Jul 21, 2026 Economic Development Corporation

[00:00:01]

I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REGULAR MEETING FOR TUESDAY,

[A. CALL TO ORDER ]

ALBERT LOTT. PRESENT. SESAME MORRISON. PRESENT.

JOSHUA HARRELL. PRESENT. JAMES MILLER. PRESENT.

ALLAN RASQUINHA NOT HERE AND THEN DESHAWYNA WALKER.

PRESENT. THANK YOU. AND OUR INVOCATION. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER ONCE AGAIN IN SERVICE OF THE CITY OF PRINCETON. WE THANK YOU FOR THE PROGRESS OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO MAKE, AND FOR THOSE WHO WORK EACH DAY TO BUILD A FUTURE THAT IS STRONGER THAN IT IS NOW.

AND AS WE CONSIDER THE BUSINESS BEFORE US TONIGHT, GRANT US WISDOM TO MAKE SOUND DECISIONS.

COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, AND HUMILITY TO LISTEN WITH OPEN MINDS.

MAY OUR DISCUSSIONS BE GUIDED WITH RESPECT, OUR ACTIONS BY INTEGRITY AND OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY.

BLESS THIS BOARD, OUR CITY LEADERS AND ALL WHO CALL PRINCETON HOME.

MAY THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE TODAY LEAVE A LASTING POSITIVE IMPACT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AMEN. AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

[E. PUBLIC APPEARANCE ]

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

BETH WILLHITE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE PRINCETON LOWRY CROSSING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

JUST WANT TO BRING YOU A REALLY QUICK UPDATE.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF PACKING BACKPACKS. SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS INITIATIVE.

IT'S LOOKING GREAT. THINGS ARE GOING WELL. AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THE EVENT IS SATURDAY FROM 9:00 TO 11:00.

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO HELP OUT BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF THINGS, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON THAT DAY, BUT EXCITED TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PART IN HELPING US ACCOMPLISH THIS.

THANK YOU, BETH. WE I SAW YOUR VIDEO. THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF IN THAT ROOM.

SO [LAUGHTER] GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PUBLIC REPORT ITEMS. NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS JULY 27TH, 2026 AT 6:30.

[F. PUBLIC REPORT ITEMS ]

AND THE NEXT PCDC MEETING IS AUGUST 19TH, 2026 AT 6:00 P.M.

WE'LL MOVE TO STAFF REPORT ITEMS, MONTHLY OPERATIONAL REPORT, INCLUDING GENERAL SALES TAX AND BUILDING PERMITS,

[G. STAFF REPORT ITEMS ]

SO I SAY THAT TO SAY YOU'VE GOT A BREAK. YOU DON'T HAVE MY WRITTEN OPERATIONAL REPORT FOR ME TO READ TO YOU, BUT THAT'LL BE COMING BACK IN THE MONTHS IN THE FUTURE.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE SALES TAX. YOU CAN PULL THAT UP GARY.

THE LATEST NUMBER THAT WE HAVE WE'RE UP 10% AGAIN, AGAIN, I THINK YEAR OVER YEAR, IT'S GOING TO ROUGHLY FOLLOW OUR GROWTH RIGHT NOW. I KNOW THAT YOU HAD AN EXCITING, GROUNDBREAKING LAST WEEK.

SO THAT'LL. PROJECTS LIKE THAT WILL START INCREASING THAT EXPONENTIALLY ONCE THOSE BIG BOXES GET OPEN.

BUT FOR NOW, THE SALES TAX IS GOING TO KIND OF FOLLOW OUR, OUR GROWTH BECAUSE YOU GOT MORE PEOPLE SPENDING MONEY AT THE SAME PLACES.

SO WHEN WE OPEN NEW PLACES, YOU'LL SEE IT GOING UP MORE.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ALL RIGHT. IF WE COULD GO OVER TO THE BUILDING PERMITS STILL IN A VERY STRONG POSITION. WE ARE DOWN 6% FROM LAST YEAR.

I THINK WE WILL REBOUND BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN THAT DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE TRACKING ABOUT WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.

[00:05:02]

BUT STILL STRONG NUMBERS YOU CAN'T REALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT.

YOU CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS. YOU CAN'T REALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR GROWTH NUMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? IF I CAN FIND THE FINANCIALS HERE, THE MONTHLY FINANCIALS.

IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO IT I'M GOING TO JUST HIT A COUPLE THINGS.

I USUALLY JUST HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL SAY THAT'S GOOD TO SEE.

WHILE I WAS GONE, WE CLOSED OUT THE PRINCETON PEDIATRICS JOB AND $103,375, IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, APPROVED UP TO $107,000. SO WE CAME IN, YOU KNOW, $3,500 UNDER THAT.

I HAVE NO IDEA. AND I WILL LOOK INTO OR KELLY MIGHT KNOW WHY WE ARE PAYING THE TAX ASSESSOR BECAUSE ALL OF OUR PROPERTY IS TAX EXEMPT AND WE GENERALLY DON'T.

I'M SORRY. WHAT WAS IT? THE CEMETERY. OKAY. CAN YOU.

CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THE CEMETERY PIECE AND DO WE HAVE? SO IT MIGHT NOT BE THE CEMETERY, BUT IT HAD THAT NAMING CONVENTION FROM THE TAX OFFICE.

OKAY. IS THAT THE COTTON GIN? THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE CEMETERY? BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE CEMETERY. I'LL SHOW YOU THE.

OKAY. YEAH. ITS PLAT SHOWED CEMETERY ON THE PLAT, BUT IT WASN'T THE ADDRESS.

IT WAS AN ADDRESS PARCEL. OKAY. IT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR PROJECT A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

[LAUGHTER]. YEAH. YOU HAVE YOU HAVE $13,000 LESS TO SPEND ON THAT PROJECT.

LIKE I SAID, SALES TAX UP 10%. THERE'S REALLY NO EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURES.

NOTHING THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT. THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, I THINK KELLY, I WATCHED THE CDC MEETING AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THE SALARIES.

WE HAD USED THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S SALARY BUDGET BECAUSE THEY HAD PADDED THAT BUDGET A BIT AND MAY NOT HAVE PADDED IT QUITE ENOUGH.

SO KELLY AND I'LL HAVE TO TRUE THAT OUT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE FAIRLY CLOSE IN LINE ON THE EDC.

THE CDC WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE. WASN'T IT KELLY? PERCENTAGE WISE. DO YOU REMEMBER? SO YOU COULD SEE THAT THE FINANCIALS REFLECTED HERE.

THE EDC BUDGET LOOKS LIKE YOU'LL BE FINE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

BASED ON THE PROJECTIONS I HAVE RUN FOR THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

CDC WAS NOT AS MUCH IN THE BUDGET, SO WE RAN WITH THOSE NUMBERS LAST YEAR AS THE 25 BUDGET SALARIES.

SO WE WILL TRUE UP THE CDC. I DON'T SEE THE EDC FINANCIALS NEEDING TO BE TRUE UP, ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE SALARY SAVINGS THAT THAT IS GOING ON IN THAT AREA. AND THAT'S ALL I DO. YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE KELLY? WELL, CHAIRMAN AND BOARD, THERE'S A PRESENTATION IN YOUR PACKET.

HAPPY TO GO OVER THAT PRESENTATION OF YOUR FINANCIALS.

THE QUARTERLY UPDATE.

GO AHEAD. YOUR QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT. OF COURSE, THIS IS ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026.

OH, THERE WE GO. SO AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HIGH LEVEL.

AGAIN, YOU GUYS EDC REMAINS VERY STRONG IN ITS FINANCIAL POSITION.

YOUR CASH AND INVESTMENTS TOTAL $11.7 MILLION.

YOUR INTEREST EARNINGS TO DATE IS $285,000 YEAR TO DATE.

AND AS JIM WENT THROUGH, YOUR SALES TAX IS PERFORMING AND EXCEEDING OUR BUDGET PROJECTIONS.

THIS DOES SHOW THROUGH THE JULY COLLECTIONS. AGAIN, SALES TAX IS TWO MONTHS IN ARREARS.

HERE'S A SNAPSHOT THAT YOU CAN SEE OF YOUR FINANCIALS.

THIS IS JUST THE REVENUE ITSELF. I'M SHOWING YOU WHAT YEAR TO DATE WAS IN 2025.

IF YOU WERE TO PROPORTIONAL SIZE YOUR BUDGET 75% TO DATE, THAT'S THE BLUE BAR.

AND THEN THE GREEN BAR IS WHAT WE HAVE COLLECTED YEAR TO DATE.

SO SALES TAX GROWING STRONG AGAIN. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE SALES TAX ARE COLLECTED TWO MONTHS IN ARREARS.

YOUR INTEREST EARNINGS HAVE EXCEEDED WHAT YOU COLLECTED THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

YOUR LOAN INTEREST EARNINGS. THAT'S WITH VISION 99.

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED THIS TIME BASED ON THE BUDGET AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS.

[00:10:04]

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. AND THEN THE GAIN ON THE SALE OF LAND.

SO HIGHLIGHTS AGAIN SALES TAX IS TRENDING ABOVE PRIOR YEAR.

YOUR INTEREST REVENUE IS EARNING 3.643%. AND OUR BENCHMARK WE ALWAYS LIKE TO USE A BENCHMARK OF THE T-BILL.

SO WE ARE A LITTLE SHY OF THAT. BUT IT'S IN A VERY LIQUID INVESTMENT.

IT'S IN THE TAX POOL, BUT THE BENCHMARK OF 3.74%, AGAIN LIKE I MENTIONED, THE OTHER REVENUE IS THE LOAN INTEREST FROM VISION 99 TO BE PAID OFF BY APRIL 2029. AS SIENERGY, THAT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT DATED BACK IN JUNE OF 2021, AND THEN THE SALE OF THE LAND FOR PRINCETON BUSINESS PARK BACK IN MARCH.

HERE'S ANOTHER OVERVIEW OF YOUR SALES TAX TRENDS.

THIS GIVES YOU KIND OF A PICTURE VIEW. NOT THE NUMBERS, BUT A PICTURE VIEW OF HOW WE ARE MATCHING THE TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND EXCEEDING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SEGMENTS THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING SALES TAX IN, YOU WILL SEE THAT 49% IS THE RETAIL TRADE.

JUST LIKE JIM WAS SAYING, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE GETTING ALL OF OUR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS.

BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT 13% FROM LODGING AND FOOD SERVICES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH THERE.

SO AGAIN, YOUR HIGHLIGHTS, WE'RE AT 66% OF THE BUDGET COLLECTED TO DATE, WHICH IS EIGHT MONTHS OF SALES TAX.

WE ARE 7.74% OVER OUR PRIOR YEAR COLLECTIONS.

SO STRONG GROWTH IN TAXABLE SALES AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE A POSITIVE TREND EXPECTED.

NOW HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR EXPENDITURES. AGAIN ORANGE IS WHAT YOU SPENT LAST YEAR.

