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GOOD EVENING[1. Call the meeting to order.]
EVERYONE.TODAY IS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025.
THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BRIEFING SESSION.
WE DO HAVE A FULL QUORUM OF CITY COUNCILS PRESENT.
ALL NOTICES HAVE BEEN PROPERLY POSTED.
I WANNA OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING THE ORDER.
[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, MADAM? CITY MANAGER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M DOING WONDERFUL, UH, GETTING OVER A SICKNESS THAT I THINK IS ALL GOING AROUND EVERYWHERE, BUT, UM, WE'RE ALL DOING REALLY GOOD AND, UH, UP TO MY VITAMIN C AND I THINK WE'RE DOING MUCH BETTER.
BUT IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I DO HAVE SOME, UH, CALENDAR ITEMS THAT WE'LL GO OVER HERE SHORTLY.
AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE A SHORT AGENDA, WE HAVE TWO REALLY GOOD BRIEFINGS, SO I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP THE TIME, UH, ANYTIME FROM THEM.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE CITY COUNCIL CALENDAR.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, OUR FORMER BELOVED CITY COUNCILMAN, UH, FORMER VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, FORMER ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY, HE WAS, UH, PART OF THE 1975 CHARTER COMMITTEE WHEN THE CITY WAS ESTABLISHED AS A HOME RULE CITY, 1975.
UH, FORMER COUNCILMAN GENERAL GREG PATTON, UH, PASSED AWAY ON FRIDAY, AND HIS VISITATION IS ON THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH AT 10:00 AM AND HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE IS AT 11 AT THE CEDAR HILL CHURCH OF CHRIST.
UM, THE CITY WILL HAVE PRESENCE THERE WITH BOTH OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, HONORING HIM, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND DIRECTORS.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, UM, WE WILL, WE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
IF YOU RECALL IN 2021, WE DID HONOR HIM WITH THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM IS GONNA BE POSTING SOME THINGS ABOUT HIM AND HONORING HIM, UH, IN REMEMBRANCE OF ALL OF HIS IMPACT TO THE CITY AND THE CITIZENS OF CEDAR HILL ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH.
UM, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARE PRESENTING AT THE SENIOR SENATE MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE INVITED ALL SENIORS TO THAT MEETING AT 1:00 PM AT THE SENIOR HI, CEDAR HILL SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER.
WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE PLANS TO, UH, BUILD A WING FOR THE SENIORS AT THE ALLEN E SIMS RECREATION CENTER, AND THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
THAT WAS, UH, ACCEPTED IN JANUARY.
MADAM CITY MANAGER, IF I COULD, UH, WE COUNCIL, I KNOW WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE MEETINGS IN MIDDAY LIKE THAT, UH, BUT FOR OUR SENIORS, THEY REALLY DON'T MEET IN THE EVENING.
UH, SO I WAS TRYING TO BE ACCOMMODATING TO BOTH YOU AND THE SENIORS, AND I THINK THIS IS THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
SO, UH, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, I'M SURE THEY'LL LOVE TO KIND OF SEE, UH, THE SUPPORT IN PERSON FROM YOU ALL, BUT IF NOT, I'LL DO MY BEST TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO RELAY THAT.
THE NEXT DAY, ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO DISCUSS THE STRATEGIC PLAN ACTION ITEMS THAT IS AT THE TRAFFIC HICKMAN LIBRARY AT SIX, FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM ON FRIDAY, THE 21ST.
THAT'S CORRECT, FRIDAY THE 21ST FROM SIX TO 9:00 PM EACH OF YOU HAVE AN INVITATION FOR THE CEDAR POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL BANQUET, AND THAT IS AT THE ALLEN SIMS RECREATION CENTER AT SIX O'CLOCK THE NEXT DAY ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH.
SECOND, WE HAVE THE SHERRY BORTH ANNUAL PACK PANCAKE BREAKFAST PRESENTED BY THE CEDAR HILL LIONS CLUB FROM EIGHT TO 10:30 AM I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER MCCURDY IS SELLING TICKETS FOR THAT.
IF YOU NEED ANY, GET WITH HIM, I THINK IT'S $10.
DAN AND DAN AND COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HAYDEN AND MCCURDY, UM, AGAIN, WE ARE DOING THE, UH, SECURE PAPER SHREDDING EVENT FROM NINE TO 12 HERE AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.
UH, OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS ON FEBRUARY 25TH AT 6:00 PM AND, UH, FEBRUARY 26TH IS THE, UH, C-H-I-S-D STATE OF THE DISTRICT AT THE MADDOX TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER AT 11:00 AM OVER OUR LUNCH, THE LUNCH HOUR, AND THEN ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, WE HAVE THE STATE OF THE CITY FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE ALLEN SIMS RECREATION CENTER.
WE DID OPEN THAT UP AND PROVIDED TICKETS OPEN TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC, AND I THINK WE'RE SOLD OUT.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT A TICKET, I THINK, UM, WE'RE BOOKED TO THE CAPACITY OF THAT ROOM.
ON THURSDAY, MARCH 6TH, WE HAVE THE GOLDEN HOME GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE HONORING, UH, WELCOMING THEM TO THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL FROM NINE TO 1:30 PM ON THURSDAY, MARCH 6TH.
AND THEN ON FRIDAY, MARCH 7TH, WE HAVE THE SNEAKER BALL.
THE SENIORS ARE HOSTING A SNEAKER BALL.
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THE CITY COUNCIL JOINS WITH, I THINK IT'S PEARLS AND DIAMONDS, OR PEARLS AND BOOTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.THIS YEAR, IT'S FROM SIX TO 10:00 PM IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
UM, THE TUESDAY, MARCH 11TH IS THERE'S NO CITY COUNCIL MEETING DUE TO THE SPRING BREAK, AND SO OUR ONE COUNCIL MEETING IN MARCH IS MARCH 25TH.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR? ALL RIGHT.
UM, OF COURSE, AFTER MY UPDATE, WE HAVE TWO BRIEFINGS, A PRESENTATION ON OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP BY STACY GRAVES, OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND THEN A PRESENTATION FROM THE CEDAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, UH, VANESSA ALONZO AND, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF, UM, THE, THE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS WELL WILL ALSO JOIN HER IN THAT.
AND THEN ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE AN INVITATION BY PASTOR SHERMAN DUMAS FROM KINGDOM CULTURE WORSHIP CENTER, CEDAR HILL.
AND WE HAVE SOME THREE REALLY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS BY OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR POLICE, AMAZING WORK IN CEDAR HILL.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PURPLE HEART.
I DON'T WANNA TELL THE STORIES 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM IT.
THE MEDAL OF VALOR AND SOME LI A LIFESAVING AWARD.
