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>> WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED. THE TIME IS 5:32.
[A. CALL TO ORDER-MAYOR]
TODAY IS MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2026.MISS TODD IS NOT HERE. MR. JOHNSON.
>> MISS GERF IS NOT HERE. MR. LONG.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE KORN SO TAKE IT TO OUR WORK SESSION,
[C. WORK SESSION AGENDA]
C1 2026-001, 2026, SPECIAL EVENT DATE. HERE WE GO.>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL, CHASE BRYANT, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC. MAKE SURE THIS IS ON.
WHAT I'VE GOT IS A SPECIAL EVENT UPDATE AS REQUESTED BY YOURSELF, MAYOR.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE 2024, 2025 EVENTS THAT WE'VE JUST HAD FROM THAT FISCAL YEAR '24 '25, AND FROM THE '25 AND '26, LOOKING INTO THE 26 27.
WHAT WE HAVE, AS FAR AS FROM THE EVENTS, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE LARGE SPECIAL EVENTS, FISH AND FRENZY, FREEDOM AND FIREWORKS, JULY PARKS AND REC MONTH, PUMPKIN BOOLOOZA, AND NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS.
STARTING OFF THE YEAR, THE FIRST LARGE EVENT IS THE FISH AND FRENZY, AND WHAT WE HAVE WITH THAT IS THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE EVENTS BECAUSE IT'S A TRUE PARKS AND REC EVENT.
THIS IS GETTING KIDS AND FAMILIES OUT INTO NATURE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HELD RIGHT OUT HERE AT MUNICIPAL POND, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO WAS HERE LAST YEAR, I KNOW MAYOR I KNOW YOU ARE, AND I'M SURE THE WIFE YOU KNOW, SHE CAUGHT MORE FISH THAN YOU DID FROM WHAT I SAW, BUT T HAT'S NOT WHAT I SAW.
BUT THIS IS A VERY FUN KICKOFF EVENT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF PRINCETON.
WHAT WE DO IS, OF COURSE, WE PARTNER WITH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, A LOT OF INFORMATION.
ALONG WITH THAT APRIL MAY TIME FRAME, THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF BOATING SEASON SO WE'RE PUSHING OUT EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION TO BOATERS ON THE WATER FISHING LICENSE AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND WHAT PARKS AND REC AND WHAT FISHING TRULY IS.
WE ALSO HAND OUT FOR EVERY KID THAT SHOWS UP, THEY RECEIVE A NEW FISHING POOL.
WE WORK WITH ZECO DIRECTLY, SO THEY ALL GET BASICALLY A ZECO SLINGSHOT FISHING POOL TO TAKE HOME SO THEY CAN COME BACK AND ENJOY THE FISHING AT THIS POND YEAR ROUND.
MR. DEF, I KNOW YOUR GRANDSON IS A BIG FISHERMAN.
I SEE HIS FISH POSTED ONLINE ALL THE TIME, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THEM POSTED ON SOME OF OUR FACEBOOK PAGES.
FOLLOWING FISH AND FRENZY, THE NEXT LARGE EVENT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRINCETON HOSTS OF FREEDOM AND FIREWORKS.
FIREWORKS, DRONES, RIDES, FACE PAINTING.
I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HERE HAS BEEN TO ONE OF THESE EVENTS, AND IT'S A PRETTY LARGE SCALE.
THIS YEAR, THIS WILL BE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY SO WE'VE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED, WE'LL HAVE A NEW LOGO.
WE'LL HAVE 250 DRONES SPECIFIC TO THE DEDICATION AND ANNIVERSARY OF OUR COUNTRY.
WE'LL HAND OUT DEDICATED SWAG FOR THIS EVENT SPECIFIC, AND THIS 25, WE HAD ROUGHLY 6,500 ATTENDEES SO IT WAS A LARGE SCALE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK AT CALDWELL.
THERE ARE DRONES, THERE ARE FIREWORKS, THEY'RE LOW LEVEL AND HIGH LEVEL, WHICH MR. WASHINGTON AND A FEW, IF YOU'VE SEEN THE FIREWORK SHOWS FROM PREVIOUS TO WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR WAS PRETTY AMAZING.
PROBABLY BEST SHOW THAT I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN A PART OF AND EVER WITNESSED MYSELF SO I THINK THAT WAS HEARD AROUND PRINCETON.
FOLLOWING THE FREEDOM AND FIREWORKS, WHICH THE FREEDOM AND FIREWORKS HAS ALWAYS HELD THE SATURDAY BEFORE FOURTH OF JULY SO IT FALLS IN THAT END OF JUNE TIME FRAME.
THIS IS VERY FUN ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE.
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WHAT YOU SEE UP HERE IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BINGO CARD THAT WE CREATE SO FAMILIES CAN PARTICIPATE IN DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE HOST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JULY.WE HOST OVER 25 DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
WE COLLABORATE WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, FIRE AND ICE, BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH LIBRARY, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS INTERNALLY THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH AND HOST THESE SMALL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN.
WHAT YOU ALSO HAVE DURING THAT MONTH FOR FAMILIES TO PLAY ALONG.
WE HAVE A BINGO AND A BLACKOUT.
IF YOU PARTICIPATE IN EVERY EVENT AND GET A FULL BLACKOUT FOR THE MONTH, ON THE FINAL DAY, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY BE AUGUST 1 IS WHEN WE BRING THAT IN.
IF YOU BRING IN THE BLACKOUT INFORMATION, YOU RECEIVE GIFTS AND THE SAME FOR BINGO SO WE GOT DIFFERENT GIFTS FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR THAT BINGO CARD.
IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING DEAD HERE.
WELL, MOVING ON. DO YOU GUYS HAVE IT ON YOUR SCREEN? EVERYTHING PULLED UP BECAUSE I'M SORRY.
YOUR SCREEN MIRRORS THIS. SO ALLOWING THAT, WE HAVE PUMPKIN BOOLOOZA.
SO THIS WAS ORIGINALLY STARTED IN 2024 FROM A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ISD.
WE CARRY THAT SAME PARTNERSHIP, AND PRINCETON ISD ACTUALLY USED TO HOST TRUNK RETREATS.
AS PRINCETON HAS GROWN TO THE SIZE THAT WE HAVE, ISD JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE RESOURCES AND MANPOWER TO HOST A TRUNK OR TREAT EVENTS ANYMORE.
WE WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE WHAT WE HAD, AND THEN IT TAKES OFF.
AWESOME. WE WORKED TOGETHER TO CREATE WHAT IS NOW THE PUMPKIN BOOLOOZA.
THERE USED TO BE WHAT WAS A FALL FEST.
BUT WE'VE MIGRATED INTO THIS LARGE MORE SO TRIGGER TREATING, KID FRIENDLY FAMILY ENVIRONMENT.
MR. JOHNSON, I KNOW YOU ARE THERE THIS YEAR, AND THE PLACE IS PACKED.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST MOST FUN FIELD EVENTS OF THE YEAR, AND IT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE THE LARGEST EVENT THAT WE HOST.
WE HAD MORE ATTENDEES AT PUMPKIN BOOLOOZA OVER THE JULY FREEDOM AND FIREWORK.
THEN FINAL SPECIAL EVENT IS GOING TO BE THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS.
THIS EVENT IS HELD THE FIRST SATURDAY IN DECEMBER.
WHAT YOU SEE IS WE HAVE SANTA HOLIDAY, DRONE SHOW, FIREWORK, FINALE, CARNIVAL RISE.
WE HAD ABOUT FOUR OR SO ATTENDEES THROUGHOUT THE EVENING.
THIS ONE WE DEAL WITH A FEW CONSTRAINTS, AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND AT LEAST LIST THOSE, YOU'RE ALWAYS FACING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN DECEMBER THE WEATHER IN 24, THIS EVENT WAS ONE THAT ACTUALLY HAD TO CANCEL AND I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS BACKUP DATES.
I KNOW, THERE WAS A WARRANT FOR HOSTING THIS SCALE OF EVENT ON AN ALTERNATE DATE.
THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH LOOKING AT ALTERNATE DATES IS WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF VENDORS INVESTED, YOU HAVE TO PUT DOWN DEPOSITS AND SECURING THOSE DATES, AND IF THAT EVENT GOES OFF, WILL THOSE DEPOSITS YOU LOSE SO THERE REALLY ISN'T THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HOSTING
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A BACKUP DATE ON ANY OF THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS DUE TO THE AMOUNT.WE'D HAVE TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE DEPOSITS FOR TWO SEPARATE DATES, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST DOESN'T WORK OUT.
THEN POP UP EVENTS, GLOBAL RUNNING DAY, PROMISE WALK, LETTERS TO SANTA, REINDEER MAGIC ON MAIN, AND VERY MERRY CHILLI CHRISTMAS.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE, NOT INCLUDING SOME OF THE OTHER SMALL POP UP EVENTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, SUCH AS LIBRARY, COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE FIRE, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HOST SOME SMALL COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THROUGH THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER FOR THE COMMUNITY IN ITSELF.
