* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. OH, THAT. [ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ] [00:00:02] SO I'LL CALL, UH, TO ORDER THE, UH, THIS WORK SESSION OF BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL. IT IS 5:35 PM WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. UM, FIRST WE [1. CITIZEN COMMENTS Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, prohibits the City Council from discussing, deliberating, or considering, subjects for which public notice has not been given on the agenda. Issues that cannot be referred to the administration for action may be placed on the agenda of a future City Council Session.] WILL HAVE OUR ASSISTANT COMMENTS. I BELIEVE WE HAD ONE, UM, CITIZEN THAT DID SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON A COMMENTS. SO I HAVE TO READ THIS SCRIPT TO YOU. IT BASICALLY MAKE SURE THAT YOU BEHAVE AND MAINTAINS DECORUM, WHICH I'M SURE THAT IT WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE WITH YOU. MS. MOEN SAYS THE PURPOSE OF CITIZEN'S COMMENT IS TO GIVE ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS. EVERYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK SHOULD HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST IN THE FOYER OR EMAIL THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING. EACH OF CITIZENS SHALL GIVE HIS OR HER NAME AND, AND ADDRESS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD OF THESE DO OF THESE COMMENTS. THE RULES ALLOW, UH, EACH PERSON ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK ASSIST MAY PASS HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED TO ADDRESS COUNSEL. HOWEVER, NO CITIZEN'S REMARKS SHALL EXCEED THREE MINUTES IN TOTAL. UH, EITHER THE ONE MINUTE OR THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNSEL. I, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND COUNSEL CANNOT DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ON ITEMS FOR WHICH PUBLIC NOTICE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ON THIS AGENDA. SO, MS. MOEN, IF YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. IT WILL GO BY QUICK. I KNOW. I HOPE YOU PRACTICE AT HOME. OKAY. I DID. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UH, TO EACH OF YOU TONIGHT, I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AND HEALTHY MINDS, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. UM, THE MONTH OF MAY IS, UM, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. AND SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A, UM, MAYORAL PROCLAMATION. I HAVE THE WORDS HERE FOR YOU. AND THEN ALSO, UM, BE SEEN IN GREEN CHALLENGE IS TO, UH, WEAR GREEN. YOU'LL NOTICE I HAVE A GREEN RIBBON ON, I'M HAPPY. I HAVE GREEN RIBBONS, AND I'M HAPPY TO PASS OUT A LITTLE LATER. BUT, UM, IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD DO, UM, SOMETHING ALONG THE CITY WITH, UM, PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND, UH, WELLNESS. AND THEN FINALLY, UM, I JUST SAW THAT THERE IS A, UH, SESSION ON THURSDAY, MAY 16TH FROM FIVE 30 TO 7:30 PM AT THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON. UM, THAT IS ON CHALLENGING MISCONCEPTIONS, HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THE ROOT CAUSE TO MOST OF OUR SOCIETAL ILLS HAVE TO DO WITH MENTAL HEALTH, UM, AND MENTAL WELLNESS. SO THE MORE RESOURCES AND, UH, THAT WE CAN GARNER, UM, TO THAT ROOT CAUSE WILL HELP MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES HEALTHY MINDS AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. ALRIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT AS A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. THANK YOU, MS. MANN. THANK YOU. OKAY. I BELIEVE THAT'S EVERYONE WHO HAS, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. AND SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM. WHERE'S THAT? OH, SO IT'S GONNA BE TO RECEIVE AND [a. Receive and discuss a presentation concerning the Arts District Blueprint & Baytown Economic Prosperity Roadmap.] DISCUSS PRESENTATION CONCERNING THE ARCH DISTRICT BLUEPRINT AND BAYTOWN ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ROADMAP. AND WE HAVE MR. SCRIBNER. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UH, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, UH, FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TWO PLANS AT THE SAME TIME. AND THAT IS, UH, THE BAYTOWN ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ROADMAP, WHICH WAS, WE ORIGINALLY CALLED OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN. AND THEN THE ARTS, UH, THE ARTS DISTRICT BLUEPRINT, WHICH WE WERE PREVIOUSLY CALLING OUR DOWNTOWN PLAN. SO, UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT REALLY IS GONNA BE FOCUSING ON THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ROADMAP, BUT IT IS, THE TWO ARE LINKED TOGETHER, UM, UH, QUITE A BIT. AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A, A KIND OF WRAPPED INTO THIS, THAT ARTS DISTRICT, UH, BLUEPRINT AS WELL. SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL KIND OF HEAR ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS. I WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT, THAT WHILE WE ARE, ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE PLANS AND, AND LOOKING AT 'EM FROM A, A, TRYING TO LOOK AT THEM FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT, REMEMBER NUMBER TWO, THAT THESE ARE KIND OF HIGH LEVEL. THESE ARE REALLY TO SET THE VISION, ESPECIALLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF THINGS. WE'VE NEVER REALLY SET THAT VISION AS A CITY BEFORE. AND IF YOU ASKED, UH, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU COME IN AND ASK ONE OF YOU OR, OR ONE OF US, WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHAT THAT VISION WAS FOR THE CITY, YOU'D GET DIFFERENT ANSWERS FROM EVERYBODY YOU ASKED. SO THIS IS REALLY TO KIND OF PUT EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE, TO GIVE SOME IDEAS, TO SET SOME GOALS. UM, AND ALSO, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS IN THE FUTURE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, ANY KINDS OF POLICY DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN THE