WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.120 >> Yes, I know, but I want to get it if they lose it. 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:07.980 All right, we'll get started. 00:00:07.980 --> 00:00:08.640 >> That's me? 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:09.520 >> That's you. 00:00:09.520 --> 00:00:12.220 >> All right, everyone, good morning. 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:18.360 Steve Edgar, I'm sitting in for Jill until she gets here, hopefully. 00:00:18.360 --> 00:00:19.400 Is she going to be here? 00:00:19.400 --> 00:00:21.960 All right, I'm sitting here for Jill. 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:26.300 And the first order, I'd like to call the meeting formally to order. 00:00:26.300 --> 00:00:32.820 The first agenda item is an election of a chair and vice chair for the partnership board. 00:00:32.820 --> 00:00:44.560 >> All right, we have had internet connectivity issues the past day, 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:47.960 so we lost the network connectivity to our folders. 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:50.520 I'm not able to pull up the information sheet. 00:00:50.520 --> 00:00:53.840 I do have it printed, so I'll quickly run over the item. 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:55.600 Welcome, anyone who is new. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:58.960 This is the economic development partnership board meeting. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.800 I'm Christine Taylor, the assistant city manager over economic development. 00:01:02.800 --> 00:01:09.360 We do have a vacancy with Lane Emerson, so I'm the B team stepping in until we get someone hired. 00:01:09.360 --> 00:01:14.840 I work closely with Aaron Carter, who is the chamber president who oversees our economic development partnership. 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:21.360 So this first item as a body for you all is to elect a chairperson and a vice chair from your members. 00:01:21.360 --> 00:01:32.480 This is an annual item, and so we have an ordinance that indicates this body shall elect a chairperson and a vice president among its members who will serve as the one-year term. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:38.880 And the eligible members are Rick Walford, I apologize if I put your name. 00:01:38.880 --> 00:01:44.240 Gerard Cuspeth, Jason Tomlinson, Paul Meltzer, he is out sick today. 00:01:44.240 --> 00:01:54.480 Jeremy Fiedeckx, Jimmy Mejia, Kerry Gorey, Lee Ramsey, Steve Edgar, Aaron Roberts, Brian Danoff, and Tony Clark. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:02:04.880 So if anyone is interested in making a motion for anyone who would like to serve as the chair. 00:02:04.880 --> 00:02:11.120 Do we have opportunity for comment first, or does it go right in? 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:14.480 Make your nomination and then you can discuss. 00:02:14.480 --> 00:02:16.880 Okay. 00:02:16.880 --> 00:02:17.520 B team. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:23.280 I think I just indicated I shouldn't be the board chair. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:24.800 That is true. 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:30.240 Well, I would like to nominate Steve as our board chair. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:33.680 You've been serving the assistant board, the chairman for a number of years. 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:35.840 We've been on this together for a long time. 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:39.600 I think you understand the dynamics of it with all the new players here. 00:02:39.600 --> 00:02:45.840 I think if you would accept that role, I would certainly think it would be a great opportunity for us to continue that. 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:50.320 So I would nominate Steve as our new chairman for this coming year. 00:02:50.320 --> 00:02:57.520 I'd second it if Tony says it's good. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:02:59.840 No, that's a new discussion. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:02.880 Do you accept the nomination? 00:03:02.880 --> 00:03:07.280 Yeah, that's what I wanted to have the conversation for. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:12.640 Certainly, I thank you for that question. 00:03:12.640 --> 00:03:13.360 Okay. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:23.120 Any other nominations or have a vote? 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:25.280 Okay, that's for me to call a vote on me. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:31.120 So all those in favor indicate by saying aye. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:31.920 Aye. 00:03:31.920 --> 00:03:33.760 Any opposed? 00:03:33.760 --> 00:03:36.000 Please feel free. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:37.280 All right, that measure carries. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:44.720 So then we move into the vice chair with the same eligibility from everyone here other than you. 00:03:44.720 --> 00:03:50.800 Yeah, that's the lighter. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:56.400 Well, being the new guy, but knowing Tony's been around a while, I nominate Tony Clark to be vice chair. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:59.680 Second. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:02.720 I think it'd be great. 00:04:02.720 --> 00:04:06.720 Opportunity for comment. 00:04:06.720 --> 00:04:07.840 No comments. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:11.680 Go forward with the vote for Tony. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.400 That seems fair to me. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.280 Obviously, I can't turn that down. 00:04:17.280 --> 00:04:19.280 Be your wingman here. 00:04:19.280 --> 00:04:20.080 Thank you, Tony. 00:04:20.080 --> 00:04:21.280 And we'll take that to vote. 00:04:21.280 --> 00:04:23.040 All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:23.840 Aye. 00:04:23.840 --> 00:04:26.640 Any opposed? 00:04:26.640 --> 00:04:27.040 All right. 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:32.480 Congratulations, Tony, and thank you. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:46.800 All right, we'll move forward now with consideration of approval of the minutes from our last, which does not seem possible, but June 14th, 2023 for the board. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:49.200 Have a move, please, and a second. 00:04:49.200 --> 00:04:50.960 Second. 00:04:50.960 --> 00:04:52.640 Any conversation around it? 00:04:52.640 --> 00:04:56.160 Any corrections? 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:58.400 All right. 00:04:58.400 --> 00:05:02.080 Motion for? 00:05:02.080 --> 00:05:02.800 I've got comment. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:04.640 What do we have? 00:05:04.640 --> 00:05:05.120 What do we need? 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.000 Just ask you for the motion. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:07.440 Who made the motion? 00:05:07.440 --> 00:05:08.000 It was Lee. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:08.400 Thank you. 00:05:08.400 --> 00:05:10.080 Did you all speak up just a little bit? 00:05:10.080 --> 00:05:12.080 Because we are using the microphones in the ceiling. 00:05:12.080 --> 00:05:15.520 We want to make sure we capture everything. 00:05:15.520 --> 00:05:16.400 You got everything. 00:05:16.400 --> 00:05:16.880 Perfect. 00:05:16.880 --> 00:05:17.840 All right. 00:05:17.840 --> 00:05:20.000 All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:20.480 Aye. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:22.640 Any opposed? 00:05:22.640 --> 00:05:24.160 That motion carries as well. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.120 Thank you. 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:28.000 Just keep on rolling. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:35.120 We're into item C now, the consideration of recommendation for ordinance of the city. 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:38.720 Conversation around that is being led by? 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:39.600 Are you doing that, Christine? 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:40.640 OK. 00:05:40.640 --> 00:05:41.920 OK, good morning again. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:44.800 Again, I'm Christine Taylor of Assistant City Manager. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.760 Eric Carter and I are going to be presenting this item together. 00:05:47.760 --> 00:05:55.280 So the city contracts with the Chamber of Commerce for the Economic Development Partnership through a funding agreement. 00:05:55.280 --> 00:05:57.040 A little background on this agreement. 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:01.520 The city and the chamber entered into the partnership in 1986. 00:06:01.520 --> 00:06:22.640 And through the economic development program agreement, the city funds a portion of the administrative and operational budget for the Chamber of Commerce Office of Economic Development, which focuses on prospective generation activities, marketing activities, printing, administration, marketing materials, small business development, and the support center. 00:06:22.640 --> 00:06:39.840 Over the past couple of years, the agreement between the city and the chamber has morphed and continued to improve and include specific goals, deliverables, metrics for the Chamber of the Chamber's Office of Economic Development, along with clauses regarding financial reporting, insurance requirements. 00:06:39.840 --> 00:06:47.360 So in 2019, the chamber approved a new format of the agreement that allowed for incorporation of a work plan. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:54.880 And that came with more details related to the ongoing partnership and division responsibilities, along with reporting requirements. 00:06:54.880 --> 00:07:03.920 The existing agreement is a one year and was extended for three twenty three twenty four. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:17.200 Why we're here today for the amendment is during the city of Denton budget process for fiscal year twenty three twenty four, the Chamber of Commerce requested a fifty thousand dollars supplemental funding increase for marketing and staff salaries. 00:07:17.200 --> 00:07:21.920 The city has gone through a compensation study and significantly increased salaries. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:30.800 Aaron's been working through a vacancy and was seeing that there was a lot of marketed competitiveness limiting what she had as far as budget for salary. 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:35.760 So this fifty thousand dollars was subsequently approved by the city to include in the budget. 00:07:35.760 --> 00:07:41.120 At the end of that fiscal year, we lost Wayne Emerson, who was our economic development director. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:50.640 He went to the city of Addison with David and then also Aaron received notification that Dan was going to go to school full time to get his master's degree. 00:07:50.640 --> 00:08:05.360 So we have two key vacancies for our two departments in the partnership. These vacancies kind of provided Aaron and I the opportunity to look at what are our strengths, where where can we go next with this partnership? 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:09.520 The chamber is so in touch with the business community and what's going on. 00:08:09.520 --> 00:08:14.400 We wanted to realign and maybe take some of those work plan items and swap them. 00:08:14.400 --> 00:08:28.880 So key changes to this agreement include shifting business recruitment and marketing from the chamber back over to the city and then business retention and expansion, expansion, shifting from the city over to the chamber. 00:08:28.880 --> 00:08:39.600 This then, since we're going to, since the city will retain the marketing piece of that fifty thousand dollars, the city will retain the twenty five thousand to focus on marketing efforts for economic development. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:50.480 And the twenty five thousand dollars, we recommend going over to the chamber to support those salaries for that hire for her for the business recruitment expansion position. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:09:03.200 This proposed amendment kind of outlines those key duties where the city will focus as the primary, where the chamber will focus as the primary, the activities that we will jointly do together and the cooperative efforts. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:16.880 And again, the tone here is this is a partnership, it is an economic development partnership. So all of these will be done together and it's just sorting out who will be the primary lead on each one. 00:09:16.880 --> 00:09:25.600 If this board is in favor, you're making a recommendation today to approve or deny the next step in this process would be to take this forward to council. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:34.720 We would like to get it on the January twenty third agenda. And before we move to any questions about the amendment, Aaron is going to run through the annual report. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:22.720 Technology is a key strength of mine, so I don't need to be doing this right now. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:33.920 Okay, as Christine said, I'm Aaron, I'm the president of the chamber. The chamber is the economic development arm in partnership with the city of Denton. 00:10:33.920 --> 00:10:44.160 And I'm super glad that I sent this over in an Adobe file because our server wouldn't let us send it over in a PowerPoint. So this shall be fun. 00:10:44.160 --> 00:10:53.520 As Christine said, we've been working in partnership with the city to streamline and divide out what we'll be doing separately and then what we'll be doing together. 00:10:53.520 --> 00:11:01.200 Christine and I have been meeting every week now for a good period of time to really clarify what we will be doing. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:07.600 Obviously, we office in with the city at the development services center and it's been a really good opportunity. 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:19.200 Glad Teams is on through this as well. The mission of the economic development partnership is to expand the city's tax base and support the creation of jobs through targeted marketing, strategic partnerships and stakeholder education. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:32.080 What is also great is Agrifen Rick, who I'm so excited to meet, and Aaron, who I met a little bit before this. All of you are investors and this feels like talking to you. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:43.200 The EDP plays six key roles in facilitating the region's continued prosperity. This report serves as our annual report to the economic development partnership board. