UH, MESHED TOGETHER.

AND SO THEY COULD BE HELD CONCURRENTLY.

IT COULD BE THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, UH, A MDD MEETING, UM, ET CETERA.

SO THE NEW BODY WOULD BE, UM, CALLED, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

UM, AND THE PURPOSE, UH, AS AN ADVISORY BOARD WHO WORKS WITH THE CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF TO IDENTIFY AND REVIEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL GROW AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO REVIEWING BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANTS AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL.

UM, IT WILL BE THE SEVEN NON-ELECTED MEMBERS AT LARGE CITIZENS APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS HELD QUARTERLY, BUT AS NEEDED.

SO WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO, UM, WORK WITH STAFF TO DECIDE HOW MANY MEETINGS THERE MAY BE SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT THEY NEED MORE THAN JUST QUARTERLY MEETINGS, BUT IT WOULD BE UP TO THEM.

[00:05:01]

WE DID HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK FROM THE LAST TIME, BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANNA DO TO, UM, IS, UM, AGREED TO MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.

SO, UM, WE WILL REVIEW, UM, ALL OF THE FEEDBACK THAT'S BEEN GIVEN AND, AND THE TYPE OF MEMBERS THAT WE WANNA HAVE ON THIS NEW BODY, UM, ONCE THE, UM, NEW STRUCTURE IS APPROVED.

WHOOPS.

UM, SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

UM, AGAIN, WE WON'T, WE WON'T LOOK AGAIN AT THIS UNTIL WE GET INTO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO DISCUSS IT A LITTLE FURTHER AND AGREE ON THE, UM, NEW STRUCTURE.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW, I THINK, UM, I AM JUST GONNA OPEN IT UP TO BOTH MY, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK OR INFORMATION THEY WANT TO PROVIDE.

AND THEN TO THE DIRECTORS AT LARGE, TO CLARIFICATION, SO THIS IS CHANGING FROM THE STANDARD, STANDARD MVD BOARD THAT WE'RE USED TO MM-HMM .

TO CONTINUING WITH THE SEVEN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

RIGHT.

AND, AND THEN JUST ADDING AN, UH, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND NOT REALLY HAVING A BOARD E EXACTLY.

SO THE CURRENT MEMBERS THAT ARE, UH, OR CITIZENS THAT ARE ON WITH CITY COUNCIL WOULD ROLL OVER INTO THIS, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL IF THEY FIT WITHIN, UM, THE, THE PARAMETERS THAT WE SET AS A COUNCIL ON WHO NEEDS TO BE THERE.

IN THE PAST, WE DISCUSSED TO ENSURE THAT SOMEONE FROM RETAIL, UH, THAT HAS A RETAIL BACKGROUND, A REALTOR, A FINANCE PERSON, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW MANY, UM, THE CITIZENS AT LARGE, BUT THERE WILL BE PARAMETERS, UM, TO HAVE THOSE SPECIALTY, UM, INDIVIDUALS TO SIT AND THAT ARE ABLE TO GIVE GUIDANCE AND HAVE THE EXPERTISE THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ADVANCE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S CHANGING FROM THREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SEVEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

UM, WELL, IT WOULD BE SEVEN FOR THE ADVISORY C SEVEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT WITHIN THOSE SEVEN, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME OF THEM TO HOLD THOSE SPECIAL, UM, UH, DESIGNATIONS.

AND, AND WHEN IS THIS EFFECTIVE? UH, WE WILL MAKE IT EFFECTIVE ONCE EVERYTHING IS APPROVED.

IT'S NOT GONNA BE APPROVED HERE BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.

UM, AND SO IT'LL BE DISCUSSED AT CITY COUNCIL, UM, THIS EVENING.

UM, UH, JUST THE GO AHEAD TO GIVE APPROVAL FOR THE NEXT, UH, FOR THE STRUCTURE, AND THEN THE COMMITTEE WILL COME BACK, REVIEW, UM, THE FEEDBACK, UM, THAT IS GIVEN TO US, UM, WRITE THE, WITH STAFF'S, HELP WRITE THE RESOLUTION, UM, TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE, AND THEN IT'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO HEAR FEEDBACK FROM ANY MDD MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT HERE TODAY.

OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAD.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER FEEDBACK OR, I THINK, I MEAN, MY OPINION, I BELIEVE WE GAVE A LOT OF FEEDBACK THE LAST FEW MEETINGS, AND I'M GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. ENGRICH SPOKE UP AT LEAST.

UM, I THINK THE IDEA IS TO, TO HAVE WHERE PRETTY MUCH THE AT LARGE CITIZENS HAVE A MORE OF A, OF A FORUM AMONGST CITIZENS ITSELF.

UM, THAT WAY THAT WE, WE FELT THERE WAS MAYBE SOME FEELINGS OF, WELL, COUNCIL, THEY SEE THIS STUFF ALL THE TIME, SO LET THEM DO THE DISCUSSION AND LET THEM, YOU KNOW, MAKE DECISIONS.

AND THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT WE, WHAT WE, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS WHAT Y'ALL WERE TRYING TO MM-HMM .

KIND OF REPURPOSE WHERE IT'S A, IT'S A SEVEN MEMBER CITIZEN COMMITTEE AND THEN THEY WOULD BE MORE FREE FLOWING OF COMMUNICATION AND DECISIONS .

OKAY.

OKAY.

WELL WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? OKAY.

IF NOT, WE'LL, I THINK WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.

IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM TWO A IS TO CONSIDER

[a. Consider a resolution approving a Business Improvement Grant application not to exceed $50,000.00.]

THANK YOU.

UM, MR. PRESIDENT AND DIRECTORS AMELIA VARRIO, SENIOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ANALYST FOR THE CITY.

UH, WE HAVE A FEW, UH, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT REQUESTS THIS EVENING.

THE FIRST BEING 1801 DECKER DRIVE OR SPECIES GYM.

JUST TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE LOCATION, UH, DECKER DRIVE, UM, KIND OF SOUTHEAST OF THE, UM, 1 46 AND THREE 30 THERE.

UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME IMAGES OF KIND OF WHAT IT PREVIOUSLY LOOKED LIKE AND, UH, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

NOW.

JUST LET ME KNOW IF I'M GOING TOO QUICKLY ON SOME OF THESE.

IT'S ING.

UM, WHILE THESE ARE GOING AMONGST THE, UM, THE ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS, THOSE WOULD INCLUDE, UH, AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS,

[00:10:01]

UM, SO ALTOGETHER THEY HAVE INVESTED, UH, NEARLY $304,000 INTO THE PROJECT AT LEAST.

UM, BASED ON THE REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION, THE POINT KIND OF MATRIX SYSTEM THAT WE USE TO SCORE THE APPLICATIONS, UM, THE ONLY COLLECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS ARE WITHIN TIER THREE THAT WOULD WARRANT, UM, US RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A TIER THREE GRANT ONLY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE THIS EVENING, IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A TIER THREE, WHICH, UH, THE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION ON THAT IS 50,000, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT BASED ON THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR.

HOWEVER, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING, UM, A WAIVER TWO SECTION 4 2, 4 0.2, THAT, UM, DOES SET THAT 70 KIND OF PERCENT SCORING LIMITATION ON THERE.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.

THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EITHER FOR THE APPLICANT OR FOR STAFF REGARDING ITEM TWO A? I DO HAVE, YES, MA'AM.

UM, THIS DOES SIT WITHIN MY DISTRICT AND, UM, I DID TALK TO, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS, AND WE WENT THROUGH THE APPLICATION SCORING SYSTEM AND, UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE NUMBER OF UPDATES AND RENOVATIONS THAT THEY, THEY HAVE MADE, UM, TO THIS BUILDING.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, IT IS A VERY BUSY, UH, BUILDING AND THEY'RE DOING REALLY WELL.

UM, IN TERMS OF THEIR BUSINESS.

UH, I, I DID CONSIDER THE WAIVER, UM, HOWEVER, THE SCORING SYSTEM ON IT WAS, I, I THINK IN, IN MY MIND, TOO LOW BE BEHIND, UH, BELOW THE THRESHOLD, WHICH IS A MINIMUM OF 70.

