[A. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REGULAR MEETING.
AND WE WILL START OFF WITH A ROLL CALL VOTE.
MELISSA NED IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.
IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY TO DO OUR INVOCATION.
FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY THAT WAS NOT PROMISED.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS EVENING AS WE COME IN ONE ACCORD TO COLLECT THIS MIND, O GOD.
GOD, RIGHT NOW WE ASK THAT YOUR WILL BE DONE, NOT OUR OWN WILL, GOD.
WE ASK THAT YOU LEAD US AND GUIDE US IN HOW WE SHOULD HELP THE COMMUNITY OF PRINCETON, GOD.
GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE SITTING IN THESE SEATS TO HELP ONE ANOTHER AND TO HELP OUR CITY.
AND WE THANK YOU IN JESUS NAME.
WE GET EVERYBODY STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS UNABLE TO RESPOND OR TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT UP DURING THIS SECTION THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA OTHER THAN TO MAKE STATEMENTS OF SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION.
IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INQUIRY OR TO RECITE EXISTING POLICY IN RESPONSE TO AN INQUIRY.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FOR PUBLIC APPEARANCE? MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE DIDN'T GET IT IN THE SYSTEM CORRECTED.
THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FIVE MINUTES FOR ALL BOARDS AND CITY COUNCILS.
SO IF ANYBODY DOES SPEAK AND THEY WANT THE NEXT TWO MINUTES, THEY CAN HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT, AND NOBODY HERE FOR PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
OPEN THAT 605 AND CLOSE THAT 605.
[F. PUBLIC REPORT ITEMS]
PUBLIC REPORT ITEMS. NEXT REGULAR PCDC MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY, MAY 20TH, 2026 AT 6 P.M.NEXT REGULAR PEDC MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 AT 6 P.M.
NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026 AND MAY 11, 2026, BOTH AT 6.30 P.M.
[G. BOARD REPORT ITEMS]
CDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT ABOUT ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IN WHICH NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT HAS ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST TO REPORT? ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
[H. STAFF REPORT ITEMS]
STAFF REPORT ITEMS. JIM? WELL, FIRST OFF, MR. CHAIRMAN, PROPS FOR KEEPING THIS PARTY MOVING RIGHT ALONG.YOU'RE GETTING THROUGH THOSE ITEMS. I LOVE IT.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF MY WRITTEN REPORT.
YOU HAVE THAT IN WRITING, BUT I AM GOING TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE THINGS.
YOU'VE GOT A LIST IN THERE THAT I LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT I DO HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ONCE A MONTH WHENEVER WE HAVE A CONVERSATION BEFORE THE MEETING.
I'LL SUMMARIZE THAT IN MY REPORT.
YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.
ON THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, I WANT TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT WE DID MEET WITH, FINALLY, THE CORPS HAS HAD SOME TURNOVER AND OUR STAFF OBVIOUSLY HAS HAD SOME TURNOVER.
WERE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER TODAY, GET CAUGHT UP ON WHERE WE ARE.
WHAT'S MOST PERTINENT TO THIS BOARD IS THE LEASING OF THE THREE PARKS.
AND THEY LAID OUT, THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A TEMPLATE LEASE, BUT THEY LAID OUT SEVERAL INTERIM STEPS WE CAN TAKE.
A LEASE MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE.
THEY ALSO HAVE AN MOU WE CAN SIGN WITH THEM THAT SAYS WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, WOULD GIVE US ACCESS TO THE PARKS TO DO OUR IMPROVEMENTS AND OUR MAINTENANCE, BUT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE US TO DO IT.
ANYTHING WHICH I REALLY LIKE NOT BEING REQUIRED TO DO SOMETHING UP IN A ANYWAY SO I'LL BE GIVING THE BOARD A FURTHER UPDATE AT THE NEXT MEETING BUT WE FINALLY DID GET TOGETHER GOT BACK ON THE SAME PAGE FOR BOTH THE ANNEXATION OF THE SHORELINE AND THE THREE PARKS SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT MYSELF AND PRESTON JONES FROM PARKS AND I'M SORRY FROM PUBLIC WORKS MET WITH THEM AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH CITY MANAGER JONES UPDATING HIM AND THEN WE'LL
[00:05:02]
GIVE YOU MORE UPDATES.HOPEFULLY THIS FISCAL YEAR WE WILL START TAKING SOME ACTION ON THOSE THREE PARKS AND THEN AS I MENTIONED BEFORE THE ANNEXATION OF THE SHORELINE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE SPLIT UP EITHER A FOUR OR FIVE YEAR I'M GUESSING A FIVE YEAR PROCESS BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ACRES BY LAW.
IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF OUR LANDMASS AND SO AND IT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO SPLIT IT UP OVER FIVE YEARS BECAUSE AS WE ANNEX, WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT LAND FOR POLICE AND FIRES.
SO WE WANT TO DO IT IN STAGES TO HELP PUBLIC SERVICE, PUBLIC SAFETY KEEP UP.
BUT THAT IS BACK MOVING, I'M EXCITED TO SAY.
BREE, CAN YOU PUT THE SALES TAX UP? GOOD NEWS ON THE SALES TAX FRONT, WE'RE UP 13% THIS MONTH.
BRINGING US TO 5% AHEAD YEAR-TO-DATE.
WE'RE ABOUT $50,000 AHEAD OF LAST YEAR, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.
AND OUR SALES TAX, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, IT'S GENERALLY GOING TO TRACK RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE GET SOME OF THESE RETAIL PROJECTS OPEN AND GOING AND ADD SIGNIFICANT RETAIL.
I THINK FOR THE MOST PART YOU'LL SEE OUR SALES TAX RECEIPTS KIND OF MIRROR OUR POPULATION GROWTH.
AS WE BRING IN MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME, THEY'RE SHOPPING AT THE SAME PLACES, BUT WE'VE GOT MORE VOLUME GOING ON, SO THOSE SHOULD KIND OF MATCH UP, AND THEY DO, ACTUALLY.
I HAD MENTIONED, IF YOU WILL PUT UP THE THERE YOU GO.
IT'S HARD TO READ, AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BLOW THIS UP.
WE TRACK SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS, THAT'S PART OF THE ECONOMY THAT WE DO TRACK.
IT TELLS US NOT ONLY WHAT OUR POPULATION NUMBER IS GROWING TO, BUT IT'LL GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE HOUSING MARKET, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF OUR ECONOMY HERE RIGHT NOW.
FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR, WE WERE DOWN 33% FROM LAST YEAR.
IT WAS ONE MONTH COMING OUT OF THE HOLIDAYS, AND THE MONTH THE PREVIOUS YEAR HAD BEEN A BIG MONTH.
SECOND MONTH WE'RE UP 68%, WHICH THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
OKAY, WE REBOUNDED, WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
WHAT IT'S TELLING ME IS THAT I THINK IF THIS CONTINUES, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE OPENING NEW PHASES, AND SO WHEN YOU OPEN A NEW PHASE, A PHASE MIGHT HAVE 200, 300, 400 HOMES IN A SINGLE PHASE, AND SO YOU'RE GETTING SOME VOLUME.
THEY'RE OPENING UP THE PHASE AND THEY'RE GOING TO START PULLING MORE PERMITS.
BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE KIND OF IN ON THOSE PHASES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO, WE DID 01,968 PERMITS.
LAST YEAR, WE DID 1,603, I BELIEVE.
WE'LL PROBABLY BE RIGHT AROUND THE 2,000 MARK AGAIN THIS YEAR, BETWEEN 1,900 AND 02,000.
IF WE FINISH THE YEAR, WE'RE UP 24% YEAR-TO-DATE.
IF WE FINISH YEAR THERE, IT'LL PUT US JUST UNDER 02,000, WHICH IS OVER 6,000 NEW RESIDENTS.
WE AVERAGE IN PRINCETON 3.07 RESIDENTS PER DWELLING AND HOW WE DO POPULATION FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS IS WE MOST CENSUSES ARE GUESSES.
WITH THE US CENSUS IF THEY KNOCK ON THE DOOR IF YOU DON'T ANSWER YOU DON'T GET COUNTED.
THEY DON'T GUESS, THEY DON'T AVERAGE, THEY JUST DON'T COUNT YOU.
AND SO THOSE ARE ALWAYS YOU KNOW THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE A LOW COUNT.
SOME CITIES COUNT WATER METERS, RESIDENTIAL WATER METERS, AND THAT'S REALLY, IN MY OPINION, NOT THAT ACCURATE EITHER.
WE'RE ABLE, THROUGH OUR BILLING SYSTEM, TO GET ACTUAL ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY ACTIVE.
YOU CAN'T LIVE IN A HOUSE WITHOUT A WATER ACCOUNT OR AN APARTMENT.
SO WE TAKE THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS, WE MULTIPLY IT, WE DO TAKE THE U.S.
CENSUS' AVERAGE PEOPLE PER DWELLING, BECAUSE THAT'S FAIRLY ACCURATE.
THAT'S JUST AN AVERAGE NUMBER OF WHAT THEY GET.
SO AT 1,900 SOME ODD, YOU'RE TALKING 6,100 NEW RESIDENTS A YEAR.
THAT'S ABOUT A 13% GROWTH RATE, WHICH IS HUGE.
I MEAN, EVERY YEAR IT GETS HARDER FOR US TO HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH RATE BECAUSE IT'S A PERCENTAGE.
AND IF YOUR BOTTOM NUMBER IS LARGER, IT'S HARD TO GET THOSE BIG 30% NUMBERS.
IF YOU'RE GROWING 2-3%, YOU'VE GOT HEALTHY GROWTH.
12-13, YOU'RE BLOWING AND GOING.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT IS BUDGET TIME.
WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT...
[00:10:01]
HALF THE YEAR YOU'RE DOING BUDGET, YOU GET ABOUT A FOUR-MONTH BREAK, AND THEN THEY START ANNOUNCING YOU'RE ABOUT TO START DOING BUDGET AGAIN.SO WE ARE GETTING INTO BUDGET.
MY PLAN IS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BUDGETS INTO THE CITY TO START IN THEIR PROCESS IN MAY.
THE TWO CORPORATIONS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE I HAVE TO BRING THE BUDGET TO YOU FIRST BEFORE I GIVE IT TO THE CITY.
YOU'RE THE FISCAL AUTHORITY OF OUR FUNDS.
MY PLAN IS TO GIVE YOU A DRAFT BUDGET IN MAY.
AT THE LATEST JUNE, THIS BOARD WILL HAVE TO APPROVE A BUDGET IN JULY.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR IS THAT WE ARE GROWING SO FAST, WE'VE GOT SUCH A LOW TAX RATE.
THOSE TWO THINGS SEEM LIKE THEY MATCH, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T.
SO WE'RE DOING A FIVE-YEAR ROLLING BUDGET THIS YEAR.
WELL, THE FIRST YEAR FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT'S THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE PASSING THAT IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY, I MEAN, AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED, LAW.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO GO BY.
THE FOUR OUT YEARS ARE GOING TO BE ESTIMATES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO USE THOSE AS A GUIDELINE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THEY'RE NOT FINAL NUMBERS, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF, OKAY, IF WE'RE ON THIS GLIDE PATH AND OUR TAX RATE STAYS THE SAME AND THIS IS OUR GROWTH RATE, FINANCE CAN TRACK OUR FINANCES AND SAY, IN TWO YEARS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM, AND WE CAN SEE IT AHEAD OF TIME, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
YOU'LL SEE FAST-GROWING COMMUNITIES DO THAT TYPE OF THING.
I BELIEVE THE ONLY OTHER THING I NEED TO BRING UP, AND IT'S EXCITING NEWS FOR SOMEBODY IN THIS ROOM AND NOT VERY EXCITING NEWS FOR THE REST OF US.
BUT SOMEBODY ON OUR STAFF HAS BEEN OFFERED A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE TO BOULDER, COLORADO, WHERE HER SISTER LIVES, AND HAS BEEN OFFERED A VERY GOOD JOB, AND SO BREE IS GOING TO BE MOVING ON.
THIS WILL BE HER LAST BOARD MEETING, AND SHE'S HIDING BEHIND HER MONITOR, BUT I'M GOING TO LET HER SAY A COUPLE WORDS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALL OF Y'ALL.
THE DECISION WAS REALLY HARD, BUT WHEN YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE TO A DREAM CITY, IT'S KIND OF, YOU GOTTA TAKE IT, AND TO BE WITH MY SISTER.
SO I'VE ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW ALL OF Y'ALL.
I'M SAD Y'ALL JUST GOT APPOINTED TO THE BOARDS, BUT IT'S BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE THESE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THE CITY GOES AFTER I LEAVE.
WELL, BREE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE.
WHEN YOU CAME IN, YOU CAME IN WITH A GREAT POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND YOU JUMPED RIGHT IN WORKING, AND YOU NEVER LOOKED BACK.
SO I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEXT JOURNEY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE FINANCIALS, BREE.
GIVE ME A SECOND TO GET TO THEM.
ON THE BALANCE SHEET, YOU'LL SEE A LARGE EXPENSE.
I'M JUST SEEING IF I CAN KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES, YOUR LAST MEETING.
YOU'LL SEE A LARGE EXPENDITURE UNDER THE PERIOD ACTIVITY IS WHAT WE LOOK AT ON THIS CHART.
THAT MEANS THE MONTH THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING UNDER AUDIT EXPENSE, THAT WAS OUR FINAL PAYMENT FOR OUR FORENSIC AUDIT.
THE OFFICER NANCY DOMINGUEZ MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE FINANCIALS, THAT CHECK IS CLEARED.
WE HAVE FUNDED THAT SCHOLARSHIP.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THERE'S A PICTURE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM OF OFFICER DOMINGUEZ THAT EXPLAINS THE SCHOLARSHIP, AND WE WERE HONORED BECAUSE THIS BOARD FUNDED THAT SCHOLARSHIP FOR $50,000 WITH COLLIN COLLEGE.
THEY NAMED ONE OF THE TRAINING ROOMS IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AFTER HER, SO WE'RE VERY HONORED FOR THAT.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST YOUR...