FUTURE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WE REALLY WANT TO COME BACK TO THESE PLANS AND SAY, DOES IT FIT IN WITH WHAT THAT VISION WAS? SO MAYBE YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE, UH, UH, A REASON THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE WANT TO TARGET A CERTAIN, UM, A CERTAIN TYPE OF BUSINESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD COME BACK TO THIS PLAN AND SAY, HEY, OKAY, THIS MAKES SENSE, OR IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BASED ON THE VISION THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY AGREED ON. UH, [00:05:01] ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UM, IN, ON, UH, WEST TEXAS, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME UTILITY ISSUES, UH, DOWN THERE IN THE FACT THAT THE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT IN A CERTAIN AREA AND NOT REALLY PLANNED FOR, FOR THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW. SO IF WE WANTED TO COME BACK IN AND MAKE A POLICY DECISION AS A CITY, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. AGAIN, WE WOULD KIND OF COME BACK TO THESE PLANS AND SAY, DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? IS THIS WHAT WE HAD IN MIND? IS THIS THE, THE VISION, UH, UM, THAT WE SET FORWARD? SO WITH THAT, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME. UM, UH, GREG FROM KEN KEITH COLLABORATIVE IS HERE, AND HE'S THE ONE WHO'S BEEN MANAGING THESE PROJECTS. SO I'M GONNA LET HIM KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH THIS AND THEN WE WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. UM, I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GO THROUGH WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TONIGHT. I DID WANT TO POINT OUT, I KNOW THAT, UM, IN THE NEWSPAPER LAST WEEK, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT THE, JUST THE, THE, UM, THE ARTS BLUEPRINT. AND THAT WAS, UM, MAINLY BECAUSE THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO P AND Z FOCUSED ONLY ON THAT, THAT DOWNTOWN PLAN, BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUFF, WHILE WE WANT P AND Z TO HAVE A, UH, A KNOWLEDGE OF THAT, IT ISN'T REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THEM. THE DOWNTOWN PLAN WE DID FEEL REALLY NEEDS TO COME THROUGH P AND Z. SO YOU'LL HAVE AN OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM. SO TONIGHT, WE WANT TO SET YOU UP, UH, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED. THE DRAFT WILL BE READY, UH, VERY SOON, SO THAT YOU CAN REVIEW THAT. AND THEN SOMETIME IN MAY, WE WILL BE ASKING, UH, FOR ADOPTION OF THESE PLANS, UH, ASSUMING THAT WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE WITH THOSE. SO WITH THAT, I'LL LET, UM, GREG KIND OF GO THROUGH THE REST. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MARTIN. UM, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, VERY MUCH A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT. UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS GREG LYTRO. I'M A ONE OF PRINCIPALS WITH KEN KEYS COLLABORATIVE. I'M HERE WITH JENNIFER MACK, WHO'S ALSO WITH KEN KEYS COLLABORATIVE. AND AS MARTIN SAID, UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU A VERY BROAD OVERVIEW OF, OF TWO PROJECTS, BASICALLY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP AND, UM, THE, THE ARTS DISTRICT BLUEPRINT, ALBEIT AT A VERY, UM, TRUNCATED LEVEL. SO THIS IS GONNA HIT VERY HIGH LEVEL STUFF. THERE'S A LOT MORE STUFF THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT, BUT WANTING TO RESPECT YOUR TIME. UH, NOT TO GO OVER ALL OF THE STUFF IN DETAIL, BUT REALLY JUST HIT SOME OF THE MAIN HIGHLIGHTS. SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND I, AS MARTIN SAID, THE CITY REALLY SEEMED TO BE LACKING A STRATEGY BEFORE WE GOT INVOLVED. AND SO OUR TASK WAS TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE CITY'S, UH, STRONGEST PITCH. A LOT OF COMMUNITIES WHO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT KIND OF TAKE IT AS A SHOTGUN APPROACH TO IT. THEY WANNA DO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING. AND THERE'S A LOT OF ME, TOOISM THAT HAPPENS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO WHAT, WHAT THIS COMMUNITY IS DOING OR WHAT THAT COMMUNITY IS DOING, AND WE DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO THAT, THAT SCHOOL OF THOUGHT. WE THINK THAT EVERY COMMUNITY HAS ITS OWN, UH, WHAT WE CALL PLACE-BASED ASSETS THAT YOU, YOU CAN LEVERAGE THAT REALLY REVEALS YOUR STRONGEST HAND. AND BY PLACE-BASED ASSETS, I'M TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE THAT YOU HAVE, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMPANIES, THE CORPORATIONS THAT YOU HAVE HERE. SO YOU THROW THAT ALL UP INTO A MASH, WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT. UM, AND EVERY COMMUNITY IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. UM, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PRIORITIZING OPPORTUNITIES AND PRIORITIES, OR PRIORITIZING OPPORTUNITIES, WE LOOK AT THIS LIKE VENN DIAGRAM. SO WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT STRATEGIES MOST WILL MOST ADVANCE YOUR ECONOMY IN TERMS OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT, IN TERMS OF JOB CREATION, WHERE THE, YOUR CITY CAPACITIES IN TERMS OF STAFF RESOURCES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, THE STRONGEST AND WE'RE OUTSIDE RESOURCES THE GREATEST. SO WE LOOK AT THOSE THREE THINGS, AND WHEN WE OVERLAY THOSE THINGS, WE USUALLY COME UP WITH ONE OR TWO KEY IDEAS, BUT USUALLY MORE THAN THAT, THAT YOU REALLY OUGHT TO FOCUS ON. UM, MARTIN MENTIONED THE GOALS. AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONDENSED, UH, LIST OF GOALS THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORKING GROUP THAT WE ASSEMBLED FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRAT STRATEGIC PLAN, OTHERWISE THE ECONOMIC RESPIRATORY ROADMAP. AND SO I DON'T WANNA READ THESE OFF TO YOU, BUT THESE ARE THEM. I'LL JUST HIT 'EM REALLY BRIEFLY. UH, ATTRACT MORE PROFESSIONAL TECHNOLOGY JOBS. UM, CREATE A SMALL, A MORE ROBUST SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM TO HELP SOME SMALL BUSINESSES GROW. UH, DEVELOP MORE WEALTH CREATION PROGRAMS FOR, UH, TARGETED TO LOW AND AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS. BROADEN THE CITY'S RETAIL BASE, UH, IMPROVE THE, THE CITY'S PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS AND REDEVELOP AND REVITALIZE BLIGHTED AND UNDER UNDERUSED PARTS OF THE CITY. UM, AND THEN WHEN WE TAKE A VERY BROAD VIEW, WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT BAY TOWN'S POSITION OR OPPORTUNITY IN THE LARGER HOUSTON METRO. AND YOU START TO MAP OUT WHERE ALL THE JOB CENTERS ARE IN THE METRO. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, THE HOUSTON METRO IS ONE OF THE MOST, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CALL MULTINUCLEATED JOB CENTERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. YOU KNOW, YOU GO UP AND DOWN THE GRANT PARKWAY OR SIX 10, YOU SEE THESE JOB CENTERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. UH, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING OUT HERE IN THE, ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE METRO, UH, AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN [00:10:01] DUBBED, NOT BY US, BUT BY OTHERS, THE METRO EAST. UH, AND WE REALLY THINK THAT WITH THE RIGHT THINKING, THE RIGHT TOOLS, THE RIGHT CAPACITY BUILDING, THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE KIND OF THE EASTERN POLE, THE EASTERN JOB CENTER FOR THE METRO EAST AREA, THAT YOU SHOULD BE THE HUB OF THAT. UH, 'CAUSE NOBODY'S REALLY KIND OF TAKING STAKING CLAIM FOR THAT RIGHT NOW. UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CITY ZOOM IN MORE CLOSELY, YOU KNOW, WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST FOR THE DOWNTOWN OR THE ARTS DISTRICT, BUT OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE, AND WE'LL GET INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, A A MORE OF A MIDTOWN MEDICAL MILE OR MEDICAL DISTRICT IN THE MIDTOWN AREA BY THE HOSPITAL. IF YOU, I'LL SHOW YOU A MAP IN A LITTLE BIT THAT SHOWS A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDICAL FACILITIES THAT ARE ALREADY KIND OF CONCENTRATED IN THAT AREA. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE GATEWAY DISTRICT BY THE, THE OLD MALL. UH, WE HAVE A BAY SHORE BAYFRONT BAYSIDE AREA, UM, AT WEST END. AND SO WE THINK THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, THERE'S TARGETED INCENTIVES AND SPECIFIC LEADING INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY CAN MAKE TO REALLY POP THOSE OUT, IF YOU WILL, AS KEY JOB CENTERS IN THE CITY. UM, THESE WERE PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN A PREVIOUS STUDY DONE BY THE FOUNDATION ABOUT WHAT THE TARGET CLUSTERS FOR THE REGION ARE. AND I DON'T WANT TO GO OVER OLD NEWS FOR YOU, BUT I THINK IT'S STILL, IT'S WORTH REMINDING THAT EARLIER STUDIES IDENTIFIED ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS, UH, AND RECREATION AS BEING YOUR KIND OF, YOUR, YOUR STRONGEST PITCHES. AND SO WE, WE STARTED FROM THAT BASELINE, UH, DEFINITELY ARE HUGE BELIEVERS IN THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SECTOR, BUT IF YOU ASK, YOU KNOW, 90% OF THE, THE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, WHAT'S ONE OF THEIR TARGET INDUSTRIES, THEY'LL SAY ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. IT'S SO BROADEST TO ALMOST BE MEANINGLESS. MM-HMM . SO, UH, WE REALLY HAVE TO BORE DOWN AND IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE SUB-SECTORS THAT MAKE THE MOST SENSE FOR BAYTOWN WITHIN THAT BROAD, HUGE, BROAD SECTOR OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING THAT SEEMS TO MAKE THE MOST SENSE FOR BAYTOWN. AGAIN, BASED ON THE COMPANIES THAT ARE HERE NOW, THE QUALITY OF THE WORKFORCE, YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, YOUR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND THE LIKE. AND SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE THINK ARE THE GREAT, ARE REALLY GREAT SUB-SECTORS FOR YOU TO FOCUS ON. UM, BUT THE THING IS, YOU KNOW, SINCE EVERYBODY'S AFTER ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, EVERYBODY IS REALLY TRYING TO POSITION THEMSELVES WHEN MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THESE BOXES CHECKED WHEN AN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING COMPANY COMES KNOCKING AT THEIR DOOR. AND I THINK IN TERMS OF BAYTOWN, YOU HAVE MOST OF THESE BOXES REALLY CHECKED. I MEAN, WE HAVE A, A GOOD MANUFACTURING BASE NOW. WE HAVE A GOOD LABOR SUPPLY, WE HAVE TECHNICAL TRAINING ASSETS WITH LEE COLLEGE. WE'VE GOT GOT LIKE REALLY POWERFUL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE HERE. WE HAVE SHOVEL READY SITES WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE QUESTIONABLE FROM A, AGAIN, THIS IS FROM LIKE A SITE SELECTOR, SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME FOR AN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING COMPANY, IF THERE'S AN ACHILLES HEEL FOR BAYTOWN AND ALL OF TEXAS, ACTUALLY, ESPECIALLY HOUSTON, IT'S THIS IDEA OF LOW COST, RELIABLE POWER. I MEAN, WE THINK, WE KNOW THAT TEXAS GRID IS NOTORIOUSLY SHAKY. I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NEWS THAT EVEN JUST PA IN THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS ABOUT NOT EVEN SUMMERTIME YET, AND THE TEXAS GRID IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF OF STRESS. SO WE'LL GET INTO THAT, WHAT THAT COULD MEAN. WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES DOES THAT PORTEND FOR YOU ALL? AND THEN COMPETITIVE SCHEDULED INCENTIVES, BY THAT I MEAN, UH, IN INSTEAD THAT ARE COMPETITIVE, BUT ARE ALMOST LIKE A GUARANTEE. SO WHEN A SITE SELECTOR A COMPANY COMES CALLING, THEY KNOW THAT THEY CHECK THESE BOXES, THAT THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEED THE INCENTIVE, NOT THAT THEY'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A SIX MONTH NEGOTIATION PROCESS. AND AT THE END OF THAT, THEY MAY GET AN INCENTIVE. THEY WANNA, THEY WANNA KNOW WITH THE HIGH DEGREE OF CERTAINTY, UH, NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAINTY, BUT HIGH DEGREE OF CERTAINTY THAT THOSE INCENTIVES WILL BE THERE IF THEY DELIVER THE, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT, THE JOB REQUIREMENT AND THE LIKE. AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THESE