UM, IF IT WAS MAYBE 60, 65, UM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET IT TO, UM, UH, AN APPROVAL, UH, OR AT LEAST ABOVE THE THRESHOLD.

UM, SO AT, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD NOT, UH, BE IN FAVOR OF THE WAIVERS.

HOWEVER, MY QUESTION IS, UM, WOULD THEY BE CONSIDERED FOR ANY TYPE OF TURS OR OTHER FUNDING? UM, IS IT WITHIN EVERY REINVESTMENT ZONE WHERE THEY CAN GET, UM, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT? UH, IT IS WITHIN THE REVITALIZATION INCENTIVE ZONE.

I, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT PROGRAM.

UM, BUT IT'S NOT WITHIN A TOURS OR ANY OTHER KIND OF SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT LIKE THAT MM-HMM .

AT THE MOMENT.

SO THEY ARE IN THE RIZ.

THEY'RE IN THE RIZ.

UM, AND SO I, I WOULD ASK THAT MAYBE WE TALK WITH THEM TO SEE IF THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THEY'RE HERE, SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE LOOKED INTO THE RIZ OF THE INVESTMENT ZONE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT THEY CAN GET FROM THAT.

UM, IS THAT NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU LOOKED AT? OKAY.

SO, OKAY.

CAN, CAN SOMEONE FROM STAFF KIND OF WALK THEM THROUGH THAT AND, AND SEE WHAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING SUPPORT WE CAN GIVE OR THEY CAN GET .

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

IF YOU CAN, UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN, I GUESS, THE WAIVER THAT, THAT THE APPLICANT WAS ASKING FOR? YES.

SO, UH, IN TIERS ONE AND TWO, THEY RECEIVE, RECEIVE RESPECTIVE SCORES OF 30 AND 40 BASED ON THE, UH, TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE KIND OF NUMERIC AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS, NOT NECESSARILY THE, UM, DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS OF IMPROVEMENTS AND HOW THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE WEIGHTED.

SO, UM, THAT SECTION OF THE, THE, UH, POLICY REQUIRES A MINIMUM SCORE OF 70%, SO THEY JUST DON'T ADHERE TO THOSE.

SO THEY'RE REQUESTING YOU TO WAIVE THAT AND BASICALLY TO GRANT A TIER ONE AND TWO, UH, GRANT AS WELL AND TO, IN ADDITION TO THE THIRD TIER GRANT? YES, MA'AM.

I'M STILL NOT CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE, WHAT, WHAT IS NOT BEING WAIVED, UM, SPECIFICALLY WHAT IS NOT BEING WAIVED, THE NAME OF IT, BUT WHAT, WHAT IS NOT BEING WAIVED? I, I, SO I'LL SAY WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS ONLY APPROVING A TIER THREE GRANT, SO THE, WHICH WOULD IS A MAXIMUM OF 50,000, UM, OR MATCHING FUNDS.

UM, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS YOU TO CONSIDER GIVING THEM A TIER ONE AND A TIER TWO GRANT, WHICH IS 5,000, AND THEN 25,000.

OKAY.

MAXIMUMS THAT IT WAS, I DIDN'T SEE THAT CLEAR ON THE SLIDE.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

OH.

UM, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW, UH, WHY THEY DIDN'T SCORE? UM, LIKE WHERE THEY LOST POINTS AT ON THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO? RIGHT.

UM, SO TIER TWO IS, IS, UM, ACTIVITIES THAT FALL WITHIN THAT OR, UM, LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS, VARIOUS DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT TYPES OF LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS.

AND THEN THE PARKING LOT.

AND THEN DEMOLITION, THEY ONLY, UH, LOOKED AT ADDRESSING THE RESURFACING OF THE ASPHALT PARKING LOT AND THEN DEMOLITION OF THAT.

SO THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ACTIVITIES WITHIN TIER TWO TO GET THAT, UM, SOME MORE POINTS TO GET TO A 70.