HERE ARE SOME PICTURES RELATED TO THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO LAST YEAR'S EVENTS.
LET ME ASK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, DID YOU TRY TO CLIMB THAT WALL? WHAT I'M GOING TO SEEK TONIGHT IS LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM COUNSEL.
AS WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING INTO THE FISCAL YEAR '26 '27, LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE EVENTS, WHAT WE HAVE, LOOKING AT POTENTIAL REDUCING, EXPANDING OR EVEN REALLOCATING.
THE FIRST ONE IS FISH AND FRENZY, WITH THESE THE LIST OF THESE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS, S. A RECOMMENDATION THAT I WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY RE ALLOCATING THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS INTO MULTIPLE SMALLER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, THIS WOULD BE A COUNCIL DECISION IF YOU WANTED TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF I'M GOING TO SAY EGGS IN ONE BASKET ON ONE LARGE EVENT, AND YOU'RE LIMITED BY WEATHER, MULTIPLE CONSTRAINTS.
BUT IF WE REALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS INTO MULTIPLE SMALLER COMMUNITY EVENTS, AS WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR.
IF ONE NIGHT CANCELS, WELL, YOU'VE GOT PLENTY OTHER BACKUP DATES OF OTHER ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THAT MONTH THAT, YOU KNOW, SEEM FIT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF PRINCETON. YES.
>> OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW. THAT'S NEW.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT UP THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS, AND FIRST, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR EVERY YEAR, THE TRAJECTORY OF THESE EVENTS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER AND BETTER AND THEY'RE INCREASING, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE TAKING THE FEEDBACK AND IMPLEMENTING THINGS WITHIN REASON, BECAUSE I KNOW WE CAN'T AFFORD A TAYLOR SWIFT OR BEYONCE TO COME FOR THESE THINGS.
BUT YOU GUYS DO THE BEST WITH WHAT YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET THAT'S AMENDED THERE, AND I THINK THE ONLY SUGGESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE TONIGHT, YOU BASICALLY JUST STATED IT HERE BREAKING THAT ONE OFF INTO A SMALLER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SO IT'S CONTINGENCIES IN TERMS OF IF ONE DOESN'T WORK OUT, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS FOR THAT MONTH, AND I KNOW THE PUMPKIN BOOLOOZA IS ALWAYS MORE SUCCESSFUL JUST BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
IT'S A PERFECT NIGHT TO BE OUT, AND THAT CROWD WAS, LIKE, IT'S HARD TO EVEN IMAGINE THAT MANY PEOPLE BUT THEY WERE THERE.
SO I'M ON BOARD WITH THE BREAKOUT OF THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS.
THE ONLY FEEDBACK THAT I WAS GETTING PERSONALLY WAS THAT IT WAS JUST SO COLD, AND WE COULDN'T CONTROL THAT.
BUT I THINK THE CONTINGENCY YOU HAVE HERE IS EXCELLENT.
>> I THINK THAT SINCE WE NOW HAVE A PARKS AND REC BOARD, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD GO BEFORE THEM BEFORE IT COMES TO US.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THE PARKS AND REC BOARD.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS A DECISION WE SHOULD BE MAKING TONIGHT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL TO THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE.
>> I WOULD AGREE WITH MISS JOHNSON ABOUT THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS, AND BEING SPLIT, JUST BECAUSE IT'S COLD.
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I WAS THERE AND WE WAS PROBABLY OUT THERE WITH MY KIDS PROBABLY 30 MINUTES OR SO SO I THINK THAT JUST BREAKING THEM UP INTO SMALLER EVENTS WOULD BE A LOT BETTER FOR OUR FAN FAMILIES.MAYBE SOME INDOOR EVENTS, STUFF LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN HAVE DURING THE WINTER TIME WILL BE A LOT MORE SUCCESS.
BECAUSE WHEN I WAS THERE, THE ATTENDANCE WAS LOW.
IT'S PROBABLY JUST BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO COLD.
>> AT THAT TIME, AND PEOPLE JUST COULDN'T STAND OUT THERE IN THE FREEZING WEATHER.
BUT AS FAR AS THE PARKS BOARD, I WOULD ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE IF DID WE ESTABLISH THAT THERE WILL BE OVER EVENTS.
THE PARK BOARD IS GOING TO BE HANDLING EVENTS? IS THAT ONE OF THE DUTIES THAT WE DISCUSSED? BECAUSE THIS ON ME.
>> THE PARK BOARD IS REALLY MORE SO OVER PARKS.
NOT AS MUCH OVER ON LIKE THE RECREATION SIDE.
IT IS OVER PARKS AND DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO AND TAKE TO THAT BOARD JUST FOR AN OPINION.
ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN TAKE THAT AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO COUNSEL.
I WOULDN'T MIND HAVING ANOTHER SET OF EYES, LOOK AT IT AND THEN BRING IT TO US.
ULTIMATELY, WE MAKE THE CHOICE ON THESE EVENTS.
THEY CAN ADVISE ON HOW IT SHOULD GO AND THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
BUT AS FAR AS FOR ME, I THINK THEY CAN GO EITHER EITHER WAY.
>> YOUR HONOR, IF I COULD JUST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
I'VE PROBABLY PARTICIPATED IN THE CHRISTMAS EVENTS FOR MANY YEARS HERE.
I REALLY MISSED THE PARADE THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE THE PARADE.
I WAS THINKING, EVEN THIS NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS THAT WE JUST HAD, I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCELLENT.
I SAT UP THERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CHILLY, BUT I SAW PROBABLY 30 OR 40 KIDS, ACTUALLY A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
BUT MY THOUGHT IS TO HAVE A MOST CITIES AROUND US HAVE A CHRISTMAS PARADE.
PEOPLE LIKE THAT, GET THE SCHOOL INVOLVED, GET THE CHAMBER INVOLVED.
IT COULD ACTUALLY END AT A PLACE WHERE WE LIGHT A CHRISTMAS TREE OR COULD ACTUALLY.
IF COLLEGE STREET GETS FIXED, REPAIRED OR DONE, IT COULD ACTUALLY END UP AT THE PARK UP THERE, AND YOU'D HAVE A LOT MORE ATTENDANCE BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE LOTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE KIDS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE PARADE, THEY'RE GOING TO END UP BEING THERE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, YEAH.
BUT WHENEVER YOU START HAVING THE SMALL EVENTS, I ACTUALLY WENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
DRIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT'S TOUGH TO DO THAT AND TRYING TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
EVEN IF IT'S COLD, BECAUSE IT WAS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT TYPE THING.
YOU SEE PEOPLE COMING OUTSIDE WITH THE KIDS AND DIAPERS JUST TO GET A GLIMPSE.
BUT THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS, IT'S LIKE GOING TO ANYTHING ELSE IN THE CHRISTMAS TIME.
IT'S COLD, DRESS APPROPRIATELY.
HAVE THE HOT CHOCOLATE UP THERE.
DO THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S CHRISTMAS.
I GREW UP IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE.
SOMETIMES WE HAD SNOW, AND IT WAS BITTERLY COLD UP THERE, BUT WE STILL HAD A CHRISTMAS SAY, AND WE STILL WENT OUT.
BUT YOU START DOING THESE OTHER LUIS EVENTS DURING THAT TIME, WHAT TYPE OF EVENTS ARE THEY GOING TO BE? WHO'S GOING TO NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHEDULING? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE ALREADY GOT THIS ON MY CALENDAR.
BECAUSE IF I'M NEEDED, I'M BOOKED UP QUICK.
THEY'LL JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW, I DO IT FOR FREE.
YOU GET SOME OTHERS YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY THROUGH THE NOSE, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
BUT WE DID THE THING UP HERE AT CITY HALL, ENJOYED THAT.
WITH THE HOT CHOCOLATE AND WHAT I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS CALLED, BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOW UP.
BUT BUT I'M FOR STILL KEEPING A NORTH BO CHRISTMAS.
I DON'T LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE, OF COURSE, EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT I DO.
BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THE EMOTION THAT I HAVE WHENEVER I GET OFF A FIRE TRUCK OR SEE THE KIDS, THEY RUN UP AND THEY HUG ME.
IF YOU COULD LOOK AT MY EYES, YOU'D PROBABLY SEE SOME TEARS BECAUSE IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL BECAUSE THAT'S A FUN TIME OF THE YEAR.
ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS, BUT IT IS A FUN TIME OF YEAR FOR ME FOR THE KIDS AND THINGS.
