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DON'T KNOW WHO TURNED IT OFF.[ 2024 Fall Town Meeting October 29, 2024 7:00 PM City Council Chambers Addison Conference Centre 15650 Addison Road Addison, Texas 75001 ]
START OVER AGAIN.IT'S NOW 7 0 5 AND WE'LL START, WE'LL GET KICKED OFF FOR THE EVENING, A FEW MINUTES LATE, BUT REALLY GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE.
GOT A NICE FULL HOUSE HERE THIS EVENING FOR OUR FALL TOWN MEETING.
I HAVE THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF BEING THE MAYOR OF ADDISON FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW.
AND IT HAS BEEN MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THIS GREAT COUNCIL, THE WONDERFUL STAFF THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND SPEAKING OF THIS COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO YOU TONIGHT.
AND IF YOU GIVE THEM A LITTLE LOVE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
WE HAVE MAYOR PRO TEM DARREN GARDNER, SO DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEM, NANCY CRAIG, COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS D FRANCISCO, COUNCIL MEMBER DAN LISIO, COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD FREE AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARLON WILLISON.
IT IS A GREAT COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE WORKING TOGETHER, AND IT'S MY HONOR TO WORK WITH EACH OF THEM THROUGH ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR ADDISON.
AND THEN WE HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF THAT'S LED BY OUR CITY MANAGER, WHO'S DAVID GAINES.
IF YOU GIVE DAVID GAINES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE OVER HERE.
AND DAVID'S COMING UP ON HIS TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH THE TOWN VERY SOON, AND HE'D BEEN DOING AMAZING WORK AND HE LEADS AN INCREDIBLE STAFF.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS IN TOWN IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE RISE.
SO WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME APPRECIATION AS WELL.
AND WE HAD SOME STANDING IN THE BACK THERE, THERE WERE ALREADY STANDING, SO IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO TELL.
BUT, UH, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO FOR, FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE VISITORS AND EVERYBODY THAT, UH, HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH ADDISON.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOU REALLY MAKE US LOOK GOOD EVERY DAY.
AND ONE THING I WANNA DO BEFORE WE GET TO THE BUSINESS OF WHY WE'RE HERE, IF YOU ALL COME TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER FROM TIME TO TIME, YOU PROBABLY SEE SOME ART DISPLAYED OUT HERE ON THE WALLS, AND IT CHANGES OVER FROM TIME TO TIME.
WELL, THAT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ITSELF.
NOW WE HAVE ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAS BEEN COORDINATING THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW LONG, BUT FRAN POWELL, AND SHE'S HERE TONIGHT, I BELIEVE FRAN IS HERE.
AND I'D LIKE YOU TO GIVE THANK, UH, FRAN IF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND APPRECIATION FOR THAT HARD WORK.
WHERE IS SHE? WHERE'S FRAN? STAND UP.
AND IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE ARTWORK THAT'S ON DISPLAY TONIGHT, IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.
AND THE ARTIST IS A LOCAL ADDISON RESIDENT.
JACK, WOULD YOU STAND UP? HE, HE DOES INCREDIBLE WORK.
AND I HEARD HE WILL TAKE ON A COMMISSION FROM TIME TO TIME TOO, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GET, START TALKING ABOUT OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS THAT WE, WE START TALKING ABOUT THESE BACK IN THE SPRING.
AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BUDGET.
AND I COULD STAND HERE AND GIVE YOU A NICE LITTLE LECTURE ON THE BUDGET, AND YOU WOULD BE QUITE BORED WITH THAT.
SO WE HAVE A BETTER OPTION FOR THAT TO TALK ABOUT THESE, THESE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE BUDGET.
THE STAFF PUT TOGETHER A REALLY INFORMATIVE VIDEO TO TELL YOU THE STORY OF OUR BUDGET.
SO IF YOU'D PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE SCREENS AND WATCH THIS VIDEO.
ADDISON'S FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET IS ABOUT MORE THAN NUMBERS.
IT'S ABOUT SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
EVERY INVESTMENT WE MAKE IS LIKE LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A STRONGER, MORE VIBRANT ADDISON TOMORROW.
FROM MAINTAINING OUR ROADS TO ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY AND UPGRADING OUR PARKS, THIS BUDGET REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING A TOWN WHERE FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND VISITORS CAN THRIVE.
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE'VE KEPT THE PROPERTY TAX STABLE WHILE CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE THE SERVICES AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT MATTER MOST TO OUR RESIDENTS.
WHETHER IT'S A SAFER COMMUTE ON KEL SPRINGS ROAD, UPGRADED PUBLIC SPACES, OR A MODERNIZED POLICE FACILITY, THESE ARE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'LL SEE AND FEEL EVERY DAY.
THE ADOPTED BUDGET COVERS THE FISCAL YEAR FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
AND REFLECTS THE CAREFUL CONSERVATIVE FINANCIAL APPROACH THAT HAS EARNED ADDISON.
ITS PRESTIGIOUS BOND RATINGS, AAA FROM STANDARD AND PORES AND AAA FROM MOODY'S.
THESE RATINGS NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHT OUR CURRENT FISCAL STRENGTH, BUT ALSO POSITION US FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN THE YEARS TO COME.
AT THE CORE OF THIS BUDGET IS THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH POWERS THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT KEEP ADDISON RUNNING SMOOTHLY,
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LIKE THE FIRST STONE IN A CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED FOUNDATION.THE GENERAL FUND AT $50.3 MILLION SUPPORTS CRITICAL SERVICES SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY, PARKS AND ADMINISTRATION.
AS OUR COMMUNITY GROWS, WE'VE ENSURED THAT THIS FOUNDATION REMAINS STRONG BUOYED BY RISING PROPERTY VALUES AND SMART, EFFICIENT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
THE ADOPTED TAX RATE OF FISCAL YEAR 25 REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM THE LAST TWO YEARS BUDGETS.
THIS YEAR, WE'VE MADE THOUGHTFUL ADJUSTMENTS DESIGNED TO OPTIMIZE HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES.
OUR RESOURCE MAXIMIZATION COMMITTEE HAS IDENTIFIED OVER $400,000 IN SAVINGS THROUGH SERVICE CONSOLIDATION, CONTRACT REDUCTIONS, AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICES WHILE MANAGING COSTS EFFECTIVELY EACH DECISION LIKE A WELL-PLACED BRICK HELPS CREATE A MORE EFFICIENT AND RESILIENT SYSTEM.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS ANOTHER VITAL AREA WHERE WE'RE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE FUTURE.
THIS YEAR'S BUDGET INCLUDES $51 MILLION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WHICH WILL ENHANCE ADDISON'S ROADS, WATER SYSTEMS, AND PUBLIC FACILITIES.
THESE PROJECTS ARE THE STRUCTURAL BEAMS OF OUR FUTURE, ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE PHYSICAL ASSETS IT NEEDS TO SUPPORT GROWTH AND PROGRESS.
AMONG THESE PROJECTS ARE THE VOTER APPROVED BOND INITIATIVES FROM 2019, WHICH INCLUDE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES LIKE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF KELLER SPRINGS ROAD AND QUORUM DRIVE.
THESE INITIATIVES AREN'T JUST ABOUT FIXING WHAT'S WORN, THEY'RE ABOUT REIMAGINING AND REDESIGNING OUR COMMUNITY SPACES TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF TOMORROW.
AS WE THINK AHEAD, OUR FOCUS ON FACILITIES PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
THE RENOVATION OF THE ADDISON CONFERENCE CENTER WILL PROVIDE A NEW HOME FOR STAFF, CURRENTLY HOUSED IN TOWN HALL, OPTIMIZING OUR WORKSPACES AND SETTING THE STAGE FOR A FUTURE REIMAGINING OF THE TOWN HALL PROPERTY.
WE'RE ALSO BREAKING GROUND ON A NEW 45,000 SQUARE FOOT POLICE AND COURTS FACILITY, WHICH WILL REPLACE THE AGING BUILDING BUILT IN 1984.
THIS INVESTMENT ENSURES THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY ADDRESSING CURRENT NEEDS, BUT BUILDING CAPACITY FOR FUTURE PUBLIC SAFETY DEMANDS.
ADDISON'S SUCCESS IS BUILT ON THE DEDICATION OF ITS PEOPLE, AND WE'VE ALLOCATED A 4% COMPENSATION POOL TO CONTINUE ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TOP TALENT.
THIS BUDGET ALSO ADDRESSES A 5% INCREASE IN GROUP MEDICAL INSURANCE TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES' WELLBEING.
JUST AS STRONG MATERIALS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A STURDY STRUCTURE, A MOTIVATED AND WELL CARED FOR WORKFORCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR ADDISON'S SUCCESS.
IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE MAKING THOUGHTFUL INVESTMENTS IN NEW PROJECTS.
THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN GUIDES US AS WE PRIORITIZE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PARKS, WATER SYSTEMS, AND OTHER PUBLIC ASSETS.
THIS CAREFUL PLANNING ENSURES THAT WE'RE NOT JUST MANAGING TODAY'S NEEDS, BUT BUILDING THE CRITICAL SYSTEMS THAT WILL SUPPORT ADDISON FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS FOR 2025 INCLUDE $3.2 MILLION FOR WATER METER REPLACEMENT AND MODERNIZATION THAT WILL HELP STAFF AND RESIDENTS DETECT LEAKS AND MONITOR USAGE.
BY INVESTING IN THESE AREAS, WE'RE SAFEGUARDING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PREPARING FOR THE DEMANDS OF TOMORROW.
TOURISM IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF ADDISON'S FUTURE, AND THE HOTEL FUND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES THAT DRAW VISITORS TO OUR TOWN.
WITH EXPECTED REVENUES OF $7.4 MILLION, THIS FUND FUELS ARTS CULTURE AND EVENTS THAT ENHANCE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND ESTABLISH ADDISON AS A TOP DESTINATION FOR BUSINESS AND LEISURE.
EACH EVENT WE HOST EVERY VISITOR WE WELCOME STRENGTHENS THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR TOWN'S FUTURE GROWTH.
ULTIMATELY, THIS BUDGET IS ABOUT MORE THAN MANAGING THE PRESENT.
IT'S ABOUT PREPARING FOR WHAT COMES, COMES NEXT.
BY MAKING SMART INVESTMENTS TODAY, WE'RE LAYING THE GROUND WAR FOR A STRONG, VIBRANT ADDISON IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
OUR APPROACH TO FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT ADDISON'S FUTURE IS AS BRIGHT AND PROMISING AS ITS PAST.
TOGETHER WE'RE BUILDING THE ADDISON OF TOMORROW ONE BLOCK AT A TIME.
ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO THANK MARY ROSEN BELIEF AND THE OTHERS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE, FROM THE STAFF THAT PUT THE VIDEO TOGETHER.
AND THESE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PE FOR FOLKS TO SEE, I ASSUME, THROUGH THE WEBSITE.
SO, UH, REALLY GREAT JOB TO TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH THAT.
AND, UH, AND YOU SAW THE IMAGE OF THE BUDGET BOOK.
WE ACTUALLY DO PUT OUT A BUDGET BOOK EVERY YEAR THAT THAT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL.
IF YOU WANNA BECOME A SEMI EXPERT ON MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND MUNICIPAL FUNDING, THAT'S A GREAT RESOURCE FOR YOU.
AND IT IS AN AWARD-WINNING BUDGET BOOK THAT WE GET AWARDS FOR THAT I THINK PRETTY MUCH EVERY YEAR.
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SO THAT'S THAT.SO, UM, AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE SPRING AT OUR, AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, UH, EARLIER IN THIS YEAR, WE DEVELOPED SEVEN KEY FOCUS AREAS.
AND, UH, THE SEVEN KEY FOCUS AREAS IS WHAT WE PRESENTED ON BACK IN OUR SPRING TOWN MEETING.
AND WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME THING TONIGHT WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER DOING ONE OF THE KEY FOCUS AREAS.
AND SO, SO WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, THAT'S HOW WE FOCUS WHEN IN, IN CREATING OUR GOALS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF USES AS A GUIDELINE WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS TO US.
AND THERE, UH, THERE ARE THREE TO SEVEN DIFFERENT STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR EACH OF THE KFA AND THEN INITIATIVES OR PROJECT ON HOW WE ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE EACH COUNCILMAN WE'LL PRESENT ON E ON EACH ONE OF THOSE KFA.
AND SO MY, MY, UH, KFA THAT I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS.
SO CITIZENS ACADEMY JUST FINISHED UP A WEEK AGO AND WE RECOGNIZED THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE, UH, CURRENT CITIZEN ACADEMY AT OUR LAST WEEK'S COUNCIL MEETING AT A REALLY GREAT, GREAT GROUP.
AND A LOT OF REALLY GOOD POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THAT.
IF YOU'RE IN THE ROOM AND YOU PARTICIPATED IN THAT, UH, THE, UH, CITIZEN ACADEMY, WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU, PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, YEAH, REALLY GREAT GROUP.
AND AGAIN, AGAIN, WE HAD A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
IF YOU, IF YOU'VE NEVER GONE THROUGH THAT PROGRAM BEFORE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEEPING YOUR EYES OPEN FOR WHEN THE HR ANNOUNCED FOR NEXT YEAR'S CITIZEN ACADEMY.
'CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT AN EVENT, ANNUAL EVENT.
ALRIGHT? SO, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN ADDISON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE, THE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE HAD TREMENDOUS RESPONSE TO ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
WHETHER IT'S HELPING OUT AT, AT SPECIAL EVENTS, SUPPORTING OUR PARKS, OR ASSISTING IN BIKE LANE IMPROVEMENTS AND ANIMAL ADOPTIONS.
OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE REALLY SHOWN THAT ADDISON ADDISON RESIDENTS ARE, ARE, ARE THEY, THEY, THEY DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THEY WANT TO GIVE BACK.
SO THE NEXT THING WE HAVE COMING UP IS THIS SATURDAY WEATHER PERMITTING.
WE'RE DOING THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP.
I HAD TO THROW THE WEATHER PERMITTING.
'CAUSE NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLE WEATHER RAIN ON SATURDAY.
SO, UH, BUT IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE THIS, THIS IS A FUN THING.
WE GO TO, TO SEVERAL PARKS AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND WE DO A CLEANUP AND, YOU KNOW, GET A NICE AND SPRUCED UP.
AND, UH, AND IT'S A GREAT TIME TO GET TO KNOW SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
SO STAFF WILL MAKE THAT DECISION BY ONE O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY AS TO WHETHER THIS IS A GO OR A NO GO.
SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR THAT.
IF YOU'VE ALREADY SIGNED UP, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE AN EMAIL FOR THAT.