AND THEN TIER

[00:15:01]

SO, UM, THERE'S A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES WITHIN TIER ONE, UM, LIKE LIGHTING, WHETHER THAT BE INTERIOR OR PEDESTRIAN PARKING LOT, AND THEN PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES AND THEN POLE SIGN REPLACEMENT.

SO THERE'S A LOT MORE ACTIVITIES WITHIN TIER ONE.

AND THESE ARE ALL DESIGNED TO REALLY LEVERAGE OUR FUNDING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MOST VALUE OUT OF THE TAXPAYER FUNDS THAT WE'RE DISPERSING HERE.

UM, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT, ARE THESE RE UM, THESE TYPES OF TIER ONE AND TIER TWO ARE THESE REIMBURSEMENT MM-HMM .

GRANTS.

SO IT'S NOT POSSIBLE THAT IF THEY WERE TO BE AWARDED THOSE, THEY WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO, UH, BRING UP THE LANDSCAPING AND BRING UP THE INTERIOR AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS? LIKE, IN OTHER WORDS, WOULD THIS PREVENT THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS? NO.

IF, IF, IF Y'ALL WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WAIVERS, THEN WE WOULD JUST ENSURE THAT THOSE TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE, UH, BEFORE WE WOULD REIMBURSE THEM.

OKAY.

AND THEN MY LAST THING IS THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT IT IS BEING A SPECIES GYM.

UM, I'VE NEVER GOT TO LOOK AT ONE OF THESE APPLICATIONS UP CLOSE.

AND SO, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCORING FOR INTERIOR, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF BUSINESS IT IS, UM, MAYBE THERE'S NOT A WAY FOR THEM TO SCORE AS HIGHLY AS DIFFERENT OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES? I THINK, I THINK IT HAS LESS TO DO WITH THE USE AND MORE ABOUT, WE REALLY GEARED THE PROGRAM TO, UH, OVERHAUL THE EXTERIOR OF BUILDINGS.

OKAY.

AND WE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS INSIDE, BUT IT'S REALLY TO KIND OF REVITALIZE THE OUTSIDE, WHICH KIND OF HAS A CATALYTIC EFFECT OF OKAY.

OVERHAULING AN AREA.

THANK YOU.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT? I THINK MINE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT TOOK US A WHILE TO GET TO THIS.

WE, WE WANTED AN OBJECTIVE METRIC PROCESS, RIGHT? AND SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO RESPECT, I'LL JUST SAY THE STAFFS OR WHOEVER COMMITTEE LOOKS AT THIS, AND IF THEY SCORED 30, THEY SCORED 30, THEY SCORED 40, THEY SCORED 40, THEY SCORED 75, I WOULD SUPPORT THE TIER THREE GRANT.

IF THEY WANT TO GO AND CHANGE THEIR APPLICATION, THEY CAN ALWAYS REAPPLY, I'M ASSUMING WITH A, WITH A DIFFERENT, UM, I GUESS MAYBE DIFFERENT AMENITIES OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, YES.

FOR THE OTHER TIERS.

BUT I KIND OF WANNA RESPECT THE MATRIX SO THAT IT IS OBJECTIVE FOR THIS APPLICANT AND OTHERS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I STAND.

SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE TIER THREE, UM, REIMBURSEMENT THOUGH.

SO WE DO HAVE SOMEONE THAT WAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, UH, LLOYD, IS IT LIGANS? YES, SIR.

UH, I'M, I'M ASSUMING YOU ARE THE OWNER.

UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? UH, YEAH, SURE.

UM, OKAY.

RIGHT HERE.

THIS PODIUM THOUGH.

OKAY.

YES SIR.

SO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

UM, SO MY NAME IS LLOYD LIGGINS.

I'M THE OWNER OR PART OWNER OF SPECIES GYM.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN HERE IN BAYTOWN SINCE 2019.

UM, SINCE THEN WE'VE BATTLED COVID AND A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS.

UM, WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE IT THROUGH ALL THAT.

UM, WE'VE CONTINUED TO EXPAND AS YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE IN THE, IN THE PHOTOS.