SCHEDULED ALMOST ENTITLEMENT STYLE INCENTIVES AND THE POWER ISSUE, WHICH I'LL COME BACK TO, TO REALLY, TO REALLY POSITION YOURSELF YOURSELVES AS A STRONG, UM, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, UM, CENTER. AND SO THAT BRINGS ME TO WHAT I THINK IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU ALL, UM, IS THE FACT THAT YOU PROBABLY READ THAT, YOU KNOW, EXXONMOBIL AND THE BLUE HYDROGEN PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN THE CITY, UM, THAT'S A HUGE THING, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S BIG. NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHAT IT IS YET OR WHAT COULD MEAN. BUT, YOU KNOW, HYDROGEN IS REALLY THE HOLY GRAIL IN TERMS OF A NEW ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE RECENT INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, UM, YOU KNOW, $7 BILLION WITH A B HAVE BEEN PUT OUT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP COMMUNITIES POSITION THEMSELVES FOR A HYDROGEN ECONOMY. AND, AND NO SURPRISE, HOUSTON'S ONE OF THOSE METROS THAT'S ONE OF THE TOP HYDROGEN HUBS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE REGION. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR BAYTOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE IN THIS REGION THAT'S BEEN BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A HYDROGEN HUB AND OR YOU HAVE A EXXONMOBIL WHO'S DOING A HYDROGEN PROJECT IN YOUR BACKYARD. UM, YOU KNOW, SO IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO POSITION YOURSELVES AS THE PLACE WHERE THAT REALLY OUGHT TO HAPPEN AND, AND BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT BASICALLY GIVES YOU LIKE MOST FAVORED NATION STATUS WHEN IT COMES TO FEDERAL GRANTS FOR LIKE ENERGY, NEW ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND GRANTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I WON'T GET INTO THIS, THIS IS KIND OF TECHNICAL, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS RIGHT OFF THE EXXONMOBIL'S [00:15:01] BLUE HYDROGEN PROJECT WEBSITE. AND THE THING THAT YOU OUGHT TO, UH, PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO IS THAT SECOND FROM THE LAST BULLET WHERE IT SAYS, A ACCESS TO SURPLUS HYDROGEN AND CO2 STORAGE CAPACITY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO NEARBY INDUSTRY. UM, SO THEY'RE MAKING A PROMISE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS HERE. AND, UH, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR, FOR COMPANIES WHO NEED POWER TO BE ABLE TO TAP OR HOST OFF OF OUR FACILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THE BAYTOWN METRO AREA. AND SO WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING HERE IS THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BAYTOWN TO CREATE AN, AN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INNOVATION POWER PARK, UH, IN BAYTOWN THAT BASICALLY WOULD BE THE, THE PLACE WHERE THE SURPLUS HYDROGEN WOULD BE PIPED TO, TO CREATE CLEAN, RELIABLE, REDUNDANT GRID INDEPENDENT POWER, WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN POWER SUPPLY IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CITY. BASICALLY THAT'S INDE IT CONNECTED TO THE GRID, BUT IT'S ALSO, IT CAN OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE GRID. SO IF THE GRID GOES DOWN, GUESS WHAT? THIS, THIS POWER PARK IS STILL OPERATE, IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT OF THE GRID, AND IT WOULD GIVE A A LOT OF, AGAIN, POWER CERTAINTY, POWER REDUNDANCY. AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE A, A HUGE ATTRACTOR FOR NOT JUST ADVANCED MANUFACTURING COMPANIES, BUT ANYBODY WHO IS IN NEED OF CLEAN, REDUNDANT CONDITIONED, RELIABLE POWER IN THE METRO WHO CAN'T BE GUARANTEED THAT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE METRO. UH, WE THINK IT WOULD BE A REAL BEACON FOR OTHER ADVANCED ENERGY COMPANIES AS WELL, INCLUDING LIKE ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY COMPONENTS AND THE LIKE. UH, SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO THIS? THIS IS A PRETTY BIG CONCEPT. SO COMMUNITIES DO THIS ALL THE TIME. AND THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE GENERALLY THE STEPS. THERE'S A LOT OF INTERMEDIATE STEPS, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES. CREATING A POSITION PAPER TO TELL, YOU KNOW, THE PIECE OF REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP THAT WE OWN. THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS BELONGS HERE IN BAYTOWN. WE WANT YOU TO, TO, YOU KNOW, GO TO THE FEDS WITH US AND, AND GET A PLEDGE FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, GET A PLEDGE FROM DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO REALLY HUB SOMETHING HERE ALONG WITH EXXONMOBIL AND OTHER CORPORATE PARTNERS. UH, COULD INVOLVE CHEVRON AS WELL TO PILOT SOMETHING HERE IN IN BAYTOWN, UH, A FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN. OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO GET THE, YOU KNOW, EXXONMOBIL'S, UH, INVOLVEMENT AND COOPERATION AND LEADERSHIP, UH, WOULD INVOLVE MOBILIZING LOCAL AND REGIONAL POLITICAL LEADERS. AND, UM, AGAIN, THESE INCENTIVES THAT I TALKED ABOUT, ANOTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITY WE THINK, AND THIS IS AGAIN JUST ONE OF SEVERAL WE'VE IDENTIFIED, IS THIS IDEA OF MEDICAL AND HEALTHCARE, WHICH TIES INTO THE YOUTH SPORTS. AND, AND, AND ONE OF THE, UH, UH, CLUSTERS THAT WAS, UH, IDENTIFIED EARLIER AS PART OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BY, UM, UH, THE FOUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION. AND SO YOU START MAPPING OUT ALL THE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN THE GARTH ROAD COURT OR NEAR THE HOSPITAL, IS PRETTY AMAZING. THERE'S A LOT OF HEALTHCARE ALREADY HAPPENING THERE, PROBABLY ORGANICALLY. WE THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY BRAND THIS AREA AND SAY, THIS IS GONNA BE A MEDICAL DISTRICT, THE MEDICAL MILE, AND BE ABLE TO PUT INCENTIVES, FOCUS BUSINESS ATTRACTION, UH, YOU KNOW, ATTRACT HOTELS, INCENTIVIZE HOTELS, INVEST IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO TAKE THIS AREA UP AND MAKE IT A MEDICAL CLUSTER, NOT JUST A HOSPITAL ON AN ISLAND, BUT A MEDICAL