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:54.000 So if at any time you have questions, you certainly don't have to wait till the end. You can reach out, you can just ask them, and these are really familiar to all of you as investors in the partnership. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:12:08.480 We market debt and assets. We are the public-private connector or convener, Brian. We broker new business information. We navigate prospects. We convene industry players and we support small business. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:22.560 Christine mentioned that the marketing side will go back over to the city, but for the sake of our partnership, we will continue to help market debt and that will be something that we will continue to do regardless of that change. 00:12:22.560 --> 00:12:41.040 It will be something that we do in tandem partnership. Last year's goals to meet the contract needs were to revamp digital and video marketing assets, create new company toolkits, organize industrial round tables, refresh the EDP website, and complete marketing collateral build-out. 00:12:41.040 --> 00:12:49.760 Obviously, I put little checks next to them because we completed all of those things within the contract window. 00:12:49.760 --> 00:13:03.680 To go through some of those in greater detail, we highlighted debt into national audiences. We collaborated with our friends at Denton ISD, UNT, and TWU to be key and our key major employers for a video series. 00:13:03.680 --> 00:13:16.640 I'm not able to show one of those today, but many of you have seen them and we're happy to show them. I actually think it was talking to Matilda before this on the city's economic development team and we'll start highlighting those at these meetings. 00:13:16.640 --> 00:13:29.920 We've done six thus far and we'll continue to work on those. We did a complete redesign of our website and it's garnered 6,000 users post launch and that was actually from last year's numbers, so we'll continue to update those. 00:13:29.920 --> 00:13:45.760 We developed a marketing toolkit for real estate and community leaders. It's really been much easier for our broker community and our development community to use as they're navigating the real estate market and why to attract businesses to Denton. 00:13:45.760 --> 00:13:58.720 We launched a business blog platform featuring a wide Denton series from leaders locally. Here is a snapshot of those shared stories from Denton's best themselves. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:11.360 One of them is in the room today. He's very busy working on his iPad because he's tired of hearing me speak all the time. I'm kidding, Dr. Wilson. It's Dr. Wilson, the superintendent of schools for Denton ISD. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:21.280 Jason Scoub was also one of the first we did from Peterbilt Motors, Neil Semotrix from the University of North Texas, Ashley Bagley from Saffron, and Jean Schimler from EMLS. 00:14:21.280 --> 00:14:30.480 We went to all of their places of work and we talked about the power of doing business in Denton and why Denton is the place to build, grow, and sustain your business. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:42.240 Each of them are approximately one minute and 30 seconds to two minutes long, so it's bite-sized, it's retainable, and it's information that we can send to potential businesses looking to come here. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:56.400 I know this isn't my presentation. However, Brian or Dr. Wilson, as individuals who participated in the video series, benefits to participating by any chance? 00:14:56.400 --> 00:15:08.000 Yes, absolutely. It was a great experience. Peterbilt has always tried to strive to be a good partner with the city and the local area. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:19.680 From the challenges that we have and just getting words out there, it was great. We've worked closely with the universities and the school just to make sure we've got a ready workforce. 00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:29.120 That's our biggest thing that we can do locally here to make sure we're really successful. I think this ties right into that. Good partnership. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:41.760 From our perspective, it was very beneficial just to be able to have a conversation about how the school district can help partner with businesses that are here currently or those that are wanting to relocate for workforce development. 00:15:41.760 --> 00:15:59.200 We highlighted some of our programs at the Lagrone Academy and future opportunities there as well. We were able to talk about our Peterbilt partnerships, talk about our Sally Beauty partnerships, talk about our Acme Brick relationships and those kinds of things too. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:15.840 It really gives an opportunity for someone who's from here to see how invested the local school system is in our local businesses and also for someone looking to relocate that same type of relationship they could expect from us. It was very beneficial. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:32.480 We appreciated partnering with both of you and we'll continue to do that work. We are always very proud of our team's work. A member of our Discover Dent team actually produced the videos, so we're very proud of Conrad Allen's work and we feel like they were very well done. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:40.000 We will continue to do those videos to make them accessible to individuals looking to relocate to debt and with their business. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:55.920 We held quarterly forums. Many of you in this room have attended them, including the team on the economic development side for the city. We had 430 attendees at four events. Our goal is to educate regional leaders and major employers at the value of investing in debt. 00:16:55.920 --> 00:17:14.400 These are snapshot pictures from those four events. We facilitate dialogue between public and private leaders to understand the work that we are doing but the work that's also being done on the behalf of their employers. Themes included future workforce, debt and CEO panel, real estate outlook and of course a recap of the 88th legislative session. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:28.160 This was new this year and I think it's one of the things we are most proud of. We heard from our industrial sector that they needed a time to get together to discuss issues that were specific to them. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:46.400 So we got a plant manager and an HR roundtable that is totally focused on the industrial sector in debt. We've held two so far for our plant manager roundtables and one for the HR roundtable. It takes time to build trust with the industrial sector. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:18:00.720 We really had to make sure to separate it for them to know that the EDP is separate from the Chamber of Commerce and we really like to make sure that they understand that. I'm just going to pick on you Steve and Tony and Jeremy are bankers in the room. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:16.800 We wanted to make sure they knew that the hospital wasn't going to be there. We love the hospital but you weren't going to come to the industrial roundtable and neither were our bankers because it really was a time when it was a discussion focused on just the industrial partners needs and concerns. 00:18:16.800 --> 00:18:32.160 Because we can really keep the integrity of that group growing. I know that Peterbilt has hosted one of them for us, EMLS hosted one of them for us, Saffron has hosted one of them for us and we were able to address the critical topics of workforce development and employee transportation. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:47.840 And as we can continue to grow that we're able to collaborate with partners at UNT Career Services, North Texas Society for Human Resource Management, more commonly known as SHRM. That was a huge win for us in continuing to build and understand the needs for our industrial sector. 00:18:47.840 --> 00:19:02.400 Now we do love working with you Steve so just to make sure that's known. And of course just so that makes it into the minutes. We definitely appreciate those partnerships just we have to understand the different markets and the time and place. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:12.080 We connected new businesses with critical resources. This is a little bit more about that website transition but we also partnered with the city to be featured in the certificate of occupancy emails. 00:19:12.080 --> 00:19:21.840 I think this was a huge opportunity. We don't see this in every city. We don't see this opportunity in every city and as Christine pointed out earlier this really is a partnership. 00:19:21.840 --> 00:19:32.720 In the EDT being located in the development services building we were able to walk across the room, sit down in a meeting and say how can we work better together. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:42.800 And this has really optimized the way we're able to communicate with businesses to strengthen the opportunity to understand the need to partner. 00:19:42.800 --> 00:19:48.880 This is a really text heavy slide. I hate doing this to people so I'm not going to read it all to you. It was available in your packet. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:54.160 But the EDP helps debt and businesses thrive amidst challenges and fuel continued growth. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:20:01.920 So on the left side of the screen there are challenges, there are EDP efforts in the middle and then the results we've seen there afterwards. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:12.240 I'm going to highlight the competitive need for top talent. We see that constantly. Businesses come to us and say we need to drive talent. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:20.560 The EDP has helped to develop talent pipelines. There are many of our UNT, TWU and debt and ISD partners in this room. 00:20:20.560 --> 00:20:26.080 Those are some of our most strategic partnerships and I would be remiss to leave out NCTC. 00:20:26.080 --> 00:20:33.520 That is something that we continue to see a need for with our partnerships and so as we build those talent pipelines we want to make sure talent stays in debt. 00:20:33.520 --> 00:20:36.640 So that's something we'll continue to work on. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:45.520 We see secure major economic drivers. We had 181 leads this year and those led to under 1 million square feet of new industrial leases. 00:20:45.520 --> 00:20:53.200 I think that's huge for the city. We submitted 58 RFPs which led to 40 new industrial leases. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:21:00.880 46 companies and brokers were engaged and we did engage 100% of our major industrial brokers in debt. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:08.880 So that's why relationships matter to us. They will always be top of mind. We are always available to each of you. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:17.440 Something that people often don't know we do is we do fund a partnership with the SBDC, the Small Business Development Center. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:25.760 New businesses started through relationships with the SBDC or 72. Jobs supported were a little over 3,000. 00:21:25.760 --> 00:21:32.320 Unique clients served were like under 800 and a capital infusion of under 40,000. 00:21:32.320 --> 00:21:39.600 So that's a great opportunity for us as well. We love working with them because economic development partnership is not just about big business. 00:21:39.600 --> 00:21:43.120 It also is about supporting small business growth here in Denton. 00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:50.320 And then as a reminder, the EDP is also supported by private investment. 00:21:50.320 --> 00:21:56.880 The Chamber of Commerce is contractually obligated to raise $125,000 from the business community. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:22:04.880 Funds do not come from Chamber memberships. Support is raised specifically for economic development efforts. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:15.120 At the time of this presentation, 131 businesses invested in the partnership, which is up from last year at this time, which we had 97. 00:22:15.120 --> 00:22:19.120 Companies in all of the city's strategic growth areas are represented. 00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:28.320 I'd just like to make that clear because often people think there's an intersection of Chamber membership and EDP membership and there are two separate membership bases, so I just want to make sure that's clear. 00:22:28.320 --> 00:22:39.440 Again, thank you for your partnership. It is a privilege to work and partner with the City of Denton, to work with the City of Denton's entire staff. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:46.880 We work most closely, obviously, with planning, zoning, permitting, techs, and the wonderful team in economic development. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:56.480 We truly are a partnership and what we do best we do together, so I'd be happy to entertain any questions, ideas, or strategic opportunities to go and work together. 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:08.400 Is this our time just to come in on this or kind of discuss the whole? 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:15.360 The whole item, the amendments. If there's questions about the plan that was presented or specific questions about the amendment, Aaron and I can stand for questions. 00:23:15.360 --> 00:23:24.160 One, I want to thank you guys because it was a big risk when we moved the Chamber into the city. There was a lot of discussion around that, so it's good to hear that that's actually working. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:28.960 One year, it's kind of the honeymoon period. Two years, it's working. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:36.560 Two is, I think $25,000 is like, hey, let's appease everybody if they've got $25,000, right? 00:23:36.560 --> 00:23:51.520 If you look at our office vacancy in Denton right now, especially small business office vacancy around downtown, and even some of the external areas of some of the office vacancy, it's growing, especially in the smaller office. 00:23:51.520 --> 00:24:01.200 So it's getting backfilled with some things we may or may not want in our city. That's my opinion. My opinion may be different than somebody else's. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:07.040 Two is, we've had a very, that's existing space and then growing existing business may be bringing that. 00:24:07.040 --> 00:24:14.880 Second thing is, if you look at the amount of industrial that's been invested in our city over the last 24 months, it's been large. 