EMPLOYMENT COSTS SO THERE ARE NO EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURES THE TRANSFER
[00:15:02]
OUT IS JUST OUR MONTHLY TRANSFER OUT FOR OUR CONTRACT.NOW IF YOU GO TO THE BALANCE SHEET, THE BOARD IS OBVIOUSLY IN GOOD STANDING.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT $5 MILLION IN THE BANK.
WE DO HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING LIABILITIES, BUT WE ARE IN VERY GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE.
THAT PUTS US IN A POSITION TO DO SOME OF THE EXCITING THINGS.
ARE RELATED TO THE CORE PARKS AND OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS THAT THIS BOARD WILL BE LEARNING MORE ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIALS? HEY JIM, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT WHEN WILL WE BE PAYING THE PURCHASE FOR THE SWAT VEHICLE? WHEN WILL THAT BE COMING OUT OR HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE COMING OUT? WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE WILL TRANSFER THAT INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND, AND THEN THEY'LL MANAGE THE ACQUISITION BECAUSE IT ALL GOES THROUGH FINANCE ANYWAY.
SO THEY'LL DO AN INTERNAL TRANSFER.
BOTH THIS BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE APPROVED IT.
SO THAT TRANSFER CAN TAKE PLACE.
IT'LL TAKE PLACE FOR THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT THE BOARD APPROVED AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVED.
AND SO IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS RELATED, THEY'LL FIND THAT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THERE SHOULDN'T BE.
I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY TIGHT BID.
OKAY, THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THIS BOARD INVESTED IN A NEW SWAT VEHICLE FOR THE PRINCETON PD TO TRY TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY OUR CITIZENS BUT THOSE TRYING TO UPHOLD THEIR SAFETY.
WE HAD MEMBERS OF THE SWAT TEAM GOING INTO DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WITHOUT ARMORED VEHICLES.
WASN'T IDEAL SO THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR THAT I KNOW PD IS VERY EXCITED I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE APPRENTICE APPRENTICESHIP JOB TRAINING LINE ITEM FOR 50 000 THAT ONE IS THE MAYOR'S APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IS THAT RIGHT IS THAT WHAT THAT WILL BE FUNDED WITH YES THE THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
FOR $50,000, YES, THAT WILL BE FUNDED OUT OF THAT, AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE CHAMBER YET.
AND IT ACTUALLY, AND BETH WILL PROBABLY HIT ON THIS, BUT I'LL STEAL A BIT OF HER THUNDER, IT WON'T ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY GO TO THE CHAMBER.
IT WILL GO TO THE CHAMBER FOUNDATION.
IT WILL GO TO THEM, AND THEN THEY WILL PAY THE EMPLOYERS THAT DO THAT.
WE HAVE BOTH AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT THIS YEAR THAT'S GOING EXTRAORDINARILY WELL THAT BETH WILL UPDATE YOU ON.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS SEPARATE, AND THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY SCHOLARSHIP AT COLLIN COLLEGE.
[I. CONSENT AGENDA]
THANK YOU.AND WITH THAT, I AM FINISHED IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS.
ALL CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS LISTED ARE CONSENTED TO BE ROUTINED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION.
OF THESE ITEMS UNLESS A BOARD MEMBER SO REQUESTS IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED IN ITS NORMAL SEQUENCE ON THE AGENDA CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA AS IS MOTION MADE BY MR. THORNTON ALL RIGHT SECOND OKAY, MARY LOU? YES.
I'LL GET ALL THE NAMES IN A SECOND.
I STARTED SCRAMBLING, LOOKING FOR MY PAPER.
I'M LIKE, OKAY, NO, GIVE ME A SECOND.
PCD FINANCIAL STATEMENT DISCUSSION.
[J1. 2026-016 Update on Onboarding Hear update and discuss onboarding training for new board members.]
THAT WITH REGULAR AGENDA.2026-016 UPDATE ON ONBOARDING.
HERE, UPDATE AND DISCUSSION ONBOARDING TRAINING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
AND SINCE WE POSTED THIS AGENDA, I RUN INTO BOTH OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, BUT IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO...
[00:20:01]
THE ONBOARDING, WE WANT THE ATTORNEY TO DO A LARGE PART OF THAT BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF THE MUNICIPAL LAW AND THE CORPORATION LAW.AND AS YOU WILL SEE LATER IN THE AGENDA, WE DON'T HAVE A FULL-TIME ATTORNEY RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING ON THIS AGENDA.
I BELIEVE OUR INTERIM ATTORNEYS WHO...
KEVIN IS WITH US TONIGHT WITH NICHOLS JACKSON.
HE'S THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY AND IS SITTING IN AS WELL FOR US.
THEY DO THAT TRAINING AND I BELIEVE THEY'LL BE PUTTING IT TOGETHER IN THE SCHEDULE, JEFF, AND I'LL LET EVERYBODY KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE.
AND THAT WILL BE FOR ALL BOARDS.
I HAD DISCUSSED WITH THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, WE ALSO DO ONE THAT'S MORE SPECIFIC TO THE CORPORATIONS IN OUR CITY THAT EXPLAINS TYPE A, TYPE B LAWS.
PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE PRODUCTIVE TO DO THAT IN A CONFERENCE ROOM WHERE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE ASKING QUESTIONS AND WE CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH IT AT YOUR OWN PACE AND SO IF THE TWO OF YOU ARE AVAILABLE AT THREE O'CLOCK NEXT MONDAY JUST LET ME KNOW WE CAN WE CAN HOST IT HERE IN OUR EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM IF NOT WE'LL FIND ANOTHER DATE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE BUT I TO ME I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER EVEN WHEN WE DID IT LAST YEAR WITH THE JOINT MEETING WE DID IT IN THIS ROOM BUT WE SET IT UP DIFFERENTLY.
IT WAS A MORE CASUAL SETUP AND IT KIND OF INSPIRED MORE CONVERSATION I THINK THAT TRAINING REALLY IS SET UP TO BE CONVERSATIONAL AND HAVE YOU STOPPED ME ON SOMETHING TO SAY WELL THIS SOUNDS GREAT, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS LET US SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON IT SO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ON THAT, BUT THE OTHER ONE WE WILL WE'RE TRYING TO DO ALL BOARDS AT ONCE AND DO THEM WITH OUR ATTORNEY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I GUESS MS. HENDERSON AND MS. GUERRERO, Y'ALL CAN JUST GET WITH JIM LATER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS BEST FOR EACH ONE OF Y'ALL.
[J2. 2026-017 New Attorney for PCDC Consider, discuss, and act on pursuing a new Corporation attorney to represent the Princeton CDC.]
ALL RIGHT, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.NEW ATTORNEY FOR PCDC, CONSIDER DISCUSSING THE ACT ON PURSUING A NEW CORPORATION ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THE PRINCETON CDC.
WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION PREVIOUSLY.
WE ARE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I FORWARDED YOU THE NOTIFICATION THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CDC TECHNICALLY DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THAT ATTORNEY, BUT THE EDC DOES, AND HE REPRESENTS BOTH THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT.
THEY DID RESIGN FROM BOTH SEATS.
IF ANYBODY SAW THAT THEY WERE RESIGNING BEFORE YOU GOT MY LETTER VIA EMAIL, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT ENDED UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA WAS HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE CITY, NOT FROM OUR BOARD.
I DIDN'T GET THE RESIGNATION FROM OUR BOARD UNTIL IN THE EVENING THE NIGHT BEFORE I SENT IT TO YOU.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THAT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING.
BUT FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE STEPPED DOWN.
HE'S HELPING ME WITH A WRAP-UP, A COUPLE DOCUMENTS ON THE BACK END, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.
BUT THE REASON I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IS THERE'S REALLY THREE WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE'VE DISCUSSED DOING LIKE WE HAVE AND HAVE A SEPARATE CONTRACT BUT USE THE SAME ATTORNEY THAT THE CITY USES.
WE HAVE DISCUSSED HAVING AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LAW FIRM REPRESENT THE TWO CORPORATIONS.
I'VE HAD THAT IN MULTIPLE MARKETS, AND I'VE SHARED IN MULTIPLE MARKETS, SO THERE'S NOT A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.
AND THE THIRD OPTION IS KIND OF A HYBRID, WHICH I'VE ALSO DONE BEFORE, IS THAT WE'VE USED THE SAME FIRM BUT A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY WITHIN THAT FIRM FOR THE TWO CORPORATIONS AND THOSE ARE REALLY THE THREE WAYS YOU CAN DO IT.
95% OF THE TIME THERE'S NOT A CONFLICT.
BUT THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE A CONFLICT IS POSSIBLE BETWEEN WHAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING TO DO AND CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY AND THEY NEED...
THEY NEED SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT CONFLICTED, THEY CAN EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND KIND OF MEDIATE THAT SITUATION.
SO THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION ABOUT HAVING A SEPARATE ATTORNEY, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
I DON'T THINK THE CITY WOULD CARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER HAS NO PREFERENCE.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT.
WE CAN WAIT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN USE.
[00:25:01]
INTERIM UNTIL THE CITY DOES SOMETHING AND WE CAN NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH THE SAME ATTORNEY LIKE WE DID WITH GRANT, OR IF IT'S A BIG ENOUGH FIRM AND THEY DO HAVE MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS WHEREVER THEY SELECT, WE CAN GET WITH THEM AND SAY, YES, WE'D LOVE TO EXPAND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR FIRM, BUT WE'D LIKE TO USE A SEPARATE ATTORNEY.NOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIRD FACTION.
THERE COULD BE SOME INTERNAL CONFLICTS IF YOU'RE.
COVERING WITHIN YOUR FIRM, BUT I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A PAPERWORK EXERCISE FOR YOU, ISN'T IT? I CAME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT AND WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WITH AMBER AND I SWITCHING POSITIONS, SO AT LEAST I COULD BE SEEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY'VE GOT ALL THE ELECTRONICS SET UP THAT WAY, SO WE COULDN'T SWITCH THAT, SO ANYWAY.
I'M A PARTNER AT NICHOLS JACKSON.
BUT WE REPRESENT CITIES ALL OVER THE METROPLEX.
PROBABLY THE CLOSEST CITY TO YOU ALL THAT WE REPRESENT IS ALLEN.
BUT WE ALSO DO QUITE A FEW OTHER CITIES.
RICHARDSON'S ANOTHER ONE OF THE CITIES WE REPRESENT AND HAVE BEEN DOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR THEM FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
YOU KNOW, AS JIM SAID, BASICALLY...
WE ARE SERVING AS INTERIM CITY ATTORNEYS RIGHT NOW.
THE COUNCIL WILL BE MOVING FORWARD.
THEY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT THIS MONDAY NIGHT BUT THEY PROBABLY THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING THEY'LL BE STARTING THE PROCESS TO DECIDE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH SELECTING SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO BECOME THE REGULAR CITY ATTORNEY.
AS JIM SAID WE'VE WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN SUCH A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE REPRESENTED CITIES WHERE THEY ALSO HAVE SEPARATE COUNSEL FOR THEIR EDC AND CDC BOARDS.
ACTUALLY, WE'RE THE CITY ATTORNEYS IN MIDLOTHIAN.
WE'RE ALSO THE ATTORNEYS FOR THEIR 4B CDC, BUT WE'RE NOT FOR THEIR EDC.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF A MIXED BAG THERE.
AND, AGAIN, IT'S JUST KIND OF THE PREFERENCE FROM CITY TO CITY.
THERE'S RARELY ANY CONFLICT AS FAR AS MOST OF THE WORK GOES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY'S ALIGNED WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING FORWARD AND OTHER CONTRACTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY UP TO...
WE CERTAINLY ARE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE DUALLY AS LONG AS THE BOARD WANTS US TO AND AS LONG AS WE'RE SERVING AS INTERIM.
BUT IF YOU FORESEE A DIFFERENT PATH WOULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL.
TO YOU WILL NOT HURT OUR FEELINGS, OKAY? WE WHOLLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, AGAIN, I'LL JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT MYSELF.
I'M, AGAIN, A PARTNER AT NICHOLS JACKSON.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING LAW ABOUT 40 YEARS, 30 OF IT DOING MUNICIPAL LAW, 18 OF IT BACK HERE IN DALLAS WHERE I STARTED PRACTICE BACK IN A GAZILLION YEARS AGO, 40 YEARS AGO, 47 YEARS AGO.
I ACTUALLY CAME DOWN HERE TO GO TO SCHOOL AT SMU.
WENT TO LAW SCHOOL THERE AS WELL AND THEN STARTED A MUNICIPAL PRACTICE WITH THE CITY OF MIDLAND PROSECUTING TICKETS BACK IN 1989 SO IT'S BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME AND DO A LOT OF A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS A LOT OF REAL ESTATE RELATED PROJECTS A LOT OF TIMES THOSE COMBINED AND YOU KNOW DO A LOT OF LAND STUFF BUT OFTEN WE HAVE TO KIND OF DO THAT AS PART OF THE PROJECTS FOR WHEN THE CITY'S INVOLVED AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ZONING THAT KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH AN ECONOMIC PROJECT.
I ALSO DO A LOT OF THE LAND USE STUFF.
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PROBABLY FROM A, YOU KNOW, FROM A COORDINATION STANDPOINT, HAVING ONE ATTORNEY WHO'S KIND OF GOT THEIR FINGERS IN ALL THE ASPECTS OF A PROJECT DOES HAVE SOME ADVANTAGES.
BUT AGAIN, SOMETIMES THERE MAY JUST BE REASONS WHY YOU WOULDN'T WANT THE SAME ATTORNEY DOING THE WORK.
SO WE WHOLLY UNDERSTAND, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE IN PRINCETON FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE WHILE, AND HOPEFULLY A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ME, BUT I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
SO IF THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR COMPANY, LET'S SAY, AND IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT, WOULD YOU GUYS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE BOTH ENDS AS FAR AS...