DISTRICT AND BRAND THAT, AND PUT STREETSCAPE IN AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS TO REALLY MAKE THAT STAND OUT IN THE, IN THE CITY. AND THEN WE GET DOWN TO DOWNTOWN, WHICH AGAIN, AS MARTIN SAID, IS A, IS A, THE SUBJECT OF A WHOLE SEPARATE CONNECTED, BUT A WHOLE SEPARATE STUDY THAT WE DID. AND THE MAIN THRUST OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, A FLEDGLING DOWNTOWN AREA THAT IS PRETTY COOL, BUT COULD BE A LOT, A LOT COOLER. AND PART OF THE ISSUE IS THAT'S SOMEWHAT ISOLATED. AND, AND ONE OF THE, THE BIG KEY CONCEPTS YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THAT PLAN OR DO TALK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A COLLEGE RIGHT ON ITS DOORSTEP AND A WATERFRONT, AND WE'RE NOT REALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT. AND THERE'S NO CHEMISTRY OR SYNERGY HAPPENING BETWEEN THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A WATERFRONT AND A COLLEGE. SO WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE FOOTPRINT OF DOWNTOWN SPREAD OUT, EXTEND EASTWARD AND BEGIN TO KIND OF SUBSUME LEE COLLEGE. SO THERE'S MORE OF A TOWN TO GOWN RELATIONSHIP AND REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR WATERFRONT. UM, YOU KNOW, AND TO BE IDENTIFIED IN THAT PROCESS BY LOOKING AT EXISTING VACANT LAND, CITY OWNED LAND, UM, WHERE THERE'S MARGINAL BUILDING STOCK AND ALREADY CONSOLIDATED A PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES? AND WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL, BUT THREE STAND OUT IN PARTICULAR AS BEING PARTICULARLY RIPE FOR DEVELOPMENT AS, AS IN LIKE, PEOPLE WHO DO DEVELOPMENT FOR A BUSINESS LIKE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS WHO WANNA DO DEVELOPMENT AT SCALE. UM, AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE, IS THE WATERFRONT. WE THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, THE CITY ALREADY OWNS A BIG CHUNK OF THE LAND THERE IN THE FORMER HOSPITAL SITE. UM, THEY REALLY COULD BE REPOSITIONED TO DO SOMETHING TO LOOK SIMILAR, SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. UM, WE DON'T KNOW IT'S GONNA BE IN THE BUILDINGS YET. AND THAT PART, THAT PLAN, IT COULD BE A HOSPITALITY FOCUS, IT COULD BE, UH, EXPANSION OF LEE COLLEGE. IT COULD BE A NEW URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. IT COULD BE ALL OF THOSE THINGS. UM, BUT REALLY AGAIN, THE IDEA OF, OF EX EXTENDING THE DOWNTOWN OUT TO THE WATERFRONT ENVELOPING AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TAKING ON, UH, LEE COLLEGE IS A KIND OF A KEY KEY THEME HERE. I A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT THIS UP, THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT DOWN ON IT THINKING THAT NOBODY WOULD'VE WANNA BE BY THE, THE WATERFRONT BECAUSE OF THE, YOU YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE OIL AND GAS INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DONE MORE WITH, A [00:20:01] LOT LESS THAN YOU ALL IN TERMS OF, UH, BEING ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON WATERFRONT. AND THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO AMENITIZE THAT WATERFRONT. AN EXAMPLE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITH AIR, AIR JETS AND FOUNTAINS. YOU CAN REALLY, YOU KNOW, NOT CAMOUFLAGE. I, I THINK SOME OF THE, I GUESS ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE MIGHT FIND OBJECTIONABLE, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THINGS IN THE WATER TO MAKE IT CLEANER, TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE. UM, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER MAJOR OPPORTUNITY DOWNTOWN IS THE AREA AROUND TOWN SQUARE, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS JUST A PARK. AND WE'RE SUGGESTING IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE A TOWN SQUARE IN, IN THE SENSE OF CREATING A SPACE WHERE IT'S A, A QUAD, RIGHT? WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, A DOWNTOWN PARK THAT'S FRAMED WITH NEW BUILDINGS, UM, WITH A, A STRONG HOUSING COMPONENT TO KEEP DOWNTOWN ACTIVE AND ALIVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND WEEK. AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN. UM, AND, AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR DOWNTOWN IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE STRONG INSTITUTIONAL ANCHORS THAT A LOT OF DOWNTOWNS HAVE. A LOT OF DOWNTOWNS HAVE THE CITY HALL DOWN THERE. THEY HAVE THE, THE COURTHOUSE AND THEY HAVE THE LIBRARY AND, AND, AND YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MANUFACTURE SOME OF THAT. BUT THE FACT THAT THE CITY ALREADY OWNS A BIG CHUNK OF THE REAL ESTATE DOWN THERE AND THERE'S SOME BIG PIECES AROUND THERE TO, TO HELP, UM, UH, ASSEMBLE POTENTIALLY AND, AND, AND SERVE THAT UP TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WITH INCENTIVES. WE THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A DOWNTOWN SQUARE THERE, AGAIN, MORE THAN JUST A PARK A SQUARE. AND I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY MADE A LEADING PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN THE PARK ITSELF THAT WOULD BE ATTRACTIVE TO DEVELOP DEVELOPERS. AND THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITIES ARE DOING THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE, RIGHT? THE IDEA OF OF OF THE, OF THE, UM, OF THE REINVENTED TOWN SQUARE, WE SEE THAT SUGAR LAND, WE SEE THAT IN KATY WITH MASERA AND NUMEROUS OTHER PLACES THAT ARE TRYING TO RECAPTURE AND PUT A DOWNTOWN SQUARE IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS. WE, YOU HAVE THE, THE BONES TO DO THAT ALREADY. LET'S TRY TO DO THAT DOWNTOWN. SO THEN WE GO INTO LIKE THE, SOME OF THE PROGRAM CHANGES, THE, AND THE INCENTIVES AND HOW DO YOU EXECUTE ALL OF THIS STUFF? HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT IT? SO WE THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MORE, UH, EXPANDED USE OF THE THREE 80 TOOL, WHICH IS A FAIRLY, UM, OPEN-ENDED TOOL, UM, UH, BE ABLE TO EXTEND TAX REBATES BEYOND THE STATE MANDATED A 10 YEAR MAXIMUM. UM, SO I, I WON'T GET INTO ALL THIS, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE UP THE INCENTIVE GAME A LITTLE BIT ON REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND PROACTIVELY HAVE AN AGENCY ACTUALLY GOING OUT THERE AND, AND SELLING THE DEALS AND MARKETING THOSE DEALS, PITCHING THEM TO DEVELOPERS AND RECRUITING DEVELOPERS. 