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YOU KNOW THAT WHENEVER WE USED TO PULL UP HERE AND LIGHT THE CHRISTMAS TREE DOWNTOWN, GETTING OFF OR IN FACT, YOU'VE BEEN ELF BEFORE IN A LITTLE CART TYPE THING.BUT JUST SEE THE KIDS AND THE SMILE AND THE TWINKLE IN THEIR EYES.
YOU GET THAT WHENEVER YOU DO THE MAIN EVENT LIKE THAT.
YOU DON'T GET IT IF YOU DO ALL THESE OTHER EVENTS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN DEFABAR, ABOUT MAYBE JUST HAVING A LARGER RATHER THAN SMALLER ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT STAFF RESOURCES, AND IT'S COLD FOR RESIDENTS TO ATTEND.
WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, WILL STAFF BE AVAILABLE.
WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SAFETY AND ALL OF THOSE ADDITIONAL THINGS.
HOWEVER, I THINK I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN TODD, THAT THE PARKS BOARD SHOULD BE INVOLVED, BUT EVEN MORE SO, AT THIS TIME AT THAT TIME OF YEAR, WE COULD INTERFACE WITH THE HOAS TO SEE IF THEY ARE DOING ACTIVITIES AND HOW WE CAN WORK WITH THEM AS A CITY.
AS A CITY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING AN ACTIVITY SIMILAR TO THE PARADE THAT WOULD HAVE MORE UTILITY OR FARTHER REACHING BENEFIT TO THE RESIDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THAT AS A SUGGESTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT WOULD BE PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE LOCAL ENTITIES WITHIN TOWN.
AS FAR AS A PARADE GOES, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN HELD BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE PAST.
THAT'S NOT A CITY OF PRINCETON PARADE.
HOWEVER, THIS YEAR IT WAS ELECTED NOT TO HAVE IT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THERE'S BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF THE CITY WAS WANTING AND THE CHAMBER HAD THE RESOURCES AND THE AVAILABILITY TO BRING THAT BACK, THAT WOULD BE ON THEM TO BRING TO US THAT, HEY, WE WANT TO HAVE THIS CHRISTMAS PARADE.
THEN HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS FOR THE RESIDENTS?
>> I REALLY ENJOYED THE COFFEE TRUCK, AND I DID LIKE THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS.
HOWEVER, I DO SEE THE BENEFIT OF BREAKING IT UP A BIT BECAUSE WE SPENT A TEACHER'S SALARY ON THAT GIANT STAR OUT THERE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE STARS BECAUSE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THEY ARE, THEY MAKE ME CRINGE WITH HOW EXPENSIVE THEY WERE.
BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME SMALLER EVENTS HERE AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING, I THINK WOULD BE UTILIZING THAT PURCHASE BETTER RATHER THAN HAVING IT AT CALDWELL WHILE ALL OF THESE NEW DECORATIONS ARE OVER HERE.
I STILL THINK WE CAN HAVE SANTA.
MAYBE IT'S JUST THAT'S THE ONLY EVENT, COME SEE SANTA AND JUST BREAK IT UP A BIT.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING IF IT'S PLANNED WELL.
I ALSO THINK THAT, WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT THEY'RE SPLIT HOMES.
HAVING DIFFERENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH ALLOWS CHILDREN WHO GO BETWEEN HOMES, MAYBE ONE PARENT LOSE ANOTHER CITY, ONE PARENT LIVES HERE.
THEY CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE EVENTS INSTEAD OF MISSING OUT COMPLETELY.
I DO THINK THERE IS POTENTIAL THERE, BUT I STILL STAND BEHIND THE PARKS BOARD HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.
>> YES. WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL TAKE THIS BACK PRESENTED TO THE PARKS BOARD.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY TO EVEN ALSO UNDERSTAND, EVEN JUST AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, SPECIAL EVENTS ARE VERY TOUGH TO GET A UNANIMOUS DECISION AND CONSENSUS.
WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS UP HERE ON COUNCIL AT THIS TIME, BUT WE HAVE DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE WOULD HANDLE THE SMALL EVENT VERSUS LARGER EVENTS, SMALLER SCALE VERSUS LARGER SCALE.
THAT'S THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF PRINCETON.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND LED BY COUNSEL ON HOW WE LOOK AT THESE LARGE SCALE AND SMALLER SCALE EVENTS FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO WANTING THE SUPPORT AND THE BACKING FROM COUNSEL, WHATEVER THOSE DECISIONS MAY BE THAT YOU GUYS DECIDE.
NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS IS THE ONLY ONE, AS MENTIONED, THAT WE DEAL WITH THE MOST CONSTRAINTS ON AND
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THE MORE SO CONTROVERSIAL LARGE SCALE EVENT, AND THAT IS DUE TO WEATHER.I UNDERSTAND THAT. WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE COLD MANY A YEARS.
YOU AND MYSELF, MR. DEFABAR AND FOR THE MOST PART, WE FROZE. THAT'S PART OF IT.
BUT THE REALITY TOO IS THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY INVESTED IN THESE EVENTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE MAJORITY OF PRINCETON.
IF IT'S KEEPING THAT EVENT OR SCALING IT BACK AND HAVING MULTIPLE SMALL EVENTS, LOOKING AT SOME INSIDE STUFF, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION AS THE DIRECTOR TO SCALE BACK ON SOME.
STILL HOSTING CHRISTMAS, STILL DOING SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, LIGHTING THE TREE OR WHATEVER THOSE MAY BE.
HOWEVER, WE LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT JUST LOOKING AT REALLOCATING THAT LARGE SCALE EVENT DOWN INTO SOME SMALLER.
WE WILL GET THE PARKS BOARDS FEEDBACK AND REPORT BACK TO THIS COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE.
>> CHASE, I JUST WANT TO FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE WITH THE NORTH POLE CHRISTMAS AND SCALING THAT DOWN AND LOOKING AT SEVERAL SMALLER EVENTS.
BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM SOME KUDOS ON PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH IN JULY.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN A PART OF THAT, I WAS VERY SHOCKED TO PULL UP TO CALDWELL PARK ON A WEDNESDAY AT 10:00 AM AND SEE THE PARK PACKED WITH PEOPLE.
IT REALLY TRULY SPEAKS TO THINGS TO DO BECAUSE PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY THERE'S NOT MANY THINGS TO DO, BUT FOR THOSE THAT HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, IT'S REALLY AN AWESOME MONTH, AND THE WAY YOU GUYS PUT IT TOGETHER, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME KUDOS ON THAT.
>> I THINK THAT WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THIS WILL TAKE US TO ITEM C2, 2026-002, PRESENTATION TO DISCUSS THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ISSUING A A VISION ZERO PROCLAMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY'S MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN PRESENTED BY WES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS WES PIERCE.
I'M THE LEAD ENGINEER OF THE PRINCETON MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN, AND I'M EXCITED TO BE GOING OVER THE VISION ZERO OVERVIEW, AND I'LL ALSO SPEND A FEW MINUTES JUST GOING OVER THE BACKGROUND OF THE PRINCETON MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
THE PRINCETON MOBILITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO TODAY.
WE STARTED THIS PROJECT BACK IN JANUARY 2025, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO HAVE A CITYWIDE DATA DRIVEN PROCESS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL ROADWAYS, ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE'RE EVALUATING WHAT ARE THE LOCATIONS THAT HAVE THE GREATEST NEED FOR SAFETY AND MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
WE LOOKED AT ALL CRASH DATA FROM 2020 THROUGH 2024.
WE IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITY AREAS AND DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND MOBILITY FOR ALL ROAD USERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ONE KEY ELEMENT OF THE MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN IS THE VISION ZERO COMPONENT.
I WANT TO BRIEFLY GO OVER WHAT IS VISION ZERO AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT AND WHY THAT'S CRITICAL FOR OUR PROJECT.
VISION ZERO IS PURELY JUST A STRATEGY AND A GOAL TO ELIMINATE ALL FATAL COLLISIONS AND SERIOUS INJURIES ALONG ALL ROADWAY NETWORKS.
IT'S A LONG TERM GOAL WITH AN EVENTUAL DATE TO HAVE ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO, SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES ON ALL PUBLIC ROADWAYS.
SOME OF THE KEY COMPONENTS AS PART OF THE VISION ZERO PROCESS THAT WE ARE DOING AS PART OF THE MOBILITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN IS AGAIN, A DATA DRIVEN PROCESS.
WE LOOKED AT ALL CRASH DATA THAT'S BEEN RECORDED SINCE 2020.
WE EVALUATED THE LOCATIONS THAT HAD THE GREATEST NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
WE LOOKED AT ALL FATAL CRASHES, ALL CRASHES THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES, ALL CRASH TYPES, DIFFERENT CRASH TRENDS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE MAJOR TRENDS, AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO ACHIEVE VISION ZERO, ZERO FATALITIES, AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES.
