[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER IF WE'RE READY.WE ARE MEETING AT CITY HALL IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 2 2 2 NORTH TENNESSEE STREET IN MCKINNEY, TEXAS.
TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, TWO THOU 2024.
AND IT IS 8:04 AM
UM, JANIE PENA M WINDHAM, ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER.
BRIAN MEDINA IS ATTENDING AS A MEMBER.
AND OH NO, BRIAN MEDINA IS ATTENDING.
UM, IN PLACE OF KATIE SCOTT, COUN, CITY COUNCILMAN JUSTIN BALLER FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT ONE VISIT MCKINNEY.
LIAISON CITY STAFF IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, OH, WHAT'S HIS POSITION? ASSISTANT, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
SORRY, THE NOTES ARE NOT UPDATED.
UM, MCDC, BOARD LIAISON, DEBORAH BRADFORD, CULTURAL DISTRICT DIRECTOR ANDREW JONES.
WE HAVE, UM, ALICIA BERGS, EXCUSE ME.
UM, YOU GOTTA HAVE TO REMIND ME.
EVERYBODY'S NAMES HAS TEAMMATES.
BETH AMBER, AMBER LACEY, AMBER LACEY, PAULA MARTIN AND PAULA MARTIN.
PLEASE EXCUSE MY, I FORGET FROM THIS
ARE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA OR NON-PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEMS? IS THERE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IF NO ONE IS PRESENT? NOBODY FROM THE PUBLIC.
[Director Update]
ALL RIGHT.SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 24 DASH 1 9 9 9.
DIRECTOR UPDATE VIDEO MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AARON WARNER.
VISIT MCKINNEY FORD AIR WARNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE AT VISIT MCKINNEY.
SAD I CAN'T BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
I AM TRAVELING AT, UH, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE ICMA CONFERENCE.
I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING LATER THIS WEEK ABOUT THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.
UM, BUT WHILE I'M AWAY, I WANTED TO COME TO YOU VIA VIDEO TO FORMALLY ANNOUNCE THE PROMOTION OF MILITIA BERG TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF VISIT MCKINNEY.
WE'RE SO THRILLED THAT SHE'S BEING, AND SHE'S ABLE TO STEP UP INTO THIS ROLE.
UH, LITTLE DID SHE KNOW THAT, UH, WITHIN TWO WEEKS SHE WOULD BE RUNNING HER FIRST BOARD MEETING.
SO I WANTED TO COME TO YOU AND JUST SAY, UH, IN PERSON.
I'M SO EXCITED FOR WHAT SHE'S GONNA DO IN THIS NEW ROLE.
AND HERE YOU HAVE HER RUNNING THE BOARD MEETING THIS MORNING.
I WILL SEE Y'ALL AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
[CONSENT ITEMS]
WE ARE NOW TAKING A VOTE ON THE FOLLOWING CONSENT ITEM, UM, 24 DASH 2000 MINUTES OF THE VISIT MCKINNEY BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 27TH, 2024.CAN I GET, UM, A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND AND PATRICK SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[Board and Liaison Reports City of McKinney MEDC MCDC McKinney Main Street / MPAC McKinney Parks and Recreation Visit McKinney Finance Committee Visit McKinney Marketing Committee]
OKAY.BOARD LIAISON REPORTS, UM, CITY OF MCKINNEY.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, STEVE TILTON, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UH, CITY MANAGER PAUL GRIMES IS AT THE SAME CONFERENCE IN PITTSBURGH, UH, THAT AARON IS AT.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A, QUITE A FEW STAFF MEMBERS THERE, SO WISH THEM ALL WELL ON THEIR TRAVELS THERE, OBVIOUSLY, WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED.
AND ON THE WAY BACK, UH, SHORT REPORT FOR YOU THIS MORNING.
UH, FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK ALL STAFF MEMBERS, UH, ALL VOLUNTEERS FOR OCTOBER FEST, WHICH IS THIS WEEKEND, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY.
QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, GOES INTO THAT FOR THIS ANNUAL EVENT.
UH, IT IS A VERY FANTASTIC ONE, SO IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ATTEND THAT THIS WEEKEND.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, AT THE, KIND OF THE CULMINATION OF ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF PROCESS IS NEXT MONDAY.
UH, THE CITY OF MCKINNEY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW REFUSE AND WASTE, UH, CARRIER, UH, FRONTIER WASTE SOLUTIONS AFTER A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS.
UH, WON THAT AWARD, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT 14 MONTHS
[00:05:01]
AGO, UH, THAT CONTRACT WAS AWARDED, UH, AND THEY ACTUALLY START, UH, NEXT MONDAY.SO IT HAS BEEN, UM, QUITE AN EFFORT, UH, TRANSITION WISE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY RUNNING ABOUT HALF THE ROUTES, UH, IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
UH, OUR INCUMBENT CARRIER HAD SOME STAFF CHALLENGES HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH FRONTIER, THE INCOMING PROVIDER, UH, TO GET THEM KIND OF SPED UP A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN THEY ANTICIPATED.
UH, KNOCK ON WOOD, IT HAS BEEN FAIRLY SMOOTH, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE MONTHS OVER THE SUMMER.
SO APPRECIATE RESIDENTS, PATIENTS, UH, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THEM IN FULL TIME.
AND CERTAINLY DO WANT TO THANK WASTE CONNECTIONS, WHO'S BEEN A LONG-TERM CARRIER FOR THE CITY OF MCKINNEY, UH, FOR THEIR SERVICE.
UH, THERE ARE PROBABLY ONE THING OF NOTE, UH, THERE ARE ABOUT 15,000 HOMES, UH, IN THE CITY OF MCKINNEY THAT WILL BE CHANGING THEIR REFUSE DAY.
UH, ALL THAT INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL LETTERS, UH, TO ANY HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THAT CHANGE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT OUT.
BUT ALL INFORMATION REGARDING THE CHANGE CAN BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND THAT WAS WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU THIS MORNING, PLEASE.
SO I JUST WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU GUYS 'CAUSE I GET AN EMAIL JUST ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WISH EVERYBODY IN TOWN GOT THESE EMAILS, BUT I KNOW Y'ALL DO TOO.
BUT I THINK EVERYTHING WE EVER REALLY NEED TO KNOW COMES OUT IN THAT COMMUNICATION PRETTY FREQUENTLY.
CERTAINLY, UH, PASS THAT STAFF ALONG IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE.
CREDIT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
BUT, UH, IT'S A LOT OF EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN THE CITY OF THIS SIDE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK, SIR, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO PASS THAT MESSAGE ON.
I WOULD SAY THE SAME AS SOMEONE WHOSE STATE HAS CHANGED.
YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMMUNICATING THAT.
HAVE YOURSELF HAVE A GREAT DAY.
UM, CITY COUNCIL, ANY OTHER UPDATES? NO.
UM, MADAM VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CONGRATULATIONS, ALICIA, ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.
AND, UH, BEST WISHES TO ALL WHO ARE IN, UH, PENNSYLVANIA THIS MORNING, ALL OF THE STAFF.
SO, DEBORAH BRADFORD, MCKINNEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, MY MCDC BOARD UPDATE IS AS FOLLOWS, THE PROMOTIONAL AND COMMUNITY, UH, EVENT GRANTS APPLICATIONS FOR THE FIRST CYCLE OF FISCAL YEAR 25 WILL BE ACCEPTED NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH THE 29TH, AND PRESENTED, UH, TO THE BOARD AT THE DECEMBER MEETING.
BOARD ACTION IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY, 2025.
THERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATIONS, UH, RECEIVED AND THE AWARDS, UH, THAT ARE ATTACHED.
SO LOOK AT THAT REPORT AT YOUR LEISURE RETAIL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS, UH, THAT WE HEARD WAS FOR HOPE HARDWARE BUILDING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF AN EXTERIOR GREASE CHAP FOR 50,000.
