[1.A Employee Recognition - Years of Service - August 2026]
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GOOD AFTERNOON. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. JAKE'S HERE. AND THEN KEVIN WILL BE ROLLING IN A SECOND. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TODAY I HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY DEDICATION OF OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE THE ONES KEEPING OUR CITY SERVICES RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND ENSURING OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVES EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION, YOUR HARD WORK, AND YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT. AT THIS TIME, WE INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD TO CONGRATULATE THE RECIPIENTS. THIS MONTH, THERE ARE 14 EMPLOYEES CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE. I WILL NOW CALL EACH ONE UP TO RECEIVE A PLAQUE. AND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE STAY UP FRONT UNTIL THE END. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A GROUP PICTURE. ADAIR SEGAL, DOWNTOWN AND TOURISM. I'M GOING TO KEEP CALLING NAMES WHILE EVERYBODY'S SHAKING HANDS UP HERE. BRANDON COUGHLIN. FIRE! BRITTANY. PATRICK. LIBRARY. CALEB. MADOLE. FIRE! CHRISTIAN GLÖCKNER. FIRE. DANIELLE. DUTRA. PUBLIC WORKS. FORREST. MCCORMICK. FIRE. JOSHUA. RIDING FIRE. MATTHEW. HENRY. POLICE. PEYTON. FLACK. FIRE. RACHEL. WHITE. DOWNTOWN AND TOURISM.
UROS. FIRE. WILLIAM. CARLTON. FIRE. WILLIAM. LANG. POLICE. THOSE ARE ALL OUR PEOPLE CELEBRATING. FIVE YEARS. NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY HUDDLE MUCH CLOSER TO GET A GROUP PICTURE.
CONGRATULATIONS ON CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE. THERE ARE FOUR EMPLOYEES CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY. I'M GOING TO CALL EACH OF YOU UP TO THE FRONT, AND YOU WILL GET TO STAY UNTIL THERE'S A GROUP PICTURE. KATIE KAMINSKI POLICE.
KENDALL BUECHLER. DOWNTOWN TOURISM. MY APOLOGIES. I ALMOST MESSED IT UP. KENDALL. UP FRONT.
THANK YOU. KENNETH ELLIOTT, WATER UTILITY. TRAPPER. STURGEON. WATER UTILITY. WELL, THIS IS THE GROUP FOR THE GROUP PICTURE. YOU GET TO REPRESENT KENDALL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
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ALL OF YOU CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY. ERIC, WILL YOU PLEASE COME UP FRONT TO RECOGNIZE PAUL PICARD FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE? GOSH, I GOT TO LOOK AT HIM OVER HERE TO. ALL RIGHT. WHERE'S HE AT? THERE HE IS. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE PAUL PARKER FOR HIS 20 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN. HE GREW UP. PAUL GREW UP IN GRANGER AND WENT TO GRANGER HIGH SCHOOL. HE STARTED WITH PARKS AND REC BACK IN 2006 AND AS A PARK MAINTENANCE WORKER FOR US. AND SO OVER THOSE SIX YEARS, HE WORKED ON A BALL FIELDS FOR US AND HAS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB OR DID A REALLY GREAT JOB MAINTAINING THOSE FIELDS AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. AND THEN IN 2012, HE MADE A CHANGE OVER OUR TRAIL SYSTEM AND THEN LATER WAS PROMOTED TO SENIOR PARK MAINTENANCE WORKER FOR TRAILS. AND THEN WHEN GARY PARK OPENED IN 2018, HE MADE THE TRANSITION OVER TO GARY PARK AND HAS BEEN A SENIOR PARK MAINTENANCE WORKER THERE EVER SINCE. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, WE JUST DID A RIBBON CUTTING THERE LAST WEEK, WHICH IS AMAZING. THERE'S A LITTLE PLUG. AND THEN SO OVER THESE 20 YEARS, PAUL HAS SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN GEORGETOWN. HE'S WORKED ON OUR BALL FIELDS OR TRAILS AND NOW OUR LARGEST PARK. AND THROUGH ALL THOSE CHANGES, HE'S BEEN SOMEONE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON. IN FACT, I THINK JAMIE CAN PROBABLY ATTEST TO THIS. JAMIE BARRON. HE'S SOMEBODY THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD TO CHASE DOWN. LIKE EVERY YEAR TO TAKE HIS VACATION TIME. I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR, MAYBE 20 YEARS THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE INTO THE LAST WEEK. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, PAUL. APPRECIATE THAT. OUTSIDE OF OUTSIDE OF WORK, PAUL STAYED REALLY BUSY. HE'S RAISED TWO BOYS AND HAS SIX GRANDKIDS AND THEN HAS SPENT 30 YEARS OFFICIATING BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL AT YOUTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGIATE LEVEL. WHICH BRINGS US TO A KIND OF AN INTERESTING GEORGETOWN CONNECTION. WHEN PAUL WAS PLAYING SPORTS IN GRANGER, I'M TOLD THAT HE WAS COACHED BY COACH SCHRADER. IS THAT RIGHT? THE MAYOR'S DAD, WHICH IS PRETTY INTERESTING. OKAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO GET TO THAT. SO, YEAH, HE HE OFFICIATED SOME OF THE MAYOR'S GAMES. AND I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME DEEP SEATED RESENTMENT IN THAT. SO YOU Y'ALL HAVE A HISTORY, WHICH IS GREAT. SO SO I DON'T NEED TO SPELL THAT OUT. THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL KNOW. WHEN I WENT TO MY GRANDSON'S FIRST SEVENTH GRADE GAME LAST TUESDAY, AND GUESS WHO WAS COACHING MY GRANDSON? FULL CIRCLE. THAT'S AMAZING. SO, PAUL, YOU MADE A SIGNIFICANT THAT'S 20 YEARS IS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY, THE DEPARTMENT, AND TO THE COMMUNITY. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 20 YEARS. YOU HAVE TO DO A PICTURE WITH BROOKS WATER UTILITY. YES. TIM, WILL YOU BE PLAYING THE PART OF CHELSEA SOLOMON? I WILL. OKAY. THANK YOU.SO I'M HERE TO RECOGNIZE WILL BROOKS FOR HIS 20 YEARS OF SERVICE. IT'S A INCREDIBLE MILESTONE. A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE WILL JOINED THE CITY IN 2006, BUT ONE THING HAS REMAINED CONSTANT HIS DEDICATION TO THE CITY. THE WATER DEPARTMENT AND THE PEOPLE HE WORKS ALONGSIDE. WHICH IS WHY HE'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW. HE'S OUT FIXING SOMETHING. WILL BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A WATER UTILITY OPERATOR AND LATER BECAME A UTILITY LOCATIONS COORDINATOR, SPENDING A BULK OF HIS CAREER IN THE CONTROL CENTER OPERATIONS TEAM. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, HE HAS SERVED WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT BACK ON THE OPERATIONS TEAM, CONTINUING TO TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES AND GROW PROFESSIONALLY. ONE OF WILL'S MOST NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS BECOMING A LICENSED TECHNICIAN IN BOTH WATER AND WASTEWATER.
THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, WILL HAS EARNED A REPUTATION FOR HIS KNOWLEDGE, POSITIVE ATTITUDE, SENSE OF HUMOR, AND WILLINGNESS TO HELP OTHERS. HE IS A VALUED MENTOR WHO READILY SHARES HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THOSE AROUND HIM. THAT COMMITMENT SERVES. SERVICE EXTENDS BEYOND THE CITY.
WILL SPENT FIVE YEARS WITH THE BERTRAM VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, WHILE WORKING, EARNED AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE FROM ACC. OUTSIDE OF WORK, WILL IS AN AVID OUTDOORSMAN. HE HAS MORE THAN A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE IN WHITETAIL DEER MANAGEMENT WITH THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND PARTICIPATES IN MIGRANT MIGRATORY BIRD MITIGATION. WHEN
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HE DOESN'T DO. WHEN HE. WHEN HE ISN'T DOING THAT, YOU'LL LIKELY FIND HIM FISHING, GOLFING, OR JUST MOWING HIS PROPERTY. CONGRATS TO WILL ON HIS 20 YEARS. I WILL NOW ASK.THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR 20 YEARS. WHEN I ASK CHIEF COREY TO COME UP AND RECOGNIZE FRED PITCHER FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE. YOU GOT TO. ASK. ASK FRED EVERYBODY.
HE'S HERE EVERY DAY. EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE THIS AFTERNOON OF RECOGNIZING OFFICER FRED PITCHER FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN. HIS HISTORY WITH GEORGETOWN ACTUALLY GOES BACK MORE THAN 25 YEARS. HE BEGAN HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER WITH GEORGETOWN PD IN 1993, BEFORE LEAVING FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO SERVE WITH WILLIAMSON COUNTY. FORTUNATELY FOR US, FRED CAME BACK HOME TO GEORGETOWN IN 2004.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS CAREER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY STANDS OUT IS JUST HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS HE HAS SERVED HIS COMMUNITY. HE'S BEEN A PATROL OFFICER, A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, A TRAFFIC OFFICER, A MOTOR OFFICER. SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE MET HIM AS A MOTOR OFFICER. MAYBE IT'S NOT THE SAME AS COACHING, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT. WARRANT OFFICER, MUNICIPAL COURT OFFICER, CRASH RECONSTRUCTIONIST, BICYCLE OFFICER, TACTICAL FLIGHT OFFICER FOR THE DRONES DRONE PILOT, AND A LAW ENFORCEMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT FITNESS SPECIALIST, BUT SIMPLY LISTING ALL OF FRED'S ASSIGNMENTS REALLY DOESN'T TELL US HIS STORY. HE SPENT HIS CAREER BECOMING THE PERSON PEOPLE TURN TO WHEN THEY NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING, WHETHER IT INVOLVES RECONSTRUCTING A SERIOUS CRASH, OPERATING A DRONE, TRAINING ANOTHER OFFICER, WORKING WITH OUR COURTS, OR SOLVING A PROBLEM WE HAVEN'T ENCOUNTERED BEFORE. FRED HAS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE TO MAKE OUR ORGANIZATION BETTER, AND HIS IMPACT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND GEORGETOWN. FRED WAS ACTUALLY SELECTED TO HELP DEVELOP THE STATEWIDE MODEL CURRICULUM FOR COURT SECURITY OFFICERS. FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF THE JUDGE JULIE KOSIOREK JUDICIAL AND COURTHOUSE SECURITY ACT, HE WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING OUR DEPARTMENT'S DRONE PROGRAM, A CAPABILITY WE NOW ROUTINELY USE FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE AND CRIME AND CRASH SCENE MAPPING. HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO GEORGETOWN ALSO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MID 1990S, WHEN HE WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL TEAM THAT REVAMPED BLUE HOLE PARK. THAT PROJECT ULTIMATELY RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION WITH THE HERMAN GOLDSTEIN EXCELLENCE IN PROBLEM ORIENTED POLICING AWARD. THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, FRED HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING BEING NAMED OUR OFFICER OF THE YEAR NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE IN 2018 AND AGAIN IN 2023. THOSE AWARDS DO SAY SOMETHING IMPORTANT, BECAUSE EARNING THE RESPECT OF YOUR PEERS AFTER DECADES IN THIS PROFESSION IS SIGNIFICANT. 25 YEARS OF SERVICE REPRESENTS THOUSANDS OF SHIFTS, COUNTLESS CALLS, MISSED HOLIDAYS, FAMILY EVENTS, DIFFICULT DAYS THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL NEVER SEE, AND AN INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATION.
FRED, THIS COMMUNITY IS A BETTER AND SAFER COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU CHOSE TO SPEND YOUR CAREER SERVING IT. OUR DEPARTMENT IS BETTER BECAUSE OF THE KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE SHARED, THE PROGRAMS YOU HAVE HELPED BUILD, AND THE OFFICERS YOU HAVE INFLUENCED ALONG THE WAY.
ON BEHALF OF THE GEORGETOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, CONGRATULATIONS ON 25 YEARS OF SERVICE. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR THE DIFFERENCE YOU'VE MADE OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS. THIS IS NOT GOOD. THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYBODY FOR ALL YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO
[1.B Downtown Sidewalk Cafe Program and Ordinance Discussion]
MOVE TO ITEM B, OUR DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK CAFE PROGRAM AND ORDINANCE DISCUSSION. AND KELLY[00:15:06]
IS GOING TO LEAD US.ALL RIGHT. DID I PUSH ALL THE RIGHT BUTTONS? OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SIDEWALK CAFE AND STREET PATIO PILOT PROGRAM AND DISCUSS A DRAFT ORDINANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. HOPEFULLY AT A DATE SOON. SO THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH COUNCIL A FEW TIMES THAT I'VE PULLED UP SOME OLD PRESENTATIONS BETWEEN LIKE 2020 AND, AND UP TO LATE LAST YEAR. WE'VE ALSO GONE TO THE DOWNTOWN GEORGETOWN ASSOCIATION TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC WITH OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS. AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO REVIEW A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND GET SOME, EXCUSE ME, ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK TO INITIATE A PILOT PROGRAM. AS WE'VE PREVIOUSLY PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED. SO AS A REMINDER, THE INTENT OF HAVING A SIDEWALK CAFE ORDINANCE OR A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IS TO HELP ENHANCE OUR ECONOMIC VITALITY AND PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. IT HELPS PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, DRAINAGE, UTILITIES, AND OUR MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS. AND THIS WOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO FOR US TO EVALUATE SOME REAL WORLD IMPACTS DURING THIS PILOT PROGRAM. AGAIN, THESE ORDINANCES ARE REALLY COMMON ACROSS NOT ONLY STATE OF TEXAS, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND WE SEE THEM ALREADY IMPLEMENTED IN CITIES SUCH AS AUSTIN, SAN MARCOS, KERRVILLE, ROUND ROCK, TEMPLE, FORT WORTH. THEY ALL HAVE VARIOUS VARIOUS FORMS OF THIS TYPE OF ORDINANCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. SO LAST TIME I PRESENTED FOR YOU ALL, WE CALLED THESE PARKLET PARKLETS, WHICH SOME COMMUNITIES USE THAT SOME USE OTHER. NAMES. SO AFTER VISITING WITH LEGAL, WE DECIDED WE WANTED IT TO BE MORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH HOW IT'S WRITTEN.