AS PART OF THE PRINCETON MOBILITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN, THE LONG TERM GOAL IS TO HAVE ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES BY 2060.
WE'RE LOOKING OUT A WAYS OUT, BUT 2060 IS THE GOAL TO HAVE ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES.
IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CRITICAL INVOLVEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AS PART OF THE MOBILITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN, WE HAD A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE HELD A PUBLIC WORKSHOP THIS SUMMER THIS PAST SUMMER, WHERE WE GOT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS, GET THE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
WE ALSO HAVE A SAFETY TASK FORCE.
THAT SAFETY TASK FORCE MET THIS PAST FALL.
THAT SAFETY TASK FORCE INCLUDES MEMBERS FROM PARKS AND REC, POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS, JUST TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE GROUP THAT CAN PROVIDE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES IN ORDER
[00:30:04]
TO PRIORITIZE AND DEVELOP PLANS THAT WILL RESULT IN ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES.REALLY QUICKLY, JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE BENEFITS FOR IMPLEMENTING VISION ZERO FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON, AND THE KEY BENEFIT IS ZERO FATALITIES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL WANT TO HAVE ZERO FATALITIES, WE WANT TO HAVE SAFE ROADS.
IS THAT WAY, OUR STUDENTS, OUR YOUNG MEMBERS, OUR RESIDENTS CAN SAFELY MAKE IT TO AND FROM THEIR DESTINATIONS WITHIN THE CITY.
>> THIS WILL ALSO RESULT IN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE.
MAKING THIS A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WILL ALSO NOT IMPACTING CONGESTION.
FOCUSING ON IDENTIFYING THOSE PRIORITY AREAS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND ENSURE THAT ALL ROAD USERS ARE ABLE TO SAFELY MAKE IT HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THERE'S ALSO A NUMBER OF ECONOMIC BENEFITS, AND ONE OF THE KEY ECONOMIC BENEFITS IS LESS CRASHES, REDUCED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CRASHES, AND WITH VISION ZERO, WE'RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR FUTURE FEDERAL GRANTS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WITH OUR MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN, IF WE PROCLAIM A VISION ZERO GOAL TO EVENTUALLY HAVE ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES, THAT WOULD ENABLE THE CITY OF PRINCETON TO HAVE FUTURE FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THERE COULD BE FEDERAL FUNDING DOLLARS THAT CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE SAFETY TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THE VARIOUS FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT EXIST, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT PROJECT THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON, THE MOBILITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
THIS IS, AGAIN, A CITYWIDE PROJECT, DATA DRIVEN PROCESS, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL ROADWAYS, ALL CRASHES.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED AS PART OF THE MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
SOME OF THE STRATEGIC ACTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED AND WILL BE CRITICAL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE VISION ZERO ARE IDENTIFYING THOSE HIGH-RISK PRIORITY LOCATIONS, DETERMINING APPROPRIATE IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES TO REDUCE THOSE CRASHES, IMPROVE THE SAFETY FOR ALL ROAD USERS, AS WELL AS PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND PARTNERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
IN THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY, THERE IS A BELIEF THAT VISION ZERO CAN BE ACHIEVED, BUT IT'S NOT JUST THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE ALONE.
ENGINEERING IS ONE SIDE OF IT, PROVIDING THE SAFE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT'S ALSO CRITICAL TO HAVE INPUT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, EDUCATION, AND SO THAT WAS A KEY PART OF THIS PROJECT.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAD THE SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETING.
THAT SAFETY TASK FORCE INCLUDED A WIDE GROUP OF MEMBERS FROM PARKS AND REC, POLICE, FIRE.
HAVING THAT PARTNERSHIP, THAT COLLABORATION, AS WELL AS PUBLIC AWARENESS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING AS MUCH INPUT AS POSSIBLE, TO HAVE A WIDE PERSPECTIVE, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PROVIDING APPROPRIATE IMPROVEMENTS MOVING FORWARD.
I MENTIONED THIS ALREADY, BUT ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS AND KEY BENEFITS OF THE VISION ZERO PLAN IS IT ENABLES US TO PURSUE FUTURE FEDERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE ARE A FEW GRANT PROGRAMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE OR WILL BE ACTIVE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE HAVE THOSE SHOWN HERE. THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL PROGRAM.
THIS IS A FIVE-YEAR FEDERAL PROGRAM, AND ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS IS IN ORDER TO PURSUE AN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT THROUGH THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL PROGRAM, YOU NEED TO HAVE A SAFETY ACTION PLAN THAT INCLUDES A VISION ZERO COMPONENT.
THE CITY OF PRINCETON IS ALREADY WRAPPING UP AND WORKING ON COMPLETING THE FINAL COMPONENTS OF THE MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
IF WE HAVE A VISION ZERO PROGRAM THAT IS PROCLAIMED AS PART OF THE PROJECT, THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY OF PRINCETON TO PURSUE THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL PROGRAM WITH THE VISION ZERO COMPONENT.
OTHER FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS THAT EXIST ARE THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE ROAD TO ZERO COMMUNITY TRAFFIC GRANTS PROGRAM.
THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT'S A ANNUAL PROGRAM THAT'S MANAGED THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING.
THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS FOR THE VISION ZERO AND THE MOBILITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL RESULT IN REDUCED CRASHES.
HSIP IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS AGENCIES TO PURSUE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL RESULT IN IMPROVED SAFETY ON ROADWAYS.
THEN LASTLY, THE ROAD TO ZERO COMMUNITY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS.
IN ORDER FOR AN AGENCY TO PURSUE THIS GRANT, THE AGENCY MUST HAVE A VISION ZERO PROGRAM THAT IS IN PLACE, AND THE AGENCY MUST ALSO JOIN THE ROAD TO ZERO COMMUNITY, AND IT'S NO FEE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR AN AGENCY TO JOIN THE ROAD TO ZERO COMMUNITY.
YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE A VISION ZERO IN PLACE,
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AND YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IS INVOLVED AS PART OF THE ROAD TO ZERO COMMUNITY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT.THEN LASTLY, SOME OF THE MAJOR BENEFITS OF GRANT FUNDING IS WE'RE GETTING MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PURSUE AND APPLY IMPROVEMENTS FOR MOBILITY AND SAFETY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THAT WILL ALSO HELP IMPROVE MOBILITY, HELP IMPROVE SAFETY, AND ULTIMATELY HAVE A MORE SUCCESSFUL ROAD TO ZERO TO HAVE A SAFER ROADWAY, SAFER NETWORK FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, ALL OF OUR GUESTS, ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
WHAT WE ARE SEEKING IS A HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL, SO COUNCIL OR MAYOR, TO PROCLAIM AN EVENTUAL DATE TO ACHIEVE VISION ZERO AND HAVE ZERO FATALITIES, ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES WITHIN THE CITY OF PRINCETON?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK LIKE, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT DOES IMPLEMENT IT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? DOES IT NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY AS POSSIBLY OVER POLICING, OR WILL IT PUT ANY ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON OUR CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT?
>> YES. UNDERSTOOD. YEAH. IMPLEMENTATION IS WHEN I USED THE TERM IMPLEMENTATION PREVIOUSLY, THAT WAS REFERRING TO AN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT THROUGH THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.
BUT IMPLEMENTATION OF VISION ZERO, IT'S PRIMARILY INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED.
CONTINUING WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, DESIGNING SAFE ROADWAYS, SAFE INTERSECTIONS, AND THEN JUST PARTNERING MORE WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE, POLICE, AND MORE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THERE'S NO EXPECTATION FOR THERE TO BE ANY ADDITIONAL OVER POLICING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST CONTINUING THAT PARTNERSHIP AND HAVING STRATEGIC INVOLVEMENT FROM ALL PARTIES.
>> I DON'T THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL CALL THIS, MAY HAVE TO CALL CHIEF WATERS.
DOES THIS ALLOW YOU A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THE GRANT FOR THE STEP PROGRAM, SELECT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT?
>> THE STEP PROGRAM OPENS UP MAY 26, AND WE ALREADY HAVE PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION STEP PROGRAM.
WE NEEDED TO BACKFILL SOME OF THE POSITIONS FIRST DUE TO THE POPULACE THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO FILL IN SOME OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS BEFORE I JUST PUT EXTRA OFFICERS OUT THERE AS FAR AS STEP PROGRAM GOES.
BUT YES, WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
THE MAJORITY OF THIS IS GOING TO END UP FIGURING OUT LIKE TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES.
I KNOW SECOND STREET 380, THAT WAS A BIG ISSUE AS IF YOU WERE GOING, WHAT IS IT SOUTHBOUND ON SECOND STREET, WHERE WE NEED A GREEN ARROW IN THAT AREA.
IT'S IDENTIFYING AREAS LIKE THAT.
THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO REALLY TAKE HEED.
ALSO, ONE THING WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT, THOUGH, TOO, ONCE WE HIT A CERTAIN POPULATION MARK WITHIN THE CITY, THE CITY IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ON SOME OF ITS OWN INFRASTRUCTURE, EVEN ON ALONG HIGHWAYS, I.E., STOPLIGHTS, ENDORSE THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SOME OF THIS FEDERAL GRANTS IS PROBABLY GOING TO END UP HELPING OUT THE CITY AS WE GO TOO AS WELL.
>> I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT GRANTS.
UNDER PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP, GRANTS WERE NOT ALWAYS LOOKED AT.
I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY BECAUSE I'VE BROUGHT MANY FORWARD, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT UTILIZING GRANTS TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE CITY.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS COMING OUT OF OUR TAXPAYERS' POCKETS. I REALLY LIKE THAT.
>> BASED ON THE EXPLANATION OF THAT HEAR FROM CHIEF WATERS THERE.
I THINK WHAT THIS DOES IT BASICALLY GIVES US ANOTHER FORM OF ACCREDITATION FOR WHEN WE ARE APPLYING.
IT SHOWS THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF NOT LOOKING INTO WHAT OUR ISSUES ARE AND HAVING SOLUTIONS IN PLACE FOR THEM.
>> HI THERE. I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE MOBILITY AND SAFETY ACTION PLAN THAT ALL ARE WORKING ON FOR THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO IDENTIFY AREAS THAT WE NEED IMPROVEMENT, LIKE CHIEF WATERS MENTIONED, THE SECOND STREET INTERSECTION THERE, WHERE MY EARS PERK UP IS THE VISION ZERO INITIATIVE, BEING A FEDERAL PROGRAM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COST ANALYSIS ON HOW MUCH OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE RECEIVED IN GRANTS VERSUS THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN OF REPORTING ON THESE GRANTS,
[00:40:02]
BECAUSE THE ITEM C2 HERE SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.I DIDN'T HEAR ANY DISADVANTAGES DURING THAT DISCUSSION.
JUST GOOGLE ANY OF THESE GRANTS, AND THERE'S LOADS OF DISADVANTAGES.
I PERSONALLY COME FROM A REGION OF THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS DONE A LOT OF GOAL-SETTING TO CREATE ZERO DEATHS ON THE ROAD.
IN REALITY, THEY'RE JUST CAUSING HAVOC IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH ROAD DIETS, LANE REMOVALS, DOING ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO MEET, LIKE A MORALISTIC TYPE GOAL THAT'S NOT GOING TO EVER HAPPEN.
THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT I COME TO MIND FOR MYSELF.
ANYTIME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT GRANTS, THERE'S ALWAYS STRINGS ATTACHED, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND A LOT OF THIS IS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
PEOPLE DRIVE CARS HERE AS THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.
I'VE SEEN BIKE LANES BE INSTALLED IN OLD PARTS OF OUR TOWN HERE THAT QUITE FRANKLY, JUST CAUSED EVERYBODY TO GET UPSET OVER.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A BICYCLE IN THEM YET.
NOT SAYING PEOPLE DON'T USE IT, BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF KEEPING OUR ROADS SAFE.
I'M ALL FOR IT, BUT WE HAVE TO LIVE IN REALITY.
I WOULD REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST THE CITY TO GET THESE GRANTS AND THEN TO MAINTAIN THEM.
VERSUS ACTUALLY GETTING FUNDS BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS COST MATCHING TO WHERE WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO GET MONEY.
NOT ONLY SPENDING ON THE PROJECT, BUT SPENDING ON THE REPORTING ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.
LOT OF FINANCIAL QUESTIONS THERE ARE THAT I THINK NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE PROCLAIMING THIS WONDERFULLY, IT MAKES US ALL FEEL GOOD, BUT IS IT ACTUALLY REALLY DOING GOOD? BECAUSE I COME FROM A PLACE WHERE IT DOESN'T DO GOOD.
IT CAUSES HARM TO THE COMMUNITY MORE THAN IT DOES GOOD.
IT REALLY JUST ANGERS MOST OF THE TAXPAYERS.
THAT'S THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO WITH TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH I AM TOTALLY FOR, I REALLY DO APPROVE OF PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT AGAINST IT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UNNECESSARY STEPS INVOLVING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN OUR LOCAL BUSINESS.
>> IF I MAY RESPOND, COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
THE COMMITMENT TO VISION ZERO, THERE ARE NO STRINGS ATTACHED TO THAT, BUT IF THERE IS A SUIT OF A FEDERAL GRANT, THERE ARE STRINGS ATTACHED TO THAT. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
A LOT OF THOSE FEDERAL GRANTS DO HAVE A LOCAL MATCH REQUIREMENT.
THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PURSUIT AND PROCUREMENT, THE BIDDING PROCESS, THERE IS SOME STEPS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED AS PART OF THE FEDERAL GRANT IF THE AGENCY WAS AWARDED THOSE GRANTS.
BUT FOR VISION ZERO, REALLY THE ONLY DISADVANTAGE OF SIMPLY PROCLAIMING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES IS IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVE THAT, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE, COST INVESTMENTS IN ORDER TO HAVE ZERO FATALITIES ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES.
BUT BY SIMPLY PROCLAIMING ZERO FATALITIES AND ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES AT SOME DATE IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S NO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT THROUGH THOSE FEDERAL GRANTS, THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS, AND THEY VARY FOR EACH GRANT.
TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE OFTEN INAPPROPRIATE IMPROVEMENTS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THE BIKE LANE OR THE ROAD DIET, THAT MAY NOT BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE IMPROVEMENT.
AS PART OF THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT THE AGENCY ULTIMATELY DECIDES TO PURSUE, THE CITY OF PRINCETON DECIDES TO PURSUE, WE WOULD BE PUTTING FORWARD WHAT IMPROVEMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
IF IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A BIKE LANE OR A ROAD DIET, THAT WOULDN'T BE MOVE FORWARD AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
WE WOULDN'T PURSUE THAT GRANT.
WE WOULD JUST PURSUE THE GRANTS THAT MAKE THE MOST SENSE, THAT ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THOSE SAFE FACILITIES FOR ALL ROAD USERS, AND THAT ARE GOING TO HELP SAFETY AND HEALTH MOBILITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
>> I KNOW IF MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD ASK A CROSS-QUESTION TO COUNCILWOMAN GRAVES.
COUNCILWOMAN, YOU DO A LOT OF THE GRANT WRITING IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THESE GRANTS FOR MUNICIPALITIES OR ENTITIES, IT DOES HELP TO HAVE MORE ACCREDITATION, RIGHT WHEN YOU'RE FILLING THESE OUT.
[00:45:01]
WHAT I LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THIS IS, WE'RE NOT MAKING A COMMITMENT TO ANY OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS AS OF RIGHT NOW, BUT IF EVER THERE IS A TIME TO APPLY FOR SOMETHING, JUST LIKE IF WE WERE APPLYING FOR BOARDS OF COMMISSION OR SOMETHING, THE MORE ACCREDITATION YOU HAVE AS A CITY, THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE OF ACQUIRING THAT GRANT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD SEPARATE US FROM THE OTHER APPLICANTS.FROM WHAT YOU'RE EXPLAINING, IT'S IN THAT SITUATION TO WHERE IT'S BETTER TO HAVE IT NOW AND NOT NEED IT THAN TO NEED IT LATER AND NOT HAVE IT.
YEAH, I THINK EVERYBODY ASKED A QUESTION THAT I HAD.
I HAD THE SAME CONCERNS THAT COUNCILMAN LONG HAD JUST, WHAT WERE THE DISADVANTAGES AND SOME OF THE OTHER DOWNFALLS, BUT I THINK THE PROCLAMATION ITSELF, LIKE YOU DISCUSSED IS DOESN'T HURT TO AB.
IF WE EVER WANTED TO PURSUE IT, IF WE ARE END OF I GUESS WE'LL DO THE RESEARCH AT THE TIME, IF WE WANTED TO PURSUE ANY OF THE GRANTS ITSELF, AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
BUT IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
THIS TAKE US TO ITEM C 3, 2026, THAT 106 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE GALLOP EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND EXPERIENCE SURVEY RESULTS. MISS FALLON.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE CITY OF PRINCETON, AND I WILL BE GOING OVER THE EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR.
IN MAY OF 2025, THE CITY HELD A SURVEY FOR AN EMPLOYEE WORKPLACE SURVEY THROUGH ENERGAGE.
THE REASON WHY WE WENT THROUGH ENERGAGE IS BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR ACANES FOR THE CITY, MORE REWARDS FOR THE CITY TO GET US IN A GOOD LIGHT.
ONE OF THE ONES I CAME ACROSS WAS TOP WORKPLACE FOR DFW.