BLUE IS IF I WAS TO TAKE 75% OF THESE CATEGORIES, AND THEN THE GREEN IS WHICH WE HAVE ACTUALLY EXPENDED TO DATE.

SO YOU SEE, PERSONNEL IS STILL RIGHT IN LINE.

THAT'S WHERE I'M SAYING I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ANY EXPECTATION, ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT ON THE PERSONNEL.

OUR OPERATING EXPENSES ARE IN LINE. AND THEN THE LAND ACQUISITION, YOU HAD $1.5 MILLION IN YOUR BUDGET, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN SPENT. SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT BIG BLUE BAR THERE.

KIND OF LOOKS ODD OUT OF ALL THE REST. BUT PROJECT FUNDING IS RIGHT THERE IN LINE.

THAT'S THE PEDIATRICS THAT HE JUST MENTIONED, AND THEN OUR DEBT SERVICE.

SO EXPENDITURES ARE 20% OF YOUR BUDGET TO DATE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS AGAIN, NOT SPENT LAND ACQUISITION MARKETING IS EXAMPLES OF THOSE LINE ITEMS. THE PROJECT FUNDING WAS THE PRINCETON PEDIATRICS.

AND THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURE CONCERNS HERE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.

JUST DO IDENTIFY. RECOMMEND IDENTIFYING AND ADVANCING YOUR BUDGET INITIATIVES EITHER BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR END OR SET THEM FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL.

HERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF YOUR INVESTMENTS. AGAIN, YOUR PORTFOLIO IS AT $11.9 MILLION.

YOUR YIELD ON MATURITY IS 3.643%. THIS IS A NET INCREASE SINCE MARCH OF $716,000.7.

AND THEN YOUR PORTFOLIO REMAINS HIGHLY LIQUID AND CONSERVATIVE.

JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME OTHER BENCHMARKS, HERE'S THE THREE MONTH, THE ONE YEAR T-BILL AND THE 3 YEAR NOTE.

IF WE WERE TO GO FOR LONG TERM INVESTMENTS, THAT'S WHAT THE INTEREST RATES THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE MARKET.

BUT WE KEEP IT IN A VERY LIQUID INVESTMENT RIGHT NOW.

BUT ALSO TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN INDICATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS HOLDING STEADY AT 3.5% TO 3.75%.

WITH POLICYMAKERS, THEY ARE VERY DIVIDED, EQUALLY DIVIDED ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH REGARD TO FUTURE RATE ADJUSTMENTS.

ARE WE BASICALLY IN THE DAILY ACCESSIBLE OR IS IT MONTHLY? IT'S VERY LIQUID. BUT HOW LIQUID? IT IS VERY LIQUID.

IT IS DAILY. OKAY. THAT'S WHY. DOWN ON THAT DAILY.

GOTCHA. SO HERE'S A BREAKDOWN AGAIN ON YOUR CASH POSITION YOUR OPERATING BUDGET.

I MEAN OPERATING BANK ACCOUNT $5.2 BILLION. 6.6.

6.6 IS IN THE TEXPOOL THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

LESS YOUR CURRENT LIABILITIES AND YOUR COMMITMENTS NOTED THERE.

YOUR TOTAL NET EQUITY IS $10,475,140. SO FINANCIAL POSITION REMAINS VERY STRONG. SALES TAX IS TRENDING ABOVE BUDGET. ONE THING I NOTICED LET'S IDENTIFY FINANCIAL INITIATIVES EITHER BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR OR

[00:15:07]

AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. NOTHING YOU SEE THERE CONCERNS YOU? I MEAN. THE ONLY THING CONCERN IS JUST THE FACT THAT WE'RE AT 20% OF OUR BUDGET.

AND THAT'S NOT ODD BECAUSE WE PUT SOME BIG NUMBERS AND POSSIBLE PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE THAT WE'RE WERE NOT NAMED.

SO IT'S. IT'S NOT AT ALL ODD AT ALL TO COME IN UNDER BUDGET.

YEAH. AND WE OUR BIGGEST PROJECT FELL THROUGH.

SO THAT FREED UP A LOT. [LAUGHTER]. YES IT DID.

SO THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU KELLY. THAT'S WAY BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE DONE.

IS THAT EVERYTHING? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

I THINK THAT WAS THE SAME

[H. BOARD REPORT ITEMS ]

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THAT WERE PRESENT AT THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR KROGER.

MS. WALKER, SESAME MORRISON, AND ALBERT LOTT.

THAT WAS QUITE A TURNOUT. I'VE BEEN TO A FEW OF THEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN ANY BIGGER.

YOU GUYS MAY HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE THAN I DO WITH IT, BUT THAT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO KROGER BEING PART OF PRINCETON.

WE'LL. EXCUSE ME. WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[I. CONSENT AGENDA ]

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 ON IT IN ITS NORMAL SEQUENCE ON THE AGENDA. THIS. THESE TWO ITEMS, THE MINUTES AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT ARE FROM APRIL THAT WE HAD TABLED, AND THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING LAST MONTH.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE AT THIS POINT.

IF WE'LL NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND, IF EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH IT.

MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I SECOND.

THERE WE GO. VERY GOOD. THAT PASSES 6-0. WE'LL MOVE TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.

[J. REGULAR AGENDA]

CONSULTATION REGARDING HIRING AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE EDC/CDC.

MS. CARRILLO IS GOING TO. I MAY CHIME IN. I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO, BUT.

THAT'S FINE. [LAUGHTER]. YOU'RE FINE. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND DIRECTORS.

MY NAME IS FALLAN CARRILLO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE CITY OF PRINCETON.

I DO WANT TO NOTE A DISCLAIMER BEFORE I START.

THIS MEMO WAS COMPOSED PRIOR TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF JIM WEHMEIER COMING BACK TO THE CITY, BUT SINCE WE ARE HERE AND IT'S STILL ON THE AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE POSITION.

SO IN APRIL, AT THE END OF APRIL, THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE EDC AND THE CDC HAD RESIGNED AND WE POSTED THE POSITION FOR OUR STANDARD 30-DAY PRACTICES PER EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE. WE RECEIVED 56 APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION, AND PRIOR TO JIM'S RETURN, WE WANTED TO CONSULT WITH THE BOARDS PER THE BYLAW, TO GET YOUR PERMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HIRING.

BUT NOW THAT JIM IS HERE, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT STANDARD PROCESS, ALLOWING JIM TO SELECT HIS CANDIDATE FOR AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HIRING. SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, HOW MANY CANDIDATES WE HAD I AM HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. SO YOU SAID WE HAD 56 APPLICANTS? YES. THIS WAS AS OF. WHEN DID JIM LEAVE FOR FMLA? WAS IT APRIL? MAY? OKAY. SO LIKE WE'RE ALMOST AUGUST.

OKAY. SO ARE THOSE 56 STILL INTERESTED OR? IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD AMOUNT.

USUALLY I TRY TO FILL A POSITION FROM VACANCY TO FILL 180 DAYS.

OKAY. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE INTEREST OF THOSE APPLICANTS.

AND THAT'S WHY I KIND OF CUED THIS UP TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IF IT WAS OKAY WITH YOU GUYS.

[00:20:04]

YEAH. AND FALLAN'S GROUP'S BEEN GOOD ENOUGH. I WARNED YOU, FALLAN.

SORRY. I THOUGHT THIS PART WAS GOING TO COME UP.

IT'S BEEN GOOD ENOUGH. THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND GRADING THE APPLICANTS AND NARROWING THEM DOWN.

SO I'M NOT LOOKING AT ALL 56. THEY KNOW WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE THAT WE NEED WHAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS A CORPORATION. AND SO THEY'LL PROBABLY HAND 12 OR 15 OFF TO ME, I'M GUESSING.

AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE. BUT YEAH, IT'LL BE AT THIS POINT IT'S GOOD BECAUSE ALL THE APPLICANTS ARE ALREADY IN.

NOW WE'RE JUST EXECUTING. SO WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT IMMEDIATELY.

YOU'RE WELCOME. AND IF NO ONE'S INTERESTED ANY LONGER, WE WILL POST IT AGAIN AT JIM'S DISCRETION AND MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR STANDARD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. NICE JOB. WITH KERRY, BY THE WAY.

THE TEAM. SHE IS FANTASTIC. [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU, KERRY.

SO WHEN YOU SAY NO ONE, YOU MEAN NO ONE OUT OF THE 56 APPLICANTS? I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? SO YOU SAID IF NO ONE IS INTERESTED, WE'LL REPOST IT.

RIGHT? YES. REPOST THE BOARD. THE JOB LEADS. YOU'RE SAYING OUT OF THE 56 APPLICANTS.

IF NO ONE IS INTERESTED OUT OF THE 56 YOU REPOSTED OR? YES. SO WITHIN THE 56. NOT EVERYONE MEETS THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS.

OF COURSE. SO YEAH, WE GO THROUGH IT. IT MIGHT BE 15 WHO ARE QUALIFIED, BUT IF THE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES ARE NO LONGER INTERESTED, YES, WE WILL REPOST. OKAY.

THANK YOU, FALLAN. THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THAT. CORRECT? YES.

THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 2026-16. CITY ATTORNEY RFQ.

PROVIDE STATUS UPDATE ON REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR CITY ATTORNEY, LEGAL SERVICES FOR PEDC/CDC AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION.

AND MAGGIE, THERE YOU ARE. METZNER IN PURCHASING WILL TAKE US THROUGH THIS.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND DIRECTORS.

I'M NEW TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON. I HAVEN'T MET YOU FORMALLY.

I'M THE PURCHASING OFFICER WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

SO, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THERE WAS A RFQ OUT FOR LEGAL SERVICES CITY ATTORNEY AND IT HAS CLOSED.

AND SINCE IT'S A SHARED SERVICE BETWEEN THE CDC AND THE EDC, I WAS TRYING TO GET DIRECTION, AND I HAD MET WITH THE CDC ON JULY 15TH TO TALK ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO EVALUATE THE RESPONSES THAT CAME IN.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE AWARE, BUT WE DID GET FIVE RESPONSES.

AND IRONICALLY, THE SAME FIVE FIRMS ALSO APPLIED OR SUBMITTED THEIR INTEREST FOR THE CITY, CITY ATTORNEYS AND LEGAL SERVICES. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OPTIONS.

1. CONCUR WITH WHAT THE CDC IS RECOMMENDING TO HAVE A JOINT REVIEW.

THEY NAMED THEIR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TO EVALUATE WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT THE EDC WOULD ALSO LIKE IN-KIND NOMINATE TWO INDIVIDUALS TO REVIEW WITH ALSO THE CEO, JIM WEHMEIER.

SO FOR THAT WOULD BE FIVE TO REVIEW AND RANK THE RESPONSES.

AND THEN FROM THERE HAVE A SHORT LIST AND INTERVIEW THE TOP CANDIDATES, THE TOP FIRM THAT YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN.

THE OTHER OPTION IS TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE CITY AND DURING THEIR EVALUATION PROCESS, WHICH IS ALSO RUNNING CONCURRENTLY AND IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY NOW.