[00:30:01]
LEGAL ETHICAL CONFLICT, WE ARE OBLIGATED BY THE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY RULES TO NOTIFY BOTH CLIENTS, LET THEM KNOW THERE'S A CONFLICT, AND BOTH CLIENTS HAVE TO BE AGREEABLE TO US REPRESENTING BOTH CLIENTS WHEN THERE IS A CONFLICT.AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND IF EITHER ONE DECIDES WE CAN'T REPRESENT THEM, ALL THAT WOULD HAPPEN IS BOTH ENTITIES WOULD HAVE TO GET THEIR OWN SEPARATE ATTORNEY.
AGAIN, SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS.
IT'S PRETTY RARE IN THIS KIND OF SCENARIO.
AND SO I'VE YET TO REALLY SEE IT HAPPEN BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS AND THE CITY IN THE YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS.
BUT IN OTHER SITUATIONS, I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN.
YEAH, AND I THANK TIM PERSONALLY, BUT I WANT TO PUBLICLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN ATTORNEYS, HAVING SOMEBODY THAT'S WILLING TO STEP UP AND STEP IN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THIS SO QUICKLY, AND I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THEIR FIRM FOR A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME, AND THEY'RE THE REAL DEAL.
THEY'RE A VERY GOOD MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM OUT THERE, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM THAT ARE VERY GOOD.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT.
WE DON'T NEED ACTION TONIGHT, BUT I WANTED TO BRING IT OUT THAT WE DID LOSE GRANT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN THINK ABOUT.
WE WILL, IF WE PUT IT OUT TO BID, WE WILL PROBABLY, I CAN PROBABLY NAME THREE FIRMS THAT WOULD RESPOND.
THERE ARE THREE IN THE METROPLEX AREA THAT DO AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF WORK, BUT I CAN KEEP THE BOARD AWARE OF THIS.
BUT I DID WANT TO SAY, LOOK, I DIDN'T WANT TO COME TO A MEETING AND SAY, THIS IS OUR CHOICE, I NEED A VOTE RIGHT NOW AND PUT EVERYBODY ON THE SPOT.
WE DO NEED TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH IT AND DISCUSS IT, BUT IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY SINCE KEVIN'S GROUP WAS ABLE TO STEP IN AND REPRESENT US IN THE INTERIM.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
ONE, JIM, WITH THIS, AND AGAIN, KEVIN, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN.
I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING IN AND HELPING US OUT IN THIS CAPACITY.
JIM, IF WE DECIDED TO GO THE ROUTE OF HAVING OUR OWN ATTORNEY, WOULD IT COST THE BOARD ANY MORE MONEY? THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD COST MORE MONEY IS IF WE GET A HIGHER BID THAN WHAT THE CITY GETS FOR THEIR HOURS.
AND FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WE GET BILLED COMPLETELY SEPARATELY FROM THE CITY.
WE'RE NOT PART OF THE CITY'S BILL.
OURS COMES COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
THERE'S ONE FOR THE CDC, THERE'S ONE FOR THE EDC, AND THEN THERE'S ONE FOR THE CITY.
SO THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD COST MORE WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT WE NEGOTIATE ON AN HOURLY RATE.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, FOR ANY NEW LAW FIRM, IT MIGHT.
COST THE CORPORATIONS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE RAMP UP JUST FOR THE FAMILIARITY.
WE DO A LOT OF CONTRACTS, AND UNTIL WE GET TO AN AGREEMENT ON A CONTRACT THAT WE'RE BOTH COMFORTABLE WITH, THERE MIGHT BE SOME MORE REVISIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING BIG DOLLAR FIGURES.
OKAY, SO I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, WOULD THEY TYPICALLY, IF THEY'RE GETTING...
A COMBINED PACKAGE LIKE SO, IF THEY'RE GETTING THE CITY, IF THEY'RE GETTING THE CDC AND THE EDC, WOULD THEY REDUCE THAT HOURLY RATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THREE CORPORATIONS? I WOULD THINK NO, AND KEVIN CHICKEN HAS SAID NO AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO EFFICIENCY THERE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE NOT STARVING FOR WORK.
THEY'RE MORE TRYING TO KEEP ENOUGH ATTORNEYS TO KEEP UP WITH THE WORK.
AM I INACCURATE? NO, THAT'S FULLY ACCURATE.
AND I'LL JUST SAY, AT LEAST FOR OUR FIRM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SOMEWHAT UNIQUE ABOUT HOW WE BILL VERSUS OTHERS, I MEAN, WE BILL OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS AT THE SAME HOURLY RATE AS WE BILL THE CITY.
AND WE WILL, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, AS JIM WAS SAYING, WE CAN SET UP SEPARATE BILLING ACCOUNTS SO THAT OUR BILL IS GOING DIRECTLY TO...
JIM'S OFFICE OR EITHER CORPORATION OR THE CITY CAN DO IT ON THEIR BILL.
I IMAGINE WE'LL KEEP, SINCE YOU'RE USED TO DOING IT SEPARATELY, WE'LL SET UP SEPARATE BILLING ACCOUNTS FOR THAT, AT LEAST FOR THIS INTERIM PERIOD.
ONE THING ALSO WE DO, AND WE CAN GET INTO LATER IF WE GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT A PROPOSAL, WE ACTUALLY BILL THE SAME HOURLY RATE FOR EVERY ATTORNEY IN THE FIRM, WHETHER YOU BE FOUR YEARS OR
[00:35:01]
40 YEARS EXPERIENCE.SO, AND THERE IS, AGAIN, THERE IS SOME EFFICIENCY DOING THE SAME ATTORNEY WITH THE FIRM, BUT WE CAN GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION LATER.
NOW, THE OTHER THING, AND I HOPE I'M NOT, I THINK YOU SAID TWO QUESTIONS, SO I DON'T THINK I'M CUTTING OFF YOUR THIRD QUESTION.
THE OTHER THING IS IF WE DECIDE TO USE A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY, SINCE THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR LAW FIRMS THAT DO A LOT OF THE BUSINESS IN THIS AREA.
WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE CITY PICKS THEIRS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T PICK OURS, AND THEY END UP PICKING THE SAME ONE.
SO WE WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO USE INTERIM SERVICES.
THE CITY WOULD SIGN A CONTRACT, AND THEN I WOULD SAY, OKAY, I KNOW WHO THE OTHER FIRMS ARE.
I'LL GO START NEGOTIATING WITH THEM.
ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? I HAVE ONE OTHER ONE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THE CDC DIDN'T HAVE THEIR OWN CONTRACT ORIGINALLY.
SO WE WOULD NEED OUR OWN CONTRACT GOING FORWARD? I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT.
WE INHERITED A SITUATION WHERE I KNEW THAT THE CORPORATIONS HAD A SEPARATE CONTRACT, BUT WHEN GRANT WENT THROUGH AND FOUND IT, IT WAS ONLY WITH THE EDC, BUT THEY GAVE THE CDC THE IDENTICAL BILLING RIGHTS AND EVERYTHING, OR THE RATES, EXCUSE ME, NOT THE RIGHTS.
SO, YEAH, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR EACH CORPORATION TO SIGN A SEPARATE AGREEMENT.
SO, JIM, YOU ARE GOING TO START.
LOOKING OR REACHING OUT TO SOME OF THE FIRMS THAT YOU KNOW TO PRESENT TO US OR WHAT IS WHAT DO YOU THINK IN YOUR NECK BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE TIMING ONE THING I WOULD LIKE DIRECTION YOU TAKE A VOTE OR JUST GIVE ME DIRECTION.
IT'S ON HERE AS AN ACTION ITEM SO YOU COULD TAKE ACTION IS BETWEEN NOW AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST THE CITY'S PROCESS IS GOING TO MOVE AND THEY'RE PUTTING IT OUT TO BID BUT IF THE BOARD JUST GIVES ME DIRECTION, THAT'S FINE YOU KNOW JIM GO AHEAD AND GO OUT THERE AND START IDENTIFYING THE LAW FIRMS THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THIS AND WORK WITH THE CITY TO, YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE WE END UP.
THEN WHAT I CAN DO IS YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION IF WE'RE GOING TO USE SEPARATE ATTORNEYS AT THIS POINT.
I CAN GATHER INFORMATION FROM THE OTHER LAW FIRMS, AND WE CAN MAKE A DECISION WHETHER WE LIKE THE BID FROM WHOEVER THE CITY IS USING OR WE'RE GOING TO USE ONE OF THE OTHER ONES.
BUT AT LEAST I'LL HAVE DIRECTION TO GO AHEAD AND START DOING THE HOMEWORK.
IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD BE FOR YOU TO GO AHEAD AND START GRABBING THE INFORMATION, START DOING THE WORK, AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE CAN HAVE A COMPARISON.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE PROBABLY QUITE AT THE LEVEL OF DECIDING IF WE WANT TO GO THE ROUTE OF HAVING OUR OWN SEPARATE ATTORNEY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE NOT A BAD DEAL.
BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE ACTIONS TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN WE CAN SEE WHAT THE CITY DO, AND WE KIND OF GO FROM THERE AND SEE WHAT WORKS AND LET EVERYBODY HAVE A DISCUSSION, AND WE GO FROM THERE.
ANYBODY GOT ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO SAY ON THIS TOPIC OR ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD? I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND START LOOKING, AND THEN LATER WE CAN DETERMINE.
WHETHER WE WANT A SEPARATE ONE OR NOT, MY VOTE WOULD BE FOR A SEPARATE ONE.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, SINCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA AS AN ACTION, GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE ME TO DO THAT, AND IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT CLEANER, I GUESS.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ALLOW JIM, CEO OF CDC, TO GO AND PURSUE OPTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS.
OKAY, MOTION IS MADE BY MS. SAMUEL, SECOND BY MR. THORNTON.
ALL RIGHT, THAT MOTION PASSES 6-0.
[J3. 2026-018 Young & Vibrant Community Center Sponsorship Hear a presentation, consider, discuss, and act on allowing the use of the Steve and Judy Deffibaugh Community Center by Young & Vibrant. ]
ALL RIGHTY, J3-2026-018, YOUNG AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY CENTER SPONSORSHIP.CONSIDER DISCUSSING ACT ON ALLOWING THE USE OF THE STEVE AND JUDY DEFFENBAUM COMMUNITY CENTER BY YOUNG AND VIBRANT OKAY, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE VERY NICE TO BE HERE IN THE BUILDING AND IN THE ROOM AND SO FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE CONSIDERATION TO VIEW MY PRESENTATION SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING INTO AND YOU APPROVED IT.
AND ONE THING I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER ME IS THAT I'M AN ADVOCATE.
I TELL YOU MORE ABOUT MYSELF AT THE END BECAUSE MY MAIN TITLE FOR TODAY IS AN ADVOCATE.
[00:40:02]
COOL.OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO START OUT WITH SOME HANDOUTS, ALSO BECAUSE I'M A TEACHER.
15 MINUTES TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING.
SO I WANT TO BE VERY TIME WISELY AND ALSO TEACH YOU SOMETHING.
AND WITH OUR ATTENTION SPAN, 15 MINUTES.
EXCUSE ME, I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU OUT, BUT IF YOU CAN PLEASE TALK INTO THE MIC BECAUSE IT'S RECORDED AND THEN PEOPLE ONLINE NEED TO HEAR YOU AS WELL.
OKAY, WHERE'S THE CAMERA? YEAH, SO I JUST NEED YOU TO STAY IN FRONT OF THE MIC AND THEN TALK INTO THE MIC.
BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU ONLINE IF YOU'RE NOT TALKING INTO THE MIC.
OKAY, ONE MORE TIME AND HELLO TO EVERYONE WHO IS WATCHING VIRTUALLY.
I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE AS WELL.
MY NAME IS CASEY WILLIAMS. I AM THE CEO, FOUNDER, AND VISIONARY.
ALONG WITH MY HUSBAND OF YOUNG AND VIBRANT INCORPORATED, OUR MISSION IS TO ERADICATE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
WE DO THAT BY EDUCATING CHILDREN AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON HOW TO KEEP THE MIND, BODY, AND SOUL SAFE.
SO THAT IS WHAT I'M ON A MISSION TO DO.
AND TODAY I BRING TO YOU SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I WANTED TO BRING IT TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE FOR FIVE YEARS.
I'VE ALSO BEEN A SCHOOL TEACHER IN THE ELEMENTARY AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE PRE-K.
AND ALSO I'M IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS SUCH AS CLEAN UP PRINCETON, THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT.
SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THIS EVENT IS FOR OUR PRINCETON COMMUNITY.
THE EVENT THAT I WANT YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF IS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION COMMUNITY EVENT.
AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY.
WHY SHOULD WE HAVE THIS EVENT HERE? WHAT'S THE REASON? FOR ONE, I KNOW CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IS NOT FOREIGN.
IT'S NOT FOREIGN AT ALL, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ACCESS OF A THUMB AND A PHONE AND A BABY.
THE OVERALL WHY, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT ON THOSE CARDS THAT I PASSED OUT.
SO FOR THE ONE WHO HAS A CARD THAT HAS NUMBER ONE, CAN YOU PLEASE BE SO KIND TO READ? WHY A CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION EVENT SHOULD BE HERE IN THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
ONE IN FOUR GIRLS WILL BE SEXUALLY ABUSED BEFORE THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY.
IF YOU HEARD THAT JUST GIVE ME A HEAD NOD PRETTY PLEASE.
BECAUSE MY NUMBER ONE JOB TO DO IS TO BRING AWARENESS.
AND IT'S VERY TRUE THAT ONE IN FOUR GIRLS WILL BE SEXUALLY ABUSED.
[00:45:01]
BEFORE THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY.AND JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I'M ALSO A FORMER CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE INVESTIGATOR.
SO I INVESTIGATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
THAT'S ONLY THE NUMBERS THAT'S REPORTED.
WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT THAT SUFFER IN, EVERYBODY SAY SILENCE.
ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S WHY AN AWARENESS EVENT NEEDS TO BE HERE IN THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
SOMEBODY ELSE HAS CARD NUMBER TWO.