UH, BUT THEY'LL ALSO POST THAT ON THE, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA, I'M SURE FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE A NEW WEBSITE, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ON A NEW WEBSITE YET, AND WHICH IS CALLED NOW ADDISON TX.GOV.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ADDISON TEXAS.NET FOR A LONG TIME, BUT THE TX.GOV ACTUALLY IS MORE DESCRIPTIVE OF WHAT WE ACTUALLY ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH, UH, ALL THE E EMAIL ADDRESSES WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
SO IT'S A GREAT, GREAT WEBSITE, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THAT.
UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR WAY TO GIVE YOU ACCESS TO ALL THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED.
AND SO IT'S BEEN LAUNCHED, IT'S REALLY GREAT.
IT'S MORE USER FRIENDLY, UH, TO DESIGNED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR RESIDENTS TO, TO FIND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND SO, PLEASE CHECK THAT OUT.
WITHIN THE WEBSITE, THERE'S A SOFTWARE THAT WE KICKED OFF CALLED INVISIO.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S IN INTEGRATED INTO THE, INTO THE WEBSITE AND IT'S AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
AND WHAT INVISIO DOES, IT'S A DASHBOARD THAT'S A POWERFUL TOOL FOR YOU TO TRACK THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON OUR STRATEGIC GOALS.
SO, TRANSPARENT, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT'S REALLY WHAT, WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING, AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL TO HOW WE SERVE YOU AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, MAKE ONE WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BEING KEPT IN THE LOOP.
SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR YOU.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE TONIGHT.
AND JUST THE FACT THAT YOU SHOWED UP ME SHOWS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THAT YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO BE MORE INVOLVED.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
WHO'S MAYOR PRO TEM DARREN GARDNER.
I'M YOUR MAYOR, PRO TEM SERVING, SERVING ON CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE ALL THE RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWN.
IT'S, UM, ADDISON IS A SMALL TOWN IN A BIG TOWN, AND THAT'S THE COOL THING ABOUT IT.
YOU CAN GET TO KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE KEY FOCUS AREA OF VIBRANT ACTIVE COMMUNITIES.
OKAY? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE SEVEN THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA TO FOCUS ON.
UNDER THE KEY FOCUS AREA ARE THE OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.
UM, AND THOSE OBJECTIVES ARE EXTEND THE RESIDENT AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE BY ACTIVATING OUR COMMUNITY PARKS AND TOWN ASSETS.
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ENHANCE ADDISON GATEWAYS AND VISUAL APPEAL OF STREETSCAPES TO OPT, OPTIMIZE THE ADDISON BRAND AS IF WHEN YOU'RE COMING IN TO ADDISON FROM THE WEST, UH, ON BELTLINE, THAT'S LIKE A GATEWAY TO ADDISON, UH, VISION AND CREATE SPECIAL MOMENTS THAT MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO BE IN ADDISON ARTS EVENTS, ATHLETIC CLUB MARKETS AND ET CETERA, TO OPTIMIZE THE ADDISON BRAND.SO I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, THIS KEY FOCUS AREA OF, UH, VIBRANT, ACTIVE COMMUNITIES IS NOT JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS, IT'S FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE BUSINESSES, THE, UH, VISITORS THAT COME TO ADDISON.
ALSO, WE WANT TO HAVE ACTIVE, VIBRANT COMMUNITIES FOR OURSELVES AS RESIDENTS.
BUT TAKING CARE OF OUR BUSINESS PEOPLE, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
IF YOU HAVE A V UH, A VIBRANT, ACTIVE WORKFORCE, THAT'S GONNA ATTRACT AND KEEP AND RETAIN BUSINESSES AS WELL, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS PART OF OUR FABRIC, PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, PART OF OUR ECONOMIC ENGINE.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS ON THE LIST IS, UH, ADDISON THEATER STUDY.
UH, SO WE JUST COMPLETED THAT.
THIS PROJECT ALL IS ALL ABOUT ENVISIONING A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR, UH, THE ADDISON THEATER AND ENSURING THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE A CULTURAL HUB FOR A COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE WHOLE REGION.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT FACILITY IN THE ADDISON THEATER CENTER AND TO FULLY ACTIVATE AND ENHANCE AND EXPAND WHAT ALL WE'RE DOING IN THE ADDISON THEATER IS THE GOAL OF THIS PRO PROJECT.
SO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING THE BRAND, UH, THE THEATER'S BRAND, UH, WHEN YOU EXPAND AND ALIGN ITS PROGRAMMING WITH ADDISON'S BROADER ART GOALS, UM, AND OBJECTIVES.
SO WE WANT TO CREATE A SPACE THAT REFLECTS OUR VIBRANT SPIRIT AND CONTINUE TO ATTRACT TOP TIER TALENT AND PERFORMANCES A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCES.
SO THE HOL THIS HOL THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP WILL BE A FIRST GLANCE AT, UH, WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES SOME OLD FAVORITES AS, UH, BURLESQUE Q BURLESQUE Q UH, NUTCRACKER, WHICH IS A, UH, WHICH IS MOVING INTO THE LARGER STUDIO SPACE THIS YEAR AND RETURNING, UH, PLANO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHRISTMAS CONCERT.
UH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE A NEW PRODUCTION FROM A RISE PRODUCTION OF FROZEN, FROZEN JUNIOR, UH, A GROOVY CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION BY THE SIX O'CLOCK DANCE THEATER.
AND, UM, SEVERAL ONES, UH, THAT ARE LISTED ON THE SCREEN HERE AS, AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE NEW AND UPCOMING, UH, VARIETY THAT WE HAVE IS, UH, A HOLIDAY SIP AND PAINT PARTY, WHICH IS FOR GROWNUPS AND A WHO DONE IT PERFORMANCE AND A MEAL WITH GRANDMA.
GOT RUN OVER BY A WHAT? YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE DETAILS AT VISON.
SO ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE THEATER, ACROSS THE STREET FROM US IS ADDISON CIRCLE PARK.
SO, UH, WE, UM, COMMISSIONED A CONSULTING COMPANY TO WORK WITH A ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO, UH, REIMAGINE THE PARK.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO ALL OF THE DETAIL BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PLAN IS FOCUSED ON ENHANCING THE, UH, LIVING, WORKING, AND PLAYING EXPERIENCE IN ADDISON IN THE PARK.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO REVITALIZE, UM, THE PUBLIC SPACES AND PEDESTRIAN FLOW, MORE VIBRANCY AND VARIETY TO, UH, THE ICONIC ADDISON CIRCLE PARK.
UH, AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING, WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE CLEARER STEPS ON THE NEXT ACTION.
SO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR, UH, HOW THIS VISION TAKES SHAPE.
PART OF THIS EFFORT WAS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE ADDISON CIRCLE VISION PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IF YOU SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE OR SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE, PLEASE STAND UP.
ANYBODY IN THE ROOM? STAND UP.
STAND UP IF YOU'RE STANDING WAVE.
SO, UH, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING TO LEVERAGE THE ADDISON CIRCLE PARK BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL EVENTS TO ACTIVATE AND ENRICH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF OTHER EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. FOR INSTANCE, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS EXPANDED THEIR ADDISON OUTDOOR SERIES TO INCLUDE BARKS AND BEATS.
ANYBODY GO TO BARKS AND BEATS WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY LIVE MUSIC AND SPENDING TIME WITH THEIR PETS IN THE PARK.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DOG LOVERS IN ADDISON ON ONE OF THEM.
UM, SO HALLOWEEN EVENT LAST WEEKEND.
ANYBODY GO TO THAT? RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WENT TO THAT AS A HOWLING TIME, I'M SURE.
UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE ALSO HAD, UH, TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE PARK, UH, FOR THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
WE HAD FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD COME TO ADDISON CIRCLE PARK.
WE WERE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY OF THE ECLIPSE, REALLY, REALLY COOL EVENT.
SO THESE EVENTS NOT ONLY ENHANCE, UH, THE VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE IN ADDISON, BUT ALSO DEMONSTRATE HOW THE TOWN IS FOSTERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND UTILIZING PUBLIC SPACES FOR DIVERSE PROGRAMMING YEAR ROUND.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE EDISON CIRCLE PARK, YOU CAN'T GO WITHOUT TALKING
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ABOUT, UH, ALL THE BIG EVENTS THERE, SPECIFICALLY OCTOBERFEST OCTOBERFEST THAT WE JUST COMPLETED.UH, INCREDIBLE SUCCESS, UH, THANKS TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE, TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, ALL THE STAFF THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN.
THAT'S A, THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY A BIG EVENT.
UM, HAD A NEW PARTY, UH, HALL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET, AS WELL AS A NEW STAGE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ABSENT CIRCLE.
UH, WE EXPANDED INTO, I SAY WE, IT WASN'T ME, IT WAS ALL THE STAFF.
ABBY AND HER TEAM EXPANDED INTO, UM, THE, UM, THE CONFERENCE CENTER AND THEATER, AS WELL AS BROUGHT IN NEW GERMAN BEER AND TEXAS CRAFT OCTOBER FEST BREWS UNDERNEATH, UH, THE LIVE GLOCK AND SPIEL WITH REGARD TO, UH, ENGAGING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
ON THURSDAY OF OCTOBER FEST, WE HOSTED CORPORATE NIGHT, WHICH EXPANDS THE REACH WITHIN ADDISON'S BUSINESSES BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO BRING IN EVEN MORE LOCAL COMPANIES INTO THE FESTIVITIES.
CORPORATE FIELD DAY WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
UH, I ATTENDED A A COUPLE OF HOURS OF THAT.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEARLY DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF TEAMS THAT WERE IN CORPORATE FIELD DAY.
SO IT'S ADDISON ADDISON TEAMS AS WELL.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF RIVALRY AND A LITTLE BIT OF TRASH TALKING GOING ON.
UM, HOW MANY TEAMS DO WE HAVE? UH, 24 TEAMS SIGN UP FOR THAT.
AND I HEARD THAT WE HAD TO, THERE'S A COUPLE OF LATE COMERS THAT TRIED TO SIGN UP THE DAY BEFORE, HAD TO TURN AWAY, COULDN'T QUITE FIT 'EM IN.
SO REALLY GOOD TO HAVE THAT KIND OF, UM, INVOLVEMENT.
SO THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF ADDISON'S BROADER EFFORT TO MAKE ADDISON THE HUB FOR CONNECTION, ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY SPIRIT.
SO, UH, ON THE SCREEN WE SHOULD HAVE THE, UH, DATES FOR TASTE, KABOOM TOWN AND OCTOBER FEST NEXT YEAR.
UH, NOTABLY, UH, TASTE ADDISON IS EARLIER THIS YEAR, OR IT'S IN MAY THIS YEAR, SECOND TO FOURTH.
YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER DATES UP THERE.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC ART IN ADDISON, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE MORE PUBLIC ART PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED PUBLIC ART ON BOTH THE TOWN NEWS, THE TOWN'S NEW WEBSITES, AS WELL AS A BROCHURE THAT SHOWCASES THE TRAILS, HIGHLIGHTS THE PUBLIC ART AND INSTALLATIONS ALONG THE WAY SO THAT THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS CAN, UH, WALK OR BIKE THROUGH THE TRAILS AND ENJOY THE ART.
UH, WE HAVE A, A MAP, A BROCHURE THAT WE'VE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE HOTELS AND ALL THE OTHER VISITORS IN ADDISON.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIKE ONE OF THOSE, YOU CAN GET ONE FROM MARY AND HER STAFF MARKETING TEAM.
SO ADDISON CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS A DYNAMIC, ENGAGED, AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE RESIDENT BASE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON, UH, A VIBRANT AND ACTIVE, UH, COMMUNITY AS ONE OF OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS.
UH, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO NANCY CRAIG, WHO'S NEXT ON THE LIST.
AND AS IT SAYS, I AM NANCY CRAIG, AND I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR DEPUTY MAYOR.
PROTO, I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON THE KEY FOCUS AREA OF PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT FIRST I WANTED TO SHARE THAT RECENTLY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTICIPATING IN A RIDE ALONG WITH ONE OF ADDISON'S DEDICATED POLICE OFFICERS.
THE EXPERIENCE PROVIDED ME WITH A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF THE WORK AND COMMITMENT INVOLVED IN KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL THANKS TO CHIEF FREEZE FOR ORGANIZING, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AND TO OFFICER SIDWELL WHOSE OPENNESS AND INSIGHTS MADE THE EXPERIENCE INVALUABLE DURING THE RIDE ALONG CHIEF SIDWELL MADE MORE THAN ONCE ENGAGED, ENGAGED WITH RESIDENTS MORE THAN ONCE, FOSTERING A SENSE OF CONNECTION AND MUTUAL RESPECT.
THIS GENUINE OUTREACH IS ESSENTIAL IN BUILDING AND MAINTAINING THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT WE VALUE HERE IN ADDISON.
HE ALSO SHARED SEVERAL DEPARTMENTAL INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF RECENT IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THE LEXIPOL SYSTEM UPDATE, WHICH HAS GREATLY ENHANCED IMMEDIATE ACCESSIBILITY TO POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, THEREFORE MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
HIS INSIGHTS INTO THE SUPPORTIVE CULTURE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMITMENT TO ONGOING IMPROVEMENT TO OUR POLICE FACILITIES.
REINFORCED FOR ME THAT OUR POLICE TEAM IS UNITED IN SERVING ALL OF ADDISON'S STAKEHOLDERS.
TONIGHT I'LL SHARE UPDATES ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE INITIATIVES.
THESE ENCOMPASS EMERGENCY RESPONSE ENHANCEMENTS, BUILDING SAFETY MEASURES, HOUSING QUALITY,
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AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.TOGETHER, THESE EFFORTS ARE PART OF ADDISON'S BROADER MISSION TO ENSURE A SAFE, PREPARED AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY FOR ALL.
OKAY, WE'LL START WITH, UH, THE NORTH TEXAS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, OR INTECH.
INTECH BEGAN PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHING OPERATIONS IN 2016 IN A LEASE SPACE, IN A DATA CENTER IN CARROLLTON.
IN ANTICIPATION OF AN UPCOMING LEASE RENEWAL DISCUSSION, A NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED.
THE STUDY DETERMINED THAT THE OPERATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE EXPANDED IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED TO MEET THE FUTURE DEMANDS AND GROWTH OF THE CITIES THAT SUPPORT INTECH.
AFTER EXPLORING SEVERAL OPTIONS, THE BOARD OF INTECH, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF THE CITY MANAGERS OF THE FOUR CITIES THAT ARE PART OF INTECH, MADE THE DECISION TO BUILD A STANDALONE CENTER.
CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO FINANCE THIS ESSENTIAL PROJECT, AND I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY IS ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY.
THIS CENTER WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR EFFICIENT EMERGENCY RE RESPONSE ACROSS OUR REGION.
ADDITIONALLY, IN OUR PURSUIT OF SAFETY, WE ADOPTED THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE SET.