IN ORDER TO BE QUALIFY FOR THE TOP WORKPLACE OF DFW, YOU HAD TO HOST AN EMPLOYEE SURVEY THROUGH ENERGAGE.
THEN ABOUT FIVE MONTHS LATER, WE ALSO DID OUR GALLUP ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, WHICH WE DO ANNUALLY.
WITH THOSE SURVEY RESULTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, 50% OF THE WORKFORCE IS ENGAGED.
THIS IS A 2% DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
39% ARE NOT ENGAGED, AND 11% ARE ACTIVELY DISENGAGED.
THIS IS A 2% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE IS THAT ENGAGED, MEANS PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN THE MISSION, THEY'RE DEDICATED.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THEY HAVE A PASSION FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE CITY MOVE FORWARD.
NOT ENGAGED, THEY'RE HERE, JUST AS A JOB, THEY'RE JUST COMING TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE BEING NEGATIVE IN ANY TYPE OF WAY, BUT THEY SEE THIS AS A MEANS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILY.
ACTIVELY DISENGAGED, ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT HAPPY IN AN ORGANIZATION, AND THEY LET IT SHOW.
THEY'RE CONSTANTLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THINGS OR TRYING TO SABOTAGE OTHER PEOPLE AND SEE THE DEMISE OF THE CITY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR ENGAGED POPULATION DECREASED BY 2% AND THE ACTIVELY DISENGAGED INCREASED BY 2%.
IN ADDITION, BECAUSE WE DID ENERGAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S NO RESULTS TO COMPARE TO LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT, AND THERE'S ALSO HIGHLIGHTING SOME STRENGTHS THAT WE HAVE THAT COINCIDE WITH THE GALLUP SURVEY THAT WE TOOK.
THE STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT FROM THE GALLUP, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE COMMITMENT TO QUALITY.
AS I SAID, WE HAVE A STRONG WORKFORCE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE MISSION AND THE GOALS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITHIN THE CITY.
EMPLOYEES ALSO SAY THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEIR BEST.
NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTILES, THAT SHOWS HOW WE COMPARE TO OTHER COMPANIES THAT HAVE TAKEN THIS SURVEY.
WITH THE COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, WE'RE IN THE 87% PERCENTILE, BASICALLY BETTER THAN 87 OTHER COMPANIES, IF WE COMPARE TO 100, AND WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO OUR BEST, WE'RE IN THE 86 PERCENTILE.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT FROM THE OCTOBER 2025 GALLUP SURVEY ARE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS.
EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE THEY MAY NOT HAVE
[00:50:03]
THE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR WORK PROPERLY.THIS ALSO CAN REFLECT MAYBE THEY HAVE THE MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
MAYBE THEY INHERITED A SYSTEM THAT THEY DIDN'T PROPERLY GET TRAINING FOR, AND THEY NEED TRAINING.
BUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
ANOTHER IMPROVEMENT IS CARE FROM SUPERVISORS.
EMPLOYEES SAID THE NEED FOR SUPERVISOR SUPPORT AND CONNECTION ARE VERY PRESENT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED.
WITH ENERGAGE, THIS WAS TAKEN IN MAY OF 2025.
OUR TOP SCORES WERE MEANINGFULNESS.
AGAIN, THEY KNOW THAT THEY WERE PART OF SOMETHING MEANINGFUL.
THEY SEE THE VISION, THEY SEE THE GOALS.
LEADERSHIP, THEY'RE CONFIDENT IN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS OF THE CITY OF PRINCETON, AND APPRECIATION.
THEY GENERALLY FEEL APPRECIATED FOR WHAT THEY DO.
OUR BOTTOM SCORES WERE GROWTH.
SOME EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND GROW WITHIN THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
MEETINGS, ISN'T MAKING GOOD SENSE OF YOUR TIME? I KNOW THERE'S A MEME OUT THAT SAYS, THIS MEETING COULD HAVE BEEN AN E MAIL, [LAUGHTER] AND WE COULD POST THAT RIGHT THERE.
IN ADDITION, CLUED-IN EMPLOYEES, OUR EMPLOYEES DID NOT FEEL WELL INFORMED ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT WERE BEING MADE AT THE CITY.
ENERGAGE, WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS IS THAT THEY GIVE US THIS WORD CLOUD.
I WANT TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT, AND I'M SURE IF ALL OF YOU GUYS HAD A CHANCE TO READ EVERY WORD UP THERE, SOME OF THEM ARE NOT AS FAVORABLE AS I WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE.
BUT AGAIN, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, I WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT OUR CITY AND WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WORKING HERE AT THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
THE BOLDER AND THE BIGGER WORD, THAT'S THE MOST COMMON WORD THAT YOU'VE SEEN WHEN THEY TOOK THAT SURVEY.
THE ONES THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, IT WAS COMMON, BUT IT WASN'T AS PREVALENT AS THOSE LARGER WORDS.
SO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'LL JUST READ OUT THE LARGER WORDS.
WE HAVE INTEGRITY, GROWTH, FAMILY SERVICE, RESPECT, LEARNING.
A COUPLE OF THEM THAT WEREN'T FAVORABLE TO ME IS FAVORITISM AND UNSUPPORTIVE.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN.
ONE, TO HAVE PURPOSEFUL MEETINGS.
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEIR MEETING TIME WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH, YET THEY'RE NOT CEUED IN ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE CAN USE THOSE MEETINGS TO GIVE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
IMPROVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, SUCH AS MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT'S TRAINING FOR THE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE, ARE FINDING RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR JOBS PROPERLY.
THE THIRD ONE IS STRETCH ASSIGNMENTS AND CROSS TRAINING, GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD.
I KNOW OTHER CITIES THEY HAVE LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT DUE TO OUR SIZE AND OUR RESOURCES, RIGHT NOW, THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM FEASIBLE.
BUT I'M HOPING THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES MAYBE THROUGH THE CHAMBERS OR OTHER THINGS LIKE PISD TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEE, MAYBE CALL IN COLLEGE, IF THEY'RE WATCHING.
HOPEFULLY, THEY CAN HELP US OUT WITH THAT AS WELL.
THIS IS DATED BECAUSE I WANTED TO COME BEFORE YOU IN NOVEMBER, BUT DUE TO OUR AGENDAS AND OUR TIMING AND THE HOLIDAYS, I JUST DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO.
SO YOU'LL SEE SHARE RESULTS AND GOALS.
THESE HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENT HEADS ALREADY.
THEY HAVE A SAY IN HOW THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR GOALS AND PLANNING FOR THEIR CAREERS, SO WE WANT TO GET THEM INVOLVED WITH THAT.
FOLLOW UP AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH IS HUGE BECAUSE IF WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING UP, THEN THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE LISTENING TO THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND MAKING THE CHANGES THAT THEY NEED SO WE CAN HAVE SOME DESIRABLE OUTCOMES MOVING FORWARD.
THEN REDISTRIBUTION OF THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY.
WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO WITH THE CITY.
I WAS ACTUALLY HONORED TO OBSERVE YOU LAST MONTH ENGAGING WITH THE STAFF, AND IT'S A WHOLE NEW SIDE OF YOU, THAT IT WAS VERY NEAT TO SEE.
ALL THE CITY STAFF IS VERY BLESSED TO HAVE YOU LEADING THE WAY DOING THIS.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE SURVEYS AND THE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
LIKE YOU SAID, THERE ARE SOME DRAWBACKS TO THEM OR NOT DRAWBACKS, BUT THE NEGATIVES COME TO THE SURFACE, AND THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
[00:55:02]
I FULLY SUPPORT CONTINUING THESE EFFORTS TO ENGAGE THE STAFF AND FIND OUT WHERE WE CAN BECOME A BETTER EMPLOYER FOR OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, BASICALLY.WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME WORKING THAT IT'S GOT TO BE A GOOD PLACE, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS THROUGH THESE SURVEYS AND FINDING WAYS TO IMPROVE WITH THE STAFF.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
YEP. I ACTUALLY ECHO COUNCILMAN LONG SENTIMENT IN TERMS OF WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE DIRECTION AND ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN.
I THINK THE COMMITMENT FROM THIS DIOSES THERE AS WELL TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HERE AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE HERE.
EVEN IF THAT'S IDENTIFYING SOME OF THOSE BLURRED LINES IN TERMS OF WHERE WE OPERATE IN OUR BEST CAPACITY ON THIS SIDE, AND STAY AWAY FROM THAT SIDE A LITTLE BIT AND JUST LEAD FROM HERE.
I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT EFFORT AS WELL AND HELP IT IN THE BEST WAY, IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO HELP THAT EFFORT.
I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCILMAN LONG AND JOHNSON.
