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EVERYONE HAPPY DAY TODAY IS JANUARY 26,
[1. Call the meeting to order.]
2021.THIS IS THE CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING SESSION.
WE DO HAVE A FULL QUORUM OF COUNCIL PRESENT.
[2. City Manager Reports: City Council Calendar/Upcoming Events City Operations Conduct a briefing to discuss items for the 7:00 p.m. regular meeting]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CITY MANAGER REPORT.HOW ARE YOU DOING TO SEE THE MANAGER I'M DOING WELL? MAYOR, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTES TO GET US STARTED.
UH, NUMBER ONE, UH, THIS WEEK WE SAY A GOODBYE TO, UH, THREE FOLKS WHO HAVE SERVED OUR CITY VERY WELL OVER MANY YEARS.
UH, COLONEL JOE COMMAS, OURS IS GOING INTO OFFICIAL ACTUAL RETIREMENT AT THE END OF THIS WEEK AFTER HAVING SERVED IN MANY CAPACITIES OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, UH, HELPING US, UH, WORK TOWARDS THAT PREMIER CITY THAT WE'RE HOPING TO BECOME.
AND THEN ALSO THERESA BREX WHO SERVED US OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS IN MANY CAPACITIES WAS ALSO RETIRING AT THE END OF THE WEEK.
UM, UH, LIEUTENANT JOHN DENSMORE WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS SERVED OUR AND PROTECTED OUR COMMUNITY FOR WELL OVER 25 YEARS NOW HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION AS THE POLICE CHIEF OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, AND WILL BEGIN HIS DUTIES AS STEWARDING THAT DEPARTMENT IN THAT COMMUNITY A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO WE WISH HIM WELL AND, UH, ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR HIS SERVICE TO US OVER THE PAST TWO AND A HALF DECADES.
UM, BUT MORE FUN IS INTRODUCING NEW PEOPLE TO THE FAMILY.
HAVE A COUPLE OF INTRODUCTIONS FOR YOU TONIGHT.
SO FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. PETER PHYLLIS HERE, COME ON UP.
UH, PETER PHYLLIS WILL BEGIN HIS DUTIES AS, UH, CEDAR HILLS NEXT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE ON FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO ON MONDAY, UH, PETER IS NOT COMING FROM VERY FAR AWAY.
HE'S SPENT THE LAST 22 YEARS WORKING WITH, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS AT THE CITY OF MANSFIELD SERVING AS THEIR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS SERVICES AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
UM, HE IS A CPA AND THAT MEANS HE USED TO AUDIT PUBLIC ENTITIES AND CITIES.
SO HE UNDERSTANDS ACCOUNTING AND A BIG WAY.
UH, HE HAS SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, ECONOMIC FORECASTING, LONG RANGE, ECONOMIC PLANS, AND FINANCIAL PLANS, AND PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN MANSFIELD'S RISE TO A AAA BOND RATING OVER, UH, UH, THE PAST DECADE OF WORK THAT'S BEEN TAKING PLACE THERE.
UH, WE ARE EXTREMELY, UH, EXTREMELY HAPPY TO HAVE PETER, UM, JOIN OUR FAMILY AND I'LL LET HIM TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS FAMILY AND, UH, AND WHY HE'S HERE AND, UH, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO HIM.
UM, WE, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO BE OF SERVICE TO THIS, UH, GOOD COMMUNITY, UH, TO THIS GOOD COUNCIL AND ALSO TO YOUR GOOD CITY MANAGER, AS WELL AS YOUR, UH, YOUR TEAM.
YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC TEAM OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED.
UH, THEY ARE ALL, UH, VERY WELL EQUIPPED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AND TALENTED AND, UH, WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY.
WE, UH, SPENT A MAJORITY OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, AT THE CITY OF MANSFIELD, UH, 23 YEARS.
UH, AND WE'VE DECIDED TO, UH, RETIRE FROM THE CITY OF MANSFIELD.
AND, UH, WE SAW THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE STILL GOT SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER TO A GROWING COMMUNITY, UH, TO, UH, A SISTERING OR A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY.
AND WE THOUGHT, WELL, THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO EXERCISE OUR, UH, UH, SKILLS IF YOU WILL.
AND OUR ABILITY, UH, I HAVE TWO CHILDREN, A WIFE I'VE BEEN MARRIED TO FOR GOING ON 27 YEARS.
UH, AND SHE IS THE BETTER HALF OF ME.
UH, NO DOUBT, UH, WITHOUT QUESTION, UH, MY CHILDREN, UH, ARE, UH, W THE PRIDE AND JOY OF OUR LIVES.
I HAVE A SON WHO IS, UH, 18 YEARS OLD.
HE IS IN HIS FIRST SEMESTER, UH, COLLEGE.
UH, AND THEN I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO IS A FRESHMAN AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL, UH, THEIR NAME, UH, HIS NAME IS LUKE AND HER NAME IS CHLOE.
UM, AND, UH, SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE ARE, UH, UH, MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU, UH, BEING A PART OF THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH, UH, GREG PORTER.
HE, UH, MY, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME, UH, BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH, UH, GREG AND HIS ABILITIES, AS WELL AS THIS COMMUNITY, UH, YOU GUYS ARE A SPECIAL, A SPECIAL PLACE.
AND, UH, UM, I'M DRAWN TO APPRECIATE THAT MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY.
WELL, WE WELCOME BOTH, AND I GUESS I'LL JUST SAY, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU ACTUALLY ARE, I GUESS, BEING PROACTIVE OR DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE
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WITH, UH, I HEARD YOU GETTING ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH, UM, STAFF MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND GETTING TO KNOW YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHICH I THINK YOU'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM, UH, THAT YOU ABOUT TO ENTER INTO.SO WELCOME TO CDL AND THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR, AND TO COMMENT ON THE TEAM.
THERE IT IS, UH, UH, PORTER, UH, WITNESSED THIS THE OTHER DAY, UH, LATIFA AND ON YAY AS WELL AS THE OTHERS, UH, VERY COMPETENT IN THEIR ABILITIES AND THEIR SKILLS.
AND, UH, WE HOPE TO BRING, UH, SUPPORT TO THAT AND OFFER, UH, FURTHER, UH, UH, INSIGHT, UH, AND LEADERSHIP, UH, TO, TO THE TEAM, UH, THERE WITH, UH, WITH, UH, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UM, OUR NEXT INTRODUCTION WILL BE DONE BY STACY GRAVES AS SHE'S COMING UP.
UH, THIS IS, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
YOU'VE NOT HAD A MAJOR TO INCREASE OUR SUPPORT IN OUR ASSISTANCE TO OUR ORGANIZED NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING, AND ESPECIALLY PITS.
YOU ACTUALLY PROVIDED US WITH THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN THAT.
AND SO IT'S IN THAT VEIN THAT WE MAKE THIS INTRODUCTION.
HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COORDINATOR.
AND YOU MAY REMEMBER HER AS LEAH WALKER.
SHE IS NOW LEAH CARTER, AND SHE STARTED WITH US A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
SHE WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COORDINATOR PRIOR TO MICHELLE.
UM, SHE MOVED AND GOT MARRIED, HAD A COUPLE OF BABIES, AND SHE'S COMING BACK HOME.
SO I'LL LET LEAH COME UP AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HERSELF.
GOOD EVENING, EVERY LINE I AM BEYOND EXCITED, UH, TO BE BACK CONTAINING MY EXCITEMENT UNDER MY MASK.
UM, BUT WE JUST MOVED BACK WITHIN 30 DAYS, THE POSITION WAS POSTED AND WE PRAYED ABOUT IT AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND APPLIED, PUT OUR HOUSE ON THE MARKET AND BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA IT'S SOLD WITHIN 24 HOURS.
WE CLOSED HERE 30 DAYS LATER, AND I STARTED TWO DAYS AFTER THAT.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE BACK HERE.
THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO RAISE MY KIDS AND MY FAMILY.