THIS UPDATED CODE ENSURES THAT ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION IN ADDISON MEETS THE LATEST SAFETY STANDARDS.
BY IMPLEMENTING THESE RIGOROUS GUIDELINES, WE ARE REINFORCING OUR COMMITMENT TO BUILDING STRUCTURES IN OUR TOWN THAT ARE NOT ONLY FUNCTIONAL, BUT ARE ALSO SAFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, VISITORS, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THIS PROACTIVE APPROACH TO BUILDING SAFELY IS CRUCIAL IN FOSTERING A SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, ANOTHER VITAL INITIATIVE IS OUR RENTAL HOUSING AND LODGING REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION PROGRAM.
THAT'S A KIND OF LONG TITLE, BUT THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM SLATED FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION AROUND NOVEMBER THE 12TH.
THIS PROGRAM WILL MANDATE REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF RENTAL PROPERTIES, HOTELS, AND MULTIFAMILY COMPLEXES TO CONFIRM THAT THEY MEET THE ESTABLISHED SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS.
I FEEL THAT A SAFER RENTAL AND LODGING MARKET CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY AND DEFINITELY ENHANCES ALL OF OUR LIVES.
OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS ALSO AND OBVIOUSLY VERY CRUCIAL IN STRENGTHENING ADAM'S ADDISON'S PREPAREDNESS.
LAST PHYSICAL YEAR, ADDISON HIRED ITS FIRST EVER DEDICATED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, JULIE WINKLER, WHO SEEMS TO HAVE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
JULIE RECENTLY SHARED WITH COUNCIL HER PROGRESS IN LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE TOWN'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY PLANS, SUPPORT FOR WEATHER INVOLVED SITUATIONS, ALONG WITH SPECIAL EVENTS AND PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL COMMITTEES AND EXERCISES, WHICH I ALSO FEEL IS CRITICAL AND VERY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE.
WE'RE CONTINUALLY WORKING TO ENHANCE OUR CAPABILITIES TO RESPOND TO EMER EMERGENCIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF RECENT NATIONAL DISASTERS THAT HAVE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE.
ENSURING THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE INFORMED AND PREPARED IS ESSENTIAL IN MINIMIZING RISK AND IMPROVING OUR RESPONSE.
FINALLY, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR COMMUNITY CRIME MAP IS BACK ONLINE.
THIS RESOURCE PROVIDES RESIDENTS FOR REAL TIME DATA ON ACTIVITY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, EMPOWERING THEM TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED.
AND I DO SAY, I IMAGINE THAT IT IS MORE ACCURATE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER INFORMATION.
ADDISON TOOLS, UH, ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO FURTHER ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC SAFETY AWARENESS ARE BEING EXPLORED.
I FEEL THAT ALL OF THIS FOSTERS A STRONGER CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
PUBLIC SAFETY OBVIOUSLY REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THIS TOWN, AND I'M PROUD OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STEPS WE ARE TAKING TO ADDRESS THIS FROM ENHANCING
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OUR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE BUILDING AND HOUSING SAFE SAFETY.EVERY INITIATIVE THAT WE UNDERTAKE IS FOCUSED ON KEEPING ADDISON SAFE AND RESILIENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF THESE INITIATIVES.
AND NEXT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DAN CIO, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS.
LEMME GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY WE GO.
I'M DAN LUCIO AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING AND CERTAINLY THOSE THAT HAVE PUT ME IN THIS POSITION, CERTAINLY A LOT OF FACES IN THE ROOM, UM, AS I, AS WE'VE ALL CERTAINLY HAD SHARED A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER AND LOOK FORWARD TO CERTAINLY SERVING IN THE COMING YEAR.
UM, MY KEY STRATEGIC AREA IS FOCUS AREA FOR ADDISON'S FUTURE IS INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE.
AND AS DARREN AND I WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION FATIGUE, I THINK WE'VE ALL LIVING IN SUCH A SMALL TOWN, YOU CANNOT AVOID AN ORANGE CONE, UM, OR SOMETHING THAT'S CONSTRUCTED AND, AND AND TAPED OFF FOR US, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH LAY LOCKS UNDERWAY.
UM, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS WHAT KEEPS THE TOWN MOVING, ENSURING WE CAN GROW AND THRIVE WHILE MAINTAINING THE HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE WE ALL ENJOY.
I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE EITHER IN PROGRESS OR PLANNED, ALL OF WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE ADDISON STRONGER AND ALL ARE MORE RESILIENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
LET'S START WITH KELLER SPRINGS ROAD.
WHILE YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED SOME DELAYS, DO SOME DELAYS DO THE FRANCHISE UTILITY RELOCATIONS, WHICH I HAD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT.
SO I GUESS YEARS BACK, IF IF SOMETHING WAS BURIED UNDERGROUND AND WE DIDN'T KNOW AND THE CONTRACTORS HIT THOSE SPOTS, THAT PUTS A BIG DELAY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST WEATHER DELAYS OR WE'RE EXPERIENCING, IT'S THE UTILITY RELOCATION.
SO THE FRANCHISE UTILITY, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THESE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECTS RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THEM LATER.
THIS ENSURES THE SMOOTHER OVERALL PROCESS.
ADDITIONALLY, RECENTLY, THE COUNCIL APPROVED A STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK LOAN.
THANKS, STEVEN GLICKMAN, UM, TO HELP FUND THIS PROJECT.
SECURING THIS LOAN ALLOWS US TO MANAGE COSTS MORE EFFECTIVELY WHILE KEEPING THE PROJECT ON TRACK.
AND AGAIN, I LIVE NEAR OFF MIDWAY ROAD, SO MANY OF US DO.
SO HALLELUJAH FOR HOW, HOW COMPLETED IT'S BECOME.
UM, THE PROJECT IS ALMOST COMPLETE.
WE'RE DOWN TO THE FINAL STAGES OF THE PROJECT.
SIGNAL IRRIGATION AND LANDSCAPING, ALONG WITH FRANCHISE UTILITY COORDINATION AND THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE WILL BENEFIT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO CHECK IN ON THE FINAL STAGES OF THIS PROJECT.
MADISON IS TAKING ANOTHER MAJOR STEP TOWARD IMPROVING OUR TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE KELLER SPRINGS ROAD REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT, WHICH SPANS FROM ADDISON ROAD TO THE DALLAS NORTH TOLLWAY, WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS AS PART OF THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM.
ORIGINALLY BUILT IN THE LATE 1970S AS AN ASPHALT ROAD KILLER SPRINGS HAS WORN DOWN OVER THE YEARS AND IS NOW READY FOR A MUCH NEEDED UPGRADE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY COORDINATING WITH UTILITY AND COMMUNICATION COMPANIES TO RELOCATE ELECTRIC, GAS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINES TO MAKE WAY FOR THE UPCOMING IMPROVEMENTS.
ONCE THESE RELOCATIONS ARE COMPLETE, THE REVITALIZATION WORK CAN BEGIN.
THIS PROJECT WILL COMPLETELY REBUILD BOTH THE ROAD AND PEDESTRIAN AREAS USING REINFORCED CONCRETE, IMPROVING DRIVABILITY, AND EXTENDING THE LIFESPAN OF THE ROAD.
THE UPGRADE TO CONCRETE WILL ENHANCE THE ROAD'S DURABILITY, PREPARING IT FOR INCREASED TRAFFIC AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN ADDISON.
IN ADDITION, THE WATER AND WASTEWATER LINES ALONG KELLER SPRINGS WILL BE UPGRADED TO SUPPORT CONTINUED GROWTH TO MANAGE STORMWATER MORE EFFECTIVELY.
LARGE DRAINAGE CULVERTS WILL BE ADDED BETWEEN ADDISON ROAD AND QUORUM DRIVE, AS OUTLINED IN THE AREAS STORM DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS, INCLUDING UPGRADED TRAFFIC SIGNALS, STREET LIGHTING, SIGNAGE, AND LANDSCAPING WILL ALSO BE PART OF THE PROJECT.
THE REVITALIZATION PROJECT WILL BEGIN WITH THE INSTALLATION OF UPGRADED WATER AND WASTEWATER LINES,
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FOLLOWED BY DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, STREET PAVING, SIDEWALK RECONSTRUCTION, AND FINALLY STREET LIGHTING TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND LANDSCAPE.THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO TAKE 24 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
YOU CAN STAY INFORMED ABOUT THIS PROJECT BY SUBSCRIBING TO EMAIL UPDATES ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE@ADDISONTX.GOV SLASH KELLER SPRINGS.
REGISTER FOR TEXT UPDATES BY TEXTING THE WORD KELLER.
FOLLOW TOWN OF ADDISON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK TO MAKE ADDISON A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
UH, ANOTHER EXCITING PROJECT THAT HAS JUST KICKED OFF IS THE LAY LOCKS POND IMPROVEMENT, OH, SORRY, I'M JUMPING.
THREE YEARS AGO, ADDISON BEGAN AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT TO RECONSTRUCT MIDWAY ROAD SPANNING FROM SPRING VALLEY TO KELLER SPRINGS.
THIS EFFORT INCORPORATES KEY ELEMENTS OF THE MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN, SUCH AS UPGRADED TRAFFIC SIGNALS, STREET LIGHTING, PAVEMENT, ENHANCEMENTS, AND LANDSCAPING.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT INCLUDES IMPROVEMENTS TO WATER AND WASTEWATER LINES, AS WELL AS STORM SEWERS.
THE SIDE PATH TRAIL WILL CONNECT WITH SEVERAL KEY TRAILS, INCLUDING THE EXISTING TRAIL ALONG WHEELER, BRIDGET ARAPAHOE, THE REDDING DOG TRAIL AND DOG PARK, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED AND THE FUTURE BELTWAY TRAIL.
ADDITIONALLY, IT WILL LINK TO THE PLANNED REGIONAL HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, WHICH WILL RUN ALONGSIDE THE DART SILVER LINE.
AS THE PROJECT MOVES INTO ITS FINAL STAGES, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE REMAINING WORK.
ALL THE MAINLINE PAVING IS COMPLETE EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTHBOUND WEST LANES OF BELTLINE ROAD, WHERE WE ENCOUNTERED AN UNMARKED GAS LINE THAT REQUIRED RELOCATION.
ATMOS RECENTLY COMPLETED THIS RELOCATION AND HAS ACTIVATED THE NEW LINE.
THE CONTRACTOR RECENTLY REPLACED THE PARKING LOT PAVEMENT ON THE WEST SIDE OF MIDWAY ROAD, JUST NORTH OF BELTLINE ROAD, AND HAS BEGUN CONSTRUCTING THE RETAINING WALLS AND SIDEWALKS IN THE AREA.
A MANHOLE STRUCTURE THAT SERVES SEVERAL COMMUNICATION COMPANIES OBSTRUCTS THE FINAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE SIDEWALK AND RAMP AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF MIDWAY ROAD AND CENTURION WAY.
THE RELOCATION OF THIS MANHOLE IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE SIDEWALK RAMP AND OTHER PROJECT ELEMENTS AT THIS CORNER.
THE SIDE PATH TRAIL SIDEWALKS, RETAINING WALLS AND MEDIAN PAVERS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT CORRIDOR ARE MOSTLY COMPLETE WITH A FEW SECTIONS WAITING ON FINAL UTILITY RELOCATIONS TO ALLOW COMPLETION.
THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL WORK AT THE BELTLINE ROAD INTERSECTION WILL BE WRAPPED UP AS SOON AS THE OLD ELECTRICAL SERVICE BOX IS REMOVED.
TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT LINDBERGH AND DULY INTERSECTIONS ARE THE NEXT SIGNALS TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
NOW THAT UTILITY RELOCATIONS ARE COMPLETE IN THOSE AREAS, LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR ARE PROGRESSING AND UNFINISHED AREAS WILL BE COMPLETED AS THE FINAL SIDEWALK AND RETAINING WHILE WORK IS COMPLETED.
APPROXIMATELY 240 NEW TREES ARE BEING INSTALLED, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER PLANTINGS AND GROUND COVERS THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR.
MUCH OF THIS NEWLY INSTALLED LANDSCAPING IS BEING HAND WATERED TO ENSURE THE IMPROVEMENTS TAKE ROOT.
THE RECONSTRUCTION OF MIDWAY ROAD MARKS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN ADDISON'S INFRASTRUCTURE AND FUTURE GROWTH.
AS WE ENTER THE FINAL STAGES OF THIS PROJECT, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BRING ENHANCED SAFETY, UPGRADED UTILITIES, IMPROVED ACCESS AND STRONGER CONNECTIONS TO THE TRAIL NETWORK.
THESE UPGRADES WILL BENEFIT BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS WE COMPLETE THE FINAL ELEMENTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DELIVERING A BETTER MIDWAY ROAD THAT SERVES OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME.
UM, THE, AGAIN, THE KICKOFF HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
THIS ONE THAT'LL ENHANCE THE BEAUTY OF THE AREA, BUT ALSO IMPROVE ITS FUNCTIONALITY.
AND THOSE HAVE WALKED AROUND THAT POND AS I HAVE MANY A TIME UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACED WITH THE OLD POND.
NOW THAT IT'S BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE CLOSED SOME LANES OF TRAFFIC TO ENSURE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND HAVE CAREFULLY RELOCATED THE WILDLIFE TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY.
THE POND LINE OF REPLACEMENT IS PHASE ONE AND SHOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS.
WE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR WHO WILL COME IN AFTER THAT WILL REPLACE AND UPGRADE THE LANDSCAPING.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TRACKING THE PROGRESS, WE'LL HAVE REGULAR UPDATES AVAILABLE ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE NEWSLETTER AND TEXTS WATER METER SYSTEM UPGRADE.
LOOKING AHEAD, WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT UPGRADE PLANNED FOR OUR WATER METER SYSTEM.
THE PROJECT WAS FUNDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET AND WILL REPLACE THE MAJORITY OF THE TOWN'S WATER METERS WITH MODERNIZATION MODERN ONES.
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UPGRADES WILL GIVE YOU OUR RESIDENTS NEW TOOLS TO MONITOR YOUR WATER USAGE IN REAL TIME.IT'S AN EXCITING STEP FORWARD FOR ADDISON'S WATER AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKLAND DEDICATION AND DEVELOPMENT FEES.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE PARKLAND DEDICATION AND DEVELOPMENT FEES.
AT OUR MEETING LAST WEEK, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN ORDINANCE FOR DEVELOPER FUNDED RECREATIONAL AREAS, INCLUDING PARKS AND TRAILS.
THE ORDINANCE, THIS ORDINANCE IS TWOFOLD.
IT PROVIDES LAND OR FEE TO PURCHASE LAND TO KEEP UP WITH OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE, WHICH IS SEVEN ACRES OF PARKLAND PER THOUSAND RESIDENTS.