AS I LOOK AT THIS PRESENTATION TO SEE THAT DESPITE THE NOT SO FAVORABLE THINGS THAT AT LEAST FIVE POINTS ABOVE THE BENCHMARK, WHICH IS STILL A GOOD THING.
IT'S GOOD TO CELEBRATE THE WINS AND THEN INTENTIONALLY LOOK TO SEE WHERE THE GAPS ARE AND FILL THOSE IN.
WE WILL SUPPORT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
FALLON, I THINK YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THAT.
YEAH. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT MISS DAVID GRAYSON, MR. JOHNSON SAID THAT WHATEVER WE CAN DO FROM HERE FROM THIS SIDE TO HELP WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT EMPLOYEES WORKING HERE AND WE CAN GET SOME OF THE SCORES UP AND SOME OF THE RESPONSES CHANGE.
LET ME KNOW THAT. I WANT TO WELCOME OUR ALTERNATE CITY MANAGER, JEFF JONES.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION TODAY JUST ABOUT IMPROVING THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TAKING SERIOUS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE EMPLOYEES LOVE WORKING HERE TOO, SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO FROM THE COUNCIL AND WORKING WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AS WELL.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, THIS WILL TAKE US TO ITEM C4.
UPDATE AND PRESENTATION ON THE WINTER SORRY, ON WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN AND IMPACT FEE STUDY.
HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
MY NAME IS STUART WILLIAMS, AND I'M WITH KIMLEY HORN ASSOCIATES, AND I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR BOTH THE ONGOING WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN AND THE IMPACT FEE UPDATE THAT WE HAVE GOING ON CURRENTLY.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT.
JUST GENERALLY WHAT I WILL FOCUS ON TONIGHT IS JUST THE PROJECT COMPLETION TO DATE ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THE ONGOING MASTER PLANS.
I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED SO FAR WITH THE MASTER PLANS, THEN MOVE INTO WHAT'S NEXT ON THE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE STILL YET TO BE DONE.
FINALLY, WE'LL CONCLUDE WITH WHAT'S NEXT ON THE MASTER PLAN ADOPTION PROCESS, THE IMPACT FEE ADOPTION PROCESS TO END.
SO FAR, WHAT WE'VE WORKED ON IS THE MASTER PLAN ACTUALLY, THE IMPACT FEE STARTED BACK IN 2024, BUT WAS PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY PUT ON PAUSED IN 2025 IN ORDER TO ADDRESS MAKING SURE WE HAD THE WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLANS UPDATED.
IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE THOSE HAVE BEEN UPDATED, SO WE NEEDED THOSE TO HAVE THE LATEST AND GREATEST PROJECTS IN ORDER TO PUT ON THE IMPACT FEES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR TO DATE IN 2025, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE FLOW MONITORING OF EXISTING MANHOLES, THAT'S IN SANITARY SEWER.
WE'VE INSTALLED 17 FLOW MONITORS IN STRATEGICALLY LOCATED POSITIONS IN THE SYSTEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PEAKING FACTORS ARE ON THE EXISTING SANITARY SEWER.
[01:00:05]
WE'VE FLOW TESTED EXISTING FIRE HYDRANTS TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD HOW THE WATER SYSTEMS OPERATING.THEN USED BOTH OF THOSE RESULTS TO UPDATE OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER MODELS AND MAKE SURE THOSE ARE UPDATED AND CALIBRATED, AND THEN SET UP OUR FUTURE FLOWS, SET UP OUR SPREADSHEETS IN ORDER TO CALCULATE OUR FUTURE FLOWS AND DEMAND.
>> THE REMAINING AND ONGOING ITEMS TO BE COMPLETED IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN ARE FIRST TO INPUT THE UPDATES AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE ONGOING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES.
WE RECENTLY RECEIVED THOSE NUMBERS SO WE COULD MAKE SURE OUR LAND USES WITH THE MASTER PLAN CORRESPOND WITH THE NOT LAND USES IN THE ACTUAL MASTER OR IN THE ONGOING COMPREHENSIVE PLANS SO THAT WAS RECEIVED IN DECEMBER.
WITH THAT INFORMATION NOW WE'RE WORKING TO FINISH OUR BUILDOUT.
OUR BUILD OUT WATER AND WASTEWATER MODELING AND THOSE PROJECTIONS FOR WHAT'S IN THERE NEXT.
THE NEXT STEP FROM THAT WAS WE'LL FINALIZE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN MAPS AND REPORTS AND REVIEW THOSE WITH STAFF.
WE'RE TARGETING AN END OF THE MONTH DELIVERY FOR THOSE DRAFT REPORTS TO STAFF.
THEN ONCE THOSE ARE APPROVED BY STAFF, THEY'LL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
WE'RE TARGETING SOMETIME TOWARDS THE END OF Q1 OF THIS YEAR FOR COMPLETION OF THE WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLANS.
ONCE WE'RE COMPLETE, AND WE'VE DETERMINED OUR LIST OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE MASTER PLANS, WE'LL IMMEDIATELY MOVE INTO THE UPDATE OF IMPACT FEES.
BASICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE THAT THAT PROJECT LIST THAT'S BEEN DETERMINED FROM THE WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN UPDATES, AND THEN USE THOSE PROJECTS TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT FEE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.
THEN SO FROM THAT, THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY DO OUR CALCULATIONS AND PRESENT OUR DELIVERABLE TO THE CITY.
WHAT THAT ULTIMATELY IS IS THE MAXIMUM FEE THAT'S ALLOWABLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE GIVE YOU THE CITY IN THE REPORT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY TARGETING MARCH OF THIS YEAR FOR THAT DRAFT REPORT TO BE DELIVERED TO STAFF AND TO THE CIAC, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
THEN ONCE THAT'S DONE, AND WE'VE GOT THAT REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU, THEN WE MOVE INTO THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
ON THIS FINAL SLIDE HERE, I'D LIKE TO FIRST START WITH THE END IN MIND.
WE PUT THIS AUGUST OF 2026 DATE ON THERE AS JUST A BEST AND EARLIEST AND MOST AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE THAT WE CAN FORESEE WITH ALL THE VARIOUS NOTIFICATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAVE TO GO ON WITH THIS PROCESS.
BUT YOU'LL NOTICE, THE FIRST THING OF THE ADOPTION PROCESS IS TO APPOINT THE CAPITOL IMPROVEMENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES TO THE LAW, THE REGULATORY LAW BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR AS TO BASICALLY TO SUMMARIZE, PRIMARILY, THAT BASICALLY JUST MEANS THAT YOU CAN NO LONGER USE YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AS THIS COMMITTEE.
THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS TO BE SEATED, AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TARGETING THIS MARCH 2026 DATE TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT SEATED AND SELECTED, AGAIN, WITH THE END GOAL IN MIND OF HOPEFULLY RE ADOPTING THE IMPACT FEES IN AUGUST OF 2026.
ESSENTIALLY THAT ONCE THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS SEATED, WE WILL MEET WITH THEM PRIOR TO ACTUALLY PUBLISHING THE IMPACT FEES AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
THEN ONCE WE'VE MET WITH THEM AND THE IMPACT FEES ARE ACTUALLY PUBLISHED, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD INTO ALL THE VARIOUS PUBLISHINGS AND NOTIFICATIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO GET THE IMPACT FEES UPDATED AND ADOPTED.
THAT'S A GENERAL QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE STAND AND WHAT COMES NEXT.
I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. I'M SORRY.
>> I'M GLAD WE'RE FINALLY DOING THE CIA COMMITTEE.
I BROUGHT IT UP IN MAY OF 25 AND STARTED ASKING FOR US TO START SEATING THIS BOARD IN AUGUST '25, AND I THINK AT ALMOST EVERY COUNCIL MEETING, I KEEP BRINGING IT UP.
I'M GLAD WE'RE FINALLY LOOKING AT IT, BUT I THINK YOUR TIMELINES ARE A LITTLE AGGRESSIVE FOR THIS.
THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TRAINING.
MOST OF OUR BOARDS NEED SOME TRAINING.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WHEN THESE PEOPLE GET SELECTED, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOME TRAINING ON WHAT IT IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE PART OF THE NEW LAW CHANGES INCLUDES THAT
[01:05:02]
WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE WE'RE LOCKED IN FOR THREE YEARS, AND WE STILL HAVE TO FIND AN AUDITOR WHO HAS TO AUDIT THE ACCOUNTS.THEY CAN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING FOR THE CITY FOR 12 MONTHS.
THERE'S ALL THOSE LITTLE NITTY GRITTY PIECES TO IT.
THINGS THAT MYSELF AND COUNCILMAN JOHNSON AND I HAVE WE'VE BEEN BRINGING UP A STUFF TO GET THE BALL ROLLING ON.
I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE IT TO THAT MARCH TIMELINE, BUT I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING HONESTLY.
