[00:00:02]
[A. CALL TO ORDER - WORK SESSION]
WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.THIS WILL CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP SESSION.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH A ROLL CALL.
MYSELF BRIANNA CHACÓN IS PRESENT.
HERE. MR. GERFERS IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR WORKSHOP SESSION.
[B. WORK SESSION AGENDA]
WE WILL BEGIN WITH B1 2024-143.CONSIDER APPROVING THE APPOINTMENTS AND OR REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR PLACE FOUR. WE DO HAVE APPLICANTS ON FILE.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR CDC FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
IF I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING FORWARD, JUST STATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
WHY YOU WANT TO SERVE AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE US TO KNOW.
GOOD EVENING. IF YOU'LL JUST MAKE SURE THAT MIC'S ON.
THERE'S A BUTTON ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.
DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES TO LET YOU KNOW WHY I CONSIDER MYSELF AN ASSET TO THE CDC BOARD, NOT ONLY AM I A RESIDENT, I ALSO AM EMPLOYED BY PRINCETON ISD.
I SERVE AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL THAT WORKS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
I AM ALSO THE FOUNDER AND THE CEO OF GUARDIAN ANGELS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES.
I BELIEVE TONIGHT, AS I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU, IT'S AN HONOR TO UNDERSTAND ONE THE VISION.
IF YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE VISION, THEN YOU CANNOT FULFILL THE MISSION OF THE CITY.
EVEN THOUGH GOD'S WORD STATES ABOUT VISION, I CLEARLY UNDERSTAND VISION.
UNDERSTAND THE PASSION, THE PEOPLE AND THE RESIDENTS, STUDENTS, HOW THEY SEE VISION.
EVEN THE CITY MANAGER, MR. MASHBURN, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MR. JOHN LAND. THEY ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE VISION OF THIS CITY, THE GROWTH OF THIS CITY.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE I AM A GREAT ASSET FOR THE CDC BOARD, BECAUSE I AM THE EARS AND EYES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY OF PRINCETON.
ON THAT NOTE, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
COUNCIL DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. THORNTON? OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. AND WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE FOR CDC THAT THEIR NAME DID NOT GET CALLED BUT YOU DID SUBMIT AN APPLICATION? SESAME MORRISON.
CORRECT. I REMEMBER SEEING YOUR NAME.
AND FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T HAVE IT DOWN HERE.
AND DID YOU APPLY FOR CDC AND EDC OR JUST CDC? OKAY. OKAY.
I HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY OF PRINCETON NOW FOR SIX YEARS.
I AM A MOTHER TO THREE HAVE ALL GIRLS.
SO THEY HAVE ATTENDED SCHOOL IN PRINCETON ISD.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WANT TO TRULY MAKE PRINCETON HOME.
SO I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO ASK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BRING, LIKE, A FRESH PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW I'M A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN MOST.
SO I WAS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A WAY TO REALLY SERVICE MY COMMUNITY FOR ONE.
AND THEN FOR TWO, JUST TO BE IN THE KNOW AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY AND THAT'S WHY I APPLIED.
[00:05:02]
SO I HOPE YOU GUYS CONSIDER ME.ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MISS MORRISON? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE ONE.
IF ELECTED TO THE BOARD, EITHER EDC OR CDC.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED? WELL, FOR ONE I'M REAL BIG ON, LIKE, SOCIAL MEDIA.
RIGHT? SO REALLY, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP PUT PRINCETON ON THE MAP IN SOME SORT OF WAY, INSTEAD OF US LOOKING LIKE THAT OVERFLOW, LIKE THAT SPILL WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T GET INTO, LIKE THE NEIGHBORING AREAS LIKE ALLEN OR THEY CAN'T GET INTO PLANO, THEY CAN'T NECESSARILY AFFORD MCKINNEY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE KIND OF BAD MOUTH THE AREA, AND I ACTUALLY LOVE IT.
IT'S BEEN SUITABLE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
MY KIDS ARE LIKE LITERALLY CONNECTING AND MAKING FRIENDS HERE.
OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
YES I DIDN'T I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO ASK MR. THORTON THE SAME QUESTION.
SURE. BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO.
CAN WE ASK HIM TO COME BACK UP, PLEASE.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE CITY IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS YOUNG PEOPLE IS NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A HOUSEHOLD.
MOM DADS, AS YOU GUYS SIT UP THERE, THEY THINK THAT EVERYTHING SHOULD BE HANDED TO THEM.