IN CHAPTER 316 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE. SO YOU'LL SEE US MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DISCUSSION TALKING ABOUT SIDEWALK CAFES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE OUTDOOR DINING OR SEATING AREA LOCATED ON A SIDEWALK OR OTHER APPROVED PORTION OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS. TECHNICALLY, THE THE TERM SIDEWALK CAFE INCLUDES THE PARKING SPACES ADJACENT TO THE ROADWAY. BUT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION IN OUR ORDINANCE AND THE WAY THAT WE PROMOTE THIS PROGRAM, WE DECIDED TO ALSO FURTHER DESIGN DEFINE STREET PATIO, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A SIDEWALK CAFE THAT'S LOCATED WITHIN THE PARKING SPACES. SO WE'LL ALSO DISCUSS WHY CHAPTER 316 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE APPLIES. WE'LL DO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE ITSELF AND HOW WE WISH TO ESTABLISH THIS PILOT PROGRAM, AND THEN ALSO HOW IT SUPPORTS DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ACTIVITY.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND OUR CITY'S ESTABLISHED INFRASTRUCTURE. SO WE'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AREA AND ELIGIBILITY, THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL CRITERIA. AND THEN WE HAVE A SECTION FOR OUR OPERATIONAL AND DESIGN STANDARDS. WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE ITEMS AND THEN THE ENFORCEMENT REVOCATION AND ALSO AS CARRYING OVER FROM OUR LAST DISCUSSION OUR ORDINANCE EXPIRATION. SO CHAPTER 316 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE. SO AGAIN IT DEFINES SIDEWALK.
AND IN THAT DEFINITION IT INCLUDES THE PARKING SPACES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE ROADWAY. SO CHAPTER 316 ALLOWS FOR THE REGULATION OF SIDEWALK CAFES VIA AN ORDINANCE. SO THIS PROGRAM AGAIN NEEDS TO BE CREATED BY AN ORDINANCE SO WE CAN ENSURE THE LEGAL COMPLIANCE.
WE CAN MANAGE THE LIABILITY AND ALSO PROVIDE A FORMAL PERMITTING PROCESS. SO 316 ALSO PROVIDES REQUIREMENTS. SO IF WE DO CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REGULATION OF OUR SIDEWALKS, WE DO SO. IN A WAY THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH CHAPTER 316. ALSO IT DESIGNATES IN OUR ORDINANCE SPECIFIC BLOCKS TO THIS TEMPORARY USE OF OUR SIDEWALKS AND ON STREET PARKING SPACES. SO AGAIN, ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF CHAPTER 316 REQUIREMENTS IS THAT IF WE DO ALLOW FOR OUR MUNICIPAL STREETS TO BE USED FOR PRIVATE PURPOSE, WE DO SO IN A WAY THAT ALSO DOES NOT PREVENT OR DOES NOT PRESENT HAZARDS TO THE PUBLIC. SO LOOKING AT THIS PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE, IT WOULD BASICALLY CREATE A ONE YEAR PERIOD. UNLESS WE RENEW IT,
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IT ESTABLISHES THE PERMITTING LICENSING AGREEMENTS, STANDARDS AND MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES, OUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND ENFORCEMENT AND THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN CURRENTLY IN THE DRAFT, IT ALLOWS FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF THESE AGREEMENTS AND LICENSES, WHICH WOULD BE THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE, UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER APPLICATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. THAT COUNCIL APPROVED APPROVAL WOULD OTHERWISE BE REQUIRED. SO IN REVIEWING THE AREA THAT WE WANTED TO INCLUDE IN OUR DRAFT ORDINANCE FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUTLINED HERE ON THIS MAP. SO THE YELLOW WOULD BE SIDEWALK CAFE OR A STREET PATIO. SO THAT WOULD BE UTILIZATION OF THE SIDEWALK OR A STREET PATIO USE.AND IN THE BLUE AREA, PER OUR DISCUSSIONS, PREVIOUSLY, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT UPCOMING IMPROVEMENTS TO AUSTIN AVENUE AND THEN ALSO JUST HOW THE UTILIZATION IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AROUND THE SQUARE. SO THAT WOULD BE UTILIZATION FOR A SIDEWALK CAFE ONLY, AND NOT NOT ALLOW FOR USE OF THE PARKING SPACES. SO THOSE ELIGIBLE WITHIN THESE AREAS WOULD BE FEE TITLE OWNERS, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE PROPERTY OWNER THEMSELVES OR LAWFUL TENANTS THAT ARE OPERATING A BUSINESS. AGAIN, SIDEWALK CAFE OR STREET PATIO IS INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE. IN OUR CONVERSATIONS PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS NOTED THAT YOU ALL DID NOT SUPPORT ALLOWING THE USE OF BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY. SO THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN TO BE AN ONE OR THE OTHER. FOR AN EXTENSION INTO AN ADJACENT BUSINESS THAT WOULD REQUIRE WRITTEN CONSENT. SO WE YOU'LL SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF ANGLED PARKING DOWNTOWN. SO IF THOSE PARKING SPACES ARE ANGLED TO ENCROACH A LITTLE BIT IN FRONT OF AN ADJACENT OF A NEIGHBORING BUSINESS, THEN THE APPLICANT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THAT NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR. AND AGAIN, THE STREET PATIOS THEMSELVES ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE SQUARE OR ON AUSTIN AVENUE, SHOWN THERE IN RED. SO OUR APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS, THERE'S FEES. THESE HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO BE SIMILAR TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE. SO THAT WOULD HAVE AN APPLICATION FEE, A LICENSE FEE. AND THEN GOING ALONG WITH THAT WOULD BE THE PERMIT. SO WE WOULD HAVE EITHER A SIDEWALK CAFE, WHICH WOULD BE A TEMPORARY USE PERMIT, AND THAT'S A FLAT FEE OR A STREET PATIO, WHICH WOULD BE A TEMPORARY USE PERMIT, PLUS THE FEES FOR THE UTILIZATION OF THE PARKING SPACES THEMSELVES. THEY WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE THE PROOF OF OWNERSHIP OR THEIR TENANCY.
THE SCALED SITE PLAN AGAIN WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ITS DIMENSIONS CLEARLY MARKED. SHOW ALL ADA CLEAR PATHS AND ACCESSIBLE ROUTES, OBSTRUCTIONS, UTILITIES, INGRESS AND EGRESS WOULD NEED TO BE CLEARLY MARKED ON THESE PLANS. AND THEN, IF THERE WERE THE USE OF PLATFORMS PROPOSED, THEN THOSE POSSIBLY COULD REQUIRE BE REQUIRED TO HAVE ENGINEERED PLANS. ALSO, WE WANT THE FURNISHINGS TO BE NOTATED SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNT AND THE PLACEMENT MEETS ALL OF THE ADA REQUIREMENTS IN CLEARPASS. THEY WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE. YOU CAN SEE A WHOLE LIST OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSURANCES THAT THE ORDINANCE SPECIFIES. THEY WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF PERMITS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR FOOD ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT OR ANY PERMITTING THAT THEY HAVE THROUGH T, A, B, C. AND THEN IF THERE'S SOME SITE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, WE ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL OR ENGINEERED PLANS. ALL RIGHT. SO REVIEW AND APPROVAL. SO THE REVIEW CRITERIA IS PRETTY PLAIN AND SIMPLE. I THINK IT'S WHAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. SO BASICALLY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING DOES NOT INTRUDE INTO THE ROADWAY OR ANY PEDESTRIAN ADA CLEAR PATHS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO HAZARDS TO PEDESTRIANS, VEHICLES, OR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR DRAINAGE CLEAR.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DESIGN THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING MINIMIZES ANY INJURY RISK, AND ALSO PRESERVES PUBLIC ACCESS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO INTERFERENCE WITH EXISTING UTILITIES OR OUR MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS. SO WE'VE BEEN IN COORDINATION, EVEN DISCUSSING THIS PROCESS ON HOW IT IMPACTS OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE BRING TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND THEN OPERATIONAL AND DESIGN STANDARDS. SO THIS HAS TO BE CONTIGUOUS TO THE BUSINESS FRONTAGE AND COMPLY WITH ADA. I DID TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IF IT SHIFTS OVER A LITTLE BIT IN FRONT OF THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, THEN WE WOULD HAVE SOME CONSENT THERE. IT CANNOT HAVE ANY FIXED WALLS. SO THIS IS OPEN AIR ONLY. AGAIN, BASICALLY A PLATFORM WITH PROTECTIVE RAILING TO DELINEATE THE AREA. BUT IT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE LIKE A, A BOX OR A ROOM. IT WOULD HAVE TO STAY OPEN. AIR BARRIERS WOULD HAVE TO BE NON PERMANENT UNLESS APPROVED. AND ALCOHOL ALCOHOL SERVICE AREAS WOULD HAVE TO BE ENCLOSED AND MONITORED. AND AGAIN, PLATFORMS, DECKING, LIGHTING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PART OF THE STRUCTURE. THIS TEMPORARY STRUCTURE WOULD NEED TO MEET ALL CITY CODES AND REQUIREMENTS.
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WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING THE USE OF A STREET PATIO WHICH IS MOVING INTO THIS PARKING SPACES, THOSE WOULD BE LIMITED TO A MAX OF THREE SPACES. THAT'S ALSO SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM YOU ALL IN THE LAST WORKSHOP. AND THESE WOULD ALSO BE PROHIBITED IN FIRE LANES, ADA SPACES, LOADING ZONES, HAZARD AREAS, AND ANYWHERE ELSE THAT STAFF OR THE REVIEWER FINDS. WE NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCRETION AND KELLY CAN ASK QUESTION. SURE. WHEN WE SAY OPEN AIR, LIKE THEY CAN DO LIKE THE PLASTIC WALLS PEOPLE HAVE, LIKE IN THE WINTER WHEN, YOU KNOW, OR THE ALMOST LIKE CURTAIN LOOKING THINGS WERE THEY ENCLOSE IT WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, BUT NOT LIKE PERMANENT WALLS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? RIGHT. THERE COULD BE SOME TEMPORARY THERE COULD BE LIKE UMBRELLAS FOR THE SUN OR MAYBE SOMETHING THAT BLOCKS WIND ON A, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE HIGH WINDS. YEAH, YEAH. IT'S JUST NOT LIKE PERMANENT, LIKE A ROOM ENCLOSED BOX, BASICALLY. SURE. I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION. HELP ME UNDERSTAND. THE ALCOHOL SERVICE AREAS MUST BE ENCLOSED AND MONITORED. WHAT DOES THAT ENCLOSED AND MONITORED REALLY MEAN. SO TYPICALLY THAT'S RAILING SOMETHING JUST TO DELINEATE THAT AREA FROM THE PUBLIC SPACE AND THE SIDEWALK. SO THIS WOULD BE UNDER A LICENSE AGREEMENT THAT WHATEVER THEY HAVE PERMITTED THROUGH THEIR ABC LICENSE WOULD EXPAND INTO THIS AREA. WOULD THEY HAVE TO UPDATE THEIR ABC LICENSING TO INCORPORATE THAT AREA INTO THEIR LICENSE? THEY DO. THEY SEND IT IN AND THEN THEY IT'S APPARENTLY DONE BY EMAIL. I'VE ALREADY TESTED THAT. SO THEY GET AN EMAIL BACK THAT STATES THAT THAT'S RECOGNIZED AS PART OF THEIR ABC LICENSED AREA.OKAY, KELLY, CAN I HAVE YOU BACK UP THREE SLIDES TO SEVEN AND THERE MAY BE SOMETHING I'M MISSING HERE. IS THERE A REASON WHY THE THREE BLOCKS NORTH ARE NOT INCLUDED THAT WOULD HAVE, LIKE JUNIPER BERRIES, TWO TEA HOUSE MEET AND GOLDEN RULE ON THOSE BLOCKS. NOT NECESSARILY.
THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION. IF YOU ALL FEEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED. WE COULD DEFINITELY EXPLORE THAT DURING THIS WORKSHOP AND INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL AREAS AS REQUESTED.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE, WHERE WERE WE. ALL RIGHT. SO ENFORCEMENT. SO THE ORDINANCE DOES ALLOW FOR THE CITY AGAIN THROUGH CHAPTER 316. REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CITY CAN SUSPEND OR REVOKE. SO DUE TO VIOLATIONS OR NONPAYMENT, A LAPSE IN INSURANCE OR ANY NONCOMPLIANCE, COMPLIANCE WITH ANY OF OUR ORDINANCES OR CITY CODES. AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SAFETY OPERATIONS, UTILITIES AND EMERGENCY REASONS. SO IF SOMETHING COMES UP THAT WE FIND JUST AN IMMEDIATE UNSAFE CONDITION, ALSO, WE'RE ABLE TO SUSPEND OR REVOKE. AND THEN THERE'S A PROVISION IN THERE ALSO THAT THE CITY CAN ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY REMOVE THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR NON-COMPLIANT COMPLIANCE AT THE PERMIT HOLDERS EXPENSE. WE ALSO DISCUSSED IN OUR LAST WORKSHOP WITH YOU ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A SUNSET PROVISION, THAT THIS IS CONSIDERED TEMPORARY AS WE EXPLORE HOW THIS IMPACTS OUR DOWNTOWN AND OTHER EVENTS AND ADJACENT BUSINESS OWNERS. SO THE WAY THAT THIS IS PROPOSED RIGHT NOW IS A 12 MONTH EXPIRATION UNLESS RENEWED BY COUNCIL. AND AGAIN, IT JUST CLEARLY OUTLINES THAT THERE'S NO PERMANENT RIGHTS TO THE PARKING SPACE USAGE. SO THAT WOULD BE FOUND IN THE ADDITION IN THE LICENSING AGREEMENT THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH THIS PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WHEN WE'RE EXPLORING ESTABLISHING AN ORDINANCE FOR REGULATING OUR SIDEWALK CAFES, WHETHER IT BE ON THE SIDEWALK OR WITHIN THE PARKING SPACES, THERE'S SOME IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST. THIS IS JUST SOMETHING TO START THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL. BUT I CAN RUN THROUGH THESE QUICKLY SO WE COULD LOOK TO FULLY ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AND THEN LOOK AT HOW WE WANT TO DO THAT IMPLEMENTATION, WHETHER WE WANT TO DELAY IT FOR JUST MAYBE THE SIDEWALK CAFE PORTION, AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE A LOT OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS. WHEN I VISITED WITH THEM AT THEIR ASSOCIATION MEETING, SO I'M SURE IT WOULD BE A CONTINUED CONVERSATION. WE COULD LOOK AT A PHASED APPROACH. AGAIN, THAT WOULD JUST INCLUDE SOME LANGUAGE FOR SUNSET CONSIDERATION. SO BASICALLY PHASE ONE COULD BE ADOPT THE STREET PATIO PROGRAM AND LET US START PERMITTING THOSE. AND THEN WHEN IT COMES BACK UP FOR A SUNSET REVIEW OR AS APPROPRIATE, WE COULD ADOPT IN THE SIDEWALK CAFE PROGRAM AS LIKE A PHASE TWO TO RENEW AND THEN HAVE ANOTHER SUNSET PROVISION FOR ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, EXTENDED MAYBE 12 MONTHS. AND THEN YOU COULD ALSO MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST ADOPTING THE STREET PATIO PROGRAM ONLY. AND THAT WOULD JUST BE A MINIMAL CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE EXISTING ORDINANCE UNDER THE PERMIT REQUIRED SECTION. ARE THERE ANY PLACES THAT SIDEWALK CAFES COULD FUNCTION RIGHT NOW THAT WOULDN'T WOULDN'T DISRUPT THE FLOW OF PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC? I MEAN, I GUESS IN FRONT OF ALONG AUSTIN AVENUE, WHERE WE HAVE THE EXTENDED SIDEWALKS IS ABOUT THE ONLY, ONLY PLACE THAT PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE SOME TABLES AND CHAIRS AND STUFF OUT THERE
[00:30:04]
NOW, RIGHT? YEAH, THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD ALLOW FOR THESE TO BE IMPLEMENTED. AND YOU'VE SEEN THAT THERE'S SOME EXISTING ALREADY, THAT THIS WOULD JUST BE A MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED. I MEAN, THIS REALLY DOES ALLOW A BUSINESS OWNER TO EXCLUSIVELY HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE UTILIZATION OF THAT SPACE THROUGH THEIR LEASE. RIGHT NOW, THEY PUT IT OUT THERE. IT'S PUBLIC, RIGHT. ANYBODY CAN SIT THERE. THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER IT RIGHT NOW. THIS WOULD REALLY ALLOW THEM TO BOOST THEIR BUSINESS BY ADDING ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF USAGE, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL OVER WHO'S GETTING TO UTILIZE THAT SPACE. GOT IT. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SO I KNOW BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SLIDES, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT IT WAS EITHER THE TENANT OR I THINK THE OWNER WHO HAS TO APPROVE THIS. YES, MA'AM. SO IF YOU'RE A TENANT, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE OWNER APPROVAL AS WELL? BECAUSE YES, THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT. OKAY. SO THE SO IF AN OWNER OF A BUILDING, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT RUNNING THAT PLACE OF BUSINESS, SAYS NO TO THIS, THEN THE TENANT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. CORRECT. JUST LIKE A BUILDING PERMIT. IF THE PROPERTY OWNER ISN'T WANTING THAT MODIFICATION MADE TO THEIR BUILDING, THEN THE TENANT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. OKAY. AND THEN ON THAT, I THINK YOU, I THINK YOU MISSED THAT ONE WHERE IT SAID APPROVAL WAS 30 DAYS. SO IS THAT FROM WHEN THE TIME THEY SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER YES OR NO BACK IN 30 DAYS? YES. IT WOULD BE 30 DAYS ONCE IT'S DEEMED COMPLETE, JUST LIKE MOST OF OUR OTHER APPLICATIONS. SO IF THEY'RE MISSING SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO SEND IT BACK TO THEM. THAT DOESN'T START THE CLOCK UNTIL WE DEEM THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR THE COMPLETE APPLICATION. OKAY. BECAUSE I COULD JUST SEE THAT THESE WOULD, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF ARE SOMEWHAT TIME SENSITIVE AGAIN, IF THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING BACK. AND THERE'S THINGS WE'RE STILL MISSING THEN, BUT I WOULD WANT US TO HAVE A PRETTY QUICK TIME ON EITHER THIS IS APPROVED OR DENIED, YOU KNOW? OKAY, OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. DO WE HAVE ANY I DON'T SEE ANY LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF THESE. SO I GUESS MY CONCERN, I MEAN, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PROBLEM IF WE IF WE HAD IT. BUT IF YOU WERE TO HAVE ALL OF THIS YELLOW AREA WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME OUT AND I REALIZE ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES AREN'T GOING TO DO THAT. BUT THE ONES THAT DID IN PARKING SPACES, TAKING UP PARKING SPACES, I MEAN, THAT COULD BE CONCERNING TO OUR PARKING. I MEAN, WHEN I DROVE DOWNTOWN TODAY, YOU KNOW, SO NEXT TO LONE STAR CIRCLE OF CARE, LIKE THAT ENTIRE SECTION OF PARKING IS SOMEWHAT UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE OTHER AREAS OF CONSTRUCTION. SO I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT LIMITS. LIKE IF EVERYBODY OVER HERE SAYS, THIS SOUNDS GREAT, LET'S ALL SIGN UP. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF IF THAT'S AND THAT THAT'S NOW TAKING UP, YOU KNOW, 50 PLUS PARKING SPOTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MAY BE I MAY BE EXAGGERATING, BUT I'M JUST RIGHT. NO, THAT'S A GENUINE CONCERN. WE DO HAVE IT WRITTEN IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO PROTECT AGAINST THAT. SO THE CITY MANAGER OR THE DESIGNEE COULD AT ANY TIME, YOU KNOW, IF WE SEE THAT IT'S GOING TO IMPEDE FLOW OR, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT WHERE WE'RE REDUCING PARKING TO AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION, THEN I MEAN, THEY CAN USE ANY REASON TO NOT PERMIT MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE. OKAY. SO WE CAN LOOK AT KIND OF ONCE THIS GOES INTO EFFECT, HOW MANY WE GET APPLICATIONS FOR. AND THEN THERE'S PLENTY OF DISCRETION PENCILED INTO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE. AND THEN LASTLY, I THINK THIS IS KIND OF TO KEVIN'S POINT, WHEN I LOOK AT ON THE CURRENT SQUARE, THE RED, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE TABLES AND CHAIRS OUT, I DON'T SEE MUCH MORE SPACE CURRENTLY UNTIL WE MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN FOR THEM TO INCREASE THAT, ARE WE SAYING THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY BE INCREASING THAT OR THIS WOULD JUST BE FIRMING UP WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT THIS IS NOW THEIR SPACE. SO LET'S JUST USE A BUSINESS. FOR EXAMPLE. LET'S USE GOOD FOLKS. THEY ALREADY HAVE TABLES OUT THERE.I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT CORNER BEING AN AREA WHERE YOU COULD EXPAND THAT MUCH FURTHER. SO ARE WE JUST SAYING WE'RE GOING TO NOW PUT IN PLACE THEY WANT TO DO THIS AND THESE ARE THEIR TABLES AND CHAIRS AND THEY CAN USE OR THEY COULD POTENTIALLY ADD A LOT MORE THERE. I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT HOW CONGESTED THESE SIDEWALKS ALREADY ARE WITH THE LITTLE BIT OF STUFF THAT PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE OUT THERE, RIGHT? SO IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE FIRMING UP. SO BASICALLY WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WHAT THEY DO HAVE INSTALLED OR THE SPACE THAT THEY ARE UTILIZING MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA. AGAIN, IT GOES THROUGH A CHECKS AND BALANCES.
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN MOVE THEIR FURNITURE AROUND AS LONG AS IT'S STILL MEETS WHAT'S OUTLINED IN THE CODE. SO IT'S NOT REALLY PRESCRIPTIVE AND IT'S NOT TOO RESTRICTIVE AS LONG AS THEY'RE STAYING WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE ORDINANCE. SO THERE'S NO LIKE REAPPLICATION.
IF THEY WANT TO MOVE A TABLE OR, YOU KNOW, ADD ONE THAT THEY HAD ON THEIR PLANS, BUT THEY HADN'T HAD IT IN A WHILE. YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T NEED TO COME BACK AND TELL US THEY'RE DOING THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A CUMBERSOME PROCESS, BUT IT ALSO, AGAIN, ENSURES THAT THEY HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER THAT AREA THAT'S DESIGNATED WITHIN THEIR LICENSE AGREEMENT. IT HELPS SHIFT SOME OF THAT RISK. WE KNOW THAT THINGS ARE ALREADY ON THE SIDEWALK. SO CURRENTLY THERE'S RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THAT RISK AND LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. SO IT MAKES SURE THAT
[00:35:02]
IT'S CLEARLY OUTLINED THAT THEY'RE ASSUMING THAT RISK AND LIABILITY. BUT IT ALSO I MEAN IT AGAIN, IT JUST GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE SAY BECAUSE CURRENTLY ANYBODY CAN. I MEAN, IT'S PUBLIC SPACE. SO THEY'RE SETTING THEIR THINGS OUT IN PUBLIC SPACE. SO IT REALLY HELPS CLEAN THAT UP. OKAY. AND IS THIS EVEN THAT BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT ON THAT ON, ON THE SQUARE PROPER. THERE'S ALSO SOME BUSINESSES WHO THEY AREN'T USING IT FOR TABLES AND CHAIRS.THEY'RE USING IT FOR, YOU KNOW, TO EXTEND THEIR RETAIL AREA. WOULD THEY ALSO BE SUBJECT TO THIS POLICY AS WELL? IF THEY'RE GOING TO PUT, YOU KNOW, RACKS OF CLOTHING OR, YOU KNOW, TABLES WITH THINGS TO SELL OUT THERE AS WELL? YES, MA'AM. IT WOULD IT WOULD STILL APPLY TO THAT. AND AGAIN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAME REASONS, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT CREATING A HAZARDOUS CONDITION, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SHIFTING THAT LIABILITY OF THEIR THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. SO YEAH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD STILL BE APPLICABLE. OKAY. NO, THAT SOUNDS GREAT. AND THEN LASTLY, WHEN WE IN THE NEAR FUTURE DO THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SQUARE, MEANING THE SQUARE PROPER AND EXTEND THE SIDEWALKS OUT. WOULD THIS THEN BE REEVALUATED AT THAT POINT? ABSOLUTELY. IT COULD BE. I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS TO TO BE UTILIZED MORE EFFICIENTLY, ACTUALLY. I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE VARIES VASTLY ACROSS OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. SO SOME AREAS MIGHT NOT EVEN MEET THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR A CLEAR PATH OR ADA. SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT AT ALL. BUT MAYBE ONCE WE HAVE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR DOWNTOWN, IT WOULD OPEN UP ADDITIONAL AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD WORK WELL. OKAY.