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:28.800 We keep a track of every industrial development under construction or built. So there's been a lot of money invested in Denton, probably one of the larger in the areas other than Alliance in South Dallas. 00:24:28.800 --> 00:24:39.040 So my opinion, and it's about 80% vacancy right now in Denton in our industrial space, and that's not because we haven't been doing a good job, that's because we've had so much coming online at one time. 00:24:39.040 --> 00:24:52.560 I mean, you look at, there's been a lot of new construction, so it's filling up. We're reaching out to people, but I think in this time, this is a time for the city and the chamber to double down on our marketing for that. 00:24:52.560 --> 00:25:06.000 So we get the tenants we want, because what will happen is, these people that own these buildings, they'll start putting anybody in there just to get it paying, because their debt service has got to be covered, they've got loan commitments they've got to make. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:19.840 So they're just going to put anybody in there that might pay rent. They'll do a little TI dollars, they evict them. So we want to be cautious on, we have so much online right now, which is a positive that investors believe in Denton. 00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:27.280 We want to be cautious that our tenant quality stays up where it needs to be in our new, and then backfilling any space that may be coming out. 00:25:27.280 --> 00:25:37.040 And our offices, especially our downtown area and any other offices, what tenants go in there. So I think, in my opinion, this is a time to double down. 00:25:37.040 --> 00:25:47.760 I think we ought to, Mayor may backhand me right now, but I think what we're investing in at $25,000 is just barely saying, oh, here's some money to say we did some EDC dollars. 00:25:47.760 --> 00:25:59.760 In my opinion, we need to go out and we need to look and say, what are those two positions, who is the best we can hire, since we have an opportunity to reset right now, which we may never have a chance again to do with both positions. 00:25:59.760 --> 00:26:07.120 We need to double down on this, and the $25,000, I think we need to go to market and say, what's a real number to hire these people? 00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:16.080 And if it's $50,000 each, if it's $100,000 each, with the vulnerable place that we're in as a city, we need to seriously consider what those numbers are. 00:26:16.080 --> 00:26:27.760 I just want to answer on that one question. So the budgeted salary for the economic development director is separate from this agreement, and Erin already has an existing budget for the position. 00:26:27.760 --> 00:26:37.520 This was an additional $25,000 on top of that, but that doesn't limit her. If she has funding, we'll do the same thing. On the city side, we are looking for the best candidate. 00:26:37.520 --> 00:26:47.520 We have a range, we have a budget, but we know the importance of these key hires and have funding. Both of us feel that there's enough funding based on the market to find really good candidates with this increase. 00:26:47.520 --> 00:26:59.920 If y'all think the $25,000 is enough on top of what we have, I know what we're having to pay people from, what everybody in this room knows that, what we're having to pay people from just 24 months ago is drastically different today. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:14.320 So we're here to support you guys, is what I'm saying. So whatever we need to do to make sure we get the two best people that we can keep. The last few people, I've been doing this a long time with the Chamber, it's a filler position until they find something else. 00:27:14.320 --> 00:27:20.000 And I just want to make sure whatever we do, we can hire really good quality people that are going to be long term. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:32.560 And if I get a question, let me ask Scott. We are going to give a hiring update through the staff report side, but we've hired a national recruiting firm specific to economic development to help us on our side. 00:27:32.560 --> 00:27:46.640 We're air and serving on our panels, I'm going to meet with her candidates. So we understand, we both feel like everything is right and didn't right now for this growth and we have to make key hires with these two positions. 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:55.840 I'm just communicating, y'all have our support and if we need to recommend if that's enough funding or if we feel like that's just what sometimes when we go with these recommendations, we think that's what we can get. 00:27:55.840 --> 00:28:10.240 You know, being on these boards for years, just make sure it's right. So whatever, if you guys both look at us, say thumbs up, we've discussed this and you know, it's good. But if we need to push for more funding to get those two positions right, let's do it. 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:19.600 Is this a voting or information? 00:28:19.600 --> 00:28:37.200 Hey, so kind of explain to me again, what is the chamber, what's the focus shifting from and to in your opinion? Obviously, what were the pluses and minuses of this new arrangement with the city? I know it's always been a partnership, but it sounds like it kind of changes the mats here. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:54.400 Yeah, there's going to be some changes. So there was just some duplicative work and it was not at fault of either team. It really was, there really wasn't some drilled out areas. We naturally at the chamber through the partnership do business retention. 00:28:54.400 --> 00:29:09.760 We will always do business retention when we when we would go out to meet with you. For example, we would naturally ask you how's it going and how are things going with your clients before we weren't contracted to do that, but we were naturally doing it. So now we will be contracted to do that. 00:29:09.760 --> 00:29:27.840 So it's really utilizing our skill set to the best of its ability. We will not be doing direct marketing services. Now our team, we have a director of marketing. She will be partnering with the city, but we won't be contracted to do that in the same level. 00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:48.560 It will change also. We will not be the ones filling out the RFI, but since we hold the relationships with the development community, we will still work with them through that process. So it's really about looking at the staff we have and then looking at the staff the city has and understanding the skill sets and then applying them to the opportunities. 00:29:48.560 --> 00:30:04.560 I believe our strongest suit is in business retention and expansion, where the city has a greater budget to attract and will be the ones ultimately doing the incentives, which we hopefully start to see flowing through again. That is a better opportunity. 00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:21.040 Well, we've talked in here before over the years, and the mayor knows this better than I do, but we're always competing with one arm tied behind our back, or two arms, because of all the incentive options that other communities in the Dallas Fort Worth area have that we don't. We don't need to go down that rabbit trail. 00:30:21.040 --> 00:30:44.880 But I'm like Lee, man. I think we continue to be in a great position, and it just seems like we're never getting to where we need to be. I'm not saying we're treading water, but like Lee said, we've got all this space now that has come into our market, and now it's time to fill it up and really get the benefit from that. 00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:58.560 And the only way we do that is recruitment incentives to get the right people, the right businesses here, and not just the ones that, like Lee said, come and go because of their financial capacity or whatever. 00:30:58.560 --> 00:31:17.280 I think economic, so traditional economic developers that tend to be close to the best, right, because they, I don't want to tell Jeremy what I have maybe coming in because I don't want him maybe to take it to another city, but I think the difference in what Christine and I have really worked through will disarm that concern. 00:31:17.280 --> 00:31:32.880 So our director of strategic partnership, so the chamber and the city used to both have directors of economic development. That was incredibly confusing. Because if I would go to Peterbilt with our directors of economic development and then later the city would, that sends very different messages. 00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:48.240 We have a director of strategic partnership, the city has a director of economic development. When they come together to talk to Peterbilt, they're talking to them from the partnership, but they're both bringing different lenses to the table to help them solve issues and bring them the best opportunities. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:32:16.560 And so I think what Christine and I have done is disarm the concern and really enabled sharing and hopefully moving the needle forward for debt. And I think before maybe the chamber and the city both just accepted the contract every year, but Christine and I were to be, I mean to be frank, tossed it out and said let's go clean slate and bring the drawing board back and just do what we know is best for the community, for the business community. 00:32:16.560 --> 00:32:20.320 And I would say that's helped both of us truly understand what we need to be doing. 00:32:20.320 --> 00:32:21.600 Thank you. 00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:45.360 My dear, and I think part of that too, what you've got done is when we were developing that agreement, it was, we didn't know really what, we all took the best path we could when we did that and with a couple years experience, I don't know that you threw it out, I think you took what you learned, whose roles were the best and maybe morphed it into some better guidelines of what we've learned over the last couple of years. So I think that's been a real positive. 00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:53.360 That's why we like you so much, you rephrased it back then. That's why you print the packet of it. 00:32:53.360 --> 00:33:06.400 Any other conversation? We'll move to votes. All in favor of the, do we have to make a motion on this motion on it? Any motion on the proposed? 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:14.080 Move approval of the recommendation presented under EDP 24-007. 00:33:14.080 --> 00:33:19.840 All second. And a second. Any further conversation? 00:33:19.840 --> 00:33:35.040 I don't know if this is the right place or not, I don't think it is, but I haven't seen the city do any strategic planning like maybe 10 years ago when we finally convinced them we needed to change that stupid little road that's now called Western Boulevard. 00:33:35.040 --> 00:33:52.240 And by making that a high quality four-lane road for most of it, the development that's been out there is incredible. I think it's time for us to look further. I think we need to push the county on Route 288 around the north and the west side. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:34:05.840 I think that will blow our top off of a lot of things over on that side. That's the joint effort, I believe, but I'm not sure it's the right place to talk about that, but I hope we'll consider that. 00:34:05.840 --> 00:34:22.320 We can follow-up on a future agenda item and bring back the progress of what's happening with those capital plans. Council is having those strategic discussions so we can do a follow-up with what we know what's going on for the rest of the city. 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:47.760 I've asked about the same thing at the airport. I would just like to, this is probably my one chance to chime in on the hires. In my world, there's, in my estimation, there's two kinds, there's, when you're looking at sales, there's hunters, right, and then there's kind of cultivators, like someone's walking in the door, they can manage them with the best of them. 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:53.280 We need somebody that's going to go out and kill it and bring it back, right, to the point we have those deficits that are against- 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:54.480 We're calling up gun fighters. 00:34:54.480 --> 00:35:15.920 Yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, that's what we need. Somebody that can work with a little next to nothing, right, Boy Scout that has a stick and, you know, some, whatever, creek water and can start a fire, right, that's going to, you know, you can get some mud, some sun and build a hut, right, and so I just think that really is critical for the position. 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:45.680 Because the assets we have are viable and very good, right, it's just about going and finding the right pain points. And I talked to some folks, I'd love to get in front of the folks down in Kroger, because that shipping center at Heritage Trace is an absolute nightmare, right, and you had an HEB to that, and they're all right next to the rail, well, let's plug them in here right off I-35, you know, and so from my perspective, from my office, whoever's out there hunting from a, if you have, you know, 00:35:45.680 --> 00:36:15.600 tilt wall buildings and you have speculative space, you reach out to me and let's go have meetings, right, I'll sit with you and we'll give them the hard sell. But same thing, whoever we're looking for to fill these positions needs to be one that's creative and able to work with the natural benefits we have in lieu of some of the other things that other communities have, but are built out and face challenges and aren't right off I-35. So I think there's some gangsmanship there and how 00:36:15.600 --> 00:36:19.200 we present those things, but there's some absolute advantages. 00:36:19.200 --> 00:36:27.200 Any other metaphors that we want to bring forward? 00:36:27.200 --> 00:36:29.200 Yeah, yeah, let's get them all in. 00:36:29.200 --> 00:36:32.800 I'll take some notes, I got them later. 00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:34.800 We'll start infiltrating this. 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:44.400 Yeah, as I said last night, a word's worth a thousand pictures. 00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:46.400 Yes. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:48.400 That was free for you. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:50.400 I'm writing that down. 00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:52.400 Alright, are we ready to move to vote? 00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:54.400 We have a motion and a second. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:56.400 All in favor signify by saying aye. 00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:58.400 Any opposed? 