SO REALLY EXCITING TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE COUNCIL RECEIVE THAT THOSE AWARDS AND HONOR THOSE OFFICERS FOR THEIR HARD DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
UM, ITEM SIX IS ELECTION MATTERS.
WE'RE CONSIDERING ORDERING A GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY MAY 3RD, 2025, TO ELECT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE PLACED THREE AND PLACE FIVE.
CONSENT INCLUDES MINUTES OF JANUARY 28TH, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM B IS AT A RESOLUTION WHICH SUPPORTS THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION TO THE FEMA HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM TO REPLACE OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ITEM C IS, UH, CASE NUMBER SP 6 6 4 20 24 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPLICATION FOR A SITE PLAN ON PROPERTY ZONE INDUSTRIAL, GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF JOU WAY AND CEDAR VIEW.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM D IS AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH EAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS LLC FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A SIGNAL LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORVILLE WILSON IN CALVERT DRIVE.
THIS HAS BEEN ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WE'RE, IT'S HERE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
AND THEN ITEM D ME, THE LAST ITEM IS FOR THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH TEXAS STANDARD CONSTRUCTION FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL AT WEST BELTLINE ROAD IN MAIN STREET.
AS YOU RECALL, DURING THE CIP, UM, THOSE PUSH BUTTONS FOR A DA ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE, SO THIS WOULD, THIS WORK WOULD MAKE HIM FULLY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL PEOPLE, UM, OF ALL ABILITIES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA? UM, I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS.
COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ON CONSENT TO BE PULLED OR, UH, FOR DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
I'M TRYING TO GO BACK TO MY BRIEFING AGENDA.
[3. Presentation on Operation Clean Sweep.]
IS PRESENTATION ON OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP.HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR US, UH, TO BEGIN OUR PRESENTATIONS WITH THIS SLIDE THAT OUTLINES OUR VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES AS A REMINDER OF OUR OVERALL PURPOSE.
WHEN WORKING ON CITY PROGRAMMING, WE ENVISION CEDAR HILLS A PREMIER CITY THAT RETAINS ITS DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER WHERE FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES FLOURISH IN A SAFE AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.
AND TONIGHT WE'LL BE PURSUING PREMIER WITH CLEAN, SAFE, AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY.
UM, CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY ADOPTED UM, THEIR 20 25, 20 30 STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND IN THIS PLAN UNDER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IT IS STATED TO EXPAND AND INCREASE INITIATIVES.
ALIGNED WITH OUR PREMIER STATEMENT, CEDAR HILLS CLEAN, WITH ONGOING CLEAN CITY CLEAN CITY PROGRAMMING, WE BELIEVE THAT THE OPERATION CLEAN SUITE PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH THIS FOCUS REINFORCING OUR COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING A CLEAN AND VIBRANT CITY THROUGH ACTIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
THE OPERATION CLEAN SUITE PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2010, MAINLY TO ALLOW FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTION PROGRAM OF PROPERTIES WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.
OFFICERS CHECK EACH PROPERTY FOR CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES, BUT ULTIMATELY THE PROGRAM HAS REALLY EVOLVED INTO OPPORTUNITIES FOR
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CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITIZENS AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.THIS PROGRAM ALSO ASSISTS WITH ACHIEVING THE CITY COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS, ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY, AND ENHANCING NEIGHBORHOODS TO IMPROVE, UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THE MAP HERE HIGHLIGHTS THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE OPERATION CLEAN SUITE PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS.
THE MOST RECENT FOCUS AREA AS, UH, INDICATED BY THE BLUE STAR KINGSWOOD UNDERSCORES THE CITY'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO CREATING A CLEANER, MORE VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD AND AND FOSTERING A SENSE OF PRIDE AMONG OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THEN ON THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WITHIN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
UM, THIS LIST, UH, IS COMPREHENSIVE SINCE 2010.
IT HIGHLIGHTS SOME STATISTICS, INCLUDING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS OR PROPERTIES INSPECTED WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS, UM, FOUND ON PROPERTIES AND THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS A CODE VIOLATION.
SO THE MOST RECENT ONE IN 2024 KINGSWOOD, UH, YOU'LL SEE IT'S 384 PROPERTIES INSPECTED 108 OF THOSE PROPERTIES HAD A VIOLATION, AT LEAST ONE VIOLATION, AND, UH, 28% OF THOSE PROPERTIES HAD A VIOLATION.
SO, AGAIN, IN THE KINGSWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, A TOTAL OF 384 UH, INSPECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, SINCE KINGSWOOD DOES NOT HAVE ALLEYS, INSPECTIONS WERE LIMITED TO STREET LEVEL VIEWS FOCUSING SOLELY ON VISIBLE PROPERTY ISSUES FROM THE, FROM THE PUBLIC ROAD.
UM, DURING THESE INSPECTIONS, 108 PROPERTIES HAD AT LEAST ONE CODE VIOLATION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ALL THE CASES OPENED DURING THE OPERATION CLEAN SUITE PROGRAM HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED.
AND THEN ON THIS SLIDE OFFERS A MORE DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN KINGSWOOD, UH, SHOWING TO STA STATISTICS OF PROPERTY VIOLATIONS.
WHILE THE PREVIOUS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTED, UH, PROPERTIES WITH AT LEAST ONE VIOLATION, THIS IS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UM, BROADER EXPANSION OF PROPERTIES WITH VIOLATIONS OVERALL.
AND SO WITH THE TOTAL VIOLATIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF 1 41, THAT REALLY SHOWS THAT SOME PROPERTIES HAD MORE THAN ONE VIOLATION ON THEM.
AND AS AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD, MANY HOMES IN, UH, KINGSWOOD MAY HAVE BEEN PAINT REPAINTED OVER THE YEARS.
SO AS A RESULT, THE MOST COMMON COMMON VIOLATION INDICATED WAS MISSING OR IMPROPERLY DISPLAYED.
ADDRESS NUMBERS ARE A CRUCIAL REQUIREMENT UNDER THE CITY CODE, UM, AS THEY PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY, ENSURING THAT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS CAN QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY LOCATE HOMES WHEN NEEDED.
UH, SO FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS YEAR'S OPERATION, CLEAN SUITE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, UH, BRADFORD PARK AT HIGH POINT.
UM, THIS WILL MARK THE FIRST TIME THAT THE OPERATION CLEAN SUITE PROGRAM HAS BEEN I, UH, IMPLEMENTED IN THE HIGH POINT AREA.
BRADFORD PARK IS, UH, A SECTION OF HIGH POINT AND CONSISTS OF 384 PARCELS, UH, WITH ALLEY AND STREET ENTRANCES.