ONE IN SIX BOYS WILL BE SEXUALLY ABUSED BEFORE THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY.
IF YOU HEARD THAT, PLEASE GIVE ME A HEAD NOD.
ONE IN SIX BOYS WILL BE SEXUALLY ABUSED BEFORE THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY.
KEEP ALSO IN MIND, THAT'S THE ONLY NUMBERS THAT ARE REPORTED.
SO THERE ARE MILLIONS OF BOYS SUFFERING IN SILENCE.
SO AN AWARENESS EVENT IS ALL ABOUT USING YOUR VOICE.
NUMBER THREE, WE'RE READING THESE CARDS TOGETHER BECAUSE I WANT TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW YOU TEACH, I KNOW YOU LEARN BY A PAPER.
AND SOMETHING COLORFUL AND SOMETHING IN YOUR HEAD.
SO THESE ARE ALL REASONS WHY I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR A CHILD AWARENESS EVENT.
WHO HAS NUMBER THREE? THIS ONE IS FOR REAL TO ME.
95% OF PREDATORS ARE PEOPLE THEY KNOW, LOVE, AND CARE ABOUT.
IF YOU HEARD MY LOVELY FRIEND SAY THAT, CAN YOU ALL GIVE ME A HEAD NOD? SO 95% OF THE 1 IN 4 GIRLS AND 1 IN 6 BOYS KNOW, CARE, AND LOVE THE PREDATOR.
THAT'S WHY AWARENESS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN A CHILD IS SILENT, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SUFFER BECAUSE ADULTS DON'T WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT KEEPING THEM SAFE.
AND THEN I HAVE ONE, I HAVE ONE MORE CARD.
ON AVERAGE, SURVIVORS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE WAIT UNTIL 50 YEARS OLD TO TELL.
NOD YOUR HEAD PLEASE IF YOU HEARD MY GOOD OLD FRIEND BETH READ THAT.
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, BURDEN, STRESS, ANXIETY, MENTAL HEALTH, DRUGS, IT'S ALL COMPACTED ONTO THEIR SHOULDERS, AND THEY DON'T EVEN TELL SOMEBODY UNTIL THEY'RE 50 YEARS OLD.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH LIFE IS TAKEN AWAY? BUT IF WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE...
A CHILD WILL BE HEALED SOONER.
THE SILENCE WILL NO LONGER EXIST.
AND ALSO, THE PREDATOR WILL NO LONGER EXIST.
BECAUSE THAT IS WHY YOUNG AND VIBRANT IS ON A MISSION TO ERADICATE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
OKAY, TAKE ALL THAT IN FOR A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, SO THE FUN PART, BECAUSE I'M ALL ABOUT PREVENTION.
I AM A GRADUATE OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON CAMPUS.
THAT'S WHERE I GRADUATED, AND AFTER I GRADUATED FROM INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON CAMPUS, I MOVED TO TEXAS.
AND I WAS A PART OF AN AMERICORPS PROGRAM THAT INVITED YOUNG...
PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF COLLEGE, WE WERE CALLED NEAR PEERS, TO COME AND TEACH IN SOUTH DALLAS OF TEXAS, WHERE THE SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE PRISON.
THE TEST SCORES WERE EXTREMELY LOW.
THE STAFF TURNOVER WAS CONSTANTLY TURNING OVER.
AND SADLY, THE KIDS WERE SUFFERING.
SO THEY THOUGHT OF A GRAND IDEA TO BRING SOME YOUNG AND VICE PEOPLE.
[00:50:01]
TO TURN A SCHOOL AROUND AND HELP THESE YOUNG CHILDREN.WHEN I BECAME AN AMERICORPS MEMBER, I THINK IT WAS LIKE YEAR 26, AND THEY'RE STILL GOING.
SO THAT'S THE BACKGROUND ON HOW I GOT TO TEXAS.
AND THEN HOW I GOT TO PRINCETON, I GOT MARRIED TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND, WHO WHEN I TOLD HIM MY PASSION ABOUT I WANT TO ERADICATE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT I SUPPORT YOU.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M ABLE TO STAND RIGHT HERE WITH YOU ALL.
ALONG WITH MY LOVELY COMMUNITY, ALL PRINCETON, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE BACK HERE TO SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY KNOW MY PASSION.
THEY KNOW WHAT I DO WHEN A CHILD AND I ARE TOGETHER.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY KNOW THE IMPACT THAT I HAVE ALREADY DID IN PRINCETON.
SO NOW THE LAST PART OF THE WHY THAT I'M HERE IS BECAUSE.
I WANT ALL OF YOU ALL, THE DECISION MAKERS, TO BE ON BOARD IN BRINGING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AWARENESS TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
IS THIS A CLICKER? DO I CLICK IT TO GO TO NEXT? OKAY.
APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH.
SO ONCE AGAIN, IT IS NOT FOREIGN TO ANYBODY THAT CHILD ABUSE EXISTS.
BY EDUCATING PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT WARNING SIGNS, WE BUILD A NETWORK OF ADULTS READY TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT THE CHILDREN OF PRINCETON.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE GROWING AND PEOPLE ARE COMING.
AND THE ONLY REASON WHY PEOPLE STAY IN ENVIRONMENTS, BECAUSE THEY FEEL SAFE.
SO PART OF THIS AWARENESS EVENT IS MAKING THE NEW FAMILIES, THE 6,000 PEOPLE, COME HERE AND FEEL SAFE.
MANY FAMILIES MISS WARNING SIGNS, EDUCATION EMPOWERS PARENTS, AND AWARENESS PROTECTS CHILDREN.
THAT'S WHAT THE CITY OF PRINCETON NEEDS.
I'M ALSO A BUSINESS OWNER OF YOUNG AND VIBRANT TUTORING.
SO I TUTOR THE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND MANY FAMILIES HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME TYPE OF UNSAFENESS OF A CHILD.
IT'S EITHER DIRECT, OR A FAMILY MEMBER, OR A NEIGHBOR, OR A FRIEND.
AND A LOT OF THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THEY KNEW THE WARNING SIGNS.
SO BRINGING A CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AWARENESS EVENT HERE, OUR FAMILIES CAN KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS.
IT WILL MAKE US FEEL CONFIDENT.
IT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS TO MAKE A CITY THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE EXIST.
SO WE ARE EDUCATING AND I'M A YOUNG AND VIBRANT EDUCATOR.
I'M ABLE TO OPEN YOUR MINDSET ON HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
THEY'RE GOING TO GROW OLD AND BE SITTING IN THESE SEATS ONE DAY.
AND WE ALL WANT THEM TO BE EDUCATED.
AND WHEN THEY KNOW SOMETHING, THEY JUST NATURALLY PERFORM BETTER.
WHEN THEY'RE AWARE OF THEY HAVE TRUSTED ADULTS, THEY FEEL BETTER TO BE MORE OF A CHILD AND BE MORE CHILDLIKE AND NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE STRESSORS OF THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A TRUSTED ADULT TO TAKE CARE OF THAT STUFF.
SO BEING ABLE TO TEACH, BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT A MEMORY, THAT IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPACT AND THAT'S HOW THE MISSION IS GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED TO ERADICATE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE AWARE.
EVENT OVERFLOW, THIS IS THE VISION, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO IT BY MYSELF, AND I CANNOT DO IT BY MYSELF, SO I BRING THIS TO YOU ALL.
GUEST SPEAKERS WILL SHARE EXPERT INSIGHT AND STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN.
AS A FORMER CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE INVESTIGATOR, WE GOT REAL STORIES.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE IN DISBELIEF THAT CHILD SEXUAL
[00:55:02]
ABUSE DOESN'T EXIST.WELL, LET'S BRING THE EXPERTS IN.
AND LET'S ALSO BRING THE EXPERTS IN WHO, IF SOMEONE DOES OUTCRY, WE HAVE RESOURCES FOR THEM ON THE SPOT.
TWO, PARENTING YOUTH WORKSHOP WITH SAFETY RESOURCES WILL HELP FAMILIES PROTECT CHILDREN.
NOT ONLY IS IT AN EDUCATIONAL MOMENT, BUT WE'RE PUTTING IT TO THE TEST.
AND WE'RE PUTTING IN THE WORK.
SO ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS WILL BE HOW TO CREATE.
WE GOT A PLAN FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT WHAT IF SOMETHING, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MOM, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO DAD? WHAT'S THE PLAN? FAMILY, CHILDREN, KIDS.
SO WE WORK THROUGH THAT PLAN, AND OF COURSE FAMILIES CAN ADD ON TO THE PLAN, BUT WHAT THE WORKSHOP IS ABOUT IS PLANNING WHEN YOU FEEL ABUSED, WHEN YOU FEEL VIOLATED.
WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT YOU NEED TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU'RE UNSAFE.
SO THAT IS WHAT THE WORKSHOP IS ABOUT AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN WE WILL BRING.
AND THREE, COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS WILL ENCOURAGE OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS WILL ENCOURAGE OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT CHILD SAFETY.
THE WAY WE HEAL, THE WAY WE BECOME A PRINCETON COMMUNITY IS BY HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
AND AS MYSELF AND MY TEAM WILL OPEN THE EYES THAT IT'S NOT A CRINGY CONVERSATION, IT'S NOT A ONE-TIME OR RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU KNOW ABOUT OR YOU HAVE, REPHRASE THAT, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU REMEMBER THE BIRDS AND THE BEES CONVERSATION.
WELL THE GOOD THING IS, BIRDS IN THE BEES IS AN OLD TIME SAYING THAT FAMILIES USE TO TALK ABOUT BODY PARTS.
AND SO, BUT IT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT BODY PARTS BECAUSE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IS ALSO ABOUT GROOMING.
SO WE HAVE THE OPEN CONVERSATION ABOUT, HEY, MY CHILD IS GOING THROUGH THIS.
MY CHILD IS PLAYING A VIDEO GAME.
OH, I'M CONCERNED THAT MY CHILD IS ISOLATED.
IF WE'RE CREATING THESE SAFETIES, WE CAN LEAN ON EACH OTHER.
PARENTS CAN SEE WARNING SIGNS IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S CHILD BEFORE THEY SEE THEIR OWN.
AND IT JUST CREATES THAT DIALOGUE.
AND THEN HOW THE BRAIN OF A CHILD WORKS, THEY ONLY THINK THEY GET IN TROUBLE AT HOME OR AN ADULT'S GOING TO SAY SOMETHING AT HOME.
BUT WE'RE BUILDING A COMMUNITY.
YOUNG PERSON, YOUNG MAN, YOU SHOULD FIND A BETTER WAY TO DO THAT.
I'M GOING TO KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
SO DON'T COME IN THIS PUBLIC PLACE.
DON'T SAY THESE THINGS ONLINE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL KEEPING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
AND ONE THING FOR SURE, A CHILD DOESN'T WANT TO DISRESPECT THEIR PARENT.
SO THE COMMUNITY DISCUSSION, THIS IS JUST THE INITIAL CONVERSATION, BUT IT ENCOURAGES MORE.
IN PERSON AND ALSO IN PLATFORMS. ALL RIGHT, BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY.
OF COURSE, THE COMMUNITY HAS TO LEAVE WHAT IT WAS WORTH BEING HERE TODAY.
IT WAS WORTH SHOWING UP WHEN I COULD HAVE BEEN DOING X, Y, AND Z IN MY BED TRAVELING TO DALLAS, BUT I GOT READY WITH MY KIDS, WITH MY FAMILY, SEEING MY COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE THIS BENEFIT.
SUPPORT AND EMPOWERS FAMILIES WITH KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO CHILD ABUSE.
IT'S NOT FOREIGN, BUT WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S FOREIGN IS HOW PEOPLE RESPOND AND HOW THEY SHOULD RESPOND.
SO THEY CAN LEAVE THERE KNOWING THAT, HEY, IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO MY CHILD, I KNOW WHAT TO DO.
TWO, PROMOTES AWARENESS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES THROUGHOUT THE PRINCETON COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A BIG ONE BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT HOW ABUSE COULD BE VIRTUALLY.
THAT'S SOMETHING FOREIGN, BUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IS NOT.
BUT WHEN WE PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, WE CREATE A MORE SAFE COMMUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND ALSO FOR OUR FAMILIES.
AND THE THIRD ONE HELPS CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN BY BUILDING A NETWORK OF INFORMED, EDUCATED.
WISE, TRUSTED ADULTS FOR THE CHILDREN.
OKAY, EXPECTED IMPACT, COMMUNITY IMPACT, BRINGING FAMILIES TOGETHER TO PROTECT CHILDREN, EXPERT GUIDANCE, LEARNING FROM CHILD SAFETY PROFESSIONALS, PRACTICAL RESOURCES, PROVIDING TOOLS FAMILIES CAN
[01:00:05]
USE IMMEDIATELY, LASTING AWARENESS, STRENGTHENING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHILD PROTECTION.AND LASTLY, EMPOWERED PARENTS, EQUIPPING FAMILIES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE.
WHEN A CHILD KNOWS THAT FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ARE BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW A CHILD SHOULD LIVE, BE, SURVIVE, NEEDS MET, THEY TAKE ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY LIKE, HEY, I KNOW MY MOM'S WORKING HARD FOR ME.
I KNOW MY DAD IS WORKING HARD FOR ME.
MY NEIGHBORS ALSO CARE FOR ME.
THEY WILL MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
ALL RIGHT, FOR YOU ALL, PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.
PARTNER WITH US TO ORGANIZE AND PROMOTE THIS EVENT AND EXPAND ITS IMPACT FOR PRINCETON FAMILIES.
TWO, PROVIDE VENUE SUPPORT AND CONSIDER SPONSORSHIP TO HELP EXPAND CHILD SAFETY EDUCATION.
WE ALL KNOW WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER IT'S A GREATER IMPACT.
WE ALSO KNOW WHEN SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY AND KNOWS SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS SOMEBODY IT BRINGS THE TRUST AND BRINGS THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY OUT.
TO BELIEVE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS WORTH MY TIME.
THREE, AMPLIFY OUTREACH TO REACH MORE PRINCETON FAMILIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT.
