* 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. [00:00:10] WHAT'S GOING ON, MAYOR, YOU SEE WE GOT ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS HERE FROM LEE. HUH? JOHN. I KNOW HIM VERY WELL. MOTHER. AMAZING. TAUGHT HIM. [ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2025 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ] I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, AUGUST 14TH, 2025. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 24 0 1 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS, AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM AT 5 34. [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.] WE WILL START WITH CITIZEN COMMENT AND I KNOW FOR A FACT WE HAVE SOME CITIZENS HERE TO SPEAK. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THE PURPOSE OF CITIZEN 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 EMAILED THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING. EACH CITIZEN SHALL GIVE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD OF THESE COMMENTS. THE RULES ALLOW EACH PERSON ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK. A CITIZEN MAY PASS HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED TO ADDRESS COUNSEL. HOWEVER, NO CITIZENS' REMARKS SHALL EXCEED THREE MINUTES IN TOTAL. EITHER THE ONE MINUTE OR THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNSEL. 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. AND WE ARE GOING TO START WITH MS. CYNTHIA BLAKE, WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS. 5 1 6 9 EAST FREEWAY. THANK YOU. AND I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THE PROPOSED, UH, LOCATION FOR THE EVENT CENTER. THE QUESTION IS, IF THE EVENT CENTER IS SUPPOSED TO BRING OVER 205,000 VISITORS TO BAYTOWN, WHY HAS IT BEEN DISCUSSED FOR THE LOCATION TO BE ON THE I 10 SIDE OF BAYTOWN TO WHERE IT SUPPORTS THE HOTELS ON AND THE RESTAURANTS ON THAT SIDE OF BAYTOWN VERSUS IT BEING IN THE OP ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF BAYTOWN WHERE THERE ARE NO RESTAURANTS OR ONLY ONE HOTEL? OKAY. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. THAT'S IT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT WE WILL HAVE MR. MS. SHANNA JOSEPH. AND WE HAVE MS. KAREN KNIGHT AND YVONNE THOMAS GIVING THEIR TIME TO MS. JOSEPH. PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS. 79 23 CHEYENNE COURT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I AM THE EVENT COORDINATOR FOR ACE AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ACE. UM, WE HAVE THE SCULPTURE TRAIL, WHICH WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY TO INVEST IN BEAUTIFYING DOWNTOWN. AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IS OUR SCULPTURES ARE BEING DESTROYED. LAST YEAR WE HAD ONE SCULPTURE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THAT WAS $15,000. THE SECOND ONE WAS 87. EIGHT WAS $8,700. THEN WE HAD THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE THAT HAD A REPAIR OF $2,500 AND WE WAIVED COMMISSION ON THE FOURTH SCULPTURE AT 11. THAT WAS $11,000. WE WAIVED AT 30% COMMISSION ONCE IT WAS SOLD BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE TO IT. THIS YEAR SO FAR, WE JUST DID INSTALLATION IN APRIL. WE'VE HAD THREE SCULPTURES DESTROYED, WELL, NOT DESTROYED, DAMAGED. AGAIN, WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE KIDS. THERE IS NOT, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO IF WE NEED TO GET MORE POLICE PRESENCE IN THAT AREA. BUT SO FAR WE HAVE DONE A $1,500 REPAIR ON ONE SCULPTURE. AND WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE PENDING. THAT WILL BE 2,500 AND THE OTHER 1 4500. AND WE ARE A NONPROFIT AND WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST. WE WORK WITH OTHERS IN THE CITY TO TRY TO BRING AWARENESS TO TOWN SQUARE AND THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE'RE ALSO A NONPROFIT. SO WITH THAT AND US HAVING TO TAKE OUR FUNDS AND CONSTANTLY REPAIR THESE SCULPTURES THAT THESE ARTISTS HAVE PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO, HOPING THAT WE WILL, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY WILL PROTECT. IT LOOKS BAD US ON US IN BAYTOWN ALSO. 'CAUSE THESE ARTISTS ARE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. SOME AS FAR AS CANADA, ALASKA, [00:05:01] AND THEIR SCULPTURES ARE IN OUR CITY. AND WE'RE HAVING TO CALL THEM AND TELL 'EM, HEY, YOUR SCULPTURE'S BEEN DAMAGED. THIS IS HOW MUCH IS NEEDED FOR HOW MUCH IS NEEDED FOR REPAIR. HOW LONG WOULD THE REPAIR TAKES? IT MAKES US LOOK BAD. AND I KNOW THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE KIDS AND WE KNOW THESE FROM EVENTS, BUT WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS SOME ASSISTANCE WITH SOME ASSISTANCE. I I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. I DON'T HOW TO GET THE CONVERSATION GOING, BUT WE HAVE VIDEO. WE'VE POSTED A VIDEO ONLINE. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO, UM, THE DETECTIVE. WE'VE, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT AVENUES WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE AWARENESS TO WHAT'S GOING ON BEFORE THE WORD IS OUT. HEY, DON'T PUT YOUR SCULPTURE IN BAYTOWN. THEY'LL DESTROY IT. SO I THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT. THANK YOU THERE BEING NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK. THIS CONCLUDES THE CITIZEN COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. WE'RE MOVING ON TO TWO A, [a. Receive a presentation from Chad Burke, CEO of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region.] RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM CHAD BURKE, CEO OF THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, HOUSTON PORT REGION. I MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT. UM, I'LL TRY AND KEEP THIS BRIEF. UM, UM, BUT, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU, THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS, AS I'M GOING THROUGH THIS. UM, ALSO IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE WITH ME AS KAREN GREGORY, UH, FROM OUR, FROM OUR, FROM OUR OFFICE, UM, SHE, SHE DOES A GOOD JOB HANDLING NOT JUST ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENTAL CONTRACTS WITH THE 13 CITIES AND THE PORT AND THE COUNTY, BUT, UM, SHE PUTS TOGETHER OUR WASHINGTON DC TRIP AND REALLY KIND OF, UH, MANAGES THAT WHOLE TRIP FOR US WITH, UH, SO, UH, 30, 40 MEETINGS, SOMETIMES OVER TWO DAYS. SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO SEE HER AS WELL. SO, UM, UH, REAL BRIEFLY, OUR MISSION DOES NOT CHANGE AND WE TRY AND STAY ON THAT MISSION AS, AS BEST WE CAN IS SIMPLY TO MARKET AND GROW THIS REGIONAL ECONOMY. UM, UH, EVERYTHING WE DO HAS TO KIND OF PASS THAT TEST, UH, THAT, THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BRINGING THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO THIS REGION. UM, WE WANNA LAND THOSE NEW COMPANIES AND WE WANT OUR EXISTING COMPANIES TO EXPAND. THAT CREATES JOBS THAT CREATES, UM, HOUSING RETAIL DEMAND, AND IT SUPPLIES OUR CITIES AND, AND COLLEGES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH TAX BASE THAT REALLY HELPS THESE CITIES THRIVE IN THIS REGION. SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON FOR EXISTENCE AND TO HELP DO THAT AND BE, BE EFFECTIVE AT IT. WE COMPETE IN POLICY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, OBVIOUSLY IN THIS PORT REGION, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE. AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, A QUALITY OF LIFE IS WHEN I GET THERE. UM, THE SCULPTURE TRAIL IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, HELPED FUND WITH GRANTS YEAR OVER YEAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. UM, AND THEN WE, IN INSIGHT AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IS JUST A FANCY WORD FOR EVENTS WHERE WE PUSH THAT INFORMATION BACK TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS. SO LOOKING AT OUR FOOTPRINT HAS NOT REALLY CHANGED. UH, WE DO REACH ALL THE WAY OUT TO MONT BELLEVUE, DOWN TO SEABROOK AND OUT TO PEARLAND. UH, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE FOOTPRINT THAT WE WORK IN. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN SEE THE KIND OF THE, THE GOSH, 15, 16 YEAR REPORT CARD. NOW 84 PROJECT WINS ALMOST. WE'RE APPROACHING $20 BILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE'VE PUT OUR HANDS ON. UM, AND THEN THAT MIX OF THOSE PROJECTS, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, IS PETROCHEMICAL DOMINATED, LIGHT MANUFACTURING THAT SUPPORTS THAT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE LOGISTICS THAT MOVES THOSE PRODUCTS IN AND OUT, WHETHER IT BE WAREHOUSING OR MARINE TERMINALS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. UM, OUR CONTRACT DOES KIND OF SPAN MID-YEAR LIKE THIS. SO LOOKING BACK INTO 24, WE HAD TWO WINS, UM, WITH $424 MILLION IN NEW CAPITAL INVESTMENT. YOU CAN SEE ONE, ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE, ONE ON, UM, UH, QYK, WHICH, UM, IS ACTUALLY EVEN NORTH OF US. THIS ONE, THIS ONE'S ALMOST UP, UH, UP 1 46 INTO, UH, CLOSE TO DAYTON. NOT QUITE THERE YET, BUT THESE TWO PROJECTS WERE LAST YEAR'S WINS SO FAR THIS YEAR. WE'VE GOT ONE SMALL CAPITAL INVESTMENT, UH, WIN ON THE BOOKS. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY, KNOW THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT WE ARE SEEING A CONTRACTION OR TIGHTENING OF OUR INDUSTRY, UH, RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF SOME GLOBAL, GLOBAL FACTORS. UM, THAT MEANS A LOT OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IN OUR PROJECT PIPELINE HAS, HAS EITHER BEEN PUT ON HOLD OR IT'S JUST KIND OF, KIND OF IN WAITING UNTIL WE GET PROBABLY INTO 26, 27, LATE 26, 27. THEN THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD BEGIN TO FLOW BACK OUT. UM, CURRENTLY THE PROJECT PIPELINE, SO THIS IS WHAT'S IN THAT PIPELINE RIGHT NOW. 18 PROJECTS, ALMOST $6 BILLION, ABOUT 2,600 NEW JOBS, AND AGAIN, KIND OF DOMINATED BY THAT MANUFACTURING AND PETROCHEMICAL MANUFACTURING. UM, THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE, THE KIND OF THE STRONG PROSPECTS THAT WE, THAT WE THINK ARE GONNA WORK. WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS FOR, FOR IN EXCESS OF A YEAR OR TWO. SO HOPEFULLY THESE WILL BE ANNOUNCED BEFORE THE END OF THE, UH, THE YEAR. CERTAINLY THAT PROJECT MOONSHOT. BUT IF YOU'LL LOOK AT IT, IT'S, IT'S A, UM, [00:10:01] POWER GENERATION. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT PETROCHEMICAL. UM, SO YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THAT WE, WE KIND OF TRY AND TAKE A LOOK AND KEEP OUR FINGER ON, ON THE TRENDS. UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER INDICATION IS, IS KINDA WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. ONE THING WE'VE DONE FOR A COUPLE YEARS IN A ROW NOW, WHICH IS REALLY BEGIN TO PAY OFF IS, IS, IS WITH PARTNERING WITH GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, UM, HOSTING THESE NATIONAL SITE SELECTORS IN OUR REGION, TAKING THEM AROUND, SHOWING THE ASSETS. UM, THEY'LL, THEY'LL OBVIOUSLY LOOK AT, UH, AT THE WEST SIDE WITH THE ENERGY CORRIDOR. THEY'LL LOOK DOWN, UH, SOUTH IN THE, UH, KIND OF AEROSPACE, THE MED CENTER, BUT THEN WE BRING 'EM OUT TO THE PORT REGION AND WE SHOW 'EM ALL THE, ALL THE REAL OPPORTUNITIES. AND THIS HAS ALREADY LED TO, UH, ONE OF THE PROJECTS, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. AND IT, SO THAT'S THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE. ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE, ARE CONSTANTLY BEING COMPETED FOR BECAUSE IF, IF, IF, IF A COMPANY IS GONNA GONNA SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA COMPETITIVELY CITE THAT. IT MAY BE LOUISIANA, IT MAY BE US, IT MAY BE SOUTH TEXAS, IT MAY BE MEXICO OR SINGAPORE OR CHINA, RIGHT? SO WE, WE HAVE TO BE GOOD IN THE THINGS THAT MAKE US COMPETITIVE. POLICY IS ONE OF THEM. OBVIOUSLY THAT STARTS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WITH, WITH FRIENDLY, UM, KIND OF BUSINESS ORIENTED, UH, UM, CITY COUNCILS, UH, PERMITTING DEPARTMENTS, ALL THOSE THINGS. WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH SEVERAL OF OUR CITIES ON THEIR PERMITTING DEPARTMENTS, REACHES UP INTO THE COUNTY AND OBVIOUSLY THE STATE AND THEN THE FEDERAL LEVEL. SO WE, WE HAVE TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS AT ALL OF THOSE LEVELS. UH, AND, AND OUR POLICY GROUP, WHICH IS MADE UP OF OUR MEMBERS, BRING US THE ISSUES THAT WE REALLY KIND OF WORK AND FIGHT FOR. UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, ONCE A YEAR WE'RE IN DC AS I MENTIONED, UM, UH, LIKE THIS LAST APRIL WE HAD, WE HAD 34 MEETINGS ACROSS TWO DAYS WITH ALMOST 40 DIFFERENT MEMBERS, RIGHT? UM, THERE'S A, I THINK STRATEGICALLY THERE'S A NICE SHOT OF THE MAYOR THERE, UH, AND THE CITY MANAGER, UH, MEETING WITH OUR, WITH OUR STATE SENATOR. BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A TRIP WHERE WE PUT THE, THE CROSS SECTION OF THIS, OF THIS ECOSYSTEM IN FRONT OF OUR LEGISLATORS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE HEARING WHAT'S COMING FROM, FROM THIS REGION AND WHY THEY SHOULD LISTEN TO US AND SUPPORT US IN THIS REGION. UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE PRIORITIES. WE DON'T, WE, WE, WE DON'T ADVOCATE FOR ANYTHING BUT GROWING THE ECONOMY. SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PRIORITIES, THEY ARE, THEY ARE INFRASTRUCTURE IN NATURE, THEY ARE REGULATORY IN NATURE, THEY'RE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SECURITY LIKE COASTAL BARRIER. THEY'RE THINGS THAT MAKE US, UH, THRIVE IN THIS REGION SO THAT WE CAN GROW. AND SO, UM, IT, IT, FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A, UH, IT IS NOT THE ISSUES YOU HEAR ON THE NEWS, BUT IT'S THE ISSUES THAT MAKE US SUCCESSFUL. UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AND, AND WE ENCOURAGE ANY OF Y'ALL THAT, THAT WANT TO JOIN INTO THAT, IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S ALSO POWERFUL TO HAVE OUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS IN FRONT OF FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, REALLY TELLING THE STORY OF WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN HERE AND WHAT WE NEED. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF FUN. BUT IT'S A, IT'S A LOT OF GOOD WORK TOO. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE JUST FINISHED UP THE STATE SESSION. WE'RE WE'RE THIS FRIDAY, I THINK THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION FINISHES UP. UM, I, UH, HAD THE HONOR OF, OF ACCOMPANYING, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BAYTOWN, UH, DAY UP IN AUSTIN AND, AND WE HAD A, A FULL JAM PACKED DAY FULL OF MEETINGS. REALLY SOME SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS I THOUGHT, WITH SEVERAL OF OUR REGIONAL LEGISLATORS. UM, UH, BUT Y'ALL DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF PUTTING THAT TOGETHER, AND I WAS JUST HONORED TO BE PART OF THAT. BUT THAT WAS, THAT'S, THAT'S THE EXAMPLE. THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S YOU GUYS BEING IN MOTION AND, AND LETTING YOUR, YOUR STORY BE HEARD UP THERE. SO GREAT JOB, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION. UM, OBVIOUSLY WITH GROWING THIS REGION, UH, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT PRODUCT AND PEOPLE THROUGH THIS REGION SAFELY. SO THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY FOR US AS WELL. I'D LIKE TO SHOW THIS MAP A LITTLE. THIS IS MY ATTEMPT AT ANIMATION. UM, SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE'VE WORKED WITH OVER FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. NOW, ALL OF Y'ALL SHOULD BE HOPEFULLY FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE NEW KEY KEMA SEABROOK BYPASS COMPLETED IN 2024, STARTED LITERALLY 10 YEARS EARLIER BY ONE OF OUR MAYORS. MAYOR GLENN ROYAL FROM SEABROOK REALLY SPEARHEADED THAT PROJECT. AND WE HELPED KIND OF GENERATE THE, UH, THE CONSENSUS REGIONALLY TO GET HGAC TO FUND THAT. UM, NOW THEY'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WHAT I CALL THE LAPORTE SECTION OF THAT 1 46, TO WIDEN IT, TO MEET THE, THE DEMAND COMING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS FRED HARTMAN, INTO TGS AND CEDAR PORT. UM, AND THEN MOVING WEST OF THERE. WE SUCCESSFULLY, UM, GOT TEXDOT AND, AND HECTOR TO AGREE AND FUND ALL EIGHT OF THE DIRECT CONNECTORS AT THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE NEW BELTWAY EIGHT SHIP CHANNEL BRIDGE THAT'S BEING BUILT. UM, THAT'S A CRITICAL, I HATE IT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY REDUCED THE LANES. UH, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION EVERY DAY, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S GONNA BE GREAT. SO , BUT, BUT WE, WE HAD TO HAVE THAT, RIGHT? YOU STILL COME DOWN OFF THAT BRIDGE AND GO THROUGH THREE RED LIGHTS TO TAKE [00:15:01] A LEFT