UM, IT WAS DEVELOPED IN THE 1980S AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A VOLUNTARY HOA, UH, PROGRAM THERE AND IS ALSO PART OF THE HIGH POINT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
UH, DURING THEIR MOST, UH, RECENT MEETING IN JANUARY, UH, THE HIGH POINT PI BOARD MEMBERS WERE PRESENTED WITH THE DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND THEY DID EXPRESS THEIR FULL SUPPORT OF IT.
UH, THEIR BACKING HIGHLIGHTS THE COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT, UH, TO MAINTAINING A CLEAN AND WELL KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD AND ENSURING A HIGH QUALITY QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.
UM, SIGNS WILL BE PLACED AT THE ENTRANCES OF BRADFORD PARK AT HIGH POINT.
THEY'RE, UH, JUST LIKE THE EXAMPLES SHOWN HERE ON THE SLIDE.
UM, AGAIN, WE DID RECEIVE THIS RE UH, SUPPORT OF THE HIGH POINT PI AND, UH, THE PROGRAM INFORMATION WILL BE, UH, PLACED ON THE WEBSITE.
SO IF A RESIDENT WOULD SCAN THAT QR CODE AT THE SIGN, IT WILL DIRECT THEM TO THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE.
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WILL INSPECT EACH PROPERTY IN THE SELECTED AREA.
UH, COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTIONS, THE FIRST INSPECTIONS WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS.
WE'LL HAVE TWO TEAMS OF TWO OUT MAKING THESE INSPECTIONS,
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AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETE, THEY'LL GO BACK AND DO RE-INSPECTIONS.AND THAT WILL TAKE, UH, PROBABLY TWO TO THREE WEEKS, UH, TO, UH, REINSPECT FOR COMPLIANCE.
OCCUPANTS WILL INITIALLY BE NOTIFIED OF AN OBSERVED VIOLATION BY USE OF A DOOR HANGER.
AN EXAMPLE IS HERE ON THIS SLIDE.
UM, UPON REINSPECTION, IF THE VIOLATION STILL EXISTS, THEN AN ACTUAL NOTICE OF VIOLATION WILL BE MAILED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AND OR TENANT.
WE TYPICALLY FIND THAT WE CAN GET COMPLIANCE FIRST ON A DOOR HANGER.
UM, BUT IF WE HAVE TO, UH, GO FURTHER, IT WILL BE A MAILED NOTICE OF VIOLATION.
UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WILL RECORD ALL INSPECTION RESULTS.
VIOLATIONS WILL BE REINSPECTED FOR COMPLIANCE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
UM, REMAINING AREAS OF NON-COMPLIANCE WILL CONTINUE TO BE TRACKED BY THE AREA CODE OFFICERS.
SO THE TEAMS OF TWO WILL GO OUT FOR THE FIRST TWO INSPECTIONS, THE INITIAL INSPECTION, AND THEN THE REINSPECTION.
AND THEN ANYTHING THAT'S NOT IN COMPLIANCE AFTER THAT WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE AREA CODE OFFICER FOR THEM TO COMPLETE.
AND THEN CITY COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE AN UPDATE AT COMPLETION.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, UH, THIS TIME ALSO TO EXPAND ON THE AMAZING PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING BY OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE BEAUTIFICATION ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BOARD.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED, AGAIN IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IT DOES STATE TO EXPAND AND INCREASE INITIATIVES.
ALIGNED WITH OUR PREMIER STATEMENT, CEDAR HILLS CLEAN, WITH ONGOING CLEAN CITY PROGRAMMING AND COLLABORATION WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BOARD, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE BEST BOARD PRESENTED INITIATIVES AIMED AT ADDRESSING LITTER CONCERNS, INCLUDING ISSUES RELATED TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND RETAIL DISTRICTS AND UNSECURED TRASH RECEPTACLES.
UM, THESE PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTED, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENTS TO ENHANCE CLEANLINESS, UH, THROUGHOUT THEIR CITY, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS IT PERTAINS REALLY TO LIT ABATEMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE DO HAVE A DEDICATED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT, UH, CONDUCTS REGULAR INSPECTIONS IN THE COMMERCIAL AREA AND ACTIVELY WORKS TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON, UH, LIT REGULAT LETTER REGULATIONS, ENSURING COMPLIANCE AND PROMOTING A CLEANER COMMUNITY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE, UM, TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON BEST PRACTICES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BEST BOARD TO ASSIST WITH COMBATING LIT THROUGH EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT.
UM, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THE BEST BOARD HIGHLIGHTED WAS THEIR GREEN BUSINESS OF THE QUARTER, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH THEM ON THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAVE SOME NEW BUTTONS HERE.
COUNCILMAN HAYDEN, ARE YOU LIVE? UH, I THINK I'M LIVE.
I DIDN'T SAY, ARE YOU ALIVE
SO, UM, WOULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT, THE, UH, THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM 2010 TO NOW, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
INJURED PARK, SO OF COURSE WE DID DOWNTOWN.
SO I GUESS WHAT I WAS THINKING, OKAY, THERE IT IS.
THE NORTH, NORTH HIGHWAY 67 TRIANGLE.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE I REMEMBER BACK, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME BACK THAT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES OVER THERE ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE OF 67 THAT WAS JUST ALWAYS TRASHED OUT.
AND WE DO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, CLEAN SWEEP, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN CLEANING THINGS UP.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING PLANNED OR SPECIFICALLY FOR CLEAN SWEEP ON COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESSES, PERIOD? IN CERTAIN AREAS? WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING CURRENTLY.
UM, IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO.
UM, BACK WHEN WE DID THE NORTH HIGHWAY 67 TRIANGLE, UM, WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO COMBAT SEVERAL THINGS.
MOST OF THOSE BUSINESSES AT THAT TIME DID NOT HAVE ACTIVE CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY.
SO WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO CREATE A BASELINE OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING, GET THEM INTO, UH, CONFORMING, NON-CONFORMING USE AND WORK ON GETTING SOME PROPERTIES CLEANED UP IN THAT AREA.
BECAUSE THE REASON I SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST YEAR, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 67 AND AND 1382,
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WHERE THAT, I DON'T KNOW, IS A DENTAL LAB OR A EYE LAB OR SOMETHING THERE AND THESE GUYS OUTTA CONTROL.UH, I'M HEARING A LOT OF, UH, FEEDBACK FROM, UH, COOPER STREET AND 67 THERE, WHERE THE TEXACO IS.
AND THAT GUY SEEMS TO OWN THAT LITTLE STRIP CENTER ON THE OTHER SIDE AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE DENTIST OVER THERE, DR. WILLIAMS AND THEM, AND TRYING TO GET THAT CLEANED UP.