UH, HESTER EATS LLC, ALSO KNOWN AS HAMS, INSTALLATION OF A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM FOR 50,000.
AND THE BOARD WILL VOTE ON, UH, THAT AND TAKE ACTION ON THIS THURSDAY AT THE BOARD MEETING.
SO WE HAVE A LIST OF MCDC GRANT FUNDED, SPONSORED EVENTS.
SOME OF THOSE JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, INCLUDE FARMER'S MARKET AT CHESTNUT SQUARE, MILLHOUSE MARKET FARM TO TABLE, THE POSTCARD, UH, MILLHOUSE ART EXHIBIT, UH, WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE SEPTEMBER 21ST THROUGH OCTOBER THE 14TH.
UM, SEPTEMBER 27TH THROUGH THE 29TH, WE HAVE THE MASTER GARDENER'S WORKSHOP, THE WESTERN STRING, UH, I'M SORRY, WESTERN SWING.
DAVE ALEXANDER BAND, MRT, SHERLOCK HOLMES, MYSTERY MILLHOUSE MAKER'S MARKET, THE TEXAS WOMEN'S, UH, LUNAR HARVEST, OCTOBER THE 12TH, THE WINE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL.
DON'T FORGET DIA DE LOS METOS ON, UH, OCTOBER THE 19TH.
OOH, THAT ROAD RIGHT OFF MY TONGUE.
DID Y'ALL HEAR THAT? THAT WAS GOOD.
SO OUR GRANTS AND MARKETING MANAGER, LINDA JONES AND HER ASSISTANT ANHE, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR WILL BE DOING DOWNTOWN WALKABOUTS TODAY AT 10 30.
SO THEY'LL BE VISITING THE MERCHANTS HERE, UH, IN DOWNTOWN AND SHARING MCDC AND PASSING OUT, UH, SHOPPING BAGS FOR OCTOBER FEST.
SO, UM, JUST TO KIND OF EDUCATE AND UPDATE THEM AND TO REMIND THEM TO PASS OUT SOME OF OUR INFORMATION TO REMIND THE SHOPPERS TO BUY HERE AND SPEND IT HERE.
AND THAT IS MY REPORT, AND I STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
MORNING VISIT, MCKINNEY BOARD.
UM, FIRST OFF, A HUGE THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE, THE PARTNERSHIP OF THIS DOWNTOWN SCAVENGER HUNT.
UM, NO, IT WAS, UH, A BIG LIFT FOR, BUT VISIT MCKINNEY
[00:10:01]
HOSTED US AS KIND OF THE HOME BASE FOR THAT.AND, UH, I THINK IT WENT REALLY WELL.
WE LEARNED A LOT, AND WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
SO, UM, WE ARE ALSO GEARING UP FOR A GREAT PUBLIC ART, UM, UH, KIND OF, UH, PROJECT.
UH, ANDREA HOLMES IS WORKING ON BIRD TOBER.
SO WE ARE INSTALLING OVER 31 LIFE-SIZED BIRDS ALL THROUGHOUT, UH, DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THOSE START KIND OF GO UP, AND THEN WE WILL DO A BIG PUBLIC, UH, RELEASE ON THIS, PROBABLY ABOUT MID-OCTOBER.
AND I KNOW VISIT MCKINNEY'S, UH, EAGER, THEY GET A BIRD ON THEIR BUILDING AS WELL,
UM, WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE GEARING UP FOR OCTOBER FEST.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, UNVEIL A BRAND NEW BRAND FOR THAT, AS WELL AS OUR, UH, BRAND NEW TITLE SPONSOR.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER HAD A PRESENTING TITLE SPONSOR FOR THIS EVENT.
UM, VERY EXCITED THAT THEY CAME IN AS A, AS A GREAT PARTNER FOR THIS, UH, EVENT.
WE ALSO HAVE AN OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR THIS YEAR WITH LOCAL PROFILE, WHICH IS ALSO A NEW KIND OF PROJECT.
AND THEN, UH, IN OUR VIP AREA, WE HAVE CHEF NOAH HESTER IS COMING IN TO DO OUR, OUR FOOD EXPERIENCE IN THE VIP AREA.
UM, IN ADDITION TO ALL THAT, WE'RE INCREASING DECOR AND JUST THE OVERALL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WITH MORE ADDED SEATING, UH, THROUGHOUT.
UH, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE OPENING CEREMONIES ON FRIDAY AT 6:00 PM FOR THE KEG TAPPING.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO THAT, IT'S A REALLY FUN EVENT THAT'S GONNA BE OVER BY HARVEST.
AND THEN, UM, YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN A VIDEO OR TWO ABOUT THE POLICE VERSUS FIRE ROOT BEER SIGN HOLDING COMPETITION
IT'S A ANNUAL EVENT THAT WE DO, UH, ALL THE OBVIOUSLY ROOT BEER WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR EMERGENCY STAFF.
UH, BUT THE POLICE DIVERSIFIER, IT'S A REALLY FUN, UH, STEIN HOLDING COMPETITION.
THEY'RE TRYING TO BEAT EACH OTHER, OTHER OUTLAST, UH, EACH OTHER.
AND EVERY YEAR IT'S, IT'S A GREAT YELLING MATCH, I GUESS.
UH, THERE'S TONS OF PEOPLE OUT IN THE CROWD.
SOME ADDITIONAL EVENTS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ARE COFFEE CRAWL OCTOBER 12TH, UH, WITH DOWNTOWN, UH, COFFEE SHOPS.
WE HAVE ABOUT, UH, 20, OR SORRY ABOUT 12 THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE COFFEE CRAWL.
AND THEN OUR CIRCUS IS COMING BACK.
SO OCTOBER 17TH THROUGH 20TH, WE HAVE, UM, CIR UM, KERI, WHICH IS, UH, PUT ON BY THE LONE STAR CIRCUS.
THEY DO THIS EVERY YEAR IN DOWNTOWN, BUT IT'S KINDA LIKE A CIRQUE DDU SOLEIS STYLE, UH, CIRCUIT.
SO THINK ACROBATICS AND THAT SORT OF PERFORMANCE.
AND THEN OCTOBER 19TH, UH, BINGEY 50TH MOVIE SCREENING AT IMPACT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS THE SPOOK SPOOKTACULAR BEER WALK.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, ACTIVITIES PLANNED IN OCTOBER IS GONNA BE JAM PACKED.
SO WE APPRECIATE IT AND STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
HOW BIG ARE THE BIRDS?
SO WE HAVE, UH, HUMMINGBIRD VERSUS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A SPOON BILL, SO IF, YOU KNOW, A SPOON BILL IS, IT'S A PRETTY LARGE BIRD.
UM, BUT YEAH, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE INSTALLED AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS, SO, UM, SOME OF THE LARGER ONES WILL BE INSTALLED AS A SIGN THAT IS KIND OF MOUNTED.
SO YOU MIGHT SEE A RED-TAILED HAWK SWOOPING OVER, YOU KNOW, ON A BUILDING.
HOW LONG WILL THOSE BE UP? THEY'LL BE UP, UH, PERMANENTLY PERT.
IS MS. HOLMES DOING ALL OF THEM? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE, UH, SOME FRIENDS IN DALLAS WHO CALLED ME IMMEDIATELY ONCE THEY GOT THE GUIDE IN THE OH NEWSPAPER AND WANTED, UH, ME TO KNOW THAT SHE HAD ALREADY CALLED HER FRIENDS AND THEY'RE ALL COMING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, CONGRATS TO EVERYBODY WHO, WHO WORKS ON ALL OF THIS, BECAUSE IT, IT JUST IS VERY, VERY POSITIVE AND IT, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US WHO ARE RETIRED AND HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO DO,
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, BUT NO, I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT IT'S MADE AN IMPACT.