00:36:58.400 --> 00:37:00.400 The motion carries. 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:02.400 Thank you. 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:04.400 We'll bring this to council on the 23rd. 00:37:04.400 --> 00:37:08.400 I apologize, I have to step out and take a call real quick and I'll be back. 00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:16.400 As the chair. 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:18.400 Alright. 00:37:18.400 --> 00:37:26.400 I'm going to act as chair. 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:30.400 I did get a message that Councilmember Meltzer is watching. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:32.400 He was unable to attend, but he wanted to pass along. 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:34.400 He is watching online and following along. 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:50.400 So I will call item D, which is receive a report, ADP 24004, receive a report, hold a discussion, and appoint or re-appoint members to the Economic Development Partnership Board for the Downtown Economic Development Committee. 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:56.400 We don't have the exhibit likely because of our internet, but Christina Davis is going to walk you through this item. 00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:16.400 So I'm not sure if everyone here knows, but the Downtown Economic Development Committee is a subcommittee of the Economic Development Partnership Board. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:28.400 And part of that board policy and guidelines requires a member of the ADP board to be the chair of the Downtown Economic Development Committee. 00:38:28.400 --> 00:38:35.400 So our last chair was Jesse Davis, as he was the county, but he also happened to be a council member. 00:38:35.400 --> 00:38:43.400 So we're looking to feel, we're going to re-appoint existing members who are eligible to be re-appointed. 00:38:43.400 --> 00:38:49.400 And then we're going to appoint a couple of new people to fill vacant positions. 00:38:49.400 --> 00:38:56.400 And then we'll also appoint a person from the ADP board to be the chair of the DEDEC. 00:38:56.400 --> 00:38:58.400 So we'll go through each one of these. 00:38:58.400 --> 00:39:03.400 Jason Voder is a downtown property owner and business owner. 00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:08.400 He is due to be re-appointed. He would like to be re-appointed. 00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:13.400 Melissa Lindenberg is also a property owner. She's eligible to be re-appointed. 00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:20.400 And Beth Lewis is the Texas Homes University representative, and she's also eligible to be re-appointed. 00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:26.400 Tracy Long is the, or was the Denton Main Street Association representative on the board. 00:39:26.400 --> 00:39:30.400 Her term ended on that board, and there is a replacement for her. 00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:43.400 And Georgina Nagazi, who is with the Denton Greater Arts Council, she retired and there was a new person to fill her position as well. 00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:50.400 So what we're asking you to do today is to re-appoint Jason, Melissa and Beth. 00:39:50.400 --> 00:39:57.400 And then in place of Tracy Long and Georgina, we would like to ask you to appoint Kristen Bigley, 00:39:57.400 --> 00:40:12.400 who is now the Main Street manager, and Chrissy Oden, who is the new Greater Denton Arts Council executive director. 00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:20.400 Do we have any questions? 00:40:20.400 --> 00:40:22.400 Did we get a recommendation from this board? 00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:32.400 Yes, so this board actually appoints and re-appoints members to the data, because it's a subcommittee of this board. 00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:33.400 Do we need to make a motion? 00:40:33.400 --> 00:40:39.400 So Steve Gohn, I guess I would like to have a motion to approve those recommendations. 00:40:39.400 --> 00:40:40.400 So moved. 00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:41.400 Second. 00:40:41.400 --> 00:40:42.400 Third. 00:40:42.400 --> 00:40:43.400 Okay. 00:40:43.400 --> 00:40:52.400 The next item as part of this or part of that recommendation is we need to appoint someone from this board to be the chair of the data. 00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:57.400 In periods of years, someone has volunteered. 00:40:57.400 --> 00:40:59.400 What are the time commitments? 00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:04.400 The time commitment for this board, this board meets the first Thursday of every month at 8.30 in the morning. 00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:12.400 It's generally an hour meeting. The committee covers items that are part of downtown. 00:41:12.400 --> 00:41:19.400 So anything having to do with downtown, they also assist with things like the downtown parking study. 00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:22.400 They help filter some information for the ambassador program. 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:27.400 They also assist in the downtown reinvestment grant approval process. 00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:29.400 And where do they meet? Did you say that? 00:41:29.400 --> 00:41:33.400 They meet at our building at the Development Service Center. 00:41:33.400 --> 00:41:38.400 I'd like to nominate Jeremy Fox. 00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:49.400 So we have a nomination for that slot, Mr. Jeremy Fox. 00:41:49.400 --> 00:41:54.400 Mr. Jeremy, is that something that you'd like to do or have an interest in? 00:41:54.400 --> 00:41:56.400 It's a one-year commitment, right? 00:41:56.400 --> 00:42:01.400 It's a two-year commitment. 00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:03.400 Two years is a new one-year. 00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:05.400 You've been hanging around Aaron. 00:42:05.400 --> 00:42:09.400 Hi, Jeremy. Thanks so much for coming here. It's so good to see you. 00:42:09.400 --> 00:42:13.400 I would like to say we do have a committee of 13 people. 00:42:13.400 --> 00:42:17.400 They're very engaged. We have excellent attendance on this committee. 00:42:17.400 --> 00:42:23.400 And we only meet when we have action items, so it's not going to be -- in the last year we had four meetings. 00:42:23.400 --> 00:42:24.400 Okay, yeah. 00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:25.400 So -- 00:42:25.400 --> 00:42:26.400 Well, before that, is there anybody really -- 00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:28.400 Before that, I mean, it could be 12, but -- 00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:31.400 Anybody that really wants to do that, is there somebody that -- 00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:32.400 Anyone have a passion for downtown? 00:42:32.400 --> 00:42:36.400 Yeah, there. 00:42:36.400 --> 00:42:37.400 But you got -- 00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:44.400 I'm the guy. I'm the guy. 00:42:44.400 --> 00:42:49.400 Okay, so we do have a motion to approve Jeremy and the other -- 00:42:49.400 --> 00:42:52.400 The staff is just telling me that Paul Meltzer is also interested. 00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:58.400 Okay. 00:42:58.400 --> 00:43:02.400 If no one else is interested, is that fine? 00:43:02.400 --> 00:43:03.400 I'm fine. I'm fine with it. 00:43:03.400 --> 00:43:07.400 Yeah, we got a motion that we've got to deal with. 00:43:07.400 --> 00:43:09.400 Do we have a motion? We have a second. 00:43:09.400 --> 00:43:10.400 Okay. 00:43:10.400 --> 00:43:11.400 Any other questions, comments? 00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:12.400 All in favor, aye. 00:43:12.400 --> 00:43:13.400 All right. 00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:14.400 Any opposed? 00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:15.400 Clarification. 00:43:15.400 --> 00:43:16.400 Yeah. 00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:18.400 Did we already vote on the people the first time? 00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:19.400 Yes. 00:43:19.400 --> 00:43:20.400 Okay. 00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:21.400 Good one. 00:43:21.400 --> 00:43:22.400 Okay. 00:43:22.400 --> 00:43:23.400 So Jeremy? 00:43:23.400 --> 00:43:24.400 Yes, ma'am. 00:43:24.400 --> 00:43:25.400 Welcome aboard. 00:43:25.400 --> 00:43:26.400 Thank you. 00:43:26.400 --> 00:43:27.400 Christina, can I just ask you a question? 00:43:27.400 --> 00:43:28.400 Yes. 00:43:28.400 --> 00:43:29.400 Hopefully, I'll appreciate that. 00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:30.400 Is Hank still on the board? 00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:31.400 It's going to cost me. 00:43:31.400 --> 00:43:32.400 Yes. 00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:33.400 Can we change his seat? 00:43:33.400 --> 00:43:36.400 Because he's not really with the University of Texas. 00:43:36.400 --> 00:43:37.400 Oh, that's -- you're right. 00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:38.400 Yeah. 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:39.400 He's with the chamber. 00:43:39.400 --> 00:43:40.400 He's with the chamber. 00:43:40.400 --> 00:43:41.400 Yes. 00:43:41.400 --> 00:43:42.400 Can we change his affiliation? 00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:43.400 We will. 00:43:43.400 --> 00:43:44.400 Okay. 00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:45.400 Thank you for catching up. 00:43:45.400 --> 00:43:46.400 Oh, can I -- obviously, I'm going to be getting information on that. 00:43:46.400 --> 00:43:52.400 Can I make sure that it goes to my G&TY email, as opposed to the Yahoo email? 00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:57.400 I'm getting them on both spots, and then I thought I corrected it, but then I got some 00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:59.400 more stuff this week at the Yahoo, and I just -- I missed it. 00:43:59.400 --> 00:44:00.400 Okay. 00:44:00.400 --> 00:44:01.400 We'll get it, thanks. 00:44:01.400 --> 00:44:02.400 Okay. 00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:03.400 All right. 00:44:03.400 --> 00:44:04.400 Are we good? 00:44:04.400 --> 00:44:05.400 Okay. 00:44:05.400 --> 00:44:06.400 Thank you. 00:44:06.400 --> 00:44:07.400 [inaudible] 00:44:07.400 --> 00:44:16.400 Next up on the agenda, receiver and board hold discussion and staff directions for the 00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:21.400 meeting dates and times for our meetings in 2024. 00:44:21.400 --> 00:44:24.400 I'm busy the first Thursday of this month. 00:44:24.400 --> 00:44:25.400 [laughter] 00:44:25.400 --> 00:44:30.400 I'll bring you direct. 00:44:30.400 --> 00:44:38.400 Christine Taylor, Assistant City Manager. 00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:42.400 So, annually, in addition to appointing the chair and vice chair, this committee needs 00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:43.400 to set the meeting dates and times. 00:44:43.400 --> 00:45:01.400 I apologize, I'm trying to pull this up. 00:45:01.400 --> 00:45:02.400 Currently, the board is set to meet monthly. 00:45:02.400 --> 00:45:09.400 We did have a conversation with last year's board about the potential of moving to a quarterly 00:45:09.400 --> 00:45:10.400 basis. 00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:14.400 Ultimately, the chair and the board decided that you would like to continue to meet monthly. 00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:17.400 If there weren't meeting topics, the meetings can always be canceled. 00:45:17.400 --> 00:45:23.400 So, we'd like to talk about are you interested in continuing to meet monthly, or are you interested 00:45:23.400 --> 00:45:26.400 in continuing to move to a quarterly basis. 00:45:26.400 --> 00:45:29.400 Attached in your backup was a list of potential meeting dates. 00:45:29.400 --> 00:45:35.400 The board currently meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 11 o'clock in the day, and we're 00:45:35.400 --> 00:45:40.400 looking at approximately an hour and a half time commitment, and that backup kind of outlined 00:45:40.400 --> 00:45:41.400 the meeting dates. 00:45:41.400 --> 00:45:46.400 So, we're looking for discussion on if the board is interested in continuing with that 00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:49.400 schedule, or is interested in pursuing an alternative schedule. 00:45:49.400 --> 00:45:57.400 My thought is if we're going to have a new ED person, we need to meet more often than 00:45:57.400 --> 00:45:58.400 once. 00:45:58.400 --> 00:46:01.400 I think monthly is where I'm at. 00:46:01.400 --> 00:46:05.400 Well, historically, like you said, if there wasn't an agenda, we just wouldn't meet. 00:46:05.400 --> 00:46:09.400 But it gave them the option, because we are set up for monthly meetings, to have one of 00:46:09.400 --> 00:46:13.400 the meeting ones instead of waiting for a quarter, three months rather. 00:46:13.400 --> 00:46:15.400 I would agree with that as well. 00:46:15.400 --> 00:46:16.400 I agree. 00:46:16.400 --> 00:46:18.400 How many of we have monthly meetings? 00:46:18.400 --> 00:46:19.400 Second. 00:46:19.400 --> 00:46:21.400 On the day currently? 00:46:21.400 --> 00:46:27.400 So, we have a motion to keep our meetings monthly, and we have a second on the second 00:46:27.400 --> 00:46:30.400 Wednesday of the month, I'm assuming? 00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:32.400 Is that two different motions, or the same motion? 00:46:32.400 --> 00:46:33.400 Same motion. 00:46:33.400 --> 00:46:34.400 Same motion. 00:46:34.400 --> 00:46:36.400 Same motion to adopt the monthly meeting schedule. 00:46:36.400 --> 00:46:37.400 The monthly meeting schedule attached to the record. 00:46:37.400 --> 00:46:39.400 So, we have a motion, second. 00:46:39.400 --> 00:46:40.400 All in favor, aye? 00:46:40.400 --> 00:46:41.400 Aye. 00:46:41.400 --> 00:46:42.400 Any opposed? 00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:43.400 Yes. 00:46:43.400 --> 00:46:48.400 I guess with that next meeting being on Valentine's Day, I might just for a record vote, no, but 00:46:48.400 --> 00:46:51.400 I'm going to, I mean, price for y'all. 00:46:51.400 --> 00:47:07.400 I said no. 00:47:07.400 --> 00:47:11.400 Yeah, item F is up next, receive training and hold a discussion regarding an economic 00:47:11.400 --> 00:47:15.400 development partnership board member orientation. 00:47:15.400 --> 00:47:20.400 In addition to Wayne being vacant, Erica Sullivan was going to lead this item as she's sick, 00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:24.400 so again, you have me stepping in to get you through this item. 00:47:24.400 --> 00:47:26.400 We wanted to do just an annual orientation. 00:47:26.400 --> 00:47:30.400 We're going to break it up, and since we're going to meet monthly, that'll help, so it's 00:47:30.400 --> 00:47:31.400 not one huge chunk. 