SO I GUESS I JUST USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE TO SAY IT MAY BE AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE MAY OUGHT TO CONSIDER IF THE COUNCIL'S OPEN TO THAT TO DO A CLEAN SWEEP OPERATION SPECIFICALLY FOR THE COMMERCIAL SIDE IN THE AREAS THAT WE SEE NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
AND WE ALSO DID, UH, BUSINESSES IN THE SOUTH CLARK ROAD CORRIDOR THERE.
WE ALSO INCLUDED, UH, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THERE YEAH.
SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AND DRIVE THROUGH, UM, I GUESS THE, THE ENTRANCE TO OUR CITIES AND STUFF THAT WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED, BUT, BUT THE BUSINESSES ARE ALWAYS MORE IN THE INTEREST SIDE OF IT.
SO TRYING TO GET THEM TO, TO, UH, TO BE IN COMPLIANCE AND CLEAN UP AND I THINK MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO ADD TO OUR THING.
IF THE COUNCIL'S OKAY WITH THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAD MCCURDY.
UM, CAN, CAN YOU GO TO THE SLIDE WITH THE DOOR HANGER ON IT? THIS ONE? OKAY.
SO NOW IF A, IF A PROPERTY IS PART OF THE RENTAL REGISTRATION PROGRAM, IS THE, IS THIS THE INITIAL CONTACT STILL GONNA BE A DOOR HANGER OR IS THE NOTICE GONNA GO TO THE PROPERTY OWNER NOW OR THE NOT ALWAYS.
THE INITIAL NOTICE IS A DOOR HANGER ON THE DOOR.
'CAUSE TYPICALLY IF IT'S A TALL GRASS ISSUE, BRUSH OR TRASH VIOLATION, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN CREATED BY THE TENANT.
SO WE'LL LEAVE THEM A NOTICE, BUT ONCE UH, WE GO BACK, IF THEY HAVE NOT COMPLIED, WE WILL THEN NOTIFY THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THAT.
BECAUSE I, I OWN, UH, SEVERAL PROPERTIES IN, IN HIGH POINT.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH, UM, A TENANT REMOVED THE ADDRESS NUMBERS FROM THE BACK OF THE HOME.
AND I KNOW THAT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE REQUIRE ADDRESS NUMBERS TO BE ON THE FRONT AS WELL AS ON THE BACK.
SO, I MEAN, IF YOU HANG A PUT A DOOR HANGER ON THE, ON THE DOOR, THE TENANT'S NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE PROBABLY THE ONES THAT REMOVED THE NUMBER TO BEGIN WITH.
AND, AND SO I KNOW IT, IT'S, IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAID MONEY TO BE PART OF THE RENTAL REGISTRATION PROGRAM.
IF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING A NOTICE THAT, YOU KNOW, A VIOLATION HAS NOT BEEN CURED BECAUSE A DOOR HANGER WAS PUT ON THE DOOR AND A NOTICE WAS NOT INITIALLY SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, IF WE'RE GONNA REQUIRE THEM TO REGISTER, WE NEED TO SEND THE INITIAL NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, NOT JUST HANG A DOOR HANGER.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANDLORDS ABOUT THIS.
SOME ARE VERY UPSET THAT WE'RE SENDING, YOU KNOW, NOTICES TO LANDLORDS INITIALLY WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE TENANTS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE.
SO, WELL, TYPICALLY WE TRY TO JUST DO A DOOR HANGER FIRST TO TRY TO GET COMPLIANCE.
'CAUSE WE, WE TYPICALLY CAN GET COMPLIANCE ON A DOOR HANGER.
BUT, UM, ANYTIME WE HAVE RENTAL PROPERTIES, ONCE WE GO BACK AND DO THE RESEARCH, AND IF, ESPECIALLY IF WE KNOW THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, WE MAY SEND AN EMAIL OR, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE A PHONE CALL TO THEM.
WELL I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW AS A PROPERTY OWNER, I WOULD PREFER TO GET THE INITIAL NOTICE AND NOT GET THE NOTICE AND NOT THAT THE, THE VIOLATION HAS NOT BEEN CURED.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW UPFRONT IF, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS CREATED BY A TENANT MM-HMM
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I, I WILL TAKE CARE OF ENFORCEMENT ON THAT IF, UH, MYSELF IF NEEDED.
UH, PROT SIMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I, I SUPPORT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAYDEN'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.
AND SO THAT CON, THAT CLEAN SWEEP TO THE, TO THE, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES IS, IS SOMETHING THAT I, I'D SUPPORT.
UM, COUPLE THINGS TO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE WE HAVE A LIST OF THE, ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF, UM, UH, PROPERTIES WITH VIOLATIONS THAN OTHERS.
I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT THIS IN THIS, UH, HIGHLAND SOUTH ON THE EAST SIDE, 79% HIGHLAND SOUTH ON THE WEST SIDE, 69 SPRINGFIELD, 66 WINDSOR PARK, 62 STONE WOOD HEIGHTS, 62.
AND SO THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE THE HIGHER LEVEL OF
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PROPERTY VALUATIONS, WHAT FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES EFFORTS DO WE DO TO KINDA MOVE THEM DOWN TOWARD HAVING LOWER VIOLATIONS? THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE.SO THESE REALLY ARE SNAPSHOT IN TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE THERE, THIS IS WHAT WE SEE.
YOU'LL FIND THAT THE LOWER PERCENTAGES TYPICALLY ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE ALLEYS.
'CAUSE WE'RE ONLY DOING INSPECTIONS FROM THE ROADWAY.
UM, THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE WE'RE DOING PRETTY MUCH AN ENTIRE PROPERTY.
'CAUSE WE CAN SEE THE PROPERTY FROM THE BACK AND WE CAN SEE IT FROM THE FRONT.
SO THERE WILL BE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAN OTHERS.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE DEDICATED CODE OFFICERS IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY DURING, WITH THEIR CRIME WATCH, UH, GIVING, EDUCATING RESIDENTS REGARDING, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE HAVE DONE REPEAT, UM, CLEAN SWEEPS IN SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEN ANOTHER QUESTIONS THERE IS, UH, THE ISSUE, I KNOW THAT THE PLAN IS TO FIRST TO TRY TO GAIN COMPLIANCE, BUT FOR THOSE THAT DON'T BRING THEIR PROPERTIES OR WHATEVER ISSUE, THERE'S A VIOLATION.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WILL ISSUE VIOLATIONS.
WHO PAYS THE VI WHO IS THE PAY? WHO HAS TO PAY THE VIOLATION? IS IT THE RENTER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER? WHOEVER THE CITATION IS WROTE TO.