SO REALLY, IT'S JUST TRYING TO GET DIRECTION.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? ORIGINALLY, THERE WAS NOT ONE RFQ FOR BOTH GROUPS WAS BECAUSE OF A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION WANTING TO HAVE SEPARATE ENTITIES. BUT JUST THE IRONY THAT EACH RESPONDENT IN BOTH RFQS APPLIED TO BOTH.

SO WE DO RUN THAT POSSIBILITY OF POTENTIALLY SELECTING THE SAME FIRM OR HAVING A FIRM AND MAYBE SEPARATED BY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL ATTORNEYS WHEN THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, IF I COULD REAL QUICK, MR. CHAIR, BEFORE Y'ALL TURN IT OVER. ONE IS THAT AS WE PICK PEOPLE TO SAY, THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR WANT TO GRADE THESE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN EXTRA MEETING. IT'S AN ONLINE GRADING THING. YOU JUST READ THE RFQS YOU GRADE EACH OF THE FIVE.

IT'LL IT WON'T TAKE A LOT OF TIME. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO SET ANOTHER MEETING.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND DO IT. YOU CAN DO IT AT HOME, AT YOUR COMPUTER OR WHATEVER.

AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ATTORNEY THING MULTIPLE TIMES, BOTH IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND OPEN SESSION,

[00:25:06]

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION THAT BOTH CORPORATIONS WOULD PROBABLY LIKE TO HAVE THEIR OWN ATTORNEY, BUT THEY'RE STILL OPEN TO LOOKING AT BOTH. YOU CAN GET ONE THAT'S TOTALLY UNRELATED TO WHO THE CITY IS WITH.

MEANING THEY'RE NOT EVEN THEY'RE WITH A SEPARATE FIRM.

WE HIRE TWO SEPARATE LAW FIRMS OR I'VE ALSO SEEN AN INSTANCE WHERE YOU HIRED TWO DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS, BUT THEY HAPPEN TO WORK FOR THE SAME LAW FIRM. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ONE ATTORNEY IS YOUR ATTORNEY, THE OTHER ATTORNEY IS THE CITY'S ATTORNEY, AND THEY DON'T CROSS OVER AT ALL.

THEY NEVER BACK UP EACH OTHER IN THE FUNCTION.

AND I, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE AND MORE, BUT I DON'T.

I'VE SEEN IT ALL THREE WAYS. IT CAN WORK ALL THREE WAYS.

IT CAN BLOW UP ALL THREE WAYS JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE DOES.

BUT I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND GOING AHEAD AND GRADING THEM AND THEN WAIT AND SEE, DON'T AWARD, WAIT AND SEE WHO THE CITY PICKS. AND THEN IF IT'S THE SAME ONE WE HAD PICKED, WE HAVE.

THEN THE BOARD HAS THE CHOICE TO EITHER SELECT A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY FROM THAT FIRM OR DO SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO THE NUMBER TWO THAT RANKS THAT WAY.

WE'RE NOT. IT COULD DELAY US A WHOLE EXTRA MONTH IF WE WAIT AND SEE WHAT THEY DO, AND THEN WE BRING IT BACK AND GRADE IT AND MOVE ON, WE MAY SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE AND YOU WANT TO.

RESPECTFULLY, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD WAIT ON ANYTHING THE CITY IS DOING FOR OUR MATTERS.

I THINK I AM OKAY WITH I THINK WITH THE CDC REPRESENTATIVE, WITH THE VICE CHAIR, THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR PLUS THE CEO LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE] AND WHAT HAVE YOU. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. ME PERSONALLY, DO WE KNOW A TIMELINE THAT CITY HAS AS FAR AS IF THEY MAPPED IT OUT? WE WANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY CHOSEN BY THIS DATE OR TIMELINE LIKE THAT? I KNOW WE'RE IN THE WRAPPING UP THE FINAL EVALUATION.

SO THE WAY THE SCORING IS IN THE RFQ IS QUALIFICATIONS ON PAPER FOR THE FIRST 80 POINTS, AND THEN WE LEFT IT OPEN THE LAST 20 POINTS FOR THE TOP SCORERS TO MEET WITH THEM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES, AS PEOPLE PRESENT THEMSELVES ON PAPER, MAY NOT BE THE WAY THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES IN PERSON.

SO THAT LAST 20 POINTS. AGAIN, THAT CAN BE A JOINT MEETING OR HOWEVER IT'S WRITTEN FOR THE BYLAWS, FOR THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE TO VET THAT FIRM OR INDIVIDUAL.

AND AS LONG AS IT'S NOT A QUORUM, MR. CHAIR, YOU CAN DESIGNATE WHO YOU EVER YOU WANT FOR THAT COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH THE LAW FIRM.

IF YOU WANT TO DO IT AS A BOARD, YOU'VE GOT WE'VE GOT TO CALL A PUBLIC MEETING AND DO IT AS A PUBLIC MEETING.

SO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A COMMITTEE INTERVIEW THEM, WHICH I WOULD RECOMMEND, YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING.

YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME TWO CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, OR YOU CAN ADD ANOTHER ONE.

YOU JUST CAN'T ADD TWO MORE. I'M SORRY IF THIS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT I NEED CLARIFICATION.

SO IN THE PAST. HAS THE CITY AND US EVER HAD THE SAME REPRESENTATION BY THE SAME LAW FIRM? I BELIEVE THEY HAVE. YES. THEY HAVE. OKAY. HOW DID THAT WORK OUT? DO WE KNOW? WE JUST DID. GRANT DID BOTH. AND HOW WAS THAT? I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND HIM LEAVING KIND OF LEFT EVERYBODY IN LIKE, HEY, IN LIMBO, BUT I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH YOU.

VICE CHAIR. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE, OKAY, HEY, HOW DID THIS WORK BEFORE? BECAUSE IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD WORK. YEAH.

BUT I DO THINK WE NEED REPRESENTATION FOR OURSELVES. I GUESS I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. I'M GUESSING WHEN I'M SITTING HERE IN THIS SEAT, I KNOW IDEALLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING THE PEOPLE, BUT I ALSO DIDN'T WANT TO COME OFF LIKE, WELL, WHY WOULD THE CITY BE HERE? AND THEN WE'RE SEPARATE, RIGHT? THINKING MORE LIKE TEAM EFFORT. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I'M A PERSON THAT'S BIG ON MORALE, RIGHT? I'M BIG ON CAMARADERIE. SO THAT'S WHY I WANT TO CLARIFY.

I JUST WANTED TO. SO I'M FROM A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORIGINALLY, BUT MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS ARE OWNED BY THE CITY AND THEY ARE CONSIDERED SEPARATE ENTITIES, SEPARATE AGENCIES. OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE FUNCTIONING LIKE A CITY DEPARTMENT WITH JUST A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, BOARD GIVING DIRECTION. OKAY. THANK YOU.

IF THE TWO BOARDS WANTED TO, I WOULD. I WOULD RECOMMEND USING A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY WITHIN THE SAME FIRM JUST FOR PRACTICALITY, FOR WORKLOAD PURPOSES. IT GETS A LITTLE HAIRY AT TIMES.

THE CITY AND THE EDC JUST IT SEEMS TO GET BUSY AT THE SAME TIME.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WITH OUR PREVIOUS ATTORNEY TRYING TO GET DOCUMENTS OUT TO BOTH OF US.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST PRACTICALITY WISE, I'D PROBABLY BE A SUGGESTION.

[00:30:14]

I'M SORRY. QUICK QUESTION. SO AFTER THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR MEET, ALONG WITH THE CDC AND CDC CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, DO THE FINAL CANDIDATES COME BEFORE THE BOARD? OR IS THAT JUST A DECISION THAT YOU FOUR ARE MAKING? ARE YOU DETERMINING WHO IS GOING TO REPRESENT US GOING FORWARD? AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT AS A BOARD OR? SO ELECTRONICALLY THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE CAN SCORE AT THEIR OWN LEISURE.

IT'S ONLINE. AND THEN THE SYSTEM THAT WE USE BIDNET DIRECT IS ABLE TO AVERAGE ALL THE SCORES AND THEN THEY'RE RANKED. SO IT BECOMES OBVIOUS THE TOP SCORING FIRMS. AND IT'S JUST SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, ASSURANCE WHEN YOU MEET THEM IN PERSON, THE COMMITTEE CAN DO THAT AND YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT WITH THE TOP, YOU KNOW, FIRM. BUT I WOULD ASSUME AND AGAIN, I NEED DIRECTION.

THE SUBCOMMITTEE, WHEN THEY EVALUATE, IF THEY FIND THAT THE TOP TWO FIRMS, TOP THREE FIRMS ARE REALLY CLOSE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BRING IN MORE THAN ONE OR JUST STOP ONE FIRM REALLY JUST BLEW YOU AWAY.

YOU MAY WANT TO MEET WITH JUST THE ONE AND ONLY IF YOU FIND THAT THAT TOP RANKED FIRM JUST DIDN'T SIT RIGHT.

YOU WANT TO SEE THE NEXT ONE. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT RANKED AND THEN GO DOWN.

THE RFQ PROCESS REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS IS INTENDED TO GO WHO IS THE BEST AND THEN WORK YOUR WAY DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE EVALUATION. AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS BLIND EVALUATION IS YOU'RE ABLE TO INDIVIDUALLY SCORE THEM AND RANK THEM.

AND THEN IT'S AVERAGED. SO IT'S A FAIR PROCESS.

AND MS. WALKER, YOU COULD DO IT EITHER WAY. AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS MENTIONING TO THE CHAIR.

YOU CAN EITHER ADD ONE BOARD MEMBER TO TO THEM AS A COMMITTEE.

OR YOU CAN DO IT AS A BOARD. IF YOU DO IT AS A BOARD, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT AT A BOARD MEETING BY LAW AND WHICH YOU CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND.

SO IT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU ALL. PROBABLY BE MORE EXPEDITIOUS TO DO IT BY COMMITTEE.

BUT I MEAN, HOWEVER YOU GUYS WANT TO DO IT, IT'S LEGAL EITHER WAY.

SO ESSENTIALLY WE CAN DO IT THROUGH THE EVALUATION PROCESS.

AND FOR EXAMPLE, WE WANT TO BRING THE TOP 2 OR 3.

OR 1. THEN WE CAN BRING A. OR HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING TO HAVE THAT ONE PERSON OR THE 2 OR 3 COME AND PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THAT TIME.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YOU COULD DO THAT, BUT SINCE IT'S JOINT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO INVITE OR I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A JOINT MEETING OR, YOU KNOW, BOTH CDC/EDC TOGETHER. JUST WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.

JUST GIVE ME DIRECTION AND WE CAN SET IT UP. YEAH.

I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS THE ELECTRONIC SCORING AND THEN ADDING 1 OR 2 PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE AS WE BRINGING THEM IN FRONT OF THE AT AN OPEN MEETING.

YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT. SO WE'LL. SO WE'RE MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSULTATION PROCESS AS FAR AS APPOINTING ONE OF OUR CHAIR AND OUR VICE CHAIR TO BEGIN THIS HIRING PROCESS OF AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.

I MEAN, NOT SORRY FOR THE. FOR THE FIRM, THE LAW FIRM.

SECOND. AND THAT PASSES 6-0. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND. THANK YOU, MAGGIE. WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 2026-18.

BENCHMARKING AND STAFF STUDY. DISCUSS. STAFFING STUDY.

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION DIRECTING STAFF REGARDING A BENCHMARKING AND STAFF STUDY.

ARE YOU TAKING THIS JIM OR? BEFORE I LEFT THERE WAS A REQUEST TO GET SOME DATA ON.

I BELIEVE WE HAD NARROWED IT DOWN TO ABOUT NINE COMMUNITIES THAT VIA EMAIL THAT WE AGREED WOULD BE GOOD BENCHMARKS.

RIGHT BEFORE I LEFT AND BEFORE RIGHT BEFORE BREE LEFT, SHE HAD GOTTEN THOSE NINE THAT WE AGREED UPON.

I WAS OUT. SO I THINK KERRY HAS ALSO UPDATED THAT AND MAY HAVE A COUPLE OTHER CITIES.

[00:35:05]

AND I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY, WE WILL COMBINE THOSE TWO AND PUT THEM ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE DATA TO DISCUSS IF THAT'S HOW YOU'D LIKE TO HANDLE THAT. I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO EMAIL THEM OUT AS WELL.

IT'S NOT A SECRET DOCUMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE THE MEETING.

BUT IT'S NOT ON THIS AGENDA TO ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION, BUT WE'LL GIVE YOU THE DATA AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.

IT'S BEEN A HOT BUTTON SUBJECT FOR MONTHS. AND SO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CITIES THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE A DEPARTMENT THAT'LL HAVE AN ACM OR SOMEBODY DO IT. AND THEN THERE CITIES THAT HAVE 5 OR 6 STAFF MEMBERS.

THERE'S A PRETTY WIDE RANGE. [LAUGHTER] SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK FOR THE AUGUST AGENDA.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. WE, I. AND I'M COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE ALL THE DATA.

OKAY. WE'LL JUST PUT IT IN A REPORT AND BRING IT TO YOU. ALL RIGHT SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL TABLE THAT TILL NEXT MONTH AND PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA THEN.

AND NOW WE GET TO THE FUN STUFF. IT'S ITEM NUMBER 2026-19.

THE COTTON GIN. DISCUSS. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RESTORATION AND USE OF THE COTTON GIN PROPERTY.

AND CHIEF WATERS IS GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH THAT.

CHAIR BOARD, JAMES WATERS, CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR CITY OF PRINCETON POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THE REASON WHY I COME TO YOU TONIGHT IS Y'ALL RECENTLY ACQUIRED THE COTTON GIN OUT THERE OFF OF 2ND STREET IN YORKSHIRE.

SO WE JUST RECENTLY GOT THOSE DEEDS CORRECT KELLY? AND SO THOSE ARE RECENTLY PUT IN Y'ALL'S NAMES AS WELL.

I BELIEVE KELLY'S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT. ONE THING THAT WE ALL THE CITY OF PRINCETON, EDC AND CDC HAS BEEN KIND OF CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON IS THE REVITALIZATION PROJECT FOR DOWNTOWN. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT BIDS AND A COUPLE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS IN THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REALLY DO ONE FELL SWOOP OF DOWNTOWN. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN SOME RUMORS OUT THERE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DEMOLITION OF THIS COTTON GIN AS WELL.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, BORN AND RAISED INSIDE PRINCETON, THERE'S NOT VERY MANY HISTORICAL THINGS THAT ARE HERE WITHIN THIS TOWN.

I BELIEVE THE COTTON GIN. AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO, Y'ALL GO OUT AND TALK TO THE RESIDENTS AND ALL THAT. I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE THING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO TRY TO PRESERVE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. I THINK THAT AND THE P.O.W.

CAMP, THE JIM CALDWELL PARK. WATER TOWER THAT'S OUT THERE, THAT'S ANOTHER THING.

AND ALSO THE WALL THAT'S AROUND THE VETERANS FROM WAR PARK AS WELL.

AND SO TALKING WITH SOME INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, TALKING WITH SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I BELIEVE MR. JOHNSON, WHO'S ALSO RUNNING HISTORICAL OR TRYING TO IMPLEMENT HISTORICAL COMMITTEE WITH INSIDE PRINCETON.

WE'RE ALL TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF HOW ARE WE GOING TO START THE REVITALIZATION PROJECT DOWNTOWN AND REALLY TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS WHOLE ASPECT WITH THE EDC, MAKING THIS MOVE ON PURCHASING THE COTTON GIN.

SO WE'RE THINKING WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE COTTON GIN WITH THE VETERAN'S PARK AND JUST CONTINUE ROLLING DOWNTOWN.

IF YOU REMEMBER, IF YOU NOTICED LAST WEEK DURING OUR CDC MEETING CHIEF GAMMONS TALKED ABOUT THE REVITALIZATION OF WHERE THE PARKS AND REC BUILDING IS, THE OLD POLICE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S RIGHT THERE TOO. THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE VETERAN'S PARK OR VETERANS FROM WAR PARK. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING THAT OR REVITALIZING THAT AS AN OLD ANTIQUE FIRE STATION, BUT ALSO USE IT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FIREHOUSE TOO AS WELL.

AND I BELIEVE MR. WEHMEIER IS GOING TO END UP WORKING WITH US. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REVITALIZATION OF THE COTTON GIN SITE.

SO TALKING WITH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ARCHITECTS AND TALKING WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW.

WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO TO KIND OF START WORKING ON THIS PROJECT IS, ONE, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A CREEK, I WOULD CALL IT DOWN WATER SURVEY ASSESSMENT FOR THE CREEK THAT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDE OF THAT.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ROUGHLY ABOUT $7,000 TO $10,000. BUT ALSO TALKING WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE TOO, AS WELL, IF WE DO ANYTHING WITH THAT COTTON GIN, LEAVE IT STANDING.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO POTENTIALLY PUT IN A FIRE LANE. SO WHAT THE POTENTIAL IS AND WHAT I'M ASKING TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD TO AND LOOK INTO DOING IS TAKING THE SIDES OF THE COTTON GIN, RUNNING THOSE SIDES UP PROBABLY ABOUT 12 TO 15FT, LEAVING THE STRUCTURE ALONE.

BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE COTTON GIN, PUTTING A FIRE LANE/DRIVEWAY THAT'S AROUND THERE, AND YOU SEE THE CURVATURE DOWN TO THE SOUTH OF THAT, MAKING THAT SOME SORT OF PEA GRAVEL, CONCRETE, GRAVEL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT WAY WE CAN START LOOKING AT FLEA MARKETS, VENDORS, FOOD TRUCKS, STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT'S COMING OUT THERE, LEAVING THAT COTTON GIN KIND OF OPEN.

LET IT BE A CANOPY THAT'S OUT THERE AND THEN START WORKING ON THAT PROJECT OF THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN.

SO WHENEVER YOU START REVITALIZING ALL OF DOWNTOWN.

MY EXPERIENCE IS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, IT TAKES SPARKS TO KIND OF MAKE FIRE.

[00:40:04]

SO SOME THOUGHT PROCESSES BEHIND IT IS SOMETHING ALONG THESE LINES RIGHT HERE.

SO YOU KIND OF SEE UP IN THE TOP LEFT HAND CORNER, YOU SEE SOME OF THE THE DAY MARKETS.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY HANGOUTS, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE ARE CONCERT AREAS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

RIGHT. AND SO IN MY MIND, IF WE LEAVE THE STRUCTURE OF THE COTTON GIN, LET IT BE A CANOPY.

WE TAKE OUT THE SIDES, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT HAVING TO DO A WHOLE LOT OF MAINTENANCE TO IT. AS LONG AS THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IS THERE, THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE AND THEN WE CAN START THAT PROCESS IN DOWNTOWN. SO I KNOW DOWNTOWN KIND OF ROLLING WITH IT.

3RD STREET KIND OF SEPARATES THAT VETERANS FROM WAR PARK AS WELL.

AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CLOSING THAT OFF.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN RUN FROM THE COTTON GIN TO THAT.

WHAT IS THAT? THAT FITNESS COURT AREA ACROSS 3RD STREET INTO THE VETERAN'S PARK.

VETERANS FROM WAR PARK RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

IF WE GET EVERYTHING KIND OF PASS AND WORK WITH MR. WEHMEIER, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REVITALIZATION OF THE OLD ANTIQUE FIRE DEPARTMENT, KIND OF MAKING THAT LOOK OLD DOWNTOWN, PRESERVE THAT AREA TOO AS WELL. AND THE ONE THING WE JUST PRESENTED UP BEFORE COUNCIL, AND WE GOT TO GO AHEAD IN APPROVAL, IS TO START THE RFQ PROCESS ON RENOVATING THE LIBRARY.

THAT'S THAT WHOLE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND THAT'S THAT PROCESS OF KIND OF MAKING THAT SPARK.

SO THAT WAY WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF FIRE BEHIND IT. SO WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF LEGWORK TO DO.

SO BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD. THIS IS Y'ALL'S BUILDING.

I'M JUST KIND OF MAKING A RESUME RECOMMENDATION BEHIND IT.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. YOU KNOW, I KIND OF KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE CITIZENS WOULD LIKE TO SEE PRESERVED, BUT ALSO HOW CAN WE UTILIZE IT TODAY.

ARE WE ASKING TO DO OUR OR SO Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL ARE KIND OF IN APPROVAL FOR THIS, RIGHT? SO I'M PROBABLY GOING TO START THE PROCESS OF BREAKING DOWN EACH ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO AND THEN GO OUT FOR AN RFQ PROCESS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

BUT THE MAIN, THE MAIN TOPICS THAT I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT IS SOMETHING ALONG THIS DESIGN PLAN.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT. SO I'M GOING TO SWITCH BACK ONE MORE SLIDE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT FIRE LANE.

THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THERE. SO THAT'S A MUST THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS. I'M SORRY THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE NEEDS BECAUSE I WANT TO SAY IT'S 150FT OF ACCESS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS, SINCE WE'RE PROBABLY POTENTIALLY COULD BE HOSTING COMMUNITY EVENTS OUT THERE.

AND THEN ALSO THE DOWNSTREAM CREEK. ASSESSMENT.

DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT. SO TONIGHT YOU'RE JUST ASKING IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING ANY OF THAT.

YOU'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO MAKE A DECISION AND GO OUT FOR RFP. YOU'RE JUST SAYING, HEY, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD CONSIDER. 100%.

OR DID I MISUNDERSTAND? SO IF Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN THIS, THIS ONE THING, I KIND OF START WORKING UP AND ALL THIS STUFF AND START ASKING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF AN RFQ ONCE I GET THIS ITEMIZED LIST KIND OF GOING.