00:47:31.400 --> 00:47:35.400 We're going to go over a couple things today just to orient you with the structure. 00:47:35.400 --> 00:47:37.400 What is really your role as this board? 00:47:37.400 --> 00:47:41.400 And again, we're here to answer any questions along the way. 00:47:41.400 --> 00:47:43.400 So, what is economic development? 00:47:43.400 --> 00:47:48.400 It is a purposeful process for us focusing on the growth and restructuring of the economy 00:47:48.400 --> 00:47:53.400 through our city policies programs to enhance the well-being of the community. 00:47:53.400 --> 00:47:57.400 So, we do have a department in the city who is staffed to focus on these efforts. 00:47:57.400 --> 00:48:01.400 Again, we partner with the chamber for the economic development partnership to get through 00:48:01.400 --> 00:48:05.400 to facilitate those goals. 00:48:05.400 --> 00:48:07.400 A brief history is included in there. 00:48:07.400 --> 00:48:09.400 We talked about it in our last item. 00:48:09.400 --> 00:48:14.400 The partnership began in 1987 between the city and the chamber of commerce. 00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:20.400 We did have a local economic development sales tax election in 1996 that kind of led to the 00:48:20.400 --> 00:48:23.400 questions on what funding tools does the city have. 00:48:23.400 --> 00:48:28.400 In 2001, we had the city selected economic development as one of its top priorities. 00:48:28.400 --> 00:48:32.400 In 2003, it was their first strategic plan. 00:48:32.400 --> 00:48:37.400 And in 2021, there was an additional work on a strategic plan that was adopted and updated 00:48:37.400 --> 00:48:39.400 by the city council. 00:48:39.400 --> 00:48:43.400 This is a quick visual of that partnership that we spoke about. 00:48:43.400 --> 00:48:48.400 So, between the city and the chamber, we have created economic development partnership, 00:48:48.400 --> 00:48:56.400 which takes both entities working together for the common goal of a thriving economy. 00:48:56.400 --> 00:49:00.400 We talked multiple times about where there can be some confusion between our two groups. 00:49:00.400 --> 00:49:05.400 So, we want to provide you at our back of what that structure looks like and who your contacts 00:49:05.400 --> 00:49:08.400 are so you can reach out if there are additional questions. 00:49:08.400 --> 00:49:13.400 On the city side right now without Wayne, I'm serving as that main point of contact. 00:49:13.400 --> 00:49:16.400 And on the chamber side, Aaron Carter is the president. 00:49:16.400 --> 00:49:22.400 Both of us are always available to answer any questions and facilitate anything that's needed 00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:24.400 for economic development. 00:49:24.400 --> 00:49:29.400 So, this board is created as an advisory board that serves as a recommending body to our council. 00:49:29.400 --> 00:49:35.400 So, your goal and your objective here is to review incentive applications, any economic development 00:49:35.400 --> 00:49:39.400 policies that we bring forward, strategic plans and programs. 00:49:39.400 --> 00:49:42.400 The board makeup is listed below. 00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:49.400 It is composed of two council members, two chamber board members, two top 20 taxpayers in the community, 00:49:49.400 --> 00:49:54.400 a member with aviation experience, a member from the Dent Black Chamber, 00:49:54.400 --> 00:49:57.400 a member from the Dent Hispanic Chamber nomination. 00:49:57.400 --> 00:50:02.400 And we have worked a little bit on that language since there isn't a Hispanic chamber anymore. 00:50:02.400 --> 00:50:08.400 It is an underutilized business, historically unutilized business can serve on that role. 00:50:08.400 --> 00:50:13.400 We have one out large member and then representation from UNT and TWU, 00:50:13.400 --> 00:50:15.400 three ex officio, city manager. 00:50:15.400 --> 00:50:20.400 Sometimes she defaults that to Cassie or I, chamber president, which is Aaron, 00:50:20.400 --> 00:50:23.400 and the superintendent, Dr. Wilson. 00:50:23.400 --> 00:50:29.400 I'm currently serving as that board liaison, but once we make that higher, the new director will be. 00:50:29.400 --> 00:50:34.400 So, again, we wanted to just orient you with the board structure while you're here. 00:50:34.400 --> 00:50:36.400 Again, we're happy to answer any questions today. 00:50:36.400 --> 00:50:41.400 And over the next series of meetings, we'll take some time and focus on that strategic plan. 00:50:41.400 --> 00:50:43.400 Go through that to orient the board. 00:50:43.400 --> 00:50:48.400 Really talk about those areas that we're focusing on going after and getting incentives for. 00:50:48.400 --> 00:50:51.400 And then we'll talk about a little bit about financing tools in the future. 00:50:51.400 --> 00:50:53.400 And I think you'll be excited to learn. 00:50:53.400 --> 00:50:56.400 In this past year, we've had two new financing tools come on board. 00:50:56.400 --> 00:51:01.400 So that will be a great discussion to share how we're kind of adding some tools in our toolkit 00:51:01.400 --> 00:51:08.400 to help us be more positioned to go out and get new businesses to come through today. 00:51:08.400 --> 00:51:17.400 So Aaron and I will stand for any questions you have on the relationship, the structure, the goals of the board. 00:51:17.400 --> 00:51:19.400 I'll just make one quick comment. 00:51:19.400 --> 00:51:23.400 I'm very proud of what you guys have done, especially with the transition we've had over the last few years 00:51:23.400 --> 00:51:27.400 and how you guys put this together, and y'all have full-time jobs, both of you. 00:51:27.400 --> 00:51:31.400 And thank you guys for dedicating the time, because I know what it takes to do that. 00:51:31.400 --> 00:51:35.400 So thank you. 00:51:35.400 --> 00:51:38.400 Okay. Well, then we look forward to if there are any other questions. 00:51:38.400 --> 00:51:41.400 Those are the top two items that we'll be bringing back next. 00:51:41.400 --> 00:51:45.400 Of course, we'll touch base with Steve and Tony to see if we need to adjust that, 00:51:45.400 --> 00:51:49.400 if there's anything you're more interested in seeing as we continue to have that orientation. 00:51:49.400 --> 00:51:55.400 But we look forward to continuing to meet with you and strengthen our economic development programs. 00:51:55.400 --> 00:52:02.400 Do we have all of our meetings here to occasionally meet over at the -- where the new chamber offices are? 00:52:02.400 --> 00:52:06.400 We'd like to always meet over at the Development Services Center in the room. 00:52:06.400 --> 00:52:10.400 Obviously, it just fits more and it's better suited for this board meeting. 00:52:10.400 --> 00:52:14.400 There was a calendar conflict to put us in here today, 00:52:14.400 --> 00:52:20.400 but we are going to secure all of our grants at the Development Services Center. 00:52:20.400 --> 00:52:22.400 If I could, I want to apologize for stepping out. 00:52:22.400 --> 00:52:27.400 I'm on call this week, and I had to step out. 00:52:27.400 --> 00:52:28.400 So thank you. 00:52:28.400 --> 00:52:29.400 We've got your back. 00:52:29.400 --> 00:52:30.400 My apologies. 00:52:30.400 --> 00:52:31.400 We're throughout a match. 00:52:31.400 --> 00:52:32.400 There you go. 00:52:32.400 --> 00:52:33.400 There you go. 00:52:33.400 --> 00:52:41.400 With the increased presence of college or the junior college, the community college, 00:52:41.400 --> 00:52:46.400 how are we thinking about offering them an opportunity to have a little bit more input into this? 00:52:46.400 --> 00:52:48.400 Because they're dealing with a lot of students. 00:52:48.400 --> 00:52:55.400 I can tell you from an operating perspective, the city is constantly working with North Central Texas College. 00:52:55.400 --> 00:52:57.400 We can certainly look at that. 00:52:57.400 --> 00:53:01.400 But we do have ongoing on how our programs, how they go into our workforce. 00:53:01.400 --> 00:53:07.400 So we have partners as one of our city managers priorities to make sure we're working closely with NCTC. 00:53:07.400 --> 00:53:12.400 Thank you. 00:53:12.400 --> 00:53:14.400 Next. 00:53:14.400 --> 00:53:15.400 I apologize. 00:53:15.400 --> 00:53:16.400 Okay. 00:53:16.400 --> 00:53:17.400 We're on G. Staff reports. 00:53:17.400 --> 00:53:22.400 Thank you. 00:53:22.400 --> 00:53:25.400 Port, Krista Foster, customer service manager. 00:53:25.400 --> 00:53:33.400 And I was asked to come in to give an overview of the commercial service deposit practices in customer service 00:53:33.400 --> 00:53:36.400 and then answering questions that may be there. 00:53:36.400 --> 00:53:43.400 So it came up in June, a question on how we assess commercial deposits and what our practice was. 00:53:43.400 --> 00:53:45.400 I provided an informal staff report. 00:53:45.400 --> 00:53:53.400 At that time, it was not able to be added to the agenda for this meeting because it was a little late when we realized to ask. 00:53:53.400 --> 00:53:56.400 But I do have copies if they're needed. 00:53:56.400 --> 00:54:07.400 So the way that we work with commercial accounts is we do a soft credit check or we look at existing history with the city of Denver, with the utilities. 00:54:07.400 --> 00:54:13.400 As long as the credit score comes back okay, then we would allow that business to open without deposit. 00:54:13.400 --> 00:54:18.400 If we need to assess a deposit, we may assess a one to two month deposit, 00:54:18.400 --> 00:54:26.400 which stays on file for the account until it closes when it is refunded to the account with accrued interest. 00:54:26.400 --> 00:54:36.400 Additionally, if a customer has payment history downgrade over time, we may assess the deposit at a later date. 00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:45.400 Any business can provide us an irrevocable letter of credit rather than putting down a cash amount for a deposit. 00:54:45.400 --> 00:54:49.400 And then again, when it closes, we return those to the customer with interest. 00:54:49.400 --> 00:54:57.400 So the way that we got to this practice is in 2010, we conducted a focus study with an outside consultant. 00:54:57.400 --> 00:55:04.400 And after they benchmarked our performance against the performance of other private and public sector utilities, 00:55:04.400 --> 00:55:09.400 they found that we needed to make some changes in our collections practices. 00:55:09.400 --> 00:55:21.400 So at the time of the initial study, our unrecoverable debt for the city of Denton was 0.42%, where the industry average is 0.21%. 00:55:21.400 --> 00:55:26.400 So we had a much greater amount of outstanding debt liability that was uncollectible. 00:55:26.400 --> 00:55:32.400 So we put in place our new deposit guidelines and our credit guidelines, 00:55:32.400 --> 00:55:39.400 and then we brought them back in 2019 to do a follow-up study and look at the practices that we had in place, 00:55:39.400 --> 00:55:45.400 as well as our performance against benchmarked entities. 00:55:45.400 --> 00:55:54.400 And one of the things that they noted in the 2019 study is that we did need to monitor the security that we had on our accounts 00:55:54.400 --> 00:56:05.400 because we were seeing a slight uptick in unrecoverable debt where we had normally performed at below 0.25% and sometimes as low as 0.18%. 00:56:05.400 --> 00:56:12.400 So when I received the question asking to outline what our practices were, 00:56:12.400 --> 00:56:19.400 I reached out to that independent consultant and said, "Hey, do you happen to have any benchmarks on this topic?" 00:56:19.400 --> 00:56:29.400 And so what she did is she provided to me a list of 20 benchmarked organizations across the country, private and public, 00:56:29.400 --> 00:56:37.400 and what we found is that the standard practice is to collect one-sixth of the annual bill, which is a two-month bill, 00:56:37.400 --> 00:56:45.400 and the length of time that they may hold that deposit ranges from 12 to 36 months, 00:56:45.400 --> 00:56:52.400 but one-third of those individuals also retain commercial deposits for the lifetime of that commercial account. 00:56:52.400 --> 00:56:58.400 So there's not a very set clear standard on exactly how this operates, 00:56:58.400 --> 00:57:06.400 but what we were doing is within the guidelines and the tolerances of what we see in the industry. 00:57:06.400 --> 00:57:17.400 And then we also looked at nine area utilities, and roughly 50% of those also retained commercial deposits for the lifetime of the account. 00:57:17.400 --> 00:57:28.400 It varied from utility to utility as to whether they allowed any form of waiver or whether it was a 100% all businesses paid deposit. 00:57:28.400 --> 00:57:36.400 And then finally what I did is I looked at our debt performance over the previous 12 months, and this was as of June last year. 00:57:36.400 --> 00:57:44.400 What we found is that we had $823,000 in uncollectible debt over the previous 12 months. 00:57:44.400 --> 00:57:56.400 $176,000 of that was commercial businesses, and it was 90 total businesses accumulated $176,000 in unrecoverable debt. 00:57:56.400 --> 00:58:04.400 And what I found is that even though commercial businesses make up 14% of our customer makeup, 00:58:04.400 --> 00:58:10.400 they represent 21% of our uncollectible debt because the balances tend to be higher. 00:58:10.400 --> 00:58:16.400 And of all of the commercial accounts that were part of that, 00:58:16.400 --> 00:58:25.400 83% of them actually had good credit until they ended their business and were no longer able to pay those bills. 00:58:25.400 --> 00:58:36.400 So that is kind of where we are, and the research has been done to help anyone better understand our practices. 00:58:36.400 --> 00:58:41.400 So if you have any questions, please let me know. 00:58:41.400 --> 00:58:46.400 I've got a few that just popped up. Obviously I wasn't here last time you discussed this. 00:58:46.400 --> 00:58:57.400 So the funds, where are they held in the meantime, and then y'all track the interest that those funds earn each month into forever? 00:58:57.400 --> 00:59:06.400 Yes, what we do is there is an account that holds them, so it's like a deposit account that will hold the funds. 00:59:06.400 --> 00:59:14.400 And each six months, the ordinance states that what we do is we look at the federal interest rate, 00:59:14.400 --> 00:59:17.400 and that is the new rate for that next six month term. 00:59:17.400 --> 00:59:23.400 And before we do that, we actually apply it to the balances that are there. 00:59:23.400 --> 00:59:26.400 The current rate gets applied, that money is dog-eared, 00:59:26.400 --> 00:59:31.400 and we have a trackable record of how much there is an interest for that account. 00:59:31.400 --> 00:59:35.400 And then we apply the new rate at the end of that six month term to do the same thing. 00:59:35.400 --> 00:59:38.400 So that addresses the accounting of it, but where does the money go? 00:59:38.400 --> 00:59:41.400 Again, it is in a city of debt and light. 00:59:41.400 --> 00:59:45.400 So operating? No, it's not used in operations. It is in a standalone account. 00:59:45.400 --> 00:59:49.400 So is it earning interest in excess of the required or below? 