A PROGRAM THAT I HAVE DESIGNED TEACHES THEM NOT ONLY ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, BUSINESS, THE ETHICS OF HARD WORK, BUT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAINTAIN A BUSINESS IF THEY DESIRE SO AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
STATISTICS SHOW YOUNG MEN AGES 18 TO 25 IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE MILITARY, IF THEY'RE NOT HAVE A TRAINING OR DOING ENTREPRENEURIAL, THEY'RE BOUND FOR PRISON.
PRINCETON IS VASTLY GROWING AND IT HAS BLOSSOMED OVERNIGHT.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
AND WHAT I CAN SEE, IT'S A SMALL FRISCO.
FOR THAT REASON, I BELIEVE THAT I CAN HELP THE CITY BE THE ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY, BE THE MIDDLE GUY FOR THE CITY NOT ONLY HELPING THE STUDENTS OF THIS CITY, BUT ALSO HELPING THE VETERANS, HELPING THE SENIOR CITIZENS BY PROVIDING THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO BE BRIDGED.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HERE THIS EVENING SPECIFICALLY FOR CDC? OKAY. IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE.
HI. MY NAME IS IF YOU'LL TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON BUTTON ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, PLEASE.
I APPLIED FOR CDC AND EDC THEM BOTH, MAINLY BECAUSE, TO BE HONEST, I RETIRED FIVE YEARS AGO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND I'M BORED.
I'VE ONLY LIVED IN PRINCETON FIVE, ALMOST SIX MONTHS NOW.
SO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA UNLESS WHAT I READ ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND ALSO TO GET A FEEL OF THE COMMUNITY.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME AS WELL AS ME PROBABLY BEING AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT AFTER LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN LIVING HERE FOR SO LONG AND KNOW THE COMMUNITY, I'M LIKE, WOW, WHAT AM I DOING HERE? SO. YEAH.
WELL, WE THANK YOU FOR WANTING TO BE INVOLVED.
YEAH. I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, THOUGH.
[00:10:01]
YES, MA'AM. WE WELCOME NEW AND OLD AND EVERYONE ALIKE.AND AS A NEW PERSON, I BELIEVE YOU'D BRING A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO I'M SURE YOU MUST HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING ABOUT PRINCETON.
AND IN ALL THAT YOU'VE HEARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL THAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE? AND WHEN YOU APPLY, JUST WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THE PLACE THAT YOU CHOSE FOR HOME TO BE LIKE, AND HOW DO YOU WANT TO HELP MAKE IT HOME FOR YOU? WELL, THAT'S GOOD STUFF.
I CHOSE PRINCETON BECAUSE WELL, ACTUALLY, WHEN I MOVED HERE FROM LA, I WAS IN FORT WORTH, SO I SPENT A YEAR AND A HALF IN FORT WORTH.
I MEAN, LIVES IN FRISCO, SO I CHOSE PRINCETON TO BE NEAR THEM.
AND ALSO IT WAS I WAS KIND OF TIRED OF THE CITY IN CHICAGO, LA, HONOLULU.
SO PRINCETON OFFERED ME THAT LAID BACK KIND OF FEEL.
SO WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION, I'M COMFORT.
[INAUDIBLE] OF IT ALL IS WHAT I FEEL FROM PRINCETON.
WHICH IS WHY I CHOSE PRINCETON.
I DIDN'T WANT TO NOT, YOU KNOW, OFFEND ANYBODY.
IT'S MORE OF A COUNTRY LAID BACK KIND OF FEEL.
AND I LIKE TO BE A PART OF NEW THINGS.
GROWTH. ALL MY LIFE I DO NOTHING BUT GROW FROM CITY, FROM CITY, STATE TO STATE.
I GROW AND I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.
SO I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
DON'T BE AMONG FELLOW CITY RESIDENTS.
WE ALL LIVE IN PRINCETON AS WELL AND WE ARE FRIENDLY TOWN.
WE WANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL WELCOME.
THANK YOU. AND WE JUST WANT YOU TO USE YOUR SUPERPOWER TO HELP MAKE US A SUPER CITY.
WELL, I SPENT I GREW UP IN CHICAGO, BORN AND RAISED.
I RELOCATED TO LA FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ONTO HONOLULU AND NOW IN TEXAS.
SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CITIES AND STATES AND STUFF AND WHAT I WANT TO SEE IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND HERE TOO.
SO, MISS ARRINGTON, IN LOOKING AT YOUR ADDRESS, YOU CURRENTLY LIVE IN BRIDGEWATER, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. OKAY, SO BRIDGEWATER IS ACTUALLY OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER YOU FOR THIS EVENING.
YES. NO, NO, BUT NO, BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.