IT ALSO PROVIDES FEES TO HELP DEVELOP NEW PARKS OR ADD ADDITIONAL AMENITIES USES INTO EXISTING PARKS.
THESE FEES ARE KEY FUNDING MECHANISM THAT ENSURES AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS COME INTO ADDISON, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXPANDING, EXCUSE ME, TO EXPANDING OUR PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATIONAL SPACES.
THIS HELPS US KEEP OUR PARKS VIBRANT AND READY TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES.
I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION A GREAT WIN FOR THE TOWN.
WE RECENTLY SECURED A $1.9 MILLION HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANT.
THIS FUNDING WILL GO TOWARD CRITICAL INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS TO ENHANCE SAFETY FOR BOTH DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS.
IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THE TOWN OF HOW THE TOWN WE'RE LEVERAGING ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES TO IMPROVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT OVERBURDENING THE LOCAL BUDGET.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK ON THESE IMPORTANT PROJECTS, INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONE OF THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE.
AND I'M PROUD TO OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE SO FAR.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THESE INITIATIVES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LETTING ME SERVE.
UM, AGAIN, BACK TO WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP WITH JACK GARRETT'S EARLIER, I DID PERSONALLY COMMISSION, SO I'D HIGHLY RECOMMEND, BUT JUST WANNA THANK THE TOWN STAFF FOR ALWAYS MAKING ME SHINE AND, AND, AND CERTAINLY LETTING ME SERVE ALONG WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OH, AND NEXT WILL BE CHRISTIE FRANCISCO.
WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.
UH, I'M CHRIS DE FRANCISCO AND IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE ON THE ADDISON CITY COUNCIL.
TONIGHT MY KEY AREA OF FOCUS IS MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY.
MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN ENSURING ADDISON REMAINS DYNAMIC AND ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST FOR RESIDENTS, BUT FOR OUR BUSINESSES AND VISITORS AS WELL.
THE TOPIC IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
UM, MY FAMILY AND I ENJOY THE TRAIL SYSTEM A LOT.
UH, WHETHER IT'S WALKING OUR DOG, UH, GOING FOR A RUN OR, UH, WALKING TO THE ATHLETIC CENTER.
UM, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GIVEN ME SOME PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL THOUGHT OUT PEDESTRIAN CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ALREADY HAVE AN EXTENSIVE TRAIL SYSTEM, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE CAN DO BETTER.
UH, SUCCESSFUL CITIES OFFER GROWING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, UM, LIKE ADDISON'S ABOUT TO DO WITH DART.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, A GOOD ROAD NETWORK, UH, EXPANDED PEDESTRIAN TRAILS, QUA CROSSWALKS AND BIKE LANES.
TOGETHER, THEY OFFER AN IMPROVED COMMUTER EXPERIENCE.
SO LET'S DIVE INTO SOME OF THE KEY INITIATIVES WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US AS A COUNCIL THAT FOCUS ON, UH, MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY.
FIRST IS QUORUM ROAD BIKE LANES.
WE JUST WRAPPED UP A TEMPORARY BIKE LANE PILOT PROGRAM ALONG QUORUM DRIVE.
THIS EFFORT WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TOWN OF ADDISON AND THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
IT RAN FROM OUR AIRPORT PARKWAY TO ADDISON CIRCLE.
IT'S PART OF A LARGER STUDY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE FIRST MILE, LAST MILE CONNECTIONS AHEAD OF THE SILVER LINE LIGHT RAIL DEVELOPMENT THAT'LL SOON BE COMING TO OUR TOWN.
THE PILOT RAN FROM OCTOBER 12TH THROUGH OCTOBER 27TH, AND IT GAVE OUR COMMUNITY A HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THIS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.
CYCLISTS, PEDESTRIANS AND MOTORISTS ALIKE TESTED THE LANES AND PROVIDED US VALUABLE FEEDBACK.
THE DATA WE COLLECTED WILL BE USED TO SHAPE DECISIONS REGARDING PERMANENT BIKE LANES AND OVERALL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT OUR TOWN.
SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? WELL, THE SILVER LINE THAT'S COMING THROUGH ADDISON WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE
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REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY, AND WE WANT TO ENSURE ADDISON'S INFRASTRUCTURE CAN SUPPORT THIS INCREASED FLOW OF MOVEMENT.ALSO, AS PART OF THE 2019 BOND ELECTION, VOTERS APPROVED FUNDING TO RECONSTRUCT QUORUM DRIVE FROM DART FROM THE DART STATION TO THE TOLLWAY.
THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY AND $2.9 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS MADE FROM THE TOWN'S PARKS, RECS, AND OPEN SPACE PLAN.
THE RECOMME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THAT PROJECT INCLUDE CREATING A PARK, ADDING PARK SPACE, AND OUTDOOR CO-WORK SPACE AND INCORPORATING PEDESTRIAN BIKE CROSSING AT BELTLINE.
THE VISION WOULD OFFER A GATHERING SPACE FOR CORPORATE FUNCTIONS OUTSIDE OF OUR OFFICE TOWERS THAT WE'RE DESPERATELY TRYING TO KEEP LEASED UP AND THE TOWN IT'LL GIVE.
ALSO, GIVE THE TOWN AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EVENTS ON WEEKENDS.
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A SAFER, MORE BIKE FRIENDLY TOWN WHERE PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR MOBILITY BEYOND CARS.
NEXT IS A TOLLWAY CROSSING PROJECT.
UM, NO FANCY VIDEOS, BUT TRUST ME, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.
UM, QUORUM DRIVE ISN'T THE ONLY AREA OF OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO UPGRADING SAFETY FOR OUR BIKERS AND WALKERS.
FINDING WAYS TO SAFELY CONNECT THE EAST AND WEST SIDES OF OUR TOWN, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH LATELY, UM, HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR DECADES HERE IN ADDISON.
RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH KIMBERLY HORN AND ASSOCIATES ON A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO MAKE THE BELTLINE AND TOLLWAY CROSSING SAFER.
IT ALSO CREATES AN ADDISON LANDMARK THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE TOLLWAY.
THE PROJECT HAS A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES, UH, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE FACT THAT WE DON'T OWN THAT INTERSECTION THE CITY OF DALLAS DOES.
UH, IT ALSO HAS SOME OTHER ISSUES WITH OVERHEAD UTILITIES, UM, AND MAIN LANE CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT ONE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES IS TO ABSORB THE EXISTING U-TURN LANE IN THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A MONTH AGO, UM, WE CLOSED THAT U-TURN LANE FOR A DAY.
SO ENGINEERS COULD TAKE PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLE COUNTS AND RECOMMEND SIGNAL MONITORING AND TIMING TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
NEXT STEPS FOR THIS WHOLE HIGH PROFILE PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY A FUNDING SOURCE, WHICH COULD INCLUDE SOME TRANSPORTATION FUNDING GRANTS, UH, COORDINATING WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS TO GAIN THEIR BUY-IN FOR THE, FOR THE CONVERSION OF THAT U-TURN LANE INTO A CROSSWALK, A CALL FOR PUBLIC ART AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO BID A PROJECT OF THIS SIZE.
THIS IS A GATEWAY, A PROJECT FOR OUR TOWN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ITS PROGRESS.
FINALLY, OUR MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE.
ADDISON'S 2016 MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN SERVES AS A BLUEPRINT FOR MAKING ALL OF THESE STRATEGIC MOBILITY INVESTMENTS.
THE PLAN OUTLINES OUR COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING A MULTIMODAL NETWORK THAT INTEGRATES PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLE AND TRANSIT OPTIONS ALONG OUR ROADWAYS.
THIS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IS MORE THAN JUST MOVING FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
IT'S ABOUT IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF US, UH, SUPPORTING ECONOMIC VITALITY AND ENHANCING THE CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FUNDING FOR AN UPDATE TO THE MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN WAS APPROVED AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2025.
UH, WITH THE UPCOMING SILVER LINE DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASING DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, UPDATING OUR MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN WILL ENSURE ADDISON REMAINS FUTURE READY.
STAFFING IS PLANNING TO BRING AND THIS AGREEMENT TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN NOVEMBER, AND THIS WILL GET THE PRO THE WHOLE PROCESS STARTED.
AND LIKE MOST OF THESE PROJECTS, THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF THE UPDATE.
SO PLEASE COME READY TO SHARE YOUR IDEAS BY EXPANDING OUR MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS.
ADDISON IS PAVING THE WAY FOR A MORE ACCESSIBLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND VIBRANT FUTURE.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S ABOUT CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OR WALKING, BIKING AND OTHER FORMS OF MOVEMENT ARE ENJOYABLE AND SAFE FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING FAMILIES LIKE MINE WHO LOVE THE EXPERIENCE, THE TOWN ON FOOT.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
NEXT UP IS HOWARD FREE WHO'S GONNA TALK TO US ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
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HELLO EVERYONE.UH, MY NAME'S HOWARD FREE AND I JOINED THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, JUST IN MAY OF 2024.
I'M LIVING PROOF THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CAMPAIGN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ON A COMMITTEE.
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TOWN OF ADDISON.
AND YOU CAN GET ELECTED IF NOBODY RUNS AGAINST YOU,
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT, UM, OF ADDISON FOR 25 YEARS, AND, UH, LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS TOWN.
UM, TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME IMPORTANT UPDATES ON THE KEY INITIATIVES THAT ARE HELPING SHAPE ADDISON'S FUTURE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREAS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AVIATION, AND TOURISM.
SO, UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO START WITH OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN ADDISON'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ONE KEY PART OF OUR STRATEGY HAS BEEN THE CREATION OF UPDATED MARKETING COLLATERAL, ALONG WITH ADS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT POTENTIAL BUSINESS PARTNERS TO ADDISON.
THIS STRATEGY INCLUDES BOTH TRADITIONAL PRINTED MATERIALS ALONG WITH DIGITAL ASSETS, SUCH AS VIDEOS THAT ARE BEING USED IN TARGETED ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.
THESE CAMPAIGNS FEATURING THE TAGLINE, ADDISON, THE ADDRESS FOR SUCCESS ARE BEING PLACED IN KEY PUBLICATIONS LIKE DCEO AND ON PLATFORMS LIKE LINKEDIN AIMED AT DECISION MAKERS AND INDUSTRIES THAT ALIGN WITH ADDISON'S GROWTH STRATEGY.
HERE ARE A FEW OF THE 15 SECOND ADS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED.
1600 BUSINESSES, LARGE AND SMALLER OPENING THEIR DOORS.
TECH COMPANIES ARE HUMMING, ENTREPRENEURS ARE DREAMING, AND 83,000 BRIGHT MINDS ARE BUZZING.
THAT'S HOW SUCCESS HAPPENS HERE, ADDISON, THE ADDRESS FOR SUCCESS 1 8 7 3 FBOS ARE BUSY TAKING CARE OF CLIENTS.
A STATE-OF-THE-ART CUSTOMS FACILITY IS AT THE READY.
AND ANY BOARDROOM IN ADDISON IS LESS THAN 10 MINUTES AWAY.
THAT'S HOW SUCCESS HAPPENS HERE, ADDISON, THE ADDRESS FOR SUCCESS.
12 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF MODERN OFFICE SPACE, GOING STRONG WITH BRAND NEW MULTI-USE OFFERINGS AT VILLAGE ON THE PARKWAY AND ADDISON CIRCLE STATION COMING SOON.
THAT'S HOW SUCCESS HAPPENS HERE, ADDISON, THE ADDRESS FOR SUCCESS.
THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR PREPARING THOSE VIDEOS.
UH, THE MARKETING COLLATERAL HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT MAKES ADDISON A GREAT PLACE FOR BUSINESS, WHICH INCLUDES ACCESS TO OUR WORKFORCE, RESTAURANTS, PARKS, EVENTS, AND OUR UNIQUE AIRPORT AS WELL.
WE ARE, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT FROM COMPANIES INTERESTED IN RELOCATING TO NORTH TEXAS, HOPING TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS RIGHT HERE IN ADDISON TOURISM.
UH, NEXT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE TO OUR TOURISM MARKETING EFFORTS, IN PARTICULAR THROUGH THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW VISIT ADDISON WEBSITE.
THIS PLATFORM PROMOTES ADDISON AS A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR BOTH BUSINESS AND LEISURE TRAVELERS ALIKE.
OUR NEW WEBSITE, LIKE OUR MARKETING COLLATERAL HIGHLIGHTS ADDISON'S WORLD-CLASS EVENTS, OUR DIVERSE DINING AND FEATURES, OUR PARKS AND PUBLIC ART TOO.
HOWEVER, IS THAT ME? OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE TO OUR TOURISM MARKETING.
HOWEVER, THE TOURISM WEBSITE IS NOT JUST A RESOURCE FOR VISITORS.
IT'S, I IMPORT AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUSINESSES TO USE AS WELL.
OUR TEAM IS WORKING TO TIE THE TOURISM INITIATIVES TOGETHER WITH OUR BROADER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, ENSURING THAT OUR MARKETING STRATEGIES ARE IN SYNC.
OUR NEW TOURISM WEBSITE WILL SERVE AS A GATEWAY TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR, SHOWCASING THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THAT DRAW VISITORS AND POTENTIALLY NEW BUSINESSES TO, TO ADDISON THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE AMAZING ADDISON AIRPORT, WHICH IS A CORNERSTONE OF BOTH OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND OUR REGIONAL INFLUENCE.
THE ADDISON AIRPORT MASTER PLAN IS ESSENTIAL FOR GUIDING LONG-TERM, LONG-TERM AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT, AND DRIVING BOTH AVIATION GROWTH AND LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
THE FAA MANDATES THAT ALL AIRPORTS RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDING MAINTAIN AN UPDATED MASTER PLAN EVERY 20 YEARS OR MORE FREQUENTLY IF NECESSARY.
THE CURRENT MASTER PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2016, HAS BEEN OUTPACED BY FASTER THAN EXPECTED DEVELOPMENT.
[00:55:01]
2023, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A $1,050,000 GRANT FROM TEX AVIATION TO BEGIN A NEW MASTER PLAN UPDATE.WILPERT, THE COMPANY WE'VE CHOSEN AS A CONSULTANT TO LEAD THE UPDATE HAS STARTED THEIR INITIAL WORK ON THIS PROJECT AND WILL SOON BE FINALIZING THEIR CONTRACTS WITH TDOT AS PART OF THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN AND OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN THIS PROCESS, WE'LL BE FORMING TWO MASTER, UH, COMMITTEES.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE MADE UP OF AIRPORT AND TOWN STAFF, TXDOT REPRESENTATIVES, AND OUR CONSULTANT.
WHILE THE PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE WILL BE COMPRISED OF SELECTED AIRPORT BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES AND WILL INCLUDE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS WELL, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE, AN APPLICATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE.