CHIEF, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO WE HAVE THE CITY HAS THE OVERLAY DISTRICT DOWN THERE.

YES, MA'AM. HAVE YOU TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION ALSO? YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE IF WE'RE GOING TO INVEST IN THIS AREA AND WE OWN THE PROPERTY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THINGS DOWNTOWN, MAYBE THE OVERLAY DISTRICT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED AND REVISED SO THAT WE'RE NOT JUST FIXING RANDOM THINGS AND LIKE IT ALL NEEDS TO ALIGN GOING FORWARD.

YES MA'AM.

PROCESS, THE COMP PLAN GETS DONE, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING RELOOKING AT OVERLAY DISTRICT, NOT JUST IN THIS AREA, BUT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE CITY, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S AREAS ON HIGHWAY 380 THAT WE KIND OF THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT REDISTRICTING AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF. AND THEN ALSO, WHENEVER WE'RE DOING A COMP PLAN, SOME OF THE FUTURE THOROUGHFARE PLANS WEREN'T NECESSARILY IN THERE.

THEY WEREN'T FOR SURE THE EXACT THE EXACT PLACEMENT OF THOSE THOROUGHFARE PLANS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE OVERLAY DISTRICTS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE CITY. BUT YES, MA'AM. THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE DID TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. I THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY, VERY SMART PROCESS TO KIND OF RUN THROUGH THAT.

BUT I KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO BRING SOME BUSINESSES IN HERE AND ALL THAT, BUT ULTIMATELY WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN.

I'M TRYING TO DO IT AS BEST AS WE POSSIBLY CAN FOR AS CHEAP AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TOO AS WELL, BECAUSE IF AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE WANT TO REDO THIS COTTON GIN THAT'S UP HERE, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT FIRE LANE THAT'S GOING TO END UP GOING THROUGH THERE AS WELL. AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, JUST FROM THE RESIDENTS, AND WE CAN GO OUT AND TALK TO THE RESIDENTS, WE CAN KIND OF RUN THAT SURVEY, RUN THAT FEEDBACK. BUT FROM THE LAST TIME, WHENEVER ALL THIS WAS BROUGHT UP, WHENEVER THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT REVITALIZING ALL OF DOWNTOWN AND SPENDING LIKE $19 MILLION TRYING TO REVITALIZE ALL OF DOWNTOWN, THEY TALKED ABOUT WIPING OUT THAT COTTON GIN. AND THAT DID NOT GO OVER WELL WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. YEAH.

SO I KNOW JUST HEARING RESIDENT FEEDBACK, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT EVERYBODY KEEPS ON TALKING ABOUT IS FLEA MARKETS.

SO IF WE GO BACK. FARMERS MARKETS. PRODUCE MARKETS.

[00:45:06]

BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THE FARMERS MARKET OUT THERE, YOU PUT SOME GARDEN FRESH FRUIT OUT THERE, YOU HAVE SOME PARKING OFFSITE, AND THEN ALSO KIND OF GOING INTO PHASE TWO AND PHASE THREE OF THIS PROJECT. SO I DON'T KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL WALKWAY THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING DOWN YORKSHIRE TOO AS WELL.

WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KIND OF RENEGOTIATE SOME OF THAT. RIGHT. TALKING ABOUT THE OVERLAY DISTRICT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE SOME OF THAT. WHY WOULDN'T WE START IT HERE? AND WHY WOULDN'T WE HAVE IT KIND OF IMPLEMENTING THAT CEMETERY TO WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE VETERANS FROM OUR OWN VERY OWN COMMUNITY THAT'S THERE IN THAT CEMETERY.

AND SO WE INCORPORATE CEMETERY WITH THE VETERANS WALKWAY WITH OLD COTTON GIN THAT USED TO BE HERE.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE STAPLES HERE IN THIS TOWN. WE WALK IT ACROSS 2ND STREET THAT GOES INTO THE VETERAN'S MEMORIAL PARK, WALK IT ACROSS 3RD STREET. THAT'S RIGHT THERE.

WE BLOCK OFF 3RD STREET AND THEN INCORPORATE VETERANS FROM WAR PARK.

CITY OF PRINCETON ALSO ACQUIRED PROPERTY ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SOUTH SOUTHEAST SIDE FROM THE VFW PARK TOO AS WELL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT REVITALIZING THAT AREA, TOO.

WELL, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO SELL US ON IT. I THINK WE ALL BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN NEEDS SOME REFRESHING.

AND I THINK IT'S AWESOME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO GATHER IN THE COMMUNITY, BE ABLE TO BE TOGETHER. BUT SINCE YOU HAVE, YOU SEEM PRETTY VESTED.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE AN ANSWER, BUT I JUST WAS WONDERING, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE OR WHAT IT WOULD COST TO CHECK THE STRUCTURE INTEGRITY OF THIS COTTON GIN? YES, MA'AM. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO GET A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THAT. YEAH.

I'M SORRY, WHENEVER EDC STARTED THE PURCHASE OF THIS, IF YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THE SOME OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS IS THERE WAS BIG HOLES IN THE CONCRETE. THOSE WERE ACTUALLY THE CHUTES FOR COTTON.

AND SO I BELIEVE IT WAS EITHER CDC OR EDC THAT POURED A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY INTO FILLING THOSE HOLES IN AND ALL THAT STUFF.

RIGHT. SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE FIRST STEP. SECOND STEP IS GETTING A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IN THE DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT JUST TO SEE IF IT'S EVEN VIABLE, BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT EVEN VIABLE, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE.

YEAH.

BUT IT'S A SINGLE STORY BUILDING. YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT TEN GRAND TO DO A STRUCTURAL ON IT, MAYBE, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING 50 TO $100,000.

I MEAN, CHIEF AND I, AS A RULE OF THUMB, TRY NOT TO AGREE WITH EACH OTHER VERY OFTEN.

BUT WHEN HE MENTIONED CHEAP, I MEAN, DOING WHAT WE'RE LOOKING OR HE'S LOOKING TO DO, WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA.

AND IT HURTS ME TO SAY THAT. THIS IS WE CAN RETROFIT.

I THINK THAT BUILDING FOR THESE USES FAR CHEAPER THAN WE CAN DO A GROUND UP CONSTRUCTION.

MORE THAN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO IT FOR A LOT LESS THAN IT TAKES TO BUILD A MILE WORTH OF ROAD AND UPDATE IT.

AND, AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A FARMERS MARKET HERE.

ANOTHER THING WE DON'T HAVE IS WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GATHERING PLACES.

I MEAN, THIS COULD KIND OF BE AN ANCHORING. ANCHOR GATHERING PLACE OFF OF 380 DOWNTOWN, BRINGING PEOPLE BACK DOWN.

SO, I MEAN, I LIKE THE CONCEPT. I THINK IT'S KIND OF COOL FOR WHAT THAT'S WORTH.

YEAH. I THINK WE ALL REALLY LIKE THE CONCEPT.

AND THEN I HAD ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE FIREHOUSE, SO I CANNOT REMEMBER.

DID YOU MENTION IT BEING I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAID ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING.

OR A MUSEUM? FIRE. IT WOULD BE THE FIRE ADMINISTRATION.

YES, MA'AM. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WOULD BE USED DAY IN AND DAY OUT BY.

SORRY, MY PHONE'S KIND OF GOING OFF. CURRENT FIRE.

YES, MA'AM. SO THEY WOULD DO LIKE, TRAININGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THERE? YES, MA'AM. AND SO THEY USED TO BE THE OLD POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING TOO AS WELL. AND SO THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE AWARE, BUT THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THEY DO COLLECT EVIDENCE AND ALL THAT STUFF. WE DO HAVE OUR OWN EVIDENTIARY SAFE. THAT'S WHAT'S INSIDE THAT. SO THAT MEETS ALL THE CITY STANDARDS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIDE AS WELL.

RIGHT. AND SO AS YOU KNOW, CITY OF PRINCETON ADMINISTRATIVELY, WE'RE GETTING BIGGER IN STAFF AND ALL THAT. SO BY WHENEVER PARKS AND RECS MOVES OUT OF THAT AND WE START THAT PROCESS OF TRANSFERRING THEM OVER THERE, RIGHT.

THAT'S GOING TO LEAVE SOME SPACE OVER THERE. ALSO GIVES FIRE MARSHAL'S, IT GETS FIRE MARSHAL A SPOT TO OPERATE TOO AS WELL.

SO IN MY MIND, SO BORN AND RAISED HERE, THAT USED TO BE THE OLD FIRE.

SO ON THE WE. I DON'T HAVE THE PICTURE UP, BUT ON THE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THAT BUILDING, THOSE THREE CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BIG SQUARES.

THOSE WERE THE OLD FIREHOUSE BASE. OKAY. AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS PAINTING THAT WHOLE BUILDING, LIKE THE ANTIQUE CHICAGO RED FIREHOUSE, RIGHT? AND THEN PUTTING SOME WOOD [INAUDIBLE] WHERE THOSE OLD BAYS USED TO BE. SO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE BAY DOORS. ALSO, RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OF PRINCETON THE FLEET. OR I'M SORRY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS AN OLD ANTIQUE TRUCK IN THEIR POSITION THAT'S JUST SITTING OUTSIDE OF STATION ONE. SO I BELIEVE CHIEF GAMMONS IS ACTUALLY WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO TRY TO GET THE SCHOOL INVOLVED TO START RESTORING THAT TRUCK.

LET ME SEE IF I GOT A PRETTY GOOD MAP UP HERE.

WELL, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LET ME GO BACK ONE.

[00:50:01]

OKAY. AND SO THAT WAY IT'S LITTLE, YOU KNOW, ONE KIND OF THROWS BACK TO THE HISTORY OF PRINCETON TO A LITTLE PHOTO SHOP AND ALL THAT STUFF. RIGHT? AND SO IF WE REALLY KIND OF GET OUR WAY AND GET IT GOING, IF WE END UP SHUTTING DOWN 3RD STREET TOO AS WELL, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE MILITARY TO TRY TO FIND AN OLD ANTIQUE TANK OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES TO THROW IT BACK TO A LITTLE BIT FROM THE VETERAN'S FROM WAR PARK TOO AS WELL. SO IT'S ALL TYING THAT WHOLE VETERAN'S FROM WAR PARK ALL TOGETHER WITH OLD ANTIQUE PRINCETON.

OKAY, WELL, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.

YES, SIR. YES, SIR.

CHIEF. I MEAN, I LOVE IT. ALL RIGHT. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS IN PHASES, OBVIOUSLY, RIGHT? THE FIRST PHASE WOULD BE, LIKE MS. WALKER SAID, WOULD BE TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.

RIGHT? SECURE THAT. YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THAT WOULD BE STREETS AND ALL THAT.