WE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING PEOPLE APPLYING TO BOARDS TO BEGIN WITH, AND THIS ONE IS SO SPECIFIC.
I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS LATE START.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET THESE RATES ADDRESSED AND TO GET THE FEE SCHEDULE PUT IN.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DELAYED AND THEN IN WHAT YOU'RE HOPING TO ACHIEVE.
>> UNDERSTOOD. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
THE DATES THAT WE PUT ON HERE, AGAIN, WHERE THE MOST AGGRESSIVE THAT I FELT THAT WE AS SUPPORTING YOU GUYS, FROM THE CITY COULD PUT TOGETHER.
IF THERE ARE DELAYS, AS YOU MENTIONED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FIRST OF ALL, SEATING THIS COMMITTEE AND OR TRAINING THEM OR SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.
AGAIN, THE SCHEDULE THAT I'VE SHOWED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WAS WHAT I FELT WAS THE MOST OPTIMISTIC AND TO YOUR POINT THAT MAY BE DELAYED BY THAT OR OTHER THINGS IN THE REVIEW AND ADOPTION PROCESS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE PLACE.
I REALLY JUST TRIED TO PUT THAT TOGETHER AS A MOST OPTIMISTIC SCHEDULE.
>> AS FAR AS THAT DELAY, WE'RE OKAY IN TERMS OF IF THERE IS MAYBE WE'RE A MONTH BEHIND IN OUR PROCESS ON SEATING THOSE SEATS.
THEN GOING THERE, WE'RE OKAY WITH JUST MOVING THE OTHER ONES ON DOWN, LIKE A DELAY IN THE SEATING PROCESS.
THERE'S A CONTINGENCY IN TERMS OF FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD TO GETTING THOSE IMPLEMENTED, OR ARE WE TRYING TO MEET A HARD DEADLINE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION?
>> AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, THERE IS NOT A HARD DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS.
THE CITY CURRENTLY CHARGES IMPACT FEES, AND THEY'RE MOST RECENTLY ADOPTED IN THE FALL OF 2022.
IN THE FALL OF 2022, THE THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SAYS THEY HAVE TO BE UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE STILL WELL IN ADVANCE OF THAT FIVE YEAR MARGIN.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THERE IS NOT A HARD DEADLINE AS FAR AS I'M AWARE OF THE AUGUST DATE THAT I THROW IN THERE.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT IT'S MORE FOR THE CITY.
WHERE ARE WE ON ESTABLISHING THE PROCEDURES FOR CALCULATING AND REVIEWING AND APPLYING CREDITS TO DEVELOPERS FOR AGAINST THE WASTEWATER IMPACT FEES FOR ADDING SYSTEMS THAT RESULT IN WATER REUSE AND CONSERVATION FOR SAVINGS? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS DUE JANUARY 1 OF 2026, BUT THAT HADN'T COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
WHERE ARE WE ON HAVING THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT HARD LINE SAYS, THIS IS HOW MUCH THEY CAN GET BACK FROM THEIR IMPACT FEES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THEN WE'RE IN A BIND ON BEING ABLE TO BE LIKE, THIS IS THE MAXIMUM.
WHERE ARE WE ON HAVING THAT SCHEDULE?
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT. I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE TO WORK WITH SHI ON THAT.
I HAVE NOT WORKED ON THAT MYSELF, SO THAT'S A DEVELOPMENT QUESTION THAT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON A FIRM ANSWER ON.
>> AS A FOLLOW UP TO COUNCILWOMAN TODD'S QUESTION, GRANT, ARE THERE ANY LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR US IN TERMS OF THE CHANGE? THE TIMELINE FOR THIS PROJECT, AND ALSO JUST WHAT COUNCILWOMAN TODD ASKED ABOUT THIS CITY HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE?
>> I THINK WHAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY THE CONSULTANT, IT JUST DELAYS ADOPTING THE UPDATED IMPACT FEES A LITTLE BIT.
YOU GUYS HAVE IMPACT FEES THAT WERE UPDATED IN 2022, OBVIOUSLY, EXPONENTIAL GROWTH SINCE THEN.
IT JUST DELAYS IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE STILL IN THAT TARGET RANGE BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO GET THE DRAFT TOGETHER FIRST BEFORE IT GOES TO THE COMMITTEE.
I GUESS TO ANSWER COUNCIL MEMBER TODD'S QUESTION, THE LAW THAT SHE REFERENCED WENT INTO EFFECT, JANUARY 1 OF THIS YEAR, AS FAR AS AN IMPACT FEE CREDITING POLICY FOR CERTAIN CONSERVATION AND REUSE PROJECT, SO WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INTO
[01:10:03]
THIS IMPACT FEE UPDATE AND SEND THAT THROUGH THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.THAT'S A BRAND NEW LAW THAT JUST WENT IN EFFECT AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE CONSULTANT TO PREPARE THAT POLICY.
>> MY CONCERN WITH THAT IS IF WE'RE NOT EXPECTED TO BE DOING THE IMPACT FEES UNTIL AUGUST AT THE EARLIEST, JANUARY 1 OF 26 HAS ALREADY PASSED.
FROM EVERYTHING I'VE LOOKED AT ON THE STATE'S PAGE, WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE IT'S NEGOTIATING AND WHAT WE GIVE BACK, AND WE MAY BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN'T SAY NO TO THE DEVELOPER.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY WAIT ON THAT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GO THROUGH THE CIP.
THAT IS ESTABLISHED THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS, FINANCE, AND DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO THE STATE.
I DON'T THINK WAITING ON THAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR CITY.
>> CORRECT. YOU'RE RIGHT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE AC COMMITTEE.
THERE'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION TO SEND IT TO THEM AS WELL.
THE CITY HAS TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING THOSE CREDITS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CONSULTANTS CAN WORK ON.
IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO GO TO COUNSEL NECESSARILY, BUT SOMETHING THAT JUST IN AN EFFORT OF TRANSPARENCY, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, IT'D BE GOOD FOR EVERYONE TO SEE AS HINSON IS A NEW POLICY THAT WE'RE DRAFTING FROM SCRATCH.
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST TO TAKE ITEM D. DISCUSS AND REVIEW AGENDA ITEMS.
[D. DISCUSS AND REVIEW AGENDA ITEMS]
THE COUNCIL MAY ASK QUESTIONS REGARDING OR DISCUSS ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE MAIN MEETING AGENDA.NO FORM OF ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DURING THE PRE MEETING AS ANY FORM OF ACTION ONLY SHALL OCCUR DURING THE MAIN MEETING.
THERE'S TWO ITEMS THAT I WANT TO HAVE A QUICK DISCUSSION ON AND IT'S GOING TO BE, LET ME REQUIRE REGARDING L3 OF WOOD APARTMENTS.
THEY ARE ASKING US TO TABLE THIS ITEM TO NEXT MONTH BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE PUBLIC THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO CHANGE IN THE ZONING, AND THEY'RE ASKING US FOR MORE TIME ON THIS.
THIS ITEM IS NOT READY TO BE DISCUSSED TODAY.
WHEN WE GET TO THAT, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CONTINUE IT, AND THEN ALSO TABLE THE ORDINANCE TO A DATE CERTAIN.
WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE GET TO L3.
>> THEN THE OTHER ITEM IS GOING TO BE ITEM M4, M3, AND M2.
MI THROUGH M4, THE APPOINTMENT OF BOARDS, WE DIDN'T ASK THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS TO APPLY.
WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT EVERYBODY ELSE WHO WE APPLIED, IT'S HARD FOR US TO DETERMINE WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS OF THE OTHER CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS.
WE JUST HAVE SEEKING REAPPOINT APPOINTMENT, BUT WE HAVE NO BACKGROUND ON THEM.
WE DIDN'T INTERVIEW THEM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BACKGROUND BEFORE WE ELECT, AND WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF ADVOCATIONS FOR SOME OF THESE BOARDS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO COMPARE THEM AGAINST SOME OF THE NEW ADVOCANCY TO SEE IF JUST TO SEE WHO'S MORE QUALIFIED AT THIS POINT.
FOR THOSE ITEMS, I WANT TO ASK FOR THOSE TO BE TABLED AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FEW APPLICANTS HERE NOW, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS CASES THAT'S A GOOD TABLE THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE APPOINTING TODAY.
>> BUT ALSO ON THAT, THERE IS THE STATE LAW THAT THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THEIR SEATS WILL MAINTAIN THEIR SEATS UNTIL WE'VE MADE A DECISION REGARDING PLACEMENT.
>> IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS ANY? THAT WOULD TAKE IT TO WE ARE NOT GOING TO EXECUTIVE IN THIS MEETING.
AND THEN I'LL TAKE IT TO ITEM F TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> YOU WILL NOW MAKE THAT MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> STEVE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR AYE.
>> WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND THEN WE'LL START THE REGULAR MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.