AND I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UM, TO THE NEXT LEVEL TO SORT OF COMPLETE, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT I STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AND CAN'T WAIT TO GET STARTED AT WORKING WITH YOU.
YOU REMINDED ME OF YOUR ENERGY.
UM, IF I COULD JUST TELL YOU, UM, COUNSEL HAS, UH, REALLY WORKED VERY HARD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN TELL, WE CAN, WE KIND OF HAVE A NEW TEAM HERE, BUT DURING OUR LAST BUDGET, WE ACTUALLY WANTED IT TO HAVE A FIT ADMINISTRATOR.
AND WE ACTUALLY SEEN A TREND AS YOU KNOW, OF HAVING A NO MORE PERIODS COMING INTO OUR AREA, WHICH WE REALLY LIKED THAT THE FACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS X REINVESTING INTO THEMSELVES.
AND WE JUST SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT A TREND IS ACTUALLY COMING.
WE MAY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME SUPPORT WITHIN, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COVID DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, I THINK THE ROLE THAT YOU, UH, ABOUT TO ENTER INTO IS REALLY GONNA BE KIND OF YOURS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE FIRST DAY WE GUYS COULD HAVE A DISPOSITION.
WE KNOW WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE, BUT, UH, JUST HAVING YOUR ENERGY AND YOU ALREADY HAVE HISTORY WITH THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A VERY STRONG PROGRAM.
SO, UH, WELCOME BACK AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT SPECIAL THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO BRING OUT THIS POSITION.
UM, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING OVER THE CALENDAR VERY, VERY QUICKLY, UM, ON THIS, UH, THURSDAY, JANUARY 28TH, AT 6:00 PM, WE WILL HAVE OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION, UH, SUMMIT AND APPRECIATION.
WE USED TO CALL IT A DINNER IN THE COVID AGE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO CALL IT AND IT, THIS WILL BE A VIRTUAL EVENT AND, UH, WE'LL BEGIN AT SIX AND WE'LL INCLUDE THE HUNDRED.
AND SO PEOPLE WHO HELP YOU, UH, GUIDE AND SERVE THE CITY AND, UH, THE GOVERNMENTAL ROLE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, THE STAFF HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO DESIGN A THANK YOU PACKET.
YOU HAVE A, UM, A COPY OF THAT AT YOUR PLACE.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MAYOR OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, UH, TO DEVELOP THE PRESENTATION HE'S ASKED FOR, UH, YOU TO SERVE A CERTAIN ROLE WITHIN THAT.
WE'LL BE GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, WE HAVE A HOST OF, UM, UH, SHE'LL BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETINGS TAKING PLACE, UH, THROUGH NEXT WEEK, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE MEETING AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION, UH, TWO THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, WHERE, UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, THE SOUTH,
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THE SOUTHERN DALLAS TRANSIT STUDY THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS IS, UH, BEEN WORKING ON.AND, UH, THEY WILL BE HOLDING THAT MEANING, UH, VIRTUALLY AS WELL, UH, AT 6:00 PM.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT AND ATTENDING AND REGISTERING, JUST LET US KNOW.
WE'LL BE GLAD TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AND OUR FRIENDS AT THE FRIENDS OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE BEGINNING A TAMALE FUNDRAISER ON FEBRUARY 5TH ON FRIDAY.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAMALES OR SUPPORTING THE SHELTER, PLEASE AVAIL YOURSELF OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, TO THE AGENDA TONIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, THREE BRIEFINGS, ONE VERY BRIEF BRIEFING ON THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A SECOND BRIEFING FROM THE AMAZING SYLLABI WILEY LIBRARY CREW TO LET YOU KNOW ALL THE EXCITING THINGS THAT THEY, WE HAVE GOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, OR REWATCH, WE'LL BE INTRODUCING A, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A GROUP ELECTRIC SERVICES FOR CONSUMERS.
UH, THAT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SUCH A THING WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT INTO A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THEM TO USE BULK PURCHASING AS A WAY OF TRYING TO CUT SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS OF ELECTRIC COSTS IN THE REGULATED MARKET, AND TO HAVE A SHORT DISTANCE, TO BE ABLE TO GET A GOOD RATE AND A GOOD BILL THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PRESENTATION.
[3. Briefing on 87th Texas Legislative Session.]
RIGHT ON IF YOU WILL, TO THE BRIEFING ON THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UH, YOU DO HAVE BOTH WITHIN YOUR PACKET AND IN FRONT OF YOU, A COPY OF THE PR OF THE DRAFT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED FOR THIS PARTICULAR SESSION, UM, AS ALWAYS, UH, THAT IS GUIDED BY OUR VISION AS A CITY, UH, AND OUR MISSION AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND THEN THE VALUES, WHICH, UH, THAT WE GET THINGS DONE.UM, WE ALSO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO OUR PREMIERE STATEMENTS AND ALL OF OUR OBJECTIVES THERE, WHERE THE LEGISLATURE PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN EITHER GIVING US SUPPORT FOR BEING ABLE TO ADVANCE THOSE OBJECTIVES OR CREATING SOME CHALLENGES TO BE ABLE, UH, TO ACHIEVE THOSE OBJECTIVES.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY TRY TO PAY ATTENTION TO JUST AS FAR AS BACKGROUND GOES, THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION ACTUALLY BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON THE 12TH.
UM, EVERY SESSION THAT EVERY TWO YEAR PERIOD, UH, WE LOOKED TO SEE A LITTLE OVER 2000 BILLS JUST RELATED TO THINGS THAT INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CITIES.
AND SO IT'S A PRETTY BIG UNDERTAKING TO WATCH ALL OF THOSE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IMPACTS THEY HAVE AND THEN TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL OR WHETHER THEY TAKE AWAY FROM IT.
UH, THE COUNCIL HAS TRADITIONALLY ADOPTED A PROGRAM SO THAT IT CAN GIVE AN OFFICIAL SORT OF STATEMENT ON ITS POSITIONS TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
AND THEY THEN USE THAT TO HELP ADVANCE OUR CAUSE DOWN IN AUSTIN, AS THEY REPRESENT US.
AND THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT IS TO RUN THAT PROGRAM PAST JUNE, AS FAR AS SORT OF THE BIG ROCKS OF THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE BIG TWO, UH, DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CITIES DIRECTLY, BUT INDIRECTLY, THEY VERY WELL COULD, AND THAT IS THE NEED FOR THEM TO SET THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM.
AND THEN ALSO, BECAUSE THIS IS A SENSE THIS YEAR, THEY WILL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REDISTRICTING ALL OF THE STATE AND NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THAT'S A BIG UNDERTAKING, UH, BUT THEN WE'LL ALSO OCCUPY A GREAT DEAL OF THEIR TIME.
UH, OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED THAT WE'LL BE MONITORING CLOSELY ARE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS THE LEGISLATURE.
THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT THE USE OF LOBBYISTS AND CONSULTANTS THAT HELP IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO KNOW WHAT THE BILLS ARE, UNDERSTANDING THEM, AND TO GET ACCESS TO THE LEGISLATURE, TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS POSITIONS, UH, ALSO A HOST OF THINGS RELATED TO LOCAL CONTROL, BOTH ON THE GOOD SIDE AND THE BAD SIDE, BUT LARGELY RELATING TO FINANCING AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE REVENUE ON ONE HAND AND, UH, OPPOSING THINGS THAT CREATE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR WITHOUT ANY MONEY FROM THE STATE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THEM GENERALLY CALLED UNFUNDED MANDATES.
WE SAW IN THE LAST SESSION AND MOVEMENT TOWARDS A HOST OF BILLS THAT TAKE AWAY A COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO DECIDE WHAT KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WANT AND THE KINDS OF THE QUALITIES THAT THAT DEVELOPMENT MUST POSSESS.