THERE WILL ALSO BE THREE PUBLIC MEETINGS AS A PART OF THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT ON EITHER COMMITTEE, BUT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, THE DATES OF THESE THREE MEETINGS WILL BE PUBLISHED AS SOON AS AVAILABLE.
OUR GOAL WITH THE WORK WE'RE DOING ACROSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AVIATION, AND TOURISM, IS TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE VIBRANT ADDISON BY CONTINUING TO REFINE OUR STRATEGIES AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE, WE'RE POSITIONING ADDISON FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MARLON WILSON.
UM, MY NAME IS MARLON WILLISON AND IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UH, UH, TONIGHT I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE KEY, UH, UH, FINANCIAL, UH, AREA THAT IS FINANCIAL HEALTH AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
SO, UH, AS THE MAYOR ALLUDED EARLIER, UH, SOME OF THESE, UH, KEY FOCUS AREAS HAVE MORE, UH, INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES THAN OTHERS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT HAVE MORE, SO WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO COVER EVERY SINGLE THING AND THIS, UH, THE, THIS KEY FOCUS AREA, BUT WE ARE GONNA TOUCH UPON THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.
AND, UH, WE ARE GONNA GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT, UH, THE LAST STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SCREEN, UH, WHICH IS EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSOLIDATING AND OR EXPANDING TOWN FACILITIES.
SO ONE OF THE, UH, UH, THE INITIATIVE IS, IS TO KEEP, KEEP A, A, A HIGH, HIGH RATING.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT THE HIGHEST WE'RE, UH, THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
WE'RE ONLY ONE OF 11 CITIES THAT HAS TRIPLE A RATINGS FROM BOTH S AND P AND MOODY'S.
AND, UM, UH, THIS IS A GREAT REPORT CARD TO HAVE.
IT'S NOT THE ONLY ONE, BUT, UM, IT, IT REALLY DRIVES A LOT OF THE THINGS WE DO.
SO REALLY, UH, APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE, UH, AND OUR LEADERS TO, TO GET US THIS RATING AND RETAIN THIS RATING.
UH, AS THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO EARLIER IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES WAS, UM, WAS, WAS HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE REDUCE SOME OF OUR CURRENT COSTS? AND SO, UH, UH, THANKS TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND HIS TEAM, UM, THEY TASKED, UH, THE DIRECTIVES AND THE, THE DIRECTORS AND THE STAFF TO COME UP WITH WAYS THAT HOW COULD WE SAVE WHAT THINGS WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
SO, UH, AS YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, UH, HUGE SAVINGS OVER 400,000, 469,000 WORTH OF SAVINGS.
UM, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALIZED BEFORE COUNCIL EVEN CAME INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I'VE, I'VE, I'VE BEEN THROUGH SIX BUDGET PROCESSES, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER DONE THIS.
SO, UH, KUDOS TO, UH, TO CITY MANAGER GAINES AND HIS WHOLE TEAM.
UH, ANOTHER INITIATIVE IS TO ATTRACT, RETAIN, AND DEVELOP TOP TIER EMPLOYEES.
AND SO YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN THE COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE THAT WE ARE IN NORTH TEXAS IF YOU DON'T, UH, PAY COMPETITIVE RATES.
SO, UH, REALLY PLEASED IN THIS LAST BUDGET PROCESS THAT, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL, UM, UH, UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, UH, PAY INCREASES, UH, THAT MATCHED OUR, OUR, UH, COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, MONEY'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMPENSATION, UH, MATRIX COMPENSATION MIX, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR NEW THINGS.
WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY MAYBE THAT OUR OTHER COMPARATOR CITIES ARE NOT DOING? MAYBE THEY CAN'T DO IT.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT JUNETEENTH AND
[01:00:01]
VETERANS, UH, VETERANS DAY, WE ADDED TO THE MIX.AND THEN, UH, ALSO WE'RE CONSIDERING, UM, ALLOWING OUR, UH, OUR EMPLOYEES FAMILIES TO, TO, UH, JOIN THEM WHEN THEY WORK OUT AT THE ATH ATHLETIC CLUB.
THE EMPLOYEES ALREADY CAN, BUT, UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD, ADD THAT ALSO, UM, AND WE ALSO TOUCHED UPON IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER WITH THE, UH, WIRELESS WATER METER UPGRADE, UH, PROJECT THAT'S COMING.
BUT WE ARE, WE'VE GOT TWO THINGS WORKING.
WE'VE GOT THAT, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA IMPROVE THE UTILITY BILLING PORTAL.
SO, SO THE TWO OF THOSE THINGS COMBINED ARE, ARE VERY POWERFUL TOOLS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME THINGS AVAILABLE TO US, UM, THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE IN ADDISON, AND IT'S GONNA BE A LOT EASIER TO, TO, UH, POSSIBLY FIND OUT WHEN WE'VE GOT A WATER LEAK.
MAYBE YOU GET AN ALERT, MAYBE YOU GET A TEXT IF YOU WANT THAT, UM, WHEN YOUR, WHEN YOUR WATER BILL IS SPIKED.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S COMING IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THE THING I'M EXCITED TO, TO SHARE WITH YOU THE MOST IS, UM, IS OUR FACILITIES.
AND SO I THINK MOST OF YOU ALL RECOGNIZE, UH, THESE FACILITIES SHOWN ON THIS SCREEN, BUT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THAT WE HAVE, UH, RIGHT AROUND 44 FACILITIES THAT WE MAINTAIN.
NOW, ABOUT HALF OF THOSE ARE ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY.
THESE ARE HANGERS AND OFFICE, UM, OFFICE PROPERTIES THAT, THAT WE, UM, THAT WE LEASE.
BUT, BUT, UH, FOR TONIGHT'S PURPOSES, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OFF AIRPORT.
AND SO, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO ADDISON WAS INCORPORATED IN 1953.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, WE STARTED ACQUIRING FACILITIES AND BUILDING FACILITIES.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THIS SLIDE IS, IS SOME OF OUR OLDEST, UH, FACILITIES.
AND SO THIS IS KIND OF INTERESTING BECAUSE, UH, THIS, THIS SHOWS THE YEAR THAT WE BUILT THESE FACILITIES, BUT IT ALSO, UH, IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T OWN THEM ALL.
UH, WE CO-LEAD N TECH RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GONNA CO-OWN THAT LATER.
BUT, UH, AND THEN ONE IS, UH, ADDISON CIRCLE POLICE SUBSTATION IS, IS FREE, IS OFFERED TO US FREE.
SO, AND SO, LET ME GO BACK IN TIME A LITTLE BIT.
IN 2018, I WAS, UH, VERY HAPPY TO BE SERVING ON CITY COUNCIL AND DURING OUR CITY COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PLANNING, UM, ONE, ONE OF THE, UH, THAT THE ITEMS THAT WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WAS A FACILITIES CONSOLIDATION STUDY.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS, IS AT THE TOP IS, IS THAT, BUT THEN A TIMELINE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN, AS YOU CAN TELL, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE ACHIEVED A LOT IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
AND SO, WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, PHYSICALLY, THE ADDISON CONFERENCE CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A HECK OF A LOT WITH COVID.
AND, UH, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY GOT HIT HARDER DURING THAT TIME THAN OUR HOTEL AND TOURISM.
AND SO WE HAD TO MAKE SOME AWFUL, TOUGH DECISIONS.
AND ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS WAS TO CLOSE THIS FACILITY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD TO LET GO OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED HERE.
SO WE MADE THE BEST OF, OUT OF A REALLY CRUMMY SITUATION.
AND, UH, WHEN WE REOPENED, UH, WE REPURPOSED THIS FACILITY AS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, TOWN MEETINGS LIKE TONIGHT, WE'VE GOT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, P AND Z, BUT WE MOVED OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HERE AND, AND WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST USING THIS FACILITY DIFFERENTLY THAN, THAN WHAT WE DID, UH, PRE COVID.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, TRANSITION THAT'S OCCURRING RIGHT NOW, AND YOU SEE IT ON THIS SLIDE.
SO ALL OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK AT TOWN HALL WILL BE MOVING TO THIS FACILITY.
AND THEN THE, THE FINANCE TEAM WILL BE MOVING OUT OF THE FINANCE, UH, BUILDING AND THEY'LL BE MOVING INTO TOWN HALL.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER, AFTER THAT, WE'RE TALKING MAYBE, UM, SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR AFTER THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE, MAKES DECISIONS ON WHAT WILL OCCUR AT THE PROPERTY THAT, WHERE THE FINANCE BUILDING IS NOW.
UM, ONE OF THE, THE LARGEST DEVELOPMENTS THAT'S OCCURRED IS AT, UH, POLICE AND, UH, MUNICIPAL COURTS BUILDING.
[01:05:01]
UM, WE HAVE HAD A LOT THAT'S OCCURRED, UM, AT THIS BUILDING SINCE 2018.WE'VE GOT, AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM, WE'VE GOT SKYROCKETING, UM, EXPENDITURES.
AND, UM, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS BUILDING.
WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOTTA BRING IT UP TO AADA A COMPLIANCE, IF WE WERE TO KEEP IT.
WE'VE GOT CODE ISSUES, WE'VE GOT SPACE ISSUES, WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, ISSUES WITH THE, THE JAIL.
NOT REALLY QUITE BEING ABLE TO FUNCTION LIKE WE'D LIKE.
UM, SO IF ONE OF OUR OFFICERS NEEDS TO, UH, TAKE SOMEBODY TO JAIL, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA DRIVE OVER TO GRAPEVINE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE CONTRACT WITH RIGHT NOW.
AND AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THIS SLIDE, THAT THAT TAKES A WHILE.
SO THAT MIGHT TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR, MAYBE MORE TO GO OVER THERE AND BACK.
AND SO DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL LOVE TO SEE OUR OFFICERS, UH, PATROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND PATROLLING THEIR BEAT.
WELL, THAT'S TOUGH TO DO WHEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPENDING AN HOUR DRIVING BACK AND FORTH.
SO, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, ISSUES TO SHORE UP WITH OUR, UH, OUR, OUR POLICE AND MUNICIPAL COURTS FACILITY.
AND, AND REALLY, UNLESS YOU'VE TOURED IT, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO EXPLAIN.
UM, YOU HAVE TO REALLY SEE IT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WE CAN'T, CAN'T HAVE EVERYBODY TOUR IT TONIGHT, BUT WE CAN VIA VIDEO.
AND I'M GONNA GET THE HELP OF, UH, CHIEF, CHIEF FREEZE.
UM, AND THEN AFTERWARDS, THE CITY MANAGER, WE'RE GONNA SHOW A LITTLE VIDEO OF, UH, OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH POLICE AND MUNICIPAL COURTS.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE CONFERENCE CENTER.
ADDISON IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT OUR FACILITIES NOT ONLY MEET TODAY'S NEEDS, BUT ALSO ANTICIPATE FUTURE GROWTH AND CHALLENGES.
TODAY WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT TWO CRITICAL UPDATES THAT ARE RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR POLICE AND COURTS BUILDING, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CONFERENCE CENTER.
THE POLICE AND COURTS BUILDING ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED IN 1984 HAS SERVED US FOR DECADES.
HOWEVER, AS THE TOWN HAS GROWN, SO TO HAVE THE DEMANDS ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE WITH ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COSTS THAT EXCEED $320,000, THREE TIMES THE AVERAGE FOR OTHER BUILDINGS, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT A NEW APPROACH IS NEEDED.
I SERVE AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE TOWN OF ADDISON.
OUR CURRENT FACILITY IS SHOWING SIGNS OF SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION.
THIS IS GOING INSIDE, AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME AREAS THAT REQUIRE SOME IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
SO THIS IS OUR EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOM.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING IN HERE IS EXTREMELY DATED.
NOTICE ALL OF THE OLD PAINT ON THE CABINETS, TILE DAMAGE FROM PREVIOUS WATER DAMAGE, AND THIS IS WHERE OFFICERS COME IN, EAT THEIR LUNCH, TRY TO DECOMPRESS IN BETWEEN CALLS.
THIS IS WHERE OUR, UH, DETECTIVES DO THEIR WORK.
THIS IS OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
UM, IF YOU CAN SEE RIGHT UP HERE, WE HAVE WATER DAMAGE.
ANYTIME THERE'S A HEAVY RAIN, WE HAVE TO PLACE BUCKETS HERE ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE WE CONSTANTLY HAVE WATER THAT COMES IN.
WE HAVE OUR SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE.
IT'S ONE OFFICE THAT WE'VE CRAMM TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE INTO.
YOU SEE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WORKSPACE AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE TOUR.
WE ARE COMPLETELY MAXED OUT ON SPACE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE OFFICE SPACE FOR NEW OFFICERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS OUR, UH, DECOMMISSIONED GEL.
UM, AGAIN, NOT HAVING THE SPACE.
WE USE THIS AREA FOR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN.
STORAGE, EVIDENCE, PROCESSING EVIDENCE, STORAGE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE'RE IN CHARGE OF TRACKING APPROXIMATELY 22,000, UM, INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES OF EVIDENCE.
AND WE HAVE NO SPACE IN ORDER TO TO DO THAT EFFECTIVELY.
HERE WE HAVE OUR, UH, EVIDENCE, UH, PROCESSING ROOM.
AGAIN, THIS IS A DECOMMISSIONED JAIL CELL DUE TO THE EOC REQUIREMENT THAT ALL BUILDINGS HAVE A SPACE FOR, UH, NURSING MOTHERS.
THAT, AGAIN, IS A PREVIOUS JAIL CELL THAT WE'VE TRIED TO OUTFIT.
SO THIS IS WHERE MEMBERS OF OUR SWAT TEAM HANG THEIR GEAR, THEIR UNIFORMS, AGAIN, NOT HAVING SPACE.
THEY TRY TO MAKE THE BEST THEY DO.
WE HAVE OFFICERS HANGING CLOTHES ON THE, UH, WIRE FROM THE TELEPHONE.
SO AGAIN, WITH THE BUILDING BEING AS OLD AS IT IS, IT'S NOT A DA COMPLIANT.
WE DON'T HAVE AN ELEVATOR FOR THE SECOND FLOOR.
SO IF YOU NEED TO GO UPSTAIRS, HERE'S OUR STAIRWELL.
UH, NOW LET'S GO AND LOOK AT OUR, UM, LOCKER ROOM.
THIS IS WHERE OUR POLICE OFFICERS COME IN, CHANGE, GET READY FOR SHIFT, UM, TAKE SHOWERS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
THESE LOCKERS ARE EXTREMELY SMALL.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES THE OFFICERS CAN'T EVEN KEEP ALL OF THEIR ISSUED GEAR WITHIN HERE.