AND I LIKE THAT WE'LL ALREADY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE SO WE CAN EXPAND OR MOVE BACK WITH IT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. YEAH. I HAD A QUESTION TOO. I WANT YOU TO QUESTION AND DO YOUR FEEDBACK, IF THAT'S OKAY. WE'LL KIND OF JUST JUMP AROUND ON THE ELIGIBILITY. SO YOU HAD OWNER OR I GUESS IT WAS IT OWNER OR TENANT, CORRECT. WELL, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S THE OWNER. YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE A PROPERTY OWNER'S CONSENT CONSENT FOR A TENANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS WITH THEIR CONSENT. LET'S JUST SAY HYPOTHETICALLY, RESTAURANT COMES IN AND PUTS SOMETHING IN A PARKING SPOT. RESTAURANT GOES OUT OF BUSINESS. NOW IT'S VACANT SITTING THERE. THEY'RE OUT OF BUSINESS. THEY'RE GONE. THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO LIFT THAT UP AND TAKE IT WITH THEM. WE COULD REQUIRE FORCE THE OWNER TO REMOVE REMOVE THAT WITH THEIR CONSENT. ON THE APPLICATION. I'M GOING TO TURN TO SKYE. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE COVERED IN THE AGREEMENT. CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? YES, DAVID, DO YOU WANT TO WELL, I JUST I THINK THE QUESTION WAS AROUND WHETHER IF THE IF THE BUSINESS THE TENANT WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, WHAT REMEDIES DO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THAT THE THE OUTDOOR SEATING AREA CAN BE REMOVED. I KNOW WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REMOVE IT. YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE THE. I MEAN, IF THEY. SO THE PERMIT WOULD BE ISSUED TO THE BUSINESS SPECIFIC IN THE TENANT. SO IF THEY JUST WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND THEY'RE NO LONGER OPERATING. YES. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REMOVE IT IF THEY IF THE BUSINESS TRANSFERRED TO SOMEBODY ELSE OR THERE WAS A NEW TENANT, THEY MIGHT COME IN AND WANT TO, YOU KNOW, REISSUE A PERMIT IN THEIR NAME. WE WOULD NEED THAT PERMIT, THOUGH, TO BE ISSUED TO WHOEVER IS ACTUALLY THE OPERATING ENTITY, BECAUSE A PART OF THIS IS, IS THEY WILL HAVE INSURANCE COVERING THAT AREA THAT IS PERMITTED. THAT'S THE LIABILITY SHIFTING PIECE OF THIS THAT'S PROTECTIVE OF THE CITY. SO WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE WHOEVER IS ACTUALLY OPERATING THERE IS, IS THE BUSINESS IN THAT THAT LOCATION. IF THEY CHANGE, WE WOULD WANT IT UPDATED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE PROPER INSURANCE. BUT IF THEY JUST SKIP TOWN, YEAH, WE CAN GO REMOVE FOR SURE. WELL, IF WE SAID WE'D REMOVE IT AT THEIR EXPENSE, BUT IF THEY GO OUT OF BUSINESS AND THEY SKIP TOWN, THERE'S NOBODY TO EXPENSE IT TO UNLESS IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER, RIGHT? YOU WOULD EXPENSE IT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. WE WOULD HAVE THAT ABILITY. IF THERE'S AN EXPENSE THAT YOU NEED TO TO EXCUSE ME. SO THAT WOULD BE CLEAR TO THE PROPERTY OWNER WHEN THEY'RE CONSENTING TO IT, THAT THEY ARE ACCEPTING THAT LIABILITY IN THE EVENT THAT THAT WERE TO OCCUR. OKAY. THE I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN WE FIRST DISCUSSED THE CONCEPT, BUT TALKING ABOUT MORE IN THE STREET. SO IF THEY BUILD SOMETHING IN THE PARKING LOTS OR PARKING SPOTS, EXCUSE ME, AND THEY WANT TO HAVE IT POWERED, THEY WANT POWER TO IT FOR FANS OR WHATEVER. DO THE DESIGN STANDARDS COVER HOW THEY WILL? WILL THE DESIGN STANDARDS COVER HOW THE ELECTRICAL GETS THERE? BECAUSE I THINK THERE'D BE A BUNCH OF EXTENSION CORDS RUNNING ACROSS THE SIDEWALK TO GET POWER TO IT, CORRECT? YES. WE CONTEMPLATED THAT FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL. AND SO WE WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR ANY PIECE TO BE PART OF THESE PERMITS. SO THIS WOULD BE JUST BASICALLY LIKE DECKING STRUCTURES TO HOLD FURNITURE, DELINEATE THE AREAS.
ANY LIGHTING WOULD HAVE TO MEET OUR CODES, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE THROUGH SOLAR. SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EXTEND ANY ELECTRICITY OUT TO THE PARKING SPACES. OKAY. AND THEN THE, THE COST FEE STRUCTURE, YOU SAID YOU BASICALLY KIND OF USED OUR SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS
[00:40:02]
STRUCTURING TO KIND OF COME UP WITH THOSE AMOUNTS. YES, SIR. SO I JUST THROW THIS ON HERE IN CASE THAT QUESTION CAME UP. BUT AGAIN, LOOKING AT THAT APPLICATION AND A TEMPORARY USE PERMIT. SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE TOTAL AMOUNTS THERE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO PERMIT THEIR SIDEWALK CAFE USE, IT WOULD BE $210 A YEAR, BASICALLY FOR THE ENTIRE APPLICATION PROCESS. NOW, IF THEY MOVE INTO THE STREET PATIO AND THEY'RE GOING TO USE PARKING SPACES, THAT IS WHAT WE BASED OFF OF THE SPECIAL EVENT. GOT IT. THAT MAKES SENSE. SO THE FEEDBACK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS ON SLIDE 12. OR DO YOU HAVE. SO THERE YOU GO. SO CHANGE THIS UP JUST A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR ORIGINAL PACKET. JUST SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO FLIP BACK AND FORTH, BUT JUST ASKING IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC, IF YOU SUPPORT THE CITY MANAGER AUTHORIZATION. SO AGAIN, THAT ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENTS. AND THEN ALSO IF YOU SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE COMING FORWARD FOR ADOPTION, AND IF SO, WHICH IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE DO YOU ALL PREFER, PREFER? AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE. I MEAN, IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF THESE OR. WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. NUMBER TWO I'D SAY YES. NUMBER THREE I'D SAY YES. I WOULD THINK A. A PHASED APPROACH PROBABLY WOULD BE MY MY PREFERENCE AT THIS POINT, BUT I COULD BE PERSUADED OTHERWISE. IF THERE ARE STRONG FEELINGS ON A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN THAT. THANK YOU. JUST ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION ON THAT. YOUR THIS FEEDBACK LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN OURS, BUT ON THE ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PACKET WHEN IT'S ASKING ABOUT THE DELAYING ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE FOR 90 DAYS TO ALLOW BUSINESSES TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, IS THAT THAT WOULD BE YEAH. I MEAN, THAT LIKE I SAID, WE COULD ADD TO THIS AS WELL. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER CONSIDERATION IF YOU SAY, YEP, LET'S JUST ADOPT THE WHOLE THING, BUT LET'S HAVE A DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION, BASICALLY ON ENFORCEMENT TO LET PEOPLE COME IN COMPLIANCE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE. AND WE CAN ALWAYS ADD THAT AS WELL. SO IF YOU WANTED TO DO THE FULL ORDINANCE, WE COULD DO THAT.AND THEN WE COULD DO MORE PUBLIC EDUCATION. WE COULD GO AROUND TALKING TO BUSINESS OWNERS, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE. THEN WE COULD.
YEAH. SO THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION. I MEAN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE DO A PHASED APPROACH OR I MEAN, IT DOES SEEM LIKE PEOPLE DO NEED SOME TIME TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
AND THEN MY QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, HOW ARE WE NOTIFYING THEM? SO WOULD IT WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD NOTIFY EVERYONE THAT ALREADY HAS SOMETHING AND THEN GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, WHICH I THINK WE DO NEED TO DO BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THIS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BE GIVEN SOME TIME TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY NEED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE FOR. YES, MA'AM. YEAH. AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING. I MEAN, AND YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT ON THE STREET PATIO PORTION OF IT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE. SO THAT COULD MOVE FORWARD AND THEN THE STREET OR I'M SORRY, THE SIDEWALK CAFE COULD DEFINITELY HAVE ITS OWN IMPLEMENTATION. YEAH. SO I THINK AGAIN, FOR ME, THE PHASED APPROACH IS FINE.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A STREET PATIO SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, GIVING PEOPLE TIME TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE SIDEWALK CAFE AND BEING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING TO ALL THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS. THANKS. I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS. SO FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE TAKING AWAY PUBLIC SPACES AND USING IT FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES. AND I THINK WE NEED TO TREAD VERY LIGHTLY. LET ME START OFF BY SAYING I SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WE NEED TO DO IT CORRECTLY. AND ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, AS AMANDA MENTIONED, CONGESTION ON THE STREETS. I THINK WE NEED TO SET A MINIMUM STANDARD OF SIX FEET, NOT THE 36IN FOR ADA REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEY MAY NOT ENCROACH UPON THE SIDEWALK SUCH THAT LESS THAN SIX FEET WIDE. AND IT NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN DOWN THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THAT. SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THE. EXCLUSIVE USE. I UNDERSTAND EXCLUSIVE USE FOR THE WHERE WE'RE BUILDING SOMETHING OUT IN THE PARKING LOT, IN THE PARKING SPACES, BUT ON THE SIDEWALK, WE EITHER NEED TO CHARGE THEM A PER SQUARE FOOT USE OF THE SIDEWALK, BASICALLY ASSUMING A STALL IS TEN BY 20, THAT WOULD BE 1/200 OF WHATEVER WE CHARGE THEM PER SQUARE FOOT FOR, FOR WHAT THEY'RE USING, OR IT'S NON-EXCLUSIVE USE. AND ANYBODY CAN SIT DOWN ON THOSE CHAIRS IF THEY WANT TO. I DON'T THINK THAT FOR $150 A YEAR OR WHATEVER IT WAS, THEY SHOULD HAVE EXCLUSIVE USE TO THAT. YOU TALKED ABOUT ENCLOSED AREAS FOR ALCOHOL. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIC FOR THE PARKING SPOTS AND NOT FOR THE SIDEWALKS. I DON'T SEE ENCLOSING THE
[00:45:07]
SIDEWALKS AGAIN, BACK INTO NON-EXCLUSIVE USE. THE EFFECT ON THE OTHER VENDORS. SO IF WE ALLOW THESE PEOPLE INTO THE PARKING SPOTS, ARE THEY NOT ONLY USING UP PARKING SPOTS, BUT ARE THEY WILL WE BE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF STALLS THAT THE PEOPLE CAN THE VENDORS CAN USE DURING SPECIAL EVENTS? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE WE GOING TO BE LOSING REVENUE? LATER IN THE YEAR WHENEVER WE HAVE THESE SPECIAL EVENTS, BECAUSE THESE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MOVED INTO THE AREA THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN UTILIZED. SO IT GETS CROWDED DURING THOSE SPECIAL EVENTS, AND I FORESEE IT TO BE A PROBLEM. FAVORITISM. YOU SAID DISCRETION. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DISCRETION AS LONG AS THE DISCRETION IS IS CLEARLY OUTLINED AND SAID, THIS IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STALLS. THIS IS SOMETHING SO THAT YOU DON'T SAY, WELL, YOU GAVE HIM A PERMIT AND NOW YOU'RE DENYING ME. AND WE'RE SAYING, WELL, WE DECIDED WE WE'RE FULL. NO, YOU SAY WE WILL NOT ALLOW MORE THAN 10% OF THE STALLS TO BE USED OR WHATEVER, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DELINEATED BECAUSE CITY COUNCILS ARE OFTEN ACCUSED OF BEING PLAYING FAVORITES. AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. AND IT GOES BACK TO BLOCK THE THREE BLOCKS NORTH, THE THREE BLOCKS NORTH, OR IN THE COURTHOUSE SQUARE. THEY NEED TO BE UNDER THE SAME RULES AS THE OTHER SIX BLOCKS IN MY OPINION. OTHERWISE, IT SOUNDS LIKE FAVORITISM. AND YOU'VE GIVEN THE STORES ON THIS STREET SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T GIVE OTHER STORES, BUT THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME COURTHOUSE SQUARE. SO I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE OUTLINED. THE SIX MONTH TIME LIMIT, I THINK IS GREAT. WE NEED TO REEVALUATE AT THE END OF SIX MONTHS AND SEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD. AND THE COST PER SPACE, I THINK, IS SEVERELY. LOW, BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE THE PRICE OF OUR NEW PARKING LOT AND THE COST FOR PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST FOR A LOAN FOR THAT MUCH, AND DIVIDE IT BY THE NUMBER OF SPACES THERE, YOU GET TO SOMETHING AROUND $4,000 PER SPACE, NOT 2400. SO I WOULD THINK THAT THE PRICE SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE CLOSER TO $4,000, NOT 2400, BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING EXCLUSIVE USE OF THESE STALLS, PARKING SPOTS. AND FOR US TO REPLACE THEM, IT'S GOING TO COST US ABOUT $4,000. AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE GETTING SOMETHING CHEAPER THAN IT'S GOING TO COST US TO REPLACE IT. SO AND THEN THE SQUARE FOOT COST FOR THE THE SIDEWALK. SO MINIMUM SIX FEET ANYWHERE. AND THAT INCLUDES IF YOU HAVE CHAIRS FACING THE, THE STREET THAT WHEN PEOPLE CROSS THEIR LEGS AND THAT'S ANOTHER 18IN THAT YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND SUBTRACT THAT FROM THEIR SIX FEET SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE SIX FEET, BUT YOU HAVE CHAIRS FACING EACH OTHER AND THREE FEET OF THAT'S TAKEN UP BY PEOPLE WITH THEIR LEGS CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE CHAIRS. SO WE NEED TO DO THAT. AND NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT EXCLUSIVE OR NON-EXCLUSIVE USE, HOW WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE IT. FEES ARE TOO LOW. SO BUT YES, I DO SUPPORT THIS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS FOR SEVERAL REASONS. FIRST OF ALL, I'VE SEEN IT IN OTHER PLACES BE REALLY PRODUCTIVE. BUT THE ORDINANCE ITSELF ALLOWS THE BUSINESS OWNER AND THE TENANT TO MAKE THEIR OWN DETERMINATION OF IF IT'S NOT, WE WON'T DO IT IF WE'LL PULL BACK. SO I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF THOUGHT INTO DEVELOPING THIS. I DO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER HAS BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT I THINK OVERALL I SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. YES. ONE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I DO SUPPORT CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORIZATION FOR THE LICENSE AGREEMENTS. AND THEN I THINK AGAIN, TWO, A PHASED APPROACH IS PROBABLY IDEAL HERE. I GUESS THE BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT AMANDA WAS, I GUESS, POINTED OUT AS MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS EVERYBODY ADOPTS THIS, THEY LOVE IT. AND WE KIND OF FILL OUT EVERY SPACE THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THIS. WHAT IS IT? HOW, I GUESS, HOW DOES IT IMPACT OUR PARKING? BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT ON THE TABLE GOING FORWARD, PARKING BECOMES LESS OF A CONCERN FOR ME. BUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE INTERIM, UNTIL WE'VE GOT MORE PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, I DO HAVE THAT SAME CONCERN OF IF IT WAS WIDELY ADOPTED, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?[00:50:04]