WHOEVER THE CITATION IS ISSUED TO.
WILL IT BE, MA'AM, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WILL IT BE ISSUED TO THE RENTER OR ISSUE TO THE, TO THE PROPERTY OWNER IF SOMEBODY, SO I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE VIOLATION.
UM, ULTIMATELY THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ALWAYS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PROPERTY.
BUT IF IT'S, SAY, A JUNK VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED TO THE TENANT, A CITATION COULD BE ISSUED TO THE TENANT.
'CAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNER DOESN'T OWN THE VEHICLE.
SO IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE MM-HMM
AND ARE THE LEVEL OF FINES COMMUNICATED? HOW MUCH A FINE, I MEAN, DO THE, THE, THE VIOLATIONS WHEN THEY GO, DO THEY COMMUNICATE? 'CAUSE I KNOW OUR ORDINANCE ALREADY STIPULATES THAT WE'VE GOT $500 FINES FIRST.
I MEAN, FIRST TIME AND THEN IT GOES UP FROM THERE.
I THINK THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION STATES IT'S UP TO $2,000.
AND IT'S SET THROUGH THE COURT, SO IT IS COMMUNICATED.
PRO TE UM, MS. UM, MS. GRAVES, UH, LAST COUNCIL MEETING, UM, I THINK WE INITIATED, UH, ANOTHER LEVEL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL.
UM, HERE WE ARE AGAIN, UM, CONTINUING THAT PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO BECAUSE, UM, WHEN WE DID OUR MISSION STATEMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SAFE, CLEAN CITY.
UM, I'M, I'M PROUD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
AND YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS ON RECORD.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOBODY EVER CALLS AND GIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT COMPLIMENTS
UM, HOWEVER, THEY, EVERYBODY WANNA CALL AND COMPLAIN, UH, ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR THEIR NEIGHBORS, ET CETERA.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, UM, AND YOU'RE ALSO TRYING YOUR BEST TO DO IT WITH GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THIS EFFORT.
UM, YOU ARE GOING ON BOTH EAST AND WEST SIDE OF, OF 67.
SO, UM, YOU ARE FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU FEEL IS TARGETED AREAS AND ALSO, UM, GOING AFTER NEW AREAS, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, I THINK OUR CITIZENS ARE REALLY BENEFITING FOR ALL THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ARE DOING.
YOU ARE FOCUSING ON AN SPECIFIC AREA WHILE STILL TAKING CARE OF YOUR REGULAR DUTIES, UH, WHENEVER YOU DO OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE REINSPECTION.
UM, I KNOW YOU SAID IT'S A TWO TO THREE WEEK PROCESS WHENEVER YOU DO OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP, BUT WHAT'S THE TIME FROM THE FOLLOW UP? SO YOU MAKE THE INITIAL, WHEN DO YOU DO THE REINSPECTION? AND ALSO DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH, UM, I GUESS I SAY DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THE PERSON THAT, UH, HAS VIOLATED THE, UM, UH, THE COMPLIANCE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO RETURN? YES.
SO USUALLY DURING AN OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP, WE WILL GIVE A 14 DAY TIMEFRAME FOR REINSPECT.
AND IT IS STATED ON THE NOTICE THAT IT'LL BE 14 DAYS.
TYPICALLY WE ONLY GIVE SEVEN, BUT FOR US TO GET THROUGH AN ENTIRE PROGRAM AND THEN FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK, IT TAKES 10 TO 14 DAYS.
SO WE DO ALLOW A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, UH, DURING THIS PROGRAM, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND DO THOSE RE-INSPECTIONS.
THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S ALL I GOT.
[00:30:01]
ALRIGHT.[4. Presentation from the Cedar Hill Chamber of Commerce.]
ON THE AGENDA IS PRESENTATION FROM THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.I SEE MS. ALONZO IS HEADING THIS WAY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO JOIN YOU THIS EVENING AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN 2024.
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO PRESENT ABOUT WHAT'S COMING IN 2025 'CAUSE I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL BE INVITED BACK, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THAT NEXT YEAR.
SO I JUST PUT THAT LITTLE PLUG IN THERE FOR YOU.
UM, AND KEEPING WITH THE CEDAR HILL TRADITION, WE DO LIKE TO START OUR PRESENTATIONS OFF WITH OUR VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT.
UM, OUR VISION AT THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER IS, UH, TO BE THE CENTRAL HUB OF THIS THRIVING COMMUNITY BUILT ON INNOVATIVE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP.
AND WE DO THAT, UM, WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS THROUGH LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND CONNECTIVITY.
UM, SO IN WITH OUR MISSION IN MIND, UM, 2024 WAS A DEFINITE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UM, YEAR FOR US.
AND WE FOCUSED ON FOUR MAJOR PRIORITY AREAS THAT WOULD INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP, COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, AND CONNECTIVITY.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH, UM, THOSE FOUR WITH YOU AND, AND KIND OF GIVE YOU A DOWNLOAD, BRIEF DOWNLOAD OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO IN OUR MEMBERSHIP TIER, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, SIGN ON 50 NEW BUSINESSES, 50 NEW MEMBERSHIPS, UM, IN 2024.
SO SUPER PROUD OF THAT NUMBER.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW AND SEE, UM, UH, WORK WITH OUR BUSINESSES OF WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT GROWTH.
UM, WE HAD NINE RIBBON CUTTING, SO NINE NEW BUSINESSES THAT SIGNED UP THAT, UH, CHOSE CEDAR HILL TO BE THEIR HOME.
AND, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, DO THEIR GRAND OPENINGS.
WE, UM, INITIATED 12 NEW AMBASSADORS.
WHAT OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM DOES IS THEY ARE THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS AND OUR BUSINESSES.
IT IS ALMOST LIKE A BUSINESS MENTORSHIP.
WE CONNECT OUR AMBASSADORS WITH OUR BUSINESSES AS THEY COME ON WITH THE CHAMBER, UM, SO THAT THEY HAVE SOMEBODY, UM, THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN CALL AND ASK QUESTIONS.
OF COURSE, THEY HAVE ALIGNED TO ME AND TO US AT THE OFFICE, BUT TO HAVE THAT PEER UH, CONNECTIVITY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO HAVING, UH, 12 NEW DEDICATED, UH, BUSINESSES JOIN US IN THAT, UH, WAS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US.
UM, OUR FACILITY UPGRADES, IF YOU HAVE GONE BY OUR OFFICE LATELY, UH, FEEL FREE TO STOP IN ANYTIME.
WE HAVE A BRAND NEW BEAUTIFUL MURAL ON THE BACK OF OUR BUILDING.