UH, THE NEW, UM, WAY GOING FORWARD WITH NEW FACILITIES IS THEY'RE A LOT WIDER AND BIGGER.
THAT ALLOWS ALL OF YOUR GEAR TO BE STORED IN ONE SPOT AGAIN.
AND THEN JUST OUTGROWING THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE, TRYING TO FIND AND MAXIMIZE ANY LITTLE PLACE THAT WE CAN.
WE HAVE, UM, THIS IS PART OF THE SHOWER, BUT WE INSTALLED
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RACKS.AND THIS IS WHERE OFFICERS KEEP THEIR PATROL BAGS, THEIR BOOTS, UM, ANYTHING THEY WANNA TRY TO HANG UP AND, AND DRY OUT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE DEALT WITH CONSTANT REPAIRS FROM LEAKS TO STRUCTURAL ISSUES, AND WE'VE OUTGROWN THE SPACE DESIGNED OVER 40 YEARS AGO.
OUR MAINTENANCE COSTS KEEP RISING, AND WE'RE STILL NOT MEETING THE NEEDS FOR SECURITY A DA COMPLIANCE AND FUTURE GROWTH.
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF STUDY AND DISCUSSION, THE COUNCIL ENDORSED A PLAN IN MAY, 2024 TO BUILD A BRAND NEW POLICE AND COURTS FACILITY AT THE CURRENT LOCATION WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $35 MILLION.
THIS DECISION FOLLOWS YEARS OF CAREFUL PLANNING, BEGINNING IN 2018 WITH A FACILITY CONSOLIDATION STUDY AND CONTINUING THROUGH MULTIPLE PHASES OF EVALUATION.
THE COUNCIL PRIORITIZES PROJECT NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS THE BUILDING'S CONDITION, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
ONCE COMPLETE, THE STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY, WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS WHILE IMPROVING SECURITY.
AND A DA COMPLIANCE CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AFTER THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE WITH POLICE AND COURT OPERATIONS TEMPORARILY RELOCATED DURING THE PROCESS.
THE CURRENT TIMETABLE IS TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT TO DESIGN AND PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR REBUILDING IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
WHILE PLANS ARE IN MOTION FOR THE NEW POLICE AND COURTS FACILITY, ANOTHER MAJOR RENOVATION IS UNDERWAY AT THE ADDISON CONFERENCE CENTER.
LAST YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND SEVERAL STAFF OFFICES WERE MOVED TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER.
UNTIL THEN, THE BUILDING HAD BEEN EMPTY SINCE IT WAS CLOSED IN 2020.
DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC TO BETTER SERVE ADDISON'S NEEDS, THE CONFERENCE CENTER IS BEING REIMAGINED TO HOUSE PERMANENT COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND OFFICES OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY SECRETARY, HUMAN RESOURCES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND MARKETING AND TOURISM, WITH AN INVESTMENT OF $2 MILLION.
IN ADDITION TO BETTER UTILIZING EXISTING TOWN ASSETS, THIS PLAN WILL CENTRALLY LOCATE MANY OF THE TOWN'S CORE FUNCTIONS.
THESE UPDATES ARE PART OF OUR BROADER GOAL TO MAXIMIZE EXISTING FACILITIES WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE.
AS PART OF THESE UPGRADES, WE WILL HARDEN THE BUILDING TO ENSURE A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THE FRONT LOBBY AREA WILL BE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY, AS WILL THE PERMANENT COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT THE REMAINDER OF THE BUILDING WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEN THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1992, IT WAS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
WE PLAN TO INCORPORATE AS MANY OF THOSE DESIGN ELEMENTS IN THE PLANS AS POSSIBLE.
FOR INSTANCE, OFFICES WILL BE BUILT IN THE HALLWAY BETWEEN THESE STILL BEAMS THAT ARE PART OF THE BUILDING'S ORIGINAL COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY.
WE HAVE RELEASED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS PROJECT AND PLAN TO BRING AN ITEM TO COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER FOR CONSIDERATION FROM PUBLIC SAFETY TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
THESE FACILITY UPDATES REPRESENT ADDISON'S COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING A HIGH STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN ASSET MANAGEMENT.
AS WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, WE'LL ENSURE OUR FACILITIES ARE READY FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN CREATING THIS, THIS VIDEO 'CAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.
UM, AS YOU CAN TELL, UM, POLICE AND MUNICIPAL COURTS, UH, IS NOT WHAT, NOT WHAT WE REPRESENT.
UM, AND IT DOES NOT HELP US WITH THE RECRUITING AND RETAINING OFFICERS.
OKAY? AND SO WE ARE GONNA CORRECT THAT.
SO WE, THIS COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PLANS.
AND, AND WHEN WE GET THOSE, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT STEPS, UH, AND GO FROM THERE.
UM, AND, UH, THE, THE, ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, IS I THINK HOPEFULLY WE'VE ALL RECEIVED WHAT WE CALL AS THE POPULAR, UH, ANNUAL FINANCE REPORT.
HOPEFULLY YOU RECEIVED THIS IN THE MAIL, BUT IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT ADDISON AND OUR FINANCES, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN AWARD WINNING DOCUMENT THAT OUR FINANCE TEAM HAS PUT TOGETHER.
AND, AND, UH, IT IS INCREDIBLE.
I LOVE THE IMAGES, I LOVE THE WAY IT TELLS THE STORY.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE TO READ THE CERTIFIED, UH, THE CER, THE CERTIFIED ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, THAT'S WHAT, 700 PAGES OR SO FORTH.
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE OF THESE, YOU CAN GET ONE OF THESE AT TOWN HALL OR GIVE ME A SHOUT AND I'LL, I'LL FIND A WAY TO GET IT TO YOU.
UM, AND, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, MARY ROSEN, PLEASE, OUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING.
SO SHE, SHE WORKS WITH ALL OF US AND PUTS TOGETHER THESE PRESENTATIONS AND MAKES, MAKES US LOOK LIKE GOLD UP HERE.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND, AND I WANT TO HAVE, UH, ASK THE MAYOR TO COME BACK AND TAKE THE STAGE.
[01:15:01]
SAYS WE'RE DOING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.I GUESS WE'LL DO THE ANSWERS IF Y'ALL WANNA DO THE QUESTIONS.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME AND I BROUGHT OUR RESIDENT EXPERT UP, CITY MANAGER, DAVID GAINES.
UH, SO JUST, UH, COME UP RIGHT TO THE ELECTOR DOWN HERE AND, AND WE'LL TAKE THE QUESTIONS AND DAVID WILL ANSWER THEM.
OH, HOW YOU DOING? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.
I LIVE OVER HERE OFF OF SPECTRUM.
UM, JUST WANTED TO, IF YOU COULD EXPAND ON, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU, YOU GUYS, UM, GOT RID OF THE AIRPORT MANAGER, YOU SAID, OR I BELIEVE IT WAS SAID BECAUSE IT WAS A DUPLICATION.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, HOW ALL THAT'S WORKING.
COULD, CAN, COULD YOU DO, DID YOU GET IT? YEAH, YEAH.
SO IN THE, IN, AS WE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET REDUCTIONS, THAT WAS JUST A, NOT A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO OUR POSITIONS, JUST TO RESTRUCTURING OUR, OUR POSITIONS.
THAT WAS NOT THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR POSITION, THAT WE WERE NOT, WE DID NOT ELIMINATE THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR POSITION.
WE HAD AN AIRPORT MANAGER POSITION AND WE JUST RESTRUCTURED WITHIN THE AIRPORT ORGANIZATION.
THAT'S, THAT WAS THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WAS RELATED TO THAT.
SO YOU HAD A A DUPLICATE POSITION IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? ESSENTIALLY? YEAH.
HI, I AM PHYLLIS SILVER, AND I LIVE RIGHT HERE IN ADDISON CIRCLE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA COMPLIMENT THE TOWN ON THE NEW TRASH CANS, UH, ALL AROUND ADDISON CIRCLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ALL OVER THE CITY.
UH, AND ALSO THE NEW, UH, STREET SWEEPER, THE, UH, VEHICLE.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF BOTH OF THOSE ARE BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OR, UH, GENERAL OR, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
BUT I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE PAVERS ON THE GROUND, SOME OF THEM ARE FOR THE, UH, RUN BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS BY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WELL ON, ON ARTIST WAY, WHERE THE, UM, ADDRESSES ARE THE ODD NUMBERS, LIKE, UH, FIVE, SEVEN, ET CETERA.
THERE ARE PAVERS, THERE ARE BRICKS THAT ARE COMPLETELY RAISED, AND IN ONE CASE IT'S COMPLETELY GONE.
AND I REPORTED THIS, I THOUGHT IT WAS, UH, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS GONNA BE PASSED ON TO PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THIS WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO.
NOBODY HAS GOTTEN BACK TO ME AS TO WHO, AND PUBLIC WORKS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
AND, AND IT'S, AND IT'S NOT DONE.
SO MOST OF, UH, THAT SIDE OF THE STREET ON ARTIST'S WAY FROM MORRIS TO AT LEAST GOODMAN, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT, UH, OVER TO MARCUS, UH, IS, IS REALLY IN BAD SHAPE.
AND THEN, UH, IF YOU JUST GO AROUND THE CORNER ON MORRIS BETWEEN ARTIST WAY AND, UH, ADDISON ROAD, THERE'S ALSO PAVERS THAT ARE VERY, VERY BADLY RAISED.
AND THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL PORTION WHERE PEOPLE WALK.
I, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S ALL THE WAY ON THE SIDE, THEY DON'T PAY AS MUCH OF ATTENTION BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T NORMALLY WALK THERE.
SO SOMETHING REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR SAFETY REASONS.
I, I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT TRIPPED, BUT, UH, I KNOW SOME REALLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIPPED, UH, AND LUCKILY NOT BADLY HURT THEMSELVES.
UH, THE OTHER TOPIC I WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT IS THE ADDISON CIRCLE PARK VISION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE, THAT LAST MEETING WAS SCHEDULED ON A VERY MAJOR, UH, RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY, AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
AND ONE THING THAT I WOULD'VE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT THE COMFORT OF BENCHES IS VERY IMPORTANT.
YEARS AGO, I TOOK A TOUR OF, UH, CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK CITY, AND, UH, IT WAS A GUIDED TOUR, AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY TAKE VOLUNTEERS TO ACTUALLY SIT IN THE BENCHES FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AND TEST DIFFERENT BENCHES TO SEE WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST COMFORTABLE.
BECAUSE WHEN WE, AFTER ALL, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SITTING AT A PARK, EITHER READING A BOOK OR TALKING TO PEOPLE, ET CETERA.
AND, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THE, UH, THAT WHEN THE PARK IS RE RE-ENVISIONED THAT, UH, WE GET SOME REALLY COMFORTABLE BENCHES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ARTIS TO ONE COMMENT ON, ON YOUR FIRST COMMENT ON THE PAPERS.
UM, WE ARE AWARE THAT WE NEED TO, TO, UM, REPLACE MANY OF THE PAVERS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
THAT'S A LONG-TERM PRODUCT THAT AS WE LOOK AT OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE SCHEDULED FOR THIS YEAR AND FUTURE YEARS TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, TO IMPROVE THOSE.
FOR YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION, IF YOU COULD JUST REACH OUT TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE WITH THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION THAT YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER TO, WE'LL ENSURE THAT YOU GET AN ANSWER ON THAT ONE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK ON THE BENCHES.
[01:20:01]
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.AND, UH, WHAT DEPARTMENT IS THAT? UH, AS FAR AS THE TRASH CANS AND, UM, THE, THE BRAND NEW TRASH CANS THAT WERE PUT OUT? PUBLIC WORKS? IT IS PUBLIC WORKS.
WHO ELSE? HELLO, MAYOR, I'M JACOB MEERS.
I'M A FAIRLY RECENT TRANSPLANT TO THIS COMMUNITY FROM PLANO.
UH, MOVED BACK IN, UH, MOVED HERE BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND, UH, FELT VERY WELCOME HERE.
I'VE LOVED THE EVENTS Y'ALL HAVE PUT ON.
UM, AND JUST THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY HERE IS DEFINITELY A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT I, I'VE COME FROM IN PLANO.
UM, BUT I DO THINK, UH, I, IN TERMS OF, UM, BUSING AND THE BUS STOPS, ESPECIALLY OFF OF BELTLINE, UM, IT'S NOT SO MUCH A PROBLEM NOW SINCE IT'S COOLER, BUT I THINK THE, THE HEAT PROTECTIONS AT THE STOP AT A LOT OF THE STOPS.
UM, AGAIN, JUST MORE SPECIFICALLY TO, TO THE ONES OFF OF BELTLINE.
BUT, UM, JUST TRYING TO TAKE THE BUSING, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER, IS QUITE MISERABLE.
LIKE, THERE'S JUST THE, A LOT, A LOT OF THE STOPS JUST DON'T HAVE ANY SORT OF SHELTER AND A LOT OF STUFF THAT DO HAVE THE SHELTER.
WOULD THAT POSSIBLY BE A, UM, A POTENTIAL RENOVATION THAT THE CITY COULD MAKE OR CONSIDER? UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING INTO FUTURE YEARS, YOU KNOW, ENVISIONING THE NEXT 50 YEARS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANKS FOR THE, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION AND, UH, AND WELCOME TO ADDISON, BY THE WAY.
YEAH, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
UH, THE BUS STOPS ARE, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AND WE'RE REGULARLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP AT DART.
WE JUST HAD ONE THIS MORNING, UH, WITH THE CEO AND, AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND, AND ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR BOARD MEMBERS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN REGULAR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, UH, OVER TIME AS WELL.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT, IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY HAS OUR ATTENTION.
ONLY OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WITH DART.
SO DID YOU WANT FILL ANYTHING IN LINE? NO, THAT EXACTLY RIGHT.
I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS AS YOU LOOK AT THE BELT LINE IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, ON TOWARD MIDWAY YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ENHANCED BUS STOPS THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A PROTOTYPE FOR US.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH DART, WE HAVE OTHER PROJECTS AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE GOING IN FOR ROWS AND DOING RECONSTRUCTIONS, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD SOME OF THOSE.
SO WE CERTAINLY HEAR YOU AND WE KNOW SOME, SOME AREAS IT'S DIFFICULT WITH SMALLER SIDEWALKS, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH DART TO, TO ALLEVIATE THOSE, THOSE ISSUES.
OH, I'M GLAD THAT THE CITY'S CONSIDERED IT EL LISA.
WHO ELSE? HELLO, MY NAME IS, UH, PAULKA.
UM, I, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE, ALL THE STAFF AND THE POLICE FOR, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL CITY YOU GUYS ARE MANAGING.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION.
I LIVE, UH, PRETTY CLOSE TO PROTON AVENUE, UM, PROTON ROAD.