DID WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OR THE COUNT? IF IT WERE COMPLETELY ADOPTED, IF SPACES, WE WOULD LOSE. DID WE? I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? DID WE LOOK IN TOTAL IN ALL THE AREA WHERE THIS WOULD BE ALLOWED IF THEY WERE ALL CONSUMED THAT WAY? HOW MANY SPACES WOULD WE LOSE IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR? I DON'T THINK WE DID THAT. I YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE IT'S THE WRONG ASSUMPTION. OUR ASSUMPTION IS YOU'RE LIKELY LOOKING AT REQUESTS BEING IN PLACES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE. ARE, YOU KNOW, FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE SPACES IN FRONT. SO, SO THAT'S THAT AT LEAST RIGHT NOW THAT LIMITS NOT ALL THE SPACES BEING TAKEN, YOU KNOW, SO IF EVERYONE WERE THAT WERE IN THAT CATEGORY, WE COULD, WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME ESTIMATES AND WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME GUIDELINES ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF, OF HOW MANY SPACES WOULD BE TAKEN UP PER BLOCK OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, JUST TO BE ABLE TO, TO PUT SOME PARAMETERS AND GUIDELINES AROUND IT. OKAY. I THINK OUR ASSUMPTION IN LOOKING AT THIS IS THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT ALL BUSINESSES WOULD, WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING. BUT, BUT NO, WE WE'VE NOT MADE AN ASSUMPTION ABOUT HOW MANY SPACES, IF ALL WERE TAKEN. THANK YOU. OVERALL, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS. I THINK IT COULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE SQUARE. I'VE SEEN OTHER AREAS THAT DO THIS THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE THREE BLOCKS NORTH TO MAKE IT LIKE A NINE SQUARE BLOCK TRIAL AREA. JUST ALLOW THOSE OTHER RESTAURANTS THAT ARE IN THOSE AREAS TO HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE. THE PRICES DO SEEM KIND OF LOW FOR FOR A YEARLY FEE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRICING SHOULD BE. IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF LOW. BUT OVERALL I'M SUPPORTIVE. THANK YOU. YEAH, I MEAN, I'M SUPPORTIVE AS WELL. I DO THINK THAT. A PHASED APPROACH IS PROBABLY BEST. I THINK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER MAKES A REALLY GOOD POINT WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE, IF WE HAVE IN OUR MIND AND AGAIN, THIS IS THIS IS FOR A TRIAL PERIOD. SO I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME SOME ELEMENTS OF THIS THAT WE CAN IRON OUT OVER TIME. BUT IF THERE'S A SET AMOUNT OF LIKE, WE WANT X PERCENTAGE OF THESE THINGS OR X NUMBER OF SPACES AND NO MORE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO PUT THOSE PARAMETERS IN THERE NOW AS POLICY SO THAT IT'S NOT UP TO WHOEVER'S JUDGMENT, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD. I AGREE WITH THAT. YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE PRICE GOES, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THE OTHER THING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THESE THINGS IF THEY IF IT GOES THE WAY THAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO. SO, I MEAN, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT, I DON'T WANT US TO, YOU KNOW, PRICE PEOPLE OUT OF DOING THIS NECESSARILY EITHER. I'M FINE WITH ADDING THE, THE THREE BLOCKS NORTH OF THE NINE SQUARE BLOCKS. I DON'T EXPECT ANYBODY TO DEVELOP ANYTHING UP THERE BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE SIDEWALKS AND THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESSES OR LACK OF BUSINESSES IN THOSE THREE SQUARE BLOCKS. ANYWAY. SO BUT FOR A TRIAL, WHATEVER, IT'S FINE. WHAT OTHER FEEDBACK ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? PHASED APPROACH SAID I'M SUPPORTIVE.YEAH. THERE YOU GO. I THINK I THINK THAT'S IT FOR AS FAR AS THE I THINK THE I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A CHALLENGE WITH THE STREET PATIO PROGRAM. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE TO IRON OUT WITH THAT THAN WE ARE. I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING LOT CAFE, WHATEVER WE'RE CALLING THOSE THINGS. THAT'S A MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD PRODUCT AND A MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD PROGRAM. IN MY MIND, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE HAIRY WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SIDEWALK. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AROUND THE ENTIRE SQUARE. I DOUBT WE HAVE SIX SQUARE FEET CLEAR IN SOME SPOTS WITH HANDRAILS AND ADA COMPLIANCE AND WHATNOT. SO THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE, AT LEAST UNTIL WE IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE, THE LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS ON THE SQUARE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. SO THAT'S MY FEEDBACK. AND I DON'T THINK ALL OF WHAT BEN BROUGHT UP IS NECESSARILY WRONG. I THINK WE DON'T KNOW. WE'RE TRYING TO PROJECT. I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE AS MANY OF THESE, AT LEAST IN THE PARKING SPOTS AS WE THINK. BUT IF IT WERE ME, IF IT WERE MY BUSINESS, I WOULDN'T BE PUTTING INVESTING IN THAT FOR A 12 MONTH GUARANTEE. IT'D BE REALLY HARD FOR ME TO DO THAT. NOT KNOWING IF COUNCIL IS GOING TO DECIDE. NEVER MIND, LET'S NOT DO THIS.
AND NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH WHATEVER THAT THING IS THAT SITS IN THE PARKING LOT? I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT, HOW YOU'RE GOING TO USE THAT IN ANY FUNCTIONAL WAY. SO IT'D BE JUST BASICALLY A LOST INVESTMENT MOST LIKELY. I THINK WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING IF WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO SOMETHING, LET'S GET SOMETHING STARTED, LEARN FROM IT, AND THEN ADJUST FROM THERE AND PUT IN WHAT WE'RE WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ISSUES.
LET'S ADDRESS THEM. BUT IF WE'RE FORECASTING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ISSUES. THEY MAY NOT BE ISSUES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN FROM IT. LIKE I SAID, I JUST DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING
[00:55:01]
TO HAVE VERY MANY BECAUSE OF THE COST IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET TO GET THAT GOING. AND THEN BY THE TIME THEY GET IT UP AND RUNNING, HOW MANY MONTHS ARE THEY ACTUALLY GONNA BE ABLE TO OPERATE OUT OF IT BEFORE WE REVIEW IT AGAIN AND MAYBE GET RID OF IT? BUT ON THE ONE QUESTION, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T ASK A WHILE AGO, BUT I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS ON THE ALCOHOL PIECE. I HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN READING A LOT OF THE ABC RULES AND LAWS RECENTLY, AND MY PERSONAL OPINION RIGHT NOW IS WE PROBABLY SHOULD JUST BE SILENT TO THE ALCOHOL AND LET THE ABC RULES APPLY BECAUSE THEY'RE PERMIT. THEY'RE REQUIRED TO SECTION OUT ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUILDING. THEY HAVE TO CALL IT OUT IN THEIR PERMIT. THAT INCLUDES THE SIDEWALK THAT INCLUDES THE PARKING SPACE. IF THEY USE IT, THEY HAVE TO DO THAT. IF THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE, IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TABLES ON THE SIDEWALK, THEY HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THEIR PERMIT THAT THAT IS THE ADJACENT AREA TO THEIR BUILDING WHERE THEIR PERMIT IS, SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY LEGALLY SERVE. IF THEY DON'T, THEY CANNOT LEGALLY, NOT LEGALLY SERVE THERE. BUT TO ME, THAT IS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REGULATED MORE BY THE STATE. WE HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT HERE AND THERE, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WE SHOULD WE SHOULD BE SILENT TO IT AND ALLOW THE STATE RULES AND THE ABC RULES TO APPLY HOWEVER THEY APPLY.THAT'S BETWEEN THEM AND ABC, NOT US. YEAH. I ECHO KEVIN ON THAT TO ABC. I THINK IT'S BEST FOR US JUST TO LET THOSE DEFAULT RULES APPLY, BECAUSE OTHERWISE I THINK WE GET INTO THESE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY CONTRADICT AND FOLKS CAN'T COMPLY WITH BOTH AT THE SAME TIME OR, YOU KNOW, OURS IS LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN ABC OR MORE. AND I THINK THEIR RULES ARE PRETTY STRICT AND DETAILED. SO I WOULD DEFER TO THAT. I AGREE WITH THE PHASED APPROACH. I THINK WE START WITH THE STREET PATIO PROGRAM. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO REALLY HAVE A TRUE SIDEWALK CAFE PROGRAM, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN TO REALLY HAVE ANY VIABLE OPTIONS. BUT I DO THINK WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THOSE SIDEWALK CAFES AND GIVING THEM EXCLUSIVITY. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONE THING THAT WE GOT TO REMEMBER IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE THINGS IS GOING TO BE A SALES TAX GENERATING MACHINE. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON WHY I'M EXCITED ABOUT THEM. AND EVERY SQUARE FOOT DOWN THERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA GENERATES SALES TAX REVENUE OFF THE CHARTS. AND AND SO WE NEED TO BE CONDUCIVE TO THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD NOT SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, FEEDING THEM TO DEATH. I THINK THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO COST WELL IN EXCESS OF $100,000 TO BUILD FOR, FOR EACH PERSON THAT'S COMING IN TO BUILD THESE, WHICH I'M IN FAVOR OF OUR DESIGN STANDARDS. I THINK THAT'S GREAT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LIST OF 50 APPLICATIONS TO DO THIS. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY SELECT FEW THAT ARE CONFIDENT THEY CAN MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT, WHICH I DO KIND OF AGREE WITH KEVIN. I MEAN, ONE YEAR IS A PRETTY TIGHT TIMELINE TO ASK SOMEBODY TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, A SIX FIGURE INVESTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD GET WIPED OUT, JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT ON A WHIM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD JUST DECIDE NOT TO DO IT IN A YEAR, BUT THE OTHER, YEAH, I THINK GIVEN THE CITY MANAGER ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE IN TERMS OF LIKE THE VOLUME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE APPLICATIONS UP, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO APPLY, SPEND A TON OF MONEY. SO IT'S GOING TO KIND OF BE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. AND IF, IF YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE ON THAT BLOCK TO INVEST THE MONEY AND DO IT, YOU MAY GET THE, YOU KNOW, THE SPACES. AND IF FOLKS COME ALONG AFTER THAT AND YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY MORE SPACES THAN THE CITY MANAGER DEEMS OR, YOU KNOW, NEEDED FOR THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO LATE. I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF IT IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, DECIDE TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT EARLY IF THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM. SO I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING. MAYOR ONE ONE. YEAH.