WE ALSO REPAINTED, UM, THE BUILDING, WHICH YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE WITH OUR NEW AWNINGS AND JUST TRYING TO DO AN UPGRADE ON THE INSIDE.
WE HAVE AN UPDATED SHARED WORKSPACE, UM, FOR OUR MEMBERS TO UTILIZE.
AND I, I PUT, UM, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UH, PARTNERSHIPS IN THAT WAS ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, THE DAV TWO 40 HEADQUARTER OUT OF THE CHAMBER.
AND MS. RAMONA ACTUALLY, UM, TOLD ME LAST WEEK THAT IN 2024, THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, FILE 1500 CLAIMS FOR VETERANS.
1500 VET VETERANS WERE ABLE TO BE SERVED, UM, AT THE CHAMBER.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF OUR, UM, ABILITIES NOW THAT WE'VE UPGRADED THAT SPACE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE.
SO, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT, UM, OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE UPGRADES.
UH, WE'VE REDESIGNED OUR LOBBY, UM, AND OUR PODCAST ROOM IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO OUR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, AND THEN THE BIGGEST PRIORITY WHEN IT CAME TO ME COMING ON AND, AND WHAT WE THOUGHT AS A CHAMBER WAS OUR MEMBERSHIP.
THAT'S WHY IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
SO, UH, WITHIN THAT ONE YEAR TIME, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO LOSE A BOARD MEMBER, BUT GAIN A NEW EMPLOYEE.
UM, OUR NEW MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR IS, IS WORKING WITH US.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY, UM, BEING ABLE TO FACILITATE NOT JUST OUR EVENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, BUT SPECIFICALLY CATERED TO OUR MEMBERS' NEEDS.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HER.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST HOPING TO KEEP EXPANDING OUR, UH, OUR OFFICE.
UM, AND SO THAT WHAT WE CAN DO MUCH MORE.
ALRIGHT, SECOND TIER, UM, IS OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, ESPECIALLY, UH, COMING ON AND ME IN PARTICULAR, BEING NEW TO CEDAR HILL.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, LEARN AS MUCH AS I COULD.
AND THE CHAMBER'S MISSION WAS TO CONNECT AS MUCH AS WE COULD WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR CEDAR HILL COMMUNITY.
SO I PUT SOME STATISTICS ON HERE.
UH, WE PARTICIPATED IN OVER 20 COMMUNITY EVENT EVENTS JUST TO NAME A FEW MISSION CEDAR HILL COMMUNITY, UH, COUNTRY DAY ON THE HILL, THE ROTARY BIKE RALLY, WHICH IS THE PICTURE THAT YOU SEE OF SOME OTHER WONDERFUL, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE, UM, THAT I WAS ABLE TO PARTNER AND VOLUNTEER WITH.
UM, COLLECTIVELY THE CHAMBER HAD OVER 100 VOLUNTEER HOURS IN THE
[00:35:01]
YEAR OF 2024 THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO CEDAR HILL.SUPER PROUD OF THAT NUMBER AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN OUR PARTNERSHIP, ONE OF OUR MAJOR PARTNERSHIPS, ONE OF, UM, UM, OUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS AND, AND I AM GOING TO, TO CALL ON HER BECAUSE SHE IS IN THE ROOM TODAY.
A BIG THANK YOU, UH, TO MS. MARY WHITE AND COSO.
UM, UH, A BIG PART OF OUR INITIATIVES WAS, UM, LEARNING THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ALSO LEARNING WHAT, UM, WHAT WE COULD DO TO CONNECT THEM WITH OUR BUSINESSES.
SO IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO KNOW WHAT, UH, SERVICES AND WHAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WHAT NONPROFITS WE HAD HERE IN CEDAR HILL, UM, IN ORDER TO EXPOSE THEM EVEN MORE AND GET THEM PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES WHO MISSION ALIGN OR, OR JUST THE NEED, UM, FOR, FOR SOME OF OUR SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, JUST FOR VOLUNTEERS.
SO, SUPER PROUD OF THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH COSO.
WE ACTUALLY NOW HOST, UH, THE QUARTERLY MEETING AND, AND HAVE ALL OF THESE, UH, GREAT ORGANIZATIONS COME TO THE CHAMBER AND NETWORK WITH EACH OTHER, NETWORK WITH US, AND SEE HOW WE CAN COLLABORATIVELY WORK TOGETHER TO, UH, IMPROVE CEDAR HILL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF.
SO, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, LIKE THIS WONDERFUL PICTURE, COUNTLESS MEMORIES CREATED IN THE, IN 2024 OF HOW MANY, UM, PEOPLE WE WERE ABLE TO TOUCH.
SO, SUPER, SUPER PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY TIER.
UM, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UM, TIERS, OF COURSE IS PROGRAMMING ALWAYS.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE TWO LEVELS OF OUR PROGRAMMING, THE FIRST BEING OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND SO WE HAD OVER 15 NETWORKING EVENTS HOSTED BY US OVER 12 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR LUNCH AND LEARNS, UM, AND COMPETITIVE EDGE.
AND THOSE WERE IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH PLANS, CAPITAL BANK, THE SBA DALLAS COLLEGE.
UM, OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE ACTUALLY WAS TAKEN OVER BY OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS.
SO OUR CHAMBER BOARD MEMBERS, SO MANY OF OUR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR EXPERTISE DURING THOSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, COURSES THAT WE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
SUPER, UH, EXCITED THAT WE HAVE AN ACTIVE BOARD THAT IS WILLING TO DONATE THEIR TIME, NOT JUST TO SIT ON THE BOARD, BUT TO GIVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO OUR, OUR MEMBERSHIP.
SO, UM, AND THEN OUR SECOND TIER, OH, LOVE TO MENTION, UM, THIS WAS OUR FIRST PARTNERSHIP FOR OUR NEW BUSINESS CONFERENCE, THE MOMENTUM.
BY MONDAY, WE PARTNERED WITH RUIZ CO IN THE STEP MINDSET TO OFFER A FREE BUSINESS CONFERENCE, UM, LAST SEPTEMBER WITH OVER 200 GUESTS BEING ABLE TO ATTEND THAT.
UM, AND MR. GREG GLOVER WAS, UH, WAS ALSO THERE WITH US BEING ABLE TO, TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT PROGRAMMING.
IT WAS, UM, VERY, UM, JUST ENLIGHTENING OF WHAT IT IS THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR US WHEN WE PARTNER AND COLLABORATE AND, AND, UM, BRING SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO, UH, DIDN'T WANNA FORGET OUR, OUR WONDERFUL, UH, BUSINESS CONFERENCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
UM, AND THAT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
MANY OF OUR, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS DEPENDING ON, UM, MEMBERSHIP COSTS, BUT MOST OF OUR, MOST OF OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE OPEN.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN NETWORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND OUTSIDE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST CATERING TO THE MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE.