THE SIDEWALK ON THAT STREET IS ONLY ONE SIDE AND, UH, IT'S PRETTY HIGH TRAFFIC AND THE CAR GO VERY FAST AS WELL.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK ON IT, UH, TO GET ON THE TRAIL, THE WALKING TRAIL.
WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOT OF TIMES, UH, PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BE NICE AND THEY HAVE TO STEP ON THE ROAD AND THEN THEY'RE SCARED OF BEING HIT BY A CAR.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU CAN THINK.
ONE IS MAYBE BUILD THE SIDEWALK ON THE OTHER SIDE.
IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DO, OR IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, WIDEN THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE ON ONE SIDE OF PROTON TO A BIGGER SIZE, LIKE THOSE WALKING TRAIL, WHICH ARE WIDER.
UH, THEN PEOPLE CAN WALK SAFELY WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT STEPPING OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, OFF THE SIDEWALK.
UM, THEN, UM, ALSO, UM, COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS LIKE, UM, SOMETIMES WE GET A GUEST, UM, AND THEY HAVE TO PARK THE CAR AND THE RULE IS NOT TO PARK ON THE STREETS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF IT.
AND, UH, NOBODY LIKE TO PARK THEIR CARS ON THE STREET IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
AND WHEN THEY DO, THERE IS PROBABLY A GUEST OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, THAT CAN BE OFFICIALLY ENDED OR IF THERE IS A WAY TO EASILY GET AROUND IT SO THAT WE DON'T GET TOWED OR GET A TICKET FOR IT.
UH, THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I HAVE.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE GOOD STUFF YOU'RE DOING.
UH, ON THE FIRST, WE'LL, WE WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PEDESTRIAN.
IT IS BEEN MENTIONED, UM, A COUPLE TIMES, BUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE TOWN, OUR PEDESTRIAN, UM, SAFETY AND ACCESS, AND EVEN IN THAT AREA AS, AS FOR AN EXAMPLE, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TRAIL CROSSING THOSE ROADS, WE ALREADY HAVE SOME, SOME ENHANCEMENTS THERE TO MAKE IT SAFER.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES
[01:25:01]
FOR ENHANCED CROSSINGS THERE TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AS P AS FOLKS ARE CROSSING PROTON OR OTHER ROWS AS THEY'RE ON THE TRAIL.SO CERTAINLY RELATED, WE'LL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS TO MAKE SURE, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE TO MAKE 'EM SAFER, WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
UM, UH, REGARDING THE PARKING, IF IT'S A ONE-OFF THAT IS THE POLICY OF THE TOWN.
UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE A ONE-OFF SITUATION, IF SOMEONE HAS, HEY, SOMEONE'S IN TOWN, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET AROUND IT.
IF YOU CONTACT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WILL GIVE EXCEPTIONS, UM, FOR ONE-OFF SITUATIONS WHEN THEY POP UP.
SO WE'LL CERTAINLY WORK WITH YOU ON THOSE.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK, THANK, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, I THINK IT WAS THE NEW CHIEF, BUT I'M SEEING A LOT MORE POLICE OFFICERS DRIVING AROUND IN THE LAY LOCK AREA.
AND THAT'S WHAT LIKE THE RESIDENTS AT LI ON ME HAVE NOTICED THAT, AND THEY'RE REALLY PLEASED THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE ACTUALLY MET THE CHIEF IN PERSON, WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF ASTONISHING.
AND, AND I'D LIKE THAT BENCH SITTING JOB,
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS AND, AND DID IT VERY MUCH ABOUT CHIEF FREEZE AND HE'S BEEN DOING AN AMAZING JOB SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE FOR THE FEW MONTHS.
AND, UH, AND THAT IS HIS GOAL FOR, HE WANTS EVERYBODY TO KNOW THE CHIEF AND TO KNOW ALL THE OFFICERS.
SO COMMUNITY POLICING, VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND, UH, AND WE, WE COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED WITH, UH, OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY'RE JUST DOING AMAZING WORK AND, AND I KNOW WHEN ADDISON, WE, WE LOVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, SO THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.
ANYTHING FOR YOU ON THAT? NO, THAT'S GOOD.
HI, UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MR. MANAGER.
MY NAME IS CHANEL BLANTON AND I LIVE IN NORTH ADDISON, SO I'M THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, I USED TO BE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED WHEN THE DART, UH, WAS COMING IN, BUT I HAVE SEEN A LITTLE UPTICK IN NOT ONLY HOMELESSNESS, UM, BUT ALSO A LITTLE CRIME.
SO I WANTED YOU TO SPEAK TO WHAT ARE WE DOING, YOU KNOW, FOR ANYONE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE HOMELESS, BE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS WELL AS, HAVE WE SEEN BECAUSE OUR TOWN IS GROWING, HAVE WE SEEN AN UPTICK IN CRIME? THANK YOU.
UH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, CHANEL.
YEAH, SO HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT EVERY COMMUNITY IS DEALING WITH AND, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT EXCLUDED FROM THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE RESOURCES THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND THAT WE, THAT WE USE CONTINUALLY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS USE IT, UH, ALL THE TIME IS, UH, METROCREST SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A, A NEW, UH, I GUESS IT'S DEPARTMENT THAT THAT'S THEIR FOCUS IS, IS IS HOMELESS OUTREACH AND, AND AND BEING A RESOURCE FOR THEM.
AND WE, IN OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE FUNDING TO GO DIRECTLY SOME TO GO DIRECTLY TO THAT, UH, TO, TO DO THAT TOWARDS THAT SERVICE, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BE WELL FUNDED.
SO, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART FOR US.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW, UM, IT, IT HAS BEEN A FOCUS FOR US OVER THE PAST YEAR AS AN ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE ACTUALLY SET BACK AND, AND ACROSS DEPARTMENTAL, NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED AND COME UP WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SO WE CAN HANDLE THE SITUATIONS WHEN THEY ARISE.
AND CERTAINLY THAT IS WORKING WITH METROCREST SO THAT WHEN WE ENGAGE WITH THE FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE CAN OFFER THEM SOLUTIONS AND TRY TO GET THEM THEM INTO A BETTER SPOT.
UM, BUT ALSO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR, OUR PROCESS FROM A PARKS PERSPECTIVE, FROM A DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PERSPECTIVE AND CERTAINLY FROM A POLICE PERSPECTIVE.
SO IN OUR VIEW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT ALL THE WAY AROUND.
TO YOUR QUESTION OF IS, IS IT INCREASING? I DON'T THINK, I THINK IT IS CERTAINLY INCREASING AS WE LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS IN ADDISON PROPER.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN EXPECT AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH IT IN THE WAY WE ARE.
WE ALSO HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE HOMELESSNESS ISSUES RIGHT ON OUR BORDERS, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE HAVE STRANGE BORDERS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY DEALING WITH.
WE HAVE, UM, ENGAGED DALLAS, WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE DALLAS FREQUENTLY TO WORK WITH THEM.
WE HAVE A GOOD COMMUNICATION LINE WITH THEM NOW.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO, TO PARTNER WITH THEM ON SOLVING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
UM, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A GOOD PROCESS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW TO HANDLE THE SITUATIONS WHEN THEY ARRIVE.
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY COMPLEX AS, AS I THINK WE ALL KNOW.
TO YOUR QUESTION OF, IS CRIME INCREASING OVERALL? UM, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE
[01:30:01]
CHIEF THAT HE COULD CERTAINLY COME UP AND CORRECT ME OR ADD ANYTHING THAT THAT SEEMS RELEVANT.I DON'T THINK WE'RE SEEING A SPIKE IN, IN CRIME OVERALL.
UM, I THINK SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, CERTAINLY OVER THE PAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A, A SITUATION WITH CAR BREAK-INS UP AND DOWN THE TOLLWAY.
UM, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT JUST AFFECTED US.
IT AFFECTED OTHER CITIES UP AND DOWN THE TOLLWAY.
WE, UH, IN RESPONSE TO THAT, DID MORE EDUCATION, PUT MORE, UM, MORE, UM, MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO TRY TO STOP IT AND HAD MORE ATTENTION ON THOSE AREAS.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT THAT HASN'T BEEN TO THE SAME LEVEL IT WAS WHEN IT WAS AT ITS HEIGHT, SO THAT'S IMPROVING.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER CRIMES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, MOST OF THEM ARE THE CRIMES THAT WE'VE HAD OR THE SIMILAR LEVELS THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, AT OTHER TIMES, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
SO WE'RE NOT SEEING A MASSIVE SPIKE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S CYCLICAL FROM TIME TO TIME, SO WE'RE ALWAYS KEEPING AN EYE ON IT.
I THINK WITH OUR ENHANCED REPORTING THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WITH THOSE, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY ALWAYS HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S HELPFUL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THERE COMES ONE.
I MOVED TO ADDISON, UH, LAST YEAR ACTUALLY WITH MY GIRLFRIEND BACK THERE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ECHO MY FRIEND'S SENTIMENT HERE.
THAT'S, I LIKE IT A HECK OF A LOT MORE THAN PLANO, UM,
BUT, UH, YEAH, SO MY QUESTION, UH, RELATES SORT OF TO THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND, UH, WALKABLE WALKABILITY ASPECT THAT, UH, OTHER PEOPLE ADDRESSED EARLIER.
UM, WE LIVE OFF OF VITRUVIAN WAY AND UM, ON VITRUVIAN WAY THERE'S MULTIPLE LIKE CROSSWALKS WHERE YOU CAN GO ACROSS THE STREET.
IT HAS SIGNS THAT SAY YIELDS, PEDESTRIANS FOR CARS GOING ACROSS.
UM, THE ISSUE IS THAT I NOTICE BOTH AS A DRIVER AND AS A PEDESTRIAN WHEN I'M WALKING ON IT, UM, THAT A LOT OF TIMES CARS JUST DON'T REALLY NOTICE THAT THEY DON'T CARE.
UM, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY HAVE THIS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE USED TO KIND OF JUST LETTING CARS RUN THROUGH SO THEY DON'T LIKE WALK FIRST, THEY LIKE WAIT FOR CARS TO COME, EVEN IF THERE'S A YIELD SIGN, EVEN IF THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND, UM, I'VE ALSO SEEN SIMILAR THINGS LIKE AT THE ACTUAL CROSSWALKS AND INTERSECTIONS WHERE THEY HAVE THE LIGHTS AND ALL OF THAT, UM, WHERE CARS WILL JUST NOT REALLY BE CHECKING FOR PEDESTRIANS WHEN SAY THEY'RE LIKE TURNING RIGHT AT A RED LIGHT.
UM, SO I'M WONDERING, UM, IF THERE'S, MAYBE, IF THE CITY IS MAYBE LOOKING AT ANY, UH, ANY WAYS TO MAKE THOSE MORE OBVIOUS WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO YIELD FOR PEDESTRIANS SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T LIKE SCARED TO CROSS THE STREET EVEN THOUGH IT SHOULD BE, UH, A PLACE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE STREET.
ARE WE WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AT ALL? YES, A ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR, OUR PRIMARY FOCUSES RIGHT NOW.
UM, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE TOOK TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE SIMILAR WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE USING SOME GRANT FUNDING AND GOING AFTER THOSE, THOSE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT CITYWIDE TO TRY TO ENHANCE THOSE CROSSING.
SO THE CROSSING, YOU'RE MENTIONING THE CROSSINGS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE TRAIL GOING THROUGH THROUGH MAJOR ROADWAYS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS PRESENT OF MINE.
WE HAVE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS ON THOSE, BUT WE'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT AND MAKE THOSE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TODAY ABOUT BEING A MOBILE COMMUNITY MEANS HAVING SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
SO ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING, MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH, UM, IS, IS CERTAINLY FOCUSED ON THAT AS WELL.
SO IT'S A GREAT POINT AND SOMETHING WE ARE FOCUSED ON.
YEAH, AND JUST, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THE, THE HAVE THE VERY BEST SITUATION WITH CROSSWALKS AND HAVE THE BEST, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY AND IT'S VERY VISIBLE.
BUT THAT, BUT WHAT YOU, WHAT FOLKS ARE DOING IS IF THEY'RE WAITING BEFORE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR, THAT'S GOOD ADVICE BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY INATTENTIVE DRIVERS OUT THERE AND THEY'RE IN A HURRY AND THEY'RE AGGRESSIVE AND THEY'RE JUST NOT PAYING A, THEY'RE BARELY PAYING ATTENTION TO THE CAR IS MUCH LESS PEDESTRIAN.
SO WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE WALKING, WHEREVER YOU ARE, BE CAREFUL.
KEEP YOUR HEAD ON THE SWIVEL AND BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD ADVICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WHO ELSE? HEY L JACOB AGAIN, SORRY TO COME BACK UP TWICE HERE.
AND THIS MAY BE BE SOMETHING BETTER TO SUGGEST AT THE COUNCIL, THE, THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
BUT WOULD THE CITY CONSIDER WITH THE, I, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T REMEMBER LIKE THE, IT'S NOT THE.GOV WEBSITE, BUT YOU KNOW, MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, I WISH I HAD BROUGHT A NOTEPAD LIKE MY, THIS BRILLIANT CITIZEN RIGHT HERE.
BUT YOU BROUGHT UP LIKE THE CREATING THIS WEBSITE WHERE BUSINESSES AND WHATNOT FOR JUST AN UPGRADE A WEBSITE FOR ADDISON.
WOULD THE CITY CONSIDER ADDING A FUNCTIONALITY FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE, NOT NECESSARILY IMPROMPTU EVENTS, BUT JUST A FUNCTIONALITY WHERE RESIDENTS CAN EASILY CREATE EVENTS ON, YOU KNOW, A A WEBSITE FOR THE CITY, SO THAT'S EASIER FOR LOCALS TO, YOU KNOW, CONGREGATE AND MEET OTHER
[01:35:01]
LOCALS AND JUST COME TOGETHER AND DO THINGS WITHIN THE CITY OF ADDISON? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, YEAH, I JUST THINK IT MIGHT BE A USEFUL CONSIDERATION, SO YEAH, NO, THAT'S GREAT.
I'M, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY ASPECT AND HOW CAN WE DO THINGS.
'CAUSE WE ARE A SMALL TOWN TO THE POINT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GEOGRAPHICALLY WE'RE A SMALL TOWN.
I JUST, I, I'M JUST SAYING, I, I FINISHED SOME GUITAR LESSONS RECENTLY SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TRYING TO LOOK TO PLAY WITH A GROUP OR SOMETHING.
SO SOME FUNCTIONALITY LIKE THAT WHERE IT'S LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY LOOKING FOR A JAM SESSION SHOW UP IN ADDISON, CIR, UH, ADDISON CIRCLE PARK, THURSDAY NIGHT, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND FOR OTHER RESIDENTS TO SEE IT EASILY, YOU KNOW, WELL WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE BETTER THAN PLANO, SO WE WILL THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S ONE OF OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS TOO.