BEN'S GOT ONE THING. YOU WANT TO GO FIRST. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. VERY BRIEFLY, I WOULD BE AMENABLE TO A DISCOUNT PRICE THE FIRST YEAR, FIRST TWO YEARS, MAYBE EVEN GIVE THEM A TWO YEAR TO GET THEM UP AND STARTED. BUT THE FULL PRICE SHOULD BE MORE THAN IT IS NOW. BUT WE GIVE THEM A HEAVY DISCOUNT THE FIRST YEAR FOR THEM TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT. YEAH, I MEAN, I COULD, ESPECIALLY IF THEY GO BEYOND, YOU KNOW, A YEAR OR TWO, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEARLY WORKING OR THEY WOULDN'T BE DOING IT. AND SO YEAH, MAYBE WE COULD PHASE IN THE PRICING, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1400 IS NOT GOING TO BE THE DEAL BREAKER. WELL, I THINK THE PRICING YOU'LL USE THE RATIONALE TO COME UP WITH YOUR PRICING. MAYBE IT IS TOO LOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT. WE'D HAVE SOME RATIONALE OF HOW WE GET TO THAT NUMBER. SO IF IT'S A DIFFERENT WAY, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. BUT I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN JOSH WAS TALKING, AND MAYBE YOU ADDRESSED THIS AND I DIDN'T I DIDN'T HEAR IT. BUT WHAT WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO REPAVE THE ROAD THAT THESE THAT THE PARKING LOT OR PARKING SPOTS ARE WHERE ONE OF THESE IS LOCATED? THEY WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE IT, MOVE IT OUT OF THE WAY WHILE WE DO THAT. YES. YEAH, THIS HAS TO BE REMOVABLE. OKAY. I MEAN, THEY, THEY JUST GO PICK THEM UP ON A FORKLIFT AND. OKAY. AND SO THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE WELL, THEY'D BE WELL AWARE OF THAT ON THE FRONT END THAT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAD TO DO SOME ROADWORK THERE OR, OR SOME KIND OF UTILITY WORK UNDERNEATH THE ROADWAY,
[01:00:05]
WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, WATER, WATER LINE BREAK OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE. YEAH. OKAY.RIGHT. AND THE DESIGN STANDARDS, IT OUTLINES THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVABLE PLATFORMS. SO EITHER, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ACCESS IT TO DOUBLE CHECK DRAINAGE OR AS DAVID MENTIONED, MAYBE SOME UTILITY WORK, OR IF THERE'S COMPLETE PAVING, THEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY HAVE SIGNED THE LEASE AGREEMENT, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS STILL A TEMPORARY USE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO MOVE IT. THEY COULD PUT IT BACK AFTERWARD. BUT THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. YEAH.
GO AHEAD. JAKE. WELL, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, TOO, WITH KEVIN'S COMMENT AND YOURS. I MEAN, I WOULD BE I WOULD BE AMENABLE FOR MAKING THIS A LIKE TWO YEAR, TWO YEAR SUNSET REVIEW. BECAUSE THE OTHER THING THAT COULD HAPPEN IS WE COULD HAVE A SCORCHING HOT SUMMER WHERE IT'S 107 DEGREES FOR, YOU KNOW, TWO MONTHS, AND THAT KILLS THESE THINGS. OR WE HAVE A WINNER THAT'S REALLY COLD AND IT KILLS THESE THINGS. I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER, YOU KNOW, FACTORS THAT MAKE PEOPLE NOT WANT TO DINE OUTSIDE TOO.
MAYBE IT'LL RAIN A LOT. YEAH. I MEAN, WOULD EVERYONE BE OKAY WITH A TWO YEAR INITIAL? YES.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE GOT A CONSENSUS ON TWO YEARS FOR THE INITIAL PILOT. LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I'VE GOT IT RIGHT. SO PHASED APPROACH START WITH OBVIOUSLY STREET. I DIDN'T HEAR ANY OBJECTION TO INCLUDING THREE BLOCKS TO THE NORTH. I THINK THAT WAS EVERYBODY GOOD ON THAT. YEAH. AND ASSUME WE WOULD ALSO HAVE THE SAME USE THAT WE HAVE OR SAME THE RED LINE ON AUSTIN AVENUE. YEAH. YEAH. 24 MONTHS VERSUS 12. I'D LIKE TO GIVE SOME GUIDANCE GUIDELINES FOR US IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF SPACES USED PER BLOCK, WHICH WE CAN USE AS A GUIDELINE THEN TO MAKE DECISIONS ON. I THINK IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL PILOT PROGRAM, TECHNICALLY, WHEN THEY RESTRIPED, THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY RIGHT, RIGHT. EXISTING SPACES ON THIS ONE. YES, ON THIS ONE. BUT ON THE OTHER ONES, ON THE OTHER ONES ARE GOING TO BE LOSING SPACE. SO I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL JUST TO PUT SOME GUIDELINES IN JUST, JUST FOR US, NOT JUST CAN YOU ALL MAYBE, I MEAN, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF WE SAY IT OUT, IS IT 10%? IS IT 25%? LET US CHEW ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND COME BACK.
YEAH. MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF YOU HIGHLIGHT THAT IN A DRAFT ORDINANCE. AND THEN I DIDN'T HEAR ENOUGH CONSENSUS TO INCREASE THE FEE ABOVE WHAT WE PROPOSED. BUT HAPPY TO DO THAT IF THERE'S. WELL, THIS I THINK THIS MAY BE A GOOD CONSENSUS IF THE FEES ARE WHERE THEY'RE AT FOR THE INITIAL PILOT AND THEN THEY, THEY GO UP BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT BEN WAS SAYING TOO.
THEN THEY GO UP AT THE END OF THE TWO YEAR, KIND OF DEPENDING ON DO WE HAVE A PROVISION TO ESCALATE THE FEES ANYWAY? WE CAN THE DRAFT DOES ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT, AND IT'S AGAIN DONE BY THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE. OKAY. SO I MEAN, I GUESS MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION ONLY IS LIKE I WOULD LEAVE THE FEE WHERE IT IS, START WHERE THEY'RE AT, AND THEN WE CAN LOOK AT THEM IN TWO YEARS, REEVALUATE THEM IN TWO YEARS AND OR ESCALATE THEM, YOU KNOW, TO EVERYBODY. AND THEN, AND THEN YOU'RE ALL OKAY WITH REMOVING SPECIFIC LANGUAGE RELATED TO TBC REQUIREMENTS. YES. YEAH. IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF WE GO THROUGH THE PILOT AND THERE ARE ISSUES WITH HOW ALCOHOL IS BEING ADMINISTERED, WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND MAYBE WE DO WANT TO BE MORE STRICT THAN T, A, B, C, BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. BEN GOT ONE MORE. SO THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT PARKING SPOTS. THEY CAN RANGE FROM EIGHT BY 18 TO 10 BY 20. I SAY WE GIVE THEM A PER SQUARE FOOT AND THAT GETS AWAY FROM WELL MY I WAS COUNTING ON PARKING SPOT ONLY BEING THIS BIG AND YOU'RE COUNTING IT AS BEING THIS BIG. IF YOU GO PER SQUARE FOOT, THEN IT'S VERY EASY TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PRICE WOULD BE INSTEAD OF WHICH SHOULD COME UP TO ABOUT WHAT THE COSTS WE'RE TALKING HERE. WE CAN WE CAN TAKE IT BY PER SQUARE FOOT AND JUST MAKE IT ABOUT THE SAME COST AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. OKAY. YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT. WE WILL TAKE A MEASURING TAPE OUT THERE AND MEASURE. ALL RIGHT. KELLY, YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED FROM US? NO, I BELIEVE I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE FEEDBACK, I
[1.C Library Updates]
APPRECIATE IT, THANK YOU MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. AND LAST UP, WE HAVE SALLY IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE LIBRARY. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE YOU ALL SOME UPDATES. AT THE END OF THE SUMMER ABOUT WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE LIBRARY. SO IT'S SEPTEMBER NOW.JUNE AND JULY ARE TYPICALLY THE BUSIEST MONTHS AT THE LIBRARY. SO I'LL REVIEW SOME OF OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. AND THEN I WAS ALSO ASKED TO GIVE SOME UPDATES ABOUT OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND OTHER OFF SITE ACTIVITIES TO DISCUSS THE RECENT RFID
[01:05:01]
UPGRADES THAT THE LIBRARY WERE NEAR COMPLETION. AND THEN OUR CONTINUED FUTURE PLANNING. SO SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SUMMER READING. THE PURPOSE OF SUMMER READING IS TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT READING OF ALL TYPES USING BOOKS, PERIODICALS, AUDIOBOOKS, USING THE LIBRARY, AND THINKING OF THE LIBRARY AS A DESTINATION IN THE COMMUNITY. WE LIKE TO ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY AND TRYING NEW THINGS. AND THEN ALSO SUMMER READING IS A GREAT TIME FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING IN THE LIBRARY. SO FOR OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAMING, WE HOSTED 17 SUMMER READING THEMED EVENTS INCLUDING MUSICIANS, STORYTELLERS, PUPPETEERS, ANIMAL VISITS AND FILM SCREENINGS. OH, ADDITIONALLY, WE HOSTED 76 STORYTIME PROGRAMS THAT ARE PRIMARILY AIMED AT PRESCHOOL USERS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. AND THEN WE WE SAW EXCELLENT PARTICIPATION. SO OVER 5000 PARTICIPATION PARTICIPANTS IN CHILDREN'S EVENTS THIS SUMMER. AND THEN WE ALSO SAW 1100 REGISTRATIONS FOR SUMMER READING PROGRAMS. SO THOSE REGISTRANTS, THEY HAVE A READING LOG SO THEY CAN TRACK THEIR READING AND TAKE THAT BACK TO SCHOOL IF THEY WANT TO.AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, THEY CAN PICK UP LITTLE PRIZES AND TCHOTCHKES ALONG THE WAY AS THEY COMPLETE SUMMER READING AT THE LIBRARY. SO THESE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE EVENTS WE WERE ABLE TO. WELL, WE ATTEMPTED TO HOST A JURASSIC PARK SCREENING IN THE LIGHT AND WATERWORKS PLAZA. IT ACTUALLY ENDED UP GETTING RAINED OUT, SO IT WAS MOVED INDOORS. BUT THEN YOU ALSO SEE SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HOST THIS SUMMER. AS THE WEATHER GETS HOTTER, WE DO MORE INDOOR ACTIVITIES, BUT WE DO. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE USE OF THE LIGHT AND WATERWORKS PLAZA AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM AND EVENT SPACE FOR LIBRARY ACTIVITIES. OUR TEEN SUMMER READING PROGRAM HOSTED SIX EVENTS, INCLUDING CRAFT PROGRAMS, FILM SCREENINGS, STEM ACTIVITIES, AND ANIMAL VISITS. WE HAD 56 PARTICIPANTS IN THOSE EVENTS, AND THEN 8082 REGISTRANTS FOR OUR TEEN READING PROGRAM. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT LITTLE GUY WAS VERY EXCITED TO HOLD THAT SNAKE. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN. FOR ADULTS. OUR ADULT SUMMER READING PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED GOING STRONG. OUR ADULT PROGRAMING IN GENERAL HAS REALLY EXPANDED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
LAST YEAR, WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON A LONG RANGE PLAN FOR THE LIBRARY, WE DID SOME SURVEY WORK AND WE FOUND THAT OVERWHELMINGLY THE COMMUNITY REALLY WANTED TO SEE MORE PROGRAMING FOR ADULTS AT THE LIBRARY. SO WE HOST ALL KINDS OF THINGS. WE JUST HAD 52 PEOPLE COME FOR LINE DANCING THIS PAST FRIDAY EVENING. WE HAVE GAMING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE MOVIE SCREENINGS. THIS WEEK WE'RE SCREENING PROJECT HAIL MARY. WE HAVE CRAFT PROGRAMS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS WAS FROM PLANT ASAURUS, SO IT'S A LITTLE HOLLOWED OUT DINOSAUR THAT THEY COULD DECORATE AND THEN PLANT WITH SUCCULENTS. WE ALSO WE'VE WE HAD TO CANCEL DUE TO A POWER OUTAGE, A REPTILE PROGRAM FOR ADULTS THIS SUMMER, BUT WE'LL BE HOSTING THAT LATER THIS FALL.