00:59:49.400 --> 00:59:54.400 I will have to get you information and send something back with that. 00:59:54.400 --> 00:59:58.400 Well, it has to be collecting money and then paying them more than what we're getting. 00:59:58.400 --> 01:00:00.400 I would have to ask finance on that. 01:00:00.400 --> 01:00:05.400 Okay. How do you determine whether you're going to collect one month or two months? 01:00:05.400 --> 01:00:08.400 Could that be considered as determinatory? 01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:15.400 In our ordinance on the website, it actually outlines exactly what the criteria are. 01:00:15.400 --> 01:00:22.400 So if the credit rating is moderate risk, then it is a one month. 01:00:22.400 --> 01:00:26.400 If it is a severe risk or no credit, then it is a two month. 01:00:26.400 --> 01:00:31.400 So is there a matrix that you guys have based on a certain credit threshold? 01:00:31.400 --> 01:00:32.400 Yes. 01:00:32.400 --> 01:00:37.400 Do you do the same practice for personal accounts forever? 01:00:37.400 --> 01:00:43.400 No. On a personal account, after 12 months of good payment history and no late payments, 01:00:43.400 --> 01:00:50.400 you can request to have that brought back or we do quarterly assessments and then we'll refund those. 01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:56.400 Okay. So why would we deviate from on the business side and then the personal side on that? 01:00:56.400 --> 01:01:03.400 Again, this was based on recommendations from an independent consultant. 01:01:03.400 --> 01:01:09.400 Our plan is to bring them back in and before they were looking at both commercial and residential, 01:01:09.400 --> 01:01:11.400 but they were looking at it as a whole. 01:01:11.400 --> 01:01:15.400 But to have them come back in and look at commercial versus residential 01:01:15.400 --> 01:01:19.400 and determine if there are changes in the industry that we may want to consider. 01:01:19.400 --> 01:01:24.400 Based on what you said the industry is, a third of them actually keep it for the life. 01:01:24.400 --> 01:01:27.400 So two thirds don't practice what we're doing, correct? 01:01:27.400 --> 01:01:28.400 Yes. 01:01:28.400 --> 01:01:33.400 So I don't know that the research really supports our practice. 01:01:33.400 --> 01:01:39.400 It's a little more complicated than that because of those two thirds that will refund it, 01:01:39.400 --> 01:01:43.400 a lot of those are going to require it 100% of the time. 01:01:43.400 --> 01:01:49.400 So when you have that small business that's trying to be established and they've had service with us before, 01:01:49.400 --> 01:01:52.400 they would still have to pay a deposit on that new account. 01:01:52.400 --> 01:01:55.400 So there's a little bit more in terms of some of the variables. 01:01:55.400 --> 01:01:56.400 For a period of time. 01:01:56.400 --> 01:02:00.400 Right. In terms of looking at it overall. 01:02:00.400 --> 01:02:02.400 I guess that's where I'm going. 01:02:02.400 --> 01:02:06.400 I mean, just from what you said, I have no other information other than this five minute deal. 01:02:06.400 --> 01:02:13.400 But if we don't do it on the personal side forever, we do do it on the commercial side forever, 01:02:13.400 --> 01:02:15.400 there seems to be a little disconnect there. 01:02:15.400 --> 01:02:19.400 I don't know that we have the proof to show why we do that, number one. 01:02:19.400 --> 01:02:24.400 And then if we go to what the industry standards are, 01:02:24.400 --> 01:02:28.400 we just said that only one third of the industry holds it for life. 01:02:28.400 --> 01:02:30.400 So that doesn't really prove it. 01:02:30.400 --> 01:02:35.400 I think we might need to reevaluate that and try to get them a little more consistent with personal versus business on that. 01:02:35.400 --> 01:02:42.400 And that is why we want to bring in an independent consultant who can look at that and give us a much broader picture on what it is. 01:02:42.400 --> 01:02:49.400 And the last question I have is, so you said that your loss ratio got above a certain percentage. 01:02:49.400 --> 01:02:53.400 Now that you've done this, has it significantly improved? 01:02:53.400 --> 01:02:56.400 Has it improved or has it in what degree? 01:02:56.400 --> 01:03:03.400 We went from a .42 percent uncollectible debt to a .18 to .25. 01:03:03.400 --> 01:03:05.400 We ranged in between there. 01:03:05.400 --> 01:03:07.400 And that's commercial to commercial? 01:03:07.400 --> 01:03:09.400 No, this is all bad debt. 01:03:09.400 --> 01:03:13.400 Okay. So what is a commercial piece? 01:03:13.400 --> 01:03:14.400 How has it changed? 01:03:14.400 --> 01:03:20.400 We typically have not tracked commercial versus residential. 01:03:20.400 --> 01:03:23.400 We've simply tracked uncollectible debt. 01:03:23.400 --> 01:03:28.400 So based on that, if you're not going to differentiate the tracking of the two, 01:03:28.400 --> 01:03:31.400 then how do we support differentiating the practices on their deposit? 01:03:31.400 --> 01:03:33.400 I guess would be my question. 01:03:33.400 --> 01:03:39.400 Again, this is something that's been in place for a significant period of time. 01:03:39.400 --> 01:03:42.400 I cannot give you all of the methodologies that were there. 01:03:42.400 --> 01:03:51.400 I can tell you that I don't see it as -- in the research that I've done and looking at things, it's not an uncommon practice. 01:03:51.400 --> 01:03:58.400 But I would like to be able to have it reviewed and benchmark against the utility industry. 01:03:58.400 --> 01:04:01.400 I would offer one thing. 01:04:01.400 --> 01:04:08.400 Your points are well-made and were actually what brought the conversation forward this summer, this past summer, 01:04:08.400 --> 01:04:12.400 especially about there not being an end date. 01:04:12.400 --> 01:04:17.400 So even if it's 21% that fail, we don't know if those are disproportionately in the first year, 01:04:17.400 --> 01:04:20.400 and we could have been predictive of that. 01:04:20.400 --> 01:04:30.400 Or is there a way to be better with those companies that have demonstrated a long-term success, 01:04:30.400 --> 01:04:34.400 and yet we're not reversing them on that deposit as well? 01:04:34.400 --> 01:04:39.400 Your points are spot-on, but I think what prompted the request to maybe review that. 01:04:39.400 --> 01:04:42.400 So we're continuing to work on that or get more information on it? 01:04:42.400 --> 01:04:50.400 I think the consideration is to have someone come in and come back in and review that process. 01:04:50.400 --> 01:04:57.400 I'd like to get an idea of how much dollar amounts total deposits that we have being held between personal or commercial, 01:04:57.400 --> 01:05:00.400 and as well just to kind of put a dollar amount to this and then figure out, 01:05:00.400 --> 01:05:06.400 is it being used for the operating budget or is it being held to kind of get to where that money is? 01:05:06.400 --> 01:05:11.400 If it's an unfunded liability, that's going to be a problem down the road, depending on the dollar amount we have. 01:05:11.400 --> 01:05:18.400 What we can do is this is intended to be a staff report update that Economic Development Board wouldn't oversee. 01:05:18.400 --> 01:05:21.400 That'd be like a public utility board function and essentially a council one. 01:05:21.400 --> 01:05:26.400 So providing a staff update so you can hear your questions, we can provide an update on the information you're asking, 01:05:26.400 --> 01:05:31.400 and then ultimately when they have the consultant come in, that will go through the public utility board 01:05:31.400 --> 01:05:35.400 and then council for those any recommended changes or what the consultant has found. 01:05:35.400 --> 01:05:38.400 Can I just forward my questions to the public utility board? 01:05:38.400 --> 01:05:41.400 We'll hear them today. I've got them written down and we can follow up. 01:05:41.400 --> 01:05:53.400 I have a process step to that though. I'd like it to come, if we're going to go consultant, do their analysis, 01:05:53.400 --> 01:06:00.400 PUB, then council, I'd like to add this body back in there somewhere. Maybe it's already there and I missed it. 01:06:00.400 --> 01:06:07.400 It certainly can. Our thoughts were, since this belongs, since it's with customer service, it's with rates, it's how they're doing business, 01:06:07.400 --> 01:06:14.400 this board, I think the lens that we'd like to hear feedback and we certainly can do an update and receive feedback on 01:06:14.400 --> 01:06:24.400 because we don't want to disincentivize anyone from doing business here, which sounds like the intent is to make sure that we're not doing anything 01:06:24.400 --> 01:06:31.400 that ultimately hurts business going on. So I think we can certainly add a step in to provide updates as they go through the consulting process. 01:06:31.400 --> 01:06:36.400 Yeah, it's just selflessly, it saves trees, saves emails, right, because he's going to tell me anyway. 01:06:36.400 --> 01:06:45.400 So I'd rather just get it here, right, and then that way he may or someone may say something that then it all needs to be considered anyway. 01:06:45.400 --> 01:06:53.400 And so it's coming either e-comment or email or so why not just on a random Wednesday, knock it out. 01:06:53.400 --> 01:06:57.400 Any additional questions? 01:06:57.400 --> 01:07:00.400 These are information only, right? 01:07:00.400 --> 01:07:02.400 Yes, yeah, no direction. 01:07:02.400 --> 01:07:03.400 Thank you. 01:07:03.400 --> 01:07:04.400 Thank you. 01:07:04.400 --> 01:07:14.400 The next update is Aaron and I are going to talk about, just give a quick update on where we are in the hiring process. 01:07:14.400 --> 01:07:19.400 I'll start with on the city side, so Wayne Emerson was our director of economic development, 01:07:19.400 --> 01:07:26.400 put in his notice that he was going to go to Addison at the end of September, I think he vacated in September. 01:07:26.400 --> 01:07:34.400 Since then we've engaged the Mike Barnes firm, they focus specifically in the economic development industry to conduct a national search. 01:07:34.400 --> 01:07:38.400 We've received a ton of great applications at a higher level on that salary. 01:07:38.400 --> 01:07:43.400 I can send you that recruitment brochure to kind of show that range that we're looking in. 01:07:43.400 --> 01:07:49.400 We did look at the position through the comp study and has ultimately been reclassified up to a higher brand. 01:07:49.400 --> 01:07:52.400 So we are looking, you know, to get that best candidate. 01:07:52.400 --> 01:08:00.400 We held a two panel kind of interview process with two candidates that we knew were involved in other national searches right before Christmas. 01:08:00.400 --> 01:08:05.400 We did extend an offer on the city side to a candidate who was in the DFW Metroplex. 01:08:05.400 --> 01:08:09.400 He did unfortunately turn it down, so we are continuing to look at the additional resumes. 01:08:09.400 --> 01:08:17.400 But where we are in the process is we've received a ton of qualified candidates, over 25 on our side. 01:08:17.400 --> 01:08:21.400 And so we feel confident that we're going to find the best person. 01:08:21.400 --> 01:08:27.400 And again, I just feel like we're primed, you know, to take the city to that next level with all of these tools that we have. 01:08:27.400 --> 01:08:33.400 So together and with city leadership and the council, we're looking to make a key hire on our side. 01:08:33.400 --> 01:08:35.400 So I'll continue to provide an update. 01:08:35.400 --> 01:08:41.400 That recruitment brochure, if you see it's out on LinkedIn, it's on the Mike Barnes firm, Mike Barnes group firm. 01:08:41.400 --> 01:08:47.400 It's a really great brochure and we've gotten national candidates who are interested in coming in. 01:08:47.400 --> 01:08:51.400 So I'm hoping to make a hire in the next month or so. 01:08:51.400 --> 01:08:57.400 Okay, so kind of like the city, Dan, who was our director of strategic partnerships, 01:08:57.400 --> 01:09:02.400 they take the position to pursue an MBA at the University of Michigan. 01:09:02.400 --> 01:09:05.400 We were thrilled for him, but sad to see him go. 01:09:05.400 --> 01:09:09.400 He did a fantastic job of moving the H-12 partnership forward. 01:09:09.400 --> 01:09:12.400 He stayed on as a contract employee through the end of December. 01:09:12.400 --> 01:09:17.400 And so did some behind the scenes filling out RFIs, doing things like that for a small task. 01:09:17.400 --> 01:09:20.400 So we started to search for the job. 01:09:20.400 --> 01:09:25.400 We did a couple of interviews at the end of 2023. 01:09:25.400 --> 01:09:30.400 Jeremy and Brian met with our final candidate. 01:09:30.400 --> 01:09:36.400 And Christine is going to meet with an individual in the next week or so. 01:09:36.400 --> 01:09:39.400 They are actually a local candidate. 01:09:39.400 --> 01:09:42.400 So for us, it's not a traditional economic development job. 01:09:42.400 --> 01:09:45.400 It is also a partnership role. 01:09:45.400 --> 01:09:47.400 It's also a relationship role. 01:09:47.400 --> 01:09:51.400 And so we need someone that's kind of an in-betweener. 01:09:51.400 --> 01:09:54.400 So we're very excited about the potential hire. 01:09:54.400 --> 01:09:58.400 I think as long as Christine gives her blessing, so to speak, 01:09:58.400 --> 01:10:02.400 because we are a partnership and we want to get the city's blessing, 01:10:02.400 --> 01:10:05.400 we have the blessing of our executive committee. 01:10:05.400 --> 01:10:08.400 So we should make that hire within the next month. 01:10:08.400 --> 01:10:12.400 So we go down to one person and we greatly look forward. 01:10:12.400 --> 01:10:15.400 They've been in debt for a while and they absolutely love the community 01:10:15.400 --> 01:10:17.400 and are excited for this next opportunity. 01:10:17.400 --> 01:10:20.400 Any questions? 01:10:20.400 --> 01:10:21.400 Yes. 01:10:21.400 --> 01:10:22.400 I have a few. 01:10:22.400 --> 01:10:24.400 Obviously, I'm not familiar. 01:10:24.400 --> 01:10:25.400 I mean, I'm new to this. 01:10:25.400 --> 01:10:28.400 So I will have a lot of questions probably. 01:10:28.400 --> 01:10:29.400 Are they for me? 01:10:29.400 --> 01:10:30.400 Are they for me? 01:10:30.400 --> 01:10:33.400 Well, for this item, not necessarily. 01:10:33.400 --> 01:10:35.400 I'm a little more familiar on the chamber side. 01:10:35.400 --> 01:10:38.400 So they're more on the city side, so I don't know. 01:10:38.400 --> 01:10:39.400 I was going to -- 01:10:39.400 --> 01:10:40.400 Well, we'll stay up here together. 01:10:40.400 --> 01:10:41.400 They tied to what -- I'm sorry? 01:10:41.400 --> 01:10:42.400 Well, we'll stay up here together. 01:10:42.400 --> 01:10:43.400 Okay. 01:10:43.400 --> 01:10:46.400 And they tied to what Lee and Tony had mentioned earlier 01:10:46.400 --> 01:10:48.400 and I bit my tongue earlier. 01:10:48.400 --> 01:10:54.400 But so -- like obviously the position was posted online 01:10:54.400 --> 01:10:58.400 and it looks like the starting range was 215. 01:10:58.400 --> 01:10:59.400 Up to -- 01:10:59.400 --> 01:11:00.400 I'm sorry? 01:11:00.400 --> 01:11:01.400 Up to 215. 01:11:01.400 --> 01:11:05.400 Okay, it says starting range, I'll put it on the left side at 215,000. 