AND, UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO, WHO DID THIS KIND OF WORK BEFORE AND, UH, IT'S IMPRESSIVE.
UM, I DID NEGLECT TO SAY THAT WE ARE OFFERING TICKETS FOR ALL OF Y'ALL, SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE SEND THAT OUT TO, UH, THROUGH VISIT MCKINNEY STAFF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW? AWESOME.
MCKINNEY PARKS AND REC, EMILY MCCLURE.
THE PARKS AND UH, REC MEETING WAS ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, AND WE MET AT THE AIRPORT, WHICH WAS INTERESTING AND LOVELY.
QUITE A FEW PLANES COMING AND GOING.
WHO KNEW
[00:15:01]
JULY 27TH, WHICH WAS INTRIGUING WITH HOW TO FIX A BIKE, GET A SCAVENGER HUNT.THEY RECEIVED THE POLLINATOR GRANT, SO THEY WILL BE SPREADING 10 ACRES OF WILD FLOWERS AT IRWIN, WHICH IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.
THE TREE CARVING AT FINCH DIDN'T WORK OUT 'CAUSE THE TREE WASN'T SUFFICIENT FOR CARVING ONCE THEY GOT INTO IT.
SO THEY'RE BRINGING IN ANOTHER TREE
THE PHASE TWO OF THE MCKINNEY SOCCER COMPLEX WILL BE DONE LATE THIS YEAR, AND THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT SECURITY IN REGARDS TO THAT SPACE, WHICH WILL BE WARRANTED ONCE IT'S COMPLETED.
THE EAST MCKINNEY LEARNING GARDEN IS WELL ON WAY, AND THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THAT IS SPONSORED BY THE SPROUTS MARKET FOUNDATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR EMILY? NO, SURE.
MCKINNEY VISIT MCKINNEY FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, ALICIA HOLBERG WILL PRESENT.
SO, UM, ERIN AND I MET WITH JANIE EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT, UM, TO GO OVER EVERYTHING, BUT I'M GONNA JUST PRESENT IT TO YOU THIS MORNING.
UM, SO YOU CAN GO DOWN TO THE NEXT PAGE, PAULA OR AMBER? PERFECT.
SO WE ARE, UM, 92%, UH, COMPLETE WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSING IN ON THE, THE FISCAL YEAR HERE.
UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY REPORTING THROUGH AUGUST.
UM, WE HAVE SPENT 88% OF OUR BUDGET AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO BE RIGHT AT OUR, OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, EVERYTHING IS, IS GOING WELL.
WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, UM, BECAUSE NOW WE WILL HAVE, WE'LL START THE FISCAL YEAR WITH PAULA ON BOARD, HELPING US KEEP CONTROL OF ALL OF THE, UH, AND KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF OUR FINANCES, WHICH WILL BE NICE FROM THE GET GO, THE START DAY ONE OF THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
SHE'S BROUGHT IN A LOT OF NEW IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN ALL KEEP EVERYTHING ORGANIZED AND EVERYTHING, SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR HER.
UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT, UM, SCROLL DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO WE ARE, THESE ARE OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY, UH, TAX REVENUES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, THEY'RE, UH, FOURTH FROM THE END.
UM, THE TOTAL THAT WE'VE BROUGHT IN THERE.
SO WE ARE UP ABOUT 6.45%, UM, FROM LAST YEAR, UM, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO 173, ALMOST $174,000.
UM, AND WE ARE ON TRACK FOR, UH, WE SHOULD SUR SURPASS THE $3 MILLION MARK, UM, IN HOT TAX REVENUES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS EXCITING.
WE WERE REALLY CLOSE LAST YEAR, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA, UM, SURPASS IT THIS YEAR.
UM, SO FAR THIS MONTH IS TRACKING PRETTY WELL SEPTEMBER, SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO CROSSING THAT THRESHOLD.
UM, THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE THE, THE STAR REPORT.
SO, UM, WE KIND OF CONDENSE THIS A LITTLE BIT THIS MONTH.
USUALLY THERE'S A LOT ON THIS PAGE, SO WE JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, SNIPPED IT DOWN TO WHAT YOU GUYS, WHAT THE IMPORTANT PARTS ARE.
SO OUR OCCUPANCY, YOU CAN SEE ON THAT FIRST LINE FOR 2024, AUGUST IS 68.1%.
SO WE ARE UP 1.1% FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, THE A DR AND REVPAR, THEY'RE ALSO UP FOR THIS MONTH.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT OUR, UM, COMP CITIES THERE, WE ARE QUITE A BIT HIGHER FOR THIS MONTH VERSUS THOSE, UH, SURROUNDING CITIES.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS A POSITIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, EXCITING TO SEE THAT WE ARE DOING WELL.
UM, OF COURSE WE'D ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE A STRONGER A DR.
UM, OUR TIER ONE IS, IS HOLDING STRONG.
UH, THE TIER THREE IS, IS A LITTLE LOW.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, NEGATIVE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
BUT, UM, THOSE, THE TIER ONE, TIER, TIER TWO ARE, ARE STILL HOLDING STRONG.
WE HOPE TO GET THOSE OTHER NUMBERS UP, BUT STILL TRENDING ON THE POSITIVE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ABOVE OUR COMP CITIES AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 66.9%.
SO, UM, WE, WE ARE EXCITED THE WAY IT'S GOING, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE AUGUST CAN SOMETIMES BE A DIFFICULT MONTH, UM, AS FAR AS TRAVEL, GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND, AND THAT TYPE OF THING, STARTING SCHOOL EARLY.
UM, AND I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU, AS FOR AS FAR AS FINANCE TODAY.
VISIT MCKINNEY MARKETING COMMITTEE, BETH SHUMATE TO PRESENT.
[00:20:02]
SCROLL DOWN TO SOME OF, UM, OKAY.SO WE'LL JUST GO OVER SOME OF THE, UM, ANALYTICS.
SO ON OUR WEBSITE, THE NUMBERS DID GO DOWN.
AGAIN, IT'S AUGUST, IT'S A SLOWER MONTH FOR US, THE VERY END OF THE MONTH.
HOWEVER, WE HAD, UM, SOME, IT WAS PRETTY ACTIVE, WHICH DOESN'T SHOW UP HERE BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE 31ST, BUT AS, UH, ANDREW JONES MENTIONED, THE SCAVENGER HUNT DROVE SOME GOOD TRAFFIC TO OUR WEBSITE BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE REALLY CRAZY ON THE SQUARE LOOKING.
IT WAS JUST A REALLY, REALLY FUN EVENT.
SO THE WEBSITE NUMBERS ARE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, WE'LL BE GOING BACK UP, I KNOW DURING THE FALL.
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, THE TRAFFIC HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD.
AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, UM, KIND OF CHANGING ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW.
AND AUGUST IS THIS SLOWER MONTH.
UM, YOU SEE THOUGH THAT OUR ENGAGEMENT ON INSTAGRAM IS REALLY, UM, IS REALLY GOOD AND STRONG.
UM, AMBER'S BEEN DOING SOME REALLY GREAT CONTENT AND THEN WITH THE CONTENT, UM, THAT WE HAD, THAT WE WERE SHARING A LOT OF THINGS WITH, UM, WITH DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY'S ACCOUNTS, UM, IT MEANT FOR, OR IT MADE FOR REALLY GOOD, UH, STRONG ENGAGEMENT RATE ON INSTAGRAM.
IF YOU WANNA SCROLL DOWN STILL, THE FOLLOWERS ARE UP THOUGH.
SO OUR FOLLOWING'S BEEN GREAT.