BUT I KNOW WITH THE SEED OF A CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION AWARENESS EVENT, IT'S GOING TO FLOURISH IN TWO WAYS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, OUR CHILDREN HAPPY, THE PREDATORS AWAY.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BUILDING A SAFER COMMUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS, ONE, FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A TEACHER.
I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH EACH AND EVERY DAY.
I'VE LIVED IT THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN TEACHING OUR YOUNG KIDS AND HELPING THE NEXT GENERATION COME UP.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING BOLD ENOUGH TO COME OUT HERE AND PRESENT TONIGHT TO TRY TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIVE IN BETTER.
BEFORE YOU STEP AWAY FROM THE MIC, DOES ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT TO ASK MS. WILLIAMS? I JUST HAVE A STATEMENT.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEBSITE THAT SHOWS WHERE CHILD MOLESTERS LIVE, THERE ARE PLENTY IN PRINCETON, AND THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO OUR SCHOOLS WHERE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.
ABSOLUTELY, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I'M ALSO AN ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN.
I DID OUTREACH IN DALLAS AND TO WATCH A 16 YEAR OLD GIRL GET TRAUMATIZED, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES EMOTIONALLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES PHYSICALLY, AND DEFINITELY WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES SPIRITUALLY.
TO SEE THAT AND TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A HELPING HAND, THAT WAS AN EYE OPENER.
SO EVEN WORKING PART OF PRINCETON ISD AND WORKING WITH KIDS.
THE CRY IS NOT SO MUCH LOOK AT ME, THE CRY IS ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? THE KIDS JUST WANT TO BE HEARD.
THEY WANT TO BE HEARD THE RIGHT WAY.
THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY MATTER, THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE IS NOT JUST CARING, BUT SOMEONE OUT THERE GOT THEIR BEST INTERESTS.
KIDS WANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH 13 YEAR OLDS, 12 YEAR OLDS, EVEN 11 YEAR OLDS.
WHO TRANSITION FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT IS NEW TO THEM.
AND SO AS WE SIT UP HERE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISION, AND AS YOU, MS. WILLIAMS, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE TO SPEAK UP FOR THOSE WHO ARE HUSHED, I COMMEND YOU FOR IT.
IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL.
[01:05:01]
AS I SAID EARLIER, I'VE SEEN YOUR WORK, AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT THIS IS HERE BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED.ALSO, BEING A CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE WORKER IN THE PAST, I KNOW THE DEPTHS OF IT.
AND SO I WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
AND SO I'M, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP, EVEN ME ON THE PERSONAL SIDE, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT.
SO I GUESS NEXT STEPS WOULD BE FOR...
JIM, WHAT HAVE WE BEEN ASKED FOR? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE NOT DO? AND LET'S GO FROM THERE.
I WAS JUST TALKING TO KEVIN ABOUT THAT.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THE FACILITY FREE OF CHARGE.
CASH SPONSORSHIPS GET INTO THAT GRAY AREA BECAUSE IT'S NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO WHAT WE ARE CHARTERED TO DO IN THE LAW.
BUT I THINK, AND I'LL CERTAINLY LET HIM SPEAK AS WELL, BUT...
WE CAN ABSOLUTELY PROVIDE THE FACILITY IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO SO.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO FOR LIKE A SMALL GRANT OR CASH OPTION THAT WOULD PAY FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT MAYBE SHE NEEDS BOOKS FOR THE EVENT, MAYBE SHE NEEDS A SPEAKER FOR THE EVENT, CAN WE GO THAT ROUTE, SOMEWHERE ALONG THOSE LINES? THAT WILL FIT INTO OUR GUIDELINES.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU EARN YOUR MONEY TONIGHT.
BOY, IT REALLY KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE YOU'RE LIMITED TO, YOU KNOW, USING, YOU KNOW, EVEN YOUR PROMOTIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE MIGHT BE...
SOMETHING BUT I THINK MY FEAR IS IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SO LIMITING ON WHAT THE USE WOULD BE I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD PRACTICALLY WORK BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE TO YEAH DOING SPONSORSHIPS LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE SPONSORING CHAMBER WITH THE NEW BUSINESSES AND THAT KIND OF THING.
THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANIMAL AND AS MUCH AS THIS IS A GREAT PEOPLE AND GREAT WORK ORGANIZATION I JUST DON'T THINK THE THE LAW WILL ALLOW US TO DO A DIRECT GRANT SO SO DOING SOMETHING MORE INDIRECT LIKE THE USE OF THE FACILITY AT NO CHARGE I THINK IS REALLY PROBABLY THE BEST AND FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT THE SAFEST WAY TO DO THAT.
I THINK IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO AT SOME POINT DO A SIMILAR KIND OF SPONSORSHIP, THEY WOULD BE MORE FREE TO DO THAT KIND OF THING.
IT'S JUST THE LAW IS JUST A LITTLE TRICKY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT DOESN'T FALL ON THE COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS LINE, THAT WE COULD USE SOMETHING FROM THERE? I'D HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT, AGAIN, JUST WALKING IN THE DOOR TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I REALLY CAN'T GIVE YOU A SOLID OPINION TONIGHT.
I WOULD REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IT SOME MORE.
I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE IT SOME MORE AND SEE WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO, OPINION, WITHOUT HAVING REALLY EXPLORED IT ANY FURTHER.
BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY DEFINITE NO AT THIS POINT.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE CAN GO FROM THAT.
BUT AS JIM SAID, I THINK THE USE OF FACILITY IS A GOOD START.
THANK YOU, KYLIE, FOR YOUR WISDOM.
OKAY, SO I SUGGEST IF WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE YOUNG CENTER AND ALSO IN THAT MOTION THAT WE DO THE RESEARCH TO SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF FUNDING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS LINE.
ONE SECOND BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO A MOTION.
SO CAN YOU TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT ARE YOU REQUESTING? YES, SO THE FIRST REQUEST WAS GRANTED.
OKAY, SO WHAT IS THE, JIM? DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION ON HOW ALL STAND OR WHAT? YEAH, WE WOULD JUST NEED TO KNOW HOW OFTEN YOU WANT TO USE IT, WHAT DAYS OF THE WEEK.
FRIDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS ARE BLACKED OUT, SO WE CAN'T DO IT FRIDAY, SATURDAY, OR SUNDAY.
BUT DURING THE WEEK, WE CAN HOST THE EVENT.
AND WE JUST NEED TO KNOW HOW OFTEN, WHICH DAYS, BECAUSE THE FACILITY IS BEING PROGRAMMED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S ONLINE, AND SO ITS RESERVATIONS CHANGE REAL TIME.
AND SO WE'LL JUST NEED TO GET WE'LL HAVE TO COORDINATE TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT.
SO IF YOU CAN LET US KNOW HOW MANY DAYS FOR HOW MANY HOURS YOU WANT TO USE IT.
[01:10:01]
IS THIS A ONE-TIME EVENT YOU'RE REQUESTING? THE GOAL IS TO BE MONTHLY, ONE TIME A MONTH.OKAY, THE GOAL IS TO BE ONE TIME A MONTH.
SO ARE YOU REQUESTING ONE TIME A MONTH NOW OR ARE YOU REQUESTING RIGHT NOW JUST A ONE-TIME EVENT TO SEE HOW IT GOES AND WE GO FROM THERE? YES.
SO INITIALLY IS THE ONE-TIME EVENT TO SEE HOW IT GOES FROM THERE AND THEN THE GOAL TO MAKE THE GREATER IMPACT IS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.
WHAT IS THE DATE OF THE ONE-TIME EVENT THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING NOW OR ARE YOU JUST REQUESTING SAYING, HEY, CAN I GET A DATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE AVAILABLE AND WE GO FROM THERE? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET ALL THE DUCKS IN THE ROW SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO WITH THE MONTH OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION THIS MONTH, IDEALLY IT WILL BE MAY, BUT PRINCETON COMMUNITY IS, I MEAN, WILL BE APRIL, BUT PRINCETON COMMUNITY IS BUSY.
SO THE GOAL WILL BE NEXT MONTH IN THE MONTH OF MAY, AND IDEALLY IT COULD BE THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE.
SO, HOW LONG DO THESE TWO REALLY LAST? I MEAN, IS IT USUALLY A MORNING EVENT? IS IT A, BECAUSE WE'RE COMING UP ON TIME FOR KIDS BEING OUT OF SCHOOL, SO YOU MAY EVEN BE ABLE TO DO A MORNING EVENT DURING THE WEEK OR WHATEVER.
MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOUGHER FOR THE PARENTS, BUT, AND AGAIN, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO ASK SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN FACILITATE.
YEAH, LIKE, WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? FRIDAYS? LIKE, JUST? SATURDAY.
THAT'S WHERE WE CAN GET THE MOST IMPACT FROM FAMILIES.
I THINK YOU JUST NEED TO HIT THE BUTTON AND CUT IT BACK ON.
SO, YES, OUR INITIAL EVENT, WE WOULD LIKE A SATURDAY.
AND THEN AS MOVING FORWARD, WE'D LIKE IT ONE TIME A WEEK.
YOU INFORMED ME THAT THE DAYS OF THE WEEK, THE WEEKENDS ARE BOOKED FOR ONGOING, SO MAYBE LIKE A THURSDAY EVENING.
BUT THE FIRST ONE WOULD LIKE A SATURDAY.
AND WHAT TIME FRAME ON A SATURDAY WOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR? 10 TO 2.
SO MR. CHAIR, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, WE HAVE ONE OTHER TO RECAP WITH THE BOARD, AND THIS WILL BE HELPFUL FOR YOU ALL, IS THAT...
WE JUST FINISHED RENOVATING THE FACILITY TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $400,000 AND WE DO LEASE IT OUT TO CITIZENS AT LARGE.
AND SO THE BOARD HAD MADE A DECISION TO BLACK OUT FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY FOR FREE EVENTS.
AND WE WOULD, BECAUSE THOSE ARE WHEN WE HAVE ALL OF OUR WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAYS, AND WHEN THEY DO THOSE, THEY HAVE TO USE THE ENTIRE FACILITY.
BECAUSE THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS GROW AND YOU DON'T WANT THEM IN THE BUILDING WITH ANOTHER EVENT.
YOU DON'T WANT A BUNCH OF EIGHT-YEAR-OLD KIDS USING PART OF IT AND HAVING A WEDDING IN THE OTHER PART THAT USUALLY DOESN'T MIX VERY WELL.
BUT WE DID COME UP WITH A MIDDLE GROUND IS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO, IF IT'S BOOKED FOR A WEEKEND, I'M SORRY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT ON A WEEKEND, YOU HAVE TO BOOK IT TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
WE HAD A SATURDAY THAT WAS NOT BOOKED TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
WE WOULD OPEN IT UP TO A POSSIBLE, BUT THAT ONLY GIVES YOU TWO WEEKS TO PUT TOGETHER THE EVENT, PROMOTE IT, AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE DOWNSIDE TO THAT.
COULD THE BOARD MAKE A DECISION AND, WELL, THE BOARD CAN MAKE WHATEVER DECISION THEY WANT ON THIS BUILDING BECAUSE YOU OWN THE BUILDING, LITERALLY.
BUT I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE HER SOME TIME.
BUT WE WOULDN'T KNOW IF IT'S NOT BOOKED ON THAT SATURDAY UNTIL TWO WEEKS BEFORE.
THE POLICY THAT THIS BOARD APPROVED AND SO NOW THE BOARD COULD ON A ONE-OFF SAY LOOK IF YOU PICK A DATE IN MAY AND WE'LL JUST LET CHASE AND PARKS AND REC KNOW IT'S TAKEN ON THAT DATE YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT YOU OWN THE BUILDING.
MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SET ASIDE A DAY SO THAT THEY CAN USE THE BUILDING.
CAN Y'ALL CLARIFY THE SET ASIDE A SATURDAY? YEAH YEAH YEAH.
SO HOLD ON BEFORE WE GET THE MOTION MADE, WHERE WE GET IT RIGHT.
SO, JIM, WE'RE JUST MAKING A MOTION TO BLOCK OUT, TO GIVE YOU DIRECTION TO GO BLOCK OUT A DATE ON A SATURDAY FOR THIS EVENT.
YEP, YOU'RE AUTHORIZING ME TO ALLOW FREE USAGE ON A SATURDAY.
AND THEN I'LL WORK THE DETAILS OUT WITH THE USER.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE BLOCK OUT A SATURDAY.
SO THAT YOU CAN USE THE DEAF BALL IN THE CENTER FOR YOUR YOUNG AND VIBRATING THANK YOU A SECOND THAT MOTION IS THAT
[01:15:02]
MOTION CLEAR ENOUGH AND GOOD? ALL RIGHT.I GOT A MOTION MADE BY MS. MARY LEWIS AND SECOND BY MR. THORNTON.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU EVER FIGURE OUT HOW TO BOTTLE AND SELL YOUR ENERGY, I'M IN.
BECAUSE I'M GETTING OLD AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE WORN DOWN HERE.
YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO ASK, SO IT HAS TO HAPPEN.
A LOT OF PARENTS STRUGGLE WITH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
WELL, ALL FAMILIES HAVE VALUES.
SO I CREATED A LIST OF VALUES THAT YOU CAN ADD ON TO YOUR FAMILY AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, BUT IT IS CENTERED AROUND.
HOW TO PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, AND HOW TO FEEL EMPOWERED ABOUT YOUR MIND, BODY, AND SOUL.
SO TAKE THIS, SHARE THIS, AND ALSO MY CONTACT INFORMATION BECAUSE, AS SOMEONE SAID, I'VE BEEN AROUND.
SO I BRING A LOT OF AWARENESS ON INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.
SO I AM INVITING YOU TO JOIN THOSE CHANNELS WITH ME AND SHARE THE EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY AS WE PREPARE FOR THE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
ALL RIGHTY, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
J5-2026-020, PRINCETON-LOWRY CROSSLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HEAR AN UPDATE PRESENTATION BY THE PRINCETON-LOWRY CROSSING CHAMBER, RECURRING SPONSORSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS,
[J5. 2026-020 Princeton/Lowry Crossing Chamber of Commerce Hear an update presentation by the Princeton/Lowry Crossing Chamber on current sponsorships and partnerships, and consider, discuss, and act on possible changes.]