01:11:05.400 --> 01:11:08.400 So I guess my question is that that's a pretty heavy commitment 01:11:08.400 --> 01:11:10.400 for that position. 01:11:10.400 --> 01:11:13.400 And being in Denton, I just don't know -- 01:11:13.400 --> 01:11:16.400 and maybe my perception on economic development is different, 01:11:16.400 --> 01:11:22.400 but as a community, are we going to support that position enough 01:11:22.400 --> 01:11:24.400 for them to be successful? 01:11:24.400 --> 01:11:26.400 And I think we should. 01:11:26.400 --> 01:11:30.400 And my question is, if we're going to pay someone that much, 01:11:30.400 --> 01:11:33.400 are they going to be -- are their hands going to be tied? 01:11:33.400 --> 01:11:34.400 I mean, I don't know. 01:11:34.400 --> 01:11:37.400 I get this back up and it's on number five, 01:11:37.400 --> 01:11:40.400 but it talks about incentive reviews that we've done and all that, 01:11:40.400 --> 01:11:43.400 but I don't know how many successes that we've had 01:11:43.400 --> 01:11:47.400 in the past 12 calendar months by this report. 01:11:47.400 --> 01:11:50.400 So if we're going to pay someone that kind of money, 01:11:50.400 --> 01:11:57.400 which I certainly think we need to -- 01:11:57.400 --> 01:12:03.400 I think it's the quarterly report, number five, 01:12:03.400 --> 01:12:06.400 that was in the backup that I printed earlier. 01:12:06.400 --> 01:12:10.400 But I guess my question is, I don't know -- 01:12:10.400 --> 01:12:12.400 I mean, obviously we have challenges on how much money 01:12:12.400 --> 01:12:16.400 we can put towards stuff for incentives and things like that, 01:12:16.400 --> 01:12:21.400 but what are successes and are we changing our methodology to -- 01:12:21.400 --> 01:12:25.400 because that seems to me like a pretty big compensation 01:12:25.400 --> 01:12:28.400 for this position, and they're probably well worth it 01:12:28.400 --> 01:12:31.400 if they have the ability to go do what they need to do, 01:12:31.400 --> 01:12:34.400 but are we going to support them as a city in that endeavor? 01:12:34.400 --> 01:12:36.400 I think I can help with that answer. 01:12:36.400 --> 01:12:42.400 So we did a -- last year we did a full analysis of what all the funding -- 01:12:42.400 --> 01:12:44.400 because that's the same question, Jeremy. 01:12:44.400 --> 01:12:49.400 All right, guys, you know, we don't have a lot of funding to go get businesses. 01:12:49.400 --> 01:12:54.400 So we put together a full analysis of all the different funding types 01:12:54.400 --> 01:12:59.400 that the city has between PIDS, between TURNERS, 01:12:59.400 --> 01:13:03.400 between all the different funding types, and we went through that. 01:13:03.400 --> 01:13:06.400 And I think with a lot of new board members, 01:13:06.400 --> 01:13:09.400 that would be worth going through again. 01:13:09.400 --> 01:13:12.400 And you talked to a lot of brokers, 01:13:12.400 --> 01:13:15.400 and I think a lot of brokers saw not a lot of stability 01:13:15.400 --> 01:13:20.400 or high level of performance and knowledge from whoever was in that position. 01:13:20.400 --> 01:13:27.400 So once we -- I want to say this with respect to the past positions, 01:13:27.400 --> 01:13:31.400 but we need a person in that position that is very, very professional, 01:13:31.400 --> 01:13:34.400 that is very interconnected within the Metroplex, 01:13:34.400 --> 01:13:37.400 which I think is probably what it's going to have to have 01:13:37.400 --> 01:13:39.400 that can show up to a broker meeting. 01:13:39.400 --> 01:13:44.400 And with some of the tools -- and I think city council is now being more open 01:13:44.400 --> 01:13:48.400 to some of those tools, we hope -- 01:13:48.400 --> 01:13:52.400 that we can have some funding options where it puts the developer -- 01:13:52.400 --> 01:13:53.400 put money up first. 01:13:53.400 --> 01:13:56.400 And it's going to take somebody at a high level to understand those, 01:13:56.400 --> 01:14:00.400 to meet with the city attorney, to meet with developers' attorneys. 01:14:00.400 --> 01:14:02.400 So I think there's more tools, 01:14:02.400 --> 01:14:05.400 and I'm anxious to hear what new tools are coming out, 01:14:05.400 --> 01:14:09.400 that we have in our tackle box that maybe just being -- 01:14:09.400 --> 01:14:12.400 that our city council hasn't been willing to use in the past, 01:14:12.400 --> 01:14:15.400 or maybe not even that hasn't been presented to them 01:14:15.400 --> 01:14:17.400 in the way that they're willing to use it. 01:14:17.400 --> 01:14:22.400 So I highly support bringing on a very high-level person 01:14:22.400 --> 01:14:24.400 and seeing if that pays off. 01:14:24.400 --> 01:14:28.400 But I think to your point, we're going to need backup support 01:14:28.400 --> 01:14:32.400 if we're going to make that commitment from city council, from this board. 01:14:32.400 --> 01:14:35.400 This board has turned things down before I was on it, 01:14:35.400 --> 01:14:38.400 my projects in the past, my personal projects. 01:14:38.400 --> 01:14:41.400 So this board needs to be accountable to -- 01:14:41.400 --> 01:14:43.400 like you said before I was involved here -- 01:14:43.400 --> 01:14:46.400 to be accountable to support those things. 01:14:46.400 --> 01:14:49.400 So I think we need the city council support to support those things 01:14:49.400 --> 01:14:51.400 if we're going to make that kind of investment. 01:14:51.400 --> 01:14:53.400 And that's where I was going with it, 01:14:53.400 --> 01:14:56.400 is that we actually at this board level need to support that. 01:14:56.400 --> 01:14:59.400 We're going to hire -- and basically the quote from the deal says, 01:14:59.400 --> 01:15:02.400 "Starting salary will be in the range of $215,000 01:15:02.400 --> 01:15:04.400 with a generous benefit package including TMRS, 01:15:04.400 --> 01:15:06.400 health insurance, and auto allowance." 01:15:06.400 --> 01:15:08.400 So it doesn't say that's the cap. 01:15:08.400 --> 01:15:10.400 It says that's the starting range. 01:15:10.400 --> 01:15:18.400 So I do think that the city council needs to be supportive of that as well, 01:15:18.400 --> 01:15:20.400 because otherwise we're going to get someone in here 01:15:20.400 --> 01:15:22.400 and they're just going to be frustrated, 01:15:22.400 --> 01:15:24.400 and we're just going to throw away $215,000 01:15:24.400 --> 01:15:26.400 and they're going to leave a year later. 01:15:26.400 --> 01:15:28.400 So I think that's a good point to bring up. 01:15:28.400 --> 01:15:31.400 Hey, we're ready to -- this board's ready to say let's go. 01:15:31.400 --> 01:15:34.400 We've got a lot of availability within our city, 01:15:34.400 --> 01:15:37.400 in office, in warehouse, in lots of things. 01:15:37.400 --> 01:15:41.400 I'm not speaking for the board, but what I think we should communicate 01:15:41.400 --> 01:15:45.400 is like, hey, staff has done a great job finding these candidates. 01:15:45.400 --> 01:15:50.400 We're paying them actually right to get a person that needs to go get this done. 01:15:50.400 --> 01:15:54.400 Now, when we send our recommendation, hey, we're stepping up. 01:15:54.400 --> 01:15:55.400 Let's step up. 01:15:55.400 --> 01:15:58.400 Let's use our toolboxes, make sure everybody's educated on our toolboxes, 01:15:58.400 --> 01:15:59.400 and let's go get it. 01:15:59.400 --> 01:16:00.400 Yeah, exactly. 01:16:00.400 --> 01:16:01.400 It's always right. 01:16:01.400 --> 01:16:03.400 I mean, we can't compare ourselves to other cities 01:16:03.400 --> 01:16:08.400 that have additional arrows in their quiver, so to speak, 01:16:08.400 --> 01:16:11.400 for another analogy. 01:16:11.400 --> 01:16:15.400 But we need to look at what percentages these other budgets do have 01:16:15.400 --> 01:16:17.400 so we can know what we're competing against. 01:16:17.400 --> 01:16:20.400 And we have money in a budget, 01:16:20.400 --> 01:16:24.400 and we just need to figure out if each budget is being properly supported. 01:16:24.400 --> 01:16:30.400 And I think if city staff is recommending that dollar amount, 01:16:30.400 --> 01:16:33.400 that means that the city staff is supporting this, 01:16:33.400 --> 01:16:34.400 and if we're supporting it, 01:16:34.400 --> 01:16:37.400 then we just need to make sure we're all on the same page there. 01:16:37.400 --> 01:16:40.400 I agree 100%, and that we're willing to use the tools we have. 01:16:40.400 --> 01:16:41.400 Right. 01:16:41.400 --> 01:16:44.400 Because the tools we have can be beneficial for development 01:16:44.400 --> 01:16:46.400 without the city putting a ton of dollars up. 01:16:46.400 --> 01:16:49.400 It's just getting some reimbursements back later, you know, 01:16:49.400 --> 01:16:51.400 if the projects are successful. 01:16:51.400 --> 01:16:54.400 And I think the key to that is, I've been saying for years, 01:16:54.400 --> 01:16:57.400 is understanding what those really are and what's our commitment, 01:16:57.400 --> 01:16:58.400 because they're complicated. 01:16:58.400 --> 01:17:00.400 There's attorneys, that's all they do. 01:17:00.400 --> 01:17:01.400 And so when we look at it, 01:17:01.400 --> 01:17:03.400 we look at the tip of the icebergs of these things, 01:17:03.400 --> 01:17:06.400 but really understanding those toolboxes 01:17:06.400 --> 01:17:09.400 and making sure that we've got support behind us to begin with. 01:17:09.400 --> 01:17:11.400 Where I was going with some of that is like, 01:17:11.400 --> 01:17:13.400 the committee hasn't had a meeting since June. 01:17:13.400 --> 01:17:16.400 We had an economic development for three months after that meeting 01:17:16.400 --> 01:17:18.400 that there was no meeting that was had. 01:17:18.400 --> 01:17:20.400 It's been seven months since then. 01:17:20.400 --> 01:17:21.400 Let's go. 01:17:21.400 --> 01:17:25.400 How much, I mean, so what's the point paying $215,000 01:17:25.400 --> 01:17:27.400 if we're not even going to meet monthly? 01:17:27.400 --> 01:17:30.400 Well, it's because the problem is without that person, 01:17:30.400 --> 01:17:32.400 you don't have people bringing new business in. 01:17:32.400 --> 01:17:36.400 Okay, but what about July, August, and September when he was here? 01:17:36.400 --> 01:17:37.400 My point. 01:17:37.400 --> 01:17:39.400 That's why I asked the point, are we paying the right guy, 01:17:39.400 --> 01:17:41.400 paying enough money to have the right guy in the position. 01:17:41.400 --> 01:17:44.400 In the past, I think knowing all those guys, 01:17:44.400 --> 01:17:47.400 it's kind of, it's been a filler position. 01:17:47.400 --> 01:17:50.400 And I think it's important we invest in the right person 01:17:50.400 --> 01:17:53.400 so that we can have these meetings and be approved incentives. 01:17:53.400 --> 01:17:54.400 That's what I'm after. 01:17:54.400 --> 01:17:57.400 So we need to take the time and get a lot of the applicants. 01:17:57.400 --> 01:17:59.400 We should be able to get some really good applicants. 01:17:59.400 --> 01:18:02.400 We should take our time and get the right person. 01:18:02.400 --> 01:18:05.400 And I think this is what we've been doing. 01:18:05.400 --> 01:18:07.400 I asked Christine if I could talk first. 01:18:07.400 --> 01:18:10.400 This is really exciting for us to see. 01:18:10.400 --> 01:18:13.400 I mean, I think it's a totally different conversation. 01:18:13.400 --> 01:18:15.400 Lee is always so supportive of staff, 01:18:15.400 --> 01:18:17.400 and I know when Lee left the Chamber Board, 01:18:17.400 --> 01:18:19.400 I was excited for him to still be on this board, 01:18:19.400 --> 01:18:22.400 and I'm excited, Jeremy, for this line. 01:18:22.400 --> 01:18:25.400 When we're questioning economic development staff, 01:18:25.400 --> 01:18:27.400 I will tell you Jeremy is on the Chamber Board, 01:18:27.400 --> 01:18:29.400 and he's on our executive committee. 01:18:29.400 --> 01:18:32.400 And these questions prompt the ability to move forward 01:18:32.400 --> 01:18:35.400 because the questions help drive direction forward. 01:18:35.400 --> 01:18:38.400 And I know that having these types of conversations 01:18:38.400 --> 01:18:41.400 enable us to work harder, to understand where we're going, 01:18:41.400 --> 01:18:43.400 to get to where we're going. 01:18:43.400 --> 01:18:45.400 And I think this type of conversation, 01:18:45.400 --> 01:18:47.400 different from where we were months ago, 01:18:47.400 --> 01:18:50.400 is this board is saying we believe in economic development. 01:18:50.400 --> 01:18:53.400 And I'm glad, Mayor, you're here hearing this, 01:18:53.400 --> 01:18:56.400 and I'm glad Councilmember Meltzer is here at home hearing this, 01:18:56.400 --> 01:18:58.400 and I'm glad Councilmember Berg is hearing this, 01:18:58.400 --> 01:19:02.400 because I think all of us believe in the ability of Denton right now 01:19:02.400 --> 01:19:04.400 to do the work that needs to be done, 01:19:04.400 --> 01:19:07.400 and you all are saying we will invest in this, 01:19:07.400 --> 01:19:10.400 and Christine and I collectively know that these next two hires 01:19:10.400 --> 01:19:14.400 are very strategic for our teams, and we're committed to that. 01:19:14.400 --> 01:19:17.400 And that's why earlier I said we've been meeting weekly, 01:19:17.400 --> 01:19:20.400 and it's not just to check it off our list, 01:19:20.400 --> 01:19:22.400 it's because we want to make sure we get the job done 01:19:22.400 --> 01:19:24.400 and we get the job done correctly, 01:19:24.400 --> 01:19:26.400 and for now, just now, for the future. 01:19:26.400 --> 01:19:29.400 And so, Jeremy, that we're on the end of the-- 01:19:29.400 --> 01:19:32.400 I mean, we just all win if there's more businesses here and everything. 01:19:32.400 --> 01:19:34.400 I mean, whether you're investments, whether you're in banking, 01:19:34.400 --> 01:19:38.400 whether you're in construction, you know, everybody here wins on that, 01:19:38.400 --> 01:19:40.400 and the city wins in a tax base, 01:19:40.400 --> 01:19:42.400 and I just want to make sure we're not throwing money away 01:19:42.400 --> 01:19:43.400 is all I'm saying. 01:19:43.400 --> 01:19:44.400 100 percent. 01:19:44.400 --> 01:19:45.400 We need to support it. 01:19:45.400 --> 01:19:46.400 And Jeremy, I'm glad you brought that up, 01:19:46.400 --> 01:19:48.400 because it also made me think about, you know, 01:19:48.400 --> 01:19:50.400 if we are making this investment at a staff level, 01:19:50.400 --> 01:19:54.400 at this kind of chamber level, at the EDC level, 01:19:54.400 --> 01:19:56.400 I'm glad you brought that up for the council to hear, like, 01:19:56.400 --> 01:19:58.400 "Hey, we're going all in on this thing. 01:19:58.400 --> 01:20:01.400 This board's ready to be meeting, looking at incentives every month." 01:20:01.400 --> 01:20:04.400 And I think it's good for council to hear that, 01:20:04.400 --> 01:20:07.400 and by bringing up that, I think they kind of brought that to the surface, 01:20:07.400 --> 01:20:12.400 because if we can do that, that proves a win, right? 