YOU'LL SEE IN FOR SEPTEMBER, WE'RE ALREADY, WE CROSSED THE 28,000 AND I WAS LOOKING AT NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR AND LAST YEAR THIS TIME WE WERE AT ABOUT 18,000.
UM, YOUTUBE, WE HAD THAT WEIRD SPIKE IN JULY THAT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
IT WAS SOME ODD, UM, I DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR VIETNAM EXPERIENCE AND WE HAD ONE AT THE HISTORY MUSEUM.
UM, SO THAT KIND OF GIVES AN UNREAL, UM, KIND OF NUMBER TO COMPARE TO.
BUT, UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW OUR SHORTS AREA OF YOUTUBE.
UM, AS AMBER GETS REALLY SUCCESSFUL, UM, REELS THAT SHE DOES FOR INSTAGRAM, UM, SHE STICKS 'EM IN A FOLDER FOR ME AND I UPLOAD 'EM TO YOUTUBE.
SO, UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW THAT.
AND IF YOU JUST GO TO THE LINKEDIN, UM, LINKEDIN IS THE ONE THAT'S REALLY, UM, REALLY SURPRISED ME.
UM, WE'RE JUST GROWING REALLY STRONG, SO AMBER'S POSTING SOME REALLY GREAT CONTENT THERE AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FOLLOWERS, UH, NUMBERS HAS REALLY, UH, GONE UP INCREDIBLY COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD PAGE VISIT, UM, TRAFFIC WIDGET VISIT WIDGET, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR APP.
AND THE WIDGET, THE TRAVEL WIDGET THAT IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, IT IS RUN AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UM, ON THE KIOSK OUT FRONT, THE TRAFFIC OUT THERE CONTINUES TO BE STRONG.
UM, I'M ABLE TO UPLOAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIDEOS AND OTHER POSTERS AND THINGS FOR EVENTS COMING UP.
AND THEN IF PEOPLE TOUCH IT, IT WILL GO TO THE APP AND THEY CAN, UM, THEY CAN PLAN A TRIP OR THEY CAN LOOK UP RESTAURANTS OR ANYTHING TO DO.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE SESSION NUMBER IS UP QUITE A BIT.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS ROBLEY, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON CHANGING THE NAME OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S, IT, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT ROBLEY IS A PLATFORM THAT WE DO OUR NEWSLETTERS ON.
UM, A WHILE BACK, UM, FOR A WHILE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OPEN RATE, UM, IT'S GONE DOWN.
IT WAS A LOT STRONGER A YEAR AGO.
THAT'S BECAUSE A YEAR AGO I WAS EVERY SIX MONTHS TAKING OUT PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T OPENING IT.
AND EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, WITH A BOARD QUESTION AND SUGGESTION, UM, I REACTIVATED SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE RETAINED A LOT OF THOSE.
UM, BUT WITH MORE PEOPLE THAT IT'S BEING SENT TO, UM, THE OPEN RATE IS, IS GONNA GO DOWN, BUT IT'S STILL STRONG.
IT IS STILL, UM, AT 29.3%, WHICH IS, UM, WAY ABOVE INDUSTRY AVERAGE FOR TOURISM, WHICH RUNS AT ABOUT 15, 16%.
AND THEN OUR CLICK RATE CONTINUES TO GO UP.
AND IN ALMOST EVERY CASE, OCCASIONALLY I WON'T HAVE A WAY THAT I CAN LINK IT TO OUR WEBSITE, BUT ALMOST EVERY, UM, CLICK GOES BACK TO OUR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN, STA CLICK RATE IS UP 108%.
SO THAT CONTINUES TO BE STRONG.
UM, SO PLEASE SHARE THE NEWSLETTER, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER.
CAN YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT? LET ME MAKE SURE.
AND, UM, AS ANDREW MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE THE BENJI EVENT COMING UP.
THAT IS ACTUALLY, UM, WE DON'T TYPICALLY DO EVENTS AS YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORT THEM, BUT THAT IS KIND OF OUR EVENT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH MAIN STREET ON BECAUSE WE ARE THE FILM FRIENDLY LIAISON OFFICE, AND THAT IS MCKINNEY'S LITTLE PIECE OF FILM HISTORY.
SO OCTOBER 19TH, UH, WE'RE SHOWING THE FILM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PET VENDOR, UH, FAIR ON THE LAWN OF IMPACT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PET RESCUE,
[00:25:01]
BUT WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING TO FIND ONE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS.SO IF YOU KNOW A PET RESCUE THAT WOULD POSSIBLY LIKE TO HAVE A PRESENCE OUT THERE, UH, BECAUSE BENJI WAS A RESCUE DOG, WE WANTED TO, UM, HONOR THAT IN THE CELEBRATION.
AND WE ARE ALSO GONNA BE DOING, LAUNCHING LATER THIS WEEK AN ONLINE, UM, BINGEY LOOKALIKE CONTEST WHERE PEOPLE COULD SUBMIT PHOTOS OF THEIR DOGS.
AND AFTER WE GET, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE DEADLINE FOR THAT, THEN WE WILL BE POSTING ON SOCIAL WHERE PEOPLE CAN THEN, UM, VOTE FOR WHO THE BIGGEST BINGEY LOOKALIKE IS.
AND WE'LL BE GIVING THAT AWARD DURING THE, UH, DURING THE MOVIE.
DO WE DO ANYTHING ON TIKTOK? ON WHAT? TIKTOK NO, GOVERNMENT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED.
WE'RE NOT, WE DID FOR A VERY BRIEF TIME AND WE STOPPED DOING IT.
WELL THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE DOING THE YOUTUBE SHORTS BECAUSE IT'S SLIGHTLY SIMILAR, I WOULD SAY.
THIS MAY SOUND INCREDIBLY OUT OF LEFT FIELD, BUT, UH, UH, CAN YOU ENLIGHTEN ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ON BENJI? SO BENJI WAS, UM, IT WAS FILMED IN 1973 AND THE, THE STATUE WAS ERECTED IN 19, IN, UH, LAST YEAR IN 2023.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM, I WAS 10 WHEN IT CAME OUT.
FOUND IN MY DIARY WHERE I WROTE THAT MY FAMILY HAD BEEN TO SEE IT WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS HYSTERICAL.
UM, AND THEN IT CAME OUT IN 74.
IT WAS NOT FILMED ENTIRELY IN MCKINNEY.
WHEN YOU SEE THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE IN MCKINNEY, HE'S RUNNING ON THE STREETS.
BUT THEN THEY SHOW THE DENTON COURTHOUSE.
UM, THE BENJI HOUSE, HOWEVER, IS HERE.
IT WAS THE DAL BED BREAKFAST, DOW HOUSE BED BREAKFAST.
IT'S NO LONGER THE BED BREAKFAST.
BUT THEY, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THE HOUSE HAVE RENOVATED IT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE FAMILIES INQUIRE ABOUT COMING HERE.
THEY'LL BE TRAVELING HERE FROM OREGON AND CALIFORNIA FOR THE BENJI EVENT, WHICH IS KIND OF CRAZY.
BUT IT CAME OUT OCTOBER 19TH OR AROUND THAT, THAT WEEKEND IN 1973.
SO THIS IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF IT COMING OUT.
YEAH, THE HOUSE IS JUST DOWN HERE, SO IT'S A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATION OF OUR FILM HISTORY.
IT, BENJI IS ON THE CLASSIC, THE TEXAS FILM COMMISSION'S CLASSIC TEXAS FILM TRAIL.
SO IT DOES BRING PEOPLE UP HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU BETH.
[Assistant Director’s Report]
TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S REPORT.OKAY, SO JUST, I HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES FOR YOU.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT LETTING YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT SOME HOTEL UPDATES.
UM, SO WE HAVE FOUR HOTELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AMBER WENT OUT AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE VIDEOS.
THEY'LL EACH START TO PLAY TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT HOTELS.