UH, WE'VE SEEN THAT IN BUILDING MATERIALS AND OTHER TYPES OF BILLS, WE'LL BE WATCHING THOSE PRETTY CLOSELY AS ALWAYS, THERE WILL BE NUMEROUS BILLS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THEN ALSO THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY WE EXPECT TO BE BILLS RELATED TO THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC RELATED TO THINGS SUCH AS ECSTASY ACCESS TO VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY HOW PUBLIC BUSINESS HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE PAST 11 MONTHS AND THEN BROADBAND SERVICE AS A UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE PANDEMIC HAS DEFINITELY CALLED INTO SHARP CONTRAST THE EFFICIENCIES OF THE ABILITY
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TO ACCESS BROADBAND AS IT RELATES TO THINGS LIKE SCHOOL KIDS TRYING TO DO, UM, SCHOOLWORK FROM HOME OR FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO DO BUSINESSES AS THEY, UH, TO DO BUSINESS AS THEY WORK FROM HOME.UH, SO GENERALLY WE HAVE CATEGORIES OF THINGS UNDER REPOSE AND SUPPORT.
I WILL JUST, UH, HIT THESE VERY QUICKLY.
AGAIN, WE'RE VERY CLOSELY WATCHING THINGS THAT WOULD CREATE A STATE PREEMPTION OF MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY AND LOCAL CONTROL, DEFINITELY THINGS AROUND THE AVENUE OF REVENUE REDUCTIONS, OR TAX CAPS, OR THE, AGAIN, THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO FINANCE THE NEEDS OF, OF ITS CITIZENS.
UM, WE WILL ALSO BE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY, AGAIN, THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATORY TYPES OF BILLS AND THINGS THAT RELATE TO THINGS LIKE ANNEXATIONS, EMINENT, DOMAIN BUILDING CODES, AND DEFINITELY BUILDING MATERIALS.
WE'RE WATCHING CLOSELY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IS WE MAKE GOOD USE OF THOSE.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, ALWAYS, UH, THE ABILITY TO COMMAND, UH, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IN OUR RIGHTS OF WAYS.
UH, WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK TOWARDS SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT FURTHERS THE ACCESS TO, UH, GOOD BROADBAND SYSTEMS, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY IN OUR AREA.
UM, DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT TECHNOLOGY HAS DONE IN TERMS OF PROVIDING GREATER ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC, TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, UH, GREATER FLEXIBILITY, UH, TO FINANCE, UH, OR TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, PUBLIC PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND THINGS THAT GENERALLY IMPROVE THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES, PROMOTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OR OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT, UH, BUSINESSES OR TO RETAIN BUSINESSES, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY, BOTH SMALL AND LARGE.
UM, OUR NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS IS, UH, WITH YOUR APPROVAL TONIGHT, WE WILL COMMUNICATE THESE FORMALLY TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TEXAS MISBELIEF AND OUR SISTER CITIES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER ON ITEMS THAT WE HAVE COMMON COSTS AND ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS OR THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, ANY QUESTIONS FOR CITY MANAGER? UH, ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE, UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN GOING THROUGH THE, ABOUT TO GO INTO THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
DID YOU HAVE ANY INFO OR FEEDBACK ON THE CENSUS AT ALL? SO THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION IS THAT REDISTRICTING CANNOT OCCUR UNTIL THE CENSUS IS OFFICIALLY PUT OUT NEW INFORMATION.
AND THAT APPEARS TO BE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A STATE OF FLUX.
THE LAST THING I HEARD ON IT IS THE LEGISLATURE'S PRETTY MUCH, UM, PLANNING ON A SPECIAL SESSION OR TWO TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WITH THE THOUGHT THAT THE CENSUS INFO DOES NOT GET OUT UNTIL VERY LATE INTO THE SESSION, IF IT GETS OUT THEN AT ALL.
SORRY, I'LL SAY THANK YOU, MRS. C DEMENTIA FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, COUNSEL, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, UM, I DID ASK STAFF TO HAVE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE BOARD AND COMMISSION.
UH, THAT'S THE APPRECIATION THAT'S GONNA COME ON THURSDAY, UM, SINCE IT IS VIRTUAL, NO LAST YEAR WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE THIS, UH, MEETING IN PERSON.
BUT SINCE THIS ONE IS VIRTUAL, I JUST KINDA ASKED THAT YOU KIND OF BRING SOME GOOD ENERGY AND REALLY JUST SHOW, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
[4. Present annual update on programming and operations of the Zula B. Wylie Public Library. ]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, TO PRESENT AN ANNUAL DATA ON THE PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONS OF ZULI B WILEY PUBLIC LIBRARY.AND I BELIEVE THIS IS FROM THE LIBRARY STAFF.
IS THIS A NEW, UH, DIRECTOR FROM GOOD EVENING MAYOR? GOOD EVENING COUNCIL.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU.
UM, WE HAVE A PORTION OF OUR TEAM, UH, DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING, BUT, UH, EVERYONE IS HERE IN SPIRIT.
SO TONIGHT WE ARE HERE PRESENTING THE 20, 20, 20, 21 UPDATE.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, SINCE I'M SOCIALLY DISTANT, I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
SO YOU CAN HEAR ME, UM, 20, 20, 20, 21, A YEAR OF ELEVATION AND INNOVATION.
AND BEFORE WE BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY INTRODUCE WHO WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT.
AND YOU'LL GET TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT WE HAVE A CHELSEA RANDALL, I'M SORRY, NOT HARRISON, OUR YOUTH SERVICES ASSISTANT.
WE HAVE TERRY NELSON, OUR YOUTH SERVICES COORDINATOR, AND WE HAVE CORINNE CONSTANTINO, OUR LIBRARY, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.
SO IN MY NAME IS ARANDA BELL, OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THIS HAS JUST
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BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR 2020, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ADVANCING, DO I? OKAY? I'M SORRY.IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE BEEN UP HERE.
SO, UH, IT'S BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR AND WE ARE VERY PROUD AS I MENTIONED, UM, OF JUST WHAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
UH, YOUR CITY COUNCIL, VISION AND VALUES ALSO GUIDE EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND IT'S ALSO THE LIBRARY CITY COUNCIL VISION AND OR THE LIBRARY VALUES IN VISION.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE TO READ THAT TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ALL WROTE IT.
AND, UH, IT TRULY SPEAKS TO THE HEART OF WHO WE ARE, UM, NOT JUST AT THE LIBRARY, BUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, PEOPLE IN RELATIONSHIPS, STEWARDSHIP, HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS, BEHAVIOR AND INTEGRITY, SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
AND THEN WE JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF THE LIBRARY'S MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH WAS REALLY HAS BEEN SHAPED BY YOUR VISION AND VALUES.
WE CONTINUE TO BE THAT DOOR TO DISCOVERY, THAT PLACE THAT CONNECTS OUR CULTURALLY RICH AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY TO RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING, PERSONAL GROWTH IN DEVELOPMENT AND AWARENESS OF THE ARTS.
SO LAST YEAR, AROUND THIS TIME, A FEW WEEKS BEFORE, UM, MAY OR MAY 2ND, AND, UH, THE REST OF YOU WERE HERE ALONG WITH HUNDREDS, FROM THE COMMUNITY IN THIS VERY ROOM, CELEBRATING OUR ANNUAL DR.
KING COMMUNITY CELEBRATION AND PREPARING FOR, UH, THE PEACE MARCH THAT FOLLOWED.
IF YOU ALL CAN GO BACK A YEAR, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT WE HAVE THE GREAT, GREAT GRAND NIECE OF HARRIET TUBMAN.
HER NAME WAS MS. ERNESTINE, TINA WYATT.
AND SHE SAT RIGHT IN THE CHAIR HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AND REALLY SHARED HER PASSION.
AND THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM WHAT SHE CALLED AUNT HARRIET LITTLE.
DID WE KNOW THAT THE QUOTE THAT WE SO LOVED AND CAPTURED, UM, WHAT RING EVEN, UH, FURTHER AND MORE TRUE IN THE YEAR OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE WORDS THAT AREN'T HARRIET AS MS. ERNESTINE, TINA, YOU CALLED HER EVERY GREAT DREAM, BEGINS WITH A DREAMER.
ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU HAVE WITHIN YOU THE STRENGTH, THE PATIENTS, AND THE PASSION TO REACH FOR THE STARS TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HERE IN CEDAR HILL, TEXAS, I BELIEVE THAT THIS YEAR, UM, WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE BLESSING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A GLOBAL IMPACT TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
OOPS, OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR SERVICE MODEL.
YOU'VE SEEN THE SERVICE MODEL BEFORE.
UH, IT IS HOW WE SERVE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WHETHER IT BE A PROGRAM, A COMMUNITY EVENT, A LECTURE, A SPEECH, UM, AS SPEAKER A STORYTELLER, EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND THE CORE COMPETENCIES, OUR LEARNING PROFICIENCIES, OUR LIFE LITERACIES AND OUR COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CONNECTION.
AND THIS IS HOW WE PIVOT IN THE WORDS OF MONTELL JORDAN.
SO EVEN IN 2020, YOU KNOW, I STARTED THE YEAR OFF AS A NORMAL YEAR WOULD.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I GET A CALL FROM OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, UM, ON A FRIDAY, I'LL NEVER FORGET.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE JUST GETTING READY FOR A WEEKEND.
AND, UH, WE GOT A CALL THAT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
UM, WE WOULD NEED TO SHUT OUR DOORS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T, UM, KNOWN.
WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT MORNING.
UH, BUT THAT EVENING, WHEN WE GOT THAT CALL, IT DID NOT STOP US.
AND IT DID NOT STOP SUCH A DYNAMIC TEAM.
WE PIVOTED THAT MONDAY MORNING, WE MET TOGETHER IN OUR LIBRARY MEETING ROOM.
NO, WE WERE NOT SOCIALLY DISTANCE BECAUSE THAT'S BEFORE THAT WAS THE THING.
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ON MASS BECAUSE THAT WASN'T A THING YET.UM, REMEMBER THIS WAS IN EARLY MARCH AND WE CAME TOGETHER, OF COURSE, AT THE LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE TO SHARE FOOD.
SO WE HAD BREAKFAST AND WE CAME TOGETHER AND BROUGHT EVERYONE'S MINDS TO THE TABLE BECAUSE THE GOAL WAS THAT WE STILL WANTED TO SERVE.
WE STILL WANTED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE STILL WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD TAKE THE PROGRAMMING OF OUR LIBRARY DIRECTLY THROUGH THOSE CLOSED DOORS, TO THE OPEN DOORS OF THE HOMES, THE LIVING ROOMS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I REMEMBER, UH, THE, THE CHARGE WAS THAT WE WOULD COME THROUGH OUR, UM, THIS YEAR AND THIS TIME AT THAT TIME, WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR HER, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS GOING TO BE, BUT WE WERE GOING TO COME THROUGH STRONGER, BETTER, AND MORE INNOVATIVE THAN WE EVER HAVE BEEN BEFORE.
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR TEAM ROSE TO THE OCCASION WHEN SOME OTHER LIBRARIES CHOSE TO JUST SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN, STOP EVERYTHING, AND BE STILL, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE CONTINUE TO BRING OUR PASSION, OUR ENERGY, AND OUR HEART OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH THINGS SUCH AS OUR VIRTUAL STORYTIME.
IN FACT, SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF THOSE VIRTUAL STORYTIMES AS HEROES AND HELPERS.
OUR CURBSIDE BUSINESS SERVICES ARE VIRTUAL CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION, CREATIVE MOMENTS, AS WELL AS OUR HOME DELIVERY SERVICE, WHICH TOOK THE ITEMS OF THE LIBRARY TO THE MOST VULNERABLE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE SENIOR CENTERS, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS.
AND THAT'S JUST A FEW OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE PIVOTED TOWARDS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD STILL SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULD NOT BE THE LIBRARY IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A SONG, A DANCE, IN FACT, I'M SURE MAY, OR YOU MAY HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE BRINGING A DANCE TONIGHT.
HOWEVER, WE WANT IT TO, YOU KNOW, WE KEPT HEARING, OKAY, WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, YOU KNOW, STAY SIX FEET APART, SOCIAL DISTANCE.
SO WE CAME TOGETHER AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO SOMETHING THAT CAN ENCOURAGE AND UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY, BUT IN A FUN CREATIVE WAY.
SO WE PIVOTED AND WANTED TO UPLIFT OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH IT.
WE ALSO, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE WERE LEADING THE CHARGE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE AT THE TOP LEFT, THAT IS, UH, OUR TEAM, UH, SUPPORTING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CHAMBER WITH THE CEDAR HILL STRONG INITIATIVE, BECAUSE WE ARE STRONG.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH OUR VERY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UH, DEPARTMENT WITH THE CHALK, THE WALL INITIATIVE, GIVING OUT FREE, UH, SIDEWALK, CHALK TO FAMILIES.
AND WE LAUNCHED OUR FIRST VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB WITH THE BOOK, THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE.
WE ALSO CELEBRATED OUR NATIONAL LIBRARY CARD LIBRARY WEEK WITH GIFT CARDED.
UM, AND WE EVEN HAD SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO GOT CARDED AND DID SELFIES AND SHELTIES WITH THAT.
AND WE LAUNCHED OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, WHICH NOW I'M PROUD TO SAY HAS MORE THAN 100 SUBSCRIBERS AND IT'S STILL GROWING.
WE ALSO PIVOTED ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE LEARNED THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE CLOSED JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, SUMMER READING IS A VERY DYNAMIC TIME FOR US.
IT'S A TIME WHEN WE REALLY ENGAGE, UM, SO MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, ALL, ALL AGES.
AND I WANT TO INVITE MS. TERRY NELSON TO THE PODIUM TO EXPLAIN AND SHARE HER JOURNEY AND HOW WE AS A TEAM, UM, IMAGINED A NEW STORY.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS EVENING.
I HOPE YOU'RE ALL DOING DURING THIS TIME.
UM, AND LIKE ARANDA SAID, WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, WE PIVOT.
AND WE DID, UM, IMAGINE OUR STORY OF TAKING ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER AND GETTING THOSE, UM, REGISTRATIONS
[00:30:01]
TO ALL OF THOSE KIDS THAT, UH, AND THE FAMILIES AND THE ADULTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR SUMMER READING, WE HAD TO RE-IMAGINE IT COMPLETELY.SO, UM, WHAT WE DID IS, UH, WE ENLISTED A COMPANY CALLED BEAN STACK.
THAT IS A ONLINE REGISTRATION TYPE PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE AN APP WHERE YOU CAN ENGAGE WITH IT.
YOU CAN, UM, EARN BADGES AND DIFFERENT THINGS FOR READING.
SO WE ELECTED TO GO WITH THEM.
THEY WERE QUICK AT OBVIOUSLY WITH EVERY LIBRARY IN THE NATION SHUT DOWN OR UNLIMITED, UH, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THE LIBRARIES.
THEY WERE INUNDATED WITH REQUESTS FOR THEIR SERVICES.
UH, FORTUNATELY WE APPROACHED THEM QUICK ENOUGH THAT WE COULD GET ONLINE WITH THEM.
AND, UM, I THINK IT REALLY MEANT A LOT TO OUR PATRONS TO BE ABLE TO TRACK, UH, SOMETHING WHERE OTHERWISE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO COME INTO THE LIBRARY AND TALK WITH US ABOUT THE BOOKS THEY READ, AND THIS GAVE HIM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE LIBRARY.
UM, WE ALSO HAD A, UH, VIRTUAL SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
UH, UH, LITERALLY EVERYTHING WAS ONLINE THIS YEAR.
EVERY PROGRAM THAT WE DO FOR SUMMER READING WAS VIRTUAL THIS YEAR.
THAT MEANT OUR CRAFT CLASSES ARE, UM, ALL OF OUR STORY TIMES, ALL OF OUR PERFORMANCES, EVERYTHING WAS ONLINE.