ALRIGHT, WHO ELSE? HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE, UH, EVENING.
MY NAME'S DOMINIC, UH, RECENT EDITION TO ADDISON BACK IN APRIL.
UM, I'M CURRENTLY A STUDENT THROUGH UTA IN GRAD SCHOOL, UH, STUDYING SOCIAL WORK.
I'M HERE AS PART OF ONE OF MY CLASSES, UH, PARTICIPATING AND GLAD TO BE HERE.
UM, SOMETHING THAT CAME TO MIND AS I'VE BEEN SITTING IN THE MEETING TODAY IS IN MY LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I'M BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO RENT IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, UH, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S A LOT OF SIGNAGE REGARDING, I GUESS ANIMOSITY TOWARDS RENTAL PROPERTIES, BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY HERE IN ADDISON.
I WAS CURIOUS KIND OF WHAT THE CITY'S OVERALL STANCE IS AS FAR AS RENTERS VERSUS OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
OBVIOUSLY WITH RENTALS COMES A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION, PEOPLE OUR AGE THAT ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO AFFORD BEING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE CITY'S STANCE OR POLICIES ARE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD IN REGARDS TO, UM, WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING.
WELL, DOMINIC, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE
UH, AND ADDISON IS, IT'S, IT'S A FAIRLY UNIQUE COMMUNITY IN THE INTERRACIAL OF, UH, RENTALS, RENTERS RENTAL PROPERTIES COMPARED TO, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UH, WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, 80 PLUS PERCENT ARE RENTALS AND APARTMENTS MULTIFAMILY.
THAT'S, ADDISON'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS, THIS, THIS URBAN COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, SO OUR STANCE IF, I DON'T KNOW IF, I DUNNO IF I CAN SAY WHAT THIS TOWN STANCE IS, BUT IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WE, IT'S, IT'S KINDA LIMITED AS WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT WE, WHAT, WHAT INPUT DO WE HAVE.
SO IF SOMEBODY OWNS A PROPERTY, THEY WANNA REDEVELOP IT OR THEY GO BUY IT FOR THE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REDEVELOPMENT, THEY'RE LOOKING TO CAPITALIZE ON IT THE BEST THEY CAN, BUT GET THE BEST RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
FOR US TO TRY TO CREATE A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE, WITH THE PRICE OF OUR LAND, THAT OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AN ACRE, PRETTY HARD TO DO THAT AND MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK WHERE SOMEBODY WOULD WANT TO BUY A HOUSE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, SO WE, WHEN WE DO REDEVELOPMENT, WHAT WE'VE BEEN, WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IS WE'RE DOING MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS LIKE WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON OVER ON MIDWAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE AM LEE TREE HOUSE PROJECT, THAT'S, THAT'S A QUALITY, UH, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
YOU'VE GOT SOME TOWN HOMES FOR SALE, THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME TOWN HOMES FOR LEASE, YOU HAVE MULTI-FAMILY AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SOME QUALITY RETAIL.
AND THERE'S TWO PHASES OF THAT THAT ARE GOING TO GO IN, THAT'S GONNA BE A QUALITY PRO PROJECT.
AND ANYTIME YOU HAVE A PROJECT LIKE THAT, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T WANT THAT AND, AND THEY, AND THEY, AND THEY'VE VOICED THEIR, THEIR, THEIR OPPOSITION TO IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR THE TOWN OVERALL AND TRY AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT SO POPULAR WITH SOME FOLKS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOME, SOMEBODY OWNS A PROPERTY, THEY WANT TO REDEVELOP IT.
WE, IT'S, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO FORCE SOMETHING ON THEM THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO.
AND IF THEY, IF THEY'RE, IF IT'S A LARGER GROUP, THEN THEY HAVE INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE TO, TO GET THE BEST RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
DID THAT AT ALL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, THANK YOU.
WHO ELSE? JUST QUICK QUESTION.
UM, I HEARD HIM MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A APP TO REPORT THE CRIME AND YOU CAN SEE A MAP.
[01:40:01]
OF THE FIX IT APP OR IS THAT SOMETHING SEPARATE? THE THE CRIME REPORT.AND YEAH, IT'S THE, IT'S ON THE WEBSITE, SO IT'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A SEPARATE APP.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE WEBSITE.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS A SEPARATE APP, DOES IT? IT'S NOT A SEPARATE APP WE'RE REPORTING THAT WOULD JUST, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD ALWAYS ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL 9 1 1 IF IT WAS AN EMERGENCY OR A NON-EMERGENCY LINE.
SO REALLY ON THAT APP, WE'RE TRACKING THOSE CALL THE, THE CALLS THAT COME THROUGH, UM, TO, TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT THINGS ON THE FIXIT APP.
WHO ELSE? HI, I HAVE A QUESTION WHERE YOU, WE, YOU BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN ADDISON.
WHERE DO WE STAND ON VACANCIES? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT A LOT OF MAJOR CITIES ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR OFFICE BUILDINGS FULL.
WHERE ARE WE? ON, ON OFFICE? OFFICE VACANCY? YEAH, ON OFFICE VACANCIES AND YOU KNOW, THE STRIPS THAT ARE LOOK LIKE THERE'S NO BUSINESS GOING ON THERE AND WE'RE YEAH, YOU'D MENTIONED YOU HAVE THE, YOU, YOU CAN PROBABLY ANSWER BETTER THAN I CAN.
YEAH, SO OUR, AND, AND AGAIN, I HAVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, HE CAN JUMP UP TO CORRECT ME OR ADD ANY MORE AS WE GO ALONG AS WELL.
UM, SO OVERALL, OUR OFFICE VACANCY IS ABOUT 25% RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, 75% FILLED, 25% VACANT, WHICH IS RELATIVELY GOOD.
I MEAN CERTAINLY DFW IS DOING A LOT BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND WE'RE DOING WELL IN DFW.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED AND FOCUSED ON.
UM, SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THE, THE REASON OUR VACANCIES ISN'T LOW IS SOME LEASES ARE STILL GOING.
AND SO AS THOSE COME UP, THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE THAT POPS UP FOR US.
SO A LOT OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT ARE TO MAKE ADDISON ATTRACTIVE FOR FOLKS TO STAY HERE.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OWNERS, THE, UM, FOLKS WHO OWN THOSE OFFICES SO THAT WE CAN DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE THAT ATTRACTIVE FOR TENANTS TO COME IN, WHICH ULTIMATELY MEANS THEIR EMPLOYEES WANT TO BE THERE.
SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM OUR PUBLIC PROJECTS TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE MAKING ADDISON A PLACE THAT EMPLOYEES WANT TO BE.
BECAUSE IF EMPLOYEES WANT TO BE HERE, THE TENANTS ARE GONNA WANT TO COME BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR EMPLOYEES TO BE BACK IN THE OFFICE AS WELL.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD PATH FORWARD, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY AN UNCERTAIN TIME RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK AS WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT RIGHT NOW, THE CLASS A, THE REALLY NICE OFFICE, THE NEW OFFICE IS FILLING UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF THOSE AMENITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE DESIRED BY EMPLOYEES.
IT'S THE OLDER OFFICE THAT ISN'T UP TO THAT CLASS, A LEVEL WHERE THERE ARE ISSUES.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY HAVE MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT THEM, UM, GOING FORWARD.
BUT GIVEN THE PRO, GIVEN THE HIGH NUMBER AND HOW RELIANT WE ARE ON THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON.
SO WE'RE AT LIKE A 25% VACANCY.
SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS IT FOR ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR OTHER MAJOR CITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? PROBABLY LIKE WAYNE, YOU COME UP
BUT MAJOR CITIES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, YOU'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE 40 TO 50% VACANCY.
DFW PROBABLY LIKE 28, 30 2% LOOKING AT THE MARKET.
UM, EVEN PLACES LIKE PLANO AND FRISCO ARE SEEING REALLY, UH, HISTORICALLY HIGH VACANCY, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SO MUCH PRODUCT, UH, COMING ONLINE.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF STRANGE IN THAT EVEN SOME OF OUR LOWER CLASS OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING THROUGHOUT DFW, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY SOME OF OUR HIGHEST PERFORMING ASSETS.
AND THEN OUR NEWER PRODUCTS ARE PERFORMING REALLY WELL.
IT'S SORT OF THIS KIND OF, UH, HIGHER CLASS B, LOWER CLASS A PRODUCT THAT'S KIND OF STRUGGLING.
BUT, UM, OUR LOCATION IS, IS REALLY PROTECTING US FROM THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE, UH, A NEW OFFICE BUILDING THAT'S GOING UP IN VILLAGE ON THE PARKWAY.
WE'RE SEEING REALLY STRONG INTEREST THERE.
I, I SUSPECT WITH THE WALKABILITY, UM, AND ITS LOCATION, I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE ANY ISSUE GETTING THAT BUILDING LEASED UP.
AND THEN, UH, WE WERE ACTUALLY JUST HOSTED A FUTURE OF OFFICE EVENT, UH, LAST WEEK, RIGHT, RIGHT HERE.
WE HAD JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE DFW COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OFFICE.
UM, IT WAS A BIT OF A BLEAK PICTURE WHERE THE OVERALL ECONOMY IS, IS DOING, DOING WELL.
WE'VE KIND OF BEEN IN THIS CAPITAL MARKET RECESSION.
UM, ONE OF THE OFFICE DEVELOPERS TALKED ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR IN THE NORTH DALLAS MARKET TO INCLUDE COLLIN COUNTY.
THERE WERE ABOUT TWO OFFICE DEALS IN THE WHOLE MARKET.
AND THEN FAST FORWARD TODAY, THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT TO 12, WHICH IS PRETTY, STILL PRETTY LOW.
SO THERE'S THERE, IT'S, IT'S PICKING UP, IT'S RAMPING UP, BUT IT'S,
[01:45:01]
IT'S STILL A ROUGH SITUATION, BUT I THINK AS INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA COME DOWN, WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE SOME MORE.SO ARE OUR VACANCIES IN THESE HIGHRISES THAT ARE ON THE TOLLWAY OR ON THOSE LITTLE BUILDINGS THAT ARE OVER? OH, EAST OF, UM, UH, EAST OF MIDWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONE STORY.
YEAH, BUT SO THERE'S NEVER ANY CARS OUT FRONT? YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY A MIXTURE OF BOTH.
SO LIKE I SAID, SORT OF THOSE, THOSE ONES PROBABLY MIDWAY ARE KIND OF IN THAT MIDDLE THAT ARE PROBABLY DOING THE WORST.
BUT, UM, THE, THE LARGER ONES ARE GONNA BE MORE IN THE HIGH RISES.
THE, THOSE, THOSE ARE JUST GONNA HAVE, THEY'RE LARGER BUILDINGS GONNA HAVE LARGER SPACE THAT'S GONNA HAVE THAT.
I WOULD, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WHEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH THERE AND SEE LAND, CONSIDERING WHAT LAND IS LIKE, AND THERE, IT'S NOT BEING VERY PRODUCTIVE.
UM, I I, NOBODY'S REALLY MENTIONED THAT.
I KNEW, I KNOW THAT LIKE WESTWOOD IS EXPANDING AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT SOME OF THOSE AREAS LOOKS KIND OF DESOLATE.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE, I'M SORRY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE AREAS EAST ON EAST SIDE OF MIDWAY SOUTH OF BELTLINE? UH, YEAH, SO SOUTH OF ZOEY'S IS A FARMER'S BRANCH.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ADDISON OFFICE.
SO IF YOU COME OUT OF, UM, LIKE WHERE JAKE'S IS, WE TRY YES MA'AM.
LIKE SOUTH OF THERE, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL OFFICE BUILDING FACILITIES.
WE'LL BLAME THEM THEN, HUH?
IT, IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO KEEP UP WITH OUR BOUNDARY LINES, BUT JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EVENT THAT WAYNE MENTIONED, UH, LAST WEEK WAS OVER HERE AT THE SPECTRUM CENTER.
AND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY JUST FINISHED A $26 MILLION RENOVATION OF THAT BUILDING.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THINGS AND CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ATTRACTS THE EMPLOYEES BACK.
BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING FROM SO MANY EMPLOYERS, THEY WANT THE EMPLOYEES BACK IN THE OFFICE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO THEY, THEY, THEY SPENT THE MONEY ON THAT BUILDING AND IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL.
THEY HAVE A NEW CAFE OPENING UP, UH, THAT HAS PICKLEBALL COURTS ON THE FIRST FLOOR THAT ARE REALLY AMAZING LOOKING.
AND IT'S JUST A REALLY, IT'S A FIRST CLASS, UH, PRODUCT.
AND SO I COULD SEE THE COMPETITION, IF YOU'RE A NEIGHBOR OF THEIRS IN ANOTHER OFFICE BUILDING, DO YOU NEED, HOW, HOW DO YOU COMPETE WITH THAT? THEN WE MIGHT START TO SEE MORE OF THAT.
HOPEFULLY THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'D LOVE TO SEE.
AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE HEARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT, UH, THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE HAVE FOLKS BACK IN, IN THE OFFICE ALMOST FULL TIME, ALMOST FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
WELL, BEFORE WE WRAP UP, LEMME JUST REMIND YOU ON THE SCREEN, UH, YOU'LL SEE WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH US, WAYS TO CONNECT.
SO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTERS.
IF YOU DON'T ALREADY GET OUR EVERY FRIDAY NEWSLETTER, GO ON TO ON THE WEBSITE, YOU CAN SIGN UP QUICK AND EASY AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET THIS GREAT WEBSITE OR EMAIL THAT COMES EVERY FRIDAY WITH A NEWSLETTER FULL OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT THE STAFF PUTS TOGETHER.
SPEND SOME TIME ON OUR WEBSITE AND, AND CHECK IT OUT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF GOOD FEATURES IN THERE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T USED THE ADDISON FIX IT APP, UH, PUT THAT ON YOUR PHONE.
IT'S A GREAT, GREAT WAY TO REPORT THINGS THAT YOU SEE AROUND TOWN, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING IN THE PARK OR TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR WHATEVER.
UH, YOU CAN REPORT THAT AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL SET YOURSELF UP ON THERE ONE TIME AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THAT WHEN IT'S COMPLETED.
THEY'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL RESPONSE AS WELL.
AND THEN MAKE SURE AND FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK, X, LINKEDIN, ALL OF 'EM.
ALRIGHT, WELL, SO WE ARE AT, UH, 8 53 AND THANK Y'ALL FOR HANGING WITH US TONIGHT.
I HOPE YOU'VE, UH, GOTTEN SOME OUTTA THE EVENING AND THANKS TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR, UH, FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.
AND Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT EVENING.