SO DENISON MCKINNEY HOTEL, UM, THAT IS AT DISTRICT 1 21 ALMA AND 1 21, UM, RIGHT BY, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE MINA AND BOBS A, UM, THEY SHOULD BE OPENING SOON.
UM, THE HOPE IS, UH, NOVEMBER, THAT'S THEIR TARGET, UNLESS THERE'S ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SMALL CONSTRUCTION TYPE OF HOLD UP.
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT TARGETING A NOVEMBER OPENING.
THAT ONE HAS 102 ROOMS. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE UPSCALE BOUTIQUE HOTEL.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE.
IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT, GREAT ADDITION TO OUR HOTELS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR HELPING WITH BYRON NELSON.
UM, BEING SO CLOSE TO CRAIG RANCH, UH, THE TRUE HOTEL.
I KNOW WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY KIND OF UPDATES ON THAT ONE EVER.
UM, SO WE,
SO WE WERE THANKFUL BECAUSE WE FINALLY TALKED TO A HUMAN THERE.
UM, WE WERE, SHE WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE, UM, THEY'RE HIRING.
WE'VE SEEN THEM ADVERTISING, LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS.
UM, AND THEY'RE HOPING ONCE THEY GET THOSE POSITIONS FILLED TO OPEN BY THE END OF OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER.
SO WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A, A, A MYSTERY.
WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO 84 ROOMS. UM, AND THAT ONE IS ON CRAIG DRIVE.
UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT ONE TO BE ADDED.
THE AVID HOTEL, WHICH IS AN IHG PROPERTY, THAT ONE IS, UM, 75 JUST SOUTH OF WHITE AVENUE.
SO BETWEEN THREE 80 AND VIRGINIA.
UM, THAT IS JUST UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE 95 ROOMS, GONNA BE 95 ROOMS. THAT'S MORE OF A, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BUDGET STYLE HOTEL, BUT IT'S GONNA BE BRAND NEW AND BEAUTIFUL.
UM, AND THAT WILL, THEY'RE TARGETING RIGHT NOW FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE.
UM, MARCH, OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU KNOW, MID-MARCH.
AGAIN MARRYING ANY CONSTRUCTION HOLDUPS.
[00:30:01]
THE ONE ON THE END THERE.UM, THAT ONE WILL BE, THAT'S AT HUB 1 21 AGAIN ALMA AND 1 21 JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF WHERE DENISON IS.
UM, AND THAT ONE, UH, IS GONNA BE 137 ROOMS. THEY WILL HAVE A ROOFTOP PATIO AND BAR THAT'S GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS.
THEY DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MEETING SPACE, UH, ABOUT 1900 SQUARE FEET PLUS TWO SMALL CONFERENCE ROOMS. UM, AND THEY, IT'S SOMETIME IN 2025.
WE DON'T HAVE A, UM, A TARGETED MONTH QUITE YET 'CAUSE IT'S STILL PRETTY EARLY.
THEY JUST STARTED GOING VERTICAL.
UM, BUT THE PARKING LOT, THE CONCRETE'S ALL LAID.
UM, SO THAT COULD BE JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
BUT WE ARE EXCITED BECAUSE IN ALL FOUR OF THOSE HOTELS THERE WAS ZERO INCENTIVES GIVE GIVEN.
UM, SO WE'LL BE COLLECTING HOT TAX FROM THEM FROM DAY ONE.
UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY KIND OF DEALS TO GET THEM TO BUILD, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.
UM, IT HELPS US, THAT MONEY GOES IN, THAT HELPS US PROMOTE FOUR MORE HOTELS FOR US TO PROMOTE.
UM, SO WE'RE GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE WITHOUT PROVIDING THE CITY PROVIDING ANY INCENTIVES.
UM, THERE ARE TWO OTHERS THAT ARE IN THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE, SO, UM, NO GUARANTEES, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EARLY ON, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A REPORT, UM, A RESIDENCE INN, UH, IS SLATED FOR NORTHWEST CORNER OF HARDIN AND THREE 80.
UM, SO THAT'S MORE OF AN EXTENDED STAY TYPE OF HOTEL.
UM, STUDIO ONE BEDROOMS, EXTENDED STAY, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT 144 ROOMS. UM, AND THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED BY THE, UM, THE OWNERS OF THE FAIRFIELD INN.
SO THEY ALREADY HAVE A HISTORY HERE, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR, WE LOVE THE FAIRFIELD INN.
THEY DECIDED THAT THEY'D LIKE TO PUT ANOTHER HOTEL HERE.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A POOL AND A PICKLEBALL AND BASKETBALL COURT AND BAR.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE.
AND THEN ONE OTHER ONE THAT'S AGAIN, IN DEVELOPMENT PHASE IS, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S A, IT'S A PROTOTYPE HOTEL, SO IT'S A LAQUINTA HAWTHORNE, LAQUINTA AND HAWTHORNE EXTENDED STAY BY WYNDHAM KIND OF MERGED TOGETHER.
AND IT WILL BE OVER BY THE, UM, MISD STADIUM.
SO HARDEN AND, AND MCKINNEY RANCH PARKWAY.
UM, SO IT'LL BE A HUNDRED ROOMS AND A MIX OF EXTENDED STAY, THE HAWTHORNE, UM, UH, EXTENDED STAY SIDE AND A REGULAR LA QUINTA.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT IS AN INTERESTING, AGAIN, A PROTOTYPE FOR THEM.
THEY'LL HAVE LOBBY BAR AND, AND BREAKFAST AND THINGS AND, BUT THEY'RE PROJECTING IT COULD BE 2026.
SO AGAIN, JUST IN DEVELOPMENT PHASES.
UM, SO NOTHING CONCRETE ON ANY OF THOSE, BUT JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A HEADS UP 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF BEEN OUT THERE IN CASE YOU WERE INTERESTED.
SO THAT'S A LOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S POTENTIALLY SIX HOTELS, FOUR FOR SURE, AND TWO MORE, UM, THAT COULD BE COMING.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT FOR US.
UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I KNOW AARON KIND OF GAVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON SOME OF THIS AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, ONE CHANGE THE TA, UH, T-A-C-V-B, UM, MEETING THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE IT, IT ORIGINALLY WAS JUST A, A REGIONAL WORKSHOP, BUT THEY HAVE DECIDED TO ADD ON THEIR BOARD RETREAT, SO, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THE DATES SHIFTED SLIGHTLY, SO IT WAS THE WEEK PRIOR, NOW IT'S NOVEMBER 13TH AND 14TH.
AND SINCE THEY ADDED THE BOARD RETREAT, WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING SOME HOTEL STAYS OUT OF THAT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT THERE.
THE BOARD WILL BE HERE, THEY'LL HAVE A, I THINK A, A ABOUT A DAY, A HALF DAY, HALF DAY OF MEETINGS, AND THEN SOME, YOU KNOW, EVENING DINNERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN SOME STAYS AT THE GRAND HOTEL, SO IT'LL ALL BE HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN BILLIE JEAN KING, UM, AND THE FOOTBALL.
WE HAVE ANOTHER EVENT AND UH, WE SHOULD HAVE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PUBLICLY SHARE NEXT AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, A A A TO BE ANNOUNCED SPORTS EVENTS THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN MARCH, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN US THE GO AHEAD TO, TO ANNOUNCE IT YET.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WAITING ON THAT.
AND THEN THE INTERNATIONAL GIRLS CUP, I KNOW ERIN MENTIONED, BUT THEY, UM, PROVIDE US WITH THEIR LOGO AND WE'RE EXCITED.
THEY INCORPORATED, UM, SOME OF VISIT MCKINNEY'S COLORS AND THINGS, UM, AND LOVE THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE MCKINNEY IN THE, IN THE LOGO.