OKAY. AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN, TOO. AND I THINK THE OVERALL VISION WOULD BE TO TRY TO INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND KEEPING IN CONTEXT WITH WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, ALSO PRESERVING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

RIGHT. AND ALSO TRYING TO BRING VALUE ADDED TO THE HISTORY OF DOWNTOWN PRINCETON.

YES, SIR. OKAY. OKAY. SO NOW THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

IS IT PART OF THIS? I MEAN, WILL IT HELP ENHANCE THIS WHOLE PROCESS AS WELL? SO. SO AS FAR AS WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, UPDATING THE LIBRARY, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? RIGHT. NOTHING'S SET IN STONE. AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I CAN REALLY SAY THIS WITHOUT GETTING IN TROUBLE. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FORGIVE ME, MR. JOHNSON SO. BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING OR WE'RE RUNNING RFQ PROCESS. SO THERE IS $1 MILLION BOND OUT THERE FOR THE LIBRARY, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S SOME MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT'S GOING ON WITH LIBRARY. SO THAT MILLION DOLLAR BOND IS NOT TO MAKE THE LIBRARY BIGGER.

IT'S ONE TO FIX THE MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT'S GOING ON THERE AND MAKE IT LOOK A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN WHAT IT DOES RIGHT NOW. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. AND SO ALSO ONE THING. SO I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE IT UP THERE, BUT I'M SURE Y'ALL LATER ON, BUT WE BOUGHT THAT OLD CAR WASH THAT'S RIGHT THERE BEHIND THE LIBRARY.

RIGHT? SO THE CITY OF PRINCETON OWNS AN OLD CAR WASH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DEMOING THAT OUT. SO WE'RE GOING TO END UP TAKING A FENCE DOWN, DOWN AND AROUND WHERE THAT OLD CAR WASH IS, AND MAKING THAT OUTDOOR SEATING AREA AND ALL THAT STUFF FOR THE LIBRARY.

RIGHT? AND SO IN FUTURE PHASES, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT PHASES IS VERY HARD TO PLAN FOR THE HERE AND NOW.

YOU ALWAYS GOT TO PLAN FOR 5 TO 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. SO IN FUTURE PHASES, WHENEVER WE GET THAT APPROVAL TO START BUILDING THAT NEW LIBRARY, THAT'S GOING TO END UP BEING OUT THERE. RIGHT. THIS LIBRARY, OLD DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, THAT IN MY MIND NOW IS GOING TO BE UP TO CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO ALL THE BOARDS AND ALL THAT STUFF THAT WILL TURN INTO. LOIS NELSON, SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER/LIBRARY.

OKAY. BECAUSE THE LIBRARY IS ALSO ALREADY NAMED AFTER LOIS NELSON.

OKAY. AND SHE WAS A BIG ADVOCATE WITHIN THE SENIOR CITIZEN COMMUNITY THAT WAS OUT HERE AND PART OF SOME OF THE CLUBS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.

RIGHT. AND SO IT'S THAT HISTORICAL KICKBACK KEEPING IT HERE THOUGH TOO AS WELL.

AND THEN ALSO RIGHT THERE ACROSS THE STREET, WE DO HAVE SOME ASSISTED LIVING TOO AS WELL. SO THAT WAY THAT SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER HAS BECOME IS GOING TO BE A MAIN PART OF HELPING OUT WITH THAT.

YES. KEEPING THE FOOT TRAFFIC ALIVE. YES. KEEPING THE FARMER MARKET AND ALL THIS STUFF.

KEEPING ALL THIS ACCESSIBLE AND WALKABLE, THAT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE ACROSS THE WAY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID MENTIONED IS THE CITY OF PRINCETON ALSO CURRENTLY OWNS SOME OF THE PROPERTY JUST SOUTH OF THAT. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING THAT TOO AS WELL FOR SMALL TOWN REALTORS OR YEAH, RETAIL SHOPS. OKAY. SO THE VETERAN'S PARK PIECE.

OKAY. SO I AM SURE AS WE GO THROUGH THESE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT, AND ENHANCING THIS, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO MAYBE DEVELOP SOME PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE THE VETERAN'S PARK AS WELL.

RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. YES, SIR. WHICH WOULD? WHICH WOULD? SO WE GOT TO BE CAREFUL THOUGH, JUST WITH VETERAN'S PARK. SO JUST BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL.

SO THAT OLD BRICK WALL THAT'S RIGHT THERE. SO THE OLD STONE WALL, I'M SURE Y'ALL WHERE YOU'RE AT THE OUTLINE OF STONE WALL AND ALL THAT STUFF THAT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT BY THE PRISONERS THAT WAS HOUSED AT THE P.O.W CAMP WHERE THE BALLPARK IS RIGHT NOW.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT BY GERMAN PRISONERS AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE OTHER HISTORICAL MONUMENTS THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S KIND OF VERY IMPORTANT WITHIN THE CITY TO GET THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE UP AND GOING.

SO THAT WAY, WHENEVER WE LOSE THIS BASELINE KNOWLEDGE OF PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR DECADES, UPON DECADES, UPON DECADES, WE CAN ALWAYS POINT BACK TO ITEMS LIKE THE COTTON GIN, BECAUSE THE OLD RAILROAD TRACKS USED TO RUN ACROSS WHERE THE COTTON GIN WAS.

THE STATUE THAT WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] CLUB WHO BUILT THAT FOR THE VETERANS A LONG TIME AGO.

THE BOTTOM PART, THE BASE PART AND ALL THAT STUFF WAS JUST RECENTLY REBUILT. NOT BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, OLD DOWNTOWN WATER TOWER. I MEAN, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF HISTORICAL

[00:55:06]

WELL, SEE CHIEF, THAT'S MY POINT. AND WHEN I SAY THAT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT DESTROYING ANYTHING HERE.

YES SIR.

FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, AND USE THAT AS A TOOL TO INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC AND AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THIS IS I'M ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH HOW CAN WE ENHANCE THIS AREA.

RIGHT. AND SO I THINK A LOT OF IT, RIGHT, IS KIND OF HOW IT STARTED OFF.

SOME OF THESE SMALL SPARKS. THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE FIRES. I THINK THIS IS A SMALL SPARK THAT WILL HELP CREATE A BIG FIRE.

YEAH. AND I THINK KIND OF BRING THAT OVER AND THEN RUN INTO THE NEXT PHASE.

AND THEN RUNNING TO THE NEXT PHASE IS GOING TO EXTREMELY HELP OUT THIS WHOLE DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND KNOWING THAT THAT'S NOT A BUILDING THAT IT WOULD BE POPULAR TO TEAR DOWN IN PRINCETON WHATEVER WE DO WITH IT, THE NEXT PHASE WOULD BE TO DO A STRUCTURAL ON IT.

YOU GOT TO DO THAT BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING. IT'S GOT TO BE SAFE. AND SO WE ALREADY HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LINE IN OUR BUDGET.

WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT OUT. AND IF. AND I DON'T, WE DON'T EVEN WITH THE BOARD'S DIRECTION, WE.

I'VE GOT THE AUTHORITY TO PUT OUT AN RFQ. BUT SINCE WE'RE SITTING HERE, I GET YOUR FEEDBACK.

WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START THAT PROCESS NOW AND I CAN BRING IT BACK.

AND IF IT'S MORE THAN WE REALLY THINK, THEN WE'LL MAKE A DECISION.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY AFFORDABLE THOUGH, IS THAT.

I LOVE THE IDEA. I'M A VETERAN MYSELF, SO ALL THIS MAKES SENSE.

RAW COUNTRY BOY, YOU KNOW, SO I LOVE THE IDEA.

I THINK MY QUESTION IS, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO THAT.

THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY PART. SECOND QUESTION IS.

HAVE ANYBODY LOOK INTO ANY TYPE OF STATE OR FEDERAL GRANTS FOR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? ME I HAVE NOT NO SIR. OKAY. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, KIND OF BEING IN THIS POSITION, LIKE BRAND NEW INTO THIS POSITION FOR WHAT, THREE MONTHS NOW? YEAH, OF COURSE, OF COURSE [LAUGHTER]. YEAH. I'M DOING GOOD JUST TO STAND HERE RIGHT NOW, TRUTH BE TOLD. SO I'M TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP AS BEST I CAN AND TRYING TO PREP FOR YOU.

RIGHT. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET. WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF KIND OF GOING ON RIGHT NOW. BUT ALSO SINCE I'M HERE, RIGHT. AND KIND OF BRING SOME OF THIS KNOWLEDGE FROM, IT'S JUST HARD TO MISS OUT ON STUFF LIKE THIS.

OF COURSE, OF COURSE, OF COURSE STRUCTURAL RFQ, RFP OUT. CHIEF. JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE WELL, EDC AND CDC HAD A MAIN STREET MEMBERSHIP, SO THAT MAY BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU.

THEY WILL HAVE A TEAM COME OUT AND HELP YOU WALK THE AREA AND KIND OF PLAN IT, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THE CERTIFICATION OR ACCREDITATION FOR MAIN STREET, THEY, WE DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE THE MEMBERSHIP AND THEY SHOULD COME OUT AND THEY'LL, LIKE I SAID, WALK YOU THROUGH IT AND KIND OF HELP YOU PLAN.

THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT CAN BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORICAL, WHAT CAN'T BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORICAL.

ALSO, I THINK IF YOU COULD, WHEN YOU COME BACK, IF YOU CAN HAVE THE OVERLAY DISTRICT WITH YOU, AND SO WE CAN CONSIDER HOW THAT PLAYS INTO PLANNING IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS PROJECT ON.

AND THEN ALSO THE CDC, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT THAT WORKOUT EQUIPMENT IS INSTALLED DOWNTOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PARK.

HOW IT'S GOING TO PLAY INTO THE WHOLE END RESULT, RIGHT? SO IF WE CAN, WHEN YOU COME BACK, IF YOU CAN JUST BRING ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY.

PHASE TWO AND PHASE THREE OF THIS. RIGHT. AND SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE VETERAN'S FROM WAR. RIGHT? THAT'S OUT THERE. AND SO UNDERSTAND ON THE BACK END OF THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT, WE DO HAVE SOME OF THE VETERAN'S INSIGNIA THAT'S BACK THERE AND SOME OF THE VETERAN STUFF, ME AND MY MIND THAT FITNESS EQUIPMENT MIGHT BE BETTER SUITED AT THE P.O.W. CAMP. AND THEN WE START RUNNING SOME. SOME MORE.

I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY STATUES, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S MORE KIND OF SUITED FOR THAT WHOLE KIND OF DOWNTOWN AREA.

YES, SIR. LIKE A TANK, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND EVEN KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, SOME FOR SOME OF THESE KIDS TO DO AND ALL THAT STUFF, MAYBE A LITTLE PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S RIGHT THERE. SO THAT WAY WHENEVER WE'RE KIND OF ROLLING THROUGH THIS, RIGHT? YEAH, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OPTIONS THAT'S THERE. YEAH, I JUST, I WANT TO CREATE THAT SPARK AND I WANT TO START IT.