SO WE SAW 643 FOLKS PARTICIPATING IN ADULT PROGRAMS IN JUNE AND JULY. AND THEN WE HAD 163 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING AND RETURNING THE ADULT SUMMER READING PROGRAM GAME AND READING LOG. THIS YEAR. WE TOOK THAT GAME A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, SO THERE WERE SOME DESTINATIONS AROUND TOWN FOR FOLKS TO VISIT AND SNAP A QR CODE SO THAT THEY COULD GET CLUES TO CONTINUE. OUR OUTREACH AND OFFSITE SERVICES CONTINUE VERY STRONG. SO THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE WORK TO PROVIDE LIBRARY ACCESS FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, JUST LIKE YOU ALL DO. WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT TRAFFIC AND HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO COME DOWNTOWN SOMETIMES. AND SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LIBRARY IS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO, EVEN IF THEY DON'T WANT TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE FOR THE LIBRARY. SO WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, PRIMARILY THROUGH OUR WORDS ON WHEELS PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE THE WOW BOOKMOBILE. WE ALSO HAVE THE WOW HD, WHICH IS OUR SMALLER DELIVERY VAN. THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WE OFFER POP UP LIBRARIES ON THE BOOKMOBILE LIBRARY VISITS, AND THEN WE OFFER GPL EXPRESS MATERIALS DELIVERY AND RETURN PICKUP AT TWO LOCATIONS OFF SITE. AND THEN WE ALSO OFFER
[01:10:02]
LIBRARY CARD SIGN UPS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND THEN FOR OUR PATRONS WHO ARE UNABLE TO GET TO A BOOKMOBILE STOP OR A POP UP LIBRARY, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER HOME DELIVERY SERVICES.SO THE BACKBONE OF OUR OUTREACH, OF COURSE, IS OUR BOOKMOBILE AND POP UP LIBRARY VISITS ON BOARD. WOW VISITS ARE MOST OF THOSE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE POP UP LIBRARIES TO FACILITIES AND LOCATIONS WHERE RESIDENTS MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO EASILY COME OUT TO THE BOOKMOBILE. WE'LL JUST GO TO THAT SITE AND BRING A SELECTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS. WE'LL BRING RESERVED ITEMS FOR FOLKS. SO BETWEEN THOSE TWO PROGRAMS, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER 24 STOPS AROUND GEORGETOWN, TWO LOCATIONS THAT WE VISIT ONCE EVERY FOUR WEEKS. THAT IS AN EXPANSION. IN JANUARY OF 2025, WE WENT FROM 13 STOPS THAT WE VISITED EVERY TWO WEEKS TO 24 STOPS THAT WE VISIT EVERY FOUR WEEKS. SO IT'S A LITTLE LESS SERVICE PER INDIVIDUAL AND PER INDIVIDUAL LOCATION. HOWEVER, IT ALLOWS US TO VISIT SO MANY MORE SITES AND SEE THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE. SO SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE VISIT, WE VISIT ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES, APARTMENT COMPLEXES, CHILDCARE FACILITIES AND PRESCHOOLS. WE KEEP THESE SERVICES LIMITED TO THE GEORGETOWN CITY LIMITS. BECAUSE AGAIN, IF WE IF WE TRIED TO IF WE TRIED TO GO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP ANYBODY AT ALL.
IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH DEMAND. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, WE'VE LOWERED OVER 18,000 ITEMS THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. AND THEN GPL EXPRESS IS OUR OFF SITE RESERVES, PICKUP AND RETURNS. SO PICTURED HERE, SARAH FUSCO, ONE OF OUR LIBRARY ASSISTANTS, IS AT THE CARVER CENTER FOR FAMILIES LIBRARY BOOK LOCKERS. SO THIS IS AN AUTOMATED LOCKER SYSTEM. A PATRON CAN REQUEST MATERIALS, HAVE THEM SENT TO THE CARVER CENTER. WE DELIVER THERE TWICE A WEEK, AND THEN THEY CAN WALK UP TO THAT SITE ANYTIME, DAY OR NIGHT, SCAN THEIR CARD, AND ONE OF THOSE LOCKER DOORS POPS OPEN WITH THE MATERIALS THAT THEY REQUESTED. WE ALSO HAVE A BOOK RETURN THERE. SO MATERIALS, WHETHER YOU PICKED IT UP AT THE CARVER CENTER, AT THE MAIN LIBRARY, AT SOME OTHER OFF SITE STOP, YOU CAN ALWAYS RETURN ANY LIBRARY MATERIALS TO THAT BOOK RETURN, AND WE PICK THEM UP TWICE A WEEK. WE DON'T CHARGE ANY LATE FEES, SO THOSE TWICE A WEEK PICKUPS, SOMETIMES THINGS MIGHT GO OVERDUE BY A DAY OR TWO, BUT WE'LL JUST PICK THEM UP AND GRAB THEM FOR PEOPLE. OUR OTHER OFF SITE GPL EXPRESS. SERVICE POINT IS AT THE SUN CITY SOCIAL CENTER. THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE WE STARTED OUR GPL EXPRESS PROGRAM. WE HAVE A DESIGNATED SHELF SET UP IN THE SOCIAL CENTER THERE, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A BOOK DROP THAT WE KEEP OUTSIDE. I'M GESTURING. THAT'S THE WAY YOU TURN LEFT TO GO TO THE BOOK, DROP THE. SO THE BOOK DROP IS JUST OUTSIDE THE SOCIAL CENTER. THE SHELF IS INSIDE. AND AGAIN, FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY CAN REQUEST MATERIALS TO BE SENT THERE. WE. WE DROP MATERIALS OFF TWICE A WEEK, AND WE PICK UP THAT BOOK DROP THREE TIMES A WEEK BECAUSE IT GETS THAT FULL. SO BETWEEN THOSE TWO PROGRAMS, WE LOANED 23,000 ITEMS IN THE PAST YEAR. THE MAJORITY WERE AT SUN CITY, BUT THE CARVER CENTER USAGE HAS BEEN TICKING UP MONTH BY MONTH SINCE WE OPENED THAT PROGRAM.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY OPENING AN ADDITIONAL LOCKER SYSTEM AT THE FORTHCOMING CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER, AND THEN ALSO, WE'RE WE'RE ALWAYS KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDING ADDING A LOCKER SYSTEM WEST OF I 35. ANOTHER, I GUESS A THIRD LEG OF OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM IS ATTENDANCE AT COMMUNITY EVENTS. SO WE, WE ATTEND EVENTS SPONSORED BY GISD BY THE CITY, BY THE COUNTY, BY LOCAL NONPROFITS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
BASICALLY, IF YOU INVITE US AND WE HAVE ROOM IN OUR CALENDAR, WE WILL GET SOMEBODY THERE AND WE'LL BRING A TABLE, WE'LL BRING LIBRARY CARDS, WE'LL BRING STICKERS AND ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE. WE'LL BRING BOOKS TO GIVEAWAY IF WE HAVE SOME BOOKS TO GIVE AWAY AT THE TIME WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE BOOKMOBILE TO ANY OF THESE EVENTS, THEN THAT'S A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME ON BOARD, EXPLORE THE BOOKMOBILE, MAYBE BORROW SOME MATERIALS IF THEY GET A LIBRARY CARD AT THE TIME, AND THEN AGAIN WITH THE BOOKMOBILE, WE CAN DO BOOK GIVEAWAYS. AND ALWAYS WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT LIBRARY
[01:15:05]
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, DOWN HERE IN THE BOTTOM PICTURE, I JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT THE THAT'S OUR MOBILE STORYWALK. SO. ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE OPENED A PERMANENT STORYWALK IN SAN GABRIEL PARK. IT'S UNDERGOING REPAIRS RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. AND THEN THIS PAST YEAR, THANKS TO A GIFT FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD THIS MOBILE STORYWALK TO OUR BATTERY OF RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES THAT THE BOOKMOBILE FOLKS CAN TAKE OUT. THEN OUR HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM IS IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN OCCASION WHERE IT'S A SMALL NUMBER OF USERS, BUT THE IMPACT IS REALLY IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THROUGH OUR HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE LIBRARY MATERIALS DELIVERY TO FOLKS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE MAIN LIBRARY OR CANNOT GET TO A WOW STOP. TYPICALLY, WE CAN SUPPORT ABOUT 50 TO 70 HOUSEHOLDS IN THAT PROGRAM. IT'S RUN ENTIRELY BY ONE PART TIME STAFF MEMBER, AND SHE PROVIDES A RANGE OF SERVICES FROM SORT OF AMAZON STYLE MATERIALS, DROP OFF AND PICK UP WITH VERY LITTLE CONTACT, ALL THE WAY UP TO SITTING DOWN, HAVING A CUP OF TEA, SPENDING A FEW MINUTES CHECKING IN WITH YOU TO SEE HOW YOU ARE AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN POTENTIALLY SELECTING MATERIALS FOR PATRONS. SO WHEN A PERSON REQUESTS A HOME DELIVERY SERVICE, SHE REACHES OUT, SHE'LL, SHE'LL TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. SHE'LL TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE, AND THEN TOGETHER, THEY'LL CRAFT A BESPOKE PLAN FOR WHAT KIND OF SERVICE THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE. SEEN HERE IS ONE OF OUR HOME DELIVERY PATRONS. SHE ACTUALLY WAS OUR SUMMER READING WINNER FOR OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM THIS SUMMER. SHE WON. I IT WAS LIKE A LITTLE GIFT BASKET. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH PARTICULARLY THE HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM, BUT ALSO THROUGH OUR OUR WHOLE OUTREACH PROGRAM AND A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THE MAIN LIBRARY, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER ASSISTIVE DEVICES AND WE CAN CERTIFY PEOPLE TO USE THE TALKING BOOKS PROGRAM, WHICH IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT COMES THROUGH THE STATE LIBRARY FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE DIMINISHED EYESIGHT. SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE WE HAVE LIKE A PETTING ZOO, I GUESS IS HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE IT OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES, MAGNIFIERS THAT LIKE WEARABLE MAGNIFIERS AND MAGNIFIERS WITH LIGHTS THAT WE CAN LOAN TO A PATRON, THEY CAN TRY THEM OUT, DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT, AND THEN THROUGH A GIFT FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, WE'RE THEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE MAGNIFIER OF THEIR CHOOSING FOR THEM TO KEEP AND CONTINUE USING.SO THAT'S ONE WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING THEIR VISION TO, TO CONTINUE BEING ABLE TO READ WITH THEIR EYES. AND THEN THROUGH THE TALKING BOOKS PROGRAM, WE'RE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION TO READING WITH THEIR EARS. ONCE THEIR EYES ARE NO LONGER UP TO THE TASK. YEAH. OKAY. SO THAT'S ALL THE SORT OF PEOPLE, PARTS OF WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON. AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME TECH UPGRADES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AT THE LIBRARY. SO WE WERE CLOSED FOR AUGUST 9TH THROUGH 16TH. IN ORDER TO ADD RADIO FREQUENCY ID TAGS TO ALL OF THE VOLUMES IN THE LIBRARY THAT WERE CHECKED IN AS OF AUGUST 9TH, AS WELL AS ANYTHING THAT GOT RETURNED THAT WEEK. AND THEN WE'VE CONTINUED TO ADD TAGS SINCE THEN TO EVERYTHING THAT GETS RETURNED TO THE LIBRARY THAT HASN'T YET BEEN TAGGED. SO A VERY APPROXIMATE COUNT. AS OF AS OF LAST WEEK, I, I ESTIMATED THAT OVER 103,000 OF THE TOTAL 109,000 VOLUMES IN THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTION HAD BEEN TAGGED. AND WE'RE JUST RUNNING OUT THAT TAIL, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT WAS LOST WILL COME BACK WITHOUT A TAG. SO IT'LL JUST BE AN ONGOING PROCESS. BUT RFID ALLOWS US TO PROCESS MATERIALS IN BATCHES AS OPPOSED TO PROCESSING MATERIALS ONE BY ONE. SO RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE WHEN WE HAVE TO DO ANYTHING WITH A BOOK, WE SCAN IT USING USING A BARCODE READER SCANNER AND RFID ALLOWS. SO THAT'S IT'S OPTICAL. SO IT'S JUST ONE ITEM AT A TIME. SO RFID ALLOWS US TO SCAN A STACK OF BOOKS. AND THEN ULTIMATELY WITH CERTAIN DEVICES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY JUST SCAN ITEMS AS THEY'RE ON A SHELF. SO WE CAN DO A LOT MORE BATCH PROCESSING OF MATERIALS
[01:20:03]
TO MOVE THEM IN AND OUT OF MAIN TO, TO GET THEM OUT FOR USERS. IT'LL ALSO ALLOW FOR FASTER PROCESSING OF MATERIALS TO BRING THEM INTO THE COLLECTION AND INTO CIRCULATION. AND THEN AS WE DISCARD MATERIALS, IT ALLOWS US FASTER PROCESS PROCESSING THAT WAY. SO AGAIN, JUST SOME PHOTOS OF OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WORKING ON THAT PROCESS. WE HAD ABOUT 40 VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED US THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WITH TAGGING MATERIALS. AND THEN ALL OF OUR STAFF PARTICIPATED IN THAT PROCESS, OF COURSE. SO SOME OF THE FUTURE THINGS. SO RIGHT NOW WE ALREADY HAVE RFID READING PADS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO TO WORK WITH SMALL BATCHES OF MATERIALS AND THEN A, IN THE COMING YEAR, WE'RE PLANNING TO PURCHASE AT LEAST ONE RFID WAND, WHICH WILL FACILITATE US INVENTORYING THE LIBRARY COLLECTION WHILE IT'S OPEN, AS OPPOSED TO CLOSING THE BUILDING FOR AN INVENTORY. AND THEN IN THE FURTHER FUTURE, THINGS THAT WE COULD DO USING RFID TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE AN RFID ENABLED BOOK DROP THAT WOULD JUST CHECK IN MATERIALS AS PATRONS RETURN THEM WITHOUT STAFF HAVING TO INTERVENE TO GET ITEMS CHECKED IN, AND AUTOMATED MATERIALS HANDLER THAT COULD SORT THINGS BASED ON WHAT THEIR DESTINATION IS. AND THEN WE COULD ALSO HOST THINGS LIKE VENDING MACHINES FOR BOOKS, BROWSING KIOSKS WHERE YOU CAN SCAN YOUR CARD AND IT OPENS A DOOR. YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT, AND WHATEVER LEAVES THAT DEVICE. THE RFID TAG IS REGISTERED AND THAT ITEM GETS CHECKED OUT TO THE PATRON. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR SELF-SERVICE INITIATIVES THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE OUR ACCESS HOURS, OR ALLOW US TO HOST AN UNSTAFFED MICRO BRANCH. SO RFID JUST MAKES ALL THOSE SORTS OF INNOVATIONS POSSIBLE FOR US IN THE FUTURE. AND THEN FINALLY, THE OUR FACILITY PLANNING FOR THE MAIN LIBRARY CONTINUES. SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OR A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, Y'ALL PASSED OUR LONG RANGE PLAN. IT CALLS FOR INTERIOR UPGRADES IN THE RELATIVELY NEAR TERM FOR THE LIBRARY. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH STEINBERG HART ARCHITECTS ON THAT PROGRAM WITH A FOCUS ON PUBLIC SPACES. THE STAFF WORKROOM AND THE CIRCULATION AREA ON THE FIRST FLOOR, THE SECOND FLOOR REFERENCE DESK AREA, AND ALSO THE SECOND HAND PROSE BOOKSTORE THAT IS A PROJECT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY. IN THE COMING MONTHS, YOU CAN EXPECT SOME UPDATES ABOUT THAT CONCEPT PLAN FROM US. OTHER THINGS YOU CAN EXPECT IN COMING WEEKS, HOPEFULLY, IS A NEW MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING FOR OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SALLY. THAT'S A LOT. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS FOR SALLY? SALLY, HOW LONG HAS THAT LOCKER BEEN OPERATING NOW? IS IT ABOUT A YEAR OR IS IT A LITTLE OVER A YEAR? NOT QUITE A YEAR YET. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, AND WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN THE LOCKER SYSTEM THIS PAST FEBRUARY. OKAY, WE'VE ALREADY HAD 23,000. NOT AT THAT LOCKER SYSTEM. OKAY, OKAY. THE COMBINATION OF THE CARVER LOCKERS AND THE SUN CITY DELIVERY SERVICE. OKAY, THOSE TWO COMBINED IS 23,020. HOW IS HOW ARE PEOPLE TAKING TO THE LOCKER? IS IT. YEAH. SO IT IS GOING WELL. IT'S A SLOW BUILD.SO EVERY MONTH IT HAS INCREASED. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF ITEMS PER MONTH AND NOT THOUSANDS. OKAY. SO I GUESS WHENEVER SOMEONE CHECKS OUT A BOOK, THEY CAN CHOOSE HOW THEY WANT TO PICK IT UP. YEAH. SO OUR CATALOG TREATS THE CARVER CENTER LIKE, LIKE IT'S ITS OWN BRANCH. OKAY, SO YOU CAN SET UP ALL OF YOUR MATERIAL DELIVERY TO GO TO THAT FACILITY, OR YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE AND SAY, WELL, THIS BOOK, I WANT TO PICK UP THERE, THAT BOOK I WANT TO PICK UP AT MAIN, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO. OKAY, GREAT. COOL. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SO WITH THE FEE STRUCTURE CHANGE, HAVE YOU ALL SEEN THAT KIND OF LEVEL OUT OR PEOPLE STILL HAVE YOU HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN RESIDENT VERSUS OUT, OUT, OUT, OUT OF RESIDENT? WE'VE HAD A FEW. WE HAVEN'T WE HAVEN'T HAD TOO MANY COMPLAINTS SINCE THE INITIAL SHIFT. SO JUST AS A REFRESHER, THE LIBRARY FEES THIS JANUARY WENT FROM $25 A YEAR FOR A NON RESIDENT AND $20 A YEAR FOR A SENIOR NONRESIDENT.