ERIN AND I MET, UM, MET WITH THEM AS LONG, UH, AS WELL AS WITH OUR PARK STAFF, UM, ABOUT, UH, LAST WEEK I THINK JUST THEY'RE, IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT EVENT BRINGING LOTS OF PEOPLE IN HERE, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE.
UM, WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO JUST SOME BASIC OTHER STAFF UPDATES.
MARIE, UM, SHE JUST ATTENDED THE TSAE NEW IDEAS CONFERENCE.
ALWAYS GREAT TO BE OUT THERE GETTING, UM, NEW IDEAS AND EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR INDUSTRY.
AS AARON MENTIONED IN THAT FIRST VIDEO, HE IS AT ICMA, UM, THIS WEEK WITH A LONG, ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER CITY STAFF, CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF.
UM, AND HE WAS ASKED TO PRESENT ABOUT OUR SOLAR ECLIPSE AND HOW IT IMPACTED, UM, THE CITY.
AND THEN WE ARE WAITING, ACTUALLY WAITING TO HEAR, UM, THEY WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE NCAA BIDS ON OCTOBER 2ND.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, UM, WE DIDN'T DO THE BID FOR
[00:35:01]
THE D TWO FOOTBALL, THAT'S THROUGH MS. MISD.UM, BUT THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WORK ON TOGETHER WHEN IT'S HOSTED HERE.
UM, BUT SO THEY WILL FIND OUT IF THAT'S EXTENDED.
AND THEN WE WILL ALSO, OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, APPLIED TO PUT IN A BID FOR D TWO AND D THREE TENNIS.
UM, SO WE WILL SEE IF WE, IF WE HEAR ANYTHING, IF WE WON THOSE BIDS.
AND THAT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE HELD OVER AT THE COURTS.
WE WORKED WITH THEM ON THOSE BIDS.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE OCTOBER 2ND, WE'LL HEAR.
ANOTHER THING I KNOW, AGAIN, AARON I KNOW MENTIONED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING A SOCCER HERE IN MCKINNEY.
SO THE VOTING IS CLOSED, IT CLOSED ON SUNDAY.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS, THESE WERE THE FOUR DIFFERENT CHOICES.
IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE, UM, JUST GIVE YOU A HEADS UP, IT'LL BE ONE, ONE OF THESE.
I THINK ANY OF THE FOUR WOULD BE FAN WILL BE FANTASTIC.
UM, BUT THEY SHOULD BE ANNOUNCING IT SOON.
I WAS HOPING THAT THEY WOULD ANNOUNCE IT AND I COULD HAVE SHOWED YOU WHICH ONE, BUT THEY, I THINK THEY'RE PLANNING SOME KIND OF BIG, BIG ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHICH ONE WILL WIN.
SO, UM, UH, BUT IF YOU HISTORIC, MCKINNEY SOCCER.COM GIVES YOU ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEAM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CHECKING IT OUT.
OR YOU CAN ALSO EVEN, UM, SIGN UP TO TRY AND GET ON THE TEAM.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS SOCCER ASPIRATIONS,
WE, THESE ARE OUR STORE HOURS, SO WE'RE MAKING SOME CHANGES.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME NEW STORE HOURS ON SATURDAYS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO FROM, WE'RE ADDING AN HOUR.
SO CURRENTLY WE OPEN AT 11, 11 TO FOUR.
WE'RE CHANGING IT TO 10 TO FOUR TO KIND OF ALIGN BETTER WITH THE REST OF THE STORES THAT ARE HERE IN DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY.
UM, AND THAT WILL START, UM, WE JUST FIGURED WE'D ALIGN IT WITH OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT WOULD IS OCTOBER 4TH, FIFTH, WHATEVER THAT SAT.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE WILL BE OPEN ON SATURDAYS NOW, UM, WE'RE ADDING SOME EXTRA HOURS FOR OCTOBER FEST AS WELL.
UM, YOU CAN SEE IN THERE ADDING AN EXTRA HOUR ON FRIDAY, UM, SOME EXTRA TIME ON SATURDAY AS WELL.
AND THEN WE WILL BE OPEN ON SUNDAY.
WE'RE NOT TYPICALLY OPEN ON SUNDAYS.
WE, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHERE OUR STORE IS, WE'RE GONNA BE KIND OF RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE CARNIVAL.
SO, UM, LOTS OF FAMILIES AND THINGS.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE OPEN, UM, ON THAT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO SOME EXTRA HOURS FOR THE HOLIDAYS AS WELL.
WE'LL BE OPEN ON SUNDAYS FOR A FEW HOURS, UM, FROM IN DECEMBER THROUGH CHRISTMAS.
UH, SO JUST ADDING IN SOME EXTRA STORE HOURS.
SO IT'S OBVIOUSLY IT'S A NEW FISCAL YEAR COMING UP FOR US.
PAULA IS WORKING ON GETTING ALL OF THESE CALENDAR, UH, CONFIRMING ALL THE CALENDAR DATES FOR ALL THE NEW UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS AND THINGS.
UM, SO THAT WILL COME OUT AND YOU'LL GET THOSE INVITES.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THIS UP FOR YOU NOW SO YOU KNOW, AND CAN PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDARS, UM, TENTATIVELY SO YOU'RE AWARE, UM, THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE THE OCTOBER 29TH AND THEN, UM, THE BOARD MEETING IN NOVEMBER WILL BE THE 26TH, WHICH IS THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING.
SO JUST AGAIN, WANTED TO GIVE YOU A, A HEADS UP AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN OUR, UM, HOLIDAY PARTY TENTATIVELY IS GOING TO BE DECEMBER 4TH THAT EVENING.
UM, SO WE'LL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ONCE WE CONFIRM THAT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FIRM EVERYTHING UP.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? NO.
[Visitors Center & Shop Year 1 Review: Elevating the Visitor Experience]
ME.WE'RE MOVING NOW TO A REGULAR AGENDA.
ITEM 24, 2003, VISITOR CENTER AND SHOP YEAR ONE REVIEW ELEVATING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE,
OKAY, I DON'T WANNA TO RUN THIS VIDEO.
SO WE HAVE, UM, REACHED THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUR STORE.
UM, WE HAD DID HAVE STORES IN PREVIOUS, UM, YEARS, PREVIOUS KIND OF ITERATIONS OF THE VISITOR CENTER, BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS RUN BY, UM, A BUSINESS PERSON IN TOWN.
AND IT WAS KIND OF A SECOND LOCATION FOR THEM OR KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, FUN EXTRA BUSINESS.
BUT WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT IN HOUSE.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS OUR RIBBON CUTTING ON OUR GRAND OPENING DAY.
I SEE SOME OF YOU IN THE PICTURE.
UM, SO WE GO TO THE NEXT VIDEO, TO THE NEXT ONE.
UM, SO YOU'LL WATCH THE LITTLE VIDEO, IT'LL SHOW FROM WHEN WE FIRST MOVED IN DOWNTOWN IN 2013 AND THE UGLY YELLOW WALLS AND ALL THE, IT WAS JUST GROSS AND WE HAD SOME WALLS UP.
SO, UM, WE DECIDED, SO THE OPENING OF THE STORE IN 2023 MARKED JUST OVER 10 YEARS OF VISIT MCKINNEY BEING IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO IF YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PROGRESS OF THE STORE AND THE YELLOW WALLS GOING AWAY AND THE WALLS COMING DOWN, WE HAD A FUN MURAL PAINTED ON THE FRONT WINDOW THAT PEOPLE COULD COME AND THEY COULD PEEK IN WHEN THERE WAS PAPER ON THE WINDOW.
YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN PEEK INTO THE LITTLE, IT WAS REALLY FUN.