[01:00:02]

I'D LIKE TO SEE US TAKE THE THINGS OFF THE TABLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE HOLD UPS, WHICH WOULD BE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY STUDY, PLUS THE DOWN WATER ASSESSMENT. SO I DON'T. DO WE ALLOT AN AMOUNT OF MONEY MR. WEHMEIER? OR HOW CAN WE GET THAT DONE BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING? IS. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GET IT ALL DONE BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT MEETING, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO PUT OUT AN RFQ, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GET IT OUT BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY RESPONSES YET. AND LIKE KELLY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY IN OUR BUDGET. I'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE I CAN MOVE IT AROUND WITHIN THE BUDGET.

I CAN'T CREATE NEW MONEY WITHOUT A BUDGET AMENDMENT, BUT WE CAN MOVE STUFF AROUND.

AND SO IF I NEED TO ADD A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WE CAN DO THAT INTERNALLY IF WE KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO DO.

YOU KNOW, I'M TAKING THE STRUCTURAL DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT.

IF WE NEED ONE, WE NEED TO VERIFY IF IT'S EVEN NEEDED.

THAT'S GOING TO GO PARTIALLY ALONG WITH THE USE THOUGH. AND WHAT, HOW MANY PEOPLE AND HOW MUCH COVERAGE.

IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE STRUCTURE.

WE MAY NOT NEED ONE, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE, WE NEED TO HAVE AN ENGINEER TELL US WHETHER WE NEED ONE OR NOT.

YEAH. THE DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO END UP LOOKING AT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT THAT FIRE LINE IN. THE CONCRETE FIRE LANE. THERE'S A CREEK LITERALLY ON THE BACK OF THIS. CORRECT. RIGHT. AND THAT'S GOING TO PRODUCE THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE SOME OF THE WATER FLOW. LET ME GO BACK. THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE SOME OF THE WATER FLOW THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BACK END OF THE CREEK. ALSO, I KNOW WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE MAIN STREET RENEWAL.

DESHAWYNA IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN ASSIST THEM WITH, LIKE IN GETTING STARTED OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT GM NEEDS TO DO? SO YEAH. CAREFUL.

OKAY. I'M JUST ASKING. I'M NOT AN EMPLOYEE, BUT YOU KNOW.

OKAY. SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU IF WE STILL DON'T HAVE IT, THEN I'M SURE IT WOULD JUST BE A MATTER OF SAYING, HEY, WE WANT TO PICK IT UP AGAIN AND RENEW IT.

OKAY. AND THEN SO CAN WE ADD THAT TOO? SO THAT WOULD BE THE THIRD THING THAT WE KIND OF LOOK? THAT'S A POSITION IN AND OF ITSELF. OKAY. AND THAT POSITION WOULD BE THE PERSON THAT WOULD SAY, PROGRAM. WHAT GOES INTO THE FACILITY THAT CHIEF'S BEEN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT AND, AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

MANAGE THAT, KEEP OUR ACCREDITATION, LOOK FOR GRANTS, THAT TYPE OF THING.

OKAY. SO CAN I ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES RIGHT. BUT YOU CAN STILL HAVE MEMBERSHIP AND THEY WILL STILL HELP YOU.

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE JIM SAID, YOU IT'S A DEDICATED POSITION.

SO WE DON'T HAVE THE ACCREDITATION. BUT WE DID.

WE WERE A MEMBER OF MAIN STREET. SO THEY WILL COME OUT.

YOU JUST REACH OUT TO THEM. THEY'LL SEND A TEAM OUT, THEY'LL WALK WITH YOU.

THEY'LL SAY, HEY, THIS AND THAT. THAT'S HISTORICAL.

THIS AND THAT NOT, YOU KNOW. HEY YOU KNOW, HELP YOU PLAN FOR THE WAY YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD THE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I SAID I WANT US TO BE INTENTIONAL GOING FORWARD. LET'S JUST NOT DO RANDOM PROJECTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

LET'S MOVE WITH INTENTION GOING FORWARD. SO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AS FAR AS THE LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, THE DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT, LET'S GET THAT DONE.

LET'S GET THE STRUCTURAL, LET'S GET ROLLING. BUT LET'S ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING WITH INTENTION.

SO THAT WHEN WE DO IT, WE DO IT ONCE. WE DON'T DO IT CHEAPLY, OKAY.

AND WE DO IT RIGHT FOR OUR RESIDENTS. YES, MA'AM.

I THINK HE JUST MEANT IT'S A CHEAPER PROJECT THAN SOME OTHER PROJECTS.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT RIGHT. YEAH THAT PROGRAM A LONG, LONG TIME AGO. OKAY. ALRIGHT.

AND SO. RIGHT. JUST LITTLE BACK HISTORY. RIGHT? AND SO RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF WHERE THE OLD PD WAS, THAT WAS ACTUALLY CALLED FRONT STREET. AND THEN IN ORDER TO BE A PART OF THAT PROGRAM, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO HAVE A STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF PRINCETON CALLED MAIN STREET.

AND THAT'S WHERE. SO WHENEVER YOU SEE LIKE NORTH FRONT STREET, THAT'S ACTUALLY MAIN STREET, THAT'S RIGHT THERE. SO KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.

ANYTHING SPECIFIC? WE NEED A LAWYER TO VERIFY?

[01:05:07]

GO AHEAD. TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STRUCTURAL STUDY AND THE DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT.

THE STRUCTURAL STUDY AND THE DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENTS.

I SECOND. OH AND EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS NECESSARY.

OH AND ALSO TO EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS NECESSARY.

THANK YOU I GOT NO THANKS. THANKS, CHIEF. WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 2026-17 FY27 PEDC DRAFT BUDGET. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PCDC.

I THINK IT'S PEDC. FY2627 DRAFT BUDGET PRESENTED BY KELLY WILSON, CFO.

AND WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. AT THE TIME I DID MY BEST.

SO YOU SEE THAT IN YOUR PACKET. YOU HAVE A VERY HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF YOUR BUDGET.

SO AGAIN YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ENDED UP AT THE END OF 2025 SHOWING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $9.4 MILLION.

YOU ROLL THAT INTO YOUR AMENDED BUDGET, WHICH WE HAVE AS AN AMENDED BUDGET, DIPPING DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THE 9.3.

SO MY PROJECTIONS, THOUGH, FOR 2026 IS OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ADDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT TO THE FUND BALANCE.

AND I DID PRESENT THE BOARD A HANDOUT. THIS IS THE LINE ITEM DETAILS OF THE BUDGET.

I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO LOOK AT VERSUS BY CATEGORY.

AND AGAIN, I DID THE BEST I COULD WITH THE INFORMATION I HAD.

SO I'M GOING TO START WITH JUST THE REVENUE ITSELF, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

SO FOR THE SALES TAX, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S YOUR MAIN REVENUE STREAM.

WHAT I AM PROJECTING AND PROPOSING IN THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY AS WELL IS A 6% INCREASE OVER OUR CURRENT BUDGET IN 26. SO YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE A CURRENT BUDGET OF $2.2 MILLION.

I'M RECOMMENDING AND PROPOSING A SALES TAX BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR OF $2.4 MILLION.

STILL VERY CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY SHOWING ALMOST A 2% INCREASE OVER OUR ESTIMATED YEAR END.

AND THEN THERE'S YOUR INTEREST INCOME COMING IN MY PROJECTION AT 393 AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

I WANT TO BE CONSERVATIVE. PUT IT DOWN TO 350 AND THEN THE MISCELLANEOUS, AS I NOTED IN MY QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT, WHAT THAT 295 WAS. BUT THE PROPOSED FOR 26 IS $36,000.

SOMETHING THAT CAME ACROSS THAT WE FOUND OUT.

AND YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER ALL OF THIS BACK IN 2024.

THERE'S A CONTRACT WITH ANTHEMNET FOR CELL TOWERS.

AND THIS IS AT COUNTY ROAD 1219. THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.

THAT STRUCTURE IS GOING UP. AND WE MET WITH THEM ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS BACK.

AND I ASKED WHAT THAT REVENUE STREAM IS, BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE CARRIERS THAT WANT TO GET ON THAT.

SO THIS IS A PORTION OF THE REVENUE THAT YOU GET THAT THEY SELL FOR THAT.

SO SHE ESTIMATED $36,000. AND THIS CAME DIRECTLY FROM ANTHEMNET.

AND THEN SALE ON THE LAND A NOTES RECEIVABLE.

AGAIN, THAT IS JUST YOUR VISION 99 THAT I NOTED ALSO IN THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT THAT IS THEIR INTEREST ON THAT NOTE AND THEN YOUR LEASE PROCEEDS, THAT IS FOR THE PD FACILITY, THE LEASE THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE CITY AND LEASING THAT OUT.

SO THAT IS YOUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND PROPOSED FOR THE BUDGET.

I'M HERE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT BEFORE WE GO ON TO THE EXPENDITURES.

DO YOU THINK WE'LL BE TO THE POINT WITH PD IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? TO LEASE. IT'S.

30TH. THAT'S HOW THE AGREEMENT READS. I HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THE MISCELLANEOUS INCOME.

SO THE 295 THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THAT WAS JUST A ONE TIME THING? YES. THAT WAS FROM SIENERGY. THERE WAS A CONTRACT AGREEMENT, THE CITY OR I'M SORRY, THE EDC BOARD PAID OUT ON THIS AGREEMENT

[01:10:01]

AND THAT IS THE REIMBURSEMENT. NICE. AND YEAH SO AND SO THE 36K IS THAT ONLY THAT ONE ITEM THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'RE PROJECTING? THE ONLY THING YES, FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS THE $36,000 IS FOR THE CELL TOWER PROJECTED REVENUE FOR THAT ONE CELL TOWER THAT YOU HAVE ON COUNTY ROAD.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE EXPENDITURES AGAIN IN YOUR PACKET.

IT IS ROLLED UP IN A HIGHER LEVEL. SO YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR DETAIL THE PERSONNEL EXPENSES.

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET IN 26 OF $175,263.

LIKE I MENTIONED IN MY QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT.

I EXPECT US TO BE UNDER THAT BUDGET AMOUNT. NEXT YEAR'S PROPOSED IS GOING TO BE AT $181,672.

WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.

SO THAT'S AN INCREASE AS WELL TO THE CITY AS WELL AS EDC.

AND SO WE HAVE THAT PROJECTION IN THERE OF 10%.

WE'RE ALSO SEEING INCREASE IN OUR TMRS RATE. SO THERE'S INCREASES THERE AS WELL AS JUST THE STANDARD INCREASES FOR STAFF.

SO THAT IS THAT PROJECTION VERY MINOR INCREASE.

AND THEN YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES YOU HAD A BUDGET OF $75,000 IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET.

I'M PROJECTING AT $80,493. SO JIM'S GOT SOME THINGS TO MOVE AROUND TO GET THAT CLEANED UP A LITTLE BIT.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THE CATEGORIES ON THAT DETAILED LINE ITEM.