HAND TURN AND IT BETWEEN FOUR 30 AND SIX, IT'S TERRIBLE, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GETTING THERE. BEYOND THAT, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE JUST BEGUN THE PROCESS OF OVERLAYING 2 25. UM, I DROVE I 10 EARLIER TODAY, UM, FROM INSIDE ALL THE WAY OUT TO BAYTOWN, AND THE OVERLAY THAT, THAT I 10 HAS AND GOT PUT DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO IS REALLY NICE, RIGHT? WE ARE DESPERATE, UH, FOR THAT ON THE SOUTH SIDE AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT TRUCK TRAFFIC. AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY WILL REDEVELOP THE ENTIRE 2 25. WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT INTO THE RTP AS WE SPEAK, BUT THEN THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF THAT WHOLE REDEVELOPMENT IS ALSO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO REDO THE SHIP, CHANNEL 16 AND BRIDGE, RIGHT? SO THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE TOP PRIORITY THAT WE'VE PUSHED. IT'S IN THE, UH, IT'S IN THE APPROVED T PLAN, NOW. WE JUST HAVE TO GET IT FUNDED. UM, THIS IS THE WAY WE DO IT. IT'S NOT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, IT'S THE MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE THAT GET STUFF DONE, RIGHT? WE'RE JUST KIND OF THE, WE'RE THE VEHICLE THAT YOU GUYS DRIVE TO GET THIS REGION REPRESENTED. AND SO THESE TYPES OF SUPPORT LETTERS ARE FANTASTIC WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING DONE. THIS IS JUST A, THIS IS TDOT'S, UM, BRIEF KIND OF SKETCH OF WHAT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF 2 25 COULD LOOK LIKE. UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO ELEVATE SOME LANES, AT LEAST FOUR LANES. AND SO IT'S A BIG PROJECT. UH, WE ARE, WE, WE JUST SCHEDULED ONE OF OUR OWN KIND OF, UM, FEEDBACK SESSIONS TO HJAC, UM, LATER THIS MONTH, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR POLICY MEETING TO GET THIS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF HIGHWAY 2 25 PUT INTO THE RTP OR THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH THEN ALLOWS IT TO BE FUNDED. SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE FINAL STEP BEFORE WE GET FUNDING. WE'VE GOTTA GET THIS PROJECT APPROVED AND INTO THE LONG-TERM PLAN, AND, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED. SO, UM, THAT'S ALL GOOD WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AGAIN, COMPANIES CAN'T COMPETE HERE IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A READY, UM, EDUCATED, TRAINED WORKFORCE. UM, OUR PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MARKETING OF THOSE CAREERS TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. SO THEY KNOW THAT WHEN THEY COME OUT, THEY CAN SPEND AT MAX TWO YEARS AND GET A DEGREE, UM, AND GET A JOB THAT STARTS IN AVERAGE SALARY IN THE, IN THE $90,000, RIGHT? AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY'RE MAKING A A SIX FIGURE SALARY. SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE MARKET. AND WE PUT THOSE, THOSE FOLKS THAT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS IN FRONT OF A BUNCH OF JUNIORS AND SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE OF THE DOZENS OF HIGH SCHOOLS IN OUR FOOTPRINT. AND YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY THAT'S 25 YEARS OLD IN THEIR FRCS, TELLING 'EM HOW THEY GOT THE JOB, WHAT THEY DID TO QUALIFY WHAT THEY MAKE, HOW BIG THEIR TRUCK IS, YOU KNOW, HOW BIG THE HOUSE IS. THEY JUST BOUGHT FOR THEIR FAMILY THAT SELLS. AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO, UM, IS REALLY PUSH THOSE, PUSH THOSE STUDENTS INTO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN OUR HOMETOWNS. UM, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE NUMBERS. WE, WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING OVER 5,000 CONTACTS WITH STUDENTS EACH YEAR AND ROUGHLY 40 OR 50 DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS EVERY YEAR. SO IT'S A FANTASTIC EFFORT, UM, JUST BY THE WHOLE TEAM IN THE REGION THAT MAKES THAT HAPPEN. QUALITY OF LIFE, AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE, UH, GRANTS. WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A FOUNDATION THAT, WHICH HAS SOME MONEY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES. UM, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS NOW. UM, UH, FOR THE LAST FOUR, FOUR YEARS NOW, EVEN 2025, WE'VE APPROVED $5,000 GRANTS, UM, FOR THE SCULPTURE TRAIL. UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, IT BROKEN WINDOW THEORY. LET'S, LET'S, UH, LET'S SHORE UP THOSE. I I HATE TO HEAR THAT THEY'RE BEING DAMAGED, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, I KNOW Y'ALL, Y'ALL CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT. WE LOVE SUPPORTING THIS. THESE TYPES OF QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS ARE WHAT REALLY KIND OF BRINGS THE TOWN, UH, TOGETHER AND, AND, AND CAN CREATE SOME HOMETOWN PRIDE. UM, SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE BEING, BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. AND THAT'S, THAT'S HERE FOR NOT JUST THIS PROGRAM, THE SCULPTURE TRAIL, BUT FOR QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS THAT YOU NEED SOME MATCHING DOLLARS FOR. WE'VE GOT SOME MATCHING DOLLARS FOR, THEY'RE SMALL GRANTS, BUT WE, WE WANT TO KIND OF PAY OUR PAY OUR WAY, YOU KNOW? AND THEN, UH, AND THEN OUR, OUR EVENTS. I TELL PEOPLE LIKE THIS. WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGION WITH ALL THE GOOD INFORMATION ON TRENDS AND OBSTACLES AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE TRY AND PUT THOSE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY EVERY, EVERY YEAR, UM, TO THE TUNE OF, YOU KNOW, 10, 11, 12 EVENTS A YEAR, UH, SOME FORM OR FASHION. WE'RE PUSHING INFORMATION BACK OUT TO EVERYBODY. ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THINGS THAT, THAT OUR, OUR OWN MEMBERS HAVE DEVELOPED IS OUR WOMEN IN ALLIANCE. IT'S OUR WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON. WE DO IT THREE TIMES A YEAR, EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT'S, IT'S AT MINIMUM 450 PEOPLE. UH, IT SELLS OUT. UM, AND IT IS JUST A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TIME. UH, WE HAD THE NEXT, WE JUST HAD ONE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND THE FINAL ONE IS IN OCTOBER. UM, JULIA MORALES, UH, OF THE ASTROS IS THE SPEAKER AT THAT ONE. AND SHE SAYS, IF THEY'RE NOT PLAYING A HOME GAME IN THE WORLD SERIES THAT DAY. SO I AM KIND OF TORN BETWEEN WHETHER OR NOT I WANT HER TO, TO SPEAK OR NOT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE HER IF THEY'RE NOT, BUT I'M HOPING SHE'S, UH, AT THE BALLPARK THAT DAY. BUT, UH, IT'LL BE GREAT EITHER WAY. UM, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, CERTAINLY OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL SAY THIS, UM, [00:20:01] AS CITI DID, UH, WORKED WITH US, I THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO NOW, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO NOW, WE, WE TWEAKED OUR ORIGINAL LONGTIME, UH, CONTRACT TO JUST DO QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS TO REALLY REPRESENT THE FULL BREADTH OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THIS REGION. AND, AND AS ONE OF THE 13 CITIES, ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY ALREADY PROVIDE WAS, WAS ALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THAT GOOD REPRESENTATION. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY. UH, WE, WE, Y'ALL ARE ONE OF THE JEWELS IN THE REGION, UH, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST, STRONGEST, UH, CITIES. SO WE, WE, WE, WE LOVE HAVING Y'ALL. WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT Y'ALL. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OBVIOUSLY, ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS WISE, WE ARE HERE TO REPRESENT Y'ALL. IT'S YOUR ORGANIZATION. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT MY ORGANIZATION, IT'S YOUR ORGANIZATION. SO WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING PART OF, PART OF THE REGION. SO, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. MR. COMMENT, HE RAISED HIS HEAD. NO. GO FOR IT. LADIES. FIRST WE'LL GO INTO NUMERICAL ORDER ONE FIRST, . ALL RIGHT. UM, SO CHAD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU HELD YOUR OWN IN AUSTIN, UH, WHEN WE WENT TO GO VISIT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A, A LOUD, UM, ADVOCATE. I THINK I GOT IN TROUBLE THAT DAY. NO, NO. HAD YOUR BACK BUDDY. I THINK YOU WERE GOOD. AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR BAYTOWN AND, UM, LOVE SEEING EVERYTHING THAT, THAT YOU SHOWCASED AND, UM, ESPECIALLY THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING WITH STUDENTS AND ENSURING THEY GET THESE HIGH PAYING JOBS. AND, UM, ONE THING THAT I WANT THEM TO ALSO SHOWCASE IS HOW THE JOBS WILL GET THEM INTO LONG-TERM, LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S GREAT TO SHOWCASE THE BIG HOUSES ARE BUYING OR WHATEVER, BUT IF THEY CAN ALSO KIND OF TALK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY FOR ANY STUDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THOSE TYPE OF PROGRAMS, THAT THE, THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY THAT IT WOULD BRING TO THEIR FAMILY OR THEMSELVES. THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ALSO, UH, TALKED ABOUT. BUT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, LOVED EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SAID, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST WANNA SAY THANKS AGAIN, CHAD. I MEAN, WE KNOW HOW WE BOTH FELT IN AUSTIN. YEAH. AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING IS IN OUR INDUSTRY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING DRIFTWOOD IN LOUISIANA FROM, FROM FROM EXXON, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION BETWEEN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS FOR A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW. OKAY. WE, MY, MY FIRM ACTUALLY JUST PICKED UP THE META PROJECT, WHICH IS A HUGE DATA CENTER. SO THESE THINGS ARE, THESE THINGS ARE VERY COMPETITIVE. WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE OUT THERE BIDDING FOR US AND TRYING TO GET 'EM HERE ALSO TO, TO OUR AREA OF TOWN. 'CAUSE THAT CREATES A LOT OF JOBS. IT'S A LOT OF JOBS, IT'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF MONEY IN THIS AREA THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO KEEP GETTING. SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO PROJECTS PRETTY WELL. AND YEP, I WISH THEY WERE HERE IN TEXAS, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET HERE, THERE IN LOUISIANA. BUT KEEP PUSHING FOR US. GOOD EXAMPLES. YEP. YES. THANK YOU SIR. ANYONE ELSE? OH, YES MA'AM. CHAD, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE HEARING FROM YOU IN ECONOMIC ALLIANCE. UM, THANKS FOR SHARING ABOUT THE WOMEN'S LUNCHEON, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING TONIGHT, YOU CAME ON A GOOD NIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, UM, AND THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE SUPPORTING THE SCULPTURE TRAIL AND, UM, OTHER BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS IN BAYTOWN. UH, I LOVED YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THAT BRINGS A COMMUNITY TOGETHER, UM, THOSE KIND OF PROJECTS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR BAYTOWN. I MEAN, THAT GOES A LONG WAY BEING A PARTNER. GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING LOCAL THINGS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU ALL GAVE A GRANT TO THE SCULPT ON, WHICH IS AMAZING. UH, OTHER VISITS WHICH YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO, CONTINUED POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP. ABSOLUTELY. WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL SO MUCH. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK Y'ALL. NOW WE ARE ON TO TWO B, DISCUSS [b. Discuss the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Proposed Budget.] THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26, PROPOSED BUDGET. WE HAVE MR. REYNOLDS AND MS. MCKENZIE. OH, AND WE HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. YOU CAN GO WITH THE CITIZENS BACKGROUND. GOOD DEAL. WELL, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, MS. COKER, CYNTHIA COKER. PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR RECORD. OKAY, I'M AT 1818 CEDAR BAY ROAD. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT, UM, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. UM, I AM VERY COMPASSIONATE ABOUT ANIMALS, SO THIS IS CONCERNING ANIMALS, BUT, UM, I KNOW LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, THE BUDGET FOR THE ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS 3.8% OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN TOTAL BUDGET. AND I AM HOPING THAT POSSIBLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE 25, 26 BUDGET, THAT THAT MIGHT BE INCREASED SOMEWHAT. UM, ANIMALS, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ANIMALS, AND THAT'S FINE. I, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE DO, SOME PEOPLE DON'T. UM, BUT THEY'RE VERY VULNERABLE LIKE CHILDREN, OLD [00:25:01] PEOPLE AND HOMELESS, THAT IT IS JUST, THEY'RE AT THE MERCY OF HUMAN BEINGS, BASICALLY. UM, AND FOR HUMANS THERE AT LEAST THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF A SAFETY NET. IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF A SAFETY NET FROM HU HUMAN BEINGS FOR ANIMALS. THERE IS NONE. UM, I'VE TALKED TO SO MANY PEOPLE THIS LAST YEAR THAT HAVE TOLD ME THEIR STORIES OF, UH, THEY CAUGHT A CAT, FERAL CAT HAD IT TRAPPED READY TO, AND THEY CALLED THE SHELTER, AND THE SHELTER COULD NOT TAKE IT. AND I KNOW, UM, PEOPLE IN MY PARTICULAR INSTANCE CAME ACROSS A MAMA AND A DADDY DOG AND TWO PUPPIES THAT HAD BEEN DUMPED ON THE TRUCK STOP OFF OF IT. AND MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME IN TEARS AND SAID, MOM, PLEASE HELP ME WITH THESE. THEY WERE ON THE WAY OUTTA TOWN, UM, IN THE SUMMER. SO OF COURSE WE CALLED AND, AND THE SHELTER CAN'T PICK 'EM UP. AND I AM NOT BADMOUTHING THE SHELTER ANYWAY. IT IS NOT THE SHELTER'S FAULT. IF PEOPLE WANNA GET MAD AT THE SHELTER, THAT IS NOT THE PLACE TO GET MAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE, THEY WORK THERE, THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN. THE SHELTER, UH, EVER SINCE PROBABLY THE NEW SHELTER WENT INTO, UM, OPERATION, PROBABLY STARTED OFF BEING OVER CAPACITY. I, AND, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN. UM, SO I, I JUST, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A PROBLEM. PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT FERAL CATS AND STRAY DOGS AND, BUT IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. WHOSE FAULT IS IT? IT IS THE PEOPLE. YOUR NEIGHBOR. SOMEONE'S NEIGHBOR THAT DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR PET BY NOT SPAYING, NOT NEUTERING. SO CATS COME INTO HEAT EVERY SIX MONTHS. SO PEOPLE WONDER WHY IS THERE SO MANY CATS? WELL, GO FIGURE A MAMA CAT MIGHT HAVE FOUR KITTENS. WELL, THOSE FOUR KITTENS DON'T GET SPAYED, OR OH, THAT'S ME. I'M SORRY THEY DON'T GET SPAYED OR NEUTERED. WELL, THAT'S, UH, 16 MORE CATS. UH, UH, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY IF IT'S NOT ADDRESSED. SO I HOPE, AND I WOULD BE GLAD, UH, MR. LESTER, YOU'RE MY CITY COUNCILMAN. I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO WORK WITH YOU IN ANY WAY TO COME UP WITH SUGGESTIONS. I HAVE SOME, I HAVE SOME IDEAS. SO I WOULD LOVE TO GET WITH YOU AND WORK ON THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? NOTHING. MS. SHAUNA JOSEPH, PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS. 79 23 CHEYENNE COURT. SO I'M UP HERE AGAIN TO ADDRESS Y'ALL ABOUT THE HOT GRANTS. IN THE PAST, ACE USED TO RECEIVE WHAT PART OF THE HOT GRANTS PROGRAM. AND IN 20 23, 24, WE WERE TOLD FOR THIS YEAR IT WAS GONNA BE STOPPED BECAUSE OF BUDGETING, WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD 'CAUSE THERE WAS AN OVERTURE OF A MILLION DOLLARS. BUT IN RELEASING THE BUDGET, WE SAW THERE WAS A GRANT PARTNERSHIP FOR $400,000 THIS YEAR. AND THE ACTUAL GRANT DOES NOT STOP UNTIL NEXT YEAR. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN WE READ THE CITY ORDINANCE IN THE CITY ORDINANCE IN SECTIONS ONE, TWO, AND THREE FOR THE HOT GRANTS, IT LISTS ACE AS A RECIPIENT, AS IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE NOT TO EXCEED MORE THAN $10,000 TO GO TOWARDS OUR ORGANIZATION. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS WE LOOKED AT THE HOT GRANTS, UH, FUND, WE REALIZED THERE WAS ADDITION OF $250,000 IN PERSONAL SERVICES AND ANOTHER 300,000 IN SERVICES. BUT THE ONE THING THE BUDGET DID NOT HAVE IS A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THE HOT GRANT MONEY IS GOING. AND WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE DO WE FIND THAT AT? BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE IS BROKEN DOWN IN THAT BUDGET FROM EVENTS. YOU CAN EVEN GOOGLE HOT, I MEAN, WELL YOU CAN SEARCH HOT GRANTS, YOU THE BUDGET AND YOU CAN'T FIND OUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED FOR. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY, ESPECIALLY SINCE OUR ORGANIZATION IS LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE AS SOMEONE RECEIVING IT. AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, DIDN'T RECEIVE IT THIS YEAR AND NOT EXPECTED TO RECEIVE IT LAST YEAR. WHAT ARE THOSE FUNDS BEING USED FOR? 'CAUSE THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR US. 'CAUSE THAT MONEY SPECIFICALLY ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE, WAS USED FOR CHRISTMAS ON TEXAS AVENUE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID USE IT FOR. [00:30:01] WE SHOWED RECEIPTS, ENTERTAINMENT, EVERYTHING WAS USED ON CHRISTMAS, ON TEXAS AVENUE. SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TRANSPARENCY, OR HOW DO I FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT? THANK YOU. OKAY. SO, UM, I HAVE IT, IT'S, THERE'S THE, THE LINE AND A BUDGET IS AVAILABLE AND I DON'T MIND SENDING IT TO THE ACE DISTRICT. OKAY? MM-HMM . SO I, I GOT A QUESTION. IT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN IN WHERE ACE WOULD BE A RECIPIENT NOT TO EXCEED $10,000. I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT A MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. OKAY. BUT NOT TO EXCEED DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU AUTOMATICALLY GET IT. IT'S SAYING UP TO, IF THAT'S CORRECT, IT JUST UP TO 10,000 IF YOU WERE TO GET IT. BUT I HAVEN'T READ IT, SO I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. GOOD DEAL. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NONE. YES MA'AM. UH, MR. REYNOLDS ALREADY SAID IT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. YES, MA'AM. IN A TIMELY MANNER, PLEASE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE BUDGET? SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED. WE'VE HAD A VERY EXTENSIVE BUDGET SEASON, UH, FOR FY 26 IN PREPARATION. PROBABLY MORE MEETINGS THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. UM, AND THIS WAS, UH, WE WANTED TO BRING IT BACK ONE LAST TIME IN CASE THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT YOU NEEDED TO FOLLOW UP ON. UH, WE PLAN TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 28TH, UH, FOR THE, UM, FORMAL PART OF ADOPTING THE BUDGET. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE 19TH AND 20TH SET ASIDE FOR, FOR ADDITIONAL BUDGET MEETINGS. IF NOTHING COMES OUT OF THIS MEETING TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO FORMALLY CANCEL THOSE NIGHT, THE MEETINGS ON THE 19TH AND 20TH. UM, BUT THIS IS KIND OF, I DON'T WANNA SAY THE LAST TWO RAW BECAUSE THE BUDGET'S NOT ADOPTED UNTIL THE BUDGET'S ADOPTED. BUT OF OUR PLANNED MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE FOR WORKSHOPS, THIS IS KIND OF SEEING WHERE WE STAND AT THIS POINT. YEAH. UH, YES MA'AM. UM, DURING OUR LAST BUDGET SESSION, UM, ASKED OR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UM, ONE OF THEM WAS, UH, THE COST OR PLANS FOR ANY SECURITY MEASURES. UM, SO DID WE LOOK INTO THAT? DO WE HAVE ANY PRELIMINARY INFORMATION TO SHARE? OH, GOODNESS. NO. GOODNESS. NO. THIS IS, SO THAT PROCESS IS STARTING, THAT IS GONNA TAKE A MINUTE TO PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER. OKAY. UH, AT THIS POINT, SO THE, THE DIRECTION THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT BUDGET MEETING IS THAT THE CAP THAT WE HAVE IS THE APPROVED AMOUNT OR THE PROPOSED APPROVED AMOUNT OF 6 31. UM, AND THAT ANYTHING WITH THE SPECIAL EVENTS AS THE PARKS BOARD AND STAFF WORK WITH A NEW PROPOSAL ON HOW TO PUT THAT TOGETHER WILL NOT EXCEED THAT 6 31 AMOUNT. MM-HMM . AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS YEAR'S G***O FEST, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE SECURITY MEASURES IN PLACE FOR, UH, JUNETEENTH AND JULY 4TH FOR NEXT YEAR. THAT, THAT WAS THE DIRECTION I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT. OKAY. THAT WAS, UM, AND, AND I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY BROUGHT IT UP LAST TIME AND I KNEW Y'ALL WOULDN'T HAVE IT READY, BUT I JUST YES, MA'AM. THOUGHT I WOULD ASK. BUT, UM, AND ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAME UP FROM SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS IS, UM, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY LARGE EVENTS AND SO IS OUR, UM, CHRISTMAS AT TOWN SQUARE AND THE PARADE. SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES BEING THOUGHT OF FOR THE CHRISTMAS EVENTS? I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR WHAT PARKS AND PD ARE TRYING TO WORK ON RIGHT NOW. UH, MS. ALVARADO, AND I DON'T WANT TO, I'M NOT REALLY TRYING TO PUT 'EM ON THE SPOT. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THIS PROCESS. OKAY. WE BEGUN MEETING WITH, UH, WITH PARKS AND REC, UH, GIVING THEM THE INFORMATION THAT WE FEEL LIKE THEY'LL NEED, THAT'LL BE BENEFICIAL FOR THEM TO GIVE THEM ALL OF THE SECURITY CONCERNS AND UNANTICIPATED CONSEQUENCES OF, OF SOME OF THE SECURITY IDEAS THAT HAVE COME UP. SO, UH, WE'RE STILL IN THOSE PHASES. THEY'LL BE THE ONES THAT WILL ACTUALLY TAKE THE, UH, THE, THE RESOURCES THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIDE AND FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND, UH, THEY'LL ACTUALLY GET BACK WITH EVERYBODY ON THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, ON THE COSTS THAT ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED. OKAY. AND THEN WE WILL LOOK INTO, I, I, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, MS. ALVARADO, IF IT INCLUDES HOLIDAY IN THE PARK OR, UH, THE CHRISTMAS PARADE AT THIS POINT, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I THINK IT WAS PRIMARILY FOCUSED AROUND JUNETEENTH AND JULY 4TH FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S BEING WORKED ON. NO, I, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, BUT I, I WAS JUST TOLD WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING AT THE OTHER BIG EVENTS? 'CAUSE THOSE, THAT ONE IS BIGGER THAN VALID POINT. UH, YEAH. SO, UM, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ASIDE FROM WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT, [00:35:01] UH, THE BUDGET SESSION LAST TIME. UM, I, I MENTIONED THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY FOR ME AND THAT I FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, WHAT WE ALREADY, UM, BUDGETED FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS. SO I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TONIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? WELL, I WOULD LIKE, HOW SOON COULD WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE ACE DISTRICT? UH, MAYOR, UM, I'M SURE IT'S AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, HONESTLY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO, I, I UNDERSTAND IN DAYS WITHIN 72 HOURS, MOST LIKELY IT'S, IT'S ALREADY, THE LINE ITEM IS ALREADY APPROVED, SO THERE'S, IT'S JUST GOING AND RUNNING THE REPORT AND SENDING IT OUT. OKAY. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE LINE ITEMS ARE FOR THAT, UM, WITH IT BEING BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION TODAY. THIS IS ME PERSONALLY. UM, AND IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE CITIZENS COME BACK ON THE 28TH WHENEVER WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR IT TO ASK QUESTIONS, CORRECT? YES. YES. AND YES, THEY CAN COME BACK ON THE 28TH. THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS, IT WILL BE A BIGGER CONVERSATION THAT IS AROUND POLICY. SO TWO YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CHANGE IN POLICY THAT LIMITED HOW HOT FUNDS WERE SPENT BECAUSE THERE WAS CONVERSATION AROUND, UH, MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS WERE GETTING HOT FUNDS THAT DID NOT MEET THE STANDARDS OR GUIDELINES OF THIS, OF THE LAW. AND SO THERE WAS A LIMITATION OF HOW HOT FUNDS WENT OUT. AND SO IT'S, IT'S A MUCH BIGGER CONVERSATION THAN WHO GETS HOT FUNDS AND WHO DOESN'T GET HOT FUNDS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE TECHNICAL. THE YOU CAN ONLY, IF YOU PUT HEADS IN BEDS, THERE ARE, I BELIEVE NINE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET OTHER THAN PUTTING HEADS IN BEDS. AND YOU ONLY GET A FRACTION OF THE MONEY. SO IF I PUT, IF I PUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF, OF HOTEL STAYS INTO A HOTEL THAT COLLECTS ROUGHLY $7 IN HOT TAX, YOU CAN ONLY GET A PORTION OF THAT FOR WHAT YOU PUT IN. SO YOU CAN MAYBE ONLY GET 70 CENTS OF THAT $7. AND SO IT, THERE ARE TECHNICALITIES THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH. AND I'M, I'M, I'M GIVING A VERY GENERAL STATEMENT ON THE RANGE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS SPECIFICALLY, BUT THERE, YOU CAN'T GET THE FULL $7 THAT YOU BRING IN OR YOU CAN'T GET, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS, YOU CAN'T GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS THAT YOU PUT IN. AND SO THERE ARE STRICT LIMITATIONS ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND SO IT HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO HOSTING LARGER EVENTS. AND THAT'S, THAT WAS THE POLICY CHANGE WITH THIS, WITH THIS COUNCIL OF SWITCHING THAT TO ONE LARGE EVENT TO DRAW A BIGGER CROWD TO THE CITY OF BAYTOWN. AND THAT'S WHERE WE SWITCHED IT AND COMBINED IT WITH THE BIG GRANT TO DO A BIGGER, UM, A BIGGER RETURN AND ALSO LIMIT THE, THE UNAUTHORIZED DISBURSEMENTS OF HOT FUNDS, UH, OR THE POSSIBILITY OF UNAUTHORIZED DISBURSEMENTS OF HOT FUNDS. OKAY. GOOD DEAL. AM I SEEING THAT RIGHT, THOMAS? OKAY, . EXCELLENT. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT BEING SAID, SO MAYOR, WE WILL CANCEL THE 19TH AND 20TH MEETING. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. WE WE'RE GONNA CANCEL IT BECAUSE THERE'S, CITIZENS ARE STILL GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND, AND SPEAK ON THE 28TH. SO IS, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, ASK QUESTIONS, AND EVEN GIVE US POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE THINGS THAT WE VOTE ON WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BUDGET. UM, THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE'RE GONNA RECESS AND CONDUCT [a. Recess into and conduct an executive session pursuant to Section(s) 551.071 of the Texas Government Code to seek the advice of the City's attorneys.] AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 5 5, 1 0.07, ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF THE CITY'S ATTORNEYS. THANK YOU. [00:40:04] I, I'LL RECONVENE OUR OPEN MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL AT 6:48 PM AND ANNOUNCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5 5 1 0.102 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. HAVING COVERED EVERYTHING ON THIS AGENDA, I ADJOURN THIS MEETING. WE WILL RECESS AND START THE COUNCIL MEETING AT SIX. IT'S SEVEN O'CLOCK. * 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.