[00:40:01]
WE WOULD BE STANDING IN THERE AND SEE PEOPLE PEEKING IN THE LITTLE WINDOW AND WE WOULD WAVE AT THEM.AND, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING GOING ON IN THE BUILDING FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS OTHER THAN JUST THE OFFICES.
BUT WE REALLY WERE DOING VERY LIMITED SERVICE AS FAR AS, UM, GREETING PEOPLE.
WE HAD ONE LITTLE BROCHURE RACK YOU'LL SEE IN THERE.
WE ACTUALLY SET UP FOR, UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AT EMPAC.
UM, JUST HAVE A LITTLE VISITOR CENTER.
AND THEN ANDREA CAME IN AND PAINTED, UM, PAINTED THE, UH, MURAL ON OUR WALL.
AND THEN ERIN EVEN GOT DOWN AND WAS DOING FLOOR PAINTING AND IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR EVERYTHING.
WE HAD, UH, ALL KINDS OF ISSUES WITH THE DESK AND THE FURNITURE AND OTHER THINGS.
UM, BUT UH, YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH OF THE STORE.
THERE'S THE FIRST OF THE MERCHANDISE THAT WE FIRST PUT OUT WHEN, UH, WE WERE STILL KIND OF GETTING EVERYTHING IN PLACE.
AND BEFORE THE GRAND OPENING, WE DID A SOFT OPENING ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD THE SIGN PUT UP AGAIN.
THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF FUN THINGS.
WE WORKED WITH TEXACO COFFEE, NOW 1 0 7 ROASTERS TO DO THE MCKINNEY BLEND COFFEE.
AND THEN THERE IS OUR, UH, OUR OPEN HOUSE.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN SEE FROM NOVEMBER, 2022 TO SEPTEMBER, 2023, WE WERE OFFERING VERY LIMITED SERVICES.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE GREEN NUMBERS WERE REALLY, REALLY LOW.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN.
UM, WE HAD A FEW, BUT NOT THAT MANY.
UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK, UM, THE VISITATION NUMBERS WENT WAY UP WHEN WE OPENED, UH, DID THE GRAND OPENING SEPTEMBER 7TH.
UM, SO NOW FROM SEPTEMBER 7TH OF 23 TO SEPTEMBER 7TH, THE 24, WE'VE HAD JUST UNDER 6,600 VISITORS COME THROUGH.
AND THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES WE CAUGHT.
SOMETIMES WHEN IT'S A REALLY, REALLY BUSY DAY, WE MAY NOT CATCH THEM ALL.
WE RECORD THEM IN OUR CR CRM, UM, AND WE WERE UP A TOTAL OF 323%.
SO THE VISITORS AND LOCALS BY THE NUMBERS, WE AREN'T ALWAYS ABLE TO CAPTURE WHERE THEY'RE FROM.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH PEOPLE, BUT IT IS FUN TO LOOK AT THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
WE DO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF OF TOWN WE'VE GOT, LET ME SEE, I KNOW I HAD THAT ON THERE SOMEWHERE, BUT MAYBE ONLY NOT.
UM, WE DO VISIT WITH PEOPLE WHEN THEY DO COME IN, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD NUMBERS.
AND THE DAYS OF THE WEEK, THURSDAY IS A REALLY HIGH DAY FOR US FOR SOME REASON THAT JUST SEEMS TO BE WHEN PEOPLE ARE DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN LOOK AT THE TIMES OF THE DAY TOO, THAT TEND TO BE THE BUSIEST TIMES OF THE DAY OVERALL SALES.
SO THESE ARE THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS, UM, EVERYDAY PRODUCTS THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE IN THE SHOP.
I'LL TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.
YOU'LL SEE, UM, IN THE ONE YEAR WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN WE WENT TO IT.
I MEAN, WE REALLY DIDN'T, I DON'T THINK WE EVER WOULD'VE EXPECTED TO HAVE ALMOST $70,000 WORTH OF RETAIL SALES IN THE STORE WITH A SALES OF 10,000 UNITS, 10,325 UNITS OF MERCHANDISE.
IT'S PRETTY, UH, PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
WE WEREN'T, I MEAN, WE WERE READY FOR IT.
WE STARTED HAVING MEETINGS, BUT THE FIRST ORDER THAT WE DID OF ECLIPSE SHIRTS, WE DID, WE ORDERED 30 SHIRTS, 30 OR 35 SHIRTS.
'CAUSE WE WEREN'T SURE IF THEY WOULD SELL.
WE WOULDN'T GET STUCK WITH ANY OF 'EM.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE, THIS IS NOT WORKING.
BY THE END OF IT, WE HAD SOLD 800 SHIRTS, ECLIPSE SHIRTS.
UM, SO WE WERE CONSTANTLY ORDERING AND I WAS MAKING TRIPS DOWN TO PLANO TO PICK THEM UP.
UM, AND WE SOLD THE VERY LAST SHIRT AN HOUR BEFORE THE EVENT AND AFTER THE EVENT ON THE ROOFTOP, AS SOON AS THE ECLIPSE WAS OVER, PEOPLE WERE COMING IN.
WHY WANNA BUY ONE OF THOSE SHIRTS? AND WE'RE LIKE, WE DON'T ANYMORE.
WE'RE SORRY, BUT WE DIDN'T WANNA GET STUCK WITH SHIRTS.
SO, UM, SO THE ECLIPSE IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WISH WE COULD ORDER UP ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE OF THAT, OF THAT ALMOST $70,000 IN SALES.
THE, UH, ECLIPSE GROSS SALES WERE, WERE JUST UNDER 26,000 WITH, UH, ALMOST 6,000 UNITS SOLD.
UH, JUST BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1ST AND APRIL 8TH.
SO IT WAS A PRETTY CRAZY TIME.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE HUGE SPIKE IN OUR NUMBERS.
BUT THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE SOLD.
THE ONLY ONES THAT AREN'T SHOWN ON THERE, LIKE THE LITTLE STUFFED ANIMALS.
WE HAD, I THINK SIX OF THOSE AND, AND JUST RANDOM NUMBERS OF SOME OF THE OTHERS.
BUT IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
SO SOME OF THE INTANGIBLES THAT WE REALLY, UM, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK AGAIN.
UM, THE TEAM BUILDING WAS JUST IN INCRE.
THE COMRADERY THAT WE BUILT DURING ALL OF
[00:45:01]
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE.WE CAME BACK FROM THE ROOFTOP EVENT AND JUST KIND OF ALL SAT THERE.
WHAT DID WE DO?
BUT IT WAS SUCH A GOOD KIND OF EXHAUSTION.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO ORDER UP ANOTHER KIND OF EVENT.
UM, THE VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS OF VISIT MCKINNEY WAS INCREDIBLE.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAFFIC, OF COURSE, SINCE IT, THE ECLIPSE HAPPENED EARLY IN APRIL WAS IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
THOSE WERE PEOPLE, THOSE WERE OUR RESIDENTS WHO WERE FINDING OUT ABOUT THE VISIT, UH, THE VISITOR CENTER AND ABOUT VISIT MCKINNEY FOR MANY, MANY OF THEM THE FIRST TIME THEY'D EVER BEEN IN OUR SHOP.
SO JUST THE AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY ALONE OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND OF OUR VISITOR CENTER AND STORE WAS SOMETHING YOU, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE, THERE'S JUST NO WAY WE COULD HAVE PAID FOR THAT KIND OF, OF, UM, EXPOSURE.
UM, WE HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD HOTEL PARTNER INTERACTION.
WE WERE WORKING WITH HOTELS, UM, THAT MAYBE WE DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH THAT MUCH BECAUSE WE DID HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THEM HOP ON AND WANT TO, UH, OFFER A HOTEL ROOM THAT THEY GOT GLASSES AND SOME OTHER LITTLE THINGS WITH.