'CAUSE THE PLAN, BY HAVING A PLAN BY ITSELF ISN'T GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN UNLESS SOMEBODY'S ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN AND, AND QUARTERBACKING IT AND MARKETING IT. UM, YOU HAVE THE RIZ PROGRAM, THE REDEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE ZONE PROGRAM. IT GOES UP TO FIVE YEARS CURRENTLY AS A STEP DOWN TAX, UH, UH, REBATE. IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE ENOUGH TO, TO, TO GET DEVELOPERS INTERESTED OUTSIDE DEVELOPERS. I THINK LOCAL FOLKS TAKE GOOD USE OF IT AND, AND HOBBY STYLE DEVELOPERS WHO AREN'T LIKE PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE FOLKS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. IT'S A GOOD TOOL, DON'T GET ME WRONG. BUT FROM ATTRACTING DEVELOPMENT, IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TO ATTRACT DEVELOPERS TO CLOSE FEASIBILITY GAPS. UM, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE COST OF DEVELOPMENT EVERY, EVERYWHERE IN THE HOUSTON METRO IS THE SAME, RIGHT? WAGES ARE GONNA BE THE SAME WHETHER YOU'RE WORKING IN KATY OR WHERE THEY'RE WORK WORKING IN BAYTOWN. YOU KNOW, THE COST OF LAND MAY BE A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER HERE, BUT THE, SO THE COST IS, IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME EVERYWHERE, BUT RENTS AREN'T AS HIGH HERE, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S HARDER TO MAKE A DEAL PENCIL OUT BECAUSE THE RENTS HERE AREN'T AS HIGH. SO THE IDEA OF REALLY AMPING UP YOUR, YOUR INCENTIVES NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO CLOSE THESE REAL FEASIBILITY GAPS THAT, UM, DEVELOPERS WOULD FACE. AND IT HAS TO BE COUPLED WITH ACT PROACTIVE DEVELOPER RECRUITMENT. SO, I'M SORRY, I MISSED SOMETHING. SO THE EXISTING RIS NEEDS TO BE, WE THINK HAS TO BE BECOME A TWO TIERED PROGRAM WHERE THERE'S THE EXISTING PROGRAM STAYS IN PLACE, BUT THEN THERE'S THAT KIND A PREMIUM PROGRAM OR RIS PLUS WHERE WE GIVING PEOPLE A, A FLAT 10 YEAR TAX REBATE IF THEY MAKE A, A MINIMUM CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF $2.5 MILLION. SO A'S TIERED STEP TO PROCESS. AND WE THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU OUGHT TO BE TRYING TO, UM, WORK WITH THE TAXING JURISDICTIONS, THE TAXING BODIES TO GET THEM TO THROW THEIR INCREMENT IN, IN THIS DEAL AS WELL TO, TO REALLY KIND OF SUPERCHARGE IT. I AGREE. UM, UH, SO, AND THE OTHER THING IS FOR, ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN, THE, THE IDEA OF CREATING, AND THIS GETS TO THE IDEA OF HAVING SOMEBODY ACTUALLY QUARTERBACKING THIS REDEVELOPMENT GAME. IT, IT CAN'T JUST BE DONE, UH, 'CAUSE YOU WANT IT TO HAPPEN. UH, BUT CREATING A REDEVELOPMENT ENTERPRISE AGENCIES, A QUASI-PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, THAT WOULD BE, IT COULD BE A, IT COULD BE A SUBSIDIARY OF THE MDD, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT AN ENTITY THAT'S, THAT'S FUNDED AND CHARGED WITH GOING OUT AND MAKING DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN AND RECRUITING DEVELOPERS PACKAGING THESE DEALS UP AND SERVING THEM OUT TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND THE CITIES YOUR SIZE DO THIS ALL THE TIME. THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, THIS IS NOT LIKE OUT OF THE BOX TALK HERE. UM, AND THIS IS HOW IT COULD BE STRUCTURED AND OR FROM AN ORGANIZATION STANDPOINT. UM, SO ANYWAYS, KINDA A HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO, HOW THAT ENTITY WOULD BE, WOULD BE FUNCTION WOULD BE STRUCTURED. UM, AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, FROM YOUR CURRENT INCENTIVES, YOU HAVE LIKE THINGS LIKE THE RIS PROGRAM, THE FIVE-YEAR ABATEMENT, WE'RE SUGGESTING IT BE A TWO TIERED WITH A A 10 YEAR COMPONENT. YOU HAVE [00:25:01] YOUR BIG BROOK PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD, UH, BUILDING IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM. AND THEN YOU HAVE LIKE THE BIG THREE 80 AGREEMENTS AND TAX INCREMENT FINANCE. YOU HAVE A, A GOOD SET OF TOOLS FOR SMALL PROJECTS AND A GOOD SET OF TOOLS FOR REALLY BIG PROJECTS. BUT CHANCES ARE MOST OF THE PROJECTS YOU'RE GONNA GET ARE THE ONES IN THE MIDDLE, THE ONES THAT ARE LIKE 2.5 MILLION TO 20 MILLION, RIGHT? AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE REALLY AN INTERMEDIATE INCENTIVE PROGRAM. NOW YOU NEED TO BUILD AN INTERMEDIATE INCENTIVE PROGRAM. AND ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE, AND IT TEND TO BE A GAP FINANCING PROGRAM, WOULD BE A REVOLVING LOAN FUND THAT YOU'D BE USED PRINCIPALLY FOR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO HELP CLOSE FEASIBILITY GAPS. UM, BUT IT COULD BE USED FOR BUSINESS, UH, LENDING TOO, FOR WORKING CAPITAL GRANTS AND OR, OR LOANS AND THE LIKE, THIS WOULD BE BASICALLY A SOFT SECOND MORTGAGE, A LOW INTEREST EXTENDED AMORTIZATION, SUBORDINATED DEBT, UM, PRODUCT THAT, UH, DEVELOPERS COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TO AGAIN, CLOSE THOSE FEASIBILITY GAPS THAT THEY'RE FACING ARE LIKELY TO FACE, WE BELIEVE, UH, CURRENTLY, UM, AS A FUNCTION OF THE RENTS HERE BEING TOO LOW TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE, THE, THE INVESTMENT AND THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS. AND THAT PROGRAM WOULD BE STACKABLE WITH YOUR EXISTING PROGRAM. SO THEY'D BE ABLE TO STACK, LIKE SAY A REVOLVING LOAN LOAN WITH THE BIG GRANT AND TAX ABATEMENTS AND THE LIKE. AND THEN LASTLY, UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU HANGING IN HERE 'CAUSE THIS STUFF GETS KIND OF DRY. UM, ADJUST THE CORPORATE INCENTIVES THAT YOU HAVE. UM, AND THIS SPEAKS TO THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE WITH THE CITY, BUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO STANDARDIZE SOME OF THESE TWO 12 AGREEMENTS AND NOT TRY TO NEGOTIATE EVERY ONE IN A VACUUM FROM SCRATCH, BUT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, STEER THEM TO THE FAVORITE INDUSTRIES IE UH, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SEGMENT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMPANIES THAT YOU WANT THE MOST ARE BEING INCENTIVIZED THE MOST. AND THE, AND THE ONES THAT YOU WANT THE LEAST ARE BEING INCENTIVIZED THE LEAST. UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY BEGIN TO LOAD THESE TOWARD, UH, INDUSTRIES IN THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SEGMENT. UH, AND THEN TIE THE INCENTIVES TO REAL PERFORMANCE METRICS AND HAVE A SCORING SYSTEM WHERE YOU SAY, OKAY, IF YOU JUST MAKE THIS MUCH CAPITAL INVESTMENT, YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF SIZE PAYROLL, YOU, YOU'RE BRINGING THIS MANY FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT JOBS. YOU GET, YOU ADD THOSE UP AND IT TELLS YOU KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE BASICALLY GONNA GET. AND NOT TRYING TO NEGOTIATE THESE THINGS IN A VACUUM EVERY TIME. THAT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO, IT'S HARD TO, TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IF YOU'RE CONSTANTLY NEGOTIATING EVERY ONE OF THESE DEALS FROM SCRATCH AND THERE'S NOT, YOU'RE NOT REALLY ABIDING BY A METHODOLOGY TO, TO, TO AWARD THESE. AND THEN FINALLY, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW THIS, THE CITY IS BUILT FOR LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION. YOU HAVE A PORT HERE, FOREIGN TRADE ZONE, YOU GOT RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE, HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE MOST LOADED TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, CITY ANY, IN ANY PLACE I'VE EVER WORKED. UM, SO LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES ARE GONNA WANT TO BE HERE ANYWAY. I DUNNO IF YOU SHOULD BE INCENTIVIZING THEM. I MEAN, WE WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT IT IS BAD, IT'S BAD TO HAVE THEM HERE. UM, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF INCENT INCENTING THEM WITHIN THE CITY OF LIMITS, I, I DON'T THINK YOU OUGHT TO BE DOING THAT. I THINK YOU OUGHT TO BE SAVING YOUR LAND FOR, UH, INCENTING PROJECTS. WE'RE ACTUALLY CREATING REAL JOBS, YOU KNOW, JOBS THAT HAVE A CAREER LADDER TO THEM, PAY A FAMILY SUPPORTING WAGE AND, UH, AND HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO BAD MOUTH LOGISTICS JOBS. THEY'RE, THEY'RE FINE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A, FROM A JOB DENSITY STANDPOINT, THEY TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE AND NOT A LOT OF JOBS TYPICALLY ARE IN THEM. AND THE JOBS THAT ARE THERE DON'T ALWAYS PAY. GREAT. SO DON'T MIS UH, DON'T MISUNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING. I'M NOT SAYING DON'T HATE LOGISTICS, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE TO FEEL, YOU HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO HAVE 'EM TO COME HERE. THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO BE HERE ANYWAY. THEY CERTAINLY IN THE CITY. AND I THINK, UH, WITH THAT, OH, ONE LAST SLIDE. SO, UH, IN TERMS OF HOW YOU ORGANIZE YOURSELF TO DO THIS, I THINK WHEN WE FIRST STEPPED FOOT HERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT DOES THE CITY STAFF DO VIS-A-VIS, YOU KNOW, IN RELATION TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION AND THE HOUSTON PARISH, WHAT, HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, INTERACT WITH ALL THESE FOLKS? AND I THINK THE CLASSIC KIND OF WAY TO ORGANIZE YOURSELF AS A CITY IS TO REALLY HAVE THE CITY FOCUS ON THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT, REDEVELOPMENT, UH, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN DOWNTOWN AND SOME OF YOUR STRUGGLING CORRIDORS AND HOUSING. AND THEN HAVE THE EDF BE THE MORE CORPORATE FACING ENTITY THAT'S DOING, YOU KNOW, GENERAL MARKETING FOR THE REGION. UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEE COLLEGE IN THE CITY, DOING THE CORPORATE RECRUITMENT AND THE, THE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT KIND OF STUFF. THE KINDA THE BIG STUFF THEY SHOULD BE DOING. YOU SHOULD BE DOING THE KIND OF THE, THE, THE BRICKS AND MORTAR PROJECTS, THE REDEVELOPMENT WORK, SMALL BUSINESS, UH, DEVELOPMENT AS THEY SAID. AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CURVE IN THESE LANES HERE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS OVER AND THERE SHOULD BE A LOT OF PARTNERING. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE CITY NEEDS TO KNOW KIND OF WHERE IT SHOULD BE LEADING AND WHERE IT SHOULD BE SUPPORTING. AND I THINK IN THOSE THREE BUCKETS IS WHERE THE CITY, CITY STAFF SHOULD BE FOCUSING THEIR ENERGIES AND THEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EDF ON SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY STAFF SHOULD BE GOING OUT TO TRADE SHOWS IN DETROIT TO TRY TO LAND AN AUTO AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS. THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE EDF OUGHT TO BE DOING. UM, NOT THAT ANYBODY'S DONE THAT, I DON'T WANNA SUGGEST THAT SOMEBODY'S DONE THAT, BUT I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION AS TO WHAT DO WE DO HERE? WHAT'S OUR ROLE HERE IN, IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? I THINK THAT [00:30:01] IS THE BREAKDOWN AS WE, WE WOULD RECOMMEND IT. THESE ARE THE GOALS AGAIN. AND THAT'S IT AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY ABBREVIATED PRESENTATION. THERE'S A LOT MORE IN THE, IN THESE, UH, DOCUMENTS, BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AT LEAST, UH, A BRIEFING ON SOME OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT WE, THAT WE'VE, UH, DEVELOPED THUS FAR. SO THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR, UH, SERVING YOUR PRESENTATION. I, I WOULD AGREE. I MEAN, WE, WE DO SPEND A LOT OF EFFORT AND RESOURCES AND, AND TRYING TO ATTRACT, UM, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING THINGS THAT HAVE JOBS, UM, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WHEN IT COMES TO INCENTIVES WITH OUR OTHER TAXING ENTITIES. SO I AGREE 100%. UH, AND THEN, UH, AS FAR AS NOT INCENTIVIZING THINGS SUCH AS WAREHOUSE AND LOGISTICS, I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE LIKE THAT WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS IN ANY WAY. NOT RECENTLY THAT I CAN SPEAK OF RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAID, UM, THE