AND TO, TO, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE, THE PUBLIC WAS ALREADY A LITTLE BIT TIRED OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, WE FOUND WAYS TO JAZZ IT UP AND TO MAKE IT INTERESTING.
UM, THE KIDS LIKE, UH, THERESA IS HOLDING IN THAT PICTURE, UH, IS HOW WE HAD A ACTUAL SUMMER READING, UM, DRIVE-THROUGH EVENT, BRINGING ALL OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS TO THE PEOPLE AS THEY DROVE BY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO DO OUR EVENTS.
SO IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM AND FOR THEM TO SEE US AS WELL.
AND, UH, MENCHIE'S SO WONDERFUL PARTNER WITH US DURING THAT SUMMER READING, UH, KICKOFF.
WE HAD WELL OVER 200 PARTICIPANTS ON THAT DAY.
SO SOME OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE ON THAT DAY AND, AND IT WAS GREAT.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THAT.
UM, SO IT WAS, IT TOOK A LOT OF, UM, TEAMWORK AND DIFFERENT IDEAS TO GET US ALL, UM, READY TO GO, BECAUSE IT WAS HARD.
WE'RE USED AS I CALLED THEM LEG HUGS, AND THAT'S WHEN THE KIDS RUN IN AND THEY HUG YOU AROUND THE LEG BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TINY.
UM, AND WE WEREN'T SEEING THAT AT THAT TIME.
SO WE HAD TO FIND WAYS TO GET OUR VIRTUAL HUGS THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL AS IT SAYS, 132,000 MINUTES OF READING.
UM, AND I'M SURE IT WAS EVEN MORE THAN THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT.
AND AS TERRY MENTIONED, THESE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS FROM THE SUMMER READING VIRTUAL PROGRAM CHALLENGE.
AND WE WERE VERY, JUST HONORED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE EVEN WERE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THAT BOTTOM PHOTO.
UH, THEY WERE OUT THERE IN THE HOT SUN WITH US IN JUNE, UH, GIVING OUT GIVEAWAYS AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN JUNE.
WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN OUR DOORS AND WE'RE CALLING IT OPEN HEARTS, OPEN DOORS, BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD, NOT JUST VIRTUALLY, BUT ALSO WHEN PEOPLE CAME BACK IN PHYSICALLY IN THE LIBRARY, UM, COMMENTS SUCH AS THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING OPEN.
THIS BRINGS BACK A SENSE OF NORMALCY TO MY LIFE.
SO OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS ALLOWED US TO GO INTO SPACES THAT WE NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM AMY FLOWERS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE.
UM, DURING ONE OF THE YOGA SESSIONS THAT CHELSEA VIRTUALLY DID, SHE SAID, I'M DOING MY ARMS STRETCHING AND BREATHING FROM MY HOSPITAL BED.
THOSE ARE PLACES THAT WHEN YOU THINK OF LIBRARIES, YOU DON'T REALLY THINK OF GOING INTO A HOSPITAL ROOM, BUT THAT WAS PART OF THE SILVER LINING, AS WE SAY, AND THE BLESSING OF OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS REOPENING.
ALSO, WE CAN SEE YOU TO HAVE A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION.
IN FACT, MANY OF YOU ALL JOINED US AND THINGS SUCH AS OUR SCARING, THE PARK FIRST DRIVE THROUGH A VERT OR DRIVE THROUGH EVENT
[00:35:01]
THAT WE HAD FOR SCARING THE PARK.AND WE REALLY JUST, THAT WAS ANOTHER PIVOT.
WEREN'T QUITE SURE HOW IT WAS GOING TO GO.
UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP CITY LEADERSHIP AND COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THAT.
UM, BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE ONLY EVENTS AROUND HALLOWEEN THAT HAPPENED IN THIS REGION.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT EXPLODED.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME AND JOINED US BIG MACHINES EXPO.
FIRST TIME HAVING THAT VIRTUAL, WE JOINED IN WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH CEDAR HILL SPIRIT WEEK, AND EVEN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR, UH, CELEBRATING FIRE SAFETY WEEK AND GIVING AWAY KITS AND, UH, HELMETS FOR THE FAMILIES TO TAKE HOME.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALSO BEEN HELPING THE COMMUNITY IMAGINE A NEW LIBRARY, UM, THANKS TO ALL OF THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THANKS TO A TEAM THAT ALSO PIVOTED, UM, TO MEET THE NEED OF GETTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGED AND HELPING THEM TO DREAM BIGGER AND DREAM ABOUT, UM, WHAT IS THIS LIBRARY AND A PARK GOING TO BE? UM, WE EVEN HAD SEVERAL OF YOU, UH, AS PART OF THAT TEAM, YOU WERE OUT THERE WITH US HANDING OUT, UH, CHICK-FIL-A SANDWICHES AND FEEL CITY TACOS WEARING THE SANDWICH BOARD AND HELPING GET SURVEY RESULTS, UM, HELPING WELCOME PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY FUN DAY.
WE WERE THROUGH THAT COLLABORATION AND THROUGH THE TEAMWORK ABLE TO GET MORE THAN 1000 SURVEYS, UH, COMPLETED DURING A TIME WHEN WE HAD TO STILL STAY SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE REMAINS SAFE.
HERE ARE JUST A FEW OTHER IMAGES FROM THE COMMUNITY FUND DAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, CHILDREN AND ADULTS WERE ABLE TO, UH, SHARE WHAT THEY IMAGINED AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN THE NEW LIBRARY AND APART.
REMEMBER THAT WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY GOING ON AT TWO LOCATIONS, UM, UH, THE REC CENTER AND THE, THE ALANINE SAM'S REC CENTER AND, UM, OUR LIBRARY.
AND OF COURSE, PIVOT, THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE WORDS OF 2020.
UH, WHAT WE DID AS A TEAM WAS WE REFLECTED ON HOW HAVE WE GROWN? HOW HAVE WE EXPANDED AND HOW HAVE WE HELPED THE COMMUNITY TO GROW AND EXPAND? AND THESE ARE JUST SOME WORD, A WORD STAR FROM THE STAFF THEMSELVES.
SO THE TEAM SAID, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT IN CONFIDENCE, MY MINDFULNESS, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE, TO ENDURE, UH, RESILIENCE, GRATITUDE, PATIENCE.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU CAN ALSO PROBABLY, UH, THOSE WORDS RESONATE WITH YOU AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU'VE ALSO BEEN PIVOTING RIGHT ALONG WITH US AND, AND WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND NEXT I WANT TO, UH, CALL CHELSEA RANDALL UP AND SHE'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME UPCOMING NEW THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT IN OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
HI CITY COUNCIL, AS RHONDA SAID, I'M CHELSEA AND I'M THE YOUTH SERVICES ASSISTANT AT THE LIBRARY.
UM, I'M VERY, TO BE TALKING TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE VISION THAT WE HAVE FOR NOT JUST THE SPACE THAT WE CURRENTLY OCCUPY, BUT FOR THE SPACE THAT WE WILL OCCUPY IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS ALL IN THE ROOM, I WAS IN THE ROOM WITH YOU ALL WAS WHEN YOU WERE INTERVIEWING ME FOR THE CITY BOARD THAT I CURRENTLY SIT ON, WHICH IS THE HDF BOARD.
AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF, BUT MY JOURNEY WITH THE CITY STARTED THE SUMMER OF 2015.
I WAS FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, GO LONGHORNS.
UM, AND I HAD NO IDEA THE JOURNEY THAT I WOULD BE ON WHEN I STARTED HERE IN THE CITY.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PUSH MYSELF PROFESSIONALLY CREATIVELY.
UM, AND IT HAS LED ME TO MY PASSION, WHICH IS SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
AND ONE OF THE MANY THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB IS THAT I GET TO WORK WITH ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE YOUTH IN CEDAR HILL AND IN THE SURROUNDING CITIES, FROM OUR TWEENS, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING OVER THE YEARS AND OUR TEEN PROGRAM AS WELL WITH THE GUIDANCE OF TERRY, MY AMAZING SUPERVISOR.