AND THEN JUST THE AMBASSADORSHIP, WE MET PEOPLE, UM, AGAIN, IT WAS HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THEM, BUT JUST FROM THE ONES THAT WE TALKED TO, WE MET PEOPLE FROM EVERY STATE THAT WASN'T IN THE PATH OF THE ECLIPSE.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
AND SOME INTERNATIONAL FOLKS AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE LOVE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE AND, AND SO IT GAVE US A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A YEAR TWO.
WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT MERCHANDISE ORDERED.
UM, OUR, UM, HOODIES AND, AND SWEATSHIRTS ARE NOW, THE WEATHER'S STARTING TO GET COOLER.
THEY'VE BEEN BEEN GOOD SELLERS ANYWAY.
THE, THE STAFF, PAULA AND ALEXIS AND SOME OF THE OTHER STAFF WORKED SO HARD ON FINDING REALLY GREAT MERCHANDISE AND THEY ONLY BRING IN STUFFED ANIMALS THAT ARE EXTREMELY SOFT
SO MAKE SURE AND AND CHRISTMAS SHOP THIS YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? ARE YOU GONNA DO ANYTHING CONNECTED WITH THE BIRDS? UM, I DON'T KNOW.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT, UM, ANDREA DOES THAT BIRD TOBER THING EVERY OCTOBER WHERE SHE DOES A, SOME KIND OF, OF EVENT WHERE SHE PAINTS A BIRD EVERY DAY FOR OCTOBER.
SO OURS IS GONNA BE ON THE ALLEY SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE BIG SIGN IS THERE, WHERE THE DOWNSPOUT IS.
AND THEN THERE'S A, A LIKE A CONCRETE BAND THAT GOES ACROSS.
AND SO SHE'LL BE THERE PAINTING EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW.
BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'LL PROBABLY DO SOMETHING, UM, PROMOTIONAL WISE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL DO IT IN THE STORE.
DO YOU HAVE SHIRTS COMING IN? I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE SWEATSHIRTS.
WE GOT SOME SWEATSHIRTS IN AND THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD SELLERS.
IT'S HARD TO TELL BECAUSE I MEAN, THEY, THEY ARE THE HIGHER PRICE POINT IN THE STORE, SO THEY'RE GONNA SHOW UP AS BEING, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE HIGHER SALES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT AS MANY UNITS SOLD.
BUT THEY'RE REALLY GREAT AND GREAT HATS AND THINGS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BINGEY STUFFED ANIMALS?
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING, THE BINGEY EVENT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE DON'T TYPICALLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY DO EVENTS AND WE DON'T REALLY DO FILM THINGS.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A BUDGET FOR IT EITHER.
AND WITH IT FALLING JUST AFTER THE BEGINNING OF A FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME, BUT WE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT SOME, SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOME.
UM, I DID REACH OUT TO THE SCULPTOR TO SEE IF SHE WOULD GIVE US, UM, ACCESS TO THE SKETCHES SO WE COULD GET SOME LITTLE RESIN, MINI BENIES MADE.
I'VE STILL NOT HEARD BACK FROM HER YET.
I'VE CONTACTED HER A COUPLE THREE TIMES.
UM, BUT I WILL BE GOING AROUND ONLY TELLING YOU ALL OF COURSE.
UM, BUT I HAVE BOUGHT SOME LITTLE DOGS THAT WILL BE MAGICALLY APPEARING AT SOME MANY OF OUR TINY DOORS, SO DURING THE BENJI EVENT.
SO, SO WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THINGS THAT WAY, BUT, UM, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THAT, KEITH.
UM, I AM ORDERING SOME STICKERS THOUGH OF THE LOGO.
THE, THE LOGO THAT THE CITY CREATED IS FANTASTIC.
IT'S THE SAME ONE THEY USE FOR THE UNVEILING, JUST WITH A LITTLE BIT OF, OF A CHANGE TO THE VERBIAGE AROUND IT.
SO IT'S A RED HEART WITH, WITH THE ACTUAL BENIES, HIS FACE COMING OUT OF IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT OUR STICKERS WILL BE, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAILING THE STICKERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AT THIS TIME WE ALLOW FOR ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON MATTERS, NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[BOARD AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR COMMENTS]
LET'S MOVE ON TO, UM, BOARD AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.ANY COMMENTS? BOARD, OR, I HAVE A COMMENT.
I, UH, RECENTLY WAS OBVIOUSLY DOWN HERE IN DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY WITH THE FAMILY, AND WE JUST HAD A LOVELY TIME.
I LOVE THIS AREA AND WE GOT TO HOP ON THE TROLLEY AND THAT WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTE FANTASTIC
[00:50:01]
EXPERIENCE.AND THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE DRIVING THE TROLLEY, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, UM, OUTSTANDING, FRIENDLY, LOVE IT.
SO WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF THAT, PROPS TO THEM, THAT'S MAIN STREET.
SO ANDREA, HE STEPPED OUT, BUT YEAH, THAT'S HIS, HIS DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST COMING DOWN, BRINGING THEIR KIDS.
IT LIKE FOR SOMETHING FREE TO DO, LIKE THEIR LITTLE KIDS JUST WANNA GO RIDE THE TROLLEY AND THEY JUST GO AND RIDE IT AROUND.
YEAH, WE WENT FROM, WE WENT FROM THE ARCADE TO THE YARD AND LOVE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EASY WALK, TRUST ME.
BUT WHAT A COOL EXPERIENCE JUST TO JUMP ON A TROLLEY.
I WAS GONNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT.
UM, UM, A COMMUNITY LEADER PASSED AWAY.
GEORGE BUSH, HIS WIFE CHARLOTTE OWNS DOWNTOWN, UH, THE CHARLOTTES AND THEY OWN SEVERAL BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN.
AND, UH, HE HELPED RESTORE A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN WHEN HE MOVED HERE IN 86, 87.
AND SO I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT CHARLOTTE AND GEORGE.
I MOVE, UH, I MAKE A MOTION TO FORMALLY CONGRATULATE ALICIA ON HER PROMOTION ON THE BOARD.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I WOULD, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
THIS WILL BE MY LAST MEETING FOR THE BOARD.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR BEING SO KIND AND HOSPITABLE TO ME.
I RECOGNIZE MOST PEOPLE DON'T STEP OFF OF THESE BOARDS BY CHOICE, BUT IN PATRICK'S WORDS, I HAVE THE APPETITE FOR A FEW OTHER THINGS IN MY LIFE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU EACH IN OTHER CAPACITIES.
WE WERE ABOUT TO GET, AND THANK YOU
SO, UM, I KNOW KATIE WAS REALLY WANTING TO HAVE THE HONOR TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
SO ON HER BEHALF, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TWO YEARS OF SERVICE.
AND ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT YOU HAVE MADE, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL.
I KNOW YOU'RE ON THE MARKETING COMMITTEE WITH THE STORE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR US AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE WANNA THANK YOU.
WE'RE SAD TO SEE YOU GO, BUT WE UNDERSTAND
AND I KNOW AARON, I KNOW HE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, SAD THAT HE WOULDN'T BE HERE AGAIN FOR YOUR LAST MEETING, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU, YOU REALLY, ESPECIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MARKETING COMMITTEE, BUT TAKING ON THE PARKS AND REC LIAISON, YOU REALLY HOPPED INTO THAT.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE REALLY BUILDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH PARKS AND REC.
SO TO HAVE A GOOD LIAISON THERE, UM, AND COME BACK AND GIVE THESE GREAT THOROUGH REPORTS, IT, IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL.
UM, BUT JUST IN GENERAL, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR BOARD, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE SAD TO SEE YOU GO, BUT AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN EVERYONE'S LIVES, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO OUR BOARD.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO UM, ADJOURN THE MEETING? I MOVE TO
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING.
THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 8:57 AM.