01:20:12.400 --> 01:20:15.400 And, you know, we've done a few incentives and they've won, 01:20:15.400 --> 01:20:17.400 but the only one that's ended up in the newspapers 01:20:17.400 --> 01:20:21.400 is the one in the last however many years that it -- 01:20:21.400 --> 01:20:23.400 what was perceived didn't work. 01:20:23.400 --> 01:20:24.400 We've done a lot of them, 01:20:24.400 --> 01:20:27.400 so I think it would be good to even present a report 01:20:27.400 --> 01:20:30.400 of our incentives we've done over the last 10 years 01:20:30.400 --> 01:20:32.400 and show that a bunch of them are winners. 01:20:32.400 --> 01:20:34.400 And I think that would help shut me up, probably, 01:20:34.400 --> 01:20:38.400 because when I get the report, I just didn't see -- I didn't see that. 01:20:38.400 --> 01:20:40.400 I know, we don't need you to show it. 01:20:40.400 --> 01:20:42.400 Or you take a vote on that. 01:20:42.400 --> 01:20:44.400 It's not going to happen more than that. 01:20:44.400 --> 01:20:46.400 It kind of felt like a threat. 01:20:46.400 --> 01:20:47.400 Excuse me. 01:20:47.400 --> 01:20:51.400 I have to step away just real quick for an hour call. 01:20:51.400 --> 01:20:52.400 Yes, doctor? 01:20:52.400 --> 01:20:55.400 I think it's important for us to understand -- 01:20:55.400 --> 01:20:57.400 I was on the scope board at the time. 01:20:57.400 --> 01:21:00.400 We brought the Career and Technology Center here. 01:21:00.400 --> 01:21:05.400 And so this district's 100% invested in what we're trying to do, 01:21:05.400 --> 01:21:08.400 but they don't have the same tools that we have, 01:21:08.400 --> 01:21:11.400 although training and those kind of things are there. 01:21:11.400 --> 01:21:14.400 And behind the scenes we're even talking about 01:21:14.400 --> 01:21:17.400 maybe trying to get a second Career and Technology Center 01:21:17.400 --> 01:21:19.400 because the district's getting that large. 01:21:19.400 --> 01:21:24.400 But I think the individual players -- and I ran for school board 01:21:24.400 --> 01:21:26.400 because I thought the city was totally dysfunctional 01:21:26.400 --> 01:21:30.400 and I could do more good over there to economic development 01:21:30.400 --> 01:21:33.400 by increasing the quality of schools and things like that. 01:21:33.400 --> 01:21:35.400 I think we're all trying to come together now. 01:21:35.400 --> 01:21:36.400 Correct. 01:21:36.400 --> 01:21:38.400 So when we make these two strategic hires -- 01:21:38.400 --> 01:21:40.400 I know Lee offered this to me when I first took the job. 01:21:40.400 --> 01:21:42.400 I was incredibly appreciative of it -- 01:21:42.400 --> 01:21:44.400 we will call on you to meet with these two new people 01:21:44.400 --> 01:21:47.400 to understand the ins and outs and the guts 01:21:47.400 --> 01:21:49.400 and the pipelines and the workforce development 01:21:49.400 --> 01:21:51.400 that you all have built to today. 01:21:51.400 --> 01:21:54.400 And being on this board, we hope you take the call 01:21:54.400 --> 01:21:57.400 and you help us build these next two individuals 01:21:57.400 --> 01:21:59.400 and get them running. 01:21:59.400 --> 01:22:03.400 And like Christine said, the term that we've been using is gunslinger, 01:22:03.400 --> 01:22:06.400 hunter, fisher, gatherer, hunting, fishing, loving, 01:22:06.400 --> 01:22:09.400 whatever we're doing, we just appreciate your support. 01:22:09.400 --> 01:22:11.400 So thank you in these conversations. 01:22:11.400 --> 01:22:13.400 While we haven't met for several months, 01:22:13.400 --> 01:22:16.400 I think this is helping us understand that this does matter. 01:22:16.400 --> 01:22:18.400 And obviously we're the two up here, 01:22:18.400 --> 01:22:20.400 but there are people on the chamber team 01:22:20.400 --> 01:22:22.400 and there are definitely people on the economic development team 01:22:22.400 --> 01:22:24.400 that have been doing the work in the meantime, 01:22:24.400 --> 01:22:26.400 and they are absolutely a dynamic team, 01:22:26.400 --> 01:22:29.400 and I'm very happy to work with them each and every day. 01:22:29.400 --> 01:22:31.400 I think just the three things I wanted to add 01:22:31.400 --> 01:22:34.400 is that I heard the messaging loud and clear from council 01:22:34.400 --> 01:22:37.400 and the city administration that economic development 01:22:37.400 --> 01:22:40.400 has to be a priority and made back to that by our comp study. 01:22:40.400 --> 01:22:44.400 So the salary is what we're seeing in the market to be competitive. 01:22:44.400 --> 01:22:48.400 Another initiative that we've changed is that I want whoever we hire 01:22:48.400 --> 01:22:51.400 to be out actively recruiting for the businesses we want, 01:22:51.400 --> 01:22:53.400 not waiting for someone to come in. 01:22:53.400 --> 01:22:55.400 So that's what we're looking for. 01:22:55.400 --> 01:22:58.400 And that other piece is we'll update you on the next meeting of those tools. 01:22:58.400 --> 01:23:01.400 Council has added two very important tools to our toolbox 01:23:01.400 --> 01:23:04.400 to help us be more competitive for businesses to be here. 01:23:04.400 --> 01:23:07.400 Sounds like everybody's on the same page. Let's go. 01:23:07.400 --> 01:23:10.400 Yeah, as long as we hold them accountable 01:23:10.400 --> 01:23:13.400 and have metrics in place that they have to go to. 01:23:13.400 --> 01:23:14.400 Absolutely. 01:23:14.400 --> 01:23:15.400 So I have a question. 01:23:15.400 --> 01:23:17.400 When we're talking to those candidates, 01:23:17.400 --> 01:23:20.400 give me a day in the life of that conversation, right? 01:23:20.400 --> 01:23:24.400 Are we talking about outside of they know we're located, 01:23:24.400 --> 01:23:26.400 they know all those things, right? 01:23:26.400 --> 01:23:28.400 What do we bring to that conversation and say, 01:23:28.400 --> 01:23:30.400 hey, do we give them samples of, 01:23:30.400 --> 01:23:34.400 what would you do in this scenario, or here's opportunity reports 01:23:34.400 --> 01:23:38.400 that have gone unworked while we're in this void, 01:23:38.400 --> 01:23:44.400 but here's kind of just conversations, activity. 01:23:44.400 --> 01:23:49.400 What do we do around setting the table 01:23:49.400 --> 01:23:51.400 for them to understand what they're stepping into? 01:23:51.400 --> 01:23:52.400 We worked a lot. 01:23:52.400 --> 01:23:56.400 Our chief communications officer, myself, and the national recruiter 01:23:56.400 --> 01:23:59.400 worked a lot on that brochure to just lay out what the lay of the land is, 01:23:59.400 --> 01:24:01.400 what tools we have, what's happening in the community, 01:24:01.400 --> 01:24:03.400 what's going to come online with the wood, what are we looking at, 01:24:03.400 --> 01:24:05.400 so they understand that before they apply. 01:24:05.400 --> 01:24:08.400 The pre-screening kind of vets out, 01:24:08.400 --> 01:24:11.400 what kind of caliber economic development director are you? 01:24:11.400 --> 01:24:15.400 We're looking for proven economic development history, 01:24:15.400 --> 01:24:17.400 versus kind of just saying, I have this many years. 01:24:17.400 --> 01:24:20.400 So the recruiter is actively working on, 01:24:20.400 --> 01:24:22.400 show me what projects you've actually completed, 01:24:22.400 --> 01:24:25.400 what deals you've done before they get to the city. 01:24:25.400 --> 01:24:27.400 Now, when they get to us, we did a pre-screening, 01:24:27.400 --> 01:24:31.400 and then we had in with staff two kind of panel interviews 01:24:31.400 --> 01:24:34.400 where we're focusing on talk to us about your philosophies on incentives. 01:24:34.400 --> 01:24:36.400 What do you feel? 01:24:36.400 --> 01:24:38.400 What are the projects where you've had things go wrong, 01:24:38.400 --> 01:24:40.400 talking through just how they approach? 01:24:40.400 --> 01:24:42.400 How would you go out and actively recruit? 01:24:42.400 --> 01:24:44.400 Where do you think we're missing the mark? 01:24:44.400 --> 01:24:45.400 Where do we need to be? 01:24:45.400 --> 01:24:48.400 So we're focused more on what are they going to do for the city 01:24:48.400 --> 01:24:50.400 when they come into this position? 01:24:50.400 --> 01:24:51.400 What do they expect to change? 01:24:51.400 --> 01:24:55.400 And what do they think we're missing if we aren't viable 01:24:55.400 --> 01:25:00.400 and set up for that business? 01:25:00.400 --> 01:25:04.400 So what was it -- we made an offer, someone applied. 01:25:04.400 --> 01:25:06.400 We made an offer to them, and then they rejected it. 01:25:06.400 --> 01:25:09.400 What was it that we -- at the city of Denton, 01:25:09.400 --> 01:25:13.400 that they did not -- that turned them off? 01:25:13.400 --> 01:25:15.400 I actually called and I said, I'd like to have a follow-up with you, 01:25:15.400 --> 01:25:17.400 and I had a really good, in-depth conversation with the person. 01:25:17.400 --> 01:25:19.400 They were in the DFW Metroplex, 01:25:19.400 --> 01:25:22.400 and the other city that they're working for are not in TMRS. 01:25:22.400 --> 01:25:24.400 They are so self-funded. 01:25:24.400 --> 01:25:27.400 So he had 20 years invested in that retirement system, 01:25:27.400 --> 01:25:30.400 and then he was living on the south side of Fort Worth and said to drive. 01:25:30.400 --> 01:25:35.400 So it was not things that ultimately I feel were an issue for us. 01:25:35.400 --> 01:25:38.400 He said, you know, Denton -- we've got to get back on the map 01:25:38.400 --> 01:25:40.400 of being open for business. 01:25:40.400 --> 01:25:43.400 And so he was ready for that challenge, had really good plans for it. 01:25:43.400 --> 01:25:46.400 But the two things that ultimately led to his decision 01:25:46.400 --> 01:25:49.400 were his pension and the drive, things I couldn't control. 01:25:49.400 --> 01:25:52.400 But I did want to know, like, what -- is there something I'm missing? 01:25:52.400 --> 01:25:56.400 Because this is the caliber director I'm looking for. 01:25:56.400 --> 01:25:58.400 Thanks for asking. 01:25:58.400 --> 01:26:01.400 And I think Christine just said it best is we have to get back on the map 01:26:01.400 --> 01:26:03.400 and be open for business. 01:26:03.400 --> 01:26:06.400 And I think that is a charge that collectively and collaboratively 01:26:06.400 --> 01:26:11.400 we can take hold of and make a mission of this body. 01:26:11.400 --> 01:26:14.400 And definitely through our partnership and this team, 01:26:14.400 --> 01:26:16.400 that is a charge we do every day. 01:26:16.400 --> 01:26:18.400 But he did make one other comment, and I'm going to make sure 01:26:18.400 --> 01:26:20.400 I make it really clear when candidates come in. 01:26:20.400 --> 01:26:23.400 I'm a little nervous that we made the offer that day. 01:26:23.400 --> 01:26:25.400 He said, because typically with municipal hires, 01:26:25.400 --> 01:26:28.400 it's a very lengthy process, and I said, we're ready to go. 01:26:28.400 --> 01:26:32.400 So I'll make sure that candidates know that going in that -- 01:26:32.400 --> 01:26:34.400 So you just hold off for, like, two weeks? 01:26:34.400 --> 01:26:35.400 There you go. 01:26:35.400 --> 01:26:37.400 [laughter] 01:26:37.400 --> 01:26:39.400 I felt it would be flattering. 01:26:39.400 --> 01:26:42.400 I felt great to offer, but that was the only thing that 01:26:42.400 --> 01:26:44.400 I did with him out of control. 01:26:44.400 --> 01:26:46.400 So I'll make sure we're -- 01:26:46.400 --> 01:26:47.400 You can't win. 01:26:47.400 --> 01:26:49.400 That sounds like a dream. 01:26:49.400 --> 01:26:50.400 Four hours. 01:26:50.400 --> 01:26:53.400 [laughter] 01:26:53.400 --> 01:26:54.400 I know, right? 01:26:54.400 --> 01:26:55.400 Good. 01:26:55.400 --> 01:26:57.400 Okay, and we'll go ahead and keep this as an ongoing topic 01:26:57.400 --> 01:26:59.400 until we get them hired. 01:26:59.400 --> 01:27:03.400 The last three items on there, we don't have a representative 01:27:03.400 --> 01:27:04.400 to come up and talk about them. 01:27:04.400 --> 01:27:07.400 They are either updates or carryovers from that June meeting. 01:27:07.400 --> 01:27:11.400 If there are additional questions, we can try to answer them. 01:27:11.400 --> 01:27:16.400 But it was just intended to be an informational update to the board. 01:27:16.400 --> 01:27:20.400 Anybody else have any other questions? 01:27:20.400 --> 01:27:24.400 So I guess we need a motion to adjourn. 01:27:24.400 --> 01:27:27.400 We still have two more items, right? 01:27:27.400 --> 01:27:34.400 She just said they weren't here. 01:27:34.400 --> 01:27:36.400 I do have one concluding item, if that's okay, Tony. 01:27:36.400 --> 01:27:37.400 Absolutely. 01:27:37.400 --> 01:27:40.400 Do one of y'all want to give an overview of what we decided 01:27:40.400 --> 01:27:42.400 or what we talked about or direction? 01:27:42.400 --> 01:27:46.400 Can we do that yet on downtown decision? 01:27:46.400 --> 01:27:59.400 If we can't do that yet, then that can come back at a future date. 01:27:59.400 --> 01:28:00.400 We have an item. 01:28:00.400 --> 01:28:02.400 We did a closed session item yesterday with council 01:28:02.400 --> 01:28:03.400 about a potential incentive. 01:28:03.400 --> 01:28:05.400 They gave really clear direction. 01:28:05.400 --> 01:28:09.400 And so I'll post that as an item to cover in the February meeting. 01:28:09.400 --> 01:28:15.400 Yeah, and kind of a new conversation on what's built in. 01:28:15.400 --> 01:28:17.400 Yeah, we need to do that. 01:28:17.400 --> 01:28:18.400 Kind of a general overview of that. 01:28:18.400 --> 01:28:19.400 Sure. 01:28:19.400 --> 01:28:22.400 Yeah, we provided an update to council yesterday in closed session. 01:28:22.400 --> 01:28:24.400 Here's what we know is going on in the square, 01:28:24.400 --> 01:28:27.400 which I think helps coordinate the question and talk about incidentals. 01:28:27.400 --> 01:28:29.400 So I'll post that on the February agenda. 01:28:29.400 --> 01:28:31.400 I'll work with Steve and Tony and see what we heard today 01:28:31.400 --> 01:28:34.400 to make sure we have that agenda so that we're here meeting every month, 01:28:34.400 --> 01:28:36.400 talking about what's important. 01:28:36.400 --> 01:28:39.400 And one other conclusion, I will say this. 01:28:39.400 --> 01:28:42.400 I solicit your input truly. 01:28:42.400 --> 01:28:46.400 If you've not seen, Portillo's is going in right next to At Home. 01:28:46.400 --> 01:28:50.400 And if you didn't know, Dick's Sports is going next to At Home. 01:28:50.400 --> 01:28:51.400 That's what's being built there. 01:28:51.400 --> 01:28:54.400 But my point is, Portillo's, I'll talk to staff, 01:28:54.400 --> 01:28:57.400 but y'all are out and about regularly. 01:28:57.400 --> 01:28:59.400 I'm talking to them about how to control that traffic. 01:28:59.400 --> 01:29:04.400 If you haven't seen the one in the colony, and it's right at the entrance. 01:29:04.400 --> 01:29:07.400 That's the last thing we need is more problems for that service road. 01:29:07.400 --> 01:29:12.400 So I'm talking to them, but just in the way of soliciting information going forward, 01:29:12.400 --> 01:29:24.400 think about that, and as you drive by, I'd ask for your feedback. 01:29:24.400 --> 01:29:27.400 Mr. Chair, I think we're back to the point of public adjournment. 01:29:27.400 --> 01:29:32.400 Okay, do I need a motion to adjourn, or do I just say thank you everyone? 01:29:32.400 --> 01:29:34.400 And give a time stamp, 1235. 01:29:34.400 --> 01:29:37.400 1235, so let it be written. 01:29:37.400 --> 01:29:40.400 And there's lunch, and there's work. 01:29:40.400 --> 01:29:41.400 Thank you.