WHAT MAKES UP OPERATING EXPENSES. AND JUST TO GO BACK, CHAIRMAN, REGARDING THE TAX ASSESSOR, I WANTED TO LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE I WAS KIND OF CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

SO THAT IS THE COTTON GIN. IT IS THE LAND THAT WAS PURCHASED LAST YEAR.

YOU EVEN SEE THAT ON YOUR ACTUALS OF $619,000 THAT WAS PURCHASED LAST YEAR.

THE DEEDS WERE LEFT WITH THE REALTOR THAT PURCHASED THAT LAND FOR US.

AND SO WHEN THE TAX ASSESSOR ASSESSED THE TAXES, IT WAS NOT IN THE EDC'S NAME.

THEREFORE, WE HAD TO PAY THE TAXES. JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT I'M SORRY FOR COMING OUT OF LEFT FIELD WITH THAT, KELLY, BUT TODAY WAS MY FIRST DAY BACK AS WELL AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT SO.

SO IN THE OPERATING EXPENSES, I'M PROJECTING $141,300.

AGAIN DOING MY BEST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SOME SERVICE CONTRACTS.

I PUT IN $50,000. I PUT IN LEGAL OF 40. SO I DID BUMP THAT UP.

SO SORRY NOT TO CUT YOU. I'M SORRY. SO IF WE WERE TO HIRE OUR OWN ATTORNEY THE CDC, EDC BOARDS WOULD THAT COME OUT OF SALARIES OR WOULD THAT COME OUT OF LEGAL SERVICES? DID YOU SAY FOR ATTORNEY? I'M SORRY. WOULD IT COME OUT OF THE. LEGAL. IT'S GOT ITS OWN LINE ITEM TO KIND OF BREAK DOWN YOUR BUDGET A LITTLE BIT MORE IN LINE ITEM DETAILS BASED ON THE CATEGORY OF WHAT IS TO BE SPENT OUT OF THEM.

AND THEN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, YOU CAN SEE THAT WOULD BE CONSULTING SERVICES.

I DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING IN THERE. YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY MOVE SOME STUFF AROUND.

WE HAVE THE AUDIT EXPENSE. THAT'S JUST THE ANNUAL AUDIT EXPENSE THAT YOU SHARE THE COST OF WITH THE CITY.

WE ALSO HAVE UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. NOPE.

THAT'S JUST THE ONLY. NO, LEGAL SERVICES MAKES IT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WHICH I HAVE AT A COST OF $40,000 TOTAL.

MARKETING. I TOOK THE ACTUAL PROPOSED AND KEPT IT UNDER THAT 10%, WHICH IS WHAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW AND KEEPING YOUR MARKETING IN THAT LINE UNDER THAT AMOUNT. YOU CAN SEE I HAVE SOME COMMENTS IN MY NOTES ON THE LINE ITEMS. I DON'T KNOW WHEN PROJECT QUEEN OR PROJECT 41 COME INTO PLAY, BUT I KEPT YOUR LAND ACQUISITION STILL AT A MILLION AND THEN YOUR BUSINESS RELOCATION OF $1.3. OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE YOUR BIGGEST LINE ITEMS. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE MARKETING. SO IT'S REQUIRED TO DO THE 10%, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL AND THE.

AND THEN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS. WE I GUESS THINKING LIKE 30,000.

IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY WE WOULD EVER GET CLOSE TO THAT, THAT 150K THAT THAT'S PROPOSED? YES. AND THE REASON WE DO THAT, AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE BOARD.

THEY ALLOW BY LAW 10% OF YOUR INCOME. IF WE GET A PROJECT A BIT LARGE WAYFINDING PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN A CITY

[01:15:01]

NOW, THE THING WITH THE MARKETING DOLLARS IS ONCE WE BUDGET IT, WE CAN MOVE IT OUT AND USE IT FOR OTHER THINGS.

BUT YOU CAN'T MOVE IT IN IF IT'S NOT BUDGETED.

SO YOU EITHER PUT IT IN OR YOU LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE IT IN MARKETING.

SO I GENERALLY, JUST AS A RULE OF THUMB, I ALWAYS PUT 10% IN MARKETING.

I NEVER EXPECT TO USE IT ALL. BUT AND YOU'RE ALSO ALLOWED TO ROLL IT OVER AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OVER THE YEARS.

SO YOU CAN BUILD UP A FUND BY LAW. AND SO I DO THAT IN CASE THE CITY HAS A LARGE PROJECT MARKETING PROJECT, WE CAN HELP FUND IT OR FUND IT COMPLETELY. ALL RIGHT.

THAT CLARIFIED IT BECAUSE JUST GLANCING AT IT, IT JUST. YEAH, I KNOW. IT LOOKS IRRATIONAL, BUT. YEAH. I GET IT. SO I'LL LOOK FOR DIRECTION ON THAT.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO ANYTHING. PROJECT QUEEN IS PROBABLY 2027 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, I THINK IS WHAT THEY SAID.

AND THEN PROJECT 41 IS PROBABLY IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

SO WE'RE A GOOD YEAR AND A HALF. YEAH. I'M SORRY CHAIRMAN.

DID YOU SAY PROJECT QUEEN WOULD BE IN FISCAL YEAR 27? YES. OKAY. SO WE DO NEED TO. WELL, IT'S AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR IS WHAT THEY WERE SAYING IF IT'S BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE NEXT YEAR, IT NEEDS TO BE IN THIS BUDGET, PUT IT IN THE BUDGET KELLY BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS ROLL IT OVER.

I'D HATE TO NOT HAVE IT AND HAVE TO GO THROUGH A BUDGET FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY PROMISED.

AND THEN 41, THEY'RE ALREADY MOVING DIRT AROUND BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO MOVE DIRT OVER TO PROJECT QUEEN SITE FOR PROJECT QUEEN TO, TO BUILD. BUT I. MY GUESS IS THEY'LL BE RIGHT ON THEIR HEELS.

I DON'T THINK THEY'LL BE. THEY'LL BEAT PROJECT QUEEN.

SOMETIME BY THE SEPTEMBER POINT. YEAH, I'D PUT THEM BOTH IN.

WE CAN ALWAYS ROLL.

BECAUSE WE'LL PUT PROJECTS IN NOT KNOWING WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMPLETED.

AND IF THEY'RE NOT COMPLETED, THAT'S A LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNT WE DON'T SPEND.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. FIRST LET ME SAY GREAT PRESENTATION.

IT WAS. I LOVED IT. I ALSO LIKE HOW YOU HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN FOR US SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

PLEASE. AND I MISSED IT. I'M SORRY, BUT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE 226,500 IN THAT MARKETING UNDER FISCAL YEAR 26 AMENDED. TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE ASKING LIKE WHAT WE'VE SPENT TO DATE OF THE 28,000? THAT I'M PROJECTING EVEN.

I SEE THE 28 TO 42. AND THEN IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25, ACTUAL IT SAYS 22,000.

AND THEN JUST KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, YOU HAVE $226,500.

I WAS LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE. [LAUGHTER]. AND THAT IS YOUR ADOPTED BUDGET.

THE 226. OKAY, SO IT'S NOT THE.

NOT 226. AND SO I THINK. RIGHT. IT SHOWS IN THE AMENDED BUDGET THAT WAY BECAUSE I MENTIONED THAT THE.

IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU CAN ROLL IT OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

SO IT WAS PART OF A MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENT. OKAY.

AND THERE'S A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS ADDED. OKAY.

AWESOME. THANK YOU. THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE 226,500 WAS YOUR ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR MARKETING SO THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. I'M JUST ESTIMATING BASED ON THE INFORMATION I KNEW AND WHAT'S BEEN ENCUMBERED WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

AND I DO NOTICE, YOU KNOW, 150,000 IS BELOW THE 10%.

SO I CAN TAKE IT EXACTLY TO THE 10% AND WHATEVER DIRECTION.

I MEAN, JIM WAS SAYING, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD DO THAT ROLLOVER THING.

I LIKE THE 150. FOR ME PERSONALLY. IT'S UP TO THE BOARD.

I LIKE DOING IT THAT WAY. IT GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT MONEY.

IT'S JUST A MONEY MANAGEMENT ISSUE. YEAH. I MEAN, AS LONG AS WE CAN MOVE IT AROUND IF WE NEED TO.

SO.

YEAH OKAY. YES PLEASE. HAPPY TO DO THAT. ALONG WITH ADDING BOTH QUEEN AND 41 IS WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR.

AND THEN THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE BUDGET ITSELF IS TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR $75,000 BASED ON AN ILA THAT WE HAVE.

THAT'S TO PAY FOR OPERATING, SUCH AS MYSELF, HR, IT SERVICES THAT WE ASSIST EDC WITH, AND THEN DEBT SERVICE FOR $75,000

[01:20:03]

IT IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET. THEY WILL HAVE FEEDBACK AS WELL.

IT'S NOT THE ADOPTED TIME FRAME. WE PLAN. BASED ON THE TIMELINE.

THE ADOPTED BUDGET WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.

AND IT CAN BE HANDLED MULTIPLE WAYS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WITH THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HEARD IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, THE SALARIES. IS GOING. IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD EMPLOYEES.

SHE'S JUST INCREASING IT TO COVER COSTS OF STANDARD RAISES OR HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES.

SHE'S NOT BUDGETING FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES.

SO WE'LL EITHER HAVE TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT OR IF WE HAVE A DECISION IN TIME, WHICH WOULD BE VERY, VERY QUICK, WE COULD PUT A NUMBER IN THERE FOR SALARIES.

AND I MEAN, WITH A $11 MILLION BANK ACCOUNT, I MEAN, THE BUDGET DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BALANCED BY LAW.

YOU CAN WE'RE ALLOWED TO SPEND MORE THAN WE BRING IN.

SO JUST KEEP IN MIND AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, I THINK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE CAN EITHER DO IT UPFRONT OR DO IT DURING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT. I RECOMMEND A BUDGET AMENDMENT. I THINK THAT BECOMES VERY TRANSPARENT THAT YOU'RE ADDING ANOTHER FTE.

AND WE CAN HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER OF THAT. THAT'S JUST MY TWO CENTS.

THANK YOU, KELLY. THANK YOU. AND OUR NEXT ITEM IS 2026-20.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. PEDC DIRECTOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS.

NO ACTIONS OR DISCUSSION WILL TAKE PLACE ON THIS ITEM.

AND JIM OR KERRY, REMEMBER OUR MANPOWER STUDY.

WE'RE MOVING TO NEXT MONTH TOO. THAT'S ONE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. AND WE'LL MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE,

[K. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]

TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.072. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER THAT IT'S DISCUSS, DELIBERATE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY. THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.087.

DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.

WE HAVE PROJECT TIMBER THIS EVENING AND THEN NOTHING UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.074.

PERSONNEL MATTERS AND IT'S 7:23 WILL MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THIS POINT.

IT'S 7:50. WE RETURNED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[L. ACTION PERTAINING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION ]

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ADJOURNMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.