AND I FINALLY REFER TO HER AS MY WORK MOM AS WELL.
UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK, UM, WITH ALSO THE, UH, HELP OF THE AMAZING CDF CITY LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
[00:40:01]
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW INTO THE YOUNG ADULT THAT I AM RIGHT NOW.I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY NOW FOR GOING ON SIX YEARS.
THIS MAY, AND IN THAT TIME I HAVE MOVED OUT OF MY PARENTS' PLACE.
GRADUATED WITH MY ASSOCIATES, GOTTEN ENGAGED, GOTTEN MARRIED, JOINED THE HDF BOARD, GRADUATED WITH MY BACHELOR'S IN PSYCHOLOGY.
AND NOW I'M WORKING ON MY MASTER'S THANKS TO THE CITY AS WELL ON THAT.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PURSUE MY MASTER'S OF LIBRARY SCIENCE.
UM, AND I'VE DONE THAT ALL WITH THE SUPPORT OF MY LIBRARY FAMILY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.
WE MOURN WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WE CELEBRATE EACH OTHER.
I'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH MY CAREER ONLY TO REALIZE GOD ALREADY PLACED ME, WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM AND CARRYING OUT THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE LIBRARY, WHICH BRINGS ME TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
THE BIG QUESTION THAT WE ASKED IS HOW CAN WE STILL SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS GONE THROUGH SO MUCH CHANGE THIS PAST YEAR? AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE STARTED, WE'VE STARTED CHECKING OUT DISCOVERY, EDUCATIONAL KITS.
THESE HAVE LITERACY MATERIALS, UM, NOT JUST BOOKS, BUT ACTUAL KITS, BUILDING BLOCKS THINGS FOR SCIENCE THAT THEY CAN TAKE HOME AND WORK ON THEIR FAMILIES.
WE HAVE DROP-IN TECH HELP NOW.
SO WE'VE, UH, THIS JUST STARTED OUT, BUT WE'VE ALREADY HAD PEOPLE COME IN AND GET HELP FROM SOME OF OUR AMAZING LIBRARY STAFF.
WE'VE CHECKED OUT REALLY FUN, NEW KITS, SUCH AS OUR ULTIMATE FRISBEE SO THAT THEY CAN GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO WORKED ON, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE LIBRARY AND A PARK.
WE'VE GOTTEN TO CREATE A LOT OF TAKE HOME KITS.
I THINK WE'RE APPROACHING NEARLY A THOUSAND TAKE HOME KITS THAT WE'VE HANDED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN THIS PAST YEAR.
SOME OF THEM BEING BETWEEN ARTSY BOX, THAT ONE HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN.
I'VE GOTTEN TO CREATE A LITTLE SUBSCRIPTION STYLE BOX FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A TEEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME IN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE BUILDING A BLOG.
SO THAT WAY THEY CAN EARN COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS BY HELPING US REACH OTHER TEAMS IN THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH REVIEWS, FROM ANYTHING SUCH AS BOOKS, TO MOVIES, TO ART, TO ANYTHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
AND WE'VE ALSO WORKED OUT ON THINGS SUCH AS OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, AS WE'VE SAID, UM, JUST ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT VIRTUAL STORYTIMES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE ARE REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS AND COMING UP WITH MORE FUN AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO REACH OUR COMMITTEE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT HAS BEEN A FUN RIDE.
THE TEAM HAS WORKED SO HARD TO MEET EVERYONE WHERE THEY ARE AND ANOTHER FUTURE, UM, INITIATIVE THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE LEADING THE CHARGE IN IS A ONE CARD, ONE COMMUNITY REGIONAL LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP.
THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THIS ENTIRE REGION, UM, IN THE FOUR CITIES.
SO CEDAR HILL DUNCANVILLE, DESOTO AND LANCASTER WILL NOW HAVE ONE CARD THAT GIVES ACCESS TO ALL FOUR LIBRARIES, ALL FOUR LIBRARIES, UH, MATERIALS, AND, UM, A COMMUNITY MEMBER NOW HAS EVEN MORE RESOURCES, UH, AND WILL HAVE MORE RESOURCES, UM, TO MATERIALS.
AND WE'LL BE ROLLING THIS OUT THIS SPRING.
AND I JUST WANT TO END WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE CELEBRATED, UH, MLK, UM, COMMUNITY CELEBRATION THIS YEAR, AGAIN, UH, IN 2021, WE PIVOTED ONCE AGAIN FOR OUR FIRST, UH, VIRTUAL CELEBRATION.
KING, WHAT IMPACTS ONE IMPACTS US ALL.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A SHORT CLIP AND END WITH, UM, THE PERFORMANCE THAT THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATRE, UM, PERFORMED FOR THE VIRTUAL CELEBRATION, SCIENTIFIC GENIUS, MORAL AND ETHICAL COMMITMENT.
WE MUST MAKE UP IN A BROTHERHOOD.
WE MUST ALL LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER THAT
[00:45:21]
WE ARE CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE NETWORK OF MUTUALITY.AS LONG AS THAT IS EXTREME POVERTY IN THIS, NO MAN CAN BE TOTALLY RICH, EVEN IF IT HAS A BILLION DOLLARS LONG, AS LONG AS DISEASES MILLIONS OF PEOPLE CANNOT EXPECT TO LIVE MORE THAN 28 TO 30 YEARS.
EVEN IF YOU JUST GOT A CHECKUP IN THE FINEST CLINIC OF A NATION, STRANGELY ENOUGH, UNTIL YOU ARE WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE IN, YOU CAN NEVER BE WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE
AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY WE ARE ONE AND AT OUR LIBRARY, WE LOVE TO CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY.
WE LOVE TO CELEBRATE THE COMMUNITY AND WE APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR LOVE, YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR HEART SERVANT'S HEART.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL HERE STRONGER, BETTER, MORE INNOVATIVE THAN WE WERE WHEN WE STARTED.
AND, UH, JUST WANT TO OPEN THE FLOOR UP.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DIRECTION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL GOT SOME GLOVER.
UM, YOU GUYS DO AN AMAZING JOB AND I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN OUR TIGHT YARD TIRE STAFF, YOU'RE REALLY THE EMBODIMENT OF CEDAR HILL.
KNOW, WE TAKE A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION AND TURN IT INTO THE BEST SITUATION POSSIBLE.
AND AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE NEEDED RESOURCES THAT THEY COULD NOT ACCESS, YOU WERE THERE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS, AND THEN ALSO FOR THEM FROM THE ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS, BECAUSE YOU DO AN AMAZING JOB AND IT DOESN'T GO WITHOUT BEING THOSE CUSTOMER SYSTEMS. YEAH.
I WOULD GIVE YOU SOME DIRECTION, KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, I'M JUST, I BRAG ON THE LIBRARY ALL THE TIME AND, UM, YOU ALL HAVE, UM, UM, TAKING THE LIMITS OFF OF WHAT CAN BE DONE.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY, KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THIS, THIS LIBRARY GROW FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID, WELL, I HEARD IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT DURING THE COVID, UH, SITUATION, UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF PEOPLE
[00:50:01]
HAD TO STAND STILL AND A LOT OF LIBRARIES STOOD STILL, BUT YOU DIDN'T.AND, UH, YOU JUST CONTINUED TO GET BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER ALWAYS BRINGING UP A NUT, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
SO I'M PROUD THAT WHAT Y'ALL HAD BECOME FOR LIBRARY OF CEDAR HILLS.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU WORK.
UH, COUNSEL, MR. I'M JUST SO PROUD OF YOU ALL, UH, WHAT YOU DO AT THE LIBRARY BECAUSE SO MANY PARENTS ARE GETTING ENGAGED WITH THE CHILDREN AND MY HEART IS WITH THE KIDS AND KEEPING THEM ENGAGED AND WANTING TO READ BOOKS.