UM, THE TIER TWO WAIVER PRIMARILY IS, OR THE REASON WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT BAYTOWN AND HARRIS COUNTY IS PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY TO DEVELOP WHAT'S OLD BAYTOWN BASICALLY.

UM, AND WE DEFINITELY RESPECT THAT.

BUT DUCK IN THE INSIDE IS GOOD, BUT ON THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THE OUTSIDE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.

UM, WHERE WE'RE LOCATED AT OFF OF DECKER DRIVE AND 1 46, UH, IT IS ONE OF MANY ENTRANCES INTO OLD BAYTOWN OR THE MARKET STREET.

UM, AND WHENEVER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ASPHALT VERSUS DIRT OR GRAVEL, ASPHALT BY FAR LOOKS A LOT BETTER.

ULTIMATELY, CONCRETE WOULD BE BEST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, MAKING SOME TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS IS DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, APPLAUDED IN MY OPINION.

UM, SO LOOKING AT THAT, WHENEVER WE ARE CONSIDERING, OR FOR OURSELVES, THE, THE, THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE WAIVER FROM, FROM, FROM Y'ALL, UM, IT'S JUST TAKEN INTO THE CONSIDERATION THAT THE IMPROVEMENT THAT WAS MADE HAS MADE THE ENTRANCE INTO THE AREAS THAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO REVITALIZE LOOK A A LOT BETTER.

UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

UM, POSSIBLY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

AND I DO WANNA THANK YOU FOR OBVIOUSLY INVESTING IN YOUR BUSINESS AND CONTINUE TO GROW AND CERTAINLY, UH, HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO AND, AND I GUESS HAVE, HAVE THE, UH, UM, RESILIENCY TO GET THROUGH COVID IN A VERY DIFFICULT MARKET, I'M SURE.

YEAH, IT WAS ROUGH.

.

ALRIGHT.

YES SIR.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK Y'ALL.

OKAY.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM TWO A, WHICH JUST TO RECAP WILL BE 50,000, WHICH WILL BE A TIER THREE AWARD, UH, REIMBURSEMENT AWARD.

UH, MOTION TO APPROVE, SECOND MOVE.

MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,

[00:20:01]

AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED.

ITEM CARRIES.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO B, CONSIDER RESOLUTION APPRO

[b. Consider a resolution approving a Business Improvement Grant application not to exceed $80,000.00.]

UH, YES, THANK YOU.

UH, SO, UH, SECOND APPLICATION FOR THIS EVENING IS FIVE 10 WEST TEXAS AVENUE, LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT, UM, AT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF TEXAS AVENUE AND, AND NORTH PRET ALSO HAS SOME, SOME LOT FRONTAGE ON DFE AVENUE AS WELL.

UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME IMAGES AS WELL.

THIS IS A MORE KIND OF CURRENT STREET VIEW OF PREVIOUS, UM, EXTERIOR, UH, AFTER DEMOLITION OF COURSE.

SO THEY'RE CLEANING UP THE PROPERTY.

SOME OF THE INSIDE IMAGES, WELL THESE ARE GOING THROUGH SOME, UM, THE ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE, UH, FRAMING MATERIAL AND LABOR, UM, OVERHEAD, UH, GLASS DOOR AND STORM SHUTTER, VARIOUS PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES, DEMOLITION, UM, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DRIVEWAY REPLACEMENT, LANDSCAPE EDGING, FENCING IMPROVEMENTS, LAWN LEVELING RESTORATION, SIDEWALK RESTORATION ALONG WEST DFE, ELECTRICAL WORK, PLUMBING WORK FOUNDATION SAW CUTTING ENERGY CODE COMPLIANCE, UH, FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS AND WALL REPAIR.

UM, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE OF THIS, BUT THIS IS PROPOSED FLOOR PLAN AND THEN THE SECOND FLOOR THERE.

SO, UM, AND THEN SOME OF THE AESTHETIC IMPLEMENTS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.

SO, UH, ALTOGETHER ABOUT $309,000 IN PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS WERE PROPOSED, UH, BASED ON THE REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION AND THE SCORING.

UM, THEY DO MEET ALL THE, UH, MINIMUM SCORING CRITERIA FOR EACH TIER.

SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE FULL, UH, GRANT ELIGIBILITY FOR UP TO $80,000 WITH THIS APPLICATION.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, IS THAT CORRECT? SO WITH THAT, UM, I GUESS, WE'LL, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? AND I BELIEVE THE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE HERE TOO.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, SIR.

UM, LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE STAFF REPORT ON THIS EMILIO YES.

UM, FOR THE TIER TWO, THE 50% MATCH IS 20,000, $97 AND 50 CENTS.

UM, THE TOTAL, SO THE TOTAL REIMBURSEMENT DOWN THERE IS A LITTLE OVER 75, UH, BUT THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE FULL 80.

SO WHAT'S THE REASONING THERE ON BUMPING THAT UP, MR. POWELL? I THINK THE RECOMMENDATION IS ACTUALLY $75,097.

IT'S JUST THE MOTION UP TO 80,000 TO EXCEED ON D NOT TO EXCEED, NOT TO EXCEED $80,000, WHICH IS THE MAX THAT YOU COULD GET FOR MEETING ALL THREE TIERS.

OKAY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

TAKE ME A SECOND TO PROCESS.

WE'RE, OKAY.

SO YOU'RE SAYING NOT EXCEED, BUT YOU WANNA BE SPECIFIC IN THE MOTION THAT IT'S 75,000, $97 AND 50 CENTS.

YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT? YEAH, I MEAN, I GUESS IF WE WERE TO GO WITH A DI, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE, IT'S JUST WHAT KEEPS THEM FROM SUBMITTING 80,000 AND RIGHT NOW SOME, A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES, SO THEY'RE NOT COMPLETED.

SO ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETE, UM, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD PROVIDE US WITH THE PROOF OF PAYMENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE WOULD VERIFY THOSE.

SO DO YOU, SO THE COST COULD CREEP UP AND THEY COULD MEET THAT BUMP UP AGAINST THAT 80.

SO WE JUST WANTED TO LEVERAGE THE TIER AMOUNT.

THE TIER TWO MAY INCREASE TO 25,000.

RIGHT.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS THE TIER ONE AND TIER THREE ARE MAXED DOWN ALREADY MAXED OUT.

YEAH.

RIGHT.

SO THEY'RE JUST ROOMING THAT TIER THREE.

OKAY.

OR TWO, SORRY.

I MEAN, I GUESS I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S FAIR AS ACTUAL RECEIPTS COME IN.

I MEAN, THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR MAX IS AND THEY, I WOULD SAY THEY SCORED HIGH ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THAT.

YES MA'AM.

UH, THANK YOU STAFF FOR WORKING ON THIS AND UM, ALSO TO THE OWNERS, THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING BACK AND, UM, HAVING THE PATIENCE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

UM, THIS IS IN DISTRICT TWO AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO SEE, UM, YOU BOTH PUTTING SO MUCH, UM, EFFORT INTO IMPROVING THAT AREA AND BRINGING, UM, ENTERTAINMENT AND I JUST REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF.

YES, THANK YOU MA'AM.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE BUSINESS OWNERS? IF NOT, UM, MS. GRAHAM, I GUESS I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO B.

UH, MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM TWO B SECOND.

MOTION SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? IF NOT ALL THOSE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

TWO B IS PRESENTED UP TO, UH, FOR, UM, AN A, A GRANT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? UM, CARRIES.

NEXT WE HAVE OUR MANAGED REPORT.

[3. MANAGER'S REPORT]

CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

YES, SIR.

UH, JUST THAT THE OCTOBER MDD MEETING IS CANCELED.

WE, UH, THE, UH, I DO NOT HAVE THE DATE FOR THE NOVEMBER MEETING IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE, UM, RIGHT NOW I JUST WANNA LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT THE OCTOBER MEETING IS CANCELED AT THIS POINT.

[00:25:01]

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, BEING THAT, UH, BAY THE SPECIAL MEETING, THE BAYTOWN MDD BOARD HAS UM, ADDRESSED ALL POSTED AGENDA ITEMS. THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.