SO, UH, WE THINK THAT KEEPS A, A THRIVING, UM, NETWORK OF, OF CONNECTIVITY.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN OUR SECOND TIER, UM, OF PROGRAMMING IS OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS.
MANY OF YOU AT ATTENDED OUR BUSINESS AWARDS GALA.
IT WAS A, A WONDERFUL EVENT AT OUR NEW TRAFFICKING HICKMAN LIBRARY.
UM, ALSO OUR, UH, LAST GAS OF SUMMER GOLF TOURNAMENT, UM, MANY OF YOU HAVE ATTENDED.
I'VE SEEN YOU AT OUR FARMER'S MARKET THAT RUNS MAY THROUGH OCTOBER.
UM, OUR ANNUAL MEETING THAT WAS JUST, UH, LAST WEEK AND SUPER, UH, EXCITED TO REPORT THAT OUR, UH, MEMBERSHIP IS THRIVING AND THEY WERE EXCITED TO COME AND FIND OUT WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, MY FIRST EVENT HERE, ONE OF OUR FIRST EVENTS OF 2024 WAS OUR CANDIDATE FORUM LAST YEAR.
UM, AND SO, UH, SEE HOW WE CAN, UH, GET GEARED UP TO ATTEND AND, AND PUT ON ALL OF THESE EVENTS.
UM, JUST TO MENTION ABOUT, UM, OUR FARMER'S MARKET.
OUR FARMER'S MARKET SAW MORE ATTENDEES AND MORE VENDORS THAN EVER BEFORE.
WE HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE WITHIN JUST ONE YEAR.
UM, AND, AND WE HAD OVER 10 YOUTH BOOTHS SPONSORED, UH, BY THE CHAMBER.
AND, UH, MEMBERS LIKE AMBER REALTY, MIHA BARBECUE, WHO ACTUALLY SPONSORED THOSE BOOTHS FOR, UH, 10 INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF 12 TO BE ABLE TO BE A PARTICIPANT OF, UH, THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE STARTING, WE'RE STARTING THEM YOUNG AND, UM, HOPING TO, UH, PUT THAT INITIATIVE IN THEIR, IN THEIR BRAINS THAT THEY CAN DO IT AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE.
[00:40:01]
UH, CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO, UH, BE A, A STEPPING STONE FOR SOME SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT WANNA START A BUSINESS IS VERY IMPORTANT.AND SO, JUST WANTED TO, TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
WE HAVE BIG PLANS FOR, UH, 2025, SO KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR ALL OF THE EXCITING THINGS REGARDING FARMER'S MARKET.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU HAVEN'T, UH, NOTICED THERE'S BEEN A GENERAL THEME FOR THE YEAR, UM, AND THAT'S CONNECTIVITY.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH SOMEONE, WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH SOMEONE, WE'VE WANTED TO REALLY CONNECT AND SEE WHAT RESOURCES, UM, WE COULD BRING, BUT ALSO WHAT WAS ALREADY AVAILABLE AND WE COULD JUST ADD ONTO.
SO, UM, THIS IS A LITTLE, UH, JUST A, A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
OVER 100 CONNECTIONS CREATED, UM, FROM HOSTING EVENTS TO PARTNERING WITH US FROM TO FROM EVENTS.
OUR COLLABORATION WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, HAS BEEN AMAZING.
THE, THE COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY, THE BEST SOUTHWEST, UH, PARTNERSHIP.
ALL OF THESE COLLABORATIONS, UM, MEAN SO MUCH TO US AS FAR AS, UM, HOW WE CAN GROW AND ALSO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, BUT OF WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING REGIONALLY AS WELL, TO KIND OF, UH, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO OFFER AND SEE WHAT, WHAT WE NEED TO, UM, EITHER KIND OF STEP OUR GAME UP OR CONTINUE OR JUST IN, IN GENERAL.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL COLLABORATING AND, AND IT'S BEEN A GENERAL THEME FOR, FOR 2024.
AND IF YOU'RE, UH, I JOKED THAT IF YOUR NAME ISN'T UP THERE, IT'S BECAUSE, UH, IT BELONGS THERE.
AND TO JUST GET IN CONTACT WITH US OF HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN CONNECT WITH YOU AND, AND HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE.
UM, THAT IS, THAT HAS BEEN THE THEME FOR THE YEAR.
SO SUPER PROUD OF, OF, UH, THIS CONNECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH COSO, WITH EDC, WITH JUST EVERYONE IS, IT'S BEEN, UM, VERY EYE-OPENING TO WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE.
AND SO WE ARE SUPER EXCITED, UM, ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US.
SO, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, I CANNOT MENTION, UM, WHAT THE CHAMBER IS WITHOUT ITS DEDICATED BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR 2024, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, FROM EXECUTIVE BOARD TO OUR EX OFFICIOS WHO ARE SO IMPORTANT.
WE DID, UM, HAVE QUITE A, A BIT OF, UM, TRANSFERS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THEY ROLLED AND THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN WITH THE CHAMBER FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BUT, UM, IN THAT SO MUCH WAS GAINED, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SIGN IN LAST WEEK.
I BELIEVE IT'S NINE, NINE, WELL, LET ME MAKE SURE OF THAT.
10, 10 NEW BOARD MEMBERS FOR 2025.
SO SUPER PROUD OF THAT NUMBER AS WELL, THAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE WILLING TO SERVE AND, AND WILLING TO GET BEHIND US IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, UM, AS A CHAMBER AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH, WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU AT THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, SAID GOODBYE TO GREG PORTER.
UM, BUT AM SO HAPPY TO, UH, HAVE MELISSA JOINING US.
UM, AND, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME PEOPLE THAT I BROUGHT WITH ME BECAUSE, UH, AS A CHAMBER WE DO THINGS TOGETHER.
UM, BUT BEFORE THAT, I DID NOT HAVE A SLIDE FOR THIS, BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING THAT I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, COUNSEL, WOMAN, INE.
I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL OF US HERE THAT AT, AT, AT LEAST I STARTED MY, UM, SERVICE IN, UH, THE CHAMBER IN THE CITY.
AND OTHERS HAVE, YOU KNOW, WORKED THROUGH THE CHAMBER AND SERVED ON A BOARD AND CHAIRED, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, SO OUR HEART IS TRULY WITH THE CHAMBER AND IT REALLY DOES AS GOOD WHEN THE CHAMBER, UM, IS GROWING AND EXPANDING THE WAY THAT IT IS.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.
UM, WE ALL SORT OF WATCHED AND, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FELT THE SUPPORT.