AND YOU DON'T FIND THAT EVERYWHERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, DALLAS THOUGHT THEY HAD IT GOING ON, BUT I LET THEM KNOW CDL HAD IT REALLY GOING ON.
SO YOU ALL, UH, THEY HAD TO STOP, BUT YOU ALL CONTINUED.
SO I'M REAL PROUD OF Y'ALL NOW.
WELL, I HAD SOMETHING ELSE FOR YOU ALL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PIVOTING AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE FROM THE LIBRARY TO YOU ALL, IT'S A PIVOT SURVIVAL KIT.
SO WHENEVER YOU'RE FEELING LIKE YOU NEED THAT EXTRA PUSH OR ENCOURAGEMENT, JUST GO TO YOUR LIBRARY, A PIVOT SURVIVAL KIT, AND WE HOPE THAT IT WILL KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, I DO HAVE, UM, A PROTEIN SAW, HAVE A FEW WORDS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN MARCH SPRING BREAK, I GUESS LAST YEAR, UM, AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M PROUD OF ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR PIVOTING AS YOU CALL IT.
UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LIBRARY, YOU JUST GOT TO KNOW WHAT A TOUGH DECISION AS MAYOR THAT I HAVE TO SHUT A LIBRARY DOWN.
UM, BUT THE HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T LET NO ROADBLOCKS STOP YOU FROM STILL CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THAT REALLY MEANS A LOT.
SO JUST FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO HEAR HOW ENTHUSIASTIC YOU ARE TO STILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR YOUTH, WITH OUR RESIDENTS, THE, I REALLY MEANS A LOT.
SO JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM MY HEART TO YOURS, I APPRECIATE YOU.
AND WE HAVE A DYNAMIC, AMAZING TEAM, AND I APPRECIATE, UM, THE TEAM AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR MENTORSHIP.
AND I THINK MCCURDY HAS BEEN TO WORDS, I GUESS I DO GET THE PHONE.
I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINNERS AND LOSERS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY AND I HATE TO CLASSIFY SOMEBODY AS A LOSER, BUT, UH, IF YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY THAT THEY CONSTANTLY GIVE YOU A LIST OF EXCUSES FOR YOU, ALL THE REASONS WHY THEY COULDN'T ACCOMPLISH THE TASKS THAT THEY HAD BEFORE THEM, THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF A LOSER, A WINNER.
ON THE OTHER HAND MAY GIVE YOU A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THEY OVERCAME AND ALL, ALL THE OBSTACLES THAT, THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, HURDLED OVER OR DODGED AROUND IN ORDER TO, TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.
AND, UH, IN, IN MY BOOK, YOU ARE, YOU'RE ALL WINNERS.
THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING CITY MANAGER AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, UM, BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY TAKES A VILLAGE AND IT DEFINITELY TAKES A TEAM.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR TIME.
[5. Briefing on group energy purchasing services provided by iChoosr, LLC.]
ON THE BRIEFING AGENDA IS A BRIEFING ON GROUP ENERGY PURCHASING SERVICES PROVIDED BY CHOOSER AND LLC PRESENTED BY MARIE WHAT'S.HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, IT IS A PLEASURE TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING.
AND TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A GROUP PURCHASING PROGRAM FOR ELECTRICITY.
WE BEGIN AS WE BEGIN EVERYTHING WITH OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, WHICH, UH, WHICH PLAYS INTO EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE TO MAKE CEDAR HILL UP PREMIER CITY, INCLUDING OUR VISION MISSION VALUES AND PREMIERE STATEMENTS.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND DISCUSS, UH, THE THREE-STEP PROCESS, UM, INCLUDING, UH, INITIATIVES FROM I CHOOSE R UM, AND HOW THEY RELATE TO OUR COMMUNITY VALUES, THE
[00:55:01]
CITY'S ROLE IN THIS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS, UH, AND CONCLUDE WITH NEXT STEPS AND KEY DATES SET UP BELL SEVEN, UH, MADE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN THE WAY THAT TEXAS PURSUITS ELECTRICITY THROUGH THE DEREGULATION OF THE ELECTRICITY MARKET, INCLUDING A PROVISION THAT A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION AGGREGATOR MAY NEGOTIATE FOR THE PURCHASE OF ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY SERVICES ON BEHALF OF ITS CITIZENS.UH, CURRENTLY 85% OF TEXANS HAVE A CHOICE AND ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS, BUT AN ESTIMATED 70%.
I HAVEN'T SWITCHED PROVIDERS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, UH, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, INCLUDING DIFFICULTY, UH, IT BEING TIME CONSUMING AND TOO MANY CHOICES.
AND SOME OF THEM FIND IT OVERWHELMING.
UH, I CHOOSE R OR YOU MAY ALSO KNOW THEM AS TEXAS POWER SWITCH OFFERS A GROUP PURCHASING PROGRAM, WHICH, AND WHICH AGGREGATING CUSTOMERS LEVERAGE THEIR, UH, CO UH, COLLECTIVE NUMBERS TO GET A COMPETITIVE RATE FOR ELECTRICITY.
UM, THEY OPERATE, UH, IN CITIES, ACROSS TEXAS, UH, INCLUDING, UH, CURRENT CUP HELD, UH, DICKINSON, UH, COPPERAS COVE, PHARMACY BRANCH, A FATE LIKE DALLAS, PORT LAVACA, WACO, AND LANCASTER AS A BLESSED SPRING.
UM, I TO START, UH, TEXAS OPERATIONS BEGAN IN 2017 AND THEY'VE HELD 10 POWER SWITCH AUCTIONS.
UH, THE LAST OF WHICH BEING COMPLETED ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A COLLECTIVE SAVINGS OF A TOTAL OF $4.6 MILLION.
THEY, UH, THEY HAVE A TEAM QUARTERED IN AUSTIN, AS WELL AS 24 SEVEN CUSTOMER CARE AND HOUSTON.
UH, THEY ORGANIZE THREE, UH, UM, TEXAS PARTS, WHICH IT BY PROGRAMS, UH, ANNUALLY WITH NO COST OR OBLIGATION FOR THE CITY OR ITS RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
AND IN KEEPING WITH OUR, UH, OUR EMPHASIS ON, UH, GOING GREEN AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, UH, IN AN EFFORT TO MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT GOING FORWARD, ALL SUPPLIERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO BID WITH 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY PLANS.
AND THESE PLANS WILL BE THE STANDARD CHOICE GOING FORWARD.
UH, AS I SAID, UH, THIS IS A THREE-STEP PROCESS BEGINNING WITH, UH, EDUCATION, WHICH, UM, WILL BE THE CITY'S, UH, ROLE IN THIS, UH, IN THIS PROCESS, UH, REGISTRATION OP AUCTION AND OFFER, UM, UM, THE CITY'S PRIMARY ROLE WILL BE TO EDUCATE ITS RESIDENTS.
UH, IF THE COUNCIL DOES APPROVE THIS, UH, ITEM, UH, THIS EVENING, UH, THROUGH, UH, VARIOUS OUTLETS, UH, SUCH AS THE WEBSITE, OUR HIGHLIGHTS NEWSLETTER, UH, AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, UM, REGISTRATION FOR THIS PROGRAM TAKES ONLY TWO TO THREE MINUTES TO COMPLETE AND USING THE POWER OF NUMBERS, THE MORE PEOPLE WHO REGISTER JUSTICE SAY THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED AND LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE UP COMPETITIVE ELECTRICITY RATES, UH, THE BETTER DEALS, UM, THAT WE'LL RECEIVE FROM ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS AND OUR CEDAR HILL RESIDENTS.