AND CONSIDER DISCUSSING THE ACT ON POSSIBLE CHANGES.GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
BETH WILHITE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE PRINCETON-LOWRY CROSSING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE LAST YEAR.
AND WE WILL JUST GET RIGHT TO IT.
SO A FEW OF THE EVENTS THAT WE AS A CHAMBER PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE DO A HYDRATION DRIVE BOTH FOR LOWRY CROSSING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT'S GOING ON THIS MONTH.
NEXT MONTH I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO PRINCETON, HAVE ONE FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON FIRE AND POLICE.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE VFW ON SEVERAL EVENTS, PLACING FLAGS AT THE CEMETERY TO HONOR OUR VETERANS FOR MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERANS DAY.
THIS YEAR WE WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA, WHICH IS IN LOWRY CROSSING.
WE ALSO ATTEND VETERANS DAY SERVICE AT THE VFWD VETERANS DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY.
THEY ALSO SERVE AT OUR ANNUAL BANQUET EVERY YEAR.
AND LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THEM AND THE CITY FOR THE DAY OF PURPOSE.
SO IF YOU'VE NOT FILLED OUT YOUR VOLUNTEER FORM FOR MAY 2ND, WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.
JUST TO VOLUNTEER TOGETHER IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AS A CHAMBER, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE LIONS CLUB, AND THE LIONS CLUB DOES THE ONION FESTIVAL, WHICH RAISES MONEY TO HELP KIDDOS HAVE THE GLASSES THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE.
I'M A LITTLE PARTIAL TO THOSE MYSELF.
AND THAT'S JUST A REALLY GOOD EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WE ALSO PARTICIPATE WITH TOYS FOR TOTS.
WE'RE A DROP-OFF FOR THAT, AND WE SUPPORT THE PRINCETON GIVES.
FORMERLY KNOWN AS ANGEL TREE HERE IN PRINCETON, NOT ONLY DID WE SPONSOR KIDS, BUT WE ALSO SHOPPED FOR SOME KIDS AS WELL.
THEY HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT GIVE MONEY, BUT THEY NEED BODIES TO GO OUT AND BUY THOSE PRESENTS.
SO SHOPPING WITH SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY IS FUN.
IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THAT, THEY ALWAYS NEED HELP, AND IT'S FUN TO GO TOGETHER.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY, BUT IT'S FUN TO KNOW THAT.
YOU'RE HELPING FAMILIES THAT MAY HAVE HIT A DIFFICULT TIME.
REALLY QUICK, HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, WHAT WAS IT FORMERLY CALLED? ANGEL TREE.
ANGEL TREE, BUT THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE NAME, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
SO I ALWAYS SEE THE EMAILS COME ACROSS FOR THOSE.
DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS FOR THE KIDS TO GET THE TOYS AND THINGS LIKE THEY NEED? I ALWAYS SEE THE EMAILS IN THE COUNTDOWN.
WE'RE SHORT X AMOUNT OF GIFTS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH,
[01:20:06]
THINGS LIKE THAT.I KNOW AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GROWS AT A RAPID RATE, JUST LIKE THE CITY, ARE THEY HAVING ENOUGH? ARE THE LION CLUBS HAVING ENOUGH FUNDING COMING THROUGH TO HELP WITH THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SERVE? SO LAST YEAR, AND I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT DOWN TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU, BUT THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE WENT UP FROM THE YEAR BEFORE WAS ALMOST SCARY OF HOW MANY KIDS WERE IN THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE DAUNTING STARTING OUT, BUT THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT LOVE TO GIVE BACK TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO THEY JUST, I MEAN, THEY WERE AT THE LAST MINUTE STILL MAKING CALLS.
WE HAVE THIS MANY HUNDRED MORE KIDS THAT NEED TO BE ADOPTED, AND COMMUNITY PEOPLE, BUSINESSES CAME THROUGH AND MADE IT HAPPEN.
SO AS FAR AS I KNOW, EVERY KID THAT APPLIED TO BE IN THAT PROGRAM WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
NOW, YOUR POINT IS VERY CORRECT.
NEXT CHRISTMAS, IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A BIT MORE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF HELP KEEP YOU GUYS IN THE LOOP WITH THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONNECTION DIRECTLY WITH LIONS CLUB.
BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THEY HAVE THE MONEY.
NOW THEY NEED THE MANPOWER TO PURCHASE IT.
THEY ALSO DO FOOD BOXES AS WELL.
SO ANY FOOD DRIVE THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY OF PRINCETON, AND IF IT COULD DONATE THAT PROGRAM.
BECAUSE SOME, YOU KNOW, AROUND THAT TIME OF YEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DO A FOOD DRIVE FOR A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION AND THEN NOW LIONS CLUB HAS TO GO GET THE FOOD FROM THERE TO BE ABLE TO DONATE.
SO KNOWING THAT THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING HERE, ALL COME TOGETHER AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH CHRISTIAN MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE THAT'S HERE IN PRINCETON.
THEY DO A TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCH EVERY YEAR, AND AS YOU SAID, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GROWING.
WHEN THEY STARTED, IT WAS A FEW HUNDRED STAFF MEMBERS, AND LAST YEAR THEY FED 1,300 TEACHERS IN TWO DAYS.
SO THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER, AND SO THEY REACHED OUT TO THE CHAMBER TO COME ALONG, AND BUSINESSES WERE THERE TO HELP SERVE.
THEY DO RAFFLES THAT DAY TO THE TEACHERS AND JUST TO KIND OF HELP BRING IN GIFT CARDS AND JUST THANK THE TEACHERS FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO IT HAS GROWN AND IT WILL GROW AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THE CHAMBER ALSO HAS THE PRINCETON-LOWRY CROSSING CHAMBER FOUNDATION.
UNDER THE FOUNDATION, WE HAVE THE BUSINESS CENTER.
THAT IS THE BUILDING WHERE THE CHAMBER OFFICE IS.
THERE ARE SIX OTHER BUSINESSES THAT HAVE AN OFFICE SPACE THERE.
THIS ALLOWS A SMALLER BUSINESS TO HAVE AN OFFICE AND NOT HAVE TO CARRY ALL THAT OVERHEAD.
IT'S KIND OF SHARED AMONGST ALL OF US.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE YOU TO COME BY AND VISIT.
THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS WE PARTNER WITH THE PRINCETON ART DEPARTMENT AND THEY PROVIDE ART FOR US EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT WILL HANG IN THE BUSINESS CENTER FOR A YEAR.
AT THE END OF THAT TIME, THE ART IS SOLD AND WE ARE NOW IN CONVERSATIONS.
THAT MONEY WAS GOING BACK TO THE ART DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE NOW IN CONVERSATIONS OF TURNING THAT INTO A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A STUDENT THAT'S IN THE ART PROGRAM.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE BUSINESS CENTER AND YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THAT ART, IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
I'M LIKE, OH, THIS IS MY FAVORITE.
WE JUST HUNG UP NEW ART THIS WEEK.
AND NEXT YEAR, I'M SURE I'LL SEE IT.
AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT HASN'T? HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE BUSINESS CENTER? YOU HAVEN'T BEEN? MR. CHAIRMAN, IT LOOKS LIKE YES, YOU ARE.
OKAY, OKAY, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
NOT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BETH, BUT TO HER POINT ABOUT THE ART, THIS ART ISN'T GOOD FOR A STUDENT.
I WAS, BY LAST WEEK, MEETING WITH HER, AND THE ART HAD JUST COME IN.
AND I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS BY STUDENTS.
I'M LIKE, WOW, THIS IS GOOD BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE STUDENTS DO IT.
THEY WERE ABLE TO COME BY THIS WEEK AND WE HAD SOME CHAMBER BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE ABLE TO BE THERE AND SOME OTHER CHAMBER MEMBERS BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR US, FOR ME.
WHEN THE ART TEACHER EMAILS IT'S READY, I'M LIKE, IT'S LIKE A KID AT CHRISTMAS.
I'M A HOT MESS UNTIL HE GETS THERE BECAUSE I'M LIKE, OH, HE'S BRINGING THE ART.
I LOVE IT AND I LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM WHAT THEY DO IS AMAZING AND IT'S VALUED AND THEY EVEN HAD SOME PARENTS COME THIS YEAR AND THEY WERE SO PROUD IT WAS I'M GETTING CHILLS ALL OVER IT WAS A REALLY GREAT DAY I WOULD LOVE TO PERSONALLY INVITE YOU TO PLEASE COME BY THE BUSINESS CENTER AND TAKE A TOUR
[01:25:01]
OF THE ART AND THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE AVAILABLE.AND THEN, OF COURSE, UNDER THE FOUNDATION, WE DO THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH, AND IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, THE NEW PROGRAM PARTNERING WITH YOU ALL TO DO THE MAYOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WHICH WILL BE UNDER THE FOUNDATION AS WELL.
ALSO, THE BUSINESS TOOLBOX IS A NEW SERIES THAT WE ARE DOING THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE OF AN EDUCATION TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE STARTING WITH A SOCIAL MEDIA CLASS AND WE WILL BE BRANCHING INTO OTHER THINGS, QUICKBOOKS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT JUST TO HELP THE SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT EDUCATION AND ALSO A FORM OF NETWORKING TOO THROUGH THAT.
WE ALSO, SO ANOTHER NEW THING, WE STARTED THE CHAMBER 101.
YOU MENTIONED ONBOARDING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS IS KIND OF LIKE AN ONBOARDING FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS, OR THEY COULD HAVE BEEN A CHAMBER MEMBER FOR A LONG TIME BUT NOT USING THEIR BENEFITS TO THE FULL MAX THAT THEY CAN.
SO JUST KIND OF GOING OVER THOSE THINGS WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS THAT LOVE ART, AND SO THEY PARTNERED WITH US TO DO HOLIDAY CARDS FOR THE PRINCETON MEDICAL LODGE.
WE DID IT AT A BUSINESS AFTER HOURS.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF HOURS AND SHE TOLD US OUR GOAL IS 150.
SHE TOLD THEM OUR GOAL WAS 150.
SO EVERYBODY THAT WAS THERE PARTICIPATED.
SHE HAD DIE CUTS ALL READY TO GO.
SO THEY JUST HAD TO GLUE AND STICK.
SO EVEN THE GENTLEMEN THAT CAME OUT THAT EVENING PARTICIPATED.
SO IT WAS A FUN PROGRAM TO DO TOGETHER TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE NETWORKING EVENTS TO HELP OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER.
SO AS A CHAMBER MEMBER, ANY BUSINESS AND BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND LEARN, OR BUSINESS AFTER HOURS THAT YOU ARE AVAILABLE, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL EVENTS, THE ANNUAL BANQUET AND CASINO NIGHT.
THE ANNUAL BANQUET ALSO IS OUR ANNUAL MEETING, SO WE ADDRESS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SHARING HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO LAY THAT DOWN.
BUT WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO HONOR DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S ALWAYS FUN THAT EVENING BECAUSE WE GET THEM THERE.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA THEY'RE RECEIVING AN AWARD.
AND YOU CAN SEE THEM LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM LIKE, OH, WHO IS THAT? OR WHAT BUSINESS IS THAT? AND THEN I SAY THEIR NAME AND IT'S LIKE, WAIT, WHAT? BUT IT'S JUST, THAT'S A FUN THING FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO HONOR, HONOR BOTH BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS.
THE BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AGAIN IS AN ANNUAL EVENT, CANDIDATE FORUM, OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT.
AND SO FOR YOU ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR CONTINUING YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH US BY BEING A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER.
THEY NOTICE THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND IT MEANS A LOT TO THEM.
BOARD MEMBER MS. SAMUEL IS ABLE TO ATTEND EVENTS, AND IT MEANS A LOT.
PEOPLE MAKE COMMENTS THAT THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE THERE, SO THEY DO NOTICE.
FOR THE GOLF TOURNAMENT, YOU ALL SPONSORED THE HAT LAST YEAR, AND WE ARE STILL GETTING COMPLIMENTS ON THAT HAT.
BRAG, BUT THOSE THINGS WERE LEGIT.
AND WE HAD DIFFERENT COLOR OPTIONS, WHICH IT'S FUNNY TO SEE GROWN MEN GET EXCITED ABOUT GETTING TO PICK WHAT COLOR HAT THEY WANT.
BUT IT'S STILL IT'S STILL A HIGHLIGHT OF THAT DAY SO APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND THEN THE BIGGEST WAY THAT WE PARTNERED LAST YEAR WAS WITH THE BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AND OH AND SO JUST TO KIND OF UPDATE YOU ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THIS YEAR IN THE PAST WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE A THANK YOU, VANNA.
YESTERDAY WAS HER ONE-YEAR WORKIVERSARY WITH THE CHAMBER.
YOU MENTIONED BEING IN MUNICIPAL LAW FOR 30 YEARS, AND I LOOKED AT HER AND I WAS LIKE, GIRL, WE GOT 29 TO GO.
BUT IN THE PAST, WE'VE DONE THE DRAWSTRING BAG.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO DO A LOT IN THE CLEAR BAGS, A LOT OF EVENTS, AND EVEN HERE AT OUR STADIUM, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A CLEAR BAG.
SO WE WANTED THE KIDS TO HAVE SOMETHING THEY COULD USE MORE THAN JUST TO TAKE THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL BATCH SUPPLIES HOME IN.
BUT AS YOU SEE, WE SAY WE GIVE YOU A BACKPACK OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
NOW, NO ONE'S EVER CALLED US OUT ON THAT, BUT IT'S NOT A BACKPACK.
SO OUR GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO HAVE AN ACTUAL BACKPACK.
IT HAS A CUTE LITTLE WATER POUCH HERE.
[01:30:01]
WELL.IF YOUR WATER BOTTLE IS THAT SMALL, THE KIDS I SEE WALKING AROUND HAVE THOSE GREAT BIG THINGS.