UM, AND YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE PROMISED.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP.
THAT WAS FROM FORMER CDO CHAMBER BOARD CHAIR.
EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
UM, I JUST WROTE DOWN ONE THING.
I THINK THAT YOU'RE, I'VE NOTICED THE ENERGY AT THE CHAMBER EVENTS GO FROM WHEREVER IT WAS BEFORE TO EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER THAN I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY TENURE AS A, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND AS A RESIDENT WITH OUR CITY.
UM, I ALMOST WANNA SAY THIS PRESENTATION, KIND OF SAND
[00:45:01]
SANDBAGS ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS YOU DO.WE WOULD BE HERE ALL AFTERNOON IF, IF WE WENT AND LISTED ALL THE THINGS THAT THEIR CHAMBER IS DOING.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT GREAT JOB, I, I, I LOOKED AT, I ATTENDED LAST YEAR'S ANNUAL MEETING MM-HMM
AND THAT WAS AT OUR RECREATION CENTER, AND WE TOOK UP ONE OF THE MULTIPURPOSE SECTIONS.
THIS YEAR YOU ARE IN THREE OF THE SECTIONS AND INTO THE FOURTH.
SO IT IS JUST AMAZING TO SEE HOW WELL OUR COMMUNITY, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS EMBRACED YOUR TENURE AND ALL OF THE GREAT PROGRAMMING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS AMAZING.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE THIRST THIRSTING FOR.
AND YOU WERE ABLE TO BRING IN A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SBA TO DETAIL ALL OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT 2025 IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
TIM SIMS. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
SO, UH, MR. ALONZO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU, YOU SHOWED ME IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, WAS EXCITING.
AND THAT'S, I SAW 50 NEW MEMBERS, SO THAT'S A SIGN OF HEALTH FOR A CHAMBER.
UH, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY FOR A FEW YEARS AND I'VE SEEN THE MEMBERSHIP WANE AT TIMES.
AND TO SEE THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED 50 NEW MEMBERS WAS IMPRESSIVE.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, SOMETHING YOU'RE DOING RIGHT.
'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING NEW BLOOD AND NEW ENERGY AND NEW EXCITEMENT AND, UH, ABOUT PARTICIPATING ABOUT WITH THE CEDAR HILL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND I LOVE THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE WITH SOME OF YOUR OTHER, UH, INTERNAL TALENT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAYDEN.
AM I ALIVE NOW? YOU ARE ALIVE NOW.
YOU KNOW, MIRANDA, UH, COUNCILMAN NAZI MENTIONED THAT A LOT OF US WERE, YOU KNOW, GOT STARTED IN THE CHAMBERS, YOU KNOW, AND MYSELF TOO, WAY BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, YOU KNOW, CHAIRED THE CHAMBERS.
SO SEEING WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CHAMBER NOW, AND I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, ECHO OR I DO WANT TO ECHO EVERYTHING THEY'VE SAID SO FAR, BUT TO ME, AT FIRST BEFORE ANYBODY WAS GONNA SPEAK, MY THOUGHT WAS THE ENERGY THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THIS CHAMBER.
AND SO I COULD SEE THAT WHEN YOU CAME IN.
AND NOW I CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT EN ENERGY.
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE IN CEDAR HILL.
UM, YYY JUST A FEW WORDS FROM ME,
UM, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I THINK YOU, UH, ARE RIGHT, RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE CITY, AND ALSO YOU HAD YOUR ANNUAL MEETING, UM, LAST WEEK, AND, UH, YOU ALLOWED ME TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I HOPE I, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCOMPLISHED THE GOAL THAT YOU HAD FOR ME.
UH, BUT I ENJOYED DOING IT AND IT WAS FUN.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND YOU DIDN'T MENTION THIS, BUT, UM, YOUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY IS, IT IS THE 19TH OF THIS MONTH? IT IS 19TH OF NEXT WEDNESDAY.
NEXT WEDNESDAY IS MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
UM, YOU WANNA SAY A FEW, FEW MORE THINGS? SURE.
UM, I WOULD ONE SAY THANK YOU, UM, UH, JUST FROM A PERSONAL, THIS ONE YEAR HAS BEEN AMAZING.
YOUR SUPPORT, UH, THE CITY SUPPORT, YOUR CITY STAFF SUPPORT.
UM, AND I DON'T JUST SAY THAT, UM, UM, I REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE THE AMOUNT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, BUT ALSO PROFESSIONALISM.
SO I JUST HAVE TO, TO, TO HIT MY HAT OFF TO, TO YOU AS A CITY COUNCIL, AS MAYOR, AS, AS CITY TO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH YOU GUYS.
AND, UM, ALTHOUGH I'M VERY PROUD OF THE YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD, I COULD NOT DO THIS ALONE.
UM, AND I SUPER WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE ROOM WITH ME TODAY, IF WE DON'T MIND, UH, TO CALL THEM UP HERE AND BE ABLE TO SNAP A PICTURE OF JUST, UH, UM, I HAVE A FEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO JOINED ME IN 2024.
UH, MY TREASURER, BYRON HUNTER, UH, HAS BEEN, UM, UM, EXPONENTIAL RESOURCE FOR ME.
UM, MY NEW STAFF AND FORMER BOARD MEMBER, MS. RANISHA DAVIS, UM, WHO HAS TAKEN ON, IS A BUSINESS OWNER HERSELF AND HAS, HAS, UH, BELIEVED IN WHAT THE CHAMBER IS DOING, THAT SHE HAS NOW TAKEN A, A ROLE IN THE CHAMBER TO HELP US WITH OUR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, NEW BOARD MEMBER ELECT.
I HAVE, UH, MS. ELIZABETH GUILLEN, UM, WHO IS JOINING US.
[00:50:01]
ROSEMARY, IF YOU'LL, UH, JOIN US.UM, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THEM, UM, NOT JUST, UM, AS FAR AS THE BOARD, SOME MS. JEANA I CAN CALL AND, AND THEY VOLUNTEER.
BUT, UM, I DO THIS WITH THE SUPPORT OF, OF THE TEAM THAT I HAVE BEHIND ME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AND, UM, SAY THANK YOU.
UM, I COULD NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, DO THIS WITHOUT, UH, US BEING OUR ALWAYS REMEMBERED THAT WE ARE A WE, NOT AN I.
SO I JUST WANNA WANT TO THANK THEM AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.
I'M LIKE, WHO HAS THE PHONE? ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL.
WELL, WITH THAT, WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I DO HAVE A MOTION TO HAVE SECOND.
THAT IS A NON DEBATABLE MOTION HONOR FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE'LL RECONVENE FOR THE REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING AT 7:00 PM THANK YOU.