[01:25:07]
OH WAIT. NO, SORRY, THAT'S VERY OLD INFORMATION. $35 A YEAR FOR A NONRESIDENT AND $30 A YEAR FOR A SENIOR NONRESIDENT. UP TO $100 A YEAR FOR A NONRESIDENT AND $80 FOR A SENIOR NONRESIDENT. SO WE DID HAVE RIGHT AT THE OUTSET, WE HAD A LOT OF GRUMBLING. THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO COMBAT WITH RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN COMING IN AND BEING VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS FEE CHANGE. AND WE HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT, NO, THIS IS JUST THE NONRESIDENTS. AND AND WE HAVE HAD SOME REQUESTS FOR FOR WAYS TO. TO DIVIDE THAT PAYMENT, TO PAY IT OUT OVER TIME. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF CARD TYPES THAT FUNCTIONALLY ALLOW FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. SO YOU CAN BUY A CARD FOR SIX MONTHS AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN ALSO BUY AN INTRODUCTORY CARD FOR THREE MONTHS. IF YOU IF YOU DO THAT, THEN WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THAT CARD TO END, YOU CAN PRORATE THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. BUT IF YOU PAY THAT THREE MONTH CARD JUST EVERY THREE MONTHS, YOU JUST COME IN AND BUY A THREE MONTH CARD, YOU'RE GOING TO END UP PAYING MORE THAN $100. SO, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THOSE OPTIONS FOR FOLKS, BUT THAT'S REALLY BEEN THE MAIN REQUEST THAT WE'VE HAD IS, IS A REQUEST FOR WAYS TO PARSE IT OUT OVER TIME. AS FAR AS NUMBERS GO, WE WENT FROM SO LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE HAD 30,000 RESIDENT CARDHOLDERS AS OF AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 32,400 RESIDENT CARDHOLDERS. AND THEN FOR OUR NONRESIDENT CARDHOLDERS, WE WENT FROM 6000 NONRESIDENT AND 1300 SENIOR NONRESIDENT DOWN TO 5300 NONRESIDENT AND 1200 SENIOR NONRESIDENTS. SO IT'S DEFINITELY AFFECTED THAT RATIO. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WAS IN OR ONE OF THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCES, ONE OF THE EXPECTED CONSEQUENCES. IT HASN'T REALLY AFFECTED THE NUMBER OF CARDHOLDERS OVERALL YEAR OVER YEAR. OUR CARDHOLDER WE'VE WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CARDHOLDERS BY OVER 2000 THIS PAST YEAR. OKAY. AND WE DON'T DO WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THOSE NONRESIDENTS MADE THAT CHOICE BASED ON THE JUST THE FEE ALONE. WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY MADE THAT CHOICE BASED ON THE FEE ALONE. I DEFINITELY IN JANUARY, YOU SEE A A DROP, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE THE NUMBER OF NONRESIDENTS PER MONTH IS TICKING UP. SO I THINK EVENTUALLY IT WILL PROBABLY BE BACK TO. BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE POPULATION IS GROWING. AND SO IT'S, IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT WHAT THE DRIVERS ARE. WE'VE DEFINITELY HAD PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING AT GEORGETOWN, THEY'RE LOOKING AT ROUND ROCK, THEY'RE LOOKING AT CEDAR PARK, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DECIDE TO WHOM SHOULD THEY GIVE THEIR $100, BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO PAY TO ONE LIBRARY.AND THEN THEY CAN JOIN THE TEXT SHARE PROGRAM AND HAVE ACCESS TO THE OTHERS. AND SOME LIBRARIES, SOME FOLKS ARE CHOOSING GEORGETOWN TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THEY PAY THEIR FEE, AND SOME FOLKS ARE OPTING TO PAY THE FEE ELSEWHERE. OKAY. WELL, YOU KNOW, CHANGES CAN BE DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS WAS THE RIGHT CHANGE. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS SOMETIMES. BUT THANK YOU FOR NAVIGATING THAT. I'M GLAD IT HASN'T. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, SKEWED THINGS, YOU KNOW, SUPER NEGATIVELY. SO PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN, THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE CITY WAITLIST. SO IN THE SUMMER PROGRAMS, ARE YOU SEEING SIGNIFICANT WAITLISTS? IT SEEMS LIKE WITH THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMING YOU COULD VERY WELL HAVE WAITLIST ADULT PROGRAMING. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE THERE YET, BUT WE WE HAVEN'T HAD TO TURN AWAY VERY MANY USERS. WE DO USE A TICKETING SYSTEM FOR MOST OF OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS. AND SO WE ASK FOLKS TO COME AN HOUR IN ADVANCE SO THEY CAN GET A TICKET. WE TRY TO JUST MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT WE CAN HOST IN A ROOM, AND WE TRY TO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT DAYS AND TIMES. SO THE REPTILE PROGRAM IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. IN THE AUSTIN ZOO, WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE AND THEIR AUNT IS GOING TO WANT TO COME TO THAT PROGRAM. AND SO WE TRY TO MAKE IT WIDELY AVAILABLE. SO WE HAD TWO SEATINGS FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND THEN WE ALSO DID A TEEN PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE THE TEENS TO GO. THERE WAS A TWEEN PROGRAM SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T COME TO THE ALL AGES. AND THEN ALSO AN ADULTS ONLY SO THAT GROWN UPS CAN HOLD A SNAKE TOO. OKAY, WELL, I THINK A WAITLIST IS A GOOD THING. I ASKED THAT
[01:30:03]
IN A YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE REALLY ROBUST PROGRAMING, LOVE THE ADDITION OF MORE ADULT PROGRAMING AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WITH, I THINK OUR POPULATION, WHO WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW, RETIREES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE THAT COULD PROBABLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMING. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL DOING THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, WHEN I LOOK AT THE FACILITY PLANNING, AND THEN I LOOK AT THE RFID UPGRADES, IT DOESN'T LOOK TO ME LIKE ANY OF THOSE EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY LIKE THE LIBRARY BROWSING KIOSK. I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE PLANNING FOR ANY OF THOSE. I KNOW ALL OF THOSE ARE THINGS YOU SAID WE COULD DO IN THE FUTURE, BUT WOULD THERE BE ANY REASON TO BE LOOKING AT THINGS IN THE INTERIOR FACILITY PLANNING THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NEED FOR POTENTIALLY THESE RFID UPGRADES? YES. SO ONE, ONE THING THAT I THINK JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY SINCE WE ANNOUNCED OUR RFID UPGRADE, I'VE HAD SOMEONE ASK ME ABOUT IS, WILL WE CHANGE THE SELF-CHECKOUT MACHINES? RIGHT NOW? THE ANSWER IS NO, BECAUSE IT WOULD IT WOULD BE LIKE A FOUR STEP PROCESS FOR A PATRON TO USE RATHER THAN JUST USING THE OPTICAL SCANNER. THEY'D HAVE TO USE THE OPTICAL SCANNER FOR THEIR CARD AND THEN USE THE SELF-CHECK. ANYWAY. IT WOULD BE A WHOLE THING, BUT YOU CAN GET FULLY ENABLED SELF-CHECKOUT MACHINES THAT ARE RFID THAT WOULD ALLOW PATRONS TO BATCH CHECK OUT THEIR MATERIALS. THOSE ARE VERY POPULAR IN MOST OF OUR PEER LIBRARIES, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD TRY TO PLAN FOR WITH INTERIOR UPGRADES IS BUILDING THOSE IN BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE LARGER MACHINES THAN OUR CURRENT SELF-CHECKOUT SYSTEM. WE COULD UPGRADE THE BOOK DROPS TO BE RFID ENABLED OR EVEN POTENTIALLY AUTOMATED MATERIALS HANDLERS. THOSE ARE JUST EXPENSIVE. AND SO IT'S, IT'S THAT QUESTION OF HOW MUCH TIME SAVINGS DO THEY OFFER? ASSOCIATED WITH THAT COST? BECAUSE THERE'S THE INITIAL OUTLAY TO PURCHASE THAT EQUIPMENT. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, YOU HAVE MAINTENANCE COSTS AND, AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT DOWNTIME FOR THOSE MACHINES IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. SO WE JUST HAVE TO DO A LOT OF COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE, OKAY, WHY WOULD YOU SAY WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THAT, IF, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT NOW BEFORE WE START UPGRADING, YOU KNOW, INTERIOR SPACES IN THE LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ACCOUNTING FOR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WANT OUR LIBRARY TO HAVE PERSONAL TOUCH, BUT WE ALSO WANT, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE EFFICIENCIES, YOU KNOW, IN STAFF TIME AND ALSO IN, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING IN AND FREQUENTING THE LIBRARY'S TIME. SO IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PLAN FOR NOW IN THOSE UPGRADES, AND I KNOW JACK SHAKING HIS HEAD TOO, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE WOULD BE, BUT IF WE WOULD JUST LOOK AT THOSE NOW SO THAT WE'RE NOT COMING BACK AND THEN RETROFITTING THINGS THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE DURING THAT TIME. YEAH, IT'S A LOT LIKE LIKE SELF-CHECKOUT MACHINES AT THE GROCERY STORE, THE, THE, ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE THAT CAN MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT FOR JUST THE, THE MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE LIBRARY MEANS A LOT MORE PERSONAL TIME THAT STAFF HAVE AVAILABLE FOR PATRONS AND HELPING PEOPLE GET WHAT THEY WANT. RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT WORK AT THE LIBRARY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. SORRY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.[Executive Session]
APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO COVER SECTIONS 551.071087 AND* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.