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE THE PRINCETON LOGO ON THE FRONT.
BUT THIS BEAUTIFUL, CLEAR, ACTUAL BACKPACK IS OVER TWICE AS MUCH AS THIS ONE.
SO TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE STUDENTS, IT'S GOING TO BE A FINANCIAL UNDERTAKING.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO DO, WE INITIALLY THOUGHT, OKAY, WE'LL JUST TRY TO DO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WOULD RATHER DO ALL OF THEM THE SAME BAG.
IT WOULD BE REALLY EASY FOR US AND THE PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER TO HELP US.
AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SAY, HERE IS YOUR BACKPACK OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST YEAR, THE COMMITTEE, AFTER THE SCHOOL BASH WAS OVER, WAS THAT THE SUPPLIES WE PUT IN THE BACKPACKS BE QUALITY SUPPLIES.
BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SO MUCH, I MEAN, WE'RE NEEDING LIKE 15,000 PENCILS, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE KIND OF MAGNITUDE WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE DO TRY TO SHOP SMART AND CUT COSTS WHERE WE CAN, AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS QUALITY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU USE A CRAYOLA CRAYON, IT'S DIFFERENT, AND IT COSTS TWICE AS MUCH AS ANOTHER BOX OF CRAYONS.
SO WE UNDERSTAND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE QUANTITY THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
BUT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GIVE THEM A QUALITY ITEM TO BE ABLE TO USE AT SCHOOL.
WE'VE ALSO PULLED THE SUPPLY LIST THAT WE COULD GET TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THOSE, KIND OF THOSE HIGHER-PRICED ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE LIST TO HELP FAMILIES A LITTLE MORE.
FIFTEEN-CENT FOLDER, MAYBE THEY CAN HANDLE THAT.
SO WHAT'S THE BIGGER-PRICED ITEM THAT WE CAN PULL AND TRY TO HELP OUR FAMILIES? SO WITH THAT BEING SAID...
JUST AS WE SAT DOWN AND PUNCHED THE NUMBERS IN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, OUR GOAL THIS YEAR IS ACTUALLY TO RAISE $30,000.
WE'RE NOT UPPING THE NUMBER OF BACKPACKS YET.
EVEN AT THE EVENT LAST YEAR, AT THE EVENT WE DID NOT GIVE AWAY ALL THE BACKPACKS.
THE NEXT WEEK THE CITY HAS AN EVENT, WE TOOK SOME BACKPACKS THERE.
AND THEN AT THE TEACHER LUNCHEON WHERE WE WERE, WE ACTUALLY GAVE THEM.
AWAY TO SOME OF THE TEACHERS THERE, ESPECIALLY THE NEW, LIKE, FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FEW SUPPLIES IN THEIR ROOM.
SHOOT, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WAS GOING TO SAY.
SO ANYWAY, AS YOU, SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE BACK TO SCHOOL BASH, SO WE ALSO DO FREE HAIRCUTS, FREE VISION SCREENINGS.
VENDOR THERE LAST YEAR WHO TALKED TO US ABOUT POSSIBLY DOING FREE HEARING SCREENINGS IF WE CAN FIND A ROOM QUITE ENOUGH FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT I REMEMBER WHAT I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR IT'S BEEN AT SOUTHERD THE LAST TWO YEARS WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOM THERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR PARKING WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ALSO OPEN IT UP TO VENDORS IN THE COMMUNITY YOUNG AND VIBRANT HAS BEEN THERE THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AS WELL AS OTHER VENDORS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND SET UP AND BE IN FRONT OF THE FAMILIES.
WE DO ASK THAT WHATEVER THEY BRING THAT DAY IT'S FREE TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THIS WILL GIVE US ROOM TO HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE VENDORS TO BE THERE FOR THE FAMILIES TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AND HAVE THE SPACE.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE'RE GOING TO MOVE BECAUSE WE HAVE REDONE THOSE SIGNS FOUR YEARS.
BUT THIS IS, WE'RE JUST KICKING OFF TALKING ABOUT THE BACK TO SCHOOL BASH, SO WE'RE JUST STARTING OUR FUNDRAISING.
MY GOAL WILL BE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE MONEY IN BY THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, SO WE CAN START ORDERING SOME SUPPLIES.
SOME THINGS WE WON'T PURCHASE UNTIL AFTER JULY 4TH. THAT'S WHEN THE SALES START ON SOME ITEMS. SO WE WILL STILL WAIT UNTIL CLOSER TO THEN, BUT TO HAVE THE MONEY IN BY THEN SO WE CAN GET STARTED.
THE BACKPACKS, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND ORDER.
LAST WEEK BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THEM TO GET HERE.
BUT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER, YOU CAN SCAN THAT QR CODE, AND IT WILL GET YOU ON THE CHAMBER NEWSLETTER WHERE YOU GET THAT INFORMATION.
IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
AND I WOULD, OF COURSE, INVITE YOU TO COME BY THE BUSINESS CENTER AND TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON OVER THERE.
BUT AGAIN, YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH US, YOUR MEMBERSHIP, YOUR FAITH IN YOUR CHAMBER, THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE STARTED WITH THE MAYOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WE'VE
[01:35:01]
SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS INTERVIEWING THOSE STUDENTS.WE HAVE, NOT ONLY ARE THEY TALENTED, WE HAVE SOME AMAZING STUDENTS IN THIS CITY AND THEY ARE, THEY'RE GOING TO KILL IT.
THEY'RE GOING TO ABSOLUTELY KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK AND TO BE A PART OF EVEN A FEW WEEKS OF THEIR LIFE IS, IT'S GOING TO BE AN HONOR.
SO YOU HAVE DONE AN AMAZING THING IN DOING THIS AND I CAN'T, I CAN'T WAIT FOR Y'ALL TO MEET THEM.
HEY, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK BETH FOR HELPING AND TAKING ON THIS MARRIAGE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
AND I WANT TO THANK MS. SAMUEL AS WELL FOR VOLUNTEERING HER TIME, REARRANGING HER WORK SCHEDULE TO BE A PART OF THE INTERVIEWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT AND DO IN THE COMMUNITY, IT TAKES TIME.
NOT JUST THE FUNDING SOMETIMES, BUT IT ALSO TAKES MANPOWER, LADY POWER TO GO THROUGH, TO ACTUALLY STEP IN AND PUT THOSE HOURS IN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THEY CALL THAT BOSS POWER.
TO PUT THE LEGWORK IN THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, MS. SAMUEL, FOR DOING ALL OF THAT WORK.
I AM EXCITED TO SEE THESE KIDS THAT WE HAVE LINED UP.
I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS SO FAR.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SECOND THAT.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO INTERVIEW THESE KIDS.
THEY COME PREPARED AND READY, EVEN THE ONES WHO ARE SHY AND MAYBE NOT USED TO BEING INTERVIEWED.
THEY STILL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WELL.
SUPER IMPRESSED WITH THE PRINCETON ISD KIDS COMING FOR THESE INTERVIEWS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD SELECTION PROCESS.
AND SO NEXT YEAR WE WILL NEED TO UP, UP, UP, UP, UP, UP, UP THE FUNDS.
BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT YES, I AM VERY IMPRESSED AND IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND AS FAR AS THE IDEA GOES, THANKS.
CHAIRMAN EVANS AND OUR PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN, WATSON, IT WAS THEIR BABY TO DO THIS PROJECT.
AND I HAD BEEN ON STAFF FOR A DAY OR TWO, AND IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT I BETTER FIND OUT A WAY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND MAKE IT LEGAL.
AND THIS TYPE OF THING WE CAN, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, WITH YOUR ALLOWANCE, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF REQUESTS AND GRANTS AND THINGS.
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SPLITTING HAIRS AND WE DON'T SUPPORT ONE THING BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE IN IT AND WE DO SUPPORT ONE THING OR WE THINK ONE THING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER AND THAT'S NOT IT AT ALL.
THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO DO WHAT BETH IS TALKING ABOUT IS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP IN SUPPORTING BUSINESSES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CREATED TO DO, AND ALSO TRAINING, JOB TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT REQUESTS.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE TO SUPPORT EVERYTHING.
BUT IT'S ALSO MY JOB TO KEEP YOU GUYS BETWEEN THE LINES, HELP KEEP YOU GUYS BETWEEN THE LINES ALONG WITH THE ATTORNEY.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS.
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE SPLITTING HAIRS, AND IF THERE IS SOME GRAY AREA IN THE LAW AND IF WE CAN DO THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY MY BALANCE IS IF I CAN LOOK AT MYSELF IN THE MIRROR AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS GOING TO FURTHER WHAT THIS CORPORATION WAS CREATED FOR.
I'M MORE THAN WILLING AND HAPPY TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S A GRAY AREA, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY WE CAN'T DO IT.
BUT SOMETIMES I'M IN AN UNFORTUNATE POSITION.
I HAVE TO SAY I'M NOT SURE I CAN JUSTIFY IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME EXPLAIN THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
NO, NO PROBLEM, BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS GOING TO SIT UP HERE, AND AS MUCH AS I LOVE SOMETHING AND SUPPORT IT, I'M GOING TO LOOK RIGHT OVER THERE TO THE LEFT, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK AT JIM AND THE ATTORNEY THAT I CAN'T SEE.
AND THEN SAY, HEY, I USED TO SAY, HEY, GRANT, CAN WE DO THIS? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE OUR THING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND GO AS FAR AS THE LAW WILL ALLOW US TO GO.
SO THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT THERE AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WATCHING ONLINE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EXPLAIN THAT.
BETH, ONE QUESTION I HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, HOW MANY BACKPACKS DID WE GIVE OUT LAST YEAR OR JUST SCHOOL SUPPLIES IN GENERAL? WHAT WAS THE NUMBER? SO WE HAD 2,000 BACKPACKS OR BAGS AND THE ONLY THE ONLY SCHOOL SUPPLY ITEM I CAN EVER REMEMBER IS WE DO 15,000 PENCILS AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT THE HIGH SCHOOL BUT WE DO CRAYON, SCISSORS, WATERCOLORS, NOTEBOOK PAPER.
I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH NOTEBOOK PAPER.
[01:40:02]
THE COMPOSITION NOTEBOOKS THOSE ARE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE AND SO WE TRY TO DO THOSE.SOME OF THE SCHOOL SOME OF THE GRADE LEVELS WANT THE SPIRAL SOME WANT THE NOTEBOOKS, SOME WANT THE COMPOSITION, SO WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE.
SO THEN YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER WHICH GRADE GETS WHAT.
AND THEN LAST YEAR WE REACHED OUT TO BUSINESSES FOR PENS.
IF THEY WANTED TO DONATE PENS TO PUT IN THE BAGS, THAT WAY THEIR BUSINESS IS GETTING PUT IN THE BACKPACKS.
IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THOSE, THEN WE PURCHASE BECAUSE SOME WANT THEM.
RED PENS, HIGHLIGHTERS, BLUE PENS, BLACK PENS.
SO WE DID 2,000 BAGS LAST YEAR.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR GOAL LAST YEAR? I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING IT'S 30,000 THIS YEAR.
WHAT WAS YOUR GOAL LAST YEAR? 25.
AND THEN THAT IS TO GET THE BETTER QUALITY BAG SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THE KIDS JUST LITTLE DRAWSTRING BAGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS NOT THIS DID WHAT WE NEEDED IT TO DO.
BUT I WANT THEM TO HAVE A BACKPACK.
AND IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE STUDENTS THAT COME TO THE STADIUM AFTER SCHOOL, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CLEAR BACKPACK, THEIR BACKPACK CAN'T GO INSIDE THE STADIUM.
AND SO WHATEVER THEY HAVE IN IT, WHETHER IT'S THEIR PERSONAL ITEMS, THEIR CHROMEBOOK, WHATEVER HAS TO BE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE STADIUM.
SO IF WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH SOMETHING.
THAT CAN BE TAKEN EVERYWHERE WHERE THEY'RE GOING IS OUR GOAL AND THAT'S WHY WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO DO IT ACROSS THE BOARD JUST TO KEEP IT EASIER FOR US.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WITH THE INCREASE UP TO THAT BANK YOU ONLY NEED AN ADDITIONAL FIVE THOUSAND? SO WE ACTUALLY REDUCED SOME OF THE AMOUNT OF ITEMS SO WE USUALLY DID LIKE FOUR BOXES OF CRAGER GRADES WE REDUCED THAT AMOUNT TO TWO BECAUSE IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE TWICE AS MUCH TO GET THE CRAYOLA BRAND CRAYON.
SO CAN YOU DO US A FAVOR? YES, MA'AM.
CAN YOU GIVE US THE COST FOR THE NEW BAGS PLUS EXACTLY WHAT YOU GAVE OUT WITH SUPPLIES WITHOUT REDUCING THE PRICE? GIVE US THAT COST AND LET US WORK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK PART OF IT IS...
DON'T GET ME WRONG, I TOTALLY APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU CAN, BUT I DON'T, ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T WANT US TO GO UP ON THE QUALITY THAT WE'RE GIVING, BUT THEN WE GOT TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE GIVING.
I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BETTER QUALITY FOR OUR KIDS TO HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN AND BE PRODUCTIVE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
BUT I ALSO WANT US TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUT JUST AS MANY.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU BEING RESPONSIBLE AND SAYING, OKAY, HEY, WE DIDN'T GIVE OUT ALL THE BAGS LAST YEAR, SO...
I'M GOING TO STAY AT THAT SAME NUMBER OF 2,000 BECAUSE I WANT TO INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND THE QUALITY OF STUFF THAT WE'RE GIVING OUT.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT STANDPOINT FROM IT, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT US TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CRAYONS.
SO JUST BRING THAT NUMBER TO US AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE NEEDING, AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE.
JIM, DO YOU HAVE WHAT WE GAVE LAST YEAR? I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT...
DO YOU KNOW? YOU GAVE $10,000.
AND THEN I DON'T THINK THE EDC EVEN MATCHED WHAT WE GAVE, SO I NEED TO TALK TO MIKE ON THAT ONE.