ONE THING, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A, A BLESSING OR A CURSE, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR ACCESS TO THE PORT OF HOUSTON, ACCESS TO RAIL, ACCESS TO WATERWAYS, ACCESS TO INTERSTATES, UH, GRAND PARKWAY, 99, UM, IT MAKES US A, A REALLY DYNAMIC, UM, TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS HUB. YEAH, THERE'S NO DOUBT. OKAY. AND WE'RE, WE'RE VERY NEAR TO A LOT OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING ALREADY WITH THE, THE ENTIRE SHIP CHANNEL, SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. BUT ANYONE OPEN UP TO COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PRESENTATION? COMMENTS? GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WHERE EVERYBODY IS SUPPOSED TO DO THEIR THING. YEAH, THAT'S FINE. YEAH. UM, I AM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM BUILDING. UM, AND I SEE EDF, I SEE LEE COLLEGE, WHERE WOULD OUR CHAMBER FIT, IF AT ALL? UH, IT DID, UH, BOTH. I MEAN, YEAH, THEY COULD BE DEFINITELY INVOLVED. I MEAN, TYPICALLY CHAMBERS, AND I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE HOW BAY TOWN'S CHAMBER WORKS. MM-HMM . A LOT OF CHAMBERS ARE MORE ADVOCACY FOCUSED THAN THEY ARE. UM, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY HANDS UP THE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. BUT, UH, THERE REALLY IS A NEED, I THINK TO CREATE A MORE OF A SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM HERE AND REALLY TO SCALE THAT UP. AND SO ANYTHING THE CHAMBER CAN DO TO PUT A SHOULDER INTO THAT AND SUPPORT THAT AND ADVOCATE FOR IT AND HELP, UM, PULL TOGETHER THE RESOURCES TO HELP MAKE THAT WORK IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH AREA NONPROFITS, UM, LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY IN, IN THIS REGION, NOT IN BAYTOWN, BUT MANY IN THE REGION TO BE HELP, HELP, SUPPORT AND LEAD. THAT WOULD BE, I'M SURE THE CITY WOULD WELCOME THAT. SO, I, I DUNNO WHAT THE SPECIFIC ROLE WOULD BE, PRIMARILY ADVOCACY AND MAYBE MAKING PHONE CALLS AND LOBBYING FOR IT. SURE. MM-HMM . OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAYOR? COUNCIL, IF, UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS WILL COME BACK MAY 23RD FOR I BELIEVE MAY 23RD, UM, FOR ADOPTION. IF COUNCIL SO CHOOSES TO ADOPT THIS ON MAY 23RD, THE STAFF WILL START DEVELOPING PLANS IN THE BUDGET POLICY CHANGES FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. SO I JUST WANNA UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF WHERE THIS IS AT HEARING IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TODAY? SPARK MORE CONVERSATION, BRING IT BACK BEFORE YOU ADOPT IT ONE MORE TIME, BECAUSE ONCE COUNSEL DOES HEAR IT ON THE 23RD, THIS WILL BE AN ACTIVATION POINT FOR MARTIN AND BRIAN, UM, TO START BUILDING POLICY PIECES FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER. AND, AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING, AND THAT'S FINE. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A PRESENTATION, SO IT'S KIND OF PICTURES AND AND SO ON, BUT WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE IN ON THE 23RD? SO, YEAH, I THINK THE, THE FEEDBACK FOR ME WOULD JUST BE, I MEAN, WE KIND OF SAW, UM, LIKE SUGGESTED ACTIONS, SUGGESTED STEPS KIND OF THROUGHOUT. I THINK I'D LIKE TO JUST SEE THOSE MAYBE LISTED. AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO IS PRIORITIZE FOR STAFF INSTEAD OF JUST APPROVING IT AS, AS A WHOLE. MAYBE WE CAN PRIORITIZE PIECES IN THERE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. OKAY. THAT MAY HELP Y'ALL INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DO ALL OF IT AT ONCE. YES, MA'AM. YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS ACTUALLY, UM, I, I REALLY LIKE THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, PUTTING THIS OUT HERE FOR US TO HAVE VISUALS TO SEE. BUT I AGREE, I I WISH WE COULD DIVE IN AND, UM, DO IT ALL AT ONCE. AND I THINK ALL THE CORRIDORS, I, I, I THINK WE'VE EVEN HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS BEFORE. I LIKE THE FACT OF HAVING A, A MEDICAL HUB AND A, AND AN EDUCATION HUB AND A DOWNTOWN AND, AND THOSE SORT OF AREAS, BUT, UM, I, I THINK AS, AS A CITY AS A WHOLE, YES, WE LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CITY AT ONCE IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE TO PRIORITIZE BECAUSE WE WORK WITHIN BUDGET MEANS. SO, OKAY. YEAH. AND I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT I, I THINK AS, UH, MR. REYNOLDS HAS REMINDED YOU THAT THIS IS IN A DRAFT STAGE RIGHT NOW, AND SO WE WILL HAVE THE FULL DRAFT AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. UM, SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE [00:35:01] HOPEFULLY ENOUGH TIME TO, TO GO THROUGH IT. UM, GIVE US ANY COMMENTS IF YOU GET INTO ANY SPECIFICS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR, UM, OR THINGS THAT YOU THINK MAYBE COULD BE TWEAKED IN SOME WAY, PLEASE GET AHOLD OF ME OR, OR RYAN AND WE'LL, WE'LL EITHER WALK YOU THROUGH THAT OR, OR FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CAN THEN MAKE SOME CHANGES WITH THAT AS WELL. WE, WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT. SO, UH, AGAIN, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME TO CHEW ON THIS, UM, BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. UM, AND AGAIN, 'CAUSE THIS IS GONNA HELP KIND OF SHAPE SOME OF THE DIRECTIONS WE GO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, SO, OKAY. YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORDS ON, ON A SCREEN AND THEN WE ASK FOR IMAGES OR PRESENTATIONS OR RENDERINGS, AND NOW IT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE. KIND OF LIKE WHAT DOES IT REALLY LOOK LIKE IN WORDS IN A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR US TO APPROVE. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE, YOU WANT ME TO SET UP A SATURDAY 10 TO 10? I'M NOT SURE, BUT NO, WE'RE SAVING THAT FOR THE ULDC . SO ANYWAY, UM, BUT THAT'S IT FOR ME. ANY, ANYTHING ELSE ON THE PRESENTATION? OKAY, SO BE IT THAT THE BAYTOWN UH, CITY COUNCIL HAS ADDRESSED ALL WORK SESSION ITEMS. THIS MEETING IS NOT ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.