AGAIN, IF COUNCIL DOES OPT TO APPROVE AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT, UH, MAY REGISTER UNTIL MARCH 2ND, I DECIDED THEM FACILITATES AN AUCTION WITH PARTICIPATING RETAIL, ELECTRIC PROVIDERS, UH, AND THE COMPETITOR, UH, AND THE PROVIDER WITH THE MOST COMPETITIVE RATE, UM, WILL BE PROVIDED TO PROGRAM REGISTRANTS TO DECIDE IF THERE ARE INTERESTED IN SAVING, UH, AND UPON BURBERRY THEIR MOST RECENT PROGRAM, A HOUSEHOLD THAT USES AN AVERAGE OF 1500 KILOWATTS PER HOUR PER MONTH CAN EXPECT TO SAVE FIVE, $142 ANNUALLY, UH, POWER SWITCH, OR I CHOOSE R UM, WORKS WITH THE WINNING PROVIDER TO ISSUE PERSONAL OFFER LETTERS, TO ALL REGISTRANTS, UH, WITH AN OPTION OF EITHER A 12 MONTH OR A 24 MONTH, UH, FIXED RATE PLAN AGAIN WITH NO OBLIGATION TO SWITCH.
UH, AT THAT POINT, IT IS JUST FOR INFORMATION ONLY, UH, GOING BY THEIR DATES.
THEIR NEXT OFFER DATE WILL BE FEBRUARY 9TH, AND THEN THE REGISTRANT'S, UH, WOULD DECIDE IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN GOING TO THE WINNING PROVIDER AND THEIR, OH, WAIT, UH, RIGHT PLANS, OR IF THEY WOULD PREFER TO STAY WITH THEIR CURRENT PROVIDER, UH, SOME UPCOMING, UH, KEY DATES, UH, THEIR AUCTION DATE ACTUALLY, UH, BEGAN TODAY.
BUT AGAIN, UH, IF THE COUNCIL DOES DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONTRACT, UM, OUR RESIDENTS HAVE UNTIL MARCH 2ND TO REGISTER AND THEN MAKE A DECISION IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I CHOOSE ALL, BUT THEN, UM, HAVE THE OPERA SENT TO BE READY TO SEND OUT UPPER BRAIN NINTH.
AND THE SWITCH WINDOW, UM, IS FROM FEBRUARY 12TH TO JUNE 4TH, TO
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BEEF UP, UH, TO BE FLEXIBLE, UM, AND HAVE, UM, PROVIDE CUSTOMERS, UH, LONGER PERIODS OF SWITCH IF THEIR CURRENT PLANS, UH, DO NOT EXPIRE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.AND AGAIN, THAT MARCH 2ND DATE IS JUST, UH, THE DATE WHERE, UM, REGISTERS WOULD NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SWITCH AND ACCEPT THE NEW RATE OR PLAN, UH, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE CITY OF CEDAR HILLS ROLE, UM, BUT CERTAINLY TO INFORM AND ENGAGE RESIDENTS, UH, AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE, UH, TWO OF THE THREE TEXAS, UH, POWER SWITCH GROUP BUYING PROGRAMS THAT ARE, UM, OFFERED ANNUALLY.
AND I CHOOSE OUR BULL OBTAIN THE CITY'S APPROVAL, UM, PRIOR TO ALL MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE, UH, PUBLISHING, UM, OR DISTRIBUTING, UH, COMMUNICATIONS AND WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH US, UM, TO DEVELOP A, UH, COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT, UH, ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, THERE WAS AN ITEM FOR CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH, I CHOOSE R UH, THIS IS FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM WITH AN AUTOMATIC ONE YEAR EXTENSION, UNLESS EITHER PARTY TERMINATES THE AGREEMENT AT LEAST 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE END OF THE TERM.
UH, AND IF COUNCIL, UM, DOES AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT, UH, IT, UH, I CHOOSE OUR, UH, ESTIMATES THAT IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FIVE DAYS, UM, TO, UH, TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE US WITH THE COLLATERAL MATERIALS.
SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO, UM, I GUESS, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE BEEN, THIS WILL PROVIDE US AN OPTION FOR US RESIDENTS OR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A NEW ENERGY PROVIDER, IS THAT FIRST STEP.
AND IT'S ONLY FOR RESIDENTS ONLY, AND THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO FIRST, UM, IN, IN SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT.
SO OUR RESIDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, I GUESS, BID THEIR SERVICES, TO BE ABLE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A LOWER RANK OR A COMPETITIVE RATE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AFTER THREE YEARS THEN WHAT HAPPENS.
SO THEY HAVE TO COME BACK FOR US AGAIN, TO ENTER AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, OR IF THE RESIDENT CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GO BEYOND THE THREE YEARS, IT HAVE TO COME BEFORE US AFTER THREE YEARS AWAY.
SO, UH, SO THE, SO FOR THE RESIDENTS, THEY HAVE THE OPTION, IF THEY WOULD LIKE, UM, AGAIN, UM, A PERSONAL OF A ONE OR TWO YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE WINNING, UM, RETAIL ELECTRIC PROVIDER, UH, AS FAR AS FAR AS THE, UH, AS FAR AS THE CITY'S OBLIGATION TO RE UP ON THIS AGREEMENT AFTER THREE YEARS, UM, WE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF THE MASTER AGREEMENT THAT IS ON TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, UNLESS, UH, EITHER WE THE CITY OR I CHOOSE OUR, UM, ALEKS TO, UM, UH, GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE EXPIRATION DATE, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MARCH 2ND, IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T REGISTER AFTER MARCH 2ND, WHAT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO DO THIS IN JUNE, FOR EXAMPLE? UM, SO, UH, SO ACTUALLY THAT THEY WOULD WAIT UNTIL THE, UH, UNTIL THE NEXT UP PROGRAM AND THEN THEY COULD APPROVE, UH, THEY COULD PRE-REGISTER TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT NEXT COMPETITIVE, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT NEXT WINDOW IS.
UH, SO, UH, SO THERE, UH, SO THERE, I'M SORRY.
SO THERE ARE TIME PARENTS ARE USUALLY, UM, DURING THE SPRING, SO SPRING SUMMER THAT IT WOULD BE A SUMMER FALL AND THEN A FALL WINTER, AND THEN THERE, AND THEN THERE'S AN OPEN TIME BETWEEN THE WINTER AND SPRING.
UM, 10 MCCURDY OF COURSE, IS THIS PRESENTATION AND THE INFORMATION GOING TO BE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE SOMEWHERE WHERE, WHERE CITIZENS CAN, CAN LOOK AT IT AND REFERENCE IT.
UM, IF, UM, IF WE DO OPT INTO THE AGREEMENT, UH, INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, AS WELL AS THE, I CHOOSE OUR, UH, WEBSITE AND THEY'LL HAVE A DROPDOWN MENU OF PARTICIPATING CITIES.
AND IS THIS OPEN TO ONLY RESIDENTS OR IS IT ALSO OPEN TO BUSINESSES WITHIN CEDAR HILL? SO UNFORTUNATELY THIS, UH, UH, THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY OFFERED TO OUR RESIDENTS AT THE MOMENT.
AND, UM, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, UH, CUMMINGS, SORRY.
I JUST WAS HOPING TO ANSWER A QUESTION.
I THOUGHT YOU HAD THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, THE COMPANY DOES NOT IMPACT OR WILL NOT IMPACT ANY AGREEMENT THAT A RESIDENT WITH THEIR RETAIL ELECTRIC PROVIDER.
SO ANY EVENT THAT OUR AGREEMENT EXPIRES AND A RESIDENT HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THEIR RACHEL ELECTRIC PRO-LIFE PROVIDER, IT WILL END THAT FOR THEM.
AND, AND RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, UM, WITH THE NEXT, WITH THE SPRING PROGRAM,
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PERIOD, UH, MAY, WILL BE THE MUD OF THE AUCTION.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR MARIE.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE CONSENSUS WILL BE.
ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL, THAT DOES OUR, UH, BRIEFING SESSION.
UH, WHETHER YOU'RE SAYING THE MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT, I DO HAVE A MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? THAT'S A NON DEBATABLE MOTION ON A FAILURE PERIOD.
AND WE ARE ADJOURNED SEVEN OH SIX COUNSEL.