I DON'T THINK THEY MATCHED WHAT WE GAVE LAST YEAR.
SO WE GAVE $10,000 LAST YEAR, CORRECT? SO PART OF IT, TOO...
YOU PUT ME IN A CONFLICTED SITUATION BECAUSE I WORK FOR BOTH CORPORATIONS, SO I'M CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO...
SO THE BAGS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, THESE WERE CLOSE TO...
THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT $9,000 TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS.
SO EVEN THAT ALONE IS A BIG JUMP.
AND SO IT'S A LOT OF DOLLARS, AND SO I'M TRYING TO.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE DOLLARS.
YOU BRING TO US EXACTLY WHAT'S NEEDED, AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.
WE NEED TO KNOW TRUE NUMBERS, MY FRIEND.
LAST YEAR, I KNOW WE HAD ENOUGH BACKPACKS OR BAGS FOR THE KIDS, RIGHT, THAT REALLY NEEDED IT.
ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY QUESTIONS UP HERE ABOUT THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL THING? SO, BETH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU NEED TO GO OVER WITH? I THINK.
JUST YOUR DATE OF COMING BY THE BUSINESS CENTER IS THE ONLY THING I KNOW.
YOU'RE GOING TO PUT ME ON THE SPOT ON CAMERA AND
[01:45:01]
EVERYTHING AND ALL THAT.BETH, I'D PROBABLY WAIT TO PUT HIM ON THE SPOT UNTIL AFTER THEY VOTE.
MATTER OF FACT, I'M COMING THIS MONTH.
SO JUST KNOW THAT BY THE TIME YOU COME BACK TO THE MAY MEETING, YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, I WENT BY THIS TIME.
SO, JIM, IS THIS ACTION TONIGHT OR ANYTHING? NO NEED TONIGHT.
SO, BETH, IF YOU CAN JUST COME BACK NEXT MONTH WITH THE TRUE AMOUNT THAT YOU NEED.
I THINK WE WOULD WANT TO KNOW, YOU GAVE US A NUMBER FOR THE NEW BACKPACKS, SO WE KNOW THAT $9,000 COSTS, BUT WE ALSO WANT YOU TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF CRAYONS THAT YOU GOT LAST YEAR.
I KNOW YOU UPGRADED TO QUALITY, SO YOU REDUCED THE QUANTITY OF IT, SO IF YOU CAN GIVE US THOSE TWO NUMBERS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE HELP TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED.
GIVE US YOUR DREAM LIST, GIVE US YOUR MEDIUM LIST, AND GIVE US YOUR STANDARD LIST, AND THEN COME BACK TO US AND LET US DECIDE FROM THERE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THESE KIDS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
AS LONG AS THE RICH UNCLE JIM OVER THERE AND THE ATTORNEY GIVES US THE OKAY, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN SUPPORT.
A BIG REASON FOR TONIGHT'S THING IS I WANTED THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE SOME OF THE INTERACTION WE HAVE WITH THE CHAMBER.
BOTH CORPORATIONS SUPPORT THEM ON DIFFERENT THINGS.
SHE DIDN'T MENTION THAT, BUT THE BUSINESS TOOLBOX, THE EDC IS SPONSORING THAT.
SERIES OF TRAINING SESSIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE ARE BOTH CORPORATIONS HAVE THE HIGHEST MEMBERSHIP LEVEL WITH THE CHAMBER AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY BE VERY INVOLVED BECAUSE IT IS THE BUSINESS ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY.
ALL RIGHT MOVING RIGHT ALONG J72026-022 WEBSITE CONSIDER DISCUSSING THE ACT ON PROVIDING A CONTRACT FOR A NEW WEBSITE DESIGNER.
SO OUR WEBSITE IS NOT UP TO PAR.
[J7. 2026-022 Website Consider Proposal, discuss, and act on approving a contract for a new website designer.]
IT IS AN OLDER WEBSITE THAT WE INHERITED WHEN WE GOT HERE.WITH THE HELP OF AARON MOODY, WHO IS THE CITY'S DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A COMPANY CALLED GOLDEN SHOVEL.
THEY SPECIALIZE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TYPE WEBSITES.
AND AT THE LAST MEETING I GAVE A BRIEF MARKETING BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET AND EACH CORPORATION BUDGETED $30,000 FOR ELECTRONIC, BASICALLY REDO OUR ENTIRE WEBSITE.
NOW THE CDC DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A WEBSITE.
IT HAS A WEBPAGE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
WHAT THE PLAN IS IS TO HAVE A COMMON LANDING PAGE FOR BOTH CORPORATIONS.
NUMBER ONE, IT'LL DOUBLE THE TRAFFIC FOR BOTH CORPORATIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO THE SAME LANDING PAGE, WHATEVER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
BUT THE OTHER THING IT DOES IS IT WILL GIVE THE OTHER CORPORATION THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE GONE TO THE WEBSITE TO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE STORY AND TO DRAW THEM IN AND PULL THEM INTO THEIR WEBSITE.
SO IT'LL HAVE A COMMON LANDING PAGE WITH LOGOS OF EACH CORPORATION AND JUST A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THEY DO, AND THEN THEY CAN CLICK THROUGH TO A FULL WEBSITE.
THIS COMPANY, AND YOU'VE GOT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE, IT'S A 32-PAGE PROPOSAL.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THEIR SERVICES ARE EXTRAORDINARILY ROBUST, AND I'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE.
THE CDC, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, TO COMPLETELY, TO ACTUALLY GET A WEBSITE FOR THE FIRST TIME, ALL THE HOSTING, ALL THE MAINTENANCE, THEY DO ALL THE COPYWRITING FOR US IN CONJUNCTION WITH AARON.
THE EDC IS A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL MARKETING ARM THAT WE CAN BUY AS AN ADD-ON THAT THE EDC I THINK WOULD DO AND THE CDC WOULDN'T.
BUT THAT WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE COMMUNITY STORY.
WHAT THE CDC, THE QUALITY OF LIFE, THE EDUCATIONAL THINGS WE SUPPORT, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS.
THERE'S A LIST OF CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, BUT DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PROJECT, THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT ORDERS.
AND FOR SAY, CORPORATE OFFICE, HEADQUARTERS, HIGH TECH, QUALITY OF LIFE IS, IF IT'S NOT THE VERY TOP, IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE TOP.
AND SO WE WANT TO, AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE OUR FOCUSES, SO WE WANT TO DRAW THOSE IN.
SO IT'LL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS TO BUILD THIS WEBSITE, BUT THIS IS...
JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, YES, WE FOUND A NEW SOLUTION.
THE CDC IS GOING TO ALSO HAVE A FULL WEBSITE, A FULL FUNCTIONING WEBSITE, AND THE COST WILL BE $15,800 TO HAVE IT BUILT AND HOSTED FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
ONGOING, IT WILL BE ABOUT $13,000 A YEAR FOR THE CDC AND
[01:50:01]
ABOUT $18,000 FOR THE EDC.YOU'RE ONLY BEING ASKED TO FUND THE CDC.
I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE DIFFERENCE.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLY HIGHLY FUNCTIONING, THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT EVEN NECESSARILY NEED, BUT WE CAN USE.
THEY'VE GOT BUILDING AND SITES DATABASES, THEY'VE GOT DEMOGRAPHICS.
WE'RE MEMBERS OF ESRI, BUT THEY HAVE ESRI, WHICH IS A DEMOGRAPHIC DATABASE.
LITERALLY BUILT INTO THE BACK END OF THEIR WEBSITE SO WE CAN ACTUALLY WORK ON PROPOSALS OFF OF THE WEBSITE EVERY PAGE OF THE WEBSITE YOU CAN CLICK AN ICON AND PRINT THAT PAGE AS A PDF IT'LL CLEAN IT UP FROM WEB VERSION TURN IT INTO A PDF AND YOU CAN CLICK AND PRINT IT IF YOU WANT TO FOR THOSE LOOKING TO US SO I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED AARON LOVES THESE PEOPLE UH THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE USING NOW USED FOR YEARS AND THEY'RE GOOD BUT THEY'RE WHEN YOU MAINTAIN THEM YOURSELF AND UPDATE THEM YOURSELF, THE BACK END'S DIFFICULT.
PLUS, WE GET A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE DEDICATED TO US FOR A WEEK COLUMN, AND THEY'LL DO ALL THE WORK FOR US.
SO A QUICK QUESTION, JIM, THAT I HAVE IS HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE BUDGETED NOW? $30,000 PER CORPORATION, AND THIS WILL BE RIGHT AT HALF OF IT.
SO WE'RE COMING IN WAY UNDER BUDGET.
AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, IF WE LIKE THIS, IT'S $13,000 A YEAR, YOU SAID, TO MAINTAIN? ISH, YEAH.
AND THAT WILL COME OUT OF MARKETING AND THAT'S HOSTING AND EVERYTHING.
WHAT DO WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR MARKETING AND STUFF NOW? IS IT JUST THAT $130,000? FOR THE WEBSITE.
I MEAN, OUR MARKETING BUDGET IS $220,000, BUT FOR THE WEBSITE IT'S $30,000.
WE'LL SPEND ROUGHLY HALF OF THAT THIS YEAR.
MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THOSE MARKETING DOLLARS AROUND AND PUT LESS ON THE WEBSITE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR HIM? WILL THIS INTEGRATE WITH, LIKE, THE LIVE MEETINGS AND THE MINUTES AND EVERYTHING, LIKE, WHEN THE CITY SENDS OUT A WE WILL BE ABLE TO ATTACH THOSE TO THE WEBSITE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JIM? JIM, DO YOU NEED MOTION ON THIS? I DO.
TO AUTHORIZE ME TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT.
MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE, TO ALLOW YOU, JIM, TO AUTHORIZE THE CONTRACT FOR GOLDEN SHOVEL USING THEIR WEBSITE SERVICES.
ALL RIGHT, AND THAT MOTION IS MADE BY MS. MARY LOU AND SECONDED BY MS. HENDERSON.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
CAN WE TELL WHO'S MISSING A VOTE? OKAY.
AND WE SKIPPED AROUND THE AGENDA ON A COUPLE OF ONES.
2026-019, COMMUNITY CENTER USAGE CONSIDER AND DISCUSS ACT ON DECIDING THE FREQUENCY AND DAYS OF SPONSORSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ORGANIZATIONS BY THE CDC.
SO I THINK, AND WE'RE WELCOME TO COVER THIS TONIGHT, THAT ONE AND THE GRANT PROGRAM ARE ON TONIGHT BECAUSE WE TABLED THEM, AND IF YOU TABLE THEM, YOU HAVE TO PUT THEM ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAD DISCUSSED THOSE BEING IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DISCUSSING THEM MORE AT LENGTH WHEN WE DO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
IF WE DO THAT, MY REQUEST WOULD BE TO JUST TAKE NO ACTION.
DON'T TABLE IT. IF YOU TAKE NO ACTION, I DON'T HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA. I CAN JUST PUT IT ON THE AGENDA WHEN IT NEEDS TO COME BACK ON THE AGENDA.
ON THE GRANTS, I DON'T GIVE THE BOARD HOMEWORK. THERE IS A NEW FORM IN YOUR PACKET THAT IS DESIGNED AFTER MCKINNEY'S EVENT SPONSORSHIP. AND WE DISCUSSED THIS, SINEAD AND ME, YOU AND KAREEM, TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINED, A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO DO IS LOOK THROUGH THAT. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. WE CAN GO THROUGH ALL THIS TONIGHT IF YOU WANT TO. BUT IF YOU WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME ABSORBING THAT.
CREAM OF SINEAD, Y'ALL LET ME KNOW, OR WHOEVER LET ME KNOW, IF YOU'RE READY TO PUT IT
[01:55:01]
ON THE NEXT AGENDA, WE CAN BRING IT BACK THEN.BUT WE HAD ALSO TALKED ABOUT DOING IT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING. I WANT YOU TO LOOK THROUGH THAT AND SEE. I KNOW KAREEM AND SINEAD ARE THE MOST FAMILIAR WITH, AND AHMAD WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL, FAMILIAR WITH THAT PARTICULAR GRANT. SO LET US KNOW THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING WITH THAT AND SEE IF YOU LIKE IT. IF YOU LIKE IT, WE CAN JUST ADOPT IT AS IT IS AND WE'LL LIGHT IT BACK UP.
BUT I'LL REMIND YOU THAT IN THE MEANTIME, IF THERE IS AN EVENT LIKE THE ONE WE JUST LOOKED AT, UM, WHERE WE PROVIDED THE COMMUNITY CENTER. WE DON'T NEED THIS PROGRAM. THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO IF WE HAVE THIS GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE CAN'T DO IF WE DON'T HAVE IT. IT HELPS US MARKET IT, AND IT HELPS US GET IT OUT THERE IN A MORE DEFINED FORM. I JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF THE GRANT'S NOT LIVE, WE CAN'T CONSIDER THESE ITEMS, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE CERTAINLY CAN STILL DO THAT.
WE JUST DO THEM ON A ONE-OFF UNTIL WE GET THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED. ALL RIGHT, SO RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, JIM, FOR EVERYBODY TO GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO JUST GO AND LOOK OVER THIS THE NEXT GO AROUND.
AND THEN YOU SAID TO NOT TABLE IT TO WHAT? JUST TAKE NO ACTION. YEAH, OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. SO YOU AS CHAIR WOULD JUST ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL TAKE NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT. OKAY.
ANYBODY GOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH SO FOR THAT'S J6 I'M SORRY YES BUT J4 OH YEAH AND THEN YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING FOR J4 YEAH I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT J6 YEAH SO LET'S GO FOR J4 AND J6 NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN TONIGHT AND WE HAVE NO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR TONIGHT NO, SIR. OKAY. IS THAT IT? YES, SIR. THAT'S ALL WE GOT? ALL RIGHTY. FAVORITE POINT OF THE MEETING, ADJOURNMENT.
IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S TIME TO GO, LET'S JUST GET UP AND LEAVE.
GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.