YOU SEEM PASSIONATE ABOUT WANTING TO GET INVOLVED AND SERVE AND JUST DO MORE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO INSIDE OF CITY LIMITS AND OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS.
I WENT ONLINE AND I APPLIED FOR A POSITION OR TWO.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. GOD BLESS YOU.
THANK YOU AS WELL. ALL RIGHT THEN, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH EDC.
ANOTHER SHOT FOR GENTRY KELTON IF THEY ARE HERE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF PRINCETON, AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
I'M MARRIED. WE MOVED HERE RECENTLY.
I ACTUALLY GREW UP IN GREENVILLE, IN ROCKWALL, AND THEN EVENTUALLY GOT TO PLANO, AND THEN WE WANTED TO BUY A HOME, AND I STARTED LOOKING AROUND AND WE DECIDED TO BUY A HOME HERE IN PRINCETON. I WAS QUITE INVOLVED IN PLANO.
I WAS RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM LEADERSHIP PLANO, AND I SERVED ON ONE OF THE CITY'S IT WAS CALLED MCOR IT'S A MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATION, AND I WAS A PART OF THE ROTARY IN PLANO WEST.
FULL TIME WORK. WHAT I DO IS I WORK AS THE DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR DBIA SOUTHWEST.
THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON DESIGN BUILD, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. SO IT'S A LOT OF ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THAT I WORK WITH.
[00:15:06]
AND ACTUALLY WE GET TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE TXDOT AND ONE OF OUR PARTNERS THERE.IT WAS ALSO RECENTLY ELECTED TO THE COLLIN CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT AS A BOARD MEMBER.
I HAVEN'T BEEN SWORN IN YET THAT WILL BE AT THE END OF AUGUST.
BUT AS A BOARD MEMBER, JUST BASICALLY ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S BUDGET AND WHATNOT.
AND EDUCATION WISE, I WENT TO SMU FOR MY BACHELOR'S.
AND THEN I WENT TO UNT, AND I DID AN MS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND JOURNALISM.
AND I'M ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
AND I BASICALLY I JUST THINK THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I WANT TO GET INVOLVED HERE IN PRINCETON, AND I WANT MY FAMILY TO GET MORE INVOLVED.
I THINK IT'S EXCITING TO SEE A CITY THAT'S AT THE POINT WHERE PRINCETON IS AT, WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE GROWTH IS HAPPENING, AS OPPOSED TO COMING FROM A PLACE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, BUILT OUT AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING ON THAT END.
AND YEAH, THAT'S IT BASICALLY.
OH, AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] ALSO ENCOURAGED ME TO APPLY.
VERY IMPRESSIVE WOMAN I LOVE IT.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
OKAY. YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE A VERY BUSY WOMAN, WHICH I RESPECT.
DO YOU HAVE THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR THIS? SO AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IS THAT THERE'S ONE CALENDARED MEETING PER MONTH.
HOWEVER, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CEO POSITION.
THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN JUST ONE MEETING A MONTH.
THEY'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SPECIAL MEETINGS CALLED.
DO YOU HAVE THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR THAT? ARE THE MEETINGS USUALLY IN THE EVENING? YES, I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
AND THERE'S NO WRONG ANSWER TO THIS.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW YOUR PERSONAL OPINION ON IT.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS FAR AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PRINCETON MOVING FORWARD? WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU? WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IS THAT SO I KNOW THAT THE GROWTH IS COMING.
BASICALLY, WHEN YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO COLLIN COUNTY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE ARE COMING TO COLLIN COUNTY, AND PRINCETON IS A PART OF THAT GROWTH. WHAT I JUST LIKE TO SEE, SINCE THE CITY IS SO THE CITY IS BASICALLY AT A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL SO MUCH POTENTIAL OR SO MUCH TO HAPPEN.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.
I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU TO ASK A QUESTION.
DID I SAY IT ALL? OKAY, WELL, THEN I THINK THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT. WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT I DID NOT CALL TONIGHT? NO. OKAY.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME AND SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND JUST GIVING THAT TIME COMMITMENT OVER, WE REALLY DO GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU.
WE WILL NOT MAKE A DECISION IN THIS MEETING.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH WAS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WILL BE IN THE BACK.
WE'LL DISCUSS ALL OF THIS AND THEN WE'LL REPORT BACK.
AND OUR CITY SECRETARY WILL GET WITH YOU WITH THOSE RESULTS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
ALL RIGHT. AND THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR THIS MEETING.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
YOUR HONOR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO ADJOURN.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? AND I'LL SECOND IT.
NEXT MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:30.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.